Milk Bars – Poland

Hearkening back to its communist days under soviet rule milk bars continue to serve traditional dishes at incredible rates. These are indeed relics from a different era and here you can find the heart of Polish cuisine to find out why they haven’t disappeared.  Perogies, dumplings, cabbage dishes, pickled sides of everything imaginable.  They even serve some meat dishes and typical Polish meals. The milk bars were established by the government as subsidized restaurants for people to afford to get a meal out on occasion without breaking the bank.  They seem to be a communist version of social security of sorts.  That said, the prices are very low and much can be had for very little money.  It is worth getting a bunch of items and sharing with the table to experience the cuisine of the people and get a feel for how your gramma might have cooked it at home, as most of the establishments are run by no nonsense, older ladies who expect a quick order and prompt payment. They have no qualms about running out of items or rushing your order.  They are there to cook, not for the ambiance, and its kinda charming in its own way. 

La Cevicheria – Cartagena, Colombia

Opened in 2001 and famously visited by Anthony Bourdain, La Cevicheria has become one of the most popular restaurants in Cartagena. The ceviches are unique and interesting, as expected, and the scene is light, airy and very fresh in this cute, little ceviche cafe. We tried the Peruvian ceviche, Colombian ceviche and a shrimp cocktail…

Street Tacos – Recipe

The trick to making a great street taco is making all of the components.  Tacos are great because they are fast, cheap and easy, and you can go through the fridge adding anything you want making them new and interesting.  This is how you do it; lets make a 6 layer taco from the ground up;…

Red Salsa – Recipe

Salsa is a staple fiesta dip from Mexico to Texas and around the world. Next time you have a party make your own and impress your friends.  Its cheap, easy, healthy and delicious. They even named a dance after it, mocked New York City over and wrote an episode on a hit TV show about…

Spiced Olives – Quick Party Recipe

Olives are great for parties, can be made ahead of time and are easy to set out to let guests savour at any temperature.  The fancy olives can get expensive but you can just use a can of black or green olives and some TLC to get the same effect! Here’s how… 1  or 2…

Tapenade – Tapas Recipe

Olives are everywhere in Spain and they use them in a lot of great recipes. It goes great with bruschetta, or use it on salads and sandwiches for a quick Mediterranean bite. Tapenade is one of those easy, classic recipes to make when you want to clear the fridge f cocktail olives or spiced olives and herbs…