Restaurants

One-Eyed Lizzys in Savannah, Georgia, is a hot with tourists

Where do you go after a long afternoon of walking the annual Savannah Tour of Homes route?

If you ask me, the question is you head down toward the river for some good seafood. After all, when a Hoosier is on the coast, she needs to take advantage of every chance to get her iodine nutrition. If I cared about nutrition, of course.

But we asked the teen-age girls with us instead, and they voted for Mexican. Next question: where do you go for Mexican in Savannah, Georgia? We asked the Garmin GPS stuck to our windshield. Lee, the Australian voice who barks out directions from this thing, gave us a list of about 10 choices, many of them sounding like those “authentic” menus where you order by the number. That’s fine for in Greenwood, Indiana, but not on spring break.

So we selected the non-Hispanic sounding One-Eye Lizzys, which turned out to be on the riverfront as well — the first sign we were having a streak of good luck. Second piece of good news: Yes, we have a table for four, follow me, please. And then they gave us a big booth, roomy enough for four people to sit down comfortably without pressing thighs or sticking your elbows in the other gal’s food. The booth overlooked both the river and a big screen televison where the final game of the NCAA for the weekend was tipping off.

Heck, I could have forgiven them bad food with that kind of set up.

Sizzling fajitas

Thank goodness I didn’t have to, though. My beef burrito was packed with cheese, beans and meat, the chips were warm and salty and the salsa sweet. OK, I prefer mine a little hotter than that, but I was hungry. The girls’ fajitas looked amazing and from the silence while they woofed them down, I’ll guess they agreed.

It was apparently even good enough to halt their texting during dinner. Guess our artificial Australian guide knows a thing or two about finding Southern hospitality, Mexican style.

One-Eyed Lizzys

417 East River St.

Savannah, Georgia 31401

(912) 341-8897

Photographer: Julie Sturgeon

Tutto Amore Gelato (tuttoamoregelato.com)

Laguna Beach, California is a child-friendly upscale vacation destination, an easy drive from Los Angeles but in less urban Orange County. No surprise that there’s a great gelato restaurant in Laguna; gelato is, after all, a child-friendly treat and an upscale version of its creamier cousin (ice cream, obviously). Tutto Amore Gelato is the best gelato spot in Laguna Beach, and more.

There are plenty of traditional flavors at Tutto Amore Gelato, but there are also quite a few flavors that will never be found in Italy. Jalapeno gelato, for example, and Frutti Pebbles flavor, are certainly not traditional.   They’re both interesting, though, and worth a free sample. For gelato traditionalists, stick with the fruit flavor options. The real fruit, smooth texture, and blend of sweetness to tart or citrus is about as good as I’ve had outside Italy. The Ferraro Rocher gelato – yes, with the deluxe Italian chocolate mixed in – is very popular as well.

Tutto Amore serves some simple breakfast items (croissants and the like) along with a killer cappucchino.

Best Gelato in Laguna Beach (tuttoamoregelato.com)

That’s not what sets Tutto Amore Gelato apart from other ice cream and gelato restaurants, though: Once a month, Tutto Amore hosts the “Flavor Factory” party, with all-you-can-eat gelato and live music. The first Thursday  of every month, customers get to suggest flavors that then get made, and sampled: The most popular is made and sold for the rest of the month. These tasting sessions are so much fun!

This clever bit of community interaction is a great way that Tutto Amore has guaranteed itself a long-time place in the hearts and minds of Laguna Beach visitors and residents. Of course, starting with the freshest ingredients and a terrific gelato is important. The gelato at this restaurant is exactly the light yet creamy texture, with just the right mouthfeel. The repeat customers are testament to its enduring quality. Tutto Amore Gelato is the best gelato restaurant in Laguna Beach, and maybe all of Orange County.

Tutto Amore Gelato
247 Broadway St
Laguna Beach CA
(949) 715-9249

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Dessert Buffet, Nancy D. Brown

Hand-rolled sushi, Mongolian barbeque, Indian tandoori and 24-hour pizza, it’s enough to make a Weight Watcher’s coach throw in the towel in the face of defeat. That’s not to say that fresh fruit and salad options were not available on the Carnival Splendor SuperLiner, they were, but there was a lot more activity around the ice cream sundae buffet.

As a guest of the Carnival Splendor, this was my first time dining on the 3,006 passenger ‘Fun Ship.’ I was particularly impressed with The Pinnacle, a reservation-only Manhattan-chic supper club restaurant. A new concept for Carnival Cruises, the restaurant featured dry-aged U.S.D.A prime steaks, Maine lobster and all the choices expected of a high-end dining establishment.

Lobster Bisque, Nancy D. Brown

I started out with the Lobster Bisque, followed by the lamb chops, ordered medium.  I also selected the mushroom medley which was offered a la carte, as was the baked potato.  My dinner, as well as the dinners of my five dining companions, were excellent, as was the service. The somellier offered Chateau Ste. Michelle cabernet sauvignon, and while the Washington state-based wine was nice, I was surprised that they were not pouring a local, California wine, as the ship was sailing out of the San Francisco bay.

Lamb Medley, Nancy D. Brown photo

I checked out the Indian tandoori offerings on the Lido deck and was happy with my butter chicken selection, accompanied with rice and nan bread.  The next day I tried the Mongolian barbecue for lunch. A do-it-yourself buffet, diners select their noodles, vegetables and a choice of chicken or clams, along with a selection of three sauces. I handed my dish to the chef and he, in turn, added the chicken and Thai barbeque sauce to the mix, rewarding me with a piping hot bowl of blended flavors.

The ship also offers the Gold Pearl and Black Pearl restaurants. Beginning April 5, 2009, Carnival Splendor will launch year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages from Long Beach, California. The weeklong voyages call at three of Mexico’s seaside destinations: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

Visit Carnival Cruise Lines for more information.

My friend Raven and I were looking for somewhere to kill some time away from the hot Tucson sun last week and found ourselves wandering around La Encantada, an outdoor mall in the foothills. We weren’t too  hungry, but wanted a snack to cool off with and happened upon FROST.

This Looks Delicious

The presentation of the Gelato is fantastic and it took us a few minutes to decide which flavor we wanted to try first.

Raven settled for a lemon/strawberries with champagne medeo and I could not resist the pineapple/mango presentations, they looked so good and refreshing. Raven spent time in Italy and raved about the gelato there,  she said that the lemon at FROST was just as good as the lemon gelato in Italy.

High praise indeed.

The mango/pineapple mixture was heaven, so cool and tropical. I also learned something new that day, their gelato has less calories and fat than ice cream. That’s reason enough to go back, time and time again.

Picture courtesy of frostgelato.com

The staff behind the counter were also very helpful, they let us taste test to our heart’s content, a must when visiting a new venue. The company has received high praise from other Tucson residents by being awarded the   “Best Ice Cream” award by the Tucson Weekly and Tucson Lifestyle magazines for 2009.

FROST has this to say about itself, “Our gelatos and sorbets are made fresh daily with the finest raw ingredients imported from Italy.  Our assortment of intense, colorful, and delicious flavors make for an authentic Italian gelato experience.”

FROST also caters events and makes gelato cakes, which I would like to have for my next party. Look a the presentations, they would add a flair of drama to any gathering.

I want one of these!

Frost is located around the Tucson Valley at these fine locations.

2905 E Skyline Dr Ste. # 286
Tucson, Arizona 85718

7131 N. Oracle Rd, Ste. 101
Tucson, Arizona 85704

7301 E Tanque verde Rd.
Tucson, Arizona 85715

Picture source- My iphone

Red Awning Helps a lot

The temperature has still been cold still around here.  I find myself choosing soup and noodle places for lunch again and again. Here in San Francisco, we have lots of noodle places to choose from – like Sapporo-ya in Japantown – but one of the best Vietnamese noodle shops has got to be Pho Huynh Hiep 2, also known as Kevin’s Noodle House. It is on a really busy street but you can find it by the bright red awning over the front window.

This is one of my favorite lunch spots in the city for hot and savory bowls of noodles – “pho” real. Pho noodles are delicious Vietnamese rice noodles that in come in different sizes.

Kevin’s Noodle House runs four noodle shops around the Bay Area so you have no excuse not to try some for lunch or dinner. You can spend less than $10 for a huge bowl or get something smaller and share appetizers like the fried shrimp cakes.

Fried Shrimp Cakes

What a so great about coming here is that the servings are always generous, and you can tell they have a solid reputation because the flow of people is constant. And we have been here at various times of the day and day of the week – yet we always are taking one of the last small free tables when we arrive.

Be ready to customize your choice with: a choice of egg or rice noodles; wide, thin or paper thin noodles; three different size bowls too. There are lots of condiments to add based on whether you have a cold or are hung over (or that might be just be my criteria).

The best way to start any meal though is with an order of their fish cakes – so tasty and unique. You can’t go wrong with any of their selections but some of the best dishes we have tried over the years are the seafood noodle soup and the beef tendon or the soup with flank steak.

1833 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 664-0469

Photos credit to Kevin’s Noodle House.

Locations in Daly City, Oakland and Concord too!
www.kevinsnoodlehouse.com

What can you get at Sea Thai Bistrofor ten bucks?  Perhaps a stomach ache.  I have experienced amazing food at the Sea Thai Bistro in the past.  The Red Pumpkin Curry is good enough to put in a hot tub and bathe in.  The Grilled Ahi Tuna is delish, so delicate and fresh that you might be forced to order extra to take home and eat with your hands in bed while you watch The Office on the DVR.  So I was sadly surprised at a recent lunch.

This is the fictional story of Liz and Pat.  Vacationing from their busy urban lives in San Francisco where the noise and politics first drew them there but now, in their later years, makes them want to get away to Wine Country.

“Just as long as we follow the BROCour vacation won’t kill us so stop with your passive aggressive body language, Pat.  How was I supposed to know you’d be laid off?  I made these reservations last year when your 401(k) still looked like a retirement nest and not a lab rat cage.  Who knew the hospital could function without 25% of the RNs?”

“Don’t get me upset this early Liz, all I have to throw-up is hotel coffee.  And what does BROC stand for again? Bitch’s Ridiculous Obsessive Chart?”  Pat says with a raised eyebrow and a thin veil of sarcasm.

“Budgetary Restriction Outline Chart, Pat.  It’s at the top of your laminated portable chart I made for your fanny-pack. Don’t tell me you already forgot how to read a chart!?”  Right after the nasty jab left her mouth, she wished she could take it back.  But the hurt cracked on Pat’s face and the fear wrinkled between her eyes.  Liz put her hand thoughtfully on Pat’s and they stopped their battle.  No winner declared.

Pat considered the artwork on the wall as shrubbery, but very nice shrubbery.  The walls were painted deep cranberry, the same color as their Subaru Outback.  As Pat passed by the shiny solid slab wood bar, she mumbled under her breath “This better not be a yuppie hangout Liz.”

The menu had very few items, other than appetizers and salads, that fit into the BROC criteria.  When they ordered two salads, the waitress looked at them with a wary eye and warned “They’re kind of small.”  Embarrassed that the waitress was making reference to her lumberjack frame, Pat snapped back “We’re doing an experiment to see what it’s like to be skinny and shallow.”  Liz’s face heated up with a menopausal hot flash while she fanned herself with the fine white table linen.

Princess Green Papaya Salad

When the salads arrived, two things came to Liz’s mind: 1) Beautiful presentation and 2) We’re going to starve to death.  Liz did adore the giant banana pedal on her Princess Green Papaya Salad, as it was purple, her favorite color, but was confused when her knife wouldn’t cut through it.  A large percentage of cost was obviously invested in presentation on not edibility.  Her salad was overdressed and lacked the blend of seasonings Thai food is famous for.  The green papaya strips were the texture of rubbery turnips.  To Liz’s relief, Pat’s salad was tastier.  If it had not, Pat would have surely caused a scene and Liz just couldn’t sweat through another hot flash.

Pat’s salad was the Granny Smith Salad with mint, tomato, shallot, cashew, and lemon-lime vinaigrette.  The menu promised roasted rice but it was either invisable or forgotten altogether.

After seven minutes their meal was finished.  The ice water stopped being refilled, and nothing remained but the bill.  As they exited the Sea Thai Bistro, Pat pulled a Luna Bar from her fanny-pack and broke it in half.  “Happy Anniversary” she said while handing it over unenthusiastically to Liz.  But Liz held her hand to her stomach and cautiously admitted “There’s trouble brewing in Texas.”  She could usually eat like a goat, so her intestinal turmoil had come as a shock.  “Happy Anniversary” Liz replied as she declined Pat’s offer and wondered instead where she could get a Tums.

And that’s what you get for ten bucks!

Sea Thai Bistro

www.seathaibistrosr.com

2323 Sonoma Avenue

Santa Rosa, CA  95405

(707) 528-8333

Joe with his Mama

Joe’s of Westlake or Westlake Joe’s as we call it, is an original “old school” Italian-American restaurant. It looks and feels straight out of the movies Goodfellas or Casino. For skiers and those familiar with Frank Sinatra’s connection to Northern California and Lake Tahoe, it is equivalent to a 1950’s Cal Neva experience.

This classic restaurant starts with a darkly lit cocktail lounge with lots of seating, and a few regulars. You walk in further to the main dining room and you are greeted by both a maître d’ and a hostess. Since opening in the 1950s they have had tuxedo clad waiters and waitresses. The cooks behind the long counter seating are all men with the tall white chef’s hat.

The decor is a mix of large paintings on the walls of race horses at the track and local business awards. You’ll love the huge bank of windows which keeps the place bright and with the many booths, a place to have a long leisurely brunch, lunch or dinner.

Joe's Special

Joe’s of Westlake offers my husband’s favorite brunch dish Joe’s Special, scrambled eggs mixed with ground beef and spinach (mushrooms are optional). Other cafes have this on their menu but this place really knows how to cook it just right. Deelish.

If you want to relive some of the 1950s nostalgia you can rent out the back room for your own Goodfellas posse. We are planning to return for a weekend dinner here when they have live music in the lounge.

Located in Daly City just south of San Francisco, Joe’s of Westlake is a wonderful destination for date night, taking your grandmother out for lunch or dinner with the entire family.

Classic Italian American Restaurant

11 Glenwood Ave
Daly City, CA 94015
(650) 755-7400

Fri-Sat 11:00am-12:00am
Sun-Thu 11:00am-11:00pm

Photo credits to sfcphotography

Pass the hot wings, please

Boys will be boys.

But when it comes to Hooters wings, apparently they have to scoot over and let the women chow down as well.

My husband and his Toastmaster buddy, Alan, made it a priority to participate in the restaurant’s 25th anniversary program last year, eating at 25 different locations and collecting the necessary passport stamps. (Hey I was along for the ride at the Calgary, Canada, stamp, which is how I got to see Michael Phelps win that heart-stopping, .01 second, my-fingernail-is-longer-than-yours race without sound and peering through a sea of orange hot pants.) The prize: 200 free wings at a weeknight party to be held before the end of March.

And I thought all those cars in the parking lot this month were because folks couldn’t make it home before the NCAA game tipped off.

I don’t even like their wings, frankly — if forced to order dinner, I’ll take a cheese quesadilla. But since I’m leaving on spring break for a week, my husband really wanted to spend time with me, and he really wanted the free wings. After 26 years of marriage, this is one of the more painless compromises. So so I showed up at Alan’s party expecting to be the lone girl at the table as I usually am in this place.

You could have knocked me over with a feather when I was the ninth female to take a seat — more than half of the crowd of 15 that showed up in suits and sweats to knock back some wings. And it turns out this was the second party of the week for Meg, who had celebrated her plates and plates and plates of wings just three nights earlier.

iPhone, hot wings and a smile

OK, so it was the guys who knew the waitress’s name. It was the gals who ultimately collected more wing bones on their plates.

In the end, the whole crew fell a platter short of eating the whole thing and offered it to a soldier in uniform waiting on his buddies. He looked first startled and then pleased, because after all, wings have become the ultimate symbol of friendship in this restaurant.

And I got to watch the Connecticut – Purdue game on the TV set right behind my husband’s head, since I didn’t make it home in time for tip-off.

Hooters

7551 US Highway 31 S.

Indianapolis, IN 46227

(317) 887-9464

Photographer credits: Julie Sturgeon

Oh BisonWitches, how do I love thee. I have such great memories of you that you’ve become a must visit every time I’m in Tucson.

BisonWitches is located on the very eclectic 4th Avenue, which is just a short trolley ride from the University of Arizona campus. It’s the perfect hangout for college kids as well as the business folk that always seem to be ahead of you on the wait list. You can either wait for one of the few booths inside or you can head out to the back patio which, if you have time, is the place you want to pass a hot summer afternoon with a nice pitcher of Hefeweisen.

The sandwiches are huge, even the half sandwiches are ginormous. Some of the sandwich choices are the: Grilled PB&J, Beef & Brie, Corned Beef, Hawaiian Chicken, Green Turkey and the ever popular Wildcat, you’d have to check out the website for the full rundown of sandwiches.

Photo Courtesy of azstarnet.com

That’s not all that is on the menu though, you can get a half a sandwich and a bread bowl of soup or a salad of your choice. Oh my gosh, it’s so yummy.

The bread is warmed or toasted and all the ingredients are fresh, they also have a full bar for your drinking pleasure. I’ve even had a few Jello shots there in my time. It’s no wonder it’s a Tucson favorite.

Say the name quickly and you’ll hear the origin of the name. Bi-Son Witch-es – Buy-Sand-Wich-Es

BisonWitches

326 N. 4th Ave. Tucson, AZ
[520] 740-1541
Kitchen Open 11am – 12am
Bar Open 11am – 2am
7 DAYS A WEEK

Pull up a chair at Cracker Barrel

I have exactly 62 hours until I blow this pop stand. Adios. See ya. Hit the road, Jack. Bye-bye Indianapolis and hello St. Simon’s Island, Georgia.

My Tahoe with its four passengers, one cooler and 17 suitcases will arrive at the Ocean Walk condos by Friday evening. And you can bet there is at least one restaurant meal that will have made the Spring Break Hall of Fame Stories by then.

The best one so far took place at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Restaurant. My friend insists that breakfast at the CB is a tradition we simply can’t ignore. I wish it had never started. For one, I am emotionally unable to order anything except the Uncle Hershel’s Favorite breakfast: two eggs cooked to order with grits, sawmill gravy, homemade buttermilk biscuits, hashbrown casserole, and hickory-smoked country ham. (Hey, where’s the fried apples? It used to come with fried apples, too — like I needed more food.)

Cracker Barrel's famous peg game

Here’s the rub: These are all foods served at the same temperature and they lose taste points as they cool. So it’s basically a timed race — you get low to the table, grab that fork and suspend all conversation for the next 12 minutes while you shovel it toward your piehole. Then you put down that fork, lean back … and wonder why you let your friends talk you into setting foot in Cracker Barrel because you’re now too full to get up out of the chair. And you’ll be on the road for the next 12 hours, so all those calories will settle right in your butt.

Kids adore Cracker Barrel because they provide entertainment at the table, most notably that triangle peg game where you jump them over each other and try to end up with only one. My best lifetime score is three, although four is more common and five is not unheard of. According to the ratings, that makes me an ignoramus. Always my favorite label first thing in the morning.

Finally, you can’t get in or out without passing through the aisles of a country store crammed full of hokey stuff. I know it’s hokey because I

Only at Cracker Barrel

own a lot of it. Over the years, I’ve purchased greeting cards, rock candy, a CD collection of classic country hits for my mother, a couple of figurines, and a padded jacket because the weather turned cold suddenly and I was caught with just t-shirts to my name. I never get out of there without dropping at least $32.47.

And these are the reasons I wanted to kill this little spring break stop before we pulled up to the first parking slot at the Ocala, Florida, unit in 2007. Since we were the solo vehicle in the parking lot at 6 a.m., I mistakenly assumed we were the only diners, and therefore the only people who could possibly be in the ladies room. I promptly announced to the middle schooler accompanying me, “Oooh, spells like someone pooped in here.”

Yep, said person was actually still in the process of creating that lovely aroma, and she thought the kid had said it. She spent the entire breakfast at the table across from us staring daggers at my young friend and looks of disgust at me as I snorted down Uncle Hershel.

That sealed my fate, of course. Our party has to eat at Cracker Barrel now simply to see what legendary faux pax Julie will commit there next.

Cracker Barrel's store scores with kids

Photographer credit: sanjoyg, KitAy, chiacomo