Restaurants

Cibo Parnell is a restaurant in Auckland, NZ, located in a former chocolate factory. Even though what goes on inside is hardly a secret, Cibo claims it is still one of Auckland’s best kept secrets.

Food with Attitude - Cibo Parnell, Auckland, NZ

Can’t be all that big a secret, since America’s Next Top Model host Tyra Banks dropped in on Cibo without notice a couple of weeks back, while filming for the show in New Zealand. Tyra was accompanied by three friends, all four of them had a good time, enjoyed the food and none of them turned purple, got shrunk or stretched.

Cibo’s Willy Wonka is Kate Fay – head chef and owner. In fact, the whole restaurateur gig has been such a blast that Kate Fay has even penned a book – Food with Attitude – based on the behind the scenes life of a successful & busy restaurant, plus recipes & gorgeous photography of each dish & restaurant life.

The wine list and cuisine at Cibo are all up to scratch, as befitting an upscale restaurant famed for lavish wedding banquets and cocktail parties, but the best part of a meal at Cibo comes at the end, in the dessert menu.

The desserts include a plate with a selection of what Cibo calls ’small sweets’ - a Valrhona Tasting Plate with milk chocolate, brulee chocolate, marquise chocolate and chocolate sorbet. You also have a choice of raspberry and white chocolate macaroons, and cinnamon sugar doughnuts with hot chocolate shot.

If the chocolate-fest is too intoxicating for you, Cibo also offers 14 kinds of cheese selections and a wide choice of sherbets and ice-creams.

Info: 91 St Georges Bay Rd Parnell Auckland NZ; 09 303 9660; www.cibo.co.nz/

Sometimes you want to drink your gluehwein inside.  Rainy, gray days in Germany can do that to you.  And if you can pair it with some very decadent chocolates?  Even better.

Do you know gluehwein?  It’s a German holiday tradition.  You take a nice, mellow red wine, add in some spices, a little lemon and, if you really want a good kick, a shot or two of Schapps.  Heat – but don’t boil! – to a good belly-warming temperature.  Then serve in a mug.  It’s a fantastic pick-me-up on a cold day or to offer instead of egg nog when you are trimming your tree.

It’s also a staple at the Christmas Markets here in Germany.  But, as I said, sometimes you want a nice cuppa inside.  Once you’ve walked your feet off finding the perfect wreath at the Weihnachtsmarkt or climbed to the top of Schloss Neuschwanstein and back again, nothing sounds better than a good cup of gluehwein.  It will warm you right down to your frozen toes.

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From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

The Pinnacle Grill - Ocean View Dining

My friend has a food allergy. She can’t have foods that include onions. She always mentions her allergy to the wait staff. Sometimes the kitchen gets it right, and sometimes she has a reaction to her food. One of the first things I noticed upon being seated at the Pinnacle Grill on the Ms Westerdam was that the table next to me was ordering, and one of the guests had a gluten and wheat allergy. The waiter listened to his requests and responded with a “can do” attitude. I also noticed that the gentleman apologized to his fellow diners for his food allergy, adding that he was “high maintenance.”

If you are high maintenance when it comes to food, be it a gourmet diner who demands choice Sterling Silver beef, or someone who has food allergies, Pinnacle Grill will meet your needs. Of course, it will cost you a little bit more, but I think it is worth it.

Reservations Please

As a guest of Holland America Line sailing on the Ms Westerdam to Alaska, I was fortunate to be able to dine at the Pinnacle Grill; once for lunch and one time for dinner.  The upscale shift is noticeable upon entrance – from the Riedel stemware to the Bvlgari china imported from Germany and Frette linens.

Crab & Shrimp Cakes with a lime Thai curry sauce

I ordered the Northwest Five Onion Soup with Tomato Shallot Soubise. The cream based soup was a welcome beginning to a fine meal. Two crab and shrimp cakes arrived as my main course, served alongside an exotic lime Thai curry sauce, accompanied by orange rice with pine nuts. I ordered the chocolate brownie decadence for dessert and was under-whelmed. The dish was fine, yet not decadent to my taste buds.

For me, the difference between The Pinnacle Grill and the Vista Dining Room was demonstrated in the Lobster Bisque. During dinner at Pinnacle Grill, my soup was hot and creamy, while the same soup, served at the Vista Dining Room, was luke warm and lack luster. Understandably, the specialty restaurant serves a smaller clientele and the food has less distance to travel.

Trio of Lamb Chops

I ordered the Colorado lamb chops with a side of button mushrooms and a baked potato at the Pinnacle Grill.  The previous night I had oven-roasted rack of lamb, rubbed with Dijon mustard and garlic herb crumbs in a Pinot Noir sauce from the Vista Dining Room. As was expected, the cut of lamb was far superior at the Pinnacle Grill. The $10 additional fee for lunch and $20 fee for dinner at the Grill was worth its price in service, atmosphere and food quality. Chef Phillip Heise takes care and effort with his presentation and it shows through in a top notch meal. That’s not to say that Chef Rudi Sodamin doesn’t do a fine job at the Vista Dining Room, it’s simply a different dining experience. Aside from eating and drinking, there are plenty of things to do in Alaska.

Insider Tip: Don’t waste your time on the chocolate brownie decadence. If you are looking for chocolate bliss; instead go for the chocolate lava cake…now that’s decadent!

All photos courtesy of Nancy D. Brown

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Cherry Banana Chocolate Peasant Pie

Living in a big urban environment, sometimes we need to have that special place that we go to any time we need a dose of happiness.  Peasant Pies is that place for me.  Let’s start with the location. They are perfectly situated on 24th Street near Castro Street in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.  This is easy to reach by every form of transportation from foot to car. For many city visitors or residents, location plays a big part in the happiness quotient. Next we have the price. Read More »

We spent the Sunday out and about in our new city, Seattle, technically we are in Issaquah, but Seattle is close enough for quick outings, so we’re claiming it too. Anyway we needed some coffee and decided to forgo the usual Starbucks and Seattle’s Best fare, for a tasty treat at Dilettante.

Two things right off the bat, the desserts look so scrumptious and Holy Cow, they sell their chocolate syrup in a #10 can, that’s a lot of syrup.

I am unfortunately, lactose intolerant and have to drink soymilk in my coffee. I mention this, because Starbucks changed their soymilk to vanilla, and I hate vanilla soymilk. So the first questions I asked were, do you have soymilk and is it flavored. Yes and no were the answers and yay! I could actually get something besides a drip coffee. Chai Soy Latte here I come.

Whit got a plain cappuccino and the boys got a free hot chocolate, just because they were cute. My latte was really good, they get extra points in my book for the plain soymilk.

All Smiles!

Whit liked his cappuccino and the hot chocolate was pretty darn good, as it should be, since they they are a “Mocha House”. It was a nice break from the BUX!

Another plus, the girls (baristas) were probably the nicest I’ve ever encountered. They talked to my kids and even offered to put blue sprinkles on their whipped cream.

I will probably hit the Dilettante in Westlake Center every time I head in to the city.

Dilettante Click here to find a location near you.

Dragon Well in San Francisco

In the Marina/Cow Hollow neighborhood of San Francisco there are lots of fancy restaurants and little cafes but few if any healthy choices for Chinese food.  I’m here to report that we just found a great place for lunch or dinner that is kid friendly and inexpensive.

Dragon Well Restaurant is a fabulous little Chinese restaurant tucked in between coffee shops and clothing boutiques on busy yet quaint Chestnut Street.

You may have already walked by without noticing it in the past, on your way to the Palace of Fine Arts, Crissy Field or the Exploratorium.

We were hanging out in the neighborhood the other day, it was a foggy and overcast day so common in summer around here.  My husband and I wanted something warm to eat, but wanted to avoid the usual suspects like a burrito or a burger.  As he was feeding the parking meter, I looked around and voila!  Grabbing his hand, we walked inside Dragon Well and sat at one of their cute little tables looking back onto Chestnut Street.

I was so impressed by how nice and friendly the hostess was and the wait staff that seated us. Since this was our first time I started with the won ton soup (loved it!!) and my husband ordered a couple of dishes for us to share.  I would have included photos but I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture before it was all gone, sorry.  My favorite dish was the garlic eggplant, while I think my husband ate most of the wok tossed prawns.  We also shared the salt and pepper calamari to start and really liked their consistency and spice.  And when you go to Dragon Well, don’t forget to try a chocolate or regular-flavored fortune cookie! Yum and yum!

2142 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: (415) 474-6888

Hours: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm, daily

Posted by Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Grotto del Parco

If you are a foodie like me, you’ll want to add Lugano, Switzerland to your bucket list. Believe me, your taste buds will thank you.  In no particular order, here are my top 10 best food and drink recommendations for your next visit to Lugano, Switzerland.

1. Best Fancy Dinner with a view of Lake Lugano: Villa Principe Leopoldo Hotel My meal of artichoke, avocado and asparagus salad followed by leek and merlot risotto with lobster and finally lamb loin roasted in potato crust with wild garlic was simply superb. The local Tenimento Dell OR Pinot Noir Ticino 2007 recommended by Somellier Gabriele Speziale was an ideal match with the lamb.
2. Best Breakfast/Sunday Brunch: Restaurant Ai Giardini de Villa Sassa Once again Lake Lugano takes center stage, offering a lovely backdrop to a gorgeous garden setting with a wide array of foods to match. The dining room is enclosed in glass sliding doors which open onto a floral accented patio.
3. Best Lunch: Restaurant Olimpia has been a mainstay in Piazza Riforma since 1845. The restaurant is best known for its steak tartar. The housemade foccacia bread and pizza are tasty.
   

   Gran Cafe Al Porto

4. Best Espresso and Pastry: Located in Via Pessina 3, just a few steps from the finicular station, Grand Cafe Al Porto’s Confiserie Al Porto is as beautiful to the eye as it is to the taste buds. The hand-made baked goods such as the desiderio al cioccolato (chocolate’s dream) will send you to heaven.
5. Best Swiss Chocolate: For the best quality swiss chocolate, Laderach can not be beat. As it is made without preservatives, the shelf life for this chocolate is only two weeks. New Yorkers take heart, there is a  Confiseur Laderach in New York City.
6. Best Gelato: With four locations in Lugano, La Gelateria has Italian-style gelato. My personal favorite, chocolate, of course, but the sorbets are light and flavorful.
7. Best Bread: Il Fornaio. Bring your camera when you stroll the gourmet street of Via Pessina. Mr. Gabbani is the hard working owner of multiple shops in the area and is responsible for the artisian products in each store front. I appreciate his commitment to keeping the old ways.
8. Best Wine Shop: Bottega del Vino offered a wide selection of wines.
   

   Mr. Gabbani

9. Best Meat Market: Salumeria Macelleria
10. Best Grotto Lunch: Grotto del Parco in Morcote offers a fantastic view and typical local cuisine. Accessible by ferry, this was my first experience dining in a grotto with a regional menu of Lake Lugano perch, twice baked mushroom polenta, boiled potatoes (nothing special) and a local white merlot wine.

Photos by Nancy D. Brown

Plush Interiors

Dark interiors, sparkling lights, high-end art and plush fabrics are some of the first impressions you get in the upscale San Francisco restaurant known as Asia de Cuba. Located inside the Clift Hotel, this fancy destination is one of many Asia de Cuba restaurants owned by the China Grill Management.

I went for lunch during the recent Dine About Town (DAT) event. Maybe that would explain why compared to some of the other locations, like West Hollywood or Las Vegas, I did not satisfy my people watching desire. Where was Chris Isaak, Danielle Steel? Was Al Gore in town? These local residents need to eat lunch, right…isn’t this one of the reasons why people go to expensive, often over-priced and “name dropping” restaurants?

This year during DAT, I finally got to taste the “famous” lobster sandwich. This sandwich is famous because my foodie friend Patrick, has eaten this decadent delight at least three years in a row, raving about it every time to me. He swears you can’t buy that much lobster in a supermarket for the $21.95, let alone a three-course meal.

My decadent lunch included the LBLT (Lobster, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato) Sandwich that came with either an edamame salad (which I chose) or seasoned “mojito” salty fries (Pat got these and shared) and a crazy delicious chocolate cake.

Pat used his extensive menu knowledge to convince our waiter to sell us a dinner appetizer during lunch – and we had mouth watering, to-die-for braised beef spring rolls. Thank you Pat. I’d go back just for those.

Lobster BLT

My sandwich was seasoned really well and good night, whoever decided to combine lobster and bacon into one dish is freaking brilliant!!

The dessert was a Cuban Opera Cake I think, and it was delish. Dulce de leche on the side, and the perfect combination of sweet and bitter chocolaty goodness.

Asia de Cuba is a great spot for drinks and maybe I will try people watching again some late night, otherwise honestly I probably won’t be back until next year.

495 Geary Street
(at Taylor St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 929-2300

Mon-Thu. 7:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Wed. 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Thu. 5:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sun. 7:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Chef Kelly Macdonald

I’ve dined on my share of trains, from Amtrak to Eurail, so when the folks at Napa Valley Wine Train invited me to experience the Vista Dome, I didn’t have high expectations. Any chef will tell you that preparing gourmet, multi-course meals in a small, moving kitchen is a challenge. Chef Kelly Macdonald didn’t appear fazed by these obstacles. In fact, he thrives in this environment and turns out top-notch California cuisine on a daily basis.

Our lunch began with a glass of sparkling wine and a choice of Flourless Yam Ravioli or Smoked Salmon Crepe Rosettes. Fortunately, I had my husband along for this trip so we were able to divide and conquer. The ravioli was stuffed with goat cheese and served with a grape relish alongside. Other than the initial glass of sparkling wine included with the meal, additional wines are offered at different price points. While we didn’t order wine, the menu suggested Caymus Vineyards 2006 Conundrum at $10 a glass to accompany the ravioli. The smoked salmon crepe rosettes served with American Caviar and cream fraiche was the winner of the two choices and paired well with our sparkling wine.

Grilled Quail

Our first course was a baby lettuce salad with candied walnuts and smoked goat cheese in a honey cider vinaigrette or the soup du jour, a lobster bisque. I was pleasantly surprised to find five entree choices, including a fresh seafood or vegetarian option. Our knowledgable and friendly server told us about the striped bass and the Northern Calfornia farm raised quail. I usually stick with pasta when I’m dining on trains, but thought I’d give Chef Kelly a chance to impress. And impress, he did. The farm raised bass arrived piping hot on an herbed potato pancake. My husband’s grilled quail was topped with fried plantains, saffron onions and rosemary grapes. The suggested wine was an Artesa 2004 Merlot from the Carneros district at $8.50 per glass.

I couldn’t help myself, skipping ahead to see what was on tap for dessert. My inner chocoholic was in distress; should I have chocolate mousse or the chocolate pot pie in puff pastry? If I wasn’t a chocolate lover, I’d opt for the cabernet pear tart with housemade vanilla gelato, but I am a slave to chocolate and I pass on the tart.

While the Vista Dome lunch is $124. per person, there are less expensive dining options offered.

1275 McKinstry Street, Napa, CA 94559

Reservations: 1 (800) 427-4124

Photos by Nancy D. Brown