Celebrity chef Todd English has a few places one of which is The Food Hall located in the basement of The Park Plaza hotel. Anticipate a wait if you walk in so try and make reservations. The name says it all, you have a choice fit for a king. Burgers, pizza, raw bar , sushi, you name it. My colleague describes it well "an upscale diner". The atmosphere is laid back,friendly.

You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The pickiest of eaters will find something.

This night for me was the Kobe beef burger with Kobe pastrami. Yeah that's right I did....

Finished up monster week in Chicago only to head to NYC. More walking, more eating although I really behaved in Chicago all week. Might as well splurge a little, since I will be spin doubles tomorrow at the gym.

My sister recommended The Food Hall at the Plaza Hotel. The menu looks crazy good, everything you can imagine literally like a Food Hall. Still waiting for a table hope to be seated soon.

Table was worth the 35 min wait, not bad on a Friday night. Check out the menu:

http://theplazafoodhall.com/pdf/fh_menu_compl.pdf

We munched down the baked oysters, sweet potato bisque, the ravioli and pastrami burger. My fav, the burger, man that was good.

I could have eaten at this place all night , raw bar, sushi, pizza, Asian flavors you name it they had it.

Well done Mr. English!

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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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.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.

Back home for the weekend and getting closer to March 12th when my friends come into town. I have been trying to scope out some places locally for us to chill and hang at. I have noticed that in the area there are 3 different establishments named "Sidelines Grill", and I've been wondering if they are a chain, but they look too different to be related to one another.

I did a little research on the web and found that only one of them really gets any attention online. Here is a link to the website:

http://www.sidelinesga.com/

Since its the only I managed to find any info on online, its the only one I am going to try out for now. It is located in a strip mall on Barret Parkway, a busy thoroughfare in Kennesaw, GA. When we walked in there were a couple of instant bursts to our senses. First it seems a lot of smokers come to this place - Georgia still allows smoking in its bars and some restaurants. Secondly, its definitely a sports bar as there are at least 40 flat screen TVs and one huge projection screen. I'm not a big fan of the smoking but luckily we were there for lunch so it wasn't too bad.

We were greeted promptly by our waitress, and started going through the menu. Here is a link to the menu:

http://www.sidelinesga.com/kenn_menu.html

The menu lists typical bar fare. There were some interesting items I was really curious about. The first one was the Black bean hummus. I am always skeptical of hummus at non-Middle Eastern places but for whatever reason I'm always compelled to order it, hoping for the best. When the dish came out it was served with veggies and warm pita. The verdict...REALLY GOOD!!! I was amazed that this dish was so good, not at all what I expected at a sports bar in Kennesaw. The black bean influence on the hummus was great, it also had a little kick with a hint of cayenne pepper. It was the perfect texture - creamy and smooth.

For entrees my wife ordered a French dip sandwich and I ordered the grouper sandwich. Both came out and were presented really well and looked delicious. I ordered the grouper blackened and asked for it to come with fresh home made chips. The fish was cooked well and on a nice size hoagie with lettuce, tomato, onions and tartar sauce. The chips were awesome! Freshly made, hot and crispy! I don't usually finish my entire entree but could not help it with this one! 30 minutes and that plate was clean! Wifey's sandwich looked great as well and she confirmed it as the beef was tender and seasoned well along with the au jus. Here is a picture of the grouper:



I wish there was no smoke in the place. That took away from the experience but for what it is worth, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of food and not just "for a bar" - it was great food regardless of the type of establishment. You can tell the chef in the back really enjoys putting out a decent plate for the hungry bar goer.

I am looking forward to a return trip.

Being in Orlando for so long had gotten to us a little so we decided to ask some of the staff at the resort where they eat before and after work. It was late in the evening and we decided to grab a snack and have a beer after a long day of work. The staff recommended local favorites including Miller's Ale House, a casual bar located just outside the Disney resort area.

After a $10 cab ride we found ourselves situated at a table in the bar surrounded by big screen TVs broadcasting various sporting events. Miller's Ale House is not fancy - just a good old-fashioned American tavern with a pretty expansive menu located here for your review. I didn't realize at the time that the place is a chain but as it turns out they have plenty of locations across the US.

Miller's is known for their Zingers, basically chicken fingers in a sauce of your choosing. For an appetizer, we ordered a round of Zingers with Mt. St. Helen's sauce which was supposed to be "dangerous" hot. Now, I grew up on spicy food so my palate can sometimes run a little more tolerant of spice than most, but I can honestly say this was just not spicy. The sauce gave the chicken fingers a nice coating of flavor but not much heat.

For the main course I ordered the blackened prime rib sandwich. I was a little skeptical after the mediocre appetizer but as the entree came out it looked really good.

Looks didn't disappoint - the meat was prime and cooked to perfection. My first bite took me by surprise (after the appetizer) as the sandwich was really good! The portion was huge so I only ate half of the sandwich. The au jus sauce was great- I could smell and taste all the flavors the prime rib had to offer. After a beer (really nice selection by the way), apps and a great sandwich we called it a night.

Again, nothing fancy about this place, including the price. Don't get suckered into the Zingers; they're really not worth the hype. Stick with the sandwiches which are on the cheap but have what you are looking for when it comes to taste! A drink, apps and prime rib sandwich set us back $25.00.

Still in Orlando and looking for a decent lunch without breaking the bank, I went to the Contemporary resort with co-workers looking to escape the trade show floor for a bite to eat.

The resort caters mostly to families. There are character breakfasts and lunches that feature Disney characters for kids during meal times and most diners pay a premium for these activities.

For the Eating Executive, I wasn't looking to dine with cartoon characters. Instead we found a restaurant called The Wave. For those of you who like to plan ahead, here is a link to the website with menu.

The Wave has pretty typical American cuisine with a modern flare. Portion sizes are decent and should fill most appetites. The decor is really nice with a very trendy bar/lounge featuring a blue-lit lounge playing up the "wave" theme. As an added benefit the restaurant is known for using only organic ingredients and is also defined as a "green" establishment making it eco-friendly.

Because it was lunch, I opted to order light. I went with the vegetarian sandwich made with grilled tofu, zucchini, eggplant, roasted red pepper, and herb goat cheese served on grain bread. My colleagues laughed at me as I'd more typically order heartier fare, but it sounded good and it did not disappoint.

I really enjoyed the sandwich. The texture and firmness of the tofu was just right giving it a little crunch and not feeling rubbery, as can be the case with tofu. The veggies were crisp and grilled nicely locking in all the flavors that were so perfectly released with every bite. The dish came accompanied with a papaya slaw that was really good as well.

Since we were on a tight schedule, we appreciated the prompt service that allowed us to eat well and get back to work all within an hour and within our budgets. A drink and entree cost $15.00 - a very reasonable price considering it is a Disney resort serving quality food.

Today for lunch my wife and I decided to try one of the restaurants near our home in Kennesaw, GA. I read about a cafe called The Boxcar; the menu looked simple with a good selection of sandwiches, wraps and salads.

The restaurant is located in historic downtown Kennesaw and has a very homey and comfortable setting. You can tell it is a place full of regulars as the wait staff pretty much knew everyone by name. Service is prompt and friendly and I was very excited to give the menu a try.

Despite all the great first impressions, we got off on the wrong foot. One of my biggest pet peeves is a restaurant that runs out of items listed on the menu. We wanted to start with the spinach and artichoke dip, but..."we ran out"...ouch, not good. We decided to order the Mushroom Quesadilla for an appetizer instead.

On to ordering the main course. My wife wanted the French Dip...again..."we have no roast beef"...how does a sandwich place run out of roast beef?

Instead, my wife ordered a chicken salad pita with chips and potato salad. I ordered a turkey melt on whole wheat with chips.

First came the Mushroom Quesadilla appetizer. It was cut into 4 pieces and accompanied with salsa and sour cream with a lettuce garnish. The quesadilla was filled with grilled mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The outside was crispy, cheese melted well but the mushrooms were just not that warm, at least for my liking. Regardless flavors worked well. The salsa was really ordinary and nothing special.

Next came the sandwiches. The turkey melt I ordered was great! Topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, mayo and cheddar cheese, the deli turkey tasted great and the portion of meat on my sandwich was just right.

My wife's chicken salad pita sandwich was not as good but I liked it. There were some elements of the sandwich that was not typical of chicken salad. A combination of pecans, apples, a little celery, and mayo made up the chicken salad, however it was served warm. I have never had warm chicken salad - not bad, but definitely unexpected. The pita was filled with lettuce and and cheddar cheese as well. Like I said it was a little unconventional but still okay. The meal came accompanied with my personal favorite item which was a mashed potato salad. Something I have never had but is apparently popular in the Tennessee area. It had just a hint of cayenne mixed in for a slight kick which made this a great little side item.

The Boxcar calls itself a cheesecake cafe, and sadly we did not try any! Gotta watch those calories. However, in the hour or so we were there a line of folks were waiting just for the cheesecake to take out, that has to be a good sign! Maybe next time.

Overall I like the place, we got off to a rough start with the missing menu items but the rest of our meal was good with the highlight being the mashed potato salad. The best part...PRICE! Appetizer, 2 soft drinks and 2 entrees totaled $22. Not a bad deal in my mind.

Check it out for a good inexpensive casual deli experience.

Here is a link to their blogspot: The Boxcar Cafe