Thanks to a recommendation from the staff at my hotel, I found my way to Stagecoach, just outside the heavily-touristed core of Sedona. It turned out to be the first good dinner in Arizona after four days of mediocrity around the Grand Canyon. With some pretty impressive plating, Stagecoach brings a sophisticated air to a county roadhouse—even if you’re sitting next to a mechanical bull. Read about it >
Tag Archives: dinner
Three Decades of Italian Excellence
I had my choice of dining options when I was staying in downtown Tempe, Arizona, all within walking distance from my lovely hotel, Tempe Mission Palms. The most convenient, and by far the best, turned out to be directly across the street. If I lived here, Caffe Boa, a combination Italian restaurant / wine bar, would definitely be my go-to place for dinner. Read about it >
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Dinner With a Mexican-Honduran Flair
Chela’s Latin Cuisine was ready for Halloween. Spiders climbed along the walls, cobwebs fluttered in the air being stirred by the air-conditioning, and skeletons saluted and waved to you (or beckoned you, if you’re in a darker mood). I had a feeling that any other holiday—or any regular day, for that matter—would be just as festive. A new addition to the downtown Tucson restaurant scene, Chela’s serves up a great Mexican-Honduran menu, served by some pleasantly chatty waiters. Read about it >
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¡Viva España!—in Belgium
Across the cobblestone street from a church completed in the 15th century and next to a Belgian chocolate shop, I headed to dinner during my second night in Brussels at the internationally recognized and lauded Hispania, an upscale Spanish restaurant with a fine pedigree, including the Michelin-star chef. There would be plenty of time for Belgian waffles, beer, chocolate, and other national specialties later on, but this night was all about Spain. Read about it >
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Italian Heart, Portuguese Soul
The name of Ris8tto, the restaurant across the street from my hotel in Porto, Portugal, Infante Sagres, intrigued me. I liked the “8” that replaced the middle “o,” playing on the Italian otto, for eight, and its similar sound to the final syllable of risotto. And, of course, I like risotto. So it seemed like a good choice for dinner. The handful of outdoor tables were filling up quickly, so it also seemed like lots of other people had the same thought. We were all correct. Read about it >
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A Lakeside Dinner in Dover, Delaware
From State Street Inn, my exceptional bed and breakfast in Dover, Delaware, I strolled through the Victorian Dover Historic District. Past Lakeside Cemetery, with an unsettling Hitchcockian number of black birds of prey perched on bare tree branches, I crossed over the adjacent placid Silver Lake. My destination was McGlynns Pub, my choice for this night’s dinner. A cool, slightly breezy evening drove everyone else inside, but I chose an outdoor table for its views of the lake and handsome waterfront houses, and the company of a forlorn injured Canada goose. Read about it >
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Dinner on the Most Photogenic Street in Gdansk, Poland
Only three blocks long, Ulica Mariacka, or St. Mary’s Street, is arguably the most charming street in Gdansk, Poland. It’s not undiscovered — during the day, tourists fill the cobblestone lane, attracted by a plethora of shops selling everything amber, from jewelry to sailing ship models. At night, however, the crowds thin and the pace slows, and you’re guaranteed to have a remarkable dinner at Literacka while soaking in the historic atmosphere. Read more >
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Something for Everyone at Haesje Claes in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
On a beautiful spring evening in Amsterdam, I spent some time strolling around a part of the city that I hadn’t seen yet during my weeklong stay here. After checking out Posthoornkerk (Post Horn Church), one of the top 10 churches in Amsterdam, and passing by the West-Indisch Huis (West India House), built in 1617 as a meat market and ultimately where the Dutch West India Company’s governors ordered the construction of a fort in Manhattan (the genesis of my hometown), I made my way to dinner at the hopping Haesje Claes, which simply does Dutch right. Read 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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San Chez Bistro: Stellar Spanish Tapas in Grand Rapids, Michigan
After the terrifically bizarre blatherskite stumbled out of Divani, the pleasant bar where I was enjoying a glass of Bowen’s Harbor semi-dry Riesling, produced in Michigan, I shared a good laugh over her antics with the bartender and the woman whose ear she had been chewing for a while. During the conversation that ensued, I broached the topic of restaurant recommendations here in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. They offered several suggestions, but the one that kept popping up was San Chez Bistro, only a couple of blocks away. Heeding their advice, I popped into San Chez the following night for dinner. And I’ve been recalling it fondly ever since. Read more >
Stephen Travels 