Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza

Another day, another debate on what to get for lunch. My friend Mary stopped by after a job interview and we decided to hit the town. Westbury, New York has a plethora of restaurants and eateries as far as the eye can see. We decided to try out this new pizza place on Old Country Road called  'Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza.' Located in a large shopping center with a Barnes and Noble and a Guitar Center, the place seemed like a choice lunch destination for local business people on their lunch breaks.

Upon entering we were greeted by a gigantic juice-head of a host, his greasy spiked hair leading us to our table. The place was strangely decorated.  There was a lot of movie and music memorabilia on the walls, and several flat screen TVs tuned to ESPN. It was kind of a mish-mosh of decor.  I didn't really feel the whole Italian pizzeria vibe. However, the place smelled great.

Our waiter (I think his name was James) was friendly and helpful, guiding us through the menu and explaining the lunch specials. I noticed that the table had a nice condiment holder with a circular metal apparatus on the top. After giving the place a once over, I concluded that this was where the pizza would rest. We decided to split a small pie, half regular and half "Paul and Young Ron."  I was a little disappointed when the drinks came and they gave us a cup of ice and a 20 oz plastic bottle. No fountain drinks? WTF.

 The bar seemed nice, with large wine racks along the back wall. Would I ever want to come in here for a drink? I highly doubt it. I overheard the guys at the next table talking about how good the chicken wings are. I decided that if I were to come back here again, I'd have to try them.

Our food arrived and was placed onto the metal apparatus by a very nice looking waitress. She asked to serve us our first slice.  The meal was on. 

The small pie was actually quite large and was cut into 6 slices. My "Paul and Young Ron" consisted of meatballs, sausage, hot Italian peppers and ricotta cheese (Italian pronunciation: [riˈkotta]). My only real complaint about the pizza was not lack of flavor or greasiness, but how the peppers were presented. Anyone who has had or seen spicy Italian peppers know that they are quite large and thick. Instead of chopping up the pepper it was laid to rest atop each slice whole. Taking my first bite resulted in the pepper falling right off onto my plate.

Mary and I opted to trade slices and I tried her regular slice. The sauce was quite delicious and sweet. The cheese also tasted very fresh. I was very full after eating only 3 small slices so I decided to take home my last slice to give to my parents to try. The pizza was actually quite expensive at $16.25. My theory on price is: if I am satisfied after the meal, not too full, and not still hungry, then it was worth it. You know it was a decent meal if you're craving that cigarette after-wards, as we both definitely were.

THE LOVERDICT

Anthony's is definitely worth a shot if your in the Westbury/Carle Place area, a prime destination during this holiday shopping season (Roosevelt Field Mall, one of the East Coast's largest shopping centers,  is located here.) Although I have had pizza like this many times before (See my review on Scotto's), it was pretty damn good. I would like to try this place again at least one more time and get the chicken wings, which are also cooked in the coal oven.

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza
137 Old Country Rd.
Carle Place, NY 11514
(516) 877-7750
anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com

Call of Duty Black Ops: FPS Amazingness

I have decided to venture away from the world of food and talk about the newest Call of Duty game. I picked it up for Playstation 3 the day it came out. I could of went to Gamestop for the midnight release, but decided that waiting in line with hundreds of nerds in the freezing cold wasn't a great idea. I went to pick up my reserve the next morning, waited in line for about 5 minutes and drove home eager to play it.

While Call of Duty has been known for its epic single player campaigns, multi-player is really where it's at. I dove right into the multi-player. While many of the features are more or less the same as in Modern Warfare 2, there are a TON of new ones to take advantage of. First off, I noticed that the level cap is now at 50 instead of 70. At the time of writing this entry, I am now level 42 with around 16 hours played. I also believe there are 15 levels of prestige now. I highly doubt I will ever spend that much time trying to prestige 15 times. I will more than likely be bored with the game after 2 or 3 prestige achievements. 

One big difference players will notice is the currency system in this game. You earn currency for completing matches and doing different things like contracts (goals you can purchase to get achievements that will earn you more currency). The only annoying thing is that currency is used on everything, from weapons, to perks, and even on designing emblems or a clan tag. I opt to save my currency up, because I feel it can be pointless to upgrade certain weapons when you will be getting a better one in the near future.

Modern Warfare 2 let players customize their player card's background and emblem. This time around there are a ton of different options to design your own unique background and emblems. For example, my friend Evan's emblem is a silhouette of a man pointing a gun at a small rabbit with a question mark above it's head. You can get very creative. While the backgrounds cannot be customized, there are a ton of different pre-made ones to choose from.

The game is set during the 1960's so expect your usual fair of M16's, AK47's and the like. The weapons are highly detailed and can be modded with several different kinds of attachments. Silencers to double ammo clips can be added to your weapons, and will provide positive and/or negative effects to your weapon. Camo can also be purchased for your guns, and now you don't have to go through the stupid headshot challenges to unlock them.  You can also apply your clan tag or emblem to your gun, which looks very cool in the game. The targeting reticles of your guns can also be fully customized.

Among the standard team death match, capture the flag, and other familiar COD game modes, Treyarch (the makers of this installment) has added several new game modes this time around. 'Wager matches' are one of them. You can bet a certain amount of your multiplayer currency to place within the top 3 players of a match. If you do, you will win extra currency. Taking inspiration from the online PC game Counterstrike, they have also included something called 'Gun Game.' Players start with the weakest pistol and a knife, and get better weapons as they rack up kills. If you get knifed, you get demoted down to the previously weaker weapon.

There are around nine different maps to play on in multi-player. There is a nuclear test sight (aptly named Nuketown), a large oil platform, and a Vietnamese jungle.  My personal favorites are Jungle and Nuketown. Jungle has a very cool design and offers players many different areas to hide in and take cover under. Nuketown is all about straight up mayhem. It is a very small map with two residential homes, split up by a street with several cars on it. You can easily get kills by simply starting a match with a grenade toss over the house in front of you.

The single player clocks in at around 6-7 hours. I actually completed the campaign yesterday and was very satisfied with it. You get to play as a special operative named "Mason" who works for the US government. Set during the 1960's, you are sent to various locations around the world such as Cuba, the USSR, and even Vietnam.

There are some very cool moments: you get to pilot a Hind attack helicopter and rain destruction down on "charlie". You also get to take off in an SR-71 Blackbird recon aircraft  and help guide a group of operatives on the ground using a infrared scope.  (For those of you who are not familiar with this plane, I have included a picture of one. The U.S. military used them for high altitude recon missions. The pilots basically wore spacesuits because they were on the very edge of our earth's atmosphere)

SR-71 Blackbird

Back again is also the very popular "Zombies" mode where players either go solo or group up with other players to defeat waves of oncoming zombies and escape their gruesome deaths.

THE LOVERDICT

I can go on and on about how awesome this game is, but I'm sure no one wants to read a 10 page review, haha. However, this game does have its flaws. The multi-player  seems to have some lag issues. I'd say between 20 and 30% of the matches I play are pretty laggy. I have also seen some graphical errors in both the single and multiplayer modes. Hopefully Treyarch will be patching these issues soon.

I highly recommend this game to any first person shooter fans out there. You can get it on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and PC from your local electronic or video game retailer. If you have PS3 and want to add me, my PSN name is BiggsV.  See all you noobs out there.

P.S.
Sorry for the sudden influx of posts folks. Due to my move into a new home and adjusting to my new job I have been extremely busy. Expect more Loverdicts regularly and spaced out more evenly. Thank you all for waiting patiently, I hope I didn't disappoint anyone. : D

Gyro Hut

I decided to review another Greek restaurant. This time, I ventured to Gyro Hut in West Hempstead. It's located on Hempstead Tpke., right across the street from another awesome food spot, Taco King (review to come in the near future). The place is rather small, stuck in between a Dunkin' Donuts and a Real Estate office. Don't let the size fool you, its a real gem.

This was my second time visiting Gyro Hut. I went with three friends for lunch, eager to dig into some great Greek fare. I decided to order a Gyro platter, and split an appetizer of Falafel with my friend. The platter also came with a drink, so I got a raspberry Snapple. We slid some tables together, and sat down to wait for our food.  The wait was short.

My Gyro platter came with a Greek Salad, which came out almost immediately after my order was placed. The lettuce was crisp and tasted very fresh, and the feta had that perfect amount of saltiness to it. They also give you some Greek salad dressing (which seemed to consist of oil, vinegar, and onions). Next, our appetizer of Falafel came out. I'm not gonna lie...the Falafel balls looked like turds on a bed of lettuce. Not very appetizing. Once I dipped one in the hummus and popped it into my mouth, my thoughts of fecal matter dissipated. They were perfectly crunchy and absolutely amazing.

I opted to get a side of lemon potatoes with my gyro platter. Their french fries are home made, seasoned, and very delicious. However, I wanted to try the potatoes as I have never had them before. The waiter brought out my platter, and much to my dismay, there were fries on it. I had to send it back to get potatoes instead. The food actually took quite some time to come back. I worked on the Falafel appetizer in the meantime.

Once my food came back, I eagerly feasted on this amazing Greek classic. The platter had a large serving of sliced and seasoned lamb meat, several slices of pita bread, a whole potato sliced in two, and a side of tzaziki sauce. The first thing I tried was the lemon potato. It was perfectly cooked, and melted in my mouth. The sourness of the lemon complimented the starchiness of the potato nicely.

My only complaint was the lack of pita slices for the gyro meat. It was a huge serving of meat and not enough bread to put it on. When I asked for more pita bread, the waiter told me it costs extra. After spending about $15 on this meal I decided to go ahead and say no to this. I ended up just finishing the meat by eating it like a finger food.

 Falafel Appetizer (Homemade fries can be seen in background)

Gyro Platter mmmmmmmmm

THE LOVERDICT

Moderately priced, really tasty Greek classics served..... but life changing? I would have to say no. Would I recomend it? Absolutely.  However, I wouldn't make a long trip to go out and try Gyro Hut. If you live within a half hours distance, go ahead and check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Gyro Hut
461 Hempstead Tpke.
West Hempstead, NY 11552
(516) 489-8989

Cherry Valley: Heaven Between Two Slices of Bread

If you're a resident of New York, you absolutely have to try Cherry Valley at least once in your life. There are two locations: one in Queens County (Whitestone) and one in Nassau County (West Hempstead). The first time I ever tried Cherry Valley was several years ago with a co-worker of mine. We got really stoned and went to the Whitestone location. I remember we split a Beast (Chicken cutlet, bacon, swiss cheese, onion rings, on a toasted garlic hero). The Beast is one of over 100 different types of sandwiches you can get at this wonderful establishment.

The menu spans the entire deli counter (which is exceptionally large). Besides offering sandwiches, Cherry Valley is also a small convenience store/supermarket. There are many different fridges stocked with a plethora of beverages. They also have many different kinds of snacks and munchies if you are so inclined. They also deliver, but I don't live close enough to take advantage of this service.

My friend Mary and I went to the West Hempstead location before starting the day's errands. It's not in the nicest neighborhood, but during the day it's fine. Make sure to pack some heat for late night trips. 

The menu can be a little overwhelming and intimidating. Patrons can be seen staring wide-eyed and amazed by the different types of sandwiches they offer. I spent between 5 and 10 minutes deciding what I wanted. I finally composed myself and approached the counter. I opted for an "Old Navy" (Grilled roast beef, melted American cheese, brown gravy) on a toasted roll. The heroes are huge, so unless you're splitting one with a friend or got extremely wasted, I would go with a roll, which is still very filling. My friend Mary got a "Last Call" (chicken cutlets, mushrooms, brown gravy, mozzarella cheese) on a toasted garlic roll. As you can see from the pictures below, the sandwiches look amazing.

 Just a part of the massive menu

My "Old Navy" was orgasmic. The mixture of melted American cheese, warm gravy, and tender roast beef teased my taste buds to the point of explosion in my pants. I didn't get to try Mary's sandwich but from the look on her face I could tell she was happy with her choice. We shared a tin of "Screamin' Dill Pickle" Pringles. If you like pickles, I highly recommend these chips. They taste exactly like a fuckin' dill pickle!  My Pomegranate Raspberry Snapple was pleasant, with the perfect amount of bite and sweetness to it.

Look at this amazing sandwich.... LOOK AT IT!  Old Navy on a roll

Mary's Last Call on a roll

THE LOVERDICT:

I left Cherry Valley with a smile on my face, a full belly, and a cigarette in hand. All in all, the meal was very satisfying. If you're a New Yorker, go and check it out.

Cherry Valley Deli and Grill- Whitestone
12-29 150th St.
Whitestone, NY 11357
(718) 767-1937

Chery Valley Deli and Grill- West Hempstead
168 Hempstead Tpke.
West Hempstead, NY 11552
(516) 292- 3381

www.cherryvalleydeli.net

High School Reunion: An evening of awkward conversation and crap-tastic food

The title pretty much sums it up folks. I attended my 5 year high school reunion recently with my friend Pete, and decided to review it in this blog entry. The registration fee was 50 dollars.  We were promised a lovely evening of food and drink. From what I've heard, high school reunions are usually held at nice catering halls and such. Our high school hosted it in two of the gyms at the school.

We arrived by car only to find that the parking lot was full, and the valet told us to circle a few times for a spot to open up. After about 20 minutes of circling we found a spot about 5 blocks away from the school. A short walk on a crisp fall evening seemed allright, only to be ruined by my extremely uncomfortable dress shoes. I haven't worn them much, so they weren't broken in just yet. The stiff edges of the shoes kept digging into my ankles for the rest of the evening. I couldn't wait to take them off.

We entered our old high school, which hasn't changed all that much.   We were presented with name tags denoting our year of graduation.  There were several other classes in attendance (1960's to the 1980's) in addition to our class, 2005. The cocktail reception was held in the "new gym" which was fairly new when we were still in high school. Several hundred alumni, faculty, and staff were mingling with one another over drinks and finger foods. We scoped out the joint for a few minutes and decided to make a dash for the bar.

For 50 bucks, we wanted to make sure we got our fill of alcohol and food.

(Side note: When we were registering for the reunion on the school's website, there was a field for "RSVP comments." I decided to be a smart ass and write something funny. I asked if they could please stock Rolling Rock, our "group" beer of choice. Much to my surprise, everyone was drinking Rolling Rock!  For the rest of the evening people were making comments about my "beer suggestion". "Hey LoVerde, you got your wish huh?!" It kind of got old as the night went on though...)

The Old Latrobe

I didn't really indulge in the cocktail reception's food all that much. I tried a rather bland and dry chicken cordon bleu bite, and a panko encrusted shrimp tempura. Pete and I began to mingle with people we knew in high school. For the rest of the evening conversations primarily consisted of the following topics:

1) How have you been!?
2) Have you finished school?

3) Are you working? Where?

Needless to say, no one really gave a shit about any of this information but were just trying to be nice to one another. People still seemed to be very "clique-y" and were all hanging out in the same groups from back in the day. I didn't want anything to do with them back then, and I don't want anything to do with them today.

After about an hour, everyone was called into the other gym for dinner. The gym was set up with many different tables, and there were designated areas for each graduating class. For the rest of dinner, each class was called up to take a photo. Our class was the biggest in attendance, with about 70-80 people who showed up. Before dinner was served, we were all quieted down for a prayer. Not to get into religion and spirituality, but I am not a practicing Catholic anymore. It seemed like a lot of people were not either, as it was hard to keep a straight face during prayer. I tried so hard not to laugh, sorry God...

Dinner was served buffet style in the cafeteria next to the gym. The buffet consisted of the following: A Caesar salad, several different types of dinner rolls, a type of stuffed chicken, prime rib, rice, and vegetable medley. I made a plate of chicken, prime rib, rice, and vegetables. Honestly, the food flat-out sucked dick. The chicken was probably the highlight of my evening, and that's not saying much. It was stuffed with spinach and some sort of cheese. The rice had some sort of citrus hints to it, which 99% of the people I talked to complained about. I had no idea there was gravy for the prime rib, so I ate it plain. It was overcooked and flavorless.

Mehhhhhh

Stuffed chicken a la shit

After dinner we decided to drink some more and socialize. At one point Pete asked the bartender for a gin and tonic. I replied with, "Can I get one of those too?". I took a sip of my drink and almost spit it out. I asked the guy what it was and he said: "Whiskey and tonic, that's what you said you wanted right?" I gave him a weird look and walked away, quickly abandoning my drink on a random table. The strangest part of the evening had to be our drunken walk through of the school's hallways. We attempted to find our old lockers and ended up in a counselor's office, drunkenly giving a group of high school seniors advice about college.

There was talk of an "after party" somewhere on Bell Boulevard, but I was driving so I couldn't get all that fucked up. Besides, why would I want to go to Bell Blvd. with a bunch of people I have no interest in speaking to ever again? We walked back to my car and drove home with mixed feelings.

THE LOVERDICT:

I will not be attending the 10 year reunion.

Hale and Hearty: A Crock of Shit

Another day, another lunch adventure. My buddy and I decided to drive around my new neighborhood to find someplace new to try out for lunch. He had heard of a soup and sandwich place called Hale and Hearty, and his sources said that it was pretty good. So, the decision was made and off we went.

Upon entering Hale and Hearty I was struck by how hectic the place was. I was not familiar with how their menu/ordering system worked, and it was honestly a bit overwhelming. There are three different stations where one can order a type of salad, soup, or sandwich. I opted to try the bowl of soup and half a sandwich combo.

I felt very pressured to make a quick decision because of the stressful atmosphere. I opted for the bowl of Southwest Chicken Soup and a Half of a Turkey and Melted Brie sandwich.

The total came to about $10 which didn't seem so bad. With all the food and a heavy bottle of Snapple on a lunch tray, I felt like I was going to drop everything and be THAT asshole who everybody stares at. We sat down at a small table for two, and I felt very compacted in their dining area. I guess we arrived during lunch rush, so the place was filled with businessmen and women on their lunch breaks.

I started off with my soup, which wasn't all that terrible. However, there was some sort of spice in there that I couldn't place which I didn't enjoy. The sandwich was a friggin' joke. I knew it was a half a sandwich... but it wasn't much larger than a goddamn English Muffin. The turkey and brie were both flavorless and there was no topping besides lettuce and tomato on it. It could have definitely used mayo or honey mustard or SOMETHING for Christ's sake!  Although I felt decently full afterwards, I was nowhere near satisfied.

THE LOVERDICT:

FUCK HALE AND HEARTY'S. Flavorless, overpriced, and downright upsetting. I will not be going back to this establishment.

It's Back!!! The Infamous McRib Sandwich

I haven't had McDonald's in a very long time, so I decided to grab some for lunch with my buddy Pete last week. I went in with the intentions of ordering a Big Mac, as I have not had one in quite some time. As we neared the registers, however, the ads heralding the return of the McRib sandwich caught my attention.

Warm fuzzy memories of the McRib's awesomeness came to mind. I decided to get the combo, which included fries and a fountain drink. We sat down at one of the booths and my mouth began to water. I opened the McRib box slowly and found the great treasure contained within.

For those of you who have never sampled the McRib, its basically a boneless pork rib sandwich on a warm roll which has BBQ sauce, onions, and pickles on it. I'd have to say that even though its McDonald's (which isn't really known for its "fine" cuisine), the McRib BBQ sauce is out of this world. It's very sweet and tangy and has just the right amount of kick to it. The sandwich was very warm and comforting, like morning wood. The only downside was the poor construction of this particular McRib. It definitely did not look like the pictures on the signs.  Then again, does it ever look like the pictures? 

THE LOVERDICT:

The McRib is a must try for any BBQ fans out there. Next time your at McDonald's, try one of these instead of a burger. You'll be in for a real treat. I believe its only here for a limited time only, so act fast!  You don't want to miss this tangy, comforting, and overall awesome McDonald's treat.

The Best God Damned Burrito Out There.....ROBS!!!!!!!

 Back when I was going to York College of Pennsylvania, we discovered a small burrito place a few minutes away from West Campus called Roburrito's (or simply Rob's). I recently visited York this past weekend for Halloween celebrations and had Rob's for lunch on Sunday.

Located on West Market St., Rob's seemed like a cool spot to check out. We found that its a must if your a local student, resident, or just passing through York, PA. The place holds around fifteen guests, and parking is a little iffy. They offer free delivery and on many occasions we picked up our food to take back to the dorms. There is another location nearby in Dallastown, PA that I have never been to. From what I've heard, its a lot larger and there's better parking. However, I wouldn't know personally.

 The front counter

The menu is pretty straightforward and simple, consisting of burritos and quesadillas. There are several different variations of each item. My suggestion would be to try a Roburrito. The Robburrito (made out of fresh homemade tortillas) comes with one meat (either chicken, steak, or shrimp), cheese, rice, black beans, salsa, sour cream, and homemade guacamole. Their guacamole alone is fucking amazing. All the ingredients are very fresh tasting, and it seems like fresh produce is delivered pretty regularly as they have boxes of it stacked around the restaurant. I have had one of their quesadillas before, and while it was delicious, it wasn't as filling as a Roburrito (the burrito is pretty large!).

 A chicken Roburrito

The menu is fairly priced, with a burrito costing about 6 bucks. For an extra $1.25 you can make it a combo, where you get a can of soda and warm tortilla chips served with homemade salsa. This past weekend Rob's had a special on the menu called the 'Brain' burrito. When we asked what was inside, the guy at the register simply said... "fried cow brains." I wasn't feeling that adventurous at that particular moment... haha.



Rob's carries a brand of hot sauce called 'Old Grumpy Mark's.' It comes in several different varieties, such as Peach Warrior and Pearl Harbor. They all have different flavors and heat ratings. Bottles of all sizes are available for purchase (which I have done many a time.) If your getting your food delivered or picking it up, you can even ask them to "infuse" one of the sauces into your food.

Besides the food being out of this world, the decor of the place is quite interesting (to say the least.) The employees have a pretty twisted but hysterical sense of humor which can be seen in  the signs and flyers posted around the place. One of the funnier things was a small children's book about the dangers of marijuana. Local "artists" and employees added their own little drawings and remarks (they know whats up, hahaha.) You can even sign a dollar bill and ask them to post it behind the register, leaving your mark on this local hotspot.

Even if it had children in it, I would still eat a Roburrito any day.....

 St. Ides Malt Liquor..... HOLD IT DOWN!!!

On a door inside in the bathroom at Rob's

The Bellerose crew's dollar is still up on the wall from last year's Halloween!!

 THE LOVERDICT:

Well priced, and utterly delicious, Roburrito's has the best burrito I have ever experienced to date. If you go to York College of PA or live in York, PA and have not been here before, you fail at life.  So stop in, grab a burrito, and check out the decorations and posters. Chipotle ain't got shit on Rob's. Nuff' said....

Robburitos
1277 West Market Street
York, PA
717-848-5323
http://www.roburritos.com/

Today's Lunch: Scotto's Pizzeria Restaurant and Lounge

Today, October 20th 2010.

Well here we are, my 2nd entry. A small personal update: I am moving to Westbury, NY and today marked the first day we have officially owned the new house. So I decided to get a few things together to bring to the new place and load up my car, along with my friend Pete, and  grab some lunch near there.

We didn't have anything in particular in mind. Pete had suggested Carraba's grill which he thought was in the same spot as Cozymel's and Chili's. However, upon pulling in we were surprised to discover not a Carraba's but a Scotto's. I was like WTF is Scotto's but had remembered a friend of mind saying that it was pretty good. The sign outside made a pretty large claim: Voted best pizza in Long Island. We had to see if this was accurate.

Upong entering I was greeted with an awesome aroma of freshness and a pleasant atmosphere. It looked a bit fancier than I had imagined. We were seated immediately in a nice booth overlooking the rest of the dining room. The place was fairly large and well decorated in a classical Italian motif. There was also a really nice lounge area, perfect for a nice quiet evening of drinks and pleasant conversation. Well, enough about the decor, lets get to the damn food!

The menu was fairly large and full of a wide variety of choices. Everything from soups and salads, to pasta and fish graced our presence. But, we had to try the pizza. The claim of best pizza in LI had to be proven.

Service came with a smile, as our African American waiter Gadi had proven. Since it was Wednesday, if you presented a college I.D. you were able to save 20% on your bill. He was kind and cracked some well placed jokes throughout our meal. A nice basket of fresh garlic breadsticks and Italian bread was placed before us.We deciced to start off with an appetizer of Antipasto Italiano. Upon arrival at our table, this was some of the freshest antipasto I had ever seen or tasted. Sorry there's no picture folks, somehow my Iphone decided to be a douche and delete the picture. But on the plate was everything from fresh mozzarella (with a hint of basil and olive oil) to spicy soppressata and fresh prosciutto. The tomatoes alone were extremely pleasing, bathed in olive oil and topped with a touch of basil.

The choice of pizzas was extensive. They are all cooked in a wood burning oven, and can be topped with either shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella. I had to go with the fresh, in my opinion fresh mozzarella tops shredded any day. Pete had ordered the Venetian pie, which was made of fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, and truffle oil. I had opted for the Barese pie, which had fresh roasted peppers, onions, sweet Italian sausage, and spicy salami. You were able to either order a personal size or family size pie. The personal pizzas ranged in price from around $9 to around $18 a piece. We both ordered the personal size, and had more than enough food to go around. The leftovers are currently at home in my fridge.

THE LOVERDICT:

The claim of best pizza in Long Island had me wondering, is this really an accurate statement? After eating here at Scotto's I would unfortunately have to disagree with this statement. While the pizza was absolutely delicious and comforting, it was a tad bit pricey and greasier than I expected it to be. The atmosphere was very pleasing and the service was excellent. But the food was not as good as I had expected. Would I recommend you go here? Absolutely, but do not expect a life changing pizza experience. Heres the info on the place if your so inclined to give it a try:

1195 Corporate Drive
Westbury, NY 11590
Phone: (516) 222-1042
Email:  jscotto@westburymanor.com
URL:  http://www.scottosrestaurant.com

Today's Lunch: Kalamaki - Where Meat Meets Grill

October 19th, 2010.

I have yet again ate some of the best Greek food I have ever experienced.

Today marked the third time my co-workers and I have decided to order from this small Greek place nestled in the quaint town of Roslyn, NY. Suggested by a co-worker who brought the menu into work several weeks ago, we decided to try it. The close by local Greek joint sucks balls. Greasy, unappealing gyros made me want to never eat one again. Overpriced and just plain shitty at Mykonos, we decided to give Kalamaki a whirl.

The menu was very streamlined and the combo platters with price and choice of food items was very appealing. For $8.95, I was able to get a lamb gyro, seasoned french fries, and my choice of a can of soda. The gyro was fucking amazing. Well cooked and not greasy at all lamb combined with an awesome tzaziki sauce (the dill was very prominent) and very refreshing lettuce and tomato, this gyro was heaven in a pita.

Anyways, let me get to the main point of this entry. What I ordered today from Kalamaki topped even their previously amazing gyro. For a mere $5 dollars (you can't even get a shit ass combo at McDonald's for this price folks), I was able to get a Greek Spread Sampler.

Served with warm slices of pita bread, were three different types of spreads.The Tzaziki (made with Greek yogurt, cucumbers, dried mint leaves, garlic, and olive oil) tasted extremely fresh and creamy. The hummus (chickpeas, fresh garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, spicy peas, and spring onion) had a great texture and I could definitely taste the hints of garlic and onion in it. Finally, the Kopanisti (which I never had before and was made of spicy whipped feta, roasted peppers, and pickled vegetables) was quite the experience. The saltiness of the feta combined with the spiciness of the peppers and pickled veggies was an excellent addition to this sampler.

As you can see in the picture above, this is no meager amount of food. I was full half way through the sampler and took the rest home with me.

THE LOVERDICT:
Definitely try this place out if you're ever on the North Shore of Long Island. Delicious Greek fare combined with some great pricing, has made this a new favorite of mine. Highly recommended to all. If you'd like to try it out here's the info on the place:

Kalamaki - Where meat meets grill
1380 Old Northern Blvd.
Roslyn, NY 11576
(516) 625-GYRO (4976)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Roslyn-Heights-NY/Kalamaki/104239562941494