Archive for July, 2011

Water Grill Restaurant: Blue Fin Tuna Caught Off Catalina Island, A Rare Experience These Days – Los Angeles

Monday, July 11th, 2011

Bluefin TunaHunted almost to extinction in the Northern Pacific, it is indeed rare to find a Blue fin wandering around Catalina Island off Southern California these days, and even rarer that it was line-caught and wound up at the Water Grill Restaurant on the menu. I have no idea how this came about but it is on the menu for the next few days (July 8-15 2011).

Blue Fin Tuna SushiThe good news: Sushi connoisseurs adore the toro and maguro from a fish that was shunned by ancient samurai as they considered it unclean and would not eat it. The bad news: it has been hunted down to near extinction and it is unfortunate but with the demand so high there is no way that this will stop. Progress has been made for breeding this fish, which is prized for its fatty parts on the belly, in captivity.

In N Out “Best of the West” vs 5 Guys “Best of the East” Burger War – USA

Monday, July 11th, 2011

esq-in-n-out-logo-080709-lg-48072170in-n-out_burger

images five guysFive guys

Headquartered in California In-N-Out is the long-standing winner of “Best Burger” in the U.S. and located on the West Coast. It now has competition in 5 Guys first opening in the Washington D.C. area and located on the East Coast. Which one is better? It is a point of contention among many burger lovers, and strictly a matter of personal taste however, 5 Guys is almost double the price of In-N-Out. Take a look at the links below for more information:

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/best-burgers-in-the-us

http://tdhurst.com/burgers?utm_source=Arkayne.com&utm_medium=Plugin&utm_campaign=tdhurst

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/five-guys-best-burger-zagat-fast-food-survey-2010_n_684302.html#s127401&title=Best_FastFood_Burger

Burger King

In-N-Out

McDonalds

In-N-Out vs 5 Guys

Pink’s “Royal Hot Dog”, Just Another Way To Try To Make A Dollar – Los Angeles

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

Pink's Royal Hot Dog

Maison Giraud Opening in Pacific Palisades, Hindered by I-405 Weekend Closure?

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

GiraudMaison Giraud
1032 Swarthmore Ave.
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Chef Alain Giraud’s new venture in Pacific Palisades is scheduled to open on Bastille Day July 14th, 2011. The timing might not be ideal, at least for customers living outside the Pacific Palisades Village, as the closing of the Interstate I-405 Freeway (the major North-South Freeway in Southern California) for the demolition of the south side of the Mulholland bridge will occur during that weekend, and Los Angeles Area streets likely will be a virtual parking lot.

French Wine Dinner, 39 Cafe & Bistro Bar

Saturday, July 9th, 2011

French Wine

Bistro M at Marriott Executive Apartments, Sukhumvit Park – Bangkok

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Bistro M Terrace

Bistro M
90 Sukhumvit Soi 24
Bangkok
Tel. (66) 2 302 5555
Fax. (66) 2 302 5252
Email: measukhumvitpark@marriot.com
Website: www.marriott.com/bkksp

Conveniently located off the Sukhumvit corridor behind Emporium Mall and close to Seafood Market Restaurant up a bit, but more or less across the street. On the ground floor of the new Marriott Executive Apartments, which is self-contained with every conceivable amenity including: the Bistro M Restaurant, kitchens in each suite, tennis, squash and badminton courts, a lovely setting surrounding the pool with a conveniently adjoining bar . . . just a few steps away. On the ground floor private lounges are at the disposal of the residents. Bistro M occupies an enviable space fronting onto bustling Soi 24 and serves a wide variety of dishes to suit almost every taste, and in addition, there are frequent promotions to keep things interesting. I found that all the offerings which I sampled to be made from quality ingredients maintaining a high level of distinction across the menu, and certainly not to be overlooked, is the inherent talent from the kitchen.

Bistro M Dining Room, Marriott Sukhumvit Soi 24

Soft Shell CrabsSoft Shell crab

Spice-roasted chickenSpice-roasted chicken thigh with chips

Bistro M Kaow kluk gaphi

Mixed Berry Cream & CrumbleMixed berry cream with crumble

Marzipan fruitAssorted marzipan fruit

Bistro M Dining Room

Water Library, Masciarelli Wine Dinner – Bangkok

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

Water Library

Super Tuscan Wine Dinner, Beccofino Restaurant July 7th, 2011 – Bangkok

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

Beccofino Restaurant & Grill July-Wine-Dinner

No. 308 Bar – Nashville, Tennessee

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

No. 308 Bar

No. 308
407 Gallatin Ave.
East Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
(615) 650-7344
Website: www.bar308.com/

The bar opened at the end of the year in 2010 by a newly engaged couple, Ben Clemons and Alexis Soler. The longtime bartenders are trying to add a new twist to Nashville’s bar scene with No. 308 in East Nashville.

They offer handcrafted cocktails using house-made sodas and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic concoctions in a dim bar with ample booths and couches but no TV screens or live music stages. They have stayed away from the typical sports bar or music club and opted for a “just a fun bar” that will provide a different slant for Nashville, as the two of them are team of super-mixologists behind the bar. The menu includes meatloaf, steak salad, pork lettuce wraps and chicken parmesan for $8, and cocktails begin at $7. After a few weeks of living in Nashvillle, Soler was sent to work at a cocktail seminar in New Orleans and met Clemons. They became engaged a month later in Room 308 at the Ace Hotel in New York. Soler and Clemons have been bartenders for so long, and this is the final outcome of a dream that both have always shared.

La Tour D’Argent Paris at Le Normandie, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 4-9 July 2011 – Bangkok

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

La Tour D'Argent