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LBFoodie.com has introduced it’s brand new LBFoodie Newsletter that will go out from time to time, usually monthly. In this newsletter you will get updates on all the latest things happening in Long Beach, NY and the website. Like latest reviews, coupons, upcoming events at local businesses, etc. You can sign up for the newsletter right now, just look to the right. ———————————————————>

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-LBFoodie

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Lola’s Kitchen & Wine Bar
180 W. Park Ave.
Long Beach, NY 11561

I had heard about Lola’s for a while before I decided to check it out. Maybe it was because all of the rave reviews I was hearing were coming from my girlfriend and her friends, but I was expecting a ‘Sex In The City” comes to Long Beach sort of vibe, not exactly my cup of tea. Yes, there ended up being a fair share of girlfriends out enjoying a bottle of wine (or four…), but overall Lola’s menu and atmosphere is built to please guy and girl alike.

Lola’s decor is very Floridian in it’s charm. The lush greenery in the barroom, the spanish tile roof and the neon blue sign that greets you at the door immediately call to mind a trendy restaurant in Miami Beach.

The vibrancy that this atmosphere creates seemed to translate into the overall mood of the restaurant. The patrons were a bit boisterous, which was fine for the bar but kind of a turnoff when we sat down for dinner. If its packed when you arrive, and you’re hoping to enjoy a quite conversation over your meal, do yourself a favor and ask to be seated outside. This may not be helpful advice as we approach winter time, but keep it in mind when the weather starts to warm up again.

The staff is another strong aspect of the restaurant. Our waitress was very accommodating when we switched tables (due to the aforementioned noise inside), and was present throughout the night without being overbearing. The manager also came to our table multiple times to chat, something that probably wasn’t easy to do considering how busy the place was. He even remembered us when we went back a week later, and again made the effort to visit our table even though the place was packed.

We went for the Wednesday night wine tasting deal, which consists of three full glasses of wine (would be about $8 ea.), soup or salad (would be between $6 and $10) an appetizer (would be between $8 and $13) and an entree (would be between $17 and $20). When all is said and done, you end up with between $39 and $67 worth of food for $30. That’s a lot of bang for your buck, especially when taking into consideration the quality of food and wine you’re getting.

For appetizers, my dinner companion and I split the “Kung Pao” Calamari and the Pernil Tortillas, of which I would recommend the latter. The calamari was good, although the sauce may have been a touch on the syrupy side, but I’m a sucker for pulled pork (which they slow cook for 7 hours) and guacamole in general, so this plate already had a one up. My favoritism aside, if your feelings towards pulled pork are anything better than mild aversion, I would say give this dish a chance. Chef Livingston definitely knows his way around a slow cooker.

Our salads came out about thirty seconds after the appetizer plates were cleared, another sign of their excellent service. They tasted freshly prepared, not as if they had been sitting in the back or pre-made. I opted for the Baby Organic Greens and my dinner companion went with the Granny Smith Apple Salad. Both were very good, again I would probably go with the latter next time I eat there. The white balsamic vinaigrette had a pleasant sweetness to it, and when combined with the bleu cheese crumbles complimented the apples nicely.

For the main course, we got Chicken Portobello, which could have used a bit more portobello mushrooms but was excellent otherwise, and the Grilled Hangar Steak. We could have used a bit more steak too, not because of small portions but because it was so damn good. Each bite melted in your mouth and it was cooked to my very definition of medium well. I can’t think of one thing I would have changed about the dish, and along with the Pernil Tortillas, it will end up being something I will definitely order again on a future visit.

The food was amazing, the wine superb, and the service couldn’t have been better. We even opted for dessert despite neither of us being big on sweets, and the flour-less cake was well worth the splurge.

I do however have two tips that could optimize your experience at Lola’s. First, go on a nice evening when you can sit outside. As I mentioned earlier it tends to get a little loud in the inside dining room on busy nights. Second, order something that has to do with pork or red meat. No knock on the rest of the food, but the Pernil Tortillas and Hangar Steak were clearly the stars of the meal and I’m willing to bet these types of dishes are where this restaurant excels overall.

Submitted by reader Richard J Nardo

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Max’s Kitchen Oceanside, NY

Not too far up the road from Long Beach is a new player in the game of good eats on the south shore. Max’s Kitchen opened some time last summer and from my experience should be a staple on Long Beach Road in Oceanside for some time to come.

The restaurant floor is very homey and inviting. The booths are comfortable and the wait staff is very friendly. There were some delays with getting more drinks or asking for something during lunch but I think it was due to the servers inexperience and should take care of itself. The parking lot in front holds just a few cars but according to their website you can use the municipal parking lot right next to the restaurant on the south side.

Featuring many “comfort food” type dishes it is a nice change of pace from the usual entrees I order from the diner, Applebee’s, or Friday’s. With the menu containing dinner items such as Shepard’s Pie, Baby Back Ribs, Meatloaf, and Mac and Cheese; you can see why making a decision on what to order will take some time. Not because nothing appeals to you but because you want to try a little bit of everything.

My trip to Max’s Kitchen included three others with me. As an appetizer we ordered the Jumbo Sampler Platter. It came with most of the good things listed on the appetizer menu, though I wish it came with fried macaroni. The star of this dish are the two BBQ Chicken Kebobs. These little gifts from heaven are amazing. The sauce they come drenched in makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The potato skins were pretty large in size and were properly dressed in the fixings you’d expect. The fried provolone was a nice surprise as well.

For the main course we had Country Fried Steak, French Dip Sandwich, Fish and Chips, and a Buffalo Burger. First let me tell you, we walked out with four doggy bags. Portion size is not a problem at Max’s.

The Country Fried Steak was good. Wasn’t great, like some of the one’s I’ve had in other places down south, but it wasn’t bad either. The crust was just lacking the spicing I remember from some of the better country fried steaks I’ve tried. The mashed potatoes were excellent and I actually ate the vegetables.

Next we all tried the French Dip Sandwich. Another dish you don’t find everywhere. The Au Jus was nice and hot and extremely well seasoned. The beef was juicy and tender and not over cooked. I would definitely order this dish for myself next time I’m in the mood for some red meat goodness and I’m headed up that way.

The Fish and Chips were done correctly and don’t need an explanation. Crispy fish, crispy french fries and tarter sauce…….can’t go wrong here.

Lastly is the Buffalo Burger. Many places are jumping on this Buffalo craze that in my opinion should be kept to wings but Max’s does it right. Just enough buffalo sauce and the right amount of blue cheese make this a very enjoyable burger. The hand cut french fries that come with most dishes are very good but we substituted sweet potato fries on this dish and we were not disappointed.

Dessert was tough. We were extremely full so we only ordered two things. First was the cupcake of the day. It was a red velvet cupcake. Tasted great, problem was it was very very small. Compared to the other cupcakes you see when you walk in the front door of Max’s which were actually, in my opinion, over sized. The one I got was smaller than a normal cupcake; and was very overpriced. The other dessert we wanted was the Apple Brown Betty but it wasn’t available so we got Apple Pie A la Mode. Was a good substitute and didn’t disappoint but I’m really curious about their Apple Brown Betty. If done right, this could be something to take the ride for alone.

Prices are reasonable but in line with other places in the area. I tried looking for my bill to give you an exact amount that it cost four people to eat lunch with appetizers and dessert but it’s probably long gone along with my leftovers. The website says they deliver but I’m unsure if they come to Long Beach. They are about 5 miles from Long Beach which is about a 15 minute drive. I suggest you try the food at the actual location to get the best taste for your money. These type of dishes need to be eaten right away from the kitchen. If you live locally in Oceanside, order away!

All in all Max’s Kitchen is a nice addition to an area of Oceanside that has been under recent development. I expect Max’s to continue it’s dedication to home cooked meals and offering something a little different than the larger corporation type eateries. It is a must visit.

Max’s Kitchen Oceanside, NY
2710 Long Beach Rd.
Oceanside, NY 11572
Phone: (516) 280-8715

LBFoodie.com

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Hey Everyone,

I’m looking for people to write some reviews of the various restaurants in Long Beach, NY. I myself will be leaving the area but still feel Long Beach, NY needs a reliable site to review the many places to eat around here. Living in Long Beach and finding a good and fast place for take out was always trial and error. Plus anyone driving to the area should know in advance where they want to eat.

The pay isn’t all that great since I don’t make any money on the site but I will try to work something out for the both of us. Maybe some people need to do article writing for college or something and need it posted somewhere. It is a good place to get started and use as a reference for other writing gigs.

Just shoot me an email by clicking HERE

Thanks.

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I would like to thank Joyce from Long Beach for her review of Duke Falcon’s. I myself have ate at Duke Falcon’s in the past and have loved everything about it. Just sitting there looking at all the cool stuff on the wall is one of my favorite things to do. Anyway, here is Joyce’s review:

Review of Duke Falcon’s

I went there last Friday night with two girlfriends. We decided to meet early to avoid the dinner crowd so we walk in around 6 pm.

We were greeted by the host who was pleasant and friendly as he showed us to a table in the newly added dining room. The atmosphere was that of calming yet artsy; not too much and not too sparse. Well done with taste and class.

Our waiter was Scott who was very charming. As he described the specials he was all smiles and yet totally on top of his game. I find that it only adds to a positive experience when the staff knows their product and presents it the way it ought to be presented to the customer.

We started off with a round of cocktails and even tried one off the specials menu. As we waited, we were given a plate of pickled cucumbers, salsa, and some sort of bean dip nested on slices of toasted french bread. I loved that it was not just another bread basket to fill up on and ruin dinner because now you’re too full to eat any more. It was just enough for the three of us and even a fourth to finish yet still have room for the main course.

I had the seared rib-eye steak and garlic mashed potatoes, on my right my friend ordered the roasted duck on a bed of wild rice and on my left my friend ordered the steak and mushroom napoleon. Well or course we all had a bite of each other plate and everything was just fabulous. My steak was cooked to perfection, the duck was moist and succulent, and the napoleon was just fabulous.

Scott made sure to check in on us every so often without being annoying to make sure we did not want for anything. To me, that is was service is all about; not having to look for staff but having the staff look out for you separates a good restaurant from a better one.

When dessert came Scott recommended his favorites without disparaging the other items on the menu and we decided on the key lime pie and this hazelnut chocolate mousse puff pastry dish which was just out of this world.

The whole evening was going great. Here we were, three friends catching up over dinner, enjoying a fantastic meal served by excellent staff and then…IT HAPPENED…

When Scott gave us the check I noticed that we were over charged on the bar bill. I ordered two drink specials at $9.50 each and I was charged $19.95 each. When I pointed this out to Scott, he explained that it is done by computer and it automatically charges that amount. As if that made it OK. Wrong!

I felt that the rug had been pulled out from under me because everything was going so well and then they try to rip you off on the bar bill because they did not punch in the specials prices in the computer. That one small detail brought the whole night down a few notches.

After some haggling back and forth between me, Scott and the management the price was eventually adjusted down to $11 each instead of the listed $9.50 because Scott thought I asked for Stoli’s vodka instead of house vodka. Whether or not that was selective hearing on Scott’s part is for him to come to terms with. But as they say in the service industry: The customer is always right.

I don’t hold it against Scott, he was still great and I am glad we sat at his station. If ever I go back I will ask for him again and I would recommend Duke Falcon’s in a heartbeat because the food was most excellent.

Just remember folks as a rule ALWAYS be mindful of pricing and scrutinize the check very carefully.

Thank you again Joyce for sending in your review. I invite anyone reading this review that has gone out to eat recently and wants to let everyone know about their experience, please send me a review at reviews@lbfoodie.com

LBFoodie.com

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Hello and welcome to the new LBFoodie.com. The site won’t change all that much but I plan to keep the content and reviews as fresh as I can. There are many excellent places to eat within the borders of Long Beach, NY and I plan on checking out every single one. To do this I will need you, the reader, to help me.

You can help my by pointing me in the right direction on where to go. Do you know a great place that not too many people go to but the food is excellent? Let me know! Help spread the word. Have you ever ate or got take out from somewhere and were so satisfied, or dissatisfied, that you wanted to let everyone know?

Well this is the place you can do it. Many people visit the site daily and it is the best way to have your opinions heard.

As always if you have any suggestions or ideas I am all ears. Just send me an email at reviews@lbfoodie.com and I will get back to you the same day.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy!

LBFoodie

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I am curious as to who you think has the best burger in town. If I want a hunk of greasy and guilty deliciousness, I go to 5 Guys. Otherwise, I like Speakeasy’s sliders. The best in my opinion…

What says you? Leave ‘em in the comments.

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Check out this review at Anthony’s blog, Sea by the City. This month it is focused on Coastal Grill. Check it out!

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New feature – What’s Your Favorite…  This go around I want to know your favorite place to just go and grab a couple drinks.  No dinner or any of the other.  Just want everyone to share their favorites in the comments below.

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On Friday, May 22,  a fight erupted on the Boardwalk in Long Beach, New York.   Reports of a riot seem exaggerated.  Apparently, the kids from LB were hanging out on the boardwalk, eating ice cream and playing with that paddle that has the ball attached by a rubberband, like the kids nowadays do, when they were approached by some other kids from a different town. They wore leather and wanted to take over this little section of boardwalk.  But the LB kids were not having it,  so they told these others kids to beat it.  Then some music started and there was alot of snapping of the fingers and circling around each other (which quite frankly, went on FOREVER) before someone finally attempted some pirouette to a leap move and landed on a knife.  Everyone went home with bruised egos and achy feet and lived to fight another day.  Except for Tony. He lay there, bleeding from his belly wondering where it all went wrong…

Actually, eyewitnesses have told me that there was a large number of high school aged kids on the boardwalk, presumably for ‘Senior Cut Day’.  Apparently there were kids from different towns ( I was told Uniondale and Freeport) and fight broke out.  Police were called and closed the board walk and the beach and performed some crowd control.  Helicopters were also called in to sandblast the hooligans.   I was also told that there were two kids that got cut or stabbed, but there has been nothing official with respect to that.  There were ALOT of kids out that day, they had congested Park Avenue and Riverside when I went to work, so I am getting alot of this info from people that were there when it happened.

I was also told by a couple that own an apartment right where the fight broke out that they had been told that something like this was going to happen for a few weeks.  I did not find out who was doing the telling.  They also remarked that it looked like a few hundred people were involved in the fight.  As of this date, I have not seen any reports on News 12, Newsday or any other local publication.

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