What does Oyster Bay, NY and "The Dish With Dean"
Have in common? They both love 

Jack Halyards American Bar and Grill!

Located at 62 South Street

Oyster Bay, NY 

516-922-2999

 

Coming to Jack Halyards on Saturday is a double bang for your buck. Not only do you get to eat some really amazing food, but you get to listen to some of the best local musicians around.

This Saturday night we had the pleasure of listening to Steven Rodriguez from East Norwich.

Check out his music video Mr. Right Now on Youtube.

As for the food we will begin with the Blue Crab Corn Chowder that was delicious. It was served in a bowl that looked as though it was full but the amount was just enough.

We ordered the Kung Pao Calamari served in a sesame garlic sauce with crushed peanuts and Asian sprouts. The calamari was light and crisp and the sauce did not make for a heavy dish. Sweet and crunchy with a touch of heat! 

In addition to these we ordered a delicious beet salad that was filled with amazing red and yellow grape tomatoes. Mixed with fresh greens and candied walnuts in a raspberry vinaigrette with crumpled bleu cheese. 

On to the Entrees!

I chose to have the Ahi Seared Tuna, Black and Blue served with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and an Asian flare of Bok Choy. A mango salsa and Orange Tiger sauce added a little heat to the perfectly cooked and tender Tuna medallions.

  The next dish we tasted was the Wok cooked Duck which was served in a wonderful presentation but not quite what we expected.

A bit too much work for something cooked in a wok!
Not our favorite of the dishes but the drinks were more than enough to keep this one happy.
Mr. Landshark had said that he was seafood out so he ordered the Skirt Steak. Once again the steak was cooked to his liking but in his own words and this is from a man who loves salt! "The steak is good but a bit salty". 

I would have to say that this is a place that has major potential to satisfy even the most finicky eater and if you include the great local music artists, then it is a great place to hang any time of the year. 
After dinner be sure to take a stroll into town and look around. 
This town rocks!
Enjoy!
"The Dish With Dean" 

     SUSHI KO       

2063 Merrick Road

Merrick, NY 11566

(516)378-9888  

 

 

What began as a chaotic evening with my quests to get to Malibu Oyster Bar ,

we fell into Sushi Ko in my home town of Merrick NY. Those who know "The Dish" can certainly attest to the fact that I am very picky about where I eat Sushi!

 

The one thing this restaurant does not lack is presentation.

  This dish is clearly an example of what is to be expected at Sushi Ko in Merrick, NY.

Upon our arrival the four of us were seated in a booth and asked to remove our shoes. 

We quickly ordered and were brought out piping hot cups of very nutty tasting, green tea. 

I do love green tea as long as it is the real deal and not some watered down version like some places serve to save pennies.

Three of us decided to have Sushi and Sashimi for two and we added a Maki C combo of three other rolls.

The 3 extra rolls were not necessary but they were nice to taste. The presentation of this dish and the freshness of the individual fish was amazing. Light and delicious was my opinion. There was a rainbow naruto roll that I really enjoyed and the toasted eel was really the way I like it.

Our other guest ordered a BentoBox combination. 

 This dish had a shrimp teriyaki, Beef Kushiyaki, chicken tempura served with vegetable tempura and white rice. she seemed to fully enjoy this dish but when she got to the chicken tempura, she was done. I tasted the chicken tempura to find that the batter was light and not at all greasy. the chicken was cooked well and was not dry at all. 

 This restaurant is a must if you are on the South shore of Long Island and it is only minutes east of the Meadowbrook Pkwy.

Look for Suburbia Prime Meats   on the South side of the street and park on the north side. 

Be sure to stop into Suburbia and order some of the best Prime Meats. Tell them Dean sent you.  

Enjoy

"The Dish With Dean"

Part II in the South Florida Series

Island Way Grill                            

Phone: (727) 461-6617
20 Island Way
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767  

                          On Saturday night August 10, I arrived here with my Florida connections. They were so stressed out about where to take "The Dish" to eat that after a few glasses of Chopin Vodka on the rocks, it really became easy!

Mr. Benman, "The Dish", Mr. Norton

                       We were seated at this amazing restaurant on the patio with an unbelievable view of the water and Clearwater Beach. The weather was perfect and so the antics began. You see hanging with these two guys is always an adventure. On the left you have the Benman and on the right you have the Norton. We have been friends for 20 years and somehow no matter where we are, we always seem to find each other in various parts of the world.

Our servers name was Michael and his mannerism and approach did not seem common for this establishment.

He was very quick to offer his advice on wine and based on the cost of the bottle he was offering, it clearly was an upsell. 

We chose a really nice wine that was not much less, but one that we were more familiar with.

Michale offered us the specials and asked if we had any questions. The Benman asked about the swordfish and was told that it was not very popular and that most guests returned it to the kitchen. 

We ordered appetizers, three different ones to taste.

We ordered the Beef Carpaccio  with truffel oil and capers, arugula and grape tomatoes. 

What we thought to be a pink plate was actually the most amazing shavings of beef I have ever tasted. In addition to the compliments offered with this beef was shaved Parmesan Cheese.

The oysters were only a half dozen and for "The Dish" that was a tease. 

 

I have to tell you that so far, this place rocks. 

The only item that I was not very impressed with was the Sushi roll that we had. It was basic for someone who eats sushi like a kid likes "Mickydees". 

The presentation was clearly wonderful and done with love by the chef.

Now comes the fun part.

The Benman says he is going to challenge our server Michael and order the Swordfish K-Bobs. 

I decide on a Mahi Mahi special only to later find that they are "out of" the Mahi Mahi. 

My new choice was the Red Snapper topped with Blue Crab and Lobster Veloute.

 

  These amazing chunks of delicious Sword Fish are lightly seared in Ginger oil and served with jasmine rice. They had a delicate crust on the outside and a very moist and tender inside. PERFECT! It seems our server was wrong!

My dish came out presented in an amazing way. Served with julienne fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes. The fish was cooked just the way I like it. Slightly crispy on the outside with the center being flaky and moist. The Blue Crab and Lobster sauce added a nice richness to the dish without making it heavy.

The Norton ordered the Panko Crusted Tuna served with an Asian flair and  accompanied by Wasabi Mashed Potatos and the fresh Julienne vegetables. This again was a well cooked fish that looks as good as it tastes. 

When it comes to food this restaurant which is owned by Baystar  Restaurant group is right up there with some of the finest dining in New York. They own their own fleet of dayboats that brings in most of their seafood daily. 

When it comes to Wine they do not lack in anyone's taste. 

Visit their website at Island Way Grill  

Be sure to visit here when you have the opportunity! 

 

Mr Benman

 

 

 Enjoy from 

                                "The Dish with Dean"              

 This weeks blog is all about 

this past weekends visit by 

"The Dish With Dean"

to the wonderful Gulf of Mexico 

in south Florida!

Arriving on Thursday evening I was quickly wisked away to one of my favorite places in Tampa Florida!

Skippers Smokehouse 

Dinner is always an adventure because I come here for something very specific.

The Blackened Grouper Reuben sandwhich on Marble Rye. 

Only tonight my hosts had a few other ideas to start us off.

 Oysters at Skippers were sweet and delicious. They were not plump but that's OK! 

I also ordered some Conch Fritters that were a treat that I must have upon my visit here. 

For dinner I had the Blackened Grouper and it was as always a great choice.

On the left is the amazing Grouper Reuben and on the right is a Ahi Carpaccio.

 Can't forget the Hush Puppies

Remember the real reason I come to Skippers is the music.

I have always arrived on a Thursday night to enjoy the music of the 

Grateful Dead played by Uncle Johns Band

 

If you ever are in the area check out Skippers. 

Follow them on Facebook and watch for their music events. There are always surprises at Skippers.

Next up...400 Beach Seafood and Tap House

Located downtown St. Petersburg Florida  

Right smack in the middle of a hopping busy town.

Joined by my hosts who all live in the Tampa area, I was well taken care of. For them it was very stressful because they had to take me to places that would live up to 

"The Dish With Dean"

as well as my audience!

First thing first was the Wine!

A wonderful malbec from Argentina.

The wine was not a showoff with it's berry flavor and surprisingly supple feel on the palate. Very enjoyable drink!

Our server Kendra was in my opinion the most knowledgeable waitress I have ever met. 

She knew the menu inside and out and knew what ingredients were used and why!

 Her recommendation of this seafood Chili was right on target. Featuring chunks of fresh fish and delicate seafood, it could have been my meal. (Of course not)

We also enjoyed the Grilled Chicken Satay.

Loaded with peanut sauce dripping from the stick and laid on a bed of fresh pineapple. 

Moist and tender and a nice size portion.

 Pictured above is a classic old world favorite. Grilled Pork chops.

Smoked Bacon, Sage and Apple Butter served with New Potato Hash.

Cooked to perfection!

 Seared Sea Scallops served with Chorizo Roasted Corn Risotto that were sweet as sugar.

Delicately seared to lock in the flavor and served at the perfect temperature. 

This dish was an absolute must to have. A spiney Lobster tail rolled with bacon. 

A little too salty for me but Mr. Fred enjoyed it all the same. 

 

My dish was highly recommended and when asked why, I was told that the Beach Crab Cakes were created tall and not flat and what held them all together was not your typical breading but bound together by Goat Cheese. 

Served with Roasted Corn Salsa and the New Potato Hash.

I did not fully appreciate the Goat Cheese in the Crab Cake because I found the Crab Cake to be slightly dry. Had to use all the salsa to add flavor.

The sauteed spinach was also a great side dish and was really cooked well. The garlic and olive oil blend was great.

3 stars for this place but 5 stars for our amazing server, Kendra!

A must when you have the chance!

Enjoy from 

"The Dish With Dean"

NICKY'S ON THE BAY
Gas Dock * Bait & Tackle * Lunch & Dinner Bay Shore Marine
(631) 206-3311


What an amazing night to be on the great south bay of Long Island. 
The weather was just perfect for a visit by "The Dish With Dean". 
Along with another couple we decided to go to Nicky's On The Bay in Bayshore Long Island. 

                     Be prepared to wait on any Summer night but it's OK because the bar has much to offer and the scene is really great. be sure to catch the sunset from the dock. A great experience. 
Dinner was right on target as we ordered an appy of fried hard shell clams. They were cooked to perfection and the portion could have been eaten as an entree. 
I know because I had to have them and the entree has always been too much for me.
 

Nicest part about the appetizer portion is the missing french fries. With these amazing sweet chubby guys, who needs the fries?

The other couple shared for dinner a huge bowl of Long Island steamers that were and I quote "orgasmic" and they had the entree order of the fired clams. I chose the stuffed Flounder and for me it was a little dry. 

My wife had the broiled Flounder and she enjoyed that more than mine.

My guess is that for the casual atmosphere and on the water experience, this is a great place. 

Order the fried combo and taste a few of the delicacies that this place has to offer. 

Another great find here is the almost famous Seafood Bisque. it is so rich that a cup is all that is necessary.

Check out their website for the event calendar for live music. Always a treat at Nicky's.

              Remember to say hello to Nicky and tell him you heard about it right here at

 "The Dish With Dean"

 

 

Located in Bayshore, NY this restaurant is fine dining at it's best. They do not offer parking but this was not an issue. Upon arriving on Main Street in Bayshore, it is very easy to pass this place which is deceiving from the looks of it.

 There is a 12  person bar located within the restaurant and after walking in we were greeted very warmly by our hostess. She informed us that they were already preparing our table. 

We were seated in a very small dining area that really has a limited seating capacity. Seated at a table for 2 we were sitting an arms distance from a four top on each side of us so it was not difficult to hear everyone's conversation. 

Our Server introduced himself and of course asked if we would like the usual bottled or tap water.

He handed us the wine list and proceeded to offer us the evenings specials. 

We ordered a nice bottle of Pinot Noir.

   At $11.00 a glass or $36 for the bottle it was a no brainer. What was very nice is that Manuel, our server was always there to be sure the glass was full.

We each ordered something to start the dinner off and agreed to share. 

Manuel served us our appetizers and as you can see he carefully poured the lobster Bisque into the wonderfully presented bowl. 

 Presentation was amazing as was the service but the soup was just OK. 

My Wife had a really good salad that was presented well and who would expect less from this wonderful dining experience. 

 We shared both dishes and had no complaints about either.

They also offered us a taste of a chilled tomato gazpacho with lump crab.

 Just a taste was really a tease because this was amazing. It would have been a welcome addition and if you have the opportunity to come to this restaurant, be sure to order this summer delight.

 

Dinner entrees soon followed and as the wine was being consumed, we really enjoyed the service and the culinary delight being presented to us.

The seared Sea Scallops were served on a puree of baby peas and roasted corn. The scallops were cooked to perfection and the corn and baby pea puree was sweet as sugar and complimented this dish

 

The pan seared tile fish served in a tomato broth and surrounded by delicious little neck clams was mouth watering. What was really needed was some crusty bread for the dippage. The fish was cooked to perfection and most flavorful.           

The amazing dessert that followed was a wonderful chocolate souffle accompanied by the simple yet necessary vanilla gelato. Served warm and oozing with creamy delight. It reminded me of a molten lava cake we experienced on a cruise ship. Very very rich. Screw the diet!

 

 

Located at 240 West Main Street in Bayshore, this is a place for special occasions. The prices are not inexpensive but the service and food are well worth the experience. 

Call 631-666-0995 for reservations or just click on the link for their web page. http://thelakehouserest.com/ 

                 Have an amazing week and 

Enjoy from 

"The Dish With Dean"

  

Located in Rockville Center on the South Shore of Long Island in a town that has so many restaurant choices and such an amazing nightlife. The reason for this choice was the rooftop area that really looked amazing.
Keep in mind that the idea of sitting on a rooftop on Long Island is really dependent on the weather..

Once again there were six of us for dinner and the usual suspects were clearly in attendance. Mr and Mrs. Pow along with another couple who we will refer to as "The Neighbors."

Dinner started off on the rooftop with an array of drinks as we were celebrating the birthday of Mrs. Neighbor. Our server Shari, took the orders and was pretty quick to serve the round of drinks. By far they were not the best cocktails we have had, but still not the worst. The Corona Mr. Pow had was served in a can and not a bottle. I understand that we were sitting on a roof and a bottle might have created an issue if Mr. Pow was in his 20's but as an adult, he should have been offered his beer in a bottle.

A few appetizers were ordered that really do not need mentioning. One of which was a grilled vegetable tower that left little to the imagination as all the grilled veggys tasted the same. 

 As we placed our order for dinner we watched as the skies blackened and we asked Shari her thoughts on the matter. She advised us that we should consider moving into the main are of the restaurant.

Taking her advice, we moved downstairs into a large banquet room that made us feel like we were the only attendees of a very poorly organized catered affair.

      A very long time elapsed since we saw our server Shari so we assumed she was still busy with her tables on the rooftop but it seemed rather strange that we were the only ones who moved down from the roof.

  Dinner came and Mr. Pow ordered the French Cut Chicken

 This dish was on the daily specials menu and who would have thought that a dish as easy as roasted chicken could be served and displayed so poorly. The chicken was not tasty at all and the only salvation was the spinach. Why serve a nice chicken dish on top of white rice?

Oh well!

The next dish which was the skirt steak priced at $27 should have been an amazing dish considering you are not eating at a steak house but paying a steakhouse price for this dish.

 Served with a Potato and cheese slice of pie and sauteed spinach it was again very disappointing. The meat which was ordered Medium rare came out medium well and once again our server was no where to be found. Kind of felt that we were located deep in the twilight zone.

Mrs Pow had the Memphis Baby back Ribs which was no surprise. Served with Cole slaw and Corn on the cob, it lacked imagination as did all the entrees, The BBQ sauce for the rib was taken directly from a jar. The ribs which should have melted in your mouth as they fell off the bone were tough and lacking flavor.

I ordered a Mahi Mahi topped with a lobster sauce and served on risotto.

As you can see by the photo, this dish is seriously lacking presentation and style.

I have to say that the fish was prepared correctly and was light and flaky and the sauce was creamy and enjoyable. The only disappointment was the asparagus which were thin and woody. 

                      This entire experience was not a good one. My recommendation would have to be to either skip the place all together or order a burger and hope for the best. 

By the way after dropping our check on the table and seeing the bill it was determined that this place was way over priced. We paid the bill and left our server a very nice tip. She arrived a short time later to collect the bill asking if any change was needed. Upon telling her that no change was necessary, Mr. Neighbor asked if he could have a cup of coffee. She said that would be fine but she would have to start a "New Check". 

We were very taken back by this but whatever! I imaging after opening the billfold and seeing the tip we gave her she had a change of heart because upon serving Mr. Neighbor his coffee she informed him that it was on the house.

       This place is recommended for people who are young adults looking for rooftop night life and not for the average couple looking for a good meal. 

Have a great week and Enjoy

"The Dish With Dean"