I recently visited the wonderful state of Wisconsin, home of the cheese heads and home of my beloved employer. Our head office is based in a city just 8 Miles outside of Milwaukee. I get here every once in a while and have had a chance to dabble at a few eateries, nothing earth shattering but this small little city has some nice pockets of urban renewal that give it as a close an experience to big city life. Obviously those who are looking for that will venture down interstate 94 to Chicago!

Upon checking into my hotel I asked the front desk staff where I could go that was in walking distance. There were two option each providing similar menus; The Chophouse and then Butch's. I was in the mood for something casual and frankly not too pricey as it was late and wanted a quick bite. My colleague was joining me as well who had already eaten and was going to just hang out and provide table side company while I chowed down. Butch's was the favored venue offering a laid back environment without the stuffiness of some of the more conventional old school steak houses and at bargain prices.

http://www.butchssteakhouse.com/

Walking up to the place you start to reconsider your selection! It appears run down and worn out with cheesy big writing on the outside of the building proclaiming it's world famous steaks and seafood. At this point I am committed. We get in and it definitely has character, rich wood bar, tables, and staff that look like they have been working here since the place was founded greet you. The bar is loaded with blue collar patrons that argue about the Brewers and Packers and know the staff well.

The waitress looks mean but is very sweet and walk you through the simple menu. The appetizer of choice is the cheese with marinara. They make their own cheese and roll it in house. The marinara is also made from scratch and is a house specialty.

The entree recommended by the staff is their steer filet. I did not know the difference between a filet and steer filet. It was defined to me by the waitress as corn fed, dry aged, organic beef. Well sure I guess is my first response, for the extra 10 bucks why not go all out! I ordered the 6 oz steer filet that came out topped with sauteed mushrooms and a baked potato with the fixings. The meat is pretty good, steak is tender and cooked to order.


Understanding that this is not a fancy joint and on the blue collar side it may not be for everyone. But if you want to mingle with locals, and have decent meal for a relatively cheap price, this is the place!


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I always like to travel to unsuspecting little college towns. Despite being in the States now for many years I am still learning about the fascination of college sports and life here in the South East. Growing up in Canada we didn't have frats, or college sports so it is interesting traveling into the college towns.

When I got to Roanoke, I discovered that Virginia Tech is located in the neighboring Montgomery County. It has opened a higher education center in downtown Roanoke in cooperation with other colleges and universities, and the Virginia Tech Foundation owns the Hotel Roanoke. Virginia Tech is also opening a new medical school in South Roanoke in cooperation with Carilion Clinic, the regional non-profit health care organization based in Roanoke.

What does is all mean? A lot of cheap eats that are pretty darn cool! The downtown area of this city is very nice and lined with restaurants and bars. Everything is within walking distance and I was able to easily cruise the scene to find a place to eat that met my needs for the night. Many of the places offer live music as well, so there is sure to be something to meet everyone's taste.

My needs were casual, seafood, and an environment with some televisions to catch the game. The stand out was Awful Arthurs Seafood Company.

There seems to be a special every night of the week. I chose the 2 for 1 on Bayside Oysters. They were okay, but do not expect the big, beautiful Gulf Oysters. These were smaller but still pretty good. I don't think I would order them again, rather I'd opt for the crab cakes next time. I think I was a little jaded having been in New Orleans the week before (good oysters there, despite what's on the news courtesy of BP).

Following the appetizer, I reviewed the dinner menu. Don't be afraid to look - this blog entry and their pictures are calorie free. Tell me the menu does not sound just delicious?!

It was such a tough choice - everything on that menu sounds amazing. In the end I settled for the Chicken Arturo –Claw crabmeat and brie cheese stuffed in a baked chicken breast, topped with a mushroom and sherry cream sauce.




It was pretty good. The hush puppies are fried to perfection and moist inside making them a nice little side to the meal. The seasoned snap peas tasted good but were a little soggy. They lack the crispness that I would have enjoyed a little more. The main event? Chicken or crab? It was a tough choice and I think I would have enjoyed a little more crab with the dish but nevertheless it was decent. The only other issue was the amount of mashed potatoes, very nice but too much relative to the portions of the other items on the dish.

I think I would go back. A cheap eat in a cool town where you can grab a beer and decent meal while watching the game. No white table cloth or sommelier here folks!

I have been meaning to write this one for some time. Given my background, Indian food is near and dear to my heart and my stomach. I have eaten a lot of great stuff but in the end it is the equivalent of comfort food for me, especially if it's from my mom! This being said let me tell you about the best Indian restaurant on the east coast. Call it destiny but across the street from my hotel was the sign for Anokha (means unique in Hindi). I did not bother reading reviews or looking up info on the restaurant, I was at a starbucks close by and said I have to go there when I am done my day.

I headed over and to my surprise was in one of the coolest and posh looking Indian restaurants I have seen. Most of the time these places are pretty low key, in low rent strip malls with names like india palace or my all time favorite name the Taj or some thing like that. This place boasts white table cloth, deep pastel colors you would see at an Indian wedding, married by hip urban style that you see in the decor and art in the establishment, not to mention the cool lounge music in the background. I was greeted by whom I found out later was the owner of the place along side his wife and the chef his brother and law. The menu is diverse and has cuisines representing the various parts of india. This means a lot of meats and tandoori dishes, but your typical veggie dishes.

Whenever I dine with people new to this cuisine I like to ask them some simple questions to help choose our dishes. What are your favorite vegetables and meats? From there I am able to rattle off some dishes that I think would fit everyones needs. In this instance cauliflower was on that list along with chicken. To get our palates ready we ordered some appetizers that were just simply fantastic.

We started with lightly fried cauliflower in spicy glaze with potatoes.



Next to sample the meats we tried their tandoori appetizers on a platter. It featured different marinades of chicken that had been grilled in the tandoor or clay oven. Most people seem to think that tandoori is a recipe. Like many of the world's great dishes this is actually a cooking method that has become synonymous with the food that is prepared. Put simply tandoori is a marinated meat cooked over an intense fire in a tandoor. A tandoor is a clay oven in which a hot fire is build. Marinated meats are lowered into the oven on long metal skewers and cooked in this smoky and extremely hot environment until done.



Onward to our main entrees where we went off one of the chefs recommendations which was the chicken tikka masala. Normally not something I would order as it is very touristy if you will, but the chef said this was the real deal and that it would not be like any other eaten before. How do you say no to that! I tell you what, it blew me away, what ever notion of this dish I had in the past went out the window. The sauce is what makes the dish, normally it is too creamy or yougurty, but this has just the right infusion on the above with spices and flavor to tie all the ingredients together. I could eat this stuff with a straw!




Next on the list traditional that is one of my favorites, the vindaloo. Traditional vindaloo's are from the south specifically Goa. It usually is one of the hottest dishes spice wise on the menu and typically served with chicken and or lamb. In this instance since we had one more lamb dish coming we opted to make those a veggie dish. The mixed array seen below was a great accompaniment with our naan bread from the tandoori oven as well.



Lastly we opted for another southern speciality called biryani. The spices and condiments used in biryani may include but are not limited to: ghee, peas, beans, cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, and garlic. So as you can imagine this is not your uncle bens rice. The flavors are kicking!





Hands down the best Indian restaurant I have eaten at across the eastern sea board. If you have something better let me know, I would love to try it out! On the other hand, if you are ever in the Richmond area this is the place to be for authentic Indian food with the look and feel of an upscale hip eatery!

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I have some catching up to do here on the last few weeks of travel. I did a multi city tour recently and started the week off in the big apple. There has been a place I have been wanting to try since seeing them on Throw down with Bobby Flay. Schnippers quality kitchen was featured in a sloppy Joe challenge against Bobby where the maestro of the kitchen Mr. Flay took the crown for his sloppy joes. For those of you who do not know what a sloppy joe is. Here is a definition for you. A sloppy joe is an American dish of ground beef, onions, sweetened tomato sauce or ketchup and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun

Well I wanted to check it out as the backlog associated to their restaurant sounded pretty interesting focusing on quality ingredients and good old home style cooking made to order at reasonable prices. I got there kind of late but had a chance to cruise their menu ahead of time. Here is a link:

http://www.schnippers.com/Schnippers_Lunch_Dinner.pdf

What I thought was interesting about the menu is that there was no sloppy Joe sandwich. There were some sides such as Mac and cheese and fries that can be accompanied by their famous sloppy stuff but no sandwich itself as they made in the show. I was a little pissed! Regardless a diverse menu, cool setting and friendly staff brought me back to ensuring that I fulfill my need for food! I asked the waitress her recommendations and fav dishes. She rattled it off and it became obvious she knew what she liked. Her choices included the grilled chicken sandwich on Italian bread and a side of the Mac and cheese with sloppy Joe, featured below.








I have to say, it was really good, the lady had some good taste, for my first time there I got a great sense as to what this place could offer. Bottom line for a quick meal and under 10 bucks, this is a great option to get good food fast! Check it out the next time you are in the city!


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I try to eat out only during the week, but I can't help sampling some home town favs as well. A place I have been frequenting for quite some time is a local Mexican chain here in the Georgia area called La Parrilla.

It's amazing how many Mexican restaurants there are all over the city. It speaks volumes to our want for the flavors south of the border. By no means am I an expert on what real Mexican food is supposed to be, but I can speak to what tastes good. This place is exactly that: REALLY GOOD.

I have not spent much time in Mexico but the food here has those bold flavors and spices you hear about. Cilantro, smoked peppers, cheesy goodness, jalepenos, garlic, onions...its all there. Here is a sample of some of the items ordered of the menu on Saturday for lunch.

On this trip (okay, fine, on all of our trips to La Parrilla), we started with the Cheese Dip. The large bowl will easily be enough for two, but let this serve as a warning that it is addictive! It comes with or without diced, pickled jalapenos, however I always request freshly chopped jalapenos that they bring on the side to add a nice, fresh crunch.

Next we ordered the Chicken Fajitas which have seasoned chicken with cheese, green peppers, mushroom and onions and are accompanied by rice, refried beans and some other garnishes like gaucomole, sour cream and salsa. As you can see, the portions are huge although they do have a Monday - Friday lunch menu/portions but the full entree portions make for great leftovers.

We also ordered from their veggie menu and got a combo which included a potato enchilada and cheese enchilda with mexican rice. I topped it all off with a carne asada taco as a little extra. I can't help it! Had to sample as much as I could for the blog! The red sauce that smothers the enchilada is delicious. The potato enchilda is something I have not had before but a great alternative to those looking for a veggie meal. My wife has sampled their spinach enchiladas and really enjoyed them in the past. The chesse at this place is great. I need to confirm, but I swear the last time we asked we were told it had mozzarella in it, among others. I know doesn't sound right but thats what she said.

Been coming here a while and have to say the only negative experience I have had on the menu are the fish tacos. However, other then that item everything else is crazy good and the staff very nice, making sure you get a tast of Mexican hospitality!

Red Fish Grill

I'll just say it - I'm not a big fan of the Quarter. However, my hotel last week was nearby so it drew me in. I didn't feel like driving anywhere for food so I took a walk and headed into a restaurant that I have heard good things about.

Red Fish Grill has a good reputation and offers a nice bar area for casual dining and for the more refined a more polished seating area with white table cloths. Being solo on the road, I opted for the bar to watch a little of the college world series and grab some grub.

I started with an interesting dish called Dueling Red Meats. It is an amazing array of sashimi tuna and filet. The filet is sliced thin and wrapped around the sashimi creating a nice combo of layers I wouldn't imagine together. Here is a picture:



The accompanying sauces were a horseradish blend that was not very spicy, and the green sauce seemed to be a diluted purée of fresh herbs. It was a good start to the experience.

For the main entree I tried the Blackened Red Fish. It was on a bed of parsnip purée that looked and tasted like creamy mashed potato with a side of fresh green beans and potato crisps on top. They called them fries, however they aren't what I think of as French Fries. Here is a picture:


The dish was awesome and cooked perfectly. The blackened crust adds a little bit of crunch and is seasoned to perfection to compliment the other flavors on the dish.

Red Fish is light and flaky and to me ranks right up there with the halibut, and haddock. I am not sure if this is their signature dish but it's the most ordered entree according to the staff. I recommend the bbq'd oysters as well. They would make for a great appetizer for a group of people.

When in New Orleans, bread pudding is a must. Such a classic dish and they have perfected it in New Orleans. The Red Fish Grill has their own great spin on this dish - The Double Chocolate Bread Pudding. It takes a little while to prep so order it early - it comes out piping hot. The bread is chocolate goodness. Then it comes equipped with two toppings of chocolate sauce, white and dark. Drizzle on both and enjoy! It is fantastic and I could easily have it for breakfast lunch and dinner.



If you are in the area, stop by and at the very least eat the bread pudding, my fav dish!

Hi there,

Sorry for the absence the last few days. With the close of my fiscal quarter I needed to take care of some business to ensure we have great places to eat at coming up here in Q3.

Last week I happened to be in an amazing city when it comes to food. New Orleans is such a diverse and resilient city. It overcame adversity of all kinds with Hurricane Katrina and now the oil spill. Yet the people fight on and welcome tourists by the droves to enjoy the Cajun and Creole cooking, boasting some of the best restaurants in the USA.

Gulf oysters are just amazing. They have a certain taste that is distinct, not too salty and just sweet enough. Because of the spill many restaurants have had to add a surcharge to their dishes to support the inflated costs of procuring these delights now that the waters have become very limited for the fishing industry.

In the face of adversity, one place that has the best is Drago's. Not only can you enjoy them in the raw but this place was the first to char grill the oysters. Have a look.




I didn't think there was another way to eat these other then raw, with a little horseradish and shrimp cocktail sauce. Man, was I wrong! This is a little piece of heaven on a plate. The seasonings and creamy cheese all get rolled up into the smoky charred flavors of the grill. I could easily eat a few dozen of these without blinking. The menu is actually pretty big and has a lot of seafood offerings that are very tempting. Regardless, the oysters take the starring role. Put this on your list of places to visit!

The last week I actually got stay in Georgia which was a nice, welcome break from the daily grind of travel. I'm hoping to visit some great spots this coming week as I head out to New York and New Orleans. Please be sure to check back and as always I welcome suggestions.

Tonight we went out for dinner at an amazing restaurant right here in good ole Kennesaw. It's called Penang...that's right not exactly southern comfort food! Well, let me tell you: It may not southern but it is all about comfort and boasts an eclectic menu featuring the best Malaysian-style cooking one could have. What exactly is Malaysian? To me it is the best combo of Indian, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese styles of cooking and flavors. Here is a link to the website and the menu.

http://www.penangusa.com/location_uws_menu_in.html

When you hit the site you will see a variety of locations and while the Georgia location is not on the site their menu is identical. Not sure how the food tastes at the other locations but here in Kennesaw it is nothing short of fantastic.

We were greeted by the nicest folks welcoming us as if into their home. All the staff there are friendly and willing to help out with narrowing the broad menu selection. We decided to start with the Roti Canai, which are Crispy Indian-style pancakes with curry chicken dipping sauce. This stuff is a bowl of curry goodness...the roti is flaky and buttery, and dipping it into the curry is the perfect compliment of flavors and textures. We were mopping up the bowl trying to get every last drop! Here is a picture:



Once our palates were ready we wanted them to bring on the onslaught of spices and flavors. We tried a variety of items to get a sense of what they could offer. Our main entrees included the following: boneless curry chicken, pad Thai with chicken, sizzling beef plate, and veggie fried rice. Here are pics of all the delights:









Now those of you who know me understand that I like to keep it simple. So am I not going to do the foo foo detailed explanation of each dish. Here is what you need to know: The food is out of this world. Everything above is amazing. If you don't like it I think your IQ is in question. After sampling each I had strong desire to get up and hug all of the staff to thank them for such an amazing meal!

If you are local, make the trip out to this place, you will not be disappointed!


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The weekend for me usually means a lot of lying around and catching up from a busy week by spending time at home with wifey and the puppy. Recently, she went out with her girlfriends and raved about a place called Fresh to Order. I checked out their website, but wasn't overly impressed. Sometimes, though, you have to go with the recommendations of other...especially if it comes from your wife.

So, we took off on Saturday afternoon headed to the Cumberland Mall location. It's a cool little joint that has a simple menu of refreshing salads and paninis. They also have main entrees that they call long plates. CLICK HERE to view the menu.

While something like a slightly fancier version of Panera, it does not have as diverse a menu. What they serve, though, seems to be good and Fresh to Order. I chose a veggie panini that had Grilled Zucchini, Grilled Onions, Kalamata Tapenade, Avocado, Grilled Squash, Feta Cheese, with a Balsamic Vinaigrette. Here is a picture:






It was pretty good - the combo of veggies with the grilled ciabatta was perfect. The portion sizes were decent and one sandwich is definitely enough to fill up the hunger tank. My wife had a half sandwich/half soup combo. The tomato bisque was decent. It was creamy and sweet using good ingredients to create a simple, delicious cup of soup. Her sandwich was the Asian Chicken Crunch; Almond Rosemary Crusted Chicken, Ginger Apricot Slaw, Avocado Aioli. Here is a pic:





Overall a really decent place, for the price you can't go wrong. It is one of the best choices fir a quick, healthy meal!

Location:Liberty View Ct,Acworth,United States

http://www.talkofthetownrestaurants.com/moonfish_menu.html

Wrapping up a nice week in Florida. Met with some great customers and they all gave me some options for dining in Orlando that were rat-free! I ended up heading to a place called Moon Fish which is known for their seafood! I was accompanied by two customers and we were ready for a nice meal, I will post pics a little later, but you can use the link above to the menu.

We started with the sushi appetizer that was made up of a King Crab California roll, a Spicy Tuna tartare, a Super Crunchy roll with crab and smoked salmon that was lightly fried in panko bread crumbs. Following this we each had house salads that were nothing special but was made just right and had warm bread with nice soft butter that came along with it.

And now on to the main course. It was hard enough to choose from the expansive menu but then the daily specials threw me for a loop. Ever been in a situation where you spend so much time figuring out what you want and then bam the specials come out and just make you second guess your original selection?! My selection was a Chilean sea bass encrusted in lobster mousse sitting on a bed of schezuan sting beans in a soy sauce glaze. It was pretty fantastic. The lobster mousse was broiled on top to give it a nice crust while the sea bass was tender and absolutely delicious.

Moon Fish is a great restaurant with a diverse menu for anyone's tastes. With steak, sushi or seafood you can take your pick! I will definitely return and I'm looking forward to the next trip out there

I am very lucky to travel into some really cool cities like Miami. It is such a melting pot of cultures that blends right on over on to your plate during every meal. The heavy Cuban influence adds the Latin and Caribbean flare to meals. The city is also a playground for the international community, you rarely hear anyone speaking English in the streets! French, German, eastern European visitors have spurred a scene that in my mind has changed over the last few years to a more sophisticated crowd with just as distinguished tastes for food.

Or so I thought! Yes the scene is cool, the people beautiful, I met up with a good friend from Germany and was expecting to head out to a nice meal, maybe nobu? Nooooo. When we discussed where to eat Cuban food came up! Just as I was going to ask for recommendations, a cab was ordered and we were on our way to Mango's! Oh boy.

Like any restaurants on the drive they hock menus at you try and get you in the door with their specials and prime beach side seating. Mango's is definitely a main stay on the strip. The food is ok, it's really just glorified bar food with hints of the Latin flavors.

I had the shrimp Al ajillo pictured below. It's description is a traditional Spanish dish with shrimp, in garlic wine sauce, with plantains lightly fried and rice and black beans. Like I said wasn't that bad but certainly did not scream Latin/Cuban to me. Oh well good friends, drinks food, a good time was had by all and my German friend was happy, that's all that matters!

Well, just about bed time and gettin' ready for travels this week to Miami and Orlando. What's funny is that as I am getting ready for bed I am sitting here watching the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" and "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" (profiles celeb chefs' fav places to eat). Nothing has come up in the areas where I am headed. There should be no shortage of places in Miami so I am looking forward to trying something new and exciting there. As for Orlando, it is so touristy that I don't think I've ever had a memorable meal there. I am always open to suggestions so please feel free to help me out if you know of any must-eat places.

Regardless, I should find something note worthy. Talk soon.

http://www.marlowstavern.com/


It has been a really long time but I gotta get better at this - I feel it is an injustice to not write about all the places I get to eat at during my busy weeks traveling. From now on...one entry every day while I am on the road. This is my commitment to you!

Today was Marlow's Tavern in Kennesaw, GA. We have eaten here before but couldn't remember if it was good or bad. Forgettable? Well, we decided to find out. To my surprise it was really nice. I like the decor and feel of the place. It brings a modern edge to the tavern with an upscale look and feel but not upscale prices.

We started with a tavern fav - homemade Kettle Chips topped with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce and a nice little tomato salsa. Chips were piping hot and salted just right so as not to be overly salty.

Wife had a chicken queso soup with tortilla strips. It was very close to a chicken tortilla soup, the portion size was just right and the flavors were fantastic! Creamy with right hint of heat. I had the blackened tilipia fish tacos. Not bad, but not great either. The fish was great, although, I would like to see a meatier white fish like cod, or mahi mahi. They topped it with lettuce, but for a true fish taco, it should be garnished with a cabbage slaw. There was a chile sauce that added some nice flavors and I also requested some sriracha sauce which really hit the spot!



A quick lunch but I liked it. A definite spot I would return to with friends to grab some grub and catch the game on one of their many flat screen TV and cool bar.

Since my husband, The Eating Executive, does more executive things lately and less in the way of eating - or at least less blogging about eating, I've decided to hijack this blog.

I met a girlfriend and her sister tonight a few miles from home at a tapas bar but I don't really have much in the way of positive remarks.

I should first say that I'm not ordinarily the biggest fan of tapas or small plates. The moment I hit my stride and find something I love, I look down and the plate is empty. Not good. As a result, I wasn't expecting much from The Cave Tapas Bar in Kennesaw, GA and they didn't exceed my expectations. At all. In any way.

First, they dropped off our menus - those vinyl tri-fold menus. Problem was, they forgot to slip the actual paper menus into them. Stellar. After getting the waiter's attention and requesting menus with actual typeprint explaining their offerings, we asked to order an appetizer to start and then a few plates to share. The waiter told us just to hold onto the menu and order as we wanted the food. Wuuuh?? Just space it out, dude!

While we were waiting for the first thing we ordered (since they couldn't manage the timing themselves), we ordered a bottle of wine. We were told that they had to run next door to buy a bottle of wine at the liquor store (classy) only to discover they purchased the wrong bottle. We then ordered an alternative only to discover they didn't have that one, either. To their credit, they offered us a more expensive bottle at the price of our second choice. Yay for that. That's all I have to "yay" about.

We ordered a salami & cheese plate, wings, sliders and green beans. Nothing was downright bad and the wings were pretty good for a joint that doesn't specialize in wings, but nothing was outstanding. The sliders had more bun than "stuff." The salami & cheese plate was very amateurish. The beans were true to their garlic-n-parmesan description but were a smidge shy of gourmet.

Atmosphere: Dark, rustic
Cleanliness: Clean, not smoky, bathrooms were clean
Food: Mediocre
Service: Awful
Overall: Don't bother