Wine, Dine & A Piece Of My Mind

Wine, Dine & A Piece Of My Mind Highlighting local restaurants. With 30+ years in the industry, I feel qualified to share my journey.

01/03/2026

Where did you eat for NYE?

Maki Sushi Bar & Grill never disappoints. We went there for dinner tonight. The food was fresh, beautiful and deliciou...
04/26/2025

Maki Sushi Bar & Grill never disappoints. We went there for dinner tonight. The food was fresh, beautiful and delicious!! We started with spicy edamame and black tuna. Both were outstanding. We also got the ramen special. It was full of flavor. We also got four maki roll. Spicy salmon, spicy tuna, spider roll and a firecracker roll. The sushi was served promptly and it was amazing. We finished with tempura cheesecake. It was over the top. Thank you Maki for an excellent dinner.

02/23/2025

I was in Condado, Puerto Rico this past week and I stumbled upon this gem. Travola Italian Cuisine Speakeasy. Let’s just say it was next level!!!! Our bartender, Melvin’s cocktails were amazing. The food was to die for. Reservations are necessary for the speakeasy. Run there if you are in Puerto Rico!!!

Mercy Tavern in Salem has some good eats!!!
01/03/2025

Mercy Tavern in Salem has some good eats!!!

04/06/2024

Have you ever sat and thought about just how much synchronicity goes into your dining experience? Probably not and that’s ok. If you have never worked in a restaurant then you wouldn’t understand. Also you’re not supposed to see the mechanics. But they are there. Every employee plays a pivotal role in your dining experience. Your adventure begins as soon as you step foot thru the door.
All of your senses should awaken immediately as you enter the front door. Visually and aesthetically the restaurant should be pleasing. Lighting and decor play a huge role in how you dine. Lighting is essential to set the mood of the restaurant. Decor should tell you a story about the food and drink you are about to encounter. Sleek tables and comfortable seating is essential. All of these things inadvertently effect your restaurant experience.
I have always been a true believer that the most important position to hold in the restaurant is the greeter at the front door. The host/hostess is the first face of the restaurant. They set the tone for restaurant. The also have the ability to sink the entire restaurant if they can’t properly do their job. A host should be professional, properly dressed and always greet you with a friendly smile. They have to know proper table rotation as to not bury a server with too many tables at once. They have to manage the people who are waiting to be seated and properly manage the quoted wait time. Most importantly they have to know the timing of the kitchen. If they flat seat a dining room they will most definitely sink their chefs.
The server/bartender is the most hands on part of the quality of your stay at their table. The maestro if you will. This is their real estate. Their piece of property if you will for their allotted shift. The are responsible for timing your cocktails to your dessert. They have to effectively communicate how they send your appetizers, entrees and desserts to the kitchen in order to ensure that you have time to eat your meal without having your courses overlap. They have to keep your drinks full, your table properly bussed and a smile on your face. And they have to stimulantenously do this for all of their tables, who are all at different stages of their meals. The server is your guide throughout your dining time. They advise on the menu, they ensure allergies are communicated and specials are reported to the diner.
The kitchen is a multifaceted airport if you will. They have the expo person who calls the tickets to the chefs to properly ensure that everything comes out at the same time. For example a ticket that has a medium well steak and a chicken Cobb salad can not be called to the chefs at the same time or the salad will wilt before the steak has time to get to the window. Most kitchens have three to four chefs cooking all at once. These chefs are broken down into different areas of the kitchen such as appetizers, meat, garnish, fish, etc.
Every chef has to expertly put out a dish exactly the same way with the same attention detail every time it is ordered. They have to communicate with each other as to where they are in the cooking process throughout each and every ticket. They have to ensure that your meal is presented to you and the person tomorrow night with the same quality and preparation. The sous chef and the head chef have to create the menu, taste the menu, order, prep and prepare the ingredients needed to execute the menu.
Bussers, dishwashers, food runners also have a huge impact on your dining experience in their respect duties. Lastly the manager conducts the orchestra. They set the stage putting all of the players in their proper places. They ensure that each person is doing their part to make your dining experience the best it can be. They offer assistance and can usually do the job of every person in the restaurant. They must keep their cool under pressure with a smile on their face. On the regular a manger puts out probably 15 fires a shift from ice machine breaking down to running out of parsley garnish for your entree plate, to cutting more limes or taking out the trash. They are your band leader of the chaos and they mostly do this with ease.
The next time you enter a restaurant take a moment to appreciate all of the moving parts that it takes provide you with an exceptional meal.

Pan seared scallops with cauliflower, mashed basil, aïoli, and a balsamic glaze topped with pomegranate seeds and roaste...
03/22/2024

Pan seared scallops with cauliflower, mashed basil, aïoli, and a balsamic glaze topped with pomegranate seeds and roasted pinenuts…. It’s what’s for lunch at Mercy Tavern open now!!!

03/08/2024

Ciao Restaurant & Bar
41 Sutton Street
Lynn, MA

We stopped by Ciao last night in downtown Lynn. We made reservations ahead of time as we were headed to a show at the Lynn Auditorium. We got to the restaurant and they were bumping. The place was full, moderate noise level, dimly lit and smelled delicious. The hostess greeted us and we were promptly seated. A server dropped off bread which came in a little brown bag and was steaming hot. There was oil on the table for dipping.
We ordered drinks a delicious glass Cabernet for me and Sneaky Tiki for my friend. The Sneaky Tiki was beautifully served with bright colors and crushed ice, think rum punch. Next we got our appetizer the eggplant rollotini. It came piping hot with a delicious sweet Italian sauce and tons of ricotta and mozzarella cheese. We also shared a Caesar salad. It had shaved Parmesan cheese and a light Caesar vinaigrette dressing.
Ciao has a beautiful wood fired pizza oven so for our meal we chose to share Fico Pizza. It is a must try with fig jam, mozzarella, arugula, prosciutto and a balsamic glaze. The fig jam completely compliments the bitterness of the arugula and the saltiness of the prosciutto. It was a good sized pizza for sharing but also small enough to eat as a personal pizza with some leftovers. For dessert we opted for a creamy delicious espresso martini. It was delightful.
Service was prompt and the food was exceptional. I will definitely add Ciao on the list of places that we will be back to. Unfortunately I didn’t get any photos of the food to share but you can ponder their page for some to check out. Give Ciao a try, you won’t be disappointed.

We stopped by Valsos Table & Bar last night on Central Ave in Lynn, MA. (Sister location on Shirley Ave in Revere)It wa...
02/08/2024

We stopped by Valsos Table & Bar last night on Central Ave in Lynn, MA. (Sister location on Shirley Ave in Revere)
It was a casual dining experience. Valsos is an authentic little spot that serves food that is a fusion of Italian, Spanish and Latin American cultures. Offering tapas to pizza and everything in between. Beautiful atmosphere dimly lit with bright orange colors.
We started with an Argintian bottle of Pinot Nior. It was smooth and lovely. Our first course was Spanish Pulpo. A mixture of Grilled octopus, Romesco aioli, roasted potato, cilantro leaves. It was delightful. We then got the Vegetable tower which included
Breaded eggplant, grilled zucchini, yellow squash, roasted bell pepper with a creamy red sauce.
Next came the salads. A traditional Caesar salad and a Beet Salad which had Baby arugula, shaved fennel, goat cheese brûlée, lemon infused vinaigrette in it. It was the perfect combination of bitter and sweet.
For our entrees we got a Margarita Pizza. It was a personal size pizza with thin crust and sweet Italian sauce. We also shared the Seafood Risotto. Calamari, shrimp, scallops pieces, Spanish octopus, mussels out of the shell, Arborio rice, light tomato sauce.
Everything tasted delicious, service was top notch and menu was reasonably priced. Valsos was definitely worth a try. 😋

I’ve always loved Anthony’s way of helping the regular people understand how many hats a restaurant employee wears when ...
01/28/2024

I’ve always loved Anthony’s way of helping the regular people understand how many hats a restaurant employee wears when visiting just one table for service.
“You can always tell when a person has worked in a restaurant. There's an empathy that can only be cultivated by those who've stood between a hungry mouth and a $28 pork chop, a special understanding of the way a bunch of motley misfits can be a family. Service industry work develops the "soft skills" recruiters talk about on LinkedIn — discipline, promptness, the ability to absorb criticism, and most important, how to read people like a book. The work is thankless and fun and messy, and the world would be a kinder place if more people tried it. With all due respect to my former professors, I've long believed I gained more knowledge in kitchens, bars, and dining rooms than any college could even hold."
~ Anthony Bourdain
6/25/1956 - 6/8/2018

01/27/2024

It’s definitely slow season in most local restaurants.
Typically speaking in the Northeast region of the country, the months of January and February are slow season in the restaurant industry. These are the months that your favorite watering hole needs your business the most. The tourists have all gone home which is somewhat of a relief, but also financially terrifying for front of the house staff. Servers and Bartenders are working these tumble w**d shifts in order to not lose them when the season picks up again. They can’t give them up and go find a busier restaurant, but they definitely aren’t making enough money. Most in the industry plan for their slow season by putting money aside during the busier months. Think forging nuts for the winter like a squirrel. If you are planning to dine out remember your favorite spots. Many of the local spots also offer amazing deals on delicious food during the winter months to get people in the door. Check out social media pages to find the best deals near you. Cheers!!!

07/31/2023

Burtons Grill
1355 Market Street
Lynnfield, MA

A shopping afternoon with my bestie led us to Burtons Grill & Bar at Market Street in Lynnfield. It was a mid afternoon stop for a late lunch/early dinner. We weren’t specifically planning on heading to Burtons, but decided that we were a little hungry and definitely thirsty after an afternoon of shopping at Market Street.
We decided to sit at the bar. The restaurant was relatively steady for a Saturday afternoon. We were immediately greeted by a female bartender. She dropped off menus and said she would be back for a drink order. After reading the extensive drink menu, my friend ordered the Blueberry Hibiscus Squeeze. It was blueberry infused Tito’s with house made Hibiscus and lemonade served martini style. It was refreshing and delightful. I ordered the house Old Fashioned. It came with full drink appeal in the form of one solid ice ball. Redemption Bourbon, cranberry bitters, brown sugar vanilla and black cherry. It was delicious.
We ordered the ROASTED VEGETABLE BOWL it contained roasted asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, corn, peppers, rice & quinoa blend, feta, toasted almonds, scallions, green goddess dressing and pan seared salmon and the MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN RISOTTO with artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, spinach, feta, lemon butter sauce, pesto. We split both and both were amazing. The veggie bowl was light and crisp with fresh ingredients. The green goddess dressing was the perfect amount.
Let’s talk about the risotto. Perfectly cooked risotto is an art. This was perfectly prepared. Just the right amount of pesto and lemon butter sauce.
Burtons was the perfect spot for a fun luncheon. I can’t wait to go back.

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Salem, MA
01970

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