Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

At the end of my stay at the downtown Des Moines Hilton, the hotel restaurant was the obvious breakfast spot. Park Street is designed with lots of windows for a cheery atmosphere that is mirrored by the staff. On the day before the Iowa caucuses, the restaurant was populated with both campaign and media workers. A beautiful setting. The coffee tasted great, too. Huevos rancheros was an unexpected treat. I wish they had thrown in one more crunchy tortilla but the flavors and textures were excellent.

An early departure meant that I wouldn't have time to eat breakfast at the airport, nor would I have a lot of time at the hotel. My breakfast delivery turned out to be huge. I couldn't sample it all but what I had was delicious. Here is a closeup of the eggs, which were both plentiful and fluffy. The toast was deliciously crunchy. I ate one of the pastries which was rich and full of fruit flavor.

The Willard is a classic District hotel and the Round Robin is a classic lounge. The room is fairly small given the size of the hotel and the propensity of locals to hang out there. The atmosphere is the highest levels of elegance and welcome. The snacks were a starting point for an enjoyable break from a hectic day. I sat at my table, pondered the universe, and enjoyed the atmosphere.

My friends and I arrived at the Stegenberger Hotel near Amsterdam Schipol airport. We prepared for our meeting with a good dinner, starting of course with bread. My squash soup was creamy and very flavorful. I couldn't pass up the risotto of the week: creamy texture, rich flavor. I finished up with a nice slice of cheesecake.

Ariake is a neighborhood of reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay that will soon host the 2020 Olympic Games. I ate several breakfasts and a couple of dinners there during my short trip. The breakfast buffet opened early, a pleasant surprise for those of us not yet fully adjusted to the time zone. My surprise favorite was congee (rice porridge) with ginger---I really enjoyed the kick. I was very hungry after a long, cold walk back from the conference venue. This pork belly really hit the spot. Its porkiness and fattiness were very nicely balanced. It was a welcome relief.

The Sheraton Hotel is connected to the main terminal at Frankfurt Airport so its convenience is hard to beat. The breakfast is, as is typical for hotels, expensive but it is good. This honeycomb was an unexpected treat. I scooped a spoonful into a tiny bowl made of ice cream cone batter. It was sweet and rich in the complex way that we expect from natural foods. The omelet station does a very good job. The fruit selection is complete and fresh. And they have quark. It was nice to end my visit to Germany with a traditional German food that is hard to find back home.

The Harbor Plaza Hotel, near Hung Hom station, has a huge breakfast room and a huge breakfast buffet to go with it. I enjoyed my breakfasts there. These photos show just a few of the stations. I settled on a routine for my stay. First course was vegetable curry, which was deliciously spiced to be flavorful but not overpowering. My second course was cereal topped with banana plus a little yogurt. The cereal bar has a wide range of cereals, nuts, and dried fruits. As you can see, the view of the harbor is stunning.

I had a chance to try the Bar Margot at the Four Seasons in Midtown. As one might expect, the surroundings were very relaxing and luxurious, the service impeccable. I started with a salad. The features were goat cheese and some rich, luscious beet. But many supporting players also contributed, from pecans all the way to the lettuce, which was very fresh and crisp. I then enjoyed an outstanding onion soup. I've never tasted a soup so rich with onions. They were earthy and flavorful. The cheese (a gruyere?) was sharp and the perfect complement to the onions. The broth was very rich. An umami-rich bowl, indeed.

I am happy to report that I enjoyed my meals at the Albuquerque Bar and Grill. It's part of the Best Western Plus Rio Grande. Anyone who travels knows that hotel breakfasts can be hit or miss---the worst are both uninspiring and expensive. My breakfasts here were both tasty and very reasonably priced. I enjoyed the carne adovada omlet enough to order it twice in a row. The red sauce was spicy but not overly hot, served over juicy pork. It comes with the choice of several sides. I ordered the sweet potato home fries, which were very good. Sweet potatoes have to be cooked carefully to make sure they don't burn and these were done just right.

Business brought me downtown and I had the chance to try Southern Elements in the Hilton. The dish that intrigued me most was the shrimp and corn chowder with pecan raisin croutons. I also had a hummus plate. I generally have low expectations of hotel food but I was quite happy with my soup in particular. This is not a destination restaurant but it was a pleasant and interesting meal.