Babbalucci - wood burning oven pizza

Babbalucci
331 Lenox Avenue (between 127-128th Street)
New York, NY 10027

Telephone:  646.918.6572
Website:      babbalucci.com

Hours:  

Sunday                 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Monday                11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Tuesday                11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Wednesday          11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Thursday              11:00 am - 12:00 am 
Friday                   11:00 am - 12:00 am 
Saturday               11:00 am - 12:00 am    

Happy hours        4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Margherita pizza - $13.00

                                          

Upon arrival I noticed a wood burning oven and I made up my mind right away that I was going to have a pizza, what kind, I had no clue.  Once seated and after looking through the menu I had a brilliant idea.   Of course, the Margherita pizza stood out, so I placed my order.  

I actually watched my pizza come directly from the oven to my table.  Once it was placed in front of me, I allowed it to cool off a little, well just a little but the aroma, my goodness.  Do you remember the movie "Little Shop of Horrors" and in the movie there is a line that the plant Audrey II says "Feed Me Seymour?"  Well.  That is exactly what my stomach said but exchange the name. Yep, yep it sure did.

The tomato sauce on the thin crust pizza was fresh covered with melted mozzarella and topped with basil.  Babbalucci works with Harlem Grown to grow fresh organic basil.  You can tell by  the taste.  

Babbalucci's was a welcome treat that fuses the old work and adds new world flavors in an ambience that is so relaxing, inviting, and warm.

Take a chance and visit Babbalucci, you will not be disappointed.

#babbalucci   #newyork  #harlem  #pizza  #goodfood  #social  #atmosphere  #friends  #family #enjoy #woodburningoven   #scottishsalmon  #shortriblasgana  #goodeats #fresh  #food

Hudson Garden Grill - New York Botanical Garden

Hudson Garden Grill 

New York Botanical Garden
2900 Southern Blvd.
Bronx, NY 10458

Telephone:   718.817.8700
Website:      nybg.org/visit/dining/the-hudson-garden-grill

Hours:

Sunday               11:30 am - 6:00 pm

Monday              Closed

Tuesday             11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Wednesday       11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Thursday           11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Friday                11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Saturday           11:30 am - 6:00 pm

Bar service, coffee and light snacks - 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Avocado fries with lemon za'atar - $11.00

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with sweet corn succotash and chorizo cilantro caper remoulde - $28.00

Roasted Halibut with spring peas, fava beans, marble potatoes & citrus - $28.00

Strawberry hibiscuss sparkler - $6.00

On a bright and very sunny day, my friend Michele & I met at the New York Botanical Garden.  As we were strolling, sitting, chatting, walking, ohing and ahing at the plants, the trees, the chipmucks, yes they have chipmucks.  Albert!!  They are small and stripped with cute pudgy cheeks and bushy tails with large glossy eyes.  Did you know that they use their cheeks for pouches? 

We have never had avocado fries so we decided to try if for our appetizer.  It was good.  You could taste the avocado and it was lightly battered. 

I had the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and it was made with real fresh lump crab meat.  It could have used a little more seasoning, but by adding the remoulade it made it more tastier.  The sweet corn succotash was seasoned very well. 

Michele's dish was the Roasted Halibut and it was very fresh, light and well seasoned.  The combination of spring peas, marbled potatoes and fava beans were well paired. 

The Strawberry hibiscus was not sweet and but very smooth.  Quite tasty.

The Hudson Garden Grill is located inside of the picturesque New York Botanical Garden.  This is a farm-to-table restaurant and their sources come from Hudson Valley farms and other regional producers.  It has high ceilings, large windows and a picturesque view that sits in a beautiful and nature location that allows you to relax and enjoy not only the food but the surroundings.

#nybg.org/visit/dining/the-hudson-garden-grill  #bronx   #newyork  #garden  #goodfood    #soups   #salads   #desserts   #burgers   #farmtotable  #locallysource  #lovely  #comfortable    #fullservice   #startersandshares   #landscape   #food   #fresh   #bronxbotanticalgarden

Giovanni's - Italian fare and pizza

Giovanni's
579 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY  10451
718-402-6996

Website:  giovanninyc.com

Hours:

Monday                10:00 am - 12:00 am
Tuesday                10:00 am - 12:00 am
Wednesday          10:00 am - 12:00 am
Thursday              10:00 am - 12:00 am
Friday                   10:00 am - 12:00 am
Saturday               10:00 am - 12:00 am
Sunday                 10:00 am - 12:00 am


They also have a weekend brunch and on Monday at 6:00 pm they have karaoke night.

Penne Alla Vodka - $16.00  

Grill chicken - $8.00

I have never dine in but am always doing take out, no special reason.   Looking at their large menu, I started out with penne alla vodka but since then I have graduated to penne with grill chicken (not breaded) sauteed with fresh garlic and oil.  There are times that I order this dish without chicken and it is still very good.  Flavorful, chicken is bite size, well seasoned.  Penne is always al dente.   They give you nice size portions which last me for two days.  Out of the 8 or 9 times I have had this dish, I was only disappointed once for lack of seasoning.  On one of my visits I will try the pizza there is always a line. 

They have a weekend champagne buffet brunch and they can accommodate a large event next door.  There is usually a television playing.  

Stop in, it's a local favorite and Giovanni's is located on 150th street and Grand Concourse and not far from Yankee Stadium.  

                                                            

#giovanninyc  #bronx   #newyork   #italianfood   #latenight     #goodfood     #vegeterian    #pasta  #pizza  #televisions  #lunch   #brunch  #dinner  # beer   #wine  #goodservice          

El Torito Grill - Irvine, CA

El Torito Grill
1910 Main Street
Irvine, CA 92614
949-975-1220

website:  etgrill.com/contact/irvine

Hours:    

Monday             11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Tuesday             11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Wednesday       11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Thursday           11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Friday                11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday            11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sunday               9:00 am - 9:00 pm

Sunday Brunch   9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Taco Tuesday      3:00 pm - close

Chicken Milanese - panko breaded, grilled chicken topped with arugula salad and habanero lime dressing.  $20.00

This is located on the bottom of the menu that a lot of people do not notice.

On May 10, 2019 at 2:10 pm we entered El Torito Grill to have lunch.  Karina was our host and David was our server.

We selected from the chef's special that date the Chicken Milanese - panko breaded, grilled chicken topped with arugula salad and habanero lime dressing. 

Milanese is Italian cookery (meats especially) that is coated with bread crumbs or flour and browned in butter or hot oil with a sauce of tomatoes, mushrooms shredded meat, grated cheese and truffles.  

The chicken was a bit bland and could have used some more seasoning.  The salad was a salad and the lime dressing was okay.    

David was very gracious and tried to make my experience more enjoyable.  

I noticed on the check there is a 3% surcharge that is included on all guest checks.  I ask to speak with the manager who replied that the surcharge is added to offset the increased labor costs.  Enough said.  

You would like the atmosphere and the servers. It has a comfortable feeling with a modern design.  You will linger because of the servers and the people who are sitting next to you or in front of you because of the conversations that just start up.  It is a fun place. 

Would I return?  Things that make you go umm.

#etgrill  #irvine  #california  #mexicanfood  #friendly  #fusion  #contemporary   #happyhour    

Luna Rossa Ristorante - Italian with a Mediterranean flare

Luna Rossa Ristorante @ The District Promenade
2449 Park Avenue
Tustin, CA  92782
714-259-0861

website: lunarossatustin.com

Hours:

Monday           11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Tuesday          11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Wednesday    11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Thursday        11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Friday             11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday        11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Sunday           11:30 am - 9:00 pm  

Bruschetta al Pomodoro - Toasted crispy bread topped 
with tomato, basil, garlic and extra virgin olive oil

Petto Di Pollo al Limone sauteed chicken breast in marsala & mushroom sauce, served with potatoes and vegetables - $27.00

Chicken Parmigiana with penne - Chef'special made dish 

Spaghetti Al Pomodorini with meatballs - Chef's special made dish 

Outside dining area with fireplace

 

Look at the receipt - hilarious

May 7, 2019 around 6:00 pm in the evening.

Once you walk in and capture the smell, floating conversations and laughter, you know that you are in the right place.  Upon entering and being seated my daughter Teria, granddaughter Skye and I ask for recommendations from the gentleman who stopped by to say hello and he recommended the following:  Spaghetti with meatballs in tomato sauce, basil and cherry tomatoes and Chicken Parmigiana with tube pasta with classic meat sauce.

Mama Mia!  It was marvelous.  With the first bite, I was hooked.  The chicken breast was so tender, well seasoned and you just savor the flavor, slowly because you want it to last.  Oh and the marsala sauce you would like to take a spoon and eat it like ice cream but you remember where you are, so you just relax and act like you know better.  The potatoes I could have eaten a bowl full and the vegetables were cooked tender with a bit of a crunch, just right.  My daughter and granddaughter loved their dish. Tasty, pasta cooked just right, sauce was freshly made (you could taste the tomatoes), the meatballs were just the right texture. 

Our server Brent was so well verse in customer service.  We ask him about the gentleman who gave us the recommendation and he stated that it was the chef Mauro.  Imagine that.  Within a few minutes Maura returns to ask how did we like the dish.  When we told him we found out that he was the chef, he then informed us that it was him who prepared our dinner.  Now that was smooth.  He has such a refined manner about him and absolutely wonderful sense of humor.  He stayed to converse with us for a few more minutes, and then he went back to the kitchen.  Something was missing once he left but he came back to inquire about what would we like for dessert and we were so full we asked for a rain check.

As you can see from the pictures the atmosphere is inviting, relaxing and the decor and lighting display an extension of Luna Rossa.   The waitstaff was attentive,  wonderful and accommodating.

Chef Mauro create moments that were beyond our expectations that I will remember, and visit again and again.  Stop on by and stay a spell.  See if Mauro is around and ask him to make a recommendation.  You will not be disappointed.

#lunarossatustin  #tustin   #california   #italianfood   #food  #greatpasta   #seafood   #pizza  #kidsmenu #goodfood  #istagood #outdoorpatio #happyhourmenu   #instagood  #fresh