Archive for Restaurant Review

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.

With 4 nights on the West Side of Maui during our honeymoon, we were in the mood to relax and enjoy ourselves. Luckily, our hotel was situated along the beach path, so we had walking access to a great number of restaurants and bars. On our second night of this stay, we found our winner for martinis, Tropica.

We arrived at Tropica around 7:30, and I decided to do the choosing to start our evening. For myself, I ordered the Ocean Martini, which had Ocean Vodka and mango, among other ingredients.  For my husband, I ordered the Wasabi Sake Martini, which combined the flavors of wasabi, cucumber, sake, and lime. Both drinks were delicious, mine with a hint of sweetness and his with a strong taste of cucumber.

We had the benefit of live entertainment and enjoyed our drinks while listening to a variety of songs. (Though we did wonder if we were at a junior high dance when the musician began to play “Stairway to Heaven”.)

With the stars bright in the sky and no need to rush, we ordered a round of coffee drinks. My husband chose the Perfect Night, which had Bailey’s, Frangelico, and Amaretto. I ordered Hawaiian Coffee, a simple mix of coffee and macadamia nut liquor. Both drinks were served in goblets and topped with whipped cream. Although, both were tasty, I thought I received the better of the two drinks.

Our evening was made more enjoyable by the excellent service we received, from the congeniality of the hostess to the pleasantries exchanged with our waiter. Tropica was the best location along the beach walk for a cocktail, as it had all of requirements: good atmosphere, excellent service, and delicious beverages.

Obrycki’s is a Baltimore restaurant icon that was established in 1944 to serve great seafood in a low-key, blue-collar Baltimore style.

So when I was killing time waiting for a flight at BWI, I went in to see what I could find to drink.  And being near noon, but still morning, I decided the world called for a Bloody Mary.  Obrycki’s has its own spin on the Mary, and it is called the Crabby Mary.  I ordered a double and watched the bartender make it:

• 3 oz. of Absolut Peppar
• 2 oz. of Bloody Mary Mix
• Ice

The ingredients are shaken and then poured into a tumbler that has Obrycki’s Spicy Seafood mix on the rim.  The drink is garnished with a celery stalk.

It was the perfect late morning drink.

The Sidecar may be one of the oldest and most varied cocktails in the world.  The origins of the sidecar are murky, but it is considered to be one of the classic mixed drinks from the early part of the 20th century. It can have  brandy or cognac, orange liqueur, and some kind of citrus juice.

Well, at one of our favorite haunts, Michael Timothy’s in Nashua, NH, they just put a Classic Side Car in their new drink menu.  Last week, I tried one out.  It was listed to have the ingredients:

• Remy Martin VSOP
• Grand Marnier
• Sour Mix

Served over ice it makes a strong but flavorful cocktail.

Located on the bustling main street of Woodstock, New Hampshire, you are sure to find the Woodstock Inn and Brewery. On our usual Labor Day camping trip, we made a pilgrimage to the Inn for food and beverages. Besides great food, there is also great beer, and with a sampler option on the menu I opted for four brews from light to dark.

First up, we had the Loon Golden Ale, a dry and crisp beer. With a golden color and slight hop flavor this proved to be a good start to lunch.

Second was the Pemi Pale Ale. Normally, I don’t like pales and IPAs, but this ale was much smoother than most I’ve tried. Pales are a good way to break into IPAs with just enough bitter to keep your taste buds active.

Coming in third we had the Red Rack Ale. In the tradition of a Killian’s Irish, the Red Rack fairs better. With a little more bite than your average red ale, you could say the Woodstock Inn enjoys bitter beers. I too enjoy this ale.

Last but not least was the Old Man Oatmeal Stout. I like a good stout more often over a porter, and this stout was perfect. It was smooth with a hint of oatmeal flavor, some bitters for the back of your throat. This reminded me of the Espresso Porter from Keene’s Elm City Brewery. This was a good way to end off the sampler and lunch.

Another successful trip made better by good company, great food and fine beer. If you happen to be lost in moose country, I suggest stopping in for a Train Wreck Sandwich and a sampler. Happy trails.