My Top 5 Favorite Restaurants

I’m currently traveling about 100% for work. One great advantage is I have experienced some of the best restaurant around the country. Here’s my Top 5…

1. Joe’s Stone Crab (not to be confused with Joe’s Crab Shack), located in Miami, FL. I love this place! Joe’s Stone Crab is the best dining experience I have ever had. They are only open during crab season and they are extremely busy. Of course, the crab is excellent and the service is amazing. If you’re ever in Miami during crab season you have to try Joe’s, get there early. We arrived at 4:00 in the afternoon and waited 2 hours but it’s worth it!

2. The Angus Barn located in Raleigh, NC. I was in a rental car line once and over heard a group of people discussing how disappointed they were because their flight to Raleigh was canceled and they had reservations at The Angus Barn. I would be disappointed too! I have spent a lot of time in the Raleigh/Durham area and I always eat at Angus Barn. I’ve never been disappointed. The spinach salad is the best.

3. Japonais, located in New York City, Chicago, and Las Vegas. I ate at the NYC location with my sister and our great friend, Leslie. It was Leslie’s birthday and a FUN night. We ordered a variety of items. The portions are very small, similar to tapas. I love this scenario, you get to taste a little of everything. My favorite thing at Japonais is the beef that comes to the table raw and you cook it on a hot rock. I don’t eat a lot of beef; however, this beef was excellent. It melts in your mouth. Note: Hugh Hefner takes his girlfriends to Japonais.

4. Del Friscos Steak House, located in New York City, Dallas, Las Vegas, Colorado, North Carolina and recently they opened a location in Houston. I have dined at the NYC location and attended the grand opening party at the Houston location. The grand opening party was so much fun, complete with a red carpet as you walked in and people cheering and taking pictures. It was incredibly exciting! I love the lobster and crab cake. All the side dishes are excellent, the mashed potatoes and creamed spinach are the best! They are known for their lemon cake for dessert.

5. This list would not be complete without a Houston restaurant. Houston is the #1 dining out city in the nation and often the #1 fattest! It’s so hard to name a favorite in Houston but I’m going to have to say the Taste of Texas. It is the ultimate Texas steak house experience. It’s not your typical trashed out steak house with peanut shells on the floor. It’s beautiful; the décor is classy, ranch-style. The food is excellent. You can pick your steak from a window to the kitchen if you’d like. I love the salad and bread; I could just have that as a meal. I’ve had almost everything on the menu and I’ve never been disappointed. Go hungry because they give Texas size portions.

Honorable Mention- The Lady and Son’s in Savannah, GA (Paula Deen’s Restaurant), Ibiza in Houston, and Star Pizza in Houston. No wonder I can’t lose that annoying 5 pounds!!!

Jamie and Bobby Deen at The Lady and Sons

Del Friscos

Leslie's Birthday at Japonais