Tony’s Restaurant Reviews

The Newark area near the airport is home to a multitude of Portuguese restaurants, and Da Caneca’s place is well worth a visit. Though they offer a complete luncheon buffet (I believe weekdays only), I chose pork cutlets (breaded) with a cilantro sauce (though garlic was also very, very present). Starter soup was fresh and not salty (kudos to the cook), and bread/oil authentic – good bread is always a treat. A glass of dry red Portuguese wine rounded out my dining experience.

Though this is only the second Portuguese restaurant I’ve added to my list (see the entry in MA), I will add others whenever the opportunity presents itself.

72 Elm Road
(corner of Houston Street)
Newark, NJ 07105
(973) 589-6882

www.tonydacaneca.com

by all means check the website or call for directions, you’ll be glad you did

This north side Chicago bakery has moved to Andersonville (another north side neighborhood) and boasts wonderful baked goods as well as lunch and dinner fare. When you’re looking for the real thing in a smaller scale operation, give it a try.

My rating: Breads 2.5, Cicuses 2.5, Value 3.0
Overall rating 8 out of 15

pennies

5401 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 989-0151

June 05 review:

The Tavern on the Green on a sunny May afternoon is somewhat poetic – a private and peaceful outdoor setting amidst the hustle and bustle of New York. The place has maintained a good reputation over the years and is well worth a visit.

We each had salads (lighter fare realizing that we were planning a late evening with theatre and an 11pm dinner reservation at Babbo) and wine – with very good bread and excellent and friendly service. No trip to New York will be complete in the future without a visit here.

$$ to $$$

Central Park at West 67th Street
New York, NY
(212) 873-3200
www.tavernonthegreen.com

Garden open May-October

Review June 05:

When in Manhattan, why not take a chance. What a place (we were so disappointed in a hotel concierge recommendation the night before that we took a chance on our own instincts and New York Times suggestions).

Damian the head man is a French transplant (wife from Iowa – what an international world we live in – and he appreciates the excellence of Iowa pork tenderloin), and owners are French, Italian and (from) Belgium. But the food is nothing short of great!

Ask for Chris the waiter – an upper peninsula of Michigan transplant who graduated to al Doge after assignment at the American Girls’ Place – no comment.

Wine choices are varied and fair pours the norm.

The grilled vegetable appetizer was perfect – just enough oil with a sprinkling of cheese – and al dente. Definitely enough to share. No salad needed here.

Pasta entrees galore – all we tried were excellent. Check their web site for details. Bread is also excellent.

The two trips to Doge will go on record as some of the best food experiences we’ve had so far. We will return.

$$$

142 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
(212) 944-3643

www.osteria-doge.com

May 05 review:

The famous Sardi’s was our first night dining experience during our Manhattan getaway. What fun to be among the celebrities (that is, their caricatures on the wall). We chose a reservation right after playtime on Broadway (after around 8pm) and had the place to ourselves. Service was of course excellent, and the history of the place demanded a visit.

Wines by the glass were fine – and entrees acceptable but not the reason to come here. But then again, I have yet to try a rolled pasta entree I haven’t liked.

234 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
(212) 221-8440

www.sardis.com

February 2006 update:

Ok, this time the sauteed spinach/portobella/onion as appetizer, and cheese ravioli with tomato basil sauce and Italian sausage with mushrooms as entree, with good Pinot Noir and a banana bread pudding concoction for desert with good black coffee. You can’t go wrong here. I especially like their subtle approach to the addition of meats to their sauces – just right, not overdone and the portions are ample and not ridiculous. Go for it. Note: unfortunately the sausage dish mentioned below was no longer on the menu – don’t know why.

June 05 review:

My third visit here and discovered I failed to review it before – what a big mistake! This is first class food and circuses!

Prior visits brought me to chicken dishes with Gorgonzola, wonderful roasted garlic AND roasted garlic puree. No vampires in sight – does that make any sense? Wine choices by ths glass include cc, m, pn and cb for reds – all good.

But let’s get serious – you have to try their Salsiccia al Marsala (HOMEMADE and WONDERFUL Italian sausage with mushrooms in a marsala demi-glace). I have never had better sausage. It alone is worth the trip in this somewhat hard to find Cincinnati location.

My entree was Penne alla Cionni (with roasted tomatoes, portabellas tossed in olive oil & garlic with scallions and Gorgonzola). The pasta was al dente (though I specified this when I ordered) and combined the best elements of the multitude of ingredients in a well rounded presentation. You won’t go wrong with this one.

Next time I’ll have to judge their Linguine alla Carbonara; I just can’t get enough pancetta and eggs – maybe I was a farmer in a previous life.

Though I usually don’t have dessert, I did indulge in their Torta di Amaretto. Such a complex creation that I won’t bore you with the details – try it for ourself. Hint: it is a real challenger to Tiramisu.

$$

310 Matson Place
Quenn’s Tower
Cincinnati, OH 45204
(513) 251-6467

call for directions or look at their web site

www.pvista.com

Look out – you have some new converts. Our first visit to La Scarola was on a late Monday evening thinking the wait would be short. Guess we didn’t time things quite right, though the pleasant wait staff (and bartender) made waiting almost a pleasure. A good selection of reds by the glass helped pass the time.

Though the place has been around for awhile, for some reason we resisted this near north west side gem. Our starter was sausage and peppers served with good artisan bread and the usual butter, olive oil, grated cheese and red pepper sides. I like the options though tend to shy away from some of the fats whenever possible. I’ll take my fats in the sausage!

The egg plant parmagiana was a knock out – on a par with Donatella’s. Rigatoni pasta (al dente – amen!) with broccoli and goat cheese tossed with shallots and garlic was delicious with subtle flavors combined to make a memorable dish. A thrown-in side of linguini with vegetable red sauce was taken home – and it too was al dente enough to be edible the next day; what a deal.

The place is a bit cramped – but everyone is smiling and friendly. It was a pleasure to enjoy the experience with no pressing time constraint.

Next time will look at the wine list, and try a meat dish to satisfy my hunter instincts. There is a sharing charge which I don’t approve of in these days of weight watching and portion awareness.

$$

721 West Grand Ave. (just east of Milwaukee and Halsted)
Chicago, IL 60610
$5 valet parking (let’s hope it stays that cheap)
(312) 243-1740

www.lascarola.com

The red-brick Santa Fe station house, constructed in 1904, houses Tomasita’s – “a distinctly Northern New Mexican restaurant.” Another place where the “locals” go, though we noticed many strangers. I had their Saturday special: Carnitas Antonio (nice name) with tender strips of beef marinated with onions and green chile with special sauce and the obligatory rice and refried beans. Tortilla soup here also worth a try. Oblige yourself with a Margarita while waiting for a table.

Service is extremely friendly, even to strangers.

500 South Guadalupe
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
(505) 983-5721

Portland’s oldest restaurant (since 1879) , with quite a history to boot. Get this: chef Jim Louie, a stowaway on a windjammer from Canton, China was hired by Huber in 1891 and during the flood of 1894 it was said that Jim’s dedication to his work was shown when the saloon flooded with water with Jim still behind the lunch counter in a row boat serving clams and turkey sandwiches to customers on the other side. Michael row your boat ashore!

Anyway, the above short piece is but only a very small part of this places history (check out www.hubers.com).

The menu has many Pacific Coast seafood choices, along with turkey dishes which appear to be their specialty (one combination with ham to boot – would you call it turf and turfier?). My choice was an 8 oz. filet with gorgonzola topping cooked to perfection with sides of mashed potatoes and a green bean medley. Starter Ceaser salad without anchoives was also very good. The beer bread was really made with the suds, and is an acquired taste.

Wine choices include several Oregon Pinot Noirs; the one we shared from Archery Summit was a good choice. Decor in the oldest section is smashing, complete with a massive bar with three Gothic shaped mirrors in the background. The combination with Frank Loyd Wright style ceiling stained glass panels gives the feeling that you’re in a train station – choo choo.

411 Southwest Third
Portland, OR
(503) 228-5686

Returning back to Clearwater Beach, at the end of my beach walk, noticed this “new” place and gave it a try. According to their menu, it is a family owned business (in the general area since 1981 though this location is a new one). Glad I discovered it.

I chose the salad to start with blue cheese dressing – fresh greens with just the right amount of dressing; it was a mild version and not overpowering. Good, hot mini bread loaf accompanied the salad with an olive oil dip. First wine choice was a Sangiovese.

The fettucini carbonara was quite good though a bit too rich – they should take note of Donatella’s and cut back on the cream – and portion size was just about right. The Chianti was the right choice with this dish. No time to look at the wine list, maybe next time when I’m not alone.

In conclusion, I must say that I will return whenever in Clearwater Beach. Though there seems to be a lot of development going on, it’s always nice to find a family owned business succeeding with so many franchises around.

My rating: Breads 3, Circuses 2.5, Value 2.5
Overall rating 8 out of 15

435 Mandalay Avenue (located across from the Hilton)
Clearwater Beach, FL
(727) 445-1155

www.forlinis.com