Archive for Restaurant Review

Back before I met Danny DeVito and even before I attended the Wicked Wine and Brewfest, I was in Vermont with friends on Labor Day.  Our normal tradition would be to visit the Woodstock Inn Brewery and enjoy food and beer, but this year we were in Vermont and decided to hit up Long Trail for something different.

I had been to Long Trail a few years earlier, and it was nice to return.  The ride up Route 4 to Bridgewater Corners was a scenic one, and the weather was great to boot.  We arrived at Long Trail and noticed a long wait. This was due to the fact that kitchen couldn’t handle the large crowds, so if you wanted a beer that was cool but if food was in your future you’d be waiting.  We waited. Read the rest of this entry »

Driving into Washington, DC on a Friday evening that was filled with downpours, it seemed dubious that the evening would lend itself to walking to dinner.  However, after settling into our hotel and dressing for an evening on the town, the showers diminished to a drizzle and with an umbrella in hand, we headed out.

With our hotel located literally steps from Dupont Circle, we knew we would find a great dining destination quickly.  Approximately halfway around the circle, we saw Circa, which was one of the restaurants recommended by our concierge.  It seemed quite popular, as it was standing room only.  However, the hostesses were pleasant and organized, which made the wait feel painless.  With not a bit of room at the bar, we waited in the foyer for a table and were seated in little time considering the crowd.

Given a table on the covered patio, we were able to enjoy the slight breeze and view of the circle.  Although we did enjoy dinner at this restaurant, the highlight for both my husband and me were our cocktails.  With a menu of Signature Cocktails that had many fruit-based drinks, it was a torturous  menu for me.  Torturous in that there were so many drinks that I wouldn’t be able to sample!

I had my husband order first, so that I could have 10 more seconds to decide.  Luckily he chose one of the drinks I was contemplating, which meant I’d get to sample at least two from their list.  The Berry Smash was made with vanilla vodka, homemade turbinado simple syrup and freshly muddled berries.  He loved the flavors in this drink, which were a nice combination of sweet vanilla and berries.  For me, it was a pinch sweeter than I like, but a fine summer cocktail nonetheless.

I still was debating the benefits of two drinks, so I asked our waitress for her preference between the Organic Pomegranate Martini and the Pear Martini.  She said that she liked the flavors in the latter option, and with that my order was placed.  This concoction of pear and cinnamon-infused Stoli vodka with pear purée was delicious.  Served warm, you might think you were consuming a liquid pear pie.  Although the  purée made the drink a little heavier than I typically enjoy, with its light flavors it was a wonderful libation.

Although it would be an eight to ten hour drive to return to Circa, it might be worth it.  There are quite a few cocktails on that menu that I still would love to sample.  Maybe it’s time to plan another road trip for my husband and me!

We have had a crummy start to summer- far too many rainy days with temperatures hovering in the 60s.  With weather like that, we have spent many days inside, drinking coffee with a kick, and reminiscing about summer days in which we complained about it being too hot and humid. Read the rest of this entry »

This past weekend, my husband and I were in Delaware with two of our children.  As we aren’t regular visitors to Wilmington, we asked our concierge for dining advice.  His suggestion was Washington Street Ale House.  What great advice!

Although I praised our dining experience on Tasty Thoughts, I thought their cocktails were worthy of a separate article.  And from a glance at their lounge area, it seems that many locals would agree.  At 7:00 on a Friday night, that part of the restaurant was packed with the shirt and tie crowd.

As the bar seemed vastly popular and the drink special menu was enticing, I decided to order the Ale House Cosmo.  From its description it was perfect for me:  pineapple vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime.

My drink was served in a patron-friendly manner.  About a third of the drink had been poured into a martini glass for my sipping pleasure.  The remaining portion of the drink was in a petite carafe atop a dish of ice.  With so many martinis served in a glass filled to the rim, it can be difficult to take the first sip or two without spilling.  Not a problem with this presentation method!  Plus, every sip of my drink would be ice cold.

Taking my first sip, I knew I had chosen an excellent drink.  The pineapple vodka and triple sec provided sweetness, while the cranberry juice and lime offered a nice contrast of bitterness.  Together, the ingredients created a drink that was light, fruity, and full of flavor.

The next time we are in Wilmington, I know where I will plan on going for dinner and a drink.

While on our honeymoon, my husband and I kept a much different schedule.  We ate huge breakfasts, filled our days with a variety of outdoor activities, and searched for unique restaurants at night.  We stayed at three different hotels during our trip, and at each hotel we took one day as a completely relaxing day, which included an afternoon cocktail.

At the first hotel, the Grand Hyatt in Kauai, we spent an afternoon lounging by the pools.  In the middle of the pool area there was Captain’s Bar, which served beverages and lighter fare.  Totally relaxed on a lounge chair under the bright Hawaiian sun, I was treated to the delivery of a pina colada by my husband.  For himself, he had gotten a strawberry daiquiri.  These drinks were weak on alcohol and heavy on price, but were cooling drinks on a hot September afternoon.

Our second hotel was the Hyatt Regency in Maui.  Here there were two pools connected by a man-made cave.  After an hour in the mid-afternoon sun, it got pretty hot, so we hopped into the pool for a swim.  After a trip down the 150 foot waterslide, it was time to get a drink.  Grotto Bar was the most interesting bar we visited, as it was situated inside the cave.  We swam up to the edge, placed an order, and had a drink while still in the pool.  Here the drinks were pricey again, but these were better made.  Being in Hawaii, we enjoyed a round of pina coladas again.

The last location for our vacation was the Hotel Hana-Maui.  At this hotel, we chose to spend our relaxing afternoon playing several holes of putt and pitch golf and relaxing in the jacuzzi and sauna.  After these laid back events, we headed to Paniolo Lounge.  Again we opted to order frozen drinks, which were the tastiest and least expensive of the three hotels.

On a vacation for two, it was fun to spend a few afternoons relaxing and enjoying frozen drinks.  If you are in any of these areas of Hawaii, I would recommend a drink at Grotto Bar for the atmosphere or at Paniolo Lounge for the drink itself, but I would skip the drink at the Captain’s Bar.