All photos courtesy of the author.

Granix

Indulge in all the meatless goodies you want, from hot and cold entrees to fresh salads, juices and desserts, for one fixed price. I managed to pass up this tenedor libre during my time here, but my parents stopped by when they were in town recently and were satisfied with their experience.

Take-out is cheaper than eating in, so you can take your meal to enjoy at the nearby Plaza de Mayo.

1st floor, Avenida Florida 165

Pizzeria Guerin

Fast food, Porteno style. The “muzzarella” is the safest bet at Buenos Aires’ most popular pizzeria, which has been in business since the 1930s. The pizzas here are fairly simple, usually with just one topping, and a crispy crust.

If you like onions, go for the fugazza. Most customers just come in for a slice or two and eat them standing at the bar.

Pizzeria Guerin, Avenida Corrientes 1368

Olsen

Even if you’re not a vegetarian, you should try the goat cheese ravioli at Olsen, one of the city’s top restaurants, because it is probably the most divine dish to be found in all of Argentina. In fact, after all that meat and pizza, you’re probably going to be jonesing for something light.

As a starter, you’re presented with a small assortment of bagels. The creamy ravioli arrives on an asymmetrical plate, topped with watercress, drizzled with a berry sauce, and a couple of blackberries thrown in for good measure. It easily dispelled any preconceptions I’d had of the Argentines not putting any care into creating meals that didn’t originally possess four legs.

Even if this restaurant is known for its Sunday brunch and 60 varieties of vodka, but the ravioli is the dish by which I remember Olsen.

Olsen, Gorriti 5870

Bio

Bio is one of Buenos Aires’ most well-known vegetarian restaurants, where beef and chicken are replaced by house-made seitan. All ingredients used here are organic, and grown or produced in Argentina.

The chefs are quite creative with their menu, with dishes like quinoa risotto with goat cheese and mushrooms and mustard tofu with spicy vegetables and yamani rice. I ate here on two occasions, sampling the risotto, seitan and vegetable curry (which was basically a stir-fry with curry sauce), as well as a slice of chocolate cake with sesame ice cream.

The restaurant also doubles as an almacen, so you can pick up some of its organic products to enjoy at home.

Bio, Humboldt 2199

Artemisia

Along with Bio, Artemisia is another one of the city’s choice vegetarian restaurants. It’s actually not 100% meat-free, since there are some fish items on the menu, but the menu is largely vegetarian.

All meals start off with homemade whole wheat bread and butternut squash spread. I ordered the polenta bruschetta topped with tomatoes and greens, which was so sumptuous that I didn’t need any fleshy accompaniments. Oh, and the veggies were definitely a far cry from the wilted lettuce and canned mushrooms I’d had elsewhere in the country.

Artemisia, 3877 Cabrera, Palermo

La Puerto Rico

This cafe, a less touristy and less pretentious alternative to Cafe Tortoni, is best known for its Saturday night tango shows and for being the setting of a number of Spanish movies. In addition to coffee, tea, and pastries, the menu is filled with Argentine mainstays like grilled meat, pasta, and pizzas.

The one item that caught my eye was a soy version of a milanesa patty topped with caprese – tomato and mozzerella – and a side of pumpkin puree. I would never have expected to find such a dish in Argentina – at least not in an old-school establishment like La Puerto Rico – but felt compelled to order it just for the novelty. It certainly wasn’t as juicy as its meaty counterpart, but it certainly added some variety to my dining experiences in South America.

La Puerto Rico, Adolfo Alsina 416

Ceviche

If you happen to be a pesco-vegetarian, this is a great place to sample Peruvian specialties as well as sushi. It won’t take long to notice that in addition to vegetables, this is a capital city that is largely devoid of ethnic cuisine as well as seafood. There are a few salad options if you refuse to eat any type of animal flesh.

Even though I was a bit flesh-weary, I couldn’t bring myself to pass up on a seafood stew of salmon, shrimp, and mussels with rice and beans. Argentines are known for being seafood-phobic but if they ever had the chance to taste the fish here, they’d know what it should taste like.

Ceviche, Costa Rica 5644, Palermo

Community Connection

Be sure to check out Matador’s favorite spots in Buenos Aires, meatless or otherwise. Our guide to taking the bus in Buenos Aires is a must if you plan to take mulit-wheeled public transport.

Magnolia’s famous. Photo: loop_oh

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream

Unlike most ice cream vendors in New York, the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck is not stationary. It’s hard to predict where and when you’ll find their artisan ice cream made from local dairy.

As soon as I spotted the truck in Williamsburg, I promptly walked over and ordered a small cup of strawberry ice cream. The ingredients of each flavor have been scoured from the world over to ensure the highest quality, so even otherwise ordinary flavors like strawberry or vanilla are produced to the purest form.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck, location varies.

Babycakes NYC

If you want to gorge on decadent desserts like frosting-filled sandwich cookies dipped in chocolate chips, and get away with it, this is the place to do it. Babycakes NYC uses no refined sugars in its products, nor does it use any dairy or, for some items, gluten.

Black Sesame Ice Cream. Photo by: craige

Since it opened in 2005, it’s gained popularity with vegans, the allergy-sensitive, and the weight-conscious for its delicious cupcakes, brownie bites, and banana bread. Butter, eggs, and sugar are replaced by coconut oil and agave sweetener, which result in high prices but as founder Erin McKenna will reassure you, the healthier ingredients will save you from medical traumas that conventional baked goods can cause.

Despite having some essential ingredients replaced, each of its (comparatively) wholesome treats has a nice flavor and texture and is very tasty.

Babycakes, 248 Broome St. Lower East Side

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Only in Chinatown will flavors like red bean and taro be labeled “regular” and chocolate and vanilla “exotic.” This family-owned favorite has been a local institution for 30 years.

The signature flavors, which include almond cookie, black sesame, and lychee, are served generously, so a single scoop is plenty. Stop by after dim sum or any meal in Chinatown and you won’t be disappointed.

Chinatown Ice Cream Factor, 65 Bayard St. Chinatown

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory

It would have been easy for me to dismiss this place because it only offers six flavors. But if New Yorkers will walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to come here, they’ve got to be on to something. My friends and I stopped by after a pizza dinner at nearby Grimaldi’s. Perhaps the reason for its popularity is its suggestion that ice cream is the new health food.

Health food or not, the ice cream here was quite nice, better than a lot of those shops that have more than 20 flavors on any given day. We made sure not to let it distract us from enjoying the nighttime view of the Manhattan skyline visible from the shop.

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, 1 Water Street, Fulton Ferry Landing Pier

Photo by: yosoynuts

Blue Marble Ice Cream

This eco-conscious shop – it runs on renewable energy and uses biodegradable cups and spoons – began after one of its owners moved to Brooklyn and couldn’t find a decent scoop of ice cream in her neighborhood. As an ice cream snob with a green heart, I’ll go as far as saying that it’s easily one of my favorites in all of New York’s boroughs.

I sampled a taste of matcha green tea before settling on a mini scoop of blackberries and cream, which I ate at one of the adorably decorated tables. Any establishment that uses locally-sourced ingredients and goes out of its way to make a minimal environmental impact gets extra points from me.

And even better yet, the owners are very globally aware and have started a nonprofit, Blue Marble Dreams, to help establish an ice cream shop in Rwanda and raise the spirits of its people.

Blue Marble Ice Cream, 420 Atlantic Ave. Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

Sugar Sweet Sunshine

Need an excuse to eat a cupcake? Sugar Sweet Sunshine will give you ten. And at just $1.50 a pop, a fraction of what other bakeries will charge, it’s hard to resist the sassily named cakes, like Sunshine (vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream), Bob (vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream) and Lemon Yummy.

Vanilla-frosted cupcakes come in a variety of sunny hues. The chocolate frosting is jazzed up with almond flavor, and there are two types of red velvet – sexy with a satin buttercream, or sassy with a chocolate almond frosting. I went for the owner’s favorite, the black & white (chocolate cake with vanilla frosting), which was nice and sweet, although the standouts seem to be the pistachio and pumpkin.

Even if it lacks the hype of some of its more famous counterparts in the city, it’s attracted a loyal following with its customers, and has even earned a mention in the Zagat guide.

Sugar Sweet, 126 Rivington St. Lower East Side

Cones

Bleeker Street is lined with great eats. Cones stands out not only as the best ice cream shop on the block but also one of the best in the city. OK, so there isn’t much competition in its environs, aside from the ubiquitous Pinkberry and Red Mango, and the ultra-pricey Italian import Grom. But don’t let the no-frills interior deter you from the 24 flavors of delicious ice cream.

Photo by: micheung

The Argentine ownership is evidenced by offerings of dulce de leche and mate. I sampled the mate and corn, both quite nice, and convinced the staff to squeeze two flavors into my small cup – Andean blackberry sorbet and strawberries and cream.

Cones, 272 Bleeker St. West Village

Magnolia Bakery

Made famous for its cupcakes by Carrie Bradshaw and friends, this old-fashioned bakery was the place where the craze for those childhood birthday treats began. If you like your cakes intensely sweet, you’ll be happy to know that Magnolia’s are liberally frosted with buttercream.

While the chocolate and vanilla cupcakes are the top sellers here, I personally prefer the specialty banana caramel and hummingbird varieties. Don’t forget to sample the other treats here – the mini cheesecakes, particularly the key lime, are also worth a try. Come during an off-peak hour, otherwise be prepared to wait in a line that wraps around the corner.

Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleeker Street, West Village

Billy’s Bakery

No matter how much people rave about Magnolia’s cupcakes, I think they’re for the most part pretty ordinary. There’s really no reason for them to be topped with that much frosting, making them so tooth-achingly sweet.

I’m one of the few people who will dare say that Billy’s Bakery in Chelsea, which offers many of the same treats, is better. It’s probably the only place where I’ve been tempted to get the vanilla vanilla (called the yellow daisy here), just because of its flowery name.

One of its specialties is the banana layer cake with cream cheese frosting, which I opted for in cupcake form. The atmosphere is so cheery here that I could easily stand for hours, watching the staff frost cupcakes.
Billy’s Bakery, 184 9th Ave. Chelsea

Milk & Cookies Bakery

Even if you’re not the type of person that would go to a bakery and get the most basic of all cookies, the chocolate chip cookies here are worth a try. They’re made from an oatflour dough that give it an extra crisp that set it apart from all other chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever tasted. There are plenty more to choose from, of course, and you can even help yourself to free samples. If you can’t decide on just one cookie, you can get three for $5.
Milk & Cookies, 19 Commerce St. West Village

Photo: atomicshark

Harry’s New York Bar – Paris, France

Open since 1911, Harry’s is an institution in Paris. Word on the street is that they make a heck of a Bloody Mary.

What to expect: A hearty brunch of pumpkin soup, rotisserie turkey in bourbon, coleslaw, yams, cranberries, pecan pie, etc. California wine is also served. Tables must be held with a deposit of €48 (about $71).

T.Y. Harbor Brewery – Tokyo

Photo by: ebarney

T.Y. Harbor is a restaurant and brewery on the Tokyo waterfront. They cook up primarily American cuisine and brew their own beer.

What to expect: Roast turkey with stuffing, corn chowder and all the fixings, plus pumpkin tart for dessert. ¥ 4000 (about $45)

Bodean’s – London, England

Bodean’s is known for their ribs and BBQ. Owner Andre Blais wanted to bring a restaurant to London that felt like Kansas City.

Photo by: seandreilinger

What to expect: A Kansas City styled Thanksgiving menu going for £18.95 (about $32).

Kansas – Buenos Aires, Argentina

Highly rated all over the web, Kansas is another restaurant looking to bring the feel of Kansas to another country. Why? Who knows.

What to expect: Turkey, stuffing, cranberries, vegetables and pecan pie for 58 pesos (about $15).

The Orchard – Beijing, China

The Orchard is said to be a garden paradise right in the middle of a growing part of Beijing. The restaurant is known for its healthy cuisine and using ingredients grown in its garden.

What to expect: Roasted turkey, stuffing and all classic trimmings for 220 rmb (about $32).

Bourbon St.

Photo by: gadgetgirl70

Bourbon Street is an American owned and operated Cajun/Creole styled restaurant. Expats give it rave reviews on the comfort food tip.

What to expect: A Thanksgiving buffet serving anything you could crave for 899 baht (about $27).

Malone’s American Cafe – Shanghai, China

Known for its pub style food, Malone’s is your typical sports bar (except it’s located in China).

What to expect: Large Thanksgiving dinner for 300 rmb (about $43) per person.

Do you have insider tips about the best Thanksgiving dinners around the world? Feel free to share them in the comments, although we’d appreciate it if you don’t explain what a giblet is.

Community Connection

Looking to flip the bird recipe this Thanksgiving? Be sure to check out our Five New Turkey Recipes at MatadorLife.

Photo: rusvaplauke

The book, available for viewing and download on the couple’s website, JonsiandAlex.com, features an eclectic compilation of curries, dressings, soups, libations, and desserts that all have one thing in common: none of the ingredients are cooked.

From the website:

“The book holds a small collection of our home-made, Good Heart recipes. These recipes gather fresh and beautiful ingredients and are simple and easy to make. We hope this book will encourage improvisation and experimentation… so feel free to substitute your favorite ingredients in and out as you like.”

Though the food photos are less than stellar and the handwritten notes can be a bit hard on the eyes, after years of offering up their creative souls to the public, Jonsi and Alex are now serving their personal lives as well. Clicking through the recipe book, it becomes startlingly clear just how open and inviting the two are. Fans will undoubtedly appreciate this intimate look into the domestic side of Jonsi and Alex.

Interested in healthy cooking? Author of The Adventure Cookbook Sofia Brandon wrote her book after quitting her stressed corporate lifestyle to travel the world and focus on her health again.

Want to learn more about Iceland? Filmmakers Thomas and Tim had the fortune of being shown around Reykjavik by a local everyman. You can catch the video here.

Earlier this month, MatadorTrips Editor Hal Amen reported on Iceland being named the #1 economic tourist destination of 2010.

Additionally, Matador editor Paul Sullivan documented his trip to the fascinating country in this beautiful photoessay.

Interested in Icelandic culture? Want to show some love to Jonsi and Alex? Leave your comments below!

Happy Eater of Fish and Chips Photo: lloydi, Feature Photo: davinaware

While our neighbours the French enjoy long, leisurely lunches and fine wines in elegant restaurants, we eat our main meal at the bus stop, drink our own body weight in warm lager and then cradle a donner kebab on the way home like it’s our only friend. We consider chips and curry sauce a square meal and we do unspeakable things to peas.

But many of us love food, really we do. In fact, Britain is a haven for foodies if you know where to look. Thanks to immigration, our lack of culinary snobbishness and our willingness to try anything once, you can find anything you want in the supermarkets on this rainy isle. Even better, unlike Rome or Madrid, you can literally eat your way around the world in London.

However, if you’re keen to sample more traditional British fare, here’s what to look for:

Fish & Chips

Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas Photo: psd

Saying you’ve had British food after trying fish and chips in Leicester Square is like claiming you know all about Italian Cuisine after eating in Pizza Hut.

Instead, do it properly at The Fish Club in Clapham Junction where you can get Red Mullet and Sweet Potato chips to go with your mushy peas.

Otherwise, head to the coast and look for any traditional ‘chippie’ where the queue snakes out the door.

Bangers & Mash

Bangers and Mash Photo: avlxyz

Nobody does comfort food better than us. On a miserable cold day with a hangover to mop up, sausages, mashed potatoes and gravy are just the ticket.

In London, The S&M Café in Islington is the place. Film buffs may recognise it as the café used in the Mod classic Quadrophenia.

Chicken Tikka Massala & Basmati Rice

Chicken Tikka Massala Photo: michaelwhays

No one in India has ever heard of our number 1 favourite dish. Lovingly made just for us, the chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spices before being cooked in a creamy tomato sauce and sprinkled with fresh coriander.

Most British expats would sell their own families to get hold of one of these bad boys.

Check out The Good Curry Restaurant Guide to discover the best Indian English joints.

Traditional English Breakfast

If you’re planning on pounding the streets all day, this is for you. The breakfast of champions and fat workmen, fried eggs, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, bread and tomatoes are followed by toast and tea.

Finish it and you’ll never need to eat again. Ever.

Ploughman’s Lunch

Ploughman’s Lunch Photo: dainee

Britain and Ireland produce some of the best cheeses in the world and that’s a fact, ladies and gentlemen. Look out for strong mature Cheddar, crumbly Wensleydale with Cranberry or blue Stilton.

Order a pint of real ale and a ploughman’s lunch (cheese, bread and pickles) at the Mark Addy in Manchester and you’ve got the real deal.

Scottish Salmon, Jersey potatoes and Norfolk crab

You’ll forgive the Scots for their deep-fried Mars Bars when you taste their salmon. Best served with new potatoes and a salad, Scottish trout is pretty damn fine too. For succulent crab, head to Norfolk on the East Coast of England.

Beer & Pub Grub

If you want to learn about England, go to the pub. Get a drink down a cold stuffy Englishman and before your very eyes he’ll turn into a loquacious comedian. Buy him a couple more and he’ll dance on your table with his underwear on his head.

Besides the in-house entertainment, the pub is the place to sample Britain’s one true passion; beer. Traditional hand-pulled English bitter is darker than lager and an acquired taste. If you like it, let The Good Pub Guide or Camra’s Good Beer Guide show you the way.

To soak up some of the alcohol, rich meaty casseroles like Beef Wellington or Lancashire Hotpot are just the thing.

Sunday Lunch

Roast With Yorkshire Pudding Photo: Annie Mole

It takes some preparing but by God it’s good. Whether you plump for roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (small rounds of thick pancake batter which are baked and smothered with gravy), lamb with mint sauce, pork with apple or chicken with sage and onion stuffing, this is a feast made for sharing.

Crack open a bottle of wine and then sleep it off in front of the TV. If you really can’t make your own, The Albion in London’s Islington have won awards for theirs.

Pudding Heaven

Treacle and Cornish Ice Cream Photo:Kai Hendry

Sweet-toothed travellers need to come to Britain. Frankly, we rock when it comes to pudding.

Rhubarb crumble with Cornish vanilla ice-cream, the meringue shaped heart attack that is Eton Mess, treacle tart, the delightfully named Spotted Dick, they are all utterly delicious and unashamedly designed to make you fat.

If you’re in the North, make a pilgrimage to Bakewell in the Peak District for great trekking and the hands-down mother of all desserts, Bakewell Tart. In London, stuff your face in style at The Brew House in the grounds of a stately home.

Oddfellow’s, Toronto

The Apple Pan, Los Angeles

Kuma’s Corner, Chicago

The Vortex, Atlanta

Father’s Office, Los Angeles

Melt Bar, Lakewood, OH

Arthur’s, Hoboken, NJ

Sunburnt Cow, NYC

Shake Shack, NYC

Trailer Park, NYC

Community Connection

Burger lovers might take a peak at Japan’s recently-launched Windows 7 Whopper. Pizza fans would do well to eyeball The Five Worst Pizzas In The World. And lastly, if you can stomach it, check out our Five Recipes That Require Brains.

Photo: dontcallmeikke, Feature Photo: expecting t0 fly

Only a society hell-bent on the instant satisfaction of its basest needs at rock bottom prices could possibly generate the cuisine that follows. Don’t blame other countries for their love-hate relationship with the country that brings addictive, disgusting foods to their cities that both repulse and attract.

They know it’s disgusting and so do you.

I agree with Patton Oswalt that these are one step away from food in a squeezable tube or eating from a trough. KFC layers cheese on gravy on starch upon starch and tops it off with some chicken that is half its weight in deep fried chemical laden breading.

Photo: shareski

The best part? It can all be shoveled in with a plastic spoon. No time need be lost manually cutting one piece from another, and you can forget about all that pesky chewing – the only part you’ll need teeth for is the chicken, the rest can literally be sucked down. Mmmm-mmmmm! 720 calories of nearly drinkable goodness!

If you want to get freaked out about fast food, look no further than the McRib. Food Facts will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about something you probably should never have put in your mouth. We know it’s not the first time, but in this case, there’s documentation. “Boneless pork” is the primary ingredient in the McRib sandwich patty – a “boneless pork” sandwich meant to look like ribs in much the same way a Fisher Price hamburger looks like a hamburger.

Photo: jluster Drink in the plastic pallor of the “meat”.

This substance sounds edible, but remember that cartilage is not bone, nor are anuses, lips, intestines or eyeballs. In this case “boneless pork” could be just about anything from the pig with no bone. Food facts shows the inside of one of these babies and the texture of the gray “meat” close up showing its particle board texture beneath a blistery surface of “skin”. At 490 calories, I have seen dogs turn their nose up at a piece of McRib.

McDonalds takes it off the menu and then puts it back on promoting its availability much in the same way the Rolling Stones promote their geriatric selves – “It’s back.” I guess we’ve all forgotten the hauntingly similar catchphrase from Poltergeist II.

Photo generously provided by: GrubGrade.com

Much like a “Bowl” from KFC, this half-pound item from Taco Bell does not require any silverware. Simply slurp down deep fried potatoes with the Bell’s signature seasoned colonic spasm initiator (ground beef), nacho “cheese”, and reduced fat sour cream. It’s important when inhaling half a pound (510 calories or 680, depending on your source) of non-nutrients that the sour cream be reduced fat.

I’m not sure that I need to say any more. I think this photo from Grub Grade speaks volumes.

You can thank White Castle for this absolutely appalling name for a sandwich. Apparently the launch of this product was unfortunately timed, coinciding with a major outbreak of the swine flu and I am unable to find any evidence of its current availability. This probably foreshadows a re-release in the style of McRib.

The slogan for this aptly named “sandwich”?
Sweet. Saucy. Oh so naughty.
Um. I wasn’t planning on having intercourse with it.

Pulled. Pork. Slider. Masturbation. Lubrication. Greasy things “sliding” – in or out – we don’t know – both, I guess. Like every other fast food chain, White Castle counts on our sexual desires being sublimated by engineered food that we can stuff our faces with without having any person to person exchange beyond the question, “Would you like fries with that?” and the possibility that flesh will touch flesh as change is passed through a window. Ever available, it’s hot and ready for you. In one hole and out the other.

Witness the wormlike texture of the pork. It kind of makes you wonder what it was pulled from, doesn’t it? If this is the approved propaganda, we can only imagine the heinousness that the real sandwich would be. Worse than anything a grim, hairnet wearing school lunch lady could unceremoniously ladle onto your tray for sloppy joe day with a wet plop, imagine yourself gleefully and drunkenly devouring these in your car by the dozen and keep your fingers crossed that their return is nigh.

How do you make one of mankind’s greasiest and least healthy foods less healthy than it already is? Form it into balls and deep-fry it, coat it with sugar and serve it with frosting. What evil empire could devise such a horrible and unhealthy food? Hardee’s. Just when you thought that biscuits and sausage gravy were the pinnacle of non-nutritive breakfast foods, Hardee’s launches an ad campaign to grab your attention.

How many times can you hear “a hole” and not look at the TV?

While you may actually be eating “a holes” when you’re dining on a McRib, Hardee’s wants you thinking of “a holes” while you dip your balls into white cream that you bought in a six-pack. In this way, the homoeroticism of eating cream covered “a holes” shaped like balls can be brought back to the heartland in a non-threatening way. How many orders do you think Larry Craig has swallowed? Way to go, Hardee’s.

Count the seven beef patties that make the Windows 7 Whopper.

Japan.

This burger is the equivalent to seven quarter pounders at 1.74 lbs. If what Gizmodo has to say about Windows 7 is true, the new OS will make things go more smoothly on your computer in inverse correlation to what the Whopper 7 will be doing to your arteries and intestines.

Below, see Cheapy D from CheapassGamer.com as he does battle with the behemoth burger. According to the video, the burger goes for about $14 US. As Cheapy D states of his rendevouz with this artery clogger during the Window 7 launch party, “We’re gonna be having our own launch party as soon as we’re done with this.” You need to see this if only to see the real burger in comparison to everyday objects, like people’s heads.

Enjoy!

Community Connection

If this burger makes you feel like a size queen, check out Whopper Virgins: How Burger King Looks at People Worldwide on Brave New Traveler.

And please, if you’re virgin to neither Windows 7 or the huge Whopper above, we’d love to see your comments below!

Diners seated on decorative toilet seat lids at Modern Toilet Restaurant
This and all Photos Courtesy of Arman Rin, Jr.

With 13 locations in Taiwan and growing, perhaps acknowledging the end point of the food’s trip through our internal water slides (even as it’s being eaten) is an idea whose time has come.

Tables are sinks replete with drain holes (above and left). One hardly knows whether to call this space (lower right) a booth or a stall.

You might think it’s avant garde, but the site says, “In an age where creative marketing is king, even feces can be turned into gold!” betraying what seems to be a purely commercial impetus for a theme that could pass for modern art. Were the toilet seats attached to plumbing, one could imagine world records being made while patrons competed to remain just where they were, processing their meals on the spot.

Chopsticks sport a toilet demanding a kiss (above and right). Delectable bowlful of food presented in a yellow toilet (bottom).

Perhaps it’s a testament to the strength of the cuisine that customers don’t lose their appetites, but the kitsch decor sublimates the in-your-faceness of a bathroom themed restaurant. Far from being scummy or intimidating, Modern Bathroom Restaurants bristle with cleanliness. A look at the website’s locations page shows variety in the design of each branch.

The website chronicles the chain’s story. The Modern Toilet legend began where all great ideas begin – on the porcelain throne. The unnamed soon-to-be-entrepreneur was struck by inspiration and soon opened the first location under the demure name ‘Marton Restaurant’. Serving only desserts with a decidedly fecal look turned out to be more exciting to the general public than it may have been presumed to be, and soon Modern Toilet was born (don’t ask from which orifice and we won’t either).

The signature ice cream served in a mini-urinal (top). A “fountain” drink to give Duchamp a run for his money (lower left). Deep-fried goodies served in a tiny bathtub (below, right).

There are vegetarian selections on the menu, and the website’s interactive message board means you can make your own reservation or maybe even steal someone else’s.

From the contact page:

Eating ice cream shaped like pooh
While sitting on the toilet!
Sounds twisted? You bet!
How about toilets everywhere you look
while you eat?
Believe it or not, plenty of people have
tried it – and enjoyed it!
When it comes to Toilet Ice Cream,
Many have heard of it, but few dare to try it.
After all, it sounded like crap, and looked like it too.
This changed when the Modern Toilet Restaurant
Opened in Kaohsiung City.
Lively atmosphere, spotless environment
We make it fun to eat ice cream from the toilet!

So take a seat anywhere you like. You can see there are a variety to choose from.

Special thanks to Arman Rin, Jr. for letting us use his awesome photographs!

“A good place to let yourself go” is an original slogan of Modern Toilet Restaurant.

Community Connection

Just have to know more about Modern Toilet? You’re in luck.
Check out Eva Holland’s piece on Matador Pulse or read a first hand account by Robing Esrock on Brave New Traveler.

Photo: P_R_ , Feature Photo: Photocapy

Chile’s unusual geography and long straggly coast, means fish, meat, fruit and vegetables are all in plentiful supply. Vegetarians will have an easier time of it than in neighbouring Argentina and although Chile is more expensive than Peru or Bolivia, bargains can be found at lunchtime wherever you see the ‘menu del dia’ sign.

The Italiano

Photo: magical-world

Despite the name, hotdogs don’t get more Chilean than this. Smothered in chopped tomato, mashed avocado and about 3 pints of mayonnaise this is Chile’s fast food of choice. Lose the avocado and you’ve got yourself a completo. Many swear by the Santiago chain Dominó.

Sopapillas
If you’re got the munchies after a night out and aren’t counting your calories, sopapillas are just the thing. Pumpkin and flour are shaped into patties before being deep fried and slathered with pebre, a delicious sauce of tomatoes, onion, garlic, chilli, coriander and lemon that Chileans just can’t live without. Cheap as chips and sold on street corners everywhere, there’s also a sweet version served with sugary Chancaca sauce.

Empanadas

Photo: IntangibleArts

Popular all over South America, empanadas are pastry-wrapped portable pies similar to an English Cornish Pasty. Baked or fried and with a selection of fillings, meat based Pino is the filling of choice for locals. Aficionados head to Pomaire (a small village famous for its pottery just outside Santiago) for the stomach-expanding ½ kilo version. The best in the land (and write in if I’m wrong) are at Los Hornos de Rio Seco in Cajón del Maipo’s San Alfonso.

Cazuela de Ave
A stalwart during the winter months, Cazuela is a rich, soupy casserole full of goodness that’s perfect for dunking your bread into. Chicken on the bone is cooked in a nutritious stock with hunks of pumpkin, potato, carrot and corn on the cob. True carnivores can check out the beef version, Cazuela de Vacuno.

Paila Marina

Photo: devlinleedrew

Seafood fans will think they’ve died and gone to heaven when they see this. Traditionally served in an earthenware bowl, every conceivable type of shellfish is thrown into this traditional seafood stew along with herbs, spices, garlic and plenty of coriander. Best eaten in the Southern coastal towns, it’s pretty darn good at El Rincón del Pancho in Valparaiso’s Mercado Cardonal too.

Pastel de Choclo

Minced meat, chicken, raisins, black olives and eggs are crammed into a pie dish and then topped with a layer of creamy mashed sweetcorn and a sprinkle of sugar. It may sound weird but it tastes delicious. Every Chilean mum will tell you that hers is the best.

Photo: P_R_

Chorillana

Ooh this is dirty and wrong but it feels so right. Usually big enough for two, a massive plate of greasy chips is covered in fried strips of steak, onion and scrambled egg. Your heart will hate you but your taste buds will be begging for more. Studenty Casino Social J Cruz in Valparaiso serves the best.

Curanto
The pride of the island of Chiloé, Curanto is traditionally prepared over hot stones in a hole in the ground. Shellfish, meat, potatoes, vegetables and potato bread and covered with nalca (Chilean rhubarb leaves) and left to cook for an hour or so while everyone knocks back a few glasses of red wine.

Humitas with Chilena Salad

Photo: Cobalito

Summer is the best time for veggies to come to Chile, if only to try the humitas. Made from parcels of fresh corn, onion, basil and butter, they are wrapped in corn husks and then baked or boiled. Served with a sprinkle of sugar and a tomato and onion salad (Chilena), these babies are deliciously, deceptively filling.

Porotos con Mazamorra

Chilean country-folk have a knack for cooking beans and this dish is the pick of the bunch. A warming stew made from fresh beans, pumpkin, ground corn, onion, garlic and cumin, this ‘poor man’s food’ is proof that you don’t need to be rich to eat well at the bottom of the world.

Calzones Rotos (Ripped Knickers)

Photo: roboppy

Ok, so there are better desserts than this, but none with a name this good. A flat fried pastry twisted into shape and topped with icing sugar, sweet-toothed Chileans can’t resist them. Look out for the soft round pastry sandwiches filled with gooey caramel known as alfajores too. They are guaranteed to liven up long bus journeys and make great presents.

More Food On Matador

Dig food from South America? Don’t miss our Guide To Eating In Brazil and also take a gander at our Ceviche Primer. Those who over-indulge might follow Matador Nights’ Tom Gates as he eats his way through the world, with recent stops in Berlin and Bangkok.

Café Rico knows beans. Photo by:enkerli

Café Rico

A pioneer in providing fair trade coffee in Montréal, Café Rico is a simple (yet excellent) place to grab a fresh cup of coffee or quick food like sandwiches, soups and pastries. This busy address has now expanded into a small and more elaborate restaurant next door.

Café Rico is located on the Plateau Mont-Royal at 969 Rachel E. street on the corner of Boyer near the Parc Lafontaine (15-20 minutes walk from either Sherbrooke or Mont-Royal metro stations). Free Wi-Fi available. Cash only. ($5-10)

Cream cheese and peanut butter sandwich at Santropol.
Photo by: Canucklibrarian

Santropol

Born over 30 years ago as an alternative café in an area deprived of restaurants, Santropol has evolved into an eclectic and charming venue that offers a generous menu. There are more than 30 large sandwiches, all of which are a force to be reckoned with.

On the ethical and socially engaged front, Santropol is hard to beat. The café has been distributing its own fair trade coffee for many years. It also runs a community kitchen that delivers meals to elderly people, it’s pioneered green roofing projects in the city and has been holding several ongoing workshops related to sustainable living and ecology.

Santropol is located on the Western bank of the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood in an area known as the McGill ghetto (full of university students) at 3990 St-Urbain on the corner of Duluth street (15-20 minutes walk from Mont-Royal or Sherbrooke metro stations). Credit cards are not accepted. ($10-20)

TribuTerre Bistro

Previously known as ‘Tibet Libre’ this cooperative endeavor has expanded its operations and moved to a new location. It offers vegetarian, vegan and a few meaty meals, all mainly inspired by Italian cuisine.

Raw spring roll at Crudessence. Photo: katerinerollet

Most of the ingredients used are organic and local, including organic beer and wine. The stars of the show are the perfect pizzas – even the vegan cheese proves to be drool-worthy. Other simple, delicious options include pasta dishes, paninis and tapas.

TribuTerre makes excellent food but it is also on a mission: 1% of its profits are donated to organizations working with cultures in peril (such as Tibetans, with whom they have worked for several years). It is also active in the local community and promotes social, ecological and economical awareness.

TribuTerre is located North-East of the Plateau Mont-Royal at 2600 Jarry E, corner of 2nd avenue (either get off at Jarry metro station and take a bus going east on Jarry street or get off at St-Michel station and take a bus going north on St-Michel blvd). ($10-20)

Crudessence

Riding the craze for raw food, this young and small restaurant offers an original and delicious menu of uncooked meals and juice. Crudessence aims to embody and promote respect for all living things by providing a truly ethical eating experience. All of the food they serve is organic and locally grown.

Highlights include a raw lasagna made from sliced zucchini, portobello mushrooms and a creamy cashew sauce. There are many other unique offerings on the menu, like the sunflower curry pâté sushi and a creamy vegetable/nut mousse in a dried tomato crust.

Crudessence is located on the outskirts of the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood at 105, Rachel W. street, near the corner of St-Urbain (15-20 minutes walk from Mont-Royal metro station). ($15-35)

Eat in the dark at O Noir. Photo: mburpee

O Noir

Both a culinary adventure and an exceptional opportunity to experience what it’s like to be blind, O Noir welcomes you into its completely dark restaurant. Tasting, touching and engaging in conversation take on a depth you may never have experienced before.

There are no shortages of enticing plates at O Noir. A big favorite is twice-roasted peppers with warm halloumi cheese, capers and olives. For carnivores, the five spice fillet mignon is a sure bet.

The food is prepared and served by visually impaired people. 5% of the benefits from the restaurant are distributed to local organizations which serve the blind community.

O Noir is located downtown at 1631 Ste-Catherine West, near Pierce street (5 min walk from Guy metro station). Reservations are often necessary in the evenings and especially on the week-ends. ($20-35)

More Food On Matador

Not full yet? Check out our 10 Essentials For Switching To A Vegan Kitchen. Feel free to also indulge your inner foodie by eyeballing Anatomy of a Smörgåsbord. Those looking for a new take on Thanksgiving should take a peak at our five new turkey recipes.

The Hawaiian Bastard.

Pronto Pizza – La Serena, Chile

This creator of this restaurant should be thrown in jail. You’re looking at a picture of what should be called The Hawaiian Bastard.

It arrived half-cooked. I had to dig through a thicket of shredded ham, pineapple and –yes – cherries before finding a bite that seemed reasonable.

Imagine if candy was made out of ham. No, don’t imagine it as delicious. Imagine it as foul! That’s what this pizza tasted like. With additional pieces of uncooked, shredded, part-skim mozzarella.

Oh, and let’s discuss the concept of cherries on pizza: No. End of discussion.

Even the pizza sweats in Argentina.

Te Pizza el Gallo – Buenos Aires, Argentina

For the most part, don’t even bother with pizza in Buenos Aires. It’s about the most disgusting thing ever cooked in a country full of things that are perfectly cooked. Get thee to a meatery and skip this nonsense.

Don’t believe me? Witness big goops of cheese that taste like year-old butter. Add Oregano to cover the sweating fromage, which overpowers any hope for a cohesive taste. Toss on green olives the size of human testicles, just to make the whole thing seem even less palatable than…testicles.

The cheese is the problem here – somehow the Argentines know what to do with the meaty part of the cow but they have no idea what to do with the milky part. It sweats as if masturbating, defending a pie of oozy things that can’t be wiped up with a paper towel (it adheres to the slop and only makes it worse).

If you must eat a pizza in Buenos Aires, I highly recommend that you eat out. Anything delivered will arrive on one side of the box, looking more like a swollen eye than a pizza pie.

Yes, the Italians can make a bad pizza.

San Marco S.R.L., Piazza San Marco, Florence, Italy

It’s one of those In Theory pizzas, kind of like the crazy-combo pies that chains launch and pull before the coupon hits your mailbox. Yes, this is a French Fry Pizza.

What it amounts to is a pile of potatoes cooked in greasy cheese and pizza dough. It doesn’t work – not in the least. I watched another tourist give it a go and she couldn’t figure it out either. She squiggled a little ketcup onto her piece, took a bite, then threw it in the garbage. I assume that she pointed her hunger towards McDonalds shortly thereafter.

Please, put this miserable, suffering beast of a pizza down.

Evil has a name. It’s whatever this pizza is called.

Suba Galaxy Hotel, Mumbai, India

A foul, atrocious pizza awaits anyone staying at The Suba Galaxy.

I broke budget in order to stay in a soundproofed room that blocked out Mumbai’s consistent howl. My stomach growled for something familiar and eventually I gave into the most primal of urges: Room Servive. The tray arrived, the lid came off and I could have cried. This was not my beautiful house. This was not my beautiful wife.

I implore you. DO NOT EVER put onions inside of a pizza, especially ripe and uncooked offenders. I’d also like to suggest that feta doesn’t work in this context and that mystery greens are not generally acceptable in any form.

This pizza was devious, deceptive and evil.

Turn left at the tree. Head west until you hit Italy.

Italian Pizza, Lonely Beach, Koh Chang, Thailand

You’re thinking that it doesn’t look too bad, this one. This is only because you’ve seen the above pizza pictures. It’s relative, sir/mam. Look at it again. It’s awful!

The first thing that most Thai pizza-makers do is start with a pre-made base, kind of like you’d find in aisle six of Stop & Shop. Many times, they’ll take just about any kind of jarred tomato sauce (I’ve seen Ragu) and add it to cheese that tastes a bit of dirty socks and coriander. The pizza pictured is a fine example.

Yes – It serves us Falang tourists right for ordering pizza in Thailand. Yes – we should know better and just order the Pad Thai like every other backpacker. But no, we can’t resist the promise of a real pizza.

It’s the ladyboy of the food world – we know it’s not real but by-gosh, we’re going in anyway.

We want to hear your pizza nightmares! Feel free to comment below and PLEASE link to a picture, if you have one.

Seattle’s International District: Ken Lund

Enjoying Bubble Tea at Oasis Tea Zone: Special*Dark

Ah, bubble tea. At the Oasis Tea Zone, you can chose from a wide range of flavors for this popular Asian drink including coffee to Thai tea to lychee. Order it as a slushy or get it more on the milky side, but don’t forget to ask for the squishy tapioca pearls.

519 6th Ave S, #120, Seattle, 98104, 206-447-8098

The Real Pho from Green Leaf: mahalie

There’s a lot on the menu at Green Leaf, but pho is the way to go. On dreary winter days, there’s nothing like slurping down this hot Vietnamese noodle soup.

The broth comes in a huge bowl with noodles and your choice of meat. Also choose from cold and crunchy cilantro and bean sprouts, and flavor enhancers like basil and lime. Start off with some fresh spring rolls and you’ll soon forget the rain has long since turned you into a prune.

418 – 8th Ave. S, Seattle, 98104, 206-340-1388
www.greenleaftaste.com

It’s not great food, but for under $5 you’ll get a pot of tea, a cup of soup, and some deep-fried, sugar-coated, Chinese-American food over white rice at Ga Ga Loc. The menu is small but includes standards like sweet and sour chicken. Good enough for lunch, the service is always great, and you’ll leave full.

424 Maynard Ave. S, Seattle, 98104, 206-521-8933

A sushi selection from Maneki: pixie_bebe

You have to plan ahead for dinner at Maneki, but it’s worth the finagling. It’s been around since 1904 which means it survived Japanese internment. These folks know what they’re doing.

How many restaurants can say one of their dishwashers later became the 66th prime minister of Japan? Inexpensive sushi and sashimi and an array of traditional Japanese dishes make for a memorable dinner.

304 6th Ave S, Seattle, 98104, 206-622-2631
www.manekirestaurant.com

What the Tamarind Tree lacks in tastiness for dinner, it makes up for with its dessert. The restaurant is tucked away in non-descript strip mall, but inside it’s delightfully inviting. The enclosed patio with its toasty heaters make dining al fresco cozy, even in winter.

Order anything from the grilled banana cake to the three bean slush, or pick from their array of homemade ice cream—it’s all great. Just stay away from the durian ice cream—unless you demand that your dessert taste like lighter fluid.

1036 South Jackson Street, Suite A, Seattle, 98104, 206-860-1404, www.tamarindtreerestaurant.com

Bento lunch from Uwajimaya (also seen as feature photo):
Jake of 8bitjoystick.com

Uwajimaya, the district’s Asian supermarket, is an overwhelming whirlwind for the Asian food lover. There’s a whole aisle of noodles, and another of tea.

Even if you’re not grocery shopping, you can eat here. The food court has a handful of reasonably priced restaurants serving pho, Thai, Korean and more in a hurry. I recently downed a plate of Rama noodles over baby bok choy smothered in a rich, creamy peanut sauce that had me scraping the sides of the disposable carton it came in.

600 5th Ave S, Seattle, 98104, 206-624-6248
www.uwajimaya.com

One of the varied selections from Unicorn Crepes: armadilo60

One of the magical things about the ID is Unicorn Crepes. If the window display of plastic crepes here seems scary, try one anyway. The ingredients are sometimes bizarre (the chili cheese hot dog crepe, to name one) but the thin, airy pancakes are dreamy.
421 6th Ave. S. Seattle, 98104, 206-652-0637

At the Panama Hotel, history is steeped into your tea. The hotel’s coffee and tea house is charming with its creaky wood floors and old photos of the district, but it has a story, too. It’s the only intact Japanese Sento bathhouse in the U.S., with two marble baths in its basement.

Look through the glass over a cut-out in the floor to see belongings left behind by the Japanese residents when they were sent to internment camps. Oh, and the tea’s great, too.

605 S. Main St., Seattle, 98104, 206-515-4000
www.panamahotelseattle.com

Jenny’s Cafe, Hongdae, Seoul

Intimate, funky, homemade. Nothing fancy, just done well. My wife and I used to treat ourselves to this place once a week (well, twice if we felt we really deserved it).

Creamy squash soup, salad, sauteed mushroom sandwich on fresh bread, glass of wine. That’s it. Their other location, tucked away more elusively in a different Hongdae neighborhood, scores points for its gnocchi, but you can’t beat the original. And this in a city where you can get the most delicious Korean food on any corner.

It’s that good.
-Hal Amen, Matador Trips Co-Editor

Gordo Taqueria, San Francisco, CA

I love Gordo because the same people make the burritos every day and they know what they’re doing. It’s the only meal in SF that can fill me up for less than $7 and they’re just so damn good! I eat at least 3-4 of them/week and I can’t think of any other food or restaurant that I could eat so frequently without getting sick of it.

I’ve been eating at Gordo for over 15 years and I’m sure I’ll be eating there for the next 15. www.gordotaqueria.com
-Ross Borden, Founder

Guijie Dajie, Beijing

Photo: preetamrai

On “Ghost Street” in Beijing you can eat meat skewers of all kinds (from your obscure internal organs to straight up beef and chicken), gong bao chicken like you’ve never had it anywhere else, small plates of cucumber salad, thinly fried potatoes, sauteed veggies with garlic, veggie skewers in sichuan pepper paste, sizzling sichuan fish brought to you live in a bag for your approval…and did I mention the 5 yuan tall Tsingdaos?
- Sarah Menkedick, Matador Abroad Co-Editor

Marvin, Washington, DC

Southern comfort classics meet Belgian charm and refinement in this restaurant that’s a tribute to Marvin Gaye’s time spent in self-imposed exile in Ostend, Belgium.

Photo: abbyladybug

A bevy of different moules frites, foie gras and onions, and the best fried chicken and waffles are among the impeccable menu at Marvin, which is located in the historic Shaw Neighborhood on U Street, the heart of jazz and soul in the District.

Add to that an amazing rooftop beer garden and the speakeasy Gibson located around the back, and Marvin will easily be one of the most interesting, unique, and delicious places you’ll ever visit. www.marvindc.com
-Jason Wire,Matador Contributor At-Large

The Ivy, Los Angeles

Photo of The Ivy in all its preppy glory: ChrisYunker

Oh, I know. It’s ridiculous. I’m supposed to be the guy who picks the tin shack in Laos, not the place with a $19 hamburger and valet parking. Somehow, though, I’m charmed by this little faux-house and the celebs that come here to have their paparazzi smeared.

I think that it’s the kind of place I dreamed of as a kid in Wallingford, CT, a place that I surely shouldn’t be allowed into, coming from a town full of townies.www.theivyla.com
-Tom Gates, Matador Nights Co-Editor

Neisha Thai Cuisine, Tyson’s Corner, Virginia

Photo of Pad Thai: closari

Heavily frequented by native Thai customers, a clear indication of its authenticity, its Pad Thai dish is sinfully decadent. Basil and sweet chili aromas wafting out of this joint hypnotizes you before you even step in, and the right amount of oils and spices in every single dish seals the deal.

Be sure to grab a frequent customer card to get some sweet discounts.www.neisha.net
-Lola Akinmade, Matador Goods Editor

La Bodega, San Martin de los Andes, Argentina

In Argentina, a bodega refers to an old-school meal-hall, the kind of place with a set menu of just four or five dishes each day, usually simple and cheap and hearty. The Bodega in San Martin de los Andes is run out of a really cool house–three or four different rooms upstairs and down, most with long tables for family-style dining. Here they serve house red wine out of ceramic penguins.

Photo of Bife de Chorizo: Stella Dauer

Whatever you get will be all-time and the chef and his wife will come check in with to make sure you’ve eaten enough, asking if you want a ‘chapa,’ which is like seconds, thirds, etc. I’ve had some super fat Bife de Chorizo here, Lomo, and also lentil stew. There’s always a vegetarian option, and like nearly everywhere in Patagonia the produce is locally grown–with La Bodega sourcing many of its ingredients from the garden onsite, straight up farm-to-table style.

After dinner there’s fresh-picked mint-tea. The sweetest thing about this place though is you can make reservations for dinnner at one of the private upstairs rooms with sofas, bean-bags, and coffee tables plus TV / DVD / VCR and movie selections from the video store. While you’re watching the film the muchachas will just slip in every once in a while to grab your plates, see if you want coffee, dessert, more mint-tea, or just more penguins.
-David Miller, Matador Senior Editor

Mart 130, Melbourne

This small, old cafe used to be a station master’s building on the tram platform. You can sit inside, outside the front which looks onto a serene Albert Park, or outside the back on the actual old platform and watch tram passengers get on and off on the trams’ regular runs.

The portions are healthy and the quality is fantastic. I recommend the pancake stack with mascarpone, berry compote, and authentic Canadian maple syrup (with a side of bacon, if you will) accompanied by a steaming latte.
-Carlo Alcos, Matador Trips Co-Editor

Blind Faith Cafe, Evanston, IL

Photo: swanksalot

As a vegetarian, I end up eating a lot of pasta when I go out to restaurants with friends. Blind Faith Cafe is wonderful because it caters specifically to vegetarians and vegans – the menu’s completely meat-free. While their offering changes pretty frequently, they’re wizards with seitan, and anything that features it is probably worth trying.www.blindfaithcafe.com
- Adam Roy, Matador Sports – Contributing Editor

Montego Bay, Sandton, South Africa

On Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, South Africa lies this amazing seafood restaurant, Montego Bay. You can sit outside on the square and enjoy some of the best seafood from the land-locked city. While all of the seafood is exquisite, the langoustine was divine and something I had never quite experienced before.

Reasonably priced, great atmosphere, and excellent food makes this one of my favorite restaurant in the world. Montego Bay is certainly going to be on the list of places to dine when I go back for the FIFA World Cup in 2010.http://www.montegobay.co.za
-Lindi Horton, Matador Sports Intern

The Vietnam Kitchen, Louisville, Kentucky

Photo of Vietnamese Spring Roll: stu_spivack

The Vietnam Kitchen in Louisville is frequented by many homesick Vietnamese from the neighborhood and it’s also the haunt of hipsters who trek to the South End of Louisville to gorge themselves on catfish in a clay pot or the perfect, plump spring rolls served with a sweet sauce garnished with peanuts you might want to eat by the spoonful.

Reasonably priced, the atmosphere may leave something to be desired as you’ll be dining under a florescent glow. If you’re there for the food, you won’t be disappointed. I knew a group of guys that got the number of their favorite dishes tattooed on. Hardcore. (Reviews and address here.)
-Kate Sedgwick, Matador Nights Co-Editor

Parker Pie, West Glober, VT

My favorite restaurant is Parker Pie in West Glover, Vermont, a pizza pub in back of an old-time Vermont general store. Parker Pie is miles away from the nearest paved road, but it’s always packed with Northeast Kingdom locals eating pizza or drinking beer around a campfire in the backyard. www.parkerpie.com/
-Tim Patterson, Matador Man At Large

Giovanni’s – London, England

I cannot help it – I love Italian food, and I love this spot. It’s just in Covent Garden, and it’s a wonderful tiny cafe with all the vibrancy of Italy. I’m almost embarrassed to admit that my favourite Italian restaurant is in England, but I have never been disappointed by the wine, food or service here. I also really enjoy Burgoo, located out here in Vancouver BC on Main Street – their French onion soup is worth the wait. (Reviews and address of Giovanni’s here.)
-Alexandra Barrow, Human Resources Director

Astrid y Gastón, Santiago, Chile

I hate it that my favorite restaurant in Chile is both pricey and Peruvian, but if that’s what it takes, so it goes. Astrid and Gastón plays with sweet and sour, textures and delicious ingredients. The quinoa-encrusted giant prawns are delicious, and the for dessert the fried rice pudding served with cinnamon ice cream might just make you cry.www.astridygaston.cl
-Eileen Smith, Community Outreach

Thai Tom, Seattle, WA

Photo of Thai Tom’s durable menu: closari

Line out the door, totally legit, hole in the wall Thai joint. Anyone who has been to Thailand will attest, those that haven’t, Thai Tom gives you a taste. It is hot, crammed, and the cooks work their magic right in front of you. Complete with dingy, Bangkok style bathroom! Fried tofu with peanut sauce is not to be missed.
-Joshua Johnson

Restaurant Salzamt, Vienna, Austria

If you look up gemütlich in the dictionary, this is what you should find. Vienna has some of the best cuisine of any capital city I’ve been to in recent memory, and Salzamt offers a wonderful blend of both the old world and modern Viennese kitchen.

The interior is a cavernous, vaulted space but the best seats are outside, in an old cobblestone courtyard next to one of Vienna’s oldest churches. The atmosphere is almost electric as violins in the distance fill the area. Although every course is fantastic, this is no time to skip dessert as the pastry chef really makes miracles come true. (Frommer’s Review)
-Andy Hayes

Good Earth, Fairfax, CA

Photo: Nikchick

Ok, this may be a cop-out, but considering I’m the queen of needing gluten-free, dairy-free and preferably organic foods, I gotta say my favorite restaurant is actually the Good Earth grocery store in Fairfax, CA. I can almost always eat every single thing on their hot foods bar, including the scrumptious black bean, sweet potato and brown rice croquettes and cooked greens that are to die for.

Plus, they’ve got a bomb-ass curry chicken salad with raisins in the fridge, right up next to some coconut-yes I said coconut-tapioca pudding. When I’m living there, the staff sees me at least twice a day, and the store gets at least half of my yearly income. Good stuff.www.goodearthnaturalfoods.net/l
-Christine Garvin, Co-Editor, BNT

Mama Schnitzel’s, Sihanoukville, Cambodia

This place was a happening little open-air joint that served up simple chicken sandwiches that were shockingly delicious. It was the kind of place were you constantly heard people talking about it and would think “Nah, there’s no way it’s that good,” but then a single bite would transform you into a true believer.

The atmosphere was always chaotic and full of backpackers either coming to or from the beach. The owners also supplied paper and markers free of charge so the notes written in dozens of languages plastered the walls. Some humorous, some lewd, some insightful, it definitely gave it a fun vibe. (Mama Schnitzel’s on facebook)
-Frank Johnson

Horseman’s Haven Café, Santa Fe, NM

Photo of Green Chile Stew: stu_spivack

Favorite Restaurant is of course more of a moment in time than it is a place you can go back to (or recommend to a friend).

Back in the early divergence of Cuban currencies, there was a ropa vieja at a homey paladar overlooking the Malecón, now lost in the notebooks. Locos con mayo at the market in Puerto Montt. Lamb tajine in Ouarzazate. Four courses of goat cheese at the chèvrerie above the sweltering Loire.

But today, for lunch, the way I feel, if I could have a seat anywhere in the world, it’d be in one of the naugahyde booths at Horseman’s Haven, way down on Cerrillos, before a bowl of Level 1 green chile and a pile of warm flour tortillas. And a cold Budweiser. (Reviews and address here.)
-David Page, Contributing Editor

Zad

The reason there is no picture of a falafel here is because I whoofed it in thirteen seconds. Located in the Turkish section of Kreuzberg, Zad makes some of the best food in town. Every item in the display is made fresh each morning and only served after it’s been blessed. Blessed food is still scarfed food.

€2.50 Falafel. Reichenberger Str 84, Kreuzberg

Impression: Food with soul. Mood: Ready to Go.

Kreuzburger

Kreuzburger is where the locals go to beef up. I wasted no time in ordering cheeseburger, which was exactly the size of my fist. Toasted bun, slightly spicy burger sauce, loads of pickles, white cheddar, lettuce and tomato. As close to perfection as you can get in Europe (c’mon, we all know there’s no meat in your meat).

€3.00 Cheeseburger. Oranienstraße 190, Kreuzberg

Impression: Burgers aren’t rocket science. Mood: Digesting.

Curry 36

No foodie tour of Berlin would be complete without a round of currywurst at Curry 36, the most famous wurst stop in town. For the uninitiated, the dish in question looks like an oversized hotdog that’s been dressed in curry ketchup, with a warm bun on the side.

Lines often go around the block but I was lucky, hitting some magical hour where only a few of us whoofed the best wurst. Everyone from bankers to cabbies stood around me, wolfing down some of the best mystery meat ever put to paper plate. I wasn’t the only one who licked mine clean.

€1.70 Currywurst. Mehringdamm 36, Kreuzberg

Impression: Worth the hype. Mood: Gurgly.

Pagode

Berlin is gaga for Thai and so am I. Pagode does it better than any restaurant I’ve been to outside of Thailand, probably because they fly ingredients in twice-weekly from Southeast Asia. Four irritated women whiz through dozens of orders in minutes, barking pickups through a PA system that projects towards the curbside picnic tables.

I’ve went for the Tom Yam Gai, a particularly risky post-currywurst choice. I felt my insides begging for mercy as I ladled big spoonfuls of the spicy soup into my gullet. If you ever find yourself in Berlin, point yourself to this place. It’s incredible.

€3.20 Soup Bergmannstrase 88, Kreuzberg

Impression: It doesn’t get any finer. Mood: Potty?

Solo Pizza

Berlin is filled with these little storefront pizza joints, all displaying massive pizzas that are difficult to walk past without a second or third glance. They’re all pretty much the same and are all frigging delicious.

Knowing that I had to pace myself, I skipped the spicier options (Spicy Potato, Salami) and opted for a Rucola slice – a margherita topped with shaved parmesan, tomatos and rocket leaves. One piece is enough to fill most anyone.

€2.20 Slice. Danziger Str. 7, Prenzlaeur Berg

Impression: On the money. Mood: Burpy

Kadewe

Kadewe’s sixth floor is the most delicious place on earth. This massive food hall is set up so that each counter also serves as a restaurant, where a chef can make most anything that’s in the display case. There’s food from all over the world, including an “American Section” that stocks something for every craving, from Bisquick to Thousand Island to Pop Tarts.

I opted for something German, hitting a booth that sold ten different kinds of Wurst. Dude handed me a plate with a massive sausage, homemade saurkraut and a big dollop of mustard. I wasn’t particularly hungry but I ate it all.

€5.70 Meal, Kadawe “Department Store Of The West”. Tauenzienstrasse 21, Shoneberg

Impression: Pricey but unique. Mood: Broke and ready to barf.

“Shop”

As bloated as I was, I took one for the team and grabbed a pastry-y thing on the way home. Most U-Bahn stations are good for fast food, some of them containing dozens of shops and stores. I was only able to choke down a few bites of this tasty treat.

€1.00 Streuselschnecke, U-Bhf. Kottbusser Tor

Impression: Sweet. Mood: Gone too far.

Hot Dog Man

Unwise. But how often are you going to run into a man with a full hot dog setup resting on his hips? These guys (and girls) make the rounds outside of U-Bahn stations and sport a full grill contraption, ready to serve dogs that are so big they won’t fit in a roll. Two bites later, I called it a day.

€1.20 Most U-Bahn stops, especially Alexanderplatz.

Impression: Processed meat is scary. Mood: Done. Totally done.

All Photos: Tom Gates

More Food On Matador

Not full? Be sure to check Tom’s binge in Bangkok. Feel free to also indulge your inner foodie by eyeballing Anatomy of a Smörgåsbord and Matador Nights’ ongoing obsession with carbonated beverages.

What’s in your churrasco? Photo: paulandaline

Feijão and Farofa

This, served with rice, is the number one dish in Brazil. Feijão is black beans that have been boiled with onion and garlic. Sometimes the beans are cooked with pork, in which case it is called feijoada.

Farofa on top of feijão with a helping of rice is sublime. These dishes will generally accompany any meal that you have in a Brazilian restaurant and will always be in abundance at the all-you-can-eat and per kilo restaurants.

Açaí

Elsewhere in the world açaí (a berry-like fruit) is criminally expensive and normally exists as a powder mix or concentrate. In Brazil, it can be found on every corner, available as a juice, milkshake, ice cream or blitzed up with granola for a special treat.

Amazing Açaí. Photo: smelliesocks

Churrasco

Argentina gets all the glory for great barbecue but Brazil can offer more than ample competition. Their sirloin (picanha in Portuguese) is a beautiful thing – a huge lump of meat covered in rock salt cooked high over a barbecue tenderized to perfection.

You will need to go to a churrascaria to get this but beware: Asking for a complete churrasco will mean you get every last piece of the animal barbecued, from the chicken’s heart to the pig trotters.

Maracujá

There are so many types of passion fruit in Brazil that each one has its own name. Maracujá is by far the best. Chopped in half and eaten with a spoon it will provide a blast of citrus-y goodness. It also makes a good alternative to lime in caipirinhas.

Cajú. Yep, that’s some strange fruit.

Coxinha com Catupiry

Snack food in Brazil almost exclusively consists of fried parcels of meat. Coxinha is a personal favourite; a cone containing chicken at the top and mashed potato at the bottom, with a flour coating.

It is especially good with catupiry (cream cheese), which is sealed inside the coxinha next to the potato. One of these is enough to keep hunger at bay for a few hours. On long journeys, their presence at every service station is a godsend.

Pudim de Leite (Pudding of Milk)

This is a classic pudding made from condensed milk, fresh milk, eggs and sugar. It is a circular dessert of white jelly-like sweetness with a caramel-style bottom. They are available as tiny snacks or as huge puddings which can be taken home for all the family to enjoy.

Aipim Frito

Made from yams and fried as cubes, aipim frito are very similar to chips, yet with a tougher consistency. Very good with salt and ketchup!

Bolo

Brazil loves cake, which they call bolo. In fact, it is one food that can be eaten at any time of the day. It is available at restaurants, corner shops, street vendors and generally any place that sells any type of food.

Beans, beans, good for your heart. Feijão. Photo: trasel

Bolo is often made with corn flour (polenta) instead of wheat flour and is sometimes made with a combination of the two, giving it a different texture entirely. Try flavors like chocolate, pineapple and coconut.

Pastéis / Empadas

I have mentioned coxinhas but perhaps even more popular for snack food are pastéis. These are very similar to empanadas or pasties and will generally have a beef filling. They can be bought on the street ridiculously cheap but can also be bought in restaurants, where they offer a huge variety of flavours.

Empadas are also worth trying. These are cooked in the oven and are like a tiny pie. They will normally have the same fillings as pastéis, but will often also have a vegetarian option.

Cajú

The cajú fruit is perhaps most well-known for giving us the cashew nut, but it’s quite a tasty fruit itself. It can be eaten whole but my preference is mixed in a juice as solo it can be a little bitter.

You will recognize the fruit in shops, as it will have what looks like a giant cashew nut attached to the top of it. When the nut is in this state it is highly allergic to eat and will most likely bring the devourer out in a horrible rash. The nut it needs to be roasted before you can eat it.

All photos from YouTube video, ITN

According to YouTube:
Gruesome body parts greet customers of a bakery in Ratchaburi, Thailand. Artist and baker Kittiwat Unarrom has sculpted life-like heads, feet and hands from dough in the bakery’s kitchen and exhibits them in glass cabinets in the shop. He says his edible art lures one hundred visitors a day.

Unfortunately the video isn’t subtitled, but according to the blog Shape and Colour,
Unarrom says of the work, “When people see the bread, they don’t want to eat it. But when they taste it, it’s just normal bread. The lesson is: Don’t judge just by outer appearances.”

Unarrom comes from a family of bakers and so the choice of bread as a medium is understandable.

The finished work could be said to demonstrate any number of concepts. The consumption of flesh as a part of culture, the ephemerality of art and life, the knowledge that our bodies will be subsumed by the earth and become fuel for new life – these are just a few that easily come to mind.

Do these special loaves have meaning to you? Do you find them sacrilegious, disgusting, hilarious or especially interesting? Please share your opinion in the comments field below.

Community Connection

Can’t get enough weird foods? Check out Pele Omori’s article 11 Weird Japanese Foods and Nellie Huan’s Dog Meat and Rooster Balls: The 10 Most Exotic Asian Foods.

Feel like whipping up something weird of your own? How about something that requires brains? Check out Tom Gates’ Five Recipes That Require Brains

I moved to Edinburgh for the month of August and couldn’t escape this distinctly orange soda, which Scots seem to down in pints or liters. It’s so pervasive that a past commercial even showed a midwife trying to talk a baby out of its mother’s womb by offering one to the unborn child.

No good has ever come of anything this orange.

What does it taste like? A bit like carbonated bubble gum, so sickeningly sweet that I found it difficult to drink more than three gulps. The drink’s bite is so alarming that it is no surprise to find that Irn-Bru is rumored to have thirty-two flavoring agents in its recipe.

The recipe itself is closely guarded. According to Wikipedia, “The ingredients in Irn-Bru are a secret and known only to Robin Barr, the Chairman, and one unnamed person (who are not allowed to travel on the same plane together). A copy of the recipe is kept in a bank vault in Switzerland. Robin Barr himself mixes the essences of the drink in a sealed room at their headquarters in Cumbernauld once a month.”

Creepy? Creepy.

The Irn-Bru website contains a bevy of information about the soft drink, including past advertisements. The company is quite famous for its button-pushing ads, like the one featuring a gorilla and the tag line “Give Me Irn-Bru Or I’ll Shuffle My Nuts In Front Of Your Mother.”

Perhaps the world’s weirdest drink. If you don’t agree already, just check out the advert below.

You Gonna Drink That?

Fascinated by beverages? Be sure to check out strange discovery in Argentina, as well as some of the world’s other strangest libations.

Photos – left: Bonfire Tacos, right: Bonfire Cocktail, both courtesy Adam Pieniazek

Here’s a pick of the best places to tuck in at the terminal.



Bonfire, Terminal B, Boston Logan International, USA


If the thought of eating steak with a plastic knife doesn’t deter you, then this outlet of the Todd English empire is hard to beat.

The South American influenced steaks and speciality cocktails will certainly keep you going well into your flight. If you’re looking for a lighter option, the cantina menu has an assortment of upscale tacos.

JFK airport also has two Bonfire restaurants (Terminals 2 and 7).




Ah Yee Leng Tong, Hong Kong Airport

Meaning ‘auntie’s beautiful soup’, the written name of this popular Chinese eatery implies that auntie is some sort of second wife or mistress.

Photo: taiyofj

Despite such illicit connotations, the kitchen dishes up a variety of wholesome Cantonese soups made from traditional blends of herbs and spices and served alongside such Asian delights as black chicken and Dim Sum. A great tonic for a hangover.
 



Altitude, Geneva International Airport, Switzerland


You know you can’t go wrong when two of the chefs at this establishment have a Michelin star for their city centre restaurant.

Photo of Jura Mountains from a plane: dsearl

A newcomer to the airport fine dining scene, Altitude opened in late 2008 to rave reviews. Glass windows line one side of the dining room, affording fantastic views across the tarmac to the Jura Mountains.

The creative dishes on the sophisticated French global menu range from the ‘Passagiatta Italiana’ (a stroll in Italy) to the ‘Voyage d’une Canette en Asie’ (Asian variations of ducking).

Eyecon, Terminal 2, Copenhagen Airport, Denmark

Scandinavian tapas, anyone? Eyecon is a bright and pleasant restaurant and watching the chefs in the open kitchen is a fun way to pass the time.

The focus is fresh and healthy; try the fish tapas featuring Danish salmon, prawns and fish plate.

The quick menu (3 small courses and a dessert all served within 15 minutes) is a great idea for those in a hurry.



Encounter, LAX, , Los Angeles, CA., USA

Encounter must be the world’s most bizarre airport restaurant. With its 135-foot high parabolic arches and futuristic design, it’s like a giant flying saucer.

Photo and Feature Photo: dannysullivan

Located in the heart of LAX, you don’t even have to pass security to come here.

The menu is typical modern Californian fare (ahi tuna tartare with seaweed salad) and there’s a fun cocktail lounge where you can sip on a Black Hole or The Milky Way.




Himmel & Erde, Terminal 1, Frankfurt, Germany 


Created and developed by local restaurateurs Harry Dehnhardt and Andreas Lucas, ‘Earth and Heaven’ has a trendy yet cosy atmosphere.

There’s a variety of stylish international dishes or try the German peasant dish after which the restaurant is named.

A hearty plate of pork/bacon, mashed potato and apple sauce, is great fuel for any onward journey.



One Flew South, Terminal E, Atlanta Hartsfield, USA 


Claiming to be the first upscale restaurant in the world’s busiest airport, One Flew South serves ‘Southernational cuisine.’

Photo: Franco Folini

How about the pan roasted snapper with collard greens and crab grits? Many of the dishes have an Asian twist and there is an extensive sushi menu as well.

The calm interiors are made of native heart pine and you feel like you’re sitting in the woods in Georgia.

Plane, Terminal 5, London Heathrow, UK 


Plane is Gordon Ramsay’s first airport addition to his international restaurant realm.

Photo: kalleboo

Hoping to bring a little class to air travel (though judging by his language, not a personal aim), Plane has a Michelin-worthy menu and offers 3 course picnics for travellers on the go.

The clean and aerodynamic lines of the restaurant’s ultra-modern interior are evocative of flight itself.


Top Air, Stuttgart Airport, Germany 


Photo from inside the Stuttgart Airport: brewbooks

Chef Claudio Urru is a bit of a food fanatic and his belief in ‘less is more’ must be working as Top Air is the only Michelin starred restaurant within an airport.

Can’t decide between the Wagyu beef or the New Zealand langoustines?

Make sure you leave room for the chocolate souffle and Riesling ice cream.

The outstanding views overlooking the runway and the mountains of Schwäbische Alb match the quality of the food.


The Hump, Santa Monica Airport, California, USA


People come to Santa Monica airport just to eat sushi at The Hump.

Photo: stevelyon

With the fish flown in oxygen-filled tanks daily from the markets of Tokyo, it’s no surprise.

If you’re lucky enough to have your own plane, parking is available for light and twin-engined aircraft right outside the door.

If you want to know the best place to grab a bite at your local airport, check out the following forums for insider tips: Chowhound.com, FlyerTalk.com and AirlinePilotForums.com



]]> http://matadornights.com/food-on-the-fly-the-best-airport-restaurants/feed/ 5 http://matadornights.com/10-spots-in-chicago-for-byob-dining-eat-well-and-save/ http://matadornights.com/10-spots-in-chicago-for-byob-dining-eat-well-and-save/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:05:28 +0000 Katie Hammel http://matadornights.com/?p=1039

Photo: lu_lu

Drinking at dinner is one quick way to shoot your tab through the roof. Thanks to Chicago’s quirky liquor laws, you can cut down on the expense at BYOB – bring your own beer and wine – restaurants all around the city. Here are some of the best places with no or low corkage fees.

Mixteco

1601 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

Featuring upscale Mexican food at reasonable prices, Mixteco is one of Chicago’s most-popular Mexican BYOs. Think carne asada and chicken in traditional Oaxacan mole.

Photo: QuintanaRoo

Prices are reasonable at about $15 per entrée, portions are substantial and service is stellar, but make reservations or be prepared to wait indefinitely.

What to bring: Complement the smoky flavors of mole with a hearty red like a Spanish Rioja, or get festive with tequila and margarita mix or some bottled sangria

Terragusto

1851 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613
http://www.terragustocafe.com/

In the Italian corner, Terragusto reigns. Serving up generous portions of country Italian cuisine, Terragusto offers a great value to price ratio.

The 4-course traditional meal is the best deal. For under $40, each diner selects an appetizer like crostini or salad and a secondi such as wagyu beef on polenta or egg pasta tossed with braised duck. Then each set of two diners shares a main course like steak del giorno or whole roasted fish.

What to bring: Invest your savings in more wine. Start with a refreshing prosecco, bring an aged Italian red like Brunello or Barolo for the main, and finish with a light Moscato d’Asti.

Bonsoirée

2728 W Armitage Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647
http://www.bon-soiree.com/

Photo: ewwhite

Bonsoirée promises “a revolution in BYOB” and it delivers. Most days, diners chose from 4, 7, or 13-course menus. On Saturdays, those who subscribe to the “Underground” mailing list are treated to a special $85, 6-course gastronomic feast.

The menu changes monthly but will also feature expertly prepared cuisine featuring fresh local ingredients inventively prepared and artfully presented. This isn’t just a meal, it’s a culinary journey that generally takes about 2 hours to complete.

What to bring: Depending on how many courses you opt for you, you may want to bring several bottles (it’s always better to have more than to run out), which the server will pair with each course.

Smoque

3800 N Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60641
http://www.smoquebbq.com

Get your barbecue fix at Smoque. The menu is limited, featuring just ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken and sausage with a few sides. After one taste of the tender, smoky barbecue you’ll realize it offers everything you need, though, especially when dinner for two can be had for around $15.

What to bring: Nothing complements good old barbecue like a cold beer. Bring a six-pack, or two, or your favorite brew. A hoppy IPA goes particularly well with barbecue.

HB

3404 N Halsted, Chicago, IL 60657
http://www.homebistrochicago.com/

This Boystown favorite pulls no punches when it comes to quality “comfort food” with an upscale twist. On the ever-changing menu you might find offerings such as wild boar and cranberry sausage, fried quail on waffles, or a lamb burger with brie on a pretzel roll.

The tiny kitchen and solitary server never keep diners waiting and often go above and beyond the call of duty – it may be the only place the waiter will volunteer to run across the street to procure more wine if you’ve run out.

Photo: andysternberg

What to bring: HB’s eclectic offerings pair well with a wide variety of flavors. Bring a few different options or stick with mild profiles like Pinot Noir, dry Chardonnay, or a crisp ale.

Tango Sur

3763 N Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL 60613

There’s always a line at this Argentinian steakhouse, but head to the back room to sip your wine while you wait and the time will pass quickly.

Start with some flaky empanadas or gooey, melted provoleta cheese, and then share a heaping platter of tender, juicy, Argentinian beef filets.

After enjoying a steak dinner for two by candlelight for under $50, you just might feel like you’ve been transported to Buenos Aires.

What to bring: Argentine Malbec, of course.

Nookies Tree

3334 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657
http://www.nookiesrestaurants.net/

For a more casual BYOB experience, head to the classic diner Nookies Tree. Nosh on classics like BLTs, burgers, Cobb salads, and clam chowder while sipping your favorite beverage in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

Come for breakfast armed with champagne and make a few mimosas to complement your eggs Benedict or blueberry pancakes.

What to bring: Whatever tickles your fancy.

Tac Quick

3930 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60613

Photo: lobstar28

This tiny joint under the Sheridan L stop serves up some of the best Thai food in Chicago. All the classics are here, like crab wontons, pad Thai and massaman beef curry.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, ask for the secret Thai menu to try specialties like duck sausage and smoked goat.

What to bring: Tone down the spice of Thai food with a dry white like Pinot Grigio.

Friendship Chinese

2830 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
http://www.friendshiprestaurant.com/

Located on a desolate strip of Milwaukee Avenue on Chicago’s northwest side, Friendship is worth the trek. Chinese take-out dishes are re-imagined and made worthy of the sleek space and trendy scene they are served in.

The panko crusted champagne lemon chicken and spicy merlot beef particularly stand out. For extra savings, go on a Tuesday when all entrees are $8.95

What to bring: Balance the spice of most dishes with a light, sweet white, like a Viognier, or cool down with a Belgian wheat beer with hints of fruit.

Toro

2546 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614
http://torosushi.biz

Photo: motko_fujita

The secret is out about Toro – the place many consider to offer the best sushi in Chicago. Expect to wait an hour or more during prime times, or come early to get your fill of delicious fresh nigiri and inventive maki rolls.

With most of the rolls clocking in around $5, two people can gorge on chef Mitch’s crazy creations for under $30. 


What to bring: Pair delicate fish and spicy wasabi with a semi-sweet Riesling, or go Asian with some Sapporo beer or a bottle of sake (which the staff will happily heat and serve in a traditional ceramic carafe).

Community Connection

Have any other recommendations for Chicago area restaurants? Let us know in the comments!

]]> http://matadornights.com/10-spots-in-chicago-for-byob-dining-eat-well-and-save/feed/ 4 http://matadornights.com/hairy-crab-not-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/ http://matadornights.com/hairy-crab-not-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 04:22:25 +0000 Kate Sedgwick http://matadornights.com/?p=532 Preparing to appreciate a culture, we are often seduced by the idea of an exotic type of food we’ve never had or an experience much touted by other travelers to the region. Sometimes the hype just doesn’t live up to the experience.

Photo: * etoile

In a New York Times article from September, 2008, food critic Michelle Green writes of one such meal when she partook of hairy crab on a visit to Shanghai.

Is it the fact that you choose your hairy crab live and are thus assured of its freshness? Is the name itself, the blatantly sexual sound of it, part of the reason that foodies worldwide proclaim its virtues as a heavenly, must-try food?

Green and her friends did everything right. They chose a restaurant – Wang Bao He – much loved among hairy crab fanatics. They questioned the waitress to make sure they were ordering the most succulent preparation. They ordered the wine that is said to be the perfect compliment.

In the end, the writer describes this experience:

“The smell,” said Terry, “is like dirty river water.” Under the carapaces lurked gelatinous black deposits; instead of sweet meat, we discovered stringy, bland flesh.

Photo: Dennis Wong

Apparently the hairy crab has fallen victim to not so stringent pollution regulations, the market for it rife with counterfeiters.

Don’t ask me how to counterfeit a hairy crab. I couldn’t begin to tell you.

Tried something that couldn’t live up to the hype?

Gone somewhere just because of all the ecstatic prior visitors who made it seem like the hottest spot ever only to find something worse than ordinary?

Tell us all about it below!

]]> http://matadornights.com/hairy-crab-not-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/feed/ 6 http://matadornights.com/random-restaurant-review-authentic-italian-in-bangkok/ http://matadornights.com/random-restaurant-review-authentic-italian-in-bangkok/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:29:09 +0000 Tom Gates http://matadornights.com/?p=93

I’d been craving pasta for two months and was not going to give my re-virginized self to just anyone.

I’m glad I saved it La Buca in Sukhumvit–ten tables, a wall of imported wine, and Mr. Oreste, a dude from Tuscany who can motherf’ing cook.

Tucked down Soi One, La Buca is a genuine find. It’s not as cheap as the dives on the main strip, but it’s just…real. Oreste listed two specials when I walked in, then pondered a minute and threw out two more, both that he had definitely made up on the fly, given the ingredients in back.

I went for a simple salad and spaghetti aglio/olio but…eh…how do I explain this?

It’s almost a greater achievement when a restaurant can cook something simple perfectly, without over-doing it or taking for granted how easy it is. My eyes did the rolling-up thing after each bit– just the right amount of everything.

La Buca has an old-school dumbwaiter that comes from the kitchen, delivering goodness with ring of a bell that must have been created 30 years ago (zrriiiiiiiiing). Oreste grabbed a chair after I was done chowing, telling me his story as I pumped him for details.

He had been a cook for 30 years in Europe, scraping together enough money to start a restaurant somewhere. He opened here seven years ago, with his best friend telling him that he’d be closed within six months. He’s since given that guy the big Ba Fongule and kept a stream of steady customers.

<>

2007 was a big year but he admits things have fallen off over the past 12 months. Japanese businessmen aren’t walking in with credit cards as often and people have begun sharing appetizers.

It also doesn’t help that pedestrian traffic on this Soi is rather subdued, on account of there not being any chicks throwing their boobs in your face and offering massages.

I’m going back tomorrow, unable to control myself. Other guys may be headed for hand jobs around the corner but me, I’m drooling at the prospect of the eggplant parmigiana– Mr. Oreste promised me that he’d go hunting for the ingredients in the morning, excited to deliver something off-menu and requested.

I left just as a guy from Brooklyn walked in with his 22 year old Thai girlfriend. He sat down quickly and started ordering, not even looking at the menu. “I don’t care. Just give me some fuckin’ pasta.”

(La Buca. 220/4 Sukhumvit Soi 1. 089-2166514 or casorest@truemail.co.th)

]]> http://matadornights.com/random-restaurant-review-authentic-italian-in-bangkok/feed/ 1 http://matadornights.com/title-bangkok-binge-eating-101/ http://matadornights.com/title-bangkok-binge-eating-101/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:05:27 +0000 Tom Gates http://matadornights.com/?p=94 One man’s quest to eat as much shopping center food as possible (in one day).

Siam Paragon:

The food court here was massive, spotless and buzzing with life. I grabbed a lemon iced tea, a bbq chicken stick and a spicy chicken noodle curry (which I immediately spilled on my lap). The stalls ran the Asian gamut, from steamed buns to bird knuckle. There’s something for everyone. Might be the best in BKK. Ignore the McDonalds.

Impression: Dreamy. Mood: Homer Simpson after a beer.

MBK Center:

Known best for its 4th floor bootleg phone orgy, this is a great place to grab a coffee and watch as tourists get taken for Very Special Price. I couldn’t resist picking up a dessert that resembled a taco with white fluff and stringy squash. Delicious, despite a crunchy consistency.

I then followed employees into a tiny alcove with a vat of bubbling meat parts. I pointed. “That please.” I’m happy to pretend what I ate was chicken with rice. Woof. Ignore the Burger King.

Impression: Dizzying activity with tasty snacks. Mood: Spiked on sugar.

Siam Discovery:

This one was a bit of an up-scaler, with few food options. I did my writer’s duty and hit Starbucks, jacked myself on caffeine and scribbled bad coffee-shop verse. Overpriced muffins still taste like over-priced muffins here. Ignore the Starbucks.

Impression: Good for furniture, bad for food. Mood: Perturbed.

Siam Center:

A mall that could just as easily be in Hartford, complete with a building-wide system that blared JT bitching about having 15 minutes to save the world. I did a very brave thing and tried a green tea and grape jelly shake at Mr Shake, wishing that I hadn’t after one sip.

I hightailed up to the Food For Fun floor, preparing for (their words) a fast, funky, flirty (?) feast. Imagine my surprise when I saw that they served stewed ox genitals with chinese herbs. I could only think of one F for that – f’d up. Instead I ordered some undeniably amazing mango sticky rice. Avoid the Sizzler.

Impression: Manageable and full of options. Mood: Close to hurling.

Centralworld:

“Get yourself ready for Kiehl’s!” announced a sign at the entrance. I stopped, unsure how exactly to get myself ready for the arrival of boutique moisturizer. This mall had the best AC and I sat on a bench for thirty minutes, just soaking up the icy air.

Sadly, the food court was jammed behind frozen foods on the top floor. I instead opted for a grilled cheese at The American Restaurant, completely falling for their slogan (”Hey dude, come in and taste for yourself.”). I also have to admit that also bought a shirt at a store called Trendytown. Ignore the Dunkin Donuts.

Impression: Biggest mall I have ever seen. Mood: Fat.

The Gaysorn:

I wasn’t even hungry but I rolled myself into this place because a) it had “gay” in the name and I’m really eleven years old b) it looked pricey. Inside I found about nine people shopping. It would appear that now is not the best time to treat yourself to a Tiffany watch.

I was able to find some green tea for $3 US, hoping that it would somehow digest everything gurgling down below. It only made my gurgle more green. Ignore everything.

Impression: How could one city substantiate so much shopping? Mood: Glad to be finished.

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All Photos: Tom Gates

]]> http://matadornights.com/title-bangkok-binge-eating-101/feed/ 13 http://matadornights.com/barbecue-around-the-world/ http://matadornights.com/barbecue-around-the-world/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:16:30 +0000 Ross Lee Tabak http://matadornights.com/?p=89

Photo by haglundc

In a worldwide look at BBQ, we found there’s as many ways of doing it as there are chefs.

Where I’m from in North Carolina, you haven’t had barbecue until you’ve had our barbecue. It’s a matter of regional pride, just as much a cultural and social phenomenon as a culinary tradition.

People all over the world take the same pride in their barbecue. What is it about cooking over a smoldering pit that brings out the best in people?

Here are 7 places to put on your BBQ map:

1. United States

From Carolina pig-pickin’s to Kentucky mutton, the idea is the same everywhere- an outdoor party with friends, food, and beer.

American barbecue has its origins in the 1800s, when poor farmers would capture semi-feral pigs when food was scarce. Though beef and chicken both hold sway, pork remains the staple of most barbecues.

The meat is generally unmarinated before being put on the grill, where it’s brushed with whatever kind of sauce is available or popular. More than anywhere else, American barbecue makes use of specific kinds of wood to impart flavor in the meat: in Texas, mesquite brush is common, but hickory and oak are more readily available elsewhere.

Outside the South, culinary specifics often take a back seat to the social aspect. You’re more likely to find burgers, hot dogs, and vegetable skewers than pulled pork at a BBQ, but the soul of the barbecue is alive and well.

2. Korea

Photo by dane brian

Unlike its American cousin, Korean barbecue usually looks more like a meal at a restaurant than a summer block party. The meat comes raw as patrons sit at a special table, cooking their meal on a charcoal or gas grill in the middle. Cuts of beef, pork, and chicken are the norm, most marinated in a garlic-soy sauce mixture.

Barbecue has become synonymous with Korean cuisine outside its homeland. The unique blend of cooking and dining has made it popular the world over, and Korean food can be found in nearly every major city on Earth.

3. South Africa

South Africans call their barbecue braai, from the Afrikaans word for roasted meat (braaivleis). Developed by Dutch immigrants, the braai has become a pervasive tradition across racial lines in South Africa. Like most barbecues it’s very much a social event, and the role of braaier (head chef) is a coveted position.

The range of meats used shows the braai’s many cultural influences- sausages, kebabs and steak are all standard fare. A traditional Bantu porridge called pap, similar to grits or polenta, is a popular side dish.

4. Philippines

If you’ve ever been to a Filipino party, you probably remember the enormous roasted hog. Called lechón, no celebration is complete without a whole pig roasted over hot coals. The pig is brushed with its own fat, keeping the meat moist and the skin crunchy. Whole chickens and cattle are occasionally used as well.

Photo by lemuelinchrist

Lechón is so popular in the Philippines that it can usually be found year-round in street stalls and restaurants. Derived from a Spanish tradition, variations on lechón can be found throughout Latin America and the Caribbean as well, especially during the week of Christmas.

5. Australia

Much to my dismay, no real Australian has ever said “Put another shrimp on the barbie” seriously. The whole thing came from an American advertising campaign with Paul Hogan (of “Crocodile Dundee” fame) –Australians actually say “prawn” instead of “shrimp.”

Still, Australia is a country that loves its barbecue. It’s so popular that many public spaces actually have coin-operated grills, and with so many great beaches to have cook-outs on it’s no surprise the tradition has taken hold.

Photo by Walmink

Thanks to its huge cattle industry and long coastline, Australians rely mostly on burgers and seafood to satisfy their grilling desires. The “sausage sizzle,” however, is what makes Australian barbecue special. Ubiquitous at fundraisers and school events, sausages are grilled, put on white bread with onions and tomato sauce, and sold for a dollar or two.

6. Mongolia

Mongolians have their own unique ways of cooking meat, but it’s not what you’d find at your local “Mongolian barbecue” restaurant– that’s a Taiwanese version of Japanese teppanyaki. Weirdly, the first American chain to open in Ulan Bator was just such a restaurant.

Meat has historically played a big part in Mongol cuisine, as nomadic lifestyles and poor land lend themselves better to livestock than crops. Khorkhog is the iconic Mongolian dining experience, usually reserved for special occasions or honored guests.

Stones are heated in a fire before being put in a pot with lamb or goat meat. The cooked morsels are eaten with diners’ hands, and it’s said to be good for one’s health to hold the stones used in cooking. Boodog is a more commonplace meal, where marmots are cooked whole over an open fire.

7. Argentina

In 1900, the quality and scale of its beef industry meant Argentines enjoyed a higher standard of living than Americans. Exports declined, but the Argentine love of beef hasn’t diminished.

Photo by Gustavo (lu7frb)

Popular in Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay as well, the asado is Argentina’s answer to barbecue. Meats are usually unmarinated and served like courses. Sausages and organs come first, followed by ribs, steak, and possibly chicken or goat. Salads, bread or grilled vegetables accompany the meal.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Are you a barbecue fanatic? Check out Matador member Huntington’s blog post, Kansas City – Home of the Best BBQ in the World, and join in the debate: Where have you had your favorite BBQ?

]]> http://matadornights.com/barbecue-around-the-world/feed/ 9 http://matadornights.com/the-best-places-to-catch-live-music-in-new-orleans/ http://matadornights.com/the-best-places-to-catch-live-music-in-new-orleans/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:45:36 +0000 Luke Nye http://matadornights.com/?p=76

Feature photo by Bob Jagendorf. Photo above by Kiril Kolev.

New Orleans has such a vibrant music scene that it can be difficult to narrow down the options, but here are some of the best.

[Editor's Note: Eva Holland contributed to this article.]

It has been said that everyone in New Orleans is born with an instrument in their hands. In a city that is defined by — and defines — music, it can be hard to choose the best venues for live music, but here are a few of my favorites:

Photo by Photo Mojo.

Preservation Hall

Preservation Hall, a French Quarter classic since 1961, is still flourishing today. The hall is open seven days a week from 8 to 11 PM, though I advise getting there by 7 to make sure you will be able to get in. The cover is very reasonable at $10 a person.

The lineup at Preservation Hall is always world class jazz, blues, or brass bands. The hall is small and intimate. The only places to sit are wooden benches, and there is no air conditioning, no amenities, and no sound system — but when the band starts, the frills don’t matter.

The Spotted Cat

The Spotted Cat is one of a cluster of well-loved venues on Frenchman Street, just northeast of the Quarter. It’s a cozy, intimate spot featuring local jazz acts that are often more mellow than the big brass bands you’ll see in the larger venues. Staff are friendly and there’s generally no cover; drinks are priced up a tad as a result.

Like most spots on Frenchman, the Spotted Cat draws a cool mix of locals old and young, and handfuls of tourists intrepid enough to leave Bourbon Street behind. If your ideal jazz bar experience is a dim hole-in-the-wall where you sit a few feet from the band, this could be your spot.

Tipitina’s

Tipitina’s has been an Uptown New Orleans institution since 1971. Shows are Wednesdays through Sundays, with varying ticket prices. Sunday evenings are host to a weekly Fais do-do, a night of Cajun music and dancing. Cajun music could be described as a cross between bluegrass, country, polka, and a few more old time music styles.

The rest of the shows feature rock, blues, zydeco and other music styles. The club is decent-sized, and has a place to buy t-shirts and other souvenirs. The admission fee also helps out Tipitina’s foundation, which helps keep the spirit of New Orleans music alive.

Rock N’Bowl

The Rock N’Bowl, or Mid-City Lanes, dates back to 1941. While it is a bowling alley, and has somewhat shoddy acoustics, it is also one of the best venues in the city. There are shows most nights of the week, and you can bowl at the same time. Bowling lanes are hard to get most nights, so reservations are a good idea.

The shows here run the gamut of musical styles, but rock is a favorite, and it gets nice and loud during shows. The management consistently books good bands. There is also a well-stocked bar and some decent food for sale.

Photo by Emrys.Roberts.

Hi-Ho Lounge

Hi-Ho Lounge could be considered a dive bar, but it’s a great place for music– especially the Monday Night Blue Grass Pickin’ Party. There’s no cover charge; just buy a drink at the bar.

The rest of the week is filled with harder music acts. The Hi-Ho Lounge is a bit difficult to find as it is out of the way of the normal tourist spots, but worth the effort. The atmosphere is nice, with artwork displayed, and a good drink selection.

Snug Harbor

Snug Harbor is a “World Famous” jazz bistro, with a restaurant up front and a jazz club in the back. The club hosts a jazz musician every night of the week. Mondays always feature Charmaine Neville, who blends music and stories to entertain the audience.

The rest of the days are filled with world-class acts. The bar has a wide selection of drinks and waitresses serve throughout the show.

d.b.a.

Another Frenchman Street favorite, d.b.a. breaks from the NOLA norm, with a bit of a hipster vibe and a more eclectic line-up. You might come across anything from folk to indie rock to African jazz here, along with some of the more traditional local fare.

Arrive early to beat the cover charges, or pay up if you’re feeling fashionably late; it’s usually $5-$10. d.b.a. is also blessed with one of the finest liquor and beer selections in the entire city — give the chalkboards above the bar a good look for that night’s extensive list.

Photo by cyanocorax.

House of Blues

While the House of Blues is a chain, it’s still a top music destination. There is also a restaurant.

The House of Blues hosts both national and local acts almost every night of the week. While it holds a good number of people, it retains an intimate atmosphere. Tickets can be purchased in advance via Ticketmaster to avoid lines.

While at the House of Blues, be sure to stop by local music repository the Louisiana Music Factory, just across the street. It sells works by local blues, jazz, and zydeco artists, as well as less regional blues, soul, country, and R&B.

While these are some of New Orleans’ best venues for live music, there are plenty of others to check out when you are in the city. From nationally known bands playing at headliner venues to talented local bands playing dive bars, there’s live music every night of the week.

Check out NOLA’s beloved alt-weekly, The Gambit, for show listings.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

A few Matador members have passed through NOLA: check out New Orleans to Memphis: Searching for the Soul of the Delta, or this handy round-up of NOLA content on Matador, Picks of the Week: New Orleans.

]]> http://matadornights.com/the-best-places-to-catch-live-music-in-new-orleans/feed/ 5 http://matadornights.com/dog-meat-and-rooster-balls-the-10-most-exotic-asian-foods/ http://matadornights.com/dog-meat-and-rooster-balls-the-10-most-exotic-asian-foods/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:53:52 +0000 Nellie Huang http://matadornights.com/?p=72 Photo by Harry 棟樑

Eating in Asia requires a certain degree of guts and a wild sense of adventure.

1. Thailand’s deep-fried grasshoppers

Right in the heart of Bangkok’s red-light district, street vendors peddle a huge array of deep-fried bugs – from ants to hornets, caterpillars to grasshoppers. Anything that hops and bites is fair game for the palate. Add some chili powder, and you’re in for a sizzling, jumpy ride.

Photo by avlxyz

2. The Filipino Balut

The boiled half-hatched egg is exceptionally crunchy as you sink your teeth into the partially-formed fetus, complete with feathers, eyeballs ,and translucent skin. The locals like to dip it in vinegar and soya sauce. The down side- you might find feathers stuck between your teeth! Mangababaluts (balut-makers) can be found in the district of Pateros, Manila.

Photo by Hanoi Mark

3. Dog meat in China

Have you ever thought about why only the Chinese eat dog meat? Try it for yourself and you might find out why. Hugely popular in Southern China, namely Guangdong and Sichuan, stewed dog meat is offered by most restaurants in winter, while some are even dedicated to selling only dog platters. Even along the bustling Meishi Street in Beijing, there are a few posters advertising dog meat for sale.

4. Singapore’s turtle soup

Though they’re close to extinction, turtles are cooked with Chinese herbs and made into soups in the eastern world; the Chinese believe turtles are aphrodisiacs and are excellent for health. Despite all the traditional sayings, modern Singaporeans love the medicinal soup for its thick texture and herbal taste.

5. Oriental chicken feet

Sharp and thin chicken feet are a common delicacy in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. As a popular dimsum (steamed snacks in bamboo baskets), chicken feet are stewed in black bean sauce and steamed for a long time before the soggy skin crumples and the cartilage becomes chewy. Be careful of the chicken’s toenails though: you don’t want to choke on them!

Photo by epup

6. Rooster’s testicles in Taiwan

Bouncy balls bigger than you’d imagine, with thin veins and a tight plump texture, these testicles are only suitable for the daredevils with the balls to try them. The male chicken testicles are usually boiled and eaten simple and plain, but you can always ask for spicy stewed or garlic stir-fried.

With a tight skin like a sausage, the interior of the testicles taste soft and tofu-like. Be sure to find some in the famous Snake Alley Market in Taipei.

7. Hong Kong’s home-grown Chau taufu

There is nothing exotic about tofu (bean curd), unless it’s of the overwhelmingly strong variety! ‘Chau’ means stinky in Cantonese and the dish literally lives up to its name, smelling like a bucket of human dung left out for 2 weeks. Locals hunt down this fermented and deep-friend goody in the Mongkok Night Markets, where you can definitely smell it from afar.

Photo by kudaker

8. Isaw Manok in the Philippines

Barbecued chicken intestines are a national dish for the Filipinos, who have a soft spot for internal organs. Chicken gizzards, liver, and heart are all grilled on bamboo skewers, garnished with sweet and spicy sauce, and cooked to perfection. Not enough to satisfy your senses? You might just prefer the barbecued chicken head or pig’s ears.

9. Malaysia’s durians

Known as the king of fruits in Southeast Asia, the durian’s prickly green appearance and exceptionally strong and odd (some say vomit-like) smell have led it to fame. But that’s not all there is to this quirky fruit; its yellow, soft, and tasty meat has earned durian its crown in Southeast Asia.

Most foreigners frown at the thought of savoring this bitter yet sweet fruit, but soon enough, the heavenly taste is sure to win them over. Don’t forget to try the best species, D24, for the fleshy and juicy meat!

10. Indonesian bats

Besides flying off the back of a vampire, bats can be eaten as well. Sold in Malioboro Street of Jogjakarta, bats are often smoked to crispiness. They might look gory, like skeletal brown mice, but taste like beef jerky, especially the stiff wings! Locals in Manado love their specialty – the Fruit Bat Soup, where an entire bat is cooked in coconut milk, and the soft meat on its feet and wings is savored.

Community Connection

What’s the most exotic dish you’ve ever eaten? Where’s your favorite place to eat it? Share your experiences in the comments below!

]]> http://matadornights.com/dog-meat-and-rooster-balls-the-10-most-exotic-asian-foods/feed/ 32 http://matadornights.com/ten-ramen-shops-in-tokyo-worth-visiting/ http://matadornights.com/ten-ramen-shops-in-tokyo-worth-visiting/#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:48:39 +0000 Abram Plaut http://matadornights.com/?p=65 Photo by Dust Mason

If you’re in Tokyo and you get the munchies, check out Abram Plaut’s top 10 list of ramen shops worth visiting.

Kyushu Jangara – Harajuku Branch

Kyushu Jangara is a chain shop hailing from the island Kyushu (hence the name). Jangara is one of the most tourist friendly ramen shops in all of Tokyo, located just a one minute walk from Harajuku station. It also has an English menu, making ordering easy for first-timers.

On most weekends a member of the staff can be seen just outside the entrance, trying to usher shoppers inside and control customers in waiting if the line gets long.

The soup stock here is tonkotsu (pork bone) based, made from slow roasting pork bones for hours, sometimes even days. You can usually pick up a strange smell in the air that is characteristic of the tonkotsu stock making process.

The noodles here are quite good, and I would definitely recommend the shop due to its convenience and proximity to the shopping Mecca of Harajuku.

Kyushu Jangara – Harajuku

Shanzeru Harajuku II 1-2F, 1-13-21 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03.3404.5572

Photo by Marufish

Menya Musashi – Shinjuku Branch

The Shinjuku branch of Menya Musashi is one of most famous ramen shops in the area. It has been featured on Japanese television several times, and lines of 20 people or more stretching down the alleyway are not uncommon around lunchtime on weekdays.

Musashi’s ramen is served in a light, shoyu (soy sauce) based broth; hints of katsuo (skipjack tuna) and yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) can also be noted. After ordering your meal from a vending machine located by the entrance, one of the staff will take your ticket and ask if you want your ramen kotteri (heavier flavor) or assari (lighter flavor).

All of the cooks are animated in the open kitchen, with the head noodle chef constantly yelling as he pulls noodles from boiling water and shakes them. Musashi is a good place for ramen beginners; the taste is not too rich or overpowering, and the atmosphere is festive.

A good choice if you find yourself near Shinjuku station.

Menya Musashi – Shinjuku

K-1 Build. 1F, 7-2-6 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03.3363.4634

Photo by Telstar Logistics

Ramen Tetsuya – Higashi Koenji

Located in Higashi Koenji, Ramen Tetsuya serves up some of the best authentic Sapporo style ramen in Tokyo. I suggest ordering the Shoyu Chashu Men, which comes with hefty slices of smoked pork served over perfectly boiled noodles and a delicious broth.

I’ve heard that the original shop is located in Sapporo; this is the owner’s one branch outside of Hokkaido. Overall, one of my favorite bowls of noodles in the city, highly recommended if you are looking for something just a little different than your typical Tokyo ramen.

Ramen Tetsuya – Koenji

23. Umesato, Suginami-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03.5929.1388

Ippudo – Ebisu Branch

If you have only have time to visit one ramen shop while in Tokyo, Ippudo might be your best bet for a great all-around Japanese ramen experience. Ippudo is one of the most famous ramen chains in Japan. There are many branches spread all across the country serving up Hakata style tonkotsu ramen from the island of Kyushu.

The soup stock is creamy and delicious, a unique taste that most people have never experienced prior to arriving in Japan. Along with your ramen comes an assortment of all you can eat toppings, including spicy moyashi (bean sprouts), crushed ninniku (garlic), karashi takana (spicy pickled greens) and shoga (pickled ginger).

Ippudo recently gained some publicity in the United States as it opened their first international branch, located in New York City.

Ippudo – Ebisu

1-3-12 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03-5420-2225

Taishoken – Higashi Ikebukuro

Taishoken is one of the most famous ramen shops in Tokyo. Its owner, Kazuo Yamagishi, is said to be the inventor of tsukemen. While traditional ramen is a soup consisting of noodles, broth, and toppings all served together in a bowl, tsukemen is noodles and soup served separately.

The soup that comes with tsukemen is usually a little more potent in flavor than typical ramen broth, and is meant to be used as a dipping sauce for the noodles rather than to drink. While tsukemen is now common food in Japan, Taishoken is considered to be the original.

Taishoken

4-28-3 Higashi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03.3981.9360

Photo by Marufish

Ramen Jiro – Takadanobaba Branch

If any Tokyo ramen shop has a cult following, Ramen Jiro is it. There are 28 locations in the Tokyo metropolitan area (as far as I know), and while each follow the same basic recipe, they all vary slightly depending on the variations of toppings and ingredients the head chef of each shop decides to use.

The broth, made from both tonkotsu and shoyu stock, is almost more of a thick sauce rather than soup, with large globules of pork fat suspended the broth. On top of an already massive bowl, the chef will ask if you want additional bean sprouts, garlic, or pork fat, which he will throw in at no extra charge.

Jiro is hugely popular with college students, especially male college students. The shops are dirty, the counters greasy, and you are guaranteed to leave with your stomach ready to burst open. Not for the faint of heart but delicious nonetheless, Ramen Jiro is an experience like no other.

Ramen Jiro – Takadanobaba

3-12-1 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Tel: NA

Ramen Oyaji – Machida Branch

Ramen Oyaji is a little off the beaten bath, located on the edge of Kanagawa prefecture and over an hour by train from central Tokyo. For those looking for authentic Sapporo style Miso ramen however, look no further, for Oyaji ramen is the next best thing to hopping on a flight up to Hokkaido.

The broth here is made from white Miso, and is so creamy and rich I put it right up there with the best ramen I have had in Japan. Not to be outdone by the soup itself, the egg noodles are pretty close to perfection as well, served slightly al dente. I always go with the Oyaji set.

At 1000 yen you get a huge bowl of ramen and a plate of delicious gyoza dumplings. Well worth the trip for ramen connoisseurs looking to get out of the city.

Ramen Oyaji – Machida

1-19-1 Nakamachi, Machida-shi, Tokyo

Tel: 042-723-2951

Hakusan Ramen – Sengoku

What looks like a ramen restaurant from the outside is more of a counter where you order, pay, and pick up your bowl of soup. After receiving your bowl of noodles, where and how you eat is left up to you.

You can vie for one of the stools or benches on the sidewalk, or at peak hours stand or squat wherever you want and begin slurping away as you hold your bowl with one hand and shovel noodles into your mouth with the other.

The menu is simple; you have a choice between a) ramen or b) tamago (egg) ramen. Regular ramen comes with one egg; tamago ramen comes with two. Why the simplicity? Simple, the ramen here is flat out delicious, made from tonkotsu shoyu broth, slightly salty but not overpowering.

Hakusan is only open from the hours of 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, making it a favorite stop after a late night of drinking.

Hakusan Ramen

4-37-26 Hakusan Bunkyo-ku Tokyo

Tel: 090-3337-9044

Photo by link

Yasube – Shinjuku Branch

While Yasube serves both ramen and tsukemen, one look around the shop interior and you’re likely to see plates full of heaping piles of noodles, hinting that most customers opt for the latter.

The kara miso (spicy miso) tsukemen reigns supreme here in my opinion. After all, what could be better than dunking thick, chewy ramen noodles into a zesty chili-miso sauce?

The real selling point is the price: for the same amount (790 yen) you can choose your quantity of noodles, from small all the way to extra large. The large size is enormous, making this a must stop for budget travelers looking for quick, delicious, cheap eats.

Yasube – Shinjuku

2-11-19 Yoyogi, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo

TEL: 03-3375-5911

Aoba – Nakano Branch

Aoba has gained success by serving simple ramen with the finest ingredients. They are consistently ranked one of the top ramen shops in the city by Japanese noodle enthusiasts, and long lines are not only common, they are to be expected.

The soup here is shoyu based but an interesting technique is used putting each order together. Apparently they have two different soup stocks, one made from pork and chicken bones, the other from dried katsuo (skipjack tuna). The two stocks are combined just before the customer is served, creating a unique aroma and flavor.

Like many popular ramen shops, Aoba closes every day whenever they run out of soup stock. The busier the day, the sooner they close, sometimes even before dinner time, too early for most people getting off after a long day of work.

Aoba – Nakano Branch

5-58-1 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03-3388-5552

Community connection

For more on Japan, including dozens of blogs, local experts and travelers you can link up with, as well as volunteer ops and orgs, please check out the Japan page on Matador.

]]> http://matadornights.com/ten-ramen-shops-in-tokyo-worth-visiting/feed/ 8 http://matadornights.com/sexy-sushi-the-global-foreplay-food/ http://matadornights.com/sexy-sushi-the-global-foreplay-food/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:36:50 +0000 Tim Patterson http://matadornights.com/?p=59

Photo by mahalie stackpole.

Feature photo by psd.

Want to impress a hot date? Go out for sushi – the world’s sexiest food.

Not so long ago, sushi was hard to find outside of Japan. In recent years, however, raw fish on rice has gone global in a big way. From Melbourne to Memphis and from Brussels to Beijing, no matter where you travel these days, you’ll never be far from a California Roll.

Somewhere along the way, sushi became the world’s sexiest food. Strangely enough, there’s something about sushi that makes sexy singles around the world want to take off their clothes.

How did sushi get so sexy? Here are some ideas.

Sushi Is Exotic

A sushi bar has a seductive perfume of exotic class that a steakhouse or Italian restaurant just can’t match.

Nothing is more romantic than foreign travel, but jetting off to distant lands is way too forward – and expensive – for a first or second date. Going out for sushi lets you and your date indulge in exotic pleasure without leaving the county.

Sushi is Erotic

A slab of raw tuna slides over the tongue. Salmon eggs pop in the mouth, releasing salty juices. A jolt of wasabi blows sinus passages clean.

Eating sushi is a sensual experience, a combination of visual anticipation, delicate presentation and sheer physical pleasure.

Photo by Jake of 8bitjoystick.com.

Sushi Is Expensive

By taking your date out for sushi, you prove that you’re rich enough to drop a wad of cash on tiny pieces of raw fish. You also send the message that you think your date is special enough to deserve an expensive meal.

Sushi Is Dangerous

OK, sushi isn’t really that dangerous. But eating raw seafood does feel a little bit risky. By downing a spicy tuna roll without blinking, you show that you’re willing to walk on the wild side.

Sushi Is Light

Ever try to have sex after three helpings of fettucini alfredo? Probably didn’t go so well, right?

A few pieces of sushi and some green tea ice cream won’t weigh you down. Sticking to a light meal will make you and your date feel frisky and athletic, primed for bedroom aerobics.

Sushi Is Sophisticated

No matter where in the world you travel, eating sushi marks you as a member of the global elite. Sushi is a luxury food, just like Starbucks is a luxury coffee or Mercedes is a luxury car. A sushi date shows that you’ve got money, but it also shows that you’ve got sophisticated taste.

Photo by Stefan Martins.

Sushi Is Salty

Soy sauce and traditional appetizers like edamame and miso soup are loaded with salt. As any bartender knows, salty food makes people want to drink beer. As any college student knows, drinking beer makes people lose their inhibitions and want to have sex.

Add in the fact that sushi is a light meal, and you and your date will get drunk – and horny – even quicker.

Sushi Is Sexy

No doubt about it, sushi is the sexiest food on the planet.

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