Day 16: Rome Part 2
Monday morning was an early start at the Colosseum. It was a little chaotic waiting for the gates to open for the first time slot. Once they allowed visitors to enter, the lines moved relatively quick, as long as you have a paid ticket in advance. Most of the light rain cleared out by the time we reached the 2nd floor of the Colosseum. It's quite a sight looking at all the visitors from above, especially with the sun beaming down as natural light. Though the arena in the middle of the stadium was still under construction, they still allowed visitors to explore parts of the ground floor. It's nice to say we were inside the Colosseum, on the other hand it's like all the other famous monuments...no need to do it again. Next time we are in town, we'll just walk by and admire it.
The buses were still jam packed with commuters to work, so we took the blue line, then the orange line to the Prati and Della Vittoria neighborhoods. Breakfast at Cafe Fagianni was featured in Anthony Bourdain's show, the Layover. Apparently for breakfast, many Italians just have a cup of coffee and maybe something small with it like a pastry. We ordered the exact thing Bourdain did a decade ago, a cappuccino and a cornetto. Jackie has not had coffee since we lived in Boston in 2004. She avoids it because it can cause heartburn and upset stomach. This time she had no issues. More importantly she enjoyed the warm beverage with a cornetto, a pastry similar to a croissant but sweeter. We actually dunked pieces of it in the cappuccino. Nobody said we were doing anything wrong.
We found a nice shady spot near a dried up fountain to sit and relax...waiting patiently for Cacio E Pepe to open at 12:30 for lunch. The rain earlier had little effect on the warm weather. It was just one of those days you have to stay hydrated and carry a bottle with you when you're out and about. As requested, the server immediately sat us outside with a refreshing bottle of sparkling water. As time went on, each table was filled and we had a full house within a half an hour.
If you didn't guess, this restaurant is known for one thing...the cacio e pepe. This pasta has been a favorite dish of Bourdain's, so dear to his heart, the same restaurant was highlighted in both the Layover and No Reservations shows. The long spaghetti like noodles were cooked perfectly al dente. You have the two contrasts of the same cheese: a sprinkle on top but also melted cheese with oil under the pasta. Top it with fresh cracked pepper and you can see why Bourdain loved this dish.
That afternoon, we had probably had one of the worst experiences at a tourist attraction ever. We couldn't believe the number of people crammed in the Vatican museum. Entering the building wasn't bad. It was going through all the different rooms, you had pockets of absurd number of tour groups slowing down the flow of traffic. Some rooms were air conditioned, most were very stuffy and hot. If you don't keep track of time, you can easily spend half the day at the Vatican museum alone. It was such a tease looking for the Sistine Chapel because it ended up being one of the very last rooms. It was almost like a game: your goal is to go through every room, dodge tourists and collect your prize at the end. In this case, the prize is your opportunity to witness Da Vinci's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. However the shear number of people and the unbearable heat made the whole experience not worth it. We basically rushed to end and out of the museum in 30 minutes. Lesson learned, do all your site seeing early in the morning. We saw a ridiculous line for the Saint Peter's cathedral wrapped all around the Vatican's perimeter.
Instead we waited in different kind of line at Bonci's pizzarium. Online it states they are open all day. Their shutters didn't lift up until 4 pm…good information to know for the future. They have a ticket system to maintain some sort of order. Like at a deli, our number 23 was called and we decided to order a slice of every pizza, over 15 different varieties. We escaped the chaos and happily took our 2 boxes of pizza back to eat in the comforts of our airbnb.
Bonci's pizza is unique because he uses all natural ingredients, including a yeast starter that is over 200 years old. Pizzas change according to the availability of ingredients and time of season. Our favorite toppings were the thinly sliced potatoes, prosciutto and the simple red sauce with cherry tomatoes. We have been making pizzas almost every Friday, so we have some great ideas we can take back home.
After eating only half of the pizzas, we thought it would be wise to cancel our dinner reservation later that night. We did however find some room to sample porchetta from a little place called I Porchettoni. The pork was a little dry but it was full of flavor. It would be good in a sandwich or on top of a salad. We ended the night with a couple of glasses of prosecco in a park. It was a little strange watching parents cheering on their kids at a playground while drinking a bottle of beer or a glass of aperol spritz. This is a classic example of the differences in culture between US and Europe. There is no shame drinking on a weekday; there are no rules in consuming alcohol outside while playing with your children in the park. It was relaxing and chill to be with the locals. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. You wouldn't think they just came from work or whether they had some special occasion to celebrate. They were just living life, just like we are.
Day 15: Rome
Sunday was a very hot day. Unfortunately air conditioning on buses and trains can be hit or miss in Rome. It was warm in the orange line subway but thank god it was only a couple stops to the Spanish steps. Despite the heat, we knew right away we needed to run up the steps just like Rocky. At the top is a nice view of the streets below. Judging on how much less crowded it was up there, you could say most people would just take a selfie at the bottom of the steps and move on.
We escaped the madness and found a little cafe / bar called La Buvette. It's quite common in Europe to have places open as a cafe in the morning and bars in the evening. Though it appears Europeans drink either or regardless the time of the day. Following the Romans, we ordered the traditional negroni and a newly discovered spritz called the Hugo. For those who are not familiar with spritz, typically it's comprised of prosecco, sparkling water and some type of liquor like aperol or campari. Jackie finds aperol to be a little bitter. The only difference with Hugo is you replace the aperol with St Germain, an elderflower liquor to make it sweeter. Replace the oranges with mint and what we got is a new favorite drink.
The first pizza place called Antico Forno Roscioli is associated with Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina, where we ate dinner on Day 14. They are known for two types of pizza, the ultra thin crust and the thick roman style similar to the Sicilian. The eggplant with cheese was decent but the sauce lacked the bold flavor we were looking for. It's kinda sad to say but our hometown Via Vento's Sicilian and even Corpolese's tomato pie are better. Since we only tried one style, we can't speak for all the other pizza slices. But for now, we say stick to their deli / salumeria and just skip their roman pizza.
Not far from the Spanish steps is Trevi fountain, another mad house, crowded with tourists. There is nothing more that we hate than huge crowds, especially filled with stupid, ignorant people. We quickly threw our coin in the water, even though we know we will return to Rome at some point in the future. It was until later that evening we discovered that with the coin in your right hand, you toss it behind your left shoulder. It was very amusing....just watch the video on our Instagram.
Our next food stop was Stefano Callegari's Trappizino. This well established chef and entrepreneur started a pizzeria called Sforno back in 2005. He then focused on street food, particularly a style that combines the simplicity of pizza with classical Roman dishes. Thus the Trappizino was born. Imagine eating a sandwich that is made from pizza dough, stuffed with Italian ingredients like artichokes or meatballs. The eggplant or parmigiana di melazane trappizino possessed the bold red sauce we were looking for earlier.
We also tasted another local favorite called suppli. Like the arancini, the suppli is a deep fried rice ball with "surprise" ingredients like porchetta, sausage or just simply cheese. We cut and separated our little ball to reveal gooey cheese with ragu sauce in the middle. Very good. We wonder how this suppli stacks up to other restaurants in the area. It seems every culture and country has their own fried ball variation like croquetas in Spain or croquettes in France.
The heat was really getting to us after lunch. So we headed back to our airbnb to hydrate and refuel. In Giada's guide to Rome, she points out a special restaurant that serves lasagna, roasted pork and eggplant parmesan on certain days. We decided to email them to see if we can score a reservation. Not even 5 mins, we received a message stating if dinner at 9:30 would be okay? We instantly confirmed and asked if they were serving the roast pork and lasagna that evening. One word reply back: Yes!
It was time for another drink. Jackie did some research and suggested the Blackmarket Hall, about a 15 minute walk from our place. When we arrived, there was a sign stating that current location is closed and has moved about 50 meters down the street. In the past, we have ventured far to a few restaurants and bars to only discover they are closed without any warning or notice online. At least we just had to walk another 150 feet or so to see what the Blackmarket had to offer. Upon entering this very old building, the host directed us downstairs to a unexpected hip bar filled with leather lounge chairs and pictures of famous jazz performers like Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. Yearning for a familiar drink, Jackie orders a Moscow mule with Titos, yes this bar has Titos. I on the other hand wanted an Italian cocktail other than the usual aperol spritz or negroni. The bartender was really intrigued. You can see the wheels spinning in her head. She probably took a good 5 minutes, looking at all the bottles in front of her for some inspiration before starting the experiment. What she came up with was a cocktail she never made before. Without revealing the entire newly created recipe, there was gin mixed with a spirit called strega, cucumber syrup, bergamotto which is a liquor made from lemons in Calabria and lime juice. The balance was spot on. Even Jackie who despises gin said you can't really taste the notorious strong alcohol.
As we chatted with the bartender a little more, she stated her dream is to move to Austin, Texas with the owner and open a bar similar to the Blackmarket. She explained how difficult it is to open a bar in an old city like Rome, a place full of regulations and outrageous fees. That is why so many foreigners aspire to move to America to start a new life and better themselves. It is truly inspirational. We thanked the bartender for a wonderful time and suggested she called the new cocktail creation, Kevin in Rome. That is very good, she replied.
Rushing to La Tavernaccia thanks to a very late bus, we made it 5 minutes after our scheduled time. The hostess was not concerned at all. From what we have read and heard, it is very typical of Italian locals to arrive late to reservations. Naturally they were backed up and we had to wait anyway for our two top. Next to us was a gentleman from Copenhagen, Demark who asked us if we would be interested in trying some wine. Like us, he travels often and likes to sample local food and drinks. He doesn't like to be wasteful and we don't mind taking some glasses of wine off his hand.
We later found out the lasagna was sold out but because we emailed and inquired about it earlier, the chef saved a slice for us. We ended up returning the favor and provided our Danish friend half of the lasagna. We were hand gesturing to each other how fine the pasta and wine were. Along with the excellent pasta, the leg of roasted pork was super crispy, with a strange, yet delicious earthy note to it. The eggplant parmesan was cooked very similar to the lasagna, so we actually could have done without it.
Although there were some mishaps, we were overall satisfied with our first full day of Rome. It was nice meeting individuals who share our passion for food and travel. There is so much you take back with you when you explore a new area and culture. Rome is beginning to look like a city, too big to take on for such a short amount of time.
Day 14: Venice to Rome
It was a smooth 4 hour train ride from Venice's Marco Polo train station to Rome's central hub, Termini station. On a rare occasion, our train arrived at it's destination a few minutes earlier. Now we had to figure out how to buy a metro ticket to our airbnb. Here's a good tip when in Rome: carry cash or better, loose coins and small change. Kiosk machines don't accept credit, despite a card reader present. We were directed to go to the ticket office if paying by card. Although you're out of luck if the ticket office is closed. There are many shops and stands that sell tickets but most don't accept payment by card or with big bills. We learned the hard way and ended up walking 30 minutes to dinner the first night.
Single tickets cost 1.50 euro which is good for 100 minutes if transferring. You also have the option of buying a 24, 48 or 72 hour pass, however it's only worth it if you plan on taking the transit several times a day. You would have to take at least 7 separate journeys in order for a day pass to pay itself. Honestly, most of the time we walked. But it was nice to have a few tickets when commuting from one side of town to the other.
We didn't have much planned the first day, other than our dinner reservation at Roscioli at 9:30. On our way to the restaurant, we saw the Colosseum lit up just like how it's depicted in guide books and tv shows. Even though it appears a lot smaller in person, the beautiful orange and yellow glow in each arch way has a magical element that is very similar to the Eiffel tower when lit up at night. How can you pass a perfect selfie moment like that. We wonder if locals still find this monument charming or does it really just have an effect on tourists.
We arrived just in time for our dinner reservation. There were already a few tables eating, drinking and enjoying the young night. As we waited for our first round of drinks, we were amazed to see the number of people being turned down without reservations. Do yourself a favor when in big cities like Rome, Paris or Brussels, make a couple of dinner or lunch reservations ahead of time. If you procrastinated, try emailing them a few days before; or if you're really desperate try making a dinner reservation when they open at lunch. You never know. We got lucky on many occasions...so it doesn't hurt to ask!
Our table was right in front of the deli display, where you can observe chefs assemble appetizers and side dishes. The artichokes were unlike any ones we had in the past. It was simply cooked with olive oil, salt and pepper. Very moist, soft and tender....a dish worth recreating at home! Just as delicious was the eggplant caponata. It makes us very happy to see a city and even a culture treating vegetables with high respect and care. If you find excellent produce, you won't have to do much to highlight its qualities. Complement it with the right amount of seasoning, oil and even vinegar, and we would gladly eat veggies as entrees any day.
We finally tasted our first authentic roman pasta and it didn't disappoint one bit. The short pasta dish was tossed in a 3 tomato red sauce with a sprinkle of cheese and fresh basil. The other was the classic carbonara, long pasta in white cheese sauce with salty pieces of pork cheek and bursts of cracked black pepper. We passed the bowls to each other multiple times to switch between the red acidic gravy and white cheesy sauce. It may sound crazy but you can really eat a variety of dishes through the act of sharing.
Although we spent most of the day travelling, we can already check off roman pastas and the Colosseum at night on our to do list in Rome. On Sunday have a bunch of places we plan on eating at...many of them were featured in the Munchie's Pizza show and Giada's guide to Rome. Can't wait for some more good eats!
Day 13: Venice Part 3
Bar All'arco was so good the first time that we returned for a second round of cicchetti. The sandwiches that day: thinly sliced pork, white fish and pepperoni with cole slaw. One thing that makes this place very special is that they make the cicchetti and sandwiches right in front of you. And they make it very often, so it's fresh. If we had to choose one eatery that you can't miss in Venice, it's Bar All'arco.
On our way to lunch, we discovered a nice little bar called Black Jack. It had several black and white pictures of divas from the golden years like Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. We chatted with a gentleman from Pittsburgh, now living in Houston, Texas with his wife who is originally from Lima, Peru. We actually had a few things in common. They were an interracial couple. They travel quite frequently and they too dream of living abroad one day. His wife was shopping at the time...so he decided to grab a beer and stay cool at a bar. We don't typically talk to strangers but it was entertaining to meet someone who understands and shares the same interests and dreams as we do.
When in Venice, do drink the prosecco. All the grapes are grown, harvested and made in the Veneto region, just 30 miles north from here. We were originally thinking of renting a car to explore the different vineyards. But we decided it would be too time consuming for just a day trip. The prosecco doesn't have to travel too far and we were content just having a few glasses at the local bar.
Lunch at Vini Da Arturo was another memorable meal. Like Da Romano, this place has attracted many celebrities like Barbara Streisand and Tom Cruise. We came for three things in particular. The first is eggplant cooked with vinegar, topped with pine nuts. Then there is the delectable mushrooms with potatoes, one of Jackie's favorite combinations. Lastly was the specialty of the house, the scaloppini. The pork chop is pounded very thin, dipped in egg wash and flour before pan fried to a beautiful golden brown color. The key ingredient is the addition of vinegar at the end while it's hot; giving it just the right amount of acidity. Another place you don't want to miss when in Venice.
The very last stop of the night was Ristorante Al Covo. We made reservations many months in advance because it's considered one of the best restaurants in Venice. Though it appears to be a fine dining setting, they still manage to retain the small neighborhood feel. The family who runs the ristorante are very friendly and personable. We sat next to a couple from NYC, who have clearly been to Venice many times. They were giving us recommendations on dessert and we haven't even gotten drinks yet.
We knew the 2 dishes to order, the spider crab roe and fish of the night, sole. The special pasta of the day, fettuccine with lobster in a seafood red sauce also sounded irresistible. One thing we had to keep in mind was the owner, Cesare believes in eating seafood without the need of seasoning and lemon. Our preference is just a touch of salt and pepper. However everything we ate was fresh so we understand where the owner is coming from. We gave in and also enjoyed a piece of chocolate cake made by the owner's wife, Diane.
It was a pleasure meeting the whole family. We learned Diane is from Texas and many of her desserts are from family recipes. She's able to incorporate Italian ingredients to her desserts like olive oil and local fruits. The son Lorenzo who was serving that night, gladly offered a dessert wine as a way to thank us for dining at their restaurant. He was happy to hear we are visiting Modena in a few days and provided some personal suggestions on where to eat. We took a nice group photo at the end, another one we can add to the many pics with our favorite chefs.
It's sad to say our stay in Venice is over. But we are ready to move on to Rome, another city with so much history. Yes we are going to see the typical attractions like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. But more importantly, we are excited to see what the food and drink culture is like in Rome.
Day 12: Venice Part 2
On Thursday, we took a 45 minute boat ride north of Venice to an island called Burano. Although this area is well known for the art of lace making, we really came to eat at Trattoria Da Romano, a restaurant notorious for their creamy risotto. There's a long list of celebrities that have universally praised their food and service, including legendary figures like Ernest Hemingway and Henri Matisse to current superstars such as Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro. This iconic trattoria was featured in Bourdain's No Reservations over 10 years ago. After watching the surreal footage of the preparations and cooking techniques of their risotto, we knew we had to eat at Da Romano.
Risotto is a time consuming dish that requires careful attention. The arborio rice in the broth is usually brought to a boil and then reduced to a simmer. The rice has to be stirred constantly to prevent sticking and burning. As the liquid reduces, you carefully add more broth and repeat the process until the rice is cooked all the way through. If done properly, the risotto is creamy without the need of dairy.
At Da Romano, they take it a step further by cooking the rice in a special seafood broth. The local go fish is not a desirable fish to eat because of the large portions of bone to the very little meat. Instead they use it to create a very flavorful fish stock. The go fish has to the be gently boiled and simmered because if it is handled too aggressively, an undesired dark product can be released, resulting in a foul taste. What is even more fascinating is how they mix the rice. Somehow the chef forcefully shifts the pot forward and upward launching the rice to what it looks, 2 feet in the air. The risotto lands precisely back in the pot and the process is repeated until it reaches creamy perfection. Search for the video online...it's really gravity defying.
Allow the chef 45 minutes to cook the speciality and what you receive is possibly the best risotto in the world. It was perfect with some parmesan cheese and chopped parsely. We couldn't believe there was no milk or cream added. They also have spectacular fried calamari that is lightly breaded served with lemon wedges and polenta. To us, it was definitely worth the ferry ride to Burano. Unfortunately Jackie wasn't feeling too well at the end of the meal. It was actually quite warm on Thursday leading us to think it may related to dehydration. We relaxed and rehydrated at our airbnb for the rest of the afternoon and early evening.
Before heading to our 9 pm dinner resevation, we stopped at Vini Da Arturo to place our names down for lunch the next day. This restaurant was very difficult to find. Google maps led us pretty close to it but kept relocating us to a residential square. After finding the address on the map, we finally discovered the hidden gem tucked away from the busy area. One of servers approached us after placing the monster size piece of pork on a table. He made a mental note of our lunch reservation request for the next day, as it was very busy during dinner service. Fingers crossed he remembers us tomorrow!
The evening grew dark as we crossed bridges and turned down many narrow side streets. The drops we felt on our head signaled our feet to walk faster. Luckily Antica Locanda Montin was much easier to find. We entered the restaurant only to find everyone was out back in the beautiful garden. The archway made out of plants and flowers was something you would find at Longwood Gardens. The trees and branches appear to have interwined and embedded itself into the metal frame, creating an impressive covering over all the tables.
Since Jackie was not completely recovered from lunch, we mainly ate pasta that night. She did try some of the fresh seafood sampler that included white fish, shrimp, octopus and mantis shrimp. However what she found very pleasing was the simple spaghetti tossed in red sauce. We also enjoyed the ravoli sized tortelloni stuffed with mild cheese. The main reason why we love travelling is the discovery of truly amazing food. Every dish we taste, we find inspiration that we can take home and attempt to recreate in our kitchen. If only we can figure out how to replicate this red marinara sauce to put on our homemade pizzas.
Friday will be our last day in Venice before travelling south, almost 4 hours by train to Rome. We have a few more restaurants to visit on our Bourdain-Rosenthal food crawl...and we saved the best for last!
Day 11: Venice
It's amazing to wake up and have a beautiful view of the canal right out of your window. The space is not big like the two previous outdoor terraces, however there is enough room for you to stand and enjoy a cup of tea or espresso. Venice is magical because there are no cars on the island. You either walk or take a ferry / boat. Many visitors complain about the smell of the canals. Honestly, it didn't really bother us. It just reminded us of the beach or a fish market.
The first stop on our Bourdain-Rosenthal food crawl was bar All'arco. Since we couldn't decide which cicchetti to get, we ordered one of each to get the full experience. It was a good decision because we enjoyed all the variations like salami, prosciutto, cheeses, seafood spreads and veggies. For those who don't know what cicchetti (cicchetto singular) are, they are bite size pieces of toasts topped with different ingredients. It is very similar to tapas and pinchos in Spain. The idea is you have a few of them with a drink at one place and then hop to the next for another round, and then so on. There were other locals drinking wine at 10 in the morning, so we didn't feel out of place drinking early.
Just down the street is the oldest bar in Venice called Cantina do Mori. The bar has been open since 1462 with the same copper pots hanging on the ceiling and several dozen bottles of wine lining the walls. The cicchetti here wasn't nearly as good as the last place. However it was very cool to step into a time machine and witness a historical setting that has been unchanged for hundreds of years. Good thing the next place was 20 minutes away because we really needed to walk off all the food we ate.
Cantine del Vini Già Schiavi was another feature in the Venice episode of Somebody Feed Phil. With unique topping combinations and cheap drinks, you can see why this bar gets packed for lunch and dinner. 2 euro proseccos, you don't need to convince us.
We then made 3 quick stops before returning home for a much needed nap. We tried the outrageously expensive bellini at Harry's Bar. The claimed original was worth trying, but save your 22 euros for a second round somewhere else. Located at Saint Mark's Square is Caffe Florian where we drank some excellent macchiatos and limoncello spritzers. We have read and heard from friends of how busy St. Mark's square can be in the summer. Surprisingly it wasn't too congested. The server looked very puzzled when we requested limoncello in our spritzer. In Venice, everywhere you look there is someone sipping on an aperol spritz. Perhaps the limoncello combo is more popular in areas like Cinque Terre and western Italy.
We finished our day food crawl at La Boutique del Gelato. Alessandra personally makes and serves all 16 gelato flavors. But don't ask for samples. You just have to go with your gut when picking flavors, or do what we did, have a scoop of each gelato. Alessandra thought we were kidding. Boy she didn't know the duo from A Dreamer's Holiday. All the flavors were great. You can tell it's homemade with passion, love and care. We love meeting owners and chefs that truly love what they do in life. Our video of the delicious ice cream was recognized by the man himself Phil Rosenthal on Instagram. Thank you Phil for these amazing recommendations in Venice.
Since we basically ate 4 meals for lunch, we kept it very light for dinner. Down the street from our airbnb is is Oficina Food & Wine Ormesini. We snagged an outside two top just by the small canal to eat a salad and pasta. The veggies in the mixed green salad were very refreshing. We also enjoyed the gnocchis simply tossed in crab sauce. It was a very nice night to enjoy dinner and drinks. Venice has been everything we hoped for. And we are excited to see what else it has to offer these upcoming days. Go to our Instagram feed for up to date posts on what we are eating. Ciao for now!
Day 10: Bordeaux to Venice
It was tough sleeping the past two nights. The central air was not working properly and the only covering they had on the bed was the comforter. We forced ourselves to go for a jog in the morning. It was actually nice and cool outside. But remember here in Europe they don't have window screens...so bugs easily come in your place if you crack open the window or door.
Since check out was 11 am and we had a lunch reservation at 12, we searched for places that would be able to hold our luggage for a few hours. Nannybag is website that allows you to leave your bag with trusted local stores and businesses all over the world. Just look for the closest storage provider, book a time, pay online and then drop it off. There was a small wine store that charged 6 euros per bag a day. Very easy and convenient.
We had about an hour to kill before lunch. There was a cheese shop that we discovered through David Lebovitz's instagram stories called Maison Jean D'Alos. The store attendant was very helpful and she recommended 3 slices of cheeses...much more than we needed. We can't recall the exact names but we assigned each one by taste like brie, sharp or blue cheese. We don't remember the last time we ate so much dairy.
We arrived early for lunch at Le Bouchon Bordelaise. The menu is handwritten on a chalkboark because they are constantly changing plates depending on the availability of ingredients and the time of season. For starters, there was a carrot gazpacho soup with orange juice and cumin. We preferred the soup to be just a tiny bit less acidic but it was definitely the big bold flavor we have been looking for. There was also bruschetta topped with grilled eggplant and zucchini. It just needed a pinch of salt and pepper but otherwise delicious.
For the main course, we ordered white fish cakes and veal kidneys. We thought the fish with hints of lemongrass and curry was unique. It was our first time eating veal kidneys and let us tell you, it did not taste like chicken. It's an acquired taste similar to liver or pate. As a whole, we were satisfied with the meal. We have noticed as we travel more, our palates become more developed. We look for specific things in food like the balance of flavor, appealing presentation, interesting uses of spices, etc.
We probably won't be returning to Bordeaux any time soon, as there are so many other cities and places to explore. One important thing we can take away from this experience is that we have a little more knowledge on the variety of Bordeaux wines and the specific regions they come from.
There's a bus you can take from the city center to Merignac airport in about 45 minutes. It drops you off at hall a-b. Make sure you check which terminal your airplane is flying out of. Easyjet departures are at hall billi, about a 5 minute from the drop off location. Later on before boarding, our flight attendant was giving us some trouble with our bags. Apparantly they allow only one carry on and consider personal items a second bag unless you upgrade. They were going to charge us an additional 60 euros, however we somehow managed to stuff our little bags in our carry on. We didn't have any issue last summer, so it must be a new policy they implemented.
An hour and a half flight later, we landed at Marco Polo airport in Venice. We took the orange line, a 40 minute water ferry to the first stop called Madonna dell'Orto. The drop off location was very quiet and dark. Thank god for gps. We navigated through several narrow alleys and over bridges before reaching rio della misericordia, a street filled with bars and restaurants. It wasn't the easiest to find our airbnb because many places don't have clear numbers or labelled addresses by their door. But eventually we found Casa di Julia.
Our host was nice enough to wait for us late at night. In Italy they collect a tourist tax for visitors staying in hotels and even airbnbs. Just a heads up, it's about 4 euros each day per person. Many hosts only accept cash, so make sure you have some on you. We decided to skip dinner and just eat some fruit our host provided to us at the apartment. We have quite a number of things planned the next day. Hint hint, it involves a special kind of bar crawl and a gelato place featured in Somebody Feed Phil.
Day 9: Bordeaux Part 2
It was somewhat of a hassle picking up our BMW hatch back rental early in the morning. What should have taken about five minutes, ended being a 20 minute drive back to our airbnb due to the morning rush hour. Luckly the traffic died down and we made it to our 1st vineyard tour in under 45 minutes.
Our tour guide at Chateau Olivier was very knowledgeable and thorough. He explained that this winery is one of the few places that produces white wine just outside of Bordeaux. What's amazing is their castle was built in the 14th century and is still preserved quite well to this day. It even has an intact drawbridge, although it's not very functional.
Below is a picture of the vats, enormous receptacles where most of the wine making occurs. Just next door is a temperature regulated room filled with oak barrels. Both the reds and whites are aged for a short period in these barrels in order to add some oakiness to their flavor. The tour guide really knew his stuff and while we sampled the three wines, he gave us excellent recommendations on what kind of food we can pair with each glass.
We found a little restaurant close to the second vineyard called Le Nappe Monde, which means the world napkin. We enjoyed the sliced hard boiled eggs because it reminded us of deviled eggs back at home. We go to Italy with a bowl of bolognese made with an untraditional red bell pepper sauce. Not bad at all. And to France with the classic small medium rare steak with fries. Although the meat was a little on the tough side, we definitely appreciated the char and seasoning. We ended the meal with some flan and a fruit pie. Overall the meal was decent for a small joint outside of Bordeaux.
Our second tour was at a more well known winery called Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. We discovered that many of the vineyards are called chateau, even if they don't have a castle. Chateau simply refers to a winery in France. You can immediately tell that this establishment is much larger and more commercialized than Chateau Olivier. Our tour guide first led us to the top of a tower that overlooks the whole plantation. You can really see how massive the field is from above and despite the size, all their grapes are still hand picked.
Next we stopped at the wood shop where all the barrels are made individually. Unfortunately the carpenters were off on Monday but we were able to observe the same tools and workspaces used hundreds of years ago. The vats and wine barrels were quite similar to the ones at Chateau Olivier. There's just a slight variation in time of fermentation and aging. We actually prefered the wines at this tasting over the ones at Olivier, especially the white. The grand surprise was the secret underground cellar where the owners hold their prized, rare wine bottles. We saw vintages in all decades, with the oldest bottle from the 1800's. The tour guide stated the tasting room and cellar are used often to host public and private events.
We thoroughly enjoyed our drive to these two vineyards. You can take a bus out to some of the wineries, however there is always going to be some walking involved. In most cases, there won't be public transit between the chateaus. If you are brave enough and mindful of your own alcohol consumption, we highly suggest renting a car and cruising through the towns for a unique experience.
Our last dinner in Bordeaux was at a 6 seat restaurant called Le Troquet. We kept it simple and ordered the two entrees of the night, the roasted pork and super gnocchis. The pasta sauce was very tasty and had the flavors we were looking for the first day in Bordeaux. We just wished that there was just a little of more of it to accompany the gnocchis. On the other hand, the roasted pork did not have any seasoning on it what so ever. It's very hard to believe a chef would skip the foundation of salt and pepper on any meat. Unlike the balance in the pasta sauce, the squash puree was overly sweet. It really needed a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to cut the sweetness. Especially since it was paired with carrots and a sweet pistachio crust.
With another average meal, we hope that our lunch reservation at Le Bouchon Bordelais redeems Bordeaux in some way. Interestingly enough, our tour guide from the first chateau had some difficulty naming specialities or restaurant recommendations in the region. He said people come for the wine, not so much the food. This statement is well on par with all our dining experiences here in Bordeaux. We leave for Venice the next evening. Many of our friends have described how magical and unique this Italian city is. We have done extensive research on restaurants, bars and attractions in Venezia. Day 10 will be up soon!
Day 8: Bordeaux
When planning an extensive customized trip, you have to consider the various options of transportation to each destination. In this case, the only direct way from San Sebastian to Bordeaux is by bus or car. It's quite expensive to rent a car because of the ridiculous fee to drop off the rental in a different country. We found the best option is to take two trains: one from San Sebastian to Hendaye (a city just over the French border) and then another train to Bordeaux. Total travel time is about 4 hours and 15 mins (including transfer time) for about 40 euros. The bus is a quarter of the price and average commute time is about 3 hours. Don't forget the possibility of delays, unpredictable traffic and accidents. Along with the mixed reviews of the various bus companies, we ultimately went with the train.
From Saint Jean train station, it was a short bus ride to our airbnb. Bordeaux uses rechargeable tickets that can be purchase at many tram and bus stops. If you plan on using transit often, it may be worth purchasing a 2 journey or 10 journey ticket, saving you a good amount of money. Our airbnb host was kind enough to allow us to check in to our place early. The apartment is very spacious and modern. And just like San Sebastian, there was a nice outdoor terrace with a high top table and stools. We even had a big screen television to watch the US vs Netherlands soccer game later in the afternoon. For lunch, we headed to the central area where most of the restaurants and bars are located.
Chez Jean appeared promising with their big portions and beautiful presentation. We started with two dino sized bone marrows with triangle slices of white bread and greens. This is how you eat bone marrow: sprinkle a little bit of salt on top of the bone; take your knife or spoon and begin to scoop the fat and natural oils; spread the good stuff on a piece of toast. Eat and repeat. The lettuce is available to help cut some of that richness.
We also ordered the crazy salad which is comprised of romaine lettuce, very thin slices of ham, fresh mozzarella balls, strawberries and tomatoes. Unfortunately the dressing lacked depth and flavor. It was as if we were eating individual components without anything to tie it together. The biggest disappointment was the vegan dish. It looked very attractive at first but there was virtually no seasoning on the vegetables. The sauces on the plate were bland and in some ways useless. The risotto was probably the best thing on the plate and even so that is a bit of an overstatement. This is a typical example of the lack of respect and reverence we see towards vegetables, in comparison to meat.
Since there was a nice flat screen tv waiting for us back in our place, we decided to stay in for the final world cup game. The first half was very competitive. Defensively, both teams did a great job preventing any goals. However Gragt's high kick to Alex Morgan in the second half changed the momentum of the game. The foul resulted in USA's first goal...penalty kick by the fan favorite, Rapinoe. 8 minutes later Lavelle sprints down the field, dodging defenders to score an impressive goal. The Netherlands never recovered and at the 96th minute, the US women's national team wins their fourth title. What an amazing game!
The opposite could be said about dinner at Michel. Their french onion soup was very deceiving as it was presented in a medium pot with crusty, puffy pastry dough on top. Breaking through the crust revealed the pot was barely filled half way with lukewarm broth. The absence of the traditional melted cheese as a cover was baffling. Instead there was a couple teaspoons of shredded cheese on the side for you to toss in. The onions didn't have that deep caramelized taste that can only be only achieved after a couple hours of simmering.
The vegetarian plate was not any better. The falafel and lentils desperately needed more spice. It's sad to say but we could have made a better vegetable platter. The world looks to France for all the finest cooking techniques, foundations and recipes. And to have another restaurant in Bordeaux serving an entree without the proper seasoning or sauce is very frustrating.
The mediocre dining experiences could be due to the number of restaurants closed on Sundays and Mondays. Fingers crossed, we find some better places to eat the next day. We do have some tours scheduled at two wineries just outside of the city. As you know, Bordeaux is really known for their top notch red wine. These two specific vineyards we chose to visit also produce white wine, something Jackie will absolutely appreciate. More to come soon!
Day 7: San Sebastian Part 3
Very close to our airbnb is Old Town Coffee, a small cafe that serves tosadas similar to the ones we have eaten in Madrid and Barcelona. It was a mighty almuerzo with the 2 poached eggs, tomato sauce and avocado on toast. In addition we ordered the classic iberico jamon, thinly sliced ham, as well as the unique "overnight oats." Soaking oats in milk with chia seeds for a few hours yields in an easy oatmeal. Just a few slices of kiwi, some fresh blueberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top is all you need for a delicious, healthy breakfast.
Less than a 15 minute walk from the cafe is la playa a la concha, a huge beach full of sun bathers. The water was initially cold but over time we acclimated to the temperature. Couldn't have asked for better weather. It's those little things like the nice cool breeze and smell of sea water that we love so much in life. And of course, you can't deny how blue and crystal clear the water is compared to the Jersey Shore or OCMD.
Our last night of pinchos was quite epic. We skipped Bar Txepetxa the first night because we were completely shocked of how enormous the line was. So we wisely started there, expecting it will be even busier on a weekend night. No wonder people were waiting in line for these littles bites. Their speciality: anchovies with unusual toppings. Even if you are not a fish person, these tiny fishes were paired so well with fresh ingredients like blueberry sauce and spider crab cream. It may sound weird but it definitely works.
Other pinchos worth writing down: the Mendaur egg, the calamari taco and mushroom risotto, all at Mendaurberri; at Sirimiri you need to get the slow cooked lamb and patatas with 3 sauces, although there were only two when we went. Not really a pincho, we recommend a couple slices of tarta de queso or cheese cake at La Viña. We ate this ridiculously good dessert along with a couple glasses of txakoli....what a great way to end the night.
This concludes our time in San Sebastian. This culinary capital has lived up to the hype. I have a feeling we will be returning to this fine city at some point. On Sunday we'll take a couple trains to our next destination, Bordeaux...known for their exquisite red wines. Stay tuned for Day 8 and 9!
Day 6: San Sebastian Part 2
Lunch at Arzak was nothing short of amazing. We were lucky to spot the legend himself, Juan Mari Arzak coming out of his van before the start of service. He was a huge influence in preserving Basque cuisine, yet still push the boundaries to what the food is known for today. His daughter, Elena has taken over the throne as the 4th generation Arzak. Instead of going with the recommended tasting menu, we selected several half portioned dishes which was better suited for sharing.
Everything was excellent from start to finish. The appetizers such as the thinly sliced sweet breads and the seafood puree on crab shaped crackers were full of depth and complexity. We shared two divine seafood entrees: the prawn appearing to hide under a rock was a perfect example of Arzak's playful nature. The lobster with splashes and smears of different colored dressings revealed a sophisticated, artsy side. The meat entrees of pigeon and lamb were both cooked medium rare with their respective delicious sauces. But we found the oozey Arzak egg with bacon bits and tasty mushrooms the most memorable dish of them all.
Before our dessert, we were granted a tour of the back of the house. The kitchen was busy prepping and plating the last entrees of the day. We were introduced to Jones who took us immediately to the upstairs cellar where they house nearly one hundred thousand wine bottles from 3000 different vineyards. The oldest wine was from 1918 but he stated it's not the most pleasant to consume, as the quality of taste is similar to vinegar. They only keep the older wines for historical purposes.
Lastly we were provided the opportunity to explore the Arzak lab. This is where the team of chefs, chemists and a nutritionist test out new recipes until they meet the approval of the Arzak family. It was very interesting to see the different devices and equipment used to extract and promote desired flavors. There's even a shelf of what it must have been several hundred spices, each labeled with specific barcodes for easy access to information like name and origin.
For dessert, we had a variety of long thinly sliced chocolates, arranged in a way to look like a campfire. We absolutely appreciated the balance between the smoky flavored foam mezcal and sweet raspberries. We ended our spectacular lunch with chocolate frogs with different fillings like avocado, curry and caramel. It pays tribute to the relatively rare frogs in the San Sebastian area.
Unfortunately, Juan Mari Arzak was forced to leave the restaurant early due to "unforeseen circumstances." However we did have the pleasure of meeting his daughter Elena who was so down to earth and friendly. We wished her a belated happy birthday and she gladly informed us that she just turned 50 years old. Both her and her 77 year old father look great for their age. You can tell she was genuinely happy to see visitors from all over the whole exploring her native city. Similar to our encounters with other amazing chefs, this will be a memory to cherish forever.
Later in the evening, we continued our pinchos crawl until our bellies couldn't take any more food. We consulted multiple articles from Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown website and concur with recommendations of the mini hamburger and banana chips from A Fuego Negro, as well as Borda Berri's beef cheeks, pig's ear and creamy risotto. Saturday is our last full day in San Sebastian before we head back to France. We plan on going to the beach and finishing the last few pincho bars on our list. It's hard to believe a week has gone by. But we are very excited to see what week 2 has to offer.
Day 5: San Sebastian
We spend most of Friday traveling. Brussels has an airport about 34 miles south where most of the small airlines fly from and into. There is a bus you can take from the city center but we read mediocre reviews. We went with a car shuttle, the most expensive but easiest option and on average you arrive in about 50 minutes. The security check point was very brief in Charleroi airport and the actual flight to Biarritz, France was about 1.5 hours. From there you can take a bus to San Sebastian in just over an hour for about 7 euros. Then it was a 10 minute walk to the rental office to retrieve our airbnb keys and another 20 minutes to our space. We nearly crashed in bed because of all the traveling and how warm it was in Spain compared to Brussels.
After a must needed siesta, we were ready to see what's all the fuss about with the food here in San Sebastian. Our first stop was Casa Valles, just around the corner from our apartment, literally in the same building. Here we tasted our first pincho called the gilda. Apparently this little bite of sweet peppers, olive and anchovy pays tribute to the namesake movie starring Rita Hayworth. The little appetizer was so popular, it sparked the style of pinchos or tapas that we know today. They also have chiprons or baby squid that is just to die for.
Next on the pinchos crawl was Bar Iturrioz, where we had our first glass of txakoli. Many describe this local favorite as a mixture between cider and sparkling wine. This particular brand we had was very crisp and smooth. We also tried their smoked eel with salmon roe and salt cod. Both are very unconventional but mighty tasty.
The next couple of bars had some decent and fair dishes. Both patatas bravas and tortilla de patatas were disappointing versions of the classic tapas in Madrid and Barcelona. But we do have to point out that bar Ganbara had some of the best pinchos of the night. You must order the crab tartlette and porcini mushrooms with egg yolk. The latter is not displayed and it does take some time to make. The bar was getting very packed even for just a Thursday night, so we slipped out and called it a night.
It was a first fun night in San Sebastian. You can say this airbnb is our favorite thus far because of three things: a good functioning ac, a beautiful rooftop terrace and the presence of a top bed sheet oppose to a unnecessary comforter. We have lunch scheduled on Friday at the legendary Arzak. And there's still a ton of pincho bars that we need to venture to. More to come!
Day 4: Brussels Part 2
About a 20 minute walk from our airbnb is the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels. Resembling the Plaza Mayor in Madrid, this center is composed of a town hall, a museum, a 12th century king's court, cafes and some stores. You can't help but admire the magnificent gold incorporated in the buildings. We didn't hang around too long because our stomachs were really letting us know it was time for breakfast.
Andrew Zimmern's Delicious Destinations listed Maison Dandoy as the place to go for Belgium waffles. It didn't disappoint one bit. The classic has all the elements of a traditional waffle but it was the Liege variety that we favored more. At first glance, it may seem ordinary but when you take that first bite you'll notice the unexpected caramelized notes, thick interior and softer crust. It's nothing like anything we have tasted before. We were tempted to get another round but there was still more food to try.
Fairly close to the waffle joint is the notorious Manneken pis. The sculpture depicting a little boy urinating, symbolizes Brussels's humor and their strive for independence. Several days a week, the bronze statue is dressed up in various costumes and props. That day it was decked out in some sort of African tribal attire. For sure, it's one of the top tourist attractions in Brussels and a very hot selfie spot. We were amazed on the length and number of pictures and videos visitors were taking.
For lunch, we ventured to Balls and Glory. They are known for their ballekes, soft moist chicken meatballs covered in a rich flavorful gravy. We also tried their arancini which was stuffed with veggies and cheese resting on a generous layer of mashed potatoes. Thank god we ordered a side salad to break up all the starch.
Somehow we had room for dessert. And you can't visit Brussels without trying their chocolates. It was hard to decide among the dozens of chocolatiers and sweet boutiques all around. However there was a chic store called Mary that lured us in. Amazingly they are celebrating 100 years of chocolate making. The clerk suggested a couple of 1 inch dark chocolate bars and two truffle spheres. We contently took our dessert to the local Egmonte park. Though the weather was unusually cool for summer, we both agreed better it be cooler than obnoxiously humid and hot.
In our airbnb manual, the host recommended the Belgium restaurant Le Chou which means cabbage in French. We didn't see any cabbage listed in their menu but we were happy to see they offered the Belgium favorite, moules et frites or mussels and fries. They were just as good as the ones we we had in Rennes, France last year. From what we can tell, the broth was cooked with white wine, celery, onions and white pepper. It was so good, we soaked up every last drop with delicious bread and fries. The croquettes that we also ordered were stuffed with shrimp and cheese on a bed of salad. The squeeze of lemon on top provided just enough acidity to tie the dish together. It was wise of us to dine early because it got busier throughout the night. Overall Europeans tend to eat dinner later than Americans. Make sure you have a reservation if plan on eating after 7:30.
We stumbled across a little Italian place called La Panzerottata that serves fried turnovers stuffed with cheeses, meats or veggies. You can tell the owner is Italian but he took all the orders in Dutch, French and English. We decided to go with the panzerotto stuffed with eggplant and mozzarella. Expecting it to be oily and heavy, it was surprisingly light and airy. We thought it could used a side of marinara to dunk with, as it was a little dry in the middle. But it wasn't bad. You can say it was a sneak peek of what we can expect in Rome, Venice and Modena.
It was a pleasure walking the streets of Brussels, trying local cuisine, drinking some of the finest beer and enjoying the sun on our rooftop terrace. We found it very intriguing to hear locals speak Dutch, French and some German. It has left a good impression on us and we hope to return to this great city in the near future. San Sebastian, Spain is next on our list. This region comes second in the most Michelin star restaurants per square feet in the world. In no time, we will be hopping around different bars and restaurants, in search for the best tapas.
Day 3: Brussels
Our trip to the Des Enfants Rouges market for breakfast was a fail. This is the third time this particular creperie was not open during their listed hours. Instead we picked up something small at the local bakery and eventually made our way to the main station in Paris, Gare du Nord to catch our 12:46 train to Brussels. The trains here are very efficient and affordable. You don't have to worry about security checks and absurd long lines. Plus it's only an hour and a half commute to Brussels.
The first thing we noticed about the capital of Belgium is how clean the city is. You can spot several street cleaners throughout the day, sucking up trash with their Ghostbuster like vacuums. It'a also very walkable. Many of the places we plan to go to are within 30 mins by foot. We found our airbnb located on a beat up street with many construction workers. Hopefully they don't wake us up too early with their jackhammers and saws. After taking a tiny elevator to the 6th floor and climbing one narrow spiral staircase up to the top, we finally arrived at our airbnb. The place has nice furnishings, a modern kitchen and a separate toilet room from the shower, which is quite common in Europe. But best of all, there's a rooftop terrace that overlooks the Brussels city line.
Time for some drinks. Just a short walk from our place, there's a bar called Victoria that serves decent cocktails. The caipirinha had all the right flavors. The mojito on the otherhand had a strange, subtle passion fruit taste that threw us off. We also ordered our first Belgium beer which made an excellent good first impression....hoppy but smooth!
For dinner, we ate at the number one ranked restaurant in the city on Tripadvisor called Le Rabassier. Locals in Europe tend to use Tripadvisor much more than Yelp or Google reviews. Well known and highly favored eateries proudly display their TripAdvisor sticker on their front door or window. This is another 8 seater restaurant that focuses on high quality service and ingredients. We each chose our own tasting menu and it actually worked out in our favor because we tend to share everything. The server didn't seem to mind and we got to sample a wide variety of dishes. The whole dinner was very impressive and pretty much flawless. From the little bites of goose liver and curry flavored chips as appetizers, to our perfectly cooked fish entrees. Everything was divine because there was truffle incorporated in nearly every dish. We have't encountered a restaurant so dedicated and respectful to one ingredient. Our server was working very hard, meeting the demands of all the tables without any help.
It is going to be difficult to select our top 10 restaurants of 2019 but we have a feeling that Le Rabassier will make the cut. We still have another day in Brussels before heading to another culinary capital in Northern Spain, San Sebastian. Some things on our to do list: find the Mannekin pis statue, visit Egmont park and try some local Belgium food staples like waffles and chocolate.
Day 2: Paris
Day 2 was full of many culinary treats for us foodies. After a small 20 minute run in the morning, we headed to the famous Du Pain et Des Idées for breakfast. Unfortunately it was closed Christmas week when we were last in Paris. Judging by the long line that morning, it's easily one of the busiest bakeries/pastry shops in town. To our surprise, the baker himself Christophe Vasseur took our order. From what we learned in Anthony Bourdain's The Layover show, Monsieur Vasseur is one of very few bakers that still makes the old school bread called le pain des amis. There is a marvelous contrast between the dark, crunchy crust and its soft, dense and spongy interior...unlike traditional baguettes and boules.
We also sampled his croissants and signature l'escargot pastries. Named after the gastropod's spiral shape, it's actually not filled with snails but other common baking ingredients like chocolate chips, fresh fruit and pistachio. All you need is one bite and you'll realize all his baked goods are made with great care and attention.
A short walk from the bakery is the Saint Martin Canal. It's truly one of our favorite parts of Paris because it's away from all the tourist attractions. You really feel part of the community as you eat breakfast peacefully by the water. We then ventured to a local park called Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. Apparently there is a cave and waterfall but it was no where to be found that day. We walked to all the corners of the park before returning to our airbnb for a much needed nap.
Feeling somewhat recharged, we made our way to Les Cocottes for lunch in the Eiffel Tower area. The restaurant was very warm, even with their bulky oversized fan on. We tried to ignore the heat and enjoy our excellent savignon blanc and rosé wine that the bartender recommended. The two dishes we ordered were not what we expected. The egg salad was very outside of the box. The greens were pureed into a cold soup with a semi cook egg in the center, topped with bacon bits. It doesn't sound appetizing but man the combo really works. We continued the langostine theme from the other night, this time stuffed into a traditional ravioli with goat cheese and some sort of parmesan foam broth. Both of these dishes were perfect for a hot day, as they were served mildly warm. We really wanted to stay for another drink but the heat was really get to us. Man what a difference when we stepped outside. It was 10 to 15 degrees cooler. A wonderful, welcoming cool breeze greets you. That's another thing with France and some other European countries. There are a number of restaurants and bars that do not invest in air conditioning or due to the old infrastructure, the air circulation is inefficient. We are just hoping tonight's restaurant has a more managable room temperature.
Last winter, we skipped our cruise tour on the Seine because it was bitterly cold. What was nice was our tickets were good for a year from the date of purchase. We were hesitant at first about doing the boat tour because we spotted a few dark clouds. The weather in Paris can be quite unpredictable but it actually turned out to be a great day for a cruise. Yes it's very touristy but you get to see Paris in a different way. The boat covers all the major attractions like the Eiffel tower and the Louvre all in an hour. The only thing we needed were some glasses of wine!
Before dinner, we stopped at L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer. We try to avoid returning to places we have been to in the past but this place has a special place in our hearts. The servers and bartenders are really friendly and don't mind speaking English to you. Three things to keep in mind when you eat and drink here. One: they only serve wine. Two: there's no wine menu, so ask the servers for recommendations. Lastly, three: the food menu is handwritten on the chalkboard or if you look up at the ceiling, there are printed cards with pictures of the food items. Our beloved bartender, Eric remembered us from last winter and happily served us some glasses of rosé and champagne.
It's dinner tine. We booked reservations at Frenchie, to us what it felt like several months ago. This 8 seat restaurant just received their first Michelin Star and seemed to have built a following over the past 10 years. All the five dishes were really unique, all pushing the boundaries of French cuisine. We had two types of fish, one similar to tuna and the other was monkfish. Both were cooked well with their flavorful sauces expertly balanced with fresh herbs, greens and veggies. There was also guinea fowl cooked two different ways. One tasted like chicken, while the other had the fattiness flavor of duck. You wouldn't have thought they were the same bird! Even the two desserts at the end were amazing. Our servers that night were wonderful, very personable. Francois was really interested in our adventures in Europe and was quite glad to hear we have been to his hometown, Rennes in northwest France. Unfortunately the Chef was not present at the restaurant that night but we did spot him earlier at his fast food joint, Frenchie to Go. We had an inkling it was him but we weren't brave enough to approach him.
Our next city is Brussels, home to the waffles. We are also particularly excited for the mussels and fries, as well as the delicious Belgium beer. We are sure the 2 days is Brussels will go by quickly. Stay tuned!
2019 Summer European Trip: Day 1
No surprise, our flight was delayed 1.5 hours. Apparently the storm late afternoon affected all the planes in the evening. Luckily we were very exhausted, resulting in us sleeping most of the plane ride. It wasn't a deep steady sleep. More like a long nap. But at least the 7 hours JFK airport to Paris went by quick. As we approached the passport control, we noticed people were huddled all together, eeriely similar to a crowd at a concert. There were no lines. Everyone was trying to inch their way forward like cars attempting to pass through tolls on the George Washington Bridge in NYC. Jackie and I have read many books describing occasional episodes of disorganization in France, much like this current situation. If you're not paying attention, someone will try to get in front of you, like a New York driver blindly cutting you off. Also, be prepared to wait. Even simple things like getting the check can feel like an eternity. There appears to be this mentality in France that things will eventually get done, so there's no sense in rushing. It also doesn't help that we Americans thrive on instant gratification. Once we "paid our toll," we took a taxi to the 11th district in central Paris. It's a standard fare of 50 euros for rides to the right bank, any district north of the Seine river or 55 euros to the left bank, parts of Paris south of the river. It may seem expensive but it's absolutely worth it. Avoid the stress of multiple metro lines or buses and excessive walking from the Charles De Gaulle airport. Take that taxi into town.
Since our airbnb host would not arrive for another 2 hours, we made an obligatory trip to the local boulangerie for some pastries and sandwiches. Jackie insisted on a pain au chocolat. Imagine a buttery, flaky rectangle croissant stuffed with long sticks of dark chocolate. Simply delicious. We also had the typical ham and cheese in a long roll with mayo, lettuce and tomato. Sitting on a bench under some trees, we happily devoured our "breakfast" in the shade. But the sun quickly hid behind some dark clouds. We felt some cool drops on our skin. As we prayed for the overcast to pass, our airbnb host arrived just in time. The tour of the apartment was brief but thorough. The place actually has a decent setup compared to our previous flat rentals in Paris. There's a nice kitchen when you first walk in the front door. Take a few steps downstairs and you're now in the living room/bedroom. We were very shocked to see a curtain for our walk-in shower. Many places we stayed at last year, including my Aunt's condo would have just the tub...maybe a glass divider that barely covers the shower. We joked how people in France wash themselves, along with the whole bathroom floor and walls. It's just another thing we will never understand about France, along with their love for down comforters in the summer and the absence of window screens. You basically sweat to death at night or get eaten alive by bugs if you decide to open the window. Thank god the canicule, or heatwave has passed. It's supposed to be 70's all this week!
At 6:30 that evening, we arrived at L'Atelier de Joel Rubuchon. For those who do not know Monsieur Robuchon, was considered one of the most influential chefs in the past century. He mentored some of the best cooks including Gordon Ramsay and Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin. Unfortunately he passed away in 2018 but his legacy continues on in more than a dozen of his restaurants all over the world. And we were dining at his original restaurant in the Saint-Germain section of Paris. You instantly notice the decor and space is highly influenced by Japanese restaurants: the accent red chairs, polished smooth wooden table tops and sushi bar setup. We dismissed the recommendation of the tasting menu and ordered the classic dishes that Robuchon was known for. The gazpacho had an unbelievable deep flavor of tomatoes that balanced nicely with fresh basil. The langostine ravolis were heavily stuffed with prawn meat similar to lobster.
The pied de cochon or pig's foot is not what you imagine it to be. The meat is chopped up and packed into an elegant rectangle shape with small pieces of parmesean cheese and mini scrolls of iberico ham on top. A very rich but satisfying dish. The fried white fish called le merlan was served in a butter sauce with parsley and some lemon wedges. Definitely reminded us of the italian chicken piccata but with fish. There was a group next to us that ordered some sort of crispy crab leg with romaine lettuce and basil pesto dressing. The server revealed to us that it was another take on the langostine but with salad.
Naturally Jackie and I eat with our eyes, so we added this seafood delight to our order which did not disappoint. It was easily Jackie's favorite of the night. We finished the night off with a Paris Brest. It actually turned out to be three small Paris Brests but presented untraditionally. It was open faced with thin tuiles and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. But what really was unique about it was the hint of some sort of grapefruit, lemon citrus zest in the base that strangely worked. You wouldn't believe it but they also provided 4 other items to our dinner free of charge, as if we really needed it: a futuristic pea soup, Robuchon's signature silky, buttery mashed potatoes, almond ice cream topped with passion fruit foam and mini madeleines.
We were absolutely stuffed at the end. For our wedding anniversary a few weeks ago, we ate at Le Bernardin and we can definitely see the influences of Joel Robuchon in Eric Ripert's dishes. All in all, we are glad to cross this restaurant off our bucket list of places to eat. Next on our list is Frenchie, a little place Anthony Bourdain visited over a decade ago. And we are finally getting around to eat there.
Our Top 10 Restaurants and Eateries of 2019
Our Top 10 Restaurants of 2019
These are our top ten favorite food establishments of 2019. As always, it's very difficult to select from hundreds of 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 2020. The search for that perfect meal continues...
Le Rabassier
Brussels, Belgium
No doubt the sleeper restaurant of 2019 was Le Rabassier. Don't be deceived by their small 18 seat dining room. This is where you are treated with an amazing delicacy in every dish, no matter what time of the year. Whether it is black or white, shavings or infused, the truffle is expertly incorporated in many of their appetizers, entrees and dessert. It is one of those "everything was amazing" dining moments. Their steep price menu is worth every penny, as well as the memory of an all truffle dinner.
Address: Rue de Rollebeek 23, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 502 04 00
Zahav
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
The winner of James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2019, Zahav is as close as you can get to eating in Israel without making the trip to the Holy Land. Since 2008, Mike Solomonov and his team have elevated Israeli cuisine to the same level as the quintessential French or Italian restaurant. The creamy hummus, pillow soft laffa bread and perfectly charred hanger steak are some of the few reasons to make the trip to this fine Philadelphia establishment.
Address: 237 St James Pl, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: +1 (215) 625-8800
Arzak
San Sebastian, Spain
How can you evolve while staying true to your roots? Restaurante Arzak is a prime example of commitment to change along with preservation of their Basque culture. For many years, Juan Mari Arzak was the mastermind behind the three Michelin star restaurant. Now his daughter Elena has taken over most of his responsibilities and continues his legacy of innovation and education of Basque cuisine. Memorable dishes: the crab rock and the Arzak egg. As of 2019, it is ranked 53 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Address: Avenida del, Alcalde J. Elosegi Hiribidea, 273, 20015 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Phone: +34 943 27 84 65
Site: https://www.arzak.es/
Le Bernardin
New York, New York, USA
Eric Ripert and Maguy Le Coze's three Michelin star Le Bernardin is the premier seafood restaurant in America, possibly in the whole world. Everything is "haute" from the fresh quality of fishes, the consistency of plating, the elegance of the dining room to their high standards of service. It is currently ranked 36 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and tied for #1 on La Liste's World's top 1000 restaurants.
Address: 155 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019
Phone: +1 (212) 554-1515
Le Petit Trois
Los Angeles, CA, USA
You don't have to travel to France to experience authentic French food. Taste the classic steak frites, burgundy escargots and sole meunière at Ludo Lefebvre's casual, laid-back brasserie in the heart of Highland, LA. His perfectly cooked omelette and addictive butter imported from Normandy is worth the trip alone. No reservations.
Address: 718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: +1 (323) 468-8916
Site: https://petittrois.com/
Roscioli Salumeria Con Cucina
Rome, Italy
Roscioli is synonymous to Rome. And at their salumeria is where you can indulge in traditional roman pastas like the carbonara, amatriciana and cacio e pepe. Reservations are highly recommended and if you're lucky, you can score a table in front of the deli counter or in their unique wine cellar.
Address: Via dei Giubbonari, 21/22, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 687 5287
Euskalduna Studio
Porto, Portugal
The one restaurant you don't want to miss when in Porto has a menu that keeps you guessing. Chef Vasco Coelho Santos combines Asian style with French cooking methods, along with seasonal local ingredients, resulting in one of a kind dishes like razor clams tartare and john dory açorda. Many of the chefs at Euskalduna Studio have worked and trained at the renowned Mugaritz restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain. So you are guaranteed a high quality dining experience.
Address: R. de Santo Ildefonso 404, 4000-466 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 935 335 301
Du Pain et Des Idées
Paris, France
Christophe Vasseur strives for all natural, organic baking...the way it used to be done in old Paris. His philosophy in quality over quantity is the reason for his limited selection but yields in outstanding baked products unlike any other boulangerie in the city. Head to the 10th arrondissement to try his specialties, the pain des amis and the escargot chocolat pistache. Don't be turned off by the perpetual long lines. It is absolutely worth the wait.
Address: 34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 42 40 44 52
Bar All'arco
Venice, Italy
Cicchetti are small bite size dishes that can be found all over Venice. However there is only one bàcari or wine bar that lured us not once but twice. Like tapas or pinchos in Spain, you have sliced bread with various toppings like cured meats, cheese, veggies and pickles. Unlike other restaurants and bàcaris, you can taste the difference in quality at Bar All'Arco. Order a couple as snack or if you're like us, grab a whole plate for a meal you can enjoy outside.
Address: Campo S. Polo, 436, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
Phone: +39 041 520 5666
Site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Wine-Bar/AllArco-Venezia-436-100730211372269/
Pizzarium Bonci
Rome, Italy
Another iconic figure in Rome is Gabriele Bonci. His ideology of no compromise in quality singlehandedly changed the pizza game. It's still a classic Roman pizza, yet what sets his pie apart is the untraditional combinations of toppings and sauces, as well as his sourdough starter that dates back to World War II. The variety of ingredients change often but what remains the same is his slogan: simply natural.
Address: Via della Meloria, 43, 00136 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 3974 5416
Site: http://www.bonci.it/