Winstead's Steakburgers has been named Food Network Magazine's the Best Hamburger in the state of Kansas. Famed food critic Calvin Trillin also considers Winstead's to have the world's best cheeseburgers. And, it was one of the first drive-in restaurants in the country. With those impressive accolades, the art deco/streamline moderne restaurant was a must visit for me when I traveled to Kansas City. I ordered a single Winstead with "everything," which includes mustard, ketchup, pickle, and onion. I also added cheese. A strawberry shake topped off the meal. A solid, tasty burger? No doubt. The best burger in America? No chance. There was some good burger seasoning, but lack of melted cheese and a lackluster bun knocked a few points off for me. Grade: B

Pappy's Smokehouse has been "NAMED BEST RIBS IN AMERICA BY THE FOOD NETWORK & BEST BBQ IN MISSOURI BY SOUTHERN LIVING."

Known for their dry-rub ribs, this St. Louis restaurant's house specialty involves slow smoking over apple and cherry wood.

St. Louis ribs, cut from the belly of the pig, are flatter, meatier, and have a higher bone-to-meat ratio compared to baby back ribs, which are more tender and come from the pig's loin. I ordered a half-slab ribs with fried corn on the cob and potato salad. these were excellent. I have learned that you don't necessarily want ribs to completely fall off the bone. The ideal is a small tug that easily pulls away, but if they are too soft, they're overdone and lose some flavor. These had great tangy, sweet flavor. and, the texture was on point the potato salad and corn were nice accompaniments to round out the meal.

Grade: A

Schoop's Hamburgers is a burger restaurant in Indiana and Illinois that dates back to 1948.

"Fresh and never frozen, handcrafted and cooked to crispy perfection, a Schoop’s burger spills out of the bun. Throw in an order of golden French fries, a thick, rich shake, Chili & soups that are made fresh daily, all amongst a throwback feel, and it’s no wonder that the Calumet Region folks have been coming to Schoop’s for generations."



I had to try the burger, which was a bit smooshed but not lacking for condiments. Flavor was decent; pretty standard.



Grade: B

Chef Craig Collier is a James Beard Award nomated chef for Best Chef: Southeast and Uptown Yolk is one of his restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina.



Uptown Yolk is a "Southern Brunch & Dinner Restaurant" that "blends elevated classics with imaginative new dishes in an environment that's as sophisticated as it is modern."



I ordered the Benny Yolko: Two eggs poached and Canadian bacon on English muffins with hollandaise sauce with sides of mac & cheese and TN Fries, which are seasoned, diced potatoes. I also added dipping sauces: Hot Honey, Sorghum Mustard & Black Garlic.



Everything was done well. The eggs benedict had all the right notes and served a classic the right way. The sauces were able to add that special local flare.



The TN Fries were well seasoned and very lightly crisp on the outside. I'm glad I got the dipping sauces because I alternated between all of them to give each bite a bit more kick.



Grade: A

The R.M.S. (Royal Mail Ship) Queen Mary was built in Clydebank, Scotland, and upon her maiden voyage in May of 1936 was considered the grandest ocean liner ever built. In the glory days, the crème of high society considered her the most civilized way to cross the North Atlantic Ocean.



After three years carrying passengers and mail between Southampton and New York, the Queen Mary was "drafted" into service in March 1940 as a troop ship in the early days of World War II. She was nicknamed "The Grey Ghost" because her entire hull and superstructure from bow to stern was painted grey to act as a camouflage and defense mechanism to avoid German U-boats and surface raiders.



In July 1943, the Queen Mary set the world's record for carrying more human beings ever transported on an ocean voyage, a staggering 16,683 souls! The heroic vessel continued her service as a troopship and a war bride and baby transport vessel until 1946. During her war service, Winston Churchill was a frequent passenger. It was aboard the Queen Mary plans for the D-Day invasion were discussed.



The Queen Mary served the Allied cause and played a significant role in virtually every major campaign by carrying some 810,730 military personnel across nearly 700,000 miles of ocean. The Queen Mary resumed peacetime passenger service in 1947 and along with her sister ship, the Queen Elizabeth, served another 20 years weaving a tapestry of goodwill and understanding between the old and new worlds.



However, in the early 1960's all passenger liners began to lose money. Jet air travel was becoming the primary mode of transatlantic transportation, so the Cunara Line put the Queen Mary up for sale. The highest bid came from the City of Long Beach, California at $3.45 million.



She set sail on her Last Great Cruise, a 39-day voyage, on October 31, 1967 and arrived in Long Beach on December 9, 1967. Because she is eight feet too wide and 19 feet too long to fit through the Panama Canal, she had to sail down the coast of South America and around Cape Horn in order to get here.



Over the next few years she was transformed into a floating hotel, convention center, and tourist attraction. The Queen Mary reopened to the public in 1971. In 1993 the ship was placed on the National Register of Historic Places under the designation "With Historic Significance." She has now been visited by nearly 50,000,000 people since embarking upon her present role.



Wrapped in the elegant grandeur of the Grand Salon - the former first-class dining salon - and featuring live entertainment, Royal Sunday Brunch exudes a refined and sophisticated charm, setting it apart from the ordinary. With champagne, live music, and a tantalizing signature menu, the Royal Sunday Brunch buffet has become a Long Beach tradition.



There are more than 50 dishes on this buffet, and I was excited to get to try a little bit of everything that I wanted. It is certainly an experience, and possibly the most decadent brunch I've ever had.


Breakfast Station



Eggs Benedict Vol e Vont



Bacon + Sausage Links + Chicken Apple Sausage

Scrambled Eggs

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes Lyonnaise



Corned Beef Hash



Pancakes + Waffles + Blintzes

Chef Prepared Omelets + Cage Free Eggs to Order



Morning Danish + Muffins + Croissants

Sliced Fruits + Berries


Ocean Bounty



Snow + Stone Crab Claws + King Crab Legs



Shrimp Cocktail + Ceviche Vera Cruz



Oysters on the Half Shell



Smoked Salmon



Poached Salmon Serpentine



Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna

Shrimp Louie


Far East Station



Korean BBQ Ribs



Sweet & Sour Chicken

Dim Sum

BBQ Pork Bun Bao

Vegetable + Curry Samosa

Tempura Shrimp

Vegetarian Egg Roll



Selection of Sushi

Soy Sauce + Wasabi

Pickled Ginger + Sambal Olek

Carving Station



Smoked Brisket

Carved Prime Rib of Beef

Carved Honey Roasted Turkey



Rice Pilaf + Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes

Maple Bourbon Brussel Sprouts

Market Salad


Regions of Italy

Chianti Braised Short Ribs + Gremolata



Tortellini Carbonara



Rigatoni Bolognese

Caesar Salad + Caprese Salad

Antipasto Grilled Veggies

Roasted Pee Wee

Rustic Bread + EVOO + Aged Balsamic

Caesar Salad + Tomato Caprese

Domestic + Imported Cheeses


Taste of Mexico



Carne Asada + Carnitas Street Tacos

Queso Fundido + Corn Tortilla Chips

Assorted Salsas

Ceviche



Chile Relleno



Iceberg Wedge Salad


Patisserie



Petite Fours

Caramel Flan

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Chocolate Mousse

Petite Crème Brûlée

Selection of Mini French Pastries

Crepe Suzette

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Mignardise