I got a lead on this place from a comment on a previous post from a former blogging compatriot and decided to give this place a try at some point. Their pizza is popular, but not my most favorite in Des Moines - Plaza Pub roadtips.blog/2026/10/12/p...

In Nashville recently, I was in the mood for Italian. I remembered a place right across from a hotel I stayed at one time and thought I'd give it a shot. I made a good choice - Amerigo Italian Restaurant. roadtips.blog/2026/10/08/a...

Down in Kansas City earlier this year, my wife and I were looking for a place for lunch on the lighter side. I remembered an area that had a number of restaurants and went to one that I had not been to before - Tavern at Mission Farms in Leawood, KS roadtips.blog/2026/10/05/t...

My wife and I recently spent a week in Maine. It turned out to be one of our most memorable vacations. The destinations, the scenery, the food, and a tale of trying to get back home are all part of the story in this entry. roadtips.blog/2026/09/25/m...

My wife has been on a Mediterranean bent lately and we found a place in the western suburbs of Chicago that fit the bill. Everything was very good - but the grill octopus was heavenly - Violí in Oak Brook, IL roadtips.blog/2026/09/14/v...

Rarely will I do two entries on a place I've visited, but I've never done three - until now. We tried this place for breakfast at their old and new locations, then had dinner there earlier this summer. We were blown away - Creati^e Signature Cuisine in East Moline, IL roadtips.blog/2026/09/10/c...

Faced with choices of restaurants owned by celebrity chefs, we found this stylish contemporary Mexican restaurant that is part of a small regional chain. Great food, great margaritas, great service, great ambiance - Laredo Cantina in Branson, MO roadtips.blog/2026/09/03/c...

We've found a new place that has entered our rotation of pizza joints that aren't Quad City-style pizza. This place features brick-fired pizza with fresh ingredients, a great marinara dipping sauce, & a wide variety of wine & craft beers - Basil & Vine in Bettendorf, IA roadtips.blog/2026/08/31/b...

We recently spent a long weekend up in Holland, MI with two or three planned destinations including a wooden bowl factory, a great blown-glass exhibit in nearby Grand Rapids, and one of the best farmers markets in the Midwest. Part one of our trip - roadtips.blog/2026/08/26/a...

It's been nearly 3 months since we were in Hot Springs and my wife STILL talks about the meal she had at this Mediterranean restaurant that included chicken shawarma, a mixed vegetable grill and a blueberry margarita - The GOAT roadtips.blog/2026/08/10/t...

I thought I knew where all the brew pubs that served food in the north Chicago suburbs were until I stumbled upon this combination brewery/barbecue joint. The beer was excellent, as was the sliced smoked brisket - Une Année/Hubbard's Cave in Niles, IL roadtips.blog/2026/08/06/u...

People usually think of Kansas City as a barbecue town, but the Italian food in the area is vastly underrated. It had been over 20 years since I had eaten at this place and it was just as good as I remembered - Garōzzo's in Overland Park, KS roadtips.blog/2026/08/03/g...

This brewpub expanded into a new location about 4 years ago opening up a restaurant in the process. While the sandwich was good, it was sort of a gut bomb. But the gumbo was outstanding, as was the double hazy IPA - Modern Brewery & The Kings Oak in St. Louis. roadtips.blog/2026/07/30/m...

A memorable anniversary meal which included great food and great service, but also something rather bizarre that we'd never encountered in all our years of eating in fine dining restaurants - The Vault in Hot Springs, AR roadtips.blog/2026/07/27/t...

A buddy of mine and I were on the hunt for sushi and coming up short on spots we tried to get into. We did find this place that was a bit disjointed with the service when we first got there, but turned out to be very good in the end - Tsunami Sushi in Brandon, FL roadtips.blog/2026/07/23/t...

The somewhat new owners of this bakery have continued the 80-year legacy of great pastries and donuts, while adding breakfast sandwiches - or "flips" - along with their specialty cakes and pies - Cha Cha's Hiland Bakery in Des Moines, IA roadtips.blog/2026/07/20/c...

A get together with industry friends at a suburban Chicago Italian restaurant that was tied to one of my favorite Italian places in the city. The food was just as good as the original location - RoccoVino's in Elk Grove Village, IL roadtips.blog/2026/07/16/r...

A visit to the oldest continuous bar in Arkansas which has somewhat of a sordid history dating back to the early 1900's. A great salad, superb sandwich, and the service was outstanding! The Ohio Club in Hot Springs, AR. roadtips.blog/2026/07/09/o...

The owner at this burger/beer joint got his start at In-n-Out, went to culinary school, then joined a friend in a similar craft burger/brew before he struck out on his own. If the burger I had is any indication, he learned pretty well - Craft Burger Co. in Placentia, CA roadtips.blog/2026/07/06/c...

Years after moving from Italy to New York City, the family who owns this Italian restaurant set roots in the Tampa area. This little trattoria featured friendly service, great pasta dishes, and a house-made tiramisu that was killer - Allegria Italiana in Brandon, FL roadtips.blog/2026/07/02/a...

Found this Mexican restaurant owned by an Irishman who was smart enough to hire a Mexican chef. Was in a quandary what to get, so I had some outstanding birria enchiladas, then went back two days later to get the grilled octopus tacos - Amor Loco in New York City. roadtips.blog/2026/06/29/a...

A visit to this SoCal BBQ joint where the founder had a tragic ending after celebrating numerous highs in his life. After his death, the place was saved by a man who brought Texas-style BBQ with him - Beach Pit BBQ in Costa Mesa, CA roadtips.blog/2026/06/25/b...

Celebrating a significant birthday at this Italian Steakhouse on "The Hill". Service was excellent, food was great, portions were huge, and lots of food was left on the plate - Carnivore STL in St. Louis. roadtips.blog/2026/06/22/c...

We wanted to fly somewhere for our vacation, but plane fares were astronomical. We ended up driving down to Arkansas for a visit to the Hot Springs area, then ended up spending a night in Branson before heading up to KC for BBQ. roadtips.blog/2026/06/18/a...

My wife took me to this authentic French crêpe restaurant in the heart of the midwest, owned and operated by a French-trained/Moroccan ex-pat. She liked it a bit better than I did, but it was still interesting - Crêpes De Luxe in Iowa City, IA roadtips.blog/2026/06/15/c...

Went to this Italian restaurant on a Sunday night thinking it would be laid back, but the place was packed. Got squeezed in at the bar and had a meal that the bartender said was the best thing not on the menu. It was OK - Tony Di Napoli in New York City. roadtips.blog/2026/06/12/t...

Like some start-up restaurants, this Mexican restaurant came from a popular food truck which opened a brick-and-mortar location in the Quad Cities last fall. Like the food truck, the food at the restaurant was outstanding - Mi Oaxaca in Silvis, IL roadtips.blog/2026/06/10/m...

On the hunt for the best Cuban Sandwich in Tampa, many locals said that the one at this 111-year-old bakery was their top choice - La Segunda Bakery in Ybor City, FL roadtips.blog/2026/06/08/l...

Walking through Old Montreal, we happened upon this pub that looked like they had taken it from a small town in England and put it in Montreal. Everything about the place was great - the food, the service and the ambiance! Wolf & Workman roadtips.blog/2026/06/03/w...

Sometimes finding a good restaurant on the road is a crapshoot. My colleague and I were on the hunt for Thai food while in Southern California, and we found a gem in this place. It wasn't fancy, but the food was great - Royal Thai Orchid in Orange, CA roadtips.blog/2026/06/01/r...