Not Just pizza, A Friday tradition
Ronzoni's Pizza has become a Weekly tradition for my friends and I. Its one of the few places that actually deliver to the area that I reside. The flavors of pizza that are offered include South of the border ( mozz. cheese, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, peppers, onions and beef) are fantastic. They have several specialty pizzas but that and the buffalo chicken are my favorite so far. They also offer a Shrimp Scampi pizza that I am excited to try. That will be this Fridays choice.
As far as sides are concerned, I have tried a few of them. The garlic melt they have is delicious. I am a huge garlic and butter fan and then when its on bread and topped with cheese I am in heaven. It was actually a full foot long piece of bread that it came on so the price was very fair. The jalapeno poppers were like any others that I have had so nothing special but still ok.
The full dinners they provide include both meat and vegetarian options. My mother has dined there and felt the Eggplant Parm was well prepared and "scrumptious". The sausage and peppers That I ordered was also delicious and came in quite a large portion.
They also offer sandwiches. When you order the sandwich the portion you get is actually a foot long sub. The Philly cheese steak is juicy and tender and the peppers and mushrooms that are available to add make this sandwich something to order.
You should certainly order something from here. If nothing else just try the pizza. As far as places that deliver in the area this is certainly my most favorite unless I post otherwise.
Menu Available here http://www.hvtakeout.com/hydepark/ronzonis/menupage.htm
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Twisted Soul
Something to Twist and Shout About
When you come to Twisted Soul you have no choice but to be astounded by the menu. The fusion of many different flavors are all so perfectly paired even the descriptions make your tummy happy. To give any specific food category to this restaurant would be an extreme disservice. With such a wide variety of flavors and choices it might be hard to pick just one thing. The best way to handle eating here, is to just order the entire menu which is just about what we did.
The steamed pork buns are one of my favorite things to order. But the rest of the menu cant be ignored either. The specialty drinks are Asian inspired and herbal. With items such as lavender basil lemonade your taste buds have no choice but to be pleased as it washes down the sweet, salty,tangy, and umami pork buns.
For an inexpensive restaurant that everyone in a family can find a dish that will delight, this is one of the top places I would suggest. The chef Lee has spent countless hours perfecting the Ethiopian and Asian inspired menu and his wife offers sweet and flawless front of the house service. The regular customers are treated like family. This is easily one of the most inviting places in Poughkeepsie and the homey like inside is spiced up by local and beautiful artwork. This is a great place for a casual lunch or dinner. For the price, you can't afford not to stop by
When you come to Twisted Soul you have no choice but to be astounded by the menu. The fusion of many different flavors are all so perfectly paired even the descriptions make your tummy happy. To give any specific food category to this restaurant would be an extreme disservice. With such a wide variety of flavors and choices it might be hard to pick just one thing. The best way to handle eating here, is to just order the entire menu which is just about what we did.
The steamed pork buns are one of my favorite things to order. But the rest of the menu cant be ignored either. The specialty drinks are Asian inspired and herbal. With items such as lavender basil lemonade your taste buds have no choice but to be pleased as it washes down the sweet, salty,tangy, and umami pork buns.
For an inexpensive restaurant that everyone in a family can find a dish that will delight, this is one of the top places I would suggest. The chef Lee has spent countless hours perfecting the Ethiopian and Asian inspired menu and his wife offers sweet and flawless front of the house service. The regular customers are treated like family. This is easily one of the most inviting places in Poughkeepsie and the homey like inside is spiced up by local and beautiful artwork. This is a great place for a casual lunch or dinner. For the price, you can't afford not to stop by
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Bull And Buddah
Starting from the complementary parking lot this restaurant shows promise. I was impressed that for the low, low cost of nothing, the patrons of Bull and Buddha were able to park in a private lot and this saved the hassle of driving around the block and then trekking back to the restaurant. The convenient and sometimes taken for granted parking lot certainly started my experience positively.
Walking into the restaurant took my breath away. The rich smell of cooking meat and Asian spices were almost debilitating. Each table passed showcased edible artwork that had been placed in front of each guest. Although the table for two was too crowded to encompass all that was set in front of us including 3 menus, and we got sat right next to the bathroom in a bit of a cubby hole the dining area was cozy and festive. The hand painted Asian style murals that decorated the walls are stunning and perhaps the only downside to the artist's depictions was that they temporarily slowed conversation while they were admired.
The server we received was very friendly as a person but it seemed as if even though he was trying, being a server was just not his bag. We received a lot of the things we ordered a little less quickly than what we would have preferred but it was all well worth the wait.
We started the evening off with a specialty drink and a beer for him. The Thai Martini I enjoyed was a mix of green tea vodka and coconut milk. It was certainly an interesting mouth feel and a creative idea. He enjoyed a Dead Guy Ale that we were surprised to see on the menu. The beer and specialty drink menu clearly had some thought put into it.The wine list had very reasonable by the bottle prices and were from many areas. The more expensive wines were a separate list which allowed some one looking at price separate wines in their price range more easily.
The special menu offered many sushi choices which we thoroughly took advantage of. We received a bowl of edamame hummus and won ton chips along with our sushi rolls and the spicy mayo we special ordered made the crap roll really pop . The tastes and textures of each piece of sushi were so well paired that I have no doubt in my mind that the kitchen staff and the Creator of the menu has a love of food and a passion that has brought them to this industry. My strong opinion on the kitchen staff continued through the rest of the meal.
When the shitake and crab crusted fillet Mignon was sat in front of me surrounded by wassabi mashed potatoes and tempura fried onion rings, i was taken back. The presentation paired with how much I had built up the meal in my mind left me speechless and salivating. The meal was certainly not disappointing. The steak was prepared to the exact medium I had ordered, the portions were huge and I left feeling full and completely satisfied with the check total. It was comparable to some of the more inexpensive restaurants in the area and the food was the best for the fine dining restaurants I've dined at in Poughkeepsie.
Without hesitation, I would highly suggest this restaurant. The interesting take on surf and turf is undeniably one of the top places I would recommend to take a guest to if you want to impress them without stressing your budget. If you only have a few nights with someone special, dedicate one of those dinners to Bull and Buddha.
Walking into the restaurant took my breath away. The rich smell of cooking meat and Asian spices were almost debilitating. Each table passed showcased edible artwork that had been placed in front of each guest. Although the table for two was too crowded to encompass all that was set in front of us including 3 menus, and we got sat right next to the bathroom in a bit of a cubby hole the dining area was cozy and festive. The hand painted Asian style murals that decorated the walls are stunning and perhaps the only downside to the artist's depictions was that they temporarily slowed conversation while they were admired.
The server we received was very friendly as a person but it seemed as if even though he was trying, being a server was just not his bag. We received a lot of the things we ordered a little less quickly than what we would have preferred but it was all well worth the wait.
We started the evening off with a specialty drink and a beer for him. The Thai Martini I enjoyed was a mix of green tea vodka and coconut milk. It was certainly an interesting mouth feel and a creative idea. He enjoyed a Dead Guy Ale that we were surprised to see on the menu. The beer and specialty drink menu clearly had some thought put into it.The wine list had very reasonable by the bottle prices and were from many areas. The more expensive wines were a separate list which allowed some one looking at price separate wines in their price range more easily.
The special menu offered many sushi choices which we thoroughly took advantage of. We received a bowl of edamame hummus and won ton chips along with our sushi rolls and the spicy mayo we special ordered made the crap roll really pop . The tastes and textures of each piece of sushi were so well paired that I have no doubt in my mind that the kitchen staff and the Creator of the menu has a love of food and a passion that has brought them to this industry. My strong opinion on the kitchen staff continued through the rest of the meal.
When the shitake and crab crusted fillet Mignon was sat in front of me surrounded by wassabi mashed potatoes and tempura fried onion rings, i was taken back. The presentation paired with how much I had built up the meal in my mind left me speechless and salivating. The meal was certainly not disappointing. The steak was prepared to the exact medium I had ordered, the portions were huge and I left feeling full and completely satisfied with the check total. It was comparable to some of the more inexpensive restaurants in the area and the food was the best for the fine dining restaurants I've dined at in Poughkeepsie.
Without hesitation, I would highly suggest this restaurant. The interesting take on surf and turf is undeniably one of the top places I would recommend to take a guest to if you want to impress them without stressing your budget. If you only have a few nights with someone special, dedicate one of those dinners to Bull and Buddha.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Melting Pot
All it's crocked up to be
For someone who has never dined at "The Melting Pot" I would highly suggest it. The atmosphere, food, and service all add up to be quite an experience. Once you walk through the doors located next to sears in the Poughkeepsie Galleria, you are faced with not only an astonishing amount of wine bottles, which i suggest you get a bottle like we did, but also friendly servers ready to seat you. We went on a Friday evening and were surprised that the restaurant was not too loud, too crowded and the servers were still very attentive. The amount of time and money put into decorating this place is something that can simply not be over looked. Each table has its own induction burner which is an asset I was not expecting at all.
In order to get the full experience we decided to do the "big night out" meal. This meal changes but for now the theme is "France". This includes a cheese fondue to start, a salad, your choice of 3 main courses (with 4 or so choices of sauces in which to cook your food) and a dessert. The fondue, salad, and dessert are all options that can be exchanged for others on the menu. This provides variety for those who are looking for it but if picking and choosing isn't really your thing, then you can just stick with the options given. As far as I'm concerned, this is really the best way to go.
The fondue we started with had several kinds of french cheeses melted in a white wine and truffle and bacon butter. It was served with rosemary baguette , green apples and vegetables. It was made right in front of us and disappeared quickly.
Salad course was filled with beets, tomatoes, eggs and green beans on a bed of fresh lettuce and tossed in a vinaigrette. This was also accompanied by "The Melting Pot"'s special seasoning which was not necessary but still quite enjoyable.
The beauty of the main courses at the melting pot is that they bring out raw meat. Meat that has literally never seen a flame, boiling water, or a fryer. You actually get to enjoy the conversation while you cook your own food at the table. After skewering the piece of lobster, duck, chicken, steak OR shrimp (we got the lobster plate that included all of that and two lobsters) you then cook it in one of four sauces. The broth we chose was a seasoned vegetable broth which added the least flavor to the entree and allowed us to enjoy the flavor of the meat and the integrity of the meal was not altered. It was also served with seven sauces. The sauces included curry, a port Gorgonzola, a "green goddess" which is a cream cheese and herb spread just to name a few.
The dessert originally offered with the "Big Night Out" meal was a creme brulee fondue. We chose to opt out and instead enjoy the Smores fondue. The melted chocolate came already in a crock and was placed on the heating element. The server then mixed in the marshmallows until fully melted and added Graham crackers. The items that were offered to dip into our chocolate and marshmallow concoction were oreo coated marshmallows, graham cracker coated marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, rice crispy treats, brownies and pound cake. This was a dessert lover's dream.
We left feeling entirely satisfied both with paying the amount the meal cost and as far as our stomachs were concerned. Without a doubt in my mind I would suggest going to The Melting Pot. This meal was fantastic. You will be missing out on an amazing experience if you do not dine here.
For someone who has never dined at "The Melting Pot" I would highly suggest it. The atmosphere, food, and service all add up to be quite an experience. Once you walk through the doors located next to sears in the Poughkeepsie Galleria, you are faced with not only an astonishing amount of wine bottles, which i suggest you get a bottle like we did, but also friendly servers ready to seat you. We went on a Friday evening and were surprised that the restaurant was not too loud, too crowded and the servers were still very attentive. The amount of time and money put into decorating this place is something that can simply not be over looked. Each table has its own induction burner which is an asset I was not expecting at all.
In order to get the full experience we decided to do the "big night out" meal. This meal changes but for now the theme is "France". This includes a cheese fondue to start, a salad, your choice of 3 main courses (with 4 or so choices of sauces in which to cook your food) and a dessert. The fondue, salad, and dessert are all options that can be exchanged for others on the menu. This provides variety for those who are looking for it but if picking and choosing isn't really your thing, then you can just stick with the options given. As far as I'm concerned, this is really the best way to go.
The fondue we started with had several kinds of french cheeses melted in a white wine and truffle and bacon butter. It was served with rosemary baguette , green apples and vegetables. It was made right in front of us and disappeared quickly.
Salad course was filled with beets, tomatoes, eggs and green beans on a bed of fresh lettuce and tossed in a vinaigrette. This was also accompanied by "The Melting Pot"'s special seasoning which was not necessary but still quite enjoyable.
The beauty of the main courses at the melting pot is that they bring out raw meat. Meat that has literally never seen a flame, boiling water, or a fryer. You actually get to enjoy the conversation while you cook your own food at the table. After skewering the piece of lobster, duck, chicken, steak OR shrimp (we got the lobster plate that included all of that and two lobsters) you then cook it in one of four sauces. The broth we chose was a seasoned vegetable broth which added the least flavor to the entree and allowed us to enjoy the flavor of the meat and the integrity of the meal was not altered. It was also served with seven sauces. The sauces included curry, a port Gorgonzola, a "green goddess" which is a cream cheese and herb spread just to name a few.
The dessert originally offered with the "Big Night Out" meal was a creme brulee fondue. We chose to opt out and instead enjoy the Smores fondue. The melted chocolate came already in a crock and was placed on the heating element. The server then mixed in the marshmallows until fully melted and added Graham crackers. The items that were offered to dip into our chocolate and marshmallow concoction were oreo coated marshmallows, graham cracker coated marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, rice crispy treats, brownies and pound cake. This was a dessert lover's dream.
We left feeling entirely satisfied both with paying the amount the meal cost and as far as our stomachs were concerned. Without a doubt in my mind I would suggest going to The Melting Pot. This meal was fantastic. You will be missing out on an amazing experience if you do not dine here.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
CREW
The New and "I'mproved" CREW
As many people in the Hudson Valley know, CREW ran into a little bit of an issue with the owner not feeling that taxes were necessary and avoiding them for a little while. Once big brother figured out they were missing a few hundred thousand dollars, CREW got shut down and is now under new ownership. Assumingly, the new owner is more willing to hand over 8+ % on every dollar gained in order to stay in business.
Now that CREW is under new ownership, it can be assumed that a new menu will accompany that. The menu that joined the reopening was almost as disappointing as realizing uncle Sam would like his back owed money.
A "fusion" of Japanese, American, and Italian has caused more destruction to a once good-quality menu than a tornado on a trailer park. When it comes down to it not everything needs soy sauce, every dish cannot be "Tuscan" and no one is impressed with Angus beef now that McDonalds has it.
The food and service was quite good once you were finally able to settle on a menu item (emphasis on "settle"). I enjoyed the Rib eye Steak (Grilled 14oz Rib eye steak with potato puree, seasonal vegetables & a brandy - peppercorn cream sauce$23.50). The vegetables were like the vegetables you would expect from your basic family dining restaurant. They were far from seasonal but cooked perfectly. The steak was the medium I had ordered it to be and very tender. For 23.50 I was able to be entirely full and even have a meal for the next day.
Dessert, which is my favorite part of any meal, was not ordered due to the dessert menu lacking anything original or worth the price. Seasonal berry crisp being served in a month that berries are not in season is something that would only perturb someone who knows something about food. More creative options would have greatly improved the dessert menu. Some of the options, such as a brownie sundae is something you would see on a diner menu and shouldn't be included on a fine dining menu. In this area, I was hardly impressed.
The close proximity of the tables made our conversation also our neighbor’s conversation. The many tables in such a small area paired with the open kitchen makes for a quite loud dining experience. The opportunity for nice dinner conversation was only possible through screaming or sign language.
Once the bill had been paid and I was on the way home a feeling of dissatisfaction overwhelmed me. The amount paid for the meal, service, and ambiance was what I would expect to pay for a much better experience. The experience was no better than a TGI Fridays for a price that was comparable to The Melting Pot. This will not be a destination I will return to. It might be new , but "improved" is a hell of a stretch.
As many people in the Hudson Valley know, CREW ran into a little bit of an issue with the owner not feeling that taxes were necessary and avoiding them for a little while. Once big brother figured out they were missing a few hundred thousand dollars, CREW got shut down and is now under new ownership. Assumingly, the new owner is more willing to hand over 8+ % on every dollar gained in order to stay in business.
Now that CREW is under new ownership, it can be assumed that a new menu will accompany that. The menu that joined the reopening was almost as disappointing as realizing uncle Sam would like his back owed money.
A "fusion" of Japanese, American, and Italian has caused more destruction to a once good-quality menu than a tornado on a trailer park. When it comes down to it not everything needs soy sauce, every dish cannot be "Tuscan" and no one is impressed with Angus beef now that McDonalds has it.
The food and service was quite good once you were finally able to settle on a menu item (emphasis on "settle"). I enjoyed the Rib eye Steak (Grilled 14oz Rib eye steak with potato puree, seasonal vegetables & a brandy - peppercorn cream sauce$23.50). The vegetables were like the vegetables you would expect from your basic family dining restaurant. They were far from seasonal but cooked perfectly. The steak was the medium I had ordered it to be and very tender. For 23.50 I was able to be entirely full and even have a meal for the next day.
Dessert, which is my favorite part of any meal, was not ordered due to the dessert menu lacking anything original or worth the price. Seasonal berry crisp being served in a month that berries are not in season is something that would only perturb someone who knows something about food. More creative options would have greatly improved the dessert menu. Some of the options, such as a brownie sundae is something you would see on a diner menu and shouldn't be included on a fine dining menu. In this area, I was hardly impressed.
The close proximity of the tables made our conversation also our neighbor’s conversation. The many tables in such a small area paired with the open kitchen makes for a quite loud dining experience. The opportunity for nice dinner conversation was only possible through screaming or sign language.
Once the bill had been paid and I was on the way home a feeling of dissatisfaction overwhelmed me. The amount paid for the meal, service, and ambiance was what I would expect to pay for a much better experience. The experience was no better than a TGI Fridays for a price that was comparable to The Melting Pot. This will not be a destination I will return to. It might be new , but "improved" is a hell of a stretch.
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