Araxi | Whislter Village

Our trip to Whistler in late February wasn't given enough attention here - I had time for one quick post before it was off to Quebec!

But now I'm taking it back to my birthday dinner on our first night in Whistler Village. Araxi is so, so good and a must visit if you've made the journey out to British Columbia's most exceptional ski resort. We had a group of 12 and I made reservations over a month in advance. Even then the only time they had open was 6 pm. I had proclaimed The Progress (San Francisco) my favorite meal of 2016 at the time - this was back in January and the year was young. Araxi is another worthy contender, featuring an oyster bar and locally sourced Pacific Northwest plates in a swanky space. Just gaze at that platter of expertly shucked, glistening oysters, that remarkably smooth terrine of foie gras, and those tender pink morsels of roasted venison.

In order of appearance (prices are in CAD)

Dungeness Crab + Egg Crepe Roll ($19.50) - fresh crab with avocado, wild sockeye salmon, yuzo mayonnaise, watercress salsa verdo, citrus soya and yuzu pearls

Firecracker Margarita ($13.50) | tequila blanco, Contreau, hibiscus, basil, lime, jalapeno, smoked sea salt rim. Araxi has an extensive and fabulous cocktail, spirits and wine list.

Quebec Foie Gras Parfait ($22.50) - red wine poached and spiced Okanagan pears, candied kumquats, toast

Oysters ($3.50 each) - Beach Angels, Cortes Island - deep cup, briny, tangy, clean kiwi like finish / Sawmill Bay, Read Island - briny, spicy, sweet fruity finish / Zen, Denman Island - plump, sweet, cucumber finish

Roast Loin of Venison ($45.50) - pepper crusted and roasted, Okanagan apple and pear chutney, crisp parmesan polenta, baby onions and Pemberton salsify

Seared Wild Scallops ($39.50) - light curry and orange glaze, toasted pine nuts, currants, butternut squash, broccoli and roasted rutabaga with herb salad

Passionfruit Mousse (12.50) - lemon sponge cake with passionfruit mousse, toasted coconut mango sorbet and fresh pineapple

Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar
4222 Village Square
Whistler, BC VON 1B4, Canada

Astoria | Oregon

Astoria is a charming old fishing town where the mighty Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. We arrived just in time to witness this gorgeous sunset on Pier 39. Talk about a warm welcome. 

After that epic Pacific Coast sunset we discovered Rouge Pier 39 Public House at the end of the pier (in the former Bumble Bee Tuna Cannery) and decided to stay for dinner. We shared Smoked Salmon Chowder ($4), Kimchi Crab Sliders ($9), and a Blue Chicken Pizza ($14). The food was good, the chowder being my favorite, however, Rogue Beer is the real star. They brew a massive amount of styles and flavors with a sense of humor. My sampler contains: Pumpkin Patch Ale, Chipotle Ale, Good Chit Pilsner and 4 Hop IPA. Dessert in the form of a Rogue Beer Float ($6) with vanilla ice cream started a love affair with their Chocolate Stout.

On our second evening in town we ate at Buoy Beer Co which was a disappointing meal. I did not have glowing recommendations for anywhere in particular and we quickly realized (by the reaction of the hotel front desk staff) that 8:30 pm was much too late to be heading out to dinner. Oh, these sleepy coastal towns! Buoy was one of the few places we could choose from and they close at 10 pm. They served us Willapa Bay Oysters ($10) on plastic ramen noodle soup spoons over blue died pebbles. We ate them and we were fine, physically. Emotionally, I am scarred for life. I kindly asked the waitress why they serve them like that and it did not seem to phase her "we like to do things differently here." Yikes. Bob's Tempura Fish & Chips ($12) were sup-par and I had Local Salmon (mkt) which was fine. The atmosphere is cool and the beer is good. But I can't get past those oysters. (Albatross & Co sounded like the best choice in town, but are closed on Sunday and Monday.) Fort George Brewery is open until midnight so we went there after dinner for a beer.

 Yes, Astoria is full of charm: the Riverwalk, the old piers, the barking seals, the iconic bridge I so loved photographing, and the quaint houses perched on a hilltop neighborhood. But it has an industrial, gritty, commercial feel to it as well. On the stretch of route 30 that passes through town there's a plethora of fast food chains, some sketchy looking dive bars and old motels. On the steeped-in-time Duane Street there's unique shops, an old theater, and a J.C. Penney with a storefront window display circa 1990. Oh and the Goonies house is a no-go as the new owners have had it with the fans. 

I loved perusing Astoria Vintage Hardware on 15th Street. I would have liked to check out the Columbia River Maritime Museum as the history of the river is fascinating to me, but it was way too nice outside to be museum going. Also, we saw Humpback Whales along the Riverwalk! Lucky us we got to see them so close - we were out on a morning run and I did not have my camera.

Astoria was different than we expected in many ways, which is not a bad thing at all. That is what travel and seeing new towns is all about. Our accommodations at Cannery Pier Hotel plus all the beautiful spots to visit nearby are what truly enhanced our visit to Astoria. Those are up next!

Tempo | Waltham

It was such a pleasant surprise dining at Tempo on a casual Tuesday night; I had never heard of this restaurant and they were absolutely terrific. Located on the always popular and bustling Moody Street in Waltham, Tempo offers new American fare in a revamped (after 10 years!) space featuring a gorgeous elongated bar, new acoustics, swanky décor points and comfortable seating. The restaurant is enveloped in warm chocolate brown tones with pops of color from the beautiful under the sea themed artwork. 

The menu items we were treated to this evening thanks to owner Erin Barnacle and chef/owner Nathan Sigel were in collaboration with Drink Maple - water made from the raw maple sap tapped from trees in Vermont. Chef Sigel commented that it was challenging to incorporate what is typically a fall ingredient with the summer season produce, however, he managed to flawlessly integrate Drink Maple into these dishes and more! 

We started the feast with a cup of Watermelon Gazpacho ($7). This chilled, velvety soup was a lovely prelude of sweet summer fruits, Amaretto and Drink Maple foam. Beholding a tower of fresh greens, shaved red and yellow beets, radishes, waffle carrots and wisps of manchego cheese over a swipe of roasted beet puree with a Drink Maple dressing, the Local Farm Salad was a work of art. Quite possibly one of the most beautiful summer salads I've had this season. The dressing was light and allowed the natural flavors of the vegetables to shine. Following the soup and salad we were presented with Grilled Shrimp + Corn Bruschetta over ricotta cheese. The toasts were easy to bite into with just a hint of crisp, and the ripe summer tomatoes and corn were bursting with freshness. 
A very special signature cocktail Tap the Maple ($10) was inspired by the owner Erin's love of Blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup. Made with bourbon, muddled blueberries, lemon, Drink Maple infused simple syrup, a dash of blueberry bitters and Drink Maple ice cubes; this was a very balanced and refreshing warm weather beverage. They also concocted a Summer Sap ($10) which combines Drink Maple with tequila, pomegranate juice, fresh lemon and lime. 

Tempo offers an excellent wine program. Worth noting: You won't find any overpriced bottles of wine here! All of their wine pricing represents just ten dollars over normal retail (that said, some prices are even below the standard liquor store price.) What you will find is an Enomatic wine dispenser which allows guests a chance to taste some of their finer wines at a perfect temperature and reasonable price. Intrigued, we each chose a glass from the dispenser. The Wild Horse 'Cheval Sauvage' Pinot Noir (half $11 / full $20) 2008 vintage was just the right amount of chilled. You can read some spot on tasting notes here.

I always have to sample a restaurants Fried Brussels Sprouts ($10) and with smoked bacon, lemon vinaigrette and bleu cheese crumbles, Tempo's rendition is an A+. 

The Tuna Tartare ($12) presents a delicate cube with avocado, sesame sriracha, and a sweet soy drizzle topped with potato crisps. It is excellent.

At this point we were very full. We took most of the Grilled Hanger Steak ($27) and Grilled Salmon ($26) home with us. Both were a welcome leftovers dinner the next evening! The steak is all natural angus beef in a coffee and mesquite dry rub with au gratin potatoes, asparagus and a bourbon Drink Maple cream.
The Wester Ross Organic Salmon was brined in Drink Maple, served over a ricotta-walnut agnolotti with a smoked corn and maple cream.
But what we were not too full for was dessert! Erin assured us they were small - which they indeed were. Not too small, but not overwhelming either. 

After our Drink Maple inspired feast the Passion Fruit Rice Pudding and the Nutella S'mores hit.the.spot.

I was so impressed with everything Tempo brought to the table. The seasonal menu plus the chefs Drink Maple Water dishes were creative and inspired. With a lively welcoming atmosphere, Tempo proves itself to be a Waltham neighborhood gem!

Tempo Kitchen & Cocktails

474 Moody St

Waltham, MA 02453

 *this meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own*

Red Cat Kitchen @ Ken'n'Beck | Oak Bluffs

Our night on Martha's Vineyard celebrating Alex's 30th Birthday was one for the books. The Red Cat Kitchen at Ken'n'Beck came highly recommended for dinner. We decided to partake in the Chef's Whim Tasting - which is strictly for folks with zero food aversions or food allergies. The entire table must agree to participate and decide on a number of courses (we chose four). Chef-owner Ben Deforest calls it The Wild Ride.

Lobster Bisque | the late great Stew Rounsville's recipe

Island Smoked Bluefish | baby heirloom tomato salad with grilled bread, preserved lemon and extra virgin olive oil

Tempura Salmon | sweet corn risotto, watermelon, cucumber & feta salad

Grilled Porterhouse | fennel ver jus, whipped sweet potatoes & grilled asparagus

Cocktails: Basil Gimlet and Sazeracs

This was unanimously one of the best meals we've had in a long time. And that was perhaps some of the best lobster bisque I've had, ever. Every course was special - well thought out, creative and perfectly executed. The vibe of this tiny spot with low lighting, chill music, and eclectic artwork from local artists can't be beat! 

Red Cat Kitchen

14 Kennebec Ave

Oak Bluffs, MA 02557