In Photos: Del Fuego in St. James
Owner Joseph DeNicola has hit the mark again (his other Long Island restaurants, Ruvo East, Ruvo West and La Tavola have been pleasing Suffolk crowds for years) with his new location, Del Fuego, in St. James. This tiny area is packed with great restaurants, and this hopping Tex-Mex joint adds just one more to the growing list of reasons that we love St. James.
Los Compadres in Huntington Station
Authentic Mexican cuisine doesn’t have to come from a fancy restaurant that is booked on a Saturday night. Sometimes it’s served best in the form of an off-the-beaten-path shack that does nothing more than pump out homestyle Mexican cuisine. This is what we consider Los Compadres in Huntington Station.
Food News: La Fondita In Amagansett To Close For Winter
La Fondita, a favorite stop of ours just off the road in Amagansett is set to close for the winter this coming Sunday, October 23, 2011. A seasonal restaurant due to its outdoor dining areas, they usually serve their wintertime cuisine out of their sister-restaurant Townline BBQ just up the road. That’s not so this year.
Food News: Taco Joe’s To Open in Westbury
Taco Joe’s on Merrick Road in Massapequa is a great counter-service, kid-friendly Mexican restaurant with the benefit of a Yogurt & Such built-in for those after dinner dessert options (and a small yogurt is included in the kids meal as well.) We’re happy to report that they’re making the move to the north shore as well with their now under-construction shop on Old Country Rd.
Notable Opening: Chipotle in Great Neck
One of our favorite non-fast food fast food joints has to be Chiptole. Known for their fresh cuisine that is cooked in front of you (there’s no bag opening here), they’ve been growing steadily over the past few years. If you’ve wanted some in western Nassau County, you’ve had to travel to either Carle Place or Uniondale, which for some can prove to be quite inconvenient. Starting December 15th that all changes. The newest location to open its’ doors is located in Great Neck at 44 Great Neck Rd.
Kid Friendly Deals: Kids Eat Free on Tuesdays at Moe’s Southwest Grill
Did you know that Moe's Southwest Grill (with five locations on LI) now offers free kids meals on Tuesdays? Until recently, we didn't either. If you've got a kid and can stand sitting with a room filled with other parents and children, then this deal is to sweet to pass up. See you on Tuesdays!
The Blue Parrot in East Hampton
A favorite of the east end, The Blue Parrot is back in the game and now open. Mexican infused cuisine, great drinks and the occasional Bon Jovi impromptu acoustic concert all converge at this laid back, low-key hot spot known around town as one of the best. Enjoy! 631-329-2583
Besito in Roslyn
When our friend sought out a local spot to hit up for her birthday dinner with a few select friends, she hit the nail on the head in picking Besito in Roslyn. The second Besito on the island (the original is located in the village of Huntington) and one of the restaurants owned by local restauranteur John Tunney (also the owner of Honu and America Roadside Burgers) this restaurant achieves the sophistication of the palate and of the design that you would expect from this powerhouse owner. Located on the North Shore and in a shopping center with Kotobuki, a high-end Japanese restaurant, the crowd is as high-end as the food and drink offered.
The Tequila list is as long as the menu and is the hallmark of the restaurant/bar. Margaritas, specialty drinks and great cervezas round out the full bar menu as well.
Since we were early, we hopped up to the bar and sampled the drinks of the house. We ordered the frozen Pomegranate Margarita; served from a frozen machine and also ordered the red wine Sangria while we awaited the other 7 people in our party. The bar is long with soft pendant lighting above. The bar area is in the front of the restaurant and since the weather was warm on this Saturday night, the front doors were open to patio seating and we were greeted to a warm breeze off of the exterior.
Once we were all assembled and ready to be sat we all huddled together at the front desk (they won’t seat you until the full party is within eye-shot of the hostess) we weaved our way to the back of the restaurant where they had set us up with a table for 10 in a quiet nook. To our left was a huge wall made up of what must have been more than 60 votive candles providing us with soft light. The atmosphere was very earthy with the ceiling made up of individual tree limbs (or something that resembled it) and light colors transporting us to a local village in Mexico.
Baskets of tortilla chips and bowls of salsa were generously placed on our table before we ordered. The salsa was fresh with a nice bite to it. Even though it was popular, the salsa was tossed to the side and largely ignored once the guacamole was placed. We ordered two bowls of guacamole, each expertly prepared table-side by a waiter and custom tailored to our tastes. We ordered one bowl mild with cilantro and a medium bowl without cilantro to appease all of the different tastes at the table.
Since there were 10 of us, I won’t go into detail about what everyone ordered, but will share with you the two dishes that my wife and I chose. I chose the Bistec con Mole Chatino, a grilled New York Strip Steak topped with chayote squash, queso fresco. My wife ordered the Salmon Manchamanteles, a roasted wild salmon with crispy bananas, pineapple pico de gallo and mole manchamanteles. My steak was perfectly seasoned, well cooked and was on par with any steakhouse where I have eaten. The salmon was as fresh as could be, full of flavor, light and tasty all around. The crunchy banana was a nice juxtaposition on the softer salmon and aided in the textural enjoyment of the meal.
After dinner Churrizos (fried dough with sugar) were dropped on our table fresh out of the fryer and in a paper bag. Similar to the chocolate cookies that are served at the sister restaurant Honu these were a great end to a long dinner and left us satisfied, yet not entirely full.
Verdict: This isn’t your mother’s Mexican restaurant, and we’re glad that it’s not. With two locations to choose from on the island, we look forward to more Tequila, enchiladas and flavors that we have yet to experience.
* All costs associated with this dinner were paid for by East of NYC
miracle grill in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Wandering around 5th, 6th and 7th Avenues in Park Slope can at some points be a daunting excursion. With so many great restaurants to choose from, you almost don’t know where to start, or where to plop yourself down for a great meal. After walking around for a half an hour and going over the various brunch menus that were available that day we landed ourselves in the miracle grill, a great little Mexican restaurant that served us a fresh brunch filled with Breakfast Burrito’s, omelette’s and pancakes.
We chose to eat inside, but an outdoor eating area, covered by a multi-colored roof makes your dining experience that much more enjoyable. A bar area at the front of the restaurant serves up a variety of drink specials and your standard well drinks. 718-369-4541
