Tersiguel's French Country - Historic Ellicott City

Located in historic Ellicott City, Tersiguel's French Country Restaurant is well-known locally and throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area. 

For many years, my school's music department has partnered with Tersiguel's Restaurant for a fundraiser event filled with terrific music and great French food. Throughout the evening, student musicians performed solo and ensemble pieces for the customers who were mainly family members and friends. The restaurant was filled to capacity.

My family sat with some of my band friends and their parents in the Church Room (photos above). Each room in this multi-floor restaurant has a different theme. 

 As a percussionist, I performed a solo version of  "Clocks" by Coldplay on the bells. Student performances included vocals, instrumentals, and strings.

 As soon as my friends and I were seated together, we were welcomed with Shirley Temples and a fresh bread basket which was refilled many times during the course of the evening.

 The multi-course menu started with an appetizer plate of cheese, meat, and vegetables including pate and olives.
  




For our entrees, we could chose from either the salmon or the beef bourguignon.

I decided to order the salmon instead of the beef bourguignon. The salmon was topped with a light cream sauce with herbs. It was fork-tender and quite tasty. Not only was the salmon fork-tender, but all the vegetables and potatoes were too.

 I had the beef bourguignon last year. I remember that it was very succulent, juicy, and delicious.

 For dessert, we all enjoyed a glass of chocolate mousse. It was a good sized portion that had me mining the bottom of the glass for more.

  Here I am taking a picture with the owner, Fernand Tersiguel.
What a terrific fun-filled night at his restaurant.

-Thomas
hocofood @@@

The Capital Grille - Washington, D.C.

The Capital Grille

The entrance has this cool lion statue

 Centrally located near the Smithsonian museums, The Capital Grille is a great place to eat in Washington, D.C. In fact, its Pennsylvania Avenue address gives customers a birds eye view of U.S. Capitol and the Newseum (which I highly recommend). 

The restaurant is renown for being a fantastic steakhouse.  This was apparent when the first thing we saw walking into the restaurant was a refrigerated glass room that stores the aged beef.  

There were deer and buffalo heads sticking out of some
 of the walls. HOW COOL IS THAT!?

Aged beef storage room 

The first thing served to us was a complimentary basket of assorted breads with butter creatively placed on a small dish.

 My brother ordered the Grille's Cheeseburger -  a blend of chopped sirloin, smoked bacon and sweet onion with garlic fries. Normally burgers aren't presented in such a fashionable way- with condiments each in its own dish, and the garlic fries arranged in a raised basket wrapped in wax paper. The presentation really had a "wow" factor when they served it.  The large portion burger was made of tender, juicy flavorful meat topped with melted provolone cheese that gave the burger a little kick. My brother was in burger heaven.

My parents and I ordered the Dry Aged Sirloin with Roasted Peppers, Fresh Mozzarella and Arugula Salad. In all honesty, it was the best salad I had ever ate. My parents loved it too.  The sirloin steak was cooked just right and neatly chopped up into four pieces paired with a sliced hard boiled egg and avocado and drizzled with a slightly sweet champagne vinegar dressing.  All of these different textures and tastes made one scrumptious and mouth-watering salad.

In general, steakhouses are usually known for being fancy and expensive, not necessarily where you would take a family for a casual lunch. Although the Capital Grille was more on the fancy side than say Hard Rock Cafe around the corner, it wasn't so fancy that my brother and I felt uncomfortable. In fact, it was a very nice relaxing atmosphere after sightseeing in D.C. Plus you'll probably be surprised to learn that the cost of a burger at Hard Rock and Capital Grille is similar.

-Charles

Super Bowl 47 = Mamma Lucia time

It's that time again, SUPERBOWL 47!!!

 Today, the San Francisco 49'ers will face my favorite team The Baltimore Ravens.

If you're looking for a restaurant to view the Superbowl game or last minute supplies look no further. Mama Lucia restaurant has some delicious Superbowl specials! 

- Thomas 

Mastoris Diner and Restaurant - New Jersey

My family and I  usually stop at Mastoris Diner and Restaurant in Bordentown, New Jersey on our way to or from the New York/New Jersey area. The restaurant is conveniently located off the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 7. This place is mammoth but doesn't feel like it inside because it's divided up into small diner-like spaces, medium size lounges and catering areas.

We learned about it from the Food Network that featured Mastoris on Al Roker's Diner Destinations show. Their veal and mushroom recipe even appears on the Food Network website.

Open 7 days a week except Christmas, Mastoris is famous for it's superb food, fresh ingredients and for the Mastoris family who have been serving up terrific meals in New Jersey since 1927. In fact, it's so well known that even famous people like the Governor stop by. This fall, NJ Governor Chris Christie visited Mastoris Diner and Restaurant to help then U.S. Senator Joseph Kyrillos on his campaign stop there.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and then U.S. Senator Joseph
Kyrillos at Mastoris

My brother and I outside Mastoris

Complimentary freshly baked cheese and cinnamon breads

Once seated at our table, we were handed a huge menu filled with everything in the world you could think of ordering. As we looked over the menu, a plate of complimentary warm cinnamon and cheese bread was delivered to our table. Mastoris has it's own bakery that enables them to bake fresh sweets like these delicious breads every day. 

Most lunch specials come with either a soup or salad, which is typical in most diners.
These were no ordinary salads.  Each one was large enough to be an entree and tasted like a gourmet salad.   

Greek salad

Ceasar salad

Our lunch special entrees included...

 My mom ordered the Tilapia topped with an olive tapenade and a side of Italian-style eggplant. She could barely finish it all.  The eggplant was melt-in-your mouth tender with lots of sweet tomato sauce. The fish was cooked perfect and combined with the sweet and salty olive tapenade, it made a great dish. 

Also from the lunch specials menu, my dad and brother selected the Vermont turkey with stuffing. Charles said that the cranberry sauce really put a kick into this Thanksgiving-like entree. 

 I selected the Mastoris Lounge Club triple decker sandwich from the regular menu: - sliced turkey, canadian bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato on whole grain bread with a side of fries, cole slaw, and a pickle.   The humungous sandwich was a little hard to grasp in my hands, but that didn't stop me from eating the whole thing. Soft, tender, and big on taste!

The lunch special entrees included dessert. The waitress brought this huge dessert tray for us to choose from.

 Mom chose a slice of Pumpkin cheesecake (upper-left photo). Charles ordered the Peach Cobbler (above).

My dad and I split the Banana Split cake (pun intended). The yellow cake layers had a hint of banana flavor while the icing contained little strawberry pieces. Combined with the dizzle of chocolate on the top and sides of the cake, it really tasted like a banana spilt. 

On our way out, we noticed a bakery section for carry out. They offer a variety of homemade pastries, cakes, pies, muffins, donuts, cupcakes, cookies, and of course their famous cheese & cinnamon breads. Here's a look at some of their fabulous baked goods...  

If you are ever near Exit 7 on the New Jersey Turnpike, swing by Mastoris.  You won't be disappointed.  Remember it's Al Roker, Food Network and 2 Dudes recommended. 

- Thomas

Aldo's Ristorante Italiano - Baltimore's Little Italy

St. Leo The Great church (est. 1881) 

After a beautiful Christmas Eve mass at St. Leo The Great Catholic church in Baltimore's Little Italy, my family and I walked a block and a half to Aldo's Ristorante Italiano for dinner.

Parking can sometimes be a challenge in Little Italy, so my parents like that we can   park the car once and be able to attend church then walk to dinner. 

Award winning, Italian-born chef Aldo Vitale, owns and operates this very popular fine dining restaurant that often attracts celebrities (check out the wall photos with Aldo and celebrities in the entrance near the bar).

There are several different seating areas, most of which are cozy rooms with about five to six large tables.

Enjoying warm bread w/olive oil 

Shortly after we were seated, a basket of warm Italian bread with an olive oil dipping sauce arrived. While we munched on our toasty bread, we checked out the menu.  For Christmas Eve, Aldo's offers both the regular Italian dinner items and the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner. Click here to read more about the Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner by famous chef Mario Batali. 

We all opted to order from the regular menu and the specials of the day. 

Bronzini fish with crab topping and lobster mashed potatoes

My mom and my grandpa both ordered the fish special - a boneless, filet of bronzini (also called the Mediterranean Sea Bass) topped with crabmeat stuffing and accompanied by lobster mashed potatoes and a vegetable. My grandpa and mom remarked how fresh and tender the bronzing was.  My grandpa thought the crabmeat topping overpowered the taste of the fish a bit. Conversely, my mom loved the abundance of crab meat. Both agreed the lobster mashed potatoes was a nice accompaniment. 

Amish chicken tenderloins 

My dad and brother ordered the Amish chicken tenderloins and artichoke hearts sautéed in garlic butter. The chicken was juicy, tender and well seasoned. The vegetables were caramelized, sweet and fork tender.  This dish really packed a punch of flavors.

My mom ordered a side of broccoli rabe.

It is a common vegetable 

in the cuisines of southern Italy. Its 

flavor has been described 

as nutty and bitter. It's often sautéed inolive oil and garlic.

My aunt ordered a side of mashed potatoes with her main entree. According to my aunt, it was a creamy garlic perfection. The presentation with weaves in the mashed potatoes was terrific.

My grandma and I ordered the jumbo shrimp scampi seafood risotto in garlic sherry butter.
This dish was amazing. The garlic sherry butter gave the entire dish a little kick. The creamy, soft, butter moistened rice was a fantastic compliment to the warm,firm texture of the shrimp. The dish presentation was nice - shrimp neatly placed on the outskirts of the plate surround the risotto. 

A salad with fresh sweet red and yellow beets, mixed greens, crumbled gorgonzola
toasted walnuts, and champagne vinaigrette. The ingredients were very fresh and light. The combination of the beats and walnuts with the champagne vinaigrette was very complimentary. 

We were too full to order dessert this evening, but we've had it in the past and it is ALWAYS delicious.

According to the restaurant website, in the early 1990's, Chef Aldo owned a wholesale bakery that "prepared and distributed delectable baked desserts to .... (places) such as Nordstrom cafes and Dean & DeLuca." This is probably why Aldo's desserts are consistently great.

The website also mentions that Chef Aldo gives cooking lessons to aspiring chefs and at special events.  We plan to inquire whether Chef Aldo has special events for aspiring student home cooks.  If the answer is yes, stay tuned for more of Aldo's.


BRAVO ALDO'S!!!!!!

- Charles