tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-210728732024-03-13T09:35:29.101-04:00Pigging Out in NYCEating adventures in NYC and beyondErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-62318432051325192152013-12-15T20:55:00.004-05:002013-12-15T20:55:54.768-05:00The Madrid "Ultimate Spanish Cuisine" Food Tour<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orejas</td></tr>
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"These are delicious!" exclaimed J, chewing on the <i>orejas</i> (pigs ears) laid out on our table at Casa Toni. I assented, preferring the more succinct "yum" to escape out of my lips. The rest of our group were busy partaking of the other dishes - <i>pimientos de padron</i> (peppers), <i>callos</i> (tripe), <i>chipirones</i> (cuttlefish), among others. <br />
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This feast of Spanish dishes was the culmination of our <a href="http://madridfoodtour.com/ultimate-spanish-cuisine-tour/" target="_blank">Ultimate Spanish Cuisine</a> food tour, one of the tours run by <a href="http://madridfoodtour.com/about/" target="_blank">Madrid Food Tours</a>. Our group of six tourists and foodies had spent the last four and a half (!) hours together, walking and tasting around Madrid's center, and although most of us were stuffed, there's always a little more room for great eats. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casa Toni</td></tr>
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I am a lover of Spanish food; well, of food in general, and of food tours. The more memorable ones I have taken were in New York City (numerous!), Istanbul, San Sebastian and Quebec City.<br />
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However, for sheer length (again, 4.5 hours!) and volume of food there was no comparison to the Ultimate Spanish Cuisine food tour - I felt so stuffed afterwards that I had to take dessert from La Mallorquina to go!<br />
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The tour doesn't cover that great of a distance, sticking mainly to the Puerto del Sol area, and included stops at a couple of my favorites, Chocolateria de San Gines and Mercado San Miguel (this is my second time in Madrid). <br />
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I won't give away the rest of the tastings, but suffice it to say that all the food was delicious, and you definitely get your money's worth. Our tour leader, <a href="http://iwantmybabybackribs.blogspot.com/#!" target="_blank">Paula Movil</a>, a native of Guatemala who has settled in Madrid, was a lot of fun and helpful in answering most of the group's (mostly mine) questions.<br />
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The tour is a must for those who are well-versed in Spanish food but need guidance in discovering reputable shops and restaurants, and also if you're not quite familiar with some dishes but have an adventurous spirit. Thus, the pigs' ears and tripe, two specialties that tend to polarize diners, but in our group's case, there was near unanimity on how delicious they tasted. <br />
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Sadly, due to other commitments I didn't have time to join any of the other gastronomic experiences offered by Madrid Food Tours, but will definitely do so on my next visit to Madrid. <br />
<br />Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-86569589706079521612013-12-05T23:32:00.001-05:002013-12-05T23:35:44.287-05:00Mercado San Anton, Madrid<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mercado San Anton</td></tr>
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Sure, like every other tourist in Madrid you've visited and possibly had a relaxing cup of <i>cafe con leche</i> in Plaza Mayor, and afterwards jostled fellow tourists for space at the food counters of the neighboring foodie paradise <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/travel/26heads.html?_r=0" target="_blank">Mercado San Miguel</a>, or waited interminably for your turn to order those mouth-watering <i>jamon iberico</i> sandwiches, or duck foie gras <i>tapas</i>.<br />
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And therein lies my lament with Mercado San Miguel. It is a great place to hang out in and stuff yourself with somewhat pricey Spanish food items, but it is somewhat small to begin with, and with the daily onslaught of hungry tourists eager to sample Spanish cuisine, the cramped atmosphere can become wearisome.<br />
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Luckily, another refurbished market is situated not far from Madrid's center - the multi-level <a href="http://www.esmadrid.com/en/cargarAplicacionCompra.do?identificador=1536" target="_blank">Mercado San Anton</a> in Chueca (the metro station is a block away). Spread out over four floors, this spacious market has food vendors (some are the same as Mercado San Miguel's), restaurants, and even a supermarket on the ground level. <br />
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Fortunately for myself, Mercado San Anton was only a few minutes walk from my <i>hostal</i> on Avenida Fuencarral, thus I had a couple of opportunities to visit. I marveled at the sheer size of the market, magnified by the low foot traffic during the morning hours. During peak hours, I'm sure Mercado San Anton will attract numerous locals and tourists alike, but there's more room to accommodate everyone.<br />
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On both occasions, I had breakfast consisting of a <i>cafe con leche</i> accompanied by a croissant and <i>pan de chocolate</i> which satisfied both my stomach and sweet tooth, and afterwards, I was ready to shop! <br />
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Since I was headed back to the States soon, I went over to Casa de Bacalao to stock up on canned <i>navajas </i>(razor clams) and the superb Bocarte <i>anchoas</i> (anchovies) in olive oil - they are quite expensive but are quite intense and flavorful, and the cheap stuff can't compare. I love putting the anchovies on top of Brie, with a zesty, refreshing albarino or godello on hand for imbibing. Definitely a treat.<br />
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And of course - how about some <i>jamon iberico de bellota</i>? Although now available in NYC, the king of Spanish hams is often sold at stratospheric prices.<br />
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The pre-sliced packages at La Charcuteria de Octavio broke down whatever weak resistance I offered, and despite warnings from friends that passengers are not allowed to bring <i>jamon</i> past Customs, I picked up some of the fatty pork to savor, relish, and get me through the winter, risks be damned.<br />
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Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-51619847612539385902013-12-02T16:19:00.000-05:002013-12-03T14:11:11.710-05:00Spanish Craft Beer Finds in Madrid and Santiago de Compostela<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love drinking good beer. I love traveling to Spain. However, those two don't mix together well, since as we all know, Spain is wine country. Sure, I love Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Rueda, but I knew that at some point on my trip I'd be craving for a tasty, flavorful Spanish craft beer. No offense, but Mahou, San Miguel, and Estrella Damm need not apply.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What to do? Like any diligent food tourist, I devoted a lot of time and effort in doing my research, i.e. I googled "craft beer Madrid", and presto, this article <a href="http://www.madridchow.com/the-madrid-craft-beer-revolution-and-the-best-craft-beer-bars/" target="_blank">"Madrid craft beer revolution"</a> by a local food blogger popped up, and voila - problem solved!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabrica Maravillas</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Using the article as my compass, the first stop was <a href="http://fabricamaravillas.com/brew-pub/" target="_blank">Fabrica Maravillas</a>, a popular brewpub in the Malasana district, and by happy coincidence, only a few minutes walk from my hostal. The place is a bit small, consisting of a bar as you enter, and a few tables to the side. Gleaming tanks holding the beers being brewed on-site are visible. Fabrica Maravillas serves a rotating menu of 5 or 6 beers, and the staff are enthusiastic and knowledgeable in explaining each variety's flavor profile. Being pressed for time, only had the chance to try refreshing saison valverde. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Only a couple of minutes away, also in Malasana, is <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/irreale-madrid" target="_blank">Irreale</a>.
A long, narrow space with the bar deep inside, it offers 10 rotating
beers on tap, along with numerous bottles from all over the world (I
recognized some Belgian favorites, among others). I visited on a couple
of occasions, and both times out of 10 draft beers, 2 were local Spanish craft brews so I opted for those. And boy, they didn't disappoint...the porter
from a brewery in Toledo, and the pale ale from <a href="http://www.elpedal.es/" target="_blank">El Pedal</a> (also based in Madrid) were pretty good, as well as the black IPA from Navarra. (I forgot to take down names of the breweries, sadly). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />On one visit, a fellow patron sitting at the bar beside me started asking the bartender about other craft beer options in Madrid. Sensing a fellow beer enthusiast, and seeing as they had difficulty communicating, I volunteered to translate, and also chipped in my tiny bit of knowledge gleaned from the article. The guy was visiting from Norway, and had walked around Madrid for hours, looking for bars serving more than the usual suds. I circled Fabrica Maravillas on the map for him, as well as La Tape, which I didn't get a chance to visit. Nothing like bonding over a beer and sharing info with like-minded tourists.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lastly, and this also goes under the classification of good fortune, upon finishing my Camino de Santiago hike in Santiago de Compostela, I spent a day sightseeing around town, eating pulpo, navajas, and anchoas, and guzzling all the albarino and godello humanly possible. What I didn't expect was to stumble upon a newly-opened craft beer shop a mere five minutes from my hotel - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LaAtlantica" target="_blank">La Atlantica Beer Shop</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Having opened just over the summer, La Atlantica offers a lot of international beers, as well as local craft beers, mostly from Catalonia and Galicia. The owner is quite friendly, and with my serviceable Spanish we managed to chit-chat about different beers, and I eagerly quizzed him about the burgeoning craft beer scene in Spain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He admitted that the best craft beers in Spain came from Catalonia, but that Galicia is currently on the upswing. Although the shop is quite spacious, there isn't an area for imbibing; however, in addition to the bottles displayed on the shelves, there were a few local brews inside a small refrigerator. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Figured I might as well try the hyper-local Galician beers which he gladly opened - Keltius Mosteiro, a strong dark ale brewed just down the road in Ourense by recently-established <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cervezakeltius" target="_blank">Keltius,</a> and <a href="http://www.menduina.eu/home/" target="_blank">Menduina's</a> Imperial Stout called Demo Neghro, brewed in Pontevedra. Both were outstanding interpretations of their respective styles, and much to my liking. So, beer lovers out there, there is hope for finding good brews in Spain - although it takes a bit of looking - and hopefully they will become more numerous and mainstream in coming years. That's something we can definitely raise our glasses and drink to! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For a more comprehensive list of Spanish craft beer, check out <a href="http://birrapedia.com/Cerveza.+Inicio" target="_blank">Birrapedia</a>. </span><br />
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Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-45231335877768102022013-11-28T21:33:00.000-05:002013-11-28T22:01:21.983-05:00Spanish montaditos 100 ways in New YorkSpanish food has long been popular in New York - tapas and paella bars abound, sangria never seems to go out of style, and jamon iberico is increasingly becoming widely available and appreciated by foodies. To add yet more variety to the scene, an outpost of the uber-popular Spanish chain Cerveceria 100 Montaditos (shortened to 100 Montaditos), which offers those namesake snack-sized rolls with fillings a hundred different ways, recently opened in the Village.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#66 Serrano ham with Manchego cheese (left), #20 Spanish tortilla montaditos</td></tr>
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Like most tourists, I had come across 100 Montaditos branches in Madrid, and had grabbed a beer or two and perhaps a montadito filled with ham or cheese. Given that country's economic crisis and resulting unemployment rate of over twenty five percent, the locals are also flocking to 100 Montaditos primarily because of the attractive price point - every montadito costs the same - one euro!<br />
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So it was quite a surprise to stumble upon the first (there will be more, said the counter person) branch in New York, which had been open a grand total of five days. I figured I'd have a light dinner before heading off to an engagement, and perused the menu, finally making up my mind (a hundred choices!) and ordering #20 (Spanish Tortilla), #54 (Brie, chorizo, and aoili), and #66 (jamon Serrano with Manchego cheese).<br />
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Choosing a beer was more straightforward - they only had Bud, Bud Light and Estrella Damm on tap, so I went for the last one. After all, this was a Spanish food experience, wasn't it? Hopefully, better choices will be added soon, and I don't mean Mahou or San Miguel. <br />
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The pricing scheme works a bit differently at this branch compared to Spain. Not all 100 montaditos are priced uniformly, but rather 25 varieties cost $1, another 25 cost $1.50, another 35 cost $2 (including the above-mentioned #54 and #66), 15 premium montaditos will set you back $2.50, and finally 5 varieties of sweet dessert montaditos go for $2. (On Wednesdays ALL montaditos are offered for $1).<br />
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It's still a pretty good deal - my three montaditos plus one beer cost $10 before tax and tip - and I felt full after my "light" dinner. So it's not gourmet food but they were quite tasty, and I was pleasantly surprised that chips came with my order. These are good quality snacks which everyone who loves Spanish food will enjoy, regardless of your budgetary constraints.<br />
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Now that I've crossed three items off the list, 97 more to go...check out the menu <a href="http://us.100montaditos.com/menu" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1793475/restaurant/Greenwich-Village/100-Montaditos-NYC"><img alt="100 Montaditos on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1793475/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-12999257940723308632012-12-21T21:08:00.000-05:002012-12-31T10:35:19.340-05:00Become A Wine Snob on the cheap with Groupon<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wine, glorious wine. Is there a nagging feeling inside your head that you <i>should</i> learn a little something about wine? For moments like being confronted with a voluminous wine list at a posh restaurant, and not being able to distinguish between Burgundy and Bordeaux? And what the heck is terroir, or tannins for that matter? Wouldn't you want to dazzle your business associates, friends, family and hot dates with your mastery of the lingo of <i>vino</i>?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I asked myself these questions over the summer, and concluded that some basic wine education wouldn't hurt. But where to find wine classes that are not intimidating and inexpensive? Salvation came in the form of <a href="http://www.groupon.com/" target="_blank">Groupon</a>, the daily deals site that keeps bombarding my inbox with all sorts of cut-rate offers. Among the offers presented were deeply discounted wine classes, usually 2 to 2 1/2 hours long, which promised to help newbies distinguish between Barolo and Barbaresco. Below is a brief roundup of the ones I took part in. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Who: Drinking Outside the Box (<a href="http://www.drinkingoutsidethebox.org/Classes.html" target="_blank">site</a>)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Where: W52nd St. (Midtown West) </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Price: $29 Groupon deal (up to $68 value)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Class Name: Introductory Wine and Cheese Pairing</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Did you know there was a Systematic Approach to tasting wine? Neither did I, but apparently there is since a sizable portion of the class dwelt on that stuff. We learned how to tilt wine glasses to judge clarity, color and condition. When it came to actually tasting wine, judging characteristics like sweetness, acidity, tannins, body and length proved to be a challenging exercise as the wine rolled off my tongue and straight down my throat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To make matters worse, while others could detect such exotic aromas as blackcurrant, tar and wet leaves (!), my unsophisticated nose smelled only apricot. Oh well. The class was informative and the instructor eager to turn us newbies into Robert Parker. The cheese pairing part was only emphasized towards the end of the two hours though, but the thick handouts did provide pairing suggestions for common wine varietals. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Who: Vino Versity (<a href="http://www.vinoversity.com/wine-classes/" target="_blank">site</a>)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Where: 1st Ave & 86th St. (Upper East Side) </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Price: $25 Groupon deal (up to $65 value)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Class Name: <i>Vino! Rosso! Pronto!</i> (Red Wines of Italy)</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fond memories of last year's 5-week Italian vacation made me want to master <i>vini italiani, </i>thus this class sounded perfect. The lecture focused on the intricacies of Italian grapes (Sangiovese, Barbera, Nebbiolo, etc.) to different growing regions, their respective statuses (DOCG vs. DOC vs. IGT), and even to deciphering a typical label on a Italian wine bottle. Interesting, if a tad nerdy, stuff that will prove handy, I'm sure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If that whirlwind North to South tour of Italian viticulture made you dizzy, hopefully sampling eight (eight!) representative wines will ease your pain. For me, given my limited prior exposure (mostly to Chianti and Moscato d' Asti) it was nice to compare and contrast various grapes grown in different areas to discover what their characteristics were, and which ones pleased my palate. At the night's end, the most important lesson I learned was to consider wines from Sardinia, Sicily, Friuli and other regions instead of just sticking to familiar offerings from Tuscany.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Who: New York Vintners (<a href="http://www.newyorkvintners.com/c-1684-wine-classes.aspx" target="_blank">site</a>)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Where: Warren St. (Tribeca) </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Price: $29 Groupon deal (up to $75 value)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Class Name: Grapes of Spain</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">New York Vintners had the biggest class size, with fifteen participants in the "Grapes of Spain" course I attended. Perhaps Spanish wines are hot at the moment, but for me it was another vacation-driven decision - two months traveling all over Spain, drinking wine pretty much every meal, THAT was the catalyst that ignited my love of wine. And I was here to learn more about what I had been drinking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Systematic Approach to Wines made another appearance, and being a bit familiar with it this time around, I pretty much nailed the acidity and tannin levels of the outstanding Spanish wines we tasted. Still had a tough time smelling fruits, vegetables, or whatever else is in the wine though. Nevertheless, the instructor's knowledge and enthusiasm were exhilarating as he expounded on topics ranging from oak barrels to the perennial Old World vs. New World wine rivalry. I couldn't resist buying a couple of bottles from the wine shop out front, that's how much I loved them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As you have seen, a lot of wine was tasted (no spitting here!), thus fun was definitely had. I gained a little knowledge along the way too, but there's a long ways to go on the road to wine snobbery. Never have I so eagerly awaited Groupon spam, all in the name of education.</span>
Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-39706670628680551692012-11-22T14:23:00.001-05:002012-11-27T21:14:53.670-05:00Arlington Club - Steaks on Us I'm not quite sure how suitable the name Arlington Club is for a steakhouse, but the Upper East Side is seriously starved for a decent filet mignon joint. Eater.com names it one of <a href="http://ny.eater.com/archives/2012/11/heatmap_5.php" target="_blank">Manhattan's 12 Hottest New Restaurants,</a> so we decided to go on a field test for our pre-Thanksgiving dinner. An OpenTable reservation in hand, though for the not-so-prime time of 615pm, we marched into the Arlington Club's two-level space that looked straight out of the '50s (or what I imagine the '50s looked like) and were ushered upstairs to our table. <br />
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We got started on our Vina Sastre Crianza 2009 bottle of wine and marveled at the restaurant's luxurious interiors, waiting expectantly for our food. (What can I say, we bought into the hot restaurant hype). The appetizers - ahi tuna tataki and crispy kobe beef struffle - were quite good but not exceptional. Portion sizes were more than expected though, about six pieces for each order. Oh, however I'd be remiss in not mentioning the complimentary cheese popovers that were placed on the table, and instantly devoured. Those were the bomb. <br />
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The fun part started when the steaks arrived. My medium-rare sirloin steak was anything but, and looked more like medium-well. Ditto for my friend's bone-in filet mignon. The manager apologized and said they were still working on "temperature and timing issues" and rightly offered to replace them, so we waited a little bit more and downed most of the wine. In fairness, another member of our party who ordered the branzino seemed to enjoy it tremendously, as did our fourth person whose steak was perfectly to his liking.<br />
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The replacement steaks were brought over, and alas suffered from the same maladies as the original ones. The manager's IPhone flash light was working overtime to gauge the pinkness of the meat, and we all agreed that these were still too well-done. He offered to remove them from our table's check, much to my delight. (It seemed churlish to ask him to throw in another bottle of the excellent Ribera del Duero we consumed). Both steak sauces I tried - jalapeno chimichurri and the house Arlington steak sauce - were excellent, with the former on the spicy side and the latter a tad sweet.<br />
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We lingered for just enough time to watch the group of three women at an adjacent table return their porterhouse steak for the same reason, and their waiter (who was our waiter also) express the same apologies. They seemed content when the new porterhouse steak came out, so probably no freebie for them. However, since the Arlington Club is offering a 20% discount anyway on all checks as part of their soft opening, everyone gets a reward for acting as guinea pigs.<br />
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Here's hoping they get their act together soon. I don't doubt it, given the pedigree of the restaurateurs behind this joint. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1687482/restaurant/Upper-East-Side/Arlington-Club-New-York"><img alt="Arlington Club on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1687482/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-36669201561551863952012-10-28T21:44:00.003-04:002012-10-28T21:44:17.769-04:00Numero 28 Pizzeria is Numero Uno<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unlike 99.9% of people in New York City, I have no opinion as to which pizza joint serves the best slice - Lombardi's, Joe's, John's, or whoever else. Thin crust, thick crust, wood-fired oven, Neapolitan, Sicilian, and other terms simply went over my head for one simple reason. I barely ate the stuff. Even on a 5 week trip all over Italy last summer, I could only recall having pizza on two occasions, and both were simply to squash my hunger before launching a fresh attack on the country's numerous cultural attractions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">However, a $15 for $30 deal found on Google Offers was too good to pass up, so a recent Sunday night found our party of three seated at <a href="http://www.numero28.com/index.html" target="_blank">Numero 28 Pizzeria</a> in the East Village. Numero 28 specializes in authentic Neapolitan pizza baked in a hot brick oven to produce a crust that isn't too thick. More interestingly, the 29 inch version of the pies comes in a oblong shape, and up to three choices of varieties are allowed. I thought that was great - who wants to order a huge pizza to find it disappointing, and have to finish all of it, or order a second one?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Each of our party was tasked to come up with one choice, and we decided on these combinations: Capricciosa (tomato, mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, olives, artichokes), Bianca del Diavolo (mozzarella, ricotta, spicy sopressata) and my favorite among the three, their special Numero28 (buffalo mozzarella, speck, truffle cream, mushrooms). Really, who would resist the last one? I had some objections to the choice of the Capricciosa, not being a fan of artichokes but my friend was hell-bent on ordering it (perhaps because when we went to Artichoke Basil's months ago I insisted we get the Margherita instead of the namesake pizza). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Neapolitan pizza turned out quite well, and I'd go back to Numero 28, coupon or no coupon. Next time perhaps we'll have some wine to accompany our pizza. Can't really say where Numero 28 stacks up in the "Best Pizza in NYC" race, but it did make me wish I ate more of it in Italy. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1651347/restaurant/East-Village/Numero-28-Pizzeria-New-York"><img alt="Numero 28 Pizzeria on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1651347/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-40516090896233269542012-07-25T20:55:00.000-04:002012-07-29T17:24:07.375-04:00Volere Wine meets Prada<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
"No European carry-all today?", asked S., unable to suppress a smirk. </div>
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"Forgot my man purse today", I replied, appreciating the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reverse_Peephole" target="_blank">Seinfeld</a> reference, and laughing at the same time. The "purse" in question was the eye-catching, stylish and eco-friendly packaging that <a href="http://volerewines.com/" target="_blank">Volére Wine's</a> boxed rosé came in, which I had brought to the New York Philharmonic's free concert in Central Park a few weeks ago. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Volére's</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> innovative packaging swiftly drew praise from the female members of our contingent, most of them loving the purplish color and designer Italian handbag-like appearance. It almost pained me to tell them that no, this wasn't just some fancy useless appendage, but in fact contained two bottles (1.5L) worth of the night's most important social lubricant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I had stumbled upon </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Volére's
boxed wines by accident. Summer being the season for outdoor concerts,
events, and picnics, I wanted to bring some wine to these events and yet
thought that a bottle was too cumbersome and heavy. Quite a common
dilemna, I'm sure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"End of aisle 1", said the liquor
superstore associate when I inquired about "non-traditional"
packaging.The products that initially came into view were not inspiring -
plain, bulky 3L (4 bottles equivalent) boxes that made me wonder,
"Who'd want to carry these?". They were all right for a picnic in the
burbs - you know, where people have cars to transport things - but NYC
was another story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And then, I turned and saw </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the Volére Wines man purses sitting on a shelf, just below eye level. The weight was just right - not too heavy (I could scarcely believe they held 1.5L). Now which one to buy? Eventually chose the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">rosé over the pinot grigio (in the more conservative light golden box) partly because it was more eye-catching and would make me feel more self-satisfied about my stylish man purse while walking amidst other concertgoers to the Great Lawn. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unlike Jerry - I would not be unashamed to be seen in public with my "European carry-all", even if only for this occasion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After picking a strategic spot, we eagerly followed the easy instructions in opening the box, and were soon quaffing some light, fruity </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">rosé. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The pours continued as members of our party gradually arrived, and soon, all of the wine was gone. The packaging garnered all of the attention, but the contents made for easy drinking and paired quite well with Tchaikovsky. </span></span>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-51264285110805301702012-05-23T21:28:00.002-04:002012-05-24T23:58:29.879-04:00Tabata Noodle House - Great Ramen in Midtown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"There MUST be a ramen joint somewhere around here", I thought, when I started my new job in Midtown West (a few blocks north of Penn Station). However, somehow I couldn't find any - two favorites, <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/39137/restaurant/Midtown-West/Sapporo-Restaurant-New-York" target="_blank">Sapporo</a> and <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1498383/restaurant/Midtown-West/Menkui-Tei-New-York" target="_blank">MenKui Tei</a> - were over ten blocks uptown; not a feasible option given my limited lunch break.<br />
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Thus, I happily settled into a routine of rotating Chipotle, McDonald's, Bonchon, and the incomparable <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/182126/restaurant/Midtown-West/Go-Go-Curry-New-York" target="_blank">Go Go Curry</a>, among others. But after a few months of downing tacos and burgers, I renewed my search and found Tabata Noodle House, located on a stretch of Hell's Kitchen not known for being a culinary haven. Heck, I'd go as far to say that a more unappealing location couldn't be possible, with the restaurant saddled between the Port Authority and the Lincoln Tunnel entrances. But it was a few blocks stroll and for that reason only worth a visit.<br />
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With all the options at ramen places these days, figuring out what to order can be tough. Tired of <i>shio, shoyu, miso,</i> and even <i>tonkotsu</i>? For a change, I opted for the eponymous <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/dining/reviews/tabata-noodle-nyc-review.html" target="_blank">Tabata Ramen</a>, which seemed like something out of a Thai menu with the cilantro and red onion seasonings in the coconut-flavored broth. Think <i>tom kha gai</i> but a bit spicier. <br />
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It's quite a unique twist on ramen, and I've gone back twice to order the Tabata Ramen. Not to neglect the rest of the menu, I've also had the hot and spicy Lava Men a couple of times and loved it as well. Now that warmer times are here, I'll give the less spicy ramen versions a try, and perhaps the rice-based dishes. It might be located in a culinary wasteland, but Tabata Noodle House is a gem and fast becoming my Friday lunchtime mainstay. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1618491/restaurant/Hells-Kitchen/Tabata-Ramen-New-York"><img alt="Tabata Ramen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1618491/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-23528633804257135152012-05-14T21:46:00.000-04:002012-05-15T00:19:10.361-04:00Antica Foccaceria @ Madison Square Eats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The sight of those mouth-watering Sicilian desserts, <i>cannoli</i> and <i>cassata</i>, displayed at Antica Foccaceria San Francesco's booth at the <a href="http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/news/blog/mad-sq-eats-is-back-and-were-hungry" target="_blank">Madison Square Eats</a> fair made me renege on my vow to jump start my low-carb diet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, they do look that inviting. Everyone's familiar with <i>cannoli</i>, those fried pastry tubes filled with creme, but it was the first time I laid eyes on another dessert from Palermo, Sicily - the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassata" target="_blank"><i>cassata</i></a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course I had to try both! Lest you think I'm a total pig, I managed to restrain my sweet tooth and did so on separate days - I'm happy to report that both were excellent - the <i>cannoli'</i>s creme lighter and fluffier compared to those I've tasted elsewhere, and the <i>cassata</i>'s green icing sweetness was tempered by the creme inside. In each case, I polished off the dessert in front of in a matter of minutes, and adamantly refused to share with anyone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And whom do we have to thank for these delightful desserts? Italian import Antica Foccaceria San Francesco, quite a mouthful. They have been around in Italy since 1834, and have branches in Palermo, Naples, Rome and even in the north, Milan. If your Italian is up to snuff, then take a stab at browsing their <a href="http://www.sito3d.it/anticafocacceria/" target="_blank">website</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you haven't heard of them, well can't blame you since based on my chats with their staff, currently there is no presence in New York. The organizers of Madison Square Eats invited them to participate, and voila! Seems such a long way to come for only a month-long food fair, as I pointed out to the bemused cashier. Perhaps they would consider setting up an outpost here in Italian-food obsessed (or just plain food-obsessed) New York City, I suggested to another crew member, pointing out the success of other Italian food concepts, like nearby Eataly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hopefully my subliminal pleas, along with countless diners' I'm sure, will amount to something, but in the meantime, you have only two weeks to savor their desserts, meat-filled rice balls, pasta and other Italian goodies at Madison Square Eats - get 'em while you can! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-84441590736677950992012-05-07T21:01:00.000-04:002012-05-08T11:47:50.021-04:00Rippy's BBQ, downtown Nashville<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SN37gXDYmiM/T6hrwokaWWI/AAAAAAAABJs/Sa3YZ-JoUlQ/s1600/CIMG3206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SN37gXDYmiM/T6hrwokaWWI/AAAAAAAABJs/Sa3YZ-JoUlQ/s400/CIMG3206.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well, those pork ribs slabs do look appetizing, don't they? They're one of the best things that happened on our spur-of-the-moment weekend in Nashville, but it didn't come easily. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the advice of one Grayline Tours Nashville driver, we ventured into <a href="http://www.rippysbbqnashville.com/" target="_blank">Rippy's </a>BBQ on a Saturday night - the same weekend as the annual Nashville marathon - so the place was packed with revelers, diners, and perhaps even concertgoers drinking up before crossing the street to the arena. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In short, we weren't able to get in that night due to the long wait list. At least it gave us time to actually check Yelp reviews of Rippy's and Jack's, situated on the other side of Broadway and a tad more highly-rated by diners. So, we decided to dine at Jack's on Sunday night instead, only to get the shock of our lives (ok, I'm exaggerating) when we saw chairs piled on top of tables and no signs of activity inside. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Back to square one then. This time it wasn't such a madhouse at Rippy's, and we ordered two full slabs for the three of us. My friends wanted to get a half-rack each, but excuse me - my stomach demands man-sized portions! So, a compromised was reached eventually. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ok, about the ribs. They were tender, moist, and the meat fell right off the done with minimal effort. Quite delicious too, and I generously poured Rippy's sweet sauce over them. All of us had just eaten at the Texas-style BBQ joint Hill Country in New York City a couple weeks ago, and we analyzed and contrasted Rippy's BBQ with that establishment's, acting like the barbeque experts that we weren't. But no, we just wanted good grub on a mini-vacation, and I'm happy to say Rippy's delivered. Now, maybe we'll drop in on Jack's the next time we're in Nashville...</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/47/1456187/restaurant/Downtown/Rippys-Smokin-Bar-Grill-Nashville"><img alt="Rippy's Smokin' Bar & Grill on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1456187/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-51181281942468189132012-02-20T16:56:00.000-05:002012-02-20T16:56:05.258-05:00All things Japanese at Mitsuwa Marketplace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vA80n3TP0ak/T0K7Mj4d9WI/AAAAAAAABJM/9vqScThwYyg/s1600/CIMG3108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vA80n3TP0ak/T0K7Mj4d9WI/AAAAAAAABJM/9vqScThwYyg/s320/CIMG3108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A deep wave of nostalgia for Japan drove me to drive to Mitsuwa Marketplace ("<a href="http://www.mitsuwa.com/" target="_blank">Mitsuwa</a>"), the premier shopping destination for all things Japanese, in Edgewater, New Jersey. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was triggered by a conversation with a Japanese expat whom I met through mutual friends, and our conversation touched upon my trip to her homeland two years ago, and the places I visited - Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and Nikko. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also took the opportunity to tell her about my <a href="http://asiasociety.org/lifestyle/travel/capsule-fit-gaijin" target="_blank">experience staying at a capsule hotel</a>, where the "rooms" are coffin-sized compartments stacked on top of each other; rows upon rows of them lining the hallways. If you have trouble imagining the capsules, check out the pics <a href="http://bit.ly/ctxcj5" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And of course, the food. Memories of the amazingly l<a href="http://bit.ly/cmxVF4" target="_blank">ife-like replica food displays</a> in Japan, the visit to Tsukiji market, the <a href="http://bit.ly/cq3FXe" target="_blank">conveyor belt sushi restaurants</a>, and hundreds of tiny stalls and shops selling ramen, yakitori, okonomiyaki, and other food stuffs immediately whetted my appetite. I had to go to Mitsuwa! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Turns out that their ten-day anniversary sale was ongoing, and being a long holiday weekend, the parking lot was jampacked. Not to be denied, I parked at another nearby strip mall and hoofed it to Mitsuwa. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d7erDW_dRE8/T0K7Pfw6gBI/AAAAAAAABJc/ofO510NNViM/s1600/CIMG3112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d7erDW_dRE8/T0K7Pfw6gBI/AAAAAAAABJc/ofO510NNViM/s320/CIMG3112.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shown are some of the loot that i bought. Among them - instant miso soup, rice crackers, Yakult digestive drink (memories from my child hood), and a lot of eel. I've gotten tired of my mostly chicken and fish diet lately, so the sight of <i>unagi </i>was tempting. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not only do they have every imaginable Japanese grocery item, but also freshly made sushi and cooked food, so I grabbed a couple of unagi bento (above). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My mission was only half successful though. I also wanted to dine at the superb food court (which also had the food replicas in the glass display cases), but due to the crowds it wasn't possible. Oh well, perhaps next month when I come back to spend the $5 coupon I received for spending over $50, as part of their anniversary sale promotion. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZAWl8k3XH4/T0K7Q8t0SCI/AAAAAAAABJk/Y1zC3qnLu-s/s1600/CIMG3115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZAWl8k3XH4/T0K7Q8t0SCI/AAAAAAAABJk/Y1zC3qnLu-s/s320/CIMG3115.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One last thing - the two Meiji chocolate bars shown on the left, Black (Dark) and White chocolate, retail for exactly the same price. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As you can see, the White chocolate is about 35% smaller. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Needless to say, somewhat mystifying and something a nerd like me loves to obsess about. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Can any Japanese reader shed light on this pricing scheme?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For those who are interested, here are some of my <a href="http://hello1newman.blogspot.com/search/label/Japan" target="_blank">travel blog posts</a> from Japan. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-71492644047341563202012-01-16T14:36:00.000-05:002012-01-16T14:58:28.437-05:00Dining by the Waterfalls at Villa Escudero<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
The two hour drive from Manila to <a href="http://www.villaescudero.com/">Villa Escudero</a>, a popular weekend getaway from Manila located on the border of Laguna and Quezon provinces, flew by and we arrived at our destination in a famished state, ready for a big Filipino lunch. </div>
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Mind you, this was only my second visit - and the first one since I was a kid. </div>
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Thus, my recollections of Villa Escudero were non-existent, other than riding on the carabao drawn carriage, and eating lunch by some waterfalls. Had things changed over the years, or were these still part of the experience?</div>
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The answer came quickly. After paying the Php1,400 ($32) admission, a quick ride on the carriage pulled by "Maganda" (Beautiful) led to the waterfalls where a buffet lunch was served. Remove your shoes, dip your feet into the refreshing cool water and taste the wonderful viands and desserts for the next hour or two. That's certainly what we did.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tapioca dessert</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">don't forget to grab some 'pasalubong' from the roadside stands on the way home</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-31502613445237453322012-01-02T21:05:00.002-05:002012-05-24T23:59:07.908-04:00Pick your Pintxos in San Sebastian<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"Choices,
choices...", I sighed, as I surveyed the numerous plates laid neatly
side-by-side on the bar at Tamboril, a restaurant just off the main
square in old town San Sebastian. "So many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pincho#Basque_pintxo"><i>pintxos</i></a>
to try", referring to the elaborately-prepared, colorful bite-sized
creations that rested on each plate, "and only three meals a day".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">T</span>amboril was the second stop on my lunch hour, preceded by a drink of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Txakoli"><i>txakoli</i></a> (a cloudy white wine) and a taste of two dishes at another bar. Known as <i>tapas</i> in all of Spain, these appetizers were referred to as <i>pintxos</i>
in San Sebastian, a charming seaside city located in the Basque
country, a region in the northern part of Spain where the eponymous
language rules.</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g2LcTZplAV8/Th9vZzb_DUI/AAAAAAAABDo/69TF7XYVdiA/s1600/CIMG0309.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g2LcTZplAV8/Th9vZzb_DUI/AAAAAAAABDo/69TF7XYVdiA/s400/CIMG0309.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In Basque country, there is a unique way of presenting and ordering </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pintxos</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">.
Instead of the dishes being enclosed inside a glass case, tradition
dictates that they be laid out on the bar. Patrons are handed a plate
and go from one end of the bar to the other to pick whatever </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pintxos</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> appeal to their eyes and stomach, socializing along the way with other customers.</span><br />
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Once
they have finalized their choices, depending on the bar, the attendant
either adds up the bill based on the price of each dish (if prices
are not the same), or waits until after the patron finishes eating and
simply counts the number of <i>pintxos</i> consumed. The latter was
more prevalent in the past, but since it wasn't quite fool proof (i.e.
toothpicks stuffed inside pockets were not uncommon), thus I
experienced it only once. </div>
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With
all these dishes begging to be tasted, I decided that instead of
eating sit-down meals at restaurants, a more ideal strategy would be to
go on a <i>pintxo</i> crawl for every lunch and dinner during my visit to San Sebastian.<br />
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In
addition to variety, the pick 'n choose method eliminated the guesswork
involved in choosing food from a foreign language menu, and made for
quicker meals - in just half an hour you're done and off to the next
joint. For lunch and dinner I'd hit three different places, ordering a
couple of <i>pintxos</i> in each one, along with a drink which was either the above-mentioned<i> txakoli</i> or low-alcohol cider.<br />
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Ah,
the selecting part - that's where I was gripped by moments of
indecision, especially if they all looked delectable. One personal
guideline is to opt for the more elaborate creations (as the pics
hopefully illustrate) instead of the more typical croquettes, Spanish
omelet or <i>jamon iberico</i> straddling a piece of bread. Or sometimes I'd chose based on how colorful a particular <i>pintxo</i> looked, and hope for the best. </div>
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Newbies to the Basque <i>pintxo</i>
culture could be forgiven for being squeamish at the thought of other
people's errant fingers brushing against adjacent pieces of food, or
wonder exactly how many hours the <i>pintxos</i> have been sitting around, but unlike other regions of Spain, tradition has overcome efforts to eliminate the practice here. </div>
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Another
surprising part is that waste (napkins, toothpicks) are simply
disposed of by chucking them on the floor. However, it is said that the
quality of an establishment could be measured by how much detritus
adorned its floors.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5gxtiGadtO0/Th9vg4hHXKI/AAAAAAAABDs/kzu1aYaBwsw/s1600/CIMG0322.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5gxtiGadtO0/Th9vg4hHXKI/AAAAAAAABDs/kzu1aYaBwsw/s400/CIMG0322.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With
the concentration of establishments in old town San Sebastian, It's
quite hard to chose among them. There are a couple of ways around this -
one can take a somewhat pricey two hour <i>pintxo</i> <a href="http://www.sansebastianfood.com/adventures/food-experiences/pintxo-tasting-tour/">tasting tour</a> with like-minded foodies that goes to five or six different bars and samples two or three dishes at each one. </span></div>
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A cheaper alternative would be to spend significant time, as I did, in between meals consulting the website <a href="http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en">Todopintxos</a> which suggests various routes for <i>pintxo</i>
discovery, and where voters rate individual dishes and places. The
effort is very much worth it, this I can personally attest to, as I
smile at the memories of the delicious <i>pintxos</i> and pat my stomach contentedly.</div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-6399950004022465072011-07-01T11:30:00.001-04:002011-07-01T19:52:07.980-04:00Creamy pastries in Portugal<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAmJ46pOopY/Tg2nYf0l0wI/AAAAAAAABDU/cbWorm1GTT8/s1600/CIMG9913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAmJ46pOopY/Tg2nYf0l0wI/AAAAAAAABDU/cbWorm1GTT8/s400/CIMG9913.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"So why is it called </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">bolas de Berlim</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">?", I asked Paula, a local Portuguese whom I met at the hostel in Porto. "It didn't come from Germany, did it?".</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Paula laughed, then replied "No, of course not. Because it has two halves, with the thick cream in the middle. Sort of like East and West separated by the wall".</div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This bizarre explanation with outdated political reference notwithstanding, the <i>bolas de Berlim</i> is just one of many sweet treats in <i>pastelarias'</i> display cases that entice passers-by to ogle and stop for a quick snack.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpC62lkQgxg/Tg2njiS3ktI/AAAAAAAABDY/K6OEIrlWGro/s1600/CIMG0584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpC62lkQgxg/Tg2njiS3ktI/AAAAAAAABDY/K6OEIrlWGro/s400/CIMG0584.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While critics might harp that Portuguese cuisine doesn't rise to the same meteoric heights as their larger Iberian neighbor, in the sweets department it's definitely no slouch. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My personal favorite is the </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pasteis de nata</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, sweet custard tarts topped with burnt caramel and surrounded by a flaky crust. Four cafes lined the seven-minute walk from my hostel in Lisbon to the metro stop, so every day I would venture inside a different one, order two </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pasteis</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> with </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">cafe con leche</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, and devour them standing at the counter. Hard to beat that for a mid-morning snack.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oonMT3SL5E/Tg2nL9Tn2uI/AAAAAAAABDQ/1Ekq7C23FsY/s1600/CIMG0851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oonMT3SL5E/Tg2nL9Tn2uI/AAAAAAAABDQ/1Ekq7C23FsY/s400/CIMG0851.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In Aveiro, a traditional pastry called </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">ovo mole</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> still rules. Shaped in different forms such as shells, fish, and clams, these treats have a very thin wafer-like exterior, and a very sweet inside made of egg yolks and sugar. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I found the <i>ovos moles</i> quite addictive, and found an excuse to pop one into my mouth every few minutes, only to discover to my chagrin that my newly-purchased box of twelve is now empty. Oh well, time to go back to the store for more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are lots more Portuguese pastries that I haven't tasted, possibly for the better, health-wise. Just these three alone brought my sugar intake to stratospheric levels, and only lots of walking offset the calories (how many, I didn't want to know) that were consumed. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking Portuguese food isn't great, but cast your eyes towards the <i>pastelarias</i>. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xB3lZbtOF_E/Tg3mavNxTkI/AAAAAAAABDg/5XrdcaO25TA/s1600/CIMG9922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xB3lZbtOF_E/Tg3mavNxTkI/AAAAAAAABDg/5XrdcaO25TA/s400/CIMG9922.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-31049670483171131582011-06-20T10:07:00.002-04:002011-06-28T05:47:56.125-04:00Yemas de Santa Theresa in Avila<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CIKRutmorEQ/TgiPLwUS78I/AAAAAAAABCw/XN6kZBz_bb4/s1600/CIMG0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CIKRutmorEQ/TgiPLwUS78I/AAAAAAAABCw/XN6kZBz_bb4/s320/CIMG0044.JPG" width="320" /></a>Busloads of tourists congregated at the tiny overlook off the main road, jostling for position to snap photos of themselves with the walled city of Avila in the background.</div><br />
<a href="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/avila">Avila</a> has long been famous for its association with St. Theresa, the female patron saint of Spain. Her presence in this town is unmissable, with her remains inside the eponymous convent.<br />
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Thus, much like the backpacker circuit, this was just a stop on the religious pilgrimage circuit, along with other well-known hot spots such as Fatima, Lourdes and Santiago de Compostela.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDwBVadA588/TgiO_eDHPzI/AAAAAAAABCs/6AS5mAyhQIY/s1600/CIMG0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDwBVadA588/TgiO_eDHPzI/AAAAAAAABCs/6AS5mAyhQIY/s320/CIMG0037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I happened to be in the area and purchased a box of <i>yemas de Santa Teresa</i>. In addition to appropriating the saint's name, these sweet egg-yolk and sugar concoctions have been produced since 1860, so they must be pretty good. <br />
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Darn good they were. And very sweet. Too sweet. Couldn't resist popping these bite-sized delicacies into my mouth for a quick sugar fix, or just because. After two days, the box of twelve was entirely demolished, with no assistance from anyone. (Not that I offered).<br />
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I would have wanted to get my hands on another box to carry me through the rest of the week, but another trip into town was not in the offing. Visitors to Avila should make sure to sample these yemas for a different kind of nourishment after touring all the important spiritual sites.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-52191299124946744142011-05-29T08:36:00.002-04:002011-05-30T04:06:28.591-04:00On the tapas trail in Madrid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UIrngSpC-Hw/TeIt0FMbVPI/AAAAAAAABCY/ILWj5b6W91Q/s1600/CIMG0257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UIrngSpC-Hw/TeIt0FMbVPI/AAAAAAAABCY/ILWj5b6W91Q/s320/CIMG0257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After a <a href="http://hello1newman.blogspot.com/search/label/Valdelavilla">hectic English language volunteer week</a> in Valdelavilla, I came back to Madrid with my new friends, both Anglos and Spaniards. Yup, that's what being together for six entire days will do to people - we'll always look back at the fun times in that tiny village in Soria province. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But first, plans were made to hang out over the weekend and do what everyone loves best: going for tapas in Spain, hitting a few places in one night. First up on Saturday night was MJ, who along with her boyfriend brought Rebecca, Joanne, Aileen and myself on a walk around the main sights in Madrid (whose details I won't bore you with). The food fest started at <b>Taberna Almendro 13</b> in La Latina for some <i>huevos rotos</i> (broken eggs), pictured on the right, a concoction of sunny side-up eggs, jamon bits and potato chips. We also had <i>roscas de jamon</i>, a round ham sandwich which everyone shared, washed down by vino or cerveza, of course. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fhjkRyeqy5U/TeItrkWEjYI/AAAAAAAABCU/TDcZS1WZGac/s1600/CIMG0269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fhjkRyeqy5U/TeItrkWEjYI/AAAAAAAABCU/TDcZS1WZGac/s320/CIMG0269.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David, another Spaniard on the program, met up with us at Plaza. Sta. Ana, and together we headed to another one of MJ's (and apparently, lots of other locals') favorites, <b>Las Bravas</b> - a casual joint specializing in Spanish fast food. The wait for a table did not deter us, and soon we were gorging on <i>orejas</i> (pig's ears) and <i>patatas bravas</i> (potatoes with spicy sauce). </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At first MJ wouldn't tell everyone about the pig's ears, preferring to keep it a mystery, but since I spoke Spanish I knew what she ordered. Any trip of mine wouldn't be complete without eating some weird animal parts, so I was quite eager to taste them. The pig's ears were pretty tasty actually, but some Anglos didn't like biting into the cartilage, so I ate more than my fair share of the dish. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last stop for the night was nearby Villa Rosa for some drinks and dramatic touristy flamenco. We didn't have anything to eat anymore; sometimes it's amazing how these little bites fill you up without noticing it. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7SyKn4Tr8j0/TeItjx5-VUI/AAAAAAAABCQ/PqVQ79UvP7Q/s1600/CIMG0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7SyKn4Tr8j0/TeItjx5-VUI/AAAAAAAABCQ/PqVQ79UvP7Q/s320/CIMG0296.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Same meeting place and same time on Sunday, but with different Spaniards - Ignacio, Antonio and Jose Luis, three of the most popular participants in the program. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After some sightseeing we headed over to a hole-in-the-wall joint off Plaza Mayor for some bocadillos - sandwiches stuffed with meat or seafood. JL recommended the </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">bocadillos de calamares </i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(fried shrimp stuffed inside a roll) plus more carbs in the form of </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">patatas bravas</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, which were less spicy than last night's. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once again, the cramped space was packed to the gills, and you can quickly become good friends with diners at adjacent tables given the close quarters. Everyone seemed intent on wolfing down their huge sandwiches in the least amount of time. . </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sg3zupdqtpY/TeIta8KI4EI/AAAAAAAABCM/HCawmEkIHXc/s1600/CIMG0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sg3zupdqtpY/TeIta8KI4EI/AAAAAAAABCM/HCawmEkIHXc/s320/CIMG0305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The tour went on to the next place specializing in mushrooms which seemed a bit hokey, with the cave-like atmosphere, but the chatty piano player who played contemporary Beatles and Pink Floyd hits ("Original Spanish music is really nice to listen to", Antonio quipped wryly), and the mushrooms made up for it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I forgot what exactly these were called, but our group was full at this point, and the Anglos were just clamoring for more wine, so off we went to La Latina in search of good vino. Last stop was <b>Taberna Tempranillo</b> on the street Cava Baja, a wine bar with an unparalleled collection of bottles and a perfect place to sip, relax and talk. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Part of me didn't want these nights to end - it was great to discover these places and dishes that I normally wouldn't have found nor sampled on my own (given the infinite number of establishments in Madrid), but more so the pleasure of new friends' company. Here's to fun times, lasting friendships, and more English conversations. <i>Salut!</i> </span></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-54828258623262293522011-05-23T13:19:00.002-04:002011-05-27T16:57:11.875-04:00Cheapskate Chronicles: Frugal Eats in Madrid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8QQ0HzEIeE/Tdprb69DqtI/AAAAAAAABB0/lvQRkk4gaLQ/s1600/CIMG9984.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8QQ0HzEIeE/Tdprb69DqtI/AAAAAAAABB0/lvQRkk4gaLQ/s320/CIMG9984.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eating out in Spain can be an expensive proposition. With tons of restaurants in the major tourist zones in Madrid (Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, etc), if one isn't careful then it is easy to spend lots of money. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luckily, your cheapskate traveler has done some legwork in figuring out how to eat good food in Madrid for less euros. Here are a few strategies. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> <b>Go for the menu del dia</b>. Most restaurants offer a fixed-price daily menu during lunch time. This typically costs 9 or 10 euros, and includes two courses, bread, a drink (wine, beer or water), and coffee or dessert. If this sounds like a lot of food, well that's the idea. The dishes below aren't too shabby for the price, eh? Now you know why the Spaniards need a siesta after lunch. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iYUhhR_g-WE/TdprKGWyZ5I/AAAAAAAABBs/uIJfMHmfP40/s1600/CIMG9986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iYUhhR_g-WE/TdprKGWyZ5I/AAAAAAAABBs/uIJfMHmfP40/s200/CIMG9986.JPG" width="250" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_baNiWvjntQ/TdprPMQFWfI/AAAAAAAABBw/G5bJBBGLwhQ/s1600/CIMG9985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_baNiWvjntQ/TdprPMQFWfI/AAAAAAAABBw/G5bJBBGLwhQ/s200/CIMG9985.JPG" width="250" /></a></div></div></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mk5p5TfSKb8/Tdprg3y45lI/AAAAAAAABB4/6cgQLUKIpGs/s1600/CIMG9918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mk5p5TfSKb8/Tdprg3y45lI/AAAAAAAABB4/6cgQLUKIpGs/s320/CIMG9918.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Get free food.</b> Yes, sometimes there are free things in life. At most tapas bars, ordering a drink comes with a plate of tapas, usually olives, or potato chips. </div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although not quite filling enough for a meal, this small snack can tide you over until the late dinner time - 9pm at the earliest, and even then you might have the restaurant all to yourself. </span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just don't load up on the booze at one place, or the free tapas might wind up costing you. Moreover, it is customary for the Spanish to eat a couple of small plates at one place, move on to the next to sample their specialty, and so on. Remember, when in Madrid, do as the Madrilenos do. (Or something like that).</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yCg_GMmuKG8/TdprFL6aNcI/AAAAAAAABBo/b9eAjC6voEw/s1600/CIMG0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yCg_GMmuKG8/TdprFL6aNcI/AAAAAAAABBo/b9eAjC6voEw/s320/CIMG0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skip the restaurants and tapas bars. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are a lot of small <i>cervecerias</i> offering <i>bocadillos</i>, or snacks. Usually these are sandwiches stuffed with calamari, sausages or ham, and cost as little as 2.70 euros ($4). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Or you can go to a market like Mercado San Miguel and choose among the freshly prepared products from the different counters. At left are jamon iberico sandwiches (2.50 - 3.50 euros or $3-5) which are quite filling. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, remember: <b>No tipping</b>! Don't be a dumb Yank and give an automatic fifteen, or worse, twenty percent gratuity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, these are just a few strategies to reduce the cost of meals in Madrid. In addition, just follow common sense advice like checking a restaurant's menu before sitting down, and avoiding tourist traps. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Be sure you're not among the hapless tourists who got snookered at this restaurant. Check out these prices - 11.50 euros for a mixed salad! And the place was packed to boot. I do get a kick out of other people getting fleeced, as well as a pang of pity. Allow me my moment of schadenfreude as I munch on sumptuous jamon iberico washed down with vino, knowing I paid much less than for a bunch of leafy veggies.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gru5s7XUxpY/Tdpuis7h6bI/AAAAAAAABB8/Or4nk__kbu0/s1600/CIMG0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gru5s7XUxpY/Tdpuis7h6bI/AAAAAAAABB8/Or4nk__kbu0/s320/CIMG0231.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-85462143913330627362011-05-14T09:18:00.001-04:002011-05-25T07:38:57.785-04:00Porras or Churros - Deep fried goodness at Chocolateria de San Gines, Madrid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fHH-Nar3bkA/Tc54OJ5ei0I/AAAAAAAABBE/G5GMSEp4_Yk/s1600/CIMG0051.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fHH-Nar3bkA/Tc54OJ5ei0I/AAAAAAAABBE/G5GMSEp4_Yk/s400/CIMG0051.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The whole world calls them "<i>churros</i>", these deep-fried strips of dough that are eaten for breakfast or a snack, preferably dunked in hot chocolate. However, in Spain, these fat greasy long fingers are called "<i>porras</i>". And the place to be in Madrid to try these is <a href="http://europeforvisitors.com/madrid/articles/chocolateria-san-gines.htm">Chocolateria San Gines</a>, tucked behind an alley just off Calle Arenal. </div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BLD9HzCQkMI/Tc560mK2B1I/AAAAAAAABBM/ayY0QWh3xGk/s1600/CIMG0060.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BLD9HzCQkMI/Tc560mK2B1I/AAAAAAAABBM/ayY0QWh3xGk/s640/CIMG0060.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">follow the sign to Chocolateria San Gines</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Open since 1894, Chocolateria de San Gines is open round the clock, just in case you feel like a midnight snack. Immensely popular among locals and tourists, there is plenty of outdoor seating but like those in a hurry, I stood at the long, marble counter inside and ordered a "<i>chocolate con porras</i>" (3.50 euros, two strips) for a late breakfast. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zl95p1BaJkY/Tc567fbnVhI/AAAAAAAABBQ/uilyf5WzplU/s1600/CIMG0054.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zl95p1BaJkY/Tc567fbnVhI/AAAAAAAABBQ/uilyf5WzplU/s400/CIMG0054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The cup of hot chocolate was just to my liking, not cloyingly sweet at all. (A local I met at a tapas bar mentioned a preference for a competing chocolateria, due to its sweeter chocolate, but the name of the establishment esapes me). </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While busy dunking my <i>porras </i>and biting into it, I could peek inside the kitchen where their skinnier counterparts, called <i>churros</i> (this is getting confusing), were being dunked in a huge fryer in long strips, then cut into shorter straws as they came out. These thinner strips came four to an order, and below is a visual (taken at Mercado San Miguel), to illustrate the difference.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4QCMGEd3KqM/Tc5-aPHC_2I/AAAAAAAABBU/pvYCxLHZ5kE/s1600/CIMG0005.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4QCMGEd3KqM/Tc5-aPHC_2I/AAAAAAAABBU/pvYCxLHZ5kE/s320/CIMG0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If hot chocolate doesn't tickle your fancy, most locals simply dunk their fat or skinny greasy fix into their <i>cafe con leche</i>, and that seems to work splendidly as well. Perhaps I will find out for myself tomorrow. Or tonight. </div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-52466020819599906292011-04-25T20:54:00.001-04:002011-04-25T20:57:03.943-04:00Eataly's bicerin - non delizioso<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AoUTGNHMw24/TbYMAp6-wCI/AAAAAAAABAc/Fd9pdMhNXyA/s1600/04242011009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AoUTGNHMw24/TbYMAp6-wCI/AAAAAAAABAc/Fd9pdMhNXyA/s400/04242011009.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>There are many reasons to visit Eataly, that mecca of food devoted to everything Italian. One can dine in any of the six restaurants, buy Italian specialty goods or simply dash in for a quick espresso. The hunt for edible confectionery suitable as a birthday gift explained my presence at Eataly on a warm Sunday afternoon.<br />
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I fortuitously glanced up at the board above the coffee bar and laid my eyes on the word "bicerin".In a couple of <a href="http://pigoutnyc.blogspot.com/2011/04/bicerin-redux-at-pubblico-espresso-bar.html">previous posts</a>, I had claimed that this sweet treat from Turin was served only at <a href="http://www.pubbliconyc.com/">Pubblico Espresso Bar</a> in the Village - but here was evidence to the contrary. <br />
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Eager to sample Eataly's version of bicerin despite the warm weather, I found an empty seat at the counter and took a sip. And another. Whereas my lips expected the taste of cold cream intersecting with hot, robust espresso and sweet chocolate, the layer of cream, alarmingly thin in appearance, was equally overpowered in taste.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ki0MS3vszCw/TbYL_PRxr3I/AAAAAAAABAY/OpBXArztuvI/s1600/04242011010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ki0MS3vszCw/TbYL_PRxr3I/AAAAAAAABAY/OpBXArztuvI/s400/04242011010.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>A bit of consolation was the Lavazza coffee used in the bicerin, at least that counted for something. I stirred the remains of the concoction, a big no-no, my disappointment apparent to all who cared to notice and my mind racing to find an explanation for this humdrum offering from Eataly. <br />
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Compared to Pubblico's bicerin, this was dreadful, or had I just been spoiled? No doubt the ingredients at both places were equally beyond reproach, but the harried baristas at Eataly whom I overheard mixing up customers' orders did not inspire confidence, compared to the sight of Francesca and Alessandro shaking the container of cold cream lovingly. <br />
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I did find some pistachio spread and truffles for my friend, so the afternoon wasn't a total waste. Perhaps I'll try a couple of flavors of gelato on a hot summer's day at Eataly, but cozy Pubblico will always be my place for bicerin. <br />
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P.S. Excuse the lousy photos taken with a mobile phone.<br />
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</div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-73969536553960253722011-04-06T16:39:00.002-04:002011-04-06T16:40:53.860-04:00Bicerin redux at Pubblico Espresso Bar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwxRthf7bc0/TZzILKeyvLI/AAAAAAAABAQ/aVfK-2jyjxg/s1600/CIMG9976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwxRthf7bc0/TZzILKeyvLI/AAAAAAAABAQ/aVfK-2jyjxg/s320/CIMG9976.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bicerin, specialty of Pubblico Cafe</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Not quite sure why it took over a month to revisit Pubblico Cafe in the Village for some bicerin, but a blustery un-springlike Saturday afternoon provided the perfect excuse to drop by. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This time I happened to have a real camera with me, in contrast to my first visit when I used my cell phone to snap a few pics that were quite lousy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Strains of <a href="http://www.amadou-mariam.com/">Amadou and Mariam's</a> music greeted me as I entered the cafe. It was deserted except for Francesca, the friendly Italian counter person who shared my interest in the blind couple's music, and who managed to convince me to sample two freshly-delivered cookies. Good thing too since my taco lunch left me craving some dessert. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FTXt8qQJpRU/TZzIJS6GQjI/AAAAAAAABAE/Bc6XdKDeDkw/s1600/CIMG9983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FTXt8qQJpRU/TZzIJS6GQjI/AAAAAAAABAE/Bc6XdKDeDkw/s320/CIMG9983.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The tart, intense raspberry chocolate cookie (Francesca's favorite) was to my liking, as well as the wine-infused biscuit with anise. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But let's not forget what I came for - another taste of bicerin. I recounted to her </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">how I gave in to Alessandro's enthusiasm the first time, and what a delicious surprise my</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> first taste of the specialty from Turin was.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was wary of having built up Pubblico's bicerin in my mind, and being disappointed the second time around. However, I'm glad to report that was definitely not the case - the perfect blend of chocolate, espresso and hand-shaken cold cream, accompanied by the cookies and the New York Times magazine, provided a pleasant late-afternoon interlude. And, I hope the photos are much better this time. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VLzuA27B5-k/TZzIKc4A5sI/AAAAAAAABAM/mhwQFWKmX0w/s1600/CIMG9977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VLzuA27B5-k/TZzIKc4A5sI/AAAAAAAABAM/mhwQFWKmX0w/s320/CIMG9977.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8d9fRgl0PHs/TZzOWkIqMJI/AAAAAAAABAU/eVRx_siL3Dk/s1600/CIMG9980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8d9fRgl0PHs/TZzOWkIqMJI/AAAAAAAABAU/eVRx_siL3Dk/s320/CIMG9980.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ALYXufETV40/TZzIJhJn5AI/AAAAAAAABAI/5IJODDeCkBo/s1600/CIMG9981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ALYXufETV40/TZzIJhJn5AI/AAAAAAAABAI/5IJODDeCkBo/s320/CIMG9981.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1578439/restaurant/Greenwich-Village/Pubblico-Espresso-Cafe-New-York"><img alt="Pubblico Espresso Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1578439/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
</span></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-80820600221536742772011-02-21T16:39:00.005-05:002011-03-01T20:00:09.296-05:00Bicerin, a sweet treat from Turin, has pulled into the station<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zJXHTW197gs/TWLHwY0QwNI/AAAAAAAABAA/7sJhYSHHe_M/s1600/029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zJXHTW197gs/TWLHwY0QwNI/AAAAAAAABAA/7sJhYSHHe_M/s320/029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>"Quite a number of storefronts have changed lately on MacDougal St.", I noted, as I started walking northbound along the block from the Bleecker St. intersection, "and not really for the better". It seemed that most of the new food establishments were just re-treads of the same tired concepts found elsewhere.<br />
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The sign from a new cafe promising the best espresso caught my eye - and given the swirling winds and frigid temps, my growling stomach, and just a general appetite for discovery - before you know it I had climbed up the few steps and stepped inside Pubblico Espresso cafe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrGAs68DqLQ/TWLHuOsof7I/AAAAAAAAA_0/Kuiuke7MrDA/s1600/032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrGAs68DqLQ/TWLHuOsof7I/AAAAAAAAA_0/Kuiuke7MrDA/s320/032.jpg" width="320" /></a> The young, beaming counter person (alas, his name I forgot) greeted me warmly, and suggested their specialty - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicerin" target="_blank"><i>bicerin</i></a>, a concoction made of espresso and melted chocolate, topped by a layer of cream and roasted coffee beans, which he claims is "only available here in our cafe - in the entire city!" in heavily-accented Italian. I assented, of course - did I really have a choice? <i>Bicerin</i> was totally unfamiliar to myself, and his salesmanship and bold claim were intriguing, to say the least. <br />
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While waiting for my order to arrive, I pondered - given that New York City has been having a love fest with all things Italian - witness the success of many recently-opened trattorias, pizzerias, tavernas, and most notably, <a href="http://eatalyny.com/" target="_blank">Eataly</a> - it seemed inconceivable that some novelty Italian food item that hadn't yet conquered our shores. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FyZprCQYXLA/TWLHu-8ozzI/AAAAAAAAA_4/KAA3ZHGfh7E/s1600/031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FyZprCQYXLA/TWLHu-8ozzI/AAAAAAAAA_4/KAA3ZHGfh7E/s320/031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Finally, he brought over the glass of <i>bicerin</i> to my tiny, round table - only one of four in the cozy, narrow sliver of a space. With the only other patron deeply engrossed in his newspaper, the server found time to give me more background information on bicerin. "It's from Turin - they make the best there - the best!" (imagine the same accent as the restaurateur Poppy on <i>Seinfeld</i>).<br />
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Meaning "small glass" in Piedmontese, <i>bicerin</i> is meant to be drank without mixing the hot and cold parts together - "No, no, no...", warned Poppy, wagging his finger for effect. Feeling the heat as I touched the glass, I waited a few minutes before diving in. The top layer of cream was sweet, but not overly so, countered by the dark, roasted espresso and chocolate - the intersection of these elements as the first taste hit my tongue and lingered there was just perfection. <br />
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Further reading: <br />
As recently as 2006, during the height of the Winter Olympics in Turin, the New York Times profiled this wonderful warming drink, and noted that it <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/dining/08olym.html" target="_blank">couldn't find a place</a> serving bicerin in the city.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/1578439/restaurant/Greenwich-Village/Pubblico-Espresso-Cafe-New-York"><img alt="Pubblico Espresso Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1578439/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-15838602041890961942011-01-07T14:51:00.001-05:002011-01-07T15:01:05.351-05:00A Seafood Feast @ The Crab Pot, SeattleAfter some sea lion watching at the Seattle Aquarium, we had a couple of hours to kill before the Harbor/Locks/Lake Union cruise in the afternoon. Since it was around lunch time, it was only fitting to gorge on seafood at <a href="http://www.thecrabpotseattle.com/">The Crab Pot</a> right on the waterfront, steps away from the boarding docks. <br />
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We had seen The Crab Pot's ad on the Seattle free map given out at the hotel, and although I was a bit skeptical and thought it was a tourist trap, my friend was insistent upon smashing those crabs with a mallet, as their ads showed. Well, I reluctantly agreed, conceding that their ads were kinda cute. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TSdmysYY2cI/AAAAAAAAA-M/2H8Yg5_aLXg/s1600/CIMG9859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TSdmysYY2cI/AAAAAAAAA-M/2H8Yg5_aLXg/s400/CIMG9859.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Perusing their menu, we decided on "The Westport" seafood feast - an assortment of dungeness crab, shrimp, mussels, clams, andouille sausages and a heapful of corn on the cob and potatoes. All these were laid out atop a paper sheet on our table, and the obligatory bibs (guaranteed to many anyone above the age of 12 look ridiculous) and mallets disbursed. Off to the races!<br />
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I actually did not like eating crabs because it took quite an effort to extract the meat out - apparently I am in the minority, as there was no letup of patrons coming inside The Crab Pot. Most of them, as I suspected, were tourists lured by the bountiful servings, reasonable price, and "good enough" quality. I had to admit though that it was quite fun wielding the mallet and having my way with the poor dungeness crab. <br />
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We managed to polish off all the seafood on the table, leaving only some of the fillers - corn and potatoes. Food was ok, nothing exceptional, and I didn't really feel quite full and craved more seafood. Now that we had gotten The Crab Pot experience out of our systems, time to move on to better establishments. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/3768/restaurant/Downtown/Crab-Pot-Restaurant-Bar-Seattle"><img alt="Crab Pot Restaurant & Bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/3768/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-47296544433805414232010-12-27T00:45:00.001-05:002010-12-28T20:54:41.734-05:00It's a Great Day for Chowder at Pike Place MarketEvery visitor to Seattle visits Pike Place Market, most to view the fish mongers throwing salmon across the room whenever a sale is made. On the other hand, our primary concern was the consumption, not the viewing, of food. The heavy winds and intermittent rain made us crave for something to warm us up, so we ended up at Pike Place Chowder for some soup.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TRgjB8FpkUI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/aGIz3HmGKoU/s1600/CIMG9777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TRgjB8FpkUI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/aGIz3HmGKoU/s400/CIMG9777.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Had to chuckle at the missing letter "F", possibly erased by an impatient patron while standing in line. I soon busied myself studying the menu and trying to figure out which soup to order. Truth to tell, everything seemed so good and appealing, other than Manhattan Clam Chowder (not a fan of it), with a couple of soups being voted "Nation's Best", as indicated in bold red. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TRgldXPIBcI/AAAAAAAAA9k/s-0Mr9Fnzwg/s1600/CIMG9779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TRgldXPIBcI/AAAAAAAAA9k/s-0Mr9Fnzwg/s400/CIMG9779.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In the end, I opted for a large cup (a whopping 16 ounces) of smoked salmon clam chowder, and devoured the not-too-thick hearty potato and clam-filled bowl of goodness to the very last drop. Also split a lobster roll with my friend, which I felt was so-so. Was somewhat surprised at the reasonable prices, or maybe I'm too used to NYC rates. Thus fortified, I felt ready to venture outside and face the elements once more, eager for more downtown Seattle sightseeing. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TRgjiGKYhyI/AAAAAAAAA9g/gULz91tgsJk/s1600/CIMG9784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TRgjiGKYhyI/AAAAAAAAA9g/gULz91tgsJk/s400/CIMG9784.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21072873.post-75215153629287401692010-12-15T12:40:00.003-05:002010-12-15T12:48:29.365-05:00Drool, drool...NY Mag's "The 35 Best Pork Dishes in NYC"Well, I read this article in the print edition of New York magazine last night - "<b>The 35 Best Pork Dishes in New York City</b>" - promptly went to bed still salivating, and wowed to email the link to all of my friends first thing in the morning. (Resisted sharing the fatty news on Facebook though, not sure why).<br />
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So, I went to the <a href="http://www.nymag.com/">New York Mag website</a> to look for the article, and was blown away by the <b><a href="http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/12/adam_platts_35_best_pig_dishes.html#" target="_blank">slide show</a></b> - all 35 awesome pictures will make you drool!!! Suddenly, my stomach was growling, I was licking my lips, and wondering "When is lunch?". Oh, it's only about three hours away.Not a good idea to check out the pictures on an empty stomach. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TQjzfFf5PkI/AAAAAAAAA88/yz2PMcyYRss/s1600/porchetta2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oRAqmIqJbHk/TQjzfFf5PkI/AAAAAAAAA88/yz2PMcyYRss/s400/porchetta2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fatty goodness - Porchetta sandwich</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So, as I went through the slide show, I noted the places I've been to, like<a href="http://pigoutnyc.blogspot.com/2010/03/porchetta.html" target="_blank"> Porchetta</a> in the East Village (its namesake sandwich pictured above) and Num Pang Cambodian sandwich shop (though it doesn't really seem Cambodian to me), as well as the ones I've always (x3) wanted to try but never got around to doing so yet - best example is picture 14 - Hakata Tonton's pig feet (<i>tonsoku</i>) - of which thirteen (thirteen!) varieties are served in that tiny restaurant. <br />
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Man, this is definitely going to be my next project - sampling all 35 "best pork dishes" in 2011 - and New Year's resolution to boot! Let's sing <i>Auld Lang Syne</i> to usher in the new year, and look forward to "<s>eating healthier meals</s>" literally PIGGING out - cholesterol be damned!!!Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14992696708373386118noreply@blogger.com0