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5 K Mile Road Trip - Printable Version

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- Innkeeper - 04-29-2003

Our first destination was Chicago for a retreat. After checking into our hotel in the western suburb of Lombard we went up to O’Hare to meet a friend who was flying in. We ate in the nearby Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse in Rosemont (the one at 10233 West Higgins; there is another in the area). The menu and the by the bottle wine list were excellent. We erred by going by the glass, but it was not a disaster. We both enjoyed prime fillet steaks, she with Blackstone Merlot and I with a nice Chianti.

We had the next morning off so the three of us took a 45 minute ride up to Convito Italiano in Wilmette. While the ladies shopped for other things I selected four nice wines. They were a 2001 Nadaria Nero D’Avola ($10), a 2001 Dolcetto Di Dogliani ($14) (the only one that made it home,), a 2001 Vermentino Di Sardegna ($10), and a nice Ripasso for $15 that we drank on the road and didn’t record the details on it! Recommended the same Ripasso and a nice Rosso di Montalcino for our friend. This is an excellent Italian wine and specialty store that we always go out of our way to stop at in the Chicago area.

We headed south on I-65 and made an overnight stop in Louisville. Hooked up with Robin and Mary Garr for dinner. They are very, very nice people, even if he runs our rival wine board. There were not a lot of choices for a Sunday night in Louisville, but we had a delicious meal and acceptable wine at a place called Ditto’s Grill. We then continued down I-65 and spent a couple of days in the Birmingham area. The drive through Kentucky and Tennessee was spectacular with redbuds and dogwoods in full bloom everywhere. The only notable culinary experience was at a Ruby Tuesday across from our motel in Cullman, AL. After ordering barbequed rib eyes, we found out that Cullman County (30 miles north of Birmingham) was dry! So we had iced tea with our steaks!

The next stop was Americus, GA where Bev has an aunt, and where our Jetta decided it needed a new starter. Then we went down U.S. 19 to Steinhatchee, FL where we have friends. Took them to dinner at Fiddler’s Restaurant which is right on the river there. Great local seafood and refreshing wine. All the seafood restaurants we ate at in Florida had reasonable selections of sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio; while around here we are lucky to find one refreshing white on a wine list amongst the oak bombs. The next stop was Tampa where Bev has another aunt. We took her, as we always do, to Louis Pappas Riverside Restaurant in Tarpon Springs. Sorry to report that they have gone downhill. A new generation has opted for volume and value. This is fine, but the quality has deteriorated. The Moussaka that Bev and aunt both had had been sitting around all day. I had a dish called Pastitso which was fine but nothing better than you can get at second or third class Italian or Greek restaurant in New York or elsewhere. The only Greek wine I could get was simply called “Greek Red.” It was served chilled! The view is still spectacular. If anyone can recommend a better restaurant with a similar view in Tarpon Springs, please do.

We then went down to Naples where my aunt and uncle have a condo. They took us to dinner at a place called Watermark Grill in Naples. It is a very nice mid range restaurant. We enjoyed a shiraz from Oz with our varied meal including excellent London Broil that I enjoyed. The next day we took a day trip up to Sanibel and Captiva Islands. We ate in a fantastic place on Captiva called the Green Flash. Every seat, inside and out, had a view of the waterfront which included sea otters frolicking amongst the moored watercraft. The seafood was excellent with full meals going for around $7.50! The wine list again offering refreshing whites, many without oak.

Next stop was my brother-in-law’s in Longwood, a northern suburb of Orlando in between Apopka and Altamonte Springs, for the Easter Weekend. We always go the local Shells Restaurant nearby for Friday night meal, but found it had recently closed! So we went to the local Red Lobster. Don’t know it was because it was in the headquarters city or what, but it was outstanding. The service at both the bar and at the table was first class. Food and wine was as good as you could ever find in a chain restaurant. The next day sister-in-law took Bev and I to the local Costco. It was the first time I’d been in one. Now I know what many of you meant by their excellent wine selections. With limited space in the car, I had to be restrained, and also needed to please the better half. So we picked up a Niebaum-Coppola Claret ($13.89), a Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon ($6.99), a Jouis Jadot Beaujolais Village ($6.99), an Atlas Peak Sangiovese ($12.99), a Ballantrae’s Shiraz ($9.79), and Blackstone Merlot ($8.65). Sister-in-law grabbed a Peachy Canyon Westside Vineyard Zinfandel ($14.99) for Easter Dinner. On Easter we went over to New Smyrna Beach where sister-in-law’s sister and family had a pad within sight of the ocean. Had a good group with good food, beer, and wine. We all walked on the beach afterward. The Shells at New Smyrna Beach is still open, but we didn’t need it.

We did not visit any Florida wineries, but found some information on them. You can get a brochure from Florida Grape Grower Association, 343 W. Central Avenue #1, Lake Wales, FL 33853; tel: 941-678-0523; fax: 941-678-0609; www.fgga.org. Most make wines from the muscadine grape or fruit, but a couple of them somehow use vinifera grapes.

On the way back north we first stopped at Charleston, SC. Just the two of us went to Brett’s Restaurant on James Island. It was the best meal of the trip. We shared an appetizer of mussels in a white wine and garlic broth. We finished the broth with spoons! Bev had crab cakes and a spinach salad that came with fried goat cheese that she shared with me. I had a pasta dish with fork tender veal and wild mushrooms that was drop dead delicious. We washed in all down with a 1999 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva for $37. It goes for around $22.50 retail, so was a good price. We finished with mousse and crème brulee respectively. Highly recommend Brett’s to anyone visiting the Charleston area. It only took us five minutes to drive out there from our downtown hotel. The wine list was comprehensive and, as noted, fairly priced. They were a little weak on Italian wines, and their format was primarily Italian. Told them we would have preferred a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo with our meal, and they took note.

We then spent two nights in Ellicott City, MD with Bev’s cousin. We went to the Tiber River Tavern in the old part of the city. The food was excellent. Three of us had wonderful lamb racks, and the fourth had a chicken dish. The three lamb rackers split a bottle of Penfolds Shiraz for $25 that I found out later retails for $8. A grand rip off. Rumor has it that the place is going out of business, and the wine prices could be a big reason. The next day I visited Jason’s Wine & Spirits in Ellicott City and found some nice stuff. Picked up a Pepperwood Syrah ($7.59), VME Pinot Noir ($9.99), Castellani Valpolicella Classico Superiore (Ripasso) ($15.99), Hedges Cabernet-Merlot-Syrah, Hop Kiln Mary Griffin’s Big House Red ($12.99), and Evans & Tate Unwooded Chardonnay ($10.99). That filled my shipping contained back up.

Not for long. The next stop was in Lee, MA where two of my high school pals, married to each other, live. He took me a wine shop in Lenox where I helped him select some vino including a Ripasso and others, while he selected a Chassagne Montrachet.that ran around $25. I picked up a nice CDR but can give no details other that it was very nice, as we drank it before getting home. We next stopped at a Bistro in Lenox called Zinc. They served only French Wine and had an excellent selection by the glass. When we got back to their house in Lee we destroyed one of their shirazes, the Castellani Ripasso (fantastic), and the VME Pinot while the chicken was roasting on the grill. With dinner we first drank the Chassagne Montrachet and then the Unwooded Chardonnay. All preferred the wine from OZ.

The next morning, last Friday, we managed to drive to Rockland, ME (an hour down the road from us) for the state Knights of Columbus convention at the Somoset Resort. It was a nice way to wind down with a view of their 18 hole golf course and Penobscot Bay out our window and off our balcony. Managed to kill the CDR we picked up in Lenox, and the Jadot Beaujolais Village while we were there. Arrived home on Sunday afternoon after 25 days and 5000 miles on the road.


- Georgie - 04-29-2003

Phew! I'm tired just reading about all that you did! Sounds like a wonderful trip with great family, friends, and food. Glad everything went fine (starter notwithstanding) and that you are home safe and sound.


- hotwine - 04-29-2003

That's a very nice trip, IK. And good notes, too! Thanks and welcome back.


- wondersofwine - 04-29-2003

My sister, brother-in-law, and I plan to treat my mother to a week at Sanibel, Florida in October for her 90th birthday. I have been to Sanibel twice before, and some of my sister's good friends used to go every year, but no one else in my family has been there. I enjoyed a casual lunch at Green Flash (it was cloudy and may have rained that day so I will have to go back on a sunnier day). I also like Jacaranda with it's semi-outdoor seating, hanging lanterns, jovial crowd, etc. (and good food)
I have only been to Charleston, SC once. Heard that Brett's Restaurant is the best but didn't get there on previous trip. Will mark it down for the future.
Thanks for the good notes.


- tandkvd - 04-29-2003

Sounds like a wonderfull trip IK. Thanks for sharing the details. A new Red Lobster opened up a few miles down the interstate from us. I had read a good review about the restaurant in the local paper. My wife and I had been to a Red Lobster years ago and did not like it. But we desided to try it once more. Like you said the service is some of the best I have ever had, the food is great, and we now go there about once or twice a month. I talked to one of the waitreses and she said there training was like boot camp.
I also took note about Charleston, my wife and I have lived here all our lives and never visited Charleston. We are planing to go soon.


- Thomas - 04-30-2003

Get there quick--Charleston offers marvelous restaurant food and a great city to walk.