The Hungry Nomad - Food, Travel, Lifestyle

Andalusia, Granada, Spain, Spanish, Travel

A Walk Through Moorish Granada (Andalusia, Spain)

October 15, 2013 No Comments

Stepping off the train into the heart of Spain’s Moorish country was an all at once intoxicating feeling. The dramatic setting of Granada in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada with its steep climbs and eclectic neighborhoods crowned by the mystical Alhambra Palace makes it one of those places that takes your breath away at first sight.

The UNESCO Albaicin district rising steeply is covered with powder white houses and slender streets and turns filled with North African shops, tea houses and nargilleh bars. Walk a little further past Albaicin and you will reach the most underrated but most interesting and picturesque neighborhoods in Granada, the Sacromonte. Sacromonte is located on the Valparaiso hill and is known for its gypsy population. Homes are set up in whitewashed caves cut into the mountain and still used as residences. At night the sounds of the spanish guitar and flamenco performers vibrate through the neighborhood.

Walk further and you will officially make the religious pilgrimage to the Abbey of Sacromonte and the College of Sacromonte founded in the 17th century.

For where to stay see my post on Hospes Palacio de Los Patos.

Food, Madrid, Paellas, Spain, Spanish, Tapas, Travel

A Foodie’s Guide to Tapas in Madrid (Spain)

October 10, 2013 No Comments

Day 1:

Madrid can be summed up in one word: energetic. As soon as we left our luggage at our hotel we were off to discover what was in store. Of course, we were more interested in food than anything else and after inquiring were told to walk to La Latina- a neighborhood in Madrid known for its wine, innovative tapas bars and night life. Also in the same area are many famous restaurants offering traditional Madrid fare. On our way to La Latina we made a few pit stops to fill our empty stomachs and just because we couldnt resist all the seducing window displays of cured legs of ham. It was hard to focus and get to our destination without caving in and walking in to one of the many jamonerias and tapas bars.

We worked backwards. Our first stop was dessert. It looked so good it was hard to resist this pastry shop on an empty stomach. This dessert shop has been around for centuries and is located in the west end of Plaja del Sol. Two orange balls covered in sugar and a Napolitanas de Chocolate were quickly inhaled and we were off to our next destination.

Next while criss-crossinng through the streets while attempting to find our way to La Latina we arrived at Plaja del Mayor. A large pedestrian square, lined with restaurants and is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 breathtaking balconies facing the Plaza. Sounds of foreign men selling annoying whistles and flying glows also covered the square (we were soon to realize that at each tourist filled square in each town and city in Europe we would again run into these men).

The square was so beautiful that we had to stop again. “But we haven’t reached La Latina” I complained to the Count. “Have you seen the inside of this place?” he said. The place he was referring to was the Museo de Jamon, translated to the “Ham Museum”. Seriously? A museum dedicated to ham? The place was covered with cured meats on walls and ceilings, slot machines and men carving legs of ham under bright lights. A large crowd of tourists and locals filled the restaurant and filled every empty seat available on the outside facing the Plaza. It was intoxicating. This was our first exposure to the ham obsessed Spaniard culture, one that both of us adapted to with ease and passion. And one that while I write this I wish was a daily part of my life.

We were seated facing the Plaja del Mayor and ordered a plate of jamon and a basket of bread served with two cervesaz. It was the perfect introduction to our Spanish adventure. But I was a woman on a mission: destination La Latina for some world famous tapas!

We passed through one of the many arches of the square and walked a few more minutes down to Cuchilleros, crossed Segovia and continue on to Cava Baja, the main street famous for its tapas. We first walked in to a jamon shop. The Count who at this point was only familiar with the Italian term ‘prosciutto’ was in Jamon-heaven. He even approached a salesman to ask whether he could ship a whole leg to America, sadly he was refused. “Lo Siento” said the Jamon man. That was the first Spanish phrase the Count leaned on our trip.

I was a kid in a candy store. Well, more like a carnivore in a butcher shop. But you get the gist. A foodie’s paradise (and not your vegan or veggie foodie, but your meat-loving one). So many great places to choose from. But that was the thing. We had to choose one. Based on recommendations we walked into Casa Lucas, a cozy, sleek tavern offering a range of wine and innovative yet traditional tapas. Here we got the fried calamaris, brought to us served whole and chopped up bar-side and mixed with the black squid ink. One word: amazing.

Casa Lucas is located at: Cava Baja, 30 28005 Madrid, Spain, +34 913 65 08 04

After our calamari dish and wine we walked down a bit further and had more Spanish wine. I was floating on cloud 9, so happy and so in love with Madrid. We were the only foreigners in a sea of spaniards which made ordering somewhat of a challenge but I’ve found pointing to objects and using hand signals really work in these dire circumstances.

We spent the evening in La Latina, walking back late at night to our hotel located by Plaja del Sol. Except, it didn’t feel so late. Crowds of people roamed the streets and the squares were filled with performers (and those undesirable salesmen mentioned above).

Day 2:

Our tapas adventures continued on the next evening starting off with the famous fried cod at Casa Labra. I had read about this place in travel guides but came about it quite randomly while taking a wrong turn off of Plaja del Sol. Cod an cod croquettes are the specialty served in a room that has remained almost untouched since the 19^th century. The crowds and the smell of fried cod made it hard to resist. We walked in and ordered from the friendly man at the counter. Beer and delicious, hot pieces of fish were served to us at the standing bar.

Casa Labra is located at: Calle Tetuan 12, close to El Corte Ingles Store located in Sol

The night then turned into a sea of tapas when we made our way to Mercado de San Miguel. Crowds of hungry and thirsty people stormed the various tapas bars lining the glass walls of this foodie market. I felt right at home and ordered one dish from each and every merchant, making this foodie experience deserving of a post of its own.

Mercado de San Miguel is located at: Plaza de San Miguel, (+34) 915 42 49 36

Farm-to-table, Food, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, USA, Vegan, Vegetarian

Dinner at FARMiCiA (Philadelphia, USA)

September 29, 2013 2 Comments

It seems as though new diners to FARMiCiA fall into one of two categories: they either love this Old City restaurant and want to come back every week, or they hate it and don’t understand what the buzz is about. I happen to fall into the former category, and I’m thrilled that my most recent Thurs-date happened here.

When we first arrived, we were immediately seated by one of the front windows, which gave us an opportunity to spend some of our time people-watching. It’s a good thing we had this view because our waiter was a bit too hands-off, and we quickly learned that we wouldn’t be seeing much of him throughout the evening. Since we weren’t impressed with our waiter, I thought we’d be falling into the category of people that didn’t like FARMiCiA, but I was proved wrong by the time our first courses came out.

My vegan friend started with the Capellini and Sauteed Tofu. Her appetizer was a hearty plate that came with roasted tomatoes, mint, pine nuts, and red chili. While she said it was incredibly spicy, she loved it and mentioned that it was some of the best vegan food she’s ever had.

I opted for the French Lentils and they were also delicious, although my favorite part of the dish was definitely the huge serving of baked goat cheese that came on top. The salad was one of the most filling ones I’ve had due to the cheese and the amount of lentils that came over the lettuce, but it was so nice and savory that I finished every last bite. I didn’t know how I was going to eat the rest of my dinner, however, I felt like I could try and power through.

After our appetizers, our entrees came out pretty quickly. I ordered the Duck Breast and my love for FARMiCiA was further cemented by my first bite of this. The duck had a nice crispy skin to it and was cooked perfectly. The sweet sun-dried cherry glaze that came with it was a perfect accompaniment to the tender meat. The simplicity of it all was something that I definitely appreciated.

The sugar snap peas on the plate were also really satisfying. In fact, throughout the whole meal, the only thing I could critique was my wild rice. As a Persian girl, I probably judge rice much more harshly than any other aspect of a meal, and this rice was just not up to par. While it wasn’t great, I was so full from all of the other things on the plate, that I hardly even cared that the rice missed the mark.

The other main course we tried was the Fresh Corn Risotto Croquettes. These two croquettes were large and were tough for my friend to finish because her first course was also filling, but she had only fantastic things to say about it. She couldn’t stop raving about the sweet potato crisps that adorned the plate and said that it was the her favorite part.

For dessert, I got the Orchard Fruit Crisp that came with apples and pears. It was a delicious, warm way to kick off the Fall season and end our meal. While FARMiCiA could use a little face lift in the waitstaff, the food outweighs the bumps they have in serving. I’m already anticipating coming back and can’t wait to try out some of the other phenomenal, farm fresh food they have on their menu.

Asian, Food, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, Sushi

Lunch at Zama (Philadelphia, USA)

September 22, 2013 No Comments

Now that Restaurant Week is upon us, all of my friends are dying to check out some of the many restaurants in the city. While my schedule is already pretty booked up for the next week, I kicked off this past week at Zama. Since there are so many sushi places in Philly, each new one I want to try really has to stand out in order to leave an impression.

One of the first things I noticed when I walked into the restaurant was that, unlike so many of the other sushi places in Philly, Zama doesn’t have that sterile, mod feel with white walls and chairs. Although it may seem less hip than some other restaurants, the atmosphere was much more warm and inviting.

Even if I feel like I’ve been going out for sushi a lot these past few weeks, I excitedly reread the options for the Restaurant Week menu and quickly decided to opt for the Sashimi Lunch Set which included several courses for lunch.

The first thing to come out was Edamame, and was soon followed by Udon Noodle Soup. After the soup came out, I waited a few minutes before starting since I could see the steam rolling off of it. This turned out to be a bad decision, because by the time I picked up my chopsticks to attack the tempura shrimp and vegetables, they were so soggy that the breading fell right off.

I’m not quite sure what the point of putting crispy tempura into hot soup is, but I wasn’t all that impressed. That being said, not all of my shrimp was submerged in the soup, and the crispy tempura that I did try was very satisfying. It had a nice crunch to it, but I could still taste the fresh shrimp inside. Before I even had time to finish my soup, my entree came out with a side House Salad.The salad was a bit overdressed for my taste, but I tend to be a minimalist when it comes to salad dressing, and my friends thought it was fine.

What I was even more excited to try was the Mixed Sashimi and Tuna Maki Roll that I had ordered. The sashimi was fantastic, and I was especially drawn to the salmon slices as I thought they were the most flavorful. I was, however, not crazy about my maki roll. The tuna was great, and I particularly enjoyed the spicy mayo inside the roll, but the rice way too hard.

After we finished our lunch, we still had dessert left. At this point, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away, but this turned out to be my favorite course. Our table ended up ordering the Chocolate Bread Pudding and Green Tea Mochi. While it wasn’t the prettiest dessert, the bread pudding was delicious and a great, sweet end to a meal. Although I preferred that dessert, the mochi was also phenomenal and was a lighter way to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Even though I left Zama full, I don’t think that I’ll be back for the sushi. I’ve been to a number of better sushi restaurants in the city and besides dessert nothing really jumped out at me and convinced me that I should come back. While I went into my lunch hoping for something that would wow me, I ultimately left Zama unsatisfied. Next up for Restaurant Week is FARMiCia, the only restaurant I could find on the list of participating places that offers up vegan options for every course.

Barcelona, Food, Spain, Spanish, Travel

A Feast for Your Eyes (and stomach) at Mercat de la Boqueria (Barcelona, Spain)

September 21, 2013 2 Comments

Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria located off of Las Rambla is a 17th century marketplace housing everything from candy stands, butcher shops, fresh fish, fruits herbs and best of all tapas bars. If you are looking for boundless supply of fruits, fish and even a sheep’s head with eyes in tact you will find it here at the Mercat de la Boqueria.

Dirección:
Rambla, 91 08001 Barcelona Google Maps
Teléfono:
93 318 25 84
Horarios:
Lunes a sábado: 8:00 – 20:30 h

Bar, Beer, Food, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, pub food, USA, Vegan

Dinner at Khyber Pass Pub (Philadelphia, PA)

September 15, 2013 No Comments

Since I am still relatively new to being of legal drinking age in the U.S. and most of my friends are broke college students, we usually go out to eat at bars in the city. One of my good friends and I have decided to implement Thurs-dates for the foreseeable future in order to try out some new places.

The biggest problem with our plan is that she’s a vegan, but thankfully Philly has a fairly large vegan population, so we haven’t had too much trouble finding places that both of us like. This past Thursday, we kicked off our dates at the Khyber Pass Pub, a bar with an emphasis on beer and New Orleans-style food that seems to fit right in with the Old City atmosphere that surrounds it.

For drinks, we had a large draft list to choose from, but since it was still happy hour and they had $5 Mint Juleps, my friend and I wanted to try that. Unfortunately, I should have done my research beforehand. Here I was expecting some minty, sweet cocktail, and instead, a couple of shots of whiskey on the rocks came out. The only minty part of my Mint Julep was the one mint leaf in my drink. Luckily, my friend is a whiskey girl, so she finished off mine, and I quickly switched to a much more appetizing, refreshing pint of Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale.

Although I failed a bit on my first drink choice, I was excited to try my dinner. I opted for the Fried Green Tomato BLT, and I was really happy with my choice. The fried green tomatoes on this sandwich were fantastic as the breading on the tomatoes was just enough to make it crispy without being soggy or overpowering the tomato.

However, my favorite part of the sandwich was the tabasco peppers remoulade that it came with. This remoulade was full of flavor and packed a hot punch. It took the classic BLT to another, more complex level. I just wish they bottled the stuff so I could go back and buy some to add to my own sandwiches.

My friend enjoyed her Vegan BBQ Pulled Pork as well, but she wasn’t as impressed with her sandwich as I was with mine. Even though some of the finer points of veganism are lost on me, I’m pretty sure this didn’t include any pork. It did, however, come topped with a big spoonful of creamy coleslaw to balance out the smokey BBQ flavors of the sandwich. While she claimed that the sandwich wasn’t bad, she did feel that some other bars in Philly offer better vegan options.

Overall, we weren’t disappointed with the Khyber Pass Pub, although we did agree that we like it’s sister bar, Royal Tavern, better. That being said, if we’re in Old City and looking for a quick, reliable bite, I’m sure we’ll end up at this bar and we won’t be leaving disappointed. This spot is definitely not to be missed by those who enjoy bar food, especially if they are beer enthusiasts since there is a wide-range of beers on tap to choose from. I’m glad that our first Thurs-date took place here, and I hope that they will only get better as they go on!

Barcelona, Hotel, Spain, Travel

An Exceptional 5 Star Boutique Hotel- The Mercer Hotel (Barcelona, Spain)

September 12, 2013 No Comments

If you want to experience true Gothic Barcelona in a luxurious, design-driven setting then Mercer Hotel is just the place for you. Built in 2012 into the ancient Roman walls that once enclosed Barcelona, the Mercer Hotel is one of the most exceptional boutique hotels to hit town and is even listed as a historical monument.

Location:

Located at number 7 on Calle Lledó, the building incorporates part of the Roman walls of the ancient city of Barcino, some of which date back to the 1st century A.D. What’s more hotel guests have exclusive access to the medieval paintings of the 28th defence tower. Another of the historical features of the hotel is the library on the ground floor. This part of the building has great historical significance in that it used to be on the sentry route between the 28th and 29th watchtowers of the Roman walls and features mediaeval frescoes uncovered during the renovation process. This means you will absorb history and culture in your sleep!

Decor:

Imagine Spanish meets Scandinavian. Not sure what that means? You will once you stay at the Mercer Hotel. Medieval columns and restored frescoes have been brought up to date by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo’s streamlining of old and new. The glass courtyard, Scandinavian furniture and pale wood floors create a contemporary vibe.

The Rooms:

The guestrooms are spacious, and the beds are supersized not to mention the egyptian cotton sheets and down blankets which really made it hard to get up in the morning. Although sleekly minimal in style, each of the 28 rooms has its own special feature, such as Catalan vigas, exposed brickwork, a private terrace or a two-person bathtub. Luxe detailing abounds, from the touch-sensitive Finnish beechwood bedside lamps and deep-pile rugs to the Loewe products in the minimalist bathrooms.

Facilities:

The terrace is located on the fourth floor of the hotel, between the two watchtowers, from where you can pick out the dome of the Santa María del Mar church, the Basilica of San Just i Pastor and Barcelona’s Gothic Cathedral. Here you can take a refreshing dip in the pool,or enjoy a drink at the poolside bar. At dusk, the terrace opens to the public, providing a unique setting for enjoying a cocktail whilst taking in the unparalleled view over the most ancient rooftops of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.

Service:

The staff is exceptionally professional, courteous and friendly. Everyone from the doorman to the concierge were more than helpful, giving us insider tips on how to get around and where to go to dodge the crowds. The concierge was fluent in several languages and made sure that we were comfortable and had everything we needed everyday. He even went out of his way to get us into our room before check-in time. They upgraded us to one of the nicer suites without us even asking. Every evening we walked in to our room to find a little treat. The first night was a bottle of champagne and strawberries with a personal note from the staff. We really could not have asked for a better experience.

Dining:

The breakfast was served in the glass enclosed gallery in the middle of the hotel. While a table of cakes, cheeses and fruits was displayed in the middle, it was in no means a buffet style service. Each guest was asked to choose from the table along with anything else from the wide range of options on the menu.

More information:

The Mercer Hotel

http://www.mercerbarcelona.com/

Calle dels Lledó 7

08002 Barcelona (España)

Tel +34 93 310 74 80 Fax +34 93 310 23 87
info@mercerbarcelona.com

Notes: This review was written for our stay in July 2012.

Some photos are courtesy of Rafael Moneo at http://www.homedsgn.com/2013/01/04/mercer-hotel-barcelona-by-rafael-moneo/

Food, Lisbon, Pastries, Portugal, Travel

Egg Tarts at Casa Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon (Portugal)

September 8, 2013 3 Comments

The moment you take the first bite into a sweet Portuguese egg tart (better known as ‘pastéis de nata, or “cream tarts”’) you know you will be coming back for more. And if Portugal isn’t home, you will make sure to find your nearest Portuguese bakery wherever you may live to get your weekly dosage. I fell in love with natas while living in Switzerland where there is a large Portuguese population resulting in delicious Portuguese bakeries and restaurants. This famous sweet can be found all over the city in Lisbon — and country, and in Portuguese colonies like Brazil, Goa and Macau. But the best place to really taste it is in Lisbon. And the best place to taste it in Lisbon is at Pastéis de Belém in the Belem neighborhood- just a ten minute tram ride from the center of Lisbon. This is where the original and oldest natas recipe can be found. The line up is long yet moves quickly and is well worth the wait. Once at the counter you can point to what you want or just ask for the Pasteis and they will quickly wrap up the warm, sweet and creamy custard tart dusted with sugar and cinnamon in a little blue and white box for you to treasure.

Casa Pastéis de Belém is located at: 84 Rua de Belém

+351-21-363-7423

pasteisdebelem.pt

Asian, Food, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, Sushi, USA

Happy Hour at Yakitori Boy (Philadelphia, USA)

September 7, 2013 No Comments

As some of you probably know by now, I love sushi. It’s the one food that I can never get enough of, and I’m constantly excited about the possibilities it offers up to people. So, when I heard about the Luau Happy Hour event that Yakitori Boy was throwing the other week, my friend, Betty, and I jumped at the chance to go. The opportunity to try some of their food, in addition to getting to sing karaoke there was something I couldn’t say no to.

The event consisted of drinks, hot appetizers, and an array of sushi that all made me drool as I watched them go by on trays held by waiters wearing leis. One of the drinks that I tried that evening was their Cucumber Martini. It was easily one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had and was great for a hot summer night since it was so crisp and refreshing. If I hadn’t already tried a few other drinks at the bar, I probably would have gotten a second one.

Although the drinks definitely impressed me, I’m always more interested in the food anywhere I go. Luckily, Yakitori Boy made an impression with that as well. We had the opportunity to try a handful of their hot appetizers including the Gyoza, Shrimp Tempura, Pork Sausage, and Chicken Meatballs. The Gyoza Dumplings were crunchy on the outside, but had a lot of tender meat on the inside. I definitely grabbed at least one every time the waiter walked by and by the end of the evening, I’m sure he knew they were my favorite.

While I loved the hot appetizers, I couldn’t leave without trying some of their sushi. The roll that made the biggest impact on my opinion of this restaurant was the California Roll. California Rolls are usually the last thing I want to get at any sushi restaurant, but this roll at Yakitori Boy has changed my mind. The roll was surprising because it didn’t taste like the boring, bland California Rolls I usually try, but rather included very fresh ingredients that showed me how a simple roll can still be sensational.

Yakitori Boy is definitely going on my list as one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Philly after this experience. In addition to having quality food, the atmosphere is a lot of fun and the people are friendly. They also run tons of great specials from Sunday to Thursday that are great for my college budget. I imagine I’ll be going back to Yakitori Boy soon, even if it is just to grab another one of those Cucumber Martinis and sing some karaoke.

Food

Happy Labour Day!

September 2, 2013 No Comments

04-P1020189 — Le Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona

Happy Labour day. After two months of eating and traveling my way through Europe, my plane touched down in Newark airport only a few days ago and three hazy jetlag days later I am back at it and ready to blog. I have many tales to tell of my adventure-filled summer like getting lost in the Roman ruins, hiking in the hills of Granada and eating my way through La Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona. Stay tuned for more and enjoy your long weekend.

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