April 2024: It's been a minute....

 Well... it has been a minute since I've posted.  I was recently chatting with a friend and she reviving her own blog, and has invited friends to join in.  I figure I can revive mine as well, and perhaps we can spur each other on.

So brace yourselves - here it comes.  A reimagined blog capturing my love for food and travel.  It will probably morph shapes overtime as I work on redesign, and channeling energy into this.  If any of my readers (do I even have reader's for my semi-defunct blog?) want to contribute, you can guest post.  Hopfully this will eventually be a useful repository of great, unexpected, and joyous food adventures.

So join in, come along, and let's eat!

A noodle house... in Tallahassee

 Well, it finally happened.  I got COVID.  Getting COVID while living alone, and without a fridge or freezer full of already cooked foods isn't ideal. Luckily, I found Midtown Noodles Bar, and even luckier for me - Uber Eats services it.  So I had plenty of ramen and soup while getting loads of rest -- all without contact or the risk of me spreading COVID.

Today, now that I'm testing negative and doing much better, I decided to visit Midtown Noodles in person.  It is wonderful.  It is in an unassuming strip mall, tucked away in a side building in a Publix plaza.  But once inside, the aroma of wonderful soup and noodles delights.  I had a huge bowl of Tonkotsu and boba tea.

Delicious.  I will definitely be back.

Mapo Tofu... and COVID

 Some food reviews are good, and some are... not.

For the past week or so, I've had what feels like a nasty cold.  My throat is sore.  I cough when I talk.  I have difficulty swallowing because it feels like my throat is swollen shut.  I took 4 home COVID tests over the past week or so, and all came back negative.  But apparently the latest strain that is circulating sometimes does that.  So just to be safe, I had a PCR test yesterday (results take 24-48 hours to come back).  

I also really wanted some comfort food for dinner - preferably, that I didn't have to prepare myself.  I wanted Mapo Tofu.  I've been dying for real, authentic, Chinese food since moving away from Atlanta, and leaving my job that involved multiple business trips to China each year (but not before those perks spoiled me and raised the bar on Chinese food for me!).

I found a Chinese/Asian Fusion place here in Tallahassee, it gets decent reviews, and while not fully authentic, their menu showed Mapo Tofu and indicated that it is spicy (as it should be).  I was excited.  This place, Azu, had promise.

As it was served to me, I noticed that sauce looked more brown than red, but I figured it would be only mildly spicy as they probably needed to cater to the local population here in Tallahassee.  And as I ate my dinner I became more and more concerned.  It wasn't very spicy.  It wasn't even mildly spicy.  It had NO spicy or heat profile.  And yet the menu said it should be spicy.  Link to Menu

I packed up my leftovers, and returned to my apartment alarmed.  I had lost my sense of taste.  Surely I had COVID.  This seemed terrible.  I took the day off of work so as not to impact my colleagues and share my germs.  And then... I got my test results back tonight.  Negative.  Which is great.  For me.  But it also means, I will not return to Azu.  Their spicy dish was so bland I thought I'd lost my taste buds.  Cannot recommend.

Ukraine - right in the middle of St. Petersburg, Florida

 I can't bring back this blog without at least a few words about my favorite spots in St. Petersburg, where we've lived for the past 2 1/2 years.

The first place I want to talk about is O'Bistro/Pierogi Bar.  O'Bistro is a neighborhood spot that I think of as a lunch spot (they probably do dinner too), with a bar.  I'm usually the youngest person in there by several decades, but it is dependably decent (but not exciting) food.  That all changed in the recent past.

O'Bistro changed ownership and a local couple, originally from Ukraine, bought the business.  Prior to that they'd been making pierogis out of their home to sell, and they found an incredible amount of support for their business and for Ukraine in general after Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year.  

The invasion is now several months in duration, with no end in sight, and there is a groundswell of support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people all over the US.  The name of this spot is now O'Bistro/Pierogi Bar (I suspect they are easing us into a name change), and they serve pierogis but also other traditional foods from Ukraine.  They have stuffed cabbage (I haven't tried this yet), and borscht.  I tried their borscht (my first borscht ever) and it was AMAZING.  The pierogis are delicious - and they have several varieties.  They even told me that they'll be introducing gluten-free pierogis in the future.  

I highly recommend this little lunch spot.  Its fabulous!

                                   

Post-Covid.... we're back!

Once again, I've stepped away from this blog for longer than I'd even realized.  Life has changed.  My last post was made pre-Covid.  And pre big-move.  I moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in December 2019, and as of June, 2022 am now splitting my time between St. Petersburg and Tallahassee, Florida.

My current job will have me traveling, albeit domestically. And as I get settled in Tallahassee, and continue my explorations of St. Petersburg (and beyond!) it is time to bring back this blog.

So let's start with some of my recent food exploration in Tallahassee.  I've been delighted with the variety of ethnic food options here (more choices than in St. Pete) and I've been exploring and taste-testing my way through the city.

I started my exploration with VeneBites (https://www.venebites.com) a Venezuelan restaurant with amazing homemade arepas.  I loved it and look forward to returning (I didn't manage to snap a picture).

I followed with a meal of jollof at Halisi (https://www.halisiafrica.com).  It was good, though it was described as spicy, and I didn't find it to be so.  Still tasty, and I will certainly return to Halisi again and sample other dishes as well.  This place is a cute little cafe - with food, coffees and teas, and even textiles and other cute items from Africa.

Tonight, I needed to finally bite the bullet and get a desk chair for my apartment, and I stumbled upon a true hole-in-the-wall place.  The windows were frosted preventing a view inside, and the outside said simply "K-BBQ." (https://mykbbq.com)  I decided to take a chance on it, and I'm glad I did.  While the appearance of the restaurant was unassuming, and the menu was very limited it was good.  I got the bi bim bop with a side of kimchi.  The restaurant is only open for carry-out (though there are tables inside, so I assume this is s vestige of Covid).  When I got home and opened my meal, I was really pleased with the variety of vegetables, fried egg, and beef that made up my meal.  (I took a photo of this meal and will try to add it later, but atm the blog app isn't cooperating).

I haven't been able to find any Ethiopian here.  So that is a bummer, but I'm delighted with what I have been able to find.  So for those of you familiar with Tallahassee - where should I eat next?

Homemade noodles, and Xiao Long Bag - I hit the jackpot!

I found an amazing new restaurant near my home today.  It is primarily a noodle shop (the noodles are made in-house), though there are other options too, including homemade Xiao long bao.  I had to try it all!

I highly recommend this restaurant! It is called Xiao's Way Noodle House.  Check it out!

Korea - it is good to be back!

After too long, I've returned to Korea (Seoul to be exact), and am delighted to be here.  I have a favorite optical shop in Seoul (in the Itaewon neighborhood) that I always visit when I'm here, and today, during the 2 hours it took to get 2 new pairs of glasses made, I tried a new coffee shop, and revisited my favorite dumpling spot.

For a little break (and really to cool off, a typhoon came through Korea yesterday, and the humidity and heat today are fierce), I went to Hollys Coffee and ordered based on pictures and Korean text that I am not capable of reading (so really, I ordered by picture).  I wasn't quite sure what I was getting.  But it was delicious!  As it turned out, it was iced coffee, with boba, and a little hot fudge drizzled in. Delicious!

After my coffee break, I walked around Itaewon a bit, and then headed to my old standby, Jonny Dumpling.  No matter how much Itaewon gentrifies and changes, there is something comforting about this little dive restaurant with handmade dumplings remaining exactly the same.

For about $10, I had more lunch than I could possibly eat (by a lot!) - I ordered shrimp/pork dumplings which were half-way pan fried, and half-way steamed.  They were delicious!

And as I was packing up my extra dumplings to snack on a little bit later, I got a text that my glasses were ready for pick-up, so that was the end of my time in Itaewon.  Until next time...

Yes, please...

Dan dan noodles.

9292 Shabu

In my earlier post, I recommended a shabu shabu restaurant, because, well, I thought it was good.  And it was.  But tonight, my husband and I found a place that blows the first one out of the water.  It was clean and modern, more reasonably priced than the first one, and with many more options.

9292 Shabu

Like the first restaurant, 9292 Shabu is a mini hotpot place, which means everyone gets their own hotpot.  I prefer that so that broth preferences (spicy, not spicy, vegetable broth, fish broth, beef broth, etc.) and allergy sensitivities can be individualized.

You pay a flat fee for dinner, which includes all-you-can-eat of their vegetable buffet.  But that buffet is way more than just vegetables (more on that in a moment).  And you can pay an upcharge for a protein of your choice: beef, chicken, shrimp, etc.

Here is the menu:

The buffet itself had all kinds of noodles, root vegetables (I was so excited to see taro root, and lotus root!), various potatoes, mushrooms (4 kinds!), and also some surprises like imitation crab meat, dumplings, pasta with cream sauce, and even hot dogs (I assume for kids).

I snuck some photos of the buffet after I stuffed myself...

In short, I'm a fan!

Metro Atlanta Eats Adventure

I was asked this evening if I had a list of local (to Atlanta) restaurants I would recommend.  That never occurred to me before, but it is true that I am often recommending restaurants to friends, and I have quite a list of favorites.  So this is my attempt to compile a list, and I will do my best to curate and update it (please note that this blog was dead for the past 2 years, so an attempt is not a promise ;)). My list follows.  What would you add?

Bangladeshi food:
Purnima

Chinese food:
Masterpiece (the website says Cantonese, but this is Szechuan food)
Canton House (amazing dim sum)
Gu's Dumplings (I would try anything the Gu family prepared, seriously, but my favorite is the lotus root!)
Gu's Kitchen (OK - full disclosure, I haven't tried it yet, but I loved their now-defunct restaurant and am confident this will be amazing)

Cuban:
Mojitos (family owned, and has 2 locations; the Peachtree Corners location has a stage for live music, and a good mix of performers. Unsurprisingly for a restaurant called Mojitos, the mojitos are good)

Ethiopian:
Bahel (yelp link provided - no website.  There are other better known Ethiopian restaurants, but this one provides more bang for the buck, is family owned and operated, and is just as delicious (probably more so) and less crowded than the others.  I'd choose this one every time.)

Indian:
Zyka (delicious, and the meat is Halal, if that is of interest - get the Chicken 65, and Manchurian Gobi)
Bukharaa

Japanese:
Sushi Osawa (all you can eat, and made to order!)
Wagaya (sushi, and more)

Korean:
Breakers (Korean BBQ)
Woo Nam Jeong (Yelp link provided - no website - great traditional Korean with dim sum cooked by Grandma)
Tasty 21 (mini hot pot in Shabu Shabu style)
Hello Chicken (Korean fried chicken and beer)

Mexican:
Taqueria del Sol (cheap, delicious tacos; queso and salsas are amazing)

New Orleans Style:
The Po' Boy Shop (news article provided - no website - great sandwiches, with authentic bread brought in from NO - get the fries, and plan to share!)

Salad:
Chopt (I know, this category doesn't fit; but after everything else I've listed, I felt compelled to round out my suggestions - great made to order salads with an amazing array of options for what goes in them).

Southern:
Fox Bros. BBQ (amazing, but your clothes WILL smell like BBQ smoke when you leave - you've been warned)
Mary Mac's Tea Room (touristy, but there is a reason this is a classic.  It is good!)

Dessert treats:
Sweet Hut (Korean-style bakery with bubble tea)
Suno Dessert (shaved ice dessert)
Jeni's Ice Cream (so good, this lactose intolerant girl will still eat it - and they have dairy-free options too).

Seafood soup from Pao Pao

A great new Asian restaurant (really kind of pan-Asian, not true to any one country of origin) opened up near my office, and I was dying to try it.  Here is my seafood soup - it was spicy, full of fresh vegetables, and fresh seafood.  My kids were impressed (is impressed the right word?) with the baby octopus, and I thought it was all fantastic, if a bit spicy.

Yum.  Interested in trying it, and near Atlanta?  You can check out the restaurant HERE.  I'm looking forward to going back in the near future.

Maceio

After a busy day of work I shared a wonderful dinner including a strawberry caipirinha and a fish stew with shrimp (served with a side of rice and puréed bananas - not pictured).

Dublin

Today proved too busy for breakfast or lunch (ack!). So I had a coffee and then a treat for dinner at a local pub.

Tapas

Our wandering found a local watering hole with amazing tapas...

Paella

When in Spain...

And some ham for good measure...

La Mafia

Because when given the opportunity to eat in a cafe called La Mafia, I took it.

Risotto with truffle oil, Serrano ham, and an egg...

Madrid!

Today I arrived in Madrid and my wandering and exploration landed me in a champagne bar.

Munchies of sour candies followed by champagne with passion fruit juice and an oyster sampler platter - yum!

A series of photos from Latin America

I'm behind in my posting... so I now share a series of photos from my recent trip through Latin America...

All meetings revolve around coffee (or more aptly, espresso)...

(Brazil)

To counter-act all the espresso, one should indulge in local delicacies... like Chilean Carmenere.  Here I tried a flight of Carmenere (for the record, all were good, but the one of the far right was amazing)...

(Chile)

Sometimes things get mistranslated... (No, I did NOT try the "Critters" -airport Dunkin Donuts are never a good choice, regardless of the country you are in)

(Chile?)

When near the Amazon, one must have Amazonian food and drink.  This is from a restaurant called Amaz, in Lima, Peru:
 


 


And when in Peru, you should really try to learn about Pisco...

(Peru)

And, finally, in Colombia, ajiaco is a can't be missed soup full of local flavor...

(Colombia).

Whew - I'm so full just looking at it all again!

Brazil - Sao Paulo!

Upon arrival to Sao Paulo after a red-eye flight, there were a few necessities to take care of.  A nap, a hot shower, and a hot meal - in that order.

I decided to try out Bella Paulista - a 24 hour Brazilian version of a New York diner (in terms of service, atmosphere, and speed of food.  However, the food was all Brazilian, complete with an amazing bakery selection).  Upon walking in, it seemed to be something akin to a Soup Nazi experience - everyone knew how things worked.  It didn't work like anything I'd seen before, and I quickly decided that my goal was to not make an ass of myself - in other words - figure it out fast, and blend in.

You take a number when you walk in.  This becomes your ID and tab.  You can take food from the bakery counter, or sit down and choose something from the menu, or grab something from the ready-made food section of the coolers.  No matter the choice, your selections are charged to your number, which you then turn in and settle up for before leaving.

I decided to grab a table, and get a hot meal.  The menu was absolutely enormous.  What to choose, what to choose.

Well, when in Rome (or Sao Paulo)...

I selected from the Regional Dishes portion of the menu, and took the Paulistinhia; if it is named after the city, it can't be bad, right?

I had NO idea how huge this meal was about to be.

Also, it was delicious.  Not fancy.  Not the greatest example of culinary skill.  But a solid, local meal of comfort food.  My favorite kind of food - what the locals eat.  I'd asked the hotel's front desk clerk to send me somewhere casual for the kind of food her mother or grandmother would cook for her.  I wanted simple, local cuisine.  This did not disappoint.  The great news, is this place is open 24 hours a day, so I'll try to get back there for a snack (I didn't have any of the baked goods today) before I head out of town.  Here is a link to the diner's page in case any of you want to check it out:  Bella Paulista.