Gastrolust

Last week, we described a soup-er stay at Alderbrook Resort & Spa. This week, we met Soup-erman—a chef who really loves to make soup. As we’ve turned the corner into summer and the weather is warming (at least a bit), what is it about soup that’s captured our attention?
Too many diners overlook salad and especially [...]

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We’ve got fond childhood memories of going to the local pizza joint. We hated delivery, as we wanted to actually GO and see the process, which was mesmerizing: tossing/stretching the dough, spreading the sauce, sprinkling the cheese, shoveling into the oven, retrieving the finished product, and dividing into eighths with the pizza cutter. If we [...]

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A bottle of red, a bottle of white
Whatever kind of mood you’re in tonight
I’ll meet you anytime you want
In our Italian Restaurant.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I admit it: I saw Billy Joel in concert recently. The Piano Man’s still got it. His music, like a good plate of pasta, is familiar and enduring, yet capable [...]

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Today’s drive took me from Belfast, Maine to Smithfield, Rhode Island. Route 95. Where to stop?

Then I remembered a place from my past: Newton Pizza House. An ex-girlfriend introduced me to it oh-so-many years ago. I recall that there was a sandwich shop (in Winchester, perhaps?) that made great pizza, whereas this pizza place makes [...]

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It’s been 27 years since leaving Long Island after high school graduation, and while I don’t miss the area, I do miss New York-style bagels and pizza.  So on my rare trips back to the Big Apple, it’s critical I consume some to tide me over until the next trip. Two years ago we decided [...]

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Sometimes we just want a slice of pizza. Not a pie. Not a square. Not a round. We’re talking a slice – one that you can grab with a hand, fold inward, and then tilt downward to watch the grease drip to the paper plate before you take that precious first bite
No [...]

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I had a non-food commitment most of my third day in New York, so during the evening we wanted to explore another area close to our base in Flushing. Somewhat randomly, we reached a verdict and headed to Corona for some old-fashioned southern Italian fare at Park Side restaurant. This is one of those places [...]

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You’ve got free passes for the blockbuster-to-be that’s previewing at Pacific Place. The movie starts at 7:00, but there’s sure to be an overflow crowd, which means the line will start snaking its way around the top floor of the mall well before 6:30. You need to stay close. Yet your stomach [...]

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It’s not the easiest place to find – or to eat. Quirky hours (11-4 Tuesday through Friday), an inevitable line out the door, decision-making on your feet, a communal table… but this is what makes Salumi so special and so memorable.
Just google “Salumi Seattle” and you’ll see that so much has already [...]

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August 15 in Italy is Ferragosto, a holiday in which many Italians head to the beach and go to festivals featuring parades, music, food, and fireworks. Last weekend, Osteria La Spiga brought this festival off the streets and into its restaurant, and served up a whole pig as part of its [...]

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