When we decided to travel from Jensen, Utah to Grand Junction to visit Colorado National Monument, I checked out the dining situation in Grand Junction and found Bin 707 Foodbar where James Beard nominated finalist and owner, chef Josh Niernberg, is located.

I made a dinner reservation for us.

We shared an appetizer of Elk Tartar which was served with their house-bake bread. Melanie's entree was their Halibut and I had the Cured Duck Breast. 

From start to finish our meal and experience was over the top great. Service, food, ambiance. Yes.

Earlier in the day we'd cycled in the monument and needed a snack before we headed back to camp to cleanup for dinner.

A few people with whom Melanie works recommended Taco Party to us when they learned we were traveling to Grand Junction. Specifically, and to a person, Taco Party's guacamole was mentioned.

Taco Party happens to be a sister restaurant of Bin 707 Foodbar so this seemed a natural choice for a mid-afternoon snack and libation.

Welp, the recommendations were not wrong. Best guac we've eaten lately, maybe ever. The beers were cold and refreshing too after our cycling. Great snack and just enough to get us back to camp, showered and then out again for a Bin 707 Foodbar dinner.

We recommend both restaurants highly.

We left Massachusetts in November and quickly headed south. The following is a quick catch up of restaurants we deem worthy since November 2024. There are a variety of cuisines and price ranges represented, but each restaurant has something that recommends it, at least they did for us. Reminding you we are not restaurant critics and will only mention a restaurant if we found the food, service, ambiance, etc. worthy of a mention. 

Melanie has an affinity for Chinese cuisine. She's generally the one who mentions finding Chinese food for lunch or dinner.

Last year our son, Tate and his partner, Zoe, moved to Arlington, Virginia. Located in nearby Fairfax, Virginia, Mama Chang was the first restaurant at which we ate while visiting in November and it is the first recent Chinese restaurant that rivals our favorite in Birmingham, Red Pearl.

I made it to 71 years old while we were visiting Tate and Zoe. They made a birthday brunch reservation for us at Anju in Washington, DC.

The KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) and Waffles was my choice and a very good one it was. 

As we travel west for winter each year, we always stop at least for a night in New Orleans. We camp in a public parking lot just outside the Quarter near the Visitor Center and have dinner out somewhere.

This year we dined with Emeril Lagasse at his newest restaurant, 34 Restaurant & Bar. Our dinner was an all around great experience.

Dedicated to Emeril's Portuguese heritage inspired by his late mother, Hilda. 

It was a travel day. We were headed from Vidor, Texas to San Antonio. And. We were hungry.  Melanie found Schulze's in Seguin, Texas for lunch.  Good Brisket is one of my culinary weaknesses and Schulze's was great.

Our friends, Kim and Steve, who live in San Antonio, Texas met us out for dinner at Liberty Bar while we were there. 

Liberty Bar was a great place to catch up with them and enjoy a great meal, too.

A few year's back we discovered Boca by Chef Maria Mazon in Tucson. We had lunch there last week and after we attend a 50501 protest this afternoon, we intend to cycle over and eat there again. Yes, it's that good.

If you order anything, make sure to get the Chips and Salsa Flight. Tacos are marvelous too.

Chef Mazon is a James Beard finalist.

We traveled north to Sedona, Arizona for a few days and one evening had dinner at the bar at Elote.

We couldn't get a reservation for their dining room, but our seat in the bar was about perfect.  The bartender/waiter made our experience a great one. 

Melanie enjoyed the Duck Carnitas and I had (and enjoyed) the Buffalo Mole Poblano. 

One of the best parts of the evening was our walk to and from dinner. Sedona may be the Gatlinburg of the West, but the scenery is way, way over the top.

Finally, I'll mention a couple of other restaurants that still have a place for our palates. 

In Mesilla, New Mexico, we always have lunch at La Posta de Mesilla. In Tucson, we have lunch (Indian Fry Bread) at Cafe Santa Rosa. In Prescott, lunch at Farm Provisions. 

Melanie and I had a great lunch at Carriqui, she the Fried Fish Tacos, me the Brisket Bowl (Monday special). Great food, great service in a nicely restored space. Highly recommend.

From the website:

In the early days of Pearl, which date back to the 1890s, Boehler’s Liberty Saloon served as the watering hole and social center for the brewery’s workers. This storied place saw the neighborhood through times both flush and lean. 
In 1933 when Prohibition ended, folks lined the streets and cheered as delivery trucks rolled out of Pearl Brewery. And the first stop for legal beer was right here.
For nearly 130 years, this building was an anchor of the neighborhood and a hangout for many. As stewards of this iconic place, we strive to deliver an equally special hospitality experience grounded in sincerity and warmth.

We're approaching 2 months living in Gloucester and working in Salem, Massachusetts. We've had enough time now to try out a few restaurants and, since we have about a month and a half to go before we hit that ol' road again, I'm relatively sure I'll add a few more to the list below.

The Rudder

Located within the Rocky Neck Artist Colony, Melanie and I had a nice meal here on a relatively quiet August Sunday evening. We chose the covered deck overlooking the cove. A very nice setting for dinner.

The restaurant's celebrated chef has a number of restaurants and has won numerous awards over the years, including being inducted into James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America.

​That said, while our dinner was truly solid, the service and ambiance great, it wasn't what I expected given all the accolades received by Ms. Lynch.  My Steak Tartar and Mustard Tagliatelle (braised rabbit and rosemary) dish was fine, Melanie's Seared Halibut was superb. 

My problem is I've eaten Frank Stitt's rabbit dish at Highland's Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Alabama on several occasions and, honestly, I can also be a bit precious at times when it comes to dining out. 

I think most importantly our meal at The Rudder was a good value, that is, I didn't come away thinking I'd paid too much for an overhyped dining experience. Recommended.

Laughing Gull, Manchester-by-the-Sea

One of my favorite bicycle rides is from Salem Common to Magnolia, Massachusetts. 

Between the two points on my ride is Manchester-by-the-Sea and Laughing Gull, located there.

While we haven't tried many items on their menu, I do know their scones and cat head biscuits are worth darkening their door for. The locals gather to see and be seen and catch up. Recommended. 

Donna, our bartender one afternoon at 51 Rocky Neck, recommended a number of local places to eat and drink.

Blue Collar Lobster Company was one she highly touted.  She wasn't wrong.

Blue Collar served up the best Lobster Roll I've had in awhile, maybe ever.  Served hot or cold and containing 8 ounces of fresh lobster, it's more than one person should eat. But I did. Pro tip:  Two people can easily share one Lobster Roll and come away satisfied.

Not everyone had lobster, but everyone was pleased with their food.  Recommended.

We're new to the area and have had little time to check out local Cusine since our arrival on July 12th.  We're camped in West Gloucester, but Melanie works for the National Park Service in Salem.  She also is the Executive Director for a legal non-profit.

After a Zoom call with the non-profit was over and after she had worked all day for the NPS, we stopped at Sala Restobar in Beverly for dinner on the way home.

We shared a Tomato Salad, I had the Duck Mole Tacos, Melanie had the Chicken Fried Rice. Ambiance, service and the meal were all great and we're sure to dine at Sala again before we depart Massachusetts in November.

aMelanie found lunch for us at Isaac's Way on a travel day. Great lunch outside on a nice Summer day in Fredericton. 

Side Hustle was also recommended by Craving Dani a Halifax influencer. Great dinner in downtown Dartmouth.

As sometimes happens, an influencer, Craving Dani, started following our Instagram account while we were in Halifax/Dartmouth.  She recommended Bar Sofia. She wasn't wrong. Great lunch in a really funky place on the Halifax Waterfront.

And our server was a Boston native with duel citizenship attending university in Halifax. 

She liked the Dirty Blonde, me the Fathom Double IPA, regardless we had a few great evenings at Nine Locks Brewing Company. 

After walking around Halifax on a Sunday morning we needed sustenance. We found brunch at Le Bistro by Liz in Downtown Halifax.  Their great Sunday Brunch included a Bloody Mary for me and a Mimosa for her.