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Jinny's Pizzeria Newton

Aug 1, 2022 ·

Old friends. New digs. Not quite the same, but much nostalgia remains.

We walk in the door of Jinny’s Pizzeria in Newton. Paul, our favorite bartender from Bergamot (R.I.P. 😢) walks up and says hello and gives us a huge hug. It’s been over two years, and the world is a new place. We marvel at Jinny’s Pizzeria, the new pizza joint opened by Chef Lydia Reichert (Paul’s ”better half” as he would say), Chef David Punch and and Shane Smythe (Sycamore, Big Little Diner).

The next thing you know, Bryan‘s enjoying a new version of his old favorite cocktail (the Elisabetta), now in bottled form called ”Dear Elisabetta.”

Jinny's Specialty: The Pizzas

We’ve heard amazing things about the pizzas, so we go ahead and order several. Chef Lydia tells us she spent weeks perfecting the dough, trying various different flour combinations. She was trying to achieve a particular dough quality using local Vermont flour (not Italian flour, which would have been more straightforward).

Though the flour is not from Italy, their massive wood-fired 700° Valoriani oven certainly is. They ordered it from Tuscany right in the middle of the pandemic when (apparently) these ovens were in hot demand all around the world. People wanted their authentic Neapolitan pizzas! If they couldn’t go enjoy it at a restaurant, then they wanted to make their own . . . in their backyard(!). Thankfully, Jinny’s Pizzeria was able to receive their oven in time before the restaurant opened.

Authentic Neapolitan pizza or not, I think Chef Lydia has succeeded, and so do the hundreds of other diners who order take-out or dine-in on a given week.

Lydia tells us that business has been booming. They have done quite well during the pandemic. Sure, pizza is very pandemic-friendly (i.e. delivery friendly) food. But that’s not the only reason. Chef Lydia’s pizzas are genuinely delicious. The crust she has developed is slightly chewy, slightly toasty, and has a really nice flavor. Her weeks of research paid off. Furthermore, the toppings are also spot on.

The Other Stuff - Jinny's Side Dishes

The sides are excellent as well. After all, Chef Lydia is an incredibly talented cook (we know from the days she was executive chef at Sycamore), so it’s no surprise she’s a genius with flavors.

“We have to get the chicken meatballs,” our friend Peter tells us, “they go incredibly well with the Margherita pizza.” We usually trust Peter, who dines here regularly. In some ways, it’s the new reincarnated Bergamot for us, though it’s not quite the same.

Challenges: The Pandemic, Economy, and More

Business has been very good, but they’ve had to make some tough decisions too, as inflation has hit recently. Chef Lydia refuses to jack up prices, and instead has had to make creative changes at times. The shrimp scampi pizza we are enjoying? (which is absolutely delicious, by the way). It was supposed to be a lobster scampi pizza, until the price of lobster shot up to ridiculous amounts.

“I’m not charging $30 a pie.” Lydia’s firm about that. Jinny’s is not that type of restaurant.

”We can find very good wines at all price points.” Paul adds, ”If a wine becomes too expensive, we just swap it out for another one.” I trust Paul. He knows his wines and is extremely talented at scouting out little known producers who make fabulous wines.

Mini Backstage Tour

After we finish eating, Lydia offers to take us on a mini kitchen tour. The back isn't big, but there's a massive mixer for the dough and a huge pile of pizza boxes, ready for the day. When things are busy, they blow through stacks of boxes FAST. It's quite resourceful how they make use of every small space.

We see various bins of dough at different stages of their life journey towards becoming a pizza. Chef Lydia also keeps meticulously labeled bins for all the different raw ingredients. And yes, there are many huge bags of Vermont flour.

Cheers!

We didn't expect to see Dave Punch there as well, which was a pleasant surprise. Dave used to be executive chef at Ten Tables Cambridge, which was just a few minutes from our old Cambridge home.

What an amazing reunion!

We've realized that the restaurant world is a dynamic place, and things can change very, very quickly. The pandemic has exacerbated this phenomenon, ravaging through cities and destroying a swath of restaurants in its path.

Yet what we've also realized is that friendships remain even after the restaurant is gone. Of course, we miss Bergamot dearly and will always look fondly back at those memories. But there are new memories to be made, and new stories to tell!

So we're thrilled for both Paul and Lydia. We're thrilled they are working together at the same restaurant, and that the restaurant is doing really, really well. Despite Bergamot closing, we're thrilled there's another amazing restaurant we can visit, time and time again, where we are greeted warmly with a hug, a smile, and an Elisabetta.

Epilogue: Back Again, 2022

Yep, that's right. When we returned in the spring of 2022, Paul had the foresight to prepare several flasks of Bryan's favorite Elisabetta cocktail, even including the orange peel on the side. It was such a thoughtful gesture. Bryan took the keepsake bottle and carried it all the way back to Hong Kong.

We'll keep it displayed as a reminder of our dear friends in Boston.

Cheers!

Jinny's Pizzeria Newton
1231 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02459
Wed - Sun, 4:30 - 9PM

Smoke & Barrel Hong Kong

Jul 31, 2022 ·

As an intellectual property attorney, it blows my mind that a city of Hong Kong can have two completely unrelated restaurants with virtually the same name (Smoke and Barrel versus Smoke and Barrels), both serving American BBQ, and located in Central. If this happened in the US, one party would certainly be suing the other for trademark infringement, arguing a “likelihood of confusion.”

And yet in Hong Kong, these two BBQ restaurants can happily co-exist, both still doing good business (presumably). If the public gets confused, they’ll sort it out, I guess.

Bryan and I visited Smoke and Barrel, a restaurant in Hong Kong’s Central district specializing in Texas style barbecue. The large restaurant (formerly Flying Elk) has an open kitchen that houses a huge authentic wood-fired smoker imported from Missouri.

The food is very good, definitely on par with excellent BBQ that you’d find in the States.

Shrimp & Grits is a classic Southern favorite, and the one here is very good. The grits are rich and creamy, and include a deeply flavor shrimp ”head” sauce that’s fancier than a typical version I might see in the US.

We enjoyed both the All American Brisket (200g for HKD228 or 400g for HKD418) and the pulled pork. The jalapeno cornbread with honey butter (HKD68) was fantastic and one of my favorites of the night. The Brussels sprouts were fine.

Jalapeno Cornbread

Dessert was soft serve ice cream served with ”de-constructed” waffle cone pieces. I specifically asked for the caramel on the side since I don’t like things that are too sweet.

Smoke & Barrel Hong Kong - General Thoughts

Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that Hong Kong would have at least a couple high quality American BBQ places. There’s probably enough Americans here to meet that demand. I found the brisket to be at least as good as the best BBQ I’ve had in Boston. I haven’t had the best BBQ in Texas, so I can’t comment on that comparison. Still, I think the barbecue here is certainly legit, and I’d come here if I had a BBQ craving!

Smoke and Barrel Hong Kong

Valley Bar + Bottle Sonoma California

Jul 29, 2022 ·

The old Harvest Moon, a favorite for regulars in the Sonoma, closed at the end of 2019 after a successful 13 years in business. That excellent space in the middle of The Square at Sonoma is now a new neighborhood wine bar, restaurant, and bottle shop. Similar to the ethos of their predecessor, Valley Bar + Bottle aims to be first and foremost a neighborhood restaurant. They focus on sustainable ingredients and have an ever-rotating menu based on the seasons.

Starters

We came here with a couple friends and ordered a BUNCH of stuff to share. Our friends, who were regulars of Harvest Moon, happily adopted this new places as one of their new regular haunts.

Lettuce with Green Goddess and seeds $16

The food was simple and delicious. They source a lot of excellent produce, and it clearly shows. The cuisine is ”Californian”, though there’s certainly international influences in the food. Certain dishes reminded me of Hong Kong (e.g., XO Sauce Eggs or the Crispy Rice with Ginger Scallion Sauce), while we also saw dishes with a Mexican or Spanish bent (black beans, Romesco sauce, etc.).

Main Dishes

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the steak was. Frankly speaking, I think it was the best steak I had during our 3-month stint in US and Europe. It was nicely aged, very well-seasoned, and cooked perfectly. I most remember its flavor, which was very prominent (“beefy”), and just really really good.

Side Dishes

Our friends’ insisted on requesting their favorite side dish, this simple Crispy Rice with Scallion Ginger Sauce. It reminded me of Hong Kong, sort of like the crispy part of clay pot rice mixed with the scallion ginger sauce that’s ubiquitous in Hong Kong. This version was very good, and definitely a crowd pleaser.

Surprisingly, another favorite was the humble black beans, which were phenomenal. It turns out one of the chefs comes from a Hispanic background (maybe Mexican?), and just knew how to make these deeply flavorful beans.

Desserts

General Thoughts - Valley Bottle + Bar

The place was packed when we went, full of locals and tourists alike. The food is rustic, flavorful, and fresh. They call their food ”California home cooking,” which is very fitting. I’d certainly come back again, especially for the steak, black beans, and crispy rice. Those mourning the loss of Harvest Moon have a great new neighborhood-focused restaurant they can visit on a regular basis.

Valley Bottle + Bar Sonoma
487 1st West
Sonoma, CA 95476

Robert Sinskey Winery

Jul 24, 2022 ·

A hidden gem?

A winery is not the first place I would look to find a really nice lunch. A tasting with some nibbles is already great. Some wineries have restaurants (even quite famous ones). However, Most wineries I’ve visited in Napa Valley and Sonoma only have tasting rooms. Some serve small bites or pairings with their wines. However, I haven’t visited many wineries with a meal + pairing that’s as nice as the one I enjoyed at Robert Sinskey’s Winery restaurant.

The Space

First off, the space itself is gorgeous. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted with high vaulted ceilings, large stone walls, and a gorgeous bar plus a few scattered high top tables. This must be where a lot of the smaller wine tastings can be done. Walk further in, and there’s a warm fireplace, which completes the cozy yet spacious feel of the tasting room.

The tasting room at Robert Sinskey Winery is gorgeous

The Food

But it’s the food that differentiates this place. Robert Sinskey’s wife Maria Sinskey is the culinary director at the winery. She’s set up a number of different culinary experiences that are paired with Robert Sinskey wines. These range from small bites and bento boxes to a full 5-course “Perfect Circle Chef’s Table” experience paired with RSV’’s finest wines and library vintages.

We did the Perfect Circle Chef’s tasting, which started with a tour of the winery where we learned all about the winery’s biodynamic / certified organic winemaking process. We learned about the founder, Robert Sinskey (current owner’s father, same name), who was a well known ophthalmologist and eye surgeon. There are eye-themed motifs throughout the winery.

After an educational tour, we sat down in the fireplace room to enjoy a lovely 5-course menu with 6 different special wines.

SLD Estate garden tomatoes, cucumbers, labne, za'atar

SLD Estate garden tomatoes, cucumbers, labne, and za'atar paired with Robert Sinskey Orgia, Los Carneros 2016.

Tarte FlambéSLD Estate Tromboncino Summer Squashand Preserved Meyer Lemon, Sweet Red Onion,Crème Fraîche, Garden Herbs

Tarte Flambé topped with SLD Estate Tromboncino summer squash and preserved Meyer lemon, sweet red onion, crème fraîche, and garden herbs paired with Abraxas, Vin de Terroir, Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard, Los Carneros 2017.

Handmade Ricotta GnocchiWood Fire Oven Roasted SLD Estate Garden Tomatoes,Thyme, Datterino Italian Tomatoes

Handmade ricotta gnocchi wood-fire oven roasted SLD Estate garden tomatoes, thyme, and Datterino Italian tomatoes paired with Pinot Noir, Four Vineyard, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 2016

Roasted RSV LambJimmy Red Grits, SLD Estate Thumbelina CarrotsCapa Vineyard Pomegranate, Lamb Jus

Roasted Liberty Farm’s Sonoma duck, RSV orchard figs, garden beans， fig and mustard seed duck jus paired with Marcien, Proprietary Red, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 2012 and 2013 (one of each).

SLD Estate Vineyard caramelized heirloom pear and Frangipane tart salted brown sugar caramel ice cream paired with Pinot Gris Late, Los Carneros,, Napa Valley, 2018.

General Thoughts - Food and Wine Pairing at Robert Sinskey’s Perfect Circle Chef Table

What a unique and fun tasting! I really, really enjoyed this meal. In fact, it was up there in quality with many fine and well-known restaurants in the greater Napa Valley area. To me, since it’s inside a vineyard and doesn’t really have a separate restaurant name, it’s easy to miss. After all, this is not a restaurant. It’s a wine tasting paired with really, really good food. I like to think of it as a hidden find. The tour plus the wine tasting meal is a real treat, and would be a great way to celebrate a special occasion or hold an important business meal.

The Perfect Circle 5-Course (6 wine) Chef’s Tasting is $225pp. There are other priced options, such as the more casual 3-course (6 wine) Eat Drink Tasting ($125pp), Root to Table tasting with a Board of nibbles ($95pp), or the Flight of Five ($50).

All in all, I highly recommend coming here, and I would not hesitate to come back for another meal.

Robert Sinskey Winery
6320 Silverado Trail Napa CA 94558

Weekend Trip to Portland and Freeport Maine

Jul 21, 2022 ·

I was on the hunt for really good fall foliage.

New England is famous for its fall foliage, but we arrived in Boston in September, just a tad too early for Boston's peak season. Thus I had secret high hopes that we could see something in Maine. We didn’t have time to drive super far north (where it was peak season), so instead we compromised by going to Portland, Maine, which is about a two-hour drive north from Boston.

Portland Maine is also a foodie haven, and lots of people make the trip purely for the food. We decided spend a day in Portland and a day in Freeport. We booked our favorite restaurants, discovered new ones, and hiked a few trails.

Even though the foliage wasn’t anywhere close to peak season (yet!), we still had a lovely trip. My incorrect assumptions about this being my only opportunity to see foliage would later be corrected. I was delighted to later see incredible foliage in both northern California and also in Europe.

Here’s a trip recap!

Lunch at Eventide

Eventide is one of the most popular restaurants in Portland. They have a great selection of local fresh seafood, creative and delicious Asian-inspired dishes, and fun beers. It’s walk-in only, so we showed up as early as possible (11AM!) to stand in line for the first seating.

It was cooooold outside, but the large outdoor tent was where guests were dining due to Covid concerns. We bundled up, sat near the heat lamps, and still thoroughly enjoyed the delicious soup. The hot clam chowder tasted especially good!

Dinner at Central Provision

I’ve been to Central Provision once or twice, and I have always loved it. It is extremely popular and also really difficult to book. We were thankful to be able to obtain a really early booking. Because of Covid, Central Provision had taken over a large part of the outdoor area next to the restaurant and converted it into a huge multi-level patio.

It was extremely pleasant to sit out on the patio and watch the sunset while enjoying the meal. As the sun set, it got colder, so we were actually quite thankful to have such an early timeslot for dinner.

As always, the food was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. I especially loved the blue tuna with caviar, marcona almonds, green garlic gazpacho, and purple shiso.

Bryan was thrilled to discover this 2015 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny, a lovely red wine (mostly caberbet franc with a touch of cabernet sauvignon and pinot d'aunis) from the Loire Valley. The shop owner had procured it for a really, really good price, and was passing on that price to the diners. Bryan noticed they were selling it for below retail, and thus snapped it up. Enjoying this fabulous wine on the patio made the evening even more special.

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park

We headed to Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park for an afternoon of hiking. The views of the ocean were spectacular, and we did manage to see a tiny bit of fall foliage, though it was still a bit too early!

Hiking Bradbury Mountain

The next morning we drove out to Freeport. We decided we would hike Bradbury Mountain in the morning and then head to the city for some shopping in the afternoon (Freeport is known for its outlet shops as well).

We chose a nice a relatively short 2 mile hike to the summit. There were some clouds in the sky, but thankfully it did not rain!

From the top of the mountain, we could see tiny patches of red and orange that were appearing in the vast forested mountain below. However, clearly we were too early. I can only imagine how stunning it would look in about 2-3 weeks.

We met some really nice hikers at the top who offered to take a few photos for us. When they found out we were from Hong Kong, they touched their hearts and say, “our hearts really go out to the Hong Kong people. It has been tough for you all. Please know that we support you.”

Seafood + Shopping in Freeport

The world’s largest L.L. Bean Store sits in the center of Freeport. It’s a fun store to explore and it has a HUGE selection of all sorts of hiking, camping, fishing, and other outdoor gear.

Although Freeport is more known for shopping than food, we were pleasantly surprised at the incredible quality of the seafood at Jameson Tavern in Freeport. The restaurant is self-proclaimed ”one of the oldest operating taverns in Maine” and has been operating since 1779. The food’s casual but good.

The pan seared scallops salad was incredibly reasonably priced ($17 for this plate), and the scallops were as good as the best scallops I’ve ever had. I couldn’t finish it (there were soooooo many scallops), and I felt so bad leaving some of them. Oh why did I eat so many fried clams?

I really enjoyed our weekend getaway trip to Portland and Freeport Maine. Although we didn’t get to really see peak season foliage, we got to enjoy the city when it was less crowded. We still got to taste fantastic food and hike some really pretty trails. All in all, the trip included my two favorite activities: hiking and eating!

Cheers!

The Bistro at Auberge du Soleil

Jul 8, 2022 ·

Every since I moved to Hong Kong, seeing friends from the US has not been nearly as easy. Add on top of that a two (going on three) year pandemic, I truly cherish any chance I have to see old friends.

My best friend from college lives in San Francisco. Back when I lived in Boston we managed to see each other almost annually. However, since Covid, it’s been years since I’ve seen her. So, when the opportunity to meet in Napa materialized, I was determined to find a really nice place for our lunch. After all, she was the one driving over an hour to meet me. The least I could do was treat her to a nice lunch. Key requirements: good food and phenomenal views.

The Bistro at Auberge du Soleil, the more casual outpost of the very famous Michelin starred Restaurant Auberge du Soleil.

Auberge du Soleil is a collection of ultra luxury resorts with locations around the world. In Napa, the more famous Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil (which has one Michelin star) is often booked out solid for weeks on end. It’s difficult to book at the last minute, especially during peak season on a Saturday. However, I was thankful that the Bistro at Auberge du Soleil was much easier to book. Better yet, it also has a lovely terrace and shares equally stunning views of the valley.

Smoked Salmon Tartine, fromage Blanc, lemon - $17.00, Oysters on the Half Shell $4.25 each — The food is a bit more casual, with some seafood starters, salads, soups, flatbreads, sandwiches, and the like. It’s a small menu, but everything seems to be made with high quality, fresh ingredients. It’s perfect for lunch, in my opinion.

Starters to Share

Smoked Salmon Tartine, fromage Blanc, lemon - $17.00

Main Course

Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, little gem lettuce, pickled ginger, abovado, soba — For my entree, I had a Japanese inspired grilled yellowfin tuna ”avocado toast” with little gem lettuce. On the side was a small bowl of soba noodles with scallions and pickled ginger.

Fish of the day (halibut), claims with bacon, carrots, — My friend enjoyed the pan-seared ”Fish of the Day”, which was halibut, servied with clams, bacon, and carrots.

The weather was perfect and the views were breathtaking. We sat under the sun, enjoying fresh Californian food while catching up on conversations long overdue. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that good friendships are hard to come by, and they don’t develop overnight. I cherish my old friends, and I certainly cherished our lunch on this beautiful patio.

The food was fine. Not the best there is in Napa, but still pretty enjoyable. It’s a bit expensive for what it offers, but perfectly reasonable for a 5-star Relais & Chateaux resort.

At the end of the day, I was more there for the space and the environment. For that, the experience was top notch. The food was fine and the views were spectacular. After all, it’s hard to put a price on the ability to dine in that environment. Our lunch was special and memorable. I’d certainly come back again in a heartbeat.

Bistro at Auberge du Soleil Napa
180 Rutherford Hill Road
Rutherford, California

Le Baudelaire - Paris France

Jul 6, 2022 ·

It’s rare that you have a meal where everything goes perfectly right. Even at the finest restaurants, there’s may be a course that’s you don’t like, timing of service that’s a bit off, or just too much (or too little) food. Last year, a seasoned gourmand and regular traveler to Paris recommended Le Baudelaire to us. He wrote “[t]he food never disappoints and the course menu has no misses ever, which is a wonderfully welcome characteristic.”

After our dinner at Le Baudelaire, all I can say is that I completely agree.

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La Dame de Pic - Paris France

Jun 27, 2022 ·

The Pic family is legendary in France. Their website motto of “3 Generations, 3 Stars” describes the immense success this family of chefs has attained throughout the past century. Chef Andre Pic, his son Jacques Pic, and granddaughter Anne Sophie Pic have all obtained 3 Michelin stars while running the family restaurant, despite two world wars and their own meandering career changes.

Chef Anne Sophie Pic initially studied business but returned to the family restaurant in 1997. After 10 years Maison Pic in Valence obtained three Michelin Stars. The PIC group has expanded on that success, opening up additional restaurants that have all been quite successful, including restaurants in Paris, Lausanne, London, and Singapore. Many of these have also achieved one or two Michelin stars.

Chef Anne Sophie Pic is considered one of the best chefs in the world, and awarded ”World’s Best Female Chef” by 50Best in 2011. She loves coaxing and taming harsher flavors, such as bitter, acidic, roasted, and smoked.

We dined at her 1-Michelin starred restaurant La Dame de Pic, which she calls “a taste of Valence.” The food is creative, elegant, and overall very good.

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Pertinence Paris France

Jun 25, 2022 ·

Nestled in a small street near the Eiffel Tower lies Pertinence. This is where Ryunosuke Naito (Nagoya Japan) and Kwen Liew (Malaysia) run a tiny restaurant serving just a handful lucky guests per night. What’s most impressive is that the entire restaurant is just the two of them. Chef-owners Naito and Liew take turns between the kitchen and the front of the house.

The couple met while working as chefs in Paris. After gaining experience at different types of restaurants in Paris, they decided to set out and open their own in 2017. Even they were shocked when they received a Michelin star the following year. Liew became the first Malaysian woman ever to be recognized by Michelin, and that year, she was only one of two women chefs on the list.

On the day we went, there were only six diners present. Us and one other table of four. That made for a very intimate and cozy experience, and we enjoyed it immensely. That day, Naito served us, while Liew was in the kitchen.

The Tasting Menu

The Underground Wine Cellar

One really fun and unique feature of the restaurant is the underground wine cellar.

It was so cool to watch Naito go down and fetch us the bottle of wine that we had ordered.

Seafood

scallop w/ laksa sauce, carrots! sous vide big one, raw slices

The food is creative and draws inspiration from all over the globe. For instance, our first course clearly incorporated Malaysian ingredients, a perfectly seared scallop served with laksa sauce! Various interpretations of carrots surrounded the scallop, including sous vide carrots and paper thin slices of rainbow carrots. Such artistic plating!

A French lobster came with artichoke, Spanish jamon Iberico, and bellota foam.

The ”Croute” (Meat Course)

Bryan loves all kinds of ”croutes”, such as the pithivier from Bozar and the beef Wellington from Gordon Ramsey.

This mini-croute was perfectly executed and a nice way to finish the meal.

Cheese Course

Dessert

Some final sweet endings.

General Thoughts - Pertinence Paris

I’m really impressed with the food and overall experience at Pertinence. It’s crazy to imagine how hard the two chefs must work to pull off this level of food themselves.

They serve both lunch and dinner, which means their days are very, very long. At lunchtime you can get a 3-course meal for 55€ or a 4-course meal for 80€. Dinner there’s either the 6-course for 120€ or the 7-course for 185€. The whole table must get the same tasting.

There is also an a la carte menu, but since we didn’t go that route, I don’t know much about it.

We got the 7-course, and I was definitely really full near the end. I may have even given Bryan some of my croute at the end (since he loves those anyway and I was really stuffed!). All in all, we enjoyed our meal a lot. It certainly deserves its Michelin star and multiple other accolades.

Bonus: the ability to walk over and say hello to the Eiffel Tower before heading home.

Pertinence Paris
29 rue de l’Exposition, 75007 Paris

Napa Valley Trip Report

Jun 10, 2022 ·

I have a lot of nostalgic memories for California’s wine region, having visited Napa and Sonoma virtually every year before moving to Hong Kong. From covering the Almost Famous Chef Competitions to media and business trips, I feel like I know the region really well.

But obviously the pandemic put a halt to all travel for close to 2 years. Living in Hong Kong made it even harder to visit. So, when Bryan said he had a work conference in Napa in the fall of 2021, I immediately told him I really wanted to come along.

I’m so thankful it worked out! We caught up with some of our close friends in the Bay Area and even attended a black tie gala (first time in 8 years). I had to rush out and buy a last minute dress!

The fall colors were stunning this time of year, and we savored some magnificent wines and food.

We stayed at the Silverado Resport & Spa, and spent quiet mornings jogging along the beautiful golf course.

I didn’t expect to see such beautiful foliage in Napa Valley, but we arrived during peak season to stunning colors everywhere. Recent rains also brought green hills, which was unusual this time of year.

*Yountville, The garden at The French Laundry*

It’s been over 10 years since we ate at The French Laundry and wandered around its impeccable garden. This time we re-visited the newly renovated space (just to take a look) and walked around the garden again. The garden feels pretty similar, though the new building looks amazing. Fall season means there were pumpkins!

Memorable Meals

My best friend (and roommate) from college drove up from San Francisco to meet me for lunch. We enjoyed great conversation and lunch overlooking expansive views of vineyards at The Bistro at Auberge du Soleil.

I really think the tasting menu at Robert Sinskey Vineyards is a hidden gem in Napa. I’d never heard of it, but a friend treated us to a fantastic meal there. The food is excellent, the space is beautiful, and the wines are delicious. We took a quick tour of the winery beforehand, which was informational and fun.

Other great food memories include fantastic seafood at Hog Island Oyster, rustic French food at Angèle Restaurant, excellent wine and food at Compline Wine Bar and Restaurant, and my favorite TKOs from Bouchon Bakery. We enjoyed a fantastic steak at Valley Bottle and Bar in Sonoma (in the former Harvest Moon location). We got our Pliny the Elder fix when we got wind that the Marriott in Napa serves it on tap. We made a quick stop, sat at the hotel bar, and enjoyed a glass of our favorite West Coast beer.

We had a ”it’s a small world” moment when we learned that the our server at Compline used to live in Boston and was good friends with our restaurant friends at Bergamot.

Finally, we learned about the history of two wineries: Stag’s Leap and Stags’ Leap, and how an apostrophe makes all the difference.

One Unfortunate Event

We did hit a snafu during the San Francisco portion of our trip. Thieves broke into our rental car (smashed our windows in broad daylight!) and stole our luggage.

Thankfully we were safe and we weren’t in the car. We spent a frantic day reporting to the police and re-buying critical items before our flight (the next day!) to Europe. Miraculously, a good Samaritan spotted our bags later that day and turned them into the police. Although all the valuables had been picked clean, we at least recovered the bags, some IDs, and our clothing. A HUGE shoutout to the Richmond police, who went out of their way to help us recover our items on their day off.

Despite that unfortunate event, we still had a good trip. I was so thankful to be able to visit Napa again, especially considering how much harder it is for us to go there (from Hong Kong) during these pandemic times. More importantly, we cherished the time we had catching up with old friends, and we are very thankful that we stayed safe and healthy the entire time.

Traveling During Covid - Our Three Month Trip Around the World
Visiting Family in Las Vegas During Covid
All Napa Posts
All Sonoma Posts
All San Francisco Posts

36 Hour Stopover in London

May 29, 2022 ·

London is one of those cities of which I never tire. Although I've been there numerous times (I used to go every year for work), every time I went back I would revisit my favorite streets, squares, and shops. During our whirlwind US/Europe trip in the fall of 2021, London was our stop-over city. We flew in and out of Heathrow, stopping through and saying hello to London TWICE while passing through on the way to cities in Europe, such as Brussels or Paris.

What does one do on a 36-hour stopover in London?

We stayed at the **St. Pancras Renaissance**, a lovely, lovely hotel (highly recommended!). It is located right at St. Pancras train station, so it's amazingly convenient if you are taking the Eurostar here (from, e.g., Brussels or Paris). The lobby incorporates parts of the beautiful train station exterior, and you can take an elevator directly into the train station without even stepping outside. I enjoyed a lovely brunch in this airy and spacious lobby. When I tried to come back in the evening to meet a colleague for drinks, they told me it was fully booked. I didn't even know you had to book this place. Mental note: make a reservation next time!

Covent Garden

During our first visit, we arrived in London in the morning and had a few hours to kill before our train to Brussels in the evening. We decided to walk around Covent Garden and perhaps find some lunch.

Din Tai Fung Covent Garden London

This is where we broke down and had our first Chinese restaurant meal in over 6 weeks (*at Din Tai Fung, no less*!). The decor was beautiful, and this DTF was a bit more upscale, offering cocktails and some dishes we hadn't seen on other menus. We stuck with the basics, ordering various types of dumplings. Though it hit the spot and was very enjoyable, the overall quality was supbar to the ones in Hong Kong (and it was more expensive!).

The River Cafe

We had one nice meal in London, an Italian outdoor dinner at The River Cafe. Situated right on the Thames River, this Italian restaurant from Ruth Rogers has been around for 35 years and is famous for training up several well-known British chefs, such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (River Cottage), April Bloomfield (Spotted Pig, Breslin Bar & Dining), Theo Randall and Jamie Oliver.

London’s the type of place where it’s easy to stop by for just a short amount of time. If you need to take the train somewhere, I highly recommend staying near St. Pancras station. It’s super convenient, and there’s a lot of fun stuff to do right around that area, such as jog along Regent Canal or shop/eat at Coal Drop Yard.

The next day we hopped onto the Eurostar and took the 2-hour journey to Brussels, our next stop. Good-by London, until we meet again!

A Day Trip to Antwerp, Belgium

May 28, 2022 ·

Antwerp sort of holds a unique place in my heart. I had never even heard of the city, but it welcomed me with open arms when Bryan and I got stuck in Belgium on 9/11 back in 2001. We were flying back to the US from our honeymoon in Italy on 9/11 when the US closed all airspace entering the country. Our plane, from now defunct Belgian carrier Sabena Airlines, turned around and landed in Brussels.

Despite the horrific circumstances, the airline was especially kind to the passengers. They took such good care of us, providing a shuttle bus and paying for our hotel stay in Antwerp, a city 45 minutes away from Brussels. My memory of Antwerp from that time is virtually non-existent (that whole experience was quite a stressful blur), yet I will never forget the kindness of the Belgians during this time of extreme anguish for the American people.

I haven't visited Antwerp since that time 20+ years ago. This time around, during a weekend when Bryan was away in Germany on a business trip, I decided to take a solo trip to revisit Antwerp, the second largest metropolitan region in Belgium, and the largest city-center in the country.

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Arbor Hong Kong

May 25, 2022 ·

How does one celebrate after an arduous three-week quarantine in a hotel?

Bryan and I flew back to Hong Kong after spending close to three months outside of Hong Kong. At that point, it had been 1.5 years since we had seen our families in the U.S. Bryan’s sister had pushed back her wedding (originally planned for 2020) back a whole year. We decided to fly to the US to attend the wedding, despite knowing we would need to quarantine upon returning to Hong Kong, who was (and is still!) pursuing a dynamic zero Covid policy.

Three weeks in a hotel room is tough, but we are thankful that we were able to quarantine together. After 3 weeks, it was so freeing to finally be able to walk around Hong Kong, and even venture out to eat at restaurants.

We were ”released” on the morning of December 23rd, just two days before Christmas. On Christmas day, we visited Arbor for the first time and enjoyed their special Christmas meal.

We absolutely loved our meal there. The food was elegant, exquisitely executed, and just very, very good in so many different ways. It’s hard to believe we waited this long to try it. Chef-owner Eric Räty, who hails from Finland, is expressing one of my favorite styles of cuisines: Japanese ingredients, French technique, and a Nordic focus on bringing out the flavors of natural ingredients.

Little did we know that Omicron was lurking around the corner, and in just a few weeks the open life of enjoying dinners at restaurants would stop completely for many, many months. We’re so thankful we had the opportunity to enjoy a few really nice dinners out in Hong Kong before the multi-month period of restrictions that followed.

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Mono Hong Kong

May 23, 2022 ·

Despite the fact that it’s still cumbersome to travel outside of Hong Kong (though at least now the quarantine period has been reduced to 7 days), we still are fortunate in Hong Kong to have the world travel to us, opening up restaurants that reflect cuisines from all over the map. Mono is a Latin American influenced restaurant from Chef Ricardo Chaneton. Chef Chaneton has worked with some of the finest chefs in the world, including Quique Dacosta (Spain), Mauro Colagreco at Mirazur (France), and Petrus in Hong Kong.

Mono is Chef Chaneton’s chance to express his South American roots (he’s from Venezuela) while using techniques he has learned from his rigorous French training. This past year Mono earned one Michelin star, and Chef Chaneton became the first Venezuelan chef ever to obtain that honor.

Below is a meal we enjoyed in 2021, right before Mono received the Michelin star. As you can see, Chef Chaneton clearly puts a lot of thought, heart, and soul into each dish.

Highly recommended!

Amuse Bouche

1st Course

Freshly Baked Bread and Amazing Olive Oil

Seafood + Meat

Sweets

What a unique journey to Latin America! Chef Chaneton’s is indeed breaking boundaries and introducing a whole new audience to the ingredients and flavors of South American, prepared in ways that are innovative, creative, and fun.

Mono Hong Kong
5/F 18 ON LAN STREET
Central, HONG KONG
https://www.mono.hk

Summer Palace Iconic Wine Lunch - Hong Kong

Apr 29, 2022 ·

More than 10 years ago I visited Summer Palace in Beijing. Once an imperial garden during the Qing Dynasty, the area is now a UNESCO heritage site.

"Summer Palace" here in Hong Kong is not a garden. Instead it is a high-end restaurant that still shares some of the former's imperial grandeur. This Michelin-starred restaurant inside the Shangri-La serves refined Cantonese fare, shares a Master Sommelier with Petrus (upstairs), and regularly holds unique and interesting wine lunches and dinners.

Our friends invited us to one such wine lunch at Summer Palace last year.

As we rode up the elevator at the Shangri-La to Summer Palace, we couldn't help but notice an awe-inspiring painting. This impressive wall mural, called The Great Motherland of China (大好河山), is the largest silk mural painting in the world. It is 16-stories high and it took 40 Chinese artists 6-months to complete it.

Summer Palace Wine Lunch

Summer Palace Hong Kong Iconic Wine Lunch — As we entered the room, we got a first look at the featured wines of the wine dinner. Wow.

Master Sommelier Yohann Jousselin oversees the wine platform for all Shangri-La restaurants in Southeast Asia, and spends over half his time in Hong Kong. The Shangri-La group of restaurants regularly holds wine lunches and dinners, both at Summer Palace and also at Petrus, upstairs.

They come at different price points, from more casual Wine Lunches at the Lobster Bar (HKD888 per person) to the flagship Iconic Wine Experiences that can cost up anywhere between HKD25,000 to HKD$58,000 per person (the latter including a super rare Petrus 1947).

The wine meals focus on different themes, and often provide opportunities to try older and rarer wines.

Iconic Lunch Series

This particular wine lunch focused on wine from 6 different regions in France, including a blind wine. It was part of the Iconic Lunch series, and costs HKD$3988 per person.

Here's a look at our meal!

We began with a special 2000 Dom Perignon P2 (short for "Plénitude 2"). This aged champagne is deep in color and complex in flavor. Even though you normally wouldn't decant a champagne, our sommelier recommended doing so for this wine.

A lovely way to start the meal.

Summer Palace is known for its refined Cantonese fare.

Blind Wine - 1960's

1970's Mouton Rothschild

We tried them side-by-side, a mystery "blind" wine from the 60's and the Mouton-Rothchild from 1970, paired with the claypot rice.

Dessert

The meal was lovely, but it was the unique wine pairings that really made this meal fun and special. Food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the overall lunch was relaxed and interesting.

I leave you with one more look at The Great Motherland of China (大好河山).

Caprice Hong Kong
Birthday at Roganic Hong Kong
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Lucciola - Italian food at The Hari Hotel in Wan Chai

Mar 22, 2022 ·

Lucciola is one of the two anchoring restaurants at the new swanky boutique Hari Hotel in Wan Chai, the other being Zoku. While Zoku is a hip, fusion Japanese spot with a Nobu-esque air, Lucciola is a more traditional Italian restaurant serving trusted Italian favorites such as vitello tonnato, salt-crusted fish, and rustic pasta dishes.

The chef is originally from the Piedmont region of Italy, though most of the menu focuses on classic dishes. Most of the pastas are made from dried pasta, though there are a few handmade pastas as well.

The ambiance is elegant and quiet, a good place to have a conversation.

The Food

The food is solid, with the "Il Vitello Tonnato" being my favorite dish of the night. In general, the menu is "safe", meaning the menu consists of crowd pleasers that most people would enjoy. It has a nice pasta/risotto selection that is larger than most (10 different kinds!), including vegetarian options and even one made with Impossible Meat.

The prices are on the higher end (not a surprise considering the luxury hotel in which it is housed). You can probably find similar quality food for less price (in a less fancy atmosphere) at other places in Hong Kong.

Still, it's a nice addition to Wan Chai, especially for pasta lovers who are tired of the same old pasta dishes and want to try one, two, or up to ten (!) new and different pasta dishes.

Lucciola
Hari Hotel 1/F
330 Lockhart Rd
Wan Chai

Studio City by Cali-Mex Causeway Bay Hong Kong

Mar 17, 2022 ·

Bryan grew up in Southern California, only a couple hours away from Mexico. It's one of his favorite cuisines, and (sadly), there's not that much of it in Hong Kong. Sure, we love the delicious (but pricey) tacos at 11 Westside and the Japanese-Mexican fare at Chino. However, both of those places have historically been difficult to book, and Kennedy Town is still a bit far from us.

Lately, we've found a new favorite that's much, much closer, cheaper, and still delicious. Introducing Studio City by Cali-Mex, a new higher-end Mexican concept by the same folks who brought us Cali-Mex, the fast-casual burrito spot with locations around the city.

To be perfectly honest, Cali-Mex is only OK. For Bryan, it satisfies his cravings from Mexican food and he still gets in on occasion, but he doesn't love their burritos. As such, we weren't sure what we would think of Studio City by Cali-Mex.

We were pleasantly surprised! We visited their Causeway Bay location (right in Fashion Walk area) and met up with a friend for dinner and drinks.

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Petrus Hong Kong

Mar 8, 2022 ·

Before this current pandemic, Hong Kong was really a special place for those who like to travel. Locals could whisk off to Japan, Mainland China, or Southeast Asia for a quick weekend trip. Travelers could just as easily fly in, do a business meeting, enjoy a nice meal, and then jet right back out. Bryan used to visit Victoria Peak just to see the view and enjoy a meal during some of his longer stopovers in Hong Kong. That seems like such another world now.

We had friends who used to live between Hong Kong and the US. They regularly flew back and forth every few months, enjoying the best of both worlds: the wide open spaces of the countryside in the U.S., and the vibrant, "sensory overload", excitement of Hong Kong. It was a great way to stay connected to family, friends, and business partners on both sides of the globe.

With Covid, it became difficult for them to go back and forth like they used to. However, they did manage to come back to Hong Kong TWICE during the pandemic, enduring multi-week quarantines each time. We were so fortunately to be able to see them in the spring of 2021, just as Hong Kong was reawakening back to life after a grueling 6-month long "4th wave" lockdown.

We decided to visit Petrus together with them to celebrate a birthday as well catch up after such a long time!

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Ichiran Tonkotsu Ramen Hong Kong

Mar 6, 2022 ·

I am really, really behind when it comes to famous tonkotsu ramen places. Can you believe it wasn't until the end of 2021 that I tried my first bowl of Ichiran Tonkotsu ramen?

Ichiran has been around since 1960, perfecting their tonkotsu milky pork bone broth as the perfect base for their ramen.

Their restaurants are known for being "private", meaning each diner (even within couples and families) dines separately in a cubby. The idea is that eating ramen is a serious affair, and you shouldn't be talking. You should concentrate on enjoying your ramen. Slurping is absolutely permitted, and, in fact, encouraged.

And slurp you should. It'll help you fully enjoy the flavors of that rich, savory, and delicious broth. The noodles have great texture, and all the parts come together into a really satisfying meal.

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James Suckling Wine Central - Hong Kong

Mar 2, 2022 ·

James Suckling Wine Central is a wine bar (first and foremost) but also a Korean-esque fusion restaurant (James' wife is Korean). The restaurant is a labor of love, a dream that James and his wife Marie have had for a long time. Going there sort of feels like you are visiting your wine-loving friends who are sharing with you their favorite wines together with their favorite foods.

The wine list is massive, consisting purely of 90+ scoring wines (by James Suckling, of course), whose scores are conveniently displayed on the menu. There are special sections such as "James’ Cellar Selection” and “Wines of My Career (100-point wines)” that reflect James Suckling's own personal favorites, wine that he says " I revere and love to drink." He self admits that there's a "heavy emphasis on Italy, Bordeaux and Port."

The best part about coming to James Suckling Wine Central is the HUGE selection of by-the-glass offerings (over 500 bottles!). They use the Covarin system to preserve their wines, so they are much more willing to let guests sample nicer bottles by the glass.

We had tons of fun, both ordering different wines (so that we could try each others' glasses), thus sampling even more kinds!

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Birthday at Roganic Hong Kong

Feb 23, 2022 ·

I've waxed poetic about my love for Roganic numerous times on this blog already. There's something about Simon Rogan's ethos regarding vegetables that draws me back to the restaurant over and over. We have eaten at the restaurant during the "good, open times" in Hong Kong, and have ordered delivery from his Simon Rogan AtHome collection during restrictive "lockdown" waves of the pandemic.

The photos in this post highlight yet another exquisite meal we had. This was to celebrate the birthday of another dear friend. We feel so blessed to know these friends because, truth be told, we wouldn't have become such good friends had it not been for the pandemic.

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Caprice Hong Kong - Four Seasons

Feb 19, 2022 ·

There is a season for everything. Right now in Hong Kong, we are in a season of change. Much has happened in the past three years, and thing continue to change, a lot of which is outside our control.

As part of these changes, we have had to say good-by to friends that we've gotten to know in our time in Hong Kong. Some friends are moving back home to their native lands, others are moving away from Hong Kong to settle into a new land. Whatever the case may be, our circle of friends in Hong Kong has shifted over time.

This past year, during "pandemic-friendly" periods, saying good-by has meant meeting up over a special meal. For one of our close friends, Bryan told their foodie daughter that she could pick any restaurant in Hong Kong in which to have our good-by meal. This "tween" actually spent serious time conducting online research and considering this difficult question before finally replying a few days later.

That's right, she chose Caprice.

We had actually never been to Caprice before. It was a lovely opportunity to be able to bless this family, spend an evening celebrating our time together as friends in Hong Kong, and wish them the best on this next portion of their journey.

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Majordomo Los Angeles - David Chang's Foray into the West Coast

Feb 17, 2022 ·

You could say I'm a fan of restaurants within the (ever-growing) David Chang Empire.

A little more than a decade ago, Bryan and I first visited his flagship Momofuku Ko in New York City back when they didn't allow photos! It was just a tiny bar back then. Even so, my mind was blown with David Chang's unrestrained creativity. He wowed us with dishes such as his signature shaved foie gras, lychee, and reisling gelee dish. Through the years, I've regularly stopped by Momofuku Milk Bar for their corn cookies and cereal milk soft serve. I have also visited Momofuku Ssam Bar (where I fell in love with the spicy sausage rice cakes). And then there's Ma Peche and their fantastic fried chicken. I finally returned to Momofuku Ko in 2016 (where they now allow photos), and wrote up a proper post!

And then suddenly, in a blink of an eye, it's been 5 years since I last visited a David Chang restaurant.

Frankly speaking, because I've been living in Hong Kong, I didn't even know about Majordomo opening up in LA. It was David Chang's first restaurant in the West Coast. It was ridiculously popular and impossible to book when it first opened.

It's been a couple years, and we're in the middle of a pandemic right now. Still, Majordomo still wasn't easy to book at all. We essentially lucked out (due to a cancellation). We were able to grab dinner for four after first putting ourselves on a waiting list.

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Playa Amor Los Angeles

Feb 13, 2022 ·

Our friends raved about this place when they visited less than a year earlier (during the pandemic!).

"You have to try the mole, it is amazing."

The chicken mole at Playa Amor, a modern Mexican restaurant in Long Beach California, is indeed amazing. You can even get the mole with tater tots, a nostalgic crunchy throwback smothered with their delicious, intense, and smoky mole. It's good either way, though I think the mole pairs best with the chicken.

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Recipes

Jinny's Specialty: The Pizzas

The Other Stuff - Jinny's Side Dishes

Challenges: The Pandemic, Economy, and More

Mini Backstage Tour

Cheers!

Epilogue: Back Again, 2022

Smoke & Barrel Hong Kong - General Thoughts

Starters

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Desserts

General Thoughts - Valley Bottle + Bar

The Space

The Food

General Thoughts - Food and Wine Pairing at Robert Sinskey’s Perfect Circle Chef Table

Lunch at Eventide

Dinner at Central Provision

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park

Hiking Bradbury Mountain

Seafood + Shopping in Freeport

Starters to Share

Main Course

The Tasting Menu

The Underground Wine Cellar

Seafood

The ”Croute” (Meat Course)

Cheese Course

Dessert

General Thoughts - Pertinence Paris

Memorable Meals

One Unfortunate Event

Related Posts

Covent Garden

Din Tai Fung Covent Garden London

The River Cafe

Amuse Bouche

1st Course

Freshly Baked Bread and Amazing Olive Oil

Seafood + Meat

Sweets

Summer Palace Wine Lunch

Iconic Lunch Series

Blind Wine - 1960's

1970's Mouton Rothschild

Dessert

The Food