4 feet 2 mouths

walking and eating our way around the world

Archive for the tag “Big Cities”

21 Nov 2012
13 Comments

Finding Our Mumbai (by Carmen)

Street vendor in Crawford Market

A Mumbai train station

Though I had never stepped foot in Mumbai, I had already been there.  I had been transported the city by the excellent book, Shantaram by Gregory Roberts.  It is the story of an escaped Aussie convict who eventually gets involved in Mumbai’s underworld.  Along the way he contemplates life, love and how we relate to others.  One of the key themes of the book is Roberts’ complete and utter love for Mumbai. He can make you feel the sights, sounds and even smells of all the corners of the city he discovers.  Nathan and I are big Shantaram fans so it was with great anticipation that we arrived to Mumbai’s central train station.

Taj Mahal Hotel

Leopold’s Cafe

From the train station we worked our way south to another neighborhood described in the book, Colaba.  It is dotted with fine architecture such as the Taj Mahal hotel and the India Gate, providing evidence of the colonial influence.  We walked further along the tree lined streets, passing the World Trade Center, which also plays a role in the story.  The construction of the center spurred the creation of an adjacent slum that directly contrasts with the wealth of the area.  Roberts actually lived there during his time in Mumbai and seeing it helped bring the story to life.  One more important stop in Colaba was Leopold’s Cafe. Many friendships and conversations take place in this ex-pat cafe which was bustling when we stopped in for a drink.  It was fun to finally be there in person but it wasn’t quite what I had imagined.  It was far too bright, airy and even commercial to contain the dubious characters from Shantaram.

Banganga Tank

Butterfly in the Hanging Gardens

Another day, we made our way north, where Roberts would head to chill out.  Compared to more central areas of Mumbai, Chowpatty Beach and the surrounding neighborhoods are quite tranquil areas.  At Banganga Tank we observed ritual bathing at this sacred spot, which was created when Lord Rama pierced the ground with his arrow.  We then made our way to the hanging gardens which were flush with butterflies enjoying the budding flowers.  

Gandhi supporting sustainable transportation ; )

In his visits to Mumbai, Gandhi would stay in the Chowpatty area.  We stopped by a small museum dedicated to his life and ideals.  It is hard to imagine someone with more inner strength and charisma.  At the museum we read glowing recommendations from contemporaries such as Einstein.  A small portrait of Gandhi on a bicycle caught my eye.  He was obviously showing his support of non-motorized transportation modes! (Hey, a transport planner can dream, can’t she?)

Chowpatty Beach at sunset

Behl puri

Towards sunset, the beach comes alive with families and teenagers enjoying the bit of open space.  It is a festive atmosphere amid the piles of trash.  The vendors at the beach are known to specialize in behl puri, a snack in which crisp rice puffs are covered with potatoes, onions, chutney, and sev (crispy noodles).

Dobi Ghat

Streets of Mumbai

Visiting the city created in Shantaram was exciting, but it was time for our own Mumbai.  With this in mind we took a train north to the working class areas of Mahalaxmi.  Just outside the train station you will find Dobi Ghat, the laundry machine of Mumbai where workers wash sheets and clothes by hand in concrete basins.  Standing from a lookout on the bridge an endless sea of clothing sways in the hazy sunlight.  We walked around the markets surrounding the ghat and observed the typical streets of urban India – dirty, trashy, and crumbling by western standards but ultimately millions of people living on and using them each day. And from what I saw they are still better off than many of those living in the slums.

Diwali laterns

At night, the dirt of the city was hidden by shadows and colorful lanterns filled the air.  The reason for the lanterns was Diwali, Indian new year.  It was a time of great joy and, of course, deafening fire works.

Goa Portuguesa

It also meant crazy traffic so with great difficulty Nathan, our friend Anu and I made our way to Goa Portuguesa.  This somewhat kooky restaurant actually had character and ambiance, which isn’t always easy to find on the Indian restaurant scene.  The chef had scouted dozens of recipes from Kerala in India’s deep south so the food was all new to me.  Banana curry, tender coconut fry up, and a beans in curry dish were coconutty delights.  I really liked the crispy, bowl shaped appam to scoop it up with.

Colored powder to create Diwali sand art

Market nibbles

Besides the crazy traffic, markets were also hectic because Diwali is a time of gifts. kind of like Christmas.  But wait, hectic isn’t the word. India is hectic year round.  Try pandemonium.  So many vendors, stalls, foods, clothes, knickknacks, and of course the odd cow in the mix.  

Vada pav

You need a snack to survive the market. After shuffling our way through millions of people we had a Mumbai specialty, vada pav.  This is a carb lovers dream – spiced potatoes floured and fried stuffed in bread with chopped onions and chili powder. Yum.  Another time we jumped between neighboring food stands for dahi papdi chaat (chips with potatoes, chickpeas, yogurt and chutney), pani puri (fried puffs stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, and tamarind chutney all dipped in mint water), and a Bombay sandwich (tomato, cucumber and cheese toasted).

Paper dosa – did we order too much?

We mixed up the street food with a few restaurants.  For breakfast we were making our way through the myriad of dosa choices at the south Indian eateries near our hotel.  Set dosa, rava dosa, masala dosa…what’s this paper dosa? We ordered it and as it came to the table we suddenly remembered. Yeah, it’s the giant thin crepe we had at Udupi Palace in Berkeley that one time.  An unintentionally big but delicious breakfast.

Badshah falooda and kulfi

New Kulfi Centre falooda

Have room for dessert? We did so we created a falooda face off.  Falooda is a sweet creamy dessert filled with jelly noodles and rose water.  It is rich, cool and refreshing. We sampled some at Badshah which also had excellent kulfi (a denser, creamier Indian style ice cream).  This competed with the falooda of New Kulfi Centre near Chowpatty Beach.  My verdict – I liked the stronger flavors of Badshah, but when eating falooda everyone is a winner.

Thali

Mirchi kachori

Mumbai is a delicious mix of people and foods.  We loved the markets; the chaat (snacks) such as mirchi kachori (fried lentil balls covered in chili yogurt sauce);  the choice in thalis (mix plates); the better infrastructure (sidewalks!).  But most of all, we loved finding our Mumbai.

Posted in India, South Asia and tagged , , ,
09 Nov 2012
19 Comments

Rickshaw Roller Coaster In Bangalore (by Nathan)

Betel leaves in spiral at the city market

Visiting India for the first time is a thrilling experience. It is also a little nerve racking. For the first time this year, Carmen and I were both anxious and maybe a little scared at what we might find in this part of the trip. We were out of our comfort zone, but it felt good. There are all the horror stories of poverty, filth and food poisoning, but also the positive moments of spiritual discovery, extravagant palaces and fantastic food. Experiencing the spices alone are enough to draw us to India. We arrived at 4am from a red-eye flight. We both felt a little comatose and we agreed to pick up a few hours sleep in the airport before heading out into the craziness.

Carmen and the sidewalk cow obstacle

We learned very quickly in Bangalore that we needed to slow down and ease into the environment. A typical day in our travels is pretty exhausting; we tackle museums, parks and monuments while also attempting to eat at the best budget restaurants in a city. This usually involves many hours (8-10mi) of walking and public bus rides all around town. In Bangalore our standard mode of transport, our feet, became out-of-service. Even the most cosmopolitan of streets, MG Road or Church Street, do not have a consistent paved surface for more than 15 feet. Walking involves constant focus and diligence to ensure that a foot does not fall into an enormous hole or sludge puddle. The occasional cow, heard of cattle or pie mine is a constant reminder that we share the road with more than just people and motors. Crossing the street, we resemble two little squirrels inching our way into the road then running across with arms flailing about in panic “I’m about to die” mode.

Rajesh and the Rickshaw Roller coaster

Thus, we have decided to join the masses and we frequently hop on the Rickshaw Roller Coaster. The three-wheeled carts are a cross between a motorcycle and a golf cart, painted green, yellow and black. During our first ride, I learned that the is no need to visit a theme park again, 80 cents delivers a 20 minute ride including all the death-defying events without a need to wait in line. If on-coming traffic is your thrill, this ride has it. Bangalore’s many speed bumps provide an opportunity for jumps, poor drainage and rain make splash mountain look puny. Any Rickshaw delivers several G-forces as the driver maneuvers the vehicle around busses, tractors and scooters. Then we screech to a stop. Hold on because there are no seat belts. Dizzying heights? Try all of the above on an overpass! To our benefit we did find a nice driver, Rajesh, that did not mind our screams and did not hit anyone while we were riding. He skillfully squeaked his tuktuk into the 4ft crevices between busses at 30mph.

Bull Temple

Glass building at the botanical garden

Mini meal at MTR

One of our most accomplished days was visiting the Hindu Bull Temple. This enormous carved bull is decorated with flowers and candles and symbolizes Shiva’s mount Nandi. A “mini meal” at Marvalli Tiffin Room (MTR) excited our taste buds and was no small affair – it was actually quite a bit of food. We walked west to explore the Lal Bagh Botanical Garden. There were bonsai gardens ponds and an enormous glass house built to honor Britain in the 1800’s.

Chole Bhatura dinner

Breakfast of idli, poori and various rice pooridges

We could not resist ordering chole bhatura at a standing-only dive down the street from our hotel. The enormous puff ball was everything I remember from Vik’s in Berkeley, slightly doughy and crispy with a huge scoop of spicy chickpeas in a rich sauce. Eating in India is undoubtedly my favorite part so far. The flavors are intense and the chutneys, dal, and sauces seem to pair randomly with the foods, but I know there is some consistency. For breakfast we eat fluffy white idlies or dosas (Indian pancakes/crepes) that are paper thin and filled with potatoes, or thick and moist with diced onions or tomatoes and a delicious coconut chutney.

Colors and craziness of Bangalore’s city market

Temple carvings

Exploring the foods of India is first explored with our appetites. Then we seek to see the source of the food, the markets that fuel the city. In Bangalore, we found ourselves in The City Market, an enormous collection of streetside vendors selling everything from tiny eggplants, pomegranates, betel leaves and nuts. There was even a building dedicated to the flower sellers that string together elaborate leis and signs for weddings and holidays. We traverse through the mud and work through the obstacles of the crowded market. Occasionally we’ll pass a simple temple and often we are entertained with an ornate and elaborate designed temple roof with thousands of carefully carved figurines.

Bengal tiger, croc, cobra and monkey at wild animal park

Young elephant

We bussed an hour outside of town to visit the wild animal park. Most of the animals are rescues, but the huge forests provide a way to protect and rehabilitate animals that were abused or without a natural habitat. Most impressive were the Bengal tigers, white tigers and Indian bears. Our safari ride bounced along the rocky road, and everyone screamed and jumped out of their seats when the 8ft long tiger noticed us and came at us for a closer look. There were cobras that effortlessly hung and slithered along the trees, crocodiles eyeing us from the ponds below and wild monkeys mischievously bouncing through the park. There were even adult and baby elephants that blessed tourists for a coin by tapping their trunk on the person’s head. The zoo was surprisingly a positive experience as the animals, for the most part, all seemed taken care of and happy. On our trip back, there was one thing on our mind…food.

Deliciousness at Kornak

Funny shaped gulab jumun

There are undoubtedly some good food places in Bangalore. We ate North Indian fare at Kornak and Queens. South Indian at street-side stands and cafes. Gulab Jamun is typically a donut ball that is soaked in a honey syrup, at Bhagatram & Sons. Their wiener shaped gulab jumun somehow made it better. We even had wonderful ice cream at Naturals. The mango and coconut ice cream is so good that our good friend and fellow blogger, Anu, might marry one of the servers. Which one? We could not decide.

Carmen waiting in the rain for the bus

Anu and I in Cubbon Park

The slower pace has worked well for us in Bangalore. We see less sights, but experience more of our surroundings. We pack our bags again, we say goodbye to Bangalore and board an overnight train to Hubli. Few tourists travel to Hubli, but our reasons were not sights, but more to visit a typical town in India, see more of our friend Anu and learn more about the incredible headway of her social water project NextDrop. With the click clack of steel wheel to rail and the rocking back and forth we crawled onto our three-tiered bunks and sunk into a light slumber. Only exciting adventures and spicy delights await us in India.

Posted in India, South Asia and tagged , , ,
07 Nov 2012
20 Comments

Eurasian Istanbul (by Carmen)

View from Galata Bridge

My first view of Istanbul was at dawn through the bleary eyes. We had just taken an overnight bus from central Turkey. Sometimes buses are overheated, sometimes they are freezing cold. This one happened to be both, with the heater on full blast at the feet and the air conditioning blowing from above. All night I wished I could perform some advanced yoga moves to help me find the perfect temperature balance. I imagine this would involve one foot sticking straight up while the other is crossed behind my head. I tried but alas I’m not that flexible.

İstiklal street with tram

Upon arrival, the sights and sounds of the city were enough to give me a pick me up on the way to the hostel. I had been looking forward to Istanbul for a while so we wasted no time in getting to the old town. First stop: Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia’s grand interior

The gold mosaic dome

View of Hagia Sophia from the side nave

The Hagia Sophia was one of the most magnificent buildings I have ever seen in my life. Stunning. Jaw dropping. And it was built in the 500s(!!!) by the Roman emperor Justinian. I am so happy that this incredible piece of architecture survived the past 1500 years intact. In order to do so it had to change with the times. For its first 1000 years it was a Christian church. But when the Ottomans came they brought Islam with them. The building was converted to a mosque. The most notable additions were large chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, huge disks with Arabic calligraphy and a mihrab showing the direction of Mecca.

Mosaic of Jesus

Original carved marble capital

Fortunately, the conversion to a mosque did not demolish the Christian art already in place. Gold mosaics of Jesus, Mary and saints are still present. Other original details such as the marble column capitals engraved with Justinian’s crest are also there. In the early 20th century the Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum to earn money for preservation efforts.

Blue Mosque from the courtyard

Inside the Blue Mosque

Supposedly, Sultan Ahmet I wanted to outdo the Hagia Sophia. Thus, the Blue Mosque was created very close to it. Overall, he succeeded with the exterior which has a harmonious symmetry. The inside is also grand but not quite as impressive as its much older neighbor.

Roman Cistern

Repurposed Greek Medusa head becomes a column base

Just across the street was a special surprise, the roman cistern. At first I thought, “what is going to be so special about a big water storage basin?” But as I descended the stairs to go below street level I realized it was much more. Columns taken from other already ruined temples were used for this utilitarian space meant simply to hold water. That’s how a giant Medusa head ended up as a simple column base. But they put her upside down just to make sure she couldn’t cast her deadly stare.

Turkish flag outside the Grand Bazaar

Another highlight of Istanbul is the Grand Bazaar. It is a 600 year old labyrinth of food and market stalls selling carpets, trinkets, jewelry, clothes, textiles, pottery and pretty much everything you could want. Nathan and I were extremely excited to explore every last nook and cranny. But we didn’t get to see any of it. We had been told that the October 25 was an important Muslim holiday. It is the day that Abraham was to demonstrate his devotion to God by sacrificing his own son. However, God allowed him to sacrifice a goat. However, no one mentioned that everyone would also be off the for the four days following the holiday. Therefore, many of the shops, eateries and the entire Grand Bazaar were closed for basically our entire stay. Now we have a reason to return.

Baklava from Hafız Mustafa Şekerlemeleri

Best baklava ever at Karaköy Güllüoğlu

So how does one drown their sorrows in a city that has high alcohol tax to discourage drinking? Eat more baklava. We sampled from several baklava shops. The first was Hafız Mustafa Şekerlemeleri in the old city. We couldn’t resist the trays of baklava variations backed up by mounds of Turkish delight. I happily bought a box to go for a midnight snack at our hotel. It was delicious, but not quite as delicious as Karaköy Güllüoğlu. This place, across the river in the Beyoğlu neighborhood makes magic. The walnuts and pistachios were freshly roasted and dripping in a persimmon simple syrup.

Spice Bazaar

İstiklal filled with people

The baklava made me feel better. And truth be told not everything was closed. For example, we still made it to the spice bazaar. Yes, it’s touristy but the piles of spices, teas and sweets housed in a 400 year old market building are still fun. However, the real action was on İstiklal, a major shopping thoroughfare that is largely pedestrianized. Thousands of people could be found strolling up and down from midday to late night.

River activities – fish and ferries

Fortunately the ferry cruises were still running so we caught one to take a ride up the Bosporus. We followed up with a balık ekmek (fish sandwich) near the dock. Crispy fish is fried up on small boats, stuffed in some bread with onions and handed over for 5 Turkish lira, about $2.50. It’s up to you to douse it with as much lemon sauce as you want. We bought some cucumbers pickled in turnip juice to accompany our quayside meal.

The famous wet burger

The fish sandwich whet our appetite for more street food. For ideas we turned to Anthony Bourdain. His trip to Istanbul included a late night snack at Kizilkayalar to eat their famous wet burger. We followed suit and found a crowd huddled around the “burger hammam”. Hammams are the Ottoman era public baths/spas. The name burger hammam makes me smile thinking of burgers wrapped in white towels lounging in a sauna. Perhaps they didn’t have towels but they were definitely steaming in their street side case. The burgers were warm and fluffy with a tomato based sauce. Seriously worth the 2 lira.

Crispy, crunchy simit

Other popular street food snacks were roasted chestnuts, corn, steamed mussels and popcorn. But when we wanted something to nibble we most often reached for simit, a toasted, sesame crusted bread ring. Dürüm, a simple Turkish wrap of barbecued meats filled our late night cravings. Especially the fine example at Dürümzade.

Süleymaniye mosque near the university

Inside Süleymaniye

Despite the holidays, the mosques were still open to visitors. High up on a hill we explored the Süleymaniye mosque. A little younger than the Blue Mosque, it was just as grand and elegant.

Carpet within the mosque with prayer spaces

Blue İznik tiles

Inside the mosque, the carpet clearly delineates where people should kneel to pray. The same is true at nearby Rüstem Paşa Mosque which was much smaller but adorned with intricate tile work.

Nathan at the lavish Topkapı Palace

Incredible jeweled dagger

More İznik tiles

There was one more major sight on our list, Topkapı Palace. This huge complex is the Ottoman version of the Forbidden City. Access to the lavish courtyards was once confined to the royal family and their closest advisers. Now, tourists explore the grounds oohing and ahhing at the spectacular tile work and gold leafing. The greatest crowd reaction is probably in the treasure room where you can find enormous and dazzling emeralds, rubies and diamonds encrusting everything from cups to daggers.

Datli Maya, a true find

During our stay in Istanbul Nathan and I celebrated a very special holiday of our own, our anniversary. We hoped to find a romantic but laid back place that served delicious food. Fortunately we succeeded on all fronts after scrolling through recommendations on the excellent food blog, Istanbul Eats. Our dinner at Datli Maya featured an incredibly moist kebab baked in a clay dish. We ordered a side of roasted eggplant dip and a couple of lahmacun (crispy, thin flatbreads with toppings). Most of our meal had been baked in the large wood fired oven that dominates the ground floor. It was comfort cooking taken a step further by a chef that knows how to add a special touch. We enjoyed our meal so much we decided to have breakfast there as well. A buffet of crunchy cucumbers, fresh tomatoes, three types of cheese, jams, butter, sesame sauce and fruit salad was spread out in front of us. Of course, this was accompanied by a mix of freshly baked sweet and savory breads.

Nathan overlooking Istanbul

I had a feeling I’d like Istanbul. But as it turned out, I loved it. The city commands your senses – your eyes are drawn to beautiful domes, your nose fills with the aroma of spices, and your taste buds can’t get enough sweets. The architecture, food and culture are a beautiful mix of European and Asian influences. Indeed, Istanbul is a true Turkish delight.

Posted in Europe, Turkey and tagged , ,
24 Oct 2012
2 Comments

It’s All Greek To Me In Athens (by Ναθεν)

Greek flag in the breeze

Temple of dolma

Walking into Athens is a step back in time. The city began as a village, blew up into a metropolis and has cycled in glory and defeat for centuries. The historical successes of Greek accomplishments of democracy, astronomy and philosophy were predominantly within the 5th and 6th centuries BC. The other years were controlled by disjointed reigns of Greeks, Persians, ottomans, Romans and even Germans. It is the modern Greece that we visited- rich in culture, deep with history, vibrant with hospitality and delicious with Mediterranean food.

The Acropolis Propyaea

The Erechtheion

People had warned us not to spend much time in Athens as it was an unattractive city. This confused us since we had always related Athens to Rome and we expected centuries of history from the once glorious civilization. Wouldn’t the city be full of beautiful architecture? We learned that at the end of 4th century BC the population of Athens has dropped significantly to village-like numbers. The city’s population of today can be directly attributed to the Greek/Turkish people’s exchange of 1923.

The Caryatids

The Parthenon

Thus, the city is rather modern in feel with large boulevards and rather plain buildings. The spectacular sight is the mountain in the center of the city, the Acropolis, that prominently holds beautiful temples that are 2,500 years old. Everything shows evidence and elaborate detail and a passion to build fantastic structures. The Romans emphasized the use of the arch, but much earlier, the Greeks designed buildings with brute force by increasing the frequency and number of columns. One of my favorites was the Caryatids, the female carved columns supporting the porch of the Erechtheion. The grandest of all is the Parthenon, an enormous building for 2 1/2 millennia ago. And they even bulged and tapered the columns to create an optical illusion of greater height.

Tourist shot on the Acropolis

Gyro heroes

The Parthenon and Acropolis are beautiful, but all this history tends to make our heads hurt and stomachs growl. We descended the mountain and found one of the numerous souvlaki shops. We watched as they sliced off pork and chicken from the sizzling and rotating spike. It was stuffed into pita with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber and parsley) and what’s this? Fries. Mmm we found Greek street food, gyros.

Temple of the Olympian Zeus

Ancient marble heads

We hit all of ancient sites. The Temple of the Olympan Zeus showed roman perseverance to complete great temples. There were countless marble statues majestically glorifying gods, heroes, distant queens and prominent merchants. Keramikos was an ancient grave yard and Mount Lycabettus provided stunning views of the city.

Tightly fit roman stonework

Temple of Hephaestus

Ancient ruins are tucked all over the city. The stonework of the Romans showed that many angles and superior tightness could be done 1,500 years before Machu Picchu. The temple of Hephaestus is almost entirely intact, and it was built in 400BC.

Baked whitebait at Cafe Absynna

Baked spicy feta and fava at Cafe Absynna

It has taken no time for us to adjust to the Mediterranean food here. A plate full of gavros (whitebait), baked feta cheese and puréed fava beans made an amazing meal at Cafe Absynna. We lingered at our table overlooking a small plaza, but we wanted a place with more action.

Tailor Made coffee and cocktails

A calm Syntagma Square

Artsy Athens graffiti

Tailor Made demonstrated the cafe culture we wanted. They served delicious coffee and cocktails with a chic rustic atmosphere. The cafe was in a tranquil neighborhood but there were still acres of graffiti on the surrounding buildings. We wondered if the graffiti had increased due to the protests surrounding the economic crisis. Much of the craziness in the last few months was in Syntagma Square which was calm when we saw it. Protesters were absent during our stay, but we left town just before the German chancellor arrived and they started up again. In the meantime we enjoyed meandering through the market streets with an occasional pleasant piece of urban art.

The Black Sheep all Greek menu

Various mezedes at Black Sheep

One factor making our Athens experience so great was the smooth transition into the city, culture and food. Our friend Theodoros took us to a rock ‘n’ roll/swing dance party, hosted us in a beautiful apartment and deciphered Greek menus for us. Greece is the first country in the last ten months where we have not been able to use Spanish or English. It was special to know a local in the area to provide insight on Athens and the Greek Islands. Athens is a wonderful city with great people and history, but the beach was calling us. We boarded our early morning ferry and within a few hours we would be in the sun, toes in the sand and crystal waters across the skyline.

Fun with Theodoros

Posted in Europe, Greece and tagged , ,
22 Oct 2012
2 Comments

Mad About Madrid (by Carmen)

Street in Madrid

There is something special about Spanish cities and I think I know what it is. It has to do with the fact that Spaniards love just hanging out with others – long lunches, hours spent sipping coffee, inumerable sidewalk benches to chat with neighbors. This love of socializing is relflected in the physical form of their cities. The urban landscape is decidely dense but not overwhelmingly so. And what is amazing (at least from an American’s perspective) is that this density reaches right out to the city’s edge. Instead of a sprawling mass of suburbia, there is a clear division of city and countryside. I observed this in Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and Madrid; for the most part, these cities all follow this pattern.

Old school tapas bar

Nathan enjoying hierbas

Nathan and I were still recovering from the camino so we tooking it easy in Madrid. We slept in. We caught up on the internet. We napped. Although this left us time to only scratch the surface of the city, the neighborhoods we did see enchanted us. First was the ‘hood we stayed in, Malasaña. It was a youthful area where old meets new. For example, we started a night of tapas hopping at an old school bar down the street. Judging by the pictures on the walls, the same bartenders have been working for at least 20 years. We ordered sweet vermouth, which they kept on tap, and a simple snack of bacalao (salt cod) with tomato sauce. We perched ourselves on some bar stoools and watched the crowd ebb and flow. As we prepared to leave the bartender poured us two complimentary shots of homemade hierbas (herb liqueur). He poured one for himself and we all raised our glasses and gave a chant of “salud!”

Fried green tomatoes at La Musa

Me and la bomba

Next we hopped to La Musa, a new school tapas joint conveniently located across the street from our hostel. They stepped it up here with offerings such as fried green tomatoes with cheese and fig jam. It was excellent. We even visited a second time to taste their other specialty, a meat stuffed potato they called la bomba (the bomb).

Beers on Calle de la Cava Baja

We got more new wave tapas on Calle de la Cava Baja, a bar street that is a little too commercialized but still fun because of all the people and choices. Along with fellow peregrinos Donavon and Suzanne we sampled beers and wine until late into the night. Conveniently, the bars serve cañas or about a third pint of beer. This makes it much easier to bar hop without getting too tipsy.

Stealth shot of a painting in the Prado, where photos are a no no

Another wonderful feature of Madrid is free museums. Ok, they are not free during the day but in the evenings two of the city’s most famous art museums are completely free. I was particularly taken by the surreal paintings from El Greco, especially considering his work is 400 years old! The Prado Museum has a collection that competes with the Louvre.

El Retiro Park

We found that the park provided a wonderful place to nap.

Mercado San Miguel

Of course, we also visited the historic center of Madrid in all its winding street glory. Nearby the Plaza Mayor we found the Mercado San Miguel, a high end market with stalls selling snacks like anchovies or olives. Nearby we settled in for a gigantic paella for two, which was really for four. With one of our favorite Spanish dishes we said goodbye to Spain. It was time to move on to new cuisines and cultures. Also new languages! Nathan and I had traveled for months speaking either English or Spanish. Now, we refreshed our memories of the greek alphabet as our next stop was Athens.

Paella time

Posted in Europe, Spain and tagged , ,
11 Sep 2012
3 Comments

London Love (by Carmen)

St. Pauls and Millenium Bridge

So the round the world trip begins!  First stop is my favorite city, London.  We only spent a couple days there on our way to Spain, but I couldn’t be more excited.  I’ve said before that I have relationships with cities.  Between London and me, it’s complicated.  I totally fell for London when Nathan and I moved there in 2006.  After 6 months, our work visas were up and it was time to head back to California so Nathan could go to grad school.  I left with a heavy heart and a promise to return as soon as possible.  Well, life happened and it has now been 6 years since we lived there.  Now I am totally ready to go back, except the city (or I should say the conservative politicians currently in power) doesn’t want me.  The difficulty of getting a work visa today is certainly putting a strain on the relationship.  At this point, I’m wondering whether my love for London will survive or if we’re fated to be old pals that see each other every once in a while.

Oh London, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

Me and the double decker during a 2010 visit

London bike share terminal

1. Transport.  Transport is my passion and career.  The fact that London’s transport is so excellent earns it big points in my book.  From the state of the art traffic control center to the extensive tube network to the double decker buses to the bike sharing to the wayfinding signs for pedestrians, London is always on looking ahead and making getting around easier.

Nathan at the Olympic Park (in 2010)

Olympics in Stratford (2012)

2. Diversity.  When we worked in London, Nathan and I worked with and met people from all over the world.  The city is the very definition of cosmopolitan and I believe it was a perfect setting for this year’s Olympics.

Baozi Inn Chinese food

3. Food.  With diversity, there are invariably comes good food options.  Pretty much anything you can imagine will exist in London, especially good Indian. And British food is modernizing as well by using old standards such as stews and roasts and adding new cooking techniques, seasonings or ingredients.  There are definitely still a lot of bad restaurants but if you look a little harder you will still find endless options.  Knowing where to go is made easier by the London food blogging community, which is so much fun to read it inspired me to start a blog in the first place!

British Museum roof

Old Naval College in Greenwich

4. Culture.  Free museums are awesome.  They make it possible to stop in for an hour instead of having to plan a whole day around seeing a museum. Add this to all the cultural events, theater, art shows, markets, etc. that are always happening around the city and you can always find something entertaining to do.  Among museums you have to pay for, the London Transport Museum perfectly combines two passions of mine. I can totally geek out climbing all the old double deckers. And don’t even get me started about the gift shop.

Brick building

5. History.  I really love knowing that generations before me have shared the same space.  It’s ironic that I live in California, which considers anything beyond 50 years old to be historic.  I like it when places are centuries old, and that isn’t hard to find in London.  Founded by the Romans, it has layers and layers of history to explore.

The iconic Tower Bridge

The good news is that Nathan and I are going to give it a shot and at least try to secure jobs there after we finish traveling.  Even if it doesn’t work out it is better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all…

Posted in Europe, Great Britain and tagged , ,
04 Sep 2012
1 Comment

Lingering in Los Angeles (by Carmen)

The movie LA Story starring Steve Martin really captures Los Angeles for me despite the fact that it came out 20 years ago.  It plays on the stereotypes of Angelenos being self-involved, superficial, apathetic road-ragers, which they can be at times.  At other times, though, there is a charming, laid back, carefree aspect to the city.  Add to this warm sandy beaches and the sunny Mediterranean climate and Los Angeles can really start to look attractive.  I am always going back and forth between love and disdain for LA.  Some of the people I love most live in the LA area, “area” being the key word since the city is so spread out.  On the other hand, I simply don’t want to spend half my life stuck in traffic on the freeway because there aren’t many viable transit options.

Roased chicken and sweet potatoes with bread seal

Decadent brownies

Nathan and I have been using LA as a home base during our time in the US.  And since we’re here we are taking advantage of the good side of LA as much as we can.  Fortunately, that has meant a lot of good food – including home cooked meals! One of my favorites has been Dorie Greenspan’s chicken in the pot recipe which Nathan and I have wanted to make ever since we saw it on the cover of her book. The dough seal on the pot means the chicken steams into juicy, tender perfection.  I also tackled some of David Lebovitz’s desserts including these incredibly fudgy brownies.  I’m happy my dad shares our love of cooking and shared his large kitchen and ample cooking tools with us  : )

Fried chicken and slaw at Manhattan Beach Post

We also had the opportunity to eat out. Manhattan Beach Post falls under the California cuisine category. To me, this means it has unique flavor combinations matched with the right cooking technique to produce food that makes you sit back in pleasure.  The menu is super varied with everything from Vietnamese influenced caramelized pork jowl to mac and cheese. But the common thread is that is all undeniably delicious.  One of my favorite dishes was a simple turkey sausage, mixed with kale and drizzled with maple syrup.  Another similar and equally yummy place is The Sunny Spot in Venice Beach.  Sadly, I didn’t get any pictures but I highly recommend it.

Guisado’s Mural

Guisados tacos

You can’t talk about food in LA without talking about tacos.  And the ones at Guisados are worth talking about.  The variety on the menu left us speechless for a while but we eventually ordered a ceviche tostada and tacos filled with rajas, carnitas, chile verde and chicken.  After so many months in South America, simple, good tacos were just what we needed.

Din Fai Tung dumplings

The Chinese community also makes up a big part of LA so it’s no wonder that it has a branch of the international chain Din Tai Fung Dumpling House.  We came here for the soup dumplings and were not disappointed.  They came steaming hot and filled with savory pork broth.  Now I just have to figure out how to get my hands on one of those dumpling shaped bobble heads they had on the counter.

Decadent Osteria Mozza

On the occasion of my Dad’s birthday we made a special outing to Osteria Mozza, which is owned by a group of chefs including Mario Battali and Nancy Silverton.  The simple clean decor, the smooth service, the sommelier’s smile all indicated we were in for a treat.  There were about 5 different burrata starters! With great difficulty we narrowed it down to one.  I then ordered simple red sauce pasta which had a perfect balance between sweet and acidic.  Nathan’s roast chicken included toast slathered with rich liver pate.  To be honest, you really don’t expect less from a place like Osteria Mozza. But it definitely delivered.

The beautiful California Coast from Palos Verdes

Like LA, these restaurants are all over the map- Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, East LA, Arcadia, and Hollywood.  Try to hit them all and you’ll see what I mean about freeway overload. But if you can at least get yourself to some sand and surf, the road rage will begin to melt away a bit.  

Posted in California, United States and tagged , ,
28 Aug 2012
3 Comments

A Tourist in San Francisco (by Nathan)

Downtown SF and trolley car

Victorian buildings of San Francisco

San Francisco definitely has a charm to it.  The Victorian style homes sit shoulder-to-shoulder on rolling hillsides.  There are beautiful bridges and bounties of delicious food. Who could forget trolley cars, light rail and a commuter train- public transit for the local traveler.  To our benefit, Carmen and I were able to once again return to San Francisco, we visited some of our favorite eateries and sat in the sun enjoying the few moments of heat that we could get.

Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco City Hall

A recommendation to any tourist in SF: bring a jacket, always.  So many believe that because San Francisco is in California that it will be warm, that there is actually a summer, but it is always cold.  I too forgot and I clung onto the one long sleeve and jacket that I brought for the two weeks.  A jacket is especially necessary if you are visiting San Francisco’s most spectacular piece of architecture, the Golden Gate Bridge.  It spans the mouth of land that confines the SF Bay closing off the enormous Pacific Ocean which means it is often covered in fog.  Another favorite architectural sight is the city hall sitting prominently with a magnificent dome.

Dolores Park and SF skyline

Bi-Rite Basil, Olive Oil and honey lavender ice cream

We did find time to lie in the park.  Dolores Park is large and filled with people that try to soak up the mid-afternoon warmth before the fog seeps in over the hills.  We read, people watched and turned away the magic truffle salesman.  The sweets we had in mind were: ice cream.  Bi-rite is at the far north-east corner of Delores Park.  A mile away is another glorious ice cream institution named Humphrey Slocomb.  We ate at both (on separate days).  There was basil and olive oil infused at Bi-rite and sesame seed and Szechuan strawberry sorbet at Humphrey Slocomb.

Dry fried chicken wings at San Tung

Xiao Long Bao at Kingdom of Dumplings

We spent a handful of days visiting consulate offices in San Francisco.  It is amazing how many Visas are needed to be secured before traveling for seven months.  China was definitely the most scrupulous, but to celebrate we ate Chinese, twice! We went to San Tung for best chicken wings and Kindom of dumpling for you guessed it: dumplings.

Mission Chinese hot and spicy everything

Cheung Hing barbecued meats

And then we ate more Chinese.  I didn’t realize it fully when we left the Bay Area, but many of our favorite places pulled the spicy, oily flavors of Asia right onto our doorstep.  Our first stop was Dol Ho that serves some awesome hole-in-the-wall dim sum.  Then Mission Chinese for fiery meats and vegetables.  One of our favorite Chinese barbecue places is called Cheung Hing; juicy meat hangs in the window and fried suckling pigs are wheeled out to families preparing for a party.

Chairman Bao food truck in SF sunset

We made time for street food.  San Francisco has a blossoming street food culture with delicious food trucks and mobile eateries.  One of the best things in the Bay Area in recent years is the advent of Off The Grid.  This organization has been organizing food truck circles and street markets all around the Bay Area.  Carmen and I would attend a 10 truck one in Berkeley on Wednesdays, but the mother of all events is the Friday scene in Fort Mason with almost forty trucks.  Our favorites were Chairmen Bao’s tofu steamed bun, Happy Dumpling, Azalina’s Malasian banana balls and copious amounts of Magnolia beer.

Phở roll at Rice, Paper Scissors

The next day we decided to get even more of the action at the annual Street Food Festival in the Mission neighborhood.  This conference and festival is fun because trucks and restaurants mix to provide a “small item,” “large item” and drink.  Our favorite was a mushroom phở roll at Rice, Paper Scissors.  From sambusas, bread pudding and pão de queijo; this event had it all.

A glorious Tartine Bakery assortment

One of the best places on this planet for baked goods is Tartine.  There is something wrong with how good everything is at this place.  We went a couple times, but our favorites are the bread pudding, croissant, and their country bread loaf.  We also had a toasted almond and pecorino sandwich that was so rich that we needed to take a nap afterwards.  One night we cooked with some friends and re-created their lemon almond tea cake, very easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Suppenküche spätzle

Another favorite is Suppenküche, a fabulous German restaurant to die for (and die by).  Their cheesy spätzle is one of our favorite dishes alongside one a German beer from their long list of taps.

Bay Area Friends

All that food was nothing in the enjoyment of seeing all of our wonderful Bay Area friends.  We stayed in multiple houses and apartments.  We camped, slept on floors, couches and air mattresses, but the real fun was spending time with some of the people that know us best.  There were long nights drinking, dinner parties cooking up feasts, and casual lunches, brunches and late night dinners.  We truly have a family of friends in San Francisco and they will surely be missed.

Posted in California, San Francisco, United States and tagged , , , ,
05 Aug 2012
4 Comments

Bringing the Heat to Chicago (by Carmen)

Me and Cloudsrest aka The Bean (2011)

Nathan in the Windy City (2011)

Chicago is a place of extremes, at least when it comes to weather.  Nathan and I last ventured to the Windy City in March 2011. It was cold. Freezing cold.  The kind that turns your nose bright red, makes your fingers ache despite the gloves, creeps up through your shoes to numb all your toes. This summer our 4th of July trip to Chicago coincided with a heat wave.  It was hot. Sweltering hot.  But I much prefer heat to ice so I was happy.

Beach off Oak Street

I have a ton of family in and around Chicago so most of my visits center around winter holidays.  It was a treat to come during the warmer months and we tried to take advantage as much as possible.  For example we went to the beach right in downtown. Lake Michigan might not have waves but it is refreshingly cool on a day that is over 100 degrees.

In front of the Monadnock Building

Model city at Chicago Architecture Foundation

Even without the beach downtown Chicago is one of my favorite places to be.  I love the high rise buildings, which I appreciate even more after taking numerous walking tours over the years from the Architecture Foundation.  On their skyscraper tour I learned that the elegant Monadnock Building, completed in 1891, was built using tried and true brick instead of new at the time steel construction methods.  In order to reach 16 stories, the walls at the base are 6 feet thick!

Carbide and Carbon Building – my favorite

On another tour I found my absolute favorite high rise – the art deco Carbide and Carbon.  It is simple and classy but stands out due to its unique colors.  Grey granite, slate green, copper, gold, silver all come together beautifully.

View from the Chicago River

The Tribune Building

This time we took the Architecture Foundation’s boat cruise up the Chicago River. We learned about the huge mix of styles along the water; from early 20th century beaux arts to modern Greek revival; from the Sears Tower (once the world’s tallest) to the new Trump Tower.

Frontera Grill

But let’s be honest. The real reason we are in downtown is to kill time between meals. Particularly meals at Frontera Grill.  This is Nathan’s all-time favorite Mexican restaurant. Owned by the Top Chef Masters winner Rick Bayliss it serves up some scrumptious Mexican fare. This time we ate sopes, queso fundido, grilled spring onions, and stuffed jalapeños.  As usual, it was all delicious.

Xoco

Bayliss’ food is so popular he has three restaurants on the same block! For a more casual experience than Frontera we head to Xoco.  It offers sopas y tortas (soups and sandwiches) that are to die for. Nathan and I shared a cochinita pibil (slow cooked pork) sandwich and pickled pork knuckle sopes. Another specialty of Xoco is thick hot chocolate – you can watch them grind the cocoa beans right in the front of the shop.

Deep dish Chicago pizza

Another regular stop for Nathan and me is Pizzeria Due.  Deep dish pizza is a very personal choice for any Chicagoan.  Everyone has their favorite. Pizzeria Due wins points in my book for the crumbly cornmeal crust.  But while their sauce is good, I think certain San Francisco pizzerias have them beat.

Pierogies at Staropolska

Moving out of downtown gets you to some of Chicago’s ethnic neighborhoods.  The city has the largest Polish population outside Poland. This means some damn good pierogies (potato, cheese, meat and/or cabbage dumplings) are to be had.

Smoked pork butt at Laschet’s

Over in the German neighborhood, my cousin introduced us to Laschet’s.  This is what you think of as a homey Midwest beer hall – fake wood paneling on the walls, old fashioned stained glass dome lights, thick dark carpeting. We had a feast of traditional German foods such as schnitzel, spatzle, potatoes, sauerkraut, etc.  We washed all this down with some smooth pilsners.  Fortunately, none of us came down with what the restaurant name indicated.  Even when Nathan ordered the smoked pork butt.

Bread pudding at Floriole

Chicago has more than just heavy meals.  Over in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, we found a sweet little cafe serving light sandwiches and salads.  We treated ourselves to a tasty bread pudding. It tasted very familiar to us.  Turns out that the owners used to work at our favorite San Francisco bakery, Tartine!

Goose Island Brewery flight

Another treat was a brewery tour of Goose Island.  This company makes some delicious custom brews for Frontera Grill so we knew we were in for some good stuff.  Their actual facility is rather small, so after the 15 minute explanation of the brewing process, I was wondering why the tour cost me $10.  Then we walked into the banquet room.  Two long tables were lined with 5 tasting glasses at each seat.  It was great to taste a range of their beers, from pilsner to IPA. The most interesting was a gluten-free beer that was made from quinoa, resulting in a pinkish color.  It tasted something like a cross between beer and sparkling wine.

The best hot dog

I made you wait for this last food picture.  That’s because we always have to wait for it.  The line for Hot Doug’s seems to always be minimum 1 hour. We’ve done the wait twice, once in 20 degree weather!  So is it worth it? The answer is yes. Their version of the classic Chicago hot dog is sublime. The dog, poppyseed bun, mustard, relish, spear pickle, onions, sport peppers and celery salt all come together in a beautiful medley. Feeling adventurous, like we always are, then try a foie gras hot dog or one from alligator meat!  Add duck fat fries and a variety of sausage alternatives to choose from and you understand why it’s worth the wait.

Nathan, Lucy and Albert

This trip to Chicago is made possible through generosity of my cousin, Tracy, in hosting us in her home.  Also, special thanks to Lucy and Albert for making room on the couch for us.  Until next time, Chicago!

Chicago sign at hip salvage store

Posted in Midwest, United States and tagged , , , ,
01 Aug 2012
5 Comments

Putting the Fork to the Pork in New York (by Nathan)

Did you hear that? Of course you didn’t, my stomach just grumbled.  And my stomach always grumbles at the thought of New York City.  If you have not eaten yet, then I suggest grabbing a snack because our recent trip to New York had the objective of FOOD.  New York has it all: wonderful international restaurants, majestic sights and an accessible urban landscape; there is everything to satisfy any insatiable appetite.

All this walking around is hard work and all this eating takes some serious coordination.  Our first trip to New York made a minor dent into a long list of places we wanted to try.  This trip we needed progress, so Carmen got to work weeks ahead to make a map of all the restaurants.  The days were planned to visit the sights nearest the places we wanted to eat, simple right?  To make this trip successful we needed to create more meals, and thus, the addition of “pre” and “li” into our vocabulary.  For example, preakfast=pre-breakfast and linner=late dinner.

Brooklyn Bridge

As a repeat of our last trip we stayed with our good friends Taylor and Andrew in Brooklyn.  Their apartment is perfectly placed between multiple subway lines and the Brooklyn Bridge is just a jog away.  They are amazing hosts are an enticing reason for Carmen and I to Move to New York after the trip.       

Court Street Bagels

The classic New York Bagel is an essential start to any day.  The bagels are pillowy and bulbous and the typical shop has an overwhelming number of spreads to choose from.  We grabbed a few for preakfast on our early morning arrival.  I am still of the opinion that Montreal has the best bagels that are baked over a fire and served to you crispy and hot. But to avoid a fist fight I held my lips tight.

Doughnut Plant’s PB&J, Banana Cream, Blueberry and Crème Brûlée

The lower east-side of Manhattan contains a plethora, yes, a plethora of restaurants.  We find ourselves in this area for meals and drinks throughout all hours of the day and night.  For breakfast we hopped over to Doughnut Plant.  We ordered up peanut butter glazed and boysenberry jam filled square monster and a few smaller delights.  A few blocks away was BabyCakes, the unmatched delicious and vegan bakery.  We had to visit it on a separate morning.

Magnolia Cupcakes

For lickfast (late-breakfast or lick-fest) a few cupcakes are essential.  Time it right and a trip to Magnolia Bakery is smooth like frosting.  Time it wrong and the packed  counter is a scene of elbow-throwing cupcake-grabbing madness.  Unscarred, we made it out with some treats to bring back to Brooklyn.

Best Street: Kati Roll, Bao-B-Q and Mamoun’s Mabrumeh + Falafel

Walk to the east and there exists the best street in Manhattan!  MacDougal between 3rd and Bleeker in Greenwich Village has everything and more so arrive hungry.  We came here on our last trip because of a recommendation from our friend Manish.  The food is so good that it was the first stop on the agenda when we arrived in New York.  First off there is Mamoun’s Falafel dishing out pita falafel sandwiches for $2.50.  A few doors down is a hopping NYC pizza joint named Artichoke; further on Kati Roll assembles phenomenal street wraps.  Across the street Bao-B-Q puts together a sweet and spicy pork sandwich on a steamed bun.  I am sure there other delicious restaurants within five steps in any direction, but we were excessively full and needed to waddle our way to another area of Manhattan.

Carmen relaxing on High Line Park

A beautiful day from High Line Park

Typically, we then walk of our large prunch from MacDougal St. at High Line Park.  I say “typically” because I have successfully accomplished this twice.  High Line Park is one of the perfect gems of New York City.  The abandoned elevated rail line was converted into a meandering vibrant pathway for strolling, people watching and enjoying the fresh air.  We walked through the flower gardens; we stopped to relax, talk and gaze out into New York’s colorful architecture.

Szechuan Gourmet

One thing that I loved about China, and a reason why I am going back, is the food.  The cuisines across China vary as much as those across Europe and Sichuan Chinese food is the cuisine that most tingles my tongue.  The food is smoky and spicy and they use small peppercorns that physically numb the tongue and mouth.  Since we were feeling snacking, our love of those flavors brought us to Szechuan Gourmet.  We ordered two classics – dan dan noodles and home-style tofu.  We left the restaurant with our mouths still sizzling and a deeper craving to travel to Asia.

BBQ Pork Belly Bun at Momufuku

An essential restaurant for every visit to New York is Momufuku.  There are three different Momofukus, try them all, but do not escape without eating in at least one.  The Korean fusion fare is succulent and bursting with flavors no matter what is ordered.  This time we went to Ssam Bar.  We ordered up an array of deliciously simple roasted pork belly buns and spicy noodles.  The juices subtly squirt out with each bite and the indulgence is completed with a sucking of the fingertips.

Statue of liberty from Staten Island ferry

Hundred year old house of my grandparents

We did see more than just restaurants.  Alongside thousands of other tourists we boarded the Staten Island ferry.  We said our “hellos” to the statue of liberty and grabbed a bus to get us into the interior part of the island.  Walking through the historic neighborhoods we found the house where my mom was born.  It is fun being in a place where my relatives played in the streets.  I imagine my grandparents, whom I never met, and their little German community sixty years ago.

Nathan enjoying a “cococone”

New York is hot in the summertime, ice cream is cold.  And what is cool is a saucy man driving around in his big gay ice cream truck.  We first heard about this truck while at a street food convention in San Francisco.  The owner described how and why he started his business and when in New York we had to try some.  He serves up basic soft serve with a twist.  He creates his own toppings, such as salted caramel then dipped in chocolate or wasabi pea dust.  We ordered a toasted curried coconut, a unique flavor combination with soft serve but it really worked.

Spaniards frolicking in the fountain

We slipped into a bar for drinks and the final match of the Euro Cup.  Hundreds of Spaniards and hispanophiles descended onto Washington Square to jump cheer and celebrate in the fountain.

$3.50 at Prosperity Dumpling

For prinner we headed to a dumpling shop in Chinatown.  At Prosperity Dumpling we ordered pork and chive pan-fried dumplings and veggie soup dumplings.  We made the mistake thinking that the dumplings would be Shanghai style, with soup inside, but in fact they arrived to us in a soup broth.  At $2 for 10, this restaurant turns out thousands of these delicious pot stickers.

Xi’an Famous Foods

Dinnertime: a few blocks away is a restaurant that we had to return to for a 2nd meal.  Xi’an Famous Foods serves Muslim Chinese food.  They hand-pull all their noodles and their cumin-rich lamb burger is exceptional.

Pudding at Rice to Riches

Everything you can imagine exists in New York.  Case in point: a restaurant that only makes rice pudding.  There are twenty-five flavors, toppings and cheeky quotes that make up a fun atmosphere. Next time you are in New York try Rice to Riches and as stated on the wall “order the large, you are fat anyway!”

Reuben at Katz’s Deli

Next we strolled over to an institution that has perfected the pastrami sandwich.  Yes, Katz’s Deli smokes and carves a meat that is really special and celebrated by the world.  This trip we ordered it as a Reuben that adds Swiss cheese and sauerkraut to an already great thing.  The sandwich is huge, bring a friend and split it.

Spicy Totto Ramen

Still hungry?  Ramen is the perfect late night supper.  Toto Ramen served up a spicy and rich broth that is some of the best we have ever had.  The wait was well over an hour, but worth it.

Typical eye-pleasing NYC street

One thing that every tourist can agree on in New York is that there is too much to do.  There are many sights and neighborhoods to explore.  A day can be filled wondering the streets and peeking around the brick and mortar buildings.  Every block has something special to see and every building has character and history to its presence.    New York is calling us, inviting us to live and explore more intimately, but now is a time for travel.  Goodbye NYC until next time.

Carmen and Nathan at Clove Lake Park

(Note: Ok, we didn’t actually consume all of these dishes in one day – it took about a week! But what an epic day that would be. Talk about food coma)

Posted in East Coast, United States and tagged , , , ,

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