So there’s this fantastic Indian restaurant in New Dorp  that my family and I love.  My personal favorite is the shrimp vindaloo.  They make it as spicy as you want and the basmati rice is yummy, too. And the service is excellent.  Taste of India II is located at 287 New Dorp Lane.  (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Another yummy item on the menu at Violette’s Cellar is Violette’smeatballs with spicy marinara.  Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

If you like to Instagram your food photos or if you’re prone to sending you family and friends texts of what you’re eating, this restaurant is a good place to do that.  Beautiful food that tastes great, too. Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Everyone’s favorite is the yummy empanada.  Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

So I had lunch at Kings Arms Diner with my twinsies recently.  They had a plate of onion rings and I had the egg white omelette with feta and spinach.  All very yummy.  Kings Arms Diner is located at 500 Forest Avenue.  (Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

I don’t pretend to know a lot about food but I do know what tastes good and Taste of India’s food is outstanding.  I’ve been dining there for lunch and dinner for the past 15 years and the quality of the food has been consistently great.  Taste of India II is located at 287 New Dorp Lane.  (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Here’s a photo of the beautiful eggplant rollatini at Jimmy Max that was super yummy.  I wanted more but this dish was devoured before you could say, “Pass the parmesan.”   Jimmy Max is located at 280 Watchogue Road, in Westerleigh. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Speaking of dessert, in a move reminiscent of my college days when I went out dancing with my friends until 3 a.m. and then got hungry afterwards and then went to a diner, I stopped Dakota with my now-college age daughter recently and had myself a plate of yummy:  Belgian waffles with extra ice cream, thank you very much.  New Dakota Diner is located at 921 Richmond Avenue. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Did I mention the desserts are delicious at Cielo?  Just take a gander at this Italian masterpiece?  Cielo is located at 1435 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Even the bread is awesome, but don’t fill up on it.  There’s a world of yummy waiting for you when you dine at Cielo, located at 1435 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Everyone has a go-to sushi joint and my family’s is Sapporo Sushi,  located in 1650 Richmond Avenue, Staten Island. The go-to order?  A bunch of shrimp tempura rolls, spicy tuna rolls, and California rolls.  And if we could order the miso soup by the gallon — not to mention the bottomless green tea,  we would.  That’s how much we love this place and the friendly staff. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

The fried shrimp with a garlic-soy caramel is a yummy choice at Violette’s Cellar. Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance) 

The breads at Taste of India II is yummy.  ‘Nuff said. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Pasta and vegetables, anyone?  Cielo has a wide variety of mouth-watering menu items, one more delicately and expertly prepared than the next.  Cielo is located at 1435 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

 Yes, Jimmy Max has great sald offerings, too.  All are yummy.  And wine and beer.  And great ambiance.  It’s a wonderful restaurant where “everybody knows your name.”  Jimmy Max is located at 280 Watchogue Road, in Westerleigh. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Sapporo Sushi offers great lunch specials, including sushi, sashimi and maki combinations.  All very yummy.  (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Anther angle of the of the seared tuna, so good I had to take two photos of it.  Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

On the menu at Violete’s Cellar is this filet mignon satay with spicy peanut bechamel… a must try.  Yummy!  Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

There’s an Italian restaurant on Hylan that is popular but not as popular as, say, Trattoria Romana or The Stone House.  But it should be because the food, ambience and service are out of this world.  I go there a lot for lunch and dinner, both business and personal, and when it’s time to leave, I revel in how yummy everything was.  Pictured here is my favorite– the Sinatra with capellini.  Amazing.  Cielo is located at 1435 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

You know how your parents always told you that if you’re going to do something, do it well?  Well, Peter Botros at Violette’s Cellar succeeded, with this out of this world mac and cheese. So simple but so exceptionally well done.  Amazing.  (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Are you a fan of wild mushrooms and truffles?  Well, you can feast on both, with the wild mushroom and truffle flatbread at Violette’s Cellar in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

In the mood for seared tuna?  It’s on the menu!  Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Meatball pie, anyone?  Everything at Jimmy Max is yummy. And get this– during the last snow storm, and every snow storm the last few years, actually — Jimmy Max has treated DSNY workers to hot coffee and lunch as a “thank you” for their job well done when our borough struggles to operate with the white stuff all over.  What a truly nice and generous community person Jimmy McBratney is.  Jimmy Max is located at 280 Watchogue Road, in Westerleigh. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Is your mouth watering just looking at this chocolate jar dessert offering?  Mine is.  My daughter and I had this at the end of our meal and it was awesome.  Violette’s Cellar is in New Dorp, located at 2271 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

My favorite desserts ever in the history of the world are creme brulee and tiramisu, the latter of which is done the best, in my humble, non-expert opinion at Cielo, located at 1435 Hylan Blvd. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Doesn’t this white pie look incredibly awesome at Jimmy Max?  Because it was!   Jimmy Max is located at 280 Watchogue Road, in Westerleigh. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

The fried calamari staple that if offered at almost every Italian restaurant as an appetizer (or in a bigger serving if you’re feeling gastronomically ambitious).  At Jimmy Max, it does not disappoint.  But pace yourself, people.  There is always the Shrimp fra diavolo and cappelini that awaits you.   Jimmy Max is located at 280 Watchogue Road, in Westerleigh. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)