Last week I chose to dine at one of Ann Arbor's quintessential restaurants, far from the now trendy cavalcade of high dollar Main Street emporiums of foodie lust.  Knight's, established in 1984, features a horseshoe bar set up in the middle of the dining area with wood paneled walls and an old school menu featuring dyed in the wool favorites like Shrimp Cocktail, Escargot in Puff Pastry and good quality Steaks.    Dinners are served on an old fashioned sizzle plate with a choice of basic salads and a few potato options.  Having dined here several times previously I knew the service could be spotty, the wait staff potentially cranky but what brings me back is the undeniable 'authenticity' that this establishment delivers. Arriving late this evening close to 9:30 PM, the main dining room and alcove areas were still buzzing with patrons lingering over their steaks, clinking fresh drinks or dutifully watching the Tigers - Yankee game on the TV above the bar. My dining partner ordered up a glass of Pinot Noir while I opted for a Grey Goose martooni. Suffice to say the martooni had to be re-iced before I was able to enjoy it. All quibbling aside, this place ...

Custom built and gourmet burger emporiums seem to be taking the USA by storm and Charlotte, North Carolina is no exception.  The monthly lifestyle magazine, Charlotte Magazine, has named Big Daddy's Burger Bar as the best burger establishment in Charlotte in it's annual Best of the Best Charlotte issue.   Having read the magazine and hearing testimonials from friends, I set out on a steaming Saturday afternoon for the trendy Dilworth district of Charlotte to see what all the fuss was about.   Dilworth is a leafy subsection of Charlotte intersected by tony East Boulevard which features countless upscale dining options including several on my current 'hit list'.  Tree lined residential boulevards and lanes surround East Boulevard which seems to underscore Dilworth as one of Charlotte's most affluent areas. Anyway, upon arriving I was relieved to see ample reserved customer parking behind the restaurant and brought my vehicle to a stop between a Range Rover Sport and a shiny new C4S.   Proceeding to the entrance, I noticed the bustling outdoor patio which was currently overflowing with a mix of trendsters, yuppie parents and urban adventurers.  I opted for the comforts of AC and headed inside.   I was promptly greeted by a smiling and sultry hostess ...

Finally had a chance to visit Jim Noble's newest restaurant, just a stones throw from Charlotte's upscale Southpark Mall.   Entering this establishment I noticed the irreverant wall of stuffed roosters  set against what looked to be vintage, harvested barnwood siding, very nice. The open kitchen with wrap around bar and comfortable bar stools gives way to a spacious dining area made up predominantly of cozy leather booths and tables along that same chicken festooned wall.   A separate wine bar adjoins the main dining room at the back.  The entire vibe of this place is rustic and relaxed. The menu and style is decidedly 'Napa Valley'-esque and draws heavily on prudent portions of Spanish, French and California style small plates featuring house cured and smoked treats like organic salmon, salumi and chilled duck breast -- bingo!  I felt immediately at home and happy to be among like minded foodies in this new found temple. The extensive wine by the glass menu features South American delights as well as lesser known European offerings.  I settled on a toasty Chilean Malbec and was impressed with the ample pour.  I opted for the organic lightly smoked salmon to start and was happy to share the battered ...

This place is one of the quintessential "neighborhood joints".   I've been frequenting this one of a kind corner bar slash bbq rib palace for over 20 years now and it's never let me down.  I was in Chicago again last week and decided to give a co-worker of mine a 'Twin Anchor' welcome to Chicago.  The wood paneled walls are straight out of a 1960's era finished basement and the jukebox features the Rat Pack's finest hits!  (Sinatra was a regular here whenever he was in town..and he also had Ribs shipped to him on tour!) As you enter in the front door the scene couldn't be more welcoming... a busy front bar with a long full bar along your right hand side and cozy wrap-around bar booth tables along the left hand wall.   All of the walls are festooned with newspaper clippings of previous Chicago-centric happennings and celebrity visits and signed 8x10 portraits.  Conan O'Brien celebrated a recent birthday here and portions of the latest Batman film were actually filmed here! The bar features 'top shelf' favorites including Makers Mark Bourbon and plenty of micro brews on tap (Try a Bells Summer Solstice).. The main event and the only thing you should ...

On a recent visit to Asheville I dined at Table, one of this mountain town's finest restaurants and a showcase for local organic produce from the area.  The restaurant is in the heart of downtown Asheville, just a block from Asheville's burgeoning Art Gallery district. Table features hardwood floors and a minimalistic feel throughout the main room.  The western wall is composed entirely of glass brick which adds nice filtered light into the room.  The owners are originally from Brooklyn, New York and relocated to Asheville several years ago to open Table. After being led to my table I promptly ordered a glass of Austrian Gruner Veltiner, one of my favorite crisp whites and not always easy to find on by the glass lists.  My chosen appetizer was a subtle shrimp dumpling with smoked pork in a delicate miso infused broth -- outstanding!  My entree was even better....an incredibly tender and moist double-thick local pork porterhouse chop, from Hickory Nut Farms, a local pork producer, accompanied by a spring Morel cream sauce and smashed baby redskin potatoes. This is an unpretentious restaurant with luxurious, refined taste and atmosphere in the touristy town of Asheville.   Recommended. Table 48 College St @ Rankin Asheville NC 828.254.8980 Weds - Mon 11:00-2:30 Weds ...

A casual lunch turned into a nice revelation at Cabo Fish Taco in the heart of the trendy NODA district in Charlotte.  We were famished after an early start and several hours of following Tiger Woods and others at the fantastic Quail Hollow Golf Club in south Charlotte for the opening round of this year's PGA Event.  NODA is a funky neighborhood with newly renovated loft residential units and several art galleries, bars and restaurants.  And one shouldn't forget about a nice Concert Venue also just down the street. Fresh southwest fare with a coastal kick is the draw here and I was very impressed with both the quality and menu price points.  Case in point: I had the terrific Cabo Fish Tacos -- two large quick fried house made flour tortillas stuffed with tasty Cod nuggets, pico de gallo and other tasty bits.   Your choice of several sides including red beans and rice and the tasty Mexi-Slaw makes this a real winner for only $6.95!  Fresh draft micro brews are available as well as an extensive Tequila selection which I will need to sample on my next visit! Very nice!

One of my favorite LA dives is just down the road from Glendale in the slackified Silver Lake area. From the outside, the place looks like an unassuming old style dive bar which just happens to feature German biers. But, venture in and you'll be amazed at a kitschy, over the top yet intimate old style German gastro pub serving up delicious, hearty and authentic German fare including unbelievably rich potato pancakes, several different types of German sausages (get the Sausage Platter) and even Black Forest torte for desert. Several high quality German brews are on tap and a large bottle assortment is also available. Fun seekers should order the humongous 'boot' of beer; a full 1.5 liter that rivals anything seen at Oktoberfest! For that added touch of authenticity, the waitresses are also clad in dirndls and love to carry liter mugs by the plenty to the dark wood booths. On any given night you're likely to rub shoulders with young hipsters and cranky german expats. Watch out for live music nights; one of my favorites was the accordian guy that shows up occasionally. Highly recommended and not to be missed! Red Lion Tavern Address:   2366 Glendale Blvd, Silver Lake, ...

Had a fantastic dinner the other night at Del Frisco's in Charlotte's Piedmont Town Centre, near the tony South Park Mall.  The Charlotte location is one of the more recent Del Frisco outlets and is a shrine to USDA prime beef and beautiful wood.   Walking into the restaurant you couldn't help but marvel at the surroundings, soaring windows looking out on the South Park neighborhood and  neighboring office buildings and miles and miles of luxurious warm wood paneling.  I truly believe reports that Del Frisco's spent over $10 Million on the development of this restaurant interior. Unfortunately, I can't be as bullish on the service we received tonight.  Our waitress made several blunders including repeatedly spotting our table with splashes of our carefully selected (and delicious!) 2002 unfiltered Newton Cab.  A definite 'no no'.  She also managed to short change our awkward cash out procedure but I will certainly be back for the steak and incredible 50% off any bottle in the house deal currently on offer. The steak was fantastic, a prime Rib Eye and the comforting sides were served family style.   I'll give this experience at Del Frisco's a solid 8/10...marred only by the amateur wait service that night. Graphic below ...

It's been nearly a year since my last visit to Barcelona and I still remember the outrageously great Paco Meralgo a few blocks northwest of Placa Catalunya in El Eixample.  I went on a Sunday late afternoon, a difficult time to find anything decent open in Barcelona.  Luckily Paco Meralgo is open 7 days a week.   I did a fair amount of research on egullet before the trip and had made notes to hit several current hot spots including Cal Pep, Tapac24 and Inopia.  I did hit all of those also and Paco Meralgo just barely nudged out Tapac24 as my favorite. When I arrived around 6PM, the restaurant was full and both of the welcoming blond wood long bars were also packed.  I stepped out and walked up the street to window shop before heading back about 10 minutes later.  Luckily, the manager greeted me and handed me a menu and told me he would have a spot for me at the bar in a few minutes.   A cana was presented to me and I waited for my slot to open. After scoring a nice spot on the bar in the main dining area I marveled at the gleaming glass ...

Five Guys has the K.I.S.S. principle perfected.  Fresh quality ground beef, never frozen. Check.  Cold and hot condiments and accoutrement's for your burger, all free.  Check.  Daily fresh hand cut Idaho Potatoe fries.  Check.  A few token kosher hotdogs on the menu.  Check.  No chicken or fish sanwiches to clutter and complicate things.  Check.   Free peanuts for apps. Burgers are served foil wrapped; a critical element to ensuring the american cheese is properly melted and the buns are nicely steamed upon opening. There are four versions of the burger to start with: plain hamburger, cheeseburger, bacon burger and bacon cheeseburger. After you pick your “base” burger, you get to select your own toppings: mayo, relish, onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, jalapenos, green peppers, A-1 Sauce, barbeque sauce and hot sauce are all available. Burgers and Cheeseburgers include two generous patties and pack a real mouthful.  Timid types may be better served with the single patty 'little' burger.   One order of fries (served in a nifty mini paper bag) can easily serve two to three people. Five Guys continues to expand and now has over 300 locations in over 25 states.  Highly recommended by Subrosa's editorial board!