Sailracer S.'s Profile

Wonderful Northern Italian on the Water.

I stopped by on a Monday night and sat outside.  The service was friendly, adaptable and wiling to give multiple suggestions.  The inside was adorable (more french bistro than italian, but . . .) and the outside overlooked Baltimore Harbor across a quiet street and marina a bit off the main tourist track.

The wine list, while focused on bottles, was broad.  The cocktail menu was also attractive.  While Cinghiale featured an extension of its restaurant week and a very reasonable full prix fixe with wine pairing ($75), I wasn't in the mood for 4 courses.  So, instead I orderd the "Suppli Al Telefono"  (Crispy Risotto with Mozzerella) and the Dorade (Arata) special.  The rice balls were ligher than I expected in a wonderful sauce.  The Dorade came with skin over fingerling potatos in a creme, which was devine.

I'd definately hit up Cinghiale again.   Wonderful spot, service and food.

Hot Mess!

Judging by prior reviews, the roof top at Hudson Terrace is not all that on most nights.  Watch out for the new gay Sunday nights though!  This party, just starting, will likely only last a few weeks.  Savor it while it lasts.  The DJ is hot.  The go-go boys are hotter.  The crowd?  Well . . . they're a hot mess.

Crowded with boys, wall to wall.  I'll be dancing here on the roof for a few Sundays to come.

This was my staple on the strip.  Thankfully, there is one in NYC, too.  So, I can eat it back home.  

Can you say Carpaccio?  The beef Carpaccio is delicious and void of the normal saltiness of the dish.  The fresh pasta entrees (I had butternut squash ravioli) are all to die for.  If I were to do steak, I might head to one of Vegas's great steakhouses.  But, for New American cuisine that is generous and delicious, Olive's is a hit.  

Hopefully the NY one is as good.

Love it.  Love it.  Love it.   Well, that isn't to say I love the food.  I've only ever seen the food, which looks great.  Almond, however, on Saturdays at 10:30 turns into the scene.  Almond goes Karaoke at 10:30 on Saturdays.  All the boys and men show up to croon, rock and pop it all out.   From daddy's to boys, and fashionistas heading to the Hamptons for the weekends, the fun rolls in and rolls out to the next venue of fab.  

A couple Saturdays ago when I was there, a cute 20-something decided to take to the bar with his very own rendition of "I'm too sexy" bringing on a not all that raunchy, but fun, bit of audience participation.  

Young and old... It's good fun.

This place, while having an obstructed view to the harbor, is a gem in Annapolis. Their small plates and big plates alike are tasty and balanced.

We went here mid-evening and sat outside. They have cute tables right on the road for great people watching. As soon as it looked like it might rain, the friendly waitstaff offered to move us inside.

The variations on crab were great. We got a Mexican style crab dip appetizer, which was served with tortilla chips. As I've always thought, cheese improves everything (even crab). The broiled crab cake for the main dish came with a nice salad, rice and perfectly cooked broccoli.

There are man choices on the wharf, but I'll definitely come back here next time I'm in Annapolis.

I had high expectations for this hotel.  While my higher-floor room was appointed nicely with a nicely Florida modern flair and had a beautiful deck overlooking the Atlantic, a couple things just turned me off about this W.  

First, I felt highly marketed to.  For instance, everything in the room from the Bliss soap to my pillow was for sale (and too obviously so).  Even my room key had an advertisement (for an Acura).   It was all so Las Vegas.  

As well, the decor in public spaces was a bit "ikea."  While beautiful now, nothing about this hotel looked like it would survive the test of time.  There is no focus on longevity.  In a plastic fantastic society where consumerism in fads creates massive garbage in the  future, the W Ft. Lauderdale will become a relic sooner than most of itscontemporaries.

This is the best I've seen so far that Buffalo has to offer.   Walking in, you're not sure what you're in for.  With a fairly basic basement decor consisting of plain seating and nice white tablecloth linnens, the mirrored post in the middle of the diningroom makes one wonder if the space was once a nightclub.  Yet, the fresh (living) plants on the tables and baskets the waitstaff bring bread and silverware from give Rue Franklin much of its charm.  Hillariously, the broken french spoken by the host was matched only in hillarity with his bowing.  Yet, the service was attentive yet unobtrusive.  

The night I was there, Rue Franklin was offering Lamb Tenderloin Carpaccio with mint sauce among the specials.  This and the Ricotta Gnocci were both fantastic.  The salad house dressing was light and flavorful on a fairly basic but fresh salad.   As for my main, I stuck with Lamb and loin Noisettes.  Perfectly cooked, the almonds were more of a "dash on top" instead of a crust.  The vegetable-polenta tart was the best part of this dish with a nice slice of squash and tomato softened atop beautifully.   The rasberries at desert and fresh above the chocolate tort.  The dish was beautifully presented with cream and candied peanuts.  

I'd go again.  I described it to friends as an Oasis in what is otherwise . . . Buffalo.

Since the closing of Han Oi around the corner, this has been the standby Vietnamese in Tribeca.  The food is good, but a bit upscale for Vietnamese.  The prices are a tad hi, too.  The atmosphere is chaming and nice for a date.

Fairly good appetisers. The hebachi meat app is fun with groups to grill your own meat on a stick.  Fairly decent after work hangout.

Do they ever have cars?  This particular Hertz is usually sold out when I try to rent from them a couple days in advance.  In the end it was fine because others had cars (especially since Avis has the new Camaro).  For travellers who like to remain brand loyal, however, this Hertz makes it challenging.