Noma in Japan, 2015

When Noma decided to move to Japan for a few months in Spring of 2015, it didn't take long for us to plan the trip to Tokyo to follow Noma.

We made the reservation soon after the online reservation was available 8 months prior to day of dinner.  And we got the reservation...

The chef was devoted in utilizing most if not all Japanese ingredients in all the dishes. It was a perfect mesh of traditional Japanese ingredients and modern techniques of gastronomy.

The service was personable and warm. The backdrop of Tokyo city night view makes the whole dining experience unforgettable.

The most pleasantly surprising dishes were the scallop in the form of a sponge and the fermented garlic in black color and chewy texture.

Meadowood, 2014

Second time around in Meadowood, still as magical as the first time, except this time we were sitting at the Chef's Counter in the restaurant kitchen.

While savoring the multi-course dinner, we were also enjoying the real-time actions in the kitchen. We got a visual "taste" of how a three-star michelin restaurant is operated behind-the-scene in the kitchen. It was a tremendously unique and enjoyable experience.

All the dishes were still pretty much true to the local and seasonal ingredients (some if not most of the vegetables and herbs were from their garden). Creativity was never lacking in Meadowood when it comes to producing the complete experience of dining with the tasting menu.

Service was impeccable. period.

Meadowood always has a special place in my heart…

Venice, Italy

Italy has always had a special place in my heart. Rome and Florence have charmed me immensely before. I always look forward to visiting Italy again. This time, Venice.

Venice has showed me its beauty as a city that is filled with history, arts and culture, even though my travel experience was compromised a little bit due to the Venice seems to be a bit too commercialized and overly crowded with tourists.

Ciao, Italy…until next time.

Santorini, Greece

I have always been mesmerized by the stunning views I saw about Santorini. The image of those white and blue houses are drawing me to this dream land.

It was a dream come true. There is a panoramic view from everywhere on the island. I was blown away by the breath-taking views.

Alinea, 2013

Second time around in Alinea, it was still as magical as the first time. We remembered why we fell in love with Alinea in the first place. We were blown away by the seamless orchestrated flow of dishes. Each one of the dishes kept wow'ing us without reservation. The presentation of the dishes were a feast to the eyes. The service was impeccable. The night ended with perfection till the very last note.

Michael Mina, San Francisco

We went to Michael Mina in SF for a few times and always had a good dining experience there. We went there again for lunch with a few friends last year on our city hall registration day.

4th of July Long Weekend in New Orleans

It was our first ever trip to the South - New Orleans is the perfect choice for a weekend get-away. We have been wanting to visit this vibrant southern city for a while. New Orleans has captured our hearts with its energy, its melting culture, its wonderful architecture, and its music.