I have had diner at the Silver Fork three times in the last week. As I have found it to be for many years, it remains a GreatRestaurant. The skiing and boarding at Solitude and at Brighton have been fantastic this last week and the food at the Silver Fork has been just as fantastic.
We had twelve at dinner one night, six adults and six children, just the six adults another night and my family of four at dinner tonight. Each evening, the Silver Fork out performed itself and made the group very happy.
Their wine list contained a wine from one of my favorite vineyards, a Zinfandel(Red)from Ballentine Vineyards, that was not only very reasonably priced, but wonderful to drink.
Do yourself a real favor, if you are in the Salt Lake City area, take the time to go to the Silver Fork. If you are knowledgeable enough to be staying at Solitude, call them, they will send a shuttle to get you.
By the way, the forecast for the next two days, is for 12 to 24 inches of fresh snow. The skiing should be as great as the food at the Silver Fork.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Pelican Club - updated - May 2009
The Pelican club continues to be a GreatRestaurant.
When I was in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure to join with a group of friends to enjoy an outstanding dinner at the Pelican Club.
Chef Hughes, as he has many previous times, proved to be both an extraordinary chef and a very gracious host.
We had a fairly large group of about twenty or twenty-two and he, and his staff, were still able to provide our dinner with service that would have been special for a group of four to six.
Richard recommended a delicious wine, Arcturus, a cabernet blend from Astrale e Terra Vineyard. It was outstanding and we truly enjoyed it.
I continue my sincere recommendation that you try The Pelican Club, a GreatRestaurant in New Orleans.
When I was in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure to join with a group of friends to enjoy an outstanding dinner at the Pelican Club.
Chef Hughes, as he has many previous times, proved to be both an extraordinary chef and a very gracious host.
We had a fairly large group of about twenty or twenty-two and he, and his staff, were still able to provide our dinner with service that would have been special for a group of four to six.
Richard recommended a delicious wine, Arcturus, a cabernet blend from Astrale e Terra Vineyard. It was outstanding and we truly enjoyed it.
I continue my sincere recommendation that you try The Pelican Club, a GreatRestaurant in New Orleans.
Cafe' Vermilionville
A GreatRestaurant located in the heart of Lafayette, Louisiana.
I have been a huge fan of Cafe' Vermilionville for over fifteen years. It is without a doubt my favorite GreatRestaurant in Lafayette. There have been changes over the years as one would expect and while the menu has changed over time, it remains excellent.
It is located in a historic old inn that has been creatively turned into a world class restaurant. The ambiance is comfortable yet elegant (which is different from elegant yet comfortable) and I always enjoy walking through their doors every time I am lucky enough to be able to return for another visit.
Cafe' Vermilionville's outstanding menu never fails to make my diner selection difficult. Most of their appetizers are superb and and their soups and entrees leave nothing to be desired.
One of my favorite soups is their roasted corn and crab bisque. It has always been extraordinary. It wasn't always on the menu in the old days but when it was, I ordered it, always. It was so good that on several occasions I have had it at night with dinner and then gone back and had it for lunch the next day.
Needless to say I was stunned during dinner at Cafe' Vermilionville a couple of weeks ago when I was served a roasted corn and crab bisque that was not the soup I know and love. It was good, it was more than good, it was excellent and I will order it again. But it was a new recipe and I would like to see them serve the old recipe again sometime.
Dinner that night was as good as ever. I did not have a large group with me, just a couple of friends. It was a Tuesday evening and it was a very slow night. The service was gracious and attentive, and we had a great time and a great dinner.
The wine list at Cafe' Vermilionville has long been very reliable. It is not the largest wine list around but more than ample and they offer a wide selection from very reasonable, nice drinking wines to outstanding knockout wines targeted at the most discerning wine enthusiast.
I look forward to my visits to Lafayette because I know, that if I can make the time to stay for dinner, I won't be disappointed at Cafe' Vermilionville.
It is a Great Restaurant and if you give it a try I am confident that you will love it as much as I do.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Mr. B's Bistro
A GreatRestaurant located on the edge of the French Quarter (at the corner of Iberville and Royal Street) in New Orleans.
Mr. B’s Bistro has been a consistent favorite of mine in New Orleans for many, many years. I have been going there for so long that I can’t even remember my first time. As far back as I can remember; Mr. B’s has been a go-to place for me to have dinner when I am in New Orleans.
Creole inspiration is reflected in a wonderful bistro style menu. My favorite appetizer is their duck spring rolls that are served with the most incredible ginger dipping sauce. (I often find a way to have two servings of the Spring Rolls, they are that good).
My favorite dinner item has long been their Mississippi Rabbit. From time to time I try other things but while I always find them to be excellent, I always come back to the rabbit.
Their fish is always, I mean always, fresh and wonderful. I adore the Pork Osso Buco, and their Shrimp and Grits is among the best I have had. But my first love is their Mississippi Rabbit. Take a chance, forget that it is rabbit, and try it. My guess is that you will love it. (My son recently tried it and thought it was great)
The wine list is well rounded and always offers an interesting selection of outstanding wines. I have been to Mr. B’s just to sit at the bar, order appetizers, and share a bottle of wine or champagne with my wife or a friend.
While there are other New Orleans restaurants that are GreatRestaurants, this year I celebrated my birthday (with my wife and children) at Mr. B’s. It was my children’s first time to Mr. B’s and they loved it. As I mentioned above, my son loved the Rabbit. My daughter thought that the Shrimp and Grits were delicious.
Many restaurants in New Orleans cater to the tourist crowd. Some of them are not very good and only exist due to previous glories or slick marketing. One sure measure of a GreatRestuarant in New Orleans is if the people who live there choose it from among all the superb competition. My friends in New Orleans go to Mr. B’s.
An interesting note about Mr. B’s is that they only take a certain number of reservations each night. They seem to like being able to accommodate walk up patrons. It is always better to call ahead and have a reservation. But it you find yourself in New Orleans on the spur of the moment, try dropping by and seeing if they have a table available.
If you have to wait for a little while, grab a seat at the bar and have a glass of wine, or whatever, until they can seat you.
Mr. B’s Bistro is a GreatRestaurant that you should try the next time you are in New Orleans. You really can’t go wrong at Mr. B’s.
Check them out at http://www.mrbsbistro.com/
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Cracker P's
A GreatRestaurant located on Lubbers Quarters in the Sea of Abaco, Bahamas
Cracker P’s Bar and Grill is an incredible restaurant located on a hillside across the sound, and down a little, from Tahiti Beach. It is an extremely casual, very comfortable, place that you can pretty much get to only by boat. The food is very simple, and very good.
I have only been to Cracker P’s a couple of times and only for lunch. The food is a combination of local dishes and familiar favorites. My favorite side dish, a local dish that is very good and well worth trying, is the “Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice”.
It is advised to call ahead on your VHF radio, every boat has one (everybody monitors Channel 16), and check to see if they have a table open. When you pull up to their dock (its big), you stern anchor your boat and head up the stairs to the restaurant and an incredible view.
Cracker P’s looks east over the Lubbers channel towards Tilloo Cay and Tahiti Beach. You feel like you are in heaven, the view is more than picturesque, it is extraordinary.
The staff is very friendly and accommodating. You are welcome to eat, to drink, and to just hang out and relax.
While I have not been there for dinner, I understand the place can become very lively. They are famous for their “Full Moon Parties”. I am sad to say that I have never been to one of their Full Moon Parties but I have seen the place liven up on just a random weekday afternoon.
There is a reason that I have not had dinner at Cracker P’s, and that I am not likely to do so any time soon. When I am in the Abacos, I stay on a Cay (Key) about 8 or 9 miles north of Lubbers Quarters. I have never wanted to try the run home, by boat, after dark, and after a few toddies or glasses of wine.
On a special note, they make and bottle their own hot sauce. It is excellent. If you like spicy things, you should try it. I like a little on my Peas 'n' Rice. I brought a bottle home with me and whenever I bring it out it brings back very fond memories of Cracker P’s.
Tahiti Beach, mentioned above, is a great place to anchor your boat and hang out to enjoy the sun and water. It is a very popular place where you are likely to run into old friends or meet new ones. Cracker P’s is ideally located when you want to grab lunch or a refreshing beverage.
Cracker P’s is a GreatRestaurant that is very different from any of the GreatRestaurants that I have written about so far. It is a laidback, casual, fun, watering hole and restaurant that I think is a must “go to” if you are hanging around in the Abacos. If you are hanging around in the Abacos, and enjoying yourself, then I can almost guarantee that you will love Cracker P’s.
Check them out at http://www.crackerps.com/
Cracker P’s Bar and Grill is an incredible restaurant located on a hillside across the sound, and down a little, from Tahiti Beach. It is an extremely casual, very comfortable, place that you can pretty much get to only by boat. The food is very simple, and very good.
I have only been to Cracker P’s a couple of times and only for lunch. The food is a combination of local dishes and familiar favorites. My favorite side dish, a local dish that is very good and well worth trying, is the “Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice”.
It is advised to call ahead on your VHF radio, every boat has one (everybody monitors Channel 16), and check to see if they have a table open. When you pull up to their dock (its big), you stern anchor your boat and head up the stairs to the restaurant and an incredible view.
Cracker P’s looks east over the Lubbers channel towards Tilloo Cay and Tahiti Beach. You feel like you are in heaven, the view is more than picturesque, it is extraordinary.
The staff is very friendly and accommodating. You are welcome to eat, to drink, and to just hang out and relax.
While I have not been there for dinner, I understand the place can become very lively. They are famous for their “Full Moon Parties”. I am sad to say that I have never been to one of their Full Moon Parties but I have seen the place liven up on just a random weekday afternoon.
There is a reason that I have not had dinner at Cracker P’s, and that I am not likely to do so any time soon. When I am in the Abacos, I stay on a Cay (Key) about 8 or 9 miles north of Lubbers Quarters. I have never wanted to try the run home, by boat, after dark, and after a few toddies or glasses of wine.
On a special note, they make and bottle their own hot sauce. It is excellent. If you like spicy things, you should try it. I like a little on my Peas 'n' Rice. I brought a bottle home with me and whenever I bring it out it brings back very fond memories of Cracker P’s.
Tahiti Beach, mentioned above, is a great place to anchor your boat and hang out to enjoy the sun and water. It is a very popular place where you are likely to run into old friends or meet new ones. Cracker P’s is ideally located when you want to grab lunch or a refreshing beverage.
Cracker P’s is a GreatRestaurant that is very different from any of the GreatRestaurants that I have written about so far. It is a laidback, casual, fun, watering hole and restaurant that I think is a must “go to” if you are hanging around in the Abacos. If you are hanging around in the Abacos, and enjoying yourself, then I can almost guarantee that you will love Cracker P’s.
Check them out at http://www.crackerps.com/
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Diamond Grill
A GreatRestaurant located in downtown Alexandria, Louisiana.
The food at the Diamond Grill is as spectacular as the décor and the décor is extraordinary. The Diamond Grill opened several years ago and it has been my favorite GreatRestaurant in Alexandria since that time.
The Diamond Grill is both elegant and comfortable. The atmosphere raises your expectations, and the food and service has always exceeded mine. The menu offers a great selection of choices while maintaining a focus that lets you know that every dish is freshly crafted.
The food is creative and delicious. It is what you would have to call upscale Creole-Continental. They offer appetizers ranging from fried green tomato to escargot. The dinners range from seafood (a Louisiana must have) to wonderful steaks. Duck, chicken and pork are also on the dinner menu. I have enjoyed every dish that I have ever tried at the Diamond Grill.
Many, if not all, nights they have off menu specials. I recommend serious consideration of their specials. While the menu is great, they don't call them specials for nothing.
I have had dinners there as both as a couple and as the host of host up to about twenty guests. Whether my group has been small or large, the service has always been extraordinary.
The last time I was there, the waiter who I knew from previous visits, recommended a merlot from Meeker Vineyards, their Handprint Merlot. I explained to him that I didn't drink merlot and asked if he had another recommendation, a syrah or a red zinfandel maybe.
He very politely suggested that I reconsider and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. He said that if I didn't like the Meeker, it would disappear and never show up on my bill. I again told him that I normally don't drink merlot but that if he was that confident in the wine then I would give it a try.
The result was a confirmation that you should always listen to your waiter when you are in a GreatRestaurant. I thanked him. The Meeker Handprint Merlot is wonderful, it is delicious, it isn't like any merlot I've ever had.
Of course in retrospect, I hadn't really tried a merlot since the 1980's when incredibly bad merlot was the fern-bar wine of choice. The wine was so good that I asked where they got it. The next morning I went out and bought a case of it before leaving town.
I have since purchased several more cases of this fantastic wine and enjoy it often. The Handprint Merlot is one of a very interesting selection of wines from Meeker. They only make about 3600 cases of it each year. It is a GreatWine. Thank you, Diamond Grill, for introducing me to it.
The Diamond Grill is a GreatRestaurant that I never miss when I am in Alexandria. You should try it if you are anywhere nearby.
Check them out at http://thediamondgrill.com
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Village Grille
A GreatRestaurant located on Louisiana Avenue in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The Village Grille has been one of my favorite restaurants longer than any other restaurant in Shreveport. I have been to the Village dozens of times over almost twenty years. The food is consistently superb, the service is always extraordinary, and the atmosphere is unique in Shreveport.
One of my favorite appetizers is their beef carpaccio which they list as a salad. This is an extraordinarily delicious dish that I almost always order at the Village (Its funny but I find that I don’t usually care for this dish anywhere else).
They have other fantastic appetizers including a venison tenderloin and a semi boneless quail. My favorite of a great selection of salads is their Caesar salad topped with a small soft-shell crab.
True excellence is demonstrated in their entrée menu. The fish is always fresh as benefits a true Louisiana restaurant and their meat is fantastic. Two of my favorite meat entrees are their lamb chops with a Madeira wine sauce and their beef tournedos with a green peppercorn sauce.
The Village does not have menus. The waiters quote the extensive menu to you and highlight the specials for the evening. The waiters tend to be professionals like you find in New Orleans and in New York. They are always helpful and very knowledgeable about how the various dishes are prepared. There are several who have been there for many years.
Shreveport has several exceptional restaurants. The Village Grille has its peers, but there are none that surpass it.
It is small and intimate, there are probably only twelve to fourteen tables seating no more than about forty people. The atmosphere is both somewhat eclectic and elegant. You could easily be in a restaurant in New York City. The place is very comfortable with a real sense of style.
It is a perfect place for a couple to have a quite, romantic dinner or for two couples to enjoy a good time together. It is not the kind of place that I would ever go to eat alone.
The Village has an excellent wine list and their bar is well known for serving an amazing variety of martinis. If you are a martini drinker, they have a great selection of olives to choose from among.
The Village Grille is a GreatRestaurant that is a very comfortable place for me. I enjoy being there and always love the food. It is one of those rare places where they welcome you in such a way that you always want to return. I recommend it without reservations to anyone who finds themselves in Shreveport.
I don’t know of a web site for the Village Grille.
Their address is 1313 Louisiana Ave, Shreveport, LA 71101-4623 and the phone number is 318- 424-2874.
The Village Grille has been one of my favorite restaurants longer than any other restaurant in Shreveport. I have been to the Village dozens of times over almost twenty years. The food is consistently superb, the service is always extraordinary, and the atmosphere is unique in Shreveport.
One of my favorite appetizers is their beef carpaccio which they list as a salad. This is an extraordinarily delicious dish that I almost always order at the Village (Its funny but I find that I don’t usually care for this dish anywhere else).
They have other fantastic appetizers including a venison tenderloin and a semi boneless quail. My favorite of a great selection of salads is their Caesar salad topped with a small soft-shell crab.
True excellence is demonstrated in their entrée menu. The fish is always fresh as benefits a true Louisiana restaurant and their meat is fantastic. Two of my favorite meat entrees are their lamb chops with a Madeira wine sauce and their beef tournedos with a green peppercorn sauce.
The Village does not have menus. The waiters quote the extensive menu to you and highlight the specials for the evening. The waiters tend to be professionals like you find in New Orleans and in New York. They are always helpful and very knowledgeable about how the various dishes are prepared. There are several who have been there for many years.
Shreveport has several exceptional restaurants. The Village Grille has its peers, but there are none that surpass it.
It is small and intimate, there are probably only twelve to fourteen tables seating no more than about forty people. The atmosphere is both somewhat eclectic and elegant. You could easily be in a restaurant in New York City. The place is very comfortable with a real sense of style.
It is a perfect place for a couple to have a quite, romantic dinner or for two couples to enjoy a good time together. It is not the kind of place that I would ever go to eat alone.
The Village has an excellent wine list and their bar is well known for serving an amazing variety of martinis. If you are a martini drinker, they have a great selection of olives to choose from among.
The Village Grille is a GreatRestaurant that is a very comfortable place for me. I enjoy being there and always love the food. It is one of those rare places where they welcome you in such a way that you always want to return. I recommend it without reservations to anyone who finds themselves in Shreveport.
I don’t know of a web site for the Village Grille.
Their address is 1313 Louisiana Ave, Shreveport, LA 71101-4623 and the phone number is 318- 424-2874.
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