PREFACE:
This post was originally posted at the end of May 2011, in Hebrew, on the lifestyle portal site www.xnet.co.il
Even several months ago, when I returned from there, before the diplomatic situation deteriorated to the awful point it reached today, this article was considered to be very risky for me to publish- due to many Israelis taking as a personal insult seeing another Israeli print anything favourable about Turkey.
However- It is very important for me to note to you who read this that this exactly my point-
Many people around the world hate Israel because of the actions of a few, or the negative spin in the world press distorting reality in the media’s portrayal of Israel.
Just as I get angry and frustrated seeing this happen, so do I feel that Turkey as a nation does not deserve to be hated by all of us here in Israel because of the misguided policy created by the current PM , who has done much to damage Turkey’s noble legacy of moderation and a secular, free society.
I know many people in Istanbul, and believe me, they are as saddened as we are to see the state that their beloved country has gotten to because of fanatics that they fervently despise and disagree with-
My aim in re-posting this in English, on the worst possible day for anyone to be saying anything positive about Turkey is this:
Just as we who love peace and freedom in Israel and do not wish extremist factions to dictate to the world how we are perceived, so the sane, calm, and peaceful individuals in Turkey who deplore this situation, deserve to be seen as individuals- Not lumped together with the very savages they detest….
So I hope you will read this post and understand it’s context..

ISTANBUL and CHEF VEDAT BASARAN

I just returned from one of my most favourite cities in the world, Istanbul!
After spending a week there, of course I was itching to write about all the new things I ate, saw, and experienced.
Then, on our last day, I went to meet Chef Vedat Basaran, the incredible chef I had filmed an episode of “Duet” with in Istanbul, 2 years ago:

http://www.mako.co.il/mako-vod-mako/Duet-s1/VOD-c7386a4a2d57a21006.htm

After spending an hour with him seeing his new project, I realized that my posts about Istanbul will have to be in 2 parts, this week being dedicated exclusively to him.
His importance is far too great to just say just a few words in a general post.
First of all, Chef Vedat Basaran is not only just a great chef.
He is a true man of culture and education, and has devoted his professional life to preserving the culinary and artistic heritage of the Ottoman period of Turkey’s rich history.
I don’t exaggerate to say, to me he is a genuine role model and culinary icon I sincerely admire.
I won’t waste time repeating his accomplishments here because I discuss them in the “Duet” link which I posted above.

One of the things he taught me last time we met, was about how to prepare the noble “Kalkan” (turbot) in the authentic Ottoman style.
Below is a photo of me making it again later,  here in Israel, which I had specially flown to me from France!
( plus a photo of me and Alon holding up the turbot and a little note for Vedat:)

Here are a few photos of his restaurant “Feriye”, and a link about the restaurant and Chef Vedat from Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703683804574533852995675002.html

his kitchen, staff, and would you believe the view from the back door of the restaurant???!

Now in addition to all his impressive credentials, he is about to add to the list- Consulting Chef and director of the newest center for art and culture in Istanbul!
This insanely complicated and expensive endeavor has been more than a year in just the building phase, and I was lucky enough to meet Chef Basaran at the site, only one week before the scheduled opening!

The building itself is 4 floors and on each floor will house showrooms dedicated to different Turkish textiles, art, jewelry, and of course, food!
When we arrived to meet him, he was busy with the general manager, choosing the exact spot on the chef jackets where the logo will be placed.
As we entered, an incredible display of Turkish handmade glass globes hung like jewels from the ceiling.

Workers were installing the last of a curving steel balustrade wrapping the huge marble stairs.
Gleaming glass cases held examples of Royal Ottoman textiles and costumes from the Sultan’s palaces, Chef Vedat explained to me that these treasures were now being specially duplicated in by textile historians, to preserve the treasures for the future..
It takes months for laboratories to study the materials and the dyes and then the results are sent to the textile artisans so they can duplicate to the final detail the exact composition of each garment!

Walking up another floor, our breath was taken away by a three- story high vertical garden!
As the plants mature (they had only been planted a week before) they will make a rich living tapestry evoking the amazing textiles in the gallery inside.

In the restaurant, where geometric turquoise tiles frame the gleaming stainless steel and marble professional kitchen which in addition to serving authentic Turkish cuisine made by chefs from all over Turkey, personally trained by Chef Basaran himself, there will be classes with local chefs who through difficult research to find them, Chef Basaran has made sure that the ancient and complex culinary secrets they hold will be taught to the new generation of young chefs so these priceless cultural treasures aren’t lost forever.

We sat with him and even though the pressure of the opening was fully upon him, dozens of staff in full concentration all around him, his graciousness and hospitality never faltered.

He whispered something to one of the headwaiters who were standing just nearby, and moments later a delicious wood roasted flatbread covered with handmade Turkish cheese, herbs, and peppers appeared, even though the entire kitchen staff was busy with a full training and testing of all the dishes.

He spoke to me about his visits to Israel, and mentioned how much he enjoyed them, how much he appreciates Israel’s natural culinary products, and his friendship with Chef Ezra Kedem.
I appreciated his openness about his friends here in Israel, and it touched me even more, as these days many Turks, especially prominent members of society, would not wish to say publicly positive things about Israel..
I wanted very much to ask him how he felt about the political climate in Turkey now, but I knew that would be putting him in an uncomfortable position, and his grace and class would compel him to answer politely, and I had no wish to be pushy.

He told me about his Sommelier and how he has worked tirelessly to select the very best boutique wines, from local Turkish grape varieties, that could be found in the entire country, and introduced us to him, even giving us the names of several outstanding Turkish wines which he recommended we find and bring home with us (we did!)

Every detail of this project seemed to be personally supervised by Chef Basaran- Even down to the style and cut of the uniforms, the type of authentic handmade wooden trays for proofing the breads before they go to the oven, the marble slab counters in the kitchen, the placement of the equipment in the demonstration kitchen- no detail escaped his eye and his demand for perfection.
This to me is the sign of a true chef, and a true man of culture:
Devoting yourself to what you love and never saying “it’s good enough” unless it’s truly perfect.

You may notice I left my usual sarcasm and jokes at the door for this post and wrote simply about the privilege I feel to personally know Chef Vedat Basaran, and how lucky Istanbul is to have such a treasure.
I wish him every success with this new project, and hope to visit there again just as soon as possible.
If you have the chance to go to Istanbul, you won’t believe your eyes at the magic contained in this city!

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I’m sure it will surprise no one that my first post for Xnet ( www.xnet.co.il) will be about markets.
In this case the markets of Mexico, where I just returned from after 2 weeks.

What may surprise some of you is the absolutely dazzling level of quality, products, and the mind- boggling array of delights in Mexico’s markets that could fuel the fantasy feasts of foodophiles for years on end..

Mexico is a true love of mine.

I’ve seen her many times, at her best and at her worst, but every time I am mesmerized, enchanted, and I fall immediately under her spell the second I step off the plane..

There is something about this place, it seems always to be vibrating with an almost uncontainable life force, full of gladness, beauty, and vital sensuality.

The glimpses of the frightening or the grotesque just make it that much more intoxicating and it is exactly the contrasts here which make this place unlike any other on earth.

This visit was the first time Alon has been to Mexico, so it made it even more special for me-

for years I had wanted him to taste and see all the secret and rare things which I had loved so much and had always wanted to share with him..

Mexico’s culinary history is as vivid and extreme as the history of the country-

Gods, mythology, legends, sexuality- all these things in Mexico are connected somehow or another with food.

Nothing pleasurable, or sacred, in life, or in death, are separated from food.

I will get into this in more detail in future, but for now, let’s just say, “That’s just the way I like it!!”

First of all, we went immediately to the Friday Market, in Condesa, Mexico City.

It’s a travelling market which is located in different areas of the largest city in the world, (25 million people!!) on different days of the week.

We went with my culinary soulmate, the incredible chef, Peter Norman,( who lives with his partner, a stunningly talented jewelry designer and the possesor of one of the most hilarious senses of humour I have ever seen..to meet either of them is to immediately fall in love) in a beautiful apartment just a few minutes away..

The Jacaranda trees that fill the huge park in Condesa are just about to burst into full bloom, filling the air with their dusty perfume and carpeting all the streets with their sky blue blossoms.

Tiny birds fly everywhere. The park is filled with all different kinds of things-

The dark and sinister sounding whistle of the “Camote Man”, selling delicious wood- fire roasted sweet potatoes from a rolling cart with attached wood- burning fire oven!

The taco seller, with miniature freshly- made corn tortillas filled with roasted pork and fresh salsas and grilled green onions, you get them in sets of 4, add fresh lime and blazing hot habanero chiles.. The cost? 20 pesos (about 5 shekels!)

Fruit juice sellers, with a selection of fruits that overwhelm you, our favourite was the fresh Nopale cactus mixed with pink grapefuit- it’s delicious, extremely healthy, and is great for weight loss- an added bonus!

But I digress- we were off to the Friday Market!

The first thing I saw, to my delight, was this:

Oaxacan women making “gorditas” delectable treats made from Aztec blue corn, filled with handmade cheese, beans, meats.. Of course we ate several!

This little market packs a mighty punch:

The produce and vegetables blew my mind!

“Cuitlacoche”- a black fungus which grows inside ears of corn, discreetly today called “Mexican Corn Truffles”, it’s real name in the ancient language of the Aztecs, Nahuatl, actually translates to :

“Shit of the Gods”!! Oh my goodness!! Well, whatever you call it, it’s intense, unusual, and delicious!

Fresh pumpkin flowers!! fry them in a batter made from flour and beer, and dust them with salt!

Chayote vine squash, a pale green squash the colour of mint sorbet and with the delicate flavour and texture of cucumbers! These will clean your blood and remove toxins from your body!

Tiny tomatillos, sleeping in their papery husks, pink and blue potatoes the size of your little fingernail!

Jicama, a cool, intensely crunchy, and delicious root like a giant water-chestnut, a favourite treat is to cut them into big paletas like an “Artik” ice pop, and then dip them into sugars and salts flavoured with all kinds of different fruit essences and chiles!

But the jewel here (of course!!) is the FISH!!

This little stand was packed with some of the most pristine fish and seafood I have seen outside of the best markets of Europe!!

Huge Dorados! “Tiburones” ( thresher sharks) which must be eaten within 12 hours of being caught! “Percebes”, which are an esoteric delight often seen in the very best restaurants in Spain, these are giant barnacles, boiled for exactly 4 minutes in salt water ,and removed from their scaly “legs”.

In Spain these creatures cost 20 Euro per 100 grams, and taste exactly like fresh lobster!

Octopus (Pulpo), giant locus, and the best quality giant fresh shrimp I have ever seen, and now I will just rub a little salt in your wounds by mentioning that they cost about 40 shekels a kilo!!

The fish guys are incredible professionals, and have intense and obvious pride in their work. Respect!!

Now I can go on for hours on this subject but I will save some for later, and leave you with Peter’s simple yet special, recipe for: “Camarones en Tequila”. ( He uses Mezcal, but let’s face it. The chances of finding Mezcal in Israel, are small. If you do find it, or have it, use it)

And don’t blame me if you immediately after eating them drop everything and book a flight to Mexico!

Ingredients:

16 large FRESH shrimp, cleaned with scissors through the back of the shell and sand vein removed.

3 teeth fresh garlic, sliced

1-2 fresh green chilies, sliced into rings

Coarse sea salt

Fresh limes or lemons

Tequila (real, not that horrible fake Israeli “kahila” or whatever it’s called)

Canola oil

Ps.

For 10 years, since I moved to Israel, I ONLY buy my fish at “Moshe Fish”, in the Shuk ha’Carmel, and you should too.

03-5101863. And to make sure he pays attention to you, tell Moshe that Rima sent you.

He’s like a brother to me! I made the food for his kids’ Bar and Bat Mitzvahs!

He had everyone at our wedding sobbing with his speech, and he held up a corner of my Chuppah !

and his fish is simply, The Best.

Method:

In an EXTREMELY hot pan or wok add first the oil and when it starts to smoke, add the shrimp, garlic, and chilies.

Saute until the shrimp are cooked, about 3 minutes.

Add about 1/4 cup tequila, tilt the pan to catch the alcohol on fire, let it burn off.

Add plenty of sea salt and squeeze fresh limes ( try to get limes. It makes a big difference!!

You can call me if you want and if you are very nice I will give you some from my trees!) or lemons on top, serve with the rest of the tequila to drink on the side.

Pura Vida!!

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For those of you who watch “Duet”-
There is one episode which was devised by the producers to cover-up a disastrous pilot, (nothing to do with me!!)
where I must introduce the episode by saying:
“This is an unusual Duet..because this time, it’s not my story..”

And so I will say this again.. but yet, in a way, it is my story, because it is the story of when Rima met Peter..
A chance meeting which, in fact, changed my life.

So, it began about a year ago, we were sitting around the house on Saturday, and the phone rang.
It was Yomi Levi (you remember, one of my best friends, who, along with his brother, owns and runs the best Turkish specialty shop in Tel-Aviv.. מעדניית יום טוב at 43 Levinsky..)
”Wake up!” he said, “We are going to Herzliya to eat at a great Turkish place! I’m picking you up in an hour!”
So what to do except get ready to go??

An hour later, Yomi arrived at our door, and with him was a drop-dead gorgeous man who looked like some sort of cinematic fantasy hybrid between, say, George Clooney, and a young Sean Connery..

Yomi introduced us, saying “This is Peter Norman- the famous Swedish chef everyone has been telling you that you must meet- he popped by, and decided to join us for lunch!”

Now, of course, I was overjoyed.
Because, actually, for months, I had been hearing “Chatter” (as they say in the C.I.A and Mossad when referring to receiving  high-quality buzz about someone-) about the fabulous Peter Norman- a crazy chef and stylist of mythological talent, who for reasons unknown, had decided to leave his pastoral farm in Sweden and move to Israel..
And in fact, I had been scheduled several times to meet him and due to one arak thing or another, just never happened..

Well, never mind. He came into our house, a book in his hand, introduced himself..
And it was that old cliche you always hear..”I felt like I had known him my entire life”. But it was true.
The book he had brought to me was in fact a copy of his book, “the PINK Cookbook”

http://www.lundlund.com/food-stylists/peter-norman/biography

Now, as all of you know, I do not read, or own, any cookbooks. But this one was different.
Not so much a cookbook, this was the single most aesthetically beautiful piece of food art I had ever seen.
And what made it even more striking to me was, the same time as I had been travelling the world, to 13 locations, filming “Duet”- Peter had been travelling the world- to 13 locations- shooting on location each chapter of his book.
It was remarkable, and his book took my breath away- And it still does.

Within hours of meeting, (Well, the place in Herzliya was closed!) we were all sitting at a steak house in NeveTzedek- (Makom shel Basar, to be exact, and I actually happen to really like this place- site : http://makomshelbasar.rest-e.co.il/)  Eating steaks, drinking countless bottles of wine, talking about travels, life, food, adventures, as if we were lifelong friends just reunited after a few months of travels apart, comparing stories..

That night (which in fact happened to be Peter’s birthday) ended up with us all over at Peter’s place-
(A beautiful, welcoming oasis of impeccable taste, refinement, and beauty, in the middle of Tel-Aviv)
drinking Swedish Aquavit, downing frozen vodka, eating caviar, dancing around the room to Brazilian remixes of 70’s disco classics, and generally having the time of our lives!!

And that was the start of our friendship.
From that day on, we trawled the markets of Tel-Aviv, ate countless dinners in his beautiful home, gossiped, planned menus, brainstormed ideas for all kinds of projects, cooked and ate beautiful meals, and of course, drank endless bottles of wine..

Peter, as is his nature, that is to say, he is a true citizen of the world, and follows his heart fearlessly, and purely, has moved away to Mexico City, just 2 weeks ago, with his partner, who we all fell in love with as he did..

And I will say this-
My life, and in fact, all of Israel, became a duller, and poorer place the day he left.
I have never met someone like Peter before- Full of charm, grace, laughter, wit, generosity, empathy, and blazing talent- Yet without one bit of the pretentious ego or narcissism that plague many in our field, with far lesser gifts than his..

I know I will visit him many times in beautiful Mexico,  a country which is also one of my true loves..
Strangely, in another part of my life, I was sure I would move there to live one day.

And I know he will be back to Israel many times, too, as the dust of this strange land has gotten under his skin, and will never allow him to turn his back completely on this place..

Meeting Peter was one of the rare occurrences which even fleetingly, make me believe in a higher power-
One which brought us together in order to experience life all that much more fully.

Miss you Peter

Rima Olvera & Peter Norman’s Grilled Fresh Shrimp with Tarragon and Pistachio Butter

20 large fresh shrimps, cleaned by cutting through the back of the shell with scissors, removing the sand vein, but leaving the head attached (if you simply insist on it, you can remove the heads, but they look and taste much better with them on..)

Carefully butterfly the shrimp tails (open them, but leave the shell whole from the back to hold the butter while roasting..)
2 sticks (200 grams) unsalted butter, softened,
3-4 cloves fresh garlic,
1 bunch fresh tarragon leaves,
about 1/4 cup fresh flatleaf parsley,
splash of Pastis, Pernod, or white wine,
zest from 1 lemon,
several turns fresh ground black pepper,
1/4 cup of shelled crushed pistachios,
big pinch sea salt-
Process all in food processor.
Spread each opened shrimp tail (look at photo) with a thick layer of the butter, and roast on top rack of oven, on hottest temp/”broil”, for about 4-5 minutes.
Serve immediately, with fresh lemon wedges (Meyer’s if available) nice sourdough bread, a frisee and lettuce salad, and a few bottles of crisp, dry white wine (like Sancerre, or good unoaked Sauvignon Blanc)

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For anyone foolish enough to go looking for a good, authentic, Thai meal in TLV, I have one thing to say:
“It’ll end in tears”.
Unless, of course, you go to “Beit Thailandi” (or, in English, “Thai House”.)

The entrance to the Thai House

This place is not only an old and venerable TLV institution, more than 9 years old, but literally the ONLY place in Israel which serves  delicious, AUTHENTIC, and REAL Thai food-
NOT the usual hideous hybrid between Kosher Chinese, and  the dumbed-down,
Israeli-ized ,“Pad Thai/Chicken satay” crap sadly served to the unsuspecting public in almost every other place claiming to serve Thai food in Israel.
Watch out, along with your order of “pad Thai”, they might try to sell you a “Rolex” or a used car, too!!!

“Thai House”, although virtually unknown to the TLV Local Dining Public, hilariously enough, is nonetheless packed every single night with European, American, and Asian tourists and expatriates, and, of course every single TLV chef and cook on their night off.
Not to mention the Thai ambassador and diplomatic corps from all over the Far East.
I mean- you can forget about getting a table here without a reservation at least a night ahead.
But mention this place to most of your local Israeli friends who are not “Industry” , and be prepared for a blank look, combined with a sound like, “Whaaaaa..???”

Now, let me warn you right off the bat- The service is horrible.
Bored, distracted, 20-something year olds will come with glazed eyes to your table and recite with all the interest of a donkey affected with ADHD, the party line, as related to spiciness, ingredients, etc.
If you interrupt her hypnotized monologue to say that you would actually like to have the food made as spicy as the cooks themselves eat, she may shake her head as if waving away mosquitoes, and repeat “ummm…but it’s spicy”

Very hot chilies!!!

Ahh.... lunch!!!

(this is my only complaint- even dishes listed as “spicy” are in fact, tame as a pampered housecat, and no pleading, threatening, or demanding for extra heat will get you anywhere- the only way is to keep ordering more and more extra fresh chilies on the side until they finally get the point..)

An ancient cat God at the Temple of the dawn

Some pampered market pets

But I digress.

Since when do I give a Monkey’s Uncle about bad service in TLV??!!
That goes without saying!! And I really couldn’t care less about the service when the food is as good as it is here!

Perfect Tom Yam- exactly sour and complex, served correctly with real Thai sticky rice…
Yum Neua- a delicate, yet intense salad of raw beef with naam pla, mint leaves, fresh chilies, and shallots, is one of my favourite dishes, both to make, and to eat, and at Thai House, they make it perfectly- and with the thoughtful and necessary plate of cucumber and white cabbage chunks served on the side to act as a palate-cleanser to cool you down between bites of this deliciously aggressive taste explosion…

The Green Curry? Sublime.
Rich, decadent green curry made with (yeah, it’s true!) coconut milk which the Thai cooks prepare by hand, fresh, themselves. Not from tins. It’s damn hard work, and well worth it, believe me!!

Making fresh coconut milk

And, one of their touches which no one else in town can match, the addition of the irreplaceable tiny, “Pea” eggplant- bitter, astringent, and absolutely integral to the perfection of this dish- In Thai culinary language, these eggplants are considered a medicinal ingredient, and it is no mistake that they are added to this rich, heavy, dish.. these eggplants have an enzyme which breaks down fat and cholesterol, making it much easier for the body to metabolize the rich coconut milk based dishes that they are traditionally served with in Thailand.

Thai green curry

By the way- they grow these themselves, at their own farm! plus a lot more special, authentic Thai vegetables for their exclusive use in their dishes- including really esoteric things  like bak Pong and Pak-kana, both delicious and healthy Thai vegetables, which have no substitute-
You simply must taste them for yourself!!
These are grown for the special dishes which are written on a separate page and given to those who really want a true taste of Thailand unavailable anywhere else..

We ate a kilo each and it cost us $5

Farang!!!

Forget about the wine list- No wines really belong with Thai food anyway, and order a Thai beer. For dessert the tapioca with coconut milk is perfect.. not too sweet, not “updated”, etc.. EXACTLY as you would get it in BKK..

I spent 12 days in BKK (Bangkok) last year while shooting “Duet”, and I can tell you- I spent every spare minute I had, eating, drinking, and exploring this incredible city of dreams..

Yeah that's really me!!!

An excellent soup place (of course we forgot the name)

The herbs.. the markets.. the delicacy, intensity, the sensuality and aesthetic beauty of everything- from the fish and shrimps piled up in the markets, to the unimaginable beauty of the incredible flowers, in every corner shrine..

Wat Sutat Temple

filled with the heartbreakingly beautiful bunches of huge pink and white lotuses.. the exotic 3am flower market with it’s displays of mountains of orchids..mounds of jasmine buds, roses, neroli and lotus..dripping with dew and surrounded by food sellers offering everything from bags of salt-and- pepper quails,  fermented chiang-mai sausages, crispy coconut tuiles filled with salted shrimps and chili paste…

Food sellers at the Flower Market

I lost myself happily in Thailand, I wandered down alleys filled with ancient shops filled with gold- plated Buddhist offerings.. dusty lanterns..rolls of silk and priceless gold jewelry.. hundreds- years old Temples and shrines filled with exquisite art, peacefulness,  with the scent of incense wrapping you like a silken veil..

The breathtaking Wat Arun

Contrasted surreally with huge, glittering shopping malls filled with the latest luxury goods and top- flight electronic gear, designer and couture clothes, both real and counterfeit, and above all, the scent, the taste, the crackling sounds of swirling life and the electrical feeling of scent, taste, sensuality, and culinary delights, which filled my senses at every turn.

lotus lilies!!!

I felt strangely at home and at peace in Bangkok.
I could happily live there.

For now, until I go back, I go to eat at Beit Thailandi.

The delicacy, discipline, and passion of this noble cuisine is respectfully recreated here..
In the confident and professional hands of Yariv Malili and his wife, the Thai-born chef, Lek Sunan.. who make every attempt to bring some of the magical Kingdom of Thailand here to us in TLV…And for that, I am truly thankful!

Sawasdee Kah!

Thai House
בית תאילנדי
8 Bograshov St.
Tel-Aviv
Tel: (03) 517-8568

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“Il Pastaio”?? “what, is this some new place in town??”
This is what I hear every time I mention that I love this place.
The fact of the matter is, Il Pastaio has been open in TLV for more than 18 years- or, , similar to “Dog Years”, that means about 18,650 “TLV restaurant years”.

And in that time, it has managed to avoid falling into virtually every one of the stereotypical pitfalls of most of the other places in town- It isn’t owned by a huge group of  greedy and pompous investors, all of whom expect to take home 5-digit monthly salaries for doing nothing, while demanding their manager hire a chef to work 6 days a week for a global salary that their spoiled kids would laugh at if offered as their allowance, and closing the place after 2 years, amidst scandals and lawsuits.

It hasn’t been expensively decorated by some stuck-up interior designer who pays more attention while planning the space to the size of the sex/coke sniffing lounges (bathrooms) than to the size and comfort of the kitchen.

And most importantly of all, at Il Pastaio, they could care less about hiring some high-powered PR firm to pump the media full of overblown and inaccurate press releases, articles, and interviews ad nauseum, bringing in tons of people who don’t know or care if the food is actually good or not, as long as they can say they saw the chef on TV or read some ass-kissing article written by someone who was paid to sit there and write a glowing review.

No. Here you come because you want to EAT DELICIOUS FOOD.
Nothing more, nothing less!

Let’s speak frankly:
The place doesn’t have flattering lighting.
Normally this is something I am unforgiving about, being, ahem, of  “A Certain Age”.
But I suck it up, put on some extra make-up, and STFU about it here!
It has a few tattered posters of Italian Formula 1 racecar drivers adorning the walls, as decoration.
And if I am not mistaken, there may even be a vase of artificial flowers in the corner. Yikes!

Two of my BFF's who happen to also be frequent dining companions

However- what it lacks in atmosphere, it more than makes up for in the food.
They make perfect pastas, all by hand by the chef, Itzac, who is the son of the owner, who works in the front, along with his sister.

You won’t see him offering some “wasabi-flavoured pasta with Brazilian meatballs” or similar experimental silliness, complete with 4 different sauces in squirt-bottles splattered all over the rims of oversized square plates here!
No way!!! He is Old-School all the way!
Respect!!!
They also sell their superb fresh pastas by weight from the shop, if you feel like cooking at home..

on my way to Il Pastaio on my bike a while ago, I saw this beautiful work by my favourite street artist, “Klone Yourself”

My particular favourite pasta here is the Porcini raviolis- delicate, small, charmingly cut in the shape of an actual porcini mushroom, they are packed with intense, true porcini flavour. Every time I order these I feel like ordering another plate of them when I finish the first one! There are excellent gnocchi in real Italian Gorgonzola sauce (NOT cheap, Israeli “Rokfor” I might add!!) Delectable, Lasagne Bianca, perfectly made. Succulent Scalloppine of Veal with Porcini mushrooms, another one of my favourite dishes here. Also an excellent-quality rare entrecote steak, grilled and thinly sliced, on a bed of pristine, fresh arugula, it is light and clean. Too bad there’s no radicchio to be found in Israel!! But that’s not their fault!!The “Carciofi alla Giudia” (Jewish Artichokes- the classic Roman dish) are surprisingly made with delicately marinated artichoke hearts- different, and exquisite. I always eat 3 by myself. (What?! gluttonous you say??! Thank you!!)

Carciofi alla Giudia

Even the old standard Veal alla Milanese, which most people seem to think is just another word for “schnitzel” (it is NOT!) is precise, tender, juicy, and made with a thin slice of REAL veal, with the bone, lightly dredged in crumbs and pan-fried- NOT heavily breaded with a nasty, thick batter of flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs and deep-fried in soy oil, as you will find if you make the horrible mistake of ordering “Milanese” elsewhere.

As a matter of fact, I basically am going to go out on a limb here and say I would be damn surprised if no matter what you order here, won’t be delicious.

As for wine, the list isn’t worth mentioning, but who cares. I always order a few bottles of Orvieto Classico,

The breathtaking Medieval Italian city of Orvieto. I drank some wine here, I can tell you!!

and at less than 90 shekels a bottle, it’s light, crisp, refreshing and goes perfectly with the food here.
If you insist on being a snob, bring your own good bottle and pay the corkage.

As you all know, I adore Rome. In fact, it happens to be one of my favourite cities.
here is a great place I love, and you should try, when in Rome:
Hostaria Romana
Via del Boccaccio, 1, Rome, Italy
064745284

Rima eats fresh Porcini at Hostaria Romana, Rome

I can truly say that Il Pastaio, in both authenticity of food, family-run and warm, and with it’s absolutely non-TLV poseur-oriented atmosphere, I feel like I am sitting in Rome every time I go here, and you will too.

Two cooks on a break in Rome near Piazza Navona

Alon outside the Coliseum

I adore Italian food, and it is one of my most cherished foods to both cook, and eat.

It took me 10 minutes to get this shot

I guess conservatively, I have spent more than 20 years studying and cooking Italian food, from all areas of Italy, and it makes me damn mad to see some coffee-house cowboy with 2 years kitchen experience insulting this noble cuisine by serving up soggy, overcooked pastas swimming in bowls of hideous cream sauces, or plating up “gnocchi” that are so heavy, Tony Soprano could use them as weights when he sends someone who double-crossed him, to “Sleep with the Fishes”!

And it makes me even madder to see some “Top Chef” who, as accomplished as he may be in his own style of food, nonetheless has zero experience in Italian food, yet opens some flashy “Italian” place with his name splashed all over the press and with a line out the door- because  he apparently thinks, “How hard could it be to cook Italian food??” and his PR team will back him up- all the way to the bank- at the expense of the dining experience of the Israeli Public.

Jackass

But when you eat there, if you have actually ever eaten true Italian food, you realize, to your dismay, that you have just been, well, screwed yet again-
Compliments of the nepotistic and clique-ish Israeli PR machines and their fawning servants, the media.  I’m not naming names here, but I could!!!

Do yourself a favour and avoid the hype, the nonsense, the empty pretensions of unqualified charlatans,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8StG4fFWHqg

And more importantly, avoid the inevitably mediocre food to be found so often in so many other “Italian” places in TLV -
and go get a truly excellent Italian meal at Il Pastaio.
And don’t forget to tell those guys over there to get a plate of Jewish Artichokes ready for me! I’m on the way over!!

Il Pastaio
איל פסטיו
http://www.ilpastaio.co.il/
27 Eben Gvirol street
אבן גבירול 27
Tel: 5251166

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For those of you not familiar with this quote- it happens to be from a novel from the series of which I adore- Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy”- An irreverent and hilarious satire about the entire galaxy…and the ridiculous and destructive consequences of Human Nature..

 
Specifically in this book, the protagonist revisits what he thinks is Earth, although it was destroyed in a previous novel.. Only to find out that the Earth he is now on, is an artificial one, created by Dolphins as a nature preserve in their “Save the Humans” campaign…

Now, this might seem irrelevant, but I assure you it is not- This post is about  SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD and FISHING PRACTICES…

I guess I should point out that I grew up in a very remote and isolated part of Northern California- A place called Mendocino, where all us kids grew up with the Pacific Ocean as our backyard- where we were as familiar and comfortable with the sea and it’s secrets as we were with our best friends-
At the time, in the 70’s and 80’s, this part of the California Coast was still almost pristine, unspoiled, and full of every imaginable marine life-

Mendocino California

 
Of course, there was no way to make a living then in that place unless you were either a Marijuana Farmer,

Marijuana in the "Emerald Triangle"

or a fisherman, or someone who made their living from something connected with the sea– which all of our friends and family fit either into one or both of these categories..
In any case, life was different.

There were so many Abalone, me and my dad (A Marine Biologist who actually happened to be the first man to dive under the Antarctic ice) used to go out in his canoe and pull up our limit in the time it took to free-dive down 4 times and pop them off the rocks-
We were so damn broke sometimes, we ate these when we had nothing else, and we used to make jokes as we ate our Abalone by candlelight in his cabin in the redwoods, that we were eating a delicacy for free that the “Rich Tourists” paid fantastic sums for.. Because we didn’t have much else!!

Diving for Abalone

A real big Abalone

I still have friends there, and they hide their Abalone Diving Spots jealously, and yet still have a hell of a hard time even finding their legal limit
(see link about Abalone regulations)
And God help you if you make the mistake of taking undersize Abs, or over your limit!!! That will be a VERY expensive mistake!!!!
http://sonic.net/~rocky/abregslimits.htm

Ling Cod was so plentiful, only the very cheapest restaurants sold it, as “Fish and Chips”. You couldn’t get rid of the stuff!!! We used to serve it for Employee Meals at the restaurant I worked at in High School!

A huge Ling Cod

 
This fish is now so rare as to be a protected species, with extremely strict restrictions!
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news04/04032.html

You guys all have eaten “Uni” (Sea-Urchin, or Oursin, roe) at a Sushi Bar, right??

Uni Nigiri

 
Well, it may surprise you to know that in the early 80’s in Mendocino, there were so many Sea-Urchins, that they were considered a pest, and in order to get them, all you needed was a wire mesh screen and a small boat- You could pull up literally hundreds of pounds of them in a few hours.

California sea urchins

These were then sold by the pick-up truckload (20$ a pickup load!!) to the marijuana farmers, who smashed them up and used them for fertilizer!!!!!

Around the mid 80’s, the Japanese got wind of this immense stock of “Uni”, sent agents out there to our coast, started paying the fishermen 500$ per 50 lbs…Which were then iced down , driven straight to the airport, and flown to Japan.. where the prices even then were around 100$ per cleaned pound…and the prices just kept going up..

Fresh Uni

 
And now, the once plentiful Sea-Urchin is a rare sight… And it’s a good chance that if you eat Uni, even in Japan, these came from Mendocino!!!

By the way, this type of Sea-Urchin should not be confused with the French “Oursin”, which come from Brittany, and are managed well, and not threatened in any way at the present time..
However, they are extremely susceptible to pollution, and whole colonies can be wiped out or contaminated by industrial pollutants and sewage pathogens, etc- Therefore, be careful to only eat fresh, LIVE Oursin, from a reputable restaurant!

Alon eats Oursin at Cafe Turin

My family originally comes from Carmel, on the Monterey Peninsula.

Sea Otter in Monterey Bay

Carmel Beach

 
My dad did a lot of research for Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and logged loads of technical dives in the Submarine Canyon in the Monterey Bay- the 3rd deepest in the world-
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://sanctuarysimon.org/monterey/images/build/sc_overview_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sanctuarysimon.org/monterey/sections/submarineCanyons/overview.php%3Fsec%3Dsc&usg=__BdetGJCesvCo7mipxL6t5GSUxgY=&h=190&w=270&sz=24&hl=iw&start=19&um=1&tbnid=kw5Jl2akobEcjM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsubmarine%2Bcanyon%2Bmonterey%26hl%3Diw%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:he:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLJ_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

The things he studied and photographed I can remember seeing photos as a kid and being AMAZED at this fantastical world, lying beneath the waters, as close as we could see, yet a completely different universe, with its own life forms, rules, mysteries, and secrets-

Diving in the Kelp Forest, Monterey

Rima and giant squid

 
Ones which we may never now know in full as it has been almost irreparably harmed by pollution in the last few decades.

Now, I  hope you will forgive me, as this post, as usual, seems to have taken on a life of its own, which took a different track from my intention of just providing a short and accurate overview of which types of fish you should be eating, and which you should avoid, if you care at all about sustainability and conservation, and have a desire to be able to eat fish in ten years from now..
So perhaps I should get to the point…

Rima and a Skate

Which is, as much as I would love to scarf up Abalone to my heart’s content, gorge on Sicilian Tuna Bottarga on a regular basis,

Sicilian Bottarga

 
and shovel up platefuls of Chilean Sea-Bass, I just cannot, in good conscience, do this anymore…
(Friends!!!!!! PLEASE DO NOT EAT CHILEAN SEA-BASS!!!!
although it was once my favourite fish, it has been exploited and overfished to the point that anyone who eats it, or puts it on the menu of their restaurant, is directly contributing to the probable extinction of a species-
So- I urge you to NOT TOUCH IT, and to tell any restaurant that serves it that you do not want to see it on menus!!! *sob*)

As distasteful as the subject is- the reality is, we live in different times, and it’s literally up to us, and especially those of us who are chefs, to lead the way in making ethical and responsible choices about what we will cook, eat, and serve to our clients!!!!

Tuna from "La Boqueria" in Barcelona, This fish had a tag guaranteeing it was legally caught

Lots of people say to me, “What’s the big deal?! There’s always Fish Farms! Why the hysteria?!!
http://www.sviva.gov.il/Enviroment/bin/en.jsp?enPage=e_BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=Zone&enDispWho=fish_farms_e&enZone=fish_farms_e
And to this, I sadly must say- Fish Farms are no silver bullet to stop the vampire of overfishing and threats to species- Fish Farms can cause different problems, both ecologically, and biologically, which in the long run, could add to the problem, not solve it-
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=31&art_id=vn20050405065346180C545538&set_id=

We  also need to understand that continuing to deploy huge, modern, fishing fleets using every bit of technological advantage to find fish and then pull them up in absolutely unsustainable numbers, just cannot continue-

If you love travelling in Italy, as I do, and know the Italians’ love of seafood and fish, it will break your heart to go there now and go to the fish markets and speak to the fishermen and fish merchants- who have seen catches decrease in size and quality to the point that many entire villages and economies dependent 100% on fishing, are destroyed..

filming "Duet" in Verona Italy with Elia and Matteo Rizzo of Il Desco Ristorante

Why?? OVERFISHING. Plain and simple.
People seem to forget that complaining to the government when quotas and limits are put into effect, as if it is some punishment designed to create suffering for the fishermen- It is a NECCESSARY MEASURE effected to try to preserve at least a tiny bit of base stocks of fish and allow the populations to stabilize!!!
http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2008/11/too_many_tonnes_of_tuna.html

I love fish, as all of you know-
in fact, it is my favourite thing to eat, and to cook.
But because I love fish, I am more careful than ever to make sure the choices of fish I am buying are responsible choices…
As time goes on.. the amount of Ahi Tuna, Grouper, Yellowtail, etc. I use is going way down, and my use of sardines, anchovies, local blue crabs, mackerel, etc, is going up.. And I urge you to do the same…
Save the rarer and precariously balanced fish species for special occasions, where they belong!!

Rima and mediterranean camel-fish

Here again is the link to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s great pocket guide to safe and sustainable seafood- I hope very much you will download and use this, and speak up when you see something you know shouldn’t be on a menu…
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_regional.aspx

This obviously is just a tiny bit of information, to hopefully just get everyone to think twice about what kind of fish you are buying and eating, and where they are from, and what is the status of the species…
I for sure am NOT planning on stopping eating fish!!!
Just trying to be a little more thoughtful about it..

NEXT POST….
BACK TO MY USUAL WISE-ASS COMMENTARY AND BON-VIVANTISM!!!  so please don’t delete me..:) 
And now if you will excuse me I happen to have a fish
(local red palamida- there’s tons of ‘em here!!!)  in the frig which I am going to make into a big plate of sashimi!!!

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black rice fields in Laos

Ok!!  I admit it- I’ve been  little lazy in posting this part 2 of Rice Papers-
But I have a good excuse! It’s the holidays here, and, I must tell you-
I made the mistake of drinking RUM last night, and well, you know how that can end- And it doesn’t usually end in being able to write coherent sentences.. *ahem*

this photo may seem irrelevant, but this is Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica- I happen to love this place and I have been plenty drunk on rum many a day here!!!

Anyway! to get back to the point, which is Rice Papers and their various uses..

“Hanoi House Party” Omnivore last month

As I mentioned in part 1, I adore these things, and find them supremely versatile.
I have made all kinds of freaky things out of them, from the full-on old school classics from the Thai and Vietnamese kitchen, to weird variants of my own creation, for example, a delectable version of the Thai dessert of Sticky Black Rice and Mango- which I made into a springroll-

bruleeing mangoes for rolls

  (enclose the classically prepared sticky black rice (cook black rice, then add coconut milk to it in a saute pan and cook it til the coconut milk is evaporated..) diced fresh mango, plus a few threads of fresh ginger, cut in fine julienne..
Wrap in a rehydrated rice paper, and fry in hot canola or soy oil..
Drain, dust with powdered sugar mixed with pure vanilla powder or if you are lucky enough to get hold of it, pandan flavoured sugar.. Serve with dipping sauce of coconut milk reduced with sugar and a piece of bruised fresh lemongrass…

I think I used this photo in the part 1, but the point is, the leaves I am holding here with the orchids are Pandan leaves

*If you will excuse the digression, pandan leaves, which is the name for an Asian screwpine, are an amazing thing- a leaf which until it is heated, has no scent at all- and once it comes into contact with steam or heat- releases an unbelievable aroma similar to vanilla- it is used all over Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, for making everything from desserts (also Pandan leaf is used powdered for it’s vibrant green colour) to wrapping meats, fish, etc before steaming or grilling, And if you see these in an Asian market, or in Asia- BUY THEM and USE THEM!!!*

As for other fun and er, well, let’s face it, unhealthy things you can make from Rice Papers-
Delicious rolls made from a combination of minced pork, shrimpmeat, crabmeat, coriander, ginger, green onions, and seasoned with sugar, naam pla (fish sauce), fresh bird chiles, and white pepper, then wrapped and fried and served with  sauce of naam pla, lime juice, sugar, and chopped chiles, is DIVINE!!!!
It’s worth spending the whole next day in the gym!!

Another really cool thing about Rice Papers is the fact that they are completely transparent in both fresh and fried preps, and that makes it possible to make extremely beautiful things with them-

making herb and flower wrapped fish

 If you carefully arrange your herbs, flowers, etc in the center of the papers before rolling them- you will see the aesthetic arrangement of your ingredients in a delicate and lovely way-
And as you know, I believe that the beauty of the food is as important as everything else- because in any dish – you first SEE it, and if it is beautiful, you already are appreciating it before you even take a bite-

here is another really esoteric and  beautiful dish from Vietnam which I LOVE- it is called (rough translation) “Net Wrap Summer Rolls”
Here is a photo of me making the nets, and a finished roll, before frying:

These weird treasures actually don’t use pre- made dried rice papers, but instead, a “Net” that you make out of a thin batter made from rice flour, egg whites, and water- and then, by dipping your hand into the batter and then by dripping the drops from your hand into lace patterns in a hot, dry, nonstick pan- you create “nets” which you then fill with a mixture similar to the springrolls I described above..   and you serve then in chilled Iceberg lettuce cups-
You will not imagine how delicate and special the sensation is of eating the very hot, crunchy rolls, enclosed in chilled, crisp lettuce, and dipped in a sweet and sour lime juice and spicy chile sauce..  an absolute TON of work.. and worth every second..Heaven!!!!!!

Now listen! I could rant and rave all day about all the delicious things you can make out of Rice Papers.. but I think the best thing is for you to go out and get some, and try a few experiments of your own..
And don’t get discouraged if it’s hard to get the hang of working with them right away.. it takes a little practice, but like everything good in life- things that come too easy are seldom worth much..:)

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Khlong Toey-  This market is world class. And ZERO foreigners!!

I use these rice papers for everything, from wrapping fish, crabmeat and herbs..
To outrageous, esoteric mixtures of my own, from BKK to Vietnam..
And I need these delicate rice papers to enclose them all!!

I promise you that in the next few days I will show you how to use and enjoy Rice papers to the fullest!!!
And of course, you know you can contact me at any time if you need more specifics!!

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If there’s one thing I simply cannot get enough of- it’s oysters!!

Freddy eats an oyster at our wedding

The season has just started this week, so I thought, what better time to write about the celestial joys of the noble Ostreidae ?!
 

First of all- I find it a crying shame that many people here in Israel have never tried an oyster.
It’s a crime! A sin! It’s inexcusable!
I’ve heard people say things like: “You want me to.. eat that thing?!”
But it’s..alive!!” “it’s slippery… slimy!”   “it’s fishy!”
And you know what I say to this?! “NONSENSE!!”

www.rimaolvera.com
( See my blog updates www.rimaolvera.com/blog )

A really fresh oyster is one of the most sublime of culinary delights-
The first of it’s surprises is it’s ability to transport one back in time, to places of happy memory- 
in my case,  I grew up always next to the sea- and some of my happiest times were when I was wading through tide-pools with my dad, him showing me the infinite worlds contained in these saline microcosms- salt spray from the breakers beyond the cliffs misting over us from below, the clean, salty, air full of freshness and life-

THAT is the scent of a really fresh oyster- the ONLY scent, by the way, it should have- If it has even the remotest hint of , let’s say, *ahem*, the beach in Jaffa in summer, or anything similar or worse- Throw it away!

here is a link to Monterey Bay Aquarium- It’s an incredible place, like no where else in the world..
This is the place where I grew up, and my dad, a marine biologist, did a lot of research in this area in the 60’s.
They have one of the world’s top Ocean Research and Conservation Centers there, and I strongly urge you to read about Sustainable Seafood-
Your choices in what you eat from the sea impact the fate of the world’s oceans!

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

The second of it’s gifts is the delicacy of it’s texture- There is nothing slimy about a fresh oyster! it has a crisp, yet delicate feel, like a perfectly cooked al-dente pasta!

Each type varies in flavour and colour depending on where they are from, the temperature of the water (the colder the water, the better. That’s why the season ends at the first of the warm months, and begins at the end of them.) what type of material it feeds on, and the salinity of the water.

And perhaps the very best of the sensory treasures the oyster will bestow on you, is the unmistakable Frisson of feeling absolutely decadent and privileged when you are eating them!

We are lucky now to be able to get good oysters in Israel- you just have to know where to get them!
I order mine from Moshe Penster, in the Shuk ha’ Carmel- you remember- the guy I recently had the “Night Shuk Sushi Bar” with?!
Here’s his number: 03-510-1863. Make sure you tell him I sent you!
and make sure to specify that you want them only on the day they arrive here from France!

2 Yoezer Ish Habira St.
Jaffa (near the clock)
03-6839115

And make sure to ask Shaul Avron, the charming, sophisticated, and knowledgeable owner, to choose for you an Aligote  (A lovely Bourgogne white wine!) to accompany them!

I had a 2004 Aligote over there recently (by the way, 2004 and 2007 are two of the very best vintages for Aligote in recent years..) which blew my mind!
it actually TASTED like a plate of fresh oysters! Whoah!!

Another wine which goes great with oysters (besides Champagne,obviously.. And I mean CHAMPAGNE, not Cava!!) is Sancerre, as I mentioned before.
It is just perfect.
And a really top-notch French Rose (NOT Israeli- sorry- not dry enough at all)  is excellent, too. As a matter of fact, there is a Rose de Sancerre!

As for different kinds- well, that would take a whole separate post to really get into-
and as usual- this post has gotten out of hand!
so let’s say I will continue this tomorrow.. and include lots more details, links, and places to go.. both in France, and in California..  so see you tomorrow!!!

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Barcelona is a city that I had wanted to visit for a long time-
For starters, it is the home of an artist who has been an idol and inspiration for me since I was a kid-  the genius Antoni Gaudi.
Now I know this blog is supposed to be about food..travels.. But I must point out that for someone like me, who has no separation between my profession and my personal identity- someone like Gaudi is the true definition of a role model- a True Artist.

He created some of the most amazing and surprising works of art, not just in the category of “Modern times”, but for all time.
He understood the perfection of nature, and never sought to “Tame” or “Modify” it-  And he rightfully saw the forms and shapes and aesthetic perfection of the natural world as the highest form of art- and his works- from tiny, intricate mosaics, to massive, epic Cathedrals and architectural works- and in his art he payed tribute to the beauty he respected and strove to show his devotion to in his works.

His works are almost impossible to truly show the depth of their importance and majesty with photos. You simply must see these masterpieces in person.. And that means you MUST go to Barcelona!!!

Getting back just briefly to Gaudi, and his philosophy for a moment- I would also like to point out that for me- First and foremost, I am an artist.
I do not read industry magazines, I do not own or read cookbooks (other than a tattered old La Rousse surviving from culinary school..) I do not own or watch TV, even though that may seem outrageous as of course you all know I just finished filming a 13- episode show of my own..

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=142785493139&ref=mf

And most  of all- I do not “borrow” steal, or “get inspiration” from reading other Chef’s menus- for most chefs, it’s tempting- in fact, it’s the status quo!
Let’s face it! sometimes you are damn tired! Burned out! Exhausted!
And the last @#%! thing you feel like doing is sitting down and writing a whole menu.
But tough bananas!!
If you  are a chef, and you start opening other guy’s books, and “changing just one element” here and there and then calling it your creation, trawling the internets, leafing through restaurant websites for ideas for your menus.. YOU CAN FORGET ALL ABOUT BEING A REAL ARTIST.
And *ahem* there are sure a lot of those kind of “chefs” in my town!!!!!

I get ALL my inspiration from what i see in the markets and in my travels, and the fact I’ve been in the kitchen since i was 14 years old!
I NEVER have to gank someone else’s ideas! sure it’s hard. I have to go to the market all the time. And go thru huge amounts of hassle tracking down ingredients!
I don’t even save most copies of MY OWN menus! otherwise, I will get complacent, and lazy, and I cannot have that! And neither can my clients!

I guarantee you will not be seeing 10 kinds of “Foam” or the latest Trend Du Jour showing up on my menus!

It really gets on my nerves to see so often, menus all over town (and I am talking about SF, NY, even Paris, etc..) basically looking like the same guy wrote them all! Like there’s one damn chef influencing everyone!  This sort of nonsense goes on all the time- Because TRENDS and HYPE pollute the inspiration of chefs and everyone ends up copying everyone else and pretty soon, nothing looks unique!!
This is boring! lazy! disrespectful!
Do you think Gaudi or Picasso “Just borrowed a few things here and there”?!
Hell, No.

Now I seem to have gotten off the subject, which was Barcelona..
So to return to that- I love this city!!! And I love the Boqueria Market!

It has literally one of the best world-class Fish Markets in the world!

And it has a couple of really, really EXCEPTIONAL market restaurants- My favourite being “Kiosk Universal”

It’s an amazing, crazy, cafe right in the middle of the market!
There’s an island of plancha griddles in the middle where the  macho, testosterone-fuelled cooks pump out insane volumes of the most pristine fish, seafood, and other delights the market has to offer!
Sit at the counter! Order a bottle of Cava!
get the “Ongos salteados” (sauteed mushrooms)
“sauteed mushrooms, Big Deal”, you say,??!
Oh no… THESE are about 10 different varieties of fresh wild mushrooms! sauteed with prodigious amounts of garlic and parsley!! Heaven!!
And the razor clams! weird- looking creatures which might give you a fright to behold! Eat them up! You will thank me!!

And my personal favourite- the delicate, tiny clams called ‘Taillerinas”- as small as the fingernail of your little finger!! you get about a half kilo of them, again with this glorious fresh garlic and parsley!  I myself have eaten 3 orders at one sitting! Alon and I used to go at 11am and eat them, plus a bottle of Rose, for breakfast!!!! Que Rico!!

Also- the jamon de Iberico (Esp, the “Pato Negro”) is among the more delicious things on the face of the earth! Black semi-wild pigs! fattened on dried fruits! turned into the most delicate and refined type of “Prosciutto” in the world!
It costs a fortune, and it’s worth every damn Euro!

And what ever you do, DO NOT MISS eating a plate of fried “Chiles Padron”- a small type of green chile pepper- about the size of a jalapeno- but with these, only 1 in 10 is actually hot! You never know when the hot one is going to up and bite you!! and that’s part of the fun!

Go to eat tapas, go to eat in the Boqueria- but in my opinion you can skip the “Fancy” restaurants. They aren’t up to the standards of France, Italy, or the US, and their simple and traditional food is so much better…

And definitely go to a real, local, Tapas bar!! there’s a lot but I really enjoyed this one; (locals only, NO English spoken- excellent!)

“La Esquinica”
Paseo Fabra y Puig, 296.

Also- “Cal-Pep” it’s very much the opposite, lots of tourists go here as well as locals but it is very high quality and great place..
http://www.calpep.com/

And last but not least- here is a GREAT hotel! cheap! Cool! excellent location! Quiet! perfect service! and amazing concierge, “Gerardo”-
who will plaster you with Cava the second you set foot in the lobby, and help you with anything you might need! I  think this place is fantastic!
http://www.hotelclub.net/hotel.reservations/H10_Raco_Del_Pi_Hotel_Barcelona.htm

So I hope you take my advice, and visit Barcelona- where the sunny and warm people as much as the architecture, art, food, and culture, will warm and inspire you… and Vaya con Dios, Mi Amigos!!

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