Our Top 10 Restaurants and Eateries of 2023 (The Must-Trys of 2024)
Our Top 10 Restaurants of 2023
These are our top ten favorite food establishments of 2023. As always, it's very difficult to select from all the places we have eaten at in the past year. Thus, there is no particular rank or order. It is impossible to state one restaurant is superior to another with so many factors to consider. Here is to more journeys and discoveries in 2024. The search for that perfect meal continues...
The Kitchin
Edinburgh, Scotland
This once whiskey warehouse is the premier restaurant to dine at when in Edinburgh. Their commitment to locally sourced Scottish ingredients paired with traditional French cooking techniques truly shine in dishes like the duck confit and artichoke tortellini. Diners return time after time for their outstanding service and exemplary attention.
Address: 78, Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LX, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 131 555 1755
Site: https://thekitchin.com/
Afternoon Tea at the Brown’s Hotel
London, England
The level of care and elegance is something guests will never forget at The Drawing Room at Brown's Hotel. The servers recommend excellent tea to complement the perfectly cut rectangular finger sandwiches and puffy, warm scones. Comfort is not sacrificed for style. Guests discover that the warm fireplace, the relaxing tunes from the pianist and the soft, cozy furniture creates the ideal atmosphere for afternoon tea.
Address: 33 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BP, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7493 6020
Site: https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/
Bloomy Bistronomie Végétale
Toulouse, France
Toulouse is known for their cheesy, meat centric specialities such as the cassoulet, saucisse and aligot. Bloomy breaks the mold with seasonal plant based dishes that satisfies even the hardcore carnivores. Despite the restaurant’s sophisticated approach in presentation and complex flavors, the dining experience is still quite casual and informal.
Address: 38 Rue de la Colombette, 31000 Toulouse
Phone: +33 05 32 58 43 57
Fondue Villa & Garden
Unterseen, Switzerland
Eating fondue in Switzerland is as quintessential as eating tacos in Mexico. But to eat fondue at a restaurant that retains a 5/5 rating on Tripadvisor and Google reviews is something very special. The lush vibrant natural setting, the intentional “pre-meal” video of the history of fondue and the array (and somewhat unconventional) selection of dipping options are all examples of Owner Marc Frencken’s dedication to an unforgettable dining experience.
Address: Seestrasse 44, 3800 Unterseen, Switzerland
Phone: +41 77 232 11 71
Site: https://fonduevilla.com/
Kødbyens Fiskebar
Copenhagen, Denmark
Food reviewers universally praise Kødbyens Fiskebar as the go-to restaurant for all things seafood. Thanks to the close proximity of the sea, diners will be treated to some of the freshest oysters and scallops in the world. Their take on fish and chips is worth the trip alone to Copenhagen and it certainly can rival any shop in the United Kingdom.
Address: Flæsketorvet 100, 1711 København, Denmark
Phone: +45 32 15 56 56
Site: https://fiskebaren.dk/
Au Passage
Paris, France
In 2011, Anthony Bourdain’s the Layover featured Au Passage as one of the recommended places to eat when in Paris. And we couldn’t agree more. The entertaining, somewhat frantic service, vintage interior and ever-changing menu written on a chalkboard truly makes this restaurant shine in an already hip 11th arrondissement. Ordering multiple small plates is encouraged, as the dining experience is meant to ressemble a more communal, laid back style of eating.
Address: 1 bis Pass. Saint-Sébastien, 75011 Paris
Phone: +33 01 43 55 07 52
Swan Oyster Depot
San Francisco, California, USA
There is an abundant of great restaurants in the Bay Area. However it is not everyday you eat at an institution that has been around for over one hundred years. Foodies and critics invariably agree that Swan Oyster Depot is one San Francisco’s best seafood restaurants. The Sicilian sashimi and crab Louie salad are the house dishes you don’t want to miss. They keep it old school…cash only and no reservations. We would recommend getting there before it opens.
Address: 1517 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States
Phone: +1 415-673-1101
The Ginger Bistro
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has gone through a culinary renaissance in recent years thanks to restaurants like the Ginger Bistro that go beyond the country’s reputation of “Ulster fry” and Irish stew. Located in the heart of Belfast City Centre, this 70 seat restaurant is conveniently situated near popular landmarks such as the opera house and the Crown Pub. It has been and continues to be a local favorite for over 20 years. Dishes like the fried lemon and chicken salad, as well as the mushroom puff pastry pie are prime examples of their devotion to high quality and locally sourced ingredients.
Address: 68-72 Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7AF, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 28 9024 4421
L’Etage
Annecy, France
If you have never done raclette in Europe, L’etage is a wonderful introduction to this one of a kind gastronomic experience where you can scrape and serve oozy “fromage” from an iconic wheel holder apparatus straight to your plate. Side dishes like potatoes, pickles, various charcuterie meats, as well as the white wine pair very well with the melting, slightly charred cheese. This unique discovery and interaction with food is quite magical in a fairytale town like Annecy.
Address: 13 Rue du Pâquier, 74000 Annecy
Phone: +33 04 50 51 03 28
Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap
Berlin, Germany
Kebabs are known all over the world but the Döner Kebabs in Berlin are a distinct culinary staple that superbly mashes German and Turkish cuisine in one bite. Mustafa’s Kebap perfected this sandwich with its well blend of meat and veggies (as seen beautifully in the picture above). This is the classic illustration of a legendary dish worth traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles for. There is always a line but you will be rewarded if you wait.
Do you have any plans to travel to Paris?
Are you Traveling to Paris?
Did you know that in 2022, about 44 million visitors came to Paris? It is consistently ranked as one of the most visited cities in the world. Many travelers flock to the city of lights for the iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower, the undeniably tasty French food and rich history that is visible at every corner and every street. We decided to share a few helpful tips with you to ensure a wonderful time in Paris, no matter what time of the year you go.
In our opinion, the best seasons to visit the capital of France, are in the fall and spring. Currently, as we are writing this, it is autumn. The weather is crisp and cool. The leaves are changing colors. Those with allergies will appreciate how much more breathable it is compared to the warm summers. Come prepared with an umbrella, raincoat, and waterproof shoes as the city gets its fair share of rainy days during the months of September through November. We would also recommend dressing in layers, as the mornings and even some afternoons tend to be much cooler. You can easily remove a layer or two as the day warms up.
Although it is impossible to completely avoid the crowds, there will certainly be significantly less tourists during this off season. You won’t have to wait hours in line to see the Shakespeare and Company book store. It may be easier to find a terrace table at the famous Les Deux Magots. There is a good chance you may be able to appreciate the artwork at the Louvre without feeling like a can of sardines. And if you are lucky enough, you might even score a reservation at that top restaurant that is normally booked out months in advance.
Spring in some ways is very similar to the fall except of course you have the blossoming flowers and blooming trees that really beautifies Paris. Head to Jardin des Plantes, Jardin du Luxembourg or the Tuileries Gardens to see those famous cherry blossoms. If you are looking for something off the beaten path, the Bois de Boulogne and Parc des Buttes-Chaumont are some of our favorite parks where many locals escape the concrete jungle. We also enjoy sampling the fresh fruit and veggies at one of the many open air outdoor markets scattered throughout the city.
If you decide to come to Paris in the winter, be forewarned that it can be very cold and sometimes dreary. With the shortness of daylight and a frequency of rainy/cloudy days, many Parisians experience the blues hivernal or winter blues. That shouldn’t dampen your mood as there are plenty of activities that are going in the city even when temperatures dip down. Paris is transformed into a winter wonderland with all the holiday decorations and lights adorning the streets and shop windows. Outdoor Christmas markets offer some of the best hot chocolate or chocolat chaud and mulled wine or vin chaud. Remember to look ahead early if you want to attend Christmas performances, concerts and shows. Tickets often sell out many weeks in advance. It might be worth considering an accommodations close to the attractions to minimize any unnecessary exposure to the cold. As always do your research and plan accordingly.
Summer in Paris, is saturated with crowds with an estimated 10 millions visiters between June and August. More sunlight and more daylight equates to more people spending their time outdoors. In the peak of summer, temperatures can shoot up well over 90 degrees °F . We experienced one of the hottest summers in July 2022 with an unusually high temperature of 105 degrees. Most places do not have air conditioning unless you are staying in a four star or five star hotel. We recommend to pay a little more for an accommodation with air conditioning and do the bulk of your exploring in the morning. The earlier the better.
Do you think you will be traveling to Paris in the near future? If so you can check out of guide and weekend guide: https://www.adreamersholiday.com/parisguide. Leave a comment on facebook or instagram with your suggestions and tips. Check out our Youtube channel for periodic videos on Paris.
Happy 5th Anniversary…and oh yeah, some updates.
A hundred apologies for not regularly updating our blog. To say the least, we have been pretty busy planning our next move. It is a constant uphill battle when you don’t have a permanent place to live. To pick up where we left off in our last blog entry, from Marseille we ventured to the beautiful city of Annecy where we rode bikes around the gorgeous lake. We made our way to Chamonix and climbed (or should we say we took a cable car up) the tallest mountain in the Alps and all of Western Europe, Mont Blanc. Then we crossed over to the Swiss border where we ate amazing chocolate in Geneva, rode on slow trains through the Swiss Alps and explored the financial banking center of Zurich.
Lake Annecy
Chamonix, France
Geneva, Switzerland
Interlaken, Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland
Germany welcomed us with opened arms, actually with a godzilla size schnitzel and viking size glasses of beer in Munich. We walked along the Berlin wall and discovered many hidden gems that perfectly depicts how independent, progressive and liberal the city is. After finishing our 43 day trip across Western Europe, we settled a few weeks in Paris and Nice to catch up on “administrative work.” The warm sun in the South of France was exactly what we needed to fuel our energy and spirits. And before you know, we made a spontaneous decision to travel to Copenhagen and Scotland. We hope to elaborate on this trip in another post very soon.
Munich, Germany
Munich, Germany
Berlin Wall
Jardin des plantes in Paris, France
Nice, France
Copenhagen, Denmark
Highland Coo in Scotland
It doesn’t take long for us to get the itch to travel again. There is so much of the world that we want to explore. Not to also mention all the valuable lessons we learn along the way and experiences we gain with every new destination. On the flip side, there are moments we feel like we are lost souls, who do not have a clear goal or direction in life. This way of living is very unconventional and we can’t help but wonder how travel vloggers and digital nomads function in this manner. Our mental health was something we didn’t realize was tremendously affected with all the constant traveling we were doing. There was underlying anxiety, insomnia and depression that was developing. We had doubts if we made the right decisions. We became our worst critiques. We sometimes let the negative self talk get to the best of us. All of this places a big strain on our relationship, in an already difficult situation living aboard. Despite all the challenges, we reminded ourselves the importance of reflection. We looked to yoga, meditation and resources on mindfulness to help bring balance in our lives. As much as we like going for a nice run or fitting in a good work out, it is equally important to dedicate some time to improve our mental health. Please if there are any resources you can recommend, we would love to hear from you.
In other news, we recently celebrated our 5th anniversary. Hard to believe we got married 5 years ago. It felt like it was just yesterday that we were standing in the shade on that warm summer day at our local park, reciting our vows in front of just our parents and a couple of family friends. Some of you know we were together a total of 10 years before tying the knot. It all began in 2002 when we met each other for the first time in high school French class. Remaining friends through out our college years, we finally took the leap and dated in 2008. Over the next several years, we called Boston, Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg our home. But the biggest move came in 2022 when we decided to quit our full time jobs to live in France.
Wedding Ceremony in East Norriton, PA in 2018
Every couple faces challenges. No doubt there is an extra layer of difficulty when living overseas. Not only that there is the evident language barrier, but there is an immense learning curve when adapting to a new system and a new way of life. No matter how many books you read, how many lessons of Duolingo you complete or video tutorials you watch, there is nothing that can fully prepare you to live in a foreign country. Even doing simple things like making copies or printing some documents becomes an all day affair. You never know when stores and shops are randomly closed in France, even when their website clearly says that they are opened. Add the frequent strikes and protests, along with delays and outages of public transportation, it appears you can never get anything done on your to do list. In general things do take longer to accomplish in France, something we are still getting used to. Living in America in some ways spoiled us. For example, we applied for our French driver’s license in April 2023 and it was just recently approved the second week of June 2023. Of course we are still waiting for our physical copies of our “permit de conduire” but honestly we are just happy to hear that all our documents (after several submissions and revisions) were accepted. A heads up to anyone who is interested in obtaining their driver’s license in France, if your state is on the reciprocity list, you can exchange it without taking the driver’s test. However it has to be within 1 year before your first visa expires. Otherwise you are forced to study up on all the road rules, take the written test and pass the practical exam…yep you guessed it, all in French.
Fortunately we researched this topic long ago and avoided what seems to be an impossible task. Worth noting: in order to finalize your French driver’s license application, you have to exchange and turn in your original American license. That means you don’t get it back until you decide you don’t need your French driver’s license anymore. Luckily in Pennsylvania, you can request a duplicate driver’s license online and within a week it was mailed to us at our U.S. address. Don’t get us started on our renewal of our visa or the struggle of obtaining health care. That will be another blog we hope to cover to provide some sort of guidance for anyone who is interested in moving to France. As always, thank you for taking the time to read our blog and supporting our project. To all our families and friends back in America, Happy 4th of July.
Gelato at Fiore Rosso
Our Top 10 Things to Do in Naples
Our Top 10 Things to Do When in Naples
Naples will forever hold a special place in our hearts, as it was one of the first cities we traveled to post pandemic. At first it was a bit of shock to see the hundreds of endless vespas zooming by every narrow street you come across. The gritty and somewhat shady characteristics could be compared to cities like Marseille or Calcutta. But as you spend time peeling away the multiple layers, you will discover this metropolis is full of rich history and delicious food, particularly pasta and pizza. After all, this is the birthplace of the maragherita.
Wander the Back Streets of Quartieri Spagnoli
The neighborhood of Quartieri Spagnoli is exactly what you picture of Naples. The streets can be dark and sketchy. The cobblestone ground is worn down and very uneven. However behind the dark facade are some some charming alleyways and unchanged local family establishments worth wandering. Throw in the alluring illuminating bistro lights and the unavoidable clotheslines high above between the faded buildings are the little things that define Naples.
Discover the Best Views of Naples from Sant’Elmo
Take the funicular all the way up to Volmero Hill where you will find this unbelievably well preserved 13th century castle. This hexagon shaped fortress served once as a church and later transformed into a military outpost and a prison. Today visitors can discover some of the best views of Naples and the gulf at one of the many watchtowers and vantage points. Well worth the 5 euros regardless of you are a history buff or not.
Address: Via Tito Angelini, 20/A, 80129 Napoli NA, Italy
Phone: +39 081 229 4404
Site: https://www.beniculturali.it/luogo/castel-sant-elmo-e-museo-del-novecento-a-napoli
Entrance Fee: 5€
Funicular Fee: single tickets costs 1,10 € and can be purchased at many of the tobacco stands near Funicolare. Departs every 10 minutes (trip duration of 5-7)
Step Back in Time: Visit One of the Hundreds of Scattered Churches
Naples has one of the highest concentration of churches in Europe. Naples Cathedral is certainly the most popular but even the smaller spaces of worship such as Basilique San Lorenzo Maggiore have impressive interior design and artwork. The best thing is many of these religious institutions are free to visit. It is another way to stay cool during the hot summer months.
Treat Yourself to a Sfogliatella
This longstanding pastry has been devoured by locals and tourists since its recorded origins back in 1818. The distinct layers and ridges mimic the appearance of a lobster tail. The combination of the crispy exterior and soft filling of ricotta, mixed with candied citrus peels and almond paste makes for a perfect breakfast or midday snack. Although they can be found nearly every pastry shop and bakery, Scaturchio makes an unparalleled version that leaves you wanting more.
Address: P.za S. Domenico Maggiore, 19, 80134 Napoli NA, Italy
Phone: +39 081 551 6944
Site: http://scaturchio.it/
Explore the Port of Naples
Take a break from the city center and walk along the harbor where you will see many boats, cruises and ships sailing by. Through out history it has been a central hub for transportation and cargo shipment, especially during the Greek/Roman empire era. It is the ideal spot to “people watch” or catch the sunset (or sunrise) with your cup of coffee (or cocktail).
Take a Stroll Down Via San Gregorio Armeno aka “Christmas Alley”
This street is the home to many artisan shops that specialize in handcraft figurines and ornaments. Not only can you find the typical nativity or Christmas figures but you will also discover secular gifts and unusual souvenirs for your loved ones. Even if you don’t purchase these one of a kind gifts, it is worth strolling down this picturesque alley where you will be instantly transported back to the 18th century. And those artisans hard at work handcarving those statuettes would be exactly who you would see a few hundred years ago.
Galleria Umberto I
The Galleria Umberto I is more than just a shopping center, it is a masterpiece that is part of the Historical Centre of Naples as a UNESCO world herritage site. This crossed shaped glass dome structure was opened sometime between 1887 and 1890, resembling the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. The stunning interior is filled with intricate designs, towering pillars and pristine marble.
Eat at a Local Osteria, Trattoria or Locanda
Some of the best Italian food is located away from the crowds, on a small street or down a narrow, dark alleyway. This was the case with La Locanda Gesù Vecchio where we devoured amazing charcuterie boards and tasty Neapolitan pasta unlike any other versions elsewhere in Italy. Support local businesses. Many of these restaurants specialize in a few dishes that are worth the trip alone. Although it may cost more than the average fast food chain joint, you will definitely taste the difference in quality.
Pass Through the Piazza del Plebiscito
Built in the early 19th century, this public square was formally a church dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola, the founder of the Roman Catholic Order of Minims. The magnificent facade that is composed of six columns, two pillars and a 53 meter dome bears a striking resemblance to the Pantheon in Rome. It was renovated in 1994, allowing locals and visitors to easily pass through the area while still admiring a special historical part of town.
Eat a Proper Margherita Pizza
Naples is the birthplace of the margherita, traditionally made with mozzarella cheese, San Marzano tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil. Legend has been told in 1889 a pizzaiolo from Pizzeria Brandi named Raffaele Esposito created this iconic “red, white and green" pizza to honor the Queen of Italy and pay tribute to the Italian unification. To this day, you still taste this classic Neapolitan pizza at the same location at one of their many outdoor tables on the terrace. However if you are willing to make the trek outside of Naples center (away from the touristic area), you will discover an elevated version at Pizzaria La Notizia.
Pizzareia Brandi:
Address: Salita S. Anna di Palazzo, 1/2, 80132 Napoli NA, Italy
Phone: +39 081 416928
Site: https://pizzeriabrandi.com/
Pizzareia La Notizia:
Address: Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio, 94, 80126 Napoli NA, Italy
Phone: +39 081 1953 1937
On the Road
If you read our last post, you would know that we moved out of our Paris apartment. We have been very busy to say the least. In January we returned home to see our family. After 6 months away from America, we welcomed the familiarity and embraced the things we took for granted such as the convenience of driving a car. It wasn’t all fun and games as we completed what seemed to be endless tedious tasks like renewing our car registration and sorting through junk mail. Despite how busy we were, we still managed to find time to dine at the 2022 James Beard finalist nominee, Kalaya. If you didn’t have a chance to read about it, click here. Before we got too comfortable, we flew back to Paris and then headed through the “chunnel” for a six day stay in London. We will share more on that trip in the future. In the meantime read our thoughts on the stellar grand reopening of the Darjeeling Express in Soho.
Tower Bridge in London, UK
Perhaps you are curious where are we heading now? Well to no surprise (at least to some of our friends and family), we’ve embarked on a 43 day trip, consisting of five countries and 16 cities. Yes, almost a month and a half of constant traveling. To some it might sound cool and to others it might sound crazy. In our opinion it is a mixture of both of theses feelings that literally pushes us to travel out of comfort zone, in exchange to experience special, one of a kind moments.
La Concha beach in San Sebastian, Spain
Maybe you are wondering, what goes into planning a trip for over a month in length. Well, let’s just say it isn’t a walk in the park. Especially when you plan the trip less than three months prior to embarking. Let’s share a few things we learned over the past five years of extensive traveling. Finding accommodations and transportation to each city should be the initial top priority. For example, airbnbs offer a sense of “feeling at home,” as well as useful amenities like a washing machine or a kitchen that can cut costs. On the otherhand, hotel rooms may be the more logical choice based on proximity and price. As for getting from point a to point b, Google maps is helpful in determining the best mode of transportation. Another website Trainline provides general costs of tickets and time of commute for various train and bus companies.
Equally time consuming is selecting the sights to see, finding the right activities that suite your tastes and shifting through the hundreds of restaurant reviews that have the potential of satisfying your appetite. As you consult multiple references and sources, you will notice common trends of top things to do and eat on websites like Tripadvisor, magazine guides such as Time Out, travel experts like Rick Stein and even YouTube bloggers such as Flying the Nest. The more well known destinations have an abundance of suggestions to choose from. On the contrary, you will have to digger a little deeper for recommendations in the smaller cities. Regardless of where your vacation will be, you will just have to accept that you must put in some research to get the most of out of your trip. Most times, all the hard work does pay off. Especially when you are rewarded with delicious food, breathtaking views and memorable activities you wouldn’t otherwise experience back at home. It is quite exciting to realize that each city, town and country has something to offer.
San Sebastian, Spain
Remember to keep in mind with all the eating, walking and discovering you do on these adventures, make sure you build in time to relax and reflect. It is very easy to get lost in the daily “to do list.” Ask yourself: did you find any time to unwind? Did you take a moment to fully enjoy what you were doing. Trust us, after completing two previous trips that lasted more than 20 days, you feel like you need a vacation from your vacation. So our advice to anyone planning a trip anywhere, take that nap, do stop for a second (or a few minutes), look around you, and take in what you see. The utter beauty and unexpected moments is what drives us to explore new horizons. Really do take a moment to breathe and be thankful for these opportunities. It is the little things in life that are truly beautiful.
Not everything is a a list with items to check off. To be honest, you won’t be able to check everything off. However that is another excuse to return to that place in the future.
Streets of Bayonne, France
Okay, so down to the nitty gritty of all the cities we have been to thus far. Our trip began in Biarritz, a stunning town located on the southern west coast of France boarding Spain. Surfers from all around the world venture to this city to ride the majestic Atlantic waves. No, we do not surf but we did take some time to admire the gorgeous clear water, the refreshing sea breeze and the well acquainted ocean scent that we hold so dear to our heart.
Biarritz, France
We then headed to San Sebastián, Spain, the city that boasts the most Michelin star restaurants per square meter than anywhere else in the world. To say the least we ate very well, returning to some of our beloved restaurants like Ganbara and Txepetxa, as well as discovering new gems like Tambori and Bar Antonio.
Tortilla de patata at Bar Nestor in San Sebastian, Spain
We then returned to France to the small town of Bayonne where we wandered the gothic style streets, sampled delectable chocolate and jogged along the beautiful Nive river. We even stumbled across a random unpretentious Argentinian restaurant called Hornito that served some of the best empanadas we have eaten (yes we ate empanadas in France and truthfully very good ones). Despite the line that splits these two countries, all these towns are considered part of the Basque region. The inhabitants are considered one of the oldest indigenous groups in Europe, with a language and culture that dates back to the AD time period.
Empanadas at Hornitos in Bayonne, France
Next, we journeyed nearly 190 miles (~300 kms) east to Toulouse, the capital of the Occitanie region. Nicknamed la ville rose or the pink city, we marvelled at the distinct pink bricks used in majority of their architecture. You do not want to miss the regional dish, le cassoulet which is a hearty stew with white beans, pieces of tender pork, fatty duck and a “saucisse de Toulouse.” La Maison du Cassoulet makes a spot on version that was perfect for a cold winter’s night.
Le cassoulet in Toulouse, France
A slice of marseillaise pizza at Chez Etienne in Marseille, France
Then we jumped on a train and headed south to the city of Marseille. There was not much we remembered from our first visit to this port city back in 2018. But we do recall how tasty the pizza was here. As we retraced our steps to Chez Etienne, we somehow scored a dinner reservation on a Saturday night. FYI, they do not take reservations online. Don’t let this discourage you because in return you will be gifted with a very different pizza compared to the ones you have eaten at in Italy The classic Marseille slice has tomato sauce, a few slices of anchovies and black olives. It was just as good as the first time. Some other highlights are the infinite gorgeous artwork found nearly every wall in the city, as well the impressive fish soup known as the bouillabaisse we had at Restaurant Michel (another restaurant you can not book online). There is so much that can be said for each destination. Perhaps that will be for another post.
La bouillabaisse at Restaurant Michel in Marseille, France
Marseille, France
We are certainly enjoying the more mild weather in February. This weather will be changing drastically as we head to our next city. Stay tuned to find out and keep an eye on our Instagram. Until next time…
Marseille, France
Our Paris Apartment Didn’t Work Out
In August 2022, we signed our very first French apartment lease in Paris. It was located in a quiet neighborhood in the 15th arrondissement, a district known to be very family friendly. There were two wonderful parks (André Citroën and George Brassens) where we could do our daily/weekly runs and walks. Not to also mention an abundance of local shops, bakeries and three organic food markets, all within a 5 minute walk. The flat appeared to be completely redone with a modern, minimalistic design. There was even a little outdoor space to have a drink when the weather was nice. It seemed like the perfect spot to settle long term in France and possibly call it our home.
As the weeks went by we began to notice some serious flaws in the apartment that we didn’t recognize before. At first we dealt with minor issues like a strong sewer odor coming from the shower drain and an unusual difficulty of unlocking our door (we actually bent the key attempting to lock the door one day). Our flat was located on the first floor, so you hear every resident trotting up and down the stairs at all times of the day and night. To add to the commotion, different neighbors would keep us up at night (particularly in the summer when the windows are opened). To our discovery the first floor was split into two different apartments separated by a very thin wall. The place next to us is currently being rented out as an airbnb and on a few occasions we confronted the guests about their loud behavior. Luckily we had a conversation with the airbnb host which addressed most of the disturbances. Thank god all the noises were kept at a “PG-13 level.”
The worst was setting up utilities. It took nearly a month to install internet after multiple appointment cancellations from “Orange,” as well as questionable barriers the technician had encountered while running the fiber optic wire to our flat. To make matters worse, we were living on a suboptimal level of electricity for four months. For some reason the apartment was initially set at the mininimal level of 3 kVA, just enough energy to power a garage. As a result our circuit breaker was tripping several times a day, even with just the tea kettle boiling. We called the electric company “EDF” a half dozen times and the representatives claimed that a new cable had to be changed in order to accomodate the new higher level of 6 kVA. It really became problematic in the winter when temperatures dipped low to freezing. There were some days we were wearing multiple layers of socks, along with our winter jackets indoors.
What pushed us over the edge was the mold growing along the bottom of the walls in our bedroom. It was consistently humid in our apartment even with our dehumidifier on. Most homes in Europe are not equipped with air conditioning resulting in little airflow and circulation. The musty smell led us to the dark greenish gray spots on the walls, hidden behind our long curtains. We were forced to sleep on the sofa bed and at that point we decided to put in our notice to leave.
In France, if you are renting a furnished apartment you must provide at least one month's notice in writing (three month's notice if it is unfurnished). Many sources recommend obtaining a signature on delivery of your letter as proof you provided adequate notice to your landlord. La Poste, France's national post office offers a convenient service online where it generates general documents like termination letters. All you have to do is enter in the dates, names and addresses. No need to print the “résiliation de bail” as they will send the letter directly to the recipient with a tracking number. Although our landlord received it within a couple of days, they suggest you add a few days to your requested move out date on the document to account for any delays.
Many of the complaints like the stinky drain and the faulty door lock were never addressed by the time we left. There was even an electric roller blind that was broken prior to moving in that was never replaced. No coincidence, the electricity level was magically increased to 6 kVA one week after we placed our termination notice. We were patient far too long and with our basic level of French, we did our best for several weeks to express our frustrations to the landlord. Why spend all this money on a place that doesn’t have the bare necessities? At the same time life is too short to mope around and surround yourself in negativity.
So we are turning something negative into positive. We are taking this opportunity to travel even more. Not be bound to one location but to have the freedom to roam around (at least for now) as nomads. We rented a storage unit to house all the things we have accumulated these past several months. It hasn’t been easy making multiple trips to grab the stuff you need for the week or so you are in Paris, just to put it all back in “box de stockage” before leaving for the next voyage. Sometimes we ask ourselves why sacrifice comfort to live like this? Did we make the right decision? Is it worth doing things your own way? All we can do is trust the process. We hope in the end the experiences will help us grow as a person. We will have memories to look back on and cherish. With each adventure we believe that we will gain a new outlook on life and perspective of what is important to us. It is incredibly hard to live in the present when you dwell on the past or when your mind is always set on the future. We are still learning to stay grounded when times get rough. Equally as important we are still practicing living in the moment, one day at a time. Thank you as always for following us on this journey. We hope to update you soon on our plans.
Running with a Purpose
3 weeks ago, YouTube star Nathaniel Drew announced he is running the Paris Marathon on April 2, 2023. We immediately reached out to him after we saw his post about possibly starting a weekly running club. Let’s make this clear: A Dreamer’s Holiday is not running a marathon. The last time we ran long distance was a half marathon in 2010. To be honest, the training and the race at the time was quite gruelling…borderline traumatizing that it mentally restricted our ability to run beyond 3 miles. But this opportunity was too good to pass. So we decided to take a chance and join this running group. Only run what we felt comfortable and not let anybody influence what we set out to do.
As a foreigner it can be challenging connecting with locals, let alone finding a community in a completely different country and/or continent. We lacked the typical work and school environments where majority of the natural social interactions occur. Many suggest participating in activities as a way to bond and establish new relationships. Could a spontaneous decision like running lead to something special?
On January 22, 2023, we ran with Nathaniel and five other individuals along the Seine river, past Notre Dame and all the way to the Bois de Vincennes. It equated to seven miles! It has been over ten years since we ran that type of distance! We enjoyed conversing with six total strangers as we passed each mile. To our amazement, we shared other similar interests such as a love for music, a drive for independence with work and a rare passion for delicious food. These are experiences that we will truly cherish forever. Though the group easily doubled our distance, we did not let that dictate our personal goals and desires. We are here to have fun, interact with others and discover more about ourselves.
The following Sunday, we ran the opposite direction towards the Eiffel Tower and to the Bois de Boulogne. This time we reached 7.25 miles. We expect the gains to be slow, especially as we approach beyond our mid 30s. It is more important to us to be very mindful of our capabilities and limitations. The gradual increase in distance and adequate rest and recovery are some of the keys to injury prevention. So to add to our laundry list of things we try to juggle in life, we are throwing in some long distance running to our weekly routine.
It’s funny to think that sometimes we go through the motions in life and forget how fortunate we are to have the chance and ability to live in a city like Paris. We forget to live! We overlook the value of “play!” We neglect that there is an enormous playground to explore and wander. You can gain a whole new unique perspective of Paris while running. You stumble upon unbelievable things that you wouldn’t have otherwise discover by other means of transportation. We are experiencing the beauty of the City of Lights with a small group of special individuals. So here’s to running next Sunday with Leo, Daniel, Andrey, Hamza, Laurence and Nathaniel. All running with a purpose.
Our Top 10 Restaurants and Eateries of 2022
Our Top 10 Restaurants of 2022
These are our top ten favorite food establishments of 2022. As always, it's very difficult to select from all the places we have eaten at in the past year. Thus, there is no particular rank or order. It is impossible to state one restaurant is superior to another with so many factors to consider. Here is to more journeys and discoveries in 2023. The search for that perfect meal continues...
Fiorella
Philadelphia, PA, USA
For over a century, South Philly’s Fiorella was the butcher shop to buy Italian sausage. After closing 2018 and it was transformed to a pasta bar nearly 2 years later. Marc Vetri continues the legacy, still serving the iconic sausage in their must try rigatoni with Fiorella sausage ragu.
Address: 817 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Phone: +1 215-305-9222
Le Coquillage
Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, France
Hugo Roellinger’s Le Coquillage is a whole day experience. The staff welcomes you the moment you walk in and encourages you to relax and spend time in the chateau and gardens, before and after your meal. We certainly appreciated the unbelievable fresh seafood with a touch of Asian inspired ingredients in majority of the dishes. And the rolling cheese cart itself is a sight to see.
Address: Le Buot, 35350 Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes
Phone: +33 02 99 89 64 76
Pizzaria La Notizia 94
Naples, Italy
If you are looking for the perfect classic margherita pizza, head to La Notizia located outside of the city center. We were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by the enthusiastic yet down to earth owner and pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia himself. His restaurant may be far from Naples center by foot but well worth the taxi ride to experience some of the best Neapolitan food.
Address: Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio, 94, 80126 Napoli NA, Italy
Phone: +39 081 1953 1937
Restaurant Savoy
Helsinki, Finland
Finnish Field marshal Mannerheim frequently dined at the Savoy in the late 30s and as legend says he provided the recipe for the iconic vorschmack still served today. The menu changes quite often but what remains constant is Chef Patron Helena Puolakka dedication to Finnish traditions with a modern spin. The restaurant is located on the 8th floor where you have magnificient views of the skyline and Esplanadi park below.
Address: Eteläesplanadi 14, 00130 Helsinki, Finland
Phone: +358 9 61285300
Septime
Paris, France
Recently ranked as number 22 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Bertrand Grébaut’s Septime is among one of the hardest reservations to score. But if you are lucky to secure a table, you are awarded with some of the best tasting, modern French food of this time. Dishes are ever-changing based on the season and availability. Because the menu is prix fixe, you have to place your entire trust and confidence in the team.
Address: 80 Rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris
Pepe In Grani
Caiazzo, Italy
Pepe In Grani is widely regarded as the best pizzeria in the world. People all over make the trek to taste the famous Sbagliata, a modern version of the margherita pizza; as well as the Crisommola, a sweet fried pizza topped with an unforgettable apricot jam. Make sure you book in advance and come with an empty stomach. And if you are fortunate enough, you may meet Franco Pepe in flesh.
Address: Vicolo S. Giovanni Battista, 3, 81013 Caiazzo CE, Italy
Phone: +39 0823 862718
Ravintola KuuKuu
Helsinki, Finland
What came as a surprise to us is that Helsinki boasts an extensive selection of excellent eateries. And Ravintola KuuKuu is not exception with their commitment to seasonal, superior quality ingredients that are distinctly seen in starters such as the shrimp toast and the goat cheese salad with butternut squash. Entrees like the meatballs with mashed potatoes and cream sauce stay true to the classics, while plates like the celeriac croquet with pear and walnut vinaigrette reveal their contemporary side.
Address: Museokatu 17, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Phone: +358 9 27090974
Shang Palace
Paris, France
Chef Samuel Lee offers a dim sum experience like no other. Shang Palace elevates classics like the siu mai and pork buns to the highest level. The red wrappings of the red rice rolls and the bright green bouchées aux légumes & champignons are not only attractively looking from the outside but also surprisingly delicious on the inside. Do not skip the fried rice.
Address: 10 Av. d'Iéna, 75116 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 42 40 44 52
Site: https://www.shangri-la.com/fr/paris/shangrila/dining/restaurants/shang-palace/
The French Bastards
Paris, France
The most visited eatery on the 2022 list goes to the French Bastards. What separates them from the other typical boulangeries is their distinct sourdough yeast in all their breads. Though the bakery offers all the classics like croissants and pain au chocolats, the one you don’t want to miss is the BCBG (pictured on the far left), a cross between a brioche and a cookie, injected with gooey nutella in the center.
Address: 61 Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris
Popine
Paris, France
If you haven’t figured it out yet, we love pizza. Especially a place that can deliver it from an authentic Neapolitan style oven, straight to your mouth. Popine is one of the few restaurants in Paris that makes a proper pizza. From their puffy crust, to the right amount of tomato sauce on the dough; all the way to how they carefully select and arrange their toppings, the result is their signature well balanced pizza that is truly hard to beat.
Address: 108 Bd de Ménilmontant, 75020 Paris
Phone: +33 09 86 25 05 71
Our Reinvigorated Holiday Spirits
Christmas is almost here and just like Thanksgiving, we will be spending the holidays away from family and friends. We have accepted that this year will just be different. There is no Christmas tree, lights or decorations in our apartment. The only thing that resembles any holiday decor in our place is our winter gnome from Finland resting by the television and one Christmas card wedged in the frame of a mirror. We keep reminding ourselves that nothing is forever and that we need to savor everything that we have at this moment. It is not everyday you can live in one of the most famous cities in the world!
Honestly with everything going on in the world, it can be difficult to get into the holiday spirit. Turn on the TV now and chances are you will be bombarded by the nonstop coverage of the war in Ukraine, inflation, the number of COVID cases and the high possibility of a recession in these upcoming months. Particularly in Europe, we’ve seen a significant rise in the cost of gas, energy and food prices. In France, the transportation strikes are causing major disruptions in holiday plans. All these negative vibes can certainly dampen the festive mood.
But deep within, somewhere in this chaotic hurricane of negativity is some good. Even with the ongoing energy crisis in Europe, towns and cities are still finding ways to decorate their streets and monuments. During our travels, we spoke to locals in Helsinki, family in Lyon (France), and tourists who have repeatedly returned to Paris for the winter season. Most agree that the decorations, lighting and holiday spectacles this year are not as extravagant as years in the past. Somehow we are astounded by their decked out trees, streets and town squares. Maybe it has to do with our limited experiences going to the small Christmas markets and villages back in America. The magic of the holidays comes to life in Europe when you see artisans proudly displaying their handcrafted ornaments, when vendors are happily serving warm mulled wine and delicious comfort food, and when you hear the laughter of kids enjoying the wintry outdoor activities. All while everyone slowly takes in the beauty of these dazzling and creative “winter wonderlands,” as if they were transported to the North Pole. The holidays abroad is something we recommend to anyone at least once in their life.
Last year, we barely had the chance to enjoy Christmas. Like many, we worked all the way up to the day before Christmas Eve. After you run around like a maniac looking for gifts, attending multiple holiday parties, devouring the festive meal and watching a few Christmas movies, you realize in a blink of an eye, that it is all over. This is one of many reasons why we decided to take a step back and walk away from our full time jobs. Sometimes we can lose sight of what is important in life. From time to time, we forget what is the true meaning of the special moments like the holidays. And of course we can’t fully appreciate the good times without the bad times. We will make the best out of what we have. In France, the festivities are typically celebrated on Christmas Eve versus Christmas Day. People gather with family and friends, they exchange gifts and even children open their presents before midnight. So we will do like the French and celebrate on la Réveillon de Noël!
A few days ago, we stopped at Eataly in the Marais neighborhood and picked up some pecorino, mozzarella cheese, black olives and some Taralli (that bite sized breadstick/pretzel tasting snack found all over Italy) to re-create some of the appetizers we had in Naples. Today we went to the Marché Popincourt, an outdoor market in the 11th arrondissement close to where we stayed our first two months here in France. We ordered some brie with truffle (so so good) and a Chèvre (goat) cheese, as well as, some seafood like langoustine, oysters and scallops. Tomorrow we will do some last minute shopping before preparing our magnificent holiday dinner.
To anyone who is feeling alone during the holidays, we can entirely relate to you and remind you that there are others that truly understand what you are going through. For those of you who are feeling overwhelmed and stressed with the endless tasks of shopping, cooking and preparing for the holidays, just remember that whatever you do is good enough. Take some time to relax and enjoy the “present” moment. As always, thank you again for taking the time to check in with us. We wish you, your family and friends a wonderful holiday season.
What The Happiest Country in the World Taught us
In 2022, Finland was ranked number one in the World Happiness Report. Although this study can be rather subjective, in just the short amount of time we were in the country we witnessed first hand the sense of strong community, job satisfaction, transparent support from the government and many other aspects that could be linked to people’s overall contentment. How can we replicate what the Finns are doing or experiencing? We realize there are many things in life that are out of our control. But even with modification, there are plenty of Finnish habits we can adopt in our routine to improve our well-being. We highlighted five things that we could all incorporate in our daily life that may lead to huge gains in overall health and even this subjective thing called happiness.
Fresh Water For All
Finland happens to have some of the highest quality tap water in the world. Easy accessibility to this basic necessity of life is thanks to the amount of bodies of water through out the country; in fact, there are over 150,000 lakes and 150 rivers. We found amazing tasting water not only from the dispensers at airports and cafes but even straight from the faucet. So maybe think twice on what kind of water you are drinking and where it is coming from.
The Versatility of Berries
We were well educated on the varieties of berries used in Finnish cuisine. In addition to the powerful antioxidant properties, Finland features the full capacity of berries in flavor, color and presentation. Cloudberry, an orange looking raspberry is a wonderful way to introduce sweetness and tartness to your favorite pastry or bread. Bilberry, a variety of blueberries, possesses a more intense, tangy flavor that is a perfect addition in a cocktail. And we found that black currants not only provide acidity but also create a nice violet hue in sauces.
Health Benefits of Sauna
The sauna is fundamental in Finnish culture. Improvements in blood circulation, detoxification and stress management are some of the health benefits seen when your body is exposed to an enclosed warm environment of 176–230 °F (80–110 °C). The health boosting effects go a step farther if you plunge yourself right into cold water. Research indicates enhancement in immunity, reduction in inflammation and even an increase in those feel good hormones that affect mood and confidence. Don’t be surprised to see locals enjoying a cold beer or a warm sausage while lounging in the sauna. One way that you could incorporate this is to consider taking alternating warm and cold showers to boost your immune system.
The Maximal Concept of Minimalist Design
Restricting to the bare essentials is difficult in a world of overconsumption. Many of the restaurants, cafes and accommodations in Finland were presented in a sleek, clean and simple manner. Less is sometimes more when it comes to minimalist design: limiting excessive decorations, focusing on neutral colors, avoiding the over utilization of materials, etc. You never know, your surrounds could affect your general mental and emotional health.
The Daily Fika
Fika originated in Sweden, however, this concept of taking a coffee break is also very prominent in Finland. The long standing transition is more than just grabbing a warm beverage and/or pastry, it is about taking a moment to relax and socialize with family and friends. Incorporating this daily ritual revitalizes brain function and builds stronger relationships.
Do you think it is possible to integrate all of these beliefs in your daily life? Or do you already embrace a few of these habits and care to share your experiences? We would love to hear from you! Stay tuned! More travels coming soon!
Thanksgiving Away from Home
Hard to believe a year ago we were making Thanksgiving dinner in Mechanicsburg, a town in Central Pennsylvania near the capital, Harrisburg. This year is different. It will be just the two of us cooking a small dinner in Paris. France doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving except for the 150-200,000 some American expats scattered across the country. It is comforting to know that there is a thriving community here that is just as excited as we are for this 402 year old tradition.
We find it amusing to see posts in various expat forums and groups about where to find cranberry sauce or pumpkin pie in France. The lengths that some people will go to recreate a perfect Thanksgivings is unbelievable; one woman was considering to bike on dangerous roads out of the city to the infamous Costco. If one can only imaging how she would juggle a turkey and Thanksgiving staples like crisco and canned pumpkin pie “à vélo.”However, as you continue to scroll through the social media wheel, you can’t help but feel alone and away from loved ones… approximately 3,700 miles or 6,000 kilometers from Paris to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The endless pictures of friends and families together for the holidays on Facebook and Instagram reminds us how important it is to cherish all these little moments.
To avoid stress and extra anxiety, we decided to prepare a more atypical Thanksgiving dinner, as a way to adapt to what is available locally. We will still have usual suspects like mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing. As you are reading this, we are prepping our veggie pot pie, pumpkin roll and pear and cranberry salad. I know many of you are in disbelief in the absence of cranberry sauce and the turkey, or any type of meat on our table. If you didn’t know, we consistently follow a plant based diet, with the exception of during the holidays and when traveling aboard. So I guess this Thanksgiving meal is not so atypical after all.
Certainly it won’t feel like a traditional Thanksgiving like years prior…and we are okay with that. There will be some elements that will still capture and recreate that holiday spirit, such as watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade. So often we fail to recognize the meaning of the holidays. Particularly Thanksgiving we need to be thankful of what we have: our health, our significant other, a place to live, basic necessities, etc. Especially with our situation, we are grateful for this opportunity to live in a city like Paris. Despite the major barriers like language, culture and lifestyle differences in a foreign country (we hope to dive in this topic in another post), we continuously reiterate the huge advantages we possess at this moment: the ability to travel to other cities and countries, engage in hobbies and activities that make us happy, focus on our overall well being and most importantly, take a step back and enjoy life.
Nothing will be perfect. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Embrace the good times. Enjoy life to the fullest. We wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving.
We Moved…Again…
The past six months have been a wild rollercoaster. We truly apologize for being M.I.A. for this long period of time. No doubt it would be an understatement to say it has been difficult being away from friends and loved ones. However, this necessary absence has giving us time to reflect on the priorities in our life. It has also provided a moment for us to re-engage in activities that we have neglected for a number of years. Most importantly, we had some time to re-discover ourselves.
Sometimes we get lost in the haze of distractions, the relentless expectations and noise of media. It takes courage to remove yourself from toxic environments; to spark change within and ultimately do something that is best for you. It probably is no surprise to some people since we move every two to three years. We are constantly searching for a sense of belonging. Yet at the same time, this nomadic lifestyle ignites new adventures, excitements and thrills that we may not necessary find back at home. We made tremendous sacrifices in the past, only to realize that the road ahead is full of endless challenges. The only difference now is we freed ourselves from some major constraints and made a full commitment to bettering ourselves. Even if it is only for a short period of time.
Many thought we were crazy. Most will not understand this motive. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter to us. At the moment we are happy to do things on our terms. We’ve had this dream for years. Slowly saving money towards this goal. The pandemic naturally delayed things but we never lost sight of this desire. In the spring of 2021, we started putting this ambition into effect. We did nonstop research and had to seek several outside sources because we discovered that what we wanted to do wasn’t entirely clear. After jumping through all the hoops, we put our application in for our visas and after days, months and years of waiting… we turned our dream into a reality. We made the BIG move. We are in France and have been living in Paris since the end of June 2022. We are very excited to share with you what we have been up to and of course, some amazing trips that are coming in the near future. Get ready to be a part of this adventure.
Day 24: Porto Part 3
Euskalduna Studio is the epitome of our wanderlust. We seek amazing restaurants all over the world, hoping they will serve a little slice of heaven.
The Mercado Bolhão's original location is currently undergoing renovations, with promises to open July 2020. All the stands and shops were moved to an equally nice temporary indoor space. You can find just about anything here: fresh meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, home goods and supplies. We picked up some oranges and made our way to the Majestic Cafe. This long-standing establishment is very similar to Les Deux Magots in Paris. The staff is all dressed up in suits or bow ties with vests. Much of the decor is virtually untouched since 1921. You can get a decent breakfast like French toast, although it’s on the pricier side. Honestly it’s probably worth just getting a cup of coffee or tea and admiring the interior design.
Another dish you do not want to miss when in Porto is the cachorrinhos. It's a Portuguese sausage in a crispy bun with cheese and a spicy sauce. Cervejaria Gazela makes some excellent dogs that go well with fries and an ice cold beer. In our opinion the sauce is not spicy at all but those who have a sensitive palate may want to order the sauce on the side. Just be prepared to be asked, "which side, left or right?" Over at the wall of photos, you’ll spot a picture of Bourdain with the owner. You can tell he was genuinely happy in the pic at a simple bar like Cervejaria Gazela. A million thank yous to you Tony for all the food recommendations you have provided.
Still hungry, we made our way to another recommended restaurant called Brasão Cervejaria Aliados. Our guide from day 22 prefers this eating establishment because of their good service and fast seating compared to overly crowded places like Café Santiago. Though we were sat immediately, ironically the server did not return for at least 10 minutes to obtain our order. You have to hassle them to even get their attention. And it wasn't even that busy that day. Luckily the food was decent. The salad with sliced green apples and tomatoes was refreshing, however the sprinkled bread crumbs on top was very baffling. Maybe it was to add textual contrast but some of the crumbs got very soggy, leaving a very unpleasant gritty taste in your mouth. The meat, mushroom and truffle rissol was more appetizing. In Portugal they have petiscos, small dishes that are the equivalent to tapas in Spain. In this case, this petisco was a breaded, fried Portuguese turnover called rissol. It was very similar to the ones we ate the day before on our wine tour to Douro Valley. Lately we have been on a truffle craze and it absolutely satisfied our truffle obsession.
Later on we took a bus to just outside of Porto where the beaches are located. It was such a beautiful day for a nice stroll. The ground started out as a rocky terrain where the locals fish and eventually it transitioned to the more familiar sand we are used to back at home. The sun was warm but it was accompanied with a pleasant cool breeze. Unfortunately we were pressed on time, so we weren't able to go in the water. We were actually dressed very nicely, just in case we needed to rush to our dinner reservation. On the other side of the street, opposite to the beaches were some bars with outdoor seating. We parked ourselves on some surprisingly comfortable lawn chairs and ordered a round of cocktails. The service was unusually slow at Bocca, from the time the waitress came to take our order, to deliver our drinks and to finally receive our check. We quickly paid and rushed to our bus back into town. With our luck, we were caught in some major traffic, right in the middle of rush hour. At times, it felt like we were only going 5 miles an hour. We got off the bus to walk the rest of the trip, hoping we would make our dinner reservation in time. We saw our bus pass us to make a turn, finally off the busy street and driving uphill at a decent speed. Like we said, no luck for us.
After hiking up some steep hills and basically passing every restaurant we have eaten at the past few days, we arrived 10 minutes late to Euskalduna Studio. From the outside, it didn’t look anything like a restaurant. We were confused and just when we spotted a button that looked like a doorbell, the door swung open and we were welcomed by one of the chefs. Inside was very sleek and modern. We were the first to arrive and the same chef that welcomed us, kindly pulled our chairs out for us to sit down. He pushed us closer to the tabletop, something even fine dining establishments rarely do these days. In front of us was their kitchen where you can observe every little detail and action that was going on in our courses. Slowly, two at a time couples would arrive and eventually the dining room was nearly full.
Before dinner service, we were presented a blank card. If you were in the mood to be surprised, avoid flipping the card. Otherwise you can peek for a brief description of all the dishes that were to be served that night. One thing to keep in mind is that they only have one prix fixe menu. You must have faith in all the chefs that they will deliver some amazing, high quality dishes through out the night.
Right away you can tell there is a bit of Asian influence in the food they serve. The dashi with vegetables was probably one of the most flavorful broths we have tasted. One of the chefs explained that dashi is typically infused with dried fish to provide the signature umami flavor. If you don't know, umami is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweetness, sourness, bitterness and saltiness. It is often described as savory, closely associated with broths and cooked meat. Interestingly, their dashi has no meat products at all. They combine various vegetables in their stock to create an exquisite broth that is arguably tastier that any beef or chicken soup out there.
After travelling in Italy for many days and the longing for Asian food was worsening, our cravings were finally satisfied with plates of rice and tuna, along with oxtail and Kimchi. We were even transported back to France with a shallot pie, a tribute to the French tarte tartin. Normally this buttery pastry is topped with caramelized fruit like apples or peaches, but instead the onion variety was the focal point, often seen in savory dishes. Yet you can see why they went in this direction...the natural sweetness when you caramelized shallots, along with a slightly burnt taste made this tart a winner in our book.
Euskalduna Studio is the epitome of our wanderlust. We seek amazing restaurants all over the world, hoping they will serve a little slice of heaven. That night we tasted multiple slices. Along with the food, we enjoyed the unparalleled level of interaction with these talented chefs. They were entertained by all of our questions and appreciated our interest in their style of cooking. And we weren’t surprised to find out that many of the cooks worked or interned at the famous Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain. It was a pleasure witnessing the chefs cook right in front of us, demonstrating their skills and knowledge of Asian cooking techniques, while displaying their passion, love and dedication to use of local Portuguese ingredients. They certainly put Porto on the map. And we are excited to see where they will be at in a few years from now.
Day 23: Porto Part 2
Around 8:45 am, a white van picked us for our full day tour at Douro Valley. Our multilingual tour guide from Cooltours Porto was very entertaining and informative throughout the trip. She drives this route several times a week and knows the ins and outs of the region. Thank god we left just in time before rush hour. We zoomed down the highway while the hundreds of cars on the other side of traffic waited in agony.
Our group was comprised of two other couples and a solo traveler. There were the young Australians who have been venturing all over the world for nearly 2 years. The second couple was from London, on a work trip but extended their stay to see the Douro Valley. The gentlemen exploring Portugal alone was from Quebec City. His primary language is French but he was making a huge effort to practice English while on vacation. We agreed his English was far superior than our French.
The buildings and stores were quickly replaced with valleys and hills. The landscape was reminiscent of Champagne region of France or Tuscany in Italy. We instantly noticed the difference in temperature after stepping out of the van for our bathroom, rest break in Pinhão. It was easily 10 to 15 degrees hotter in this city east of Porto. While our guide was refueling on coffee, we took some time to admire the blue azulejo tiles at the train station. There was an olive tree low enough to pick, although they were no where near being ripe. It was not even 20 minutes and we were ready to return in the comfortable air conditioned van. It was going to be a hot afternoon.
All their wines were excellent. And what was even more wonderful was the view that accompanied the wine. The winery was situated on top of hill where you can marvel at the endless vines and valleys. We learned in Douro valley, olive trees separated the different owner's land and vineyards. When you have olives available, naturally you make olive oil. We got a sample of the vineyard's own oil, which was perfect with some sliced bread. As much as we wanted to stay, we had a cruise to catch on the Douro river. Although they don't serve alcohol, they don't mind you bringing your own wine on the boat. We ended up splitting a bottle of white wine with the couple from Australia.
Don't expect to see much on the Douro valley cruise. Let's just say you are on the boat to relax and admire the beautiful water and hillsides. We admit, it was a nice change from the typical busy schedule of attractions and sites. All we did was sip on our white wine in small plastic dixie cups and take in the magnificent landscape that was in front of us. From time to time, we would exchange translations of French to English or English to French with our French Canadian acquaintance Robert, with a silent T. And just like that, the hour cruise was over in a blink of an eye.
Lunch at Té was unexpectedly good. Every country has some type of dumpling and the ones ready to be eaten on the table were mighty tasty. The veal was cooked very well and tender. Sad to say but the sea bass cooked whole was more flavorful than the one at Esplanada A Antigua from Day 22. As we ate, we continued our conversation with Robert from Quebec City. One of the top questions we are asked as Americans is how we felt about Donald Trump. Yes we do inform others of our dislike of the President, but we attempt to keep it as neutral as we can. We avoid politics at all costs. Though our guide also made it clear she did not agree with his character and policies, she did mention how smart and manipulative he is. "Like Hitler or Mussolini," chimed Robert.
We were completely wiped out after the second wine tour and the inevitable long drive back to Porto. We somehow mustered up energy to eat at Cafe Santiago before the dinner rush. It was at this restaurant we experienced the most fatty sandwich we have tasted...the francesinha. And it most definitely lived up to the hype. Every possible meat you think of is stuffed between two pieces of white bread, covered in cheese, drizzled with a delicious sauce and topped with a fried egg. Cut the sandwich in half and you won't believe your eyes the layers of meat and cheese. The runny egg oozing over the stack is a sight of beauty. And just like that, we slowly drifted into a food coma; dreaming of our warm, comfy bed waiting for us back at our airbnb.
Day 22: Porto
It all begins with an idea.
We were running a little late to our first port wine tour. Google maps directions can be a little off in foreign countries, especially a city like Porto with all the hills and elevation. We ended up adding 10 minutes to our walk because we misread the decline down and across the bridge. Plus it didn't help that we were taking a bunch of selfies along the way. Before reaching Cockburn's, there was a massive hill we had to conquer, similar to the ones you see in San Francisco. We were so thankful for the air conditioning in the facility by the time we arrived.
Cockburn's is one of seven brands apart of the Symington Family Estates. Some other popular ports in the same company include Dow's and Taylor's. We learned the initial stages of port production are essential the same as wine making. The difference is instead of promoting an extensive fermentation process, they stop it completely with the addition of brandy to the mixture. Although this kills the yeast, it creates the signature sweetness and higher alcohol by volume you see in port wines. You have variations such as ruby, pure white, tawny and vintage.
The ruby is a young wine that is stored in wooden casks, concrete or stainless steel tanks for a couple years, then blended and filtered. This is how it retains its red color. The pure white is the same process but the mixture doesn't come in contact with the grape skin, thus maintaining the white hue. The tawny is different, as it's aged in barrels for a longer period, changing to more of a brown color. The taste is more complex than the basic ruby and pure white wines because of the unique characteristics of the oak wood barrels they sit in. As for the vintage wines, they are only in the barrels for about 2 years then bottled unfiltered, left to age for 10 or even 40 years. Unlike the rubys and whites, the vintage wine's flavor improves over the years. It's only if everything goes well and you have perfect conditions that contribute to extraordinary taste, is when a vineyard declares a vintage year. I found all the wines to be excellent and unique in their own way. On the other hand, Jackie gravitated more to the ruby, white and vintage wines, as she was not a fan of the tawny's strong oak taste.
After the tasting, we were led outside to a beautiful space with some picnic tables, plants and a little water fountain. We had a basket full of little goodies like olives, nuts, bread, different spreads and fruit. Wineries can learn a few things from Cockburn's. It's not just about the wines but also the experience. The combination of beautiful weather, outdoor space, snacks and wine was exactly what we were looking for on a nice sunny Sunday. We had such a good time, we arrived late to our second tour.
For a mid day snack we went to Casa Guedes, another recommendation from our airbnb host. Don't be surprised if you see a long line out the door on a Friday or Saturday night. What everybody is waiting to get their hands on is their pork sandwich with fries. Although it was a little different than the sandwich we ate at Casa Ribeiro on Day 21, it was just as tasty. It was very simple. No sauce. Just meat and the bun. Now we realize the Portuguese are quite the experts in pork.
Jackie wasn't feeling well that night. She thought it may have been from the processed spreads that she ate with the bread at lunch. As she rested, I took a 30 minute bus northwest of Porto to Matosinhos. This is where I ate a memorable seafood platter at Esplanada Marisqueira A Antiga. It was absolutely worth venturing outside of town for some of the freshest prawns, shrimp and clams I have ever eaten. This was also where I had my very first barnacles and all I can say is do not leave Portugal without trying these little suckers. The server instructed me to hold the hard end, peel the casing and slurp out the soft tube. That taste reminded me of seafood dinners with my family many years ago. We would use surgical like tools to pry open claws and reward ourselves with some juicy, succulent meat. Memories associated with food sure is a powerful thing.
Thereafter, someone rolls out a cart, where on top lies a salt coated sea bass. He lights it on fire right in front of my eyes. As the flames die down, he brushes the excess salt off, revealing a perfectly cooked fish. The server skillfully debones and fillets the bass, then plates it cleanly with some roasted potatoes and spinach. You don't see this very often: tableside cooking, prepping and serving. It's certainly a lost art. Though the fish was very tender and soft, I thought personally the fish could use more salt and pepper. A squeeze of lemon on top would have added a good amount of acidity. But overall, it was well worth the commute out of the city.
Here are some things you can expect on Day 23: a bus tour of Douro Valley, wine tasting at local vineyards, a river cruise and the eventual taste of Porto's iconic sandwich, francesinhas. Stay tuned!
Day 21: Modena to Porto
It all begins with an idea.
Another travel day. The past few days in Modena were nice because we had time to settle in a city. Oppose to some cities, especially last summer we would only spend 1 to 2 days, barely scratching the surface of the town. We think with our next big trip, we will attempt to stay at least 3 days at each destination. Four days would be ideal. We prefer not to stay too long at one place, particularly in Europe where all the countries are so close together. It would be unfortunate not to take advantage of all the variety of cultures and cities you can explore...sometimes just a train ride away.
Before we ventured to our last destination, there were a couple places in Modena we needed to visit...Bar Tiffany being one of them. This cafe has some of the biggest, most fluffy gnocco frittos we have seen. We did like the locals and dunked the pillow sized pastries in our cappuccinos. It's like Italian donuts and coffee. The gnocco fritto sandwiches stuffed with mortadella and prosciutto is another thing not to be missed!
We finally got to try our gelato with a few drips of balsamic vinegar. It's easy to see why this pairing works. The acidity of the vinegar compliments the creamy, sweet ice cream very nicely. We learned the highest quality vinegars have to be sold in the specific glass bottles created by Ferrari; the same man known for the fast sport cars. The lowest priced bottle is 55 euros and can go as high as 300 euros. At the moment we were happy with our samples but we took a business card, just in case we wanted a fancy bottle of the good stuff shipped to us back at home.
After a 2.5 hour flight we arrived to Porto, a city we first visited winter 2017. At that time, we probably only stayed a half day, as it was a layover to Madrid. It was just enough time to visit their famous bridge, try a couple of snacks and take a short nap. This time around we did our research on what dishes we must try and places to see.Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Sed posuere consectetur est at lobortis. Maecenas sed diam eget risus varius blandit sit amet non magna. Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod.
There is a metro you can take from the airport to the center of Porto, in about 30 minutes for 2 euros. The purple line takes you all the way to the neighborhood of Trindade and from there you transfer to any of other lines to reach the station, 24 campo Agosto. After a short walk from the station, we finally met our host Pedro, a gentleman originally from Africa but moved to Portugal at a very young age. Like many Europeans particularly in tourism, he is able to speak multiple languages including French, Spanish and conversational German. We climbed to the top floor, where he revealed a lovely, clean duplex. Though it is very modern, it still retains the Portuguese character with it's beautiful window shutters, decor and some original interior architecture. It is easily one of the most stunning airbnbs we have stayed at thus far,
Pedro was kind enough to show us some key spots of interest. He pointed out where you can get the best francesinha, a typical Porto sandwich we will discuss more detail in a different day entry. There was also Gazela, the bar where Bourdain ate another local favorite dish called cachorro. He showed us the closest grocery store, the local bakery and pastry shop. We really appreciated his kindness and hospitality. Never have we met an airbnb host so passionate about this city. His energy was so contagious, we almost felt like we could conquer the night and visit all those recommended eateries. We said almost, because we were feeling the exhaustion starting to sink in.
We ended up eating at Casa Ribeiro, one of Pedro's recommendation just down the street from our place. They had a wood fire oven that looked to good to pass. Our starter was a tasty croquette with honey mustard dressing. It reminded us of a chicken nugget but tastier. The pizza we ordered had some really interesting notes of black garlic and truffle oil. We just wish it had a little less cheese, so that we can actually taste the other toppings. The main star was their pork sandwich. To our amazement, we thought it was better than the suckling pigs we had in Rome. The seasoning was spot on and they had a black pepper gravy on the side you can add to the sandwich. It was so addicting. Jackie finally got her Sangria that she was craving, which she enjoyed to her surprise.
It was a cool night, about mid 60's. We looked around at our table and to our amusement, all the locals were bundled up as if it was fall or early spring. What a huge contrast from the high temperatures in Modena. But hey, we did not complain. We actually got to enjoy the night without the need of air conditioning. Not to mention, no pesky mosquitoes eating us alive that evening.
Day 20: Modena Part 3
It all begins with an idea.
Friday morning, we visited the local historical market, Mercato Albinelli. The original was located at Piazza Grande before moving to its permanent home on Albinelli street in 1931. Locals and visitors alike come to the heart of Modena in search and to sample the town's best produce and products. We bought some amazing looking strawberries, so bright red unlike any ones back in the US. Thereafter we stopped at cafe Molinari for a quick breakfast. The cappuccino and cornetto was no where near as good as cafe Fagianni in Rome. However it was enough to get us through the morning.
It has been nearly 3 weeks since we have been to the gym. As much fun it is to eat good regional food and enjoy alcoholic beverages, we really had the itch to do some type of workout. Not far from our airbnb is a small fitness center called Active Fit Modena. It had the basic equipment like a bench press, free weights, several machines...enough to get a good workout in. It was a good thing we went earlier in the morning because it wasn't too busy and it was still some what cooler. At the end we talked to one of the trainers and he informed us their desire to keep the fitness center small and local. The team values quality and the importance of staying personable. We admire small businesses and try to support local organizations that do it more than just for money. The passion and love for what you do is something we can all try to strive to do.
For lunch we ate at a little place known for homemade pastas called Il Fantino. Unfortunately they ran out of tortellini in soup we craves so much. Apparently earlier in the week, the weather was unusually cooler...so many locals requested this dish, typically eaten in the winter. The server stated they only make 10 kilos of tortellini for the week during summer. Instead we ordered the special pasta of the day, tagliatelle in ragu with asparagus, along with pumpkin raviolis and a mixed salad. All of the dishes were equally delicious. We are afraid to say but you can't get pasta like this back in the states. It may be just in our heads but it could be due to the water, flour or eggs they use in Italy that distinguishes their exceptional pasta.
Later on, we stopped at a boutique store that sells high end balsamic vinegar from select organizations. We discovered this shop from Somebody Feed Phil's Venice episode, where they allow you to bring in gelato ice cream and sample some balsamic with it. One of the clerks gave us a nice overview, however it was near closing time...so we decided to come back the next day to obtain the full experience. Instead of going to a sit down restaurant, we found a highly rated panini joint called bar Schiavoni. What we received were not those iconic flattened sandwiches with oozing cheese and traditional brown grill marks on top, but some seeded sub sandwiches that were barely toasted. The inside was decent, although it desperately needed more seasoning. We almost think they shouldn't be calling these sandwiches paninis. This was certainly not the first time we have come across "misnomers" on our travels.
After a few drinks, we walked back to our airbnb and at a far distance we heard some kind of music. As we got closer, we realized it was a live band playing just outside of the bar where we were at on Day 18. Locals were singing in unison, both young and old, what we thought were classic Italian hits. One tune after the other, they chanted louder and louder. It was a great excuse to grab another round of drinks and observe a large group of happy Italians, celebrating the weekend, more so, celebrating life. Just judging by their expressions and demeanor, you can tell some of them have known each since they were very young. It is amazing how very little you need to be content. Sometimes all you need is good food, drinks and music. We hope to take even a fraction of what we saw that evening back home with us. Celebrate the little things. Embrace what you have. Live life to the fullest.
Day 19: Modena Part 2
Thursday was a little more laid back than the previous days. We slept in, went for a run and did some laundry. It's good to implement some down time because you can easily tire yourself out with all the travelling and sightseeing. We worked up a good appetite by the time we walked in the historical Giusti deli shop. Like we mentioned before, the store has remained relatively the same all these years. Locals come in to purchase cold cuts, cheese, fresh pasta and veggies. They also sell Italian staples such as vinegar, olive oil, baked goods and dried pasta. Our server led us in a back hallway into a secret dining room of four tables.
This is where we had our first gnocco fritto, a hollow dough fried in lard. It sounds heavy but actually it's the opposite...very light, not oily one bit. Each of the soft "pillows" were topped with a different thin slice of meat like mortadella or prosciutto. The other appetizer we enjoyed was vegetable fritters. It was very hard to tell which veggies were in the mash however, this is a good example that you can pretty much fry anything to make it taste good. Put a few drops of aged balsamic vinegar on top and you got yourself a great starter.
The first course was a cod, tomato and olive pasta, which had a strong fish taste that we didn't mind. We forgot to ask the name of cod but we believed it was the European favorite fish, bacalao. The other dish was a tagliatelle in ragu sauce with thinly sliced red onions on top. It was easily one of the best pastas we have eaten thus far. What we didn't expect to be so tasty was the guinea fowl with balsamic reduction. The bird's taste had a strong resemblance to a thanksgiving turkey. It was seasoned very well and worked harmoniously with the slightly pickled slices of bell peppers. To end the meal, we had a cherry tart, so full of bursting flavor that it almost made us jump out of our seats. There was no denying the fact that you were truly eating real cherries. This was one of the most impressive meals we had in on this trip. We will certainly have difficulty narrowing down our 10 top favorite restaurants this year with Hosteria Giusti in the mix.
Lately we have been following the European style of eating large lunches, as the main meal of the day and much smaller dinners. At Bottega 39, we had a very strange hummus and guacamole dip in a jar. It was hard to make out the exact herbs and seasonings in this odd combo but what really threw us off was the incorporation of some kind of mint, possibly spearmint. Normally the chickpea puree is mixed with cumin, sesame paste, garlic, salt and lemon juice. As for the guacamole, you typically have smashed avocadoes, tomatoes, salt, lime juice, jalapeno peppers if you want spice and cilantro and cumin for something extra. The only thing that was dominating our taste buds was a weird minty flavor that almost seem completely wrong. If you ever stop at Bottega 39 in Modena, just stick to their drinks.
Friday is our last day in Modena before we fly to Porto, Portugal, our last destination of this European trip. It has gone by so quick and it's hard to believe we have just a little over half a week left before we return to reality. A recap of Day 20 will be up soon.
Day 18: Modena
At 4 Madonne Casseifico dell'Emilia, we learned so much about parmigiano reggiano. It is often referred to as the king of cheese because it possesses the perfect balance between salty, sweet and bitter taste. Although there is some incorporation of machinery in the cheese process, most of the production is still handled and done by hand. There is so much that goes into creating those iconic cheese wheels, from the laborious stirring of curds to ensure proper consistency, to the precise packing technique to prevent air bubbles from developing in the cheese. There is also embedded patterns and stamps on the cheese itself to verify that it is truly parmigiano reggiano. There are no additives or preservatives in their products...just a whole lot of salt for the aging process. The cheese wheels are brushed and flipped frequently to prevent mold and to promote moisture retention.
Only at the tasting is when you really appreciate all the education. At 12 months, you have a soft, mild cheese resembling a firm mozzarella stick. Give it another 6 months and you begin to see crystals develop that changes the taste and texture of the cheese. You then notice a unique sweetness in the parmigiano reggiano at 24 months. By 36 months, you are left with a more dry but very complex cheese unlike any other. This unpasteurized goodness is not the same back in the states. You can only understand this magnificent specialty if you taste it right in Italy.
The balsamic vinegar tour in the afternoon was just as fascinating. Acetaia Giusti happens to be the most ancient balsamic vinegar making organization, dating all the way back to the 17th century. They still use many of the original French oak barrels to make vinegar to this day. Very similar to cheese making, what separates good vinegar from exceptional vinegar is the dedication to the growth of excellent grapes; proper aging environment related to type of oak barrels, humidity and temperature; and lastly patience and time. With the absence of additives and thickening agents, high quality balsamic vinegar can be left to age indefinitely. There is also a precise method of blending. Due to the natural effects of evaporation, barrels are regularly replaced with other blends of balsamic vinegar or "must" they call it, as it ages. Within time, the master taster will decide when the vinegar has the appropriate levels of acidity and sweetness to be considered balsamic vinegar from Modena.
In the tasting room we sampled several vinegars, including the 25 year old bottle. We were blown away by how sweet some of samples were. Back at home, we would reduce it and add a little bit of sugar. These vinegars are clearly superior that no additional sweetener is needed. The older bottles that have aged longer like the 25 year one has a distinct oak taste. We will be sure to keep our eyes opened for this brand, as well as the official emblems and seals that signify authenticity.
It was a late lunch at La Tagliatella. We ordered two pastas, with the first being tagliatelle tossed with well seasoned porcini mushrooms and parsley. The second dish was tortello, which looked like oversized tortellinis but stuffed with cheese and spinach, similar to raviolis. It was drizzled with olive oil and garnished with some sage, a combination we wholeheartedly love. We are very impressed with the pasta dishes here in Modena, almost more so than Rome. With our stomachs full and our minds slowly going into a food coma, we returned to our airbnb for a much needed nap.
In the evening, we kept it very light. We had a few drinks at a lively bar called Rest Cocktails and Dreams. Here's another new drink we discovered: mix tequila, mezcal, tomato juice, hot pepper sauce and some lime juice to create the pepperita, a hybrid of the margarita and bloody mary. While we enjoyed our drinks, there was a live band playing some old school rock hits of AC/DC and Motley Crue. It was quite amusing watching a handful of people singing out loud with the band.
We left the 80's party to grab a late night salad at Caffeteria Giusti. The insalata dei Giusti had arugula, romaine lettuce, radicchio, shaved fennel, cold cooked tuna and hard boiled eggs. We were shocked how delicious the salad was. Most restaurants in Italy present you condiments like balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to dress your salad. We actually prefer this way because we can control the proportions and adjust the condiments according to the taste of veggies. And to our surprise, just a few meters away is Hosteria Giusti, where we will be having lunch the next day. Both shops were once associated with Acetaia Giusti, where we had our balsamic tour earlier in the afternoon. The Giusti family actually started in the deli industry but later sold their business to focus on balsamic vinegar. Although the current owners are not related to the Giusti family, they kept the store virtually the same to continue tradition and retain the iconic look still seen today. We will report to you our experience at this supposedly 4 seat restaurant, hidden within the deli store.
Day 17: Rome to Modena
To get to Modena from Rome, you need to first take a 2 hour high speed train to Bologna central station, then another 30 minutes local train to the city center. Our airbnb was located in the heart of downtown Modena. We were a little worried that it would be loud in the evening similar to Venice. Fortunately our place was situated a high end shopping district, away from the bars.
There wasn't much planned for our first night in Modena. We made a lunch reservation for Friday at a restaurant known for their homemade pastas, particularly their tortellonis. You will discover some eateries, especially small local ones will only take reservations by phone or in person. We also needed to schedule a taxi for one of our parmesan cheese tours on Wednesday. After walking 20 some minutes, we discovered the main taxi office was closed for the evening. Later on the night, we found a taxi driver who gave us a card to contact for the next morning. Modena has only one taxi service called Radiotaxi. Evidently, you can text, call, email and even message them through Whatsapp. Very good information to know when in Modena.
Not a even a 5 minute walk from our place is Piazza Grande, an area filled with bars and restaurants. We stepped into Il Collegio, which means college in Italian. The name fits the setting well because the bar is packed with young turks drinking all types of cocktails like cosmos and Moscow mules. Aside from eating and sightseeing, we truly enjoy relaxing and drinking with locals. Many people say you can do that at home. But it's the change in environment that makes it very exciting and enjoyable. You learn all types of things even in a bar atmosphere: the behavior and mannerisms of locals, differences in how they make cocktails, tipping culture, etc. We think travel is essential in growth and development, even as a full grown adult.
A few months ago, we unsuccessful attempted to book reservations at the former number 1 restaurant in the world, Osteria Francescana. We did however managed to score a table at Massimo Bottura's more casual, lay back place called Franceschetta58. This was another incident we ordered way more food than we needed to. For the starter, we began with the Emilia burger, cooked medium rare with balsamic reduction sauce. It has been a while since we have eaten a hamburger but the two mini sliders were just as good as any of the best burger joints in America. The other appetizer was zucchini in three ways: zucchini blossoms, raw paper thin sliced zucchini and small pieces of cooked zucchini. It was a nice refreshing contrast to the Emilia burger.
For the first course we chose the regional pasta dish, tortellini with castelmagno cheese. The pasta itself was cooked perfectly, but we would have been satisfied with half of its cheese sauce. On the other hand, the passatelli was very intriguing because it had all the elements of a traditional Asian soup: noodles, broth, protein and herbs but with Italian ingredients. It was truly a mind blowing dish that one can only understand if it was eaten.
We finished with game tartare and slow cooked tongue. Overall the raw venison was paired well with raspberries and lambrusco vinegar. Some of the herbs were a bit strong and we thought as a whole, it could have used a tad bit more seasoning and acidity. The tongue was fascinating because it was unexpectedly soft and tender. We know it's a tough part of an animal to work with but they slow cooked it long enough to make it very appetizing. Just judging by appearance, you would think it was boneless bbq ribs with the luscious, shiny balsamic glaze on top.
We quickly realized Modena is very different than Rome. It's more quiet and not as fast pace as majority of the metropolitan cities. That being said, there is still a lively nightlife here with many restaurants and bars to try. We're happy as long as the partying is away from our place when we are sleeping. On Wednesday, we have two tours scheduled, a parmesan factory in the morning and a balsamic Acetaia in the afternoon. Stay tuned to hear what we think about Modena's two most famous food products.