Chef Pablo. Proud. Passionate. Polished.

Chef Pablo. Proud. Passionate. Polished.

Back in December 2021, I said to Don Day’s Wife, “A pizza parlor with no pasta and no delivery. Not a snowball’s chance in hell it’ll survive. I give it one year, absolute max!” The place I was talking about was called Bennu. They recently celebrated their third...
We like it. At Sakura.

We like it. At Sakura.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him pick up an empty plate from a table without saying the words. “Did you like it?”  He, of course, almost always, gets a positive response and, almost always, he beams. The guy I’m talking about is Gerardo. A guy we call Gerry. Not...
Sometimes I need a little comfort. From Denver’s.

Sometimes I need a little comfort. From Denver’s.

It was one of the most talked about Saturday nights in San Miguel ever. The Gypsy Kings were playing in our main square, in the jardin. The price was free. We figured we’d have to get down there at least three hours prior if we were to get anywhere near the stage. We...
Celebrating those classics of French cuisine. At Salvages.

Celebrating those classics of French cuisine. At Salvages.

In 1974, I made the shivery-scary move from small town to big city. Toronto was my first and only choice. It was absolutely the right decision and I have a long list of fond memories from those first few years. The prime addresses on my memory lane were the...
A capital idea. Il Fiorino in Mexico City.

A capital idea. Il Fiorino in Mexico City.

“Every time we fly out of Mexico City Airport, I want to arrive the day before and have dinner at Il Fiorino.” Don Day’s Wife said that to me last week. And, when I pointed out to her that the cost of the hotel would add another two or three thousand pesos to the cost...
Feels like home again. At Firenze.

Feels like home again. At Firenze.

I had no one to blame but myself. Oh sure, I could blame that mean and nasty Covid. But Covid hadn’t really been that nasty to me for over a year. I guess it was what’s been plaguing mankind since creation. That wanting to taste the latest instead of sticking to the...