Anna Maria’s Makeover

I stalk celebrity chef Robert Irvine. I like his gruff style and his no holds barred approach to food. He proves that cooking good food is not for the timid or faint of heart and he’s passionate about what he does, I love that.

He hosts a show called Restaurant Impossible on the Food Network, a show that you should only watch if you don’t mind getting a mind-blowing lesson in how difficult the restaurant business can be.

Robert Irvine tweeted that he was re-making a restaurant in Dunmore, Pennsylvania called Anna Maria’s around Thanksgiving time. It just so happens that it was located on the way to my parents home. Curiosity got the better of us and we planned to stop for dinner.

The outside remains humble but once you went in and walked past the bar to the restaurant, you can see the newly minted elegant dining room. It was really beautiful. Everything was newly painted and the there were candles everywhere.

I love candlelight in restaurants. Nothing sets the cozy dining mood better for me than candles and “just right” lighting. Fluorescent lighting in a restaurant is like serving wine in a red solo plastic cup.

The owners came in to speak to us. They were lovely people. They told me to take as many photos as I wanted and in the name of full disclosure, I told them I was a blogger. They asked that I not show their faces until after the episode airs and I’m happy to obliged and I’ll tell you their stories next month but for now, I’ll show you this gorgeous wallpaper.

Tucker, one of the owners said they spent a total of $200 on wallpapering the entire restaurant. A map of Italy was copied over and over and pasted on the walls. It was so beautiful, warm and inviting.

The chandeliers added just a touch of beautiful color. Barrel drum chandeliers – I love you.

These are my kids, I love them too – and they too add some color to my life.

The decor is simple and elegant but the food – was really good.

We decided that since it was Thanksgiving, we were going to try everything – or nearly everything on the menu.

I don’t want to insult the good people at Anna Maria’s by posting my really awful photos of their food so I’ll just give you this little run down of our order – just in case you make it to their establishment one day (and you should.)

The husband’s order
Mussels Appetizer – best dish on the menu! It reminded us of our time in Italy and fresh seafood from the Adriatic. Great dish.
Fried Calamari – this was also really good but somewhat unusual as it had the classic fish and chips breading you get in English. The batter was quite thick and bready but there was plenty of soft, chunky squid as well. The English do it the best!
Pork Chop & Brussels Sprouts – the husband really enjoyed this but he’s also a Brussels sprouts fan. The portion of pork was generous and was topped with homemade apple sauce. Hearty and good.

My order
Antipasta salad – the dressing was really good. The salad was fresh – thank goodness. Wilted lettuce in a salad is worse than a wine in a – well you know. The only thing I lacked in my opinion was more – well, antipasti and less lettuce. A little more cheese, more olives, more meats and it would have been perfect.
- I shared the husband’s appetizers in case you were wondering if I eat like a bird – I don’t.

The boy’s order
Penne pasta – this was offered as a side dish and since there was nothing on the menu that he wanted to eat, we ordered it as a main dish for him. They accommodated us and he said it was great. Since he’s the pickiest eater on the planet, you can take that to the bank.

The girl’s order
Unknown appetizer – I can’t remember the appetizer that she ordered but I know she did order one because she always does – she’s the eater in our family. I just remembered that she really liked it and ate the entire thing without sharing.
Spaghetti and Meatballs – I wish I could say something great about this dish but it was just a standard dish of pasta – I feel odd saying that about a Robert Irvine dish. In saying so, when I make spaghetti and meatballs, I put a secret ingredient in there that really boosts the flavor. I’m going to share the secret now.

Fish sauce. I put fish sauce in my red sauce. If you don’t have fish sauce, I suggest a few slices of anchovy. There was obviously no fish sauce in the marinara therefore – it fell short for the girl.

Sorry Robert -

Here’s a link to their website – http://www.annamariasdunmore.com/index.html. By the way – the restaurant is no longer pink.

Bon appetito!

In My Opinion – Thoughts On EZ Thai

Yesterday the husband and I had lunch at a local Thai place that just opened a few months ago. This was our second time there and I was guardedly optimistic for you see, I was there once before, two weeks after it opened.

And I was really disappointed.

But because I wanted the restaurant to succeed and really don’t like to write a “negative” review – I stayed mum. I have spoken to some others who have dined there and reviews were mixed – ranging from not so bad to not so good.

Let me say this – I really want the restaurant to do well, for them as well as for our local community. We need some spice in our little neck of the woods.

So I’m happy to report this – I left somewhat happy, or happier than when before I went in.

Before I write about the food, I want to say firstly – the restaurant was very, very clean and pleasant to dine in. The flowers on the table, even as artificial as they are, gave the place a nicely decorated feel. I like that. I like a pleasant environment in which to dine.

I arrived ahead of the husband at around 12:30 pm – right in the heart of lunch hour and found that restaurant completely empty. I was surprised at this, perhaps it was the rainy weather? I was a little bit deflated. I thought – oh no, are they on the brink of closing already?

I try to remain as objective as I can, but I admit it made me more determined to like it. That being said -

The husband and I ordered different dishes than the last time. These were dishes that we were familiar with, dishes that I cook here at home and dishes that I’ve eaten many times as a child. I just wanted to review something familiar.

We began with Thai iced tea. It was good, perfect.

This is tom yum soup with chicken (gai or chicken). Again, it was very good, I would recommend it over this . . .

. . . the tom kha (gai) which I found too coconut-y. It was heavy handed on the coconut milk.

My favorite of the day was this – pork larb. It was good and the most authentic thing I’ve eaten there. The only complaint I have is that it wasn’t a big enough portion, there’s a bunch of lettuce beneath the pork.

The husband ordered this prik king with chicken. Prik king is a very spicy curry and I’ve had it “dry” without the soupiness. I don’t care for it “wet” but it’s personal taste. By the way, this should be prepared with long beans, not the fat string bean but I’m sure it would have made it a more expensive dish.

I hope this restaurant will appeal to the palates in our area and become successful. I know there is a temptation for some restaurants to try to appeal to the “general masses” but my mantra when it comes to ethnic cooking is this – stick with the most authentic menu and don’t try to water down the recipe. If Thais like it, then most other Americans will too. People can tell the difference. Be true to yourself and others will love you. It applies to more than middle-school self-esteem.

Here’s another review by Dickson Mercer, our local reporter about town.

I will go back again to try their other menu items – anyone care to join me?

The Lemongrass ~ Still My Favorite Restaurant

Five years ago, a few of our friends gave us gift certificates to the Lemongrass Restaurant in honor of the husband’s retirement. The gift certificates totaled $100 and we did the difficult logistics of getting a babysitter and set off on a date night to explore. Some restaurants we have patronized have made a hefty dent in on our pocketbooks so we were certain that we wouldn’t have a problem whatsoever spending the entire amount in one night and then some.

As it turns out, we were mistaken. We ate and we ordered and we ate and we ordered and were not quite at the $100 mark. So we order another bottle of wine. ‘Nuff said.

I remembered the food was spicy and delicious. Many Thai restaurants claim to have enough spice but I have found myself disappointed many times.  But not at the Lemongrass. When you order spicy waterfall beef, you get spicy waterfall beef.

Speaking of waterfall beef, or Thai beef salad (as we call it here at the homestead), or yum nue (as they call it in Thailand) – I can’t imagine a Thai restaurant not having this dish on the menu. The husband and I were there this week for lunch and I was really eager to order it again. I was recently at another Thai restaurant in Alexandria and it was not offered on the menu. I was very disappointed. It’s like an iHop without pancakes. I will do a review on that restaurant later but not before I go back and give it another chance to change my mind about the food.

Behind the beef dish is a lemongrass mojito. It was amazing.

The husband ordered this – the Pad Pao Tag. It was very good if you are a seafood lover.

Another thing I really like about the Lemongrass is that their menu is authentic. It’s not stuffed with Chinese or other unrecognizable Asian dishes. Thai restaurants should have mostly Thai dishes. I’m a snob that way.

As much as I like the Lemongrass, I admit it’s small and therefore the tables are very close together. It’s great with a group of people but you and your date may find yourselves eating uncomfortably close to another couple as they talk about their co-workers. If you go with a date, sit next to the far wall with the windows overlooking the street. It’s the only way you can have a private conversation as you talk about your co-workers.

On the other hand, because it’s small, the service is quick and very attentive.

We walked around the corner and found mint growing behind the restaurant against the parking garage wall. I love a restaurant with some rusticity.

I like it, I like it a lot. Now I know where the mint for the mojito came from (ahhh, prepositional ending.) You should try it -

The Lemongrass Restaurant, West Street, Annapolis.

No Second Thoughts & Carpaccio

How hard is it to get a bunch of ladies and go out for dinner? Who had the time? Or the energy?

I spent a week stating definitively that I couldn’t go. I had too many things to do. I didn’t have the energy. I had work. I had laundry. My cupboards are bare. I had a horse meet the next day and I needed all of my energy to get through it.

An hour before we were to meet I changed my mind (with a little encouragement) and am so happy to be in the company of such nice women. I felt badly complaining about all of my unmet commitments after hearing about the goings-on with the neighborhood crew. We were all busy.

The food was fantastic. For those of you who are in my area, you should try the beautiful (albeit slightly expensive but worth it) Four Seasons Grille in Gambrills. It’s ironic that I’ve never been there but the girl’s tack store is almost right across the road.

I ordered my favorite appetizer, beef carpaccio. It’s a thinly sliced rare roast beef with Parmesan cheese, capers, olive oil and fresh greens. This one looks like it had some kind of aioli on it.

Then Neighbor Beth decided to order it too.

And Neighbor Sue jumped on board and we all shared. I’ve somehow convinced the entire neighborhood to eat raw meat.

You’re next . . .

Speaking of tack store and girl – the meet the next day was extremely difficult and disappointing. I’m really glad I went to dinner – it balanced the good and the bad this weekend.

Back To The 60’s We Go

Neighbor Beth asked me a few weeks ago if I wanted to go to a Joni Mitchell concert. I said, “Yes!” a little too over enthusiastically.

Then she texted me and said, “It’ will be xxx.xx dollars.”

I thought about it for a second, and said, “That’s fine.”

She returned, “No wait, it’s actually xxx.xx,” which turned out to be $20 more than she originally said but then she texted back, “Wait, it’s not Joni Mitchell, it’s Judy Collins, will that make a difference?”

Well it’s a little different.

Truthfully Judy Collins didn’t ring a bell with me and I had to google her. But when I found out that she sang one of my favorite song of all time – of all time – I said I would go. That song by the way is Both Sides Now.

Then I got the day wrong but that’s another story all together. That one will come with a recipe attached.

So we had a beautiful dinner at Neighbor Beth’s and then drove up to Annapolis to see Judy Collins (not Joni Mitchell) at a cute little club. I was really excited. Remember, Both Sides Now is her song.

Judy Collins is a legend from back in the 60’s, when I was a mere, glint in my real father’s eyes. Anyway . . .

I grew up with her songs, my mother used to play them all the time, along with Dean Martin’s. I know all of his songs too. I played them over and over and over again. I was a very geeky child.

So we settled in with a bottle of wine, beautiful mood lighting, and great expectations.

The opening act was a wonderful singer/song writer by the name of Amy Speace. By the way, I admire singer/song writers the most. You have to have double the gifts of writing and singing. It’s not fair to the rest of us.

She blew us away. The husband and I purchased a CD in order to support the artist. It’s really wonderful, you should give a listen.

Judy Collins is 70 years old or more so I expected someone who is – well – 70 years or more to come out and sing. But she looked great and more importantly, her voice really is strong.

Now I will keep it real. I really admire her talent and all I wanted to do was enjoy a wonderful night of entertainment with my good friends and some good music. I don’t want to hear political opinions. I can go to a rally any ole Sunday in DC to do that. Heck, I can turn on the tele any ole day to see it. But Judy Collins is a child of the 60’s and a queen of the 60’s thinking. And it was evident. I admit I was a little disappointed at that.

If you too are child of the 60’s and don’t mind hearing it spoken at a concert, then her show is for you. But here’s the kicker – do you know who wrote the song Both Sides Now?

Joni Mitchell.

I don’t make these things up.

Eat Here & Get Gas

This sign is located in Tipton, Indiana on a busy route between the airport and the husband’s hometown. We drove by it many times over the years on our visits home. It always cracks me up.

The sign itself is funny but the sign below it is kind of cute as well, Home Grown Cookin.

The place was packed. You can tell that there were a lot of repeat customers. It seemed like a place that people would come week after week to have a cup of coffee with their neighbors.

Look at the mannequin waitress next to the computer and printer on the counter…it’s a clash of decades.

I don’t know how the food is but I’m sure you really don’t get gas by eating. There’s a Sherrill’s gas station next door:)

Bon Appetit!

Thou Shalt Eat At The Blueplate Diner, Newport RI

I get very excited when I find a great eating establishment. It’s just one of those things that blows my skirt up.

This diner in Middleton, RI was a great find. The art deco design of the building made Neighbors Susan, Beth and I exclaim, “How cute! We have to eat there!” as we drove by.

Service was fast and friendly and the food was wonderful. I had the Blueplate pancakes, bacon, hashbrowns, juice, and about twelve cups of coffee.

I’m still working it off as of this week…

As you eat you can read the commands as laid out for you by the owners.

“Thou Shalt Eat A Hearty Breakfast At Any Hour Of The Day.” – I agree.

“Thou Shalt Tip Thy Waitress Generously.” – Here here.

“Thou Shalt Not Hang Out And Order Nothing But Coffee.” – and we didn’t.

“Thou Shalt Not Eat At Fast Food Restaurants.” – I’ve been telling the kids this for years.

“Thou Shalt Sit At The Counter.” – had to disobey this one.

“Thou Shalt Eat Facing The Capital Of Providence.” – I would if I knew which way it was.

and my favorite.

“Thou Shalt Not Worship Golden Arches.” – Amen.

I wanted to purchase my coffee cup but I was told that they didn’t have any left. I think they said it was made of pewter. The handles weren’t hot so it must have some kind of insulation in the handle.

Anyway, everything was tickling me about this place.

Thank you for the service. I hope we weren’t this hard on you!

The Great Mesa Grill in Las Vegas

If you’ve been following my ramblings over the last year or more (and thank you if you are), then you will know that the husband and I are foodies at heart. We will take vacations just to eat at some of the restaurants owned by celebrity chefs.

Because that’s the way we are. Bobby Flay (no introduction necessary) has a restaurant in Las Vegas (what celebrity chef doesn’t), (there’s a lot of parentheses in this post already isn’t there?)

Where was I?

Bobby Flay has a restaurant in Las Vegas called the Mesa Grill in the very fabulous Ceasar’s Palace on the strip. It did not disappoint.

What a gorgeous place. The ceiling was a fiery mural (can murals go on ceilings?) Bobby Flay has a reputation for spicy food, another reason for us to try his restaurant.

The waiter however, was a hoot. He knew a ton of trivia about Maryland. Did you know that Edgar Allen Poe and John Lennon both died at the age of 40? And that the Baltimore Ravens were named after Poe’s famous poem? I didn’t, and I live in this state.

He asked he could take our photo. I obliged and he took my camera and ran off. The husband and I looked at each other inquisitively…hmmm…Then I saw him in one of the balconies. What a hoot! Hey! There we are!

He made his way off the balcony and disappeared for a while again.

When I downloaded the photos I saw that he snapped a few of the kitchen.

I loved it! The guy should be in show business.

Before we ate, the boy called from home and said to me, “Mom, you’re gonna laugh.” Another story for another day.

What did we order?

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas – it was heavenly
Rough Cut Tuna Nachos – we like raw fish, probably from our time in Japan
Sixteen Spiced Chicken Salad – it was very good but I wished I had something more substantial. All that walking made me hungry.
New Mexican Spiced Pork Tenderloin Sandwich – the husband loved this

Someone explain the cut off letters to me please? I thought half the lights weren’t working. In spite of my confusion, it was a fabulous time…and a fabulous lunch.

Saphron

After almost two weeks of suffering from the flu, the husband wanted to get out of the house as he is now recovered. Friday night, we had a date to a restaurant owned by an acquaintance. The reviews and talk around town were good so I was very much looking forward to it.

And I was not disappointed.

The food was out of this world. It was low country South Carolina fare and the best collard greens I’ve ever had.

The atmosphere was calming and sophisticated. I felt like I was somewhere other than my little town. I loved the French Bistro chairs.

The proprietor came out to see us and told me that he and I have actually met. That I had taken his photo on many occasions. I was embarrassed to say that I didn’t remember…possibly because he was out of context on those occasions where we had met. And he had on a tie.

Even though the husband stood in extended conversation with some friends who were dining at another table, I rathered enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant. By myself.

He eventually came back to me. He was confined to the house for a long time so I wasn’t upset.

I enjoyed it so much that we went back with my visiting mother and our reluctant and tired kids the next night. However since they served the best crab dip and mac & cheese in town, the kids came around. This plum wine came with the girl’s crab dip, which I drank rather than risk having giving her the first sip of alcohol at 13. And the reading glasses were a great touch at each table.

I obviously needed them to take this shot since the boy is out of focus. And the glasses don’t do anything for him.

Bravo on a wonderful restaurant. I hope they continue to do well.

Visit Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.

Late Breakfast

Hosted by Cecily and Izzy ‘N Emmy

After an “early dinner” we went to a “late breakfast.” We tried to get on the senior’s schedule but it was hard. We have two teenagers. There was only one place to go to breakfast in that area, Steve’s Diner. It’s the kind of place I like, great food and great prices. I wish we could have stayed for dinner too. The country fried steak sounds good.

It was a place run by a first generation American who’s obviously loves what he does. And the food is fantastic, did I say that already?

But part of the charm is that Mr. Steve runs his place like he runs his home. With a tight fist. This patron behind Frank was having a discussion with Mr. Steve about seating arrangements when Mr. Steve finally yelled, “Then sit on the floor!” Which caused the husband to both cringe and laugh at the same time.

This waitress rushed by yelling at Mr. Steve, “You’re killing me!”

I love it. After breakfast the husband takes out his wallet to pay and was told that they only accept cash. Which then forced Frank to break out his wallet too. It’s an authentic atmosphere for sure.

And the food? Lots of it, homemade and delicious.

The husband was praying over the food while I was snapping photos. Lord forgive me.

And my little girl? Well, she can eat. Just like her mamma and her grandma. She ordered two huge (I mean huge) pancakes, a breakfast sandwich on a bagel and some hashbrowns. She also ate some of my steak. Yes, I ordered a sirloin steak with two eggs. I have to step up my cardio workout this week.

When it was all over with,all that was left was this lone breakfast biscuit.

The next time I complain about my weight, I want you to slap me.

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