Eat Well Guide

Howdy foodie amigos,

I just wanted to share the Eat Well Guide with you: put your city in, it pops out Co-ops, sustainable restaurant suggestions, and pretty much anything you might want to find in the way of sustenance. Happy eating.....

Providence Recommendations?

Hey there everyone, how does everyone feel about using this blog to seek out recommendations as well as outright posting our fabulous finds? Comment away, and feel free to ask for recommendations if you're heading somewhere new!

I'm heading into Providence, RI tonight, and I was wondering if anyone has found a fabulous place to eat in town? Something other than Audrey's please!

Fancy Pants Fish Food

EDIT: According to the Hampton Inn staff, Swanky Bubbles closed over the summer of 2010 and is now some Irish pub/bar. It will be missed.

Last week, my first week on the road, Joanne Troutner raved on and on to Matt and I about this cool sushi/champagne place in Cherry Hill, NJ and it sounded like a strange combination. This week, my second week on the road, it just so happens that I found my way to Cherry Hill and convinced my presenter to go along with me to check it out.

Swanky Bubbles is exactly what it sounds like; a super swanky, chic sushi restaurant and champagne bar. They serve some other eclectic dishes, but a two-page spread of sushi rolls on the menu is the place to rest your eyes. Not cheap by any means ($8 or $9 for some of the cheaper six-piece rolls), but certainly delicious. My presenter, a pescatarian and somewhat of a connoisseur of seafood, absolutely loved the lobster roll he had. I also enjoyed the Enlightenment roll and another whose name escapes me.

Decorated extremely well and a close drive to both The Mansion on Main St. and the Hampton Inn where I stayed, Swanky Bubbles is an establishment not to miss in Cherry Hill.

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Lobstah... a Must Have in Portland, ME

If you end up in Portland, Maine, odds are you're going to want lobster. There are many places to go, but Street & Co. is worth a visit, even if you're not chasing down the succulent crustacean. It's a wonderfully rustic place tucked into an alley off of the main drag by the water. The grilled lobster will set you back about $30, but it's fabulously cooked and served over a mountainous pile of butter and garlic linguine. And save room, the blueberry pie (another Maine classic!) is melt-in-your-mouth fabulous. I've been here twice, and most recently they had a special fish stew with half lobster, which was stupendous (and so good I forgot to snap a picture before devouring it!). They also serve a dish for two--Lobster Diablo, which I believe has other seafood as well, if your presenter is game.

This is a fine dining restaurant, and priced accordingly, but don't let that scare you off! You can eat for less than your per-diem if you just do PB&J or oatmeal for a couple days :). Even if you're not feeling like lobster, they have many other tantalizing fish dishes as well as salads and "tastes" that are on the lower price end but have that intriguing, sophisticated culinary quality that eludes most hotel and airport fare.

A Cup of Tasty in Champaign

Welcome back for a new year of tasty treats! I wanted to start off the year with a favorite from last year. If you are in Champaign, IL, fear not. Head to Jarling's Custard Cup and your worries will melt away before the frozen custard melts in your mouth. It's not too far from the airport and it has so many flavors your eyes will glaze over when you see the selection board. My personal faves include the rootbeer float and anything involving raspberries. Just make sure you bring cash, since they don't take credit card.