Bites from the Road

On the Beach in Newport (CA) at the Beachcomber Cafe

What a treat to meet my friend at the Beachcomber Cafe on the beach in Newport for lunch one sunny-California winter day. I sipped a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, $13) while trying to look at the menu. I say trying as I found it hard to take my eyes off the surf. On my friend's recommendation, we both ordered the fish tacos that she claimed were the best thing on the menu. The tender chunks of mahi mahi tacos sat atop shredded lettuce on flour tortillas, topped (2 for $17.95) with pico de gallo, cilantro cream, a dab of guacamole and pickled onions. They came with [...]

By |2019-03-19T03:12:00-04:00March 7th, 2019|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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The Hereford Arms, South Kensington, London, England

After wandering the shops of London on a rainy day, we went for a late lunch at the Hereford Arms a block from our Hotel, making it convenient to grab our carry bags before heading to Saint Pancras station to board the Eurostar back to Paris. I had no idea which brew to select from the lists. Our server  — who interestingly was from the States on work-study to England — assisted by bringing me four samples to taste: a lager, two IPAs and an ale. I chose the Fullers Bengal Lancer IPA (£ 4.80). My dining partner started us on hot, crisp lightly coated fried onion rings (£4) served with cumin-spiced [...]

By |2018-12-08T16:47:30-05:00January 14th, 2019|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Middle Eastern Meal at The Palomar, Chinatown, London + Company

I had been hearing about the new London production of Company — the Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s musical comedy about life, love and marriage — from my NYC theatre friends who are producers of the show. Company opened at London's Gielgud Theatre in November to rave reviews. And so, while across the pond during the holidays visiting family, I took the Eurostar to London to see it. What a delight! Marianne Elliott’s new production stars Rosalie Craig in the central role of Bobbie, Patti LuPone, Mel Giedroyc and Jonathan Bailey. Before the show, we stopped in at the Palomar for some small plates, each meant to be shared. Once ordered, the food arrived quite quickly [...]

By |2019-01-07T10:37:13-05:00January 6th, 2019|Theatre, World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Cafe Gourmand at Le Sancerre, De Marais, Paris

After lunch, we walked around going in and out of the shops then headed to Rue des Archives to sit outside under the heat lamp to keep warm while sipping an espresso. Not just for the coffee, but for a special cafe gourmand that's served with treats. The one at Le Sancerre is served with four mini desserts and a chocolate along with the beverage. Ours had a mini muffin, an apple pie, chocolate mousse, a chocolate-covered almond and — my favorite — the crème brûlée (€9). A lovely way to people watch in Paris. Le Sancerre 3rd arrondissement 87 Rue des Archives 75003 Paris, France +33 1 42 72 [...]

By |2018-12-31T07:02:31-05:00December 31st, 2018|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Lunch at Jaja, Le Marais, Paris

While my granddaughter was at Creche, we stopped for lunch at Jaja a restaurant in Le Marais described as "a piece of countryside in the heart of Paris." It's a small bistro offering creative house-made dishes using regional produce and serving ten grand crus by the glass. My favorite of the three dishes we shared were the tender scallops, grilled and served with slices of Granny Smith apple and blood sausage topped with crunchy fried Tuscan black cabbage (€15) chips. Also delicious was the thick slice of roasted cauliflower tandoori style, first marinated in yogurt and spices, topped with sliced pear and served with tahini (€19). Along with those, we [...]

By |2018-12-20T14:46:17-05:00December 25th, 2018|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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A Stop at Jack’s Fish Spot While at Pike Place, Seattle, WA

We took a break between sessions at the Les Dames d'Escoffier International conference to head to Pike Place to grab a quick bite to eat so we could get back in time for the next item on our schedule. After walking through the stalls and being amazed at the fabulous flowers, we crossed the street to stand in line for fried fish and chips. I ordered the cod (3 pieces) and well-done fries ($8.99), one friend ordered similar with super garlicky fries, the other the fish tacos. Mine was done to perfection. The coating just thick enough to not mask the taste of the fresh sweet cod. It was good [...]

By |2018-12-01T07:09:48-05:00November 22nd, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Brunch in the Rain at the Veranda, The Breakers, Spring Lake, NJ

One rainy day while visiting Spring Lake (NJ) area at the shore, we met a high-school friend for breakfast at The Breakers on the ocean. When sticker shock hit me, I realized that I had gotten used to NYC's ridiculously high prices. I couldn't believe how inexpensive everything was! One friend's tasty scrambled eggs with tomato, spinach, onion & cheese breakfast wrap served with fresh fruit cost a mere $9. Two of us each had 3-egg omelets, having chosen three fillings, with home fries and toast tipped the bank at $10! I enjoyed mine, more scrambled than an omelet but not complaining with chevre, spinach and bacon. That price included $1 [...]

By |2018-09-22T09:16:09-04:00October 9th, 2018|USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Mountain Brauhaus Restaurant, Gardiner, Hudson Valley

I shouldn't have waited so long to write about the delectable meal we had at Mountain Brauhaus in Gardiner (NY) when celebrating my birthday in the Hudson Valley with some girlfriends. I'm remiss, as I've forgotten many details. What I do recall is how impressed we were with the quality of what we were served and the friendly service! This family-owned neighborhood restaurant offers authentic German food with some inventive locally inspired vegetable-focused dishes served by waitstaff in traditional garb. I do recall the housemade vegetable flammkuchen (caraway flatbread topped with local baby beets, garlic scapes and goat cheese all drizzled with balsamic, $12) and the smørrebrød (Danish open-faced sandwich with [...]

By |2018-10-10T10:11:40-04:00September 29th, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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West Street Grill, Litchfield, CT

After wandering around the stores of Litchfield, we started looking for a place to get a bite. With my friend on a very restricted diet, we stopped in a couple of places prior to ending up at West Street Grill owned by James O'Shea, one of the most caring restaurateurs I've met. The allergy restrictions included no dairy, bread, pasta, pickled items, beans, corn, soy sauce, dried fruit and more. James — who has family members with various dietary restrictions — listened attentively before having his chef make an omelet filled with such flavorful ingredients my friend begged for the recipe!  A simple mesclun salad came with her eggs.  The black [...]

By |2018-07-14T10:01:13-04:00July 12th, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Lisbon, Portugal Round-Up of Restaurant Recommendations

Last year when my granddaughter Delilah was born in Lisbon, I spent time eating my way around the city. (You may be one of those following her growth on my daughter-in-law's Instagram @TheBestWorldYet.. if not click here to check it out.) I'm sharing a few recommendations that include all of Jose Avillez restaurants. I wrote up a couple that have links to those post but not all of them, as I was off to Peru before I had the time. If you're a foodie who travels to experience starred Michelin restaurants, do make a res at Jose Avillez's two-star Belcanto. It's listed as one of top 100 restaurants in the [...]

By |2018-06-08T10:36:34-04:00June 13th, 2018|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|2 Comments
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Chez Marianne, The Marais, Paris

A foodie friend had suggested a visit to Chez Marianne, located in the Marais district in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, for their Sephardic food. My son and I went one evening and shared the dégustation (tasting for €30) where we got to select 10 elements from their buffet of appetizers, plus warm pita (€ 3) and a half bottle of Château de Pizay Morgan (€ 14.50). The only one of our ten elements neither of us really liked was the pastrami as we're used to NYC style deli. To us, this meat had odd texture and flavor. All the others — falafel, hummus, feta, tahini, eggplant, tzatziki,, kefta, fromage [...]

By |2018-04-05T11:08:29-04:00May 13th, 2018|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Café Marly, The Louvre, Paris, France

When in Paris for my granddaughter Delilah's first birthday, I dined at brunch at Café Marly at the Louvre with the other family that was in town. They were heading to the museum after lunch; I headed back to go  ingredient shopping for the cake I planned to bake for the birthday party. Having experienced some of the rudest behavior ever at Chez Denise the night before, we were all thrilled with our amazingly professional, helpful and oh, so friendly server at Café Marly. Four of us had the classic croque-madam, a ham and cheese sandwich topped with a runny fried egg and served with a small mesclun salad (17 [...]

By |2018-04-20T02:31:39-04:00May 1st, 2018|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Fairfax Coffee Shop, Berkeley Springs, WV

While in Berkeley Springs (WV) to judge an international water competition, I stopped into the local Fairfax Coffee Shop for breakfast. I was glad I did. I sampled the Joey Special for breakfast, a housemade biscuit topped with a farm-fresh egg, melted sharp Cheddar cheese and tomato 🍅 (my special request) in lieu of their pickle chips. My breakfast buddy indulged in one of the good morning muffins ($3). Both were fabulous to the last crumb. We happened to meet and chat with proprietress Trey Johanson, who re-opened this coffee shop as a town hospitable gathering place, while she and her husband hold down other jobs. Fairfax Coffee Shop is worth the side trip. [...]

By |2018-04-01T09:09:46-04:00April 24th, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Chez Denise, The Marais, Paris, France

Chez Denise in the Marais area of Paris gives new meaning to the stereotypical French attitude. Don't even think about going there unless you want a big serving of attitude. This restaurant was recommended by a friend who frequents Paris and it was nearby where we were. I had thought it would have been a good recommendation. Not. First we were lambasted about our coats, then about asking to share. No matter what we asked, the waiter scuffed. We thought it was the waiter who was being rude, but then the owner came by and his attitude was even worse. Let me back up. Five of us wanted to be together [...]

By |2018-03-29T12:21:32-04:00April 17th, 2018|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

When I decide to accept the invitation to judge the Berkeley Springs (WV) International Water Tasting, the friend who invited me mentioned that we'd be dining together that weekend at Lot 12 Public House. It's chef Damian Heath had been selected as a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation Awards for the southeast region many times. I looked forward to experiencing his cooking. Lot 12 Public House is in a beautifully restored 1913 house, where dining on the Victorian porch is an option, weather permitting. We dined inside in the homey atmosphere one rainy evening and noticed the artwork of Damian's folks lining the walls. Our group of eleven was too [...]

By |2018-03-08T08:41:52-05:00April 13th, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|1 Comment
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Billy Joe’s Ribworks, Newburgh, Hudson Valley

When visiting a friend near the Hudson Valley, we chose BBQ for lunch and headed to Billy Joe's Ribworks in Newburgh. We started with their hearty portion of nachos. The enthusiastic manager shared that the cheese they use drizzled over the nachos is a blend of many types. That dish ($13.99) had a pile of tortillas topped with smoky beans, shredded lettuce, onions, jalapeño peppers, pulled pork, sour cream and the cheese blend. Silly us, not realizing how huge the starter was we ordered Backyard BBQ ($16.99) better known as The Legend -- a burger topped with smoked brisket, pulled pork, smoked andouille, Cheddar cheese, coleslaw and crisp onion rings [...]

By |2018-01-14T11:39:11-05:00February 3rd, 2018|USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Les Chouettes, Paris, France

Earlier this year when I was in Paris, I stopped at Les Chouettes in the Marais area as it was recommended by a friend.  The restaurant is quite bright as the main dining area is under a high glass ceiling. The friendly wait staff is quite helpful and did speak more English than I spoke French. I ordered the reasonably priced menu (24 €) and a glass of rosè (7 €). The waiter places a basket of irresistible fresh bread — the kind with the chewy crust with a slightly sour chewy inside. Although I did my best to resist, I had a couple slices. My waiter placed a bowl [...]

By |2018-01-20T10:21:26-05:00December 2nd, 2017|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Marius a la Plage, at the beach of Gigaro, La Croix Valmer, France

In a small corner of paradise at the beach of Gigaro in La Croix Valmer, we stopped in at Marius a la Plage for lunch earlier this fall. I hadn't yet had the classic fish soup with a side of garlic rouille on this trip to France, and so I ordered that (14 €) plus an octopus salad (15€) that came with fingerling potatoes. The thin fish soup was too fishy for me, while the octopus salad was perfectly cooked resulting in tender chunks of my favorite cephalopod served with arugula, shredded carrots atop potato slices. My friend's Thai Filet de loup (fillet of seabass) came over long shreds of [...]

By |2017-11-10T10:37:59-05:00December 1st, 2017|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Powder, Waldorf Astoria, Park City Utah: A Children’s Tasting Menu

We stopped into Powder, the restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria in Park City (UT), for dinner on my last night visiting. Our meal started with an amuse bouche of a tartlet filled with goat cheese and herbed brie for the adults, and ants on a log (celery filled with peanut butter and topped with Craisins) for my 2-year-old grandson who was dining with us. Two of us ordered the tasting menu. Me ($40/person) and my grandson, as Powder has an amazing children's tasting menu ($21) with a choice for the main course choice of fried chicken or Tasmanian salmon.   For the table, we shared the wood-grilled cauliflower accompanied by [...]

By |2017-11-23T13:36:39-05:00November 27th, 2017|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants|1 Comment
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Grizzli Cafe, Paris, France

My kids moved into The Marais area in Paris a couple days before I arrived, so they were not yet familiar with the restaurants nearby.  We chose one with spacious outdoor seating so that we had room for my granddaughters stroller. As always, we selected a few dishes to share and told our waiter to bring them in no particular order whenever ready. The free-form ravioli had some prawns between two large square pasta pieces with a bland tomato sauce (9€). The three chicken spring rolls were a bit better with a sweet-spicy Thai dipping sauce (8€). Although the gnocchi looked good, they were chewy and tough even with the [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:22:51-05:00November 25th, 2017|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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