Now that you know what I’ll be writing about, let me share some additional details. Since I live in Doral, Florida, the majority of restaurants I’ll be reviewing will likely be located in the southeast coast of Florida. This can be as far north as West Palm Beach all the way down to Islamorada in the Florida Keys. However, I’ll definitely include any restaurant I visit anywhere in the world while traveling – which can be anywhere between 2 to 6 times per year. For instance, in 2008, I visited Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Tampa, Florida (yeah, I know, a slow year.)
In Brazil, I dinned at Dona Lucinha, one of my favorite restaurants in Sao Paulo, specializing in colonial cuisine from Minas Gerais. I usually travel to Brazil once a year, so if things remain the same – and I hope they do – you can expect to see a review on this fantastic culinary delight sometime around November. I don’t know if I’ll be back to Tampa or Dominican Republic in 09, but I’ll probably visit the New England area some time during the early part of the year – hopefully I’ll get a chance to visit another one of my favorites, the Union Oyster House in Boston.
Link to Dona Lucinha: http://www.donalucinha.com.br/
Link to Union Oyster House: http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/
Anyway, I seem to digress from my original intent – more details. The primary focus will be the quality and taste of the food I eat. This means I can’t possibly comment on all the items in the menu because it is simply cost prohibitive, not to mention that I want to keep my weight down. I will also comment on the service, which to me is one of the most important components of a pleasant meal experience. Have you ever been to a restaurant where your food is served exactly as you expect it, the water glass is always full, the waiters/waitresses know how the food is prepared in great detail, you’re not ignored by the staff, yet you hardly notice they are there? Well, that’s the kind of service I like.
Lastly, I’ll be looking at “bang for the buck” – that is to say, am I satisfied with what I received for the price paid. I understand that some place will cost more than others, but would any of us ever pay $20 for a Big Mac? Or what should we expect for a $10 lobster? It’s about expectations and outcome.
As for what I’ll be eating, I can tell you that I’m willing to try almost anything. I’ve enjoyed dining in 26 different countries, and I like all kinds of food with very few exceptions. I once had a bad experience with calamari, and as of this writing, I still can’t be sure if it was an allergic reaction or it was just a simple case of food poisoning. So barring any further squid, I’m willing to eat anything from a Singapore steamed frog legs porridge to a Texas style rattlesnake chili. I also enjoy most types of wines, beers and spirits with a meal, and for me, nothing beats an ice cold Michelada (beer with lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco in an ice filled mug – with salt on the rim of course) with a plate of hot Mexican Tacos al Pastor. Happy eating…
Porridge with steamed frog legs: http://wokkingmum.blogspot.com/2007/08/porridge-with-steamed-frog-legs.html
Rattlesnake Chili: http://hubpages.com/hub/Rattlesnake-Chili-Recipe
