Regularly out of towners when they believe about New York dining, they suspect about remarkably generous, dear food with interior decor designed by well-known star-chitects with far more famous celebrity chef’s advising the eaterie name. While those restaurants ( Olive, Spice Market, or all of the Jean Georges for that matter ) are fantastic restaurants- they should be, because scandalous quantities of money are dedicated to their selling, and management team, where the taste, quality of food is one of the major element in the well-oiled machine that’s the culinary food experience. Nevertheless I would like to highlight some of my favorite restaurants that are all a bit below the radar, and is going to be on your list of expensive New York restaurants to hit if you are visiting from out of town.

1. Casa Mono- Tapas- Stupendously little space- but they’ve got a sister wine bar nextdoor called Bar Jamon that allows you to sip on amazing Riojas while you wait. This is also a fairly smart business strategy, so they never actually lose patrons to long waits. The food here at one of the expensive New York restaurants is really based generally on Catalan style tapas, and not the north Pinxchos variety, and it’s more “done up” than you are everyday run of the mill tapas bar that serve tortillas ( Spanish omelets loaded in butter and potatoes ) and croquettes. They serve a mean razor clam dish, and boiled short rib. Though i am not keen on sweet bread ( that’d be brain… ) it’s extremely good from what i have heard. Dcor is straightforward, dark woods, and ambiance is dark and comfy. Two.

Sakagura- Japanese / Sake Bar a totally random location in the cellar in midtown east, but if you are searching for the best sauteed pork belly, authentic yet pleasant Japanese street food and sake served the way in which it should be ( not in a box, but iced in a traditional hollowed out glass server ) here’s where you have to try. Listed one amongst the expensive New York restaurants,it is in the cellar of an office building, but if you go around late Apr, early May, it is packed with accurate cherry blossoms attached to each column. Superb! There’s no sushi there- only prepared cooked food, and no, you will not find any chicken teriyaki there either.

[I:http://crossroads2002.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/LJJames2.jpg] Right now for most Americans money is getting a bit tight. We all still want to have those great family trips that we take every year, but we have to watch how much we spend. Well I just had a great time with my family in New York’s Catskill Mountains that didn’t put us all in the poor house.

I was in the Catskill area with Family for the Christmas Holidays. My younger Sister has three kids. Which makes me an Uncle and I always enjoy spending time with my two Nieces and Nephew, The Youngest is 6 years old and the oldest is 13 years old. Now when the age gap is that far apart it can make finding something they all want to do very difficult. Well We where also looking for something to do that not only the kids but us adults could enjoy as well.

It took some time but my younger Brother came up with the idea of Snow Tubing. It sounded good to me. The Kids loved the idea and so did my Sister, Her Husband and even my Mother. OK so then came the part where the money comes in. I called up Windham Mountain to get their Snow tubing times and rates (http://www.windhammountain.com/mountain/tubing) . When they told me their snow tubing rates I was surprised as they where not too bad $20 a person for two hours $25 for four hours and they had a Friday night special of only $15 dollars from 4pm to 9pm ! Only $15 for Five hours, I was sold as it just happened to be Friday.

So the group of Nine of us piled into two vehicles and we where off to do some tubing on Windham’s 650 foot snow covered snow tubing slope. We where Lucky as the weather was warm for December in the Catskill Mountains. The Slope was perfect, there where about ten lanes to slide down and the Snow Tubing staff kept the line moving. [I:http://crossroads2002.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/LJJames9.jpg]

Let me see if I can explain how everything went. When we got up to the Slope we grabbed a large canvased covered Snow Tube then picked a lane. We could go down the lane in groups or by ourselves. I have to say my first trip down caught me by Surprise. It has been a few years since I have been sleigh riding but I know I never went that fast down the old hill. Now hearing me say how fast the slope is, may make you think you or your kids might be scared. Don’t worry about that, I saw kids as young as three years old tubing down the Slope and they were loving it!

At the bottom of the hill there are mats placed at the end of every lane to slow you down safely, Along with attendants ready to help you if you needed it( I didn’t see anyone who needed any help). Now anyone who has gone Sleigh riding as a kid remembers the trip down the hill was always the fun part, It’s the walk back up that is work. Well not at Windham’s snow tube park. The canvases that cover the snow tubes have long straps that hook up to a conveyor so all you have to do is sit in your tube and then slowly slide back up the Slope! The Straps also make it perfect so the attendants can spin you (only if you ask nicely) as you are sliding down the slope.

After about three hours of snow tubing everyone but my brother and his girlfriend was getting tired. So we went into the large Ski lodge, which is only about ten feet from the snow tubing lanes. While inside the lodge we all enjoyed some nice hot Chocolate while sitting by the Fire place.

I am not a big fan of winter activities, But I have to say we all had a great time even if we didn’t make it the full five hours. Life can often get a little crazy and too fast paced, Every once in a while we all need some affordable old fashion family fun, (With a few modern convinces of course)

I am LJ James AmericanBikerX.com Radio Show BikerLowdown.com

Like I have said before, I am no Gourmet Chef or expert on fine Cruise. I do how ever know what I like. Recently Me and a Buddy of mine stopped at the Meson Ole Diner in Southampton on Long Island in NY, A Mexican and Spanish Restaurant.

Some of you may know I am a Biker, As any Biker knows some times the greetings we get when we walk into a place can be a look of “Oh No” and a half hearted “can I help you?”, Is it right? Well of course not, but that’s a different article. The Greeting We got at Meson Ole was a very warm friendly one and we felt welcomed in.

The Decor of the place was great and you could almost believe you where some where down in Mexico. We where promptly brought over some Nachos and Salsa and some fresh hot Bread and Butter. We ordered a Pitcher of Sangria, A drink I do not believe I have ever had before but I enjoyed none the less!

We ordered a Bunch of food and the Service was pretty fast. Now even the best service means nothing if the food is not good, Well the food was incredible. We ordered a set up where you made your own Pepper Steak Burritos and also a plate of Ham and Cheese Burritos. It was all made to perfection, The Pepper Steak was served in a separate pan and it was still sizzling when it was placed safely on the table ! I could not have been happier with the taste and preparation of the food! While we where enjoying the meal the waiter made sure we where happy at all times. When the Bread was finished more was served to us. We ate so much ran out of Burrito wraps, That is not a complaint because as soon as it was notice more where quickly brought to the Table.

eat at many places as I really love to eat, But some times I come across a place like the Meson Ole Dinner where I feel I must share the experience with others! I was happy to find out that the Meson Ole has 8 locations across Long Island NY and two in Naples Florida (That’s a bit of a big jump in the Chains Locations) Good food can sometimes be hard to find, Both Great Food and Great service at one place can be almost imposable to find these days! So If you are a fan of Mexican and Spanish Cuisine check out the Meson Ole Diners in the Long Island NY area or when you are near Naples, Florida and let me know what you think of them.

Your Bro L.J. James AmericanBikerX.com Listen to LJs Radio Show at BikerLowDown.com