OLD EBBITT GRILL - WASHINGTON, DC

OLD EBBITT GRILL

WASHINGTON DC

Old Ebbitt Grill is just steps from the White House in downtown Washington. Established in 1856, it was a favorite of Presidents Grant, Cleveland, Harding and Theodore Roosevelt and is still popular with political insiders and celebrities. We wondered in for lunch and were seated immediately in a nice booth. I looked around at the crowd but did not recognize anyone in the restaurant. Most tables were filled with men in suits talking business. The lunch menu features items such as Pan Seared Alaska Halibut, Jumbo Crab Cakes, New York Steak, Meatloaf, Pasta, Ribs and even some Grilled Calf's Liver. We began lunch with a small house salad ($3.25) and a Caesar Salad (6.50). Both average in taste. The Caesar had perfectly browned bread crumbs that were fantastic.  We tried the Spring Vegetable Pasta ($12.95). Fettuccine pasta with asparagus, arugula, red onions, garlic oil and pecorino Romano cheese. This was a large portion and pretty good in flavor. Our daughter tried the Macaroni and Cheese from the kids menu ($6). We about died when this load of pasta and cheese hit the table. It was a huge portion even for an adult. Loaded with a ton of cheese. Probably too much cheese for our liking. I tried the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes ($15.90). This is the price for one crab cake. If you order two the price is $23.95. The Crab Cake was thick and filled with almost all crab meet. A touch of Old Bay seasoning was noticeable. This dish is served with asparagus and Tom's potatoes with a mustard aioli. The asparagus was grilled to perfection and the two potato wedges were delicious. This was a very nice lunch that I topped off with the Ebbitt Grill Signature Bloody Mary. Served with a spear of celery and a huge piece of shrimp. The glass was rolled in Old Bay Seasoning. ($12).

OLD EBBITT GRILL

OLD EBBITT GRILL - WASHINGTON, DC

LOVED THE MAC N' CHEESE

SPRING VEGETABLE PASTA

OLD EBBITT GRILL LUMP CRAB CAKE

SUPERDAWG DRIVE-IN

SUPERDAWG DRIVE-IN

CHICAGO, IL

After a big dinner and a few too many cocktails we decided to make our way to the world famous Superdawg Drive-In. This place has been featured on The Travel Channel and Food Network. We have always wanted to visit, but never had time or transportation to get us to the place which is about 10 minutes from O'Hare Airport. Our friends in Chicago had a car with GPS so they punched in Superdawg and away we went. It took about a half hour to get there from downtown Chicago. When we drove into the parking lot it seemed spiritual. The hot dog shrine that we just had to visit. We were there.... Superdawg. We drove into one of the stalls and were quickly startled when the speaker inside the menu came to life. They asked for our order right there in the car. We ordered the famous Superdawgs and minutes later a lady appeared at our car with boxes of delight. Each Superdawg is served in it's own box complete with french fries. The dogs are smothered in green relish, onions, mustard and topped with a huge slice of pickle, hot peppers and tomato. I ordered two of these thinking that they would be easy to down. I could barely finish one Superdawg. They are big and quite filling. The flavor is good and the hot peppers are "hot". I mean burning hot. This was truly a treat and a destination to visit when in Chicago.

SUPERDAWG SERVED WITH PICKLES, PEPPERS AND FRENCH FRIES

SUPERDAWG BOX IS OLD SCOOL

LATE NIGHT RUN TO SUPERDAWG IN CHICAGO

WRIGLEY FIELD CHICAGO

WRIGLEY FIELD

CHICAGO, IL

Steeped in history and memories of series lost a visit to Chicago must include a Cubbies game. The stadium is one of the oldest in baseball. It is small by todays standards and filled with history. The hot dogs are good, but I will take a Dodger Dog any day versus a Cub Dog. We tried the foot long Chicago Style. Good but not a lot of flavor. Beer flows freely in the stands here. There is a beer guy in your isle every two minutes. They will never let you go dry. Too bad I could not drink this day. I tried one cold brew and that was enough.

DICK'S LAST RESORT

DICK'S LAST RESORT

CHICAGO, IL

We were looking for a fun and kid friendly place to take our daughter and four friends. While reading a local magazine I saw an add for Dick's Last Resort. I had visit Dick's Last Resort in San Diego many years ago and had a terrific time. When you enter the place it loud and filled with teenagers and 50 year olds all having a good time. The waiters take pride in treating you like crap which is part of the fun. They give you hats with hand written notes and jokes on them which people young and old proudly wear through the duration of the evening. Ours read "Sometimes when I laugh too hard I fart a little". While dining you are hit with napkins thrown from other diners. This gets kind of fun especially when you have a group of ugly ladies that don't want to participate in the festivities. Our table of high school kids next to us bombarded the dogs with everything they had. I joined in and proudly told them to do an all out assault on the ugly girls.While the entire restaurant was having fun, the dogs sat grumping at their table. This was fun.  Now for the food. Dick's is not known for the greatest food, but it really is not that bad. We tried a bit of everything at our table. BBQ Pork Ribs ($18.99), King Crab Legs ($25.99), Rib Eye ($18.99), Bourbon Glazed Salmon ($15.99), Dick's Seafood Platta ($17.99) filled with shrimp, cod fillet and scallops. All fried and served with fries. Throw in some peel and eat shrimp and chicken wings and you have a buffet of food in a crazy atmosphere with live music and kids and grandpas all having a good time. Dick's is located on the water with indoor and outdoor tables overlooking the canal.

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL AND TOWER

CHICAGO, IL

From the moment you drive up to the new Trump International you are transformed into a world of Five Star surroundings and service. When you enter the building there are two entrances. One is for the hotel and the other is for those fortunate few that actually own a unit in this beautiful building that is almost 100 stories high. It is the tallest building in Chicago just ten stories less than the Sears Tower. We arrived early one morning to enjoy breakfast at the Hotels signature restaurant called "16". 16 simply represents the floor that the restaurant is located on. We took the elevator to the 16th floor and when the doors opened we were met by a smiling receptionist and the ever sophisticated Manager Mr. Vito Paran. Vito is a twenty year veteran of the food industry and has served as Maitre D on cruise ships around the world. His passion for service is a rare find. He truly understands what "service" means and does everything possible to make your visit to his restaurant a memorable one. Vito sat us at a window seat overlooking the city. The restaurant features a huge outdoor terrace that will be the "place to be" when the weather allows them to set up tables for service here. The dinning room is split into three sections. A main section and then two smaller rooms that can be used for groups or meetings. All flow nicely and infused with natural light and views that are dramatic. The main dining room has a huge chandelier that falls from what looks like a forty foot ceiling. The morning specialties include your basic omelet, quesadilla, eggs benedict, frittata and eggs with corned beef. One item jumped out at me like a light. It was the Lobster Tostada with Poached Eggs and Bearnaise Sauce ($32). I had to try this. The dish was absolutely fantastic. Huge chunks of fresh lobster topped with a poached egg and covered in Bearnaise. Served on top of a lightly fried tostada shell. This was truly indulgent but one of the best breakfast dishes I have ever enjoyed. We also tried the Vegetable Frittata with crispy zucchini and spicy tomato sauce ($18). My wife said it was really delicious and I agree. My daughter had the French Toast with Berries. This dish not only looked great but tasted equally good. The chef here is good and I would love to try his lunch and dinner menus on another visit. Now back to Vito. Vito took us for a tour of the hotel which included the spa, pool area and rooms. Wow.....this place is first class all the way. And so is Vito. During our tour Vito would always stop and pick up any little item he saw that was on the floor or out of place. He sees everything and is always doing his part to make this a five star property. Our thanks to Vito for his kind and humble personal service.

BICE RISTORANTE - CHICAGO

BICE RISTORANTE

CHICAGO, IL

Italian food and the Windy City go hand in hand. We always try to find time to visit an Italian restaurant or pizzeria when in Chicago. This time we ventured to Bice Ristorante. This is a nice small place just outside the busy Miracle Mile district. We started with Prosciutto E Melone ($15.00) which is traditional Parma Prosciutto & Melon. Must have been good because it was all gone before I could get a bite. Come to think of it, this seems expensive for cantaloupe. Think this was the work of my daughter who loves this stuff. We followed with Selezione Di Affetati Misti, Giardiniera Di Verdure, Moliterno or in english, assorted Italian Cold Cuts, Picked Vegetables and Truffle Cheese ($14.00). Good appetizer.

The Ossubuco ($30) was braised veal shank with saffron risotto was good but the risotto was a a bit gooey. I opted for the Linguine Alle Vongole E Prezzelmolo ($20). Linguine Pasta with Clams in a garlic and white wine sauce. This dish was pretty bland and my daughter devoured all my clams and left me with a plate of dull linguine. Our guest tried the Spaghetti Alla Chitarra Allo Scoglio ($22). Spaghetti with shrimp, calamari, scallops, clams and mussels in a light tomato sauce. This dish was a hit. We all shared the Cioccolatissimo ($9) and Tiramisu Della Bice ($8) for desert. The chocolate molten cake with hazelnut ice cream was delicious. The Tiramisu was good and basic.

ZED 451 - CHICAGO, IL

ZED 451

CHICAGO, IL

When friends recommended a place called ZED 451 I did not know what to expect. We had no clue what type of food or place this was. When they told us that a van would pick us up a our hotel and take us to and from the restaurant for free I was even more interested in finding out what this place was all about. The van arrived on time and we had a driver that was happy to be a tour guide on the way to the restaurant. This was really nice touch. We entered ZED 451 and were quickly greeted with warm smiles and a great welcome. The hostess brought us to the bar area to wait for our guests. A warm fire pit on one side and a beautiful glass enclosed wine cellar set the tone for what turned out to be one of the best meals of my life. The bar area was filled with thirty something men and woman sipping on Martini's and wine. Turns out there is a beautiful rooftop bar here that has dramatic views of the city and is quite the place when the weather is warm. Our guests arrived and we were seated at a large table in a beautiful circular room with two large half round buffet tables in the middle. I still had no clue on what was to be served here. Just saw the tables in the middle filled with salads. O.K. this must be a buffet. Great I am starving. We were lead to the "Harvest Tables" which were filled with salads, cheeses, bread and vegetables. Here are just a few; Turkey Cobb Salad with Mustard Dressing, Red Bliss Potato Salad with Sherry and Whole Grain Vinaigrette, Roasted Beets, Broccoli and Toasted Sesame with Miso, Sauteed Wild Mushrooms, Sweet Corn Salad, Chilled Raviolis with Pesto, Sliced Tomato, Mozzarella and Red Onion, Heirloom Tomato and Asparagus, Spicy Long Bean Salad, Ginger and Cucumber Salad and more and more and more.

The salads were all top quality and I enjoyed them all. After all this I still had no clue on what the main course would be as I do not recall ever looking at a menu. Then they came. The chefs in white coats and hats. Each one carrying a different meat dish on a skewer. One after another they circled our table. Non-stop for what seemed to be hours. As the wine flowed so did the food. I was totally blown away by the flavors of each meat course. They were all unique and bold. The service was impeccable and the company around us was to be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Are you ready for the main course items. Well here you go. All served table side and hand carved by the chefs; Rubbed Tuna Filet with Miso Soy Vinaigrette, Slow Roasted Beef Ribs with Creamy Horseradish, Grilled Bison Loin with Red Wine Chili Glaze, Buttermilk and Herb Marinated Bottom Sirloin (unreal good), Moroccan Marinated Chicken Breast, Oven Roasted Duck with Pistachio Orange Glaze, Whole Roasted Leg of Lamb, Crispy Tempura Mahi Mahi,

Jerk Marinated Pork, St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs, Chili- Rubbed Ribeye, Seasoned Rump Roast,

Citrus Atlantic Salmon, Linguica Pork Sausage with Homemade Honey Mustard (Awesome), Roasted Garlic Steak, Seared Venison and Tropical Seared Wahoo. ALL THIS FOR $49.

I LOVED ZEN 451. THE ATMOSPHERE, SERVICE AND FOOD ARE EXCELLENT. PROBABLY ONE OF THE NICEST AND TASTIEST DINNERS OF MY LIFE.

THE BERGHOFF - CHICAGO, IL

THE BERGHOFF

CHICAGO, IL

The last time we visited The Berghoff was years ago at lunch time during a large convention. The placed was so packed you were lucky to get a table. The waiters didn't really much care about service then. This time we arrived after the lunch crowd and found the place empty. I mean empty. There were only two other tables occupied. The Berghoff is somewhat of an institution in Chicago known for their Bratwurst, Hot Corned Beef, Wiener Schnitzel, Sauerbraten and Whitefish. They also have their own beer which is really good and served ice cold. We started with the Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad ($5.95). Crisp Iceberg lettuce topped with Maytag bleu cheese dressing, crispy pancetta, tear dropped tomatoes and a huge crispy parmesan wafer. The salad was delicious. One item on the menu caught my eye. It was the Alsatian Onion and Apple Soup ($4.95). Had to try it. This is a sweet onion and tart apple soup in rich broth topped with melted Muenster Cheese. The soup was very good but I did not like the sweetness of the apples after I ate about half. To finish our meal we tried the Hot Corned Beef Sandwich ($9.95). Hand carved, hot corned beef piled on homemade rye bread. This was a good sandwich but it was very dry corned beef. It was served with some of the best home made potato chips I had ever had. Crispy and delicious.  All meals come with a huge cone stuffed with bread. The lunch was good and not too expensive.

THE BERGHOFF CORNED BEEF SANDWICH

THE BERGHOFF IN CHICAGO

ONION SOUP WITH APPLES

WEDGE SALAD

GARDEN RESTAURANT - ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

GARDEN RESTAURANT

Hidden away in the Art Institute of Chicago is a small restaurant and bar called the Garden Restaurant. This bright space looks like it opens up into the garden during warmer weather. I stopped in for a quick lunch and discovered the food was pretty good. After a nice glass of champagne I enjoyed a steak salad with asparagus. Sliced steak over a bed of greens with vegetables. It was very good but somehow I lost the photo. The best thing about this place is that is just seconds away from some of the greatest paintings on earth. My favorites are the French Impressionism paintings. Dozens of paintings from Boudin, Cezanne, Caillebotte, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Seurat, Lautrec and my favorite Claude Monet. They have dozen of Monet's. This is one of my favorite places on earth. I could spend days here. You must visit the Art Institute whenever you visit Chicago. It is an absolute MUST DO.

KIM AND CARLO'S CHICAGO STYLE HOT DOGS

KIM AND CARLO'S CHICAGO STYLE HOT DOGS

CHICAGO, IL

What is the first thing you do when you arrive in Chicago. Go for the Chicago Dog of course. That is exactly what we did. Walking from our hotel to the Natural History Museum we found a small hot dog cart and ordered up a Chicago Dog. That is a hot dog with all the fixins. Mustard, Green Relish, Hot Peppers and a large pickle. This was a good dog but not the best ever.

KIM AND CARLO'S CHICAGO STYLE HOT DOG

KIM AND CARLO'S IS LOCATED IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT OF CHICAGO

NOW THIS IS A HOT DOG STAND

J.J. DOLANS

J.J. DOLAN'S

HONOLULU, HAWAII

An Irish Pub with New York Pizza from two guys in Chinatown. Sounds crazy but this place works. Good Pizza, service and crowd. We had a great time at J.J. Dolan's and will be returning again this week. There is nothing and I mean nothing on the menu but pizza. Around nine specialty pizzas and then a large list of build your own type pizzas. We opted for three of the specialty pizzas. Pizza Margherita was by far our favorite. This is a simple pie with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil served on a thin crust. Next time I would order this with extra sauce. We also tried the "White Pie" which is described as a Jersey Shore Classic. Mozzarella cheese and Ricotta Cheese served with what tasted like no sauce. The first bite of this pizza was not too great, but after a few bites the flavor was o.k. Our third pizza was the evening special. Sausage, peppers and tomato sauce. Like the Margherita this pizza was really good. The crowd here was hip and the server was really good. The bartenders made a point to visit our table to make sure we were happy with the food, beer and wine. Everything was good and I enjoyed the evening here with friends and family. Pizzas run around $16. There is only one size which is about 14". We had four adults and three kids with us. Three pizzas filled up everyone and we had plenty to take home.

SIDE STREET INN

SIDE STREET INN

HONOLULU, HAWAII

One of the best finds in all of Hawaii. This place rocks with great food. Side Street Inn is a hidden gem that it well known to locals and void of a lot of tourists. Located on a small street across from the Ala Moana Shopping Center and buried in an industrial area full of girly bars the Side Street Inn is a destination not to be missed when in Honolulu.  Parking is almost non existent here so they offer valet parking that is quick and courteous. The food is served family style in large portions. The Fried Rice is the absolute best in Hawaii. Full of meat and veggies and cooked perfectly every time. The steak and onions is awesome as are the Fried Pork Chops. The Spinach Salad is fantastic too. Just about everything you order here is great eats. We sampled the Steamed Clams, Chicken Katsu and a Steak that was just delicious. I really need to take notes next time we eat here. There are so many dishes that I would like to talk about. The problem is that the beer keeps flowing while the dishes come. We are having so much fun meeting people at the tables next to us and sharing food from table to table. The next day you wake up and say "wow" that was fantastic food.

BUFFALO BOYS HOAGIES - STEAK HOAGIES & WINGS

BUFFALO BOYS HOAGIES

HONOLULU, HI

I was excited when the food section of our local newspaper wrote about a new spot that specialized in Chicken Wings and New York style Hoagies. Finally some good New York style food in Hawaii I thought. After two visits to Buffalo Boys I am sold on the Hoagies but not the wings. And these are the only two items on the menu. There are Steak Hoagies, Chicken Finger Hoagies, Buffalo Wings and a few salads and that is it. Simple an not complicated.

During my first visit we tried the Buffalo Wings with "Hot" sauce ($7.99 for 10 pieces). The Wings took a while to come out of the kitchen, but when they did they were served steaming hot with a side of bleu cheese dressing and a very small bag of mini carrots. There were like four carrots in the bag. Not enough for me and my daughter. The Wings are very standard. Deep fried and covered in Frank's Hot Sauce. Kind of bland and not hot at all. If only they could have spiced them up or added something to the sauce. My daughter tried the Kids Combo Meal which includes a 6" Steak and Cheese Sub (just meat and cheese), French Fries and a drink. At $3.99 this is a good value. The thinly sliced beef had some flavor and the cheese was melted and gooey. The bread however was hard as a rock on top and crunched apart all over the place. It turns out this place gets their bread baked fresh from a local Vietnamese bakery that we visit quite frequently. As with the Vietnamese place, if the bread is not fresh it is hard as a rock on top. This ruins any sandwich. On my second visit the Kids Combo sandwich had a fresh roll that made a big difference. There are only two types of Hoagies served here. A 100% Sirloin Steak version and a Chicken Finger version. We tried the "Fire Hoagie" which is a steak sandwich with fried onions, hot peppers, melted white American cheese and a SECRET SAUCE. This is a good deal and served two of us for $8.89. This is a good sandwich and included two types of cheese. American and a Cheddar or Cheese Wiz. Next time I order it we will ask them to add more peppers. They add flavor but there was only a few on the entire sub. The Secret Sauce seems like some sort of mayo. We asked for some lettuce to be added to the Kids Combo sub and were charged an additional .65 cents. Thought this was a rip. The staff here is friendly and they did come around to see if we liked the food. I do like it and probably will return for another Fire Hoagie. UPDATE: THIS PLACED CLOSED DOWN.

LITTLE VILLAGE NOODLE HOUSE

LITTLE VILLAGE NOODLE HOUSE

HONOLULU, HI

We joined several couples for a Friday night dinner in downtown Honolulu. Since the Little Village has received many local food awards I was excited to try their food. When we arrived we were greeted and promptly seated at a large round table with a big turntable in the middle. Little Village is a BYOB establishment so our guests brought some beer and wine. The staff was quick to find some wine glasses for our table. The service here is really good. The food comes out fast and fresh. We were a bit limited on our selections since it is lent. No meat dishes were ordered. The restaurant is very accommodating when it comes to ordering vegetarian dishes. They do just about anything to meet your dietary needs. We tried the Lettuce Wraps, Mu-Shu Roll, Green Onion Pancakes and Pot Stickers for appetizers. All were pretty good for vegetarian with the exception of the Green Onion Pancake. Tasted like card board to me. For our main dishes we kept mostly to shrimp dishes. Spicy Shrimp, Walnut Shrimp and Sweet and Sour Shrimp. The Spicy Shrimp was "hot". I mean smokin hot. Hard to get this one down. I love the heat but it was a little overboard. I loved the Sweet and Sour Shrimp and my daughter devoured an entire bowl of the Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce. It was good. Nothing at our table really stood out. I thought most of the food was pretty bland. I need to go back and try some of the meat dishes before I write this place off.

LITTLE VILLAGE NOODLE HOUSE

LITTLE VILLAGE NOODLE HOUSE IN HONOLULU

BEACHHOUSE AT THE MOANA SURFRIDER

BEACHHOUSE AT THE 

WESTIN MOANA SURF RIDER

HONOLULU, HI

I was quite surprised when the Westin made their elegant and beautiful veranda into a steak house.  How could a major tourist hotel on Waikiki beach compete with Mortons, Ruth Chris and the other steak places in town.  Well, the Beachhouse does it well with their food, but quite frankly the service sucks.  The service is nowhere near what you receive and Mortons or Ruth Chris.  From the time we arrived to the time we left the service was way under par.  We had been seated for thirty minutes before our drink order was taken.  And we had to flag down the busboy to get the drinks rolling.  When the waiter finally arrived he was out of touch.  Did not know the menu and had zero personality.  Thank goodness for the beautiful view of the ocean from our great table near the end of the Veranda.  I was totally surprised when the wine came.  They poured just a few ounces into the glass.  Huge glass with very little wine.  There was about one ounce left in the bottle and instead of pouring it in the glass the waiter pulled back the bottle.  My guest asked what he was going to do with such a small amount of wine and politely asked him to pour it.  He did.  The service here is really bad.  Employees stand around and talk rather than take care of customers.  There is no feeling that you are appreciated as a guest.  The food is good but very expensive.  A bone in Rib Eye runs around $45.  This is just for the steak which is served ala cart with some terrible tasting seaweed thing.  The steak was cooked to perfection and delicious.  Made up for the poor service.  I tried the Ceaser Salad.  It was absolutely huge and big enough for two.  It was topped off with three large and fresh anchovies and a pretty good dressing.  My friends tried the tomato and onion salad with balsamic dressing.  They both loved it but said the tomato was too hard.  The Beachhouse is one of the most beautiful places to eat in Waikiki.  Sitting out on the Veranda overlooking the ocean is a great experience.  If they can only get the service on par with their competitors this place would be great.  I recommend the management dine at Ruth Chris in Waikiki.  Then they can experience what service is all about.

Click links below for more posts on the Beachhouse at Moana Surfrider;

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2024/09/beachhouse-at-moana.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2019/08/beachhouse-at-moana.html