I will admit that I am a snobby restaurant diner. Typically, cheesy gimmicks will not work for me. Neither does a $2.99 grand slam breakfast. And that’s why it is ironic that I ended up dining at Dick’s Last Resort in San Antonio, Texas. Truly the last resort. I was lured in by the offerings of eating crispy alligator and wearing nasty paper hats. We were greeted at the door by this sign. Perfect. The menu was housed in a… Read More »
I like a lot of things on a stick; suckers with tootsie roll centers, the old-school creamsicles from the ice cream truck and even those little cake pops at Starbucks. However, I do draw the line at corn dogs from Hot Dog on a Stick. I could never get past watching the poor girls pump out lemonade in their corny striped outfits. I wasn't quite sure where Octopus pops would fit into my "on a stick" fetish. It could go either way. Happy hour was a necessity in Las Vegas. Not only because… Read More »
Prior to my visit to La Bufadora in Mexico, the only street food I have ever partaken in was the must-have hot dog from a vendor on the streets of New York City, mostly because it had "Bucket List Opportunity" written all over it. 9 times out of 10 I will opt for a dining experience at a sit-down restaurant, since I own one myself. But, that all changed on the streets of Mexico. After visiting the amazing blow hole at La Bufadora, we started… Read More »
Apparently, eating dog treats is something that appealed to me so much that I had to make a special trip to Plate Shop in Sausalito just so I could have one. Regular, store bought kibble would just not do, I needed something that was actually prepared for humans. Pigs ears fit the bill. I can't be the only one who seeks out restaurants who serves strange unique food…can I? Plate Shop's decor and smallwares exude trendiness, from the antique-inspired drop lighting to the steel napkin rings to… Read More »
I originally wanted to spend our fourteenth wedding anniversary sipping champagne on the veranda of a cozy B&B overlooking the coast, but eating pigs brains in San Francisco was a close second. Though I was unaware of Locanda’s offal menu, I have to admit that my eyes sparkled as I read; pig’s head, tripe, oxtails or brain? It was a surprisingly tough choice. If you recall, last year on our anniversary Peter and I indulged in lambs tongue at Scopa.… Read More »
I have significant memories of my grandmother combing the hills of our backyard plucking snails hidden within the ice plants. She would then plop them into boiling water, smother them in garlic and serve them up to us youngins as if they were a box Mac & Cheese. This didn't fly with me and I would NEVER partake in this one Nona delicacy (tripe either, but that's a different story). I used to have snail farms, not ant farms, as a child so there… Read More »
As I was drying myself off after swimming with stingrays in the Grand Cayman, our guides started another spectacular show, this time from inside of the boat. I saw an entourage of people gathering around the stern and for a second I thought the ship may capsize from the weight. I quickly envisioned a painfully long swim to the shore and wondered if I could possibly ride on the back of one of my new stingray friends. But, then out of the corner… Read More »
The thought of eating rabbit brought visions of the famous scene from Fatal Attraction, where the maddened Glenn Close devilishly boils the pet bunny of Michael Douglas. My second thought? He kind of deserved it. Mr. Douglas, not the bunny. Luckily, there would be no boiling tonight, for this rabbit was braised and I am not a crazed psychopath…not today anyway. We were celebrating Valentines Day, two days early (the sacrifices of being a restaurant owner), at Tra Vigne in St. Helena. They sat us… Read More »
1. Fried Chicken Feet Though served in many cultures, fried chicken feet are a Chinese favorite, dished out by the local street vendors at most corners. They are crispy and crunchy on the outside with a fatty flavor. 2. Blood Sausage Blood sausage, also known as blutwurst, is made from various meats and mixed with fresh blood which gives it a distinctive dark color. It is said to have a metallic, rich and meaty flavor. 3. Century Egg A Chinese delicacy that is also… Read More »
I’m not sure what makes one part of an animal more desirable than another, but there is definitely a “gross factor scale” associated with each. On a scale of 1-10, pork cheeks are about a 7 in my book, quite a few parts are raunchier; tongue, feet and, dare I say, testicles. Though eating cheeks isn’t amongst the most uncouth of things to put in my mouth, it reminds me way too much of the prominent dimples of my grandfather, the sweet smile of… Read More »