Scala’s Bistro at the Kimpton Sir Francis Drake

San Francisco is a land of plenty—and especially plenty of dining choices. While staying at the Kimpton Sir Francis Drake during my last visit, I ventured down to their lobby restaurant, Scala’s Bistro. I’ve found that Kimpton Hotels have excellent restaurants, and this was no exception.

The rustic Italian eatery masquerading as a French cafe-style bar gives diners the chance to take a trip away from the streets of San Francisco and off to the Mediterranean, if just for an hour. (Our meal lasted a good deal longer thanks to the many rounds of cocktails and ~~one~~ three rounds of pasta. We couldn’t have been more excited for each and every course to hit the table.

The food was all as fresh as it could be from the seafood pasta to the burrata. They offer traditional and inventive pasta options along with wood-fired pizzas and a ribeye that looked so good I nearly nicked it from the next table when it was delivered.

While I usually have an extra sidecar as dessert, we were convinced to order from their post menu. And we were damn glad we did. Their desserts are all handmade in-house by Chef Kimberly and her team. They offer a truffle assortment that’s not only decadent and delicious, but they’re also hand painted and are interesting flavors to represent the different neighborhoods of SF. Think the Castro (white chocolate Negroni), the Mission (pasilla and arbol chiles) or the Haight-Ashbury (““Honest‎ officer, its smoked oregano!”). The chocolates were really a unique end to the meal.

I was also floored by the staff; every person was as helpful as they could have been. Service was prompt and everything hit the table quickly. And, seeing as the restaurant was at capacity, we were doubly impressed by the expedience of the dishes.

Big thanks to my buddies, @thesamgraves, @craftandcocktails, and Ashley’s lovely husband out in San Francisco for joining me for this meal! What a delight!

SCALA’S BISTRO
scalasbistro.com
432 Powell St, San Francisco
(415) 395-8555

Thanks to the Kimpton for showing me a lovely time at this meal!
Header image courtesy of Scala’s Bistro

UP Inspired Kitchen

If you’re looking for a spot in Frisco where you can grab a brunch that’s guilt-free AND delicious … and somewhere you can linger over a mimosa (or two or five) … UP Inspired Kitchen might by your new sanctuary.

Owners Mike and Rae Luther (a husband and wife team) have paired up with concept chef Todd Duplechan (of Austin’s Lenoir) to create UP’s fast-casual concept, featuring a chef-driven menu comprised of better-for-you breakfast and lunch options prepared with honestly sourced ingredients. In addition to Mike and Rae’s passion for the food they serve, their passion for people is apparent in UP’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere. From the children’s play house located on the open-air patio to the multitude of power outlets available in the cheerful dining room, UP beckons you to come as you are and make yourself at home.

UP’s menu features cravable, familiar favorites, with a healthy twist like the “Biscuits and Groovy” featuring cornbread muffins with a cauliflower gravy. UP offers a lovely assortment of egg dishes, like the delicious Tahoe Wrap I sampled on my recent visit featuring cage-free eggs, turkey, avocado, cheddar, and salsa verde nestled in a whole wheat tortilla ($9.50). A variety of beautiful toasts grace the menu, like the Avocado Toast with edamame, lime, and a fresno chili relish ($8). A collection of fresh salads, as well as an assortment of bowls with health boosting ingredients like the Acai Bowl (Acai, strawberries, bananas, granola, seasonal fruit, Texas honey) ($9.80) represent some additional guilt-free options.

If you’d rather treat-yo-self though, don’t worry; UP has a “Cheat Day” menu with your name on it. With offerings like the Breakfast Burger– Akaushi beef, sausage, fried cage-free egg, pickles, cheddar, red onion, dijon mustard, arugula ($11), and a Short-Rib Grilled Cheese with cheddar and pickled onion on sourdough ($10) , there’s something for everyone. Vegetarian, Paleo, Whole 30, and gluten-free friends- they’ve got you covered, too. Lots of great options!

UP has partnered with some great companies to round out their coffee and juice menu, including Limitless Coffee, Buda Juice, and Manny’s Cortado. The impressively curated coffee menu offers some unique and interesting options like the Butter Brew Plus made with MCT oil, grass-fed butter, maple syrup, and collagen ($6.80)—trust me, you’ve got to try this one.

If an adult beverage is what you’re after, UP’s mimosas are equally creative; the Mimosa Sampler comes with a bottle of bubbles, traditional OJ, blueberry-pomegranate juice, and a carafe of Holy Kombucha Hibiscus Sangria. The latter works surprisingly well, I must say. A selection of local craft brews are available on tap.

UP Inspired Kitchen
upinspiredkitchen.com
5285 North Dallas Parkway, Suite 400 (at the Shops at Starwood)

Serving breakfast and lunch daily from 7:00 AM-3:00 PM

Kimpton Sir Francis Drake (San Francisco)

In San Francisco, you have no shortage of offerings—from ridiculously amazing seafood restaurants (thank you, California) to hiking spots and historic monuments … all of which will astound you—or at least the price tag will. That’s why it’s important to get as much from every aspect of your visit as you can. I chose, on my last trip, to stay at a historic hotel, the Kimpton Sir Francis Drake, so that my entire visit was meaningful … and had some nice perks.

The building, originally opened in 1928, is gorgeous with opulent high ceilings and gilded touches, and thanks to renovations that kept the original charm of the 1928 hotel, it integrity of the historic building was kept intact. During WWII, some rooms were even used to house military on the way to the front. The building also houses a historic venue. The venue offers a beautiful space for large events with a grand staircase as an accent.

The Union Square hotel offers more than history and a great location; since it’s a Kimpton hotel, you know it’ll be a luxe experience. (And I absolutely love Kimpton Hotels … like too much.) They kept the hotel’s original opulence and added to it with modern touches and furniture. They also kept the unique touch of their greeters dressed as beefeaters; they couldn’t be more courteous and make your arrival less stressful.

Image courtesy of Lonely Planet

All Kimpton Hotels come with great amenities and perks—free local wine in the lobby at 5-6pm daily, a great restaurant attached, and IGH Rewards (formerly Karma Rewards) offer free WiFi and dining credits. (Sign up … it’s free!) Kimpton Hotels also ensure their rooms are comfortable, and they have some of the most comfortable beds you’ll find during your travels.

: Courtesy of @sallykuchar

There’s plenty of to while you’re at the SFD; visit Scala for a delicious rustic Italian meal, grab a drink at Bar Drake, or venture up to the Starlight Room for live music, cocktails, and a great 21st-floor view. Bar Drake is their over-the-top lobby bar with plenty of seating and a well thought-out cocktail menu. You’ll find plenty of fellow guests and locals at the bar after hours.

Looking for some slightly off-beat entertainment while you’re there? Join the SFD in the Starlight Room on Sundays for their famed Drag Brunch. At $77 a seat (includes tax + tip), you get great entertainment and a wonderful meal.

When visiting the Bay Area, remember the Sir Francis Drake for a unique lodging experience. Just don’t forget to spend your free dining credit and enjoy your free booze in the lobby!

KIMPTON SIR FRANCIS DRAKE – SAN FRANCISCO
sirfrancisdrake.com
Facebook: /SirFrancisDrake
Instagram: @sirfrancisdrakesf
450 Powell Street, San Francisco, California
Reservations: 800.795.7129 | Hotel: 415.392.7755

Amenities: pet-friendly, robes,yoga mats in every room, on-site restaurant and two bars, private dining, large event venue, meeting spaces, concierge, laundry service, daily newspapers, fitness center, free bicycle rentals,

The Cape Hotel (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)

Cabo is the perfect getaway for Texans. Less than a few hours away, it offers adventure, views, and some of the best hospitality around. While Cabo was once associated with partying and spring break mayhem, there’s a more proper side to it. Since the Corridor, the 18-mile highway connecting Cabo San Lucas and San Juan del Cabo, was completed, quite a few resorts have popped up and are setting the standard for luxury. On the drive to our hotel, we noticed that Cabo has tons of beautiful villas, we will definitely stay in one of them next time!

I was delighted to spend a few days at one of Los Cabos’s beautiful hotels, The Cape in Cabo San Lucas. The hotel celebrated its second anniversary in serious style in July 2017 with parties each night featuring famous guest chefs and bartenders from across the country.

The hotel itself is extraordinary-a fortress of luxury that seemingly rises from the desert when approaching. Designed by Mexico City architect Javier Sanchez, it’s “relaxed 1960s Southern California-meets-Baja aesthetic at this luxury boutique hotel.”

The hotel’s layout is linear, so every room has a complete ocean view that can be taken in on a private balcony complete with a hanging daybed. The daybed is also a perfect place to sip the bottle of private label gold tequila left in each room upon check-in. If you’d rather stay inside the room, guests can take in a different kind of view (wink wink) in select rooms with a glass shower and copper bathtub. Now, I love a frameless glass door as I think it makes the room look so elegant and sexy at the same time. I think the glass shower is a great addition to the rooms and I wish I could have one at home for myself!

Venture out of your room (if you can tear yourself away from the comfort of your private space) to enjoy their pools, cabanas, or spa, all of which offer a unique chance for relaxation. Both of the two pools-one infinity and the other saltwater-overlook the ocean with stunning views of El Arco, or Land’s End, that separate the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez. And, because I am who I am, you know I spend most of my time in the infinity pool that offered a swim-up bar. (My morning commute was exhausting … I had to paddle all the way across the pool to get to the bar.)

Currents Spa is more than just a spa, it’s a respite nestled in a natural rock formation offering “hot and cold plunge pools, a steam room, sauna and an intimate couples treatment room with rain showers and private pool.” If you prefer sunlight while enjoying your massage, opt for a massage in an ocean-view cabana.

While no (wo)man can live on spa treatments and tequila alone (though some would argue otherwise), The Cape houses unmatched bar and restaurant options powered by renowned chef Enrique Olvera. Manta, the jewel of their restaurants, offers exquisite seafood while paying homage to Mexican, Peruvian, and Japanese cuisines. The meal I enjoyed at Manta was possibly one of the best I’ve had in years with surprising twists on traditional dishes. Just like every other spot in the hotel, the view from the restaurant is absolutely breathtaking.

: Charred Octopus from Manta

Their casual dining options are as delightful as Manta’s. Enjoy breakfast on their terrace with a buffet of fresh options or order snacks by the pool. Just don’t miss the chance to get a coconut to tote along for a morning walk on the beach … and maybe add a little nip of that tequila in your room.

Enjoy cocktails before dinner at Manta or take in the views in The Glass Box lounge (pictured above) while enjoying craft cocktails, or venture up to the sixth floor to enjoy the only rooftop lounge in Cabo with some beats and bubbles. Their rooftop club is the only one of its kind in Cabo and offers fantastic live music, fantastic cocktails, and an incredible view. Even better, when it’s quiet enough, you can still hear the sounds of the ocean, reminding you that you’re in paradise.

: The Glass Box

With flights to Cabo on Southwest starting at just $179 RT and their fantastic special offers (like getting your third night FREE), it’s a perfect getaway. However you slice it, The Cape is Cabo at its best.

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel
thompsonhotels.com
Carretera Transpeninsular Km 5 Misiones del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S. 23455
+52-624-163-0000

Pinstack Las Colinas

Adult children, rejoice! Pinstack has a new location off of 635 in Las Colinas.

For those of you who haven’t been to their Plano location yet, Pinstack is the modern version of a bowling alley, arcade, and restaurant, all poured into one. This new location is 53,000 sqf of fun with three main areas—the restaurant and bar, the bowling alleys, and the arcade area. Just beyond the restaurant is a 4,000 sqf patio with half of it climate controlled and the other half outside with various giant-sized lawn games. The arcade area also offers a two-level laser tag arena, a rock climbing wall, a high-ropes course, and hundreds of the newest video games and simulator technology.

: Bumper Cars

: Patio Bar

For those of you who would rather watch than do, the restaurant and bar have much to offer you. I would highly recommend starting with the Mac & Cheese Pops (fried mac & cheese balls), served with a tomato bisque sauce. They’re entirely too easy to eat.

From there, you can’t go wrong with the Blackened Mahi Mahi served over jasmine rice with pineapple pico and sweet chili sauce, or the Simply Grilled Chicken served with sautéed heirloom cherry tomatoes and asparagus, baby arugula, balsamic reduction, and parmesan cheese.

This wouldn’t be a complete review on this site without some cocktail info, so be sure to give their signature Paloma a go. This classic cocktail is refreshing and delectable … really, it’s a perfect way to cool down after a heated game of laser tag. They also offer domestic and craft pints (quite a few of them on draft), house wines, and margaritas

Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 4-7pm, and features specialty pricing on cocktails, beer, and wine! They are also offering specials on Mondays and Wednesdays: their Monday night special, dubbed Bowl & Bite, offers $3 draft beers and 1/2 price appetizers. They also have Wine Down Wednesday with 1/2 off bottles wine!

This particular Pinstack location can accommodate up to 1,800 guests with an inviting layout for private parties and events.

PINSTACK LAS COLINAS
Pinstack Las Colinas
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2750 West I-635 (Irving)
214.765.2695

Hours:

Sunday-Thursday: 11am-Midnight

Friday: 11am-2am

Saturday: 10am-2am

3 Killer Summer Gin Cocktails ft. Seersucker Southern Gin

Gin is a delightfully refreshing spirit, and this summer I decided I wanted to find some new favorite gin cocktail recipes. While I love a Ramos Gin Fizz in the summer, they’re incredibly involved (think a minimum of a minute and a half of just shaking … and shaking … and shaking a tin) and they require fresh ingredients like egg white and heavy cream that I don’t usually have on-hand. (I hardly have butter anymore since I travel so often!)

That said, the recipes I’ve now fallen in love with are not only simple to shake up, but don’t require any super perishable ingredients. Shake these goodies up this summer with some Seersucker Southern Style Gin (because it’s a delicious citrus-forward gin with adorable branding) and let me know how they come out!

This simple cocktail uses whole cherries, which brings back amazing memories of summers when I was young when we’d pick and eat cherries right from the tree. This one requires a blender to create a cherry syrup, but you can use frozen cherries if you’d like a shortcut!

Cherry-Lime Gin Rickey
½ cup Seersucker Southern Style Gin
12 dashes of Angostura Bitters
2-3 tablespoons simple syrup
1 cup pitted sweet cherries, fresh or frozen, pitted
⅓ cup lime juice
2 cups soda

In a blender, puree cherries and lime juice. Then add the soda, gin, and bitters, followed by the simple syrup to taste. Blend lightly to combine, then pour into a fresh glass, garnish with a lime wheel and a cherry. (Makes four cocktails.)

This is a delightful summer brunch cocktail. With light and bright ingredients, it is simple and tastes absolutely amazing.

Drunken Tulip
2 oz Seersucker Southern Style Gin
2 oz pomegranate juice
½ oz elderflower cordial
Squeeze of lemon juice

Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass over fresh ice. Add a splash of sparkling wine on top, then garnish the drink with a couple pomegranate seeds (if you have them) and a slice of lemon.

Another of my usual summer go-to cocktails is a simple Italian classic, the Negroni. I thought changing it up a bit would be just the ticket, so I infused my gin with watermelon, changed to dry vermouth (to combat the sweetness of the watermelon and lime), and added just a bit of lime to brighten it up. Watch the video I did with Dinner Reinvented for further commentary!

Watermelon Negroni
1 oz watermelon-infused Seersucker Southern Gin
1 oz Campari
1 oz dry vermouth (a Negroni traditionally uses sweet vermouth)
Splash lime juice

Cut up a small watermelon and add flesh to 750mL of gin in an airtight container. Leave in the refrigerator for 4-6 days, tasting along the way.

Combine ingredients with ice in a mixing glass, stir, then strain into a fresh glass. Garnish with a watermelon spear.

A Tricky Brunch

Nestled among the retail stores and restaurants lining State Street’s pristine pavement within Richardson’s sexy, new mixed-use community, City Line, there lies an unexpected early afternoon delight. When walking past the Tricky Fish, the last thing I would think is, “I bet this place has a good brunch.” It’s not that it’s unappealing; the location is perfect and the atheistic is mesmerizing. The space is wrapped in a bold, brick veneer that melds into modern subway tiles as you walk towards the fish market-inspired kitchen. There are bonded polished wooden planks flanked in steel and embossed with rivets separating tables to break up the space, accompanied with walls of corrugated steel cleverly capping corners. It just feels like you’ve walked into a sleek Cajun restaurant on the edges of Port A that’s looking for an excuse to throw a party instead of serving a late breakfast.

We’ve learned that there’s always a party happening in Tricky Fish’s the kitchen, and it opens to the public on Saturdays and Sundays at 10am. The brunch menu here is focused and the kitchen clearly knows their strengths.

I’m a huge fan of breakfast pastries, so I started the meal with Praline Pancakes. Served with macerated raspberries, candied praline pecan whisky syrup, and orange cream delivered on a sizable plate framed with ramekins for toppings; I can’t think of a better way to get two servings of fruit and a little whiskey to start the day. While the cakes didn’t look like anything special, they were. The cakes were fluffy, lightly crisp, and I really liked getting the toppings separately so my pancakes didn’t get soggy half way through the celebration. Explosions of raspberry layered with the sweet satisfying crunch of pecans wrapped in whisky syrup, finished with a dollop of creme confetti-ed in orange zest, made every bite feel sinful.

After shaking my sugar buzz, it was on to heartier, protein-filled plates. The only thing missing from my pancake cavalcade were bacon and eggs, so I gathered myself and crawled over to the NOLA Benedict to get my fix. Flaky biscuits loaded with Andouille sausage, grilled peppers and onions topped with poached eggs and a creole mustard hollandaise sauce surrounded by fried okra brought this dish to the next level. This is a robust benedict. (The impregnable moment right before the perfect pop of a poached egg yolk reminds me of energy building in a crowd before a heavy breakdown in a dynamic rock song, or an elongated pause before a bass filled beat drop from your favorite DJ. Just me?) Cascading over the milky white edges of egg and through a meat and veggie medley before finally soaking into the biscuit below; the warm yolk and hollandaise blend really binds the individual pieces of the dish together into a perfect finish. However, the life of the party on this plate is the fried okra! Perfectly salted, briskly breaded and fried with a crispy gratifying texture that begs you to eat more. It’s the after party you didn’t know you wanted to go to, but once you get there, you don’t want to leave.

Walking away from a dish with such an unexpected connection was difficult, but the party wasn’t over. So, I cautiously cozied up to the Fried Shrimp and Oyster Grits. At first glance this is an odd and eclectic bowl—it was laced with hidden bits of corn and bacon, with melting cheese and a gooey yolk under a canopy of fried egg with a juicy, golden brown assortment of sealife splashed with a tangy BBQ sauce from Shiner. the first bite was like saying the right secret password at a speakeasy—decadent, spicy, and savory with depth and texture rarely experienced in a single dish. These grits are phenomenal. The oysters and shrimp are coated and fried, and bear a brash crackle in contrast to the creamy grains of hearty, whipped wheat.

Photo credit: Quincy Atkinson

After the serotonin release from consuming something so obscenely rich, I was ready to call it an afternoon until the FOMO and temptation of tequila and bananas foster convinced me to stay for a brunch cap.

The arrival of the Bananas Foster Monkey Bread (pictured at the top) was similar to the feeling that you may have had one drink too many before closing your tab. This rum-based dessert has a brittle shell that’s punctuated with slices of candied banana that crumbles into puffy folds of warm monkey bread when you dig in. You can comfortably share this treat with four people, and its quite rich, so the option for added ice cream might be overkill.

Finally, doing last what I should’ve done first … I ordered a cocktail, a La Paloma. Tricky Fish’s take on the La Paloma starts with a grapefruit-infused tequila, then they add real grapefruit, lime, and agave, and top it with Topo Chico. It’s a fantastic refreshing summer drink that provides a great guilt-free way to enjoy tequila before noon. If you don’t know how to enjoy alcohol guilt free before noon, that’s okay too … Tricky Fish’s happy hour starts at 5pm and goes until close every night of the week.

Good food, great drinks, and a party in the kitchen. Next time you’re in Richardson, let this fish show you a few tricks.

TRICKY FISH
tricky-fish.com
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
1251 State Street, Suite 750 (Richardson)
(972)437-FISH

Pictures courtesy of Tricky Fish.

Chicken Moto: Southern Comfort Meets Seoul Food

Fried chicken enthusiasts, listen up: you need to check out Chicken Moto, now open in Richardson.

While there are plenty of spots in Dallas that pride themselves on their renditions of this southern favorite, I can assure you, you’ve never had fried chicken like this before. (Well, unless you’ve been to Bb Bop, in which case, maybe you have.) That’s because Chicken Moto was imagined by the owners of Bb Bop—husband and wife team Greg & Sandy Bussey, Steve Shin, and Sam Osee. They wanted to open a concept revolving around Bb Bop’s very own “Not Your Mama’s Fried Chicken”.

The building that houses Chicken Moto previously served as an auto repair shop. This, coupled with Sam Osee’s passion for motorcycles, explains the chopper theme. Chicken Moto was designed to “celebrate the collision of cultures and lifestyles”, combining Texas Southern comfort with South Korean Seoul food. Guests get to experience Korean fried chicken and traditional sides with a fresh, unique twist.

Obviously, fried chicken rules the roost at Chicken Moto (pun totally intended), with “Not Your Mama’s Fried Chicken” available as a quarter chicken, half chicken, or whole bird. NYMFC is served with your choice of Soy Ginger (my fave) or Sweet-and-Spicy Chile glaze (or, you can skip the glaze if you aren’t feeling saucy). Gluten-free wings are available as well. Chicken and waffles were another winner—cornbread waffles smothered in GRAVY AND SYRUP. If boneless chicken is your thing, try “The Sandwich”, a boneless chicken thigh topped with cabbage, celery, and green onion slaw, with a sweet and spicy chili sauce served on Texas toast.

Chicken Moto offers half a dozen inventive appetizers, including Chicken Cracklin, Elotes with a Korean chile aioli, and Seasoned Fries with Kimchi Queso.

Chicken Moto’s southern influence is evident in many of their side dishes, with options like potato salad, bacon charro beans, and mashed potatoes in the mix.