Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

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Dizzy Daisy Winery – Bad Axe, MI

While I was visiting Bad Axe, Michigan I came across a little winery called Dizzy Daisy Winery. It is a retired dairy farm that got converted to grow grapes for wine and hard ciders. I wanted to make sure to check them out.

They are located off the beaten path of the main road. But nestled back in the fields is the cute winery. When I walked into their tasting room I was amazed by all their options to choose from. I counted at least 70 options.

They have something for everyone. There are dry, sweets, semi-sweets, and semi-dry. They even have a port to try.

Their tastings allow you to try 5 of their wines. That made it hard to narrow down. Since I like sweet wines I asked the knowledgeable staff what they suggest I try.

I started with a Riesling. That is usually my go to sweet wine. It was good and not overly sweet.

Now that I got started I was ready to try their more specialty sweet wines. I tried the Caseville Paradise second. It had a nice orange taste. I cold also smell the orange aroma.

My third selection was the Dizzy Diva. This was essentially a peach chardonnay. I could smell a hint of peach. It was just a subtle taste too. I really enjoyed this for a chardonnay, which can sometime be dry.

For my forth choice, they recommended that I try a semi-sweet. This was the Dizzy Spell. It was a Rose wine. It had a nice, soft sweet taste. This was one of my favorites, so ended up buying a bottle to enjoy later in the day.

My last tasting was of the Polka Party. It was another sweet variety. I did not taste any hint of fruit, just very sweet and full of grape flavor. I also bought a bottle of this wine to take with me on my trip.

This was a great place. The tastings were wonderful. They have a few tables outside, so you can buy a bottle and enjoy it in the fresh air.

Check out their full list of wines and where you might be able to purchase them at www.dizzydaisywinery.com

Enjoy!

T

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Rachel’s – Bad Axe, MI

I was invited to a wedding in a small Michigan town called Bad Axe. There were a few local places that were recommended to check out. For dinner I visited Rachel’s which was extremely busy for this small town. It was one of the most popular restaurants.

Since I was visiting in July they had a Christmas themed cocktail menu for “Christmas in July”. It was a cute theme. I went for the Merry Mule. It was cranberry liqueur, orange vodka, fresh lime juice, a homemade simple syrup, and ginger beer. It tasted like Christmas to me. It was sweet but had a slight hint of spice. It reminded me of cranberry sauce that I enjoy with turkey.

They brought out fresh, homemade bread. It was right out of the oven so it was nice and warm. They served it with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.

I got a few appetizers for the table. The calamari were a hit. It was cut into ling strips and then fried. The calamari were very tender.

I also tried the Broasted Mushrooms, which were their version of fried mushrooms.  They used whole, fresh mushrooms, and lightly breaded them. They served a homemade Cajun ranch dipping sauce on the side. The mushrooms were very tender. The sauce gave it a nice little kick.

For my dinner I got the Blackened Mango Salmon. They used a bunch of Cajun spices to create the perfect blackening. It was spicy and crispy. The salmon itself was cooked perfectly, still being flakey when I cut a piece.

They topped it with a fresh made mango salsa. The sweetness of the salsa complemented to salty spice of the blackened coating. They also served a generous portion of crispy brussels sprouts and seasoned rice.

I definitely saved room for dessert. The first one I tried was the Key Lime Pie. The filling was firm and had a great tangy, tart taste. They topped it with a citrus whipped cream and sprinkled toasted coconut shavings on top. Both added extra sweet flavor to the pie.

The other dessert was the Sticky Toffee Bundt. This was a mini bundt cake that was served warm. They covered the cake with a warm caramel sauce. This added a rich taste to the cake. The cake itself was very moist. They served a side of vanilla ice cream on the side. The ice cream was very creamy and melted as it touched the warm cake.

This was a great place to grab some dinner in Bad Axe. Check them out if you are in town or passing through.

Visit their website at www.rachelsofbadaxe.com

Enjoy!

T

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Brooklyn Street Local – Detroit, MI

I had just landed in Detroit from my early morning flight. I was starving and wanted to find a local restaurant to grab breakfast. When I was checking out what was in the area, Brooklyn Street Local kept popping up with great reviews from past customers. I decided to check them out.

It was a small place on the inside and it was filling up quickly. One of the things I noticed was their chalk board on the wall. It listed out all of the local farms and establishment where they acquire all the ingredients. I knew from this that I was going to get a really fresh breakfast.

While I looked over their menu I got a mimosa. The orange juice was sweet, which is how I enjoy it. Nothing is worse than sour, bitter orange juice.

I decided to get the poutine for breakfast. I know it sounds strange, but I guess by putting an egg on top it makes it breakfast.

I took the egg off and ate it on the side.

The fresh cut French fries were covered in a mushroom gravy. It was savory and had a few pieces of mushroom throughout. The gravy was not salty at all, which was nice. The salty taste came from the chunks of cheese curd that were tossed in with the fries. The curds did not melt from the gravy, they stayed firm which made it easy to eat with a fork.

This was a great, quick stop for breakfast. The food was fantastic, and the service was fast. I would want to check them out for lunch.

Visit their website at www.brooklynstreetlocal.com

Enjoy!

T

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Palace Italian Restaurant – Lakeland, FL

Italian food is very comforting with all the cheeses and sauces that cover everything from pastas to meats. After a busy day, I was in the mood for some comfort food. I thought that Palace Italian Restaurant would satisfy that mood.

I had never actually eaten inside the restaurant. In the past I have gotten take out. This time I wanted to eat there. They have amazing murals painted on the walls, many are of famous landmarks around Italy.

Once I sat down my waitress brought over some homemade bread. This was a flat bread that was topped with butter, garlic salt, and Italian seasonings. They also served it with a side of olive oil / chili oil mixture. This gave it a little heat. I preferred the bread by itself because of the great seasoning that it had.

The tortellini soup was the homemade soup of the day when I visited. They change it up every day. The soup was a great chicken broth base that was filled with vegetables, sausage crumbles, and large tortellini. It was a very filling soup; there was a nice comfort feeling to it.

For an appetizer I got the calamari fritti. These fresh calamari were breaded and fried up. The breading was light and crunchy. The calamari were extremely tender. They tasted amazing with the homemade marinara sauce that was served on the side. The bread absorbed the sauce well without making it soggy.

For my dinner I got the Chicken Sorrento. They served a huge chicken breast that was topped with sautéed eggplant, prosciutto, and mozzarella cheese. They covered everything with a plum tomato sauce and fresh leaves of basil.

The chicken was tender and still moist. The eggplant was still slightly firm which made it easy to cut. The prosciutto added a nice salty taste to the chicken, while the cheese added a creaminess.

As if the chicken and eggplant were not enough, this dish also came with a side of spaghetti tossed in their fresh marinara sauce. I tried it while I was there but naturally I could not finish it. It went straight to the doggie bag so that I could eat it for lunch the next day.

I also was able to try my friend’s dinner. He got the Veal Saltimbocca. The thinly sliced veal was topped with sautéed prosciutto, spinach, and fontina cheese. Then it was covered in a white wine sauce.

The sauce was extremely creamy and had an amazing flavor. They also put the same sauce on a side of spaghetti. The veal was very tender. The spinach added an earthy taste while the prosciutto added saltiness and texture. I am really glad I got to try this.

The dinner portions are large at Palace Italian Restaurant. They can easily be shared almost family style. The flavors were wonderful. Next time I visit I want to make sure I try one of their pizzas.

Check them out at www.palacerestaurantlakeland.com

Enjoy!

T

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Boggy Bottom BBQ – Kissimmee, FL

I was helping my sister celebrate her birthday. We decided to go on an airboat ride to explore the Florida Everglades. We chose Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures since it was pretty close to her house (www.bcairboats.com).

While we waited for out time, we checked out their restaurant right there on the grounds. It was called Boggy Bottom BBQ.

It was a cute little restaurant, complete with a gift shop.

I went for the BBQ beef brisket plate. It came with one side, so I chose the sweet corn.

The brisket was extremely lean and very tender. It pulled apart easily with my fork.

They had six different BBQ sauces to choose from. I made sure I tasted them all.

  • Original BBQ – had a slight peppery taste
  • Mango Habanero – sweet and spicy
  • Texas BBQ – had a smoky taste
  • Sweet BBQ – very sweet with a small hint of smoke. This was my favorite
  • Hickory BBQ – had a smoke aroma of hickory wood
  • Mustard BBQ – had a strong mustard taste. This was not my favorite because I am not a huge fan of mustard.

This was a great, quick meal before the airboat ride, which was extremely fun. We got to see four alligators along the ride. Go enjoy a ride for yourself and grab some homemade BBQ either before or after.

Visit their website at www.boggybottombbq.com

Enjoy!

T

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Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza – Minneapolis, MN

There was a pizza place called Black Sheep that I heard had amazing pizza. I was not able to visit the restaurant in the city during my short trip to Minneapolis. However, to my surprise they had a location inside the airport. I was excited that I was going to be able to check them out before I flew out.

I did not have enough time to order a pizza. However, their meatballs sounded wonderful. They cook them in the coal fire oven, which created a char on the outside of the meatball. It also made them sizzle when they came out.

The meatballs had onions and peppers inside that added great flavor to the meat. They covered the meatballs in their homemade marinara sauce, which had a sweet taste. They sprinkled Pecorino Romano cheese on top and it melted nicely into the sauce.

The meatballs were slightly dense because they were filled with tender meat rather than a ton of fillings. They were extremely moist even with being cooked in the hot oven.

I had to get a drink to wash down these meatballs. I ordered the Sriracha Mary. This was a traditional Bloody Mary mixed with sriracha chili-garlic sauce. The drink was very large.

It was not spicy when it first hit my lips. However, as soon as I swallowed it I could feel the heat in my throat. It was one of the hottest Bloody Mary’s that I have had in a long time.

My quick visit was worth it so I could try Black Sheep. I would like to come back to Minneapolis to visit their main location because I was to try their pizza. Visit them at www.blacksheeppizza.com

Enjoy!

T

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Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge – Minneapolis, MN

While visiting Minneapolis I heard about an old school tiki bar that was a must visit. With a name like Psycho Suzi I could not wait to check this place out.

As soon as I walked up to the building I was greeted by a wooden tiki statue. I knew I was in for fun experience.

I followed signs for the tiki bar. I was passing an assortment of tiki statues, Easter Island statues, tropical plants, and even wicker chairs for photo ops.

They have an entire menu filled with classic tiki cocktails. They all come in fancy ceramic tiki glasses (all of which are available in their gift shop). It was hard to narrow down which one I wanted to try.

After reading through each one I decided to try the Native’s Cruse. This cocktail was full of rum, passion fruit juice, coconut, and citrus juices. It came in a huge glass, almost like a fish bowl, complete with a little tropical umbrella.

Thank goodness it came with a straw because there was no way I could drink from the cup itself.

The flavor of the drink was great. It was strong from the rum, but the passion fruit was the main ingredient I could taste. The coconut flavor came more as an after taste.

I had a sweet tooth while I was there. I checked out their dessert menu. I ordered an ice cream sundae. I thought that would be fun. It too came out in a tiki glass. This one was plastic though. The creamy ice cream was covered in chocolate syrup. It was really good. It made me feel like a kid again.

Psycho Suzi’s was a fun place that transports you to another place. Check them out at www.psychosuzis.com

Enjoy!

T

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The 1029 Bar – Minneapolis, MN

I heard about a little neighborhood bar that was popular in Minneapolis called The 1029 Bar.

I popped in for a quick drink just to see what it was all about. I did not get anything special, just a vodka tonic.

It is a popular place among local police officers. There are badges all over the walls. They are from all over the country. It was fun to look and see where they were from.

I got to speaking to some of the locals and they gave me a few suggestions of other places to check out.

I was also excited that they had a popcorn machine. I love popcorn. It is my favorite snack. When they popped fresh stuff, the aroma filled up the bar. I ended up eating 3 bowls of the fresh popcorn.

They had a menu of bar food that included lobster rolls.  I was not hungry while I was there, however the food did look tasty.

This was a nice little pit stop for a quick drink. Check them out at www.the1029bar.com

Enjoy!

T

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Matt’s Bar – Minneapolis, MN

Many cities across the US are famous for certain foods or dishes. Philadelphia has cheesesteaks, Nashville has hot chicken, Chicago has deep dish pizza. In Minneapolis they are famous for the Jucy Lucy. I had never had one of these specialties, so when I visited the city I had to make sure I stopped by Matt’s Bar. They are famously known as the home of the original Jucy Lucy.

For those who are not familiar with the Jucy Lucy, it is a cheeseburger. But not an ordinary cheeseburger. They take two beef patties and put the cheese in the middle of the patties. This way when you take a bite the cheese oozes out.

Naturally Matt’s Bar is famous and when I got there a line was already forming.

I waited patiently for my seat. It gave me an opportunity to watch them cook the burgers on the flattop. I could not wait to order mine.

The wait was not as long as I thought it would be. I got a seat at their bar, which of course I prefer for better and faster service.

I placed my order for their Jucy Lucy. Plus I got fries on the side. While I waited I got a Mike’s Hard Black Cherry Lemonade. I had never had this flavor before. It was both sweet and tart.

My burger came out all wrapped up. It was like opening a Christmas present. It was super hot. I could smell the grilled onions that were on top.

I got ready to take a bite. I knew the cheese would be pipping hot inside so I made sure not to burn my lips.

The burger was so juicy.

The meat had a great grilled flavor. The cheese was creamy and each bite was loaded with cheese. It was exactly what I hoped for.

It did not take me long to scarf down this famous burger. Once I finished I knew why they always have a line to get one.

There may be other places to get a Jucy Lucy around Minneapolis but a stop to Matt’s Bar first is a must. And make sure you bring cash because that is all they take.

Visit their website at www.mattsbar.com

Enjoy!

T