The best thing on a Sunday night! I love coming home from a hectic day of work and ordering dinner to be delivered. It is a treat that my wife and I indulge in every other week or so. We almost always enjoy the food from Taste of Thai as long as we remember to order at least and hour before we anticipate hunger setting in. I am not kidding here, order early, even if you are not hungry yet. The other night, it took a full hour and a half before the food came. I called the restaurant after an hour to check on the order only to be told that the food was done, they were just waiting for a driver to come back. That, of course, means that our food sat in the bag for at least a half an hour. I was skeptical about the quality that was in store, but it turned out to be fine, albeit a little cool.
Tofu Fresh Rolls: Awesome, some of my favorite rolls in town. These are rice paper rolls filled with vermicelli noodles, tofu, fresh herbs and greens. They are served cold with hoisin sauce. The only place in town that can compete is Sticky Rice.
Crispy Rolls: A bit more Thai than the fresh rolls, these are crispy, fried spring rolls filled with veggies and served with a sweet dipping sauce. Highly recommended.
Panang Curry: This was a new dish for me at Express. I ordered it with tofu (their tofu is pretty good, it is cubed and fried.) I liked the dish, the flavors of red curry and coconut milk are prominent and the level of spiciness is perfect. The only complaints that I have are that there is a bit too much sauce and it is a bit greasy.
Cashew Chicken: This dish is a nice stir fry of chicken, veggies and cashews in a tamarind and nam plaa sauce. Very delicious dish with a very unique flavor. Highly recommended.
Since we order from Express on a fairly regular basis, we have sampled most of the menu. I recommend the Chicken Satay, Tom Yum soup, Pad See Ew, Garlic and Pepper platter (one of my personal favorites with beef or pork), and Spinach with peanut sauce (try this with tofu.)
With the extreme proliferation of Thai restaurants in Ithaca (why is this?) Express delivers a consistent product at a fair price in a convenient location. They will be moving soon to Meadow St. where Collegetown Bagels Express was previously, and will be completely renovating the location. Just remember, allow ample time for delivery!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Glenwood Pines
If you think Viva is a guilty pleasure, you haven't been to The Pines. Hands down, the best burgers in the area. I believe they still grind the meat for the burgers in-house. The menu is simple: steak, fish, burgers, pasta and sides. The reason for going to The Pines is for the burgers, or at least the reason that you should go to The Pines for the first time, is for the burgers. I have had some of the other items, but I always go back to the Pinesburger with 1000 island dressing. This is a third of a pound burger that has been shaped like an oval and served on a french bread sub roll, pretty serious. The sides are also great, go for the fries, corn nuggets and broccoli cheddar bites.
I know there is nothing gourmet about any of the food I just mentioned, but it is so satisfying. There is almost nothing that tastes better with a cold beer than Pines food.
I know there is nothing gourmet about any of the food I just mentioned, but it is so satisfying. There is almost nothing that tastes better with a cold beer than Pines food.
Viva Cantina- Friday Night
It's a Friday night tradition. At least it is for my wife and our friends. We go for food and margaritas, but it really is mostly for the margaritas. The Basic is a good bet during Happy Hour, but treat yourself to a top shelf margarita, it's worth it! The El Tesoro Plata is truly superior if you like a silver tequila. If you plan to go on a friday or saturday, go early, I'm talking about 5-5:30, or you are in for a wait. The food is usually pretty good, not what I would call fine cuisine, but it does have a certain apppeal. The portions are large and the sauces and chorizo are homemade. I recommend the burritos, tostadas and the Groucho, but ask to add beef to the Groucho.
Viva is a fun place to go, there are always lot of regulars and locals hanging out, it's loud, it's decent and it's cheap.
Viva is a fun place to go, there are always lot of regulars and locals hanging out, it's loud, it's decent and it's cheap.
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Heights Cafe for lunch
A rare treat to eat out for lunch, but I was helping my mother move, so she wanted to treat us. I tend to think that The Heights can be a hit or miss kind of place, but their misses generally don't miss by much. Now to lunch....
The staff is usually spot on and very proper, but I was not impressed by our waiter today. He seemed very nervous, curt and unfortunately rather disinterested in serving us. The menu is nice, with a good variety of salads, with the option to add fish and chicken, entrees, sandwiches and pizza.
Caesar salad: I asked for a small salad to start, which was delicious. The caesar dressing is fantastic and they certainly do not skimp on the cheese. The croutons today were made from a kalamata olive bread, a very nice addition and a wonderful compliment to the anchovy in the dressing.
Grilled chicken with detali pasta, kalamata olives, garlic and pistou: This dish was pretty good, although I think it was a bit oily. The chicken was grilled nicely, and very flavorful. Overall the dish was well balanced and light with a nice finish to all of the flavors. I think the pasta was tossed with oil before the pistou was added which could contribute to the slight over use of oil. Still, it was delicious and something that I would order again.
Brownie profiterole sundae: Dessert with lunch is a bit ostentatious, but we were sharing, so it is fine. The brownie was great, but the profiterole was stale, oh well, it was still good.
I would certainly keep going back for lunch, especially with the cubano sandwich and the pulled pork on the menu, two of my personal favorites.
The staff is usually spot on and very proper, but I was not impressed by our waiter today. He seemed very nervous, curt and unfortunately rather disinterested in serving us. The menu is nice, with a good variety of salads, with the option to add fish and chicken, entrees, sandwiches and pizza.
Caesar salad: I asked for a small salad to start, which was delicious. The caesar dressing is fantastic and they certainly do not skimp on the cheese. The croutons today were made from a kalamata olive bread, a very nice addition and a wonderful compliment to the anchovy in the dressing.
Grilled chicken with detali pasta, kalamata olives, garlic and pistou: This dish was pretty good, although I think it was a bit oily. The chicken was grilled nicely, and very flavorful. Overall the dish was well balanced and light with a nice finish to all of the flavors. I think the pasta was tossed with oil before the pistou was added which could contribute to the slight over use of oil. Still, it was delicious and something that I would order again.
Brownie profiterole sundae: Dessert with lunch is a bit ostentatious, but we were sharing, so it is fine. The brownie was great, but the profiterole was stale, oh well, it was still good.
I would certainly keep going back for lunch, especially with the cubano sandwich and the pulled pork on the menu, two of my personal favorites.
Taverna Banfi at the Statler Hotel
Valentine's Day Dinner
My wife and I decided to try something a little different this year, so we went up to Cornell to experience the remodeled Banfi's. We had our wedding reception in the Statler Hotel five years ago, so it is always a nostalgic experience to go there.
I have to say, I love the valet parking! It is just so convenient! Anyways, on to the dining experience. Entering the restaurant, the maitre d' was inviting and polite and found our reservation quickly. We were shown to a table for two on the banquette in the center of the first dining room. The ambiance is plesant, albeit a bit sterile and "hotelie." The dining room does not have a very cozy feel and the lighting is rather bright, but the tables are still intimate despite the close proximity of fellow diners.
The waiter is, of course, a student, as are all of the employees in the service portion of the restaurant. I think this adds something to the experience since they are eager to serve and very conscious of how they are presenting themselves. It actually comes across very professionally.
The wine list is appropriate, with a nice selection of wines by the glass, half bottle and full bottle. The Italian zinfandel that we had was nice; full bodied with dark fruit and a bit of chocolate, but not really anything to write home about.
The menu is rather interesting, although I was having a bit of trouble deciding how to structure my meal. This is a good thing, mind you. They offer flatbread pizzas, appetizers, salads, pasta and main courses. What is particularly nice is the option to have a small, proper, pasta course. We decided to use the pasta course as our main, and sample more of the offerings from the other sections of the menu.
Spinach, roma tomato and mozzarella flatbread: we both liked this dish, the flatbread was grilled with plenty of garlic, and the fresh green flavor of the spinach was wonderful with the charred flavor of the bread. I could have skipped the tomatoes since they were practically raw and made the dish a bit soggy. I would order this again.
Braised duck and lamb duet with polenta and robiola cheese: this was my appetizer and the most delicious dish of my meal. The braised meat was served on a small disc of polenta with the cheese melted over top. The sweetness of the meat with the savory flavor of the cheese, which is similar to brie, was wonderful. I wish this dish was a main course!
Buffalo mozzarella, oven-dried tomato, fried tomato and basil: my wife's appetizer, also a great dish. I personally love buffalo mozzarella, and fried tomatoes, so it was hard to find fault here! The fried tomatoes had a wonderful fennel flavor and the mozzarella was really creamy and fresh. The oven dried tomato was not really dried and felt tacked on, not consequential to the dish.
Spinach salad with roasted pear, goat cheese and sherry vinaigrette: your basic salad; it was good, but not memorable for me. The roasted pears were very, and I mean very, cold. As a result they were mealy and not very pleasant. I would have like the whole dish much more if the pears were either warm or raw.
Four cheese ravioli with red wine veal sauce: my wife's main; a nice dish consisting of five housemade ravioli filled with blended ricotta and mascarpone (and obviously two other cheeses) with a tomato based meat sauce. The highlight of this dish was the interplay of the mascarpone and the veal, truly delicious. For $17, the dish seemed a bit light on quantity.
Gnocchi, sweet sausage, broccoli rabe, pine nuts and dried tomatoes: the gnocchi were pretty good, a little overcooked, but certainly not chewy. The whole dish was decent, but could have a used a bit of refinement. This was another instance where the dried tomatoes were not dried enough, and I feel that the dish would benefit from the deep, rich flavor that oven-dried tomatoes deliver. Overall a light and enjoyable dish.
The desert buffet: I don't know if this is standard procedure, or if it was special for Valentine's day, but they offered Tiramisu, flourless chocolate cake, panna cotta, apple and pear gallettes, bread pudding, carrot cake and fruit salad. The best of this was the panna cotta, we both agreed that it was supremely delicious. The rest was not memorable.
Overall, we had a nice time. Nothing really blew us away in terms of the food or service, but nothing was dissapointing, either. The prices are generally fair, although some of the servings could have been larger. We would go back, but not regularly and I don't think it would be our first choice for a special occasion.
My wife and I decided to try something a little different this year, so we went up to Cornell to experience the remodeled Banfi's. We had our wedding reception in the Statler Hotel five years ago, so it is always a nostalgic experience to go there.
I have to say, I love the valet parking! It is just so convenient! Anyways, on to the dining experience. Entering the restaurant, the maitre d' was inviting and polite and found our reservation quickly. We were shown to a table for two on the banquette in the center of the first dining room. The ambiance is plesant, albeit a bit sterile and "hotelie." The dining room does not have a very cozy feel and the lighting is rather bright, but the tables are still intimate despite the close proximity of fellow diners.
The waiter is, of course, a student, as are all of the employees in the service portion of the restaurant. I think this adds something to the experience since they are eager to serve and very conscious of how they are presenting themselves. It actually comes across very professionally.
The wine list is appropriate, with a nice selection of wines by the glass, half bottle and full bottle. The Italian zinfandel that we had was nice; full bodied with dark fruit and a bit of chocolate, but not really anything to write home about.
The menu is rather interesting, although I was having a bit of trouble deciding how to structure my meal. This is a good thing, mind you. They offer flatbread pizzas, appetizers, salads, pasta and main courses. What is particularly nice is the option to have a small, proper, pasta course. We decided to use the pasta course as our main, and sample more of the offerings from the other sections of the menu.
Spinach, roma tomato and mozzarella flatbread: we both liked this dish, the flatbread was grilled with plenty of garlic, and the fresh green flavor of the spinach was wonderful with the charred flavor of the bread. I could have skipped the tomatoes since they were practically raw and made the dish a bit soggy. I would order this again.
Braised duck and lamb duet with polenta and robiola cheese: this was my appetizer and the most delicious dish of my meal. The braised meat was served on a small disc of polenta with the cheese melted over top. The sweetness of the meat with the savory flavor of the cheese, which is similar to brie, was wonderful. I wish this dish was a main course!
Buffalo mozzarella, oven-dried tomato, fried tomato and basil: my wife's appetizer, also a great dish. I personally love buffalo mozzarella, and fried tomatoes, so it was hard to find fault here! The fried tomatoes had a wonderful fennel flavor and the mozzarella was really creamy and fresh. The oven dried tomato was not really dried and felt tacked on, not consequential to the dish.
Spinach salad with roasted pear, goat cheese and sherry vinaigrette: your basic salad; it was good, but not memorable for me. The roasted pears were very, and I mean very, cold. As a result they were mealy and not very pleasant. I would have like the whole dish much more if the pears were either warm or raw.
Four cheese ravioli with red wine veal sauce: my wife's main; a nice dish consisting of five housemade ravioli filled with blended ricotta and mascarpone (and obviously two other cheeses) with a tomato based meat sauce. The highlight of this dish was the interplay of the mascarpone and the veal, truly delicious. For $17, the dish seemed a bit light on quantity.
Gnocchi, sweet sausage, broccoli rabe, pine nuts and dried tomatoes: the gnocchi were pretty good, a little overcooked, but certainly not chewy. The whole dish was decent, but could have a used a bit of refinement. This was another instance where the dried tomatoes were not dried enough, and I feel that the dish would benefit from the deep, rich flavor that oven-dried tomatoes deliver. Overall a light and enjoyable dish.
The desert buffet: I don't know if this is standard procedure, or if it was special for Valentine's day, but they offered Tiramisu, flourless chocolate cake, panna cotta, apple and pear gallettes, bread pudding, carrot cake and fruit salad. The best of this was the panna cotta, we both agreed that it was supremely delicious. The rest was not memorable.
Overall, we had a nice time. Nothing really blew us away in terms of the food or service, but nothing was dissapointing, either. The prices are generally fair, although some of the servings could have been larger. We would go back, but not regularly and I don't think it would be our first choice for a special occasion.
The Beginning.....
Welcome fellow foodies! I am starting this blog as a reaction to all of the discussions that my friends and coworkers have about the local restaurant scene. I believe that Ithaca is a fairly unique town for dining, and the sheer number of restaurants per capita invites discourse on the subject. To give you some background, I am a local chef and restaurant owner, I grew up in Ithaca, and I attended Cornell. This gives me a unique, although possibly biased, perspective on local food. I don't really want this to become a pessimistic or cruel process; I am not interested in cutting down restaurants or over analyzing every aspect of my experiences, rather communicating an overall level of enjoyment at each establishment. Of course this involves the food, service, cleanliness and overall atmosphere of the restaurants, the complete picture, including the most important, fun! That is what I feel is missing from most reviews: how much fun did we have? Isn't that why we go out in the first place?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)