Voyage

Postcard bites: Côte d’Azur

July 14, 2016 by sk

Culinary gems from our recent travels…

This week, we highlight a few places we discovered while vacationing in the Côte d’Azur: San Remo, Villefranche-sur-mer and Vieux-Nice.

San Remo, Italy – Da Vittorio
If you are with someone who is ‘connected’ in the area, certain restaurants will serve up a six course lunch for you…. even if the restaurant is closed at 3pm on a sunny Thursday afternoon! For mere mortals, go during regular hours. You will still be welcomed with the warm Italian hospitality. Homemade pastas, frito misto that tastes of the sea and fresh lemon, all washed down with crisp Vermentino. (No french rosé here!) It’s a dreamy little place that cannot be recreated anywhere else.

Villefranche-sur-mer, France – La Mère Germaine
Perfect spot to transition back into land life following a few days on your sailing yacht. Right on the water with great people watching and boat watching. Classically French with seafood highlights. Warm, welcoming with polished service. Apparently it’s been in business for 70 years! When the restaurant is full the kitchen can get backed up, but what’s the rush? Great spot to enjoy some rosé, share some classic seafood and let the afternoon go by.

Vieux Nice, France – Le Bar des Oiseaux
It’s only a matter of time before these guys pick up a few Michelin stars. Creative, progressive and imaginative. There is some serious talent hidden away in the old town of Nice. It’s developing quite a little following and it gets booked up fast. Next generation French cuisine at its very best.

Vieux Nice, France – Chat Noir, Chat Blanc
Chef Giorgio Grilenzoni is classically trained, but this little place is anything but uptight. Market driven menu is both French and Italian. Best to go in a group so that the whole menu can be enjoyed. Quintessentially old town Nice, only here would you be able to enjoy rock and roll haute cuisine in the back alley. One of our favorite spots.

Cours Saleya

June 25, 2016 by mk

It’s worth getting out of bed early to take a walk down to the fruit and veg market in the Cours Saleya, Vieux Nice – even if your body clock has difficulty adjusting to the time zone. It’s a foodie’s dream to see all the fresh produce, amazing array of beans, tomatoes, cheeses, charcuterie, all beautifully presented.

And even if you have zero intentions of cooking, you’ll still be walking away with some fresh produce and pissaladière (famous local pizza consisting of caramelized onions, olives, anchovies and thyme – an incredible combination) to snack on. While it’s not exactly cheap, the produce is unbelievable, and bursting with fresh flavor.

We went home and snacked on fresh melon and tomato drizzled with local olive oil and fleur de sel. No need for heavy flavors when the ingredients are this beautiful. Just a stroll down the market is a wonderful treat to start the day.

Eden Plage Mala

June 3, 2016 by mk

There are few moments in life where you stumble upon (or are taken to) spots with such beauty that it literally takes your breath away. Every cliché comes to your mind about how amazing nature is, you have moments of self reflection (“isn’t it great to be alive!!” “I love everyone!!”) and want to absorb every drop of the day…. just the walk to Eden Plage Mala from the train is special in and of itself. Winding down steps and continuing along the coast, you are on the edge of the earth looking out towards the green blue sea, watching the boats come by down below. After what seems like a mini eternity (actually no longer than 15 minutes), you start winding down the walk and see a bustling beach with two gorgeous restaurants set side by side. Eden Plage Mala is the one with the red umbrellas at the end, and they welcome you with open arms.

The key here is to reserve one of the larger tables overlooking the beach, where you and your guests can get comfortable for a long lunch.

Menu is pretty extensive (and surprisingly affordable) consisting of fresh Mediterranean and French/Italian (pastas, pizzas, antipasto) fare. Niçoise salad was incredible, as were some of the more unexpected items such as the seared duck.

Continue the festivities at your reserved lounge chairs (bring your own towels here) and relax for the rest of the day. Live band was incredible – they played a mix of Reggae, Latin, pop… just amazing backdrop for the beach. If you get bored there’s paddle boarding and jet ski rentals right in the vicinity as well. The service here was incredible – friendly, lively and laid back.

Stay till sunset and cap off the day with some complimentary limoncello. The walk back against the sunset is another moment to remember. Eden Plage is best in a group, and you will make plans to return time and time again… it’s one of those magical places in the world that truly can feed the soul.

Postcard bites: TCI

January 7, 2016 by sk

Culinary gems from our recent travels…

Paradise is actually closer than we thought! Clear blue waters, white sands, and great beach food? Yes please! A quick trip down to Turks and Caicos was the perfect way to ring in the New Year and start 2016 tanned and recharged.

rum punch at Kalooki’s

Top Eats:
Coco Bistro – dine among palm trees alfresco. Super popular spot for dinner, so make a res.
Kalooki’s – fabulous jerk chicken and fish tacos beach side.
Somewhere – tex-mex and comfort foods right on the beach.
Flamingo Cafe – ask for the off-menu grouper curry. It’s excellent!
Las Brisas – posh little restaurant in Chalk Sound. Go for cocktails after watching the sunset at Taylor Bay
The Landing – ‘Montauk’ vibes at this little outdoor spot near the shops. Come for dj and live music nights

One trip is not nearly enough time to sample all the great culinary spots these islands have to offer… We’re following this guy’s lead and bookmarking a few more places for next time.

Coco Bistro

Stay:
For a relatively small island, there really is something for everyone — from big and boutique hotels to luxury villas and seaside apartment rentals. The 3 hour direct flights from NY makes this a super popular destination for regular holiday makers – which we plan on becoming.

High end= Seven Stars, Grace Bay Club, Gansevoort, Amanyara, The Palms
Affordable = Ports of Call, Ocean Club, Sibonné Beach Hotel
Villas and apartments = lots of options! Definitely the way to go.

Side note – there’s also Parrot Cay which is a ferry ride away from the main island. A little too secluded for our tastes but great for those wanting to getaway “rehab style” for detox and yoga ala Sienna Miller.

Smith Reef

Activities:
Smith Reef – for snorkeling
Taylor Bay and Ocean Point – for sunset watching

Tips:
Definitely rent a car or better, a vespa! Pack a towel and explore the secluded beaches away from the big hotels. We highly recommend Paradise Scooter Rental.

Grace Bay beaches:
Despite the domination of the all-inclusives such as Sandals, Beaches, and Club Med; Grace Bay beach is massive and never feels crowded. The pictures don’t do justice to how amazing the beaches are! Powdery white sand and clear clear waters, and no piles of seaweed on the beach… it’s perfection! The hotel restaurant scene is very very good, even if it’s not truly ‘local’, sometimes all you want is a taste of home. Burgers and fish and chips were fab at the Deck at Seven Stars. On our list for next time: Infiniti at Grace Bay Club, Bay Bistro at Sibonné, Stelle at Gansevoort… ahh the list goes on.

A whale of a weekend…

August 20, 2015 by mk

Truly magical, mystical and other worldly, Nantucket is known as the “faraway” island. Wondering what all the fuss was about, we planned a last minute splurgy getaway to check out the sites and bites… Here’s a few highlights from what proved to be a quintessential all-American East Coast summer vacation!

Our dear friend and amazing Michelin starred chef Neil Ferguson has recently taken over ownership of the lovely American Seasons restaurant, so we made sure this was the cornerstone of our pilgrimage to ACK.

DINE:
Food options on the island are incredible given the picky and discerning regulars such as the likes of Maria Shriver – who is much prettier and quite petite in person when we passed by her on the cobblestone street in town.

Oysters and Raw Bar:
Cru – super chic, splurgy and evidently quite the scene. Oysters and clam chowder were seriously the best we’ve ever had. So much so that we went back for lunch on our last day to do a round 2 visit. Worth the splurge and it’s dreamy to watch the sailboats and yachts parallel park in the busy harbor. Another great spot for raw bar was Cisco Brewery. Live music, hand crafted beers and a plastic plate full of oysters and crab claws was an amazing way to spend a few hours post beach.

Smoked Bluefish Pate:
Toppers – we ordered the bluefish pate not knowing it was an island specialty. What a treat to pair with something crisp and light from their amazing wine list. I mean, there’s half a page dedicated just to Château d’Yquem! Happy sigh… We took advantage of the one rainy pouring day to have a destination posh lunch which did not disappoint.

Farm to Table:
American Seasons – obviously we are bias due to Chef Ferguson, but the vibe here is so warm and cozy – no wonder it’s an island favorite. Earthy and rustic. Highlights include the pillowy and melt in your mouth gnocchi with chanterelles, and the rich and buttery sockeye salmon. Upon arrival we ponied up to the bar and ordered a round of Sunny’s Old Fashioned, which paired well with the golden puff pastry and pear appetizer. Buzzy, sophisticated atmosphere. On the walk back to the White Elephant we were coated in a blanket of stars and got to see the meteor shower! Truly memorable.

Unexpected Hits:
We made a last minute reservation post-Pops concert at Oran Mor Bistro, where we had the most incredible roasted chicken, prepared sous vide. We were completely blown away! So juicy! So flavorful! Standing ovation! Oran Mor is located in a historic home with wonderful combination of old world, friendly ghost vibe. Another unexpected hit was the summer corn bisque from Dune. We pretty much had to stop ourselves from licking the bowls. Seriously, this was crack soup.

Picnic options:
Provisions – prior to saddling up the tandem bike, we stopped by here to pick up an Italian (sandwich that is – amazing), Cape Cod chips and waters to pack for our ride out to Cisco Beach. There are several other great spots for picnic items (Something Natural was a recommendation) which we’ll be sure to try next time.

DO:
Boston Pops Outdoor Concert at Jetties Beach – supposedly this is THE event of the summer social calendar. Despite the ‘no glass’ policy on the website, just about every single group had bottles of vino and beers with full on living room style set ups. The sunset here was literally show stopping, as the orchestra stopped mid-tune to let everyone get their requisite #nantucketsunset photos in.

Whaling Museum – unintentionally we arrived just in time for the 45 minute “movie” which was actually more of a touristy introduction to Nantucket. Slight yawn, but the fascinating things to see here are the sailing captain log books and the Nantucket history time line. Oh, and the huge whale skeleton overhead dreaming of Moby Dick.

Beaches – a weekend doesn’t give enough time to venture to all of them, but we managed to bike out to dreamy Cisco Beach (favorite) and Jetties Beach (geared towards families given the calm / shallow water) which were both picturesque and relaxing.

STAY:
Mostly due to the last minute nature of the trip and lack of availability elsewhere, we “had” to splurge at the White Elephant Hotel, which is perfectly located two minutes from the center of town. Planned in advance it appears that there are plenty of lodging options for every budget and style, both land and sea. High marks go to White Elephant Hotel’s impeccable service, chic décor and friendly vibe. Who can resist the 4pm daily Port and cheese in the library and popcorn delivery service in inclement weather? Simply fabulous.

Given the ease of getting there from NYC, we’re already popping our collars, throwing on our Lily dresses and planning our next visit back to the faraway island…

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