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  • Tom’s Town Distilling Co. (Kansas City, MO) Review

    Tom’s Town Distilling Co. (Kansas City, MO) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    06/10/2023 Tom’s Town Distilling

    We stopped here because it was on our walk to dinner from our hotel…and a friend that joined us for the weekend was named Tom. We ended up liking the place enough that we stopped back for brunch the following morning before heading out to the concert.

    For our brunch, I started with a Brunch Messenger (see picture) and my wife went with the Bloody Maria (see picture). We shared tastes with each other and really liked both drinks – and while the pricing seemed reasonable ($10/$12), the drinks were quite small.

    For our brunch meal, I ordered the Frittata (see picture) and my wife ordered the Croque Monsieur (see picture). Again, we shared tastes of each other’s plates and both of us enjoyed and would recommend both. The hash browns were cooked well, tasted great and weren’t too greasy – and the same could be said for the Croque Monsieur, which we were able to eat without dripping grease all over.

    The drinks during evening hours were unique and tasty…but again on the small side and quite pricey (what you might expect in the downtown area). The brunch was reasonably priced though and tasted quite good, so I’d highly recommend this place as a brunch stop during a downtown weekend visit.

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  • Jack Stack Barbecue – Freight House (Kansas City, MO) Review

    Jack Stack Barbecue – Freight House (Kansas City, MO) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    06/09/2023 Jack Stack Barbecue – Freight House

    We have eaten at several Jack Stack Barbecue venues in Kansas City and have really enjoyed them, so when this place was within walking distance on a recent stay, it rose to the top of our list for dinner. We had another couple that met us for the weekend and while the husband had been here once before for a work event, this was the wife’s first visit (and boy did she leave satisfied!).

    We had a group of 4 and wanted to try a little of everything, so went with The Pitmaster (see picture) for our entree. It was so hard to pick from the side offerings (see pictures), as all of them sounded so good. As we have become accustomed to, the barbecue was absolutely fantastic! All of the meats were SO tender and full of flavor – easy to cut with a fork and they just melt in your mouth!

    If you haven’t experienced barbecue at a Jack Stack – you don’t know what you are missing. You will absolutely fall in love with the great food and atmosphere, so I highly recommend this place for lunch or dinner during your next trip to downtown Kansas City!

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  • Maid-Rite (Lamoni, IA) Review

    Maid-Rite (Lamoni, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    06/09/2023 Maid-Rite (Lamoni, IA)

    Believe it or not, we’ve lived in Iowa for a year and a half now and this was our first stop at a Maid-Rite! We were traveling with friends to the Luke Combs concert in Kansas City and looking for a place to stop along the interstate. They recommended it based on their experiences with one in Illinois many years ago and we are so glad that we stopped.

    Although it is a technically a fast food restaurant where you order at the counter and they deliver your food to the table, the food was very good and the service was above average.

    Our group ordered a Tenderloin sandwich (see picture), several MEGA sandwiches (see picture), Sweet Potato Fries (see picture) and Fried Okra (see picture). Of course you have to have a MEGA when you stop, as it is what built the restaurant, but the Tenderloin and sweet potato fries as well as the okra were all very good. If you follow my posts, my sweet tooth is well documented…so I couldn’t leave this place without sampling a caramel shake – it was delicious and I highly recommend you finish your meal with one on your way out to the car.

    Yes, it is fast food, but this place is quite unique, is an Iowa institution and has a very nice attached Amish country store. Definitely worth a stop for lunch, dinner or one of their multiple sweets options!

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  • Brazen Open Kitchen Bar (Dubuque, IA) Review

    Brazen Open Kitchen Bar (Dubuque, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    06/06/2023 Brazen Open Kitchen Bar

    We were determined to have a steak tonight while in town on business travel and several other places that we checked weren’t open on a Tuesday night. This place is quite an impressive venue – wide open atmosphere that highlights the chefs in the kitchen and their work. The only thing holding this place back from a full 5* in my book is the value…as the pricing was quite high – but when you come here, it is probably for a special occasion!

    Due to the fact that we had already stopped at another venue for appetizers, I ended up going light and splitting the Ribeye (see picture) with a fellow employee. As you might expect in a restaurant of this quality, it was fantastic and one of the better ribeyes that I’ve had.

    As long as you come prepared for your meal being quite expensive, you definitely will be happy with the food, atmosphere and service. I would highly recommend a stop here for your next special occasion – just don’t forget to make reservations, as they are VERY busy.

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  • 7 Hills Brewing Company Review (Dubuque, IA)

    7 Hills Brewing Company Review (Dubuque, IA)

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    06/05/2023 7 Hills Brewing Company

    I’ve been here a few times on business trips but just finally posting some pictures along with my review. I’ve enjoyed sampling different beers on each visit and have also had food on at least one other occasion.

    Our table started with Hangry Sprouts, Curb Your Enthusiasm cheese curds and Zeit Bites (pretzel bread bites) – all of which were above average bar food (sorry, no pictures of them). For my meal, I ordered the Carolina Burger (see picture) with Sweet Potato Fries. While it was above average overall (especially the fries), I found the pulled pork on the burger to be quite dry. Another person at the table ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese (see picture) and thought it tasted good – had just hoped there would be more lobster in it.

    If you are stopping by to try their beers, this is definitely a great stop and if you decide to add food to your stop, you can expect better than average appetizers and entrees.

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  • Francies (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Francies (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    06/03/2023 Francies

    Have had on my Want to Go list since Cityview listed it for best local bar food in 2022 and finally had the opportunity after the Craft Beer Festival. While we were a little leery of what it might be like near the airport, we were pleasantly surprised by the exterior (see pictures) as we pulled up…and remained positively impressed with the interior decor (see pictures).

    Cityview called out their New York Steak & Peppers sandwich (see picture) and it looked great, so my wife went with that for her choice. For our second entree, I went with the Philly Chicken with Fries (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each of our meals and both of us enjoyed both offerings – finding the food quality definitely worthy of the title of Best Bar Food.

    If you are in the area or have a little time waiting on a flight, you won’t be disappointed with a stop at Francies.

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  • Chevys Fresh Mex (Sioux Falls, SD) Review

    Chevys Fresh Mex (Sioux Falls, SD) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    05/26/2023 Chevys Fresh Mex

    Stopped here while driving through Sioux Falls at dinner time and boy did it turn out to be a great stop. New, lively, open and fun atmosphere with reasonable prices and good food. We were a little disappointed with the service, but we were in a bit of a rush to get back on the road and they were busy – so we probably should have stayed at the bar and ordered there rather than being seated.

    We started by ordering a Cucumber Jalapeno Grand Margarita (see picture) to go along with the free chips & salsa (see picture) – which tasted great. My wife ordered the Flauta (see picture) and I ordered a soft taco (see picture). As per our usual, we shared both dishes and both of us really enjoyed both of them.

    Based on our stop, I would highly recommend this place for both food and drinks – close to the interstate, reasonably priced and an open, fun atmosphere.

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  • De Rice (Johnston, IA) Review

    De Rice (Johnston, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    I had no idea this place had opened so close to our home.  Went with a group from work today and loved it.  The free soup and fried appetizer was very good, the service was friendly, the food was delivered very quickly and the entree tasted great.

    For my lunch break, I ordered the Crispy Honey Chicken as Very Hot.  I thought the spice level was just right (just at the point of making my nose run) and the flavor was great.  I will definitely be back with my wife for dinner some evening.

    Dinner update 1 week later:  Was so good, I stopped back with my wife for dinner.  We had a coconut mango mojito, the Surf & Turf Roll special, Panang Curry, Tom Kha Kai Soup and Mango Salad.  All were very good, but I really liked the Mango Salad best of all – mango, onion and cilantro with the spicy lime dressing and fish sauce were a wonderful combination!

    Update 2: Dinner last night was delicious as usual.  I started with an Irish Mule and then had the Sushi Set.  I really enjoyed the nigiri, which I had not eaten before.  Per my request, the chef even came out to tell me what each of the pieces were.  There wasn’t a lot of flavor difference between any of them, with the main difference being texture.  My wife had the Crispy Shrimp Cashew Nut (see picture) and it was also delicious.

    01/20/2023 Update

    Yet another stop at one of our favorites last night and once again, we thoroughly enjoyed it…and left very full and satisfied! On this trip, we started with an order of Crab Rangoon, which was delicious – especially when dipped in the honey. I ordered Healthy Fried Rice (see picture) with a heat level of 4 (out of 6) and while I found it delicious, I didn’t feel it had much spice, so added more at the table. My wife ordered the Homestyle Chicken (see picture) with a heat level of 3 (out of 6) and really liked it.

    5/25/2023 Update

    Yet another great stop – this time we enjoyed a Pama Mama Mule (see picture), Heavenly Beef with Sticky Rice (see picture), Crispy Chicken on Ginger Rice (see picture) and a Larb Salad (see picture). As always, all of the dishes were shared by both of us, were delicious and I’d highly recommend all of them.

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  • Cafe Beaudelaire (Ames, IA) Review

    Cafe Beaudelaire (Ames, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

    05/25/2023 Cafe Beaudelaire

    This place was recommended by some locals while we were working at the Special Olympics in Ames, so stopped by to check it out at the end of the day before heading home. It is a very unique Brazilian-themed restaurant just across the street from the Iowa State campus with a good selection of beers and Brazilian-themed foods and mixed drinks.

    We started with drinks – a Pisco Sour and a Caipirinha (see picture). The locals highly recommended the Beaudelaire Bauru sandwich and while it looked delicious, we had already made plans with our wives after returning home, so weren’t able to sample it. The other item that was recommended though was the Brazilian Fries w/ mayo (see picture) and we were able to sample them. They were very good – crispy on the outside and warm and soft inside – with the mayo making a great dip pair.

    I can’t wait to return with my wife sometime and give the Beaudelaire Bauru a try. You definitely won’t regret stopping here for a bite to eat or a drink – good food, value, selection and service.

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  • El Fogon (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    El Fogon (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    05/19/2023 El Fogon

    This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and had a great opportunity to go following an after-work party of my wife’s. Along with the free chips and salsa (see picture), we each ordered our favorite drink: a Mezcal Palomo (see picture) – both the chips and Palomas were very good.

    For our dinner, we ordered Ceviche Shrimp (see picture) to share, then ordered Texas Fajitas (see picture) to share for the main course. We both enjoyed both meals and would recommend them…as the 4* implies, we found them better than average, but not the absolute best we’ve ever had.

    Overall, we found this place to be a solid stop for Mexican food as well as the Paloma mixed drinks. In my opinion, it is in the upper third of Mexican restaurants in Des Moines and as such, would recommend it for both food and drink.

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  • Home Sweet Cone (Waukee, IA) Review

    Home Sweet Cone (Waukee, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    05/06/2023 Home Sweet Cone Ice Cream

    If you follow my posts you know that I have a real sweet tooth and I eat ice cream almost every night before bed.  Therefore I had been waiting to try this place for quite some time and finally got a chance on Father’s Day.

    It was surprisingly busy when we got inside but we were served quickly.  The selection was good and the ice cream was oh so delicious!  I will definitely be back here and recommend that you give the place a try!

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  • Exile Brewing Company Review (Des Moines, IA)

    Exile Brewing Company Review (Des Moines, IA)

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    04/29/2023 Exile Brewing Company

    This is my wife’s favorite brewery in town and we’ve been here a number of times, but finally getting around to writing a review. On this trip, it was a stop at the end of the Lemon Trail Ride, as the cold, wind and rain caused us to cut the ride a little short.

    We started with an order of Exile Fries (see picture) as we have always enjoyed them on previous visits – and today was no exception, crispy and so flavorful! We also shared a Spinach & Artichoke Dip (see picture) and it to, was delicious and highly recommended!

    For our meals, we ordered the Exile Burger w/ Truffle Fries (see picture) and Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos w/Brussels Sprouts (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each dish and both thought that everything was delicious. They have very good Brussels Sprouts here that we often order as an appetizer, but given the other appetizers today, we enjoyed them as a side instead – definitely try these if you haven’t already.

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  • Monarch Kitchen & Bar (Davenport, IA) Review

    Monarch Kitchen & Bar (Davenport, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    04/20/2023 Monarch Kitchen & Bar

    We were looking for a place to stop for lunch before leaving the area and found this place. This appears to be a relatively new restaurant and I really liked the atmosphere inside and out (modern, clean and open) – and the food quality was excellent!

    For my main course, I ordered the Power Bowl with Grilled Chicken (see picture) and my wife ordered the Beef & Broccoli (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each others dishes and found both of them to be quite delicious – so I’d highly recommend either if you are visiting. The quinoa was so tasty and the grilled chicken was done well – with a good amount of moisture intact. The Beef & Broccoli was a bit salty to our tastes (probably from the soy sauce), but still very tasty.

    I would highly recommend this place – while the value is a bit on the pricey side, if you can get past that – you will thoroughly enjoy a stop here.

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  • Alexander’s Patisserie (Mountain View, CA) Review

    Alexander’s Patisserie (Mountain View, CA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    04/16/2023 Alexander’s Patisserie

    What a fantastic stop to serve my voracious sweet tooth on our last day before leaving the area! We took a stroll down the street and as the saying goes…I’ve never met a sweets shop that I don’t like. Everything about this place from the exterior to the interior decor and all the fantastic dessert creations inside the displays screams high-end, Paris-like quality.

    We were in need of some additional caffeine to go along with the sweets, so ordered 3 Gibraltars and an Iced Caramel Latte – all of which were delicious. For our desserts, we shared a Little Tahini vanilla dessert (see picture) and an Opera chocolate dessert (see picture). Believe me…both were every bit as good as their near-perfect appearance and warrant serious consideration to try during your next stop.

    If you like high-end, delicious desserts as much as I do, you really need to stop by and try a few of these luscious treats!

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  • Carmelite Monastery (Santa Clara, CA) Review

    Carmelite Monastery (Santa Clara, CA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    5.0* (out of 5)

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: n/a

    Service: 5*

    04/16/2023 Carmelite Monastery

    This was the closest place to our friend’s house where we were staying and was within walking distance, so was our destination for Mass Sunday morning. The grounds around the Church were meticulously kept and the walk from the gate to the Church was a beautiful experience in nature. The Church (see pictures) was beautiful and the congregation was friendly and welcoming.

    Why is there a Church review on The Food and Drink Guy? Think of it as the spiritual food and drink nourishment and refreshment needed to go back out into the world and enjoy the physical foods and drinks. It really is important.

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  • Demitri’s Taverna (Livermore, CA) Review

    Demitri’s Taverna (Livermore, CA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    04/15/2023 Demitri’s Taverna

    Stopped here while walking the street with friends after a visit to a winery…drawn in by the lively atmosphere and friendly people at the door. We had reservations for dinner later, so limited ourselves to drinks and an appetizer.

    I ordered a Raspberry Lemon Drop (see picture) based on the bartender Lani’s recommendation and really enjoyed it – she was right in saying that it was delicious! We also enjoyed a Mango Cosmo and some Bombay Sapphire martinis – all served happily by our fantastic bartender. For an appetizer, we ordered a Side of Fried (Feta Garlic) and other than being a little messy…they tasted fantastic.

    You won’t go wrong with a stop here for great food and drinks!

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  • Zona Rosa Mexican (San Jose, CA) Review

    Zona Rosa Mexican (San Jose, CA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    04/15/2023 Zona Rosa

    Our friends took us here during our visit to the San Jose area and it just might be my favorite Mexican restaurant. Other than it being a little pricey – everything was some of the best we’ve experienced at a Mexican restaurant. It was so good, that we ended up shutting the place down – we were the last patrons to leave and they had already started the cleaning process.

    We love mezcal palomas (see picture), so that is what we started with. Given that I’m a bit of a mezcal paloma snob, I asked the waiter if the bartender knew what he was doing with making them. Boy did he ever know what he was doing, as these were probably the best mezcal palomas that we’ve had – and the presentation was great also!

    For appetizers, we all really like ceviche, so ordered the Crab Ceviche Tostada (sorry, no picture) and Guacamole. The chips (see picture) were so fresh, light and delicious. My belief is that chips are only the delivery system for dips and toppings – and they tasted great together with the guacamole and ceviche.

    For our main courses, I ordered the Chile Relano (see picture), my wife ordered the Enchilada de Camaron (see picture), our friends ordered the Pesca del Dia (see picture) and Ensalada de Cesar with Shrimp (see picture). Our friend recommended each of these dishes and all of them were delicious – I’d highly recommend each of them.

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  • Las Positas Vineyards (Livermore, CA) Review

    Las Positas Vineyards (Livermore, CA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    04/15/2023 Las Positas Vineyards

    Our friends picked this place during our visit to enjoy on a sunny afternoon in California and we all really enjoyed the experience. As a matter of fact, our friends liked it so much that they ended up signing up for the Wine Club – so they will get to enjoy the place during new releases throughout the year.

    For starters, we shared the Baked Bourbon Brie Cheese and all of us found it delicious – the bourbon and brown sugar sauce drizzled over the top was so tasty!

    For our ‘main course’ we each enjoyed a Wine Tasting (see picture) – samples of 5 different wines, served in a metal ‘tower’. The presentation was unique and each of the wines tasted great. We enjoyed the 2021 Estate Rose best of the whites and the 2020 Estate Merlot best among the reds.

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  • Chelokababi Persian Cuisine (Sunnyvale, CA) Review

    Chelokababi Persian Cuisine (Sunnyvale, CA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    04/14/2023 Chelokababi Persian Cuisine

    Our friends brought us here while we were visiting them and boy, was it a treat! While I’ve previously experienced some Persian food, it was not to this level of quality nor was it with a guide who was Persian and could give us additional background on the various dishes. While the food wasn’t high on the spiciness chart (I’m told most Persian food isn’t), the flavors were oh, so wonderful along with the preparation and presentation (see pictures).

    We started with a bottle of white wine and a trio of appetizers – Kashko Bademjan, Nan-o-Sabzi and Masto-Mooseer (see picture). I have a real fondness for Middle Eastern and Indian yogurts, with their tangy yet light taste – and the Masto-Mooseer did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this for an appetizer – especially if you like yogurt. Sorry for not having pictures of the others, but they were equally delicious.

    For our main course, we ordered 2 Barg-Joojeh-Koobideh Kababs (see pictures), as they were highly recommended by our Persian friend. There were 2 different grades of beef and chicken breasts – and oh, were they delicious!

    A lasting memory from the meal was learning the traditional way to eat the rice and kababs. Our Persian friend and host started with showing us how to place some butter in the middle of the rice plate, then let it melt while stirring it into the rice. Then, once the rice and the meat from the kabab were on your plate, he showed us how they traditionally eat it – using only a fork and spoon. First, you use the edge of the large spoon as a cutting utensil rather than a knife. Next, you use the fork to fill your spoon with the delicious rice and pieces of meat. The method worked quite well given how tender the meat was and enabled you to easily fill the large spoon without pushing the food around on your plate.

    Lastly (and most importantly given my sweet tooth), we finished the meal with a couple of delicious desserts – the Bastani (see picture) and Faloodeh (see picture). I first experienced rose (yes literally from the rose flower) in ice cream during a visit to India and enjoyed the crisp and unique flavor. The Bastani ice cream’s rose flavor was a little more subtle than the Faloodeh, which had a stronger and more distinct rose flavoring as well as a sweeter taste. I found both to be delicious, so finished them both off after the others at the table were full and would highly recommend both of them.

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  • Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing (Santa Cruz, CA) Review

    Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing (Santa Cruz, CA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    04/14/2023 Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing

    Stopped here with friends on the way home after visiting the Santa Cruz beach area. The area was bustling with activity and was set up to give an almost small town vibe – with other shops, restaurants and food trucks making it a great place to stop and spend some time.

    After going up the stairs and inside, you order your beers at the counter and then find a place to sit either inside or at a number of tables in the shade next to the building (see picture). It was a fairly busy time when we arrived and was a bit hectic to find the counter and order our beers – but the beers (see flight picture) all tasted very good.

    Definitely worth a stop for a drink and bite to eat on your way home from the beach.

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