Stella Tacos, a new storefront on eclectic Alberta Street in northeast Portland, is a great example of Portland’s vibrant food scene. Fresh ingredients, artful execution, and accessible prices make this Mexican an authentic Portland – if not Mexican – experience. Portland has an amazing food scene. But try to define Portland’s truly “local” or native…
Category: Restaurants
Getting fancy in the mountains: Knife and Fork in Spruce Pine, North Carolina
I invite you to sample seasonal North Carolina meat and produce at their freshest, most respectfully prepared at Knife and Fork. Located in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern North Carolina, Knife and Fork’s delicate dishes are a surprising find far from the typical, big city devotees of the farm to table and slow…
The General Muir: New York deli meets Atlanta’s rising food scene
Far from the Big Apple, The General Muir, one of Atlanta’s hottest restaurants, combines modern precision with the vibrant traditions of New York’s Jewish delis: matzoh, pastrami, the reuben, bagels, lox, trout, and of course, a great brisket find an unexpected home alongside an eclectic mix of food trends that include burrata, lentils, beets, hangar…
A visit to Atlanta’s Krog St. Market
Today, we explore Atlanta, Georgia’s Krog St. Market, an urban food hall and recent addition to Atlanta’s food scene. Farmer’s market it is not, but its eateries and vendors showcase local products, as well as food and craft artisans that appeal to hipsters and Buy Local fans alike. The urban food hall is not a…
About that great Indian food experience in Tunis…
My best meal in Tunisia wasn’t regional food, but instead, complex Indian dishes paired with Tunisian wine: a match made in globalization heaven! I did not expect to write that my best meal in Tunisia was Indian food. Yes, I expected great couscous or perhaps the depth of flavor in Moroccan style tagines, maybe an…
A verbal Moroccan feast
Enjoy this verbal and visual Moroccan feast brought to you by two of Tunis’s acclaimed restaurants. Shared regional influences and geography unite the culinary traditions of Morocco and Tunisia, yet they are far from redundant. Moroccan cuisine is more familiar to the outside world than Tunisia’s. I have to argue that this phenomenon is for…
The best grits you’ll ever eat – and make yourself
Often in life, the best ideas are the simplest. The best dishes are not necessarily the most complex – like molecular gastronomy, for example. Nice to look at, but really? These grits, quite the opposite, are insanely good. I promise you that you will never taste grits as good as this recipe. I also bet…
Zielona Kuchnia: An organic experience in Krakow
Classic continental European dishes take on organic, Polish interpretations at one of Krakow’s best modern restaurants. I’ve found that I can visit any city in Europe and find menus that put the city, region, or country’s spin on dishes from throughout the continent. The more I travel, the more I notice the culinary influences of…
Pod Aniolami – ‘Under the angels’ and underground for Poland’s best
Step back in time for an underground (literally!) feast of some of Poland’s finest cuisine deep in the heart of Krakow. A colleague who knows Poland well highly recommended Pod Aniolami (literally “Under the Angels,” translated) for both the excellent food and a walk back into medieval Poland. Not one to ignore such an enthusiastic…
Barcelona – an upscale Spanish wine and tapas chain captures the East Coast
In the world of food writing, restaurants with multiple locations (dare I say ‘chain’?) are portrayed often as second class. Reviews or endorsements of those types of restaurants, more often than not, tend to be more along the lines of press releases and paid marketing. I absolutely believe in the power of promoting a small,…
The Culinary Diplomat 