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| Angora sheep |
It’s been fun running around the planet this
year staying in interesting places, doing exciting things and eating marvelous
food! This blog is concerned with the best of the best; in this case, anything
with a rating of four carrots, unless otherwise labeled, from my evaluation
scheme (see Reading
the Reviews). The review blog is actually divided into two parts. The first
is about the places we stayed and our activities (The Best of What We Did and
Where We Stayed in 2016), with the second having to do with food (The Best of
What We Ate in 2016). Within each blog there are also two sections:
International and US.
What we ate internationally:
The best things the kitchen presented were the soups,
the fish, and the meat. Pretty much all of the poultry was used as a carrier
for whatever sauce covered it; that’s not saying any
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| Greenland |
of it was bad, just that
it was the sauce that was interesting. Although the breads were made on board,
we never got any that was more than room temperature; at least the butter was
softened so it could be spread without ripping the bread. Desserts ran the
gambit from amazing to merely okay; I was not enamored with sweets that are
more sugar than flavor. As I’ve posted on two blogs, we thoroughly enjoyed the burgers
and dogs with their accompanying fries. In general dinner consisted of
three courses, but the Gala evenings had four courses. At the first Gala I got
to sample snails with cheese and garlic; I loved this dish! The second Gala
presented a Tequila Poached Pear for me to try; it was excellent. The last Gala
meal was a surf and turf; the steak and the lobster were done to a turn. The
papaya appetizer and the salad with cucumber and cherry tomatoes were good. The
desserts, angel food cake and flourless cake were very good, also.
What we ate in the US:
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| Horse Ranch |
There are a few restaurants in Argyle, but I
haven’t had an opportunity to give them a try. On this trip I did have lunch in
Denton at Hannah’s Off the Square
(111 W Mulberry St, Denton, TX 76201, 940-566-1110). And while this restaurant
is billed as being in a former blacksmith shop, there is nothing rustic about
this lovely venue. This time I had Avocado Tacos with a side of fresh fruit.
The tacos were wonderful, the service was excellent and the setting was
conducive to good conversation. This is one restaurant I’ll be happy to visit
again, and again.
Citrus
Bistro Seafood (5005 Colleyville Blvd, Colleyville, TX 76034,
817-281-6282) is an absolutely wonderful place! The service was marvelous –
Sett was interesting,
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| Wind sculptures |
knowledgeable, and affable. The plates of food he brought
were a delight to the eye as well as to the palate. There is an extensive wine menu, as well as
the expected soft drinks. Nothing was rushed, but the service and kitchen were
efficient. The food was extraordinary. I had the Crab Salad with avocado and
remoulade dressing. The room temperature slices of orange and cherry tomato
were just the right accent to the dressing and the accompaniment of balsamic
vinegar added a touch of sweetness that enhanced the flavors of the greens.
Fresh bread allowed me to sop up the tasty dressing without the embarrassment
of licking the plate. Dave had a cup of lobster bisque that was absolutely
yummy; Sett brought two spoons, bless him. There was a hint of nutmeg that set
off the enticing aroma of lobster and the creamy texture of the soup to its
finest. Dave also had the Linguine Primavera that came in a red sauce with al
dente green beans, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers and what he described as
‘other wonderful flavors’. The chicken was nicely cooked without either drying
out the meat or soaking it in the sauce. We agreed that our meals were
wonderful. I decided that we had to try a dessert and Sett said he’d bring us
something special. He did! The Medjool Date Cake is a house specialty, with the
recipe coming from the chef’s grandmother. It had a wonderful caramel sauce and
was garnished with a dab of raspberry sauce along with a mound of whipped cream
and a blackberry. This was an amazing dish, the exactly right finish to a fabulous
meal. This is such an amazing restaurant with its great food and service.
Prices for lunch are quite reasonable, particularly for the quality of food and
service provided. Thankfully the restaurant is close to our house, so it will
enter our ‘favorite place’ lunch rotation. We can’t wait to go back!
Although this restaurant appeared first in a
2015 blog, we’ve been going here for years and
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| Shasta Daisies |
the quality of food never
wavers. It is simply outstanding and deserves to be mentioned again this year. Sea
Siam (940 Keller Pkwy Suite 230, Keller, TX 76248, 817-431-1581) is still
my all-time favorite Thai restaurant in the world. We are always greeted by at
least one of the family and they always know exactly what I want, Pad Thai.
Dave orders something different from the menu each time and is never
disappointed, although his favorite is one of the several curries. The food is
always fresh and can be personalized to your taste. The coconut soup is
wonderful; the salad and egg roll are tasty. And when you become addicted to
the peanut sauce, it is available in Central Market as are two curry sauces!
There is always plenty of food to take home for another meal.
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| Four carrots |
Arkansas
The
Bleu
Monkey Grill (4263 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71913, 501-520-4800)
was a delightful happenstance. It’s located next door to the Country Inn &
Suites and if it were open for breakfast it would do even more business than it
does for lunch or dinner – it’s that good. We wanted something light for our dinner
so two of us ordered off of the appetizer
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| Natural Spring |
menu. The first thing to appear,
after out drinks was a plate of hot, fresh bread and a bowl of garlic-pesto
oil; it was excellent! Vince had Calamari from the appetizer menu. It was a
huge portion of hot, tender, crispy meat with a very nice sauce. He said that
it was very good! Dave’s light meal was a Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club.
While it wasn’t three layers, it was a jaw-stretcher, none the less. The ingredients
were of good quality and taste excellent. The accompanying waffle sweet potato
fries were also good. I had Chicken Lettuce Wraps from the appetizer menu. These
could have fed at least two people. The lettuce was crispy; carrots, bean
sprouts and cucumber were fresh. The tasty cold noodles went especially well
with the two very sauces: one sweet the other spicy. The grilled chicken was
tender and juicy. We had a great waitress, Stephanie, who checked with the chef
about the ingredients in our meals and gave us time to make decisions. Prices
were quite reasonable. The only negative was the noise from the bar – there was
a party going on. I’d go back to the Bleu Monkey in a heartbeat.
Jahna’s Restaurant (1803
Airport Rd, Hot Springs, AR 71913, 501-767-0200) doesn’t look like much from
the outside, but it’s a rather upscale Italian restaurant. And although it’s
upscale, I did see people in cut-off shorts and tank tops with children in tow
who were just as graciously greeted and served as people dressed much more
formally. Dave and Vince started with glasses of house merlot that they said
were quite good; I had an excellent Roscato. Vince couldn’t find exactly what
he wanted on the menu, so asked if he could get Spaghetti with Italian Sausage;
the chef was happy to prepare that for him. Vince said that the sauce was good,
as was the sausage. Dave had Meat Lasagna that he liked; he would have liked
more ricotta. I had Chicken Normandy that made me want to lick the plate. The
flavors of apples, cider and cream mingled nicely with the chicken and the
aroma was heavenly. We all shared the Tiramisu that was well prepared with just
the right amount of coffee and cake. Prices for dinner were about $15 per
person without wine or dessert. My only complaint was that our waiter was much
too soft-spoken for the acoustics.
California
Seasons
52 (789 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101, 619-702-0052) is actually a
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| USS Midway deck |
chain,
although a rather trendy one. They serve seasonal and local foods, have a full
bar, and are not at all adverse to people sharing plates. We were there at an
early hour so we had the full attention of the bartender who chatted with us
while we looked at the menu, making recommendations about food and drink. Teri
had a very nice glass of Gascon Malbec and I enjoyed a glass of Jam Jar sweet
white wine. We shared a very good Lobster Flatbread and an order of Shrimp and
Grits. Both were very flavorful, but the shrimp and grits had pieces of nicely
browned chorizo. We enjoyed our meal and the service. The prices are rather
high, but splitting items keeps the costs down and still is a satisfying
amount.
I had never tasted Burmese cuisine, so Teri and
I ventured out on a dark and stormy night to Mingalaba Restaurant
(1213 Burlingame Avenue, Burlingame, CA, 94010, 650-343-3228). This restaurant
has limited seating, so go at off peak times, or be willing to wait. Burmese
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| Lilies |
food can be very spicy, so err on the milder side when you start planning your
order. The portions are large, so we decided to share everything; there was
more than enough. We began with Paratha, a naan type of bread with curry
dipping sauces; one sauce was spicy and the other was rather sweet. They would
be a good counterpart to the rest of our meal. The Lap Pat Dok (Tea Leaf Salad)
was excellent; the tea leaves are ground into a pesto consistency, then mixed
with tomato, cabbage, dried shrimp, fired garlic, sesame seeds, peanuts and
yellow split peas. The flavors and textures are delightful; the yellow peas are
actually crunchy, so it’s much like having tiny croutons throughout the salad.
Our main dish was the House Special Noodle. This was flat noodles mixed with
coconut chicken, and lime leaves with fried noodles on top. It was spicy! But
it was oh so tasty, with dark meat chicken used instead of drier breast meat.
This was a delightful dinner in interesting surroundings, served by an
attentive and efficient waiter. The next time I’m in San Francisco, I want to
go back to this restaurant.
New Mexico
Hurricane’s
Café (4330 Lomas Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM
87110, 505-255-4248) is a
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| Petroglyphs and Cynthia |
funky old drive in that has some really good food.
It’s on the edge of Nob Hill and reflects the old Albuquerque. Dave had a ¼
Disaster Burrito. It was filled with Carne Adobada, fried potatoes and other
goodness then covered with a spicy sauce. I had some very good crispy tacos.
Table service was very good as were the prices.
Rising Star Chinese Eatery (7001
San Antonio Drive NE S, Albuquerque, NM 87109, 505-821-6595) generally serves
only the locals, but should be on travelers’ radar. Their prices are excellent
and the food is really good. We both had a very nice hot and sour soup then
Dave had pepper steak with sweet and sour chicken; I had cashew chicken with
fried shrimp that was very good. The service is good, too.
The
Gorge Bar and Grill
(103 East Plaza, Taos, NM 87571, 575-758-8866) is in the Taos Plaza and is a
really good place to rest from walking through the area and also a good place
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| Dust devil |
to eat. We had an excellent waitress who was knowledgeable about the menu and
had a great sense of humor. Dave was in search of the best green chile burger
and he got a really good one here. He said the fries were good but not great. I
had a green chile grilled cheese sandwich that was amazing. The half sandwich
was more than enough for lunch. The cheese was melted without being drippy and
the chile was tasty without being ‘take your head off’ hot. The sweet potato
fries were a nice accompaniment to the spice of the sandwich. I really enjoyed
my meal. Prices were what you’d expect for a tourist area.
North Carolina
Corner
Kitchen (3 Boston Way, Asheville, NC 28803, (828)
274-2439) is a very nice eatery
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| Treed Bear |
in Biltmore Village. We usually get the entire
beading group together for one meal there while we’re in Black Mountain. My
only real complaint about this restaurant is that it is amazingly noisy. It’s
nearly impossible to hear someone across the table from you. However, the food
is local and very good. This trip I had strawberries and brie with toasted
homemade bread and balsamic vinaigrette reduction sauce that was delicious. My
dessert was Pudding Key Lime Tart; it was surprisingly good! Linnea had a shrimp
and mixed vegetables bowl that she thought was excellent. Her dessert was White
Chocolate Vanilla Bread pudding that was covered with caramel sauce; she said
it had amazing flavor.
My Father’s Pizza (110 Cherry
Street, Black Mountain, NC 28711, (828) 669-4944) is our favorite pizza place
on the planet (or at least in the US). I’ve yet to find a white pizza with
garlic that is nearly as good as what they prepare. We had pizza three times in
four days – it’s that good.
Texas
Bizzi’s Bistro (313 Harwood Rd #101, Bedford, TX 76021,
817-281-9500) has only been in business for about five years, but in that time
it’s won Wine
Spectator awards. When we
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| Headstone from 1875 |
arrived on a Tuesday for lunch, it wasn’t crowded
and our waiter had time to tell us a bit about the restaurant. They have a
chef, use only fresh produce, and cut their own meat. Everything (or at least
the things that can be) is prepared while you wait and the food is worth the
wait. The restaurant, itself, is a pretty place with interesting art and
eclectic furnishings; it’s a place you’d choose for a business meeting or for a
romantic, peaceful get-away. Dave selected the BLT with fried green tomatoes
and melted Swiss cheese on homemade bread; he enjoyed it thoroughly. He also
got the cheese, beer, and bacon soup; he said it was wonderful and after I had
a taste he almost didn’t get to finish it. The smoky flavor of the cheese and
the crunch of the bacon were delightful. My Shrimp Pesto Sandwich was filled
with shrimp that were cooked perfectly. And as advertised by our waiter, the
field greens and tomato were, indeed, fresh and flavorful. I had to give the
squash soup a try, and was pleased that it arrived with bacon garnishing the
top; it was just yummy! Elaine Vaught, the proprietor, took time to drop by our
table to chat with us about the wine cellar and the events that they host.
She’s another blogger and great fun to talk with. We had a good time at Bizzi’s
and we’ll be going back to sample more of their offerings and taste some of
their wines.
Best
Burger Barn (5108 Conveyor Drive, Egan, TX 76031,
817-233-2068) has a Cleburne address is shown on Google, but it is incorrect. The
restaurant is in what appears to be an
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| Indian Paintbrushes |
old train stop – not a depot or a
station, but a place you might bring your cattle while you wait for the train.
Once inside, the décor is rustic Texas, with animal heads on the walls and
second-hand tables; there’s not a speck of dust anywhere. The menu was a big
surprise; there were lots of great sounding sandwiches and meals from which to
choose, as well as a blackboard with the day’s specials and desserts. On our
first visit, we had the catfish and were well pleased. The catfish and slaw
were excellent; the fries were limp. The hushpuppies were golf ball sized with
little bits of onion; Dave and Vince said they were wonderful. On our next
visit, we were just as pleased with the burgers! Dave had a Santa Fe Burger
with the largest onion rings I’d seen in a very long while. The burger was a
third of a pound with lettuce, tomato, onion, Monterey Pepper Jack cheese,
bacon and guacamole. Vince also had onion rings but with a Jalapeño Burger;
this came with bacon Monterey Pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and
jalapeños. I had the Bleu Burger with fried okra. My burger had lettuce,
tomato, and blue cheese; it was very good and enough to take half home. Both
Vince and Dave said that the onion rings were wonderful, sweet/spicy and
crispy. My okra was done just right – crispy and hot. The tea comes in a
container just slightly smaller than a washtub and tastes like tea rather than
the watered-down version served in some establishments. One of the desserts was
blackberry cobbler, another favorite, so we had to give it a try. One order was
plenty to share among three of us; it was hot and full of berries. Next time we
go, I’m ordering the Fried Green Basket that is a mix of okra, green beans and
green tomatoes, all fried. Service was very good; the waitresses have a great
sense of humor and like interacting with their customers.
Tom + Chee (#137, 8901 Tehama Ridge Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX
76177, 817-847-7635) is all the things I don’t like in an eatery. The menu is
on the wall, you order at the counter, you
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| David taking his hat |
have to seat yourself, it’s loud,
and it’s a chain. So why did I actively go looking for this place to introduce
it to Dave? Because the food is very good. You can Build Your Own Grilled
Cheese sandwich (or half sandwich) and that’s just what I did. Mine was gouda
and goat cheese on wheatberry bread with sautéed mushrooms and basil pesto. The
bread was buttery and toasty, the cheeses nicely melted, there were plenty of
mushrooms, and the pesto was just the tang it all needed. I asked for a fork to
scoop up the melted cheese and mushrooms that dripped out. The half-sandwich is
plenty, but you can also get tomato soup and/or dessert. Dave had the BBQ +
Bacon Crunchy Grilled Cheese. It had barbecue potato chips, bacon, and American
cheese on white bread. We both got soft drinks and were able to refill them a
couple of times before we left. We spent about $15. This group prepares
amazingly good sandwiches. Happily, you can order online and pick up in the
store – I wish it was closer to my house!
Dinner was at Mac’s on Main (909 S Main
Street, #110, Grapevine, TX 76051, 817-251-
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| Cynthia is Arches with star |
6227). Having had lunch there with a
group on one occasion, we made dinner reservations but really didn’t need to do
so since we ate fairly early. There were patrons in and out of the bar, but the
crowds in the dining areas didn’t begin until around 7:00PM. Fresh, hot bread
was delivered to our table just after the wine arrived; Dave had an
unexceptional chardonnay and I had a too dry Riesling. The bread was very good,
though. Dave began his meal with a small bowl of Onion Soup that he said was
good but not outstanding. I had their Unlimited House Salad that was more than
enough without having the bowl refilled. The crumbled blue cheese and the house
dressing on the crispy lettuce were delightful. Dave had Ribeye with a Loaded
Baked Potato and Sautéed Mushrooms. These were all very good, with the steak
being almost as good as what he can produce on his grill. I had Sesame Seared
Ahi Tuna with the seasonal vegetable, Broccoli, rather than the Quinoa Brown Rice.
The tuna was wonderful and the vegetable was good. For dessert we shared a Dark
and Light Chocolate Cake that was okay; the chocolate was good, but the cake,
itself, was rather dry. Service was good and the prices were reasonable.
Tokyo
Sushi Asian Food and Bar (9160 N Tarrant Pkwy #140, North Richland
Hills, TX 76182, 817-514-8888) has just opened in east Keller. The young ladies
who are waiting
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| Fountain in the park |
tables are pleasant, accommodating, and learning English. There
are lots of sushi places in the area, but this one stands out. The offerings are
a bit different and very good; the prices are reasonable, as well. As a free
appetizer, we were served a small bowl of edamame that were very nice – crisp
and cool, just right on a hot day. The lunches came with soup so we both had
bowls of hot and sour soup; it was exceptional. Dave had lemon chicken that was
tender and juicy. He said the spices were just right; it was even good the next
day when he ate the left-overs. I had the Spring Roll that was spicy tuna with
seaweed salad on top that was excellent! And it was good the next day, too. We
are looking forward to going back to this little place again and again.
The Bangkok on Belt
Line (100 S Central Expressway #108, Richardson, TX 75080,
469-930-9755) isn’t actually where the address says it is; it does face Belt
Line and is next door to a shoe store. Once I found it I was glad that I had. I
have a favorite Thai food place in Keller, but this one comes in a close
second. The modern décor is welcoming and the
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| Spider lilies |
waitresses are helpful; it’s a
good place to go if you want to have a conversation without shouting. The
starter was a clear vegetable soup with chicken; it was a nice soup, but with
too many onions. My friend, Cary, had Pad Woon Sen; that’s sautéed carrots, two
kinds of onions, two types of mushrooms, celery, eggs, tofu and clear noodles
in a brown sauce. She said that it was very good; she had plenty to take home.
I had Pad See Ew; sautéed wide, flat noodles with broccoli, carrots, chicken,
and eggs with sweet brown sauce. It was wonderful and just as good as a
left-over. We both want to come back and try several different dishes that are
offered on the menu.
Mena's
Tex-Mex Grill (1851 N Greenville Avenue, Suite 500, Richardson, TX
75081, 972-235-6300) is a cute little place within The Shops at Eastside
complex in Richardson. We went at lunch, but some other friends stopped by for
dinner and had to wait more than 30 minutes for a seat. The restaurant is
nestled among some apartments and next to other places to eat and to shop. Bek
had a soft and a crispy taco; she really liked her meal, particularly the sides
of sauce that came with it. I had the Taco Plate; the crispy tacos with fresh
veggies and tasty rice were excellent and the beans were good. We both liked
the fresh, crisp chips and the two types of salsas. Service was very attentive
and fast; the lunch prices were excellent. We want to go back to try some of
the other dishes on the menu.
Bayou
Jack's Cajun Grill (200
N Oak Street, Roanoke, TX 76262, 817-490-7800) is a rather new establishment
that purports to have Cajun food – and they do a good job with it.
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| Wheel bench |
Andi and
Steve had several pounds of crayfish that they said was excellent. Dave had
fish and chips that he said were pretty good. The fish was well cooked, but
breading didn’t stay on it particularly well. The fries, on the other hand,
were excellent. I had Coconut Crusted Mahi Mahi that was very good; the fish
was well prepared and I could actually taste the coconut. The mixed vegetables
that came with it were excellent. Service was very good and the staff were very
willing to talk to us about the recipes of the dishes we’d ordered; the prices
were in line for what was served.
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| Red fox |
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