March 12th, 2012
Today I was looking for a place where we could have lunch right on the beach. Deerfield!! That’s where we headed to. The restaurant? Oceans 234, located at 234 North Ocean Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. Tel. 954-428-2539 Website? http://www.oceans234.com.
I had forgotten that it is Spring Break for many. The beaches in Deerfield Beach were very crowded; surfing, beach volley ball or just getting a suntan were the activities of the day.
It takes about 15 minutes from Delray Beach to Deerfield Beach. I like to go on A1A; a most scenic route.
Oceans 234 has indoor seating, as well, but, who would want to sit inside? It is right on the beach; a little boardwalk connects other restaurants on that block. Full view of the longest pier too.
We had a very nice table and our waiter was friendly and attentive.
We first ordered some calamari. Usually they are fried; but because of the gluten allergy they just sauteed them. A roasted pepper relish and a honey balsamic glaze accompanied them. Sorry, my plate became such a mess. They were so tender and perfectly cooked.
I just wanted a burger. A Black Angus Burger, char-grilled, sourdough flour-top, adding sauteed onions and mushrooms. Fries!!
Now, the next one was a first for all of us. A Crab Cake BLT!! I have never seen this on the menu. Check the picture out!! It looked fantastic and it tasted delicious. Jumbo Lump, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, remoulade sauce on toasted bread.
If you are visiting the area, definitely, stop, at least for lunch like we did. Talk to you later.
Note: Oceans 234 has a sushi menu and a sushi bar.
December 16th, 2011
It is hard to get together with friends during the holidays. Trying to catch up with Shelley, I took Susan to Ocean City, Maryland. We thought we would have something to eat. Our choice? Liquid Assets located at 94th St. and Coastal Highway. Tel. 410-524-7037. Website? http://www.ocliquidassets.com.
It was a simple dinner before the Christmas; both of my friends were Jewish. Susan had never been to Liquid Assets. I always say that it is the perfect Bodega to have lunch or dinner. Their food is so consistent and very good; the restaurant is very unique.
The mussels are a must; that broth was so good. They were pan roasted with chorizo, shallots, garlic and grilled bread. I kept using the shells as a spoon to scoop it up. Finally, our server asked me if I needed a spoon. Too late; I was then finished.
Susan and Shelley had the Caesar Salad; hearts of romaine, crisp croutons and grana padano with grilled chicken.
I had such a good entree. It was Pan Roasted Duck Breast on top of brussel sprouts, butternut squash, boucheron cheese, truffle oil, herbs, and fluer de sel. I did not want it to end. Cooked at a temperature of medium rare; it was perfect.
Deciding that it was time to go home but not before we made a stop to see the Winterfest of Lights which is taking place until January 1st at Northside Park, 125 St. & The Bay.
It was already late so no ride through the animated wonderland on the Winterfest Express. The Winterfest of Lights is an annual event for the whole family. It started around the end of November. It brings so many people; be prepared to wait during the week-ends.
Over a million lights and hundreds of displays, which are updated every year with more added to the existing displays. There is a Winterfest Village inside a festive and heated pavilion.
It was so quiet during our stop and the 60 ft. Christmas Tree was beautiful.
$5.00 for 12 and older and free for 11 and under. You can even purchase tickets in advance at the Ocean City Community Center at 200 125th St. Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the main entrance.
Winterfest of Lights opens Sundays through Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
If you want to continue driving all the way into downtown O.C. then take a drive along Avenue of Trees on Baltimore Ave. from 15th St. to 32nd St. Lots of lights and sparkle showing a beautiful downtown.
Note: Santa will be available for photos at Winterfest of Lights until December 23rd.
Friends….what would you do without them….love to be with them…priceless!!
November 8th, 2011
“Menu planning meetings begin, in fact, with a good bottle of wine; its taste providing inspiration for new menu items.” corks
When I first came to live, permanently, in the U.S. I first made my home in Baltimore, Maryland. This city has wonderful neighborhoods; some very historic neighborhoods, indeed. Federal Hill is one of them. It is to the south of the city. A lot of the buildings are in the Federal Hill Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can see the neighborhood from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
Federal Hill has lots of popular, retail, dining and entertainment venues. It is the perfect urban living, having all these options within walking distance to all who make this unique neighborhood home.
So, I asked myself; Who would’ve “thunk” it?? I found myself in Sobo, at Corks, a bistro, well known for its steaks, and I ordered Crispy Deep Fried Chicken. But, guess what? It is Chef Pellegrino’s favorite too. Then, not a bad choice.
Corks is located at 1026 South Charles Street. Tel. 410-752-3810. Website? www.corksrestaurant.com.
I did not know about this restaurant, or even its chef; but leave it to my sister in law, Susie, to find the perfect eatery for a Sunday dinner in Baltimore.
Its Executive Chef and Owner is Jerry Pellegrino. He was the first person we saw as we entered the bistro. You see, the kitchen is located right at front. He had the widest smile and my husband asked “I hope you have something gluten free for me?” His answer was “Anything you want.” Music to our ears!! So, when they say that first impressions count…..
We were seated in the back part of the restaurant. It was very cozy; paintings on the wall, an extensive wine collection was in plain view and a comfortable bar, as well.
The menu has something for everyone. I cannot imagine you not being able to find something to your liking. So these were our choices.
For appetizers:
Susie had the Corks’ Grilled Caesar. Romaine, Parmesan Cheese and White Anchovies. It looked great. White anchovies are one of my favorites, having discovered them in Spain many years ago.
My husband had the Grilled Calamari. Oven dried tomato, Kalamata olive and Sheep’s cheese. When I tell you that these were the most tender calamari, I am not kidding. If you like calamari, well at times they are a little chewey. I asked Chef Pellegrino how could he get them so tender. He said they are fresh. Nothing frozen.
Mine was so good. I am always attracted to a dish that incorporates beets. Roasted beets and apples, walnuts and Maytag Blue with a delicious sherry vinaigrette.
Our waiter, David, told me that the portions were generous. He was not kidding.
Entrees:
Susie ordered the Petite Filet Mignon (6 oz). The steaks at Corks come with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. The creamed spinach had a sweetness to it.
My husband’s choice was the same thing with the addition of seared Hudson Foie Gras on top. He thought it was very good, as well.
My generous portion of Crispy Deep Fried Chicken was a sight to see, with spicy cole slaw and fries. First I tasted the fries and thought that if he had a stand at the beach with these fries we could wipe out the competition. The slaw was the perfect side dish for the chicken and the fries. It was light with a nice kick to it. The chicken was gorgeous and it tasted as good as it looked. So moist and tender.
Sweet Endings?, or, as they called it at Corks “Final Thoughts”. I wished I could have, but it will have to be another time.
Corks opens every day of the week. The bar stays open late. Brunch on Sundays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
There are plenty of events where you can taste Chef Pellegrino’s specialties. You can also meet him by attending his cooking classes. Every event is on the website, above mentioned.
Thanksgiving Menu is up and you can attend from Noon until 6 p.m. Call for reservations.
Want to organize your own class? Then, e-mail Jerry at jerry@corksrestaurant.com. You will need a minimum of 8 friends.
Corks has quality of ingredients, culinary competence, service and good prices. The service was attentive; not intrusive, the ingredients, fresh, and the culinary competence, well, Chef Pellegrino is the “main event”.
Talk to you later…have a good one!!
June 22nd, 2011
Away from the Beaches for 24 hours. Back already. A road trip. I am getting to know Philadelphia, but I still have a long ways to go. Having worked and lived in Baltimore, Maryland, I really never went much to Phildelphia. Now, I am going full steam ahead; way into walking the streets, checking the neighborhoods and experiencing its restaurants….all the way to the food trucks.
After driving for a couple of hours it was time for a walk. Just like I enjoy seeing the roadhouses in Baltimore, Philadelphia has beautiful ones, as well. At this time of the year some looked so amazing.
It was around 2 p.m. and not having eaten, Michael and I decided to walk in the direction of Rittenhouse Square.
Rittenhouse Square was named for astronomer/clockmaker, David Rittenhouse. He was a descendant of William Rittenhouse, who built the first paper mill in America in Germantown. He was also the President of the American Philosophical Society and the first Director of the United States Mint.
Rittenhouse Square has always denoted quality. And, to have lived near or on the Square was a mark of prestige.
Fountains, trees, and benches for people to sit and relax. At that time of the day, the heat was getting up there and just to be under the canopy of those trees was instant relief.
The Parc Brasserie, a Bistro and Cafe. Usually, I would sit outside, if available, but after walking so much; air condition was what I wanted.
The Parc Brasserie is located at 227 South 18th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103. Tel. 215-646-2262. Website? www.parc-restaurant.com. Parc is part of the famility of restaurants owned by Starr Restaurants.
Ornate ceilings, the restaurant pays hommage to the French Cafe culture. We had a perfect seat; looking over Rittenhouse Square and checking the passersby; some walking their four legged friends and others just enjoying a beautiful day in the city.
The bread was to die for; baguettes are made in-house daily.
We shared an appetizer of Chicken Liver Mousse with pickled shallots and grain mustard. Again, this bread was thick, warm and oh, so good. Perfect appetizer for a hot day.
Then Michael ordered the Lamb Sandwich, with Harissa aioli and arugula. Pomme frites? Of course, how could you not? Took a bite; very good.
Just in case you did not know what Harissa is; I did not know either. It is a condiment from North Africa and the Middle East. It is made from chiles, oil, garlic and cilantro, pounded with cumin or ground coriander and sometimes dried mint or verbena leaves.
I ordered the Nicoise Salad with seared tuna, shaved vegetables and lemon vinaigrette. It had been some time since I had a Nicoise Salad; fresh and light. The tuna, the white anchovies and the combination of the veggies with the lemon vinaigrette, made it so special. The lettuce? Buttery comes to mind.
A leisure afternoon with great food, great service, and the perfect view, as well.
No sweet ending at this time of the day. But an espresso we did have. We still had dinner in mind and some more walking to do.
Note: Some info. for my post was taken from www.ushistory.org.
Talk to you later….
July 14th, 2010
One of my favorite pastimes, in case you have not realized that yet, is eating. Not just eating, but trying new foods and restaurants that are innovative and creative. Who wants to eat the same old boring food day in and day out? Whether I am at the Delaware Beaches, Delray Beach, Florida, Puerto Rico, Boulder, Colorado, Baltimore, Maryland and in between I am looking for a little adventure in eating.
Yesterday, Cindi and I decided that lunch could be a nice time to catch up on what has been going on in our lives. Better to do that while eating.
Liquid Assets has my favorite mussels. I had a craving for them. You have seen me try mussels lately everywhere I go. Well, Liquid Assets mussels are the best, in my book. I think second place would be a little Italian place in Georgetown. But, every time I get to try them in other places my thoughts go back to the ones at Liquid Assets; just delicious!! No comparison.
Liquid Assets is located at 9301 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD. Tel. 410-524-7037. Website is www.LA94.com. Make sure to visit the website to check events, recipes and to find out what’s new in the wine and liquor business.
I just saw a new Vodka called Bakon Vodka. It is a potato vodka, which is the vodka you would need to drink if you are on a gluten free diet. Apparently, it is smooth, and slightly sweet. No strong burn or aftertaste. It has a savory bacon flavor with a clean crisp finish. Interesting.
As I entered Liquid Assets again, I had to ask myself; if I did not know any better would I think I am at a liquor store or a restaurant? The place is unique, no doubt about it. I have not seen one like this at the Delaware Beaches.
The first room definitely gives you the aura of the liquor store but immediately you get to notice the big bar and tables around it; sofas amidst barrels and wine bottles.
There is another dining room that will transport you to a wine cellar, maybe in your own home or in another country. This dining room is probably more conducive to quiet conversation. It has its own bar, as well.
Cindi and I got comfortable and our waitress proceeded to let us know what specials were on the menu that day.
We decided on a bruschetta for the table that was made out of peaches. Loved it. Had a good kick to it.
Cindi had the orzo salad with kalamata olives and chilled canteloupe soup. I had a taste of the soup and it was very refreshing. It was definitely good.
Of course, I had the mussels and they were as good as ever. I loved the pieces of chorizo, the broth and, of course, the bread.
A coffee to finish our meal and before we knew it, it was time to say “adios”. Until next time.
Great getting together with friends. What would you do without them?
Have a great day!! Talk to you later….
|
2 Comments