Bon Appetit: Great Dining on the Road

Nothing beats a home cooked meal, but travelers don’t often have that option when they are traveling on business. So this month we added something special to our typical business travel column and we have highlighted special places to enjoy a delicious meal on the road. These recommendations are taste tested by Covington road warriors and we hope you enjoy! 

Houston, Texas
Holly Foster had two wonderful dining experiences during her recent trip to Houston. Olivette, at the Houstonian Hotel, specializes in American cuisine but with a Mediterranean flare. A plate of their famous olives is delivered with your bread basket. The menu has a nice combination of fresh seafood and prime meats. They also have a wonderful Corn and Crab chowder and a very different Southwestern Caesar salad.

Brennan’s has a beautiful courtyard bar and features their famous Turtle Soup, Creole Cobb Salad and Bananas Foster. The menu is full of wonderful seafood. The Crab Cakes and Redfish are just a sample of the fresh items on the menu.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Our resident vegetarian, Lisa Pitzer, was recently in Philadelphia, and stumbled upon the Dandelion Pub, at 18th and Sansom Streets. The London-inspired gastro pub’s menu features plenty of vegetarian options, but also had some meaty options for her carnivore husband. Their roast beef sandwich was declared to be the best he’d ever tasted, and Lisa enjoyed the spicy gazpacho and a butter lettuce salad with apples, grapes, walnuts, stilton cheese and honey dressing. The dessert of ricotta-filled crepes with fresh figs was the perfect ending. They even spotted a celebrity baseball player among the guests in this Rittenhouse Square eatery.

San Diego, California – Old Town
Laurie Scott and her husband enjoyed some delicious Mexican food in Old Town San Diego, birthplace of California. At Miguel’s Cocina the cheesy black bean enchiladas and spicy rice were delicious and plentiful. The guacamole was fresh, the service excellent and the ambiance relaxing. The enclosed outdoor patio features a fireplace and relaxed lighting, perfect for unwinding after a long day of meetings.

Roanoke, Virginia
Sam Keene learned on a recent visit to Roanoke, VA that where to have lunch or dinner presented quite a challenge because there are so many choices. On a per capita basis, Roanoke has more restaurants than most US cities.  He recommends 419 West, located at 3865 Electric Rd.  His favorite is the Grilled Diver Scallops, Shrimp & Lump Crab meat served with creamy grits, asparagus, and crab butter!  419 West also has a terrific wine menu and sandwich selection.  This eatery has an upscale neighborhood bar atmosphere that is very comfortable for an out-of-town visitor.

Atlanta, Georgia – Harsfield-Jackson International Airport
Beverly McLean actually enjoys layovers in the busy Atlanta airport because she found One Flew South in Concourse E. It is sheltered from the commotion by a slatted wooden wall and is decorated with a calm forest mural inside. One Flew South is actually two restaurants: one serving fresh nigiri and maki rolls from a long marble sushi bar, the other serving an unlikely Japanese/Southern fusion. Her favorite is a BLT made with smoky bacon, tomatoes bursting with flavor and crisp frisée on crusty ciabatta. It’s a sophisticated take on an old southern standby – and that’s a good standby to experience at an airport!

As always, we wish you safe travels and when you get back, post on our Facebook Page or drop us a note about your favorite restaurant. Bon Appetit!