And boy am I excited! Baltimore Restaurant Week (January 20-29) is here again and as always, serves as an opportunity to either experiment at new places or check out ones that are out of the budget otherwise.

This year I think I’ll opting for the former and going somewhere new and exciting to Charm City! One serious frontrunner is a new, charmingly elegant and quirky spot in Hampden, hon. Alchemy offers a wide array of gourmet cuisine that has an innate sense of comfort food cooked into the dish. 

Right on the Avenue of Hampden, Alchemy offers a great option for those looking for a bit more upscale than Cafe Hon and not quite as white table cloth as some. It’s effortlessly sophisticated environment is as welcoming as it is warm-think animal print chairs for dining (it would be remiss to exclude that in Hampden).

For starters, their crab bisque is one to try. Always a connoisseur of the crab, it was loaded with chunks of meat, a tiny touch of sherry, and fresh thyme decorating the dish. 

For a cold January day or night, this is a great starter to showcase Alchemy’s ability to take something that can be interpreted dozens of ways but done perfectly here. 

With a great selection of starters and lite fare, their flatbread choices mix together only the freshest and most creative combos that make for a fun way to kick off the meal.

Their flatbread chock full of Farmers Chevre, filled with caramelized onion, avocado, basil, and aged balsamic glaze was a healthy and tasty beginning. Only having a square (I at least made an attempt to save room for the main meal), the bread was crispy, the avocado perfectly ripe, and the onion a nice, sweet touch to a well rounded appetizer.

How fun is the presentation? Colorful and a nice balance of summer and winter in my opinion, it really resonated how Alchemy can take great food and combine them to make the perfect creation of the season. 

As for main meals, I had been told that one of the best burgers was found here. The bar was high and expectations were above and beyond exceeded. 

The Alchemy Burger has ground sirloin, tobacco onions (which I requested to hold), baby arugula, tomato, roasted garlic and red pepper aioli, all on a toasted Brioche with my choice of cheese (cheddar). 

I don’t know if it was the bun, the fresh sirloin, the sharp Cheddar, or the delicate flavors of the aioli that made this burger hit a home run in my book. I can’t tell you how challenging it is to decide what to get at Alchemy (from beautiful sounding salads, to fresh chicken and pork dishes to crab cakes)-but one can never go wrong with the Alchemy Burger.

As for dishes had by others, their Crab Mac & Cheese is the most delicate, subtle and delicious side dish one can have!

Rich flavors of baked mascarpone, jumbo ( I believe Colossal is the word they use) crab meat, and white cheddar mornay make it a great little dish to be split. I don’t think this could be a better comfort food to have in the cold winter months. Everything in it works well against each other and the crab takes what would otherwise be a rich and hearty mac & cheese and turns it into a delicacy.

Another dish ordered was their Scallops Provencal on Olive Toasty. While this is an appetizer, it easily makes for a filling lunch. Sea scallops, vine ripe tomatoes, olive relish, capers, cream and sweet vermouth make this dish.

Finally, another great Alchemy touch is the home made potato chips that accompany the burger.

Normally, I would just push aside any potato chips that come with my lunch in efforts to save calories. However, these were amazingly fresh and tasty and light enough that a few could never hurt!

Alchemy is a hidden Hampden gem with a fun menu, a dining room that is filled with charm and class, and prices that are extremely on par with the exceptional dishes coming out of the kitchen.

Run, do not walk, to Alchemy for Restaurant Week and try something new and different on for size! The menu has something for everyone and a standard price of $30 for 3 courses which serves as the ideal opportunity to come in for crab soup, a delicious burger or prime rib, and let’s not even begin to discuss their dessert options on the table. Alchemy is making all kinds of magic on the Avenue-and I’m fairly certain it’s the good kind!

This post may be a few months late but Baltimore has a 5-star blockbuster on its hands with Chazz Palminteri’s Chazz’s: A Bronx Original in Harbor East. Whether you best know him as Shorty from “Modern Family” or Dave from “The Usual Suspects,” Chazz has brought his New York style to this Charm City, a city that’s taken to the new restaurant/bar with high praise.

Walking into the subway inspired decor of Chazz’s, you’re greeted with some good tunes in the background (think classic rock) and an immediate desire to pony up to the bar and watch the masters at work as pizzas are being thrown into the coal fire oven, meats enduring the aging process, and cocktails being poured. Everything is upbeat, New York loud, and wafting aromas of cheese and garlic.

Without having to ask, bread is brought to the table complete with a garlic olive-oil for dipping. 

Hot, crusty bread accompanied with very chic water pitchers set the stage for the fine dining ahead. The modern take of classic Italian is easily seen in presentation and taste. 

Always a fan of my charcuteries and antipasti, I ordered from their mozzarella bar. Out of an assortment of meat and cheese options, I settled on their buffalo mozzarella and their parma prosciutto. Everything was cold and freshly cut-as seen by all these cheese and meats that welcome you upon entering.

I should have stopped here. The cheese plate was delectable, sweet, salty, and chock full of fresh oil. I’m looking forward to going back and exploring all the other cheese and accompaniment choices!

 Another great starter from Chazz’s is their grilled ceaser salad. A hearty abundance of green served ice cold with yummy garlic crouton and freshly grated cheese.

Of course the main event is only one option. Pizza. Their pizza options are provided on an entirely separate menu and range from a classic margherita to a creative potato pizza. 

After being torn amongst three different pizzas, I decided to go for the broccoli rabe pizza. Bursting with flavorful garlic, tangy Italian sausage, pecorino cheese, and of course-the broccoli rabe.

The pizza captures the perfect combination of a crispy crust and a soft pizza. As an avid fan of garlic, the flavor played a wonderful returning character in every bite!

As a result-this was all that was left sadly.

Another great entree selection is their shrimp parmigiana Americano made with shrimp and their delectable house made mozzarella. 

With hearty portions and a rich, delicious pasta dish on the side, Chazz’s serves up outstanding cuisine and even more outstanding prices.

As for the grand finale, Chazz’s has created a strong dessert menu. The signature house dessert, Nutella Pizza, simply sounds too good to be in existence. As much as I adore Nutella, I decided to go with the classic Italian dessert-affogato. 

Refreshing is only the start on how to describe this dessert. A small serving of a rich, creamy vanilla gelato is served with a sprig of mint and a side of piping hot mint flavored espresso. Pouring the espresso over the the ice cream just to give it a whisper of warmth makes for the ideal after-dinner dessert. Just sweet enough and light enough to end the meal on a beautiful note!

Chazz’s has found a great home in Baltimore and we’re truly lucky such a fantastic actor selected this city for his namesake restaurant. Whether you go before dinner for drinks or choose Chazz’s as the main event, it’s a winning combination. 

I’m still keeping my fingers crossed to have a chance run-in with the man next time I go to visit!

There are certainly several hot spots in Baltimore where you go both to see and be seen (Sloane Brown knows a thing or two about this). When these local joints actually have food and cocktails that are completely top notch and have chefs who are something of a magician in the kitchen-sign me up.

Tucked away on a Canton corner, with a pretty fun view of the Natty Boh Tower, you’ll find Blue Hill Tavern. A modest building that holds one of the city’s culinary treasures, and the most beautiful and well dressed people in the 410, this tavern is more of a funky, upscale restaurant meets bar. Two floors with two bars, swanky drapery, rich decor, and corners perfect for private dining and cocktail chatter, this spot is the place to go for a dressed up date night or a low-key girls night out.

The cocktail list is not for the faint of heart. An avid dirty martini sipping girl (you can refer back to previous posts for some other finds in the city that make a mean one), I had to go with their Clearly Dirty Martini. Olive infused vodka. Say no more. 

Better yet, they offer several different types of olives. Blue cheese stuffed for me, natch. The martini certainly kicked off the dinner with an uber glam touch that also gave a wink to Blue Hill’s creative side-essentially what this place excels at mixing.

What’s unique about Blue Hill is that they rotate their menu according to season. Catching this dinner on the cusp of summer, I made the choice to get their watermelon feta appetizer. Had to get my last chance at this juicy summer fruit!

The colors in this dish speak for itself. A juicy and fresh watermelon round served as a base for rich feta cheese and bright greens garnishing the plate. To say that it was ripe is an understatement. Everything complimented each other perfectly and I’m fairly certain that watermelon was just picked off the vine. 

Of course I must pay tribute to their bread bowl. A nice array of doughs and a plate of oil and fresh whipped butter came out around cocktail time-amazingly fresh and warm! 

As for dinner, I opted for one of their many salads. 

A thinly sliced array of mixed greens is heavily decked out with sun dried tomatoes, feta, cucumbers, a kalamata olives that really resonate in the salad. Topped off with a crispy garlic crouton and a red wine vinaigrette, the salad was flavorful and beautifully presented!

Always a sucker for mac & cheese, I simply had to order theirs to split. This macaroni and cheese just shot up on my list of Top 3 Mac & Cheeses in the city (Blue Grass, Langermanns, and now-here). 

This photo does not do justice. Rich, creamy, velvety cheddar, is the star in this baked wonder. It was impossible to finish but I easily took it home. The caliber of this side dish is not to be discounted. I would dare to say this alone would make for a wonderful, hearty winter meal paired with one of their many wine selections and accompanied with a light salad. I think I may have just decided what I’m getting next time I go!

My date ordered their Tavern Burger. Another great winter dinner that is juicy, fresh, and chock full of aged cheddar, a fried onion, spicy ketchup, bacon, and kobe beef. The brioche bun is what sets this burger apart from most places.

What was my rookie mistake when going to Blue Hill was my lack of appetite for dessert. Their pastry and dessert menu reads like a delectable sensory experience. From local ice creams to “the candy bar” to brioche bread pudding served with apples and vanilla ice cream, their pastry chef is one of the tops in Baltimore. Upon my return trip here, I may just go simply to indulge in dessert. Life’s short no?

Whether you pop into Blue Hill for a post-work happy hour or a Saturday night on the town, their menu is rich in flavors and creativity.

Throw on your skinny jeans and heels this weekend and head over to what may be my new fave restaurant in Canton-head upstairs and let the amazing experience that is Blue Hill begin!

I am fairly certain I have stumbled into the Woodberry Kitchen of Brooklyn this past weekend when visiting friends. Any good whirlwind weekend filled with NYC shopping, dining, cocktails, and good friends warrants a much needed relaxing, hearty brunch. Rose Water offers indoor or outdoor seating tucked away in Park Slope and organic, fresh, farm to table inspired dishes that give reason for the 30 minute wait we incurred. 

The cozy, small room in the back hosting merely 5-8 tables is warm and inviting with surrounding cookbooks and coffee table books in shelves along the proximity. 

Deciding to get their fresh squeezed orange juice as my beverage (they also have rose water lemonade and hibiscus iced tea), I loved the bright orange color of the juice-definitely not something you see in Tropicana or Simply Orange. This is the real deal, folks.

Despite getting their $14 prix fixe beverage and entree, their bread basket sounded like the most ideal basket of autumn goodies.

Apple coffee cake, lightly buttered challah, and corn bread overflowed and each one was gone within 5 minutes. Light, sweet, and served with a side of fresh butter and applesauce for spreading, the breads were irresistible! 

As for entrees, selections were diverse and each sounded flavorful and incorporating a distinct component of the season.

I opted for their 3 eggs that comes with potatoes and bacon. I highly enjoyed the light, fluffy eggs sprinkled with sharp cheddar cheese. The potatoes were perfectly cooked as was the the bacon. 

Of course it wouldn’t be a true seasonally changing menu if it didn’t offer at least one apple inspired entree for the fall. And boy did it.

Macoun apple pancakes accompanied with spiced butter and toasted walnuts. 

I think the juicy apples popping out of the pancakes speak for themselves. The pancakes were hearty and not one was able to finish the entire serving.

One of the things I always enjoy when visiting NY is discovering new food finds, trying creative pairings, and channeling my inner ‘foodie’ for places that are undeniably outstanding. This is one of them.

For all you Woodberry Kitchen lovers of Baltimore, a stop to Rose Water is a must when in Brooklyn! Sure the farm to table trend is here to stay but places like these have simply mastered the concept.

Grab a Bolt Bus and make your way here for brunch, dinner, or dessert-then swing by BluePrint for an after-dinner drink to cap off the night!

There’s nothing I love more than healthy foods. Give me an afternoon and a Whole Foods/Wegmans/Fresh Market/Trader Joe’s and I can spend hours (and big bucks) there with out a problem. Not to mention, despite all my bias, I find the Baltimore Farmer’s Market under the JFX to be one the best in the country. If you don’t believe me, spend your Sunday morning (then head over to Harvest Helpers-but you’ll read more about that later) there this weekend and try to leave empty handed and sans samples. 

I recently learned that 18% of Baltimore City residents live in what’s called a “food dessert,” meaning it’s low income residents who just don’t have the access to healthy foods (like skim milk, whole wheat bread-things I use on a daily basis). 

That’s why I wanted to share two amazing opportunities and initiatives that help bring fresh, organic foods to places (beyond MD) where many folks don’t have access or the fundings to these goods.

One of my favorite organizations, United Way of Central Maryland, has launched the Access to Healthy Foods initiative for the next three years. In short, they want to try to bring those great fresh foods to communities in Baltimore city and surrounding locations that simply lack that. 

Year one means increasing those healthy, affordable options for the poor in central Maryland by at least 1.5 million pounds. That’s a whole lotta produce right there-and families to provide. Not only that, but United Way hopes to expand infrastructure so that 60,000 people have more consistent access to those affordable, healthy food options.

This is such a massive undertaking and an even more massively awesome cause-one that I hold close because, well, I love me some healthy food and try to maintain a well-balanced diet. If I have this luxury, so should everyone else. Especially without having to think twice about the extra cost it is for that healthier bread.

This weekend, they are organizing “Harvest Helpers” on Sunday from 2-5 p.m at First Fruits Farm. One of my fave restaurants in the county, Manor Tavern, will be there with healthy food tastings and even a gift card raffle! Even though the event has filled up quickly, check out their calendar of events for more during the season!

I also recently started volunteering doing marketing for a non-profit in Baltimore called Garden Harvest, based in Reisterstown, who has a very similar credo. Their farm helps raise organic, fresh produce for the poor as well as educate on how to cultivate your own! Such a great concept and how can you not support the cause?

Check out the site for more info and please feel free to drop me a line if you’re interested in getting involved as well!

If my readers are anything like me (lovers of healthy and fresh foods), then these organizations are absolutely worth a look and support! Check out their website at http://www.uwcm.org/main/index.php/healthy-food.html and find new ways to get involved and informed on the program!

If I’m able to sit down to a tasty, healthy bowl of quinoa this weekend, I’ll definitely think twice and appreciate having the ability to easily access this amazing grain (seriously, try it!) and hope you all do the same! 

Take a second and wander over to either website and hope everyone enjoys their weekends spent either wandering the Farmer’s Market or checking out new bands and artists at Fells Fest! Welcome fall to Baltimore!

Occasionally-and I do mean occasionally-I enjoy venturing into the county to find the new hotspot happy hour and dining dish!

While it’s not exactly new anymore, just last month I made it all the way to Ellicott City’s Main Street ( if you haven’t checked out one of the three new vintage shops on the street, do it. Now.) to try out Portalli’s for some Italian fare!

I love the upscale casual vibe that they have managed to pull off beautifully. The lighting and color combinations paired with the amazing high quality food could make it an ideal swanky date night but the great prices, happy hour specials, and easy walk-in vibe it has being on the Main Street makes it inviting and not pretentious whatsoever.

Immediately, I went for the dirty martini. Their house cocktail list is lengthy and each one sounds up my alley with a splash of something that has a signature Italian twist.

My perfectly chilled martini hit the spot, with a few ice flakes in and a whole lotta dirtiness it went down all to smoothly!

Amongst the four of us out to dinner, we decided to split one of their flatbreads. 

The meatball flatbread was amazing. Surprisingly light and not overly cheesy or bready, we each were able to steal a square and enjoyed the chopped pieces of meatball scattered in the mozzarella that’s lightly topped with some fresh herbs and marinara. If it wasn’t for my, ahem, second and third course coming (I must admit, it was my birthday dinner) I probably would have dove in for seconds of this flatbread.

After the flatbread, everyone enjoyed some sort of ‘first course.’ I had what was probably one of the best caprese salads I ever had outside of Little Italy ( and could easily rival a caprese or two down there)!

The tomatoes were red and juicy, the mozzarella was thickly cut and lightly salted, all topped with basil and the softest hint of EVOO.

Others enjoyed the caesar salad which had two favorite components I love on a good caesar-hardboiled egg crumbles and a parmesan crisp! Yum!

After quickly and easily chowing down on first courses, our main events came out!

I opted for the salmon accompanied with string beans-so glad I did! The grilled salmon has a killer sun dried tomato basil butter that it’s lightly coated with the veggies made for a light sidekick. The salmon was flaky and had the best taste to it-such a creative pairing!

Others went for some more traditional Italian dishes-the signature spaghetti and meatballs as well as their lasagna, which has two different cheeses as well as veal and beef Bolognese sauce in layers. 

As crazy as it sounds, after these delicious main courses-dessert was actually being entertained!

The great thing about this restaurant is that as amazing as the food all was, not one dish is too overpowering with garlic, or too heavy in cream, or too rich in basil. Which is perfect because it allowed for one of their very tempting desserts.

If it’s any indication at how incredible the dessert was, it was absolutely killed by the time it hit the table. Literally spoons went flying and it was done within moments-sadly, allowing for no time to take a picture.

Here are the remnants of their delicious “S’More”-a mixture of a chocolate mousse topped with a caramelized marshmallow and a few shortbread cookies on the side for dipping. Let’s just say, those cookies didn’t stand a chance on the table.

Overall, the dinner was out of this world! I’d easily go back to try one of their numerous dishes since they all read so beautifully and what we had is clearly a great indicator of their gourmet abilities!

If you plan to check our Portalli’s, make sure to grab a window seat for prime people watching on Main St, grab a happy hour cocktail, and be ready to have a hearty and delicious Italian experience straight out of the mother country!

Pizza is about as rampant in the city as sushi. In every pocket of Baltimore, you can find a fantastic pizza place-no questions asked. This summer, however, I was on the hunt for a pizza place with outside seating, great drink options, and close to where I’d be going out later-Fells Point.

The winner? Bagby Pizza in Harbor East! Tucked in the Bagby building of Harbor East, across from Whole Foods, the MAC, and Talara, you can find a slice of tranquility in Bagby’s.

Walking inside, you’re greeted by a warm brick facade, high bar stool tables and seating, a super warm staff, and paintings scattered around the room from local artists. 

Going during their happy hour from 4-7, I took advantage of the $3.25 Stella (let it be known, I am no beer drinker. Stella is my only exception) as soon as we ordered.

My advice is to peruse the menu online before going in-store in the chance that it’s busy. As soon as you walk in, you go up to the counter to grab a menu and order there and then seat yourself to have your food delivered. 

I had heard some rave reviews on their salads and homemade dressings and decided to try the Bagby Chopped Salad.

Let’s put it this way-I barely remembered to take a photo of the salad before consuming it as fast as I could. The salad was super fresh, filled with veggies and paired perfectly with their house dressing! Such an ideal summer salad and it curbed my appetite so I wouldn’t then indulge in the entire pizza.

With a zillion pizza options to chose from, all sounding great to me (I WILL be back for that fresh basil chicken pesto pizza), my date and I opted for their BBQ chicken pizza.

The pizza came out at the perfect time post salad and looked amazingly fresh! 

Sweet with a tangy kick, the creaminess of the cheese complimented the bbq chicken perfectly! I easily ate 2 slices and didn’t feel the usual pizza heaviness afterwards.

For a higher price pizza ($16), it was worth it. We wound up leaving with enough leftovers for the perfect Friday night late night snack and the pizza itself was gourmet and so fresh out of the oven that it put all other $10 pizzas to shame.

The exciting news is that Bagby’s is expanding! With outside seating already provided (and more coming) and a menu that surpasses pizza with sandwich options that sound tempting, I really look forward to my next Bagby’s visit!

Given my penchant for Harbor East ( the Whole Foods and South Moon Under beckon my wallet every time), this will be a great post-shop stop or pre-going out pizza place to bring the friends and relax over a few slices and some great beer!

Bagby’s takes the traditional pizza and beer night to a whole new level, offering a gourmet dash of class to every dish! 

This past weekend was ArtScape in Baltimore. I could write a post simply about that incredible event with ease (my boyfriend actually had a piece of art featured in GameScape this year)but that’s not why you’re reading this blog. It’s amazing, huge, creative, funky, and truly an all day event. After walking around for almost (possibly over) 4 hours on a 90-some degree day, my boyfriend and I were both starving, had feet that became barking dogs, possibly dehydrated, and ready for a relaxing meal after a long day. 

Dreaming of cozy seats, unwinding with cold drinks, and eating a light, summertime dinner we immediately agreed upon Teavolve in Harbor East. A true gem for both brunch and happy hour (but sh! I like to keep it on the dl so don’t tell)! 

A neighborhood cafe tucked on the corner of Harbor East (near PAZO), it’s warm, inviting, laid-back with the most amazingly fresh food options and ice cold teas, sangrias, cocktails.

While most spots in the area are completely packed and bumping, Teavolve offers an alternative to grab a seat on a couch, break open the laptop, listen to smooth sounds of live music, and indulge in rich, buttery croissants and crepes or quick bites of salads and paninis.

The happy hour menu called my name. Featuring all cocktails half price from 4-7 as well as an extensive list of bites that run merely $5, you can’t go wrong.

I opted for the mango margarita while my boyfriend went for his staple he always gets-their acai blueberry smoothie (they have killer smoothies too!)

My drink could not have been any fresher-with bits of mango in it and the right mixture of tequila and liquor it was the best summer cocktail I could have asked for! The smoothie goes down too easily being not too sweet but just right. How much do these two drinks scream summer?! Next time, I’ll venture to try one of their tea infused sangrias!

For dinner, I opted for their ‘adult grilled cheese’ panini paired with Sun Chips. A cheese lover, it was beyond all that is good. Featuring feta, goat cheese, mozzarella and EVOO on a hot panini, I allowed myself half. Not too heavy, not at all greasy, but extremely creamy and sweet! I’ll be looking forward to that other half in the form of leftovers! 

My date went for a lighter option after that heatstroke sorta day with their chef salad-they manage to take a staple and turn it into a beautiful summertime salad creation! 

Another sandwich Teavolve excels at is their croissant sandwiches! Flaky, croissants filled with cold salads paired with side salads make for a delicious option! Their chicken salad is my weakness. Filled with cranberries (in my opinion, all chicken salads demand fruit!), almonds, and lettuce, it’s almost impossible for me not to finish it all! 

Another great staple sandwich they add their signature flare to? Turkey! Fresh turkey accompanied with red peppers, caramelizing onions, goat cheese and a dijon mayo create a sandwich that is both filling and fancy! 

Saturday or Sunday brunch is a must. French toast with strawberries, red velvet pancakes, or salmon omelettes, their menu is one to read. 

I can already see this spot being a go-to for girls’ catch up lunches, showers for dear friends, or low-key date nights. Comfy chairs, relaxing sounds of Ingrid Michaelson playing, to kill for (and great priced) happy hour cocktails, and light and fresh bites (they also have a pretty tempting bakery case) make TeaVolve a new favorite for me!

Tea fiends, take note and head get yourself here pronto! Grab a book or a friend and spend a few hours taking in the relaxing environment of Teavolve this summer!

If there’s one place in Baltimore that I know is consistently good, delicious, and can go from casual dinner to fancy dining it’s Little Italy. I’ve made a point this past year to try more Little Italy hotspots (somehow I always would wind up at Sabatino’s-not a bad thing, trust me!) and branch out a bit. From Rocco’s to Chiaparellis to now Caesar’s Den, I’ve been loving all the menus and wine options!

This past Friday night, it was time to hit Caesar’s Den! Perfect timing for me it was the night before the Little Italy Festival-the streets were awash in red and green and you could feel the community excitement over the hopping festival. I highly recommend anyone to check it out-there’s another in August-from great deals on anything from garlic bread to meatballs and vendors selling funky art pieces to watching older couples dancing in the street, it’s truly a magical experience! 

Upon arriving at Caesar’s, I placed my obligatory order for garlic bread. Of course you get regular bread on the table with butter but what Italian restaurant experience is complete without garlic bread?! 

Warm, buttery, rich in oils and spices, the garlic bread was one of the best I had in a while! I think I can easily say here and Rocco’s are the two places I’ve found quality garlic bread! My date and I easily ate two pieces ( I made sure to eat light for lunch in preparation for this dinner) which is probably best so that neither of us can detect garlic on the other! As a super huge garlic fan, whether it’s in my guac or bread, this had the perfect amount!

We decided to split their prosciutto di parma, mozzarella e peperoni. Absolutely amazing! The peppers were sweet and had a hint of both garlic and oil while the mozzarella was cold and fresh and the proscitto had that great flavor with a touch of salt and sweet. 

I would absolutely order this again as way to whet the palate while sampling some true Little Italy staples. Great for a light summer app (and it went wonderfully with my glass of Riunite Banfi, a super sweet rose that was akin to juice) and is a great display of how good Caesar’s is with staples! 

Filling up quickly on starters, I opted for one of my favorite Italian/summer salads-the caprese. Their mozzarella caprese was fresh and not overly saturated with EVOO but instead carried a light flavor of it. The tomatoes were hearty and sweet while the mozzarella was wholesome and hearty! 

My date ordered their fettucinni al salmone. A huge dish came out laden with fresh salmon, a portion big enough for the hungriest of men. The salmon was fresh and flaky, a perfect touch against their creamy and cheesy pasta. The light cream, capers, onions and smoked salmon was one of the more beautiful presentations I had seen-and the flavor far exceeded expectations!

To cap off our delicious dinner, I indulged in a tiny demitasse of espresso. A great way to slow down and enjoy the meal, the espresso came with various sugars (but honestly, it may not even need it) and was truly enjoyable on that rainy night.

Caesar’s was delightful and I’m looking forward to returning and trying more of their pastas and chicken dishes. The generous portions, huge flavor, and fresh Italian fare, along with a very knowledgeable staff, made for a very upscale dining experience that will leave me returning very soon! Great parking options and valet also add to the downtown dining experience!

Be sure to add Caesar’s for your next date night or family outing and enjoy quality dishes at very reasonable pricing-a great Little Italy must-stop!

I’m extremely lucky enough to have the new Kona Grill directly across from my office building. Perfect for happy houring, sitting outside under their tented patio (accommodated with couches and tables), and feeding any sushi craving I may have. Or burger.

That’s what I found to be the winning ticket about Kona-the wide range and quality of their menu! Seafood, burgers, sushi, lite bites, and fun cocktail options (yes ladies, they have skinny cocktail options!) are all great options at the fun, lively, and hopping restaurant. Whether you opt to eat outside and enjoy the summer sun or stay indoors and watch the busy chefs hustling behind the kitchen, the food quality is outstandingly fresh and flavorful!

Of course going during their happy hour (which touts a half price cocktail, appetizer, sushi, and some entree selections), I had to try out a cocktail! Their signature cucumber mojto, barely over 100 calories, blew my expectations. 

While you mostly think of cucumbers being bland, this was refreshingly sweet with the slightest hint of cucumber (and rum!). Not a mojito fan? Their Sukini Marg is only 100 cals as well and offers that great margarita bite!

Seriously, if you have to find a place in the harbor for a quick, inexpensive happy hour outside-this is it! 

Cashing in on their low priced appetizer options, my date and I split their burger sliders. It’s hard to imagine fitting as much as they did on one tiny burger but the freshness of the veggies on it and the great flavor of the burger made for a wonderful start to the dinner-it could easily pass for a lite dinner.

How can you resist this little guy?!

Another great can’t-miss happy hour menu staple are their flatbread pizzas. Ranging from the standard margartia to BBQ chicken, the half price deal can not be beat! My date ordered the BBQ chicken, which packed a serious kick of spiciness of the chicken and sweet tang with the tomato sauce! For the about $6 you spend on the pizza,  I guarantee you’ll be taking home lunch for tomorrow (I know we did)!

Of course, I had to sample their popular sushi menu! While I didn’t go for one of their more creative rolls (like the crunchy crab), I went for my personal stand-by, spicy tuna! 

While it’s hard to imagine order sushi from a place that also has amazing burgers and pizza, the sushi met my expectation! The small rolls hit the spot and definitely cleared out the nose a bit! Gotta love that they offer gluten-free soy sauce and are generally super accommodating for any type of GF need! 

Overall, Kona has an awesome venue for outside dining with the girls (as you can see I sure did below!) and their food packs so much punch and such a wide array you can’t possibly get bored with selection! Grab the girls and grab a table before the summer ends!