Cuban Pete's, Montclair NJ

What a great find, decor was spot on, staff uniforms with the hats fit perfect & the music and feel of the restaurant made you feel as if your where in a restaurant in Cuba.

We order the Barcelona Sangria to start while we reviewed the menu.  We decide to order up a bunch of Tapas and jump into it.  Empanadas, Albondigas, Gambas in a double garlic, Coat cheese fritters on a bed of honey vinaigrette,,,,home run, Bocaditos de sandwich cubano or bite size Cuban sandwiches.

Just cause I felt like I was in a hacienda I ordered up an expresso and a flan....Great job, food, service and atmospheres. As I said in the beginning, Great job....


www.cubanpetesrestaurant.com

The Spaniard

The simple things if life, so good.....

It's so amazing to me how you can find such pleasure in something so simple. Make it a point today to find that simple thing and share it with something special. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money to enjoy the simple things in life.

The Spaniard

Prime Certified Angus Beef

Only 7 out of 100 cattle meet the requirements to be labeled as such. This is not a cut of meat you will ever see in the local supermarket. I only know of one restaurant that serves this quality of meat, Max's in Atlantic City.

A tomato blue cheese salad, a great CAB 16oz Delmonico and a nice glass of wine....OMG Good!!!

The Spaniard

Far Niente, Oakville, CA

I'm a huge Pinot Noir fan and I've been one for many years, so when Far Niente came out with their EnRoute I was all over it, simple said.....This Wine Rocks!!!

When you are drinking it you feel special because you just can't believe someting so good is in your hand.  I could drink it all day.  It goes perfact with everything and it drinks just as good alone.  I love drinking it with a tray of artisian cheeses, charcuteries, extra virgin olive oil and a nice crispy bagette.

Our tours was very special, Bruce Mooers, President of Nickel & Nickel was our host.  We visit the wine aging caves for a tasting we also had a very special lunch preparred for us. Bruce was amazing how he took time from his very busy schedule to spend the afternoon with us.

I was amazed at the beauti of this winery and all the detail in everything.  On my next blog I'll post the photos from our lunch.

www.farniente.com

The Spainard

Joseph Phelps Vineyards, St Helena CA

In the late 60s, Joseph Phelps was running one of the largest construction companies in the U.S. when he won the bid to build Souverain Winery (now Rutherford Hill) located a few miles outside of St. Helena. Enamored with the beautiful Napa Valley and contemplating a career change, in 1973 he bought the 600-acre Connolly cattle ranch in Spring Valley, and began planting vineyards. The winery was completed in 1974 and that same year the first Syrah was made, the first grapes were crushed at the new facility and the first Insignia was produced. It was a period of unparalleled activity, creativity, ingenuity, entrepreneurship and risk-taking and it put Joe Phelps on the map of top Napa Valley wine producers. From construction to wine, that love for you.....

Nearly four decades later, the flagship wine, Insignia, is recognized as one of the world’s great wines. Twenty nine of 34 vintages have been rated ninety or more points by various wine publications. From 1990 to 2007, the average score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate is 94.5 pts., with the lowest score still a fabulous 91. The 2002 vintage was “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator Magazine, and the 2007 vintage has been rated 98 points by Robert Parker and 96 points by Wine Spectator Magazine.

 

I posted below some photos from out wine tasting, I truly believe that God decided to create a perfect place and he did that in creating California and all the tremdous wineries. Check out the web site below.

 

 

 

 





http://www.jpvwines.com/

 

The Spaniard

American Fish, Las Vegas

Vegas is the culinary Disney World for foodies. I implore you visit American Fish located

within City Center Casino Aria . Michael Mina operates 16 different restaurant concepts and that is one of the reasons why he was named Bon Appetit's Chef of the Year 2005, San Francisco magazine's

Chef of the Year 2005, as well as Restaurateur of the Year 2005 by the International

Food and Beverage Forum, James Beard award winner for best Chef in California & an award of Excellence from Wine spectator, his doesn't happen unless you can cook and believe

me when I tell you....he can cook his ass off. I placed some photos from our dinner.

I highly recommend getting his cookbook simply named

Michael Mina

My favorite, Prawns stuffed with dungeness crab with a orange  jalapeno hollandaise

This venue get four out of four corks

http://michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/aflv.php?restaurant_id=16


The Spaniard

Echoqua, Springfield NJ

When ever I visit an Italian restaurant I always think of the

scene from the Godfather, you know the scene......when McCluskey ask Sollozzo  

"How's the Italian food in this restaurant"? and Sollozzo says.....

"Good -- try the veal -- it's the best in the city".  

As we walk in I had a feeling that this just may be OK, looking over the

menu we decided to start off with some appt's.

For dinner I had the Filetto di Sogliola

Fresh Filet of Sole served over risotto in a white wine sauce with tomatoes, black olives, capers and bread crumbs

and my lady had Ravioli di Ricotta

Ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese served in tomato sauce

My ladies dinner was very good but I had to send my fish back, it wasn't even cooked,

I telling you it was raw under the bread crumbs. I wasa so upset......

I didn't order anything else, we decided to leave.

I Should of had the Veal.......

This venue get one and a half corks out of four

The Spaniard

The Ten Commandments of Customer Service

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF

CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. Hello & Goodbye- The first and last impression are the most important and most lasting.
2. First Name Basis- Personalizes the experience.
3. Listen, Listen, Listen- From Listening comes wisdom.
4. Communicate Clearly-Clear and full explanations close all the windows of uncertainty & misunderstanding.
5. Be Neat, Clean & Fit- It will automatically establish you as professional, one to be respected.
6. Be Prompt & Professional- make it a habit, it requires organization, self-discipline & planning
7. Be Positive- And stay positive even thru failures...the true measure of a positive attitude.
8. Give Compliments- It reproduces itself and will get passed along. Encouragement is powerful medicine.
9. Have Fun- A good sense of humor makes other things possible; attitude, passion, pride, productivity and a sense of well-being.
10. Do It Now- As soon as possible is to late. Implement what you learned today.

The Triangle Theory

QUALITY-FUN-PROFIT

None of the three is more important than the other

None are possible without the other

The Spaniard

  

Chez Catherine, Westfield NJ

I've had the pleasure of dining in Chez Catherine and I must say.....the French really know

how to cook and they have some really great wines. 

As a friend of my mine would say

"they must have washed their feet really good before stomping those grapes".....

My hats off to the French and Chez Catherine, Edith & Didier Jouvnet you honor us all with your amazing restaurant and staying true to what you have loved doing for over three decades.

We began the night with Didier recommending a

2005 Chateau L' Enclos, Pomerol

Escargots à la Bourguignonne

snails, butter, garlic, parsley

Sole de Douvres Meunière

sautéed Dover sole, brown butter and lemon, and prepared "au guéridon"

www.chezcatherine.com

Chez Catherine gets four out of four corks

The Spaniard

Wine, Sunlight held together by water.

Merriam-Webster defines Wine as a fermented juice of fresh grapes used as a beverage.

Used as a beverage, what an understatement.....their is so much more to wine then fermented fresh grapes, once the juices are feed into the bottle the cluster is born again. A bottle of wines begs to be shared with family and friends, I've never met a miserable wine lover. 

The Spaniard