Izakaya...The Japanese Neighborhood Bistro?...And a Cookbook

No, I am not adding Tokyo Saturdays to Tokyo Thursdays. I did mention Izakaya this week but did not go into much details about.It just happens that I just read Liquor store where you linger by Mark Robinson in today's FT that covers the same topic. He suggests that comparing...

Love Argentina and its Wines: 'Vines of Mendoza' combines local tourism info ...

While looking for some details on the Philip Schell Malbec, I found out about Vines of Mendoza.It was launched in 2005 by two gringos, tech executives Michael Evans and David Garrett with guidance from local guy Pablo Gimenez.They combine online wine club and information...

Le Beaulieu Restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam travel guide

There are lunchtime buffets in Hanoi and then there is the Sofitel Metropole’s "open kitchen". As one of the finest hotels in South East Asia, the Metropole is often thought of as being too expensive, even before people have checked the price, so I felt vindicated seeing...

Size is not everything, Gospel of Cooking according to Jason Atherton at 'Maz...

Some restaurants (and diners) in the US think that the more you pile up on a plate, ingredient and portion wise, the better it is. The end result is more often that nothing stands out, the distinctive flavors fight with each other or one of them buries the rest. In my...

Kill the Restaurant...Go Speakeasy...'Good' Bites

Even though my visit to the Whisk and Ladle was related to CoWorking and not Culinary reasons, I thought the idea of Speakeasy eateries interesting.  As Ligaya Mishan reminds us via her Stimuli Food Pages in Good Magazine, under the radar food joints exist in Cuba...

And I thought I stressed too much! 'Anxiety at the table' changed my mind

I am not the most relaxed person at times. I tend to think that I stress too much. After reading When Anxiety is at the Table by Jeff Bell (NY Times), I realized that at any rate I would rate as a mild case of anxiety. The article details how 'restaurants can trigger...

Tip Us on Your Restaurants Hits & Rip Offs for Valentine's Day

It is fine to have The Guardian (Nibbles)  offer suggestions  of a few places in the UK worth a visit on February 14 for some Food of Love.  For those of us who do not live in the UK that will not be much help.  This inspired me to ask everyone who has a...

$2,000 Seven Course Meal at 'Vivat Bacchus' in London

Wondering what to do with some of that still fat bonus you just got, fly first class to London (or book a private jet) and treat yourself to a $2,000 Seven Course Menu at Vivat Bacchus.  Could not find what this pricey special (and wine pairing) consists of.  More...

Spicy Valentine: From Yam Mamuang to Bouquet of Happiness at 'Blue Elephant' ...

If your better half or love interest does not mind mixing the sweet and the spicy and you happen to be in London for Valentine's Day, try Thai food at the Blue Elephant.Main Dish:  In the health department, Nok Himmapan (ostrich, deep fried taro, onion and cashew nuts)...

What's Going On in Chicago, New York, San Francisco? Visit 'EveryBlock' and F...

New kid on the block of online information sources, EveryBlock launched on January 23rd.  I would not call it a guide rather a source of local information on restaurant inspections, crime reports, housing issues (building permits and violations), business reviews and a...

1 Michelin Star for 'Sportsman' in Kent, 4 Stars for its Homemade Sea Salt & ...

Jay Rayner congratulates Stephen Harris of The Sportsman (a pub by the sea, in Kent, UK) on his freshly delivered 1st Michelin Star at Word of Mouth  You have to praise someone who Jay Rayner tells us "makes salt from buckets of water lifted from the shore. He uses it to...

Soup Kitchen...The Book...Recipes that will keep you warm

Know something better than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter night!  Everything does not need to be brand spanking new to be of interest as the recent publication in English of classic '1080 Recipes: The Spanish Home Cooking Bible' has proved.  Released in 2005,...

What's next? Soup Kitchen for Investment Bankers (after Soup Kitchen for Writ...

What's next Soup Kitchens for Investment Bankers (in New York and London) and Hedge Fund Managers (in Greenwich, Connecticut).  Being on the East Coast, I might not have paid as much attention as those in California to the welfare of striking Hollywood writers. While...