San Francisco’s Little Italy might not have the notoriety of New York’s. Within the city, it takes a backseat to SF’s more famous Chinatown. But newcomer Il Casaro is one example that proves it is worthy of the neighborhood monicker. It has added more youthful vibrance to a neighborhood steeped both in tradition and the…
Category: Travel
Oktoberfest: De-mystifying the world’s most famous state fair
Munich, Germany’s Oktoberfest is the stuff of legend for most college students and twenty somethings in North America. It is seen as the holy grail of beer festivals, imitated, but never duplicated, every year worldwide. It is that safe, friendly environment for all to sport traditional Bavarian costumes while yelling “Prost!” and singing (or slurring)…
Kogiya: Sharing Korean Barbecue with northern Virginia
Annandale, Virginia has the proud traditions of an established Korean immigrant community – the Asian supermarket, specialty shops, and most importantly, Korean BBQ. A relative new arrival to Annandale, family-run Kogiya has established itself quickly among its multi-ethnic clientele as a high-quality and hip purveyor of barbecued meat and other Korean dishes. Groups both young…
100th Post – Sonoma, CA’s Martinelli Winery: Making me a believer in Zinfandel
Welcome to The Culinary Diplomat’s 100th post! Thank you to all of our readers – whether followers, casual readers, or a friend of myself or one of our Ambassadors (guest bloggers) clicking on a Facebook link once in a blue moon. Please keep sharing your comments, stories, and feedback about the blog. Do you have…
Burma Superstar: Proudly sharing Burmese cuisine with the San Francisco Bay Area
This post was written in coordination with guest blogger the mEAT Baron, who is perhaps Burma Superstar’s biggest fan and ardent ambassador. Isolated Burma and its cuisine aren’t well known in the U.S., but one restaurant and its satellites is working to change that. Burma Superstar of San Francisco transports one’s taste buds to the…
CD Ambassador/Guest Post: A tea scam in Shanghai
In today’s CD, our CD Ambassador, Fei-fei, shares one of her adventures in China. A Chinese-American, she never expected that an exciting, authentic experience in a teahouse would teach a valuable lesson for any culinary diplomat or world traveler: Don’t get too comfortable as an outsider; being a guest in someone else’s house doesn’t guarantee…
Yayla Bistro: A Turkish delight in Arlington, Virginia
Yayla Bistro is a new (2014) arrival to the East Falls Church neighborhood in the western corner of Arlington County, Virginia, but this family-run establishment has the polished and professional flavor, presentation, and service of a far more established, “celebrity chef” run restaurant. Yet it has the character and personal treatment of your favorite neighborhood…
Alpine hospitality in Tirol, Austria
Step back with me to another late August day a few years ago as I share the great experience that is small-town hospitality deep in the Austrian Alps of Tirol, Austria. My friends and I were fortunate enough to see through locals’ eyes the flavors of Austria – hearty pork, Alpine cheese, wine, and homemade…
Blackwood: Trendy Thai fusion in San Francisco
San Francisco is well known for its food culture. Its history of Asian immigration has made Asian cuisine -both traditional and fusion particularly strong. While the city’s Marina/Cow Hollow neighborhood is not exactly the place to go for authentic international dishes, its trendy cafes and enthusiastic crowds are the perfect atmosphere to play with modern…
Salt and Straw: Portland’s haute ice creamery
Lines stretching far beyond the door are commonplace at each of Portland, Oregon’s Salt and Straw ice cream shops. Locals and visitors alike flock to them – and for good reason. Salt and Straw is an ice cream innovator, concocting dairy and non-dairy ice cream varieties you won’t find anywhere else. By now, you know…
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