The Branding Iron, Merced, California
When driving between the Bay Area and Los Angeles I prefer taking either U.S. highway 101 near the coast or U.S. 99 in the San Joaquin Valley over boring I-5. I have fond childhood memories of riding...
View ArticleFrancesco’s in Oakland is closing – GO NOW
Last week I heard from a friend that Francesco’s Italian Restaurant, near the airport in Oakland since 1968, will be closing its doors for good soon. The word is they will be open until March or April...
View ArticleChicken Pie Shop, Fresno, California
When I was a young man running around San Diego on my Lambretta scooter in the 1980s I loved to eat at the Chicken Pie Shop in Hillcrest, especially during cold winter days (OK, it never got very...
View ArticleLos Caracoles, Barcelona, Spain
Last year I returned to Barcelona for the first time since 2004. The city I loved then has gotten better and better, with more dining and drinking options and more sights to see. I especially loved...
View ArticleClearman’s Steak ‘n Stein – Pico Rivera, California
What is the best metropolitan area for classic restaurants? Le Continental claims it’s Los Angeles, hands down! My list of classic and historic restaurants (that are at least 30 years old) in the...
View ArticleBillingsley’s, Los Angeles, California
Do you remember the TV show Leave it to Beaver (1957-1963)? The character June Cleaver was the mom everyone wished they had (after their own mom, of course). She was played by Barbara Billingsley,...
View ArticlePacific Dining Car, Los Angeles, California
Friends have often heard me complain about the limited 24 hour eatery options in the Bay Area. New York City has a few, Chicago beats NYC by a mile, but Los Angeles is tops for 24-hour dining. There...
View ArticleCan Culleretes, Barcelona, Spain
Last year we visited Spain’s oldest restaurant, Sobrina de Botin. Today we are going to Spain’s second oldest restaurant (also Catalonia’s oldest restaurant), which I went to in 2004. Can...
View ArticleShanahan’s on the Green, Dublin, Ireland
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, readers! I finally visited Ireland in 2014 and was captivated by the Emerald Isle and its people. On my visit to Dublin I visited a lot of historic pubs but historic...
View ArticleTrader Vic’s, Emeryville, California
Recently I heard some sad news that the Portland outpost of Trader Vic’s closed after a fire. The Portland location was the best of the “new” Trader Vic’s in the U.S. which opened in the new...
View ArticleHugo’s Cellar, Las Vegas, Nevada
If you’re looking for a true Continental restaurant in Las Vegas, there is only one: Hugo’s Cellar. It’s a great pick if you want gracious table-side service, flambé dishes, and an old-fashioned (i.e....
View ArticlePlaza III, Kansas City, Missouri
Recently I visited Kansas City for the first time after having wanted to go for the last several years to experience the Paris of the Plains (Kansas City has more public fountains than any city except...
View ArticleSam’s Hof Brau, Sacramento, California
Cafeterias used to be everywhere in this country. (For those who aren’t familiar with the term, they are restaurants that serve you food from a buffet in a line formation, but unlike a buffet, such as...
View ArticleStroud’s, Kansas City, Missouri
Who makes the best fried chicken in the U.S.? In 2006 I thought I found the answer when I ate at the original Gus’s in Mason, TN, outside Memphis (since 1973). I love Gus’s spicy, crispy skin (the...
View ArticleColumbia, Tampa, Florida
Cuban food is SOOOO GOOD in Florida! And cheap! In Tampa, where the Cuban sandwich as we know it (aka the Cubano) was invented, there are plenty of options to choose from for Cuban food. Brocato’s has...
View ArticleBob Heilman’s Beachcomber, Clearwater, Florida
One of the great pleasures in life for me is discovering a restaurant that is well-preserved mid-century modern in design that also has terrific food. Before I travel somewhere I always pull out my...
View ArticleThe American, Kansas City, Missouri
On a recent visit to Kansas City (my first) we had cocktails in the gorgeous American Restaurant in Crown Center, designed by Warren Platner in 1974. We enjoyed the view, the design, the drinks, and...
View ArticleWhat is the best steakhouse in the U.S.?
What is the best steakhouse in the U.S.? Le Continental’s pick is Bern’s in Tampa. I’ve only been twice (ten years apart) but one visit was enough to proclaim it THE BEST. Bern’s motto is “We do things...
View ArticleFar East Cafe, San Francisco, California
In San Francisco there are two Chinese restaurants that claim to be the oldest in the city and both were established in the same year: 1920. There’s the Hang Ah Tearoom, which also claims to be the...
View ArticleDen Gyldene Freden, Stockholm, Sweden
Recently I visited Stockholm for the first time. Such a beautiful and friendly city, with many historic restaurants and cafes. Perhaps the most famous historic restaurant in Stockholm is Den Gyldene...
View Article
