Wellington On A Plate Festival - Wellington (Nouvelle Zélande)

Le WellingtonOnAPlate  is a three weeks long culinary event happening every year in august. If by any chance, you're in New zealand at this time, don't miss this Best burger election (To read below).




The event is divided into 2 parts :

- Events you have to pay for taking places in Restaurants ( such as Masterclasses, shows ) which are, according to me , kind of expensive ( From 40 NZD up to more than 100 NZD )

- Special dishes only fixed up for this very moment in different restaurants in town. You can get either a complete meal ( appetizers, course, desert ) for about 35 NZD or taste the Wellington burger made up for the election.

Each single pub fixes up a special burger only created for the occasion. Customers also have the possibility to vote for their favorite burger.

That way, you can easily taste great burgers all around the city. It's amazing that even casual pubs, usually serving average food, make their best to fix up quality burgers for this event.

I got the chance to taste the Moorish Moroccan Baa-Baa Burger in Kerlburn Village Pub. Kerlburn is situated in Wellington suburbs. As Wellington is located near the sea , surrounded by hills, the suburbs are really like an extension of the city.


Kelburn Village Pub
87 Upland Road
Kelburn
Tel : 04 475 83 80
website

This is an average grade pub , but the burger I had this day was great.
It was not trickling with sauce , but not stifling either. It's called the Moorish Moroccan Baa-Baa Burger because it's made with spicy lamb meat, using various moroccan spices. There was supposed to have Masala Lassi too, but I guess it was used as a sauce. Anyway this burger was really good.




Another specificity of the event is that you can choose a special beer with the burger you have , coming straightly form the artisanal brewery called Garage Project. I had a Smoke&Mirrors beer which was just perfect with my burger.

716 Restaurants Selections - JTC (Ann Arbor Selection) - English Version

Que dire sur JTC? Tadd Mullinix se faisait auparavant appeler James T Cotton, désormais c'est JTC.
Je vous conseille d'écouter le mix exclusif qu'il avait réalisé pour 716.
Après avoir sorti l'année dernière son album Creep Acid, Il vient de produire un maxi d'acid techno analogique "The Controller" comme il en a le secret, avec un remix de Mick Wills.
Voilà un producteur et dj fin, racé, intelligent et ouvert d'esprit, le genre d'artistes que j'aime et que les gens aiment aimer.
Il habite dans la ville universitaire d'Ann Arbor qui a vu naître les Stooges.
Fine bouche, il partage ses adresses favorites dans une ville qui a plus à offrir que ce que l'on pourrait croire.






Tadd Mullinix formerly know as James T Cotton, is now named JTC.
I strongly recommend you the exclusive mix he had done for 716.
After having released his album Creep Acid last year, he has just produced a 12" of analogic acid techno "The Controller" that comes with a remix of Mick Wills.
JTC lives in Ann Arbor, a universitary city where the Stooges come from too.
Beside being a smart and talented producer he is also a real gourmet! And he'll show you that Ann Arbor has much more to offer you that what you could maybe expect.

1) Grange Kitchen & Bar
118 West Liberty Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 995-210
→ the website

Grange is the best restaurant in Ann Arbor. Chef Brandon butchers his own meat and specializes in ingredients that are fresh, seasonal, local, sustainable - and this truly translates to the plate. The prices are reasonable, especially when you consider the supreme quality of ingredients and Chef Brandon's masterful talent. Needless to say, the menu changes with the seasons. There are, however, some small plates that are regulars on the menu and are extremely difficult to resist ordering. A mainstay worth trying is the Duck Confit Poutine. This dish consists of a pile of pommes frites fried in duck fat that are topped with fresh cold cheese curds, shreds of warm duck confit, and a deep, rich duck sage gravy. The curds melt slightly from residual heat and, while most fries get soft under this pile of delicious, there are always some on the outer edges that remain crispy. Another stand-by is the Scotch duck egg, a soft boiled duck egg that's surrounded with sausage then battered, deep fried, and served with an aioli. Order anything. You really can't miss with Grange's exquisite approach to farm-to-table cuisine.


2) Biercamp
1643 South State Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 995-2437
→ the website

Ok there's usually only one or two things on the menu. This is actually a shop of artisanal, smoked, and cured meats. But after shopping for any number of goodies, be sure to sit down and enjoy a pulled pork or brisket sandwich. The owners make everything in this shop, so they are more than happy to share information and tastes of just about anything they sell. Some favorites of mine are the Sriracha Pork Jerky and Asparagus, Vidalia Onion and Cheddar Bratwurst. I would also recommend the duck bacon, pea-meal bacon, corned beef, landjaeger, kielbasa, hot dogs, bratwurst, pate, potato salad, baked beans and sauerkraut as well as any of their jerkys (pork, chicken, bison, lamb, beef, or turkey seasoned with unexpected flavors such as Tikka Misala, Thai Peanut and Lizano Salsa). You can't lose!


3) Mani Osteria
341 East Liberty Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 769-6700
→ the website

Mani, which recently earned a place on a list of the top 20 Italian restaurants in America by Travel & Leisure Magazine (September issue), is a homemade italian tavern-style eatery.
I recommend the coffee spiced short-ribs, charred octopus, pickled tomatoes and any stone-oven baked pizza, among many others.
I truly enjoyed the Tagliatelle Carbonara. This pasta dish is topped with a delicately poached egg which you break once it arrives. The warm yolk oozes all over the pasta, trumpet mushrooms, and salty smoked bacon, and makes for a delicious sauce.
I enjoy the bustling friendly atmosphere, tasteful and not-too-trendy interior, and the massive seamless glass window exterior walls that provide an excellent corner view in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor.


4) Zingerman's Roadhouse
2501 Jackson Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 663-3663
→ the website

Zingerman's plays an important role in Ann Arbor's cultural experience. Their famous NYC style deli, which started in 1982, serves as a flagship operation, but their creamery, bakery, coffeeshop, and Roadhouse have also received high acclaim from international culinary professionals and local "foodies".
The Roadhouse specializes in American food, and by American food I mean Cajun, east-coast seafood, southern, slow-cooked, tender Bar-B-Q, Tex-Mex, southern soul food, etc.
My wife often remarks that it is sheer torture to wrap up her yoga practice across the street from The Roadhouse's massive meat smokers. The mouth-watering aroma practically fills the entire west side of Ann Arbor.
I recommend the silky fresh Beau Soleil oysters (if they're in), the BBQ brisket, the corn grits, and their award winning macaroni and cheese. The mac'n'cheese really is exceptional. After adding the bechamel and cheese to the pasta, the edges are crisped up in a cast iron skillet. And they will crisp it to-order!


5) The Chop House
322 South Main Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 669-9977
→ the website

With its dark, cozy, classic interior, The Chop House is a lot like a traditional American steakhouse but has gracefully distinguished itself from the bland type that many of our grandparents frequented. This restaurant is a bit on the pricey side, but they serve the highest quality steaks that are cooked with absolute precision. Try the filet mignon au poivre style and the cheddar au gratin potatoes. This is the place to take a carnivore friend for a special occasion. Get 1/2 price on her brithday! (Not including alcohol).

Man Vs. Food: Chunky's Burgers

The spiciest burger in the world

716 Sélections - Kenneth James Gibson (Los Angeles Sélection)

Ca fait un bail que Kenneth et moi voulons publier cette sélection.
J'ai découvert la musique de producteur de Los Angeles il y a plus de 10 ans et je l'ai tout de suite associée à cette ville. Derrière les clichés d'Hollywood et tutti quanti, L.A est une ville riche extrêmement diverse dans laquelle tant au niveau gastronomique que musical on trouve de tout : les gens prennent le temps de bien faire les choses. L.A est une ville dans laquelle la culture indépendante a toute sa place.
Alors voici 5 spots favoris de Kenneth James Gibson. Pour ceux qui ne le connaissent pas vous pouvez écouter le mix exclusif à tendance pyschédélique qu'il a réalisé pour 716 Music ou alors visiter son site et découvrir ses nombreux pseudos qui correspondent à autant de projets musicaux distincts (son groupe Bell Gardens, ses productions électro sous le nom d'Apendics Shuffle, son label Adjunct, ...).
















It's been a long time that Kenneth and I want to publish this selection.
I have discovered Kenneth's music more than 10 years ago and it was so much associated to L.A in my mind (mayve because it was a live recorded at dublab and they introduced him as a local talent).
The food scene in L.A is extremly diverse, as much as the independent music scene. Behind the cliches, L.A is a city where people take the time to do things correctly.
So here are 5 favs food spots of Kenneth James Gibson. If you don't know his universe, well you can listen to the exclusive pyschedelic mix he did for 716 Music or visit his website and find out he has tons of aliases (his band Bel Gardens, his electro project "Apendics Shuffle", his label Adjunct,...) each one related to a specific musical project. Diverse I told you:)

Bell Gardens - Can We Get




Velvet Elvis - Stripper Baby Daycare (Adjunct label)




1) Stoney Point Grill
1460 West Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91105
Tel : (626) 449-9715
→ http://www.stoneypointrestaurant.com/

C'est un vieux resto italien qui jouxte Eagle Rock et Pasadena. Ma femme et moi y avons débarqué un soir par hasard et n'avons pas cessé d'y retourner depuis. Il faut goûter les Sand Dabs (poissons servis avec du citron, du beurre et des câpres) et la purée! Je prends ça quasiment à chaque fois. Ils font aussi un superbe sidecar (cocktail au Cointreau, au Brandy et au jus de citron)! Si vous allez là-bas, demandez la section d'Adolpho car il prendra soin de vous comme personne! Le pianiste accepte aussi les demandes de morceaux.

It is a very old school Italian joint that borders Eagle Rock and Pasadena. My wife and I stumbled into this place one evening and have gone back ever since. Its all about the Sand Dabs (lemon, butter, capers) and mashed potatoes! I get this almost every time. They also make a great sidecar! If you go there ask to sit in Adolpho's section because he will take care of you like no waiter ever has! Also, the piano man will take requests.


2) El Compadre
1449 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Tel : (213) 250-4505
→ http://elcompadrerestaurant.com/
Le El Compadre d'Echo Park est mon resto mexicain favori de Los Angeles. Des tacos au poisson de folie, une sauce absolument dingue et des enchiladas au fromage qui vous vont faire chialer de plaisir! Désolé si ça paraît dingue mais je suis sérieux! Mon bon pote Douglas a inventé son propre burrito et l'a appelé le Tri-Color, ce n'est pas sur le menu mais si vous le demandez, ils vous le serviront.

Echo Park's El Compadre is my Favorite Mex is all of LA. Next level fish Tacos, the most amazing salsa and the cheese enchiladas will make you squirt! Sorry got a bit nasty there, but im serious! I saw a woman squirt after eating the enchiladas! My good buddy Douglas invented his own burrito there and called it The Tri-Color ….its not on the menu but if you ask they might just serve it to you.


3) Orean
817 North Lake Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91104
Tel : (626) 794-0861
→ http://www.oreanshealthexpress.com/
Le resto végétarien n°1 de Pasadena! On vient pour les frites au fromage et au chili et le Texas BBQ Philly! C'est un peu à l'écart mais ça vaut le détour! Les végétariens vont pleurer de bonheur! MMMMMM!

Pasadena's premiere vegan fast food! This place is tits beyond tits! Its all about the chili-cheese fries and Texas BBQ Philly! It's a bit out of the way but well worth the trip! Vegans will cream their panties over this spot. MMMMMM!


4) Larkins
1496 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Tel : (323) 254-0934
→ http://www.larkinsjoint.com/

Je suis en train d'y aller au moment où j'écris ces lignes, j'attends juste que ma femme soit prête! Leur Mac au fromage est dingue, pareil pour les cakes au saumon, le meilleur poisson chat que j'ai jamais mangé, les boulettes végétariennes et les oeufs mimosa sont aussi top! Tu ne peux pas te tromper! Les mangeurs de poissons, comme moi, les végétariens et les mangeurs de viandes, tout le monde aime ce resto. Le seul point noir c'est que c'est ouvert seulement du mercredi au dimanche.

Eagle Rock's own Soul Food with great veggie options! (I'm about to go there right now in fact, just waiting for my wife to get ready!) AMAZING mac and cheese, salmon cakes, the best cat fish I EVER done had, vegan BBQ meat loaf and great Larkin's Mimosas! You cant go wrong! Pescatarians (like myself), vegetarians and meat eaters will all love this spot! Only downfall is its only open Wed - Sunday.


5) HPK
5137 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Tel : (323) 256-2400
→ the website
HPK est un nouvel endroit à Highland Park et je l'aime bien. Les frites sont top, les bières pas chères (mais il y en a aussi des chères) et il y a d'excellents cocktails. Ca fait aussi brunch le dimanche. Foncez!

HPK is a new spot in Highland Park and I quite like it. AMAZING fries, cheap beers (and expensive ones) and great cocktails. Its also open for a nice little sunday Brunch. Do it!
no worries!

Chez Kim - Paris (19th)

Chez Kim

3, rue de Mouzaïa
75019 Paris
Tel : 01 44 84 00 14
Open Monday to Saturday from 12 PM to 2 PM and from 7 PM to 10 PM
Metro : Botzaris

→ 1st review (in French)
→ 2nd review (in French)

The Pitch
A solidly good vietnamese restaurant that has been around for a long time, and deserves to be better known. A small restaurant with good food, perched high on the Buttes Chaumont in the Mousaïa neighborhood.

The Meal
Nems

Beef with ginger, I believe

Le Fumoir - Paris (1st)

Le Fumoir

6, rue de l'Amiral de Coligny
75001 Paris
Tel : 01 42 92 00 24
Metro : Louvre - Rivoli
Open every day from 11 AM until 2 AM
→ website

I highly recommend the cocktail "Le dernier Métro". It's not on the menu of Le Fumoir, but you can ask for it.

It usually has strawberries but they were replaced by seasonal fruit, raspberries. Then they add vodka, cherry liqueur and ginger, if I'm not forgetting anything.

It's amazing.

Chez Ramona - Paris (20th)

Chez Ramona

17, rue Ramponneau
75020 Paris
Tel : 01 46 36 83 55
Metro : Belleville
Open evenings Tuesday through Sunday

After 5 reviews, I was finally able to get some nice photos of the ham and the tortilla.

Vy Da - Paris 13th

Vy Da 
15, boulevard de Port Royal
75013 Paris
Tel : 01 47 07 37 75
Closed on Sunday for lunch service (except with a reservation, or for certain take out dishes listed on the menu)
Metro : Les Gobelins

→ 1st review (in French)

The Pitch
The menu specifies "Specialities from Central Vietnam".
This is a joint for a quick meal in the heart of an area that doesn't have many of them (Les Gobelins). The genuineness of the couple that runs the place ( the wife runs the kitchen and the husband handles the front of the house), of the locale itself, and of the cuisine is so unique in Paris that this is an address worth knowing.
Sometimes the wait is a little long, but the family ambiance is so strong that you go there just wanting to have a calm moment to taste healthy home cooked food. On days when there's a lunch or dinner rush, service can be a little chaotic, but things always work out in the end.


















The Meal
Vietnamese dumplings


















Nems


















Sticky rice with chicken, served with coconut, sesame, and peanuts


















½ bottle of rosé, 2 starters, 2 main dishes = 14 euros per person

716

Augusto - Paris 3th

Augusto

16, rue Vertbois

75003 Paris

Tél : 01 42 77 14 85

Métros : Temple, Arts et Métiers

Closed Sundays and Mondays

→ the website


















The Pitch

This lunch was a favorite of mine: a roman tratorria with good service, an authentic menu that was appropriately priced. A straightforward menu: No useless extra charges, easy to read, all the dishes could be taken as part of the prix fixe menu. It was great !
Just be careful on certain week night evenings because the restaurant is often full, and the tables are so close to one another that it could make an intimate dinner difficult.


















The Meal

Prix fixe menus : 12 euros main dish + coffee, 16 euros starter - main dish - coffee, 20 euros starter - main dish - dessert
Suppli 

Sardines marinated in olive oil


















Lingua di manzo con salsa verde
Beef tongue with green sauce



















We ordered the dish of the day, so there is no translation
Fusilli with endives


















Gorgonzola Orrechiette with brocolis and pecorino



















Crema al cardamono fragole e lamponi
Cardamom-flavored cream with strawberries and raspberries

My Canh - Paris 13th

My Canh

84, rue Baudricourt

75013 Paris

Tél : 01 45 70 87 36

Closed on Mondays

Metro : Tolbiac


















The Pitch
A restaurant run by Cambodians of Chinese descent, that serves a mix of Asian cuisines (Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese). Quality food in a nice atmosphere. This is a place to come with a light heart for an easy, honest meal, in a warm and friendly environment.

The Meal

Mussels with basil


















Fried rice and Peking chicken














Eel


















Thaï Flan

Casa da Gusto - Paris 14th

Casa da Gusto

6, rue de Plaisance

75014 Paris

Tél : 01 45 42 30 70 - 06 68 08 16 63

Closed Mondays, open Sundays from 12 PM to 7 PM

→ the website

Metro : Pernety























The pitch

Just like it is over there: a warm atmosphere, home cooking: the patacones (fried plantains) are a real delicacy, rice that's salted just as I like it... my favorite Colombian place in Paris along with Sabor a Colombia.
I love the authenticity and the warmth of the place. This is an address worth keeping. I would love to find the same authenticity for other cuisines: Russian, Greek, Turkish, for example...
























The Meal
There was a prix fixe menu starter - main dish – dessert for 12 euros if I remember correctly.
Agua de panela























Vegetable soup with or without tripe
















Chicharrón with patacones, chick peas, rice and salad 

















Tilapia
















Lulo juice with milk
























Arequipe con queso (Dulce de leche with cheese)

Café Canon - Paris 13th

Le Café Canon

8, rue Auguste Perret

75013 Paris

Tél : 01 45 80 18 30

→ website

There's always a good atmosphere at Café Canon, and the prices are reasonable. There's a young team running the place, and when I mentioned it they confirmed my observation that:
1) The owner is quite a character, with a lot of personality
2) The two of them are from Normandy and have known each other since high school. There's a good working atmosphere and everyone gets along well.
3) Since they are from Normandy, they were well qualified to recommend a Calvados, as well as the owner's house made plum liquor, under the café's own label.

Lao Thaï - Paris 13th

Lao Thaï 

128, rue de Tolbiac

75013 Paris

Tél : 01 44 24 28 10

Fermé le mercredi

Métro : Tolbiac


















The Pitch
It's one of the restaurants recommended by so many people that it's considered an institution in the 13th arrondissement. It serves Laotian and Thai cuisine. Looking at the menu I got the impression that it was essentially Laotian, but when I called they told me quite the contrary. In any case, they are from Laos. I still have a lot of things to taste before I make my definitive decision, but it was very good, with a family atmposphere.

I'll be honest: one thing I don't like is when waiters give you a story to give you a table for two in a restaurant that is two-thirds empty under the pretext that a group might suddenly burst in and fill the restaurant. I got away from him right away and got in good with the owner, who was very nice and came over personally to give us suggestions. She was lovely, as was the second waiter. The first waiter was not unpleasant or mean, but should have been more flexible, on a slow week day evening at 9:15 PM.
Other than that, I'm happy I finally went and look forward to exploring the menu in more depth.

The Meal
Thai iced tea























Seafood dumplings























Spicy dried beef with sticky rice
















Sorry, no pictures for the rest :
- duck in coconut milk
- homemade mango ice cream

Le Bienvenu - Paris 2nd

Le Bienvenu

42, rue d'argout

75002 Paris

Ouvert de 11h à 7h du matin

Métros : Sentier, les Halles

The Pitch

A Moroccan restaurant-bar that is open day and night. Notably, they serve couscous and sandwiches at all hours.


The Meal
I got a merguez sausage sandwich for 5.50 euros.
I had two, so you can tell that the night up until then had been a bit difficult, but at least I got my food in 10 minutes, I got to chat with everyone. In brief, I found some understanding people. Don't understimate Le Bienvenu.

Honestly, I had already tried the couscous, but I find it's better for a pick-me-up sandwich. There's merguez, brochettes and more. I included it in my list of "My favorite sandwiches ", it may not be the best but it's consistent, and the fact that it's open late made me give it a place on the list.

Facebook page for 716 in English

There is a Facebook fan page for 716 in French,



now there is one for 716 in English, be sure to become a member to get all the 716 news in English directly on Facebook

Azabu - Paris 6th

Azabu

3, rue André Mazet

75006 Paris

Tél : 01 46 33 72 05

Closed on Sundays and Mondays

Metro : Odéon 



















The Pitch
A good japanese restaurant, so therefore not cheap (easily 30 or 50 euros per person at lunch when you at tea and coffee to the prix fixe menu), teppanyaki (grilling on an iron griddle). Some places for seating are better than others. That being said, on the day I visited everything was perfect, even if it would have been better if it were a little more "well-rounded". The prix fixe menus are 19, 29, or 39 euros and the bento is 43 euros.
For the 19 euro lunch you get : salad + dish of the day + coffee ice cream.
As the japanese acquaintance who suggested I go there said "Yes, it's expensive, but when I want to eat good japanese cuisine, I go there."


















The Meal

Salsify amuse-bouche


















Miso soup



















Lotus root with cheese and garlic and dried bonito shavings


















Duck breast marinated in wasabi sauce


















Beef tenderloin bento, there is duck breast as well



















Green tea ice cream and red bean ice cream, red bean purée