Join the CD for the first in a two-part tour of Santa Barbara, California’s Urban Wine Trail, where we’ll visit three of Santa Barbara’s more refined tasting rooms. The crown jewel of the self-proclaimed American Riviera, Santa Barbara is part beach resort town, part college town, and increasingly, part wine town. The city’s Urban Wine…
Category: USA
San Francisco’s Kokkari: Incomparable Five-Star Greek food and ambiance
When I imagine the perfect setting for an upscale Greek meal – outside of Greece – I now will visualize Kokkari Estiatorio, an experience without equal on the U.S. West Coast. Its execution, ambiance, and service left virtually no room for critique during my recent visit. You know a restaurant experience is sublime when you…
Bouchon Bistro: The French Laundry’s more accessible sister pulls its weight
If you are a resident or visitor to San Francisco or New York, you’ve probably heard of Bouchon Bakery. If you are a foodie anywhere, you at least have a passing familiarity with the name The French Laundry. You might not pay much attention to its sister restaurant, Bouchon Bistro – unless, of course, you’ve…
Celadon: A garden spot for California cuisine in Napa, California
No trip to Napa County is complete without good wine and food. The area has an overwhelming selection of both, so how can one choose? I offer one suggestion for a great dinner of California-influenced global cuisine in a literal garden spot in the city of Napa: Celadon. My experience with Celadon came to be…
Willi’s Wine Bar: Sonoma’s little secret
Considering a visit to Sonoma’s Russian River Valley wineries? Make sure to stop into Willi’s Wine Bar for pretentious food -without the pretentious ambiance or price. Willi’s Wine Bar of Santa Rosa, California, embodies every quality that makes Sonoma County an attractive wine destination. It appears more laid back and relaxed, less pretentious and showy…
San Francisco’s Greens: A fine dining experience to excite vegetarians and surprise carnivores
Vegetarians are accustomed to limited options at fine restaurants. Yet San Francisco’s Greens has given generations of vegetarians (and their carnivorous friends!) living or visiting the Bay Area meatless, international farm to table experiences since 1979. If you are a vegetarian in the Americas or Europe, your restaurant dining options typically force you to choose…
The Capitol Hill Food Tour: Seeing Washington, DC in a new light
Having lived in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for over a decade, I thought I knew all the ins and out of the city – much less the food scene. A recent food tour proved me wrong about this multifaceted city. If you’ve followed my blog for awhile, you may recall I recently relocated to…
Mole triumphs at Salt Lake City’s Red Iguana
Who knew Salt Lake City was a destination for Mexican food, let alone the complex and elusive molé? The city known as the home of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (AKA Mormonism) and site of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games also happens to have a Mexican restaurant so known for its unique…
An après ski happy hour at Park City’s High West
Join me for an après ski happy hour at the restaurant and saloon of Utah’s beloved distillery. It is one not to miss! Park City is one of America’s best ski towns and also home of the Sundance Film Festival each spring. With predictable influxes of visitors from around the world, investment, restaurant and retail…
Trading Ski Boots For Elegant, Organic Cuisine at Vail’s Terra Bistro
After a cold day on the slopes, pizza and beer are an obvious apres ski choice. But for those in search of fine dining in Vail, Colorado, look no further than Terra Bistro. It’s easy to be skeptical when one’s hotel recommends a restaurant, and you find that practically everyone in your hotel ends…
The Culinary Diplomat 