Meet Shanea
I may not be a professional writer, but I consider myself a professional eater ... on the recommendation of friends and family I've started this blog. I love to eat, read about food, travel, shop, take in the arts, and explore new places. Focusing mostly on Toronto, my home base, Miami, my second home and New York and Italy where I travel to the most, while also featuring other places I'm fortunate enough to visit, I'll share with you my most savoury tidbits along the way. I hope you can take something away with you, a restaurant to try, fantastic shopping experience, great hotel to stay in or something to do next time you visit a new locale.Happy dining,
Shanea
Shanea Rakowski
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Out and About ...
March 19, 2020
Chef Mendin’s menu at Rivertail Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale is large, featuring a raw bar, snacks and such, on a bun, from the grill, chef’s specialties and sides. Would I recommend people driving from Miami? No.
March 14, 2020
Le Chick is a unique addition to the Miami's Wynwood scene. They take their chicken seriously and source high-quality ingredients, you can tell in every bite you take. Chef Ernesto Tapia is cooking up a whole lotta love.
March 12, 2020
Cafe La Trova in Miami has a small but well-edited menu that raises the bar on Cuban food. Chef Michelle Bernstein pays attention to the history and flavours of the Islands, intertwined with Miami style and culture.
February 25, 2020
Chica Restaurant in Miami is the second location, the first residing in the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Both are under a Top Chef master alum, Lorena Garcia.
February 25, 2020
Hutong Restaurant in Miami also has locations in Hong Kong, Beijing, London, and New York. It may be one of Miami’s top spots for Chinese food.
February 22, 2020
Newly opened Spanglish Restaurant is truly a love letter to the very soul of Miami. The restaurant celebrates the city’s multicultural background, taking the best of both worlds and fusing them into one unique concept.
February 19, 2020
Būcaan Restaurant is definitely one of the more innovative spots in Palm Beach. The menu focuses on a progressive American menu, featuring signature small plates, using fresh ingredients and big flavours.
February 16, 2020
From the daily specials to the well-curated menu, the food at Fresa Francesa Petit Café and Bistro in Hialeah, Miami is soulful, luscious and delightful. It isn’t often when I say that I enjoyed every single thing I ordered.
February 3, 2020
Mott 32 in Hong Kong is a no brainer if you are looking for carefully crafted dishes, great flavours, and classic dishes with some refreshing twists with a farm to table ethos.
February 1, 2020
Balloo Restaurant in Miami serves rich, unique cooking that combines flavours from the chef and his family's diverse heritages. Every bite is exciting in a different way, and bursting with intense flavours.
January 30, 2020
The food at Amber restaurant in Hong Kong is definitely gastronomic but not gimmicky. There is a modern approach to the cuisine, it displays a multitude of refined and meticulous and indulgent details. Highly recommended.
January 28, 2020
The Rosewood Phnom Penh in Cambodia is the perfect hotel for the sophisticated traveler and is unmatched with every other hotel in the city. We were blown away with how lavish the hotel was.
January 26, 2020
Newly opened Doughnut Break in Miami is pushing the envelope with their tasty creations. I really want this place to succeed, so I hope you will support them. The donuts not only look like a work of art, but they also taste amazing.
January 24, 2020
Embassy Restaurant in Siem Reap
Cambodia is a great way to discover elevated Cambodian gastronomy. I was actually quite impressed and surprised by the high quality and sophistication of the cuisine.
January 22, 2020
The Front Room in Bangkok serves a new level of inspiring cuisine. The chef's cooking is very intricate, full of different flavours and textures. We immensely enjoyed our journey from beginning to end.
January 20, 2020
Madame Hien Restaurant is by one of Hanoi’s most celebrated chefs, Didier Corlou, offering elegant versions of traditional Hanoi street food. One of Hanoi's best options.
January 17, 2020
Jo Jo is Chef Jean George Vongerichten’s first New York restaurant, opened in 1991. I love the new menu and had trouble making my selections as everything sounded so good. This is a gem worth rediscovering.
January 15, 2020
VEA Restaurant in Hong Kong is on Asia’s 50 best list as well as having one Michelin star. They tick off every box, decor, outstanding service and noteworthy food and wines. Every dish is intricately prepared, with a symphony of flavours.
January 14, 2020
Osaka is a Japanese/Peruvian Nikkei restaurant group with a location recently opened in Miami. The entire menu sounds delicious, all in all it was a delightful meal, and a new unique and cultural dining experience for Miami.
January 10, 2020
Paste Restaurant in Bangkok is located next door to the Intercontinental Hotel. I found the food tasted commercialized and lacking in flavours.
January 4, 2020
Still during soft opening, I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the new Miami location of Kosushi Restaurant, the first international endeavour for the brand. I found the food priced well, compared to other similar restaurants and every plate was picture perfect.
January 3, 2020
I found the food at Le Du average at best. There are so many fine dining experiences in Bangkok and I felt I wasted an evening here. The presentations and execution of the dishes were also unmemorable and uninspiring.
January 2, 2020
The Fulton in New York is Chef Jean Georges' sea-to-table focused restaurant in a one-of-a-kind waterfront setting, serving a wide selection of fresh and delicious wild-caught and locally-harvested East Coast seafood.
December 30, 2019
The Chopsticks in Ho Chi Minh City offers many traditional dishes in a modern, clean and comfortable environment. Whether you choose a tasting menu or a la carte, you will be treated too authentic Vietnamese food with fresh flavours, quality ingredients and an innovative menu.
December 27, 2019
Nahm Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand serves flavorful, fresh, and spicy dishes infused with a cornucopia of succulent, aromatic and concentrated flavours. The cuisine is sophisticated, robust and upscale, without being gimmicky.
