2014 travel

Places visited in 2014:

HHI, SC
Maldives (Park Hyatt - Hadehaa)
Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
London
Imabari, Japan
Melbourne and Sydney (incl. Phillip Island and Picton), Australia
Da Nang, Vietnam (Hyatt Regency)

Best hotel (ever): Park Hyatt - Sydney
Best food: Pizza at Hugo's (Manly, NSW)
Best kids experience: Mowbray Park Farmstay (NSW) / Phillip Island Wildlife Park
Best tourist experience: March of the Penguins at Phillip Island
Most relaxing: Park Hyatt - Maldives

Update - South Carolina - 2013/2014

Restaurants

Veritas

CharBar Co.

Also went to: Mellow Mushroom, Truffles, Fiesta Fresh, Wild Wing Cafe, Five Guys, Sea Shack

Kids activities

The Sandbox

Island Playground (new ownership)

Chaplin Community Park

Update - New York City - December 2013

Restaurants

- Le Barnardin (3 Michelin star, excellent but not so innovative food - wished they had experienced a bit more - but the food was really consistent - everything was good, perfect and fun service. All inn all a great night out.)

- Gotham Bar and Grill (So underwhelming, both the food and the service.)

- Preserve 24 (Ok brunch, but we had better brunch at our hotel - the flavours just didn't come together that well.)

- The Shop (Andaz 5th Avenue) (Wow, this was just the best breakfast/brunch food I have had in a long while, plus the coffee was excellent too. I loved the egg and aspargus dish, while Tom loved the lemon poppy seed pancake.)

Hotel

Andaz 5th Avenue (What a great hotel - maybe the best place to stay in NYC? Free hot cider, coffee and the best brunch place in the same building.)

Southeast Asia - travels

Places visited 2012/2013:

- Singapore
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Nikoi, Indonesia
- Yangon and Naypyidaw, Myanmar
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Mersing and Rawa, Malaysia
- Tokyo, Japan
- Swan Valley, Freemantle, Perth - Australia

Favorites

Best food: Singapore (CUT at Marina Bay Sands and the Lagoon Village hawker center)
Best for kids: Swan Valley - Australia
Best city: Tokyo
Most interesting: Myanmar
Worst vacation spot ever: Rawa Island

Singapore 2012/2013

Restaurants we have tried so far:

Western Food: 

- Margarita's (on Dempsey Hill) (great margaritas, cute location, ok food - but not great and a little pricey. huge portions though)

- Quinze Bouteilles (lunch with the very nice owner Charlotte - awesome wine!)

- Crust (weird kind of gourmet pizza but the flavor was really good)

- Riciotti (nice but not very note-worthy Italian. ok for a quick lunch)

- Oriole Cafe & Bar (at 313@Somerset, ok food if you are in the mood for nice outdoor seating and  somewhat upscale American. good Cuban sandwich and ok burger meat - great dessert menu)

- Piedra Negra on Haji Lane (excellent Mexican food, but odd selection)

- Dallas (@ Boat Quay) (just ok. American food, kind of)

- Cafe Iguana at Clarke Quay (very close to the Mexican food you get in the US. good food, enormous portions, good service and nice atmosphere on the river)

- Smokeys BBQ (the best American food in Singapore. awesome ribs. love the outdoor atmosphere)

-  4 Fingers Crispy Chicken (best wings in Singapore. slightly cripsy. both flavors equally good)

- Marina Bay Sands - Ku De Ta (tourist trap - nice view)

- Backyard at Dempsey (the food was just ok, the outdoor seating was nice enough)

- Marche at 313@Somerset (i love this restaurant for how kid friendly it is. nice playground and good deal for breakfast. quite yummy too. great bread to take home)

- Bistro du Vin at Claymore Hill (very nice French bistro. good value for your money.)

- Don Quijote at Dempsey Hill (tapas restaurant. nothing to write home about... some of the food seemed not very fresh)

- CUT at Marina Bay Sands (just wow, even with the expensive price. awesome meat and great side items, plus good service and wine list. will be back)

- db Bistro at Marina Bay Sands (great lunch spot. maybe a bit over priced, but their French food is definitely great)

Luke's Chop house (amazing food and good value for money. try their lobster roll and fried. or steak or tuna tartar)

Sky on 57 at Marina Bay Sands (not that great, and not a good value - almost like a tourist trap with a great view)

Absinthe at Boat Quay (great prix fix menu for lunch - get the chef's table)

Enoteca L'Operetta at Boat Quay (ok Italian food, nice lunch menu)

Burlamacco (ok Italian food)

Esquina (best tapas in Singapore - very innovative and loved the dining at the bar with a view of the kitchen)

- Rocks Urban Grill + Bar (perfect lunch spot. lovely complimentary bread/bun)

- Bodega y Tapas (love the atmosphere and the food is decent too)

- Baker and Cook (very good coffee, ok cafe food)

- Omakase Burger at the Grand Stand (hands down the best burger in Singapore - well worth the price)

Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar (this place has such yummy food - and what a great reuben!)

Hawker Centers / Food Courts:

- Holland Village Food Centre (hawker centre - no ambiance but great food (yummy chicken rice) and very cheap)

- 313@Somerset Food Junction (we actually didn't eat here, we just let Alaric play at the cute playground while I had a soda, the food court looks really good though)

- United Square Mall food court (awesome black pepper chicken, ok orange chicken)

- Wisma Atria Food Junction (we both ate noodle soups(?), one with pork ribs (xiao mian) and one with some kind of fish, I think anchovies, and minced pork (ban mian), the pork ribs soup had a more complex flavor, the ban mian was a little boring but supposedly one of the healthier choices. we also had some dumplings - always good ;))

- Toast (found in several food courts. kind of western, but Alaric liked their toast. I think their shops are really cute, but avoid the raw eggs (or half boiled as they call them))

- Tian Xin Wanton Noodle @ 5 Coleman Street / SideWalk at Funan (excellent and very good dumplings/noodles. my favorite cheap lunch spot. get there early or stand in line forever...)

- East Coast Lagoon Food Village (nice view, ok hawker centre food)

Asian food (restaurants):

- Lagnaa (barefoot dining. touristy, but very friendly staff and nice spice levels)

- Zam Zam (awesome murtabak (Indian quesedilla with eggs) 

- A-Roy Thai at Funan (we all shared lots of dishes at this round table. everything was yummy)

- Yan Ting at St. Regis Tanglin (mmm, no. upscale Chinese is apparently not my thing. everything was jiggely and bland)

- Peach Garden at Chinatown Point (mmm, no, still don't really like upscale Chinese food, but nice enough I guess. liked the salad toss.)

- Din Tai Fung (efficient service, kid friendly, amazing pork dumplings and fried rice. love this place!)

- Kinki (ok sushi (although, I know people love their food), nice looking restaurant, cool rooftop bar)

Paris, France

Best restaurants:
- Aiyala (Really yummy Thai food. The dumplings were awesome.)
- Le Balancoire (Fun and low-key French restaurant. Excellent service. Amazing drinks.)
- Chez Grenouille (More traditional French food. Amazing meat. Great service.)
- Le Cafe Qui Parle (Excellent brunch - no bacon though...)

Best tour:
- Blue Bike Tours

Honorable Mention:
- Cooking class with "A World in a Pan"

Update 2012 - New York City (with a toddler)

NYC with a toddler: 

• Best kid friendly hotel: Affinia Gardens on the Upper East Side (get the huge rooms with a kitchen and a patio - excellent for kids)
• Best babysitter service: Babysitter's Guild
• Best kid friendly car service: Legends Limousine (car seat for $8 - reasonable fare rate)
• Best playground: Heckscher in Central Park
• Best meal: Gramercy Tavern (incredible meat and superb service)
• Best cheap eat: Shu Jiao Fu Zhous (yummy and cheap dumplings - no line, stroller friendly)

Other places tried: China Fun, Pinche Taqueria, Schnitzel & Things, Ritz Diner, Pizza Park, La Cremeria

Savannah, Georgia

We went on the First Squares Good Tour (www.savannahtasteexperience.com).

The guide was awesome but we wished there had been one more stop with some savory food. Other than that it was excellent. My favorite was Mabel Francis Potter's Cupcake Emporium. Excellent taste, no frills.

Other stops: Bernie's Oyster House, Boar's Head Grill, Savannah Bee Company, The Salt Table and Molly MacPhersons's Pub.

Update 2012 - Restaurants - Oslo, Norway

Great (but expensive):
- Restaurant Oscarsgate (best food and service in town? loved that we got 15 courses, but too many desserts (I know...))

Good (and not so expensive):
- Beach Club (love their burgers, the the service can be somewhat lacking)
- Olivia, Tjuvholmen (yummy pizzas, and nice place to have a beer after work)
- Habibi (still awesome meze and prompt service)
- Villa Paradiso (still my favorite Italian pizza (in Oslo ;))

Good but not great:
- Hanami (pushy service, a tad expensive but good food - especially the blackened cod)

- Baltazar (excellent wine menu, food above average but maybe not worth the price)
- Escalon (ok tapas, but not as good as some other tapas places)
- Onda Sea (fantastic view out on the pier, good food but nothing extraordinary, at least not when taking into consideration the price)

Want to try:
Maaemo

Update December 2011 - South Carolina

The Sage Room for excellent food and service. Eat at the chef's table and try their snow pea martini.

Pour Richard's was excellent, again. I love their appetizer flatbreads.

Vineyard 55 was good. I love the atmosphere, but the food is not great. Try it in combination with the Thursday farmer's market.

Mellow Mushroom, Choo Choo BBQ Express, the Sea Shack, Wild Wing Cafe and Fiesta Fresh always deliver. Good food and great value.

Update 2011 - Provence, France

Best restaurants:

La Villa - L'Isle Sur la Sourge

Le Forge - Antibes

La Mere Germaine - Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Places visited:

Antibes, Monaco, L'Isle Sur la Sourge, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Lourmarin

Tuscany, Italy

Best wine:

Boscarelli regular 2007

Best restaurant:

Il goccio - Lucignano

Places visited:

Sassetta, Castagneto, Suvereto, Montalcino (Brunello), Montepulciano (Vino Nobile), Siena, Pisa, Lucignano, Volterra, San Vinzenso

Berlin, Germany

The Bird - best burger ever! American pub atmosphere, not cheap but amazing.

Update 2011 - North Carolina

Update 2011:

Hendersonville:

Never Blue for excellent food with interesting flavors. Nice outdoor seating too.

Brevard:

Poppies Market and Cafe - Nice little lunch place and interesting grocery store.
The Square Root - Lovely owners (met them hiking), good food (awesome sweet potato chips) and nice location&decor.

Update 2011 - Bluffton/Hilton Head, SC

- Pour Richard's for the best food and wine in the area. (FAVORITE PICK!)
- Sunset Grille for awesome personable service and great food.
- The Studio for good food and interesting surroundings.
- Choo Choo BBQ Express for some seriously good and cheap BBQ. Yummy. Nice owners too.

Avoid: Hilton Head Diner, Charlie's for dinner (too expensive for the value)

Restaurants - Chicago, Illinois

Favorite picks:

- Lula for an organic "in season" dinner (Monday nights only). Delicious food at a good price, especially with the paired wines.

- Big Star for yummy tacos, tostadas and limy guacamole. Great price. A little too hip though?

- Pizano’s for awesome deep dish pizza. Try their sausage and mozzarella pizza.

- Lao Sze Chuan for very spicy and good Chinese food. Really liked my house noodles. If you are there for lunch, make sure to ASK for the lunch menu.

Also tried:

Heaven on Seven, Purple Pig, Downtown Dogs, Billy Goat Tavern, Sarah’s Pastries and candies (all on the Gold Coast Tastebud Tour) and Orange (for brunch).

Restaurants - Oslo, Norway

Some of the restaurants I've tried 2008-2011:

Great (and expensive):
- Alex Sushi (heavenly sushi)
- Grefsenkollen (awesome food and wine selection)
- Stadtholdergaarden (simply delicious)

Good but not great (and somewhat expensive):
- Klosteret (nice atmosphere and great wines)
- Oro (liked the grilled food aspect and bar feeling, better our first time)
- Restaurant Eik (maybe better with another server? not too badly priced)
- Solsiden Restaurant (nice atmosphere by the fjord, ok food)
- Bølgen og Moi - Briskeby (great brunch)
- Bølgen og Moi - Tjuvholmen (ok lunch. their burger is always pretty good)
- Tjuvholmen sjømagasin (ok food but boring atmosphere)
- Brasserie Hansken (nice lunch place with good food)

Good (and cheaper):
- Albertine Tandoori (favorite Indian food and my most visited restaurant)
- Villa Paradiso (only 2 Amy's in D.C. beats this pizza joint)
- Mucho Mas (decent burritos if you add some rice)
- Habibi (excellent meze)
- Rust (best tapas in town maybe?)
- Vognmand Nilsen (nice prices - good service but food not extraordinary)
- Brasserie Blanche (awesome hearty French food)
- Ekebergrestauraten (outside) - (cheap cafe style food with an awesome view. somewhat slow service)
- Bistro Brocante (great French lunch, try the "leverpostei" sandwich)
- Cafe Sorgenfri (lovely over the top interior and great Danish "breakfast" (fad) to share)

Do not want to go there again:
- Dinner Restaurant (poor service and just average food)
- SW20 (I left hungry and annoyed at the servers)
- Barcelona Tapas Bar (not very tasty)
- New Orleans Restaurant (far from New Orleans)
- Mr Bay Asian Cuisine (just ok but nothing special, good service)
- Hotel Bristol (excellent sandwich buffet and atmosphere, but really expensive beer and poor service)

Want to try:
- Palace Grill
- Nodee

Restaurants - the Carolinas and Georgia

Places visited (since blog was created): Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort, Asheville, Hendersonville, Atlanta, Chapel Hill.

Atlanta:

- Bacchanalia for a gourmet dinner experience. Everything was delicious, and we ended up getting 9 courses with all the in between courses.
- Emerald Coast Coffee & Grille for a 3 course coffee/brunch. Not gourmet food, but great concept to pair coffee with the courses and good atmosphere and service.

Hilton Head/Bluffton:

- Kelly's Tavern for delicious and huge reubens. Update: Service was pretty bad this time (spring 2011)
- Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill for authentic and very fresh tacos. Try the pastor.
- Sea Shack for not so expensive and down to earth seafood.
- Mellow Mushroom for their yummy pizza crust (and pizza).
- Wild Wing Cafe for their too many good flavors of wings and sports bar atmosphere. Update: We always go on half off wing Wednesdays. Sweet deal, but service can be slow on these nights.
- Phillies for good sandwiches.

Avoid: Hilton Head Diner, Charlie's for dinner (too expensive for the value)


Asheville:

Salsa's is simply delicious for a fusion Mexican dinner. Remember to pair it with their awesome margaritas.

Barcelona & Costa Brava, Spain

Places visited: Barcelona, Tamariu, the Girona countryside

Best B&B:

Mas Martorell near Girona (lovely rooms, hosts, pool and an extraordinary breakfast with everything home made)

Top restaurant:

Irati (Basque tapas) in Barcelona (not the best food, but fun concept, atmosphere and worth the money as you pay for each toothpick)

Provence, France

Places visited: Le Thor, Isle Sur la Sorgue, Avignon, Gordes, Rousillon, Seguret, Buis le Baronnes, Gigondas, Mollas sur Ouveze, Les Baux, Mont Ventoux, St. Julien Bridge, Chateau de la Canorgue Winery, Vaison la Romaine, Uzes, and Pont du Gard.

Favorite B&B (and restaurant):

Les Carmes close to Le Thor (with Michelin star chef and CHEAP gourmet dinners every night except Sundays plus wonderful hosts and guests)

Favorite towns:

Isle Sur la Sorgue (huge Sunday market, smaller Thursday market)
Gigondas (excellent wine tasting and restaurants)

(honorable mentions: Gordes, Rousillon and Vaison la Romaine)

Best sight:

Cathedrale d'Images

Restaurants:

Best Restaurant EVER:
Les Carmes near Le Thor (see above)

Worth going to if the weather is nice:
La Girocedre in Puymeras near Vaison la Romaine (beautiful back yard and hearty French food)

Nice not-so-heavy French food:
Terroirs in Uzes (try their delish tartines)