Piri Piri: A Wonderful Night of Portuguese Fish and Wine

Not long ago, we passed by a new Portuguese restaurant, Piri Piri, on Herricks Rd. in Mineola.  It's a tad out of the way and located in an office building.  We decided to give it a try after our friends Sal and Marina let us know it was a  winner.  It's named after the spicy Portuguese sauce made from the African piri-piri chile pepper.

First the Food 

The restaurant is very handsome with a fine staff, Joao was our friendly waiter for the evening. The menu is classic Portuguese.  One of the owners, Roy, came to greet us and spoke of his family and a recent trip to Portugal.  We felt very relaxed and welcomed.  I'm sure things went so well in some measure since Mary is Portuguese and can speak and banter with the staff.

We were first served what I think was some very good traditional Portuguese hard bread and rolls. I've loved this bread since we first visited Mary's family on Madeira Island in 1971. The bread was served with spicy olives and marinated carrots.  The carrots were fabulous.

We both ordered soup.  Mary had a traditional caldo verde, which is kale and potato based.  It was thick and tasty.  Much thicker than usual.  I took one taste. It was superb.  Mary loved it.  I ordered a seafood soup.  This variety was less of a stew and more a true soup.  The broth was fabulous, possibly the best I've had.  The fresh fish aroma and taste combined perfectly.  It contained scallops, clams, lobster, and shrimp. The clams had a slighty refreshing ocean taste. There's nothing like feeling you are near the ocean when eating a seafood soup. Totally delightful.

The main course for Mary consisted of a bacalao (cod fish) with peppers, onions and boiled Portuguese potatoes.  Mary noted happily that the bacalao was not as salty as normal. The only negative was that the cod was every so slightly dry. It was a very enjoyable dish.

Not being Portuguese I thoroughly confused the waiter by ordering an appetizer for dinner.  With some coaching and a growing awareness on my part it all worked out.  I ordered octopus. It came sliced into small pieces in mild sauce and served with broccoli rabe, broccoli, carrots and the most delicious boiled and then fried potatoes. The octopus was done perfectly and was delicious. I spiced it up with a mild but tasty piri piri sauce our waiter shared with us.

Now the Wine

The waitress brought us a wine list that included the usual fare but on closer examination the flip side contained a listing of Portuguese whites and reds.  Vinho Verde, such as a Quinta da Aveleda, Casal Garcia or a Gazela, is what we usually order when going Portuguese.  This night was no different but we went with a slight variation.  We tried a slightly higher end Muralhas de Moncao Vinho Verde.  It is 70% Alvarhinho and 30% Trajadura. It was mildly and pleasantly aromatic. Besides the usual green fruits of most Vinho Verdes it showed specific apricot notes with a firm body and an ever so subtle effervescence.  Mary thought the finish was slightly bitter but fully enjoyed the wine.  This was a nice find.

We highly recommend Piri Piri.  The food is very good, moderately priced and served in ample quantity. It's located at 100 Herricks Rd in Mineola, Long Island.  The phone number is 516 873-9277.

Sumptuous Cuban Food at Miami's David's Cafe II

Hi everybody! This is my third restaurant review for Wine Tasters. This time I’m at David’s Cafe II located in Miami Beach about a mile from where we were staying. David’s Café II has been open since 1977 and is open 24/7. A friend of mine highly recommended this fine Cuban restaurant so we thought we would give it a shot. We were filled with anticipation and hoped it would stand up to its reputation.

We arrived at David’s Cafe around 9 PM on a Wednesday in late August. The awning is turquoise and the outside walls are white. I could see that the locals eat here so I was assuming the place might be good. I got a Miami vibe when I stepped into the restaurant itself. I saw cops eating as well as Cubans. As soon as I walked in I could smell the butter and toasted bread. My hunger started to rise immediately because of the awesome aromas. There is both a café and restaurant sections.

The picture above is of the café (courtesy Johnny N.). The café has a diner feel to it except that the restaurant is Cuban, not Greek. The hostess brought us to the restaurant area. There weren't many people eating there at 9. I guess we were a little late by Miami standards. One thing that I noticed in Miami is that the air conditioners are always blasting cool air because the humidity is so high. The restaurant area has a nice brown décor. There were pictures of many famous people, especially Cuban stars.

Here is our order with estimated prices:

Appetizer: Masas de Puerco Frito (Marinated Pork Chunks) - $8 (estimated)
Dinner: Ropo Vieja Habanera (steak Cuban style topped with sautéed onions and lemon garlic sauce) $15.95, Bistec de Palomilla (shredded flank steak in sauce) $16.25 (estimate)

Total Bill: $47 w/tip (estimate)

Source: davidscafe.com

We were first served pressed Cuban bread. The texture was similar to Italian bread except the crust was smoother and thinner. The bread was soaked in butter. The taste and texture of the bread was amazing. Very fattening but I was on vacation so it’s all good.

Masitas de Puerco (marinated fried pork chunks)

This appetizer is fried pork chunks with onion and cheese. The thought of frying pork was salivating. The pork was a tad overdone but was very tasty. It was definitely marinated in something, not sure what. The onions and the cheese made a great combination with the pork. I never had fried pork prepared this way before. I have pork chops on occasion with onion and on the bbq. The juices of the pork squirted out when I bit into it. And of course I used the bread to soak up the pork juice that was left on the plate. For $8 the dish was worth it.

Bisteca de Palomilla (grilled steak Cuban style topped with sautéed onions and lemon garlic sauce)

The steak was pounded very thin. The onions resided on top of the steak and with a side order of mashed potatoes. The lemon garlic sauce was smothering the steak. The meat absorbed a lot of the sauce which made the steak extra tasty! When I cut a piece of the steak, I made sure to absorb more of the delicious lemon garlic sauce. The steak was hot, grilled to a perfect texture and not burnt. The meat was not chewy. As a matter of fact, it was very easy to eat. The combination of the lemon garlic sauce and onions really enhanced the flavor of the steak. I enjoyed this steak a bunch!!!

Ropa Vieja Habanera(shredded flank steak in sauce)

My wife Angela loved her meal:

"I decided to go with the Ropa Vieja at David's Cafe. Now, I have had Ropa Vieja before in two other Cuban places in New York. I thought those were good, but looking back they were only mediocre. When I tasted David's version of this classic Cuban dish, I was blown away. The beef was unbelievably tender and juicy from the great sauce in which it was cooked. It had infused itself with the sauce containing flavors of peppers and onions. The beef melted in my mouth, it was unbelievable. It had come with rice and black beans, that were tasty, basic sides. I saved the plantains as a little dessert for after my incredible meal. They were cooked just right, candied and juicy, not dry at all. The meal was delectable, and perfectly cooked."

If you are in Miami and want very good Cuban food, you must try David’s Café (one or two). If I had more time to spend in Miami I would be there often. The food hits the spot and for the price the quantities served are just right.

Scale 1-10 (1 is gross and 10 is stupendous)

Location: 8
Décor: 8
Food: 9.5
Service: 8
Price: 9
Overall: 8.5

David's Cafe‎

1654 Meridian Avenue, Miami Beach, FL‎ 33139 (305) 672-8707‎
Hours: 24/7

David's Cafe - Google Maps

Transit: 17 St@Meridian Av (0.1 mi) Bus #101, 112, 113, 117, 119, 123

David John Oliva

Luscious Reds, Crisp, Cool Whites

You may have noticed that Wine Tasters has a new look.  I hope it's warm and inviting.  We have a lot planned for you this season.  Wine Tasters will be bringing you some great wine and food reviews and news of wine events, as well.  If you have info to share send it to me at wineblog08@yahoo.com.  Now down to business.


Labor Day was a great affair.  A dozen of us gathered at the Floral Park house to celebrate, laugh and feast.  When all the guests arrived I initiated an impromptu wine tasting.  All those interested gathered in the dinning room and tasted four very good wines.  I thought it would be of interest to compare various grape varietals.  We started with the whites: 

Michel Redde

Les Tuilieres Sancerre, 2008 -  This was the first wine tasted.  It comes from the Loire Valley and Michel Redde's La Moynerie Estate that yields some excellent Pouilly Fume wines.  This Sancerre is not from the town of the same name and so was interesting.  This was a fine wine, highly aromatic with a green apple aroma and taste.  Lime and lemon notes punctuated the first taste with apple brewing in the background.  It stayed mostly upfront without a long finish.  I picked up some straw notes, as well.   Nice, clean and crisp.  One taster was reminded of a high quality champagne without the sparkle.  


Wolffer Estates Chardonnay 2007 - This lightly oaked Chardonnay from the Long Island Wolffer Estate was a bit of a disappointment.  Mary and I had tasted this a few weeks ago at the estate.  It did not show as well today.  Possibly because of the Sancerre.  It was only lightly aromatic and seemed somewhat muted.  It had distinct pear notes on first taste.  A sense of honey filtered through.  The finish was moderate with a hint of bitterness. It showed better with food later in the day.  


Now the reds: 


Nelms Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - This is an interesting wine. It is dominantly Cabernet but also is blended with Italian varieties.  I wasn't aware of this mix during the tasting.  Nicely aromatic, the wine tasted strongly of red berries, dark plumes, chocolate and coffee.  Pleasingly earthy.  It is medium to full bodied with some sweetness in the finish as well as some spice.  It is a modestly complex cab that is pleasant and enjoyable. 

Chateau Routas Cyrano Syrah 2005 - Only 500 cases of this 100% Syrah were produced in Provence from hand picked grapes.  It is aged for 15 months.  


I found this wine well balanced, elegant and smooth.  Luscious is the word.  It possessed an almost silky texture with dark fruits and flowers.  The finish was spicy with pepper dominant, possibly cinnamon.  The wine possessed a superb balance.  Aroma, texture, elegance and taste all worked in fluid unison.  


My only hesitation is the spiciness.  I'm not overly fond of the inherent spice of the Syrah grape.  But the wine itself was well done and deserving of praise.  


I hope you enjoy these fine wines.