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…
Leave a CommentGator Girl - Out of the Swamp Posts
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…
Leave a CommentThere 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…
Leave a CommentI 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. 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…
2 CommentsKey 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…
Leave a CommentAt 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…
Leave a CommentI headed back to Key West because I had such a blast the last time. I made sure to hit some places I missed last time. Sandbar was one of those places. I absolutely loved this place. I ended up visiting them three separate times during my trip. My first visit I was just getting the lay of the land. They were a sports bar first and foremost. They had so many TVs throughout the restaurant, you would never miss a minute of any game. They also had huge open doors. It let in such a wonderful coastal cross breeze.…
Leave a CommentAfter a long day of traveling to get to Tampa, I was looking forward to dinner. I was excited to get seafood. I always try to eat seafood when I am in Florida. Skipper’s Smokehouse topped the selection for this evening. They have been around for over 30 years, so I know they would be a good choice. I started off with their Cajun popcorn, which was a fun way to say fried crawfish tails. The crawfish was incredibly tender and sweet. They were lightly breaded so the crawfish took center stage. They came with a homemade tartar sauce that…
Leave a CommentEarlier this year I had written about the brunch I had at Datz. I was fortunate enough to get to go back for a second visit. This time I got to try something off their dinner menu. I had forgotten that their menu was printed like a newspaper. My waiter said they had just changed a few things around. There were several things that sounded good. He recommended I try their Music City Chicken Tacos. They apparently are really popular. I was very surprised when 3 tacos came out on the plate. It was a lot of food. The chicken…
Leave a CommentI went to a unique place in Nashville called The Listening Room Café. This was a restaurant where you get to enjoy a meal while listening to musicians / songwriters from the industry tell their stories. It was an interesting concept that made perfect sense in the Music City. The day I visited I was going to see the Warren Brothers. They are singer / songwriter siblings, Brett and Brad Warren. They have written songs for the most famous of famous country singers. While I waited to go into the theater area, I got myself a glass of Merlot. They…
Leave a Comment