Okay, we like Tommy Bahama's for the cocktails, but the food is great too. It's not as great as it once was, but it is still very good. When we are in Destin, FL, we always go to Tommy Bahama's. When we went to Palm Desert, CA, we had to try it out. We liked the cocktails--we went twice.
On the first occasion, I had a coconut cocktail thing that was delicious. I also had a Vodka martini and that was great too. I ate the 20oz. Porterhouse. I know, I should have had seafood, but I'm just jaundiced toward sushi. The Porterhouse was excellent. I didn't take any home for lunch. I can't remember what the regular copilot or the others had, but I do know, I'll go back. Tommy Bahama's is a consistently great restaurant. It isn't the top of the line, but it isn't average. It is really great food in a really great atmosphere. Did I say there was live music. Always live music at Tommy Bahama's.
The second occasion, we went after eating dinner at Arnold Palmer's. I'll write about that experience later. I had a BBC--very nice and rich drink. The regular copilot had a Lemon Drop martini. I was good for her. Someone had the Key Lime pie. I was happy with the drinks. Go to Tommy Bahama's, it's a great and fun place--you can't go wrong.
Showing posts with label martini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label martini. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Newport Grill
Here is a new restaurant review. I promised something new. Newport Grill in Wichita, Kansas is one of my favorites. It has the best martinis in the city and the bar tenders know how to make them properly. They stuff their own olives with blue cheese and then know to shake them the proper amount of time.
On this visit, I had a straight vodka martini with potato vodka (they have a great variety of alcoholic beverages). The regular copilot had the Black and Blue--that's a very dirty martini with stuffed blue olives. I like the stuffed blue olives too just no dirty in my vodka. The martinis were excellent, as usual, and consistent.
We also had the steak tartar, tuna tartar, shrimp cocktail, and ceviche. These are all appetizers. So, we like appetizers especially raw ones. The steak tartar was excellent. We always ask for more toast points, mainly because we like them and secondarily because the second batch is usually softer, and I like them softer. The regular copilot likes them crustier. The steak tartar at Newport Grill is European style. I mentioned before the steak tartar at The Candle Club is American style. I like them both. European style tends to have more spices in the steak and usually capers and onions.
The tuna tartar has fried crisps with it. The flavor was excellent. Their ceviche is more prepared than I like it. The best US ceviche I've had was at Ruth's Crisp. Newport Grill's was pleasant, but not my favorite. The shrimp cocktail was typical and US style. It's one of the regular copilot's favorites.
All in all this was a pleasant evening. We sat at the bar, but if you want to get a table, make reservations.
On this visit, I had a straight vodka martini with potato vodka (they have a great variety of alcoholic beverages). The regular copilot had the Black and Blue--that's a very dirty martini with stuffed blue olives. I like the stuffed blue olives too just no dirty in my vodka. The martinis were excellent, as usual, and consistent.
We also had the steak tartar, tuna tartar, shrimp cocktail, and ceviche. These are all appetizers. So, we like appetizers especially raw ones. The steak tartar was excellent. We always ask for more toast points, mainly because we like them and secondarily because the second batch is usually softer, and I like them softer. The regular copilot likes them crustier. The steak tartar at Newport Grill is European style. I mentioned before the steak tartar at The Candle Club is American style. I like them both. European style tends to have more spices in the steak and usually capers and onions.
The tuna tartar has fried crisps with it. The flavor was excellent. Their ceviche is more prepared than I like it. The best US ceviche I've had was at Ruth's Crisp. Newport Grill's was pleasant, but not my favorite. The shrimp cocktail was typical and US style. It's one of the regular copilot's favorites.
All in all this was a pleasant evening. We sat at the bar, but if you want to get a table, make reservations.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Steak Tartar and Cigars
I'll put together two restaurants in Wichita because, as far as I know, they are the only places you can get Steak Tartar here. On Wednesday my bud asked me to the Candle Club for cigars and drinks. I brought the cigars. The cigars were pretty spectacular. They were four cigars (two pairs) I received in my Fuentes event humidor box. One pair was a five inch 50 ring pressed box maduro torpedo Fuentes. I saved the rings, but I didn't note the other information. The other pair of cigars were an English wrapper four and a half inch 40 ring by a manufacturer I didn't recognize. We had martinis and cigars then both ordered the steak tartar. The martinis were okay--they should have been shaken longer.
The cigars were both strong, but they went well with the martinis and the steak tartar. The steak tartar is very nicely prepared at the Candle Club. It is not overly spicy and is served with a raw egg yoke on top. The bread served with the steak tartar is very fresh and very nice. It is an Italian style bread that is just the right consistency to hold up to scooping and holding steak tartar, but still soft. The steak tartar was excellent. It wasn't overpowered by too many spices or flavors and is just the right amount for a single meal.
On Friday, I took the usual copilot (my wife) with a couple of friends to Newport Grill. Newport Grill also offers steak tartar as an apetizer. We didn't have the steak tartar (I have had it many times there) but I'll report on it. Newport Grill's steak tartar is different than the steak tartar at the Candle Club. It is served similarly, but it is spicier and a slightly different consistency. It is more typical to the steak tartar found in Europe and not the USA. The flavor is consistently excellent and very meaty, but still with strong spice. The bread served with it is very nice, but not as nice in quality as that at the Candle Club. The different steak tartars are an excellent contrast in flavors, and I recommend both. By the way, we usually have to order extra bread with each steak tartar, so be ready.
At Newport Grill, we did try out two new appetizers. The first was a fillet wrapped with a date and bacon with a sweet sauce and orange sauce. It was very nice and worth a second try. The orange sauce didn't really complement the flavor, but the overall sauce did. A cranberry sauce might be excellent with it. The presentation was great. The other appetizer was lobster deviled eggs. For people who like deviled eggs this was a fantastic addition to the menu. The lobster flavor was very muted, but that didn't matter, the deviled eggs were perfect. If you like deviled eggs this is the appetizer for you.
We had the usual Newport grill main courses: fish and steak. The fish is first rate and always great. The steaks are perfect. I recommend them all. Newport is basically a "yes" restaurant. They'll do about anything you want.
I especially need to remark on the drinks and our server. We had a young lady as our server and she was the best and most attentive we've had at Newport. The drinks were correctly shaken and correctly made to request. If anything, Newport has the best martinis and the most properly done. All in all, the evening was a success. Oh, I should mention, we shared the bread pudding for dessert. Their desserts don't rotate much, but they are very nice.
Go try out the Newport Grill and with a member, the Candle Club--especially if you like steak tartar.
The cigars were both strong, but they went well with the martinis and the steak tartar. The steak tartar is very nicely prepared at the Candle Club. It is not overly spicy and is served with a raw egg yoke on top. The bread served with the steak tartar is very fresh and very nice. It is an Italian style bread that is just the right consistency to hold up to scooping and holding steak tartar, but still soft. The steak tartar was excellent. It wasn't overpowered by too many spices or flavors and is just the right amount for a single meal.
On Friday, I took the usual copilot (my wife) with a couple of friends to Newport Grill. Newport Grill also offers steak tartar as an apetizer. We didn't have the steak tartar (I have had it many times there) but I'll report on it. Newport Grill's steak tartar is different than the steak tartar at the Candle Club. It is served similarly, but it is spicier and a slightly different consistency. It is more typical to the steak tartar found in Europe and not the USA. The flavor is consistently excellent and very meaty, but still with strong spice. The bread served with it is very nice, but not as nice in quality as that at the Candle Club. The different steak tartars are an excellent contrast in flavors, and I recommend both. By the way, we usually have to order extra bread with each steak tartar, so be ready.
At Newport Grill, we did try out two new appetizers. The first was a fillet wrapped with a date and bacon with a sweet sauce and orange sauce. It was very nice and worth a second try. The orange sauce didn't really complement the flavor, but the overall sauce did. A cranberry sauce might be excellent with it. The presentation was great. The other appetizer was lobster deviled eggs. For people who like deviled eggs this was a fantastic addition to the menu. The lobster flavor was very muted, but that didn't matter, the deviled eggs were perfect. If you like deviled eggs this is the appetizer for you.
We had the usual Newport grill main courses: fish and steak. The fish is first rate and always great. The steaks are perfect. I recommend them all. Newport is basically a "yes" restaurant. They'll do about anything you want.
I especially need to remark on the drinks and our server. We had a young lady as our server and she was the best and most attentive we've had at Newport. The drinks were correctly shaken and correctly made to request. If anything, Newport has the best martinis and the most properly done. All in all, the evening was a success. Oh, I should mention, we shared the bread pudding for dessert. Their desserts don't rotate much, but they are very nice.
Go try out the Newport Grill and with a member, the Candle Club--especially if you like steak tartar.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Ciao - 11 Nov 2011
We made a visit to the new Italian restaurant on the east side of Wichita--Ciao. The place was filled when we went there on Friday night at about 7:20 and were told there was a 45 minute wait. We went to the bar--of course. The bar was filled but we got seats pretty quickly. We ordered a gin dirty martini with blue cheese olives and a dry vodka martini with blue olives. Both were shaken. The martinis were excellent. They were shaken correctly and very nicely done. The blue cheese olives were freshly packed.
We needed some basis for our drinking so we ordered the combo appetizer. Wow. There was calamari, chicken fingers, fried provolone, fried Spanish ravioli, fried zucchini, artichoke dip and they gave us fresh bread and dipping oil. The bread and oil was great. The appetizers were all fried, but the food was good--and lots. We decided that was all we needed and went home. We didn't get to try anything else. We put it on the list again, and we recommend it. Go try out Ciao.
We needed some basis for our drinking so we ordered the combo appetizer. Wow. There was calamari, chicken fingers, fried provolone, fried Spanish ravioli, fried zucchini, artichoke dip and they gave us fresh bread and dipping oil. The bread and oil was great. The appetizers were all fried, but the food was good--and lots. We decided that was all we needed and went home. We didn't get to try anything else. We put it on the list again, and we recommend it. Go try out Ciao.
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