family dining

Five Reasons to Dine at Fogo de Chão for the Holidays @fogorestaurants

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Disclaimer: Thanks to our friends at Fogo De Chão for hosting SobeSavvy.com. A gift card was provided to use towards facilitating this review and sharing my honest opinion with you!

Recently my family and I were visiting Atlanta,GA and we learned that one of our favorite restaurants, Fogo De Chão Brazilan Steakhouse  had a location in the area. We made a reservation on OpenTable.com and made plans to dine there for their amazing Brazilian Brunch, which I had the pleasure of trying for the first time at their DC location. That experience was so memorable that I knew dining with Fogo again would be a great choice especially for a special occasion such as Christmas and New Years. Here are my Five Reasons to Dine at Fogo De Chão for the Holidays:

1. Festive Decor and Atmosphere

First impressions are everything, even when dining out at a restaurant. Fogo offers a warm and festive atmosphere anytime but they really did a great job with their holiday decor. The restaurant was nicely decorated with wreaths at the door, a cozy fireplace and there was also a beautiful Christmas tree. We just had to take advantage of a holiday photo op!

2. Great Cocktails & Mocktails

What’s the holidays without having a drink to toast to the festivities?! In addition to a full bar which features an innovative and award winning wine list, Fogo De Chao has speciality Cocktails and Mocktails that the whole family can enjoy. Our daughter loves the Limeade, which is just one of the many drinks where they use fresh lime. No matter what you choose, their cocktails are expertly crafted with a smile!

3. Seasonal Market Table

The Market Table is much more than a salad bar. As described it features..”a colorful palate of fresh and flavorful ingredients inspired by Brazilan farmlands & recipes that are traditional & natural staples of Southern Brazilian cuisine.” That’s right you can have a taste of Brazil without even stamping your passport. How’s that for a holiday treat! My faves from the Market Table are the Butternut Kale Salad and the Autumn Lentil Soup, which is a great gluten free option. Everyone can find tasty, healthy and delicious options right at the Market Table which can be enjoyed as a meal itself or included with your full churrasco experience. For a look at the full Market Table menu, click here.

4. Conveniently Open on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day & New Years Eve/New Years Day

My fondest holiday moments are memories of having a good meal with family and friends. While I still plan to cook some of my family favorites to enjoy on Christmas Day, it is nice to have the option to dine out at Fogo De Chão. No need to carve the turkey, when you can sit back, relax and have fire roasted, well seasoned pork, lamb, chicken, steak carved for you right at the table. You flip your card red for stop and green for go. Everything was so good that I think we found a new holiday tradition..dining at Fogo for the holidays!

5. Shop for your favorite Foodie

If you are shopping for a Christmas gift or in need of a hostess gift to give to someone, a gift card from Fogo De Chao is a great idea! Maybe you want to surprise your neighbor or give a thank you gift to someone. Anyone would love to be treated to a gift card which can be sent by an egift card by email or easily mailed. Gift cards purchased can be redeemed at any of the locations in the United States or Puerto Rico.

SobeSavvy Tip: Need a gift idea for the foodie in your life? Purchase a Fogo De Chão gift card by Dec. 31 and receive a $25 Holiday Bonus Card for every $150 in gift card purchases! Buy at restaurant or at FOGO.com

Fogo De Chão also offers group and private dining. So no matter the size family, or if your gathering is big or small, this restaurant can surely accomodate all. We had another amazing dining experience with Fogo. I would definitely recommend anyone visiting Atlanta and looking for a place to dine to visit Fogo De Chão Brazilian Steakhouse for a unique and delicious weekend brunch,lunch or dinner!

Fogo De Chão Brazilian Steakhouse

3101 Piedmont Rd NE

Atlanta, GA 30305

Orlando 3 Day Vacation-Day 3|Best Lunch in Disney Springs with a View @PaddlefishORL #Seafood

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To celebrate our last and final day 3 in Orlando [in case you missed it, read Day 1 >here and Day 2 > here + here], we made plans to have a special lunch in Disney Springs at Paddlefish. We consider ourselves ‘seafoodies’ because it is our favorite cuisine and since Paddlefish was voted ‘Best Seafood Restaurant’ we had to check it out!

VIEWS …ask for a window seat

Located directly on Lake Buena Vista, Paddlefish, takes the shape of a classic steam paddleboat and simply can’t be missed! It has huge windows which leads to wonderful natural light in every room.

This restaurant also has an expansive rooftop lounge/bar with great panoramic views of Disney Springs, which is the outdoor shopping, dining, entertainment area formerly known as Downtown Disney. After a few rain showers, I was able to go up on the rooftop and video the gorgeous views. Check it out!⤵️

DRINKS…try a mocktail

Paddlefish has a wonderful cocktail and wine menu, however I wanted something with no alcohol. I was glad to see they have mocktails which allows me to have a craft cocktail minus the liquor and extra calories. I got the Cucumber Sipper and it was love at first sip! It was refreshing and very good. I loved the use of fresh ingredients like cucumber and rosemary in a drink!

KIDS MENU…looked as good as ours

I must admit after seeing what was on the kids menu, I could not wait to try my daughter’s food. Her menu had some great seafood choices! My girl chose the cup of soup/clam chowder, shrimp pasta and warm cookies +milk for dessert. I did manage to taste it all before she ate it all, which means she liked it!

LUNCH MENU..give me all the seafood

For starters, we split an order of crab fries. I have never had loaded fries with a seafood topping before. It was so yummy! The skin on fries come with lump crab on top and with Louie Dressing. I still added ketchup and enjoyed this dish nonetheless.

We also tried an order of their Fish Tacos. They used salmon and a whitefish in their tacos. It came with a papaya mango salsa which I loved and I enjoyed the flavors. Although my personal preference is for a fried fish taco, this was pretty good.

SobeSavvy Tip: Be sure to order one of Buzz Pop Cocktails and see what all the buzz is about! These popular adult beverage frozen treats are now available at Paddlefish.

After dining at Paddlefish, we enjoyed the rest of our day exploring Disney Springs. If you are there between now and Jan. 6, 2019, it’s the most wonderful time of the year to see the Christmas Tree Trail, which is what we did to walk off all that delicious food! Watch video: here.

Our dining experience at Paddlefish was the perfect way to end our awesome Orlando vacay. Being able to enjoy delicious seafood with great service made for a memorable lunch. Looking for the Best Place In Disney Springs To Enjoy Lunch (and brunch/dinner too) With A View? Make plans to dine at Paddlefish!

PADDLEFISH

1670 Buena Vista Drive

Orlando, FL 32830

paddlefishrestaurant.com

Orlando 3 Day Vacation- Day 2, part 2 | Food,Wine,Good Times at @CHWinery Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants

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Family and Good Times go together like Food & Wine. All of these things come together at a restaurant in Orlando named COOPER’S HAWK Winery and Restaurants. After a great start to our Day 2 at SEALIFE Orlando and Madame Tussauds, my #HeighPartyof3 met up with 2 friends to enjoy dinner at Cooper’s Hawk after hearing so many good things about this place, plus it was a convenient 5 min drive from our hotel on I-Drive. It was such a wonderful dining experience that we were there for 3 hours! I mean when was the last time you had a three hour dinner? Between the stories shared, chef-crafted food, and award winning wines, we simply lost track of time.

We had a 5:30p reservation on a Sunday night. I highly recommend that you make a reservation before you go because this place is popular! Described as a modern, casual dining experience with warm hospitality in an inviting upscale setting, Cooper’s Hawk felt welcoming. With a wine tasting room, gift shop, wine bar and even a place to purchase wine to go, theres was so much to take in and I was quite impressed at first sight!

KIDS MENU

As you know our family enjoys dining out and being introduced to new flavors as well as tasting foods we are familiar with. My young foodie was very happy to see lots of her favorites on their kids menu like flatbread cheese pizza, mac & cheese but for the first time on a kid’s menu we saw chicken potstickers amd that is what she ordered. While we waited some warm pretzel bread and butter came to the table. It was so good, my daughter really wanted it all to herself!

The Kid’s Menu, which is for kids 12 and under, shows what options are vegetarian or gluten free. Since the kitchen is a scratch kitchen, any menu items can be customized if any allergy or dietary restrictions. All entrees include a drink (they offer organic chocolate milk) and served with a side of fresh fruit plus one additional side from a list. My daughter ate everything on her plate and was entertained [and occupied] by the fun games/graphics to color on the menu. The cherry, or shall I say the strawberry on top of her whole dining experience came at the end of her meal. All kid’s menu entrees include a chocolate covered strawberry! Now that’s fancy!

WINE

There is a reason Cooper Hawk’s puts the word “winery” before restaurant in their name. Wine is such an integral part of their experience. You enter the restaurant through the wine store/sampling room, which features high ceilings, beautiful decor and wine gifts. Here you can stand at the bar and sample wines prior to purchase. You can buy by the bottle or the case right on the premises.

Not sure what wine will pair well with your meal? No worries. They have a no risk policy that allows you to ask for a taste before ordering a glass to challenge yourself to try something new! All items on the menu are paired with a wine that is labeled on the menu by bin number as suggested by the winemaker. This takes alot of the guess work out of the “what wine goes with this” scenario we all have faced!

The servers here also operate as your own personal sommelier. They are knowledgeable in recommending all sorts of wines depending on your likes and dislikes. What makes dining here even more special is the ability to have a wine tasting of up to 3 wines complimentary right at the table for you to try before you order. In addition to wine, they also serve beer, a variety of cocktails and other beverages.

DINNER MENU

The menu is described as contemporary American-fusion and contains dishes that incorporates peak of season ingredients and flavors from around the world. With 110 items on the menu, there is truly something for everyone on the menu.

Appetizers***

Just looking at these photos of Mexican Drunken Shrimp and Asian Ahi Tuna Sashimi is making my mouthwater. At the suggestion of our server, I got the Mexican Drunken Shrimp, which is bacon-wrapped shrimp with a tequila lime butter sauce and fresh guacomole. Need I say more? It was as good as described and I would get it again! Soups, salads, flatbreads and other amazing appetizer choices are on the menu as an option to share and enjoy before your meal.

Entrées***

No matter if you want Beef, Pork, Seafood, Pasta, Chicken, Vegetarian, or Vegan, Cooper’s Hawk has something on the menu for you! I appreciate when a restaurant cares about accomodating guests regardless of what type of food is desired. We all loved the taste and presentation of our food, plus the quality,fresh ingredients used. My husband was in the mood for seafood and got the Pan-Roasted Barramundi and my dish, Red Wine Braised Short Ribs was identified on the menu as a Cooper’s Hawk Favorites. As seen below, it comes with oven-roasted vegetables, mustard sauce, Mary’s Potatoes (which are mashed potatoes whipped to perfection)and topped with Crispy Onion Strings. My short ribs were tender and absolutely delicious!

Desserts***

We saved room for something sweet to end our amazing meal! After seeing on the menu that all desserts were vegetarian and made in-house daily, we just had to try something. My family ordered the Key Lime Pie and our friends got the S‘more Budino as seen below. It’s the perfect combination of caramel custard,chocolate mousse and brown butter toasted graham cracker.

SobeSavvy Tip: This is the perfect restaurant for celebrating special occasions, like birthdays or just life in general! When you sign up for the exclusive Wine Club , for one low price you get the wine of the month delivered and also 10% off case discounts, birthday specials and invites to special member only events.

If you follow my SobeSavvy.com Food and Wine experiences, you know that I enjoy dining out and having lots of foodie fun. This was my first experience at Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants and I can’t stop thinking about how good everything was. The attention to detail, handcrafted wine selections, amazing dishes and their belief that food and wine hold the power to forge lasting connections is why this restaurant is one of the most memorable dining experiences we have had in awhile. Thanks Cooper’s Hawk for taking us on an unforgettable wine and food journey! For more info, go to chwinery.com

COOPER’S HAWK Winery & Restaurants
8005 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

#FoodieFriday | Family Dining at FIREBIRDS Wood Fired Grill #NorthHills @FirebirdsGrill #Raleigh

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Happy Friday! Time for another drool-worthy Foodie Friday Feature. This time I am highlighting Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. Have you ever been? We have three locations here in the Triangle [Durham/Southpoint Mall, Morrisville and Raleigh/North Hills]. I had gone before to enjoy their Happy Hour but I did not know about their amazing Kids Menu! I learned more about the restaurant at the North Hills Block Party event and was interested in dining there with my family. We went there for lunch on Sunday prior to seeing The Nutcracker and The Four Realms and had an enjoyable experience. From the great service to the tastiness of the food and the welcoming atmosphere, I would definitely recommend dining at Firebirds!

Drinks/Appetizer

With a full bar featuring an extensive wine list and creative cocktails, there are so many beverage choices to choose from. Our waiter kindly suggested we try a few of their non-alcoholic craft beverages. I am so glad he did because the Strawberry Basil Cooler and Wild Berry Ginger Craft Soda were both refreshing.

Firebirds partners with an organization called “Alex’s Lemondade Stand“. They contribute a portion of every lemonade sale to this pediatric cancer foundation. So naturally we ordered a lemonade for our daughter!

We had the Lobster Spinach Queso as a shareable appetizer. Chunks of lobster and fresh spinach in delicious high quality queso cheese with bell peppers. Tri-colored tortilla chips came with it. Simply one of the best quesos I have ever had! Three words of advice: ORDER.THIS.APPETIZER.

Recommended: Lobster Spinach Queso

Kids Menu

I was very happy to see that the food offered to little ones are from a KidsLiveWell approved menu. Not many restaurants have this healthy recognition for most of the items on their kids menu, so I am pleased to see this and spread the word to other parents!

The Kids Live Well program verifies that certain kids dishes meets or exceed child nutritional standards. They have 5 entrees and 3 sides that meet this standard. Their kids menu has everything from shrimp tacos and wood grilled mahi to ribs. My daughter wanted the ribs. They came fall- off -the -bone tender with a honey barbeque sauce. She chose fresh fruit and brocolli for healthy sides. Fries came out in error so it was a bonus side for her.

Speaking of bonus, the Kids Menu itself is a mini activity book unlike anothet focusing on important values and interviews from Kid Heros. For more Kids Fun Visit FIREBIRDSKIDS.COM

Entreés

If I had to describe their entrees with one word it would be delicious. Firebirds offers so many yummy options on their menu and what we each ordered was tasty, flavorful, and satisfying!

My husband went with their Filet Mignon which was cooked to a perfect medium at his request. It came tender with a side of mashed potatoes and port mushrooms. Every steak they serve is aged a minimum of 21 days.Top quality and great taste.

Recommended: Filet Mignon is a staple on the menu. Their kitchen is a scratch kitchen and all of their steaks and seafood are hand-cut in house.

I went with the wood grilled salmon. It was basted with key lime butter and veggies. At my waiter’s suggestion, I got it chile rubbed style. In fact he advised that you can request anything on the menu to be chile rubbed. I added a skewer of shrimp and a side of Southwest Au Gratin Potatoes. We all enjoyed the gooey baked goodness of that side dish!

Dessert

Four Words.: SAVE.ROOM.FOR.DESSERT ! Firebirds offers an array of terrific desserts like Warm Chocolate Brownies, Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Cake and a White Chocolate Mousse. But me and my sweet tooth are here to testify that their Creme Brulee Cheesecake will knock your socks off ! Such a fantasic sweet ending to a fantastic meal!

Recommended: Crème Brulee Cheesecake

SobeSavvy Tip: Firebirds offers dishes featuring ingredients for that season. The next seasonal feature is not until their Winter Features which will launch on November 28th. Be sure to mark your calenders and make reservations [on OpenTable] today! Plus, join the Firebirds Inner Circle for updates. Check out more from Firebirds on their website.

Also Firebirds is honoring our Veterans on Monday with this awesome deal⤵️

Firebirds is an excellent choice for a date night, meeting with friends, celebrating a special occassion or simply dining with family in a nice casual setting. Adults and kids can find alot to love about Firebirds. I know we enjoyed everything about our meal and look forward to dining here again!

Thank you to Firebirds for hosting SobeSavvy.com at your Raleigh North Hills location for Lunch. My opinions of the dining experience are 100% my own!

FIREBIRDS Wood Fired Grill

North Hills

4350 Lassiter At NORTH HILLS Ave. Ste 118, Raleigh,NC 27609

919.788.8778

Raleigh.FirebirdsRestaurants.com

#FoodieFriday Spotlight on @fogorestaurants | Fogo De Chão – Where to #Brunch in #DC 🍴

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Thank you to Fogo De Chão for hosting SobeSavvy.com at your DC location for Brunch. My opinions of the dining experience are 100% my own!

If you saw my previous family travel post about Where To Stay in Alexandria, VA then you know my #HeighPartyof3 family spent this past Labor Day in and around Washington DC. On Sunday, we wanted to do brunch and saw that Fogo De Chão offered a new Brazilian Brunch every Saturday & Sunday. It was extraordinary, fun and most importantly delicious!

Fogo De Chão is a Brazilian Steakhouse known for it’s all you can eat churrasco dinners and exquisite wines like the ones recently added by VIK Winery, but did you know they offered a Brazilian Weekend Brunch? Neither did I! After trying their Brazilian Brunch for the first time, my daughter exclaimed that it was AAaahhhmmmmaaazzzing! Check her out in Instagram, giving her #outandaboutAva Lil Miss Foodie report:

Here is why we parents think you should check out the Brunch at Fogo De Chão:

• This restaurant wants you to eat your fruits and veggies too! Before the main event you get to make a trip {unlimited trips actually} to their beautiful Market Salad Bar. This huge station has so many fresh items to get you started. Multiple lettuce, cheese and cold meats including prosciutto, smoked salmon and hams. In addition there were items like asparagus tips, fresh fruits and breads. There is also a Feijoada Bar, which has soups and bean choices. Next to that is a tender, flavorful, ready to carve pork shoulder should you wish to get the meat started immediately!

• Family Friendly + Kids age 6 and under eat FREE for lunch, brunch or dinner with paying adult. During the Labor Day weekend only, the special was kids 12 and under eat free! SobeSavvy Tip: Join their Fogo E Club >>HERE to be informed of special events, promotions and the latest Fogo News!

• Priced cheaper than it’s normal dinner, their weekend brunch still gives you the full on experience at less the cost. Let’s high five to that!

• All you can eat fire roasted meats being served by the authentically dressed “Gauchos” are available to you whenever you want it! Tables have little markers that each person dining uses when they are ready to be served by the roaming meat experts. Green for MORE MEAT PLEASE…Red for NO MORE RIGHT NOW.

• They come over and ask you how do you want it? From Rare to Well Done is carried on every 3 foot long skewer. They carve off a slice {you tell them thin, thick etc..} and you use the tongs to pull it off and put on your plate. That’s it. Filet Mignon, Strip, Chicken, Pork, Ribs, Lamb, Sirloin. THEY.HAVE.IT.ALL….and I love variety + great service!

• Cocktails are made with quality ingredients and they offer wine galore from the ceiling to floor! Yes, there is a wine wall. I recommend the Caipirihna, the Brazilian National cocktail perfectly made with Cachaca, lime juice and a little brown sugar or try a glass of wine from VIK winery in Chile.

• Yes they do have something other than meat on the menu. SEAFOOD! They have a wonderful platter with shrimp and lobster tails served chilled or grilled. A butter burner gets set up on the table to ensure you have that warm butter to dip. Beautiful presentation and delicious fresh seafood. If you want a Surf & Turf experience, add on the Seafood platter at an extra cost.

• Save room for dessert! While they offer quite a few choices, our server highly recommended we try their “Papaya Cream“. Fresh papaya (which our server advised helps to digest meat) is blended with vanilla ice cream and the server tops it in a large glass with black currant liquor. It was amazingly different and so good. Big enough for the adults to share that’s for sure! Our daughter got her fave creme brulee.

SobeSavvy Tip: Enjoy more savings when you go at lunchtime and opt to order the Market Table and Feijoada only. You get all the salad bar trips you want for a light lunch or if you are pressed for time. It is a great option for a healthy alternative for a low price of only $15 !

Have you ever been to Fogo de Chão for brunch, lunch, or dinner? What did you have that was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!

FOGO DE CHÃO

1101 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Washington,DC 20004

Food|Celebrate #NationalCheesePizzaDay @DemosPizzaDeli in #Raleigh #NC #SobeSavvyEats #Pizza

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Give me a P- I- Z- Z -A, foodies let’s celebrate #NationalCheesePizzaDay! If you live in Raleigh, hands down, DeMo’s Pizzeria & Deli is a great place to enjoy some amazing cheese pizza and more! Here’s why:

✔ Fresh, not Frozen crust

✔ Dough made in-house

✔ Homemade Sauce

✔ Quality Mozzarella Cheese

But that’s not all they do great.…

Pizza, Hot & Cold Sandwiches, Award Winning Chicken Wings and Delicious Desserts are all on the menu for the whole family to enjoy!

THE MENU

DeMo’s Pizzeria & Deli on Glenwood Avenue in Downtown Raleigh has some of the best wings and pizza to be found anywhere.

Founded by two Raleigh natives, DeMo’s serves up everything fresh not frozen. House made dough, sauces and even the vanilla cannoli cream fillings!

But before I jump to dessert, I went there with my family in search of the best cheese pizza to have on National Cheese Pizza Day. We noticed they had comfy booth seating and our favorite foodie show ‘Chopped’ was playing on one of their flat screen tvs, so we felt right at home. We started with hot and fresh garlic rolls that was served with their house made marinara. They were soooo goood! Order these and get ready to dip, baby, dip!

A fresh Ceasar Salad is a great way to ensure you eat your veggies with your pizza and their salad was crisp, tasty and big enough for my #HeighPartyof3 family to share.

I highly suggest ordering some wings to start. Not just any wings but DeMo’s offer Jumbo Wings that are seasoned, baked to perfection and fried to order perfection. They are then tossed in one their many amazing sauces or you can get the sauce on the side.

It comes served with double batch ranch sauce and blue cheese for dipping. In addition to their award winning Buffalo IPA beer sauce, DeMo’s has some other sauce choices also like Mild, Honey Chile, BBq and Teriyaki. These wings are definitely a crowd pleaser!

Our medium Cheese Pizza came piping hot out of their oven! It had the right amount of gooey, ooeey cheese that our daughter loves, the perfect amount of sauce for me and my husband, who I call a pizza crust snob (since his first job was making pizzas) gave it his pizza lover stamp of approval.

In my opinion there is nothing worse than an unbalanced cheese to sauce ratio! But DeMo’s does not disappoint and there was goodness in every bite. Their pizza is thin NY style pizza. In other words you can hold or fold. The choice is yours! My little one aka #outandandaboutAva commented it was the best pizza she has ever had!

As the pizza was disappearing we made sure to save room for dessert after learning from co-owner Anthony DeMarco that the cheesecake (my daughter’s favorite) is not only homemade but has a bit of a unique twist in its recipe that my young foodie tasted right away! Also on the dessert menu are cannolis made with their house made vanilla cream filing. Both desserts were so good and the perfect sweet ending to our meal.

SobeSavvy Tip: If you just want to order a slice of pizza from DeMo’s , check out this daily combo’s special ⤵️

We left Demo’s feeling like everyday should be National Cheese Pizza Day! Our daughter waved goodbye to ‘Fat Tony’ outside of Demo’s and I grabbed a menu because you can dine in or order take out. DeMo’s Pizzeria & Deli also offers delivery which I will be using since this place is now our new favorite pizza spot in Raleigh!

DEMO’S Pizzeria & Deli
222 Glenwood Ave #121 Raleigh, NC 27603