When I learned I’d be taking a AAA-sponsored research trip to Texas this year, I was excited for two main reasons: (1) I’d finally find out who shot J.R. and (2) I love red meat.

I’m kidding of course about the first item (it was Kristin!), but if you’ve read my Brooklyn Diner blog you know I’m sincere about the latter. And, unless you’ve been ... Read More

On Sunday, it will be five years since Hurricane Katrina and in that time a determined group of New Orleans residents and admirers have worked tirelessly to see that the city would recover and thrive again.  New Orleans simply could not go quietly into the night!  Recent non-stop headlines of the BP oil spill have again given an impression of disaster in the area.  However, as the AAA inspector with the pleasure of covering the Big Easy, I can testify that the ... Read More

When I found out I was traveling to Albuquerque on assignment my stomach growled eagerly in anticipation. Anyone who knows me knows that I love Mexican food, and I figured that the geographical proximity would result in a bounty of good Mexican restaurants. It turned out I was half right; there are a lot of Mexican restaurants, but most of them specialize in New Mexican cuisine. New Mexican, you say? Well, for me it boils down to a couple of general observations:... Read More

  
 When she found out I was going to Chicago my esteemed colleague Sharon Kudlowitz informed me, “You have to try the deep-dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s.” In fact, in a recent blog she rhapsodized so enthusiastically about the glories of Lou’s deep-dish pie that while reading it my mouth started watering. But while Lou’s sounded fantastic, I also wanted to claim my own discovery.

A quick bit of research revealed that three chains all vie for the hotly contested title of “Chicago’s best pizza”: Lou Malnati’s, Giordano’s and Gino’s East of Chicago. Each has its admirers and, no doubt, equally vociferous detractors. And all three have ... Read More

 If Orlando's in your travel plans, take the advice of these three bloggers and have a great meal in a Florida setting that's a little different than the theme parks.

The Old Spanish Sugar Mill, DeLeon Springs
Recommended by Alison Lockwood
When I first heard about a restaurant where you cook your own pancakes, I had to laugh—the whole point of going out to eat is letting somebody else do the cooking. ... Read More

    
 One thing that struck me on a recent trip to St. Louis was how many different communities make up the metro area. Brentwood, Maplewood, Kirkwood, Des Peres, Creve Coeur … the list goes on. Then there are the city neighborhoods, like Soulard and the Central West End. It’s a real patchwork quilt, and it took me a while to get my bearings. But there was one place I knew I was going to check out—the Hill.  Anyone who knows me knows I’m into food. I’m not necessarily a foodie; I’m just into eating. And The Hill, St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood, is prized for its groceries, meat markets, bakeries and—big surprise—Italian restaurants.... Read More

I like to try as many different restaurants as I can when I’m traveling and try to stay away from nationwide chains, as I’d rather get a sampling of the local flavor.  In Kansas City, Missouri, I found three:  re:Verse, Winstead’s Diner and Fiorella’s Jack Stack.

re:Verse
Based on good reviews, I tried re:Verse (yes, that’s how the name is punctuated), ... Read More

  
I managed to fit a lot into a weekend in Philly, so with apologies to Bruce Springsteen for that headline, here's the rundown:

Our culinary adventures started, of course, with a cheesesteak at Cosmi's deli on South 8th Street. We walked into the store and I could sense immediately that this was the real deal.... Read More

This article was written by Barbara Wayman and originally appeared in AAA's Home & Away magazine.

I had the oddest sensation when I was in San Francisco. It happened every time I took a bite at Chef Hubert Keller’s res­taurants. Suddenly I was filled with a deep sense of pity for all the people not around me, because they weren’t tasting the exquisite flavors I was at that moment.

For those who’ve watched Keller on 'Top Chef' or 'Secrets of a Chef' and wondered if his culinary creations were really that good, they can wonder no longer. They are.... Read More

I’m not a pizza fanatic and generally order pasta or a salad when dining at a pizzeria with family or friends. Maybe it’s a result of too many mediocre pizzas in my youth; let’s face it, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Little Caesars aren’t exactly gourmet establishments. Or maybe it’s because I grew up in Memphis where barbecue reigns supreme—who knows?... Read More