Gourmand - The Hungry Nomad

Cafe Crepe (Vancouver, Canada)

March 13, 2011 1 Comment

Need a quick crepe fix in the morning, mid-day or late night? Cafe crepe is your answer. It has several locations in downtown Vancouver and serves sweet and savoury crepes along with French baguette sandwiches crepes and other French food on the go. I like to go there once in a while when I miss Paris to have a crepe and immerse myself in the french aura of the cafe (plus eavesdrop on the francophone waiters and cooks). My favorites include the jambon, fromage and mushrooms; chicken and mayo; dark chocolate and strawberries and the plain Nutella crepes. (See Menu)

Cafe Crepe is located at: 1032 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC/ 874 AND 796 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC

Gourmand, Japanese, Vancouver

Guu is Guuuuud (Vancouver, Canada)

March 9, 2011 3 Comments

There once was a time when Guu with Garlic was my all time favorite restaurant in Vancouver. To the point that my best friend and I spent most Friday and Saturday night dinners there. But that was in 2004.

Having just recently returned to Vancouver I was looking forward to going back to Guu. With all my high expectations in place I went back over the weekend and although it was not in any way horrible it just was not the same. Back in the day Guu was amazing and was less known than it is now. As a rule of thumb I always trust a restaurant whose majority clientele are of the same origin as the food. The local Japanese community used to flock to this restaurant…! As you may have noted by now I do consider myself Japanese on the inside (given my love for all things Japanese) and thus also flocked here every weekend.

But on to the actual restaurant: The menu has changed completely and there is not as much selection as there was before. And of course with the popularity has come smaller portions. The tuna tataki and beef sashimi were once my all time favorite but have now lost all flavor. They used to be infused with delicious sauces which are now served on the side (and again the portions are noticeably smaller).

However, for those going to Guu for the first time they will not be disappointed as they won’t realize what Guu was then and what it is now. Through word of mouth I heard that it has new management…which makes sense since Guu now has 5 locations in Vancouver including Guu Garden that I have yet to try.
If you do happen to be in the mood for Japanese I still recommend making a trip to Guu. My favorites still remain the same: kimchi udon noodles, beef udon noodles, beef sashimi, agadeshi tofu, beef tongue, and calamari.

I am now on the hunt for the new jewel of the Vancouver Japanese Izakaya world. Any suggestions?

As soon as you enter this small and crowded restaurant every host, server and cook is yelling at you in Japanese… I assume they are welcoming you to their restaurant. The food is Japanese Izakaya and I think the photos will do all the explaining.

Tuna Tataki

Shark fin and Jelly fish

Calamari

Kimchi Udon

Beef Shashimi

Whole grilled squid

Octopus balls or Takoyaki

Yellow fin Sashimi (melts in your mouth)

Prawn tempura served with mayonnaise

Agadeshi Tofu

Guu with Garlic is located at: 1698 Robson Street, Vancouver,

Tel: (604) 685-8678

Gourmand, recipes

Spaghetti Al Limone (Amalfi Coast, Italy)

March 5, 2011 No Comments

On a distant trip to Naples and the surrounding Amalfi coastline of Sorrento and Positano, I once had a very simple dish which was so delicious that I can still taste it: Spaghetti Al Limone. For those of you who have Italy on your list of destinations. I highly recommend visiting the Amalfi coast. It is really breathtaking and hopelessly romantic. The Amalfi coast line is famous for its lemon and so it comes as no surprise that many dishes, drinks and deserts use lemon as one of their key ingredients. I have been searching for a good Spaghetti Al Limone recipe for quite some time. Most recently I discovered one on my top ten list of blogs. This recipe is taken directly from Smitten Kitchen’s wonderful blog. Let me know how it turns out.

Smitten Kitchen’s Recipe:

Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil [Spaghetti al Limone]

This is one of those recipes that are almost better off without one — every ingredient can be adjusted to taste and the technique is just tossing everything about.

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti or linguine
Salt
3 lemons
2 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus additional for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus additional for serving
Ground black pepper
Small handful fresh basil or arugula (what I used, deliciously, in a pinch) leaves, shredded

Directions:

Cook linguine or spaghetti in well-salted water to your al dente tastes in a large, wide-bottomed pot. (You’ll have fewer dishes to wash if you use this pot to assemble the dish as well.)

While pasta is cooking, zest lemons until you have a little shy of a tablespoon of zest. Juice lemons — you’ll have anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon juice.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water. Dry out your pot, then boil the olive oil, cream, zest and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water together for two minutes over high heat. Return pasta to pot and stir until coated. Add the cheese and 1/4 cup lemon juice and toss, toss, toss everything together. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if you’d like your dish a little looser. Quickly taste a strand of pasta and see if you want to add the remaining lemon juice (we did). Stir in basil or arugula and season generously with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately, drizzling individual portions with a bit of extra olive oil and sprinkling with extra Parmesan cheese

Gourmand, Vancouver

Boulangerie Chopain (Vancouver, Canada)

February 14, 2011 No Comments

Back in Vancouver and first thing is first…I must find a neighborhood bakery to buy fresh french Baguettes. My boulangerie hunt did not take long. As I was walking along Davie street, I noticed a long line up of people waiting to buy bread at Boulangerie Chopain. Never one to miss out on an investigation opportunity involving food I decided I would join the line-up. And folks I was not let down. One word for you, Chocolate-Almond Croissants (to die for). It’s gooey, creamy and chocolaty and just the perfect amount of sweet. They have a wonderful range of french pastries, breads and sandwiches to choose from. While originally on a mission to buy fresh baked bread, I did end up inhaling a croissant instead. It was very fresh and I assume everything else is baked fresh to serve. On further investigation, I will write more.

Boulangerie Cho Pain is located at 1165 Davie Street Vancouver, BC

Gourmand, recipes

Ghalieh Mahi (Southern-Iranian Fish Stew)

February 11, 2011 3 Comments

This delicious and pungent dish comes from the south of Iran and is less known than the other more popular Iranian stews. Ghalieh Mahi has very rich flavors including a melange of garlic, tamarind paste, cilantro and fenugreek. It is best served with Basmati Rice.

Ingredients:

King Fish steaks or any fish that can be cut into small cubes and does not fall apart easily OR Prawns (I personally put a mix of Tilapia and Prawns for a wonderful combination- you can substitute for any type of fish you prefer)
2 Bunches of Cilantro
2 Tablespoon dry Fenugreek available at most Middle Eastern/Indian stores
1 Cup chopped fresh Garlic
1/2 Cup tamarind (or more depending on how sour and tangy you want your Ghalieh Mahi to be)Pls note: There are two types of tamarind sauce: the one in a jar that is in liquid form- I personally do not like this as it is too sour and tangy and tastes like chemicals. Try to buy tamarind in bulk form. The bulk form comes in a square shape with seeds in it and has a sour flavour. Remove the seeds and soak in 2-3 cups of warm water.
2 whole red chili peppers (optional, although highly recommended to add a spicy flavour to the dish)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
2/3 Cups of warm water

Preparation:

Pour the dry fenugreek into warm water and let it soak for 30 minutes
Chop the cilantro well and sauté with two table spoons of olive oil or any oil you prefer on low heat.
Drench the fenugreek and add to the sauteed herbs; Continue to sauté until the herbs permeate a melange of smells
At the same time, soak the tamarind paste in 2-3 cups of warm/hot water. Once it has fully soaked, drain the water, allowing the juice to sip through, leaving out the seeds and skin.
Next, add the tamarind paste, salt and pepper to the herbs and then turn the knob on low heat.
Optional step: add chili peppers to the paste
Add 2/3 cup of warm water and put the lid on until you are finished with the next step.

In another pan:

Chop garlic
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the chopped garlic until slightly golden
After a few minutes remove the garlic and place it in a small dish aside
Saute the fish/prawns for a few minutes until slightly cooked. Remove and set aside
Add the sautéed garlic to the cooking ghalieh (herbs and tamarind paste) and if you like here you can add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
Set your timer for 30 minute and let the ghalieh cook on low heat
After 30 minutes add the fish and let it cook for an additional 15-30 minutes.

This dish can be varied depending on personal taste. For more of a garlic flavour, add more garlic. For a more sour and tangy flavor, add more tamarind paste. For a more spicy flavour add a few more dried red chili peppers.

Serve with a side of basmati rice and radish

Gourmand, Istanbul, Travel, Turkey

Sweet & Savory Streets (Istanbul, Turkey)

January 30, 2011 No Comments

Another great post from our resident blogger, Kim. Enjoy!

Surely I love a good restaurant as much any other girl. But sometimes the best treats can be found out there on the streets. Just imagine enjoying fresh ice cream while strolling in the summer sun or warming up on spicy hot cocoa on a crispy winter day. So when I went to Istanbul, of course I had to try all the Turkish on-the-go delights.

It took a long time for me to open up to chestnuts, but on a cold cold day these hot roasted little treats are exactly what you might need to warm up and continue your adventurous walks around town. I have seen chestnuts stands from Northern Italy and Geneva to Athens and also in Istanbul people munch happily on chestnuts while out and about. Also, keep your eyes out for chestnut treats in coffee shops and restaurants as there are some seriously deliciously chestnut cakes and deserts to be found.

A new discovery for me when I went to Turkey was fresh pomegranate juice. All around the city you may notice small coffee shops and kebab stands squeezing and selling orange & pomegranate juice to take away. Extremely refreshing, I love how it makes for a healthy change from sipping on (also very enjoyable) Turkish coffees and black teas.

Much less greasy than the varieties I have tasted in Greece, kebabs in Istanbul are a popular fast food. My favorite is the döner kebab with a thin pita, lamb meat, sour pickles and veggies (which you see in the picture), yum! Couple it with a pomegranate juice, relax on a bench and enjoy the bustle of the city around you.

Salep is a sweet and spicy drink which will definitely do you good on a rainy and chilly day. Originally made from the salep orchid, it is now usually made with hot milk, cinnamon and salep flavorings. You can see salep being sold by some traditionally dressed men pushing their carts and shouting “Hot Salep, hot salep!”. A word of caution: Salep is extremely hot, so don’t burn your tongue.

Simit (“koulouri” in Greece) stands are present on every street corner in Istanbul. Considered breakfast by many in this neck of the woods, you almost can’t go wrong with these simple bread rings sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Gourmand, New Orleans

World’s Best Barbecue shrimp at Mr. B’s Bistro (New Orleans)

January 24, 2011 2 Comments

Mr. B’s Bistro is one of our favourite restaurants in the French Quarter. The chic setting and cozy atmosphere make for a great dinner out. Upon entering the restaurant through the revolving door you get a feeling that you’ve stepped through a machine back in time. Everything from the decor, the servers and the experience could be straight out of a turn of the century movie.

Each time we have gone to this restaurant there has been a wait…but its never a problem since many come just for the bar where you can have yourself a bloody mary, mint julip or a sazerac while you wait for your table. The restaurant serves contemporary Creole cuisine in a warm relaxed atmosphere. Signature dishes include Gumbo Ya Ya, Barbequed Shrimp, and Bread Pudding with Irish Whiskey Sauce (see menu). The service is amazing- the waiters always happy and welcoming. If you happen to have the Barbeque shrimp (which is really a must if you go to this restaurant) they even go so far as to put on your bib for you (needed to peel the shrimp), bring you hot towels and lemon and continuous servings of fresh out of the oven french bread, which ofcourse you proceed to dip in the bbq shrimp sauce (probably the best part of the meal). The gumbo ya ya is also a must- definitely one of the best I have had since my time in New Orleans…and I have had ALOT of Gumbo. Finishing off with a plate of desert you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu: my favorites- the profiteroles (a french dessert consisting of light fluffy dough filled with vanilla ice-cream and topped with dark chocolate sauce (TO DIE FOR), if you want something more New Orleans in flavor then try the home made breadpudding. You will not be dissapointed. Not with the dessert. Not with your meal. And definitely not with the service you receive at this charming restaurant in the quarter.

Famous Mr. B’s BBQ Shrimp

Clean bib before

getting dirty in the dirty south

Gumbo ya ya

Delicious Bread Pudding with whiskey sauce

Crabcakes

Cancun, Gourmand, Mexico, Travel

Thai Lounge and Elefanta Restaurant(Cancun, Mexico)

January 23, 2011 1 Comment

Thai Lounge: Bulevar Kukulcán Km. Plaza La Isla Shopping Village

Thai Lounge– Thai food in Mexico? It’s possible! Thai Lounge is a beautiful restaurant located in the La Isla Shopping Center overlooking the lagoon. If you do happen to go here, make sure to call ahead to book one of the cabanas (cabana #7 is the nicest one-includes a bed and a table for two). The place is very intimate, cozy and romantic. It is one of the nicest places to go for dinner in Cancun and I highly recommend it.

The food was really good. As good as the dishes I had tried in Thailand…just not as cheap. My favorite Thai dish that I discovered in Thailand (Glass Noodles with Prawns) was also on the menu and I was not disappointed. The setting is very romantic, especially if you make it in time for the sunset.

Adjacent to the Thai Lounge is Elefanta Indian Cuisine. I would have liked to have tried the Elefanta as well but didn’t have time. They are both set on the edge of the lagoon with magnificent views.


Make sure to ask for Cabana #7 (did I already say that?)

Fort Lauderdale, Gourmand, Travel, USA

Gran Forno Italian Bakery (Fort Lauderdale)

January 2, 2011 No Comments

One thing I look most forward to on every trip to Fort Lauderdale is my daily morning trips to the local Gran Forno Bakery. It is located on the lovely Las Olas Street where many wonderful local mom & pop shops can be found. The breads are baked daily in their ovens and if you go early enough you will get your hands on warm, pillowy and delicious breads. I must admit that I have tried everything in this bakery and do love each and every one of their delights. Amongst the favorites include the ciabatta, multigrain, and walnut and raisin breads. Then on to the sweets: the chocolate, almond, ham and cheese croissants are all wonderful treats for one’s belly. But then there is also the scones….oh the scones. How wonderfully delicious and not too sweet are the scones. (Other ‘Forno’rific delights include: custard-filled fruit tarts, lemon cakes and chocolate fudge brownies, chocolate tarts and paninis). Next, make sure to also try the small pizzas!!! They are once again….delicious. Choices include the eggplant, tomato, mozzarella or the tomato/mozzarella pizza. I can’t resist having these for breakfast. Living only two blocks away from this little Floridian gem is both a blessing and a curse. I have no control when it comes to delicious breads and treats…. or to be more factual I have no control when it comes to the wonders of gastronomy.

Belgian, Gourmand, New Orleans

Clementine’s Belgian Bistro (Gretna/New Orleans)

December 31, 2010 No Comments

In our new mission to discover restaurants in the West Bank we once again headed over the bridge to try some Belgian food. This time chez Clementine’s Beligan Bistro.

First on our ordering list was the cheese fondue and an order of our favorite Belgian beer: Framboise. Having lived in Switzerland and eating Swiss fondue at least once a week, I consider myself a fondue snob. This fondue claimed to have imported cheese and while the strong taste of Gruyere and emmenthaler cheese could not be missed I was left wondering if it was made from powdered cheese rather than real Swiss cheese. Since real fondue has a very cheesy texture and when you dip the bread the cheese is stringy, yet this fondue was watery and did not have any real melted cheese texture to it. Needless to say I was disappointed (8/pp for watered down cheese and bread).

The service and decor at this restaurant were amazing. Our next order was the Blue cheese salad and goat cheese and spinach crepes along side onion soup and Belgian fries. The belgian fries were amazing and reminded me if the street fries in Brussels (make sure to order the dips). Our dishes were delicious (except for the fondue). All in all, we were left satisfied with our meal. I won’t deny them that but it was a tad bit overpriced. It’s a great place to go as a large party. Also the restaurant had no music so if you are looking for a loud restaurant and ambiance then don’t go here. However, if you are looking for a quiet meal sprinkled with a bit of romance than definitely make your way over to Clementine’s Belgian Bistro.

Cheese fondue

Onion soup

Crumbled blue cheese salad

Yummy belgian fries

Spinach and goat cheese crepe

Belgian Chocolate Mousse