I love a local joint and especially if it is in a cool neighborhood. Vee Vee is just that place. It is in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. It’s a small joint serving up excellent farm to table food and they have a great beer list. I had oysters and scallops. It was a good night! Love this place.
Sofra Bakery & Cafe is incredible. It’s a Middle Easter bakery with delicious sweets and savory bites. Everything is scratch made. It is the same owner as Oleana which is an awesome Eastern Mediterranean joint in Cambridge. I always hit this place up when I am in town.
In Watertown, just outside of Boston is an amazing little joint called Strip T’s. It’s one of those joints that is so good it is an automatic that I return each time I am in town. It is that good. Their sandwiches are amazing. The first time I went I got the Fried Cauliflower Sandwich with broccoli rabe and provolone. Just recently I had the Japanese Eggplant Banh Mi with crispy tofu, pickles and cilantro. BTW, they do have killer meat sandwiches too. Please go!
In an unassuming strip mall in Natick is Oga’s Japanese Cuisine. I gotta tell ya, this place is really really good. Everything is super fresh and tasty. Nothing fancy inside but the food is way worth it. Pictured is the Beef Tataki, lightly seared beef and sliced onions served with ponzu sauce. Shumai, round shell shrimp dumplings served steamed. And best of all was the Tuna Tostada. So good we had to order another.
Cambridge, Mass has lots of tasty food and if you are looking for a quick, tasty bite, hit up All Star Sandwich Bar. I had the Vege Cubano. It was really good.
Colorado Springs is host to the Broadmoor which is one of the nicest hotels I have ever been to. In the warmer weather it attracts golfers but in the winter you can get good deals. It has a bunch of joints to eat from 4 star fancyshmants to a tasty dive in their bowling alley. I like La Taverne. The food is really good and they play live music at night. The oysters and shrimp were delicious and the French Onion Soup was spot on!
Look, Country Kitchen in downtown Highland Park is at best average food. But it is a mainstay and has been for a while and there is something to be said for that. So if you are in the area and are hungry for breakfast or lunch then stop on in. My Tuna Salad wasn’t bad. And hey, this is the town I was born and raised.
On Chicago’s West Side in Noble Square is Charlatan. It’s Italian-American food and it’s delicious. And the restaurant has such a cool vibe. I could hang out there all night. They also have a great beer selection and make serious craft cocktails. This joint is an all around winner. I had the house made pasta and it was fantastic.
Del Mar is a cute town on the ocean just north of San Diego filled with great seafood joints. I wouldn’t have expected a real deal Italian joint but Cucina Enoteca is just that. They are part of the Urban Kitchen Group and all their joints are good. This place has a great vibe and everything we had was top notch. The Margherita Pizza was the best. The mozzarella on it is made in house. Great spot.
Herringbone is truly a great restaurant. It’s in La Jolla which is just north of San Diego. It’s a seafood joint from chef Brian Malarkey who is well known down there and everything we had was delicious. And the atmosphere was super cool. It’s in a renovated 1930’s warehouse. Pictured is the Funghi Olive Wood-Fired Flatbread with Mushroom, Roasted Garlic, Sage, Pesto, Fontina, Parmesan; the Seared Albacore Tuna with Charred Scallions, Sunchokes, Romesco, Arugula; and the Warm Chocolate Cookie and Milk. Outstanding! They also have one in Santa Monica and Vegas. Outstanding!
