Question and Answer

I got a chance to talk to Meredith Abel, owner of ACI Catering and asked her a few questions about the catering business. It is a great catering company, top notch and if you are looking for someone to cater any type of event you are planning, then I suggest you give them a call.  

Phone number is (203) 389-2300.Here’s a link to both of their websites, http://www.acicateringgroup.com/ and http://www.aci-catering.com/. The food is very good and the staff is very professional.

The Food Guy: How long have you been in the catering business?

Meredith Abel: I have been in it technically my whole life, but I have been getting paid for 10 years now.

FG: What kind of food do you cater?

MA: We are primarily kosher caterers, but we also do non-kosher food ranging from italian american to caribbean food.

FG: What kind of events do you cater?

MA: We do anything from weddings to bar mitzvahs, Christenings, corporate outings and barbeques.

FG: How long does it take to prepare for an event?

MA: It depends on the size of the event. If it starts on a Saturday then we will usually starting preparing the food on a Tuesday, so it pretty much takes the whole week.

FG: About how many events do you cater in a year?

MA: About 450 a year.

FG: What kind of food is the most requested?

MA: Mostly kosher food, beef, chicken, sea bass, kosher holiday type foods. We do everything from hors d’oeuvres to entrees to desserts.

FG: What are some of the differences in owning a catering service compared to a restaurant?

MA: Well a restaurant is open a certain amount of hours in the day, and you have a certain number of employees and it pretty much stays the same throughout the week. In a catering service business is constantly changing. The job is extremely different in that no day is the same.

FG: What is your favorite part about the catering service?

MA: Probably the people and that no day is the same. Dealing with customers and the different types of people is probably the best and at times the worst part of the job.

Ray & Mikes Dairy and Deli

3030 Whitney Ave, Hamden, Conn.

(203) 287-8710

So I’m pretty sure I will be crucified by the Quinnipiac community for this review, but in my opinion Ray & Mikes is one of the most overrated delis in town.Yes it’s a solid place to grab a sandwich, but they don’t put all that much meat on their sandwiches and the food is simply okay. Nothing special. Some people say they have the best steak and cheese, but to me it is pretty mediocre. I’ve  had a bunch of different sandwiches, and while they are not bad, they are not amazing. It always shocks me to hear people talk about how Ray & Mikes is the best deli in town.

You can get cold cuts by the pound, breakfast sandwiches, salads and cold or hot sandwiches. The sandwiches come in three sizes, roll, sub and giant. The average sub is roughly $5 give or take, not a bad deal. However, the giant is $8 or so, which isn’t bad for the size of the bread but they don’t put much meat on it. Probably a similar amount to what they put on the subs.

The hours are good as they’re open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It’s not really a place you would sit down and eat at, so you’re better off calling your order in. Not the most professional place either. I would give it a three out of five, pretty average food, as it’s pretty hard to totally screw up deli. Either way see for yourself.

Bar

254 Crown St., New Haven, Conn

(203) 495-1111

Another reason for why you cannot find better pizza than in New Haven. Bar makes a mean pie, cooked in a brick oven with a nice thin, crisp crust. They have a ton of toppings available so check out the menu. One topping that is definitely worth trying is the mashed potato, you won’t find it anywhere else. The pizza ranges from $11-$15 without toppings.

You can dine in or take out, but if you’re thinking about eating there then you need to go early or be prepared to wait about 30 minutes or more. it’s definitely worth the wait. There is also a full bar and it is open late. If you’re hungry during your night of drinking, you can order slices. Great atmosphere and a place that if you haven’t been to then you need to go to.

1,000 Viewers

We have hit the 1,000 view mark! I’d just like to say how great it is to see so many people viewing The Food Guy in only a little more than a month of action. It says a lot about the people who are dedicated to the blog. Because of all of you readers this blog has become a success and has turned into something special.

To think that this blog merely started as a class assignment, and now is turning into something big. Bigger and better things to come in the future as the site will continue to improve and have lots more reviews of restaurants. Thanks to all of you for your views, comments and suggestions. Keep reading and enjoy.

You ready for some Wings?

You are viewing A Food Guy first, a wing eating test. The wings are from Archie Moore’s in New Haven , Delaney’s of New Haven, and Side Street of Hamden. Enjoy the show.

Starring Josh Scolnic, an up and coming star, fresh off his T.V. debut on Flip this House.

Starring Michael Damiani, 2001 recipient of the Meteorolgy award. 

 

 

 

Directed by Herb Epstein.

A Food Guy Production. 2008

All rights reserved.

Impact of U.S. Economy on the Food Industry

Due to the poor state of the current United States economy, the food industry has taken a massive blow.

“The economy has definitely impacted the food industry as we know it,” said Andrew Moskowitz, owner of Bagelicious Bagels of Cheshire, located on 945 South Main St. in Cheshire, Conn.

Food prices have increased 20-30 percent, and that has caused restaurants to raise the prices of food on the menu. The food industry has been “affected because people are going out to eat less, so we have to raise the prices,” said Moskowitz.

When oil prices began to rise nine months ago, so to did food prices. This year marks the largest increase in food prices since 1990 due to the costs of meat and poultry.

“We’re not part of a franchise, so it’s harder as the little guy,” added Moskowitz.

Even large franchises such as McDonald’s have thought of making drastic changes to their ever popular Dollar Menu due to increases in the price of beef and chicken.

In a recent article from the Hartford Courant, Ralph Alvarez, McDonald’s chief operating officer said that “The cost implications of having that value menu have changed when you see what’s going on in beef and chicken,” Alvarez said in a conference call with stock analysts. “The way the dollar menu looks today won’t be the way it looks next year,” adding that “in this current environment, we’ve got to make sure we’re pricing smart, not just pricing low.”

Rival fast food restaurant Wendy’s has also made some changes to its menu, as the junior bacon cheeseburger that was once 99 cents, is now $1.29. This shows that even major food chains need to raise their prices due to the economy.

Therefore, from major food franchises to the privately owned restaurants, everyone has been forced to make changes when it comes to food prices.

“The bottom line is that the economy has affected the consumer and businesses,” said Moskowitz. “Utilities have also gone up.”

 

 

Ristorante Luce

2987 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Conn.

Phone (203) 407-8000

Ristorante Luce is a very nice Italian restaurant that offers a “relaxing Tuscan atmosphere” along with good food. The food is on the expensive side as entrees can cost more than $20. They have an extensive wine list that has over 1,000 types of wine. Some recommended dishes are the Alla Vodka Rigatoni, the Veal Vino e Blanco, and the Pollo Salentina. Here is what the rest of the dinner menu looks like. They also serve lunch or you can take out. It is a great place to bring a date as Luce has won awards for the “Most Romantic Restaurant in New Haven County” according to Connecticut Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Award.

Miso Japanese Restaurant

15 Orange St., New Haven, Conn.

Phone (203) 848-6472

Enjoy Japanese food? Then Miso Japanese Restaurant might be the right place for you. They have a large variety of sushi that is very good. Their specialty rolls are very creative and tasty. Miso offers traditional Japanese food as well as new creations made by the chef. Some rolls that are worth having are the Sex on the Beach roll, Dragon roll and the Volcano roll just to name a few but the rest of the sushi is equally good. The only downside of Miso is that it is somewhat expensive. However, Miso also was the winner of Best Sushi in Connecticut, so you decide if it’s worth it. Here’s the full menu.

Miso’s atmosphere is great and you can eat inside or outside on the patio when the weather allows it. It is also right in the center of Downtown New Haven and is in walking distance of most of the bars on Crown Street.

Royal Palace

32 Orange St. New Haven, Conn.

Phoe (203) 776-6663

Located in Downtown New Haven, Royal Palace is one of my favorite Chinese Restaurants in Connecticut. They boast an extensive menu with traditional dishes, as well as creative dishes. I enjoy the Wonton soup, Peppersteak, Lo Mein and much more. Pretty much everything is delicious, I can’t explain it all. Here is a menu.

The restaurant is pretty big and spacious and service is very friendly. The food is very affordable as most appetizers range from $1.50 to $10. The entrees can be anywhere from $10-$20. It’s a fantasic meal for someone who loves Chinese cuisine. You can dine in or take out. Mark Bittman’s review basically tells you everything you need to know about the place. Enjoy.

Portofino Italian Restaurant

937 State St. New Haven, Conn.

Phone (203) 562-1414

If you’re looking for classic italian food at moderate prices, then Portofino is a good place to eat.  They have pasta, chicken, veal, lamb, pork, fish and steak. For appetizers they have shrimp cocktail, fried calamari, seafood salad and more.

I had a caesar salad and veal for dinner. The caesar salad was good and the veal was very tender. They have very good traditional italian food and a good menu. You can go for lunch or dinner, although I have not been for lunch. The lunch menu includes sandwiches and numerous types of pastas.