eating pasta in taormina, sicily.
Let’s be honest – I sampled many different kinds of pasta while in Italy. Maybe too many. Between visiting Rome and Sicily, and then the Emilia Romagna region, there were too many specialities to pass up. The pasta I had in Taormina, Sicily, however, trumped all of the others. Entering the main piazza, surrounded by tourist traps featuring outdoor seating and larger-than-life pictures of pizza, we traveled up a set of unassuming stairs where we discovered Ristorante al Duomo, a Michelin Star restaurant overlooking the square from a quiet terrace. The compact menu featured perfectly al dente pastas, paired with sweet sauces – from ragu to spicy tomato to anchovy with broccoli rabe with breadcrumbs. And to top it all off, the best cannoli I’ve ever eaten – the freshest ricotta filling sprinkled with sage-green bits of pistachio, a speciality of the region. Mouth-watering photographs ahead…
Ristorante al Duomo
Vico Ebrei, 11 – Piazza Duomo, Primo Piano (First Floor)
98039 Taormina, Sicily
chicago food scene / the publican
If you know me, you know that I love french fries (but I hate ketchup) and I’m always on the search for the perfect potato. And I have found them. Although the tough part is, they’re all the way in Chicago… probably for the best. While I was blown away by pretty much every restaurant we sampled in Chicago, The Publican took the cake for me. In the Fulton Market section of the city, something I would compare to Manhattan’s Meatpacking (just less overwrought with trendy restaurants and clubs), The Publican is like a ray of sunshine – literally. Large windows let light scatter on long communal-style wooden tables, each adorned with sweet sugar cubes, fresh cream and butter and sea salt. The wood, creamy and inviting, is on every detail – the chairs, the heavy bathroom doors, the beer taps. And the food is fresh and beautifully prepared. From a design (and culinary) perspective, this restaurant has it all. Scroll to the bottom to check out the fries…
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The Publican Restaurant
837 West Fulton Market, Chicago
coffee, croissants and crepes, oh my.
From the outside, Prestige looks like a quaint tea shop that you might find in England. But inside, it is much more – fresh almond croissants, precious cakes and chocolates line the counters at the entrance. Once seated, strong coffees are delivered to your table in personal silver pots and thin crepes light as air are drizzled with salty butter and powdered sugar. Definitely check this place out, just off the main square in Bruges.
Prestige
12-14, Vlamingstraat
8000 Brugge (Bruges)
bretagne’s galettes in paris: not your average crêpe
When I think of crêpes, doughy, thin, floppy pancakes filled with swiss cheese and ham or even nutella come to mind. So when I tried crispy, paper-thin, grainy buckwheat crêpes folded over fillings like fresh goat cheese, smoked salmon and eggs my taste buds were totally shocked. But this is the difference: these aren’t just normal crêpes, they’re called galettes – made from buckwheat flour creating a darker, crispier dough. While galettes are common in France’s Bretagne (Brittany) region, there is one place in Paris that really knows how to recreate this regional dish. Breizh Café in the fashionable Marais district is a place that isn’t trying too hard to be trendy – the food is simple, fresh and affordable. We were greeted by a friendly host and a 15 minute wait, but just 20 minutes later, the hour-long wait was turning away hungry patrons. The menu featured three sections of crêpes – appetizers, entrées and desserts. Of course, once we settled on our choices, the specials of the day were passed to us, which offered even more delicious pairings to pick from. After ordering a bottle of dry cider beer (very traditional), we started with the blue cheese, nuts and honey variation, which was presented to us in eight square pieces with tiny Bretagne flags sticking out of them. This truly was one of the lightest, most delicious things I ever ate. Our entrées were incredible as well, fresh goat cheese drizzled with a nutmeg and cinnamon-infused honey and garnished with crisp mesclun greens and the smoked salmon, spinach and egg combination was fantastic as well. Wishing we could have saved room for one of the sweet dessert crêpes, we weren’t disappointed when the check came with two caramels from the same region of the country. If you’re looking to try this incredibly French dish and aren’t moved by the street vendors, spend an afternoon in the Marais and stop here for a bite. Not only is the food worth the visit, but the lesson in French culture is something to see as well.
109, rue Vieille du Temple
www.breizhcafe.com
marshmallow lovers unite: a new twist on the sticky treat
Paris’ Rue Rambuteau is a street chock full of choices. Between the various antique and jewelry boutiques to the competing boulangeries selling fresh meats served on crispy baguettes, you’ll find yourself crossing the street over and over again to get a better look at what’s available on both sides. And dessert? Covered. We found this charming shop with glistening windows beckoning a visit. Thin heart-shaped caramel-coated flaky sugar cookies and tiny glass jars filled with mousse or custard adorned with dime-sized raspberries were on display. But most enticing were the handmade marshmallows of various flavors – pistachio, caramel, rose and chocolate layered with toasted coconut. Soft, fluffy and just €1, it’s worth sampling a few. At the front counter we found nougat-flavored marshmallows on a stick, layered with thin white chocolate and sprinkled with nuts. If you’re looking to try some of Paris’ famous delicacies, Pain de Sucre at 14, Rue Rambuteau is a fantastic place to start.
Tel: 01 45 74 68 92
www.patisseriepaindesucre.com
in the land of smörgåsbord…
My recent visit to Copenhagen was filled with snapping pictures, drinking a whole lot of Carlsberg and sampling Smörgås, traditional Scandinavian fare consisting of tasty open-faced sandwiches. Starting with a thin slice of grainy rye bread slathered with butter, cold sliced meats are piled on and garnished with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. We especially loved the pork and roast beef variations, served with crispy fried onions and horseradish. A thick slab of beef carpaccio was sprinkled with capers and egg yolk and baby shrimp drizzled with lemon were set in the center of the platter. We were eating in Tivoli Gardens, one of the amazing and completely unique attractions of the city. Full of dozens of dining options, from American-style pommes frites and burgers to traditional Danish delicacies, Grøften was our pick and it was a great one. Located to the left near the entrance of the park, Grøften has been serving hungry diners since 1874. Along with the open-faced sandwiches, they have a reputation for their Lobscouse, one of the best selling plates at the restaurant – a type of meat stew cooked down with vegetables, meat stock and potatoes to create a hash-like substance. I knew of Danish beers but Copenhagen’s food was a definite surprise, and completely fun to eat.
