On the hottest day ever recorded in the history of Bordeaux, two friends and I made a reservation at a pint-sized pizzeria where the dining area is about 1 meter from a 350° C wood fire burning oven. After some hesitation and a few longing glances in the direction of Aphrodite, a breezy Greek terrace…
It’s been a year now since our hike up to the base of Vignemale, the highest peak in the French Pyrenees. A morning that started out gloomy due to rain and fog (and the realizaton that we had left at home some of the instant meal packets we had so carefully prepared the night before)…
Ahh the wonders of rue Notre-Dame… The precious little brocades (antique shops), a very special bridal boutique, and historical facades overgrown by florals gushing forth from every terrace, the heart and soul of the trendy Chartrons neighborhood of Bordeaux. Get a beer at Zhytho or sit out on the terrace of the Halle de Chartrons,…
Three former colleagues at a new restaurant each month or two, chatting about the world of Bordeaux fine wine over a bottle of non-Bordeaux. Such is the nature of what’s becoming a regular kind of dinner club, meetings of which I look forward to with enthusiasm every time. Our June pick was Cent33, a gastronomic…
A few weekends ago, Ben and I drove out to Arcachon to spend the night at the Thalazur Thalassothérapie Spa and Hotel: a much-needed pause from the stress of planning a destination wedding with “Level: High” difficulty logistical organization. We spent the afternoon soaking in the massive salt-water pool, taking turns roasting and steaming in…
A few nights ago, Ben and I got together with a couple of friends to try out Mampuku, near Porte Cailhau. After what was one of my favorite Bordeaux restaurant experiences at MILES a few months ago, I was eager to try its sister restaurant, an (even) less-formal, but just as cerebral, collaboration between Japanese…
Ask me about my recent birthday dinner at Pierre Gagnaire’s 2-Michelin-starred restaurant La Grand Maison de Bernard Magrez and I’ll ask you how much time you’ve got. A flawless experience from start to finish, though I never expected otherwise. This Relais & Châteaux gem brings together the essences of three great men. The menu is…
Following an afternoon spent touring and tasting (and learning, a lot!) at Domaine Jean Baptiste Adam in Ammerschwihr and Humbrecht 1619 in Gueberschwihr, we were in need of a warm and hearty meal to heal our Riesling-stung gums. We tried a few spots in Gueberschwihr, but the town were largely deserted that evening and the menu offerings…
I don’t often review the restaurant of my travel accommodation, as it’s actually quite rare for me not to venture out for dinner, wherever I’m staying. But after a 30-minute nap that accidentally turned into a 2-hour snooze at the Hotel du Parc in Thann, nothing in the quaint Alsatian town seemed open to take…
Google “Alsatian specialties” and try not to salivate all over your keyboard. I dare you. Baeckeoffe, flammekueche, choucroute, fleischschnacka, tarte à l’oignon… These are hearty and filling dishes served in generous portions, perfect with a glass of local Riesling or Gewürztraminer on a frosty winter’s eve. It’s the kind of food you not just want, but need,…
