Interlaken, NY: Cayuga Lake Creamery

On the advice of friends at Cornell University I changed my driving route to go up Highway 89, which was a beautiful drive along the lake ... but beauty aside, the point of the drive was the much anticipated stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery [http://cayugalakecreamery.com/]. The quintessential roadside stand on a road full of summer tourist excitement, it almost demands the driver stop the car. It was worth the detour and more ... and you know I love me some ice cream.

They have a full menu of casual food ... burgers, sandwiches and the like, but the draw here is the ice cream, so I really didn't pay attention to anything else. There are sundaes, shakes, and other treats but for me it was pure ice cream that I was after. And there are flavors galore, including wine sorbets that are made with local vintages and other interesting combinations. But before I get to the ice cream, there were cones to consider. In addition to the usual cake or sugar varieties, plain or dipped in chocolate, maybe some nuts or sprinkles there was one that I've never heard of ... a pretzel cone. Yes, you read right, a cone made from pretzel dough with salt on the outside. And with the Salted Caramel ice cream it was perfect ... crisp, salty, smooth, cold, creamy and everything that a person could want on a hot summer afternoon. There were so many tempting flavors that it was hard to decide, but I've been kind of addicted to salted caramel anything lately, so that was calling my name and the decision was sealed when I found out about the pretzel cone. I wish I was closer because there were so many other flavors that I wanted to taste, next trip to upstate New York for the Cayuga Lake Creamery will be on the list for sure.

Oh, and one more thing ... the have 'Breakfast a la Mode' on the weekends with some amazing sounding ice cream flavors including Maple Bacon [YES!!!] and Brown Sugar Oatmeal. Almost worth the trip back to give it a try, what could be a better way to start a summer vacation weekend!

The Cayuga Lake Creamery is a perfect spot, a slice of Americana that offers everything you could want for a summer day. Follow you reflexes, pull that car over and enjoy. This place is special.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Madison, WI: Nostrano

This quirky little space near the state capitol provided not only a cool ambiance, but really wonderful food as well. Quirky in the sense of the space's aesthetic [think almost Zuni Cafe in San Francisco], and the menu, but both in a very good way. The food was engaging without being fussy, and fresh and locally sourced as well.

I started with a spring radish salad, with both the greens and the radishes from the chef's garden. I will admit to a fondness for radishes, so it was a must have for me. The greens were a varied mixture, the sliced radishes crunchy, and the chive vinaigrette flavorful without being overpowering. There was a crouton made from sunflower bread, topped with a local goat cheese to complete the plate. The flavors worked well together and the dish was a success, with my only complaint being that the greens were tepid and somewhat limp. But the flavors were there, and that was a minor misstep.

For the main course I had a roasted squab, served with braised cabbage, buckwheat spatzle, and trumpet mushrooms, and foie gras. The squab was perfection, crisp on the outside and rosy red in the middle. The base of the dish, the spatzle,cabbage, mushroom concoction [almost a ragout, really] was excellent ... I could have eaten it as a main course. The foie gras, for me, was a gratuitous addition to the plate, not really melding with anything, just a cold chunk placed on top of the rest of the things on the plate. And, you now how much I like my foie [I'll risk a gout attack for some], but it really made no sense with the rest of the ingredients.

For dessert, a chocolate crema,served with buckwheat pizzelle, poached cherries [dried and fresh, poached in a cherry beer that was AMAZING], and a cherry gelato. AS much as I liked everything else, this was the best thing that I ate hands down. The combination of flavors and textures and temperature really played well off of each other, and I wanted more.

This is a stylish little restaurant in the capitol district and I highly recommend it. The servers were engaging, the space interesting, and the food held up its end of the equation as well. If you're in Madison, check it out.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Philadelphia: Amada

What a find . . . a perfectly beautiful and delicous tapas bar in the Society Hill area of Philadelphia, within walking distance of my hotel. I discovered it by accident as I was taking an afternoon walk around the historic areas near the hotel [remember Paul and the ride and . . . oh wait, what was he saying or doing Ms Palin?], and it was a perfect stop. Dark wood, a friendly bar, engaging staff, and beautiful food. So, here are the details:

Sangria Blanca to start, crisp white wine with pears, apples, and pineapple . . . refreshing, juicy and a great accompaniment to both the warm sunshine outside and the beautful food inside. And the food was beautful, true tapas on small plates, artfully arranged and perfectly spiced.

I started with a white asparagus gaspacho, served with a small, crisp, hot crab cake in the center of the bowl as the server spashed the pale green nectar around. Perfectly seasoned, smooth and delicous. And, close to the best gaspacho I've ever had. I almost ordered a second serving.

Then a tortilla with red pepper aoli, spicy and just right. The tortilla itself was a little bland, but the sauce made up for it.

A close second to the gaspacho was an amazing diver scallop [huge], butter poached, then seared. It was served with an orange aoli, finely sliced fennel and a minute lobster croquette. Amazing to look at, and an amazing combination on the palate.

I highly recommend Amada for a snack, drink, or a full meal. Everything about it was good, and its a real find in and around the tourist area of historic Philadelphia. If you're on the American heritage tour checking out Independence Hall, take a detour to Spain and enjoy this great spot.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Minneapolie: Restaurant Alma

Last night I ate at Restaurant Alma, a nondiscript neighborhood place that is easy to miss when driving by ... watch carefully. The space is sleek, yet warm and the staff an equal mix of urban hipster and welcoming charm. I was, in fact, blown away by the entire evening and can highly recommend a visit to this gem of a spot. The menu changes regularly, so what I'm describing here may not be available when you visit, but I have confidence that what you order will be equally wonderful. The tasting menu is a reasonable $48 and includes three selections, one from each section of the menu. The choices were varied and would, to my mind, accommodate a variety of preferences. For my dinner I had:

First Course: salmon tartar with avocado, baby basil and cavier creme fraiche. The dish was beautifully presented and went well with the cava that the bartender recommended. The salmon was clean tasting and the creme and basil offered nice counterpoints to its texture and flavor. The only down side to this dish was a not mentioned on the menu parmesean tuile, crushed and added as a layer on top of the tartar. I found it to be overpowering in flavor and distracting in texture, an addition that subtracted rather than enhanced the whole. Scrap it off and enjoy everything else.

Second Course: white corn polenta with mushroom stew and spring vegetables can only be described as PERFECT. The polenta was puffy and creamy, the mushrooms deeply flavored and the shower of al dente spring vegetables a perfect compliment. I could have eaten two or three portions of this dish, it was truly amazing and maybe the best polenta I've ever eaten. I want more!

Third Course: gently cooked trout with crispy artichokes, orange, and rosemay butter was also close to perfection. The fileted trout was beautifully cooked and the crispy artichokes were amazing, deep fried and crisp without being battered. The citrus balanced the plate well and cut the richness of the rosemary butter nicely. Wonderful.

Dessert: I wasn't going to, but there was a lemon souffle cake that sounded to good to miss, and I made the right choice. The chilled souffle was light and etheral, with some excellent lemon curd too boot. It was a perfect ending to an unexpectedly wonderful meal.

Now, about the staff, they were as good as the food. Charming, engaging and clearly proud of the food and the restaurant. Ready to offer suggestions, pair wine and generally make things happen. On this particular evening there was a big storm that droppend marble sized hail stones on the street and a funnel cloud threatened to form on the horizon ... the bartender poured me more wine and told me not to worry. And I didn't.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Portland: Driftwood Room at the Hotel deLuxe

This has to be one of the coolest bars in Portland . . . dark, intimate, and feeling like you've just entered the set of Mad Men. Or, maybe Bewitched . . . seems like you could run into Larry, Louise, Samantha and Darrin having a cocktail here on any night. There is a great happy hour menu, with interesting choices that are beyond the usual burger/fries/olives at some other places. My personal favorite is the savory gorgonzola cheesecake, served warm with roasted garlic and bread. It is close to perfect.

The down side of this place is the service, which can only be described as disorganized. There dosen's seem to be a particular server assigned to any given table, it all feels pretty random. And, maybe because of that, nobody takes responsiblity for checking in, taking orders, delivering drinks and food. On our evening one of the bartenders came over and took our drink order, then disappeared. Eventually the drinks arrived, but we had to flag someone down to order the above mentioned cheesecake. Someone else brought the cheesecake, and we asked her for another drink. Ten minutes went by and no drink, so when the original bartender walked by we asked about it and he was like 'oh, yeah' and walked over to the bar and brought the drink to the table . . . it had been sitting there all along and nobody bothered to deliver it. Disorganized and less than concerned about service, that's the take here.

Oh, and one more thing . . . my companion ordered this way: "I'd like a Bombay martini with three olives" and the bartender responded "What kind of vodka do you want?". Really? The BARTENDER? My personal soapbox is that a martini IS gin with a whisper of vermouth . . . and olives! You want onions with that? Then order a Gibson. And if I had wanted vodka, I would have ordered a VODKA MARTINI. Oh, and just because it is served in a martini shell doesn't make it a martini . . . so take your chocolate, pomegranate, coffee and cheese flavored drink and enjoy it . . . but don't call it a martini. OK, getting down off the soapbox now.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Good bye ten01

So last night I was walking with friends to one of my favorite Portland restaurants, ten01. We got there and found it closed, but peering through the glass it wasn't just closed, it was gone. Fixtures dismantled, boxes on the floor, glassware packed away. This elegant space, with its well prepared and forward thinking food, was one of my favoirtes, and a real gem in the Pearl District. Apparently they planned to be closed January 1 & 2 and just never came back. This is a blow to the neighborhood and the Portland dining scene, and I only wish the best to wonderful staff who always took such good care of me. I'll remember the food and experiences for a long time ... especially the spectacular mini ice cream sandwiches made with maple cookies and candied bacon ice cream from one New Year's Eve. Cheers!

Colorado Springs: The Broadmoor Hotel

This was my first time staying at the Broadmoor and for years I have been hearing about how wonderful it was and I figured it was so much hype. But, from the moment I checked in I was blown away. Everything was perfect, from the grounds to public areas and finally to the spectacular room. Beautifully decorated in a classic style that is at once understated and opulent. The whole resort was amazing . . . everything was well thought out, with a nod to the history of this fabled place. The variety of restaurants was also very cool, from casual to four star, and everything in between. All in all I wanted to just have my clothes shipped in and stay forever.

And one more thing, the staff was the best I have ever encountered . . . friendly, professional, and engaging. Complimenting the hotel ambience of the hotel and extending the experience. Start to finish a perfect experience.