I was recently invited to enjoy a complimentary dinner at Red Lobster so that I could experience first hand the newly remodeled decor. Red Lobster restaurants across the U.S. have undergone a redesign that includes updated coastal touches both inside and out. The new design, inspired by the seaside village of Bar Harbor, Maine, aims at providing guests with the opportunity to experience fresh, delicious seafood in a vibrant, nautical setting.

Red Lobster guests in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Williamsport can now experience an atmosphere clothed in dark-wood paneling, warm-toned fabrics, nautical décor, shingle and stone towers and Adirondack-style benches, all intended to transport guests’ minds to the coast. Once the winter comes to Northeastern Pennsylvania, I know I will appreciate having a nautical place like Red Lobster to escape to while the snow is falling outside and the streets are covered with dirty slushy ice.
 

While I am usually wary of the food at chain restaurants, Red Lobster really has its perks and was named by Eat This, Not That as the healthiest chain restaurant in America! First, I like Red Lobster because there are many healthy options available on the menu that aren’t laden with unncessary chain-style sauces scoured with copious amounts of sugar, salt and fat.  Red Lobster’s “Today’s Fresh Fish” menu lets the delicate taste of seafood shine through and is updated daily to reflect the wide variety of fresh fish available. Options typically will include fresh salmon, cod, tilapia, shrimp and trout that can be broiled or prepared over an open flame of a wood-fire grill.  Red Lobster also bravely but proudly debuts the nutritional information for all of the items on its menu on its website.
 
Second, who can resist the famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster, even if you are planning on only eating grilled fish?  These flavorful little dinner rolls are served warm and with each bite you can taste a perfect combintation of butter, oil, garlic and hints of cheddar. They may be the best part of the meal. They make me nostalgic for my law school days when I used to make pillsbury biscuits and dinner rolls and add my own seasonings. (Note: one cheddar bay biscuit is supposedly 4 Weight Watchers points – so indulge and enjoy, just don’t eat the whole basket!)

Third, I enjoy Red Lobster because of the service there. Once I am seated at the table,  I know my food will be served promptly and that I am not going to be there forever, nor am I going to be rushed. Most importantly, everyone is always very kind there and very knowledgeable about the items on the menu, which is often an overlooked but necessary component to a successful restaurant.
 
Lastly, my favorite part of Red Lobster (besides the Cheddar Bay Biscuits) is actually its website, which is really fun and informative for seafood lovers like myself. Not only does Red Lobster provide a generous amount of creative recipes for seafood dishes including some featured menu items, but they also provide educational how-to videos which explain how to grill the perfect piece of seafood, etc. These are really great tools for people who are intimidated by the idea of preparing their own seafood entrees and also for more experienced cooks who are looking for new ideas for preparing seafood.
 
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am a big fan of brushchetta so I really enjoyed the Wood-Grilled Shrimp Bruschetta. The round and thick baguette slices were crunchy and tomato mixture very flavorful.  Please see the recipe provided by Red Lobster for the Wood-Grilled Shrimp Bruschetta and the Peach-Bourbon Shrimp and Scallops below. I absolutely plan on making the shrimp bruschetta – its a perfect recipe to enjoy on a hot July day because it combines crisp, fresh flavors of local seasonal produce for a light meal. I will probably alter this recipe just a little bit because I like my bruschetta hot. If you would like your bruschetta hot, when you get to step #7, simmer the ingrediets in a saute pan and add in the basil at the end.  Also, do not chill the grilled shrimp as directed in #4. Instead, dice immediately.

Wood-Grilled Shrimp Bruschetta
Serves 4

12 medium-count shrimp
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 loaf French baguette
¼ cup melted butter
2 tsp granulated garlic
2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
2 large, fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 2 tsp prepared fresh basil)
2 Tbsp diced red onions
¼ cup balsamic dressing (use your favorite or substitute equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Non-stick cooking spray, as needed
4 bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 2-3 hours)

1. Place three (3) shrimp each on four (4) skewers, all facing the same direction. Push shrimp together tightly to hold together.

2. Brush shrimp skewers with canola oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Prepare the grill by spraying the grates with non-stick cooking spray. Turn grill to high. (DO NOT SPRAY grill grates while the grill is on; aerosol can may be dangerous around high heat.)

4. Grill skewers for approximately 2 minutes per side, until shrimp are opaque and firm. Remove skewers from grill and chill in refrigerator for 3-4 hours (shrimp skewers can be made one day ahead).

5. Slice French bread in ½ inch slices. Brush with melted butter and season with garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

6. Toast baguette slices in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and hold at room temperature.

7. Combine tomatoes, basil, onion and balsamic dressing in small bowl; toss gently to incorporate dressing.

8. Remove shrimp from skewers and toss with tomato mixture.

9. Top toasted baguette slices with shrimp mixture.

In addition to the shrimp appetizer, here are some photos of the dishes that we sampled while dining at Red Lobster:

New England Clam Chowder 

Caesar Salad

Wood-Grilled Salmon Fillets

Crab Fest Special Feature: Snow Crab and Fried Shrimp

Lastly, here is another recipe for Red Lobster’s new Bourbon Shrimp and Scallops:

Peach-Bourbon Shrimp and Scallops

Serves 4

24 jumbo shrimp
16 sea scallops
16 strips of bacon
1 cup peach-bourbon BBQ sauce (recipe below), divided
¼ cup canola oil
2 cups wild rice (prepare your favorite variety)
8 bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 2-3 hours
Non-stick cooking spray, as needed

1. Place six (6) shrimp each on four (4) skewers, all facing the same direction. Push shrimp together tightly to hold together. Refrigerate until needed.
2. Wrap each scallop with one strip of bacon, so the strip slightly overlaps (trim excess bacon if needed). If crispy bacon is desired, slightly pre-cook bacon in a pan or in the microwave for approximately 2 minutes.
3. Place four (4) scallops each on four (4) skewers, inserting the skewer where the bacon strip overlaps. As with shrimp, push scallops together tightly to hold together.
4. Prepare the grill by spraying the grates with non-stick cooking spray. Turn grill to high. (DO NOT SPRAY grill grates while the grill is on; aerosol can may be dangerous around high heat.)
5. Brush skewers lightly with canola oil.
6. Place shrimp and scallop skewers on hot grill. Grill approximately 2 minutes per side. Use caution with scallop skewers so as not to burn the bacon; you may have to turn them or move them to a cooler section of grill, depending on grill temperature.
7. Once skewers are cooked and seafood is opaque and firm, brush both sides with peach-bourbon BBQ sauce. Grill another 15 seconds per side to slightly caramelize sauce on skewers.
8. Serve one shrimp and one scallop skewer per person over your favorite wild rice blend. Mashed potatoes or couscous make a delicious dish as well.

Peach-Bourbon BBQ Sauce:
2 cups prepared BBQ sauce (choose your favorite)
½ cup peach preserves or canned peaches, well drained
3 Tbsp Kentucky Bourbon

1. Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into small sauce pot over medium heat and bring to light simmer. Simmer 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.
3. Remove sauce from heat and refrigerate until needed.

Notice below that you can now post a link to this blog on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Post a link to this blog on Twitter and include my name @fairytalefeasts for your chance to win a $10 gift card to Red Lobster! 🙂 I will be sending two of them out through the mail!
Enjoy!

On our last night in Nashville, we ventured to the Germantown Cafe, one of the top rated restaurants in Nashville, to see what all the fuss was about and hopefully enjoy some of the local cuisine beyond greasy fried foods smothered in barbecue sauce.  I’m happy to report that we had a very pleasant experience here and I would absolutely return there again. The atmosphere was quaint and cozy, the crowd a mix of all ages from locals to foreign CMA music fest concert goers. Though we didn’t have reservations, we didn’t have to wait for a table. The hostess was kind and happy. She seated us a a table near the glass window which allowed just enough of the setting sunlight to peer in to the restaurant. There was a great view of the Nashville skyline.

I was pretty impressed with our server, who had the patience of an angel when answering all of our detailed questions about the menu and the daily specials.  She was a perfect example of what every server should be: kind, patient, attentive, prompt.  She possessed an all encompasing knowledge of the items on the menu and was not afraid to steer me in the right direction when it came to ordering the restaurant’s specialties. 

We started with the strudel and the fried green tomatoes.  The tomatoes, served hot, were deep fried in a crisp and greasy (but not too greasy) coating and topped with miniature goat cheese rounds, accompanied by a spicy red bell pepper aioli sauce. We devoured these within seconds.

The Germantown Cafe Strudel was served with a tropical salsa. Studel, German for “whirlpool” or “eddy” is a type of pastry composed of thin layers of dough spread with a filling and rolled and baked until crisp and golden brown.  The dough tastes just like the Greek phyllo dough, commonly known as a puff pastry shell.  (These sheets can be found in the frozen aisle of your local grocery store.) Strudel is commonly filled with fruit but it can come in all different varieties and be savory as well.  The Germantown Cafe Strudel was a savory, spicy blend of chicken, cream cheese and peppers. It was very different and that is why I loved it! 

The most jaw dropping part of our dining experience at the Germantown Cafe may have been the bread basket, which was really a little bundle of heaven. Imagine biting into soft and buttery round roll right out of the oven – sounds like a pretty ordinary indulgence. Now imgaine that the bread is deep fried, making the outside crust crisp, flaky and a bit oily with a soft warm center. Bread is absolutely my weakness in this life and I have sampled many different kinds but I’ve never had anything like this before. And there was a silver lining. Indulging in a deep fried roll made it easier for me to limit myself to one.
The caesar salad was equally as delicious, with its crisp romaine lshaved parmegiano regiano cheese and deep friend herbed croutons. Add a piece of grilled shrimp, this could have been dinner.

The Germantown Cafe offered a generous portion of a crab cakes, placing three decent size lightly pan fried cakes consisting mainly of jumbo lump crabmeat on a dish with an abundant serving of french fries and green beans. The crab cakes were served with a mustard-tartar sauce, a nice and creative accompaniment to this classic dish, without being over the top. 

The plum pork was tender and delicious. Thinly sliced pork medallions grilled and served in a savory but sweet plum sauce over mashed potatoes and served with green beans.

I decided to take a chance on the fresh catch of the day, the Grouper. Served over creamy polenta and accompanied by a heaping portion of lima beans drizzled with a light chunky tomato sauce, this dish was a much welcomed change from the greasy southern barbecue we loved but overdosed on. The Grouper was delicate but firm, easily flaked with a fork and oozing with its own juices. A light cream sauce with parsley adorned the grouper, enhancing its own flavor.

The only negative part of the dining experience was that we were too stuffed to try the desserts, which sounded sinfully delicate and delicious – but it’s all the more reason to return again next year!

Enjoy! 🙂
Highlights from An Evening of Fine Food and Wine at the Scranton Cultural Center – the Ultimate Fairytale Feast!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a truly magical evening of fine food and wine at the Scranton Cultural Center. This event showcased a diverse array of food and wine from many of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s best restaurants. Chefs performed a live cooking demonstration of their featured dish and sommeliers were on hand to explain the featured wine pairing.  This event was an absolute fairytale in itself and the food was a spectacular fairytale feast!

APPETIZERS

Upon arrival, each individual was placed into a group and given a label. I landed in the Chardonnay group, which was perfect because that is my favorite wine.  🙂 Everyone then entered the grand ballroom of the Cultural Center to feast on appetizers from different restaurants until we had to separate into our groups.

My first bite set the tone and the bar for the night: a spinach and riccotta ravioli from Angelo Bistocchi’s restaurant in Scranton served by executive Chef GianLuca Fremiotti. This homemade pasta plumply filled with spinach and creamy ricotta cheese and pressed together was delicious. When I asked what Bistocchi’s specialized in, replied: fresh food that is homemade. That’s more than enough reason for me to add Bistocchi’s to my list of restaurants I need to try immediately!

Another notable appetizer was the crab bisque from Coopers Seafood House served with mini toasted croutons. This soup was really a crowd pleaser. The only way I could have loved it more is if I were having it on a beach somewhere with someone else who really enjoyed it too 🙂 Coopers generously provided the recipe, which appeared in Bon Appetit Soups and Salads, Copyright 1983 by Knapp Communications Corporation.

Cooper’s Bisque of Crab Soup
As it Appeared in Bon Appetit


3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 medium onions, minced
1 medium carrot, finely minced
1/2 stick celery, finely minced
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsely
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 quart heated milk (4 cups)
3 tablespoons cream sherry
1/2 lb of lump crabmeat


Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and saute’ until soft. Reduce heat to medium and add flour, whisking constantly until smooth. Cook 5 minutes, whisking frequently. Stir in parsely and seasonings. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Add cream sherry, crabmeat and salt to taste and simmer 15-20 minutes. DO NOT BOIL! Serve hot.


If bisque is thicker than desired, stir in the whipping cream or milk to thin.

My next tasting was another soup but this one was very different. Chef Kate Gabriele of the Rustic Kitchen (one of my go-to restaurants in the area!) presented wonderfully light and flavorful gazpacho. Chef Kate hosts a live cooking show every Friday night at the Rustic Kitchen, “Cooking with Kate.” The show is currently featuring a cooking lesson on how to prepare a “Not Your Everyday Chicken Dinner.”  Chef Kate also offers an array of personal chef services including personal cooking classes and parties.  She can be reached at chefkate@hotmail.com.

Other appetizers included a jumbo sized meatball from Gilly’s Steak and Seafood in South Scranton, a grilled shrimp and tortellini kebab from Constantino’s.

The State Street Grill in Clarks Summit prepared a very flavorful mushroom risotto that I would love to get the recipe for so I can have it again!

DINNER

After feasting on the above appetizers, each group was called to begin their journey into the various rooms of the Cultural Center.  Our first stop was the newly renovated third floor of the Cultural Center, which the Masons used to use as a museum.  There we sampled food from the eloquent French Manor in South Sterling in the Poconos.  On the menu for the night was a tender seven pepper and coffee rubbed filet mignon medallion with horseradish potatoes and pickled twirled red beets with a muchroom cognac cream. A lavender and honey glazed baby carrot delicately accompanied the dish. Each bite was absolute perfection!!!
It was accompanied by an El Portille wine from Argentina, a spicy and peppery wine with notes of chilies and earthy vegetation.

Next we then made our way to Robert P. Casey Library on the second floor of the Cultural Center, which featured walnut walls, a stone and tile fireplace, and leaded glass windows to feast on food prepared by Patsels in A porcini mushroom encrusted Chilean Sea Bass topped with a lemon aioli.  Accompanying the sea bass was one of my all time favorite salads: shaved fennel and orange. I really loved this dish and can honestly say that it was the best piece of sea bass I ever had! Bravo Patsels!

Next we made our way to the Ladies’ Parlor on the second floor of the cultural center for a tasting from Casey’s Corner at the Scranton Hilton.  I enjoyed learning about the history of this room, which has undergone recent enhancements, and learned that there were secret passage ways leading to the room throughout the building so that the woman could enter without being seen.  I also learned that there was a kitchen on each floor of the cultural center because the Masons used to have social events there in the 1930s and 1940s. The lead chef from Casey’s prepared an excellent meal of teriyaki salmon with sauteed spinach over a soba noodle cake. The salmon was cooked perfectly – it was warm with a bright pink center. It was so good I almost asked for another one!

Next we made our way down to the next station: Carmen’s Ristorante, at the Radisson Hotel, also known as the Lackawanna Station. We feasted on kurobuto pork chops with port glazed peaches and red onions, topped over an herbed mashed potato croquette. The chef from Carmen’s gave a really nice and detailed presentation. He told us that kurobuto was the Japanese name for black hooves. He explained that because pigs have no sweat glands, they cool themselves down by wallowing in mud, hence the phrase, “sweating like a pig.” However, these kurobuto pigs get freshwater streams to cool themselves down in – I am guessing that is what makes them so good!

Carmen’s Kurobuto Pork Chops with Port Glazed Peaches & Red Onion
Serves 2
Chef de Cuisine: Stefen Purta


Pork
2 10 ounce Kurobuto Pork Chops
Salt and Pepper to Taste


Season Pork Chops with Salt & Pepper. Place on grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and roast in a 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes for medium to medium well.


Port Wine Bordelaise
1 Shallot (Minced)
1/2 cup Port Wine
1 cup Demi Glace
Salt & Pepper to Taste


Saute’ Shallots in oil until they turn translucent. Deglaze with Port Wine and cook until flame disappears. Add Demi Glace and reduce sauce by 1/2.


Glazed Peaches & Red Onion
1 Shallot (Minced)
1 Clove Garlic (Minced)
1/2 Red Onion (Julienned)
1-2 Fresh Peaches (Pitted & Sliced)
1 cup Port Wine
1 tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper to Taste


Saute shallots in garlic and oil until they turn translucent. Add onions and peaches and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add Port Wine and sugar and reduce until liquid is almost evaporated.

Last, but certainly not least, was a tasting from one of my favorite restaurants in Northeastern Pennsylvania (besides the Gramercy, of course!): Fire and Ice on Toby Creek. This place is truly a gem of our area and in my opinion, not given enough credit! Their food is anything but boring. They take risks and it pays off.  Executive Chef Gary Edwards was on hand to explain the dish he had prepared: Skate Wing Beurre Noisette Sauvignon Blanc Reduction with Bacon Crushed Potato and Braised Leek Arugula.

I had never tasted skate before but I don’t know why I was worried. Anything prepared by Fire and Ice has been amazing and truly a Fairytale Feast. (Stay tuned for my complete review of my favorite dishes from Fire and Ice … coming this week!)  Chef Edwards explained the origins of skate and even handed out a flyer which stated that skate is a mild white fish, often compared to the flavor of a scallop and sometimes to crab or lobster. The French have long appreciate skate (“raie”) and it is also becoming more popular in the United States because of its flavor and quick and easy preparation.  It is often prepared in a beurre noisette (brown butter) sauce and finished with capers, lemon and vinegar, or poached in court bouillon (aromatic stock) and finished with fennel, celery root or lightly sauteed arugula or other like greens.


Skate Wing Beurre Noisette Sauvignon Blanc Reduction
6 oz. skate
3 tablespoons of flour
coarsely chopped curly parsley
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
juice and zest of one lemon
2 oz crisp Sauvignon Blanc
1 oz butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minched shallot
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed.


Pat skate wing dry. Season with salt and pepper, dust in flour and sear in hot saute pan with half of the butter and olive oil.  Cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden and remove to rest.  Add remaining butter and allow to brown slightly.  Add lemon, white wine, caper and parsley.  Reduce slightly. Sauté arugula and garlic in another hot pan until lightly wilted.  Serve fish over arugula and bacon crushed potatoes.

DESSERT

Finally, the guests convened back in the grand ballroom to feast on a gourmet dessert buffet. There was a chocolate fondue fountain.

I quickly made my way to the table of imported gourmet cheeses from igourmet.com, a perfect compliment to the wine I had been enjoying all night.

My favorite dessert was by far the strawberry and rasberry shortcake from Epicurean Delight. I only wish I had the recipe! The biscuits were so fresh and fluffy, the fruit was to die for, and the whip cream on top might have been the best I ever had. Simple, elegant, and tasteful: the perfect fairytale dessert.

Overall, the night was a magical experience! I loved learning about the history of the beautiful Scranton Cultural Center and being able to partake in a true fairytale feast! Can’t wait to see what is on the menu for next year! 🙂 Enjoy!