Inspired by a friend of mine, Roberta Malta, who wrote about what she likes eating when she’s sad, I share what I like to eat when I’m happy. Because when I’m sad I can’t eat!
- Duck rice from Antiquarius in SP
- Rice balls and hamburguers from Ritz, in SP
- Tuna rolls with scallions from Indochine in Miami
- Quail legs from Sardinia in Miami
- Spaguetti with butter from Due Cuochi in SP
- Feijão tropeiro with chicken and rice from my mom
- Tapioca with butter from the streets in Brazil
- Pasta with seafood in Manaca in Camburizinho beach
- Tamales from Fleur de Lys in Mexico DF
- Huevos rancheros in Cabo San Lucas, MX
- My fresh pasta with ruccola, tomatoes and parmigianno
- French bread with butter from any bakery in Brazil
- Caipirinha anywhere (hmmm, I guess this is drinking)
Best meals I had in 2008
In 2008, I had some great trips, a couple of good restaurants and also some experiences of enjoying more eating home, cooking my own meals and testing new ingredients. I abandoned the salad-chicken type of lunch for vegan, macrobiotic stuff or just soup from Fresh Market. Below, where I had my memorable meals of the year:
1. Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles
Do you know that perfect restaurant, that perfect table in a perfect weekend? LA was full of light and I had slow cooked meat with polenta and a glass of red wine where nobody could get a table for weeks. Tom Colicchio and Mario Batali at their best.
2. La Buena Tierra, Jaso and Café Ó in Mexico DF
Because being vegetarian and continue to have pleasure is possible. I remember very well that perfect macrobiotic rice I ate alone in a pleasant afternoon in La Buena Tierra.. yummy. I can’t deny I had tons of meat at Jaso, a newly opened place in DF. Cozy, small, great service. For breakfasts, I like to go fancy at Café Ó. While we eat huevos estrellados con tortilla bodyguards wait for the wealthy mexicans outside. Hard reality.
3. Spice Market in New York
I hate crowded restaurants in a saturday night. And Spice Market at the Meatpacking District is as crowded as you can get any day of the week. I really expected it to be all show off but no real good food because all Jean Jorge Vongeritchen restaurants I’ve visited before didn’t impress me at all! Here, a fusion of ingredients, tastes and colors resulted in a magnificent dinner with a couple of friends.
4. Ubuntu, in the Napa Valley
A restaurant that doesn’t rely on meat to give you a entrée always calls my attention. Here, the stars are cauliflower, beets and pastas. Before or after, find your inner balance at the yoga studio inside the restaurant.
5. La Piaggia, in Miami
Because I love a jetset restaurant.. mainly if it’s at the beach so I can have my favorite combination: chardonnay and seafood pasta after toasting under the sun. Or, hamburger with dijon mustard.
Best sentence ever from a friend (Lourdes Hernandez), expert in mexican cuisine, based in SP. She cooks in her house, who has only 5 tables. More intimate experience, impossible to find.
Go there:
To make a reservation, send an e-mail to: guisandeira@gmail.com
