gone travelin’
TravelByJury.com is taking a sabbatical for a few months, but don’t worry, we’ll tweet some archives now and then and randomly post on our Facebook page, so we’ll see you on the interwebz elsewhere!
Until we meet again – happy trails to you!
Filed under: Site News | Tagged: hiatus, site news | Leave a Comment »
You’re in the big city of Houston – the fourth largest in the United States – and you’ve battled the outrageous traffic, you’ve gone to a show at the Alley Theater, you’ve browsed the collection at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, you’ve trolled the endless art galleries in the Art District, you’ve ambled through Discovery Green park, and you’ve likely eaten some barbecue (that wasn’t on par with that you’d find in the Carolinas, of course) and had your photo taken with an Astro or a Rocket. Now you’re hungry. Or you’ve decided to head to the Galleria area of town, home to the gigantic piece of consumerism (the 9th largest mall in the US!), the Galleria Shopping Center. You’re in luck, because the Galleria hosts the Kona Grill, a U.S. chain restaurant, yes, but there are only 23 locations, so it’s somewhat exclusive – I’d never been to one before and it was a great experience. There’s an authentic Asian ambiance, with bamboo plants and an open sushi bar. The Kona Grill serves pasta and pizza, but you’re really in for a treat if you try their club sandwich, for instance, which havarti cheese and is served on ciabatta bread. You can get Japanese beers here, which go perfect with a tofu miso soup starter or a sashimi flight. The ceviche wasn’t the best I’d ever had, but the use of fun plates makes up for it a little. The desert menu is most tempting, and there are so many rolls – vegetarian, crab, shrimp, chicken – to chose from that you might get overwhelmed. If you’re looking for something different and good, but still easy to find in the Houston area, then the Kona Grill is your best betG
Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: Alley Theater, art galleries, Asian food, Astros, bamboo plants, ceviche, chicken, club sandwich, Discovery Green Park, Galleria Houston, great eat, Houston, Japanese beer, Kona Grill, miso soup, Museum of Natural Science Houston, Rockets, rolls, sashimi flight, shrimp rolls, sushi, Texas, tofu, TX, US, vegetarian rolls | Leave a Comment »
If you’re poking around Russell Square (the British Museum area) of London and it’s cold and you are in desperate need of warmth, you need to go to Il Fornello (150 Southampton Row, known for being open even on holidays). Not only are the owners and wait staff Italian (there is a lone Spaniard, but he speaks beautiful Italian), but they exude the “eat! be merry!” Italian attitude that is hard to muster on a chilly London evening. I had some of the best spaghetti bolognese I’ve ever had there, and the waiter was the nice and friendly and sent my garlic bread (I didn’t want cheese) back twice without me saying anything about it. The ladies eating near me – Italian ex-pats – tucked in on the Scalloppine al Marsala and Costolette d’Agnello alla Griglia, and we all agreed that the tiramisu was divine. Il Fornello is a great place to meet friends or make new ones – the atmosphere is homey and worn, but in a good sort of way. They have cheeses and antipasti dishes that would satisfy meat lovers and vegetarians, and their Italian fair is traditionally and resolutely Italian; the beers and waters selection are even imported from Italy. Next time you’re looking for Italian food in London (for a decent cost), consider Il Fornello – you won’t be disappointed.
Filed under: Europe, Great Eats | Tagged: 150 Southampton Row, antipasti, British Museum, cheese, Costolette d'Agnello alla Griglia, friendly folk, garlic bread, good eats near Russell Square, good prices, great eat, Il Fornello, Italian beer, Italian food, London, Russell Square, Scalloppine al Marsala, spaghetti bolognese, UK, vegetarian dishes, wine | Leave a Comment »
There aren’t many negative things you could say about Cardiff, the capital of Wales; it’s a very walkable, friendly city, with small neighborhoods branching out of its city center that deserve exploration on their own. If you go to Cardiff, be prepared to drink some Brains, the local beer and thus sponsor of the (very, very popular) local Rugby team. The colors are red and green, so dress accordingly. Cardiff is a city of malls – often linked by pedestrian-only streets, like Queen’s Road – with zillions of shops that offer everything from great eats to rare books to the world’s oldest record store, Spiller’s. You can’t miss the city’s castle, which has an rich history and pretty fascinating museum (the gift store/coffee shop also sells international stamps, if you’re looking to send a postcard). While the folks in Cardiff are proud of their Welsh history and every sign is in Welsh and English, you can get around without speaking much Welsh, though a “hello” or “thank you” is much appreciated. Cardiff’s bus system is simple to navigate, so getting from, say, the city center to Mermaid Quay, is as easy as one-pound-seventy (please use exact change). Mermaid Quay, situated on Cardiff Bay, is home to many shops and such that have a bit less unique charm than their city counterparts, but you can do all sorts of outdoorsy stuff in the Bay in the warmer months (a trip in mid-February was pretty cold and damp, but hey, it’s the UK). The “Oval,” where the old Norwegian Church is located (look for Roald Dahl Plass under the pedestrian footbridge if you’re a fan) is also a major Dr. WHO fan site. A walk in beautiful Bute Park is a must, and you can see the River Taff as well as walk along the famed Taff Trail, which extends from the Millennium Center to the Breacon Beacons Park. Also, if you’re walking, it’s about a half hour walk from Cardiff’s city center to the “ancient village” of Llandaff, which has since been incorporated into Cardiff but is a little hamlet of its own right, with a magnificent ancient cathedral and lovely little pubs. Cardiff was hard to leave, as is much of the UK – next time you’re there, go down south and see what the capital of Wales is all about.
Filed under: Europe | Tagged: Arcades, Brains beer, Breacon Beacons, Bute Park, Cardiff, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff bus, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff rugby, Dr. WHO, Europe, friendly folk, Great Britain, Llandaff, Mermaid Quay, Millennium Center, Norwegian Church, Queen's Road, River Taff, Roald Dahl Plass, Shiller's Records, Taff Trail, UK, Wales, walkable | Leave a Comment »
As a native Louisvillian, I have paid tribute to great eats of the area such as Kashmir, Seviche, and Harvest. But somewhere in the middle of all that great eat melee a very VERY great eat got lost: Simply Thai of Louisville. Located in the trendy St. Matthews area (we do have Mellow Mushroom if you’re not feeling too adventurous), Simply Thai is – and take it from someone who spent a month eating home-cooked Chinese food in China – the only place in Louisville to get tofu just right. Their pineapple fried rice with raisins and tofu? To die for. Their pad thai? Out of this world. The “appetizer” spring rolls – tofu, shrimp, chicken; however you want ‘em – are full portion size, and they will serve you the aforementioned pineapple fried rice dishes in a pineapple in their “to go” presentation, by the way – you do not want to miss this place. All of their curries are awesome and they are simply a local pleasure – go and eat there now! You must!
Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: asian food Louisville, Asian fusion, fresh vegetables, good eats louisville, great eat, Kentucky, Louisville, Mellow Mushroom, pad thai, Pineapple Fried Rice, raisins and tofu, shrimp spring rolls, Simply Thai, St. Matthews, tofu, US, USA, vegetarian spring rolls | Leave a Comment »
A colleague of mine, when he learned I would be visiting Hanoi, Vietnam, immediately told me: “You must eat at KOTO. It is right by the Temple of Literature. It is wonderful.” Indeed – my companion and I, for about $30, had a couple of Tiger beers, an entree, and a dessert each for dinner (the website doesn’t note dinner, but they’re open, I promise). KOTO’s deal is not only its delicious food – my companion had a lemongrass chicken dish that was simply delightful, served in a bath of marinade and next to a pillar of rice with some saffron artistically arranged; I had the tofu, presented like a flower, with rice – but also its excellent staff. Hanoi’s (59 Van Mieu Street, Dong Da District) staff is made up of trainees in the restaurant’s overall program – “Know One Teach One” – which accepts disadvantaged or impoverished youth into a vocational training organization that teaches them English, service and business skills, and living skills. The folks at KOTO couldn’t be kinder, the atmosphere of the restaurant couldn’t be more soothing and pleasant (it’s an oasis of calm in buzzing Hanoi) and the food could not have been better. I chugged down a banana lassie – yogurt, soy milk and banana, blended with ice – on our way out and dropped a donation, which you could do to – if only you went to KOTO! You can even take a cooking class there if you’re so inspired. So it is decidedly so: “You must eat at KOTO.”
Our entrees at KOTO
Filed under: Asia, Great Eats | Tagged: Asia, banana lassie, calm atmosphere, community outreach, dessert, Dong Da District Hanoi, English, friendly folk, great eat, great food, Hanoi, Know One Teach One, KOTO, KOTO Hanoi, KOTO VIetnam, lemongrass chicken, rice, saffron, Tiger beer, tofu, Vietnam | Leave a Comment »
Facebook
Juror Travel Photos
Twitter