Our immigrant neighbors have taught us to love tacos. They’ve introduced us to gorditas, and roti, chapatis and naan, bao and banh mi and pitas and lavash and much, much more; and for all these carb-loaded delights we are much in their debt.
Now say hello to the Venezuelan arepa, yet another appealing way to enclose something good to eat within a tasty wrapper, a hand-held treat that long pre-dates the invention of Lord John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich. Continue reading Arepas y mas! Nahyla’s brings us Venezuelan delights→
Recently, I got a call about a memorial wake for a fellow industry worker who had died unexpectedly while working at a city he’d moved to out west. The man who died wasn’t elderly, but he had been feeling poorly in the weeks leading up to his death. He didn’t seek medical help because he didn’t have health insurance. Continue reading A Tribe Called Us→
Here’s a memorable twist on an immigrant story: Havana-born Fernando Martinez has tried to get to America three times and made it twice. First, in the mid-1990s, he and his mother and a few friends tried to make their way from their native Cuba to the U.S. in a hand-built raft. Continue reading Guaca Mole soars over all walls with Mexican delights→
We’ve made it through January, Groundhog Day is tomorrow, but we’ve probably got six more weeks of winter regardless of what Punxsutawney Phil sees. bLet’s face it: Winter is no fun. But one of the best things we can do to brighten the season is to settle down near a warm fireplace!
Some of my favorite restaurants boast comfortable fireplaces, too. I’m looking at you, Bistro 1860! And now I’m looking with deep and soul-satisfied appreciation at Red Hog, the newly arrived little artisanal butcher shop and small-plates eatery on Frankfort Avenue! Continue reading Red Hog does meat the way meat ought to be done→
I recently saw a Facebook post directed to the chef of a newish popular restaurant. A patron was enthusing about a meal he’d had at the restaurant the night before. I’m paraphrasing, but the exchange went something like this:
“Hey, Chef, we ate at your place last night, it was wonderful, I didn’t manage to catch a glimpse of you, unfortunately. I wanted to say hello. But I’m sure you were busy; the dining room certainly was!”Continue reading Consistency is Key→
Did you ever wait in line at Rumplings? I sure did. And I hated it when that little ramen-and-dumpling place just off Bardstown Road went away after only seven months.
So here’s good news: Griffin Paulin, one of the minds behind the original Rumplings team has opened Mirin, a new ramen-and-more shop on Frankfort Avenue in Clifton. Continue reading Mirin, Hai!→
“Ciao!” Pronounce it “chow,” or something close to that, which makes it an ironically cheeky name for a friendly eatery. There’s ambiguity in this Italian greeting, though: Much like “Aloha” or “Shalom” or maybe even “Good Day,” you can use it to say hello, and you can also use it to say goodbye.
So let’s say “Ciao,” meaning “howdy,” to Ciao Ristorante, the warm and inviting establishment that has finally filled the long-vacant space where the beloved Baxter Station sadly said its “Ciao” as farewell in the summer of 2013. Continue reading When we say “Ciao” to Ciao, we mean hello and welcome→
Building a culinary team can be one of the most challenging things any chef faces. Naturally, chefs have a lot of tough challenges: food cost, sourcing, equipment upkeep, menu development; the list is endless. Continue reading We’re Putting the Band Back Together→
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