Restaurant Review: Hibiscus (Queens Village, NY)

Today I had dinner from  this new West Indian restaurant that recently opened in my neighborhood called Hibiscus. I drove by the restaurant a few times and was intrigued by the fact that the restaurant offered a bar and  lounge. After a brief discussion with my barber and hearing his great reviews on the restaurant, I decided to stop in and see what was offered. To my surprise, the restaurant offers West Indian/ Chinese fusion dishes. They serve traditional West Indian dishes, as well as, Chinese dishes that are offered in several combinations.

The atmosphere was cool and the bar/ lounge area is perfect for grabbing a quick bite or drink. The service was great and prompt and the staff was very friendly and inviting. I like the fact that there is separate dinning area for people that want to eat in the restaurant. As for the food, I loved it! Everything was seasoned just right and there were a lot of big bold flavors. I especially liked the Spicy Garlic Chicken because It had a ton of flavor and spice.

I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area or to anyone looking for something new to try. It's affordable  and conveniently located near the highway and public transportation. If you decided to try Hibiscus, be sure to share your experience with me.  As always, If you like this post, share, like or leave a comment.

Shrimp and Broccoli

Spicy Garlic Chicken with Fried Rice

Fried Rice with Vegetables 

Hibiscus Restaurant and Lounge 

221-13 Jamaica Avenue 

Queens Village, NY 11428

Snickers Cheesecake

Snickers Cheesecake

 I spend a lot of time cooking elaborate dishes but over that past few months I've developed a love for baking. The first dessert I ever made was a  cheesecake and it came out perfect. My family and friends talked about it for weeks so I decided to start baking more and developing more flavors and toppings. The snickers cheesecake posted above is one of my favorites because it is rich in flavor, light in texture and extremely decadent. My cheesecake recipe easy to follow and quick to make. This is a great recipe to make for any occasion.  Take a look at the recipe listed below and try it out. As always, be sure to like my post, share, or leave a comment. 

Ingredients Needed 

1 Keebler graham cracker pie crust 

2 Large eggs at room temperature 

2 8oz packages of Philadelphia cream cheese room temperature 

1 Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract 

1 cup of granulated sugar 

2 Snicker bars chopped 

Hershey Chocolate Syrup

Hershey Caramel Syrup 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In an electric mixing bowl combine cream cheese, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar.

3.  Let the cream cheese filling mix for 2-3 minutes or until is well combined.

4. Once the mixture is combined, pour the mixture into the graham cracker pie crust. 

5. Spread the mixture evenly and smooth all areas

6. Place the cheesecake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Set a kitchen timer to ensure that the cake will not be over cooked. 

7. After 35 minutes, take the cheesecake out of the oven.

8. Take the chopped Snicker pieces and distribute evenly over the cheesecake. 

9. Place the cheesecake back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes to let the Snickers melt slightly. 

10. After 5 minutes, take the cheesecake out of the oven and set it on the counter top to cool for 20-30 minutes. 

11. After 20-30 minutes of cooling, drizzle Hershey chocolate and caramel syrup over the cheesecake.

12. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to cool and set. Ideally the cheesecake should set and cool for 4 hours or more.

13. Remove from refrigerator and slice as desired. 



Restaurant Review: Portofino (City Island)

Last weekend, I took my girlfriend to City Island for a romantic dinner and we went dined  at an Italian restaurant called Portofino. The restaurant was great, the ambiance was perfect and the staff was exceptional! We especially loved the dim lighting because it made the experience extra romantic. We had a very enjoyable experience and I would urge anyone that is in the NYC area to try Portofino. Take a look at a few of our pictures below. 

Fresh Fruit Summer Salad

My family host a lot of parties throughout the year and for each party we try to do something new. This past summer we had a graduation celebration for my sister and my aunt so I decided to make a fruit salad with all the trimmings and to take it up a notch to try to show more of my creative skills. Well after about 10 minutes on trying to decide what to do, I decided to carve the watermelon in the shape of a shark. Take a look at my quick and easy fresh fruit summer salad below.

1. Select fruits that are ripe and in season to ensure maximum taste and sweetness. During the summer I used, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, kiwi, grapes, pineapple and strawberries. 

2. Thoroughly wash all of fruit. 

3. Slice fruits up into generous sized pieces.

4. Mix fruit together in a large serving bowl or a large pan.

5. Let the salad chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

If you decide to create your own fresh fruit salad. Be sure to share your creation with me. Also if you like this post, share, like or leave a comment below. 

Homemade Shrimp Alferdo

Shrimp Alfredo 

I love to cook but sometimes I want to make quick and easy meals that taste good but don't take long to make. My quick and easy meals usually consist of items that I have on hand. I try to make meals that a take 30 minutes or less and this meal was definitely quick and delicious. This shrimp alfredo recipe is versatile and pairs well with broccoli, spinach, kale or carrots. Check out the recipe below.

Ingredients Needed 

1 Pound of clean and deveined jumbo shrimp 

1 Package of angel hair pasta 

1 large onion 

1 Cloves of fresh garlic 

1 Bottle of Ragu Alfredo Sauce 

1 Packet of Sazon Seasoning 

Olive oil 

Italian Parsley 

Black pepper 

Kosher Salt

Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

1. In a large pot boil 4 quarts of water for the pasta. Once the water boils, add a dash of salt, olive oil and pasta. Cook pasta according to instruction on the back of the pasta package. 

2. In a large saute pan, add olive oil, onion and garlic and saute until caramelized. 

3. Add shrimp to saute pan with Sazon seasoning and cook for 3- 5 minutes or until the shrimp are plump and fully cooked. 

4. Take pasta and shrimp and combine in a large pan. 

5. Add Ragu Alfredo sauce and gently mix in with pasta and shrimp. 

6. Add parsley, black pepper and salt to taste. 

7. Mix in vegetables (optional)

                  

If you decide to try this recipe, please make sure to leave a comment for me on how your dish turned out. Also, if you like this recipe, be sure to share, like or comment. 

New Years Day Breakfast with Family

        

                                        

  I wanted to start 2014 off right by preparing a nice big breakfast for my family. Cooking for my family has always been one of my favorite things to do because I love watching the way they all light up after eating a great meal. I decided to prepare chicken and waffles with fresh fruit as a way to stray from our traditional breakfast choices. Chicken and waffles was also a fitting choice because on Christmas, I received a new waffle Iron from my sister and brother in law that I could not wait to use.

After a little under two hours in the kitchen, we sat down to a feast of chocolate chip, blubbery and cinnamon vanilla waffles paired with crispy chicken strips that were fried in my homemade batter. I also decided to crisp up some bacon and scramble a carton of eggs to add a little variety to the meal. So as we relished in the splendor of the delicious meal I prepared, we drink mimosas and discussed our resolutions for the New Year. Take a look at our breakfast spread. What are your thoughts? How did you spend New Years day?

1 of My Favorite Pastime (Movies)

1 of My Favorite Pass Times (Movies)

One of my favorite things to do in my  downtime is to go  to the movie theater. I love seeing the new movies when they first come out and going with a friend or love one always make the movie just a little bit better. 

The pictures above were taken at  the new  AMC Lowes Theater in Fresh Meadows Queens. Many of the AMC theaters have started to remodel and incorporate recliner seats. I must say... the upgrade is great and the new structure and designs, gives viewers ample seating and arm room.Another cool feature is arm rest that can be raised and turned into a double recliner love seat. 

Finally, the most important feature is at the snack bar where there are a lot of cool popcorn and drink deals. My favorite deal is the large popcorn and drink which comes with free refills.I love this deal but since I'm a movie head, I tend to try my hardest not to leave my seat during the movie so that I will not miss any of the movie. Because of this, I usually  refill my popcorn and drink on my way out so that I can enjoy my snack on the car ride home.If your out on date or have some extra time its a nice little carry snack for you and your partner.Check out AMC Lowes at www.amctheatres.com/