Florida - Orlando, Disney Springs - Chicken Guy

Let get this out of the way at the start; I did not like this place. Perhaps my expectations were too high. I like chicken sandwiches, nuggets, spears whatever on salads, bread, plain, grilled, fried, roasted. I also like meat well done. I know most of you cringe but I really like burnt. We had been hearing about and seeing on some YouTube videos about this great new, lines out the door, Guy Fieri’s fabulous chicken restaurant. I was anxious to try this - must be amazing chicken. With lots of sauce choices. Even better.

Well, there was a line out the door and the line moved slow. That was OK. inside it was noisy and a bit hectic. Also OK. We picked a third sauce to add to the two they provide and a box of chicken tenders ($8.00 five pieces I think) and found a place to eat outside. Not great but OK. Inside was packed and noisy. The chicken was, in my opinion, rather tasteless, simply crunchy but not favorable. If someone served this at a church carry in dinner they might be asked to only bring salads from then on. Maybe I eat too many Chick-fil-a meals but I did not like the chicken here at all. And it was well done, even hard. The sauces were fine but nothing special. Again I might have chosen poorly but I’ll never know because there are too many really good places to eat in Disney Springs to ever try this one again. And far too many Chick-fil-A places to enjoy an excellent chicken sandwich in between.

Alberta - Banff - Lake Agnes Tea House

I wrote at the time we made this hike about the Lake Agnes Tea House, but it was such a special place and memory I wanted to add it to Eats! as well. After you get to Lake Agnes a hike of over 2 miles with 1300 feet of elevation gain, the first thing you see is the log structure welcoming you to the top. And it is a warm welcome. We had to wait for a table, but not too long, it is a very small room. There are also seats on the porch and around the yard and on a warmer day these would be nice. We wanted to be inside. They offer over 100 kinds of loose tea, baked goods and sandwiches. We ordered a pot of tea, (4 cup size) and a few items from the tempting array of scones, muffins and biscuits. The water is heated on a white gas stove and takes a while. They encourage you to just rest and enjoy your wait - which we did. The scenery at Lake Agnes was spectacular and worth every step but the bonus of the Tea House was worth the trip by itself.

More about the Tea House here: http://www.lakeagnesteahouse.com

Alaska - Soldotna - Addie's Camp

Alaska is pictured, accurately, as a kind of rustic, rough & tumble place and there are plenty of places and people that fit that description. But there are also some very nice even elegant places to dine and stay as well. In Soldotna on the Kenai south of Anchorage we found such a place in Addie’s Camp. It was built on a railroad theme with a couple of dining cars and a very nice building - actually two buildings that served to anchor the restaurant. We ate in an old dining car that was elegantly appointed. We each had rather fancy and well-presented salads that were very good but the hit of the day was the fresh strawberry shortcake.

iPhone photos

Alberta, Canada - Banff - Wild Flower Cafe

The choices in town for this kind of place were overwhelming. We followed a locals advice and chose Wild Flower. I’m sure others were quite good but this was a fine choice as well. We had very good coffee and a light snack.

Florida - Marathon Key (mile 50) - Cracked Conch Cafe

We left Key West after 6:30 choosing not to try and go downtown and find parking and find a place we wanted to eat. So we thought we would find someplace on the way back to the Everglades. Lots of places we passed were closed or closing and then we spotted the Cracked Conch - it was after 8 but they were open. Not surprisingly because since they opened in 1979 they have never been closed a day! Not for hurricanes, not for holidays not for anything. The food was good, not spectacular but better than I expected and well prepared and presented. The waitress made me a fresh pot of coffee and kept it full, a big plus. The key lime pie we had for dessert was also a bit above average.. What stood out? The staff. The two women waiting tables were right out of central casting. I am sure their training consisted of watching all the old “Alice” shows and a field trip to the Prime Time Cafe at Disneyworld. We had good food and a good time. I could see why it was busy even late evening. So we all recommend a stop at Cracked Conch. Rusty (yes, that Rusty) and Janet gave it a 3.5 of 5, and I would concur with a bonus half point (now 4/5) for Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry.

Alice - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_(TV_series)

Cracked Conch Cafe - https://www.conchcafe.com

Alberta, Canada - Banff - Cows

This is close to ice cream heaven. As in top five in my world. I first ate Cows ice cream in PEI - where the company originated. There were five stores on the island, I ate ice cream in only five of them, one was sort of breakfast. I placed it number one — ever. You can not imagine my delight at finding one in Banff. I only got two cones here in a day and a half. Clearly I am slipping. And while still in the top five there are other places making great ice cream. I don’t think I can differentiate between the top few but everything I have had here says you will not find a better ice cream. They even were called the WORLD’S BEST at one time. Might still be!

South Dakota - Wall - Wall Drug

This is a tourist snare of the first order. I do not like this type of place. However, besides one of the few places to stop, it was not terrible. More than junk was offered, well staffed and pretty clean. Plus the food looked decent. We did not eat here except for coffee and donuts. Coffee is a nickel a cup and the donuts were under a dollar. Both were better than expected and we enjoyed the break. If you drive within 3 or 4 hundred miles you won’t miss it, so stop for a coffee -in a real cup! - and a free ice water.

Wyoming - DuBoise - Cowboy Cafe

I do not recall if or what we ate here. A neat little restaurant in a cool town as we headed East from the Grand Tetons. BUT, the pie was excellent. CJH and I shared this apple pie and it was delicious. Highly recommend you stop too.

Florida - Key West - D J's Clam Shack

Key West is replete with restaurants. The crew of Rusty, Janet and Cindy persevered to find a good and affordable lunch spot. They succeeded. Except for the chickens. Chickens not on a sandwich but chickens that wondered under, around and over your table, live chickens. They were a bother. The food was really good, service pretty quick. You ordered at the front window and they called out your name and brought the food to your table. Good seafood, nice portions and well prepared across the board. Recommended except for the chickens, however I am not sure where in Key West you eat outside without them - they outnumbered the restaurants.

Ominously perched overhead.

Alaska - Anchorage - Tequila 61

This was an upscale, super Mexican restaurant that offered many unique dishes. We walked here from one of our downtown excursions and were so pleased with our choice that afternoon. The ambiance was elegant and modern, the service was quite good and the food just excellent. Cindy was, as she often is, the more adventurous ordering a cauliflower creation while I went with a tostada but with unique flavors and toppings. The 61 refers to the latitude of Anchorage.

The Moose gives this one a hearty five lattes.

Alaska - Homer - AJ's Steakhouse

Across the street from our RV site was a steakhouse. A steakhouse in a seafood town. And I had a lot of seafood so, some sort of beef sounded good. The locals we asked were all very positive about AJ’s so we went there one night along with Tom who was staying in the hotel that was also on the grounds of the RV site. It was a delicious decision. First, Tom and I had amazing burgers (obviously Tom’s pictured note the cheese!) Cindy had scallops and she was thrilled with her dish and says it was the very best meal she ate on the entire trip. If you are in Homer - and everyone ought to be in Homer sometime, try AJ’s for both steak and seafood. Nice. The room was comfortable casual, our server was top notch and the food, the reason you are here, was well worth the fair price.

The Moose rates this as 5 Lattes.

https://www.ajsteakhouse.com

Mine looked better, no gooey cheese.

Scallops, asparagus and mashed potatoes but the secret is the sauce!!!

Washington - Seattle - Salt & Straw

No idea why the name but wow, the ice cream. I would rank Salt & Straw in the top five in my experience. A couple of unique things about this place in North Seattle (and just a block from Señor Moose) are the flavor list and the staff. Instead of waiting while the line moves toward the actual ice cream tubs they come out to the back of the line and ask if there is something you would like to try and you can pick several. They go back and get your sample(s) and by the time you are where you would order you either have ordered or are ready to do so. They also did half scoops so you could get two choices in a single cone. The salted caramel was exceptional. Everyone raved over their choices so pretty even quality across the range of choices. And a very clever seasonal menu of interesting flavors and combinations. Excellent.

The Moose says a full five antlers for this one. A A A A A

Washington - Seattle - Señor Moose

Mexican food unlike any chain restaurant Mexican food I ever ate. George and Dottie, friends in Seattle, took us to this unimposing restaurant in north Seattle. It was amazing. All sorts of different dishes, strong flavors, large portions and just excellent food. What a treat. From their web site: “At Señor Moose, we celebrate comida tipica, the cooking found in central plateau Mexico’s fondas and backroom kitchens. From moment one I have written down recipes, watched and made notes as I have talked to women in fondas (small homey restaurants) road side places, houses and markets, most often in the states of Michoacan, Jalisco and Nayarit.” And this difference shows in the dishes, the spices and the variety. I hope we are able to return someday to this restaurant or find some other place that follows a similar food philosophy. Highly recommend. A Cadillac 5 Antler restaurant.

http://www.senormoose.com

They brought us six different salsas. All were good.

Canada - British Columbia - Victoria - Red Fish Blue Fish

We find ourselves shortly before the restaurant is to close for the day, standing in a long line on a pier to order a meal out of an old shipping container. We wonder about our choice. The sky is getting dark, there is no indoor seating and we passed three pretty nice looking restaurants - with seats, to stand here. But we persist. And it paid off. Simply the best Cod (not the best fish!) we had on the trip. Lightly fried, ample portions, great sides all at a very reasonable price. Cod has long been a favorite of both of us and this was delicious. Red Fish Blue Fish earned their reputation by providing great food. So the line wasn't really too long:)

Alaska - Juneau - Sandpiper

What a find for a breakfast. (or lunch I’m sure) We got off the plane and took a bus into town. Our first goal was coffee. We were told about the Sandpiper by Deborah in Sitka - she lived here for a bit, and she was right, excellent food. I had a normal breakfast eggs etc, but the potatoes were Yukon Gold and really good. CJH has a creation, ricotta sourdough pancake with blueberries and hers was superior. I know cause I tried a bite - or three. Coffee was freshly ground and quite good. We were delighted.

South Dakota - Custer - Black Hills Burger and Bun

Our first meal was excellent - it was a very busy little spot in town. The burgers were really good, well prepared and with nice fresh baked buns. Cindy especially enjoyed hers with waffle sweet potato fries. Sometimes on a trip in tourist territory you get fooled but this place would hold its own anywhere. Good service, very good food and nice ambiance. Highly recommended.

https://www.blackhillsburgerandbun.com/#!

South Carolina - Charleston - Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream (3 Photos)

Jeni’s is also in Columbus & Nashville that we have tried and a few others around the country. It is in the top five of my favorites but a bit on the expensive side. The ice cream is one of the best and they offer excellent and creative flavors. The Savannah Buttermint is way past average. You can get a sampler of three flavors that is great for those having trouble making a choice. Prepare for long lines but worth the wait and the dollars.

This is to serve as a reminder that a goal of this and every trip is to find excellent ice cream. What place will be the first of the journey?

https://jenis.com

This is my attempt to take a more “artsy” photo. But on your beret to properly appreciate.

Virginia - Williamsburg - Oceans & Ale

This is an nice restaurant in an unexpected place, it is located not just in a strip shopping center but in the outlets off Richmond Road in Williamsburg. It is a pretty good place for seafood. I have had two or three different fresh fish and this last time the Maui-Maui fish tacos. They were quite good and the green beans are very good here. My daughter in law had a steak and said it was excellent, so perhaps I should branch out a bit. We were there on some “all you can eat” wings night, for me that would be maybe one, but my son was able to eat four or five orders. They offer lots of different beverages and a skillet size cookie for desert. A decent choice anytime you are in Williamsburg.

Virginia - Richmond - Burger Bach (3 photos)

Burger Bach (pronounced “batch”) is a “New Zealand inspired gastro pub.” I would describe it as a perfect restaurant - at least to me. The burgers are outstanding, the fries even more so, the sides like the sautéed spinach - amazing. They offer a host of homemade sauces for dipping, we had a ketchup, a blueberry and a chipotle mustard so very good. I have had mussels there and again excellent, Cindy had shrimp this time and we all thought they were among the best we have eaten outside of a few very special places. We have eaten at both the Cary Town and the Short Pump locations, I think they have three or four more including one not too far from us in Durham, we definitely need to go. Soon. Love this place - for a very good, well prepared meal of my favorite things to eat. That the ingredients are carefully sourced, beef and lamb from New Zealand, mussels from PEI and super fresh seafood adds a lot to the culinary experience. They have interesting beverages, too. Highly recommended.

https://theburgerbach.com/

It happened to be Mother’s Day and Cindy was given a flower.

North Carolina - Raleigh - Gonza Taco Y Tequila (3 Photos)

Unusual, creative, distinct, different are all words you might use to describe the decor and the atmosphere at Gonza TYT. And they would all be accurate. What they might also describe is the food; it is not your average Mexican fare. While they do begin with the obligatory bowl of chips what is distinctive is that the salsa they bring is excellent. The menu features innovative tacos and a host of other dishes. I am always focused on the tacos. Cindy’s choices vary. They serve three small tacos on a single plate with a side, for me it is usually the cilantro rice. Last time we were here I had the fish tacos that had Mahi-Mahi - excellent. There are 8 or ten different choices including pork, veggie, steak, seafood and chicken several ways.. Cindy had a dish with mole sauce that she loves, Enchiladas Con Mole. The prices are fair, the portions are satisfying the details are well done and the dessert, the one time we had it, was really good. I think they have three locations in the Raleigh area, not sure, because we go to the one near our home on the North side of town. It never disappoints and you cannot say that about many restaurants. And the decor, well, it adds a smile.

https://northraleigh.gonzatacosytequila.com

If you have to wait for a table you get to pick one of these guys.