#43 BEST OF FOOD AND RESTAURANTS
As we finish out 2021 and our first year writing on Substack each week, we are going to do a BEST OF series on various places and will include opinions from all of the Jacobs family. Over the next few weeks, we will do a BEST OF FOOD AND RESTAURANTS, BEST OF THE NATIONAL PARKS, BEST OF THE BEACHES, BEST OF UNIVERSAL, and BEST OF VIRGINIA.
This week we start with BEST FOOD AND RESTAURANTS. There is no doubt that we can compete with any family in the United States for most meals eaten at a restaurant. We spend more money on food than any other thing-bar none. Asking each of us what is our favorite meal ever or favorite restaurant is like asking which is your favorite child: impossible! But we are going to give it a try. As educators, one of our biggest sources of happiness is when we are able to share an experience and others are able to go and do it, too. Here are our recommendations for the BEST OF FOOD AND RESTAURANTS.
MICHELLE
Best Snack on the Road-The Cheese Curds at Lambeau Field~ Green Bay, Wisconsin
Best Restaurant-Union Oyster House~ Boston, Massachusetts
Best Meal-Cheesy Beach Bread, Strawberry Daiquiri, and Yucatan Shrimp Tacos at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille~ Captiva Island, Florida
Best Dessert-Banana Pudding with Caramel at Bourbon~ Columbia, South Carolina
Best View-Top of the World at The Strat Hotel and Casino~ Las Vegas, Nevada
What could be more iconic than eating cheese curds at Lambeau field? We enjoyed these deep fried delights after touring the stadium and sitting down to lunch. If you don’t mind eating with ghosts, I recommend Union Oyster House in Boston. Opened in 1826, they have over the years perfected a steaming bowl of Clam Chowder.
Doc Ford’s Beach Bread is a delicious first taste after a few hours on the beach. This favorite begins with baked french bread as a lovely base that is topped with cheddar, Monterey Jack, and bleu cheese crumbles gloriously melted to perfection and finished with diced tomatoes for a fresh kick.
The banana pudding with caramel picture speaks for itself.
Chris and I ate at the Top of the World in Vegas many, many years ago and it still resonates with me today. The restaurant slowly rotates 360 degrees every 80 minutes giving you an incredible view of the sunset, mountains, and the Vegas Strip.
CHRIS
Best Snack on the Road-Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meal with Sweet Tea~ Atlanta, Georgia
Best Restaurant-Bouchon at The Venetian~ Las Vegas, Nevada
Best Meal-Fried Chicken, Macaroni and Cheese, and Neck Bones at Sweetie Pie’s~ St. Louis, Missouri
Best Dessert-Hula Pie at Duke’s~ Malibu, California (Photo: dukesmalibu.com)
Best Restaurant View-Malibu Farm Pier Cafe~ Malibu, California
Anyone who knows me, knows that I go to Chick-fil-A at least three times a week and I have been doing this for at least 20 years. When I am on the road or when I am at school teaching, it gives me a regular routine and a jolt of salty and sweet that can keep me going for hours.
EVERY time we go to Vegas, we have breakfast at Bouchon. The French themed bistro and approachable elegance is what I dream of when I am not in Vegas.
As my Mom would say…”Lawd o’ Mercy.” That’s how I felt walking into one of the Sweetie Pie locations in St. Louis, Missouri. The soul satisfying comfort food and the picture of Black Jesus on the wall made me feel like I was in heaven having a meal with members of my TV family James and Florida Evans from Good Times.
I remember texting my best friend from high school as we were driving through Malibu and eating at all of these incredible places. I was so excited to share this discovery of a part of California I had never traveled to before. I texted…”Mike, I am in love with Malibu!” His response was a classic…he texted back…”Yeah, no shit. Movie stars don’t live in places that suck.” And that pretty much sums it up.
HENRY
Best Snack on the Road- Potato Chips and an ICEE from Target~ Rapid City, South Dakota
Best Restaurant-The Sunset Grille~ Malibu, California
Best Meal-Fried Shrimp and French Fries at The Sunset Grille~ Malibu, California
Best Dessert-Cotton Candy Milkshake at Black Tap at The Venetian~ Las Vegas, Nevada
Best Restaurant View-Ohana’s at The Disney Polynesian Village Resort~ Orlando, Florida
Holding out for the blueberry raspberry ICEE from Target is worth seven hours in the car. Feeling the sand in between my toes at the Sunset Grille is unforgettable. You can walk right to the restaurant from the beach and the tables outside are in the sand. We also saw a Rolls Royce and a Lamborgini pull in there, too. The Cotton Candy Milkshake in Vegas looks like pink and blue clouds in a glass. At Ohana’s, I could see the castle at Magic Kingdom from the restaurant and the amount of food we ate was crazy.
EMMA
Best Snack on the Road-Bag of Doritos and Dr. Pepper~Random Gas Station, USA
Best Restaurant-Cru Cafe~ Charleston, South Carolina
Best Meal-Filet Mignon at Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico at The Venetian~ Las Vegas, Nevada
Best Dessert-Coke ICEE at Six Flags Magic Mountain~ Valencia, California
Best Restaurant View-LAGO at The Bellagio~ Las Vegas, Nevada
I’m a picky eater so it’s difficult to think of restaurants that really blow me away. I tend to order the same thing everywhere we go and I often order off the kids menu. Because of my bland tastes, I more often pay attention to the ambiance and vibe of a place. That’s why Cru Cafe in Charleston, South Carolina is my favorite restaurant. The fried shrimp platter was delicious. The breading was so well seasoned and flavorful. The texture was crunchy and not too flaky. The sweet tea was authentic and just sweet enough. The restaurant is in an old Southern home with a big wrap around porch. It feels like you’re eating at someone’s house and they’re cooking grandma’s old recipes to order.
Also, pretty much ANY restaurant in Vegas is my favorite. They’re all good.
JACK
Best Snack on the Road-Waffle Fries and a Sweet Tea at Chick-fil-A~ Atlanta, Georgia
Best Restaurant-Supra~ Washington, D.C.
Best Meal-BBQ at Smoke~ St. Petersburg, Russia
Best Dessert-Strawberry Ice Cream at FILO~ Buenos Aires, Argentina
Best Restaurant View-Skyland Lodge~ Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Supra is the best example of my favorite type of international cuisine. The Georgian food is served as a feast with an emphasis on eggs, cheese, dumplings, and meat. Smoke’s BBQ was a taste of home in the middle of Russia. Their BBQ can compete with any I have had in the U.S.
FILO’S strawberry ice cream is the sweetest and creamiest flavors in one of the coolest spots to eat in Buenos Aires. Our regular outings there every Saturday was something to look forward to each week.
The sweeping views all around Skyland Lodge prepare you to relax and enjoy a wonderful meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, and mountain blackberry ice cream. The road to and from the restaurant along Skyline Drive is one of the most beautiful in the world.