It was a short getaway, but getaways are usually short. What makes them memorable is when all the chips fall into place. The trip, the accommodations, the weather, and most of all, the restaurants.
I asked the Delamar Hotel, where we were staying, to send me a list of Italian restaurants. The one that spoke to me was Polpo. First the name because it means octopus and I love octopus or squid. An extensive menu it was so 4 of us were there a week ago. Still remember it and definitely would visit again on another trip.
What are some of the characteristics of a good Italian restaurant? What do you actually look for? A lot of food, you really don’t serve a dot on a plate. Oh no. Great ambiance, and good service. Please don’t rush us. Last but not least is food quality. Best ingredients are a must.
Polpo delivered. Our servers were a team. The accents were deep, rivaling my own. There was music in the bar area. People were chatting and for a moment in time we forgot that a pandemic is still with us.
At Polpo they have matchstick fried zucchini and it was ordered for the table. At first I thought well I am not sure. Why order this when there is so much more of that. Guess what? Crispy, and guilt free eating.
A few salads were ordered. All through our ordering the restaurant was alive, waiters coming and going. Boy, I have missed the noise and the people.
Just a reminder that at Polpo everything is homemade. A salad of homemade mozzarella with roasted peppers and white anchovies (Boquerones) was not mine but I got to have a few of the anchovies, which I loved.
Too far for me to taste it but look at the Burratta Caprese with Prosciutto. It got very good reviews.
I love Branzino. This Mediterranean fish is full of flavor and I usually order it whenever I see it. At Polpo they had a fillet. I asked if they had a whole fish. That’s what I wanted. Signora anything you want we can do. Do you want us to debone it? Of course not!! How could you say such a thing. That is where the flavor is. They loved saying that eating it whole was the way to go. They just did not know I knew how to pick crabs, that I can eat a lobster all throughout. This Branzino was no challenge. I ate everything with gusto. It was the best Branzino and thank God it was because the whole fish was pricey.
The Branzino al Forno was served with a rosemary and garlic sauce. You can see it right on this next photo, next to the Cacio e Pepe dish that was also ordered. The dish was delicious but they cautioned that it was very peppery.
The Mediterranean cuisine has introduced us to Rapini or Broccoli Rab. Full of flavor and loved the garlic.
Someone said that homemade pasta absorbs the flavor of a dish better than pasta bought at a grocery store. The Linguini on Vongole with White Clam Sauce was received as the best they have had.
Most of the time I do not order dessert. Not that I don’t want to. It is the fact that I like to practice some restraint.
This dense chocolate cake and ice cream, I had a bite and could have had more. A perfect ending to a memorable Italian dinner.
We ventured out the door. It had started raining. But it did not matter. We had full stomachs and smiles on our faces.
My regret? That my photos were not the best that night. Trying to capture everyone’s dishes before they dove into them. That was tricky.
Until another time, I remain. Check out my AboutMyBeaches Facebook Page to find out about events, restaurans, reviews, where to shop and what to cook for dinner.
Comments Off on Polpo, Restaurant, Saloon, Italian Cuisine, Piano Bar, Review, Greenwich, Connecticut
“Dinner is where magic happens in the kitchen.” kris carr
Stopping for a very early dinner on Sunday, with friends, en route to the Harness Races at Ocean Downs Casino…our choice? Sello’s, located at 9802 Gold Course Rd., Tel. 410-390-3543 Website? http://www.sellosoc.com
Sello’s does not accept reservations, but you may call ahead of time to tell them you are coming. The restaurant’s decor and logo is based on the following fabric. I have no idea why, but all I can tell you is that the pants I was wearing had a similar pattern.
The restaurant is comfortable and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Throughout the restaurant you will see photographs taken by the owners in Italy.
The bar is cozy, another very welcoming area to wait or just enjoy a few drinks.
After an order of drinks we got down to the business of appetizers:
Carpaccio di Manzo…Thinly sliced tenderloin of beef garnished with capers, chopped onions, shaved parmigiano reggiano cheese and arugula.
Barbabietola e Finocchio…Roasted Beets & Fennel with black olives, grilled asparagus, gorgonzola cheese in a citrus vinaigrette. Love beets and these were delish.
Pomodoro Caprese…Nothing like fresh tomatoes this time of the year with fresh mozzarella, as well…Fresh Burata Mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and basil with a touch of EVO and balsamic vinegar.
Catching up with friends is also a plus, but when you get together with this O.C. crowd I think laughter gets contagious.
Time for Dinner, Shall We?
Two of us ordered the Catch of The Day….Grouper, olives, sauce so perfectly seasoned. As a side dish eggplant stuffed with risotto.
A Pasta Bolognese…please note the pastas are made in-house.
Involtini di Melanzane…Thinly sliced grilled eggplant rolled and stuffed with angel hair pasta with Marinara sauce and fresh parmigiano reggiano. This is Kathlene’s favorite and once again she decided to order it.
Ross’s Pizza….It was a personal pizza but it was quite large. Perfectly cooked…thin and crispy.
No dessert was necessary; we were totally satisfied…plus we needed to take off for Ocean Downs Racetrack and Casino where we were hoping to make some money, and enjoy more laughter and good times as Summer 2015 is coming to an end.
Have a good one!!
Comments Off on West Ocean City Eats, Sello’s, Ocean City, Maryland, Italian Cuisine, Bar, Restaurant, OC Beaches, Summer 2015
It was supposed to have been just one signature event….but the public wants another one. “Tune Your Palate” is an innovative cooking class from former Bad Company Bassist, Paul Cullen.
Paul artfully blends his passion for cool music, jazzy wine and divine cuisine into one signature event. He will demonstrate how to make his Italian cuisine, such as handmade ravioli, gnocchi and ricotta cheese. All this while pairing his delicious wines and playing an intimate concert to finish the night.
The Cordrey Center, a garden event venue, is located at 30366 Cordrey Rd., Millsboro, Delaware. 19966. It will only take you 2 turns off of Rt. 24. The event is from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. The cost is $30 per person. For reservations, please call 302-945-5853.
The evening will have an added bonus with an artisan cheese tasting/demo with Andy Meddick of Morgan and Gower Cheesemongers of Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Also available will be handmade breads from Old World Breads.
The first event was a success; this second one should be a sellout, as well. Talk to you later!!
Comments Off on “Tune Your Palate”, Event, Cordrey Center, Millsboro, Delaware, Wednesday, 10/24, Paul Cullen, Music, Wine, Italian Cuisine
New York City was a little cold and windy when I visited at the end of March. That did not stop us from walking and enjoying some of the many attractions that this international city has to offer.
Eating in New York is an experience and everyone has an opinion to which restaurant to try.
I was visiting New York to catch up with my cousins who were traveling back to Puerto Rico from Spain. The three of us were going to also get together with a childhood friend. I cannot believe we had not seen him in probably 38 to 40 years.
When I was talking to him on the phone and were trying to figure out where to go, I told him I wanted an intimate restaurant, where we could catch up after so many years.
Luigi delivered a neat restaurant called Aroma Kitchen & Wine Bar. It is in the Historic District of NoHo, at 36 East 4th St., between Lafayette & Bowery. Tel. 212-375-0100. Website? http://www.aromanyc.com. Aroma opens 7 days a week.
In the 1970s and 80s artists started to occupy the area’s loft buildings, calling it NoHo to distinguish it from SoHo. NoHo was previously known as “warehouse district”. The Historic District of NoHo extends from north of Houston St. to East 9th St., and east from Broadway and Mercer to Lafayette St., and west of Cooper Square. This district remains intact. If you want to know more, please visit http://www.nohony.org.
Aroma opened in 2005 and already is the recipient of several accolades: Michelin 2012 Bib Gourmand Pick, 2012 Top 10 Wine Bars in NYC, and 2012 Top Value Restaurant in NYC, and New York Sexiest Wine Lists, among others.
The bar was at the front of the restaurant, right as you stepped in. There were different dining areas at Aroma; Main Dining Room, Farmhouse Room and La Tavernetta Room. We were escorted down through very narrow stairs to the Farmhouse Room, which gave me the feel of a wine cellar in a country side home. It was so cozy with a communal table, lit with candles and chandeliers. Very intimate, indeed.
Luigi came in looking “igualito”; just as we remembered him. Same smile. Quickly put us up to date on his life, as we waited for Aroma’s sommelier to come to our table to help us with the wine selections. They do have an extensive wine list.
Bread, olives and olive oil were immediately brought to the table. It is worth mentioning most everything is made in-house.
So, we wanted to start with a few appetizers.
An order of Arancini. Arancinis are fried; sometimes baked rice balls coated with breadcrums. Different fillings could be used. To tell you the truth, I had never had them and immediately knew I would like to try making them. It is a very old recipe and the word comes from Arancia which means orange in Italian. It is just the look; nothing to do with oranges.
We also ordered the meatballs. Neapolitan ragu, and smoked mozzarella. They were very good. One order for dinner, as well.
An order of grilled baby octopus with corona beans, potatoes, paprika and mint oil.
For dinner, an order of potato gnocchi gratin, porcini, truffle bechamel and fontina. My cousin commented that they were very good and perfect portion, as well.
I decided to have the strascinati pasta dish. Wild mushroom sofrito, spicy lamb sausage, roasted peppers, moliterno. The strascinati pasta is a simple pasta; only flour, semolina and water. It looks like an orecchiette pasta. It had a nice kick to it and loved it.
Luigi, who comes to Aroma often, ordered Leidy’s pork short ribs with smoked paprika, shiitake, and Anson Mills polenta. They looked beautiful and he said they were delicious, as well.
Even with everything we had eaten so far, we still had room for dessert. Too good to pass.
For me the chamomile panna cotta, moscato, poached figs and mascarpone what the dessert to get. I love figs; I do have my own tree in Rehoboth Beach. The panna cotta is the simmering together of cream, milk and sugar. Then, mixing all of this with gelating and letting it cool.
Some other ones preferred the molten chocolate cake, vanilla gelato and nutella cream.
And, Luigi decided on Di Palo ricotta cheese cake, berries, orange curd and grapefruit.
Coffee and more laughter ended one very nice evening…
Margie & Sonia (cousins) and the stairs.
Note: Aroma has space to hold special events for large parties and private events. Check the website and give them a call.
By the way, how could I forget? Our service was excellent!!
Comments Off on Aroma Kitchen & Wine Bar, Italian Cuisine, 36 East 4th St., NoHo, Restaurant, Review, New York City
The coastal town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, was founded in 1873. It is only 1.6 square miles and the name Rehoboth means “place (or space) for all”. The town has done such a great job in keeping its visitors coming year round, practically. Restaurants stay open; some might close for a couple of months only. Beach eateries, cafes, bars, bistros, all serving a variety of good food for all tastes.
So….on Friday evening, with a couple of friends, we decided on Lupo di Mare located at 247 C Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Tel. 302-226-2240. Website? www.lupodimarerehoboth.com. The restaurant offers take-out. And, if you are staying at Hotel Rehoboth, then, you can even order room service.
Lupo di Mare has been in the community for more than several years. It is known for its fresh cuisine; pastas and sauces are prepared daily.
Lupo di Mare serves Italian cuisine, has a very good selection of wines, including small boutique Italian wines.
A small bar is located to the right as you enter the restaurant; a full menu is available there, as well.
The room opens up; tables comfortably assembled and a little nook here or there conducive to lingering chatter. We lingered so much, we closed the restaurant. What can I say? It was relaxing!!
Sheila was our server. She was also our server back on June 13th when right before the season got crazy we went to check Lupo. She is attentive; not intrusive and her suggestions have been the best.
The first thing arriving at the table was Lupo’s focaccia bread accompanied with Virgin Olive Oil. Herbs, a tad sweet; so good.
Two starters were ordered:
The Grilled Artichokes with Sea Salt, Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Virgin Olive Oil. I have had them before and they were still so very good.
The Shaved Brussels Sprouts came just like the picture shows it. A mixture of Truffle Oil and Pecorino Cheese made this a favorite. It is also one of those “raw” foods. Please do order this starter. It is amazing.
A Fall Farm Vegetable & Mixed Green Salad was full of color and gorgeous vegetables. This was a new salad for the season.
An Arugula Salad was what I ordered and again that Pecorino Cheese, Radish, Red Wine Vinegar and Virgin Olive Oil made this salad a light and refreshing dish.
We were full of expectations for some of the entrees to arrive; new for the season were the scallops and the lamb shank.
The Pan Roasted Scallops with a cauliflower puree, shaved brussels, gold raisins and pine nuts got raved reviews. They were gorgeous and perfectly cooked and the dish looked beautiful. This dish was gluten free so my husband was delighted.
The Braised Lamb Shank, had creamy polenta, rosemary, and a winter veal fennel ragu. It was pretty chilly on Friday and this dish fit the description of “comfort food”.
I had the Pan Seared Sea Bass before. Once again I ordered it since it was so good the last time. It came with a butternut squash risotto, pancetta and spinach. It did not disappoint.
Dessert was ordered for all to share. We chose their Panna Cotta. It was glutten free and we all decided we liked custards. This Northern Italian dessert is made by simmering cream, milk and sugar together and letting it cool to form the custard. Usually, it is served with berries, caramel or chocolate. At Lupo di Mare it is served with berries. I confess; we ordered two.
I think it was time to go but not before I asked Sheila if I could take the lamb shank bone for Addy (my rescue). She had never tasted anything like it. Her review? Bring me more!!
Note: Lupo di Mare is now serving 3 courses for $19 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Check www.lupodimarerehoboth.com to check the menu. It opens daily at 5 p.m.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later….
Comments Off on Lupo di Mare, Italian Cuisine, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Restaurant, Review, Delaware Beaches
Comments Off on Polpo, Restaurant, Saloon, Italian Cuisine, Piano Bar, Review, Greenwich, Connecticut