Forbici Modern Italian – Tampa, FL
Apparently, Tampa Florida shares some important similarities with the Netherlands. They both touch water, and they both seem to have carpaccio on every menu. Win for me.
Bern’s Steak House – Tampa, FL
I’ve heard from some Tampa locals that they don’t even try to go to Bern’s because it’s impossible to get in. They have a pretty amazing server training program and they really focus on doing things better than they need to be.
The Twisted Cork Cafe – St. Thomas, USVI
My first selection of carpaccio down in The Islands, it’s definitely not something you see a lot on a menu. The Twisted Cork is an utterly unassuming little building from the outside but as you step in and look at the array of menu items you’ll be impressed.
Ken Stewart’s Tre Belle – Bath, Ohio, USA
There are lots of things to say about this rendition, but most important is that it was hard to get past the fact that the meat was so cold it was literally half frozen to the plate.
In Den Dorstigen Haen – Venlo, Netherlands
It’s just another one of those cases of oh so close and yet so far. Whyyyy, is this carpaccio every so slightly cooked? Almost literally everything else was perfect.
La Trattoria in Old Dutch – Venlo, Netherlands
It’s a little unclear to the non-local why this restaurant has two names. Is it Old Dutch or is it La Trattoria? Apparently it’s La Trattoria inside Old Dutch. Maybe they were inspired by Intel Inside.
Bonaparte Grand Cafe – Venlo, Netherlands
Sorry for the terrible photo, the lighting was very ‘cozy’ at Bonaparte, with only a small tea candle on the table and pretty dark throughout. Very nice decor and perfect for a cold winter night.
Cafe Utica – Utrecht, Netherlands
Another cold (but sunny!) day in the Netherlands where walking was more a means to an end than a delightful discovery experience. Ultrecht has an absolutely lovely city center with bars/restaurants lining a canal with top-notch shopping either indoor in the shopping center or on the streets.
Restaurant Bariloche – Amsterdam, Netherlands
On my first day in Amsterdam I wandered through the windy, crowded, overcast streets looking for a place to duck into for an affordable sit-down lunch while waiting for my hotel room to be available for check-in. Without any guidance from friends or the concierge, picking a restaurant in this city, like many, is roulette.
Smith and Wollensky – Chicago, Illinois, USA
Initial hint of lemon. Very strange ring around outer edge, as if there was some sort of riser put on top of the meat in order to stack plates.