Beer Alcohol Cocktails cocktail recipe Beer Festivals Restaurant Review

As you probably know by now, one of my absolutely favorite restaurants is Fogo de Chao. There is little out there that's better than the experience of enjoying great cocktails while enjoying an endless parade of meat served by friendly gauchos - well, except doing it in Brazil itself I suppose! Each season the folks at Fogo also update their harvest table with seasonal selections but they've now updated their bar menu too. They are so excited about their new offerings that they invited me back again to try some of their new cocktails and small plates before the full dinner that I already knew would be awesome.

Years ago when I first tried sushi, it was a rare and elite luxury designed only for those willing to spend a lot of money and savor every bite. There is still that aspect of sushi and the exquisite precision of Japanese food preparation but over the past few decades, sushi has become democratized. Today, you can get sushi in ballparks and gas stations as well as some of the world's finest restaurants. Sushi Deli is somewhere between those with both the ability to bring sushi to the masses while still maintaining very high quality and adapting it to a market seeking fun, excitement and innovative ideas. It's no surprise then that they were also one of the first to adapt to the new realities by making their pickup experience one of the easiest and safest in San Diego.

There are two things in life that I love the most (outside of my wife of course!) - Traveling and Food. That's really one bigger thing: exploring new cultures. That's why I love trying new restaurants that work hard to transport you to new times and places like Havana 1920 does. Havana 1920 is a new Cuban-themed cafe and bar in the heart of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter - very close to the convention center as well as most of the bigger hotels. Here's what we loved about it!

Las Vegas was once the land where everyday people could escape their everyday reality and be whoever they wanted to be for a few days. Today, the strip is dominated by elite restaurants, fancy shops, and pretty much anything expensive that you can imagine. It's a great place, but what's missing is that "Las Vegas Magic". Luckily, that still exists at a few places and others are creating new experiences that make you feel like a celebrity - without spending like it. That's exactly how I felt when Mirage Las Vegas invited me to stop by to check out their Chef's Table Experience at the Cravings Buffet.

Genoa, Nevada is a perfect town to visit for any guys looking for a taste of what the west was like before being tamed. If you venture just around the corner from the Mormon Station and Nevada's oldest bar though, you'll find one of the finest foodie spots in Nevada. The Pink House seemingly doesn't fit here but at the same time it works perfectly. Not only is the building itself one of the oldest structures in Genoa but it was about striking out into unfamiliar territory and trying new things. That's exactly what you'll find here today...

Sometimes, as good as a restaurant might be - you need to visit for just one reason. At Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill, a regional restaurant chain with locations throughout Southern California, that reason is appropriately called "The Ultimate". Read on to find out why it is the ultimate BBQ sandwich!

Attending a luau has been a must-do activity for visitors to Hawaii for generations. The word luau simply means "party" or "feast" but over the years the tradition has evolved into one of the most iconic tourist activities in Hawaii. The folks at Mauna Kea resort invited us to be their guest for the Mauna Kea Luau and we were impressed with both the quality (and quantity!) of food as well as the performance itself. Here's what to expect when you attend their luau...

I love a classic steakhouse. You know, the ones with dark leather booths, heavy shadows, and classic bourbon cocktails. STK San Diego is is not that kind of place! From the moment you walk in, it is very clear that this is not your dad's steakhouse. Instead, it's hip, light, and lively. There is even a DJ on some nights furthering the lounge atmosphere and the cocktails match this chic and trendy environment. Don't be fooled though - while it feels like a cocktail bar, the menu still offers huge steaks and classic sides. There's a sense of youth and urban energy here compared to the uber masculinity of a traditional steakhouse but it hasn't lost touch with why you ultimately chose to spend hundreds of dollars on an amazing meal. This vibe perfectly matches Andaz San Diego hotel where it is located and it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. 

Louisiana isn't the place you normally think of when it comes to unique spirits and especially tequila but the Noël family from Donaldsonville - Ascension Parish (just outside of New Orleans) have whipped up some creative, delicious, and intriguing offerings that show what can be created from a cross-border partnership with a Mexican distillery. In addition to tequila, the distillery is also producing vodka and rum as well as offering tours.

2020 was a rough year in a lot of ways and generally, we like to do at least one restaurant feature every month, sometimes two or even three. With dine-in options mostly closed or simply not to my level of comfort, I stopped doing restaurant features the way I liked to do previously. I still continued to order out but it took time for the industry to catch up and start producing options that made sense beyond the typical take-out heroes like burritos, sushi, sandwiches, and sandwiches. I was a bit nervous for New Years Day dinner since not only is this a big night for foodies in general... but it's also my anniversary. Luckily we saw Parc Bistro on TV and loved their attitude and creativity so we decided to order their Beef Wellington and try it out.

Rodizio style Brazilian steakhouse restaurants are my absolute favorite style of dining. It combines everything I love in a culinary experience - endless meat, a variety of flavors, and that sense of being special. Over the past few decades the Churrascaria concept has spread rapidly in the United States and Texas de Brazil is one of the biggest operators to offer this experience. Now they've added Carlsbad, San Diego to their list of more than 50 locations world wide. They invited us to stop by and try their interpretation on the concept and we loved it!

Texas is known for being big and over the top, so I don't know why I was surprised to see a real live Texas Long Horn bull out front of The Ranch at Las Colinas when we arived. Not only was this cool to see, but it was there as a photo op for kids (of all ages!) to sit on as they took your photo. The bit of morbidity that you are quite literally playing with your food before dinner aside, this set the tone for one of the best steak dinners that I've had in a long while.

Father's Day is coming up and I think I speak for most men and we'd love a great big hunk of meat for dinner. There's a wide spectrum of options out there today from high-end steakhouses to grabbing a steak at the diner down the street but the middle space seems filled with marginal options. Sure, these chain restaurants are good but inevitably they miss the mark when it comes to quality, preparation, and atmosphere. That's why I was truly surprised after my visit to Black Angus Steakhouse here in San Diego earlier this week. Despite being part of a chain that's operated in the western United States for more than 50 years it felt like an independent location with good quality food and a fun atmosphere that while kitschy - felt genuine.

Babe's BBQ and Brewhouse is located in Rancho Mirage, CA about the middle of the "Greater Palm Springs" area and that makes it a great spot to meet up after a day of golf, off-roading, or in our case driving at the BMW Performance Center. With a combination of Latin Fusion, a variety of BBQ styles, and craft beer it's got something for everyone.

Good wine needs good food and so when we were invited to dine at Vineyard Rose at South Coast Winery, I immediately said yes.

In the world of steak, sometimes bigger is better and other times it is all about being ridiculous and over-the-top. This $100 steak at Greystone Steakhouse in San Diego's Gaslamp firmly belongs in that second category. The 3oz Japanese Wagyu steak comes topped with 24 karat gold flakes, hand shaved black truffle and is served on a slab of fine marble. 

So you've probably experimented with whiskey before when preparing BBQ but sometimes the occasion just calls for tequila and so that what we tried. This recipe is a fairly simple smoked brisket recipe with light hints of tequila that help pair it well with a nice full glass of high-quality agave spirits such as our favorite, Don Julio 1942.

I haven't had too many chances to do restaurant features this year but The Gathering Table Restaurant at Ballard Inn, located in California's Santa Ynez Valley was absolutely worth the experience. It goes to show that you can still offer a fine dining experience in a safe way despite challenges from the pandemic. While their outdoor space would normally be more decorative than functional, there's a certain sense of romance to sitting in a garden with a string of lights above you while enjoying fine wine and food on par with anything you could find in Los Angeles.

Key West has no shortage of great places to get some awesome food and so when our host (The Florida Keys) sent us to the next island over, I wasn't sure why. As it turned out, this was no mistake - Matt's Stock Island Kitchen & Bar located in the Perry Hotel is an absolutely fabulous restaurant and while we just came here for dinner, the property is a great destination for guys planning a fishing trip since the marina is right there. Plus they are building out a distillery and a music venue complete with pool and bar service. What more could you possibly ask for?

San Manuel has long been a leader at delivering a premium gaming experience to Southern California, including their Asian-inspired gaming room - Lotus 8 Palace where you could find slots and table games not found in many other casinos in the area. Lotus 8 even had a noodle menu, and Asian beer as well as sake. What San Manuel was missing though is a really good Asian restaurant and that's why they created Hong Bao Kitchen!