On a beautiful spring evening in Amsterdam, I spent some time strolling around a part of the city that I hadn’t seen yet during my weeklong stay here. After checking out Posthoornkerk (Post Horn Church), one of the top 10 churches in Amsterdam, and passing by the West-Indisch Huis (West India House), built in 1617 as a meat market and ultimately where the Dutch West India Company’s governors ordered the construction of a fort in Manhattan (the genesis of my hometown), I made my way to dinner at the hopping Haesje Claes, which simply does Dutch right. Read about it >
Tag Archives: dining
Devon: A Standout Seafood Restaurant in Philadelphia
After spending the better part of the afternoon strolling around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I sought a little relaxation in the inviting Rittenhouse Square, one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and created in the late 1700s. On a shade-covered bench, I admired the floral displays around me, watched a wedding photo shoot, and enjoyed the antics of the adorable dogs parading by me. When I had had my fill of people-watching, I was happy to find my dinner destination just across the street at Devon Seafood Grill, often considered one of the best seafood restaurants in the city and one of the top 100 places to dine out of more than 4,000 Philadelphia restaurants. Read more >
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Gdansk’s Elephant Restaurant Delivers in a Big Way
Every night while I was staying in Gdansk, Poland, I would find myself strolling along the Royal Way and the Long Market. Lured by its gravitational pull of meticulously reconstructed townhouses with wonderful facades, the easy mix of locals and tourists, and the pleasant sounds of bubbling water at the Neptune Fountain on one end of the strip and talented street performers creating beautiful violin music under the arches of the 16th-century Green Gate at the other, I found the heart of old Gdansk irresistible. I also found some outstanding restaurants in which to dine, including the very fine Elephant Restaurant. Read more >
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Going Thai in Toronto
For two decades, Golden Thai has been one of the leading restaurants in Canada’s largest city, and was one of the pioneers in bringing Thai cuisine to Toronto. Thanks to the creations of executive chef Kiem Thung and the hospitable front-house service of his wife and their daughter, Golden Thai attracts a loyal audience of local patrons as well as a parade of tremendously satisfied visitors. Read more about Golden Thai >
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Kashubian Cuisine Will Take You by Surprise at Kaszubska Marina
More colorful than I imagined, Gdansk, Poland, impressed me as soon as I stepped out of my hotel, made a left, and stumbled onto the Royal Way and the Long Market. Flanked by gorgeous reconstructed gabled townhouses with wonderful facades, painted in cheerful colors and many covered in terrific artistic details, this strip is the heart of the city. As I slowly progressed, noting all the tempting Polish restaurants along the way, I finally came across one that sounded a bit different: Kaszubska Marina, specializing in Kashubian cuisine. My unfamiliarity with that specialty drew me closer, and once a personable, informative waiter escorted me to my table, I was ready to try something new. And I was rewarded beautifully. Read more >
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Cuban Food in a Very American City
After spending the day walking around the streets of the quintessential American city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, exploring key American sites like Independence Hall, Benjamin Franklin’s grave, and the Liberty Bell, I headed to dinner at a restaurant located in a very American-looking three-story Federal-style townhouse, painted a soft pastel yellow. Was my dinner traditional American? Nope. It was Cuban. And it was delicious. Read more about Alma de Cuba >
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First-rate Dining Along the Royal Route in Warsaw, Poland
There are plenty of dining options along Krakowskie Przedmieście, one of the main tourist strips in Warsaw, Poland, some more touristy than others. One that is more favored by locals is Restauracja Kultura, housed on the ground floor of Kino Kultura, one of Warsaw’s best-known cinemas. Restauracja Kultura is the perfect destination for dinner after you’ve just attended a screening here, or if you’re merely wandering down the old Royal Route on your way from the Royal Castle or checking out the U.S.–Polish exhibits across the street. Whatever the reason for finding this restaurant, you’ll be very glad you chose it for your evening meal. Read more >
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Fine Finnish Food, Served With a Story
The small city of Oulu, Finland, seems to be made for walking, and I couldn’t resist the lure of crossing over the little bridges connecting bucolic islands around the historic city center and simply wandering. During that meandering stroll, I ended up on the little island of Pikisaari, in front of Sokeri-Jussin Kievari, an inviting and cozy restaurant housed in an old, red, hand-carved log building that used to be a sugar warehouse — and that was the scene of the owner’s almost comedic near-death. Read more about this Northern Ostrobothnian restaurant that pairs fantastic food with a great history >
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Enjoy a Fine Southern Dinner Amid 400 Years of History
One of the oldest houses in the United States, circa 1737, was almost wiped off the map when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005 and demolished huge swaths of the very vulnerable city of Biloxi, Mississippi. Yet, this venerable building — nearly 400 years old and now the home of Mary Mahoney’s Old French Restaurant — survived, but not without some scars: A line above the fireplace mantle in one of the dining rooms indicates the highest level of the floodwaters, and occasional gusts of wind rattled both the windows and my waitress, who looked apprehensively outside, the roar of Katrina’s locomotive strength permanently etched in her memory. Read more about this unique Southern restaurant >
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Lucas Park Grille’s Marvelous Menu in a Revitalized Area of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis often gets a bad rap, continuously ranked among the worst U.S. cities for murder rates and overall violence, and suffering a 90-year population plummet. But that should not deter you from visiting the Gateway to the West and exploring more than just its iconic arch. One of the most positive, and under-reported, stories to come out of St. Louis is the successful and ongoing revitalization of the Washington Avenue Historic District. Since the late 1990s, sturdy buildings from the late 1800s through the 1920s have been redeveloped as apartments and condos, prompting a surge of young people to move into this neighborhood and spurring a growth in the number of restaurants. And one of the best places to dine here is Lucas Park Grille. Read more >
Stephen Travels 