Looking to Escape NYC for a Weekend? While enjoying great dining too?

Look no further!! Here is your weekend itinerary:

Destination: Saybrook Point Spa and Resort
Address: Two Bridge Street, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
That’s just 2 hours from NYC!

Saybrook Point Spa and Resort is located in scenic Old Saybrook, CT with a breath taking view of the Long Island sound. This was exactly the weekend getaway we needed to recharge our batteries (so to speak). The staff was very accommodating, the rooms were very comfortable, the hotel services were superb, and the FOOD WAS EXCELLENT (more about the food below).

Here’s what you can do after check in:
*Unwind in the hotel pool (indoor), hot tub (overlooks the Long Island sound), or relax in the saunas.
*Make a spa appointment – there’s an array of services ranging from a quick pedicure to a full couples massage. Hotel guests get 20% off any spa service.
*Go shop at the outlets – there’s two outlets within a 15 minute drive. Ask the front desk for shopper discount books.
*Take a stroll along the pier or in downtown Saybook.
*Drive 30 minutes to Mohegan Sun or 45 minutes to Foxwoods

BUT you must not leave until you’ve eaten at Terra Mar Grille!
The food here is definitely on our top ten list! The restaurant is conveniently located in the hotel. The restaurant has a cozy, romantic atmosphere with a water front view and has a full bar. We’ve had breakfast and dinner here and there wasn’t a thing that we didn’t like. The cuisine is American contemporary and seafood. The price is a little on the steep end – average dinner entrée price was about $30-$35.

We ordered the Fillet Mignon:

It was served with a Portobello mushroom that was grilled to perfection. The fillet mignon was tender and cooked just the way we like it.

We also ordered the Vegetarian Entrée:

The risotto was creamy and flavorful. There was an assortment of diced, roasted vegetables on top – carrots, asparagus, potatoes – and pine nuts. The contrast in the textures and tastes between the risotto, nuts and vegetables was just awesome. This is one of the best vegetarian dishes we’ve tried.

TOTAL YUMMY POINTS FOR Terra Mar Grille: 10!

Between the relaxing spa services, hotel amenities, the great food, and shopping, you have yourself an eventual weekend!

Side note: We found great hotel rates through Travelzoo.com and since we went there for a birthday celebration, they left us chocolates in our room!

Rachel Ray’s Not-Sagna Pasta Toss

No time to make the lasagna that you love? We’ve tried this recipe from Rachel Ray a few times and it’s a perfect substitute. The ingredients are similar and still full of flavors ---but made in less than half the time it takes to bake a traditional tray of lasagna! Try it out:

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
1 pound curly short cut pasta
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pound ground sirloin
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, eyeball it in your palm
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice, eyeball it in your palm
1 teaspoon, several drops, Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine, a couple of glugs
1/2 cup beef stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh basil, about 20 leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at table

Directions
Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need a ladle of the starchy cooking water to help form sauce before draining.

Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add the meat and break it up into small bits as it caramelizes. Once meat has good color to it, 4 to 5 minutes, add garlic, onions and red pepper flakes and season with salt, pepper, allspice and Worcestershire sauce. Cook another 5 minutes, deglaze the meat and onions with red wine, cook off a minute, then combine about 1/2 cup of stock into the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes.

Place ricotta cheese in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Add a ladleful of boiling, starchy pasta water to the ricotta and stir to combine. Add a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan to the ricotta and mix it in.

Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with cheeses. Add half the thick meat sauce to the pasta bowl and combine. Tear or shred the basil and add to the meat and pasta, toss again. Taste to adjust salt and pepper. Serve bowlfuls of Not-sagna with extra sauce on top and more grated Parmesan to pass at the table.

Recipe found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/not-sagna-pasta-toss-recipe/index.html

Best Nachos in Town!

The Australian’s veggie nachos are the best we’ve ever had! The crispy tortilla chips are topped with guacamole, sour cream, mango chunks, assorted diced peppers and onion, a variety of cheeses, and has a slight taste of sweet salsa (I can’t pinpoint what it is exactly) – but put that all together and you have an explosion of flavor in your mouth! We’ve been back here numerous times just for the NACHOS! During happy hour, the nachos are just $5 and its enough for 2 people! Regular price is only $9. You can’t beat the price or taste anywhere else!

On a different note…
The Australian also has great happy hours. The drink and food selection is awesome. Fosters anyone? Having spent time living abroad in Australia, this place DOES compare to the real deal! Aside from great food and drink, the waiters and bartenders are extremely friendly and accommodating. We have an awesome time every time we’re there!

Address:
20 West 38 Street (btw 5th and 6th ave) New York, NY 10017

Total Yummy Points: 9.5
(Do yourself a favor and go get some nachos! They also with chicken and lamb)

Cafetasia: Great dinin’ on a dime

This cafeteria style restaurant serves everything from cocktails to Thai ice-tea’s and you can have a three course meal here and still get change back from a $20. The menu is Thai, Pan-Asian influenced. I’ve tried numerous items on their menu and they were all just delicious! Just to warn you, even the mild spiciness here is still quite spicy!

Thai basil chicken with Udon noodles (pictured) is my favorite! My whole meal (pictured) was only $8.50 – included my soup, Udon noodle and Thai ice-tea. I went on a Saturday and got the brunch menu.

Pros:
-Very flavorful dishes
-Large selection
-Great prices

Cons:
-Long wait times (sometimes even when you make a reservation)
-Cramped tables
-Staff sometimes not so friendly (its hectic in there during dinner)
-At peak dinner hours, this place is PACKED

38 E 8th St (between Greene St & University Pl)
New York, NY 10003

Total Yummy Points: 10!!! GO GO GO TRY IT TODAY!

Café Muscat - Try it out if you're in the neighborhood!

We were looking for a nice, cozy place to unwind after a long day and to just enjoy some sweets. We happened to drive pass Café Muscat. The look and feel of the place looked so inviting and it was not crowded (although it was about 9:30pm). To our surprise, the menu had a large selection, from cakes and lattes to sushi and Paninis – all kosher too!

We ordered crunchy avocado rolls – resembled small spring rolls (minus the massive amount of oil). It was served with a side of mixed greens. It was delicious!!! The avocado rolls were fried just enough and you can still taste the freshness of the avocado. The salad was yummy, with a dressing that I’ve never tasted.

And what we came in for – desserts!! The waitress brought us over to their cake displays and explained what each cake was. They all looked so great, we couldn’t decide. We ended up choosing a three tier chocolate cake – white, milk and dark chocolate flavors piled on top of each other. You can really taste the different chocolates – yummy! I can’t wait to go back and try the other ones!

Pros:
1) Very friendly service. 2) Reasonably priced 3) Large selection of foods and drinks 4) food was very flavorful 5) It’s kosher

Cons:
This is all the way out in Fresh Meadows, so it’s really out of the way for most people.

Address:
17807 Union TpkeFresh Meadows, NY 11366

Total Yummy Points: 7
(Great first time experience, but will need to try it again)