Bites from the Road

Porgu Tallinn, Estonia

It's not everyday I can go to hell for dinner, but Porgu, which literally translates to "hell" in Estonian is worth the trip to Tallinn's underworld. The inventive menu drew us to this cave-like cellar adorned with wrought iron chandeliers and blood red walls. Contrary to the name, the service is both attentive and prompt, the food delightfully decadent. Starting with the unassuming baked pork ribs "snack" ($7.90 euro/ $10.38), a portion arrived that could have been the main meal. If Porgu is hell, their ribs are heaven -- coated in a spicy, slightly sweet glaze and topped with minced garlic, chillies and parsley. In between bites, we sipped a [...]

By |2017-10-24T07:34:58-04:00October 29th, 2014|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Whispers Restaurant, Spring Lake, NJ

The Chateau Inn in Spring Lake (NJ) where we were staying offered a mid-week special that included a $60 gift certificate to one of a few restaurants in the area. That's how we ended up at Whispers, a restaurant in the Hewitt-Welington Hotel with NYC prices. But  — with that coupon and being allowed to BYO  wine — it became reasonable. The "crostini" served as our amuse-bouche was topped with an unusual homemade hummus with the taste of the sweet corn added. Just wish the bread hadn't been soft. Our fresh arugula salad included shaved sweet onion, candied pecans, crumbled goat cheese all in a lemon-thyme vinaigrette ($12). My favorite [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:10-04:00October 6th, 2014|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Trei, Kep, Cambodia

Growing in popularity, the small nation of Cambodia has become a desirable stop for both bucket-list travelers visiting Angkor Wat and backpackers searching for a beachside paradise to rival Thailand. This hidden gem is a surprising destination for some of the tastiest crab. Reading about the must-eat crab in our guidebook, my travel companion and I ventured to Kep, small fishing village,a two hour drive from the coastal hub city Sihanoukville. The crab market there is a row of rustic clapboard eateries on stilts lining the water. We wandered into Trei, one of the more charming huts with a shady table overlooking the water and a cool sea breeze. Their [...]

By |2017-10-24T07:40:00-04:00October 3rd, 2014|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Cafe Artiste, Dinner with Cosimo, Spring Lake, NJ – CLOSED

We had no clue that the town of Spring Lake (NJ) would have little to no food offerings Sunday evening at a reasonable Manhattan dining time. So when we heard some noise on a side street off Third Avenue, we followed that and tripped over Cafe Artiste, which we'd later find out was a "Dinner with Cosimo." "Could we just order salad?" "Chicken scarpariello? You'll love it." We said, just the salads would be fine, as it was  late and we had lost our hunger. That salad — topped with sauteed peppers and fresh Parmigiano Reggiano cheese  — was quite good in a light flavorful vinaigrette. It felt like we [...]

By |2018-09-08T16:39:29-04:00September 24th, 2014|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Banana Festival, Port of Hueneme, CA

Go Bananas’ on the scenic grounds of the Port of Hueneme (105 East Port Hueneme Road) during the Banana Festival, Saturday, September 27, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free festival provides a fun-filled day to learn about the journey of the banana and the interworking of the Port. Festival highlights include delicious food and banana treats, live music, interactive displays, recipe contests, arts & crafts, kid’s activities, port tours and more. Vendors offer authentic tacos,  savory barbecue, Thai noodles, local brews and special banana treats including banana splits, banana smoothies and chocolate dipped bananas. Local bands will provide entertainment. Get a glimpse into how the Port works [...]

By |2017-09-01T14:49:57-04:00September 14th, 2014|USA Travel, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Folks Klub ALA, Riga, Latvia

Ask Riga's locals where they prefer to dine in touristy Old Town and they will point you in the direction of Folks Klub ALA (. The subterranean gastropub proved to be the ideal spot to savor a traditional meal and libations, all in a cozy cellar atmosphere with live folk music. Meat and potatoes are staples in Baltic cuisine, but there was plenty of variety beyond those dishes for our group of 10 hungry backpackers. I enjoyed the filling pearl barley risotto with bits of pork in a cream sauce for only 3.20 Euro ($4.29), a smoky and hearty comfort dish over tart cranberry sauce. A Swede at the table [...]

By |2017-10-24T07:42:35-04:00September 11th, 2014|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Philadelphia City Center District Restaurant Week September 2014

Philadelphia City Center District Restaurant Week runs Sunday, September 7 through Friday, September 12 and Sunday, September 14 through Friday, September 19, 2014. It will be featuring a variety of restaurants and offering three-course dinners for $35 per person and three-course lunches for $20. For additional information, click here.

By |2017-09-01T17:43:57-04:00September 4th, 2014|USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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La Plage, Wading River, Long Island, NY

With La Plage was walking distance from where we were staying at the beach, we stopped by more than once. This alfresco white-tablecloth restaurant with unusual combinations of fresh foods is worth trying if you're in the area. I ordered a japapeño margarita from their libation menu, purportedly made with jalapeño tequila, fresh squeezed lime juice ($13) and an unnecessary splash of premade sour mix. They first served it sans the spicy tequila, but when remade was fine. That mistake was my only issue with the restaurant. One night we each had a couple of apps or salads making a light summer meal. I'd recommend any of these including a [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:10-04:00August 20th, 2014|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Buoy One, Riverhead, Long Island, New York

If you're out on the North Shore, head to Buoy One in Riverhead for lobster. It's a small shack-like place on the south side of Route 25 that offers clambakes to-go, or eat in their casual indoor or outdoor space. We opted to eat — and make our lobster mess — there. One had the classic clam bake ($25.95) with a pound-and-a-quarter lobster, shrimp in the shells, steamers, mussels, baked potato and veggie. The veggie du jour was broccoli, not the more classic corn. Others dug into just the lobster with fries and cole slaw or veggie (market price that night was $22.95). Skip the over-chopped, vinegary slaw, have the [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:11-04:00August 4th, 2014|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Crescent Grill, Long Island City, Queens

A friend and I walked across the 59th Street Bridge and literally just turned left onto Crescent Street to walk to and sample Crescent Grill's farm-to-table fare in Long Island City. After the short walk, we tried the bartender's Sriracharita. Don't miss this spicy variation on a margarita made with Avion Anejo Tequila, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and Sriracha served in a salt rimmed glass ($14). As their guest, I sampled a few starters. I liked the simple salad with black mission figs with frisee and aged goat cheese in a light vinaigrette ($13). An interesting preparation is the wild boar tenderloin slices  interspersed with [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:11-04:00August 2nd, 2014|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Houston Restaurant Week August to September 2014

Houston Restaurant Week runs Friday, August 1 through Tuesday, September 2, 2014, featuring a variety of restaurants and offering 2-course lunch for $20 and 3-course dinner for $35. For additional information or list of participating restaurants, click here.  

By |2017-09-01T14:50:45-04:00July 29th, 2014|USA Travel, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Brio Tuscan Grille, Westfarms Mall, Farmington, CT

I was surprised to find tasty food, alfresco dining and attentive service at Brio Tuscan Grille at Westfarms Mall in Farmington, CT, where I was recently returning something and meeting friends for lunch. We sat on the terrace, beginning with an plentiful app attractively presented with nine pan-seared shrimp in a light cream sauce with a black pepper kick, over bread-crusted eggplant ($10.95). That could have been a meal in itself.  It went well with my Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand, $9.25) and one of my dining partner's 10Span Chardonnay ($8.25). We next shared a hearty Romaine salad tossed with Parmesan, toasted Brioche croutons and housemade Caesar dressing [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:11-04:00July 23rd, 2014|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Bourbon Women “Sip-osium,” French Lick, Indiana

Bourbon Women will hold its first  “sip-osium,” a weekend of bourbon enjoyment and education, at the French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana, Friday August  22 through Saturday August 23, 2014 The two-day conference includes daily cocktail receptions and a bourbon dinner Saturday evening. The cost is $175 for members; $225  for non-members that includes a one-year Bourbon Women membership. Saturday only tickets are $150 for members, $200 for non. For more information and to register, click here. Attendees of the "sip-osium”must be at least 21 years old. Bourbon Women is a member-based organization founded in 2011 to promote and preserve the heritage of bourbon through educational, networking and charitable [...]

By |2017-09-01T14:50:57-04:00July 23rd, 2014|USA Travel, xyz misc|0 Comments
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