Due Amici | December 16, 2011

67 East Gay Street  

Columbus, OH 43215

http://due-amici.com/ 

Miller-Stein Ranking

Our food experience | 3.92 Buckeyes

Quality | 4.5 Buckeyes

Cost | 4.5 Buckeyes

Character | 4.6 Buckeyes

Beverages | 4.5 Buckeyes

Service | 1.5 Buckeyes

Pomodoro | $12.00

linguini, tomatoes, spinach, garlic, evoo, house-made mozzarella

Insalata mista | $7.00
mixed baby greens, red onion, goat cheese, almonds, strawberries, balsamic vinaigrette

Sauteéd spinach | $6

Stein’s parents decided to spend December in Columbus to enjoy family time together and enjoy the holidays in (a not so snowy) Columbus. While here, Stein’s parents wanted to try a new restaurant or two. Stein’s recommendation for a dinner Friday evening was Due Amici, a restaurant in the heart of downtown Columbus.

Parking, once we arrived at the restaurant, was not atrocious. There was a pay-to-park lot right across the street. We were a little disappointed there wasn’t a valet but we quickly found a spot and were on time for our 6:00 p.m. dinner reservation.

Upon arrival we were immediately greeted by the hostess who was very friendly. You’re immediately struck by the dim lighting and the fun atmosphere of the restaurant. The modern art compliments the metallic style of finishes. The restaurant is much bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.

We were quickly greeted by our waitress who seemed to be rushed. Mom Stein ordered a red wine and I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc and I was promptly carded. The waitress claimed I looked at her in a suspicious way and had eyes that were begging the question “is she going to ask to see my I.D.” Don’t get me wrong, I am in favor of carding, but her explanation was somewhat condescending. Dad Stein and Stein went with Diet Cokes and we took a few minutes to review the menu.

When the waitress finally brought our wine which took about 10 minutes, Mom Stein and I really enjoyed our selections, we were pleased with our choices.

Our waitress first brought out some warm bread which was a nice appetizer.

We didn’t hesitate to place our orders. Stein ordered the Pomodoro pasta which came with fresh tomatoes, spinach, flavorful garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and a house made mozzarella which was stein said was incredibly fresh. Stein was very fond of the pasta dish he chose.

Mom and Dad Stein ordered and shared the same type of pasta dish that Stein ordered, a garden house salad and also a side of sautéed spinach. They both also shared in Stein’s sentiments that the dish was great, very well prepared. Our waitress failed to bring out the spinach with the meal and it took another 7 minutes to arrive at our table. The spinach was not cooked as much as typical sautéed spinach and still had a toughness to it. The salad received rave reviews explaining the everything tasted fresh, organic and natural.

I ordered the insalata mista salad without the red onion which I enjoyed. The salad was not very large but was enough to fill me up. The almonds were raw and would have been a little tastier if they had been toasted, but other than that the salad was pleasant. The goat cheese added the sharp kick of flavor to the dish.

Our waitress was somewhat short with us and dismissive. Not suggesting anything from the menu and not pleasantly asking if we had everything we needed, we weren’t thrilled with our service. Her attitude could have be related to a bad day, or an unpleasant experience with a customer, but when diners are paying top dollar for a dining experience, one expects to be treated at least decently.

With the exception of the service we received, Mom and Dad Stein and Stein and I really enjoyed our experience at Due Amici. We all agreed that we will likely return but ask to not be seated in the same waitresses section. We recommend Due Amici for Columbus-ites or visitors who find themselves in downtown Columbus any evening.

State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) Holiday Special | December 10, 2011

STRS Holiday Dinner at the Eastwood Home

Miller-Stein Ranking

Our food experience | 5.0 Buckeyes

Quality | 5.0 Buckeyes

Cost | 5.0 Buckeyes

Character | 5.0 Buckeyes

Beverages | 5.0 Buckeyes

Service | 5.0 Buckeyes

 (Miller-Stein Holiday Tree)

Stein, a proud intern in the equity research division of STRS, was invited to attend, with a plus one, the annual holiday party. Stein graciously accepted and we anticipated the party for weeks.

Both very busy with work and school, Stein and I didn’t have time to make anything for the party, which was a potluck style meal, so we picked-up some tasty cookies from Pistacia Vera in the German Village.

We arrived and immediately felt very welcome in the Eastwood home. Upon entering we noticed right away the smorgasbord of wonderful looking dishes brought by all of Stein’s co-workers. The variety of food was incredible, everything from fresh sushi to sweet potato casserole was offered to us. A true Miller-Stein dream come true; so many different kinds of foods to try!

We headed right to the bar and I was given a delicious chardonnay which I knew would go well with the appetizers. Stein went with a winter ale and was also very pleased with his selection.

We wasted no time and dove right into the appetizers which included all sorts of delicious cheeses and meats, hummus dip, bite size meatballs, veggies and so much more. Between the two of us, Stein and I tried everything and were incredibly pleased with how wonderful everything tasted.

We enjoyed the warm ambiance of the beautiful home, and after socializing for a bit by the toasty wood burning fireplace with West, Browning and others we made our way to the dining room where the main course awaited us. 

The “star” of the night, in terms of food, had to be the tenderloin. Eastwood did a great job explaining how the meat was prepared, which was incredibly fascinating. Stein and I had never heard of this particular unique cooking style. Eastwood explained that the meat is cooked by placing the meat in a large vacuum sealed bag and boiling it the night before. This particular cooking style allowed for a juicy and flavorful center with really just a thin portion of the skin of the meat to brown. Eastwood then explained that he let the juices settle into the center of the meat over night and the evening of the party threw the meat on the grill to give it even more flavor -- amazing!

Other amazing dishes that covered the main course table included a homemade pepperoni and cheese rolled bread, fresh and crisp salad wings and breads. The display was impeccable and the company was wonderful.

Until the holiday party I hadn’t had a chance to meet Stein’s co-workers and they were all welcoming and very kind.

Stein and I scooted our way over to the dessert table. Although we were stuffed, we knew we had to try some of the cakes, cookies and pies. Stein and I took small bits of everything and we were glad we did. The desserts were fantastic, all so fresh and some even still warm from the oven.

The STRS holiday party was a great holiday special for the Miller-Stein duo. Great food, wonderful co-workers, welcoming friends and a fun time! Stein and I highly recommend attending the holiday party if you ever find yourself working at STRS one day!

Big Bowl | December 3, 2011

60 East Ohio Street  

Chicago, IL 60611

http://www.bigbowl.com/

Miller-Stein Ranking

Our food experience | 4.3 Buckeyes

Quality | 4.2 Buckeyes

Cost | 4.3 Buckeyes

Character | 4.0 Buckeyes

Beverages | 4.5 Buckeyes

Service | 4.5 Buckeyes

CFA Weekend in the Windy City

Photo from http://www.gogobot.com/big_bowl-cedar-chicago-restaurant

Pomegranate Ginger Ale

Rum and Cider

Dumpling Noodle Soup

chicken or vegetable dumplings with noodles, vegetables, tasty chicken broth

Vegetable Pad Thai with Tofu
fresh asian vegetables, tofu

Stein and I ventured up to Chicago for the weekend so he could take his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam, a test, that once passed, allows growth in the industry he is studying to become a part of.

The night before the test we were looking for somewhere not too fancy or expensive to grab a quick bite. We attempted to get pizza from Lumonatti’s (a well known Chicago deep dish pizza hot spot), but were deterred by the 40 minute wait. We wandered the street for a bit and happened upon Big Bowl, an Asian fusion style restaurant with a fast paced hip atmosphere.

After a 10 minute wait, Stein and I were seated close to the windows in the front portion of the restaurant. As the line for a table increased the atmosphere became quite tense with the crowds of people just steps from our table.

The restaurant had a vibe that seemed to be attracting to the younger crowd; loud music, bright lights, lots of seating. There was a food bar towards the kitchen that seemed to be an interesting option. It appeared that patrons would select items from the food bar and the kitchen would stir-fry your selections right then and there.

We were quickly greeted by our attentive waiter with a great sense of humor. Stein and I weren’t shy and ordered our drinks right away. Stein went with the special, the rum and hot cider which came in a clear mug and was steaming. The cider was wonderful; the apple taste with the strength of the rum complimented each other excellently. The rum wasn’t overpowering but still added the needed kick to the drink. I went with the pomegranate ginger ale which was a recommendation by the waiter. The pomegranate was excellent, not too sugary and the ginger melded well with it. Once I got toward the bottom of the drink the ginger got stronger almost to the point of overwhelming, but the drink was still delicious.

The vegetable dumpling noodle soup caught my eye so I ordered a small soup before dinner. The soup was good; the dumplings were rather large and tough to eat in one bite but were enjoyable. The noodles were thick but the absorbed the broth nicely.

Because it was our first visit to Big Bowl we were treated to a peanut sauce and vegetable wrap which was a nice way to start the meal; a taste of what was to come.

In the mood for noodles, Stein and I both selected the vegetable and tofu pad thai. Our waiter was quick to bring our dinner. When the meal arrived I almost gasped, there was enough pad thai on my plate for four people. Not discouraged by how much food there was, Stein and I dug in. The flavors in the pad thai were very interesting. Typically Stein and I are used to a sweetness in pad thai. This dish was different; the noodles had a lemony acidity to them, very different. The vegetables in the dish were a little on the al dente side which wasn’t incredibly appealing. I finished about 1/8 of my dish and Stein wasn’t able to finish his either. We made sure to ask for a box seeing that we could have enough food for dinner the next night.

Once all was said and done, Stein and I enjoyed our dinner and the atmosphere the restaurant provided. We had great service and agreed that we would likely come back, but probably try something new on the menu.

La Dolce Vita Ristorante & Lounge | November 25, 2011

740 South B Street, Heritage Square
Oxnard, CA 93030

http://www.theldv.com/

 

Miller-Stein Ranking

Our food experience | 4.4 Buckeyes

Quality | 4.5 Buckeyes

Cost | 4.25 Buckeyes

Character | 4.75 Buckeyes

Beverages | 4.0 Buckeyes

Service | 4.5 Buckeyes

 

Gnocchi con Pollo | $11.95
Italian potato dumplings with chicken, squash, leek and peppers in a roasted garlic cream sauce

Seared Ahi | $13.95
Sesame seared and served with citrus vinaigrette atop mixed greenswith green onion, sesame seeds and sliced almonds

Grilled Vegetable | $10.00
Assorted vegetables grilled then marinated in our balsamic dressing topped with provolone cheese and melted

Stein and I spent Thanksgiving in Southern California with his family this year and decided we needed to try a new restaurant in Oxnard (a small town just North of LA).

We settled on an Italian restaurant that received rave reviews from the locals. Since we were in California, we asked Fishman (Miller’s friend) and Ruiz (Fishman’s boyfriend) both of whom reside in LA, to join us.

La Dolce Vita is located in downtown historic Heritage Square in Oxnard and is tucked away in a cozy historic-style house. From the moment we arrived we felt welcome; a great comforting feeling.

When we arrived, other than the Fishman-Ruiz duo, we were the only people there. Since we were there for lunch, we didn’t anticipate there being much of a crowd. Fishman and Ruiz were already enjoying white wine which they remarked was quite tasty and enjoyable.

We were greeted by our waiter who was very friendly and he brought Stein and me water with lemon. Our waiter was quick to return to take out order and brought warm, freshly baked bread, which was wonderful. The bread came with a tomato type salsa which went well with the warmth of the bread.

Stein and I ordered the same thing, not on purpose, the grilled vegetable sandwich. The sandwich was wonderfully seasoned with all types of vegetables including very tender flavorful mushrooms. The vegetables were grilled to perfection and still had a bit of the much needed crunch. The balsamic dressing that accompanied the vegetables was a perfect match. The side salad that came with the sandwich was fantastic, spinach leaves and cabbage, also marinated in the balsamic was a great addition to the meal.

Fishman went with the gnocchi which she really enjoyed. The plate of pasta was more than she was anticipating for a lunch portion but was fond of the fact that she could take home leftovers. Fishman really enjoyed the fresh garlic cream sauce that coated the pasta saying that the sauce had a smooth yet rich texture and was not overwhelming thick, like many cream sauces. Fishman also appreciated the fresh vegetables that were mixed into her dish.

Ruiz went with the seared ahi salad. Ruiz mentioned that he has always appreciated a well done ahi. When the salad arrived, we noticed it was also a very generous portion for a lunch size. Unsure whether there was enough dressing for his salad, Ruiz asked for additional dressing. The waiter brought out what seemed to be the same house made balsamic dressing from the other dishes. The salad was originally coated with a citrus vinaigrette and Ruiz was thrilled he had asked for the additional dressing. The balsamic has a molasses like consistency and added the perfect amount of sweetness to the seared ahi which was breaded with sesame seeds. Both dressings melded surprising well together.

Stein and I chatted with the Fishman-Ruiz duo for a bit and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere of the cozy Italian den.

Between the reasonable prices, warm atmosphere, and fantastic the service, we were thrilled we had selected La Dolce Vita. If you find yourself in Oxnard we whole heartedly recommend stopping in La Dolce Vita for a quick bite.