Tag

food

Browsing

Octopus sandwich from Rosticceria Lo Sfizio del Borgo Antico

There were several vendors selling octopus sandwiches in the old area of Bari, so I figured I should probably try one.  This was totally fine; the octopus was quite tender and tasty, but otherwise none of the flavours here particularly popped, and the bread was so aggressively crusty that it was difficult to bite through.

Carbonara from Pasta a Gogo

Pasta a Gogo serves a handful of pasta dishes that they make fresh — it’s mostly a take-out joint, though they do have a couple of tables outside.  The woman behind the counter spoke English fluently, so I asked her what her favourite was, and she answered “carbonara” without even a millisecond of hesitation.  So that makes ordering quite easy; carbonara it is!  And yeah, she’s not wrong to be enthusiastic about it; it’s ultra-rich and creamy, and the crispy pieces of guanciale are salty, porky, and satisfying.

I know Guy Fieri gets a lot of flack, but I like him.  Yes, he’s got some pretty strong bro/frat-boy vibes, but that’s mostly just part of the act.  He’s way more knowledgeable about food than your standard Food Network personality — he’s a professionally trained chef who already had his own restaurants long before he stepped foot in front of the camera.

He’s also a fairly charismatic host.  Diners, Drive-ins and Dives is a good show, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.

Jose Andres is a celebrity chef who specializes in higher-end Spanish eats.  He has a bunch of restaurants in various States, but I mostly know him from a delightful cooking/travel show called Made in Spain he hosted several years ago.  His enthusiasm for Spanish cuisine was infectious.  I wish he’d do another one.