7th Street Public Market – Charlotte

7th Street Public Market The 7th Street Public Market in Charlotte is a food court of sorts. There are several restaurants, bakeries, wine shops and a market. This seemed like a good spot to sample several dishes from different venues. I was interested in trying Pure Pizza since they seemed to advertise a relationship with Chris Bianco, of Pizzeria … Read more

Stan’s Donuts – Chicago

Stan’s Donuts Stan’s Donuts Stan’s Donuts, located in Westwood, CA close to the UCLA campus is one of my favorite donut places around. The shop is small, but has been a local favorite for many years. During my recent trip to Chicago, I saw a donut shop with “Stan’s Donuts” on it. I did not … Read more

Price’s Chicken Coop – Charlotte

Price’s Chicken Coop Price’s Chicken Coop in Charlotte is an unassuming little spot. Barely noticeable from the street, the interior is rather simple and plain. There are no tables inside, and only a couple of chairs for waiting customers. The place is take-out only. There is no seating outside, but some people take their food and … Read more

Maude – Beverly Hills

Maude Celebrity chef Curtis Stone opened Maude, an homage to his grandmother, in 2014. The restaurant takes one ingredient per month, and makes that the star of the meal. June 2016 Menu The restaurant is tasting menu only, and will typically serve 9-10 courses. Unfortunately, Stone is not cooking in the kitchen at the current … Read more

Hyatt Regency Tokyo

Hyatt Regency Tokyo Formerly The Century Hyatt The Hyatt Regency Tokyo, rebranded from The Century Hyatt when it first opened in 1980, is centrally located and a few minutes away from the Shinjuku station. The hotel has a courtesy shuttle between the Shinjuku JR station and the hotel. You can also access the hotel from the … Read more

Midwood Smokehouse – Charlotte

Who can go to North Carolina and not get some BBQ? Unfortunately, Charlotte is not one of the main BBQ hubs in the state. Midwest Smokehouse, however, serves up some delicious BBQ. Smoked Wings The Smoked Wings ($8) is a pound of chicken wings that are smoked then finished on the grill. They were meaty, … Read more

O Pazo de Lugo – Madrid

O Pazo de Lugo After arriving in Madrid, checking into the hotel and getting settled in a bit, we decided to get a quick bite to eat. As it was late afternoon, a lot of restaurants were closed before dinner service started. O Pazo de Lugo was close to the hotel, and got fairly good reviews … Read more