[Stylo]

I did Royal Caribbean for a family trip once. Other than the fact that I really just don't like the idea of cruises in general (hate being cooped up that long and herded to dinner and would rather just explore freely), I found the food to be decent from a taste perspective, but be prepared to gain a ton of weight. It's all that kind of junky, processed faux-gourmet stuff. Think Olive Garden. Not my cup of tea.

I'm sure it quite pleased the grossly overweight middle aged to elderly crowd on the boat though. The elevators smelt like farts all the time.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by mkiv808

I did Royal Caribbean for a family trip once. Other than the fact that I really just don't like the idea of cruises in general (hate being cooped up that long and herded to dinner and would rather just explore freely), I found the food to be decent from a taste perspective, but be prepared to gain a ton of weight. It's all that kind of junky, processed faux-gourmet stuff. Think Olive Garden. Not my cup of tea.

I'm sure it quite pleased the grossly overweight middle aged to elderly crowd on the boat though. The elevators smelt like farts all the time.

You really make me want to go on a cruise now. DW has wanted to go but I have been resistant ssince she gets seasick. Why take a chance when there are so many great places to see without getting on a oat. Jay

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You really make me want to go on a cruise now. DW has wanted to go but I have been resistant ssince she gets seasick. Why take a chance when there are so many great places to see without getting on a oat. Jay

Exactly. St. John USVI has become my favorite easy/cheap getaway. It's a place that's made for people who don't like tourists/crowds but want the island experience.

[MrGompers]

This restaurant was mentioned somewhere in this thread. Wife and I ate lunch here today, so here's a little review with pics.
The address is 104 Quinnipiac St Wallingford, CT

This place is very close to the Wallingford amtrak station. You can actually walk from the station to this restaurant that's how close it is. Parking is directly across the street from the front door, altho they don't have a sign up indicating this.

The dining room was attractive and the staff told me they are fairly busy on the weekends. They also plan on moving to a bigger location some time in the future. This is a Puerto Rican restaurant not Mexican. It even says that on their menu. For some reason they felt the need to point that out to us a few times.

One thing I really liked about this restaurant is we didn't need to reach for the salt & pepper. IMO everything was perfectly seasoned which is a rarity nowadays.

Some pics



Dining room


Bistec ensoballado (steak with onions)


Camarones al ajilio (shrimp with garlic)


Those were lunch portions. I would imagine dinner portions are bigger. If you are in the area you should consider stopping in.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

This restaurant was mentioned somewhere in this thread. Wife and I ate lunch here today, so here's a little review with pics.
The address is 104 Quinnipiac St Wallingford, CT

This place is very close to the Wallingford amtrak station. You can actually walk from the station to this restaurant that's how close it is. Parking is directly across the street from the front door, altho they don't have a sign up indicating this.

The dining room was attractive and the staff told me they are fairly busy on the weekends. They also plan on moving to a bigger location some time in the future. This is a Puerto Rican restaurant not Mexican. It even says that on their menu. For some reason they felt the need to point that out to us a few times.

One thing I really liked about this restaurant is we didn't need to reach for the salt & pepper. IMO everything was perfectly seasoned which is a rarity nowadays.

Some pics



Dining room


Bistec ensoballado (steak with onions)


Camarones al ajilio (shrimp with garlic)


Those were lunch portions. I would imagine dinner portions are bigger. If you are in the area you should consider stopping in.

That was me who mentioned it as someone was looking for Cuban food, which PR food is not so far off of.

Good review!

And to update the Cuban food request, I recently found a little Cuban bakery/deli in East Hartford called Richies on Tolland Street. Great Cuban sandwiches!

Richie's Bakery

[Stylo]

Did I mention how awesome Walnut Beach Creamery is? Went there yesterday with a group and it was exceptional.

Also - if anyone is looking for a great cheese shop in the Milford area, Villa Gourmet is it. I was slightly hesitant as I figured it was expensive - but the cheeses are incredible and VERY reasonably priced. Cheaper than most high-end cheese shops and MUCH cheaper than places like Whole Foods.

The Villa Gourmet - The place to find gourmet foods and artisanal cheeses in downtown Milford CT

[Stylo]

Went to Sesame Seed in Danbury. Forgot how good it is, and how huge of a menu they have. The only downside it the decor. It's not really a downside - it's actually pretty cool in its grunginess, but it doesn't match the food. The service is also very relaxed. At those prices it would be nice for a little more atmosphere. But the food is fantastic.

Also went to Stanziato's Wood Fired Pizza in Danbury. It was OK. Pretty good for Danbury area, not as good as Pizzeria Laurentano or New Haven pizza.

[agnitfom2000]

Even after 27 pages of posts, I thought I'd throw a few more restaurants into the mix:

In Glastonbury, Bangkok Thai (next to Whole Foods) and Char Koon (in south Glastonbury) both have very good Thai food. Besides pizza, Whole Foods also has very good Japanese food, including sushi. The sushi compares well with Natori Sushi mentioned earlier in this thread. The Mexican food at Jalisco's is also very good, particularly the tamales.

In Stratford, La Scogliera north of Sikorsky on 110 has great Italian food. It's very authentic; it makes me feel like I am back in Italy or Sicily.

Finally, in Bridgeport, there's this really crazy restaurant in the back of a gas station that serves excellent Turkish food. I can't remember the name.

David

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by agnitfom2000

In Stratford, La Scogliera north of Sikorsky on 110 has great Italian food. It's very authentic; it makes me feel like I am back in Italy or Sicily.

Just to clarify, it's over the border on River Rd. in Shelton.

Originally Posted by agnitfom2000

Finally, in Bridgeport, there's this really crazy restaurant in the back of a gas station that serves excellent Turkish food. I can't remember the name.

Bereket Kabob

[Stylo]

I just want to comment quickly on the ubiquitous nature of all-you-can-eat sushi joints in the New Haven area.

In New Haven and Orange: Samurai
In Hamden, North Haven and Orange: Sushi Palace
In Milford: Aya

Aya might be my favorite so far. Sushi Palace is very good, and haven't tried either Samurai location. They're all about $19-20 per person for unlimited sushi. Makes for a great deal.