We hope that one and all had a delightful Easter Sunday.
Steve and I had the pleasure of dining with our good friends Frank and Lorraine at a great new restaurant in the Berkshires. It is tucked away on a scenic hillside and is called Chez Agita. We made reservations and it was a smart thing to do as the intimacy of the setting limited the number of available tables.
Upon our arrival we knew we were in for a special treat. Before we could take our coats off, our server brought to us delectable slices of warm Foccacia straight from the Il Costco toaster oven. Parmigiano Reggiano a la Queen Mary complimented this beautifully.
Our table, adorned in Mappa da McDonalds place mats was a sight to behold. As we began our main course, we toasted one another’s health with a robust and fruity glass of Dancing Bull Zinfandel straight from the Gran Prix Chopper marketplace. Without a doubt, it was Zin-fully delicious.
Chef Frankie prepared Pasta Castellane, a house special of the Dollare Store, and moist, tender and flavorful Chop of Pork presented on a bed of red peppers and onions. I’m salivating just thinking about it. The garlic and oil infused broccoli would have made a convert of the most ardent vegetaphobe.
Dessert was a blast from our Goombah past. Guest chef Lily-Belle prepared Easter pie filled with ricotta, pine nuts, vanilla. Confectioners sugar, eggs and orange zest. Otis Food Critic, and Critic of Everything, Stefano Barkerla, thought that it could have been a little sweeter. So what else is new?
Quiche Lorraine ended the evening on a high note with her aromatic blend of coffee from the Tassimo tub machine. This was the perfect end to a perfect evening.
ZAGAT says: A hidden gem in the hills of Otis, MA. Superior service, exquisite presentation, mouth watering fare……and the price is right. Did I forget to say that Chez Agita is pet friendly?
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Take me out to the ball game
Scott and I went to the Home-Opener Yankee Game this week which was totally sold out with 55,000 people at Yankee Stadium. He got the tickets from MLB who work with his company on the video game of the same name. The game started well with Jason Giambi hitting a three run homer in the first inning. It then went down hill fast on less than stellar pitching from Chien-Ming Wang - last year's wunderkind. It even included an unexplainable lapse by fan favorite Bernie Williams who "wandered" off second base on a short fly ball to left field. The early chants of B-E-R-N-I-E for Williams decision to return as the DH, turned to brief BOOs as he was put out for an inning-ending double play. He later described it as a "brain cramp".
Everything turned around however, after the "seventh-inning stretch" when the Yankees came roaring back. Finally, they were ahead 7-5 on a homerun by Derek Jeter, the team captain and most popular player. The chants of "DER-EK JE-TER" continued through the end of the game and onto the subway. We also saw Mariano Rivera pitch his first save of the year. Overall, it was a wonderfully exciting game for the huge crowd and everybody left happy.
Scott and I left feeling all pumped up and decided we needed STEAKS! (This must be the testosterone! cdel) To me, the best steakhouse in New York is Sparks. Others may be prettier, but none have the combination of perfect steaks and decent ambiance (a steakhouse can't be too nice and still be called a "steakhouse" rather than a "restaurant" that serves steaks).
Sparks serves the traditional 16 oz. NY strip steak with traditional sides of homefries, mushrooms and a green vegetable. They also serve lamb or veal chops and some fish - including a 3-6 pound lobster! As an aside, in all the years I've been going to Sparks (over 20) I've never seen anyone but a Japanese tourist eat the lobster - it's huge, but they seem to feel it's a right of passage to say that they've had the lobster at a NY steakhouse and then complain how big the portions are!
We were in "men's night out" mode after the ball game so I started with scotch and a shrimp cocktail while Scott opted for bourbon and clams on the half shell; this was followed by steaks with the usual sides. Having been gone all day, we felt badly so we invited Christina and Jory (who was busy) to our "boys night". Since Chris isn't a "real" man she ordered a salad and sliced steak - she has no sense of tradition. The steaks were absolutely wonderful--even hers. They age their own beef and grill it at just the right temperature for a perfect seared black outside and medium rare inside. No one makes a better NY stripsteak. Peter Lugers, in Brooklyn, another wonderful spot does a fabulous porterhouse but Sparks in king of the NY strip.
Sparks is a NY institution. I've seen Muhammad Ali, H. Ross Perot, Paul Castellano, Woody Allen, Donald Trump and innumerable other greater and lesser lights there and I've taken every out of town visitor there for a quintessionally NY meal. The only downside is the crowd. The bar is a mad-house, it's never quiet and you always need a reservation.
Sparks Steak House
East 40s 210 E. 46th St.(bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves.)
Manhattan, NY 10017
212-687-4855
Zagats says...
You get to watch wheeler-dealers wheel and deal at this "manly man" Midtown meat market where everything's big, from the steaks flavors and the wine list to the dining room and the noise level; it's a prime example of how cholesterol should taste, but bring your checkbook and a carefree attitude to deal with the frequent waits since people are dying to eat here.
Everything turned around however, after the "seventh-inning stretch" when the Yankees came roaring back. Finally, they were ahead 7-5 on a homerun by Derek Jeter, the team captain and most popular player. The chants of "DER-EK JE-TER" continued through the end of the game and onto the subway. We also saw Mariano Rivera pitch his first save of the year. Overall, it was a wonderfully exciting game for the huge crowd and everybody left happy.
Scott and I left feeling all pumped up and decided we needed STEAKS! (This must be the testosterone! cdel) To me, the best steakhouse in New York is Sparks. Others may be prettier, but none have the combination of perfect steaks and decent ambiance (a steakhouse can't be too nice and still be called a "steakhouse" rather than a "restaurant" that serves steaks).
Sparks serves the traditional 16 oz. NY strip steak with traditional sides of homefries, mushrooms and a green vegetable. They also serve lamb or veal chops and some fish - including a 3-6 pound lobster! As an aside, in all the years I've been going to Sparks (over 20) I've never seen anyone but a Japanese tourist eat the lobster - it's huge, but they seem to feel it's a right of passage to say that they've had the lobster at a NY steakhouse and then complain how big the portions are!
We were in "men's night out" mode after the ball game so I started with scotch and a shrimp cocktail while Scott opted for bourbon and clams on the half shell; this was followed by steaks with the usual sides. Having been gone all day, we felt badly so we invited Christina and Jory (who was busy) to our "boys night". Since Chris isn't a "real" man she ordered a salad and sliced steak - she has no sense of tradition. The steaks were absolutely wonderful--even hers. They age their own beef and grill it at just the right temperature for a perfect seared black outside and medium rare inside. No one makes a better NY stripsteak. Peter Lugers, in Brooklyn, another wonderful spot does a fabulous porterhouse but Sparks in king of the NY strip.
Sparks is a NY institution. I've seen Muhammad Ali, H. Ross Perot, Paul Castellano, Woody Allen, Donald Trump and innumerable other greater and lesser lights there and I've taken every out of town visitor there for a quintessionally NY meal. The only downside is the crowd. The bar is a mad-house, it's never quiet and you always need a reservation.
Sparks Steak House
East 40s 210 E. 46th St.(bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves.)
Manhattan, NY 10017
212-687-4855
Zagats says...
You get to watch wheeler-dealers wheel and deal at this "manly man" Midtown meat market where everything's big, from the steaks flavors and the wine list to the dining room and the noise level; it's a prime example of how cholesterol should taste, but bring your checkbook and a carefree attitude to deal with the frequent waits since people are dying to eat here.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Mothers and Sons
As the mother of a son, I've always felt that the 'mother/son' relationship hasn't received adequate notice or attention; positive attention that is. Have you ever noticed the number of 'mother/daughter', 'father/son' and even 'father/daughter' events? When mother/son relationships are mentioned it's usually in a derogatory way; how often have you heard a reference to "mamma's boy" -- and doesn't that conjure up a picture? Why is that?
I'm happy to report that Scott and I have many mother/son days and enjoy each other's company and the fact that he lives in the city means that we get to see quite a bit of him. Not so long ago, he and I had dinner and went to a jazz concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was the final in a series of Jazz evenings entitled "Three Mo Tenors". The artists, whose names I've now forgotten were a group of classically trained tenors. The program which included operatic music, jazz, gospel, soul, spirituals, Broadway and the blues was non-stop with only a short intermission and lots of participation from the audience. I'm sure that everyone in the there would agree that we got our money's worth this night.
Our evening out included dinner at a restaurant close to the museum; Girasole, a cute Italian spot on 82nd Street. It felt like a quaint neighbourhood spot with friendly staff, a good but unremarkable menu and a wine list that had some affordable selections. My mixed green salad was fresh with a light dressing and Scott enjoyed a cold calamari salad also in a vinaigrette. For the main course, I chose from one of the daily specials, a wild boar chop, served with fresh asparagus, green beans and red peppers. The chop was perfectly grilled and was topped with a mustard and peppercorn sauce. Scott thoroughly enjoyed a serving of grilled sea bass with mushrooms, asparagus and a mixture of rice. We finished with coffee and got to the show with minutes to spare. This is a quaint little spot, a bit on the pricey side, but worth checking out.
Girasole
East 80s 151 E. 82nd St.(bet. Lexington & 3rd Aves.)
New York, NY 10028
212-772-6690
Zagats says ...
“Popular with the Met staff” and Upper Eastsiders “who can afford” the tabs, this “small, refined” Italian functions almost like “a neighborhood club”; the “better-than-average” (if “unremarkable”) fare and “consistently good” service please its “generally older” crowd
I'm happy to report that Scott and I have many mother/son days and enjoy each other's company and the fact that he lives in the city means that we get to see quite a bit of him. Not so long ago, he and I had dinner and went to a jazz concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was the final in a series of Jazz evenings entitled "Three Mo Tenors". The artists, whose names I've now forgotten were a group of classically trained tenors. The program which included operatic music, jazz, gospel, soul, spirituals, Broadway and the blues was non-stop with only a short intermission and lots of participation from the audience. I'm sure that everyone in the there would agree that we got our money's worth this night.
Our evening out included dinner at a restaurant close to the museum; Girasole, a cute Italian spot on 82nd Street. It felt like a quaint neighbourhood spot with friendly staff, a good but unremarkable menu and a wine list that had some affordable selections. My mixed green salad was fresh with a light dressing and Scott enjoyed a cold calamari salad also in a vinaigrette. For the main course, I chose from one of the daily specials, a wild boar chop, served with fresh asparagus, green beans and red peppers. The chop was perfectly grilled and was topped with a mustard and peppercorn sauce. Scott thoroughly enjoyed a serving of grilled sea bass with mushrooms, asparagus and a mixture of rice. We finished with coffee and got to the show with minutes to spare. This is a quaint little spot, a bit on the pricey side, but worth checking out.
Girasole
East 80s 151 E. 82nd St.(bet. Lexington & 3rd Aves.)
New York, NY 10028
212-772-6690
Zagats says ...
“Popular with the Met staff” and Upper Eastsiders “who can afford” the tabs, this “small, refined” Italian functions almost like “a neighborhood club”; the “better-than-average” (if “unremarkable”) fare and “consistently good” service please its “generally older” crowd
Rouge
Rouge has been one of our favorite places in the Berkshires since it opened several years ago. This friendly restaurant is run by a young husband and wife team (Maggie's the hostess and front room manager and her husband Mark the chef). They've done a great job converting a local house to include several cozy dining areas, a small porch and a comfortable bar space with a few small tables where you can enjoy a drink while waiting for your table and have lighter fare--the tapas is particularly good. They have a nice mix of straightforward dishes (heavy on steaks and fish) prepared with a 'French Bistro' flare. Our only complaint has been the consistently slow service and sometimes long waits despite having a reservation. Most recently, the service was so bad, there were three different servers trading off. To make matters worse, they brought the check before even offering dessert or coffee.
Recently, we've also noticed that the usually reliable preparations have sometimes been inconsistent. We've had escargot that looked and tasted re-heated, salad that was not fresh and Duck that's been over-sauced. On this night however, the food was great. Christina and I had a roasted chicken on the bone (I thought mine was a little dry, she liked hers) with a wonderful lemony wilted spinach that was delicious. Others at our table had steak, sliced breast of duck and rack of lamb all of which got very positive reviews. The starters included their signature mixed greens with breaded goat cheese, mussels that were reportedly tasty (If our friend Joe says they're good, you know you have a winner). The wine selections are very good and the cocktails imaginative. Pomegranate seems to be the new "in" drink and here they made a tasty pomegranate sangria. We definitely think this is a place worth visiting. By the time we get back, Maggie and Mark will be proud parents for the second time. This may be the start of a new family dynasty!
Rouge
3 Center St.(Hotel St.)
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
413-232-4111
Zagats says:
Outstanding tapas and superbly prepared French bistro fare focusing on local ingredients are served by a lively, welcoming staff at this West Stockbridge two-year-old with a terrace overlooking the Williams River and a noise level that's tough on conversation; though some supporters are pleased, others say they still need to get their act together and open more often.
Recently, we've also noticed that the usually reliable preparations have sometimes been inconsistent. We've had escargot that looked and tasted re-heated, salad that was not fresh and Duck that's been over-sauced. On this night however, the food was great. Christina and I had a roasted chicken on the bone (I thought mine was a little dry, she liked hers) with a wonderful lemony wilted spinach that was delicious. Others at our table had steak, sliced breast of duck and rack of lamb all of which got very positive reviews. The starters included their signature mixed greens with breaded goat cheese, mussels that were reportedly tasty (If our friend Joe says they're good, you know you have a winner). The wine selections are very good and the cocktails imaginative. Pomegranate seems to be the new "in" drink and here they made a tasty pomegranate sangria. We definitely think this is a place worth visiting. By the time we get back, Maggie and Mark will be proud parents for the second time. This may be the start of a new family dynasty!
Rouge
3 Center St.(Hotel St.)
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
413-232-4111
Zagats says:
Outstanding tapas and superbly prepared French bistro fare focusing on local ingredients are served by a lively, welcoming staff at this West Stockbridge two-year-old with a terrace overlooking the Williams River and a noise level that's tough on conversation; though some supporters are pleased, others say they still need to get their act together and open more often.
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