Taste of Belgium (in Aruba)

Taste of Belgium is my new favorite spot for dessert in Aruba. I had been resisting the addition of another place like this in an effort to control the expanding waistline. That battle is temporarily suspended. Let the fun begin! Stopped in here a couple of nights ago. Ordered chocolate cake with chocolate ice-cream. Here’s a photo of the whole shebang:

I forgot to mention there was coffee, too. Check this out.

That little shot of liquor on the side puts the concoction in the high-horsepower range. Delicious. And how about that silver tray service. Classy. I found everything here very tasty and especially appreciated the good service. There was a young fellow on duty. He did a good job tending the table. Also, this place is glassed in from the bustle of the surrounding Palm Beach Mall, making it easy to have a nice conversation. Enjoy your visit. If you see me there, don’t comment on my bulges.

Published in: on February 6, 2012 at 4:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

La Na, Thai

Thai food intrigues me. I know very little about this type of cuisine, but find myself willing to try it. So, recently I stopped in to La Na, located in Media, PA, USA, for a taste. It was quite delicious, with a mixture of flavors different from what I’m used to. Here goes. We started with the Thai Treasure appetizer, which is a typical dumpling and spring roll type of assortment. What made this more interesting was the sauce, there were four to choose from. Have a look:

I’m told this is a typical dish and not very exciting, but I liked it, all of it, and would make a meal of two of these plates and be very happy. But there was more. First the Chu Chee Duck as seen here:

That duck was perfectly cooked and tasty, not the least bit dry. Then there was the Evil Jungle Princess, not sure where the name comes from, but take a look.

Dig those fresh vegetables which were cooked yet crunchy and full of flavor. The sauce here contained a little heat without overpowering the individual items, which I took to be an achievement. Too often spicy food is all heat and now flavor. La Na got it just right for me.

La Na is a BYOB place, so don’t forget your favorite bottle. I’m not sure what kind of wine to pair with this type of food. Your suggestions are welcome and appreciated. On the quest to expand my tastes, I’ll be looking for more and different food.

Published in: on January 31, 2012 at 8:03 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Hostaria da’ Vittorio, Aruba

Hostaria da’ Vittorio serves solid Italian favorites with contemporary flair. I’ve had the pleasure of dining here several times over the past couple of years and each experience has been a good one. This time I started with the minestrone, which was homemade and came with a stick of fried polenta. Check it out:

The portion size of the soup was perfect, leaving me plenty of room for other things. I always order too much at this restaurant, simply because I want to enjoy all the flavors. There was a brushetta and caprese salad as you see in the next photo:

And the table bread, which is at the top of the photo above came as a sort of pizza-crust like option. Tasty with olive oil and fresh pepper and something a little different than the usual rolls. Moving on to the entrees. One was an osso buco, seen below and requiring no knife.

Finally, there was a pasta dish, this time a fusilli with crumbled sausage/red sauce. Again, the right size portion and very flavorful which almost rises out of the next image:

Of course, no room for dessert, which was probably a mistake. You have to stop somewhere, and after all this, I hit the wall. Full to the top. Service, as always, was attentive and professional, keeping my water glass topped up the way I like it. I drink gallons of water in Aruba, which thanks to the desalinization plant has one of the best tasting tap waters in the world. But I digress. You’ll enjoy your meal at Hostaria da’ Vittorio, where you can dine inside or out, go for a big meal or something more manageable. Take a group, get some wine, and make a night of it.

Published in: on November 22, 2011 at 1:54 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pierogies!

Pierogies are a favorite of mine. I like them sauteed in a pan with butter and onions, the perfect way to make a whole range of food items. Recently, I found myself in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, USA and there’s a restaurant there known as Hotel Switzerland, directly across the street from the Carbon County Courthouse. In I go, hankering for pierogies and here’s what I got.

Exactly what I ordered! Tasty and hot, I scarfed these down in record time. Here’s a look at the bar.

Nice place to have a drink and a few words with your pals. Sometimes you’ll overhear some gossip from the nearby court house, but I’m not admitting I ever eavesdropped like that. Just sayin’. I’ll be posting more about Jim Thorpe, including some video soon. There’s plenty to see and do in this small town. A nice day trip with the family if you’re not too far away. Keep your eyes peeled to The Bent Page.

Published in: on September 29, 2011 at 10:14 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »