Restaurant Reviews

Breakfast at Factory Girl!, my first meal in Berlin, Germany

Cold Cuts: scrambled eggs with sucuk (spicy sausage) and a side of bread

For a Sunday morning, I was surprised how quiet the Mitte area of Berlin was. Streets were empty and everything seemed closed until I found Factory Girl!. As I found out later, Berlin was a quiet city during the morning. Everyone seemed to sleep during the day and venture out at night for food and drinks. When I walked into Factory Girl!, I was greeted with more of the same. The place was practically empty making me question my decision …

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Chicken and waffles at The Breakfast Klub in Houston, Texas

The Breakfast Klub's famous chicken and waffles

It was my last day in Houston. What better way to end the trip with some chicken and waffles and true southern style breakfast at The Breakfast Klub. The Breakfast Klub, located in Midtown Houston, has gained a loyal following of those looking to sample some delicious homemade southern dishes such as chicken and waffles, wings and grits, and catfish along with other tasty items including green eggs and ham and eggs benedict. They also serve lunch if that’s what …

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A Sunday morning visit to Al's Breakfast in Minneapolis, MN

The Jose, one of the more popular dishes served at Al's Breakfast

It was my last day in Minneapolis before having to head back to Los Angeles. For my last breakfast in the city, I knew I had to head to Al’s Breakfast, for what I was told, was the best breakfast in the city. I actually first heard about Al’s Breakfast when Guy Fieri stopped by on his Food Network television show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” I knew this was the place for me when I saw the tiny diner with …

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Original Jucy Lucy cheeseburger at Matt's Bar, Minneapolis

Photo on the wall of President Obama visiting Matt's Bar

Matt’s Bar is an institution in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since 1954, the restaurant has claimed to be the home of the original Jucy Lucy burger. When I finalized my plans to Minneapolis, I knew I had to make the pilgrimage to Matt’s Bar and cross it off my ever growing food bucket list. With a Jucy Lucy, also known as Juicy Lucy at other restaurants, cheese is stuffed on the inside of the patty before it is cooked on a flat …

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Empire State South, Hugh Acheson's midtown Atlanta restaurant

Pimento Cheese with a side of pullman toast, Empire State South, Atlanta, Georgia

As a longtime fan of Top Chef and Top Chef Masters, I knew I had to check out Hugh Acheson’s Empire State South in Atlanta, Georgia’s midtown district. If you aren’t familiar with Top Chef, Hugh Acheson is often a guest judge on the show. Even more exciting was that Anthony Bourdain stopped by here on his short-lived television show “The Layover.” When my Uber driver dropped me off at the address, I was a little confused at first as …

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Fish and chips with views of downtown Vancouver at Go Fish

Cod fish and chips, Go Fish, Vancouver

I first found out about Go Fish Ocean Emporium when Andrew Zimmern visited Vancouver, Canada on his show Bizarre Foods America. It was a rainy day in Vancouver, but that was not going to keep me from making the journey to the restaurant not far from Granville Island Public market. When I say restaurant, I mean more of a charming seafood shack with outdoor seating and stunning views of the harbor. This is why I came to Go Fish. This …

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La Parrilla de Maria Bonita in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Complementary bean dip with chips, La Parrilla de Maria Bonita

When I read that La Parrilla de Maria Bonita was the number one rated TripAdvisor restaurant in all of La Fortuna, Costa Rica, I seriously had my doubts. Don’t get me wrong, TripAdvisor has great travel information and tips, but I have never been impressed with top-ranked restaurants for international destinations. For example, nothing against PaulyBee’s American Burger, but how on earth is it ranked number 3 out of all the amazing restaurants in Bangkok? Anyways, it was late at …

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Copper Top BBQ off Highway 395 in Big Pine, California

When I read that Copper Top BBQ off Highway 395 in Big Pine, California was first in Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015, I was surprised. Out of all the places in the world, I would least expect a restaurant in the tiny town of Big Pine to be ranked one of the top in the country. I am quite familiar with Big Pine as I often find myself driving along Highway 395 on the …

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Iron Chef Michael Symon's Lolita restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio

Roasted Pork Belly Sandwich, Lolita, Cleveland

Being a Food Network nerd, I was excited to learn about Iron Chef Michael Symon’s Lolita restaurant in the Tremont neighborhood near downtown Cleveland. Tremont is the “go to” place for food in Cleveland. The historic area is trendy and hipster with a small town feeling thanks to many open green spaces, large trees, and more churches than I count on both hands. In 1997, Michael Symon opened Lola at this location. The restaurant received rave reviews and was even …

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Brunch at Gastown's Tuc Craft Kitchen in downtown Vancouver

Irish Stew Skillet with lamb and grass fed beef at Tuc Craft Kitchen, Vancouver

If you are looking for a casual place in downtown Vancouver’s Gastown to have weekend brunch and great drinks, then you should stop by Tuc Craft Kitchen. The restaurant is located on West Cordova Street, just south of Water Street. If you aren’t familiar with Gastown, the neighborhood is one of the oldest and quirkiest in Vancouver. Gastown is home to more restaurants and bars than you can count. Tuc Craft Kitchen has it all from lunch, dinner, brunch on …

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