Tag: featured

Royal J’s Seafood – Hits and Some Miss

Royal J's Seafood is a highly lauded coffeeshop for local (Singapore/Malaysia) style Chinese food with some standout dishes but also some odd items. For me, the outstanding items were the fried porridge, and the two chicken dishes - one fried and one steamed. Two of the other main house specialties, the crab with glass vermicelli and the prawns with cheese, disappointed us. And with the hot weather in Singapore recently, eating at Royal J's, which is located in a food court with no air...

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Kehinde Wiley – Catch His Works

One of the my favourite young american artists, Kehinde Wiley, showed a series of works at the Seattle Art Museum and I was lucky enough to be town during the exhibit which ran till May 8, 2016. Kehinde is best known for his portraits of African Americans whom he places in historically well known classical artwork poses. In doing so, he elevates the models he finds off the streets of Brooklyn or elsewhere into positions usually reserved for those with higher status. The exhibit titled...

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Takehara – Scenic Launch Pad to Hiroshima’s Coastal Islands

Takehara

The coast surrounding the Seto Inland Sea near Hiroshima is one of the most scenic in Japan and Takehara, with its nicely preserved Edo-era historic center, is a well located base from which to explore the area. We were here at year-end spending a day exploring the town before taking a drive and ferry ride for a round trip visit to nearby islands. Takehara is probably best known these days for Nikka Whiskey, with the family still residing in town, as well as being the setting for a popular...

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Isshin – For True Meat Lovers, Raw or Cooked

Isshin Kyoto

This is beef, possibly at its utmost incarnation. Isshin presents the best parts of high quality Japanese cattle, from tongue to tail, in a variety of Kyoto kaiseki inspired interpretations including one that resembles the local sushi. While I had some reservations about this 2-Star Michelin restaurant, particularly as it involves eating raw beef, it was probably the best food experience I've had in recent months. Dishes were creative but were careful to highlight the natural taste and...

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Asador Etxebarri – Ultimate Grilling

Etxebarri's grilled prawns

This has got to be one of the most fulfilling restaurants in the world. Humankind discovered fire for this reason - to cook meat, and no one does it better than Etxebarri. The freshest produce supplied by nearby farms and fishermen are grilled just right, and without a lot of dressing so that the natural taste of the food comes through. From fish to steak, even cheese, every course was pure joy.

Located midway between Bilbao and San Sebastian, Etxebarri is worth the taxi ride...

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