There are two terms that take me right back to Austria (“Osterreich” in German). Heurigen. A heurigen [contraction of heuriger (“this year”) and wein (“wine”)] is the easier of the two to explain. For several brief weeks during wine season in the fall, winemakers (on alternating days) open up (in yesteryears it was announced by Continue reading

There is something to be said of a big fancy four-star hotel: “meh”. I can see it’s merits. Sometimes the foreignness of a place can be a bit overwhelming. The Hilton or Marriott would be considered an oasis. The rooms are air-conditioned and appointed with modern amenities. The food in the hotel restaurant probably has Continue reading

Someone (OK so no one) once asked why I was willing to try so many different types of food. We aren’t talking about choosing tripe Pho over chicken Pho or the lengua (“tongue”) burrito over a pork carnitas one but the tendency to order dishes from the very bottom/back of the menu. The ones the Continue reading