I had the pleasure to dine at  The Seafire Grill  om East 48th Street in Manhattan on a cold winter  night . My husband and I were meeting another couple and chose this midtown  restaurant for its prime location. Immediately upon arrival the hostess smiled and promptly showed us to our table. We had the pleasure to sit very close to a wonderful and romantic fireplace illuminating this lovely space.

The waiter promptly greeted us and went over drink specials and recommendations. I was amazed how many people are working at  The Seafire Grill and how they all are attentive and  busy but make sure you are truly pleased and happy from start to finish.

We began our delightful meal with appetizers. We shared colossal shrimp, calamari, tuna tartar, Madagascar garlic prawns

and jumbo lump crab cakes. We all agreed that the start of our dinner was quite tasty with the freshest seafood and wonderful presentation.

Since this is a dining venue specializing in seafood we took full advantage at the start of our meal. I had to then try the whole Maine lobster stuffed with crab meat. The waiter opened the lobster for me so that I did not have to  fuss. Quite a nice touch. I adored the meal and had plenty left. My husband ordered the surf and turf with filet migon and lobster tail. The steak melted in his mouth with a perfectly cooked and  succulent lobster tail. My friend tried the organic Scottish salmon with fresh lentils and her husband chose the rib eye steak. Both reported that the meals were outstanding. We also tried an order of lobster mac and cheese for the table as well as baby kale with fingerling potatoes and goat cheese. I have to report that the lobster mac and cheese was so good that we fought for the last bite. The vegetable combo was good as well.

I did not think we had too much room for dessert but my husband and I managed to share the molten chocolate cake with ice cream. This was a perfect ending to a perfect meal!

I was told the steaks

are all dry aged and the restaurant is owed by the same people who own Benjamin Steakhouse.I chose the seafood as this is my favorite but feel free to order any meats as the preparation and taste is outstanding as told by the others in my party.

The space is sleek and modern with a romantic feel at the same time. The lighting is lovely and really sets the mood. I can’t finish this review without  saying how precise and top notch the staff is. If you want to try an amazing restaurant in New York City with great food and high end service for any occasion this is the one!  I can’t wait to return.

 

 

Westchester County residents have a wonderful cultural resource right here in mid-Westchester.  The Westchester Broadway Theater in Elmsford offers first rate performances year round and as a bonus you can enjoy an excellent meal right from your seat.   The current offering from WBT is Lerner and Loewe’s “Camelot”  which first opened on Broadway in 1960 and ran there for 3 years.

The production which just opened is scheduled to run through April 5th, 2015 is one not to be missed. The lighting, sound, direction and set design are all first rate.  Every seat in the house offers a fine view of the play.  Camelot takes place in England during the time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and tells the tale of Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Lancelot and their love triangle.

The role of King Arthur is wonderfully performed by Clark Scott Carmichael who has previously been on Broadway in Jumpers, and has had numerous roles on television.  The role of Guinevere is played by Jennifer Hope Wills who has appeared on Broadway in Phantom of the Opera for 4 years,  in Wonderful Town and Beauty and the Beast as well as numerous regional productions. 

You should make it a point to treat yourself to a great dinner and a fine theatre performance.  With its convenient location right in Westchester, free parking, and capped with Broadway style productions of the highest quality, the Westchester Broadway Theatre is not to be missed

Westchester Broadway Theatre

One Broadway Plaza

Elmsford, New York

914-592-2222

web:  http://www.broadwaytheatre.com

I visited 850 Degrees in Ridgefield, Connecticut on a cold night and was quickly drawn to the lovely space with a marble long bar and warm wood custom made seating from Hunt Country furniture. You feel as if you are in a country tavern in Vermont, not in downtown Ridgefield.

   

This is definitely not your average pizzeria. The brick oven is brought in from Italy and as the name implies the pizza is cooked at a roaring 850 Degrees. I started with wood fired clams with butter sauce also prepared in this oven. My party also tried  two types of wood fired wings – hot and barbeque style. Very good. Loved the mozzarella triangles and fries in truffle oil with parmesan and basil. My daughter ordered the pasta fagiole soup and really enjoyed it.

I had to try a salad and felt the baby romaine salad with apples, dried cranberries , almonds and goat cheese with white balsamic vinaigrette was something special and light. On to the pizza. There are three types: wood fired, extra thin (bar style) and traditional.We loved the traditional chicken parmigian , thin crust  meatball pizza, but the wood fired with prosciutto, burrata cheese, arugula and balsamic glaze knocked it out of the park. amazing!! We ended with a smores wood fired pizza. Marshmallows, nutella and graham cracker crumbs. The kids will love this.

The service is fantastic and always with a smile. Lovely change of pace for something unique and unusual. Don’t miss this hot gem.  The restaurant is located down the narrow lane off Main Street and behind 50 Coins Restaurant.  There is free parking available.

850 Degrees

424 R Main Street

Ridgefield Ct

(203) 894-5395    web: http://www.850degrees.com

121 Restaurant in North Salem, NY

I visited 121 Restaurant on a chilly night and was immediately drawn in to the warmth of this lovely restaurant with its soothing tones and roaring fireplace.
The bar area is quite busy with a large marble top and subdued lighting. I was quickly taken to my table which was set in a modern country upscale design. I was able to see the chef and other cooks through a glass wall as well as viewing a wood burning pizza oven .
I dined with my husband and we decided to try many items to get a good feel for the tastes and specialties of the house. We began with chaffed cauliflower, squash toast with homemade ricotta cheese, and tuna tartar with crispy avocado and wasabi vinaigrette. All very good especially loved the squash toasts. We then both had the butternut squash soup with maple cream. Delicious! We shared the wild mushroom pizza with three types of exotic mushrooms and fresh mozzarella cheese. So fresh and tasty. The wood oven pizza makes all the difference.

For entrees we had the pumpkin ravioli with carmelized chestnuts and sage in a brown butter sauce. This is truly a special dish with an array of interesting ingredients that melts in your mouth
. We loved this entrée. We also shared the crispy fried chicken with potatoes. Don’t let the name fool you. The dish is more like a light tempura batter with juicy flavor inside. This had a nice soothing taste. We ordered root vegetables for a side dish and loved this assortment of comforting veggies. No meal would be complete without a special dessert. We picked a dessert for two which consisted of homemade hot apple cider, warm pecan tart, poached pear with hazelnut ganache and pumpkin pots with fresh cream. This really was a nice ending to a perfect meal. The desserts will vary seasonally.

The menu focus in on locally sourced and seasonal ingredients from Hudson Valley farms and purveyors.

For a fun casual place to eat with family or friends try Tiger’s Den Sports Bar and Grill in Ridgefield Connecticut  at 25 Catoonah Street. This restaurant has a lively vibe with 11 big screen televisions to see a large amount of sport games.
I went on a Sunday afternoon with my family and was greeted by a very friendly staff. We tried a variety of items on the menu and enjoyed everything very much. We began with three types of boneless wings. The first with peanut Thai sauce, then the Jamaican jerk rub and lastly the honey garlic sauce.

All were really good but I especially liked the Thai  peanut sauce as this is quite unique. I ordered a crock of beef chili with melted jack cheese and found this with just the right amount of spice and heat. My daughters loved the homemade mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich as an entrée . Not your typical sandwich.The pretzel roll was amazing!  It had cheddar cheese and applewood bacon. I would come back for this alone. Delicious! My husband had a burger with bacon and cheese. Really good. A trio of sliders was devoured by my daughter as well as a very good grilled chicken wrap with honey mustard, tomato, arugula and bacon ordered by my other daughter. All included yummy steak fries.
There is live music and weekly events as well as daily specials on food and drinks. I noticed a psychic coming on Thursday nights which I thought would be a fun event to attend with friends. There is a private room upstairs with its own bar and two TVs, one with a projector and large comfy reclining leather chairs. This room can be rented out as well for private parties.
I would highly recommend this new and nice place to eat or have a few drinks.