The Master

Taking a peak into the kitchen of a Michelin starred dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong (Tim Ho Wan). 

Langostinos a la Papi

The little beach town of Cabarete is an unspoiled gem. It doesn't get the massive amount of tourists that flood into Punta Cana or some of the other resorts towns. However, it's just as beautiful. For the most part, Cabarete is free of major developments and maintains a local vibe (have the recession to thank/blame for that). There is one large hotel further up the beach and some of the bars can get a bit noisy... however, if you want to experience a relaxing Dominican beach town with local flavor, Cabarete is the place to go.

On this particular evening, I got a tip about a little seafood restaurant that specialized in langostinos and camarónes: La Casita De Dom Alfredo Papi. I was warned that the prices would be a bit high and it's the one place that will be filled with tourists... however, the langostinos a la Papi were supposed to be "to die for". Plus, the ambiance of eating on a beach (during winter) with the sand in your toes was worth a few extra dollars. My parents and I decided to give Papis a try. The food was great and the service was extremely slow (which was perfect since we had no where to go!)... got to enjoy our surroundings all evening.

(sorry, the langostinos were gone before I could take a photo)

"Widescreen Views" at Playa Encuentro

The widescreen views at Chez Arsenio Restaurant in Playa Encuentro are much better than the widescreen televisions at most bars in the US... the programming is much better as well. 

The Chinese Restaurant - "Eating Zoo"

For those that have never been to a real Chinese restaurant (in China), the best way to describe it is as an "Eating Zoo". Chinese people like food to be as fresh as possible... and in order to guarantee that the food is fresh, they like to see it alive before it's cooked. Therefore, if you're ever in China and want to see live animals, just go to the nearest non-western restaurant. All of the animals will be on display for your viewing (and eating) pleasure.

These particular photos are from the "aquarium" portion of the restaurant. There were all sorts of marine creatures on display: giant fish, exotic fish, octopus, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, alligators, salmon, snapper, snails, etc..
(bonus video at the bottom showing a giant fish that was cut in half... the beating heart you see is proof that it's fresh and ready to eat!!)

Lounging Riverside in Guangzhou

Lounging on the riverside in Guangzhou and enjoying a cold Tsingtao "Gold" in the hot/humid climate. There are a few interesting comments I have about these photos.

Tsingtao beer is one of China's greatest exports. They have several different varieties... the most popular/plentiful/cheap is the green label. The green label is a standard pilsner beer and is similar to a Budweiser in flavor. It is brewed all over the country. If you're at a more fancy restaurant (or happen to be up North in Qingdao), you can get the gold label. The gold label is still brewed in Qingdao and uses mineral water from Laoshan Spring. This gives it a more unique flavor. I actually quite enjoy the gold label (if I can find it)... and as you can see from the photos, I was lucky on this particular evening.

Another interesting thing to note in these photos are the Christmas-looking lights in the background. There's a common joke I've heard from several Westerners living in Southern China related to these lights. If you walk around Guangzhou (at any time of the year), you will see what looks like Christmas lights all over the place: buildings, trees, restaurants, bridges, etc... and as you might know, China is good at copying things (technology, hand bags, shoes). The joke goes that a city planner for Guangzhou decided to travel to several western cities (just as his city was starting to explode with growth) to get a better understanding of how they were developed. This planner went to London, Paris, Munich, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco... and came back with many great ideas. However, he went during the month of December... hence the Christmas lights.

Malibu Life

Cruising down PCH, my father discovered a little restaurant perched upon the cliffs of Malibu overlooking the ocean. If you're looking for good food, drinks, celeb watching... or just want to enjoy a nice view, I recommend stopping at Geoffrey's. These were a couple of images I took while relaxing for an afternoon glass of wine.

May 26, 2011

One of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area-- Harvest... lucky for me, it just happens to be outside my window! Love the smells during the summer!