Restaurant & Bar Reviews

Our hotel recommended Le Cercle (The Circle) when we asked for a trendy spot that would accommodate an allium allergy. We decided to walk from our hotel near the water over to Le Cercle, the atmosphere shifted 180 degrees as we progressed further away from the hotel (next time we’ll likely take a cab) Once we arrived we had a great time and excellent food the only downside was the meal lasted nearly 3 hours as the waitstaff was pretty slow to come back to our table after we received our entrees. If I had a group to takeout for a few hours that wanted to chat for a few hours over drinks and a meal Le Cercle would be on my list of potential options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Church was a fantastic spot for both food and atmosphere! The look and crowd were very trendy at 127 N Tryon St, Suite 8 (Corner of 5th & Church St) Charlotte, NC 28202.

Here is a great 360 view from Google of 5 Church (does it more justice than the photo below)

The theme is black leather, white trees and other funky stuff! The food was deluxe fashionably arranged and full of flavor. They happily accommodated for my allium allergy. The wine/beer list are robust enough for our taste with an interesting mix of a few we wanted to try. I will certainly be back if I have the chance the next time I’m in Charlotte!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a long day of touring the Island of Orleans and a driving tour of Quebec City we walked up to Le Sam for dinner. The energy in this restaurant is great, a unique mix of dressy and casual depending on the motivation of the customer. They had a customized menu ‘for the bee’s’ paying respect to a very necessary creature! I started the night with a ‘Bee’s Knees’ which was a lavender/gin cocktail and was delicious as well as beautifully garnished!  They customized the maple glazed salmon for me (replaced the polenta with a sweet potato puree) it was one of the best pieces of salmon I have ever had! We also ordered the club sandwich with frites which wasn’t on the same level as my salmon but did the job. I had foolishly started the meal with the cheeseboard which was a meal in and of itself that was hard to stop picking at! Checkout the Bistro Le Sam website for more details!
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
1, rue des Carrières | Quebec City (Québec)  G1R 4P5 | 418 692-3861

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You couldn’t tell from the exterior how trendy this spot actually is. As you walk in you think you are entering an old style in with an old style atmosphere at the other end. Much to my surprise the restaurant has a lovely external seating area with bistro lights, fire pit and bar. The food is farm to table and was delicious. The staff were excellent at suggesting options that did not include allium, another person in my party had a gluten intolerance which they supplied her with a unique menu to choose from. They customized a dish for me of grilled trout, broccoli & roasted potatoes that was delicious. The cheeseboard had a lovely selection and I heard the peanut butter hummus was a great twist on a standard appetizer. Checkout the Farmer’s Daughter website for more details.

Stopped in to What A Bagel! for a quick lunch. It’s a popular spot for folks working in the Toronto fashion district as it’s top quality food and fast service.

They have an extensive list of sandwich (on a bagel) and salad (with a bagel) options! I went with the arugula salad topped with chicken (sans bagel) and my friend tried the burger with sweet potato fries.

It’s a casual spot but worth a stop if you’re in the need of a quick bite to eat! Also if you’re from the states you’ll be able to take advantage of their wifi to stay connected with e-mail and online travel plans.

Table side discussions also revealed if you visit on your birthday with proof of ID you’ll walk out with a dozen bagels of your choice!

 

Since the renovation of the Pump Room Public Chicago, we’ve been a handful of times to experience the new space and taste the work of restauranteur Jean-Georges Vongerichten. This spot is sure to deliver a great scene with delicious food and phenomenal service. The Pump Room in Chicago has an extensive history for celeb spotting.

 

Be sure to start with a glass of wine or a cocktail, the selection was deluxe.

 

For appetizers try the Tuna Tartar, Salmon Crispy Sushi Rice with Chipotle Aioli or the Pretzel Dusted Calamari, all were delicious and didn’t last long enough to get a picture of. Every dish we had was fantastic, for an Entree it’s really up to your preference, the menu for the Pump Room has a great selection that won’t leave you disappointed.

 

 

Since BLT Steak is in the Ritz Carlton adjacent to the El San Juan Hotel where the Caribbean DanceSport Classic is held, we stopped in for a late dinner at the bar.

They had a limited wine list by glass, but we found something to accommodate the wife.

Vegetable chopped salad and huge baked potato, they were both absolutely wonderful!

Potato before

Potato after

Hanger steak was average and a little tough, they didn’t get my request right to not include the butter… Have to say this was not as good as the one at our local the Navy Yard Bistro in Charlestown, MA!

Tried the Old  Harbour Pale Ale.

Checkout the menu and make a reservation at BLT Steak San Juan Puerto Rico. It seems the best part of BLT Steak San Juan were the vegetables, who would have guessed!

 

To get a taste of Old San Juan in an open air space tryout El Picoteo in El Convento Hotel. The restaurant along with two others is located in a “landmark monument to the Conquistador Age, Hotel El Convento in San Juan, Puerto Rico showcases a timeless aura of Old World charm and splendor. Befitting its origins as a Carmelite convent 356 years ago, with a loving restoration of Spanish Colonial architecture and design…”

This is a must stop for the architecture and to feel like you’ve experienced Old San Juan! Try the Sangria at Picoteo in El Convento along with a taste from their wide selection of appetizers.

Checkout details of all three restaurants at the El Convento Hotel website.

Located in downtown Savannah the Coffee Fox brews the coffee of roast master Phillip Brown

The store is located at a very historic spot in Savannah.

This very civilized establishment also serves beer and wine.

The place also has great coffee.
For more info

Nobu is one of the most famous Japanese restaurants in the world. It has outposts all over the world including NewYork,London,Vegas and Miami .The Miami branch is located in the Shore Club on Collins Ave.While the hotel is very funky the restaurant is really simple with no real atmosphere . So you go there for the food.

As I said you come for the food and it is expensive.

We started with tuna sashimi which was excellent.

Rice cakes were good.

Rock shrimp was fantastic

Octopus was fantastic.

Pork belly was very good.

Wontons tasted like wontons.

The most disappointing part of the meal was the sushi.

I enjoyed my meal overall but thought that everything was just a little too pricey.
To make a reservation