A few weeks ago Jim had to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico on business for two weeks. The second week he was there, I decided to take a trip down to meet him there for the duration of his trip for a little warm, sandy beach time. Because he was there on business we were slightly limited with various activities that we could do but, let’s face it, we all need to eat so we had some amazing food choices. I am going to give you our top three places but there were great little places in old San Juan as well.

I arrived in San Juan on a Sunday afternoon and by the time we made it back to the hotel I was ready for some island food! I went from cold NH to hot humid PR, so as soon as I settled in we made it to the Pina Colada Club that was right at our hotel (Caribe Hilton). The Pina Colada Club had exactly what I was looking for…an all Caribbean vibe, music, the restaurant colors and the laid back vibe on a warm vacation. We were seated and had the menu in hand very quickly, not to mention a beer for Jim and a Pina Colada for me…come on now…how could I not get a Pina Colada at the Pina Colada Club? Jim already knew what he wanted as he had already been there once and raved about the fish tacos so that’s what he got. I ordered the appetizer portion of the coconut shrimp skewers. We  shared both plates and it was perfect as the coconut shrimp were super sweet and the fish tacos had some nice spice with the club hot sauce it was served with.

The coconut shrimp were just that, coconut coated shrimp fried to perfection and served with a pineapple marmalade ($15.95). These were very sweet and full of that crispy coconut coating. The pineapple marmalade gave a nice additional flavor. I would order these again but would also order something to contrast the sweet flavor, for us it was a perfect compliment with the fish tacos!

These fish tacos were crazy good and crazy messy, but well worth the drip! These were Mahi Mahi fried fish with avocado, pico de gallo, lettuce, cheese, cilantro, sour cream and the Pina Colada Club hot sauce on the side served on either a hard corn tortilla or a soft flour tortilla. We had the soft tortilla. These fish tacos were fabulous but when you added their hot sauce it hits crazy good. The signature hot sauce is sweet but then hot,  an amazing compliment to everything on the tacos!  We ate every bite of both dishes!  The Pina Colada Club is part of a group of restaurants in the area. To give this restaurant a quick overview, it’s a Caribbean restaurant with all the food you would expect at your local pub. Wings, nachos, salad, sandwiches, burgers, kids menu and full bar. All of this with that laid back “your on vacation vibe”. It was a great way to start my time in San Juan.

The second restaurant I’m going to share with you is Morton’s, the Steakhouse. This is a chain and has restaurant’s all over. This restaurant also happened to be connected to our hotel and we heard rave reviews about this steak house and knowing how much Jim likes steak, it was a must visit!

We knew before going here this was not a low cost place, but we  had some serious high expectations going in that night. We arrived just a bit early and were able to take a quick peek around the restaurant and noticed some fun stuff! They have a picture wall filled with many, many famous people all with framed pictures throughout the lobby.  (Jim asked where his picture was, no one could understand why it was not there!) But there was also a wall of small closet doors with named plates. Are you wondering what they are? Well, they are small wine cabinets for all of their VIP guests, and let me tell you, they have many!

We were promptly seated in a much more formal atmosphere than we are used to but don’t worry, we had a fabulous time with the servers and waitstaff! We were seated at a beautiful window seat overlooking the beach/ocean area. It was the one and only night that it rained on my trip. The beach was clear and the water had some nice waves and just as beautiful as it was earlier in the day regardless of the rain.

Before we knew it we had a warm loaf of bread and plate of butter in front of us. I am not a huge bread person, but this bread was fabulous…and who gets a plate of butter? I never knew that was a thing? It was darn good so if it’s a new thing, I’m okay with it! Bring on the bread and butter!

We did not order an appetizer after all that bread, but we did place our order. Jim ordered the mixed grill; a combination of steak and shrimp and scallops and I ordered the dinner portion of the shrimp Alexander. While we waited for our dinner we enjoyed speaking with various staff members and we learned that anytime Adam Sandler is in the area this is a restaurant he visits. We also learned some Spanish, as well as a great wine recommendation for dinner. How could we ask for anything more while waiting on dinner? Fabulous!

Jim’s dinner was nothing less than spectacular and perfectly cooked. The picture does not do it any justice. The steak was grilled nicely to a perfect medium, scallops cooked with crispy bacon around them, grilled shrimp and asparagus along side a roasted lemon to drizzle. If Jim could have licked the plate, it just might have happened.

My dish was the Shrimp Alexander.  I’m not a steak girl so I went to the seafood and this is one of the dishes they are known for.  It’s an herb breaded fried shrimp in a butter sauce…yummm, so rich, tender and succulent. Delicious, another lick the plate dish!

We have heard about their desserts, so we knew we were not leaving without the “Legendary Sundae “. While we waited for the sundae, we noticed a large group of golfers come in.  It hit us that there was a professional tournament in the area that week and these were some of the players. How cool is that?! They were at the next table over and could not help but overhear some of the golf stories they told, but then our dessert came and no matter what they had to say we were distracted with our amazing dessert. This dessert had a warm chocolate cake, caramel, chocolate, whipped cream and of course a cherry on top. This was so decadent and not something we would normally order, but wow am I glad we did!

To sum this up in just a few words is tough, it was not cheap, menu is well thought out, food cooked to what you wanted and don’t leave without a dessert!  Morton’s is known for their award winning wine collection, prime aged beef, succulent seafood and signature sides. I don’t think I need to say more about the desserts! The wait staff and management exceeded our expectations. If there is a Morton’s in your area check them out on line for times, locations and menus. I hope they are as good as the Morton’s we experianced in San Juan.

Last but not least is the Ropa Vieja Grill. So, being a foodie and checking out what you should eat in San Juan or anywhere in Puerto Rico. The one dish came up every time was Mofungo! I know , what the heck is Mofungo? Well, long story short it’s a fried mashed plantain dish.  Most places in San Juan have their own version of Mofungo. We were coming to the end of our time in San Juan and have already had some fantastic dishes but still no Mofungo.   BUT, we had been asking around about the best place to go… hotel staff, other guests and locals……Ropa Vieja Grill was the place to go.

We arrived to a small, very cute place and a very attentive staff. We were seated with water, menus and not much longer a bread basket with warm bread and butter. So far so good. I knew what I wanted but I just did not know what version of Mofungo I wanted.  So I asked our server and he did not even blink an eye and said I wanted the flank steak Mofungo.

Ok, that’s what I ordered and found it funny that he could have told me to order the most expensive plate on the menu and I probably would have ordered it, but this was the dish he told me I had to try. Jim ordered the Empanda De Res, with rice and beans. This would be our version of chicken fried steak!

My Mofungo was fried plantains on the bottom with shredded steak on top. It arrived, smelled really good and tasted incredible. I can’t even begin to tell you how flavorful that steak was. The plantains are dull on their own and more of a vehicle for whatever it is being served with. Put that steak on and the Gods have sung! So freakin’ good. Plantains on their own…ugh…flavored flank steak from Ropa Vieja grill, bring it any day!

Jim’s a beans and rice guy every day of the week. This day was no different the only question was,  what was the protein gonna be? He chose the American version of a chicken fried steak and of course those rice and beans. His dish came with caramelized plantains… oh my Lord…those plantains were beyond good! I think if I reached over to Jim’s plate one more time he may have smacked my hand.

We completely understand why this restaurant was recommended literally by everyone we spoke with, local and tourist alike. They also have a website with location, hours and menu.

To sum up our foodie time in San Juan, it was terrific! Lots of great local places, old San Juan places and amazing local Mofungo and seafood dishes to be had. If you are traveling to the area don’t be afraid to check out not only these places, but the smaller local places as well. We did not eat at a bad place during our time there.

Enjoy!

If you have been following me for awhile you know that I already wrote a review on the Tuscan Market in Salem NH. After waiting as patiently as I possibly could, the Portsmouth location is finally open and I can’t wait to tell you all about it! The new location is at 581 Lafayette Road,  Portsmouth, NH. I am so thrilled to have this restaurant and market so close to us as the Salem location is an hour away and I would always bring a cooler with me so I could take home all of their amazing dishes!

If you are from the New England area, you may have heard of the Phantom Gourmet. This is a show that reviews New England restaurants. The show is hosted by the Andelman Brothers. Not only do they review various places, they also have various events throughout the year. They have BBQ Festivals and a number of events at Fenway park, but also participate in grand opening events. Well, when I heard the Tuscan Kitchen was having a grand opening event that was going to include the Phantom Gourmet, I knew I had to go! This post is going to be a little different as I will be sharing lots of pictures from the grand opening event. I will also share my typical review as we went back a second time for our anniversary. The Portsmouth location is their biggest location, although as of this post the market side of the restaurant in Portsmouth is not open…but should be open very soon! At the grand opening we were treated to many items that will be sold in the market and all of it was just incredible.

Ok, so…I’m going to give you a quick overview of the grand opening event to start. This event was held the night before the restaurant was open to the public.  Everyone going to the event had to register for free tickets through the Phantom Gourmet and only so many were available. Needless to say, I signed up right away! The night of the event they had the red carpet out as you walked up to the door. As you walked in you were handed a glass of Prosecco and welcomed by all of the staff. They had a number of stations set up around the restaurant starting with a slice of Parmesan in truffle honey, a bread and cured meat station, then onto the pizza station where you could sample a number of their creations. This is just the beginning! Next was the seafood station where you had so many choices, shrimp, lobster, and oysters.  Then onto the fresh mozzarella station, wine tasting, pasta and being finished off with a wheel of Parmesan and a carving station with prime rib.  Are you hungry yet? Still not done…they had a huge table filled with various cookies, pastries, cakes and cannoli’s.  Last, but not least, they had a gelato station with a number of different kinds of gelato.  We tried the pistachio gelato and it was spectacular! Not only could you go to each station as many times as you wanted, they also had waitresses walking around with various other selections for you to try. This event was hands down the best opening event we have been to.  We were so stuffed when we left. If you ever get a chance to go to any event hosted by the Phantom Gourmet, you will not be disappointed.

We went back just a few days later for our anniversary, so here is my review of that visit! We made reservations right from their website and I would highly recommend getting reservations anytime you plan to visit. We were promptly seated with menu’s and a plate of bread and dipping oil to enjoy while deciding what we wanted.

We decided on the Calamari Fritti to start.  This is a fried calamari and cherry pepper dish with a lemon basil aioli. This was one of our favorite dishes. The calamari had a light crispy coating and paired with the lemon basil aioli…was just delicious! We cleaned that plate pretty fast!

I ordered the Ravioli ai Quattro Formaggi “di nonna”.  I know that’s a mouth full, but this is thin pasta pillows stuffed with Parmegiano, Reggiano, Burrata, Fontina and fresh ricotta with sweet Italian sausage in a roasted tomato ragu with torn basil. This dish not only looked great but smelled amazing. One bite was all it took to know this was going to be a favorite. The ravioli was so light, the sweet sausage and the roasted tomato ragu makes this the perfect dish. I would eat this any day of the week!

Jim also had a pasta dish with spinach, pine nuts and Parmesan in a brown butter sauce. His dish was slightly sweet and just as tasty as mine! Needless to say we cleaned both plates. We don’t always order dessert, but it was our anniversary, so we decided to share the Torta Calda al Cioccolato. This is a warm chocolate cake, milk chocolate sauce with toasted almond gelato and candied almonds. This dessert was absolutely sinful.  I’m not sure how we possibly finished it, but we did. This will make any day an amazing day. Tuscan Kitchen made it special with the “Happy Anniversary” message.

After eating all that food I bet you think we were done?! Well, not just yet. When we came for the grand opening their was one pizza dish that we could not get over and wanted to take it home with us…so that’s exactly what we did. We ordered the Fichi pizza to go. This pizza is so good!   It has black mission figs, Parmesan, rosemary, house made burrata cheese and thin slices of prosciutto. It’s sweet from the figs and savory with the prosciutto, an amazing combination.

As you can see they have some amazing dishes and the service could not have been better on both occasions.  Check out their website for more information and to make reservations!

http://www.tuscanbrands.com/Kitchen/Salem/locations-and-hours/

Enjoy!

A couple weeks ago my friend Nikoll posted her dinner from Bamee/Azure Restaurant in Durham NH (12 Jenkins Court, Suite 1) on Facebook.  It looked really good and according to Nikoll’s son, Sam Lauze, it was delicious! So delicious he took Nikoll’s noodle bowl and finished it for her. Here are a couple pictures of Sam enjoying his dinner, how cute is he?!
Sam not only knows a good dinner when he tastes it, he is oh sooo grown up, sophisticated and polite. He asked to speak with the chef so he could personally thank her for such a delicious meal! If that isn’t an amazing testimony about this new restaurant, I don’t know what is. I’m not sure you need to hear it from me but Jim and I did go to Bamee/Azure for lunch and here are our thoughts!
Bamee/Azure is a small fun place and not your typical restaurant. When you first walk in, there are a few smaller tables but as you go on in to the restaurant there are a few long tables for family style dining. It has a little bit of a self serve style dining. There is an area where you pay and order as well as an area where you bring your tray and dishes when you are done.
The menu is not huge, but it has a nice variety.  Although we did not get an appetizer, they have several starters that look really good. You can order crispy rolls at $5.00.  These are filled with marinated mixed vegetables and glass noodles served with house plum sauce.
I had heard the Crab Rangoons at $5.00 are very good and a little different than your average Crab Rangoon. These are crispy wontons with cream cheese, imitation crab meat, real crab meat, onion, curry powder and scallion stuffing. I am looking forward to trying these next time. You can also get chicken wings.  Maybe if you are looking for something a little different you would like the quail eggs at $7.00, fried quail eggs with Thai soy sauce, white pepper and scallions.

Jim and I both ordered from the rice corner of the menu. Jim had the Gra Prao at $9.00.  He had this with ground chicken as you have a choice of chicken or pork. The chicken is sautéed with onion, bell pepper and Thai gra pao leaves served over jasmine rice. This is one of their spicy dishes. Jim did not think it was overly spicy, but I thought that it had a good amount of heat! Jim loved his dish just as much as Sam loved his.

 I had the Massaman Curry with Crispy Chicken at $12.00. This is made with Thai famous Massaman curry, crispy chicken, potato, tomato, onion and peanuts served on a hot platter with a side of jasmine rice.  My dish was also very good, lots of great curry flavor and the chicken was crispy on the outside, but incredibly tender.  The rice was the perfect compliment to the dish. I would certainly order that dish again but they have so many tasty sounding dishes!
Bamee/Azure has a great selection in the noodle soup and more section of the menu as well. Miso soup, Noodle Soup with Roast Duck or Wonton Noodle Soup with your choice of noodles, minced pork and shrimp, wonton, roast pork, scallion and Chinese green vegetables in a clear broth.  These soups can be ordered in extra large and triple size bowls…that’s some serious soup!
Bamee/Azure even has various salads to choose from along with desserts. The desserts are written on a blackboard at the front of the restaurant. Check them out on their website and on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/Bameedurham/

Do yourself a favor and take Sam Lauze’s recommendation and take a trip to Bamee/Azure.  You won’t be disappointed…just ask Sam!

Enjoy!

A few weeks ago while my friend Jenn Gibson was cutting my hair, I asked her if she had been to Earth’s Harvest Kitchen & Juicery yet. Her salon Tanzania Beauty Studio is in the same building in Dover at 835B Central Ave. in Dover, NH.  Jenn has worked in restaurants so she knows good food! Somehow we always end up talking about our favorite restaurants. Jenn said they have an amazing curry chicken sandwich and a friend of hers had a smoked salmon bagel sandwich that was also really good. Well, as Jenn finished up my hair, I then decided to grab a couple things from Earth’s Harvest to take home and share with Robby.

Earth’s Harvest Kitchen & Juicery is a farm to table restaurant with items that you can grab and go if you are in a rush.  They have some tables and chairs to sit, eat and relax too! They are open at 8 am everyday and serve breakfast all day.

Let me start by telling you about some of the grab and go items. They have a rotating variety of fruit scones and choice of harvest muffins. These include apple cinnamon, apple and oat or, how about a banana muffin? They all looked delicious. Another item that really grabbed my eye was the buttermilk choice biscuits.  These are made daily and are a house favorite!

This is not a big restaurant, but they have a nice variety that will please everyone. A number of the breakfast items looked really good but I decided on the smoked salmon bagel $9.00.  They use house cured smoked salmon with garlic and choice cream cheese, tomato, red onion, cucumber, capers and sprouts on an everything bagel! Sounds good doesn’t it? Well it was damn delicious and to my surprise Robby liked it too!
Some other breakfast choices are the morning plate that includes eggs served your way with roasted potatoes, fresh fruit, house made grain loaf toast, with your choice of bacon or chicken sausage for $11.00
Or maybe you would like the morning biscuit sandwich for $5.00 with two farm fresh eggs scrambled and stacked on their house made cheddar/choice biscuit. You can add bacon, ham or chicken sausage for an additional $2.00.
I mentioned that I was going to pick up a couple things. Are you wondering what else I picked up? Well I, like Jenn, also love curry chicken anything, so I had to try the curried chicken sandwich after hearing how much Jenn loved it.

I definitely agree with Jenn, this sandwich was amazing! The Curried Chicken is served on house made bread with lettuce, tomato and Bermuda onion. I told you Robby liked the bagel sandwich. Well he tried a bite of this sandwich and it was no longer my lunch…it was his! He devoured it at $11.00.
If you don’t want the Curried Chicken on a sandwich they also have a Curried Chicken Salad with mixed greens, shaved apple, toasted torn pita with a curry dressing for $12.00.
The lunch menu is just as fabulous as the breakfast menu, so many great choices.  They have many other things to choose from. Maybe a Corned Beef Rueben with pickled cabbage, Swiss, 1000 island, on house made rye bread. I also like the looks of the 603 BLT with bacon, lettuce and tomato, pickled onion, garlic mayo on focaccia bread! Yum!
Now, as the restaurant’s name says, it’s also a juicery.  Let me tell you about some of the juices and smoothies they whip up! They have a number of raw juice fusions to pick from with some fun names to them.  How about a Green Monster with apple, cucumber, kale, parsley, spirulina and chlorophyll.  The Refresher also looks good with cucumber, pineapple, apple, pear, kale, ginger and mint. These juices and smoothies come in two sizes. So if those juices are not your thing maybe these smoothies will tempt you. The Orange Crush sounds refreshing with orange, banana, yogurt, almond milk and raw honey or the Hampton Beach might be something you would like with peach, pineapple, orange, strawberry, lemon and hemp.
No matter what you choose from Earth’s Harvest Kitchen & Juicery you will love it. Check them out on line for more information and as always send them some Facebook love! https://www.earths-harvest.com/
Thanks so much for the recommendation Jenn.  I can’t wait to see where you send me next time!

Enjoy!