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USA Travel | Bite of the Best

USA Travel

Happenings around the US

Nick & Toni’s, East Hampton, NYC

After the hostess seated us in one of the restaurant's inviting indoor dining rooms, she returned with a sprinkle of sparkling confetti and a cheerful "Happy Birthday." It was a thoughtful touch that quietly alerted everyone who served us—from the person refilling our water glasses to the busboys—that we were celebrating a special occasion. As we settled in, we nibbled on crisply fried, paper-thin zucchini chips ($23) while sipping a delicious rosé from the restaurant's spotlight wine list. We chose the Domaine de la Bastide Bandol 2023, a grenache-cinsault blend featured under "Age Worthy Rosé" ($100). Next, we shared a delightful house-made campanelle with duck ragù and fava beans, finished [...]

By |2026-07-18T08:59:11-04:00July 18th, 2026|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Birthday Celebration at Rowayton Seafood, Rowayton, CT

After a relaxing morning walking along Compo Beach with my friend in Westport, we headed to the farmers' market before continuing on to Rowayton for a birthday lunch at Rowayton Seafood, a restaurant I hadn't visited in decades but remembered for its hospitality and fresh seafood. It was every bit as good as I remembered! We sat on the sunlit porch and started with cocktails. I had a refreshing Aperol Spritz while my dining partner sipped a Bloody Mary ($17 each). We shared the lump crab cake ($27), which I appreciated because it was mostly the crustacean, topped with red cabbage-jalapeño slaw and remoulade sauce. My friend enjoyed the Caesar [...]

By |2026-06-07T10:51:24-04:00July 10th, 2026|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Brunch at Faubourg, Montclair, NJ + Art In Bloom, Montclair Art Museum

One chilly, rainy Sunday recently, I headed by train to Montclair to visit friends, have brunch and see the Montclair Art Museum, where my friend exhibited during their annual Art in Bloom, the museum’s nationally celebrated biennial exhibition, where contemporary floral designers create fresh interpretations inspired by works on view throughout the museum. We first spent a lovely afternoon having brunch at Faubourg, the go-to spot in Montclair, according to the friendly folks I met on the train. Lucky for me, it was jazz Sunday, although one of my friends would have preferred classical. Two of us opted for the bargain-priced $43 prix-fixe menu, including our Bloody Mary, a breakfast [...]

By |2026-05-31T19:21:41-04:00June 26th, 2026|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Elizabeth Blau’s Honey Salt, Las Vegas, Nevada

When Dames dine together, abundance comes naturally—plates circulate, glasses stay filled and conversation flows easily.  At the annual Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI)  conference in Las Vegas, that spirit was unmistakable during an evening at Elizabeth Blau’s welcoming Honey Salt, just 20 minutes off the Strip. In her keynote, Blau distilled mentorship to its essentials: visibility, leading by example and challenging the status quo. She truly embodies that philosophy. Throughout our evening at Honey Salt, her hospitality set the tone as dishes arrived generously—many sent out gratis by Blau herself—encouraging us to sample widely from her approachable, ingredient-driven menu. What followed was a lively, communal meal. We shared nearly every [...]

By |2026-05-20T16:55:04-04:00May 22nd, 2026|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|Comments Off on Elizabeth Blau’s Honey Salt, Las Vegas, Nevada
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Valencia Food Truck, Connecticut

Backyard bliss in Norwalk, where a wedding reception that felt like a warm hug — made even better by the Valencia food truck parked just up the hill from the party area. Guests lined up (more than once) for crisp-edged arepas — handmade Venezuelan corn cakes fried to golden perfection, then stuffed with pernil (slow-roasted pork), carne mechada (tender shredded beef), or The Zach (crispy chicken kissed with honey). I didn't overlook the empanadas: flaky pockets of joy filled with chicken tamarillo, beef picadillo, or the surprising standout that I chose — curried cauliflower and ricotta. Love was in the air. So was the smell of garlic and cumin.  

By |2025-11-01T09:59:47-04:00November 25th, 2025|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Esh, Fairfield, Connecticut

There’s something undeniably warm about walking into Esh, Fairfield’s vibrant new nod to modern Mediterranean. Maybe it’s the open wood-burning oven flickering in the corner, or the low hum of conversation drifting over candlelit tables. Or maybe it’s just that, from the moment you arrive, you feel welcomed—not as a customer, but as a guest. The Mezze Quintet ($35) was a standout starter, with smooth, flavorful dips and extra flatbread ($9) that arrived warm and puffed from the oven—worth the extra order. We sampled all five dips that included hummus, tzatziki, spicy feta, baba ghanoush and labneh. Next were the golden and bright Crispy Artichokes ($18), balanced by capers and [...]

By |2025-11-01T09:59:31-04:00November 22nd, 2025|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Midway Mercantile Restaurant, Midway, Utah

Deciding at the last minute to go out and celebrate the kids' 12th anniversary, we opted for a local spot, Midway Mercantile, a New American Cuisine restaurant near their home. We started with their fun Mercantile Cracker Jacks, a popcorn treat with peanuts, scented with Chinese Five Spice powder ($6) and their delicate cornflour-dusted calamari with a sriracha-roasted yellow pepper aioli ($16), each a fun start. We sopped up every drop of the flavorful sauce. We sipped their sparkling rosé, Hubert Meyer France NV ($26) I sampled the shrimp & grits, their flavorful wild shrimp in creamy sauce over yellow corn grits topped with southern greens ($34); one had their [...]

By |2025-11-01T09:58:31-04:00November 16th, 2025|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Lunch Combo at Mai Tai, Orange, CT

When I hear "Mai Tai," I think of the Hawaiian tiki rum drink, not the Thai restaurant where I met friends for lunch in a strip mall in Orange, CT. The restaurant's name made more sense when I noticed that half of their signs spelled it as "Maitai." We lucked out, as they were offering a lunch special that was too good to pass up. It's available from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, ranging from $16.95 to $20.95, depending on your choice of protein. The portions were generous, providing more food than any of us could finish. Protein options included chicken, tofu, pork, beef, seafood, shrimp, and [...]

By |2025-08-11T08:02:22-04:00August 21st, 2025|USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Mind Shaft Tavern, Madrid, New Mexico

The Avis car rental man in Albuquerque suggested the more scenic route to Santa Fe on State Highway 14 that goes through Madrid (MA-drid). And and to satisfy our hunger he suggested grabbing a bite at the Mine Shaft Tavern, a rustic roadside tavern offering our first taste of New Mexican fare. Being famished, we did just that, starting with their delicious $8 house Margaritas. At that price, we had more than one, then shared their fantastic Southwestern food. The burgers come with fries and cole slaw, with the option to sub their stew (+3.50) for the fries, which we did with one burger. We worked on devouring their Classic [...]

By |2025-04-26T13:51:53-04:00April 26th, 2025|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Dukes, Hau Tree and Cafe Morey’s in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii

Met friends and family for meals while on Oahu, as many had vacationed in Hawaii over the holidays too. Duke's in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort was across from the hotel where my sister and her family stayed. We were between lunch and dinner when we stopped in for a meal, so we ate whatever was available. We all picked at Duke's nachos ($17), coconut shrimp ($29) and the orders of Cajun fish tacos ($27 + $2 for the guacamole). My friend and fellow Dame, a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier, welcomed me with a beautiful lei before we walked to the Kaimana Beach Hotel for lunch at Hau Tree [...]

By |2025-02-24T10:39:41-05:00February 27th, 2025|USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Visits to Monkeypod, Ko Alani, Oahu, Hawai’i

We headed off property to Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman for better food. We liked Ko Olina Beach Club, but not their food offerings. When I lived in Waikiki in the 60s, this area didn't exist. The current area includes The Four Seasons, Aulani-A Disney Resort & Spa and more!  It's lush, with lots of swimming/snorkeling options and the beaches are not crowded as they are in Waikiki. I recommend. As for Monkeypod, the staff knew us after our first visit with the bartender, recalling the virgin cocktail he had made for my 10-year-old grandson; he made it again. The food here is fresh and recommendable; the staff is friendly. We [...]

By |2025-01-22T10:16:32-05:00February 14th, 2025|USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Litchfield’s, Wigwam Resort, Phoenix, AZ

Five of us slipped away from the conference crowds into Litchfields, the on-site restaurant and popped a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château La Nerthe, Rhône Valley, France 2019 ($135) to accompany our dinner. One had the Duck Bolognese Pasta ($44) with butternut squash, spinach, spiced pine nut and parmesan. Two tried the lamb chili ($18) topped with Crow's dairy goat cheese, Fresno chile and cilantro, served with a blue corn muffin. One the crab cake ($22) topped with avocado crema, guajillo chile and mezcal-infused jícama, another Mary's farm roasted half chicken ($28) with fingerling potatoes, carrot mole and pistachio pesto. The table also ordered blistered shishito peppers ($14) and charred broccolini [...]

By |2024-11-10T11:02:38-05:00November 28th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Wren & Wolf, Phoenix, AZ

While in Phoenix for the Les Dames d'Escoffier (LDEI) conference, we left the Wigwam and headed into town for dinner at Wren & Wolf one evening. We started with caviar bumps ($12), minuscule compared to what we had at Nebulez. We also shared charred bone marrow with noble toast, chicharrón and chimichurri ($19), a dozen oysters ($23), crème fraîche tuna tartar ($29) and za'atar man'ouche—flatbread with herbs—($16), with gruyere, manchego, artichokes, kalamata olives and micro arugula. Some of our entrees included the rib-eye steak ($69), Faroe Island salmon ($39), and sea scallops ($54). We washed those down with a glass of wine ($14 - $16). If you're visiting Phoenix, this is [...]

By |2024-11-10T11:01:53-05:00November 24th, 2024|USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Shoreline Visits: Shell and Bone, The Stand and Zinc

I'm always amazed at how few restaurants are on the water in Connecticut, a coastal New England state — something I realized while writing for Yankee Travel Guide. And so, when visiting friends in Connecticut, I picked my first dining stop at Shell and Bones on the water in New Haven. Their bloody Mary cocktail is almost a meal ($19) garnished with chorizo, shrimp, bacon, cornichons and olives. I also shared their grilled Baja fish tacos (3 for $19) with cabbage pico de gallo and tomatillos. Another night, we headed to The Stand in Branford one evening for open-air dining and music. There, I indulged in their crispy fried coconut [...]

By |2024-09-13T11:09:40-04:00October 20th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Staycation at the Dream Downtown, Chelsea, NYC

Upon realizing that I could buy a resort pass to the Dream Downtown hotel in Chelsea only a few blocks away, I decided to take a staycation there and enjoy catching up on my book group reading by their pool. To get there from the lobby, one ascends the stairs to the 4-foot-deep pool, which—of course—has drink and food service chairside. Fresh ice water is continually refreshed. Many others had the same idea, as there wasn't an unoccupied lounge poolside. I photographed my neighbors' food and my freshly made guacamole with chips served with chili-dipped triangles of jicama ($19). My neighbor enjoyed the "chopped" salad ($18) with avocado, queso fresco, [...]

By |2024-09-21T11:24:54-04:00September 20th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews, USA Travel|1 Comment
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Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar, Washington DC + Carlyle in Arlington

I was in DC for my babysitter's burial in Arlington. She was not the woman who took care of my sons, but she took care of me as an infant and stayed close to me until the end. We gathered to see her buried atop her hubby, an army colonel. The night before the service, we ended up at Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar, where my friend was a regular. We had fabulous, attentive service. We each sipped a glass of Chateau Martinet ($18), which our server continually refilled, and shared with a  Monsieur ($21) with Paris ham, gruyère and a Parmesan bèchamel, and a salad Niçoise ($24) with fresh [...]

By |2024-06-24T13:44:06-04:00July 24th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|1 Comment
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Bistro Mediterranean Tapas Bar, Milford, CT

The third Bistro Mediterranean Tapas Bar opened recently in Milford in a restaurant with a seemingly revolving door. I experienced various iterations when I lived in the area. We stopped in before the official opening last month when I was in Connecticut, meeting a friend for lunch.  The manager served us, and we sat there for hours catching up and sipping an Antares Reserva Rioja ($36). We focused on the tapas part of the menu with two of their seafood tapas worth mentioning, the grilled calamari ($14) and grilled shrimp ($14.50). The tender squid drizzled with a bell pepper vinaigrette, the shrimp swimming in a garlicky sauce. I hope they [...]

By |2024-06-30T14:46:43-04:00June 21st, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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All-Day Breakfast, Charleston, South Carolina

On our sibling trip, we started our day by yakking over a meal at one of Charleston's many breakfast-all-day places. First stop, Toast! All Day, as one sibling and hubby had eaten there during their last visit. I do suggest what I had, which was a Pig Candy bloody Mary made with Dixie Black pepper vodka ($16) and topped with candied bacon and pickle okra ($16) and an omelet with biscuit and grits ($26). Big Bad Breakfast's Bloody Mary with candied bacon and pickled okra is just as good ($12). I'd also recommend their unusual huevos rancheros ($14). That's Marsh Hen Mill grits with sliced sausage black beans, and salsas topped [...]

By |2024-06-03T08:29:11-04:00May 21st, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Key West Dining: Roostica, Sloppy Joe’s, Santiago’s Bodega, Blue Heaven, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, Latitudes and La Chapina

Thanks to all the Facebook friends who responded when I requested restaurant recommendations in Key West. What follows is a sampling of the places where we did eat and dishes that I'd recommend. Across from where we stayed on Stock Island is Roostica, a friendly place filled with a crowd and a great vibe at 4 pm when we went for Happy Hour. Don't miss the hearty meatball sliders, 2 for $8. We would have returned if we had had enough time. Drinks good, too. Roostica 5620 McDonald Avenue Stock Island 305.296.4999   Walking on Duval Street, Key West's main drag, we stopped at Sloppy Joe’s Bar — Ernest Hemingway's watering [...]

By |2024-03-15T09:24:16-04:00March 15th, 2024|Bites from the Road, Happy Hours, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Heritage BBQ, San Juan Capistrano, CA

Who knew that California BBQ could be so good? After my grandson's performance as King Triton in The Little Mermaid, we headed south to San Jan Capistrano to meet some friends for a BBQ at Heritage. (He, by the way, killed it!) The line to order reminded me of the line in Austin outside Franklin BBQ, although not nearly as long. People do wait for good BBQ. Heritage opened in Orange County in the summer of 2020, the first BBQ place to get approval to use the 1,000-gallon Texas-style offset barrel smokers, where food smokes in a long horizontal chamber while charcoal and smoke wood burn in a firebox attached to [...]

By |2023-12-17T09:23:49-05:00January 20th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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