6 Favorite Lobster/Clam Shacks, Including Arnold’s Lobster and Clam Bar, Eastham, Massachusetts

In 2012, Boston, a city that prides itself on its fresh seafood, was rocked to its ocean-loving core when a two-part expose published by the Boston Globe revealed that a significant number of fish were mislabeled at area restaurants, grocery stores, and fish markets. Diners were served cheap Vietnamese catfish instead of the succulent and more expensive grouper, haddock instead of cod, tilapia in place of pricey red snapper. Indeed, 24 of the 26 red snapper samples tested were some other species of fish. The two reporters went on a fish collecting spree, sending samples of their findings to a laboratory in Canada for DNA testing. The outcome? A whopping 48 percent of the seafood was mislabeled. In his latest book, Real Food Fake Food, writer Larry Olmsted goes so much further, telling us that most kobe beef sold at restaurants is indeed wagyu; extra virgin olive oil is rarely that, usually cut with soybean and peanut oil; grated parmesan is almost always fake; and that grass-fed beef was probably drugged and raised in a crowded feedlot. It’s no surprise this book has already made many “notable books of the year” lists. For anyone who wants to start off 2017 on the right foot, grab a copy and then buy that olive oil from a trusted supplier Olmsted recommends, like Oliviers & Co. One taste of their olive oil and you’ll never go back to the fake stuff again.

When designing itineraries for clientele headed to Paris, I always tell them to drop their bags off at the hotel and head straight to the Rue Cler neighborhood in the 7th Arrondissement. Purchase a hot out of the oven baguette from a boulangerie, soft reblochon (one of my many weaknesses in Paris!) and harder comte cheese from a fromagerie, some jambon and saucisson from a butcherie, and a pint of strawberries and a bottle of water from a grocer. Then head to the grounds in front of the Eiffel Tower and have a memorable meal. Now that I’ve heard about a new company, Paris Picnic, I might have to make some changes. Paris Picnic does the work for you, partnering with the top artisanal food and wine producers in town, to create a gluttonous picnic basket one can only dream about. Le Classique (priced at 32 Euros per person) includes a choice of wine, baguette, assortment of cheeses, charcuterie, fresh salad du jour, artisanal crisps, mineral water, and dessert. Or you can go for broke and order Le Chic, which includes champagne and foie gras. Paris Picnic will deliver the goods and blanket to any number of picnic spots in town—under Eiffel Tower, along the Canal St-Martin, or the grassy slopes of Buttes Chaumont. Oui, oui monsieur! 

Yes, the dim sum (One Dim Sum, Tin Ho Wan) and bao (Little Bao) lived up to expectations. But it was the other international fare that far surpassed anything I anticipated. The hummus, babaganoush, tabbouleh, and shawarma at Maison Libanaise was the best I’ve had outside the Middle East. The Nepalese food at Manakamana in the Kowloon Night Market was so authentic I was sitting next to monks from Kathmandu. Even the French bistro, Bouchon, popular with Aussie expat workers dining in the outdoor garden during lunch, served a tasty steak frites and tender barramundi wrapped in rice paper. But my favorite restaurant in Hong Kong was Yardbird in the Sheung Wan neighborhood. Old school R&B from Donnie Hathaway to Luther Vandross was thumping as we walked into the crowded bar on a Friday night and ordered innovative cocktails. We waited an hour to snag one of the coveted tables and once the food arrived, it was definitely worth the wait. Their specialty is yakitori, where different parts of the chicken arrive on small kebabs. All were juicy, but the neck, inner thigh, and meatball selections were out of this world. Also order the KFC, spicy Korean fried cauliflower.