meal

Michel’s Christiania, Ketchum, Idaho, 9/4/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment

Michel’s Christiania Restaurant was opened around 1994 by Chef/Owner Michel Rudigoz.  The French raised chef actually moved to Ketchum to coach a Sun Valley Ski team.  He also coached Picabo Street the year she won her first Olympic Medal.  His love of classic French cuisine is the basis of this restaurant.  It is a large A-frame building with a good sized patio in the back.  The interior also has a bar and upstairs party room.  Tables were well distanced inside and out, covered with white clothes and set with black napkins.  The patio was even nicer than the outside, to me, with a center fountain (no music in the background to compete with the sound of trickling water) and a large awning over the section adjacent to the building.  Greenery surrounds the patio and a small wall separates diners from the street which was not that busy.  Lighting under the awning was better than further out, but that matters most if you want to take photos.  The menu features some local ingredients and also there were a couple nightly specials.  Servers wore masks and were friendly but service did not live up to the standard the place wants to be – timing was variable and after placing our champagne in an ice bucket the server never refilled our glasses without being requested to do so. Continue reading →

Hudson House (Lakewood), Dallas, 9/2/20

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
exterior

Hudson House recently opened their third Dallas location in the Lakewood area.  The restaurant is owned by Vandelay Hospitality and is said to be known for it’s East Coast oyster happy hour and burger.  It is open for lunch , dinner and brunch.  They offer curbside pick up as well as indoor dining.  Seating is in booths, tables and at the bar.  It is a pretty large place and people at the bar were well spaced but booth seating didn’t seem to be limited.  They also have a “Pineapple Room” available for parties and it was empty.  Reservations were necessary and there is plenty of parking in the lot out front.  All staff wore well fitting masks and were friendly and helpful.  Service was efficient but I didn’t feel rushed.  Inside there was a wood floor with bare wood tables.  Around the bar was a path of the tiniest tiles – very striking.  The walls held a lot of New York and sports based art.  Music was in the background and the place was well lit. Continue reading →

Noyo Harbor Inn Restaurant and Tavern, Fort Bragg, CA., 8/13/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7710
building

Noyo Harbor Restaurant is part of the historic Noyo Harbor Inn in Fort Bragg, CA.  They have a good sized multi level patio for outside dining that overlooks the active marina and flowing river.  Many of the metal tables, but not all, had umbrellas to provide shade, were set on the patio’s tile floor, had some heaters and no music was in the  background.  Servers wore masks and each table had a small bottle of hand sanitizer.   The bathroom was inside by the inn’s check-in desk.   The lovely view and multiple levels made it a very pleasant place to sit enjoy your meal.   The restaurant had wild caught and daily catch from the harbor as well as vegetables and herbs from the Chef’s garden.  We were there midday and they had a brunch menu as well as daily specials.  It offered the aforementioned seafood as well as a number of breakfast items.  They had cocktails, beer and wine by the glass or bottle.  Service was friendly but less refined (one of the servers splashed coffee on my blouse while pouring).  I saw some of the breakfast food come out and the plates looked generous. Continue reading →

Wild Fish, Little River, CA., 8/12/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7657
exterior

Wild Fish was opened on November of 2011 by a British couple, Liz and Kelvin Jacobs, who had relocated to California.  She was a food writer and he a chef and they wanted to create a restaurant that served local, seasonal  and sustainable seafood and organic produce.  They have an additional place in Pacific Grove, CA.  They have been offering take out options but in Little River they also had a small patio behind the restaurant  that overlooked the ocean and greenery leading up to the shore.  There were only 6 small bare wood tables and one actually was on the parking lot.  The restaurant was behind a gas station/convenience store/post office and there were no umbrellas for shade but heaters were there for later in the evening.  There was music in the background, a small bottle of hand sanitizer on each table and  lots of plants on the patio.  Servers were friendly and wore masks.  They had a small but well chosen wine list and many wines were offered by the glass (a good pour) as well as by the bottle.  Each food item had a suggested wine to go with it and we chose to try their suggestions, creating our own tasting. Continue reading →

Mission Ranch, Carmel, 7/31/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7338
entrance on road

Mission Ranch dates back to the 1800’s.  It covers 22 acres with views of the Pacific Ocean, Point Lobos, Santa Lucia Mountains and the beach and Clint Eastwood, former Mayor of Carmel and longtime Carmel resident, rescued the property from developers and turned it into a resort location.  The 10 buildings on the property include 31 hotel rooms and a restaurant featuring Classic American cuisine where you can watch the sheep graze while you eat your dinner.  There was a piano bar but it is now closed due to Covid-19.  The restaurant does not take reservations but you can go by and get on a list and they will call you when your table is about ready.  Masks are required and tables are well spaced.  There were 2 large patio areas for dining with a few standing heaters in each area.  As the night wore on and the temperatures dropped they could have used a few more heaters.  Once we made it to the table service was prompt and friendly.  The menu and wine list are all available through the scan square and there is a wifi network if you don’t have service.  You can bring your own wine with a corkage of $25. Continue reading →

Nepenthe, Big Sur, 7/31/20

~ hsnixon ~ 3 Comments
IMG_7194
facility

Nepenthe is 808 feet above sea level in Big Sur on the site of The Log House that was built in 1925.  Nepenthe, named for a plant ancient writers described as inducing a pleasurable sensation, was designed by Rowan Maiden, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright using native materials of red wood and adobe so the building became one with the landscape.  It is a facility on several levels with the main dining area on the top, the gift shop on the first and a more casual dining spot on the second level.  You can drive up much of the hill but then there are several sets of stairs to climb to the top.  Each level has magnificent vistas to take in of the water and tree covered hills.  The main dining room for Nepenthe was a large room with a long counter that now serves as a staging area for the plates to be served on the outside seating on the balconies around it and the large patio in front of it.  There was music inside the room but none outside.  You need to walk through the room to get to the bathroom.   It is really busy so we got there before they opened and checked in to get a beeper that went off when they were ready to seat us. Continue reading →

Aubergine (update), Carmel, 7/30/20

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_7626
L’Auberge Hotel

We visited Aubergine one year ago but currently California does not permit indoor dining.  Luckily Carmel has great weather for this change and the L’Auberge Hotel has a beautiful courtyard to move the restaurant guests to.   The polished wood tables are well spaced from each other and set with placemats and large linen napkins.  The patio has a brick floor, lots of plants and is punctuated with various lighting sources and heat lamps.  It is a lovely place to sit in the lighted hours as well as after the sun sets.  Various benches and chairs on the perimeter are used by people who ordered a separate drink from the bar.  All staff wore masks and were extraordinarily welcoming (as are all the staff at the hotel), especially Chef Justin Cogley who served some of the courses and visited with guests.  They now offer just one tasting menu to all and wine pairings are available.  You can view the wine list on your smart phone with the link provided.  Portion control was good and pacing was leisurely but never lagged.  It started quicker and then slowed slightly.  It still has one Michelin star but I see this place moving to 2 stars soon.  Put it on your list of places to go. Continue reading →

La Bicyclette (update), Carmel, 7/30/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6757
restaurant

Frankie and I visited La Bicyclette just a year ago and while the food is still good it is a much smaller place as all the seating has moved to the outside (due to Covid 19 regulations of CA.)   They have built a small deck so that seating is at sidewalk level but there are not many tables (I counted seven 2-tops and two 4-tops) and they do not take reservations.  We lined up before they opened and snagged one of the first round of seatings.  The small wood tables were set with a hand towel for a cloth with some umbrellas  and heaters dividing the tables.  The heaters would be good in the evening but during the daytime they could use more umbrellas as it gets quite sunny on this less busy street.  The menu offered a couple specials as well as a daily soup.  Service was friendly and helpful with all servers wearing masks and trying to afford distance  between them and patrons when possible. Continue reading →

Flying Fish Grill, Carmel, 7/29/20

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_6607
entrance and patio

The Flying Fish Grill website still lists Tina and Kenny Fukumoto as owners rather than Honza Prikryl who bought it 3 years ago but has not been able to get control of the website to change things.  The menu is correctly reflected on the website except they temporarily don’t offer Clay Pots as that was part of the indoor service.  It looked like a cozy place but currently dining was outside of the restaurant, along the bricked corridor of a shopping plaza, set off the street.  The good sized tables were unclothed metal ones some with umbrellas attached.   Service was friendly but with a few glitches, but then everyone is adapting to new rules and systems.  The inside restaurant was down a set of stairs so staff had to bring everything up to the “new” dining area.   The menu is all about Asian fusion seafood and a couple specials were also offered by the server. Continue reading →

Dametra Café, Carmel, 7/29/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment

IMG_6596Dametra Café specializes in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food.  The small cafe opened in 2008 and is even smaller now having only outdoor dining due to Covid 19 restrictions of California.  The same table set up runs along the street in front of the building with tables divided by planters and heaters and separated from the street by a wooden fence.  The narrow, small tables are covered with bright yellow oil-cloth tableclothes and set at street level rather than sidewalk.  It makes some difficult to get in and out but didn’t seem to keep the crowd away.  It’s reputation is that there is often a line for walk-up guests but we were lucky and got a table when we arrived. They offer the same menu at lunch and dinner but add sandwiches to the lunch offerings.   They also have a more limited menu for curbside pickup.  Service was friendly, helpful and efficient.  Even with an ever-changing supply of table guests they did not rush us to finish up our wine so they could reseat the table. Continue reading →

Gracie’s Sea Hag, Depoe Bay, OR., 6/24/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_5685
sign

Gracie’s Sea Hag opened in 1963 and promotes itself as having the finest and freshest sea fare on the Oregon coast.  Gracie Strom and her husband Dic started the place but he died a few years after it opened.  From the reviews I read, she sounded like quite a character – playing the bottles behind the bar to create tunes and greeting all guests like they were long time friends.  Sadly in 2006 she sold the place and I’m not sure it has the same fun vibe, however that is hard to judge in this time of Corona virus.  It is a large place with large tables, booths on one side of the room and tables on the other.  The booths were all separated by panels of stained glass windows of sea life above the stuffed benches and got extra lighting via a hanging stained glass light fixture.  The bare wood tables on the other side are set with unstuffed wood chairs.  The floor is a mix of carpet and tile, the ceiling is of wood with exposed duct work running down the middle of the long room.  A counter at the front of the room had menus, souvenirs and a person who greets you and takes you to a table.  The other end of the room is a service area that leads into the kitchen.   Continue reading →

Desert Racer, Dallas, 5/31/20

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_5445
exterior

Note:  Restaurant now closed

Nick Badovinus opened Desert Racer in 2019.   The Covid 19 outbreak temporarily closed the place and when it recently re-opened several major changes happened.  A concrete wall surrounds the small restaurant and large 8,000 sq. ft. patio.  Wall signs point to the original entrance but now the exit and entrance are through the same break in the wall, under the motorcycle.  Inside is a long bar and tables with garage door type windows that roll up to let the outside in.  The menu is currently called Vantina and based on a pop-up food truck, which is now parked in the patio but the food comes from the kitchen.  That means the menu is much smaller than when the place first opened but fits the setting. (The only dessert offered  was soft serve ice cream).   Currently they have just 4 “indoor” tables and two groupings of 2 seats at the bar were open.  The large patio had various means of shade and fans but some did receive full sun.  Lots of plants are inside and out and outside the polished wood tables are mostly on artificial grass.  Inside the same tables are on rugs on a concrete floor.  There is lots of parking in a dedicated lot and the patio is smoke free.  Servers were friendly, efficient and wore masks. Continue reading →

Coque (update), Madrid, 3/7/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_4163
exterior

We visited Coque a little over 3 years ago and 2 years and 7 months ago they moved to a new location.  It still has a similar format to the older place in that you move to different locations in the building to eat and drink various offerings.  This 2 star Michelin restaurant serves everyone the same tasting menu.  It is a modern, stylish set up but it does not allow you to make personal connections with staff or other diners.  There are lots of bites on the menu but it is not a stuffing meal, despite that.  I also found the timing to be off with some rooms lingering too long while others were sped through.  They offer drink pairings for purchase and then some courses come with a beverage.  We selected our own wine which you do while in the large wine room.  They have a large list but not much help in selection.  It would have been nice to have the list while in the bar area where we spent a good amount of time with just one bite and  a cocktail.  In this new location they have changed the dining room chairs I objected to in the original place, which is a huge plus in my opinion.  One of the most memorable parts of the place is it’s amazing collection of plates and serving dishes. Continue reading →

Las Reses, Madrid, 3/7/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3925
Exterior

Las Reses opened in 1964 and is set below street level.  It is spread over a couple rooms and bright with lots of red walls covered with decorations.  The floors are wood and no music is in the background.  The tables have adequate spacing and are set with white clothes which cover the floor length beige ones and large white napkins.  The staff were friendly but spoke limited English.   It is mostly a restaurant dedicated to beef steaks for which they have carts to come around to the table and show you the cuts of meat.  It is all a la carte and some of the cuts are sold by the kilo.  There were several larger parties there and it looked like they took their remainder of the meat back to reheat it after the initial serving.  Continue reading →

Euskalduna Studio, Porto, 3/6/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3491
exterior

Euskalduna Studio opened in 2016.  It was a small place with a couple tables in the front for groups of 4 and the rest of the guests were on the 10 high wood chairs with arms in front of a stone counter across from the open kitchen.  On the wall above the cooking area was a display of knives.  Behind was a wall of light wood, shelves for glassware and above, an interesting acoustical ceiling.  It felt very stylish yet casual.  Music was in the background and the lights were lowered.  Everyone in attendance is served a tasting menu but what is on your menu varies.  Each time you return the chef, Vasco Coelho Santos, will design you a new menu of dishes inspired by many cultures (particularly Japanese) but with a Portuguese twist.   We were lucky to sit next to their Number 1 fan who has been once a month and is now a real challenge for chef Santos to find new surprises to prepare for her.  With each tasting menu they do offer wine pairings as well as non-alcoholic options.  Wines are also available by the bottle and glass.  Pacing and portion control were just right.  I would put this on your list to get to if you can. Continue reading →

Café Santiago, Porto, 3/6/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3191
exterior

Café Santiago was a new looking and bright place, but has been in business since 1959 .  Windows to the street were on one end of the long place that reached through to the next block where there was another entrance.  A wood floor and tile walls are the room that housed the ‘lower level’ with closely spaced veneer topped tables.  Photos are on the walls.  Up a few stairs was the kitchen and a bar along with more tables.  It had a large menu but they are known for their Francesinhas – sandwich original to Porto.  It is commonly made with ham, fresh sausage and roast meat and then covered with melted cheese and maybe an egg and served with french fries. The sandwich comes in many variations and that seemed to be what most came for.  There were a combination of obvious tourists as well as some regular locals, who were recognized by the staff.   Continue reading →

O Paparico Restaurante, Porto, 3/5/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2618
exterior

O Paparico can seat about 36 people in a couple rooms and has been open for 11 years.  The large white cloth covered tables have an ecru floor drape and are nicely spread apart and accompanied by small service tables.  After you knock on the door, the Butler lets you in and there is a small comfortable entry room with a bar counter and leather furniture for you to wait for your table.  Lights are lowered and the low wood ceiling works well with the stone walls and tile floor.  Soft music plays in the background and lots of candles and photos on the walls add to the cozy atmosphere.  Noise is not an issue for conversations.  The menu is presented in an envelope you must open to study the 3 tasting menu choices.  All are surprise menus so you chose between vegetarian, Portuguese or regional themes and they also offer optional wine pairings and a cheese course supplement.  All the menus change every couple weeks.  Originally they offered a la carte options but abandoned that choice several years ago. Pacing and portion control were both good and the staff spoke excellent English. Continue reading →

Antiqvvm, Porto, 3/5/20

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_2252
museum on the top, restaurant below

Antiqvvm was located on the basement level of a large building that housed a museum on the floors above.  There was a terrace off the back that had amazing views of the water and city but weather was not with us that day however the table we had was next to floor to ceiling windows which felt about the same.  The white cloth covered tables were well spaced and music was in the background.  The room we sat in looked like it was an enclosed porch but now had carpets on the concrete floor however the stone details of the walls and windows were still intact.  A timber ceiling had been painted over and some the the seating was in a bench format.  They had been open for 5 years last October and received their one Michelin star in the first year they were open.  They offered 3 tastings, one of which was vegetarian and one was entirely seafood.  They also had an a la carte menu and a special lunch menu of 3 or 4 courses (for 3 you chose between fish or meat and with 4 you get both).  They had a number of wines by the glass and we ordered some of them to go with the lunch menu.  Service was efficient, super friendly and our server spoke great English. Continue reading →

Restaurante Pedro Lemos, Porto, 3/4/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1862
exterior

Pedro Lemos, located on a really narrow little street, opened in 2009.  The downstairs level had wine storage, the bathroom and a large dining table for big groups.  In 2015 they did a major renovation and made the upstairs a room with more widely spaced  tables and took out a bar area and fireplace to make this additional space between tables.  The nice sized tables were set with white clothes, napkins, purse stools and armless padded chairs.  There were windows to the outside on 2 walls and a beautiful old wood floor.  A decoration of swallows crossed the ceiling and on to the upper part of the dark walls.  Music was in the background and the lighting was lowered.  They offered two tasting menus of 8 or 10 courses and optional wine pairings.  We chose the 10 course tasting.  Portions were on the large side and pacing was good.  The staff were quite friendly and spoke great English.  It has one Michelin star. Continue reading →

Cafeína, Porto, 3/4/20

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_1676
exterior

Cafeína was a medium sized place in the corner of a building and has been in business for 24 years.  Small, closely spaced tables were set with white clothes and napkins and padded chairs.  Music played in the background, the floor was concrete with a rug in the center of the room, windows to the outside were on several walls, steel beams were structural yet decorative parts of the dining room and a bar counter is at the entry with dining rooms on both sides.  Noise  was not a problem even when the room was full.  The place had a relaxed atmosphere with guests enjoying themselves and many appearing to be ‘regulars.’  The menu was a la carte but at lunch they did have a special offered that was 3 course with choices for each course.  Specials on wine were also available for lunch.  The lunch special menu was not translated but our server was happy to help with any terms we didn’t know.  Service was efficient, friendly and helpful.  The lunch menu really appealed and so we chose that option and some of their wines by the glass.   The pours by the glass were fairly generous. Continue reading →

Irene’s, New Orleans, 2/22/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1519
exterior

Irene’s opened in 1993 and gradually expanded to 3 rooms over time.  Owner Irene DiPietro from Noto, Sicily is still active with the place but now her son Nicholas Scalco does most of the cooking.  In 2018 it moved to a new, much larger location on Bienville because of a problem with the lease on the original location.  It had been a hard table to get because of its size but delicious food made you try.  Going now to this location was a different feel.  There are about 5 eating areas, depending if you call the large bar area one.  Music is in the background, mostly old rock and despite the small rooms the noise level can be loud.  The small tables are set with white clothes and napkins and the lighting is lowered.    Walls, some of which are red, have lots of decorative items.  Our room had red paint on the top and wood below, an open beam ceiling, a fireplace and tile floor.  The service was very friendly but it was a little slow in getting our meal started and then moved quite rapidly, bringing the main plates out before appetizers were finished.  It didn’t lend itself to a relaxed fine dining feel.  The menu had a special entree and appetizer as well as a changing soup.  All is a la carte. Continue reading →

Sylvain, New Orleans, 2/21/20

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_0951
exterior

Sylvain is named after the first opera done in New Orleans which was a raucous comedy and they wanted to emulate that in their atmosphere.  Located just off Jackson Square it is  in a late 1700’s carriage house in the French Quarter.  It has one long dining room that ends in windows to the street out front and some patio seating in the back.  Inside there is a long bar where guests can eat and/or drink.  Small bare wood tables are set with a variety of chairs and the distressed concrete walls are decorated with art.  The lighting is lowered, there is music in the background and the floor is very old wood.  They specialize in southern style food and lots of cocktails.  It was a lively crowd but service was a bit slow.  We started with Sazeracs which were well made but took a while to get to the table.  In fact they didn’t get to the table before we started to order including wine and almost cancelled their order because the timing was off for the meal but they did arrive and everything moved forward at a leisurely pace. Continue reading →

G W Fins (update), New Orleans, 2/21/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1801
exterior

We were at G W Fins 6 months ago but went back on this trip to try some other items.  Same busy and large interior but service not as personal this trip.  Their menu is printed daily, so no specials.  We tried two hot appetizers, a couple of their fish entrées and dessert.  All was good.

Continue reading →

Doris Metropolitan, New Orleans, 2/20/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_0609
exterior

Doris Metropolitan has two other locations, Houston and Costa Rica, besides this location in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  The climate controlled meat aging room can be seen from the street through some windows.  It also is adjacent to the reception area that is on the end of the room which has the kitchen on the other end.  In between is a curved bar that is as much about eating as drinking.  At the front of the kitchen is a counter with cuts of meat for sale by the pound.  Lights are on but not overly so and music plays in the background.  The fairly large polished wood  tables are closely spaced and set with striped cloth napkins and a large paper napkin.  The server said the paper napkin was so your flatware would never have to be on the bare table.  Some of the tables use bench seating and others are set with armless chairs.  Wine bottles and art cover the walls, the floor is concrete, there is exposed ductwork all of which does not provide much sound dampening.  Service was friendly and helpful in making choices.  A starter menu included a choice of caviar and champagne.  The regular menu has a number of starters but for main dishes there were lamb and fish options but otherwise everything was cuts of beef.  They do offer A-5 Japanese Wagyu as well as there regular steak options aged either 21 or 31 days.  They also had some nightly specials. Continue reading →

Taberna Malvasía, Granada, 1/25/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_0237
exterior

Taberna Malvasía is a small place with a “L” shaped bar counter and a couple of small high top tables and wall counters.   Opening in September 2016, it is a very stylish place with sound board on the ceiling mounted in various shapes, a distressed wood floor, some stone walls and one wall featuring bottles of wine.  Beer is on tap but this seemed to cater much more to wine drinkers.  The kitchen was tiny but turned out some really fine food.  We enjoyed several free tapas with our glasses of wine but also bought a couple plates that sounded too good to pass up and I’m really glad we did.  Everything was really well done and the atmosphere is relaxing and sophisticated.  The owner, Miguel Vázquez,  was at the bar and spoke great English.  He was super friendly and glad to talk about the qualities of the different wines he had by the glass. Continue reading →

Restaurante La Farala, Granada, 1/24/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_9889
interior

Restaurante La Farala is on the second story of a building that has a Flamenco club on the first floor.   They have been open one and a half years.  Music is in the background and the lighting has a yellow tint to it.  The polished bare wood tables are set with a gray or black stone placemats and a contrasting white or black napkin. Bench seats are along the walls for some of the closely set tables and others are free standing with just chairs.  Several large square columns divide the room and one wall had some heavily draped windows overlooking the street.  The floor is a nice wood plank and the ceiling had some recessed portions.  The show downstairs was over so there was no noise from there but seating is available when the shows are on and in that case there is another way to enter the restaurant.  The menu offers a la carte items and 3 tastings of different sizes.  Optional wine pairings are available.  We ordered the middle size menu and our own wine.  The waiter said the longer menu would take over 3 hours and you should be really hungry with it. Continue reading →

la Fábula, Granada, 1/23/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_9243
entrance

La Fábula was in the Hotel Villa Oniria and has had the same chef for 10 years.  The 10 large tables were widely spaced and draped with white clothes and set with napkins embroidered with the restaurant name.  There were lots of banquet seats opposite the well stuffed armless chairs.  Carpet and sound panels in the ceiling assured that conversations would be private and noise level would remain low, even with music in the background.  Cute decorations were on each table instead of the standard flower or candle.  Lighting was lowered but it was not dark.  Staff were super friendly, spoke great English and could easily talk about each dish.  The menu offered a la carte options as well as a tasting menu that had an optional addition of 4 more courses.  Wine pairings were available for both sizes of tasting.   We chose the smaller tasting and ordered our own wines.  The meal had good pacing and portion control. Continue reading →

damasqueros Restaurante, Granada, Spain, 1/22/20

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_8845
exterior

Damasqueros has been open about 12 years and serves only a tasting menu.  They do offer wine pairings with 2 levels of choice.  We bought our own bottles of wine but I did see the pours for other tables and they looked fairly slight.  The 10 small tables in the room are draped with a shorter brown cloths over a longer ecru one with beige embossed napkins.  The light leather benches that are set along one wall are interesting in that they are individual for each table instead of being one long bench.  The wood walls go with the partial wood ceiling  and one wall that has wood cubes to store wine.  One wall is glass with a door to the street however that is not how you enter or exit.  The entrance brings you first into a long light bar.  A variety of music played in the background.  Pacing was good and portion control was on the generous side.  Service was friendly and helpful with fairly good English.   Continue reading →

Taverna Santa Chiara, Naples, Italy, 12/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7754
exterior

Taverna Santa Chiara is in small rooms on 2 floors. It is set off a pedestrian walkway.  We sat on the bottom floor which had about 5 bare wood tables set with paper placemats and napkins.  Music was in the background and the place had lots of decorations.  The kitchen was right off the dining room but separated by a glass partition.  The menu was translated on itself and a couple of nightly specials were presented by the server.  They sold a house wine that was available in various quantities.  Chef was in the kitchen and came out to talk with friends but did not visit with all guests.   Continue reading →

Taverna dell’ Arte, Naples, Italy, 12/20/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7459
outside

Taverna dell’ Arte was a small place that opened in 1990.  The small tables were closely positioned and covered in beige cloths on top of black ones and set with beige napkins.  Outside there was a porch area with lots of candles.  Inside the lighting was lowered and music was in the background.  There are several rooms divided by half walls and some full partitions.  There was lots of dark wood and various decorations were on top of things and hung on walls.   The windows were covered.  The staff was friendly and spoke fairly good English, as I heard several tables speaking English.   There was a large menu in both English and Italian and everything was a la carte.  There were a lot of drink options.  The chef came out and visited with some but not all of the tables.  Overall this place was okay, not great. Continue reading →

Gran Caffe Gambrinus, Naples, Italy, 12/20/19

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
IMG_7382
exterior

Gran Caffe Gambrinus is a huge ornate place that is mostly a coffee and pastry restaurant.  They do serve heavier food but most people seemed to be enjoying a pastry, coffee and the surroundings.  The place has been around for 150 years and was restored in 1890 when they brought in many of the paintings and statues. It has been visited by many celebrities over the years, like Ernest Hemingway, Sigmund Freud, Angela Merkel, and Luciano Pavarotti.  They are ready for lots of tourists as the menu is in about 6 languages.  The tables are small but there were a lot of them and a good sized bakery at one entrance where you could come and get pastries to go.  We tried coffee and a Sfogliatella riccia which is a shell shaped Neapolitian classic pastry that has tons of layers of buttery pastry.  It was fabulous but looking around the place was just as good.  It is eye candy. Continue reading →

Mangi & Bevi, Naples, Italy, 12/20/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6287
art

Frattoria Mangi & Bevi is a small place of 2 rooms with the third room being the kitchen.  It is a bright place with no music in the background and the tables are covered with plastic.  It seemed to be mostly populated with local, regular patrons.  The floor is tile, the walls are brick and lots of old photos decorate the walls.  Not much English is spoken by the staff.   It serves good, home style comfort food.  The menu is passed out with a small card.  You write on the card what you want and turn it into the waiter.  He brings stuff out as it is ready.  Service was efficient, fairly fast and portions good sized but not huge.  Wine is available by liter or fraction of and served in pitchers with plastic cups or they have beer.   Continue reading →

Essencia Restaurant, Naples, Italy, 12/19/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7211
exterior

Essencia Restaurant just opened last May.  The building has a bar and kitchen downstairs and upstairs are a couple rooms for dining.  Window doors open to the outside and music is in the background.  The small tables are set with beige or white cloths on top of a contrasting floor length cloth.  Coordinated napkins and different colors of fabric on the chairs complete the stylish set up.  Bench seating was on one wall and the seats were pretty comfortable although the small tables are fairly close.  The walls are decorated with various pieces of art.  The menu offers a la carte selections and tastings of 4 or 5 courses.  I didn’t notice wine pairings being offered but the wine list was fairly reasonable.  Staff were very friendly, welcoming and spoke great English.  We chose the 5 course tasting.  Pacing and portion control were both wonderful. Continue reading →

L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele, Naples, Italy, 12/19/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6881
exterior

L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele is made up of two rooms.  They serve beer, water or soft drinks, no wine and serve only Margherita or Marinara pizzas.   There is no menu. The entry room is slightly larger and houses the pizza oven, prep area and check out register.  The bare marble tables are large enough for multiple parties to be seated at.  Not sure they really liked having tourists in the place and I noticed they sat all the Asian people at one table, whether they were in the same party or not.  They let the folks in early as it was raining that day and when it was formal opening time one of the men came round to the tables and asked how many of each type you wanted and took drink orders.  Plastic cups, a pile of napkins and some flatware are then unceremoniously dumped on your table. Continue reading →

Osteria “La Chitarra”, Naples, Italy, 12/18/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6633
exterior

Osteria La Chitarra is a small place with about 9 tables.  Wood beams cross the ceiling and were topped with Christmas or non-seasonal decorative items.  Music was in the background and lighting was lowered.  The bare wood pedestal tables were set with placemats and large paper napkins.  The menu is all a la carte and wine is available in bottles and also by liter or portion thereof.  We bought a pitcher of the house wine and it was very drinkable.  Service was provided by the wife of the chef/owner and she was friendly and efficient.  The chef, Giuseppe Maiorano did come out and visit with a few friends but did not make the rounds of the room, perhaps he only spoke Italian.  This is a place of home cooking at its best. Continue reading →

Pizzeria Da Attilio, Naples, Italy, 12/18 & 12/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6494
exterior

Naples is the home of pizza and Da Attilio served the best pizza I’ve ever had.  It’s a medium sized place in a touristy area but packed with people speaking Italian.  The red cloth covered tables are topped with plastic and set with paper napkins.  A large pizza oven is at the entrance to the restaurant where there is room for a few people to wait for a seat.  The wait was not bad.  The counter keeps a list and calls outside when it is your turn.  Inside there are a couple rooms with fairly close tables and lots of decorations on the walls.  No music is in the background just the hum of people happily eating pizza with friends.  When you get to your table there is a large menu and sometimes a special pizza of the day.  After you finish there is a counter up front where you can pay.  They serve wine and beer but I didn’t see hard liquor.  The staff were very friendly but pretty much in a rush as they have lots of people to attend to.  It was so good that we came back for a second visit.  Chef Attilio is the third generation of ownership of this business, named for his grandfather who started the restaurant.  He started helping his mother at the age of 6. Continue reading →

La Scene par Stephanie Le Quellec, Paris, 12/7/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6003
exterior

La Scene par Stephanie Le Quellec opened on October 9.  You enter on the street level and there is a stunning bar counter and a few tables.  To go to dinner you head down the stairs to the totally stylish dining room.  Banquette seating is along both of the long walls in the rectangular room.  One end of the room is the open kitchen  and opposite that are a couple free standing tables.  The tables are marble topped  and appointed with lovely linen napkins.  The walls of the room have curved wood pieces and lighted opaque glass between them. It is truly striking but very difficult to describe, so look at the pictures below.  The tables are on the small side and fairly closely set but each had lovely flowers in an unusual vase on them.  Music is in the background and the room is softly lit.  There are a couple seats at the kitchen counter and carpet is on the floor, so noise was not an issue.  Chef Le Quellec was in the kitchen and did come out to the room to visit with all the guests.  They offer several tasting menus (3, 4 or 7 courses and a truffle menu) and a la carte selections.  Since we were there they have been awarded 2 Michelin stars. Continue reading →

Le Vent d’Armor (update), Paris, 12/7/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_5761
building

We had dinner at Le Vent d’Armor just over a year ago and so this time went for lunch.  The food was as good as last time and this time we had the wife of the chef working the front room and she was super friendly too.  It is a lovely place and a good value.  Seriously, everything we ate was terrific, with great clean tastes – you need to put this place on your list to go to soon.  The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.  The room is brighter in the daytime, obviously because the windows let in the sunshine but otherwise the physical layout had not changed.  The nicely spaced tables are set with white cloths and napkins and no music is in the background.  They do offer two lunch menus of 2 to 3 courses, however we wanted to eat off the a la carte menu, that is like what they have at dinner. Continue reading →

Le Bon Georges (update), Paris, 12/6/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_5737
Frankie shared the restaurant information

It’s only been a year since we were at Le Bon Georges but this time we went for dinner and sat in a different room, but it was still the most fun place with absolutely fantastically friendly staff.  I can’t stress how welcoming and gracious the staff are.  Helpful, fun and efficient,  they really make you want to come back and eat again.  This visit we sat in the lower room, that doesn’t have the bar.  It has a higher ceiling, a tile floor but like the other room has windows to the street, small bare wood tables closely spaced and set with large paper napkins and a chalkboard menu to order from.  After a fancy vegetable heavy lunch we wanted simple meat and potatoes. They sell Polmard beef by the gram and this night they had strip steaks ranging from 700 to 1000 grams.  This special beef is aged, which is rare in France, with a cold air system.  We added some of their fabulous fries to go with it.   Continue reading →

Arpège (update), Paris, 12/6/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_5219
building

It’s been 3 years since we visited Alain Passard’s Arpège and while the interior hasn’t changed the prices have continued to creep up and the surprise tasting lunch now contains no major meat course, that is to be ordered separately off the a la carte menu.  It’s still cheaper than dinner but it’s definitely more expensive.  They also have more expensive tastings and the a la carte menu if you so chose.  We took the surprise tasting and added the roast guinea fowl (lunch took about 4 hours).   I was surprised to find so many dishes that were similar to our past visits.  Another change was when we arrived they tried to seat us downstairs.  Mind you it’s a nice room downstairs and it is on the same level as the bathroom but it feels a little like you’ve been banished to the non-French room.  We asked to sit upstairs and they had to deliberate a bit which considering that no one was seated there seemed off-putting.  Chef Passard was in the house and worked the room and was most gracious when he visited with us, but I felt for those others who meekly took the table they were guided to.   Another change was that vegetables no longer adorn the tables as decorations and instead new plates add color to the table. Continue reading →

Le Pré Catelan, Paris, 12/5/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_4801
building

Le Pré Catelan is in a rental conference building that dates back to 1935.  It was a casino in the days before it became a restaurant that now holds a 3 Michelin star rating.  The elegant room is set with large tables covered first with a floor length beige satin cloth and then covered with a white linen one.  Music is in the background, heavy drapes are beside the windows that look out on the lighted landscaped grounds.  The green carpet makes a nice contrast with the white marble parts of the wall.  Lots of sculpted plaster adorns the walls with lowered lighting in the room and an huge chandelier hangs in the center of the room over the small service table.  Candlelight is from the long stemmed candles on each table.  A couple of the tables near the windows are set with rounded couches opposite the chairs but otherwise the tables are appointed with comfortable arm chairs.  The room exudes class and only holds 10 tables, but the service is nicely friendly and welcoming, not stiff or too formal.  Perhaps they detected my preference?  The menu is a la carte with one tasting menu option. Both pacing and portion control were good. Continue reading →

Restaurant Chez Allard, Paris, 12/5/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_4648
exterior

Chez Allard opened in 1932 and is a large place spread over several rooms. The tiny tables are closely placed and set with white clothes and napkins.  French music is in the background of this old style restaurant.  The lower half of the walls is dark wood and the top half is covered in fabric where there aren’t windows.  Red velvet bench seating lines the walls that serve that tables that have wooden chairs opposite.  Art is on the walls, the floor is tile and service is friendly and efficient.  They offered a special 3 course lunch menu or an a la carte menu.  The lunch menu is a good value at 34 euros but we wanted to try some of the items on their regular menu so chose to order a la carte.   Continue reading →

Pierre Gagnaire (update), Paris 12/4/19

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
IMG_4092
exterior

It’s been 5 years since we ate at Pierre Gagnaire, a long standing Paris restaurant with 3 Michelin stars.  While Chef Gagnaire moved his talents to Paris in 1996, he now has many restaurants but this one in the Hôtel Balzac is his flagship, where it has been there 15 years.  It has a separate entrance from the hotel and a small bar area where you enter.  It is a medium sized place spread over several rooms.  The main dining room was redone by Carolyn Quatermaine who used pages of books to cover the walls with recipes some of which were handwritten by Pierre Gagnaire’s father who was a cook.  The well spaced large tables are draped with double long white clothes and set with fine linen napkins.  The lighting is lowered and there is no music in the background.  Along with the carpet, many wood surfaces and padded chairs the noise level is low and because of the spacing conversations remained private.  The menu offers a la carte options, a tasting menu and the night we were there a truffle tasting menu.   Wine pairings are available for the tasting menu.  We opted to start with a cocktail, order our own wine and have the tasting menu.  Service and pacing were excellent and portion control generous.  They did bring the truffles by to tempt you to add them to something or order that menu.   Continue reading →

Maison, Paris, 12/4/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3828
building

Maison opened in September run by Chef Sota Atsumi who rose to fame working at the Clown Bar.  The place is interesting in that the ground floor only has lounge furniture and the bathroom, all the dining is on the second story that is open to the area below.  Most of the diners sit at one long table in the middle of the room.  There are a couple tables next to the edge and 7 seats at the bar looking into the long open kitchen.  Chef Atsumi was in the kitchen cooking and looking over plates but never came out to visit with guests.  The restaurant serves only a tasting menu chosen by the chef and it changes regularly.  At lunch it was a 5 course tasting and there was a supplemental cheese course offered.   There is a large skylight above the area so in the daytime between that and the windows from below that open to the street, there is plenty of light.  I do wonder what the temperature variations might be, though.  The tables are bare wood set with a white cloth napkin and comfortable chairs and music is in the background.  The walls and floor are tile and the kitchen has a wood burning oven.   Continue reading →

Eventide Oyster Co., Portland, ME., 11/30/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3391
exterior

Eventide Oyster Co. is a large place and was super busy even in the late afternoon.  There were a couple rooms, one more with tables and the other with a large bar with stools, window counter seating and a couple tables.  There was art on the walls, lots of light (but also lots of windows to the street) and an area where the fresh oysters were on ice.  The counters along the bar and in the windows are made of concrete, the floor is wood, there is exposed ductwork and above is a tin ceiling.  The server came to get our drink order and we talked about what food to order but were advised to wait till you get your drinks and they were right.  Food service is very fast and so it is wise to make sure you have a drink when it arrives.  Service was additionally very friendly, efficient and helpful.  The food is really good in a casual setting.  They do offer a number of draft beers, few wines and a couple drinks. Continue reading →

Hugo’s Restaurant, Portland, ME., 11/30/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3492
exterior

Hugo’s opened in 1988 and had a major rennovation in 2012.  There are booths along a brick wall, a couple tables by the windows to the street and lots of seats at a curved counter that wraps around the open kitchen.  The lights are quite low (spots highlight each table and the bar) with lots of wood and dark leather upholstery make up the interior.  The tin ceiling, music in the background and decorations made of local organic material finish out the stylish and striking design of the interior.  In fact they strived to make all the interior from materials found in Maine.   The red bricks are from Moose Head Lake, the slate plates from Monson, and a huge painting at the end of the room is by local artist Eric Hopkins. They offer an a la carte menu and also a chef’s tasting of about 10 courses.  The tasting offers items not on the menu and the whole table must participate.  For the tasting they have wine pairings available.  We chose the tasting but ordered our own wine after a cocktail and they did give me a list of what we had after the meal. Continue reading →

Geronimo, Santa Fe, 11/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_1969
building

Geronimo is a large place in an old building spread over several rooms.  The tables are fairly close and set with white cloths and napkins.  The lighting is lowered, music is in the background, candles are on the tables and in the old fireplaces, art and mirrors decorate the walls and bench seating is on some walls.  There is a room with a bar at the front of the place with a couple tables and bar seating, but it was quite crowded when we got there.  They offer an a la carte menu or a vegetarian tasting, that has optional wine pairings.   They also had some nightly specials.  Service was helpful, extremely friendly and well paced. Continue reading →

Canlis, Seattle, 11/9/19

~ hsnixon ~ 3 Comments
IMG_3315
entrance

Canlis is a large place on a hill overlooking Seattle.  The interior and view from the windows is spectacular.  The interior is filled with stone and wood with windows along many sides to enjoy the view.  The tables are on different levels so all can look out.  The well spaced good sized tables are covered with white clothes and matching napkins.  Lighting is lowered and live piano music is in the background.  The piano is in the bar which is the first part of the building and short barriers provide privacy as well as good sound dampening, but the lovely sounds surrounds all.  The menu is a fixed price for 4 course with a 20% service charge added to all bills.  Each of the 4 courses has 5 choices.  Service was excellent, attentive without being intrusive and the meal pacing was good – not too fast or too slow.  Portion control was also good. Continue reading →

Matt’s in the Market (update), Seattle, 11/9/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_3017
signs

It’s been 2 years since we visited Matt’s in the Market across form Pike Place Market.  The nice sized bare wood tables are set with paper napkins and fairly well spaced considering that the place is not that large.  At lunch they did have a couple specials to supplement the a la carte menu as well as wine specials (but they couldn’t locate any of the bottles).  Music is in the background, 2 sides of the place are windows and an open kitchen is in one corner of the space.  They have been there 24 years and prior to they were in a smaller space.  The food is wonderful and the service friendly and efficient.

IMG_3016
sign on the stairs

Continue reading →

Willows Inn (update), Lummi Island, 11/8/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2817
dining room

It’s been about 2 years since we visited Willows Inn and this time it was late fall as opposed to summer.  The physical place hasn’t changed but the fall means shorter days and disrupts the view from the dining room.  It also means you can’t have the starter courses outside on the porch and instead everyone piled into the area by a large fireplace with seating being very varied.   Some were on benches, some sat at the bar on stools and there were a couple of sets of chairs by small tables, which I preferred.  The lighting was much darker as the room only was lit by candles and the fire – and that also made it quite warm.  Otherwise the system is pretty much the same.  You start with a series of snacks and then move into seafood and then protein to dessert.  It seemed like a lighter menu this time.   The dining room had just 12 tables with a painted wood  ceiling, narrow planked wood floor, music in the background with a sliding door to the kitchen at one end of the room.  In an adjacent room was a larger table for 6. Continue reading →

Kate’s Greek & American, Everett, WA./ 11/8/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2744
exterior

Kate’s Greek & American restaurant is a medium sized colorful place on a busy street near lots of shops.  Booths are on two long sides of the space with tables in the middle.  The chairs are mostly different as are the table cloths.  Windows to the street are on one end and the kitchen and prep area are opposite that.  Above there were 2 large boards with the specials on them.  Lots of art is on the walls and much of it was for sale.  They serve only breakfast and lunch, both all day.  The server was really friendly and offered good advice when ordering. Continue reading →

The Compound, Santa Fe, 11/3/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2561
building

The Compound is a large old building with the sign on Canyon Road, but you have to walk/drive down a little ways.  The adobe structure is made up of several rooms with one room having a wavy plaster ceiling and another having squares of different colors.  (One of the fun features is the painted snake that runs over the waves of plaster.)  The walls hold lots of art and press coverage for this long running restaurant that opened over 50 years ago.  Chef/Owner Mark Kiffin has run the place almost 20 years and won the James Beard Best Chef in the Southwest award in 2005.  Music is in the background, the lighting is lowered and the white clothed tables are widely spaced.  Bench seating is around some of the walls which is opposite the comfortable chairs on the other side of the table.  Service was excellent with good pacing.  The menu is all a la carte. Continue reading →

Cafe Pasqual, Santa Fe, 11/3/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2421
building

Cafe Pasqual is almost an institution in Santa Fe.  They don’t take reservations so be prepared to wait an hour for a table.  They have a list that you get on at the door and they call your name when it’s your turn to enter the medium sized place.  The tile walls add to the colorful interior that is decorated with lace things hanging from the ceiling and t-shirts and calendars.  There is a large communal table in the center of the downstairs and a few tables are up a couple steps at the front of the place.  At the front counter they have desserts to go but also sell many souvenirs.  Tables are of unvarnished wood, there is music in the background and the floor is wood and tile.  Tables are closely set and relatively small and set with paper napkins.  Service is efficient but it takes a while as the crowd is pretty much non-stop.  When we ate there years ago the food seemed worth the wait but now I’m not sure I’d wait again for it.  It was good, it just didn’t have the soul that some of the other New Mexican spots we visited. Continue reading →

Market Steer Steakhouse, Santa Fe, 11/2/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2422
building

Market Steer Steakhouse is in the St. Francis Hotel in downtown Santa Fe.  It is a good sized room and has an additional entrance if you don’t want to cut through the hotel. The bare wood square tables are set with room to get between the large chairs and there are a couple booths along one wall.  At the end of the room is a stone wall with a large mantle and fireplace.  Windows to the street occupy 2 other sides of the room.  The floor is a wide plank wood one and the noise level was fairly high.  They had been open just over a year when we visited.  They serve all prime beef that has been age 24 days and it looked to be a success, as it was busy.  It’s interesting that 2 women run the place,  Executive Chef and co-owner if Kathleen Crook and General Manage and co-owner is Kristina Goode.   Everything is a la carte, so with your steak you can order separate sauces and all vegetables are by separate order.  Service was helpful and friendly. Continue reading →

Palacio Cafe, Santa Fe, 11/2/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_2218
building

Palacio Cafe is a small family run place.  Windows to the street bring in lots of light to the colorful room.  Art is on the walls and a counter is opposite the street windows for service and pass through to the kitchen.  Some tables were also out front if weather cooperates.  Music was in the background, plants were hanging from the ceiling that had wood logs crossing it – the room had a good feel.  Service was efficient, friendly and the portions generous.  The food was well seasoned, not fancy but really good. Continue reading →

La Choza, Santa Fe, 11/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_1964
building

La Choza is the sister restaurant of the ever popular The Shed, located in the old town square.  La Choza is out of town but not a bad distance and way less crowded, but plenty of people still are there.  They have their own parking lot behind the adobe building.  The dining areas take up several rooms and there is also a large bar area.  Beams of wood line the ceilings and colorful art adorns the walls.   The tables are bare wood, there are lots of windows to the outside and a large variety of tequila, margaritas and mezcales to chose from as well as draft beers.  Service is friendly, efficient and helpful.  Portions are large and the food is wonderful, with a good amount of flavor and texture in every bite. Continue reading →

Restaurant Bel Etage, Basel, 10/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1629
exterior of hotel

Bel Etage is the one Michelin Star restaurant on the second floor of the Der Teufelhof Hotel.   It is made up of several rooms of well spaced tables covered with ecru cloths and coordinating striped napkins.  Windows to the street were in the room which had a lovely old wood floor and crystal chandeliers.  No music is in the background and the rooms are mostly quiet except for the creaking of the old floors.  Lots of art adorns the walls.  Service was not polished but mostly friendly and English was limited.  They never re-offered the bread tray and didn’t pick up some dropped flatware that was on the floor. They offered 3 different tasting menus as well as an a la carte menu.  Wine pairings are available as well a a liquor of the month.  We thought the smallest tasting sounded best and so chose it and our own bottle of wine. Continue reading →

Restaurant Hasenburg, Basel, 10/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1417
exterior

Hasenburg was in a small old building with lots of wood on the walls with art above and a newish brick floor.  The bare wood tables were spaced closely and set with paper placemats and napkins.  Windows to the busy street were on one wall and no music was in the background.  Service was friendly and efficient.  They offered a lunch menu, even on Saturday, or offer their regular menu items.  We ordered off their regular menu and the food was simple but delicious.  It was really busy and they do have a couple outdoor tables. Each entree came with a house salad and sliced bread. Continue reading →

Restaurant Stucki – Tanja Grandits, Basel, 10/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_0880
building

Tanja Grandits or as it was called Stucki is spread over several rooms in a large mansion in a residential neighborhood of Basel.  The restaurant was named for Hans Stuki who opened it in the 1960s and ran it until passing away in 1998.  Chef Tanja Grandits took over in 2008 and has since obtained a 2 Michelin Star rating.  It is a modern looking place inside with gray walls and carpet.  The good sized tables are well spaced and set with white clothes and napkins.  There were votive candles and small flowers on the table but both had broken blooms included.  The lighting was slightly softened and the windows to the outside were covered with drapes.  There was no music in the background and the room had a small center service table.  They serve only a tasting menu of 8 or 12 courses and offer wine pairings as well as non-alcoholic pairings.   We got the longer tasting and ordered our own wines.  Pacing was awful, starting really slow, speeding up and then moving to painfully slow but portion control was good. Continue reading →

Roots, Basel, 10/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_0674
exterior

Roots is a large place located down by the waterfront.  The fairly well spaced pedestal tables were covered by white cloths and appointed with bench seating opposite chairs.  The room is filled with art and signs with funny statements about food and beverage.  Music was in the background and the room was well lit but there were 3 sides full of windows.  You can watch the boats and joggers go by.  There is a patio but no one was out there the day we went.  They have been in this location for 2 years and already have one Michelin Star.  At lunch the offered a business lunch of 2 or 3 courses offering options from the dinner menu and a ‘rootilicious lunch’ of 3 to 4 courses.  They had specials on wines by the glass to go with the menus.   We chose the business lunch and some of their wine by the glass.  The pours were small.   Service was effecient and friendly and the chef did come out but he did not visit with every table. Continue reading →

St. Alban Stübli, Basel, 10/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_0037
building

St. Alban Stübli is a small place that has been in business for 2 years and is very popular.  It is in a building that is more than 100 years old with bench seating along 2 of the wood walls.  The double cloth covered tables were of various sizes and set with medium starched matching napkins.  The painted white wood ceiling added to the light in the room as well as windows to the street on one wall.  No music is in the background but with the number of people there was a low hum, however conversation was very easy.  We were lucky to get a server that spoke good English.  At lunch they offered a special meal or menu of 2 or 3 courses, with 2 choices for each course.  We chose the 3 course menu but picked different options.  The food here is simple but very good and the staff was exceptionally friendly.  I would recommend it. Continue reading →

Restaurant Les Quatre Saisons, Basel, 10/23/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_9617
outside entrance

Les Quatre Saisons is a one Michelin star restaurant in the Pullman Hotel.  The hotel is lovely as is the restaurant dining room.  The large room is filled with well spaced, good sized tables that are covered with nice cloths and large well starched matching napkins and set with comfortable stuffed chairs.  Brown wood cabinets are along some of the perimeter and from the ceiling hang many large chandeliers covered with concentric circles of strung beads that provide a nice amount of light.  There are less than 15 tables, faint music is in the background (in fact it was really quiet), some of the floor has carpet but tile is around the edge and the walls are decorated with mirrors.   The menu offers a la carte options and vegetarian and degustation tastings.  The staff spoke great English.  We chose the degustation menu and the pacing was very slow but portion was control good, that tended toward large.   Continue reading →

Brasserie Les Trois, Basel, 10/23/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_9408
hotel exterior

Brasserie is the casual restaurant in the Les Trois Rois Hotel.  It is a good sized L-shaped place with one wall made up of windows overlooking the Rhine River. Another wall has murals painted on it to back up a long bench seat.  Music is in the background and the nicely spaced tables are covered in a double ecru cloth and matching napkins.  The room was lovely and peaceful to watch the various sizes of boats go by.  At lunch they offered an a la carte menu as well as a 2-3 course menu with glasses of wine to go with the plates.  We chose the lunch 3 plate menu and got glasses of their featured wine.  Each course had several options to chose from.  Service was friendly, helpful and the server spoke great English. Continue reading →

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, New York City, 10/17/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_9254
building

We went for dim sum to Nom Wah Tea Parlor, a no frills place with plastic coated menus.  It has a long history, first opening in 1920 and moving to the present location in 1968.  It has had several movies and TV shows film segments there.  A paper ticket is given to each table where you mark off the dishes you want to receive and they bring them out as they’re ready. The large tables are formica and set with good space between and there a few booth tables.  One side of the room is a service area and the kitchen is in another room.  Windows to the street form one wall of the room.  It is an old looking place but clean with an old tin ceiling , an old tile floor  and there are lots of coat hooks on the interior columns and booth dividers.  Photos and framed reviews decorate the walls.  No music is in the background but you can hear the sound of an exhaust fan.  They do offer wine and beer as well as a selection of teas.  Tables are set with some condiments but interestingly enough there didn’t seem to be any pepper in oil sauce. Continue reading →

Rezdôra, New York City, 10/16/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_9036
entrance

Rezdôra is a small, really crowded place with bare wood closely set small tables.  Music is in the background, lighting is really low and the noise level is high.  Walls are brick and the wood cross-hatched ceiling is lowered.  A few dried flowers make up the decorations.  Even with a reservation we had to wait 45 minutes for our table and there were no seats at the bar.  They did give us a glass of Lambrusco but it was a long time to wait, standing with little space to be in.  They are a hot ticket right now but if they don’t manage it better, they won’t be for long.  There is one dining room on the entry level that has the bar counter on one side and bench seating on the opposite wall fitted with lots of small tables.  Up a few stairs there was another really small room with tables in it.  The menu offers Italian food and a regional pasta tasting (5 pastas) with optional wine pairings and a couple nightly specials.  While that was a tempting option we chose to order our own choices and bottles of wine.  Portions are small and the pacing of the meal was really rushed (so why the long wait?). Continue reading →

Gramercy Tavern (update), New York City, 10/16/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_8722
exterior

It’s been 5 years since we ate at Gramercy Tavern Dining Room, a large 2 room place fronted by the Gramercy Bar.  The dining room offers a tasting menu as well as a la carte and takes reservations whereas the bar is snacks and no reservations.  It is far more relaxed in the one Michelin star elegant dining room with lots of seasonal flowers decorating the white cloth covered tables set with large white napkins, lowered lighting and soft jazz music in the background.  Lots of art is in the room as well as nicely padded seating and wide plank wood floors.  Excellent friendly service attends the customers and they were willing to make some changes to the tasting menu which was our choice for the lunch.  Pacing of the tasting was spot on and portion control was great.  The food is wonderful as was the total experience there.  Don’t know why I waited so long to go back.  I recommend it. Continue reading →

Atomix, New York City 10/15/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_8329
entrance

Atomix is a tasting menu only for 14 people at a lower level u-shaped counter.  It has only been open one year and was recently elevated to a 2 Michelin star rating.  The lighting is lowered in the room and small spots shine on the granite counter and light wood ceiling and walls.  The bar is upstairs where you enter and then down the stairs is a small lounge area.  Modern music plays in the background.  Each course is presented with a corresponding card that talks about the dish and has an illustration associated with it.  The dishes have a Korean influence and wine pairings are available.  The menu changes 4 times a year.  Without knowing what was to be served we opted to try the pairings for the meal.  The service was pleasant (there seemed to be more staff than guests), portioning light and pacing moved along nicely but I never got a commrodery at the counter.  Explanations are more from the cards than the staff and while I found the dishes artistic, precise and thoughtful they were mostly on the bland side of things but with very clean tastes. Continue reading →

Via Carota, New York, 10/15/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_8111
exterior

Via Carota is a good sized place that takes no reservations so be prepared to wait.  When you arrive check in with the front person to get on the list.  They have some outdoor seating but that was surrounded by scaffolding while we were there. There are a lot of seats at the long inside bar/counter as well as a couple other rooms off the main one which can also accommodate larger groups.  Inside are brick walls, steel columns, wood flooring, tin ceiling and bare wood tables set with paper runners and cloth napkins.  The wood chairs at the closely set small tables have an opening on the back where the menus are stored.  Some interesting light fixtures add light to the well lit room which has one wall of windows to the street.   Wine bottles serve as decorations and a long center table shows off dessert options.  Despite the room being packed and many hard surfaces the noise level was not a big problem.   They have 2 uni-sex bathrooms.  The menu was supplemented by a couple daily specials presented by the server.  The name comes from the name of the street where one of the chefs was born.  Don’t be deterred by the wait – the food it well worth it! Continue reading →

Petra and the Beast (update), Dallas, 9/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7730
Frankie checked the herb in the cocktail

It’s been a year since we tried the tasting menu offered only on Saturday nights. The rest of the week they serve off a chalkboard menu.  Reservations for the tasting are hard to come by, there is a waiting list for most every one of them, since the little restaurant and Chef Misti Norris have been getting lots of critical acclaim and notice in national publications.  The interior has added more tables and seats.  The little alcove that was the cocktail stand now contains tables too.  This is good for the public but it does create a lot more noise in the interior that makes conversation difficult and hard to hear any presentation by the server.  Water is still provided but if you want wine or other flavored beverage with your meal you need to bring your own.  They have opened up a few more parking spaces in an adjacent lot but a lot of guests appeared to be dropped off by a car service.  In general my impression was that the food had less intense flavor than the last visit but everything was good it just didn’t cross over to the great that I had first sensed.  I got more of that intensity when visiting other nights but the service is far less refined with most dishes being presented in plastic coated cardboard boxes.  They asked if I’d share their website, which is <https://www.restaurantji.com/tx/dallas/petra-and-the-beast-/&gt;. Continue reading →

Restaurant Haerlin, Hamburg, 9/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment

 

IMG_7278
entrance from hotel

Haerlin is one large dining room right off the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel in Hamburg. Ecru floor length cloths drape the good sized tables that are set with matching napkins and stuffed armchairs.  Music is in the background of this elegant room.  Windows overlook the street outside on one end of the room.  While the setting was nice the service was stiff and cold.  (They were most upset when we poured our own wine but they continually passed the table and left our glasses empty.  They actually took away one of the empty glasses with the bottle still half full.)  Even with a 2 star Michelin rating it was not a particularly comfortable atmosphere unless you wanted to pose.  They offered 2 tasting menus and wine pairings are available for each, but do not pair wine with each course.  We chose the “Big Palate Party” and ordered out own wines.  Pacing was on the slower side but portion control was good.  Overall the food was on the bland side even with a lot of ingredients on the plate and the dishes chosen often proved to be distracting/clashing to the food presented.  On the table was a card holder where they would place a written description of what you are having.  It was a nice touch. Continue reading →

Tschebull Restaurant, Hamburg, 9/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_7052
Entrance

Tschebull spans several rooms and is upstairs in a building of small shops.  It has a large bar area with bare wood tables where you can eat.  The main restaurant in in one of the rooms and has white tablecloths and monogrammed red tone cloth napkins.  Lots of antlers, animal heads and horse pictures serve as decorations and there are windows overlooking the busy street below.  The dining room has bench seating around the edges and facing them are padded armless chairs.  Some faint music was in the background and the wood floor was made from narrow short pieces of wood.   They offered a menu of mostly traditional Austrian food.   Continue reading →

Louis C. Jacob Restaurant, Hamburg, 9/20/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6596
building

Louis C. Jacob Restaurant is in the hotel of the same name.  It is an elegant large room overlooking the water in the small boutique hotel and has a rating of 2 Michelin stars.  The building dates to the 1700’s with the last major renovation in 1990’s.  The restaurant had one star by 1995 and its second in 1997.  The building has always been a restaurant or bar.  The beautiful hard wood floor is set off by two massive crystal chandeliers overhead.  Sage green velvet arm chairs are at the white cloth covered tables and gray plush velvet chairs are at the bare polished wood tables.  All the large tables are nicely spaced and set with well starched large cloth napkins. Service was excellent and most of the staff were very conversant in English.  Music is in the background.  They offer two tasting menus, 4 or 6 courses, with pairings offered and a la carte. Most of the a la carte dishes were available to substitute on the tasting but there could be a surcharge.  We chose the longer tasting and ordered our own wines. Continue reading →

Restaurant Cox, Hamburg, 9/20/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6538
building

Cox is a long place with many rooms on different levels.  The white cloth covered tables are additionally covered with paper tops and large paper napkins.  Nice bench seating lines various walls for the closely set tables to pair with wood chairs.  Jazz music plays in the background and empty dark wine bottles are used as wall decorations.  Windows to the street are on one end of the room and wall sconces provide plenty of light for the tables set further back in the restaurant.  They serve traditional German food and at lunch have a changing daily special and an a la carte menu.  Portions were generous but not to the point they stuffed you.   Continue reading →

The Table Kevin Fehling, Hamburg, 9/19/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_5966
building

The Table Kevin Fehling can accomodate a couple dozen people whose arrival times are slightly staggered.  Inside the non-descript brick building is a modern interior with a serpentine bar for seating and high ceilings.  There is a small balcony that overlooks the dining room where guests can have cocktails prior to being seated.  Shades of gray dominate the room with colored pieces curling off the ceiling that are not only striking but also provide sound dampening. Spot lighting keeps each seat well lit while the room lights are dimmed.  The walls are concrete and the open kitchen is the focal point.  Art and flowers provide some softness for the interior.  They serve only a tasting menu and all guests have the same thing, except where allergies don’t permit.  The menu changes one course every 3 months.  Wine pairings (pours looked generous) are available.  The pacing of the meal was great as was the portion control.   They present you with a copy of the menu at the end to take with you.  The staff all spoke great English and were quite friendly.  The restaurant has been awarded a 3 Michelin star rating. Continue reading →

Fischereihafen, Hamburg, 9/19/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_5642
building

Fischereihafen has been in business for 60 years.  It overlooks the port and feels very ‘old school’.  The food is simple yet tasty and satisfying.  The service was friendly and efficient with limited English.   The large place spans many rooms, most of it on the second level of the waterfront building.  The walls are painted dark red and lots of windows capture the view.  Many paintings are on the walls along with old photos of people who had been there.  The good sized tables were closely set and covered with a double white cloths and set with well starched napkins.  They offer a large menu and at lunch a special 3 course meal (which was only on the German menu), which we chose.  Otherwise, it is all a la carte.   Continue reading →

Bugerlich, Hamburg, 9/18/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_4981
building

Bugerlich is a large modern place that offers mostly hamburgers but also other options like pulled pork, steak, sweets and salads.  They have a full bar.  Their feature is that there is no server but rather the menus are on pop up screens that rise out of your table.  On that screen you select your choices as well as the options for the preparation of your burger, pay and then wait and they deliver the food to your table.  Some of tables are high tops but there are also regular height tables and some outside (where you must get a printed menu or order at the counter).   The logo is a heart in a circle and they are on the exterior of the building, the business cards and on the rough wood ceiling.  The walls are tile and there are windows to the street on a couple sides which allow the room to get very bright.  Flatware, napkins and condiments are on each table and music is in the background.   Otherwise the walls are decorated with drawings, sayings and liquor bottles.  They also have lots of draft beers. Continue reading →

Tordesilhas, São Paulo, 9/14/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_4908
entrance

Tordesilhas is a large place inside with an additional covered patio.  The closely spaced small tables were set with white tablecloths and paper napkins.  Lots of photos cover the walls as well as mirrors.  A slightly vaulted wood ceiling and dark wood floor accented the off white walls.  A bar area is on the main level that seemed to offer communal dining for small parties.  No music was in the background but the setting felt very tasteful.  They serve pretty traditional, homestyle food and do offer a tasting menu at night.  At lunch it is all a la carte.  Our server was friendly and helpful but had limited English. The crowd indicated that it’s a popular place and I saw a real variety of age groups in attendance. Continue reading →

Restaurante Tuju, São Paulo, 9/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_4311
exterior

Restaurant Tuju is a good sized modern looking place.  The large bare wood tables are well spaced on a tile floor with a wood ceiling overhead.  They are set with padded arms chairs and lovely cloth napkins.  Soft lighting is in the room and music is in the background.  An open kitchen is on one end of the room and opposite is a bar.  Spanning the two are a glass wall behind which is the plant covered wall opposite to a wall with mirrors.  It has a 2 Michelin star rating, has been open 5 years and offers 2 different tastings for 5 or 12 courses.  The menu changes every several months.  Wine pairings are available.  We chose the longer tasting and ordered our own wines.  The staff were efficient, friendly and spoke good English. Continue reading →

Bar da Dona Onca, São Paulo, 9/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3995
building

Bar da Dona is a large place located in a striking architectural building.  One side of the interior is a bar and service area opposite of which are windows to the street.  The bare wood tables are set closely with black napkins and padded armless chairs.  The large menu is supplemented by some specials written on a chalkboard above the bar that is decorated with illustrations and lots of decorated cats.  Also above the bar were windows to what looked to be a supplementary kitchen.  People were lined up to enter before it opened and were a group varied in age and dress.  Inside music was in the background, lots of photos and other decorative items on the walls and friendly servers with passable English bustled to service the many tables.  At the entrance was an open air patio that was also filled by the time we exited. It was a great lunch or dinner, if you wanted to eat it later.  Continue reading →

DOM, São Paulo,9/12/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3586
exterior

DOM is a small place with about 7 tables, one some being upstairs.  There is little marking of the place outside but the valet stand indicates something fancy is inside.  The front door is huge – maybe 10 feet tall.  It has been awarded 2 Michelin stars, has low lighting, music in the background and a center serving table under a decorative chandelier.  Some of the closely spaced large tables were a polished wood with linen placemats and others were cloth covered and some had bench seating while others had stuffed chairs.  The kitchen is in one corner of the room but mostly closed off from the dining room except for a small window.  They offered several different tasting menus, no a la carte, with one being vegetarian.  The menu stresses Brazil’s indigenous foods and flavors.  Wine pairing are available with the tastings.  The food has quality ingredients but mostly was underflavored for me.  This was their 20th anniversary of being in business. Service was attentive and the staff spoke good English.  Pacing and portion control were good. Continue reading →

Mocotó Bar e Restaurante, São Paulo, 9/12/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_3379
entrance

Mocotó is a big open air restaurant with a large bar area attached.  There is also seating on an enclosed patio-like room in the back.  The orange walls are decorated with colorful murals and mirrors and the staff is super friendly but speaks limited English.  The large menu is available in English as well as Portuguese and that helps a lot.  They take no reservations and people line up and wait to get seated.  The small tables are closely set or combined to accommodate larger groups.  Windows to the street are open and the ceiling is covered with sound panels to keep the noise level down.  Fans are mounted on the walls to keep the air moving.  The bar offered a number of variations on the traditional Caipirinha cocktail and we tried a couple variations. Continue reading →

Maní Manioca, São Paulo, 9/11/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2921
exterior

Maní Manioca has a one star Michelin rating.  It is a long fairly large place with a good sized enclosed patio in the back.  Upon entering there is a long hallway for waiting that has benches on either side.  The small tables are nicely spaced and set with white clothes and napkins, however they were too small to hold the dishes if you had the breads.  The stucco walls are decorated with mirrors and art.  Music plays in the background and lighting is lowered with lots of short candles in the rooms. They offered 3 tasting menus.  The 3 course allowed you to pick courses from the a la carte menu.  Wine pairings were available with the largest tasting.  Service was friendly and helpful with passable English.  Portions were generous but pacing was a tad variable.  We ordered the largest tasting menu which was by Chef Helena Rizzo, who was named Best Female Chef of the Year by Restaurant Magazine in 2014. Continue reading →

Churrascaria Boi na Brasa, São Paulo/ 9/11/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2904
entrance

Boi na Brasa is one large room in a corner building with open windows to the street on two sides.  Ceiling fans try and move the air in the large space.  The room had a long bar for service and cooking, no stools and a grilling area.  The closely set tables are wood with marble tops set with plastic placemats.  The menu has pictures of some of the dishes which is helpful since most of the staff spoke little English but were very friendly.  The tables have condiments and a dispenser for tiny paper napkins.  It feels very old school with waiters dressed in white jackets and providing tableside service.    The tap beers are served in hollowed aluminum mugs which are supposed to keep it colder.   Continue reading →

Churrascaria Vento Haragano, São Paulo, 9/10/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2503
Exterior

Vento Haragano is a huge place with a massive “salad bar” in the middle of the place.  The bar has about 5 counters and contains fruit, salad, ham, vegetables, cheese, breads, sushi, and salad.  It is all you can eat bonanza.  In addition carvers roam the room with skewers of different cuts of meat.  You have a coaster like thing that says stop here on one side and no more on the other.  There were supposed to be over 20 cuts of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and fish, but it seemed to have repeats of about a dozen options instead.  The large tables are spaced nicely and set with white tableclothes and napkins.  The room has a domed ceiling in the center that has beams soaring up accent the salad bar area below.  There was plenty of noise in the room and lots of big groups making a party of the meal, but it was still easy to have a conversation at the table.  Most of the guests were men (about 70% to 30% women).  The servers were all friendly. Continue reading →

A Casa do Porco Bar, São Paulo, 9/10/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_2495
entrance

A Casa do Porco is Portuguese for House of the Pig and this good sized place is all about pork.  They even offer a pig tasting, which features pork in all 9 courses (some just one bite),  that takes about 2 hours and an a la carte menu.  Pacing of the tasting was good as was the portion control.  A small newspaper is at your seat which describes in detail (in Portuguese) the pork tasting.  If you have the opportunity I highly recommend the place.  A large open kitchen is in the back of the space and there are pig decorations everywhere.  Music was in the background and the lighting varied depending on where you sat.  They did have good air conditioning, the bare wood tables had a red checked mat like in the center and the cloth napkins were the size of  dish rags.  The place quickly filled with people, in fact there was a line outside to get in when it opened.  Service was friendly but with limited English.  One interesting thing was that the bathrooms had dental floss dispenser – which was totally handy after a meal of meat. Continue reading →

GW Fins Restaurant, New Orleans, 8/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1804
exterior

GW Fins is a large place in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  At the entrance there is a large bar area to the left and a several tiered dining space to the right, separated by a huge fish sculpture.  Booths are set in arcs around the room and tables are in the middle.  Wood pillars break up the huge space and art is on the walls, except for the one wall that is windows to the street.  No music is in the background and the lights are lowered in the room but spots accent many of the tables.  While there is noise in the room from the many diners, conversation at the table seemed easy and private.  Double white clothes and folded napkins are set at the good sized tables.  They have been in business for 17 years.   They have an a la carte menu but also offer a fixed price meal where you chose from 3 options for 3 courses.  Service was helpful, friendly and opinionated.  Various personnel stoped by often to check on everything.  It was nice, not intrusive. Continue reading →

Suomi Restaurant, Houghton, MI, 8/19/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1646
exterior

Suomi is a large place with counter seating as well as tables in two rooms.  They are a Finnish place that sells meals as well as baked goods to go.  The restaurant building dates back to 1869, but was first used as a furniture store.  Since then it has changed hands a number of times with the most recent owners taking over in 2015.  It now serves daily breakfast and lunch but closes at 2 -3:00 pm.  They are famous for their thin pancakes that fill the plate but the table had a special add for their Raspberry Pannukakku which is a baked pastry.  A peek in the kitchen spied several dishes of stuff ready to bake.  Service was friendly and efficient and the place was packed with people. Continue reading →

The Fitz, Eagle River, MI, 8/18/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_5566
wind surfers outside

Fitzgerald’s is most commonly known as ‘The Fitz’ and is the restaurant in the hotel of the same name.  It is located on the shore of Lake Superior where you can watch boats in the distance or wind surfers right out the windows of the restaurant.  The hotel only has about a dozen rooms but it’s the way to go where the sound of the waves will lull you to sleep after a heavy meal and a trip to the bar that offers a huge selection of Scotch and other whiskeys.    The bar is on a slightly raised level from most of the small dining room and there are tables outside.  A lower ceiling, lots of wood, a few photos and some music in the background make up this casual dining room.  The bare tables were set with paper napkins and based on the food, the server should have brought extras to the table.  The check in counter for the restaurant and hotel are at the entrance to the room.  The menu is a la carte and while it has some sandwiches it is all about the barbecue.  One special note is that they do not accept American Express, so have cash or another type of credit card.  The plates are served with fresh vegetables but a side salad or soup will cost you an extra $5.   Continue reading →

Mikes Restaurant, Ironwood MI, 8/19/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_1418
building

Mikes is a small restaurant of about 9 tables and some counter stools.  It bills itself as an Italian style place but they do serve breakfast all day.   It has been in business for 30+ years with the current owner having it for 20 of those.  Her name isn’t Mike but the name stuck with the place cause it was so well known in town.  The large menu offers lots of choices and portions are generous.  Service was super friendly and efficient.  It was a casual place and felt like it had a lot of regular customers.  The food was mixed but it was satisfying. Continue reading →

Barnes Trading Post, Solon Springs, WI, 8/17/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment

Barnes Trading Post serves breakfast,  burgers, chicken and pizza.  It was packed every time we drove by so we decided to stop in and try the pizza.  It’s a large place with lots of game machines.  There are stools at the large bar counter as well as various sized tables around the room.  A low ceiling, lots of light, many TVs, beer signs and lots of light wood make up the family friendly atmosphere.  Paper napkins and condiments are on the table.  Service was friendly. Continue reading →

Good Thyme Restaurant (update), Washburn, WI, 8/16/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment

IMG_1302We visited Good Thyme Restaurant again on a Friday but this time opted not to have fish fry and instead try things off their regular menu.  Nothing had changed in the physical facility and the service was friendly and efficient. Continue reading →

Il Grillo Carmel, Carmel, 8/10/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_0835
building

Il Grillo has a small indoor seating space and a larger patio outdoor.  The small light wood bare tables are set closely, but the night we were there most of the space was taken up by a giant party so I’m not sure what the normal spacing would be.  On the end of the room is a service counter with foods for sale or to be used in meal preparation.  Overhead are bottles of wine.  The white ceiling has painted white beams, the floor is tile and the walls are decorated with art.  Music plays in the background and service was friendly.  The menu here changes daily to reflect the availability of local products. Continue reading →

Cultura, Carmel, 8/10/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_0681
entrance

Cultura is a large place whose entrance is down a pedestrian only street.  Lower light levels were accentuated by the dark bare wood tables set with black napkins and a dark wood ceiling.  Fairly loud music played in the background.  On weekends they serve brunch as well as a lunch menu.  The room with the bar had a lovely stained glass window in the ceiling and windows to the outside.  The small tables were widely spaced and service was friendly with fairly good pacing. Continue reading →

Aubergine, Carmel, 8/9/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
interior
interior

Aubergine is a tiny place that received a one Michelin star rating in the newest California guide, a first for the central coast.  It is one smallish room in the L’Auberge Hotel, but they also have a table in the wine cellar and some lounge seating.  Two of the walls of the room have bench seating while the third wall is windows to the street that were mercifully covered with curtains – as they get the afternoon sun.  The white ceiling is decorated with dark beams and the flooring is  a gray wood.  The white tablecloth covered tables are small and surprisingly close, but it was a small room and they only had 9 tables.  The 5 waiters provided plenty of attentive service.  Pacing was good to relaxed and portion control good.  There was some music in the background, lowered lighting and constant flow of people in and out of the hotel.  They serve two tasting menus, seasonal and signature, and do offer wine pairings (2 levels).  We chose the signature menu and ordered our own bottles of wine.  The service included lots of the main dishes coming out on platter to be shown before preparing your portion.  It was usually before you were served the item but I’ve grouped the photos with their appropriate course.  The ambiance is different but the place is worth a visit if you have the opportunity. Continue reading →

La Bicyclette, Carmel, 8/9/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

La Bicyclette is on a corner in the busy shopping area of Carmel.  It is basically made up of 2 rooms, one having windows to the street on 2 sides, the pizza oven, a long bar and kitchen pass through and the other smaller room having a lot of hanging copper pots and glassware storage.  It seemed much more lively in the bigger room.  The small bare wood tables are placed fairly closely together and set with cloth napkins that are more like small towels.  The rooms had a number of eclectic decorations.  Music is in the background and the place is amazingly busy.  It is a fun spot with good food, friendly service and casual atmosphere. Continue reading →

Two Fat Ladies at The Buttery, Glasgow, 8/3/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

The Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery has been a restaurant for 60 years and it spreads over several rooms all filled with collections of decorative pieces.  The restaurant is not related to the television show of a similar name, that I could tell.  Our table was not ready immediately upon arrival so we sat at the bar area where the very friendly bartender told us tales of the history of the place.  When we were seated the very friendly staff were opinionated (in a nice way) about what to order from the a la carte menu.  The tables were fairly close and set with white tableclothes and napkins.  No music was in the background but the hum of people provided plenty of ambiance.  Lots of dark wood and some windows made up the walls and the floors were carpeted.  This place  serves pretty heavy food in large portions with rapid paced service.  They did ask if we wanted a break after the main course but we had already decided to skip dessert – it didn’t seem to have a good probability for success based on the rest of the meal. Continue reading →

Ox and Finch, Glasgow, 8/3/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Ox and Finch is a medium to large place with 2 sides of the room being windows to the street.  It has a Bib Gourmand rating in the Michelin guide. and has been at this location 4-5 years.   They are located right next to a bus stop so it is ultra convenient if using public transportation.  Music plays in the background and the kitchen is open at the front of the place with a bar and a few seats.  The rest of the seating is a combination of high top tables, booths and regular tables with bench seating.  A wall of wine, with a few decorative items, frames one side of the place and also is the back wall on the stairs down to the bathrooms.  Other walls are made of stone and brick with an old wide plank wood floor and decorated plaster ceiling.  It’s a very casual feel with a friendly staff and really fast pacing on the service.  The dishes looked small but they were rich and fill you up.  Their dishes are recommended to be shared and the server suggested we order 5 plates for the 2 of us.  We did just that and with leaving a little there was still room for dessert.  We had some of their draft beers with the meal.   They did offer wine by the liter as well as bottle and some beer specials. Continue reading →

Cail Bruich, Glasgow, 8/2/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exteriro
exterior

Cail Bruich has been in business for 11 years and is a medium sized place with bench seating on both sides of the wide room.  The bench is a little different in that they have back support cushions hanging from the top of the seat.  At the end of the room, opposite the entry, is the large service area that has a pass through into the kitchen and a bar with a few seats.  Music plays in the background and there are lots of plants decorating the brick walls.  There is a large rectangular ‘green’ painting (that turned out to be preserved rather than living) on one wall.  In addition a number of jars of vegetables and fruits line the counter tops.  They offer only a tasting menu on Friday and Saturday with some optional supplements (cheese, oysters) and wine pairings are available.  Tuesday through Thursday they also offer an a la carte menu and are open for lunch.  The staff spoke good English and were friendly. Continue reading →

The Gannet, Glasgow, 8/2/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
IMG_8609
building

The Gannet is a medium sized place that opened in 2013.  It is named for the Gannet, a diving bird.  Sitting at the small wood tables guests can enjoy windows to the street, a wide planked wood floor and music in the background.  A corrugated steel bar is topped with wood and has some stools for seating.  The walls are a combination of stone and bricks and lined with a bench seat on the wall opposite the bar.  There is a second room in the back of the long narrow space.  The bathroom is downstairs.  At lunch they offer 4 and 6 course menus as well as wine pairings.  The menu changes regularly, but I hope Chef Ivan Stein, who is co-owner/chef with Peter McKenna, never change the dessert.  We got the 6 course menu and ordered our own wine.  The food here is fabulous in a comfortable casual setting.  Put it on your list. Continue reading →

Bilson Eleven, Glasgow, 8/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Bilson Eleven opened in 2016 in a townhouse building that dates to the 1800’s.   It was set up like a house on a quiet street, utilizing several small rooms over a couple floors to seat less than 30.  The name is representative of Chef/Owner Nick Rietz’s 2 children and the number of tables originally.  He, with the help of his father did much of the renovation of the building.  Small bare wood pedestal tables are set fairly close and appointed with large cloth napkins and padded arm and armless chairs.  Windows to the street are along the front of one room and the floors are a wide panel wood.  Ceilings have ornate detailing and the fireplaces in the room are covered with decorative items.  Minimal art is on the walls, music plays in the background and there are no flowers on the table.  They serve only a tasting menu and you chose how many courses you want when you make your reservation.  We chose the largest, eight course and had the wine pairings to go with it.  Our server was nice enough to line up all the bottles at the end of the meal for one “group” photo.  The staff spoke great English and were super friendly.  Pacing of the meal was good as was the portion control. Continue reading →

Number 16 Restaurant, Glasgow, 8/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Number 16 is a tiny restaurant with a few tables downstairs and even fewer upstairs.  Windows to the street are mostly blocked by the back of a booth bench seat.  The tables vary in design and the low ceiling is lined with wood beams.   Logs are decorations on the painted brick walls as are small mirrors.  At lunch they offered a 2 or 3 course menu as well as a la carte options.  They also have a changing house red wine available.   Service was friendly, helpful and efficient.  Open for ten years, the food here is good and a real value. Continue reading →

Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow, 7/31/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior

The Ubiquitous Chip is a large place on two stories within a maze of buildings.  You’ll see signs for it along the way, where you pass many bars and small restaurants.  Once inside, the stone and brick walls are decorated with plants and cooking/food related items.  Brick floors are in one room and then as you go up a couple steps there is a tile floor. Large farm tools are on one wall and the lighting is lowered.  Opening in 1971, it feels homey and rustic with a lots of visual interest on the interior.  For example a light fixture was composed of bottle stoppers and a light shade was made from crystal decanter with the bottom cut out.  The small polished wood tables are not set too closely so the noise level is not bad.  The entry room had wicker chairs whereas our side room had wood chairs with a padded seat.  The second floor was like an open balcony that framed the periphery of the room.  No music was in the background, just the hum of lots of people enjoying their time here.  The staff was friendly but not particularly efficient and the food was mixed. Continue reading →

Crabshakk, Glasgow, 7/31/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

The Crabshakk is a small 2 story place filled with closely set rustic wood tables of various sizes.  Music plays in the background and the bar takes up a third of the downstairs eating area.  The walls are of stone and tile, which has prices of some the daily specials on it, and the floor is concrete all in some contrast to the ornate ceiling.  A window to the street is set with a wide high top table.  The menu is mostly seafood and there are daily specials that are offered in small and large sizes.  Service was friendly and helpful and not at all pushy.  The place is very casual and open all afternoon.  It is perfect for a full meal or a mid afternoon snack.  The seafood was all wonderfully fresh and tasty.  Thumbs up here. Continue reading →

El Vecino, Dallas, 7/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

El Vecino is a good sized place in a small shopping center in the Casa Linda area.  The bare wood tables are well spaced and set with cloth napkins wrapped around the flatware.  The colors are bright and the place is too, but there are windows all across the front to the outside free parking lot.  They offer a good sized menu with lunch specials for weekdays, special selections for brunch on weekends and some summer specials.   They have a second location that has opened in Travis Walk but we were at the original.  They have a full bar and you will see it when you first enter.  It has stools so you could probably eat there if they were full.  There are benches on the covered patio out front, I’m guessing for waiting.  The name “El Vecino” translates to neighbor and they want to be a neighborhood place, opening in the fall of  2017.  The owners, the McBride family, have Mexican restaurants in their blood with his grandfather starting El Fenix and he working in NYC’s Rosa Mexicano.   Service was efficient but did try to ‘upsale’ extra stuff to order several times. Continue reading →

Pepes & Mitos, Dallas,7/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Pepes & Mitos is a large place in Deep Ellum.  The tables are covered with oilclothes and well spaced and good sized.  The restaurant has several rooms and an enclosed outdoor patio with fans.  In the entrance room you can see through to the kitchen and a counter houses a large selection of cold drinks.  The next room has a large bar where you can also sit and eat or just have drinks.  A concrete floor, brick walls and exposed ductwork in the ceiling give it a casual feel.   Lots of art is on the walls.  Even with all the hard surfaces noise was not a problem.  A number of large groups were there at lunch so it seems to be a good place for work people to lunch together.   They have a good sized menu and do offer lunch specials for weekdays.  Service was helpful and very friendly.  Parking is on the street by meter or in a paid lot. Continue reading →

Cafe 43, Dallas, 7/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

Cafe 43 is the dining spot in George W. Bush Presidential library.  It is a good sized place and you don’t need to pay admission to the library to gain entrance to the cafe, but you will have to pay for parking on the SMU campus.  The nice sized tables are slightly spaced and bare dark wood set with mats.  Art is on the walls, some by Bush, and large windows look out onto the campus and surrounding grounds.  Service was attentive and very friendly and content for us to take a long visit with lunch. Continue reading →

Beverley’s Bistro & Bar, Dallas, 7/23/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Beverley’s is a good sized place that opened in March of this year.  It  serves American food on bare marble tables set on a beautiful tile floor.  There are a few booths for seating but most is at tables with some spacing between them.  A patio offers a few tables off to the side of the place and some small tables are out front and I’m guessing they’re for waiting when the large bar area gets filled.  The dining room is divided between the main eating area and the long bar with stools and tables.  An open kitchen is opposite the entrance that is on a busy street.  Valet parking is out front.  Windows to the street provide additional lighting to the already well lit room.  Acoustic tiles are on the ceiling but unfortunately with all the hard surfaces and packed, lively crowd the place does have noise level issues to deal with.  The patrons vary in ages and dress level.  The staff is very friendly and helpful with ordering.  Ours was willing to bring the food in courses and split plates.  The menu features some locally sourced products and a couple nightly specials were presented by the server as well as the nightly fish. Continue reading →

Homewood (update), Dallas, 7/9/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
sign out front
sign out front

Note:  Restaurant now closed

We visited Homewood again and had different things as much of the menu had changed.  The menu this time was for summer rather than spring.  It was still really busy but with a reservation we had a table waiting for us.   Walk-ins were waiting for a seat and the noise level is a struggle.    It is a lively, varied aged crowd.  Chef Matt McCallister was in the kitchen and out visiting with his guests. Continue reading →

Fauna, Dallas, 6/22/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Fauna is the newest addition to Stephan Pyles Flora Street Cafe in the Dallas Arts District.  It only seats 16 in the smaller dining room off to the side.  The setting is dressier and quieter than the larger front room, with nice sized tables draped in lovely linens and appointed with comfy padded chairs.  The tables are slightly close but it is a small room and there is adequate space between them.  They have purse stools, music in the background, art on the wall, a tall candle on each table, dark curtains on the windows and TV screens above the serving window with scenes of fire and water.  It has the southwestern touches, that Pyles is known for, like antlers above the monitors and branches in the ceiling fixture.  The room is completely enclosed when the meal starts and serves only the same tasting menu of about 12 courses to everyone there.  Pacing is a little slow but portion control is good.  The doors nicely shut out the hum of the front part of the place.  They do pass out a printed menu for you to take home at the end of the meal.   The pass through window to the kitchen is below the monitors and everyone is served at the same time.  Plan to spend a couple hours.  When we went they had only been open 3 weeks, so I’m sure some changes have been made to the set up. Continue reading →

Homewood, Dallas, 5/7/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_6717.jpeg
exterior

Homewood is Matt McCallister’s newest venture following the closure of his successful FT33.  It is more centrally located and has a more casual feel.  When we first visited he had only been open a couple weeks.  It is a bright and modern spot with large windows looking out on the patio and the busy street beside it.   Wood and tile are the surfaces and the open ceiling has painted wood rafter joists with acoustic tiles.  A low counter bar is the bar but also a place for walk-ins to have dinner.  It is appointed with stuffed chairs.  There is also a high counter bar where you can get a reservation as well as the many small, closely set tables around the room.  A few larger booths are along the windows that look out on Oak Lawn Ave. and some booths for 2 people face the low bar area.  A short wall separates the 2 sections of dining tables.  The section that also houses the higher bar is open to the kitchen.  McCallister can be seen in the kitchen as well as coming out to visit with guests and friends.  They have valet parking if you want to be in the lot adjacent to the  building.  Service was efficient, friendly and directive.  The menu changes regularly and features many locally sourced items as well as those that have been preserved, pickled, etc. by the restaurant staff.  They are happy to have you share things. Continue reading →

Raymonds (re-visit), St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/29/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
inteiror
interior

The second time we went to Raymonds we went for the smallest tasting menu, the 3 course.  This one you get more a la carte sized servings.  My impression of the place was even better the second time around.  It was earlier in the evening so it was still light outside and that changed the room and really brightened things.  Music still played in the background and I think we got the same table but it was different to see the harbor outside and have a shorter meal experience.  For each of the 3 courses you have 3 options to pick from.   We also opted for our own bottle of wine this visit.   Continue reading →

The Adelaide Oyster House, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/29/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

The Adelaide Oyster House is a small place on a main street of town that opened in 2014.  They have one large picnic table in the window and lots of stools around the long bar and small, closely set tables backing up to the wall.  They offer lots of locally brewed tap beers as well as a full bar.  Loud, older rock music plays in the background, exposed ductwork runs across the ceiling, the walls are a combination of wood and brick and one end of the place houses the small open kitchen.  On weekends they serve brunch all day.  It’s a friendly and welcoming place but the server was not overly directive in how much or suggestions to order.  Plates are easily split which we did so we could try a number of things. Continue reading →

Seto Kitchen and Bar, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Seto is in an historic house, that predates the Great Fire of Newfoundland,  with 2 rooms set up for dining.  They seat just 36 people with 5 tables in front and 6 in the back.  The old wood tables are set with padded armless chairs and large paper napkins.  New age music plays in the background and the lighting is low with some also provided by candles.  The small menu has lots of dishes suitable for sharing and one special of the evening was introduced by the server.  This is the 4th year they have been open and they also operate a food truck.  Service was super friendly and helpful.   In a really small kitchen Chef Ken Pittman creates all the dishes, many inspired by his grandfather who was among the first Chinese immigrants to Newfoundland.  He uses fresh, local ingredients that are native to the province while adding an Asian twist to the dishes.  It was a fabulous meal and I urge you to try it if you can. Continue reading →

Chinched, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Chinched is Newfoundland slang for being full and the tiny restaurant Chinched is good for that.  It is in an old house that has a small number of counter seats and a couple tables for about 8 people in the window that faces the street.  They do their own in-house chacuterie and make their own crackers and bread.  The small menu at lunch is mostly sandwiches and snacks with lots of beer choices.  At dinner they have a larger menu and also offer a happy hour menu.  Later in the day they have additional seating upstairs.  They also offer wine and a bar.  There is seating on a small patio out back when weather permits.   The super friendly staff were helpful in advising what and how much to order.  We way over ordered, but we wanted to try a number of their things.  Music plays in the background and there are a ton of pigs decorating the place.  It felt casual and cozy.   Continue reading →

Mallard Cottage, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
other side
side

Mallard Cottage was built around 1830 as a one and half story home for the Mallard family in the Quidi Vidi area (rows of brightly colored houses); a house typical of the immigrants coming in from southeast Ireland.  We got to sit in one of the original rooms with the low ceiling but they’ve added on a larger high ceiling room that could seat way more people.  The old wood floors are set with new bare wood pedestal tables, wood uncushioned chairs and large paper napkins. In the larger room, that also housed a bar and stools, the music was quite loud whereas in the older rooms it was quieter.  Lots of quaint decorations give the place character.  Service was friendly but pacing was super quick and portions good sized.  The menu is small but they also offer a ‘family style’ option where they pick the appetizers and main courses for your table.  Wine pairings are available.  We chose the family style option but ordered our own wine.   Continue reading →

Get Stuffed, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Get Stuffed is a good sized place with several rooms on 2 stories of an historic house.  The small, closely set tables are covered with black cloths  and maroon or beige napkins that match the bench seat and cushions that lines the wall.  There are a few stools at the service counter across from the bench and then there are rooms upstairs with tables and bay windows.  Music is in the background and the windows on the front of the building look out over a park and its statues as well as the harbour down the hill.  It’s on an interesting street that is filled with funky shops good for browsing.  Service was very friendly, helpful but pacing was a little slow.   Continue reading →

Raymonds, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
from the front
from the front

Raymonds is one large rectangular room filled with large, well-spaced tables appointed with padded armless chairs, white tableclothes and large white napkins.  Three wrapped chandeliers and real candles provide the lighting when the sun goes down and the 3 sides of windows no longer let in light.  The windows looks out over St. John’s harbour and passing boats.  The floor is carpeted and the high ceiling is decorated with heavy crown molding.  The room feels elegant and the crowd is more dressed up, many celebrating special occasions.  However it is noisy when the room fills up.  The building dates back to 1915 and previously was home to a cable company.   They opened 9 years ago after a couple years of extensive remodeling.  The menu offers 3 tasting menus (3, 5 and 7 courses)  with the 3 course one having a la carte size portions and the others appropriately scaled.  All  the menus had optional wine pairings available and the server said they would accommodate allergies or aversions.  We chose the 7 course tasting with the wine pairings. Continue reading →

The Merchant Tavern, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior

The Merchant Tavern is a large place with a combination of high top and regular size tables, a few stools by the kitchen counter and a huge u-shaped bar with seating in the middle.  Windows to the street are on one wall and the back wall is all open kitchen.   The tables are closely set with marble tops, exposed ductwork is in the ceiling and there are lots of hanging lights.  Wood and some art decorate the walls.   It is a more casual option offered by the group that owns the more upscale Raymonds.  The menu was all a la carte and had a couple specials offered.  It features seasonal, local foods.  The place was crowded, casual and noisy.  Service was friendly and helpful.  They did not have a business card but with a search to the name and place you will find their website for the place on 291 Water St., St. John’s NL. Continue reading →

Oliver’s Restaurant, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Oliver’s is a small place with mostly padded and tufted booth seating.  The dining room has bare wood tables, low lighting, music in the background, art on the walls and windows to the street.  One wall mostly holds wine and above the racks are huge piles of corks.  The wine selection is limited but they have lots of cocktails available.  The menu has a number of local seafood offerings as well as some seafood shipped into the area.  There were several nightly specials.  Service was efficient, super friendly and happy to have us share things and bring them in courses. Continue reading →

Providence (update), Los Angeles, 6/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

It’s been 3 years since we visited Providence.  Since that time Michelin has issued a new California guide that reinstated the previous rank of Providence as a 2 Michelin star restaurant.  Also the restaurant has redone the dining space.  The new gray walls are in place of the patterned ones but are still decorated with the white flowers and the ‘netting material’ continues to cover the ceiling.  They retained an elegance in the room with a double white table cloth covering the large tables that are moderately spaced.  The bench seating is now covered with leather and dark velvet mated on the other side with comfortable chairs. Music plays in the background and service is friendly and very attentive.  They offer 3 tasting menus with optional pairings, additional options (oysters, caviar, uni, and spot prawns) and a full bar.  We chose the Chef’s tasting menu and ordered our own wines.  It was an excellent meal – full of wonderful flavors and textures.    This place gets 2 strong thumbs up from me.  Pacing started rapidly and then slowed down a bit.  Portion control was great. Continue reading →

Animal Restaurant, Los Angeles, 6/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior

Animal is a medium sized place that serves lots of plates made for sharing.  It is the first restaurant of the group that also owns Jon and Vinny which is across the street down a couple lots.  The menu adds brunch items on weekends but the regular menu is still available.  They have been open 10 years and the menu was originally known for its interesting meat cuts but now mostly features meaty, hearty food.  The dishes were well flavored and fun, so I’d put this one on your list if you’re in town.  Rock music plays in the background but is dampened by the sound tiles in the ceiling.  Plain white walls host just a couple paintings and windows to the street are at one end of the place.  The opposite end is a counter with seats that face the bar and a small window into the kitchen.  The bare wood tables are set with large cloth napkins and ceiling skylights add additional light for daytime dining.  Service was super friendly and helpful.   Continue reading →

Somni, Los Angeles, 5/31/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
seating counter
seating counter

Somni means “dream” in Catalan and this place is the dream of Chef Aitor Zabala and Chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup.  It is inside the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills and offers a surprise tasting menu of about 20 courses.  The menu changes with the seasons and mostly as an individual item at a time and they did have a printed version of the tasting for you when you finished.  They received a 2 star Michelin rating in the new California Michelin Guide.  You entered into the hotel lobby, which felt more like a mini department store, where you waited to be ushered into the dining room.  The dining room is a lovely light wood curved counter with plush chairs for 10 people.  The large group of chefs work at the several counters in front of you and also in a back area that is less visible.  The white surfaces look pristine with the light woods and marble and small spotlights hang over every seat so you can enjoy the artistry of the dishes.  Some art is on the back walls but the real art is in the kitchen in front of you.  It felt elegant and serene.  Service was amazing along with questions easily answered by any of the chefs that served you.  It was a totally delightful and delicious experience.  I suspect that this is the work of manager Eric Jeffay (who we met at D.C.’s Minibar) and is well versed in providing the finest service.  I encourage you to go if you get the chance the food is gorgeous, as is the room, and explodes with flavor.   Continue reading →

Jon & Vinny’s Restaurant, Los Angeles, 5/31/19

~ hsnixon ~ 6 Comments
IMG_2616
building

Jon & Vinny’s is a medium sized place with bare blond wood tables for 2 and some booth seating.  The kitchen is on the left as you  enter and you can see the pizza baking and food being prepared.  There are some stools at the counter for eating too.  The two-tops had hinges that looked like they could be expanded for bigger parties.   All the tables are  set with paper napkins and a selection of paper placemats and there is older rock music in the background.   There are windows to the busy street at the front but no seats nearby.  However between those windows and the skylights there is plenty of light in the place.  Helen’s Wines is attached to the back of the dining area and you can go in to select your wine or do it from the list and they’ll bring it out.  Afterwards you can go and buy more of it or something else to take with you.  Service was efficient and friendly and pacing was fairly rapid.  They were happy for us to share everything and willing to bring it out in stages for us to eat but they did overlap sometimes which could make it tight on the small table.  The place was constantly full, especially with lots of young people, with tables turning several times. Stopped into the wine shop afterwards and they were extremely friendly too.   Continue reading →

La Carniceria, Buenos Aires, 5/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

La Carniceria is a small place with about 10 small bare wood tables and a few counter stools.  Tables are placed fairly close together and a mural of hanging meat fills the back wall.  Opposite that is the cooking area behind the bar.   The chairs are a comfortable wire mesh and the floor is a lovely terrazzo.  Music plays in the background and windows look out onto the street.  It looks relatively new and is a comfortable ambiance.  It filled up quickly and the noise level rose with that, but it workable.  Our server was helpful and friendly and spoke great English. The menu is small and is heavy on the grilled meat.  Portions are generous and the food is simple and straightforward but seriously delicious.  Doing something simple really well can often dwarf the frilly, less flavorful options.  This place is highly recommended by me to visit. Continue reading →

Tegui, Buenos Aires, 5/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

Tegui is a medium sized place that is a surprise inside as its building is covered with graffiti and the entrance is marked only on the door.  The well spaced tables are set with nice white tableclothes and huge napkins.  A bench seat provides the seating along one wall for the smaller tables where as the 4-tops are next to large windows looking out to an area of lighted plants.  One end of the room is a wall of glassed in wine bottles and the other the open kitchen, highlighted by a huge stainless steel bull head on the end of the vent hood.  The lighting was mostly provided by candles and pop music played in the background.  The ceiling was a shiny black wood and the wood floor was painted gray.  They have been here 10 years.  The staff was all friendly, helpful and conversant in English.  They only offer a tasting menu, for which the course listing was at the table, and wine pairings are available, however we chose to order our own wines.  They featured a number of local items in their dishes. Continue reading →

Bar Plaza Dorrego, Buenos Aires, 5/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1589
building

Bar Plaza Dorrego is good sized and right across from the plaza where tango dancers perform and vendors sell trinkets.  It has been around a long time – I found one photograph dated 1904 – and the walls and furnishings look like they have not been replaced in a long while.  It is full of character.  The large u-shaped bar is the centerpiece of the room and the tables wrap around the walls.  Windows are on a couple sides as the building as it’s on a corner.  Photos line the wall and the bar is stocked with liquors and coffee.  The staff were friendly and welcoming.  We only stopped for coffee but it came with a little bowl of delicious amaretto cookies to snack on.  They do offer sandwiches, steaks and pastires, but most people were just drinking.  It felt like history surrounded us and was a wonderful place to pass a few restful moments. Continue reading →

Elena Restaurante, Buenos Aires, 5/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
door sign
door sign

Elena is a huge restaurant located in the Four Seasons Hotel.  Even with all the space, the small wood tables are placed closed together.  They are set with small square leather placemats and napkins embossed with their logo.  Bench seating lines several walls and there were a couple rounded booths on one side.  There was a staircase in the room and windows to rooms upstairs but I saw no one eating up there.  However there was a dumb waiter in the room that seemed to be carrying things up and down.  It is a striking room with a black and white tile floor, tons of wood and tile on the walls with metal accents.  A large open kitchen is on one end of the room across from the glassed in cabinets of meat. You could see the flames from the gas grill around the meats that were cooking.  A large domed skylight is in the center of the room and provided a ton of light during the day.  There was music in the background.  The menu was in Spanish and English and they did offer a lunch special.  Service was poor with long waits between server check-ins and they forgot to bring the potatoes with our meat.  I finally was able to flag down a manager type, as the server was not to be found, and she got them out asap.  However she also managed to splatter the wine when she poured it  and tried to charge more for the wine than was printed.   There seemed to be as many locals as tourists there but the ambiance was weird and the food average at best. Continue reading →

CHILA – Relais & Chateaux, Buenos Aires, 5/23/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

CHILA is a larger place that offers only a tasting menu, but they do have a vegetarian option for it.  The night we were there they also offered an additional caviar option. Wine pairings (8 glasses for about 15 courses) are available and we opted for them this evening.  Pacing of the meal was fairly quick and portion control was good.  The staff were all very friendly.  It is a place with a modern look, bare wood tables set with huge linen napkins and comfortable stuffed arm chairs, and lowered lighting.  There is a wonderful view of the city through their windows. Continue reading →

Roux Resto, Buenos Aires, 5/23/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

Roux is casual medium sized place with white clothes and napkins.  There is a bar at one end of the room with a pass through window to the kitchen but no seating at the bar.  The small tables are fairly closely set and windows to the street are on two sides of the room.  The other walls are painted and decorated with art and mirrors;  the floor is a natural wood.  At lunch is was a light and airy feeling room.  American music plays in the background but sound tiles in the ceiling keep the noise level good.  The day we were there they offered a special Anniversary tasting menu but normally the menu is all a la carte.  Chef Martin Rebaudino was in the house and came out to visit with his guests.   All the staff were attentive and friendly although some had limited ability to speak English.  The portions were generous and the pacing good.  I did see an amuse bouche being served to other tables but it missed us. Continue reading →

El Baqueano – Cocina Autóctona Contemporánea, Buenos Aires, 5/22/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
building
building

El Baqueano is a small place with about 6 tables, 8 seats at the counter and an open kitchen.  They have been open 11 years.  You must ring the bell to have them confirm your reservation through the grating before you gain entry.  Windows to the street are on 2 walls as it sits on a corner and comfortable armchairs are at the tables set with elegant clothes and napkins.  Instrumental music played in the background and the overall lighting was low, but each table had a spot light.  An enclosed wall of wine separated the main dining room from a room with a larger table.  Everyone is served the same tasting menu and no printed version is available.  It was an odd meal, made odder in that the place was empty except for us and one other table.  Pacing was really fast and portions too large for a tasting.  With little information about the upcoming food we chose to try their wine pairings with the meal.  They served many local items which the server had difficulty translating for us.  Continue reading →

Don Julio, Buenos Aires, 5/22/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Don Julio is a good sized place with additonal seating on a second level and outdoor tables also available.  The small tables are fairly close but nicely covered with white clothes with brown runners and white napkins.  Small service tables help with overflow on the smaller tables.  Wine bottles consumed from their cellar of over 14,000 bottles are signed by their drinkers and displayed on the walls.  The ceiling is made of bricks and old tile decorates the floor.  The open grill area is filled with grilling meats as several cooks man the fire and grill.  Windows to the street and patio area are on two sides as the building sits on a street corner. The place was packed with people but noise did not seems to be a problem at lunch.  It is a very well known place so reservations are a must but for those who have to wait for a table they offer champagne and empanadas to make the wait easier.  They offer a large menu but this place is about beef.  The cozy feel of the place is helped by the excellent, welcoming staff.  When they found we were “foodies” they offered us a tour of the kitchen and wine cellars.  This is significant in that the kitchen is down the street and the manager walked down with us to meet the chef and see some of the preparations of the kitchen that makes everything served – from charcuterie to bread to vinegars and they age their own meat.  The wine cellar was impressive with its huge collection of bottles and also had a table for special parties there.  Plates are filled with generous portions and sharing is fine. Continue reading →

Aramburu, Buenos Aires, 5/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entry
entry

Aramburu was a medium sized modern looking place that had been in this location just 3 weeks when we ate there.  The bare tables are of stone or wood and accompanied by different chairs.  The large open kitchen takes up one long side of the room which is opposite windows, to the alley/street, that were covered with blinds.  The painted walls are topped with a brick ceiling and hanging light fixtures.  The light fixtures are minimal as the place is fairly dark.  It has a casual feel but you have to ring the bell to get inside.  There are just 12 tables and some music plays in the background.  The staff were super friendly and welcoming and spoke great English.  They serve only a tasting menu and wine pairings are available.  There is no printed version of the menu handed out, however they volunteer to email it and they actually did.  Pacing started out quite rapid but then allowed more time between courses and portion control was good.  We ordered our own wines from the recommendations by the excellent sommelier. Continue reading →

Parrilla Peña, Buenos Aires, 5/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Parrilla Peña is a small place with closely spaced small tables covered with white clothes and napkins.  Windows look out on to the street but have drapes to partially cover them.  The menu is large and most plates are enough for two.  It accepts only VISA or cash.  The staff are friendly and helpful but the English is limited.  Wines line the upper parts of the walls and they have a long pole to grab yours and bring it down.  You enter into an area that separates the kitchen by a low bar and looks like a takeout area.  The other end of the kitchen is open to the back part of the dining room.  It lent a small amount of noise to the dining room but mostly it was banter of the regular customers.  This place felt “old school” serving simple but real local flavors, in huge portions.  It is not creative or the best but a perfect example of what you might eat on a regular basis if you lived here.  It was good, satisfying and an overall fun experience. Continue reading →

Delta Diner (update), Delta, 7/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ 5 Comments
exterior
exterior

It’s been 3 years since Frankie and I wrote up some visits to the Delta Diner in the “middle of nowhere” Delta, Wisconsin.  The Chequamegon National Forest is another draw for this area but the Diner, a real draw, can commonly have a wait for seating in the summer months. Now you have an alternate dining option with The Tin Taphouse and the Chicken Shack – a bit of Jamaica in the middle of the Northwoods.  It’s only open on weekends and probably will close in October, as it is open air and it starts to get cold up there about that time.  But during the warmer months there could be no better way to enjoy the weather than at one of the picnic tables in the back (overlooking the White River) or on one of the stools at the bar enjoying the fun people manning the taps for locally brewed Earth Rider beers.  The place is composed from two railroad containers joined with an arch of metal.  Bright murals are painted on the outside walls and lots of plants bring the essence of a lush island setting.  Owners of the Delta Diner, Todd and Nina Bucher, are grilling up the jerk chicken and making the sides that will help absorb the quantities of beer you’ll want to consume.   There’s lots of parking and then you can walk into Island time.  For additional details check their website <deltadiner.com>. Continue reading →

Scenic Drive Resort, Delta, 6/15/19 & 7/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
Builbing
Building

Scenic Drive Resort is in the Chequamegon National Forest, on Lake Delta.  The owners, Terry and Patty Pajtash, bought the resort in 1990 and built the new lodge building in 2000.   Their two children, Arianna and Wyatt are often seen in the bar helping out.  Terry is the main cook but Patty is equally at home on the charbroil grill.  They have rental cabins in addition to the restaurant in the main lodge building.  It serves food year round as well as having a full bar but in the summer months they offer a Saturday night special of Steak Kabobs, and thus I am putting out this write-up promptly so you have a chance to get up there and have one.  (Another note is that the owners have the place for sale, so we don’t know how long this will go on).  They start serving at 6:00 pm and it’s first come, first served so don’t be late because there are no reservations for kabobs.  There are other things if you come another night that I can vouch for, including Terry’s ribs that are award winning and a good ribeye steak sandwich.  For additional details about the place, they have a website at <scenicdrive.com>. Continue reading →

Good Thyme Restaurant and Catering, Washburn, 6/14/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
building
building

Good Thyme Restaurant is in a 100 year old yellow house on Highway 13. It also does catering in the area and is run and staffed by mostly women.  It is a large place with a porch outside equipped with lots of furniture to enjoy the weather.  A fireplace is in the middle of the first floor where you enter and is surrounded by rooms full of copper tables and comfortable seating.  Windows look out on the grounds and the walls are decorated with art, much of which is for sale.  In the back is a copper bar incircling a mountain of liquor bottles.  Some people chose to eat at the bar as well as the many stopping there for a cocktail before dinner.  It was packed with people and reservations are a must.  They are only open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday during the summer.  Service was friendly, helpful and efficient.   It is not a large menu but there is good variety and they do have the Friday Fish Fry which is common in the area.  We were there to try that. Continue reading →

Momofuku Ko (update), New York City, 5/4/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
open kitchen
open kitchen

We visited Ko one year ago and the entrance changed positions but not much else has changed significantly.   The seats at the counter seemed better spaced but the loud music still makes conversation difficult.  They offer 2 seatings in a night and they are staggered slightly so waiting wasn’t a problem.  They offer only the same tasting menu to all and it was surprisingly similar to what we were served a year ago.  They probably offer wine pairings but we chose to order our own wines.  They do have a couple tables for larger groups but everyone else is seated at the wood bar in acceptable but not super comfy seats.  They have purse hooks under the counter but it was so far under you’d never be able to retrieve your purse if you need anything.  Pacing was uneven and portion control was on the light side.  You do receive a menu at the end but many of the things I well recognized from our last visit.  I mentioned this to the chef who was a bit defensive that they’d made changes but they were minor to the diner.  Unfortunately this similarity made the meal less exciting to me. Continue reading →

Frenchette, New York City, 5/4/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

We visited Frenchette for a Saturday lunch, where they also offer brunch foods.  They opened about a year ago.  You enter into a good sized bar area that is comfortable and friendly and you can also snag a seat there to eat without a reservation.   The large dining room held closely set tables some of which were matched to booth seating along a mid-room dividing wall.  Service was friendly and efficient.  The menu is not large but offers a number of tasty options.  Eclectic music played in the background, the yellowish lights were lowered and the place was packed.  They make their own charcuterie in house as well as pretzel rolls.   Continue reading →

Marea (update), New York City, 5/3/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entry
entry

It’s been 4 years since we ate at Marea, a 2 star Michelin restaurant that specializes in seafood with an Italian influence.  The food here is all very flavorful with out dots or smears – just plain good and fresh.  It is a huge place, elegantly appointed but with closely set tables and some noise issues when it is full.  At lunch it was packed.  There is a lot of art on the walls and windows to the street on two sides of the large dining area.  They also have a long bar area with a beautiful yellow glass wall running behind the bar.  The wood on the walls is polished to a high sheen and you’re likely to spot some bold name people dining with you or in passage from one of the private dining rooms.  (I spotted Michael Douglas as he exited).  At lunch they offer a selection of primi and secondi courses with a fixed price of $63 for the two of your choice, however some selections will have a supplemental charge and a 5 course tasting menu for $99 with optional wine pairings offered.  The tasting includes dessert and although the menu is already set they were willing to make some changes for us and we did not have to get the same things, so that is the deal to get.  We ordered our own bottle of wine and had a cocktail and still beat the cost of buying the pairings, but just barely.  Service was excellent, friendly and efficient.  Put this place on your list if you can. Continue reading →

Bozar Restaurant, Brussels, 4/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
one entrance
one entrance

Bozar is the one star Michelin restaurant in the Palais des Beaux Arts Museum.  Chef Karen Torosyan, the ‘Pie King’,  is noted for his pâté en croûte and in 2015 he was named the World Champion of Pâté en Croûte.  However be warned, if you want to try any of his crusts they must be order about a week ahead of time.  We ordered a Pithiviers a week before and tried to order a Millefeuille that evening and were told it was not possible.  They also offer 3 and 5 course tasting menus with wine pairings available.  It is a large place on multiple levels with bare marble tables closely set and appointed with bare wood armless chairs.  One end of the longer room is the open kitchen where there is a always a flurry of activity.  Karen Torosyan was there and very busy in the kitchen, with his name etched on the end of the huge stainless steel cooktop.   Lights are dimmed and the noise level is high.  Service was friendly, spoke good English and reasonably attentive.   Continue reading →

Restaurant De Jonkman, Brugge, 4/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entering
entering

De Jonkman was started in 2006 by Chef Filip Claeys and his wife Sandra Claeys.  It is a short train ride from Brussels to a shrubbery surrounded modern house in Brugge.   There are colorful and whimsical animals outside the windows and in some of the several dining rooms. Detailing of the interior and exterior design is lovely and lots of large windows to the lush grounds serve as walls for the dining rooms.  Art by Belgian artists and mirrors adorn other walls and the large white cloth covered tables are well spaced and fitted with comfortable chairs.  They have 2 Michelin stars and chef Claeys was on hand the day we were there to produce some wonderful dishes for us to enjoy.  He really stresses sustainable food sourcing and works to highlight local products that are not usually on menus, especially fish that would often be thrown back and he finds a way to turn them into something delicious.  It is worth a trip to Brugge; the food is outstanding.  The staff were all friendly and spoke great English.  The menu offered a la carte options as well as 5, 6 and 7 course tastings.  Working with the chef we were able to select a la carte options that would highlight what he thought looked best that day. Continue reading →

La Paix (update), Brussels, 4/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

We last visited La Paix 2 years ago.  Since then they have been elevated to a 2 star Michelin rating.  The beautiful origami bird sculpture still graces the 1892 dining room built in a retired bank that processed the money from the meat slaughterhouses across the street.  Chef David Martin was in the kitchen and while he has changed the hours and days the food is still of great quality and flavor.  I recommend you visit here if you can.  The tasting menu changes every couple months but individual dishes  change with availability and seasons.  His staff, along with his partner Nathalie Obbiet, could not have made us feel more welcome.  They offer a 6 course tasting only on Thursday and Friday evenings and lunch Tuesday through Friday.  The large open kitchen is at the back of the room and one side is filled with an old bar that serves as a service area, not for seating, and stocks a full bar.  The large fish tanks have moved into the center of the room for all to easily admire the size of the crabs and lobsters.  The bare wood tables are nicely spaced and most include a side service table so crowding is not an issue.  The old wood floor is gorgeous and the lighting is lowered but far from dim.  Pacing was great as was the portion control of the tasting. Continue reading →

L’air du temps, Liernu, 4/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
restaurant building

L’air du temps is in an old farm house about an hour train ride from Brussels and then a 30 minute cab ride from Namur station.   The good sized dining room is in one of the many buildings on the compound and had floor to ceiling windows on three sides that overlook some of the gardens.  I understand that some of the other buildings offer lodging if you want to stay out there.  The restaurant has a 2 star Michelin rating and the room has a contemporary feel with swirling wood decorations covering the ceiling and low pile gray carpeting, both of which dampen sound.  They had upholstered chairs that I did not find particularly comfortable – they felt too hard.  The good sized, white cloth covered tables are widely set and minimally decorated.  The back wall is mostly cabinets except for the glassed in passage to the kitchen.  Piped in bird sounds are in the background.  They offered 2 tasting menus and an a la carte menu.  There was a special smaller option for lunch only.  Pacing was pretty good and portion control was excellent.  Alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairings are offered.  We chose the smaller tasting and ordered our own wine.   Chef Sang-Hoon Degiembre was in house and came out to chat with guests as well as present some of the dishes.  He is from South Korea but is now a Belgian citizen.  The Korean letter that seems to be a symbol of the place is the first letter of his name and also the world for world in the Japanese alphabet. Continue reading →

The Jane, Antwerp, 4/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

The Jane opened in 2014 in the former chapel of an old military hospital complex.  The building is well restored and already has 2 Michelin stars, however they did have a fire a few months ago and much of the kitchen had to be replaced.  It is a large dining room with one end being the open kitchen.  The balcony above is a bar and it gives a visitor a spectacular view of the room below as well as many seats at the bar to lounge and get ready for the meal.  It also serves an a la carte menu of bites to be shared.  The coved ceiling of the building has been restored to look old with a distressed paint treatment.   Stained glass windows have whimsical designs in them.  New age music plays in the background of the large white cloth covered tables which are closely spaced. Bench seating with lots of pillows is along some of the walls and the middle tables are outfitted with 4 chairs, but some are worked into built in partitions.  A huge overhead light fixture as well as a sculpture over the kitchen are centerpieces of the stylish design. Continue reading →

Bon Bon (update), Brussels, 4/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

We last visited Bon Bon, a 2 star Michelin restaurant, 2 years ago.  The interior decorations of the old mansion haven’t changed much but now the whimsical sheep are also by the front door to greet you.  The white painted tree branch still extends into the room and the lovely old wood floors have nice rugs that provide sound absorption.  Tables are well spaced and with the ceiling sound panels, noise level is really not a problem, even with soft music playing in the background.  The large open kitchen is still humming and there are some counter seats for those who want an even closer view.  Windows around the perimeter look over the lush gardens outside.   They now offer a 6 course surprise tasting as well as a 5 course vegetarian one, in addition to an a la carte menu.  After a heavy lunch we chose the vegetarian option and ordered our own wine.  Pacing of the meal was good as was portion control.  Chef Christophe Hardiquest was in the kitchen and cam out to speak with each of the tables. Continue reading →

Sea Grill (update), Brussels, 4/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrane
entrance

We were last at the Sea Grill in November of 2013, a 2 star Michelin restaurant in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel.  The elegant dining room is located below the hotel lobby with widely spaced large tables set with lovely clothes and napkins.  The lighting is lowered but there are spots directed to each table so it’s good lighting for photos.  There were 2 adjoining rooms with larger tables for bigger parties. Wood walls are on either end with art on the other walls and music plays in the background.  The excellent service was provided by a staff that all conversed well in English.  An old school atmosphere did not provide my menu with prices but did provide a purse stool.   The menu offered a la carte options as well as a 4 course tasting, for which they were willing to do some substitutions (we substituted the Sole for the Sea Bass). Pacing of the meal was on the slow side but portion control was very good.  They did provide us with a printed menu of our meal however it was not exactly what we had. Continue reading →

La table d’Aki, Paris, 4/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
buidling
building

We last visited La table d’Aki in February 2013, before I started this blog.  It’s a tiny place with about 8 tables for 2.  They do 2 seatings each night.  Classical music plays in the background and the small tables are very closely placed.  They are set with white tableclothes and nice sized cloth napkins.   The end of the room is the small kitchen where chef prepares all the food and cleans up too.  Each table has its own little light on it.  Near where the wall hit the floor was a piece of wood to prevent chairs from backing up too far and dinging the wall behind them. Chef is very particular and you can see him re-arrange things to his liking.  No tweezer action here but the food is precise yet simple.  It is good food but not earth shattering.  It is honest, clean tasting without dots, smears or 15 ingredients on one plate. It is only seafood and there are no amuse bouche or final treats.  The room has little ambiance and the staff spoke fairly poor English.  Everyone in the restaurant has the same tasting menu.  Pacing is rapid and portions size is on the small end of the scale. Continue reading →

Coretta, Paris, 4/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Coretta is a medium sized restaurant located near Martin Luther King Park, thus the name.  Two sides of the room are large windows to the outside.  The modern room has lots of wood accents and the small tables are of wood based with a metal tops set with leather chairs.  Some of the tables are high top and there is outdoor seating.  It was nice looking but not the most comfortable the way the legs on the table hit your legs.  Modern music plays in the background and an opening on one wall looks into the kitchen.  The menu is a la carte or sold with a 3 course or 2 course price.  Certain picks do have a surcharge for this method.  Some of the food was quite good but none of it great, however it is a very pleasant place for lunch.  Service was friendly, efficient and they spoke great English. Continue reading →

Restaurant Alliance (update), Paris, 4/12/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building (you can see chef through the window)

It’s been 2 years since we visited Restaurant Alliance, a small one star Michelin restaurant with Chef Toshitaka Omiya at the helm – someone who seriously knows how to cook.  If you have the opportunity to get there, do.  I give it solid thumbs way up.   The food is wonderful combinations of really flavorful ingredients that will leave you wanting more and then they’ll bring the next course that is just as good or better.  They offer 2 tasting menus, one a 7 course surprise menu selected by the chef or a Harmony Menu of set courses.  They do offer a smaller tasting menu at lunch but go at dinner if you can because you don’t want to miss any of the dishes this chef turns out.  Pacing is good, no lags and portion control great.  There are only around 7 tables in between the windows to the street and the large window looking into the kitchen.  Shades of gray and cream along with lower lighting provide a peaceful, cozy ambiance along with some cool circular overhead light fixtures.  Service is stellar, with welcoming and helpful staff that all spoke great English.  We were warmly greeted by  the chef and manager Shawn Joyeux, who is great at finding you a fun wine at your chosen price point. Continue reading →

La Condesa (update), Paris, 4/12/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

It’s been just over a year since we visited La Condesa and this trip we tried lunch instead of dinner.  It is a really small one star Michelin restaurant that has been open about a year and a half.  There are about 8 closely set small bare wood tables.  The use of mirrors helps make the place seem bigger but it has a cozy atmosphere.  Music is in the background and the chef Indra Carrillo is in the kitchen but makes frequent trips to the dining room to bring food and check on diners.  The menu offers tastings of 3, 4, or 6 courses and wine pairings are available.  We chose the 6 course menu and ordered our own wine.  Portion control and pacing are both good and the staff is all super friendly, helpful and speak great English.   Continue reading →

Le Clarence (update), Paris, 4/11/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrnace
entrance

We were at Le Clarence last fall for lunch and so this spring we tried their dinner service.  The physical location had not changed but it did feel different without the sunlight streaming in the windows.  The same menus cost more at dinner but they offer the same great and friendly service at both times.  Of the 3 tasting menus we chose the Menu Inspiration.  The meal was presented with groupings of different plates, sometimes presented together and others in succession.  It made for fun combinations.  We ended up at the exact same table, but that was fine because I think it is the prettiest of the rooms.  However with the large, well spaced tables, all the rooms offer a lovely atmosphere for dining.  Chef Christophe Pelé was in house and stopped by to say hello to Frankie, as did restaurant manager Cédric Servain.  Chef’s creativity and flavor intensity make this a place a must when you are next eating in Paris.  It is pure, relaxed elegance. I did take photos of a number of the old photographs in the menu and will place them throughout this post. Continue reading →

Restaurant H, Paris, 4/11/19

~ hsnixon ~ 3 Comments
building
building

Retaurant H is a small place of about 8 well spaced tables.  Soft music plays in the background, one wall has windows to the un-busy street and the back wall has a window into the kitchen.  The bare topped tables are set with lovely large napkins.  The modern room has wallpaper on some walls and others are decorated with arty photographs.  Decorations are minimal.  The menu is tiles in a box where you can pick how many courses you want.  They offer tastings of 3, 5 or 7 courses with wine pairings available.  We chose the 5 course omnivore menu and ordered our wine.  Service was exceptionally friendly and servers spoke great English and were helpful. The chef, Hubert Duchenne came out to visit with diners.  The restaurant currently has a one Michelin star rating. Continue reading →

Cézembre Restaurant, Paris, 4/10/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Cézembre is a small restaurant of about 10 tables that serves only a 5 course set menu at dinner.  For lunch they serve a 3 course menu.   There is no a la carte menu.  The small varnished wood tables are set closely and with paper napkins.  Painted beams in the ceiling, lowered lighting and pop music in the background set the tone.  Mirrored walls make it feel larger than it is.  The staff was super friendly  and spoke good English.   This is a very nice place with good food in a cozy setting in the heart of the tourist district. Continue reading →

Restaurant Antoine, Paris, 4/10/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
street
exterior

Antoine is an enclosed patio with about 10 well spaced tables of various sizes.  Those tables nearer the windows to the outside were smaller whereas the ones along the kitchen wall were larger.  However those at the windows could have a view of the Eiffel tower and/or the museum across the street.  There is music in the background and the tables are covered with nice white clothes and set with good sized white napkins.  You are greeted at the table with the champagne cart – a wheeled “figure 8” table with the ice bucket of champagnes on top (later on it carries the cheese selection).  We were there at lunch time and they did have a special lunch menu as well as an a la carte menu and a 4 course lunch surprise tasting.  Wine pairings were available and they are known for their seafood.  We chose their 4 course lunch with our own bottle of wine.  They currently have a one star in the Michelin guide.  Servers spoke good English and were friendly and helpful.   Continue reading →

Restaurant AM, Marseille, 3/22/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior

Restaurant AM is a small place that offers 3 tasting menus based on the number of courses (10, 15-20, 20-30) with the courses sometimes just being one bite.  The night we were there they did offer a supplemental courses with truffles (some were under a dome on the table to temp you) for 55 euros and a comté cheese with caviar for 35 euros.  We chose the longest tasting and the cheese course.  It sounds like a lot more food than it was;  it is easily manageable because of great portion control and a fairly rapid pacing.   The rustic bare wood tables with metal legs are set nicely a part and with comfortable ‘plastic string chairs’.  The open kitchen is one corner of the place and music plays in the background but sound panels in the ceiling control noise levels.  A few seats are available at the bar where you could interact more with the chefs.  A couple windows are open to the street and the light fixtures are set to give a warm glow to the room.  Servers spoke good English and were really helpful and friendly.  Chef Alexandre Mazzia was in the kitchen, as he has been for 5 years, and was awarded 2 Michelin stars last February, which are a good indication of the quality of the food you’ll find here.  The dishes are innovative and loaded with flavor.  You’ll want to lick the plate clean in many instances.  They were nice enough to give me a listing of the courses before we left but it is a surprise as you dine.  If you have the opportunity to go, I would suggest you take it! Continue reading →

Le Petit Nice, Marseille, 3/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
exterior
exterior

Le Petit Nice is the only restaurant in Marseille to receive a 3 Michelin star rating.   It is in a luxury hotel that overlooks the water with Gérald Passedat as the chef.  The dining room has windows on 3 sides of its hexagon shape that overlook the water and lights of the city.  It was a lovely view even in the dark when you could’t see as much.  It was a bit hard to find the entry as we were walking to it.  A taxi would know to call at the gate to the parking lot but in the meantime we got to look into the kitchen from the passage way alongside the building.  The well spaced cloth covered tables are good sized and set with comfortable swivel chairs.  No music plays in the background, candles are on the tables and lights are slightly dimmed.  It is old school enough that the ladies menus don’t have prices.  They offer several tasting menus and an a la carte menu which is mostly seafood and vegetables. Service was good as was portion control of the tasting menu. Continue reading →

Restaurant Saisons, Marseille, 3/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Restaurant Saisons has about 8 tables in the main dining room, 2 seats in front of the kitchen window and a party room upstairs.  In the dining room there is a large window to the kitchen and a good-sized bar which is just for service not seating.  The front room or entry has some seats for waiting and a reception station along with the window to the street.  Modern music plays in the background but a number of sound dampening panels on the ceiling keep the noise level down.  The room has a modern look reinforced with the small tables of polished light wood and the concrete floor.   The menu offered 2 surprise tasting options and a small a la carte menu.  We chose the smaller 5 course menu.  For a one star Michelin restaurant the meal’s pacing was not even, with a slow down after the first two courses, like the kitchen wanted the whole room to catch up and be on the same course.  Service was friendly and helpful.   Continue reading →

Benu (update), San Francisco, 3/16/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
gates
gates

It’s been 3 years since we’ve been to Benu and I don’t know that I detected a lot of change in the interior, however they said it was completely re-done since we were there.  Classical music is in the background and completely fits the soothing peacefulness of the place.  The well spaced large bare dark wood tables are set with comfortable seats, exquisitely thin stemware and gilded flatware and chargers.  Service is friendly but totally professional, shown with their knowledge of our previous visits and orders.  You feel elegantly at home.  Everyone still has a tasting menu and the food is fantastic.  Pacing is spot on and portion controls allows you to really enjoy the meal with its amazing flavors and textures.  The spectacular visual affects (down to the presentation plates) of the food are not for show, they match the quality.  If you can, get there, you won’t be disappointed.   Continue reading →

In Situ, San Francisco, 3/16/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

In Situ is the one Michelin star restaurant inside the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  It is a very modern large place with a separate entrance from the street, so you don’t have to be in the museum.  A couple of long wood tables with bar stools are up front opposite a painting created for In Situ.  The other tables are small blond wood and appointed with bench seating or wood chairs. It’s very bright and open and a really interesting ceiling sculpture of wood is a highlight of the decorating, as there is surprisingly little art on the walls.  Their concept is to present some of their own creations but also to feature some highlights from their ‘current collaborators’ or well-recognized chefs around the world.  We have been lucky enough to visit some of these places in their home countries and had the original take on the dish and when possible I have posted those pictures following the ones from In Situ.  The chefs do advise and approve of the version of their dishes and I thought they did a good job.  It’s a fun concept.  Service was excellent.  Our server Katerina, from Lithuania,  was most helpful and interested in seeing pictures of the corresponding dishes.  She even brought us an extra dessert, one developed by their staff, so we could get a real sample of what was going on there.  I would recommend the place for a fun lunch. Continue reading →

Birdsong, San Francisco, 3/15/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Birdsong is a good sized one star Michelin place that has opened in May of 2018.  Most of the space in the dining room is taken up by the large kitchen which is surrounded by a low counter and seats.  A few tables are on the outer edge of the place and we were lucky to snag a table right across from the kitchen action.  There is a comfy little reception area as well as party rooms downstairs that they were nice enough to give us a tour of after we ate.  Windows to the street are on one wall and the bare light wood tables are set with a large cloth napkin that houses the evening’s menu. Everyone receives the same tasting menu.  Clear glass ball light fixtures hang from the ceiling that add good lighting but most light comes from the glow of the kitchen which is filled with action.   Lots of plants, background rock music and wood beams soften the affect of the exposed ductwork.  Service was exceptionally friendly and helpful.  After they clear that there are no allergies or dietary restrictions the menu starts promptly and pacing continues at a good rate throughout the evening.  Portions are well done to not stuff you before the end. Continue reading →

Nico, San Francisco, 3/15/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Nico opened in May of last year at this new location.  It is a fairly small place with one Michelin star rating.  Windows to the street make up one end of the place and the open kitchen is opposite that side.  One wall has a bench seat with a line of small light wood tables opposite it.  Exposed brick is on the walls, rock music plays in the background, a wide plank wood floor are all the backdrop for a friendly staff.   The small menu has  series of smaller plates to share or snack on and 3 larger plates for main courses.  From talking to the waiter it sounded like a lot people just come to the 5 seats at the bar and enjoy the snacks with drinks rather than come in for a meal.   It was a nice place but the food had mixed results. Continue reading →

Atelier Crenn, San Francisco, 3/14/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Atelier Crenn is a small restaurant with only 8 tables.   It’s been several years (pre Frankie site) since we were there and since then Chef Dominique Crenn has become the first female chef in the U.S to attain a  3 star Michelin rating.  It is a warm setting with paintings by chef’s father Allain decorating the walls.  They re-modeled 2 years ago and now round polished wood tables are set off with dampened lighting and music playing softly in the background.  The presence from the street is very discreet with no name, just the number marking the place.  They have 2 seatings for a multi course tasting menu, for which wine pairings are offered.  The evening we were there it was a spring menu that featured many items now grown on their own farm and locally sourced other ingredients.  Dishes are complex yet simple with a depth of flavor and texture in each dish that is amazing.   Many had a tableside finish that was a nice show and added to the information about the dish.  A poem greets you at the table with each line symbolizing a part of the meal to come.  Afterward you are presented with a summary of your courses. Service is friendly and helpful and pacing and portion control of the meal are good.  Chef Crenn did come out and greet each of her guests and allowed time for a bit of conversation.  Continue reading →

Angler, San Francisco, 3/14/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
building
building

Angler opened in September 2018 and is the newest venture for chef Joshua Skenes, however he has chosen to be a creative force rather than the chef.  It is a large place and lots of mounted fish and mirrors cover the walls.  The front of the restaurant is windows to the busy street outside with perfect views of the Bay bridge.  Opposite the windows is the large open kitchen and another wall is used to house a long bar with some seating.  Seating at tables is at fairly close-set small bare wood dark tables, some of which are served by bench/wall seating.   Many chairs are draped with small blankets which could either pad the chair, keep you warm or could just be a decorative touch.  Lots of flowers soften the steel structures and exposed brick and the large white cloth napkin is a nice touch.  A second room has stuffed mounts of warm blooded animals.  Rock music from the 80’s era plays fairly loudly in the background and it felt a bit out-of-step with the casually elegant setting, but is a known touch of Skenes.  The menu was small at lunch but several types of raw oysters were available.  Otherwise for a restaurant that is focused on fresh, local seafood there were surprisingly few local seafood options other than one type of oyster.  In fact for main plate options, there were 3 seafood and 3 meat.  Service was friendly, helpful and efficient. Continue reading →

Ristorante Alle Corone, Venice, 3/2/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
interior
interior

Alle Corone has been the restaurant in the Ai Reali Hotel for 6 years and is set up over several small rooms.  Our room had about 6 tables and one side was windows looking over the adjacent canal with the boats and gondolas riding by.  The hotel was fairly elegant as were the dining rooms, set with white tablecloths and napkins, yet they chose a whimsical gnome to be the purse stool.  Tables each had individual small lights and the room was further lit by wall sconces, and overall the lighting was nicely lowered.  Decorations of masks and feathers were in honor of carnival season.  Music was in the background and ours had a beautiful terrazzo floor with an amazing border pattern.  The service was professional, efficient and friendly.  Most spoke great English but some of the student interns struggled with questions.   They offered a 6 course tasting, with wine pairing offered, as well as an a la carte menu.  We chose the tasting and ordered our own beverages. Continue reading →

Trattoria da Jonny, Venice, 3/2/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Trattoria da Jonny is a fairly large place spread over 2 rooms.  Exposed brick is on one wall corner and the small bare wood tables are set for 2 or 4 people with paper place mats and napkins.  Music plays in the background and the large menus contain both English and Italian.  The ceiling has exposed wood beams in part of the room and floor appeared to be a large plank wood but was really a type of tile.  The service was friendly and efficient even while a number of family members stopped by to eat and/or chat. Continue reading →

Locanda Cipriani Torcello, Venice, 3/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Locanda Cipriani is on the island of Torcello, a short water bus ride from the main island of Venice.  You enter into a tiny old looking lounge room with seating around a fireplace that is used for cooking and warmth.  From there you move into a large open room surrounded by windows to the outside gardens and views of the local churches.  The place backs to 1935 and is still owned by the Cipriani family.  Hemingway stayed at the associated inn and brought much fame to the place who was then followed by a number of famous visitors such as Queen Elizabeth II in 1938 and in 1985 the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana (who came for a private lunch a year after the Queen had brought the Queen Mother there), Maria Callas in 1952 and Marc Chagall in 1948 who left behind one of his drawings.  The list of famous people and acclaimed artists goes on and on throughout their 70 year history.  The nice sized tables are fairly closely spaced and covered with white linens with many of the smaller tables having a draped service table adjacent. Continue reading →

Ristorante Local, Venice, 2/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior, daytime
exterior daytime

Local is a fairly large place with very modern design.  Wood beams in the ceiling are opposite the place’s logo made into the terrazzo floor.   Many items also worked in the circular logo including coasters and seals on the toilet paper.  Bare wood tables are appointed with some bench seating and chairs.  No music was in the background until later in the evening and the lighting is lowered.  A counter area fills much of the first room that’s underneath portion is made of woven wood and it has a few seats that would have the best view through the window into the kitchen.  It also had windows to the street outside.  A second room for seating led into the bathrooms and window to the large wine cellar.   Service was friendly, helpful and they spoke good English.  They have an a la carte menu but we had pre-ordered the surprise tasting menu, which was not available in printed form.  The menu had good pacing and portion control.   Continue reading →

Osteria Sant’Elena “Da Pampo”, Venice, 2/28/29

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exteroior
exterior

Osteria Da Pampo is a tiny place near a park in the southeast end of Venice, that opened in 2009.  It has a totally different feel to the area than the more visited mid section.  This became a family run (mother and 2 daughters) place with a small menu and a couple of daily specials three years ago.  Service was attentive and friendly and delivered by the baker of the restaurant, who also spoke great English.  You enter on the side of the building into an area that looked like a place where you could get to-go items.  Inside the limited dining area were 12 small closely spaced bare wood tables, but there appeared to be a space for outdoor dining depending on the weather.  The room looked like it was a porch that had been enclosed as there were windows on the 3 exterior walls.  The light green walls and tile floor contributed to the very casual feel of the place.   A couple paintings were on the walls and one corner housed a display of blue and white dishes on elevated crates.  It definitely felt off the beaten tourist path. Continue reading →

Bistrot de Venise, Venice, 2/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Bistrot de Venise is a large place made up of a number of small rooms.  It offers a huge menu featuring Historic and Modern Classic Venetian cuisine including several tasting selections.  It must be a common tourist destination as the brochure on the table offered a number of the items from the place for sale.  However the food is amazing and the number of people in attendance showed that, that was known.  The room where we were was colored with red and gold, with decorative gold fish candleholders on each table to supplement the already well lit room.  The red velour walls were accented with strips of antiqued gold where recessed lighting was.  Red bench seats matched red chairs on the other side of the table.  The walls were decorated with drawings, paintings and photos.  Tables are closely set and some of the 2-tops were pretty small but all were covered in nice linen cloths embossed with a leaf design and matching napkins.  It was a casual crowd in a fairly elegant setting.  Waiters spoke good English and were helpful, friendly and willing to direct your meal plan.   Classical music played in the background and they were happy to split dishes or have us split them at the table, even bringing extra plates. Continue reading →

Da Ivo Restaurant, Venice, 2/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Da Ivo is an institution in many eyes.  Opening in 1976 it is an elegant, old school setting frequented by the rich and famous, like George Clooney, Elton John, Naomi Campbell, Tom Cruise, and Barbra Streisand to name a few.  Its location allows clients to arrive by water taxi or gondola rather than walking there.  The small tables are fairly close and covered with salmon covered clothes with the name prominently printed in the middle, and the napkins are the same.  Tables are set with little birds or cats that turned out to be the salt shakers.  Photos, wine bottles and other memorabilia cover the walls which have stained glass partitions between diners and the street and the kitchen.  The wait staff all spoke great English and were very helpful and friendly, but plenty of Italian was being spoken by other guests.  They offer a huge menu but where to order is off the small chalkboard of daily specials that is brought to the table on a swivel pedestal.   Continue reading →

Alamo Club, Dallas, 2/21/19 and 3/4/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exteriuor
exterior

Our first visit was the fourth day in business for Alamo Club and the place was packed.  It is located on lower Greenville in the space where the Blind Butcher had been.  It is the brainchild of Austin Rodgers who has worked in the restaurant industry for many years and run several of Nick Badovinus’ restaurants.  There is a large bar that spans most of the depth of the restaurant and the other side is filled with small and medium sized closely set, bare wood tables.  Along the opposite wall is a bench seat that meets up with chairs and a string of 2-top tables.  The floor is wood, lighting is low, the ceiling is tin with exposed ductwork, music is in the background and exposed bricks make up the walls and are decorated with mirrors and old photos.  The noise level is loud, not due to music but instead due to all those people enjoying themselves in the relaxed, clubby atmosphere.  Austin wanted a neighborhood feel to the place and thus they are open every day with a ‘happy hour’ around 5:00.  A window at the end of the room provides a limited view into the activity in the kitchen.  The menu is small, simple and affordable, filled with American standards and the wine list is nicely chosen.  The service was good and fairly speedy but we never felt rushed even with a crowd waiting for your seat (right now there are no reservations).  The servers were friendly and helpful.   Continue reading →

Bullion (update), Dallas, 2/20/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
IMG_2998
bar area

It’s been about a year since Frankie visited Bullion.  The place has held up well and is still an elegantly appointed setting. It is really one of the prettiest places in Dallas to dine.  Last time we encountered service issues and for the most part they were much better, however there were still some timing issues with our main course being presented while the salad plates were still on the table.  This happened even without a full room and plenty of servers.  Even so, the servers were friendlier and generally better trained and the sommelier did come and visit with us when we requested – so better than the first visit.  The food is lovely looking but not the most flavor loaded. Continue reading →

Herrera’s Café, Dallas,1/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
entrance
entrance

Note:  Restaurant now closed

Herrera’s Café has been around since 1971 and been in many locations.  There are now a number of similarly named places but this is the original that started on Maple St.  I have eaten there for years but don’t get to this “new” location as often as it’s not real convenient.  They were a staple for a long time because they had a really spicy salsa with warm really corny chips.  They still have that and some of the original family are around too.  At this location there is a fairly good sized parking lot but it naturally leads you to a door that is not the entrance, so go around the building to where it faces Sylvan and you’ll find the proper entrance as well as a large area for outdoor dining.  Inside a wall of press about the place greets you and the desk that takes names as well as check you out when you’re through.  To the right are the bathrooms and kitchen and to the left is a large dining room.  If you go straight ahead you’ll be in another dining room with the bar and a doorway to another smaller dining area.  At lunch it was bustling with people but we didn’t have to wait long for a table to become free.  Service is friendly and efficient. Continue reading →

Avila’s, Dallas, 1/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ 1 Comment
building
building (4714 Maple Ave., Dallas, 75219)

Instead of enjoying retirement, Anita and Octavio Avila opened a restaurant featuring family favorites in 1986.  They have added new items as well as expanding their selection of beers since that time.  They are at 4714 Maple Avenue in Dallas, near where “Little Mexico” still holds many locations but neighborhood change has brought a more diverse population to the area. Located in a little house they have 2 main dining rooms, one much small than the other.  Along the walls they utilize bench seating to work in the maximum number of tables.  There is a mix of 2 and 4 top tables and they seemed to turn over quickly, as lunch sometimes has a short wait.  They do have an adjacent parking lot as well as a few spaces in front.  They have only had this location but now a sign on the table refers to a second location in the planning for Casa Linda in East Dallas.  The menu has lots of options but I generally go here for the tasty Tex-Mex food and the fairly spicy salsa on the table.  Service is friendly and efficient and they have lunch specials which are delivered fast enough to be able to fit a meal here on a lunch hour.  They do have lunch specials but nothing on the menu is over $20. Continue reading →

Rookery Pub Fine Dining, Cable, 1/4/19 & 2/8/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Bill Brakken opened the Rookery Pub Fine Dining restaurant in 2008.  The building originally was constructed in 1978 and had the restaurant on the upper levels.  Bill made those areas into the lodge when he bought it in 2005 and then renovated the downstairs to become the Rookery Pub Fine Dining, named for the breeding colony of Blue Herons nearby and to signify a general place for social gatherings.  Interestingly, Bill worked as a bartender at the original Kliszcz’s Karczma, the Polish Palace as it was known then, the first year it was in business.  Now as you enter the place you see a building on your right with stairs and that is to the lodge and the lower sidewalk goes to the restaurant.  You enter into the large bar area and to the right is a hallway, opening onto a row of 4 booth seats, which leads to the small main dining room.  The walls are lined with prints of animals (most of which have prices if you want to buy one) and in the corner is a fireplace.  The bare wood tables are good sized and well spaced.  The menu covers a good breadth of choices with some changes for seasonality and the wine list is better than most.  You can have cocktails at your table or enjoy them at the bar before you are seated.  Service was efficient and super friendly.  Portions are large. Continue reading →

The 300 Grill, Iron River, 1/3/19 and 2/7/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

The 300 Grill is the restaurant attached to the bowling alley, all owned by the Carignans.  It is a small place with about 3 booths and some assorted sizes of tables.  They serve burgers, pizza, sandwiches and Henny-Penny broasted chicken.  It is extremely casual.  The walls are adorned with framed old photos from people and places in Iron River, Wisconsin.  A window into the kitchen is on one wall and the check out counter is at the back.  The tile floor and bare wood tables are set with rolled up flatware and napkin dispensers, along with some fresh flowers.  Service is friendly and efficient.  The food is good but not compelling.  Our first visit was pretty good and it made me want to go back and check out more things.  Maybe if you hunt around the menu you’ll find just the right thing for you but otherwise I think it may be a good place to snack if you’re bowling. Continue reading →

Compère Lapin, New Orleans, 12/30/18

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
sign outside
sign outside

Compère Lapin is French for brother rabbit.  It was a large place with low lighting, music in the background, exposed brick walls, bare polished wood tables, windows to the street on one long side, and a number of paintings on the walls.  Some other walls were lined with bench seating to be one side’s seat for the majority of small tables for 2.  They are located in a hotel with a long bar and oyster counter for different seating options. The ceiling held some noise reduction panels but with the hard walls, the concrete floor and being packed with people the noise level was high.  They offer a small menu which has lots of plates to be shared and we were told they prefer you put in your whole order at one time rather than as you go along.  Service was friendly but not overly so, leaving you feeling no connection to the place.  Some of the food was pretty good but a lot of it was way mild for the style of cooking. Continue reading →

Gabrielle Restaurant, New Orleans, 12/29/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Gabrielle Restaurant is a good sized place with one dining room.  It reopened in 2017 after 12 years closed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Greg Sonnier is the chef owner and he named it after his daughter who currently runs the front of the house.  One side is windows facing the street and another is a long bar with additional seating.  The small cloth covered tables are set with some space between them on a tile floor with faint music in the background.  The walls are decorated with paintings and photos with some spots on the art but overall the lighting is quite low.   Lots of lights hang from the low dark ceiling but it still has a feeling of privacy.  They offered an a la carte menu of New Orleans’ style Cajun food as well as Reveillon menu the night we were there.  We chose the a la carte option.  Service was friendly and helpful, the food was wonderfully flavorful but the pacing of the dishes was rushed. Continue reading →

Galatoire’s Restaurant (update), New Orleans, 12/29/18 and 12/30/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
postcard of building
postcard of building

Galatoire’s Restaurant is definitely a favorite of mine.   That’s not hard to discern considering in a gastronomic place like New Orleans, I will chose to go there twice rather than try something new or repeat another place.  This time we had two lunches with slightly different themes.   Our first visit was most of our traditional favorites, most including seafood and on the second visit we tried all non-seafood items.  The seafood visit was definitely my favorite.  The place has two levels for dining with the downstairs large room being noisy and full of a combination of locals and tourists, with no reservations possible.  Upstairs is divided into smaller rooms, some filled with one party and other filled with those wanting a reservation and assured seating.  It is quieter but somehow doesn’t have the same ambiance of the bright bustle downstairs. Service is amazing here and if you go take time to interact with your server.  They can customize any order to make it fit your desire.  There will be a charge, but I like to top things with a more of that jumbo lump crabmeat. Continue reading →

Carrollton Market, New Orleans, 12/28/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
from outside
building

Carrollton Market is a medium sized place out in the suburbs that has been open 4 years.  The entry is into a bar area that is not very well separated from the main dining room.  The small marble tables are set closely together, a tin ceiling, wood floor and wood and painted walls all add to the loud noise level in the room, even without background music.   Windows along the front wall look out onto the street but otherwise there are no windows except for the interior one that looks into the open kitchen and the general light level is low.  They offer only a small a la carte menu.  The staff were friendly and helpful but the food was mostly unexciting and the overall ambiance is ear numbing, yet it was packed with people.  There is no subtlety in the food, it tends to be over-seasoned with large portions of heavy food.   Continue reading →

Herbsaint Restaurant (update), New Orleans,12/28/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

It’s been a couple years since we went to Herbsaint, but this visit we went for lunch.  White tableclothes are covered with paper on the nicely spaced large tables.  There is background music in this corner building location.  The two walls of windows give lots of light in the daytime.  We were in the front of the 2 rooms, which is my preference, and snagged a good table with a direct line of site into the busy kitchen.  The first part of the restaurant that you come into is a large bar with lots of bar seating and additional counters.  They also had a fairly large patio out front.  It’s not a huge menu but everything we had was very good, packed with flavor, and nicely they seem to be open continuously so matter what time you hit town you can go, but reservations would be recommended for any prime time.  We ordered a number of items with the intention of splitting them, so we could try as much as possible.  Portions are well sized and service was very good. Continue reading →

Restaurant A ma Vigne, Lyon, 12/15/18

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior  (23 Rue Jean Larrivé, 69003 Lyon, France)

A ma Vigne is a small place with just 2 dining rooms, one containing the bar, and a tiny kitchen in back.  The closely spaced small tables are set with nice white tableclothes and napkins and then covered with white paper.  The casual atmosphere is heightened with the array of art, photos (done by the server Alex) and mirrors along with windows to the street decorating the walls.  They had a large menu that was not translated and served all day and a set menu of 2 or 3 courses that featured their famous steak in butter and fries.  They had wine by the bottle as well as by centiliter, as well as lots of cocktails.  It didn’t take long at lunch for the place to be packed and most seemed to be repeat customers and having a good time.  Service was really friendly, welcoming and helpful yet staffing was minimal – one guy sat people, took orders, dispensed the food, took care of billing and cleaned the tables and one guy did all the cooking and kitchen cleanup. The guy who did all the cooking was actually Chef and Owner Stéphane Giraud, whose grandparents started the place.  His grandmother Josephine,  perfected the amazing French fries.  Food was great as was the ambiance.  It was really reasonable for the quality of flavor.   I would go back here in a heartbeat – check it out if you can.  The server told us that Paul Bocuse ate steak and fries there every day  for years and showed us the table he always sat at.  I can see why. Continue reading →

Guy Lassausaie Meilleur Ouvrier de France 1993, Lyon, 12/15/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exrterior
exterior

Guy Lassausaie, located 13 miles from Lyon, is a large modern building with a good sized parking lot across the street.  It seemed to have been built in a circular design with various size dining rooms off the center circular hallway surrounding the kitchen.  A large comfortable waiting area holds small tables, deep chairs and wood floor whereas the dining rooms have large widely spaced tables on carpet.  No music  is in the background, tables are set with white clothes and napkins, some display cases and art decorate the rooms.  Noise level is non existent and yet your conversation feels private. It is well lit with a combination of ceiling lights and wall fixtures.  One large table is in the center of the room for service and ours was decorated with beautiful large red flowers.  Our room had two mantels but no fireplaces underneath.  The windows to the outside were covered with shades.  Service was good and the greeters even came out to the car with umbrellas as it was raining.  The menu offered 4 tastings as well as an a la carte section.  We chose the Discovery Menu which was a surprise tasting of 5 seasonal courses chosen by the chef, not necessarily on the menu.  Pacing was a little slow and the portions size was variable.  They have a 2 Star rating with Michelin.   Continue reading →

Paul Bocuse – Le Restaurant Gastronomique, Lyon, 12/14/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Paul Bocuse Restaurant is located a few miles out of town in colorful and well lit building on top of a small hill.   Doormen in red hats and coats (who also come in with the happy birthday cart where they grind out your tune) greet you as you look around a large patio painted with murals of other famous chefs (photos at end) and a large window into part of the huge kitchen.  It has 3 Michelin Stars, which they have had since 1965, but on our visit neither the service or food would merit that rating.  Mostly the staff seemed to be ‘cranking’ it out as fast as possible with little personalization.  It had more the feel of a business rather than an elegant dining experience.  The food is made with good ingredients and has lovely presentations but doesn’t sing at all and the place felt sterile.  The place is divided into several rooms that have wall paper, mirrors and lots of art on the walls.  One had a beautiful terrazzo floor another had marble (floors had to be smooth since their cheese/dessert carts don’t have wheels).  The ceilings are hung with chandeliers and with the additional lighting on the walls the place is well lit.  Well padded chairs and purse stools are set for you but no music is in the background.  The large widely spaced tables are covered with long white clothes and set with huge napkins in a paper ring covered with “PAUL BOCUSE”.  In fact, everything is well labeled with the ‘Paul Bocuse’ name – you won’t forget where you are.    The menu offers a la carte options and 3 different tasting menus.  We chose the Paul Bocuse menu that offered some of his best known dishes.  Pacing was good and portion control on the large side. Continue reading →

Restaurant Daniel & Denise, Joseph Viola, Lyon, 12/14/18

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
building
building

Daniel & Denise is on the first floor of a corner building.  The 2 rooms are filled with things, hanging foods, items for sale, framed pictures and awards, cookware, etc., and the very close small tables are covered with red checkered cloths and topped with white paper.  White napkins are brightly embroidered with the Daniel & Denise logo, that match the bright red of the bench seating.  One room has a tile floor as well as some tile on the walls, whereas the other room had wood, but both are crammed full of tables.   One corner accommodates a bar area and the check out machine.  The large menu contains a couple tastings, daily specials and a la carte options.  They also offer wine by the carafe in additon to by the bottle.  Service was friendly and helpful but the English was limited.  We chose to order a la carte.   Continue reading →

Restaurant La Mère Brazier, Lyon, 12/13/18

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior

Restaurant La Mère Brazier is made up of a number of small rooms on a couple levels. Heavy drapes and carpet provide much sound dampening in the rooms decorated in 2 shades of gray, white and cream.  The nice sized tables are well spaced, covered with white clothes and set with very starched napkins and set with alternating dark charger with light bread plate or the opposite combination, all with silver accents.    The comfortable chairs are a swivel type.  They offer 2 tasting menus, with optional wine pairings and an a la carte menu.  We chose the 3 course Classical Menu and got our own bottle of white and half bottle of red.  The “3” course tasting also had a cheese course and choice of dessert.  The pacing and portion control were great as was the service.  The staff were all very friendly and helpful, along with speaking good English.  Chef Mathieu Viannay, who also became the owner in 2008, was in the house and came out to visit with his guests.  They did a re-model of the restaurant a couple years ago.  The restaurant has been awarded 2 Michelin Stars. Continue reading →

Takao Takano, Lyon, 12/13/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Takao Takano has about 9 tables, interesting light fixtures with embossing on the interior, old wood on the floor, nicely spaced small bare pedestal tables with good quality cloth napkins, wood decorations on the wall, no music in the background and windows to the street on two sides.  It has been recognized with two Michelin Stars.  They offered 3 tasting menus – one for a lunch special and 2 longer tasting menus.  We actually found the lunch tasting most appealing and so ordered it.  Interestingly, my menu had no prices.  Pacing and portion control were good as was the service, although not engaging. Continue reading →

Restaurant Le Neuvième Art, Lyon, 12/12/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

Restaurant Le Neuvième Art is a 2 Star Michelin with about 10 widely spaced pedestal tables with a large staging area in the middle of the dining area.  Some of the tables are in two pieces where the smaller one serves as a staging table.  The lighting is lowered as is the ceiling, gauzy curtains cover large windows on two sides of the room, an automatic sliding door opens to allow quick looks into the kitchen, “crumpled paper” covers are on the overhead and wall light fixtures, a box on the table turns into a flame for each table, no music is in the background, the purse stools are topped with cork and lots of friendly staff speak good English  in this comfortable yet elegant dining room.  Chef Chrisophe Roure was in the house and made the rounds of the tables.  He and his wife opened their restaurant in June 2014 and offer a couple tasting menus, with optional wine pairings, as well as a la carte options. We had the 5 course tasting that also includes cheese and dessert and ordered our own wines.  Pacing and portion control of the tasting were good and the food was really tasty. Continue reading →

La Meunière, Lyon, 12/12/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
eterior
exterior

La Meunière is an old bistro with walls decorated with cooking implements and old pictures.  On a mirror is a daily special to add to an already good sized menu, which includes some combo menus.  The tables are close and bigger ones are shared by several parties.  The low ceiling, no music in the background, white tableclothes topped with paper and cloth napkins, and a large center serving table all set the casual ambiance of the place.  French is translated to English on the menu and the staff spoke various amount of English but plenty enough to make it comfortable to be there.  In fact the staff were very friendly and personable. Continue reading →

SingleThread Restaurant, Healdsburg, CA, 12/5/18

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
building
building

SingleThread Farm, Restaurant and Inn opened in December 2016 and is a large corner building in Healdsburg, an hour and a half drive from San Francisco.  Upstairs they have some elegant rooms to stay in and downstairs they have a large kitchen and several dining areas.  There is a roof top terrance for some courses but it was not in use the night we were there.  The building is quite modern, with soft lighting  and music, set with large bare wood tables, a wood ceiling, gold wood tiles on some walls, some faux fire places, a bouquet of flowers and herbs from their garden on top of your napkin and lots of bench seating filled with extra cushions for back support.  They only seat about 52 people but some early diners’ tables were turned.  The reservation system is a pre-pay one with no refunds but you can try and re-sell tickets if you can’t use them.  Service was wonderful with most every person who approached our table addressing us by name.  Pacing is at a good rate and portion controls allows you to easily get through the surprise tasting (pairings are available) but will not leave you hungry.  At the end of the meal they do present you with a copy of the menu. Continue reading →

Healdsburg SHED, Healdsburg, 12/5/18

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

The SHED was a large place that opened in 2013.  It sold cooking/kitchen supplies, take out food, produce, and had a dining area.  Unfortunately the owners, Doug Lipton and Cindy Daniel announced that it would shut its doors Dec. 31, 2018.  They intend to still have an online presence where you can buy things but no more dining opportunities or brick and mortar facitilties, according to several articles I read.  I have no other information about what did happen but decided to share the meal just in case they reopen or you find these folks developing another concept.  The seating area was divided by a service bar and the small space behind the bar had a wall of windows to some patio seating.  On the other side of the bar there were stools and some tables, but they had a lot more shoppers looking over their space.  We were there for lunch and so there was plenty of light due to the windows as well as the general bright lighting a store will tend to have.  There was some background music and the walls around us had shelves containing books, items and lots of jars of vegetables.  The small marble tables were set fairly close and mostly were suitable for 2 people.  The wine list was limited and did include carafes of wine.   Continue reading →