restaurant

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy’s Civico 1845 of San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy’s Civico 1845 of San Diego, California! Nestled on the corner where the air is filled with aromas of Southern Italy is a quaint place to relax with a glass of wine and a plate of pasta. The exuberant staff at Civico 1845 is as passionate about their food as they are about family traditions. Everyone abounds in vitality as the steady stream of Italian floats from table to table overflowing through open-shuttered windows onto the terrace. The most difficult decision is choosing what to order, although the chef can modify any dish to appeal to personal favorites. Mine was the vegan potato gnocchi topped with spicy grilled shrimp in a fabulous white sauce that was to die for. My husband, on the other hand, ordered raviolo classico with a polpette (homemade meatball in neopolitan ragù) on the side. The flavors were just right. Favoloso!

Dining Outside the Home: MIA of Oxford, Ohio

Smooth jazz set the stage for a celebration dinner at an intimate table for two in a private curtained alcove set apart from others. The flickering candlelight seemed to dance off the red lampshade casting tiny shadows across the stemmed water glasses. Dinner was divine: Filet mignon upon a bleu-cheese risotto cake served impressively with a delicate pink plumeria as its crown. Is it any wonder the magic of its allure transported us to a tropical island where these same flowers lure Sphinx moths to their fragrant petals? The attention to detail earned this upscale restaurant a five star rating, in my opinion.

Dining Outside the Home: Dakota’s of Oxford, Ohio

Dining Outside the Home: Dakota’s of Oxford, Ohio.

From the moment we walked through the doors, it felt as though we had entered the wild western Black Hills. The rustic atmosphere enveloped us as we settled into a cozy booth where the anniversary celebration began with chilled margaritas. From appetizers to dessert, our taste buds were blown away by this semi-private dining experience where steakhouse met saloon. 

Dining Outside the Home: Turkish Bar and Grill in Altamonte Springs, Florida 

Behold a rich menu of Turkish cuisine. Imagine this, take your hands and gently tear the sesame-laden puffed homemade bread. Feel the air deflate like a balloon as you dredge it across a plate of authentic hummus prepared with classic ingredients like olive oil and tahini. Next, the main course is a buffet of chile-infused chicken, garlic lamb and beef gyro strips plus grilled vegetables over sweet sticky rice. The platter is drizzled with enough melted butter to make your eyes roll back in satisfaction. All the flavors culminate with a sweet, nutty finale of homemade layered baklava dessert drenched in a syrup of natural honey. Pure and simple gratification. 

Dining Outside the Home: Copacabana Cuban Café in Mt. Dora, Florida 

Down a cobblestone alley, among palm treed archways and iron grillwork, you can hear the passionate Cuban rhythms playing overhead. The aromas of sweet plantains and garlic butter mojo sauce waft over tropical breezes. A dark-haired beauty, Gaby, served up fresh mint and iced lime juice concoctions for sipping in leisure as we wiled away the afternoon. At the copa…Copacabana, the hottest spot north of Havana!