Friday Night Dinner Date at Nina's in Middletown

Deciding where to go for a dinner date is part of the entire date experience, isn't it?  First you have to talk about the type of food, whether you are looking for something casual, convenient and nearby, are up for something new and unknown, or maybe finally try that place you've been meaning to get to. For the Mr., the answer to "What do you want for dinner," is comprised of 2 possibilities:  chicken (whether home or out) and Italian.  Typically, he wants an Italian style chicken dish when possible. However, he does look the menu over, listen to specials and will still break out of his comfort zone once in awhile, but he has to have that safe dish of Chicken Marsala or something similar on stand-by.

On this cold winter Friday I asked the question of "where" and was answered with "what."  I made a few suggestions and he agreed to one that was in nearby Middletown.  However, when we arrived the restaurant had an hour and a half wait time due to a nearby performance at the Paramount Theater. Back out into the cold we walked just a few doors down to Nina's.  Please do not be upset that this wasn't our first choice, we sometimes forget what else is in the area and were happy, not resigned, with our selection.

I was worried for a moment we would encounter the same problem with a long wait time at this location.  However, we were seated almost immediately and this was my view:

I wondered if the large table was reserved for a group that would be seeing the comedy act at the Paramount.  Later, I would have my answer.

To begin, a leather bound wine list and a separate cocktail menu are left on the table.  Hmmm. Many look amazing...

I do believe if a dish or a drink is named for the restaurant, it must be fairly amazing for them to build a reputation from it or put their name on the line.  I begin with a Ruby Red Nina.

We are told the evening's specials from appetizers, salads, soup, and entree choices.  I changed my mind about how to begin and selected the night's soup - I have forgotten the name, but can tell you it was a seafood with potato creamy blend without being a puree.  And this is how it looked at the start:

The bread was served warm with a generous portion of creamy butter.  The soup was delicate in flavors with just a few small pieces of seafood.

Our main courses...

No chicken for the Mr.  He does sometimes switch things up and seafood will certainly be a reason for him to try a new dish.  He hesitated about this one, but I promised he could pick out the peas and no one would judge him.

This oricchiette dish was prepared with sausage, broccolini, and sun dried tomatoes.  Yes, I had to pick out an ingredient as well.  The Mr. takes a few of my unwanted sun dried tomatoes and when we decide to surrender and admit we can't eat another bite, our server laughs at our little mounds of peas and sun dried tomatoes.  The remainders are wrapped without the offending bits.

In the meantime, a large family has arrived for the reserved table.  A young girl, perhaps 6 years old, is seated at one end.  She has a large orange flower in her hair and is likely wearing a specially selected outfit for the occasion.  I notice her first as she is quietly pouting, full bottom lip out, no tears and no words.  It seems she did not get to sit next to the person she wanted.  The table is full with 2 other young ladies, perhaps siblings and a handful of young 20-somethings and perhaps an almost 30 something as well as "Mama."  Everyone is happy and on their best behavior.  Gathering for a full table selfie, taking turns with cell phone cameras and eventually plugging 2 in to charge during the meal.  I can't help it, I am tuned in.  This table could be a future story prompt.  What were they celebrating? What were the relationships? Who will the young lady with the flower in her hair grow up to be?  I am fascinated, but know my interest can easily be misinterpreted.  The Mr. laughs at me.  He knows and understands.

Dessert? Why, yes.  Although I ask for it be packed to go and I order a cappuccinpo while the Mr. sips a coffee he fills with creamer and sugar.

It was a wonderful date night.  The food was expertly prepared, well seasoned, and served while piping hot.  The conversation flowed well and I was just as entertained as if I had attended a show. The potential story still simmers in my mind's back burner.

The next night I enjoy half of my "mixed berry tart" which I would rather refer to as a galette. I wonder if menu items are named so the masses understand what they are ordering, rather than for accuracy.

We had a wonderful time at Nina's and my senses, as well as my belly, were Fed Well.

Blue Horizon Diner - Monticello, NY

When I was little my dad's advice for selecting a diner was, "Eat where the truckers eat."  In the 1970's, when we really didn't eat out that much, it was a perfect rule. As an adult, I have taken his words of wisdom and tweeked it a bit to be, "Be wary of the empty parking lot."  A diner should be booming, unless it is the middle of the night or off-hours and should be staffed to accommodate busloads of customers. Diners are known for lengthy menus, being able to select any type of food regardless of the time of day or night, and fairly quick service so they can clear your table for the next customer.  We were out and about, running Sunday errands and decided to stop at the Blue Horizon Diner in Monticello for brunch.

We were seated fairly quickly by a friendly and attentive hostess.  She asks if we want the breakfast buffet or menus and we say no thank you to the buffet.  Giant, spiral bound menus were placed on the booth table and a waitress/server materialized from nowhere.  Perfect.

I'll start with a cup of hot tea with milk, please.

Something about the dishes I just love.  Cute.  Comfy.  Inviting.

For the Mr. a ham and egg sandwich on a hard roll with hash browns.  I stole a bite of the perfectly pink pork - a balance of sweet and salt with no visible fat, lightly browned and I enjoy the sample.

For me:  Well, I decided to be super bad this gray, cloudy, January Sunday in New York and opt for two fried eggs with bacon and potatoes with whole wheat toast.  The toast is mostly a vehicle for dipping in the orangey-yellow egg yolks and sopping up the goodness.  I share my bacon with the Mr. in exchange for a bite of ham.  The potatoes are mixed with a bit of green bell pepper and onion and have a mildly crispy edge. Everything I hoped for in a plate of perfect brunch.

Though we are more than 30 minutes from home, we see someone we know but let them eat without disturbing them.  Both a blessing and a curse when you live in the same town you grew up in and many others have stayed - you are likely to run in to someone within a one hour radius.

We talk about our older son's wedding plans, the errands we have to run, and our meals.  We count ourselves lucky and Fed Well.  Simultaneously, in another town, our older son and his fiancee are out for a meal...at a diner.

Il Villaggio - Take Out at the Day Job

At my day job, we have a wonderful (she'd laugh at that description - she is known for being direct, not touchy/feely as "wonderful" may imply) department Admin. who will occasionally order lunch for all of us to be delivered and we then eat together in a conference room. On this day, it was from Il Vilaggio and the link to the menu was sent to each of us in a group email and if we want to place an order to have it to her by 11 a.m.  The "or else" was silent.

Like family, we have days and times when we like to face things together, bond and laugh as well as days when I can barely stand the sound of my own breathing, let alone the voices and stories of a few of my co-workers.  It's not as harsh as it sounds, really. Overall, I find our current mix and combination of personalities to be more than compatible and appropriate for the work place.  We have had many lively discussions around the conference table about politics, celebrities, nonsense, holiday traditions and our families. We have as many things in common as differences and though I'm not one for forced workplace bonding, lunch together once in awhile is fine (and it gives me fun dinner stories for at home).

Sometimes I am thankful for this option, although other times I am anxious for a break from the work day and prefer leaving the building for an hour.  When ordering from Il Villagio I have always ordered pizza and watched as a few of my co-workers enjoyed their crispy chicken salads.  

Fine, I gave in on both counts and tried the crispy chicken salad:

The fried chicken is crispy, but moist and the salad ingredients are crunchy and fresh. The foil package on the left is some squishy bread and the dressing on the side was barely touched. A winning combination of textures and flavors made me forget that basically I was eating a salad for lunch.

Even in the company of my day job coworkers, I am Fed Well with food and stories. However, I wish Monday wasn't coming up so quickly.

Dress up Pizza at Home

Pizza! Pizza!  

I love pizza on those nights when you get home from work, are just exhausted and have no idea what to do about dinner.  I usually love plain cheese.  Sometimes, we all want something different and on those nights, I hit the produce drawer and sautee veggies then add then on a person's slice once the pie is here.

On this particular night it was black olives (left over from holiday celebrating), sliced mushrooms and some onion.  

Heaven on a plate, little fussing and cheesey goodness!

What are some of your kitchen cheats to get you through a week night dinner?

Perkins - Middletown, NY - Gathering for Sunday Brunch Therapy

Every so often I have cravings.  Sometimes I want a salty snack, something sweet, or I miss someone or a group of someones...Being Fed Well is not just about the food, although I love a good meal, it's also about those who are gathered around the table with you.  I like to mix it up.  Family meals, extended family meals, lunch with coworker friends, and meeting the women of my life - cocktails and appetizers, lunch, dinner or brunch all works.  It doesn't have to be fancy, new or trendy.  Just us, well taken care of with solidly good food.  

I missed a particular pair of friends and so we gathered at Perkins in Middletown for brunch as we have for years.  Ah.  It is the equivalent of putting on your favorite old jeans; you feel good, comfortable and at ease.

No pretense.  No need to impress.  The conversation flows and we each take a turn letting it out, listening, nodding, offering advice or a different point of view.  Our children are grown or growing and while we may be at different phases of parenting, it's still parenting and we worry, compare notes and reassure each other that what we are doing is perfectly fine.

Here is a peek at our meals:

Ham and Swiss Omelette with Breakfast Potatoes

Side order of French Toast

For me:

Country Eggs Benedict (minus cheese) - poached eggs over biscuits with sausage and gravy

A Veggie Scramble (with real eggs please), bacon, potatoes and toast

I listen, ask questions, eat, talk, laugh and make jokes.  I feel myself recharging as my craving is satisfied.  We do not talk every day, or even every week, but what we have is a solid foundation I can depend on. Fulfilling.  They have taught me that hugs aren't so bad after all and it has become our greeting and parting sign of affection.  They are my friends and we keep each other Fed Well.

Mahwah Bar & Grill

Not far from a busy office in Suffern, NY is the Mahwah Bar & Grill in Mahwah, NJ. In a matter of weeks, my department visited twice.  On the first occasion, we were all in a bit of shock after learning our beloved leader had passed away, far too young at just 57 years old, and so we decided to lean on each other a bit. Isn't a meal powerful? It brings people together in times of joy and sorrow, to find comfort or celebration, as well as sustain us physically.

One of the features of Mahwah Bar & Grill that many of my coworkers enjoy is the ability to custom order a salad - on paper with check boxes next to each ingredient.  This method if fairly fool proof as the preparer can repeatedly confirm the salad choices, the diner does not have to get on a buffet line and can enjoy the same level of being waited on as the others in the group, plus the food may be fresher than if it were set out all day in a salad bar.

Some of us prefer burgers to salads - even if it is a veggie burger.

Or smothered in onions and mushrooms...

Our second trip was for a far merrier reason - we were celebrating Christmas as a department.  Our director, who shares my first name (I still turn my head when our name is called, even when I am fairly sure the person does not mean me.  This reflex also occurs when I am in a public place and hear a child call out, "Mom," even though I KNOW the voice is not directed at me.)

We begin with a few appetizers including mozzarella sticks (not shown) and

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Warm, soft, doughy pretzels which we cut in half with 3 dipping sauces - cheddar and 2 varieties of mustard.  Heavenly.  Salt is the way to my heart.

Again, a number of carnivore burger options:

For me, a popular sandwich choice, "The Godfather."  Roast beef with melted provolone and a garlic aioli.  

The Portobello

A grilled portobello mushroom on brioche with spinach and fresh mozzarella.  The sandwich also includes roasted red peppers my friend asked to have omitted.  Looks delish.

Also, on this particular outing I passed my cell phone around so my coworkers could photograph their plates for me with the least amount of intrusion.  They are mostly used to my behavior though our Director had some questions.  

A salad with fried shrimp the size of small lamb chops:

And so, we concluded our department gathering and many were out of the office for the remainder of the year after this celebratory luncheon.  I enjoyed the week of Christmas off and will only return to the office the Monday and Tuesday prior to New Year's.  Love it.

Time off to be Fed Well with family and loved ones...fabulous.

Texas Roadhouse

Chain restaurants.  Many thoughts...they are convenient, they are perfect for families with children of all ages, they are generally consistent, dependable, fairly modestly priced and great as a go to when traveling and you are not sure of the locally owned restaurants.  However, as a rule, the Mr. and I try to avoid them for date nights.  We are at a place where our children are adults, we do not have grandchildren, we can enjoy a leisurely paced meal and sometimes I am more concerned with food quality and preparation than meal price.  With that being said, it's not that I will not eat at a chain, but it's simply not typically my first choice.

The Mr. and I celebrate the anniversary of our first date.  Once upon a time about a million years ago, we went on a double date with a couple and since it was the beginning of December we thought it would be safe to simply go to the mall and do some holiday shopping.  If we didn't like each other, we could go home early and no big deal or if we hit it off, additional plans could be made.  Now, in modern time, we not only celebrate that first date and the funny things that happened, we make it our holiday shopping night and start formulating our plan of attack for Christmas.

Since I almost always pick the restaurant, I left it up to him and that is how we ended up at Texas Roadhouse.  It is convenient to shopping, the menu is appealing to men - easy to eat, no questions about fussy ingredients on the menu, and quick service so we could get on with our plans.

I do love the bucket of peanuts.  It gives our hands something to do unrelated to scrolling through our phones and we make eye contact.  Oh, hello, Mr.

The vinyl easy clean menu cracks me up.  The cowhide Flintstone print is a great touch.

I'll start with a salad with dressing on the side please.  It's fine. Nothing great, nothing awful.  At this point, we are plotting our destinations for after dinner.  The servers gather a few tables away to sing some sort of festive birthday song at one of the guests.

For the Mr., chili is the beginning of his meal.  I had a taste, I liked that it wasn't mouth on fire spicy hot.  Nice.

Main course - here is where my fussiness comes in.  I ordered sirloin tips with mashed potatoes.  The server carefully asked if I wanted gravy on the potatoes and I said no. I had no idea the meat would be pooled under it as well.  It was well, gloppy.  And yes, I know I am being too particular, but the plate was messy.  Yes, I stuck my finger in gravy when I tried to turn it.  The meat however, was tender and it was quite a large portion.

The Mr. was perfectly happy with his half rack of ribs and french fries.  Food that can be eaten with fingers and he gave me a piece of the well sauced meat.  Nice.

My only negative thought here is the portion size of fries.  Seem small to you?

We finalized our shopping plans and headed off into the cold, dark, wintry night.  It does not matter where or what we had for dinner, that first date included a pit stop at McDonald's after all - what mattered more that night was that we had each other and felt Fed Well.