Restaurant & Bar Reviews

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!

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

Douzo does fantastic Sushi in Boston Back Bay, it’s an all around convenient lunch spot with a comfy bar space as well as a larger dining area for those not inclined to sit on bar stools! The service is fast and the quality is fantastic for the price. I started with the Shiitake Mushroom soup which was excellent and perfect effort to fight off all those cold germs people keep coughing onto me!

I washed this down with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon: Joel Gott which also helped warm me up on this cold damp day in Boston.

Lunch specials here are great and filling, this was the bento box!

I opted to follow my soup with a nice tuna and avocado role as you can see, they didn’t over fill it with rice, which always leaves a smile on my face.

Overall our lunch was delicious and we found ourselves chatting for over an hour as the restaurant buzzed around us, I highly recommend stopping in for lunch, I’ll have to try them out for dinner soon.

Absolutely stunning building.

This was an old winery that has been converted into a bar and restaurant . Inside the curved ceilings really remind me of the Albert Dock in Liverpool .

So the building is stunning and the food
is of a similar quality. The sushi while expensive was excellent.

The salmon was fantastic.

The duck was sublime.

Before you leave check out the bar.

Remember to talk to Juan Pablo re the vino.

To make a reservation

As we were staying at the Hotel Madero seemed only right to check out the in house restaurant of celebrity chef Stephen Jung.We had the salmon and tuna and when they heard part of our group had a gluten allergy the promptly accommodated with a sushi menu. It was ok but nothing to write home about. The one thing that is really good though is the cocktail ‘Un Hombre’. The drink is sweet and almost like a dessert by itself.
To get a reservation

One of the great bars of the world which actually serves great food. Never been disappointed. I had the Mojito V. S. made witch Congac and topped with champagne, it is a must try if you stop in. The sushi was really good we had the California and Vegetarian rolls. Osso Bucco was outstanding along with the Salmon/Sole Ceviche. To follow suit with the overal Urban downtempo the wine list was presented on an iPad much to my entertainment. Make sure to make a reservation for Gran Bar Danzon prior to arriving. If you take a taxi to this hotspot be sure to tell them the entrance is 1161 Libertad between Santa Fe and Arenales or you may circle the block a few times as their is no sign. The vibe reminds me of Sonsie in Boston, always busy and great for people watching. Bar Danzon offers free wi-fi which is very handy when traveling abroad. By far a Buenos Aires must do.

Hot spot on the Chicago river, great view and delicious menu of small plates on the 16th floor. Menu includes salads, ceviche, sliders and skewers. I recommend the chicken skewers if you stop by!