Tag Archives: food and travel

Bondi Beach Bum

by charlene on 2011/05/19 in Australia, Foodie Guide

What makes a good beach? 3 words: Sun, Sand and Surf. Bondi beach is perfect for all you beach bums whether it’s an adrenaline rush or a lazy chill out at the beach you seek. In all honesty, it’s one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to. I love the sand here… it’s so soft and gentle on the skin as compared to that yellow grainy sand typically found at other beaches (ugh!)

However, what really gives Bondi it’s edge is this little cosy cafe called Trio (56 Campbell Parade). My friend and I decided to try it out after researching for good food at Bondi. A TIP: google search items such as “best food in Sydney”, “Best restaurants in Sydney”. It’s really helpful to find good places worth spending your money on; the more reviews, chances are the better it is.

Back to Trio.

The half an hour waiting time did not reside well with our growling tummies, but luckily we had our determination to see us through!

Trio is a great place for a catch-up brunch with the girls or guys. It is somewhat fusion, as they are inspired by middle eastern and mediterranean cuisines. A word of caution though, you may feel slightly disappointed at the limited variety of dishes they offer. They have only about 15 items on the menu which was a small setback for me because I love choices- plenty of them.

We decided to order “Boss eggs” which are scrambled eggs with feta & truffle oil served with sourdough toast, avocado & prosciutto, “Charcoal grilled banana bread”, “corn fritters”, and an eggplant dish consisting of grilled eggplant, hummus, and toast. Initially when the food came, we were slightly disappointed. It looked pretty simple, something that we could do at home instead of spending all this money to eat. But it was so worth it.

Ever had a moment when you bit into your first bite and it’s so good that you just don’t want to talk? The meal was practically eaten in silence. The eggplant dish was delicious; the combination of eggplant and hummus on toast was perfect. The corn fritters were crisp and satisfying and what separated it from other corn fritters I’ve tried was the smoky flavor of the tomato chutney.

The charcoal grilled Banana bread smelt heavenly, and the comforting scent of vanilla and bananas filled the room as the waitress walked towards our table. The large portion of the bread and of course it’s smell caused the diners around to look at us (possibly in envy hehe). The moist chewy texture of the Banana bread went well together with the sweet cream that it came with. The cream was not too heavy or sweet which would have been overwhelming for the dish.

The real big boss of the day however was the Boss eggs dish. It is my firm belief that everyone should try boss eggs at least once in your lifetime. The only word to describe Boss eggs is “Epiphany”. That’s how I felt when I tucked into that delicious dish… the truffle enhanced the flavor of the eggs that made it mind-blowingly delicious. The flavor was deepened with the inclusion of prosciutto ham which gave it a textured salty layer… I am smiling just thinking about it.

A brunch at Trio shouldn’t be missed! Expect to pay about $25 for a good meal, but I spent over $40 though out of pure greed.

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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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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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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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Food Memories of Sydney Australia

by Karen Baksi on 2010/12/16 in Australia, Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide, International

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Once upon a time (1770 to be exact), Australia was an island that was claimed by Britain and used as a far-away place to send their convicted criminals to serve out their sentences in a penal colony. Today, it has evolved into a self-governing Commonwealth realm. In contrast with the Anglo-Saxon criminals it was once settled by in the late 18th century, it is now a country with pockets of diverse ethnic populations, especially in the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne. Because of this diversity, the cuisine has taken a decidedly delicious turn. In my down under experiences, I realized that Australia not only has beautiful scenery, a wealth of culture, but also a diversity of cuisine that will really surprise the traveler’s palette.

After a 14 hour flight from SFO, I was anxious to get out and see the attractions: the Harbour Bridge and Opera House alone are juggernauts of sight-seeing!  They are magnificent structures that help bring countless tourists to its shores.  Along Darling Harbour – where the Opera House sits – there are several high end seafood restaurants on the pier.  My Aussie hosts and I decided to pursue a potentially “touristy” path and sit outside and enjoy some of the fruits of the sea with a glass of champagne. Needless to say, when the platter came out, I was in absolute heaven. Crabs, oysters, and these curious creatures called “bay bugs” were laid out for us to enjoy. Bay bugs are a type of flathead lobster similar to the Pacific spiny lobster. The meat has the consistency of lobster but is not as sweet. And the oysters were absolutely gigantic!  They were very tasty: creamy in texture with a wonderful hint of the salty ocean. I, personally, prefer smaller oysters like the Kumamoto, but the flavor of the Sydney Rock oyster is fantastic. As is typical for raw bars, the bill was quite hefty (the champagne didn’t help!) This is a splurge moment, not for a frugal traveler. These types of places command their premium for location and food quality, but sometimes it is worth the price.

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As I explored more of Sydney, I stumbled into Chinatown, located near the harbour on Haymarket.  This is Australia’s largest Chinatown. This bustling neighborhood offers a huge mix of grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, food stands, and clothing & jewelry stores. Chinatown is always buzzing with activity… people walking through, visiting, or conducting business and, of course, eating. Common in Chinatowns, there are food courts with different kinds of Asian cuisines.  It’s a cheap and fun way to explore the the local ethnic foods, and Sydney is no exception. Amongst the Thai soups, Vietnamese noodles, Chinese Dim Sum, and Mongolian BBQ, there was a Malaysian Roti stand. I ordered one roti canai, which is a type of flatbread served with a coconut milk curry. The roti was perfect, soft in the center but crispy on the outer edges.  It went very well with the coconut milk curry, slightly sweet and pretty spicy.  Although my roti was a savory snack, it can also be accompanied with condensed milk for a sweet treat.  My wallet was also happy since the roti canai cost me $3.50 AUD ($3.29 USD).

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Now, a travel food article about Australia cannot be complete without a mention of the unofficial Australian “national dish”: the meat pie. A meat pie is an individual sized pastry containing diced or minced meat and gravy.  There are various interpretations of the dish, some have been refined for fine dining but most meat pies are often eaten as a convenient to-go snack. They are even sold in most local convenience stores, mostly minced meat and gravy types served with tomato sauce (ketchup). My first meat pie in Australia was at the famous and aptly called “Australian Hotel” near the historic “Rocks” area of Sydney harbor. I ordered a beef and bock pie made with Australian beef braised in a bock style beer. It was definitely a little more upscale with puff pastry and a price tag of $18.90 AUD ($17.75 USD). Nevertheless, the beer infused gravy – slightly bitter and rich – was a nice complement to the succulent beef and the flaky puff pastry crust. I also sampled a beef and tomato pie at a Brumby’s, an Australian chain bakery. This pie tasted more like a sloppy joe, salty and slightly sweet, making it a satisfying snack. I can understand why Aussies are so crazy for these bite size pies!

Australia was an amazing place!  My three weeks went by so quickly, but my experiences culinary, and otherwise will always remain deeply in my heart.

[Pictures courtesy of Karen, ifood, ICCTA, and gamespot]

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How to Avoid Catching a Travel Bug

by Wei Su on 2010/09/30 in Featured Article, Food and Travel

With travelling comes adventure, excitement, breathtaking scenery, learning, delicious food, fashion lessons, people watching, laughs, and fun. However, trying to pack in so many sights and experiences can easily lead to sore feet from accumulated mileage while roaming new territory (in poor footwear no less!), restless nights from jet lag or snoring travel buddies (which leads into fatigue), stress caused from missed trains or language barriers, and/ or digestive upset from sampling street vendor specialties. All things listed can ultimately lead to sniffles, runny noses, and high fevers upon returning to reality. Even worse, while one is still travelling! Superiors and colleagues have no sympathy for extra days needed off for recovery post travel when there are deadlines to meet, clients to coddle, and upcoming projects to consider. So how can one make the most of enjoying an exotic location and avoid the physical discomfort and disappointment of returning home red nosed and incapacitated? Food Trotter is here to recommend easy ways to eat (or drink!) your way to a strong immune system while you are abroad or even at home!

Go Gaga for:

1) Water: “Don’t drink the water” is a bit of travelling wisdom that many follow. The most recent popular scene that comes to mind is, of course, Charlotte from Sex and the City pooping her pants after swallowing a bit of shower water in Mexico. We would all like to steer clear of surprise accidents, but getting enough water is crucial. Water is essential for proper circulation of blood and electrolytes, absorption of nutrients, and elimination of toxins from our bodies. Without water our bodies aren’t being properly flushed out, and a ugly bout of scratchy throat and runny nose may follow. Some early symptoms of dehydration include fatigue, headache, cramping, nausea, and dizziness… all things we would like to avoid, especially when trying to have a good time. So make sure you are getting an adequate eight glasses of water daily on your travels. However, do your due diligence and plan ahead; if you are visiting a country or area without safe drinking water, consider bringing a water filter, kettle to boil local water, water treatment tablets, or stick to bottled water.

2) Fruits and Veggies: We know that eating fruits and vegetables is a great way to keep your immune system healthy since they are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. The high amount of fibre will also keep things, um, regular and help toxins pass through your bod. There are many many people who do not eat enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, so how will you manage to eat enough on your travels when you are busy sampling all the local specialties? If your temporary home has a kitchenette, fantastic! Hit up a grocery store or market and load up on fresh produce and tropical or exotic fruit (depending on where you are in the world) and store said products in mini fridge. Bring these along for snacks and fill up on them for breakfast (salad for breakfast is completely normal in my books, btw!) This still leaves you lunch and dinner to wine and dine at the famous restaurants or discover the local gems at the must-go-to hole-in-the-wall’s. If you are concerned about eating raw fruits and vegetables, ease your mind by rinsing them with your boiled or bottled water. If no kitchenette is available, just remember to order at least some delicious immune supporting greens with all your meals (the darker the better — think kale and spinach as opposed to head lettuce, and unfortunately, no, french fries do not count as a vegetable!) If all this sounds unrealistic, I would suggest bringing a greens supplement/powder (e.g Vital Greens, Greens+, Green Defense) to keep your health optimal, or at buying some dried fruits for snacks pre- travels. Also, make sure to load up on fruits and vegetables pre and post travels.

3) Probiotics: 70% of the body’s immune cells can be found in the digestive tract. Simple logic would hence lead us to infer that a healthy gut would lead to a healthy immune system. Probiotics are good bacteria which help to create an optimally balanced floral environment in the digestive system. They ward away and prevent bad bacteria from proliferating, like a defense army in your body, and are even useful to combat traveler’s diarrhea. Depending on where in the world you are, you most likely will be able to get your hands on some probiotic rich foods (e.g. Yogurt, kefir, saukraut, kimchi.) Alternatively, bring a probiotic supplement with you on your journey. Visit your local health food store prior to your travels to get some assistance on what the best product for you would be.

We hope Food Trotter’s travel guide for a strong immune system keeps you symptom free while on your journey and upon your return. Along with your water, greens, and probiotics, ditch the immune suppressors by pulling the reins on too much refined sugar, excessive alcohol, and caffeine. Wishing you safe, healthy, adventuresome and delicious travels!

[Photo courtesy of: Destination]

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Beijing Quick Notes Pt 2!!! Food Trotting in Twenty-four Hours

by Samantha Wong on 2010/09/21 in Asia, Food and Travel

In the first installment of Beijing Quick Notes, I touched on transportation and key sights to see. This time, I’m going to explain about the “Beijing Experience”! So what exactly is a “Beijing Experience”? Basically, it’s my guide to “must do’s if you only have twenty-four hours” in a city. I’m sure you’d include at least one of the popular tour attractions listed in Quick notes part 1, so let me break down real quick your imaginary (but very possible) travel itinerary!

00:00 – Arrive Beijing
01:30 – Airport to hotel/ wherever you’re staying
05:00 – Partying. Vics or Mix (keep the night clubs classic…. there is lots of fantastic night life in the city but Vics and Mix at GongTi Bei Lu 工体北路 are huge impressive clubs… no line up, ever; private room or at least table and a bottle of goose between ten people is $15CND-$20 each. or $50 for three people. It’s a cheap night with plenty of dance music… in Vics there are two main rooms where you can groove to hop-hop or techno; Mix has three rooms to choose from. I’ve actually gotten lost in Mix: “I’m by the stage! no no, the OTHER stage. the stage in the downstairs room, what?!” but I enjoyed wandering around the impressive rooms and people (read: creature) watching
7:30 – Travel time to….
09:00 – Great Wall. There are many different parts to visit, with the best scenery, least travel time, and smallest crowd ratio going to MuTianYu 慕田峪. The walk isn’t very strenuous, this is the part of the wall Clinton visited (you know it’s good when China shows off that section a US president!), and it takes around 2-3 hours to reach. You however, are on a time crunch, so you’ll probably visit BaDaLing 八达岭, which is just over an hour- 1.5 hours to visit. This part of the wall makes for good photos (MuTianYu is better) and since you’re somewhat relatively early, you shouldn’t have to deal with the hoards of crowds.
13:00 – arrive back Beijing. After a quick lunch of noodles at almost any local chinese restaurant (3-8RMB, aka $0.50-$1 is standard pricing) you’re off to your massage! There are endless parlours in Beijing from the upscale to the blind (if they can’t see they feel your knots and can massage them out more effectively, or so it is advertised), but living like a local, I really REALLY loved a place in WuDaoKou 五道口 at the HuaQingJiaYuan 华清嘉园 housing complex called YiRunTang 颐润堂. I am probably (definitely) biased however, as I had the best masseuse in the world… #29. He’s since been headhunted to southern China to work as a personal masseuse for a company CEO (how do I know all this? Of course, I email with my friend my masseuse, hahaha!) but there is still #26….. another amazing masseuse. Actually, he gives a better massage, but #29 is friendly and chatty as well, with zero creep factor. You can get 1.5 hours of massage for 58 RMB ($10!) I recommend splitting that time if you want to do other things (like maybe get a drink at a cafe and explore the wudaokou area a bit); one hour on foot massage, and half and hour for your back… but personally, I would forgo wandering around for a 3 hour massage…. awesome.
18:00 – freshen up and travel time
19:00 – Time to get your Peking duck on. What’s a trip to Beijing without Peking duck?! It’s like travelling to Italy sans pizza. Mexico sans tacos. France without crepes… it’s just wrong. I personally favour QuanJuDe (literally translated: the whole duck).
22:00 – Back to the airport… you have to include travel time and waiting at the gate you know..!

In Beijing Quick Notes Pt 3: Restaurants for the Food Trotter with time to spare

[Photos courtesy of harryalverson]

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Hakone’s Owakudani Black Egg

by Jen Tsai on 2010/08/24 in Asia, Food and Travel

One thing that most Japanese people would tell you is that when visiting Tokyo, Japan you must go to the onsen (hot spring) in Hakone. Located approximately 1.5 hours east of Tokyo by the Odakyu Romance Car, Hakone is one of the most famous onsen towns in Japan. With over 50 hotels, ryokans (Japanese inns), and hostels in the area, you have many options to choose from. Beyond the relaxing sulphuric hot springs, the picturesque view of Mt. Fuji on a clear day (note: winter is the best time to view Mt. Fuji), and numerous small museums and attractions in the Hakone area, many people come to Hakone for the special Owakudani black egg.

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Oyster Love

by Samantha Wong on 2010/08/12 in Food and Travel, North America


Oysters are one of those foods people either love or hate. Clearly, as the title of my post is oyster LOVE, I am on the love side. But no worries… if you haven’t yet been converted, let me share my top five reasons to love oysters!

1) What other foods yield precious accessories? A chicken burger? pfft.
2) Oysters are incredibly healthy: they are low in fat, cholesterol and calories (a dozen oysters are around 75 cals!) and high in essential minerals. Further, oysters are a great source of vitamins… A, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C (ascorbic acid), and D (calciferol) to name a few!
3) Oysters are an aphrodisiac! Actually, there is little evidence of oysters imparting sexual powers, but IMHO sexual prowess is in the mind. Eating a few oysters with someone you are trying to flirt with will certainly allow you (or him… or her!) to nudge the conversation in that direction…
4) They can be enjoyed in a panoply of ways: do you like them best roasted, rockafeller style, in soups, motoyaki style, or raw?
5) They just taste so darn good! You know how when you were eleven and had your first sip of wine, how disgusting it was? I hope that you appreciate wine now, so you can get my parallel example here (and so you can enjoy life a little bit more), but yes… back to my example: If you weren’t an immediate oyster lover, after a bit of perseverance, I have no doubt you will become an oyster lover!

If I’ve managed to pique your interest, jump for some oyster types to try out and location recommendations (Vancouver and San Fran) to taste test them!

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Seven days in the Canadian maritimes on a Chinese bus tour: Day One

by Jing on 2010/08/11 in Food and Travel, North America

On day one of my seven day trip around the Canadian Maritimes, I had the opportunity to see how potato chips were made, and I walked along the longest covered bridge in the world. Unfortunately, no one told me there would be such excessive amounts of travel time involved and thankfully the bus driver stayed awake to drive the entire time. (Note: I’ve been known to pass out while driving.)

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