Buzzhype

24 hours in Chicago and I only had time for one great meal out. Good thing my dining companion recommended the THE PURPLE PIG! From the website: “Located on The Magnificent Mile, The Purple Pig is a collaboration of Chefs Scott Harris of Mia Francesca, Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia, Jimmy Bannos and Jimmy Bannos Jr. of [...]

One of my longtime favorite spots on Larchmont is SAM’S BAGELS. I like to stop in after I visit the Farmer’s Market on Sundays and grab a few bagels and my favorite sandwich– chicken salad (shown above) with cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and onions.

My last two trips to the Bay Area have included a visit to Alameda’s very popular BURMA SUPERSTAR. So far, I’ve had the infamous Tea Leaf Salad (pictured, above) twice, Spicy Chicken with Fresh Basil and the Garlic Noodles. So yummy, I’m eager to go back. Note to self to try: Burmese Samusas Classic Burmese [...]

This is the second time I’ve written about VITO. Hey, fabulous food deserves another mention. The quality of the food here never wavers– it’s been delicious every time. And, the staff is fantastic. They managed our rowdy group of twelve without breaking a sweat. My new favorite is the Spaghetti Della Casa (above)– chopped shrimp [...]

Last week, a friend recommended we try MEZZE for dinner. The restaurant has a slew of rave reviews on Yelp and we had a Blackboard Eats discount code so the decision to head over was a no-brainer. Just as the previous diners promised, the service was fantastic. We started with some “Egyptian Rebel Fries” with [...]

I went to go check out the new KILLER SHRIMP on Admiralty Way. (Those familiar with the area may remember the restaurant that used to be on Washington Blvd.) Final thoughts: Expect to wait; reservations aren’t accepted for groups smaller than 6. Try and get yourself a seat with a view. Recommended.

I’ve been to ENTERPRISE FISH CO. several times over the years. Their huge location on Main St. makes it a convenient meeting place for groups and I’ve had many a drink at their sprawling bar. Each time the name comes up amongst friends the reviews are mixed. But, last visit my friend ordered a delicious [...]

I first tried SCRATCH BAKERY last year and was happy to have an opportunity to try brunch during this year’s trip to Durham. Final thoughts: Highly Recommended SCRATCH BAKERY 111 Orange Street Durham, NC 27701 (919) 956-5200

When I visited Durham a couple years ago I had a great lunch at RUE CLER. This year, we went to tried their sister restaurant POP’S, a frequent hangout of my Durham-based friends. Our group of three shared the Crispy Calamari and my two friends each ordered the Big Bowl of Mussels (pictured above); I went [...]

A write-up on Asheville’s Brews Cruise with stops at Highland Brewing Company, French Broad Brewery and Asheville Brewing Company

We had a great breakfast at Tupelo Honey Cafe so we trusted the recommendation they gave to try CÚRATE for lunch. Big fans of paella, we opted to start with the Rosejat, “similar to paella but made with thin noodles, seafood stock, shrimp.” Delicious! I could have eaten the entire plate myself. For our next [...]

Our last day in Asheville started with a great brunch downtown at TUPELO HONEY CAFE. Because we were in town on a slow Wednesday morning, we were able to snag a cozy table outside. We ordered the Eggs Betty and Southern Fried Chicken Saltimbocca with Country Ham and Mushroom Marsala Sauce; both were excellent. My [...]