Restaurant Reviews

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 heading back to Los Angeles, and I knew I wanted breakfast, so I headed to Al’s Breakfast. Dating back to 1950, Al’s Breakfast is an iconic Minneapolis diner known for its scratch-made dishes and large portions. I 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 only 14 bar stools …

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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. To make a Jucy Lucy, also known as Juicy Lucy at other restaurants, you take a patty, stuff it with cheese, and grill it on a flat top. …

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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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Go Fish Ocean Emporium: Fish & chips with Vancouver views

Cod fish and chips, Go Fish, Vancouver

I learned 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 would not keep me from making the journey to the restaurant not far from Granville Island Public Market. When I say a restaurant, I mean more of a charming seafood shack with outdoor seating and stunning harbor views. These types of restaurants are why I come to Vancouver. Arrival at Go Fish …

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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

Smokers out front of Copper Top BBQ

Copper Top BBQ, off Highway 395 in Big Pine, CA, is a BBQ restaurant known for its grilled and smoked meats, such as tri-tip and pulled pork. The restaurant gained notoriety when it was first in Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015. I am familiar with Big Pine as I often drive along Highway 395 to Mammoth Lakes for some of the best snowboarding and fishing in the county. The highway passes through some of …

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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 (Closed)

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. Note: In 2020, Tuc Craft Kitchen closed. Tuc Craft Kitchen Menu …

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Brunch at Jack Flaps in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood

This colorful and beautifully presented dish is the Cuyahoga Benedict

While on my flight to Cleveland, a local recommended that I eat breakfast at Jack Flaps, located in the historic Ohio City neighborhood. On the way to my hotel, my Uber driver once again recommended me to Jack Flaps. Being new to the Cleveland breakfast scene, I decided to trust the wisdom of the locals. After dropping my bags off at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel I headed over to Jack Flaps, located about ten minutes southwest of downtown Cleveland. The …

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My first poutine at Fritz European Fry House in Vancouver

Medium poutine topped with MTL smoked meat

Vancouver may not be as well known for poutine as Montreal, but places like Fritz European Fry House off Granville Street still know how to make poutine. If you don’t know what poutine is, take some fries, gravy, and cheese and mix it. Where I live in California, poutine is the new and cool thing to eat. You can find it on the menu of almost every gastropub. Even with its popularity, I still never tried it. I’ve had all …

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