Several years ago when I visited Atlanta for the SEC championship basketball game I checked out a place called Park Bar. So when I recently went back I was excited to get to go back. It was just like I remembered when I walked up and saw the green awnings. What I had forgotten about Park Bar is their huge selection of bourbons and whiskeys. I decided to go for an old fashion with 1792 bourbon. The bartender made it perfectly. It was smooth and had a garnish of a cherry. To start out, we ordered the…
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There was this little whole in the wall place I found that served up a combination of Chinese, Japanese, and Thai dishes – Bangkok Tokyo Restaurant. It was the perfect place to pop in to grab some lunch with a group of people. We were greeted right away when we walked in. The staff was extremely attentive, always making sure we had everything we needed. I started off with the ginger salad. It has become a staple when I go to an Asian restaurant. This salad was huge compared to the typical salad. Their ginger dressing was…
Leave a CommentThere is a wonderful tapas restaurant that I found off the strip during my last trip to Vegas. I had not eaten any tapas since my trip to Barcelona, so I was excited to try Firefly. The restaurant was not that crowded yet when I arrived. I knew I was there early. The décor of the restaurant was a great blend and red and black, with some Spanish inspired artwork. I had gotten there right when happy hour started, which I was thrilled about. They had a whole happy hour menu filled with cocktails and tapas. I…
Leave a CommentLas Vegas really is the city that never sleeps. After seeing a late night show I was hungry. However, I was not quite sure what I was hungry for. As I traveled between Bally’s and The Paris Hotel I came across Yong Kang Street. This is a Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant that was nestled between shops that had the façade of a Paris street. They were extremely crowded that late at night. I was really excited when I saw the dim sum carts moving around the restaurant. I could not wait to select a few things. The Lo Mai Gai (sticky rice)…
Leave a CommentThere are a variety of restaurants in Las Vegas up and down the strip. Anything you could possibly want from sushi or tacos. I passed Canter’s near The LINQ and decided to check them out. Canter’s is a classic New York style delicatessen. They make their own bagels, breads, and pastries in their bakery right there at the restaurant. They also ship in all their meats directly from New York. I started off with a bowl of matzo ball soup. This homemade chicken broth was loaded with chopped up carrots and celery. They included two large matzo balls.…
Leave a CommentI have written about Avondale Common House before. When I was back in Birmingham I knew I wanted to make another visit. As always I sat at the bar. The service there is top notch. It was great to see the same bar staff from my last visit. I started off with a strawberry smash. This was a newer drink on the menu. They used gin with fresh strawberries and mint with a splash of sprite. The strawberries were the star of this cocktail. They were muddled so that the flavor was released. This helped hide the…
Leave a CommentJust down the street from Avondale Common House in Birmingham is a brewery by the name of Avondale Brewing Company. They are located in a cool old building that had many uses over the last 100 years. They are a full blown craft brewery that has a huge menu to choose from. They have everything from IPA’s to high gravity tripels. I always enjoy visiting the brewery. It is a great place to hang out with friends. I enjoyed a glass of their Mill at White. It was light with a hoppy taste. They do not serve…
Leave a CommentI was getting together with my cousin in Florida for dinner. She left it up to me to pick the place. I found an Italian restaurant called Wheat + Water. It was tucked away in a shopping center in Bradenton. We were greeted so warmly when we walked in. It was like walking into a family home. As soon as we sat down the waiter brought over some fresh made bread. It was hot which was perfect because I could add butter and it melted into every inch of the bread. There was a crunchy crust and the inside was…
Leave a CommentWith the temperatures rising outside, the best way to cool off is with a popsicle. Urban Pops satisfies with an assortment of homemade popsicles. They offer creamy and juice styles. They are made fresh and it’s possible they will be sold out of a flavor when you visit because of their popularity. I visited them on three separate occasions so I could try three different flavors. For my first visit I went for the Cookies and Cream. The ice cream was super creamy. The flavor of Oreo was throughout the ice cream. They also…
Leave a CommentThere is a Japanese restaurant that I had passed by for a while but never tried. Well, I finally decided to check out Yuki in Hoover, Alabama. The majority of the restaurant is filled with hibachi tables. It is perfect if you are going with a big group. I was not there for hibachi. I wanted something off their regular menu. Luckily they had a few tables I could sit at. I started off with their ginger salad. This has become a tradition for me to always start with this. Their fresh lettuce was covered in a creamy ginger dressing.…
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