Twenty- five Seven

3 Foodie-friendly places in the US #ThursdayPotLuck -3

September 19, 2019
With my third edition of #ThursdayPotLuck, I bring you a special guest post by Luke Clifton.

[bctt tweet=”Food is a very important part of one’s travels. And for foodies, it is almost always the ONLY reason to travel.” username=”viaunishta”]

The importance of knowing foodie-friendly places

Now dining out in another country can be daunting. People who are unaware of the customs can court trouble. For instance, a friend of mine who was on a work trip in the US was denied a table at a restaurant he had frequented two consecutive days earlier. He was rather disappointed because the diner was close to his hotel, the service, and the food good. Besides, he was generous with his compliments to the chef and polite with the wait staff. So he was quite shocked when the waiter actually told him to dine at another place because he didn’t leave a decent enough tip!

It is, therefore, useful to know such things in advance before you travel. In some places tipping is not permitted while in others it is encouraged.

So this post is all about three foodie-friendly places in the US of A, a very popular travel destination.

The three cities mentioned below are not typically on the tourist trail but definitely get a lot of visitors. So if you are travelling to these places, you can take these tips from Luke.

Over to Luke .

IMAGE: https://unsplash.com/photos/ZB_Ns0hVZNk

One of the many great attractions of the United States of America is the sheer scale and variety on offer. Whether it is the landscapes, the weather, the people or the culture – there is something for almost anyone in this incredible country. And that applies as much to the food and cuisine on offer as anything else. Whether you want to sample the world-famous pizza bars of New York City, the hot dogs of Chicago or the incredible creole flavours you will find in New Orleans, the list of delights is endless. But where are the three most foodie-friendly places in the US? Here is a definitive list.

Bon Appetit!

IMAGE: https://unsplash.com/photos/ZB_Ns0hVZNk
1. Portland, Oregon
Perhaps not the obvious choice for the top position with the likes of Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in the mix, but this hipster city in charming Oregon has made its name with some incredibly inventive and clever cuisine. The coffee culture is a particular highlight with the likes of Stumptown Coffee Roasters making a real name for itself, while there is also an impressive craft beer scene. There are some fantastic noodle places, try Andy Richter’s Pok Pok Thai for instance, while the urban wine culture has to be seen to be believed. And if you want fine dining, Portland can help on that front too. The acclaimed Le Pigeon and Coquine are extremely highly rated, while Noble Rot is also worth a look, not only because of the inventive menu but also because of the rooftop garden which boasts some stunning views across the city. Interestingly, Ben Groundwater recommends not talking politics when you are visiting restaurants in the US, as detailed in his The One Thing blog series at 1Cover.
1. San Francisco, California
Many of you may already have left your hearts in San Francisco, and not only because the cable cars climb halfway to the stars. Because when it comes to food, San Francisco more than holds its own with the best cities in the US, with cutting-edge cuisine and plenty of historic favourites. Alice Waters, founder and owner of the incredible Chez Panisse Restaurant, constantly pushes the industry forward with her creativity, while the Tadich Grill is just a fantastic place to eat every day of the week, with fresh produce, fantastic steaks and some delightful seafood dishes to boot. San Francisco’s world-famous Chinatown is also worth considering. Martin Yan’s Chinese restaurant is one of the very best in the country – you simply won’t have a bad meal in this dynamic, fun place to eat.

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1. Austin, Texas
One of the most laid back, relaxed and progressive cities in the US, Austin has so much to offer. Great music, historic buildings and incredible weather aside, the food scene is truly remarkable. There are lots and lots of farmers’ markets around the city with incredible, fresh produce that is used by residents and restaurateurs alike, while the food truck scene is also something special. Tacos are a particular specialty in Austin, with Capital Taco and El Primo being two of the very best.

Thank you Luke for these tips. I’m sure my readers will appreciate them!

I myself found it hard to decide where to eat when I was visiting San Fransisco. There are so many restaurants offering every kind of food. I was literally spoilt for choice.

So with that, I come to the end of another edition of #ThursdayPotLuck.

“Food is one of my passions and I had started #FlavoursomeTuesdays , a blog hop that flopped.But I still miss writing about food and sharing recipes, so I thought of starting a new initiative called #ThursdayPotLuck.

If you have a recipe or foodie anecdote to share, do ping me so that I can visit your post!

Ciao
Great Balls of Sweetness #WordlessWednesday

September 18, 2019

Walking down a Girgaon street during Ganesha festival which got over last week, I came across these huge big boondi laddoos suspended from a street shop ceiling .

It was the most amazing sight I’d ever seen and somehow reminded me of Jerry Lewis’ ‘Great Balls of Fire ‘.

Leaving you with memories of this song brought on by these Great Balls of Sweetness.

Sharing this with Esha and Natasha on #WordlessWednesday.

Ciao
‘Help’less and Happy #MondayMusings

September 17, 2019

Helpless without help?

After three weeks of being almost completely ‘help’less, my home finally returned to normal this week.

My regular cook returned the middle of the week but there was no sign of the resident home help. I was happy that the cook was back. But I was disappointed that the resident home help didn’t return when she said she would.

Why are we so dependent on home help?

Isn’t it shameful that all over the world people manage without any help at all? And if there is anyone to do some household chores it is on a weekly or monthly basis only.

Speaking for myself, I am not ashamed to admit that I need help. This is because I live in a 4 generational household with different needs. Luckily there is no medical condition that needs attending. However, I need to be around to answer doorbells and phone calls. I also am a resident watchdog because of the gruesome attacks on senior citizens left alone at home.

But that apart, my regular routine is quite complicated. Right from 6 am till 9 pm, I need to do numerous kitchen tasks to be done. There are breakfasts to make, lunches to pack, medicines to hand out and generally get the household moving.

Once they are up and out of my way, I have to tackle the laundry, do the dusting, make the beds and tidy up the house. Then I have to keep track of replenishments and order them in. Then open the door to delivery men and attend to any other jobs that can only be done by the SAHM.

If truth be told, I was actually happy doing all the work myself. After all, housework isn’t rocket science. It is mechanical and routine. It isn’t even too strenuous if you organise your household properly. Most of us have some level of automation with refrigerators, cooking gas, washing machines and electrical appliances to make working easier.

Working on my own I found many things that were superfluous in my home. I re-discovered many things at the back of the cupboard. I also found rearranging things strangely calming and peaceful.

Hey! I was actually happy. Surprisingly, my house was cleaner and my mood better.

[bctt tweet=”Despite being Helpless, I was happy” username=”viaunishta”]

Why I really need help

My only grouse about being ‘help’less was the restriction on doing errands. I could only get out of the house when there was someone home to watch over my mom in law and my grandchildren. Being forced to do things from home can get stifling . Especially when it is wet and miserable outside.

I now understand what Farrokh Abdullah and the Kashmiri leaders must be feeling.

Working doesn’t exhaust you as much as the thought of staying at home to answer doorbells and phone calls.

So as Monday comes to an end, I am happy that my household is back to normal.

But on the other hand, did I really need help?

Do you have home help? Do you feel helpless when you are ‘help’less?

Sharing these thoughts on #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne at The Frangipani Creative.

Ciao

p.s. Anna Shetty has a theory that when home help from the Konkan region go on leave for Ganpati, they almost always disappear forever. Of course, they do not languish in their village but use this break as an opportunity to break free from their present employer to find another. So till your help really returns to you, there is no guarantee that after Ganpati your life will return to normal.