He Fed / She Fed

Leo's

2012-02-19T15:40:00.000-05:00

(Grand Rapids, MI) — For out of town visitors, we are tasked with deciding where to make dinner reservations. We’ve exhausted some of our usual haunts for this particular group, so we go with an old standby: Leo’s. The parking ramp is surprisingly full for a Thursday night and we make our way down to the restaurant, eager to see how busy they are...

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Graydon's Crossing: Stone Brewing Dinner

2012-02-05T15:55:00.000-05:00

(Grand Rapids, MI) — We are frequent purveyors of food and drink pairing events, so when we heard Graydon’s Crossing was teaming up with Stone Brewing Co of Escondido CA for a five-course dinner, we immediately signed up. The establishment’s last shindig—featuring cider pairings—was less than spectacular, but still promising. We hoped Chef Aaron Burrows would have learned from that experience and deliver something memorable. We braved the late January 50+ degree (!) weather and met up with friends already seated upstairs...

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Irati

2012-01-25T06:10:00.000-05:00

(Barcelona, SPAIN) — Our final culinary adventure found us wandering the twisty alleyways of the Gothic quarter, window-shopping on our way to a place called Irati. Guidebooks proclaimed the restaurant to be a feast for the senses, an endless parade of toothpick-speared tapas that you must compete against others to acquire. After nearly a week of rubbing shoulders with fellow tourists, we were ready for a little relaxation in the back of the house...

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Cal Pep

2012-01-15T19:09:00.002-05:00

(Barcelona, SPAIN) — According to most of the travel guides and websites, if you’re looking for an authentic dining experience in Barcelona, you should look no further than Cal Pep. Unfortunately, they do not take reservations for “front of the house” and instead you must get there before they open, then take your place in line. We arrived on another gorgeous, sunny weekday for lunch and stood behind perhaps twenty people, waiting for the doors to open...

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4 Gats

2012-01-11T20:40:00.005-05:00

(Barcelona, SPAIN) — After a decadent and unusual Christmas dinner the day before in Barcelona, we were looking for something a bit more down to earth. We found Els Quatre Gats, aka 4 Gats, while looking for some place to have lunch. A bar, brewery, and restaurant...what’s not to love? We made reservations via email, then after a leisurely stroll through the Gothic quarter on a brilliantly sunny morning, we sought lunch in a dark interior...

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The Best and Worst of 2011

2012-01-11T06:17:00.001-05:00

Every January, we look back at the previous year to remember the peaks and valleys of our culinary adventures together. Thankfully, last year was filled with mostly positive experiences. There were a few duds, to be sure, but overall we chose our eateries wisely. Not including our year-end trip to Spain (the reviews for which will be posted in 2012), here are our picks for Best and Worst of 2011...

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Restaurant Moo

2012-01-09T05:55:00.001-05:00

(Barcelona, SPAIN) — Our annual Christmas tradition is to travel. We’ve been to Rome, Phoenix, and Paris the last few years and although we try to limit our overseas excursions to every other year, we felt compelled to explore a new region this year: Spain. Barcelona, with its seaside location, design-minded vibe, and foodie cred (El Bulli, anyone?), seemed ideal. Weeks before we left, we pored over many restaurant reviews and top ten lists before making reservations for some dinners ahead of time. First up? Restaurante Moo at Hotel Omm (cute, yes?). We left our hotel on a sunny, upper 50’s late afternoon and made a series of zigzags on our stroll to Christmas dinner...

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Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T16:45:00.004-05:00

Just a quick note to wish everyone a peaceful and productive 2012. Juliet and I have recently returned from a holiday vacation in Barcelona, Spain. Rest assured, we are working diligently on a parcel package of reviews from our culinary adventures overseas. Stay tuned!

Restaurant Eugene

2011-12-11T16:20:00.001-05:00

(Atlanta, GA) — For our final dinner in Atlanta, we decided to try one of Linton Hopkins’ restaurants. But which one? We wanted to dine at Holeman & Finch Public House, but it doesn’t take reservations, being more tavern style. Standing around, waiting for a table with the inlaws didn’t sound particularly appetizing. Right next door is the more upscale Restaurant Eugene and they were more than willing to accommodate a party of four. We knew we’d be in for a wild ride, but we had no idea what surprises were in store...

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Fat Matt's

2011-12-05T14:05:00.005-05:00

(Atlanta, GA) — Just south of Buckhead is a rib shack known as Fat Matt’s. It’s not much to look at from the outside, just a small restaurant across the street from a church and down the road from a series of run-down gentleman’s clubs. If you were passing through, you might miss it. We, on the other hand, sought it out for lunch...

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Flip

2011-12-02T18:11:00.002-05:00

(Atlanta, GA) — Ever since watching Richard Blais kick ass on Top Chef All-Stars, we’ve yearned to dine at one of his Flip Burger Boutique locations, of which there are three: Buckhead, Midtown Atlanta, and Birmingham. Juliet has had the opportunity to work with Chef Blais and to eat at his restaurant before, but when we decided to hit Atlanta for Thanksgiving, Flip made the list. With Jack and Lori in tow, we caught the complimentary hotel shuttle to lunch on a sunny, unseasonably warm November day...

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North Pond

2011-11-29T06:04:00.003-05:00

(Chicago, IL) — It has been a long time coming, but we are finally headed back to Bruce Sherman’s North Pond. With a long weekend in Chicago, we are able to corral two friends—we shall call them the Hoodies—for dinner. The drive to the North Pond Nature Sanctuary, just up the way from Lincoln Park, is a beautiful, glimmery parade past well-appointed homes and windswept treescapes. A valet takes our car and we stroll the short way through the park to see what’s for supper...

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The Purple Pig

2011-11-22T13:00:00.004-05:00

(Chicago, IL) — Free for lunch in Chicago on a Friday afternoon, we quickly weigh our options. Sable is on the ground floor of our hotel (the chef is currently competing on Top Chef season 9). We could go out for a food truck. Many other local restaurants beckon, but only a few blocks away is a place called The Purple Pig, which has been getting some good press lately. They don’t take reservations, but we are ever-hopeful. We head out with intent of snagging a table...

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Grand Rapids Magazine

2011-11-20T12:49:00.001-05:00

(Grand Rapids, MI) — What to do when Grand Rapids Magazine contacts you, requesting an interview about your culinary adventures? You say yes! And that's just what we did; you'll find us on page 12 of the November 2011 issue...

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Grove

2011-11-18T17:38:00.003-05:00

(Grand Rapids, MI) — Not long after we moved to downtown Grand Rapids, we began exploring local restaurants with more enthusiasm. Before Brewery Vivant and Green Well moved onto Cherry Street, there was a mysterious wine bar called Corez. We tried to pop in one afternoon about a year ago, but they weren’t quite open yet and we were turned away. As it happened, Corez closed their doors soon thereafter. Surely a primo building like that wouldn’t go to waste? It didn’t. The fine folks at Essence had a plan: Grove Restaurant. Early rumblings said it would focus on “local seafood” (whatever that might mean in mid-Michigan). Grove opened without a liquor license, so we patiently awaited a time when their complete culinary vision would unfold. What better time for that to happen than Grand Rapids Restaurant Week...

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Priceless: A Dinner Party Adventure

2011-11-03T16:52:00.006-04:00

Jeremy here...for those who know me, it's no surprise that Halloween is my favorite time of year. I love all things "horror"—including movies, books, music—so it's great fun to see the rest of the world participating in my genre, if only for a few weeks. Of course, growing up watching old horror flicks, you're bound to bump into a particular actor on more than one occasion: Mr. Vincent Price. Most of you know him as the creepy character in many a scary movie, but did you know he was also a highly regarded collector of art? Would it also surprise you to learn that he dabbled in culinary adventures, together with his wife, Mary? And that they actually authored cookbooks, once upon a time? When I discovered this little tidbit of information, I was eager to obtain one, just to see if the dishes would include baby's brains, curdled eyeball of newt, or any number of myriad other spooky recipes. All copies were long out of print, but thanks to eBay I managed to snag a hefty tome entitled A TREASURY OF GREAT RECIPES. It assembled concoctions from around the world, culled from famous chefs and restaurants, and then given a "modern" spin (if you can call 1965 modern). As I read these very straightforward dishes, an idea formed: a private dinner party, featuring the recipes from this book. And what better time than Halloween! And, so, with Juliet's cooking skills at the forefront, we set about planning...

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Cherie Inn

2011-10-23T15:27:00.004-04:00

(Grand Rapids, MI) — We don’t do many breakfast reviews, but once in a while the mood strikes us to get up early on a weekend and seek out nourishment before noon. This is one of those days. On a grey, autumn Sunday morning, we head to “East” Grand Rapids and one of the local mainstays: Cherie Inn. It has been a while since we’ve visited the small restaurant, so we’re curious to see what the intervening years have wrought...

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Bar Louie

2011-10-16T16:44:00.003-04:00

(Grand Rapids, MI) — We’ve had such a nice, relaxing time on a sunny, warmer-than-usual Saturday, we decide to join some friends for dinner after their movie. They suggest Bar Louie at Woodland Mall in Kentwood, Michigan. We’ve been there several times before, but not in a while, and not for a review. As we approach, we’re happy to see the patio still open and in full swing...

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Everyday People Cafe

2011-10-09T17:33:00.004-04:00

(Douglas, MI) — Early October is too early to declare an “Indian Summer” but the weather is too nice to spend time indoors. Low 80’s, full sunshine, and blue sky all cry out for one thing: Lakeshore! So, we pack up the Prius and drive to Douglas, where we’ve been meaning to dine at Everyday People Cafe for quite some time (spurred on by recommendations from friends and good reviews elsewhere). By the time we arrive for late lunch, other like-minded foodies throng on the front patio...

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Taste

2011-10-02T20:25:00.004-04:00

(Seattle, WA) — Although we have dinner reservations at Chez Shea in Pike Place on our last evening in Seattle, we’re both too wiped out from our Gourmet Walking Tour earlier in the day to hike back up the road too far. A quick view on Google Maps and OpenTable reminds us of the modern-looking restaurant in the Seattle Art Museum: Taste. It’s only two blocks up so we strap on our shoes and hobble up the way for a late Saturday night dinner...

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Sazerac

2011-10-02T18:36:00.004-04:00

(Seattle, WA) — It’s no secret that we’re fans of the Kimpton line of hotels and restaurants. They’re just kind of cool, kitschy, and design-minded. They’re not always what they’re cracked up to be, but at least they’re not sterile. So, when we discovered Hotel Monaco was just up the way from our hotel, we made reservations at their Sazerac restaurant on our second night in the Seattle area. On a beautiful Friday evening, we hiked uphill a couple blocks to dinner...

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House of Hong

2011-10-02T16:50:00.003-04:00

(Seattle, WA) — After checking in to our downtown Seattle hotel, we head out for our first real culinary adventure together: dim sum at House of Hong. The walk from upscale eateries and high-end shops into the International District is about a mile. The weather is much nicer than anticipated (not to mention the roads a bit more hilly than expected), so by the time we arrive at our destination, we’re both a bit overheated but still looking forward to that first taste from the rolling cart...

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Pearl Bar & Dining

2011-09-30T06:02:00.003-04:00

(Bellevue, WA) — Never having spent quality time in Seattle, we relied on OpenTable and the opinions of friends for meal recommendations (as well as a healthy dose of Google research). Our first night would actually be in Bellevue, essentially across the bay from Seattle proper. We found a swanky place that was highly rated, called Pearl Bar & Dining. After taking the hotel shuttle downtown, we spent a good 15 minutes just trying to locate it! It is tucked between the mall and the Westin hotel, just around the block from the unfortunately named/located Earl’s Bar & Restaurant. Dazed and confused, we entered the dark interior, not quite sure what to expect...

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Virgil's Real Barbecue

2011-09-22T06:27:00.003-04:00

(New York, NY) — After a disappointing breakfast, we are looking forward to our final meal in Manhattan: lunch at Virgil’s Real Barbecue. We pack up our suitcases and check out, hanging around the hotel to watch all the Times Square activity from 8 floors up, until it’s time to claim our OpenTable reservation. A couple blocks away is a glass-doored entrance with grungy-looking banners on construction scaffolding. It looks like a down-home ‘cue shack in Atlanta, somehow transplanted to New York. With some trepidation, we enter...

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Aspen Social Club

2011-09-20T17:03:00.003-04:00

(New York, NY) — Our final day in Manhattan is September 11. We have a plane to catch later in the afternoon, and we’re not quite sure what traffic will be like, considering the ramped up security throughout the city, so we line up reservations for breakfast early at nearby Aspen Social Club. Other than the info on OpenTable, we don’t know much about the place, though reviews seem generally positive...

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