David B.'s Profile

This small family business knows what customer service is all about. Better yet, they deliver it to the community. We walked in to their shop this morning and paid $309 for a nice looking Kenmore washer and dryer set. By 2:00 pm it was delivered, connected and working, thanks to the efforts made by the Community Appliances crew. Turns out we didn't have the part we needed that connects the dryer to the exhaust vent. I thought a trip to Home Depot was going to be needed, but no, they had the part in the truck and simply gave it to us. Then, while hooking up the washer, the man said, "I don't like these hoses." He went to the truck and came back with new ones, again, for no charge. This is how you win customers' loyalty and spark word of mouth. It's textbook.

We've had nothing short of excellent food at this unassuming Italian place in Lincoln Square.

Last Saturday night we had a great time with friends, drinking wine, talking loudly and eating arugula salad, celery and radichio salad, pine crusted salmon, spaghetti with pancetta, chicken rollitini, veal saltimboca, etc. Someday, I'd like to try their wood fired pizza.

BTW, Denominazione di origine controllata (D.O.C.) is an Italian quality assurance label for food and wine.

Pizza D.O.C. lives up to its name.

We had Sunday Brunch today at Lilli, a French Bistro in Franklin. All the dishes were perfect. I had quail and grits in a bacon and tomato sauce. Darby had Croque-Monsieur. My mom had salmon over a bed of leeks and Bill had classic French Onion Soup. We also ordered rice pudding and Fondant au Chocolat, plus mimosas and espresso.

The menu changes depending on what is fresh, in season and local. If you get a chance to visit Franklin, or live nearby, and you love food, dining at Lilli is a must. You'll be happy you found this little 13-table gem.

I love this place. We had a wonderful Mothers Day lunch there today. The atmosphere is craftsmen era-inspired with great natural lighting. The restaurant looks out over Little Sand Lake. The booths in the bar are big and comfy. The exposed stonework inside and out, intricate woodwork, fountain feature and Adirondack chairs in the waiting area, all help set the tone for a first class dining experience.

Seasons 52--owned by Darden, which also owns Red Lobster and The Olive Garden--is a concept restaurant with seven locations--five in Florida and two in Georgia. I have to say my hat's off to Darden. It's rare to find a new twist in dining so well executed. The twist is an ever-changing seasonal menu, where no dish is more than 475 calories (the restaurant uses no butter nor cream); yet the dishes are savory.

The service was excellent, as well. While the table is assigned to a primary server, other team members deliver food and remove plates. I also liked how dessert was presented. The choices, all available in a small glass, are displayed in a wire carrier and when you choose one, the server hands it to you. No going back to the kitchen necessary.

Can't wait to return one day for dinner.

If you love Indian food and want it served in a deeply designed, cosmopolitan setting more commonly found in LA or NYC, get to Spice. This gem of a  restaurant  and cocktail lounge in The Village at Wexford is a must for Hilton Head visitors and resident alike. And allow me to recommend their Assamese Chicken Jalfrezi  for $17.95. It's "Chicken Tikka prepared with fresh ginger, chilli, red peppers and a sprinkling of whole black cumin." So good...

The island's Southwestern restaurant is a great place to order a top shelf marg and unwind on the rooftop patio. Great guac, chips, salsa, soup, salads, and entrees like quail, tenderloin fajitas, salmon, etc.

Mi Tierra is the best Mexican restaurant South of Broad (the Bluffton and Hilton Head area). I prefer the Bluffton location to the Hilton Head location. The service is better in Bluffton. I believe the two locations are run by different branches of the same family. The family also has a location in Hardeeville, but I haven't been to that one yet.

For starters, Mi Tierra knows how to make a great top shelf margarita. They stock Hornitos, Don Julio, Patron, etc. Second, the chips come out warm and the salsa fresh. The guac is always good and I like to try their various seafood dishes--ceviche, shrimp cocktail served in broth and shrimp fajitas. The hard shell tacos, with shredded beef and chicken, are also superior.

The Hilton Head area is home to many Mexican restaurants, from taco trucks and other lunch places to more full service places that cater to the dinner crowd. May 5th is a cute little place tucked away deep in a hard to find, but conveniently located, office park. The menu leans toward fine-dining.

While dining there last night I ordered the whole fish dish and it was perfectly prepared. Darby went for chicken mole, which was also good. Sadly, the drinks we're a bit off. Since the margs weren't quite there, we moved to sangria but it was also lacking. For me, a big part of going out to a Mexican restaurant is good drinks.

Thankfully, the churros for desert sent us out with a good taste in our mouths.

Stunning views of the beach can be had from this romantic restaurant's outdoor porch. The waitstaff is highly attentive, if not a bit stiff. The food is good but not great (I had to send back my lobster dish as the creature was undercooked and translucent. When it came back, it tasted good.) The wine list is extensive. I picked out a solid Meritage from O'Brien Cellars. Sadly, we  also had a bit of trouble with the tip, as 18% was added to our bill but our server never said anything about it, so I tipped another 20% and had to call the next day to say, "I don't think so." Communicate people!

Lexington Barbecue, aka "Honeymonks" is the place, the shrine to Carolina-style barbecue.

Lexington Barbecue has been steadily preparing its signature pork shoulder since Wayne Monk started the ritual in 1962. Not much has changed at this location since. Which seems to suit the business, the community and barbecue lovers from near and far just fine.