Last week I spent a couple of night in Madrid where even in near-winter we stayed out until 1am (on a school night!) I love that when I'm in the taxi going home the town is still full of life. The only life I might encounter at home at that hour is a hungry wild boar.
My colleagues and I enjoyed a drink at the rooftop bar at the Mercado San Anton (in Spanish) and contemporary Spanish cuisine at La Kitchen. Thanks to my hosts and I'll let the photos say the rest!
Last month I went to New York last month for my brother's wedding. The city was as it's best - beautiful weather that bought out the best in everyone. I spent some early, jet-lagged mornings wandering around Midtown and just enjoying being there. My visit was short - only 2 1/2 days - so besides the nuptials the only thing on my to-do list was to eat at Momofuku. Why? Because what can be better than a bowl of noodles with a little down-home kick?
My mom bought me David Chang and Peter Meehan's book which tells the story of Chang's development as a chef, his philosophy and the story behind Momofuku. I found his mix of passion and creativity inspiring and really wanted to try it out. There's not many people in the world who can marry the Southern cuisines with the Asian ones. As he says himself in the book, he was surprised at how successful the restaurant is, and now it's not just one but a Group. We went to the original and ate:
Pork buns (above)
Cold noodles with smoked brisket
One of the most beautiful Spring dishes ever: Ruby Shrimp with Green Olive, Radish and Cucumber
A French-inspired dish of rabbit paté, frissée salad and a dijon sauce.
All of of it was amazing and I found that incredible - the no-reservations place was packed at 7pm on a Friday and these guys were turning out perfect dishes one after another. As soon as a table emptied it was taken again and the kitchen just kept on going. I love that the food was amazing and yet totally accessible - it was easy just to go and hang out. No fancy clothes or fancy interior (though well designed for it's purpose). All I can say that if you get the chance: Go.
I posted on Facebook the moment I got home - Magali's is closing! I was in shock and honestly upset. Today I'm resigned and even took Boo there for a last visit before she closes for good on Sunday. We acted as if it was just another day - not the last day.
What made Magali's so great for me? It certainly wasn't the decor - everyone agrees it wasn't great. I do prefer the pastries compared to the competition - they are just buttery yummy. And the famous bugnes. What was great was that it was a bakery/café - in other words: A coffee shop. This might seem strange since France (Valbonne included) is full of quaint café like you see in the movies. But in terms of homeyness and practicality, Magali's couldn't be beat. The bread was fresh, the coffee Illy and her shop is set in a modern 'strip' with a large terrace where, on the weekends, parents can wake up with their coffee and visit and the kids can run around with each other. Something for everyone. It is without pretense and was a place for 'regular' people to go. It was a place to gather.
It was also a place that I went to, alone or with Boo, at least twice a week during the last half of my pregnancy. It was then that we, as a family, became on a first name basis with Magali and that she knew our order when we walked in the door. She watched me get big, big, big with Little Guy inside and towards the end I think she was genuinely worried I might go into labor in her shop. She cooed over Boo and let him play behind the counter and when Little Guy was born spend minutes watching him and visiting with us. She was part of what brought him into the world.
There are cheaper places to buy bread, there are more quaint places to get a coffee, but for me Magali will be (indeed, is already) missed.
Wow. The 9-hour time difference is a killer but SO much easier on my own vs. having the kids. I had heard Blue Bottle was one of the best coffee outlets in the City so I got myself down the Ferry Building installation around 9.30. This yogurt was awesome - not sweetened (except for the compote) but not sour. Just creamy yumminess. The coffee was good, but it wasn't earth-shattering. It took 25-minutes to make. Apparently, since each cup is "hand-crafted" this takes extra time. Even with three servers on the line. And I couldn't honestly tell the difference between an attention-to-detail cappucino and one that was just make-it-as-quick-as-possible like I get at the café at work with mass-produced beans and UHT milk. Or maybe I just don't have a discerning palette.
Still- a good breakfast with an awesome view of a clear October sky.
Abbeye de Thoronet, near Lorgues, Var, France.
In early spring, after my husband received his yearly bonus, we took an afternoon off for a leisurely lunch. We went to Chez Bruno, a restaurant in Lorgues in the department Var that specializes in truffles. We'd heard about it from friends over the years and decided to go see for ourselves.
We set off late one morning in early May - not-too-cold, not-too-hot spring weather, egg-y yellow light (not the white summer haze, yet) and a happiness of being together, quietly, in the car. No kids in sight.
On arrival, we turned of the highway road headed to Lorgues into a vineyard surrounded drive. We headed up a small hill and turned into sculpture-decorated gardens - a must for any respectable country restaurant gastronomique. It reminded me of a less-elegant version of Alain Ducasse's Bastide de Moustiers and sure enough there they were lining the hallway staircase to the restrooms: Black and white photos of an afternoon meal with Ducasse and Chef Bruno and team.
I watched the Luxe.tv-produced profile on his site and found that it explained a lot. M. Bruno says that he wanted his restaurant to be a place that anyone could come - from heads of state and celebrities to regular people. He name drops but I believe his egalitarian approach is sincere. The place was his grandparents and the atmosphere is decidedly relaxed. The service is down to earth (a little too much so I thought) but much preferable to the grands restaurants on the Cote d'Azur. He goes on to explain that didn't choose truffles as a gimmick, but rather it is something that he grew up eating (he recounts an episode where his grandmother fixed him scrambled eggs with truffles. His egalitarian approach means no Michelin stars. The truffle theme didn't disappoint! If you ever wanted to learn more or taste a variety of dishes at once, here's a great choice.
Our entrée (1st dish): Fois gras, morels and truffles. Heaven on a plate.
After we finished we took a walk around the grounds and then to prolong the afternoon we visited the Abbeye de Thoronet (pictured above).
Potato, onion and fresh young spinach omelette with local sausage.
My mom's scramble.
Boy drinks smoothie- YUM!
We took my Dad to lunch for Father's Day at a nice alternative, The Frothy Monkey at 2509 12st Ave S. There's a lot of businesses in this area converted from old cottage homes but I really liked the logo and it's much smaller and therefore more quiet than Fido. Indulged in pimento cheese sandwhich but ate it so quick there's no photo.
By brother took us Bobbie's Dairy Dip last summer for the first time. It's All-American kitsch, located on Charlotte Pike. Once the main thoroughfare connecting X to X that is now serviced by an elevated interstate, it is now concrete strip of fast-food places, car mechanics, b.b.b. Bobbie's seems like from another time, but it definitely lives in the now. With dance-able R&B playing on the loudspeakers, they serve classic hamburger stand food, but also have a few gourmet and vegetarian twists. Like the rest of the trip, it was swelteringly hot but we braved it anyway - it was our last day and NEEDED to get it in. A hot dog was eaten. Then there was ice cream and in the midst of it all, the wonderful Ting-Li taking the photos.
Little Guy's first ice cream cone: He really wanted it!
And lastly, I feel like there should be "Dock of the Bay" playing in the background.
A trip to Nashville requires some greasy food. It's part of American cuisine and from time to time a must have. When people ask what I'm going to do when I go to Nashville, naturally I answer "Eat!" Eat what?
A Grilled Cheeseburger, onion rings, a cold beer and small chocolate shake from Rotier's in Elliston Place. Sorry about the blurry picture - I was taking the picture with one hand and balancing Little Guy with the other.
A visit to Local Taco in Sylvan Park is also a must. My first visit was last summer when it was all the rage in the family. Boy had his first quesdilla, something we grew up eating in California and is now pretty much ubiquitous in Americian foods. He didn't understand, though, about eating with his hands - it's just not done in France. They go from being fed to learning to eat with spoon and fork, no hands mashing the food. This visit he had it down and had has some of the best.tacos.ever and a much needed and appreciated bottle of beer. Lunch. YUM.
Click on the picture to get hungry. It's red snapper, pineapple, with a limey cream sauce.
See the label peeling off the bottle of beer. It was H-O-T. Perfect weather for this meal.
I'm so grateful that both my boys are enthusiastic, open-minded eaters. Here is the three-year old eating black-beans and quesadillas - as exotic as it gets for him!
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