Things to do in Montevideo, Uruguay

Typically, when I travel, I don't get the chance to really soak in the culture. For 21 days, I'll be in Montevideo, Uruguay thanks to the IBD project.  I've been staying in Pocitos, which is a nice part of town within walking distance to the beach. A couple things I definitely recommend if you come to Montevideo:

• Go watch a proper football game. We saw an exhibition game of Uruguay v. Israel.
• Go out at night. The night starts at 2AM. Most people take a nap after work on Friday before they head out.
• Eat a Chorizo. Just not at the stadium. They say that there is a reason there are no stray dogs around the stadium. I made this mistake and spent 4 days in the hotel. 
• Try a Milanesa. So much is fried here, just give it a shot. It's a cross between a Tonkatsu and a Chicken friend steak.
• Try Mate, the original wing-maker. It's a complicated process to get some caffeine. But when in Montevideo, you'll see people walking around with a thermos of hot water and a mate at all times of the day.

Venue Discovery with Location Awareness

Foursquare, a mobile social networking game that gets users to "check in" at places they visit in the real world, has experienced explosive growth. While people are acquiring mayorships in droves in the US and the UK, bold users in other countries are marking their territory as well.

While we're all in search of those elusive badges or fighting to retain those mayorships, the real value of Foursquare may be much, much more.  For people traveling abroad, it's been a brilliant source of current advice and tips.

Having travelled a good amount, I'm always cautious of my research before getting into the country. Some sites and listings haven't been updated for years, and its not when you get there that a) the place no longer exists, b) the venue isn't what it was like in 2008, c) the crowd is vastly different.

I always check my check-out list with locals just to make sure.

With Foursquare, I have easy access to local tour guides. The desire to recommend and be "in the know" knows no boundaries.  Each mayor is potential guide. Here are a few new mayors in Montevideo, where I'm currently traveling.

Surfing through their postings, I can quickly find where I need to be on Thursday Nights. Looks like Francisco V thinks I should head to Lou Bizzarro Bar on Thursday night.

3 Days in Basque Country

It's been three days since I flew from SFO to the Basque region in Spain.  Thus far:

• Spent a day in Bilbao
• Took naps on benches in Bilbao
• Went Pinxto hopping in San Sebastián
  
• Had dinner at a Cider House

Here are a couple pics of my trip to far.

From the Streets [Food]

Street food is all the rage--bulgogi @ L Street Vending cart in DC, Goat Cheese cake from the dessert truck in NYC, to papusa's @ the Brooklyn flea. It's exciting to see San Francisco with a growing and vibrant street food culture.

When I went to Laiola last week, I learned about the taco menu making its grand entrance today at the Ferry Building. So that's where I decided to grab lunch this Thursday. Tacolicious is simply that--tacos that are delicious. They offer three different types of tacos: steak, chicken and pork. My favorite is by far the chipotle-braised pork shoulder taco. (Confession, I love pork). When ordering, don't forget to help yourself to a generous squirt of one of three sauces. Sweet tomato is my fave.

Dripping with sauce and flavor, be careful when you eat it!

You also HAVE to try the grilled corn with an ancho-chili rub with lime. The lime offsets the super sweet corn. I know you're concerned; corn for lunch? What if I get corn stuck between my teeth? It's not going to go well with my 2 o'clock meeting. Maybe they'll offer toothpicks next Thursday. If not, I'm packing some floss just in case.

I'm so glad to welcome another fine addition to the Ferry Building. I can't wait to get myself a tacolicious Tshirt to show my support!


Tacolicious
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111

Before and After the Course [A16]

Having recently learned that Nate Appleman won this year's James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef, I decided to visit a second time. With an open kitchen and a remarkable staff, this is an ideal place for a date.

To the restaurants credit, there are some lean-forward dishes--burrata, salumi, and chocolate tart. With such great appetizers, I found that the main course had a hard time competing for my attention. I found myself looking forward to the beginning and ends of the meal.

Overall, A16 is a solid and dependable restaurant, but not a place that will blow your mind. My advice is to drop by for the bookends of your meal.

Things to order:

• Mozzarella Burrata. If you like cheese, you'll love these bite size pieces of heaven. Burrata is basically a mozzarella inside a mozzarella. It's fluffy, light, and absolutely delicious
• Salumi Sampler. Get a taste of Italy with a sample of their salumi.
• Chocolate tart with olive oil and sea salt. It's amazing what salt can do to a dish. A little bit of salt serves to reinforce and accentuate the flavor. The sea salt brings out the sweetness and flavor. As one who doesn't have a sweet tooth, I was amazed how much I ate of the shared dessert.
  

A-16 Restaurant
2355 Chestnut St
San Francisco, CA 94101
(415) 771-2216

Milk and Honey in the Heartland [Chicago Food]

Last week, I went back to Chicago to visit K. While I <3 SF, a part of me is a bit sad that I won't be spending another summer in Chicago.

I find it always refreshing to be back in the heartland of Chicago, where the portions are.. well.. hearty. I've always wanted to check out Milk and Honey over on Division whiled I lived there. But, every time I walked passed it during the weekend, it was brimming with people.

Given the fact that its cafeteria style, hunting down seating is always rare when the place is full. I got a chance to check it out last week. The weather was a bit brisk, but warm when sitting outside--like San Fransico. K ordered the Crabcake with Chipotle Mayo and Shredded Lettuce. There was a nice kick thanks to the Chipotle mayo. I got the grilled Pastrami and swiss with horseradish-mustard spread on Dark Rye.

All is all, a great place to brunch!

Milk and Honey Cafe
1920 W. Division Street
Chicago, IL 60622
773.395.9434

Aged Well in Berkeley [Cheese]

The great thing about being in the bay area is the communal aspect of food. I was reading through Corby Kummer's earlier articles and came across an article on cheeses. There's a sidebar on Artisan cheeses. Lucky me, Corby highlights Cheeseboard Collective in Berkeley.

Can't wait!

Image Source: Marxfoods.com

Barefoot Coffee Roasters [Coffee Shops]

Within miles of strip mall deserts, Barefoot Coffee Roasters is an oasis of different between a sleep train and a bed, bath, and beyond.
Barefoot is an "artisan" coffee shop. For a premium you get a dose of fair trade coffee with a dash of creativity.

I visited it over a weekend afternoon and found the staff really helpful in helping me navigate through the unique menu. He readily walked through each item. In the end, I settled with the "whim," which put my taste buds squarely in the hands of the barista.

While I'm not sure it's advisable to take off your shoes and prop 'em on a table, it's definitely a nice place to go with friends and catch-up.

Maybe I'll go back down during another weekend to check out their coffee and tea tasting classes.

Barefoot Coffee Roasters
5237 Stevens Creek Blvd
Santa Clara, CA 95051
(408) 248-4500

Google Map

Image Source: Bradley Allen

The 2009 Grub List [SF Eats]

If you don't know me already, you should know that I like to eat. Having recently moved from Chicago to the bay area, it's hard to figure out what to check out and where to eat. Currently, I've been following my gut instinct (no pun intended).

I've been seeking comfort food, or food I grew up with. That translates to Japanese food (predominately ramen), Chinese food (Taiwanese and Schezuan), and fried chicken. Having satiated that innate desire, I've recently venture out of my warm, comfortable center. Earlier this week, I went to check out Hog Island Oyster Company. I went for the $1 oyster happy hour. Turns out, it's Monday/Thursday, not Monday-Thursday. Dash, slash... eh... what's the difference? Well, about $1.25.

I've decided to follow the recommendations of the 400+ judges who make up the James Beard Foundation. There are a couple restaurants that have made the semi-final round. Here is a list of a couple categories, with local restaurants highlighted. I've already made reservations for next week at A16. If you're interested for a 6pm seating on Wednesday, let me know!

Outstanding Chef
José Andrés, Minibar, Washington, D.C.
Dan Barber, Blue Hill, NYC
Tom Colicchio, Craft, NYC
Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
Vincent Guerithault, Vincent on Camelback, Phoenix
Sam Hayward, Fore Street, Portland, ME
Jean Joho, Everest, Chicago
Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago
Barbara Lynch, No. 9 Park, Boston
Michael Mina, Michael Mina, San Francisco
Tamara Murphy, Brasa, Seattle
Scott Peacock, Watershed, Decatur, GA
Charles Phan, The Slanted Door, San Francisco
Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles, Dallas
Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia, Atlanta
Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia
Janos Wilder, Janos, Tucson, AZ
Michael Smith, Restaurant Michael Smith, Kansas City, MO

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT
Alan Wong’s Restaurant, Honolulu
Babbo, NYC
Bacchanalia, Atlanta
Bern’s Steak House, Tampa, FL
Blackbird, Chicago
Boulevard, San Francisco
Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
Delfina, San Francisco
Everest, Chicago
Fore Street, Portland, ME
Greens, San Francisco
Hamersley's Bistro, Boston
Higgins Restaurant and Bar, Portland, OR
Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Jean Georges, NYC
Kinkead’s, Washington, D.C.
Lucia’s Restaurant, Minneapolis
Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC
Sanford, Milwaukee
Vidalia, Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Restaurant
Animal, Los Angeles
The Bazaar by José Andrés at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, Los Angeles
Bottega, Yountville, CA
Camino, Oakland, CA
Cork, Washington, D.C.
Corton, NYC
Distrito, Philadelphia
Django, Des Moines, IA
Emilitsa, Portland, ME
Feast, Houston
Holeman and Finch Public House, Atlanta
Hungry Mother, Cambridge, MA
Izakaya at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Atlantic City, NJ
L2O, Chicago
Merriman’s Kapalua, Maui, Lahaina, HI
Momofuku Ko, NYC
Noca, Phoenix
Palate Food & Wine, Glendale, CA
Poppy, Seattle
Raku, Las Vegas
Richard Chen Pittsburgh
Scarpetta, NYC
Spinasse, Seattle
Sra. Martinez, Miami
Tei An, Dallas
Trattoria Lucca, Charleston, SC
Volt, Frederick, MD
Zahav, Philadelphia

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR
Nate Appleman, A16, San Francisco
Sean Brock, McCrady's, Charleston, SC
Aaron Deal, Tristan, Charleston, SC
Sonja Finn, Dinette, Pittsburgh
Evan Funke, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Santa Monica, CA
Vannessa Garcia, Restaurant Charlie at the Palazzo, Las Vegas
Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta
Will Gilson, Garden at the Cellar, Cambridge, MA
Sarah Kosikowski, Michael Mina at Bellagio, Las Vegas
Jackson Kramer, Interim Restaurant & Bar, Memphis
Travis Lett, Gjelina, Venice, CA
Jonathan McDonald, Pub & Kitchen, Philadelphia
Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.
Dave Racicot, Lautrec at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, PA
Charles “Chip” Roman, Blackfish, Conshohocken, PA
Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR
Justin Schoville, Söntés, Rochester, MN
Ryan Skeen, Irving Mill, NYC
Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis
Rachel Yang, Joule, Seattle
Sue Zemanick, Gautreau's, New Orleans

BEST CHEF: PACIFIC
Gino Angelini, Angelini Osteria, Los Angeles
James Boyce, Studio at Montage Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach, CA
Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
Josiah Citrin, Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA
Chris Cosentino, Incanto, San Francisco
Jeremy Fox, Ubuntu, Napa, CA
Hiroshi Fukui, Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas, Honolulu
Bev Gannon, Joe’s, Wailea, HI
Quinn Hatfield, Hatfield’s, Los Angeles
Douglas Keane, Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
Loretta Keller, Coco500, San Francisco
David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Chris Kobayashi, Artisan, Paso Robles, CA
Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA
Peter Merriman, Merriman’s, Waimea, HI
David Myers, Sona, Los Angeles
Daniel Patterson, Coi, San Francisco
Gayle Pirie and John Clark, Foreign Cinema, San Francisco
Craig Strong, The Dining Room at the Langham, Pasadena, CA
Jason Travi, Fraîche, Culver City, CA

Read the entire list of nominees here.

It's Political Sushi [Oddities]

My friend Marie sent me a link to this. Evidently there's a guy rolling sushi rolls in the splitting image of Obama.

I guess it's suppose to be an homage, but seems a bit weird to me... Its interesting what they choose to highlight as MyBO's key features...

First Time Angler [Fishing in Austin]

I'm living through my second Chicago winter and I think two is more than enough. By next week, I'll be out in California.

In the process of moving out, I've started to clean out my e-files. So because of that, I'm going to telling you about a fishing guide by the name of Allen Christensen. Back in March of 2008, I visited my friend Bryant out in Texas. With original plans to check out SXSW, we ended up camping, hiking, and fishing in the area.

On one of the days, we decided to go fishing along lake Travis. Bryant had heard that Allen was pretty familiar with the lake. It was a day of firsts. First time fishing, first time with kettle chips. With a six-pack of beer, thai-flavored kettle chips, and a light tackle rod, I felt instantly like an old chinese man. Loved it.

With my beginners luck, I started to catch fish left and right which left Bryant a bit miffed. But suddenly I realized that my line had snagged on something big. My line was meant to catch 3-5 pound bass. This was a lot bigger. 5 minutes pass by, I'm trying to reel in the fish but at times my line looks like its going to snap. 11 minutes pass by, like spotting the loch ness, we shout as we see a flicker of the fish. It's huge.

My arms are screaming as after 15 minutes the fish gets close enough to the boat for Allen to shovel the fish on board. Turns out it was a 36 pound buffalo.


The stretched line fell back into the water, whereby we felt another tug. By hand, we reeled it in to discover that I caught a bass in the process.

Let me tell you, when we got back to the campsite, we had too much fish with us. Good thing we found people to share in on the food.

This post is a bit of promotion [Gallery 400 Exhibit]

On Wednesday, I will be attending the opening of Gallery 400. This will be K's first professionally curated show and from what I hear, it's going to be a doozy. There's been a lot of buzz around it and I hear the emerging artists are hot hot hot.  The likes include: Karl Erickson, Andrew Falkowski, Matt Hanner, Shana Lutker, Debora Warner, and Jordan Wolfson.

From the press release:

This Shadow is a Bit of Ideology, gathers a group of artists working against the darkness cast by a long, drawn-out war, a rancorous spirit in politics, a social landscape obscured by rampant information retrieval, and a crumbling economy. The artists in the exhibition do not turn their backs on current socio-political issues, but neither do they embrace propaganda. Rather, they harness anxieties—political, economic, personal—as productive generators for form. Introspection, reflective criticism, oblique commentary and cohabitation of past with present are just a few of the tactics by which these artists navigate progressively through the twilight.

With my sister is visiting from San Diego; and since she's a foodie, we have reservations after the opening to grab dinner at Alinea.

It's going to be night of multi-sensory exuberance. First sight and sound, and then taste and sight. All with 2 of 3 of my most fave women in the world.

i'm a momma's boy after all...

Hope springs eternal

As I was walking home today, I happened to glance into the window of an open retail space and saw floor plans for a dunkin donuts. What else could someone ask for than a dunkin' donuts across the street from the office.

Beantown-style coffee with double sugar and double cream galore!

In Boston, three times a charm

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It's Sunday and I'm back in Massachusetts. This will be K and my third trip back to Boston since we've started dated. We came to visit when we first started dating, returned to attend my friend's wedding, and now we are planning our own wedding.

We've secured the venue, a manor just outside of Connecticut, so it's finally time to check out what we've purchased.

I spent the day with K's familly exploring Boston. It was an eating tour of key boston places:

• Coffee from Dunkin Donuts (It tastes better when you're in Massachusetts),
• Dim Sum from China Pearl
• Cannoli's from Mike's Pastries
• Clam Chowder from Joe's
• Oysters and Lobsters from Union Oyster House

I think we hit all the bases. There were definitely digs from my old Jumbos that we didn't get a chance to check out.

• Quesadeilla from Anna's Taqueria
• Ramen at Porter Exchange
• Dac Biet Large from Pho Pasteur (Allston location)

Inside scoop on the Underground at Bonsoirée

Last weekend I finally got a chance to check out Bonsoirée. Located in Bucktown, its one of the best BYOB places I've been to (so far) in Chicago. Every Saturday, they hold an "underground" event--an invite only 5 course tasting menu (menu attached below).

I got there a bit earlier than my friends and decided to pick up a bottle of wine. The server quickly gave me directions to the nearest store with their recommendation. (tip: skip the 7-11 and go to the Food Smart). As Ask the server, they know what's in stock at the Bonsoiree what pairs with the dishes of the evening.

Shin, the chef, first amused us with foie gras with a blueberry sauce. It's a big deal for Chicago who recently made foie gras legal after a prohibition stint.

The chef had just returned from an "eating tour" in Japan so a lot of the meal was Asian-inspired. I loved the Fennel and Edamame salad--delicate and crunchy--great for a warm summer night.

The course climaxed with a a couple juicy Kobe Beef cubes that melted in my mouth.

Next time I go, I'm going to try to catch the early seating and sit in their back patio.

Tips:

• The place only serves 20 or so seats, so make sure you make your reservation.
• On Sundays, the five- and seven-course tasting menus are discounted.

Bonsoirée
2728 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 486-7511

Top Chef Season 4 Finale-Find it online here...

After Dale got punted off the show, I promised never to watch the show for the rest of the season. But like a month to the flame, I just couldn't stay away and was drawn back.

Now, not neither TIVO or cable poses a problem. Where does one go to watch the episodes. While Youtube may have been a sufficient source of television shows, I recommend Hulu.com. A collaboration of NBC and FOX, Hulu (you can read about it here) contains your everything from SNL clips, episodes of Family guy, and movies like The Girl Next Door.

But more relevant to this post, it has the most recent episode 13 (Season Finale pt. 1) of Top Chef. The compression is smoother and larger than anything you can find on Youtube, veoh, or surfthechannel.

If you haven't seen it yet, I advise you follow the following drinking rules put out by Metromix Chicago:

Rule No. 1: Drink every time Lisa curses.

Rule No. 2: Drink every time a Glad product appears on screen. Chug for the first five seconds of any Glad commercial.

Rule No. 3: Drink every time Dale lashes out, directly or indirectly.

Rule No. 4: Chug for five seconds any time someone says “threw me under the bus” or similar.

Rule No. 5: Drink for every tight shot/zoom of a GE Monogram logo.

Rule No. 6: Drink every time Spike appears on screen wearing a hat.

Rule No. 7: Drink every time Tom says “interesting,” asks “Have you done that before?” or “kind of just blinks and pulls his head back.”

8. Drink every time a contestant butchers the pronunciation of a Spanish word.

The Fruits of June

Not too long ago, I read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's a great book that tracks back how four different meals are made. Michael discusses the benefits of eating with the seasons. Not only is the produce more fresh, but because they are in abundance, they're cheaper.

Tastes good and costs less!

For the month of June, check out: watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, cherries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, corn, lettuce.

Discover, month-by-month, the fruits and vegetables that you should buy here.

Southern Fried Chicken Sandwiches

For lunch, I tried McDonald's new Southern Style Chicken Sandwich (SSCS, so I don't have to type it over and over again). It is my hope upon hopes that the SSCS rivals Chick-Fil-A's Chicken Sandwich (CFACS). Here's my review.

Chicken: From the first bite, I was pleasantly surprised at the juiciness factor of the patty. The Chick-Fil-A chicken is sometimes a bit dry and uneven.

SSCS 1: CFACS 0

Crispiness: SSCS were flying off the shelf. I had to wait for a bit while they made my sandwich. Unfortunately the freshness didn't translate to a crispy batter.

SSCS 1: CFACS 1

Pickle-Factor: While the McDonalds Pickle has nice flavor, it's not like the Chick-Fil-A's Chicken sandwich, which ingredients play with each other like an 'N-sync dance number. Could it be because Chick-Fil-A puts their pickle on the bottom? or the lack of mayo to bind everything together? I also found the Southern Style chicken Sandwich pickle too thinly cut and not crunchy in the middle.

SSCS 1: CFACS 2

Overall Taste: Diversification is risk. Chick-Fil-A only offers a couple items on the menu, but they're just so so good. The sandwich used the same bun as a cheese burger, so my tastebuds were a bit confused.

SSCS 1: CFACS 3

In Conclusion: McDonalds should stay with the all-beef-patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese... I just wish there was a Chick-Fil-A in the Chicagoland area. A guy can dream can't he?

Brooklyn Science (Nihongo Style)

The past few weeks I was back in DC working at my company's headquarters. Over the Memorial Day weekend, I went up to NY to visit K. Sunday morning, we went to go check out the much talked about Brooklyn Flea.

What does one do at the Brooklyn flea? EAT! After waiting for just about an hour for Popusa's from Red Hook, we browsed the wares at the flea market. I gotta admit, I am a self-acknowledged geek. I bought a t-shrit--the print below. Can you guess what it is? It's taken from a Japanese science textbook for children:

If you guessed anthropomorphized water, you were right! To see more of Kari's work check out her etsy site.

Scorching a Baked Alaska

When it comes to food, many chefs need to differentiate themselves from the competition. While we would all love taste to be the differentiating factor, gimmicks are a lot easier. We've all fallen victim to the flash bangs of the world. Whether it's the chef at Benihana or some of the gastro pubs, there are times when chefs go too far.

Chef Homaro Cantu's interpretation of a Baked Alaska is anything but subtle. It's way too heavy handed.....

Watch the video at chicago foodies.