I’m not a pizza fanatic and generally order pasta or a salad when dining at a pizzeria with family or friends. Maybe it’s a result of too many mediocre pizzas in my youth; let’s face it, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Little Caesars aren’t exactly gourmet establishments. Or maybe it’s because I grew up in Memphis where barbecue reigns supreme—who knows?... Read More

As a supporter of the Mark Sandman Music Education Project based in Boston, I was invited to a fundraising concert commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Mark Sandman’s death.  (Sandman was best known as the lead singer and slide bass player of the band Morphine. He was a Boston music icon and was committed to providing children opportunities to grow through music.)  Another opportunity to explore Boston!

As everyone knows, two very important considerations while on the road are eating and sleeping.  Boston has... Read More

 

We polled our professional inspectors for their favorite places to celebrate Valentine’s Day . . . here's the top 14 picks along with their onsite observations and insider tips:

The Boheme, Orlando, Florida, Four Diamond Restaurant
While downtown movers and shakers can be spotted here during... Read More

In Memphis, barbecue borders on being a religion—a religion with legions of followers. Its disciples are many, and they worship at the multitude of barbecue joints that are the source of the tender, moist pulled pork and smoky ribs that are the city’s hallmark cuisine. Secret sauce recipes are sacred and closely guarded, not to be shared.

In the South—and Memphis is a Southern city, through and through—the word barbecue (or barbeque, bar-b-q or, in its simplest form, just BBQ) is a noun, not a verb. When someone in Memphis says, “Let’s get some... Read More

On a recent vacation to California Wine Country, my husband and I were driving through Alexander Valley, relishing the pastoral beauty of lush rolling hills dotted with grapevines, a scene worthy of a glossy magazine shoot. It was a quintessential California day, cool and sunny, and we were having fun poking around small towns and stopping by wineries to tour the grounds and taste the yield.

All of our “hard work” was making us a bit hungry, and we set our minds toward finding a worthy lunch spot. This was... Read More

As you know from some of my previous blogs, Charleston is a dining joy - Lowcountry buffets, waterfront discoveries, coconut cake utopia. As I worked my way through town, I sampled some mighty fine mac and cheese along with collard greens, corn bread and other savory Southern sides. But, it wasn’t until I ventured to Cru Cafe that I sampled the best mac and cheese ever, in my humble opinion.

It all started innocently enough. I had already received a couple of recommendations to dine at the spot, but... Read More

As people continue looking for ways to save money in this tight economy, sharing an entrée in restaurants is becoming more common. Splitting or sharing a plate can take on many different forms so proceed firmly but take caution.

Generally I don’t ask ‘if’ I can split the plate. Rather I inform the server, “We’re going to share” and see where it goes from there. I leave it up to them, it’s their opportunity to provide greater service, or not. Some of my split plate requests have been fulfilled by the server bringing, with great ceremony, an extra fork. On one occasion the server... Read More

 
Pungent fishy odors and decapitated roasted ducks displayed behind tarnished store windows will forever be associated with my childhood. When my family lived in Massachusetts, my Filipino mother and aunt, with me in tow, would regularly head to Boston’s Chinatown to stock up on Asian cooking supplies. The sight of butchered pigs’ feet and other cuts of meat atypical to some bring me right back to the good ole’ days—carefree weekends sweetened by Chinese bakery treats (sticky rice cakes, spongy buns and egg tarts, oh my!) and perfected by piled-high dim sum steamers.

To this day I’m a Read More

 
 Greetings, Mexican food lovers! I’m back with the second installment of what may well become an ongoing series: San Francisco taquería recommendations. During my November trip to the city I took the advice of www.burritoeater.com and visited seven of the establishments in their current Top 10 (which means there will be a third installment). This very authoritative site currently lists almost 170 reviews. That’s a lot of taquerías, which gives you an idea of just how popular they are in a city renowned for the number and variety of its... Read More

“A San Antonio institution.” Okay, when a restaurant bills itself that authoritatively, I’ve just got to call their bluff. It was a foregone conclusion I’d be checking out Mi Tierra on a recent trip to the city deep in the heart of Texas. I was also acting on a tip from Patty Cakes (that’s what it said on her name tag), a good ’ol Texas gal and greeter at the San Antonio airport. Her insider credentials were impeccable (years lived in San Antone: 40), and her attitude was as no-nonsense as her 10-gallon hat.

“Can you give me a Mexican restaurant recommendation?” “Yep. Mi Tierra. Get #8—it’s a lot of food and it’s good. And be sure you pick up some treats at the bakery next door.”

Point taken. I thanked Patty and resolved to have lunch at Mi Tierra that very afternoon.

If the definition of an institution includes age, Mi Tierra certainly qualifies—it’s been around since 1941, when Pete and Cruz Cortez opened a small cafe at the city market for farmers who were up and working before sunrise. And although it’s grown considerably since, this is still a family-run place. You can tell when you’re greeted with a smile, effusively shown to a table and hear the strolling mariachis strike up a song.

The word for the decor? Festive. It’s an explosion of color, with streamers and flags and tiny lights all dangling from the ceiling. Along with the rollicking mariachi music, it puts you right in the mood to have fun and chow down on some good Mexican.

Chips and salsa came out quickly. The chips were fresh and the salsa had a spicy kick. Thumbs up. Overall I would call the menu Tex-Mex, although there are plenty of authentic Mexican dishes like menudo, beef tripe stew that is a traditional hangover cure, and pork tamales topped with chili meat gravy. I decided on chicken flautas, or “flutes”—two crispy rolled corn tortillas filled with seasoned grilled chicken. The plate came with Spanish rice and refried beans and garnishes of guacamole and sour cream. It was standard Mexican fare but absolutely delicious, and I devoured every bit of it.

I have to mention the panadería, which is inside the restaurant. Mexican bakeries tend to offer different kinds of goodies than what you’ll find in American bakeries. Many items are only slightly sweet, like pan de huevo, egg bread lightly glazed with a sugar or coconut topping. The “Ricardo” is a crème-filled bun with a caramel-pecan topping. An empanada de camote is a turnover with a spiced sweet potato filling. Instead of chocolate confections, sweets run to candied fruit and lots of pink icing. After much perusing of the glass display case I settled on a simple cinnamon cookie, which turned out to be the right choice since it didn’t knock me into a sugar coma. 

My hat’s off to you, Ms. Cakes. Mi Tierra is a winner, and not just because it’s open 24 hours (a huge plus in my book). 

The AAA rated Two Diamond Mi Tierra Cafe y Panadería is in Market Square (between Commerce and Dolorosa streets), three blocks west of Main Plaza.