Tokyo: not since Rome, my favorite international city outside the US, has a city captured me so wholly, immediately and fully. To arrive the first night was to plot, with the Renaissance Man, when we could return. Japan is a game changer, even for the seasoned traveler. More difficult and closed to outsiders — especially for a city with the… Read more →
Hong Kong is a fascinating city — one showcasing Chinese culture in a sophisticated, worldly way that often feels more international than it does expressly Chinese. It’s an easy city to get around in, both in terms language (English is widely spoken) and in navigation, from Hong Kong Island and Central to the short distance across the Bay to the… Read more →
Where Tokyo is expanse, towers, lights and endless depth, Kyoto is the stillness of gardens and temples bearing a silence unlike anywhere else, encompassing and lush. It’s the charm of an ancient village, shockingly intact, yet with the offerings or range of a mid-size city. Amsterdam meets Japan in Kyoto’s canals (particularly magical at night) and its temples, gardens and… Read more →
Where Tokyo is expanse, towers, lights and endless depth, Kyoto is the stillness of gardens and temples, bearing a silence unlike anywhere else. It manifests the charm of an ancient village, shockingly intact, yet with the range of a mid-size city (my coverage on Kyoto dining, coffee and food here). While the Kyoto cocktail scene is tiny compared to the… Read more →
This article I wrote for Food Republic, originally published on February 18, 2015. The article and all photos below are all by Virginia Miller. I also wrote extensively about a range of Japanese whiskies, bars and distilleries in a print feature article in the December 2014 issue of Whisky Magazine UK. You might have heard about the hand-carved ice. Suited… Read more →
While OKC is not a dining destination, each year I find a few more signs of promise, even if many look better on “paper” — their menus — than they are in execution. Here’s the latest, from high to low points, from my recent holiday visit to see my parents and extensive family in OK. Killer Steakhouse: The George Prime… Read more →
Restaurants TACO MARIA, Costa Mesa Taco Maria is the kind of humble-yet-modern, “food first” kind of restaurant that made me fall in love with San Francisco when I moved there nearly 14 years ago — and I couldn’t find much of real quality in my old Orange County stomping grounds over the years. But times are finally changing in at… Read more →
My Winter 2014-2015 feature for Distiller Magazine on Louisville, KY, with a 11-page print spread, my photos and three articles: All three articles here. More of my Kentucky food and drink recommends here. ______________________________________ Past issues (top 10 bars, local distiller and bar manager interviews in each city): Save Read more →
Over the holidays, I returned twice to LA (years of recommends here), a region where I lived 12 years of my life and still have family. My recent cocktail/drink standouts are here and my latest food and dining reviews to follow. On the disappointing front, though staying around the corner from The Pie Hole, I found the pastries and coffee… Read more →
10 Places To Find Great Cocktails In Hong Kong This article I wrote for Food Republic, originally published on December 17, 2014. The article and all photos below are all by Virginia Miller. One can find a little of everything in Hong Kong. A truly international city, it’s packed with restaurants representing a broad range of cuisines and some of… Read more →