A couple decades ago, when I was just out of college, I moved to Italy to work as an au pair. Unlike most travelers, I did not end up in a city like Florence or Rome but rather a small town in the region of Piedmont where no one spoke English. I knew nothing about wine at the time but everyday day I would meet my new Italian friends at the local bar for aperitivi and they would do the ordering. And, each day a glass would be placed in front of me filled with a red wine that was slightly sweet and slightly sparkling and very delicious.  It was Brachetto d’Acqui. A recent trip took me back to Piedmont, to the heart of where Brachetto is from, Acqui Terme. This ancient Roman town, an 1 ½ hour southeast from Milan, became my home base for three days.   We settled in at the Grand Hotel Nuove Terme which overlooks the town square and began the tour of eating and drinking and eating and drinking some more.        
21 March, 2014
Think Korean BBQ, think meat. As carnivores, nothing satisfies a meat craving like a night out for Korean BBQ. But, if you have to watch your cholesterol, a night out for Korean BBQ is probably not on the top of your list. Til now! Now you can enjoy all the Korean BBQ you want with less worry. Why? Star King BBQ in Los Angeles is not your everyday Korean BBQ. Owner Jackie Yoo is a second generation veteran of the meat business. Less than a year ago, while looking for a high quality meat, she introduced Piemontese beef to the restaurant. The only Korean BBQ place to serve Piemontese beef, she is taking it to the next level. Piemontese beef comes from cows originally from the Northeast of Italy, in the Piedmont region. Now bred in Nebraska, what sets them apart from other breeds of cattle is that it is a leaner meat that is more tender and full of flavor without the high levels of cholesterol or calories. The cows are vegetarian-fed, hormone-free and antibiotic-free. There is also a mutation of a the myostatin gene which results in a 14% increase in muscle mass, compared to Angus beef, resulting in a cow that builds muscle with little fat.
20 March, 2014
I have been meaning to go to Manhattan Beach to try David Lefevre's Fishing With Dynamite since it opened almost one year ago.  So, what better place to spend National Clam Chowder Day (February 25) than at the East Coast-meets-West Coast seafood restaurant across the street from the beach!?!? Fishing with Dynamite is a friendly little spot. I say little as it only seats 33 people. When you walk in, you are facing, and almost up against, the raw bar, which has a few seats along it and then to the right is the bar with a few more seats. On either side of the raw bar are tables but in between all of these, there is little standing room. I arrived a few minutes before my dining partner and wasn't sure where to wait. But, the friendliness of the staff made me feel right at home. From the hostess to the servers to management, everyone was so personable and their love for the restaurant and the menu was apparent. Not a bad sentiment to start off a meal!
08 March, 2014
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