Paris Eats - Travel Through Food

When Amanda and I were planning our trip to Iceland (the land of insane scenery and expensive food) we had very different priorities when it came to where to dine, what to eat, and how much to spend on food.  I'll never forget when Amanda told me that all my money goes to my stomach.  I laughed because of just how true it was.  While food was more of refueling between destinations for her, it was so much more to me.

Red Iguana - Salt Lake City's MUST HAVE Mexican Food

A line on a Monday outside of Red Iguana 

So there's this place - this wonderful magical place full of warm tortillas, savory mole sauces, and pork products in nearly every form.  Oh and an abundance of spicy, salty margaritas.

Where is this place, you ask? It's Salt Lake City's famous Mexican restaurant, Red Iguana.  You are probably envisioning a hip and trendy taco joint smack downtown in the city.  Instead, it is literally and figuratively located on the "wrong side of the tracks" at the other end of the city, about a mile and a half from the downtown area.   All of this amazing Mexican food is contained in a basic nondescript yellow and red building with a huge lit up sign inviting you in to enjoy "Killer Mexican Food" right through the front door covered in a variety of random stickers.  To really set the ambiance, its neighbor is a rundown no-tell motel, honeymoon suite, weekly rates, and creepy gnome characters in a no longer functioning abandoned outdoor pool included.  That Travelodge sign with the creepy characters featuring "Kiddies Fairy Land"?  All real.  Let's just say you don't come here for the ambiance, you come for the mole.

My Banff Dining and Drinking Guide - Budgets, Bars and the Best Meals of Banff

Budgets, Bars and the Best Meals of Banff 

If you are like me, one of your favorite parts of vacation is the food.  Not having to cook for a week and having all these options of new restaurants and places to try makes a vacation or trip that much better.  But the problem for me, is finding eateries and drinkeries worth my time, waistline, and budget.  Why waste a single dollar or calorie on food that just isn't that good?  

Food options are one of my most researched items pre-trip and I look for high quality, best dive, affordable, and the best splurge night option.  I am proud to say I did a lot of research for you while in Banff and the consensus of where to eat (where to skip) and the best place to watch the Olympics with a beer are in.  

Moxie - Madison, Connecticut

Moxie.  People have been ranting and raving over this spot in the small coastal town of Madison, Connecticut.  After a few visits, I quickly understood why Moxie is always busy and why everyone keeps talking about it.  For starters, Moxie is home to great food at an awesome price with an impressive local beer list.  The restaurant also has a fun down to earth yet trendy vibe.  This combination, cool spot + fair prices + great food + awesome beer means Moxie is always busy and quite popular with the hipster crowd.  Well, the few that are actually in this area.  Heads up early on, you will need a reservation for dinner, especially on the weekends.  

I decided to give it a try on two separate occasions and was impressed with the food, alcohol selections and atmosphere each time.  I have to be honest, I judge a restaurant harshly on how good their fries are and let's just say Moxie is officially Katie Wanders eaten at and approved.

Let's talk about Moxie. 

Grand Cayman Cuisine

One of my favorite aspects of traveling is the food.  Yeah yeah the sunshine and crystal clear water is nice, but the food is the biggest perk.  New restaurants, new menus, new cultures and new amazing food. I always get extra excited when my travels bring me to an island because this typically means a lot of fresh fish will be offered on all the menus. So what type of food can you expect on Grand Cayman? My week was filled with stewed turtle, conch fritters, kangaroo sausage,  lionfish tacos, jerk chicken, countless curries and chicken tikka masala.  But before I go into how good lionfish tacos are, we need to go over a quick and dirty 1 paragraph history lesson and then the food will all make sense (except for the kangaroo). 

SHORT VERSION:  Grand Cayman was first colonized by Jamaica, and then by the British. HISTORY LESSON:  "The Cayman Islands were sighted by Christopher Columbus on May 10, 1503, during his last voyage to the West Indies. At first the Spaniards named the islands Las Tortugas because of the many turtles in the surrounding waters, but by 1530 they were known as the Caimanas or Caymanes for the alligators (caimánes) reported to be native there. After the Treaty of Madrid (1670)—which ceded Jamaica and a number of other Caribbean islands, including the Caymans, to Great Britain—the first permanent settlement was established on Grand Cayman. Most of the inhabitants were British mariners, privateers, shipwrecked passengers, and African slaves, as well as land-grant holders from Jamaica. The remoteness of the islands, and integration following the emancipation of slaves in 1835, resulted in a socially homogeneous society." Read More

Shrimp and Mango Salad from Paradise Grill - Georgetown

BaoBao Dumpling House- Portland, Maine

We arrived in Portland, Maine just in time for lunch.  I knew Portland was famous for it's food scene and the  biggest issue would be how to fit as much food as possible in 48 hours (first world problems).  With high expectations and building excitement, it is quite easy to look at the long list of 4 to 5 star rated restaurants and be a little overwhelmed by the options.  

The thing about Portland is there is more than a little bit of everything.  In the mood for Asian?  Pick from one of these five restaurants with rave reviews.  Seafood?  I don't even know where to begin with the choices.  I decided to consult "The Bible" (Fodor's New England travel guide if you are new to the blog) with this tough decision.  The book had yet to disappoint me so far, with an awesome stop at Congdon's donuts and a nice little walk at Rachel Carsons preserve to start the day.  

While perusing through the food section, two restaurants really jumped out at me: BaoBao for their dumplings, and Duck Fat for their fries.  The idea was set and I was not leaving Portland without dumplings or french fries.   And so, our first real stop (if you don't count the donuts) became BaoBao. 

General Info

BaoBao Dumpling House

Rating:  4.5 Stars 

Address: 133 Spring Street, Portland, ME 

Contact: 207.772.8400  info@baobao-maine.com
Open:  Wednesday through Sunday, Closed Monday and Tuesday

Reservations:  Parties of 8 or more

Vegetarian Friendly:  Yes

Gluten Free Friendly:  Dumplings no, but some options 

Parking:  On the street (metered)

Special Events

1/2 Price Dumplings: 2:00-4:00 (Wed-Fri)

Happy Hour: 4:00 - 6:00 (Wed-Fri)

Monthly Tap Takeover (currently featuring Oxbow Brewing)

Pop Up Events 

Why The Name?
"BaoBao 包宝 in Chinese translates to “wrapped treasure”, or in our case, dumplings (jiaozi 饺子), served in a historic townhouse in Portland’s West End.  We offer Asian inspired comfort food, designed to satisfy both the midnight foodie, or discerning dinner diner.  Our core menu is supplemented with ever-changing daily specials and a wide variety of teas, beers, wines and specialty cocktails".

Eating and Drinking on Madeira Island

Its my last post before my final recap/travel guide itinerary for the island of Madeira.  So lets go out with a bang and talk about all the amazing traditional food you will see on Madeira Island.

Because Madeira is a big tourist destination, they have many options for food ranging from pizza to Indian food.  Unlike the Azores, there is a larger variety of restaurants to chose from, especially where all the hotels are.  However... if you are 100 percent Portuguese and with your Portuguese family, you will avoid the tourists traps and spend your week eating authentic Portuguese food, which is exactly what we did. We fully immersed ourselves in the traditional dishes of Madeira Island

Drinks

Lets start with drinks.  

Madeira has a few traditional drinks on the island, and of course we will start with the most famous, Madeira Wine. 

Sipping Madeira Wine after dinner 

Madeira Wine isn't your average bottle of table wine, but instead, a fortified wine (addition of brandy, think dessert or cooking wine) that comes in variations from dry to sweet.  Madeira Wine is unique to the Island of Madeira, and its distinctive taste is due to the heating process of the wine.  The heating process is key in bringing out flavors like nuts, fruit, caramel and toffee.  Madeira wine can be sipped cold, or how we had it, after dinner warm as a dessert wine.  It is also popular for cooking when de-glazing pans or creating sauces and dressings.  A few of the restaurants (like Frango da Guiia above) brought out samples of Madeira wine for the table on the house after a large meal.  You can find it at virtually every restaurant and shop around the island.  The prices range from affordable to very very expensive depending on the year and type. 

Bottles of Madeira Wine to purchase

"During the 1600 and 1700s, wine often spoiled and needed to be fortified (by adding a little brandy) to survive the voyage at sea. At the time, the island of Madeira was an important provisioning point for journeys to the Americas and the East Indies and shippers would load up on Madeira wine on their way to England and the Americas. The casks of Madeira wine would be heated and cooled as the ships passed though the tropics. Shippers noticed how the wine’s flavor deepened and became better and called this sea-aging “Vinho da Roda.”" Wine Folly

Poncha 

Poncha is the most famous drink on the island of Madiera.  While the world knows about Madeira Wine, few know about the poncha, unless you actually on the island.  

While the drink started in the fishing town of Camara de Lobos, drank by the espada fishermen before a night at sea, it can be found throughout the entire island. Be warned, it is delicious and very strong. 

Poncha from Madeira 

The drink is traditionally made only from brandy cane sugar while adding equal amounts of sugar and lemon peel. Honey is now added to the mixture instead of sugar and you can find variations that include orange as well.   If you are on the island of Madeira, you have to try a poncha, but maybe just one.  The drink is very very strong and it is said that after a few ponchas, anyone can speak Portuguese. 

Beers on Madeira 

Beer and wine are also common on the island, and can be found on every table at lunch and dinner.  It is very common to see a table of women sharing a bottle of red wine over a long lunch.  You will basically only find Coral on tap (light beer) and a Super Bock and Corral in the bottle.  The variety isn't spectacular but it is all very cheap (1-3 euros) and easy to drink.  

Spread of food and drink at Gaviao Novo- one of the best seafood restaurants in Funchal

View from lunch

Breakfast at Melia Madeira Mare

Breakfast was included with our hotel stay at Melia Madeira Mare and was always a gorgeous spread of exotic and local fruits, meats and cheeses along with your more traditional eggs and omelets.  I have to say it was quite lovely starting every day with a mimosa with local champagne and a splash of pineapple juice. 

Chestnuts at Vale das Freiras in Curral das Freiras 

One of the appetizers we ordered was the traditional roasted chestnuts in the Valley of the nuns.  They were peeled, roasted, and heavily salted.  A delicious way to start a meal and order more drinks like poncha. 

Fresh Fish display at Gaviao Novo- one of the best seafood restaurants in Funchal

The seafood on the island was probably (no, it was definitely) the highlight for me.  Restaurants had displays of their fresh catch of the day out in front to lure you in.  The popular fish on the island was the eel like fish called espada, the parrot fish, limpets (one shelled mussel if you will), squid, shrimp, and other white fish. You could also find traditional salted cod, swordfish, tuna, and your more typical fish. Everything was local and fresh.  The espada was definitely the group favorite.  There are many traditional dishes including Espada with banana (too sweet for me) and bacalhau (salted cod with potatoes, delicious).  Every fish we had melted in your mouth especially the espada.  

Be warned a lot of the fish comes whole, and even the filets tend to have bones.  If this is not your cup of tea, the chef can probably filet it for you.  But if you order fish, it is more than likely coming chock full of tiny tiny pin bones. 

Grilled Squid entree 

Grilled squid with side salad 

Steak eggs and fries 

You can also find the classic steak and eggs, or your seafood and rice dishes around the island and at nearly every restaurant.  The combo of the steak, eggs and fries is always amazing but your steak will most likely be served well done.  And if you order shrimp, its also likely it will come with its head still attached. 

Seafood and rice plate 

Espada (scabbard fish) fried 

Espada with banana and passion fruit 

Whole grilled parrot fish

Bacalhau - salted cod with bones 

Bacalhau - salted cod with bones 

Three fish filet sampler at Gaviao Novo

Salad at Gaviao Novo

Less cooked (and better prepared) veggies at Gaviao Novo

overcooked veggies at one of the restaurants

The sides were always your standard salad, and a display of vegetables that were cooked to death and beyond.  The Portuguese cook everything well well well done to the point that the vegetables were often a brown pile of mush in a platter.  It was also very traditional to have fries or boiled potatoes, served with olive oil as a side. 

typical side salad that came with meals 

Large table of food at Frango da Guiia

As you can see, whatever you ordered came with about 3 different plates (each!).  This is what our table constantly looked like, just ordering one meal per person.  When we needed a break from the fish, my hiking guide recommended we tried the chicken at Frango de Guiia and it did not disappoint. 

Amazing spice rub chicken at Frango da Guiia

 Whole grilled sardines 

The food on Madeira, all in all was great.  The fresh fish was always the best option.  The sides were very hit or miss as the Portuguese overcook their veggies.  Chicken was a nice break from the fish as well as steak.  Pork was not an option on most menus.  It may be a difficult island for vegetarians unless you stick to the more touristy restaurants.  The food was always much more affordable than our entrees here in America.  A nice dish at a nicer restaurant was usually in the 10-15 euro range, with generous portions and sides.

 Sticking to the more authentic restaurants, the food was great.  Our only complaint was that each restaurant seemed to have the same type of food, same entrees, and it was a little monotonous after a while.  Make sure you try all the local fish and put lots of olive oil on those boiled potatoes.  And you cannot leave the island without trying the Madeira Wine or the Poncha.

Cheers! 

Campfire Muffins

I have a bunch of fun posts coming your way after spending a weekend in the High Uintas. 

 But it's Monday after a long weekend so lets start slow and with something super fun.  

I think the best part about camping is the food (because it's not the dirt and bugs, let be real).  Food taste way better when enjoyed around a campfire with a cold beer and good friends.   It is always fun to find creative ways to cook your dinner.  Some go the traditional easier route, with hot dogs and hamburgers, while other get really fancy with pie irons and fancy tools.

  I like to think I am somewhere in the middle.

I had a bunch of food packed and was really confident in my fun and creative ways to cook dinner.  But a hot breakfast is always a little more challenging.   I was looking for a fun way to cook up breakfast at the campsite and ran across this idea. 

Cooking muffins in an orange over a campfire.  

How fun is that?

Cooked yet still a little gooey muffin, with the citrus flavor from the orange.  The orange peel acts as an insulator and you can throw the whole thing right in the fire.  The thick muffin batter doesn't seem out and its a perfect breakfast treat.  A hot breakfast when you wake up to a cold morning camping.  Yep, it's worth the effort. 

It is pretty simple yet a little time consuming.  

Spitz - Mediterranean Street Food - Salt Lake City, Utah

Wednesdays are now dedicated to food. Why? Because I said I am giving this bloggie some structure... and I love food and its a little bit of foodie fun mid week.  Today I am ranting about Spitz.

Spitz is a small restaurant off of E Broadway Street, smack downtown in Salt Lake City.  It serves "Mediterranean street food" and it is one of my favorite spots to eat downtown.  Their sandwiches are amazing, their fries are crispy, and they probably have the best fry sauce in town. And Utahns take their fry sauce seriously.  There is almost a line out the door during all business hours.  But don't worry- it goes quick! 

It is a fun and funky place where you order at the counter, grab some water, grab a seat, play with the trivia cards, and wait for heaven to arrive in food form.

They are known for their Sangria (red white or seasonal) and it was delicious.  

They also have a fun beer menu, wine list, and liquor.  They feature a lot of local beers for a great price.  

The sandwiches never disappoint. And order extra fry sauce- it is that good.  Check out the amazing menu here

The Street Car Doner is the way to go.   It is the most popular sandwich and king of them all. 

You can pick the type of meat and then choose it in a wrap or sandwich.

I advise mixed meat and sandwich style.  

You also need to get the Street Car Fries.***

  I mean it when I say YOU NEED TO.  I am sorry to yell but they are one of my most favorite things about this place.    And make sure you bring a friend because it is an intimidating plate of "Mediterranean Fry Nachos" as I call them. 

Basically, it is every amazing Mediterranean ingredient on top of a plate of fries.  Feta, garlic aoli, tomatoes, peperoncinis, red onion, green pepper, olives, chili sauce, spices....

Do I have to say any more?

In the summer you can sit outside which also adds another element of awesomeness to this spot.  If you are in Salt Lake City, you must visit Spitz. 

 Did I mention they are open late on the weekends too?  

Midnight Doner Fries, here I come.   

***Disclaimer:  You will leave with serious garlic breath.  Which is great if you love garlic as much as I do.  If you find a cure for tasting anything besides garlic for the next four hours... let me know.