Month: September 2019

Pizzeria Vetri – Philadelphia, PA

I was really hungry for pizza when I was in Philly. We found a highly rated pizza place near our hotel that we decided to check out called Pizzeria Vetri.

They were not very big inside. Most of the tables were already filled. We were able to get seats at the counter. These were awesome seats because I could watch them make all the pizzas.

They were tossing the pizza dough in the air left and right. They made it look so easy.

I could also feel the heat coming from the wood fire oven. It amazed me how fast the pizzas cooked when they went inside.

We were starving so we ordered couple of things. We started off with the meatballs. They cooked these in the wood fire oven too. They came out sizzling. These were ground chicken meatballs. They had a light and airy texture. They were seasoned perfectly and paired well with their homemade sauce.

For the pizza, I shared the fennel sausage pizza. The sausage had fantastic flavor. I could taste the fennel in each bite and the sausage was tender. The pizza crust was super thin and crispy. It had a nice smoky taste from the oven. The fresh mozzarella cheese added a great creamy element.

The fennel sausage tasted so goo we ordered it in the calzone for sharing. The calzone itself looked beautiful when it came out of the oven. It had a pretty sheen on top.

When I cut into it the cheese just poured out. There was no way I could take a bite, it was just way too hot. Once it cooled off I was able to take a bite and taste the sweet dough. It tasted different form the pizza crust, even though it was probably the same dough. The cheese added a creamy and salty element that complemented the sweet dough. The sausage was just as good mixed with all the cheese as it was on the pizza.

The food was amazing at Pizzeria Vetri. I am so glad we stopped in. They had many other pizza options to choose from. I would want to go back to try more.

Visit their website at www.pizzeriavetri.com to see their menu.

Enjoy!

T

Drinkers Pub – Philadelphia, PA

Walking around on Chestnut in downtown Philly my friends and I came across a bar that we wanted to check out – Drinkers Pub.

If you don’t like clowns, then some of the décor in this bar might freak you out.

But looking past the clowns, they have a really cool wall of credit cards. These were all different kinds of cards that have been left at the bar over the years. It is a very creative idea. And definitely a conversation starter.

Their menu was filled with traditional bar food. They did have something unique – eggplant fries. I had never seen this before. I figured it would be similar to zucchini fries. So, I decided to try them. They were strips of eggplant that were breaded and fried. They served a jalapeno aioli on the side for dipping.

The breading had great flavor with the herbs they mixed in. They were nice and crispy on the outside. The eggplant was a little softer than I would have preferred. Despite that I still enjoyed them. They tasted even better in the jalapeno aioli. It was not too spicy but had a slight kick.

Drinkers Pub was a fun place to hang out with friends. They had a full bar and good choices on their menu. Check them out at www.drinkersrittenhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

Yards Brewing Company – Philadelphia, PA

One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling is to check out different breweries. They are popping up all over the place. When I was in Philadelphia I made sure to check out Yards Brewing Company.

It was a little on the outskirts of the city, but my friends and I made the walk. We were so hot when we arrived that we could not wait to have a nice cold beer.

The brewery was very large. There was seating everywhere. We decided to sit at the bar so that we could get the best service.

We each decided to so a beer flight. They had several to chose from. I went after the Summertime flight.

  • IBG grapefruit pale ale
  • Heritage Surf IPA
  • Lucy
  • Knotty IPA

My favorite was the grapefruit pale ale. It had a great citrus taste that was refreshing on a hot day.

We also got a bite to eat while we were drinking our beers. The Ruben Bites sounded good. These were shredded corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese all mixed together. They deep fried them until crispy. These tasted just like a Ruben sandwich. I really liked that the cheese was melted throughout.

Yards is a fun place to hang out with friends and drink beer. We did not stay long because we wanted to move on and try some other places around the city, however I would definitely go back.

Check them out at www.yardsbrewing.com

Enjoy!

T

Euclid Hall – Denver, CO

While in Denver I got to have dinner in a building that was built in 1883. The building that started off as a home has been everything from a flea market to a brothel. It is currently the home to the restaurant called Euclid Hall.

It has a rustic feel inside with reclaimed wood, exposed brick walls, and industrial metal accents.

To start my evening off I ordered one of their fancy cocktails. The Kansas City Kreamsickle sounded prefect. They blended together vodka, aperol honey, lime, cucumber, and basil. I guess because of the name I expected this drink to be sweet. It was not, even with the touch of honey. I could taste the freshness of the cucumber and basil.

We started off with some unique appetizers. The first dish was the Krakenpopper. By the name alone I had no clue what this dish was. Based on the description it was octopus that was braised in Kraken brand rum and wrapped in jalapeno. Hence the name Kraken, for the rum and popper, for the jalapeno. 

They took this jalapeno wrapped octopus and dipped it into a sweet potato tempura batter. It was lightly fried until it was crispy. They served a bacon aioli on the side for dipping.

The octopus was extremely tender. The jalapeno did not add any heat at all. The sweetness of the sweet potato batter was actually what I tasted. The bacon aioli added a slight saltiness, but I preferred the octopus without it.

Another starter was the Dark Wing Duck. These were crispy duck wings that were tossed in a black olive and Calabrian chile sauce. The sauce had great flavor. However, the duck was too gamy for me.

The last unique starter was the Bruleed Center Cut Beef Marrow Bone. I have never had bone marrow before. I was not sure what to expect. I had to take a spoon and scoop out the marrow. It had the texture of jelly. I then placed it on a small slice of toast. It spread like butter. When I took a bite, it was super sweet and almost buttery in taste. It was very delicate and delicious.

While I digested the appetizers and waited for our main dishes to come out, it was time for another cocktail. This time I got the Salty Oboe. This concoction was whiskey, orange bitters, lemon ginger shrub, and topped with a fresh lemon. The orange toned down the sharpness of the whiskey. It was a very comfortable drink that was best when sipped.

At last my dinner arrived. I ordered the Duck Poutine. I could not wait to try their version of poutine. They used fresh cut French fries and topped them with duck confit, cheddar cheese curds, and a black pepper duck gravy. The duck was perfect. It had a wonderful savory flavor and was not gamy or oily. The cheese and gravy added a salty taste. I was not able to finish the whole thing because it was a little too salty to me.

This was a unique dining experience. I was able to try a few new things. I like being adventurous when I am eating. You never know what you might like unless you try. If you are in Denver and want to try something different, check out Euclid Hall.

Visit their website at www.euclidhall.com

Enjoy!

T

Henry’s Tavern – Denver, CO

Denver is a wonderful city. There is so much to do and a lot of it can be done by walking. However, all that walking around can make you extremely hungry. That is exactly what happened to me. So, walking around in the main shopping area downtown I came across Henry’s Tavern. They were busy, so I thought I would check them out.

Since I worked up a big appetite, I ordered a bunch of dishes for the table. The good thing was all the dishes were able to be shared.

To start with was the spinach and artichoke dip. This dip was slightly spicy. The creaminess of the dip helped balance out the heat.

We also got a couple of chicken wings. We went for the traditional Buffalo sauce. This sauce was extra spicy which I was not expecting. This was not the traditional flavor of a Buffalo sauce. The wings were covered in the sauce which allowed for every bite to have some kick.

The bourbon glazed Brussel sprouts were a must try. They had great crispy edges. They were cooked along with walnuts and bacon. The walnuts added crunch and texture. The bacon added smoky flavor to the sprouts, because of the fat it was cooked in. Plus, it added a little saltiness that paired perfectly with the sweetness from the bourbon glaze.

The final item for the table was the spicy pepperoni pizza. It was a thick, doughy crust pizza. It was loaded with creamy cheese and slices of pepperoni. Based on the description I was expecting a spicy pizza. This was not spicy at all. It was just a good pepperoni pizza.

After working up an appetite, Henry’s Tavern was able to satisfy my hunger. They were great for a quick pop-in.

Check them out at www.henrystavern.com

Enjoy!

T

A.B. Sushi – New York, NY

So here I am, back in New York City. It’s lunch time and I have found another sushi restaurant to try. This time it is A.B. Sushi.

This was the perfect place for lunch in-between my meetings. Luckily for me I got there a few minutes before the lunch rush. While I was sitting there I watched the place fill up.

I ordered the Maki Lunch, which was a great value, especially for New York. It came with salad, soup, and two rolls.

The miso soup had a generous amount of seaweed leaves and a little tofu. The flavor of the broth was savory. I wish they had included more tofu in the soup.

For the salad, the ginger dressing was a little different from others I have had. It was creamier and slightly sweet. It was till full of ginger flavor.

My rolls came out beautifully on the plate. The first roll I got was the spicy tuna. This is always my go-to-roll. I never seem to be disappointed by this option. This roll had a crunchy rice on the inside that added a unique texture to the tuna.

My other roll was the eel and avocado. The eel was fresh and paired well with the creamy avocado. It to is always a good go-to-roll for me. They drizzled a generous amount of the sweet eel sauce on top. This is my favorite part of an eel roll.

This was a perfect quick spot to grab lunch. They had a few more Japanese specialties on the menu that sounded good, but I highly recommend the sushi.

Check them out at www.absushinyc.com

Enjoy!

T

STK Midtown – New York, NY

I was invited out for a nice dinner in New York and was taken to STK – Midtown.

Even though we had a reservation, our table still was not ready when we got there. So, we headed to the bar to grab a cocktail.

I decided to order the Troublemaker. They used Ketel One Botanical vodka – peach ad orange blossom, which was mixed with rose wine cordial and club soda. This cocktail was extremely refreshing. It was almost like a sangria in taste, just without all the fruit. I will have to try replicating this drink when I am at home.

Once we sat down at our table, our wonderful waitress brought over some fresh made pop-over bread. They served it with a creamy blue cheese butter. The bread was amazing. It was so hot that the butter melted instantly when it hit the bread. The sweetness of the bread paired well with the tangy blue cheese.

A few appetizers started coming out. First was the Big Eye Tuna Tartare. The tuna was so fresh, it cut easily with my fork. They included avocado with the tuna because they are the perfect pairing. The slices were put on top of a soy honey emulsion, that added both a sweet and salty accent. They placed the tuna/avocado mixture in-between layers of taro chips and stacked them high. The chips added a great crunch.

The second appetizer was Nueske’s Smoked Bacon. I was expecting thin slices of crispy bacon to come out. It ended up being a large slice of pork belly. They covered it in a balsamic BBQ sauce. It tasted like they seared it on a grill to get it crispy. I really enjoyed the edges of the bacon because it was extra crispy. I liked the pork belly this way because it did not feel as fatty.

The last appetizer was the crispy calamari. This was a safe dish that was cooked up pretty traditionally. They also served blistered shisito peppers on the plate as well. These were a nice added element that added extra flavor but no heat.

I ordered a filet mignon for my dinner. It was a small ounce steak, but I got crabmeat on top. I thought I would try a little land and sea combination. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium. It was tender and juicy. The crabmeat was sweet and buttery. It complemented the salty taste from the beef.

The sides all came on the side to share. The lobster mac and cheese was a must try. The macaroni was so rich and creamy. There were large chunks of lobster meat mixed throughout. It was a good think I was sharing this side. It was so rich there was no way I could eat this by myself.

The tater tots were a fun side. They were the largest tater tots I have ever seen. The potato itself was tender and they fried it just enough to make the outside crispy.

The parmesan truffle fries had the best presentation. These were thick cut fries, even larger than the typical steak fry. They took these fries and stacked them on the plate. It was easy to grab them. There was no need for ketchup with these fries. There was only a slight hint of the truffle. The parmesan cheese is what stood out on these fries.

I had a wonderful dinner at STK. The flavors for everything I ate were great. It turns out they have a couple of locations across the country. Check on their website at www.STKHouse.com for a location near you.

Enjoy!

T

Casa Nonna – New York, NY

I was invited out to a wonderful Italian dinner at Casa Nonna in New York City. I love Italian food and I was excited to try a place I had never been to before.

We started off at the bar while we waited for our table to be ready. I ordered a Bellini Classico. This was a traditional peach Bellini. They used peach nectar and caposaldo Prosecco. It was tasty. The peach flavor was strong but not overpowering. I ended up have a few more that night.

When we were walking to the table I noticed the wood fire oven in the open kitchen.

I also was mesmerized by all the artwork they had on the wall. It was all perfectly in place.

While I looked over the menu, the waiter brought out some homemade crackers. They had melted Parmesan cheese on top. There was also a slight spicy taste to these crackers that I was not expecting. They were really addicting to eat.

We started off with some appetizers to share family style with the table. The Mozzarella Carrozza was some of the creamiest cheese I have ever had. The buffalo mozzarella was also super soft. Included on the plate were heirloom cherry tomatoes and a basil pesto. The tomatoes were very sweet and tasted almost like sweet peppers.

The Calamari Fritti was classic fried calamari that was tossed with julienne vegetables that were also lightly breaded and fried. They used peppers and zucchini. The breading was the right amount so that it would add a little crunch. They served a lemon-chive aioli on the side. It had a nice tangy taste, but I preferred the calamari plain.

The last appetizer out was the Polpettine. These were beef and pork meatballs with ricotta cheese on the side and covered in a pomodoro sauce. The meatballs were light, tender, and moist. Exactly what I am looking for in meatballs. The ricotta cheese added an overall creaminess to the sauce.

For my dinner I ordered the Truffle Ricotta Gnocchi. I absolutely love gnocchi, so I could not wait to try theirs. I could smell the truffles as soon as the plate was placed in front of me. The gnocchi were in a white wine garlic parmesan sauce. It was savory and totally delicious. Tossed in with the sauce were wild mushrooms and fava beans. The beans added a creamy texture. These were some of the best gnocchi that I have had in a long time.

Since we filled up on so many appetizers as well as our main dishes, there was no room for dessert. I will have to go back just to try them. This was an amazing restaurant filled with classic Italian dishes. I would recommend this place to everyone.

Check them out at www.casanonna.com

Enjoy!

T

Mew – New York, NY

Over the last several years every time I visit New York City I try to stay at the same hotel. The main reason is because it is close to so many things. There are restaurants all around this hotel and I thought I had tried them all. Well it turns out I had missed one. Mew is located between two other restaurants in the building’s basement.

I was excited about this new find. I thought it might be able to be my new go to restaurant near the hotel. I had to wait till they opened at 5:00pm before I could head down the stairs.

It did not take long for the place to fill up. It was very cozy with the dim lighting and the music that they were playing.

I started off my experience with a cocktail. I ordered the Mew Breeze. They used sugarcane shochu, vodka, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and a splash of tonic water. It was sweet and went down easy. I had to be careful not to drink it too quickly.

The first dish I ordered was the Sushi M.  This was like a deconstructed sushi roll. It was a really cool visual presentation. It started with a based of sushi rice. Then it was layered with spicy crab that was shredded, spicy tuna chunks, and avocado slices. On top of all that was Ikura, Tobiko, seaweed, spicy mayo, and eel sauce. It had all the elements of sushi. The only way to actually eat this was to break it down and combine all the ingredients together. The tuna and crab were fresh and the avocado slices were extremely creamy.

The other dish I got was the Yaki Udon. These udon noodles were sautéed with beef, onions, and mushrooms. The beef was thinly sliced and tender. The sauce they used was sweet with a slight salty taste. Overall the dish was savory. The noodles were my favorite part. They soaked up the flavor from the sauce and they were soft and tender. The onions were there to add a crunch.

I am so glad I found Izakaya Mew near my hotel. This will definitely be my new go to restaurant.

Check them out at www.mewnyc.com

Enjoy!

T

Barleymash – San Diego, CA

Once again I found myself in San Diego. It was time for lunch so what better place to head to than the Gas Lamp District. I knew I would have no problem finding a place.

I came across Barleymash.

It’s a great sports bar with lots of TVs and open windows to the outside. I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the great San Diego weather.

I sat at the bar and ordered a red sangria. I wanted something cold and refreshing. This one was not overly sweet. I wish it came with a little more fruit.

They offer a few flatbreads which are great for sharing. I ordered the salami flatbread. It was salty from the meat and all the cheese. The crust was not cracker thin but thin enough. It was slightly doughy.

Since I was near the beach I wanted to make sure I had some fresh seafood. I ordered the tuna poke. It was fresh Albacore tuna that was tossed in a teriyaki sauce for a sweet and salty taste.

Along with the tuna, there was fresh sliced avocado, green onion, sliced cucumber, and a homemade teriyaki beer-brined kimchi. On top were toasted sesame and wasabi cream. And to help eat the tuna, there were crispy wontons on the side.

The tuna was great. It melted in my mouth since it was so tender. It paired wonderfully with the tangy kimchi. Their kimchi is not spicy like others I have had. While eating the mixture on the wonton crisps added extra texture, I really enjoyed eating it all on the cucumber slices. It felt fresher to me. The refreshing juices from the cucumber mellowed the kimchi and enhanced the taste of the teriyaki tuna.

If you enjoy craft beer, Barleymash is a perfect spot for you. They do have an area of the restaurant where they make their own. It is fun that visitors can actually see it.

If you are looking for a casual place to grab a drink and little to eat, check out Barleymash. http://www.barleymash.com/

Enjoy!

T