Thanksgiving

One of my most favorite holidays- the smells, tastes & aromas!! The Best!

Turkey w/ Ciabatta bread stuffing with wild mushrooms,vidalia onions, sausage & toasted sage

Corn Pudding

Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Puree in Puff Pastry w/ Glazed Pecans

Cauliflower Gratin

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Crispy Shallots

Cranberry Compote

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

YUM!!!!!

Trattoria L'incontra

Well, just when I thought I have been to and tried every wonderful Italian restaurant in the tri state area, another one falls into my lap.

A good friend suggested for her birthday that we try a place one of her friends frequent in Astoria, Queens. Trattoria L'incontra. located on 31 st in Astoria.

The decor is quite contemporary- high ceilings cobblestone tile floors, huge hand painted murals of scenes from Italy adorn the walls, a large brick oven for their "Le Pizze", their 11 Individual Pizzas, fireplace and two large rooms in the main dining room and a lounge area with a wine bar directly across the street for overflow & those without reservation. **YOU MUST have one!

Vincent ("cousin Vinnie" as he is known to frequent diners, is the Maitre' D & a superb knowledgable director of this bustling very busy place.

He recites the more than 40, yes, 40 specials, so don't even bother reading their large menu, unless you feel you must, The specials are the way to go.

More than 12 appetizers, 12 pastas, and numerous entrees.

We left our decisions in his hands for the appetziers & pasta & seleceted our entrees.

It was all outstanding!! To start, in addition to 2 bottles of wonderful Brunello Wines, (that Vinnie recommended) we had the burrata with proscuitto (burrata is a combination of cows & sheeps milk mozzarella imported from Italy-melt in your mouth delicious .

Next, the carmelized fig and arugula salad- oh my!! And then, one of my all time favorites, stuffed zucchini blossoms- just spectacular!!

Next, the pasta.

He chose for us, the homemade tagalatelli with sun dried ZUCCHINI- yes, Imported from Italy and tossed with crumbled sweet sausage in a light tomato sauce- excellent. Next our entrees. Two of us had the veal chop special- a rib sauteed with wild mushrooms and served with sauteed escarole and julienne slices of potato- wonderful in a light but rich brown sauce.

The others were the DOver sole- served with the entire skeleton of the bone sitting on top of the fish with tiny fresh herbs adorning each spiney bone- fantastic! The other was also a special- the grouper stuffed with marscapone and spinach- and the freshest,greenest green beans lightly sauteed in garlic and oil. wow!!!!

Dessert was also wonderful and a must try, The tiramisu was baked to perfection and well as the Chestnut layered mousse cake.

This is a MUST go!!!!! A winner!!!!

Besito

Located in West Hartford, Conn, Huntington & Roslyn, NY Besito is trendy Mexican Kitchen and Agava Lounge with authentic cuisine.

I love this place.It is a wonderful place for both lunch & dinner.

The table side Guacamole is outstanding- you choose mild, medium or hot.

The home made tomato salsa that is given to you with the house chips complimentary is equally excellent- full of fresh chunks of roasted tomatoes fresh cilantro & spices.

The tortilla soup is among my favorites- a soup with fresh avocado, pulled chicken, queso, chopped cilantro and toasted pasilla chili is so good!

The empanadas, quesadillas and taquitos are all outstanding & delicious.

All the entrees are served with the house rice and frijoles negro (back been puree) Wonderful!

My favorite lunch salad is the Ensalada con Jaiba- a salad of fresh chopped assorted greens, 4 mini crispy crab cakes, roasted sweet corn and julienne slices of jicama in an avocado & green chili vinaigrette. SO great!

Dinners is excellent with several fresh fish selections, such as roasted wild salmon, red snapper in a vera cruz sauce with olives and capers, and an seared blue corn and crab crusted grouper, just to name a few, meats including braised shirt ribs, filet mignon, yucatan spiced chicken and so much more! The poblano peppers filled with wild mushrooms, baby spinach & goat cheese topped with pine nuts an salsa fabulous!! I almost always order that for dinner.

The desserts are worth the calories!! The homemade sponge cake soaked in three types of milk topped with fresh whipped cream & berries is a Not to be missed and the holiday pumpkin flan is out of this world!

Recipes

Well, Thanksgiving is approaching and so many of my friends, family & colleagues are being to call for ideas for the holidays.

I have many favorites for this time of year- of course, I LOVE a traditional Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, but I know my friends & family LOVE new ideas for the side dishes that accompany it, so Butternut Squash soup topped with Creme fraiche & fresh chives , roasted brussel sprouts with crispy shallots in balsamic syrup, corn pudding, cauliflower gratin, I do six different types of stuffings and potato dishes, and many more, so feel free to ask ila!!!

Michael Mina

Well, just when I thought I have eaten the best meal ever- another one comes around.

I was in Vegas last week at the Bellagio, but was unable to dine at Michael Mina's place as I already had all my dinner reservations booked and was so dissapointed after reading his menu & taking a peak at his restaurant in our hotel- just beautiful!!

So, this week, I went to his restaurant the Borgata Hotel in AC & it was just incredible!!

The place itself is called Seablue & aptly named. Contemporary seafood restaurant, surrounded by large glass windows of lovely serene fish swimming about in the glass enclosed tanks in areas all around the entire restaurant. The rest of the decor is quite magnificent, inviting and hip.

I was so tempted to have the lobster pot pie, but was a little embarrassed, as it was (is) HUGE!! I supposed, really meant for to to share- an enormous puff pastry top with the most delectabile

filling inside (from what ALL the people around me were saying) It just looked outstanding! Next time for sure!!!

His other signature dish" is his phyllo crusted Dover sole, which was beyond off the hook! But, less me disgress.

He offers a tasting menu , with or without a wine pairing and it includes his famous cookbook. quite lovely & very tempting, but my guest and I decided to do our "own thing" and after some very nice wine, we ordered our appetizers. The tuna tartare was the most sensational, melt in your mouth large portion, served with a small quail egg on top, pine nuts, diced japanese daikon radish and large warm toast points. Just amazing!

Next- the chef sent over a 'little treat" with his compliments- Hamachi- the thinest translucent piece of sushi I have ever eaten, topped with thin sliced of avocado, shaved hearts of palm, and thin slices of jalapeno in a light grapefruit viniagrette- it was beyond words.

My dover came, served with phyllo that has been dried, places in a food processor to make a dust and then encrusted onto the moist fish to give it just the perfect crunch, served on top of crab mashed potatoes, and sprinkled with delicious brussel spouts leaves. OMG.

My guest had the other 'special"that evening which was roast chicken- with half of the chicken pureed into a mousse and then filled and stuffed into the rest of the chicken, and sliced with crispy skin, served over polenta in a brown forester sauce with lots of mushrooms. It was beyond spectacular & delicious, to the point where we were making sounds!! The sides-

in describable but I will try.

The roasted carmelized brussel sprouts with a hint of rich balsamic glaze, raisins, capers and gooseberries. Phenomenal! The other- one of my favorites- Gigante beans, large white beans, simmered with broccoli rabe in spicy olive oil. Just wonderful.

The desserts were just mind blowing. We had the chocolate trio- A slice of opera cake topped with a quenelle of chocolate sorbet, 2 mini mini thin chocolate chip cookie wafers, a cu of chocolate pudding with whipped cream and a chocolate molten cake, that was rich dense and so damn good- what else can I say!!

Michael MIna- no wonder you have 16 Restaurants!! My next trip back to San Fran , I will make it my business to go to the Westin, in addition to all his other places in Detroit, Vegas, Miami, Scottsdale, Georgetown, (just to name a few) plus his Bourbon Bar Burgers in three locations.

OUTSTANDING!!!!!

Vegas

Sorry I have been away for a while- traveling.

Although they say "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" in this case, not true/

I need to let you know how fabulous the restaurants are there!! We had 3 excellent meals (Joe's Stone Crabs in Caesars, Raos in MGM, Prime in the Bellagio- very very good) & one OUTSTANDING ONE! Beyond exceptional!

Aureole.

I have been to the restaurant in Manhattan.- Of Charlie Palmer fame. Excellent- top to top marks. However, I have to say our meal in Vegas at the spectacular Mandalay Bay Hotel was just incredible!

First, the decor is magnificent- rich woods, warm decor, large glass windows facing the swans swimming around in the pools,with amazing views from everywhere.

The wine list is on an I PAD, which I happen to love. I have seen this a few places recently- just a great idea and so much easier than navigating a huge leather bound book! The list is endless- white, reds, roses, champagne, all regions and fabulous. We ordered an outstanding cabernet from Sonoma. Wonderful, rich, warm ,velvety and worth every penny.

Next, they offer either a 5 course tasting with or without a wine pairing, or from the menu @ $85.pp which we decided to do and it included an appetizer and an entree ,with unlimited delicious sides , two of which were the best I have EVER tasted- ever!

( parmesan dusted french fries, fried just to a lightly golden brown,completely greaseless, and just perfect!! Next, the roasted sweet corn with fava beans and pancetta in a light cream sauce- most definitely the best and sweetest corn dish either of us ever ate!!!_ OMG! OMG!

The caesar salad came with the chilled crisp romaine leaves standing straight up wrapped in a giant parmesan crouton, served with white anchovies around the rim. The cosmopolitan of tuna tartar and thin slices of lobster with avocado had the most flavorful vinaigrette . Just sensational on every level.

The chef was kind enough to send over a few "tastings" prior to our dinner- an oyster topped with a dollop of caviar, a bit of a lobster spring roll, a mini grilled ham & cheese sandwich, among others, which were outstanding!

I was torn between the giant langostinos (giant prawns) served over the risotto with shaved white truffles , the duck breast or the fish . I chose the fish- a seared sea bass , which was so moist, pure white, with layers of flavors and just perfectly cooked. My husband had the veal loin- it didn't require a knife to cut it- it just melted in your mouth!

We were too full for dessert, but they sent over some truffles, which they also sell by the piece or the box, and the guests at the tables surrounding us had the most magnificent looking desserts! Multi color & flavor fruit sorbets, a molten chocolate cake that looked sinful and I could hear the ooos & aaahhs from their table!.

The staff - impeccable. Attentive, knowledgable and wonderful. Never did we move without our napkins being folded, our wine being re filled and poured after a few sips, beautiful silverware replaced after every course, and the entire experience was one of the best I have ever had!

I had the pleasure of meeting the chef and got a tour of the kitchen- WOW!! That is all I can say. Just the most memorable dining experience and I will return !!!!