Lori and Susan Hit the Road
Traveling is a big part of what we do here at Nikken Foods, visiting customers all over the world, something that we love to do. And with it comes a big opportunity: the chance to experience food and cultures completely different from what we have here in STL. Don’t get us wrong, we love our hometown (for more on the flavors of St. Louis, check out our City Guide post) but there is truly no better way to experience a city than through its food. Here are some of our recent excursions of fabulous taste:
Lori’s Likes:
A Sparkling Gem in Jersey. While traveling in Camden, NJ, I had the opportunity to visit the great little town of Millville. Known for glass blowing and part of the “cradle of American glass” that Southern New Jersey is known for, Millville is also home to a fabulous restaurant called Winfield’s. Located in the heart of The Glasstown Arts District, Winfield’s is named after Frank Winfield Woolworth of the five and dime empire that revolutionized shopping in the U.S in the 1900’s. While there I thoroughly enjoyed an amazing portabella mushroom appetizer and the seared ahi tuna served with shrimp and a sweet soy glaze. Trust me, run, don’t walk, for this dish! Also when you are in Millville, take some time and visit Wheaton Glass’s museum where you can see the World’s Largest Glass Bottle standing 7 feet, 8 inches tall. Hand blown for a festival in 1992, it’s a sparkling homage to a classic American industry.
Ole’ Worthy Tequila. And not to discriminate against the beverage side of the menu, I had the chance to experience tequila tasting in Mexico City. At La Guadiana, I tasted Don Julio Reposado that was served with a shot each of tomato juice and a lime juice drink. Unlike in America where we follow a shot with lime and salt, tequila is tasted with the juices and it’s an amazing complement to the pear, apple, and lemon aromas in the Don Julio.
Susan’s Stops: Fav in Fayetteville. Visiting Arkansas recently, I was in Fayetteville where I was lucky enough to eat at Smitty’s Garage. Believe it or not, I experienced a Vietnamese-Mexican fusion in some amazing bahn mi tacos that I would love to replicate at home. Breaded cod topped with a Sriracha slaw, jalapenos and dressed with a mouthwatering garlic aioli and a touch of cilantro all wrapped in a tortilla. I can’t stop thinking about these babies.
Tastes Times Two / And together we love:
- SO-CAL. When Southern California trips are planned, a stop at perennial Umami Burger is a must—and not because it has the word umami in the title. Well, we’d probably love it for just that reason but the fact that the burgers are heavenly certainly doesn’t hurt.
Lori: “My favorites are the Sunny side burger and the Original Umami Burger with sweet potato fries….delicious.”
Susan: “In addition to all the amazing burgers, I love, love, love the truffle fries!”
- Food embodies New Orleans. Or is it the other way around? Either way, traveling there is always welcome because we know that we are going to experience something otherworldly but totally American. A few of our recent favorites included the pizzas at Domenica and some amazing shrimp and grits and ethereal bread pudding at Mr. B’s. And the Black Drum a la Plancha from John Besh’s Borgne with brown butter, lump crab and pecans earns YUM status. All are not to be missed along with a New Orleans icon, Café du Monde’s beignets. Worth every accolade, bite and five-star review.
Whew – looking back at all of that makes us tired but hungry to do it all again! The creativity of our culinary world is inspiring and never ceases to amaze. We’ll be hitting the road again soon – so be sure to look for our future taste adventures!
