I really am not sure if I could ever be a Michelin Guide restaurant reviewer. It’s because the Michelin stars are given out based on, allegedly, the food alone. The quality, the uniqueness, the chef’s spin on it are all the things that go into Michelin stars. The problem for me is that, even when the food is absolutely outstanding, if the service is sub-par, or the ambiance of the place is meh, it impacts my experience way too much….
We ate at the Westport Cafe in between lots of touring around Kansas City. We were hungry and we needed fuel to get us through the rest of the day. Westport Cafe was exactly what we wanted – an adorable french bistro with an extensive menu with a ton of options for filling us up. We ate here on our only full day in Kansas City, November 5, 2023. Westport Cafe is in a neighborhood full of coffee shops, bars…
Anthony Bourdain once said that Joe’s Bar-B-Que is the best BBQ in Kansas City, which means it’s the best BBQ in the world. This place is on his 13 restaurants to eat at before you die list, and none of these superlatives are an exaggeration. I’m not hugely into BBQ, so I may not be the world’s foremost expert on its quality, but I can easily say that Joe’s in Kansas City, Kansas, is the best I’ve ever had, and…
The moment you walk into this historic, renovated building, you are awed by the high ceilings and high design elements throughout. This warm, rustic, and cool space is totally inviting, and promises a delightful evening. We ate at Fox & Pearl on our first night in Kansas City on November 4, 2023. I loved the space here. The main floor has a gorgeous bar and beautiful mustard colored banquettes as well as wooden tables and chairs throughout. We were taken…
Gosh, I can’t even count the number of times I’ve enjoyed Avec in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago. It’s cozy, casual, fun, loud, and always delicious with a super interesting and diverse wine list. When people ask me where to eat in Chicago, Avec always makes it towards the top of my list, and now that they’ve been featured in the FX series, “The Bear,” they are more popular than ever. I visited most recently with a friend on…
We’ve been to A LOT of steakhouses not only in Chicago, but also in Las Vegas. Jean Georges at the Aria resort was a new one for us, and has a lot of hype about the quality and the experience. Overall, I would say that this restaurant was pretty average, especially for the price. We arrived here to have dinner before the Lady Gaga concert at the Dolby Theater at the Park MGM right next door. We were a bit…
We recently saw U2 perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas. You’ll definitely want to click here to read my article about our experience and snag some tips for when it’s your turn to go! Before any show, though, you need a good place to eat, and I chose Matteo’s at the Venetian Resort, which is located in “Restaurant Row,” one of the closest places to the Sphere that you can eat at the Venetian. Keep in mind that if…
July 31, 2023 I was excited to try Boqueria Restaurant, which opened relatively recently in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago. I’ve been trying to find a superb Spanish Tapas restaurant since my favorite – Salero – closed in 2018. While I found the food at Boqueria fine, there was nothing really too stand-out here. I think my favorite thing about this restaurant is the vibe here. The bar and all of the walls are decorated with canned Spanish food…
Las Vegas, July 14, 2023 We ate at Jasmine Restaurant at the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas on our last night of vacation with the kiddos. Staying on the north end of the strip, I really wanted the kids to be able to experience the free fountain show, which, to me, is mesmerizing. I can watch those fountains all night! The vibe at Jasmine is that of a fancy asian tea room, with victorian-type furnishings, and gorgeous details like embroidered…
The Palazzo Resort, Las Vegas, USA July 12, 2023 Wakuda was the restaurant I chose for our fanciest night out in Las Vegas on this trip. We are all nuts for Japanese food, and this restaurant comes from Chef Tetsuya Wakuda, a two-star Michelin Chef who has collected gobs of accolades from many worldwide publications and reviewers. I knew our experience here would be top notch. The atmosphere here is super cool. It’s meant to look like Tokyo’s Golden Gai,…