FOOD.D.LOVE

Ever since my husband and I moved back to Long Beach, New York a few months ago, we have become completely addicted to the sushi at Nagahama, which is proud to have been ranked the #1 Japanese restaurant on Long Island by the Zagat survey for the past three years. In the Zagat survey, Nagahama narrowly beat Kotobuki, my other favorite sushi spot, by one point in food (28 points vs 27 points). Now that we have visited Nagahama at least once a week (sometimes more!) for the past few months, I can definitely see why this little gem reigns supreme in the rankings. 

The restaurant is small and cozy and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. What really stands out though is the ultra-fresh, inventive and delicious sushi. We love to sit at the sushi bar and watch the sushi chefs in action. What is unique about Nagahama is that even the simplest items have a slight twist that makes them outstanding. For example, the chefs place a tiny dab of wasabi beneath every piece of sushi, between t…

Last month my hubby and I went to one of his favorite cities, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the weekend to attend a Philadelphia Eagles game. Of course, we took the opportunity to visit some old favorite food and drink haunts and sought out several new places we had been wanting to try out. Below are some foodie highlights of our trip, including a couple of spots I recommend from past visits. 
Hotel Monaco: We stayed at this stylish Kimpton Hotel right across the street from the Liberty Bell. The decor in the room and throughout the hotel was retro-whimsical, despite its historic location, and the service was top-notch. When we first arrived on Saturday afternoon we had a drink at the hotel's Red Owl Tavern. The service at the bar was pretty slow because an entire wedding party of groomsmen had taken over the bar in between ceremony and reception. We wanted some appetizers but were disappointed to discover that only brunch was available on a Saturday afternoon. So we ventured el…

On a recent Sunday, my girlfriend and I had brunch at Chat Noir in the bustling village of Rockville Centre before seeing a movie in town. Chat Noir is a traditional tea house with a French twist. They have a very extensive tea selection, and in true teahouse fashion the tea is served in an antique porcelain or ceramic tea kettle with a floral design.

For your first visit, I definitely recommend ordering a "Tea Service." At $22 "per person," the tea service includes a pot of tea, a selection of finger sandwiches, assorted scones and assorted pastries. All this is attractively presented on a three-tiered serving platter that makes a statement as it is paraded through the dining room and placed on your table. Trust me, it is way too much for one person, especially if you want to try anything else on the menu, so just order one Tea Service to share.



Our Tea Service included three delectable pastries: a cream puff in the shape of a swan, chocolate cake, and a custard t…