zucco avec kony

kony had finally returned to new york for the summer, so for our first rendez-vous we went to zucco's, a supertiny but cute french diner. appropriate because she is in love with the language, as anyone should be. ;)

we had lentil soup and a savory pastry practically oozing with sauce, which went well with the side of world cup we got on their screen, a backdrop to talks of dreams deferred and charming, well-traveled boys. ;)

zucco le french diner / 188 orchard st, new york, ny 10002

duking it out at dukem's.

i like to eat with my hands -- there is something so satisfying in the act of bringing your fingers to your food to your lips. i enjoy it immensely. so i was in perfect bliss when trinh suggested a welcome dinner at dukem's, a popular ethiopian joint in dc. the spongy wrap, the flavorful pork, the variety of lentils, the colors... to be shared by the whole table. 

did we duke it out at dukem's ? maybe. ;) oh and let's not forget the shouting match that broke out next to us, and spilling at least one tequila shot at our table. a memorable night to begin a memorable weekend. 

dukem ethiopian restaurant / 1114 u street nw, washington, dc 20009

oh deer.

i may have eaten deer a few times in my life -- but this may be the first time i'll actually remember it. pho huong nam in carrollton serves it in a traditional way -- sliced and pounded thin, marinated in all of the usual suspects, and blanketed with ginger. i enjoyed it so much i am now curious to try other preparations of deer.

the rest of the meal was followed by other abundant servings of deliciously prepared dishes, like bun chao tom, mi hoang, and bun bo hue. happy to say the latter will hold its place in the ever growing "search for the best bowl of bun bo hue" album.

yay for good vietnamese places in dallas !

pho huong nam / 3030 n josey ln, ste 118a, carrollton, tx 75007

a pinche of this a pinche of that

i've been on this tireless quest for tasty tacos in new york since the day i got here. if you're in noho, pinche will deliver... in a pinch. ha ! the cozy location is a reliable quick bite -- and not so badly priced at $3 a pop. wash an al pastor or shrimp taco down with a jarritos, and you're good to go. oh, and the guy at the counter is always sweet.

the quest, however, continues.

pinche taqueria / 333 lafayette st (b/n bleecker & houston), new york, ny, 10012

montreal x resto la banquise

poutine with bacon & merguez

you can't go to canada without having poutine, right ? and so we went, during our last few hours in montreal. resto la banquise won out upon the recommendation of a brave soul who's tested poutine perhaps in all of canada, and declared this location the best. the restaurant itself is lovely -- we sat outside in the most charming patio. and oh, the poutine -- bacon, merguez, slightly melted cheese curds atop some pretty good fries. a great snack, yes. but a meal of choice, not necessarily so for me. we couldn't get past a few forkfuls, despite what some might deem a masterpiece. luckily, i can appreciate poutine in its other variations -- in fact, shopsin's has a killer version -- but perhaps it isn't the best meal to end with on a multi-day food marathon. rather, this is what you start off with.


resto la banquise, 994 rachel est, montreal, qc

montreal x au pied de cochon

cromesquis de foie gras


salade de bleu, pommes, endives


langue de bison à l'estragon


duck in a can

"it's like driving down hollywood boulevard naked, wearing a cowboy hat and holding a white castle hamburger in one hand, having sex with two hookers while listening to zz top. total trash. [and i love it.]" ANTHONY BOURDAIN

...something like that. it was excessive in so many ways -- the explosion of the liquid foie gras in your mouth, the presentation of the duck in a can, the many visits from our waiters, but still, it was an enjoyable experience. surprisingly, among all the delectable pork dishes, the dish i loved the most was utterly devoid of it. the salade de bleu, pommes, endives was perfectly fresh, alternating between the crisp of the endive, with the soft and even slightly sweet pungent taste of the bleu, the subtle tart of the pommes and the tang of the vinaigrette i remember making as a child living in france. i savored every bite i had and took half of it home. it was still just as good the next day, though i can't say the same for the duck in a can. some things, it turns out, are meant to be experienced at the restaurant, and the restaurant alone. :)

au pied de cochon, 536 avenue duluth est, montreal, qc

montreal x dragon beard candy

dragon beard candy

we passed by bonbons a la barbe de dragon and couldn't resist the idea of eating sweet dragon beard for 75 cents a pop. we'd bought two already prepared pieces to try our very first time, but upon devouring the sugary, peanuty confection wrapped in thin white wisps, we had to buy two more. the store owner seemed so pleased to see us again he offered to make us fresh ones. it was a wonderful sight to see -- nothing short of a tiny magic show just for us.





52 rue de la gauchetière ouest, montreal, qc