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Gobble ‘Til You Wobble

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Admin of TBJ

Happy Thanksgiving to our United States readers from TravelByJury.com! Check out all of our great eats as you gear up to gobble ’til you wobble! We’re thankful for you – so keep the reviews coming!

the Cart, Hanoi, Vietnam
Gracie’s, Salt Lake City, Utah
Linger Lodge, Bradenton, Florida
The Wine Shop, Charlotte, North Carolina
Harvest, Louisville, Kentucky
Bison Witches Bar & Deli, Tempe, Arizona
Pachapapa, Cusco, Peru
Ladles, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
Loose Meat Sandwiches in Sioux City, Iowa
Granja Heidi, Cusco, Peru
Jack’s Cafe, Cusco, Peru
Caffe Pomodoro, Panama City, Panama
Desserts of Louisville, Kentucky
Gilpin’s Sandwiches, Cincinnati, Ohio
Cafe Campanilla, Madrid, Spain
Dickadee’s Deli, Charlotte, North Carolina
La Bombeta, Barcelona, Spain
Medjool, San Francisco, California
De’Coltelli, Pisa, Italy
Kashmir, Louisville, Kentucky
Barley’s Taproom, Asheville, North Carolina
Maggie Jones; London, England
The General Greene & Cake Man Raven; Brooklyn, New York, USA
La Paella De La Reina; Madrid, Spain
Brasserie Esemeralla; Paris, France
Black Bear Bakery; St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Murphy’s Ice Cream; Dingle, Ireland
Ristorante Zeppelin; Orvieto, Italy
Uto Klum; Üetliberg, Switzerland
Seviche, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Unnammed; Le Peninsula de Azuero, Panama
Three Carrots Pub; Belgrade, Serbia
White Horse Tavern; New York City, New York, USA
The Duke of York; London, England

Filed under: Asia, Eastern Europe, Europe, Great Eats, Latin America, North America, Site News, South America | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Cusco, Peru

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Admin of TBJ

This Valentine’s Day, I think I would like to send a token of love to Cusco, Peru. As my introduction to South America and my first time below the Equator, Cusco couldn’t have been a more happening, thriving, vibrant place to be. Sure, the altitude hit me as soon as I got off the plane (another person collapsed immediately), but the sheer beauty of Cusco – a city tucked in a valley in the Andes – kept the woes of altitude at bay. I would write, in my love letter to Cusco, of how much I loved her streets, which radiate from the hub of the Plaza de Armas into labyrinths that leads her visitors to Inca walls, colonial Spanish architecture, and people hustling and bustling near small squares (do check out Plaza de San Francisco) and churches. The San Blas neighborhood is wonderful, and home of many of the Good Eats set in Cusco on this site. Museo del Sitio del Qoricancha (the textiles and weaving museum) is worth a visit, though buying textiles here will require more than a budget traveler’s souvenir fund. Cusco is full of hustlers – if you take a picture of someone, they might ask you for money, kids will try to sell you everything from sunglasses to finger puppets, and the “Inca Warriror” by the 12-pointed stone will warn you against touching the stone – but don’t let it wear on you. Save your energy for climbing the hilly streets of Cusco to poke around in its markets and shops, and don’t miss Sacsayhuamán and nearby Q’enqo, even if you’re pressed for time (you can walk there, it’s not bad). Happy Valentine’s Day to you, Cusco – your people, beauty, architecture, food, and history charmed my traveler’s heart and I can’t wait to visit you again!

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JR/Great Eat: LIMO Cocina Peruana & Pisco Bar; Cusco, Peru

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

On the northern side of Plaza de Armas in the middle of Cuzco, Peru, LIMO offers a variety of modern dishes featuring traditional and local ingredients. I sampled a wonderful ceviche before enjoying an entree of grilled alpaca skewers with polenta. The sweet potato with the ceviche was incredible. Very very tasty. My companions both had delicious dishes as well, including a night-specialty orzo.

The restaurant also features a variety of cocktails, including several Pisco-based drinks. The drinks are an experience in themselves, flavorful and yet still with a bit of kick to them. The waiter spoke fluent English and was able to guide us through each course. The balcony view over the Plaza was nice too. The cost was higher than many other restaurants in Cuzco, but the atmosphere and knowledgable staff made up for that — and it still wasn’t break-the-bank expensive.

Juror #14

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Great Eat: Pachapapa; Cusco, Peru

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

Ah, the Pachapapa. Directly across the street from Templo de San Blas in Cusco, Peru, is a lovely little restaurant that cannot be missed. This delicious place, the Pacapapa has everything; they have regional dishes, like alpaca and cuy (that elusive guina pig) and have some of the best ceviche in town (served with the obligatory sweet potato that makes Peruvian ceviche so yummy). They also have oven-fired pizza, with a thin crunchy crust and lovely homemade sauce. They also offer clay pot stews and stir-frys, and the mixed drinks are supposed to be sensational; I didn’t have one but the Cuzquena beer was very cold:) There is indoor and outdoor seating, and even on a cool day you can have a filling and lovely lunch while listening to a local harpist or similar musician, as they tend to enjoy playing to the crowds at the Pachapapa. You need to check this place out as you roam through the streets of Cusco, Peru – you won’t be disappointed.

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Aguas Calientes, Peru

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

How do you end up in Aguas Calientes, Peru? You’ve either come there to spend the night so that you can visit Machu Picchu, which is only a 15 minute switch-back ride up the mountain on the west side of the city, or perhaps you’ve just trekked the Inca Trail and are looking for a cold beer to celebrate – either way (and there are several other reasons to come to this little town), Aguas Calientes retains a homey-yet-transient feel. Prices are steep here – food, drink, and hotel – and tourists willingly pay them as they stroll through the city’s largely pedestrianized streets, buying various souvenirs or tucking in at the city’s varied restaurants, which have a little something for everyone. There are only two ATMs in the city, and it’s a 50-50 chance that they might work, so bring cash, especially if you’re coming from Cusco. Glug down over-priced bottles of Cuzquena beer as you roam from groovy little eateries to tourist traps, but even a Coke will be of a higher cost then elsewhere in the Andes. Check out “El Mapi,” a bizarre and beautiful little spot for a good breakfast buffet or a super-swanky downstairs bar designed to look like a library. You can hike to the Thermal Baths (go in the morning before all the Inca Trail porters have, um, “used” them – it’s not unhygienic but these guys are sore and in need of rest and peace!), hike all the way to Ollaytaytambo (stay off the tracks!), or chance the view from Putukusi, a nearby peak that affords some decent views of Machu Picchu. Check out the massive market or stare down at the Urumbamba River as you roam around this ramshackle little town; stay out late enough and you can see how the town gets their goods AND disposes of their trash – hint: watch the train tracks in the town center. Large Inca statues and beautiful little plazas make Aguas Calientes, aside from their happy hour beer mark-up, a great spot to visit.

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Great Eat: Granja Heidi; San Blas/Cusco, Peru

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

One of the most soothing places to go in Cusco is the Granja Heidi, a popular restaurant in the San Blas neighborhood of Cusco, Peru. If you picked up a travel guide about Cusco or hunted around online for good eats there, you probably saw a good write-up for the Granja Heidi: believe it. “Heidi’s Farm” (translation) boasts beautiful meals whose ingredients come fresh from the owner’s farm, so items like the “Rise, Lazarus!” leek soup (with carrots, celery, and other aromatics) will hit the spot and make you feel pretty darn good after you’ve been working your digestive system in the high Andean altitude. Check out their home-made granola that is simply the best bran I’ve ever had (mixed in a fruit salad, mm!) Try one of the restaurant’s various teas (soothing, warm, and utterly fantastic) or one of their made-to-order crepes, the latter of which meets an interesting/amusing Spanish-English translation on the menu. If you’re a breakfast-for-dinner person, Granja Heidi is the spot for you. Nothing on their menu is bad, and the place gets pretty packed as the prime dinner hours draw near, though you can call ahead and reserve a table and the owners will happily oblige. Granja Heidi is located to the left of Cuesta San Blas (the street that nearly runs into the front of Templo de San Blas) if you’re going up; they don’t take credit cards, but they might change some of your larger denomination soles for you – nice, nice people, and if you’re looking for fellow European travelers, check here, as we saw plenty of them in the cheery and tasty Granja Heidi.

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JR/Great Eat: Jack’s Cafe; Cusco, Peru

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

About two blocks north of Plaza de Armas in Cuzco, Peru is one of the best breakfast spots I’ve ever eaten at: Jack’s Cafe. The food is so fresh, everything is homemade, and the fresh fruit smoothies are great for getting a nice dose of morning energy and for aiding any lasting effects from the high altitude. Everything on the menu seems good – we had six meals there (some ingredients: avocado, bruschetta, eggs and omelets, panini sandwiches, etc.) and were never disappointed – and the servers are friendly and mostly bilingual. A good first meal when you get into town, if you can get in the door during peak hours.

Juror #14

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JR: Mendoza, Argentina

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

I traveled to Mendoza for a weekend from Santiago, Chile so that I could renew my visa during a longer visit. Mendoza is a great spot for this purpose, and since it’s one of Argentina’s larger cities, it gave me a good glimpse into the Argentine lifestyle. The bus ride from Chile was nuts–basically hairpin turn after hairpin turn across the Andes–but it was beautiful all the same. They checked for passports at the border so def. bring that with you. There was a lot of activity in Mendoza even though I was there during Easter. I didn’t have a room reserved going into the trip, but I was able to talk to a few people there and rent a nice apartment for only a couple of bucks. (At the time of my visit, the Arg. economy was in bad shape, which made for a really inexpensive visit.). The two things that stuck out the most for this trip were the Mendozan casinos–there are many and all were very fun (especially with the friendly exchange rate)–and the steakhouses. Argentine steaks are world famous, as are their leather products. You can find outstanding quality in both departments for relatively cheap. Bottomline, the people are very friendly, they know how to have gigantic cookouts, the exchange rate was good, and it was easy to get around (If you know at least intermediate Spanish). I can see it being much more difficult without some sort of Spanish to fall back on.

Juror #14

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JR: Patagonia, Chile

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

We began our trip to Patagonia by flying into Punta Arenas, the southern most city in the world. It’s an incredible near-arctic climate to experience. It’s easy to find nice lodging there and to find your way around because the city isn’t gigantic, and the people are some of the friendliest in the country. It’s like they’re all in it together when it comes to living in the sometimes harsh conditions. We stayed in a hostel during our visit, and like many tourists here, we used Punta Arenas as a jumping pad for a hiking trip through Parque Torres del Paine. Before entering the park, though, we took a bus to Puerto Natales, a nearby smaller village that is a short ride from the park entrance. Natales was a great, small town experience, with super nice people who are excited to host hikers from around the world. It’s a charming area with mom&pop shops all over the place. We stayed the night there and then entered the park after another short bus ride. Torres del Paine is world famous for its trails and magnificent views. The park is a bus ride away from the town, and it drops you off in the ranger station checkpoint. There several hikes you can take, and they range in length (from a couple to several days). Before you go, though, recognize that these hikes are no simple day trips. They are very strenuous, demanding trails that can be dangerous for the underprepared. At the time of our visit me and two buddies were in our early 20s and were truly tested physically on our journey. Despite the difficulties, though, the views you earn are absolutely worth it.

Juror #14

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JR: Vina del Mar, Chile

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

Vina del Mar (aka. Vina) is a short bus ride away from Santiago and right next door to Valparaiso. It’s amazing in the warmer months when the beaches are rocking. the beaches can get really crowded, though, on good days, so beware. also, it’s good to know that not many Chileans go swimming in the oceans. The surf there is generally rougher, the break points usually a bit farther out, and the water temp a bit cooler. At 6’2″ 185lbs (back then, ahem), I was tossed around like a rag doll a couple of times. Fair warning. If you take in too much saltwater, there are plenty of bars up and down the beach that will set you straight.

In the spring, Vina plays host to the Festival de Vina del Mar. It’s an extended concert that’s televised nationally throughout Chile, and it gives you a chance to see popular Chilean music acts/bands perform live. Personally speaking, that wasn’t really my type of music, but being in a concert environment in South America was pretty crazy regardless.

Juror #14

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