Just a block or two from where I was staying in Rome, the Hotel Teatro di Pompeo, I spent a couple of hours developing a voracious appetite by strolling through the fantastic farmers market in the Campo de’Fiori. Endless forms of pasta, bottles of limoncello, and the freshest eggplant, tomatoes, strawberries, and olives I’ve ever seen provided visual stimulation for my salivary glands, encouraging thoughts of dinner. The aromas from the cheese stand made me want to change careers and become a fromager, and a generous free tasting of all kinds of spreads, from sage to walnuts with mushrooms to sweet red pepper, prompted me to start searching for the nearest place to dine. The restaurants all around the campo looked appealing but a little touristy, so I exited the square directly into the adjacent little Piazza del Biscione, where I stumbled upon Ristorante da Pancrazio—home of fantastic food, on the site of one of the world’s most infamous assassinations. Read more >
Category Archives: Restaurants
Savor the Flavors of the Best Restaurant in Niagara Falls, New York
After a day wandering around both the American and Canadian sides of the Niagara River, crossing the Rainbow Bridge between the two countries by foot and soaking in one perfect view of Niagara Falls after another, I had generated quite an appetite. Back on the New York side, just a couple of blocks from Niagara Falls State Park and all the activity surrounding one of the world’s top five waterfalls, I fortuitously happened upon Savor, the fine-dining restaurant of the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute. Read more about the best meal possible in Niagara Falls >
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Comfort Food at Its Best at Omaha’s Twisted Fork
I had already found, somewhat miraculously, a fantastic upscale seafood restaurant in the heart of cow country in Omaha, Nebraska. But now I was feeling a bit more carnivorous, with a yen for beef and something self-indulgent that would never be approved by a personal trainer or a nutritionist or a cardiologist. But treats like that are what vacations are for, and the Twisted Fork delivers in every way. Read more >
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The Sweetest Restaurant in Buffalo, New York
After a two-mile late-afternoon walk down historic Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, New York, lined with tremendous mansions and noteworthy churches from the city’s heyday, the weather suddenly turned dark, blustery, and chilly. Almost before I began searching for a warm place for dinner, I saw the signage for The Chocolate Bar, the sweetest restaurant in the city. Who could resist that? Read more >
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Fine Dining on the Beach in Grand Cayman
Every night, after a late afternoon swim in the Caribbean Sea and yet another glorious sunset, I would walk past the beachfront Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa on my way back to my hotel across the street and note the very satisfied customers enjoying dinner at the hotel’s Beach House restaurant. On my last night in Grand Cayman, I decided to be one of them. Read more >
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East Meets West at Khazana in Edmonton, Alberta
My third gray, drizzly, chilly day in Edmonton, Alberta, took a delightfully warm and colorful turn when I opened the door to Khazana. Consistently ranked as one of the best Indian restaurants in Alberta’s capital, Khazana (which means “treasure”) captures the timeless spirit of India through both its décor that combines traditional and modern and its outstanding menu of the finest the subcontinent has to offer. Bolstered by polite and flawless service, this fine-dining establishment creates a culinary experience of unmatched authenticity. Read more >
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Indulging in a Dutch Tradition at The Pancake Bakery
All around Amsterdam, I had been noticing a formidable number of restaurants touting their pancake menus. I didn’t realize what all the fuss was until I read up a bit on this traditional Dutch mainstay, and then I was intrigued when I learned just how creative pancakes can get in the Netherlands. They’re not your typical grilled batter with maybe some blueberries or chocolate chips thrown in. At The Pancake Bakery, a menu of 79 different types will make you completely reevaluate your notion of what a pancake can be. Read more >
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More Than the Goddess of Wisdom: Minervas in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Since it opened nearly 40 years ago, Minervas has expanded to 10 locations in the upper Midwest. But its original venue in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is still the most elegant. I came upon it by accident, while I was roaming around the downtown area and admiring the artwork of the annual SculptureWalk dotting the sidewalks. The unassuming brick building featured an outdoor seating area of about a dozen tables protected from the street by globular planters overflowing with pink and yellow flowers and occupied by happy diners enjoying both their meals and the view of the historic 90-year-old State Theatre across the street. That — and the tantalizing menu under glass — was more than enough for me to step inside for dinner. Read more >
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Great Food and Unexpected Entertainment in a Downtown DC Restaurant
Without a reservation, I struck out twice in a row in my search for somewhere to have dinner in downtown Washington, D.C., which seemed to be lacking in options for anyone who’s near the National Mall after 5 p.m. or on the weekend, so the ones that do exist are packed. Eventually, I wandered into the only McCormick & Schmick’s location in the District of Columbia. This national chain of seafood and steak restaurants stretches from California to Massachusetts, but the one in D.C. seems like it would be unique among 60 locations, based solely on its location in the epicenter of American politics. Neither the food nor my fellow diners disappointed, as I enjoyed one of my most tasty and entertaining dinners in the national capital. Read more >
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Fish in a Sea of Steakhouses at Plank Seafood Provisions
A fine seafood restaurant dead center in America’s heartland, nowhere near the Great Lakes, seemed, perhaps, not the best choice for dinner. But the recommendations I had been receiving from everyone around town — the staff at my hotel, the saleslady at the art gallery, the masseuse at the day spa — were uniform in their zeal. So, putting aside the ribs and steak knives for a night, I enjoyed a fantastic meal at Plank Seafood Provisions, one of the top seafood restaurants in Omaha, Nebraska. Read more >
Stephen Travels 