Binghamton Food Reviews and Recipes

Butchering Bourdain

2010-09-14T14:02:00.004-04:00

Hello Everyone,
I would like you to check out my new blog that I am really excited about. It’s called www.ButcheringBourdain.com. In it I will attempt to cook through Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles cook book. It will be a lot of work, quite expensive and really fun! I hope you enjoy it. I strongly encourage you to sign up for the mailing list on the right side of the screen. It’s a great way to stay connected with the blog. Hopefully, many of you who have read through this blog will be interested in some of my other projects. Hope to see you around! Feel free to leave comments here or on Butchering Bourdain. I would love to hear what you think!

Note: you might have to type "www.butcheringbourdain.com" into your search bar because the links are not working for some reason.

When God Gives you Pork Belly…

2010-09-10T05:12:00.010-04:00

I cook 2 ways… well maybe 3. Sometimes I follow recipes from cook books other times I open my refrigerator (and pantry) and basically just pull out a bunch of ingredients that I think will go together and make a dish. The third way I cook is if I am in a professional kitchen, although, I am not sure if that is considered cooking or following orders from a drill sergeant. I am not going to lie to you, many times when I pull a bunch of things from the refrigerator and create something the result is subpar. Tonight was not one of those nights; I threw together a fabulous dish that I don’t think I would modify.

One of my problems (that I am trying to fix) is feeling the necessity to use every ingredient that I initially select. But tonight I was (thankfully) able to restrain myself. Do you see that reddish beet in the above photo? I decided not to use it. Mind you, I have never cooked a beet in my life and after I sautéed it in some pork fat, I 86ed it for the night.

This dish was inspired by 3 things: my new favorite Asian market, David Chang’s left over Pork Belly (see Pork Buns post) and Kittichai which is the current (modern thai) restaurant that I work for. In addition to my three muses, I was very pleased to see some German beer in the refrigerator (My pops must have bought it).

The dish was pretty straight forward: Sautéed pork belly lardoons, with bok choy, white mushrooms and kimchi (thanks David Chang). The glaze consisted of about a tea spoon of ginger/garlic paste, Sambal, oyster sauce, a dash of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil. Oh yeah, remember that pork fat that I saved from the roasted pork belly? Yeah, that was used to sauté everything. No wonder, I enjoyed this dish so much!

New Look + Donation Button!

2010-09-10T02:29:00.003-04:00

I reformatted the blog today, I think it has a more modern cool look. I hope you like it. I have also added a donation button at the top of the screen. This blog cost me a bunch of money to create. I basically blew all my hard earned tips from the Lost Dog on eating out to create the reviews that you see on this blog. Now, I want you to realize that I am not complaining or looking for a hand out (well maybe sort of). All, I am saying is that if you have enjoyed reading this blog and have some extra cash, feel free to scroll your mouse over that 'donate' button on the top left hand side of the screen... I know you just looked over there and saw it! But I want you all to know that I am going to keep blogging regardless of donations. So don't fret.

Momofuku Pork Buns

2010-09-08T16:22:00.015-04:00

So about a week and half ago I discovered the most amazing Asian market. Personally, I have always loved Asian markets because they are always open and their food is always 30-40% cheaper than conventional supermarkets. Another reason, this markets rocks is because they have lots of fresh fish and all sorts of pig parts. I found a bunch of beautiful looking pork bellies and just had to buy one. For those of you who are not familiar with pork belly, it is the same cut of meat that bacon and pancetta is made from. Bacon is usually cured in salt and then smoked, while pancetta is rolled up into a cylinder and simply cured with salt and other spices. David Chang’s pork bun recipe from the Momofuku cook book calls for a quick salt and sugar cure followed by slow roasting the belly. I have cooked many dishes from this cook book and was especially excited about this dish because it is considered one of Chang’s signature menu items. Inspiration for this recipe was not only found in Chang, one of my favorite blogs, momofukufor2 also made this dish.

Before getting started I had to take off the skin. To do this, I basically slid my knife between the skin and top layer of fat and tried to pull the skin away from the flesh in one continuous even slice. I have never done this before so my technique was far from perfect, but I managed to get the job done.

I let my belly sit in the refrigerator for about 10 hours with a salt and sugar mixture, then washed the mixture off and let it sit for about another 10 hours. In the morning, I roasted the belly for about 3 hours at 300 degrees and then finished it at 450 for about 15 minutes to give it some color. I saved the liquefied piggy fat in a pint container for future use. Pork fat, can be used in a variety of ways. It’s basically a meaty substitute for butter.

Once you roast the belly and make Chang's quickly salted Kirby pickles, the assembly is easy. I gathered my mies en plas together, rested my belly and steamed my buns. That’s right. I steamed my buns! I don’t own a steamer so I made a ghetto one. Basically, I put a pot of boiling water on the stove with a metal strainer on top and slapped a lid on it. Sometimes macgyvering it up in the kitchen is so satisfying.

The result was a pretty tasty lunch with my dad. The soft pillowy buns balanced out the salty fatty goodness of the pork. We saved half of the belly for another dish. I am thinking about pork belly Saam next!

Chorizo and Eggs

2010-08-25T14:39:00.008-04:00

Leaving Binghamton really made me realize how lucky I had it and how expensive the world is. I had it all…. A great job (LDC), affordable restaurants to explore and a nice apartment that I could call my own. The hardest part about living at home is cooking in my parent’s kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, my folks are super cool and I love them (thanks mom!) but a kitchen is a very personal space. In my old kitchen, I knew where every pan, dish and spice tin was. I had them strategically arranged for optimal use… The curry cabinet on the right, the squeeze bottles of various oils above my stove and my dry goods to the left. I have fond memories in that space... Although, my parents have a dope stove and some nice cooking tools they don’t have many items that I have been accustom to using like an abundance of stainless steel mixing bowls and cast iron skillets. Regardless, I try to make it work.

I figured that I would post on something related to my trip to Europe given the fact that I can’t really review restaurants in Binghamton right now. When I was in la boqueria (Barcelona) I picked up about 150 grams of smoked Spanish paprika. This paprika is totally different from the stuff you buy at Wegmans or Whole Foods, it’s beautifully red in color and has an incredible strong aroma. It’s much smokier and aromatic then generic smoked paprika.

Paprika, especially Spanish paprika makes me think of chorizo. So I figured I’d make some chorizo and eggs for breakfast. I had made chorizo once before with a good friend of mine who cooks at a restaurant in Brooklyn called No7. We made a dish that I love from Bourdain’s, Les Halles cookbook called Moules a la Portugaise. It’s an easy dish that consists of mussels, herbs, chorizo, garlic and wine. It’s simple to prepare and usually a crowd pleaser.

Anyway, the Chorizo was pretty easy to make. I didn’t measure anything, but I’ll try to guestimate the proportions of ingredients in my chorizo…

1lb of ground pork
4tbls Smoked Paprika <-- By far the most important ingredient
1.5tsp cayenne
1tsp ancho chili powder
1tsp Turkish oregano
1tsp whole cumin seeds (ground)
1tsp whole green peppercorns (ground)
1tsp whole coriander seeds (ground)
1.5tsp red wine vinegar
Slash of white wine
And a little bit of the two saints (S & P)

Making the Chorizo is super easy. You just put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl. Wash your hands and mix and mix and mix. You should let the chorizo mixture set for at least an hour (in the fridge) so that the flavors marry together nicely. Then simply patty up and pan fry. As you can see, my patties are kind of crude and ugly but I was pretty hungry at the time and didn’t really care.

The verdict? They tasted like quality Chorizo! I was very pleased with myself. My pops liked them too. I served them with fried eggs and some bread that my mom made the night before. I was sure to slice the bread up and fry it in the chorizo juice. The bread was tasty and super unhealthy.

Has anyone else ever made sausage? I want to eventually start using casings for my chorizo, any suggestions?

Travels and Plans

2010-08-24T04:34:00.013-04:00

So I have been out of Bingo for a while and I haven’t been posting as much as I would like to. There are a number of reasons for this. I recently finished grad school at Binghamton University and decided to go on a 2 month hiatus from anything involving work. Europe was my destination, food and culture were my priorities. I started in perhaps the most progressive culinary country in Europe today: Spain. The food culture in Spain is huge! Local Markets litter every neighborhood. I must have visited at least 7 different and distinct markets while I was there but there was one that topped them all: La Boqueria. This space is perhaps the most famous market in Barcelona. It encompasses about 1 square NYC block in the heart of the busy Las Ramblas district. Here you can find, everything and anything. From Spanish smoked paprika to offal to beautiful artisanal cheeses and meats. It was overwhelming to say the least, I wanted to learn about everything there. The only problem is that I don’t speak Spanish, let alone Catalan so I couldn’t really ask too many questions without embarrassing myself.

If there is one thing that La Boqueria is known for it is seafood. The seafood section, located in the heart of the market, is completely run by women. You can hear their screams and boastings about their daily catch. Needless to say everything is incredibly fresh. Forget about tuna, salmon and tilapia, here you will find live stone crabs, sea snails, razor clams and rock fish just to name a few of the interesting items up for grabs.

Barcelona was really incredible. It was difficult to find a bad meal. Unlike some of the other European Countries, the Spanish have not tried to westernize their food for the American palate. They realize that their cuisine is exquisite and they don’t try to mask it.
Next up was Paris, I was quite excited to go to Paris… Maybe too excited. I had visions of Escoffier, Jacques Pepin and Daniel Boulud cooking me incredible classic French dishes. Don’t get me wrong, I ate fresh baguettes, smeared with local pates and terrines for pennies and drank great wine for just a few euro’s a bottle. But the markets were not nearly as easy to come by as in Spain. Don’t get me wrong I visited a few markets, but the famed Les Halles has moved out of the city center long ago. Now the largest market in Paris isn’t even in the city proper, it’s located in the Suburbs and is a pain in the ass to get to. Next time I go to France I am going to skip Paris and head straight for the south of France to Aix En Provence and Marseille and then up to Bordeaux in the North West.

A 3 day stint in Amsterdam was next. I wasn’t expecting much from the Dutch besides munchie food, which isn’t really ideal. To be honest, the food in Amsterdam was fare. I had a good meal at a decent Peruvian place but other than that the food seemed overly westernized and simplified. Aside from the abundance of quality shawarma available there was not much else worth talking about. Although, we did have incredible aged Gouda from a local market, the cheese had a nice sharp flavor with little crystals formed from age that contained little bursts of crisp cheese flavor when consumed. And there were the Belgium style French fries that are double fried and served with mayo and Piccalilli… Yumm…

Finally there was Berlin. Although, I sadly didn’t eat any wiener schnitzel I did consume lots of quality beer and ate some really fantastic meals. The first memorable meal was at a small pub. We watched Italy loose to some team (this was during the first rounds of the world cup) and ate wonderful light homemade spaetzle with slowly braised beef goulash. It was super tender, meaty and sweet. The braising liquid was reduced down to a sauce with some red wine and the flavors became nice and concentrated.

The other meal that we had in Berlin was far more refined and gastronomically sophisticated. The restaurant was called Berlin Modern and it had opened recently. To be honest, I don’t remember the dishes all that well because they were too complex for me to remember (and I didn’t think I would be posting a blog entry on this meal). But there was a rustic pork terrine with a micro green salad and painted mustard that was really good. Also, a freshly caught trout dish that the owner/chef assured me was caught in a river about 20 minutes outside of Berlin. The skin was nice and crispy and the fillet was cooked perfectly. Finally, there was some kind of all white dessert, which included lavender ice cream, white chocolate and white foam made out of something (coconut maybe?). Again, the owner told as that he picked the lavender from a church garden down the street (with the priest’s permission of course). He was really enthusiastic about his food and passionate about quality ingredients.
Overall, my 4 country trip proved to be a success. Although, I ate very well, the next time I go to Europe I will research various restaurants and chefs that I want to seek out.

After I went to Europe, I traveled cross country for about 2 weeks on a hitch hiker’s budget, eating canned food and rice daily. It wasn’t good eats but I hiked some beautiful places in Yellowstone and the Gran Tetons. I also beat the house in Vegas! As for me now, I have moved out of Binghamton and I am living the American dream! I’m sleeping on the couch at my parents house! Okay, well it kind of sucks but I got a job at this cool restaurant in Soho called Kittichai and I plan on moving out once I build up some capital. I also plan on making a few more updates to this blog and then start a new one. I have some idea’s for other blogs and projects but I’m not sure which one I will decide to tackle. I’ll be sure to keep you posted!

Binghamton Take Out: Theo’s, Cosmo’s and Escape State Street

2010-03-25T00:54:00.003-04:00

In response to a comment by "Exposing Cinguliar"…

“Sometimes I just want to stop by somewhere and get takeout so I don't have to cook when I get home. But everything I have tried has been, well, horrible. This is my first year in Binghamton and I learned early that the food is not great, so I don't eat out too much, but the only food I have found to be worth returning to is China Lake and Lost Dog, neither of which are take out type places. Does anyone have any suggestions?”

To be honest, I have had the same dilemma many times in Bingo. There are not too many choices for takeout in Binghamton, especially if you are looking for healthy food. But when I think of take out, I think of Theo’s for some reason. Maybe it’s because they are now located in a gas station, making the atmosphere less than desirable for a sit down meal. Theo’s was originally located under the arch on Main Street between Binghamton and Johnson City. For some reason they moved last year but they are still churning out some pretty good southern style food (The original Theo was from Georgia). I have eaten a number of their dishes when they were in their old location with mixed feeling about the food. Now I strictly go there for two things: wings and cornbread.

The wings are much different than your standard deep fried chicken pieces tossed in franks red hot. Theo’s wet batters their wings giving them a thicker, richer and all around crunchier crust. Plus, I would argue that the batter holds moisture in better when submerged under 350º oil. They then toss them in a homemade sauce of your choice, I prefer their ‘sweet and sassy’ sauce but sometimes I opt for the spicier version.

The cornbread is out of this world. It is by far the most buttery moist cornbread that I have ever had. Honestly, it’s better than cornbread that I have had when traveling through the south. You have to try it. They sell it by the piece or by the tray (if you’re having a party). Whenever I have people over for some pulled pork or homemade ribs I buy a tray of Theo’s cornbread because it is that unbelievable. Plus people always rave about it after one bite.

I would skip their ribs, pork products and sides though. They obviously don’t have a smoker anymore so anything they cook is oven roasted, which just doesn’t cut it for me when I think authentic BBQ. But don’t let this stop you from trying their wings and cornbread!

Another decent place is Cosmos, which is located underneath the 201 overpass by the traffic circle. It’s a mom and pop Italian place with decent food and inexpensive prices. They also have pretty good wings and pizza. I wouldn’t say that they do anything the best, but Cosmos is consistent. If you order wings there, I recommend the garlic sauce. Their pizza is very thin, which is nice but sometimes goes limp when it approaches your mouth…. Overall the place is quite interesting; there are a number of odd sculptures on the restaurant property that I can’t even begin to describe, you simply have to see them. Cosmo’s also boasts its own Tiki bar and its own carry out section which is called… you guessed it…“Cosmo’s Carry Out!”

Finally, there is Escape State Street. They are located downtown, in the square off of Washington Street. They are open for breakfast, lunch and late night dining. Their panini’s are the thing to order when going there. Most of their items have clever names like, the Woppa and Russian Roulette. The nice thing about Escape is that they are the only place that I know of that is open late night. Being located downtown, they cater to the college crowd that goes to the bars or insomniacs like myself. Their prices are inexpensive, hovering around $6 and they deliver if you’re feeling lazy.

Theo's Southern Style Cuisine
53 Downs Avenue, Binghamton
607) 352-3201

Cosmos
445 Grand Avenue
Johnson City, NY 13790-2522
607) 770-0020

Escape
escapestatestreet.com
163 Washington St
Binghamton, NY 13901
607)723-1831

The Bagel Factory

2010-03-11T18:29:00.002-05:00

I grew up eating bagels and bialys (bialys are the polish offspring of bagels which are not boiled before baked giving them a slightly denser dough). As a kid, bagels were the go to breakfast item behind bacon egg and cheese sandwiches. I started out as a picky brat eating plain bagels with butter. As time progressed I started exploring other bagels and cream cheese. Sesame, poppy and salt bagels all come to into my life during elementary school. I am not sure when I had my first everything bagel, but it has been my bagel of choice for some time now. Bagels are like coffee in the sense that everyone likes their bagels a particular way. Various levels of toasting, volume of cream cheese (along with type) and bagel density all play their respective parts in creating the ideal bagel.

Now onto the Bagel Factory… This place is located a few blocks from my apartment making it the ideal place to grab a bite when I am in a hurry. The décor is kind of bland but neat, but what do you expect?! It’s a bagel shop, I simply want a quality bagel and a good cup of coffee (which is increasingly hard to find). The Bagel Factory offers a tasty bagel that comes with a generous amount of cream cheese that always fills the bagel whole nicely. On the day which I took this photo, the bagel wasn’t as dark as it usually is but I have to say that this place is very consistent. They do a nice job in balancing the ratios of salt, poppy, sesame, and onion on their everything bagels. They have a plethora of flavored cream cheeses which I have never touched because I am kind of purist when it comes to classic food items. Overall, the bagel is pretty good.

The staff who works at the shop is always super friendly and polite but I do have one major complaint… To be blunt, their coffee sucks. It’s usually hot which is good and I am sure its brewed daily… but its sooooo weak I sometimes wonder if I am drinking coffee or hot water. I am not expecting some fancy organically grown, handpicked locally roasted coffee either…. I just want it to have some bitterness and punch when I take a sip. Once that coffee touches my lips my sensory glands should jump to life and my day should get started… They need to double their bean count on their brew or else maybe offer a supercharged bold French Roast for the picky people (like me). What is really sad about the coffee is that I continue to buy it after I have been disappointed so many times. Maybe next time I will grab an orange juice instead…

I have faith in this place. I think they will eventually get their coffee situation under control and continue to pump out quality bagels. So stop wasting your money at Dunkin Donuts (you will be disappointed) and head over to the Bagel Factory for breakfast.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars. Give me more caffeine!
The Bagel Factory
9 Glenwood Ave
Binghamton, NY 13905
Phone: 607-770-9083

http://www.mybagelfactory.com

Grande's... Still the best pizza in town

2010-02-03T13:55:00.004-05:00

Pizza seems to be a big conversation topic in the local foodie world. As I mentioned in my first post, I feel like Grande's on the south side has the best pizza in town. I just got back from having lunch there and I have to say, I am sticking to my original opinion. I had a coke and two slices, one meatball and one cheese steak. Many would argue that cheese steak pizza tries to combine two autonomous food entities that should never be put together. In some cases I would agree that certain foods shouldn't be fused together but I have to say... this one works!

In the next week, expect a post on Theo's Wings and Cornbread, The Bagel Factory and Sharky's. Also there is a new update on the Sake-Tumi post.

Mediterranean Gyro: A little bit of Queens Nostalgia in Vestal

2010-01-11T11:55:00.003-05:00

When I saw that a Gyro joint was opening in Vestal I was pretty excited. Growing up I lived in a Greek/Italian neighborhood, I remember taking a trip to a place called Gyro Corner which was located on the intersection of Northern Blvd and Francis Luis Blvd in Queens. It was a heavenly place where the Mexican and Ecuadorians shuffled you through the busy restaurant as the Greek owner kept a hawk-like presence over his nest. Needless to say, they had the most amazing gyro’s that I have ever had.
Mediterranean Gyro in University plaza does not have the same charm as my childhood hangout but it does have many similarities. There are hard working hombres from Spanish decent working behind the line, slinging hunks of meat onto the grill and slicing beautifully processed compressed pieces of rotating lamb meat that is liberally laced with a variety of spices. It’s a beautiful thing. There is also that sharp eyed owner from my youth at Mediterranean Gyro, he was sitting ominously at a corner table reprimanding the servers who looked quite lost in their own restaurant. Overall the place really had a Queens-ish feel to it. It’s just a little roomier and cleaner.
We ordered a sampler plate for 2. I think it cost about $18 for that dish alone. The waitress warned us that it was going to be large, she said that no one had ever finished it. The place had only been open for a few weeks so I figured the ‘large’ eaters of America had not had the chance to overtake this platter. When it was placed in front of us there was a gasp as the dust settled. It was enough to feed a Wal-Mart going family of 4 or a normal family of 6. I couldn’t believe it. There was lamb gyro meat, chicken gyro meat, lamb kabobs, chicken kabobs, sausage, pork shoulder (I think), french fries, grilled potatoes, zadziki and pita bread. It was massive. Oh, I forgot to mention that it also comes with 2 salads and 2 cups of lemon and rice soup!!! The salads where a typical mixture of iceberg lettuce and some other generic salad items that definitely did not come from a farmers market. The soup was pretty delicious. It had creamy silky texture with hints of lemon and chicken broth. The platter itself was pretty good, but the lamb gyro meat was definitely the best. Everything chicken on the platter was a bit overcooked and dry but eatable. The zadziki was decent, although I think they should have strained the yogurt a bit more (through a cheese cloth or t-shirt) to give it a thicker/richer consistency. Overall the meal was well worth the price. The service was friendly and pleasant even though most of the waiters/waitresses seemed to have been plucked from Applebee’s type establishments.
They also have regular gyro sandwiches for $5. Next time, I think I will try one of those. Overall, the experience was pleasurable. I especially liked to see some amigos in the kitchens of upstate New York. For me, that was one of the most refreshing parts of the place.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

(please note that these photos were taken after about 10 minutes of eating, so there was actually a bit more food on the plate when it arrived)

4700 Vestal Parkway East, Vestal, NY(607) 729-2001

School Comes First...

2009-12-10T07:40:00.002-05:00

I apologize for not posting any new reviews lately but I have just been boggled down with school. Tomorrow marks the end of the semester for my classmates and I. As usual the last few weeks of school have been extremely hectic and exciting. Normally, I don't eat too much during these periods of intense studying but I have managed to hit up a few places since thanksgiving. I will share some of these new posts with you over the next few days so don't fret! New reviews and comments will be up shortly... Basically, I just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive and still eating. =)

Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-11-30T00:00:00.002-05:00

I want to begin this post by thanking all of you who read this blog. In all honesty, this thing started as an assignment for school but it has become part of my lifestyle. I check it vigorously each day hoping that someone made a comment or suggested a restaurant to be reviewed. Your feedback and comments have really helped fuel this project!

This past thanksgiving weekend I visited my Aunts house for a wonderful turkey dinner. The food was excellent I have no complaints. The rest of the weekend I reunited with some old schoolmates. I hadn’t seen many of their faces for a long time. Reunited with them was fantastic, it was almost surreal how easily our conversations flowed. It was as if we had spent a week apart rather than 4 years. It was really incredible.

Although, I criticize some restaurants in the area while praising others my true objective is not to be a critic. In fact, I have always looked at critics as being overly pretentious and stuck up. My goal is to be a restaurateur. I love the excitement of the kitchen and the loudness on the floor. There is a kind of energy in restaurants that cannot be mimicked in other industries or businesses. Restaurants manage to stimulate all of the human senses in a beautiful (sometimes seductive) manor. Like art, restaurants can be classical, modern, refined or experimental. But, the thing that really gets me excited about restaurants are the smiles and positive reactions I see from people who have truly enjoyed themselves. This weekend I was reminded just how important people are. I think that friends and family should be the driving force behind most decisions. So this thanksgiving I am thankful for everyone I know and everyone that I have ever waited on or cooked for. Again, thank you.

I am not trying to be Anton Ego even if I may come off a little harsh at times:

Crepe Heaven or Crepe Purgatory?

2009-11-24T15:01:00.005-05:00

Crepe Heaven is another business that has opened up in recent history, but it is yet to show its lasting capabilities. I have eaten there at least 5 times since its opening and have noticed a number of interesting things since Crepe Heavens beginning. The ambiance of the café is decent. It tries to position itself as a sleek modern café but falls slightly short. The interior is very clean and neat but the tables and chairs seem to float awkwardly in the dinning space. Additionally, the artwork on the walls looks like they were purchased from Bed Bath & Beyond. In short, Crepe Heaven desperately needs an interior decorator who can kick up their Fung-Sway (Feng-Shui) to the next level.

The service has always been very awkward and slow at this place. Most of the time, young (high-school looking) kids waited on me who had little to no training. Although, it appears that many of these employees have since left because the last time I was there it seemed to be run strictly by the family. Crepe Heaven is the kind of place where you are not sure if you pay the waitress or the cash register (though, they prefer you pay the register)… For me it just has an awkward feeling. But the owner does give the place some charm, he is always there smiling with his thick beard and jolly physic. He is very polite and always has something nice to say.

The food to price ratio has varied slightly since their beginning. At first opening, I thought their prices were a bit too cheap, (believe it or not) I couldn’t figure out how they were making money. But I think they have figured out a fair pricing policy. All of their coffee drinks are very good and they offer Turkish coffee which is a treat. As for the crepes… I think they vary in quality and creativity. Most of the sweet crepes are pretty good, especially the fruit and eurocrem crepes but the savory crepes fall flat, there is just not much too them. Perhaps along with an interior decorator they should hire a creativity chef. Personally, I would like to see something more along the lines of a goat cheese and pesto crepe or brie and berry crepe. Pizza crepe just doesn’t sound appetizing to me…

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Website: Crepe Heaven

217-219 Main Street
Binghamton
New York
13905
607-217-7188

HOURS OF OPERATION:
mon - closed
tue-thu 9am - 8pm
friday 9am - 9pm
saturday 9am - 9pm
sunday 9am - 5 pm

The Lost Dog Cafe

2009-11-23T20:40:00.004-05:00

I long refrained from writing this review because I work at the lost dog and I may be slightly biased. But in all honesty, I deemed it my favorite restaurant in Binghamton over 3 years ago long before I started working there. Since beginning my employment at the dog love and appreciation for the restaurant has only grown. I have made some wonderful friends who have become like family to me and have eaten some amazing meals at the dog. The restaurant has definitely helped inspire my career path, which I am truly thankful for. I am sure most of you don’t care much about that mushy stuff though…. So let’s try and look at the dog from an objective lens…

The atmosphere at the lost dog is second to none in greater Binghamton. It has a charm that mixes funky colors with local art and beautiful architecture. The building itself is a historic building that was once a cigar manufacturing facility. The windows are huge and the exposed brick and raw beams that run through the space are reminiscent of a converted loft. One reason the lost dog is such a great restaurant is its comfortable atmosphere. It’s a place where students and professionals can mix and be comfortable together. People of all ages and demographics come to the lost dog making it one of the most diverse places in Binghamton. Which I think is quite beautiful and inspiring.

Both lunch and dinner offer a variety of very attractive food selections as well as attractive employees… **wink**wink** But in all honest they the food and service is fantastic. My personal favorite lunch item is the voodoo tuna sandwich. It is blackened with some cajun spices and seared on a cast iron skillet. It is served on a kaiser roll with a great honey hot sauce: delicious! Not to boast, but it is important to note that the Lost Dog was voted the number one restaurant to eat lunch at in the southern tier by the press and sun bulletin (2009).

My personal favorite appetizer is the asparagus cakes which are fried and made with two wonderful sauces that paint the plate artistically. The first sauce is a roasted red pepper coulis while the other is a garlic and herb sauce, both marry together nicely with the asparagus cake. The rigatoni ala vodka and Greek chicken are by far our most popular dishes and are outstanding. Personally, I like the Amore which is a penne pasta dish made in an asiago cream sauce, it is rich and savory... To be frank, I like almost everything on the menu. In addition to the quality food, the prices are extremely reasonable. All lunch items are below $10 and all of the sandwiches come with a side of your choice. Most dinner entrees hover around $15 which is comparable to the terrible chain restaurants like TGI McFunsters on vestal parkway. The dog also has some of the best coffee and desserts in the area. The house brew is a nice strong French roast but they also have flavored coffees and lattes if you’re into that sort of thing. My favorite dessert is probably the Geisha, which is a cheesecake that is deep-fried and served with 3 different dipping sauces: caramel, chocolate and raspberry… It is phenomenal, you must try it! If you haven’t been to the lost dog you should definitely check it out. It is by far the best restaurant in Binghamton.

Atmosphere: 5 out of 5 stars
Service: 5 out of 5 stars
Food: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Price Range: $10-$20

Website: The Lost Dog Café

Binghamton, New York
The Lost Dog Café
222 Water Street
Binghamton, New York 13901
Tel (607) 771-6063

Monday - Saturday
11:30am - 10:00pm

Closed Sundays

P.S. Restaurant: One of the better upscale eateries in Binghamton

2009-11-23T12:53:00.006-05:00

I first heard about P.S. about 2 years ago and I haven’t gotten around to eating there until this past Thursday. One reason, that has deterred me from eating at P.S. is its horrific location. It is attached to a Giant supermarket off of vestal avenue. P.S. is an upscale restaurant that competes with Number 5 and the Kilmer in terms of clientele. The major issue that I have with P.S. is that their atmosphere is just too old for my taste. P.S. has a pastel carpet floor, a mirrored wall so you can spy on your neighbors and an awkward bar that is completely segregated from the rest of the restaurant. The windows all have curtains that block any view of the outside world from the customers. This is not surprising since the windows look out onto a parking lot where people are buying groceries and liquor. But P.S. has been owned by the same family for about 20 years and they have made a sustainable business in a location that is less than desirable.

This being said, the staff is excellent and the food is a notch up from anything else in the area. The bartender let us sample numerous wines, the maitre d' was pleasant and our waitress was extremely knowledgeable and personable. The menu is a mixture of French Continental food and Thai cuisine but there are very few fusion dishes. We started our meal with some raw blue point oysters, which were a special that night. They were very fresh and briny tasting as oysters should be. We decided to also have some Fois Gras to start with. From my experience this is the only restaurant that carries the wonderful duck/goose liver in Binghamton. The Fois Gras was made in a ginger, fig, lime and butter sauce that was very delicate and delicious. For dinner we had tuna steaks and roast duck. The Tuna was made with some crispy won-tons a mango pure, cilantro and a ginger cream sauce. They were cooked perfectly (rare) and were very tender. They married well with the mango but I thought the ginger cream sauce had a bit too much mayo for me. The duck was wonderful. Moist dark meat was surrounded by crispy duck skin that played with the berry sauce nicely. Both entrées were served with mashed potatoes and ratatouille. The potatoes were great, strained very finely to create a super smooth texture. But the ratatouille was a bit too acidic. We had a crème brulèe for dessert, the clustered part was nice and rich but the thin crispy layer at the top was soft and disappointing. I initially went to crack it open with my spoon only to have my utensil slide to the bottom of the ramekin. I am pretty sure they didn’t use a cooking torch, they probably just threw the dessert under the broiler…

Overall, the food was very good. You could tell that the chef really cared about what he/she was serving. One major issue that I have to address is the pricing discrepancy between the online menu and the in house menu. I am not one to nitpick on prices but almost everything online is $3-$5 cheaper than the in house menu. Clearly, they need to update their website.

Atmosphere: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Service: 5 out of 5 stars
Food: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
Price Range: $20-$30
Website: P.S. Restaurant

Address: 100 Rano Blvd # 8
Vestal, NY 13850-2798
(607) 770-0056
Dinner Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 5:00 p.m.-Closing

Sake-Tumi Baby!

2009-11-18T00:08:00.016-05:00

I was really excited when Sake-Tumi first opened about a year ago. I have always loved sushi, maki, and sashimi… Anthony Bourdain once said that his last meal would either be a piece of roasted bone marrow with a warm baguette or a raw piece of really high quality yellow-fin tuna…. Yummm!With that being said, lets take a look at Sake-Tumi.

The interior of Sake-Tumi is really nice. They are part of the new restaurant movement in Binghamton that seems to embrace chic decor and modern style. Most things in the restaurant are white, black or red… kind of like The White Stripes. The restaurant is split between the first floor and the basement. Ground level contains a dining area and sushi bar, while the basement has a liquor bar, kitchen and secondary dining area. The bar on the first floor is very awkward. It’s really high and uncomfortable; whoever designed/constructed this monstrosity didn’t have a clue about functionality. But, overall the feel to the restaurant is positive… Plus they have a wonderful bathroom =)

I have eaten there 4 times since opening. The service has been awkward and slow except for one time. I am pretty sure they have a high turnover of wait staff because they always seem to have different people working there. The first time I ate there I had their small sashimi platter ($22), the tuna and salmon were very fresh but the red snapper seemed a little dated but nothing to be worried about (I ate it and was fine). I have also eaten some fusion maki rolls and some Americanized rolls like the Philadelphia ($5.5), California ($5.0) and Rainbow ($14.5). They were all decent but I definitely felt like I was paying too much for what I received.
My most recent experience was just a few days ago. I split the following fusion maki rolls with a friend of mine…

Sake-Tumi maki: Hamachi, tuna, cucumber, chili daikon wrapped in salmon crab and avocado on top w/ wasabi red sauce, spicy mayo $14.50

Seaworld: Spicy crab salad, asparagus, shitake mushroom roll wrapped in shrimp, scallop, crab w/ eel sauce and wasabi red sauce: $13.00... (I forgot to take a photo of Seaworld)

Cuper crunchy: Tuna, asparagus, chili daikon, tempura flakes roll w/ masago and potato crunch topping in spicy mayo, red sauce $12.50

Spicy tuna remix: Chopped tuna in a special spicy sauce, shiso leaves, radish sprout roll w/ spicy mayo, red sauce. $11.50

The rolls were all very beautiful and presented elegantly. My major complaint was that every piece of sushi had a dot of sriracha (Thai chili sauce) on it, which made the rolls all taste the same after a while… Honestly, I couldn’t believe that all four rolls that we ordered had this garnish. I guess it was partially my fault for not realizing that the “red sauce” and “wasabi red sauce” meant sriracha... next time I will tell them to paint it on the plate rather than putting it right on top of my food. But overall the meal was enjoyable… Although, I really felt like I was paying a very high price for sushi… Fuji San definitely gives better value for your money. My last complaint about Sake-Tumi is that they don’t have a web site. I know this may sound silly but its 2009! They should rent a computer science student from the university. In my opinion, they need to do four things to improve…
1. Shorten their menu
2. Hire and TRAIN a solid wait staff
3. Slightly lower their prices
4. Build a web site

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Price Range: $10-$30
Website: Sake-Tumi Facebook Page
Address: 71 Court St
Binghamton, NY 13901-3311
(607) 238-1771

Update 2/2/10
Sake-Tumi has recently created a website which, like the restaurant, is pretty stylish. You can visit them at saketumibing.com. A source tells me that the owners of Sake-Tumi have been informed about this blog post. I think they are strongly considering some of the above comments and are making efforts to revamp some aspects of their restaurant. It is always encouraging to hear that a restaurant is attempting to improve itself. Being content and stagnant in any industry will almost insure long term failure. So I applaud Sake-Tumi's efforts and wish them all the best. I will let you know how my next dinning experience at their establishment goes.

The Director’s Cut: Average at Best

2009-11-17T15:27:00.007-05:00

I reviewed this deli at request of one of my readers. It is located behind the Hollywood video on the Southside of Binghamton. The location of The Director's Cut is far less than ideal… it is flanked by a cheapo Chinese restaurant and a Dominos pizza. The food includes basic deli sandwiches, burgers, panini’s and salads. Nothing really popped out to me on the menu so I ordered the “Godfather” which is basically a standard Italian sub with mozzarella cheese. The meat was sliced relatively thick and the lettuce was very fresh. Their coffee is medium bodied and decent… nothing to write home about…

The atmosphere is a little cheeky with a chalkboard menu on one side of the deli while the other side is filled with posters and references to classic American films. The two girls working behind the counter were very nice and prompt with their service. Everything about this place is decent… nothing really stands out as being extraordinarily good or bad. I guess some places are just average.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Price Range: $0-$10
Website: The Director's Cut
Address: 1185 Vestal Avenue, Suite 11
Binghamton, NY 13903-1647

Tranquil: Improving Steadily

2009-11-16T19:40:00.008-05:00

Tranquil Bar and Bistro is another restaurant that is relatively young. I believe they opened about 2 years ago. I have eaten their about 5 or 6 times for dinner and I had lunch there at least 4 times within the last 6 months. In my opinion everything about dinner at tranquil is superior to their lunch. But the décor and space is slightly bohemian and industrial yet feels very cozy. Local art is displayed in front of an exposed brick wall, while naked steel beams hold the interior intact. The lighting is elegant and the bar looks like it could assimilate to a NYC space with ease. It is modern, clean and sharp all elements that I am fond of. Needless to say, I enjoy Tranquil's interior.

Lunch is okay. The menu is decent, although elements of it seem to have been lifted off of menus that I have seen elsewhere. Service during lunch is almost always slow and inconstant (they usually only have one server on the floor). The curried coconut soup is pretty good, it’s mildly spiced (for a curry soup) and the dumplings are textually gooey in a fantastic way. My biggest complaint about the soup is that I wish it had more dumplings! I have had the spinach salad with goat cheese, walnuts and cranberries. It was light and fresh with a real classic flavor combination. The Blackened Tuna sandwich is okay, it was cooked perfectly but kind of bland and I didn’t think the olive tapenade married with the tuna. I would definitely recommend the Lost Dog’s tuna sandwich over this one. The crab cake sandwich is not worth getting, it’s bland and the crab cakes have too much filler… The steak sandwich is decent, I ordered it rare in a wrap and I came out just as I asked. It comes with an ancho chili sauce that gives the steak a nice smoked flavor. I would stick with the salads during lunch and expect to take your time.

Dinner has definitely improved since their opening. They used to carry a tuna steak dish as well as a lamb chop dish, fortunately both have since disappeared. The lamb chops were tiny. Normally, I don’t complain about portion size (unless it is in excess) but I felt like I finished my lamb in 5 bites. Again, the tuna steak was cooked nicely but was simply bland and basic. Tuna steaks can really handle BIG flavors, its sturdy fish and should be treated as such... They need to get a little more aggressive with Tuna as an ingredient. The current menu offers a number of dishes, I have had the gorgonzola cranberry stuffed chicken breast, the flat iron steak au poivre (pepper crust) and the Chilean Salmon with a sweet cider reduction. All three dishes are excellent… the chicken was rich and moist… the steak was cooked perfectly and served with fresh sautéed vegetables and roasted potatoes… the Salmon was not fishy at all and the sweetness of the sauce played nicely with the fish and root vegetables. Lately, I have been really impressed with the quality of their dinner entrees. The service could still use some improvement but for the most part I have enjoyed my recent dinner experiences at Tranquil.

Atmosphere and Service: 4 out of 5 stars
Lunch: 3 out of 5 stars
Dinner: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall:4.2 out of 5 stars
Price Range: $10+ for lunch $20+ for dinner
Website: Tranquil Bar & Bistro
Address: 36 Pine St # 1
Binghamton, NY 13901-3052
(607) 723-0495

The Flan Club: Authentic Puerto Rican food in Binghamton

2009-11-12T15:23:00.015-05:00

WOW! This place is a real treat. If you haven’t heard of the Flan Club don’t be surprised, it just opened November 1st 2009. The restaurant is located in downtown Binghamton in the same location where Amera’s Cup O Soup used to be. The Flan Club is a small restaurant that is totally family owned and operated. The family is originally from San Juan but has cultural and ethnic ties to Spain, the Canary Islands and Western Africa.

The food is excellent. I had Pernil con Arroz Gandules (seasoned pork with yellow rice and pigeon peas) and my dinning partner had Pollo Guisado (stewed chicken). We both had Puerto Rican coffee which was rich and aromatic. It was nice and strong which is surprisingly hard to find (the only other restaurant whose coffee I like is the Lost Dogs). I really appreciate good coffee and I think most restaurants tend to skimp out on their beans. As for the pork… Absolutely fantastic! Well seasoned, tender and perfectly cooked. The stewed chicken was also excellent, it fell right off the bone and was extremely moist and tasty. I have to say, everything was extremely authentic and tasted like it came right out of my grandmothers kitchen (she was also Puerto Rican). After having such an amazing meal we had to try the flan… Usually I don’t have dessert but we were at the ‘Flan’ club so how could I not try the flan! I had a cheese flan which was sooo good. It was very light, slightly sweet and a texturally smooth. Possibly the best flan that I have ever had. In short, the Flan Club serves the best Latino Food in Binghamton. Stop going to Moe’s and Los Tapatios and take trip to downtown Binghamton and visit the Flan Club.

In addition to the wonderful food the staff is really fantastic. Dona Mimi waited on me and partially cooked my food. She is the mother of Nuria who is the owner. It was like eating at my aunt or grandmother’s house, very homey and comfortable. One thing that Dona Mimi stressed to me is that she wants the restaurant to be a hub for culture, food and art. Expect to pay anywhere from $7 to $10. I give the Flan Club 5 out of 5 stars for homemade food and warm culture.

The Flan Club is open from:
Monday-Friday 11am to 3pm
Saturday-Sunday 11am to 7pm
They are located Downtown at
58 Henry Street(Intersection of Henry & Chenango Streets)
Binghamton, NY 13901

The Flan Club

Cortese: The Follow Up...

2009-11-11T23:53:00.002-05:00

After having a pleasurable experience with Cortese pizza I decided to go back for a proper dinner. I am going to make this brief because I don’t really have anything good to say about the food. The first problem is the menu…. It is WAY too long!!! Cortese has over 150 menu items… Not only is it difficult to choose what to order but I am sure it is difficult for management to keep all those ingredients fresh… I ordered the veal saltimbocca which is made with butter garlic, prosciutto, and mozzarella in a sherry cream sauce. I have had this dish at other Italian restaurants and always enjoyed it. Here, not so much… It came with a choice of side and a salad. The salad was made from typical ice-crutch lettuce and canned olives. I chose a baked potato as my side, which was fine. Although, It’s pretty hard to screw up a baked potato. The veal was served on its own plate quarantined from any other food on the table, it seemed to be drowning in a shallow puddle of sauce that the waitress (or kitchen) managed to spill over the edges of the dish on 3 sides. The veal was somewhat edible but there was an excess of sherry in the sauce and a lack of cream. It was incredibly sweet and not savory or rich at all. The presentation of the food was astonishingly bad and the waitress was overly enthusiastic. For $20 I was expecting more… Cortese is a nice place to sit and have a drink at the bar, watch sports and have a witty conversation with the bartender. But as for the food, I think I’ll stick to the pizza. 2 out of 5 stars…

Whole in the Wall

2009-11-11T23:25:00.009-05:00

I went back to Whole in the Wall today by request of a reader. Prior to going back I had a pretty sour taste in my mouth. I had been there 4 times within the past two years and have always had extremely slow service and mediocre food. But I have always wanted to like this place… It’s a mom and pop restaurant with a great earthy feel to it. Almost everything in the dining room made out of wood and they have fantastic piano right smack in the middle of the floor.

As I said the service has always been super slow even when the restaurant is completely empty. This time was no exception, so be prepared to take your time at the whole in the wall. The first time I ate here I had the blue fish which was a bit oily. I remember it kind of swimming in a pool of yellow oil atop a shallow crock pot. The second time I ate there I had the ‘mid-east platter’ which includes falafel balls, babaghanoush, salad and pita. This dish was decent but also kind of bland. Whenever I eat vegetarian food I want some spice or strong flavor to come out of the dish to make up for the lack of fat. I expected the falafels to have more flavor and the babaghanoush to be a bit more bitter and creamy. The third time I dined at the Whole in the Wall I had a roasted red pepper pesto pasta dish. Again, I was not too thrilled. The red pesto sauce was quite bland and the rigatoni pasta was undercooked. Don’t get me wrong, I like my pasta ‘al dente’ but this was just chewy.

My meal today was by far the best I have had so far. I started off with a cream of mushroom soup which was excellent. It was a perfect temperature, consistency and included nice whole button mushrooms in the otherwise pureed soup. Fantastic! I asked the waitress for a recommendation for dinner and she suggested the spinach pesto pasta. .. Sounds good to me… BTW the Whole in the Wall prides themselves on their many varieties of pesto which they ship and sell to restaurants around the country. The pasta came with a little salad and their signature garlic bread ball. The bread was really great. It was rich buttery and crumbly. Excellent! The pasta was cooked fine this time but again the pesto was a bit bland. I was definitely craving some basil or garlic in this dish, neither of which were present. I am all for doing variations on classic dishes like pesto but I think it is essential to keep some parts of the dish traditional. I mean, if you are going to serve a garlic ball on the side of your pasta dish you might as well throw some garlic into the pasta. But overall it was a pretty good meal. The soup was $3.25 and the pesto with garlic ball and salad was 13.95. I would say the place is fairly priced. The menu ranges from about $8-$18. I would have to give the Whole in the Wall 3 stars out of 5 stars for slow service and decent food. This is the kind of place where the sides and small dishes are way better then the entrées.

Whole in the Wall

Requests

2009-11-10T19:19:00.003-05:00

Hey Guys!
Please post the restaurants and cafés that you want us to review here. We'll do our best :)

Mad Moose Saloon: Not just a bar!

2009-11-10T14:25:00.004-05:00

Most people think about the Moose as being predominantly a bar but they are definitely trying to enter the downtown restaurant scene. The interior is well kept; it has a modern western feel to the décor. There is tons of taxidermy of various dead animals on the wall which slightly resembles that hunting room from jumanji. The establishment segregates its various parts nicely. There is a game room in the back, a large ‘W’ shaped bar and dining area that has some very roomy booths. The entire space is really well lit, with track lighting underneath the bar and individual lights above every booth. Clearly a lot of thought and money went into the design of the Moose.

The menu is quite long and includes brick oven pizza’s as well as many BBQ options. The first time I ate at the moose was for a catered event. I had some of their wings and their version of a fondue. The wings were tossed with a dark smoky molasses BBQ sauce and were quite good. The fondue on the other hand looked and tasted like a giant bowl of fake Tostitos cheese wiz sauce.

Since then I have had their pulled pork sandwich and their version of a Cuban sandwich. The pulled pork was very good and definitely had a Smokey taste. The BBQ sauce was slightly vinegary but definitely not overwhelming. The Cuban sandwich was also pretty good except it was not served on French bread and was not pressed like a traditional Cuban sandwich. But the bread and pickles were nice and crunchy while the pork shoulder, ham and Swiss cheese all combined well to give it a nice savory flavor. The French Fries are really terrific at the moose. They are made from REAL hand cut potatoes (with skins on) which make them kind of ugly but they are absolutely delicious. They are a real treat from the mashed up gluey French fries that so many of us are used to. They are also served with a side of garlic mayo (which is very French) which complements the fries nicely. The only thing that I didn’t like was that they didn’t give out any utensils. It’s worth checking out for lunch, although I don’t know how dinner service is yet.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Price Range: $10-$20
Website: Mad Moose Saloon
Address: 53 Chenango St Binghamton, NY 13901-2820 - (607) 723-6667

Danny’s Dinner

2009-11-10T11:52:00.005-05:00

There are tons of diners in Binghamton but I like Danny’s Diner the best. I think the only way to compare Diners in Binghamton is by their personality. Let’s be honest, there is little that distinguishes dinner food. For me, Danny’s Diner is the quintessential greasy spoon, shotgun style dinner. It looks like someone plopped a jumbo trailer down in a parking lot on Main Street. Personally, I don't want my Dinner to be fancy or pretentious I just want good old fashion home cooking with waitresses that have a little too much red lipstick on and tend to call me "honey".

I have eaten there at least a dozen times and have always been satisfied. It is mostly run by women whom all have real great personalities. They really know how to take care of you while cracking jokes and yelling at one another. The place has a real livelihood to it. The Danny’s special is probably the best breakfast deal in town: 3 eggs, bacon, home fries, toast and a cup of coffee for $3.95! You will probably never pay more than $5 for breakfast and you won’t wait for more than 10 min for your food. The menu is basic but you can pretty much tell them to make you whatever you desire. Definitely check out Danny’s next time you are thinking about going to a diner. I give Danny’s 4 out of 5 stars for value and great atmosphere.

Danny’s Diner is located at:
151 Main St
Binghamton, NY 13905-2749
(607) 724-9873

Moghul, Not Your Typical Indian Restaurant

2009-11-09T22:05:00.003-05:00

A Traditional Tandoor oven used to make bread and roast meat.

I may get a lot of heat from my Indian friends for this review but I can’t lie, I think Moghul is fantastic. The location is not ideal. Given the fact that it is located in University Plaza it has a kind of strip mall feel to the exterior. But once inside you are greeted with a very chic modern Indian décor. Moghul is definitely not your traditional cramped Indian restaurant. It is very airy and comfortable with a feeling of casual sophistication.

I have eaten at Moghul about 6 times since its opening and the food has just gotten better with time. The only complaint that I have with the restaurant is the service is slightly inconsistent. All of the Indian servers that have waited on me have been wonderful, knowledgeable and very pleasant. Unfortunately the American wait staff is not quite as good as their Indian counterparts. I will give you some examples... The worst waiter I had at Moghul was way too casual. He stood about 7 feet away from our table while taking our orders. It was if he was afraid we had some kind of contagious disease or something. We ordered chicken Tikka Masala (there most popular dish) and Palak Paneer with some homemade naan. Both were outstanding, especially the Tikka Masala which is basically a tomato and yogurt based Masala (curry) that is a British adaptation of a traditional Mughlai dish. It has a slightly sweet creamy texture that is balanced nicely with a little heat from the spices. But the oddest part of that meal was the fact that our waiter boxed our food tableside, right in front of us. It kind of broke up our conversation as he slowly transferred our rice and curries into plastic containers, literally between our line of vision.

Since then I have had a number of other dishes which have all been excellent. For a nice starter try the Keema Samosas. They are homemade and are textually wonderful. They come with a red and green chutney that are equally tasty. Their curried mussel appetizer is also surprisingly good. I have also had their Lamb Vindalo (spicy tomato curry usually made with potatoes), Lamb Korma (tree nut based curry) and chicken saag (spinach curry). I have no complaints about any of these dishes but if you are a first timer I would stick with the Tikka Masala. Don’t forget to order some garlic Naan. All Naan and bread at Moghul is made fresh to order in a traditional clay pot called a tandoor. It is awesome and well worth the extra $3. I highly recommend Moghul and give it 4.5 stars. Casual dress is fine and expects to pay between $15-$20 per person.

I will also try and compare Curries of India to Moghul soon within the next week.

Here is a link to Moghul’s web site: Moghul

Binghamton Restaurants

2009-11-09T13:53:00.014-05:00

Here's a list of the restaurants and cafés in Binghamton area. We're going to review as many as possible. Please feel free to contribute :) I'll include the links you post in comments.

Argo
Big Daddy's
Cacciatore's
China Lake
Cortese
Crepe Heaven
Curry's of India
Cyber Cafe West
Danny's Diner
The Director's Cut
Escape State Street
The Flan Club
Grande's
Grotta Azzurra
Kampai Japanese Steak House
Kilmer Brasserie & Steakhouse
La Vita e Bella
Lampy's Mediterranean Grill
Lemongrass Kitchen
Little Venice
Lost Dog Cafe
Mad Moose Saloon
Michelangelo's Pizzeria and Ristorante
Moghul Indian Fine Cuisine
Moon Star
Moxie Grill
Number 5
Old Market Cafe
P.S. Restaurant
Pepe's BBQ
Sake-Tumi
Sharkey's
South Side Yanni's
Taj Indian Restaurant
Tranquil Bar & Bistro
Whole in the Wall

Cortese Pizza

2009-11-07T01:35:00.003-05:00

So after reading Bangchef’s comment, I had to see what Cortese’s was all about. First let me tell you about the atmosphere… If Tony Soprano lived in Binghamton you would probably find him at one of the dark corner tables in Cortese’s talking about someone who he is about to whack. The ambiance is very Italian with tons of wood low ceilings and waiters with red ties floating around the dining room. I sat at the bar and ordered a personal sized florentine pizza as chef sharron recommended. One thing to note is that Cortese’s is a pretty nice restaurant, it’s not a typical pizza shop where you walk in grab a slice and be on your way. Their pizza is all made to order and it takes time… It is also not cheap; my personal ‘square’ pizza was 7.25 which is equivalent in volume to 2 standard slices. .. In any event, the pizza came out 10 min after I ordered it nice and hot with small black splotches of burnt goodness. The nice thing about their pizza is that they bake the toppings underneath the cheese… so my spinach, onions and sour cream was all underneath a gooey layer of mozzarella. The pizza was pretty damn good, I will admit it. The dough was nice and sweet, the crust was thin and the cheese was perfectly melted. It was the first square pizza that I really enjoyed. My only complaint about it was that it was just a tad salty and difficult to eat, but this may have been due to its odd shape. Also it’s a little pricy for pizza. I still give my vote to Grande’s (New Yorkesk) but Cortese’s did impress me.

Here is a link to Cortese’s web site; their photos don’t give the place justice…
Cortese's

About Me

2009-11-05T01:47:00.002-05:00

My love for food actually stems from my love for restaurants... I guess you could say it was one of those chicken and egg situations. My first exposure to the food industry was in high school. Like most 16 year olds I was flat broke and tired of going to the coin star to redeem my change just so i could buy my bacon egg and cheese sandwich from the food truck across the street from high school. So I started looking for a job. Fortunately, I stumbled across one relatively quickly. One of my old high school buddies got a job in a catering company in mid town Manhattan from one of his Russian mafia type acquaintances. He said that I would pretty much get a job if I walked in the office told "George Rizzo" that I was "Dan's" friend/schoolmate. So I stumbled over to 43rd and Lex one day after school went up to the 5th floor of one of those stark business buildings which have doorman desks but no doormen to be found. The lobby also had way too much marble and floor to ceiling mirrors.... I don't get it. Anyway, I entered the office of Star Staffing Services and asked for "George Rizzo". When I finally was able to go into his office, I was greeted by a large healthy looking man whose eyes seemed way too dark for the florescent lighting in the office. But once he opened his mouth I could see the charm and lovable nature of the guy. George is one of those gentle giant types.

Anyway, I told him my story and he asked if I owned a tux. Of course I didn't own a tux. At the time it was hard enough to find a button up shirt in my closet (though things have changed since then). George didn't seem surprised, he just handed me a card of some random place in queens and told me not to let the guy charge me more then 100 bucks and that he would hem the legs for me on the spot. Oh, and i forgot to mention that he told me that I would be working my first gig that upcoming weekend a t the New Jersey Preforming Arts Center (NJPAC) which just a short PATH train ride into Newark... For those of you who have never been to Newark its one of those cities where a skinny white kid from Queens feels kind of unwelcome... especially when he is wearing a cheap tux and his hair is slicked back with way too much gel. Anyway, I was fortunate to have gotten the job and for the next two years I catered in the tri-state area. Needless to say my pubescent eyes became exposed to many new and glamorous things. Plus I was eating pretty good food for free, staying out late with a bunch of older people from mostly other countries and I was making 15bucks an hour. After just two weeks I was able to afford bacon egg and cheeses with a coffee for the rest of my high school days. I felt like a king.

Since than I have worked in a few restaurants and have moved up to Binghamton for school. I am finishing my MBA and am currently working at the Lost Dog Cafe. It's a pretty cool spot if you have never been I am sure you will agree. Surely, I will talk about about the Dog (Dawg) some other time. Anyway, prior to going to sleep let me tell you about the best pizza place in Binghamton.

Hailing from the city I would like to boast that I have a slightly refined pizza pallet. Many say NYC pizza and bagels are the best on earth. New Yorkers have their theories on on why the city has become such a carb powerhouse, personally I blame the water or "wadda"(my co-workers constantly bombard my accent). NYC has some of the best water in the States because it comes from some very clean reservoirs in upstate new york. But for some reason upstate pizza is usually terrible and often SQUARE!!! Well its actually rectangle... Anyway it has one too many sides! I don't bother to ask why the pizza is square... sometimes its best not to ask. Pizza Square doesn't roll off your tongue as nicely as pizza pie... The best pizza place in Binghamton can be found at Grande's which is located on the south side of Binghamton. It's 2 minutes away from downtown and maybe 3 from school. There is also an Italian restaurant attached to the pizza shop but it isn't really worth going to. The pizza is really the star at this place. First of all it's round and served in triangular shaped slices! It has a standard sized crust that bubbles up nicely. Beautiful gooey air bubbles form in between the dough and cheese creating a nicely browned top. This pizza actually tastes like NYC pizza! In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the restaurant has tapped into one of those water lines that is headed before the city. Either that or they guys import water from the city... whatever they are doing to their dough they are doing it right. So go support some local Italians and eat some real pizza. Oh, and I forgot to mention that it is cheap $1.50 a slice... you can't beat it.

you can check them out at...

Grande's Bella Cucina
1171 Vestal Avenue
Binghamton, NY 13903-1606

Binghamton Food Scene

2009-10-26T10:46:00.000-04:00

About Binghamton Food Reviews:

Welcome to Binghamton's first food review blog. I have been living in bingo for almost 5 years now and i have been amazed by how little information is out there about the local restaurants in the area. So i have decided to take a little culinary journey to all of the local restaurants in the area and review them. I will be purposely avoiding the chain restaurants and fast food joints in the area because I want expose the best of Binghamton food not some grub you could get from any strip mall in america.