Looking for a #HappyHour to celebrate #FoodieFriday ?! @YardHouse has new #cocktails !

April 22, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Yard House recently announced FIVE NEW HANDCRAFTED COCKTAILS to their drink menu, so I knew I had to make plans to stop in and try one or two. During a recent trip to South Beach, I caught up with a good friend over cocktails. Located off Lincoln Road, the Yard House Miami Beach location was the perfect place to meet over good food, good conversation and innovative libations. One of the NEW handcrafted cocktails that caught my eye was The Refresher. Its made with house-made citrus agave blend and fresh-pressed watermelon juice and like it’s name is truly refreshing!

Quality drinks deserve to be paired with quality food. One of the reasons I enjoy dining at Yard House is because of the variety of choices at a great price. Whether you are ordering appetizers at the bar, enjoying happy hour /late night happy hour, or having a full meal Yard House has something for everyone. Here are just some of the deliciousness I enjoyed during my recent visit:

If you ever wanted to elevate your macaroni and cheese experience, try the house favorite and my personal go to: Mac & Cheese made with chicken, bacon, wild mushrooms, cheddar, parmesan, truffle oil. Our waiter suggested to try it with some buffalo sauce for a customized treat.

Blue Crab Cakes made with fresh mango & papaya, passion fruit beurre blanc, tomato oil satisfied my seafood cravings.

Vampire Taco comes with a cheese crusted tortilla, carnitas, bacon chorizo, chipotle salsa, roasted garlic, cumin crema, and more. It’s a force to be reckoned with.

Cheers!
Be sure to sign up for the Yard House e-club to stay updated on news and specials!

#TastyThursday : #Breakfast +Beach=Bliss! #PrestonsMarket #LoewsMiami @Loews_Hotels

April 21, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Last Saturday, after my wonderful morning at Exhale spa, I decided to dine at Loews Hotels Miami Beach because of convenience of location (right next door, same property) and to check out their brand new terrace while eating real ‘good for you’ food for breakfast.

What do I mean by real good for you? On the menu there are plenty of healthy options to choose from such as fresh cold pressed juices, gluten free dishes, and quality organic food . Our waitress assured us that “nothing is fake, everything is real, including her.” Ha!

Although the dining area was beautiful, my guest and I were happy to sit on the covered terrace with a view of the pool, and ocean. After being offered morning beverages such as coffee and freshly squeezed Florida orange juice, we headed inside to feast our eyes on the breakfast buffet. Almost all of my favorite morning indulgences were featured on the spread. Even a special little buffet for children was available because “Loews Loves Kids“.

While the buffet choices looked amazing and the made to order omelet station seemed to be calling my name, I did not indulge (but my guest did and she enjoyed the variety of options and the quality of food on the buffet). I opted to get an egg benedict dish because Saturday April 16 was National Eggs Benedict Day ! Preston’s Market offers a unique twist on a traditional Eggs Benedict called the Market Eggs Benedict. Its served on country bread toast, made with organic eggs, avocado, braised short ribs, and mustard hollandaise.

We had great service, a terrific view, delicious food and quality time. I left with my stomach full and my heart happy! If you are planning a visit to South Beach or live in South Florida and planning a Staycation, Book Now thru 7/10/16 for the Rise & Dine Special! To take advantage of Loews Best Rate and daily complimentary breakfast buffet for two, enter promo code LBRDIR when booking.
Now that’s SobeSavvy!

Enjoy #SundayBrunch with A View @WitandWisdomTavern @FSBaltimore #WitontheWater

April 5, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Baltimore has indeed become a hot spot for food lovers everywhere. That’s why we decided to visit one of the waterfront restaurants during a recent trip to Charm City. I’ve heard great things about Wit & Wisdom, A Tavern by Michael Mina and made reservations for their lavish Sunday Brunch Buffet.

Located in the hip Harbor East neighborhood inside of Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, Wit & Wisdom offers quality cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients.

The artisan-inspired, interactive Sunday Brunch Buffet features live music, a carving station featuring one meat (grilled rib eye) and one fish entrée (roasted rockfish), make-your-own omelet station, roast-your-own s’mores, buttermilk pancakes, biscuits and gravy, yogurt parfaits, fresh salads and more delicious seasonal favorites that combine the best of breakfast and lunch!
A savory and sweet crepe station offered a unique brunch experience as seen here…..
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDv9unviXFq/

I love seafood, so I was impressed by the raw bar featuring an array of shellfish with a fresh selection of local flavors including Old Bay–poached shrimp and Chesapeake oysters on the half shell. My sweet tooth was also satisfied by indulging in several mouthwatering desserts including a caramel bread pudding, and a variety of classic French pastries. Fit for a family, pint-sized patrons can enjoy a special kids bar featuring childhood favorites including mac ‘n’ cheese, PB&J, and chicken tenders.

With its wonderful waterside views and #witonthewater patio dining, Wit & Wisdom is the perfect place to treat yourself to a memorable meal or celebrate with a special brunch!
Hope you enjoy my photos featuring Wit and Wisdom’s interactive Sunday Brunch buffet!

#FoodieFriday spotlight on @LocalsSeafood! From Boat to Table #NCseafood @ChadwickCreek oysters and more!

March 4, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

This Past Sunday, my family and I headed down to the famous Raleigh Farmers Market. This is where fresh food in any category can be found. We were there specifically for fresh seafood.

North Carolina is blessed in many way. One way in particular is geography. We have mountains and we have beaches. The Atlantic is literally at our doorstep in the Eastern part of the State. In these waters, some of the freshest seafood in the world thrives here. Lucky for us, Locals Seafood Company http://localsseafood.com/ just happens to provide this bounty to the public.

Locals Seafood has a presence at the Triangle’s biggest weekend Farmers Markets. They can be found at farmers markets in Chapel Hill, Western Wake and of course in Raleigh. When we arrived there were a few enthusiastic customers ahead of us. Some of whom advised me that Locals Seafood is the ONLY place they buy their fresh seafood.

Locals’ menu constantly fluctuates with what is in season and available. This guarantees only the freshest regional seafood is available for their loyal customers.

Scallops, Sea Bass, oysters ,flounder and soft shell crabs were just a few items for sale at the market on Sunday.

We decided to get some soft Shell Crabs and make a soft shell crab Po Boy. Lightly fried in a mix of olive and vegetable oil…Semi Soft bread from our local baker worked well. We built it with dry cole slaw and Remoulade Dressing. Yum !

On Sunday, Locals had two types of fresh raw oysters available: Wild Oysters and Chadwick Creek oysters, which is located on the NC Inner Banks. We got a 1/2 dozen each and made them two ways.

First up were Raw Oysters w/lemon and a classic mignonette. As the pictures can attest, these were highly anticipated !

The second recipe we decided on was Oysters Rockefeller. Oven Baked w/Spinach, bacon and grated parmigiano- reggiano cheese until golden brown.

Last but definitely not least were what to do with our fresh flounder filet. How about Flounder Almondine?

Light egg batter and salt/pepper dusted flour dip and pan fried in Olive oil . We finished it with parsley flakes w/a side of asparagus tips. GREAT seafood sampler dinner from Locals Seafood. It just doesn’t get any fresher or any more local than this. Stop by one of the markets in Raleigh, Chapel Hill or West Wake this weekend and get buy your own fresh catch !

This #LeapDay, leap over to @FaireRaleigh @CameronVillage and Celebrate #NationalSurfandTurfDay

February 29, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Today is Feb 29th..Leap Day and National Surf and Turf Day! I suggest you celebrate by leaping over to Faire Restaurant to try their new menu highlighting a modern take on seafood, steak and small plates.

This month with the launch of the new and improved menu, Faire has added more small plate choices perfect for sharing with friends over a glass of wine. Chef Steve Zanini places a premium on finding the best ingredients for every dish on his menu. After taking a look at the menu online, I decided to come in for some cocktails and to give a taste to some of the small plates. The space is bright and airy. It is broken up with a nice lounge/bar area. The main dining room has large windows and a recessed waterfall ! Our server was attentive without being intrusive. The wonderful wine list is curated by Sommelier Mike Tinley. I had various dishes {shown below}. You can try many small plates or a large plate entrée. The choice is yours. Good Food. Good atmosphere and service. That is more than Faire. Next time you are in Cameron Village or want a special date night, try Faire.

Next month they start lunch hours and also they have a popular Sunday Brunch.

Enjoy my pictures from my visit to Faire ~Cheers!

* How beautiful is Faire’s Event Space?! It allows for 40 cocktail or 20 seated and features AV hookups for presentations,music,slideshows and more. Contact Events@FaireRestaurant.com

*If you love seafood..try the Crab Cakes with arugula, remoulade. Try this with a glass of Chenin Blanc, a newly added white on their wine list.

*A unique take on Surf and Turf: Shrimp & Pork Belly served with ancho, white cheddar biscuit,country veloutte

* These Frites are house cut russets accompanied with truffle aioli . Now this is how you elevate french fries !

*If you love quality Steak Tartare, this chopped c.a.b comes with capers shallots, mustard from Asheville,NC, egg yolk and crostinis

Left to Right: Sommelier, Michael Tinley and Executive Chef, Steve Zanini

It’s 2016,Resolve to #TravelforReal ! #TravelTuesday Feature @Loews_Hotels #LoewsAtlanta #SaltwoodAtl

January 5, 2016SobeSavvy 1 Comment

January 1, 2016 began a New Year in which one of my resolutions was to travel more. A road trip to the city of Atlanta with a stay at the Loews Atlanta Hotel seemed like a great place to begin.

Upon entering the hotel lobby, which was still looking festive from the holidays, I immediately knew this was going to be a chic and cozy hotel stay. My family and I were greeted with a warm smile and hot apple cider. Our bell captain , Kahn was very welcoming and insured us that we would enjoy our stay. Our room was on the 22nd floor overlooking Midtown Atlanta, which is according to Wikipedia” is the second largest business district in the city of Atlanta, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown to the south and Buckhead to the north.”

Our spacious corner room had views of the midtown skyline in 3 directions. Besides the Loews literally being one of the quietest hotels I have ever stayed at, it was also one of the most comfortable. Bedding, pillows and the Keurig coffee machine all made for a very enjoyable stay

Prior to our arrival, I corresponded with Jonathan Vendrick, the VIP/Concierge Manager for the Loews Atlanta Hotel who was beyond helpful with advising what attractions our 4 yr old would enjoy.

Already on our agenda was Lego Land (see article here) and the Children’s Museum ( read more here).

After a long day of travel and sightseeing, it is great to have a hotel that has a restaurant and a spa on the premises. Loews encourages guests to “Add a little well being to their stay” and I took them up on their offer by visiting Exhale Spa while there! Take a look at my feature of their spa here.

Our first dinner of the year was enjoyed at their restaurant, Saltwood. The restaurant specializes in the lost food art of Charcuterie. Chef picked specialty cuts of pork meats and cheeses. We also enjoyed fried Oysters and their succulent fried chicken with homemade gravy. Their whole fish was a favorite at the table also. Stylish space and unique offerings are to be found at Saltwood.

Needless to say, my little one and I enjoyed our home away from home at the Loews. Their quality, customer service,attentiveness and attention to detail made this a memorable family travel experience and a great way to start the new year in comfort. Until next time….

SobeSavvy.com Presents: The People, Plates, and Pours of @NYCWFF 2015 ! Grand Tasting Recap #NYCWFF #NoKidHungry

October 18, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

On Saturday October 17, 2015 SobeSavvy.com joined thousands of food-lovers to EAT. DRINK. END HUNGER at NYCWFF‘s signature Grand Tasting event ! The Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite featuring Samsung Home Appliance USA Culinary Demonstrations presented by MasterCard is a 130,000-square-foot culinary wonderland that everyone MUST experience in a lifetime !

Attendees met the greatest food stars in the country, sampled food from local NYC restaurants representing cuisines from around the world, and tasted the most sought-after wines and spirits alongside up-and-coming labels from the Southern Wine & Spirits of New York portfolio and take part in exciting interactive experiences with various brands and foodie products. 100% of the net proceeds from NYCWFF go to Food Bank For New York City and No Kid Hungry

Known as the Best Food & Wine Festival in America, my goal was to capture all the foodie fun and priceless moments! Speaking of Priceless, Mastercard cardholders got exclusive access perks at the festival, such as skipping the lines, getting into private events, reserved seating and a chance to mingle with the chefs. Learn more at http://www.priceless.com/

The Grand Tasting was from 12:00pm -6:00 pm , so we had to pace ourselves. Although the Pier 94 venue was crowded, it never felt cramped. We were prepared to spend some time with our favorite culinary stars and people from around the world. One amazing moment was my introduction to Korean traditional royal cuisine. I had the opportunity to learn about Hansik (Korean Food) presented by the Korean Food Foundation and picked up some recipes that I cannot wait to try this at home!

As always, I have photographs to share of the amazing event. SobeSavvy.com Presents: The People, Plates, and Pours of NYCWFF Grand Tasting 2015 ! Cheers…and I suggest you join me next year!

#SobeSavvy Presents #BeachyBrunches ! Vol 11: @YBSouthern @50EggsInc #SundayBrunch #MiamiBeach #SouthBeach #Miami

September 23, 2015SobeSavvy 1 Comment

The great jazz musician Charlie Parker’s nickname was ” Bird”. Shortened from “Yardbird”. He once said of his nickname; “I got the name Yardbird because I was crazy about eating chicken: fried, baked, boiled, stewed, anything. Down there in the South, all chickens are called yardbirds. Every house has some.”

Something so ubiquitous as chicken may seem to some to be a plain bland boring staple of a food choice. These naysayers have NEVER stepped foot in Yardbird Southern Bar and Grill restaurant in Miami {and now also in Las Vegas} http://runchickenrun.com/ They take their chicken so serious that their website states:

“Our chicken is 100% natural with no steroids or hormones and is American Humane Association Certified. Our labor of love begins with a 27-hour brining process, then we dredge it in our secret recipe of spices and flour, followed by the final step of frying to perfection.”

They have turned chicken into, well.. REALLY good chicken ! My family and I decided to see how they did Sunday brunch this past week. I knew how popular they were so we arrived by 10am and were seated promptly. They have terrace tables on the side of the restaurant but September heat in Miami is still stifiling so we opted to sit indoors. Their interior is best described as a beautiful huge country kitchen/dining room. Just like Miami’s denizens, it is stylish and attractive.

We had a window seat and I ordered a mimosa and the hubby ordered one of their signature cocktails. They has a bourbon selection like no other. It is REALLY extensive, but he wanted something with whiskey. So he got the Watermelon Sling.It was served in a old fashioned mason jar. White whiskey, fresh pressed watermelon juice and lemon . Served with a rosemary stalk. Nice touch and it was refreshing on such a warm Sunday morning.

Carlos, the general manager came over to assist with breaking down their brunch menu. Certain items are available for brunch and lunch/dinner, but some specific items are brunch only. We were famished so we decided to have some fun and order a number of different dishes.

We started with something I was very familiar with…brisket. We had the :

Smoked Brisket
pickled onion & cucumber
smoky tomato jam, house-made

Having spent time in Texas, I know brisket and I know the pretenders pretending to make brisket. This is no pretender ! Brisket so tender it just dissolves in your mouth. The tomato jam and pickled onion went great on it. This was addictive so you have been warned.

Our palate now fully online, we ordered their signature entrée :

Chicken ‘n’ Watermelon ‘n’ Waffles
honey hot sauce, chilled spiced watermelon
vermont sharp cheddar cheese waffle, bourbon maple syrup

Ladies and gents this is chicken unlike ANY other. Beyond description. Uber juicy, bursting with herbs and spices. The cheese infused waffle is uniquely tailored to be the Bonnie to the chicken’s Clyde. The bourbon maple syrup is divine. Watermelon was the cool side to both of these.

Our next entrée victim was off of their “Mama’s Biscuits” portion of the menu. We had the multi layered gargantuan

Egg & Sausage Biscuit
fried egg, house-made sausage
‘merican cheese, heirloom tomato

I found it impossible to take a civilized bite out of this. I have a feeling it was designed to be a “improper” kind of dish. Too big to properly bite so you just dive in wherever you see an opening !! So I deconstructed this behemoth and indulged in good ole fashion slicing and dicing. Sausage is obviously not mass produced but hand made. This dish is like when all different players come together for perfection. It took me back to my Grandma’s kitchen in Maryland when she pieced together breakfast favorites to make a meal. Incredibly good.

Next up was one of my favorite dishes when I am visiting south of the Mason Dixon Line. We had :

Shrimp n’Grits
seared shrimp, roasted tomatoes, virginia ham, nora mill grits, pbr chicken jus

Reminded me of being in low country around Savannah, Ga. Subtle flavors that just meshed together well. A really well thought out dish done with country flair.

As if all of that food was not enough , we finished our tour of the south with :

Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies
house-made vanilla bean ice cream

I describe it as really small empanada like pastry puffs filled with apple delights ! Served still warm with their homemade vanilla ice cream. Delightful end of our culinary journey .

Usually very popular restaurants end up not living up to diners’ inflated expectations. Yardbird is the exception. They deserve all the praise and almost cult like following of their return guests. Not resting on their laurels seems to be their key to long term success..

I hope this YARDBIRD manages to fly for a long time to come.

#Miami, Dine #RosaMexicano ,Elevate Your #TacoTuesday ! ~ @RosaMexicano Review by #SobeSavvy .com

September 22, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Taking up the ground floor of the iconic 1111 Lincoln Rd garage building sits Rosa Mexicana. http://www.rosamexicano.com/miami

Adjacent to the movie theatre, it is the perfect place to have dinner or lunch prior or post movie. Is it a “chain” restaurant? Yes, but you would never know it by the quality of food and service. It feels more like a high end independent restaurant in Ciudad Mexico. Inviting décor..not too dark and not too bright. Their menu runs the gamut, from Mexican street food to dishes curated to perfection by their executive chefs.

Their long bar with views of various flat screens makes this the perfect place to watch the game on Sunday or the news after work at their renowned Happy Hour. The tequila choices here are quite expansive. It is a sort of tequila hall of fame. Some are great with cocktails and some high end ones are what I call sippin tequilas. Complex as any wine. Their bartenders go through a vigourous vetting process prior to being hired. They can educate any novice on tequila choices that fit your mood. We had a pitcher of sangria and the pomegranate margarita. Both were awesome.

Their guacamole is iconic. It is made tableside from scratch right in front of your own eyes. In the processed bottle and canned world we inhabit, this was refreshing. Hass avocados are peeled and tomatoes, onions, herbs and spices are hand blended. You can request mild, medium or hot. We decided one medium and one mild. Both were mouth watering and went great with the warm tortilla chips. In Oct they are celebrating an event called “Guactoberfest”. So if you are a “guac” lover be sure to stop by.

We decided to get a broad spectrum of their most popular dishes. Pork carnitas, Tacos camarones, Pollo with plantains and Mexican corn. Each choice stood out as individual perfection. It helped to soak up all that Sangria !! My daughter loved to cherry pick out the fried shrimp so she was ecstatic. The hostess gave her a kids packet of coloring book and crayons. Rosa Mexicano loves kids and families and it showed .

We “forced” ourselves to try some dessert. The churros were out of this world. With a trio of dippin sauces we ended up fighting over the last one !! The raspberry tres leches and peanut butter/chocolate molten cake was rich and divine. Our visit to Rosa Mexicano was apleasurable one to say the least.

Viva La Mexico !!

Photographs of the 6th Annual Chesapeake #Crab and #Beer #Festival #MDCRABFEST @drinkeatrelax @NationalHarbor~#soDMVsavvy Event Recap

August 21, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Summer’s end may be near ….but first, let’s celebrate with friends/family, crabs and beer at the 6th Annual Chesapeake Crab and Beer Festival!

SobeSavvy.Com joined others for the World’s Largest Crab Feast August 22, 2015 at National Harbor, MD

Guests chose between either SESSION ONE: 11am – 3pm or SESSION TWO: 5pm – 9pm to join this Maryland Tradition! The festival is an ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-TASTE extravaganza complete with over 60,000 crabs, lots of beer, arts & crafts, live music, family fun and so much more! Here is what over 20,000 people have come to enjoy:

• LOTS OF SUMMERTIME FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
• ALL YOU CARE TO TASTE Over 50 beers and wines and a few spirits. All of your favorite craft beers and some great wines were served to highlight the summer afternoon on-hand.
• ALL YOU CARE TO TASTE CRABS. Enjoy all the crabs you can handle during the four hours of the show. The crabs vary in size and was offered at 6 crabs at a time, per person.
• OTHER GREAT FOOD. There are Crabs and MORE CRABS and MORE CRABS and even MORE CRABS – but there was other great food options as well available for purchase. There are no vegetarian options available. Unless outlined – all food is sold ala carte.
• ALA CARTE CRABS OPTION WILL BE SOLD 6 CRABS (1/2 dozen) AT A TIME PER PERSON FOR $35 – CASH ONLY. (WHILE SUPPLIES LASTS)
• LIVE MUSIC. Enjoy fun summer sounds from area bands.
• THOUSANDS OF TABLES AND CHAIRS AND HUGE TENTS for crackin’ to your heart’s content. They have even ordered enough crab paper to stretch all the way across The Potomac and back.

All SHOW FEATURES are covered, so rain or shine – we were all fine!

VIP & PLATINUM GUESTS ENJOYED WATERMELON AT THE SHOW TO COOL THINGS DOWN ON A HOT SUMMER DAY!

Lastly, this event was for a good cause! A portion of event proceeds go to Spirit of Hope Children’s Foundation Visit:www.spiritofhopechildrensfoundation.org
Be sure to Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get information in real time @DrinkEatRelax.

We had a crackin’ good time at the festival. As a native of Baltimore, it gets no better than crabs in the summertime! Here are some of my fun event photos from the #mdcrabfest! Enjoy!