Zest Kitchen and Bar One Step Above the Rest

**Very amazing scallops wrapped in duck bacon!**

**Appetizers for a king and a queen, or just you and me!**

**Our veal and scallop dinners with terrific veggies!**

American Press Travel News- December 21st,-Port St. Lucie, FL.- Bob and Barb “On The Road Again” this time stopping at Zest Kitchen and Bar for dinner. And, so glad we did! We eat out quite often for reviewing all manner of dining places, and this one was quite special, indeed. We tried a couple of appetizers that were excellent, and filling enough for two, over -70 stomachs to enjoy, and comfortably feel satiated.

Snake River Farms Kobe Beef Sliders (2) were the perfect sized burgers, covered with caramelized onions, cheddar, Brioche and house fries. May I say, that the sea salt fries were extraordinarily good, and cut differently than the frozen fries from most all restaurants that use Cisco delivered fries. They were a meal treat for two without anything else. We also sliced into baked brie en croute, with cheery compote, crackers, blue berries, candied walnuts and Granny Smith Apples. We had pineapple juices, and then our main dishes came to table. Duck Bacon wrapped sea scallops, and Barb had New Zealand lamb chops. The accompaning veggies were amazingly tasty Brussel Sprouts, a sweet potato mash, and butternut squash, as well as a stuffed fat Idaho. Sauces were right on, and this meal before even, the Creme Broulet and chocolate filled cake dealie called Chocolate Panache topped with mousse and Chocolate Ganache. What a meal! Zest is located next door to Publics Food Store in Port St. Lucie, West. 772-249-4516 You can order in or out, they do have plenty of outdoor seating and their bar is complete! Give a call or drop by anytime at all. Checkout their menu and images online: zestkitchenbar.com

Linda’s St. Lucie West Cafe-2nd Visit

American Press Travel News-Nov 21st–St Lucie West, FL.—-Barb and Bob “On The Road Again” This time, stopping at Linda’s St Lucie West, Café for lunch. This was our second visit, we usually attempt a 2nd visit to be sure the good, the bad is, or is not consistent? Well, two times we enjoyed fine meals, excellent service and in this restaurant-café, a feeling of coming home for lunch, and a visit with mom or auntie Linda. WOW! The pies-hot apple, cold Coconut Cream, both left our plates with no crumbs left in the dish. Home made all the way and we as most patrons would know and taste the difference, for sure. We started out with Linda’s sons gourmet Chili. Perfect meat and consistency. The flavor was best in class! A new item; their Cuban sandwich was not dry or flat. It was tasty to the max. Pork, ham, turkey Cuban Bread, pickles, some cheese and WOW! Potato salad, and Cole Slaw are also made fresh here and you taste it too. Barb ordered a Rueben and I tried a favored special at Linda’s; a marinated chicken breast, with a topping of bacon and swiss cheese bedding on a Brioche bun. Breakfast and lunch here and at her sons place Linda 2 on US-1 is served all day and watch it, Linda’s Cafe’s are habit forming-they are that plainly great dining spots!

Roanoke’s Black Lantern Inn Bed & Breakfast Excellent & Friendly Place to Stay

**Chris and Jayne Andrews, new wonderful owners of the Black Lantern Inn**

Breakfast was a healthy treat. Coffee tasted like “real” coffee, the true organic breakfast fruit plate was delicious, brioche was special, the apple egg dish was superb (her moms and grandma’s old delicious recipe) all in all a memorable and socially wonder experience talking and getting to know each other.

American Press Travel News–May 31st, Roanoke, VA.-Bob and Barb “On the Road Again” and “Stopping to Smell the Roses.” Barb and I love to stay in really wonderful mom and pop accommodations, and finding such is like picking up that silver dollar in a parking lot. No, not because these type of stop-overs are extremely rare, but finding just the right one may be if you go in “cold.” What we look for is personality, and real friendliness-people that like people. So when we were told by our hostess to the area in the guise of Convention and Visitors Bureau Media Specialist; Taylor Ricotta about this nice couple who recently purchased the Black Lantern Inn, who would enjoy inviting us to spend a couple of nights at their place while we worked on our VA. travel articles, we said “yes.”The Inn has 3-accommodation rooms. We were offered the entire 3rd floor called the “Skyline Room with en suite bathroom, king size bed, sofa, writing desk and a flat screen TV. Call for prices. Rooms are $125 and up to less that $200 per night which includes breakfast for two. Great impeccable baths, fabulous urban surroundings and chirping birds off the porches, make this a memorable and relaxing interlude for any traveler and visitor to Roanoke, VA. There is a large amount of history to be able to explore in Roanoke. We honed in on railroading. The Museum of Transportation is a worthy visit. Replete with dozens of retired trains and transportation equipment, children of all ages from 4-100 would love this easily accessible museum. The Black Lantern Inn is tops with us for a B&B. The people: Terrific! The rooms: Excellent! The breakfasts: Perfect! The Inn is located at 1526 Franklin Road SW in Roanoke, VA. 24016 WWW.BlackLanterninn.com

STAY TUNED. MUCH MORE TO COME ABOUT OUR ADVENTURES IN VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE, MUCH MORE!

New Book Now Available You Will Love it-Promise; “Florida Keys Best Restaurants.”

AmericanPressTravelNews–April 28th, Bob and Barb Epstein’s New book: “Florida Keys Best Restaurants” also includes best marinas, dive shop, water boards, gift shops, museums including a great dive museum. 141-pages in color plus cover and back of book of the images & descriptions of the best of the best restaurants from Key Largo to Key West. Historical images of fishing Presidents, early travel in the Keys, railroad, old cars, image of the old toll booth, the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Keys, Pennecamp Park underwater State Park, Robbies Marina and great, really great seafood restaurant, really worthwhile crafts and giftshops, and so much more, including best and juiciest Key Lime Pies. Book is being sold for 19.95 personalized if you like and that price includes postage anywhere USA. Go: bobandbarb@aptravelnews.com