At the end of the rainbow: Troisgros–

At the end of the rainbow in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France near Lyon is Restaurant Troisgros.  Located in the town of Ouches, Michel Troisgros and his team perform magic with food and wine.  Troisgros is a temple to good eating. . .to soothing and uplifting the human spirit. . .to civilized dining at its greatest height.  I have never had a better meal anywhere than the lunch we just had here.

Please Google Troisgros…learn about this place…learn about this family. . .and if you can, please come here and eat some time before you move on to your next state of being. . .you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!

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It’s lovely out there.

#1 Vietnamese…Portland, OR–

POW!  Here we are gobbling–and I mean really GOBBLING–the tastiest Vietnamese soups in all of Portland, Oregon. . .in fact, I do believe that these are the most delicious and authentic bowls of pho and bun bo hue in all of the U.S. of A.. . .so there, feel free to discuss.

Andy Ricker (of Pok Pok fame) loves this place…he highly recommends it on his Instagram feed so we head over to check it out, and it is FABULOUS!

This joint is called HA VL Vietnamese Noodles…it is located in southwestern Portland on SW 82nd Avenue just off of Division Street where most of the good Asian food shops and markets can be found.  We eat here two days in a row because it is soooo gooooood!

During our visits we ingest pho ga (chicken noodle soup), Phnom Penh noodle soup (seafood and pork noodle soup), bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup–very special), and bun moc hanoi (pepper pork ball noodle soup). . .mmmm, aaaaahh–these are all outstanding…totally ngon!!

These soups are tastier than the best Vietnamese soups we have had in New Orleans, Minneapolis, and New York. . .Portlandia and HA VL are number one in my book.

Please eat here if you ever find yourself in Portland, Oregon lookin’ for some good Vietnamese flavors. . .you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!

To see more delicious images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Great grub in a historic gem–

BOOM!  This is our new number one lunch spot in all of New Orleans: Dooky Chase’s in the Treme section of town. . .mmm, aaaahh!

Dooky Chase’s is a historic gem. . .tons of Civil Rights activity happened here with Martin Luther King, Jr. holding meetings upstairs, Thurgood Marshall strategizing in these very rooms as he worked on overturning Plessy v Ferguson, both W. and Obama have eaten here, etc. and so on…the list goes on and on because smart people know that it is important to honor those around us who have done great human stuff, and Dooky Chase is one of the greatest doers of the past.

Dooky himself died last year well into his 90s, but the restaurant is still in good hands with his 94-year-old wife, legendary Creole chef Leah Chase, remaining in the kitchen every day to make sure all of the food is as good as ever and that all of us patrons, pilgrims, and hungry souls are as satisfied as ever.

Dooky opened this restaurant in 1941…he married Miss Leah in 1946…and the rest is history.  Miss Leah can cook, and the packed room at lunch attests to the goodness of her food and her overall magical and lovely vibrations.

Lunch is buffet-style. . .during our visit we gobble potato salad, seafood salad, fried catfish, sausages, jambalaya, collard greens, fried chicken–MAGNIFICENT!, turtle soup, seafood gumbo, and rice, rice, and more rice…mmm, aaaaahh, just can’t get enough of this stuff.  We finish with peach cobbler–TOTALLY DELECTABLE. . .and everything is washed down with a tasty bottle of sauvignon blanc. . .PERFECT!

The food here is Creole greatness…the vibe here is human and warm and inviting…and the space is crisp and stimulating and enveloping.  We love Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. . .

. . .please consider eating here the next time you pop into New Orleans. . .you will love it, too–Miss Leah will be sure of that. . .thank you, Miss Leah Chase, see you next time, and happy 95th birthday on January 6, 2018–jaaaa!!

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It’s lovely out there.

Soothe yer soul–

KAPOWY!  The temperature is dropping a bit…winterish cool is in the air…it’s nighttime in New York City…and we are hungry.  So what does one do in this situation?  Head on down to the newest Keith McNally dining establishment and gobble our heads off…dat’s what we do.  Fortunately, it turns out to be a good choice–jaaaa!!

This place is called ‘Augustine,’ and it totally rocks.  Located on the corner of Beekman and Nassau Streets in lower Manhattan, Augustine is tucked inside the Beekman Hotel which is a marvel: lovely lobby, warm lighting, hustle-‘n’-bustle energy, and lots of nooks-‘n’-crannies for hangin’ and sippin’ and gobblin’. . .just the way we like it–mmm, aaaahh!

The staff of Augustine are helpful, welcoming, and switched-on…the bar is inviting and lively…the dining room is enveloping and cozy…the drinks are delicious and free-flowing…and the food is as delectable as can be.  Tonight we ingest the butternut squash soup, the fromage souffle, the sea urchin spaghettini, the roasted lamb, a wonderful grilled cod, and roasted oranges for dessert–TOTALLY DELICIOUS. . .all of this is washed down with a reasonable and tasty chablis. . .thank you, Keith McNally, thank you for creating another fabulous dining spot that soothes our souls in this mysterious and kooky universe–cheers!

Please consider dining at Augustine the next time you find yerself hangin’ out in NYC…you will love it…I gar-ron-taaaayy!!

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It continues to be lovely out there.

Magic is in the air–

MMM…stands for Magic here at The Bazaar by Jose Andres in Miami Beach, Florida…we can’t wait for the clean-up to be completed so that we can pop down again for some wonderful drink, grub, and vibes…jaaa!!

We hear that Miami Beach was spared the brunt of Hurricane Irma…thankfully…this is good news for business, local well-being, and for thirsty and hungry people from all over the world.

Jose Andres is a switched-on and happenin’ dude from Spain…he used to work with Ferran Adria at El Bulli outside of Barcelona…now he has a restaurant empire of his own, and The Bazaar is one of the crown jewels in his ever-growing array of wonderful restaurants.

There are lots of fabulous flavors happening here…Iberico Jamon, dumplings, fishes, clams, shrimps, meat-filled buns, etc., and delicious wines–we choose a Txakoli from Basque Country cuz we LOVE IT, and it goes extemely well with all of this fine food…salud!!

This place makes me delirious…come on down some time, and the great people here will make you delirious, too. . .I send you ultra-tasty vibes from The Bazaar in Miami Beach…feel them…they will take you to the promised land.

To see more amazing images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Can’t wash this away–

Irma is gone, and Miami Beach is gonna be fine…let the waters recede…let the clean up commence…and let’s get back to sippin’ beverages and puffin’ on Habanas and walkin’ in the greenery and dippin’ in the ocean. . .mmm, aaahh!

Miami Beach is a slender island located just east of the City of Miami…long and lanky–home to South Beach, North Beach and all parts in between…lots of wonderful hotels, restaurants, and people.  Please consider poppin’ down here some time in the near future. . .your business is what keeps this place thriving and alive. . .we love Miami Beach, and you will too–I gar-ron-taaaayy!

To see more stupendous images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .you know you want to.

It’s lovely out there.

Charmant Hotel…great grub!

BAM!  We pop into La Crosse, Wisconsin…we check into the Charmant Hotel…we sidle up to the chef’s counter in the main hotel restaurant…and we get busy gobblin’–JAAA!!

For this feed session we ingest a couple of French Onion soups–tasty and delectable…a tomato salad and an order of cheesy baked broccoli–we need our veggies…and then we go for the ribeye with onions and mushrooms and a healthy double-patty cheeseburger with fries–both meaty and perfectly cooked. . .and all of this is washed down with a cool bottle of Sancerre–cuz Sancerre goes with EVERYTHING…c’est bon!

La Crosse is a college town that is growing on the banks of the Mississippi River yet maintaining its smalltown feel–a really fun place.  And the only game in town for hotel action as far as I am concerned is the Charmant, an old chocolate factory that has been converted into a top-notch place to hang yer hat, sip some good beverages, and inhale some delicious food.  Please consider staying here if you ever find yourself up in these parts…you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaayy!!

To see more amazing images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it, do it, do it. . .you know you want to.

It’s lovely out there.

Blue Ribbon Sushi…NYC–

YUH-MEE!  Time for a pile of Japanese goodness here at Blue Ribbon Sushi located on Sullivan Street in the Soho section of Manhattan in beauteous New York Citaaaayy…mmm, aaaahh!!

During this visit we are ingesting uni, eel, and fatty tuna–niiiice. . .gobbling grilled crab legs–fun-fun-fun. . .slurping chowamushi–soothing and delicious. . .and inhaling uni handrolls–cuz we just can’t get enough uni handrolls. . .and everything is delectable–jaaa!

Pro-tip: the Blue Ribbon folks appear to get lesser selections of fish up at the fish market…so though the sushi here is ‘good,’ know that it is not ‘great.’  Stick to the cooked items, and you will have a meal that is totally memorable and satisfying.

Plus, they have an extensive sake list here. . .just go with something extremely dry like “whispering wind” or “golden grains of rice” or one of the other fun names that they give their sake, and you will be happy long-time.

I send you warm and hearty vibes from Blue Ribbon Sushi. . .feel them. . .if you squint your eyes they will make you feel like you are actually in Japan gobbling away.

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It’s lovely out there.

#1 restaurant…Aspen, Colorado–

BOOM!  Here it is…our pick for the number one restaurant in Aspen, Colorado: Chefs Club…jaaaa!!

Chefs Club is the main restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel here in Aspen…the menu includes items created for the restaurant by a rotating mix of wonderful chefs from around the world.  Some of the chefs who have created dishes include Eric Ripert, Jose Andres, Thomas Keller, etc….you get the idea, great dudes creating great dishes to be consumed by punters like me–most wonderful!

The restaurant space is a tad formal–methinks the folks who visit Aspen on a regular basis like this feel…the staff is efficient though somewhat chilly–I like a bit of looseness that is just a bit lacking here…the food is extremely tasty and well-prepared–we gobble crab/tomato gazpacho, lamb chops, salads of some sort, scallops, and a profiterole that kicks my butt–totally delicious! Also just want to mention that the lamb chops you see above are at the top of the heap–I have never had better–jaaa!!  The whole meal is washed down with a delectable wine of good value that we found on the otherwise top-heavy list. . .satisfying and spot-on.

I strongly recommend that you consider puttin’ a feed on here if you ever find yourself in Aspen with a rumbly belly. . .you will love the food, most definitely, but the overall experience may have you longing for a nightcap at a local pub.  Enjoy!

To see more amazing images from around our teeny tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Great grub…Milwaukee–

JAAA!  Here we are puttin’ on a major feed at a place called Crazy Water located on 2nd Street in the great city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The dude you see me posing with above cooks EVERYTHING here at a kitchen station right behind the bar…he has a grill, a stove, an oven, and lots of delectable ingredients all around him as he prepares all of the dishes served here to perfection.

We choose to gobble the pork belly with runny egg yolk and lamb ravioli as appetizers, and they are both absolutely tasty–perfectly cooked and full of flavor. . .next we do another round of appetizers–this time the fried oysters and the New Orleans BBQ shrimp…the oysters are huge and perfectly cooked, but the flavor is too lemony for me with no other elements that I can detect…and the shrimp is overcooked with no discernible flavor that I would call ‘New Orleans BBQ’–kinda bland, actually.

The superstar of the meal is the grilled branzino we have next–WOW!…great piece of fish–no one really knows what branzino is anymore…some bass-like fish from the Mediterranean…nevertheless, this fish is grilled perfectly and served hot-hot-hot. . .we gobble this with a lovely salad of beets and greens, and we are totally good-to-go–I could eat this meal every week and be a happy boy–mmmm, aaaaahh!!

The whole meal is washed down with a 40-dollar bottle of white Burgundy that makes us very happy.  Plus, the staff and the atmosphere here are chill, easygoing, and welcoming. . .we are very happy, indeed.

So, I highly recommend that you seek out Crazy Water during your next visit to Milwaukee. . .you will love it here–I gar-ron-taaayy!

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It’s lovely out there.