Here’s the last of three short restaurant reviews from my recent New York trip. On my last day I needed a quick but filling lunch. Looking around the neighborhood near my hotel in Queens, I found the well-rated Kanki Sushi. This Japanese kitchen offers fresh sushi as well as various…
An Evening At Cafe Henri
During my New York trip I also discovered a great French restaurant in Long Island City. Cafe Henri, much like Balthazar, offers several dishes you’d expect at a decent bistro, including mussels with fries; hanger steak; croque monsieur and croque madame; and an impressive range of crepes with sweet fillings…
Back To Balthazar
On a return trip to New York this week, I ate again at the restaurant Balthazar. Not that the recommendations of a random British guy might mean anything, but for anyone that is looking for somewhere to dine in Manhattan I strongly encourage a trip to this French bistro-style place….
Interview 86: Victor’s Vines
Victor Pope Jr. can make you laugh in six seconds. That’s how long his comedy videos are on Vine, an app that lets users upload six-second clips of everything and anything from music performances to rants to comedy sketches. I met Victor for a late lunch in Arlington, Texas earlier…
Discovering Dallas
Spent last weekend in Dallas, Texas, for the 86th dinner interview. Beyond chatting with a comedian (look for the article next week) I also got to explore the city. That included a wander around Dealey Plaza, the site of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. It was a weird experience. There’s…
Interview 85: Learning About Black September
Dave Hindman is a man of many careers. From the Air Force to work as a University of Maryland (UMD) lab technician, and from a stint teaching classes on car repair to his current work doing environmental permitting for federal agencies, major companies, and others, he has plenty of interesting…
Hail, Caesar!
This weekend I saw Hail, Caesar! — a movie whose stellar cast includes George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes and many other notable actors, including Fred Melamed. Fred was 76th interview for Dining With Strangers, and a very interesting fellow. The movie is set in 1950s Hollywood and follows the…
Interview 84: Tales From The Town Crier
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Listen to the tale of Michael Wood! He’s an award-winning town crier, keeping that ancient tradition of public proclamations alive. He’s traveled across England — and even to Hollywood, California — to share his unique art, as he told me during a dinner interview late last month….
Looking Back On 2015
With another year almost over, here’s a look back at the strangers I met in 2015. For the second year in a row I managed to adhere to my self-imposed goal of meeting at least one stranger for a meal every month. This year also marked the first time that…
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Back in England for Christmas and mostly relaxing rather than meeting strangers for dinner — although I tentatively have one last dinner for 2015 coming up next week. In the meantime, here’s a festive throwback Tuesday to that time in December 2011 when I met Ed Downey for a meal…