Archives

Business 2 Blogger
Blog Directory

New York Pasta Garden, Key West

More tortellini on one plate than is socially acceptable (yet still quite tasty).

I have walked by New York Pasta Garden a bunch of times. It is next to Origami in Duval Square, between Simonton and Duval Streets, yet somehow I had not eaten there. They are on the Woman’s Club Card, so since we had a buy-one-get-one-free, I thought we’d give it a shot. Plus, sometimes you just need a big plate of pasta. (OK, I need that all the time!) Continue reading New York Pasta Garden, Key West

A Few Good Meals

Cupcakes are always a good time... and you can serve the same ones on day 2.

I always like having friends over for dinner. The relaxed atmosphere, good food and wine and the ability to linger are all appealing to me. Last week brought two such occasions, back to back. It required some creative menu planning, but ended up being a lot of fun.  Continue reading A Few Good Meals

Kojin Noodle Bar, Key West

 

The large, on the wall version of the tiny menu

Kojin Noodle Bar occupies a tiny space on Southard Street. Formerly, for about five minutes, it was a wing place, which I never had the chance to try. Oh well. Fortunately something good has moved in, and it is the neighbor everyone wants: low key and good food. I was excited to hear that a noodle bar had opened, virtually at the same time as . Could it be? Two new, good places at once? Indeed. Continue reading Kojin Noodle Bar, Key West

Vito’s Piazza, Key West

Vito’s is on White Street, across from Sandy’s Cafe, and off the normal tourist path. Housed in a location that has seen several different incarnations in recent years, Vito’s is the newest Italian pizza joint on the scene. I wanted to try it the minute I saw they were open. I knew from past inhabitants of that space that they have a wonderful garden, so if the food is decent, it would be a handy place to have nearby.  Continue reading Vito’s Piazza, Key West

Fratelli La Bufala, Miami Beach

Once we decided that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon just was not happening for us last weekend, I thought that the least I could do is get a good lunch out of the deal. I had to go to South Beach that day to check on a hotel for a client, so we picked up our race t-shirts (which are very nice, by the way), took a stroll through the less-than-exciting expo, and made our way to have lunch at Fratelli La Bufala. Continue reading Fratelli La Bufala, Miami Beach

Blowout Birthday Bash

The start of a really good night.

This weekend we were invited to our friend’s house for his birthday. As he is a wine geek, too, there were bound to be some good selections. Of course we RSVP’d that we would be coming, and as they live an hour away, we would also be staying over. (I know these people and the wine focus of the meal, there was no chance we would be driving home. Oh, and can we also bring Babka?) We arrived for one meal and one quick sleep with gifts, clothes to change into, a dog bed and, of course, the dog. Continue reading Blowout Birthday Bash

Eating Chicago

Since we were going to Chicago for the Cellar Diminishment Party anyway, naturally I had a list of potential restaurant choices for the following night. We would only be in Chicago for two nights, so that left us with two lunches and one dinner, plus the party. We landed in Chicago, hopped on the Orange Line L train towards downtown and immediately got a call from a friend. “Are you coming to the hotel before you go for pizza?” Indeed, we were. Continue reading Eating Chicago

Blue Heaven, Key West

Over the weekend we ate spectacularly well while celebrating our friend’s big five-oh. After an awesome dinner at The Flaming Buoy and killer hogfish sandwiches at Hogfish Bar and Grill, we ended up at Blue Heaven for dinner the next night. I hadn’t been there for dinner in years, and now I know why. As it had been a while, I called to find out the corkage policy and was told “we normally charge $15 per bottle.” (You see where this is going, don’t you?) Continue reading Blue Heaven, Key West

Birthday Meals

Today is Florida Keys Guy’s birthday. I got him a shirt from Lululemon, which he loves, and I will be making dinner for just a few people in honor of the occasion. Birthday boy has requested one of his favorite pasta dishes, so that is what we will have. Cacio e pepe is about the simplest thing to make: pici pasta (or, since it is impossibly hard to find in Florida, bucatini or some other type of thick spaghetti) with pecorino cheese and loads of grated black pepper. Easy, yet so delicious. Continue reading Birthday Meals

Wine Drinkers Cometh (or, You’re bringing port? I’ll be there!)

We had some wine drinking friends in town, but the only day we had that we could go out and enjoy a nice meal with some good wines was last night. Why? Passover. Or as I like to call it, The almost carb-less holiday that seems to drag on forever. That is what happens to me when I am denied pasta, bread, anything with flour and rice. You know all of the things that you are not really supposed to eat anyway. I can’t imagine if I had to give up any of those things for six weeks for Lent. Oy. Instead I subsisted on brownies, almond horns and macaroons, all homemade by my mother, with the occasional salad thrown in for good measure. Somehow I managed to not gain any weight during brownie-fest. Nonetheless, I was eager to get out of the house for an evening of yumminess. Continue reading Wine Drinkers Cometh (or, You’re bringing port? I’ll be there!)