Month: January 2016

Anchor Bar – Buffalo, NY

This historic establishment was founded in 1935 and is the home of the Original Chicken Wing that was created in 1964. It was thought up by Teressa Bellissimo who made a batch of wings in a secret sauce to satisfy her hungry son and his friends. Needless to say, the result of a mother’s love turned into a sensation that can be found all over the world.

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When I heard this story on both the Travel Channel and the Food Network, I knew the Anchor Bar had to be on my food bucket list of places to visit.

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I arrived to the restaurant with an appetite and I didn’t want to fill up on any other items on the menu except the wings. I got the Medium Wing Sauce. This is supposedly the original flavor. It still had some kick but was not an overwhelming heat.

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Check out their website to read more of their history and see their full menu. If you do not get an opportunity to visit the Anchor Bar in person you can always order their sauces at their on-line store and bring little taste of Buffalo home.

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www.anchorbar.com

Enjoy!

T

The Highlander – Atlanta, GA

Being stuck in traffic in Atlanta is a terrible thing. It’s even worse when you are hungry. If both of these things happen and you are near Midtown then stop into The Highlander.

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This fun bar/restaurant (which you have to be 21 or older to get into) is a great place to grab a bite to eat. They have a large assortment of burgers and sandwiches, plus an array of comfort food like beef stroganoff.

Since it was a chilly day when I visited I decided to try their Jerk Chili. My server mentioned that this is one of their best items on the menu.

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I also took his suggestion on an appetizer to try. They have a unique take on mozzarella sticks. Their cheese is wrapped in fresh pasta noodles and then deep fried. It creates a nice crunch that you normally do not get with mozzarella sticks. But be careful, they are hot when they come out.

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Another great call out for The Highlander is that they are open till the wee hours of the morning, so you can stop by for some late night munchies.

Visit their website to see the menu and all of the activities they have going on: www.thehighlanderatlanta.com

Enjoy!

T

Hash House a Go Go – Las Vegas, NV

When you are in Las Vegas there are a variety of things to do. In one day you can go to the spa, hang at the pool, check out a show, and hit the tables. Before you know it the sun is rising and you are hungry. There are so many places to eat at on the Las Vegas strip but if you are in the mood for a BIG breakfast then you need to check out Hash House A Go Go.

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They have gotten so popular they have 2 locations on the strip: The Linq Hotel & Casino and The Rio Hotel & Casino. Plus you can always visit their original location if you are in San Diego.

To call their breakfasts big is an understatement. They are HUGE. When the food arrives to the table it’s almost impossible to get all the plates to fit.

I was hungry but not starving so I went for the “Tractor Driver Combo” which is a little smaller of a dish: two eggs, potatoes (but if you are watching your carbs you can get bacon or sausage) and one giant pancake (or flapjacks as they call it).

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Their potatoes were more like mashed potatoes than a hash brown. I would not have thought that would go well with eggs but it did. My compliments to the chef!

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If you have been partying all night in Vegas and need a hearty breakfast I recommend Hash House A Go Go. Get there early because everyone else in Vegas has the same idea too.

 www.hashhouseagogo.com

Enjoy!

T

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Smokin Thighs – Nashville, TN

I was intrigued by this place when I heard that they grill their wings, no frying. I do not find that very often. I was also surprised that in addition to wings they did serve up grilled chicken thighs – hence the name of the restaurant.

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My waitress was wonderful and I asked her what appetizer she would recommend. Hands down she said I must try their Buffalo Chicken Dip. She was 100% right, this dip was amazing. It had a smoky flavor from the chucks of chicken thigh meat plus it was loaded with shredded chicken breast meat that was mixed with melted cheese. They topped it off with jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. There was so much cheesy chicken in this dip it was like I was eating a cheesy chicken salad. If it came in a little larger on a bowl it could have been a whole meal.

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On their listing of side dishes I noticed that they had Chicken and Dumplings. I was really interested to see what their take would be on this southern classic. They use a peppery gravy and thick dumplings and it was then topped off with more of their chicken thighs.

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Now it was time for their wings, the main reason I wanted to stop in. They have many different flavors to choose from so I decided to try one dry rub and one sauce. For the dry rub I went with their Nashville Hot Chicken. It was not too spicy but had a slight kick. The sauce I chose was the Asian Persuasion, a sweet and spicy combination. I loved this sauce. Not only was it perfect on the wings, but I used the rest of the tortilla chips from the appetizer to eat the rest of it.

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While I was eating I got to enjoy their wall of televisions that were showing a bunch of football games. Since I was going to be there for a little while, I ended up ordering one more thing on the menu. It was big so I had to share it, their Thighs on Texas Toast. I saw a note on the menu that is was a “Fan Favorite” so I had to see what the fuss was about and it ended up being my favorite item of the day. It’s a simple dish: Texas toast that has been grilled a little (to add some crispiness) and it was topped with their homemade mac & cheese and crumbled bacon. It was a sweet mac and cheese which I have never had before and it was a perfect way to end the entire meal since the earlier dishes were more salty. If you can only try one thing on their menu it needs to be this.

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See all their mouth watering choices at: www.smokinthighs.com

Enjoy!

T

Field House – Philadelphia, PA

Across the street from the Reading Terminal you can find Field House.

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This is where the Philadelphia Gator Club meets to watch football games. What a wonderful group of people. They were completely welcoming to an out-of-towner.

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To kick off the party right, they had a special drink on the menu for the group – the “Gator Chomp”. It was the perfect way to celebrate the football game.

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They had many traditional pub foods on their menu, all of which sounded good. However, their Kettle Chip Nachos sounded amazing. These were not typical nachos, they layered the chips with house made beer braised short ribs, chilies, smoked melted Gouda cheese and salsa.

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While the flavor combinations worked so well together, it was the short ribs that sent the dish over the top. The meat just fell apart when you touched it and it was so moist. I couldn’t get enough of the short ribs. I wanted just a bowl of that.

I was able to save room for their cheese steak. I couldn’t come to Philly and not have a cheese steak. The chipped sirloin they used was tender when I bit into it and they smothered it with their homemade cheese sauce. It was definitely  satisfying.

If you want to watch your favorite team head over to Field House. Check them out at: www.fieldhousephilly.com

Enjoy!

T

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Dinic’s – Philadelphia, PA

The Reading Terminal has been an institution in Philadelphia since 1892. It’s story is one of ups and downs but speaks to the American entrepreneur spirit. This market is bustling with over 80 businesses where visitors and local can get everything from homemade meals & desserts to flowers & books.

To be overwhelmed in the Reading Market would be an understatement. Luckily for me I was given advice before I arrived on how to handle this place – know what you are hungry for. It may sound simple but it really was the best advice.

While in Philly I wanted to have Italian Roasted Pork and Dinic’s is the place you have to go to when you are in Reading Market. All I had to do was follow the line, it lead me right to Dinic’s.

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As I squeezed my way up to the counter, I ordered my roasted pork and added broccoli rabe and had it topped with a slice of sharp provolone cheese. The rolls they used for the sandwich were fresh and it made the sandwich all the better.

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I saw the size of the sandwich, so I decided to order just a half for myself, which was a good choice. The pork was perfect just on it’s own, but paired with the broccoli rabe and provolone cheese added a kick to the flavor. It is what made the flavor of the sandwich stand out.

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This place was so busy while I was there. Their menu is simple but they definitely have a following. The amount of pork that they go through each day is amazing.

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If you are heading to Reading Terminal Market I recommend trying Dinic’s. Check out their menu and their hours at : tommydinics.com

To help plan your trip to Reading Terminal check out their complete listing of businesses at: www.readingterminalmarket.org

Enjoy!

T

 

Athens Family Restaurant – Nashville, TN

I found another great place to get a hearty breakfast in Nashville – Athens Family Restaurant. And like most breakfast places I’ve tried there was a line out the door for a table.

Since I had to wait, I made the best use of my time by combing through the menu to decide what I wanted to try. They serve both Greek and American dishes. It was a lot to choose from but my eyes fell upon the “Morning Paradise” – French toast covered in powdered sugar, cinnamon, blueberries, bananas, and then covered in whipped cream. Was this breakfast or dessert? I didn’t care, I just knew it was a must try.

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It was sweet from the whipped cream and powdered sugar and it was off set by the sour taste of the blueberries. It was a great complement. The french toast was cooked to perfection with the crust nice and crispy from the grill but soft in the center as it soaked up the melting whipped cream.

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If you want breakfast – this is the spot to go since it is served all day. They do have a large lunch and dinner menu so it’s worth going back to try what else they offer.

You can see their whole menu at: www.athensfamilyrestaurant.com

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Enjoy!

T