Gourmand - The Hungry Nomad

Gourmand, Japanese, Organic, Vegan, Vegetarian

Sushi-heaven at Shizen Ya (Vancouver, Canada)

April 15, 2014 1 Comment

Shizen Ya is one of the best sushi spots in Vancouver with two convenient locations. One on Hornby street directly across from the courthouse making it a great lunch destination. If you are a health-conscious eater searching for vegetarian, organic and vegan eateries then you will absolutely fall head over heels for Shizen Ya. The quality of the food is quite possibly one of the highest I have tasted and is definitely above many other downtown sushi locations. There is no doubt that all ingredients down to the brown rice and wasabi are organic. Given that it is all organic it tends to be a little pricier than other sushi spots but then again you are paying a bit extra for the quality. Each plate of food that was brought to our table reinforced the passion and dedication that goes into their ingredients and preparation making Shizen Ya one of my favorite sushi spots in town. Definitely a tiny gem downtown that should be visited by all (if you can find room in the tiny eater).

We started off with the organic wild rice and tofu salad with quinoa. I have never tasting anything so fresh and flavorful as this salad.

An order of salmon sashimi.

and brown rice shrimp tempura and avocado roll.

Gourmand, New Orleans, Romantic, Valentine's Day

Romantic Restaurants in New Orleans

February 13, 2014 1 Comment

Valentine’s Day is here and if you have procrastinated on planning a special night with your loved one then here are some tips on what restaurants offer the most romance. Here are my personal favourites for a romantic date night this Valentine’s Day.

1. Lola’s- Authentic Spanish food in a small and cosy restaurant located in Bayou St. John

See Menu

3312 Esplanade Avenue

New Orleans, LA

504.488.6946

2. Cafe Degas– Romantic French Bistro in Bayou St. John

See Menu

3127 Esplanade Avenue

New Orleans, LA, 70119

504.945.5635

3. La Boca– A small, intimate, and romantic Argentinian Steakhouse tucked away in the Warehouse District.

See Menu

Address: 857 Fulton St

New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 525-8205

4. Commander’s Palace- Haute Creole cooking served in a Victorian House in the Garden District

See Menu

1403 Washington Avenue

New Orleans, LA

504. 899.8221

5. Lilettes– French and Italian Inspired cuisine in a romantic setting.

See Menu

3637 Magazine Street

504.895.1636

6. Restaurant August– Contemporary French cuisine in a romantic and up-scale setting

See Menu

301 Tchoupitoulas

New Orleans, LA

70130

7. Cafe Amelie-Nestled in the historic 150 year old Princess of Monaco Courtyard and Carriage House on Royal Street in the French Quarter, Cafe Amelie serves a combination of Louisiana fare in a lush enchanting New Orleans courtyard setting.

912 Royal Street

New Orleans, LA

504.412.8965

8. Stella– is an intimate restaurant located in the French Quarter serving global modern cuisine influenced by Louisiana flavors.

See Menu

1032 Chartres Street

New Orleans, LA

504.587.0091

9. Coquette– With dining rooms on two floors and a 14 seat bar Coquette serves American food with an ever evolving menu that focuses on local and seasonal products.

See Menu

2800 Magazine Street

New Orleans, LA 70115

504.265.0421

10. La Crepe Nanou– A romantic French Bistro located uptown on Prytania Street

See Menu

1410 Robert St
New Orleans, LA 70115

504.899.2670

11. Gautreau’s Restaurant- Nestled in a lush garden spot in Uptown New Orleans, Gautreau’s serves elegant and inventive menu.

See Menu

1728 Soniat Street

New Orleans, LA 70115

504.899.7397

12. Baru Bistro and Tapas– located on Magazine street in the Garden District serving a melange of fresh and tasty Caribbean food.

See Menu

3700 Magazine Street

New Orleans, LA 70115

504.895.2225

13. Galatoires- up-scale and chic historical restaurant located in the French Quarter serving up authentic French Creole cuisine

See Menu

209 Bourbon Street

New Orleans, LA 70130

504.525.2021

14. Muriels- Located on the corner of Jackson Square, this restaurant serves creole cuisine in a very romantic setting.

See Menu

801 Chartres Street

New Orlans, LA, 70116

504.568.1885

Food, Gourmand, New Orleans, Vietnamese

Will cross over the bridge for a good Pho (New Orleans)

October 23, 2013 No Comments

It is no secret that New Orleans is a foodie haven. With all that gumbo, jambalaya and po boys there is hardly any room left for other types of cuisines. But after having tasted all that Cajun and creole food, you, like me might miss the variety. Luckily, there is another secret for us foodies: Vietnamese Food. If you are hungry for some pho, spring rolls or rice vermicelli then all you need to do is cross the bridge over to Gretna in the West Bank. Known for its large Vietnamese community and other immigrant communities there is some great food to be found on this side of the Mississippi. The Count took me here the first day I got into town due to his deep love for this place (rumor has it he held his birthday dinners here 3 years in a row). Perhaps not the most ‘New Orleans’ experience but for those of us craving a little something different, then this restaurant is a treat, not to mention delicious.

I can attest to the authenticity of their dishes given that I recently returned from a foodie-centric trip to Vietnam (see posts). I’d lie if I said that I have tried everything on the menu given the vast range of options, but one thing is for sure: the grilled quail with lemon dipping sauce is always on our order.

The bbq short ribs served with spicy kimchi and rice is a delight, as is the chicken pho ga served with a side dish of fresh herbs and the shrimp rice roll. You can polish off your meal with a nice refreshing bubble tea shake.

Tan Dinh is located at 1705 Lafayette St # A, Gretna, Louisiana
Telephone: (504) 361-8008

Gourmand, Miami, Travel

South Beach Food and Wine Festival- FEB 21-24 2013 (Miami, USA)

February 6, 2013 No Comments

This year I’ll be eating and drinking my way through South Beach Food and Wine Festival which runs from February 21 to 24 in Miami. I’m hoping to rub shoulders with some of my favorite celebrity chefs. The line up of events looks amazing including a film screening of Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Q&A with Anthony Bourdain, a Garden to Glass event hosted by Emeril Lagasse, Celebrity Chef Golf Tournament hosted by José Andrés at Turnberry Isle Miami and so much more. This year will mark the 12th anniversary of the festival which showcases the talents of some of the world’s most renowned chefs and culinary personalities.

See SOBEWFF2012-02-06-2013 SCHEDULE here!

BUY TICKETS HERE!

Gourmand, Philadelphia

Four Chefs Series (Round 2)- Rittenhouse Tavern (Philadelphia, USA)

February 5, 2013 No Comments

What do Rittenhouse Tavern, Will BYOB, Fond and Lacroix all have in common? Oh just something called ‘Four Chefs’- a collaboration dinner where Christopher Kearse, Nicholas Elmi, Lee Styer and Jon Cichon get together and each create two magical dishes at each other’s restaurants. The dinners consist of an 8 course tasting menu for $100 per guest. Pay $45 more for additional wine pairing with the meal.

Last night’s dinner was hosted at Nicholas Elmi’s home turf- Rittenhouse Tavern. The restaurant is located inside the art alliance building with a charming atmosphere and a cozy seating arrangement. There is also a beautiful bar area in the back for those looking for cocktails.

The 8 course menu was unique, innovative and delicious including ingredients such as cold pressed foie gras, goat milk, pomegranate, truffle and abalone. It definitely rocked my tastebuds.

First course (prepared by Jon Cichon) was a poached and sliced abalone served in a savory broth with fermented fennel, dill and prosciutto.

I’ve never been a fan of abalone (or any sort of snails in general) having only been exposed to it in traditional Chinese restaurants. However, last night I could not get enough. The abalone was sliced thin and was slightly chewy. Mixed with the broth, dried prosciutto, fresh dill and fennel – it was a deadly combination. The second course (prepared by Christopher Kearse) was a pumpernickel tortellini topped with trout roe and yeast crackers. Once served a cider broth was poured around the dish.

Everything about this dish was perfect and beautiful. The pumpernickel filled tortellini was flavored with rye whiskey. The cider added a slightly sweet flavor to the overall dish. The trout roe was a nice touch adding a bit of a crunchy texture to each bite. And the yeast cracker was such an interesting ingredient (first time I’ve had it). It melted in my mouth. The third course (prepared by Nicholas Elmi) was a colorful dish consisting of chilled foie gras, whipped goat milk, truffle, pomegranate and beets. I had never had chilled foie gras prepared in this fashion and had to try at least a bite in order to be able to really write about it.

The dish, although beautifully prepared, did not do it for me. The taste of the foie gras was drowned by the other flavors which in my opinion did not blend well and masked the taste of the foie gras. Next, came a serving of bread with butter and olive tapenade.

The fourth course (prepared by Lee Styer) was a roasted sea scallop served with sliced celery, root celery puree and golden raisins. I am a big fan of sea scallops and loved the preparation of this dish. The scallop was cooked to perfection. The sliced celery and celery puree complimented the scallop perfectly. The golden raisins added a bit of sweetness to the flavors. The fifth course (prepared by Jon Cichon) was a buttermilk poached sturgeon wrapped in savoy cabbage. It was served with truffle, sweetbread and a blood orange based sauce. The combination of flavors in this dish really worked well. The sturgeon is a meaty fish, firm in texture yet tender in taste. Since my only experience with sturgeon has been having it grilled on a barbecue I rather enjoyed this fancy preparation of the meat.
The sixth course (prepared by Christopher Kearse) was moulard duck ‘dans le foin’ or in the hay. It was served with a side of smoked hay to add to the sensory experience.
The duck meat in my mind was sensational (although some diners thought it was too chewy). I’ve never had duck so juicy and rich in flavor. It was served alongside a duck offal and winter radish in a mead based sauce. The seventh course (prepared by Nicholas Elmi) was the first of two desserts. A cup consisting of warm ricotta, rosemary, rosewater, beet roots, marshmallows and meringue. It was a colorful blast of flavors. A mix of sweet, sour and creamy. It was a perfectly executed dish leaving both of us wanting more. And the grand finale (prepared by Lee Styer’s talented wife) was a dark chocolate flour-less cake served with caramelized hazelnuts, hazelnut ice-cream and cherries in sherry. It was the perfect dish to end the evening. The mix of hazelnuts and dark chocolate is always a winner in my books and this dish really took the cake (literally).
Taste is a very personal thing and I’m sure every diner had a different take on their favorite course of the night. As for me, I loved every single course. However, the abalone, moulard duck, and warm ricotta left me dreaming for more.

The meal was a spectacular affair leaving me counting down the days until the next one. Want to experience Four Chefs? Then make a reservation for the next dinner taking place on March 10th at Fond BYOB.

Canada, Gourmand, Night Market, Vancouver

Richmond Summer Night Market (Vancouver, Canada)

August 20, 2012 No Comments

Anyone who has travelled East will appreciate a good summer night’s market. The Richmond Night Market (renamed as Summer Night Market) offers you just that. A large area filled with food stands and other goodies from Asia. It’s a great way to spend the evening feasting on cheap eats while buying ‘Made in China’ goods ranging from sunglasses, massage chairs, lingerie, electronics, stationary, hello kitty, etc. It reminds me of night markets of Bangkok where I also feasted on cheap Thai food and coconut juice and spent a lot of unnecessary money on unnecessary items (which I would do all over again in a heart beat). Unfortunately, as the name makes clear the night market is only on in the summer time so folks get there while you can or you will just have to wait until next year to get your hands on some hot dim-sum.

Richmond Summer Night Market- a summer must-do!

The night market has come a long way. I remember the early years back where it was located in a very small parking lot in downtown Richmond. I still made trips back then when it was little heard of amongst local Vancouverites. Thankfully back then I had a Richmond born and raised friend who knew the ins and outs of Richmond including the summer night market. Back then there were only a few food stands with cheaper prices.

Years later after returning from living in Europe I returned to the Night Market only to find that its location had been changed and the venue had expanded to cover a huge area with flocks of Vancouverites and tourists visiting each summer. The food stands are fantastic and if not for the products then definitely make a trip for the food. It’s well worth it. Here is a visual list of my favorite food stands.

Japanese Octopus balls

Fish waffles filled with nutella, peanut butter and cream

Heaven on a stick sprinkled with ketchup

Chinese Cotton Candy

Curry Fish Balls

Pork Dumplings

Korean Glass Noodles

Bacon wrapped sausage

This is how it looks as soon as the gates open…we were one of the first ones there.

And this is what it looked an hour later

Dim Sum- Yum!

Delicious waffles with a choice of nutella, peanut butter or red beans.

Corn with different flavors to sprinkle on top.

Richmond’s amazing night market tradition continues with the renamed Summer Night Market, with 300 vendors, tons of food, and thousands of visitors.

Cheesesteak, Gourmand, Philadelphia, USA

Pat’s King of Steaks- Italian Market (Philadelphia, USA)

July 18, 2012 1 Comment

Two days on the road and we finally arrived in Philadelphia in the late evening. Hungry with nowhere to go we made the pilgrimage to Pat’s King of Steaks. Rumor has it that Pat’s and Genos are the two best cheese steak spots in Philadelphia. Then there are others that argue that they are the two most popular but by far not the best in town. At this point, I don’t know the difference. We parked the car and were instantly drawn like flies to the bright neon lights of Genos. It was ‘bright’. Too bright for my eyes with a long line up. Pat’s was across the street and seemed a little less crazy. So we headed to Pat’s.

We lined up. Ordered our cheese steak at the counter and moved on. You have the option of three different cheeses: American, cheez whiz or provolone cheese. I’m pretty sure I ordered mine with the American cheese.

The counter is made of glass which allows you to see exactly what goes on in their kitchen. A whole lot of stir fried beef, veggies and globs and globs of orange liquid cheese.

The staff are very friendly. Once we told them we had made the pilgrimage all the way from New Orleans they became extra attentive and told us what to order and how. Its a high paced environment and the photos reveal just that.

Once you pick up your sandwich you can order a drink and fries in another counter. There is a topping station with mustard, ketchup and hot peppers to stack your sandwich with.

The cheese steak was perfect. I have only had one cheese steak in my life and that was in Vancouver at the American Cheesesteak Co. The sandwich was packed with meat and topped off with American cheese. Then I personally added mustard, ketchup and hot peppers, stuffed it with some fries and took a big bite. Mmm so mouthwatering good. It is not the healthiest dining experience I have had and surely it is only a treat to be had once in a while given that each sandwich is packed with calories. I washed it down with some liquid sugar and took another bite. Four bites in and I was full. The Count was full. Our friend was full. Maybe they can offer half portions to Canadians like me? There are people from all walks of life at Pats and in the surrounding area. As I ate, a homeless boy dug through the trash making each bite a bit painful accompanied with a surge of guilt. Then as I took a guilty bite a boy beside me belched so loudly I almost felt sick to my stomach. I guess that is the charm of the place? Welcome to Philadelphia.

I had the same sentiments for the cheese steak as I had for the po-boy in New Orleans. I’m not a big fan. Of course I can appreciate a good sandwich and did think the cheese steak lived up to it’s name; however, on a personal note I cannot say I was won over. However, fear not as I will continue my cheese steak review in the Philly region so I can personally decide which is the best. So far Pat’s did not let us down. Perhaps Geno’s is next?!

Gourmand, Ice Cream, New Orleans, Sno Cone, Sweets

SnoWizard SnoBall Shoppe-Uptown (New Orleans, USA)

July 12, 2012 No Comments

And the sno cone series continues. I tried Hansen’s and feel that I officially have a good basis for comparison. Next on the list was SnoWizard located on Magazine street. What I like about SnoWizard is that it has a parking area and out door seating. It is also very organized and clean! The inside of the sno making room is clean and everything seems to be as it should be. Two young girls were working the day I went. Both very nice and professional. One took orders, the other made the sno-cones.

The flavors and options were endless. The girl at the counter offered a tasting which I though was great. After tasting a few I settled on the Dreamsicle Cream stuffed with ice-cream and condensed cream. It is the only way to do it. However, I did not expect it to be so big!

The ice cream was served on top of the sno cone and I had to dig in deep to get to the frozen ice and syrup. Not a problem at all since the flavours all blended perfectly.

The sno was nice and smooth. Not the same as Hansen’s but in my mind just as good (especially since I only waited 5 minutes for this sweet treat). The syrup flavour was very nice and overall I really enjoyed it. I also liked the fact that there are seats for customers to sit down in- a great touch. When there are so many sno cone shops around town little details like that make all the difference in the world.

Gourmand, New Orleans, Thai

Basil Leaf- Carrollton (New Orleans, USA)

July 11, 2012 No Comments

Basil leaf is one of the only places in New Orleans where you can find Thai food…and also Japanese?

I tend to stay away from Asian restaurants that offer dishes from the entire region from Chinese to Thai to Korean and Japanese. It lacks authenticity. But when there aren’t enough Thai restaurants to choose from beggars can’t be choosers.On one of our last nights packing up, fridge empty along with stomachs, we started roaming the streets of New Orleans looking for a place to dine. The time: 9:30 pm on a weeknight. Fact: not too many restaurants are open past 9:00 pm in New Orleans on weeknights. We originally had our stomachs and hearts set on Panchita’s-the Mexican diner next to Basil Leaf but upon arrival found them closing up shop. Stomachs churning and McDonald’s becoming a likely dinner option we turned to Basil Leaf. I had always wanted to try it since its one of the only places on the small international culinary strip of Carrollton which I had not yet tried (Cafe Grenada being my favorite).

Even though we were the last ones in the restaurant we were greeted warmly and seated. There were so many choices on the menu from sushi to pad Thai. We ordered the special crab cakes and corn for an appetizer. I hadn’t set my expectations high. At that point, I just wanted to fill my belly with food. Good or bad- it did not make a difference. So I was pleasantly surprised when I took the first bite of the crab cake. It was the first time I had tried crab cake with such a range of flavours and combination. The corn added a sweet after taste to each bite.

For our entrees we ordered the shrimp and chicken pad Thai and red chicken curry. The pad Thai was very good and the serving was huge with a generous amount of chicken and shrimp. The noodles not too soft and the perfect amount of sauce in each bite.

The chicken curry was served with a scoop of white rice and contained broccoli and red peppers. It was also very tasty. I know what you are thinking. I was hungry so anything would have tasted good at that point. But after inhaling the crab cakes I think I could judge the tastiness level quite accurately. And both dishes were great. This review is based solely on the two dishes that we had. I cannot comment on their non-Thai dishes that they offer but I can say that their Thai food was what you would expect at any typical Thai restaurant.

We came in extremely hungry and tired and left with our bellies full and happy.

Gourmand, New Orleans, Sushi

Little Tokyo Small Plates and Noodle Bar- Carrollton (New Orleans, USA)

July 10, 2012 1 Comment

Little Tokyo Restaurant chain is one of the best sushi places in New Orleans. The restaurant has been around for 25 years after the Yusuke family moved to New Orleans from Japan. The North Carrollton and South Carrollton have Karaoke rooms while the North Carrollton offers a Hibachi room- a fun option if you are going in large groups. The South Carrolton location has a younger vibe and nightly live entertainment with some very talented local musicians.

The restaurant has fish shipped from Tsukiji market in Tokyo three times a week which leads to authentic dishes and the freshest ingredients. Many rolls are New Orleans inspired with funky names to go with the rolls. After repeated trips to Little Tokyo and trying many of the rolls we have found our favorites: Chocolate city (spicy tuna, snow crab and avocado wrapped with soy paper, seared tuna and crunchy on top with mixed sauces), the burning man (spicy tuna and crunchy inside, pepper tuna and avocado on top with ponzu and eel sauce) and the burning woman (snow crab roll with pepper tuna and avocado on top with ponzu and eel sauce). See menu. Being a big fan of ramen my favorite is the variety of ramen noodle dishes you can find at Little Tokyo Small Plates and Noodle bars. You can choose your soup base, level of spiciness and add as many toppings as you’d like.

Little Tokyo is our go-to spot for good sushi and ramen for the range of options on the menu and uplifting ambiance.