food

Le Séjour Café

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Excellent French cuisine at a reasonable price.  Great atmosphere, great wines, great desserts and the service – impeccable.  We met friends here for dinner and we were very impressed with both the food and the service at this restaurant. Everything was very delicious and came to the table with a great presentation.

Le Séjour Café

We selected a very nice bottle of Rosé to go with our dinners.  The kitchen was in plain view and it was fun watching the chef plate everything.  The service was excellent – very attentive, accommodating and friendly.  I chose the fish of the day which was served with potatoes, mushrooms and root vegetables.  My wife selected a medley of mushrooms over mashed potatoes.  Both dishes were very tasty.

The presentations on the desserts were amazing.  I had the Tarte au Citron (citrus cream tart) with a lemon sorbet.  Wow.  Very light but also very delicious.  A perfect dessert for me.

Apparently this restaurant is next to another very excellent restaurant in Nice – Mon Petit Café Nice.  The brother runs one and the sister runs the other.  We’re looking forward to trying the Mon Petit Café the next time we are in Nice.  I highly recommend the Le Séjour Café if you are visiting Nice.  Reservations are recommended.

Tarte au Citron
Le Séjour Café
11, Rue Grimaldi
06000 Nice
France
Telephone: +33 4 97 20 55 35
Hours: 12:00 – 13:45, 19:30 – 21:45

 

Bar des Oiseaux

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Ceviche of tuna and swordfish

We had the chance to meet some friends in Nice, France and we were searching for a restaurant in Nice’s old town.  After a little research, we decided on Le Bar des Oiseaux.  Excellent choice!

The restaurant met my expectations in every way.  A great location, a creative chef, a small menu made from fresh ingredients of the day, great desserts, a good selection of French wines and impeccable service.  Everyone at the restaurant was very friendly and did everything possible to make our dining experience enjoyable.

Monkfish with carrots, potatoes and local charcuterie

We shared a starter of tuna and swordfish ceviche.  It was delicious.  I selected the fish of the day for my main course.  It was Monkfish with carrots, potatoes and charcuterie with an artichoke sauce.  The fish was very fresh and very tasty.  We selected a bottle of rosé from a local vintner to accompany our meal.  We decided to have dessert and our waiter indicated that the chocolate mousse was one of his favourites so we decided to ordert it.  Wow.  It was very light and creamy; like eating a chocolate cloud!

La Bourride – Mixed fish with cappelletti

We went back a second time together with our friends.  I tried a pasta dish made with several types of seafood.  This was definitely the dish of the night!  The pasta was excellent and the seafood was very fresh and very delicious.  We shared a dessert made of lemon cream on ginger crust.  It was heavenly.

Heavenly Chocolate Mousse

The restaurant has an open kitchen and the head chef checks every dish personally before it is served.  I highly recommend this restaurant if you’re visiting Nice.  I believe you will have a very enjoyable and memorable dining experience.  Reservations are recommended.

Bar des Oiseaux
5, Rue Saint Vincent
06300 Nice
France
Telephone: +33 4 93 80 27 33
Hours: 12:00 – 14:00, 19:00 – 22:00

 

Osteria Campunni

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A piece of Italy in the heart of Kempen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.

Taglierini with black truffles and parmesan cheese

Osteria Campunni is an authentic Italian restaurant in the Altstadt in Kempen.  The Siani family prepares excellent Italian cuisine with great service and a fine selection of Italian wines.  I really like their pasta dishes.  One of my favorites is the Taglierini with Black Truffles and Parmesan cheese.  Buonissimo!

They offer a large selection of pizzas with a variety of toppings which are also very good.  One of my favorites is Pizza Andrea which is topped with fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced potatoes and zucchini, tunafish, shallots, parmesan cheese and garlic.  Now that’s a delicious pizza!  I often order the “Insalata Mista”  as a starter.  Their salads are very tasty,

 

Sea Robin with saffron risotto and asparagus cream

made with the freshest ingredients and topped with a nice vinaigrette dressing.

The last time I was there, I had a beautiful fish dish, Sea Robin with saffron risotto and asparagus cream.  Wow – now that was really good.

 

They offer a nice selection of wines to compliment your meal with many of the wines coming from the Puglia region in Italy.  I can recommend a bottle of Otre if you’re looking for a nice Primitivo from Puglia.  And if you still have room for something sweet, they have a very nice dessert menu.  Try the Panna Cotta, the Zabaione or the Tiramisu.  Finish off your meal with an aperitif such as Grappa, Limoncello or Averna.  Then you’ll be certain to be “Tutto bene!”

Osteria Campunni is one of my favorite restaurants in Kempen and one of my all time favorite Italian restaurants.  I highly recommend that you give them a try if you are looking for a very authentic Italian restaurant experience.  Reservations are recommended.

Pizza Andrea
Osteria Campunni
Kirchstrasse 6
47906 Kempen
Germany
Telephone: +49 2152 89 69 59
Website: www.osteria-campunni.de
 
 
 
 
 

Motown Music Cafe

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My wife and I are always looking for new restaurants.  We recently moved to Kempen, Germany and have found a little gem of a restaurant in Venlo, The Netherlands, just across the German border.  We were visiting a local night spot in Venlo one day, and we asked the bartender where we could find good Sushi in Venlo.  Without hesitation he recommended the Motown Music Cafe.  He said you’ve got to go and see Eddie.  He makes fantastic Sushi there.  So here are some pics of our first visit to the Motown Music Café.  Sushi Chef Eddie Siang offers some of the best and most creative Sushi creations that I have ever had the pleasure of eating.  His Sushi rolls are more than an wonderful culinary experience; they are magnificent examples of creativity and his love for the art of preparing Sushi.

Motown Music Cafe - Unagi Roll and Salmon Roll
Motown Music Cafe – Unagi Roll and Salmon Roll
Motown Music Cafe - Tsunami Roll
Motown Music Cafe – Tsunami Roll

The restaurant has a Motown Music theme and sits on a beautiful square in downtown Venlo.  Around the corner from the restaurant is a lovely inner harbour near the river Maas.  If you’re ever in the area near Venlo and are looking for a really special Sushi experience, I highly recommend the Motown Music Café.  Eddie’s Sushi is available for dinner only; usually after 6:00 p.m.

 
Motown Music Café
Oude Markt 8
5911HG Venlo
Telephone: +31-614687824
Website: www.motownmusiccafevenlo.nl 
 

Le Vigne Restaurant

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While visiting our friends in Canton, Georgia just north of Atlanta we took a drive northeast of where they live to visit some vineyards. We made a reservation at Le Vigne Restaurant located at Montaluce Vineyards for lunch. It took about an hour and a half to drive there from their home, but it was well worth the trip. The vineyard is located at one end of a rather large development of estate homes. It’s a beautiful landscape of rolling hills covered with lot of grape vines.

The restaurant is located in the same building that houses the winery. It’s high ceilings and large windows offer a fantastic view of the vineyards. Our friends ordered off the menu, but my wife and I were looking for something vegan.; so we asked the chef to come up with something special just for us, and oh boy, did he ever.

Heirloom vegetables on rainbow Quinoa from Le Vigne
Heirloom vegetables on rainbow Quinoa from Le Vigne

He prepared a medley of sautéed seasonal heirloom vegetables and mushrooms served on Rainbow Quinoa. It was absolutely fabulous; very light and flavorful. We all ordered a glass of wine with our meal, so we could do a little sampling before we went on a tour of the winery. The wines were quite nice and went very well with our meals. Our friends ordered the Grouper, which was brought in fresh that morning and served with heirloom vegetables and roasted fingerling potatoes.

If you are in the Atlanta area and would like to drive out to the wine region near Dahlonega, please stop by Monteluce Winery and try their restaurant Le Vigne. Let Executive Chef Austin Rocconi satisfy your taste buds with one of his very special creations. Reservations for lunch and dinner are recommended. Check their website for availability because they host private parties and weddings, especially on weekends.

 
Le Vigne
Montaluce Winery & Estates
946 Via Monteluce
Dahlonega, Georgia 30533
Telephone: 706-867-4060
E-Mail: info@montaluce.com
Website: www.montaluce.com

 

Pitchers Place

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We were visiting my sister- and brother-in-law near Cobourg, Ontario; which by the way, is a great place to visit. It’s located on the north shore of Lake Ontario about an hour north of Toronto. We had been doing some work around the house, so on our last night there we decided to try a local restaurant nearby called Pitchers Place. It’s a great little restaurant located at Gores Landing near Rice Lake and it is a real gem! If you’re in this area definitely give Pitchers Place a try.

Stuffed Eggplant from Pitchers Place
Stuffed Eggplant from Pitchers Place

One of their house specialties is the Stuffed Eggplant. I decided to try that and my brother-in-law opted for the fresh House Smoked Fish Cakes. Both entrees were outstanding – nice presentations and very well prepared. The eggplant was stuffed with roasted apple, sweet potato, walnuts, rice and topped off with a minted yogurt sauce. I enjoyed it very much.

House Smoked Fish Cakes from Pitchers Place
House Smoked Fish Cakes from Pitchers Place

 

 

 

I got to taste the fish cakes that my brother-in-law ordered and they were delicious. The fish cakes were served with sauteed Kale and a roasted red pepper sauce. They were delightful – very light and tasty.

I don’t usually eat dessert, but I couldn’t help myself this time, because they had so many freshly made treats. I selected the homemade blueberry pie. WOW – fresh blueberries, homemade crust, delicious whipped cream topping! I love fruit pies, especially blueberry and this was one of the best I’ve ever had (sorry mom!).

Homemade Blueberry Pie from Pitchers Place
Homemade Blueberry Pie from Pitchers Place

If you get the chance to visit the Cobourg area, be sure to give Pitchers Place a try. You’ll be glad you did. Pitchers Place is open for lunch and dinner. They are closed on Tuesdays.

Pitchers Place
8642 Lander Road
Gores Landing, Ontario
K0K 2E0
Telephone: 905-342-2832
Website: http://pitchersplace.ca

 

 

The Fiction Kitchen

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The Fiction Kitchen
The Fiction Kitchen

If you’re visiting Raleigh, North Carolina I recommend that you try The Fiction Kitchen. We were looking for a vegan restaurant to try while I was visiting my son in Raleigh. Several people recommended that we try The Fiction Kitchen and that was a great recommendation!

Farmer's Market Plate from The Fiction Kitchen
Farmer’s Market Plate from The Fiction Kitchen

We started off with some Root Vegetable Chips with edamame Hummus and seasonal Pesto as an appetizer. Yummy! My son ordered the Farmer’s Market Plate which is a medley of fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. I had the Tinga Tacos – spicy mock chipotle chicken on corn tortillas served with slaw, black beans, and seasoned grains. Wow – were they ever good. We both really enjoyed our meals and we were more than willing to share a little taste from our plates with each other. Warm and friendly service and a table-side visit by the chef all made for a very enjoyable evening at The Fiction Kitchen. I’m a fan and I will definitely be going back to this restaurant on my next trip to Raleigh.

Tinga Tachos
Tinga Tachos from The Fiction Kitchen
 
 
 
 
 
The Fiction Kitchen
428 S. Dawson Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Telephone: 919-831-4177
Website: http://thefictionkitchen.com/

 

Century House Tavern

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We were visiting friends of ours who live in Canton, Georgia just a little north of Atlanta. They invited us to go to one of their favorite restaurants in the town of Woodstock, Georgia. What a treat!

The Century House Tavern is a charming little restaurant with a diverse menu that has a little something for everyone. It was a beautiful summer evening so we asked for a table outside on the porch.

I heard a lot about their Risotto, so I decided to give that a try. It was cooked absolutely perfectly with some locally grown, sautéed seasonal vegetables. My friends enjoyed the Ahi Tuna Burger and the Woodstock Traditional Angus Burger. My wife had the Vegetable Sandwich which she said was very tasty. It was made with Portabella mushroom, red peppers and grilled onion.

Vegetable Risotto - Century House Tavern
Vegetable Risotto – Century House Tavern

 

It’s too bad we were there on our last night because I would have liked to have gone back to try another entree (like the Low Country Shrimp and Grits).  Oh well, I’ll just have to wait until my next trip to the Atlanta area.

Whatever your tastes, let Chef Daniel Porubiansky satisfy your appetite with his wonderful menu filled with lots of fresh, local ingredients.

Century House Tavern
125 E. Main Street
Woodstock, GA 30188
Telephone: 770-693-4552
Website: http://www.centuryhousetavern.com

 

Burma Superstar

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We were visiting our friends Jocelyn and Barry in Oakland, California and they suggested that we try this Burmese restaurant for dinner one night. That was a great recommendation.

I had never been to a Burmese restaurant before; so I was really looking forward to going to dinner at the Burma Superstar. We got there fairly early, around 7:00 o’clock and the place was already packed. We were fortunate and were able to get seated without too much of a wait, but if you have to wait, please do so.  You will not be disappointed.

Our friends suggested that we start with the Tea Leaf Salad (vegetarian style), so we ordered a portion big enough for us all to share. I highly recommend that you try this salad. It is absolutely fabulous! They say they go to Burma to get the tea leaves for this salad. Hey, I don’t know about that; but what I do know is that it was a medley of flavors dancing around in my mouth. Yummy!

Green Tea Leaf Salad from Burma Superstar
Green Tea Leaf Salad from Burma Superstar

We each ordered something different for our main courses. Well almost, as Barry and I ordered the same main course, Fiery Tofu with Vegetables. I was looking for something spicy and this was a great choice. The dish is made with their own special “sweet heat” sauce and it is really, really good. We ordered Jasmine rice to accompany our main course. Well, what can I say, I just couldn’t stop eating it. The ladies offered us samples of their main courses, and they were also very good, but the Fiery Tofu, now that’s the dish!

The Burma Superstar offers wine, beer, and other beverages. I ordered a glass of beer from a local micro-brewery; which went perfectly well with the spices in my main course.

If you get out to Northern California, please be sure to go to the Burma Superstar.  They have three locations in the Bay area to serve you. Many thanks to our friends Jocelyn and Barry for a great evening and a lovely stay in Oakland, California.

Burma Superstar
4721 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
Telephone: (510) 652-2900
Website: http://www.burmasuperstar.com

 

WaterCourse Foods

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I had the chance to visit Denver, Colorado in June to attend a conference there. Wow – Denver is a really great city. The people are amazingly friendly. We stayed at the Denver Marriott City Center Hotel which had the friendliest and most professional staff that I have ever encountered – anywhere!

We were only one and a half blocks from the famous 16th Street Mall. It’s a great place to walk around, to shop or to have something to eat. You might even find someone playing one of the pianos the city has strategically placed all along the mall.

On our second night there we thought we would venture to the “Up Town” part of the city and try a vegan restaurant called Watercourse Foods. Great choice. It was a beautiful summer day; so we were able to get a table outside on their patio. We started our meal with an order of their Cauliflower Wings – crispy cauliflower with a spicy “buffalo sauce” and served with your choice of vegan ranch or blue cheese dressing. Wow – were they ever good. For my main course I ordered the Street Tacos – black bean and sweet potato tacos served in a soft taco shell with cilantro lime sauce.  They were really fantastic – just bursting with a medley of flavors. I also ordered a side of their homemade onion rings. If you like onion rings, you will love these.

Watercourse Foods offers a few specially selected wines as house recommendations, or you can choose one from their wine list.

Their dessert menu offers some very tempting treats. I usually pass on dessert, but if I would have tried one, it would have been the Reeses Cake – roch chocolate cake with peanut butter mousse, chocalate ganache and peanut butter icing. Tempting for sure!

If you make it to Denver be sure to visit Watercourse Foods. They serve breakfast all day, lunch, and dinner.

WaterCourse Foods – Eat the Path of Least Resistance

WaterCourse Foods
837 E. 17th Avenue
Denver, CO 80218
Telephone: (303) 832-7313
Website: http://www.watercoursefoods.com