Restaurant & Bar Reviews

A favorite place of ours in Boston, Aquitaine always produces a great experience. Wine selection and entrees are fantastic along with the ambiance. I love coming in here just when it opens to grab a spot at the little bar in the front where we will sit all night if possible to have a few drinks and an exceptional meal. The music they play is on trend and the food is fantastic, our standards are the Sole with potatoes and, Steak Frites and the steak tartar!

What a surprise! We didn’t know what to expect when visiting Ottawa for dining. I am so happy we found this spot, the food was AMAZING. We made reservations not knowing their was a courtyard in the back, when we arrived we were given the choice and happy took the outdoor seating. The weather in Ottawa in August is phenomenal, we could have sat their all night without issue! Our meal started with a bottle of Hinterland Borealis Sparkling Rose. GORGEOUS! You could taste what seemed like a Malbec in the Fuchsia colored wine. We started with a Scallop dish and some steak tartar. Both were fantastic, the scallop was surrounded by a green coconut curry and poached lobster which completed the flavor perfectly. The tartar had some carmalized beef powder (freeze dried animal fat) that needless to say was avoided….. For the main dishes we had the trout and steak frites, exceptional dishes!

Bakery and wine shop all in one! We found this spot after shopping at a custom menswear shop on Gorriti. The owner was a fantastic help in selecting some sparkling wines to taste and take home! We also indulged in a tasty latte and multi-grain sourdough which we brought home but didn’t last 24 hours it was so good. We will certainly be back when in Buenos Aires again!

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.

pump room entrance from Public hotel lobby.

Cocktail Menu at Pump Room ~ Try the Moscow Mule!

We stopped in to Budatai for a tasting lunch after a long walk from our hotel back in June. This restaurant has a doorman at the front and is surround by high class shops such as Salvatore Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton.

They serve Asian Fusion dishes and have a great rose champagne by the glass. 

There is an outside covered patio, we sat out here and watch the gay pride parade march by during our lunch, what a great view!

I highly recommend stopping in at Budatai San Juan, it’s a funky space with great food and staff, they even have Creme Brulee!

Make a reservation at Budatai to make sure you get a table! Valet parking is available if you’re driving.

After a long walk from our hotel the El San Juan Hotel & Resort we ended our day at a nice French restaurant Trois Cent Onze in Old San Juan.

They have Moët for $15 a glass.

We grabbed a scallop and tartar appetizers to hold us over until dinner:

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The space had a french feel with a contemporary edge, the light bulbs at Trois Cent Onze gave a nice twist.

Checkout  311 ~ Trois Cent Onze  the next time you’re in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Who would have thought the local movement would hit Puerto Rico?  It has and with over the top taste and service that you can experience first hand at 1919 Restaurant in San Juan Puerto Rico! This newly renovated spot is in the Vanderbilt Hotel and will deliver an experience to remember.

1919 Restaurant was recommended to us by our contact at the Hotel El San Juan, thankfully we both ended up getting dressed up otherwise we probably would have felt out of place (it was only suggested business casual.)

The service boarded on what we have received at spots like L’ESPALIER in Boston, very fine and exceptional food! It doesn’t stop there though, the food is locally sourced and organic when possible which kept the wife happy.

Everything was delicious, the service was impeccable and we found out they do an express style lunch for business type traffic during the day, so if you’re not up for an evening out, take a taste during lunch hour! The two dishes that stand out from our order; Scallops (the broth was fantastic) and the Tuna Tartar had a unique rice wafer.

Make a reservation at 1919 Restaurant in San Juan

CONDADO VANDERBILT HOTEL : SAN JUAN : PORTO RICO : 787.724.1919

Asia de Cuba is one of my fav places to eat in Los Angeles.
Located in the funky Mondrian hotel it offers inside and outside dining.

The food is Cuban fusion and is outstanding.

Calamari salad is the signature starter and is a must. It is a big portion so can be shared.

Tuna pica is also excellent.

The view of LA is incredible .

The mojitos are very good as well. Especially the mango .

Salmon was great.

So was Cuban chicken.

The steak was so good that I forgot to photograph it before I started eating.

The wild decor almost has an Alice in Wonderland feel.

While this is not a cheap place it is definately worth a visit.
To make a reservation

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

Located in the Short North district this is prob my favorite restaurant in Columbus. A short 5 minute walk from the Hyatt it is the perfect place for dinner or lunch.

The restaurant is in an old warehouse type building with exposed brick walls and some great art.

The bar is small but very well stocked and the bar tenders are excellent.

One word of warning though. Even though there is free wi-fi reception is not good so do not expect to get much computor work done.

The food is great. Presentation always very nice and quality very consistant

To make a reservation