Restaurants

zetas al ajillo mushroom cassarole at Eivissa

Recreating the ambiance of the sun-soaked nightlife of Ibiza, Eivissa lounge and restaurant uses  dim lights, exposed brick and bold colors to set the tone.  The bar gleams with a polished, angular top and flows with live flamenco guitar on Saturdays.  Ensconced on a corner of Chicago’s bustling Old Town neighborhood,  Eivissa has garnered popularity  with the city’s trendsetters.  Begin with a sip of a signature sangria. Choose Vi-Negremixed with orange juice, vanilla bean and cinnamon, magrana,with  Pama,orange segments and strawberries, or the infamous amnesia, which features red sangria and a secret ingredient that necessitates a three drink limit. 

N

By Molly G. @ The Bumbles Blog

Whether you are a tourist starving after a visit to the CN Tower or a local looking to get away for the evening, N’awlins restaurant on King Street in the Entertainment District of Toronto will fulfill all your needs.

On a recent visit to the city we stumbled across this restaurant while wandering the streets after 9PM desperate for a good meal. Our feet were tired from being tourists all day and our attitudes were grumpy due to our stomachs being long overdue for a meal. Dragging ourselves past a row of restaurants with tiny patios, one of them stopped us dead in our tracks. The sweet sound of live music wafting from the wide open door was so soothing it piqued our curiosity enough to see that the posted menu featured a mix of steak, seafood and pasta with a Cajun flair that sounded as good as the jazz accompaniment.

Live Jazz courtesy of the John Heinenan Trio

We passed through the collection of filled patio tables and through the front door where no hostess was in sight. The décor of jazz art, posters, and instruments mounted on the wall was a nice backdrop to the candlelight dining which looked more intimate than cramped. We squeezed our way to the bar in the back, past the John Heinenan Trio performing an eclectic mix of music with a jazz interpretation throughout. Though there were open stools at the bar, we wanted to relax at a table and were told to seat ourselves and they’d send a server over.

The reason the hostess was MIA when we arrived was that she held double duty as waitress for the entire restaurant – indoor and out. The restaurant is very narrow and small but even so, accommodating the approximate 10 tables that were occupied while we were there, and handling hostess duties as well as bussing stints here and there was an impressive sight to behold. The service was excellent once we were seated and the music and atmosphere were too. All that was left was to give the food a try.

Blackened Chicken with a sweet sauce

I opted for the Blackened Grilled Chicken over rice with Honey Garlic Sauce while my husband went for the Seafood Medley because really, what’s better than a medley when the options on the menu all look equally good? The prices were a bit higher than our dwindling tourist wallets wanted to see – but the portion sizes were hearty and filling. I am not a spicy kind of gal, but even so I was able to handle the Cajun flavor without it overwhelming the taste buds. The Honey Garlic Sauce was served very kindly on the side but was such a perfect sweet to offset the spice that I dumped it all over my plate anyway.

The ever popular Seafood Medley

The Medley provided my husband’s ever favorite Scallops, as well as Shrimp, Lobster Tail and Cajun Calamari over Jambalaya and fresh veggies. Again here, the Cajun kick wasn’t too powerful, but just right. None of the seafood was fried so this improved the health factor for my husband’s diet challenged vacation.

Always save room for dessert this tasty

We were so pleased with our discovery and the immediate improvement in our state of mind that we splurged on the Lemon Cheesecake which was a slice of heaven perfectly portioned for two. We were so comfortable with our feet well rested and our bellies full that we were sad to say goodnight to the Trio’s jazz tunes. But a traveler’s work is never done so we headed off to our hotel to recharge for another day of crossing sites off our list. N’Awlins was one of the best sites we came across in Toronto – and it wasn’t even on our list. It should be on yours now.

N’awlins
299 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
416-595-1958
www.nawlins.ca

All photos credited to Molly G. @The Bumbles Blog

Gold Dust Lounge @ Union Square

Do you love old westerns? Are you comfortable in somewhat seedy surroundings? If you answered “yes” to both, then you are in luck because situated on noisy Powell Street in Union Square, is the Gold Dust Lounge.

This old dive has been plying its customers with White Russians since the era of San Francisco ’s Barbary Coast days. If Laffing Sal or “Laughing Sal” was real, she would have been right at home in this place. Someone who probably did stop in was Sally Stanford, the famous local madam.

Built in the 1930’s, today the Gold Dust Lounge still has live music but now $3 champagne. You’ll love their happy hour or maybe just stop in for a drink some night after seeing a show at the American Conservatory Theater.

They take cash only, but considering how cheap the drinks are, I think this is a great place to experience true San Francisco color. Though I am partial to the Buena Vista for mine, I hear that their Irish Coffee is pretty good. If you are coming from out of town, all the Union Square hotels are close by and the Villa Florence is next door.

Bring the hand sanitizer and a full stomach, but if you have a taste for a creepy good time with your strong cocktail, the Gold Dust Lounge is the place for you.  Maybe the money you save on drinks will help pay for your hotel.

247 Powell Street
(between Geary and O’farrell Sts)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 397-1695

It's so Pretty

The place to go for coffee and conversation in Palmdale, California is Butlers Coffee. Sure, there are a couple of Starbucks right down the street but, I’d rather go to Butlers for the ambiance and the coffee.

Butler’s Coffee is different from the average coffee place in many respects. One way you’ll notice right off the bat is, they have their own roaster in the store. They roast beans for use in the store but, they also roast beans to go. Yes, you can take freshly roasted beans home, talk about spoiled.

That’s only one difference that’s worth noticing. The other things that may catch your eye, a huge bookshelf full of books and games to pass the time.

How Fun is This?

There is also special little kids corner with toys and movies. It’s a place you can go with a friend to chat, take your kids and still have a nice time. My kids love the kiddie corner, I can even take them and still relax with a book for a little while.

Butler’s has ice cream, pastries and biscotti to nibble on but, they also have sandwiches and soup if you are in the mood for lunch.

One of my favorite things about Butler’s Coffee is that they have a special “coffee” of the day. Sometimes it’s blueberry, or mocha, but I definitely like to try it out just to see if it’s my new favorite.

We were very excited to have Butler’s open up here in town, we needed a place to go, a place just like this. It was a welcome addition to the other new lunch place, Fire Island Grill. Stop in and enjoy Butler’s Coffee, you won’t be sorry.

Other great coffee in California:

Aztec Mocha

Le Papagayo

Butler’s Coffee

41025 10th St,
Palmdale, CA 93551

Monday-Friday 7am-9pm
Saturday 8am-9:30pm
Sunday 8am-7pm

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

I love easy Sunday mornings, especially Sunday mornings at the beach.

A walk on the beach and the smell of the ocean stir up some great hunger pangs and I found a perfect place to go in Encinitas to sate those pangs, Le Papagayo.

The outside looks a little like a surf shack with a small patio, which was full when we walked up. Inside, the hostess sat our party of 8  with ease and started us off with coffee and bloody Marys and warned the kiddies that the OJ is super pulpy, they chose milk.

There were so many plates on the breakfast menu that looked good, it was difficult to choose. I went with the breakfast burrito while my husband had the chilaquiles, another friend ordered the eggs Benedict and everything looked fantastic. The Armando’s special was a big hit with the kids, the pancake was super yummy and the amount of food was perfect for my two boys to split.

The breakfast burrito was delicious with the perfect balance of ingredients. The eggs were perfectly scrambled and the cheese perfectly melted. An additional plus in the burrito, the potatoes were soft and warm. They reminded me of the perfect hash brown potato, boiled the night before and then chilled in the refrigerator. Perfect fluffy softness the next day, however you choose to use it.

My burrito was excellent, but I was a little jealous of my husbands chilaquiles. If you’ve never had them, Le Papagayo is the perfect place to try them out. Eggs, corn tortillas, cheddar cheese and ranchero sauce perfectly mixed with a side of black beans and salsa.

YUM!

The rest of the menu looks excellent as well and I can’t wait to go back and try something new plus, the great service was an excellent accompaniment to a delicious meal.

Le Papagayo
www.lepapagayoleucadia.com
1002 North Coast HWY 101
Encinitas, CA 92024

Photo Credit – Le Papagayo

Georges on Fifth is one of the best steakhouses in San Diego, hands down. Because the setting is little more

Elegant Dining at the Best Formal Steakhouse in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter (Jennifer Miner)

swanky than not, a meal here adds a touch of luxury to a vacation in Southern California. We were in San Diego with relatives who mostly appreciate high-end, classy dinners out, so we knew that reservations here would make for a positive experience. And – best of all – it was New Year’s Eve.

A sophisticated ambience and quiet bustle (yes, it’s possible) create an atmosphere that the “fancy” relatives appreciated. A pianist tinkled unobtrusively in the background, sometimes accompanied by a vocalist (she specialized in jazz classics). Depending on the night, the live music can range from classical to classic rock – if this is important to you, please check when making your reservations. The restaurant decor is an odd mix of formal styling and Wyatt Earp-era memorabilia (this building used to be Wyatt Earp’s Gambling Hall and Saloon). There are caricatures of famous people hailing from San Diego on the walls – I was amused to see Orville Redenbacher among the drawings.

Two Best Appetizers at G5 are the Dungeness Crabcakes and this Shrimp Cocktail Jennifer Miner)

We started with the Dungeness Crab Cakes and the Shrimp Cocktail, both of which were outstanding (only four jumbo shrimp, but that’s typical at a restaurant like this). The Beefsteak Tomato and Maui Onion Salad was surprisingly delicate, for such a savory salad. But the real stars here are the steak and seafood.

The steaks here are, of course, outstanding. Only Prime cuts are used, and the seafood is fresh off the boat that morning. Prime Filet Mignon, Prime New York Strip,the sushi-grade Ahi and Jumbo Sea Scallops were impeccable. Rave reviews all around, and we had some demanding customers at our table! This restaurant was voted “The Best of the Best” Steakhouses in San Diego, and I’d have to agree.

Since we were there for New Year’s Eve, there were some noisemakers and party hats at our table. This touch went a long way with the children in our party, considering that George’s on Fifth (G5, to locals) is about as far from a crayons-and-paper-at-the-table type of restaurant as there is. The waitstaff was professional and courteous, and a bit removed (rather than over-friendly) as befits a restaurant of this type. Remember, this is a formal restaurant. It’s recommended for a romantic night out, an anniversary, or family gatherings with demanding, sophisticated companions – and most of all, for a fun yet classy New Year’s Eve.

Georges on Fifth
835 5th Ave (Gaslamp Quarter)
San Diego, CA
(619) 702-0444

Ferraro's at Four Seasons Resort, Maui

Maui is considered by many experienced travelers to be the best tropical island in the world; I sure know it’s one of my favorite places on Earth. One of the best luxury resorts on this Hawaiian island is the Four Seasons in Wailea. It follows, then, that the Four Seasons would have top-notch 5-star dining. My favorite high-end, special-occasion restaurant in Maui is Ferraro’s Bar E Ristorante. Looking for a quiet, sophisticated, romantic adult dining experience? Ferraro’s is the best restaurant, in the best resort hotel, on the best island in the world. Not too shabby!

There are standard Italian dishes here, but you’re in Hawaii – get the local seafood. Grilled or pan-fried ahi, caught earlier that day, served with delectable sides are my favorites. There are also choices like lobster risotto, fillet of branzino, and perfectly prepared pasta dishes. You can’t go wrong. Lunch here is Hawaii casual, yet the spectacular setting and terrific menu selection makes it memorable. It’s pricey, as are most restaurants in luxury resorts. However, the best meal to enjoy at Ferraro’s is definitely dinner. Save up your vacation dining budget by eating lunch at a good, cheap Maui restaurant, and splurge on dinner at Ferraro’s.

Make no mistake: This is a classy, romantic restaurant, with a wonderful wine list and the freshest of

Four Seasons is One of The Best Resort Hotels in Maui

entrees. It’s classic Italian in terms of the menu, but the view is 100% Hawaii. The large open-air patio accommodates most guests for al fresco dining, which is key for the romance. Ferraro’s in the Four Seasons resort is right on the beach, close enough to hear the crashing waves and take in the sunset. Gently piped-in live music somehow manages to match the tempo of the waves, and as the sun sets and the music plays, well…it’s enough to fall in love all over again. Reservations are strongly recommended to get seated for sunset dining. Call ahead: It’s worth it. Ferraro’s, after all, is the best romantic high-end restaurant on Maui.

Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante
Four Seasons Resort Maui in Wailea
(808) 874-8000

Large shady Oak tree

“Shady Grove”. Doesn’t just the name make you want to kick back and relax? If you live in Austin, Texas, seeking out shade, anytime of the year, is a high priority. That’s why Shady Grove restaurant is the place to be. It is the perfect antidote to the searing Texas heat.

Shady Grove has been a favorite Austin restaurant for quite some time. It is located right near Town Lake at the entrance to Zilker Park, making it a perfect stop before or after a day of outdoor fun. Inside the restaurant, it is low ceilinged and filled with comfortable leather booths. Outside is an enormous patio that is umbrellaed by several magnificent old Oak trees. These trees, with their gnarled and far reaching branches provide wonderful shade while you dine.

Airstream

There is a homey ranch house feel here as well as a lot of character, a prime example of which is the old Airstream trailer that has been converted into a ladies restroom. Outside the trailer are potted plants and an awning, making it feel just like home. There are normal restrooms inside, of course. But, who wouldn’t prefer the Airstream!

The food is a mix of traditional sandwiches and burgers as well as southwestern inspired dishes like green chile fries and tortilla-fried catfish, with the occasional odd addition, like their Hippie sandwich. The green chile fries are cheesy, spicy and peppery and must be washed down with an ice cold margharita.

My favorite thing to order from the bar is their signature drink, the “Shady Thang”. It is much like a Margharita but a little less sour and made with brandy instead of Tequila. This might not immediately grab you, but, I guarantee that it is delicious, smooth and refreshing! One of these and I am cooled off, relaxed and happy. Two, and I might get lost on my way to the Airstream trailer.

Street view of Shady Grove restaurant

From April to September, Shady Grove has it’s “unplugged” nights every Thursday, hosting live music on the outdoor stage off of the patio. They have a great line-up of Texas bands that you can check on their website. Get there early on these days as a crowd is certain. A lot of folks just bring a blanket and set up on the grassy lawns surrounding the restaurant.

When the occasional cold snap blows through town, you can still enjoy the shady patio. Tall heaters are placed near all the tables and keep you cozy and warm.

This is one of the best restaurants to visit after a long day. Kick back, watch the sunset and enjoy the breeze under its shady grove of trees. Year round!

The Shady Grove Restaurant
1624 Barton Springs Road
http://theshadygrove.com
(512) 474-9991

Photo credits to Shady Grove, Savannah Grandfather and Grahambones