Ciao Baby's

Italian Bread with Parmesan Chunks, Olive Oil & Vinaigrette

So my bestie and I went to check out  Ciao Baby in Massapequa, New York. 

They have a Lunch Pre Fix Menu with a $12.95 category and a $16.95 category. 

For this price, you get an appetizer, your main course and a dessert. 

We both ordered the same exact trio. Go figure, lol. 

For our appetizer, we ordered the Calamari Arrabiata Semolina. Yes we ended up with two orders, one for each of us. Yes, they were both a normal sized appetizer. Lots of calamari = 2 happy ladies. The calamari came with two dipping sauces: a yummy plum tomato sauce, and a more spicy one with hot Italian cherry peppers... Oww! :)

"Calamari Arrabiata Semolina: crusted calamari fried and pan sauteed with fresh garlic, hot Italian cherry peppers, finished with a plum tomato sauce" - Ciao Baby Menu

Eggplant Rollitini

For our main course we each ordered the Eggplant Rollitini. They come with macaroni, for mine I ordered the mashed potato alternative, and yes, they placed that rollitini right on top of the mashed potatoes. YuM!

"Eggplant Rollitini: egg battered thinly sliced eggplant with ricotta Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh herb filling, topped with plum tomato sauce, served over macaroni"

                    - Ciao Baby Menu

Dessert is important, and I'm glad with the choice we made! 

We ordered the Homemade Ice Box Cake, two of them! 

I can't even describe how delicious this was. 

Graham Crackers layered with thick, rich chocolatey pudding, 

served with a side of homemade whipped cream 

(the lightest, fluffiest, more tasty whipped cream ever) 

and a strawberry slice. So sinful but so good!

Maybe this picture *might* do it some justice:

Homemade Iced Boxed Cake

Kodiak's Burgers, Wings and Other Things..

Kodiak's Signature Wings with the Memphis BBQ Rub

This is basically Part #2 to a previous post from last month. "Kodiak's Fried Chicken Wonton's & Lobster Fritters"  where a group of us went to celebrate a friend's birthday! We ordered such a variety of food, now that I've sorted through all my saved pics, here's round two! What the rest of the table ordered...

BBQ Grilled Cheese

"BBQ Grilled Cheese: Texas Toast Memphis style pulled pork with melted Muenster cheese & our signature BBQ sauce"...

12oz The Colossal Steakhouse: Filled with smoke house bacon bits & aged cheddar, topped with Alpine lace swiss, fried buttermilk onions & drizzled with BBQ sauce on our Bavarian pretzel Roll"

- Kodiak's Restaurant & Bar Menu

12oz The Colossal Steakhouse Burger

Signature Stuffed Mountain Man Burger

"Aged blend of prime chop meat, grilled to perfection topped with
melted mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms, friend buttermilk onions & A1 sauce"...

- Kodiak's Restaurant & Bar Menu

Kodiak's Restaurant & Bar is located in Farmingdale, New York. 

A Rainbow...

A Rainbow... 

How often do you get to really see a rainbow? 

After a light rain shower on a super hot and humid summer day, 

this is what appeared off into the distance... 

Greek Soup & Salad at Panera Bread

Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

So I stopped at a Panera Bread during a little day trip. Yes it's a chain, but there's nothing wrong with that. Their food is awesome, and fresh, regardless! :)

I love their soups and salads. Every now and then they change up their menu to go along with fruits and produce better available during the particular time of year...

Greek Salad

Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup & some Greek Salad...

do you seen a theme yet? 

For any of you who have been following my posts, 

you probably already know how much I love Greek food. 

My friend opted for a Turkey Sandwich and a Caesar Salad.

Turkey Sandwich

Caesar Salad

Mario's Bakery Casino Birthday Cake

Casino Themed Birthday Cake

Once again Mario's Bakery  hit's the spot with this winning birthday cake! :) This 2 tiered cake is so festive you almost forget it's an actual cake and not a centerpiece. Let me tell you though, this cake was so good.
The bottom tier, the larger tier, had 2 layers of vanilla cake with chocolate fudge in between. The top tier had 2 layers of vanilla cake with fresh strawberries, bananas, and vanilla pudding in between. The icing was a whipped cream icing (my favorite kind) which is light and fluffy compared to buttercream and other super sugary sweet types. Both layers were ridiculously yummy, and I'm not a huge cake-cake lover.

In case you're curious..
Previous Mario's Bakery Post:
http://foodadventuretravel.blogspot.com/2012/02/mario-cheesecake.html

Kodiak's Fried Chicken Wonton's & Lobster Fritters

Fried Chicken Wonton's

So last month a group of us went out to celebrate a dear friend's birthday. We decided to make a reservation at Kodiak's Restaurant & Bar located in Farmingdale, New York. I have never heard of the place but one of my friends who was helping me orchestrate the event said it was awesome and we should go... so we did, and they were right.

Lobster Fritters with Avocado Slices and Mango Salsa

         
We started with drinks and appetizers and ended with a round of carving board sandwiches and burgers.

The Fried Chicken Wonton's & the Lobster Fritters were PERFECTION :)

I can still taste them.

The sandwiches and burgers are HUGE. I don't think anyone was able to fully finish their plate. 

A lot of take me home containers were distributed around the table at the end of this event. With the sandwiches and burgers you get to pick your choice of fresh baked bread: Brioche Bun, Bavarian Pretzel Roll, Oat Topped Whole Wheat bun, Italian Hero, Flour Tortilla Wrap. Come on! A juicy burger on a pretzel roll! You know you want to try one! haha

Kodiak's isn't your typical Restaurant or Bar... Car Shows, Bike Nights, Jukeboxes, 

Video Games, Pool Tables, 50 Flat Screens, Cooking Classes, a Concert and Events schedule 

and DJ's on the weekends, and all kinds of beer, drink and food specials throughout the week.. 

There's something for everyone any day of the week. This place is pretty amazing and I can't 

wait to go back sometime on the weekend when the joint is in full swing.

The All American on a Bavarian Pretzel Roll

The pics in the post courtesy of my bestie KLC :)

Sakura Sushi

My bestie and I love Sushi!                 I think it may be starting to border obsession status, but we're not complaining. So she found a new sushi place for us to try called Sakura, located in Farmingdale, New York.       We decided to order a variety of rolls and share, which is what we seem to always end up doing in these situations. This time we went for the Boston Roll, Philadelphia Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, Regular Tuna Roll and a Salmon Roll.

Sakura is smack in the middle of the downtown area, where other joints I love, such as Croxley's Ales, is located. Come to this area during the day for a nice lunch and a stroll or in the evenings for dinner and drinks. Visit on the weekends for a late night bar crawl or to dance the night away. Either or, this place has something for everyone any time of day, or night.

We went to Sakura around lunch time and ended up getting a really great lunch deal! 2 rolls and either a soup or salad for $8, and 3 rolls with either a soup or salad for $11... so the 2 of us had soup and shared 5 sushi rolls for $19... with such great savings we decided to splurge and get ourselves a yummy dessert!

Fried Ice Cream with Fried Banana's

Athena Greek Cuisine

Taramosalata (Greek Caviar Dip)

Looking for authentic, clean Greek cuisine, Athena Greek Cuisine was absolutely amazing! :) My best friend and I have a thing for Greek food. We <3 it so much and try to visit as many Greek spots as we can!

I wanted to try something different, something we never heard of or had before, so we started with Taramosalata (Greek Caviar Dip), which came with Olives, Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, Hot Peppers and Pita Bread for dipping. If you're looking for something interesting and unique, this ap is definitely worth a try. If you're a fan of hummus, try this! It's like a hummus dip with zinggg!

We also ordered the homemade Iced Tea, which came with slices of honeydew, lemon and a side of Greek Honey Sauce to add for sweetness. This was the best iced tea I've encountered so far in my life.

For the main course, we each had Gyro Platters. Lamb and Beef slices a top rice, served with Onion and Tomato with Fresh Pita Bread and some of the best Tzatziki Sauce on the side.

Gyro Platter

The Opa Grille is a classy, clean restaurant with great service and utterly delicious food.

Everytime a plate came out of the kitchen and brought to a table, we couldn't help but take a look. Everything that came out was fresh and spot-on perfect. I honestly can't wait to go back again and perhaps try the Mousaka or Spinach Pie.

Grilled Veggie BBQ

Grilled Eggplant and Peppers

So my best friends family had a BBQ! This is my favorite place to do the whole outdoors/BBQ thing.. 

and for several reasons! First, I get to spend time with my best friend, and her family, whom I love. This is my #1 reason for going, the people in your life are always more important then places or things... or food, adventure & travel for that matter! The people who come along for the ride make it all worth while! 

The Peppers before they hit the Grill!

Second, and most important for this blog 

I suppose, is the fact that they are always making interesting food and grilling different and unusual things, compared to the ordinary BBQ. Don't expect to dine here and get your ordinary hotdogs & burgers! Not that there's anything wrong with hotdogs & burgers! I'd eat them too... lol. This time VEGGIES were the main focus!

So we cut up all sorts of peppers into nice hearty chunks. The eggplants were cut into thin slices. A little drizzle of olive oil and some spices were added before everything was placed on this grill.

The Eggplant before it hit the Grill!

Red Potatoes

The Red Potatoes were scattered in a pan, drizzled with olive oil and some spices. Then, they were placed in the oven to roast. Why I don't have an 'after' picture of this, I'm not sure! I guess by the time they came out I was too distracted actually eatting them to take the 'after' pic! Sorry guys, next time! :P

My bestie's mom made asparagus soup from scratch.
I have no idea what was put into it or how it was made, but thankfully she made a large pot of it. Everyone had 2nds, 3rds and 4ths! It was just that good... I believe this is a secret family recipe though, so we may never know what goes into this! 

Homemade Asparagus Soup

Croxley's Wings

Fried Wings with Mild Sauce

Fried Wings with BBQ Sauce

One of my favorite places to go!
Where can you enjoy 10cent wings and a large variety of international beers on tap!?!

Croxley's Ale House and Eatery!

That's where!!!

Nachos Supreme

So one of my friends had a very special Birthday come up!
We decided to take a group of us over to Croxley's. The atmosphere is always very laid back yet fun.
There's something for everyone here.


We ordered BBQ and Mild wings. The wings are ALWAYS phenomenal here! So good, I sometimes dream of them... The Nachos Surpreme are usually pretty good too! With tri-colored tortilla's, refried beans, salsa, sour cream, olives, jalapenos, tomatoes and cheese you can hardly go wrong. They serve up a large order, enough for a decent sized group to share in addition to everything else ordered.

Le Freak Beer

Over the last several years I can't tell you how many trips we've made out to this place. Every time I go I make it a point to try a beer I've never had before. (Variety is the spice of life, isn't it?) This trip I decided to try a bottled beer, Le Freak, and split it since it was enough to fill at least 2 glasses.


Other drinks ordered at our tabled included Angry Orchard Apple Cider Beer, Stella, Killian's and others. A few of my friends also enjoyed a Wild Turkey Honey shot together. 
  

Wild Turkey Honey Shots

        At the end of the night, the Birthday girl got a nice cheesecake surprise Believe it or not, the     cheesecake was amazing, one of the best I've had in a while! At a wing & beer hangout, go figure! :D

Cheesecake with Whipped Cream and Strawberry Caramel & Vanilla Drizzle

Porto Fino's Caesar Salad & Fried Calamari

Caesar Salad

So my best friend and I were at it again.. we stopped in this nice neighborhood Italian Restaurant/Pizzeria.. Porto Fino Restaurant & Brick Oven Pizza. They have a restaurant dining area, but a walk-in and sit-down casual pizzeria area also. Whenever we go here, we opt to hang out in the pizzeria area.. usually because on days like this we're so dressed down and comfy, it only makes sense. LoL

Usually we'll share a big meal or get some pizza slices here.. but this time tried doing something a little different. Wanting to be at least minutely healthy, we ordered a Caesar Salad, which was great! You know how they sometimes have too much dressing or not enough? I have to say this one was well balanced and pretty good. :)

Fried Calamari with Marinara Sauce

Craving Fried Calamari.. we opted for the appetizer, which I have to say, compared to most places you order Fried Calamari, they served us a nice healthy portion.. and it was so YUM! I'm drooling just rethinking about it... *want*

Applebee's Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad

Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad

I don't have a ton of pics to represent this lunch time outing, but the salad was so good, I couldn't resist but to take a pic and add it to F.A.T. So took a trip to Applebee's with a friend and ordered the NEW Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad. Who says you can't go out to eat and enjoy something seemingly healthy and tasty? You don't always need to order something greasy or meaty! The menu describes the salad as:

"Chopped lettuce tossed with black bean corn salsa, roasted red peppers & onions, tortilla strips, white cheddar and spicy jalapeño dressing, mounded nicely with chimichurri glazed grilled chicken."

So yummy, on your next Applebee's visit, it's worth a try!

Newsday Field of Wheels Classic Car Show

This May I went to the Newsday Field of Wheels Classic Car Show with a friend of mine. It was a nice sunny, but not too warm day. Great weather for taking a stroll and checking out the cars. Here I'm posting some of the best car pics I got that day. 


I love classic cars, and I enjoy strolling around carbut don't ask me what make, model or year any of these are! If you know what these are, reply and let me know! haha :)

                 

Cinelli's Salmon & Veal

Salmon Terracina

So my aunt and I had dinner together at Cinelli's located in Oceanside, New York. Cinelli's is a charming, quaint Italian Restaurant. The service and quality of food is impeccable 'and definitely worth a try if you're in the area. Everything I've ever tried here tastes unbelievable and they do a pretty good job of catering as well.

So my aunt ordered the Salmon Terracina.. Cinelli's menu describes it as.. "A filet of salmon in a lemon piccata sauce served atop a bed of spinach. Topped with capers and roasted peppers."
I ordered the Veal Marsala. I contemplated ordering the chicken Marsala instead, but since I can probably count how many times I've actually had veal in my entire life on one hand, I decided to go for it..

Veal Marsala

Mother's Day in the Park

Spent this past Mother's Day in the park. 

There's nothing like looking up and seeing 

the sun shining through some beautiful trees. 

Next time the sky's clear and you find 

yourself outdoors, try it. Stand beneath 

a tree and look up, it's gorgeous! 

Out in nature, enjoying the breeze,
Sun shining bright, beautiful trees.



"Why not go out on a limb?
That's where all the fruit is..."
                               - Mark Twain


"Learn from yesterday,
Live for today, Hope for tomorrow..."
                               - Albert Einstein

Shrimp Fest

Frozen Strawberry Margarita

My best friend and I decided to venture on over to Red Lobster to satisfy our fishy nature and ended up having a great time.. and a ton of shrimp, prepared 7 different ways!

Classic Margarita! Frozen Strawberry.. This picture actually does this no justice, the glass was HUGE! At LEAST 6-8 inches across.. had to share it with a friend, and we still weren't able to finish it.

Going to Red Lobster, your table always gets a serving of yummy Cheddar Bay Biscuits. If you've been to a RL before, you know about this yummy goodness. Anyone I know who has ever tried one loves them.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Coconut Shrimp with Creamy Coconut Dipping Sauce

So for our appetizer we went with the Coconut Shrimp, one of my favorites!

If you've never had coconut shrimp, just a warning, it's on the sweeter side.

If you're not one to like 'sweet' food, skip it. If you like a little sweet, go for it!

One of the yummiest things you'll ever try...

and the creamy coconut dipping sauce makes it even sweeter.

Ceasar Salad

Oh, and what's a meal without a salad? It's always good to have at least one healthy thing! lol ;)


We opted for the Ceasar Salads, which they happen to make pretty well at RL..

So for our main courses, my bestie and I decided we should each get the Shrimp Fest!

With the Shrimp Fest you get to choose 3 different types of shrimp from a list.

We each chose completely different ones and sampled each others...

shrimp 6 different ways, 7 if you add our appetizer to the list!

Everything was delicious and we had a blast feasting on

Garlic Mashed Potatos w/ Shrimp Fest:
Crab-Stuffed Shrimp, Crunchy Potato-Crusted Shrimp, Wood Grilled Shrimp with BBQ Glaze.

Garlic Mashed Potatoe w/ Shrimp Fest:
Hand-Breaded Shrimp - Golden Bown Fried, Tequila-Lime Grilled Shrimp Tacos, Garlic Shrimp Scampi.