Great Eats | Travel By Jury

Great Eat: Kona Grill, Houston, TX

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

You’re in the big city of Houston – the fourth largest in the United States – and you’ve battled the outrageous traffic, you’ve gone to a show at the Alley Theater, you’ve browsed the collection at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, you’ve trolled the endless art galleries in the Art District, you’ve ambled through Discovery Green park, and you’ve likely eaten some barbecue (that wasn’t on par with that you’d find in the Carolinas, of course) and had your photo taken with an Astro or a Rocket. Now you’re hungry. Or you’ve decided to head to the Galleria area of town, home to the gigantic piece of consumerism (the 9th largest mall in the US!), the Galleria Shopping Center. You’re in luck, because the Galleria hosts the Kona Grill, a U.S. chain restaurant, yes, but there are only 23 locations, so it’s somewhat exclusive – I’d never been to one before and it was a great experience. There’s an authentic Asian ambiance, with bamboo plants and an open sushi bar. The Kona Grill serves pasta and pizza, but you’re really in for a treat if you try their club sandwich, for instance, which havarti cheese and is served on ciabatta bread. You can get Japanese beers here, which go perfect with a tofu miso soup starter or a sashimi flight. The ceviche wasn’t the best I’d ever had, but the use of fun plates makes up for it a little. The desert menu is most tempting, and there are so many rolls – vegetarian, crab, shrimp, chicken – to chose from that you might get overwhelmed. If you’re looking for something different and good, but still easy to find in the Houston area, then the Kona Grill is your best betG

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: Alley Theater, art galleries, Asian food, Astros, bamboo plants, ceviche, chicken, club sandwich, Discovery Green Park, Galleria Houston, great eat, Houston, Japanese beer, Kona Grill, miso soup, Museum of Natural Science Houston, Rockets, rolls, sashimi flight, shrimp rolls, sushi, Texas, tofu, TX, US, vegetarian rolls | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Il Fornello, London

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

If you’re poking around Russell Square (the British Museum area) of London and it’s cold and you are in desperate need of warmth, you need to go to Il Fornello (150 Southampton Row, known for being open even on holidays). Not only are the owners and wait staff Italian (there is a lone Spaniard, but he speaks beautiful Italian), but they exude the “eat! be merry!” Italian attitude that is hard to muster on a chilly London evening. I had some of the best spaghetti bolognese I’ve ever had there, and the waiter was the nice and friendly and sent my garlic bread (I didn’t want cheese) back twice without me saying anything about it. The ladies eating near me – Italian ex-pats – tucked in on the Scalloppine al Marsala and Costolette d’Agnello alla Griglia, and we all agreed that the tiramisu was divine. Il Fornello is a great place to meet friends or make new ones – the atmosphere is homey and worn, but in a good sort of way. They have cheeses and antipasti dishes that would satisfy meat lovers and vegetarians, and their Italian fair is traditionally and resolutely Italian; the beers and waters selection are even imported from Italy. Next time you’re looking for Italian food in London (for a decent cost), consider Il Fornello – you won’t be disappointed.

Filed under: Europe, Great Eats | Tagged: 150 Southampton Row, antipasti, British Museum, cheese, Costolette d'Agnello alla Griglia, friendly folk, garlic bread, good eats near Russell Square, good prices, great eat, Il Fornello, Italian beer, Italian food, London, Russell Square, Scalloppine al Marsala, spaghetti bolognese, UK, vegetarian dishes, wine | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Simply Thai, Louisville, KY

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

As a native Louisvillian, I have paid tribute to great eats of the area such as Kashmir, Seviche, and Harvest. But somewhere in the middle of all that great eat melee a very VERY great eat got lost: Simply Thai of Louisville. Located in the trendy St. Matthews area (we do have Mellow Mushroom if you’re not feeling too adventurous), Simply Thai is – and take it from someone who spent a month eating home-cooked Chinese food in China – the only place in Louisville to get tofu just right. Their pineapple fried rice with raisins and tofu? To die for. Their pad thai? Out of this world. The “appetizer” spring rolls – tofu, shrimp, chicken; however you want ‘em – are full portion size, and they will serve you the aforementioned pineapple fried rice dishes in a pineapple in their “to go” presentation, by the way – you do not want to miss this place. All of their curries are awesome and they are simply a local pleasure – go and eat there now! You must!

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: asian food Louisville, Asian fusion, fresh vegetables, good eats louisville, great eat, Kentucky, Louisville, Mellow Mushroom, pad thai, Pineapple Fried Rice, raisins and tofu, shrimp spring rolls, Simply Thai, St. Matthews, tofu, US, USA, vegetarian spring rolls | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: KOTO, Hanoi, Vietnam

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

A colleague of mine, when he learned I would be visiting Hanoi, Vietnam, immediately told me: “You must eat at KOTO. It is right by the Temple of Literature. It is wonderful.” Indeed – my companion and I, for about $30, had a couple of Tiger beers, an entree, and a dessert each for dinner (the website doesn’t note dinner, but they’re open, I promise). KOTO’s deal is not only its delicious food – my companion had a lemongrass chicken dish that was simply delightful, served in a bath of marinade and next to a pillar of rice with some saffron artistically arranged; I had the tofu, presented like a flower, with rice – but also its excellent staff. Hanoi’s (59 Van Mieu Street, Dong Da District) staff is made up of trainees in the restaurant’s overall program – “Know One Teach One” – which accepts disadvantaged or impoverished youth into a vocational training organization that teaches them English, service and business skills, and living skills. The folks at KOTO couldn’t be kinder, the atmosphere of the restaurant couldn’t be more soothing and pleasant (it’s an oasis of calm in buzzing Hanoi) and the food could not have been better. I chugged down a banana lassie – yogurt, soy milk and banana, blended with ice – on our way out and dropped a donation, which you could do to – if only you went to KOTO! You can even take a cooking class there if you’re so inspired. So it is decidedly so: “You must eat at KOTO.”

Our entrees at KOTO

Filed under: Asia, Great Eats | Tagged: Asia, banana lassie, calm atmosphere, community outreach, dessert, Dong Da District Hanoi, English, friendly folk, great eat, great food, Hanoi, Know One Teach One, KOTO, KOTO Hanoi, KOTO VIetnam, lemongrass chicken, rice, saffron, Tiger beer, tofu, Vietnam | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Dillon’s, Boston, MA

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

Walking down Boylston Street near the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, I noticed a little cozy restaurant poking out between the T line and a fire house. Dillon’s Restaurant and Bar of Boston revealed itself to be quite a find. We got a tall table in the back of the restaurant near a roaring fire, a welcome retreat at the beginning of January in Boston. We fell for the honey popcorn appetizer and coveted our neighbors’ mac-n-cheese app, made of penne, gruyere, goat cheese, and crème fraiche – not your average mac. Dillon’s is quite the gastropub – our vegetarian companion was able to find comfort in the tomato bisque soup of the day and a hearty cheese pizza, fire-cooked with hand-tossed crust. I tackled half of a Ko-Jack burger, which was 8oz of hefty beef with Cajun spices and gorgonzola cheese. Though tempted by the Butternut Fried Dough (roasted butternut squash, vanilla ice cream, crushed pecans, and powered sugar), we settled on a Brownie Sundae and soaked in the chatty atmosphere, where photos of old Beantown (Dillon’s was a firehouse at one point) mingle with locally crafted beers. Invite yourself into Dillon’s next time your in downtown Boston – you’ll sure to find something you like.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: Boston, Boylston Street Dillon's Boston, brownie sundae, Butternut Fried Dough, Cajun spices, craft beers, crème fraiche, crushed pecans, Dillon's of Boston, Dillon's Restaurant and Bar, fire roasted pizza, goat cheese, gorgonzola cheese, great eat, Gruyère, hand-tossed pizza, historic, honey popcorn, Ko-Jack burger, local beer, local brews, locally crafted beers, mac-n-cheese, Massachusetts, old fire house, penne, powered sugar, roasted butternut squash, tomato bisque, vanilla ice cream | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: The Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar, Boston, MA

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

Oh little slice of heaven on Boylston Street, I’m so glad I found you! Closer to the residential area near Fenway Park in Boston is a small gastropub called The Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar (or “the Citizen” if you will) that you should definitely visit next time you’re in Beantown. Charming, small, with a bar that circles not only very friendly bartenders but also a clear view of the fresh seafood you’re about to eat (or you can tuck in to the sumptuous booths), this pub is a great new eatery for the Fenway/Kenmore area. The chalkboard specials – butternut squash soup, anyone? – reflect local and seasonal ingredients, and the mains – while pretty heavy on the meat (duck, ribs, steak, tuna) – are exquisite. And the apparently roast whole pigs, so thus the pub’s mascot and logo is a pig. The Citizen pumps a mean soundtrack while good times are had over board servings of artisinal cheese and pork, the cocktails are fun and heady. Of course I have to talk about the oysters – DIVINE. Large, shucked right in front of you, and served with some house-made horseradish concoction that had me drooling. Non-carnivores will revel in the creative salads and inventive sides, like polenta fries. You’ve got to check this place out; it’s one of Boston’s many MANY great eats.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America, Uncategorized | Tagged: bar, Boston, butternut squash soup, cheese boards, cocktails, daily specials, duck, Fenway, fresh seafood, friendly folk, great eat, Kenmore, local meat, MA, Massachusetts, meat boards, oysters, polenta fries, ribs, salads, seasonal vegetables, steak, tuna, United States | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Early Girl Eatery, Asheville, NC

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

Decorated with local art – including some impressive customer scribbles on the brown paper tablecloths – the Early Girl Eatery is one of the best brunch spots in Asheville, NC, a city no stranger to good eats (Tupelo Honey? Laughing Seed? Havana? Barley’s? Oh, decisions). But the Early Girl is worth a visit if for no other reason than their food is organic, local, delicious, and there’s something on the menu for everyone. The care these folks put into simple recipies like granola/yogurt/fruit is delightful, and they remain loyal to the farms and Southern charm around their clients to provide all sorts of deep south staples (grits, fluffy homemade biscuits, bacon, eggs) next to inventive quiches (duck?), sandwiches (fancy some grilled catfish?) and vegan-friendly items (the tofu scramble looked pretty awesome). The brightly lit, open and sunny little restaurant is conveniently located near downtown – in the Cat’s Alley – and the staff are friendly as can be. The decor changes as the Early Girl features new local artists, there are vegan, gluten-free, and low fat/low carb options – ANYONE can eat here, so if you’re driving through Asheville with a crowd, this is your spot. And you’re always sure to find locally-made jelly on your table and a smiling person to walk you through the joint’s delicious menu. Eat here. You will love it.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: Asheville, bacon, biscuts, brunch, duck, Early Girl Eatery, family friendly, friendly folk, gluten-free, great eat, grits, local farms, local food, local greens, local jelly, local meat, meat and 3, NC, organic chocolate milk, organic food, pan fried catfish, quiche, vegan, vegan tofu scramble | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Hammerhead’s, Louisville KY

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

One of Louisville locals’ favorite restaurants is Hammerheads, if the lines out the door tell you anything. Tucked away in Germantown, this local dive has been an eatery of some sort for the better part of the city’s 20th century, and its local incarnation as a gastropub has made the spot hot again. I, a local, go for the pretzel buns on my elk burger – the meat is local and the pretzel buns are made on site, and it is a delicious pleasure. The house hummus isn’t bad, and the baked beans are outta sight. The shrimp and grits leave this Carolina native a bit unenthused, but the sweet potato fries in duck fat make up for that particular slight. I have not been brave enough to try the bacon brownie, but I see it ordered every time I’ve been to Hammerheads, so it can’t be too awful. The Garcia Burger – a veggie burger made with sun-dried tomato and shittake mushrooms (and, somehow, falafel) – remains one of my fellow Louisvillians’ sole reason for repeatedly returning to Hammerheads. The beer list boasts a lot of local and craft beers, but you can also get a can of PBR. Make sure to get to Hammerheads early, or you’ll be waiting in line with a lot of local, hungry people.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: bacon brownie, baked beans, burgers, craft beers, elk burger, falafel, Garcia burger, gastropub, Germantown, good eat, great eat, great eats, Hammerheads, hummus, Kentucky, KY, local, local beers, locavore, Louisville, pretzel buns, shrimp and grits, sweet potato fries in duck fat, veggie burger | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Lima, Miramar, Puerto RIco

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

In the residential district of San Juan, right off the main drag of Avenue de Ponce de Leon, is a wonderful Puerto Rica-Peruvian fusion restaurant called “Lima” that you simply must try. This particular area of town is hopping on the weekends but quiet on the weekdays, and Lima is so popular that they have valet parking on the weekends. The menu isn’t too terribly pricey, considering the awesomeness of the food you get. The have good drinks (the bartenders down the block at Bistro 160 pour a better drink) that indulge in twists of Puerto Rican rum with Peruvian elements, like a deep purple sangria. They have a wide variety of ceviches, from straight white fish to shrimp to octopus to a mix, and all of them are delicious. They make friend plantains properly and they local pork and chicken dishes are great, and the plating of even the simplest salad is fun. Grab a spot on the patio, knock back a Medalla, and enjoy your time in one of the lesser-tourist-trod restaurants in the San Juan area of Puerto Rico.

Filed under: Caribbean Islands, Great Eats, Latin America | Tagged: Bistro 160, Caribbean Islands, Central America, ceviche, fresh ceviche, fresh fish, fresh seafood, fusion, good eat, great eat, Latin America, Lima, Lima Restaurant, Medalla, Medalla beer, Miramar area of Puerto Rico, mixed drinks, octopus, outdoor seating, plantains, plating, pork, Puerto Rican Peruvian fusion food, Puerto Rico, pulpo, restaurants in Miramar, rum drinks, salad, San Juan, sangria, shrimp, valet parking, white fish | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Alligator Soul, Savannah GA

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

Yeah yeah, you can get deep-butter-fried anything from the Paula Deen ilk that runs through the beautiful southern thrill of a town that is Savannah, Georgia, but you want something really really good, right? Something that’ll make you put down your phone and the rest of the baggage you’re carrying and go “UMMM… That is SO good.” You with me? Then take down this address – 114 Barnard St. You’ll see the alligator, you go down the steps – and now you’re in a basement. A delicious, historic basement, and you’re at Alligator Soul, one of Savannah’s best restaurants. If you’re visiting during a month that has an “R” in it, you must – you simply must – order the oysters (Oysters Bienville, to be precise). You might get them with a mix of andouille sausage on top of them, but they will be briny, large, and delicious. The friendly bartender will recommend a house cocktail for you, or mix up whatever you desire (Death’s Door Organic liquor is served here with a liberal hand) and the wine list is exquisite. The folks sitting next to me at the bar recommended both the elk and the lamb, and their “Financier” dessert included the words “buttermilk gelato.” I personally got my sugar rush from the Banana Beignets, which, topped with a drizzling of home-made, organic chocolate syrup, sent me to heaven. The restaurant is only open for dinner and it’s best to book ahead (the use OpenTable.com), and the chefs use only local produce, meat and, of course, in-season seafood, so the flavors are big and beautiful. If you go to Alligator Soul, you will not be disappointed (well, my waiter was a little flighty but he had a few tables to deal with, and I wasn’t in any hurry). It’s not on the cheap side of good eats in Savannah, but isn’t it time you took yourself out for a real treat? Com’on, grab a chair and tuck in!

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: Alligator Soul, Alligator Soul Savannah, andouille sausage, bananas beignet, buttermilk gelato, cocktails, Death's Door Organic Liquor, dessert, elk, financier, Georgia, good eats, great eats, lamb, local, North America, OpenTable reservations, Oysters Bienville, USA, wild game | Leave a Comment »

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