The Wandering Eater

Restaurants

travel

Creative Greek Cuisine at Vassilenas (Athens, Greece)

I’ve finally made it to Athens, Greece. This city was one of my planned travel destinations (I was supposed to go there in March 2020)..

Manhattan

Amazing Hangzhou Food at Grandma’s House (NYC)

It’s been years (since late 2019) since I’ve savored Hangzhou’s cuisine. The city, especially its famous West Lake, holds timeless allure, cherished by poets and..

Manhattan

Japanese-French Fare at Class on 38th (NYC)

Class on 38th is an elegant Japanese establishment located a short distance south of Bryant Park, offering interesting shochu and sake-based cocktails (they do not..

Manhattan

Superb Szechuan Fare at Chi 棋 Restaurant (NYC)

Chi 棋 Restaurant, situated in Hell’s Kitchen, is an upscale establishment primarily focused on Szechuan cuisine but showcases other Chinese regional cuisines. Conveniently located about..

Manhattan

Dinner at Savta (NYC)

I’ve recently checked out Savta in the West Village on a cold and windy evening. This restaurant looks and feels cozy especially with the indoor..

travel

Dinner at Serica Restaurant, The Bank Hotel Istanbul

Dinner at Serica Restaurant is an interesting take of what Turkish cuisine with creative global influences to modernize the food. Don’t worry, the food is..

Restaurants

Vibrant Flavors at Boutros (Brooklyn, NY)

To be honest, I don’t schlep (meaning, make the long trip over) to Brooklyn Heights unless it’s worth it. What appealed to me to head..

Restaurants

Brunch at Celestine (Brooklyn, NY)

I had invited a few friends to brunch at Celestine, a Mediterranean restaurant in Dumbo, with the hopes of seeing the glorious view of Brooklyn..

Manhattan

RedFarm and Decoy (West Village, NYC)

Ed Schoenfeld and his partner, the talented Hong Kong chef Joe Ng has a “farm style” market-driven Chinese cooking here as they do at the..

Manhattan

Shmoné (NYC)

Shmoné is owned by Eyal Shani who owns the Miznon chain and HaSalon in Midtown. This Israeli restaurant on 8th Street, has a menu that changes..

Manhattan

Casa Carmen (TriBeCa, NYC)

The nearly two-month old restaurant Casa Carmen is part of a family owned restaurant empire, El Bajío founded in 1972 by Raúl Ramírez Degollado and..

Restaurants

Towa (NYC)

Towa is a new restaurant about three months young and it’s part of the Hands Hospitality group (some known restaurants from them in NYC: Atomix,..

Hotels

Hotels

Comfortable Stay at Lumen Hotel Lisbon

A friend and I visited Lisbon back in November and for a few nights we stayed at Lumen Hotel. We’ve decided to stay there because..

travel

Yong Yi Ting at the Mandarin Oriental Pudong (Shanghai, China; 1* Michelin)

Yong Yi Ting was my final dinner destination while in Shanghai. This restaurant sits 21 feet underground at the basement level of the luxury hotel..

travel

PHÉNIX eatery & bar at The PuLi Hotel (Shanghai, China) – 1* Michelin

I’m straying from the Mandarin Oriental Pudong for a moment and briefly talk about my dinner at the 1* Michelin restaurant, PHÉNIX eatery & bar..

travel

Midtown Shangri-La Hangzhou and Cheng Zhong Restaurant (Hangzhou, China)

The other hotel I’ve stayed in Hangzhou was Midtown Shangri-La, Hangzhou. This Shangri-La hotel is the newest of the two in Hangzhou and interestingly this..

travel

JW Marriott Hangzhou (Hangzhou, China)

Next off to Hangzhou! My flight from Chengdu took me to Shanghai. Learning that Hangzhou is less than an hour away from Shanghai by way..

travel

International House Hotel and Loa Bar (New Orleans, LA)

As with many buildings in the Central Business District, exteriors and interiors tell very different stories. In this case, both are intriguing: The facade is..

travel

French Opulence at Le Pavillon Hotel (New Orleans, LA)

This Romanesque white stone building is one of the most architecturally dramatic hotels in the city. The lobby is no less elegant, with towering ceilings,..

travel

Excellent Stay at Windsor Court Hotel (New Orleans, LA)

When I was in New Orleans, I stayed at The Windsor Court Hotel. It’s a very elegant hotel just a few blocks away from the..

Afternoon Tea

travel

Afternoon Tea at Anantara Siam Bangkok

We stopped by Anantara Siam Bangkok for afternoon tea to cool our heels from the intense heat and humidity of Bangkok. We had hoped to..

travel

Afternoon Tea at Pan Pacific Singapore

Whenever I travel to a foreign country, particularly Asian, I hope the hotel that serves afternoon tea would adapt its menu to the country’s cuisine..