The Hungry Nomad - Food, Travel, Lifestyle

Yiasemi (Athens, Greece)

April 18, 2011 1 Comment

While the north of Europe is experiencing spring in full bloom, in our little south-eastern corner of this continent the weather gods granted us some more chilly, grey and rainy days before the strong summer sun will make its daily appearance once again. On a dreary afternoon like this, all you need is a homely place and good company.

Yiasemi (jasmine in Greek) offers you just that. What better place to meet your friends at than one where you may sit close to the fireplace, munching on delicious home-made savory and sweet pies, drinking a coffee or even some spicy sweet rakomelo*? To make it even better, this little cafe has the most relaxed & friendly service and is located in Plaka, one of Athens’ oldest neighborhoods, right under the Acropolis. I’m already anxiously awaiting warmer days to come when I’ll be able to sit on Yiasemi’s steps, dreaming of days gone by.

*my very favorite cold-weather-drink: warm raki mixed with spices and honey. So good.

Italy, Travel

A weekend in Chianti (Tuscany, Italy)

April 18, 2011 1 Comment

Here are a few photos of a distant trip to Tuscany in Italy. Living in Switzerland allowed for such wonderful weekend trips. I have to say that is what I miss most about living in Europe: being able to get up and go and within hours find myself in a new country, new language, new culture, new food… and come back a few days later feeling completely refreshed. You can’t find that kind of experience and culture anywhere in North America. On this particular trip a few friends and I decided to drive from Geneva to Italy for a long weekend. We arrived in a small village in the Chianti region after a long drive from Geneva. Our host’s (a lovely Swiss-German friend) family own a lovely villa and ‘auberge’ in Tuscany. The house was converted from old stables into a lovely modern-eco friendly residence including its very own swimming pool and tennis courts. The rooms looked onto the beautiful Tuscan valley. The best part was the beautiful kitchen which included a brick stove oven (where many pizzas were made).

In the morning we drove to the village market where we feasted on fresh Italian delicacies. We gathered food for our weekend and went back to the Villa where we made fresh baked breads and pizza while drinking local Chianti wine literally from the backyard.

The nightly grand Italian feast

In the mornings we would go for walks through the scenic valley and stop in at various vineyards. I literally stumbled upon the most beautiful houses (my dream summer home is just below).

I hope these photos have inspired you to take your own culinary trip to Tuscany.

On the way back you can always stop in Florence. I have been to Florence several times and the first time around fell absolutely in love with it (mind you I was 16 at the time). But I was convinced that I belonged in Florence and needed to shape my life in order to end up there. The entire city of Florence is a walking museum and oozes beauty and culture from every corner and every street. The Gelato shops aren’t bad either.

Gourmand, Vancouver

Guu Garden is Guuuuuuud (Vancouver, Canada)

April 15, 2011 No Comments

My faith and love for Guu was reinstated through my last visit to Guu Garden. Guu Garden is the newest addition to the Guu family and is nestled away on Hornby street. It is actually quiet hard to find if you are not familiar with this area but as a general reference its on the second floor of Nelson Square (cross street Hornby). They have a wonderful little Japanese Garden and pretty much the same feel and decor as the other Guus when you walk in except it is bigger (probably the same size as the Gastown Guu. It also has a large patio which I imagine will be packed come summer.

We went for lunch so they only had lunch specials. However, their menu is completely different but just as delicious. We had the Chicken Karage and Agadeshi Mozzarella for appetizers. The Agedashi Mozzarella was a cheesy version of a tofu classic. Not nearly as crispy on the outside with your regular agedashi tofu, but a lovely chewy mozzarella with broth and slivers of seaweed is equally satisfying, if not more. And the Kobe burger bento box was absolutely amazing. What a great idea!!! To nestle a nice and juicy Kobe burger in between two crispy rice patties rather than buns. Pure Genius.

recipes

Black Rice Pudding

April 14, 2011 2 Comments

Commonly served for breakfast in parts of Southeast Asia, this dish also makes a great dessert. Chinese black glutinous rice, sometimes called forbidden rice, works well, but if you live near a Southeast Asian market you can use this same method with the more traditional Thai black sticky rice.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Black glutinous rice

1/2 cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)

1 can unsweetened coconut milk (shake well)

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Method:

1. Add water to rice and let it soak for 6 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and add water and black rice in a medium pot. Simmer uncovered under low to medium heat for 70 minutes or longer depending if you want it to be mushy in which case leave for longer.
2. Stir in sugar and vanilla extract in the last 15 minutes of the cooking time. The rice mixture will be mushy and thickened around this time, so stir gently to make sure it doesn’t stick at the bottom. You can add coconut milk at this time to add flavor or drizzle afterwards on top.
3. Drizzle coconut milk just before serving. My personal preference is to serve while it’s piping hot but it is equally good at room temperature or cold.

Gourmand, Vancouver

Rodney’s Oyster House (Vancouver, Canada)

April 12, 2011 1 Comment

I was invited out for dinner to Rodney’s Oyster House. I was actually pretty pumped to go since I have heard nothing but great things about this restaurant in Yaletown. It’s been there for quite some time now but somehow I have never made it there.

And as their name reveals they serve a whole lot of oysters…raw oysters, fried oysters and baked oysters (see menu) But apparently they serve something besides oysters…. cute male waiters? As soon as I walked in I could not help but notice that most of the tables were occupied by girls (besides the bar) and that all the servers were male. Was this a coincident? I would soon find out that Rodney’s is voted to have the best male looking servers in Vancouver. Sort of the ‘hooters’ for men if I may make an analogy. But ladies before you all start planning your next trip to Rodney’s let me tell you whoever voted Rodney’s number one for their servers was probably a bit biased. Some of the servers had serious attitude problems and I guess they really took that vote to heart (sorry!). I will say though that the ambiance was excellent and the night was very fun. The decor of the restaurant is great and it was jam packed the entire night.

Ok. So I lied…there were a few men sprinkled around downstairs.

We may have been the last ones to leave…. clearly having too much fun to notice the restaurant had closed for the night.

You might be wondering about the food too? Ah yes the food.

If any of you have followed my blog entries you know by now that I have lived and eaten my way through New Orleans which is known for its delicious oysters. In fact many of the dishes at Rodney’s seem to be inspired by southern food. So clearly I was not overly impressed. However, I am not an expert on oysters… I have just happened to have some amazing oysters in New Orleans (chargrilled oysters and raw) and nothing can compare. However, we are in Vancouver and I have no basis for comparison as I have not really sought out the Oyster market in Vancouver. The Rockefella oysters were bland…. I had to dump a lot of salt and sauces to make it edible and the fried oysters were good but again nothing to die for. However, any restaurant that has a wine list including my favourite Sancerre makes me happy and I am glad to go there if not for the oysters then just for the wine.

Overall the meal was average (overpriced but you can’t expect much else dining in Yaletown). However, the ambiance was fantastic and very fun. And I do recommend a trip here if you are looking to have a nice night out dining and wining.

Rodney’s Oyster House
1228 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC V6B6Our Hours:

Mondays to Saturdays – 11:30am ti1pm
Sundays – 4:30pm til 10pm

Italy, Sicily, Travel

An evening stroll (Sicily, Italy)

April 2, 2011 No Comments

Now that the soil starts to give us this lovely spring scent and colorful flowers are starting to pop up all over, I’m starting to dream of summer evening strolls once more. For those of you who love walks as much as I do, as much as feeling the lingering heat of the day and smelling the promise of amazing restaurants you’re passing by, here a few images captured at the enchanting island of Sicily. And yes, the last picture shows an incredible teeny tiny bar hidden inside a little gateway. Anyone up for a drink?

Gourmand, Vancouver

Brunch at Cafe Medina (Vancouver, Canada)

March 29, 2011 2 Comments

Medina is a new hot spot in town (I don’t know just how new but I know it wasn’t there last time I was in town). And so as a self proclaimed food blogger, I planned a brunch there with a good friend. We drove by and saw a large crowd of people standing outside. It was quite the scene. So we too joined the crowd and waited for what seemed like an hour (it was actually 45 minutes) for a table for two. The inside of the restaurant is really tastefully done with its brick walls, wooden floors, exposed light bulb fixtures and simplistic furniture. It looks a lot like Chambar with its small and cozy tables all lined up very closely. There is a wonderful display of freshly made waffles and waffle maker in the window which is torture for those waiting on the outside. The waffles are the talk of town but unfortunately I did not have room for waffles and was in the mood for a savory rather than a sweet dish.

So we finally got a seat and treated ourselves to a well-deserved Ceasar. Another 45 minutes went by before we got our meals. At this point, I was already slightly tipsy from the pre-breakfast Ceasar…but I was not to blame since the service was verrrrrrrrrry slow. I understand they had a brunch/lunch time rush but seeing that most of their business is through their breakfast and lunch you would think that they would be a bit more efficient. Anyway-I am not one to complain but I will say this I was not overly impressed. In my view there are better places to spend your money and time for brunch. I get the concept or at least I think I get it…the cross between east and west, offering Belgian waffles along with Moroccan infused dishes. I ordered (the paella) was just a whole lot of orzo and probably two very almost invisible pieces of chorizo. Now I have had some good paella in my days and this was nothing like a paella even when you consider the whole infusion concept. (see Menu)

However, since this is one of the most popular restaurants around town these days perhaps other dishes are better… and I may be just wrong (but when it comes to food I’m pretty much always right). If you do want the ambiance then I would recommend a trip to Medina. But do expect long line ups and even a longer wait for service.

Gourmand, Vancouver

The Dirty Apron Cooking School and Delicatessen

March 28, 2011 1 Comment

It’s like I died and went to heaven. Well not quiet heaven but it definitely seemed like it. What could be better than a place which combines shopping, eating, and cooking? Clearly nothing!

The Dirty Apron is located just down from Medina (according to the website it is a joint venture between Karri and Nico Shuermans and former Chambar Sous-Chef David Robertson). They have daily cooking classes which you can register for online. They are a bit on the $$$ side however, you do get to enjoy your meal with your class in a beautifully laid out dining room afterwards. Who knows~many friendships are made over food and you and your fellow foodie comrades can form drink and mingle over a delicious self-created meal…Ah yes they also have singles cooking classes (that should be interesting). Instruction focuses on popular regional cuisines as well as basic skill sets for ingredient-focused cooking. Besides the cooking class they have a delicatessen to the right which offers delicious sandwiches, croissants, saucissons, and other treats. I am looking into taking one of the cooking classes shortly so will write again upon gathering more information.

For now I highly recommend a visit to the Dirty Apron if not for a cooking class than to visually stimulate your eyes.

recipes

Almond Crusted Chicken (baked)- Low carb meal

March 24, 2011 No Comments

Dear Readers,

As you may know by now there is nothing I love more than food. However, in order to start the new year fresh and rejuvenated I decided to try the Wild rose cleanse. Many friends have recommended the cleanse and have had great results and for some wild reason I thought this would be a good idea. So here I am on day 3 of the 12 day cleanse and I am barely surviving. However, one good thing that has come out of this cleanse is that I have had to get creative with what I eat (which unfortunately does not include any sugary products or flour based food…which cuts out 80% of my meals!!!)

Almonds are one of the most recommended on the food chart and for today’s meals I decided to try making almond crusted chicken for the first time. It turned out to be sooooooooooooo delicious and it only took less than 30 minutes to make. I can’t wait to make it again.

Ingredients

1-cup raw almonds

1 1/2 teaspoons spices i.e. pepper/paprika/garlic/salt/turmeric

2 teaspoons of parm cheese and flour (or shake and bake)- optional

2 large eggs whites

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)

Spray olive oil

Serve with Salad /tomatoes/steamed broccoli

Instructions

Finely chop the almonds in a mini-chopper or food processor. Transfer the nuts to a shallow dish and stir in the spices, parm. and flour. Lightly whisk the egg whites in another shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry. Cut into smaller pieces or keep whole. Transfer each piece to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture. Place the coated chicken on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side. At this point you can either fry with olive oil in a pan or bake until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center.

Gourmand, Iranian, Vancouver

Darchin Persian Restaurant (Vancouver, Canada)

March 22, 2011 1 Comment

With the large Persian community in Vancouver, you would think there would be more Iranian restaurants around town. However, over the years, many have opened up and closed down shortly after. It seems people are not as open to trying Iranian food as they are japanese food or greek (which by the way is very similar in flavor and dishes to Iranian food) and the local iranian community not as supportive of each other’s businesses then one would hope. I really hope that this one lasts.

Darchin is a relatively new Iranian restaurant located in downtown Vancouver. The restaurant is new, clean and very spacious. The server we had was very attentive and nice. The food was mouth watering and was served in a beautiful matter. For example, the basmati rice served in a pyramid with the top covered in saffron. The kabobs were good quality meat (except for the chenjeh which I was not too fond of).

Must tries are the kashkeh badenjaan, mirza ghasemi and the shirazi salad. The kabobs were all delicious but my favourite was the joojeh (chicken) kabob.(see menu)