Ecuadorian Ceviche Con Camarones

There’s an Ecuadorian restaurant in Hackensack, NJ – Galapagos – where Marita and I recently had brunch. Our introduction to Ecuadorian cuisine was actually in Queens, where we had papas con cuero from a food truck. Galapagos, while not Michelin caliber was more than adequate; in fact, we rather enjoyed it. [...]

Eric Ripert Website

Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin is my favorite chef.  Marita and I ate at his restaurant a few years ago.  I still remember what I had for my main dish – skate wing.  When it arrived on our table, it was almost completely unadorned – no fancy veggies or sauce scribbles on the plate.  Just [...]

Sarajevo Sausage

Queens has proved itself once again – at least to me – as a true culinary capital.  I know very little about Eastern European food besides the usual Polish and Hungarian dishes one finds in Manhattan restaurants.  So I was quite excited to visit Cevabdzinica Sarajevo, a restaurant in Astoria, Queens that serves food from [...]

Best Spanish Lunch?

I’m normally not given to superlatives and it’s not often that I describe a restaurant or a meal as “best ever”. We ate again at La Nacional on 14th Street for lunch and it was quite a memorable meal. Now I am not saying this was the best Spanish restaurant we’ve ever eaten [...]

Cutting Lavender

Every time Marita and I have visited the south of France, it would be too early in the year, typically in February or March or more often, too late in the year to see lavender in bloom.   I’ve seen those pictures of beautiful lavender fields all too often.  Actually, Marita and I visited one [...]