The Guido Gourmet - Long Island Restaurant Reviews: July 2007

So Mr. Guido has been difficult about wanting to give a whole category to places that we have just gone to for dessert, namely Toast in Port Jefferson, though Friendly's in Lake Grove falls under this category as well (among other ice cream and ices shops that do not serve food so cannot be included on this site in good faith). Well, I'm obsessed with Chocolate Fondue, so I'll give my review regardless of what he says. It's come to my attention that Toast no longer serves the fondue at night, with the excuse being that they were in the process of moving to a larger location. Well, it's been months since I've seen that sign, and Toast is still there, so who knows. We tried Toast last spring, and just missed having a ridiculously long wait. Although during the day it's a quaint breakfast nook and luncheonette, in the evening it turns into a decadent wine and fondue bar. I say decadent because it's expensive, and usually, wasteful. The chocolate fondue is more than you can possibly eat in one sitting, and given the nature of the item, cannot be taken home in a doggie bag. In other words, if you don't eat it all, it goes to waste. And at $25/couple, plus $10 per additional person sharing, it's a pricey gamble. The wines were also fairly expensive, with a standard white zinfandel being around $7 a glass, and a raspberry dessert wine being around $10. It's a great once in a while type place to go, but certainly not an everyday destination. Great for anniversaries or romantic nights out.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Quick Take: Opa Grille -Bethpage, NY / Overall Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Mr Guido Says: ****

Food: Skordalia, Hummus, Kopanisto (spicy feta dip), Saganaki, Tiropitas, Avgolemono Soup, Chicken Souvlaki over Greek salad, Pastitsio. I eat at this place regularly for work, in addition to my visit with Mrs. Guido, so I have sampled quite a bit of the menu. Skordalia, the garlicky mashed potato dip is moderately potent, although I detect a bit too much of a vinegar taste to really truly say it's great. The hummus is done well. The Spicy Feta Dip is excellent, I wonder why I haven't seen this at any other Greek restaurants. It's a mix of feta cheese, roasted red peppers, hot sauce, and spices. All of the flavors come together perfectly and it goes very well with their warm, seasoned pitas, which are among the best I have had anywhere. The saganaki was served breaded and devoid of any olive oil or lemon juice. I prefer it when it is served metled in a pan with the olive oil and lemon juice it was grilled in. The tiropitas are interesting - they are traditional phillo dough triangles filled with greek cheeses - only here at Opa, they get deep fried. I have never seen them prepared this way before. More than 2 or 3 of them, and you will feel stomached and lethargic. The Avgolemno soup is good overall, but I have found it to be a little inconsistent from visit to visit. Chicken Souvlaki over Greek salad is a great dish, and I highly recommend it as a lunch special. The chicken is very well marinated and extremely tender, while the salad is fresh and the feta cheese is of a high quality. The Pastitsio is the most fresh of any of I have ever sampled anywhere. I don't know how they do it, but every time the Pastitsio seems as if it was just made, not simply reheated. The bechemel sauce is always creamy, and there are never any crunchy edges on the pasta. They give you a generous portion too. The restaurant was recently expanded, and the decor is much improved. I highly reccomend a visit - a few items on them menu disappoint, but there are also some great choices.

Mrs. Guido Says: ***1/2

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Desserts

Quick Take: Coronet- Greenport, NY/ Overall Rating 3.75 Out of 4 Stars

Quick Take: Stars- Shelter Island, NY/ Overall Rating 4 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Harbor Front Deli- Greenport, NY/ Overall Rating 3 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Olympic Diner- Deer Park, NY/ Overall Rating 3 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Lake Grove Diner- Lake Grove, NY/ Overall Rating 3.5 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Maureen's Kitchen- Smithtown, NY/ Overall Rating 4.5 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Ludlow Bistro- Deer Park, NY/ Overall Rating 4 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Cafe 27- Shelter Island, NY/ Overall Rating 3.25 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Bliss- East Setauket, NY/ Overall Rating 5 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Eldorado Southern BBQ- Port Jeff Station, NY/ Overall Rating 3.5 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: TGI Friday's- Lake Grove, NY/ Overall Rating 2.75 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: The Village Way- Port Jefferson, NY/ Overall Rating 2.75 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Applebee's- Lake Grove/Huntington/ Overall Rating 3 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: The Driver's Seat- Southampton, NY/ Overall Rating 3 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Uno Chicago Grill- Nesconset, NY/ Overall Rating 3.25 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Library Cafe- Farmingdale, NY/ Overall Rating 3.25 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Famous Dave's BBQ- Smithtown, NY/ Overall Rating 3.75 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: John Harvard's Brew House- Lake Grove, NY/ Overall Rating 3.75 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Houlihans- Lake Grove, NY/ Overall Rating 3.75 Out of 5 Stars

The Guido Gourmet's Best Picks List

Quick Take: Rhumbline- Greenport, NY/ Overall Rating 3.5 Out of 4 Stars

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Quick Take: Skorpios - Huntington Village, NY /Overall Rating : 1.75 out of 5 Stars

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Quick Take: Sweet Tomatoes- Shelter Island, NY/ Overall Rating 3.75 Out of 5 Stars

Quick Take: Pomodorino- Huntington, NY/ Overall Rating 3.75 Out of 5 Stars

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Quick Take: Opa Grille -Bethpage, NY / Overall Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

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