tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33509475154954076532024-02-20T14:56:22.640-08:00TNT ADVENTURESTNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-41884225626666840212011-12-06T20:10:00.000-08:002011-12-06T20:10:20.182-08:00Motamachi Shokudo (Vancouver, Canada)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">740 Denman Street<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">Vancouver, BC</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div>Southern Californians and cold weather don't mix. It's like oil and water. To warm ourselves up, we decided to get some ramen. Vancouver has a very large population of Asians and as a result, Vancouver has tons of Asian restaurants to choose from. We heard good things about <i>Motamachi Shokudo</i> so we decided this was the place to warm our bodies with some ramen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><i>Motamachi Shokudo</i> is a small and narrow restaurant, but it has a nice design aesthetic to the restaurant. Wood and finished concrete cover most the walls and floors.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Nama-Shoyu Ramen</b> (8.95)<br />
We decided that we wanted to try out 2 different flavors of ramen. The shoyu ramen had a very clean tasting broth that was perked up by the veggies and the addition of an egg. The egg has a orange color yolk as opposed to the yellow ones that we are used to. This was a soft boiled organic and local egg from what we have been told.<br />
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<b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">New Generation Miso Ramen</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"> (9.45)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;">I am not exactly sure what makes this a new generation, but it was delicious. The broth was much more rich and fatty than the shoyu. I loved the addition of the corn to the ramen for an added sweetness and texture. </span></span><br />
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I am not ramen expert, but overall we really enjoyed both our ramens at <i>Motamachi Shokudo</i> and would not hesitate to return on our future trips to Vancouver. Especially on a cold day!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-70637788209032151742011-11-02T23:42:00.000-07:002011-11-02T23:42:37.011-07:00The Walrus and Carpenter (Seattle, Washington)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">4743 Ballard Avenue NW<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">Seattle, WA 98107</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">206.395.9227</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">www.thewalrusbar.com<br />
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"Best New Restaurants In America," "10 Best New Restaurants in America, " etc, etc, so on, and so on. These are just some of the kind words that have been written about the<i> The Walrus and the Carpenter</i> this past year.<br />
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Seems like nowadays the recipe for a successful restaurant is to be seasonal, market driven, have a strange location, little to no signage on the restaurant, strange name, and of course good food. <i>The Walrus and the Carpenter</i> has all the criteria above and more.<br />
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Back of the restaurant, or was it the front???? Not really sure.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>Roasted Almonds – espelette pepper, sea salt </b>(3)</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">A nice little snack to kick start our appetites. Didn't really need a kick start - we were already starving. The sea salt and espelette pepper added a salty and peppery flavor.<br />
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<b>Marinated Olives</b> (3)<br />
Another little snack to nibble on while we waited for our real food to come out. The olives were nicely brined in a mixture of spices.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Chicken Liver Mousse with candied squash and dried cherries</b> (10)</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Pretty much anytime I see chicken liver mousse on a menu, there is a really good chance I am going to order it. The mousse was smooth as butter and delicious. I really enjoyed eating the mousse with the candied squash and the dried cherries.<br />
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<b>Treviso Salad – apple, hazelnut, creamy dressing</b> (8)<br />
Treviso is an italian vegetable that is also known as "winter flower"; it is a red radicchio. The salad was slightly bitter due to the treviso but nicely balanced with the creamy dressing and the slices of apple.<br />
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<b>Fried Oysters with cilantro aioli</b> (8)<br />
Looking around at other tables, it seemed as though everyone was ordering the fried oysters. The oysters were breaded in what seemed to be a cornmeal crust. The texture and taste was a bit overly complex. I didn't really enjoy this one much. <br />
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<b>Smoked Trout – lentils, walnuts, crème fraiche, pickled onions </b>(10)<br />
The various components of this dish really balanced and complemented each other.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Kale Gratin – gruyere, hazelnuts, tarragon </b>(10)</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">This was my first encounter with a kale gratin. The flavor of the hazelnuts were really predominate in this dish.<br />
Didn't love this dish nor did I dislike it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">Pumpkin Pudding Cake with espresso butter sauce and whipped cream</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> (8)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">This was a nice dessert to end our meal. Since it was freezing outside, the warm pumpkin pudding cake with its spices was a fitting dessert. </span></span><br />
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I am not sure if <i>The Walrus and the Carpenter </i>really deserves all the high praise and attention that it has gotten. Overall, we did enjoy the food that we had, most notably the chicken liver mousse and the smoked trout dish. The restaurant space was beautiful and the ambiance were just right, but the food was not quite what we expected. </div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-26574391344227936582011-10-20T10:10:00.000-07:002011-10-20T22:14:24.275-07:00Japadog (Vancouver, Canada)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">899 Burrard St<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">Vancouver, BC<br />
<a href="http://www.japadog.com/en/">http://www.japadog.com/en/</a><br />
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At first I was a little skeptical thinking, what's so special about these Japanese hot dogs? They can't be all that different from any other hot dog that we have had. Overhyped?? Wrong....<br />
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This little<i> Japadog</i> happened to be right on the corner of the hotel we were staying at, so it made it all the more convenient to sample these dogs. Fortunately for us, it was raining that day and as a result, this shortened the supposedly long lines considerably. </div><br />
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The most popular of the dogs at <i>Japadog</i> would be the Kurobuta Terimayo. Kurobuta or Berkshire as Americans know it is the prized black pig. Similar to that Kobe Beef, Kurobuta is the best of the pig breeds. At $7.25, this better be a dang good dog. That is $7.25 with no drinks or chips, just the dog.<br />
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The Kurobuta Terimayo comes with Kurobuta hot dog, nori (seaweed) strips, and a teriyaki mayonnaise. We added a bit of the Wasabi mayo for a nicely added heat to the dog. The actual hot dog itself was juicy, flavorful and had a nice snap to it. I would say it's probably the best hot dog that I have eaten. The terimayo and wasabi mayo complement the hotdog and the nori strips add an extra dimension of flavor. This hot dog was delicious!!!<br />
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There was quite a bit of hype about the<i> Japadog</i>. Some saying it's just a hot dog and not worth the trip and some saying that it is all that and then some. I have to say that the hype is warranted. Although the hot dog is pricey for a hot dog, I would say it is definitely worth the trip to try it out. </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-2445433252835560102011-09-26T00:19:00.000-07:002011-09-26T00:19:27.386-07:00Serious Pie (Seattle, Washington)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">316 Virginia St.<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">Seattle, WA 98121</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">206.838.7388</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Tomdouglas.com</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">We couldn't leave Seattle and not try one of Tom Douglas's many well regarded restaurants. When mentioning the best pizza throughout the United States and best pizza in each state, <i>Serious Pie</i> is often mentioned amongst the contenders. With a name like <i>Serious Pie,</i> they better be serious about their pie. </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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The inside of<i> Serious Pie</i> is separated into a lower dining area and an upper cooking area. The restaurant is actually a bit smaller than I thought it would be.<br />
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<b>Yellowfoot chanterelles, truffle cheese</b> (16)<br />
<i>Serious Pie</i>'s pies are more of a rectangular oval than a traditional pie shape. Being a lover of the distinct taste and smell of truffles, we ordered the yellowfoot chanterelles and truffle cheese pizza. The yellowfoot chanterelles gave the pizza an extra boost of earthy/umami flavor. It was kind of strange to see a pizza with slices of cheese as opposed to grated cheese on it. The crust on <i>Serious Pie</i>'s pizzas are actually seriously good with a crunchy crust and great taste.<br />
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Close up shot of the pizza.<br />
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<b>Sweet fennel sausage, roasted peppers, provolone</b> (17)<br />
I wanted to order a pizza that was more on the meatier side and the sweet fennel sausage pizza fit the bill. The sweet fennel sausage was delicious with an apparent but not an overwhelming taste of fennel. The roasted peppers added great flavor to the pizza.<br />
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Close up of the sweet fennel sausage pizza.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;">The ladies both enjoyed the truffle pizza while I preferred the sweet fennel sausage pizza. Man = meat = good. They were both delicious in my opinion...just preferred the sausage one more. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chocolate budino, sea salt, cinnamon-walnut cookie</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> (8)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For dessert, we had to try out the budino (which is Italian for pudding). I loved the sweet and salty combination of the dessert. I really appreciated the addition of the extra virgin olive oil on top that added the delicious taste and aroma of the high quality olive oil. </span></span><br />
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The cookies weren't half bad either but I was fine with just the budino itself. You aren't going to hear any complaints over here about some chocolate cookies though.<br />
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<i>Serious pie</i> is pretty serious about their pies and their food. I am serious when I say that the food was seriously delicious and I am can seriously recommend<i> Serious Pie</i> to anyone.<br />
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</div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-74192176643194888382011-09-12T21:59:00.000-07:002011-09-13T15:03:41.634-07:00Elliot's Oyster House (Seattle, Washington)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Pier 56<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">1201 Alaskan Way</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Seattle, WA 981011</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">206.623.4340</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="http://www.elliottsoysterhouse.com/">www.elliottsoysterhouse.com</a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Apologies for the lack of posting these last few months. We just purchased our first home and it was quite a fixer upper. Most of our free time went into fixing this fixer upper up. Almost there. Still some more things to be done but it's getting there.<br />
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Thank you Lady G for reminding us that there are a few people that actually read our blog. We will try to update more regularly.<br />
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Any oyster lovers out there? If so, have we got a place for you!! <i>Elliot's Oyster House</i> has a progressive happy hour. What in the world is a progressive Happy Hour you ask? The prices get progressively more expensive as time goes on. Starting at 3:00, oysters are .50 cents and go up .25 cents each half hour. Guess what time we got there?? 3:00!! .50 cent oysters for us!<br />
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Every day they have a different oyster for happy hour. On the day we came, the oyster was the Hama Hamas. Pictured is the assortment of oysters that <i>Elliot's</i> has on any particular day.<br />
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<b>Salt and vinegar housemade potato chips</b> (2)<br />
The chips were not bad. It was nice to have something to snack on in between oysters. Wish they were a bit more vinegar flavored.<br />
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<i>Elliot's</i> happy hour menu. Not only are oysters on the happy hour menu but there are some other selections as well. Can't comment on any other items on the menu. We were here for the oysters!<br />
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<b>hama hama oysters </b>(.50 per oyster)<br />
The oysters were as expected - fresh, slightly briny, firm flesh, and delicious!<br />
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<i>Elliot's Oyster House</i> for happy hour is a must for any oyster lover looking for a steal of a deal. These oysters were cheaper than when we went to the oyster farm north of San Francisco. At .50 cents an oyster, you cannot pass this place up.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-60602305953374983782011-06-21T23:38:00.000-07:002011-06-21T23:39:11.742-07:00Pike Place Chowder (Seattle, Washington)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">1530 Post Alley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Seattle, WA 98101</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">206.267.2537</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">www.pikeplacechowder.com</span><br />
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Seattle is best known for the Space Needle, the Public Market, original Starbucks, Nirvana, and rainy-cold weather. Southern Californians are definitely not used to the cold weather of Northern neighbors. One of our first stops was the Public Market, and as we were walking around freezing our you know whats off, we figured what better way to warm us up then some chowder.<br />
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With a selection of about 5 to 6 chowders to choose from, we sampled a few of them and although all tasty, we settled on a cup of the New England Clam Chowder. Continuing on with the trend of award winning foods, Pike Place Chowder proudly displays its numerous awards over the years for the satisfying soups and chow worthy chowders.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImznXHdPfeobHeFm2tte5-cJcPBnECIzX8KPypwD_S032p1maJCxjRrIaiyGlbL-hkvzKspIgl_GH9EDsNRJzES0IXJLIySz5sErXUQIwGYZSmE3kFewcln6EumQQ4gi3feD5IDUz6Oo/s1600/DSC_0652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImznXHdPfeobHeFm2tte5-cJcPBnECIzX8KPypwD_S032p1maJCxjRrIaiyGlbL-hkvzKspIgl_GH9EDsNRJzES0IXJLIySz5sErXUQIwGYZSmE3kFewcln6EumQQ4gi3feD5IDUz6Oo/s400/DSC_0652.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The chowder had an ideal texture that wasn't runny nor was it super thick either. The chowder had the taste of clam that wasn't overwhelming and nuances of bacon flavor along with other secret spices. I like the proportion of clams to other ingredients making each spoonful a body warming and delicious treat!</div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-3653489642800867592011-06-03T09:00:00.000-07:002011-06-03T09:40:02.881-07:00Beecher's Handmade Cheese (Seattle, Washington)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1600 Pike Place<br />
Seattle, WA 98101<br />
206.956.1964<br />
<a href="http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/">http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/</a><br />
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As a tourist visiting Seattle, one of the main attractions of the Seattle area is Pike Place. Within Pike Place is the original Starbucks, Pike Place Fish Market, and a multitude of other places to browse and to eat. <i>Beecher's</i> Handmade Cheese is one of the places that lures in tourists like Medusa. Can't... stop.... staring..... at the beautiful cheeses....<br />
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Not only does Beecher's sell artisanal handmade cheeses but they also sell grilled sandwiches and what I usually come here is for their "World's Best" Mac and Cheese. World's Best?? Quite a claim, don't you think? I'll be the judge of that. <br />
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<b>Mac and Cheese – creamy blend of Flagship, Just Jack, penne pasta and spices </b>(5)<br />
The pasta's texture isn't too mushy like you would think it would. Instead of the traditional elbow noodles, <i>Beecher's</i> likes to use penne pasta. I think this is a good move on their part. Larger pieces that are easier to eat and are able to be stuffed with cheese. The blend of cheeses works really well too that has a excellent cheesy taste and texture. This definitely is not that powdered mac and cheese we all grew up eating. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">World's Best? Still not sure about that claim. Haven't tried all the mac and cheeses in the world, but I might give it the "One of the best mac and cheeses that I have ever tasted in the Seattle, maybe even possibly in the West Coast" title. Quite a mouthful for an award, but this is my blog and I can give any award I want. </span></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-18490698946704636722011-05-10T22:42:00.000-07:002011-05-10T23:10:16.541-07:00Brix - Napa Valley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">7377 Saint Helena Hwy<br />
Napa, CA 94558<br />
707.944.2749<br />
www.brix.com<br />
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<i>Brix</i> bills itself as a farm-to-table restaurant.The restaurant and garden has more than 2 acres of farm land in which many of the dishes vegetables coming directly from the garden. Does it get much fresher? The menu actually indicates what vegetables come directly from the garden. How cool is that?<br />
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The architecture of the restaurant fits in perfectly with the Napa Valley region. Flowers and plants surround the perimeter of the restaurant...this entices guests to wander around the beautiful grounds. <br />
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A view of some of the raised garden beds where various vegetables are grown. This is a view of the backside of the property facing the outdoor patio. The vegetables that you are about to eat are only about 50 feet away from where you dine.<br />
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This is another view of the outside seating area where our table was facing the gardens and the hills. Doesn't get much more serene and beautiful than this.<br />
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Fresh bread with butter and sea salt. The bread was nicely toasted and warmed and delicious when eaten with the butter. Not sure if it was house made or not but it was good. <br />
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<b>Brix Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad</b> (11)<br />
This was a dish that was beautiful to look at as it was to eat. I loved the flavor of the tomatoes and the crunchiness of the cucumber, adding a freshness to the salad. What really made the salad for me was the vinaigrette. I wanted to pick up the bowl and drink every last drop of it.<br />
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<b>Grilled Lebanese Zucchini with cherry tomatoes and basil vinaigrette</b> (6)<br />
This was another vegetable dish that was a winner! The grilling on the zucchini added a nice bit of char and flavor to the zucchini. The tomatoes and the vinaigrette were once again outstanding. Freshness at its peak!<br />
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<b>Sonoma Duck Breast with Creamy Mushroom Farro</b> (26)<br />
This was a nice piece of duck breast that was cooked well and portioned just right. The creamy mushroom farro was a change from the normal farro which I find boring at times. <br />
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<b>Beef Tenderloin with olive oil poached zucchini and tomato vinaigrette</b> (29)<br />
The beef tenderloin was as you would expect, tender. The steak had a char and smokey flavor from the grill. My only complaint was that the steak was slightly overcooked in my opinion. Not a particularly exciting dish but solid.<br />
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<b>Creme Brulee</b><br />
The creme brulee was an excellent example of how it should be. Beautifully bruleed sugar top that shatters and begs to be eaten. <i>Brix</i> also included some kind of brittle.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Another serene view of the mountains, gardens, and vineyards of <i>Brix</i>. A great way to end the evening: just taking our time with dinner and relaxing as the sun drifted behind the mountains and enjoying what Napa has to offer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Farm to table. Wouldn't it be awesome if all restaurants could operate with this belief? We enjoyed our meal at <i>Brix</i>, especially the vegetable dishes. It didn't hurt either that we had this beautiful view to look at. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-22590407640509676462011-05-01T23:31:00.000-07:002011-05-01T23:31:46.508-07:00Crossroad Chicken (Napa Valley)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="locality">Napa</span>, <span class="region">CA</span> <span class="postal-code">94558</span><br />
<span class="tel" id="bizPhone">(707) 280-3868</span><br />
<span class="tel" id="bizPhone">crossroadchix.com </span><br />
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<div class="review-content"><div class="review_comment description ieSucks">As we were driving on the highway to the Napa wineries, we spotted the words "Wood Fired" on a food truck and had to make a u-turn to see what this was all about. I admit, I thought the food truck was serving wood fired pizzas and was at first disappointed when I saw that it wasn't pizza. However, after chatting with the chef a bit and him giving us a tour of the truck we found out that he uses ingredients from sustainably farmed and local products whenever possible. <br />
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Having previously worked as a chef at Acacia Winery for many years, he started this food truck business about a year now. There is actually a real wood fired oven, and he has the proper insignia on his truck so you know he's legit. </div></div><br />
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An appetizing and concise menu with an assortment of sandwiches, tacos, soups, and salads at reasonable prices. <br />
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Here is a picture of the jester/chef himself Chef Kevin Simonson. <br />
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<b>Rancho Gordo Anasazi Bean Chili w/ chopped red onions and sour cream</b> ($4.95). The Anasazi beans are some kind of heirloom beans. Wow, heirloom beans too? The chili was different than what I'm used to, but good in a way. The beans themselves were actually smoother and less gritty than most beans I have had. I appreciate the nice bite from the onions and how the sour cream smoothed things out. <br />
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<b>Hot Chicken Sandwich w/ Meyer Lemon Aioli, Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Greens</b> ($8.95). Definitely your gourmet sandwich. The bread was nice and toasty and the chicken was quite tasty with the aioli and the beautiful heirloom tomatoes. The heirloom tomatoes were amazing too. Every bite made me wanting more.<br />
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Here is a picture of the wood fired oven inside the truck. <br />
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This gourmet food truck definitely is worth the stop for all the tasty food items, quality ingredients, and use of local products.<span class="tel" id="bizPhone"> If you are are ever at the crossroads and see <i>Crossroad Chicken</i>, you should definitely cross the road. </span><span class="postal-code"> </span></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-73942298342471912342011-04-26T23:37:00.000-07:002011-04-26T23:37:14.427-07:00Commonwealth (San Francisco)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">2224 Mission Street (Mission District)<br />
San Francisco, CA 94110<br />
Tel. 415.355.1500<br />
commonwealthsf.com<br />
Chef Jason Fox <br />
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"A progressive American restaurant in San Francisco's Mission district." This is how <i>Commonwealth </i>describes themselves on their website. Jason Fox, who used to be the Chef at <i>Bar Tartine</i>, is now the Executive Chef of <i>Commonwealth</i>. Having eaten at <i>Bar Tartine</i> the year before and enjoying a good meal, we had heard great things about <i>Commonwealth. Commonwealth</i> strives to be a restaurant that has finer dining at reasonable prices, which is something that we love. <br />
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<b>seaweed flecked house made potato chips</b> (complimentary)<br />
The chips texturally were similar to Lay's but had a flavor that would most likely to be found in Japan Lay's and not in America. The seaweed flavor wasn't an "in your face" seaweed flavor, but more of a light dusting of seaweed. <br />
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<b>malt vinegar foam</b><br />
The chips were meant to be eaten with the malt vinegar foam, which added a nice acidity. This tasted like a salt and vinegar chip...correction..a seaweed and vinegar chip.<br />
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<b>shishito peppers, goat cheese and rose petals </b>(6)<b> </b><br />
The peppers were nicely blistered. The addition of the goat cheese went really well with the peppers to help lessen the heat from these peppers. Luckily, we didn't have any that were over the top spicy. The rose petals visually were a beautiful addition to the dish and lent a slight floral scent to the dish.<br />
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<b>garden tomatoes and basil, black olive crumble, smoked bread, idiazabal cheese</b> (13)<br />
This is what I consider a fancy version of a caprese salad. The dish was beautifully plated on a piece of slate. Every component of this dish worked well together. <br />
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<b>summer squash, chilled soup, fried blossoms, shaved salad, vadouvan </b>(9)<br />
One of my favorite courses of the night. This was a chilled soup, which is something that I don't always have the opportunity to try out, with the exception of a gazpacho. The shaved salad was placed in the chilled soup which texturally added to the already delicious vadouvan flavored soup (vadouvan is like french curry spice). The addition of the fried squash blossoms, although unnecessary, were delicious as well. <br />
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<b>potato gnocchi, corn, maitake mushrooms, sage, parmesan reggiano, truffle oil </b>(12)<br />
Another favorite of the night, was this gnocchi dish. The gnocchi were perfectly prepared to a pillowy consistency. This was a very well composed dish with the corn adding a sweetness and slight crunchiness, the mushrooms and truffle oil adding an earthiness and the parmesan adding a salty cheesy flavor. Delicious!!!<br />
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<b>marrow stuffed squid, tamarind pork, shelling beans, black garlic, cilantro</b> (13)<br />
Compliments from the chef for our anniversary! What a nice touch by the staff at <i>Commonwealth</i>. The squid was nicely cooked. The marrow and pork added a meatiness to the dish. Didn't really care too much for the beans. This was <i>Commonwealth's</i> version of surf and turf. <br />
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<b>corn custard, sea urchin, chorizo, lobster emulsion, jalapeno</b> (15)<br />
This was one of the dishes I was most looking forward to as I perused the menu. What's not to love about sea urchin, chorizo, lobster, and corn custard? The corn custard itself was very light, almost like a panna cotta with the essence of corn. I couldn't really detect too much flavor of lobster though. The jalapeno flavor kind of hits you on the palette and creeps up on you. The sea urchin and the corn custard had a nice creaminess that went really well together. <br />
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<b>grilled lamb tongue, chard, burnt eggplant, miso and mint</b> (12)<br />
This is the only dish of the night that I did not enjoy. Reading the description, I thought that the miso flavor and mint would work wonderfully together.The dish in my opinion was over salted and lacked the complexity that I was expecting. I really couldn't taste the miso. <br />
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<b>frozen matcha meringue, pistachio, summer berries, strawberry consomme</b> (8)<br />
I believe this dish involved the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze the matcha meringue. I enjoyed the taste of the matcha with the berries and the consomme.<br />
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<i>Commonwealth</i> in my opinion has met its goal of serving upscale food at reasonable prices for a larger segment to enjoy. The dishes at <i>Commonwealth</i> are beautifully composed and for the most part were all very good. If you are looking for a reasonably price restaurant that is serving innovative dishes, I would definitely give <i>Commonwealth</i> a try. </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-56343914032993856342011-04-18T20:53:00.000-07:002011-04-18T20:53:10.217-07:00Tomales Bay Oyster Company - Marshall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">15479 Highway 1<br />
Marshall, CA 94940<br />
415.663.1242<br />
www.tomalesbayoysters.com<br />
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This is definitely one of the best oyster experiences I had! There is nothing better than sitting outdoors, soaking in the sunshine, breathing the fresh air, and shucking your own tasty oysters fresh from the farm. And not to mention, eating as much as you want without burning a hole in your wallet.<br />
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We arrived at the farm around 10:00am and were the first few to have claimed our spot next to the water. More people started coming in around 11-12pm, bringing out their big coolers, E-Z Up canopies, red and white checkered tablecloths, boombox, and large amounts of food. I looked around and thought... "they know how to work it."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I first ordered a dozen for a mere $10!! Great deal and it's fresh. You have a choice of x-small, small, medium, or large. X-Small ones were perfect. The Tomales Bay worker said that he doesn't know why people get the mediums, or especially the large ones.<br />
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After popping 12 oysters in my mouth, I was content, but was needing more. So.. another dozen!<br />
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Being first-timers, we only brought small packets of tabasco that we managed to find and keep from our drive up to San Francisco, a lemon, and a towel. We didn't even have a shucker. The night before, we stopped at several places to buy one and even a General Store at a nearby small town, but no luck for us. Luckily though, the man selling the oysters at this farm let us borrow his (what a nice guy). Whew!<br />
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We found a great tutorial on shucking oysters from youtube.com, and the farm also had some reading material as well. The important thing is not to injure yourself, while being careful not to let any shell remnants get inside and contain the oyster liquor inside the shell.<br />
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The damage I did.... 24 oysters later. All by myself....<br />
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What a peaceful view of the waters while enjoying the fresh oysters. <br />
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This unique experience was worth the 45 minute drive from San Francisco. The beauty and serenity of the place (before the crowds come) and the delicious, sweet oysters made it heavenly for me. Next time, I will definitely be better equipped with the right tools and ingredients. Not to mention, a bottle of wine. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-21513799645863529192011-04-10T21:58:00.000-07:002011-04-10T21:58:47.375-07:00Bar Crudo - San Francisco<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">655 Divisadero St (between Hayes and Grove)<br />
San Francisco, CA 94117<br />
415.409.0679<br />
www.barcrudo.com<br />
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We decided to head up to San Francisco for our anniversary weekend. San Francisco is one of our favorite cities to visit because of the delicious food, the beautiful scenery, and the chill, cool, and unpretentious people. Our first stop was <i>Bar Crudo, </i>a place known for fresh and delicious seafood.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">We came for their happy hour: $3 beers on a certain beers, $10 for 2 fish tacos, $5 for seafood chowder and $1 oysters from Point Reyes. We came there at 5:30pm and there were no seats at the bar but small wooden panels from the wall that you can stand and enjoy your beers and food. Luckily for us, they decided to offer the upstairs area as part of the happy hour area. Made for much more of an enjoyable and relaxing experience for us.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Crudo Sampler</b>: (12) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><b>Artic Char</b></i> (horseradish cream, wasabi tobiko, dill) This was my favorite! It was buttery like salmon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><b>Hokkaido Scallops</b></i> (sweet corn puree, piri piri peppers, spanish smoked salt) The scallops had a soft texture, but the sweet corn threw me off a bit. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><b>Tombo Tuna</b></i> (avocado mousse, chili lime vinaigrette, peaches) This had some good flavors, but nothing memorable. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>Butterfish</i> </b>(salmorejo, quail egg, jamon) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<b>Seafood Chowder</b> (5)<br />
A hearty and comforting chowder with generous amounts of seafood. Good-sized chunks of fish, calamari, mussels, shrimp and potatoes. Also had chunks of chorizo and applewood smoked bacon. Definitely a must order! <br />
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<b>Point Reyes Oysters, Marin </b>($1 each)<br />
One of my favorite reasons to come to San Francisco is to eat and slurp on super fresh and tasty oysters. These oysters did not disappoint. They were cold and fresh, and the accompanying mignonette was perfect with the oysters. <br />
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Service was great throughout our little dinner/snack. While chatting with the waitress, we mentioned we were up in SF for our anniversary and they were kind enough to bring us chocolates with a candle. We heart SF!!!!<br />
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If you are ever in SF and looking for a place that serves fantastically fresh seafood in a laid back and unpretentious setting, <i>Bar Crudo</i> is a great place to be. </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-4612174115785372902011-04-02T09:38:00.000-07:002011-04-02T09:38:57.417-07:00Le Crêperie Bretonne - Paris, France<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="pp-headline-item pp-headline-address" dir="ltr">56 Rue Montparnasse, 75014 Paris</span><br />
Tel. 01 43 20 89 58<br />
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If you're ever in Paris and craving crepes, Rue Montparnasse must have the highest concentration of creperies on one small street that I have ever seen. They should just change the name to Rue Crêperie. Since we weren't staying too far from this area and wanted some proper crêpes and not the pre-made ones we decided to give <i>Le Crêperie Bretonne</i> a try. <br />
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As you walk along the street you can take a peek and see the master crêpe makers at work. Not sure if the French sailor shirt is a uniform there or not but adds to the authenticity of the place, at least from a wardrobe standpoint. <br />
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No fat free margarine substitutes are used here. This is the real deal right here and they don't skimp on it either. <br />
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Tight seating is the norm in Paris. During lunch, we saw many business people ordering their savory crêpes and sweet ones for dessert.<br />
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<i>Crêpes</i> are made with <i>blé noir</i>, buckwheat flour, although buckwheat <i>crêpes</i> are generally called <i>galettes</i> rather than <i>crêpes</i>. We decided to order the galettes for a lunchtime snack. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="pp-headline-item pp-headline-address" dir="ltr">Check out the nice little pad of melted butter that is added. </span><br />
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Peeling back the layers of the gallete revealed slices of tomatoes and <i>jambon</i> with goat cheese<i>. </i>I am no galette or crêpe expert but these were nicely crisped throughout, especially on the sides.<br />
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The second galette that we ordered was the either a merguez or a chorizo filled galette with cheese. I preferred this more savory and amped up flavor galette to the fresher and slightly healthier previous one. <br />
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<span class="pp-headline-item pp-headline-address" dir="ltr">If you are in the Montparnasse and craving a crêpe, Rue Montparnasse is definitely the place to be. Now to decided which one you are going to eat at is up to you. <i>Bon Apetit</i>!<br />
</span></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-68652469618186666322011-03-28T13:48:00.000-07:002011-03-28T13:48:00.250-07:00Maison Kayser - Paris, France<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">8 Rue Monge<br />
75005 Paris, France<br />
01 44 07 01 42<br />
www.maison-kayser.com<br />
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After riding the Parisian streets on the Velib bikes, we stopped by Eric Kayser's<i></i> boulangerie to pick up some pastries. It is quite different from the small mom-and-pop boulangeries with its polished counters and modern decor. But nevertheless, they had a wonderful display of fresh baguettes and pastries, and their notoriety for great pastries and breads drew us in. <br />
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We ordered the pain au chocolat, multigrain bread and broiche au sucre. The multigrain bread may sound too healthy but it was actually very good. Had the right crisp and enough savory flavor to it.<br />
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We asked what was their most popular item, and the girl said these mini financiers, which consisted of pistachio, chocolate and vanilla. They were definitely very good, not too sweet, but buttery and light. Had a nutty taste, a slight crisp on the bottoms, but very moist overall. Plus, they were so easy to pop in my mouth that I lost track of how many I ate. <br />
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I wish I were living and working in Paris so that I could just come here in the mornings or during my lunch break. I want to try everything, but don't think I have room in my stomach for them during my one visit. Maybe next time!</div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-5291356968312606892011-03-23T11:17:00.000-07:002011-03-23T11:17:00.186-07:00La Régalade - Paris, France<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">123 rue Saint-Honoré, 75001<br />
Tel: 01 42 21 92 40<br />
Open Lunch and Dinner, Monday-Friday<br />
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<i>Bi-stron-o-my</i> (noun)<br />
1. the trend of combining basic bistro decor with quality cuisine.<br />
2. a combination of the terms "bistro", which means casual, inexpensive dining, and "gastronomy" which means the art or science of good eating.<br />
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Bistronomy has been taking over the dining since the 90s in Europe and the US. Young chefs cook in modest bistros but incorporate their talents in haute cuisine. So we were pretty excited to try La Régalade in Paris, the Saint-Honore location, which is right smack in the middle of Paris. Founded by Yves Camdeborde in 1992 with the original location in the 14th Arrondissement, it was passed on to Bruno Doucet.<br />
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At <i>La Régalade</i>, we ordered from the 33€ entree-plat-dessert menu.<br />
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We received our complimentary and generous slab of terrine maison / pate (which is about the size of a whole loaf of bread) served with a large jar of cornichons and fresh bread. You can eat all you want, but then they took it away before our entrees came, which I admit, I was disappointed, but I'm glad because I would have been too full to enjoy the rest of my meal. <br />
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<b>saumon marine par nos soins, salade de concombre et gingembre confit aux oignons nouveaux</b><br />
This was a great light dish. I wanted to savor every bite. This dish was perfect in every way. The buttery flavor of the salmon went well with the crunchiness of the cucumbers. All the different textures and flavors went well together.<br />
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<b>foie gras de canard roti mais servi froid, vinaigrette d'un jus de viande et salade d'herbes melangees </b><br />
Whenever I see foie gras on the menu, I can't help but order it. Texturally, the foie gras was smooth but it lacked that livery foie gras flavor that I was looking for. Not a bad dish, but just didn't taste how I wanted or expected it to taste.<br />
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<b>filet de dorade grise de Bretagne roti a la plancha, persille de calamars, jus de volaille aux olives noires et fenouil confit</b><br />
I wasn't too crazy about this dish as I was with the first course of salmon. The fish was mild in flavor and the sauce was nice.<br />
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<b>risotto du moment au parmesan, supreme de volaille jaune des Landes roti sur la peau tout doucement</b><br />
When I ordered this dish, I thought it was going to be risotto with chicken. When the dish arrived I was pleasantly surprised to see that nestled in between the piece of chicken was foie gras. The risotto was cooked perfectly and tasted wonderful. The chicken with the foie gras complemented this dish very nicely. Unlike the foie gras appetizer, the foie in this dish tasted much more foie gras like. I really enjoyed every aspect of this dish. <br />
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<b>Fraicheur de rhubarbe et crémeux masarpone aux fraises, émietté de sable breton</b><br />
(rhubarb compote, creamy mascarpone, gariguette strawberries, crumbled Breton shortbread)<br />
This dessert was pretty incredible. Creamy, not too sweet, smooth and light. Tart in all the right places. The strawberry and rhubarb really complemented each other and the mascarpone really went nicely with the tartness of the strawberry and rhubarb. <br />
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<b>petits pots de creme a la vanille, framboises, rafraichies au coulis</b><br />
This was a pot of vanilla cream with strawberry and raspberry coulis. Another simple yet delicious dessert. The tartness of the berries really paired well with the vanilla cream. The addition of what Americans call Pocky and what French call Mikado weren't necessary but enjoyable. <br />
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<b>riz cuit au lait et a la vanille comme le falsait ma grand-mere, caramel laitier</b><br />
Vanilla rice pudding with caramel sauce. I looked up the rough translation of this via Google Translate and I guess the rice pudding is in the style of his grandmother. This dessert came out in a large container that could have fed at least 3 to 4 people. I'm assuming his grandmother liked to feed a lot of people. The rice pudding itself had real vanilla bean flecks. The texture was just right with the rice being not overly mushy but just right. Drizzle on a bit of the caramel sauce and you have a comforting dessert. Not a particularly exciting dessert with intriguing flavor combinations or textures but a very hearty dessert.<br />
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<b>Complimentary Madeleines </b><br />
At the end of the 3 course meal, we were given complimentary madeleines. As if the three courses for 33€ wasn't enough food. The madeleines were buttery and moist. I wished I would have taken these home for later. <br />
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At 33€ this in my opinion was the best meal that we had while in Paris. Complimentary almost all you can eat terrine at the beginning of the meal and the madeleines at the end of the meal in addition to the fantastic ingredients and well prepared appetizer, main courses, and desserts made this a wonderful meal. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to any other visitors. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-60270742039508578382011-03-19T13:04:00.000-07:002011-03-19T13:04:00.093-07:00Pierre Hermé (Paris, France)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">133 avenue des Champs-Elysées<br />
75008 Paris<br />
(Inside the Drugstore Publicis) <br />
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Ahhh.. back in the City of Love! Once we checked into our hotel and dropped off our luggage, first thing to check on our list was to visit <i>Pierre Hermé</i> on rue Bonaparte in the St. Germain des Prés area since it was close to our hotel. I've been waiting for years to try it and I was filled with gleeful anticipation. But, sadly, this is what we arrived to.<br />
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</div>Closed for renovations. Several other people stopped by too and had the same disappointment. We conferred with one another as to where the most convenient <i>Pierre Hermé</i> would be. As for ourselves, we decided to trek to the "public drugstore" on the Champs-Elysées that sells <i>Pierre Hermé</i> macarons. I guess it would be nice to see the Arc de Triomphe as well. <br />
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<i>Pierre Hermé</i> had very interesting flavors compared with the traditional flavors at Ladurée. At <i>Pierre Hermé</i>, I had the Chocolat, Caramel au Beurre Sale, Huile d'Olive and Vanille, Citron, Fraise and Wasabi. <br />
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Although the macarons at <i>Pierre Hermé</i> hit the mark for the right amount of sweetness and texture and its innovation, my heart still beats for the traditional flavors of macarons at Ladurée. Sometimes, you can't mess with the simple things. </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-53766884508672928732011-03-10T08:52:00.000-08:002011-03-10T08:52:00.357-08:00Café Arabe (Marrakech, Morocco)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">184 Rue Mouassine<br />
Marrakech, Morocco<br />
Tel. 024 42 97 28<br />
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Looking for a bit of serenity from the hustle and bustle of the medina? Located within the medina is<i> Cafe Arabe </i>- a mix of both Italian and Moroccan cuisine. We didn't get a chance to eat any of the food at <i>Cafe Arabe</i> because we enjoyed the food at the Djemma el Fna so much, but we enjoyed the ambiance at the restaurant.<br />
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Walk through the main doors of the restaurant and you are greeted by a hostess, who will then walk you through the 3 levels of this restaurant. <br />
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Complimentary olives are given to all who want to sit and relax at this laid back oasis in the middle of the medina.<br />
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After having dinner at the Djemma el Fna, we had planned to lounge and relax at <i>Cafe Arabe</i>. After taking a look at the menu we decided to have some Moroccan whiskey (mint tea) and a honeydew smoothie.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here is the view from the top floor of the <i>Cafe Arabe</i>. The restaurant designer did a fantastic job with the decor and layout of the restaurant. The top floor is a great place to lounge and relax while enjoying a few drinks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G5uesf6DxY7VYWrNmHunm7iYl6JGTu-Agnz-2E6VzlZJnFlpEW1mJizF1hAsHLc2-Mc-ALw_DAAGm9aterPSRd-S8F5P9GY2hFUYFQPI7Ku-oj9VHcZajM8pvBzDEUqAht0-nYdRHu0/s1600/DSC_0345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G5uesf6DxY7VYWrNmHunm7iYl6JGTu-Agnz-2E6VzlZJnFlpEW1mJizF1hAsHLc2-Mc-ALw_DAAGm9aterPSRd-S8F5P9GY2hFUYFQPI7Ku-oj9VHcZajM8pvBzDEUqAht0-nYdRHu0/s400/DSC_0345.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One of the rooms on the second floor of the restaurant. Again, beautifully designed. Can't you just imagine belly dancers roaming the room?<br />
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<i>Cafe Arabe </i>is what you imagine much of Morocco to look like. What's ironic is that most of Morocco doesn't look like this but I like to hold onto these lasting impressions. Arriving in Marrakech a few days prior, we were unsure of how the next few days would be. Reflecting back on our trip with the scams and scares that we experienced, it was all worth it in the end. </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-75122373092571069812011-03-03T12:19:00.000-08:002011-03-03T23:01:57.299-08:00Food Stalls at the Djemma el Fna (Marrakech)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Location: Djemma el Fna - Center of all the action.<br />
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At the Djemma el Fna, you'll get to witness the snake charmers, fortune-tellers, dancing monkeys, women wooing other women into getting henna tattoos, medicine men, games, and even a tooth doctor selling teeth (?) or providing consultation. Besides all the crazy action, eating at the food stalls in the Djemma el Fna is a must to experience fully the Moroccan culture and taste.<br />
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But be prepared for those hardsellers who try to compete with one another to get you to eat at their stall: "Finger-licking good!!!" they shout. Like Medusa, these food hawkers will try to lure you in with their eye contact, but the intoxicating aroma of grilled meats and deliciousness is what eventually draws us in. Walk around to all the stalls and figure out what you like. It may be overwhelming at first, but eat where the locals eat and follow their lead.<br />
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Glasses of mint leaves and huge sugar cubes waiting for the hot water for tea.<br />
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Snails anyone??? We couldn't muster up the courage to try these just yet.<br />
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Upon the recommendation of our Riad manager and the apparent long lines at Stall #14, we decided this was the our spot. We all sat very, very close to one another since they try to seat as many people as they can. Eating in the Djemma el Fna food stalls is not a place where the claustrophobic would feel comfortable. We enjoyed #14 so much that we ended up eating here two nights in a row.<br />
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Everything is made right before your eyes. They first flour the fish and calamari and then place them in the oil until they come out crispy, deep golden pieces of deliciousness.<br />
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Fried whole fish, chunks of fish flesh, calamari rings, and fresh fried french fries are the specialty of Food Stall #14.<br />
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<b>Khobz (1DH) and Salsa (4DH</b>)<br />
As with all Moroccan restaurants, the traditional<i> khobz</i> is served with pretty much all meals. #14 also gave us a plate of crushed tomatoes and spices. Very similar to salsa, that is to be eaten with the fish and calamari.<br />
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<b>French Fries (4DH)</b><br />
The french fries or should I say Moroccan fries were delicious. The fries were made with 100% all natural potatoes that were cut, deep fried, and then salted.<br />
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<b>Fried Fish (14DH)</b><br />
At #14, you have the choice of either small whole fried fish or chunks of pure fish. Not wanting to deal with bones and digging through the fish, we went with the fried fish chunks. With a squeeze of lemon and a bit of salsa, these fried pieces of fish were absolutely delicious!! Perfectly cooked to a golden brown, the fish was still moist and not dried out.<br />
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<b>Fried Calamari (25DH)</b><br />
The calamari were equally as delicious as the fish. Like the fish, the calamari was perfectly cooked and texturally, was spot on. None of this rubber band, super chewy calamari at this stand.<br />
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Following the tried and true technique of eat where the locals eat,we ended up choosing #31 as our next culinary destination. #31 had smoke and flames that both visually and aromatically lured us in.<br />
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Stall #31 specializes in grilled meats. We saw that most people at this food stall were ordering these little merguez style sausages on the link. Guess what we did??<br />
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Each order of sausages comes with <i>khobz</i> and the salsa like sauce. The sausages had a nice smokey smell and flavor from the grill and were very well seasoned. Not sure what kind of meat these sausages were, could have been lamb. These little sausages had a nice snap to them because of the natural casings.<br />
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Here is a closeup shot of the sausages in all their glory. As you can see from the picture these were definitely not lean or fat free sausages. The locals would use their hands (the right hand, not the left) to use the <i>khobz</i> to sop up the fat and juices from the sausages. Do as the locals do.<br />
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#5 known for its Harira soup which is the traditional soup of Morocco. The soup is typically eaten year around but is especially eaten during dinner in the holy Muslim month of Ramadan and also served after special occasions. (Thanks Wikipedia).<br />
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<b>Harira (3.5DH)</b><br />
<i>Harira</i> is typically made with tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and an assortment of herbs and spices.<i> </i>The<i> Harira</i> is slightly thickened with some type of flour. The soup is slightly hearty due to the beans and the thickness of the soup. The tomatoes and other spices give the soup a nice depth to it. My only complaint was that the soup was slightly underseasoned. Luckily, the soup comes with a little bowl of salt.<br />
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One of our favorite experiences and treats was the extremely inexpensive and satisfying orange juice carts. There were tons of carts serving refreshing, freshly squeezed OJ. Drinking the sweet juice was one of the most satisfying experiences because it was so hot in Marrakech. And for only 30 cents, who could beat that. And I must add that the guy serving us was overqualified (looks-wise). Anyway, after you're done drinking the great OJ, you set the glass back and can't help but breathe out a sigh of satisfaction and smile. [Note: Not sure how thoroughly they clean the glasses, but it was worth it].<br />
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Eating at the food stalls was one of our favorite experiences on the trip. During the day, the Djemma el Fna is a wide open space, but at night this wide open space becomes the culinary and social epicenter of Marrakech. This is one experience that is not to be missed! <br />
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</div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-45791891767427976762011-02-26T10:50:00.000-08:002011-03-02T18:36:55.308-08:00Le Gran Balcon Café Glaciers (Marrakech, Morocco)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">On our last night in the magical Marrakech, we went up to <i>Le Gran Balcon Café Glaciers</i> for a drink and to soak in the views of the bustling medina. This is one of the larger and popular terrace cafes, overlooking all the action in the Djemaa el Fna. It's a great vantage point to view all the snake charmers, watermen, chefs, henna tattoo artists, etc. The large roof terrace is the place to have some drinks, hear the prayer calls, and take amazing photographs.<br />
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The drinks are more pricey than the other Marrakech spots, but you're paying for the view and the experience. I recommend coming right before sunset, so you'll see that beautiful orange glow from the sun, and also feel the active heartbeat of the Djemaa el Fna coming to life as the night moves in.<br />
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Djemma el Fna beginning to come to life.<br />
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In order to enjoy the rooftop terrace and enjoy the beautiful panoramic view, you are required to, at minimum, purchase a drink. I decided to try out this apple soda which was actually quite good, though a bit on the sweet side.<br />
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View of the Djemma el Fna with all the food stalls and the heartbeat of the square at rapid thump.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If you are looking for a restaurant or cafe with a great view of the main square, <i>Le Gran Balcon Café Glaciers</i> is the place you are looking for. Go to the cafe to lounge and soak in the atmosphere. As stated, prices are higher than the other cafes and restaurants. But the view is worth the price. </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-45565938458112230402011-02-22T08:31:00.000-08:002011-02-22T08:31:00.880-08:00Chez Chegrouni (Marrakech, Morocco)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Location: Northeast corner of the Djemma el Fna.<br />
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With our assortment of guidebooks in hand, we flipped through the books to see what wise nuggets of restaurant wisdom these guidebooks would suggest. <i>Chez Chegrouni</i> is often mentioned due to its excellent location. After making our way through the somewhat maze-like <i>souks</i> (shops that line the streets), we worked up our appetites.<br />
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Here is the view from the restaurant looking out into just one part of the Djemma el Fna.<br />
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Since we were in Morocco, we must do as Moroccans do and drink the Moroccan Whiskey. The tea is made with green tea leaves and mint leaves and stems and A LOT of SUGAR. Moroccans pour the tea by raising the teapot as high as possible, (like a few feet from the cup high) and pouring the tea into the little cups. This technique aerates the tea and in my opinion, looks pretty cool too.<br />
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<b>Vegetable Couscous </b><br />
Hmmmm...what to order??? Dilemmas, dilemmas???? Sarcasm if you didn't catch that. It isn't a tough decision when most restaurants only serve either couscous or tagine. The vegetables where cooked until super soft and the couscous was still fairly fluffy. <br />
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<b>Chicken Tagine</b><br />
Since we ordered the couscous, the only other option was tagine. The chicken tagine was served with onions, lemon, olives, and chicken. Everything in a tagine gets heavily cooked until completely braised. The lemon added a nice bit of flavor to this tagine.<br />
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With our bellies full and our bodies rested, we were ready to battle the blazing sun and do some more exploring.<br />
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As stated before, we are not that familiar with Moroccan cuisine and I am definitely no authority on it. Overall, we thought the food wasn't bad nor was it delicious. The prices at <i>Chez Chegrouni</i> are very reasonable as are the majority of restaurants in Marrakech. The location and the reasonable prices make this restaurant a popular one.</div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-80116726102336915802011-02-17T08:43:00.000-08:002011-02-17T08:43:00.584-08:00Restaurant Tiznit (Marrakech, Morocco)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">P<span class="street-address">lace Jemaa El Fna</span><br />
<span class="street-address"> Kassabine No28</span><span class="locality"> </span><br />
<span class="locality">Marrakech</span>, <span class="country-name">Morocco</span><br />
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Arriving into the bustling city of Marrakech and checking into our Riad, we decided to explore the Medina (inside the walls of Marrakech). We had done our homework prior to arriving into Marrakech and read about the various scams to be aware of. I won't bore you with the details but, we only got scammed TWICE during our first hour or two in the city..... We somehow managed to find our way to back to our Riad without getting scammed again and debated locking ourselves in our tiny Riad for the next three days.<br />
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TNT Adventures...TNT Adventures...we said to ourselves. This isn't TNT UNadventures... Somehow we managed to build up the courage to leave our Riad. I think it was after we realized that we would have to eat eventually and our stomachs were growwwwwwlinggggggg.<br />
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After chatting with one of the 30 or so orange juice stands in the Jemma El Fna, we asked him for a restaurant recommendation within the square. He pointed us to <i>Restaurant Tiznit. Tiznit</i> is actually a city in Morocco that is known for its silver, daggers, and sabres (Thanks Wikipedia). <br />
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Walking up the stairs to Restaurant Tiznit, we noticed that this restaurant was Tiziny, as in tiny. With about 5 to 6 tables. <br />
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Every meal we had in Marrakech started or incorporated a piece of bread or known as<i> khobz</i>. Moroccans will use the bread to scoop the sauces and meats. Typically the bread does not come out warm. <br />
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Complimentary bowl of lentils. Another staple of Morrocan cuisine is the lentils. <br />
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<b>Tagine de Beouf (60 DH)</b> <br />
When you think Moroccan food, most people think of tagine and couscous. The beef tagine was made with beef, potatoes, and olives. I am definitely no Moroccan food expert, but I thought the tagine was good. Nothing all that exciting but good. <br />
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<b>Couscous Morocain (50 DH) </b><br />
Craving some vegetables, we decided to order a vegetable couscous. The particular version had chickpeas, carrots, some zucchini type veggie, stewed raisins and onions. The couscous itself was light and fluffy, and the sweetened onions and raisins added a nice sweetness to the dish.<br />
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Overall, our first official Moroccan meal at <i>Restaurant Tiznit </i>was a fairly positive one. Nothing was extraordinarily delicious, but everything we ate was pretty good. Once again, I am definitely no Moroccan food connoisseur. </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-12770687659180922942011-02-11T09:35:00.000-08:002011-02-11T09:35:01.095-08:00San Gines Chocolateria - Madrid, Spain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Pasadizo de San Ginés, 5<br />
28013 Madrid, Spain<br />
913 656 546<br />
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When I was in high school, I remember one of my Spanish textbooks was titled <u>Churros y Chocolate</u>. I always wanted to try real churros and not the Costco or Disneyland variety. Nothing against Costco and Disneyland, but I wanted the real thing. <br />
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This chocolateria is located on Pasadizo de San Gines, in the corner of two alleyways meeting together. Knowing the place is an attraction for tourists, we were glad to see the local <b style="font-weight: normal;">Madrileños</b> enjoying a cup of hot chocolate in the evening.<br />
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Stepping inside, I felt like I was in a fancy schmancy bar. Everything was so bright and shiny, and the waiters were wearing crisp linen shirts and greeted us with a friendly "hola." We could have enjoyed our hot chocolate with churros at the counter for a discount, but decided to pay a bit extra and sat at the tables.<br />
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The chocolate was thick, rich, and wasn't overly sweet...almost a bittersweet taste. This was the real deal right here. <br />
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The churros came out in thin long strips and were hot and crispy. No soggy churros here. The churro itself was barely if not at all sweetened. The sweet component solely belonged to the pool of chocolate we would soon be bathing the churros in.<br />
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The moment I had been waiting for since high school had finally arrived. My heart beat with anticipation. What would it taste like? Would it live up to my lofty expectations???? I am making this a lot more dramatic, but isn't it more interesting this way??<br />
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The chocolate and the churro were a perfect marriage made in heaven. Who doesn't like deep fried dough? I sure don't. Who doesn't like chocolate? I sure don't. Here is a close up shot. <br />
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My dreams of trying real and authentic <i>churros y chocolate</i> have come to fruition. <i>Yo pienso que churros y chocolate son muy delicioso. M<span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i>ás</i></span> por favor</i>!! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-61436473600129870472011-02-07T09:04:00.000-08:002011-02-07T09:04:00.488-08:00Giangrossi Helado Artesanal - Madrid, Spain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Calle Cava Baja, 40<br />
www.giangrossi.es<br />
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After a nice dinner and walk down Calle Cava Baja, we strolled on into <i>Giangrossi</i> for dessert. Considered as one of Madrid's best ice cream, this place serves Argentinean-style ice cream as well as other food items and interesting cocktails. With its plush white seating and clean decor, this is the more hipper ice cream places that we have been to. <br />
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There were so many interesting flavors to pick from so we ordered the Degustacion — a tasting of 5 flavors of your choice (6.5E). We didn't want the 5 flavors all at once so we asked to get them one by one so that the ice cream wouldn't melt. The mini scoops on the mini cones were placed on a line of melted chocolate and powdered cocoa.<br />
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<b>Mascarpone with Mixed Berries</b><br />
The ice cream had the flavor of mascarpone and mixed berries but also had this strange almost slightly gritty texture to it. The gritty texture of the ice cream was not a good thing.<br />
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Don't recall what flavor this one was. I know... bad blogger.<br />
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Our final three flavors were strawberry, lemon, and ??? The strawberry and lemon were both good and neither had the gritty texture that the mascarpone had. <br />
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Just because we didn't think the ice cream was all that fantastic doesn't mean we couldn't finish it.<br />
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Flipping through a couple of magazines in our hotel room, I saw that <i>Giangrossi</i> was mentioned as one of the better ice cream places in Madrid. I liked the space and decor of <i>Giangrossi</i> but thought the ice cream was not up to par with the image. If you are looking for a cool place to have a drink, food, and ice cream, <i>Giangrossi </i>might be worth a stop. Just don't expect to be wowed by the ice cream. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-19420032094532939352011-01-31T22:43:00.000-08:002011-01-31T22:43:25.558-08:00Museo del Jamón - Madrid, Spain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Even if you don't speak Spanish, I am sure one could probably figure out what <i>Museo Del Jamón</i> means. With various locations throughout Madrid, this was one of the places that we visited multiple times during the few days we were in Madrid. Not sure what the Madrileños think of <i>Museo Del Jam</i><i>ón</i> but we really liked it. If you are looking for a place that is quick, cheap, and tasty, you've come to the right place. <br />
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As you can see from the pictures,<i> Museo Del Jam</i><i>ón</i> is pretty much a<i> museum of hams. </i>Check out the myriad of hams hanging and the plethora of meats in the deli case.<br />
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So here is how it's done. Act like you've done this before, even if you haven't. Walk into the store and go straight to the counter/bar area for drinks and food. Otherwise, go to the deli side and get your various slices of jamón and other deli goods to<i> take away</i> as the Europeans say. <br />
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When I say that <i>Museo Del Jam</i><i>ón</i> is cheap, I mean cheap. You can get a bocadillo (bread served with some type of ham) and a beer for about 2E.<br />
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<b>Complimentary olives</b> <br />
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On a separate visit, we got complimentary tomatoes and bell peppers with small chunks of ham. <br />
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<b>Croissant stuffed tomato and jamón</b>.<br />
The croissant bread was actually crunchy and the addition of the tomatoes and jamón went perfectly together for that salty and slightly sweet and acidic combination. <br />
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<b>Bocadillo with jamón</b><b> and tomato</b><br />
For the price of this 1,50E bocadillo, I have no complaints whatsoever. Same combination of tomatoes and jamon and bread. <br />
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Guess what you wash these sandwiches down with? Cerveza!!! Even the beers at<i><b> </b>Museo Del Jam</i><i>ón</i> are cheap. Straight from the draft and refreshingly cold. Perfect during those hot days in Madrid. <br />
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Turns out for breakfast, you can get a breakfast special: Pan Tumaca with your choice of coffee <i><b>or beer</b></i> for only 2 euros~! This deal cannot be beat. It was pretty funny that a lady sitting next to me was enjoying a cerveza at 9AM in the morning. When in Madrid, do as the Madrileños do.<br />
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<b>Pan Tumaca</b> is essentially a slice of toasted bread rubbed or in this case smothered with a tomato paste-like spread, topped with what else, but jamón and a drizzle of olive oil.<br />
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Can't have breakfast without eggs right? This was an order of scrambled eggs on top of bread and also included in this breakfast combo was a slice of bread rubbed with tomato and topped with jamón. <br />
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<i>Museo Del Jam</i><i>ón</i><i> </i>is not a fancy pants type of establishment. Food and drinks here are meant to be quick and cheap. If you are looking for a snack in between meals or just don't feel like spending a whole lot of money, this is the place. The Louvre and Prado have nothing on this museum.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350947515495407653.post-43635058777862015172011-01-25T08:23:00.000-08:002011-01-25T08:23:00.740-08:00Cerveceria Cervantes - Madrid, Spain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Plaza Jesus, 7 <br />
28014 Madrid, Spain<br />
914.296.093<br />
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<div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. </span></i></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Wouldn't you like to get away? </span></i></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes you want to go </span></i></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Where everybody knows your name</span> </i></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>and they're always glad you came!!</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">In case you haven't realized it yet, that was the theme song to<b><i> Cheers</i></b>. Nobody knew our names at <i>Cerveceria Cervantes</i>, not really sure they were glad we came either. But if I were a local, the <b><i>Cheers</i></b> theme song is probably how I would feel at the locals only spot. If you're looking to get a feel for where the locals go and hang, this is the place. Minus us that night of course....</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTtXyBlfy9jv3mCJt9D_Xw5hiywIIpgU0LkD1TcWdzP8W8SbPnBU6zIHBLkNeT0zL7bJHyLl8RAcSMrdDSqxcKs6391T9xrD5F7eIz-s1Ki6P4gc_-s7mFG64N-wuIQG7_qPn2m4agvI/s1600/DSC_0915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTtXyBlfy9jv3mCJt9D_Xw5hiywIIpgU0LkD1TcWdzP8W8SbPnBU6zIHBLkNeT0zL7bJHyLl8RAcSMrdDSqxcKs6391T9xrD5F7eIz-s1Ki6P4gc_-s7mFG64N-wuIQG7_qPn2m4agvI/s400/DSC_0915.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;">With Spanish being spoken, smoke lingering in the air, and beers flowing from the tap, this is the place that Madrilenos go to linger after work and hang out on the weekends. <br />
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Since we weren't sure of what to order because we didn't really do to much of our usual food research for <i>Cerveceria Cervantes</i>, we had to go with the tried and true<b> "Look at other people tables method</b>." Don't act like you've never done this either....<br />
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The table before us was snacking on an order of various types of terrines. Being a lover of pates, terrines, and foie, I had to get an order of this. The plate came out and it was a very large portion for a very reasonable price. Don't remember the exact assortment of the 4 different types but all were tasty. This could have easily been shared by 3 or 4 people. <br />
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</div>Meat and bread. Can't go too wrong with that combo and my order was no exception to the rule. Simple and satisfying. <br />
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Also got an order of shrimps on a piece of sliced bread lathered with aioli. Loaded with a generous amount of these little shrimps, this dish was tad too salty.<br />
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<i>Cerveceria Cervantes</i> didn't have the best food on our trip but this place probably had one of the most authentic Madrileno dining/bar experience we had. Noisy restaurant, crowded seating, smoke everywhere, and limited English usually would be a recipe for a bad restaurant, but these just a few reason why this restaurant was enjoyable. Cheers to you <i>Cerveceria Cervantes</i>! </div><img height="63" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OnA58YyUbv_RDDwFAqTyW6T50IzAlv4zmJdrTx6z_cR_INRFHN2iRbRRk2dMTkJAVrENgexVHNFD6qnTsYUxFCBbHVEY3zWmhOKTb0qOtuhvjKvDoK8MRRm_SUxmUpXXPH6QnFbEzPA/s400/DSC_0925x.jpg" style="left: 428px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 1363px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" /> </div>TNT Adventureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579546601594790245noreply@blogger.com4