Okay, fine, the title's a bit ridiculous, because there couldn't have been a St-Henri taco crawl in 2015 – there weren't enough taco places! But like I said when I threw the "1st Annual Volk/Watson Christmas Extravaganza," there will obvious be more years of this awesome event to … [Read more...] about The Great St-Henri Taco Crawl 2016
Spicy Fish Soup with Turmeric and Lemongrass (and deep-frying for skinny people)
This is what you need to eat on a rainy summer day. It's spicy and hot and rich but not heavy. And most importantly, it'll warm you up from the inside. The best part? You get to shallow-fry a bunch of garlic. It's not scary, it doesn't waste a ton of oil, and it tastes delicious. … [Read more...] about Spicy Fish Soup with Turmeric and Lemongrass (and deep-frying for skinny people)
Quick Quick Jambalaya (Gluten free, dairy free)
I love jambalaya. But it takes awhile to make, and standing over a hot stove is the last thing you want to do when it's scorching outside. It also requires sausage, which I rarely buy. I don't really eat pork and a lot of sausages – even ones with other types of meat – tend to … [Read more...] about Quick Quick Jambalaya (Gluten free, dairy free)
Mail Order Gourmet: Yuzu Juice, Artichokes and Freeze-Dried Lychees
Have you ever heard of Qualifirst? I hadn't. But turns out the company's been around since the '80s, and before that it was a family-run import company called Far-Met, which brought some of the first foie gras, Burgundy snails, Portuguese sardines and Belgian legumes – basically … [Read more...] about Mail Order Gourmet: Yuzu Juice, Artichokes and Freeze-Dried Lychees
Sonoma Wine Tasting and Restaurants: An Organic Itinerary
I’m not saying this is the best way to drink and eat Sonoma in a week, but it’s a very fun, very delicious, very off-the-beaten-path way to see the area. It’s even relatively healthy. Here’s how I planned my trip: I contacted three sommelier friends who specialize in natural … [Read more...] about Sonoma Wine Tasting and Restaurants: An Organic Itinerary
Booze-tacular Turbot, and Other Fish Tales
When you brew a giant batch of saké with a master Kombucha scientist, you end up with a lot of saké. I'm not talking awesome saké, but table saké – the kind of saké that I'm happy to make friends taste, but won't crave after a long day. So what do I do with approximately 10 … [Read more...] about Booze-tacular Turbot, and Other Fish Tales
La Mar Restaurant: A Peruvian Expat in San Francisco
La Mar is the bay outpost of Gaston Acurio's cevicheria in Lima, Peru. I fell in love with the open-air restaurant in a quiet area of Miraflores when I was there two years ago. The corvhina traditional ceviche with braised sweet potato and pale, large corn and a simple, perfectly … [Read more...] about La Mar Restaurant: A Peruvian Expat in San Francisco
L’Étagère Gourmande: Tunisian and Classical Flavours From The Montreal Jam Fairy
Mouna Joulali is the jam fairy. Every month, she concocts wild flavours – strawberries and orange blossoms; orange, walnuts and saffron; and pear cardamom – posts them on her Facebook page, and the orders come flying in. Customers pick up either from her house, from La … [Read more...] about L’Étagère Gourmande: Tunisian and Classical Flavours From The Montreal Jam Fairy
Fine Dining in San Francisco: Sushi at Maruya
San Francisco doesn't lack for great restaurants, but what I lacked was enough days to eat everything! So after a lot of research (thanks, Tiberiù, Caterina, Cai and Google algorithm developers), I settled on one meal of Japanese oseki fine dining at Maruya, one happy hour and … [Read more...] about Fine Dining in San Francisco: Sushi at Maruya
Houston Avenue Bar & Grill Takes Over the Former Cavalli Space on Peel Street
Joe Mercuri might be known for the grill in his eponymous fine dining restaurant in the Old Port. But he's also been the man behind the menu at the Houston's chain of restaurants for years. Apparently they begged him. And he finally caved, as long as he could introduce a local, … [Read more...] about Houston Avenue Bar & Grill Takes Over the Former Cavalli Space on Peel Street