Good Taste is the Worst Vice

Château d’Yquem

No matter how much one loves red Bordeaux (in our case, that's a lot!), Left and Right Bank visits can blur together a bit.  So a tasting of golden, sweet Sauternes is just the thing for a change of pace. We headed for Chateau d'Yquem, the winery that's synonymous with Sauternes. The ... continue reading...


Chateau Richeux, Cancale

In the crook of France's coast where Brittany and Normandy meet, there's the town of Cancale.  And just outside, at the end of a narrow country lane, is the fairytale house called Chateau Richeux. It's a small hotel now, just over a dozen rooms, and basically a dream destination for traveling ... continue reading...


HaiSous, Chicago

Given the HaiSous backstory, I couldn't help but hope that the Dangs' new restaurant would flourish.  To make a long story short - their prior partners embezzled over a million dollars from their first restaurant then fled the country.  Talk about deserving good karma! To my delight, HaiSous ... continue reading...


Mont St Michel and Cancale, France

My first visit to Cancale and Mont St Michel was over 20 years ago with my aunt, uncle, and cousin.  I remember the surprising color of the ocean - more Caribbean turquoise than gray Atlantic - and traipsing up and down stone stairs on the Mont, and I'd wanted to return ever since. So D and I ... continue reading...


A sampling of Paris restaurants

Paris is up there with New York and Tokyo when it comes to the challenge of picking just a few restaurants to try. There are too many great options, across every cuisine and price point. Here's a collection of places where we dined: Kunitoraya This was my pick for a Japanese restaurant in Paris ... continue reading...


Neige d’été, Paris

There's a strong culinary cross-pollination between France and Japan, with many Japanese chefs working in Paris and bringing meticulous craftsmanship and a hint of Japanese influence to French cuisine.  Neige d'été is a prime example, with Hideki Nishi leading a mostly Japanese kitchen.  The front ... continue reading...


A l’Etoile d’Or, Paris

What makes À L'Étoile d'Or so special is its owner, Denise Acabo.  She's an 80-something combination of fairy godmother, Willy Wonka, and top-grossing sales rep, in unlikely packaging of long plaid skirt and braided pigtails. If you understand enough French for a basic conversation, you're in for ... continue reading...


Almond cake

As part of our Alaska trip two summers ago, D's mother and I added on a few days in Denali National Park, which was well worth it despite never glimpsing the mountain. In fact, it rained almost the entire time!  But that didn't stop us from making the most of our stay. And after busy days of ... continue reading...


Berthillon, Paris

Berthillon ice cream has been a Parisian must-eat since its founding in 1954.  For me personally, it hasn't been quite so long - though I suppose two decades is long enough! I've always remembered my first taste of Berthillon, Poire sorbet that was just like biting into a ripe, sweet ... continue reading...