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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A tale of two cities’ taquerias: Portland vs. San Francisco

Within a week, I visited two taquerias in two American West Coast cities. Both specialize in delicious street style tacos, and both allow for a fast casual order/pay first and tacos are delivered by number to the table. Yet they each bore little resemblance to one another in all other areas. Which wins? Read on…

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Stella Tacos – “Austin-style” Street tacos in Portland

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…

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Beer diplomacy: A LoCo, Virginia brewery tour

Northern Virginia’s horse and hill country has joined the global craft beer craze, and local breweries are fast becoming alternatives (or threats) to wine tourism in the region. Today, peek inside Loudoun County, Virginia’s intriguing and growing craft brewing industry. Sharing a meal is a great way to share or experience one’s culture – whether…

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Belgium’s Westvleteren 12: Going great lengths for the Holy Grail of beers

Travel by car to the western edge of Belgium, and encounter the Trappist beer aficionados have coveted for decades – one of the few remaining true Trappist monastery owned and operated breweries left unspoiled by marriage to the corporate world: Westvleteren. I first learned of Westvleteren, or “Westie” as its cult following affectionately refers to…

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Steinernes Haus: Steak on a hot stone

Steak on a hot “lava” stone is a fun, interactive way to enjoy a meal. My one and only introduction to the genre  left me wishing it was common outside of Germany. When you think about it, it’s a bit odd that we humans seek out restaurant experiences in which we pay to cook our…

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Fontana di Trevi: Italian at its best in Frankfurt

Perfectly balanced beef carpaccio accented with chanterelles; ethereal angel hair pasta with shaved black truffles; gnocchi with tangy gorgonzola sauce. Those dishes were irresistible at Frankfurt’s Fontana di Trevi. I have to admit that despite my German ancestry, I’m not a huge fan of German food. It’s too much pork and potatoes for my taste…

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The Rhine Wine Cruise

The best adventures are those born of the unexpected. That absolutely came to pass when a group of us took a day cruise up the Rhine (Rhein) river in search of an authentic Rheingau winery experience. After a great experience at the Rheingau Wine Festival in Wiesbaden, my friends decided we would make it a full…

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The Rheingau Wine Festival

Germany loves its festivals. During summer months, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a new festival. And a German wine festival is a sight to behold. Or, rather, an extravaganza for all of the senses to behold. If you’re looking for happy people, interesting if not great music, refined festival cuisine, and every nuance…

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