Chicago: Where in the World Wednesday!

It is amazing that after all this time, I STILL haven't been to the wonderful food city of Chicago (although slightly ironically, on this day I'm actually three hours west of Chicago).  Luckily, we have not one, but FOUR Chicago tour guides today to offer us some insight into what the city has to give us!  Thanks so much to Silvia, Neena, Becca, and Jason!

Silvia and I lived in neighboring "houses" in the freshman dorms and have been friends ever since!  I've been sad ever since Silvia moved away from DC, but can't wait to visit her in Chicago!  She currently lives in downtown Chicago in a neighborhood called Old Town.

Neena is the fabulous sister of one of my best friends, Anjali (check out Anjali's WWW of NOLA!).  Neena is a senior at Northwestern living in Evanston, the first suburb north of Chicago. Before moving here, she grew up in Union City, a small town in northwest Tennessee.  Her top three food cities are New Orleans, Memphis, and Chicago.  Her favorite dessert is key lime pie (yum!) and if comfort food is where it is at, then Neena goes for mashed potatoes and cornbread.

Jason and Becca are showing us around jointly around Chicago!  Becca and I went to grad school together, but actually met when we worked at the same office one summer and have been friends (and coworkers!) ever since.  I met Jason through Becca and have heard about their Chicago eating adventures since Jason started school at Northwestern. 

(1)  How would you describe the food in Chicago in 10 words or less?
Silvia: There's truly something for everyone's taste!

Neena: All over the place - in the best way possible!

Becca: Either huge and hearty or trendy and innovative; Jason: Filling, diverse. Consistently exceeds my expectations.

(2) If you were bringing back a food gift basket representative of Chicago for a friend, what would you include in it?  (Feel free to include perishable items!)

Silvia: A pizza pot pie (the kind with the meat sauce and mushrooms) and the Mediterranean bread from The Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder; a Chicago-style hot dog; Garrett Popcorn (CaramelCrisp); Portillo's Italian Beef; Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale; Bobtail's Signature Sunset ice cream (it's Merlot ice cream with chocolate chunks); and Vosges Haut Chocolat's Exotic Chocolate Bars (e.g. Sweet Indian curry + coconut; milk chocolate + bacon; Mexican ancho & chipotle chillies + Ceylon cinnamon dark chocolate)

Neena: Deep Dish Pizza- preferably original cheese from Giordano’s

Chicago Hot Dog- no ketchup, poppy seed bun, mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish, dill pickle spear, tomato slices, pickled sport peppers, celery salt…from Hot Doug’s

Italian Beef Sandwich- wonderfully seasoned roast beef on an Italian roll that is often dipped in the meat juices and topped with giardiniera or sweet peppers…you can’t really make this badly, so I would say from anywhere

Metropolis Coffee- best coffee, no discussion

Vosges Chocolate- based out of Chicago, this chocolatier has some of the most exotic truffles and candy bars including bacon chocolate and Indian curry chocolate…sounds scary, tastes amazing

Becca: Steak, Roasted nuts, sausages. Jason: Agreed - maybe also throw in a hot dog.

(3) Do you find that food in Chicago has been greatly influenced by certain ethnicities/religions?  If so, which ones?

Silvia: Each neighborhood is uniquely influenced.  There are the traditional ethnic neighborhoods like Greektown, Chinatown, Little Italy, but then there are the more unique neighborhoods like Boystown (think The Hardy Boys), Wrigleyville (for the Cubs fans), and Andersonville (Swedish influence), all with their own unique tastes and flavors.

Neena:  Absolutely. Polish, Greek, Ukrainian, and Italian influences are the first that pop into my mind.

Becca: I think there is good ethnic food in Chicago if you seek it out, we've had good indian there. There is good italian, and Rick Bayless has his line of mexican restaurants that are very popular. I think there is some polish influence too. Otherwise I would say Chicago is a meat and potatoes American midwestern town.

Jason: Chicago is a city where different neighborhoods are still dominated by the ethnic groups that have historically inhabited the neighborhoods (i.e., not very well integrated). As a result, while I don't think that one ethnicity has so much influenced the cuisine of the entire city, I do think that Polish, Ukranian, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Jewish, Puerto Rican-centric influences dominate certain Chicago neighborhoods.

(4) If I were to visit you, where would we go for breakfast?  For late-night eats?

Silvia: For breakfast, I'd definitely take you to Yolk or Orange.  For late-night eats, we could not miss The Wiener Circle!!!  YouTube it and you'll know what I mean (just don't watch it in your office!) =P

Neena:  Breakfast at Toast- Their pesto scramble is perfection. A close second is their Mexican chocolate stuffed French Toast…seems like a sin so early in the morning.

Late-Night Eats at Ian’s Pizza- A toss up between a slice of chili cheese fritos pizza or a slice of steak & french fries pizza…both sound a bit disturbing/overwhelming but believe me when I say it’s not a good night out in Wrigleyville unless you snag a slice of Ian’s.

Becca:  For breakfast, either West Egg Cafe or that huge place on Michigan Avenue whose name I forgot. Jason: Agreed. Good brunch place called Orange in Lakeview too.  For late night eats, Tempo Cafe. Place is a scene late at night, good food though.

(5) If I were to visit you, what is one food-related destination or outing that we would visit/do?

Silvia: If you were here during the summer, we would definitely visit at least one of the many food festivals that take place here from May-September! There's Taste of Chicago (a definite must), the Guinness Oyster Fest, and all the neighborhood tasting festivals.  My favorite is Ribfest :)   

I would also take you to Table Fifty-Two, whose chef and owner is Art Smith, the former personal chef to Oprah.  Art personally came to greet our table and the tables around us when we dined there.  I felt like I was only 1 degree separated from Oprah, and I'd want you to have the same experience too ;)

Neena: Chicago Hot Dog from Hot Doug’s- It is absolutely an outing with the line streaming out the door daily.

Becca: We would probably go to Ginos/Giordanos for deep dish. Jason: Agreed.


(6) Was there anything that particularly surprised you about the food in Chicago?

Silvia: I was definitely surprised by how much good food and how much variety there is here in Chicago!  When I first moved to Chicago, I made a long list of restaurants that I would try during my first year living in the city.  After 4.5 years in Chicago and having tried hundreds of restaurants, that list has turned into a BOOK and still continues to grow!

Neena:  The concept of comfort food in the Midwest is not far from that of the South’s concept. This is a good thing.

Becca: Maybe not the food, but Chicago has a serious foodie scene, and it's hard to get reservations at a lot of places, we've called for a res at places that wouldn't necessarily be considered special occasion only and been told there was a 6 month wait list. Jason: I agree with Becca. I think because it is so cold people take their restaurant excursions very seriously, and as a result the Chicago dining scene is really taken seriously. I've met more foodies in Chicago than anywhere else. I've also been surprised by how diverse a selection of restaurants Chicago has to offer. You can get any type of food in Chicago.

(7)   What is your favorite “local” restaurant and why?

Silvia: I have so many restaurants on my favorite list--it's hard to pick just one!  I would vote for Chilam Balam as my favorite "local" restaurant.  Their chef (who was the Sous Chef for Rick Bayless) practices a farm-to-table mantra and as such sources local produce and ingredients for all the tasty food.  Plus it's BYOB!

Neena: Bistro Zinc. Simple French food. Never a disappointment.

Becca: Red Rooster Cafe in Lincoln Park. It's a really cute little French restaurant that's dimly lit and quiet with great food and great prices. We tell everyone to go there. Jason: Agreed.

(8)   I admit, I’m a junk food junkie… where is your go-to place for deep dish pizza?  For a hot dog?

Silvia: I love Edwardo's deep-dish pizza, Hawaiian style (ham with pineapple). 

I usually reserve my hot dog eating for game day at Wrigley Field.  But if I had a bad craving, I would hop down the street to Five Faces in my neighborhood for a Chicago-style hot dog.  I've heard great things about Hot Doug's hot dogs and duck fat fries, but I haven't tried it--I would love to try it with you, Jackie!

Neena:  Deep Dish from Giordano's without a doubt. I have learned that deep dish pizza and regular crust pizza are completely different cravings in my mind. When you are craving one of them, you will never settle for the other.  Hot dog from Hot Doug's is always a safe bet.

Becca: Deep dish: Ginos to sit in and Giordanos for take out (spinach and pepperoni).  I have to confess I haven't had a hot dog in chicago, but I've heard there's a little place way up north that is hands down the best, but requires waiting in line for sometimes hours.  Jason: I like Giordano's deep dish. Portillo's or Wrigley Field for a hot dog.

(9) Given the current economic times, where would you go for a meal and a drink for $15 and less?

Silvia: I would go to Matisse in Lakeview for their daily specials.  My favorite is the $3 burger + $4 beer night on Mondays.  Wednesdays are great with their $4 chocolate martini special!  Matisse is a cute little tavern--it's very cozy in the winter because they have a fireplace inside that people can sit next to and cuddle up.  In the summer they have a great outdoor patio that's awesome for people watching.

Neena: Xoco- Make sure you budget for the churros and dipping Mexican chocolate!

Becca: We'd probably share a pizza at Dan's restaurant Osteria Via Stato but we'd be cheating because he'd probably give us free antipasti to go with it. Chicago is full of great pubs though, pretty much any random spot in Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville is going to have a great burger. Jason: Agree w/Becca. You can get a good meal and drink for under $15 (maybe $20) all over Chicago.

(10) What is your most memorable food experience in Chicago?

Silvia: I have so many memorable food experiences in Chicago; I don't think I can pick just one!

I think the most recent memorable food experience was Chicago Restaurant Week 2010 in February.  Luke and I had a ton of fun going around the city and trying out a bunch of new restaurants we had never been to before.  We tasted and enjoyed so many wonderful dishes!  Some of my favorites included the Truffled Mac 'n' Cheese and Duck Duo from Blue 13, the Mushroom Risotto and Hot Apple Crisp from Gemini Bistro, the Alaskan King Crab from Joe's Seafood, and the cheesecake from Il Mulino.  It was really fun to compare notes with our fellow foodie friends as Restaurant Week progressed!

My overall most memorable food experiences in Chicago would involve the following restaurants: Sunda, The Publican, Hot Chocolate, the Hopleaf, and Japonais.  Jackie--you'll just have to come visit so I can take you to those places.  Then you'll know why they're memorable :)

Neena:  Too many to list! First one that comes to mind is getting a slice of Bacci’s pizza after a Cubs game. But, let me tell you. This is not your average slice of pizza. For $5 you can get a slice of pizza the size of Russia and a drink.

Becca: Hard to say, we've had a lot. After Jason I associate Chicago with food. Our first breakfast in Chicago (I don't know where) I had this amazing french toast with bananas on it. Jason's friend Dan works at an italian restaurant/pizzeria and we went there one night for an awesome 4 course meal (that ended up being several more courses because Dan's friends just kept bringing things). And of course all our dinners at Red Rooster have been great -- particularly the time we went there during the week and our food was half price (crazy because the food there is already half the price of many other places). We've had great meals all over Chicago though.

Jason: I'd say our first time at Red Rooster. It is just a nice, quaint spot that was wonderful that night and continues to impress us. Also, as was mentioned earlier, people in Chicago take their food seriously so it is hard to "find" a new place. I like being able to say, or think, that we found Red Rooster on our own.

Thank you so much  for your tours of Chicago's eats!  Ok, now I'm starving.  When is the next flight out to Chicago?

Thailand: Where in the World Wednesday

Hello everyone!  Welcome back to another segment of "Where in the World Wednesday" :)  This week we jet off to beautiful Thailand with two tour guides -- my friend Jeff and his lovely girlfriend Nim.  Jeff and I have been friends since high school and since high school, his life has taken him all around the world -- he's lived in Taipei, Newport Beach (CA), Houston (TX), and the Baltimore/Washington area.  Nim was born in the northern Thai city, Nan, and she has lived in the southern Thai city, Songkhla, as well as Atlanta and Bangkok.  Nim and Jeff currently live in Hwai Khwang, Bangkok, Thailand.  Thanks to Jeff and Nim for taking part in Where in the World Wednesday! 

(1)   How would you describe the food in Thailand in 10 words or less?

Concentrated & Intense Flavor, Spicy.

(2)   Are there any dishes that you think are traditionally Thai?

(3)   Do you find that food in Thailand has been greatly influenced by certain ethnicities/religions?  If so, which ones?

(4)   Have you found that different regions of Thailand have different types of food?  If so, which would be your favorite region?

We will group these three questions together, and start by answering #4. There are four distinct regions in Thailand - North, Northeast, Central, and South. They each have their own unique tastes. For example, the food in/from the South is ridiculously spicy.

There are many religions/ethnicities in Thailand. There is a strong Muslim influence (kebabs, hookah), Indian influence (tons of curry), Chinese (typical), and Japanese (businessman).

Traditional Thai dishes include: Tom Yum Kung (Soup - Lemongrass, Herbs, Shrimp), Sweet Mango & Sticky Rice (Dessert), Som Tam (Papaya Salad)

(5)   If you were bringing back a food gift basket representative of Thailand for a friend, what would you include in it?  (Feel free to include perishable items!)

Nim says that she would include...Raw AND Ripe Mangoes, Mangosteen, Lychee, and Durian.

I would bring... Kao Niew Gai Tohd (Sticky Rice with Fried Chicken), Kao Meng Gai (White Rice with Boiled Chicken), Ba Mi Giao Nam (Yellow Noodles with Roasted Red Pork + Dumplings in Soup)

(6)   If I were to visit you, where would we go for breakfast?  For late-night eats?

Thais don't really eat breakfast, so to speak, or as we envision what breakfast ought to be. They often have Thai Iced Tea/Iced Chocolate/Iced Coffee + simple fried street food for breakfast. Some people eat Grilled Meat + Sticky Rice, some people eat noodles, some eat nothing. Cereal is an expensive commodity here.

There are tons of 24-hour/late night places to eat. However, I am old, and I go to bed at 10. Most of them are street food though - anything you can think of, I'm sure there is a street vendor for it.

(7)   Where would you take me on a food-related outing?

It depends on what kind of place you want to go... For example, if you wanted to do something with a Chinese influence, we would go to YaoWaRat - China Town. If you wanted to do something "Hi-So" (bourgeoisie), we would go to Siam Paragon (Think Tyson's Corner but even more expensive, Thong Lor (Little Tokyo), and anywhere on Sukhumvit Road (Main road in the business district). There are tons of great places to eat, depending on how you want it, and how local of tastes you want it.

(8)   Was there anything that particularly surprised you about the food in Thailand?

At first, I hated Thai Food. I kept asking myself, with its obvious Chinese link, what happened to the Chinese Food? Thai food has its own tangy, spicy flavor, which Chinese food does not have. However, I've thrown myself into this culture, and am absolutely loving the cuisine. The challenge is in the Spicy food. With Japanese Wasabi, you breathe out to alleviate the pains. With Thai Spices, you soak it and you take it like a man. It is a great challenge to absorb the invigorating sensation that burns the insides of your body. It is actually a wonderful feeling. In fact, chillies and peppers have tons of Vitamin C.

(10) What is your favorite “local” restaurant and why?

I wouldn't call it a restaurant, so to speak; however, it is a storefront. It is family owned, and is extremely old and dirty on the inside. They serve two dishes: Ba Mi Giao Nam (as stated above) and Kao Moo Daeng (Rice with Roasted Red Pork + Boiled Egg + Special Sauce). The special sauce for the rice dish is very sweet and tasty.

(11) What has been your most memorable food experience in Thailand?

There are two. 1) When Nim and I were in Nan, along with two of our other friends, we went to this "local" restaurant, which was a Shrimp Farm. We ate our guts out, full of fresh, grilled shrimp. There should be pictures on my facebook. 2) When Nim and I went to Phuket for a short vacation, and to see her friend from middle school, they took us to a "local" seafood restaurant on the beach. We had 10 dishes of fresh, famous seafood, and the cost came out to be less than $40 for 5 people. The taste was fantastic.

New York, New York: Where in the World Wednesday!

This week brings an extra special Where in the World Wednesday!  Quite a few of my friends live or have lived in New York City -- so I decided to do a mega edition of Where in the World Wednesday with four (plus more!) tour guides to give us a tour of the delicious eats of NYC.  I was curious to see how they would agree (or not agree) on their answers... Plus, NYC is filled with so many delectable bites, we probably need more than just one guide anyways.

So let's meet the guides:

Julie and I met in grad school and I've been sad since she has left DC!  Jul is a true New Yorker, having been born in Manhattan, raised on Long Island, and she's lived in Union Square (2 summers), West Village (1 summer), Murray Hill (2 years), and the Upper East Side (2 years).  I still remember some of our food outings together when I've visited her.  Her top five food cities around the world (other than NYC of course) are Tel Aviv, Santorini, DC, and Cabo San Lucas.

Elaine and I have known each other since high school and have been best friends-fellow foodies ever since!  Elaine now lives in London (check out her London Where in the World Wednesday here!) but went to NYU for college.  She lived in Union Square, the Financial District, and the East Village during her time there.  Her top food cities are New York, London, Paris, Rome, and Hong Kong.

Steph and I met our freshman year of college in our Introduction to Fiction and Poetry class and have continually bonded over food ever since!  (check out her Japan Where in the World Wednesday here!)  Steph has lived in NYC for five and a half years, 2 years on the Upper West Side and since then in the East Village.  Her top five food cities are NYC, Kobe, Paris, Bangkok, and Barcelona.

Aaron and I also met our freshman  year of college and as a fellow foodie, thought would be a great male perspective!   Aaron has lived in NYC for five years, in Midtown West near Columbus Circle and now in Union Square.  His top five food cities are New York, Pittsburgh, Barcelona, Los Angeles, and Tokyo.

Now on with our foodie tour of NEW YORK CITY! 
 

(1) How would you describe food in NYC in 10 words or less?

Julie: Many options for all palates -- gourmet and picky.

Elaine:  Whatever you want whenever you want it.
Steph:  Diverse, creative, innovative, global, comforting
Aaron: Anything and everything... just ask!

(2) If you were putting together a food gift basket representative of NYC for a visiting friend, what would you include in it? (Feel free to include perishable items!)

Julie: Soft pretzel from a street cart, pizza, black and white cookie, Tasti DLite, rainbow cookie, bagel.

Elaine:  Shack Burger and Cheese Fries from Shake Shack, Bagels, favorite candies from Dylan's Candy Bar, Pizza from Grimaldi's, Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3, Raspberry Cheese Blintzes and Chicken Noodle Soup from Veselka

Steph: If I was putting together a food basket, I would probably include H&H bagels with lox from Zabars, also delicious smoked salmon and herring from Russ & Daughters in the LES, and donuts from Doughnut Plant.

Aaron:  Cheese and mac from S'Mac.  Bacon hot dog from Crif Dog.  Stinky bleu from Picholine.  halal street meat.  mussels from flex mussels.  some over-the-top nonsense peruvian/japanese fusion plate with obnoxious ginger garnish.  all blended together?

(3) Which ethnicities / religions have mainly influenced the food in NYC?

Julie: There are so many different neighborhoods -- Koreatown, Chinatown, Little Italy ... all have influenced NY in their own way!

Elaine:  There are too many to list! If you don't believe me, check out here!

Steph: Which ethnicities/religions haven't influenced the food here?  I live in the East Village where I can walk down my block and get Italian, Thai, Moroccan, Chinese, turn around the corner and get Japanese ramen, burgers, tacos, and falafel.  I love it!

Aaron: Don't know NYC genealogy very well but would have to say people of Jewish or Italian descent.  But I know Manhattan best and it's not the most representative of vintage New York boroughs...most restaurants here are financed and catered to whatever can be called unique and popular with the incipient trends.  Increasingly a business that has less and less a component of heritage (not a bad thing.)  I've noticed that NYC hasn't caught on to it's fair share of Chinese, African or North/Eastern European tastes....but it has most of everything else well covered.

(4) What makes NYC unique – foodwise?

Julie: Diners! Expansive menu, 24 hours a day.  24 hour delivery! You can get whatever you want, whenever you want.  Legit bagels -- forever tainted my ability to eat bagels anywhere else.

Elaine: You can find amazing food of any cuisine no matter what your budget is.

Steph: NY is unique in that you can find anything here, food-wise.  All the big chefs, the experimental restaurants, the cuisines from countries you didn't even know existed, can all be found here.  As for me, I miss Japanese food and love that i can get quality Japanese food here in NY.

Aaron: Some 19,000 restaurants...100 closures and new restaurants a week.

(5) If I were to visit you, what are three food related places that we definitely would have to go to?

Julie: Da Nico (best place in Little Italy w/ an outdoor private garden), Gotham Bar & Grill (consistent upscale deliciousness), Ess a Bagel (best bagels in the whole world), Stanton Social (small plates -- best French Onion Soup dumplings) (Me: OMG, French onion soup dumplings?  Um, that sounds amazing...)

Elaine: Shake Shack, Per Se, Babbo

Steph: If you were visiting me, I would take you to Stanton Social for brunch (it's a restaurant in the LES where they have tapas-styled brunch, so it's great to go in a group and share small dishes, eliminating my usual savory vs. sweet debate), if the weather is nice we can go to Shake Shack for a burger and if not we can go to Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien too, as for dinner, one of my favorite restaurants is Alta (mediterranean tapas-style, I guess I like sharing) so we'll have to go there!

Aaron:  Standing exception to #3....Katz's Deli.  Also, Little Owl and Spotted Pig

(6) You know the saying, NYC is the city that never sleeps… where would we go for late night eats?

Julie: Any diner (truly they are all pretty good) -- my friend always orders pound cake and vanilla ice cream, I always go for omelettes.  Also, Pizza 33 -- brick-oven pizza that is packed til the wee hours. (Random factoid -- during the big blackout, it was one of the only places where you could get hot food, because of the brick oven!)

Elaine:  Veselka - 24 hour diner
San Loco - unpretentious Tex Mex open til 4am or 5am
French Roast - 24 hour Parisian bistro

Steph: There's always a slice or falafel available at every corner... also used to go to Crif Dogs (hot dog joint) in St. Marks where they have a lot of different toppings along with tater tots...

Aaron: Fatty Crab.  grungy music and crab...the best.  Veselka for pierogis and borscht...and I saw Scarlet Johannsson there last time.

(7) Given the current economic times, where would you go for a meal plus drink for $15 or less?

Julie: Well, drinks in NYC are rarely less than $10. So perhaps a margarita at Rio Grande and split a massive quesadilla with a friend?

Elaine: There are so many places but here are some of my favorites:
Zen Restaurant: $5 sushi rolls!
Chickpea: Shawafel Pocket (shawarma and falafel) - $6.96
Shake Shack: Double ShackBurger, Cheese Fries, and The Arnold Palmer (half lemonade, half ice tea) - $13.25

Steph: there's always dim sum in chinatown, or a lot of vietnamese sandwich (banh mi) places have opened up recently in the east village/LES so that plus a drink would definitely still be under $15!

Aaron:   Morning food carts...those guys make for great conversation.  You get free donuts from time to time.

(8) As we're in the holiday season, what are some of your favorite food related holiday traditions in NYC?

Julie: Hanukkah gelt (chocolate money), hot chocolate (City Bakery has THE best cup w/ homemade marshmallows)

Elaine:  Drinking hot chocolate while walking around the city, stocking up on candy at Dylan's Candy Bar, having dim sum with family and friends

Steph: Not necessarily traditions, but I feel like eating heartier food near the holidays - I like Friend of a Farmer (near Union Square, has great brunch too) or Sylvia's in Harlem (fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc).  and hot chocolate!  NY has a ton of great hot chocolate spots, such as Chocolate Bar, Vosges, etc.

Aaron: Tradition?  nah

(9) What is your most memorable food experience in NYC?

Julie: Hard to narrow this down ...(!)

Elaine: Both meals I had at Per Se - the food was so exquisite that I can still remember how some of the dishes taste!

Steph:  Too much here to remember, but great dinners have been had at WD-50 (an experimental restaurant where you can be excited/nervous about what you're about to eat), at great tapas restaurants like Casa Mono (Mario Batali's restaurant) etc.  OH but I can't forget, my dinner at Sammy's Roumanian steakhouse in the LES.  It was one Saturday night when I was dressed up for dinner but the wait for a table was way too long at the restaurant we had planned to eat.  So my friends told me of a great steakhouse nearby, which was this restaurant - it's a divey kitschy Jewish Romanian joint that would be fine just as a general cultural experience - but I wasn't prepared for it!  There was a man in his 70s that was the DJ, spinning the same few songs over and over, my table had a long black hair lying on top of it, there were jugs of melted butter smack in the middle of the table, and old foreign ladies wearing short skirts that were dancing and singing, drunk off their minds, and lifting their legs a little too high in front of my face.  The steak itself was fine, although expensive for the lack of ambiance, and to top it off there was an older group behind us, maybe late 40s early 50s, and a wife was leaning on her husband sitting next to her.  Suddenly she put her head in his lap and threw up all over him - and this was right behind me, halfway through my steak.  People seem to love this place, but once was enough for me!!

Aaron: wd-50.  the chefs are clearly on drugs.

(10) As a special edition to Where in the World Wednesday, let's pick your brains to see where your go-to places are for the following...

Sushi

Julie: I don't eat sushi, but everyone loves Haru.

Elaine:  Zen Restaurant on St. Marks Place
Steph:  Ushiwakamaru
Aaron:  Sushi Yasuda, Bond St.

Pizza

Julie: Pizza 33. The Italian restaurant Gonzo has fantastic gourmet pizza.

Elaine: Lombardi's (Manhattan) or Grimaldi's (Brooklyn)
Steph:  There's a ton of places of course, but i love the truffle oil pizza at L'Asso.  Artichoke pizza is good too, but huge!
Aaron:  PIE (because it's next door)

Burgers (Do I sense a theme...)

Julie: Spotted Pig (roquefort cheese...); Shake Shack (in the summer, requires patience bec of the long line)

Elaine: Shake Shack
Steph:  Shake Shack.  Zeitzeff, burger joint at le parker meridien
Aaron:  Resto, burger joint (parker meridien hotel) or shake shack (at citi field bc the other one takes too long)

Brunch

Julie: Sarabeth's Central Park South location (good people watching, serves porridge!)

Elaine: Bubby's
Steph:  Clinton St Bakery, Stanton Social, Friend of a Farmer
Aaron:  Blue Ribbon bakery

Italian

Julie: Da Nico (free zeppoli!)

Elaine:  Babbo or Lupa
Steph:  Supper, Max, Lavagna (interestingly, these restaurants are all within 2 blocks from my apt)

Aaron: Campagnola or Scarpetta.  Sorry Babbo...

Cupcakes

Julie: Magnolia

Elaine:  Magnolia Bakery

Steph: Sugar Sweet Sunshine bakery
Aaron: Chelsea Market bakery

Steak

Julie: Bryant & Cooper (on Long Island); Peter Luger's

Elaine: Primehouse
Steph:  peter luger's (I actually haven't really been to much steakhouses here, but I know there's plenty of good steak to be had)
Aaron:  Strip House, Quality Meats

Special Occasion

Julie: Gotham Bar and Grill

Elaine:  Per Se
Steph:  Gramercy Tavern, Blue Hill
Aaron:  Daniel, Gramercy Tavern

Taking Out of Town Guests

Julie: Morandi's. But generally anywhere you can sit outside in the summer. Many good people watching spots.

Elaine:  Any of the above depending on the mood of the guests!

Steph: Same as special occasion + Dressler, Alta, Ippudo (great ramen), Soba-koh (favorite soba place in the city)

Aaron: Back-Forty

Thanks so much to Jul, Lanie, Steph, and Aaron for taking part in this week's mega version of Where in the World Wednesday!  Not only am I drooling all over my keyboard, but I found it especially interesting to see where you all overlapped (and where you diverged).   

Provence, France -- Where in the World Wednesday!

This week's Where in the World Wednesday jets us off to the beautiful countryside of Provence, France!  Our tour guide this week is one of my close friends Katia who spent a year living in a town called Cavaillon in Provence (yes, I'm jealous too!).  She currently resides in Philadelphia and definitely experienced some wanderlust after answering these questions...

(1) How would you describe food in Provence in 10 words or less?

Fresh, flavor, meat, colorful

(2) Are there any dishes that are traditionally from Provence?

Yes,  ratatouille.  It's a dish with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions and peppers.  I think technically the vegetables should be layered in a dish and baked, but I like to saute the vegetables together and add fresh herbs.  There is another famous dish called bouillabasse which is a seafood stew.  The stew contains a mix of fish and shellfish, whatever came in from the day's catch. Tapenade (a dip made of olives) and aioli (some combination of mayonnaise or egg, and garlic, olive oil, lemon) are also from Provence.

(3) If you were bringing back a food gift basket representative of Provence/France for a friend, what would you include in it?  (Feel free to include perishable items!)

Cheese (probably some sort of smelly goat cheese from a local farm), wine, herbes de provence, a lavender plant, sunshine :-), olives, aioli, lavender candies, a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-pape (red/grenache wine)

(4) Do you find that food in Provence/France has been greatly influenced by certain ethnicities/religions?  If so, which ones?

Hmmmmmm (that was me thinking very hard) I think the dishes tend to be very local and reflective of what is available regionally.  But there were a lot of Moroccan restaurants in the area.

(5) What did you have for breakfast most mornings?

A bowl of cereal and when I was done with the cereal I would pour coffee directly into the bowl and use up the milk in my coffee.  Or else I would have a bowl of coffee and baguette with jam or Nutella.  Sometimes we'd have French toast if there was stale bread that needed to be used up.   I picked up the coffee in my cereal bowl from the family who I lived with when I first got there.  Super nutritious.

(6) Were there any food traditions that your host family had? 

 If the weather was nice all meals were eaten outside in the garden.  Also, any special meal (if there were visitors, if it was someone's birthday, holiday meals) lasted hours.  The meal would usually start with crudités, which could be as simple as sliced tomatoes or carrots.  The meal would also likely have one or two meat courses.  A lot of special meals included some sort of game or lamb.  There would also be a cheese course, possibly as the dessert. 

There were a couple other special meals I remember having.  The first was raclette.  It is a certain cheese that you melt right at the table on a raclette melting machine.  The cheese was then put on potatoes or ham.  Another meal was basically strips of raw meat - chicken, beef and lamb - that we cooked on a special grill at the table.  And a final dish I really liked to make was tartiflette.  It is a cheesy potato dish.  Basically you saute potato slices with onions and lardons (sliced up Canadian bacon) put it in a big dish and add crème fraiche.  The cheese used is rablochon and looks a lot like a wheel of brie.  The cheese gets sliced in half so there are two circles and placed on top of the dish so that it melts down into the potato as it bakes.  Also super nutritious.

(7) What is one of your favorite pastries/desserts that you had? 

My favorite European pastry is a Brioche Suisse.  I'm not really sure where it comes from, perhaps Switzerland, and it goes by different names in different countries.  It is a braided flaky pastry with a custard and chocolate chips on top.

(8) If I had visited you while you were there, what food-related outing would you have taken me on?

Hands down I would have taken you to a wine festival (see above picture!).  While I was there I subscribed to a magazine (can't remember the name off the top of my head) that put out a monthly schedule of wine festivals throughout France.  I planned my trips to different regions based on when they had a wine festival.  Basically all of the vineyards from that region would come together in a gymnasium or convention center and give out samples of their different wines and vintages.  As a novice wine taster I really enjoyed festivals where the wines were arranged by flavor.  Answering these questions made me a little nostalgic for all of the exciting adventures I had at the different festivals, so I pulled out my "tasting notes" from a tasting I went to in Avignon called Rhône Exaltation: Degustations – Gastronomie – Patrimoine.  For 7 euros my friends and I received a tasting glass, a carrying case to wear around our necks and carry the wine glass, a certain number of drink tickets and most importantly a single use breathalyzer.  We somehow managed to taste any wine we wanted, no one ever asked us for tickets.  My friends and I would sit and describe the wines to each other.  My favorite descriptions included "tastes like an old friend you haven't seen in a while, but is still very familiar"  or "honey and vanilla ambrosia."  We also described a wine as tasting like "a rotting bag of clementines."  It's a good thing my passport is expired because I'm about ready to run to the airport and wait stand-by for a plane back to France!

(9) Were there any ingredients that you often found in dishes?

Garlic, herbes de provence, whatever was seasonal at the time.

(10) Was there anything that particularly surprised you about the food there?

Baguettes really are on the table at every meal.  Also, people tend not to buy any fresh vegetables or fruit if they are out of season.  Oh and eating like the French won't really help you lose weight, apparently the kicker is smoking like the French :-)

(11) What was your most memorable food experience in Provence?

Well the wine festivals are probably my most memorable experience.  But I also loved shopping at the markets for fresh vegetables, fruit and meat.  And of course getting to taste the vast array of cheeses was incredible.

Thanks Katia for participating in Where in the World Wednesday!  Anyone else want to buy a ticket with me to head to Provence?

Kansas: Where in the World Wednesday!

Welcome back to Where in the World Wednesday!  We took a brief hiatus there, but are back in full form... lots of fun eats in the weeks to come!

This week's Where in the World Wednesday brings us to the midwest of the United States - Kansas!  My wonderful friend Rachel, who grew up in Wichita, will be our tour guide on this round of Where in the World Wednesday. 

(1) How would you describe food in Wichita/Kansas in 10 words or less?

Traditional American/comfort food, with some surprising cultural diversity.

(2) Are there any dishes that you think are traditionally "Kansas?"

There are definitely dishes that are traditionally Midwestern, but I don’t know that it would be fair to say they are traditionally “Kansas.” Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri have pretty similar food tastes from what I’ve seen. A lot of church basement food – “funeral potatoes,” Waldorf salad, homemade jams, jellies and pickles, meatloaf.

(3) If you were putting together a food gift basket representative of Kansas for a friend visiting, what would you include in it?  (Feel free to include perishable items!)

Valomilks

A salted caramel cupcake from Sugar Sisters Bakery

Beef or bison jerky

A hamburger from Jack’s North Hi Carryout (See above!)

A “hamburger” from Nu-Way

Funeral potatoes

“Strawberry salad” – layer of crushed graham crackers and melted butter, layer of frozen strawberries and strawberry jell-o, layer of whipped cream, cream cheese and mini marshmallows

Pulled pork

And finally, a Nancy’s #8 from the Artichoke Sandwich Shop (turkey, swiss and cream cheese, lettuce and tomato with ranch dressing on a grilled onion hoagie)

(4) Do you find that food in Wichita/Kansas has been greatly influenced by certain ethnicities?  If so, which ones?

Wichita has a large population of both Mexican and Vietnamese first-and-second-generation immigrants. Although I don’t think that this has influenced traditional Midwestern food very much, it means that there are some great Mexican and Vietnamese restaurants in Wichita! My favorite Vietnamese place is Saigon, on North Broadway. I always get the charbroiled pork with rice noodles. There are also Mexican and Vietnamese markets so it’s easy to get the right ingredients to cook these foods at home.

(5) Is there anything about the food in Kansas that you think would surprise people that have never been there?

I think people would be surprised by the variety of restaurants in Wichita. For a city of its size (less than 400,000 in the city proper), it has a lot more than just chain restaurants. There are some ambitious entrepreneurs who really know about food and have introduced Wichita to sushi, Lebanese food, decent vegetarian food, great Thai food. Also, people don’t understand about the hamburgers. You can’t get a Wichita hamburger anywhere else in this world. Thin patty. Freshest beef because the cow lived right outside town. Chopped onions seasoned with 50 years worth of grill gunk. Soft but sturdy bun. You could eat five and still want another one.

(6) When you were growing up, was there somewhere that you would ask your parents to take you for a treat?  Where was it?  Why did you love it?

There is a chain in Wichita (and in Oklahoma and a few other nearby states) called Braum’s. They have their own dairy farms (milk their own cows), and make all the ice cream, baked goods, dairy products and pretty much everything else they sell. That’s pretty rare in the restaurant business. Anyway, Braum’s is mostly an ice cream place, and it’s THE place to take your kid after school events – sporting events, band concerts, awards ceremonies and all that. I always got the same thing: peppermint ice cream on a sugar cone. And for birthday parties and holidays, we always went to the Nifty Nut House – still my favorite candy store, and I’ve been to, you know, a lot of them :) It’s a HUGE nut and candy store, owned by a Wichita family since 1937. My mom says she’s friends with the owner, but I think everyone who goes there feels that way. Great prices, super-fresh-I-just-fell-off-the-tree nuts, wide variety of bulk and packaged candy, and you are pretty much guaranteed good customer service, since they only hire nice people :)

(7) If you were to take me to Wichita, what are three food related places that we definitely would have to go to?

UNGHHH this is so hard. Like when I come to Wichita for a long weekend and there are only 8 or 9 possible meals. OK, lemme think. Well, number one, I’m gonna go with a place outside Wichita – we have a small Amish community in southeast Kansas, and in the town of Yoder there is a restaurant called Carriage Crossing. You can’t get any more traditional Midwest than this – fried chicken, fried vegetables, ham. But mostly people come for the giant, fresh, frosting-slathered cinnamon rolls. YUM. (Stroud’s also has great fried chicken, if you like that kind of thing. But that’s just an aside and doesn’t count as one of my three!)

I always want to go to N and J Cafe. It’s a Lebanese café and catering business (I used them for my mom’s 50^th birthday party, and it was a hit). Fresh, parsley-heavy taboulli and hummus, but also beef and chicken shawarma, kibbe, and decent fattoush.

And my third…I’d have to go to Jack’s North Hi Carryout for burgers and fries. It closed for a few years a little while back, but somebody rescued it and reopened it, thank goodness. That was decades worth of awesome grill gunk built up on that grill! All that flavor would have been LOST FOREVER! 

(8) Do you have any favorite candies that originate from Kansas? 

Sifer’s Valomilks are made in Kansas. Kind of like a Reese’s, but filled with a fluid vanilla cream. Very messy and very sweet, but a fun treat (and made with only natural ingredients). Cero’s makes great chocolates.

(9) If you could pick one food item from Kansas/Wichita to have with you always, what would it be?

Something I can’t get anymore: my grandma’s strawberry freezer jam. So much sugar it’s pink instead of red, but the freshest strawberry flavor you can imagine – she always made it out of strawberries my grandpa grew in the backyard that were picked that day or the day before. The Sunfresh company makes a jam that comes pretty close – I plan on ordering some to have at Christmas this year!

Oh yum, Rach -- thanks so much for the tour!!  I'm starving now after re-reading your answers and look forward to you one day taking me to Wichita :)

New Orleans! Where in the World Wednesday

Crawfish Boil!

After a brief sojourn, this week's Where in the World Wednesday brings us to delicious New Orleans. Miss Anjali is our foodie tour guide and she certainly has lots to share with us! Anjali lived in New Orleans for three years... it would have been four, but she had to move to Houston when Hurricane Katrina hit. First, she lived in the Warehouse District, then after the hurricane she lived in the Lower Garden District in New Orleans, right off St. Charles. She's lived in TN, which makes her an expert on biscuits, gravy, and jack daniels, and MD, which makes me an expert on crabcakes. :)

Get ready to get hungry... :)

WHERE IN THE WORLD WEDNESDAY: NEW ORLEANS

(1) Are there any dishes that you think are traditionally “New Orleans”? Do you have a favorite (include a recipe if you'd like!)

Oh my, that's a big question. Most people know about gumbo and jambalaya, but the list extends past that. Red beans and rice are eaten every Monday, because historically, Monday was laundry day and housewives put on the pot of rice and red beans to cook the whole day.

Po' boys were created years ago to feed the "poor boys" of the Great Depression. They started as a hollowed baguette filled with fried shrimp, but have now progressed to all sorts! Everyone in NOLA loves to discuss where their favorite po' boy is. (Mine - Domilise's for fried shrimp, Parkway Bakery for alligator sausage, Crabby Jacks for fried green tomato, and Parasol's for everything else!)

One of my favorite NOLA foods is crawfish etoufee. There are two different types here: Cream based and tomato based. I love both! And finally, New Orleans to me is a good crawfish boil. Huge boiling pots of crawfish with TONS of spice, along with whole garlic blubs, artichokes, potatoes, and corn. Then you pour it all over a table covered with newspaper and everyone gathers around to enjoy. The spice, the garlic smashed on crackers, and the friends (and beer, preferable Abita), make it my absolute favorite NOLA good experience.

(2) Do you find that the food in New Orleans has been greatly influenced by certain ethnicities? If so, which ones?

One of my favorite things about New Orleans is the history and culture the city holds. Most people know of the French influence here, creating the Cajun cuisine, but there is more. The Spanish and African cultures have also had their hand in shaping our history, creating the Creole culture. Though not part of "traditional" NOLA cuisine, New Orleans has a large Vietnamese population, especially in the Eastern suburbs near the water, and tasty Vietnamese food can be found all around town.

(3) If you were putting together a food gift basket representative of New Orleans for a friend that was visiting you from somewhere else, what would you include in it?

A one way ticket to New Orleans. ;) Ok, fine, one basket, let's see. Cafe du Monde chickory coffee, a king cake from Carnival season, Abita beer, Zapp's potato chips in all flavors (Creole Tomato is the best), a Central Grocery muffaletta (the original muffaletta), praline candy, bananas foster, Creole cream cheese, ice cream from Creole Creamery, turtle soup, hot sauce, and crab boil.

(4) Was there anything that surprised you about NOLA eats when you first moved there?

I think what surprised me is how easily I became obsessed with it. I spent a large part of my life as a vegetarian and am famous for eating salads 24/7, but moving to New Orleans, I very quickly became a fan of butter, cream, meat, and dessert! I must say, I do absolutely love the respect NOLA has for food.

Beignets :)

(5) Say that you’re taking me around NOLA, where would we go for breakfast and what would we have? Where would we go to cap off the night for late night eats and what would we have?

The most obvious of breakfasts is beignets and coffee or a cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde. The French doughnuts with copious amounts of powdered sugar are divine and can also work as a midnight snack, since Cafe du Monde's original French Quarter location is open 24 hours a day. While there, you can enjoy the inevitable jazz band that will be playing on the street, the sight of St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square, and the smell of the Mississippi flowing past. Other tasty options for breakfast at Dante's Kitchen, Surrey's, which has amazing BBQ shrimp and grits and a fantastic take on eggs Benedict that has crab cakes and cilantro hollandaise, and Camelia Grille. Camelia is a small diner where you sit at the counter and watch the world's fastest short order cooks. The line is never less that around the corner. Before Katrina, this was open 24/7 and a popular late night spot, but one of the tragedies is the abridged hours post-K.

(6) When many people think of New Orleans, they think of Mardi Gras – are there any foods you can get only during Mardi Gras?

King cake is a traditional Carnival food. It is a sour dough cake that can be as simple as cinnamon flavored or filled with jelly/cream. It is always dusted purple, yellow, and green, the New Orleans/Mardi Gras colors. In every king cake is a small plastic baby, representing Baby Jesus, and the person who finds the baby has to buy the next King Cake! Abita beer makes a seasonal beer called Mardi Gras Bock for the season which is one of my favorites. Otherwise, it's standard NOLA food, and lots of it. ;) Mardi Gras means lots of parties at houses that are along parade routes and crawfish boils around town.

(7) How did Hurricane Katrina affect the food generally/ community/industry in NOLA?

Hurricane Katrina definitely hit the city hard, including the restaurant industry. Water and wind damage, along with looting, left these restaurants in shambles. The loss of power meant expensive ingredients and stellar wine cellars were lots. I came back months after and still many restaurants were making repairs. Wine lists suffered greatly, with the variety and quality slightly lacking. That said, the community came together, and there in addition to New Orleans institutions reopening, there were several new gems that opened, most notably, Cochon, a Donald Link creation, St. James Cheese Company, and several ice cream shops, such as La Divina Gelateria (featured on Food Network) and Sucre.

8) Where was your last amazing meal in NOLA and what was in it?

Fine dining - lunch at Cochon. My friend Amanda and I split the fried alligator with chilli garlic aioli, deviled crab and cheddar thyme crackers, spicy grilled pork ribs with watermelon rind pickle, eggplant and shrimp dressing, and washed it all down with Strawberry beer.

Casual - After grabbing a Bloody Mary from Igor's on St. Charles, we made it over to the French Quarter and got muffalettas and Barq's root beer from Central Grocery, then ate at the park in Jackson Sqaure while enjoying the sights and sounds of French Quarter Fest. Priceless.

(9) Where could you get a good meal and a drink for $20 and what would you get? (Given the current economic times!)

THIS IS HARD. NOLA does two things well. Cheap and fast (Po' boys, Fried anything) or Fine dining (Commander's, Galatoire's). The in between places are often mediocre. That being said, there are a few places where the food and atmosphere meet these criteria. NOLA loves its Lebanese/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food, with Mona's and Byblos both offering hummus, chicken schwarma, and other delicadies for an affordable price. Ignatius, on Magazine, offers Cajun food in a very unpretentious environment - think brown paper table cloth and baguette on the table, but the atmosphere, food, and Abita beer do not disappoint. Slice Pizzeria never disappoints with it's salads and pizzas, and often has wine specials and tasting menus. Finally, St. James Cheese company is a fun place to grab a good lunch. BYO from The Wine Cellar next door and grab a charcuterie plate or one of their creative salads or sandwiches, sit on the porch, and enjoy.

(10) If you could pick one food item that you had in NOLA that you could have with you always, what would it be?

My pantry always has Abita beer (Amber, Strawberry Harvest, and Restoration Ale are my favorites), Tabasco, and Zapp's Creole Tomato chips. The one thing I don't have that I crave is good crawfish. People don't truly understand spice outside of NOLA.

(11) Any summer drinks?

Mint Julep on the porch of the Columns. Strawberry Harvest Abita. Pmm's Cup, Sazerac, and Rum Punch. And non-alcoholic - Abita root beer is actually the best I have ever had.

Thanks Anj ... so let's go to NOLA ASAP, k? :)

Minnesota: Where in the World Wednesday!

Today, we fly to Minnesota, in particular, Minneapolis to meet our tour guide, Tracey, aka Tangled Noodle. Tracey and I first met on the favorite foodie website, foodbuzz, and I've been following her blog ever since (you should check it out too, here!). Thanks so much for taking part Tracey -- I definitely learned quite a bit of Minnesota reading through your entry and one of these days, I would love to try some of places you mentioned. In particular, those breakfast places made my mouth water... and I'm always a sucker for fair food (mmm, fried food on a stick :)).

Tracey presently lives west of downtown Minneapolis, "in a lovely little community near Lake Minnetonka, with my husband and our relentlessly clownish dog." Before moving to Minnesota, Tracey has lived all over! She was born in the Philippines and grew up in Ottawa, Canada. During her freshman year in high school, her family moved to San Francisco, CA; two years later, her family was in Northern Virginia after her parents (now-retired diplomats) were assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC. Since marrying her husband, they've lived in Raleigh and Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; and Chicago, IL. They moved to the Twin Cities area nearly 5 years ago and she's finally starting to get used to the winters! Her top 5 food cities are Chicago, Manila, New York, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles (she also notes that she would also say San Francisco but it’s been ages since she's eaten there!).

Now for our tour of MINNESOTA EATS:

1) How would you describe food in Minnesota in 10 words or less?

Hearty, comforting, diverse, natural, unfussy

2) Do you find that the food in Minnesota has been greatly influenced by certain cultures/ethnicities/religions? If so, which ones?

There is a tremendous Scandinavian influence in the foods with which Minnesotans identify: lefse (a potato-based flatbread), lutefisk (Norwegian dish of cod soaked in lye, which I’ve never tasted!), and krumkake (a waffle-type cookie shaped into a cone and filled with cream) are some of the most popular. If religion has any kind of influence, it would be in the classic hotdish, which is pretty much any kind of baked casserole and has been a staple of church basement suppers for generations. It’s quite representative of the Minnesota character: warm, generous, resourceful, and unpretentious. In recent years, the ethnic make-up of Minnesota (and particularly Minneapolis/St. Paul) has become more diverse as Asian, African and Hispanic communities have begun to thrive. I’m excited to see what new flavors they bring to the local food scene.

3) If you were putting together a food gift basket representative of Minnesota for a friend that was visiting you from somewhere else, what would you include in it? (Feel free to include perishable items)

The first thing in the basket would have to be hand-harvested wild rice, which grows in abundance along the banks of Minnesota’s northern lakes. I would also include two apple varieties that live up to their sweet-sounding names: Honeycrisp and the recently released Sweetango, both of which were developed by the University of Minnesota. The UMN’s horticultural programs has also produced cold-hardy wine grapes, so a bottle or two of wines made with deep, port-like Frontenac, pinot-noir descendant Marquette, or La Crescent, reminiscent of Riesling, would find their place as gifts. Finally, no basket would be complete without some walleye, a flavorful fish so highly prized by Minnesota anglers that the ‘Walleye Opener’ – the official start of the fishing season – is as eagerly anticipated as Christmas.

4) Is there anything about food in Minnesota that would surprise people that have never been there? Anything that you’ve found unique about food from Minnesota?

Minneapolis/St. Paul may not immediately come to mind when people think of top food cities but they should reconsider: this past May, Tim McKee of La Belle Vie was awarded Best Chef – Midwest honors by the James Beard Foundation, while 3-time nominee Lucia Watson of Lucia’s was just named a ‘Chevalier du Merite Agricole’ (an honorary knighthood!) by the French Ministry of Agriculture. There is a wealth of talented chefs and delicious food throughout the Twin Cities, from the most upscale dining establishments to the tiniest diner, and I look forward to experiencing as many as possible.

5) Do you have a favorite secret foodie spot (that you wouldn’t mind sharing)? If yes, where is it and what to do you love about it?

My husband and I recently stumbled on a gem hidden in the suburbs: a wonderful little Mexican spot with the rather unusual name of Chaska, My Love (Chaska being the town’s name); they serve delicious plates of our favorite tacos lengua (tongue) and menudo. Although it’s not so secret within the Twin Cities’ Hispanic community, Mercado Central deserves even more attention and recognition from everyone else for the bakeries, grocers, and small eateries that provide the most authentic and regionally-varied Mexican food in the metro area.

6) Say that you’re taking me around town – what would we have for breakfast? What would we have for late night eats? Is there anywhere that you always take out of towners?

You’ll have to stay for at least two breakfasts in Minneapolis! The first morning would be at Hell’s Kitchen in downtown Minneapolis for a bowl of Chef Mitch Omer’s warm and rich Mahnomin Porridge, made with the aforementioned wild rice, and savory bison sausage toast slathered with a stupendous homemade peanut butter. The next day, we’ll head over to Victor’s 1959 Café for some platter-sized Cuban corn pancakes that will keep you satiated for the rest of the day. A great spot to bring guests has been The Local, an Irish pub on Nicollet Mall, for some great people watching during the summer, some incredible Irish coffee during the chill of winter, and a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey anytime. (By the way, The Local has the distinction of serving the largest volume of Jameson in the world for the third year running.) As for late night eats, I’m the wrong person to ask . . . I’m early to bed!

7) Are there any fun food events that take place in Minnesota or in the area that you’ve enjoyed?

There is only one fun food event that cannot be missed – the Minnesota State Fair. If it can be battered, fried and stuck on a stick, you’ll find it here. Although it’s possible to find some healthy treats, why not indulge in some terribly-tasty food just this time?

8) If you could pick one food that is traditionally or originates from Minnesota to have with you always, what would it be?

You may notice a trend here: I would have to have a bag of wild rice in my pantry at all times.

9) What was your last amazing meal in Minnesota and what did you have?

Last weekend, my husband and I went all-pork at Tea House Szechuan restaurant in nearby Plymouth, MN with Spicy Pork Intestine and Shredded Pork with Smoked Tofu. Wish I could have these dishes every week.

11) Given the current economic times, where would you go for a meal and a drink for $15 or less?

At Quang Vietnamese restaurant on Minneapolis’ Eat Street (Nicollet Avenue), we can get an order of goi cuon (fresh spring rolls) and two huge bowls of excellent pho (noodle soup) or bun (noodle salad) for under $20.

12) If you had to put together your ‘last meal’ based on Minnesota restaurant eats, what would you have?

Hmmmm. I don’t think I’m ready to answer just yet – I’m still discovering so many fantastic foods in Minnesota that the menu would constantly change!

Thanks again Tracey for participating!