Gourmand - The Hungry Nomad

Canada, Gourmand, Irish, pub food, Vancouver

Long Table Series at the Irish Heather (Vancouver, Canada)

February 12, 2012 No Comments

I was invited to the Irish Heather’s Long Table Series a few months back. The concept is interesting: a long table of friends gathering for drinks and family style cooking. Although, technically we weren’t seated at a long table and were separated from our group by a wall. We were told they had no room for our whole party which begs the question what then is the purpose of the LTS if you can’t be seated with your entire party?

On this occasion, the special was sunday pot roast served with vegetables and Yorkshire pudding. I wasn’t expecting much given that I have never heard anything great about English food (although I do enjoy a good Shepards Pie). Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when our food arrived. It was delicious, filling and ever so tasty. The meat- tender and juicy, and that Yorkshire pudding- who knew it would have tasted so good? I would go back just for that pudding which isn’t really a pudding but a baked puff like bread served with a special tangy sauce.

The entire meal and one pint of beer was $18. I liked it and think its a great idea for a large group of people…if you can actually be seated at their long table.

Canada, Gourmand, Macarons, Sweets, Vancouver

Soirette Macarons & Tea (Vancouver, Canada)

February 8, 2012 No Comments

What could be more delightful than a shop dedicated to macarons and only macarons in every possible delicious flavour you can imagine?

Soirette Macarons and Tea has done just that! Located on West Pender street this new gem caters to all of those out there who are crazy about macarons. The design inside is very modern chic with a splash of colour here and there. There is a large glass display of colourful macarons set against a backdrop of cans of marked tea. On this occasion, we opted for the lavender tea latte- always a delicious option with a colourful choice of macarons including the Rocher (my personal favourite), Violetta, Matcha green tea and Coconut. The macarons were just perfect and one of the best I’ve tasted in Vancouver. Perfect texture, chewiness and flavour. I tasted a bit of condensed milk… don’t know if that is an ingredient in all of the macarons but since I drink condensed milk by the can (occasionally!!!) I didn’t mind the hint of flavour it added to the macarons.

Gourmand, New Orleans

Franco- German Cuisine at Chef John Besh’s Luke (New Orleans, USA)

January 27, 2012 No Comments

Luke is another John Besh restaurant combining Franco-German food and decor to create another masterpiece. I’ve been here several times and each time its completely full. On this occasion we went on Christmas night expecting it to either be closed or empty and were surprised to find it so full that we were offered seats at the bar. Not that I mind… I enjoyed watching the oyster man hard at work cracking oyster shells and placing them neatly on ice trays. Who knew it was such hard work?

We started off with turtle soup (our favorite)…but weren’t too happy when it was served lukewarm. It was still tasty but less than what we expected at a John Besh restaurant. Next, for our main course we ordered the moules & frites and the Luke Burger. Both were very tasty. Having just arrived from Canada I was shocked at the large portion but was quick to adapt to the almost triple sized portions served in the States. The mussels were enough to feed a whole family!!! I highly recommend sharing…unless you got a really healthy appetite. Most people order their oysters…however not being a fan of raw oysters I am yet to try.

The burger was good…served along with their house made fries…salty but good! And of course we never leave without dessert: dark chocolate mousse served with orange marmalade.

Bucket of mussels

Chocolate Mousse

Canada, Gourmand, Steak, Vancouver

Dinner at Black + Blue (Vancouver, Canada)

January 25, 2012 No Comments

Dinner at Black and Blue exceeded our expectations. Not one single empty seat in the house so we were offered to sit at the bar which turned out to be more pleasant anyway. Our bartender was very nice and attentive- he even brought over a sample of every beer until I found one that I liked. He then thoroughly went through the menu with us and taught us about all the different steaks. Who knew there were so many different types of meat?

On this particular evening, we went specifically for the steak and steak is what we had. The sides come separately to order and there were many to choose from. We ordered the stuffed baked potato which was incredibly amazing and really the best stuffed potato I’ve ever tasted. It was stuffed and gooing with sour cream, bacon and cheese. Oh My. Definitely not on the calorie friendly side but worth every bite. The steak fries were also good and baked and fried to perfection. The steak came with four different sauces to choose from but it was so delicious and tender that I didn’t want to take away from the taste by adding any sauce.

The ambiance of the restaurant also makes it a great spot for drinks. The decor…absolutely amazing! Highly recommend for a fun night out on the town.

Canada, Food Truck, Gourmand, Sandwich Shop, Vancouver

La Brasserie Street Food Truck (Vancouver, Canada)

January 24, 2012 No Comments

What an amazing chicken sandwich. I have never tasted anything like it. I am really impressed with all the creative culinary dishes around town and feel inspired that I am a part of this amazing city.

This sandwich is itself a creative masterpiece: a combination of beer brined rotisserie chicken, fried crispy onions and chicken gravy. It is so heavenly…and ever so filling. The fried crispy onions mixed with the tasty gravy and juicy chicken…oh I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

I highly recommend this food truck to all of you out there who enjoy a good and tasty sandwich. These guys know how do it right. Also make sure to try their butter tarts for dessert. Amazingly fresh and delicious as well.

Word’s Best Butter Tarts

Mmm Crispy Onions

La Brasserie Street (West Georgia & Granville) on Urbanspoon

Gourmand, New Orleans

Eat like a President at Commander’s Palace (New Orleans, USA)

January 20, 2012 2 Comments

Around since 1880, Commander’s Palace is history served on a platter. The restaurant is located in the Garden District directly across from the famous Lafayette Cemetery. It is my most favourite spot for Sunday brunch in the city. Imagine yourself walking through doors back in time. At first you are greeted by the friendly staff and escorted to your table. If you are lucky enough to go for Sunday brunch you’ll immediately be serenaded by jazz musicians. Then it is time for the food. Chef Tory McPhail creates a combination of haute Creole and Louisiana inspired cooking on every plate (see menu). During the week you also get 25 cent martinis! Really!

On a foggy day in late December the Count and I embarked on a a culinary journey through time to Commander’s Palace. As soon as we sat down, we were served martinis, warm bread and butter. For our starters, of course the turtle soup (that is one of the main reasons we keep going back), its creamy with the right amount of spices and sherry making every spoonful heaven in your mouth.

For our main dishes, we had the Quail and Gulf Coast shrimp pasta. Both delicious as always. If I had to choose between meals, I definitely choose the restaurant’s brunch menu over their lunch and dinner menu. However, that is not to say that I don’t thoroughly enjoy lunch each and every time. The best part as always is dessert: this time we ordered the strawberry shortcake and their world renown bread pudding souffle which is truly to die for.

Strawberry Shortcake delight!!!

Vanished in seconds 🙁

Bread Pudding Souffle

The Hungry Nomad’s Must-Try Suggestions:

1- Turtle Soup

2- Bread Pudding Souffle

3- Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake

Gourmand, New Orleans, Spanish

Authentic Spanish Food at Lola’s (New Orleans, USA)

January 19, 2012 1 Comment

If you ever crave Paella and other authentic Spanish delicacies, then I highly suggest you check out this small and quaint restaurant in Bayou St. John. Living by City Park made Lola’s one of our favorite spots to visit for a nice meal.

On our last visit we started off with the usual: a bottle of their red wine sangria with mixed fresh fruits and a loaf of their freshly baked warm bread served with the most amazing garlic butter on earth.

Next, an assortment of their tapas: calamari salad, oysters, garlic mushrooms and crab meat salad. The Crab meat is tossed with their homemade alioli sauce served over avocado on a bed of lettuce. Yum! And for the main dish the obvious choice is always the seafood paella which is really delicious and tastes just as good if not better than some paella dishes I tasted while travelling in Barcelona a few years back (of course the setting and views are not comparable). To finish off, we never leave without sharing a piece of their flour less dark chocolate cake which is to die for and leaves us usually fighting for the last piece. (see menu)

Sangria perfection

Crabmeat tossed with our homemade alioli , served over avocado on a bed of lettuce

Marinated calamari tossed with calamata olives, tomatoes, & toasted almonds

Shrimp, fish, calamari, scallops, mussels and vegetables, well seasoned with garlic, saffron and herbs

Chocolate Cake

The Hungry Nomad’s Must-Try Suggestions:

1- Seafood Paella
2- Ceviche
3- Chocolate cake

Breakfast, Gourmand, New Orleans, Sandwich Shop

Il Posto Cafe (New Orleans, USA)

January 16, 2012 No Comments

I am so happy I finally got a chance to try this amazing spot. Its nestled in on Dryades street away from street traffic and therefore hard to find if you don’t know about it.

Il Posto is definitely my new favorite sandwich shop in New Orleans. They have an amazing sandwich and salad selection. It is so refreshing to have some quality, delicious, tasty and healthy salads in New Orleans. Trust me I’ve searched around the city and can confirm that a healthy salad is hard to come by down here. There is also a wide selection of meats and cheeses served on your choice of bread either as a traditional sandwich or grilled panini (see menu).

The inside is a bit cramped (due to popularity) but its a great spot for a quick and healthy breakfast and/or lunch with friends.

Breakfast, Gourmand, New Orleans

Bagels at Artz Bagelz (New Orleans, USA)

January 15, 2012 No Comments

Finally! A New York Style bagels and cream cheese shop opens in New Orleans…with a southern twist of course. Everything from spicy Cajun to pecan praline flavor cream cheese is available. Healthy salads and sandwiches for those looking for something different then bagels are also offered on the menu.

The bagels are tasty and I thought reasonably priced…although others seem to disagree. We tried the spicy Cajun and garlic herb and both were happy with our meal. The shop is located just off of Magazine street with both indoor and outdoor seating available. A casual, smart clean atmosphere awaits you for your quick bagel break.

Breakfast, Brunch, Gourmand, New Orleans

Brunch at Surrey’s Uptown (New Orleans, USA)

January 2, 2012 No Comments

Happy 2012 to all my readers. I have been away for the past week down in New Orleans eating some good food, drinking mint julips and sazerac and listening to some amazing brass bands. The next few posts will therefore be dedicated to the New Orleans dining scene I discovered on my most recent trip.

First stop, Surrey’s Uptown! On a lovely spring-like day in December the Count and I decided to walk along Magazine street to discover the long stretch of shops, restaurants and art galleries. Along the way we discovered Surrey’s Uptown. Not having heard about it before we were curious to try it for ourselves since the line up seemed long and everyone seemed eager to eat.

The next day along with our friends we visited Surrey’s Uptown for breakfast and I was not only impressed but wanted to go back every day for the rest of the trip (sadly my request was denied by the Count).

They make their own fresh juices which you can blend to make your own creation. I had the carrot, orange and apple juice which was lovely. We all ordered different dishes and tried a bit of each. Mine was the Miga- scrambled eggs mixed in with all sorts of delicious goodies including crispy tortilla chips. The Count had the huevos rancheros deluxe which included smoked salmon. He absolutely loved it! I on the other hand didn’t like the mixture of the black beans and the smoked salmon. Smoked salmon to me is best served with cream cheese, capers and onions. However, to each their own I guess. The best part of the meal had to be the stuffed banana french toast which was truly like to no other I’ve ever tasted. The mixture of flavors and the rich sauce was to die for.

They have a really large selection and I definitely will have to go back to try out the rest. If you ever happen to be in New Orleans definitely check this place out for breakfast/brunch- if one is busy (which I guarantee you it will be) there are always two locations: one Uptown and the other in the Garden District.