A short day trip out of Rome took me to Tivoli, a smaller city of around 55,000 people about 25 miles northeast of the Italian capital. I traveled here specifically to see Villa d’Este, a 16th-century palace famed for the gardens and 51 fountains that spill down the hillside behind it. A full morning spent admiring the villa’s frescoes and climbing up and down some steep paths and staircases to appreciate the property had stirred my appetite. On my way back to the train station, I hunted for a spot for lunch where I could soak in the aura of this place. I found it perfectly captured at Ristorante L’Angolino di Mirko. Read more >
Category Archives: Restaurants
The French Food Connection in Washington, D.C.
Not far from my hotel in Washington, D.C., and conveniently located just a block from the Metro station I was using on a regular basis, Café Soleil was the restaurant I kept passing by on my way elsewhere. Finally, after a week of exploring the American capital, including some of the city’s best churches and the fantastic interior of the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, I skirted around the restaurant’s flowerboxes and wrought-iron fence under the red awning and entered a heavenly petite slice of France. Read more >
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All Things Irish in Washington, D.C.’s The Dubliner Restaurant
On St. Patrick’s Day, when Irish folk celebrate this revered saint and everyone else is invited to wear something green and be Irish for the day, you could head to the Emerald Isle to explore Dublin’s top attractions, hike around Killarney National Park, or visit the country’s most beautiful churches. If your plans preclude that, you can still partake in the revelry by attending a parade or popping into an authentic Irish pub or restaurant in your hometown. And one of the places that does it best — right down to the music and the accents — is The Dubliner Restaurant and Pub in Washington, D.C. Read more about it >
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Valletta’s Ambrosia Lives Up to Expectations of Its Name’s Connotations
I had spent a full week in Malta, that small Mediterranean island nation with a fascinating history, alluring beaches and architecture, and, very importantly, an outstanding, complex cuisine, served with aplomb at such stellar restaurants as Legligin Wine Bar, Palazzo Preca, and Capistrano. For my last night here, I headed to Ambrosia in the capital, Valletta. I figured that a restaurant named for the food of the Greek gods, with the promise of conferring longevity or immortality upon whoever partook of it, had to be good. And, to no surprise, it did not disappoint. Read more >
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Opa! It Will Be All Greek to You at Poros in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Given the diversity of dining options in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — Polish, Thai, German, Peruvian, Italian, and so on — deciding on where to have dinner becomes a perplexing, but pleasant, problem. And strolling around the weekly farmers market in landmark Market Square, when more than 30 vendors purvey a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, fresh-pressed juices, milk, cheese, honey, and breads, will certainly put you in a gastronomic frame of mind. You can act immediately on that particular mental state without leaving the square by settling in for dinner at Poros, a stylish Greek estiatorio that’s a fine credit to its culture. Read more >
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Comfort Food in Council Bluffs, Iowa
After a stroll through Bayliss Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and a visit at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, I started to search for a spot for lunch, but none were forthcoming in this pleasant residential neighborhood. So, after a tour of the Historic General Dodge House, I asked the staff for a recommendation. Both ladies offered the same suggestion: Dixie Quick’s. Nothing fancy, they said, but high-quality food makes it a popular destination. They turned out to be quite right. Read more >
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A Singular Serving of Asian Cuisine in the Heart of New York State
The hemp and granola feel of Ithaca, New York, famous for its colleges, farmers market, outdoorsy predilections, and annual musical Porchfest, was in full swing, with plenty of plaid and skateboarders as well as a handlebar mustache or two. So I was more than a little surprised to stumble upon Mia Tapas Bar & Restaurant, an unexpectedly sophisticated pan-Asian restaurant in the heart of the city and one of Ithaca’s finest — and most creative — establishments. Read more >
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Authenticity Without Pretensions: Creole Serves Up Fantastic Food in St. Kitts
On another perfect Caribbean day in St. Kitts, I hopped in my rental car and headed out from my lodging, the wonderful Ottley’s Plantation Inn, and began the drive on the road that loops around the island, with Cockleshell Beach slated as my final destination. By the time I reached Frigate Bay, the first thought of lunch popped into my head. Two minutes later, I spotted the sign advertising authentic Caribbean and local cuisine at an unpretentious restaurant called Creole. It would turn out to be one of the best meals I had over the course of a week on this verdant island. Read more >
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Dine Like a Knight at Palazzo Preca in Valletta, Malta
When the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, more easily referred to as the Knights of St. John, arrived in Malta in 1530, they began a prolific 250-year rule, during which time they famously defended their new homeland against a three-month siege by the Turks in 1565, dealt a fatal blow to the Ottoman navy three months later, and built the city of Valletta, filling it with elaborate churches, grid-pattern streets, and sumptuous palaces as their homes. One of those 16th-century palaces has been converted into the Palazzo Preca Restaurant, where the exceptional food, wine, service, and atmosphere combine to form a truly memorable dining experience. Read more >
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Linger Over Casual Caribbean Fare at Ferdinand’s in Grand Cayman
I had already relished a fantastic dinner at Beach House, the more upscale of the two restaurants at the Westin hotel adjacent to Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. The next night, happily fatigued from a day of cycling and swimming, I decided to return to the more casual Ferdinand’s Caribbean Café, where an informal atmosphere negates the need to dress up and unhurried service accommodates your need to unwind and enjoy the view. Read more >
Stephen Travels 