Trip To New York--June 2008

Some NY greats: Italian finds including the best antipasto, a wonderful breakfast and lunch place, theater district dining, and some of the top American restaurants

I am definitely a lucky woman. I live in beautiful Paris and visit the spectacular city of New York at least twice a year to see friends and family (and eat!!). I spend a few days in my mother's apartment which is in Riverdale (a gastronomic no-man's land) and then move on to the Village where I stay with my cousins Boots and Larry. Although Larry makes a wonderful breakfast of freshly squeezed orange juice, various breads and wonderful coffee, I do at times venture out to City Bakery. The staff know me, as I do go there several times on every trip. It was actually a French cook who told me about their Pretzel Croissants; chewy croissants made in the shape of pretzels with a texture between a croissant and (you guessed it) a chewy pretzel. They are quite filling and I love them. I have a picture of them along with some of the beautiful muffins on this blog. On the weekends, City Bakery serves a wonderful caramelized French toast and everyday you can get their stupendous macaroni and cheese. I never liked that when I was a child, but I do now. At lunch, there is always a beautiful array of delicious and healthy salads and sandwiches, and on weekends the compulsory bagels with smoked salmon and cream cheese. They are known for their tarts and cookies, but I prefer their breakfast pastries.

After years of going to the top American restaurants in the Zagat Guide which have been written up ad infinitem and tend to be very noisy, I prefer the smaller quieter delicious places. The prices in NY are extremely elevated, but one can find places that are more reasonable. My new favorite place is Ama on MacDougal Street. I was told about it by my friend, Mary, and I asked Boots and Larry to go there with me last fall. It is wonderful. Since that first visit, Boots and Larry have been back there many times. It is a simple restaurant with delicious food and wonderful friendly personalized service. Here are some of the dishes I have had there: Orrechiette with Broccoli de Rape e Saliccie, Cozze (mussels) Tarantino with White Wine, Lemon and Fresh Thyme, Panzerotti (little deep friend ravioli-type things) filled with Tomato-Mozzarella and with Spinach-Ricotta, Grilled Branzino, Rombo con Piselli et Cicorria (peas and chicory), Mezzalune di Melanzana (half-moon pasta filled with eggplant), Capunti di Altamura (pasta with a fresh tomato sauce. We have had every dessert on the menu and the standouts are Panna Cotta di Castagna or whatever flavor they are serving that day, Cioccolato Caldo Freddo (molten chocolate cake with dark chocolate ice cream), Ama--the classic sponge cake bathed with amaretto with cherry crème brulée, and biscotti. Doesn't it sound wonderful?? This is a great place.

My mother dragged me kicking and screaming to a French restaurant. I am a stickler for eating American, Italian, Thai or Japanese food when I am in NY but think it is a waste for me to get French food. However, Cafe Boulud was just wonderful. We had a lovely lunch with my cousin, Judy, and the waiters assured me that the food is American with a French twist. I had House Made Farfalle (not French!!) with Ruby Red Shrimp, Zucchini, Corn, Baby Yellow Squash in a wonderful light cream sauce. For dessert we shared Coffee Opéra (yes, it's French), Chocolate Pain de Gênes with a Marscapone Mousse and an Amedei Chocolate Cremeux with Amaretto Ice Cream. You guessed it! Everyone in my family loves chocolate.

The next day I had tickets to see South Pacific at Lincoln Center. My favorite restaurants in the theater district are Esca and Orso (both Italian) but I was not going to be near either one. So I chose Cafe Fiorello and was very pleased with the spectacular antipasto spread that they have. You can choose four or seven items either vegetarian or vegetarian and fish. One thing is more beautiful than the next and everything is excellent. There are about twenty different savory seafood salads and even more preparations of beautiful vegetables. Not only that, but there are lasagnes and frittate. I sat at the counter and was entertained as the different dishes were placed in their spots. The longer you are there, the more wonderful items are introduced. I had a light lunch but decided that I will definitely go back even if I don't have Lincoln Center tickets. See the photos of the antipasto spread.

My friend, Chris and I always dine out together and usually choose one of the big Zagat choices like Gramercy Tavern or Union Square Café or Tabla or Aqua Grill in Times Square. I have to say that I am tiring of them because, despite the quality of the food, they tend to be expensive and noisy. We went to Blue Water Grill this time and although the food was fine, the noise level made it difficult for us to talk. I had a fancy sushi roll (Spicy Yellowtail and Shrimp with Bok Choy, Arugala Aioli and Tempura Flakes) and a Blacked Swordfish with Sweet Potato-Crabmeat Hash. They were both too complicated to be good. Chris was smart and ordered oysters and a grilled sea bass. Those were delicious.

For my last night, my cousin Gary took his wife Lynn, my mother, and me to the wonderful Italian restaurant, Felidia. There you will have a quiet evening with excellent food and service. It is definitely pricey, however, The bread selection with accompanying olives started us off in fine style. I had a spectacular Ravioli con Cacio et Pere (pungent cheese and pear) with fresh pecorino. Just lovely. After that, I had Spigola Selvaggia Con Sedano e Funghi. This is red snapper with celery, sautéed mushrooms and a mushroom tomato broth. Lynn was the other inventive eater in our party an she had Sautéed Chicken Livers on a bed of Polenta with Frisé and Liver Paté followed by the Spigola. I ordered Granita di Caffé con Panna in memory of a wonderful dessert from Doney's in Rome that I had when I was 16. It was served with biscotti and brioche.

Cousins and friends live in the Upper West Side and I have had the good fortune to go to Gennaro's. It is in the west 90's and they don't take reservations or credit cards. But if you get there at 7, you can get a seat. It is noisy but fun and not so noisy as other restaurants can be. Everything on the menu is wonderful--especially their antipasto and pasta dishes. In addition to the dishes on the menu, they have a long list of daily specials that the waiter recites at table side. They do take-out, and I guess people opt for that rather than wait on line. I was introduced to Gennaro's by my cousins, Kate and Alex and after that, went there with foodie friends, Pat and Tim. You never leave this place hungry or dissatisfied.

Dining in L.A--June 2008

A report on LA's delicious restaurants: American style, grilled cheese, pizza, and some wonderful Japanese finds

I spent a delicious week in L.A. at the home of my friends, Rusty and Joel. Joel is a fantastic cook in his own right (you should see his kitchen) and he created two wonderful dinners for me--his seafood pasta one evening, and a trio of grilled fish--each one lovingly paired with its own sauce. But here is a list of the wonderful L.A. restaurants I tried. I was pleased to note that although they were pricey, the bills were nothing like what you see in Europe or in New York, for that matter.

The first day, I took a walk and discovered a stupendous sushi restaurant: Sushi Roku on Third Street in West Hollywood. I sat at the bar and spoke Japanese to "my" sushi chef (ittamae-san), Tizzi-san. Although I enjoy the fancy multi faceted rolls that characterize California sushi, give me some pristine fresh fish on rice balls and I am in seventh heaven. I was very impressed with the quality of the fish at Sushi Roku and thrilled when Tizzi-san prepared me a fresh shrimp in two different ways: the body live and the head quickly deep friend tempura style. The yellowtail (which is difficult to get in Paris) was heavenly and the drinks sublime. I also enjoyed speaking Japanese to a Japanese woman who had lived in L.A. for such a long time that my Japanese was actually better than hers!! See the photo of Tizzi-san with the head of the shrimp he prepared for me.

That evening, Joel, Rusty, John, Onil and I tried a brand new restaurant in Culver City. Both Joel and John are old friends from Boston and Rusty and Onil are their partners. Onil is a chef and has a small restaurant in Pasadena (see below). We went to Ford's Filling Station, which is owned by Harrison Ford's son. The food is California-style, and we all shared several dishes: Jamon Serrano Flatbread with Roasted Red Peppers and Mozzarella, Curried Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese, Pecans and Duck Prosciutto, Smoked Trout Brandade with Grilled Garlic Bread, Scallops with Fresh Corn (can't get that in Paris!!), Blistered Tomatoes, Fingerling Potatoes and Brown Butter, Polenta Cake with Vegetables and Truffled Marscapone, Kobe Beef Cheeks with Cracked Wheat Risotto, etc. etc. For desert, we all shared the Chocolate Pound Cake with Whipped Cream, Blackberries and Strawberries. Onil chose a French Viognier wine which is one of my favorite grapes. He went wild ordering for everyone and we each got tastes of every dish. It was delicious, a lot of fun and came to about $60 per person.

The next evening, two tried and true Foodie Friends of mine (the son of another friend from Boston and his wife: Rafi and Megan) took me to the spectacular Pizzeria Mozza. This is the newest offspring of Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bakery and cookbook fame. Although the pizzas are designer, I could not resist when I learned that this was her restaurant. She has a fantastic reputation. You would think that I had not eaten for days when I tell you of all the things we ordered and tasted. The starter was to die for: a Chicken Liver-Caper-Parsley-Pancetta Bruschetta. All the flavors married beautifully and this was a spectacular dish. We also shared Fried Squash Blossoms filled with warm melting Ricotta Cheese--sensational. As there were three of us, we splurged and actually ordered three pizzas and each one was more delicious than the last: Fennel Sausage, Panna, Red Onions and Scallions for the first; Funghi Misti with Fontina, Taleggio and Thyme for the second; Wild Spinach, Cacio di Roma and Salami Nostrano. The third was my favorite. Next door to the restaurant is Mozza Trattoria but Rafi told me that he much prefers the pizzeria. Given the way I feel about pizza, I think he is right, and I cannot wait to go back to Mozza.

The next day, I took public transportation (that's right--no one can believe it even exists in L.A.) to Pasadena where I met John. It was a very hot day and we took advantage of the wonderful weather to visit the Huntington Estates--beautiful gardens. John took me to Onil's restaurant (Elements) where I had a Pan-seared Atlantic Salmon Niçoise. John had the famous Organic Egg Salad. Both were delicious. Just a few days ago (end of August), Onil opened the restaurant for dinner. It is a small place but everything is lovingly and deliciously prepared. I think he will go far in this business.

That evening, we joined another friend of John (Tom) and were completely wowed at R-23, an unusual and wonderful Japanese restaurant in Japan town. Japanese people really know about service. We had two lovely beautiful women waiting on us. They recommended the best sushi and other dishes and the four of us enjoyed a wonderful feast. We had a French Dungeness Crab Salad, Yellowtail Carpaccio with Yuzu and Salmon Roe (yuzu is a citrus fruit), an assortment of wonderful sushi, Fried Soft Shell Crab, Beef Sashimi, Grilled Duck with Scallions, Shiitake Mushrooms with Asparagus, Ohitashi (a spinach dish) with Shiitake. We drank a wonderful cold sake with this terrific meal. Japanese food can be ultra-expensive but in spite of what we ordered, it came to about $67 per person. That would NEVER happen in New York or anywhere in Europe much less Tokyo. It was very impressive and I would return there in a heartbeat.

Joel, Rusty and I had been talking about Grilled Cheese Night at Campanile for over a year. It is the most popular evening when Mark Peel (the chef and genius behind the restaurant) makes delicious GRILLED CHEESE sandwiches. One must reserve very far in advance for this event and it is worth it. If you can say that Grilled Cheese can be a gourmet undertaking, this is it. Such crisp bread and warm meltingly delicious cheese! Perfect comfort food. You have never had a grilled cheese sandwich like this before. That was not all, however. Campanile is a wonderful restaurant and we had the entire menu at our disposal. We chose the Grilled Cheese sandwich, a wonderful Lobster Roll, Crisp Ricotta and Squash Ravioli wih Wild Mushroom Duxelles, and a Nectarine and Blueberry Cobbler. We also shared the rich brownie à la mode. It was a wonderful memorable meal, made only that more memorable when I fell in the bushes on the way back to the house. I guess all the partying and excitement went to my head!!!

I don't mean to be boring but every single restaurant I went to in L.A. was so
wonderful that I want to do the same thing the next time I go back. Joel and Rusty will suggest that we go elsewhere and I am always up for trying something new. However, these several choices could not be beat!!

PIZZA!!!!!!!!!

An in-depth report of pizza from an expert in Washington, D.C. and in N.Y.

People ask me what is my favorite food. I love foie gras, caviar, langoustines, soufflés, all things dark chocolate--but my all time favorite food is PIZZA. I have been on a quest to find a handful of the best pizza restaurants in Italy and in the states (namely New York and Washington, D.C. because their pizzerias excel). For many many years, my friend Ann and I try a different pizza place every time I go to NY. We have been all over Brooklyn and Manhattan at this point. We are pizza pals.

My absolute favorite US-based pizza place is in Washington, D.C. It is called Two Amys and is situated in a small (what looks like suburban) mall in the city. They have authentic Neapolitan pizza--which means that their restaurant has passed the test of ingredients and technique so as to be recognized by the pizza gurus of Naples. Personally, I like a crisp crust with a chewy exterior. I tend not to go for designer pizzas: save me the Margherita please.

In NY, there are many excellent pizzerias and New Yorkers pride themselves in being pizza afficionadoes living in a pizza metropolis just as important as Naples. After the Patsy wars (when many restaurants took the name of Patsy and hoped to gain notoriety and customers that way) the famous Patsy's under the Brooklyn Bridge changed its name to Grimaldi's. This, along one other pizzeria in NYC, is a favorite of mine. Count on waiting on line and a raucous environment inside, AND absolutely exquisite pizzas. There is a list of the choices and the menu is limited to pizza, wine and beer, and a few other Italian delicacies. Rumor has it (and it is a true rumor) that Frank Sinatra was a loyal customer of Grimaldi's (formerly Patsy's) and ordered their pizzas to be delivered to him at his hotel.

The second delicious NY pizzeria that gets my seal of approval is Una Pizza Napoletana on East 12th Street. I have been there a few times without my friend Ann. It is open from 5pm until the time that the pizza dough runs out. Every pie is made to order by Anthony (Antonio)--a young pizza chef obsessed with perfection. He has paid millions to install an authentic woodburning stove from Naples! This is his pride and joy. The restaurant is small and I find that it is best to get there at 5--otherwise, there is a long wait both on the sidewalk and again once you are in the restaurant and have ordered, as each pizza is lovingly prepared by Anthony. It is definitely worth the trip. There is a choice of three traditional pizzas and wine or beer--that's it. His Marguerita has the authentic Neapolitan label, of course. I can't wait to show Ann how terrific this place is.

May in Berlin

Berlin: a foody town with excellent Asian restaurants and some German places too

Last summer, after a short trip to Berlin, two of my cousins were completely blown away with pleasure. "A foodie town!!!" they insisted; youthful and full of positive energy. I just had to go, so as soon as I could free up some time, I was on my way.

It is true that not only does Berlin have zillions of great restaurants and food stands, the euro goes much farther. We don't understand it here in Paris, but things are so inexpensive there that it brought tears to my eyes. Mainly, I dined in Asian restaurants, but the one evening that I did choose a nouvelle German and upscale restaurant, my full dinner with wine came to about 34 euros!!

Although I didn't find the spectacular pizza place that other friends have told me about (see above for my pizza entries), I had the pleasure of lunching at Monsieur Vuong, where for about 8 euros, I got a fantastic glass noodle salad either with chicken or tofu and a beverage; and at Mao Thai which has beautiful and delicious Thai dishes; and at Kuchi which was one of the best sushi restaurants I have ever had the pleasure to dine in. Monsieur Vuong and Kuchi are in the Mitte section which one of the coolest and trendiest areas in the city. Mao Thai is in nearby Prenzlauer Berg which is a bit more chic and quieter. Unlike many "trendy" restaurants, all of these places serve delicious food.

The night I opted for traditional German food (sauerkraut and sausages and dark beer) at Restaurant Kugelhopf (named after one of my favorite pastries), I was sorely disappointed. The service was so excruciatingly slow that it became an ordeal to sit in that restaurant. A simple dinner took hours to serve. I don't recommend it.

I ate in a number of Asian restaurants which were very good. The Japanese place I found, Kuchi, reminded me of the restaurants in LA or San Francisco. They had a large variety of exotic rolls on the menu with many types of fish and garnishes. They also serve Japanese rice dishes (donburi), sashimi and sushi. Everything is well prepared and delicious and the service is quite good. This is a popular place, so reservations are a must.

On everyone's "Best Thai restaurants in the world" list is Mao Thai in the very hip Prenzlauer Berg. This is an excellent restaurant with dishes that are lovingly prepared and beautifully presented . Mao Thai has two other branches in Berlin: one near the Brandenburg Gate and the other not far from the zoo. Each of the restaurants has a different name, but they all have approximately the same menu.

The big specialty to get in Berlin is Currywurst--horrible (in my humble opinion)!! It is a cheap hotdog covered with ketchup with plain curry powder sprinkled on top. This is another delicacy I would not recommend!! Don't miss the food floor at KaDaWe--one of the largest and chicest department stores in Europe. It is a large area full of all German specialties. I also had cocktails there at one of the many bars, and was astonished by how inexpensive the drinks are.

In general, prices are quite low compared to other European city restaurants. In fact, at lunch, I always thought I was just getting an appetizer when the prices quoted were for full main courses. It was a pleasure to discover the gastonomic jewels of Berlin.

A steak dinner

A truly great but very simple Paris steak place

I love Mark Bittman's column in the New York Times and saved the one about the restaurants that serve the best steak-frites in town. We went to his number one spot: The Restaurant Severo at 8 rue des Plantes. What is lacks in decor, it makes up with flavor. This is not a restaurant for the faint of heart or for any type of vegetarian or even a chickaterian!! Ham or sausage for appetizers and then your choice of steak-frites: filet de boeuf, faux-filet, steak haché (hamburger) or tartare de boeuf. The best and most flavorful cut is the faux-filet. I like it saignant--very rare, and the restaurant did a fine job of not cooking it too too red for me. The frites were crispy and delicious and the wine that went with it (a Mercurey) was delicious. We saw some people being served salad so we opted for that to help us digest. We were served large bowls of mâche in a lovely mustardy vinaigrette. There are classic desserts at Le Severo: mousse au chocolat, tarte aux poires a l'ancienne, crème caramel, but we were really stuffed. Dinner came to about 80 euros including the wine and the coffee. Down the street is Severo Bis where you can get fish and meat. I am definitely going to try that place.

Lunch at Gagnaire and other three-star chefs

Grand Restaurants of Paris including Gagnaire, Senderens, and Robuchon

My friend from NY and Tokyo, Noriko, asked me to go to a GRAND RESTAURANT with her. One of my favorites has always been Pierre Gagnaire where I celebrated my 50th birthday with a lavish lobster dinner followed by a very creative and fantastically delicious chocolate souffle. Unfortunately, such luxury items would cost in the 400 euro range (for the whole dinner including a mid-priced wine and coffee) and I could not afford that now--nor would I want to spend so very very much on a meal. So I suggest to Noriko that we go for the weekday lunch which costs a hefty 110 euros without any beverages. We had a choice between two appetizers, one first main course and then a meat main course followed by four desserts.

It is Gagnaire's style to present each dish with a variety of side garnitures that marry well with the central plate. With the aperitif (pour nous mettre en appetit as they say--to get our appetites ready for the meal) was a crunchy pastry topped with onion marmelade and seafood, a delicious tuile with chopped fresh tomatoes and chorizo that was attached to the plate with a dollop of parmesan cream. There was also a grilled and caramelized hazelnut, a butter cookie flavored with ginger, and a tuile made of roquette topped with gingerbread. There was more but I am now going on to the first course.

The appetizers were a tartare of beef mixed with bass that was very astonishing and delectable; a purple puree of potatoes (the potatoes are naturally purple in color) mixed with sauerkraut and sausage, and a mixture of mussels, celery with the Japanese seaweed, nori.

The first main course was a delicious white fish served with winter vegetables and a luscious beurre blanc. Then came a lovely piece of venison served with a purée of pumpkin, and black rice mixed with red cabbage. Along with this was a preparation of the shoulder of the venison mixed with spaetzle. And the liver of the venison was served on toast--just wonderful.

With each dish, I had a lovely glass of wine that married well with what I was tasting (as recommended by the sommelier).

The many desserts were preceded with a little cookie of fresh strawberry and pepper, a small cake of white chocolate garnished with exotic fruits, a pastry flavored with verbena and almond. Desserts included a seasonal fruit salad with a cookie flavored with parmesan and sugar, an almond and lemon custard served with saffron ice cream, etc.

I loved the meal and had a wonderful time. The service was excellent and although everyone around us was ordering from the à la carte menu, we were treated royally. But when you have had the best, the luncheon menu pales in comparison. I missed my langoustines, truffles and chocolate soufflé. These are the items I had ordered at other times when prices were more reasonable. I didn't even want to look at the à la carte menu to see what I could have ordered had the prices been slashed by 4. (But I did take it home to study it at my leisure). Gagnaire is one of my favorites but I would prefer to go there when I can really take advantage of his talents with the luxury items.

On the other hand, Alain Senderens (whose restaurant, Restaurant Senderens and before that, Archestrate and Lucas Carton, I have visited more than any on earth) understood the problem with the expensive restaurant in our time. He returned his 3 stars and redesigned his restaurant (the decor is smashing!). Now he serves less expensive ingredients at prices most people can afford--each dish married with a glass of wine that goes best with it. Senderens has studied oenology and is passionate about augmenting the flavors of his dishes with wines that complement them. A full course dinner with everything included will be about 125 euros and this is from a three-star chef. Although he gave away his stars, the Michelin was "ornery" and awarded him two his second year of his newly reborn career. This is one of the best restaurant in Paris and I have always loved his style of cooking. His signature dish is Canard Apicius--duck that is flavored with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and other spices. For my birthday dinner, I had stuffed zucchini flowers with crab, poached foie gras with morel mushrooms, a wonderful caramelized pigeon dish, and a special dessert with saffron ice cream, candied red pepper and a lemon curd and finally a made-for-me chocolate gateau. The meal was lovely from start to finish.

Another fun place that is worth the detour is L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon. Robuchon is a legend in his time and a truly talented and passionate artist. His new look is modelled after a Japanese restaurant where the clients sit on stools at the counter and watch what is going on in the kitchen. Basically, the food is a variety of tapas--each one costing about 15-20 euros. Three or four with a lovely dessert makes for a sensational meal. The last time I was there I had crab royale with slivers of celeri rave; a wonderful cream of chestnut soup garnished with smoked bacon and lobes of foie gras, scallops with an acidic seaweed butter which played off very well with the sweetness of the scallops, and sweetbreads (I love them!) with romaine stuffed with more sweetbreads. For dessert was a fantastic chocolate mousse served in a glass under a crust of chocolate ganache and garnished with some wonderful vanilla ice cream. This was a heavenly meal.

Jipango Dinner

Japanese cuisine in a cooking class with a variety of different specialties including a succulent fresh crab "stew"

Friends and family have requested that I branch out on my blog, so I am going to start to add other countries and cuisines to my repertoire.

I love Japan and have travelled there twice. I have been studying Japanese for five years now and although I find it hard to understand when people speak quickly, I can make myself understood. I went to Japan alone last year, and was able to get around and communicate without a problem.

In Paris, I belong to the Jipango Club among other Japanese cultural organizations. I have had many cooking classes with my favorite chef, Bin Muto and have learned the basics of Japanese cuisine. Far beyond sushi and sashimi, there are many different types of cooking to master.

Yesterday, I was fortunate to have attended a class for a seafood banquet. We had king crab and kintara (a type of rich codfish that tastes as velvety as Chilean Sea Bass). For a starter was an angel hair salad with vegetables and seaweed along with jumbo (raw) shrimp sushi. All this was washed down with two different types of wonderful sake.

Bin showed us how to prepare the meal which included making the dashi, a broth that is the base of all Japanese cuisine, Add orange juice and other ingredients like mirin (really a sweet sake) and you have ponzu sauce. If you combine that with mayonnaise, you have a wonderful sauce for your sushi rolls.

The menu did not disappoint. We started with the angel hair salad and the shrimp sashimi. Next were the packets of Chinese cabbage and carrots, tofu, the crab, and the velvety codfish. Once the ingredients are cooked, you spoon out your portion into a small soup bowl which is filled with some ponzu sauce. Mmm Mmm. This is a very convivial meal, which is ideal for six people seated around a table. As you eat your portion, you add more and more of the ingredients, cook them, and eat some more.

I thought that the nabe was the main course but I was wrong. After about three helpings each, we had the codfish (which was rich and delicious) cooked in a teriyaki or sweet soy sauce. Most meals end with rice and miso soup in that order but we were treated to udon (thick chewy noodles) served in more warm dashi in our nabe bowls.

For dessert there were two types of yokan (a jellied rectangular cube) flavored with green tea and with sesame. This was a wonderful meal. The Jipango meals are always very relaxed and fun. It is a great occasion to meet new people who are interested in Japan and Japanese culture.

Through my membership in Jipango I have learned about the authentic and traditional Japanese restaurants in Paris. And I am able to translate this talent into my forays to other places I visit. I have found authentic outposts in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston and New York.