Birch River Grill
What’s in a name? What comes to mind when you hear the words “Birch River Grill – An American Kitchen”? Well, what should come to mind is a cozy restaurant with perhaps the relaxing and comfortable feel of a Northwoods lodge. A Long List of Interesting and Impressive Credits This particular lodge would also be […]
Dine
Last December, I had an opportunity to visit the opening of a very slick venue in downtown Chicago – a place called Dine Restaurant. I was quite impressed by the entire evening. At the opening, there were the endless miniature hors d’oeuvres and individual desserts, the crowds of people, special martinis and even some not-bad […]
The RendezVu
Lauren and I had seen the new sign posted on the roof area where another had previously hung – RendezVu (in Batavia) now occupies the space where Italian Disaster had struck several years ago when Lauren and I made the mistake of having dinner at Fantastico’s. We decided to give RendezVu a try and hoped […]
Al Capone’s Hideaway
The bend in the river gave no indication whatsoever of there being anyone around. I could easily imagine the prohibition era when this little spot on the river north of St. Charles was occasionally home to some of the nation’s most wanted… After my last dinner at Al Capone’s Hideaway, I remember lamenting about not […]
18 Esperienza
Somehow, even after a 4 ½ Zin rating – back in December of 2003 – the owner at what was then 18 North mistakenly got the idea that I had ripped his restaurant. After I reread my own review of 2003, I noticed only two things that I stated I was unhappy about: the way-overpriced […]
18 North
For some unknown reason, Tuesdays have become our night of choice to go out for something to eat – whether for a snack or for a full-on dinner. Last Tuesday was no exception, except that I had decided to ‘dial it up a notch’ on this particular Occasion. I say that because I decided that […]
Courthouse Pub
With plate presentations that rival some of the best that I have seen and service that is superior to many places that I have visited — not to mention the quality of the food and dining experience — the Courthouse Pub in Manitowoc, Wisconsin is certainly a place that I could make a habit of […]
California Market
One of the things that I enjoy most in life is food, and I especially enjoy it when I can eat outside. Just a few miles south of Carmel – on a hill, high above the Pacific Ocean – is a place called the Park Hyatt Highlands Inn. It is a marvelous venue at which […]
Grey Rock Mansion
Nestled against the shore of the deepest lake in Wisconsin – Green Lake – the Grey Rock Mansion at the Heidel House Hotel and Conference Center boasts one of the most picturesque settings I have visited and is truly an adventure in fine dining. From the outside, and even upon entering, it is hard to […]