Roots delivers Latin fare – and flair – to Springfield, Ill.

When it comes to finding restaurants specializing in top-notch tapas, my hometown of Springfield, Ill., is probably not the destination that first comes to mind. 

But Roots Latin Grill, a small eatery in a west side strip mall of all places, somehow manages to excel at bringing the signature dishes and cocktails of Central and South America to my hometown … one small plate at a time. 

Embracing Jaleo’s total tapas experience in Orlando, Fla.

I love to cook.  I love to eat even more.  It’s probably because of people like me that we have so many celebrity chefs in our culture.  One of my current favorites is Jose Andres, partly because my culinary tastes have been going through a phase where I can’t get enough of the tapas, or small plate, dining that is so synonymous with Andres’ cuisine and Spanish heritage.

With this in mind, when Punky wanted to spend a couple of nights in Orlando as part of this year’s spring road trip, she knew exactly how to get me to go along with it.  She booked us a dinner at the Disney Springs location of Andres’ signature restaurant, Jaleo.

Life’s many beaches on Jekyll Island, Ga.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to halt travel as of this writing, and with a long winter homebound seeming more and more likely, if we can’t plan ahead for future travel we might as well look back at some of favorite travel memories.  

For me, my favorite destination in 2019, and the highlight of our family vacation during that summer, had to be Jekyll Island, Ga.  What drew us there?  Beaches.  Ocean.  Salty air.  Warm breezes.  Summer skies.  All in a relatively low-key semi-secluded setting. 

Jekyll Island is one of the four barrier islands off the Atlantic coast of Georgia that comprise the Golden Isles.  Jekyll is the southernmost and perhaps the most famous of the four because of its combination of beautiful beaches, historical significance and old-money charm.  That said, a trip to Jekyll Island is surprisingly affordable, and the island itself is quite accessible. 

While it might be possible to fly directly into one of the small airports serving Jekyll Island or nearby Brunswick on the Georgia coast, the vast majority (like us) will drive to Brunswick via Interstate 95.  Then, it’s a short drive on U.S. Highway 17 from either direction until you reach the intersection for Georgie Highway 520, also known as the Jekyll Island Causeway. 

The sign at the intersection, fountain included, can’t be missed. 

Noshing at the Norbert, West Bend, Wis.

When my work took me to the quiet and cozy community of West Bend in southeastern Wisconsin, I quickly discovered the best downtown pub and grub for comforting food and drink.  Then, I found the best place for a funky, far out far-Eastern food experience.  But if you really want to know where the finest dining and drinking experience in West Bend is, I’d have to tell you to go to the Norbert. 

 

Scenes from the Old Talbott Tavern, Bardstown, Ky.

When it came to planning our trip along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, for me there was only one obvious choice for where to stay the first night.  It’s a registered landmark full of history – not just bourbon-related (although it does boast the world’s oldest bourbon bar) but also significant to the history of Kentucky itself.  It’s the Old Talbott Tavern in the center of Bardstown, Ky. 

(Not quite) on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Buffalo Trace

After a lengthy but rewarding afternoon spent at the Wild Turkey visitor’s center near Lawrenceburg, Ky., we saved our final stop of two days of touring some of Kentucky’s finest bourbon distilleries for the Buffalo Trace headquarters in the state capital of Frankfort.

In full disclosure, the Buffalo Trace distillery was an original member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which has only been an “official” self-guided tour sponsored by the Kentucky Distillers Association since 1999.  But when the Sazerac Company purchased Buffalo Trace in 2010, Sazerac discontinued its partnership with other distillers on the trail (one supposed reason:  Buffalo Trace wanted to continue to offer free tours).  Regardless of how “official” its status is today, Buffalo Trace is widely considered part of the greater Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience, and since I happen to consider Buffalo Trace one of my favorite bourbons (much like Punky loves her Wild Turkey), we made it a priority to come here. 

I also feel compelled to describe my first impressions of Frankfort.  It’s one of the most oddly laid out towns I’ve ever seen, and it takes a little getting used to when you’re first exploring it.  It seems to exist along the Kentucky River in spite of the river’s and the surrounding terrain’s best efforts to thwart city planners who were intent on putting the state capital here.  About 25,000 people call it home today, and its historic neighborhoods near the capitol and the governor’s mansion are quite scenic and hilly.  Its small downtown area is very charming and walkable. 

On the Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Heaven Hill and Maker’s Mark

My first post revisiting our trip last summer on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was devoted entirely to the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont.  The second post of the series will be devoted to two more brief stops along the way – the first being the Heaven Hill Distillery and Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown, and then the Maker’s Mark distillery near the small town of Loretto.  

After we left the Jim Beam distillery, Punky and I headed to Bardstown where we checked in to the historic Talbott Inn (more on that in a future blog post), got our bearings and determined we could fit in one more stop along the trail before closing time.  I found it a little odd that even at the height of a tourism weekend, many visitor’s centers along the trail close at 5 p.m. or even earlier.

Fortunately, Heaven Hill was just minutes away on the south edge of Bardstown.  All it took was a drive past My Old Kentucky Home State Park and historic site, then south on Ky. Hwy. 49 past the state park’s campground and once the woods clear …

 … you’ll see rows and rows of rickhouses in the fields and on the surrounding hillsides.  With all this bourbon being stored and aged around you, the name Heaven Hill seems fitting.    

A commoner dines at the Southport Raw Bar, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Traditionally, when I thought of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., two things came to mind:  spring break and cruise ships.  Frankly, I didn’t do spring break in college, and I had never gone on a cruise before November 2018, so I never considered Ft. Lauderdale as much of a destination of its own.  Nonetheless, once Punky and I knew we’d have a one-night layover in Ft. Lauderdale prior to our cruise’s departure, we intended to make the most of it.      

We checked in to our hotel by mid-day and, restless souls that we are, soon set off wandering the area looking for a late lunch.  Fortunately for us, a little research and a good nose led us to …

… the Southport Raw Bar.  Located on Cordova Road, barely a block north of a busy stretch of the famous Fla. Hwy A1A, Southport Raw Bar seemingly had everything I would want and expect from a South Florida raw bar and restaurant.  And with a history going back to the 1970s, they’ve had plenty of time and experience (and a little “dive-y” feel around the edges) to become a Ft. Lauderdale institution attracting locals and tourists alike. 

A brief dive into the Caribou Tavern, Madison, Wis.

Madison, Wis. is well known for being a tavern town.  Every neighborhood has not just one, but several dive bars the locals consider their second home – a place where they can unwind, grab a bite to eat and hang out with their bar family for a while. 

I’ve visited quite a few local dives during my work trips to Madison, but there was something about the Caribou Tavern that intrigued me greatly, yet kept me from visiting.  Maybe it was the disadvantage of only driving past it at night.  Maybe it wasn’t as convenient to travel to as other dive bars I’d discovered. 

Finally, on my last business trip to Madison, I stopped in for a couple of drinks, and I’m glad I did.  My takeaway:  For several reasons, the Caribou Tavern may just be the best example of your prototypical Wisconsin dive bar I’ve found in Madison.   

A commoner dines at Buraka, Madison, Wis.

No matter where my travels take me as a commoner, I always like to discover cuisines from different cultures I’ve never tried before, even if that cuisine doesn’t necessarily seem to be a natural fit for where I’m visiting.  For instance, who thinks of Ethiopian food when they visit Madison, Wis.?  Well, once I read about Buraka, I did, and I’m glad I tried it. 

Things overheard in a New Orleans bar

Another wild and crazy Mardi Gras season has come and gone, and for the first time in many years I was able to partake in some of the craziness in New Orleans.  In the Big Easy, Mardi Gras is more than a season, it’s a part of life, and there’s no better time to visit and embed yourself among the people who live there.   

Whether it’s carnival time or not, there’s no place like New Orleans, and that’s reflected in the bar conversations you overhear or take part in while you’re there.   And as you can imagine, Punky and I spent a fair amount of our wild weekend in New Orleans drinking establishments – some famous, some infamous and some tourists rarely find.  With that in mind, here are just a few memorable quotes you’ll (probably) only hear in a New Orleans bar:

In search of the sacred Spotted Cow at the New Glarus Brewing Co.

If you’re from the Midwest and you love craft beer, chances are you’re at least a little familiar with the New Glarus Brewing Co. and its benchmark brew, Spotted Cow.  From my own personal experience, whenever I travel to Wisconsin, I inevitably wind up taking requests to purchase some Spotted Cow or another highly sought New Glarus product.  And for my personal tastes, most of them happen to be quite tasty. 

But what makes Spotted Cow so … ahem … sacred among area beer aficionados?  First, New Glarus and its line of beers are somewhat notorious for their scarcity outside of the state of Wisconsin.  In fact, if you see any of them in any bar or store outside of the state, call the authorities because they’re breaking the law.  So, there’s that whole “Smokey and the Bandit” feeling of bringing a few cases across the state line for your friends.

Then there’s the quality and craft of the beer.  New Glarus is not new to the scene.  The company was founded almost 30 years ago by a master brewer and its signature Spotted Cow, a truly tasty farmhouse ale I happen to love for its maltiness and fresh flavor, has been around since 1997.  With a handful of year-round offerings and an ever-changing line-up of seasonal and specialty brews, New Glarus could be a large-scale … ahem … cash cow … but it seems content to focus on quality over growth.     

An unbeatable breakfast at Jimmy J’s Cafe, New Orleans

Foodies and travel enthusiasts like me have likely heard of the television show, “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” which features various celebrity chefs and other famous personalities discussing their all-time favorite dishes from restaurants all over the world according to each episode’s theme.  If they ever ran a version of this show featuring commoners like me and my wife Punky, I’m fairly certain she’d want to be on the breakfast episode talking about this …

… the cochon du lait eggs benedict at Jimmy J’s Cafe, a small but crazy popular breakfast and lunch spot in New Orleans’ French Quarter. 

A commoner dines at Peaches and Pears Restaurant, Chicago

If you’re looking for perfect Polish grandma food in Chicago and you don’t happen to know an actual Polish grandma who lives there, I can give you three reasons why Peaches and Pears Restaurant on Archer Avenue may be your next best option. 

First, when a restaurant boldly claims to have the best homemade soups in Chicago on a sign directly over its entrance, how can you not be intrigued enough to find out for yourself?

A commoner dines at Windy City Hot Dogs, Chicago

A commoner’s quest to find the best Chicago-style hot dog in and around Chicagoland takes a turn east of Midway Airport, more specifically onto West 63^rd Street between Cicero Avenue and Pulaski Road. 

Just look for the red metal sign in front of the small shack on the south side of the road, and you’ll be at Windy City Hot Dogs. 

Going for the dogs (and fries) at Nicky’s

Whenever the words “Chicago style” are mentioned in a conversation about food, two things inevitably come to mind – pizza and hot dogs.  And as with pizza, every Chicagoan has their favorite local fast food joint that serves up not only dogs, but other favorites – burgers, Italian sausage, Italian beef, gyros, and even pizza puffs.  The choices are seemingly endless, but I’m always up to the challenge of trying a new hot dog joint every time work takes me to the Chicagoland area.     

Heavenly hash (and other delights) at Buxton Hall Barbecue, Asheville, N.C.

When Punky and I scheduled a layover in Asheville, N.C., on one of our road trips through the south a while back, I knew we had to stop at two places in the brief time we had – Burial Beer Company and Buxton Hall Barbecue.  I was already aware of the quality craft beer and fun outdoor day drinking vibe at Burial through a friend of ours who had moved to Asheville (Hi, Kristin!).  Buxton Hall Barbecue, on the other hand, stood out on an appearance on “Bizarre Foods” for its real-deal Carolina-style smoke whole hog.  I don’t know Andrew Zimmern personally, but I figured I’d give his strong recommendation a shot anyway. 

Fortunately, both were conveniently located within stumbling distance of each other in Asheville’s revitalized South Slope District just south of the city’s crowded downtown area.  It was a bit of a climb uphill from where we parked, but we followed our noses to the entrance and soon found ourselves taken aback by the restoration job that turned a one-time roller rink into one of the country’s most celebrated barbecue joints in recent memory.   

Finding Fusterlandia

Every traveler, commoners included, occasionally comes upon a place that defies easy description.  During our daylong tour of Havana, Cuba, our stop in Fusterlandia was that kind of place.    

A backseat tour of Havana, Cuba

More specifically, from a 1955 Cadillac El Dorado convertible

The first reaction Punky and I had upon booking a cruise to Havana, Cuba over Thanksgiving weekend was of slight disbelief.  After all, it still hasn’t been that long since travel restrictions had been loosened allowing Americans to visit more freely.  The second reaction was probably of slight uncertainty.  So, Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas will be docked in Havana for a day and a half.  What do we do once we get there?

Fortunately, after significant research on our guided tour options, Punky suggested we get in touch with Old Car Tours, one of the government-authorized private travel companies, to book a day-long “educational people to people” tour of Havana.  

Cruising through Key West

I’d be lying if I said we booked our cruise last month aboard Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas for any other reason than the day and a half it spent docked in Havana, Cuba.  After all, until recently Havana had been effectively off limits to most Americans for so long, it’s still a little hard to fathom that we can now travel there (with a “valid reason,” of course).

That said, one of my favorite things about the cruise was that it finally allowed me to show Punky a little slice of Key West, which was also on the itinerary.  I had been to the Conch Republic before, but it had been more than 15 years ago, so I was eager to get reacquainted with some of my favorite places on the island, too.  We only had roughly eight hours to explore, but I think we made the most of it. 

The boat docked just off Mallory Square, the perfect jumping off point, so to speak, for a long crawl into old Key West and back.  Once we were off the boat, it took almost no time for us to be greeted by some of the more colorful locals.  Most Key West residents live on what they call island time, but the chickens must be an exception.