Travel

App Release: Unique Eats of the Northwest

May 15, 2013
Unique Eats of the Northwest

“I’m having a girl!” the text came in yesterday from my best friend. I couldn’t be happier for her. THERE IS A TINY HUMAN INSIDE MY BEST FRIEND. What could be more exciting than that? Nothing. But this is my blog, not hers, so that’s not my story. Instead, here’s the second most interesting thing going on in my world. I’ve been gestating a little something myself for the last nine months: a tiny, electronic baby. If I were texting my friends about it, the message would say: “I’m having an app!” I’m not texting, though. Even just...

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Love at First Sight: Yummy Mammy

February 10, 2013
Spinach Noodles

Yummy Mammy is the Zooey Deschanel of Chinese restaurants. It’s got her quirky looks and takes hints from the way she hides behind big glasses to fool people into thinking she’s not so  hot. Digging in deeper, ignoring the garbage bag full of dried red peppers sitting on the hostess stand, I found my manic pixie dream girl restaurant. Yummy Mammy’s name alone gives it points in the “most adorkable” competition: awkward to get off the tongue and giving no hint of the stellar Chinese food hidden within. Emulating Zooey’s Jess, from New Girl, it’s just different enough, without crossing...

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The French Laundry on Yelp: A Zero Star Review

January 8, 2013
CheeseCourse

1/8/13   Okay, people, listen up. I went to the French Laundry, and obviously I’m the most qualified person to offer this review, even though there are fifty one-star reviews already on the site, because this is going to be the first person to give a ZERO star review! FIRST ONE HERE! Also, I actually went to the restaurant, so that puts me a leg up on more than half of those silly one-star people. I thought this place, was, like, super exclusive, or something? I was extremely angry that I got the exact day and time I...

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Unique Eats of Philadelphia

January 3, 2013
SpaghettiMeatballs

Sure, the town is known for its sandwiches (and Rocky, obviously), but we did eat a few non-sandwich meals while exploring Philadelphia. What we found was a town full of food opportunities that we never get in Seattle, and a few that I don’t think are found anywhere outside of those specific restaurants. Taco pizza, anyone? Read on for the bits, bites, and meals that are worth a stop in Philly. Red Gravy at Villa di Roma Ignore this entry if you’re in New York or New Jersey, because you can probably find this kind of thing near home....

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The 7 Best Foods I Ate in Hawaii

December 19, 2012
IMG_7573

Like so many of our trips, our Hawaii vacation quickly spiraled into ‘research.’ As in, I carted us all over creation looking for the best bites the islands have to offer. If you’ve been watching my columns on Serious Eats, you might have seen me talk about some of the things I ate. But right here, right now, I’m going to tell you about the seven best bites I had in the seven days we spent in Hawaii. **Note: The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau helped out with my transportation and lodging costs for this trip, though I chose all...

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High-End Mexican Food: Izote, Azul, and Others

November 10, 2012
DuckMoleBunuelos

Part 3 of my food blogger’s guide to Mexico: Fine Dining in Mexico City Did you miss part 1 or 2 of my food blogger’s guide to Mexico: Eating well in Mexico City (aka D. F.) and Mexico City: A dive into street food? In a year when I was fortunate enough to enjoy meals at the likes of the French Laundry and Alinea, my favorite high-end meal was in Mexico City, at a place called Izote. The cost, for two of us, was less than a quarter of what I paid for one person at French Laundry, and the service,...

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The Philadelphia Sandwich Scene

October 20, 2012
DiNics Roast Pork

Not too long after I got back from my trip to Philadelphia, I heard a story on NPR about Philly residents wearing sweatpants more than people in any other city. It explored a variety of reasons: climate, influence of Rocky, high proportion of college students, and so on. I know the real reason, though, I learned it through experience on my recent trip there. It is the only comfortable attire when you’re consuming such amazing sandwiches in such high quantities. Coming in, with only a rudimentary knowledge of Philly cuisine, I expected it to be all cheesesteak all the time, but...

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Mexico City: A dive into street food

September 10, 2012
Barbacoa tacos and sauce

Part 2 of my food blogger’s guide to Mexico: Street food and Casual restaurants in Mexico City Did you miss part 1 of my food blogger’s guide to Mexico: Eating well in Mexico City (aka D. F.)? Street food is nearly synonymous with Mexico City’s food scene, and for good reason. Everywhere you turn, there’s another stand making something else delicious! I know many of us Gringos are scared of street food and hygiene and what not, but honestly, I carry a little cipro with me, choose carefully, and dive in. What you’ll find below here are 5 days...

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My Love Affair with Mexico City

July 8, 2012
BarbacoaSauces

Part 1 of my food blogger’s guide to Mexico: Eating well in Mexico City (aka D. F.) Mexico City just might be the ultimate food vacation destination. Oh, I’m enamored with Beijing myself, I enjoyed a little Hanoi, no lie, and I wouldn’t turn down a return trip to Thailand either. Yet, if you asked me where you should go first, I’d direct you to Mexico City for incredible high-end cuisine at ridiculous bargain prices, for the well-known killer street food culture, and for a drinking scene that offers century-old traditional pulque next door to a modern microbrewery. “Is...

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Eating America: The Best Food in Chicago, Part 3: Tourist Food

July 2, 2012
HCDoughnuts

Where to Eat in Tourist Areas of Chicago?  Consider this the food blogger’s guide to Chicago. As I say on my About Page, being a GastroGnome is not about sitting idly on the front lawn of culinary cottages. Each year I tell my stories of trips to Beijing, Hanoi, and Mexico, but sometimes I leave out my favorite places right here in the U.S. No more! This is the latest installment of my ‘Eating America’ series, featuring the best eating around our fine nation. If you’re in Chicago visiting, likelihood is you’ll be around the tourist areas. And while getting out to neighborhoods...

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