UDC 641 : Food. Cooking. Dishes

So long, thanks for all the fish ...

2010-09-18T09:47:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

With the first hint of fall in the air, I thought it would be a good time to send UDC641 on a bit of a hiatus. I'll say hiatus instead of retirement because, I don't want to set up false expectations for a permanent fading away only (like Sinatra and Streisand) to return again, and again (did someone say The Who's Farewell Tour?)

So, it's been fun, and as the dolphins say, thanks for all the fish (and Indian food, and pork, and chicken, and and and ...)

UDC641 has left the kitchen ... bon appetit!

Sou' Wester Restaurant and Gift Shop

2010-08-29T15:15:00.000-04:00

Sou' Wester Restaurant and Gift Shop

At such a beautiful spot as Peggy's Cove, one shouldn't expect too much by way of food. Especially a place that bills itself as both a restaurant AND a gift shop. But here at the Sou' Wester, the actually had a quite nice menu.

I gravitated to the Haddock Burger (though there were a number of other items that also caught my fancy. And a good choice it was. I also opted out of the fries (or, that other popular Nova Scotian dish, sweet potato fries) in favor of a really good (and by good I mean wet and creamy) cole slaw.

Good food, great view.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 21 August 2010
Rating: *** 1/2
Address: 178 Peggy's Point Road, Peggy's Cove, NS. B3Z 3S2
Website: http://www.peggys-cove.com/

The Fire Side in Halifax

2010-08-28T09:13:00.004-04:00

The Fire Side

I'd been looking forward to this spot on word of mouth reports. I had high expectations, which might have made me expect a bit too much.

My party sat upstairs, which had great outside lighting (it looked dark on the lower level and since it was nice out and still early, we wanted to catch some Nova Scotian rays!). There was also seating outside, but it was a bit chilly for that not that there weren't some diners out there).

I went with the Mediterranean lamb burger (ground lamb and pork seasoned with cumin, mint, coriander, dill, oregano. Grilled, topped with feta arugula, olives and sun-dried tomatoes; served with fries, but I added the side Caeasar salad for a small charge).

The burger was quite good, but the overall experience was lacking some zing.

By the way, no reservations.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 22 August 2010
Rating: *** 1/2
Address: 1500 Brunswick Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Website: http://www.thefireside.ca/

Gazebo Cafe

2010-08-27T21:06:00.003-04:00

Gazebo Cafe

After an hour drive from Halifax to our waterside resort, we needed a quick little lunch. Not wanting to eat at one of the resort properties quite yet, we took the fifteen minute drive to the picturesque town of Mahone Bay. At the visitors' center, they recommended a spot just down the street. Sadly, it was out of business, but nearby was the Gazebo Cafe. It was a bit tricky getting a table for nine, but after a short wait, we were able to get a table.

I wasn't that hungry, so I passed on the tasty looking mussels and seafood chowder. Not being a fan of crustaceans (as loyal readers know), I also passed on the lobster roll. Others in my party had all of the previous and came back with great review.

I, however, went with the BLT sandwich. Not bad, but served rather plain (no chips, fries, salad or even a pickle).

So, rating on the BLT, it's a bit low, so I recommend sticking with the seafood options.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 17 August 2010
Rating: ***
Address: South Main Street, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, B0J 2E0, Canada
Website: N/A

Minato Sushi Japanese Restaurant

2010-08-26T21:03:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Minato Sushi Japanese Restaurant

Wandering around Halifax, we saw a number of sushi spots. But which one? Being near the sea, I was looking for some good sushi, so how to tell? In this case, we got lucky and were overheard discussing options in the lobby of the hotel. One of the staff quickly opined that Minato's was the best spot in Halifax.

So off we went.

On walking in, I spotted the server carrying a big bowl of kimchi! Hmmm. Interesting. On sitting down and seeing the menu, not only was kimich offered, but a wide variety of Korean dishes. Turns out the owner was Korean. So, in addition to some edamame and sushi selections as appetizers, I had the Korean beef and an extra order of kimchi.

The beef (pulkogi, bulgogi, pick your spelling!) was excellent and the kimchi just right. The sushi was also fresh and well prepared.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 14 August 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1520 Queen Street, Halifax, NS, Canada
Website: http://www.minatosushi.ca/

As You Like It, or, What You Will

2010-08-24T10:44:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

As You Like It

Sometimes you just want a good, quick, deli sandwich. Heading out on the streets of Halifax, there it was, "As You Like It".

Did I like it? Yup. I got the chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat. Served with a cranberry dressing (interesting touch), I added a package of poutine flavored chips.

Fast service and probably a popular lunch spot for office workers.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 16 August 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1660 Hollis St Halifax, NS , B3J1V7
Website: N/A

Salt Shaker Deli: Shake a tail feather down to ...

2010-08-24T10:35:00.001-04:00

Salt Shaker Deli: Shake a tail feather down to ...

One needs to always be a bit wary when in tourist spots, you never know quite what to expect. So, when we stopped in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Lunenbert (Nova Scotia) I wasn't certain what would come up on the meal-0-matic. Stopping in one of the
souvenir shops, we were pointed in the direction of the Salt Shaker Deli.

A few minutes walk brought us there and luckily, there was a table for seven available!

Well, in looking over the menu, there were local Indian Point mussels, so I had to have some. Especially when saw there was a special, "Pint and a Pound" - pint of draft beer and a pound of mussels. The only trouble was there were so many options:

Provenqal
Steamed in White Wine
Propeller Honey Wheat Beer
Propeller Porter Beer
Roasted Garlic & Cream
Thai Coconut Curry
Spicy Tomato & Harissa
Portugese Style with Sausage
Creamy Madras Curry

Many of the options were tempting, but I stuck with the basic white wine option. Excellent mussels and just the right amount. Highly recommended.

A feew days later, on a boat cruise, I got to see the mussel beds in Mahone Bay:

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 18 August 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 124 Montague Street, Lunenburg, NS B0J 2C0
Website: http://www.saltshakerdeli.com/

Not Today: King of Donair

2010-08-22T21:37:00.002-04:00

K.O.D.
Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

I was so sad passing pizza corner this, my last night in Halifax. I never had a chance to try a donair at K.O.D. - King of Donair.

I had wanted to try the classic donair at midnight, but my scheduled never worked out ... so ...

Not today, but someday!

Steve-o-Reno's

2010-08-21T15:46:00.002-04:00

Steve-o-Reno's Cappucino

Located on a little side street, Steve-o-Reno's is a perfect little spot for coffee or a quick bite.

I stopped in for a late lunch and didn't really want too much. Nice and comfortable decor, wifi, and helpful, friendly staff.

The main item on the menu is the "Egg-o-reno", a nice take on the basic "Eggwich". I got mine with veggies, cheese, and a bit of ham. Very tasty!

I didn't get a coffee, but reports from friends say that it was excellent.

Be aware, Steve-o-Reno's is cash only!

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 15 August 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1536 Brunswick St, Halifax, NS, B3J 2G2
Website: N/A

Java Factory

2010-08-21T11:10:00.003-04:00

Java Factory

They roast their own coffee. What else do we need to say?

Locally roasted coffee always has a bit of an edge in the race for the perfect cup. I didn't get a chance to stay long at the Java Factory (passing by on a walk around Halifax), but the smell of roasting coffee drew me in.

Located in the Pier 21 area of museums, cruise ship docks, and beer breweries, it has a great location.

I didn't get a chance to try the foods, but the pasties and other offerings looked good.

And the coffee? Excellent!

Meal: Coffee
Date Visited: 17 August 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1113 Marginal Rd., Halifax, NS B3H 4P7
Website: http://www.javafactorycoffee.com/

The Old Triangle Irish Ale House

2010-08-21T07:03:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

The Old Triangle Irish Ale House

When I looked online and saw such fare as "Aer Wingus" and "Blarney Stone Crabs" I had a feeling I was in for an authentic faux Irish pub experience. Though the decor went for the pub look, the food was a typical North American take on "Irish" with a extras thrown in.

Our group got two starters, the Sweet Potato Fries (served with a curry mayo sauce and some Poutine (see my first poutine experience in Vancouver). Here, the poutine had the basic fries topped with ground beef, caramelized onions, gravy, melted cheese, and the addition of a summer savoury stuffing.

For an main course, I went with the official (it seems to me) fish of Halifax, the Pan-Fried Haddock, served with coleslaw, a side salad and the highlight of the meal, a special zingy tartar sauce.

Our table had a problem with one order (wrong dish brought out) and some dishes were like more than others. Overall, an adequate meal.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 16 August 2010
Rating: ** 1/2
Address: 5136 Prince Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 1L4, Canada
Website: http://www.oldtriangle.com/home.php?site_id=1

Wired Monk

2010-08-18T09:32:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Wired Monk

The Wired Monk looked interesting from the outside and had a nice homey feel inside. Though it seemed like a "local" kinda place, it is part of a chain with a number of locations in Nova Scotia (not that there's anything wrong with chains!).

The selection of morning baked goods was fine and the coffee tasty. Service was prompt and friendly.

Located on a corner with a construction site next door, it was a bit noisy, but that shall pass.

Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: 16 August 2010
Rating: **
Address: 5147 Morris Street, Halifax, NS
Website: http://www.wiredmonk.com/stores.asp?ID=12

Cabin Coffee, Halifax

2010-08-17T08:50:00.004-04:00

Cabin Coffee, Halifax

Coffee house vibe, check.
Laid back, slightly spacey service, check.
Big comfy chairs and couches, check.
Whacky decor, check.
Incredible baked goods, check.

Yup, Cabin Coffee is the real thing. But, unlike a lot of local coffee place hangouts, the coffee is actually pretty good. Staying just a block or so away, I went to Coffee Cabin a number of times and at different times of day. At lunch, they offered a good selection of soups (I had the tasty chili one day) as well as sandwiches.

As noted above, the baked goods were tasty (if a bit adventerous - the cinnamon roll was an interesting failure), the muffins and scones were outstanding.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Snack/Breakfast/Lunch
Date Visisted: 13-17 August 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1554 Hollis St., Halifax, NS B3J 1V3, Canada
Website: N/A

Not Today: Beaver Tails

2010-08-16T11:31:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

This post introduces a new feature: Not Today.

Not Today will be posts about places that I didn't eat and probably will never go to (or food dishes that will be permanent pass bys).

To kick off Not Today, we have "Beaver Tails". Not sure how pervasive this dish (?) is in Canada, but basically, it's a big flat piece of fried dough (roughly shaped like a "beaver tail") and covered in gooey sweet stuff of your choice.

Did I want a beaver tail? Not today!

Seen in: Haliifax
Date: 14 August 2010
Some other day probability: 1 out of 100

Dofsky's does mussels

2010-08-15T15:04:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Dofsky's Urban Grill

Off to Halifax for a family wedding and when in the Maritimes, one must have mussels!

The rehearsal dinner was at Dofsky's, a nice comfortable spot which offered three different styles of mussels. I went with the "home" version, which was white wine, tarragon, and a touch of cream. An interesting blend, but not sure if I liked the cream. Still, quite tasty and a nice large serving (appetizer on the menu, but made for a full meal). I added a Caesar salad to compliment the ebony mollusks.

Of note was the selection of Nova Scotian wines. I'd never had one before. At dinner, there were two options, a red and a white. I went with the Marechal Foch which was quite good.

(sorry no mussels pictures ... they were too dark!)

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 13 August 2010
Rating: *** 1/2
Address: 1583 Brunswick Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J3P5, Canada
Website: http://www.dofskysgrill.com/

Salty's, a savory taste of Halifax

2010-08-14T16:26:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Salty's

One couldn't ask for a nicer spot and day. Right on the waterfront at the Halifax boardwalk and a beautiful, clear and sunny day.

We had an outside table with a water view and stayed mostly with a seafood meal for lunch.

I went with the fish and chips (not something I usually get, so it would be a change). Haddock seems to be THE fish here in Halifax and that's what they were battering up at Salty's. The batter was nicely textured and the chips nice and crispy.

The fish and chips were served with tartar sauce, but was brought malt vinegar on request.

The other entries at the table, maple salmon, tuna sandwich, seafood chowder, all received good reviews.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 14 August 2010
Rating: *** 1/2
Address: 1869 Upper Water Street, Halifax, NS B3J 1S9, Canada
Website: http://www.saltys.ca/

United 7644: IAD to YHZ, a Haiku

2010-08-13T22:33:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

United 7644: IAD to YHZ, a Haiku

Well, what can you be written about a plastic cup of Mott's Tomato juice that hasn't been said a thousand time before by quills magnitudes sharper than mine?

And so, I won't try ... but wait, no, just a short haiku:

Mott's Tomato Juice.
In cup, with ice, plastic cup.
The can? Ah, on cart.

Meal: Beverage
Date Visited: 13 August 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: http://www.united.com

R.I.P.: D'Acqua

2010-08-07T14:19:00.000-04:00

R.I.P.: D'Acqua

D'Acqua had a great, if cursed location. This address on Pennsylvania Ave. has been the site of a number of restaurants over the years, but none seem to really stick.

With an Italian cuisine, it would seem a natural power lunch hit. But I'm afraid I never saw it full.

My one lunch there was alright, but not great. I had mussels in a tomotoe sauce - always a mistake, just too messy to really enjoy. The bread was really good though!

Meal: Lunch
Rating: N/A
Date Closed: 3 November 2009
Address: 801 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Website: N/A

R.I.P.: Bluepoint

2010-08-06T17:05:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

R.I.P.: Bluepoint

On the site of the former location of John Harvard's, Bluepoint seemed to have a lot going for it. But it just never seemed to get going.

Went there for happy hour a number of times and there was always a good crowd. Nice filet sliders and drinks priced to go.

But the dining room never seemed to get a crowd (or even close to full). Generally, service was good and the food ok (a pecan crusted tilapia was good).

This is a great location, but it needs something to match that.

Meal: Drinks/Lunch/Dinner
Rating: N/A
Date Closed: Early 2010?
Address: 1299 Pensylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Website: N/A

Go, Go Fish!

2010-07-26T13:30:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Go Fish Ocean Emporium

As you can see by the picture, this really is just a shack by the water. There are some seats (some even under the only slightly dripping cover). But you're not coming for the ambience, you're coming for some of the tastiest food in Vancouver (and that's saying a lot for this foodie heaven).

I went with the salmon tacones (taco cones, get it?) with slaw. Simply one of the best prepared salmon I've ever had.

A colleague comments, and I agree:

Literally a seaside fish shack. Food usually comes off the neighboring dock and onto your plate. Great fish and chips, sandwiches, soups/chowders, specials. Go early.You gotta eat outside or huddle in your car, but totally worth it.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 10 November 2009
Rating: *****
Address: 1505 W 1st Ave., Vancouver, BC V6J 1E8
Website: N/A

Galloping Gourmet: Vienna, Austria

2010-06-18T13:22:00.000-04:00

Vienna Overview

Attending a series of intense, morning to evening meetings is not the best way to enjoy the culinary treats of Vienna. All but one of my dinners was under the constrained circumstance of having to seat 15-20 people. The one dinner outside the group environment, was fabulous.

I also didn't get to take full advantage of the coffee house culture, only making it to three different ones (breakfast, lunch, drinks). I was able to hit one of the prime tourist spots, the Cafe Sacher and indulge in the famed torte.

Here's a rundown of my eating adventures in Vienna:

Breakfast

Das Möbel Cafe

Lunch

Café Bendl

Dinner

Dessert/Drinks

United 870: SYD to SFO

2010-06-15T08:19:00.003-04:00

United 870: SYD to SFO

Dinner on the flight, served just out of Sydney, was a choice of chicken or pasta. I went with the chicken. It was alright, a little on the greasy side, served with a side of roasted potatoes (good) and carrots and green beans. A side salad with Italian dressing plus a roll topped off the savoury side of the meal. Dessert was a bit too dense bit of chocolate cake. A nice touch was a complimentary wine (I selected the Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon).

For breakfast, well, I seemed to have slept through it; there was a cookie, pretzels and a little sandwich on my tray, so either that was the simple handout or there were airline fairies at work, we'll never know.

Meal: Dinner/Breakfast
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

United 840: MEL to SYD

2010-06-14T22:22:00.001-04:00

United 840: MEL to SYD

Well, back on a US carrier for a short hall, relatively, beverage and peanuts. Qantas, you spoiled me!

Meal: Snack
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

2010-06-14T13:10:00.008-04:00

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

I wasn't expecting much from the culinary options for Canberra, my first dinner was very good, so when my colleagues suggested Indian on the second night, I felt on I was on a positive roll.

And I wasn't disappointed. The Jewel of India was among the best Indian food I've had. Our group agreed on the banquet options. This included poppadom, appetizers (tandoori chicken and samosa), a basket of naan, and four entrees (Aloo palak, Beef madras, Lamb rogan josh, and chicken korma). All the selections were fabulous. The beef madras, if I had to pick one, would be my favorite (perhaps since I don't have it very often).

There was also dessert (the obligatory golum jabba (I'm never cared for that dish, so I didn't even try it) and a mango ice cream that was very good (but took a while to soften up).

Staff were attentive and the decor quite nice. Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 11 Bougainville St., Griffith, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2603
Website: http://www.jewelofindia.com.au

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

2010-06-13T12:16:00.002-04:00

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

My colleague from the University of Melbourned recommended Cutler & Co. if I wanted some "smart" bar food instead of a full dinner. That sounded both good and intriguing and it was also on the way back to my hotel.

The ambiance was cool hip with lots of black and chrome and spot lightinng. The host quickly met me at the door and was pleasant and happy for my request for a single table near the bar. Looking over the menu, it was indeed a smart menu with too many tempting choices. I had gone in with the idea of a single appetizer, but everything looked so good, I had to have two.

I created my own "surf and turf" with a selection of three South Australian Kumoto oysters (figured June is really December and hence has a "r" in it), and Wagyu beef ribs. I accompanied it with a Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir.

Service was quick and attentive. The food was amazing. The oysters were strong, and served on a mound of salt (a nice touch); I missed a bit of horseradish with them, but made do with a squeeze of lemon. The ribs were tender and sauced just right.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 55-57 Gertrude St., Melbourne, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: http://www.cutlerandco.com.au

Wig and Pen: Drinking in a political pub

2010-06-12T14:10:00.001-04:00

Wig and Pen

We had two days of very good meeting in Canberra, and so, before some of our group headed back to other parts of Australia, we went out to the highly recommended (well, actually, the only recommended) pub in Canberra. It was a Friday night, so it was packed. Unable to get seats, we hovered around on wall and bar area. Wig and Pen is a brew pub, and we sampled some of the local brews. The best was Venom, a strongly hoppy beer (the way I like it). Likely a nice place to relax when it was less crowded, it was also family friendly with a number of children in the bar area.

So, I'll join in with my Melbourne colleagues and give the Wig and Pen two thumbs up.

Meal: Drinks
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 53 Alinga St., Canberra City, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Website: http://www.wigandpen.com.au

Pork Barrel: Better than an earmark

2010-06-11T14:35:00.006-04:00

Pork Barrel: Better than an earmark

After a meeting at the National Library of Australia (NLA), our hosts suggested that we head for lunch just across the way at the Pork Barrel (as a resident of the Washington, DC area, I could appreciate the capital city humor in that).

Now in DC, I would have expected some BBQ, but the Pork Barrel was a pizza place (noted by one of the NAL staff as "the best pizza in Canberra". Not sure if I can vouch for that, but it was a quite good pizza. I went for the "Deli Pizza". Sun dried tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese.

Pizzas were made to order, so the food took a while to arrive (and we were a group of nine), but was worth the wait. There wa also a nice outdoor seating area (if you didn't mind the sulphur cockatoos, which were crowding around like pigeons, hanging around).

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: King George Terrace, Canberra, Parkes ACT 2600, Australia
Website: http://www.porkbarrel.com.au

Stairway to Heaven: Three bars across from Parliament

2010-06-10T15:23:00.002-04:00

Stairway to Heaven: Three bars across from Parliament

Through an unmarked door next to the Windsor Hotel opposite the Victoria State Parliament building, lay some interesting dining establishments.

The ground floor houses The European, next door (through the unmarked door) is The Melbourne Supper Club; a flight up from that is the Siglo Bar, partly in- and partly out-doors with a great view of Parliament and St. Patrick's Cathedral.

My colleague and I started at The European Restaurant (a heavy rain forced us indoors). We had a round of red wine (sadly, only European and no Australian wines were offered - perhaps because of the name) and interesting conversation before heading through the unmarked door to the The Melbourne Supper Club for a second glass of red, some polenta fries, and "party pies" (small little meat pies).

Heading up the final flight of stairs, we ordered a final glass of pinot noir and sat on the outside portion (the rain having ended) and enjoyed the view of the floodlit Parliament.

Service in all three was excellent, the location great, and food and drink quite good.

The European Restaurant
Meal: Drinks
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ***
Address: 161 Spring St., Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: http://www.theeuropean.com.au

The Melbourne Supper Club
Meal: Wine and appetizers
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1st/161 Spring St., Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: http://www.visitmelbourne.com

Siglo Bar
Meal: Drinks
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: *****
Address: Level 2, 161 Spring Street, Melbourne
Website: N/A

Longrain Restaurant and Bar

2010-06-10T09:59:00.004-04:00

Longrain Restaurant and Bar

When my hosts from the Melbourne Museum told their colleagues we were going to Longrain, there were many sad faces from those not going along.

On entering the restaurant, I could see why. With a modern Asian decor, fabulous smells, and a series of large, communal dining tables, it looked like a sure winner.

Our group went with pork hock with spicy sauces, a whole trout, egg net, and a tofu dish. All were as good as they looked. The egg net (this first time of had this dish), was tasty as well as interesting (a "net" made of scrambled eggs, enclosing a selection of meats and vegetables).

Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 2 June 2010
Rating: *****
Address: 85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, Melbourne, 2010
Website: http://www.longrain.com

United 873: SFO to IAD

2010-06-09T19:52:00.001-04:00

United 873: SFO to IAD

I know there are some of you out there (@outtacontext, for example!) who say to get something at one of the gate spots before getting on the SFO/IAD route, but I just got in from Australia, and fought my way through customs and the transfer to terminal 3 and had only moments to spare (well, I thought I did, but then we ended up being nearly an hour late), so I just had time for a quick Peet's at the gate.

On board, I opted for the $9 turkey sandwich with a side of chips. Not bad. But I'll try and get something at the gate next time. Promise!

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

Kristian's Monastiri

2010-06-08T21:49:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Kristian's Monastiri

Opting for a quiet dinner outside of the group, myself and two colleagues found a secluded former monastery (which had a laughing Buddha outside, so how could we go wrong?). We started with a bottle of Grüner Veltliner (my new favorite white wine) and were soon surprised with a chef's taste (a sort of carrot mouseline). For an appetizer, we we went with the veal tartare with fois gras which was decadently tasty. For my main course, I went with the Altwiener Tafelspitz (pot roast with potatoes and a fabulous fresh horseradish sauce.

We were given the English-translated menu (don't know why!) and some of the translations were entertaining. The mystery dish on the menu that we were all tempted to try was the Osso Buco vom Seeteufel (Monkfish). Still wondering exactly what that would look like!

Our service was excellent and the dining room nicely decorated and quiet (and the background music was all Beatles!).

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 27 May 2010
Rating: *****
Address: Neustiftgasse 16, A-1070 Wien
Website:http://kristians.monastiri.at/

Quantas Domestic Flights: MEL to CBR (QF 814) and (QF 795)

2010-06-05T21:46:00.003-04:00

Quantas Domestic Flights: MEL to CBR (QF 814) and (QF 795)

I needed to make a short visit to Canberra and had a domestic Qantas flight of just about an hour between Melbourne and there. This is about the same as my well-traveled Washington-Boston route. But food service was certainly different! On the DC-Boston route, food service is limted to pretzels and beverage service; if you're lucky, and on US Airways, you'll sometimes have a prepackaged donut handed to you as you board. But Qantas offered meal service, in my case, breakfast. Juice, muffin, yogurt, choice of tea or coffee, and a bowl of cereal (on the trip up it was muesli, on the way back, crunchy honey Weet-Bix).

Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: 3 and 5 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Mario's on Brunswick

2010-06-05T17:42:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Mario's

It was about eight o'clock and I'd just arrived in Melbourned after a flight from London, but I wasn't feeling much in the way of jet lag. So, my colleagues, who had arrived the day before, said we should go get some breakfast. Staying in the Fitzroy area of Melbourne, the place to head was Brunswick Street, a hip and happing strip of
shops, restaurants, and pubs.

After walking down the street a bit, we headed into Mario's, recommended by a local; we grabbed a table and I was quickly introduced to Australian coffee (I'll write more later). I had a bowl of muesli with fresh fruits and a glass of freshly squeezed orange
juice. My colleagues had egg plates (benedict and scambled) that looked fabulous).

Our wait staff had a bit of an attitude (reminding us at one point to tell him exactly what we all wanted then so he didn't have to make the twenty foot trip back to the kitchen again).

Mario's also introduced me to food prices in Australia. Suffice to say, this was the most expensive bowl of cereal I think I've ever had.

Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ***
Address: 303 Brunswick St., Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: N/A

Il Vicolo: Italian in Melbourne

2010-06-05T01:31:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Il Vicolo

Meals for larger groups can be tricky. Either the diner or the restaurant needs to make compromises that often lead to a less than satisfactory mean (see for example, some of my dines in Vienna).

But then there are times when things click. Our group of thirteen paid a visit to Il Vicola, near the Melbourne Museum after a successful morning of meetings. The menu was simple, a few starter options, a few entree choices, and some desserts. A choice of a red or white wine.

Sensing that Melbourne would be a good seafood town, I went with the Classic Queenscliff Crayfish bisque for my starter (though not usually a crustacean type of guy). A nice bit of soup, just the right touch of the sea in a tomatoe base with a dollop of cream.

For my main course, I went with the BBQ pork, veal, and fennel Continental sausages with Spanish onion sauce, and mashed potatoes. A very tasty sausage indeed and the onion sauce was nice. I skipped the dessert and finished with an espresso. Each diner also shared in a bowl of greens for the table.

Service was a bit slow, but understandable with the size of the group (and the size of the kitchen).

Il Vicola pulled off the group lunch with aplomb.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 2 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 50 Grattan St., Carlton, Melbourne, VIC 3053
Website: http://wwwilvicolo.com.au

Qantas 10: LHR > SIN > MEL

2010-06-04T19:51:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Qantas from London to Melbourne

Whew, flying from London to Melbourne was quite the culinary adventure. In the, oh, twenty or so hours of the trip, there were five meals served. All quite good. Here's
the breakdown:

Qantas 10: LHR to SIN

I went with the pork goulous option (pork, potato mash, broccoli and carrots), served with a side of tabouleh. For dessert, an Eton Mess (pavolova with rasberries and cream). With it, I had coffee and a St. Hallett Shiraz/Grenache blend.

A few hours later came a snack pack with cookies, candy, and chocolates. In the last hours before landing, there was a hot breakfast option with a leek and potato fritta with a side of a pork sausage and sauteed spinach.

Meal: Supper/Snack/Breakfast
Date Visited: 29-30 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

After a brief layover in Singapore, we reboarded and the food started flowing again.

Qantas 10: SIN to MEL

On this flight, there was a lightsupper of a beef and red wine cassaroll with garlic potatos, carrots and green beans. I chose the Scrubby Rise Shiraz/Cab/Petite Verdot blend. Dessert was a bit of chocolate, followed later by a Nestle's Crunch ice cream. The last serving of the trip was a continental breakfast of juice, coffee, a fruit dish, and a sweet roll.

Overall, an quite impressive amount of pretty good food!

Meal: Light Dinner/Continental Breakfast
Date Visited: 30-31 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

2010-06-04T07:43:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

My Melbourne connections said that we had to stop by the The Napier Hotel and it's pub since we were staying in the Fitzroy neighborhood. It had the look of a typical pub and, since it was still a bit early, not yet that crowded.

It took me a bit to get the hang of the Aussie pub and how to order. There wasn't wait service, exactly, but rather, you ordered at the bar and then the food was brought to you.

So, what to order? I wasn't that hungry, so I wanted a sandwich and ended up with the Suburban Burger. Not really a burger, but rather a steak sandwich. Quite qood and served with a side of fries. I topped it off with a variety of local beers.

But the hightlight was ordered by a colleage, the Bogan Burger (a bogan is sort of a Aussie version of a redneck, but with more positive connotations). Was is a bogan burger? Well, it's sort of the turducken of sandwiches, comprised of: Steak, Chicken Schnitzel, Caramalised Onions, Cheese, Pinepple, Beetroot, Potato Cake, Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Wedges and served with a salad.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 210 Napier St, Fitzroy VIC 3065‎
Website: http://thenapierhotel.com/food-drink/

Observatory Cafe, Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria

2010-06-02T19:37:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Observatory Cafe

I was stopping by the Royal Botanic Garden in Melbourne and because our appointment wasn't til later in the day, we decided to have a bit of lunch before hand.

The Observatory Cafe, located by the old observatory buildings had a great selection of food. I went with the tandoori chicken wrap which was quite tasty. We sat outside and were soon surrounded by Indian mynah birds wanting a treat.

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ****
Address: Royal Botanic Gardens Birdwood Ave., South Yarra VIC 3141
Website: http://www.observatorycafe.com.au/

Chairman & Yip Restaurant

2010-06-01T10:03:00.001-04:00

Chairman & Yip Restaurant

After attending a reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres, myself and the rest of my colleagues weren't quite in the mood for a large, heavy meal. One of the locals suggested Chairman & Yip Restaurant, where some good appetizers could be had.

Heading over, we were seated and proceeded to order (for the six of us) two rounds of three appetizers. A very nice duck pancakes, amazing scallops (served in a scallop shell), and dumplings (with a very good and spicy sauce).

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 3 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 108 Bunda St., Canberra City Australian Capital Territory 2601
Website: http://www.thechairmanandyip.com

Austrian Air: VIE to LHR

2010-06-01T03:24:00.000-04:00

Austrian Air: VIE to LHR

On a sort of quick flight (two hours or so), Austrian Air still served some real food (as opposed to just peanuts or pretzels). The offering was a half a chicken sandwich and a bit of rasberry chocoloate pudding. I supplemented it with coffee, and water. And, yes, a glass of the complimentary wine. I went with a white.

More like flying in the good old days!

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 29 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Asperagus on the Danube: Das Riverside

2010-06-01T02:10:00.001-04:00

Asperagus on the Danube: Das Riverside

The next large group dinner for my group was held at a large restaurant on the Danube. The best part of the dinner was the lovely large table with a view of the river. The food, well ...

I started off with the asperagus soup with tiny croutons. Thin, but good. For an entree, since I hadn't had it yet, I went with the Wiener Schnnitzel with side salad and potatoe salad. Good, but nothing to waltz home about.

Again, service was slow (though again, we were a large group). Bottom line, go for the river view.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 28 May 2010
Rating: **
Address: Handelskai 256, 1020 Vienna
Website: http://www.river-side.cc/de/impressionen

Torte! Torte! Torte! Cafe Sacher

2010-06-01T00:06:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Torte! Torte! Torte! Cafe Sacher

Iv thought I would skip the Sacher-Torte, it just seemed like too much of a tourist thing to do. The Sacher-Torte is nearly inescapable in Vienna, with ads for it everywhere and even a shop at the airport selling them "to-go"!

But when in Rome - or something like that - so, after dinner at Kristian's Monastiri and a walk around the downtown and past the Opera House, my colleague and I decided we should stop in.

The Hotel Sacher has a number of eating spots attached to it, including a restaurant, bar, and the Cafe Mozart. The Cafe Sacher, however, is the classic spot to enjoy the Sacher-Torte. The early 20th century decorations and serving staff in charming (or would that be quaint?) uniforms adds to the experience.

The torte itself (which I had with a cup of espresso), was rich and chocolaty, served with a large helping of whipped cream; perhaps a bit heavy for my taste, but good.

Meal: Dessert
Date Visited: 27 May 2010
Rating: ***
Address: Philharmonikerstrasse 4, 1010 Wien, Austria
Website: http://www.sacher.com/en-cafe-vienna.htm

The corner cafe: Franz Blauensteiner

2010-05-31T19:20:00.006-04:00

The corner cafe: Franz Blauensteiner

I passed this coffee house/cafe near my hotel at least twice a day. I was able to stop in once, after dinner and a full day of meetings. It
was a nice night out, so we sat down, just in time for the last call.

I had a nice little espresso and my colleague a glass of wine.

I meant to stop in again ... but it never happened.

Meal: Coffee
Date Visited: 26 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: Lenaugasse 1, 1080 Wien
Website: http://wwww.gastwirtschaft-blauensteiner.at

Haus des Schweins or Schweizerhaus?

2010-05-31T18:14:00.001-04:00

Haus des Schweins or Schweizerhaus? Karl Kolarik's Schweizerhaus.

The Schweizerhaus is located in the Prater amusement park. I mention this because I wouldn't want the unwary to be confused having to walk through a collection of curiously Viennese amuseument park rides and arcade games to get to the Schweizerhaus Beer Garden.

I didn't quite know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. It had been raining earlier, so the grounds (the beer garden is all outdoors under awnings) were wet and muddy. I was a bit late, so it took my a while to locate my party in the vast restaurant.

I took my seat on the bench and soon had a beer in front of me. But what to choose from the menu? Well, it wasn't hard. It had to be one of the house specialities, the Hintere Schweinsstelze. A chunk of pork (upper thigh?) spit roasted with the fat done to crispy goodness and a side of pommes frites.

When the Hintere Schweinsstelze arrived, the waiter sliced it for us and turned it over to my colleague and I. There were all kinds of tasty bits, grilled, fatty, just done white meat. Served with two kinds of mustard and freshly ground horseradish, it was something you don't find back home (and maybe not something you'd want everyday)!

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 26 May 2010
Rating: ***
Address: Prater 116, 1020 Wien
Website: http://www.tripwolf.com

A wilted Palm: Palmenhaus

2010-05-30T19:55:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Palmenhaus

Well, first off I'll say that having to serve a group of twenty or so
people is tricky. Second, I'll say that the Palmenhaus, located in a
the Burgarten in a botanical garden with a garden on one side and a butterfly house on the other is a lovely location.

But, well, we had some server problems this night. Just ordering took forever and the food took even longer to actually arrive (so long in fact that some of our party had to leave). And of course, the check took a long time too ...

When I looked at the drink options, I saw they had caiperanha. Hadn't had one in a restaurant since Brazil, so I had one. It was ok; not sure if it just wastn't hot enough or if it was the limes, but not a rave drink.

And the food? Well, it was asperagus season in Vienna, so I needed some asperagus, and thus chose the salad with asperagus, melon and prawns as my starter (not usually a crustacean eater, but once in a while it's a nice change). Asperagus were plump and quite tasty. Leading into the main course, saltimbocco with nettle-spinache and polenta gratinee. The saltimbocco was ok (a veal cutlett), but the nettle-spinach and polenta were both quite good.

Final thoughts? Well, might deserve a return visit, in a smaller group and when you're not in any hurry.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 25 May 2010
Rating: **
Address: Burggarten 1, Vienna, 01 5331033
Website: http://www.palmenhaus.at

Stationary at Das Möbel Cafe

2010-05-28T19:14:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Das Möbel Cafe

I had a morning business meeting and one of my colleagues suggested Das Möbel Cafe. It had free wifi as well as nice big tables (we were a group of six), so we popped in and grabbed a nice big table. During some of our stay, the woman at the table next to us was doing some interesting watercolors.

An interesting combination of cafe and furniture store, Das Möbel Cafe not only offers a full days selection of food and drink (breakfast to cocktails) but also the option to browse their furniture catalog and use examples of the different chairs and tables while enjoying your food or drink.

I went for the one hot, one cold drink, and two breads option. That would be, in my case, orange juice, a cafe americano, and two really good rolls with jams on the side.

Meeting went on and then it rained, so we decided to just stay on for lunch (two and a half hours later!).

For lunch, I went with the spinach and blue cheese quiche (with side salad) that was fabulous. A nice crispy crust and a filling of just the right consistency.

For dessert, we got a nice apple streudal that was good, but not as good as my mother's.

A bit tricky getting the attention of the serving staff, but they were pleasant and helpful. A very good choice Matthew!

Meal: Breakfast and Lunch
Date Visited: 27 May 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 18 Bewertungen, Burggasse 10, 1070 Wien
Website: http://www.dasmoebel.at

Café Bendl in Vienna

2010-05-27T11:57:00.001-04:00

Café Bendl

I found a list of "classic" Viennese cafes and the one nearest my hotel happened to be Café Bendl. Looking for a lunch spot on my first day, I dropped in.

First off, whoops, forgot, smoking is common in restaurants outside of Arlington, VA. Not very crowded, it was a late lunch, there was only one other customer (and a dog) at the Café Bendl. I took a seat in a backroom (with all kinds of old movie posters on the walls) and ordered a beer and a baguette pepperoni pizza.

The beer was good, the pizza just ok.

Probably not a good time to visit Café Bendl, I had the feeling it was much better later a night, with more smoke, and more liquor!

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 26 May 2010
Rating: **
Address: Landesgerichtsstraße 6 1010, Vienna, 01 4083087
Website: http://cafe-bendl.at/

Austrian Air: IAD to VIE

2010-05-26T10:40:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Austrian Air: IAD to VIE

Thanks to the world of codeshare, the flight that I booked on United was actually flown by Austrian Air. I was curious as to what the food selection was and it turned out farily good.

The first meal served was dinner. There was a choice of chicken or pasta. I went with the chicken. Served with a nice cheesy potato and a very tasty spinach, the chicken was a bit over-sauced and greasy.

For the breakfast, served somewhere over Belgium, there was a nice entry to Europe type bread, meat cheese, along with a muffin and yogurt.

As an added bonus, during the dinner service, wine (red, white, rose) were free flowing. I also give kudos to Austrian Air for the wonderful triangular shape of the plates.

Meal: Dinner and Lunch
Date Visited: 24/25 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: http://www.austrianair.com

United 860: GRU to IAD

2010-05-18T14:09:00.002-04:00

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UA 860: GRU to IAD: Business Class

I think that offering to share my pen with the check-in agent at GRU in São Paulo scored me some good travel Karma. I'd already been delayed for four days due to snow storms on the East Coast, so, I was pleasantly surprised with a complimentary upgrade to Business Class for the return trip from GRU to IAD.

Business class meant the white table cloth, free-flowing wine, a bowl of warm nuts, a cheese and cracker platter, and a selection of tasty entrees. For the breakfast, there was an interesting omlette.

This flight also offered "express service" where you could pre-order all your choices and have them delivered at once so that you could then go to sleep.

Meal: Dinner/Breakfast
Date Visited: 15 February 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Something fishy in Rochester, MN

2010-05-02T16:34:00.007-04:00

Pescara

I was invited to join the official dinner of the meeting I was speaking at, but my host found the room to chilly and suggested we go elsewhere. We'd seen Pescara across the street from Michael's, so off we went.

Located in the trendiest Doubletree I'd ever seen (I would have guessed it was a W Hotel), we had a wait a bit for a seating for our group of five, but were soon at a table.

As you might guess from the name, fish is the speciality. There was a great selection of market fresh fish (though I hesitate to get fish in the Midwest!). I decided to start off with an apple salad (though the oyster option looked good). For a main course, I went with one of the recommendations, paella. And a good choice it was. Not an overwhelming serving, there were just enough treats (mussels, shrimp) and a tasty, though not too spicy sauce.

I wish I could catalog the four other meals my colleagues had, but there was only one: Mushroom risotto! Yes, our table had one paella and four risotto (to be honest, it was my second choice). The risotto received good reviews as did the other sides and appetizers at the table (grilled asparagus, ahi tuna).

The decor was very 21st century, glass, chrome, basic greenery, ambient lighting. Quiet a change from Michael's. So, I'm sure in thirty years, if Pescara is still there and I were to return, and if it doesn't change, it will be that, oh so 2010 kinda place!

Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 28 April 2010
Address: 150 S. Broadway Ave., Rochester, MN 55904
Website: http://www.pescarafresh.com/

Gibson @ Martini's

2010-05-01T12:05:00.007-04:00

Martini's at the The Kahler Grand Hotel

With a name like that, didn't I just have to stop in? The Kahler Grand Hotel is a classic old hotel in Rochester, clearly the grande dame of the city. Martini's, the bar, had lovely seating outside onto a little plaza, but it was a bit chilly to sit outside, so I strolled in. I was expecting a dark, quiet, old fashioned place. But instead, Martini's sort of flowed into a more "family-style" restaurant and little market in the hotel. Hmmm.

The bar was by the window and well lit. I sat at the bar and took a look at the extensive martini (and other cocktail) offerings (mostly out of curiosity) and ordered up a Gibson (sometimes you feel like three little onions). The bartender mixed a good martini (shaken not stirred) and made just the right amount of conversation.

Not what I was expecting, but nice.

Meal: Drink
Rating: ***
Date: 28 April 2010
Address: 20 SW Second Avenue Rochester, MN 55902
Website: http://www.thekahlerhotel.com/martinis/

That 70s Place: Michael's

2010-04-30T09:00:00.002-04:00

Michael's Fine Dining

Well, the website made Michael's look like a good, basic steakhouse. My colleague picked it out and since we were communicating by text, it wasn't easy to make deep, thorough decisions.

There was something about Michael's as we stepped in that gave me deja vu, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. We were led to our booth with the large leather seats. Our helpful waitress soon appeared and told us we had to get the onion rings (so we did). Menu was a selection of steaks and chops, pasta, chicken, but also with a Greek twist.

After some thought, I went with the pork chop. The entree came with a side salad and vegetable (asparagus with hollandaise). Very basic salad and tasty asparagus. The pork chop was good, but not great. For dessert, we split the raspberry bread pudding (again at the suggestion of our waitress).

As we left, my colleague hit it on the head; it was the 1970s! Michael's reminded us of a place out of the 70s (not that there's anything wrong with that!). Michael's was probably a great and trendy (in a 70s sorta way) in its time, but it was stuck in the 70s. Plastic menus, iceberg lettuce (not a wedge!), a certain style of oil painting on the walls ... well, you know. Not bad by any means. but just well, what it was.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date: 27 April 2010
Address: 15 S. Broadway, Rochester, MN 55904
Website: http://www.michaelsfinedining.com/

Make mine a Newt burger

2010-04-29T20:52:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Newt's

I took the airport shuttle from the Rochester, MN airport (RST) to downtown. Usually an airport shuttle is a pretty vanilla and boring experience. The driver on this ride, however, was a regular tourguide and surely worth the $11.50 fare. He pointed out all the sights along the way (the water towers that marked the edges of town, the Mayo Clinic incinerator, and gave interesting factoids - "Rochester has 138 hotels and motels within the city limits". Once in town, he pointed out some eating places and gave recommendations. Newt's, he said, had the best burgers in town.

So, well, I had to go! Located up a flight of stairs (above what seemed to be a sister establishment, City Cafe), Newt's had a good local feel. I was told to take a seat anywhere and as soon as I sat down, a basket of popcorn appeared.

I had to have a burger, of course, and there were plenty of variations to choose from. I wanted something simple though, so I got the basic burger (medium) with lettuce, onion and a side of fries.

The burger was hand-formed, nicely sized and done just as ordered. The fries were good (and actually too many of them!). The only criticism is that ketchup was provided in little cups; I go heavy on the ketchup, so had to ask for extra (which delayed eating!).

Friendly service, good prices, great burger!

Meal: Lunch
Rating: *****
Date: 27 April 2010
Address: 216 1st Avenue Southwest, Rochester, MN 55902
Website: http://www.cccrmg.com/newts.htm

Fleming's in Baltimore: Meat, hold the crab cake!

2010-04-27T14:20:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

Caesar salad, lamb chops and a glass of wine. Oh, and some tasty bread with two different butter/dips. What more could you want in Baltimore, especially if you're someone who doesn't like the inescapable Maryland Crab!?!?

I was up in Baltimore for a short conference and one night out to eat. I'm not a fan of crabs (actually, of crustaceans in general, but crabs are at the top of the list). So, what to do? Well, to the rescue came one of my colleagues who suggested that a group of us go to Fleming's steakhouse, just around the corner from our meeting hotel.

Off we went.

I hadn't been to an American style steakhouse in quite a while (see my last Brasilian adventures in meat), so that was fine with me. Located in a nice new building on Baltimore's Inner Harbor, our party of three (henceforward known as the "Speyer Party" to the wait staff - as in "And how is the Speyer party tonight?" was quickly seated and brought the introductory bread.

It's hard to pass up an opportunity for a good Caesar salad (with anchovies) and Fleming's did it well. Likewise, though it's not steak, a well-grilled (with nice pink inside) lamb chop keeps calling out whenever I run across it on a menu. And thus my meal was set. My colleagues went with the green salad and fillet and they both seemed pleased.

We opted out of the shareable sides (the usual garlic mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, etc.), but the serving sizes were good. Our slight mis-step in our wine order was handled with graciousness by our server and all was well.

Recommended, especially for those who are trying to escape from the attack of the Maryland crab cake!

Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 12 April 2010
Address: 720 Aliceanna St., Baltimore, MD 21202
Website: http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/

Sushi, Brasilian Style

2010-04-26T12:52:00.009-04:00

Sushi, Brasilian Style

After a couple of days of all steak, all the time on my trip to São Paulo, I was in the mood for something a little different. There was a sushi place across from the hotel and another that I'd found on a walk around the neighborhood.

So, after the like-clockwork afternoon thunderstorm, my colleague and I took a stroll down Rua Borges Lagoa towards Gendai. The restaurant was very nicely laid out “Japanese style”, lots of wood, low seats, etc. We chose a quiet (meaning away from the tv screens with futbol on) outside.

After looking at the menu for a bit, I realized that Gendai was a chain of some sort. Not that there's anything wrong with that! An interesting menu, with a variety of sushi and other Japanese offerings.

Not being a sake connoisseur, my colleague offered to order for us and we got, what seemed to me to be a nice cold sake. I got some of my staples (avocado roll, gyuzo). There was also a good miso soup that came with the meal.

My next sushi stop was after a few nights of steak were again on my menu. My co-worker, who had made it out of Brazil between the snowstorms on the East Coast that trapped me, had eaten lunch at São Paolo – Toky and gave the sushi only a mediocre review. I was tired of steak, however, and didn't want to go back to Gendai, so I thought I'd give it a try.

I avoided the sushi and got a mushroom stir fry and fried gyoza (and some tasty miso soup). No sake on this night, but had a nice cold beer. The restaurant was crowded and lively. I had a good seat to people watch by and enjoyed a tasty (non-sushi) meal.

Gendai-Vila Mariana
Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 6 February 2010
Rating: ***
Address: Rua Borges Lagoa, 245, São Paulo, SP, 04038-030
Website: http://www.gendai.com.br

São Paolo – Tokyo, Gastronomia Japonesa
Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 10 February 2010
Rating: ****
Address: Rua Borges Lagoa, 1.172 - Zona Sul - (11) 5081-6444
Website: http://www.saopaulotokyo.com.br

Icy Treats in Amazonia: Sorveteria Cairú

2010-04-25T16:49:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Icy Treats in Amazonia: Sorveteria Cairú

When you're in a hot and humid spot, what makes for a better treat than ice cream? It seems as the Belém is know for it's icy treats, especially those made from the amazing variety of Amazon fruits (walking through the market is an wonder to the sense!). I'm not usually a big ice cream (or gelatto, or all the other ice treats) fan. Sorveteria Cairú, which seems to be quite well known, had a nice stand in the former warehouses (now shops and restaurants) along the river. After a nice dinner, we decided it needed to be topped off with a treat.

My hosts wanted to make sure that I was able to make my decision with the most information, so they had me do a taste test of every flavor (not sure how the guy behind the counter felt about that!). By the time I was done with my tasting, I didn't really need an actual serving, but, when in Belém …

So, I went with the Pave de Cupuçau, a sort of Cupuçau rocky road. Quite good, and capped off tasty day in the Amazon.

Meal: Snack
Date Visited: 8 February 2010
Rating: *****
Address: Boulevard Castilhos França, 707 – Campina, Belém, PA, 66010-020
Website: N/A

Pleasures of the Flesh, in Brazil

2010-04-10T13:35:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Pleasures of the Flesh: Grill Hall Prazeres da Carne

Most everyone by now as been to or at least run across one of the Brazilian steak houses back in the U.S. There are a couple of big chains (heavily advertized, I might ad in airline magazines!), Fogo de Chão and Texas de Brazil being the most common. While in Chicago a few years back, I had my first experience at one, Fogo de Chão, and it was quite interesting.

So, what do you get at at churrascarias? First off, don't bring your vegetarian friends with you. A churrascarias is not vegetable friendly. When going to at churrascarias your goal is to eat meat. Cow, lamb, pig (there might be some chicken thrown in, but why bother). Oh yeah, there's also a salad bar (placed there to distract the unwary from the primary goal, eating lots of meat).

So, when I went to Brazil, I was hoping to stop in at a churrascarias. And there were plenty to choose from, smaller places, and even Fogo de Chão. When my colleagues expressed interest in Brazilian steak, our hosts said they had just the place for us, Grill Hall Prazeres da Carne. In translation, The Pleasures of the Flesh! Ah, and how true!

We arrived early and our group of ten or so had a nice big round table that made for good conversation. The passadores (meat waiters) soon descended on us with shrimp and chicken, but our hosts to eat sparingly of the first offers (if at all) as the offerings get better as the evening goes on.

Wait you ask, how does this work? Well, each guest is given a token, red on one side, green on the other. As long as you are showing green, the passadores will come to your seat and offer you food. Feet is most often served on long skewers (or swords) and cut directly onto your plate.

And so, the meat came. Lamb chops, beef in various cuts (filet, sirloin, etc.), sausages, and more. As the evening drew to a close and the table was showing mostly red, a side of beef was rolled out on a table (too large for the swords) and tender slices passed around.

Not the kind of meal that you want too often, but for a once in a while treat, especially when on the home turf of the churrascarias, it was a great meal.

More photos.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 4 February 2010
Rating: ****
Address: Rua Borges Lagoa, 1065, São Paulo, SP, 04038-032
Website: http://www.grillhall.com.br/

Have you ever been had in clubland?

2010-04-03T14:30:00.000-04:00

Nope, not a night club, but a club, you know, the kind where they have memberships and ties and all that ... I'm not a club member, though I can see how there are benefits. I've had the luck to be traveling in circles where I've been invited to some of the nicer clubs in the country. Over the past few years I've dined at:

Harvard Faculty Club (Cambridge, MA)
St. Francis Yacht Club (San Francisco)
University Club (New York City)

At the Harvard Faculty Club, we had an intimate dinner for about 25 people all sitting at one very very long table. Needless to say, that didn't make for much mingling or mixed conversation. There was a nice menu to choose from, I ended up with the creamed squash soup and a steak with vegetables. A very good soup and a nice steak. There was a good wine list and service was good. The ambiance of the club was pretty much everything what you might imagine a club to be, at least it was for me!

The St. Francis Yacht Club was a much different experience. Again, we had 20-28 people, but instead had three large round tables and after a while, people were started to mix and mingle. Being in the corner (with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge). Dinner was a buffet (which helped with the mingling). It was a pretty good buffet, nice large selection of salads and some nice entrees (including grilled cheese triangles for the younger set - of which there were quite a few). There was also a pasta bar where the chefs would whip up pasta and a sauce to your taste. And to top off your calorie intake, there was a sundae bar for dessert.

In New York City, however, was my ultimate (to date!) club experience. The University Club is located in a fabulous building that just squeals "old New York." We had a small party, about sixteen people, split over four round tables. After an open bar to start, we were seated and given a choice of the meat, fish, or vegetables. There was a soup and salad option for a starter, I went with the salad (quite good) and followed with the meat option (a good steak and potatoes, though the salmon option looked good too). Lovely food and a charming environment. As we were leaving, we had a brief tour of the members' reading room and were entertained by the slightly tipsy guests at a wedding reception.

So, overall, the "club" experience is interesting. You may not get the best food, but you get an interesting environment. So, as Elvis Costello said (about a different type of club):

With a handful of backhanders and a bevy of beauty
You’re going off limits
Going off duty
Going off the rails
Going off with booty
They tell tales of fiction found on all the criminal types
Lead to a higher ranking man or a face with thin red stripes

The boys next door
The mums and dads
New weds and nearly-deads
Have you ever been had in clubland?

(which I guess is apropos of nothing! but I liked the title!)

Harvard Faculty Club
Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 19 March 2008
Address: 20 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-3899
Website: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/

St. Francis Yacht Club
Meal: Buffet Dinner
Rating: ***
Date: 18 October 2009
Address: On the Marina, San Francisco, CA 94123
Website: http://www.stfyc.com/

University Club
Meal: Served, fixed dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 29 October 2009
Address: 1 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019-5485
Website: http://www.universityclubny.org/

Yaku in Arlington, R.I.P.

2010-03-29T09:37:00.007-04:00

Yaku: R.I.P.

Yaku suffered from an odd location (an apartment building with very little walking traffic, and a strange name (is it Japanese? Is it Latin? Is it Fusion?).

I only had a chance to visit once before it closed in January 2010. Service was very good (contrary to some reviews) and the food was very mixed. The dumplings we had (pictured at bottom) were quite good - as were the other appetizers, but the main courses were lacking.

Restaurateur Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld, founder of the Latin Concepts group, still has a number of other locations in his stable, including the nearby Gua-Rapo.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date: 8 November 2010
Address: 1900 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201
Website: http://www.latinconcepts.com/

Tom's Restaurant, Doo doo doo doo, doo da-doo doo

2010-03-28T19:01:00.001-04:00

Tom's Restaurant

You'll probably recognize the outside of this restaurant if you ever watched Seinfeld. Though it was called "Monks Cafe" in the sitcom and a used a different interior, the wrap-around neon sign was unmistakable. But I came by Tom's Restaurant from another pop-culture angle, Suzanne Vega's 1987 son, "Tom's Diner."

Doo doo doo doo, doo da-doo doo ...

So, after hoping off the M60 bus at 125th St., I strolled down past the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and popped into Tom's to find myself "sitting at the counter." Since it wasn't breakfast, I didn't order coffee, but instead got a burger, fries and ice tea. The restaurant was packed with late brunchers and lunchers; the counter itself was packed elbow to elbow, but the counter help was friendly and served me quickly.

The mostly Greek staff had me thinking for a minute about the Billy Goat Tavern ("Cheezborger!"). Burgers at both were pretty good (basic and nothing fancy), and like the BIlly Goat, there was a touristical element (tee-shirts!), but it was a good meal and looked like a fun local spot.

More photos.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: ****
Date: 21 March 2010
Address: 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
Website: http://www.tomsrestaurant.net/

Columbus (Avenue)'s Isabella's

2010-03-25T20:12:00.000-04:00

Isabella's

Rumor had it that Isabella's was known to harbor celebrities. Seinfeld had been spotted there as well as a selection of Baldwins. Well, if they were there, I didn't see them. But the fault could have been that I was with a large group. A really large group, sixteen people. For whatever reason, the reserved table didn't work out, so three of us peeled off to be the satellite "kids" table. Ended up working out well!

The three of us decided to split two of the tasty salads for starters. We went with the Poached Bosc Pear Salad (Wild Arugula, Camembert Cheese, Toasted Walnuts) and the Warm Goat Cheese (Organic Beets, Baby Greens, Toasted Macadamia Nuts, Sherry Vinaigrette). Both were good, but I liked the warm goat cheese best (the beets were fabulous).

For entrees, we all went with meat. A filet mignon, pepper crusted sirloin, and my choice, the Creekstone Farms Boneless Short Rib (with Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Baby Vegetables). The meats were all quite good and well prepared. The short rib was for tender and the sides done just right.

As regular readers know, I'm not usually a dessert person, but our table decided to split the Dark Chocolate "Bag" (Fresh Raspberry Mousse, Seasonal Berries Filled & Topped with Fresh Whipped Cream). Tasty, but, again, I'm just not big on desserts.

Isabella's also offered a nice wine selection and the service (especially for our large group) was handled well. Overall a nice dinner.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 21 March 2010
Address: 359 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024-5103
Website: http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/isabellas/index.php

Amsterdam Bars

2010-03-23T20:27:00.000-04:00

Amsterdam Bars: Amsterdam Avenue that is!
While staying on the Upper West Side for some meetings, I had the opportunity to visit a number of interesting bars on or just off Amsterdam Avenue between around 79th and 82nd streets.

In order of visits, they were:

The Gin Mill
Cava
Dead Poet
420
Jake's Dilemma

The Gin Mill and Jake's were the best of the bunch in terms of the great dive bar ambiance (see The Horsehoe and Little Shamrock in San Francisco or the Capitol Lounge in DC). The Gin Mill was having a very happy happy hour during my visit and the bar was loud and crowded. The drinks, however, were practially free! Three drinks (for our group) for around $12 (with a liberal tip). I visted Jake's on a Monday, just after 5 pm, and it was pretty quiet, a couple people shooting pool, some playing beer pong and one or two at the bar. Again, great happy hour prices and we added some tasty nachos to the table. Both spots, great finds.

Cava was a much different spot, focused on wine. Nice tasteful wood paneling with bottles from their extensive collection lining the upper walls. On a nice spring afternoon, the best part was the large windows that opened up onto 80th Street.

Since the night was still young and some of the group was a bit chilled by the open windows, so we moved on to The Dead Poet. A loud, crowded Irish pub, we found a table for our group and focused on a selection of Smithwicks and Guiness.

After a lovely dinner at Isabel's, a small group of us stopped off at 420 for a little nightcap. The place was nearly empty and nice and quiet for some shop talk. The bartender was cheerful and helpful and made for nice end of the day.

Gin Mill
Meal: Drinks
Rating: ***
Date: 21 March 2010
Address: 442 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY
Website: http://www.nycbestbar.com/ginmill/

Cava Wine Bar
Meal: Drinks
Rating: ****
Date: 21 March 2010
Address: 185 West 80th Street, New York, NY 10024
Website: http://www.cavanyc.com/

Dead Poet
Meal: Drinks
Rating: **
Date: 21 March 2010
Address: 450 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Website: http://www.thedeadpoet.com/

420
Meal: Drinks
Rating: ****
Date: 21 March 2010
Address: 420 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Website: N/A

Jake's Dilemma
Meal: Drinks
Rating: ****
Date: 22 March 2010
Address: 430 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Website: http://www.nycbestbar.com/jakes/

Agamat Restaurante at the Hotel California, er Travel Inn Live & Lodge

2010-02-14T23:15:00.009-05:00

Agamat Restaurante at the Travel Inn Live & Lodge, São Paulo

When I checked into the Travel Inn Live & Lodge, I thought I would stay for four nights and then be on my way. Little did I realize that it would turn into a Hotel California like experience. Well, not quite, I'm finally getting to both check out and leave later today (seven total nights); and, no pink champaign on ice, but plenty of mangos!

I only ate at the Agamat for the breakfast buffet, but it looked like a nice enough place.

For the breakfast buffet, there was a great selection of fruit, yogurt, a variety of breads, usually two kinds of juice (orange and one other), and coffee/tea.

In the hot foods, there were eggs and an interesting looking sausage that I didn't try and cold cuts.

A good value (free!) and an easy way to start the morning.

Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: February 2010
Rating: ***
Address: Rua Borges Lagoa, 1209, São Paulo, SP, 04038-034
Website: http://www.travelinn.com.br

Chicken pie, river view: As Mulatas, Belém

2010-02-14T13:59:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

As Mulatas

After arriving in Belém after a flight from São Paulo via Brasilia, it was still a little early, so I decided to take a walk down to the dock area and look at the might water. The river was even more awesome than I imagined and a cool breeze was blowing. After looking around for a while, I decided to have a little something in one of the restaurants along the renovated docks (now shops and restaurants).

I really wanted a cerveja (beer), but for some reason didn't seem to be able to get that across at the places I stopped.

Finally, I chose a place near the end of the docks, As Mulatas. Again, I tried for the beer, but didn't have any luck, so settled for a caipirinha. I also added a frango (chicken) empada and water.

I was expecting the empada to be similar to the more familiar empanada, but instead of a meat turnover, it was more of a little pie, with a pie-like crust and chicken filling. Tasty, but a little bit on the dry side.

The view and cool breeze was spectacular, so it made for a nice end of the afternoon.

Meal: Snack
Date Visited: 7 February 2010
Rating: ***
Address: Boulevard Castilhos França, 707, Belém, PA, 66010-020
Website: N/A

The fine art of a buffet: MAM Cafe, São Paulo

2010-02-13T23:03:00.002-05:00

MAM Cafe: Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo

Museum restaurants are either really good or downright awful. The MAM Cafe in São Paulo is certainly in the former.

The cafe offers a fabulous buffet full of very interesting foods. It was so good in fact, that after my first visit, I had to come back a second day in a row.

Over the course of my two lunches, I sampled a variety of choices: fillet kabobs, potato cake, asparagus casserole, a broccoli and cauliflower casserole, chicken stew, cod wrapped in something that was ALMOST a puff pastry – but wasn't, rice and beans, and more!

But here were my favorite: the chili con carne (a lush chili with tiny strips of meat and just a hint of beans, lightly seasoned and delicious), and deep fried leek wrapped in cheese. I'm not really sure how to describe this one, is it deep fried cheese wrapped around a leek? Or vice-versa? In either case, though it looked like an egg roll at first, on first bite, you had crispy cheesy goodness and then the hard resistance of the just done leek. You needed to work a bit, but then got a great taste of leak plus the wonderful taste of the cheese!

Service for drinks is fast and friendly; and though not cheap (about US$25 for the buffet and a water), it's worth it!

Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 11 & 12 February 2010
Rating: *****
Address: MAM Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, São Paulo, SP, 04094-050
Website: http://mam.org.br

Going Coconuts: Parque do Ibirapuera Vendor

2010-02-13T18:40:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Coconut Water Vendor

You see the stands all over São Paulo; so, when I went to the Park on a hot afternoon, it seemed like a good time to try some coconut water.

The vendor hacks off the tip with a large knife, then drills out a core, wipes off the coconut, sticks in a straw, and voila, there you go.

Not to be confused with coconut milk (which is the pressed flesh which yields a thicker and richer liquid), the coconut water is light and refreshing. The greener the better (and fresher!).

Meal: Drink
Date Visited: 12 February 2010
Rating: *****
Address: São Paulo
Website: N/A

Hotel Unique Sky Bar ... grounded

2010-02-13T04:45:00.002-05:00

2010-02-12-IMG_6604
Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Lobby Bar, Hotel Unique

After a long day of seeing the sites and museums of the Ibirapuera Park (Portuguese: Parque do Ibirapuera), I was all set to spend the end of the afternoon at the Sky Bar of the Hotel Unique. Touted in the guidebooks and websites as a “can't miss”, it sounded cool and refreshing to sit on the rooftop and look out over the city as afternoon fell.

So, I walked from the park, through winding traffic whizzing streets, just ahead of what seemed to be a big thunderstorm, found the hotel and …

Well, first off, about the name, the hotel is certainly, er, unique, as you can see from the photos. Looking like a slice of watermelon hung between two pillars, the rooms must be quite interesting …

… but I wasn't staying there, I was looking for the Sky Bar. So I asked in my, by now fluent Portuguese: “Uh, where's the Sky Bar?” (that's a word for word creation of my query). The answer was, “Er, Sky Bar, closed.”

I don't know if it was closed for just now, closed for some period of time, or closed for all time. Didn't make much difference because it was closed, “now.” Oh well …

Luckily the lobby bar looked nice and the friendly bartender poured a heavy shot of Plymouth Gin for my G&T. Caught up on some notes I was working on, finished up and caught a cab back to my hotel.

Sky Bar will have to wait for another time.

Meal: Drink
Date Visited: 19 February 2010
Rating: ****
Address: Avenida Brigadeiro Luís Antônio, 4700, São Paulo, SP, 01402-002
Website: http://www.hotelunique.com.br

To die for at the Mercadão: Tigrão Lanchonete

2010-02-12T04:55:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Tigrão Lanchonete

On a day off, I took the subway up to the Mercado Municipal. I was expecting something amazing, but it was even bigger and full of more interesting foods than I thought.

The fruit rows had a wide selection of things I'd never seen before, as well as crates of pineapples, papayas, and bananas. The smell on those aisles was simply intoxicating!

In the meat areas, the most interesting shop was the one devoted to the "rest of the animal". No chops, steaks, or even legs. Just organs, feet, heads, faces, you name it.

In the fish rows, huge fish I'd never seen or heard off, both salt as well as freshwater.
Working up an appetite, I had the famed Mortadella sandwich from Lanchonete Tigrão. Huge mounds of mortadella, cheese, and sun dried tomatoes piled high on bread and served warm.

Meal: Lunch

Date Visited: 6 February 2010

Rating: ****

Address: Mercado Municipal, Rua da Cantareira, 306 – Sé, São Paulo, SP, 01024-000

Website: http://www.mercadomunicipal.com.br/ (site for the entire Mercado)

TAM flights, BEL to BRA to CGH

2010-02-10T13:55:00.002-05:00

TAM flights, BEL to BRA to CGH

The two hops from Belém to São Paulo, via Brasilia on this trip were again the breakfast and light lunch. As before, the flight attendants handed out various toffees before taking off; I was told Brasilians have a sweet tooth, and I guess it's true!

JJ (TAM) 3499: BEL to BRA

Full flight from Belém to Brasilia, so a bit snug to eat. Also, onlly slept for 45 minutes or so the previous night, so I fell asleep as soon as we took off and missed the serving. Luckily, the fellow next to me noticed and called the steward back and I had my breakfast box and orange juice (suco do laranja as I know call it).

The box was different than on my previous TAM a.m. flight. Today it was a toast-like bit of bread with “grape” jam (more of a paste, curious). Also some white spread that I passed on. Lastly, a nice chocolate chip cookie.

Meal: Breakfast

Date Visited: 10 February 2010

Rating: N/A

Address: In the Air

Website: N/A

JJ (TAM) 3703: BRA to CGH

Fell asleep on this leg also, but was awake in time for food service. Just as on my previous TAM lunch service flight, I had the “classic sandwich”. This time, it was clearly ham, cheese, and tomato. Not a gourmet treat, but tasty in a fast food sort of way.

Meal: Lunch

Date Visited: 10 February 2010

Rating: N/A

Address: In the Air

Website: N/A

TAM Airlines, from São Paulo to Belém (via Brasilia)

2010-02-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

TAM Airlines, from São Paulo to Belém (via Brasilia)

JJ 3702: CGU to BRA
Breakfast (somewhere over the Patenal)

Up at the crack of dawn to fly from São Paulo to Belém (via Brasilia), I didn't have a chance for other food, so I was counting on TAM for a nice something. TAM served a nice little breakfast in a attractive box. Inside was a small bottle of the popular drinkable yogurt, small dish of fruit, and a small sandwich of ham and tomato. I added orange juice and a coffee to top it all off.

JJ 3444: BRA to BEL

On the lunch flight from Brasila to Belém, the fare was an interesting hot sandwich, at first I thought it was an empanada, of cheese and turkey (or maybe chicken? or ham?). Not the greatest, but served its purpose.

Meal: Breakfast/Lunch
Date Visited: 7 February 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Viver a vida Lilló

2010-02-08T16:47:00.003-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Livin' the Lilló life!

After landing in São Paulo and checking into my hotel, I took a stroll around the neighborhood, partly to scout out dinner locations and partly to see the local sites. Just a block or so from the hotel, I spied Restaurante Lilló, it looked quite promising. Later that evening, when getting back together with my colleagues, they too had spotted Restaurante Lilló and noted it's extensive wine list. It was a go.

The main dinning area of Restaurante Lilló is practically outdoors, basically, it's a covered alleyway with live trees and a wall of ivy. Quite nice! In terms of food, it offers a variety of main courses as well as pizzas.

By choice, chance, and happenstance, I ended up having three meals at Restaurante Lilló – and there's a possibility of a fourth upon my return to São Paulo!

What did we have, meat. Lots of meat. Yes, there were fish, chicken and pasta options, but each night, we pretty much stuck with meat. Carpaccio for an appetizer, and various cuts of beef with different accompaniments. The braised cheese side was a real winner, as were the two different risottos. Oh, and the fries were good too.

Never having had Brasilian wine before, I didn't have much to compare with, but the Cabernet and pinot noir were both quite good.

An excellent choice!

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 2, 3, 4 February 2010
Rating: *****
Address: R Borges Lagoa, 1321, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
Website: http://www.restaurantelillo.com.br/

United 861: IAD to GRU, Dinner

2010-02-07T13:12:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

United 861: IAD to GRU

Dinner (somewhere over the Atlantic, near the Bahamas)

Choice of beef or pasta. Wasn't in a pasta mood, so I went with the beef. Turned out to be a nice little Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes, corn, and a nice, slightly barbeque-y sauce. Side salad with a balsamic vinagrette and the popular United brownies and cream for dessert.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 2 February 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Flat Patties: Shredded Pork!

2009-12-27T14:52:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Flat Patties

Christmas Eve in Harvard Square, I suddenly had a hankering for kebobs! But it was getting a bit late for lunch and I didn't want to wander around too much, so I ducked into the Garage (a collection of shops, fast food places, not so fast places, restaurants, and a Starbucks.

The corner spot near the Starbucks was a place I hadn't noticed before, Flat Patties. The name sounded interesting and the menu looked good. The main choices seemed to be the burger, but there was also a pork BBQ sandwich. The price was right (cheap), so I got that and a side of slaw.

There was also a small "fixin's bar" with a nice selection of hot peppers and onions.

Not bad for a quick hot sandwich.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: ***
Date: 24 December 2009
Address: 81 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Website: N/A

Enjoy at Clear Conscience Cafe

2009-12-27T08:33:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Clear Conscience Cafe (C3)

It wasn't that cold of a Boxing Day, but walking from Kendall Square to Harvard Square (after stopping off at the MIT Museum) just seemed to long a walk ... so, before hopping on the MTA at Central Square, a hot tea or coffee was just what the post-doc ordered.

So, walking along Mass Ave., spying Clear Conscience Cafe (aka C3) was just perfect!

Nice selection of teas and some tasty smelling coffee. The pastries looked good and from the menu on the wall, there were a variety of sandwiches, including vegen entries.

Since I just stopped in for a hot cuppa tea, I can't comment on the food choices, but I can on the ambience. It had the things many coffee/tea places have, comfy seats, tables to play chess on, scattered discarded newspapers to read. But what set this one a notch above the rest was the nice, clean, well-lit aspect.

Add in friendly staff and a backdoor to the local co-op and you get an interesting transition from the old scruffy Central Square and the Peoples Republic of Cambridge to socialism with tidy bathroom and a double latte.

Meal: Tea/Coffee
Rating: *****
Date: 26 December 2009
Address: 581 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139
Website: http://www.c3cafe.net/

Shabu-shabu Doo! ... in Vancouver

2009-11-17T10:15:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Shabbusen Japanese Yakiniku House

The first time I had shabu-shabu was in Taiwan; where exactly it was or what the name of the restaurant was remains a mystery to me. The food, however, was simply fabulous.

While in Vancouver to attend a conference, I was awed by the number and quality of Asian restaurants. When the group I was with asked where we should go, I said I didn't really care, but it had to be some type of Asian food. The rest of my group readily agreed and we quickly chose Shabusen, located right near the conference hotel and also receiving good word of mouth at the conference.

Our group of five was early enough to not need a reservation, but the restaurant quickly filled up. We were seated – by the efficient and brusque staff – in a booth designed as a small dinghy. We had some trouble climbing “aboard” (only realizing too late you should take off your shoes and just walk on the seats). Once settled in, I started to examine the complex menu. There were lots of choices, all arranged around various pan-Asian options. The rest of the group settled for the Chinese version of the bento box, but I opted for the shabu-shabu, partly to satisfy their curiosity and also to compare to my Taiwan experience.

Shabu-shabu, for those of you who don't know, is a variation on the hot pot idea. You're given a pot of broth that is heated at your table, and plates of uncooked food. In my case I had beef, various cabbages, mushrooms, tofu, etc. There is also a sauce or two for you to add to the blend.

You throw everything in the pot and stir and wait.

The non-meat options were a little heavy on the cabbage (none of the tofu variations or fish add-inn that I had in Taiwan). Also, there were only two sauces, a peanut sauce and a thicker, not too spicy sauce.

The boxes were a hit with the rest of the table (quite large servings by the way) and my shabu-shabu was good, if not great. I think it will always be hard to match that first shabu-shabu experience.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: *** 1/2
Date: 9 November 2009
Address: 202-755 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1X6, Canada
Website: http://www.shabusen.com/

Have a Cuppa, Cupcake that is

2009-11-16T14:28:00.000-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Have a Cuppa, Cupcake that is ... Cupcakes in Vancouver

Cupcake stores seem to be all the rage. In many ways, they make a lot of sense. You often don't want a whole slice of cake. And if you're not eating in, a slice of cake is often hard to transport. The cupcake places have also expanded their lines, adding mini-cupcakes so you can have a variety of options (think of them as the donut holes of the industry!).

While in Vancouver, I spied Cupcake while walking down Robson Street. The pink exterior and Fifties motif drew my attention and I resolved to stop for a cupcake before I left the city.

On my second night, after an early dinner, I stopped in at the small store and selected a pumpkin spice cupcake to go. On the way back to the hotel, I got a coffee and back at my room made myself comfortable for dessert.

The cupcake itself was light and moist with just the right amount of flavor and spices. The icing was also light and creamy, and abundantly spread. And that, is perhaps my general complaint about cupcake store cupcakes in general. The icing is usually of the light and fluffy nature. I like a nice, harder sugar toping.

Overall, however, Cupcakes serves up a good product. FYI, Cupcakes is a small, Vancouver-based chain. I passed another store, but had already had my dessert!

Meal: Snack
Rating: *****
Date: 9 November 2009
Address: 797 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3V5, Canada (and other locations in the Vancouver area)
Website: http://www.originalcupcakes.com

Poutine and Beer

2009-11-15T11:16:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Chill Winston

I'd finished up at the conference I was attending and wanted just a light lunch. I knew there are a number of places in Gastown that were still on my list and I decided to go to Pourhouse.

Unfortunately, it being Remembrance Day (aka Veterans' Day) they weren't open for lunch. I tried the Lamplighter, but the bar area was not responsive, so I headed a few streets over to a place I'd noticed earlier, Chill Winston.

The restaurant proper was quite full, but I planned on eating at the bar and easily found a seat. A nice little feature, the bar had a variety of magazines available for the single patron or the unsociable! I settled in with a copy of the Economist (and learned about declining population rates around the world) and ordered up a local IPA and an order of poutine. I was offered some pulled pork on the poutine, but after a moment of hesitation, said no.

For those of you who don't know what it is, here's the definition of the “classic” poutine:

The French fries are of medium thickness, and fried so that the insides are still soft, with an outer crust. The gravy is a light chicken, veal or turkey gravy, mildly spiced with a hint of pepper. Heavy beef or pork-based brown gravies are typically not used. Fresh cheese curd (not more than a day old) is used. To maintain the texture of the fries,the cheese curd and gravy must be added immediately prior to serving the dish. ("Poutine" from Wikipedia )

Chill Winston did a variation on it; a nice brown gravy on the fries and a selection (jack and chedder) of shredded cheese (not curds). Nice bit of a peppery taste, and overall, quite good.

The food was good, the beer tasty and the barkeep suitably attentive. Probably a good place to spend more time with the food.

Meal: Light lunch

Rating: ***

Date: 11 November 2009

Address: 3 Alexander Street, Vancouver, BCV6A1B2

Website: http://www.chillwinston.com/

Bubble me up Scottie!

2009-11-14T14:20:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Bubble World Tea House

About two years ago, a Chinese restaurant opened near my house and soon put up a sign in the window, “Bubble tea here”. I was curious, but didn't explore further. Then, earlier this year, I traveled to Taipei and in my research discovered exactly what Bubble Tea is.

For those of you who don't know, Bubble Tea is Taiwanese creation that’s taken Asia, and the rest of the world now, by storm. While in Taiwan, I had my first bubble tea – green tea version – and it was quite good. The basic idea is a tea base (black traditionally, but I like green), milk, and boba balls, aka pearls (made from a mixture of tapioca and carrageenan powder).

While in Vancouver, which, by the way, has one of the greatest collection of just about every type of Asian restaurant you can imagine (and some you can't like Japadog), I had to stop in at a bubble tea shop.

Nearly across from my hotel was Bubble World Tea House, a small chain. Stopping in late one evening, the shop was quite busy. If I didn't think too much, I would almost think I was in Asia. From the décor to the customers, it was a little slice of Taipei. I ordered up a honey green tea with pearls and sat reading a local alternative newspaper for a bit, watching the intricate process of making the bubble tea (which involved probably three different machines) and my fellow customers.

Meal: Snack
Rating: ****
Date: 10 November 2009
Address: 1325 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 1C6, Canada
Website: N/A

Coffee and Donuts at the Granville Island Public Market

2009-11-13T14:09:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Coffee and Donuts at the Granville Island Public Market

My Vancouver foodie contact said that if I went to Granville Island, I had to go to the Public Market and once I was there, I had to have coffee at J.J. Bean and a donut from Lee's Donuts.

Well, I went and, of course, made the required stops. First up, the donuts. What's not to like about fresh donuts? That's right, nothing, few baked/fried sweets are better than a fresh donut. Lee's had a big selection. My first thought was to get a selection (half-dozen) of the donut holes. But I couldn't decide if that would be too much or not. In the end, I went with my all-time favorite donut, the white cake donut with chocolate icing.

Taking my donut bag, I wandered back through the Market to J.J. Bean. There was a line in front of me, so I had a chance to observe the staff at work. Quick, friendly, and efficient, they kept the line moving and had me my coffee in no timie at all.

So, the results? The donut was fabulous! The coffee was pretty good too.

Lee's Donuts
Meal: Snack
Rating: *****
Date: 10 November 2009
Address: 1689 Johnston Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9, Canada
Website: N/A

J.J. Bean Coffee
Meal: Snack
Rating: ***
Date: 10 November 2009
Address: Granville Island Public Market, 1689 Johnston St., Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9, Canada
Website: http://www.jjbeancoffee.com/

Shabu Shabu in Taipei

2009-11-10T21:58:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Stir it up!

Sorry, I don't really know the name of the place, or exactly where in Taipei I was. I had had been at the National Palace Museum for a meeting with some colleagues and when they offered to take us out for dinner and a tour of the Shilin Night Market, it wasn't possible to say no.

This was my first experience with Shabu Shabu, a Japanese variant of the Chinese hot pot. You get a large cooking pot of broth and a selection of meats, tofu and vegetables (along with various sauces) and DIY.

Sitting at long tables, we all joined in the cooking fun and had a delicious and tasty time.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: *****
Date: 24 February 2009
Address: Taipei, Taiwan
Website: N/A

Alaska Airlines: Northern Bites

2009-11-08T17:15:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Alaska Airlines: Northern Bites

Well, interestingly enough, there wasn't a Dunkin' Donuts in the gate area I boarded my Alaska Airlines flight (DCA to SEA to YVR), so I just had a quick coffee and muffin at the gate (NOTE: I arrived 2 hours early, since Canada is "international"), but breezed through check-in and security so had a full hour and a half to check out the meagre offerings!).

Well, turned out that Alaska Airlines offered a nice selection of boxed food choices (not free of course, but $6.00).

Looking over the offerings, I splurged on the scrambled egg plate. Turned out to be scrambled eggs over home fries with some sausage and cheese on top. Pretty good (except for my cholesterol of course!)

Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: 8 November 2009
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

R.I.P.: Madhu Ban

2009-11-07T19:03:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

R.I.P.: Madhu Ban

Madhu Ban was one of those places that I wanted to go to more often, but it was just a bit too far from home and in an area that I don't frequent that often when in search of dinner.

I did make it there a couple of times and each time the food was good, if not spectacular. I believe it was run by the same people (or at least shared staff) with the Indian restaurant in downtown Washington in the Old Post Office food court.

Not the fanciest, and too be honest, sometimes looking a little dirty, Madhu Ban is all locked up with fences around it, the block likely to be renovated into something new sometime soon.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: N/A
Date Closed: circa 2009 (?)
Address: 3217 Washington Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22201-4415
Website: N/A

United 120: SFO to IAD: Lunch

2009-10-24T11:07:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

United 120: SFO to IAD: Lunch

Heading back East and this time United was offering up a variety of sandwiches and salads (along with a selection of boxes of various snacks).

I opted for the turkey sandwich. Much better than I was expecting. Nice, old fashioned sandwich bread (no fancy roll or focaccia) with turkey slices and lettuce. Along with it came a very tasty aioli mayonnaise that was pretty good.

Finished off with a small bag of classic Kettle Chips (and I added in some orange juice).

Not bad for $9 (which is about what the various "grab and go" offerings at SFO were going for).

Meal: Lunch
Rating: N/A
Date Visited: 23 October 2009
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

Blue Mermaid at the Argonaut Hotel

2009-10-23T11:35:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Blue Mermaid Chowder House

On this trip to San Francisco, I stayed at a new place and new area of town. The Argonaut Hotel is located on the "fringe" of Fisherman's Wharf so it's protcted a bit from the noise and bustle of the wharf area.

Housed in a former cannery, the hotel and other establishments, the Blue Mermaid and a Starbucks, have a combination of cannery and nautical themes.

But I digress ... what about the Blue Mermaid?

Well, as a guest of the hotel, I received complimentary continental breakfast coupons, so, well, I had to use them.

Coming down in the early morning to the Blue Mermaid, I chose to sit at the bar. The continental breakfast offered coffee or tea, a choice of juices, fuit bowl, and choice of pastry or toast. During the six days I spent here, I stuck with the toast (sometimes wheat, sometimes sourdough), grapefruit juice and coffee for the mostpart. All were good and made for a nice little breakfast. As a change of pace one morning I went with the steel-cut oatmeal (served with currents and brown sugar). It was a good oatmeal, but not spectacular.

As part of a business meeting, I also had lunch at the Blue Mermaid. My colleague chose the Caesar salad and I went with one of the award winning house-made chowders. I find it slightly odd to order New England Chowder on the West Coast, but it's my favorite. The Blue Mermaid offers a variety of chowders in addition to the New England variety and has one a few chowder cook-off prizes. All in all, quite a good chowder. Just the right amount of kick to it; nice chunks of potatoes, a good amount of clams (including a few in the shell for aesthetics).

Service is quick and friendly. The morning staff were particularly attentive and after a day or so, would greet me by name and wave as I went past.

Recommended if your in the Fisherman's Wharf area, especially if you want to avoid the touristy, mediocre spots that line Jefferson St.

Meal: Breakfast / Lunch
Rating: ***1/2 of 5
Date Visited: October 2009
Address: 471 Jefferson Street at Hyde, San Francisco, California 94109
Website: http://www.bluemermaidsf.com/

Feeling Lucky? Like a Shamrock: Little Shamrock

2009-10-22T22:43:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Little, Lucky, Dirty, whatever, Becky, oh, right, it is Little Shamrock!

One of the oldest bars in San Francisco, the Little Shamrock, established in 1893, is yet another in the comfortable, friendly bars that San Francisco has.

Located on the north side of Golden Gate Park, the Little Shamrock is a favorite of my colleagues from the California Academy of Sciences. The backroom has darts and wall-to-wall blackboards suitable for erudite (or profane or even downright dirty) graffiti (our additions were the Linnean citation to Zea mays and a quote from James Smithson's will - "for the increase and diffusion off knowledge"). Get a Maker's Mark on the rocks, choose from a great selection of beers on tap, or take a shot of the other San Francisco treat, Fernet-Branca.

Meal: Drinks
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 21 October 2009
Address: 807 Lincoln Way, San Francisco, CA 94122
Website: N/A

United 874: IAD to SFO: Contintenal Breakfast

2009-10-17T20:18:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

I was very sad when I couldn't get a flight on Virgin America for my San Francisco trip. No wifi. No mood lighting. No cheerful pilots at the gate.

Instead, I went on my old standby, United. I had a window seat in Economy Plus and an empty middle seat, so plenty of space to spread out and work on my presentation. I wasn't going to get anything to eat, but the continental breakfast looked good, so I had that, orange juice, and coffee.

The breakfast wasn't bad, yogurt, dried fruit, and an apple danish. Not overprised at $5.

Meal: Breakfast
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Arlington Sandwich recommendations

2009-10-04T14:25:00.038-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Arlington Sandwiches!

Getting a good sandwich is sometimes not as easy as it sounds. How many times are you somewhere when suddenly it hits you that all you really want is a good turkey sandwich with swiss on sourdough bread with a pickle on the side ?

You don't want Potbellies, or Subway, or Au Bon Pain. You don't want to wander into an anoymous food court and try and find a good deli sandwich. What do you do???

Well, if you find yourself in Arlington, Virginia, here are three suggestions; two are in the northern part of the county along the Wilson Boulevard corridor, and the third is in south Arlington, in the Village of Shirlington.

Earl's
Earl's resides in an unassuming storefront that's seen a couple of different sandwich places over the years. I really hope that Earl's is here to stay, however!

There's not much by way of seating, so it's best to go on the off hours or be prepared to carry out.

What makes Earl's great? Fresh roasted meat. You won't get something out of plastic or shipped in from somewhere. Earl's fresh roasts their turkey, beef, and pork daily. And it pays off in the taste of the sandwiches. Try one of their signature sandwiches, or make up your own. On this visit, I had the Turkey Cranberry (Freshly roasted turkey breast served on a toasted honey wheat bread cranberry mayonnaise and lettuce). Nothing like the taste of fresh turkey (unless its pork or beef!).

Earl's also serves soups and salads. A real winner!

Euro Market / Cafe
The Euro Market / Cafe is just what it says, a market and a cafe. In the same location now for a number of years, the always friendly staff hails from Mongolia. Offering a nice selection of sandwiches and other choices, Euro Market / Cafe is known around our house as the "Jelly bean store" for it's amazing selection of gummy candies!

If you want to take advantage of the "market" portion of the establishment, you can get a variety of imported goods as well as a nice selection of wines.

Try the chicken salad sandwich!

Seating inside is basic but comfortable and there are also a few outdoor seats. And free wifi! An added bonus, it's one of the few places open on Christmas and Thanksgiving if you need to escape the house.

Best Buns
Part of the "Great American Restaurants" group, Best Buns is adjacent to The Carlyle.Primarily a bakery, with a fabulous selection of tasty treats. Best Buns also offers up some nice sandwiches made on their baked in-house breads.

On this visit, I was feeling in the mood for something spicy and went with the salami and cheese on a long roll. A goodly amount of meat and a tasty bread. What more could you want.

Come for the buns, stay for the sandwich.

Earl's
Meal: Lunch
Rating: *****
Date: 20 June 2009
Address: 2605 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201-3817
Website: http://www.earlsinarlington.com

Euro Market / Cafe
Meal: Lunch
Rating: ****
Date: 31 May 2009
Address: 2201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201-3323
Website: http://www.eurocafemarket.com

Best Buns
Meal: Lunch
Rating: ****
Date: 13 September 2009
Address: 4010 Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA 22206
Website: http://www.greatamericanrestaurants.com

Snowbird, UT, Dining at the Bird

2009-09-19T08:51:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort

Billing itself as an all year resort, I had high hopes for the culinary options at Snowbird. Perusing the website, the descriptions of the various eateries led me to believe that I was going to have quite the dining experience.

Sadly, things weren't quite what I expected. The food was by no means poor, but overall, things were of a generally average nature. The coffee spot, Baked and Brewed, offered up some good coffee and baked goods (at a relatively high price). A few spots were closed or only open certain days.

The biggest disappointments were the big ticket restaurants - The Steak Pit and the Aerie Lounge. Caveat, we ate only at the Aerie Lounge, the lower end version of the Aerie, but after the meal there and at the Steak Pit, the perceived value of the Aerie was in such doubt, we passed on it in favor of another stop at El Chanate. El Chanate was the big winner, two dinners and a lunch.

In any resort environment where there's a captive audience, the diner is at the mercy of the establishment. When you're on top of the mountain, prices, selection and quality take back seat to "can I get anything? Please!?!"

Overall, I'd give Snowbird (summer version) a solid 2.5 stars.

Here's some details:

Forklift
For a nice little sit down breakfast, pancakes, the works, Forklift is a good option. The oatmeal was quite good as were the bacon and pancakes!

Meal: Breakfast
Rating: ***
Date Visited: July 2009
Address: Snowbird, Utah
Website: http://www.snowbird.com/dining/diningguide/forklift.html

Baked and Brewed in the Bird
Okay, I'm in Snowbird, Utah. I want coffee and it's early in the morning. Where's my Starbucks!?!?! Huh? Where is it? What? Down in the valley? Yikees! What do to do?

Okay, I'm calming down, there's some coffee in the Cliff Lodge lobby (but nothing but powdered white stuff - and I don't mean snow) to lighten it. Where to go?

Okay. Baked and Brewed. Whew. The best little spot (ok, the only spot) to get a really good cup of coffee and a baked good.

I had the cinnamon roll which was light and tasty with just the right amount of frosting. It was really too big for just one person, but well ... it was vacation!

Meal: Breakfast
Rating: ****
Date Visited: July 2009
Address: Snowbird, Utah
Website: http://www.snowbird.com/dining/diningguide/bakednbrewed.html

General Grits
General Grits was a good, all around spot for getting supplies while staying at Snowbird. The sandwich bar, located in the back, could get pretty busy during breaks in the Botany meetings, but the crew of sandwich makers soldiered on.

There were the usual offerings (ham, turkey, etc.). I went with a tasty salami on a roll. A nice, relatively inexpensive option at Snowbird.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: ***
Date Visited: July 2009
Address: Snowbird, Utah
Website: http://www.snowbird.com/dining/diningguide/generalgritts.html

El Chanate
I had one and a half dinners and lunch at El Chanate. We arrived late at Snowbird and El Chanate was our only option. We had great service and a nice and lovely light meal with enchilladas and chips (note: you pay for the chips and salsa!). I also, with some business colleagues, had the "all you can eat" lunch. A nice hot table of options as a reasonable price.

We ended with another dinner on the patio (surrounded by potguts - the local ground squirrel). Good service and serviceable food.

Meal: Lunch/Dinner
Rating: ***
Date Visited: July 2009
Address: Snowbird, Utah
Website: http://www.snowbird.com/dining/diningguide/keyhole.html

Aerie Lounge
It was getting late and there weren't that many options. It was also pretty busy since the Botany conference that I was attending was getting underway and the botanists needed to eat!!!

We went with the Aerie Lounge on this night.

Service was very slow (but I blame the staffing levels and crowds for that). Worse, the food was extremely mediocre. We had a fusion spring roll apetizer and for a main course, I had what sounded like a good pizza offering. Overall, it felt like the Aerie Lounge had ordered their foods from Chef Tontino and zapped them all in the microwave.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: *
Date Visited: July 2009
Address: Snowbird, Utah
Website: http://www.snowbird.com/dining/diningguide/aerie.html

Steak Pit
Well, the Steak Pit was the big disappointment at Snowbird. I don't go out for steak often and when I do, I like it to be an event. I was hoping for an event at Snowbird. If this dinner was an event, it was not a big event!

Located in the lower level of the Snowbird Center, the Steak Pit aims for the basic "western steak house" look. Seated in a large booth, we made a good selection from the nice wine offerings. Snowbird is big on coupons and we had one for a free appetizer. We went with the artichoke. A nice selection, but basically, it was a boiled artichoke. Good, but, well, I make the same - and better, trimming the spiky tips - at home.

A nice touch was the family style salad. A salad was served in a large bowl with dressings on the side for the table to eat from.

For my entree, I went with the 7 oz. snake River Farms Wagyu Petite sirloin. The steak was a bit dry and didn't have a good grill look to it. Might have been done in a broiler or even in a pan. Tender, but not terribly flavorful. My wife had the chicken and my daughter the burger. Both, again, adequate, but leaning towards the dry and basic.

Not the "best western steakhouse" that I had been looking forward too.

The service was attentive and informative.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date Visited: July 2009
Address: Snowbird, Utah
Website: http://www.snowbird.com/dining/diningguide/steakpit.html

Dining at Temple Square, Salt Lake City

2009-09-16T12:20:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Dining at Temple Square: The Garden and Nauvoo Cafe

The curious spot that is Salt Lake City features a wide range of dining options. From wine bars (yes, even in Utah!) to great Nepali food. However, the visitor to SLC, especially those following in the footsteps of Mark Twain, must sample some of the spots located in historic Temple Square and run by the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) church.

The Joseph Smith Building, formerly a grant, western-style hotel, now hosts many church offices and functions as well as a collection of restaurants. Just around the corner, in a house owned by Brigham Young, is the Lion House Pantry.

On this trip, I was able to sample to of the four: The Garden Restaurant and the Nauvoo Cafe. I missed The Lion House Pantry (featuring homestyle breakfast, lunch and dinner) and The Roof (a gourmet dinner buffet).

So, let's start with dinner at The Garden Restaurant. The first thing you notice about the restaurant is the amazing view. Located on the 10th (rooftop) floor, it commands a fabulous view of the Mormon Temple and the shimmering of the Great Salt Lake in the distance. The view (especially at sunset) through the floor the ceiling windows is almost enough to take your mind off the powerful smell of chlorine from the various pools and fountains that are in the restaurant!

For the food, well, let me first say how annoyed was I didn't order the speciality appetizer, Fried Dill pickles: "Quartered, lightly Battered and Quick-Fried to a Golden Brown. Garnished with Celery and Carrot Sticks and served with Thousand Island and Ranch Dipping Sauces." I wasn't that hungry, and just got a side salad, but the pickles sound great!

For an entree, I went with the French Dip (you know me!), here called the "Beef Dipper". Served with carmalized onions and sweet peppers and a side of au jus (plus fries) it was a nice, but not spectacular sandwich. My wife went with the grilled salmon (which was excellent) and my daughter, the kids' ravioli (which were deemed "best ever").

For beverages, well, no wine or beer of course, so ...

Service was pleasant, but our server had an uncanny resemblance to Phoebe (from Friends) both in looks and style, which was fun and didn't distract from the meal.

I would give The Garden a higher rating, if not for that darned chlorine smell!

The Nauvoo Cafe (named after the side of a Mormon massacre in Illinois), located on the ground floor of the Smith Building (and opening on to outdoor seating with yet another great view of the Mormon Temple) is a perfect spot for a quick, inexpensive lunch. With a selection of soups, salads, and hot and cold sandwiches.

I went with one of the premium sandwiches; with choices of "carved before your eyes" options of ham, sirloin, roasted turkey, and, my choice, Coca-Cola Porkloin. After your meat is carved, it passes along to be put on bread, and then a little conveyor belt where it runs under a heater (those of you familiar with Pot Belly Sandwiches will know what I mean - see picture above). Final stop, dressing up with a choice of relishes and sauces. The porkloin was juicy and tender, the outdoor dining, wonderful. Highly recommended!

The Garden Restaurant
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date Visited: 29 July 2009
Address: 15 East South Temple, 10th Floor, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
Website: http://www.diningattemplesquare.com/garden.html

Nauvoo Cafe
Meal: Lunch
Rating: ****
Date Visited: 31 July 2009
Address: 15 East South Temple, Main Floor, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
Website: http://www.diningattemplesquare.com/nauvoo.html

Beef and Brandy for breakfast

2009-09-15T09:20:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Beef and Brandy Restaurant and Lounge

A place called "Beef and Brandy" might not be your first choice for breakfast, but the B&B has been called "the best breakfast in the Loop" and, from my small experience, it sure is. The lounge area downstairs supplies the brandy part when the sun goes down, but when the sun comes up, head in for a nice, hearty and traditional breakfast.

The service staff might be tattooed and pierced these days, but after a great plate of pancakes, juice and a side of bacon, the B&B will make you feel like you're at your favorite childhood diner.

If you're in the Loop at breakfast time, don't miss the B&B!

Meal: Breakfast
Rating: ****
Date Visited: 12 & 13 July 2009
Address: 127 S. State street, Chicago, IL 60603
Website: http://www.beefbrandy.com/

Chicago styled, Italian Village

2009-09-14T15:04:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Italian Village

A Chicago institution since 1927! Family run for 80 years! Haunt of visiting opera stars! Dark! We got pasta!

I don't know, how to you rate an old fashioned Italian restaurant, that is not only old fashioned, but just plain old? Our group of six was seated in a snug booth in a dark corner (well, the whole place was dark, part of the "atmosphere"). All the "traditional" Italian restaurant touches (paintings of "ruins", "marbleized" walls, yadda yadda). "Bottle of red, bottle of white, it all depends on your appetite" (whoops, that's Billy Joel).

Our table started out with a huge plate of serviceable spicy calamari; I added a side salad and for a main course had a nice chicken risotto.

All well and good; good service; but not quite my cup of Chianti.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date Visited: 12 July 2009
Address: 71 W Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60603
Website: http://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/

Catch 35, toss it back

2009-09-13T13:45:00.000-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Catch 35, throw back the salmon!

I got in kind of late to Chicago and was meeting a colleague (or was it two or three? Sometimes even with cellphones making arrangements can be tricky!) for dinner. Our first couple of choices were either inconvenient or booked, next up on our list was Catch 35. Looked good from the website and the front desk gave it a thumbs up.

Located on Wacker by the Chicago River, it had to have great seafood, right?

Well, the appetizers were pretty good, Point Judith Calamari (lightly fried with a really good tofu satay & tartar sauce). But I cast in the wrong direction for my entree. I went with the Scottish Salmon with horseradish & Parmesan Crust, Shimaji mushroom, asparagus, roasted garlic gnocchi & brandy cream. Properly prepared, this might not have been bad, but the fish was dry and overcooked; the crust a tasteless texture and the horseradish sauce too mild to make an impression.

Service was adequate, though on the slow side (for a restaurant that wasn't all that full). Our server seemed to be trying, but the wait time between ordering, drink arrival, and food arrival was far too long.

Maybe on a different night with a different selection Catch 35 would be a better catch. But not on this night.

More photos.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date Visited: 9 July 2009
Address: 35 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
Website: http://www.catch35.com/

Let the Carnivale begin!

2009-09-12T16:15:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Carnivale, Festive Dining in Chi-town

Carnivale is yet another entree in the "restaurant as destination" club. Yes, the food is really good, bordering on the fabulous, but you come more to a place like Carnivale to say that you've been there and to be seen my other people.

I went with a group of people and we spent a good 45 minutes past our booked reservation waiting at the bar for our table. The bar, by the way, was great. Excellent bartender and nice guacamole and chips to keep hunger away while sipping on the mojitos.

When we were seated, we had a variety of appetizers. The standout was the Ropa Vija (sweet plantains, braised beef, spicy may oand queso fresco). Also of note, the ceviche mixto (a sampling of tuna, calamari, halibut and others).

For my entree, I went with the Pernil (a fork tender cut of rum glazed pork shoulder with fried plantains, and rice and beans). A nice and tasty dish indeed, but it was the Mama Mendez' Arroz Con Mariscos (sofritoo rice, shrimp, mussels, clams, squid, chorizo, peas, chicken and souped into a lobster broth) that, hands down, won the accolades of the table.

More photos.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date Visited: 10 July 2009
Address: 702 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60661
Website: http://www.carnivalechicago.com/

Viand, a hidden gem in Chicago

2009-09-01T10:15:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Viand: American cuisine with a Mediterranean flare.

Hidden away in a section of Chicago called Streeterville, Viand is located in Marriott hotel. I've said on a number of occasions that I'm not really keen on hotel restaurants, but I think I'm going to have to adjust that view. Though many hotels (hello Sheraton) still stick a mediocre sports bar or overpriced steakhouse in the hotel and call it fine dining, increasingly hotels are actually putting quality eateries on premises.

Viand is an excellent example of such a place. An eclectic mix of ingredients and cuisines, with leanings towards the Mediterranean, the full menu made for some hard choices.

The table was started off with a small tumbler of complimentary, and very tasty, gazpacho. This nice touch set the tone for the rest of the meal.

For starters, I had an order of the homemade potstickers in a dark soy and brown sugar glaze. The potstickers were good, and a nice large serving, but didn't quite blend with my main course, a lovely tangine of lamb and root vegetables with couscous. Nicely spiced, a great choice.

The dessert tray was tempting (including a basket of freshly baked cookies), but I'm not really a dessert person, so I let that go by.

Service was excellent and attentive. Highly recommended (even if you have to go through a hotel lobby too get there!).

More photos.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date Visited: 13 July 2009
Address: 155 E Ontario St., Chicago, IL 60611-2822
Website: http://www.viandchicago.com/

Gold Coast Dogs: Home of the Char Dog

2009-08-31T13:52:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Gold Coast Dogs

It was my last day in the city on this Chicago trip. I needed a new briefcase and then had a bit of time before heading to the airport.

Found a nice luggage store and got a great back on sale and, in need of a hot dog, asked where to get a good Chicago dog. After some consultation with the other staff, it was decided that Gold Coast Dogs was the best place.

I left the store and headed a few blocks over and saw it. I'd passed it before. Looked good on the outside, inside, a bit non-descript, but what does one really want a hot dog place to look like (here's a quick aside, the location is also an outlet for another fast food place - won't name it here - and that's what shows up on your credit card; who would get THAT food when they have a choice of the hot dog here is beyond me!).

First thing you'll notice, see the picture above, is that this is the home of the "char dog". Not your typical Chicago dog, nope, here they split it and grill it. Wow!

On top of the dog is the list of ingredients that are mandator to the Chicago dog:

poppyseed bun
yellow mustard (NEVER ketchup!)
chopped onions
tomato wedges
pickle spear
green relish
hot peppers
celery salt

In this case, though, the char just really takes it a step above. Kim & Carlo's was great, with a great location, but for just the dog, Gold Coast is my number !!

More photos. See the website for some additional locations.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: ****
Date Visited: 14 July 2009
Address: 17 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL‎
Website: http://www.goldcoastdogs.net/

R.I.P.: Joe Tarrentino's

2009-08-23T19:40:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

R.I.P.: Joe Tarrentino's

First off, this isn't the more famous Tarrentino's on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. In fact, the bigger, more famous Tarrentino's once sued the smaller Joe Tarrentino's in South Lake Tahoe for use of the name.

But hey, what was Joe supposed to call his place? Alioto's? Joe won that case, but time eventually took it's toll and Joe Tarentino's eventually closed.

Tarrentino's was the first "real" restaurant that I remember going to. It wasn't a Denny's or a Dairy Queen. There was a maitre d' (usually Joe himself or one of his daughters). Joe and family were friends of my parents (well, I'm guessing they were friends of most of the year-round residents in South Tahoe), and Tarrentino's was where we went for a "nice" dinner when we weren't going to a restaurant in one of the casinos (in those days, just Harrah's, Harvey's, and the Sahara Tahoe).

The place always struck me as dark, but maybe that was the style. Big banquet style booths (we always seemed to sit in a booth).

And the food? It was Italian (in case you haven't guessed). I probably usually got spaghetti or maybe ravioli. But what I remember where the antipasto plates. Carrots, olives, little gherkins, the usual. And the bread, with little pats of butter! Nothing really special, but the kind of things that said "restaurant" to me then and probably still does to this day.

So Joe, thanks for the memories and for the pasta!

Meal: Dinner
Rating: N/A
Date Closed: ?
Address: South Lake Tahoe, CA
Website: N/A

Tom's Bar & Grill: St. Louis

2009-08-22T22:08:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Tom's Bar & Grill

Coming in and out of St. Louis, I generally take the Metrolink from the airport (STL) to Central West End (and then make my way to the Missouri Botanical Garden).

On my last two trips, I've spent more quality time in the Central West End, which, once you get past the mega-construction around the medical center, is quite nice and full of some intriguing restaurants.

On this trip, I didn't have time for in-depth exploration, but just a quick stop.

My friend Doug was going to drop me off at the Metrolink, but we had some extra time, so he suggested we stop in at Tom's Bar & Grill. Doug suggested Tom's since it had parking and was close to the Metrolink.

Coming from Washington, it was hard to get used to the fact that there was still smoking allowed anywhere (!), but we settled in at the bar for a quick drink.

Service was quick and fine and, if I was looking for a good and frindly spot for a quick drink, I'd be sure to hit Tom's again.

Meal: Drinks
Rating: ***
Address: 20 S Euclid Ave., St Louis, MO 63108-1410
Website: http://www.tomsbarandgrill.com

Frontier Jumpstart snack

2009-07-26T10:46:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Snack on Frontier Airlines

So flying westward on Frontier Airlines, destination Salt Lake City (via Denver, 'cause that's the only way Frontier will get you there!).

Flight delayed for three hours (allowing the sampling of some of the food fare behind the security gates at National Airport) and so, just before boarding, the gate crew announce that the food on the plane has now expired, so if you want anything other than a snack, RUN NOW and buy it.

So it goes.

But on board they did have

Rice Krispies
Milk
Graham Cracker Scooby Snacks
Apple Juice

and only $3.00!

Gourmet? Of Course not ... but better than nothing!

Meal: Snack
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: N/A

Kim & Carlo's Chicago Style Hot Dog Store

2009-07-13T09:09:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Kim & Carlo's Chicago Style Hot Dog Store

The Chicago Hot Dog is something special. It's not the dog itself, but wnat goes on it! For the desperate traveler passing through O'Hare, there are a number of spots where you can get a nice Chicago-style dog.

This post, however, is going to focus on a fabulous little stand outside of the Field Museum, Kim & Carlo's.

My hosts at the Field Museum offered the choice of the Corner Bakery (inside the museum) or the hot dog stand.

Not really a choice!

We headed out and the group looked over the choices: turkey dog, tofu dog, brats. Again, it's a hot dog stand, go with the Vienna frank, then make it Chicago-style!

And just what makes it Chicago-style? Here's the list:

poppyseed bun
yellow mustard (NEVER ketchup!)
chopped onions
tomato wedges
pickle spear
green relish
hot peppers

and the key (in my opinion):

celery salt

Kim & Carlo's does it good! Not stinting on any of the ingredients, they pile it all on and still leave you wanting more.

More pictures.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: *****
Address: 1400 S Lake Shore Dr., Museum Campus between Mcfretridge Dr. & Waldron Dr.), Chicago, IL 60605
Website: N/A

Billy Goat Tavern: Butt in anytime!

2009-07-12T23:08:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Billy Goat Tavern

Established in 1934, it probably wasn't until the famed Saturday Night Live sketch that the Billy Goat Tavern achieved nationwide fame (or at least became known to me!)

"Cheezborger! Cheezborger! No fries, cheeps! No Pepsi, Coke!" John Belushi, as the surly diner guy, would respond to any befuddled customer who wanted to vary the order from the canonical "Cheezborger, cheeps, and Coke."

Located in a weird stretch on Michigan Avenue, well, not actually on, but under because the Billy Goat Tavern is underneath Michigan Ave., beneath an underpass! Going in through the doors ("Butt in anytime") you're warned to "enter at your own risk". Once inside, it doesn't really look anything like the SNL set. Head down the steps and sidle up to the counter. The menu is a nice selection of sandwiches made on the grill to your left. In addition to the single, double and triple "cheezborger" you'll find ribeye steak, chicken, etc. Chips are also there, and, sad to say, Coke OR Pepsi!

I couldn't resist the basics, so I got the triple cheeseburger and Pepsi. The cook had them all lined up and my burger rolled off the grill and was slapped on a bun in just about a minute or so. Grab the burger and take a step or two to the "fixin's bar" where you can get tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and onions (sliced or diced).

I dressed up my burger and grabbed a seat (you're on your own for seating). The walls are encrusted with photographs of celebrities -- big small, sports, TV, film, local, national.

And the burger?

Well, it was pretty good. Nice and greasy, flavorful and done nicely. Needless to say, probably not something good your arteries and, yes, the Billy Goat is probably boasting on thirty plus years of SNL notoriety (there are now a bunch in Chicago and even one in Washington).

Still, next time in your Chi-town, wander down the scary steps under under Michigan Avenue. You won't find any Trolls under the Bridge, just the Billy Goat and a tasty "Cheezborger!"

More pictures.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: *****
Address: 430 N. Michigan Ave at Lower Level, Chicago, IL
Website: http://www.billygoattavern.com/

Eastbound: Virgin America VX78

2009-07-03T16:28:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Eastbound: Virgin America VX78

It was hard to choose from the options on my return flight from San Francisco. But I soon did! I went with the Napa Valley Chicken Salad Hand Roll. It included Diced chicken with apples, currants, carrots and mayonnaise dressing in a garden spinach tortilla wrap. Along with a side of pasta salad and Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

I also added the side of a Fruit and Cheese box that had brie, pepper Monterrey jack and aged cheddar. Finished off with red seedless grapes, dried cranberries, pecans and a selection of multigrain crackers.

I completed the meal with a selection of spirits, VeeV Acai and a Le Tourment Vert Absinthe.

Virgin America knows how to do airline food right!