Feasting of the Seven Fishes at Casa Barilla Radio City

By: Finance Foodie

To celebrate the holiday season, Casa Barilla, unveiled a special “Feast of the Seven Fishes” menu at its restaurants in New York and California. The two dishes on the menu pay homage to the Southern Italian custom of La Vigilia (the Vigil) and the Italian-American tradition of the “Feast of the Seven Fishes” in which in observance of an abstinence of meat on Christmas Eve, guests feast on an abundance of seafood in the form of a “grand-meal.” I had a chance to sample the menu recently at Casa Barilla's Radio City NYC location and it was a real treat!

Barilla's Feast of the Seven Fishes

A Pescatarian Italian Gem at Osteria 57

By: Finance Foodie

It's no secret that the Mister and I are fans of Italian cuisine and are always in the hunt for our next great pasta meal.  Therefore, when we heard about Osteria 57, a brand new Pescatarian Italian resto in the heart of Greenwich Village, we had to check it out.

Exterior

Burger & Lobster: No Reservations, No Menus, No Apps…Just Simple, Hearty Fare!

By: Anne M. Raso

Going out with a bunch of friends who drive you crazy because it takes them at least 15 minutes to decide what to order off the menu. Well, why not take them to a really fun place with great food where there is NO MENU! There are no appetizers, and your entrée choices are only a juicy 10-ounce burger, a whole 1-1/2 pound lobster (grilled or steamed) or a lobster roll; all come with delicious skinny-cut fries, and a salad. Well, the whole lobsters also come with melted butter on the side if you want me to be totally exactly. There are only two desserts but they will be changing ever two or three months. A super-reasonable 20 bucks gets you each items and desserts are only about six dollars extra! The wait staff is lucky that they do not have to handle menus or customers with too many questions, and there are no reservations accepted.

Strong and Satiated at Shabu Shabu Kobe Midtown Pre Opening Party

By: Finance Foodie

As the weather gets (finally) cooler, nothing screams fuzzy sweater weather better than a nice big pot of Japanese shabu shabu. For those unfamiliar with this delectable dish, shabu shabu consists of placing thinly sliced raw meat, vegetables, and noodles in lightly seasoned boiling water, then dipping the contents a variety of sauces and consuming with steamed rice. Not only is this dish fulfilling and flavorful, it is also healthy and low(er) fat due to the cooking technique. Last week, I was invited to check out Shabu Shabu Kobe, a soon-to-be-opened Japanese resto specializing in shabu shabu – of course I had to grab my fuzziest cardigan and head over to Midtown for a visit.

Blown Away at Harbour House Restaurant and the Inn at Mystic

By: Finance Foodie

Now that Fashion Week has finally past, I was in desperate need of detox weekend where I could get away from the hustle and bustle and surround myself with the beauty of trees and greenery. Therefore, when the proprietors of the Inn at Mystic invited me to check out the place for the night and have a fresh seafood dinner at their restaurant on site -- well considered me checked in already!

Life. Love. Lobster on the North River Lobster Company Sailing Restaurant

By: Finance Foodie

Over the past few days, the Mister and I have been trying our best to take advantage of what’s left in the last half of summer in the City. The other night, we decided to check out the recently opened North River Lobster Company, New York’s first sailing lobster shack docked at Pier 81 by the Hudson River. While aboard, passengers can enjoy fresh Maine lobsters and an array of other staple seafood items in casual yet cool atmosphere.

Taking the “Bait” at Bait and Hook NYC

By: Anne M. Raso

The moderately priced Bait & Hook Seafood Shack recently took over this prime location from the much-missed Meatball Factory (reviewed here about a year ago). We loved the DIY genuine "seafood shack" appearance right down to the men and ladies' room, which looked like they were made of leftover supplies from a construction site down by the Jersey Shore. The lobster trap hanging from the ceiling as well as other nautical touches make Bait & Hook both casual and cozy.

Lobster trap hanging from the ceiling

First Philly Foodie Foray: Crabfest 2011 at the City Tap House!

"It’s beer thirty a honky tonk time..."

What do you get when you combine all-you-can-eat crabs, Brooklyn Brewery beers, and a rocking live band? Well, besides a helluva good time, you also get Crabfest 2011 at the City Tap House. This event also marked also my first food event that I attended since moving to Philly few weeks back -- and judging by this event, I think my next two years in the city will be might grand and tasty!

After we were lead to our table, we were presented with the first of many lovely cooked crab friends. To be honest, I wish these suckers came pre-shucked (I ended up spending an insane amount of effort for just a small amount of meat!), but all the hard work was worth it in the end -- the crab was juicy and tender, with just the right amount of season.

Dinner with a Chef - Armand Toutaint, Turner Fisheries

"One fish, two fish, three fish, blue fish..."

Chef Armand Toutaint is prime example of where hard work and tenacity can lead to great success. This New Hampshire born and raised chef started his career as mere dishwasher, but fought to rise through the restaurant ranks to eventually land at Boston's Turner Fisheries, where he has served as the chef de cuisine for the past two years. As I chatted with Toutaint over dinner the other night, I noticed that Armand is a man of few words; clearly what he lacks in sentences is made up for in his dishes.

Q: Hello Chef, why don't you start by telling me a bit about yourself and how you end up in the restaurant industry? Did you perhaps grow up cooking with a food loving family?

Bloodypalooza @ Turner Fisheries [Boston]

“Blood on the dance floor…”

This past Saturday for lunch, I headed over to Turner Fisheries for their Bloodypalooza festival, a weekly event where patrons can make their own customized bloody mary drinks. I was pretty excited about this event, even though I’m not much of bloody mary fan, because I’ve been wanting to check Turner Fisheries out for a while now (I always passed by the place on my walk home from work). Plus, the event was hosted by CitySearch Boston, so I knew I’d be in the company of food enthusiasts/CitySearch contributors whose recommendations I read on a daily basis when I plot my next meal.

When I arrived, I was greeted by a fully loaded bar – with 5 different vodkas, 4 different bloody mary mixes, and A MOTHERLOAD of FRESH SEAFOOD for garnishing. Jackpot baby!

You had me had hello...

New Classics: Fleming’s Steakhouse New Menu Tasting Party

By: Finance Foodie

Last night, a bunch of media folk gathered at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar to taste the newly created entrees that were introduced on its menu this April. I was quite intrigued by this invite, as I would never have used the words “creative” and “inventive” to describe a steakhouse as traditional as Fleming’s. But as I found out last night, the Fleming’s R&D team had a few tricks up its sleeve that it couldn’t wait to unveil.

Haru [Boston]

By: Finance Foodie

I was first acquainted with Haru a few years back on one balmy New York summer night. Feeling slightly frustrated at the thought of another Friday evening spent in the office (especially while my more fortunate 9-to-7 friends were on there way to the Hamptons), I decided to treat myself to a sushi dinner to make up for my lack of…ermmm….life. As I browse through the Japanese restaurant selection on Seamlessweb, my eyes landed on Haru. I placed my order and looked forward to the thought of at least a pleasant dinner to get me through the stack of 10Ks still unread on my desk.

America’s Crab at McCormick & Schmick’s

By: Finance Foodie

 Right now, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants are giving guests the opportunity to “Discover America’s Crab” with a special menu showcasing several varieties and preparation styles for crab. With everything from Regional Crab Cakes to King Crab Legs to Lobster Ravioli Topped with Blue Crab on the menu, there’s something to please every palate.

Kiss a Stranger at McCormick & Schmick’s!

Congrats #9! - Fun and Fearless in Beantown

Please email financefoodie [at] gmail [dot] com with your mailing address so I can send your prize! You have 2 days (48 hours) to respond or the prize goes to alternate winners

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"I only kiss kiss kiss when the sun don't shine..."

This St. Patrick’s Day, it's lucky to kiss a stranger at McCormick & Schmick’s! What does that mean?

Basic is Best at Douzo Boston

By: Finance Foodie

So a few months back, I took my friend out for his belated birthday dinner. We decided to go to Douzo, as I was lured in by its snazzy website and close proximity to my apartment (travel times are kept to a bare minimum during the brutally cold Boston winters). Now my sushi experiences have ranged from Hall of Fame worthy (i.e. O Ya, Sushi Yasuda) to Hall of Lame worthy (i.e. BONDSt - although the waiters were hot, Todai), so I was pretty excited to see where Douzo would land on my Sushi Scale.

As I entered the restaurant on that blustery Saturday night, I immediately realized I should of made reservations - the place was more packed than the opening day of the Barney's Warehouse Sale! And it was only 7:30! After we were finally seated (one hour later), we scanned the menu and placed our order.