Manninos in Commack is different from their other restaurants. It’s a small restaurant that has a high quality service. Their food is delicious and even the left over’s taste great the next day. Their Chicken Mannino is amazing! It’s a breast of chicken that is lightly breaded topped with fresh plum tomatoes, bermuda onion and fresh mozzarella in a balsamic and olive oil vinaigrette. Manninos is a great place to take a date or go out to dinner with the family. It’s small, quiet, and personal. The staff is polite and always attentive.

The dinner menu is a little bit pricey, but the lunch menu is reasonable and still delicious. Their serving size is large they make sure you leave with a full stomach to ensure that their job was done correctly. One you go to Manninos and try their food you’ll want to go back again and again. Manninos is located on 169 Commack Road, Commack NY 11725.

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Quetzalcoatl in Huntington

If great Mexican food is what you’re in the mood for tonight then Quetzalcoatl in Huntington is the place to go! Their long list of freshly made food will satisfy any craving you may have. For an appetizer try the Nachos Deluxe it has freshly homemade chips topped with melted cheese, refried beans, lettuce, sour cream, jalapenos, pico de gallo, guacamole and grated cheese. But make sure you save room for your entrée because the servings are big. I tried the empanadas which are homemade corn tortillas shells filled with your choice of chicken, huitlacoche or beef, fried and served with a chiquita salad, rice, beans, and sprinkled with grated cheese. No matter what you get on the menu you are sure to have an amazing meal.

Quetzalcoatl is located on 296 Main Street in Huntington NY 11743. Monday through Thursday they are opened from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday they are opened till 11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Quetzalcoatl is a great place to eat with friends and family! You'll leave happy and full. 



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Gino's Tuscany Restaurant and Pizzeria

As an Italian, I am a very harsh critic of many Italian restaurants. Since I eat normally eat homemade Italian food every night for dinner, I do not go to Italian restaurants very often. When I do, however, I am only going to go somewhere with food as delicious as Gino’s Tuscany Restaurant and Pizzeria.  

Eggplant Rollatini



On a Friday or Saturday night, expect a long wait. Gino’s is always crowded during the weekend dinner rush, but that only solidifies that the food is so amazing that people do not mind the half hour or more wait. Come hungry because portion sizes are big, and everything from their appetizers to entrees are simply flawless. One of Gino’s signature items is their Sicilian pizza. Cooked perfectly crisp with just the right amount of sweet tomato sauce and quality mozzarella cheese, the Sicilian sliced pizza is a must-have at Gino’s! Also, Gino’s menu also specifies specific items that are heart healthy like the Grilled Chicken Balsamic. It is three very large pieces of chicken breast marinated in light balsamic vinaigrette topped with onions. It is absolutely delectable!

At Gino’s everyone feels like they are a part of a large Italian family enjoying themselves at Sunday dinner. The entrees are delicious and large, the staff is friendly, courteous, and attentive, and the prices are very agreeable. Gino’s Tuscany Restaurant and Pizzeria is located at 5159 Merrick Road in Massapequa Park.

-MC

Energy Kitchen in Syosset

I literally live about 5 minutes away from this Energy Kitchen location and I never even heard of it or knew it existed until 2 days ago. I was completely drawn to the place because of its motto,” Fast Food, Not Fat Food.” Catchy and something I am always looking for: guilt-free food on the go. Second thing I noticed: this place was completely packed for lunch! Everyone from the hospital staff across the street to the law offices down the block dine here around lunchtime.

I decided to drag my boyfriend here last night for dinner to see what it is all about. Once inside, my first impression of the restaurant was that it is impeccably clean and it definitely strives that nothing on the menu is over 500 calories or fried. Also, there was an overwhelming variety of food to choose from and everything sounded amazing.

However, my first gripe with the restaurant was with the beverage selections it provided. The only drinks available were water, fountain diet soda or unsweetened iced tea, or zero-calorie Vitamin Water. Other than that, you can order an overpriced freshly made smoothie or you are out of luck. For my boyfriend, this was a huge problem. He hates anything diet or zero-caloried, and having water with a burger for dinner is simply unacceptable. I understand that they are staying true to the non–fat content or no unnecessary sugar added to their customer’s diet, but I feel that they could provide a better selection of drink options to the menu. Besides, diet soda is not a healthy selection! Serving fresh unsweetened ice tea in more than one flavor is probably a better and more health conscious option.

My second complaint with Energy Kitchen was the prices. For only the two of us, we spent barely less than $30 dollars. We didn’t even order anything too extravagant! I ordered a kitchen chopped salad with a side of mixed vegetables and a fountain diet soda and my boyfriend ordered a smoothie and a sirloin burger with a side of baked French fries and black bean & mango salad. Nothing over-the-top, but the meal begins to get pricey when you order sides, and believe me, you need to order a side or you will still be hungry.

Overall, I did enjoy my dinner. Everything was extremely tasty and I did not feel overfull or sluggish after my meal. However, I feel that this is more of a girl-friendly atmosphere. Boys, in my opinion, will be more likely to be unsatisfied with the meal. Portion sizes are not big, but they do fill you up. However, it is your eyes and your wallet going, “This is it?” I will definitely eat here again and I do recommend trying it. They have about 8 locations in the city and you can even order your meals online!

-MC

Olio Ristorante in Commack

Olio in Commack has a large selection of specialty pizzas. The prices range depending on what you order, but the food is worth it. The buffalo chicken pizza is delicious. The chicken is spicy and not dried out, but if spicy isn't your taste I recommend the salad slice. The salad is topped with their homemade salad dressing. The restaurant has a small dining room, but it sets up a nice atmosphere for costumers.

Olio is located on 5990 Jericho Turnpike and if you’re not in the mood for pizza try something from their take out menu. They offer authentic italian dishes that taste fresh. Olio is also associated with O Sole Mio, La Scala, Buona Sera, and Caffe Amici. If you’re ever craving italian Olio is the way to go.

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Dallas BBQ in NYC

This past Wednesday I went into the city and ate at Dallas BBQ in Times Square. The two story restaurant is loud, busy, and popular amongst tourists. Upstairs is for bigger parties and has a bigger dining hall. They even offer different packages for group and tour travels.

The food is a reasonable price and their menu has a wide variety of choices. They have many different types of burgers including a veggie burger. You can even get a little of everything in their combo meals. Everything is bigger in Texas including their drinks. And at Dallas BBQ their drinks are big! Their colorful frozen drinks can stratify your thirst. Dallas BBQ has nine lactations all spread around NCY. I recommend Dallas BBQ to anyone who wants to have a great meal in the city.

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Pollos el Paisa in Westbury

Your first impression of Pollos el Paisa will probably be: “Wow, what a small place!” However, the saying, “Good things come in small packages,” only begins to describe the experience in which you will embark on when dining there.

Don’t get me wrong, the restaurant is extremely tiny. They seemed to somehow squeeze in the amount of tables in a space that should be double the size. I would not recommend coming here for as a large party, but for a small group of people is ideal for a place such as Pollos el Paisa.

Most importantly, the food is outrageously delicious. The prices are extremely inexpensive and the plate portions are huge. Every inch of the plate is covered with food. Although the menu provides a wide variety of food, the trying namesake of Pollos el Paisa is a must! The rotisserie chickens are marinated and cooked to perfection. These birds are impeccably flavored. The savory juices surprise your mouth and it is love at first bite!

The last time I was there, I decided to try something new and not from the rotisserie side of the menu. A native dish of Columbia, Bistec a Caballo is a dish consisting of a top round steak sitting under a tomato sauce topped with two fried eggs. I never had an egg over a steak before, but now I absolutely love the combination. The tender steak and lightly salted egg complement one another excellently.

To get a small taste of the whole menu in one dish, try the mountain platter or the Bandeja Paisa. It includes chicken plus fried pork belly, grilled skirt steak, a fried egg, plantains, avocado, rice and beans. All of that delicious, mouthwatering food in one dish is priced at less than $12! You can’t beat that price.

Also, to truly get a feel of Colombian cuisine: ask your server for the list of Colombian drinks that they carry. Besides the shakes, one of my favorite things to drink there is an apple soda called Postobon de Manzana. It is so rich in apples that you definitely order a second!

All in all, Pollos el Paisa provides an enjoyable environment with a courteous wait staff, wallet friendly prices, and out-of-this-world authentic Colombian cuisine. Are you curious for a taste? For more information visit their website at http://www.polloselpaisali.com, or just stop by! Pollos el Paisa is located at 989 Old Country Road in Westbury.

-MC

Breakfast at IHOP

When you think of going out to breakfast, many people immediately think of the International House of Pancakes. Not only are they famously known for their rich and creamy pancakes, but everything from their home fries to omelets is anything short of heavenly delicious. I used to think that going to IHOP meant eating food heavily cooked in butter or saturated in grease. However, IHOP has a new menu specifically catered to individuals trying to watch their carbohydrate intake and sodium content. The new Simple & Fit option is sporadically located throughout the menu to allow customers to see various alternatives to their favorite dishes within their nutritious goals. 

Last week, my friend and I recently took considerate advantage of this aspect of the menu as we treated ourselves to an IHOP breakfast. Against my better judgment, however, I simply had to indulge in an International House Roast French Vanilla Coffee.  It is one of my favorite things to get at IHOP, especially because it is generously topped with whipped cream.

Sticking true to our new-found diets, we both ordered the Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Omelet from the Simple & Fit category of the menu. For only 330 calories, I happily ate an omelet made with egg substitute, fresh spinach, mushrooms, onions, Swiss cheese, and diced tomatoes. Also, seasonal fresh fruit are served a substitute to the home fries. The entire plate was completely up to par with IHOP standards, and I did not even miss the bacon, sausage, or home fries that usually accompany my dish.

I know that for many people, my IHOP experience will be very different. IHOP is prominently known for their buttermilk pancakes made from simple and wholesome ingredients. Nothing from the Simple & Fit menu can over compete with classic choices and mouthwatering items from IHOP, but for those that want to indulge in breakfast outside of home without feeling guilty: IHOP has a considerable amount of tasty options that will leave you and your stomach feeling very satisfied. 

-MC