Return visit: Bar Cantinetta. Our prior visit was for a wine tasting menu and I wasn’t that impressed with the food but I thought we should give it another try……I...

Breakfast to start a new day: Cowgirl Cafe. One of many dining options in the downtown area near 13th Street. Specializes in breakfast with a western theme…..with portion sizes to...

Passed by this place many times: Zaytinya. It’s located near the Convention Center and across the street from the 9th Street NW exit of the Gallery Place Metro Station…so it’s...

Nice spot near Seattle Center on lower Queen Anne for a drink: Solo Bar & Eatery. Eclectic space that feels a bit like having a drink in someone’s living room....

Dinner for 20: Fork. Another choice among the many in the Old City. The menu was limited due to the size of the party which makes a true dining experience...

Dinner for 20 something: Morimoto. Usually it’s difficult to tell about a restaurant when you’re in a large party but only a few shared plates this visit more like couples...

Drinks with friends: Royal Boucherie. Hot spot near the Delaware River in the old city….brought to you by a top chef. The space is open and if the bar downstairs...

Just passing thru: Tortas Frontera O’Hare. Located in Concourse B, this is a go to place if I have time between flights. It’s usually very busy so be prepared to...

On the list: Vernick. This place has a reputation….all the way to Seattle and has been on my list for some time. I’m glad I finally got a chance to...

Would be even better for dinner and a beer in the summer: White Swan Public House. Located in South Lake Union the views, even in winter, are exceptional…..Lake Union, the...

Whiskey anyone? Copperworks. Holiday season party at this downtown distillery of single malt whiskey. Nice tasting room with a bar that is over a hundred years old. Tours of the...

More coffee: Caffè Fiore. One of four locations, this one is located in Old Ballard. It’s nice for a quick cup before or after visiting the Ballard Sunday Market……or anytime...

If you need a stop for sustenance: Bob’s Burgers and Brews. Part of a chain found throughout Washington this one is about 5 miles south of the border. Basic burgers,...

This is the place for breakfast: Fergies. Off the beaten path….actually located in Brackendale which is about a 15 to 20 minute drive north of Squamish and a few kilometers...

Gotta try this bakery: Purebread. Not sure why I haven’t posted on this before since it is one of our go to places. It’s worth a visit just to ogle...

Trying to find a bar: The Keg. The holiday….Boxing Day…had the bars at Whistler packed and we finally stumbled on this place for a quick drink and to get out...

Convenient to x country skiing: Brandywine. Located in the ski hut at the Whistler Olympic Park it’s a great place for a hearty soup or sandwich after a few kilometers...

Coffee spot: Zephyr Cafe. Eclectic space in the heart if downtown. In addition to coffee and espresso they have soups, burgers, wraps and rice bowls. The coffee and espresso were...

Hole in the wall bakery: Golden Crust. I’m familiar with the offerings of this small bakery because they have a stand at the Whistler farmers market during summer months. Their...

Nice place for a beer: Howe Sound Brewing. Great space for a beer, wine, cider or cocktail before dinner and if you have too much…sleep it off in the adjoining...

In town for a bike ride and this was the pre ride pasta feed: Da Vinci’s Ristorante. Looking for a place close to my hotel for the pasta load and...

Gelato fix that opened this summer: Umaluma. Local knowledge wins again……you’d not know of this place unless you happened upon it while walking east on Pender in Chinatown and stumbled...

Quick trip north with lunch in the West End: Kingyo Izakaya. I love the announcement of your arrival and departure in izakayas and this place is no exception. On Denman...

Wine is food: Guardian Cellars. In Woodinville Wine Country on an errand and thought I should pick up a bit more wine. This is one of our go to places....

More wine as food: Gorman Winery. Another great option in Woodinville Wine Country in the Hollywood School area. Chris is all about music and the tasting room walls are festooned...

One of my favorite espresso shops: Vivace Alley 24. Doing some shopping at REI and decided to have a quick mocha caramel latte. Their claim to fame is that they...

If you’re in South Seattle and you need a food fix: Super Six. Part of the Marination group of restaurants this one is in Columbia City and serves brunch, lunch...

Third location of this Vietnamese restaurant: Ba Bar. Have been wanting to try this location since it was announced in January that it would be opening this summer and finally...

New spot for ramen in the U District: Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. Great choice on a night with a bit of fall chill in the air. The space is small so...

Near the Duomo: Cocopazzo. Recommended by friends…who dined with us this visit. Located east and a moderate walk from the Duomo, it’s in a bit of a less touristy area...

Food court and market: Rinascente. High end department store with a food court, market and restaurants on the 7th floor. Although not sampled, the place to visit is the rooftop...

You gotta stop for a rest after a morning in the museum: Calicantus. Located inside the Sforzesco castle it is a nice stop for a coffee and light snack. I’ll...

Not a restaurant: Hotel Giulia Milan. Part of a small chain of boutique hotels located mostly in Europe but with one property in New York. I add it here so...

Another option in Brera: il Cestino. Also recommended by our hotel staff. Corner space and a great place to watch the world go by while having a bit of Italian...

Brunch: Marchesi. Started in 1824, we visited one of the three current sites, this one near the Duomo and in the upscale Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping area above Prada....

Recommended by the hotel: Osteria di Brera. Our best food experience in Milan. It was fashion week so most places were busy but since Italians tend to eat late, tables...

Nice spot on the lake for gelato: Daniel’s. Not a typical name for an Italian bar and restaurant but the location is indeed Italian as are the offerings. From the...

One more dinner for the masses: Piccolo Lago. Located near Stresa on Lago Mergozzo it’s a venue to definitely consider for a large group. The chef has two-Michelin-stars but it...

Another dinner for 100: Ristorante Verbano. On the beautiful Isola dei Pescatori in the middle of Lago Maggiore in northern Italy. The food was good but once again the location...

Dinner for 100: Schloss Laufen. Even though the dinner here was for a large party and the food was only so so, the location is drop dead gorgeous. Located at...

More pastry options: Konditorei-Café Weissenbeck. Tucked away in the town of Dachau you’ll find this gem. It’s in an unusual area for a bakery….surrounded by office complexes and warehouses. Not...

Very popular place in the old city: Zeughauskeller. The story goes that the building was built in 1487 and originally housed an armory but in 1929 it was converted to...

Off to Switzerland with a stop at: Chedi Andermatt. If you’re looking for drop dead gorgeous then this will fit the bill. Part of a multi year “upgrade” to this small...

A must visit for us when we are in Munich: zum Spöckmeier. We have to visit this place every few years since it was a place Suzan’s Oma (grandmother) would...

Lovely hotel, restaurant and brewery: Kapplerbräu. Like many European breweries this place goes back several centuries….1561 to be exact. It’s a bit of a hike….about 30 miles NW of Munich...

Pike Place Market on steroids: Viktualienmarkt. Beer gardens, wine and cheese shops, seafood, flowers, vegetables, fruits…you name it…..it can be found here and that has been so for over 2...

One of the many locations of this bakery and café chain: Rischart. This location is worth a visit not only for the pastries and other offerings but mainly for the...

Haven’t been here in a few years: Steelhead Diner. Had a relative in town for business who wanted seafood and this seemed like a good choice……close to her hotel and...

Carbo loading: Lupo. Close to my hotel and on the edge of Yaletown. I wanted some Italian pasta before my ride to Whistler so this seemed like a good choice....

Quick lunch: Bistro Verde. In the Pacific Center Nordstrom and close to my daughter’s office so we decided to give it a try. Nice space with a separate street entrance...

Dinner following a tour of the city: Yu Lou Dong A chain of 4 restaurants; the original apparently in business since 1904.  When asked what type of food you like...

Lunch near the hotel: Geng Shi Ji. I think this was the best meal that I had this time in China. Typical of most restaurants here, they are bigger inside...

Dinner for 100: Wyndham Hotel I was in China doing some teaching and as is very typical, a dinner for the attendees and faculty is a requirement. I have to...

Probably the most impressive breakfast buffet I’ve seen: Wyndham Cafe Where to start….the serving line, in total, is almost 3/4 of a city block! It has everything one could want…fruit...

Not in a city and not a restaurant: Korean Air As mentioned in the post on Asiana, my intent was to compare bibimbap from both Korean carriers. This version was...

Not in a city and not a restaurant: Asiana Airlines Decided to compare the bibimbap served on the 2 national airlines of Korea on my way to and from Changsha...

A short drive from the ferry terminal: Adrift. Forgotten we had been here a number of years ago…it hasn’t changed much although they have changed the main dining room to...

A new place in an old space: Island Pie. Just down the street from where we were staying and it came highly recommended so we decided to give it a...

Ok it’s not a restaurant but if you hike, cycle or drive up this is a place to look for: Sugar on Top. Espresso and Lopez Island Creamery ice cream...

A lunch stop while exploring the island: Madrona Bar & Grill. Not our first choice but on a busy day it fit the bill. Typical bar and food but with...

On to Orcas Island: Brown Bear Bakery. Can’t miss…right on Main Street….because of that, it’s very popular and can be busy in the summer. They offer very large examples of...

Quick stop for lunch on our way north to Bellingham for a family event: Pho Mai. In a strip mall and a classic Vietnamese restaurant……all about the food and not...

Have noticed this place while in South Lake Union: Cinque Terre. Modern space serving foods from the region and on the streetcar line on Westlake which makes it convenient if...

Deserves another look: Eataly Chicago. They have these in a number of cities but this was a first visit for me and highly recommended by a colleague. Basically it’s a...

One of those special places: Le Colonial. I’ve been here once before several years ago and vowed to return. This is a special place with a beautiful space….like returning to...

Comes highly rated….by an Argentinian: Tanta. Large group dinner so the choices were broad with only a taste of many examples from the menu.  It’s Peruvian which is an interesting...

Dinner before business: Publican. Thought this looked like an interesting place…described as a beer hall and while I’m not much of an expert on beer, the menu sounded interesting and...

Road trip: Wild Sage Bistro Highly regarded and best described as new American, the choices were typical…fish, pork and chicken. We had the well received Yukon taquitos and the Thai...

On the road: Michaels on the Lake Located lakeside with outdoor dining and a view…..spoiled a bit by the railroad that runs lakeside as well. The menu runs the gamut...

One more coffee shop in Seattle: Diva Espresso. One of about a half dozen locations in the city. This visit was to the Harborview location. This purveyor of the roasted...

A quick coffee before the trip back to Seattle: Riptide Cafe. Very nice cafe right on the harbor. I had to have the blended salted caramel mocha….another 4 shot experience...

Early afternoon snack after whale watching: Downriggers. Gorgeous space and views so worth a visit just for that reason. That said, the food was good with a varied menu of...

The highlight of this trip to DC: Lapis. Located in the Adams Morgan area not too far from the Woodley Park Metro Station this was my first experience with Afghan...

Still wandering around Georgetown and needed a drink: Martin’s Tavern. It’s been here since 1933 and has quite an extensive history…said to be the place where John Kennedy proposed to...

Wandering around Georgetown and needed a quick lunch: Kafe Leopold’s. Beautiful space near the C&O canal which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with alfresco dining available. Very nice European style...

I’d been here once before a few years ago and it was time for a second visit: Le Diplomate. Once again back to a French bistro and this one is...

A breakfast spot: Founding Farmers. One of several of similar name in the DC area; this one located on Pennsylvania Ave near Georgetown. Basic breakfast menu with excellent service. Portion...

Upscale bar: Blue Duck Tavern. Part of the Michelin rated restaurant by the same name located in the Park Hyatt. “Ducked” in for a quick bite and a drink on...

Quintessential Seattle: Ivar’s. This visit was to the Salmon House which is one of 3 locations on the water in the metro area. A visit to one of the locations...

Looking for Thai and a new experience: Isarn Thai Soul Kitchen Have heard great things about this place so we decided to visit on a cold rainy Junuary Seattle day....

Classic small town diner: Apple Cup Cafe. This place is legendary and I’ve had breakfast and dinner during here. Portions are huge and are primarily comfort food with a bit...

This is the real deal: Herbsaint Last dining experience this trip and this is by far the best of those tasted. The chef is a multi year winner of the...

Still trying new places and this looked unlike the typical city fare: Compère Lapin. Located inside the Old No. 77 Hotel near the convention center, this place has a definite younger...

Decided to try some of the newer places; here’s the first: Cochon A James Beard winning chef got my attention and it’s mostly about pork so you know I had...

Last stop on our way back to Seattle: Darby’s Public House. Just had drinks before dropping our son off at the airport in Vancouver. This place has been in the...

Sitting on an airplane and catching up from the weekend: Ayoub’s. Ok it’s not a restaurant but you have to try this place! I have never seen such a display...

Son visiting daughter in Vancouver = quick trip north: The Oakwood. Great spot in the Kits area for brunch or dinner…our daughter thinks the burgers are outstanding but this visit...

Got the job to pick up our cats today so this was lunch: Maltby Cafe. I’ve passed this place numerous times when we cycle north of Seattle but have never...

Dinner for 20: Continental. A bit hard to describe this place…global comfort food that leans a bit Asian, probably comes closest. This night we had a fixed menu with 3...

Everybody wanted Peking Duck so we decided this place fit the bill: Sang Kee It has been awhile since I’ve had this quintessential Chinese dish…..last time was in Beijing, so...

Back in Philly: Laurel. Once again my flight in was late…..this time one and a half hours…barely made my reservation going straight from the airport. Thanks Uber! This is another...

A bit of a tourist place but the: Granville Public Market is worth a visit Like the Pike Place Market in Seattle most Vancouverites don’t admit to going there since...

Have wanted to try this place for a few years: Ask for Luigi. It was really a hot ticket a few years ago with long waits for a table….they take...

This is really about the hotel which is a must if you are in Vancouver: Granville Island Hotel. However there is a restaurant and bar and we took advantage of...

Have been here before and will be back: Beaucoup. I have to admit I have a very weak spot for French pastries and this is one of a handful outside...

Local knowledge wins again: Grapes and Soda. Got to Vancouver a bit late and this spot was recommended by our daughter who lives here…..her recommendations never disappoint. A small place...

On my list for some time: Mkt. One of a long lineup of Ethan Stowell restaurants in Seattle this one is in the Tangletown area and hence its name….Meridian…the older...

Another business dinner downtown: Capital Grille. Classic high end steak place, with the usual decor, that does a great job of what they do well……steak. They also have the usual...

Long time coffee spot on south Capitol Hill: Café Presse. A sister to Le Pichet with a focus on coffee. Located very near Seattle University, it’s a spot to consider...

Quick lunch before the airport: Mandu. One of 2 locations in DC and near the Convention Center and Chinatown. Decided to give Asian cuisine a go before leaving DC and I...