From Old School New England Classics to The Present at Turner's Seafood at Lyceum Hall (Salem, MA)

I was recently invited to check out the newer location of Turner's Seafood up in Salem, MA. Turner's Seafood opened their first seafood restaurant in Melrose over 20 years ago, taking the name of a popular old fisheries that used to supply to the Westin hotel chain. They opened up the Salem location 22 months ago.

Sure, Salem is mostly about the old witch trials and stuff, but I was more excited about this: Turner's Seafood is located at the old Lyceum Hall, which was where Alexander Graham Bell first did his public demonstration of the telephone! That's history right there.

I also love how Turner's Seafood is supporting local businesses, like the Ryan & Wood Distillery in Gloucester, MA. They use this distillery's products in many cocktails, like the Pamplemousse (Beauport vodka, St. Germain, pink grapefruit juice, lemon)

One of the key components of Turner's is the oyster bar. Sure, oyster bars are pretty common now, but when they first launched their oyster bar at their Melrose location 15 years ago, they were one of the few. Turner's still has a leg up, though, boasting one of their staff, Ryan Kripp (middle), the two-time champion of Boston Seafood Festival's Oyster Shucking contest!

Naturally, we started with some fresh oyster: Kumamoto, Pemaquid, and Wellfleet

Followed with broiled Pemaquid oysters with fennel butter

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What I Learned After My Home Was Burglarized

"It could've been worse."

"At least you're OK."
"It's only material things, they can be replaced."

Those were the things I heard most from people after my apartment was broken into. They were all true, but it's still hard to not be upset! But what can I do now? I learned that the cops are pretty much useless when these things happen. The burglary happened on Friday and on Monday they called me saying they're closing the case because there's no lead.

I did at least learn about some things that would be useful to prevent losses in the future, though, short of being more vigilant about your door deadbolts and windows. Here are some things you may want to keep in mind to protect your belongings.

1. Your "Track My iPhone" function may be useless. They had stolen my iPad, but since they turned it off, there's no way to track where it is. Useless! Instead, I found out about Tile, a small tracking device you can put in your fancy handbags, or attach it to your valuable electronics, and track with your phone.
I'm getting one of these from Amazon next time I get an expensive bag: Tile (Gen 2) - Phone Finder. Key Finder. Item Finder  - 4 Pack - Save 30%
Not to say you shouldn't use Track My iPhone. You still should, you never know. If the thieves were amateurs, that might have helped. If you use it, at least you can set your iPad to erase itself the next time it connects to a network, thereby protecting your digital data.

2. Your credit card may have a Purchase Protection plan. I found out that my Chase United visa card actually has a purchase protection against theft for items bought within 120 days, and they may reimburse up to $10,000 per claim! That would've really helped except most of the valuable stuff they stole I purchased 2 years ago or more. Still, good to know for the future. Keep in mind you normally have to file the claim within 48 hours of the theft occurring.
For me, I'll be sure to buy expensive things only with credit cards that have purchase protection from now on, and I'm liking my Chase United visa more (btw, if you sign up for the card now, you can get a bonus 30,000 miles)

3. Get renter's insurance. I didn't have one. I never thought of having one. Wish I had. My roommate has one of the cheapest plan, and although in her case she's still responsible for a $500 deductible, this may be worthwhile depending on just how much was stolen. Note that if your roommate has one, it will not cover your belongings!

4. The only other thing the cops would do is to register the serial numbers of your electronics as stolen property. Sometimes, they might pop up somewhere if it's being sold. Unlikely, but there's a chance. If you're like me, though, you wouldn't keep the box and won't have the serial numbers. As for your iPhone and iPads, if you've registered them on iCloud, Apple can help you retrieve this. In fact, you can log on to your iCloud profile and see your devices and their serial numbers.
I had purchased my iPad from Target, and they can actually retrieve the proof of purchase if you can tell them when, where, and how much your purchase was for. Luckily, I had all the information on my credit card statements. The proof of purchase had the serial number on it.

Pulqueria Las Duelistas in Mexico City, DF

Let's talk about pulque. Pulque is a traditional Mexican drink made by fermenting the sap of certain agave plants, namely the maguey plant. It's alcoholic (but low in alcohol) and used to be drunk during rituals, but now you can pulquerias around Mexico. A great example that you should visit is Pulqueria Las Duelistas in Mexico City near Mercado San Juan. This place has been around for more than 80 years. Oh, and they're open from 10 am and yes, they only serve pulque (and snacks to go with it), because day drinking is awesome.

No one knows when pulque was invented - it's been around for thousands of years. Pulque is viscous and a bit sour. It may be a bit of an acquired taste, but I really liked it!

Sugar and natural flavorings are typically added to the sap to slow down its fermentation, since if it's fermented too much, it's no longer drinkable. At Las Duelistas, you can get it in fruit flavors like guava, coconut, pineapple, etc.

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Brunch at Toca Madera (West Hollywood, CA): Churro Waffles and Boozy Popsicles

Looking for a new brunch place around West Hollywood? Head to Toca Madera and its plush lounges for two things: churro waffles and boozy popsicles.

You can get the churro waffle on its down, dusted with cinnamon sugar (which is more churro-like), or get it as a Chicken and Waffle (chipotle chicken strips, churro waffle, served with honey butter, maple syrup, tangy hot sauce, $16)

On a hot day, definitely get one of the Adios Felisha (Don Julio tequila, cucumber, mint, tajin, seasonal paleta - $15 each)

We had a mango and a strawberry when we went, and they made the perfect desserts. The paleta themselves were quite good, very refreshing!

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The Terrace at The Forum Offers More Pre-Show Eats

Heading to The Forum for a show? You can now come early and have dinner and drinks before the show at The Terrace, now open with more food vendors like Loteria Grill and Pink's Hot Dogs. I was recently invited there to check out The Terrace and watch a show with REO Speedwagon and Boston.

The Terrace wraps around The Forum and you'll find stations serving food and drinks along the way. I went around until I found Loteria Grill.

Yes, my favorite pick of what to eat here would be Loteria Grill's tacos (they also have quesadillas).

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Michael Serpa's Select Oyster Bar (Boston, MA)

When Michael Serpa, the chef who headed the kitchen at wildly popular Neptune Oyster, left to start a new restaurant, all seafood lovers should follow.

Chef Michael Serpa

Michael Serpa recently opened Select Oyster Bar in Back Bay. This restaurant is slightly bigger than Neptune, but still intimate. Less casual, yet still serving great seafood - both raw and cooked, with a nice list of cocktails, beer, and wine.

We started with some Dayboat scallop (from New Bedford, MA) ceviche. So fresh and I love the crunchy texture that the peppers added!

Of course, there are plenty of local oysters. We went with a couple each of the Island Creek, Wellfleet, and Pemaquid

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Hunting for the Best Shave Ice in Kauai

Summer. Hawaii. What could be better on those hot days on the island than Hawaiian shaved ice?? I was in Kauai for a total of 5 days and I tried one shave ice per day.

My first stop was the town of Kapaa on the drive up to the North Shore.

Ono Ono Shave Ice
4-1292 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa

My first stop was a great stop. The portion is huuge and the texture of the shave ice is so fluffy and airy! I got the tropical flavors with a snow cap and it certainly satisfied my craving for shave ice. A shack tucked around the corner of a strip mall, this feels like the quintessential Hawaiian shave ice spot.

The Fresh Shave
3540 Koloa Road, Lawai

This vintage trailer doles out healthier and fun versions of shave ice with syrup made with all natural and fresh ingredients and no high fructose corn syrup. Other than the usual fruit syrups they also offer flavor combos like chai or a cold brew coffee with cream, or a coconut flavor topped with chia seeds. Hipster shave ice! The menu changes regularly and they want you to refer to Instagram for the latest. They're only open Wed-Sat from 11am-3pm but they do run out of popular flavors, so come early to get your pick. This is definitely worth a try, especially if you're getting tired of the usual type of shave ice.

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Kauai, Hawaii

Best Cheap Eats in Kauai

Best Shaved Ice in Kauai

Fried Chicken and Donuts at Do-Rite (Chicago, IL)

Angelenos already know the name Jeff Mahin from the great burrata and pizza at Stella Barra (and DC and Maryland folks are familiar with his Summer House Santa Monica), but few have been lucky enough to try his donuts. Jeff Mahin's Do-Rite Donuts are currently only in Chicago, unfortunately for those of us who don't live there.

My favorite donut there so far: Cinnamon crunch raised donut. This donut has layers of cinnamon streusel hiding within!

The raised dough itself had a great texture that I really liked, but the key for me, a cinnamon lover, is obviously all the cinnamon streusel I keep discovering with each bite.

The Erie St location of Do-Rite also serves various fried chicken sandwiches. I had a hard time choosing what do order (Chef Mahin's favorite is the spicy fried chicken), but I finally decided on The CBR (fried chicken with bacon and cheddar on brioche)

A nice, filling sandwich for only $5.99. The chicken was tender and the breading was really crispy. Even with the fried chicken and crisped bacon, the sandwich wasn't greasy and nicely held together by the buttery brioche bun. Oh, they also have fried chicken sandwiches using glazed donuts as buns, if you are so inclined!

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Cheebo on Sunset (Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA)

Cheebo has been around on Sunset Blvd for a while, and their free wifi and all day menu seems to draw a few people either working on their laptops or having meetings there. The decor is colorful, fun, and a bit kitschy.

For appetizer, you must get the Polenta tots with pomodoro sauce ($9)

These fluffy fried polenta were addictive, they're way better than regular tater tots!

If you don't feel like getting a big entree, Cheebo has a big selection of salads and sandwiches, like this B.L.T.A (nitrate free bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado ($12))

I took half on the plane with me, and it was perfect!

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Brunch at Myers and Chang (Boston, MA)

Myers + Chang is one of the most popular restaurants in Boston, with Joanne Chang's Asian-inspired small plates. I finally made it there for brunch with a group of friends. Since there was a vegetarian mong us, we ordered the Wok-roasted wild mushroom omelet ($7)

This was a great breakfast dish, so savory and satisfying.

We also got two different dumplings: Mama Chang's Pork and Chive ($6) and edamame wasabi ($6)

Surprisingly, I actually liked the vegetarian edamame gyozas better. The pork dumplings were good but the edamame wasabi is more special and unique. Just like the mushroom omelet earlier, I enjoyed the vegetarian dishes here quite a bit.

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WHISK Monthly Pop-Ups at Fazenda Cafe (Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA)

Whisk, a pop-up restaurant run by chefs Jeremy Kean and Philip Kruta that has been going around Boston, has purchased Fazenda Cafe in Jamaica Plain. They're making changes slowly and still serving Fazenda coffee so loyal cafe customers would not lose their regular place, but they've added some new items and once a month they run a pop-up dinner. For the dinner, Whisk tries to serve produce from within 20 miles of Boston, as much as possible. I attended one recently themed "WHISKy Ramen".

We'll get to the ramen soon, but let's first start with some Island Creek oysters, cucumber ice, raspberry, wild onion ($12 for 6)

Followed by more oysters! You can't have too many oysters. Roasted oysters and biscuits, whipped apples, forager's butter, nasturtium, poppy ($15 for 3)

The roasted oysters were amazing and I loved the whipple apple and butter on top of the biscuits. A great combo.

Watermelon & Thatcher Ricotta, blue basil, husk tomato, flowers ($12)

The perfect summer salad. This is one I could eat every day in this warm weather, with a light ricotta, the aroma of herbs, and sweet watermelon and tomatoes. A lot of the produce in this bowl and other dishes came from Red Fire Farm in Granby, MA and Eva's Garden in Dartmouth.

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A Calgary Food and Art Tour (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

I visited Calgary for the first time (OK, second time, but the first time was only for 2 hours so that doesn't count) earlier this summer. A great way to explore the city and especially its dining scene is to join Calgary Food Tours. I got a blogger discount through the Calgary Tourism Board so I took my cousins along! There are a few different tours you can choose from and in different areas of Calgary - I chose the Palette to Palate tour since it combined both food and viewing art in the surrounding area.
The meeting point was Hotel Arts in the downtown area, an appropriate place for an art tour.

Calgarians love their horses

Hotel Arts displays quite a few interesting modern art throughout the first floor - many of them are local artists from the Alberta area. Our guide (a lovely former Texan called Regan) took us through some of them, discussing the background and meaning of each.

For our first food stop, we stopped at Yellow Door Bistro, which was inside the Hotel Arts. Chef Duncan Ly from Yellow Door prepared some of the best carbonara pasta our group has ever had, topped with crispy pancetta and crisped basil leaves. The sweet, local tomatoes cut the richness of the dish.

They paired this with an Australian Sauvignon Blanc, which was quite nice.

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Rick Bayless Opens Red O in Santa Monica

by guest blogger @btsunoda

Celebrity chef  Rick Bayless, recently extended his LA base of operations to include another Red O. Located on picturesque Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, it’s just a hop skip and a jump from the iconic Santa Monica Pier.

A pre-grand opening party was recently held there. The menu is similar to their original location on Melrose: appetizers, ceviche and raw bar, soups and salads, steak and seafood, other entrees and sides. Thanks to corn being the staple starch in Mexican food, almost everything on their menu is gluten free.

The interior is modern chic. Premium tequila and mezcal bottles attractively line the walls.
During the party, an impressive “Red O” tower of seafood commanded the interior.
  
It was surrounded by two different types of Mexican ceviche, oysters on the half shell and crab legs.

One of my favorites that evening was the Shrimp & Calamari Ceviche.   

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Guide to Cheap Eats in Kauai

A vacation in Hawaii isn't cheap. The flight is expensive, the hotel is expensive, and the food is expensive ... but it doesn't have to be. There are many local restaurants and shops were you can get affordable, delicious food! Here are some of my suggestions for cheap (for Hawaii) food in Kauai, the Garden Island. The guide below is separated by neighborhoods, and there is something in each side of the island!

EAST KAUAI: Lihue / Kapa'a


Hamura Saimin
2956 Kress St, Lihue


In Hawaii, it's not about ramen - it's about saimin. Originally a Chinese noodle soup, the Hawaiian saimin receives influence from other cultures like Japan and Filipino. Hamura is a simple eatery that is popular with the locals, especially late at night - they're open until midnight on the weekends. A small size of regular saimin is less than $6 or you can get the special saimin for $8, topped with wontons, boiled egg, roast pork, fish cakes, ham, and vegetables. Slurp away but save room for the lilikoi chiffon pie ($3.25 per slice).



Plantation Coffee Co
2970 Kele St, Lihue



This little coffee shop is hidden in a nondescript office building off the main street in Lihue, but it's a great place to grab breakfast or some sandwiches for the road. They serve good coffee and even use coffee ice cubes for their iced coffee. Try their popular sandwiches like the chicken mac nut or wabi sabi (pictured, a tuna salad with wasabi sandwich topped with tomatotes and sprouts). A sandwich combo with chips, cookies, and a drink costs $9.

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The Beautiful Revamp of Esterel at Sofitel LA

Esterel Restaurant inside the Sofitel hotel in Beverly Hills just had a major renovation, and its patio dining area is worth a second look. From this gorgeous bar with the romantic lights and vines in the background  ...

... to the covered outdoor dining area. It's a charming spot that would be perfect for dates.

The inside dining room also feels more casual and open than the previous setup.

The menu is relatively small and simple, but the food is done very well here. We got the Lamb Meatballs ($13) served atop couscous.

Followed by Pan-seared scallops ($17) which were fresh and cooked just right. I love the texture of seared scallops when they're done well.

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La Tostaderia: A Cut Above

by guest blogger @iam_robot

There’s more that meets the eyes to this tiny booth inside Grand Central Market than its namesake tostada – imagine everything you like in a seafood and amplify that sea flavor with fresh salsa verde, chipotle cream sauce, or crème fraiche. I saw the menu and I was dancing with joy! Situated strategically near the entrance and across from Belcampo Meat, Fernando Villagomes (of carnitas fame Las Morelianas) and Chef Sandra Felix (formerly Campanile) are serving up modern ceviche, tacos, and tostadas utilizing traditional recipe and fresh seafood from Baja and the Pacific Coast.

Expect to see thick slices of halibut, wild Mexican shrimp or grilled octopus swimming in a sea of yuzu juice, verde, or habanero sauce. Progressive yet refined and traditional in flavors. Other than the bright neon mermaid sign, there’s nothing in this stall that’d suggest this is a ritzy joint. Instead, the vibe here feels like your favorite cafeteria with its black and blue ceramic tiles, chalkboard menus, and 12 counter chairs. Bring a friend and grab a Michelada from Las Morelianas, I think you could have a memorable Mexican feast for under $30. Here are a few of my favorite things from the menu:

Sarandeado Shrimp Tacos: sautéed shrimp, seasonal veggies, salsa verde and chipotle cream sauce

Generous serving of sautéed shrimp contrasts nicely against the bright salsa verde and sweet caramelized onion. The chipotle cream sauce adds tang and cooling underneath. Definitely one of the more delicious tacos I’ve tried in LA.

Corvina Fish Tacos: corn tortilla, avocado purée, pork cracklings, salsa verde, and pickled red onions.

Another winner! Fish is skillfully fried to golden brown perfection while the zing of the salsa verde meshed delightfully with inherent sweetness of the avocado puree and red onions. I appreciate the addition of pork cracklings here, it adds saltiness and crunchiness to the party.

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$1 Oysters and $2 Grilled Cheese at Dante (Cambridge, MA)

Having graduated from a lowly paid graduate student to a still-lowly-paid postdoc, I'm always on the hunt for cheap food! Cambridge is not known for that, but you can still eat cheaply with a view of the Charles River to boot. How? Head to Dante at the Royal Sonesta hotel on Tuesday early evenings.

See, Dante serves $1 oysters everyday from 4-6pm. I went with a friend once and splurged on some Moon Shoal oysters. The oysters here are fresh and cleaned properly.

If that's not enough, on Tuesdays, Dante also offers $2 grilled cheese in the bar and lounge area.

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