The list that details how we will pack our tummies while adventuring away from home can be as essential as the one that reminds us to pack our toothbrush. Here are some post-mortem thoughts on our travels that may be useful to you one day.

I’m not sure if I can be called a New Yorker yet, but having been here a week+ means that I’m slowly losing that feeling that I have another home to return to. Vancouver is previous, the Big Apple is next. I still can’t wrap my brain around it. If this is in fact some crazy dream, I’m getting my fill of some fantastic NYC food so that if I’m pinched, I’ll at least have some extra padding so it doesn’t hurt as much. And as wonderful as it is to be and eat here, I cannot forget all that Vancouver offered me and can offer you if you have a chance to visit. Thus, I’ll pass on my list of favourites in the form of a Packing List. As always with lists like these, my Vancouver eating was by no means comprehensive. I mean, I never ate Chinese food in Richmond, had a Japadog or got my fingers sticky with a Honey’s doughnut. Shoot me. Most of these I’ve written about before, so I won’t go into great detail. This is my list of familiar and much loved, and in time, I’m sure, much missed.

La Quercia

Although this list is not in any particular order, La Quercia will always be my favourite and first choice in Vancouver. The well-executed and comforting Italian menu, the impeccable and warm service, the relaxed ambiance… I was always happy when I stepped through the door. I highly recommend going the alla familiglia dining route when there, but I have also done à la carte with no complaints. I just think it’s much more fun to let the chef decide. Every course then becomes a surprise. And while I usually don’t like surprises, I crave the ones from La Quercia. Agnolotti di Guido, Spaghetti all’Amatriciana, Vitello Tonnato. Be still my heart. Reservations are usually quite hard to get, so if you need a quick fix, check out their daytime affair La Ghianda across the street. I’m very very sad to have left before being able to try the wine bar they are opening next door, L’Ufficio. Tell me all about it when you go.

(Cream and Sugar post 1, 2, 3, 4)

Nook

I always describe Nook as a French bistro that serves Italian food. It’s a tight, loud place in the heart of the West End that you visit for a nice glass of wine and above average bowl of pasta or thin-crust pizza. Cuisine that’s so overdone and so often overly boring. Not so at Nook. True to Italian cuisine, the preparation is kept simple, and the ingredients are always of the highest quality. Nook was the first place where I tried burrata cheese, and so I don’t know how I will ever repay that kindness because I’m now burrata crazy. Being a true neighbourhood place, the staff make a great effort to be friendly and remember your patronage. A no-brainer choice on a Friday night when you don’t want to cook.

Nicli Antica Pizzeria

Nicli was the first to bring true Napoletana-style pizza to Vancouver, and I think that they deserve the top spot after the wave of imitators that came after. Not to say that the others aren’t good, but my vote will always go to Nicli. Yes, the waits can be long, and it’s not the type of pizza you can take out, but that chewy, charred crust is hard to forget. I’ve always really liked the Bianca, but with this style, you can never go wrong with the classic Margherita. And $5/glass house wine? Yes, please.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Peaceful

So, I don’t know if I ever told you, but I don’t really like Chinese food. I think it’s because I’ve never had good Chinese food. One bad dim sum outing over 10 years ago means I’ve never been back, and memories of pineapple chicken balls, day-glo orange sauce and over seasoned fried rice from mall food courts equals an acquired aversion for everything else. But then I finally tried Peaceful Restaurant. I knew that it was a favourite for foodies in the know and had been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, but it took me a long time to finally get my act together and make plans to eat there. The tragedy is that I only got to do it once. Dan Dan noodles, spicy green beans, beef roll and cumin beef sesame flatbread. These four dishes rocked my world and made a crack for Chinese food love to creep in. Again, tragedy that I’m no longer in Vancouver to blow it wide open. New York will have to do.

Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie

Because Bao Bei isn’t “authentic” Chinese food, I never really viewed it through my “I don’t like Chinese food” glasses, but it did get my feet wet. I knew it was a trendy place serving a menu inspired by places like Peaceful. And yes, the prices are much higher than “traditional” Chinese restaurants, and the dishes nowhere near the same. Complaining about these things is missing the point. Bao Bei isn’t trying to be Peaceful. It’s a gem of a restaurant that offers a unique experience. The food tastes good, the room looks amazing, the cocktails are fantastic, the service always good. I’ll pay for that again and again.

Maenam

Ugh. Thai food is so good, but it’s so hard to find places that do it well and are worth the cost. I find it appalling that curries that amount to little more than coconut milk and sugar equal $18 a bowl. Red, yellow, green that all taste the same; pad thai clearly made with ketchup. So sad. Your frown gets turned upside down at Maenam. Palpable spice, fresh herbs, quality meats and fish, wine pairings, fancy cocktails—contemporary Thai food that gets you excited and makes you forget to order by colour.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Vij’s/Rangoli

If you only had one meal in Vancouver, it should be within the empire of Vikram Vij. While La Quercia holds a special place in my heart, Vij’s and Rangoli are  in a class of their own. If you have the time and money, do it up big at Vij’s. If you don’t, go to Rangoli. They are different dining experiences, but the quality of food is the same: amazeballs. All the praise you’ve heard from everybody else is completely true.

(Cream and Sugar post 1, 2)

Cafe Medina

Cafe Medina was my favourite place for brunch. The wait can be long on a weekend, but you get yourself a lavendar latte in a to-go cup and natter away with your friends. Nowhere near diner style with its inventive egg dishes, Liege waffles, and creative coffee concoctions, Medina is the place to go when you remembered to put make up on after you rolled out of bed late on a Sunday. Not stuffy, but certainly not greasy. The perfect place to start or end a date…!

(Cream and Sugar post 1, 2)

Kingyo/Suika

You can’t visit Vancouver without trying an izakaya, and local favourites are the Hapa and Guu chains. My first try was at Kingyo, and I felt it was never matched by others. That is, of course, until they opened up their sister restaurant Suika. Less corporate than Hapa and more charming than Guu, Kingyo and Suika offer fun tapas-style plates that do their job of being the perfect complement to an alcoholic bevvie. There’s usually something for everyone and because of the small plate style, everyone can try what they want. The fish was always incredibly fresh and the deep fried items always worth their calories.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Hawksworth

One of my farewell dinners was in the Hawksworth dining room, and it was truly a special night. Yes, it’s a fancy and expensive restaurant where the server will place the napkin on your lap, but there is no pretense or attitude. I knew this going in because I’d had cocktails in the lounge a number of times and never was disappointed. The food, ambiance and service is worth all the recent hype. The beef short rib appetizer is definitely worth getting, as is the Hotel Georgia cocktail. Go all out and get an appetizer, entree and dessert. Portions are appropriate for splurging. (But, I think you should always eat a “well-rounded” meal!)

Aphrodite’s

Aphrodite’s is overpriced and a pain to get to in deep Kitsilano/Point Grey, but it has the best pie in the city. And I’m a big sucker for pie. Raspberry-rhubarb, apple-blackberry, pumpkin and chocolate-banana cream all made me weak at the knees. I stopped caring about the price per slice because they were too good. AND they make gluten-free pie. Aphrodite’s is also a great place to go when you feel like something homey and healthy like soup and a salad. The food is organic so yeah, I guess, that’s why it’s not that easy on the wallet. Just make sure you have a piece of pie. The happy coma afterward always made me forget the bill.

Finch’s Tea House

Finch’s is the epitome of charm and the place to go for simple, beautiful sandwiches. I say “beautiful” because they are always picture perfect; the fillings are placed just so, and the butcher paper they’re served on is the perfect backdrop. I am a fan of the ones made with the blue brie. Their sandwiches are the type you can easily make at home, but always forget to, so a visit here with a paper and a cup of tea, sitting on what could be your grandmother’s furniture, leaves a strong impression. The perfect place to go if you have a weekday off.

(Cream and Sugar post)

Shiro

Sushi! As ubiquitous as coffee in Vancouver. You can’t walk five feet in Vancouver without coming across a sushi place, and you are hard-pressed to find a Vancouverite who doesn’t crave sushi all the time. At the ready and cheap don’t mean awesome, though. I’ve always been shocked at the low standards Vancouverites will accept when it comes to sushi. You have to spend some time wading through a lot of crap to find the good stuff. I never got to go to Tojo’s, but I did have delicious sushi that was extremely affordable. My favourite of what I did try was Shiro, with Ajisai being a close second.  I liked that it was always full of Japanese people, and I liked that only wild salmon was used at a price cheaper than a lot of places charge for farmed. P.S. Lunch Set G is a crazy-good deal if you are a fan of pork katsu-don.

A big thanks to all these restaurants for such fantastic food memories. And a big smooch to all my friends who shared these experiences with me. I feel like I might have used “unique experience” one too many times. But what can I say? They all ARE unique experiences. Go. Enjoy. Get full. Walk it all off along the sea wall.

The list that details how we will pack our tummies while adventuring away from home can be as essential as the one that reminds us to pack our toothbrush. Here are some post-mortem thoughts on our travels that may be useful to you one day.

I have been on a summer holiday. A holiday from writing, cooking, making my own bed, doing laundry, and driving. A whole week in Seattle of walking, shopping, and of course eating. Fresh seafood offerings were obvious, a Tom Douglas restaurant (or four) were essential, and a stroll though the Seattle core was a daily ritual. Hotel Andra was the perfect home away from home (with the exception of a little light reading about it being haunted and the 9th floor occasionally sounding like a rollicking prohibition era party). We remained un-haunted and tres comfortable during our stay, AND we manged to dine all over town with the tiger cub in tow. Success.

Serious Pie – Perfect oven-fired, thin crust pizza a la Tom Douglas. Conveniently located across the street from our hotel, we ate there twice. The chanterelle and crimini mushroom with truffle cheese was perfect, and the chocolate budino with sea salt and olive oil was a rich and addictive ending.

Dinette – A perfectly quaint little restaurant nestled in Capitol Hill, which I quickly discovered to be Seattle’s drinking and dining equivalent to NYC’s Lower East Side. Delicious European fare, mostly Mediterranean inspired. The frittata toast with frisee and white truffle oil was a pretty happy start. I wanted to order another one as soon as the last morsel disappeared. The gnocchi a la romano was perfectly executed. The hand made ice cream sandwiches to go were the cherry on top of a perfect dinner.

Poppy – Jerry Traunfeld’s modern northwest thali restaurant is a dining experience indeed. Not the $2 all you can eat thali that I experienced in Mumbai, but really delicious little inventive tastes on a tray. The ten items thalis are comprised of dishes like warm radish and grilled scallion salad, golden beets with spice bread and mint,  lavender duck breast with black currant, apricot and turnips, and washington troll king salmon with sea beans, bacon, and pinot noir sauce. The hot date cake with banana ice cream and butterscotch, and the malted chocolate pudding with caramelized banana to finish, meant we walked back to Belltown from Capitol Hill. So. Full.

Molly Moon’s Ice Cream – From music mogul, to ice cream maker, Molly knows a thing of two about all things creamy, frozen, and delicious. The smell of fresh baked waffle cones invites you in the door where the hard decisions begin. Balsamic Strawberry? Salted caramel? Scout mint? Yes, please.

Oddfellows Cafe and Bar – A gorgeous, historic, open space that hearkens to the romance of days gone by. Rustic communal tables and a casual menu made it a perfect lunch spot for a fresh avocado BLT, and a fizzy drink while exploring the Pike and Pine Corridor of Capitol Hill. The courtyard with its old school strings of lights looked pretty magical too.

Dahlia Bakery – It’s easy to get Tom Douglas fatigue, especially when staying in the hub of Tom Douglas-land at the Andra, but the man knows how to make some seriously tasty goods. The Dahlia bakery was a perfect stop for freshly made breakfast sandwiches to go, the BEST peanut butter cookies I’ve ever tasted, AND those (served all day long) breakfast donuts. Little, warm, fresh, cinnamon and sugar coated treats served with mascarpone and fresh preserves. Oy veh.

Salumi – Mecca for pork lovers. Period. Mario Batali’s parents have a tiny, well known, artisan cured meat shop. The lines are long. The hours are short. The room is small. The porchetta is ridiculous. The salami sandwiches are perfection. The meatballs are pretty serious too. The faithful followers who don’t mind queuing for a sandwich wrapped in butcher paper are the evidence. Go. Wait. You’ll be happy.

The list that details how we will pack our tummies while adventuring away from home can be as essential as the one that reminds us to pack our toothbrush. Here are some post-mortem thoughts on our travels that may be useful to you one day.

If you’ve been keeping up this week with my posts on Turkish breakfasts and desserts, then you know how much of an awesome gastronomic adventure Turkey was. With something like 17 million people and spread out as far as your eye can see (on two continents, no less), Istanbul had all the spoils you could ever want. Given the age that we’re in, I relied more on the internet for ideas on where to eat in Istanbul than I did my travel guides. I’m never too sure who the audience is for each guide.  So, for the few months preceding my trip, I cast my net as far as the ‘net would allow.

The biggest fish I caught by far was Istanbul Eats. It is an excellent English blog and guide that has reviews, travel pieces and lots of good, basic knowledge of what makes up Turkish cuisine and what of it you should be trying. From cozy little holes to hipster havens, Istanbul Eats gives you the goods on what is just plain good. It was an invaluable site. I pretty much took their word for almost every place I ate in Istanbul and was never disappointed. But I also found Parla Food and Cafe Fernando to be great resources for new info and cross-referencing. Tourism is big business in Turkey, so I never had any real language issues. If there’s not an English menu, someone usually speaks enough of it to help you out.

If you find yourself in Istanbul one day, I highly recommend you putting these places on your list. Just search Istanbul Eats if you need addresses and more info.

Halil Lahmacun — Touted as one of THE places to try lahmacun, the delicious paper-thin flatbread covered in minced beef and tomato that you roll up and eat like a wrap. I was greeted by a young server with an eager “I think she’s English” smile and then watched the world go by on a busy little street in Kadikoy while eating my one, then two lahmacun. Even for only a quick bite, it’s totally worth the ferry ride over to the Asian side. And remember to drink an Ayran with it (a salty yogurt drink)!

Ciya Sofrasi — The biggest reason to head over to the Asian side. A series of three restaurants (the one to go to is 43A) on that same little street Kadikoy, which served up the best meze, mains and desserts I tried my entire trip. Went twice. More than once I saw it written up as the best restaurant in Istanbul. Traditionally Turkish in that everything is already prepared, and you just point and choose what you want from the steam tables (the meze are serve yourself, pay by weight).  Apparently the chef seeks out the old and forgotten of Turkish cuisine. From the meze, I never had enough of the muhammara, stuffed peppers or yogurt and barley salad. The stuffed eggplant main was a treasure trove of flavour, and it was great to have the lamb and sour plum stew after seeing vendors all over Istanbul selling the small green fruit.  You stuff yourself and then get a bill for about $30.

Antiochia — Another place I went to twice. Eating alone can prove difficult in a culture that serves family-style a lot of the time. In addition to its decent wine list (that is, offering more than just red or white), modern decor and attractive staff, Antiochia hooked me because they have a few plates that allow you to get a main and some tastes of starters. My main of choice was a beef durum/wrap, which has a filling of chunks of beef, tomato and herbs. They also had a killer muhammara.

Furreya Galata Balikcisi — With all the people you see fishing in Istanbul, it didn’t seem right to only have the balik ekmek sandwiches you buy along the water. This little spot near the Galata Tower was just the place, especially if you want to try the local specialty, the anchovy-like hamsi.

Van Kahvalti Evi — Breakfast heaven. Delicious food, sweet staff and smack dab in the middle of Cihangir, the neighbourhood described as being the Paris/Rome/Brooklyn of Istanbul. Bohemiaville means you’re also surrounded by the cool and beautiful for ultimate people watching. Get: bal kaymak, menemen.

Karakoy Gulluoglu — A good place for baklava. Not in a glaringly obvious location, so you’re surrounded more by locals than tourists. A mixed plate of 4-5 pieces, which you can take outside to take in the dock of Karakoy, will set you back about $3.

Haci Bekir — A good place for lokum/Turkish delight. No other tourists were around on the occasions I went in (I will always take that as a good sign), and someone is always around to help you out. Buy the rose. Buy the mastic. Ask for samples of all that they’ll allow. The other good sign is that their lokum is not piled high out in the open getting dry and stale.

Simsek Pide Salonu — The oval-shaped pide is the closest thing to Turkish pizza, and Simsek is a great place to try it right near Taksim Square. I say you’ve got to get an egg on top and again, beverage needs to be Ayran.

Saray Muhallebicisi — The place to go for puddings. There are many dessert cafes in Istanbul, but this one had the most charm for feeling like it’s been around forever.

Mandabatmaz Cafe — A great place to go for a Turkish coffee. On a surprisingly quiet side street off the busy Istiklal Caddesi, Mandabatmaz is run by an older gentleman who puts forth some of the best black gold around. The perfect place to enjoy a quiet moment writing a postcard before you head out for an action-packed day in the big city.

Zuni Roasted Chicken with Tuscan Bread Salad

The list that details how we will pack our tummies while adventuring away from home can be as essential as the one that reminds us to pack our toothbrush. Here are some post-mortem thoughts on our travels that may be useful to you one day.

When it comes to filling your stomach, there are few cities that can compete with the abundance and quality that can be found in San Francisco. It’s a city that I would have on annual rotation if I could. We’ve been several times, and as soon as the ticket is booked, I’m making reservations and carefully selecting our dining destinations. Sure San Francisco is beautiful, the rolling hills, pastel hued Victorian walk ups, the famed bridge, a bustling China town, but to me the food is the star. These are the places that I will be back to over and over. I recommend you do the same.

Zuni Cafe – A San Francisco institution. A mecca of California cuisine at its best that draws upon what is local, seasonal, and fresh. And the chicken. It takes an hour. It is perfectly roasted. It’s served with a Tuscan bread salad that has beautiful bread chunks that have been perfectly sopped with sweet chicken drippings and a perfect vinaigrette. It has a cult like following and is worth the wait and the hype.

Tartine Bakery – Simply the best bakery ever. EVER. Follow the aroma of baking goodness and get ready to queue.

Bar Tartine – Beautiful food that is seasonal, fresh, and simple but inventive in the Mission. I was wild over the gorgeous French beans that were lightly battered, fried, and served with creme fraiche on our last visit. And brunch is outstanding.

Yank Sing – Dim Sum heaven. I’m still dreaming about the soup dumplings. I only wished that I had a second stomach. Seriously.

The Slanted Door – Modern Vietnamese that is so fresh, fragrant, and perfect in the Ferry Building. With incredible food and views of the Bay Bridge, don’t even think about going without a reservation. The shaking beef and cellophane noodles with crab are divine.

Michael Recchiuti – This little chocolate shop in the Ferry Building is my favorite chocolate in the whole wide world. I love it so much that when I’m in the states, due to a terrible “no shipping to Canada” policy, I have it shipped to my hotel. The rose caramel, cassis strata, and fleur de sel caramels are insane.

Boulette’s Larder – Chef Amaryll Schwertner’s breakfast mecca in the Ferry Building is not to be missed. With a daily changing menu that is fool proof from beginning to end, it’s tempting to eat there every day. Perfectly prepared dishes like poached eggs with kimchi pork, or baked eggs in lobster cream with escarole will start your foodie day off just right. Even the toast is exquisite.

Mamacita – Mexican food in the Marina. A perfect place for a stroll to walk off the amazing guacamole, ceviches, tacos, and perhaps a flight of tequila?

Quince – Italian inspired fine dining in a buttery glowing intimate space. The food is exquisite. The pasta courses are so good that I’ve been tempted to order more than one and skip the main. This address will be a splurge, but a worthy one.