Archive for 'Family'
16
Trip Update - Out of Taichung
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We’re back in Taoyuan. Took the Bullet Train north. Wicked cool ride.
We had an awesome time with Mark Forman and his family. We owe him a lot.
Made up two quick videos in our spacious hotel suite.
Video 1 (6 MB)- My entry in the coolest 7th Son T-Shirt location ever
Video 2 (29 MB)- Our upgraded suite at the China Trust
More on Taichung, Forman, and stuff later this week as I have face time with the Mac to create. Until then, I’m counting the days until The Beast and I are reunited.
I forgot to mention in the video. This hotel room comes with it’s own fish!
[Editors Note - iTunes is pulling video 1, so I’m putting it in the feed so I can track it. I wanted to make it optional. ]
09
Dining Out: Longfellows Restaurant, Saratoga Springs NY
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When you live in the shadow of the crown jewel of American Thoroughbred racing you can well imagine the dining options available. The city of Saratoga has more than its fair share of highly rated ristorantes, bistros, and good old fashions eateries. No matter what type of cuisine you’re in the mood for you can find it in Saratoga; assuming of course you can find a table, which isn’t always an easy task during the annual 6 week stretch when the droves of horseracing’s elite and of course, its more casual fans converge on my town.
I’ve lived in the Saratoga are for about 5 years now, and despite numerous recommendations, my husband and I had never quite found our way to Longfellows restaurant. My father-in-law had never been there either, and with him in town for only a few days, and better yet, picking up the check, it seemed like the right time to check out one of Saratoga’s mostly highly regarded restaurants.
Making reservations
I was able to make a reservation directly from their website through a gateway to OpenTable.com. The process was extremely easy. All I had to do was enter the number of people my party and select my seating time from the list of open slots I was sent an email confirming my reservation along with instructions on how I could cancel or modify my reservation. Of course, this being my first time at Longfellows, the notion of cancellation was the furthest thing from my mind, but it’s nice to know I could have done so online. The entire process is seamless and I greatly prefer it to making a phone call to the restaurant.
Service
It didn’t take long before we discovered the quality of the staff at Longfellows. Upon our arrival, the hostess greeted us and led us to our table. She noticed that my husband’s grandmother was using a cane and moving slowly (that’s an understatement of biblical proportions). She asked if she needed to use the restroom on this level before proceeding up a short flight of stairs to our table. Our waiter, Mike was equally friendly. He engaged in conversation with the diners and gave recommendations for dinner. Each and every member of the Longfellows staff we had contact with was attentive and friendly. While I would expect nothing less from a high-end restaurant, the Longfellows staff met my expectations across the board.
Food Quality
After we ordered, we were brought a basket of warm rolls and cornbread. Our waiter gave us the heads-up that the cornbread is baked with jalapeño peppers inside, and might be a bit spicy. Unlike most cornbread, it was moist and flavorful. So much so that none of us felt the need to add butter. The jalapeño peppers added a pleasant, but not overpowering kick to the bread. The dinner roll was what you might expect, but not memorable.
For an appetizer, I ordered the Crab and Shrimp Bisque served with sherry ($6.99). This soup was a great way to start my meal. The crab and shrimp flavors were not overpowering. The sweetness of the seafood complimented the sherry perfectly. The bisque was very creamy; so thick that your spoon can stand up in the soup. I enjoyed it immensely.
For my entrée, I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass ($29.99). It was served over lobster risotto and finished with a red pepper puree. The Sea Bass itself was seared to perfection. It had just enough of a crust on it to give it a mild crunch. The filet had a nice mild flavor and wonderful texture. The lobster risotto with peas was creamy without being too heavy. The red pepper puree enhanced the flavor of the Sea Bass nicely. I’ve had Sea Bass prepared many different ways, but this has to be one of my favorites.
My husband started with Chef Brad’s Macaroni and Cheese ($8.99). The recipe included cavatappi pasta with shaved black truffles tossed in a cognac cream sauce baked golden, then finished with a black truffle infused oil. Since we just returned from Vancouver where we had an amazing pasta dish with truffle cream, his hopes were high.
He ordered it as a side and was impressed by the size of this portion. Being somewhat of a connoisseur of Mac n’ cheese, my husband rates this one as okay. It’s not exactly cheese, not exactly creamy, although the truffle flavor was excellent. While I certainly wouldn’t say that he disliked it, it’s not in the same class as the Jasper’s Mac n’ Cheese served at another popular Saratoga dining destination; Hattie’s.
For his entrée, he ordered the Choice Filet Mignon crusted with fresh garlic and black peppercorns served with grilled peppers ($26.99). As a starch, he chose the horseradish and chives mashed potatoes. The steak was a generous, fat-free, cut cooked exactly as ordered (rare). It was nicely seasoned, seared perfectly, with a very pink center. My husband is a real meat and potatoes guy and he rates the Longfellow filet among the best he’s had in the Albany/Saratoga area.
When my husband took his first bite of the peppers, he said, “Wow, that is a sweet pepper”. The flavors were fresh and clean. This is the first occasion he’s ever considered peppers more than decorative.
The mashed potatoes also had a unique flavor. The horseradish gives it a nice tangy, almost lemony flavor. It’s the first time I’ve encountered horseradish in mashed potatoes, but it absolutely worked. I have some experimenting to do at home to try and replicate the recipe.
Price
Don’t be alarmed by the price on the menu. While you will pay more than you would at the dinner chains, you definitely get what you pay for. The Longfellows menu boasts generous portion and they’re certainly not exaggerating (you should have seen my father-in-law’s chicken dish). Everyone in our party had plenty to eat and each of us had leftovers to bring home. I’ve been to many restaurants where I’ve paid as much, if not more, only to get less food and inferior service.
Overall Quality
Longellows provided our entire party with a top-notch dining experience. The service was great and the food was wonderful. They use fresh ingredients, which leans to great flavors. Even at above-chain prices, Longfellows still rates as an excellent value for the money.
I’ve lived in the area for about 5 years now and this was my first time dining at Longfellows. Now that I’ve dined there, I can’t for the life of me imagine why we waited so long. We will definitely be back again…soon.