Tuesday, November 22, 2016

The 5 Best Spanish Recipes You Will Ever Eat



There are many things to do and see in culturally rich Spain. Whether you’re traveling to Barcelona, Pamplona, Madrid, or San Sebastian, you cannot get away from the tantalizing sight and aroma of Spain’s exquisite food.

During your trek through Spain, you will fall in love with its architecture, culture, and the variety of menu choices. Although there are hundreds of menu items to choose from, here are five meals that represent the tastiest of the tastiest. They are all made with the freshest ingredients that help to make each dish taste its best. Don’t forget to try these excellent dishes during your travels. If you don’t, you will truly be missing something special.

Monday, October 24, 2016

Where to Grab a Bite in Jackson, Mississippi

If you’re headed to the heart of Mississippi, then you should better come hungry. There are numerous excellent culinary choices in the state. This is southern cuisine at its finest. Here are the Top 5 Restaurants in Jackson, Mississippi.

5. Char Restaurant. In the mood for a steak? Char Restaurant is exactly what you’re looking for when visiting Jackson. With a "clubby" atmosphere and cozy seating, this restaurant is a steak lover’s paradise. A large bar area offers a vast selection of beer and liquor.

4. The Pig and Pint. True to its name, The Pig and Pint offers succulent barbecue along with a wide selection of draft beers. This restaurant is fueled by a chef who routinely enters barbecue competitions and takes his brisket seriously. Local craft beers give diners a taste of the region, and the service staff consistently exhibits Southern hospitality

3. The Iron Horse Grill. If two words had to be used to describe The Iron Horse Grill, local and fresh would be the most accurate. Ingredients are sourced from local farms, and the restaurant staff take pride in preparing all sauces, salads, steaks, and meals from scratch every day. With a diverse menu that offers more than just barbecue, customers can choose from Mexican, Southwestern, and American dishes as well as a well-stocked bar.

2. Walker’s. If you’re looking to switch your meals up in Jackson, Mississippi from barbecue to more modern, American fare then this stylish bistro will be a welcome change. Known for its excellent, fast, and attentive service, Walker’s offers a pleasant experience in its stylish and low-key Drive-In style location.
1. 1908 Provisions. While Jackson has plenty of excellent barbecue and American restaurants to choose from, elegant French, Californian, and Southern fare is a rare treat that is best experienced at 1908 Provisions located in the Fairview Inn. Seasonal dishes prepared by head chef Gary Hawkins are consistently new and exciting. The casual dining atmosphere and attentive service make it easy to relax and enjoy a fine meal here. A wide variety of seafood, barbecue, and locally sourced vegetables enables every customer to find the perfect meal for their trip to this restaurant in the quaint Belhaven neighborhood of Jackson.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Best Restaurants in Gulf Shores for Seafood

The area of Gulf Shores, Alabama features some of the best seafood restaurants in the country. All along the coast you can enjoy delicious shrimp, scallops, fish, oysters, and more. If you are planning a vacation to the Gulf Coast and staying in a oceanfront hotel or renting from a vacation rental company such as Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals you will be close to all these amazing seafood restaurants during your vacation.


Fish River Grill #3

This is definitely one of the best places to enjoy a seafood meal in Gulf Shores. They have a wide range of seafood offerings, but the thing they do best is grilled seafood. The grilled shrimp is a particular highlight that customers rave about. Make sure that you try their swamp soup, a tasty mix of black beans, pinto beans, turnips and ham. 
Fish River Grill #3 also serves the best burgers in town in case someone in your party isn’t a seafood fan.

S & S Seafood Market

For seafood fans who want to enjoy a quick meal next to the beach, a trip to S & S Seafood Market is a must. You can buy your seafood raw to take home or they will grill it up for you right there. You can’t beat this spot for freshness. The best thing on the menu is the smoked tuna dip. Even people who don’t normally like tuna gobble up this delicious dip.

Bahama Bob’s Beachside Café

This is another Gulf Shores 
seafood restaurant that is right on the beach. The food and service here are excellent. They are very popular and do not accept reservations, which means you shouldn’t be in a hurry as you might have to wait for a table. The view from the outdoor patio overlooking the beach is amazing. Some of the highlights on the menu include the mahi mahi sandwich and their fried alligator bites.


The BEACH HOUSE Kitchen & Cocktails

If you are looking for a fancy seafood spot, head somewhere else. The décor here is plain, but the seafood is spectacular. The shrimp tacos here are amazing. They also do a great job with the grouper. They have good happy hour specials and mix up a number of interesting cocktails. This is usually a little less crowded than many of the other seafood restaurants in town, which makes it a good spot to go if you are in a hurry.

Original Oyster House

This is the place to go in Gulf Shores if you are in the mood for oysters. They also serve incredible gumbo and cheese grits. This is one of the busiest restaurants in town. Be prepared to wait 30 minutes or so for a table. However, once you sit down, you will be blown away by the delicious food at Original Oyster House.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

The Best Restaurants Featuring Authentic Cuisine in Chimayo, NM


Chimayó has got to be one of the most authentically unique communities in the USA. What other town can boast its own heirloom chile pepper, its own healing sanctuary that’s been designated a National Historical Landmark, and its own craft traditions of weaving, tin-smithing, and woodcarving? It comes as no surprise that Chimayó also has some of the most authentic New Mexican restaurants in the country. Here are just a few of the most popular.

Rancho de Chimayó
For the past 50 years the Rancho de Chimayó has been delighting its customers with dishes that are locally sourced and inspired. Owner and manager Florence Jaramillo has garnered a number of prestigious awards for excellence, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Restaurant Association. Rancho de Chimayó is open for lunch and dinner, and offers vegetarian options along with a wine list of local favorites. To start out, try the fried stuff jalapeño peppers, followed perhaps by the colorful blue corn enchiladas with a prickly pear margarita.

Leona’s Restaurante de Chimayó
Devout visitors flock to the Holy Shrine of Santuario de Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas; it’s one of the holiest places in the USA. Next to the shrine is a huge catalpa tree the trunk of which grows literally through Leona’s Restaurante. The place may be small, but it makes up for size with its extraordinarily delicious and refreshing cuisine. Leona’s is particularly known for its authentic tamales, but there are plenty of other selections too: frito pies, burritos and other snacks, and deliciously fresh baked goods. Leona’s Restaurante is perfectly located for refreshing tired visitors to El Santuario, but well deserves a visit in its own right. It’s open Thursday through Monday, from ten to five.

El Paragua
To reach El Paragua, you’ll need to drive about 9 miles toward Espanola, just west from Chimayó. But the trip is definitely worth it. El Paragua has been serving authentic New Mexican cuisine since 1966. Given rave reviews in magazines such as Gourmet, owners Luis and Frances Atnecio have created a leisurely but elegant ambience that provides the perfect setting for their excellent cuisine. There are lunch and dinner menus, with vegetarian options on each. Start out your dinner with carnitas, sirloins cubes with salsa, followed by Camarones Borrachos (“drunk shrimp”), shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico fried in a beer batter. The dessert menu is extraordinary: the homemade Mexican flan will top off any meal in excellent fashion. El Paragua’s dinner menu also features a huge selection of items for children, so bring the whole family to try their authentic and delicious cuisine.

This post is a guest contribution from Casa Escondida Bed & Breakfast, an inn in Chimayo, NM.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

5 Great Restaurants and Bars in Tishomingo, OK

Rich in Native American history, Tishomingo, Oklahoma was named after a Chickasaw chief who contracted smallpox and passed away on the trail of tears, a national historic trail near the town. Local bars and restaurants reflect the rich heritage and southern hospitality of Oklahoma. Five of the best restaurants and bars in Tishomingo, Oklahoma are:

1. The Boomarang Diner - Known for its specialties of sandwiches, including the Barbecue pork sandwich, this restaurant features American cuisine like burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, pastries, desserts, and delicious breakfast menu items served all day. The Boomarang Diner was named Oklahoma's Restaurant of the Year in 2015. This restaurant likes to say that their best advertising comes from word of mouth from satisfied customers.

2. Fish Tales Restaurant - This buffet style restaurant has earned a stellar reputation for its local favorites like catfish, ribs, chicken, brisket, fries, hush puppies, fried okra and potato salad. Diners can top this off with ice cream or a serving of the Fish Tales famous peach cobbler. The restaurant itself is interesting due to its unique metal building in the shape of a barrel. Exaggerated or true fish tales are welcome to be told here.

3. Blue River Ribs - This barbecue restaurant serves traditional Oklahoma favorites like slow cooked barbecue featuring the best tasting meats, fries made fresh, hamburgers from fresh beef and nice touches like free pieces of birthday cake served on diner's birthdays. Blue River Ribs is renowned for its clean restaurant atmosphere and friendly ambiance.

4. The Ponderosa Bar at the Pink Pistol - Perhaps one of Tishomingo's most famous local landmarks is the Pink Pistol, owned by country music singer and songwriter Miranda Lambert. A quaint boutique styled shop, the Pink Pistol is a main attraction. Behind the shop, however, is the famous patio styled Ponderosa bar serving delectable cocktails, beer and other assorted drink offerings served in souvenir cups in a friendly, down home atmosphere. Visitors love the shopping, along with interesting photo opportunities. Along with The Ponderosa Bar, Lambert also owns The Ladysmith, a Tishomingo bed and breakfast.

5. Gonzalez Mexican Restaurant - A delightful Mexican restaurant recommended by locals. It features delicious food offerings including slow cooked pork served on a plate or used as a taco filling, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, fajitas, tamales, crisp green salad, fresh made chips and salsa and homemade guacamole served on the side. Another recommended dish is the homemade specialty tortilla soup. It's a clean establishment serving excellent food.