Las Vegas: Rosemary's Restaurant

My mom declared her meal here "the best [she'd] ever eaten."

This is a big deal, people. She has "eaten a lot of things."

For once, I'll start with dessert. My mom and brother got the coconut bread pudding, but were disappointedly "too full to eat it." They both made an effort and looked so sad when their stomachs declared themselves closed for business. They also brought some freebie desserts that while delicious, did not take precedence over me frambois float. My dad thought they were great though ANNNND ate all of his flourless chocolate cake.

The frambois float=deliciousness. I mean it's just frambois and ice cream, but I didn't think of it, so I have to deem it genius on the chef's part.

I'll tell you right now I wish I could eat scallops. My mom got them and I got to eat part of one. They were in a buerre blanc sauce with bacon. They sat on a bed of parsnip mashed potatoes and had a dressing of fried parsnips on top. Just incredible, people.

My brother got rack of lamb and declared it the best he'd ever eaten. He's going to be on Jeopardy! so I trust his judgement. My dad got veal; he was too busy eating it to tell us how it was. He ate it like he liked it... I got the filet mignon and while it was not cooked how I wanted it, it was still tasty-tasty. Little fried wads of mashed potatoes accompanied the dish along with some asparagus.

Now the appetizers. My mom had a caesar salad and it looked better than any salad ever. The croutons were a bit too large and one flew across the room as she tried to make it smaller (okay, it just fell on the floor). My brother got the Texas shrimp with a bleu cheese coleslaw. num num. The barbeque sauce had cream in it! Gooooood. My dad and I both had the signature appetizer: figs stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and sitting in a pool of fresh pesto. Dude--fantastic.

Drinks! My dad and brother sampled some beers, and while I tasted them all, I wouldn't dare take a guess at what they were called. But they did all have their own glasses so the beer would taste as they were intended to taste. I had an orange chocolate drop martini. It was like eating a chocolate orange peel!

Go to Rosemary's. It's a little out of the way, but it is certainly the best food in Vegas.

Charleston's: Immediate Seating Available

Fort Worth, Texas

When a new restaurant opens in your town, and has a sign that constantly reads, "Immediate Seating Available," one might think, That place must suck if it always has available seating.

Not so in the case of Charleston's. My family avoided it as long as possible because of the sign, but one day, we decided to give it a shot since it was still open after about a year.

And it was delicious. The house salad is great (always fresh and tasty tomatoes) as is the baked potato soup. The house honey mustard dressing is good on everything. I also like their burgers and chicken tenders. The steaks look good, but I usually go for lunch and that's a little heavy for me at noon.

They also have honey croissants, hot and fresh. MMMMM.

The wait staff is probably the best around. They are prompt, attentive and well-trained. Certainly one of those places where your glass is never empty.

The moral of the story: immediate seating is not congruent with suckiness.

Zeke's Fish and Chips

Fort Worth, Texas

Don't worry, folks. I have not been skimping on meals. Just been busy what with graduating and moving back to Texas. GOOD LIFE.

For those who love foreign cuisine, fish and chips are high on most London travelers' list of local fare. But you needn't go to London for the best fish and chips... they can be found Fort Worth, Texas.

There isn't anything about Zeke's that isn't great. The restaurant is known for its Icelandic Cod, deep-friend and fantabulous. It's crispy but the fish is still fresh and hot in the middle. They also have great fried mushrooms, shrimp and fries. I hear the spaghetti is good, too. The portions are pretty large, so you might consider splitting. Get extra dill sauce and ask for malt vinegar if it's not on your table.

The food is reasonably priced and the beer is always cold. So journey down Camp Bowie and stop at Zeke's, but don't forget your ID! You won't regret it.

Seriously, I've had London fish and chips and they just don't compare to Zeke's. Not at all.