Back in Bordeaux we love LE LOUP (4/29/26)

Ever since my first time here alone buying the apartment back in October 2023, I fell in love with Le Loup. We returned Wednesday with our friend Hugo and had a great time sharing the many new plates. The menu says "Les plats....pour partager...ou non." The plates, to share...or NOT!" we loved sharing each delicious dish, but started off with some fun drinks first. Hugo had the Saint Germain, Will a vodka & tonic and I tried Le Feijoa, named for the sweet Brazilian tropical fruit which is mixed with vodka, thyme, Schweppes and ginger.  It was a tad sweet, but not cloying, but a fun new flavor to try for sure. Our wine was a delicious Bordeaux rouge from Chateau de Pe, called 2ieme as it is their second growth and this 2021 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot from nearby Saint Estephe was drinking beautifully and had aged nicely. The fresh bread with soft garlic and parley butter was irresistible!

Rather than have all the dishes at once, we asked Ludovic to have Chef Stephane do them one at a time, like a tasting menu. First was the Ceviche de dorade, leche de tigre, pickles d'oignons, a beautifully simple sea bream ceviche with a nice kick in the sauce and pickled onions on top. Thon snacké , croustillant de pomme de terre, sauce putanesca was a super treat of just seared tuna on top of a crunchy potato pancake with a spicy olive sauce that we all adored. I did tell Ludovic that the term snacké on the English menu should be changed to seared!

If you want rich, filling and decadent, try the Oeuf mollet, creme de parmesan, puree d'epinards which is a barely cooked egg with parmesan cheese and cream over spinach puree that is simply divine. Will had said to get two so we had enough to share, but was already faltering at this point.

Two more dishes were to come before we declined dessert! Ravioles de butternut, bouillion de volaille, shiitake was another excellent pasta from Chef Stephane, who literally makes the best pasta in town (the region, la France?) and these were filled with a mild creamy butternut squash puree and served in a bath of rich chicken broth. We always order the Demi Magret de Canard (half seared duck breast) de la ferme de Phalange and this time with orange sauce and sweet potato puree. The meat is so tender with a slightly crispy skin and the sauce is always delicate and never sweet; even the sweet potatoes were not sweet. Simply a perfect meal in town!

Sebastien's spectacular sake lesson and tasting at Tokyo's Teshigotoya Seigetsu (3-19/26)

 Our last night in Tokyo we met our sake "sommelier" Sebastien Lemoine in our hotel lobby for a spectacular evening of sake tasting, touring, fun and food which was another excellently curated experience ending our Japanese journey.

We grabbed a taxi and upon alighting Sebastien (who was from France but was presently living in Japan with his native-born wife) started us with a history lesson of Japan and sake and so much more. After about an hour of walking around we ended up at Teshigotoya Seigetsu, an izikaya (basically local dining spot that was practically unmarked and known only to locals)in the Kaguraza neighborhood.

Sebastien ordered up four or so sake's to start and more came afterwards. He explained a lot and told us about his podcasts and answered my many questions, but I really did not take notes, so I am a failed student in that I did not retain much; although he gave me some information which I am going to read when I get some free time.

There were many dishes starting with a crab komatsuna amuse, a Japanese omelet, Sansai Tempura which are local mountain vegetables in season (such as spring ferns). we were told to taste the sake at first in one swallow while we have the food in our mouths, which, of course, is totally contrary to Western drinking of wine. It worked, but I preferred to treat the rice wine, like wine and savor it on my palate to get the full flavor.

I guess I am very Western and old fashioned in this sense.

Grilled chicken was superb and there was also a Kama fish (yellowtail) kanpachi. Apparently, potato salad is a ubiquitous dish in Japan and is seen at almost every local table, so we ordered up a bowl and here it came with freshly made potato chips! Eggplant and Beef was served sautéed on a large hoja leaf, and the meal finished with rice and sardines! It was fun, filling and another super experience, especially for the sake.

Sebastien explained that these sakes are so local they cannot be found very widely and there was really no point to taking down the names (the labels are, of course, only in Japanese). On top of that, he explained how sake consumption overall in the country is rapidly declining, so the art of making sake and thus, the drinking of sake is somewhat out-of-style with the younger crowds. We truly hope that trend is changed by this masterful teacher and his attempts to change this societal trend, as sake is indeed a truly spectacular treat.

TORIFUKU treats you to terrific chicken in Tokyo's Nonbei Yokocho (3-18-2026)

 Our fabulous guide Nino had a special evening planned for us after more than a full day of touring Tokyo as we headed to the busiest intersection in the world and then secreted around the corner to a tiny, deserted lane called Nonbei Yokocho, famous for its street food counters. Our destination early the evening (hence "deserted") was a small door and up a very narrow stairway (narrower than the lyrics in "A Chorus Line")(check out the FB fotos) to an 8-seat counter where the owner's son was chef, ably assisted by his aunt.

We were alone for at the counter for over an hour until a couple arrived, so the chef was quite chatty (with Nino translating) as we devoured every bite. The restaurant is called TORIFUKU which means "happiness from chicken" and that's exactly what our evening was all about. Of course, there was delicious sake constantly pouring and we marveled at how they managed so many different dishes in the tiny space that you could not even stand up tall in.

Everything here is done yakitori style or grilled on skewers starting with Chicken Hinei with Leeks, moving to the spicier Akadori or red chicken. You could add daikon if u wanted different flavors and there were also two homemade sauces one of Japanese red pepper and the other Soy & Yuzu, both were great as we migrated back and forth and kept getting new plates full of food, such as the chicken with fried crispy skin.

I asked specifically for the heart and livers skewer which Will graciously passed to me after a bite and I loved; also, the quail eggs were novel and fun. Minced chicken was in a roulade, and everything was finished off with a chicken soup with Japanese honey wort (definitely competition for Jewish penicillin) cooked in a 93-year-old soup pot with a recipe from the chef's grandparents that was also as old, when they first opened the place! 

Meanwhile, it was still early when we finished and Nino insisted we enjoy the neighborhood some more with a stop for some snacks and Japanese whiskey or drinks at another small "speakeasy" with 8 seats on the ground level where one woman singlehandedly was cooking, mixing drinks and more...what a delicious way to end the evening.

TOKYO WHISKEY LIBRARY--go for the Shots not the food (3-17-26)

 Our first night in Tokyo was a tad frustrating due to some miscommunication from our ground operator. They had made a reservation for us at TOKYO WHISKY LIBRARY for a tasting and dinner but did not tell us we had to get there by ourselves. After some back and forth, we arrived about 30 minutes late to a large open upstairs bar and dining venue which had a cozy feel to it with one long bar and many levels of whisky bottles along the entire wall; ladders slid back and forth like a book library to access the different bottles. The menu was daunting, but our meal was alas pre-chosen, set and even had the 10 whisky options up front. Our server tried to explain the procedure to us as we perused the very boring set menu, and we finally called the manager over to try and understand how this place worked. Apparently, we had 90 minutes "free flow" from the time our first glass was delivered until it was "last call" and during this time we could consume as many glasses(tastes) of whisky, beer, wine or other choices on the "included menu."  we settled into a routine which worked, but did feel rushed. 

I will dispense with the food first as it was so basic, it is not really worth mentioning.

the amuse of daikon and some weird cheese was unmemorable and then came a decent place with smoked dill salmon trout, prosciutto with burrata, chicken Caesar and pickles (while I love Japanese pickles they DO NOT go with whisky!).  The grilled fish was as dry as could be although the spice was nice; the chips were so salty, I must have downed three shots with just that small plate. The Pork was one dry piece and one fabulous, while the beef was nice and perfectly cooked to medium rare with an unnecessary coarse mustard.

The whiskeys were all over the place and we were grateful for some help form a brother and sister from Australia at the next table who knew them well and spoke Japanese. 

#1 Amahagan Edition #2, red wine cask was a pleasant start

#2 was one of the most famous ones HAKSHU very fruity and full of flavor

#3 Togouchi was also fruity and very smooooth

#4 Yamazki moved to mellow

#5 Yoichi Single Malt from Nikka we had the eveing before and was too acidic for me

#6 Fuji Single Malt was another could have skipped

#7 SAKURAU was a big winner in Sherry casks

#8 was off the free flow and suggested by our neighbors and was a big winner as an afterwards treat!=AKKESHI Single Malt from Rikka

We are glad we had this experience but have to say that it is best to grab some street food or a meal before coming here, then doing the a la carte options as an after dinner treat!!

Kyoto's most ingenious cuisine is INUI !! (3-16-26)

 For our last night in Kyoto we took the advice of a friend/guide in New Zealand whom I met 2 years ago and then had as a guide (by chance) again this year. It turns out that Mark lives in Kyoto part-time and said we would love INUI which is a modern-fusion take using traditional Japanese ingredients with Mediterranean influences. It was indeed ingenious.

The location is just across the river from the Ritz-Carlton where we stayed and down a small corridor and seemed impossible to find (what isn't in Japan?) and we entered a very intimate space with only two tables for four or so at one end and a large raised wooden butcher block table at the center for about 11 people. The metal stools were not super comfy, but I persevered as the ambience and food were well worth it. The lone chef was at the end of the block table in a small prep area piled high with bowls between us and him and the kitchen to his side was smaller than ours here in France and way smaller than in DC! The server went from the tables to the kitchen to assist alternating back and forth and handling everyone as well as the food and drink orders. Oh, did I mention we were the only westerners in the place!

The menu was a selection of five starters and six mains, so more of a Western menu style than Japanese where everything seems to be at once. The plates were larger than tapas and wonderful to share. Will and I each chose one course and that was indeed more than enough.

Will tried the Iwatekura Beer which was an herbal ale which he liked, and I adored the Tamaza Kura Sake from Shimane that the server poured tableside from a magnum bottle. We had multiple refills as they were delicious and very flavorful. When our main course arrived, we tried their "house" red wine which was a French Gamay from the Loire called Les Grain de Seneve, which was an amazing $7US a glass! There were some sours as cocktails, but we loved the sake, beer and wine!

Before we ordered we did watch the various plates arriving and tried to guess which dishes they were before settling on our favorite local seasonal specialty FIREFLY SQUID here with Nduja & Mushroom and served on a beetroot waffle. It was a divine preparation of this treat and while a Japanese ingredient the dish was wildly modern and different with a nice kick of spice. Next came SCALLOPS with stracciatella, kumquat, "calm" (which should have been "clam") broth and horseradish (all photos on FB). I am always wary of things like kumquat, but these were fresh and tasty and sour and really an amazing addition to a scallop dish which is so refined but spiced up with the horseradish...and in Japan, there are dozens of kinds of wasabi making each flavor so different.

We had a nice rest before the mains (it should be noted that save for a couple of places where diners were gone soon after we arrived at 7pm, each section or table was for one sitting) and the first was Grilled Veal Tongue with Sansho pepper and a Chimichurri sauce that rocked. It was not ily and indeed so refined I would have not called it chimichurri; let's say the Japanese version might just be the best! The other dish of Grilled Duck Breast with five-spice powder in a Tamarind and Caper sauce was easily one of the best duck dishes ever..yes EVER! we ate every last slice with a yen for wanting more, but were alas so full by the end, we knew we could not even think of ordering another dish, or another plate of the duck, which was indeed tempting us!

There is no dessert at INUI so we headed back to the hotel bar and settled in for a Japanese whisky tasting which was another crazy experience we loved. It was eight tastes of dessert in bottles!!

Yay for KAPPO YAMASHITA in Kyoto (3/15/26)

YES!, I am finally getting to the rest of the amazing dining experiences in Japan last month. On the morning of our first full day in Kyoto we bumped into Paal and Helene our next door neighbors from the cruise and planned to meet for dinner at Kappo Yamashita around the corner from the Ritz-Carlton. We had originally planned to have counter-service, but as they were full, they graciously gave us a private dining upstairs. we ordered beers (the favorite seemed to be Yebisu named for the fisherman god of fortune) and for me always Sake:

Joukigen (Junmai Dingo) and Nichizakari (Daigingo).

As the menu was huge with many choices and pages, we decided to each order a couple of dishes and attempt to share everything, which was indeed a great idea. First came the Tsukidashi, a plate of Japanese amuses, if you will (no photos, ooops!--but the rest is on FB) of fish with broad beans in sesame mustard sauce and flowers; fried fish; firefly quid in vinegar mustard (boy, did we love this unique fish!), snails, miso with cheese(ball) and soup!! 

Renkonn Sebei was the first ordered dish and was a simple yet super tasty bowl of deep fried lotus which we could not get enough of. Toria Wase Sunmono was a traditional vinegared dish with many types of veggies and seafood including fish, firefly squid (yay), jellyfish, prawn and clam. Ika Uniyaki was more grilled quid with fabulous tasty sea irchin paste which was followed  by Koh No Mono a plate of traditional Japanese pickles that was so beautiful we did not wish to mess it up: carrots, daikon, seaweed (yes, pickled seaweed) and more.

Guji Yaki was a simply grilled tilefish and this was followed by the first dessert of Shahbetto (an interesting word in itself) which was a sake soret which we think was made with seaweed. Furuhtsu was next, another wrd sounding very English as it was various fruits served with tea.

We drank more, chatted tons and were so thrilled to be able to extend our cruise (kind of) one night and see a couple we just had a great time with.

Kyoto's Michelin starred Honke Tankuma kaiseki tasting is a terrific start (3-14-2026)

 I am very far behind and hope to finish these Japan dining write-ups sooner than later which started with our first three nights in Kyoto and a wonderful Michelin-star kaiseki experience that while fascinating was not nearly our favorite meal. The kaiseki experience means a private dining room and we walked up a narrow staircase to be seated in an adorable setting (photos on FB) with unique art (chosen by the manager, apparently) to find out that the chef, while present, had handed over the helm to his son who was also a sake expert and recommended delicious pairings which ranged from Gomon-Kagura "Shichi-you" from Matsui in Kyoto itself, a superb dry Junmai daiginjo to Kachikoma, a daiginjo from Kiyoto brewery and more. Will enjoyed several local beers and we were pleased to see these were not break the bank prices either.

The menu is set, but our server, all decked out in a gorgeous kimono, was adamant we make sure we liked everything and the ingredients were okay. First came Cucumber, Shitake mushroom and wheat gluten cake with sesame vinegar(in the snail shell in the photo), Sea Bream Sushi, and one of our favorite new finds in Japan, the Grilled Firefly Squid here with sweet miso and grated Japanese green pepper leaves paste. We loved it all.

Sashimi (no photo)was next of sea bream, tuna and squid served with Japanese herbs which in olden days were designed to help digestion. The soup course was as weird and novel as it gets as the recipe belonged to the chef's grandmother and was a delicacy dating back over 100 years: Soft Shelled Turtle Soup with baked Rice Cake and Japanese green onion.  Each dish was magnificently presented on beautiful plates or lacquerware and really impressed; the fuss made over this dish, though, was mightily impressive especially after they tried to tell us that we might not like it. The soup was fabulous if the turtle consistency was bizarre, think of cooked cartilage with some small bones. Once we got the knack of it, we did enjoy the dish, but probably would have to say "been there, done that" next time around! We did see it on a menu later on and quickly moved on!

Grilled butter fish marinated with miso and brilliant broad beans was next, but my favorite was the stewed dish (each course is a different style of cooking) Fried Quail Dumpling in a reduced broth with white pepper and Rapeseed.

The "vinegared Course" was a super local Sakhalin surf clam with Hosta grass, Japanese ginger, soup stock vinegar, jelly and yolk vinegar, again a unique favor and taste for sure that may take some getting used to. The fried food was Fried Sesame tofu pudding with Soup Stock of radish, daikon, wasabi and ginger and then came the rice course of Japanese green peas, kelp, bamboo shoot (very much like hearts of palm) and Japanese pickles (rapeseed, radish. and seaweed--definitely the wildest pickle ever!). We were stuffed and there was tons of rice, but we could not eat any more.

Roasted tea came with strawberry (just in season in Japan) and red bean curd, brown sugar and green tea jelly.  We had come to love the white strawberries so much so were a tad upset there were none! alas, I forgot the photo of dessert as well!

More to come....and it gets really amazing!

Saigon's Vietnam House-Ho Chi Minh City's creative cuisine (3/21/26)

 We had an overnight in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and desperately wanted to enjoy local cuisine on our first trip to Vietnam, so we started planning this night out months ahead. we checked reviews, spoke to our friend Peter who has lived there, and looked how far the port was from various options, only for most of our plans to be derailed. While we knew that Tet (Lunar New Year) was celebrated at this time, we later found our first and then second, choice would decide to close after we had made the bookings. Also, since we booked this cruise ages ago, the major cruise port for mid-to-large ships (we are mid) has moved from the city to about 30-45 minutes from downtown as a new bridge across the river was built and thus barring our entry.

Ultimately, Peter made a reservation for us at Vietnam House, and we were very excited about our "expedition" to get downtown (all worked out with the cruise downtown shuttle times and GRAB (the SE Asian version of Uber) to get us back. Well, there went that arrangement when a major accident involving dozens of cars closed the motorway in the afternoon and our full day excursion to the Mekong Delta was delayed almost 2 hours. 

On the way back our guide helped and called the restaurant to move the reservation one hour later and we literally ran back on the ship, changed shirts, washed our faces and ran back out to the port entrance to get a GRAB as we had missed the last ship shuttle downtown in the evening. At first the taxi drivers wanted way too much ($50US) and we ordered the first GRAB for $7.13US but it cancelled. Luckily, after about 15 minutes, a car arrived and as we progressed downtown, knew the street were closed for the celebrations and made it (to the red-light district, a 7-minute walk from the restaurant) with exactly 7 minutes to spare--even with the local hookers shoving their breasts at us!

The restaurant was gorgeous with lush local decor(photos on FB) and yes, lots of foreigners, bit that was okay, as we settled in and Trinh came over to explain the menu. We had eaten a huge lunch in the Delta (the crispy elephant-ear fish spring rolls were divine) so decided to do sharing and keep it simple. The wine list was simple and offered options by the glass from France, Germany, Australia, Chile and the US, so we decided we did not need a bottle and would each have a glass of white and red (both M. Chapoutier "Belleruche" Cotes du Rhone of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne & Viognier for the white and Grenache & Syrah for the red (Will had a second glass of Tracy & Cie "Les Marnes" Pinot Noir from the Loire). They were fine and reasonable indeed paying with the US$, but again most locals would rarely be seen here due to the huge cost for them.

Pork & Prawn Fresh Rolls were super rice paper rolls with tiger prawn, pork, noodles and a very mild soy peanut & fish sauce dipping sauce which we loved.

On our arrival Trinh had asked about allergies, and we said most food save for sesame seeds and grapefruit or pomelo(which is not good for statin meds) was okay. I guess I accented Pom-EL-oh wrong and she did not understand, as she later said the red fruit in our salad was PAM-Eh-loh! No biggie as the SOFT SHELL CRAB & GREEN MANGO Salad was most refreshing with hearts of palm, red pomelo, carrots, peanuts and garlic fish sauce. It could have used some more crab and definitely more spice; nowhere like the Thai spicy mango salad!

Our main was the Wok Tossed CUBED PEPPER BEEF TENDERLOIN with smoked mashed potato. The meat was cooked perfectly medium rare and so tender with capsicum, onion, Phu Quoc Black peppercorns, garlic and oyster sauce with very plain mashed potatoes. We again had asked for spicy, and while the fabulous peppercorns were a wonderful burst of spice, there were only about 1/2 a dozen in the whole dish.

We had room for dessert, and both decided to indulge: Will loved his Coconut Mascarpone Mousse served in a chocolate shell with local raspberries and blueberries, while my Salted Caramel & Chocolate Tart with Salted Caramel Ice Cream was fabulous and even came with pieces of gold leaf on the cream atop the slice of chocolate decadence.

We walked around the monstrously crowded streets that were all blocked off for the huge New Year celebration and then tried to get a GRAB back to the ship, but alas, one more issue arose with the APP and the driver kept trying to call and find us, but we don;t speak Vietnamese! A couple took pity on us and he (who was Croatian) handed the phone to his Vietnamese wife to translate. The car was there in 2 minutes, and it turned out they were from Boston! A wonderful meal, a night of enjoyment, even with its tense moments. We have decided to keep overnight stop dining a bit closer to the ships moving forward!

Cafe Sydney lunch will have you loving it in Sydney, Australia (1/27/26)

 Off ship the other day in Sydney to see a friend from DC who moved here, she chose the perfect spot for fabulous food, views, wine and whatever!

It was great to see our friend Becca who moved to Syndey over a year ago and is loving the Aussie lifestyle. She chose Cafe Sydney in the revitalized Customs Building on Circular Quay which is on the 5th floor, just high enough to see over the highway that runs above the quay's local streets and can block your fabulous harbour views from spots at ground level!

Our view was of the whole quay and the imposing and infamous Sydney Harbour Bridge (photos on FB). Becca knew we craved fresh local seafood and we shared all the wonderful plates loving every bite from the simple Pacific Oysters (we prefer them to the Rock Oysters) with eschalot, chive and pinot grigio vinegar that you only needed an eye dropper of on each flavorful mollusk. They were plump, briny and perfectly shucked; who could ask for more. We also asked for several of the special oyster of the day which was a Pacific Oyster with an amazing apricot vinaigrette and something else that I sadly did not wrote down. We ordered a bottle of our new favorite chardonnay which we had earlier at our dinner in Melbourne: Patrick Sullivan Limestone Coast from Victoria and we kept raving about how perfect it was with all the seafood due to its wonderful minerality.

Our server Matt kept checking on us as we were ordering course by course and we liked that as he was quite handsome!

Moreton Bay Bugs are something one MUST have when in Australia and we had a small platter to share. They are simply oversized crustaceans similar to crayfish, but the size of a lobster tail and just as juicy and plump. They come with mayo, but all you need is a squeeze of lemon. These Queensland tidbits are a delicacy all over the continent and we grab them every chance we can.

We needed something a little heartier, so Will suggested we share the Grilled swordfish with peas, olives, tomatoes, pine, capers and anchovy dressing. A small plated of Spinach & Cheese Na'an was just the foil. Superbly cooked we shared the dishes, finished the wine and headed off for more adventure knowing that Cafe Syndey will be on our agenda if/when we return to Sydney.

Melbourne's KISUME is killer cuisine (1/24/26)

 Last Saturday night our cruise was in Melbourne, Australia overnight and we met friends there for dinner. We decided on Kisume a very low key, elegant Asian/Japanese fusion spot downtown which uses Australian and Japanese ingredients to perfection.

As we were four people we shied away from a tasting menu that was not specific in the ingredients and instead ordered several dishes to share which made for a fabulous food journey indeed.

Our server Jessie and sommelier Leanne were very helpful as the menu was large and varied and with many ingredients we did not know. They also were great in aiding us with wines. We started with a bright 2024 Hahndorf Hill "Gru" Gruner Veltiner from Adelaide Hills then moved on to one of our new and most favorite Chardonnays ever: Patrick Sullivan "Limestone Coast" 2024 from Gippsland, Victoria which was loaded with mineral and earthy flavors and was divine with some of the spices in the food.

Frist was a Kingfish Sashimi with truffled soy, chives and shio kombu that just popped with flavors and the fish simply melted in our mouths (photos on FB). Second was a spicy Octopus Karaage Karashi or Tempura style with honey and pickled Padron pepper. What a great combo of Asian and Spanish ingredients! Our third dish was one of our favorite local dishes here in Australia, Moreton Bay Bugs, the local huge crayfish from Queensland that are so fleshy and fine, but here in the form of a Maki Roll with Yuzu Kosho Mayo & Tobiko. Sushi never tasted so fine!!

We rested for a while between courses and Will decided to order their edamame which were superbly spiced and cooked and easily the best edamame we have ever eaten anywhere.

Our next course was a Glacier 51 Miso Toothfish with Saltbush(a uniquely outback shrub that is edible), Chickpea ad Yuzu. This excellent local white fish was fleshy and light and again prepared to perfection in a Japanese Miso with local Aussie ingredients like saltbush! Will & I ordered a glass of Koerner "The Clare" Bordeaux Blend 2022 of Schiaparelli, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache from McLaren Vale and it was lovely, but we seemed to wait forever for our next and final course. After about 40 minutes they all apologized and said the last round of wine was on them and eventually the Angus Cut Centre Cut Tenderloin with Foie Gras and Yakiniku with three butters (yuzu carrot butter, wasabi mustard butter and onion radish butter. Our side was a yummy Cos (Romaine) Lettuce which was grilled with basil miso and macadamia nuts. They also sent out a yummy complimentary side of roasted potatoes. It was all worth waiting for, but we ended up being there close to 4 hours and were so full and tired, the thought of dessert did not exist.

It was indeed an excellent meal, and we had a great time with our friends and would go back to Kisume in an instant!

Catch a lovely lunch at Dockside in Wellington, NZ (1-16-26)

 Last week on our cruise we did the Wellington Food & Art Tour as a shore excursion and were treated to a lovely lunch at Dockside right on the harbourfront. We made new friends on our 6-day Grand Voyage and had a fabulous meal as well. There was plenty of wine poured with an Nga Waka Pinot Noir Rose from Martinborough and a super Fickle Mistress Pinot Nir from Central Otago.

There was a lot of choices for the two-course lunch, but we were so full from the morning coffee stop and chocolate tasting that Will & I both had two starters (like Europe, called entree's here!)--photos on FB:

Fried Salt & Pepper Calamari was perfectly cooked with a light batter and a lime mayo dip; a Thai salad with sesame and sweet chili dressing was on the side.

Pastrami with Chevre was delish with pickled veggies, truffle honey, parmesan, blushing pear and rye & walnuts

while the Pea & Parmesan Risotto with fresh mozzarella, burst cherry tomatoes, olive oil & pea tendrils was cooked just al dente to perfection.

Our server Aaron was a gem handling all twenty or so from our group and deserves huge bravos! We just love Wellington and New Zealand and will miss it as we started our first day in Australia (Hobart, Tasmania) today with a wine tasting and oyster farm visit with tasting!

Rosella is really right for Mediterranean cuisine in Wellington, New Zealand(1-10-26)

We opted for a simpler early dinner the next night as we had our night tour of the animals at Zealandia (where we had multiple kiwi-bird sitings!) and it was a huge hit.

Rosella is a Mediterranean bistro using local ingredients at their best.

We decided to share several plates and our server Angel was indeed an angel in helping us choose. We ordered a bottle of Neudorf Tom's Block Pinot Noir 2023 from Nelson across the straits on the South Island which was earthy and fabulous.

Our first plate was a divine lean Wagyu tartare with anchovy and cured egg (all on FB) that was spicy from a super harissa vinaigrette. Next came a superb Potato Flatbread with QP Mayo and cumin salt and we finished with the best carrots charred with hummus and a plate of three delicious Herb Roasted King Prawns with ginger, garlic and Aleppo chili.

we had room for a fabulous dessert that was called Olive Oil Torta with Yuzucello and a Kiwi version of cream cheese frozen like semifreddo an not at all too sweet. We loved it but the block of "cheese" was so hard a piece flew off when I cut into it!

We loved it all and had a great evening with our friend Jacqui and at Zealandia afterwards. What a great time in Wellington. 

Wellington, New Zealand's LOGAN BROWN is brilliant (1-9-26)

 Our first night in Wellington was dinner out with Jacqui, a school buddy of Will's whom I met on our last trip here 2 years ago. we chose one of the top dining spots in town which serves on the "Logan Brown Experience," a tasting menu that is guaranteed to fill you up with local ingredients prices at $130NZD(75.00US including tax!!), a real steal.

The venue is the lobby of an old bank with lots of character and very cozy to boot. It was quiet and while casual, felt very elegant.

The breads (sourdough & fruit) arrived with two fabulous butters: French onion soup and an amazing Miso Truffle! We started with a bottle of "Clos Samuel" Viognier from Milton in Gisborne which was creamy and rich and a delight to drink alone or with our first two courses. Beetroot & Chevre "Tart" (all photos on FB) was a superb salad of grilled asparagus, beets, goat cheese from Kapiti Island to the north, lonzo (cured pork akin to prosciutto, but thicker), caramel walnut dressing and a flax seed circle perched atop. It was almost too pretty to eat! 

Perhaps one of the best pasta dishes ever came next. Paua Ravioli is Logan Brown's signature dish on the menu since opening in 1996 and we know why. The abalone mousse filled ravioli were in a decadent Coriander & Lime Beurre Blanc with crisp kumara (sweet potato) shredded atop. It was so rich, yet so perfect, we wanted more but moved on.

We ordered a glass of Neudorf Tirititi Chardonnay (there are also paired wines per course, which this was) which was fruitier than most chardonnays, yet very dry and ideal with the Line Caught Hapuku (local Grouper) with heirloom tomato, smoked eel beignet, macadamia and ajo blanco dill dressing with olives. Another fabulous local fish that makes you really want to eat (and maybe live) here all the time.

Next came the Lemongrass Confit Pork Belly with Crayfish Sausage, Red Dates, Grapefruit na d Lime leaf Crackling in Citrus Beurre Blanc. They did not want to give this to me because of the grapefruit slice, and I said it was fine and would simply not eat it, and was I glad I did. Will got a Cauliflower steak with caramelized harissa, whipped feta, pomegranate and crispy kale which he loved. 

We switched to a perfect Pinot Noir Schubert Selection from Martinborough (the paired wine for the next course). The Costal Spring Lamb was from the west coast of the North Island and came with Potato & Caper Gratin, Tomato Jus, superb Fresh peas and Garlic Puree. It was delish, but I was a tad upset that the menu said it came with Smoked Tomato Sweetbreads and I would have loved to taste that.

Dessert was a delish Passionfruit White Chocolate Cheesecake Brulee with yuzu sable, dulce de leche, fig leaf gelato and blueberries that was not too sweet or to cheesy; another perfect dessert with all three plates wiped clean.

Our server Misha and Amber were fun and a delight and they even brought a taste of dessert wine called Fromm Spätlese Riesling 2024 from Marlborough, but it was not sweet enough for our palates!!

We loved the whole meal and the whole experience, and it was the perfect start to our short weekend in Wellington.

New Zealand's FlockHill is fabulous and hits the heights for dining and more(1/7 & 8/2026)

 Our last two nights on the South Island were at another Luxury Lodge and FlockHill is also a monstrous sheep farm of 10,000 head of sheep on 35,000 acres! What fun it was to hike to limestone formations in the area (with a guide), tour the farm, herd the cattle and watch the dogs run the sheep. The best part of our stay was definitely dinner both nights which were at the top of our dining list for the entire country!

Each night we arrived to be proffered a yummy tasting menu and asked if we wanted everything. DUH?! The first night we had arrived later in the afternoon, so dinner was just after unpacking and settling into our villa. We had a beautiful view of the Southern Alps and the Craigieburn Cut (a slice through the mountain that leads to nearby Arthur's Pass) from our table as we discussed the wines with Theo (from France, as many of the employees in the F&B are here). Will had a glass of Peregrine Rose while I ordered a fabulous bottle of white for the meal from 144 Islands Winery in the Bay of Islands to the way north. Called "Melika's Field" the varietals were Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Albarino and we adored the wonderful minerality and tartness with all our food. All the crystal here is Riedel as well.

First came a Daikon Dumpling with Smoked Mackerel, followed by a Stuffed Mussel from Cook Strait stuffed with chicken fat/oyster and fermented gooseberry (all the photos are on FB). We were hooked with this one simple bite and virtually every course for the entire meal and next night was a revelation of flavors.  Next was Maori Potato Bread  which was the first bread made by the original Polynesian arrivals, but here it had an aioli and was topped with lamb tartare. OMG!! An entire array of crudites followed and this would put any crudité display you have seen to shame as everything was from the local organic gardens: Tomatoes, Celery, Strawberry, Carrot, Cabbage and Endive all drizzled with the famous local Manuka Honey.

Marinated, Steamed, Smoked & Grilled Mushrooms, with Natto arrived in conjunction with the other "mid-course" plates of Ciabatta (more like Sourdough) with cultured house made butter and Shredded Mozzarella drizzled with a fennel honey. Now y'all know I am not a fennel fan and I simply removed the excess fronds and adored this dish as all the others.

Theo was thrilled when I told him we love Cabernet Franc, which is not common in New Zealand and he raved about the Boneline Cab franc 2020 from North Canterbury (nearby) which he said was sadly the last generation of this winery since it was sold a while back.

It was gutsy, earthy and minerally and was super with all our main courses.

First came South Island Crayfish (I could live on this for life) which was steamed and grilled and sauced in a to die for tomato butter. Full yet? We were getting there but the Steamed greens of spinach, zucchini and bok choy from the garden arrived in lemon juice along with a perfectly medium rare grilled Wagyu in a Horapito (native pepper) sauce. We were in heaven.

We rested a lot between courses and loved the simple "Beach day" dessert which was a fun and gritty creation by the brilliant pastry chef to mimic the sand and ocean. A white chocolate oyster shell had a pearl inside and was created with nori and yuzu and raspberry gel with ganache, mousse and crumble (the "sand"). It was ingenious and superb. A caramel and sea buckthorn macaron was the finale to an amazing meal.

We met Chef Hun (executive sous chef while the exec was on break) from South Korea and could not stop raving. After dinner Theo arrives with a local whiskey tasting of Pokeno Discovery, Cardrona Full Flight and Scapegrace Anthem fermented in manuka wood. We were mightily impressed, but exhausted after the 6+ hour drive and hike at Mr. Cook earlier in the day!

The second night was just as impressive and started with our regular pre-dinner drinks. I loved my Pear Butter martini of fat-washed Reid vodka with black pear and Will adored his spicy Cilantro of Thai-spiced Espodon Tequila with chilli, kaffir lime, which the handsome Louis (also from France) made for us at the bar. Theo arrived and insisted on creating new drinks for us as we enjoyed them with the GM Andrew. Mine was a Kiwi Martini made with Waiheke Island Gin, Macadamia nut, Reid Vodka and Lillet (not kiwi as the fruit!) and Will had a Mezcal Creation with tomato. WOW!!

We rolled across the room to dinner and sat down at the beautiful blonde wood tables in front of the warm fire as Ximena arrived to serve us and Chef Hun ran over to greet us. We were now regulars! We asked Theo to pair wines with each course and it was monumental for every course and sip starting with a Zenkuro world top-rated New Zealand Ginjo Sake. It was so earthy we begged Theo to tell us where we could try to buy it in Auckland, but alas, it is so small in production, it can only be found online!

The canapes/amuses arrived in the form of North Island Snapper Tartare from nelson with fresh wasabi, pickled coriander and nasturtium leaf. Kina croustade was one of the most amazing dishes in the form of Wellington Sea Urchin mousse deep fried with pecorino cheese--another miraculous creation that melted in our mouths. Potato Doughnut was made with fermented chardonnay vinegar and topped with aioli, homemade pancetta and honey.

Chef Hun appeared with an extra dish which he called a local salad of beetroot, strawberry, tomato, baby asparagus (as thin as pencil lead) and fennel and fennel flowers all in a to die for combination that simply defied description. We were hooked again, but another Flockhill grilled salad of zucchini, cabbage and rapini followed! We switched to Hans Herzog "Mistral" white blend of Roussanne/Marsanne/Viognier as Theo knew us well. and then more starters of Akaroa Smoked salmon from Christchurch that was more like poached salmon with herbs and 6 min cooked eggs as well as radish, carrots and aioli. The last "starter" of leeks with pear butter were some of the most meltingly delicious leeks ever.

We switched to Puriri Hills "Pope: Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Frace and Carmenere blend from near Auckland that was as good as any Bordeaux wine and paired perfectly with both the Nelson Grilled Snapper with Koji Butter, Lavender Oil & EVOO. It was as divine as the snapper we had at the Lindis. Only the Pork Loin was a tad fatty for us, but the sauce was soy mustard and mustard seed with Worcestershire and Black Prunes which was divine. The New Potatoes were a great foil.

Dessert was another fabulous creation of Olive Oil Cake & Crispy Strawberry with tomato, caramelized pistachio and mascarpone. Oloroso Fernando de Castilla sherry was paired and had a mushroom-y flavor. A very break your teeth chewy caramel was the final touch.

WOW what an amazing two nights here at FLOCKHILL truly a fabulous experience,

The LINDIS Lodge last two nights trending way up in the Ahuriri Valley, South Island, New Zealand (1/5 and 1/6/2026)

 For our second night at The Lindis Lodge we returned to the same dining room as there are only twelve rooms in the entire lodge, so no dining options per se! There were fewer people as midweek approached and the summer holiday period winds down. The service again was excellent and the food was all superb.

There was an unremarkable guacamole starter with our cocktails, but once we sat down the warm crusty sourdough bread that is irresistible arrived this time with brown butter and sea salt.

The first course was Fiordland Crayfish coming from just around the corner where we started our trip here on the south island closer to the west coast near Milford Sound. The sauce was more like a light broth with almond slices, kumquat slices and pickled pink onions. This is the kind of dish that could win me over at any meal.

We had been given a complimentary bottle of the wine made by the owners in nearby Central Otago. Clos Ostler 2024 was perfect chardonnay to have with this seafood. 

We returned to our leftover PinotNoir (Peregrine) from the night before, with our main course. Lake Ohau Waggyu Eye fillet comes from a ranch just to the northeast (this entire remote area is virtually all farmland or nature preserve) which was buttah and served with peas, pea pods, pea purée, new season potatoes and a thick black garlic jus, that you only needed a touch of on each fabulous piece of meat.

Dessert was less rich than the previous night and my favorite so far: Baba of Titoki (New Zealand rum soaking the fabulous sponge cake) with mango Chantilly, fresh mango and coriander(just a loose leaf!).  We were very happy.

The last night was by far the best, and the snack was a huge winner of Kumara (sweet potato) chip with Lake Pukaki Salmon Tartare, Tarragon Goat Cheese Mousse and baby courgette from the garden. At the table the bread was a Hazelnut & Apricot Sourdough with a thick Black Garlic Butter that was almost the consistency of pate! We loved it.

The starter was a Paua (Abalone) & Prawn "Dumpling" which was simply a mousse of the two shellfish wrapped in a cabbage leaf topped with slices of abalone and salmon caviar with Roquette (Arugula) mayo and Onion Consommé poured around it tableside.

By this time, we realized we were enjoying the best meal here. Will had a glass of Bannockburn Rose that was quite fruity while I loved the Clos Ostler Pinot Gris "Audrey's Cuvee". We then went on to finish our bottle of Clos Ostler Chardonnay from the night before that was still rich, creamy and unctuous. Clos Ostler is the label of the family that own the Lindis.

The main course was the best fish so far in New Zealand and was a simply salted very crispy crusted Red Snapper with Graden Greens (daikon/broccolini/baby yellow beets/turnips) from the hotel garden with Confit Kumara (sweet potato) in a divine Curried Crayfish Bisque. We could not stop raving.

The dessert was simply and light and called Strawberry Delight and was gone so fast there is alas no FB photo! Strawberries and Blackberries were in Elderflower Syrup with Coconut Yoghurt Sorbet, a coconut tuille shortbread (that was a tad gummy) all dusted with Strawberry Powder. 

The Lindis really went a level up on this night indeed.

The LINDIS LODGE (Ahiriri Valley, South Island, New Zealand) is just lovely (night#1-Jan 4, 2026)

 We headed north from Blanket Bay to arrive here virtually in the middle of nowhere down a dirt road for 30+ minutes from the main highway in the remote Ahuriri Valley of yet another part of the South Island Alpine range. The Lodge is small and compact with magnificent views from the living area/dining area and rooms (which are oddly small and not very well laid out), but the dinner was indeed delicious. We tried Blue Duck Vodka martinis, which Will liked more then the Scapegrace and the snacks were a melon topped with a super crispy lamb prosciutto and an out of this world melon gazpacho shooter with parmesan foam.

Margaux (it seems most of the staff are French) suggested a Peregrine 2017 Central Otago Pinot Noir which we immediately fell in love with for its age, gutsiness and minerality.

Dinner was simpler here starting with Confit of Heirloom Tomatoes with Courgette, a wonderful, whipped tofu (which tasted like burrata!), Passionfruit, Purple Tomato Water and shallots. It was so fresh and ideal and quite nice to have a vegetable salad as well.

The main was a Lumina Lamb Loin with charred eggplant, rainbow chard, basil and lamb just which was great with the wine and the dessert was a very rich Tartlet of Chocolate, Cherry and Pistachio (all fotos on FB) of which I loved the cherries best.

The service was superb and friendly, but there was a sliding door to a kitchen pass-through that really wrecked the nice quiet and serenity of the dining area when it was left open.

We are here for two more nights and as dinner is only available here, it is included...the closest option is almost an hour away in a nearby town of 800!!

BLANKET BAY(Glenorchy, South Island, New Zealand) day 3; a brilliant meal indeed (1-3-26)

 Our last evening at Blanket Bay was by far the best meal of all three there. We had met a wonderful couple from Brisbane and decided to eat together, and we had a ball with them.  Our cocktails went back to our standard Scapegrace Vodka Martinis and the yummy pre-dinner tuna sliders on brioche with grilled pineapple were delish.

We ordered a Cox's Vineyard 2023 from Gibbston in the nearby Central Otago Valley which Damien the fabulous sommelier recommended, and it was fabulous. Our friends, Adam & Alex ordered a Felton Road 2019 Calvert Pinot Noir also from the Central Otago wine region and it was truly a revelation as are so many of the unknown wines of this region. (Today we visited Maude Winery on the suggestion of Damien and had a brilliant tasting and ended up shipping some back to the US).

The first course was a gorgeous pair of Te Matuku North Island tempura oysters with yuzu koshu that we all reveled at. This was followed by a beautiful Burrata (that Jayden explained was formed in house by stuffing the mozzarella with ricotta), heritage tomato, compressed peach, basil puree, balsamic and last year's pickled green tomato! (all the fotos are on FB). 

The main course was a brilliantly cooked local Snapper Fillet in green onion Dashi broth with Remarkables (a local farm vendor) Fungi, Snow Peas, Edamame and Nori Powder accompanied by a deliciously crispy spring roll filled with Remarkables Fungi, Bok Choy & Green Onion.

Will & I decided to split a dessert and cheese as did Adam & Alex and we loved the Pineapple Kalamansi Roulade (which was not very pineapple-y) with vanilla sponge dipped in chocolate with fresh raspberries and blueberries, compressed cherries (these were awesome), chocolate/raspberry crumb and yoghurt sorbet. It was so refreshing it was all gone in seconds. The cheeses changed a bit with the same Pecorino as before but two new ones: Double Cream Brie and a yummy New Zealand Blue Brie.

Pistachio and Hazelnut Chocolate Biscuits (called "mendiants" in French--or "beggars") sent us off very happily as they were divine with the Scapegrace Whiskey.

What a fabulous last night here in the Southern Alps.

Blanket Bay (Glenorchy, South Island, New Zealand) night #2 is even better (1-2-26)

 When we mentioned that some of the first night's dishes were a tad overcooked, the entire staff took note, and we were laughing when they brought out the "snacks" at cocktail hour including a gorgeous Cheddar Tartelette filles with steak tartar and black garlic (Photos are all on FB)!

Since it was a tad chillier, we dined inside and had one huge dining room with a grand fireplace all to ourselves. Our servers Kat (from Wales) and Jayden (the very handsome Kiwi) were amazing again as were the sommelier Damien and Sebastien from France. I assume by tonight, we will know all the staff's names, and sadly we depart tomorrow for our next South Island resort! The bread was the same focaccia with the amazing mauka honey cultured butter. We joked with Jayden that we hope it is in our departure picnic basket tomorrow!

Just a week ago at home our fishmonger Nick had New Zealand abalone on the menu at the farmer's market, and we passed with the exorbitant price and were thrilled to see PAUA as it is called here on the menu last night sitting on a Sourdough Crumpet with Gribiche (a French tartar-like sauce) and dressed with capers and young herbs. We loved it.  Hokkaido Scallops from Japan were next and they were delish, but the dish had too many ingredients with Prosciutto, Ricotta cheese, Cherry & Nectarine, Balsamic, Palm Sugar, Mint & Basil.  Take away a couple and it would have been a huge hit.

The main course was a barely seared Yellowfin Tuna Steak with soba noodles in a spicy Thai Chilli dressing with fabulous tempura broccolini, fresh carrot slices and a yummy coconut crumb (that was not sweetened, thank goodness). It was ideal.

Dessert was a quite rich "Opera" Cake of chocolate mousse and sponge, coffee mousse and sponge, chocolate glaze, chocolate and raspberry crumb, lemon curd and coffee ice cream. A couple bites were nice, but we were full and did not even finish the one we shared.  Anzac (the WWII Australia-New Zealand alliance acronym) oatmeal biscuits with a caramel slice were chewy and went well with the ScapeGrace Whiskey made here in New Zealand.

Speaking of alcohol, I forgot to mention our wines. We bought a white and red the first night and then finished them last night:

Bliancia Uvaggio Filed Blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne was a superb local blend from Hawkes Bay and the red was a superb full bodied, but not tannin filled, Mawhtipana Ridge Estate 2021 Syrah from Waiheke Island just near Auckland (where we spent the day on New Year's Eve!) So many new wines and so little time to try them!!

Blanket Bay (South Island, New Zealand) boasts a brilliant view and more (1-1-26)

 On the previous evening in Auckland our New Year's Eve dinner completely collapsed as we arrived a the restaurant we booked months ago to find out that one of New Zealand's top dining spots had totally closed and they failed to notify us!

After an unexciting tapas bar meal in our hotel we knew good food was ahead on our journey through the country this month before boarding our 61-day voyage to Japan on the 12th.

Our first stop here an hour west of Queenstown near the end of Lake Wakatipu is the Relais et Chateaux BLANKET BAY and as the sun sets here at 930pm and yesterday's weather was gorgeous we were able to dine outside overlooking the lake, the mountains and the southern fiordlands. Dinner starts at the bar with cocktails and an amuse and then we moved to our table for Coromandel or Yellowfin Tuna Tataki with melon, cucumber, avocado puree and fabulous pickled radish. The amazing Kikorangi Focaccia came with Manuka Honey cultured butter that I could have kept on eating but decided I should save my appetite.

North Canterbury Duck Breast came a little to medium for us but the tamarind glaze, curry and peanut satay sauce with chilli was super. Southland Leelands Lamb with Black Garlic (and yummy crunchy crust) was cooked sous-vide and much rarer and came with a gorgeous potato "stick" (there are some photos on FB).

Will decided to have the sweet dessert called Cromwell which was a tomato stuffed with raspberry cream and a basil/lemon sorbet as well as a dark chocolate edible stem and a very odd microwave sponge.

The cheeses were delicious and all local with Sheep Camembert, Pecorino and a very mild Oamaru Blue.

While the meal was filling and totally enjoyable, we hope that there is some room for improvement in the coming two nights, especially with the cook on the meat!

Arlington's INCA SOCIAL does up another super special and sensational meal (12-23-25)

 For several years now we have purchased the tasting menu for several people that was auctioned at March of Dimes SIGNATURE CHEFS and we returned again last night to be treated to a superb and sensational meal by Chef Mike Ciuffardi at INCA SOCIAL.

It was quiet as this is a holiday week and we were in the even quieter private dining room with the excellent Isabella from Colombia who was dream from the start as she gave us a lesson in how to prepare the PISCO MULE drink(pisco, lime, ginger beer, bitters) down to the specific type of Pisco used and for what reason. She really did a great job and deserves praise for putting up with the 8 of us as well!

After our wonderful cocktails (some of us had more than one!) chef greeted us with YUCA a la HUANCAINA, a superb fried yuca in Huancaina cream with dehydrated Peruvian Olive and we learned that the name of this superb sauce is from the town of Huancayo!  It was a tasty start to this excellent repast showing all the flavors of Peru that make this cuisine so delicious. NIKKEI CEVICHE is an homage to Japan as there is a large Japanese population in Peru. The homage is in the leche de tigre which has oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil and is darker than its South American cousin. Here it was served over beautiful fresh tuna chunks with cucumber, avocado and seaweed. INCA SOCAIL really rocks when it comes to ceviche!

SUDADO PACIFICO was the fish of the day and was a beautifully grilled piece of Mahi-Mahi cooked in Ahi Amarillo sauce (spicy yellow Peruvian peppers) which is likely one of my favorite sauces on earth. Chicha de Jora is a fermented sauce that compliments the dish which also came with a Peura (Peruvian) scallop in its shell and a tasty grilled shrimp. We all loved this dish and paired it with a tasty OKO Pinot Noir from Pays d'Oc in France. 

Our main course was a huge TOMAHAWK RIBEYE (checkout the photos and videos) with Maras Salt (the salt pans in Peru's sacred valley), butter and rosemary with Anticucho-style grilled asparagus. The meat was superb, and I gnawed on the huge bone for extra fun! We switched to a Canyon Road Merlot which was nice, but the wine list could do with some upgrades here!

Many of us admitted we are not big cheesecake fans, but the CRIOLLO CHEESECAKE was an exception with chicha morada (purple corn) sauce which I can easily say was gobbled up by everyone present.

What a fun way to spend our last meal out in the USA this year before we head overseas for 3 months this weekend.

See you in New Zealand next time!