Charles & Marie

Ace Wasabi’s Rock n’ Roll Sushi in San Francisco’s Marina draws a neighborhood crowd (and some occasional headliners like the Giants run-out-of-luck pitcher Barry Zito). Traditional sushi is the draw. So are simple yet impeccably fresh appetizers. We like to make an entire meal of several small plates, such as the refreshing cucumbers, chicken teriyaki skewers, rice and shrimp pot stickers, not to mention oodles of hot sake. If only they had green tea ice cream to complete the experience. If only Zito would shake that slump.

Hamburg hasn’t seen a new bar for a while, but our recent travels brought us to a fabulous new place. ‘Die Bank’ has opened it’s doors a few weeks ago and we were really impressed. Located in a stunning building from the early 19th century where a traditional private bank used to be located, The Bank houses a restaurant and bar in an absolutely beautiful modern environment and with the fabulous fare created by 2 star (Michelin stars that is) chef Fritz Schilling we were set for a perfect evening. We’ll definitely recommend this one to Charles and Marie, and we are sure they will enjoy it.

Whilst most of our readers might think of a Tragically Hip post or Marie’s Closet post when it comes to reporting from Bread and Butter, well, think twice, Barcelona is definitely an epicurean highlight in Europe with it’s amazing Catalunian cuisine, and at it’s forefront is definitely the unbelievable Ferrán Adria and his El Bulli – but that’s 2 hours outside of Barcelona… Anyways, the Roca brothers known for their amazing dishes at their phenomenal Cellar de Ca Roca near Girona have opened their second eatery in the wonderful Hotel Omm, and it is such a wonderful experience! We opted for it 2 nights in a row – and so should you. The first evening we felt slightly overwhelmed with the menu, so we settled for the munú de degustación and with the assistance of Jordi Patronella – their wonderfully patient sommelier – we mastered the highlights of their wine list as well. It was a true voyage of taste sensations… The second evening we created our own menú and were equally delighted, at times stunned and always grinning with the delicate and surprising dishes that were all wonderful to look at as well as perfectly crafted and never randomly assembled… So if you are traveling to Barcelona and are looking for a wonderful dinner experience, this would definitely be one of the recommended restaurants, elegant, modern and restrained. We will definitely recommend it to Charles and Marie the next time they are there…