Stone crabs. Divine decadence in the desert.

Stone crabs. Divine decadence in the desert.

I was forty when I had my first stone crab. Miami Beach had become cool again. Art deco hotels were being brought back to their original glory. Gianni Versace had bought a house on Ocean Drive. Slinky, thong-clad amazons were parading up and down the sand. And, at the...
Mexican wines score big at world championship. And at dinner.

Mexican wines score big at world championship. And at dinner.

Every year, thousands of wines are entered in the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. This year, the competition was held in Valladolid, Spain as 9080 wines from 50 countries competed while 320 jurors tasted (and yes, I would love to be a juror). Of the 79 entered from...
Is the town’s most expensive hamburger really worth it?

Is the town’s most expensive hamburger really worth it?

“If you put a hamburger on the menu you want to make it the best hamburger that can be possibly made. Everything has to be a representation of you. It has to be the very best it can be.” Paul Bentley, Executive Chef, Bovine Bovine opened in September, the third...
Mi Vida. I’ve got a Sunday kind of love.

Mi Vida. I’ve got a Sunday kind of love.

After family and friends, the three things that give me the most pleasure in life are food, wine and music and, on a Sunday, wonderful Sunday, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, there’s no place I’d rather be for all three than Mi Vida. To be more specific, those three...
Dila’s. Serious Sri Lankan in San Miguel.

Dila’s. Serious Sri Lankan in San Miguel.

The first time I met Dila was about ten years ago when he was working at the restaurant Chamonix on Recreo. He was a confident, outgoing guy with a toothy grin and an impressive knowledge of traditional fine French cuisine. I liked Dila right from the start. I liked...
Goodbye Loreto. Hello Afrodita.

Goodbye Loreto. Hello Afrodita.

It was like losing a close friend. One who was always there for you. Then suddenly they were gone. Without as much as a hasta luego. Without even a note left on their door. That door wasn’t far from the corner of Mesones and Collegio in San Miguel de Allende. And it...
In search of good California reds. In Mexico.

In search of good California reds. In Mexico.

I drink a lot of wine, an awful lot of wine, about three large glasses almost every day (and note that, after all those medical appointments, I don’t reveal exactly how large those glasses are). So I need some self-control on how much I spend. I need some rules and...