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Free Beer!! How can you resist?

by Jen Tsai on 2011/05/17 in Food and Travel, North America

Shortly after the earthquake off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, the nuclear reactor crisis at the Fukashima Dai-ichi Power Plant, and the relentless cries from worried friends and family members, my boyfriend and I decided it was time to get away from Tokyo to wait, watch, and see what course the events would take. After waiting for 5 hours at the airport for the check-in counters to open, then another hour to just get though security and immigration (and top this off with a connecting flight in Newark, New Jersey — monstrous!) we finally made it to Boston.

After a week of worrying about aftershocks and radiation level spikes,  we were finally able to breathe more easily while keeping up to date with the news and the containment of the reactors. Never did the phrase “I need a drink” apply more than during that time (I swear, I’m not an alcoholic!) so when we found out about the Free Beer tours in Boston (score!) we decided to take advantage of the fun.

If you plan on visiting Boston in the near future and are on a budget, may I suggest some brewery tours with free beer tasting? That’s right my libation loving friends: FREE beer.

The first brewery tour we went on was at the Samuel Adams Brewery which is easily accessible via the Orange Line. The tour starts approximately every 45 minutes and lasts about an hour (for actual starting times, please visit their website) on the weekdays and weekends.

As you enter the brewery, each person will have to show an ID in order to receive a Samuel Adams label. You can save this label as it will come in handy after the tour. As you wait for the tour to start, feel free to wander around the gift store and between the glass cases for all the trophies the brewery has won in beer contests.

Once the tour starts, you will learn the ingredients used in producing the mouth-watering, thirst-quenching drink as well as the equipments used and process that the brewer uses. After the somewhat brief lesson comes the fun part: Each member of the tour (provided you are the legal drinking age of 21) receives a Samuel Adams tasting cup which is yours to keep and used for tasting three types of beers the brewer produces and are on tap at the moment. And fret not parents! Your kids can also take part in the family fun with a free bottle of root beer!

You will receive a small tasting glass to taste three types of beer. They teach you the ways to drink a beer correctly, from head ratio to glassware to how to sniff hops (oh college, how you taught me nothing of beer etiquette). Further, it is during the taste testing when your tour guide will reveal the significance of the bottle label you received earlier.

After the tour, there is a free shuttle bus outside that takes you down to Doyle’s, a couple of blocks away, where they serve Samuel Adams’ beer. A tip: the Boston Lager glass the tour guide drinks out of can be found in the gift store for about $8 each or $30 for a set of four. However, if you go to Doyle’s, order a Samuel Adams beer on tap and show them the label, you will be able to keep your lager glass for a mere additional $5 to what you pay for the beer. What a deal. Doyle’s does get and stay fairly busy during the day because of the tours, but it is well worth the wait to enjoy the great beer and atmosphere.

Another fantastic free brewery tour to enjoy is at the Harpoon Brewery which is accessible by the Silver Line. Whereas at Samuel Adams you are able to get a look inside where the magic happens, Harpoon does not do a tour of the facility on the weekdays because those are the days when beer is being brewed. But that’s ok because it just means you get more time to taste-test the beer!

What I loved about the Harpoon Brewery is that you are able to taste all the varieties of beer they brew (unlike at Samuel Adams where you are limited to trying three of them). There is a lot of jibberjabber (or interesting useful information depending on your stance regarding taste, hops, and make) about each beer as they are introduced to you, but they do take breaks in between introducing each one so you are able to sample and gain firsthand knowledge about your beer. Unfortunately, you are not able to keep the glass they serve the beer to you in, but after the tour you are able to purchase a Growler (a 64 ounce collectors bottle) of any of the beers they have for a very affordable price.

Harpoons IPA is the most popular of all their beers, but they have many more to pick from like the “UFO flavors.” One interesting flavor they have, which I did not sample, was the Oyster Stout. Once I heard the name of that beer and saw its color, I immediately thought of Oyster Sauce; if you’re Asian you know what I’m talking about! My personal favorite Harpoon beer was the Harpoon Cider which is rather difficult to find as they only use apples grown from the New England area.

While walking around Harpoon trying to get as many glasses of beer as you can, you will find a very interesting wall to the left of the bar. This corner of the bar is filled with countless beer cans from all over the world. As a proud Canadian, I was pleased to find two Bubba’s of Molson Canadian and Labatt Blue! (Represent!)

Basically where at Samuel Adams you get a free glass, three types of beer to try, and only the beer they serve in the pitchers, at Harpoon you get all the free beer you want in a span of 30-40 minutes, on and off, depending how much and how fast your tour guide talks! But it’s worth it to visit both brewies.

You can go on two different days or go to both on the same day. Hey, why not? I think we could all use a drink!

Please let me know any beer tours you’ve gone on, free or not free… and what sort of experience you had!

[Pictures courtesy of onbeer.org]

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eataly-new-york-3

Eataly: a slice of Italy nestled into the heart of New York City

by emma on 2011/03/31 in Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide, North America, World Recipes and Ingredients

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Eataly has been the top reason for a must-take NYC trip and I luckily got there this month, finally! Now to share the magic of Eataly: what it is and why you need to go! This place is what I consider to be Italian heaven: fresh ingredients, the best products for every price point, hand made foods… basically all the best parts of Italy. This place is a mecca for those looking to cook, learn about, or eat Italian food. It took me forever to wander through here, aisle after aisle and restaurant after restaurant.

Eataly is a massive marketplace in the heart of Manhattan giving New Yorkers & visitors a taste of Italy. Eataly is the creation of Italian-American restaurateurs Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio Bastlianich, and the founder behind the gourmet food and wine market (Eataly) in Turin, Oscar Farinetti. The 50,000-foot-space is more than just a supermarket with restaurants; it is an energetic marketplace, a place to taste and take home products that inspire the rustic coking of Italy, and a place to learn about the country, the trade and their products. Eataly is the “heartbeat of Italy.”

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The complex includes multiple restaurants (an Italian steakhouse, a Neapolitan pizzeria, a gelaterie, a microbrewery, and year-round rooftop beer garden etc.), a cooking school, aisles upon aisles of fresh produce and Italian products, and the ability to buy the ingredients of a dish you just ate in one of their restaurants. There is also a travel agent on hand who will help you arrange a trip to Italy to visit food and wine producers. If you can’t quite commit to the flight right away, there is a bookstore, wine store and houseware store where you can purchase goods such as espresso makers from Bialetti to help you in living la dolce vita.

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My favourite part about the place is probably the meat and cheese area. When I walked into Eataly, the first thing I encountered was the Salumi & Cheese restaurant, where boards were filled with house made meats and cheeses. The taleggio was calling my name! If I lived in New York, I honestly don’t think I would be able to shop anywhere else. The selection at Eataly is out of the world… and with full 4 tier cases of different parmesan or proscuitto, how can you go wrong?! The produce is incredibly fresh, with seasonality being key for availability, and the variety at each station is astonishing. There are so many different mushrooms and onions, I just could not stop staring and exploring! I never wanted to leave! The coolest part I find about Eataly, is that it is not just a tourist trap; New Yorkers actually shop there! A tip: I went on a Saturday, and the place was packed! The meat and cheese restaurant bar was already full at 11am with people eating pasta and pizza. I sampled an Italian sandwich of crusty baguette and house cure prosciutto: simple and perfect, classic European.

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Bringing Italy’s “Eataly” to North America was a fabulous idea. Created to inspire fresh, good and passion filled eating is, IMHO, necessary to combat the ever problematic epidemic of salt and fat laden fast food. This general concept is something I feel strongly about and I think promoting this idea by encouraging everyone to visit Eataly, to taste, experience, and eat! The more people become engaged the better, and it’s impossible not to begin, or deepen, your love affair with food or Italy while in Eataly.

Located: the Toy building at Fifth Ave. between 23rd and 24th in New York City
200 5th Avenue
NY 10010, United States
(646) 398-5100
Subway: 23 St

[Images courtesy of Emma and Gastronomichael]

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Let The Good Times Roll: Austin Style!

by Karen Baksi on 2011/03/17 in Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide, North America

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In America, Mardi Gras has traditionally been known as a time of boozy over-indulgence where ladies (and the occasional gentleman) flash their goodies to strangers and are rewarded “handsomely” with strands of colorful plastic beads. It’s seen as a time to let loose and blow off steam. In fact, it is actually a part of the Christian tradition, Easter. In English, Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday.” This is the last day of eating rich foods before the start of the ritual fasting during Lent. Our perception of Mardi Gras as a time to cut loose has its roots with the religious meaning. My personal foodie translation of Mardi Gras (and the week leading up to Fat Tuesday) is a time for gluttonous eating and indulgence! My week was spent in Austin, Texas, where I had a whirlwind tour of classic, great institutions that never fail to deliver and some stellar, new and unique places as well.

Dirty Sixth
If you want to feel like a college student in Austin, get in one of their popular pedi-cabs and head on down to the Dirty Sixth! Located in a section of downtown that is east of Congress Street, this area of bars, clubs, music venues and restaurants are teeming with college kids and twenty-somethings looking to party. To capitalize on this market, many street food vendors come out at night to offer their delights to the drunken, and now starving partiers. One of these vendors is the Best Wurst stand located at the corner of E. Sixth St. and San Jacinto. This is – hands down – one of the best sausages I have ever eaten. In fact, in our drunken stupor, my husband ate his dog, then asked for a bite of mine, which I never got back :(!! Best Wurst offers 4 kinds of sausages: Bratwurst, Smoked Italian, Smoked Jalapeno, and All Beef, each of which can be topped with grilled onions, sauerkraut, curry ketchup and spicy mustard. All sausages are priced at an affordable $4.50. The quality of the meat used in the sausages is top notch and the flavors (especially smoked jalapeno) were fantastic. It had that nice popping sound as you bite into the sausage and the heat from the smoked jalapeno was just enough to make you want to grab another beer. But the winner in all of their offerings was the curry ketchup. It jazzed up my tastebuds with the spiciness of the curry and the sweetness from the ketchup, really enhancing the flavor. It most definitely lived up to it’s name, the Best Wurst!

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North Austin
After waking up with a raging hangover due to the fact that this thirty-something was trying to party like it was 1999, I needed some sustenance to help tide the rumblings in my stomach. When I’m in my hometown of San Francisco, I know of many hangover cures that are readily available, but my top choice is always a hot steaming bowl of Vietnamese pho (noodle soup). I really didn’t expect an authentic, down home Vietnamese place in the middle of Texas, but North Austin has Pho Dan. The pho is delicately layered with flavor, beginning with the clear and salty sweet broth. At Pho Dan, you can request your thinly sliced raw eye of round beef on the side as well as steamed bean sprouts to ensure your broth stays piping hot. They also offer dandelion greens, basil, thick jalapeno slices and juicy lemons to help enhance the soup, flavor by flavor. At around $7 a small bowl, the pho is good for your pocket book as well as your hangover. Definitely check out Pho Dan if you’re in Austin, it’s worth it.

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Round Rock
North of Austin near the city of Round Rock, is a place called Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe where they offer traditional Cajun-style food like boiled crawfish, assorted po-boys, and the classic New Orleans gumbo. The establishment feels like a chain-restaurant with lines out the door and those electronic buzzer things. But the comparisons stop there. Razzoo’s knows how to do Cajun. My all-Louisiana based friends and I opted for boiled crawfish in honor of Mardi Gras and at $4.99 a pound (a Mardi Gras special), it was definitely worth it! Heaps of crawfish are set down in front of you with a nice warm wet towel to wipe your hands and face. If you’ve never had crawfish before but you like crab, shrimp, or lobster, you probably understand what it means to work hard for a tiny morsel of seafood goodness. Be sure to twist off the crawfish tail and suck the wonderful juices and “butter” from the head before you finally fish out the tail meat. The spiciness from the boil penetrates the shells of the crawfish and basically marinates the meat and butter to perfection. Included in the boil are spiced red potatoes and corn. To cool your mouth down from the spiciness, hit it with a bite of potato and corn (as well as a swig of local beer). Order a lot because it’s easy to rack up the poundage: my party of 5 easily polished off 20 pounds of the tasty mudbugs!

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SoCo – South Congress
Congress Street is one of the main thoroughfares in Austin. It cuts through the downtown area and leads to the Capital building. On the southern end is an area called South Congress, or SoCo. There are a lot of funky thrift and antique stores as well as bars with beer gardens like Doc’s and the San Jose hotel. Of course, restaurants are a plenty which includes the South Congress Cafe. A local of Austin claimed that the SoCo Cafe has the best bloody mary in town and I was determined to make that assessment. Everything in the bloody mary is made in-house, the pepper/celery/jalapeno/lime/lemon/garlic infused vodka packs a powerful flavor punch which is blended nicely with the sweet and spicy bloody mary mix ($6.75). Indeed it was one of the best bloody marys I’ve ever had. As for the food, everything we had was pretty tasty, especially the Carrot Cake French Toast with a side of bacon ($16). The carrot cake was thickly sliced and dipped in a vanilla cinnamon batter and served with their original cream cheese-pecan syrup. I’m usually not a sweet breakfast person but the dish sounded so decadent that I had to try it. It was a pleasant surprise, not too sweet and had a nice dense texture. The cream cheese-pecan syrup gave it that extra richness and the side of salty bacon was the perfect compliment. We also tried the traditional eggs benedict with a chipotle hollandaise sauce ($9) which was perfectly executed but nothing new in flavor town. All in all, the food was great and the bloody marys were awesome.

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Driftwood
Just 20 minutes southwest of Austin in the city of Driftwood lies a behemoth BBQ joint called Salt Lick. It has been featured on many travel/foodie shows and its reputation is well earned. There are scores of people lining up to try this BBQ so make sure you get there early or be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes. There is a nice waiting area with picnic tables and even a small stage for bands to perform. Another great part of Salt Lick is that its BYOB…bring your own booze! But once you make it into the main dining area, its all about BBQ. Sitting right next to the entrance of the restaurant, the huge circular BBQ pit produces delectable meats including beef brisket, sausage, pork ribs, beef ribs, and pulled pork. All are tender and juicy, especially the pulled pork. Salt Lick also provides two types of barbecue sauce, regular and habanero. Their bases are similar, marrying sweetness with a nice tang, but the habanero is kicked up with heat from the peppers. Dousing your BBQ with either sauce is probably a great idea! Salt Lick’s combination plate, which includes brisket, sausage, and pork ribs ($11.95), is served with a tangy German style potato salad and a simple vinegar based cole slaw. Both sides provide the perfect counterpoint to the BBQ. Salt Lick is a great place to meet and sit with friends and family to have a few beers and eat some good old Texas barbecue.

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Austin was a great place to “fatten” myself up in the name of Mardi Gras. The vibe of the city is wholeheartedly fun and eclectic. It’s an artsy and musical place with many great restaurant and food choices. It was the perfect place to blow off some steam and soak up the local Texas color. As the Cajuns say, Laissez les bons temps rouler!

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Basking under the Bali sun and Eating Seafood on the Beach

by charlene on 2011/03/15 in Asia, Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide

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I love Bali. The $9USD massages by the beach, the seafood barbecues, and the feeling of bliss that you are away from the stresses of home. Before talking about the foodie dream beach, I would like to relate my experience with my driver in Bali, Indonesia.

Upon arriving in Bali, I went through a throng of drivers who were waiting for their arriving passengers to find my designated driver, Nyoman. Upon finding him, I thanked and tipped my luggage carrier who was also called Nyoman. I thought it was a strange coincidence but it wasn’t. What I discovered (from Nyoman the driver no less) is that the people in Bali generally have the same names. There are a ton of people called Nyoman, Putu, and Made. The system is such that if you are a first born and male or female, you get called “Putu”, “Wayan”or “Negah”. If you are second born you are called “Made” or “Kadek”. In case you are wondering, “Nyoman” is the third child. Nyoman commented on how lucky we were to get him. He’s usually busy with important delegates and today he decided to take a break from them. He’s supposedly driven Bill Clinton, the Sultan of Brunei, UN leaders, and various important CEOs. He even offered to have a police escort for us when we leave the hotel. Ever been driving on the road and suddenly you have to move to the side because the police are coming with someone important? He offered that experience for a day, for a mere $300 USD.

Anyway, Nyoman suggested that we visit Jimbaran beach which is a dream for any Food Trotter. It’s widely known for its fresh seafood kiosks along the stretch of the beach. Who doesn’t like barbecued seafood on one of the cleanest beaches in Bali? Sadly, he did not recommend a good restaurant to try because to him they all have the same standard. We went into one of the restaurants in a rush so I did not take down the name, but I assure you that it has the same standard as other seafood restaurants in Jimbaran. They all sell similar foods! There’s literally 20-30 seafood restaurants on Jimbaran so take your time to look through.

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Initially when I entered the restaurant, I was slightly disappointed. It looked empty inside so I thought it might not have been good. It was only when I went outside that I realized that most customers prefer to stay outside to enjoy the setting sunset. One tip about Jimbaran is that you should go around 5 to 6pm so that you can enjoy the sunset while you eat. There is plenty of fresh seafood at the entrance of the restaurant so you know that you are getting quality cuisine. My waiter brought me to the front where I could choose which lobster, fish, and crab I wanted.

Normally I hate choosing live seafood… I feel overwhelming guilt for those that I’m about to eat. The lobster in question stared me down with its beady eyes, with pincers ready to hurt if I decided to steam it. (Sorry, Lobster!) There are a variety of sauces to choose from: the traditional bali sauce, black pepper, chili, and so on. I ordered chili crab, lobster in traditional bali sauce, and steamed fish. To add on this tropical experience, I ordered a coconut.

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A tip, do not order the coconut. It’s not a small sweet coconut, but rather a huge and sort of bitter in taste coconut.

The cuisine was enjoyable. The lobster was full of meat and one can taste the charcoal used to barbecue the meat. The chili crab was pretty good too but it really depends on your taste; I loved it but my parents did not enjoy it because they did not like the flavour. The steamed fish was fresh and delicious.

However, the highlight of the night was the grilled corn located in a small stand outside the restaurant and by the beach. Costing about $1-$2 per corn, it is a small price to pay for a taste of heaven. Sweet, salty and buttery with smell of it being delicately roasted in the charcoal grill made me want to buy a few more to eat. Sadly, my stomach couldn’t digest anymore food.

When you come to Bali, do take a stop over to Jimbaran for an good meal after a long tiring day of… resting at the beach.

[Pictures courtesy of Charlene, Aidil & Shaz, Emily in Singapore, Travel Living Bliss, cute8833, and mbiru]

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Vancouver

Mini Guide to Vancouver

by Samantha Wong on 2011/02/23 in Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide, North America

It’s been approximately one year since the Olympics, and it has to be asked: is Vancouver a city worth visiting? The answer? a resounding YES!!! It’s so easy to disregard one’s hometown (and let’s be honest… there are plenty of hometowns out there that have very little interest) but lucky for Myself (and you), I’m making a miniature Vancouver “Must Do” list of places to see, dine at, and visit! In no particular order (other than how they’re popping up in my mind)

Whistler Panoramic

Whistler
For a skiier/ snowboarder, it’s imperative to visit Whistler-Blackcomb. As a general rule, snowboarders prefer Blackcomb’s wide powdery runs (my favourite runs? cloud 9, ridge runner, and ross’s gold) whereas skiiers rule the roost at Whistler. There are many ways to reach Whistler (renting a car, greyhound.ca) and different options for booking a place to stay (whistlerblackcomb.com, alluradirect.com, vrbo.com). As for restaurants to visit? I’ll delve a bit further into this next week!

Steveston
“It’s so far away!” is a lament commonly uttered by Vancouverites regarding Steveston, Richmond. Really, depending on where you’re located, it can be a mere half an hour away. This place is adorable with an old-town historical feel, independent shops selling unique tchotchkes, and of course: great food! Visit Pajos (Pajos – Famous for Fish and Chips) or Dave’s Fish and Chip

Granville Island

Vancouver’s Granville Island is akin to NY’s Chelsea Market or Seattle’s Fish Market. It’s a great place to get fresh fresh food and drinks, see some of the local artisan crafts, and chill out for a lazy morning. I like Cat’s Social House, Granville Island Brewing Co., and Sandbar.

Sushi

An in depth review’s pending, but visitors should definitely take advantage of the fresh fish available in the pacific northwest! A few personal favourites: toshi (where locals will wait for an hour or more), and miku.

Dim Sum

For a guide to Vancouver’s delicious dim sum, check out my Dim Sum post here

[Pictures courtesy of Flickr: .mused, DrewFromSydney]

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A Romantic B&B Tour of Costa Rica: a Perfect Way to Show Your Love on Valentine’s Day (or Month)!

by Karen Baksi on 2011/02/16 in Featured Article, Food and Travel

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All vacations carry an air of excitement, especially when visiting a foreign country. The jitters and stressful anticipation we sometimes get the night before can cause a restless night of sleep, but that can hopefully be made up by catching some z’s on the plane. Once you get to your destination, the real adventure begins! But what can really make your trip special and romantic are the places you choose to unwind and recount the experiences of the day. Booking the right hotel can really enhance your vacation as well as the memories you bring back. But how can you tell one place from another? Where should you stay?

For my trip to Costa Rica with my husband, we chose to stay exclusively at B&Bs (Bed & Breakfasts) because of their cozier, more intimate atmosphere when compared to standard hotel. B&Bs can vary in price, but many are actually much cheaper than hotels and often provide that extra touch – like included breakfast or a communal tea time with snacks in the afternoon. As an avid traveler, I personally prefer the more human connection you establish with the proprietors of the B&B and their guests; striking up friendships and sharing your love of the country and what it has to offer.

One such place located very close to the international airport in San Jose is Alegria B&B.  Owned and operated by George, an American ex-pat from Tennessee, Alegria is a little bit of Southern comfort in the bustling area of Alajuela. There are 4 different rooms to choose from ranging in price from $45-$70 (US), all of which include a full breakfast. George has created a clean, open, and welcoming environment, perfect as an introduction to Costa Rica. The location is also convenient because of its proximity to the airport, which made it a great choice to bookend our trip. Eating around Alajuela is a little challenging if you don’t know the area but George can provide you with recommendations and a map. Just down the road from Alegria, there’s a ceviche place called Mana’s Marisqueria which was wonderful. It serves up authentic ceviche and Tico style (native Costa Rican) food like arroz con mariscos (rice with seafood), patacones (fried plantains), and tacos. Mana’s is a local legal hangout since it’s located across the street from the Tribunales de Justicia (courthouse). A meal for 3 people consisting of two orders of ceviche, patacones, octopus in garlic, and two orders of carne asada taco plates with plenty of wine cost 30,000 colones ($60 US). Mana’s is definitely worth checking out if you’re ever in the area.

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Our next stop was a two night stay in the La Fortuna/Arenal area at the most romantic and beautiful B&B overlooking the majestic Volcan Arenal. Birdsong B&B only has 2 rooms but both have sweeping views of the volcano and Lake Arenal. The upper room is priced at a hefty $180/ night, but includes an in-room jacuzzi, fluffy king size bed, flat screen tv with satellite, full kitchen and fridge, and a unique and fun outdoor shower! Allan, the owner, is originally from New York City and really goes out of his way to make you feel special. He has an incredible cook on staff and will prepare a delicious Tico meal upon request. My husband and I encountered some foggy and rainy weather during our stay but our spectacular room more than made up for the lack of view! The downstairs unit is smaller but also has a great view and a small kitchenette for $90/a night including breakfast. Because of the bad weather, we ate most of our meals at Birdsong but we did explore a bit of Fortuna and ended up at the Los Lagos Resort restaurant. We ordered their house ceviche and a couple of local beers ($20 US). The ceviche was fresh, lightly sweet with a nice citrus tang and was served with patacones. Ceviche is very popular in Costa Rica and most restaurants have their own version and the flavors vary ever so slightly, which makes for a fun time comparing the different versions.

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As we made our way down the coast to the Osa Peninsula, we stopped over in Manuel Antonio for a couple of days. Manuel Antonio offers spectacular beaches, perfect for a romantic sunset stroll, walking hand in hand and feeling the soft sand and waves tickling your toes. We loved our stay at La Posada Jungle Bungalows located right next door to the entrance of Manuel Antonio National Park.  Mike, the proprietor, has created a lush and wild jungle vibe at La Posada, even getting some appearances from our animal friends who call the park their home (a deer and capuchin monkeys)! The rooms range from $100/a night for a room in the main house to $225/a night for La Casa, a 6 person guest house. We stayed in one of the bungalows that had 2 queen beds, tv/dvd player, fridge & microwave with air conditioning for $125/a night. La Posada includes a full breakfast with all rooms and also offers free dvds of the latest movies. They even provide you with a complimentary bag of popcorn so you can snuggle up in bed and have a movie night! As an added bonus, they offer dinner & movie nights where Jonathan, their cook, creates a fabulous meal for $6.50 and they show the latest movies. My husband and I partook in one of those nights and enjoyed a great meal of grilled steak and tilapia, steamed veggies, salad, and home-made cookies. At La Posada, they try and create a friendly all-inclusive environment that makes a traveler really feel at home.

For our final stop on this whirlwind tour of Costa Rica, we spent five full days in a small town on the Osa Peninsula called Bahia Drake (Drake Bay). Located a short drive up the hill from the center of town, Finca Maresia B&B is nestled against the rainforest and truly is a natural wonder.  We stayed in one of the superior bungalows for $85/a night for two people. Our bungalow had 2 queen beds with mosquito nets and an overhead room fan. The bungalows are built upon stilts and their layout is almost completely open with glass sliding doors that lead out to a balcony with hammock. One of the best parts of the bungalows is the fully open shower; but since the building is situated towards the jungle, only the inhabitants of the rainforest can peek in! The grounds of Finca Maresia are beautifully sculpted with stone tile walkways and lush grass and colorful flora. High upon the hill is where the main gathering area of the B&B is located. This is where all meals, drinks, conversations with guests, and extra hammock time are taken. Breakfast is included and you can always opt to dine in at the B&B for dinner ($12 US). Our first night there, we enjoyed fresh tuna tartare that was caught earlier that day by another guest and a delicious dinner of albondigas (Spanish meatballs). Miguel, the owner, is originally from Spain and brings some Spanish flare in the cuisine. Finca Maresia offers travelers a place to relax and enjoy themselves in a peaceful and tranquil environment.

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Costa Rica is one of my favorite places on earth. The food is simple but fresh, fresh, fresh! The awe-inspiring natural wonders that the country has to offer will appeal to all nature lovers. It was a pleasure to be able to share this experience with my husband, which makes Costa Rica (in my humble opinion) one of the most romantic places on earth!

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Where is the Best Tapas in Spain?

by emma on 2011/02/10 in Europe, Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide

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Eating, drinking, and sharing in good fun with friends is popular in every culture, but Spanish tapas takes this notion to a whole new level. While living in Spain I fell in love with the corner tapas bars that populate the country. You can’t travel to Spain without understanding this amazing concept and knowing what to look for!

Tapas is a legendary snack from Spain, a mouthful of magic. It is a bite size appetizer or snack (but can also turn into a main meal when consuming many!) Tapa means lid or cover, so the idea behind the name was that this little morsel that sat on a small plate would be the cover to your wine glass to avoid insects from getting in. Tapas has turned into so much more than just a cover for your wine! Tomar tapas (going for tapas) is a culture in Spain. The bars specializing in these treats are everywhere, and there are even streets dedicated solely to tapas bars. I lived in Logrono, in the wine region of La Rioja (lucky me!) and Calle Laurel was the place to be if you wanted tapas. Basically any night of the week this place would be packed with groups of friends traveling from bar to bar, tasting the specialty each joint had to offer! You literally can spend an entire night in one bar tasting all of their different pinchos (another word meaning tapas, generally said in the north of Spain). When I was in San Sebastian for a weekend, my friend and I stumbled upon an incredible tapas bar. We were early to the scene though, hungry by 8:30 when most don’t even head out to eat well after 10pm!! Still, it was so cool to stay in one bar for the night, trying absolutely everything and indulging in conversation with the many people who kept coming in and out of the spot. As you may have guessed, tapas is eaten standing up at a bar, (there are never seats in tapas bars!) with a glass of wine (vino tinto – red wine is the most typical) or a beer in hand surrounded by good friends (old and new) and interesting conversation.

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My favourite dishes, and some of the most popular include patatas bravas (fried square potatoes served with a spicy red sauce on a toothpick, or in dish to share), tortilla Española (the quintessential Spanish omelet layered with onion and potatoes), jamón ibérico (Spain’s famous cured ham just on a piece of white baguette, you don’t need anything more!), croquettas de jamón (fried cheese balls studded with ham) and champi (Champi is short for champigon, mushroom, and they are cooked in garlic and served as a trio on a little piece of bread). It is quite common that a tapa will be served on a little round of white baguette! I have only listed a few, but there are much much more choices available; in the town where I lived pineapple and shrimp skewers were popular as well as a skewer of salchichón (sausage). Generally I would say a tapa is between 1-4 Euros depending on the ingredients! A word to the wise: more than a few bars don’t have a specialty and instead have a slew on appetizers on display. These can be a bit old, so make sure to ask for a fresh one to be made; most bars will do this, as the ones on the counter are simply to display the many choices they have to offer!

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Another tip: before eating a tapa it is custom to cheers glasses with your companions and say Salud!! (Cheers!!) Seville is considered to be the tapas capital of Spain, but each city is unique in what they bring to the tapas market. I adored the tapas street in my town and subsequently the one I found in San Sebastian! If in Seville, head to Calle Jose de Velilla, a popular street filled some of the city’s favourite tapas spots. As I said, in Logrono, the street to be is Calle Laurel, and as regards San Sebastian anywhere in the Casco Viejo (old town) is the place to be. I’ve refrained from including names of tapas bars to visit, because each one is unique in their own way. The main thing to do when looking for great tapas is find a street where there are a multitude of bars serving up different specialties, because it is through adventuring you will really learn what “doing a tapas night” really means! When visiting Spain, take a night off from eating at your scheduled restaurant and try this Spanish tradition that is celebrated nationally!

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Exploring Costa Rica’s stunning scenery and cuisine: A travel diary of Karen’s adventures in Costa Rica!

by Karen Baksi on 2011/02/09 in Central America, Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide, World Recipes and Ingredients

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Day One: Alajuela/ San Jose
Whew, we finally made it! After a grueling day of traveling and being delayed for close to 7 hours, my husband, G and I made it to San Jose, Costa Rica! We drove ourselves from the airport in a rental to our B&B. Thank goodness for GPS and very friendly people, who are versed in signing and motioning! There are no addresses in Costa Rica so you have to depend on signs and good instructions. TIP: If you are driving, I highly recommend paying a little extra for a GPS. Looking forward to getting out of the “big” city and exploring the countryside!

Day Two: on the road to El Castillo, La Fortuna area
Travel day! Because we didn’t know how long it would take us to drive up to the Arenal area in northwestern Costa Rica, we didn’t make any plans other than to drive to our next destination. We started off our day with a large platter of fresh fruit: pineapple, mango, papaya, watermelon, and banana, as well as some home-made banana bread, scrambled eggs, bacon, and orange juice, provided by our B&B. TIP: Forgo the large hotel or resorts and stay at B&Bs. You’ll find that the rooms and environment are cozier and more personal. Many a friendship has been struck up with other guests when staying at B&Bs. Also, most B&Bs in Costa Rica offer a very large and satisfying breakfast, which is included.

Memorable meal: An authentic Tico lunch which consisted of gallo pinto (black beans and rice mixture), garlic marinated chicken, sauteed chayote, and a simple cabbage salad with lime juice. After a hard day’s driving, the late lunch was divine and good on our pocketbooks at $10 USD/ serving.

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Day Three: Fun in La Fortuna
What a fun and rainy day! TIP: always bring a change of warmer clothing when traveling to the mountains. You never know when a cold snap could blow through! We woke up to a beautiful breakfast: over easy eggs, fried yucca, gallo pinto, and a fresh fruit platter. We ate the most curious fruit: guanabana. It tastes like strawberry/ pineapple but then has a creamy texture like coconut and the consistency of an over-ripened lychee; very strange but good flavor! After breakfast, we headed over to Los Lagos (The lakes) resort to go on a horseback ride through the countryside. At $45/ person, it was a great 2.5 hour ride, albeit wet! The entrance fee also allows you to check out their butterfly, frogs, and crocodile enclosures as well as the hot springs.

Memorable Meal: Another authentic Tico dinner of patacones, pan-fried tilapia, rice, papas fritas (essentially french fries) and a salad! Total clean plate club member!!  ($10/ person)

Day Four: On the road again to Monteverde
Before we shoved off to our next destination, we filled our bellies with another fantastic breakfast of fried eggs, gallo pinto, fried yucca, and hand-made tortillas. Along with this breakfast, we tried some homemade hot sauce and boy was it hot! Flames were being thrown like the now-dormant-but-once-fiery Volcano Arenal.

I was glad we filled our bellies early because the drive from El Castillo to Monteverde is a tough one! The road is 10 times worse than the road into El Castillo. The terrain is just chock full of rocks and deep pot-holes. A 4×4 car is a MUST, although we saw many a local drive it in their compact Civics and Kias. TIP: If you rent a car and are headed to the north-western area of CR, rent a 4×4, always. A lot of travel websites say you only need one in the wet season but I think you need one even in the dry season to handle the road conditions. Driving through the country really helps you get a great look at local life and, of course, the beautiful scenery. The mountains and hills near Monteverde are absolutely picturesque! It took us around 4 hours to get to there from El Castillo.

Day Five: Tarzan swing?
We had the most amazing time this morning, met new friends, foreign and local, while zipping around the canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. G and I like some high-flying adventure and that is what we got with The Original Canopy Tour group. We zip-lined from tree to tree, as high as 100 meters up in the air… absolutely thrilling!! What’s great about this kind of tour is that while you’re zipping around, you get the most beautiful backdrop to admire: the rainforest.

Afterwards, G and I hit up a couple local bars, Dos Amigos and Mata e Caña to soak up some local color. Both are great places to hang out and people watch. Make sure to make friends with Jorge at Mata e Caña, he’s a firecracker of a person! Doesn’t speak much English but if you try and speak some Spanish, you’ll end up with a friend, tequila shots, and great conversation!

Memorable Meal: For lunch we hit up a local taco stand and had 2 pork tacos and 1 beef for 3000 Colones (approx $6). They were topped with shredded lettuce, cheese, and a sour cream/ mayonnaise concoction. The tacos really hit the spot and they were convenient, fast, and tasty!  The taco stand is located just to the left of Pension Santa Elena Monteverde Hostel.  Just look for the porch where everyone is hanging out!

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Day Six: Beach time and New Years Eve!
The drive out of Monteverde is not much different from the drive in. Basically, it’s Mr. Toad’s Wild ride, just bumpier and at half the pace. Thankfully, we soon found out that after around 20kms, we hit pavement and smooth sailing. As soon as we got to our B&B, we changed into our bathing suits and hit the beach! Manuel Antonio is a popular destination for Costa Ricans and tourists to cool their heels with a beautiful beach backdrop. The atmosphere is decidedly relaxed and buzzing with a good time. There are a lot of beach side restaurants and bars you can pop into and grab a bite. The menus are catered to the Western tourist but you can find some Tico styled dishes like calamari in tomato broth from Las Gemelas (The Twins).

Memorable Meal: Agua Azul, hands down, is the coolest restaurant in Manuel Antonio. With a view to die for, the fusion fare served here is excellent matching the friendly staff’s service. Although we did not have a reservation, G and I were able to sit at the bar, which in my opinion was the best seat in the restaurant. Since it was after dark, the view was pretty much non-existent but my straight shot vantage point into the bustling kitchen was amazing. For our appetizer, we ordered their tuna tartar which was similar to Hawaiian tuna poke, served on cucumber slices and a crab rangoon fritter with sweet chile sauce. For our mains, we ordered a thai green curry with mussels, shrimp, fish, and veggies, served over udon noodles and a rack of pork ribs with a house-made currant BBQ sauce. Everything was delicious but the portion sizes were enormous. We probably could have shared one of the entrees and still have leftovers! It was a very expensive meal but well worth the $120 price tag, which included several rounds of drinks and a complimentary shot for NYE!

After this momentous meal, we headed down to the beach to ring in the new year! Bonfire, fireworks, and the peaceful and mellow sounds of Bob Marley pushed us into the wee hours of 2011.

Day Seven: Manuel Antonio National Park
After popping a few Advil for the mid-morning NYE haze, G and I headed out for a guided tour of Manuel Antonio National park. We had the tour arranged fairly last minute by our B&B. TIP: Make arrangements for a tour through your B&B or hotel. They can make a good recommendation for tour companies and sometimes will provide a discount! For $20 per person plus the $10 park entrance fee, you will get an in-depth over view of the park itself and the wildlife. Our guide, William, was a wealth of knowledge about the park and the inhabitants. He espoused the virtues of maintaining the natural life-cycles of the animals as not to contaminate the food chains and their environment. We were able to see many animals including the 3 toed sloth and two species of monkeys through a telescope for an upclose view and amazing pictures.

Day Eight: Bahia Drake, here we come!
G and I had so much fun in Manuel Antonio that we didn’t want to leave, but I knew that the Osa Peninsula and Bahia Drake would hold new adventures for us, so after a hearty breakfast of gallo pinto and fried eggs, we began our drive south. Most of the road down to the Osa Peninsula from Manuel Antonio is paved and easy to navigate. As you get to Chacarita and Rincon, the road begins to fill with pot-holes and then eventually, the paved road is no more. Again, the roads are rocky and very bumpy. Once you get within 30 kms of Bahia drake, the river crossings begin! Thankfully, the river is fairly low so the crossings were pretty easy. The one thing we learned about river crossings, keep straight and go slow without decelerating. Again, a 4×4 is a must! There is no way a regular sedan can cover this terrain. The whole trip from Manuel Antonio to Bahia drake took around 5 1/2 hours.

Day Nine: Beaches and waterfalls
With the jungle noises in full swing, I woke up to the chirping of birds, insects, and monkeys at 5:30 am in the morning. It was a glorious wake up call to start a fantastic day. The sun was shining and we were scheduled to take a 15 minute boat ride to a beach, then walk back to Bahia Drake which would take 2.5 hours. The beach was everything you want a beach to be, fairly deserted, fine sand, and gentle flowing waves. It was absolute paradise. After spending about an hour, G and I and some others that joined us started to make our way back to Drake. Along the way, we encountered a whimsical encampment offering canoe tours up the Rio Claro to several waterfalls. The trip up river was well worth the $12 price tag. The canoe trip was serene and soul fulfilling with a backdrop of the celadon and green rainforest. The waterfalls and natural pools were exhilarating and refreshing as we jumped from waterfall to waterfall. It was a great 2 1/2 hour detour on our way back to the bay. As we made our way back, we stopped from beach to beach, soaking up the sun and beauty of our surroundings.

Day Ten: Pepe and the Jacuzzi
Another early start and a great day ahead of us, we started with a nice breakfast of eggs over easy with gallo pinto and fresh fruit. TIP: Take advantage of the plentiful supply of exotic fruits, pineapple, papaya, watermelon, bananas guava, guanabana, etc. Something is always in season in Costa Rica! Pepe is a local of Bahia Drake that owns acres and acres of primary rainforest land. He values the nature the way it was intended and has not touched most of his property. We started with an hour horseback ride to his home, and then tromped around the rainforest without any trails. Eventually, Pepe lead us to a hidden lagoon and waterfall, including a natural jacuzzi. The force of the water was so immense that I had to hold onto my bikini bottoms!! Back at his home, his wife Maria, a Reiki master, prepared us a delicious meal of tuna soup, potato egg salad, beef in gravy, spanish rice, and a coconut flan. Most of the food was prepared in the most unusual way, a solar stove. It’s a huge inverted aluminum dome powered by harnessing the sun’s rays. It was the most peculiar kitchen utensil I’ve ever seen but economical as well as environmental! Pepe and his family were truly inspiring, spreading the gospel of nature and using our environment to our advantage.  Our adventure tour plus meal only cost $40/ person, well worth the cost.

Day Eleven: Corcovado National Park
We started the morning early… very early! At 6 am we took an hour long boat ride to a beach in Corcovado National Park. Along the way, we saw a baby humpback whale breach the surface. What a chill inducing sight! From that moment on, we knew it was going to be a great day! Although it was raining the first half of the day, as we hiked along the Sirena trail in Corcovado, the rain subsided and allowed the sun to come out. Corcovado was called by National Geographic as “the most biologically intense place on earth.” They were not wrong. We saw over 30 different birds including pelicans, hawks, vultures, parrots, woodpeckers, sandpipers, and macaws. We also encounter a troop of wild pigs, all four types of monkeys: spider, squirrel, howler, and capuchin, crocodiles, lizards, and the most exciting of all, a sleeping tapir. G and I were in awe of the diversity of the wildlife and flora in Corcovado. This is an amazing place and if you have the opportunity to visit, I wholeheartedly recommend it. It will change your life.

After that amazing hike, we boated back to the bay and decided to have a meal in town at the Bahia Drake Restaurant and Bar. Curt, an American ex-pat from Ohio, runs and cooks at the restaurant and does everything to order. He acquires whatever veggies that are fresh from the farm and of course, all of his seafood is caught in the bay that morning. We started out with an order of patacones with a fresh tomato and onion salsa and then ordered the whole red snapper grilled in a banana leaf served with sauteed vegetables and mashed potatoes ($7/ person). Fresh, fresh, and fresh!

Day Twelve: R&R on vacation
After 11 days of non-stop action, my husband and I decided to take a breather and relax. The night before, Miguel, the owner of our B&B overheard my husband talking about my new venture as a caterer/personal chef. He came over to me and asked if I would like to cook dinner the next night for all the guests. I happily agreed and immediately began to feel nervous. After breakfast, I went over to the kitchen and started to prep for dinner with their in-house chef, Subita. On the menu was an avocado black bean dip served with potato crisps, pumpkin apple soup, and garlic, rosemary, and oregano marinated red snapper (was swimming earlier that morning) served with rice and chayote. Subita provided the dessert, a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. It was a lot of work, prepping and finishing 14 servings but it was all worth it. The guest were satisfied and of course, I got a huge ego boost! It was the most perfect way to end my vacation!

Costa Rica is truly a gem of a country. The people, the food, and the wildlife are absolutely spectacular. Like their country’s motto, Costa Rica is truly Pura Vida!

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Boston – From A Local’s Eye

by Jen Tsai on 2011/02/01 in Featured Article, Food and Travel

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This month I’m going for something different. I know I’m always writing about Japanese cuisines. Well, that’s because I’m living in Japan!! However, when you let a girl go back stateside after 2 years of not being able to fulfill those cravings, she might tend to go a little crazy. Well that’s what happened when I visited Boston for a month during the Christmas holidays. No, I am not from Boston, however, I did spend all my time with Bostonians. Being driven around by Bostonians on sunny and snowy days, I visited their favourite places to eat, which in turn became my favourite places to dine at. So here is my top 10 list from a local’s eye.

1) Minado –- This is one of the very few buffets you can find in the Boston area — and a Japanese buffet at that! Located in Natick, Minado is a good place to go if you want to have some sushi, tempura, and miso soup. Open for lunch and dinner, Minado has a wide variety of dishes served. If you are not a big fan of raw food, there is an excellent hot selection as well.

2) Jimmy’s Steer House — Being away from America for so long, its hard to come by a larger selection of steaks without having to pay an arm and a leg for it. With only two locations in Boston, Arlington and Saugus, Jimmy’s Steak House is a nice, cozy, family restaurant. I highly recommend trying their baked crab meat pies. Although I devoured my steak and baked potato first, everyone else at my table automatically went for the crab meat pie! When I finally got to it, I have to say, I was sad I didn’t follow suit!

3) New Saigon Sandwich –- Being able to satisfy my Vietnamese cravings only once a year by going to Hong Kong (must visit Vietnam), eating my fill of Vietnamese cuisine was something I absolutely had to do. Although it’s not as good as in other cities, New Saigon Sandwich in Chinatown was my top pick after trying several different Vietnamese cold cut shops. One slight disappointment for me was, when I asked for my sandwich to be spicy, I expected to have a good portion of the spicy pepper stuck in between the bread and the fillings. However, all I got for spicy was just the typical Vietnamese hot sauce, something I could have done when I got home. Other than that, the two that I ate curved my craving, for the time being.

4) Cabots –- One thing I keep hearing about is how awesome and delicious Cabots ice cream is. After two years of hearing about it, I finally got to see what all the commotion was all about at their restaurant in Newton. All I have to say is, “WOW!!!” Cabots is not only an ice creamery, but a restaurant as well. Because we went there twenty minutes before they closed, we were unable to order from their extensive food menu; we were limited to ice cream. For me that was just fine even though it was in the single digits outside (Celsius). Only thing wrong with this place? The limitless selection! I can honestly say, I took forever to decide because there were so many types of ice cream I wanted!

5) Bedford Farms -– Another ice creamery outside of Boston in Bedford, I came here two years ago on my first trip to Boston by bike. Yep, Bedford Farms was my reward for biking… a girl has to keep her up her energy! Like Cabots, Bedford Farms has a vast selection of different flavors of ice cream; unfortunately no burgers, but that’s ok!

6) Red Sky -– a modern, trendy bar and lounge by Faneuil Hall. I had to visit this place after hearing about their Scorpion Bowl where dry ice is used to create a cool steaming effect. However, because we went during a weekday our drink lacked the special effects as there was no dry ice in stock. Still, it’s worthwhile to visit on a weekday during happy hour, when all appetizers are half price.

7) Mike’s Pastry -– One of oldest and most popular Italian pastry shops found in the North End, their pastry goods are well known throughout the area. Be prepared to wait in line! For a Thursday afternoon, when its usually pretty slow, Mike’s Pastry had people waiting in line which stretched out the door and onto the sidewalk. Even with a full staff at the counters, we still had to wait in line for twenty minutes. The wait was worth it! Just having one bite of their plain cannolli’s made me forget about the long wait and had me craving more.

8) Anna’s Taqueria — Anna’s has been a long time favorite place of my boyfriend, and still is. If you ever want to eat some Mexican burritos or quesadillas, Anna’s Taqueria is the place to go. Their super beef burritos are truly super and quesadillas are delicious. I will keep coming back to this establishment for some bean less burritos!

9) Wing It –- I wasn’t actually able to make it to Wing It this trip, but I hear the wings are to die for. Serving up 21 different flavors of chicken wings, you’re guaranteed to find the right flavor for yourself. If by some reason you or your friend(s) aren’t big on wings, they serve up ribs too!

10) Nantucket Nectars -– this isn’t really a “eat” as it is a “drink”! Nantucket Island situated off the coast of Massachusetts, is the home of Nantucket Nectars. I literally tried this juice about 30 minutes before boarding the plane bound for Newark and on to Tokyo. A lot of flavor is packed in to that one bottle. I only wished the airport restaurant in front of my gate had the mango-orange flavor. So here you have it.

Of the two times I’ve visited Boston, these were the most memorable places for me and where I will surely return to on my next visit – perhaps this coming summer? If so, I’m sure to add more restaurants and establishments from the Cape all the way to Gloucester!

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Foods of Hawaii: Maui and Oahu

by Samantha Wong on 2011/01/25 in Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide, North America

Hawaii (like so many other places in America) is so highly mythologized, it’s hard to know what’s what! First, there are 7 islands, then those are further broken down into cities and districts… I just want to know: where I can surf, where I can swim with dolphins, where I can hike the dormant volcano, and most importantly, where I can delight in some of that authentic, delicious Hawaiian food?!

I was fortunate enough to explore firsthand a bit of Maui and Oahu. Giving a brief introduction of the Islands: Maui is commonly thought of as “the best” island in Hawaii, because of it’s breathtaking beauty. It really is postcard perfect, with vast stretches of sandy beach, gorgeous sunsets, and everything seems to cater to romance and couples. I would definitely visit Maui with my significant other to marvel at nature and just enjoy the company of my beloved. Honolulu is the largest city in the Hawaiian islands and the capital of Hawaii. It is situated on Oahu and has popular tourist attractions such as Pearl Harbour, the Dole plantation, and Turtle Bay (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, hello!). Waikiki is a beach/ neighbourhood of Honolulu. I preferred Honolulu as there are more things to do there: shopping (hello, 5% tax!), touring, and of course, eating!

I was only in Maui for two brief days. One day was spent snorkelling in the Molokini crater (overrated, especially when compared to my snorkelling experience in Boracay – I think I definitely would have had a better experience scuba diving as there was so much more going on down below – put that on the list: learn to scuba), and the other was spent wandering the gorgeous hotel grounds. Only one dining experience stood out: Star Noodle. Located in Lahaina (the largest town in Maui), Star Noodle is an Asian fusion restaurant that can stand next to the likes of Ippudo in NY!! The menu was created by chef Sheldon Simeon, and as I was dining with 3 other foodies, we decided to go nuts in regards to ordering!! Star Kim Chee, $3 USD, was lightly spicy and crisp. The Star Ramen, $9, was of course ordered. How can we not, it shares the name with the restaurant (and is hence the signature dish)! However, that, and the Udon, $7, while the noodle chewiness were good, were both average-nothing-to-write-home-about noodle dishes. The Garlic Noodles, $6 small/ $10 large, were fantastic however: the noodles were chewy and flavourful, and not a scrap was left. The Singapore noodles, $12, which were likewise wonderful. For the sake of brevity, the Miso Salmon, $9, (tender!) Seafood Dynamite, $18, (creamy and mayonnaise-y and like nothing I’ve had before) Pork Buns, $9, (So yummy) Brussels Sprouts, $9, (are you sure it’s not bacon masquerading as a vegetable?) were all dishes I would recommend highly. The desserts were a no brainer for us: four people, four desserts. Malasadas, $5, while presentation perfect, were heavier and more solid than expected. Mango Pudding, $5, was light and fresh with that nice distinct mango flavour. Annin Tofu, $5, was my favourite dessert of the night, as it tasted of Hawaii; I’ll leave you to imagine the light tropical taste. Star Screams, $7, came in Yuzu Raspberry, Gen Mai Tea, and Sangria. Their sorbets were awesome, almost as if I was enjoying the exact food in sorbet form; they also added more kick to the Malasadas. We opted not to visit Mama’s Fish House due to poor weather, but apparently it is a “must visit” restaurant in Maui. I hear the food, while not particularly standout, is accompanied by the most beautiful view.

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Star Noodle:
(808) 667-5400
286 Kupuohi St
Lahaina, HI 96761

Mama’s Fish House:
799 Poho Place
Paia, HI 96779, United States
(808) 579-8488

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Moving on to Honolulu. I highly recommend Hiroshi if you’re looking for some yakiniku. They have US and Australian Wagyu (helloooo $120 australian rib eye steak – yeah right) and other more suitably priced dishes such as beef tongue, $15, US Kobe Kalbi, $23, Yukejang soup, $9.50, Roasted Garlic, $6… and let’s not forget their ice cream cream puffs which you can melt a bit on the grill, $4, or the Bubbies Ice Cream Cake, $5.50. This restaurant is hip and has a bit of the Oh-Taisho/ Guu drinking atmosphere, but the food is so delicious it’s redeemed in the eyes of my parents. Further, this place is also kid friendly! Think one year old baby friendly. Definitely a place for everyone to visit! Ramen places run rampant in Hawaii thanks to Hawaii’s large Japanese population. I’m definitely a fan of Ramen Nakamura (go here vs. Ezogiku) as their noodles are perfectly textured, the broth is flavourful, and the prices are right! We ordered Ox Tail Shio, Miso, and Shoyu (between $8.70-12.90), and you also have the option of getting the combo meal with gyoza. Tip: get the gyoza… I am not a gyoza fan but their gyoza is incredible.

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Hiroshi:
339 Royal Hawaiian Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96805
(808) 923-0060

Ramen Nakamura:
2141 Kalakaua Avenue # 1, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
+1 808-922-7960 ‎

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Without a doubt Sasabune is the dining experience that stands out in my mind. It’s fine dining for Japanese food, and the chef is a well known “Sushi Nazi”, who has been known to kick people out of his restaurant for eating his creations wrong! Sasabune’s slogan is “trust me”; instead of ordering, you have a set meal plan where when you are nearing satiety, you tell your waiter to stop. If you make it past the 13 dishes, you can request new dishes or favourite courses to be repeated. The sashimi, nestled on a perfectly proportioned bed of rice, is already lightly seasoned with soya sauce, and your waiters will give you directions how best to appreciate your course. I don’t want to reveal your entire course meal here, but expect dishes such as melt-in-your-mouth Canadian Albacore Tuna with Ponzu, California Baby Calamari stuffed with Blue Crab, Kampachi from Japan with shiso (a mint leaf) in the middle, South African Rock Lobster tail… truly, a must visit restaurant.

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Sasabune:
1417 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814, United States
(808) 947-3800

Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin specializes up delicious tonkatsu, but make sure to NOT allow any other customers cut you in the line; despite a reservation, we had to wait as another party rudely stole our table! The thick cut pork loin katsu, $23, is fantastic and their Original Bairin Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, $10, was worth the bother of checking through security to enjoy on the plane ride home. Puka Dog, surprisingly, is not created by a Hawaiian, but rather, a Swedish enterpreneur! This hot dog joint has a three step process: Hot dog (Polish or Veggie), Garlic Lime “Secret Sauce” (Mild to Hot-Hot), and Tropical topping (Mango, Pineapple… perhaps Starfruit?) The bun is not your average fold-open bun, but rather a sweet, chewy bread (think chinese bun bread) with one opening where you slide in the hot dog. Puka dog was on our list, thanks to Anthony Bourdain, but we should have held out for Hank’s Haute Dogs. We stumbled upon this gem as we were walking back from Pukadog… alas, if only there was more time! A place I will make a point of visiting next time, Hank’s has been featured on Diner’s, Drive-in’s, and Dives. We visited the satellite stand (as opposed to the store) and had the Chicago, $4.95, and the Hawaiian dog, $4.25. Had we visited the main store (early in the day and a certain day — different days feature different daily specials) we could have sampled choice offerings such as an Alligator dog (!!!), Lobster Dog, Duck and Fois Gras Dog, or Kobe dog!!!! AGHHHH!!! Visit… and tell me how epic your hot dog was.

Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin:
Outrigger Regency Beachwalk
255 Beach Walk
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 926-8082

Puka Dog:
2301 Kuhio Avenue # 2
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: 808 924-7887

Hank’s Haute Dogs:
324 Coral Street, Honolulu, HI – (808) 532-4265
2330 Kalakaua Ave # 100, Honolulu, HI – (808) 924-9933

Up in the North Shore (surfers galore), are shrimp trucks. We only visited one, Giovanni’s Original White Shrimp and while I can’t say the drive up was worth it, if you’re up there, I’d definitely stop in to sample some of their Lemon Butter Shrimp, Shrimp Scampi, and Hot and Spicy shrimp. How hot is their Hot and Spicy? Let’s put it this way… the guy taking our order laughed and just smiled at me when I asked “how hot”. It’s REAL hot. At $13 a plate, you might be better off playing it safe with the Lemon Butter.

Giovanni’s Original White Shrimp Truck:
56-505 Kamehameha Highway
Kahuku, HI 96731

(PS: Don’t you love how there’s an address for a shrimp truck? This place has set up business!!)

The Luau at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, held every Monday night, is reckoned as one of Honolulu’s best (by fellow food trotters… as this was my first time, I have no frame of reference). From a luau n00b’s point of view, despite the lack of roast pig, the food was fabulous, the service was friendly and efficient, and the show was greatly entertaining: precision-perfect military skits, beautiful hawaiian girls shaking what their mama’s gave them in their grass skirts, fire dancing, and a rock and roll performance by a ukelele virtuoso. Oh yes, did I mention open bar?

Royal Hawaiian
2259 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
(808) 923-7311

House Without A Key in the Halekulani Hotel was by far, the most lacklustre meal… not to mention one of the most expensive! The sunset is gorgeous and we took around 183626 photos but after the Luau of the previous night and the expectations (oh, expectations… it’s not good to have you!) HWAK is somewhere I’d recommend you to skip. If you’re looking for a stand out hotel meal, visit Surf Lanai, again at the Royal Hawaiian. The Wagyu Burger, $20, Island Poke Trio, $18, and Big Island Surf Salad, $35, were all fantastically delicious, well portioned, and reasonably priced.

House Without A Key
2199 Kalia Road
Honolulu, HI 96815-1936, United States
(808) 923-2311

Surf Lanai:
2259 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
(808) 923-7311

One last recommendation! Right before our flight, we (my foodie friend and I) hurried to Matsugen. If you like soba, or even if you don’t: visit this place. Their noodles, prices, atmosphere, everything….. is a huge LIKE. Tip: do not rush this meal, as the servers (while friendly and lovely) are older and really do not know what “rush order” means. Besides which, this meal doesn’t deserve to be wolfed down.

Matsugen
255 Beachwalk
Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
(808) 926-0255

Food Trotters: Have you visited any of these places? What do you think of my recommendations, and what recommendations do you have for me, the next time I visit Hawaii?

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