Adventures in Sin City

My recent travels took me to an unlikely place - Vegas. Now, I'm not much of a gambler, so finding fun things to do in Vegas was a bit of a challenge, since, you know, the main thing to do is gamble. But with a little help from some knowledgeable friends, we found plenty to do on and off the Strip.

First notable stop for dinner: Lotus of Siam, also known to some as the best Thai restaurant in the country. This is a no-frills restaurant located in a strip mall WAY off the strip, but well worth it. Many of the dishes here were ones you might have tried in your local Thai restaurant, but the flavors were so much richer and bolder than the bland takeout that I have in my neighborhood. The green curry with shrimp and drunken noodles were my favorite by far.

Next stop, right in our hotel, was Sage. We started with some old-school drinks at the bar - I had an excellent Aviation and bakerbiker tried a Manhattan. We then moved on to the dining room, where the chef specializes in locally-inspired, inventive dishes. We went with the prix-fixe, since we wanted to try lots of different things. My very favorite of the evening: slow-poached farm egg with smoked potato, shaved black truffles, and country bread. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner rolled into one! Main dishes were also excellent - I had a tender potato-crusted Arctic char with fennel, apple, and horseradish. Definitely a flavor profile you don't see every day. The one dull spot of the meal was dessert. Mine was perfect and totally unique -- lemon-thyme semifreddo with roasted grapes, sugar cookies, and orange honey. But bakerbiker's meal came with a somewhat boring chocolate torte. Overall, though, would totally recommend a stop for a meal here. They have happy hour during the week as well, and it's a bargain with half price drinks and an affordable bar menu.


To burn off those calories, the next day, we drove out to Red Rock Canyon about 45 minutes away, and spent the day hiking. I have been to the southwest exactly one other time, so the landscape is really different and striking for me. I've never been to the Grand Canyon, so for those of you have, this is probably nothing. But I was still in love with the colors and shapes.

For an evening out on the town, we splurged and went to a Cirque du Soleil. There are actually seven or eight Cirque shows going on in Vegas simultaneously at any given time. After A LOT of research, we settled on "O," which was a good choice for me. It was a mix of diving, synchronized swimming, and acrobatics. The set is basically a stage equipped with a pool that opens out underneath it. There was a plot, but it didn't take over, and you could focus on the artistic parts, which were really impressive.

To top off the weekend, we hit Bouchon for brunch. The food was upscale Euro-American brunch fare. I had a very good garden omelet, plus a cup of homemade yogurt and granola, with fruit and honey. Portions were huge and tasty and kept us both full until dinner.


Which leads me to dinner, which was really the highlight meal of the trip. We drove off the strip to Rosemary's, a tiny spot in a strip mall (lots of unexpected gems in strip malls on this trip). Things I especially enjoyed: prosciutto-wrapped figs with basil pesto, crab cake "fritters" with shaved fennel, and a gorgeous piece of halibut on sauteed spinach, with crunchy leeks and chive butter. You can guess from the descriptions, but the flavor combos were really different - I would never have even thought about putting basil with figs! The wait staff was awesome, and the owner even called me a few days later to find out how my meal was.

Overall, the city itself was a bit much for me - so much excess. But we were still able to find some fun stuff to do - and no gambling!

Jamón, Jamón! And other European food adventures

It's hard to boil down an amazing experience into just a few words. And that's one of the reasons I haven't written anything about our two week vacation to Spain and Portugal this past summer. But if I have to sum it up, I'd have two words for you: Jamón Ibérico. I had heard a lot about this cured ham, made from Black Iberian pigs that are fed natural diets of acorns and grass, but I hadn't ever actually tried it before going to Spain. That's for two reasons. First of all, I'm still pretty squeamish about eating meat, especially when it comes from *cute* animals. And even though I do have a sometimes weakness for bacon, I consider pigs to be super cute. And second, Jamón Ibérico only recently came to be available in the US (it was illegal until 2007) and even so, if you want it, be ready to shell out upwards of $200/pound.

I really wanted to enjoy the experience of Spanish and Portuguese cuisine; and in Spain, jámon is basically part of every meal. So before we left, I made a decision to embrace that and eat what was recommended wherever we went. And lo and behold, one of the first things that appeared in front of me when we landed in Spain were some super-thin, smoky slices of Jamón Ibérico. And I loved every melt-in-your-mouth, salty bite. Jamón Ibérico works well on its own, but is also very tasty with some slices of Manchego and a nice crusty bread. Pair it with a red wine or sherry and you've got a great little lunch. I wouldn't recommend running out and spending $200 on your jamón and cheese sandwich, but there are lots of related cured ham alternatives, like Jamón Serrano, which is cheaper and very similar in flavor.

Other highlights of our trip. As soon as we touched down in Madrid, we headed to a local cafe for a breakfast of tortilla española, a simple, but rich Spanish omelette, made with cream and potatoes. In Sevilla, every restaurant was guaranteed to have a juicer handy so you could order fresh-squeezed orange juice made from those famous Seville oranges.



I especially liked all the bright colors of Sevilla, and these candied limes really captured it for me. I didn't get to try them, but they were gorgeous in the café window.



In Jerez de la Frontera, where sherry is made, we headed to a sherry house to learn about sherry-making (and tasting!). In Cadiz, we tried fried seafood, which is a specialty of the region - check out the gorgeous shrimp cakes.



Portugal had its own list of delicacies, ranging from the famous egg custards made in the Belém neighborhood of Lisbon (seen below). And of course grilled sardines, a Portuguese specialty.



You certainly don't need to run all the way to Europe anymore to get many of these little delicacies. In the Boston area, there's a lovely little Spanish market called Las Ventas, which has everything you need to make your own Spanish tapas at home; or you can get a bocadillo (traditional Spanish sandwich) to go. Formaggio Kitchen also has many of the ingredients you'll need to bring a little bit of Spain and Portugal home. I for one can't wait to go back.

A Maine Getaway

bakerbiker and I recently took a long weekend trip to Maine, to celebrate various fun happenings in our lives. We've been to Maine many times, which in some ways is good since we know we love it. This time, we made some of our usual stops (i.e., Portland), but ventured a bit farther north to the sleepy town of Camden. For those of you who have been to Maine during the high season, Camden is the opposite of sleepy. But April in Maine is definitely not high season, so we had the town practically to ourselves as tourists. Though the weather was a bit chilly (it snowed one of the nights we were there), we made sure to get a room with a fireplace to stay cozy and still were able to enjoy some nice walks outside along the gorgeous coast in the stormy New England weather. The highlights of our trip, you're probably not surprised, were about the food.

Our first stop was Portland, where we hit Hugo's for dinner. Last year, Hugo's chef Rob Evans, won the James Beard Best Chef Northeast award. We've been there before and ordered a few small plates, but we'd never gone all out with the recommended six-course tasting. Now that I've had it, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to go back. We started with an amuse bouche of mussel with red pepper and lemon foam. A single bite of heaven. Second course was asparagus salad with marinated mushroom, a poached farm egg, and fried ricotta. It was very fresh and "spring" and the asparagus was the most tender that I've ever had. The third (and my favorite) course was a porcini mushroom consomme with truffle-pea agnolotti, parmesan, and scallion. Some of you know about my obsession with mushrooms and this dish really proved it even further. I just can't get over how earthy, meaty, yummy they are! The next two courses were fish dishes - a cod and a salmon - both excellent and featuring more spring ingredients. The fifth dish was very unusual - an almond milk mouse with licorice stick, tapioca, and cocoa crumble. This sounds like dessert, but it was in fact just a touch sweet and was described to us as a "palate cleanser." It was very light, surprising, and super-interesting...definitely not something I could make at home. And finally, a sweet and fresh end to our amazing meal - a sort of deconstructed pineapple upside down cake with lime curd, coconut sorbet, and molasses. LOVED the tart, sweet, juicy, milky combo.


Did that whet your appetite? There's more! For lunch the next day, we hit the famed Duck Fat. As you might be able to guess, the theme here is duck fat and everything is cooked in it. Now I'm not a big fan of foods that are super high in fat, but let me tell you, duck fat fries are just amazing. And that's exactly what we had - duck fat fries with truffle ketchup, a simple but super-tasty smoked turkey panini, and a fruit and nut salad (hey - had to have something sort of healthy, right?). I know it sounds simple, but if you're ever in Portland, GO. It's seriously worth the trip.

Next we hit Camden, ME for a couple of nights. Camden is a very beautiful seaside town that is just mobbed in the summer, but fairly quiet during the other months. We walked around the coast and checked out some of the local food spots. The highlight for us was Francine Bistro. I have heard Francine compared to a Manhattan restaurant and I have to agree. Very upscale, European bistro style with a local flair. And lastly, we tried Natalie's, housed in a four-star B&B owned by a Dutch couple, it has a very modern decor and a gorgeous view of Camden Harbor. The dishes were classic but with an experimental twist and the wait staff was very friendly and personable (we even got treated to a little local dessert wine to go with our dessert). All in all a great trip and we can't wait to go again!

Escaping the New England Winter

One of the only things that makes New England winters semi-bearable for me is planning tropical vacations to escape them, even for a little bit. This year, we decided to spend a week in January in St. Lucia, a small island in the West Indies, just south of Martinique and north of the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago. St. Lucia is a very small island - 15 miles wide and 27 miles long - created out of volcanic rock. It has an interesting history, having been established by the Arawak Indians, but colonized and battled over by the French and British for hundreds of years. It only recently gained its independence from the British in the late 1970s. The country's official language is English, but most citizens also speak a French patois.



One of the reasons we chose St. Lucia is that it is one of the less-traveled-to islands in the Caribbean, and is therefore less-developed in the tourist sense. Even then, there are lots of big resorts like the Hilton, Sandals, etc. located in certain areas. We chose to stay away from all that and rented a two-bedroom apartment in Marigot Bay at Villa Pomme D'Amour.

There is both lots to do and nothing to do in St. Lucia depending on what you're looking for. With the help of our hosts, Josee and Pierre, we mapped out day trips to the beach, with plenty of good snorkelling, as well as short hikes in the rainforest. One of the things St. Lucia is best known for is its live volcano, located in Soufriere. It's a collapsed volcano, like Yellowstone, which means you can walk right into the caldera. Since it's live, but not active (yet!), you can safely take a tour through the volcano and see the sulphur bubbling up in the crater.



The other well-known feature of the island are its two Pitons - two sharp peaks formed by volcanic rock - that tower over the Caribbean. You can hire a guide to lead you on the five-hour hike to the top and back, if you so choose. Tempting, but we sat that one out this time, and kept our focus on relaxing on the pristine beaches and exploring different towns around the island.



Another wonderful highlight for me was our visit to the local market in Castries, where we found freshly caught tuna and lots of local fruits and vegetables, including the biggest avocados I have ever seen. For local food, rotis and meats with creole sauces were super tasty. There is lots of fresh seafood on the island and it's worth trying the many different kinds of sauces. But if you're vegetarian, be warned - not tons of variety if you are going out to eat. Cooking at home was another story - there are plenty of great options and the markets to choose from and we concocted a bunch of great dishes at home.

If you go: 1. Rent a car! The roads are windy and you have to drive on the left side, but it's worth it so you can see the island at your own pace. 2. Save time to explore as many beaches and coves and bring snorkel gear wherever you go - we saw lots of great sea life, including turtles, clownfish, squid, and many different corals. 3. Be sure to check out the towns of Soufriere and Castries - they are really different from one another, but appealing in their own ways. In Soufriere, you see mountains, beaches, and volcanoes all at once. In Castries, the capital of St. Lucia, you can get a flavor for local city life and like I said, the market is a must. Hope to see you there someday!

Cheese, Mushrooms, and Fresh Fish Oh My!

Okay, I know that's not the most appealing combination. But these were the food themes of our most recent trip to Portland, Oregon, home of some of the best food and shopping I've ever experienced.

Day 1 was spent walking around the Pearl District, an up and coming neighborhood full of trendy little boutiques. My favorite: Cargo, which is a basically a warehouse of interesting kitsch from all over the world. You could find practically anything here from matches and candles to hanging lanterns to slippers to living room furniture. For dinner, we hit Navarre, known for excellent tapas featuring dishes from Southern France and Northern Spain. With a daily rotating menu, you're in for a surprise every time you go, which makes for a lot of regulars. All of the food was amazing, but the standout dish for me here was a salad studded with candied fennel and grilled chanterelles. What an amazing combination of woody, sweet, and salty at the same time. And this is not something you can just make at home easily, which was a bonus for us!

Day 2 featured a walking tour of Nob Hill, where we found a mix of national chain stores (i.e., Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and the Gap) as well as smaller funky, locally-owned shops. Our faves were a home store called Manor which sells unique whimsical but tasteful home furnishings and a tiny place aptly named a little box of jewels, a storefront featuring the wares of a local jewelry designer and metalsmith who specializes in classic-but-edgy-at-the-same-time one of a kind pieces, including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. For dinner in Nob Hill, we checked out Paley's Place, well-known for its use of local, organic foods. Located in an old mansion, Paley's has a very homey, comfortable feel. Dishes were again classic European. Dinner was great, but bakerbiker and I were both in love with our dessert - a course of 3 cheeses: an Italian sheep's milk tartufo (Il Boschetto) that tasted like creamy, smoky truffles, a local Oregon goat cheese wrapped in maple leaves, also smoky but a great complement to the Italian sheep, and Rogue's Blue Cheese, a very tasty, pungent local cow's milk cheese. These were all accompanied by a homemade quince compote, candied nuts, and small toasts. AMAZING.

On Day 3, we hit Hawthorne Blvd, an edgy, hip neighborhood full of vintage shops. Our favorite: Vintage Pink which was just crammed full of vintage wares from every era. Can't wait to go back! For dinner, we went to Simpatica Dining Club. A BIG shoutout goes to our friend Sarah who recommended it, for we would never have found it if it weren't for her. And boy was it worth it. Simpatica is located in what feels like a church basement. From the outside, you would never know the amazing food that is being turned out by this place. Simpatica is a catering company and started offering prix fixe dinners on Friday and Saturday nights a few years ago as well as a reputedly amazing Sunday brunch (Food & Wine just named their fried chicken and waffles breakfast one of the best dishes under $12 of 2009). We started with a Provencal Crab Bisque with Rouille and Crusty Bread - out of this world. The chef explained that the crabs are handpicked and cooked with the fats so that you get a real meaty crab taste. And he wasn't lying! Next course was a fresh palate cleanser - Bibb Lettuce with Tarragon Dressing and Breakfast Radish. Now, I usually don't like for restaurants to dress my salads for me because they are so often overdressed. But this was one of the most perfectly dressed salads I've ever had. Dressing was creamy but not overpowering and the radishes added a nice little kick. The main dish of the evening was a Pan Roasted Halibut with Olive Oil Poached Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes and Sauce Vierge. All we can say is: WOW. First of all, the potatoes were poached in a ton of olive oil for a long period of time. This allowed them to retain moisture and take on the flavor of the oil really nicely. The halibut was cooked perfectly, but for me, the sauce was the winner - it was a parsley and olive oil sauce that was light but full of flavor. And for dessert: a Warm Persimmon Cake with Apple Quince Confiture, which was the perfect end to a four-course meal - not too sweet, but just sweet enough. Wonderful meal. Then we all rolled home to bed.

Day 4: we hit NE Portland, another recommendation from our friend Sarah who described it as "Brooklyn-y." And was she right! More fun little shops and boutiques. For lunch, we went to Por Que No, a great little taqueria. My faves: fish and shrimp ceviche with spicy cucumbers and chips, fish tacos, and an out-of-this world fresh hibiscus tea.

For dinner, we drove out to Pok Pok, which features street foods from Southeast Asia. I found the best lime soda I've had outside of India here. Try it if you go! The food here is atomically spicy, which was great for me (not so great for everyone at the table, though!). But our adventurous group was game to try everything. Our favorite by consensus: Khanom Jiin Kaeng Kiaw Waan Leuk Chin Plaa which is a green curry with homemade fish balls, vermicelli, fried dry anchovies, salted eggs, pickled garlic, Thai eggplant, and Holy Basil. Holy cow - this was amazing. It had a lot of flavor and depth without being overwhelming. A great crowd pleaser.

Overall a great trip, but we can't wait to go back because there were so many more places we were dying to try. Thanks, Portland!