Baurenstube is a cosy little dining room in the same wooden building as its 3 Michelin star sister Schwarzwaldstube. It serves rustic local dishes, as its name suggests (Bauren is “peasant”). For example, you might try excellent lentil stew with bacon and Frankfurter sausage, which was rich and comforting. You could finish with their take on Black Forest gateau, a lovely concoction of cherries and chocolate.
Sugar toads, a tiny species of nonpoisonous puffer fish with a sweet, mild flavor are abundant in the Chesapeake Bay region where they are eaten as a delicacy. At The Dabney, chef/owner Jeremiah Langhorne treats sugar toads like Buffalo wings and the result is a legendary bar snack. Dunked in a buttermilk marinade spiked with hot sauce and salt, the fish are dredged in seasoned flour, dunked and dredged again. Deep-fried for a few minutes, they are tossed in a glaze of local honey, house-made hot sauce and benne seeds (similar to sesame seeds). Served with a buttermilk dressing infused with a Pecorino-style cheese from Pennsylvania, mayonnaise, chopped parsley, chervil, tarragon and chive, the fish arrive with a small salad and sprinkled with more benne seeds and chives.
Pro tip: If you order sugar toads, eat them with your hands, Langhorne says. “I think that’s the best way to eat a lot of things.”
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Chef Aaron Silverman helms Rose's Luxury, recently ranked the No. 1 new restaurant in America by “Bon Appetit” magazine. Customers often wait hours for a taste of Silverman’s treats, including his Pork Lychee Salad. Served in an appetizer portion, the intense and spicy dish blends sautéed sausage and garlic with fresh basil, cilantro and mint leaves, roasted peanuts, shichimi togarashi (an Asian spice mix), lychees, thinly sliced red onion, lime juice and a flourish of coconut-chile sauce.
The invention of the gourmet panini can be traced to Bar Quadronno, one of the oldest sandwich bars in Milan. According to legend, in 1964 a barman named Faravelli decided to elevate the simple michetta of salami, ham and cheese by adding sauces and culinary delicacies. His made-to-order panino imbottito (stuffed panino) creations topped with cheeses, truffles and high quality cured meats continue to attract fans today.
Ramen Jiro opened in 1968 near Keio University. Fifty years later, hungry students and fans still brave the queues and time-worn interior for manly portions of Ramen Jiro. The faithful return because the shop kick-started the Ramen Jiro trend – and all of Tokyo’s other 30-plus Ramen Jiros are descended from it in some way. Thick noodles, chunks of fatty pork, a mound of cabbage and bean sprouts are enhanced with garlic and karame, a special soy sauce-based seasoning, to create the classic dish. The bread flour noodles are coarser than normal ramen, in diameter and uniformity, and the pork stock is fatty but lighter than a Fukuoka-style tonkotsu broth. At the original shop, with its red Formica counter, a row of bar stools and antique meal ticket vending machine, Ramen Jiro creator Takumi Yamada cues up piles of ingredients and trains apprentices, who go on to open branches around greater Tokyo.
This award-winning farm in Weston, Missouri, produces 100 percent grass-fed lamb and sheep and some of the finest artisanal sheep’s milk cheeses and yoghurts on the market. Tours of the 150 acres of green pastures and meandering streams are rare, but every summer/fall for the past nine years, owner Sarah Hoffmann and Jacqueline Smith have opened their organic, community-based farm to a series of Farm Table Dinners. These one-of-a-kinds, multi-course meals paired with unique beverages highlight the season’s bounty and the farm’s Missouri-grown products, like their whole lambs and popular cheeses, as well as the creative talents of Kansas City’s top chefs. Green Dirt Farm even hosted roaming epicure Anthony Bourdain during the KC episode of his TV show “No Reservations.” Guests sample hors-d'oeuvres and seasonal cocktails before gathering around a long harvest table. As the meal progresses, the chef discusses the ingredients used, where they came from, and what inspired each dish. Tickets to the cheese-driven culinary events have become a hot commodity, usually selling out within hours. If you want to attend, act quickly. This year’s Farm Table Dinners are sold out, but log on next spring for the announcement of 2019 dinners, or email revor@greendirtfarm.com.
The farm’s adjacent creamery showcases its artisanal cheeses, customizable meat and cheese plates, sandwiches, wine and homemade ice cream. Charcuterie includes dried goat salami, and frozen lamb is available to take home. The small grocery also stocks honey, crackers, jams and more, perfect to enjoy a picnic on the outside patio area while you take in the open pastures, rustic barn and bucolic setting.
There are a dozen pizzerias in Old Forge with a unique style of pizza that was created by Nonna Ghigiarelli, who made it for regulars of her family bar back in 1926. While Elio G’s (G for Ghigiarelli) is thriving, the original location next door called Ghigiarelli where the pizza was invented is shuttered due to a Hollywood-style murder mystery where the owner mysteriously disappeared leaving a blood-splattered trail from his restaurant to an abandoned car. Make Elio G's the 1st stop on your pizza tour of Old Forge.
A modern twist on the Argentinian Asado. Their use of smoke in addition to grilling as well as unique flavor combinations sets La Carnicería apart from all other asados. You can’t go wrong with any of their cuts but the Corte Ahumada (smoked rib) is so tender and smokey that a knife is not needed. A perfect way to Change it up a bit while still getting your carnivore fix on.
Possibly the best pizzaiolo you have never heard of is Dan Richer from Jersey City. His pursuit of bread and butter perfection is beautifully captured in the attached video and the resulting pizza is outstanding. He bakes in a wood-fired oven and sources his Buffalo cheese locally. Tomatoes are sourced from the USA and Italy and are blended for optimum results. There is real artisan talent on display in these pizzas. Don't forget to try the stunning bread and butter while you are there.
Ya Kun Kaya Toast is a Singaporean chain of mass-market, retro-ambience cafés selling kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs, and coffee. Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944 (before Singapore’s independence), Ya Kun remained a small family-run stall for decades, but have expanded rapidly since Loi's youngest son headed the business in 1999. They have over 50 outlets across six countries and are a Singaporean cultural icon.
Go to the OG location to experience the toast grilled in an original way by the “original men”. In its nostalgic atmosphere, members of the Loi family still prepare breakfasts for people enthusiastically. The toast at Ya Kun is very thin and crispy, thinner than its counterparts and crispy like crackers. And the eggs perfectly soft-boiled (great for dipping).