Istanbul's Spice Market

Sure it can be touristy, but worth the stroll just to capture the sights and sounds. Ramadam it seems is a particularly busy time for locals to stock up on plentiful sweets and other gifties.

Eating Our Way Through Beirut

It's Ramadan time and this is the mezze at Karam, a very popular local upscale restaurant in the newly reconstructed downtown Beirut. We were lucky to get a table - the place was festive and hopping, and the food absolutely delicious.

Adventures in Eating in Istanbul

Iftar starters at the Four Seasons Bosphorous. Honeycomb is delicious, and seems to be very popular (as well as relatively expensive.) Olives are ubiquitous.

Tasty Tapas at Boqueria

What to do after a hard night partying in Soho? a few tapas at Boqueria hit the spot. Quail eggs with chorizo on toast, wafer thin sheets of Iberico ham, and a pitcher of sour cherry sangria really hit the spot!

Haute Chinese: Shusur Lee's Shang

A near empty dining room at the restaurant of a hipster hotel, I automatically think, "ugh- expensive, overrated". At Shang, I was pleasantly surprised - yes, my expectations were low, and I was already lubed up with a tasty gingery Pimm's Cup from the cute and friendly bartender. But the parade of gorgeous dishes from the kitchen were not only eye candy, but incredibly tasty as well. The hairy towering Dr. Seuss-like mess was the side order of fries- the tastiest part of the meal. Also the cheeseburger egg rolls tasted exactly as you would expect. Even the least favorite plate of the evening- the jerk chicken- was really very good. And the desserts mixed a terrific assortment of interesting and innovative flavors.

Awesome Dim Sum

I was surprised to find this nondescript establishment called Wonder Seafood, in Edison, New Jersey (1/2 hr from NYC) offers fresh and extensive selection of terrific dimsum seven days a week. It's arguably better quality and better service than most places in New York Chinatown and no wait on weekdays. Lunch specials include $6.95 casseroles of salted fish and eggplant and the like. Post brunch you can trot over to the nearby Menlo Park Mall or do your grocery shopping at Kam Man supermarket on Route 1.