This area has everything going for it to be a culinary dream-come-true: great purveyors of fresh produce, basically on the sea for fresh fish, and remarkable cattle ranchers. Then there’s the wine and olive oils. Put all those elements together and this is a foodie’s paradise.
Who knew perogies came in so many flavors? You can choose meaty varieties like Polish (cheese/potato/bacon) and Cheeseburger (pork/beef/cheese), or vegetarian options like Spinach/Feta/Potato, Sweet Potato, or Mushroom/Sauerkraut.
We arrived for dinner to find the front door locked tight, even though the lights were blazing inside. We knocked and waited; the taxi didn’t. Don Carlos himself peered at us through the window, then let us in with a broad smile.
Pinkies up and here we go. The stage is set for one memorable afternoon upon entering the refined, classical European lobby of The Westgate Hotel, located near the heart of San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter.
The entrees include a wide choice of pasta including a homemade broccoli rabe and chicken ravioli that is worth the trip alone. The veal chop saltimbocca is not to be missed and is stuffed with mozzarella di buffalo and garlic spinach and then wrapped in parma prosciutto and served with baby portabello mushrooms and a sweet marsala wine sauce. Steak lovers can choose from four different Angus beef steaks including the succulent fillet gorgonzola and crab. No trip to Di Paolo’s is complete without sampling their signature “orange size” crab cakes that are made from 100% jumbo lump crab meat and seem to be held together through willpower alone. All of the entrees are served with antipasto, a crispy house salad, Yukon potatoes, and a side of pasta.
It’s true that many restaurants in Florence serve up a fabulous Bistecca Fiorentina, but few come with an experience quite like the family-style offering at Il Latini. Down the narrow cobblestone street of via dei Palchetti near the Arno River, you’ll find tourists and locals alike cluttered in a small piazza, complimentary glasses of wine in hand, communing and waiting for their turns to be seated.
Cozumel, Mexico is a blue water paradise. Divers and snorkelers from all over the world come to experience the Mesoamerican Reef System, discovered by Jacques Cousteau in the 1960s. Cozumel, in the Mexican Caribbean, has grown up since then, and gained in amenities such as the Jack Nicklaus Golf Course and numerous luxury, all-inclusive hotels. One of the seemingly undiscovered changes in Cozumel is the quality of the food and the restaurants. It’s not just tacos, chips, and salsa anymore! Now there is true culinary artistry for traveling foodies to enjoy. I’ve been visiting Cozumel for over 20 years, and I found these restaurants through local people; they are a bit off the beaten path.
Dixie Supply Bakery & Cafe has etched itself into my heart with one single taste of their creamy grits, cooked to perfection, without any pretention. When facing the multitude of options in the culinary capital of the South you may be tempted to overlook a humble storefront bakery cafe sharing parking lot space with a gas station.
La Lomita was the very first restaurant visited on my first trip to Isla Mujeres in February 2005. Landing at noon, we made the decision to grab lunch and pick up some groceries before hailing a cab for Villas Punta Sur at the south end of the island. A map was consulted to get our bearings. Looking up Avenida Juarez, there was La Lomita, just a half a block away. Thus began a multi-year love affair with Isla Mujeres and its food.
DANIEL is one of only a handful of New York restaurants that have been awarded a two-star Michelin rating. This sprawling French restaurant was recently given a complete overhaul, bringing it into the 21st century with a sleek, contemporary look that complements its innovative menu. As in all Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, the menu is heavily influenced by the seasons and combines contemporary French cuisine with American flavors. Overseen by Executive Chef Jean Francois Bruel, the kitchen offers a prix fixe menu as well as two seven-course tasting menus. Vegetarians are well catered to with their very own separate menu, and all menus are offered with optional wine pairings.
