Yoshi's Cafe - Chicago, IL

Okay now... here is the sleeper of the trip. This Cafe is amazing! Great, creative food, a very professional staff that is well educated about the food and in the details of service. Yoshi's wife runs the front of the house and he's in the back cooking. They really care about your experience, and if you come back after a show for a night cap - they remember you.

One of our notable entrees was the Oven Baked Kuro-Buta loin (Japanese Black Pork) - amazing in all respects.

http://www.yoshiscafe.com/

If you are in the area, you must go! One of our top 10 restaurant experiences this year!

Frontera Grill - Chicago, IL

Great food, a little noisy and a reception desk that will tell you about a two hour walk in wait that may be only 45 minutes. Get a seat at the bar - if you can, and order the Guacamole. This noted restaurant has great food - I know I said that, but it may be a little over rated. I didn't find anything put before me that wasn't available at other outstanding Mexican restaurants.

http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/grill.html

Don't take it so seriously and go an enjoy if you can.

Bin 36 - Chicago , IL

The Sota foodie had a great meal experience at Bin36 on a recent trip. The wine offerings were top notch as well as the cheese offerings. We had an expanded cheese flight and two wine flights - the wines were pared well with the cheese and the cards that came identifying the items on the table were very informative.

Service was top notch and well educated about the product. After all the wine and cheese,w e split the Apple Braised Berkshire Pork Osso Bucco and it was outstanding - great flavor!

http://bin36.com/

Go - you'll enjoy it and maybe find a new wine at a good price... as we did!

Apr 21, 2009 - RM Seafood - Las Vegas

Wow! Run don't walk to this restaurant for dinner! Just kidding - I know you have shoes on that are hard to walk in. Anyway - Rick Moonen's restaurant was fantastic in all respects - we had Julius for a server and he was perfect in all respects. It's very clear that the wait staff here is very well trained. Even the bus staff exceeded our expectations and knew when to interact with us.

This restaurant was voted Best Seafood Restaurant of Las Vegas 2009 by the LV Review Journal. We concur. The food was perfectly prepared, timed properly to the table, drinks were offered when we needed them. There were many great items on the menu - let me make one recomendation - Try the Oyster Shooter Rail for an appetizer - be careful - you may be drunk when you're done - share with a friend so your still present at the meal whenit's time to pick up the check!

http://www.rmseafood.com/

Highly Recommended - Go!

Apr 20, 2009 - Bouchon - Las Vegas

This is our fourth trip to Bouchon in recent years for brunch and unfortunately the experience and food has declined in quality. We had poor service, poor timing of food delivery, day old pastries and a lackluster main plate for brunch.

We used to recommend this restaurant for a fabulous brunch in Las Vegas but no longer. For the price the risk is too great of having another bad experince.

Pass.

Apr 19, 2009 - Hash House a GO GO - Las Vegas

Breakfast in Las Vegas is either really expensive or disappointing. Not for the Hash House a GO GO off the strip. Great food - Hugh Pancakes.... well let's talk about the portion sizes - if you can take somebody with you that likes what you like - you may want to seiousley consider splitting a plate! The portions are enormous! Highly recommended for the breakfast lover where they want a little someting different.

http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/

Highly Recommended - be hungry!

Apr 17, 2009 - Restaurant - Getty Museum

The Restaurant offers full service in an elegant setting with views of the Santa Monica Mountains. We loved some of the appetizers and the fish was cooked perfectly.

http://www.getty.edu/visit/see_do/eat_shop.html

Highly Recommended.