P.F. Chang’s Orange Peel Shrimp

Batman eats at Ben Pao. Rather, according to last month’s tabloids, his alter-ego Christian Bale does. As I recently wrote of Katie Holmes’ order of Gino’s East pizza, you figure folks who have millions of dollars could find themselves a first-rate food concierge to point them to better fare. Bale is after all an extremist who almost starved himself to death for his role in “The Machinist.” Comparatively, a stop in Chinatown for spicy Lao Szechuan stylings or the Yunnan delicacies at Spring World is like a Sunday cruise in the Batmobile. More »

I never met a Whopper, a Chalupa, or a Slider that I didn’t like. When it comes to fast food, I am either fearless or profoundly stupid. I am allergic to nothing. Add this to the fact that I have a low tolerance for alcohol and a fairly casual attitude about what constitutes a proper meal, I am a cheap date. More »

Lahore is widely accepted as the cultural and Epicurean capital of Pakistan. This ancient city boasts restaurants that blend the intense flavors of subcontinent cooking with cosmopolitan flair. Restaurants populate all areas of the city, no different than in the states. Another commonality - the ubiquitous Golden Arches of McDonald’s. A few days into our stay, my wife and I began to notice the McDonald’s a few blocks from my aunt’s flat. We eyed it, and joked about visiting. It taunted us with the promise of processed foods and perhaps a nostalgic taste of home, which we longed-for, despite the excellent Pakistani food we had sampled so far. So, like good Americans, we went. More »