We’ve been in NYC since Monday and have had some outstanding meals. I’ll list them all here.

Monday – Bello (863 Ninth Ave, corner of 56th Street) – Usually when we stay at the Mid-town Holiday Inn on 57th St, we walk to a local place for dinner the first night. We’d passed Bello several times and have always talked about stopping in someday. Well we finally did. We had no problems getting a table and the service was excellent. The menu is typical high-end Italian. Three items on the specials list that night caught our attention. We split an Avocado Salad, which was very tasty. Sarah ordered the Chilean Sea Bass, which was prepared with a leek and tomato sauce. I had the Rigatoni with bacon and peas in a tomato cream sauce. Both were superb. Sarah’s fish was a sizable portion and was light and sweet. My pasta was perfectly prepared and not overwhelmed with sauce. Not to sound like Hannibal Lecter, but I enjoyed mine with a fine Chianti. We finished up with a piece of Tiramisu and a cappuccino. It was a great way to start our stay in NYC. Five Spoons – High End

Tuesday -Mitali East - 334 E. 6th St – Mitali East has long been one of our favorite places to eat in NYC. I’ve rated it very highly in the past. We invited one of Sarah’s friends with us this time, so I guess we set ourselves up to be disappointed. Always happens that way when you rave about a place and then bring friends, no? There was nothing particularly wrong with our meal this time. It was just missing that special something that makes for a memorable meal. Sarah had the Shaag Paneer, I ordered a favorite, Chicken Balti, and Sarah’s friend had the Chicken Tikka Masala. Sarah’s saag was a bit overwhelmed with a sourish cream sauce. My balti was ok, but virtually devoid of spices. The chicken tikka masala was the same, decent, but lacking zip. The service was, as always, excellent. Maybe it was just an off-night for the chef. Three Spoons – Family

Wednesday – Thai Basil – (860 Ninth Ave) – Thai Basil is another of our favorites. It is also an easy walk from our usual hotel. Thai Basil is a typical NYC hole-in-the-wall eatery. Not much atmosphere, but really good food. Luckily, that hasn’t changed for Thai Basil. We started with Vegetable Dumplings, which were, as you would guess, minced veggies wrapped in lettuce. Very tasty. Sarah ordered Eggplant Basil Sautee (which included tofu) and I went with Siam Beef (which came on fried rice). Sarah really liked her eggplant and my beef was perfectly done. I loved the fried rice that came with it. It was truly rice and veggies fried up in a wok, not some mixture of rice and sauce or the yellow rice we get in the midwest. As always, an excellent meal. Four Spoons – Family

Thursday – Bistango Ristorante - (415 Third Ave at 29th St) – We chose Bistango because we were joining a friend of Sarah’s who happens to have a gluten allergy. Bistango has many gluten-free offerings. They even have gluten-free beer. The atmosphere is dinner casual and very comfy. The service was excellent and the waitstaff was very knowledgeable about every detail of the food preparation, which can be a godsend to those with allergies. Sarah’s friend was very pleased and surprised at the wide choice of gluten-free food as well as the staff’s knowledge. She ordered the gluten-free ravioli, which she said was the first time she’d ever seen it in a restaurant. It looked pretty tasty, which she confirmed. She had started out with the calamari appetizer, which she said was also very good. I’ll take her word for it as I don’t like calamari. Sarah and I split a Caesar salad, which was served wedge style. Not my favorite way to enjoy a salad. The Caesar was ok, but a bit pricey considering it was basically a wedge of romaine with some grated cheese and dressing on it. For entrees Sarah had rigatoni and meat sauce. I had the boneless pork chop. Sarah’s rigatoni was good, although the meat sauce had shredded meat instead of the typical crumbled hamburger. My porkchop was pounded flat and breaded, like a schnitzel. It came with a small portion of mashed potatoes, a large helping of spinach, and was served over sauteed onions and hot cherry peppers. The porkchop was quite good, as were the potatoes. I’m not a big fan of spinach and the onions and peppers were very spicy, so I only had a couple bites of those. We all had the excellent Gelato and Sorbet for dessert. Sarah and I split coffee gelato and mango sorbet. The gelato was creamy and rich. The mango sorbet was eye-opening strong. If you really like mango, you’ll love the mango sorbet. Sarah’s friend had vanilla gelato and blackberry sorbet. She raved about both. Despite my little nitpicks, the meal was quite good, the service was, as I said, excellent, and the atmosphere was enjoyable. Four Spoons – Family

Friday – Molyvos – (871 Seventh Ave) – We originally tried to get into a smaller Greek place close to our hotel, but it turned out to be basically a tiny cheese and wine bar and was, of course, packed on a Friday evening. So we walked on over to Molyvos on 7th Ave, which the bus to the Javits Center passed every day. We were able to walk in and get a table right away. It’s a surprisingly large place. The atmosphere is very upscale, yet comfortable. We were expecting the usual Greek fare with gyros and moussaka and such. No gyros to be found here, although they do have moussaka. The waiter quickly supplied us with warm pita triangles and bread with a spicy feta spread. We also ordered the Tzatziki. We went through the first basket of bread and were promptly supplied with another. Both the feta spread and the tzatziki were excellent. For entrees Sarah ordered the stuffed pepper and I had the beef short rib (Vodino Stifado). Sarah’s pepper was stuffed with eggplant and rice and such. It was very, very good. My beef short rib was melt in your mouth tender and delicious. We split an order of potato kefte, which was quite good, although we really could have done without it as the entrees were more than ample. I had a couple glasses of a really good mavroudi wine, which went perfectly with the beef. We will definitely return to Molyvos. It seemed only right that we should bookend our trip with two fantastic meals. Five Spoons – High End

Once again this year we trekked out to New England for Christmas. We only ate out a few times thanks to superb cooking by Sarah’s mom (delicious beef brisket and latkes) and my sister (awesome beef tenderloin). On the way out we stopped at Blue Colony Diner in Newtown, CT. It was our first time there and we weren’t quite sure what it would be like. We had just seen a billboard on the highway and thought we’d give it a try. Turns out Blue Colony Diner is a well known landmark. It’s very large for a diner and the menu is huge. So are the portions. Sarah had some seriously meaty lasagna which became three meals. I had a really good pastrami Reuben.  A gentleman sitting near us had the baked haddock. It was the largest helping of food for one person I’ve ever seen. Great place to stop if you’re passing through the area on I-84. Three and a Half Spoons

Whenever we get out to Massachusetts we try to grab a meal at The Chatta Box in Bridgewater, MA. The Chatta Box is simply the best Asian fusion restaurant we’ve ever encountered. The food is sublime. I ordered our longtime favorite, Mango Stir Fry with Chicken. It’s the near dish in the picture below. It’s served in a mango shell (the purple you see in the picture). It’s sweet and spicy and fresh and delicious. Sarah ordered Tropical Explosion, which was tofu with pineapple and peppers and mango and onions. Similar to mine but just different enough. Both were excellent. Five Spoons

Lastly, Sarah’s parents took us out to Butterfly Restaurant in West Hartford, CT. (Thanks, Judy and Steve.) We usually make it to Butterfly on our trips. We each order a dish and then mix and match. This time we had pork fried rice (which was a welcome treat as good fried rice is hard to find out here in IL), crispy orange beef, sesame chicken, and broccoli and garlic. All were very tasty. We really miss having a good Chinese restaurant nearby. We thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Four Spoons

Today we were up in the mall area shopping, so we decided to swing down Neil St and try the newish Holy Land restaurant at 705 N. Neil St in Champaign. It’s the same place where Jack’s Grill used to be. It’s still Mediterranean food. We never got around to eating at Jack’s, but Holy Land has the kabobs and rice dishes you’d expect from such a place. The atmosphere is similar to what you’d find on Green St, with a few booths and tables and a take-out counter. They have a large LCD TV playing Arab MTV, which was interesting, to say the least.

The folks at Holy Land are quite friendly and the service is excellent. As we sat down, they brought us a small but tasty eggplant appetizer with toasted pita chips. The menu has several fruity drinks available and they have coffee or Pepsi products. We both opted to stay with the water. For entrees Sarah ordered Chicken Shish Tawook, which was a chicken kabab with semi-spicy chicken and a large helping of rice. I got the Mixed Grill, which was one each of the chicken, beef, and lamb kebabs with rice. It also came with a large plate of hummus and baba ganoush with a basket of warm pitas. I’m usually not big on hummus or baba ganoush, but this dish had both with olive oil, paprika, and a mint chutney. It was excellent. The kebabs were all perfectly prepared and a tad on the spicy side, although not mouth burning. The rice had almonds and spices and was also top notch. We brought home enough for another meal. Very generous servings.

For dessert we split a large bowl of the best rice pudding I have ever had. It was a perfect way to finish off the meal. Can’t wait to go back. I hope they stay around longer than Jack’s did. Holy Land is shaping up to be the best Mediterranean restaurant in the Champaign-Urbana area. 

Today was a gorgeous day weatherwise and Sarah had heard about a place in Indy called Shapiro’s that had “real” bagels, so we decided to take a road trip to Indy. We ended up having lunch there. Shapiro’s is at 808 S Meridian St, very near the new Lucas Oil stadium where the *ahem* Colts play.

Shapiro’s is basically a deli and cafeteria all in one. You can get take-out or just grab some bagels or cold cuts or breads. Or you can order a whole meal and sit down and eat.

We did both, but started with a meal. Sarah saw Stuffed Cabbage on the menu and ordered that, along with some spinach and a potato cake (really a knish). Her meal also came with two large slices of rye and a large pickle. I ordered a Reuben, which also came with a large pickle. No alcohol at Shapiro’s, unfortunately, so I didn’t get to have a beer with my Reuben. We settled for Diet Coke.

Sarah’s Stuffed Cabbage was excellent. I’d never had stuffed cabbage and didn’t think I’d like it, but I was wrong. Her cabbage was very good, as was the potato cake. My Reuben was superb. It was lean and thinly sliced. What you see above is a big stack of corned beef slices, then some sauerkraut, then more corned beef, then cheese, then the 1000 Island dressing. Despite the size, it was easy to eat. The corned beef was so lean and thin that it was easy to bite through the whole sandwich. And while I rarely comment on small side items, the pickles at Shapiro’s are outstanding.

Before we left we grabbed a half-dozen onion bagels and a loaf of their excellent rye bread. I only wish we had brought icepacks for the cooler so I could have brought home a pound or so of their awesome corned beef or tasty-looking turkey.We’ll make Shapiro’s a regular stop on our future Indy road trips.

For ten days roaming around Germany and Austria we ate very well. Too well, in fact. Oof. No one has ever suggested that traditional German food is light fare. Quite the opposite. Bratwurst, beef dishes, Wiener Schnitzel, Leberkäse (sort of a meatloaf with a hotdog-ish taste), Kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings the size of baseballs), potato salad, and various types of kraut are all serious dishes. I enjoyed them all. Some more than once. It’s hard to find a bad meal in Germany. We also had Indian twice, once in Nürnberg at Tadsch Mahal, which was excellent, and once in Salzburg at a small (very small) place near our hotel called Indiya. The food there was good, but not up to the standards of the Tadsch Mahal.

In Nürnberg we had several noteworthy meals. One was at the famous Helig Geist Spital (Holy Ghost (or Spirit) Hospital). Very nice inside and out with an interesting mix of traditional and more modern cuisine. Some pics below.

The others were at the Kon Tiki, which is right on the river and has remained relatively unchanged for 30 years, and our first dinner in Nürnberg at the Bratwurst-Röslein, which was right around the corner from our hotel. The latter had Gemütlichkeit in spades.

We found breakfast at the B&B type places to be excellent. Usually breads and croissants with cold cuts and cheese and various spreads. Coffee, juice, and cereals were also included. A couple of places that catered to Americans also had eggs and bacon and sausages. The first hotel we stayed at, the Holiday Inn in Schwabing (part of Munich) had only two options for breakfast. You either ordered room service (pricey) or you paid a king’s ransom (EUR 23.50 per person or ~$36) for the buffet. I could never see spending $70+ on breakfast. I just can’t eat that much so early in the morning. So while we were at that hotel, we walked a block down the street to a very nice little Bäckerei for fresh croissants and lattes. I love the schoko croissants.

One thing that disappointed me about the trip was the rampant expansion of American fast food places. McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Starbucks are everywhere. And even worse, they’re advertised on billboards everywhere. The picture below is the small park in the center of Detwang, a tiny hamlet below Rothenburg ob der Tauber that dates back to the 10th century. Everything about this little place screams history and tradition except this ridiculous billboard.

Overall I’d give our dining experience in Germany and Austria 4 Spoons and rate the costs in the Family category. Certainly you can find pricier food and there is no shortage of 5 Spoon places, but we were quite happy with the choices we made.

We’ve been here in NYC since Thursday and have pretty much stuck to our usual restaurants, like Thai Basil, DJ Reynolds, and Mitali. All three were excellent as always. But tonight we set out to try something different and ended up at Zerza Mediterrano on 6th St between 1st and 2nd Ave (a few doors down from Mitali, as a matter of fact). The menu looked interesting and it looked like a nice place, so in we went. We had no problem getting a table. In fact, for a while we were the only patrons. There were several tables taken when we left.

Zerza serves Mediterranean and Moroccan cuisine. Most dishes come with couscous. We started out with a Baby Greens and Fennel salad. We had wanted the Baby Arugula and Roasted Pear salad, but they were out. The Greens and Fennel salad was tasty, but not exactly inspiring. For entrees Sarah ordered the Vegetable tagine, which is a veggie stew, and I went with the Mrouzia Beef Short Ribs. It was a large portion of beef ribs without the bones in a delicious prune sauce (think sweet prunes). Both meals came with sides of couscous. I also ordered a Casa beer from Casablanca, Morocco. It was light and went well with the beef. Sarah’s tagine was good and not too filling. And as I mentioned, my beef was really tasty. I would gladly order it again. For dessert Sarah had fig ice cream and I had baklava with a shot of Bailey’s on ice. Perfect ending to a great meal. 

Earlier this week some colleagues and I had lunch at La Gourmandise on Main St. in Urbana, IL. I had a salad and half a sandwich, both of which were quite good. I was especially intrigued, though, by the German cuisine available on Friday and Saturday evenings. La Gourmandise is owned by the same family that owns the Bayern Stube in Gibson City, IL. We’ve always wanted to try the food there, but it’s such a long haul from Charleston and there’s really nothing else there to see, so we’ve never made the trip.

So this evening we decided to try our luck at La Gourmandise. We got there right about 5PM and it was very quiet. Just a few folks using the wifi. La Gourmandise is really more of a small bistro, so there’s no restaurant atmosphere. You walk up to the counter to order and they bring out your food when it’s ready. Doesn’t take long to get your food, though.

Sarah doesn’t like pork or veal, and the majority of the German offerings are pork or veal based, so she ordered the Downtown Roast Beef sandwich, which is roast beef with Provolone and Avocado Pico de Gallo. So got fries as her side. I ordered the Allgäuer Schnitzel, which is a schnitzel topped with ham and swiss cheese. I usually prefer a straight schnitzel with a lemon, but the ham and swiss actually worked quite nicely on the schnitzel. I also had red cabbage (Rotkohl) and spätzle for sides. To top it off, I had a bottle of Russian Baltika beer from their impressive selection. It was perfect with the meal.

Sarah’s sandwich was very good, although she was suffering from a cold and had trouble tasting anything. I will attest to the excellent fries she had, though. Very much like the fries I enjoyed in gasthauses in Germany. My schnitzel was perfectly cooked and quite tasty. As I said, the ham and swiss were a nice touch. The spätzle was good and the red cabbage was better than most I’ve tasted. It was slightly sweet, which I think made the difference. I spoke with the owner for a bit afterward and told him of my preference for a “neat” schnitzel with lemon and a side of good Bavarian potato salad. He explained how they make their potato salad and it seemed like the kind I loved when I lived in  Nürnberg. Next time we stop here for dinner, which will be soon, I’ll be sure to order it.

UPDATE: We went back for dinner Saturday evening (April 11) and Sarah had the Paprika Schnitzel, which the chef (the owner’s mother) was kind enough to prepare using chicken instead of veal or pork. Sarah thought it was delicious and I agree. I had the Allgäuer Schnitzel again with rotkohl and potato salad. The potato salad was, in fact, just as I remember it from Nürnberg. Delicious. I had a Jever Pilsner with my meal. It was nice and bitter the way I like it. This place is quickly becoming a favorite of ours.

Tonight Sarah’s parents took us out to eat at Butterfly Chinese Restaurant on Farmington Ave. in West Hartford, CT. We’ve been there with them before and have always had great meals. Tonight was no different. As usual, we ordered four dishes to share between us. We got Gemini (orange crispy beef with string beans), Garlic Chicken, Hunan Pork, and Pineapple Chicken and Shrimp. We also had cold noodles with sesame sauce and spare ribs for appetizers.  Everything was delicious and quite a treat for us, as good Chinese food is virtually impossible to find out here.

Thanks, Steve and Judy.

Today on the way from Weymouth, MA to Newington, CT we stopped at an old haunt of ours, The Chatta Box on Rte. 18 in Bridgewater, MA. This has always been a favorite of ours and we try to at least get take-out during our New England visits. Today we stopped in for lunch. Sarah got our all-time favorite dish, Mango Stir Fried Chicken. I went with the Beef Teriyaki Combo Box, which came with Miso soup, a salad, and white rice. As always, Sarah’s mango dish was heaven. Perfectly cooked chicken stir-fried with large pieces of mango, peppers, onions, and spices, all in a spicy sweet-sour sauce. My combo box was tasty, but not something I’d get again. The beef was good, but the included teriyaki sauce was very strong, so I ended up eating the beef and rice without it. Still, it was typical Chatta Box, which is to say, excellent. 

Last night Sarah and I took her friend to Firefly Grill in Effingham, IL. We’ve been there several times before, but it was the first time for Sarah’s friend. We were a bit concerned about the show going on at the new Rosebud Theatre next door, but the crowd wasn’t bad. We were seated immediately at a table in their screened-in porch, which turned out to be a comfortable place to sit. Still, you may want to check to see if there’s a show at the Rosebud when planning your visit.

Once thing that was apparent during our visit is that they seemed to be shorthanded. Our waitress was responsible for all the tables on the porch and I think a few inside. She seemed a bit overworked, but still managed to do ok by us. Our appetizer, Artichoke Heart Gratin with House-Made Flatbread, was very good, but it took a while to arrive. Sarah and her friend had salads; Sarah’s was the Knife and Fork Caesar side salad and her friend’s was a normal Greek Salad, which was enormous. I started with a glass of merlot because I had planned on having steak. But then I saw Grilled Seabass on the menu and decided to go for that instead. I finished my merlot with the appetizer and ordered a glass of Relax Riesling from Germany. It was very good and went well with the fish. My seabass was delicious and came with one crabmeat stuffed ravioli and a huge head of broccoli. Even the waitress joked about the amount of broccoli, although it was also quite tasty, so I didn’t mind.

Sarah ordered the 12-oz Oak Fired Rib-Eye and her friend had the Chicken Pot Pie with Shells & Cheese for a side. She liked the pie, but thought the shells and cheese were too light on the cheese. Sarah thought her steak was quite good. As I said, my seabass was excellent. We finally got some bread near the end of the meal, but the poor waitress couldn’t find any thawed butter anywhere. Again, I think they were running understaffed. I don’t blame the waitress for that. We didn’t order dessert, but the ones we saw passing by looked fantastic. Maybe next time.