2017 - Page 3 of 4 - Gazing and Grazing

Walking in Italy’s Dolomites: Lagazuoi to Scotoni

May 21st, 2017

With just three days in Italy's Dolomites, the walk from Rifugio Lagazuoi to Rifugio Scotoni was a key highlight for us. This 11km or so walk starts with ride on a cable car up into the clouds to the alpine hut, Rifugio Lagazuoi before descending down to another charming alpine hut. If the place is somewhat familiar, it's because it shows up in the James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only and the views are indeed stunning. The Rifugio Lagazuoi also serves a good lunch so we had this to fill us...

Cinque Torri – Short, Pleasant Walk in the Dolomites

April 3rd, 2017

When the skiing season is over, the Dolomites turns into a picturesque location for great walks. Easy access by car from Verona or Venice and ample choice of good restaurants and lodgings, makes this a very comfortable destination. The walks are varied from relatively easy short walks to multi-day hikes. The latter is not something we're prepared to do so we focused on a few key walks that we knew we'd be able to manage. One of the easier and shorter walks in Italy's Dolomites is that...

The Art of Soy – Tofu in Kyoto

April 1st, 2017

Kyoto tofu is the best in the world - perfected by buddhist monks over centuries. Tofu here is varied - from the skin (yuba) to the squares in broth (yudofu) - but never bland and dull. And this also has a lot to do with how Kyoto cuisine has elevated the use of the soybean. On my visits to Kyoto, I will always hunt down some good tofu focused and "shojin ryori" (buddhist cuisine) restaurants and here are some suggestions. To note, all of the restaurants below, except for Seike Yuba,...

I Tigli in Theoria in Como – Modern Italian in an Enchanting Space

March 28th, 2017

I Tigli in Theoria is a Michelin starred modern Italian restaurant with fantastic pastry in a beautiful courtyard building in central Como. This was our first meal in Como - a large seven course lunch at the chef's table with a view of the kitchen. Unfortunately, having just arrived after a 12-hour flight, it was difficult to fully enjoy what we were eating. Nonetheless, I'm glad I was able to squeeze in a visit and overall, I think it's well worth having a meal here. The tasting menu costs...

Akira Back in Singapore Melds Japanese and Korean Influences Delectably

March 26th, 2017

From his Korean roots, Akira Back blends in a Japanese reverence for subtlety and quality inputs to produce deliciously creative dishes with a nuance of America. The main foundation of the food remains raw fish (Akira is a trained sushi chef) but it has been given a twist using Korean influenced sauces and garnishing. Within all this is a decidedly modern presentation. Akira has restaurants located in Las Vegas, Seoul and Jakarta but we ate at his Singapore branch, which sits in...