Search results for

When “Bahama John” Monroe opened this laid-back spot on Pelican Point beach, his tamarind-sauce barbecue ribs earned instant acclaim. The fried lobster bites are equally delicious. John’s signature Shaky Leg rum cocktail is guaranteed to get people dancing to the restaurant’s funky rake-’n’-scrape sound track.

I’ve discovered an affinity for ostrich meat - it’s lean and so tasty! Perfect for burgers. At Dukes Burgers in Greenside. This burger had fried rosemary-infused butternut squash and cucumbers as well.

The beef is local and grass-fed, the french fries and french toast are good, the people are nice, and it’s got views of a little bay. We ate one meal here, then another, and another. Sometimes when you find a good thing, you stick with it. Especially when you’re traveling with a 5-year-old.

A recent makeover of the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago from Houston-based Rottet Studio did away with the dark and clubby vibe common in older Chicago hotels in favor of a brighter natural palette. Today, the lobby is open and bedecked in oversize floral arrangements; the open-plan lounge there, with its modern glass chandelier, has become a high-end local watering hole known as the Social Bar. The new Adorn restaurant is now a big-night-out dining destination courtesy of chef Richie Farina’s creations that range from a perfectly prepared filet mignon to caviar and eggs. Upstairs, the 345 guest rooms—more than half are suites—feature understated grays and pale greens and come with deep soaking tubs and (if you ask) unimpeded views of Lake Michigan.

Tucson is predictably well-endowed with Mexican restaurants...But it’s still worth driving about an hour south to the little town of Tubac for a meal at Elvira’s. Upon entering the cool space, you won’t be surprised to learn that the chef/owner got degrees in design and graphic arts before going to cooking school. The restaurant, family-owned since 1927, is named after Ruben Monroy’s grandmother. Originally located in Nogales, Mexico, Elvira’s moved up to Tubac a few years ago... Have a welcoming “Hola-tequila-shot” (just fifty cents!) while perusing the menu...I had the pipián rojo mole—perfectly tender chicken under a vibrant sauce made with ground pumpkin seeds; my wife tried the day’s light lunch special of mushroom enchiladas with tomatillo salsa, and for out-of-town family, the squash-blossom-stuffed poblano chile relleno “Frida Kahlo.” Beef tongue with salsa verde and the other moles will have to wait for a return visit. Suspended from the ceiling are constellations of lanterns, blown-glass teardrops, flying cherubs—Mexican folk-art with a surreal twist. Your eyes will not be bored. More importantly, neither will your taste buds... (Tubac, incidentally, was the starting point of the 18th-c. expedition that led to the founding of San Francisco, Santa Clara, & San José, CA. Not much of the original Spanish presidio remains, but for the past few decades, “where art and history meets” has become the slogan of this ‘artists’ colony’ in the high desert.)

Best thing about the European Christmas markets is the street food. This is “Tartiflette”, a French dish from the Haute Savoie region of France. It is made with just a few ingredients - potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions, and you can have a serving or more at the Bruges Christmas market. You cannot pass by it without getting some. In this cold weather it’s just what the doctor ordered. Six euro will get you a portion big enough to share with another person. Really yummy.

Even though Butcher’s is a nice steak house (“elegance without arrogance” is the owner’s motto), with one of the most appealing bars in town (a full wall of gleaming bottles behind the bar, views of the Town Lift just outside the door), they double as a great place to go and watch the game. The late night menu is offered until midnight. Order the housemade potato chips topped with melted Monterey Jack and aged blue cheese.

One of the oldest restaurants in Park City, the “Double E,” as locals call it, opened in 1972. When I first lived in town in the mid-1980s, they’d have $1.95 breakfast specials of eggs and bacon. Can’t beat that. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the stick-to-the-ribs breakfasts are what they’re really famous for. Try the signature Miner’s Dawn, seasoned potatoes with melted cheddar cheese, topped with basted eggs and served in a skillet with wheat toast.

In the historic Candelaria district, the 42-room Hotel de la Ópera occupies two colonial townhouses and parts of a 1940s art deco mansion. Head up to the rooftop restaurant, El Mirador, to enjoy ajiaco (potato soup with corn, chicken, and aji chili) along with views of the city’s main cathedral. From $162. 57/(0) 1-336-2066. This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue. Image courtesy of Hotel de la Ópera

Before taking the train to Rome, we picked up a spread of antipasti at Peck, a vast and pristine food shop in Milan. In addition to a huge selection of cheeses, fruit, salumi, and bread, Peck sells prepared specialties like meatballs, potato croquettes, and caprese salad.

A kitchen dynamo whose energy belies her age of 77, Supinya Junsuta, aka Jay Fai, is chef-owner of one of the Thai capital’s most renowned shophouse restaurants—the eponymous Jay Fai—and one of the city’s most recognizable foodie personalities. In her trademark heat-resistant goggles, essential protection from a searing inferno of hot oil, she cuts a distinctive figure. And her fame and the crowds have only grown since the Michelin Guide judges gave her eatery Thailand’s first and only Michelin star for street food in 2017 (so much so that she has expressed a wish to give the star back). Her lofty reputation is founded on the alchemy she produces from her scalding wok, with stir-fries such as pad kee mao talay (drunken noodles with seafood) and other dishes like fluffy khai jeaw poo (crab omelet) and a complex tom yum goong (hot and sour shrimp soup) more than justifying the (relatively) steep prices.

Pearl restaurant is a short, ten-minute walk along the water from the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. Its second-story location—above the Port o’ Call restaurant—provides views over the harbor, but you may find that the sushi and the sake cocktails here command your attention. “This is the place to go for melt-in-your-mouth sushi,” according to Rebecca. “My favorite is the Rockfish Usuzukuri which comes with red onion, pink ginger, and a rice wine vinegar and chili oil reduction. It is pure heaven! After dinner, stop at the Port o’ Call downstairs for a drink. It’s a perfect and popular Friday night itinerary.”

Clark’s is a small, West Austin neighborhood restaurant for fresh oysters, simply prepared seafood, sustainable selections of caviar, house baked bread, hamburgers, brunch and a carefully curated beverage program. Opened in Fall of 2012 by chefs Larry McGuire and Thomas Moorman, Clark’s won’t disappoint. Must try: Crab Cake: Mache & Frisee Salad, Pickled Shallots, Hollandaise New England Clam & Sweet Corn Chowder: Chive & Chervil, Oyster Crackers Happy Hour 50¢ Off Oysters, $2 Off Beverages Monday – Friday, 3 - 6 pm

Part of the recent local boom in artisanal and craft liquors, Oola Distillery describes itself as a “micro-distillery” in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. They create small batches of gin, vodka, flavored vodkas (including rosemary, chili pepper, and citrus — no marshmallow-whipped-cream-cupcake vodka here), and bourbon whiskey on-site. Stop in and sample their award-winning spirits in the tasting room Fridays and Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m. Tours are offered on Saturdays at 3 p.m.; reserve online or by phone.

Behold a pizza place worth the wait—Buddy’s Pizza is praised for its take on Detroit-style pizza: a square-shaped, deep-dish pie topped with marinara, and cooked to chewy perfection. Health-watchers rejoice—their pizza also comes gluten-free. With recognitions such as “Nation’s Five Best Pizza Places” from the Food Network, this restaurant is one that cannot be missed.