Restaurants Archives - Page 6 of 7

3:10 to Zuma: The Neverending, Free-Flow Brunch of the Century

January 12, 2023April 2, 2024Asia, Food, Hong Kong BigBody Leave a Comment

If you are looking for the holy grail of all brunches in Hong Kong, look no further than ‘Zuma’s Weekend Brunch’.

This is the brunch mecca to go on pilgrimage to, where you cast the ring into Mount Doom to prevent Sauron from destroying brunches across Middle Earth, your final resting place as you kick up your feet and hum R.E.M.’s ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It’ while digging into free-flow champagnes and wines, neverending gyoza and sashimi bowls, and other Japanese izakaya-inspired fare.

… “And I feel fine.”

Shugetsu’s Tsukemen: My Number One Meal in All of Hong Kong

January 6, 2023January 12, 2023Asia, Food, Hong Kong BigBody Leave a Comment

Shugetsu’s tsukemen would unquestionably be my last meal on earth if I was ever on death row. This might sound absurd but it isn’t a lie. Shugetu’s tsukemen was (and still is) my number one meal when I was training for a powerlifting competition – unfortunately, I kept eating like I was training for a powerlifting competition once I ended and I developed a crippling tsukemen addiction.

There have been worse things in life.

This Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a ramen hybrid consisting of a salty broth, 300 grams of al-dente elastic noodles, and fatty pork belly cubes is everything that is right in the world. Pair it with an ice-cold, crisp Suntory Premium draft beer, crunchy fried chicken cartilage “bar snacks”, and half-moon pork-filled gyoza pillows, and your last days won’t be for nothing.

What My Perfect Day in Hong Kong Looks Like

January 2, 2023May 15, 2024Asia, Hong Kong, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

I was inspired to write this post after declaring ‘Big Body’s Sacred Day’ on July 5th, 2021. I’m not sure why that date in particular but everything lined up that day and I did almost everything I could have wanted (almost) in Hong Kong in just one day. I repeated this day again on July 5th, 2022, and plan to do some sort of variation of this in 2023 (and beyond).

The beauty of Hong Kong is that you are a stone’s throw away from a challenging hike with a view, a hop skip, and a jump from a serene and secluded beach, and always within eyeshot of a cold beer, strong coffee, or bite to eat. That’s why days like ‘Big Body’s Sacred Day’ are possible in Hong Kong. While there are countless other restaurants, hikes, and things that I love in this city, I tried to remain true to exactly what I’ve done on both sacred days.

Here’s what my perfect day in Hong Kong would look like (and has looked like) should I have my druthers. Keep in mind that I am combining two of my sacred days (July 5th, 2021, and July 5th, 2022) so everything may not be achievable in just one day. Or maybe it is.

Dacha: Cabbage Rolls, Pelmeni, & Eastern European Home Comfort Cuisine

December 23, 2022December 23, 2022Asia, Food, Hong Kong BigBody Leave a Comment

Maybe it’s because I am constantly mistaken for Russian (and Bulgarian), or maybe it’s because I grew up eating a steady diet of Eastern European-inspired stews and other comfort foods, but this is exactly the type of fare that I revert to when I want to feel at home. It may also be because I drank about 5 liters of vodka with a Ukrainian babushka and Russian busboy on my 29th birthday at a restaurant in Vienna.

Cue Dacha, an Eastern European restaurant and bar, offering up a variety of traditional Ukrainian, Russian, Georgian, Polish, and Romanian cuisines, such as mouthwatering pork-stuffed cabbage rolls (golubtsi), cheesy buttery khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread), spicy smoked kielbasa, and hearty half-moon shaped vareniki (dumplings). And, I can’t forget the Baltic herring with homemade bread to start things off.

Ink Seafood Bar: Craft Beer, Chips & Guac, & One Hell of a View

December 19, 2022January 5, 2023Asia, Food, Hong Kong BigBody Leave a Comment

Find me a better view of Victoria Harbour and the always regal Hong Kong Island skyline, and I’ll show you a liar. At least once a week, I break into an incoherent rant to whoever has unfortunately found themselves within earshot about how there is a disappointing lack of restaurants, cafes, and bars with views of either the Hong Kong or Kowloon cityscape.

But there is one saving grace that keeps me sane (moderately sane). A place that does it all. A Power Rangers Megazord humanoid machine of the food and beverage industry with a view – Ink Seafood Bar. This is my go-to post-work safe haven (and Sunday-hangover haunt) to soak in indisputably the best skyline in the world over an IPA (and espressos), chips and guac, and fish and chips.

Plac Kitchen & Grill: a Zagreb Meat & Beer Haven

November 10, 2020November 10, 2020Croatia, Europe, Food BigBody Leave a Comment

Coming hot off a smooth, comfortable, and quick bus ride from Budapest to Zagreb, I found myself in a new city and in dire need of meat. After some quick Googling, I settled on a small little cevapi joint located right near the Dolac Market in Zagreb’s city center.

If you’re reading this and unsure of what a cevapi is, I also had no idea upon first arriving in Zagreb. However, you are about to find out exactly what makes a cevapi all that is right in this turbulent world.

Little did I know that the cevapi and I would go on to have a passionate, addictive, and beautiful three month affair during my time in Split, Croatia (and a short stint in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina). For that, I have Plac Kitchen & Grill to thank.

Let’s get into exactly what a cevapi is and why Plac Kitchen & Grill should be on your radar when traveling to (or through) Zagreb, Croatia.

My Favorite Gasthaus in Vienna: Steman on Otto-Bauer-Gasse

November 4, 2020November 12, 2020Austria, Europe, Food BigBody Leave a Comment

Next to Japanese izakayas, there isn’t a better place on Earth to be from the hours for 5PM to 11PM than a gasthaus. European beer that flows as freely as the Danube, an intimate and authentic look into how the locals live, and of course, hearty traditional dishes such as goulash, spaetzle, wienerschnitzel, that are sure to leave you bursting at the seams – gasthauses are a safe haven for the 9 to 5’ers that recognize life is best lived with your close friends and an alcoholic drink in hand.

Cue Steman, located smack dab in the middle of Mariahilf on Otto-Bauer-Gasse – my all time-favorite gasthaus in Vienna, Austria.

But, what exactly makes Steman worth adding to your eating itinerary when traveling to Vienna? Let’s take a look.

Guide to the Best Burger in Saigon

June 29, 2020December 1, 2022Asia, Food, Vietnam BigBody Leave a Comment

Meat, meat, meat. If you’ve read any of my other blog posts, you’ll know that Big Body is a BIG fan of meat. Whether it American BBQ, Japanese izakayas, or Vietnamese goat curry, I’m a big fan of a good hunk of beef, lamb, chicken, pork, and most anything else.

One of my go-to meals anywhere in the world is a burger, so I spent a healthy portion of my time in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) searching for the best burger(s). And, I think I found them.

Below is a compiled list of my definitive best burgers in all of Saigon.

6 Date Ideas For Couples in Taipei

June 7, 2020December 1, 2022Asia, Taiwan, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

Whether you live in Taipei or are simply passing through, there are no shortage of fun date activities for couples (or even first dates) looking to spend some quality time together (or get to know one another). From incredible hiking trails and night markets, to international film houses and Japanese izakayas, all the way to rowdy arcades and quirky cultural parks, Taipei has it all, you can’t go wrong.

I’ve compiled a list of 6 of my favorite date ideas in Taipei, Taiwan, for you to choose from for your next date night (or day).

Power of the Pivovar: 2 Breweries to Eat & Drink at in Bratislava

January 29, 2020August 19, 2020Beer & Breweries, Europe, Slovakia BigBody 2 Comments

A generic name for “brewery” in several Slavic languages, a pivovar is so much more than that (in my book). Not only are pivovars incredible spots to drink your fill of Bratislava’s finest lagers (and countless other beers) but they are also great spots to load up on traditional Slovakian dishes and experience a lively pub-atmosphere.

Below are three of my favorite pivovars to eat and drink at in Bratislava, Slovakia!

Lado Café Budapest: For All Your Chicken Paprikash Needs

January 10, 2020October 10, 2020Europe, Food, Hungary BigBody Leave a Comment

If you’ve checked my articles on The Wrap Shack in Portsmouth, New Hampshire or London Coffee Society (also in Budapest, Hungary), then you are well-aware that sometimes I eat a meal that is so divine, that I can’t help but write about it immediately after. Well, I’m back at it again, and this time with a write-up on Lado Cafe – located in Budapest, Hungary over at 50 Dohány utca.

So, what makes Lado Cafe and worth taking a Frodo Baggins-esque trip across Middle-Earth to get yourself a plate of their chicken paprikash? Let’s take a look.

Two Vegan Spots to Hit in Budapest, Hungary

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020Europe, Food, Hungary BigBody Leave a Comment

As you can probably guess from several of my posts on this blog, such as my review of El Gaucho Steakhouse or my favorite BBQ restaurants to frequent in Ho Chi Minh, I’m a big meat eater. But I have been trying to consume less meat over the years and mix in several days per week where I am cutting back on it, in favor of branching out and trying new vegetarian/vegan foods.

So, you can only imagine my sheer excitement when I got to Budapest (where I spent over a month) and found several restaurants and cafes that just absolutely nail it and made me not really miss meat that much.

I’m no expert on vegan food by any means, but I feel like this blog post can serve as a testament to other meat eaters that you could possibly have one of the best burgers of your life, without it having any meat.