Recent Episodes

 

Dwight Furrow, the author of American Foodie: Taste, Art, and the Cultural Revolution, talks about the philosophy of food. We discuss everything the impact of everything from automobile to Alice Waters to the Slow Food movement have shaped the way Americans think about food.
 
 
 
 

 

Inbal Baum, the Founder of Delicious Israel, joins us to talk about where foodies should eat when they travel to her country.

• Shakshouka is a popular dish in Israel
• Israeli Breakfast is a distinct and important meal
• The modern cherry tomato has roots in Israel
• Tel Aviv and Jerusalem top the list of cities you should visit
• Beach season runs from April to October
• Rosh Hashana is a great time to visit Israel
• When you visit Tel Aviv, go to the Carmel Market, the Levinsky Market
• Try the date syrup, Silan

 

 

Food for Thought

• Q: After pita bread, what is the most common food used to “wipe” humus?
• A: Raw onion.

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan

• Favorite Spot for Outdoor Dining: Milgo & Milbar
• Favorite Place to Buy Spices: Cafe Arma in Levinsky Market
• Herbs to Try: Za’atar and Hawaij (in Yemenite Coffee)
• Favorite Winery: Sphera
• Favorite Place for Dessert: The Malabia
• Favorite Food Experience for Kids: Max Brenner
• Chef to Watch: Eyal Shani
• Dish to Try at Different Places: Shakshouka and sabich

Bennet Jacobstein, author of The Joy of Ballpark Food: From Hot Dogs to Haute Cuisine, talks to us about what foodies can find at different baseball stadiums around the country.

• Hot dogs and sausages are not the same thing.
• The quality of ballpark food was elevated in the 90s as new stadiums were built and food television shows took off.
• Stadiums have highlighted regional foods.
• Gordon Biersch‘s founder Dan Gordon introduced garlic fries at Candlestick Park in 1994.
• The song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was written in 1908.
• The Yankees replaced Cracker Jacks at one point, but brought it back after a public outcry.
• 

  San Francisco Giant Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries

  Veggie Happy spearheaded the movement to get veggie dogs sold at ballpark stadiums.

• Andrew Zimmern has a stand in the Minnesota ballpark.
• Rocky Mountain Oysters are bull testicles.
• “The Big Six” are the food companies that service the major ballparks.
• As you go from ballpark to ballpark, try the hot dogs at each to see how they’re done differently.
• Proceeds from Bennett’s book go to Second Harvest Food Bank.

 

Food for Thought

• Q: In what year were Cracker Jacks first served at a baseball game?
• A: 1896 in Atlantic City.

 

Out of the Frying Pan

Here’s what Bennet recommends you try at each ballpark:

• Yankees Stadium in New York City: Chicken and Waffles.
• Fenway Park in Boston: Lobster Roll and a cuban sandwich.
• Wrigley Field in Chicago: Chicago-style hot dog with Vienna beef.
• Turner Field in Atlanta: Boiled peanuts.
• Marlins Park in Miami: Cuban dishes.
• Safeco Field in Seattle: The Ivar’s hot dog (with fish) and cream cheese hot dog.
• Nationals Park in Washington D.C.: A cauliflower hot dog and presidential cupcakes.
• 

  Chicago White Sox Chicago-Style Hot Dog

  Busch Stadium in St. Louis: The BBQ.

• Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles: Tommy Lasorda Spumoni ice cream.
• AT&T Park in San Francisco: Crab salad, lamb sausages, and Gordon Biersch garlic fries.

Try a Food Tour

Top 5 Lists

As a food blogger I love all types of food, but sushi just might be my favorite. I usually prefer sashimi to rolls, and appreciate the clean and delicate flavors of the freshest most, high quietly raw fish. My favorites tend to be places that do sashimi really well, so after trying just about every spot in Boston here are my picks!
 

1. O Ya

This tiny sushi bar has won awards for best restaurant in Boston and has received national attention. O Ya sushi is about as gourmet as it gets, with lots of truffles, caviar, wagyu beef, and fois gras. The menu includes a la carte options, as well as a small and large tasting menu.
 
The small tasting menu is the chef’s whim (although you can provide input), while the large is determined each night and includes many dishes not available on the regular menu. I’ve tried both tasting menus, and would definitely recommend going this route rather than a la carte (it’s a better value and you get to try more dishes). No matter which you order, in the in house sommelier will provide expert wine and sake pairing to complement your meal.
 
As one of the most expensive restaurants in the city- this is definitely a special occasion kind of place, but I make it a point to go at least once a year and always order the fois gras and chocolate.
 

(617) 654-9900
9 East Street Place Boston, MA 02111
Chef Proprietor: Tim Cushman
Proprietor & Sake Sommelier: Nancy Cushman

 

 

2. Oishii

Oishii is my regular sushi spot, and though its very high end it somehow manages to feel very accessible. The menu includes a good mix of gourmet items like Kobe and truffles, and basic maki, nigiri, and sashimi. I’ve ordered the omakase a couple of times, but usually prefer to order a few of the specialty appetizers and finish with a sashimi plate.
 
The presentation on some of the dishes really stands out, like the Kobe beef you cook on a hot stone at your table, the salmon on fire that literally comes out over a bed of flames, or any of the beautiful desserts like my favorites the coconut sphere with coffee mousse or frozen melon with gold flakes.
 

(617) 482-8868
1166 Washington Street, 
Boston, MA 02118
Chef Owner: Ting Yen

 

 

3. Uni

Uni is a swanky sashimi bar inside one of Boston’s best French restaurants. Naturally the dishes have a bit of a French fusion feel; the presentation and flavors are both exquisite with a hint of the molecular gastronomy Uni is known for.
 
Uni offers an a la carte menu or two chefs tasting menus, often with a supplemental A5 Wagyu beef. The most exclusive Wagyu in the world comes from the Japanese city Kobe, and the beef is graded according to the quality and amount of marbling. A5 is the highest grade, which makes it literally the best beef in the world. Uni is one of only a couple of restaurants in Boston to offer A5 at all, and at $25 an ounce it’s definitely the lowest price I’ve ever seen.
 

(617) 536-7200
370 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA 02215
Owner: Ken Oringer
Executive Chef: Tony Messina

 

 

4. Oga

Oga in Natick is the best sushi in the Boston suburbs and a bit of a hidden gem, located in a strip mall just past the Natick Collection. Most of the sushi is traditional – no frills just really fresh, good quality fish. My favorite dish, Oga’s sushi dinner is the exception.
 
The selection changes daily and comes with eight or ten specially selected pieces of sushi. These fish are more unusual and often flown in from all over the world. I’ve ordered it, and had Seared O’Toro, Blue Fin Tuna, Golden Eye Salmon, Marinated Salmon, and House Eel among others.The Chef’s special also includes Miso Soup and a House Salad, which makes it plenty of food for a light dinner.
 

(508) 653-4338
915 Worcester Street (Route 9) Natick, MA 01760
Sushi Master: Toru Oga

 

 

5. Fugakyu

Fugakyu is probably the most traditional Japanese restaurant I’ve tried in Boston. The place is huge, with a koi pond in the lobby and private dining rooms with sliding rice paper doors where you can sit traditionally on the floor (although there are also plenty of American style tables and chairs).
 
The menu is also large, with a wide variety of nigiri, sashimi, and plenty of specialty rolls. My favorite is to order a few of the appetizers like the beef or tuna Carpaccio and tuna tartare, then finish with a sashimi plate. If you sit at the sushi bar Sun – Tues night, you can grab small plates off boats floating by for $3-$4 a piece, which is a great value.
 

(617) 734-1268
1280 Beacon St Brookline, Massachusetts 02446

 

 
What’s your favorite local spot for sushi?
 

Kerrie has blogged about food and wine at Urban Foodie Finds for almost four years; check her out and follow her progress toward trying every Michelin starred restaurant in the US! She is also is co-founder of Blog and Tweet Boston, a group dedicated to networking and connecting bloggers with local businesses.

When people head to Vegas, all they have is The Strip on their mind. When it comes to restaurants, all they can think of are the celebrity chef restaurants and the plethora of buffets to choose from. However, if you venture off the beaten path, you can find gems are that even tastier and easier to get a seat in without having to battle casino crowds and parking.
 
 

1. Aburiya Raku

Aburiya Raku is just west of the Strip located in a very unassuming strip mall. You wouldn’t think that such a high quality dining establishment serving top notch Izakaya style Japanese food, a.k.a. Japanese tapas, would exist in this location. Chef Mitsuo Endo’s restaurants attracts everyone from foodies to chefs from the Strip’s top restaurants, so you know that Raku has to be good. Their fresh made tofu has turned tofu haters into tofu lovers. From its fresh fish selections to famous items from the robata grill of tender Kobe beef to delicacies of foie gras to even seemingly normal items of chicken wings with flavor to another level, this is the place to be for anyone who appreciates QUALITY food. Round out your meal with delicately crafted desserts such as green tea crème brulée and a very light and delightful fluffy cheesecake.
 

$$$$
5030 W Spring Mountain Rd #2, Las Vegas, NV
(702) 367-3511
 
http://raku-grill.com

 
 

2. Ichiza

If Raku is your mature and refined sibling, then Ichiza can be the younger sibling that is hip and fun. Just like Raku, it is an Izakaya style establishment, but it is in a fun environment that encourages beers by the pitcher and encourages sampling of many dishes as illustrated all over the walls written in Japanese and English. Looking around, you’ll notice that everyone has their favorites, and you can’t really go wrong closing your eyes and saying “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe”. However, some must try food includes yellowtail tartare, jalapeno fried rice, agedashi tofu, butter corn, variety of kushiage (deep fried tempura items), robata grill items and last but not least, HONEY TOAST, which combines a crispy and buttery hunk of white toast with honey drizzled all over creamy vanilla ice cream.
 

$$$
4355 Spring Mountain Rd #205, Las Vegas, NV
(702) 367-3151
 
http://www.ichizalasvegas.com

 
 

3. Lotus of Siam

Lotus of Siam is located on the east side of town in the Commercial Center. This area is known to be seedy day and night, but Lotus of Siam is worth the trek known for some of the best Thai food in the country! Some dishes that you don’t see often at “regular” Thai joints are chilean seabass (buttery and savory), nam koi tod (crispy rice with tangy, salty and sweet flavors) and crispy duck penang (all the wonderful flavors of penang curry with uber crispy duck). I suggest going with at least several friends, so that the meal can be enjoyed family style to allow for optimal tasting of as many dishes as you can stomach.
 

$$$
953 E Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV
(702) 735-3033
 
http://www.saipinchutima.com/

 
 

4. Parma by Chef Marc

Eating at Parma by Chef Marc is like eating at your favorite Italian mama’s home kitchen. Though it is a bit of drive to the Northwest part of Las Vegas, you will not regret it once you step into the restaurant and your nose gets a whiff of the food. The ambiance is cute, romantic, homely (in a good way) with a touch of hole in the wall feel. Everyone on staff is super warm and friendly and make you feel like family. Also, if you have any dietary restrictions, Chef Marc will always take care of you. All of the pastas and sauces are always fresh. The complimentary bread is always perfectly crusty. Once you get a taste of these dishes, you won’t be able to stop thinking about the bolognese sauce, amazingly tender chicken marsala, and highly sought after portobello mushroom appetizer made of creamy sauce, chunks of portobello over baby spinach greens that is sold out every night.
 

$$$
7591 W Washington Ave #110, Las Vegas, NV
(702) 233-6272
 
http://www.parmabychefmarc.com/

 
 

5. Hot & Juicy Crawfish

Bring your Pepcid AC, Pepto Bismo and Tums because Hot & Juicy Crawfish is a place where you throw down and eat seafood until you drop. This is no place to dig in and eat with your hands. Have no fear though because the staff provides you with rolls of paper towels, plastic bibs, and plenty of drink refills. Here you can order seafood like shrimp, alaskan king crab legs, crawfish by the pound with choices of different sauces, Lousiana Style, Juicy Cajun, Garlic Butter, Lemon Pepper, and the Hot & Juicy Special. If you want to up the ante, you can also order spicy levels from mild, medium, spicy to EXTRA spicy. You can also “enhance” the your cholesterol profile by ordering deep fried delicious sides like sausage, deep fried catfish, chicken wings, crispy cajun fries, and don’t forget your side of fluffy white rice. Word of advice, be ready of strange stares because you might be reeking of garlic for a few days, but it’ll all be worth it.
 

$$$
4810 Spring Mountain Rd, Ste C-D, Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 891-88893863 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 750-2428
http://hotnjuicycrawfish.com/
 

 
Have you stumbled upon other amazing “Off the Beaten Path” restaurants while in Vegas?

 

 

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When Michelle Wong is not writing on her food blog at Cravings of a Fat Girl, she is often found pinning new recipes, fantasizing about her next meal, or reading about the next food find on other food blogs.

What began as a Low Country, fisherman’s breakfast Shrimp & Grits (or Shrimp Grits) has become a staple and can be found all over the South, from the Carolinas to Texas. Every restaurant has their own version and eateries in New Orleans are no exception. If you’re ever in the Crescent City, I highly recommend all of the following restaurants (and not just for their heavenly interpretations of Shrimp & Grits).
 

1. Commander’s Palace

Located in the Garden District, Commander’s Palace is notorious for excellent Creole cuisine as well as phenomenal chefs, top notch service, and several elegant dining rooms and courtyards. Executive Chef Tory McPhail offers a mouth-watering Louisiana Shrimp & Grits featuring wild caught, Louisiana white shrimp served over goat cheese, stone ground grits, caramelized onions, concasse tomatoes and topped with a sauce forestiere (wild mushroom sauce).
 

1403 Washington Ave
New Orleans, LA 70130
504.899.8221

 

2. La Petite Grocery

Justin Devillier is both chef and part owner of La Petite Grocery, an old 19th century storefront renovated almost a decade ago into a restaurant with all its New Orleans nostalgia intact. Sit at a linen-covered table on old tile floors with a lofty, painted-tin ceiling overhead while enjoying Chef Devillier’s version of Gulf Shrimp & Grits featuring a sauce of roasted mushrooms, smoked bacon, house made butter and fresh thyme.
 

4238 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
504.891.3377

 

3. Coquette

Opened on the corner of Magazine Street and Washington Avenue almost six years ago, Coquette has quickly climbed its way to becoming a local favorite and with their decadent cocktails, lively atmosphere and creative, French-inspired cuisine, it is not difficult to see why. Sip on Gnome’s Cup (Coquette’s version of a Pimm’s) and enjoy Chef Michael Stoltzfus’ dish of fresh, gulf shrimp served atop Anson Mill’s grits with sweet corn and Louisiana Hot Sauce gravy.
 

2800 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
504.265.0421

 

4. Boucherie

Located in a small, shotgun house in the Carrollton neighborhood, Boucherie is Chef Nathanial Zimet’s dream of a restaurant that offers fine dining for everyone. Like most of the best restaurants in New Orleans, Boucherie does almost everything in-house and make a point to purchase produce and seafood from local farms and fishermen, but they turn around and offer exquisitely prepared cuisine at an better-than-fair price. Boucherie offers a Blackened Shrimp & Grit Cake featuring jumbo Gulf shrimp drizzled with a warm, house-cured bacon vinaigrette.
 

8115 Jeanette Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
504.862.5514

 

5. Tableau

The latest by local restaurateur and national celebrity Dickie Brennan, Tableau recently opened in the newly renovated Le Petite Theatre on the corner of Jackson Square in the historic French Quarter. Hailing from Lafayette, Louisiana, Chef Ben Thibodeaux offers his take on the Southern classic, a BBQ Shrimp & Grits featuring jumbo, Gulf shrimp in a New Orleans-style BBQ sauce (basically Worcestershire sauce, lemon, and lots of pepper and butter) spiked with Abita Beer and served over stone ground grits whipped with chévre cheese.
 

616 St. Peter Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
504.934.3463

 
Where did you get the best shrimp and grits you’ve ever had?
 

 

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Though she was born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Kim Ranjbar felt New Orleans calling her home as soon as she hit puberty. A graduate of Sonoma State University, Kim took her passion for the written word and dragged it over 2000 miles to flourish in the city she loves. You can follow Kim on Twitter (@sucktheheads) and read some of her other works at Where Y’at, New Orleans Living Magazine and her personal blog, Suck the Heads.