Supergoed

Categories: Accommodations · Amsterdam · Food · NetherlandsTags: · · ·

I noticed the Dutch tend to use “super” more frequently in casual daily conversations, as an adjective or adverb to mean “very”, “extremely” or “amazing”. Now talking about food: first dinner was at Serre located at the Hotel Okura. A Michelin Bib Gourmand designated restaurant serving fusion cuisine. Next dinner was at another Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Wils Bakery Cafe with the kitchen serving French classics with global influence. Now this is Super! I had to go back on this trip to Rijks – the gem of a restaurant at the Rijksmuseum that has a one star Michelin. It was…

Visita Maravilhosa

Categories: Accommodations · Architecture · Food · Lisbon · Portugal · TravelTags: · · ·

Church of São Roque (Igreja de São Roque) is a 16th-century Jesuit church known for its plain facade and stunning Baroque interior. My third visit to Lisbon – and its dining scene continues to evolve. Mix of iconic seafood institutions, modern interpretations of Portuguese classics, and an increasing number of Michelin-recognized contemporary concepts. From the historic “tascas” in Alfama to upscale rooftops with river views, the city offers high-quality gastronomy that remains relatively affordable compared to other Western European capitals.  First dinner was at Mercearia do Século – a charming mom and pop serving very good traditional dishes. Make a…

Food & Stays

Categories: Accommodations · Basel · Food · France · Paris · Switzerland · ZurichTags: · ·

As I say Danke and Merci to Zurich and Paris, here are the food and stays during this trip: La Bottega Di Mario is a wonderful ristorante and salumeria in Zürich, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction. Catching up with Swiss friends, I was taken to Zeughauskeller, for traditional Swiss fare (warning servings are huge!) Another Bib Gourmand brasserie that is good is AuGust. A gem of a restaurant is Bauernschanke, tucked in an alleyway in the old town. Totally deserving of their Bib Gormand. A modern Japanese izakaya is Gaijin – another casual place with a Bib Gourmand distinction….

Bedankt

Categories: Accommodations · Amsterdam · Food · Netherlands

”Thank you” in Dutch – for another pleasant stay! New restaurants tried, with one a repeat as it was an old favourite – Buffet van Odette. Jansz, located at the Pulitzer Amsterdam, serves well crafted dishes inspired by modern-Dutch cuisine. The best meal I had during this visit was at Rijks, a culinary adventure of Dutch cuisine – worthy of its Michelin Star. No visit to Amsterdam is complete without Indonesian Rijsttafel. Max Restaurant delivered well for me. Final dinner was at Gitane, a Michelin Bib Gourmand casual neighbourhood restaurant, serving Mediterranean dishes. A real lovely stay at the Pulitzer…

MIA

Categories: Accommodations · Art · Food · Miami · USATags: · ·

A brief 3-day / 2-night trip to Miami to attend my first Art Basel. It was overwhelming at times – sensory overload – yet a wonderful and awe-inspiring visit. There were several other art and design fairs taking place in the city at the same time – Art Miami, Untitled, Design Miami, among others – that caused a deluge of visitors (and party-goers) to Miami and Miami Beach. The causeway to Miami Beach had heavy traffic every day and local police was out in full force. For food: first dinner was at Lucali, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant serving 20-inch…

An Empire Long Weekend

Categories: Art · Food · New York · USATags: · ·

A long weekend back in New York – for 72 hours this time. It has been awhile since I have been to the Guggenheim Museum so I decided to pay a visit on this trip. I decided to go back to Momofuku Noodle Bar for my first meal, as it has been years, compounded by the closing of its Toronto outlet. I also headed back to the one star Michelin rated Estela in SoHo. The arroz negra still tastes as good as I remember it. One new restaurant I tried is DomoDomo and ordered their “Domokase” tasting menu. Food and…

Þakka þér fyrir

Categories: Accommodations · Food · Iceland · ReykjavikTags: · · ·

Or simply said as Takk (thank you). I have several friends who have raved about this country, yet in many respects, it still feels like a well-guarded secret – likely because of its bountiful natural resources, empty roads that wind through vast volcanic landscape, or massive open land with nothing but horses and waterfalls for miles. No trip to Iceland is complete without bathing in a hot springs. I decided to skip the famous Blue Lagoon, as I heard it gets overcrowded, and went to the Sky Lagoon instead. Featuring an infinity edge geothermal lagoon with views of the Atlantic…

40 hours in The Chi

Categories: Accommodations · Art · Chicago · Food · Travel · USATags:

Third time a charm they say. My last visit to the Chicago was more than ten years ago and thought of another weekend getaway, as that is the only time off I can take these days. Went back to one of my “Happy Place” – the Art Institute of Chicago. There was a special exhibit on, entitled “Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan”. I tried out two Michelin Bib-Gourmand restaurants: The Purple Pig and Perilla (serving Korean-American cuisine – contemporary take on familiar Korean food). Both were outstanding. My lunch break from the museum was at The Gage –…

40 Hours in NYC

Categories: Art · Food · New York · USATags: · ·

A weekend getaway – mainly to checkout this year’s Whitney Biennial 2024. The eighty-first edition of the Whitney Biennial—the longest-running survey of contemporary art in the United States—features seventy-one artists and collectives grappling with many of today’s most pressing issues. The exhibition’s subtitle, Even Better Than the Real Thing, acknowledges that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is complicating our understanding of what is real, and rhetoric. I took the opportunity to re-visit the permanent colllection of the Whitney, as it has been years since I have been. And of course, no visit to this city is complete without trying out restaurants for the first…

BCN

Categories: Accommodations · Barcelona · Food · Spain · TravelTags: · ·

The last time I was in this city, it was seven years ago – mucho tiempo sin verlo! I am back in Barcelona, a city that is dear to me, for less than 24 hours to catch my flight home. It was a walk down memory “paseo”! I had the chance to go back to Arrosseria Xativa for their paella, specifically the Paella Valencia con Pollo. They have a few branches in the city. It was a challenge finding a restaurant for Sunday dinner but got I lucky to find Besta in the Michelin Guide. It was one amazing Menú…