El Cafecito - St. Martin

A Spanish named, foreign-owned, international restaurant on the French side of the Caribbean island of St. Martin... diversity is the lifeline of this place.

Searching for a meal at 10pm on this lazy tourist island was getting hectic, as each restaurant kept turning us away and it was our last night on St. Martin... Sara's hunger was multiplying and our patience was running low. When I suggested Burger King, Sara almost lost it.

But she just 'knew' that something was ahead, that soft muted glowing restaurant that we passed several times, but never approached. She always had a good feeling about this place... as my mom taught me very early on: never ignore a woman's intuition

This time, as we approached the restaurant, they invited us in. We passed table after table of hookah and French conversation. Wine glasses were full and laughter was in the air... something just felt right. Even Sara's dress was perfectly coordinated with the pastel interiors of the eclectic decor. The menu was laid out in school composition notebooks with a nostalgic handwritten font. Each page represented a different nation and each nation was brought to life through a palette of signature tastes. We chose France and Spain and all of a sudden, the table was full of amazing morsels of duck, potatoes au gratin, gazpacho, tortilla, serrano ham and chorizo. The French owners were warm and told us about the entrepreneurial adventure which led them to opening this restaurant. Inspiring story, but with dishes that large and diverse we couldn't comprehend how they could ever turn a profit.

Sara and I were already dancing in our seat after the tarte tatin and ice cream dessert... then, they decided to blow us away completely. They had me raising the roof when they came out with shots of flavored rum! Imagine it: strong homemade rum soaked in natural fruits from the island... we tried the bananas foster rum (our favorite), as well as the passion fruit and coconut rum.... El Cafecito, "the little cafe", is a place we'll always remember.

Children's Play

There is nothing like a sunny morning on Bergen Street in Brooklyn, under the spell of a crisp September breeze, to bring back childhood memories. And there is nothing that brings back childhood memories like hot dogs. So it was fateful that the two intersected for us on this fine day.

Ultimately, as childhood evolves into adulthood, so do our hot dogs - and our hot dog joints. Bark Hot Dogs was nothing like the Gray's Papaya or the famous street vendors of our past.

It was an impeccable shop, with a comfortable and non-threatening commercial quality. Felt clean and organized, and the staff was charming. A hot dog with a smile.

Did we mention, the dogs were amazing! Fresh beef and pork. Crisped to perfection. As you can see, we got the Bark dog and the Kraut dog. The White Birch Beer (among an assortment of Foxon Park varieties) was a nice touch. The bun had a flawless bounce. But, at $18 for 3 dogs & a drink, those delectable bites came at a premium.

For me, it reminded me of all those moments I would hang out at the hot dog stand outside of my dad's office, gobbling meat as fast I could, knowing I'd never get any at home..

And at Bark, for a brief moment, we were home...

Marvelous Miraculous Mango Pops

Fresh Mango Puree

Coconut Milk

Fresh Lime Juice

Sugar

Shredded Coconut

Adapted from a recipe by Sara's M.S. (main squeeze, a.k.a. martha stewart). We guessed that Martha came up with this recipe in jail, because no matter what your circumstances, these little bad boys make you smile!

Feels like India meets NASA, in a tropical wonderland. The homemade mango puree and coconut bits make a melody in your mouth. Another one please!

Nando's Peri: Connecticut Ave, Washington DC

When Sara describes her first trip to Europe, she recalls fond memories of British scenes, where her world of curiosity and discovery emerged. Amidst this, she felt the bond with her father deepen. And new memories with her sister and mom became etched in her mind. But the most memorable thing that they experienced together, was their trip to Nando's. Food was her memory's lifeline long before this blog was born.

When I told her that I knew of a Nando's in Washington DC, her eyes lit up. On our last day of the trip, having forgotten our discussion about Nando's, the memory awakened upon me, and I realized we were only two blocks away, and very hungry!

We headed there, and immediately, excitement grew within us. A giddiness uplifted us, nearly swallowing us whole amongst the glass bottles of special Nando's sauces. And like Sara's first experience, we took the food to go. As we unraveled "pandora's" cardbox box, the scent of the lemon-herb marinated chicken filled the room, as smiles grew on our faces.

The food at this "quick casual" joint is phenomenal. Fresh 1/2 chickens, carefully marinated through a Portuguese treatment process, lovingly placed on tilted grills. Within minutes, fresh, perfected roasted and marinated delights are served along with classic sides. All for the same price as a meal at Cosi. Surprise to us, Washington is the only city in the U.S. that has Nando's Peri. We hope for many many more... and will be there!

Its the kind of place that makes you feel like family. And thats how we left...