Always worth a repeat visit: Buddakan. This is a very large and gorgeous space near Independence Hall offering Asian fusion cuisine. It’s the other outpost of this NYC legend. The...

Italian in the Old City: Positano Coast. Small group dinner with choices off the regular menu. That always give me a better idea of a place rather than the dinner...

Vegan in Philly Cheesesteak land: Vedge. This restaurant continues to receive rave reviews and even though I’m nowhere near a vegetarian this place will  not disappoint the carnivores out there....

Spanish tapas: Amada. Part of a group dinner but we had a good sampling of the menu including some items made just for our group. As expected, this is a...

New Southern in the old city: Amina Actually visited a few months after it open in 2022 and it didn’t disappoint…you can indeed find excellent southern cuisine in Philly…it’s not...

Going home: Sip Munch and More. Terminal B near the Alaska gates at Reagan and needed a glass…or 3. Visit website...

Chef’s choice: Nina May. What’s chef’s choice you ask? A fixed menu of 4 items, 2 from the regular menu and 2 from the chef’s imagination that day. But, that...

Peruvian food in the heart of cheesesteak country: Vista Peru. Last minutes decision….we were looking for a place that could accommodate at least 8 people on a Saturday night and...

Sweets: Chocodiem. As you know, if you have followed my blog, I can’t pass up an option for chocolate so I had to try this place. Their specialty is truffles...

Korean tacos? Takorean. I was intrigued by the name and needed a quick bite before heading to the airport. You start with the style…which includes a soft taco….I went with...

After dinner drinks: Bluebird Distilling. Nice spot inside The Bourse food hall for a late night drink. Friendly bartender who knows his drinks. I’d recommend the Firebird….if you like a...

In Philly again: Cadence.  This is a small place with 26 seats at tables and 8 at the bar. Located in the Northern Liberties/Fishtown area of town. Signage on the door isn’t that easy...

Came highly recommended: The Dabney. It’s made all the list, including a Michelin star…which makes scoring a reservation a bit of a challenge….especially if you live on the West Coast....

At Washington National: Bracket Room. On the B concourse and it was on my radar because I needed a quick afternoon snack before the long flight back to Seattle and…..it...

Classic Italian: La Famiglia. Small group dinner in this well known Philly establishment which did not disappoint. First task was to choose a wine…the list is quite extensive…the largest I...

Uniquely Filipino: Perla. This area of Philly is full of restaurants but I hadn’t been aware of this place until I did some research. It’s a bit hard to find...

Pizza: Fresh. Classic pizza and pasta joint on the way out of town. They do a great job with a wood fired pizza oven and use locally sourced ingredients. The...

Spanish tapas: Cúrate. Located in a building that was built in 1927 and served as the bus station, the new space has two levels with a bar on the first...

The Eating Places: James Beard Award Winners 2018. Best new restaurant: JuneBaby, Seattle. Outstanding restaurant: Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham. Rising star chef of the year: Camille Cogswell, Zahav, Philly. Outstanding pastry...

Old City: FARMiCiA. Another option for a locally sourced meal with a lively atmosphere. This was a group dinner but there were several selections from the regular menu which makes...

It’s on everyone’s list: Zahav. I’ve tried several times to get a reservation here but they are hard to come by. Visited as part of a larger group but this...

Another good Philly option: Helm. This is a small place north of the old city in the Olde Kensington area. I’ve seen it described as French but it is decidedly...

BYOB source: Pinot Boutique. In the Old City and sells locally sourced wines so don’t go looking for that French Bordeaux. Interesting wines from the area with tasings available. Somewhat...

Looking for espresso with local knowledge: Noir Cafe. A small place in the downtown area that serves good espresso and lattes. They also have a selection of baked goods and...

Local knowledge always helps: Le Gourmet Break. A nice breakfast spot in downtown Orlando…..I think it may be the first time I’ve been downtown in this city of Parks and...

In search of real food: Bulla Gastrobar. This place looked interesting and even though it was in Winter Park, I thought I’d give it a try since finding something unique...

Another hotel restaurant: The Bistro at the Hilton. Needed a light lunch and this was convenient. Typical offerings and since I wanted something light the Manhattan Clam Chowder fit the...

Hard to find local places but this is a good one: Thai Thani. Before I even start…this place has the most incredible Thai decor I’ve seen outside of Bangkok. From...

On the way home: Grille District. Needed a quick bite to eat before the long flight back to Seattle. I wouldn’t call Reagan National a food lovers paradise but this...

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...

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...

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...

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 must stop while visiting the African American Museum: Sweet Home Café. I have to admit this is my first, must experience restaurant in a museum but this place has...

How about oysters in Alexandria? Hank’s Oyster Bar. One of a number of locations in the DC metro area this one is in the Old Town section of Alexandria and...

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...

A unique experience at 1 World Trade Center and Brookfield Place: Beaubourg Part of Le District, an incredible French market in the Brookfield Place shopping center, this made for a...

A new place to try on this trip: Cosme. Multiple accolades for this chef from Mexico City where he has one of the best restaurants in the World with this...

On a hot day why not: Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Made in house and located right on the East River in Brooklyn near the bridge. Had 2 scoops: coffee and...

The pizza place in Brooklyn: Juliana’s. Story has it that this one of the 3 best pizza places in NYC and we were staying very close by so thought it...

I don’t often post on hotels but this place is special: 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. A new upscale hotel in Brooklyn that just opened a few months ago so the...

One of my go to places in Manhattan: Balthazar. One of several visits to this classic French bistro in the Soho area. Met up with friends from Atlanta and South...

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...

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...

The new Vidalia: Honeysuckle. Vidalia was my go to place in DC and one of my favorite restaurants but it is no more. Honeysuckle opened about 2 months ago in the...

Pizza in the heart of Chinatown: Matchbox. One of 3 locations in DC this one is close to the convention center and adds a choice to the Asian fare common...

Stopped for a post dinner drink with the UW crowd: Silo. Near the DC Convention Center just north of Chinatown. Very busy with a high noise level but a good...

Sounded interesting: Tail Up Goat. Story has it that if you see something in the distance that may be a goat or a sheep the way to tell is the goat...

Quick bite to eat: Bóveda. Just off the plane and didn’t take UA up on their hamburger so I was looking for something to tide me over and this was...

A cold night so not very adventurous: Red Owl Tavern. It’s the restaurant for the Hotel Monaco so it was easy to pop in for a quick dinner. I’ve stayed...

Gotta try this place for locally made ice cream: Franklin Fountain. The lines can be long but it’s worth the wait. Extensive offerings…at least 20 flavors! Visit website...

Upscale ramen restaurant in Chinatown: Daikaya. Got here soon after it opened at 11 am and no problem getting a seat. When I left 45 minutes later it was packed...

Typical chain steakhouse: Bobby Van’s. Large group dinner with the typical steak, chicken or fish choice with sides of potatoes, spinach and mushrooms. Similar to the Capitol Grill. The chocolate cake was...

This place came highly recommend so I had to make a quick stop: Dolcezza. Known for their gelato there were at least a dozen listed. My choice was a combo...

Back in town for a meeting or two and had dinner near the Convention Center: City Tap Room. Classic brew pub with a limited food menu but an extensive selection...

Had to try this place in South Philly: Noord. Dutch and Scandinavian fusion. Excellent smoked fish and pork but could have eaten everything on the menu…..that kind of place. It’s...