Foodle

One of the nice things about a chef-led yakiniku experience is never having to wonder if you left the meat on the grill a few seconds too long.

@yakiniku_great_nyc, which recently opened its first U.S. location in Flatiron, takes a different approach from the self-grill style that many people associate with yakiniku. Here, the chefs handle the cooking, serving a progression of Japanese Black Wagyu and seasonal dishes throughout the meal.

What stood out to me was the restaurant’s focus on leaner and more uncommon A5 wagyu cuts rather than simply showcasing the most heavily marbled pieces. It made for an interesting opportunity to experience a wider range of textures and flavors than what many people typically associate with wagyu.

Founded in Tochigi, Japan, the restaurant has built a following across Asia before making its way to New York.

Swipe through the carousel for highlights!

#yakinikugreat #yakiniku #japanesewagyu Less

NO ESTÁ MĀRO

Tasting @marosanturce

I visited MĀRO, Chef Mario Pagán’s newest culinary venture in Santurce, and I left feeling something I don’t experience often anymore: genuine admiration. MĀRO blends Latin American flavors with Pacific Rim influences in a space designed to feel like an immersive culinary journey rather than just another restaurant.

What struck me most wasn’t a particular dish. It was the intention behind the entire experience.

Every plate felt thoughtful without being pretentious. Every detail seemed carefully considered, from the architecture and design to the pacing of service and the way flavors unfolded throughout the evening. MĀRO was conceived as a place where flavor, culture, design, and hospitality converge, and that ambition comes through from the moment you walk in.

As someone who visits restaurants for a living, I know how difficult it is to create a dining experience that feels elevated while still feeling welcoming. That’s the balance Mario and his team have achieved here.

The food is creative, but never loses sight of flavor. The room is beautiful, but never overshadows the meal. The service is polished, yet warm. It feels like a restaurant built by people who genuinely care about how guests feel, not just what ends up on Instagram.

Puerto Rico has no shortage of great restaurants, but MĀRO feels like an important addition to the island’s dining scene. It’s ambitious, confident, and distinctly Puerto Rican while drawing inspiration from far beyond its shores.

Congratulations to Chef Mario Pagán and the entire team. Building something special is hard. Making it look effortless is even harder. Less

PUERTO RICAN HIDDEN GEM

Japanese Omelette @caletacafe

Simply some of the best food I’ve had on the Island!

Cool spot nestled between El Convento and The Cathedral in the heart of Old San Juan.

These guys are a whole vibe… they do things their way and it works!

THIS PLACE IS A MUST!

Special Thx to my friend @andres_vizcarrondo for bringing me by.

#sanjuan#brunch#breakfast#puertorico#foodporn Less

HEAVEN

Tasting Menu @elcielomiami

My second visit to heaven was somehow better than the first.

The first time I experienced El Cielo, in Washington D.C., everything was technically flawless. The food was exceptional, the service impeccable, and the creativity impossible to ignore. Yet, as a Colombian, I left feeling like I had visited a beautiful interpretation of Colombia rather than Colombia itself.

This time, in Miami, something felt different.

The flavors carried a familiarity that only comes from understanding a place deeply. There were moments throughout the menu where I could taste not only ingredients, but memories. The spirit of Colombia was present in every course, not loudly, but confidently.

What I admire most about Juan Manuel Barrientos is that he doesn’t simply serve food. He orchestrates experiences. He challenges guests to abandon the rules they’ve spent a lifetime learning in fine dining. He invites you to get your hands dirty. To eat in ways that would normally earn you a raised eyebrow at the next table. To follow instinct instead of etiquette.

At one point, you’re encouraged to do exactly what many of us secretly want to do when something tastes extraordinary: forget the rules and simply enjoy it.

It’s playful. It’s liberating. And somehow, within the walls of a Michelin-starred restaurant, it feels completely natural.

El Cielo is a tribute to Colombia, but it’s also a tribute to curiosity. To childlike wonder. To the idea that hospitality extends far beyond what’s placed on a plate.

Yes, there are parts of the restaurant that feel a little dated. But great experiences have a way of making those details irrelevant.

Some restaurants feed you.

Others tell you a story.

El Cielo invites you to become part of one.

#miami#colombia#michelin#barranquilla#orlando Less

This was wonderful … Thursday night movies on the outdoor big screen and ceviche specials with funky Spanish cider and movie theater-salty popcorn.

@broadsidenola is doing free movies on Thursdays this month — Dazed and Confused is this week — and @nikkeiizakaya is doing ceviche specials.

And here’s a tavern where the chef can show you the fish too.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #midcitynola Less

🍝✨A FAVORITE NORTH LOOP, MINNEAPOLIS ITALIAN-INSPIRED RESTAURANT @dariompls located in a beautiful aesthetically pleasing space, with top tier made in-house pasta, craft cocktails, & the BEST vibes/armosphere!
••••••
Tonight, I had another remarkable dining experience with some friends to close out the work week! The DOPPIO is still the TASTIEST pasta in the cities & I love their seasonal rotating menu of veggies, salads, meats, + fish! IYKYK - if you haven’t had the doppio or experienced the amazing dining of @dariompls, it’s time to change that this Summer!
••••••
Minneapolis’s North Loop, known for its handmade pastas, global flavors, and vibrant atmosphere, founded by industry veterans Joe Rolle and Stephen Rowe. It features a stellar cocktail program with unique, low-proof options and an extensive Italian wine list, with dishes that blend traditional techniques with modern, innovative twists. The restaurant offers a sophisticated yet energetic dining experience, suitable for both casual drinks and multi-course meals, and is located in the T3 building.
⤵️
Key Features
•Cuisine: New American with a focus on handmade pasta and global influences, featuring seasonal ingredients.
•Atmosphere: Energetic sophistication with a modern, trendy, and colorful design.
•Cocktails: Creative drinks from Bar Director Stephen Rowe, emphasizing aromatic bitters and spices, with many low-proof and non-alcoholic options.
•Wine: A large Italian wine list curated by Liz Coombs.
•Specialty: Handmade pasta, with standout dishes like the “Doppio” (sunchoke, ricotta, honey) and “Spizzulus” (bolognese ravioli).
•Experience: Aims to provide a memorable experience with quality food and hospitality, from weeknight dinners to special occasions
••••••
📸: What we ordered
Cocktails:
-Lion spritz
-oka high ball
-bottle of wine
- tequila dove
-justine justine
Food:
- doppio x3
- orecchiette
- spring lamb
- potatoes
- morel mushroom
- hirmasa crudo
- spring veggie salad
- chocolate cake
••••••
#minneapolis #pasta #aesthetic #summer #foodphotography Less

There is omakase all over these days. But then, more quietly, there’s the neighborhood sushi joint.

Often small and unassuming, easy to overlook they are valued by regulars to the point of dependency.

The original Good Time was the epitome of this in Gentilly.

Now it’s finally back after a long hiatus, and much bigger, now with hibachi tables for the full show — it’s like dinner theater at times — and bar service to come.

Here’s a look around. Link in my bio has the story

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #gentilly Less

This should all be a contradiction in terms.

A tasting menu is the trust fall of fine dining and can carry a bill bigger than a car payment.

But at @ralphsonthepark , the annual summer deal of 3 apps and a glass of wine will run you $39.

You pick between 15 dishes. These are not “bites,”but full-fledged dishes, some approaching entree size.

A few carry a $3 up charge. But any way you cut it’s a great deal.

Two of us picked a total of six dishes, split everything and of course had cocktails before, and another glass of wine anyway.

It still ended up being a screaming value for the quality and what amounted to a dazzling culinary romp that showed a chef’s voice, that being Christopher Vazquez, who is really ramping up the idea of modern Creole here.

That’s just what a tasting menu should be — DIY or not.

Link in my bio has the full read on how the meal went and the best way to build yours from all the choices.

Photos and videos here by @cgranger and me

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #midcitynola Less

They opened the second LUFU in the French Quarter last July. A month later Decatur Street roadwork began, and it hasn’t let up since.

The original @lufu.nola remains open, serving this beautiful regional Indian food.

But the Decatur Street restaurant is the second to close in a week after the news from historic Cafe Sbisa , which served its last brunch on Sunday for the same reason.

And the chefs are now looking for opportunities to again open a second location .

Link in my bio as the story on this latest hit and the Decatur Street situation

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #frenchquarter Less

A great lunch downtown at @lufu.nola

At least our news this week on the closure of the second LUFU in the French Quarter put the spotlight back on the Decatur Debacle — just days after @sbisanola closed.

But remember the original LUFU NOLA in the CBD remains open and served up a fantastic meal. Check out:

Pani puri, crisp shells that give big one-bite bursts of flavor filled with that mint water (perfect indian bar food...)

Crisp, golden masala dosa

Chicken biryani finished under a bread cap

And mango kulfi pop to end

See my stories for a quick video with my @nolanews colleague @hannahmlevitan

@defenddecatur and show the downtown LUFU some love too

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolafoodie #nolaeats #downtownn Less