This recent trip was my first time in Maui, and the first thing that became clear is that Maui is for locavores. Other than fish, which I assumed would be local, I didn’t imagine the island being so prolific with the livestock and vegetables, but Maui is great in that respect. Grass-fed beef cattle and chickens are raised “up-country” along with asparagus, Maui onions, avocadoes, sweet corn, and much more. They even have a goat cheese dairy on Maui, the cheese of which is featured on many menus. Let me assure you that the local products not only have the feel-good factor of being locally and sustainably produced, they have that all important taste-good factor as well. It goes without saying that the fish you get on Maui is fresh and delicious no matter what.

We were staying at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua, so most of the places we ate were in that area (west Maui). The Ritz-Carlton is an amazing property which we normally wouldn’t have splurged for, but we got a really good deal as part of an Orbitz package. (I mean a really good deal… the recession is hurting tourism, for sure.) If you can get a good deal there, I highly recommend it.

After a delayed flight, a traffic jam, and a much longer drive to Kapalua than expected… I was starving and cranky. Enter my savior.

Oh wait. Not that savior. (Although it’s comforting to know he’s “coming soon”- like the next summer blockbuster!) This one: ahi poke from The Fish Market.

The Fish Market is in an unassuming strip mall just northwest of Lahaina, on Lower Honoapallini Road. Their ahi poke is excellent- tell them how spicy you want it, and they’ll grab some fresh raw ahi cubes, Maui sweet onion slices, and scallions, then doctor up the mixture with soy sauce and sriracha. I could eat it every morning for breakfast. Did I say “could”? I meant “did”. It’s a small styrofoam cup of heaven. In my starving cranky state, it was one of the best things I had ever eaten. Revisiting in a non-cranky, non-starving, relaxed I’m-on-vacation-in-Hawaii state did not change my view.

Of course, you can’t just keep eating the same poke when you know there are so many pokes out there for you to try. A great place to experiment is Lahaina Farms, which is a Whole Foods-esque Hawaiian grocery store in Lahaina Town (in another strip mall, natch.) Lahaina Farms has a poke counter with 8 different pokes, and the guy will let you, nay, he will encourage you, to try a taste of each and every one before deciding. All of the pokes were fresh and delicious, and the mango black pepper was a standout.

My birthday occurred while we were there, and not being the type to leave things to chance, I had made myself a sunset hour birthday reservation at Merriman’s (great thing about the internet: you can look up the time of sunset in any location in the world, and plan your romantic dinner accordingly.) This was an outstanding meal and one I will definitely repeat on my next trip. Every ingredient on the menu was from Maui- barring a few cases where a few things were from other Hawaiian islands. The service could not have been better, and the food was absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend it. The view wasn’t too shabby either…

Of the sushi places we tried, we liked 2 the best: Kai in the Ritz-Carlton, and Sansei in the same area. Sansei was majorly talked up because it’s good, and because they have some half price thing late at night or at 5 PM, yada yada yada, but I gotta be honest with you- vacation is not the time for worrying about half price or eating dinner at 5. Vacation is for being awesome and doing whatever you feel like. I will say that I think Kai had better quality sushi, but Sansei was more fun. One thing Sansei had was a kick-a$$ Mai Tai- one of the best I’ve ever had. So I would recommend taking a seat at the bar and getting some Mai Tais and their best-known roll, the panko-crusted ahi roll. It’s the best-known for a reason. It’s hella good. Kai is in a beautiful setting above the ocean, and the fish was absolutely fresh and so tasty, especially the sake sashimi. They also had some interesting appetizers, like a scrumptious short rib gyoza.

One day we were really jetlagged and woke up around 5:30 AM. We took a harrowing coastal drive on a 1-lane road to the town of Wailuku for hot malasadas (Portuguese donuts) and coffee from Home Maid Bakery. They only have hot ones between 5-10 AM and 4-10 PM, and you’re definitely gonna want hot ones.

On our last day, we drove through upcountry on the way to the Haleakala Volcano National Park.We passed through several different landscapes on the way up the mountain, with stunning views of Maui all the way up. It was a gorgeous drive but very curvy- luckily we don’t get carsick!

After all the raw fish, we were craving something a little different. We found it in Makawao, a sweet little cowboy town with several art galleries and glassblowers along the main strip. At first blush, we weren’t too sure about the banging screen door and mismatched furniture at Pizza Fresh, but one bite of the pizza and our worries melted away. The owner uses only the freshest ingredients, locally grown when possible, and the crust was perfectly doughy and crispy. It was just what we needed to fuel our hike on martian landscapes of the volcano.

Our last stop before heading to the airport for a red-eye was Mama’s Fish House in Paia, a cute hippie-ish town near the Kahului airport. Mama’s was heartily recommended by a whole bunch of people we know, and not similar people either- folks who have very different ideas about what makes a good dining experience. It’s a little tricky to find, and it’s pretty pricey, but it’s a neat experience. My favorite thing about Mama’s was that for each fish dish listed on the menu, they literally call out the fisherman by name and note where exactly the fish was caught (e.g. “line-caught by John Smith off the Taka Atoll”). I have never seen that on a menu, and I like it!

It happened to be Mother’s Day and an elegantly dressed older woman came by each table to check in- it was Mama herself. This place is so popular and with such a well-defined (read: crazy Tiki Hawaiian) style that I have no doubt Mama has been approached many times about franchising the business. She hasn’t done it, there is only one Mama’s. It’s the real deal.

We enjoyed one last technicolor sunset from the beach at Mama’s before saying Aloha to Maui.

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American cheese, ham, crusty bread, all pressed in some 1950s machine. Heaven. I think it was only 2 dollars. Swig some cafe con leche along with it, and you’ve got a breakfast of champions. The place ain’t fancy and the people aren’t that nice, but that’s not what you’re after. There will be other tourists there, but plenty of locals too.

La Bombonera is at 259 Calle San Francisco in Old San Juan and open daily from 7:30 AM – 8 PM.

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Their sole purpose is to allow you to bring a little bit of soy sauce with you wherever you go, just in case. They come with a little tiny eye-dropper so you can fill them up with soy sauce. So far they have never leaked and they always make me smile when I pull them out at lunchtime! Something about those vacant, beady eyes and perky ears- they are really endearing little pals to have around.

Eliza got these for a couple bucks at one of my very favorite stores in the world, Daiso Japan. Daiso is kind of like a super cool Japanese Dollar Store, except most things cost two dollars instead of one. Daiso has a crazy cross-section of stuff, from garden supplies to kids’ toys to dishes to cards (many in hilarious Engrish) to fake flowers to, er, individual soy sauce holders. With ten bucks in hand, you can have a GREAT time in there.

There are 3 stores in the Seattle area and 6 in the Bay Area- here’s a list of all U.S. locations.

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And this one, which due to the old-timey script, I first read as “Having laid down the f-word with honor…” but it’s sword. Not fword. Heh.

Yeah, I know. I’m immature. What can I say.

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Visit the Homestead Resort site for more info.

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That’s it. It’s Stonehenge made of old refrigerators. According to this website (which also has a bunch more pictures) an artist created it outside of Santa Fe, NM, until some art-hating, fridge-loathing jerk COMPLAINED and made them take it down.

Who has time to complain about a fridgehenge? Do you really have nothing better to do?

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Austin, Texas is a terrific town to spend a long weekend (or more) visiting. They’ve got so much to offer! Sights, sounds, history, bats, live music, art, you name it. On top of that, they have a wide variety of eateries and drinkeries (is that a word?) that are sure to please every palate. Heck, they’ve even got a wine country (sort of.) Simply put, I had a terrific time eating and drinking my way through Austin and I recommend you get your butt out there sometime.

Favorite overall: Uchi Being from San Francisco, you can understand we were all a little skeptical about going to a Japanese restaurant in Austin, but time and time again it surfaced in recommendations as the BEST restaurant in all of Austin. Turns out there’s good reason for that whole “assume = ass out of u and me” because, DAMN, that is a fine restaurant. The setting is lovely, the service is terrific, and the food is divine. It’s not pretentious, although it surely could be with the quality of food they’re producing. My favorite thing was little morsels of marbled beef that you cooked on lava-hot rocks at the table. The inventive sashimi was also a highlight. If Uchi were in my own city, I’m quite certain I’d frequent it with vigor. We ate there early so our drinks were happy-hour prices, but even so, when the bill came and it was only $25 a person for this incredibly thoughtful dining experience, it absolutely flippin’ boggled my mind.

For strong drinks and a good jukebox: Shangri-La The quintessentially perfect hipster dive bar. A couple video games, some mismatched furniture, strong pours on the gin, a devil-may-care design aesthetic, and a rockin’ jukebox. They have a large outside patio for balmy nights as well.

For BBQ: Sam’s BBQ Good LORD, how people in this town fight over the best BBQ. It’s completely overwhelming. I spent hours on Chowhound before the trip trying to figure out what was legitimate, what was overrated, and so forth, and all that happened was that I was even more confused. I went with Sam’s and I was happy with my choice. It’s not the most picturesque area but the brisket and sausages were excellent, and the place is a riot. Five people ate disgustingly well (including banana pudding, yessiree) for around $25.

Honorable Mention: House Park Bar-B-Que I didn’t eat here but anyone who comes up with the slogan “Need no teef to eat my beef” deserves kudos.

For something a little nicer: Parkside At first blush, Parkside seems a bit too clever and trendy, but quickly wins you over with inventive, delicious food. They have an excellent wine list, and it’s oh-so-easy to linger there over small plates until late.

For the infamous Frito Pie: Shady Grove Need I say more? It’s a bag of Fritos slit open with chili inside. You wouldn’t want to eat it every day but you shouldn’t die without trying it once. For what it’s worth, all of the other food at Shady Grove is top notch, and if you can snag a seat on the outdoor patio, you’ll be loath to give it up and move on.

For a pretty spot to sip on wine: Hotel San Jose The rooms at this adorable boutique hotel are a little too rich for my blood, but the common space has a well-designed indoor-outdoor flow that makes it a gem for a wine and cheese break after vintage shopping on South Congress.

For dessert on the run: Hey Cupcake truck Chase it down if you must, but everyone should experience a cupcake from a truck. There are actually multiples: a truck that drives around, and an airstream trailer parked on South Congress. I really wish I could remember which flavor I liked the best, but one gets confused when one eats them ALL.

For a throwback cocktail experience: Pêche And by throwback, I’m talkin’ like 1890s. Pêche is a gorgeous rambling bar in a room that looks straight out of the past, and the drink list is full of whimsical takes on old-fashioned cocktails. They’ve done a great job of making a comfortable, updated scene nestled within this funky space. The drinks are strong and served by knowledgeable folks.

For a food-friendly weekend: Austin is a great choice!

Listings:
Uchi
Shangri-La
Sam’s Bar-B-Cue
House Park Bar-B-Q
Parkside
Shady Grove
Hotel San Jose
Hey Cupcake
Peche
View Austin Eats on Off The (Meat)Hook in a larger map

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Bertrand Goldberg’s Marina City towers seen from the river.

The fun/frightening Carnival Foods signage was the only (literally) bright spot on this overcast and rainy walk near Oz Park.

We caught a man on Halsted Street working diligently on this Barack Obama mural (just a few days before the November 2008 election.)

The comics at Second City hilariously dressed up one of the stodgy old guys carved onto their theater building’s facade for Halloween with a cape and Darth Vader mask.

Am I anthropomorphizing too much, or does this Lincoln Park house look like a person to you too?

Caramelized butterscotch and apple bacon hanging from a wire contraption during a mind-boggling molecular gastronomy dinner at Alinea.

Wolfy’s!

I call this apartment building “the frowny robot building.”

Crowds approaching Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate” sculpture (aka “the Bean”) in Millenium Park.

We were driving aimlessly through the suburbs and randomly came upon this half-scale model of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, built in 1934. The parklands that surely surrounded it at one time have been oddly subsumed by a YMCA and a Costco. (And yes, we took the obligatory “pushing it back upright” series of photos…)

The sign for Empire Liquors in Wicker Park sports real liquor bottles enclosed in mesh.

Loooooved this warning posted in the awesome Old Town Oil shop.

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Vieques is a notoriously, unabashedly casual place, and El Quenepo is probably the “fanciest” restaurant on the whole island. I say that in quotes because, well, nothing on Vieques could remotely be referred to as fancy- we’re talking about a restaurant with a hand-painted sign and no glass in the window frames. Still, it’s an utterly charming place with a laid-back island aesthetic and an adventurous, sophisticated fusion menu. The owners are a young couple from Virginia who encourage local farmers on Vieques to grow food for use in the restaurant, which is a real treat in the Caribbean, where most folks don’t emphasize the importance of eating locally. If you find yourself in Vieques, I highly encourage you to head to the Malecón in Esperanza and give El Quenepo a try.

A few notes about the recipe:

1. This would work better on a BBQ grill, but alas, I don’t have one, so I used a grill pan, which worked just fine.
2. For the bread for the croutons, you can really use anything. I used sliced sourdough that had gone a bit stale.
3. If you’re uncomfortable using a raw egg yolk, you can leave it out.
4. If you prefer your caesar with anchovies, you can add 3 to the dressing and/or you can place them on top of the salad when you plate it!

Grilled Caesar Salad

serves 2 as a main course; 4 as a side.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 slices bread
• garlic salt to taste
• 3/4 cup grated parmigiano or pecorino cheese
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 raw egg yolk
• 1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tblsp slivered almonds
• salt and pepper
• 2 small heads of romaine
• extra olive oil for grilling and toasting

Method:

• Make the croutons: Cut bread into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a non-stick saute pan (at least a couple tablespoons). Add bread cubes and a healthy sprinkle of garlic salt to the oil. The bread will quickly soak up the oil. Add more as needed (don’t be afraid you’re adding too much because in this case there’s practically no such thing.) Taste and add more garlic salt as necessary. Cook bread cubes until toasty on all sides, flipping often. Remove to bowl and set aside.
• Make the dressing: Put cheese, lemon juice, garlic, yolk, oil, almonds, and salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until thick and creamy, scraping down sides in between. Set aside.
• Grill the romaine: Cut the romaine lengthwise, leaving the hard connector part on the bottom intact (you’ll remove it later.) Heat a grill or grill pan to very very hot. Brush the cut side of the romaine with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Press the cut side onto the grill or pan, checking every 5-10 seconds (it will cook very quickly.) You don’t want the lettuce to wilt too much, just to get the cut side smoky and grilled.
• Assembly: Place romaine on plate and sprinkle croutons around. Drizzle dressing over.

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I spent a long weekend in the Hamptons with my two very best girlfriends, Lori and Michelle, who sadly (for me) are two displaced California lasses who have decamped to New York City. The reason was ostensibly Lori’s bachelorette party, but it was really just an excuse to spend some quality time together.

I usually don’t make such fancy shmancy stuff, but this was an occasion that called for something special. Plus, I was excited for the opportunity to pick up some incredibly fresh local seafood and build a seasonal meal around it. This dish screams “springtime” and turned out fabulously well, if I do say so myself. And although it seems a little complicated, for me, at least- it was not so very much effort for such an impressive result. When I do buckle down and commit to a more complex or fussy meal, it is really exhilarating when it turns out well, because I sometimes fear that I’m losing my chichi cooking chops by tending almost always towards the simplest types of cooking. This was the first meal that I’ve cooked in quite some time that gave me that “yep, still got it” feeling.

I was loath to put up the recipe because I completely winged it, and don’t have exact measurements, but Lori and Michelle were really hoping to re-create the meal at home, so I’m summoning my best powers of memory and estimation to try and offer you a coherent recipe.

Seared Sea Scallops with Melted Ginger Leeks and Crispy Mushrooms
This is the amount I made for 3 people, but it could serve 2 or 4 if you just adjust the scallop amounts- the mushrooms and leeks will be an OK amount either way. I served it with asparagus risotto.

Ingredients:

• a couple Tblsp butter
• a couple Tblsp olive oil
• ½ pound oyster mushrooms, chopped finely
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, chopped finely
• ¾ cup white wine
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2-inch piece of ginger, peel on, sliced
• 9 fresh large sea scallops, rinsed and dried well
• 2 medium-sized leeks, cut in thin slices
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

• Put about 1 Tblsp olive oil and 1 Tblsp butter in a sauté pan and heat over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and season with a lot of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until small and dark brown and crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Return mushroom pan to medium high heat and add ½ cup wine. Cook until almost completely evaporated.
• Add cream and cook until bubbling. Turn off heat and add ginger. Set aside.
• Season scallops with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Put about 1 Tblsp butter and 1 Tblsp olive oil  in a sauté pan over high heat. When hot,  place scallops in pan, flat side down. Cook about 3 minutes per side, until nice and crispy brown on each side. Remove to plate. (Remember that the scallops will continue to cook a bit after removing from pan, so it’s better to err on the side of undercooking rather than overcooking.) Remove to a plate and set aside to rest.
• In a small pan, heat about 2 tsp olive oil and add shallots. Saute until soft but not brown.
• Add leeks and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Add ¼ cup wine and cook until almost evaporated.
• Discard ginger pieces from cream. Pour cream over leeks. Cook about 2-3 minutes, until leeks are soft.
• To plate, pull out some leeks with tongs and make a bed on the plate. Place 3 scallops on top. Pour a little bit of the leek cream over the top of the scallops. Sprinkle with a handful of mushrooms.

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