Marrying Elegance and First Nations Culture at Wendake and Restaurant La Traite (Quebec, Canada)

Wendake in Quebec is a special place. Wendake is the reservation of the Hurons-Wendat people, who have built a hotel, museum, and restaurant of the First Nations people (Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations). While the Native Americans in the USA tend to have casinos as their means of income, Wendake is very different. It's an elegant hotel that I feel really embodies the values and traditions of the first nations people, while incorporating modern comforts and amenities.

The primary draw for me, of course, is the restaurant La Traite, which serves a modern take on first nations cuisine. We first made our way to the lounge for a tasting of their signature cocktails, which are named after the biggest clans of the Huron-Wendat. Some of these contain traditional ingredients like wild blueberries or labrador tea, and one is made with Ungava gin, a Canadian gin made with many unusual, traditional herbs!

Since it's too difficult the type out the names with the proper accents, here's a photo of the cocktail menu:

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The First Pig Roast at The Gallows (South End, Boston, MA)

The popular South End spot, The Gallows, recently held their first family-style Pig Roast on April 4. The event was successful so hopefully we will see more of it!
This was actually my first time at The Gallows, and I like the themed decorations like the ouija board on the wall.

The Pig Roast was $30 per person for a lot of great food, as you will see shortly!

When we got seated, we were served popcorn. First I thought it was bacon caramel popcorn, but even better - it was popcorn with cracklings! I kind of just went for the cracklings.

Everyone also gets sweet cornbread and sweet tea.

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Romantic Cavatina Heats Up The Sunset Marquis

A romantic, quiet outdoor dining just off of the Sunset Strip, Cavatina is currently flying under the radar. It's surprising that not more people know about this restaurant, which offers a solid menu of both food and wine.

 

Not a lot of people know about this restaurant that is hidden inside the Sunset Marquis hotel, but it offers a gorgeous outdoor dining experience. Get a table on the outside that overlooks the man-made waterfall for a more romantic setting.

Cavatina's cuisine is originally headed by James Beard winning Chef and Restaurateur Michael Schlow who has a restaurant empire on the East Coast. I've previously had a great lunch experience at Cavatina, but now I returned to try the dinner menu. The evening provided a very different ambiance as well!

Lamb meatballs, tomato, cumin, pine nuts ($12)

It's nice that the tomato sauce here doesn't overpower the flavors of the meatballs themselves.

Homemade potato chips ($7) with green chile onion dip - this one's a mainstay on the menu that I've had during lunch before.

Yellowtail, cucumber agua chile, pickled persimmon, masago ($19), a light and refreshing dish that highlights the texture of the yellowtail.

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An Authentic Izakaya Experience at Izakaya Ittoku (Boston, MA)

If you've met me in real life, you may have heard me complain about the lack of good ethnic food in Boston (with the exception of Brazilian and Jamaican food). Well, that's not quite true, because at least there is one authentic izakaya. Izayaka Ittoku in Allston offers what is probably the only authentic izakaya experience in Boston, with a large menu, great food, and cheap beer pitchers!

On top of the already large menu, they sometimes have special dishes, like this stir fried squid with green onions. So good we ordered another helping.

Agedashi tofu ($5.75) - a classic, of course.

Cucumber sunomono, another great dish to share and a great palate cleanser in between other plates.

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Literary-Themed Spring Cocktails at Kings Row Gastropub (Pasadena, CA)

I have to admit, I hadn't really bothered looking at the cocktail menu at Kings Row Gastropub in Old Town Pasadena before, after all, it's a beer bar, right? Well, I was wrong. Kings Row Gastropub actually has a solid cocktail menu - one of the best in Pasadena - thanks to bartender Zulma Cobain.

Just like previous menus, her new spring cocktail menu is literary-themed. See how many titles/references you can pick out!

The menu starts out from the lighter ones:
Infinite Jest (Pisco Capurro, sugar, Pimm's No 1, lemon juice, raspberries, bitters)

A very appropriate thirst quencher to start a spring tasting, and great for all Pimm's fans.
(The name is a title of David Foster Wallace's book).

Spring & All (Old Forrester, Averna, passionfruit, lemon)

Spring is a time for fruits and flowers, after all, and the passionfruit goes perfectly with bourbon. Zulma's cocktails are not overly sweet and were all well balanced. 

(Spring and All is a poetry book by William Carlos Williams)

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Top 7 Eats in Maui, Hawaii

This past December, I took my mom on a trip to Maui - it was a trip that I won on an Instagram contest from Expedia. Yes, people do win contests! This is proof! But keep in mind you'd have to pay taxes on it ... that caught me by surprise this tax season. But hey, it was still a cheap trip to Maui, and of course I spent most of it eating (and driving The Road to Hana)!

Here are my top 7 picks on the island of Maui:

1. Ululani's Shave Ice
I had Ululani's for the first time on my previous trip to Maui and I was wowed by their shaved ice. The flavors of the syrups, made from real fruits, and the texture of the ice ... It was the best shaved ice I've had then. Now, after finally visiting Kauai, I would still say Ululani's is the best in all of Hawaii!


2. Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop
Leoda's is another popular spot, known for the pies and sandwiches. It's hard to tell you what the best pie here is - it all depends on your preferences, but all in all they make excellent pies! As always, my favorite is the banana cream pie, but I have an obsession with banana cream pies (I blame it on Apple Pan).

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Thirst Boston Celebrates New England Cocktail Culture on May 20-23, 2016

There are so many great cocktail bars in Boston, and what better way to explore them all (plus more New England bars) than at Boston's cocktail week, Thirst Boston? Well, lucky you, the next Thirst Boston is coming up soon on May 20-23 of 2016.

Thirst Boston took a hiatus but the last one in 2014 was a fun whirlwind of events! Here are some of what you can expect to happen this year, plus a recap of last year's events:

This year's opening night gala (dubbed The Thing) will take place at The Hampshire House. In addition to Boston's top bartenders, the winner of the Best Home Bartender competition will also get to showcase his/her drink here! If you're interested in entering this competition, you can still apply until April 1 (get the info here).

The gala is a night of extravaganza where cocktail lovers and bartenders don their finest garb and dance the night away - helped by live music and more than enough bar stations manned by the city's finest bartenders.

Another confirmed event is State Lines on Saturday evening, in which great bars from all over New England will hold pop-ups throughout the city!

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Superstar chefs at the sixth annual Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival, April 8-10

by guest blogger @btsunoda

Superstar chefs Cat Cora, Ricardo Zarate, Valerie Gordon, and Suzanne Tracht are among the lineup for the sixth annual Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival, April 8-10, 2016

The three-day festival, held in the heart of Palm Desert’s famed El Paseo shopping district, is produced by Palm Springs Life magazine in conjunction with co-producers Tony Marchese and Dominic Peterson. The Festival begins Friday, April 8 with a four-course gourmet luncheon, expertly prepared by celebrity chefs and served in an elegantly-appointed tent. The luncheon is followed by two days of Grand Tastings, featuring delectable morsels from more than 40 restaurants, created by renowned chefs from all across California. More than 70 premium wines and champagnes will be offered. In addition there will be 20 live cooking demos.

I recently attended a media tasting event and was able to preview some of the tasty bites, wine and liqueurs that will be served.

A sampling of premium beer and wines were available for us to taste. The Kenwood Yulupa Cuvée Brut was a well balanced sparkling wine with hints of fresh peach. It was a great way to invigorate my palate for what I was about to sample.

Executive chef Engin Onural from The Venue Sushi Bar and Sake Lounge in Palm Desert prepared 3 offerings of common menu items: sunomono, ceviche and California roll. Last December, Best Chefs of America bestowed the title of “Best Chef” to Onural.

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Going Berserk with The Rick Reuben Burger at Grill 'Em All

by guest blogger @iam_robot

By now I trust you all have heard of Grill 'Em All's extravagant burgers. Since its opening as a food truck 6 years ago, Grill 'Em All has been known to serve the masses with daily fix of beastly-looking burgers and loud heavy metal. A few years ago, I remember getting a Behemoth Burger (BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, pickles, bacon and beer soaked onions on grilled-cheese buns) during Venice art walk First Fridays could be a 2-hour ordeal and it almost seemed like a miracle when its impresarios, Chef Ryan Harkins and Matthew Chernus, opened up a brick-mortar shop in Alhambra (of all places) sometime in 2013. I knew when I saw them won $50,000 from the first season of The Great Food Truck Race, they’d do something extraordinary.

The colorful storefront – located strategically on the busy streets of Alhambra between Main St and Valley Blvd – tucked subtly between Menchie’s Yogurt and Applebees. Walking inside the shop, my first impressions were of the loud heavy metal blares and the gluttonous smell of sizzling meat and bacon. I couldn’t help but notice the long chalkboard menu showing their eclectic burger offerings: Chili-topped burger, peanut-butter-jelly & bacon burger, waffle buns & fried chicken sandwich, champagne hollandaise burger, etc. 

But today, I’m not eating any of those – I’m getting something BIGGER and BETTER. Finally, I had the chance to devour The Rick Reuben aka Hornswoggle, a St Patrick’s Day themed burger with Beer Braised Kraut, House Corned Beef, Thousand Island & Swiss on a Half Pound Burger with Caraway Topped Buns. This burger is available throughout the month of March.

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Cafe de Boston: A Boston Lunch Spot for Literally Everyone

Looking for a good lunch spot in the Financial District that will keep everyone happy, from your big group of friends or your coworkers? Make sure Cafe de Boston is on your radar. It's a big space with multiple stations, from salad station to prepared food buffet to other stations making pizza, pasta, crepes, sandwiches, and many more. There are desserts of all manners, coffee drinks, free wifi and power outlets at plenty of the seats in the cafe section!

The owner had a couple other Middle Eastern restaurants in downtown Boston, so one of the most popular items at Cafe de Boston is the kebabs - from lamb shish kebab to chicken kofte kebab, which you can get both as a wrap and a plate. This restaurant is also actually halal, they do not use any pork - even the ham is made of turkey.

The menu for the hot buffet rotates. You might find falafels, hummus, chicken wings. There is always something for everyone, no matter what your food restriction is.

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The Best Tiramisu in Venice, Italy: I Tre Mercanti

I love tiramisu. I've loved tiramisu ever since I can remember having eaten tiramisu. Tiramisu is supposedly invented in 1969 in Treviso, near Venice, so I figured being in Venice got me close enough to hunt for a great one. An online search turned up I Tre Mercanti as a potential contender.

This cute little shop sells tiramisu, macarons, wines, olive oils and other sundries.

But of course, I'm here for the tiramisu. Multiple tiramisus, in fact. I Tre Mercanti has many flavors of tiramisu, from the classic (coffee), mango, amaretto, pistachio. They claim that they make them fresh every hour, and when they do you can actually see the action through the window.

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Inn At Richmond and Equestrian Center: A Place of Celebration

I've visited The Berkshires in the fall, but I finally made my first foray out here in the winter time. The Berkshires is quiet in the winter, but that also makes for a relazing, tranquil getaway. I love this winter sunset view.

This time, I stayed at Inn at Richmond, set in a colonial style home dating back to the 18th century. This inn is close to Hancock Shaker Village and the Bousquet Ski Area.

My room was a charming suite in the main building. The second room has a pull-out sofa bed.

The inn has multiple rooms and suites, and even private cottages complete with a kitchen that are perfect for families.

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Cooking with Community Servings, Plus: Touring Boston Public Market

Most Bostonians already know about Boston Public Market as a great place to shop for produce and prepared foods, but did you know about The KITCHEN that sits in the back of the market? The KITCHEN is a demonstration kitchen space that serves community teaching and learning. The Trustees have partnered with a number of partners to provide classes, workshops, and more. These programs range from baking classes, yoga classes presented by REI, and weekly seasonal tastings with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. I recently attended a preview of a cooking demonstration with Community Servings where we made a sweet potato lentil soup. 

Community Servings is a great non profit organization that prepares and delivers nutritious meals to critically ill patients (and sometimes the family they have to provide for). Each meal takes into account the patients' illnesses and the dietary restrictions that come with them.

Appropriately, the classes they will be holding at The Kitchen are titled: "Food Heals: Taste Your Way to Better Health with Community Servings". These classes will be on March 19 (11 AM - 1:30 PM) and June 23 (11:30 AM - 1:30 PM). These classes will teach how to prepare nutritious meals and how they can improve health.

Chef Kevin Conner came up with this sweet potato lentil soup when he had to make a meal for someone who was vegetarian, diabetic and in need of a high protein meal.

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A Food and Drinking Crawl Through Grand Case (Saint Martin)

Grand Case, on the French side of Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin, is the gourmet capital of the island. Naturally, I had to spend some time there during my vacation! We had dinner plans at one of the top rated restaurants, but ended up food crawling our way down!

The first place we saw was this little crepe shack on the side of the main road (Boulevarde de Grand Case). Both times I passed by the little crepe shack I was too stuffed. I'm regretting it. You guys should try it and let me know what I missed out on.

Across the street from the crepe shack is our first stop, Calmos Cafe. We went there to drink and let our lunch digest.

Calmos Cafe is a popular bar/cafe on the beach.

By on the beach, I mean lterally on the beach! Grab the best tables which sit on the sand, right next to the water! I could feel the waves on my toes.

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Charcuterie and Vegetables Showcase at BISq (Cambridge, MA)

The popular Bergamot Restaurant opened a more casual sister restaurant near my apartment in Inman Square. I had walked past BISq many times in Inman Square, and I finally had the perfect opportunity to try it when I saw a Groupon for a 6-course tasting menu for $30 per person! I hadn't used Groupon for a while but recently I took a look around and saw that they actually have some great restaurant deals in Boston. I convinced my roommate to join me for dinner one night.

Our tasting menu starts off with some grilled avocado, grapefruit, frisee, salumi jam, peppercorn vinaigrette

I love avocado so this was a great starter for me, but the star of the dish was really the salumi jam. Yes, really, it's "jam" made with salumi instead of fruits!

Herb-marinated beets, raita, fennel, sunflower seed granola

It was unusual to have beets paired with spicy flavors as in this dish.

King oyster mushroom carpaccio, queso verde, red cabbage, peanuts, omelette, soy-ginger dressing 

This was my favorite dish of the night. A thin slice of king oyster mushroom is topped with small cubes of egg omelette, peanuts, and a bold queso verde.

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