My Travels

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Dominick's Restaurant Needs New Life

1/17/2015

In our search for an Italian restaurant that offered steak, Utica Greens and Moscato, we found Dominick's Restaurant on Burnet Ave in Syracuse. Having been here several times in the past, I was sure we wouldn't regret our choice.

There are pros and cons regarding my review of Dominick's. Sadly, the cons outweigh and with so many great restaurant choices in our area, I don't think we will visit again.

The waitress was awesome! She was attentive, knew the menu and funny to boot! The Utica Greens included pancetta and were delish! See my review of all Utica Greens in CNY, here. Also, having Moscato on the menu is always a plus in my book! The rest of the dinner was not worth the price. Joe mentioned that his pasta was over cooked, which at an Italian restaurant is a crime! Lucia ordered the chicken parm, which is an incredibly oversized piece of chicken breast that has been pounded out, covered with too much sauce and a much too thick layer of standard cheese. There was nothing special about this meal or mine, which was an italian trio. Neither of us ate more than 2 bites.

My past memories of visiting Dominick's weren't this bad. Seems this restaurant needs new life. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "stale."

Finding The Best Utica Greens in CNY

12/7/2014

I am thrilled that my taste buds have changed and I am able to add more enjoyable greens to my plate! They say "everything in moderation" but I think if I just ate nothing but veggies, I would be the healthiest person alive. I read on a diet blog that the one thing every weight loss plan has in common is "VEGETABLES". Well, my new found love of Utica Greens can't be anything but GOOD FOR ME!

I intend to compare the different version of Utica Greens in this blog post by tasting as many as I can from as many different restaurants in the Central New York area that I can get to. This might take a while!

Nestico's Restaurant, North Syracuse, NY 5 STARS

I visited in December 2014. My first taste of Utica Greens and I fell in love! The Nestico's version is made with the escarole that is sautéed with cherry peppers, olive oil, bacon, grated cheese, and bread crumbs. Appetizer - $9.00

Dominick's Restaurant, Syracuse, NY 4 STARS

I visited in January 2015. This version of Utica Greens sells as an appetizer for $7.95. This version includes pancetta - YUM, which adds really great flavor to the dish. It's a nice size portion as well. Shared between 2 people, we even had enough to take some home.

Sorrento's Restaurant, North Syracuse, NY 4 STARS

I visited in December 2014. This version of Utica Greens is called Sauteed Greens Insalaco and sells as an appetizer for $4.95 small or $6.95 large. This is a meatless dish. Even with a lack of meat, this dish did not lack in flavor, although if it were my recipe, I may decrease the amount of breadcrumbs just a tad. Would I order again? Absolutely!

Nestico's Restaurant Offers CNY's Best Utica Greens!

12/2/2014

My neighbor and I visited Nestico's Restaurant in North Syracuse, on a Tuesday night when they offer the 2 for $20 chicken parm dinner special. Now, I don't know if it was the atmosphere or the company or maybe just the wine but this was one hell of a fantastic meal!

Upon entrance, we were greeted with a smile, which always lifts the spirits. The quaint, clean restaurant has a cozy warm atmosphere with a fireplace to boot!

My neighbor, who wishes to remain anonymous, ordered us the Utica Greens as an appetizer. I was excited to try something new (which is my goal these days - to try as many new things as I can), but I had no idea what a treat I had been missing out on all these years. I know different restaurants have their own take on what us Central New Yorker's call "Utica Greens" but I am so glad I tried them for the first time, here at Nestico's because it was freakin awesome! I could have just eaten that whole bowl for my meal and been completely satisfied. The escarole is sautéed with cherry peppers, olive oil, bacon, grated cheese, and bread crumbs. We later learned that this has been one of their most popular dishes in the past couple years. I asked for the recipe and the kitchen reported back that if they told me, they would have to kill me. Well, it is an Italian restaurant after all. I wouldn't expect anything less.

So, how can I say that Nestico's offers the best Utica Greens when I haven't tried any others? Because this is my blog and I can write what I want. And yes, now I am on a mission to try them everywhere! I will soon report back with some comparisons!

The chicken parm was good and was delivered with penne pasta. Personally, I prefer angel hair or spaghetti with my chicken, but I wouldn't criticize for that since it's just a personal opinion. After the bread, salad, appetizer and 2 glasses of wine, I was no longer hungry and took most of my dinner home.

Our server was friendly and laughed at my jokes, which is always a plus. The owner visited our table and we talked about how he prefers to offer a selection of not-so-typical choices of wine - which I appreciate very much. If I wanted "same-old, same-old" I would have visited a chain restaurant. Tonight was about a local experience, enjoying the company of a friend, and watching the snow fall over a glass of wine, in a warm setting with great Italian food! What could be better?

http://www.nesticosrestaurant.com

Why We Chose Olive Garden For Lunch on Veterans Day

11/12/2014

Every year, the big list comes out. The list that contains all the discounts and freebies available to Veterans on Veterans Day. This year, we decided to try Olive Garden for lunch since they were offering a free entree for Veterans. In the past, we have frequented places such as Applebee's, which is one of our favorite restaurants because we don't function well without a regular dose of the chicken won ton tacos. I wish they'd make an entree out of tacos instead of an appetizer.

Anyway, we were very pleased with our choice of Veterans Day lunch this year, because the portion size was a regular entree that was offered for free to Veterans. Most restaurants offer a special menu of the items that are free for Veterans, but the portion sizes are small. Not at Olive Garden!

Two lunches, unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks WITH alfredo dipping sauce, along with a salted caramel martini for only $24 bucks! I tried the Tortellini al Forno for the first time and it was freakin fantastic! Can't wait to have it again!

Beechwood Cafe in Jersey City

11/11/2014

Talon, Jarl, Matt, Shelly, Michael

We visited Beechwood Cafe on a Sunday morning around 9:30 am, just before the mad morning rush of after church breakfast patrons. It never got too crowded for the six of us who spent an hour catching up. Lucia and I were in town visiting friends that we hadn't seen in over a year. Because of the cancer treatments, we hadn't done our usual amount of traveling, which always included a trip to Jersey City/NYC. It felt great to be back!

This wasn't our first trip to Beechwood, only this time we didn't get the fabulous cupcakes to go like we did last time. Even if you are stopping in for breakfast, the cupcakes are highly recommended!

Breakfast was great and the company we enjoyed was priceless. One of my best friends, Jarl, will be the first one to say that maintaining friendships is one of the most valued assets of life.

Breakfast for 6 of us was $111.00, including tip.

Click here to find out what the entire trip cost.

Restaurant Round-Up in Gettysburg, PA

10/18/2014

Avenue Restaurant
21 Steinwehr Avenue
Gettyrburg, PA 17325

WEBSITE

CLICK HERE to read our review of the Avenue Restaurant from Day 2 of our Gettysburg trip.

Dinner for 2, including tip - $33.15

The Lincoln Diner
32 Carlisle St
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325

CLICK HERE to read our review of the Lincoln Diner from Day 3 of our camping trip to Gettysburg.

Breakfast for 2 including tip at 20% - $17.50, plus a Birch Beer to go for $2.50 - total $20.00

Cafe Saint-Amand
48 Baltimore Street
Gettysburg, PA

WEBSITE

Click here to read the review of Cafe Saint-Amand from Day 4 of our adventures in Gettysburg. (Of all the restaurants, this one was my favorite!)

Breakfast for 2 including tip at 20% - $26.04

Branding Iron BBQ
1863 Gettysburg Village Drive
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Inside the food court at the Outlet Mall

This is a local establishment and when we are on vacation, we always prefer to try local restaurants, unless we're on the road and need a quick bite. This was a good choice. The burger was a huge chunk of meat with a fresh bun, and the loaded baked potato was even bigger! We added shredded beef brisket to the potato but had it on the side.

Lunch for 1 1/2 because we shared it, along with a piece of pizza from next door. - $17.67

The Dobbin House Tavern
89 Steinwehr Avenue (Business Route 15 South)
Gettysburg, PA 17325

WEBSITE

Click here to read our review of The Dobbin House Tavern from day 5 of our Gettysburg adventures.

Lunch for 2 including 20% tip - $41.69

Walt's Diner is the Winner in Old Forge, NY

9/5/2014

After 5 days camping in Old Forge, there is no doubt that Walt's Diner is our favorite breakfast joint. Based on a review of the food, service and price, Walt's is a winner!

Maybe your idea of breakfast at camp is eggs and sausage links over a campfire, but that would involve cooking and cleaning. What kind of vacation would it be if I still had to do my daily chores? So, when my better half and I go camping, we often eat out and especially for breakfast.

We ate at a different breakfast diner every day and there is no question that the quality of fresh food and the portion size was better at Walt's. During both visit's, the service was fast and friendly, which is all you can ask for when dining out. And better yet, the price beat out all the competition! As always, see for yourself on the receipt below!

Click any photo for a larger view.

Margaritaville in Grand Turk - Is It Worth The Price?

9/4/2014

Margaritaville in Grand Turk, B.W.I. - Is it worth the price?

We visited Grand Turk in January 2014. It was one of the 4 ports of call during our 7-night Carnival cruise. The island of Grand Turk itself is a stunning vision of the Caribbean, with its turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, exquisite palm trees and perfect year-round temperatures.

Typical with any cruise port stop, there are retail shops, a beach area (which was extremely crowded), outdoor entertainment, and several pools, including a wave pool.

Margaritaville encompasses a large part of this outdoor entertainment/pool/lounge area, so we stopped in to get out of the sun - and have lunch. Knowing what to expect, since we have visited other Margaritaville restaurants, such as the one in Grand Cayman, we knew the food would be good and the service would be pleasant. The only shock came, when we received the bill. I could be wrong, but honestly do not remember our previous bills in the other locations to be this steep of a price. $14.95 for an appetizer of nachos...? Really? At a chain restaurant no less. (See the entire bill, below).

Yes, we are in a tourist trap location - and on a Caribbean island... therefore, no complaining about the bill is necessary, as it is expected. So, we paid the bill and left our 20% tip as usual, and continued our journey of Grand Turk exploration.

Click any photo for a larger view.