Little Spoon -The Hippest Brunch Spot in the QC

If you are brain dead from the over-frequented brunch spots in Charlotte, and you haven’t revitalized your chakras on Selwyn Ave, you should take this opportunity to do so. Little Spoon is a hip neighborhood grill in Myers Park.  If that place had’ve been around in the late 90s, senior year would’ve missed me and that would’ve been my skip school jump off..

Photo from clcld.com Pinterest

With the chic-industrial decor being drenched in melodies of Biggie Smalls’s Ready to Die or Wu-Tang’s 36 Chambers, you can get lost in a pure moment of nostalgia.  You can expect a vibe along the lines of a more relaxed ambiance of Bottega Louis in downtown L.A minus the french pastries and less pretentious audience.  Plus the staff won’t give you the side eye for not looking fashionably intelligent enough.  ..Unapologetically urban, Ms. Alesha is doing her own thing in the Queen City.  ..and I ain’t mad.

Recommendation – Korean Wings. Ginormous and packed with flavor.

$$ – moderate.

Vibe – LES, BK, The Village, NYC.

Service – Cheerful and inviting.

(b)Eats, Rhymes, and Life – Hip Hop Legendary Member of ATCQ turned Chef?

Jarobi the chef??

…Well how about that?? (RIP Phife)

Photo Courtesy of First We Feast

 

Nas has an itch for a “Sweet Chick”? Why didn’t he call me??..

What can’t Mr. Nasir Jones do??… A man of my heart.. Gorgeous, smart, and interested in food..

Sweet Chicks Chicken & Waffle Joint, Brooklyn

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Sweet Chick in New York City.
Photo from – LEVI FELDER, Billboard Magazine

 

Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen

Just the other night I was talking about how I wanted to do more than just hashtag the global initiatives and mega charitable organizations my company is affiliated with.  Raising dollars at food shows and corporate sponsored silent auctions, and donating food and dry goods from our warehouse that are write off’able are great, but I want to have that indescribable level of humility attached to hands on community outreach.  I want to see, feel, and understand firsthand the underserved’s struggle, like I did growing up with my dad years ago when I was little. My dad not only knows about food from running a soul food restaurant when I was an unborn baby, but he also started a grassroots program for the homeless and underserved communities in Charlotte, NC that spiraled into a two decade long tradition at his old church of feeding thousands of homeless families every weekend.  That level of commitment and love is immeasurable.

Too many times do I go out to eat and too often do I bask in the enjoyment of a home cooked meal by my own hands, rarely remembering that other smaller population, and considering what life would be like if I wasn’t afforded these second nature luxuries. Just the other week I very randomly purchased a two pound lobster from the seafood section of the grocery store.  Mind you, in all my frugal glory, I still only paid $15.. But in many families $15 is a huge luxury and could do so much, and go so far.  It’s easy to take these automatic luxuries for granted.  Hashtag Lunchbag, an NYC based initiative I just learned about recently by a good friend, both inspired and intrigued me. The $25 I donated on their site is said to have fed 15 people.  See how that works? Amazing right? I offered to join as a volunteer, and instantly thought of another organization that I had started researching a while back that I wanted to join after my brother sent me a link – Jon Bon Jovi’s Soul Foundation.  He has a few programs that fall under the umbrella.  One of which is his restaurant – Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen that operates under the premise of pay what you can, or not at all and just volunteer. I absolutely love to see celebrities paying it forward.  The smallest gestures in life can go an immeasurably long way.  JBJ Soul Kitchen is a very very long way. Awesome to say the least..

The Magic Of The Truffle – Da Rosario Review

From glancing at the Da Rosario booth at the Brooklyn Eats Trade Show this past month, I never knew the rich history that preceded Rosario Safina.  Previously making appearances on the likes of shows like Martha Steward and CNN, and having a resume dating back to 1984 with his truffle introduction into the marketplace.  It made it perfectly understandable that he would be the appointed ‘go to’ truffle aficionado for the finest restaurants.  His exotic line of truffle innovations is what drew me to his display.  That and my obsession with truffle oil.  It was truly a unique assortment of truffle products, and what was even more unique was the fact that it was 100% organic.  He also offers up a vegan friendly line which I’m sure is a pleasant surprise for the anti protein consumers.  Although I do say that with caution due to the secretly high amount of protein in vegetables that I’m sure the meat industry could do without me mentioning.

Image From the Official http://www.darosario.com website

Rosario Safino’s wealth of knowledge on truffles, and his method of popularizing and transforming them from elite luxury to staple cooking accessory, has re-positioned this product into regular kitchens and homes at this point.  I know firsthand the magic behind the truffle when it comes to a good gruyere and smoked gouda mac n cheese.  Whether you’re dousing truffle butter in pasta, or drizzling truffle oil over french fries or seafood, it just makes the ordinary dishes a little bit more special.

There was something quite magical happening at the Da Rosario booth at Brooklyn Eats, and it further confirmed my notion that there is some sort of magic of the truffle.. I was completely infatuated with their organic white truffle butter and organic black truffle oil.  It had a superior flavor profile with a very delightful finish. Visions of lobster mac plums danced in my head as I allowed the aftertaste to linger. All things truffle truly do bring excitement to the most basic comfort foods.  I can rightfully say Da Rosario’s products are full of love and full of life.  As is the magical, mystical truffle..

A Pie A Pint A Slice & A Shot – The Pizza Pub NYC

This sort of random hybrid bar and pizza joint is like a drunk man’s miracle on the east side.  At one point in my life it seemed unusual to find the most random places in New York playing the best ‘lost tapes’ kind of of hip hop known to man.  From several years of living here though, I realize now it’s perfectly normal to stumble upon little nondescript places like these that oddly play the best music you will never hear on the radio, and have the best food and drink specials in the middle of the night.

The Pizza Pub at Gramercy Park had a halo hovering over it when we were about to pull off in my car after leaving the Daley show at Gramercy Theatre. My ‘all things healthy’ force field was penetrated, and I swear I think I heard trumpets or harps or something when I saw the sign that said “a pie a pint a slice & a shot”. My unexpecting foodie partner in crime aka FPIC had the same demeanor.  At that moment I knew this was the beginning of a bad, yet perfect closing of a great night in the city.  Just the cherry on the cake that I had no need for but wanted so badly..

I went straight to the bar and ordered a shot of Hennessey and my FPIC ordered his ‘I’m not drinking’ drink..  I sat down like a kid on their birthday, uncertain of which was potentially more exciting – the smooth taste of Hennessey running down my throat or the slice of heaven that was soon to be brought out by the late night pizza pub human gods. I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be your regular low profit margin/high volume $1 slice type situations, and my inklings were correct.  The pizza was phenomenal.  Yes, phenomenal.  I was sober and not yet drunk, so this was a completely clear critique.  The guys in the back that I talked to were awesome.  The bartender was decent.  My stomach and my heart were merry. My FPIC’s feelings were mutual.  This place has a great business model, with a catchy yet smart concept.  You buy a shot, you get a free slice.  You pay $24, you get a pint and an incredible pie.  The siren call is the bar specials so look for them.  They have flat screens so it’s sports watcher conducive.  The food is good quality, the ingredients seem quite fresh.  I like this place a lot.  When you’re on the fence about food versus drinks versus price, and you’re in the mood for a slice, a good one, come here… If you don’t like loud, yet good music however, choose your battle and rethink it..

The Best Mexican Food in Brooklyn.. Tepango

Brooklyn is full of surprises, and Tepango Taqueira is no exception. I didn’t know this little Clinton Hill corner diamond on Myrtle and Classon had this kind of remarkable cuisine tucked inside. ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ in this instance certainly still holds true. Stopping in for some quick mexican food before Brooklyn Tap House and running out on the sandwich I ordered at the gas station was by far the best, trifling decision I ever made. The previous gas station shenanigans across the street is for another entry..

That’s neither here nor there. The focus should be on the Tepango treasures I devoured before Tap House….

The Tacos Bistec and the Quesadillas Con Carne were insane.  Flavorful, with unquestionably fresh ingredients, I couldn’t have asked for better results to an impulsive, last minute decision. It was perfect and divine.  In my previous travels, I have had some really incredible mexican food.  Mainly in LA and Dallas.  I have to say, never would I have expected Texas and California style authentic Mexican food to be attainable in ‘err uh Brooklyn.  Well it is, and it most certainly gets my Obsessionista stamp of approval.  So next time you’re in Clinton Hill, be sure to stop by.  Thank me later.. oh and, stay away from the gas station across the street.  Buen provecho!!

 

Taste of the Nation NYC 2014

Sponsoring the annual Taste of the Nation NYC event, I assumed we would have some sort of laborious obligation prior to the event.  Which was perfectly fine given the dynamics.  No Kid Hungry is an ongoing initiative and close affiliate in which the overall objective is to raise awareness, engage the public, and raise money to feed hundreds of thousands of children. We arrived hours in advance to help load in the vendors’ food and materials.  Since that was my heaviest ordering day of the week, I spent the majority of my time taking orders on my laptop in my makeshift office space in the wardrobe room.  Hours after everything was strategically set up, we were given wristbands and asked to stay for the VIP cocktail reception.

This was bittersweet since I was far from fabulous that day and not at all dressed for the occasion. I had to suck it up and go to the ladies room to primp myself into the most presentable shape possible.  I figured I’d just lurk around the event looking like the overworked journalist in all black and grey, and knee high, flat boots, yet chic and smart looking enough to be present.

There were countless restaurateurs and vendors displaying their trendiest creations possible, in addition to falling into the theme of healthy cuisines.  From the delectable crab puffs at one booth, to Nios‘s seared scallop and crispy pork belly, accompanied with white sweet potato puree, pickled ramps, and fava bean salsa..

..to Red Rooster Harlem‘s jumbo lump crab salad Ssam with Yuzu mayo and pickled chili..

There were several notable moments that put a euphoric look on my face like the shrimp on shrimps moment I experienced at Alder NYC‘s booth with
Maine sweet shrimp, green papaya salad, and peanuts on an amazing skin textured shrimp cracker..

There were other moments where your true food knowledge versus your personal palate were tested.  Like the Quail egg en gelée with American caviar from Balthazar. Balthazar has some of the most amazing pastries in the neighborhood of Soho, as well as countless other locations.  So I was curious to try something on the complete opposite end of the sugary spectrum, which is what led me to the golden speckled egg.

Poached quail is truly an acquired taste, as are certain types of cordials and spirits, as are everything in life that comes on a plate, or in a styrofoam bowl at a $200 – 400 ticketed charity event.  If this were a Paris Fashion Week show, let’s just say this would’ve been the Lanvin finale piece that made every bit of since to the Parisiennes in the tent that watched the entire show/collection and knew the entire story.  To the street pedestrians however, it would’ve left them in a slight state of bewilderment.  Let’s just say after swallowing the egg and wandering off to the next tent/I mean booth, if I weren’t on such a strict diet I would’ve downed the first shot of bourbon in sight..

Other dishes on display included L&W Oyster‘s smoked cantaloupe oyster shooters which were delightful and refreshing..

..Minton’s North African spiced lamb loin was a pleasure to digest, along with the pleasant culinary staff that I spoke to about their location and their sibling restaurant The Cecil..

..my favorite art piece at The Cecil (artist unknown..)

I also had the opportunity to chat with Chef Banks White as well, mainly about distributor stuff. Chatted up to the point of forgetting to take a picture of the savory loin..

Miss Lily’s and their incredible jerk chicken chutney dish was, very Miss Lily’s..  It was was piercing in flavor and colorful.  No different than what I’ve experienced at their restaurant in the West Village. Their staff at the TONNY event were replicas.

..and this extraordinarily, naturally flavorful and robust dish which was a vegetarian’s sanctuary.  I believe this was the Hamachi Crudo from Bill’s Food & Drink ..

..situated next to its sibling restaurant The Lion, with their cocktail explosion.

I was in heaven and hell at this show due to my gluten/glycemic free diet I’m on for the next few weeks.  I did however triumph not having a single cocktail, wine, or shot of caffeine the entire evening.  They looked amazing though..

Overall it was a successful event and I had a great time and appreciation for the limited dishes I was allowed to indulge in.  Anything involving food and passed hors d’ouevres from the top 80 restaurants in NYC, and the notion of donating 10 meals for every dollar raised with the various proceeds and silent auctions, I’m all for it. It definitely warrants my stamp of obsessionista approval, and I definitely look forward to doing it again next year..

 

 

 

 

 

Hotel Chantelle NYC – The Most Amazing Cocktail

I had one of the most incredible cocktails tonight.  It was such a ridiculously genius interpretation of a mature apple cider that this rooftop mixologist at Hotel Chantelle poured into my glass.  So great even, it warranted a break front the obsessionista hiatus.  A dear friend invited me out to what I would remember as the spot on the LES/Lower East Side, with the most amazing cocktail. …possibly ever.

This incredible alcoholation (“alcoholic creation” I trademarked it first..) had Stoli Salted Caramel Vodka, apple cider and lemon.  Those three ingredients will soon be a staple in my liquor cabinet.  Entitled the “State Fair”, that’s exactly where I felt like I was after the third one..

Although I’m tempted to just make this entry about the drink alone, I can’t. I would be remiss to omit the amusingly tiny, yet Manhattan appropriate, “sharable for three” snacks that later came out.

Let’s just say with a side ramekin of drawn butter, and a cream based dip with a ton of parmesan shavings.. you can only imagine what followed..

Normally when I Instagram or blog, I automatically transition into food stylist mode.  However three State Fairs later, all the rules went out the window.  This was essentially a shared plate of lobster roll, split crab claws half shelled, and some incredible goat cheese or mascarpone (can’t remember) flatbread with arugula, mushrooms and shaved parmesan sprinkled in truffle oil.

Even though this entry was about the show-stopping cocktail, there were obviously a lot more attractions at the Circus, or “State Fair” sponsored by the lovely Hotel Chantelle. One of my most memorable attractions hands-down being the flatbread.  It was truly incredible, as the model/bartender subtly suggested.

Cheers!

 

Minton’s Playhouse – Harlem

After going to the Minton’s Supper Club reception the other week in Harlem (ok fine, I’ve slacked, it was several months ago..) it was a no brainer where I’d be heading that perfect Saturday evening in Harlem with my number one guy. The food presentation from the reception never left me, nor did the owner’s full historical recap, not-to-mention revival tale of the landmark location.

The intrigue re-emmerged at our 8:00pm reservation that evening, and I was still a bit shocked about how such a rich history at this foodie gem had remained hidden until I discovered it a few months back.  Well the secret was definitely out, and Chef Banks White and Executive Chef Alexander Smalls now both have a face to go with these impeccably plated creations.

That night all the mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres from the previous Minton’s Supper Club re-opening came full circle.  The biggest hit being the mini crab cakes, with the prosciutto wrapped asparagus not at all being short of flavor, and the spicy Cajun prawns immediately punching you with intensity.

Saturday we started with the Grilled Shrimp and Charred Okra, and the delectable and nearly orgasmic, Smoked Gouda and Gruyere Mac and Cheese.  Out of the one million and five mac cheese combinations, this is truly my favorite.  It was incredibly moist and flavorful, which really leads me to believe there was possibly some truffle oil involved.  But I guess I’ll have to keep guessing and experimenting in my kitchenlab to figure that one out.

We then went with the Cremolata Crusted Grouper…

…and the Smothered Lobster and Shrimp Casserole.

The Lobster Casserole was simply everything.  I had to take several pauses to truly absorb what was happening at our table.  The magic in that plate was indescribable.  I tasted my FPIC’s grouper, which had a nice texture and vibrant presentation, but in all honesty the lobster completely overshadowed and stole the fish’s moment.  It was the showstopper.

With the old skool crowd, the old skool band, and even the old skool “jackets only” rule, it truly was reminiscent of Old Harlem and what I’d imagine the Renaissance feeling like. It made me step back a few decades, but the food unquestionably crossed over into the now.  Minton’s Supper Club aka Minton’s Playhouse is certainly making its resurrectional mark in this age of Harlem gentrification.

Potatopia – NYC

A co-worker and I ran into this high carbohydrate gem when prospecting downtown in the city a few months ago.  Potatopia is a baked potato lover’s euphoria.  The menu names alone speak the language.  Curly Sue, Frequent Friers, I Think Before I Yam, The Comatoser, and my choice – the Smashed Hit.

It’s a unique concept that is a dieter’s nemesis.  Unlike me, if you are an obsessive calorie counter, don’t even look in the direction of this food joint.  It is loaded (no pun) with potato ideas and creations that are reminiscent of me in my late night, inebriated chef moments. Come to think of it, that may have been the driving force behind the creator’s inspiration..

The Bird Circling the Yard in SoBe – Yardbird, Miami Beach

My first assumption about the popular south beach restaurant Yardbird was – attractive food in a trendy, prohibition’esque bar with a modern twist, that taste wise would be a far cry from the heavily seasoned, cholesterol heightening, soul caressing southern cooking that I once knew before macaroni came in five artisanal cheeses.  I figured this was another South Beach interpretation of Marcus Samuelsonn’s Red Rooster in Harlem, minus the NY accents, along with every other emerging fine dining, southern restaurant I’ve been to in the past year three years.  I had all kinds of assumptions about what the food should taste like but probably wouldn’t, and I expected the price points to resemble that of a drastically inflated soul shack minus the soul, with a slight adjustment to the presentation.

My first interactions were with the friendly, and uber hip bar staff, along with the perky bus boys floating around, and the even keeled hosts.  Everyone had a pleasant and charming demeanor.  The restaurant itself had a ton of energy and zest.  This possibly due to the overflow of patrons from the NBA Finals and the ABFF (American Black Film Festival).  I caught it at that perfect time of the day when they’re in the midst of transitioning over from lunch to dinner, entitling you to that perfect spot at the bar before the dinner crowd starts to trickle in.

I have to admit, Yardbird was pretty refreshing.  It offered the ambience, the décor,

the stereotypical beautiful south beach people, and the unique, damn near artistic, menu.  The menu was a really eclectic twist on traditional southern cuisine.  It offered items such as the chicken meatloaf drenched in parsnip puree, sweat tea brined southern ribs, signature fried chicken n’ watermelon and cheddar cheese waffles.

Photo Courtesy of Yardbird Southern Table and Bar

The side fixings and appetizers included items such as chicken and sweet potato dumplings, fried green tomato BLT, and housemade strawberries and ricotta.  Along with my favorite, the macaroni and cheese with about a million different cheeses.  After having an extensive conversation with the bartender about the 99 different types of bourbons they had on deck, me being the black sheep that I am, went with the handful of vodka selections they had and ordered the Ketel One Lemon Drop vodka martini.

To even further compliment the theme, the bartender went to the back to freshly squeeze some lemonade to top my drink.  Only I would go to Mexico and order rum, so this not so rare occasion of me ordering vodka at an old school, down south, whiskey house themed restaurant in the middle of South Beach, should not be surprising at all.  Need-less-to-say, my martini was perfect, and even provided further inspiration for my entrée.  Having dined at my share of upscale southern style restaurants, I couldn’t wait to see whether this place was going to truly defeat the odds and provide a unique yet true to the tradition southern experience, or if it was going to come off like the rest of the upscale trendy southern cuisine ***clears throat fancy soul food establishments..  I secretly hoped that it wouldn’t live up to the hype, giving me ammunition to write an article on how soul food has become a lost and over-gentrified art, etc etc.  However, after seeing and tasting my fried chicken and macaroni and cheese from Yardbird… I knew it simply wasn’t going to be one of those writes.  My food was absolutely delicious.  It was.  It respectfully gave homage to the traditional art of dipping heavily battered chicken into a pan of piping hot oil and being solely responsible for the ultimate demise of one’s ability to do anything for the next two hours.

It was perfectly seasoned and prepared.  It had the right combination of seasonings perfectly married together, was beautifully presented, colorful, flavorful, rich, and filling.  The fried chicken was tasty, the macaroni was exquisite, and it was just enough.  Portion-wise, it wasn’t fine dining to the point where you have to pick at it for an hour in order to secretly fill yourself up.  It was truly a good meal.  Overall, with the super savvy wait staff and bartenders, it was truly a divine experience.  Thank you Alyssa, and thank you Imani.  I am glad you made the recommendation.  It was an absolute treat, and I would definitely give it a Levon’s Top Obsession recommendation if you’re ever in South Beach for the summer.

Burgers and Beer Joint – Packing the Miami Heat, NBA Finals

I walked into the Brickell Village complex in Miami the other night to meet a dear friend of mine from NY.  New Yorkers have a habit of traveling in packs or randomly running into each other thousands of miles away.  My old friend that I was linking up with directly from Miami International, I haven’t seen since we were at the Coffee Shop in Union Square years ago.  Yeah, that rare but not at all surprising moment in Manhattan when you very easily run into a celebrity, or in our case have one sit at your table at an outdoor cafe.  Let’s just say the last time I saw my dear, former Heart and Soul Magazine staffer / friend – Dave Chapelle walked up to our table and sat down and rapped with us for an entire five minutes.  In fan world that’s equivalent to about an hour and a half…

Photo courtesy of Comedy Central

So that was the first thought that came to mind when I walked in Brickell looking for the Burgers and Beer Joint my dear friend had designated as the meeting spot.

Moments later I entered a not so surprisingly packed bar full of anxious Miami Heat fans watching the NBA finals on all one million and two of the big screens across the bar.  I was pleasantly greeted by my friend and the entire table.  The magical moment was very gracefully interrupted by the waitress who was more interested in obtaining my order than the long time no see formalities of a newcomer to Miami.  I ordered my drink, chatted it up with the table, got them up to speed with my life as they did theirs, and then landed on a couple of ideas for snacks.  To my surprise, not only did the waitress have the disappointing announcement of running out of the popcorn shrimp that I ordered, but five minutes later after coming up with a consolation order of the Wagyu Sliders, she further destroyed the moment with the same announcement.  I thought it was actually pretty humorous.  My FPIC on the other hand didn’t once he was confronted with the same issue with his tuna sandwich.  In my foodie book, ordinarily strike three and you’re out.  I have to say though, the nostalgia of being around an old NY friend, and being in the midst of such great company with the others, laughter was the only option.  It was simply a good vibe, and I didn’t want to destroy it.  We were having a good time, and my foodie instincts told me that this place had really good burgers.

About nine trials of ordering and availability shenanigans later, I was proven correct.  The most massive onion rings soon landed on our table, enough to feed a family in Sudan.  Between that, the incredulous burger, the awesome company, and the energy from the Miami Heat fans absorbing the Finals, it was truly a perfect storm evening in Brickell Village at the Burgers and Beer Joint.

Happy Hour Obsession of The Week – Cadillac Ranch, National Harbor MD

I experienced one of the happiest hours of the twenty four in my day at the National Harbor in Fort Washington, MD a few nights ago.  Nicely situated at the end of one of their massive bars at Cadillac Ranch, my fellow FPICs and I quickly organized the group selections over the next 20 min of the rapidly ending happy hour.  Despite the fact that of one of its oppositions competing for the HHOOTW crown, had probably one of the most innovative and healthy pizza combos known to man, it lacked one thing – Jarryd.  Cadillac Ranch not only has excellent food and a decent wine selection for the price, it also has a very charming bartender.  The super savvy and clever Jarryd possessed the kind of charisma, and unobtrusive yet timely presence to keep you coming back to that same spot at the bar over and over again.

Mini Fish Tacos – Blackened tilapia in mini tortillas with shredded cheese, lime-cilantro cabbage, tomatoes and chipotle ranch drizzle $5

The fish tacos were some kind of amazing.  I have to say.  I couldn’t stop raving over them and they seemed to inevitably segue into every other conversation.  The Sweet Chili Boneless Wings $5 were a pretty good choice as well.   They also had a relatively generous offering of flatbreads in the happy hour deal.  We tried the Buffalo Chicken Flatbread $5 with grilled buffalo chicken, mozzarella, julienned celery, scallions and bleu cheese.  It was pretty awesome.

With the well balanced quantity vs quality factor of the menu items, the recession-proof pricing, the interesting selection, and the superb customer service, you’d either be a fool or in recession denial to ignore this place.  I my friend am neither..

 

 

Truluck’s – San Diego, CA

Sometimes after a night of unexpected flight delays, rental car snafus, and hotel comps due to short staff headaches, the fraction of energy you have left at that point is devoted to heading to the first place one of your friends mention.  As luck may have it, San Diego doesn’t have a shortage of good restaurants, and therefore if a place is recommended by one of your well traveled friends, ditch the Locals/Yelp app (for once) and just go.

I’ll just say that never in a million years would I expect a bar of this caliber to offer such a low priced happy hour.  Then again if there are secret hh gems like The Palm and Morton’s that only the frequent travelers and hh connoisseurs know about, then I guess it makes all things possible.  Lucky for me, I caught Truluck’s happy hour by a hair and was able to get their featured Sauvignon Blanc for $6.  With a smooth vibe and piano bar’s theme, it made for a perfect date spot even.  Its ambience was definitely appropriate, and therefore was able to salvage my mood to a certain degree.  It also meant sipping on anything outside of the white wine family simply was not an option.

Truluck’s in University Center would’ve easily qualified for Happy Hour Obsession of The Week if it weren’t for the fact that I completely bypassed the hh menu and went straight to the regular menu.  It was for no reason in particular other than me simply having the urge to delve into the dinner menu offerings.  The light fare menu had a very generous selection of goodies but I went with the crab cake from the massive sized menu.  The one that always takes up the most space at the bar, causing everyone near you to start rearranging their place setting.  It was simply delicious, and was what you would expect of fresh catch SoCal seafood dining.

After another glass and a then expanded appetite, I decided on the  Swordfish Pontchartrain for a main entree. Smothered with crawfish tails, shrimp and blue crab in a spicy piquant Creole sauce, it was a flawless execution of this cajun style fish.  If it weren’t so busy at the bar I would’ve definitely summoned the bartender for a piece of bread to slam dunk into its amazing sauce.

With the classy yet not stuffy ambience, beautiful decor, gorgeous bar, expectedly sharp bar staff, great food, and surprisingly economical happy hour, I’d say Truluck’s serves as a great choice for anyone.  My experience allowed me to forget about all my traveling woes and focus on the things that really matter in life.  ..Great food in beautiful towns.