Restaurants

Retro-themed gaming lounge open at SEA

Restaurants, , ,

If you grew up with or are a fan of Atari and Ninendo-era video games such as Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. and Ms. PAC-MAN then you’ll be thrilled with a visit to the new retro-themed Sky Gamerz in the N Satellite at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

There’s a full menu and a bar with the requisite bank of large TV screens overhead turned to sports and, if everyone behaves, national news.

One side of this restaurant is open to patrons of all ages. And on the all-ages side, settling in at a table and playing any of the retro-computer games is free.

There’s even a small ‘champagne room’ in the back of the venue perfect for families with small kids.

To check out a game cartridge, all you need to do is give your ID to the bartender. Want to play another game? Simply swap the game cartridge at the bar or ask one of the waitstaff to bring it over.

While no purchase is necessary, you’ll probably want to order something off the well-priced menu, which includes items such as Nutella stuffed French Toast.

If you do order a meal, be sure to save room for what may be the best value dessert at the airport: the ice cream sandwich.

Each freshly made ice cream sandwich is made of 4 ounces of vanilla ice cream stuffed between two large, warm chocolate chunk cookies.

When we visited, our Sky Gamerz guide just happened to have a tape measure with him and we measured the hefty dessert at more than 4 inches across.

This dessert is perfect for sharing. And at just $8 (plus tax), we’re declaring it the best value dessert at SEA airport.

Airport restaurant week returns to Chicago Airports

Restaurants, Uncategorized

If you’re traveling to or through Chicago’s O’Hare or Midway airports between January 25 and February 7, 2019, the airport authority has a bit of advice: arrive hungry.

Airport Restaurant Week (ARW) is coming back to those airports, to coincide with and celebrate the 12th annual Chicago Restaurant Week taking place in town.

During this year’s Airport Restaurant Week (AWR), ticketed passengers flying through O’Hare and Midway will have access to free samples of some of Chicago’s world-class cuisine and be presented with special menus created by many of the airport’s award winning restaurants

Some of the locations participating at O’Hare this year include America’s Dog; Auntie Anne’s; Berghoff Café; Billy Goat Tavern; Burrito Beach; Garrett Popcorn Shops; O’Brien’s Restaurant & Bar; Nuts on Clark; Reggio’s Pizza; Summer House Santa Monica; Rick Bayless’ Tortas Frontera, Vosges Haut-Chocolat, and more.

At Midway, passengers can check out demonstrations from concessionaires including Arami Sushi; Big &little’s; Big Shoulders; DeColores; Home Run Inn Pizza; Nuts on Clark.  

In addition to the freshly made food samples and special offers, passengers will receive a free Airport Restaurant Week oven mitt, bamboo cutting boards, chip clips, and recipe book while supplies last. A full schedule of ARW tastings, chef demonstrations will be posted soon.

Beyond Airport Restaurant Week, next month, O’Hare will open new fast casual restaurant Burger Federation in Terminal 3, and the airport’s third Garrett’s Popcorn Shop in Terminal 5.

At Midway new concessions due to open in January and February include local coffee joint Big Shoulders Coffee; new and expanded DeColores burrito restaurant; and the airport’s first Einstein’s Bros. Bagels.

What are your favorite restaurants at O’Hare or Midway airports?

Louisville International Airport on Kentucky Urban Bourbon Trail

Bars, Restaurants, , ,

Louisville International Airport now has a spot on the Kentucky Urban Bourbon Trail.

 

Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen, located in the pre-security of Lousiville International Airport, is now an official stop on Kentucky’s Urban Bourbon Trail.

The trail consists of more than 40 bars and restaurants that embrace the state’s Bourbon culture.

To get a spot on the trail a venue has to offer at least 50 different bourbons. A trail ‘member’ also has to  celebrate and honor the role bourbon plays in the the city’s history and modern-day culture.

Louisville airport’s Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen fits the bill because it offers more than 85 world-class bourbons (including several rare labels) and has a staff eager to teach guests about everything bourbon, including tasting notes and distilling history.

Traveling along the Urban Bourbon Trail isn’t just about drinking bourbon. It’s also about winning t-shirts. Participating restaurants and bars on the Urban Bourbon Trail hand out passports that guests can get stamped when they make a purchase at venues along the trail.

Anyone who collects six stamps can redeem their passport for a t-shirt. And you can get a stamp for any purchase – it doesn’t have to be a something made with bourbon.

And now that Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen at Louisville International is officially on the Kentucky Urban Bourbon Trail, passengers can pick up their trail passsport as soon as they land at the airport and get started on collecting those stamps right away.

Before you head out on the road in search of Kentucky bourbons, keep in mind that in addition to the Urban Bourbon Trail of bourbon-centric bars and restaurants, Kentucky also has a ‘Urban Bourbon Experience‘ that includes bars, restaurants and borboun experiences and events.

There’s also the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which highlights distilleries statewide that are part of the Kentucky Distiller’s Association.

That seems like a like of bourbon, but there are many places where those trails cross and intersect.

Philadelphia International Airport celebrates shiny new Terminal B.

Food, Restaurants, , , ,

Philadelphia International Airport held a celebration this week for its shiny new Terminal B.

With American Airlines and the hospitality group OTG, PHL invested $30 million to makeover Terminal B with new restaurants, shops, and more than 2,000 power and USB ports built into redesigned seating.

Much of that seating comes with OTG’s familiar tablets, which not only let passengers order foods and goods from nearby venues to be delivered to them at their seats, but gives them access to Wi-Fi, flight tracking and games.

New to Terminal B are: the French‐inspired bakery Boule Café, Mediterranean mezze concept Baba Bar, Italian eatery CIBO Bistro & Wine Bar, beer & brat restaurant Germantown Biergarten, steak & chop house Independence Prime, fresh sushi at Noobar, Philly comfort food at the LOVE Grille and Neapolitan Pizza at Mezzogiorno.

In addition to the improvements by OTG to the gate areas, the airport did a “Touch Every Surface” program that includes new ceiling tiles, new heating and air conditioning, new ceramic tiles and refinished terrazzo floors.

Nice!

Hockey at airports? In restaurants and bars, yes.

Airports, Restaurants, Sports, , ,

Courtesy Provincial Archives of Alberta, via Flickr Commons.

If you’re a hockey fan, you’re no doubt paying attention to what’s happening with the NHL season playoffs and looking for TVs in airport where you can watch the games and be with your people.

Turns out, there  are plenty of hockey-themed restaurants and bars in airports.

Here are just a few, operated by HMSHost

Avenue des Canadiens at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport’s Domestic Terminal by Gate 01 celebrates the Montreal Canadiens.

Minnesota Wild in Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport’s Concourse H is Minnesota Wild-themed.

Sharks Cage Sports Bar & Grill in San Jose International Airport’s Terminal B by Gate B18 is all about the San Jose Sharks.

Stanley’s Blackhawks Kitchen & Tap in Chicago O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 2 by Gate E5 celebrates the Chicago Blackhawks.

Anaheim Ducks Breakaway Bar & Grill in John Wayne Airport’s Terminal C is where Anaheim Ducks fans will feel welcome.

And  Vancouver Canucks Bar & Grill in Vancouver International Airport’s US Terminal by Gate E81 is all about Vancouver’s NHL team, the Canucks.