Il Villagio Trattoria Italiana...A Hidden Gem in Malverne, N.Y., USA!

Hi folks...
I'm baaaaaack...and what better way to come back but with a phabulous phood phind in
 Malverne, N.Y. named Il Villagio.

Sandy and I were introduced to the cozy & intimate "Trattoria Italiana" by our perpetual phood buds Sharyn & Joel, and for a first time visit we were extremely pleased with the food choices we made.

In these times, we usually find ourselves in restaurants where the service can be perfunctory or over the top and with very little attention paid to the true meaning of service with a smile as was such with our waiter Victor. Our Saturday night reservation was for 7:30 and before we knew it, it was 11:00. Wow!
The atmosphere was simply cozy. With the intimate dark wood bar as you entered and the museum worthy paintings of Venice on the walls, you were transported away...that is until Victor came out and described many chef specials in English which included selections of European seabass...ie Branzino and salmon along with their tenderloin steaks and chops nicely displayed as seen here.         Either way, a distinct European feel.

                                     

                                                                         Venezia

Ahhhhh..Black Sambuca

 Venetian Canal 

Next...and the reason we are here...the food.

Since rarely write anything negative, I usually need two or three visits to a restaurant/ristorante in order to taste enough to write about since there is the possibility I might find myself not in love with everything,
In this case, everything I tasted told me only one visit to Il Villagio would be necessary.
Yup, a rarity...and not only that...writing about it in record time.
So let's get it on!
Sharyn & Joel had been to the restaurant and knew what they liked. It wasn't an easy choice to make as virtually every special Victor described sounded quite appetizing.
Sharyn ordered the appetizers/antipasti which consisted of a beet salad she loves, baked whole clams, and jumbo lump crab salad with avocado.

Beet Salad/Special

Baked Whole Clams

Jumbo Lump Crab Meat & Avocado

They also ordered  a simple grilled salmon dish with sauteed veggies and roasted potatoes as well as a chicken dish with a lemon vermouth sauce named 'Poll Martini'.

Veal Chop  Osso Bucco!

Grilled Salmon

 Since it was our first time, we went with the dishes we knew. Sandy loves Veal Francese' and I went with Linguine alal Vognole. Traditionally, a dish with clams is rather wet because it's made with clam juice. As a result, the pasta MUST be prepared al dente or it will turn to mush in minutes.

Not only was it prepared perfectly, they used 'fini' linguine...my favorite cut! Compliments to the chef and compliments to Marco for making his chef delivers as requested.

Veal Francese'

You know what they say about Happy People...Yes?

Although we missed tasting everything, what we did have was wonderful and enhanced by excellent service from above and a casual non-rushed dining experience.

Let's not forget the truly exceptional 'home-made' tiramisu with 4 forks.

Tiramisu

I'm not sure what we did to deserve after dinner drinks, however the owner Marco came over to the table and graciously offered them to us. An extreme rarity nowadays that we graciously accepted.

Bert & Host with the Most, Marco

In closing, we've learned not to eat too many appetizers and bread and a main course as that can be overwhelming. Leaving a restaurant unstuffed is also kind of refreshing.
Sleeping through the night well without feeling the effects of your dinner is an added plus for this fabulous food find in the most unlikely of places in Malverne, N.Y., USA!

Marco ...
Grazie a te, Victor e il personale per una serata meravigliosa.
Torneremo!

                                                          Joel, Sandy, Bert & Sharyn


                                                                   Mangia Baby!
                                                                      Chef Bert



As usual, please feel free to comment!

Two More Hits on The North Fork of Long Island, N.Y. The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary & The Lobster Roll Restaurant

"Amazing", "Breathtaking","Unique"and "Just Wonderful" are just a few words that have been used to describe a visit to The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary.

Paul, Our Host & Sandy

Sandy & Helen

Bert

Sandy, Helen and I were fortunate enough to be invited as guests by Mr. Paul Adams to what we would describe as an implicitly beautiful and serene piece of heaven in Riverhead on the north fork of Long Island, N.Y.

                                                        Panorama overlooking L.I. Sound

Looking over the Long Island Sound perched  on a bluff several hundred feet up, you get the feeling you are in some far away European island overlooking the Mediterranean.
The foliage planted is designed to attract hummingbirds and trust me you are in for a real treat as you take your seat or walk the paths of this sanctuary while silently waiting for these beautiful little birds to sneak up on you.

Actual pic witnessed by us. Thank you Jason Ganz for the pic.

Actual pic witnessed by us. Thank you Jason Ganz for the pic.

They come as quickly as they go and keep on coming as long as they have the  plants they feed on and that blossom in the peak months of summer.
Thank you Mr. Paul Adams for your fine reception and keep up the good work that you do for your community. They should be grateful to have you and your sanctuary. Keep on sharing!






                                               The Lobster Roll Restaurant "Northside"

For dessert, and almost directly across the street on Sound Avenue, you can stop by the "Northside" location of The Lobster Roll Restaurant for their famous lobster rolls.
On the day we visited, we just happened to be greeted by Christina Vargas, the General Manager. We had that "I can't wait to have your your lobster roll" look in our eyes and no more than 10 minutes later Kristin came out with 3 beautiful rolls filled to the brim with some pretty, pretty, pretty chunks of Maine lobster.

Meet Kristin

                                                  There you go folks...A social success for sure!
                                             


Thank you Christina and staff for a pretty, pretty, pretty fine dessert...ie your famous lobster roll!




                                                 As always, please feel free to comment
                                                                      Mangia Baby,
                                                                         Chef Bert

Phoodographs and Finds: BetsaPasta Flank Steak Ragu Recipe (As seen in Parmesan.com**)

Phoodographs and Finds: BetsaPasta Flank Steak Ragu Recipe (As seen in Parmesan.com**)

Sexy Pop from Long Island, New York, USA!

I'm out in Greenport on the tip of the north fork of Long Island and notice across the street this really cool car with a painted Union Jack...ie the British flag covering the entire vehicle.

 I see written on the side "Sexy Pop". A new soda? Nope. As I get closer I see popcorn kernels...thus my introduction to a popcorn from the founder of Pirate's Booty...Sexy Pop.
I'm in the food business and found the name intriguing enough to ask if they happened to be offering samples to taste. Hey...where have I been?...Sexy Pop! You'd probably ask as well.

Graciously, Mr. Lazaro Jimenez and his perpetually smiling associate Christy offered me tastes of most of the new non GMO, Kosher and Gluten Free air popped corn. It was not until today that I finished tasting all five Sexy Pop flavors.
They are Bangin' Cheddar, Nantucket Salted, Black Pepper, Pinapple Jalapeno and get this, Brazilian Coconut. Avacado & Seaweed was not available.
I liked all of these to varying degrees, however what you will enjoy is strictly up to you and your taste buds.
What I also liked was their marketing. So cool!

                                                                   Lazaro & Christy

That said, next time you are out perusing through the food stores and you see a bag of Sexy Pop, try 'em...you'll like 'em! Says me!

                                                                            Chef Bert
                                                                         Mangia Baby!



As always, please feel free to comment.
Thank you and have a fab summer!

Yama Sushi in Las Vegas Trumps Them All...Anywhere!

According to the owner and proprietor Tai, this lit-up back wall behind the sushi bar is changed with the seasons. Here is Spring!

I like to rent a car in Las Vegas so you can see the town and most importantly travel to where you want to eat since restaurants on the strip can  really be way too costly. If you have the opportunity to find some local restaurants off the strip, the cost of renting a car, especially when most hotels offer complimentary valet parking, more than pays for itself. 

 One evening, we wanted to find a great sushi restaurant for a fair price and nobody we spoke to in our hotel could suggest one.

So what does one do when one wants to find something?

I Googled "Best Sushi in Las Vegas" & "Best All-You-Can-Eat Sushi" in Las Vegas.

What came up first in both searches?

 Yama Sushi!

So off my buddy Alan and I we went with great expectations. 

In the back of my head, I'm always hoping to find something worthy of an entry into www.phoodographsandfinds.com ...and I'm quite pleased to report we have found sushi heaven.

Let me clarify. 

Many of the all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants are buffet style...and if not buffet style, you have to fill out a list of what you want with rules and regulations that touch on the penalties you will suffer if you don't eat all the rice etc, etc. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with buffet style if the fish is fresh and prepared visually appealing. That's not the way it happens at Yama Sushi.

 There is, however, one small rule here: you have 2  hours to dine at Yama Sushi for dinner and 1.5 hours for lunch.

Can you handle it? We did...with ease.

Bottom line: What we found here was a sincerely happy group of waiters and sushi chefs who were super efficient in making sure you enjoyed the total eating experience. Part of this experience is sitting at the bar as we did with Maynor and his gracious fellow sushi chefs. What we enjoyed was getting to watch them expertly make your dish the way you want it with personal delivery in a matter of minutes...and...with a smile. Whew!

You simply don't get this at a buffet. 

As I always say, it comes from the top...and after meeting Tai, we knew why everyone seemed so happy and efficient. As I've always believed, happy waiters...and in this case, happy sushi chefs = happy (and repeat) customers.

Alan, Gracious Tai & Bert 

Remember I can only write about my experience and what I enjoyed. So I say...plain and simple...this is my new favorite sushi restaurant of all time! Yes...of all time!

The cost is $23.95 for dinner and you can order all you want for this amount of money.

We went two nights in a row...and this is how it went.

Upon sitting, we were served a pretty serious plate of sashimi that included salmon, tuna, yellowtail  & albacore sitting atop a grated bed of daikon (mildly flavored winter radish) along with sliced cucumber and ginger.

Regrets...missed this Chef's name...One Happy Dude!

We then ordered an interlude small appetizer of mussels from the kitchen...

Quite Un-ordinary Mussels

...sushi, hand rolls, and creative gourmet roll after roll, of which the names I could not even list.

Some were chef suggestions and some were straight off the menu.

Check these out...

Maynor the Great & Powerful!

Here HE is again!

Do I really have to talk about fresh? Absolutely! Nuff said.

Tai...As Elvis would have said "Thank you...Thank you very much" for a wonderful two nights and dining experiences.

Your were quite gracious...as was the rest of your staff.

There is something to be said for a good value. There is also something to be said for a good value with personality. For the personality, we tipped extra. It was well deserved.

We look forward to our next visit. To all of you who read this entry...do not miss this destination restaurant on your next trip to Las Vegas, Nevada.

It's the 4th Guarantee...Trust me!!!!

See you again...

As usual, please feel free to comment below. I'd love to hear from you regarding any of your suggestions, recommendations or experiences.

Mangia Baby!

Chef Bert

www.phoodographsandfinds.com

The Tipsy Boar Gastropub 1,090 Miles South of Home is Home...

...for one of the best burgers we've tasted in years!
Life IS timing...and the timing was such that on a recent trip to Florida while watching the local Channel 7 News, the reporter was raving about a burger with what I perceived as an incredibly unique recipe...a blend of brisket and ground chuck.
She was also touting the Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese at the wildly popular Tipsy Boar Restaurant in Hollywood, Florida.

Since Sandy and I seem to gravitate to the same restaurants (although not complaining), it was refreshing to find a new eatery such as this and we couldn't wait to get in.
Upon entering, we were greeted by Nelly, a hostess as they say, with the mostess and a sincere smile.
The entire restaurant, except for the outside tables, sits parallel to an active bar scene and the music was upbeat and familiar.

If you are a beer lover, this is your place. The selections of beer on draught numbered 40!

No beer shortage here...40 Choices

                                                                           
I have this habit when I'm in a restaurant for the first time. I walk around looking at what is being served at other tables and what is coming out of the kitchen.  Although I contemplated the Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese, I'm a sucker for pulled pork...and the Mojo Marinated Pulled Pork & Plantains looked wonderful. It actually was better than it looked...and that's hard to do.
                                                                                 

Mojo Marinated Pulled Pork & Plantains

Usually I need a special sauce (B-B-Q or whatever) to enhance the flavor of a pork dish such as this, however I found out it needed nothing. The pork sits on top of yellow rice and black beans and is sprinkled with a selection of fresh vegetables that added flavor and crunch. I've never really been a fan of plantains, however I am now. The texture and flavor brought out by the caramelization was brilliant! That's better than awesome.
Sandy's "All American" burger (cheddar cheese optional) was truly memorable...or should we say WOW! We even picked a beer that goes with burgers, but who the heck remembers which one?
This Brisket Beef burger (does brisket and beef  resonate with you like it does with me?) was served with a side of spicy ketchup. Although Sandy doesn't eat spicy, it was just fine for my taste...literally.
I wish I had known they offered waffle fries, however the house fries had a nice texture and flavor...unlike the standard fries served almost everywhere.Waffle fries next time.

      Sandy and her Tipsy draught

Ahhhh...My Favorites...Heinz Ketchup & French's Yellow Mustard @ Tipsy's

                                                         

Tipsy Boar All American Burger/Sans Cheese

The Tipsy Boar pizza looked quite artisanal. I'm thinking we need to go with more people next time so we can get a dose of the pizza, homemade spicy guacamole & chips, the iceberg lettuce, beefsteak tomato, bacon and blue cheese salad and their famous Maine lobster mac & cheese.

Tipsy Boar Margarita Pizza

Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Blue Cheese Salad

Homemade Spicy Guacamole with Chips

Regretfully, no pic of the lobster mac & cheese. Nuts...Missed that one

                                                                         
To our waitress Massi...thanks for a memorable first visit. To Jose, the proprietor...you and your staff are reason alone one would want to come back.

                                                      Gracious Proprietor Jose & Bert

Oh yeah...One more thing...My cousin Mitchell was coming up from his new home in Key Largo to have lunch with Sandy and me. As I proceeded to tell him about a restaurant we had found and that we felt he would really enjoy, he says that's the one he wanted to go to because he'd seen the Channel 7 segment just as we did. Funny, huh?
As it turns out, he had to cancel his trip up at the last minute, however I told him to ask for Erika at TB...and told Erika he was coming up. So Mitchell, get yourself up there for a wonderful treat. Erika and Company is expecting you. It'll be worth the trip. After all, it's a bit closer for you...only 83 miles away!

                                                                   Mangia Baby!


As always, please feel free to comment. We love hearing from you!
Bert

In NYC, Roast Chicken at the Roast Kitchen

Sandy and I enjoyed a wonderful roast chicken dish from a new small NYC chain just 2 years old. We stumbled onto this little restaurant on West 49th Street while in the city to see a show. In the end, it impressed us more than the show (which will go nameless 'in the dark') and we thought worthy of an entry into my blog as another phood phind! 
We've all seen veggies, including spinach, tossed in front of us with an oil or sauce and then, in most cases, added to a pasta. The concept that struck me, however, was a tossed hot salad...kinda like the pasta bar, however your greens choice takes the place of the pasta

It went down like this:

                             Joshua (right) & Co....Nothing like a smile to make food taste better!

Starting down the line, your choice of greens starts with a blend of lettuces, romaine, kale or spinach. To that you add your choice of  4 vegetables from the salad bar section. If your choice is hot tossed salad, you then choose from the sauces on the list below..

I chose mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, red roasted peppers, corn, broccoli and added the ginger scallion sauce.

If you choice is cold, you choose a dressing and continue down the line the same way and with your choice either farro, jasmine or basmati rice or quinoa.
On the menu, all of the sauces and dressings were coded so you could easily see if they were gluten free, low sodium, sugar free, dairy free or fat free. Nice, huh?

You then finish off your hot or cold salad, should you wish, with a choice of  herbed or spicy chicken, Shio Koji** marinated pork, prime top sirloin, grilled garlic shrimp, or the fish of the day. Creamed spinach or wonderful looking roasted vegetables are also available
Sandy chose to keep it simple with the herbed chicken with a side of basmati rice. Look at that roasted herb chicken! It was just as tender and succulent as it looks in the the picture.


                                                   Roast Kitchen Herbed Roast Chicken

                                                                       
To drink: We had the unsweetened pomegranate green tea which was brilliant! When was the last time you had an unsweetened tea that tasted sweet? Never.
I'm not sure they offered desserts as we had to get over to the theater. Hmmmm?
One more thing...on the evening we were there...happy people making happy food!

1. **Shio koji (塩麹, 塩糀) is a natural seasoning used to marinate, tenderize, and enhance the umami, or richness (one of the five basic tastes), in foods. It's made of just a few simple ingredients, salt, water and rice koji.

                                                                   Mangia Baby!

                                                                      Chef Bert

As always...please feel free to comment

b