On a gorgeous an uncharacteristically sunny spring day some new friends and I headed out to wine country by way of Libourne to explore the landscapes of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, and to taste some of this “Bordeaux wine” thing I’ve been hearing so much about lately. We stopped first in the town of Saint-Émilion a jewelry box…
Passing through the ruby red doors of Quimet & Quimet in Poblesec means entering a culinary wonderland, a food nerd’s Eden cleverly disguised as a no-frills neighborhood tapas joint. Nobody’s ordering bravas or croquetas here. There’s no chorizo or day-old tortilla stabbed through with a toothpick, no questionable crab spread with a salty anchovy lain across, no fried…
A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I visited 2 Michelin-starred Moments restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona to celebrate our anniversary. He got overexcited and ruined the surprise the night before but I didn´t mind; it allowed us to read up in advance on mother-son culinary team Carme Ruscadella and Raül Balam, and to get excited…
New in town and eager to be in the know, Ben and I have been in explore mode the past few weekends. Our petites sorties en ville have revealed a wealth of little restaurants and bars, lofty terraces and kebab stands that we will one day become “ours” to frequent and recommend to visitors. For now the…
Best tapas in Barcelona? I’m still not quite sure. But Ciudad Condal comes pretty damn close. It’s the first place I’d think of if asked for the “best overall tapas experience,” after considering a wide range of pros and cons. I recommend it to friends visiting Barcelona as a way to prevent them from falling into the tourist potholes. Heaven forbid…
As our impending move to Bordeaux began to finally sink in, and I started counting our remaining days in blue-skyed Barcelona, my mind began to race, composing interminable lists of favorite things. Favorite last things. One last 3-wine nightcap on Plaza del Sol with the girls. One last wild night out with them, one last late-night falafel bowl, one last…
Destination barbecue in New York? Yep. Meat worth a windy ferry ride from Manhattan? (Or a slightly confusing Uber ride from Williamsburg?) Yes. A meal at Hometown Barbecue in Red Hook, Brooklyn is the definition of a destination dining experience: It takes a while to get there. It’s in a place that you probably would…
I haven’t had good Chinese food since moving from the U.S. Perhaps it does exist in Barcelona and I’m just not looking in the right places, but the delivery menu of restaurants like Jardin de Chen (“Pollo Hong Kong,” “Ensalada China,” “Ternera con Tomate”) scare me off. They all seem to offer only butchered versions of American-Chinese classics (already…
Denim, Converse, Boozy Brunch and BBQ are some of many American inventions that have become popular in France as of late. Hipster eats are widely available, everything from artisanal bagel sandwiches and bacon maple donuts to fish tacos and elaborate vegetable juices served in mason jars. And food trucks. They started popping up in Paris around 5…
If you ever find yourself in Brussels on a cool, rainy day, seeking a cozy spot in which to curl up with your laptop or catch up with a friend over cafe au laits and cake, look no further than APDM (Au Pays Des Merveilles) in the hip, intercultural Saint-Gilles neighborhood. Passing before the spacious…
That Best Bite 