Niagara-On-The-Lake

OK wine connoisseurs, if you haven't been to Niagara-On-The-Lake for some wine tasting then it's time to go up there!  While Napa Valley is the number one producer of wine in the U.S., the Finger Lakes area (right near Rochester NY) is the second largest, and there are many wineries north of us on Lake Ontario and near Niagara Falls as well.  This past weekend we went up to NOTL for a day trip to walk around the cute town, get some wine, and some delicious lunch.

Our first stop was lunch because I was starving!  We went to The Epicurean which has gourmet sandwiches and salads to choose from.  After standing in line (it's self serve) we decided to get a panini and some gourmet salads to share.  Unfortunately, they were out of panini's, so we made some impromptu choices.  The gourmet salads weren't very gourmet, just potato salad, marinated mushroom salad, and taboule.  We decided to get two sandwiches since they weren't very large, and settled on the ham and brie and california chicken club sandwich.  We also got some potato salad and marinated mushroom salad on the side.  The sandwiches were both very good, nothing to complain about, but nothing to rave about either.  Same with the salads.  The best part of this cafe/restaurant was the outdoor garden for eating.  It was such a beautiful day out and the setting really made it enjoyable.  The prices are ridiculous, it cost us $40 for lunch, but this was expected.  We've eaten in NOTL before and it was very very very expensive (more on that later).

We then walked around town and took in the sights and quaint shops.  It's really a beautiful town and if you're ever up in this area it's a must see.

When we went to NOTL last year it was more of a weekend trip, and we got much more sight-seeing in.  The wineries are absolutely gorgeous, and the wine is delicious of course.  We also had dinner one night at Hillebrand Winery and it was in the top 5 meals I have ever eaten, with a price tag to go along with it of course!  They also had outdoor seating overlooking their vineyards; let's just say I felt like I was in Napa Valley!  It was fabulous.

Overall, Niagara On The Lake is a great place to visit, but it is pricey.  And it's technically in Canada, so make sure you bring your passports!

Happy Fathers Day

We celebrated a day early with most of the Carras Clan - Olga Steven Marina and Nick, Cathy and Stevie , Jim Angela Jenna and Val gal, Mom and Dad Carras - get togethers are always filled with lots of laughs and loud conversation, we have a good time.  My Dad was in search of a great local seafood place, but we were tired of Legals' and afraid to venture towards the waterfront with the weather being so nice, so we went the traditional route to Brothers Kouzina on Rt 1 in Saugus for a taste of traditional greek food.  It didnt disappoint.  By the time Teddy and I got there, appetizers had been ordered - saganaki which is a fried cheese, horatiki salad which is basically a tomato and cucumber salad, homemade gyro platters, sauteed artichoke hearts, came with warmed pita bread.  The one thing were were missing is tzaziki, which would have served my chicken kabob dinner well since the chicken was very dry,  but I really enjoyed my greek style green beans , in tomato sauce, perfectly done.  The lamb kokinisto, which is a braised shank, I heard was great, but what really impressed was the stuffed veal chop, fontina, spinach and proscuitto stuffing with a mushroom garlic sauce seemed to earn the raves.  We topped it off with a stop at Richardsons Dairy Farm, which serves top class icecream in Middelton MA.  I would elaborate but i'm still with the Clan visiting at Cathy's - right now my two eldest sisters Olga and Cathy are sitting on the couch with me and my Mom is right by my side, its good to have a little moment of being "home" on a day like today, I hope everyone enjoys time with their families this weekend.

X Marks the Spot

Friday night, too hot to cook in the house.  I have several $25 gift certificates from restaurants.com - great deal by the way, they often sell them for $3, certain restaurants participate but a few we like in NH and in the New England area.  We decided to try the hot new NH restaurant - voted best new NH Restaurant, X on Elm.  MMMMMMMMM, MMM.  DEYUMMISH.  But  buyer beware, not cheap eats.  Portions were not overflowing but the quality made up for it.  We started with the middleeastern platter, homemade hummus had a hint of lemon and a nice consistency.  Also had their version of tzakiki with dill and cucumber, and olive tapenade, and couscous cold salad, but other than the hummus, not as impressed.  This appetizer came with pita bread and chips which were a nice compliment.  We did not get any dinner rolls or kind of bread, but we didnt need it, not sure if they offer it.  I also got their house Sangria but it had a hint of mint I wasnt crazy about.  Dinner was a braised lamb shank for me and lobster mac and cheese for Teddy.  My lamb shank was excellent, came with parmesean risotto that I think Gordon Ramsey would have said was perfect, and nice brocoli rabe.  Teddy's pasta was delicious, very cheesy, but he commented that he felt the lobster was not quite as fresh as they promoted.  All in all, a very good dinner, we would try it again for the chile salmon and Teddy wants the lamb shank next time.  Located on Elm street in downtown Manchester, we were able to sit outside and people watch too.  A must try next time you are in town.

Next Door Bar and Grill

Up in Rochester there aren't many 'trendy' places to go out.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great place to live and there certainly are some upscale restaurants to try, but nothing you could compare to a lounge in NYC or even Boston.  A few months ago, Wegmans opened up a new restaurant in Pittsford called Next Door Bar and Grill that was creating some buzz around town.  The first time I went there was this winter, and we only went to the bar.  The moment we walked in, I knew it was something special.  This level of coolness has not been seen in Rochester before, I can assure you that.  The bar isn't very big, but has plenty of space for everyone to pile in and order some fantastic drinks.  They also have cabana style rooms that branch off of the main bar area for more privacy, with benches and pillows and billowy canopy style curtains for a little privacy.  The dining area could not be seen or smelled from the bar (smelling food from a restaurant while at a bar is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves!), so I didn't get a chance to even get a glimpse of what it's like to eat there.

Well last night I went with 4 of my best girl friends for our monthly supper club, and it was a bit of a special occasion since we were sending off one of the girls who will be moving to Philadelphia at the end of the month with her husband.  We decided to try Next Door and see if the food was as good as the bar and decor.  The minute you walk in, you're greeted with the fresh aroma of green apples, as they are displayed on wine racks in the entry foyer.  They must replenish these apples every week, because they would certainly not smell so fresh if they had been sitting there for weeks on end.  The hostess was very nice and seated us 5 minutes early, our table was ready.  Another pet peeve is when I go to a restaurant where I have a reservation, and I end up waiting 15 minutes to be seated.  No waiting here.  The dining room at next door is very hip and urban chic, something I certainly haven't seen up this way.  There were many large parties seated, and we were surprised at how busy it was for a weekday evening.  There seemed to be at least 10 large parties of over six people there for dinner.  In the center of the dining room there was an exposed sushi bar with seating all around it, where couples were seated for dinner. Along the perimeter, were sliding doors that offered private dining areas for large parties and privacy.  One of the side rooms was decorated with branch-like chandeliers and had a large wooden farmstyle dining table for 20 with luxurious upholstered chairs.  I was very impressed, and will keep this in mind next time I want to go out for dinner with 20 of my closest friends!

Everything we ate at Next Door was excellent. We started with Edamame Hummus and Tuscan French Fries for our appetizers.  There were many options from mussells and oysters to crabcakes and flatbread pizzas, and they all appealed to me.  Prices on appetizers were reasonable and ranged from 5-$12.  The entrees all looked fabulous, and there were a few specials to choose from as well.  The other part of the menu that excited me was their extensive sushi list.  I eventually settled on a duck leg served with greens and beans.  For such a decadent dish, I thought the $19 price tag was more than reasonable.  While I don't have any pictures to share (my camera battery died!) I can assure you this dish looked and tasted exquisite!  Sometimes duck can be too fatty and flavorful, but this was cooked to perfection.  Many of the girls at my table got sushi, and one of my friends described it as the "best sushi outside of California" that she's ever tasted.  That sounds like a great review to me.  The entrees all ranged in price from about $15-$35.

I can't help but give this place an A+ for it's service, decor, food, and drinks.  While I didn't even touch on the drinks in this post, their bar area and drink menu are superb, as is their wine list in the dining room.  I had an Australian Shiraz for $5 a glass that was excellent, especially given the low price.  Their list had a wide range of variety and pricepoints.  This place is great for anyone who wants a gourmet meal in Rochester at a less than gourmet price.  I can't wait to go back!

Manchester Cheese and Scampiless Pasta

Every day these last couple of weeks, I give some thought to my last minute trip to Manchester, VT with Teddy over Memorial Day weekend.  Just decided that Friday we would head over for a night.  Beautiful little town in the heart of the Green Mountains which also offers high end outlet shopping.  Last couple of times I stayed at the Inn at Manchester which is really lovely, but this time we went commercial and used our Starwood points to stay at the Equinox Resort, which converted 2 years ago to Starwood hotels.  They also had a 10 million dollar renovation.  Very nice place and worth the trip.  But let me just tell you about the cheese plate.  The Equinox has a deck bar overlooking the mountains, a fire pit in the middle of the deck, nice music playing, and offer drinks and appetizers.  They customize a cheese plate for you, you can pick three or more different cheeses from local farms, then they bring out figs, nuts, and jam, crackers and bread to compliment the plate. I think it cost $12 for 3 cheeses and Ted and I could have made a dinner out of it, it was that yummy.  So when I came home I tried to recreate it, I bought a couple of cheeses, apricot preserves, dried figs, nice crackers, and presented it on a handpainted platter - its my new favorite weekend snack!  Also for you chocolate lovers, the Equinox boasts that they sell the 3rd best rated chocolates in the WORLD.  Now thats a big deal.  They are called Knipschildt and I can attest they are DEYUMMISH twice over.  You can also buy those at the deck bar or take some home from the hotel gift shop.

I go from that heavenly experience to a less heavenly last night, we found ourselves in Derry, NH.  I'm not going to name the tavern we went to, as the owners are very nice and Teddy is very fond of them, but you can ask me if personally if you want to know to avoid it.  Last time I was there was the week before my wedding, on painkillers, sitting with my Mom and Teddy.  We never went back, and I couldnt think of why, now I think I remember.  Food is plentiful and reasonably priced, but subpar.  The scallops in bacon were too syrupy, bacon overcooked and as an appetizer served with rice....it should have been labeled a small plate entree rather than appetizer, didnt make sense really.  Their award winning seafood chowder was drowned in sherry or some other liquor I couldnt make out, though a good amount of seafood and nice creamy consistency.  The seafood scampi lacked in taste...but chock full of lobster, crab, shrimp, and scallops, it had no wow factor, as if someone just tossed everything in boiled spaghetti...no lemony, buttery, garlicy sauce you would expect from a traditional scampi, though I certainly felt less guilty eating it given it was so bland it had to be less calories.  They boast that they make everything from scratch while you wait, well we waited and waited, even before they took our order.  I think we'll just drive by this one next time we contemplate why we dont visit there more often.

Adventures in New England

To continue about my week last week - if you checked out my Ogunquit post and cant wait to read MORE!  I had a sort of sabattical last week.  Some of you may already know I'm changing positions at work.  Its not something I can talk about on a public forum, but its a bittersweet move.  I took the opportunity to bond with New England, and remember how wonderful the world is outside of my four office walls.  Travelling is in my soul, whether its a day trip or flight to somewhere new.  I enjoy trying new flavors, seeing new places, and I hope you find my opinion on all things relevant, funny, and inspiring.

I started on Tuesday, which was one of two sunny days last week on a day trip to Queechee,VT with a good female buddy who is so much fun to daytrip with.  Have you been to Queechee?  Its about an hour and 15 minutes from Manchester, so short but it feels like you are transported to the center of the green mountains.  Queechee offers up a beautiful scenic walk along the Gorge, a National State Forest, which I have camped in.  Yes, you heard me right, I camped!  Bathed in bugspray ofcourse, but I did it!  The Simon Pearce Factory is there, beautiful pottery and glass by local artisans, they offer glass blowing demonstrations, and a top notch restaurant which I will get to in a minute.  Very scenic.  If you are ever game to spend a night, its right next to charming Woodstock, VT and I highly recommend the Parker House Inn, located next door to Simon Pearce, and the Inn has its own gourmet restaurant, chef owned, the innkeeper's wife.  The Innkeeper is an interesting guy, Teddy and I stayed there a couple of years ago, the Innkeeper used to be a big music executive, as he reminded us over and over again during our stay.  There is actually a recording studio in the basement of the Inn, and he has had big stars come there incognito, I recall him mentioning Sting.  Its consider a sanctuary of solitude and desired for the ability to hide out from the public for a few days.  Anyways, I digress.....

During my day in Queechee, we visited the Mill Shops where the Cabot Cheese tasting station is...some cheeses from them that you cant find in your local supermarket, definitely DEYUMMISH!  Especially after walking up and down the gorge.  The shops also offer a local winery ( I indulged in a tasting), local handicrafts, glass, jewelry, and other food goods like maple butter...lots of samples to try.  Then off to lunch at Simon Pearce, a window seat overlooking the man made waterfalls - its a pretty contraption that is also used to power the store, neato.  I had their special which was a seafood stew.  It is sooooo good, they have an email list for people just to be alerted when its on the menu!  Mussels, shrimp, scallops, and whatever is fresh catch like haddock. Broth is tomatoey and spicy, thick, served with garlic bread, I can smell it as I type...  my friend had an asian chicken salad I believe, which she really enjoyed, she started with their cheddar soup which ofcourse I tasted and approved, she had enough salad to bring home.  They served wonderful mini rolls that looked like fresh baked croutons.  And they use all their pottery and glasses for tablewear.  Its a must try if you find yourself in the neighborhood.

We took a detour before going home to the King Arthur Flour Store in neighboring Norwich.  I LOVE their mixes, their lava cake mix tastes like restaurant quality.  I will let you know about the new ones I just purchased, which included a popover mix.  Plus you can stock up on their various kinds of flour for those serious bakers, its a gem as you cant always find the variety and quantity they offer.  They also have very high quality kitchen gadgets, and a cooking school on the premises.   A fun place to visit.

Ogunquit was on Wed - see my 1st post!

Ted and I went to North Conway Thursday night to Sunday, weather was grey but rain held off, we were able to walk around without any downpours thankfully.  I want to remind everyone what a fun, yummy restaurant the Red Parka Pub is.  Great ribs, wings, and a nice salad bar for only $2.95 with your entree.  Everytime we end up there we always remark how much we enjoy our dinner.  They also have entertainment and a cute smaller bar to cozy up in.  We were joined by Ted's family, so we didnt do any fine dining on this trip with the kids, but we did enjoy an afternoon at Santa's Village in Jefferson.  There is a little shack between Santa's Village and Six Gun City, icecream sign (Giffords) on the road but I cant recall the name - they have picnic tables, kids plastic playground toys area, and behind it is a farm with goats and a miniature horse.   Icecream is good and cheaper than in the parks, $2.75 for a medium cone and plenty big, food was decent, they offered a kids meal at a reasonable price included drink, entree, side.  Chicken fingers though yummy were costly, $10 for 3 fingers and fries, not enough for two to share.  They also have a nice clean bathroom for a quick pitstop. 

Sunday before we headed home we dined at the Muddy Moose, just past the park in center of No Conway as you are heading towards Conway.  As many times as i've been to No Conway, i've never eaten here, but  I know my niece Marina Elaine used to like it.   I was tired of pub food so I ordered a grilled chicken breast with a pineapple salsa, came with rice and steamed brocoli.  It was a just enough portion and a good alternative to a greasy burger, I enjoyed it.   My brother in law ordered a smothered steak tip sub, and it was indeed smothered, looked REALLY good...i havent asked him how his stomach held up after eating the whole thing.  Ted's mom got a baked haddock, and said it was delicious.  Athanasia got the fried haddock sandwich, looked good, batter didnt look like the oil was old.  Teddy got the mexican salad, I took a taste, its huge, came with chili, was good but with so much cheese and sourcream, it wasnt saving any calories.

All in all, a great week around New England.  I'm back to reality and looking forward to posting new adventures in the coming weeks!  Thanks for reading.

First Greek Recipe!

Hi everyone! Since we're just starting out, we thought we'd introduce you to some of our favorite Greek dishes and how to make them. This particular dish, Makaronia me Kima (Spaghetti Bolognese) is not very difficult to make, and is a go-to in my house when I'm at a loss for what to make. All you really need is some ground beef and spaghetti, and the rest of the ingredients are things I usually have in the fridge or in my pantry. The ingredients are:

1-1.5 lbs ground beef

1 onion

1 14 oz can (or 1/2 28oz. can) crushed tomatoes

olive oil

salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp cinnamon

4-5 whole allspice

3/4 cup red wine

1 lb spaghetti or pasta of your choice

I start by heating up some olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a saucepan) and sauteing the chopped onion until they begin to soften (about 3-4 minutes). Then add ground beef; cook until it browns (about 5 minutes). Then add salt and pepper to taste, 4-5 whole allspice, and at least 1 tbsp. cinnamon. Mix well. I like to add enough cinnamon so that you can really smell the aroma. If 1 tbsp. doesn't seem enough to you, then feel free to add more! Once the spices have been mixed, add 3/4 cup red wine and mix. Let the wine boil down (about 4-5 minutes). Then add 1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes (I usually only find the large 28oz. cans and use half), and 3/4 cup water. Mix well, add a little more salt and pepper, and lower heat so that it simmers. Now let this sauce simmer for about 40 minutes (it will take that long for the liquid to boil down anyways and thicken). The longer you cook this sauce, the tastier it is. You can always add some water and let it simmer longer if it starts to get too thick and you're not ready to boil your pasta yet. When you're ready for your pasta, just boil water and cook the spaghetti to your liking. I drain the pasta in a colander, and then put back in the original pot I boiled it in. Add sauce to the pot with your pasta, and mix well.

And that's it! It's very easy to make, and tastes delicious. This recipe makes about 6 large servings, so you'll have plenty of leftovers. Serve as is, or with some grated cheese on top. Kali Oreksi (Enjoy your meal)!

Yes, we like to eat

First of all, please know you don't have to be greek to enjoy this blog. The brainchild of my niece Andrea and a little suggestion from me, and voila! A new blog is born.

What will you find here? Reviews of restaurants and places from our various travels, sometimes a recipe or two, always an opinion and one you will hopefully find helpful. Our qualifications are an appreciation of fine food from our many years of travel and exposure to international cuisine. But we are anything but stuffy, we love greasy junky finger licking food just as much as the expensive stuff, anything pleasing to the palate, we will cover a wide range of places from all price points and for all lifestyles.

I'd like to start leaving a calling card at certain places we visit, telling the proprietor to visit us at www.greekgirlseat.blogspot.com when I know I will review them. You will find the good, bad, and ugly here, we promise not to hold back, and always feel free to ask any questions if we can elaborate.

A short introductory review today....I had the good fortune of getting a week off from work. Today, I journeyed to Ogunquit, Maine. I have travelled here for years, and it never fails to impress me. I try to avoid the tourist traps, like Barnacle Billy's in Perkins Cove. Though they offer a decent boiled lobster and steamers, there are more reasonably priced places offering similar dinners and ambience, like right across the way at Jackie's Too. A patio seat offers you a view of the marginal way and an ocean full of possibilities. Today, I had a simple lunch, seeing as I was still digesting my two peanut butter cups from the famous Harbor Sweets. I ordered a shrimp cocktail...4 pieces at $12.95, and when i asked which was better, the clam chowder or lobster bisque, I was given the tip that the $4.95 chowder would actually be the better choice than the $5.95 bisque. Intrigued that the waitress didnt actually push me toward the more expensive soup, I felt confident in choosing the chowder. The shrimp certainly were jumbo. I felt though they were like the kind you buy at the market precooked -- crunchy but kind of watery - I like mine presented drier. However, they were tasty in their cocktail sauce, which had just enough kick, perhaps it was housemade? I enjoyed them despite my first impression. The chowder was fantastic, very creamy, you must like creamy to enjoy this chowder. Served steaming hot. a nice subtle clam taste with potatoes and seasoning. A very nice value especially given the beautiful backdrop provided for my solitary lunch. I know i've had their salmon wrap and dinner in the past, also enjoyed. Definitely worth a visit next time you are in the area.