Amsterdam - Modern Art + A Seafood Feast

One of my favorite things about Amsterdam is the Museumplein. Just a few steps from the canals that circle the center of the city, the Musuemplein is where you'll find three of the city's most iconic museums; The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum.

After an epic morning at The Rijksmuseum I stopped for some much needed sustenance at the conveniently located Seafood Bar. I wanted a little bit of everything so I chose the Fruits de Mer platter plus a side of frites for good measure. When my food arrived it was so epic that I had a brief moment of panic that I had accidentally ordered Fruits de Mer ‘Seafood bar’ a much more expensive option. But no, my order was correct, it was just a massive platter of mussels, cockles, scallop, razor clams, periwinkles, shrimp, crab, and oysters. The seafood was fresh and sweet and definitely shareable. Skip the fries, the included baguette is offers plenty of carbs.

After lunch I made my way to the Stedelijk Museum. The modern and contemporary art museum is sometimes referred to as "The Bathtub" for its unique architecture. Bright, airy, and calm; the museum was a nice contrast to the overcrowded madness of the Van Gogh Museum. I enjoyed my relaxed tour of the collection, especially the 360 lego room, a temporary installation.

Paris - Oysters & Churches

I spent a few days wandering in and around the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood in Paris. I had two fantastic meals plus some extraordinary sweets. Oysters were at the top of my Paris eats wishlist and, after some research, I chose Huîtrerie Régis to make it happen.

It's a tiny spot, six tables inside and a few more on the street. I arrived right after opening, around noon, and the restaurant was almost empty, just one table of three. Reviews indicate it fills up fast during prime time, so definitely come early. The menu is an exercise in minimalism, all oysters, fresh as can be. Sometimes shrimp and sea urchin are available as well, but they're essentially garnish. According to Paris by Mouth, the oysters are shipped in daily from Marennes-Oléron, a famous oyster cultivation region on the Western coast of France.

It  was my first meal of the day and my eyes were certainly bigger than my stomach. I ordered a tasting platter of six Fines de Claires and six Spéciale de Claires, plus six enormous pink shrimp. I wanted to try everything! The oysters were truly the very best I have tasted, though, admittedly, my oyster oeuvre is sadly limited. I slightly preferred the Spéciale de Claires, which were plumper and sweeter than the briny, more mineral Fines. But both were excellent. I took mine plain or with a spritz of lemon, forgoing the classic mignonette.

Unnecessary, but also delicious was the sesame studded bread with salted butter. And shrimp, too. On any other day the shrimp would have been the star of the show but in my refusal to waste any food, they left me overstuffed.

Huîtrerie Régis is tucked away on a small side street off of Boulevard Saint-Germain, just a few blocks from my next destination, the Church of Saint-Sulpice. The church provided the perfect respite for my overextended stomach. Though cool, dark, and peaceful, it is very much a working church with a staff and active worshipers. It's a crumbly old building, much in need of renovations, but with an intriguing, tangible sense of history. An interesting contrast to the bustling square outside. Full of tourists, students, nannies and their charges, business people on their lunch breaks-- a great spot for people watching.

Venice - Pronto Pesce

Twice I tried to find Pronto Pesce and failed. I honestly don't know how I missed it. In general, I had a hard time with food in Venice. Despite some extensive research, blog recommendations, and a google map full of potential restaurants, things just didn't come together like I'd hoped. That's not to say I didn't eat any good food (I did, read on!) but I barely made it to any of my planned culinary destinations. Everyone says get a good map and don't worry about getting lost. Well, I didn't worry about getting lost, but even with a so-called 'good map,' Venice is a maze of canals and alleys, restaurants are tucked around odd corners and hidden in plain sight.

Barcelona - Kiosko Universal + Cacao Sampaka

I arrived in Barcelona around 9 am local time. Too early to to check into my hotel, I dropped off my luggage and headed straight to La Boqueria. I wandered around for a bit, still in a post-travel daze, snapping photos as I tried to decide where to eat. I'm not ashamed to admit that I got a little lost  I bypassed El Quim and the famous Pinotxo Bar for a seafood specialist, Kiosko Universal.

Barcelona - Cal Pep

Well, months later and I'm still blogging about Barcelona. There was just so much good food to tell you about. My biggest food splurge was at Cal Pep. I spent more money than I probably should have on more food than one person should probably eat. But it was all delicious and I was so full that I skipped dinner that evening. Cal Pep was on my maybe list leading up to the trip. I didn't decide to give it a shot until I met two friendly ladies from New York City while breakfasting at El Quim who absolutely raved about the place.

The restaurant is small, not much more than a long counter. It has, maybe, 20 seats, though if you plan ahead you can reserve a table in the small dining room at the back. Behind the counter a group of waiters and chefs put together small plates of ridiculously fresh seafood and Catalan favorites. There's not a set menu, tell your waiter what you like and he'll bring you dishes to fit your tastes. Alternatively, while you wait for a seat, (and you will wait) ogle the food being served around you and point at what you want when it's finally your turn.

Right off the bat I knew I wanted a bowl of the orange-slicked mussels and clams I saw being passed around. The mussels were to die for, so plump so juicy. The clams were lovely as well, though not quite as tender-sweet as the serving I had later in the week at Kiosko Universal. The bivalves were prettily doused in a paprika infused olive oil that complemented without overpowering the seafood. Especially good when matched with a plate of chickpeas and spinach. The beans were creamy and the spinach made me feel like I was eating something relatively healthy.

This dish of monkfish had me a bit wary, but the slightly sweet cream sauce and flaky fish won me over. Not my favorite dish of the day, but quite good. I traded a taste of monkfish for a bit of squid from the lovely British ladies to my right. They were on the tail end of a short holiday from London. Despite practically overdosing on seafood, I couldn't leave without trying the gambas. These suckers were not cheap. Coated with salt then sizzled on la plancha, the giant prawns arrived bright red with sweet, tender meat hiding beneath the crunchy shell. Don't forget to suck out the funky liquified brains, that's the best part!

I finished off my meal with a lovely espresso, un cortado to be precise, the teeny fruit filled biscotti was a nice touch. Stuffed with seafood and slightly tipsy, I hit up the Picasso Museum and Santa Maria del Mar Basilica, both just around the corner. The Picasso Museum was smaller than I expected, just an hour or two worth of works to browse. Though it was crowded, the wait was short and it was a nice, manageable, museum. As I left, I wandered past El Xampayet, a tapas bar known for their cheap, house made cava. It was packed and I'd already imbibed two flute-fulls (and the bonus remains of the bottle, thanks Mr. Waiter) at Cal Pep so I didn't push my luck.

Pre-Cal Pep, I spent my morning at Palau Güell. It's another Gaudi masterpiece, designed for his longtime benefactor, Eusebi Güell. The mansion, one of Gaudi's first big projects, was recently restored and re-opened to the public. The centerpiece of the building is the amazing ceiling/skylight and more of Gaudi's crazy chimnies. My big mistake of the day was wearing a pair of new shoes for the day's sightseeing. Planning ahead, I purchased a new pair of, supposedly, comfy and versatile black flats. I thought I had broken them in pre-trip but my feet felt otherwise, bruised and bloodied by the end of the day. I couldn't wait to take them off and get a bit of a rest.