robroseen.com Blog

Groupon time once again!

Today was the last day to redeem our Groupon to this UWS old school deli, and so we went for an early dinner. As it turns out, several tables around us had also waited until the last minute to redeem their voucher as well. This one was pretty good because we got a couple of sandwiches, bowls of soup, and fruit salad for $22. Drinks were extra, but we had soda, so not much. I bought this one way back when I wanted us to try all the “good” pastrami places in town. With all the other places we try to visit and all the Groupons we have to use, we don’t find ourselves doing the NYC Pastrami Tour, but at least we got to check off F&S from our list.

And, well, a check mark is all the rating it got. The dining area of the restaurant feels cheap and old. Very unwelcoming. However, our waiter was pretty good despite everyone using a coupon. The service was fast and efficient, but the food lacked. We both had pastrami which looked great but feel short on taste. The soups tasted like the can from a can and the fruit salad clearly did.

We left feeling full but not really satisfied. Although it was a good deal, this place left a lot to be desired.

http://www.fineandschapiro.com/

Tonight was the beloved Taco Night at our Brooklyn apartment. It’s something that’s carried over from living in Pittsburgh, and while it’s not a meal we enjoy on a regular basis, it’s fun and easy and one of Deanna’s favorite meals.

The menu is pretty basic, but we go with the make-your-own-taco approach, so there’s a chance for us both to create exactly what we want. Typically, we serve ground beef with Taco seasoning along with all the fixins’ – refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and chips and salsa on the side. I like to spice mine up with hot sauce, too while Deanna will add sour cream. Sometimes we go with hard shells, sometimes soft, and sometimes double decker.

Sure, it’s not traditional Mexican fare, but it’s tasty and usually yields some leftovers. And, it takes little time to prepare and clean up from, which is always nice on a weeknight. When we do go to Mexican restaurants, this is what we usually end up getting, so why not do it ourselves and save some money? Woot!

One of my favorite things to eat is sushi, and I’m puzzled why we don’t go out for it more. Nonetheless, I had yesterday off from work for my birthday, and I was determined to find a good sushi place to eat for lunch near our apartment. While there certainly isn’t a shortage of sushi places in this city, sometimes finding a good one can be a chore (as I’ve found other places, too). And since I had a busy day for myself, I didn’t want to have to go far. Luckily, I found a pretty good place in Prospect Heights on Flatbush called Taro Sushi.

Because of some construction going on in the area, I passed by the place as I was walking, but was able to pull out the GPS on my phone and find it. Since I was dining by myself, I decided to sit at the sushi bar which turned out to be a good location…I’ll explain more in a minute.

Of course I had already checked out the reviews online and scoped out their menu, but I still had a hard time deciding. Usually, Deanna and I just get sushi (nothing from the “kitchen menus”) when we go out, so today, I decided to get a lunch bento box. It was a pretty good deal consisting of chicken teriyaki, miso soup, salad, dumplings, a pumpkin side concoction, and a roll of my choice. Since D isn’t a fan of salmon skin rolls, that’s what I chose. And boy, was it tasty!

All that food came out to $11 which was quite the deal considering how full I was when I left. I ordered a couple Japanese beers, so my bill didn’t end up being that cheap, but for my birthday, I didn’t mind. Everything was fresh and delicious, and some of the best sushi I’ve had in New York.

A minute ago, I mentioned that the seat I chose to sit was a good spot. On one of the little menu stands on the bar, I noticed one of the specials was lobster sushi three ways. It was 15 bucks, so I imagined it had to be special considering how low the other prices were. As I was finishing my lunch, I watched one of the sushi chefs start to prepare that dish. He basically took a live lobster and took it apart to make the sushi. Alive! That was kinda crazy! Surprisingly, I wasn’t weirded out but fascinated at what I was witnessing. The chef saw me watching him a few times and gave me a weird smile; I guessed he liked making it. I really wanted to try it but was fairly full and didn’t want to necessarily pluck down another $15. Oh well, next time.

So naturally, Deanna was jealous that I had sushi for lunch, but we were going to our favorite – City Crab – for dinner, so she got over it pretty quickly. But, I look forward to taking her back very soon.

www.tarosushibrooklyn.com

For our anniversary tonight, Deanna and I went to Club A Steakhouse. As is common with our dining selections, we had a Living Social voucher to redeem, but as it turned out, it was one of the best deals we’ve ever used.

Several months back, I saw this restaurant come up on a Living Social email. But by the time I got around to looking the place up, the deal was sold out. I was pretty bummed because it had a 4.5-star review on Yelp – pretty high for any restaurant, let alone one offering a deal. But lo and behold, the place popped up again on Living Social, and I didn’t hesitate to gobble it up.

The deal got us a four-course meal for two and a bottle of wine for $79. I figured the choices for the wine would be scarce, but who cares, right? I was a little curious about the other courses, too, but the Yelpers had rave reviews, and a fancy restaurant for a special occasion felt right.

We got there early and had a drink at their bar which is right inside the front door. It’s tiny, but the place wasn’t crowded, so we didn’t mind. The barkeep and maitre d’ were extremely friendly, and we were leisurely seated “at the best table in the restaurant” and greeted by a friendly set of waiters. Since the voucher called for setting a reservation while mentioning the special offer, the place knew we were ordering off the Living Social menu which was neatly typed up and presented to us at the table. At this point, my impressions are very positive, and I felt very relaxed despite the fact we were eating on the (relatively) cheap.

We shared the steak tartare as our appetizer and ordered the bottle of white wine. For our entrees, I had the osso bucco while Deanna had a steak. We shared a side and dessert, too. Overall, the food didn’t blow us away but was pretty good. However, I was more impressed by the service and how everyone at the restaurant embraced the Living Social menu. Not once did I feel our service wasn’t attentive which is sometimes the case when you pay with a coupon. I even got a coffee with our dessert to which the waiter politely pointed out that it would be extra (as I expected and didn’t mind).

So, the place was very cozy and warm, and while we felt the food wasn’t spectacular, we were very pleased with the treatment we received and the handling of our special menu. I don’t think we’ll be back, but if you see that deal pop up again, I’d recommend it.

www.clubasteakhouse.com

After a disappointing let-down a few weeks ago, we decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings this evening to finally take advantage of 50 cent wings. It had been too long, and I knew I was going to get me some wings tonight!

When we were there a few weeks ago, we didn’t get past the hostess stand because I didn’t have my ID, but we were able to determine the place was pretty crowded. Not surprising. But tonight, we were greeted with a 45-minute wait. Ugh. Should we wait it out or postpone wing night again? Such a dilemma considering how hungry we were after going to the gym.

Lucky for us, another host came outside the restaurant to see if we preferred to be seated immediately at a high top table near the bar. We said “why not” and our wait time was reduced by about 40 minutes.

I ordered a beer and Deanna sipped on water while we perused the different wing flavors. There are a good number to choose from – not 86 flavors, but a good number. (Shout out to SS86.) We also decided to share a basket of fries with the salt and vinegar dusting as recommended by our waitress.

Despite how busy the place was, we didn’t have to wait long for our food. We each got a dozen wings which allowed us to have four flavors total. I got the Hot BBQ and Spicy Garlic while D got Honey BBQ and Parmesan Garlic. In all honesty, they weren’t bad. And to top it off, the fries were pretty good, too, especially with the extra seasoning on top. Deanna didn’t try my spicier wings, but I tried hers, and they were good. They had even hotter flavors to choose from, and I’ve had some hot wings at other joints before, but I decided to hold off on the big heat this trip.

Overall, the place was pretty cool. It was a little loud with all the crowds, but there were lots of TVs to watch as we ate. When the bill came, it wasn’t too bad at $31, but it definitely made me yearn for those Wednesday nights in Pittsburgh where a dozen wings and pitcher of beer was $8. That was a good deal then but compared to New York prices, it’s pretty amazing!

Nonetheless, I think we’ll be back again.

www.buffalowildwings.com

After just blogging about how great Oktoberfest was, my next entry is about a chain I used to like, but I’m kind of over it now. But, I take the good with the bad when it comes to this food blog experiment, so continue reading.

We left Minster yesterday but had a lot of time at the airport before our flight. We’d planned on eating there without really considering that the Columbus airport probably wouldn’t have the best dining options. However, we decided on Max and Erma’s because Deanna likes their taco soup, we had time to kill, so to Max and Erma’s we go as the only real sit-down option.

I’m not sure if it’s the airport setting or what, but these casual chains in airports are just so…boring. My attitude toward the Applebees, T.G.I. Fridays, Red Lobsters, etc. is really going south these days, and put one of those in an airport, and it’s somehow worse. I guess their appeal has worn off on me which is too bad considering they are better priced than some places.

But anyway, seated we were and I decided to get a beer and look at the menu. I had some sort of burger while Deanna had the taco soup. My burger was just eh, but the soup was good. Since we had lots of time, we also got the chips and guacamole, but they were pretty terrible. The chips tasted like they came from an old bag and the portion of guacamole was small and probably some of the worst guac I’ve ever had.

We’re lucky we live in a city where we don’t have to resort to these chains much. As I mentioned when we went to Outback, the only times we do go is when we have a gift certificate. But, this experience really left a bad taste in my mouth, pun intended.

A year ago when we went back to Minster, we ate at the Johnny Rockets at the airport, and it wasn’t that great either (part of the reason we chose Max and Erma’s this time), so I think the moral is to go for a snack rather than a meal when passing through Columbus. Sorry, Port Columbus Airport.

Minster Oktoberfest! Such a good time every year, I’m glad I get to write about it.

This past weekend, Deanna and I flew back to her hometown of Minster for their annual Oktoberfest that takes place the first weekend of October each year. This was my third year attending, but of course Deanna has gone practically every year of her life. Although Minster is a very small town, the three-day event attracts lots and lots of people, and for good reason. The festivities kick off on Friday night and go through Sunday night. Unfortunately due to scheduling, we weren’t able to get to the ‘fest until Saturday, but as Deanna loves to tell me, “that’s the best day to be there.”

The town blocks off a few streets connected to a small park with a gazebo to host most of the activities, music, merchants, food tents, and beer stands. Each food stand is sponsored by a local organization and the layout is the same every year, and most of the schedule of events is the same, too. Among the choices of food dishes are various wursts, sauerkraut balls, reuben sandwiches, oversized chicken tenderloin sandwiches, pretzels, and lots of other fried stuff. With your beer choices, you can go with a half gallon jug of Bud Light or Amber Bock (only $10!) or a selection from the specialty tent with a few Oktoberfest choices from various brewers or a local Wooden Shoe brand.

Let’s just say the food is not for the faint of heart for those counting calories, fat, sodium, or any other measure of food content. Deanna knows this and tries to just eat salad the week leading up to the ‘fest. Me, I just try to eat as much as I can before getting loosen-your-belt full. The food is consistently tasty. The beer isn’t the greatest, but it’s cheap and gets the job done. Ironically, the only German beer that’s served is Beck’s. Eh, oh well.

Throughout the weekend, we usually stop by at random times to grab a snack and catch up with people who have also made the trek back to Minster. Two years ago, I think I had five full meals and a few snacks at Oktoberfest, but this year with our shorter trip, it wasn’t quite that much. Probably a good thing for the ol’ diet. But the main event is Saturday night where everyone comes out, drinks lots of beer, dances to the Cincinnati Schnapps band, maybe climb on some tables, and have a great time outside on a cool, October eve.

In its simplicity, the Oktoberfest is great. It’s a big tradition that everyone gets involved with and everyone loves. The first few years we were together, I didn’t get to go to Oktoberfest…for whatever reasons. My first trip wasn’t actually until the weekend before we got married, but I’ve made sure to go each year since. These days, it’s a lot further to Minster, and not always convenient to go, but I’m already looking forward to next year’s ‘fest.

On Friday night, we went to Dallas BBQ in Brooklyn with some friends that were visiting from Pittsburgh. We’d been to this location a few times before, and it’s pretty consistently good.

The place is big and always very loud, and it’s hard to have a conversation, but the food is excellent and pretty cheap for barbecue. They also serve up some “Texas-size” drinks which are pretty good, too.

As usual, Deanna got the beef ribs which are huge and almost caveman-like. I sometimes get the baby back ribs, but this time I got the brisket plate, but they brought out the brisket sandwich instead. Since we all get our food at the same time and had plans after dinner, I didn’t bother trying to get my meal corrected, and it was still good. I did also get the sirloin chili which is awesome.

This is a pretty straightforward chain, and the meals come out fast and are exactly what you’re looking for. And, compared to some of the other places we’ve been to lately, the price is much more affordable. Good eats!

http://www.dallasbbq.com/

Today after the Steeler Game, Deanna and I decided to go down under to the great Outback Steakhouse. Boy, do I sound cheesy.

Then again, Outback fits into that kind of cheesy casual sitdown restaurant category. As I’ve gotten older, I’m liking those types of places less and less, and I’m usually left disappointed. I guess it’s a combination of the disappointing food and “trying to hard” perception I have of these chains. But, we had a giftcard that I had gotten from work, so I’ll take the free meal and deal with it.

I’ve actually received a few Outback giftcards since living in New York, but this last visit was kind of a letdown. I realize for the price you’re not getting a prime steak, but if the word “steak” is in the name of the restaurant, it should at least be decent. The steak I had wasn’t properly cut, the seasoning was off, and my medium rare request was passable. My dish also came with a grilled shrimp side which was just ok. Being

Another thing was the service. It wasn’t bad at all, but it was too good. I mean in the sense that the waiter was giving us the corporate smile checking in with us way too often and a little too enthused. If a place has really bad service, I won’t go back, but with this corporate service, I’m almost equally annoyed. There’s a line between good, acceptable service and being a nuisance.

It’s good to take the good with the bad, I just wish these mid-level chains were a little better to fit in better with our budget. Oh well.

One of my fondest memories of Pittsburgh was going out for wings with my friends every Wednesday. Although the location changed from time to time, we went each week for a couple of years to indulge in some cheap wings, pitchers of beer, and camaraderie. Since we’ve lived in New York, we’ve been hard-pressed to find a good wing place. Sure, lots of bars serve wings, but most of the time, the wings suck or only two flavors are offered. I’ve been jonesing for some wing variety in my life.

So a few months back, I discovered that there was Buffalo Wild Wings not far from where we live, and Tuesday night is wing night complete with 50-cent wings. Perfect! I’ve had their wings before and I approve, so I’m all about it. Buttttttttt, Deanna worked on Tuesday nights for the longest time, so we kept having to put off wing night (or at least cheap wing night). So after much patience, tonight was the night!

We’d planned to head to the restaurant on our way home from the gym. Unfortunately for me, I had left my moneyclip at home thinking we’d used Deanna’s credit card to pay, but they wouldn’t admit me without an ID. Whenever I go to the gym, I take absolutely nothing with me (who trusts the lockers in Brooklyn, am I right?). Even though the bouncer-type guy sized me up, their policy is strict, and they wouldn’t admit me.

Awesome.

Plan B was dinner at home, and as we were walking away, I told D that I’m glad they turned us away at the door before I attempted to order a beer with my wings only to be denied once there’s a plate of food in front of me. Alas, wing night gets postponed once again.

Hopefully another Tuesday will yield better results.