Nooschi

Wall Gets It Right with Supply and Demand, Ottawa

2013-05-20T08:57:00.000-04:00

It's exciting when an awesome new place that you know will stay pops up in Ottawa. I last felt it when Back Lane Cafe opened and I'm feeling it again with Supply and Demand, a funky little food and raw bar on Wellington Street West in Westboro, Ottawa.

The couple behind Supply and Demand are Chef Steve Wall and his wife, Jennifer. Twenty-eight-year-old Steve Wall has been with some of Ottawa's most notable restaurants, including Town, Whalesbone and Luxe.

Decked out in black and white, this place is anything but plain. Maybe I've been watching too much Boardwalk Empire, but Supply and Demand reminds me of a 1920's speakeasy funked up in contemporary style. The sea horse wall paper and tiled floors are totally awesome!

And the food...I don't even know where to start with the food, except to say that it all pretty much rocks! There wasn't anything that we ordered that I didn't love.

You can't go wrong with anything on the raw menu as it was a big part of their original vision for the restaurant. While the menu changes often, the highlights on the night we were there were the short rib carpaccio, the sea scallop ceviche, kale salad and ricotta gnudi. The ricotta gnudi was melt in your mouth good and the raw dishes were fresh with nice clean flavors.

This is now one of my new favorite places to eat in Ottawa.

Kale Salad with Caper Vinaigrette, Manchego Cheese and Bacon

Ricotta Gnudi with Basil Pesto

Raw Sea Scallop with Grapefruit, Scallions and Birds Eye Chili

Short Rib Carpaccio with Pickled Pepper Mayo, Preserved Romano Cheese and Mache

New Crop Potatoes with Soft Boiled Egg, Dijon, Lemon and Herring Caviar

Brown Butter Poached Mackerel with Pickled Shrimp Panzanella and Marinated Vegetables

Pavlova Sandwich with Dulce de Leche, Roasted White Chocolate and Banana

Supply and Demand
1335 Wellington West
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-680-2949

Recipe: The Ultimate Green Shake

2013-05-14T22:40:00.000-04:00

When one hears green shake or green drink, a scrunched up face usually follows. It never sounds tasty and what usually comes to mind is a cup full of bitter vegetables blended together. I can assure you that it is NOT the case with this green shake. It is delicious and packed with a whole lot of goodness such as leafy greens, fresh fruit, omega-3 and anti-oxidants.

When life gets hectic, I usually forget to eat my fruits and veggies regularly. This is a great shake to get all the essential nutrients and fats you need. The fresh fruit, sweet dates, and cacao nibs make this shake great tasting, and I don't even notice the broccoli in this drink! I have to warn you, it is pretty filling. One or two servings of this shake is usually enough for one complete meal.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

The Ultimate Green Shake
(Adapted from Sue Riedl)
- 1 green apple, cored and chopped with skin
- 1 ripe frozen banana, peeled
- 1 cup of frozen broccoli
- 3/4 cups of leafy greens (I use watercress, kale, or spinach)
- 3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of almond milk
- 1 Tbsp of flax oil
- 2 Tbsp of cacao nibs
- 5 Brazil nuts

Method
1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour shake into a cup and enjoy.

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Pineapple Shrimp

2013-02-18T20:56:00.000-05:00

This dish is so mind blowingly simple, you may just laugh. At least I did when I ate this dish and asked for the recipe. I asked at least 3 times, "That's it!? You don't put anything else in the sauce? Are you sure!?"

What makes the sauce sweet and sour is the ketchup. Yes, just plain 'ol ketchup. The tomato concentrate combined with the corn syrup and vinegar makes this a ready to use sauce for Asian dishes. Of all the ketchups on the market, Heinz ketchup has the sweet and sour proportions just right. Other ketchups seem to be either too sweet or not enough.

Sweet and Sour Pineapple Shrimp
- 20 large shrimp, de-shelled but with the shell still on the tip of the tail
- 1 cup of pineapple, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 green pepper, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 1 large onion, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 6 Tablespoons of Heinz ketchup
- 2 tsp of corn starch
- Extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. If you are using frozen shrimp, simply place the shrimp in a bowl of water for 15 minutes and then de-shell. Mix the shrimp and corn starch until evenly coated. Set aside.

2. Once the onion is sliced, separate each layer by hand so that they become curved strips. In an oiled pan, on high heat, cook the onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, and stir fry until 3/4 of the way cooked (approximately 3 minutes).

3. Turn the heat down to medium heat. Add the ketchup, green pepper and pineapple, and stir fry until the shrimp is completely cooked (approximately 2 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

If you dont mind the work when eating, you can keep the shell on the shrimp to hold in more flavor. For a saucier dish, simply add more ketchup.

Recipe: Garlic Edamame

2013-02-13T06:53:00.000-05:00

A great healthy snack and tad more exciting than the traditional edamame sprinkled with sea salt, this garlic edamame will get you licking every pod you place in your mouth. It's quick to make and a really flavorful way to get your protein and fiber.

Garlic Edamame
- 2 cups of frozen edamame
- 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. On high heat, in an oiled pan, sautee the garlic for 1 minute. Add the frozen edamame red pepper flakes and a few dashes of salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, until the garlic is golden brown. Use a wooden spatula to stir the edamame around frequently.

2. Add the oyster sauce and toss until evenly coated, no more than 1 minute. Serve hot. Eat the beans only and discard the shell.

Thai Airways Airline Food - Paris to Bangkok

2013-02-11T07:14:00.000-05:00

Thai Airways airline meals from Paris to Bangkok in economy class.

Dinner
Starter: Savoy ham and creole salad
Main: Stir-fried beef with oyster sauce, steamed Thai Hom Mali rice and bok choy
Dessert: Pecan Tartlet
Sides: Rivoli bread roll, crackers, cheese, butter, tea, coffee

Breakfast
Starter: Fruit salad and yoghurt
Main: Emmenthal crepe, Spanish omelet, roasted tomato and green asparagus
Sides: Croissant, baby bread, jam, butter, tea, coffee

Thai Airways Airline Food - Sydney to Bangkok

2013-02-09T07:01:00.000-05:00

Because airline meals are so hard to come by these days, it is more the reason to post airline meals...JUUUUST in case they ever go obsolete. What's neat is how airline food differs so much between country to country, and airline to airline, depending on where you are going and who is operating the flight.

Here are the meals served on a Thai Airways Sydney to Bangkok flight in Economy class. Here, you can see a blend of Asian elements with Australian ones.

Lunch

Lunch
Starter: Potato salad with mayonnaise, lettuce, shaved turkey and cherry tomato
Main: Chicken in red curry with bamboo shoot, steamed Thai Hom Mali rice, and stir fried vegetables
Dessert: Orange almond cake
Sides: bread roll, Arnott's crackers, Cracker Barrel cheese, butter, tea, coffee

The curry didn't look like much in the photo, but it was really flavorful! The Arnott's crackers were a nice touch.

Dinner

Dinner
Starter: Fresh fruit salad
Main: Stir fried prawn with black bean sauce, rice noodles, choy sum
Dessert: Wattle seed cookies

The noodles were not soggy and the prawns were huge. This dish was really good and the sliced chile peppers on top gave the dish an extra kick.

Fried Chicken is Good, But Spicy Fried Chicken is Better! Hattie B's, Nashville

2013-02-07T23:07:00.000-05:00

Damn Hot White Chicken with Fries

This might not look like alot, but this piece of hot fried chicken is ONE MILLION Scolville units!! Made with ghost pepper extracts, the Damn Hot Chicken at Hattie B's is not for the faint-hearted.

In the South, fried chicken is a staple. However, in Nashville, hot fried chicken is the thing. Hattie B's, owned by the Bishops and named after Nick Jr's great-grand mother, is one of the newer kids on the block.

Their most popular chicken order is hot, followed by medium, and then damn hot. The medium and hot are fairly similar in heat, with the difference being that the hot has a dry spice on top of the wet.

If spicy is not your thing, they also offer traditional Southern fried chicken.

As for sides, the pimento mac n cheese is a must order!

Are you thinking that even the Damn Hot might not be enough heat? Well...I've got a secret. They have an off-the-menu item called "Shut The Cluck Up" that is 3 Million Scolville Units! Come on, I dare you.

Hot Dark Chicken with Pimento Mac n Cheese and Southern Greens

Hattie B's
112 19th Avenue S
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Telephone: 615-678-4794

An American Chocolate Road Trip with Wild Ophelia, Beef Jerky Chocolate

2013-02-05T09:36:00.000-05:00

Just when you think you've seen it all, they come out with Beef Jerky Chocolate! Now, this is one chocolate combination you don't come across often.

Wild Ophelia, sister company to the very popular Vosges Chocolates, is an all natural American brand that combines chocolate with ingredients sourced from small American farmers and food artisans.

With a very Southern flair, Wild Ophelia offers flavors such as Beef Jerky, Southern Hibiscus Peach, New Orleans Chili, Sweet Cherry Pecan, Smokehouse BBQ Potato Chips and Peanut Butter and Banana.

In true Katrina Markoff style, everything has a story. And here is the one of "Wild Ophelia". On a small ranch house in Leipers Fork, tennessee, Wild Ophelia was nicknamed such because of the smart plans she hatched while a kid. Instead of making pocket money serving lemonade, she would serve her experimental creations such as chocolate dipped beef jerky and fresh peaches with hibiscus, hence the inspirations for the Wild Ophelia chocolate line up.

Also similar to Vosges Chocolate, the Wild Ophelia bars have tasting tips. Here is the one for the beef jerky bar: "Close your eyes, breathe. Let the plains of Wyoming roll on your tongue as you snap the chocolate in your mouth. Beef jerky, smoked paprika and deep milk chocolate deliver the power of the magical cacao bean".

The beef jerky chocolate was really good. The beef jerky bits were small enough to blend with the chocolate creating a very nice uniform flavor that wasn't overpowering.

The artwork inside the chocolate box is adds a nice design touch too.

Air New Zealand Lounge, Sydney

2013-02-02T06:38:00.000-05:00

Of all the airport lounges we've set foot in, one of the most memorable is Air New Zealand's lounge in Sydney. The overall lounge had a very nice clean design and they really made an effort to serve more than the traditional sandwiches, soup, salads and snacks that you see in the lounges.

The food in Air New Zealand's lounge stands out among the rest, and this is comparing it to North American lounges, European lounges and Asian ones as well. Their presentation was nice and they put an effort into serving warm dishes over and above the typical sandwiches, soup and easy to serve items.

There were two things that stood out - the presentation of the food and the hot meals served. In addition to the typical food you would find at an airline lounge, they also had two hot meals served in little chinese lunch take-out boxes. They had a beef bourguignon with garlic mash, and a tuna and vegetable pasta bake the day I was there. Both were really good.

Roast Beef Sandwich, Chocolate Mousse, Mini Blueberry Muffins

Fresh Fruit Salad with Passion Fruit and Mint Garnish

Hot Tuna and Vegetable Pasta Bake

Recipe: Easy Lemon Quinoa Salad

2013-01-31T08:51:00.000-05:00

When you're in a pinch and need a quick salad or side dish, this is the perfect one. Fresh. Light. Simple. And the best part, takes no time make.

This recipe yields 4 small portions.

Lemon Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- 2 lebanese cucumbers, chopped
- 1 roma tomato, chopped
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 1 orange pepper, chopped
- black pepper
- white pepper
- salt
- cayenne pepper
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Cook the quinoa as per package instructions.

2. In a bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, vegetables, scallions and lemon juice. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. Add black pepper, white pepper, salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Mix well. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Fou Lard Scarf, Bacon Worth Wearing

2013-01-29T08:45:00.000-05:00

If we didn't tell you this was a bacon scarf, you probably wouldn't have even noticed. Delicately designed, this Fou Lard bacon scarf created by Swiss designer Natalie Luder, is a true masterpiece.

Foulard is the french word for a silk scarf, and if you break up the word, you also get fou = crazy and lard = bacon, which is how this scarf got its clever name. This limited edition scarf is 100% silk that is digitally printed with a black row hem.

Luder studied Jewellery Design at the Geneva School of Applied Arts and at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. Although her training is in jewellery, she has not limited her work to just that. Most of her work is inspired by food, but with an appearance versus reality twist.

Get Together at Gezellig, Ottawa

2013-01-26T08:45:00.000-05:00

If you are going to order just one dish from Gezellig, it has got to be the beef tartare. Tender raw beef tossed with seasoning and served with fried egg, puffed mustard and lemon oil crostada.

Pronounced gah-zell-ig, the word is Dutch for cosy, nice atmosphere, time spent with loved ones or general togetherness. Gezellig is truly just that.

It is the 3rd restaurant child of Stephen Beckta, with the other two being Beckta and Play. Some have described Gezellig's food and atmosphere as something being in between Beckta and Play, but, although the interior is grand looking, I find the food and crowd at Gezellig a lot more casual than the other two restaurants. It has more of a gastropub feel.

Their menu changes often but there are some dishes that remain permanent like the highly regarded beef tartare. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, their butter finger dessert is a must try. The maple pork tamarind sandwich was absolutely delicious and extremely filling. It was packed with a generous amount of pork served with slaw and thick pieces of fresh poppyseed bread.

Maple-Tamarind Pork Sandwich with Napa Cabbage, Carrot Slaw, Bartlett Pear, Chilies and Chips

Seafood Chowder: Red Curry Coconut Broth, Oyster Plant, Sweet Carrots, Purple Potato and Lime Oil

Beef Tartare, Fried Egg, Puffed Mustard and Lemon Oil Crostada

“Butter Finger”, Peanut Butter, White Milk & Dark Chocolate, Graham Cookie, Chocolate Anglaise

Gezellig
337 Richmond Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-680-9086

The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden, Nashville

2013-01-24T08:01:00.000-05:00

Speaking of keeping the Drug Store Soda Fountain culture alive, The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden in Nashville trys to do just that. An old school burger parlor and beer garden specializing in burgers, wursts, housemade sodas, floats, shakes and craft American & German Beer, The Pharmacy is the brainchild of Holland House's, Terrell Raley and is one of the best burger joints in town.

Their beef burgers are made with 100% organic Tennessee beef, and their wursts are housemade and served with sauerkraut, horseradish and beer mustards. Both are served with a light fluffy Provence roll that are specially made for the restaurant. If you are not a meat lover, they have veg options such as the falafel or black bean burger.

If you plan on eating late, leave the kids at home. After 9pm, The Pharmacy is a 21+ only place.

Cheese Burger with Jalapenos and Tater Tots

Jagerwurst with German Potato Salad and Horseradish Mustard

Housemade Strawberry Ginger Ale and Maraschino Cherry & Lemon Soda

The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden
731 McFerrin Ave
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Telephone: 615-712-9517

Keeping the Drug Store Soda Fountain Tradition Alive at Wiles-Smith, Memphis

2013-01-22T07:51:00.000-05:00

At the turn of the 20th century, the American trend of soda fountains inside a pharmacy began to emerge. By the 1920s, when the prohibition began, almost every drug store in the US had a soda fountain, which became the new social hub. The tradition died around the 1970's when fast food, bottled soft drinks and ice cream became more popular.
.

Wiles-Smith Drug Store, an original pharmacy soda fountain, keeps this tradition alive and is the only remaining one in Memphis. Today, it still operates as an indpendent drug store and soda fountain.

You are really stepping back in time at Wiles-Smith. There was a young girl sitting with her dad enjoying grilled cheese and a milkshake, and it was amazing to think that she is enjoying the same tradition that her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents enjoyed.

Try their malted milk, ice cream soda and grilled cheese sandwiches for a true original experience.

Strawberry Ice Cream Soda

Chocolate Malted Milk

Wiles-Smith Drug Store
1635 Union Avenue
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Telephone: 901-278-6416

Evolution of Cruise Ship Dining (Infographic)

2013-01-20T15:27:00.001-05:00

This infographic shows how the Sailing Chef has evolved over time, starting from Ancient Rome 100BC to The Pirate Chef in 1700AD to today's Modern Cruise Ship Chef.

Source: celebritycruises.com

Recipe: Yellow Thai Chicken Curry with Potatoes (Gang Garee Gai)

2013-01-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yellow Thai chicken curry, seen as Gang Garee Gai or Kaeng Kari on English menus, is one of the most fragrant and hearty curries in Thai cuisine.

The essence of making Thai curries is to heat the thick creamy part of the coconut milk until the oil and milk separates, and then frying it with curry paste until it becomes fragrant. If you get this part right, the rest is simple. If the coconut milk does not split, it may be because emulsifiers were added to it. If this is the case, just fry the curry paste with coconut milk until it is fragrant. If you cook the curry long enough, the coconut milk will eventually split.

If you are not making your own curry paste, make sure you buy a good quality one, as this will make all the difference. A paste made in Thailand is your best bet. The Mae Ploy or Mae Sri brands are preferred.

Yellow curry paste is a combination of lemon grass, garlic, shallot, galangal, dried red chilli, corriander seed, kaffir lime peel, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom.

Yellow Thai Chicken Curry with Potatoes (Gang Garee Gai)
- 250mL - 400mL of coconut milk (I used 250mL. Using a bit more will make it creamier)
- 2 Tbsp yellow curry paste
- 1 pound of chicken
- 1 large onion, cut into 4 wedges
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 cups of water
- 4-5 Tbsp fish sauce (start with 4 and add another if you want more taste)
- 1 tsp palm sugar

Method
1. In a large pot, heat the thick creamy part of the coconut milk (the part that rises to the top) until the oil and milk separates. Add the curry paste and fry until fragrant. Add in the rest of the coconut milk and chicken and cook for 1 minute. Add water, fish sauce and onions and simmer until the chicken is cooked. If using chicken thigh or legs, cooking time is approx 30 minutes. If using chicken breast only, cooking time will be slightly shorter.

2. Add the potatoes and simmer until potatoes are cooked, approximately 15 - 20 minutes. Stir in the palm sugar and mix well. Serve hot with Jasmine rice.

Fab Pho at Pho Van Van, Ottawa

2013-01-09T08:53:00.000-05:00

Pho Dac Biet

One thing Pho Van Van does right is the consistency of their rice noodles. Its got just the right chewiness and believe it or not, some restaurants do a really bad job of it. Some places make their noodles too hard and some too soft. While there isn't alot of variety when it comes to what different Vietnamese restaurants offer, Pho Van Van differentiates by offering a quail egg in their pho selections. For those that love the Vietnamese pork meatloaf omelet (cha trung) with their rice like the 3 color rice dish, this place only offers a simple pan friend egg.

The decor of this restaurant kind of has a jungle-like feel with its wooden wall panels, bamboo blinds and green plants. Its slightly fancier than the casual run down Vietnamese restaurants around the city, which lends itself to a better dining experience. It is located in the trendy Hintonburg area, close to government buildings, Westboro shops, and The Great Canadian Theatre Company, which attracts a steady crowd of people throughout the day. They are not open Sundays.

Pho Tai

Deep Fried Squid

Tendon and Tripe

Pho Van Van
93 Holland Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-722-1663

Good No Fuss Mexican Food at Las Delicias Mexican Bar & Grill, Memphis

2013-01-08T05:18:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for good, no fuss Mexican food in Memphis, then head to Las Delicias Mexican Bar & Grill. This is a super popular joint that attracts huge line ups during lunch. This isn't really a place you go for atmosphere. The interior is extremely plain and has just the bare minimum needed to serve their customers - tables, chairs and a cash register.

Their tortillas and salsa that are served before the meal are always fresh. Their tortillas are crispy and have a nice airy texture. If you order the fajitas, don't expect thick cuts of meats served on a sizzling hot plate with toppings neatly organized for you. Their fajitas, served with small corn tortillas, are cooked pretty much the same way as their burrito filling - grilled meat, bell peppers, onions, bacon and melted cheese all tossed together.

Tortillas and Salsa

Alambre Fajita (Chicken and Beef) with Grilled Jalapeno

Chicken Burrito Grilled with Onions, Bell Peppers, Refried Beans and Cheese in a Flour Tortilla

Las Delicias Mexican Bar & Grill

4002 Park Avenue

Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Telephone: 901-458-9264

Winners of the Zinio Magazine Giveaway

2013-01-06T06:42:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone! What better way to enter the New Year than announcing winners for free stuff. Right before the holidays, we launched a Zinio Magazine Giveaway to help you kick off the New Year.

Zinio is an online newsstand with thousands of magazines to choose from. Zinio magazines can be downloaded on your computer or mobile device, and are especially awesome for iPads and tablets.

Here are the 10 lucky winners. Each winner gets a free subscription to the digital magazine of their choice.

Miss Juliette, Clean Eating
Kenneth, Harvard Business Review
VSharm, Esquire
Horseplayer, World Soccer
KN, The Economist
SS_Summer, US Weekly
hungryhippo, Epicure
western gal, Beauty
Hamburglar, Juxtapoz
VegWedgeGirl, Vegetarian Times

Boxed Water is Better. An Environmentally Friendly Alternative.

2013-01-03T07:49:00.000-05:00

When you stop and think about the bad effects bottled water has on our health and environment, it is a little scary. Most bottled water is no better than the tap water from your home, and in some cases, it is worse than tap water because of the high contaminant levels that can be found. The majority of bottles from botttled water become litter, which can take up to1000 years to bio-degrade.

Boxed Water is Better, a Michigan based company, helps battle the negative issues caused by bottle water. It is an environmentally friendly option that is also philanthropic and stylish.

Some quick facts about Boxed Water is Better:

The water is carbon-filtered, purified drinking water from the municipal source at each of their fillers.
Approximately 76% Boxed Water material made of a renewable resource, trees.
The trees used to make Box Water come from certified, well managed forests.
10% of their profit is donated to world water relief foundations.
Another 10% of their profit is donated to reforestation foundations.

When you're drinking Boxed Water is Better, it not only helps to replant trees but also helps those who are less privileged.

Recipe: Persian Chicken and Prune Stew (Khoresh Aloo)

2012-12-30T07:59:00.000-05:00

Persians have mastered the art of combining meat with fruit. Coming from someone who never really cared for the two together, I can tell you that Persians do it well and this dish is a prime example.

If you're squirming from the sound of prunes and chicken in stew form, let me try to describe it to you before you decide you're gonna hate it. The base is sweet, tangy and almost candy like. The chicken combined with the slow cooked onions, and some salt + pepper provide the savory elements needed to give it the sweet/salty phenomenon (but more on the sweet side). Serve this stew on a bed of fluffy basmati rice and you've got something that will satisfy your tastebuds in a totally different way.

This recipe calls for pomegranate paste, which is a thick molasses-like paste made of pomegranate concentrate. You can find this at your local Persian grocery/specialty store.

Persian Chicken and Prune Stew (Khoresh Aloo)
- 2 cups of prunes
- 1-2 chicken breasts, cut into 2.5 inch strips (depends on how much meat you want)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups of water
- 2 Tbsp of pomegranate paste
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. In an oiled pan, saute the onions until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Add the chicken and saute for 3 minutes until partially cooked and lightly brown on the outside.

2. Add the water and prunes. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, covered with the lid on. Add more water part way through if necessary. If the heat is too high, the water may evaporate.

3. While simmering, uncover the stew and with a spatula, mash up 1/4 of the prunes so that it helps form a thick sauce. Add 2 Tbsp of pomegranate sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and mix well. Turn off the heat and serve hot.

You can use any type of chicken you want. Feel free to use all dark meat or mix it with both white and dark. If you prefer a more meaty stew, go ahead and add more chicken to the recipe.

Venture to Ottawa South. Black Dog Bistro, Ottawa (Manotick)

2012-12-29T09:54:00.000-05:00

If you don't get out to Manotick often, or ever, here is one reason why you should: Black Dog Bistro.

Black Dog Bistro in Manotick recently went through a significant renovation, and it now has an updated menu and a great new space. The menu has a slight French flare offering choices like nicoise salad or mussels & frites. Their PEI mussels are highly recommended - big, tender, sweet, juicy and very fresh. Their hot smoked trout is also really good. The trout is perfectly seasoned with a nice smoky flavor.

Their French Onion soup was recently featured in the 'Pilsner Urquell Perfect Pairings Cookbook', a limited edition cookbook featuring restaurants from across Canada for the chef at home.

French Onion Soup

Smoked Trout Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Fresh PEI Mussels in a Roasted Garlic, White Wine and Tarragon Sauce

Black Dog Bistro

5540 Main Street

Manotick, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-692-3779

Funky Food Ilustrations by Anek

2012-12-20T08:37:00.000-05:00

Anek's simple and colorful food illustrations are creative and sophisticated. Kitchen art is tough to master. Most are tacky or very mainstream looking, and in all fairness, it's not easy to make a salad, a jar of olives, or herbs look inspiring.

A graphic designer and illustrator in Croatia, Anek primarily focuses her work on food as it has always been a big part of her life (especially her Granny's recipes). Her artwork is featured in restaurants and products across the globe including the UK, New Zealand and Portugal.

Suminoya All You Can Eat Japanese BBQ, Sydney

2012-12-18T07:43:00.000-05:00

It's not everyday that an all you can eat restaurant is worth mentioning, but Suminoya Japanese BBQ is. Situated in the heart of the business district in Martin Place, Suminoya specializes in authentic Japanese charcoal BBQ with superb quality food.

Although they do have dinner a la carte, the all you can eat buffet dinner is what is popular here. The buffet service is 90 minutes long and starts as soon as you place your first order. Everyone at the table must have the same buffet meal to keep it simple. Becareful of ordering too much because you can get charged for leftover food. There are 2 types of buffet: the gourmet is $45 and the premium is $55. The premium meal is the gourmet option + premium options like sashimi plates, Wagyu beef loin, Shabu Shabu style pork loin, garlic prawns, beef fillets, and unlimited beef tongue.

Salmon and Tuna Sashimi

Shabu Shabu Style Pork Loin

Beef Tongue

Eel

Raw Octopus and Scallops

Suminoya Charcoal BBQ Grill

Salad

Dipping Sauces

Suminoya
1 Hosking Place
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Telephone: 02 9231 2177

Recipe: Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa Patties

2012-12-16T07:53:00.000-05:00

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a good option if you are looking for protein alternatives. It is also gluten-free which is great for the celiac disease sufferers out there. In addition to it being high in protein, quinoa is a good source of fiber, magnesium and iron.

One way to eat quinoa is in burger form. Adding grated carrot and zucchini adds moisture to the patties, and the touch of cinnamon and cayenne is the secret to why these patties taste so good. If you're looking for a sauce to go with these, a spicy salsa will pair nicely.

This recipes makes 16 patties.

Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa Patties
- 6 cups of cooked quinoa (approx 1 3/4 - 2 cups of uncooked quinoa makes 6 cups cooked)
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 medium zucchini, grated
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup of cheese (any kind you like)
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1/8 tsp of cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 + 1/8 tsp of salt
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Cook the quinoa as per package instructions. Mix all of the ingredients except for the eggs until evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and then add it to the quinoa mixture. Mix well.

2. With your hands make 2 inch patties, making sure the quinoa is tightly packed. In an oiled pan over medium-high heat, pan fry each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.