Craig Stoltz
Hell's Kitchen restaurant review: Gordon Ramsay in purgatory
If HK is a tourist trap, at least it's Gordon's tourist trap. For one visit, that was good enough for me.
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Eat smart
Drink smart
GO smart
quick tips & straight shots to help you eat, drink, and travel better
Craig Stoltz
- Jun 29
- 2 min
Charley's a little crazy. And that's good
Has the Charley of Charley Prime Foods in Gaithersburg, Maryland had a mental health assessment? I ask because things seem to teeter on...
Craig Stoltz
- Jun 26
- 4 min
Praying for more Chartreuse
The French monks who make Chartrese have created a shortage. What's a devotee to do?
Craig Stoltz
- Jun 1
- 1 min
Following Padma Lakshmi to D.C.'s Lapis, where Afghan food earns a Michelin star
We fearsome nano-influencers have a saying: "The camera eats first." Well screw it: The food at Michelin-starred Lapis in Adams Morgan in...
Craig Stoltz
- Apr 22
- 6 min
Drinking in D.C. culture, one cocktail at a time
Five Washington, D.C. bars where you can soak in the particular, particular culture of the district that administers the affairs of this...
Craig Stoltz
- Nov 15, 2022
- 4 min
Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips D.C.: Neither Nightmare nor Hellish, but rough at the gills
Strangely, Gordon Ramsay himself might need to make over his own restaurant
Craig Stoltz
- Sep 21, 2022
- 1 min
A Wet Weekend in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
Yes, there are springs in Berkeley Springs, and that's the whole point.
Craig Stoltz
- Sep 14, 2022
- 2 min
3 great restaurants in Georgetown, D.C.
Three bistros, each representing a different European style, that are just off the radar. But not yours
Craig Stoltz
- Aug 24, 2022
- 1 min
Chez Billy Sud: A Georgetown sparkler
I have a new favorite bistro in Washington, DC's Georgetown neighborhood: Chez Billy Sud. Tucked along a side street between Georgetown's...
Craig Stoltz
- Aug 15, 2022
- 5 min
Entranced by wine
How I used hypnosis to get my brain to shut up and experience wine in a strange and wonderful new way
Craig Stoltz
- Jul 27, 2022
- 2 min
Wine tasting by video
Is it useful to watch a video of a wine tasting while you taste the same wine? Just watch this
Craig Stoltz
- Jul 22, 2022
- 3 min
At the Berkeley City Club, a good old time
The historic social club, designed by the architect of Hearst Castle, opens its wonderfully grand, slightly shabby self to travelers.
Craig Stoltz
- Jul 15, 2022
- 4 min
If you're feeling Lucky's, head to Montecino
The legendary Montecito, California restaurant is a romp, but it'll cost you
Craig Stoltz
- Jul 9, 2022
- 1 min
3 Best Wineries in Paso Robles, California
Paso's a lower-key, lower-cost, slower-vibe California wine region
Craig Stoltz
- Jul 1, 2022
- 2 min
The Best Restaurant in Paso Robles, California
Les Petites Canailles, the best new restaurant in Paso Robles, California
Craig Stoltz
- Jun 18, 2022
- 1 min
Unboxing Boxed Wine #3: Finally, a winner
Review of La Vielle Ferme boxed wine
Craig Stoltz
- Jun 11, 2022
- 1 min
Like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, only subtle
I love Wine Access because they make everything sound like a James Suckling fever dream. "This is thrilling, racy stuff, clean and sharp...
Craig Stoltz
- Jun 9, 2022
- 2 min
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
Three tips for visiting this Loudoun County, Virginia winery. Spoiler alert: Dogs are involved TIP #1. Bring your dog: The winery's pond...
Craig Stoltz
- May 31, 2022
- 2 min
Unboxing wine.com's "Judgment of Paris" anniversary selections
In which my "personal sommelier" delivers 3 French and 3 US wines for an at-home face-off. I refuse to judge Another in my curious...
Craig Stoltz
- May 24, 2022
- 3 min
Eat Smart Review: Kafe Leopold in Georgetown, D.C.
Review of Kafe Leopold, a modern Austrian bistro in Washington, DC's Georgetown neighborhood.
Craig Stoltz
- May 23, 2022
- 4 min
Vint Hill Winery: A war story with wine
The tasting room of Vint Hill Craft Winery in Warrenton, Virginia, is located in the former "Listening Post 1," where a farmer in 1941...
Craig Stoltz
- May 17, 2022
- 1 min
Tuesday Night Wines: Aichenberg Gruner Veltliner
Making friends with Austria's badass alternative to Sauvignon Blanc
Craig Stoltz
- May 17, 2022
- 2 min
Wine notes with a foul nose
In damnation of overwrought "creative" wine tasting notes
Craig Stoltz
- May 12, 2022
- 2 min
Unboxing boxed wine #2: Pour Haus Sauvignon Blanc
We continue our search for boxed wines that prove the industry's claim that the boxes now have better wine in them. This doesn't end well.
Craig Stoltz
- May 8, 2022
- 2 min
Unboxing Boxed Wine #1: Black Box Sauvignon Blanc Review
In our debut Unboxing Boxed Wine entry, we explore the claim that boxed wines are getting better. Black Box Sauvignon Blanc? Um, no
Craig Stoltz
- Apr 28, 2022
- 3 min
Sovereign Belgian Bistro: 3 tips for a Georgetown hideaway
Just 170 feet from the madness of Wisconsin and M in Washington, DC, you'll find Sovereign, a cozy hideaway.
Craig Stoltz
- Apr 18, 2022
- 3 min
The Winery at Bull Run
It offers a sniff of history and a taste of the Virginia countryside. The wine? Not worth fighting for.
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