Bologna, Italy: Piadina, Kebab and the Best Cold Cuts and Cheeses in the World

Bologna -- arguably the culinary capital of Italy. I discovered so many new things about Italian food and relished in the amazing selection of cold cuts and cheeses found in Bologna and Rome.

In Venice, I had an Italian version of a quesadilla called piadina. It had arugula, prosciutto and mozzarella cheese that had all been melted like a panini. It was ok, very much like a flatbread panini. The difference is that it's made out of dough instead of a tortilla.

I had the best home-made meal in Bologna, courtesy of my dear friend EB. She made a killer spaghetti carbonara (purists will notice that she made the quintessential Roman dish, as opposed to tagliatelle al ragu, which is Bologna's signature meat-based tomato sauce pasta dish), followed by tomino, a small soft cheese that she wrapped with pancetta and baked in an oven until the cheese oozed out.

This pancetta was unlike the thick pancetta I'm used to having in the US. It was a different kind of pancetta called pancetta magretta or pancetta coppata, sliced thinly and with a lot less fat -- kind of a saltier prosciutto. It was delicious and the saltiness complemented the warm, creamy cheese perfectly. She accompanied this dish with a huge bowl of arugula salad tossed with some extra virgin olive oil and lemon. I'm not sure if it was the al fresco dining, the food or the company but we couldn't stop eating, drinking and talking until after 2 am.

Near the University of Bologna, we made a pit stop at a kebab hole-in-the-wall joint called Jolly (Via Oberdan, 29/a - Bologna, 051-272808) and inspired by my recent discovery of piadina, ordered a piadina kebab. To my pleasant surprise, the guy proceeded to make the flatbread from scratch and baked it before stuffing it with the meat, lettuce mix and a tomato-based sauce with a kick that made it such a fine snack.



A few hours later, we had dinner at a quaint little restaurant called Casa Buia (Via Dell' Arcouverggio, 138, Bologna, 051-320089) that serves tigella and crescentine, neither of which I'd ever tried. Tigella looks like an English muffin but is made in these iron molds that give it the star stamp. I didn't think the taste was anything mind-blowing but it was a fine accompaniment to the side dishes they served, which I'll get into in a sec. Crescentine are little sheets of square dough deep fried that also are good alternatives to plain old bread.


The sides included squacquerone, a mild, soft cheese that is often had with piadina and arugula; ciccioli frolli, deep fried pork fat that tasted like crunchy chips; pickled peppers, shallots and garlic and a salsa-like sauce made with tomatoes and peppers called peperonata or friggione.

The tigella and crescentine also came with a sampler plate of cold cuts and one type of cheese. The cold cuts in Bologna got me so addicted and I couldn't stop consuming copious amounts of ham (not to mention cheese -- like smoked provolone that turns out to be hard to find here...) and different cold cuts throughout the trip for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The plate included caciotta, a more aged cheese than the one above but still pretty fresh and creamy, prosciutto crudo, pancetta (the thinly sliced kind with less fat), mortadella (which I suspect degenerated into "baloney" in the US since mortadella hails from Bologna -- get it? What a travesty!), salame and coppa.

My favorites were the pancetta and coppa, each of them imparting varying degrees of saltiness with a bit of sweetness. The mild flavor of the tigella and crescentine paired perfectly with the very strong flavored charcuterie and cheeses.

With such huge appetizers, I wasn't even hungry by the pasta course but of course I had to have a pasta sampler made to order just for us.

Since we were in Bologna, we had to have the signature tagliatelle al ragu, the famed meat sauce with wide noodles that has since been dubbed "Bolognese" in the US, much to the chagrin of our Bolognese hosts. "There's no such thing as spaghetti a la Bolognese," they told us. Whatever it's called, it was very good. The pasta was cooked perfectly with just the right amount of sauce, not drowning in it. We later learned that the ragu was a mix of various kinds of meats, including pork, beef and prosciutto.
Bologna is also known for its tortellini, tiny dumplings that are filled with ground meat or cheese and are added to a clear soup to make tortellini al brodo (usually made with ground meat filling), or tossed with a light cream sauce. This one was the cream sauce variety that had ground meat filling in it. What I loved most was that it didn't feel too heavy and enabled me to sample and enjoy all three pastas. The third one was slightly sweetened with brandy and mixed with grilled radicchio, which was good but our hosts frowned at the notion of sweet pasta and set it aside.

All in all, great meals. Most memorable during the very hot and humid summer days: the wonderful fruit popsicles sold at a tiny stand in downtown Bologna. They tasted homemade -- so fresh, rich with flavor of the fruit essence and not too sweet -- like my mother had just made them and handed me one straight out of the fridge. I could have had five more if it weren't for our pending dinner plans...

Venice, Italy: Seafood Risotto, Seafood pasta, etc

Back in Venice after a week-long cruise, I was so happy to be on solid ground again, sort of.

My Italian food adventure was about to begin. First stop: Osteria al Garanghelo in Venice. Disclaimer: I was traveling in a large group so wasn't able to travel far from the hotel in search of the perfect restaurant. So I didn't get a chance to have typical Venetian dishes but for a tourist trap like Venice, it wasn't too shabby. Thanks JL for your recs!

One thing I loved about this meal was that the ingredients were all fresh and it felt like down-home cooking, no bells or whistles. It was a proud family-owned and run establishment that had been around for decades and it showed in their great service and care.



The spaghetti vongole was fantastic, laced with generous portions of fresh clams and slivers of fresh garlic, finished off with fresh tomatoes and parsley, all mixed in with quality olive oil.

The main dish of mixed grilled fish was also excellent. The fish was perfectly crispy on the outside and nice and juicy on the inside. Drizzled some lemon over it and presto! It came sprinkled with parsley that gave it a refreshing kick. I just loved the rustic presentation that didn't involve any fillets or complicated and fussy emulsions that would have distracted from the simplicity of the flavors.

The fried calamari appetizer was good but I personally prefer the ones served at Burma Super Star in San Francisco that were lighter and fluffier and came with a lemon, pepper sauce that had some kick to it. These fried morsels came with a side that I had first mistaken as a dipping sauce but later learned was polenta. Interesting combination that I'm not sure worked for me -- as much as I liked them separately.)

This dish actually came with fried baby sardines too, which were tasty but not as good as the squid.

The basic pasta pomodoro, or tomato-based sauce, was ok, but nothing to write home about. Most restaurants in Italy have a certain basic standard where they cook the pasta just al dente, the sauces aren't at all heavy and portions are manageable to save room for il secondo, or main dish such as meat or fish.

I also love the affordable house wines or wine selection that features local wines.

By the way, I did have risotto ai frutti di mare, seafood risotto, that Venice is known for. I had it in the even bigger tourist trap of Murano island, but it was actually decent. Again, a testament to the quality of Italian restaurants.



I enjoyed the funky glass sculptures in Murano but boy, was it hot. It's no wonder the glass-making factories close in the afternoon because people would just bake.

Santorini, Greece: Who Knew a Meal with a View Could be This Good?

It's safe to say that I've virtually never had a good meal at a place with a view, much less a fantastic view. I was proven wrong in the beautiful city of Santorini in Greece, where the breathtaking views didn't hamper the quality of the food.

Archipelago, a restaurant perched on a hill (as most structures in this hill-y town are) overlooking a deep blue ocean set against the white buildings (see below) was outright excellent.

We got many dishes as we were a party of 12 and I would say most if not all of the dishes were stellar. Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful, including the humble tomato and cucumber in our starter salad. I was glad to see that Greek food wasn't much like the greasy Greek food we encounter in the US, a-la Papa Christo's in LA, etc.

Some of my favorites were the grilled octopus atop a bed of thinly sliced potatoes, the artichokes appetizer, oven-baked flat bread stuffed with tiny cubes of beef, tomato and spices, and lamb medallions stuffed with artichokes and cheese.

The octopus was perfectly cooked without being rubbery or tough. The octopus and potato "napoleon" of sorts (one thing stacked on top of another) was lightly drizzled with olive oil and some lemon and parsley, as well as some bright red beet strips. The chewy texture, soft potatoes and sweetness of the beets were a winning combination.

The artichokes were marinated in some olive oil, herbs and what they called Anthotiro, a local soft cheese that wasn't as strong-flavored as feta. It tasted so fresh and light.

The stuffed flat bread came piping hot, charred at the edges, as if straight out of a brick oven. The meat and tomato stuffing was, again, light without being bland. I could taste the tomato and spices. It came with a small dollup of a bean dip, which the menu curiously called "fava," described as "Santorinian chick pea puree with onion and capers." We also got a whole side of this dip, which wasn't diluted like many of the commercial brands of hummus found here. I could actually taste the chick peas.

The lamb dish was a pleasant surprise. I had ordered it because I had never had a dish like this before. Lamb stuffed with artichokes and cheese, all wrapped in grape leaves. The lamb was extremely juicy, and despite the fact that I'm usually not a big fan of stuffed meat or fish dishes because I consider stuffing a distraction to the main ingredient at hand (lamb in this case), this lamb was almost transformational.

While these were the best dishes in my book, the other dishes weren't too shabby either. Take, for example, the eggplant appetizer, which was baked eggplant in a ceramic pot with some parsley, the ubiquitous extra virgin olive oil and topped with two sweet slices of fresh tomatoes.





The salads were just what the near-100 degree weather called for. Fresh, crisp greens like spinach or romaine lettuce with sun-dried tomatoes and the soft cheese, which -- to my delight -- is added to nearly everything (If anyone knows where I get this cheese in LA, please holla!). I was surprised to see sesame seeds sprinkled on top as I hadn't realized the Greek used sesame seeds as well, which I loved for its addition of toasty flavor.

The tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, feta, capers and olive salad was equally good, just less exotic for this neophyte in authentic Greek cuisine.

We also had grilled fish kebab that came with rice and grilled vegetables, which was good but nothing to write home about.



I feel so fortunate that I got to at least taste the tip of the iceberg of Greek cuisine that I had always felt a bit skeptical about.

Although I've never been to Turkey until now, I've always liked Turkish food better than Greek food. Ironically, my first foray into Turkish food in Turkey (albeit in the tourist trap that is Kusadasi near Ephesus) was utterly unremarkable. Some spicy ground beef kebab with rice and grilled whole fish. Ok, but nothing earth.


I look forward to eating well in less tourist towns in Turkey and exploring more that authentic Greek food has to offer.

As a side note, I also discovered Vinsanto, an exquisite dessert wine supposedly only produced in two places in the world -- Santorini and Tuscany in Italy.

I love it when I learn so much about the local country's food and wine that I had no idea about before. Opa!

That's exactly what happened in Italy too. My latest revelations coming soon~

Seafood is the Way to Go in Dubrovnik, Croatia

What do people eat in Dubrovnik, Croatia? Fresh seafood – lots of it. Despite my initial fears that a restaurant housed in Old Town filled with tourists could not possibly be any good, Proto, was a pleasant surprise. Some purists may scoff at the food served here, saying it's not as authentic as it could be. That may be true, but it was darn good and that made me happy.

Established in 1886, this restaurant served a hearty tomato-based fish soup with a twist. This coastal town located in the southernmost tip of Croatia very close to the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina is also known for its dried orange peels that are packaged and sold candied. And it took me a second to realize the subtle citrus and sweet flavors in the soup served at Proto came from the orange peels. There were just enough peels to balance out the salty fish broth with tomatoes.


Another appetizer that hit the spot was fried baby sardines, which had a very light batter and the crunchiest texture.

The star of the show was undoubtedly the main course of grilled fish and squid. Filets of sea bass and whole pieces of squid drizzled with a lemon parsley sauce were refreshing and the squid was cooked to perfect chewyness. The plate also included grilled shrimps in their shells, potato slices and steamed mussels, all of which tasted fresh and just the thing to have on a hot, summer day.



I also had a seafood pasta in a tomato sauce that was good but my limited knowledge of Croatian food leads me to just say, it was good but not as delish as what awaited me in Italy no less!

Stay tuned for posts on some ridiculously amazing food and wine in Greece and Italy!

Dondaegam: What's Not to Like About this Porkfest ?

What makes a barbecue joint good is the quality of its meat and condiments. That is certainly the case for Dondaegam in Koreatown, which specializes in pork barbecue. Order a sampler and you get pork belly, pork loin and marinated pork that will cook tableside and be popped into your mouth with some spicy lettuce and green onion mix that complements the meat perfectly.

Add its well fermented kimchi and it's pure heaven. The pork belly gets crunchy, almost like thick bacon, so the added texture contrast makes this experience even better.

Dip the unmarinated meat first in one of two sauces, sesame oil, salt and pepper and then dab a sriracha-based spicy sauce onto the greens mix plus meat concoction.

Wish I could write more but I'll let the images speak for themselves. It's juicy, not frozen meat and very lean and tender.

J. Gold gave it a rave review and it's by the same owners as the much-beloved Park's BBQ that is known for its beef.

Dragon: Go for the Noodle + Entree Lunch Deals For Great Value

Whenever I get a hankering for decent jjajangmyun (alternately spelled Chachiangmen), the classic Korean-Chinese black bean noodle dish, I head to Dragon, or Yong Goong in Korean. It has one of the best lunch deals in town, offering a meat or seafood dish as a combo for anywhere from $8 to $13.

The combo meal also includes fried rice and a fried wonton but neither are remarkable so I'd stick to the noodles and main dish.

My main dishes of choice are the tangsuyook, or sweet and sour beef, or the Kung Pao chicken that has a slight kick to it. Sure. Neither one of them is healthy by any stretch. Both are deep fried and somewhat smothered in sauces. That's where the kimchi, raw onions and pickled daikon radish that accompany any meal come in to balance out the grease.


The raw onions can be dipped in what I call black bean essence -- a dense paste of unadulterated black beans pureed and seemingly seasoned only with salt and a dab of oil to soften it. It's an acquired taste but one worth checking out. Just don't do it on a weekday when you have to return to the office and have to face your co-workers with some pretty potent onion breath.





For those who want spice all the way, jjamppong may be more up your alley. Jjamppong is a soupy noodle dish that is a hodgepodge of all things seafood such as squid and shrimp whose broth is so spicy that it bears a red-hot hue. It doesn't mess around with spice so beware.

I'm a sucker for complimentary desserts and I absolutely love the little morsels of deep fried (I know, again) sweet potato pieces covered with clear syrup that hardens like candy by the time they reach the table and are quickly popped into my mouth. These lovelies basically taste like candied sweet potatoes, also known as matang in Korean and sold on street carts in Seoul. Whatever they're called, they're delish. A great finish to a meal.

Best and Worst of Santa Ynez Wine Country: Burger Out at Los Olivos Cafe

Who knew that the highlight of my Santa Ynez wine country trip would end up being (besides the wine, of course) none other than a bloody burger with one of the best barbecue sauces I've had west of Texas?!

I had three burgers in two days because I'm a burger fiend but only one of them at Los Olivos Cafe in a tiny sleepy town just outside of Solvang took the prize. This patty was juicy, flavorful and had just the amount of bite that I liked, albeit a teeny bit overcooked.

Still, it was plenty messy to eat. The sesame bun was warm and firm enough to withstand the huge mound of "the works," including tomato, red onion, romaine lettuce, pickle, cheddar cheese and a dollop of thousand island dressing. While taking a bite may leave stretch marks on the side of your mouth, it's well worth it. The combination is fantastic. The fries were crispy, warm and not over-salted. The barbecue sauce that seems to have been made at the premises from scratch was out of this world. Maybe it was also the excellent Los Olivos' house Pinot Noir that I washed it down with that made it all the better. Still not at Houston's level, mind you, but very good (The 'cue sauce was hands down better than Houston's, however. I wanted to drink it.). Just remember to skip the unremarkable pizzas.

P.S.: Stop by Stolpman Winery Tasting Room known for its Syrahs if that's your thing. It's delish.
The second-best dish I had was the Maytag blue cheese souffle at Root 246, Bradley Ogden's new place in Solvang that also got a decent review by the LAT last week.

I'm not even a huge blue cheese fan, but it had me at souffle. It was like blue cheese mousse that was made milder from the cream or whatever they added to the souffle to make it so delightfully fluffy and airy. The blue cheese was sandwiched in a crusty puff pastry shell that made for a great mix of textures. The accompanying strawberry and watercress salad gave it a refreshing counterbalance to the slight heaviness of the blue cheese. I love eating things like this that are clearly dishes that would be very hard to make at home. There's a reason souffles take so much time and care to perfect!

I also liked the pan-fried chicken that came with mashed potatoes and topped with thin apple slices and what looked and tasted like giant raisins. Although chicken breasts are usually too dry for me, the chicken was perfectly juicy with a crispy, salty skin that seasoned the chicken nicely. The potatoes were a tad bland (thank God for the Tapatio they had handy) but I liked the salty and sweet/tart interchange with the chicken and toppings. Not as revelatory as the souffle but still good.

I didn't have any of the dishes LAT raved about but the calamari and burger I had were not worth raving about at all. The calamari was overcooked the first time and then the second time as well so we barely touched it and they thankfully didn't charge us for it. The burger was average and I wouldn't get it again.


Next up, the Hadsten House in Solvang had a very juicy (Please excuse my excessive use of this word. What can I say? I can't stand dry meats.) pork chop but they poured far too much of the fig and apricot sauce over it that overpowered the meat with its sweetness. I like a sweet sauce with pork but this was too much, as it took it away from the nicely-brined pork chop that would have been able to hold its own without being smothered in candy. I learned a long time ago that the secret to the best pork chop was brining it in apple cider + water or some kind of liquid to ensure the moisture is retained. Avoid the scallop appetizer that sounds enticing. It was overcooked and drowning in bacon and bread crumbs and as a bacon-lover I can safely tell you that it wasn't a good thing. The service at dinner was appallingly rude and annoying but breakfast food and service were both good. So much for consistency. Desserts were ok but the portions were ridiculously large.

Now for the worst of "Sideways" country (brace yourself for reminders here at every corner): Avoid Little Mermaid on the main road like the plague. Split-pea soup and a sampler of traditional Danish open-faced sandwiches were below average. There were chicken liver sandwiches topped with beets and pickles and cheese sandwiches topped with radishes and carrots that were ok but not enough to order again. The sausages sampler that came with a scoop of mashed potatoes and green beans looked and tasted like a frozen TV-dinner gone from bad to worse or straight-up plane food. Either way, the worst of images and analogies.

I was seduced by a cute-little shack called the Big Bopper Drive-in and made the mistake of ordering the namesake burger that was so incredibly overpriced (for a shack burger, that is) and positively disgusting. I can't believe they actually sell this as an edible piece of meat in between bread. The tacos are supposed to be ok but I'm not going anywhere near that place again.

So, I had to have the famous Aebleskivers, little fried doughy balls with powdered sugar and raspberry jam that this town is known for. I found the ones at Solvang Restaurant to be too flour-y and didn't like them. But maybe it makes a great one that I just happen not to like.

Here's another tip for winos: Check out Curran, Melville and Lucas & Lewellen tasting rooms for some awesome Pinot Noir and other wines this region is known for. I was ecstatic to have discovered a late harvest white that actually smelled and tasted like it had lychee in it! Priceless.