Mano a Vino - Eat, Drink, Write - Great Wine, Food, Beer and Places

Long Beach Island Dining - Black Eyed Susans - Harvey Cedars Restaurant Review

We stopped by the Black-Eyed Susans for breakfast yesterday and had a chance to chat with Ashley Pellagrino who opened Black Eyed with her husband Chris Sanchez last year.

With all the great beach life LBI has to offer, fine dining has never been a strong point. Ashley and Chris are determined to change that. 

This team is no newcomer to the restaurant business.They worked the kitchen at Yellow Fin in Surf City for some years, but more importantly spent years perfecting their trade in Spain and Italy, where we know food service is high art. They have also been creating wonderful events with their catering and party planning company called Small Potatoes.

For Black Eyed Susans' second summer season Chris and Ashley have changed the format. Read Our Review - June 2011

Great inexpensive Pinot Noir Bacchus Ginger Cuvee by David Gordon

I was looking for a nice red wine for dinner down on LBI this weekend. The meal called a Pinot Noir and I was looking over the selection at what I consider the best wine and liquor store on Long Beach Island, Neptune Wine and Liquors in Harvey Cedars.

Diana suggested I look for something else because she knows how hard its for me to find a Pinot Noir I really like. It is terrible thing being spoiled by the best Pinot of Burgundy and Washington state, and the good ones tend to be expensive.

But then I spotted this nice looking bottle Bacchus Ginger Cuvee. It was only $14 so I decided to give it a whirl.

When I got it home and had my first taste I was very pleased.

The wine is named after Ginger, whose dad is David Gordon the noted  the Wine Director of Tribeca Grill since 1990. David used his rich contacts in Napa and Sonoma to source and produce wine under the Bacchus and Jeanne Marie labels. This one is perfect and went perfectly with our sea shore dinner.

Summer Cocktails 2011 Pama Pomegranate Liqueur

Ok, it is not officially summer, but in my world Memorial Day is always the beginning of NJ Shore beach season so today it is summer to me.

And with summer comes summer cocktails, this year I am excited about cocktails made with the fabulous pomegranate juice Liqueur called PAMA.

I gotted turned on to this at the South African restaurant and bar called Braii in New York City where they use Pama to make their brunch exotic tropical fruit Mimosa's with South African sparkling wine. 

This weekend I made a cocktail with PAMA, vodka, and Read On for the recipe

Obal's Inn Great Bloomfield NJ Bar I Love this Place

It seems like I have passed by Obal's Inn a million times. It's on Broad Street in Bloomfield, across the street from Gencarelli's Bakery.  A few years ago my good friend Ben told me about their fantastic weekly "rib night." I have been meaning to go there ever since.

A few months ago a sign went up offering microbrews and rib night twice a week. I became more determined. Coincid- entally I had breakfast with Ben this morning and I decided. Tonight I go to Obal's. Diana was off playing Mah Jong so it was boys night out, just Pierce and I.

So here's the deal. I can't believe I have been missing this gem for so many years. Ok, Obal's is not all that beautiful from the outside, not that pretty on the inside, but what the place lacks in beauty it makes up for in a big way with heart and soul. This is your classic neighborhood bar that has probably not changed much since the Jane family took it over 25 years ago.  

We feasted on the magnificent ribs, that truly deserve to be famous, very tasty wings, fries cole slaw, frsh shoestring fries and some very good beer.

Check Out our NJ Beer Page Here.

Wyndham Estates Bin 22 Chardonnay 2009 a Pleasant Surprise

A friend gave me a bottle of Wyndham Estates Bin 222 Chardonnay and I was pleasantly surprised. I know it is wrong but I tend to disregard the huge wine producers like Wyndham. Granted they are Australia's oldest vineyard, producing since 1828 they must be doing something right. But, How good can a $10 Chardonnay be? Well it turns out very good.

We enjoyed this bottle at home with Pickle-Brined Chicken, grilled under a brick, a Zucchini, Avacado Mint Salad and roasted Yukon Golds. More on the food below.

Nigel Dolan is the winemaker behind this wine that has won numerous awards over the years.

When you try it, open it, and let it sit for about 30 minutes, with this bit of patience you will be rewarded, letting the this wine breath and come to life.