A mainstay on the strip for over a decade at the Monte Carlo and now, hopefully, they’ll be a mainstay in the southwest suburbs with their newly opened, more casual French bistro that took over the old DW Bistro space. The layout is pretty much unchanged, but the addition of dark wood accents and some… Continue reading Andre’s Bistro & Bar
Tag: Seafood
Restaurante Tajamar
On our way back from Castillo de San Felipe we stopped at a restaurant in Santo Tomas when we asked our driver to take us to his favorite restaurant. Not knowing what to expect but hoping for the best, we ended up at an open-air restaurant right on the water, a short distance from the… Continue reading Restaurante Tajamar
Fish N Bowl
***Note: Business is closed*** Off the strip and praised by many, I walked into Fish N Bowl with high expectations. Arriving just in time to order off an impressive happy hour menu of over two dozen dishes, I tried some good and not-so-good items. First off, the bad… the oyster spoons ($5) were comprised of… Continue reading Fish N Bowl
Ironside Fish & Oyster
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better looking casual restaurant than Ironside. Located in Little Italy on a street packed with restaurants, the nautical theme that fills every nook and cranny of their space is beautiful. The most visually stunning piece is the wall made up of piranha heads. You’ll want your camera handy when… Continue reading Ironside Fish & Oyster
Oscar’s Mexican Seafood
Popular with locals and tourists alike, this tiny spot doesn’t have much signage but you’ll know you’ve reached your destination when you see the line out the door. Inside is a small kitchen and counter and restrooms. No seating. Outside there’s some seating along the wall and railing. I’m not a big fan of fish… Continue reading Oscar’s Mexican Seafood
Biscayne Steak, Sea and Wine
Stopping by on a Monday night before seeing the “Raiding the Rock Vault” show at the Tropicana, Biscayne was virtually empty. The hostess let us seat ourselves in their lounge/patio area, which is a narrow space outside the restaurant that looks out into the hallway. Not exactly a great atmosphere. Scallops were artfully plated on… Continue reading Biscayne Steak, Sea and Wine
Andiron Steak & Sea
I’m finally getting around to posting a review for Andiron, Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla’s upscale and modern interpretation of a steakhouse. I made a couple visits during the summer and with the executive chef changes (opening chef Joe Zanelli left, Brett Uniss entered and soon departed, and now Micah Waltz leads the kitchen) some… Continue reading Andiron Steak & Sea
Cedar Creek Inn
My recent trip to California included a stop at Cedar Creek Inn, a family owned and operated business with two locations. Arriving in the early evening for a private party, I was pleasantly surprised by the well executed food, stellar service, and cozy atmosphere. Their private covered patio is spacious and airy, perfect for cool… Continue reading Cedar Creek Inn
Other Mama
Sit at the bar at Other Mama and you’ll understand how passionate the folks are who run this newly opened restaurant in Spring Valley. You won’t meet a friendlier group willing to tell their story. Led by Dan Krohmer, a chef who trained under Morimoto, worked for Michelin-starred chef Omae, and celebrities such as Taylor… Continue reading Other Mama
Joyful House Chinese Cuisine
This stand alone building on Spring Mountain road may not look like much from the outside, but once you step inside you might feel underdressed. With white linens and waiters dressed in suits, it’s got an upscale vibe. But, most of the customers seemed to be dressed as casually as me. Their menu is massive.… Continue reading Joyful House Chinese Cuisine
Peppercorn Grille
Located right in the Big Bear Lake Village, it’s a location that’s sure to attract tourists and maybe some locals too. It’s a free standing tudor style building with it’s own parking lot. We stopped by for a late lunch so it wasn’t tough getting a spot. The interior is fairly small, but intimate and… Continue reading Peppercorn Grille
Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
One of the original food trucks to make it famous, Giovanni’s Shrimp truck on the North Shore looks like it’s a stationary outpost these days. I first stopped here seven years ago and came back recently to see if my initials were still on the back of the truck. They weren’t. It looks like they… Continue reading Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Tropics Bar & Grill
Located in the Hilton Hawaiian Village, we only dined here because we were too lazy to leave the property. We didn’t want to waste precious pool/beach time. Dining on their patio provides a great view of the beach and people watching. The food, as expected was mediocre. Low grade, difficult to chew tuna made up… Continue reading Tropics Bar & Grill
Manhattan Fish Grill
***Update: business closed*** I’m a fan of fast-casual restaurants that offer healthy and fresh options. I don’t always have time to cook at home and I don’t have the deep pockets to constantly eat at higher end spots. So, there’s plenty to like here. They specialize in fish cooked to order with your choice of… Continue reading Manhattan Fish Grill
Hot N Juicy Crawfish
Much nicer and cleaner than the original location down the street and more space between tables. The food is just as good. Who doesn’t love seafood in plastic bags? A friend and I shared half a dozen oysters, a pound of crawfish, a pound of shrimp, a pound of Alaskan king crab legs, and a… Continue reading Hot N Juicy Crawfish
Nobhill Tavern by Michael Mina
This post, like the majority of them, is long overdue. Blame it on a hectic work schedule and family life that leaves little room for anything else. So, while this is old news I’d still like to share. I was fortunate to dine at Nobhill Tavern on its final night of service, Saturday March 30,… Continue reading Nobhill Tavern by Michael Mina
Triple George Grill
It was an underwhelming experience. The food was decent all around, but not mind-blowing. The baked goat cheese marinara ($10.95) was heavy on the cheese, light on the marinara, and came with more than enough toast. The chicken parmesan ($14.95) was pretty good, but similar to a million other versions of the dish. It was… Continue reading Triple George Grill
The Boiling Crab
I prefer the food at Hot N Juicy, but the atmosphere/interior of the Boiling Crab is tops (at least compared to the original HNJ location, I haven’t been to their new location yet). The shrimp (about $10 a pound) was large. They still had their heads on, which can make for an interesting experience. I… Continue reading The Boiling Crab
Crab Corner
One of the best compliments you can give a restaurant is to say that it reminds you of home — provided, of course, that you have fond memories of home. Crab Corner is that kind of place. I spent the first thirty-plus years living in both Virginia and Maryland, where it was routine to buy… Continue reading Crab Corner
Joe’s Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab
My first stop during Restaurant Week 2012 was Joe’s Seafood. Located deep, deep within the Forum Shops (at least if you’re walking from the garage) it has an old-school atmosphere and a menu full of classic dishes. And, of course, their specialty… stone crabs. We got an a la carte order of stone crabs to… Continue reading Joe’s Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab
Hot N Juicy Crawfish
If there’s a restaurant in Vegas that has a more fun, casual atmosphere with good food at reasonable prices, I’m not aware of it. It took me five years of living here before finally making my first visit and I’m kicking myself for not getting here sooner. There’s nothing “classy” about Hot N Juicy —… Continue reading Hot N Juicy Crawfish
Mastro’s Ocean Club
Seems like I’ve been on a steak kick recently, which makes me realize that my stomach and wallet are inversely proportional. After visiting Gordon Ramsay and Old Homestead recently my gut has increased exponentially while my wallet is shrinking dramatically. Mastro’s, of course, had the same effect. Our party of four dined family-style and sampled… Continue reading Mastro’s Ocean Club
Todd’s Unique Dining Restaurant
I’m way behind on my reviews. This one is from Spring Restaurant Week ’12. Dining out at any half-decent, upscale place should be relaxing. That wasn’t the vibe I got as we entered. It was a madhouse with servers and hostesses running around frantically with overwhelmed and panicked looks on their faces. Granted, it was… Continue reading Todd’s Unique Dining Restaurant
Old Fisherman’s Grotto
Overrated. We figured it was a tourist trap, but thought they’d at least have good seafood. The highlight of the meal was the clam chowder that everyone raves about. It had wonderful flavor and plenty of chunks of potatoes, bacon and clams. The wife and I split the Fisherman’s Wharf platter ($29.95). It had scallops… Continue reading Old Fisherman’s Grotto
American Fish
We were sucked in (or should I say suckered in) by their happy hour special — $5 apps, $7 cocktails and wines by the glass, and $4 beers. It sounds better than it actually is. The apps are small. Very small. So small you’ll have to order at least 6 per person to fill yourself… Continue reading American Fish
Monstah Lobstah
In honor of national lobster day, which was June 15 , I decided to give Monstah Lobstah a try. OK, I actually ate there a day or two prior, but it was close enough. This outpost of Monstah Lobstah is located inside Doc Holliday’s and as you would expect there’s plenty of Boston memoribilia around… Continue reading Monstah Lobstah
Red Lobster
I’ll admit that one of my guilty pleasures is eating the cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster. It’s something that i loved growing up and every once in a while I still get the urge to eat a few. Unfortunately, that also means I have to order something else at Red Lobster. And, let’s face it,… Continue reading Red Lobster
Chart House
Christmas day and my wife and I didn’t want to make dinner. Our requirements for eating out: 1) no buffets and 2) it had to have a kid menu. After calling around and finding out that many “good” restaurants weren’t kid-friendly we ended up making reservations at the Chart House, located in the Golden Nugget.… Continue reading Chart House
Faidley Seafood
There was only one reason I came here — crab cakes! This was stop number two in my mini crab cake adventure in B’more. The previous night I stopped by G&M in Linthicum and wasn’t overly impressed. This stop, however, was every bit as good as advertised. I really wasn’t all that hungry for lunch,… Continue reading Faidley Seafood
G & M Restaurant & Carry Out
I was in Baltimore for the weekend, so of course I had to get some crab cakes. After a little research I narrowed it down to two stops: G&M and Faidley’s. I stopped by G&M first, for dinner. It’s a fairly ordinary looking building with plenty of parking. The entrance to the lounge faces the… Continue reading G & M Restaurant & Carry Out