Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Graziano's

Graziano's

5960 West Touhy Avenue, 60714, Niles, United States

Beer • Wine • Italian • Bar-lounge


"I remember their salads being served in large family-style bowls, filled with onions and a delicious dressing, but that wasn't the case anymore. The salads now came in individual bowls, looking like pre-packaged garden salads that had been sitting in the fridge for who knows how long. The type of lettuce used was different, and even the dressing seemed off. I was so disappointed that I pushed it aside and opted for the minestrone soup instead. The minestrone was quite good, though it could have used more noodles. My family ordered a variety of dishes—there were five of us in total: pizza, eggplant Parmesan, chicken Vesuvio, fettuccine Alfredo, and bowtie pasta in creamy vodka sauce. My husband, who also grew up in the area and always orders the chicken Vesuvio, said it tasted completely different this time and was over-salted. He found the chicken dry and didn’t enjoy it. Thankfully, my bowtie pasta still tasted familiar. However, I found myself downing water because the food was unusually salty—I couldn’t remember it being that way before. The prices have certainly increased, which we’ve all become accustomed to post-Covid, but for five people, our bill came to around $177 plus tip. Only two of us ordered alcohol; my mother-in-law and I each had a glass of rosé priced at $10 each. To our surprise, it arrived in a glass that was barely filled to a quarter. I was not pleased with that. We were also shocked by how empty the restaurant was for a Saturday night at 7 PM—it was nearly deserted. Such a stark contrast to what I remembered."

The Rum Runner

The Rum Runner

816 Ocean Ave Sea Bright, NJ 07760, 07760-2136, RUMSON, United States

Pizza • Steak • Venues • Cheese


"Second time for dinner there with my wife and daughter. The place is always well kept, well lit, and well decorated. Noise level was okay and the live musician wasn't too loud from where we were sat. The food is always excellent. Last time I was there, I got a burrata ravioli dish that was delicious. This time I got skirt steak as my entree and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I also ordered a corn poblano chowder that was great. I don't remember my wife's orders, but she really enjoyed them. We were a bit disappointed in our waiter this time out. He wasn't particularly friendly or warm. Perhaps it was a long day and he may have been new, but he definitely could've been a bit more engaged. We were not given a list of specials (perhaps there weren't any) and we had to ask to see the dessert tray. We ordered a cheese board and were not told what each cheese was. For $30, they could tell you. I'm not sure if that's a waiter issue or just how they do it as Rum Runner. My wife is slightly allergic to blue cheese and it would've been great if I could've known which one it was. We also ordered the $6 bread app. I'm okay with paying for bread which really amounts to 5 rolls or so because they normally come with cinnamon butter, a fig jam, and oil. However when our order arrived, there was only oil and butter that was in those little rectangular packets. I asked about the butter and fig jam and was told they were out of both. 2 things. 1. Whipped cinnamon butter can't take more than 2 minutes to make. You mix cinnamon and butter and whip it. Whatever. Maybe it's not made in house for some reason. 2. It would've been nice to have been told about this beforehand. I might have ordered something else. He could've also told us when he brought the order over. I shouldn't have had to ask. A $6 comp would've gone a long way there. Otherwise, we had a very good meal. We'll be back again but if this would've been my first time here, I might go elsewhere next time."

Meritage Wine Bar

Meritage Wine Bar

90 School StreetNY 11542, Glen Cove, United States

Wine • Pizza • Salad • Tapas


"One of my favorite local restaurants because of their amazing food and drinks. I normally order a bottle of wine and a charcuterie board, but I wanted to try something different this time. My sister got a lemon drop mocktail which was a little sour, but just the right amount. She said it was delicious I had the Penelope Pussycat which had Bacoo 8 year aged rum, Liqueur de Violette, and lemon juice. The drink had such a pretty color and had an interesting flavor to it as well!For appetizers, we had the Gambas al Aljillo which had a nice corn salsa to go along with it. We also had the Roasted Cauliflower which was cooked perfectly and the Beef Kushiyaki which came with chilled soba noodles. The Beef Kushiyaki was something so unique that I would not have thought I was in a wine bar. It was so flavorful! For our entree we got the Black Truffl'd Fettucine. The pasta was a bit bland, and I was surprised because I usually always order that pasta and it's my favorite. I think the sauce might have been a bit watered down. For dessert we had some tea and the Meritagewich' which comes with homemade chocolate chip cookies. The tea and dessert was perfect for a cold day!I definitely recommend trying this place out with a few friends and ordering a bunch of small plates to share. This way you can try a bit of everything. I really loved every single small plate we ordered! Thank you so much to the staff that made our experience a pleasant one"