Beer Alcohol Cocktails cocktail recipe Beer Festivals Restaurant Review

  • Gathering Table Restaurant At Ballard Inn

    I haven't had too many chances to do restaurant features this year but The Gathering Table Restaurant at Ballard Inn, located in California's Santa Ynez Valley was absolutely worth the experience. It goes to show that you can still offer a fine dining experience in a safe way despite challenges from the pandemic. While their outdoor space would normally be more decorative than functional, there's a certain sense of romance to sitting in a garden with a string of lights above you while enjoying fine wine and food on par with anything you could find in Los Angeles.

  • Celebrating Dia De Los Muertos Inspired by Don Julio's Passion

    Dia De Los Muertos is on Sunday and so it's important to take a look back at those of our ancestors who have passed and remember them. Along with just remembering them it's important to share stories about the great moments in their lives and how they have inspired us with their passion. While Don Julio is certainly not one of my ancestors, I feel that it's always good to extend this to a broader community as well. As someone who is passionate about tequila, there's a bunch I didn't quite appreciate about Tequila Don Julio until I watched their new video about his life and how he got started.

  • Bourbon Lemonade Cocktail Recipe From JW Marriott San Antonio

    JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa’s lobby bar offers this special combination of bourbon, fruit and a splash of lemonade. Crooked Branch is a wonderful open space with an assortment of cocktail options – offering the Bourbon Lemonade especially for National Bourbon Day – June 14th.

  • Pork and Potato Southwest Green Chile Casserole Recipe

    I'm not a huge fan of casseroles normally. However, the undeniable benefit of being able to stretch a dollar while feeding a bunch of hungry people can't be ignored. We live in a time right now where both of those take precedence over simply "looking great". Today I decided to challenge myself to try something new with what stuff I had available in the kitchen. Lucky for me, the first things I found were cans green chiles and Hatch green chile enchilada sauce. That inspired me to combine it with the potatoes and Niman Ranch ground pork that I had stocked up on recently as part of our quarantine food. The Pork and Potatoes Southwest Green Chile Casserole was born!

  • An Evening with Le Cirque at Mid-America Club

    le-cirque-headerRecently Heather and I had the pleasure of attending a special "Pop Up Series" of An Evening with Le Cirque events across the country. Ours was located at the Mid-America Club in Chicago, a SPECTACULAR venue set 80 floors above Chicago with gorgeous views that matched the fabulous flavors and plating that Le Cirque is known for. 

     

  • A Romantic Oktoberfest at Chicago's Edelweiss

    header-imageThe word "Oktoberfest" likely causes images of a raucous bar scene with giant steins of beer and busty waitresses dressed in dirndls. What if I told you that there was a family-friendly restaurant with authentic German food that was a perfect date location too? That's the quick synopsis of our experience at Edelweiss Dining - located in the Chicago suburb of Norridge.

    For more than 30 years, this restaurant has served up some of the best authentic German food in all of the Chicagoland area.

  • 135 East Hyogo Dry Gin Review: London Dry Gin Meets Traditional Japanese Influences

    As a guy who loves exploring new and unique spirits, 'East' represents more than just a cardinal direction to me. It's a treasure trove of rich culture traditions and exotic spices that I love to embrace even when I'm not able to travel. While I've had Japanese whiskeys in my collection before, I have never had the opportunity to try a Japanese gin until now. With 135 East Hyogo Dry Gin from Kaikyo distillery, I just got my passport stamped for a tasty trip exploring the flavors of Japanese botanicals in a gin based on distilled sake.

  • BJ's Restaurants MVP Bundle: The Perfect Homegate Helper For The Big Game

    As we gear up for the big game, I had the chance to test drive BJ's Restaurants' MVP Bundle, and let me tell you – they've thought of everything for the perfect homegating spread. While the bundle itself is impressive (featuring your choice of a large pizza paired with either 3 pounds of boneless wings or 30 bone-in wings for $55), I decided to kick things up a notch by adding some of my favorite appetizers.

  • I May Have Found World's Best Bacon Cheeseburger at Hodad's Ocean Beach San Diego

    Since 1969, when Byron and Virginia Hardin opened their first location in Ocean Beach, Hodad's has been a legendary burger joint in San Diego. With an atmosphere that borders on kitschy tourist trap but somehow manages to stay authentic, this is a must-visit location for anyone visiting the city. However, what makes it even more awesome is that it is more than just a "cool place" to grab a bite, it is serving up some of the most amazing burgers in the whole world. 

    For those of you who have never been to Ocean Beach, it is a beach town located just north of the city and is full of hippies / surfer culture, so it is also great for people watching.

  • A Taste of Tuscany at Osteria Panevino in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter

    Osteria Panevino is set in the heart of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter and while there is no shortage of restaurants here, it's always fun to find ones I haven't been to before.

    The restaurant is designed to evoke the best of an authentic Tuscan osteria complete with brick walls and chalk boards on the walls with specials, a great wine list ranging from $25 to $900, sidewalk seating and of course bread as well as a full menu featuring homemade pasta, steaks, seafood, and of course gourmet Italian desserts. 

  • Celebrate Mardi Gras Any Time of the Year at Bud's Louisiana Cafe

    Heather and I LOVE Mardi Gras - well, actually we just love New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras goes along with that. There is something liberating and fun about a time of year when you can just let loose and celebrate all the good things in life including friends, family, food, and of course drink! 

    Unfortunately, not everyone can make a trip to New Orleans in person, so the next best thing is to find a great Cajun or New Orleans restaurant near you and celebrate that way. In our case, this meant seeking out Bud's Louisiana Cafe in San Diego. I was a little concerned when I discovered it was located in an industrial park in a suite that would normally have held a logistics office or moving company, but as I've learned about great food down south - never judge something by the exterior appearance.

    That was true here as well and I am thrilled that we spent our evening here enjoying authentic New Orleans food and of course Abita beer!

  • Flagship Sunday Brunch Cruise on San Diego Bay

    Let's just start out by saying that Heather and I had a fantastic time. This brunch cruise was an experience that really is hard to compare since it was three distinct things wrapped up into one happy package. For instance, raise your hand if you've ever done a booze cruise with someone you love? Keep your hand up if you've done a harbor cruise that involved a meal... Ok, now keep you hands up if that food has been great, the service excellent, and the experience was one that you can't wait to do again.  Yeah, not a lot of hands are up still, but that's ok! 

    You probably haven't had the opportunity to sail with Flagship Cruises out of San Diego before. 

    The company offers several different cruises ranging from whale watching excursions to sunday brunch, and even a jet boat. However, despite this diversity of types of cruises offered and my initial scepticism that they might be a jack of all trades and master of none, I can heartily recommend it and I will almost certainly go again. Heck, I'd even recommend their other experiences based on this one!

  • We Tasted Fogo De Chao New Cocktails and Bar Menu - It's Great!

    As you probably know by now, one of my absolutely favorite restaurants is Fogo de Chao. There is little out there that's better than the experience of enjoying great cocktails while enjoying an endless parade of meat served by friendly gauchos - well, except doing it in Brazil itself I suppose! Each season the folks at Fogo also update their harvest table with seasonal selections but they've now updated their bar menu too. They are so excited about their new offerings that they invited me back again to try some of their new cocktails and small plates before the full dinner that I already knew would be awesome.

  • Why Does Lobster Mean Fancy And How Did It Get That Way?

    There's something magical about lobster, just the mention if it brings visions of wealth, status, and a lifestyle of luxury. As someone who once lived in a lobster town in Massachusetts, lobster was always an affordable luxury - similar in cost to a great pork chop or a nice steak. Even though the cost was equivalent, the mention of lobster meant we were having a special dinner. Years later and on a different coast, that's pretty much how I feel each time I walk into Red Lobster today too.

  • A Brazilian Brunch at Fogo De Chao

    Most of us have at one point or another enjoyed a Brazilian steakhouse. Typically it's an expensive experience reserved for those celebratory dinners for holidays, birthdays, promotions etc. Recently though, Fogo de Chao has launched two new twists on this including their amazing brunch and also a "gaucho lunch". As a man who loves my meat I couldn't pass up the opportunity when they invited me to check out their new Brazilian Brunch!

  • Hungry For Crab? We've Got a Solution at Red Lobster!

    We talked about Lobsterfest a few months ago, but now it's time for Crabfest at Red Lobster and it's a perfect opportunity to treat someone special to a great dinner! In my case, Heather and I celebrated her birthday a couple days early with a big heaping portion of Bairdi Crab Legs and I had the Crab Lover's Dream featuring King Crab, Snow Crab and a delicious Crab Linguine Alfredo.

  • Exploring Bacanora, Sonora's Unique Version Of "Mezcal"

    This is a fantastic time to be a fan of Mexican spirits! Just a few years ago, it seemed like people thought you were a wild man if you told them you enjoyed tequila... but now Mexican spirits are everywhere - mezcal, gin, sotol, raicilla, and bacanora too. In the pantheon of agave spirits, this one gets somewhat lost, but let's make this more than our little secret. While fundamentally bacanora is a mezcal, it falls outside of the geographic region aka Denomination of Origin to be legally referred to as mezcal. Regardless of politics, we're thrilled to share some info about this hidden gem that all agave fans need to check out!

  • Sushi Deli San Diego

    Years ago when I first tried sushi, it was a rare and elite luxury designed only for those willing to spend a lot of money and savor every bite. There is still that aspect of sushi and the exquisite precision of Japanese food preparation but over the past few decades, sushi has become democratized. Today, you can get sushi in ballparks and gas stations as well as some of the world's finest restaurants. Sushi Deli is somewhere between those with both the ability to bring sushi to the masses while still maintaining very high quality and adapting it to a market seeking fun, excitement and innovative ideas. It's no surprise then that they were also one of the first to adapt to the new realities by making their pickup experience one of the easiest and safest in San Diego.

  • Not Your Dad's Steakhouse - STK San Diego

    I love a classic steakhouse. You know, the ones with dark leather booths, heavy shadows, and classic bourbon cocktails. STK San Diego is is not that kind of place! From the moment you walk in, it is very clear that this is not your dad's steakhouse. Instead, it's hip, light, and lively. There is even a DJ on some nights furthering the lounge atmosphere and the cocktails match this chic and trendy environment. Don't be fooled though - while it feels like a cocktail bar, the menu still offers huge steaks and classic sides. There's a sense of youth and urban energy here compared to the uber masculinity of a traditional steakhouse but it hasn't lost touch with why you ultimately chose to spend hundreds of dollars on an amazing meal. This vibe perfectly matches Andaz San Diego hotel where it is located and it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. 

  • Sizzler Is Still Awesome and It's Even Better Than I Remember

    Sizzler is the one that gives you choices... or at least that's what the 1991 training video says. Fortunately it was true back then and it's still true today. Honestly, that format of steak and "food bar" type restaurant has faded a LOT in the past decade or so as people seek out smaller portions and higher quality food served individually - not sitting on a buffet line. It's unfortunate though because something that a lot of us really enjoyed Sizzler back in the day. Luckily it's still here and better than ever!