M on the Bund

Cuisine: Continental

Hours: Daily 6-10:30pm; Tues-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm; Sat-Sun brunch 11:30am-3pm; Sun tea 3:30-5:30pm

Address: Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 5 Location seventh floor (entrance on side street at Guangdong Lu 20), Huangpu District (Downtown Shanghai)

Transportation Metro: Nanjing Dong Lu

Lodged atop a handsome seven-story colonial building on the Bund, this is the restaurant that put Shanghai dining on the world map in 1999. All Art Deco elegance, M boasts a terrace that affords unsurpassed views of the Bund, the Huangpu River, and Pudong's skyscrapers, as well as a "Glamour Room" for nightly dinner and drinks. The fine menu changes frequently to take advantage of fresh local ingredients, but signature dishes include the slow-baked leg of lamb and the exquisitely sublime Pavlova dessert. Increased competition from the neighboring Bund restaurants has forced service to improve in recent years after a dropoff. M has consistently been on the must-try list of many visitors, largely due to its previous renown and its glamorous environs.

Dishes to try: The seared tuna salad for appetizer, Duck cofit for main and the Earl Grey creme brulee or pistachio and lychee sorbet atop a sesame crisp for dessert. All this for $118 RMB (approx $20 USD) per person.

Arnold Palmer's Restaurant

Owned by the famous golfer, Arnold Palmer's is appropriately located across the street from a Palmer-designed golf course in La Quinta, California. The restaurant has earned a reputation for its most popular appetizer: homemade, deep-fried potato chips accompanied with a bleu cheese dipping sauce. A sprawling menu includes everything from pot roast to wiener schnitzel to veal oscar along with some of the best steaks in the Palm Springs area. The restaurant is open daily from 3:00 p.m. and dinner is served daily from 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m

Minus 5 at Mandalay Bay

Las Vegas is known for its magical hot spots and steamy nightclub scene but a new bar in town is putting a freeze on all that. Minus 5 at Mandalay Bay is Las Vegas' coolest bar - literally. Inside the bar, everything is made entirely of ice and temperatures are kept at a constant minus five degrees Celsius, or 23 degrees Fahrenheit.

Minus 5 is the first permanent ice lounge in America. It was all started by Craig Ling of New Zealand. The whole experience starts when you walk through the door. Once inside, each guest is greeted by promo girls and then you enter the briefing room where everyone is outfitted in insulated parkas, boots and gloves - a requirement for entry. 400 people a day are outfitted before led into the 2,000 square foot super-refrigerated lounge. There are about 350 blocks of ice in the bar and they use Canadian ice because it's clear. When you walk in, you see a whole room of ice - the chandelier, couches, the bar. Everything is a work of art. Even the glasses are made of ice and Minus 5 melts through 3,500 of them a week. The glasses are made from some of the most pure water in the world: New Zealand artesian water. The glasses are molded and shipped frozen. Minus 5's drinks aren't your boring old hot toddies. They have 12 signature cocktails which contain exotic fresh fruits and lots and lots of premium vodka. It's so cold that patrons are advised only to spend 30 minutes at a time inside the bar. To really chill out, you have to hit Vegas' Minus 5: the country's coldest, hot spot.

Chutter's Candy Store

Home of the World's Longest Candy Counter, a visit to Chutter's is a trip to candyland where the air is delicious with the mouth-watering scents of candy and fresh-made fudge. Chutter's has something for candy lovers young and old in a lively, fun-filled atmosphere. The longest counter of its kind anywhere, Chutter's candy counter runs the entire length of the store. An impressive 112 feet of gleaming glass jars filled with brightly colored candy ranging from yesterday's favorites and hard-to-find flavors to the best of today's most sought-after treats. Grab a bag and choose from the vast array of sours and gummy's, gourmet and traditional jellybeans, chocolates, licorice, caramels, and nostalgic pieces. Chutter's is a treasure trove of tasty treats!

Chutter's is named for its original owner, Frederick George Chutter, a Congregational minister who came to Littleton to preach but instead, resigned his ministry for the dry goods business, eventually becoming a well-loved and prominent member of the community. A brochure from the era claims, "Mr. Chutter is a warm-hearted, cordial, and enthusiastic man, of optimistic temperament, and much interested in the welfare of Littleton." More than 100 years later, the shop retains his name, and the hospitality for which Chutter's General Store was renowned still resonates throughout this delightful shop. Feel like a kid again. Visit Chutter's on Main Street in Littleton, New Hampshire and discover the sweet life.

Anatomy of a Japanese meal

In Western culture, a meal consists of a light first course or two, followed by a main course, then smaller following courses. The most basic format is soup or appetizer, main course, then a dessert. The main course itself is centered around the protein part, whether it's meat, fish or something vegetarian, and the vegetables are starch are the side dishes.

In Japan, a home meal is served in one course, but with several dishes. There is the starch, which is usually steamed rice; a soup, which is usually miso soup, and at least two dishes. The rice is taken for granted, but it's the central point of this meal. The accompaniments are collectively called okazu, and they are the supporting cast to the rice.
The main okazu is usually protein based - a grilled fish, or some sort of meat dish. The secondary okazu can be a vegetable dish, or more protein such as a bean dish. Everything is served in its own container usually. The secondary okazu in particular are often served family style, from which each diner takes his or her portion. The usual way to eat a Japanese meal is to take the rice bowl in your hand, then take a little of this and that from the various okazu.

Occasionally, you set down the rice bowl, take the bowl of soup, and take a sip and eat some of the things in it.
When you go to a Japanese restaurant in Western countries, you'll often see a selection of side dishes listed in the Appetizer section. This is bowing to Western food habits - those side dishes are actually designed to be eaten with the main meal, with the rice. (High end Japanese restaurants in Japan do serve each dish on its own as a course. This means that a meal can go on for hours!) Dessert is not a traditional ending to a meal - one usually just has a cup of hot tea. Japanese people eat sweet things as a snack in-between meals. Of course this custom is changing as more people take on European/American ways of doing things.

There's a special category of okazu called hashi yasume, or "chopstick rest". This is a side dish that contrasts in flavor, texture, temperature and so on to the main side dish. Pickles are the most typical hashi yasume. Small side salads are often used as hashi yasume too.

Food to eat in China and Hong Kong

Ever since I've decided to re-visit China and Hong Kong, I started to compile a list of all the food I must eat when in these two countries.

If you are a brave and adventurous eater, feel free to give these a try:

Almond milk
Beef brisket
Cantonese roast duck
Chow mein
Claypot rice
Dan dan noodle
Dragonfruit
Dried cuttlefish
Drunken chicken
Egg drop soup
Egg rolls
Egg tart, Cantonese & Macanese
Fresh bamboo shoots
Fried milk
Grass jelly
Hainan chicken rice
Hand-pulled noodles
Hibiscus tea
Hot Pot
Jellyfish
Scallion pancake
Silken tofu
Sugar cane juice
Taro
Tea-smoked duck
Wonton noodle soup

Korean Food

Bibimbap is a dish, made of steamed rice mixed with vegetables and red pepper paste (known as gochujang), is the most popular Korean dish, according to recent polls. Since a variety of vegetables and beef, chicken or seafood are mixed with rice, the dish contains numerous vitamins and much fiber, minus the fats and cholesterol that are contained in many Western dishes.

It is also easy to cook, since all you need to do is put vegetables of your choice and hot pepper paste onto rice and mix it up with a spoon or chopsticks. As can be easily guessed, bibimbap is a nutritious diet food.

Besides bibimbap, samgyetang and seolleongtang, two main Korean soups, are gaining popularity abroad. Samgyetang is essentially a whole chicken, stuffed with rice, boiled in a broth of ginseng, herbs, garlic and ginger.

Samgyetang is perhaps Korea's most typical example of boyangsik (hot, high-protein foods that are believed to re-energize the body, allowing it to recover from summertime lethargy and malaise). It is definitely a healthy dish, because eating samgyetang, rich in protein and vitamins, is supposed to help keep one healthy in the hot summer.

Korean restaurants in Japan have seen a rise in their samgyetang sales recently because many people there have become aware that the dish is reinvigorating and is also good for the skin. The popularity of samgyetang is shown in recent polls taken around the world. Samgyetang has been ranked fifth in a survey of most popular Korean dishes in China, while it was ranked second and sixth in Vietnam and the United Kingdom, respectively.

Great snacks under 200 calories

Craving salty?

5 olives (any kind) (45 calories)
1 small Martin's pretzel (50 calories)
2 oz Applegate Honey and Maple Turkey Breast wrapped around 2 bread-and-butter pickles (80 calories)
1/4 cup hummus, 3 carrot sticks (80 calories)
1 Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original wedge, 3 pieces Kavli Crispy Thin (85 calories)
One 1-oz package tuna jerky (90 calories)
1 oz buffalo mozzarella, 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (94 calories)
1 bag Baked! Cheetos 100 Calorie Mini Bites (100 calories)
15 Eden's Nori Maki Crackers rice crackers (110 calories)
1 cup unshelled edamame (120 calories)
50 Eden's Vegetable Chips (130 calories)
One 1-oz package of Planters NUT-trition almonds (130 calories)
1/4 cup Trader Joe's Chili con Queso, 18 baked tortilla chips (140 calories)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds in shell (143 calories)
2 pieces (30 grams) prosciutto, 4 dried figs (154 calories)
1 Subway Turkey Breast Wrap (190 calories)

Craving sweet?

1 package Original Apple Nature Valley Fruit Crisps (50 calories)
1 packet O'Coco's Mocha cookies (90 calories)
1 Jelly Belly 100-calorie pack (100 calories)
One 100-calorie pack Trader Joe's Chocolate Graham Toucan Cookies (100 calories)
One 100-calorie Balance Bar (100 calories)
1 Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino bar (120 calories)
1 package Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks (120 calories)
1/2 banana rolled in 1 tbsp frozen semisweet chocolate chips (123 calories)
2 tbsp Better 'n Peanut Butter, 4 stalks celery (124 calories)
1 bag Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Butter Mini Bags topped with a spritz of butter spray and 1 tsp sugar (126 calories)
24 Annie's Chocolate Chip Bunny Graham cookies (140 calories)
Half of a 1.08-oz container of M&M's Minis mixed with 1/3 cup lowfat granola (145 calories)
1 McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait (160 calories)
1 container Fage Greek Total 2% fat yogurt, 2 tsp honey (173 calories)

Coast

Ever since Coast relocated to the other side of town, all forums and locals have been talking about it. I am not sure the restaurant needs anymore advertising but I do believe that the Glowbal Group nailed it with Coast!

I have been to all of their establishments and by far Coast is my personal favorite. My most memorable dish was a limited time offering of dungeness crab and butternut squash risotto. The risotto was not over cooked and had just enough creaminess to it to be very comforting on a cold winter night. For a $38 three course meal, they were very generous with several large chunks of crab meat mixed in throughout the risotto. The small cubes of butternut squash were, I believe thrown in near the end of the cooking process because it was soft and cooked in the enter but was not all mushed up and blended in with the risotto. Overall, the dish was superb. If you know me, you know I detest all things creamy and milky, but this dish was a creamy heaven made with goodness from the sea.

The server was great. Because it was a Sunday evening, her gave each of us two servings of the dessert.

I can't wait to check out the new Coast and see what's awaiting me inside.

Winterlude - Endeavour 2009

Date - November 7th, 2009

Venue - Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

Time - 6:00pm

Cost - $300. pp or $3,000. per table of 10

Description -
The 44th annual gala dinner and auction benefits many in British Columbia. Host bar, dinner, auction and dancing.

Beneficiaries -
Atira Women's Resource Society
B.C. Schizophrenia Society
Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver Foundation
Children's Hearing and Speech Centre of B.C.
Disabled Skiers Association of B.C.
Fraser Academy
Hope Air
Make-A-Wish Foundation
PACE Society
Starlight Children's Foundation Canada
Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports

Contact -
p. 604 872.2563
endeavoursociety@telus.net
www.endeavoursociety.com

Nobu

The summit of sushi, Nobu has become a global phenomena. Founded in 1994 by Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa in partnership with actor Robert De Niro, the success of Nobu New York led to incarnations in Aspen, Malibu, London, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Tokyo, and recently, the Bahamas. Known for his fusion blends which pair traditional Japanese dishes with South American ingredients, Nobu has become a veritable celebrity chef.

He pioneered the use of soft shell crab and shrimp tempura rolls, both attempts to please the western palate. There, he found a fan in Robert De Niro, who after many repeat visits, kept encouraging him to open a restaurant in New York City. Eventually, he accepted De Niro’s offer - the rest is culinary history.


Now Nobu has become synonymous with high quality sushi and Japanese cuisine. The place became an overnight sensation when it opened, with reservations necessary over six months in advance. However, with the advent of Nobu Next Door and other locations around the world, a customer in New York can be seated right away for lunch. Weekend reservations should still be made well in advance.




A typical meal at Nobu can cost $200-$300 dollars for two people. In cities like London and Tokyo, expect to pay even more. However, the ambiance is second to none, the sushi melts in your mouth, and the cuisine is expertly prepared with attention to every detail. Who knows, you might even sit next to a celebrity. Whatever the case, if you’re a sushi lover, dinner at Nobu is a must.

$18,000 Chocolate dessert with a diamond stud

Does diamonds and chocolates combined sound more like a wish list? This alluring combination is put together by Mervis Diamond Importers, a small chain of jewelry stores in the Washington, D.C., area, who are well known for gaining eyeballs by creating buzz through their successful advertisements. The latest from the company is a chocolate dessert designed with a diamond stud, reportedly a real one. The dessert is made of chocolate, topped with a blackberry that holds a 2 carat ascher cut diamond and costs $18,000.

Wines of Chile Tasting

Date - September 28th, 2009

Venue - Marriott Vancouver Hotel

Time - 7:00-10:00pm

Cost - $65.

Description -
An annual visit by Chile's wineries who bring their best to Vancouver for us to enjoy. Mark your calendars.Contact the Mariott Vancouver Hotel for more information.

Tavern On The Green

Tavern On The Green — a popular setting in Hollywood movies — is frequented by tourists and locals alike. It's particularly stunning at night, especially following a romantic carriage ride through Central Park. The restaurant has beautiful chandelier-decorated rooms, al fresco dining, and a fun, bustling bar area.

The legendary New York City hotspot is a perfect destination for celebrating a special occasion, group events, corporate parties and garden receptions. During the Holiday Season, it's absolutely magical.

In addition to its classic American food, Tavern On The Green — a Wine Spectator award-winner — offers diners one of New York City's largest selections of fine wines.

Located on West 60 Central Park West between 66th & 67th Street.

Sprinkles Cupcakes - Los Angeles (Beverly Hills)

On my last visit to LA, my friend and I discovered Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverley Hills.
The place was extremely small with barely a front window bar counter with 3 to 4 stools for eat in customers. Because they bake all the goods fresh, there was unfortunately a slight line up. After hearing so much hype surrounding Sprinkles Cupcakes, I arrived with sky-high expectations. The strawberry cupcake met and exceeded my expectations—I was sighing and swooning with every bite. The cupcake tasted as good as it looked. The ratio of cake to frosting was perfect. The cake was moist and did not crumble unlike other cupcakes I've tried.

Try it yourself at 9635 South Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills

Morimoto New York

Japanese architect Tadao Ando, was chosen to design the Morimoto Restaurant when Iron Chef Masharu Morimoto, decided to make his New York solo debut in 2006. The restaurant’s entrance features the world’s largest Japanese Noren curtain set against a massive façade of austere steel. Inside is an extraordinary open kitchen surrounded by a 24-seat sushi bar where diners can watch Morimoto and his chefs at work. On every level of the restaurant guests enjoy the elaborate menu where East meets West. Glass partitions create a private atmosphere between tables and a wall made of 17,000 spring water bottles add a touch of New York drama to this tranquil atmosphere. Guests have the option to dine on the top floor or congregate in the lower lounge for cocktails and snacks.

Being an Iron Chef enthusiast, I was really excited to come here! The decor was awesome, the bathrooms were super cool and every dish is perfectly plated and ready to be photographed. But this place isn’t just about looks. The food was actually really good. Try the dofu, it’s a freshly made tofu dish that is complimented with a sake sauce. It arrives at the table in a liquid form, and the waiter stirs it with some sort of coagulant and let it rest for 15 minutes then it is ready to be eaten. And if you like cocktails, try a Morimotini or a White Lily. If you’re convinced, go check it out yourself and let me know what you think.

Wines of South Africa

Wines of South Africa - One Time Buy Seminar and Evening Fundraiser

Date - July 27th, 2009

Venue -Sutton Place Hotel

Time - 2:00-3:30pm Trade Seminar; 7:00-8:30pm Evening Event

Cost Seminar - Open to trade only; Evening - TBA

Description -
For one time only, the British Columbia Liquor Distribution stores will be offering 9 special wines in their stores. The trade is invited to register for the afternoon tasting and seminar, led by Wines of South Africa Director of Wine Education, Andre Morgenthal.

Register for the trade tasting, email address below.

Proceeds of the evening event will benefit a local charity.

Trade event registration -
p. 604-986-3262
f. 604-986-3256
danalee.harris@shaw.ca

Recipe - Wagyu Steak with Saffron Potatoes & Micro Greens

Lightly heat three table spoons of olive oil with six to ten strands of saffron and set aside while you peel the potatoes and dice them into rough one inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper, toss with the oil, wrap in a foil purse and set aside to marinade. Wait 15-30 minutes, then throw the potato packet onto the back of a lidded grill or into a hot oven for about 45 minutes. Test doneness with a knife.

The Wagyu steak is dead easy to make. Nature and the farmer have done all the work for you. Do nothing other than season and grill. Pull it off the grill rare to medium rare, and let it rest uncovered away from the heat for five to ten minutes. Plate it with the saffron pototatoes and a salad of micro greens dressed with olve oil and red wine vinegar. Dig in.

Heading to Miami? Check out these hot new places to dine

Gaia Ristorante at Hilton Bentley Hotel, 101 Ocean Drive

New to the South Beach dining scene, executive chef Gaetano Ascione brings serious culinary credibility to the area. Insider scoop: after being delighted by sumptuous starters and mains, ask for a dessert of tomato jam. Never mind if it sounds strange, the mix of tomatoes with vanilla beans, sugar and lemon compares to no other dessert dish.

Meat Market at 915 Lincoln Road

Diners flock to the regularly packed house for the Super Tuscans and small farm raised premium Kobe beef. Only three farms are used to source beef for Meat Marker: Harris Ranch in California, Strube Ranch in Texas and Snake River Ranch in Idaho. While you are here, ask for a cucumber mojito to get things started, and remember Meat Market is not all meat and beef, the stone crab with mustard sauce and Boston cream pie served in a martini glass are also to die for.

Paradigm: The Test Kitchen at Trump International Beach Resort at 18001 Collins Avenue

Paradigm offers a unique twist to the chef’s table concept with its Friday night, reservation only test kitchen, which is based on the concept of molecular gastronomy. The elongated chef’s table for 10 entices diners with its multi course tasting menu, taking you on an innovative journey from carrot poached scallops with caramelized white chocolate caviar to foie gras tamale. The dining experience here is always an entertaining and imaginative one.

Best Paella in NYC

Socarrat at Paella Bar at 259 W. 19th St

This elegant little cubby hole of a restaurant, in Chelsea, has been designed to replicate a genial, sometimes raucous Sunday dinner in Valencia, complete with a small, twenty-seat communal table and great, piping-hot salvers of paella de carne and seafood-rich arroz negro. There are five traditional paellas on the menu, each one fresher and more authentic than you’ll find anywhere in this paella-starved town. If you have to choose one, try the paella de carne, made with chunks of pork, duck, chicken, and chorizo mingled in piles of crackling rice, which gets crisper and more crackly as you excavate with your spoon. The little joint takes no reservations, so get there early, or you’ll find yourself milling around on the sidewalk, with the rest of the paella loons.

Less Known Good Eats of Manhattan

5 Ninth

The Meatpacking District is jam-packed with trendy restaurants, but many prioritize scene over food. Not at 5 Ninth: A romantic townhouse setting provides the backdrop for global cuisine and inventive cocktails, too. There's a winning golden beet salad with snow peas, orange supreme and goat cheese dressing. Great mains include a Korean-style pork plate and Bell & Evans chicken, slow-cooked with haricots verts, wild mushroom stuffing and gravy.

Tre

Want great Italian food in lower Manhattan? Well, Tre is proof there's more to it than Little Italy. This Lower East Side hot spot is known for solid Italian cooking with inventive flourishes. Examples are pappardelle flat ribbon pasta with fall vegetable ragout and ricotta salata foam, and cavatelli chipotle, homemade ear-shaped pasta with mussels and broccoli rabe foam.

P*Ong

Chef-owner Pichet Ong teamed up with architect Andre Kikoski to create this small but dramatic space where sure, you can get real food like house-cured Arctic char or a warm mushroom tart, but the real fun is in the menu's "sweet and savory" section. There's a smoked trout caviar parfait with crème fraiche ice cream, vanilla salt, and nasturtium, a Stilton soufflé with walnut crust, black pepper, basil-arugula ice cream and more along those over-the-top lines. Veering off into sugarland even more, order up the pineapple tiramisu with cognac sabayon, decaf espresso, grated chocolate and cilantro, or the milk chocolate and chestnut truffle, served with chestnut mousse, violet salt and olive oil caketons.

A Lesson in Wine

Merlot is a soft and fruity dry red wine, which originated in the French region of Bordeaux. It is famous for its deep aromas of black cherry, currant, and green olive along with mint and tobacco tones. This wine is the most delicious when served slightly below room temperature to accompany simply prepared dishes, such as grilled chicken or a roast leg of lamb.

Pinot Noir is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. Joel Fleischman of Vanity Fair describes Pinot Noir as “the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic.” Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon calls Pinot “sex in a glass”. This wine is one of the most popular in the world, despite the fact that it comes from a sort of grapes, which is difficult to cultivate and ferment into wine. Traditional types of Pinot Noir are famous for their fleshy, ‘countryside’ aroma, while modern forms have a lighter, fruiter flavour. It pairs well with lamb, pheasant, and duck, although the best match for this wine is grilled salmon topped with creamy mushrooms.

Riesling came from the river valleys of Germany. Unlike other wines, it rarely blends and, thus, remains a pure dry white wine with clear aromas of tropical fruit, flowers, and minerals. It has a sweet taste with notable acidity, which makes it one of a few wines that can stand up to the dishes of Chinese and Thai cuisines. Riesling can serve as a good balance to salty foods and to the light, delicate flavour of trout fried in butter. As with other white wines, dry Riesling is usually served at 52°F.

Chablis is a clean and vibrant French white wine with a crisp dry flavour and a prominent mixture of sweetness and acidity. It is definitely a gourmet wine, which requires special food occasions. Chablis is the classic oyster companion and it also perfectly compliments expensive fish dishes of fine cuisine.
Cabernet Sauvignon originally from Bordeaux, France, it is a popular dry wine fermented from the “king of red wine grapes”. In the mid-60s, it began to emerge as the most popular red wine in the United States. It has a rich and sophisticated aroma of cedar, berries, and chocolate, which varies depending on the region and age. This wines combines perfectly with pastas, meats, aged cheeses, and dark chocolate. Cabernet Sauvignon even has a proven medicinal qualities - it reduces the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease!

JL, ChicAdvisor-Foodie Contributing Writter