Tolani Wine Restaurant

I will start out by saying, Tolani wins as my new favorite restaurant. As I am sure you can tell by now, I love a specific type of atmosphere in addition to good food and wine. Tolani gets big stars in all three categories. The food was not only delicious but also creatively different and often simple in its ingredients. The wine list is clearly hand picked and well planned out by a wine expert who clearly knows what he is doing. And the atmosphere is to die for. Dimly lit with candles, rough wood wine racks behind the bar, exposed stone and brick, and tasteful funky accents such as a crystal chandelier over the stairs to the lower level, and curious prints of butterflies and leaves in the cellar room. T0 top it all off, the service, wait staff and bartenders included were friendly, talkative and interesting. The owner himself was even wondering around, expertly balancing his hosting requirements, chatting here and there. He honestly and genuinely cared about what you thought and how your overall experience at Tolani was.

Our favorite dish by far was the Vegetarian Spaghetti and Meatballs. My meat loving boyfriend even loved the dish. Crispy eggplant "meatballs" sat on top of perfectly prepared spaghetti squash in a Parmesan sauce. Both light and hardy at the same time, this "pasta" dish will be one that I know I am going to crave in days to come. We also tried the tuna, the endive and pear salad, and fried stuffed olives.

The one thing I will say, which is not a criticism, but more of a "heads up" the plates are not quite tapas, but have a similar feel. They are larger than a typical tapas plate and would work perfectly for a few people to share each one. Our order of 4 small plates was almost a bit too much food for two people. The hard part is, there is so much on the menu that you want to eat, it is hard to only pick a few plates. Just keep in mind, you will get more food than you think! That did not stop us, however, from ordering dessert on top of our food. We just couldn't help it. The fried stuffed olives were a bit too salty for me to have eaten as a main plate, they work better as a table order for a group of people so you only eat a few. I can't wait to go back and try all the other plates on the menu, there were so many that intrigued me!

There is a large garden/patio area out back that will be delightful during the spring/summer months. The owner told us he is in the middle of winterizing the patio area which will be a fun addition to the current space available for seating during the winter months. It is an excellent date night restaurant due to its "big three" (great food, great wine, and great atmosphere). It may be a little on the loud side for anyone who's looking for a secluded romantic meal, but not nearly as cramped as most NYC restaurants. This was our first time here and it definitely won't be our last. I ended up reading more about the restaurant and the owner online and found out this is his second restaurant in Manhattan. His first one is on the Upper East side and we have added it to our list of places to try.

Tolani is located in the Upper West Side. On Amsterdam between 79th and 80th. http://tolaninyc.com/about.php

A Casa Fox

This was a total accidental find. But those are the best kind aren't they? We only had a little bit of time to eat because we were off to see a friend of ours play his guitar. Located on the Lower East Side, A Casa Fox is a small, cozy and extremely friendly Latin tapas restaurant. There were rustic wooden tables with lots of candles. Terracotta serving dishes really added to the Latin flare.

It was perfect for a quick nibble, but we would love to take a trip back so we can explore more of the menu. The menu is not huge so it might be worth taking a glance at to make sure there are a few things you like before you venture down there.

We sampled the

croquettes and mini empanadas. Croquettes are a favorite of mine and are hard to get wrong. These were indeed yummy. Justin grabbed a full size empanada to go so he could chow down while we walked to the bar.

Check out their website at http://www.acasafox.com/. Keep in mind they are only open Tuesday through Saturday.

Miss Shirley's in Baltimore

Justin and I were in Baltimore this weekend for one of my good friend's wedding. Those of you who don't know, Baltimore is one of my favorite cities. I went to college there and lived there after I graduated. I miss it regularly and love to go back to visit. This weekend was pretty packed with wedding activities, but we got a chance to squeeze in a meal.

This was not my first visit to Miss Shirley's, in fact it is one of my favorite lunch or breakfast places. There are now two locations, one in the inner harbor and one up by Loyola University on Cold Spring Lane. Miss Shirley's actually opened in a much smaller location near Loyola, and quickly gained popularity for its unique and original spins on good hearty meals. It will definitely not be a low fat meal, but it is also crisp food, not heavy and greasy. There are plenty of lighter meals on the menu though, if that is what you are looking for.

My personal favorite is Nana's Grilled Cheese. The sour dough bread adds a perfect twang to the white cheddar, apple wood smoked bacon, and tomatoes. Miss Shirley's also serves the best sweet potato fries I have found yet. They are served in a cone with two creative dipping sauces, and are perfectly crispy and not bitter as some sweet potato fries often are.

If you are up for a sweet treat I definitely recommend the Funky Monkey Bread. It is a gooey pile of cinnamon roll drenched in chocolate and pecans. DEEEELISH. Just make sure you have room for all the sugary goodness.

Due to the popularity of their food, the weight time at Miss Shirley's can often be long. Generally 15-20 depending on when you are eating. It is definitely worth the wait. The atmosphere is basically along the lines of an upscale diner, nothing fancy.

Check out their menu here www.missshirleys.com/menu. Trust me, it will make your mouth water.

Patoral- Delightful Artisan Sandwich

One of our clients treated us to lunch on Friday afternoon. We went to the shop to get sandwiches to bring back to the office. This "shop" was not just any shop. Pastoral is a small artisan cheese and wine shop. When you enter the shop there is a small display of crusty and hardy breads on one side. On the other, is a wall of hand picked wines, typically not found at your average wine shop. The shop has some small tables for eating and nibbling. The atmosphere is fresh but cozy, everything exudes "specialty" but manages to not feel snobby. On the contrary, the shop was extremely inviting.

While we waited for our sandwiches to be made we browsed the modest array of artisan cheeses. The cheese specialist was able to pick out a few yummy ones that were offered to us to taste test. He even offered a small taste of a clean, crisp and very light white wine. (I have to call them to get the name, I forgot to write it down). I could have spent the entire day there tasting and browsing, but we were on a schedule and had to leave when the sandwiches were ready. Sad.

Pastoral had several delightful sounding sandwiches on their menu. I chose a caprese sandwich with a basil fennel pesto, not the most adventurous, but I can almost never pass up caprese. The sandwich was just as yummy as the shop and the basil fennel pesto was the perfect accent. This is definitely a shop I vote to open in the Big Apple.

I browsed their website when I got home and found they have both a "cheese of the month club" and a "wine of the month club" both of which I would be interested to try out. For more information, visit their website: http://www.pastoralartisan.com/

Buffalo Zach's

On our way upstate we have grown accustomed to stopped in Roscoe, NY at a little place called Buffalo Zach's. While it is a cafe that serves sit down meals, it also acts as a good rest stop for weary travelers. Walking into Zach's you are immediately met with the rough wood and western design. The waiters and waitresses are very friendly and almost always smiling. For the travelers not willing to sit and eat, you can order food to go.

Buffalo Zach's also offers a wide array of coffees and teas to go. Be sure to grab a cookie on your way out, they have quite the selection of those as well.

To learn more about Buffalo Zach's, visit their website: http://www.buffalozachscafe.net/

Mama Africa's

If you visit Cape Town, which we will most definitely do again, this establishment is a must. Located on long street, in the heart of the city, the food and energy are fantastic. We had the chance to eat much of the different game from Africa, andddddddddddddddd woah OSTRICH is a must! It is lean and when cooked like steak, just amazing. We also had gemsbok, game sausage, springbok andddddd CROCODILE.

Also, the entertainment was hysterical, these Africana band sang everything from Andrea Bocelli to Some Where Over the Rainbow.

Giovanni's

Awesome Deli. The South African way of making sandwiches works fantastic. They give you a basket, you pick out your bread, and then point to anything in the cold cut case you would like on it and any additional toppings. No set sandwiches, all your choosing. We took our meal to go including great coffee (Spencer, you would love it) and found a perfect park bench on a seaside road.

The Ritz Revolving Restaurant

Off the beaten path, but quite the experience. The revolving restaurant on top of the Ritz had fantastic food and great ambiance. We ate surf and turf, soup, and tiger prawns, which were particularly delectable. The live music later in the evening didn't hurt either.

Giraffe - Heathrow

We had a solid meal here. It has a fun view of the British airways terminal and great smoothies, which help anyone recharge.

O'neils at JFK

Was Blah.
I hate wilted spinach. Waitress did walk down the gate to find us a Guinness though, so points for trying. Also, who runs out of juice? I mean, ALL JUICE.