Lucky Dill, Palm Harbor, FL

My hubby is a real foodie. On our very first date we got to know each other over a sumptuous lunch as we gazed across the table into each other's eyes. I blurted out that the way to my heart is through my stomach. He took me at my word and proceeded to wine and dine me right down the aisle just two years later. To this day we make a big deal about food. So when I suggested a very long ride to The Lucky Dill for his Fathers Day treat he happily agreed. We rounded up our day tripper gang and off we went. This was my third visit and it was just as satisfying as the first. In fact it just keeps getting better. Forty minute wait? No problem - we'll visit their awesome bakery and stock up on rugalah, linzer tarts and that old classic - black and white. (Here I have to say was my one disappointment. I thought the b/w was too dense and too thick so after one bite I tossed it.)

Dining at the Lucky Dill evokes very nostalgic memories of NYC for us - of Katz' Deli on Houston Street where hubby cut his baby teeth on the 4" high pastrami on rye sandwiches with a big half sour pickle on the side. So when we found Lucky Dill a couple of years ago it was like a homecoming for him.

Can you see how happy he looks as he's feeding me? Its sweet and a little twisted don't you think? I blame him for every extra pound I carry yet he thinks I look just adorable. Go figure.

Just take a gander at this massive corned beef sandwich! Here's a tip - share one and get a couple of sides, like these delicious potato pancakes (yum!)crispy, not greasy, and served with apple sauce and sour cream.

I'm glad it's an hour and twenty minute drive for us. If we lived nearby I'd go too often and lose all self control. Being so far away makes going a special event once or twice in a year. I need to chow down on less rugalah and more arugula.....its all about balance, right?

http://luckydilldeli.com/index.html

Escape to Pennsylvania - Elk Creek Cafe, Millheim

Our recent road trip took us far into central Pennsylvania where my daughter lives in peaceful serenity surrounded by Amish farms, rolling hills and mountains. Around those parts there’s not a lot of dining out options which is why whenever I call her she’s either off to a dinner party or having one. Besides the rare local small diner or farmstand there are no options. Just down the road apiece (ha!) and over a couple of mountains (ha!) into Milheim however, is a jewel of a restaurant venue called the Elk Creek Café, the cornerstone of this charming one-stoplight-town. The Café takes its name from one of the three great creeks in the area, all well known for the best fly-fishing in the area. When it comes to the food and ales, owner Tim Bowser is committed to community, health and sustainability.

Head Brewer Tim Yarrington makes a variety of excellent award winning beers and ales, all brewed in-house.

Chef Andy Rose offers fresh baked pastries, breads and buns and sources as many ingredients as possible from local and sustainable farms, using only the freshest vegetables from a local Community Harvest cooperative.

I had their popular Alaskan Salmon (caught by local fishermen) grilled over a salad of delicious greens (harvested locally). You don’t get much fresher than that. It was absolutely wonderful. We also had one of their Pretzels, crafted by Chef Andy and served with a yummy mustard dip, the perfect accompaniment to a pint of ale. The burgers are made from local pasture-raised beef. And they also serve a Valley Ham and Cheddar sandwich, again locally sourced, that’s a crowd favorite.

Of course the highlight of my evening was the after dinner show – my daughter Christine Smith & Dave Bielanko who as the band Marah (marah-usa.com) delighted us and the sold out crowd with music from Marah and Mountain Minstrelsy. This stage mother was grinning ear to ear. Elk Creek Café offers an impressive lineup of bands and performers from near and afar. If you ever find yourself in this part of the world you’ll have to stop in and enjoy a meal, a brew, and some awesome music in a small town relaxed atmosphere. We’ll be back for sure.

http://www.elkcreekcafe.net/

Renzo's - Tampa

Renzo's - For Meat Lovers!

Our group headed over to Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa last Saturday night to try out Renzo's, an Argentinian restaurant that boasts of having "A Passion for Meat & Wines". I can relate since I love both (sometimes a little too passionately).

At first glance the place doesn't look like much more than a cafeteria so we were a little hesitant when we arrived. But we were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. From our table I could see on the back wall a small doorway that led to their wine room. Bottles stretched from floor to ceiling in a beautiful display. I saw it by chance and that seems a pity. I think they should have made that a feature wall to highlight the extensive wine offerings they're so passionate about. If they turned this storefront over to a trendy designer I'm sure they could transform this eatery into a classy looking bistro - but I realize that in doing so I'd probably be paying a lot more for this awesome food, so shhhhh, forget I said that.

They offer a table-side grill sampler that serves two and there were a few to pick from. We chose the Parilla Solo Carne (where's the beef?!) that included short ribs, flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin and also came with two sides - but the meat was the star of the show. It was more than enough for the two of us and we ate every scrap. I felt carnivorous,primitive and quite satisfied.

The prices were good, the server was friendly and welcoming and happy to explain about the meats and wines. I employed my fair to middling Spanish to assist in some of the order taking and all the food came out on time. I do have a couple of minor complaints - the little grills made the table crowded, I hate being charged a dollar for a slice of bread, and on that very extensive wine list although there was a large selection of reds by the bottle, by the glass there was only one available. Happily it was a delicious Malbec that perfectly paired with the beef. Everyone knows a little red wine aids in the digestion of beef, right? (waiter can I have another?)

There's lots more on the menu including empanadas but nearly everyone in our group is dieting so we stuck with the Atkins friendly meat courses. We skipped dessert and headed back to one of our homes to sample a gluten free blueberry something that was surprisingly good but I secretly pined for a little flan with a cafe con leche. Maybe next time when I'm done with this dieting thing.

www.renzosgourmet.com

Escape to New York City

Last week we had the pleasure of dining out with some dear old friends while we were in NYC. Our trip was hectic and filled with dates to see family and friends in a whirlwind visit. With a short window on Tuesday we headed over to have lunch with the Callahans at Manetta's on Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.

This is a favorite spot for our friends and we immediately understood why. Warm friendly greetings - a place where everyone knows your name - and some really good food to enjoy. I had an arugula salad that was perfectly dressed followed by grilled shrimp and asparagus. Yes, I was trying to eat light given all the road trip fast food we'd consumed on the grueling two day ride.

Hubby had a shrimp Parmesan sandwich and our friend had a customized salad - yes they'll make you anything you want - they are there to please. The Tuscan Red wine was the perfect accompaniment to my meal and of course I let them twist my arm and indulged in a cappuccino to wash down the awesome Biscotti that appeared with the check. Truly, the best part of the meal was the company - catching up with old friends over a good meal is delightful and we are so glad we made the time to spend with them. How lucky they are to be a short walk from this charming neighborhood eatery. Oh, and they bake all their own bread and desserts on premises!

Long Island City has exploded in the last 10-15 years and what was once an old industrial district has flourished with condos and restaurants and shops into the very lively neighborhood it is today. Just a couple of train stops and you're in Manhattan, and hey, on this side of the river LIC residents get the view of the Manhattan skyline!

Manetta's, 1076 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101, Phone number (718) 786-6171

Carmel Cafe and Wine Bar

This is a story of what happens when Hi Tech meets a bunch of senior citizens out for a relaxing evening. This month we decided to steer clear of Tampa once we heard it was Bollywood weekend. So Carmel Cafe in Sarasota was our choice.

Let me start off by saying the food was wonderful - and that's really all that matters - or is it? What about the experience? And here is where we had a bit of a disconnect.

Ever seen one of these?

Brace yourself cause this is the wave of the future and I'm not quite ready for it. Our very charming waiter brought four iPads to our table and explained brightly we'd be ordering from them. He also gave us paper menus but did his best to dissuade us from using them. Now every one of us has an iPhone so its not as if we are technology deficient, but truthfully the order process wasn't made any smoother with these.

PRO: you can see actual photos of the food you are going to order (sort of like when you go to the Chinese take out place and they have them hung on the wall). One hopes the actual dish will come out looking just like the photo and at these prices they better!.

CON: the iPad is heavy; you have to wonder if it was disinfected since the last user; you have to share them since its not practical to put 8 iPads down on the table, so that takes longer; the waiter still had to make adjustments for separate checks and by the way, he lost out a bit since the iPad didn't automatically add 18%-20% gratuity which would be normal for parties of eight.

I did a little research on this new technology and most of the reviews echoed our own - that overall they weren't worth it. And there's a problem with theft - our waiter explained that each iPad had a GPS so the restaurant could track down wayward equipment. Many restaurants have ceased using them on their outdoor dining areas to limit the risk of theft. Again, is it all worth it? Don't we have enough people of all ages glued to their electronic devices in solitary trances? The purpose of our monthly Great Escape is to enjoy the company of our friends over a glass of wine and a satisfying meal. Now they're trying to take that away from us in the name of progress!

A note about the service - our waiter was perfectly sweet and accommodating. Drinks and appetizers appeared in short order and were quickly followed by the salads. But I was only half way through my salad when the entrees were laid before me. And I'm a fast eater! When we were settling up the check, hubby asked the waiter, "do you realize its less than an hour since we first sat down? Frankly, we feel rushed." And its not like they had a long line of people waiting to get in and needed our table - the place was empty. So did the technology speed things up to our disadvantage? It would seem so. The order went so fast from the table to the kitchen that wham.....it was served at lightning speed. So for service the waiter gets an A but the iPad/Kitchen gets a C. As for the venue itself, it was very pretty as these photos will show and I especially like our table set up in front of a gigantic wall of wine.

We didn't stick around for dessert as we'd been invited back to one of our homes for good old fashioned ice cream sundaes and coffee. Hey, have you ever heard of 'wet walnuts'? They're a dessert topping made from walnuts and maple syrup. A nice way to end the evening!

http://www.carmelcafe.com/

The Clam Factory - Bradenton

Hubby was hankering for Clams on the Half Shell - a Raw Bar - something that was readily accessible when we lived in NYC. But down here in sunny Florida they are hard to find as most establishments feature only Oysters on the menu. So a quick internet search led him to The Clam Factory in Bradenton. Now don't be fooled by the rather dull and sad looking exterior you see in this photo

as believe me you can't judge a book by its cover. Located near the historic Cortez Fishing Village, The Clam features live music, great seafood and house smoked barbecue. It's run by co-owner John Medico who greeted us warmly and told us not to be fooled by the decor - he and his partner came from a fine dining background and the food would be great. And it was!

Sorry I didn't get a photo of the dozen clams served on a bed of ice (chilled and appetizing as they should be) - you see we laid into them so quickly they were gone in a flash. You'll have to go see for yourself. We lucked out by arriving on Steak Night at The Clam - a confusing concept to find steak in a seafood place...but these guys do it right. With a gigantic smoker grill set up outside the restaurant, you park your car and are immediately assaulted by the most appetizing grilled meat aromas. They offer Prime NY Strip from Bradenton's own Chop Shop - a 12-14 oz. steak with baked potato and salad for only $15.00.

Half our group went for it and the meat was absolutely delicious. One even stated that it was the best steak he'd had since he moved to Florida - wow.

There's music almost every night and the band was just setting up when we were leaving - the crowd looked ready for the fun night ahead. Alas loud music isn't our cup of tea any more but that didn't mean the night was over for us. It was back to our house for coffee and dessert and a lively round of our favorite new game - Guesstures, a Charades game that we've had so much fun playing lately. A nice way to end the evening with lots of laughs and frankly some light exercise as we run around the living room gesticulating wildly in an effort to get our teammates to guess right. And yes the girls won AGAIN. But we were all winners for this Great Escape and you can bet we will be going back to The Clam Factory very soon!

http://clamfactory.com/

Libby's Sarasota

Notice anything about Libby's Logo? Check back on my previous post for O'Bricks in Bradenton and you'll note that the logos are almost identical. Hmmm....so either they are owned by the same corporation, or they've used the same graphic designer. Take what you will from that - perhaps I'll investigate further.

Our Escape this month led us to Libby's where we enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and each others company. It must be stated that whether the restaurant is a hit or a miss - our company is always a hit. This Sarasota neighborhood is lively and filled with restaurants and bars clustered within a few short blocks. I'm always delighted to discover these pockets of cool, hip eateries. Libby's is a large beautiful place with additional sidewalk seating where you can dine alfresco even on a cool evening as they are equipped with some futuristic groovy furnace towers.

We were able to get a round table which is always our preference as it promotes conversation for all. I had my once-in-a-blue moon Lemon Drop Martini and as we got there before happy hour ended at 7 pm we scored. The menu is varied and interesting, including a whole section of Gluten Free options - a growing concern for many people these days including two of our group members. So it was nice to be able to accommodate their needs while not compromising the needs of the rest of us. Taking your group's dietary concerns into account can make it challenging to find a restaurant that will please all. Libby's did it beautifully.

I had a flat-iron entree spinach salad, hubby a flat-iron steak with pomme frittes. Two of our group had the special - meatloaf made with beef, veal and pork and topped with a fried egg, a generous portion accompanied by green beans. The food earned high points from everyone, even though it was pricy. Be prepared to spend but know that you'll enjoy the food. (Hey that's why we do this splurge only once a month!)