The OCH, as the waiter “cleverly” calls The Old Captiva House, offers one of the finer dining experiences on Captiva Island. As with many fine dining establishments, the color white is everywhere. The tablecloths, napkins, curtains, walls and even the staff attire sport the color white. I suppose the color white is elegant, soothing and does set the atmosphere of the OCH well.

The Old Captiva House

I was not impressed with the beer selection which consisted of all the regulars and offering only Yuengling out of the norm. I expect a bit more selection in a place of OCH’s caliber. The bread was excellent including many varieties accompanied with seasoned oils. The time until entrees were served was right on par with a restaurant of this type, allowing plenty of time to enjoy beverages. Continue Reading

Beachfront 301

A great bar in Huntington Beach besides Sharkeez, Huntington Beach, CA, is Beachfront 301 Bar & Grill. Also located on Main St., it’s across from Starbuck’s. It is probably about four times the size of Sharkeez and equally as fun in its own way. It’s better to bring larger groups here however, because you won’t be shoulder to shoulder, and you’ll be able to be more comfortably spaced either standing or sitting; and there is a lot of seating available.

Let’s get into happy hour… They have a great selection of food to choose from on their happy hour menu, as well as drinks. Let’s put it this way: My friend and I split a plate of chicken nachos (pretty generously portioned), a plate of hot-wings, taquitos, and we each got a beer. Our total: only $16!!! Side-note: Their hot-wings are probably some of the best hot-wings I have ever had; the sauce they use is amazing. You have to try them at some point if you ever go here. Continue Reading

Sharkeez

Sharkeez is one of my top 2 favorite bars in Huntington Beach. Located on Main Street, this bar is usually poppin’. You won’t find yourself waiting in line usually, if you get there before 9 or 10 p.m. After 11 though, it can get pretty packed. Packed as in shoulder to shoulder. The small size of the bar is only one of their downfalls.

If you get there early enough to get food, do it; they have pretty good stuff. the buffalo wings have an awesome sauce that they’re cooked with, and the chicken quesadillas are pretty bomb too. Usually throughout the night fresh chips and salsa are set up at a little “chips n’ salsa” bar for you to grab. Or, ask one of the security guys that are always walking around, and they’re usually nice enough to grab you some. Continue Reading

Keylime Bistro

Keylime Bistro is located on Captiva’s main road Andy Rosse Lane. Keylime Bistro offers outdoor seating which is perfect on a warm night, morning or afternoon as they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Keylime Bistro is known for their seafood and unique pasta dishes.

Around lunch the live music begins. The live music is a guitarist jamming along with well known songs. “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones was one song jammed during my dinner. In between the live music the musician DJs some tunes. The music is a bit loud so try to avoid the eating right in front of the music station which is located on the left side of the outdoor patio. Continue Reading

Longboard Grill

Longboards in Pacific Beach, San Diego, is one of the more fun bars I have been to recently. The food, the happy hour prices, and the music, all make for a great time.

First off, Longboard’s is a little further down from your group of bars that are all clustered together on Garnet Ave closer to the beach. The distance makes for a shorter line to get in, if a line at all, but not too far that the place is dead. Certain times there is a cover charge of $5, as there was when I went on a Friday night, however your wrist is stamped and you can walk in and out as you please, whereas most bars do not allow re-entry. This is convenient when you want to step outside to take a smoke break or get some fresh air, because either the patio is packed, or it is closed as they do so close the patio after midnight. Continue Reading

Crystal Cove Shake Shack

You’re driving along the Pacific Coast Highway, you expect to see breath-taking views of the oceans, as you do, when suddenly something pops out of nowhere and catches your eye: The Shake Shack.

If you’re driving down PCH heading South toward Laguna Beach, from Laguna Hills, you will drive along Crystal Cove State Beaches, and as your eyes are drawn to the ocean view, you can not miss this nifty little placed shack. It is on a cliff over looking the beaches of Crystal Cove. Continue Reading

Outside Joses in La Jolla

Jose’s Courtroom is located on Prospect St in Downtown La Jolla California. Jose’s Courtroom, as you might have guessed, is one of those Mexican-restaurants-by-day-bar-and-dance-floor-by-night places. Actually, you probably didn’t guess that. I digress, Jose’s Courtroom serves up some really great Mexican food. Maybe the best in Downtown La Jolla.

The ambiance and feel of Jose’s Courtroom can best be described by a recent Tweet on their Twitter account: Continue Reading

El Pescador located in La Jolla is one of the best seafood market & delis I’ve been to. The great food at El Pescador makes up for the horrendous parking situation. El Pescador has a limited amount of tables so consider yourself lucky if you get a seat on a Saturday afternoon around lunch time. If you’ve never been to El Pescador I recommend starting off with a salmon burger.

If you’re more adventurous than a salmon burger you can step up to many fresh seafood options depending on what’s in season. Go for a fish taco or better yet clam chowder in a bread bowl. El Pescador also draws in all sorts of people just looking to pick up a few pieces of fresh fish for dinner later that night. All their seafood is displayed really nice and is super fresh.

When you’re finished snorkeling at the La Jolla cove swing over to El Pescador for some lunch. After lunch you can shoot over to Girard Avenue and Prospect Street to walk off those fish tacos. El Pescador has really quality seafood worth trying.

The San Diego Wine and Culinary Center is located on Harbor Drive across the street from the San Diego Convention Center. According to their website the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center is “is dedicated to promoting the food and wine bounty of San Diego County. We work with local winemakers, growers, chefs, and food purveyors to bring you the finest locally-produced products.”

The San Diego Wine and Culinary Center offers reasonably priced wine tasting served by a reasonably knowledgeable wait staff. The cheese platter and ham & cheese panini was very good as well. When I went to the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center it was a Saturday afternoon and the group I was with sat outside on the comfortable couches overlooking the Convention Center, palm trees, and passing trolley cars - very nice.

In addition to the wine sampling, the waiter had created a custom sangria that morning which was very delicious selling for $5 per glass. Overall, the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center is a pretty fun mid-day treat for you and your friends. Any wine connoisseur will appreciate the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center.

Neighborhood located downtown San Diego features 27 craft microbrews on tap. It’s a casual hipster environment with really great food and interesting art work on the walls. It’s low-lit ambiance is accentuated by the red orbs placed on each table that are unusually bewitching.Neighborhood is one of the best spots to take a date in San Diego.

At it’s core, Neighborhood is a burger joint; there are a few veggie and non-burger options as well. Neighborhood is also famous for their sweet potato fries (Peppered Malt Mignonette/ Goldmine Shaft Cheese Crumbles) with, I believe, a mild wasabi dipping sauce. If I ever went to Neighborhood with a buddy, I would press all the sweet potato fries together, making one giant sweet potato fry and eat it.

I highly recommend Neighborhood as a date spot but there is a cool bar section with a few TVs so you can chill out there as well.It’s located 777 G St downtown San Diego and I’ll let you park at my apartment for just $5…or maybe a few sweet potato fries.

The Wine Cabana, located on Congress Street in Old Town, is a hidden gem. For locals, the Old Town tourist trap typically doesn’t spring to mind as a great place to take a date or hang out with friends. However this bar is a perfect example of what you’re missing out on.

Wine Cabana in Old Town

The Cabana has three main sections. There is the main bar area, with comfortable stools, a peaceful aquarium and friendly, knowledgeable bartenders. Beyond that is a room filled with couches that has a cozy atmosphere, low lighting and curtains for privacy. Then there is the outside section, complete with cabana-style seating surrounding fire pits and festive lighting. The outdoor area is a great spot to relax with friends or host a low-key party or event.

The wine selection, though not huge, is impressive and appetizers and cheese plates are offered on the menu. Also, the Cabana has a monthly calendar of events such as Poker Night and Girl’s Night Out. We visited on Chocolate Fondue night and complimentary fondue was put out with strawberries, pound cake, pretzels and marshmallows. Next time you’re headed Downtown for a night of the same old scene, consider stopping at Wine Cabana in Old Town instead.

The Rotary Restaurant on Nantucket is located at the Milestone Rotary. The Rotary Restaurant is not known for it’s ambiance but is known for it’s great food and peculiar menu items such as Ox tail. The Rotary Restaurant has a really great lobster roll; their lobster roll is served with french fries. Most likely you’ll be eating on the outside patio which has some really dirty bottles of ketchup and mustard -  this is all part of the allure that is The Rotary Restaurant  (I hope).

The Rotary Restaurant’s lobster roll is served with large chunks of lobster which is great. The lobster is really great and maybe the best lobster meat on the island. The bun The Rotary Restaurant uses for it’s lobster roll is pretty poor though. When I went to The Rotary Restaurant there were 5 people in my party. 3 (including myself) ordered the lobster roll - the other two who ordered the lobster roll ate just the lobster meat out of the roll after taking a bite. It’s not that the roll is repulsive, it just doesn’t go with lobster meat. The roll would be better suited for a sausage and peppers sub.

The Rotary Restaurant is definitely worth checking out and certainly give the lobster roll a shot, it still gets a high rating due to the lobster meat being so good. Or, perhaps if you’ve had one too many lobster rolls in your day you should go for the Ox tail.

Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza located Downtown San Diego, right next to the Horton Plaza parking garage, is a very solid, can’t-miss, you-know-what-you’re-gonna-get kind of place. Although a chain, Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza has very good pizza, appetizers and a good atmosphere. The downtown location is not conducive to watching the game, but it’s a good date spot with solid ambiance. The edamame at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza is a must-order appetizer.

Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza offers a very wide range of pizza options that are sure to please any taste. Unfortunately, on a semi-related note, I have to dock Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza a few points for having a web site that plays music automatically - terrible. Web site aside, Sammy’s has good pizza and even ranks in my top 5 favorite pizzas in San Diego.

Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza has an OK selection of draft beers including a few local brews. Definitely check out Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza downtown San Diego and afterward cruise around Gas Lamp for a few drinks or too. Sammy’s has very solid pizza - just don’t log on to their web site.

The Straight Wharf Fish Store on Nantucket, MA is home to one of the better lobster rolls on the island. If you’re ordering a lobster roll anywhere on Nantucket during the summer months expect to pay at least $18, Straight Wharf Fish Store is no exception. The lobster meat they use at Straight Wharf Fish Store for their lobster roll is in a shredded style opposed to large chunks of lobster meat.

This decision can go either way - I’m not too picky about how the lobster meat is prepared but never the less it’s certainly a very sensitive subject on Nantucket. I would imagine it’s a similar sensitivity to the way ribs are prepared in Memphis.  At the end of the day I’m only concerned with how my $20 sandwich tastes and Straight Wharf Fish Store is pretty good. I prefer the fact that Straight Wharf Fish Store will serve your lobster roll with a bag a chips instead of french fries. The bun is also very good - far superior to the bun you will find at The Rotary.

Overall the lobster roll served up by  Straight Wharf Fish Store on Nantucket, MA is very solid. Also, just outside Straight Wharf Fish Store there are a few benches for you to enjoy your lunch. Since Straight Wharf Fish Store is located in the center of town, you’ll get to do a lot of people watching. What says Nantucket more than eating a lobster roll and people watching?