justin․searls․co

Ever go to a place and think, "I should tell other people about this place?" or, "I should save this location so I can find it later." Well, I do. So I started logging the spots I visit. Below you'll find a global map of the pins I've dropped so far, as well as a feed of all my latest spots.

(Hint: because the global map contains a lot of closely-clustered pins, you may need to zoom in significantly to select individual spots. Try going full screen!)


The Boathouse

Despite being known for their seafood, Boathouse's burger is exceptional considering how large their menu is and how many covers they turn a night. Most dedicated craft burger joints aren't half this good.

When the bartenders remember it, I like to order the long-since-removed cocktail S.S. Politician, which is a simple (and extremely whiskey-forward) manhattan made with:

  • Jack Daniels Single Barrel
  • Montenegro
  • Cherry bitters
  • Luxardo cherry

… and served to the brim of a martini glass that's tall enough to ride most roller coasters.

Spotted: Gyu-kaku

A local friend is taking his first trip to Japan this week, so we took him to one of the two(!) local Gyu-kaku locations here in Orlando.

A ton of these have sprung up throughout the US in the last few years, and if your town has one, I'd strongly encourage you to check it out. It's a cook-your-own-food restaurant chain in Japan and the American renditions (mostly) do their Japanese counterparts justice.

If you want to know what to order, go for the top-of-the-line ("Supreme"?) all-you-can-eat menu and just keep ordering harami skirt steak (salted, not sauced) until your stomach explodes.

Tabelogged: ザオイスターバー コウベ

I visited this restaurant on May 21, 2023, and gave it a 3.2 on Tabelog.

Name: ザオイスターバー コウベ
Description: ハーバーランド、神戸、西元町/イタリアン、ダイニングバー、ワインバー

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: The Oyster Bar Kobe
Description: Harborland, Kobe, Nishimotomachi/Italian, Dining Bar, Wine Bar

Tabelogged: ニクスペシャリテ・マクラ

I visited this restaurant on May 20, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: ニクスペシャリテ・マクラ
Description: 神戸三宮(阪急)、三宮(神戸市営)、旧居留地・大丸前/肉料理、ステーキ、ワインバー

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Nix Specialty Macra
Description: Kobe Sannomiya (Hankyu), Sannomiya (Kobe Municipal), Former Settlement/Daimaru-mae/Meat dishes, steak, wine bar

Tabelogged: 七福神

I visited this restaurant on May 20, 2023, and gave it a 3.7 on Tabelog.

Name: 七福神
Description: 三宮(神戸市営)、神戸三宮(阪急)、三ノ宮(JR)/串揚げ、居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Seven Lucky Gods
Description: Sannomiya (Kobe Municipal), Kobe Sannomiya (Hankyu), Sannomiya (JR)/Kushiage, Izakaya

Tabelogged: 草庵・中町井say

I visited this restaurant on May 13, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: 草庵・中町井say
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/そば、郷土料理、居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Soan/nakamachii Say
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Soba, local cuisine, izakaya