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

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