Wine Dine and Play: The Rowe Bar

Resort Relaxing

St. Pete Beach, Florida USA

Dined in July 2016

By Sean Overpeck (CFE)

The Loews Don Cesar Hotel on St. Pete Beach has been a staple since 1928. Known as the “pink palace," it has attracted people near and far to visit as a hotel guest, or to dine in one of their many restaurants, or enjoy a snack and cocktail in one of their bars. My wife and I did exactly that, enjoying a few drinks at the Rowe Bar, attached to the main hotel restaurant the Maritana Grill. We had been to the beachside restaurant called the Beachcomber Bar & Grill a few times already, and living close by, the Don Cesar is one of our regular hangouts from time to time. The Rowe bar had just recently opened, and we wanted to see what they had to offer.

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Restaurant Owners:

Loews Don Cesar

From the Rowe Bar Webpage:

Welcome to the ROWE BAR, named after our visionary and builder Thomas Rowe. Here we pair our legendary hospitality with our love of food.

Main review:

My wife and I go to the Don Cesar a few times while I’m home on leave. It isa nice little escape with clean beaches to relax on. We’ve not eaten at the Maritana Grill which is one of the main restaurants in the hotel, mainly just the Beachcomber, and this was our first visit to the new Rowe Bar. All of the restaurants, and bars operate from the same kitchen with chef Mahani running them all. On this particular visit, my wife was telling me about the opening, so after a short stay on the beach, we decided to check it out. The Rowe Bar has a simple menu, as it is connected to the Maritana Grill. So essentially you could start with a drink at the bar, then move into the restaurant for dinner. If you wish to just relax and enjoy the bar, then you can order from a smaller menu broken down by the following:

Shells
Fins
Hooves
Desserts

We sat at the bar, mid afternoon between meals. Currently they don’t offer a happy hour, but the menu is available all day. We began with a few drinks, with my wife having one of the juleps ($12) from the menu. They had a bourbon, tequila, and my wife's order the gin, with Hendricks, St Germain, grapefruit, and arugula. I enjoyed one of the local beers on tap from the Tampa Brewing Company called the Reef Donkey APA ($7). Their other local favorites were from Rapp Brewing based out of Seminole, Cycle Brewing from St. Petersburg, Big Storm Brewing Company out of Tampa and the Cigar City Brewing Company by the bottle.

Other cocktails offered include colorful combinations with names such as anytime rickey, the last typhoon, and rest & recuperation to name a few, all for $12. The final drinks section other than wine which I highlight in detail below is called the communal punch section with a mint and gin, peach and bourbon, berry and orange vodka, and finally a tropical with dark rum. All the punches are $36 and serve between 2-4 people.

Being that it was in between lunch and dinner, we were not really hungry, so we only order a small item to share, however for a bar, the menu was very nice. You could go and be like us enjoying a few drinks with a small bite, or have a full meal in a more relaxed atmosphere if you don’t feel like dressing up for the finer Maritana Grill experience.

Our selection came from the “fins” portion of the menu with the smoked fish spread ($11). Several restaurants around central Florida serve some form or another of a fish spread, most of them that we have tried are not very good, however here at the Rowe Bar, there is the exception to the rule. The fish spread was absolutely outstanding, served with some jalapeños and pickled red onions.

Other items available under the “fins” section include ahi tuna tataki with a cilantro wasabi pesto ($19), gulf fish tacos ($16), the classic British fish and chips ($18), and something I have not seen on a menu before taking a very typical and classical American sandwich with a little twist, a mahi mahi Reuben ($15). Under the “shells” portion of the menu you had simple starters like artichoke spinach crab dip ($13), crab and shrimp salad ($16), a seafood trio with mussels, oysters, and peel & eat shrimp ($21), crab cake sliders ($19), and a Maine lobster roll ($22) to name a few. Speaking of oysters they have selections from both the East and West Coast at $3.00 each. I did enquire about what company’s they get their oysters from, but only received information on the major seafood purchases.

The final portion of their menu is called “hooves” where you will find larger more dinner entree style dishes. There are selections such as Cajun dry rub ribs with mango mustard chutney ($20), a Wagyu burger ($22) with white cheddar, spiced bacon on a brioche bun with blue cheese french fries, grilled lam lollipops ($21) with a mixed berry balsamic glaze, and finally a meat & cheese dish ($26) served with house-made preserves and jams, pickled vegetables, and stone ground mustard.

Dessert:

We did not have any dessert for this trip, and did not see a selection on the Rowe menu, but being a hotel with multiple restaurants working out of one or two kitchens, it would be possible that the dessert menu from one restaurant could be served down at the bars upon request. The Sea Porch which is the sister restaurant to Maritana Grill has selections such as a key lime mousse pie, caramel pudding, old fashioned carrot cake, and a black forrest cheesecake if your in the mood for something sweet.

A brief look at the wine list:

The Rowe Bar - like most of the restaurants in central Florida want to cater to their clientele when it comes to wine, and most of those clients unfortunately have an uneducated basic table wine style palette. I was there as well, but my wife is helping me to expand mine. It is hard for us to find places that offer boutique wines, which are sometimes cheaper then the mainstream, and have a better taste and quality. This area is held captive by large corporate alcohol vendors like Empire and Southern Wine & Spirits. So you are always going to see your typical basics like Yellowtail, Robert Mondavi, and Beringer. On the wine menu at the Rowe Bar they offer selections such as Sonoma Cutrer, Cakebread, J Lohr, Estancia, and Stag’s Leap to name a few.

Though some of these wines are good flavor and decent quality, all of them are mainstream from the big vendors. I compare it to a Walmart and the Target coming into town offering cheap asian sweat factory products, putting the small guys with better quality out of business. The big stores make you think you have a better product, with an expensive brand name, but in the end is it worth it? Hopefully one day this will change and the restaurants will open up to expanding their wine portfolio’s and educate their clients to help expand their palettes, which will only bring more business and greater appreciation there way. Once the client is informed, then the restaurants can open up to a fantastic world of wine, making more money by selling more, and keeping the client happy at the same time. Now is the restaurant bad for offering only mainstream?……No, they are just stuck because the client only knows mainstream. I was a California cab and basic brand name Cotes du Rhone drinker for decades, and fell into the same mainstream category, now my palette is expanding thanks to my wife. I’m not condemning the restaurants for this, only trying to make the client aware so hopefully over time, they can educate themselves like I have been.

The wine list consists of a range from house table wines at $10.00 to $12.00 per glass and $38.00 to $120.00 per bottle.

A chat with the Chef:

Executive Chef Neeraj Kumar Mahani

Picture Courtesy of Don Cesar

Meeting the chef’s, owners, and kitchen staff, seeing the behind the scenes and workings of a restaurant is always a privilege when my wife and I go out to eat. After my experience here at the Rowe Bar, I had a chance communicate via email to ask some questions to the chef and staff to help get a better picture of this business and the people that work hard to bring the customers back time and time again:

Wine, Dine, and Play: Can you please share some of your background, education, and future culinary goals with the restaurant?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: I manage three Chef d’Cuisines’. (Maritana Grille, Sea Porch and our Banquet Chef). We are a more complex operation then just having one restaurant. We have four outlets and three bars.

Chef Mahani previously worked with The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida for 15 years where his culinary team responsible for 10 hotel food and beverage outlets and was involved in producing catered affairs for Fortune 500 companies, conventions, associations and social events. Prior to this Chef Mahani began his hospitality career at The Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi, India where he was Chef of the hotel’s invitation-only club, The Chambers.

Wine, Dine, and Play: Who is your sommelier or wine steward and does that person have an influence in the kitchen to help with specials in relations to the wines or cocktails available? If he/she is a sommelier what level are they?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Justin Serafine, he is a level 1

Wine, Dine, and Play: Does your sommelier or steward have free access to add or modify your list based on trends, boutique collections, or rare finds other than the mainstream provided by the big vendors?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes

Wine, Dine, and Play: What is the Restaurants mission statement and future plans under the owners or managers leadership?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: No future plans. We added Rowe Bar this year. No other additions at this point.

Wine, Dine, and Play: What accolades have you received from the press? Can you provide some.

Chef Neeraj Mahani: fff

Wine, Dine, and Play: What are some of the greater successes at the Restaurant?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Leading luxury product in the Tampa Bay region. Loews Hotels is committed to the success of this product and has infused close to $15M in renovations since 2012

Wine, Dine, and Play: What would you like to improve upon?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Our local guest usage of the outlets. Local knowledge of Rowe Bar and the re-introducing Maritana Grille as a choice to make any ordinary night, special.

Wine, Dine, and Play: What qualifications and standards do you adhere to for you kitchen and FOH + Bar staff?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Depends on the position which we require previous experience

Wine, Dine, and Play: What is the cost of parking or the valet cost? Do you have a lot or is it street parking?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Complimentary Valet for Maritana Grille. All other outlets, 1^st hour free self-parking, $10 for up to 3 hours.

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you participate in local or city events, if so can you provide some examples?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: St. Pete Food and Wine Festival, November 2016.

Wine, Dine, and Play: Who is the FOH Manager?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: We have dedicated managers for each outlet. No Front of House manager positions.

Wine, Dine, and Play: Compared to other restaurants in your area, what makes you stand out or what makes you different from them?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Luxury resort atmosphere. Consistent high end food and drink program, 88 years in operation as a resort.

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you work with local culinary institutions and offer apprenticeships to students for further education?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: No, we do not.

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you have vegetarian or vegan options on the menu? Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes, on the menu and by request

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you have an allergen free section for gluten, shellfish, nut or others?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes, by request

Wine, Dine, and Play: Is your staff educated on allergens and can they provide proper information to the guests on the menu?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you focus at all on organics, or local sourcing for your products? If so would you care to share the names of some of your suppliers?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes, sourcing from local vendors and regional vendors. All farms listed on the menus. We source from Northstar Seafood, Glory Road Gardens, and Lambeth Groves

Wine, Dine, and Play: Is any part of the restaurant or patio smoking, or all non-smoking?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: All non-smoking hotel

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you cater to outside or special events?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: No

Wine, Dine, and Play: What specials do you offer to veterans, military, police, or firefighters?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: No offers at this time

Wine, Dine, and Play: If someone wishes to buy out the restaurant for a party would you cater to that request?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes, we do offer that service, all based on timing of the year.

Wine, Dine, and Play: How important is food quality to you?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: The most important

Wine, Dine, and Play: Can you give me an example of how you like to “Wow” your guests? To go beyond their expectations?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes, we do this through our creative menu options and unique mixology programs and of course our Loews Hotels Service.

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you have a dress code for the restaurant

Chef Neeraj Mahani: No, Resort Dress is what we expect. No shorts of course in Maritana Grille

Wine, Dine, and Play: Do you have a happy hour?

Chef Neeraj Mahani: No

Wine, Dine, and Play: According the National Restaurant Association, when they conducted a survey on the hottest food trends for 2016, nearly 1,600 professional chefs and members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) came up with twenty trends to expect when you dine out. Are you participating in any of these latest (2016) food trends that chef’s are incorporating into their menu’s? (see top 20 trends here)

Chef Neeraj Mahani: Yes, we aim to stay relevant to changing times and places therefore we update our menus often to include top food and beverage trends. We offer locally sourced ingredients whenever possible in our restaurants. In Rowe Bar, we focus on local craft beer and spirits as well as culinary and regional signature cocktails. In our Lobby Bar and at special events, we feature an onsite barrel-aged Old Fashioned.

So, with the meal and interview complete, and our culinary appetites fulfilled, lets see how the Rowe Bar rates overall shall we. Here is how my rating system works….

5 stars	is Extraordinary
4 Stars	is Outstanding
3 Stars	Exceeded Expectations
2 Stars	is Above the Average
1 Star	is an Average Dining Experience
No Star Rating	The Restaurant is Basic, Poor, or Appalling

Rating Breakdown And Analysis:

Professional Restaurant reviewers like the New York Times, or the San Francisco based Chowhound, and the sophisticated travelers sight Gayot base their reviews on single or multiple experiences, giving their opinion + a specific rating to that restaurant. These reviews and accolades tell the whole story and inform the diner of what to expect. Now social media from places like Facebook, the review and events page Yelp, the International Restaurant focused site called Zomato, and Trip Advisor have started to replace the traditional media readership. A large majority now look at these social ratings and write-ups judging the restaurant on them versus the use of review sites like this mine or the professional ones mentioned above. Social media is now the new make or brake to a Restaurant. Most times instead of being skeptical to a social review, people will see low ratings, and they will likely bypass and go elsewhere. Whether it is here on Wine, Dine, and Play, or the Elite Traveler’s Guide, the one thing I do is give an unbiased opinion, giving you the most information I can. The ratings given here are based on the overall experience, so use this review as another source of information to help make your decision.

From the tasting of the Chef’s specials to the lists of wines, prices, customer service, property, setup, flow, and cleanliness; these are just a few of the items I look at when giving a rating for a review. Sometimes I visit a place once-or many times-and I base it on the facts, versus a user on social media who writes a bad review because he had a bad day, or has a personnel dislike to an employee. I am one of many thousands of reviewers on this Earth, and my main job is to inform. I do this for fun as it is something I truly enjoy. I don’t not get paid or represent a special interest group. You may end up having a completely opposite experience then the ones I write about, but in the end it is all in the eye of the beholder. I’m just giving you more information then what you see or here on social media.

On Wine, Dine, and Play, I have an overall star rating scale of six levels with the lowest being a poor or appalling experience (zero stars), up to an extraordinary experience (five stars). This rating scale is formulated by braking down individual experiences such as (1) wine selection, (2) plate presentation, (3) ambiance, (4) “wow” factor, (5) customer service, plus (6) food quality and combines them on a separate scale of zero to ten, with ten being the best. In the next paragraph, I brake down how and why I come to the conclusion of the rating numbers listed in the overall review chart below.

The overall star rating from Wine, Dine, and Play that I give to the Rowe Bar is a three, meaning that they not only stand above the average to dining experience of other restaurants, but exceeded my expectations. I also believe that with the 20+ years of dining across the world, I set my expectations to a higher standard compared to some other reviewers out there. So to receive more than 2 stars from me says a lot about your establishment and how you “wowed” me. I came to this conclusion based on all the other factors listed above and how they rated. I came to this conclusion based on all the other factors listed above and how they rated.

Overall Star rating by Wine, Dine, & Play:	3 of 5 Exceeded Expectations
Ambiance:	6 of 10
Quality of the Food:	7 of 10
Plate Presentation:	5 of 10
Customer Service:	7 of 10
Wow Factor:	3 of 10
Wine Selection: *(See the full list below)*	5 of 10

INDIVIDUAL QUALITY RATINGS:

I rate ambiance on several factors from the most important being cleanliness of the dining room and restrooms, to organization and flow. I look at the atmosphere, character, the tones, artwork, and the design styles to see if they match the themes of the food. During the daylight hours natural lighting versus electric is also a strong enhancer of enjoying a meal, and of course the styles of furniture, or if it is inviting and comfortable.

Very spacious atmosphere, floor to ceiling windows overlooking the beach with bright light, bouncing off a grey-wood interior wall. More artificial lights, book shelves, comfortable bar, and easy access to the hotel or the pool and beach area. With all these features it was nice and relaxing earning them 6 out of 10 points on this scale.

The quality rating bases the essential or distinctive characteristics that the food offers, or if I see that it is of a higher grade, superiority, or excellence. Also important is the taste. Did the chef pair or match distinctive ingredients together, and did he send my palette on an adventure?

Locally sourced, companies and farms from Florida, very good selection for a bar as far as food, well presented and wonderful taste gives Rowe Bar at rating of 7 out of 10 points.

The plate presentation is based on the art of how the food is put together and displayed as it is brought out. Does it look unique, molecular, or have interesting garnishments, or built action style at the table? Does it make you look twice and go “wow”? All of these attributes help add to this rating.

From what we saw between our dish and what some gentleman sitting at the bar ordered, the plate presentation was the same you would see at many different restaurants. Though nice, and well garnished, more goes to quality then to presentation. Nothing really “wowed” me in this aspect, so I award 5 out of 10 points

Customer service can make or break a restaurant. You can have the best quality of foods, and plate presentations that put Escoffier to shame, or the most beautiful ambiance, and fantastic wine or bar list. However if you have a service staff that is not attentive to the needs of the guest, or has an unclean uniform, smells like a cigarette after returning from a break, does not act professionally, or lacks knowledge on the menu, food, and restaurant, then you have a major problem. On the other hand a great server can bring a customer back over and over again even if the food is mediocre. People go to restaurants for the show. They think they are experts because they watched a reality tv show on the Food Network, but what needs to be understood is that as amazing as a kitchen staff and Chef’s may be, the front of house is just as great.

The bar tender was extremely helpful, knowledgable, and friendly. Very outgoing the way a bar tender should be, but maybe because it was in between meals and a little slower, that he had more time for conversation, either way a welcomed change. We have been to a few bars to eat and drink in between meals and some bar tenders you hardly ever see. They're concentrating more on getting things done to go home, or just doing something else, so I award 7 points out of 10 for customer service.

The “wow” factor as I like to call it is a quality or feature that is extremely impressive. It can be something that is seen or done that is funky, surprising, or pleasing. It is something that just makes me go “wow”. This rating is also the hardest to get high marks for. The wow factor is a combination of ambiance, quality, plate presentation, customer service, and wine or mixology that goes above and beyond what you would expect from a restaurant.

Normally I rate the “wow” factor at most of the restaurants I’ve reviewed at a 2 or 3 point range with a few exceptions to that rule. Several central Florida restaurants that we have dined at have varied on the point scale from 2-4 points. This is not a bad thing and a lower score does not decrease the overall restaurant score, but a higher wow factor will help to raise it at the same time. I rate the Rowe Bar at a “wow” factor of 3 points out of a possible 10.

The wine selection can vary from place to place, and I base the ratings not just on the quality of the wines offered but also the selections. Wine is grown everywhere around the world these days and the demand for it has increased ten fold. Distributors in every major city whether they work for a large named company like Empire or a small boutique company can provide any restaurant any wine if they want it. Some restaurants will choose to have brand name wines only and that to me will lower a rating faster than a plane nose diving. If they make an effort to have even a small selection with variety such as a wines from Napa California, Willamette Oregon, Bordeaux France, Stellenbosch South Africa, the Yarra Valley near Melbourne Australia, or the Piemonte in Italy, to name a few, then that rating will shoot up higher on my review list.

As I mentioned above in the brief look at the wine list, using the Walmart analogy, most restaurants in St. Petersburg and Tampa are controlled by the big alcohol vendors, and don’t offer boutique wines from the small mom and pop vendors out there. I rate the Rowe Bar at 5 out of 10 possible points.

If boutique wines were offered, then the rating for not only the Rowe Bar, but any restaurant being reviewed would go up at least two or more points. The restaurants here can do it if they put their minds to it. Oder from a no name company, stock up some boutique wines, then educate your customer base. Offer tastings, wine pairing dinners, or special flight nights, then watch over time as your customer base grows and greatly appreciates your constant improvement with wines. Still offer the mainstream of course for those that will never deviate, but try it, and see what happens. I might even be able to put you in touch with a distributor who can get you these wines.

Other St Pete Beach and nearby reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:

Spinners Rooftop Bistro

South Beach Bar and Grill

Hurricane Seafood Grill in Pass-A-Grill, Florida

Beachcomber Bar & Grill at the Don CeSar

Gulfport Tuesday Market

La Cote Basque Winehouse, in Gulfport

Stella’s Restaurant, in Gulfport

(coming soon)

Feola’s

The Salty Rim

Pia’s Trattoria

Food Prices

(excluding, alcohol, taxes & gratuity)

$£€¥ - Under 50.00

$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00

$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00

$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00

$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00

**Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant connoisseur’s**

My food bill:	Currency:	Price chart:
$11.00	United States Dollar (USD)	$
$14.00	Australian Dollar (AUS)	$
£8.00	Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)	£
$15.00	Canadian Dollar (CAN)	$
¥73.00	Chinese Yuan (CNY)	¥¥
€10.00	European Union (EUR)	€

Alcohol Prices:

$20.00

***

Customary starting gratuity for restaurants in the United States begins at 15%

Of your total food bill and increases or decreases based on the level of service you received.

In most parts of Europe, Australia, Africa, and some Asian countries it is not

common to leave any gratuity as it is already included into

the check, but you may feel free to leave extra anyway. Alcohol gratuity

is calculated by a separate 10% or higher gratuity if you wish.

***

Review basics:

Wine selections by region:	5 of 10 Old world: France: Bourgogne: (Pouilly Fuissé), Champagne Spain: Rias Baixas, & La Rioja Italy: Toscana Germany: Pfalz New World: Australia: Clare Valley New Zealand: Marlborough: (Wairau Valley, Awetere Valley, Waihopi Valley), Martinborough California: Sonoma, Napa, Edna Valley, Santa Barbara County, Carneros, Sonoma Coast, Paso Robles, Mendocino, Russian River Valley, North Coast, Central Coast, & Monterey Oregon: Willamette Valley Washington State: Columbia Valley Argentina: Mendoza Sommelier: Justin Serafine
Corkage fee’s:	The Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
Restaurant style:	Casual
Reservations:	Not Required, But Recommended Walk-Ins: Accepted
Child policy:	The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. Hire a Babysitter!
Dress code:	Casual
Cuisine style:	Contemporary, Bistro, Modern, Lounge, Seafood, American, & Vegetarian
Experiences:	Place for foodies, Trendy, Lounge, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Scenic views, Great brunch, and a Neighborhood gem.
Payments:	Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
Parking:	Valet, Public lot, or Street Parking
Wifi	The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
Noise level:	Low
Smoking:	Nonsmoking restaurant
Patio:	Yes

RESTAURANT NAME:

3400 Gulf Blvd

St Pete Beach,

Florida 33706

GPS Coordinates:

27.709261 Latitude

-82.737384 Longitude

Contact Information:

Maître d or host:	+1 727 360 1881
Online reservations	OpenTable
Restaurant website:	Rowe Bar
Serving hours: Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5:00)	Sun-Thur 11:00 am - 1:00 am Fri-Sat 11:00 am - 2:00 am
Email or webpage contact:	Contact the Rowe Bar
Social Media & Accolades:	Facebook link #THEROWEBAR
	Twitter @Loews_Hotels
	Pinterest
	YouTube
	Instagram

****

The worlds best restaurants, based on the

Wine, Dine, and Play’s Favorites

That have been visited and reviewed on this site…

Alinea Chicago, Illinois, USA	Tetsuya’s Sydney, Australia
The Test Kitchen Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa	Qui Restaurant Austin, Texas, USA
Vue de Monde Melbourne, Australia	Grill 225 Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Leopard Hills Lodge Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa	La TABLE de Joël Robuchon Paris, France
Quay Sydney, Australia	Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Dublin, Ireland
At.mosphere Dubai, UAE	The Tasting room at Le Quartier Français Franschhoek, South Africa
Attica Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia	5A5 Steak Lounge San Francisco, California, USA
Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen London, United Kingdom	Zuma Dubai, UAE
McCrady’s Charleston, South Carolina, USA	Cook'n' With Gas Bistro Christchurch, New Zealand
Aubergine Cape Town, South Africa	Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire Festival City, Dubai, UAE
Rioja Denver, Colorado, USA	Commanders Palace New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
Brick and Mortar Saint Petersburg, Florida USA	The French Laundry Yountville, Napa, California, USA
Constantia Uitsig La Colombe Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa	Restaurant Le Gabriel Bordeaux, France

You can also use these sites for reference on the top restaurant categories:

All of these guides are helpful to find what you're looking for, starting with The Best Restaurants Near Me by the Trip Advisor Restaurant Finder, followed by my favorite list, the top 100 in the world by the Elite Traveler’s Magazine, also its competitor and more recognized San Pellegrino Top 50+. For the individual continents, start your adventures in North America with our neighbor to the North with the Best of Canada, then for the United States with the100 Best in New York try Timeout.com. Hop over to the West Coast for the top 101 list from the Los Angeles Times, and then enjoy some meat and potatoes with the Top 100 Steakhouses in America.

For social media the lists you can view include the Yelp Top 100, the OAD Guide, the OpenTable Top 100 and The EATER 38 Top Places to Eat.

For Central to South America you have the Latin America top 50. Across the pond you can focus on the 50 Best in Europe, then east with the Russia. Move south to the wilds of Africa from Cape Town to Cairo’s Top Restaurants. Then enjoy the desserts of the desert 10 best Middle East guide, with an even greater focus on the 7 Best in Dubai. Next, travel to the far east which includes India and the islands 101 Best in Asia. Lastly, the trip around the world is nearly at an end with the final continent’s best Down Under list of the top 100 in Australia, and its island neighbor with the New Zealand’s Best 15 Restaurants. There are many more guides out their, but these are a good start.

So many great wines in this world, here are a few of my favorite tastings:

Meerlust Wine Estate Rubicon Stellenbosch, South Africa	Hoopes Vineyard Napa, California, USA
Jonata Winery Santa Barbara, California, USA	Yarra Yering Yarra Valley, Australia
Penner Ash Wine Cellars Willamette, Oregon	La Motte Franschhoek, South Africa
Biltmore Estate Winery Asheville, North Carolina, USA	Bergström Wines Willamette, Oregon
Silver Oak Alexander Valley, California, USA	Eagles Nest Winery Constantia, South Africa
Ghost Block Vineyards Yountville, California	Pahlmeyer “Jayson Wines” Napa, California, USA

Reviewed by:

Sean Overpeck (CFE)

Picture below was taken on top of Observation Hill, on

Ross Island, Antarctica in 2014

About Sean:

I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for the past twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef in Basra, Iraq. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down the experiences from a few Jordanian restaurants, wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra. Since that time, over 250 articles have been written on restaurants, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide. There are articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write about.

Who is John Galt?

“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,

But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)