FORTY CARROTS --NEW YORK CITY

PEOPLE! ANOTHER REASON TO GO TO BLOOMINGDALES

fortyCARROTSfrozenYOGURT

BLOOMINGDALES ON 59TH AND LEX

BURIED INSIDE THE BLOOMINGDALE'S 7TH FLOOR BEDDING DEPARTMENT, THIS TREASURE OF A RESTAURANT IS A BIT OF A PAIN IN THE ASS TO FIND, BUT ONCE YOU DO...THE MECCA OF ALL THINGS FROZEN YOGURT...YES, BETTER THAN PINK BERRY...

SO I ASKED MY NEW YORKER FRIEND IF HE KNEW ABOUT THIS PLACE..HE SAID..."I DON'T GO TO BLOOMINGDALES.." WHHAAAT?

THE GREATEST/WEIRDEST THING ABOUT FORTY CARROTS IS THAT WHEN I LOOK AROUND, EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN THEIR OWN...NO SHARING HERE.. CHUNKY PEOPLE, SKINNY PEOPLE, YOU NAME IT..AND SOMEONE SHARES THE SAME OBSERVATION!

dailyFLAVORS

SUNDAY: BLUEBERRY

MONDAY: MANGO

TUESDAY: BANANA

WEDNESDAY: STRAWBERRY

THURSDAY: PEANUT BUTTER

FRIDAY: RASPBERRY

SATURDAY: BUTTER PECAN

PERSONALLY, I LIKE THE PLAIN FLAVOR MYSELF

MISSION: TRY GETTING FOUR FLAVORS IN ONE CUP

PLAIN, TANGY FRO-YO TOPPED WITH HONEY, WHEAT GERM AND STRAWBERRIES

THE DESIGN OF THE PLACE IS NOT TOO SHABBY EITHER

MAMA SHELTER-PARIS

LE MARAIS, PARIS, 2009

" A DESIRE. A CITY. PARIS. THE WORLD CAPITAL OF TOURISM. PARIS. A PLACE OF REFUGE. EVERYONE IS WELCOME.

THE 20TH ARRONDISEMENT IS NOT ONE OF PARIS' BEST LOVED CORNERS AND YET IT IS THE HOME OF ONE OF IT'S HIPPEST SPOTS.

mamaSHELTER

paris

A FORMER CARPARK THAT HAS BEEN CONVERTED INTO A STYLISH AND INNOVATIVE NEW HOTEL, RESTAURANT AND BAR

DESIGNED BY NO OTHER THAN PHILIPPE STARCK

109 rue de bagnolet

PARIS, 75020

theNEIGHBORHOOD

SAINT BLAISE; 2Oth arrondisement

"...REBEL CHARACTER AND CITY LIFE AT A COUNTRY PACE...MAMA SHELTER:THE KEY TO A CITY. MAMA, YOUR MAMA, OUR MAMA, EVERYONE'S MAMA. THIS IS YOUR SHELTER, OUR

SHELTER. A SHELTER FOR EVERYONE.."

THE ENTIRE GROUND FLOOR IS GIVEN OVER TO THE WINING AND DINING SIDE OF THE OPERATION. THERE IS A LARGE ISLAND BAR SURROUNDED BY SOFAS

DJ DECKS ARE TUCKED IN THE CORNER (which come into play later in the night) AND THERE IS A MORE FORMAL DINING AREA WITH PREDICTABLE QUIRKY AND COLORFUL CHAIRS.

AND HOW MUCH DO WE LOVE THE CHALKBOARD FLOORS, WALLS, AND CEILINGS?

...VERY MUCH...

WHILE THE DESIGN IS VERY MUCH AT THE HEART OF THE SET UP, THE FOOD AND DRINK DON'T LAG FAR BEHIND. THE MENU IS SIMPLER THAN THE MORE CUTTING EDGE ELEMENTS ELSEWHERE WOULD SUGGEST. BUT THIS IS NO COMPLAINT AS EVERYTHING IS DONE SIMPLY BUT VERY WELL INDEED. THERE IS ALSO AN EXCITING WINELIST AND CHEESE PLATE IS PARTICULARLY EXCELLENT (well this is Paris after all). THE BARTENDERS ARE ALSO HIGHLY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CAN MIX A KILLER COCKTAIL.

BONNUITMESAMIS!

SALT TASTING ROOM--VANCOUVER

LET'S FACE IT, VANCOUVER HAS YET TO BE COMMENDED FOR ITS FOOD TRIP POTENTIAL

CALLING FOODIES AROUND THE WORLD. DISCOVER VANCOUVER. IT'S NEXT TO SEATTLE.

saltTASTINGroom

45 BLOOD ALLEY, GASTOWN

VANCOUVER BC, CANADA

THIS IS MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IN ALL OF VANCOUVER. THE FIRST PLACE I TAKE FRIENDS WHO VISIT.

THE LOCATION IS NOT WHAT US VANCOUVERITES CALL WELCOMING. LOCATED IN BLOOD ALLEY, A TINY, OFF BEAT STREET IN GASTOWN (Vancouver's Soho). THE SALT TASTING ROOM IS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE ALL TOGETHER.

THE MENU IS SIMPLE.

GUESTS ASSEMBLE A TASTING PLATE FROM THE CHALKBOARD'S SELECTION OF

10 CHEESES

10 MEATS

10 CONDIMENTS

THE SELECTIONS CHANGE CONSTANTLY, MAKING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE THE SAME SALT EXPERIENCE TWICE.

WHAT I DO, HOWEVER, SINCE I KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT PAIRING WINE, CHEESE, AND MEAT AS I DO ABOUT ASTROPHYSICS...I SUBMIT MYSELF TO THE OH SO TALENTED WAITSTAFF.

AND BOY DO THEY KNOW THEIR STUFF.

MENU GOOD FOR TWO

THAT THEY CHOOSE FOR YOU

BUTCHER PLATE ($15)

(3 meats + 3 condiments)

+

CHEESE MONGER PLATE ($15)

( 3 cheeses + 3 condiments)

+

WINE FLIGHT ($15)

(three 2 oz. tasters)

...or if you are visiting British Columbia for the first time...

BEST OF BC PLATE ($15)

(mix of 3 locally produced items = 3 condiments)

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE MENU

MY FAVOURITE PAIRINGS:

Ash Camembert w/ Quince (aka. Membrillo)

OR

Blue Cheese w/ Honey Comb

RESERVATIONS

IMAGES TAKEN FROM www.salttastingroom.com

GOODNIGHTFRIENDS!