Nicli Antica Pizzeria (Vancouver, Canada)

Have you ever been to Italy? If so did you ever venture off into the unknown and dine in a hole in the wall that happened to have the most mouth watering Italian pizza you’ve ever tasted? 

Most people know that the pizza was discovered and perfected in Napoli, Italy. 

I happened to take a trip to Napoli (better known as Naples to us North Americans) a few years back before taking off to the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri. Most of my time spent in Naples was taken up by eating…authentic Napoletana pizza!  In fact most of my trip to this region of Italy involved eating.  

Did you know that in order to serve a true authentic Neapolitan style pizza your restaurant must be granted a designation by the VPN (Vera Pizza Napoletana)? This is hard to come by and requires a wood-fired pizza oven which has stayed true to its Neapolitan roots and the art of Neapolitan pizza making…because it truly is an art.  Most Neapolitan pizzerias make pizza with a wood-fired oven.  When made in a wood-fired oven the pizza dough should be thin, soft and with a little bit of a crunchy crust. The success of this depends on the oven, but also on the dough, the water, and the way the cook works these materials and clearly the ingredients used.

Nicli Antica Pizzeria in Gastown has been given the VPN designation and has also been given two thumbs up by the Hungry Nomad! Anyone who has had the opportunity to travel to Italy will appreciate a good authentic Italian pizza and this restaurant serves just that in a really modern trendy setting.

They offer a variety of pizzas (surprise, surprise)including your classic margherita (see menu. Fresh made pizza dough, fresh basil plants and buffalo mozzarella cheese all put together into pizza perfection. The pizza dough was just the right touch of crispy (no burnt crust which is a major no no). No soggy dough and perfect amount of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Make sure you order yourself a nice glass of Chianti to wash down your meal. Followed by dessert. We tried the Panna Cotta served with chestnuts and dark chocolate mousse served with figs- both were delicious!  

Nicli Antica Pizzeria on Urbanspoon
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La Bodeguita del Medio Cuba (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)

Cuban food in Mexico! La Bodeguita is a really charming restaurant located in Playa del Carmen- removed from the touristy strip of 5th avenue. Live salsa music, dancing, tasty ropa veja and other Cuban delicacies are served at La Bodeguita. Don’t forget to try the amazing mint mojito and dance the night away. 








Customer’s signatures on the walls

The Count making a tough drink decision

Mint Mojito

Ropa veja…delicious Cuban beef stew served with rice, black beans and plantains

Strawberry mojito

Address: 
5th Avenue between Calle 34 & Calle 38
Playa del Carmen
Office: +52 984-803-3950



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Mahekal Beach Resort (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)

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I have contemplated writing about this resort- I loved it so much that I almost didn’t want to let out the secret. But here it is folks- if you are planning a trip to Playa del Carmen and want something laid back and different than your cancun style hotel strip then I highly recommend Mahekal Beach Resort
 
This Mayan paradise is located in Playa del Carmen, nestled between lush tropical gardens and a long strip of pristine white sand beach. Whats more special is that it is located steps away from the wonderful shops and restaurants of 5th avenue, or La Quinta as it is locally known. 
 
If you want luxury, trendy and modernity then don’t stay here. But if you want to be at one with nature, stay in a Palapas style hut steps away from the beach you will love this place as much as we did.  The Resort does have its flaws and is a bit outdated (was purchased from Shangri La Caribe a few years back) but the service, amazing layout, location, food and friendliness of all staff really made up for its shortcomings. 
 
The Lobby
Happy Hour 5-7 swings, ping pong and pool tables all in the center of the resort
The Garden Resort area tucked away in the back of the resort away from the beach
Restaurant- breakfast and lunch or dinner included 
Pool and Jacuzzi overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean sea


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Tah Cin (Baked Persian Saffron Rice, Chicken and Yogurt)

Tahchin is a great dish yet difficult and timely to make. Therefore, after one failed attempt I had given up until very recently. The trademark of this dish is the delicious crispy mixture of yogurt, rice and lots and lots of saffron baked in the oven.




Ingredients: (4 servings)

  • chicken, 1 kg
  • basmati or long grain rice, 500 grams
  • yogurt (Greek if possible), 300 grams
  • ground saffron, 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in 4 tbs of hot water
  • large onions, two
  • 3 eggs (yolks only)
  • cooking oil/butter (necessary to allow tag-dig to form without burning)
  • salt
  • black pepper

*Required: Pirex baking dish unless made in a pot on an oven. Baked version is always more delicious. 


Directions:

  1. Start by washing rice and soaking it in warm water (with added salt) for 2 hours. Then filter out the water.
  2. Chop onions into thin slices and fry in oil until slightly golden. 
  3. Wash and cut chicken, remove skin, and fry in onions until color changes. Add some water and bring to boil. Turn heat down and let boil slowly until cooked, adding more water if needed. Remove the bones.
  4. While chicken is cooking, beat the yogurt until it is smooth. Dissolve saffron in half a cup of hot water. Add saffron, salt, pepper and egg-yolks to the yogurt and mix very well.
  5. Pour a few glasses of water in a large pot and bring to boil. Pour in rice and cook while stirring occasionally until rice grows longer and slightly softens (Take care not to overcook the rice. It should still be too hard for eating). Again filter out the water.
  6. Pour several spoons of oil and several spoons of the yogurt mix into a non-stick pot. Add a thin layer of rice and flatten using the back of a spoon. Add a layer of chicken on top followed by another layer of rice. Again flatten the rice. Spread several more spoons of the yogurt mix on the rice. Continue in this fashion until chicken, rice and the yogurt mix have been used up. Add some more oil on top. Put the lid on and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
  7. Place the mixture into a pirex baking dish and place in an oven (preheated to 250 F) and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. Note that the longer Tah-Chin is cooked, the thicker the Tah-Dig (delicious crispy layer of rice at the bottom) will be. When cooked, remove the lid and let cool for a few minutes.
  8. Place an inverted large dish over the dish and turn it over. Tap the dish in order to loosen the contents inside. The contents should fall on the dish in one piece with the Tah-Dig on the outside.


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Suika- Japanese Izakaya (Vancouver, Canada)

We are so spoiled in Vancouver…on many fronts but particularly on the food front. Thanks to the various immigrant groups that have made this city as colorful as it is today you can have any type of food your little heart desires any time of day and night. I’ve searched the world through and through (excluding Japan) and can hands down guarantee that we have some of the best Japanese Izakayas in the world. This confidence was bolstered by my last visit to a new Izakaya (its been around for 1 year now): Suika Izakaya.
This place was recommended by fellow bloggers. Wanting to try something outside of the downtown core we headed over the bridge (5 minutes over the bridge) to Suika- located on Broadway and Burrard.  It is a great Izakaya place: good food, great service and great ambiance. The decor is really well done. I especially loved the empty sake bottles hanging chandelier.

Tuna Tataki

Lotus Roots- Delicious

Duck

You all know by now that I love everything Japanese so its no surprise to hear that I loved this restaurant from the food, decor and our super sweet Japanese server. We will be back soon Suika (don’t let Guu know okay? It will be our little secret!)

Suika on Urbanspoon
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Mercat de la Boqueria (Barcelona, Spain)

Oh, pure happiness! I absolutely adore markets, with all their sorts of produce, colors and smells. The Mercat de la Boqueria just off the famous La Rambla in Barcelona offers you just about anything you might desire in terms of fresh foods and much more. Fruits, cheeses, ham, seafood, eggs, sweets, spices… And when you’re tired from all this hard food shopping you can choose to sit down at one of the busy little bars for a little snack and a drink. I absolutely enjoyed this market and would definitely recommend to visit at a rainy day in fall! 



Grab a little ‘pincho’ to nibble on while browsing the stands



They sure do know how to make some good ham here!

All kinds of delicious mushrooms!

And all kinds of delicious seafood as well!

little bar inside the market

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