Month: August 2019

Operacaffe – San Diego, CA

I have been to several wonderful restaurants in San Diego over the years. I have never been to a more romantic, cozy place as Opercaffe.

It is small and quaint inside. It made me feel like I was in Italy.

What better way to start off an Italian dinner than with a glass of Cabernet.

It goes wonderfully with some homemade bread. It was wonderful dipped in olive oil (Italian butter!). However, it was fantastic dipped in their homemade marinara sauce.

One of the main reasons I was excited to try Opercaffe was because they had arancini on their menu. They are called Gli Arancini on the menu.

The rice ball was stuffed with mozzarella cheese. It was lightly breaded and then deep fried. It came with a side of the homemade marinara sauce.

Their sauce was amazing. it had a ton of minced garlic in it and the flavor really came through. The rice ball had a great crunch on the outside and a soft cheesy center. It tasted great with and without the sauce. It was also perfect to share.

They had a homemade minestrone soup on the menu that I had to try. I love soups. The broth was creamy. I could taste the basil they had mixed in. It was loaded with fresh vegetables. It was the perfect starter pairing with the arancini.

For my main dish I ordered the Capesante E Gnocchi. Their homemade gnocchi were stuffed with asiago cheese. They were sautéed in a butter garlic sauce, mixed with jumbo sea scallops.

The scallops were cooked perfectly. They were tender and soft with a subtle sweet taste. They married well with the butter and garlic they were cooked in.

The gnocchi were the true stars of this dish. I have never had gnocchi that were stuffed with anything. The cheese added more than a salty taste; it added another subtle layer of flavor to the potato gnocchi.

When those cheesy delights were combined with the butter garlic sauce the flavor was elevated yet again. The dish became slightly rich, but not at all overpowering.  After several bites the saltiness went away and all I could taste was the savory hints of the butter.

I was enjoying myself so much at Operacaffe that I did not want to leave. So what better way to continue the evening than with dessert. They had a large selection of homemade Italian treats. I was able to see them in their case.

I knew I had to go with the fresh cannoli. There were several on the plate which made them perfect for sharing.

The shell of the cannoli was crunchy with a hint of cinnamon. The cannoli cream was the perfect consistency with a few chocolate chips mixed in. The sweetness was the best way to end the meal.

Opercaffe offered up one of the best Italian meals I have had in a long time. I would highly recommend them. They are not a very big restaurant so I would suggest you make a reservation.

Visit the website at http://operacaffe.com/ to see all they have to offer.

Enjoy!

T

McP’s – Coronado, CA

I was visiting Coronado Island in California when I started getting hungry for lunch. After walking around to see what my options were, I noticed a huge crowd on the outside patio of McP’s an Irish pub. I decided this would be the perfect spot for me.

This pub was founded by a Navy Seal, Greg McPartlin in 1982. Since then it has been a local hang out for all the Navy men and women who are stationed in near by San Diego.

What I learned while I was there is that this was the bar featured in the movie American Sniper. This was where Navy Seal Chris Kyle met his wife.  I thought that was pretty cool.

I sat outside on the patio. It was pretty crowded so some locals were generous enough to share their table with me. It was a really sunny and hot day but all the trees surrounding the patio area kept the temperature cool.

  

To stay refreshed I ordered a Moscow Mule. They were served in copper mugs so they stayed cold.

There were several things on their menu that I wanted to try. It started with a bowl of their clam chowder. It was extremely creamy. It was loaded with large, fresh clams that were extremely tender. They also added huge pieces of potato. They were soft and paired well with the creamy broth.

I could no go to an Irish pub without getting Sheppard’s Pie. It was loaded with fresh vegetables and ground meat. The gravy they used added a lot of robust flavor. They had really creamy mashed potatoes on top. They were good but I wish I had told my waitress to have them cooked to be crispier on top. That was totally my fault. But even without that, the Sheppard’s Pie was fantastic.

While I was there, a local band started playing on the patio. They had a huge following there. I asked the locals I was sitting with about the band. Their name is WCIW. It turns out this band has been together for 50 years, since their days at Coronado High School. I thought that was pretty remarkable. They played a nice array of music that I really enjoyed.

 

Since I was staying and listening to the band for a while, I ended up getting the munchies. I ordered the Irish fries. They were cheese fries and brown gravy. Rather than pouring the gravy all over the fries, they served it in a bowl. This was perfect because I could dip my fries as I ate them. This also prevented the fries from getting soggy.

The gravy was amazing. It was not overly salty. It had great beef flavor. They used lots of cheddar cheese that melted over every single fry. It was the perfect dish to share with my new friends at the table.

If you are visiting San Diego, I would recommend you drive or take a ferry over to Coronado Island. There are wonderful shops and restaurants to visit. You must make one of your stops to be McP’s. You will have a blast.

Visit their website at http://www.mcpspub.com/

Enjoy!

T

Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop – Franklin, TN

Who doesn’t love freshly made pie? That is what I said to myself when I passed by Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop in Franklin, Tennessee. I thought this would be a great treat for later in the afternoon.

They had many flavor options to choose from, plus different sizes for each pie. Since I wanted to try a few of their flavors I went for their 4” pies. I was able to get a 4 pack. It was the perfect size to try and share.

The first one was the Buttermilk. This was a creamy custard pie. It is very popular throughout the South. The custard was smooth and not too sweet. This was a good thing because the crust tasted a lot like a sugar cookie.

The second pie was the Peanut Butter Cream. This pie was amazing. The filling was smooth and fluffy. It was full of peanut butter flavor. With the whip cream and chocolate drizzle on top it reminded me of a candy bar.

The Coconut Cream pie reminded me of the one my mom use to make. The meringue on top was the perfect firmness with the slight amount of browning. When I cut into the topping it revealed the creamy coconut filling. It was the consistency of pudding. It was sweet and full of coconut flavor.

The final pie I got was the Key Lime. The filling was tart but not as tart as the pies from Key West. It was extremely creamy and paired well with the whip cream topping.

I am so glad I got to try several of the pies. The 4” were the perfect size.

Check them out at www.buttermilkskypie.com

Enjoy!

T

Big Shake’s Hot Chicken – Franklin, TN

I was finally back in Nashville, which is one of my favorite places. This visit I wanted to make sure that I got some hot chicken. I love hot chicken and there are many great places to get some all around Nashville. I decided to try some place different. I headed over to Big Shake’s Hot Chicken.

I got there just in time because the line started backing up behind me. I wanted to make sure I ordered some chicken with heat but was afraid to go too hot. Since this was my first time here I went for the “Stop Drop N Roll”. This was supposed to be medium heat.

While I waited for my chicken to come out I looked over their “Wall of Flame”. It turns out that the Travel Channel tv show Man vs. Food filmed an episode here. I thought that was pretty cool.

They called my number and brought my food to my table. The moment of truth had arrived. Could I handle their “Stop Drop N Roll”?

I took a bite. The first thing I noticed was how crispy the breading was. Then I noticed how juicy the chicken was. It was not till I swallowed that the heat hit me. It was an initial kick that slowly dissipated. It was the right amount of spiciness for my first time trying it. The next time I visit I would want to try something a little hotter.

A side dish also accompanied my hot chicken. There were a few things to choose from, including mac and cheese. I decided to try Big Shake’s beans. I was expecting these to be bbq baked beans. These were not what I thought. They were a savory bean. It reminded me more of a soup because of the sauce it was in. There was only a slight hint of smokiness.

I am really glad I tried another hot chicken restaurant. Big Shake’s is definitely going into my hot chicken rotation for my visits to the Nashville area.

Check them out at www.bigshakeshotchicken.com

Enjoy!

T

Mai – Charlotte, NC

There was a small Japanese restaurant near my hotel in Charlotte. I was not too hungry and thought this would be a good spot to get a quick meal.

They were not very busy when I walked in. I think I was in-between the dinner crowds. This was good for me because I was able to get a seat quickly.

I ordered the Hibachi dinner, which came with the traditional Miso soup and salad with ginger dressing.

The Miso soup had shredded chicken in it. This made it unique for a Miso soup. I really enjoyed it and could have eaten a large bowl as a meal.

The ginger dressing was perfect on the salad. They used a generous amount, which I appreciated. Every bite had that delicious ginger taste.

I ordered the shrimp hibachi. I love how the shrimp are cooked with hibachi. They take on a nice grilled taste and texture. They gave me a ton of shrimp and I was not expecting that. They were delicious. I did dip a few in the creamy Yum Yum sauce for additional flavor.

I also got a generous amount of fried rice and grilled vegetables. It was almost too much to eat. Good thing I had a refrigerator in my hotel room. I was able to have lunch for the next day.

I am glad that Mai was near my hotel. I was able to get a nice dinner, pretty quickly.  It pays to explore what is around you when you travel.

Visit their website at www.maijapaneserestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

5 Church – Charlotte, NC

There is a hot restaurant in Charlotte that won several awards in 2018 called 5 Church. I was looking forward to having dinner there on my recent visit to the Queen City.

When I walked through the door I was blown away by the décor. There was a big tree at the hostess stand that lead you over to the bar. Hanging above the bar were feather lights that seemed to be floating in midair.

There were interesting light fixtures throughout, as well as a beautiful carved wood wall.

We started off with drinks for the table. After looking over the menu, everyone wanted to try the Rose flight. They brought out 4 different Rose wines on a slate tray. They were laid out driest to sweetest.

  • Venve Devienne Brut Rose (bubbly)
  • Twelfth Night Rose (Pinot Noir)
  • Dornier Rose (Merlot)
  • Whispering Angel Rose (Garnache/Syrah)

It was fun to drink these and see what everyone thought about the taste. Everyone had their own favorite. It id not seem like anyone could agree.

We ordered several appetizers to share around the table. The homemade black bean hummus was the first thing brought out. It had a creamy texture and went well with the fresh made crackers that came on the side.

The crispy calamari were out next. They were breaded and lightly fried. These were a different type of calamari that I usually find on the West Coast. These were in strips and were thick, but extremely tender. A lemon aioli, a sriracha cocktail sauce, and a sweet chili sauce were drizzled on the plate. This allowed each piece of calamari to have a little of each sauce. There were also some sweet mini peppers tossed with the calamari for added interest.

The last appetizer was everyone’s favorite – the Yellowfin Tuna Sushi Tots. They took sushi rice and shaped it into the size of a tater tot. Then they lightly breaded them with panko breadcrumbs and fried them up. Then on top they placed yellowfin tuna drizzled with sriracha mayo, unagi, nori, and toasted sesame seeds.

These did taste like sushi that was just sitting on crunchy rice. The flavor was fantastic. They could be eaten in just one bite. I could have eaten an entire plate of these all by myself.

For my dinner, I ordered the pan seared salmon. The salmon came with a charred scallion chimichurri on top. It was almost like a pesto sauce. The salmon was cooked great. It was moist and flakey. On the side there were roasted broccoli and a corn & lobster succotash. The corn was sweet, but I did not see enough lobster. They finished off the presentation by dusting the plate with black trumpet mushroom dust.

The sides all came a la cart. So, a couple were ordered for everyone to share. The braised collard greens came chopped up into nice small pieces, which made them easier to eat. They cooked the greens with smoky bacon, which tasted wonderful with the slight bitterness of the greens.

The mac and cheese could not be passed up. This was a white truffle mac and cheese with cheddar cheese. I could smell the earthy aroma from the truffles as soon as the dish was placed on the table. The truffles paired so well with the saltiness from the cheese. It was also extremely creamy.

The final side was the southern street corn. The corn was roasted so it had a slight hint of smokiness, but it was the corns natural sweetness that shined through. They sprinkled a little parmesan cheese over the corn. However, the fun element was the crunchy onions that they placed on top. It did add nice crunch and the saltiness of the onions complemented the sweet corn.

Now no dinner would be complete without sharing a few desserts around the table. The Pretzel Bar was something unique. This was constructed with a layer of crushed up pretzels to create the base. Then there were layers of caramel and milk chocolate and then topped off with dark chocolate. This really tasted like a candy bar. The pretzel was a little tough to cut through, but we managed. It was the perfect blend of sweet and salty. Plus, they served a homemade vanilla gelato on the side, which to me was a bonus dessert.

The second dessert was the Lemon Brule Tart. The tart shell was filled with a lemon curd and custard. It was topped with a blueberry Greek yogurt mousse and a chocolate disk for presentation. They also added a blueberry compote on the side. The compote was sweet and went well with the tartness from the lemon in the custard. The mousse was also sweet and creamy which also was another perfect complement to the lemon.

I had a fantastic meal at 5 Church. Every dish I tried was prepared perfectly. I would visit again the next time I am in Charlotte. It was a great experience and the staff was wonderful. They all really seemed to enjoy working there.

Check out their menu at www.5church.com

Enjoy!

T

716 Burgers & Brew – Lakeland, FL

There is a great neighborhood bar in Lakeland, Florida called 716 Burgers & Brew. This bar is tucked away off the main road, in between neighborhoods and golf courses. This is the type of place where all the locals go to hang out. Everyone knows each other.

If you are a Buffalo Bills fan (or any team from Buffalo) this is the perfect hangout for you. See the owners of the bar, Bo and Lisa, are from Buffalo. This is why it is called 716 – it is the area code for Buffalo. I think it is a clever name and really helps it stand out from all those chains out there.

  

Keeping with the Buffalo theme, their happy hour is offered from 3:11-7:16. Again, these are both area codes for Buffalo.

To enjoy the football games on TV, I ordered a few things off their menu. I started with the chili cheese fries.

The crispy fries were covered with salty chili that was loaded with beans. Then smothered on top was melted nacho cheese. I love it when cheese fries use liquid cheese. It makes the fries so much better because every bite is covered in cheese. What put these fries over the top was the crispy pieces of bacon that were sprinkled all over.

To wash down these fries, I enjoyed some new Malibu Rum cocktails. They came in cans but I drank mine over ice. They were really refreshing. I tried two flavors:

(1) Pineapple

(2) Strawberry Kiwi

  

When halftime for the game rolled around it was time to order some chicken wings. I was able to et them naked and extra crispy. I like my wings to be cooked well done so the skin is crispy. I ordered all flats (also another one of my personal preferences). They cost a little extra but that is typical. I got two different flavors:

(1) Bourbon BBQ

(2) Traditional Buffalo Hot sauce

The Bourbon BBQ sauce was nice and sweet. It almost reminded me of a Thai chili sauce, only a little darker and thicker.

I could not go to a Buffalo bar without getting traditional Buffalo wings. I got them hot because I like a little heat. It had a great ting as I ate them.

716 is a fun and friendly place to check out. Their food was great and the menu is much larger than a typical bar. I definitely plan on checking them out again. You should make a stop to 716 to watch a football game or on a Wednesday to check out karaoke night.

Follow them on Facebook at 716burgersandbrew because their website is still being built.

Enjoy!

T

Harry’s – Lakeland, FL

I did not expect to find a little piece of New Orleans in downtown Lakeland, Florida, but that I what I found with Harry’s. I was given a big “Crescent City” welcome when I walked through the door. I took a seat at the bar which was clearly the hot spot.

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I started off with one of Harry’s signature cocktails. They had several options that sounded good but I went for the “Big Easy”. It was a combination of spiced rum, whiskey, amaretto, banana liquor, Midori, and pineapple juice. It was sweet and the flavors of banana and pineapple are what shinned through.

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I glanced over the entire menu and they had all the classic dishes you would find in New Orleans: gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish Étouffée. I saw the boudin balls and knew I had to start with these. For those not familiar with this dish, boudin balls are ground sausage, rice, and Cajun seasonings rolled up in breadcrumbs and fried. These were delicious. The Cajun spice was perfect; they had nice heat that was calmed with the homemade remoulade dipping sauce.

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I was going to get another traditional dish, however, I changed my mind when I read about the Crab and Eggplant Napoleon on the menu. I have never seen this dish before. The slices of eggplant were covered in panko breadcrumbs and layered with fresh lump crabmeat. Then it was topped with a creamy parmesan basil sauce.

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Each component was perfect on their own. The eggplant was thinly sliced and only dusted with the breadcrumbs so that there was a slight crunch. The crabmeat was sweet and moist, extremely fresh. Now to combine both with that decadent cream sauce, the taste was magnificent. Because of the cream sauce the dish is a little rich, so I would recommend sharing this with someone.

The other callout that I had to make about Harry’s is their fresh, homemade bread. It is light and fluffy on the inside with a crispy crust. It comes out hot which makes it tasty. Be sure to try their garlic butter too. Smother the butter on the bread while it is still hot. You will not be disappointed.

Harry’s has a few locations around central Florida. Find a location at www.hookedonharrys.com

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Enjoy!

T

Green Parrot Bar – Key West, FL

Key West is not lacking on bar to check out. One important stop is to the Green Parrot. This is one of the oldest bars, dating back to 1890. I had to go visit and be a part of history.

I was excited when I walked in and smelt popcorn. They had a machine all set up and I was able to help myself. I love popcorn and it is a great snack while enjoying a drink and fun conversation with locals. Even the roosters walked in to enjoy the popcorn that fell on the floor.

They had a couple of unique cocktails on their menu. I chose the Parrot Punch. They used Sailor Jerry spiced rum, orange and pineapple juice, and a splash of grenadine. They even served it in a souvenir cup. The drink was sweet with just a slight tang because of the acid in the fruit juices.

This was a fun place to hang out. I was able to meet several locals who gave me even more suggestions of places to check out on my visit to Key West. This should definitely be a place to stop by if you are looking for a cold drink.

Visit their website at www.greenparrot.com

Enjoy!

T



Waterfront Brewery – Key West, FL

At this point on my trip to Key West, I had hit most of the hot spots in the main areas, like Duval Street. Now it was time for me to venture down to the marina area. There were several shops and restaurants around that area that I wanted to check out.

Waterfront Brewery was one of those stops. The open walls and windows created a wonderful cross breeze through the restaurant that really helped remind me that I was on vacation.

 This restaurant was perfect for the whole family. They had a large arcade in the back that was perfect for kids and the adults who are kids at heart.

They had a large selection of beers to chose from. It is a great place to try something local. I went for the Crazy Lady!

Now I had been trying conch all over the island. Waterfront Brewery offered something a little different from what I had been seeing. They created a Bahamian Red Conch chowder. This chowder reminded me of a Manhattan clam chowder with a savory broth and loaded with fresh vegetables. The chowder packed a bold taste from the cracked black pepper they added. The conch was cut up into small tender pieces.

This was a great stop for a quick bite to eat and some cold refreshments. The view is also spectacular. I would definitely go back to try something else.

Visit their website at www.thewaterfrontbrewery.com

Enjoy!

T