That's One Juicy Lucy!

So, if you ever end up on a business trip to Minneapolis, this is the first place you should go when you get off the plane. The 5-8 Club has been around since 1928, and is the area's iconic "Dive Bar" - that is also home to the burger that should be featured on the city's flag. There is an apparent debate about where the Juicy Lucy was invented- at the 5-8 or at neighboring rival "Matt's Bar" - but personally, I don't care, I just wanted one. 5-8 was on my way and only minutes from the airport, so there I went.

Las Brisas, Greenwood Village, Colorado

Denver is a city that runs mostly under the radar for most people from the northeast. What most of us don't realize is that the mile high city is a bustling, lively community, and home to a surprising number of technology companies and big businesses of all types. This is most apparent in the area callen the "Denver Tech Center" about 30 minutes south of downtown. The area is filled with office buildings, industrial and commercial parks, and all manner of smaller supporting businesses, includinga surprising number of restaurants of all sizes- Las Brisas is one of them.

Truffled Cheese Steak Empanadas and Chicken Chili- Return to the Good Dog Bar and Restaurant, Philadelphia PA

The Good Dog Bar is rapidly becoming one of my favorite places to visit in Philadelphia. When you pair great food with the comfortable atmosphere of a pub that features an excellent selection of beers, you have a vibe that is hard to beat. While the menu is not particularly large, it represents enough variety that you could return time and time again and never be bored with it.

Octopus Salad and Mussels at the Good Dog Bar, Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia is a city with a tough image. Many areas within it's sprawling borders are filled with old buildings that look like they have been slowly crumbling for decades, juxtaposed against a more modern downtown area. You get a sense of age from the place- similar to what you would see in Manhattan, and you also see the newer, more ambitious construction. Philadelphia is clearly a city with one foot in the old, and traditional, and one foot in the new and forward-looking. This combination of opposites seems to be fertile ground for good food - the kind that innovates and takes risks, while remaining respectful of the underlying traditions behind the food. Last time I was in Philadelphia on business, a tip from an old friend led me to a small pub and restaurant that captured that idea perfectly - the Good Dog Bar and Restaurant.