Chef James, here:

Griddled Cornbread

Historically, Slovenian cuisine is pretty rustic. However, like Prague in Czech Republic, Ljubljana has had incredible creative growth from the chefs in the area and the future is wide open. Not to mention Ana Roš’s 3-Michelin Mecca. But I’m going to deviate from being directly inspired and just go with something I th…

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Paulina here. When Chef James and I were planning our trip to Northern Italy in January of 2026, we were assembling our itinerary and deciding between driving to the alpine city of Bolzano or spending more time in Verona. I was leaning towards Bolzano, despite the snowy drive and the hubbub of the Olympics, when Chef recommended we drive to Ljubljana for a few days instead. I was skeptical at first, not knowing much about Slovenia aside from the few (delicious) wines I’ve tasted. I’m so glad he pushed for it because I loved our time there and can’t wait to return.

Slovenia is a relatively new nation that is culturally still coming into itself after 1,000 years under the Habsburg rule and 80 years as part of Yugoslavia. Their ‘Ten-Day’ war for independence was in June of 1991. Ljubljana is the capital city and the largest city, with a (mostly) car-free city center flanking the Ljubljana river with restaurants, bars, museums and community spaces. The moody Castle of Ljubljana looms over the city which romanticized our winter stay and made us crave a cold beer and a sausage from the Christmas market. The food scene is young, embracing local dairy and artisanal charcuterie products. The tension between high-brow/low-brow dining and drinking is fun and approachable. We were equally impressed by the composed dishes in a bistro as we were with the goulash at the dive bar down the street.

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Lamb Neck Pozole

Pozole is a classic Mexican soup utilizing hominy (nixtamalized corn), red chiles and typically pork or chicken. Common garnishes are shaved raw cabbage, radishes, cilantro, avocado, jalapeño, lime, raw onion and jicama. Any combination of these garnishes are awesome. The more the merrier!

I love lamb and the flavor you get from braising lamb on the bone is hard to beat. If you can’t find lamb necks it’s ok to substitute lamb shanks or bone-in lamb shoulder.

I like to overnight braise in the oven at a really low setting. Like 250°. If I don’t have any high quality stock, I’ll typically use a Mexican lager, like Modelo, as the braising liquid.

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Intro

Austin, Texas has long been a destination for food and it’s only gotten bigger and more famous. I’ve been to Austin quite a few times and always enjoy the blend of Texas weather, dive bars, Mexican influence, Asian influence, great lodging options, live music and walkability. It’s certainly not perfect. Gentrification and corporate takeover is real and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference if you’re in Nashville/Miami/Seattle/Austin/Chicago or Denver by the development, design and architecture. American food cities have a corporate homogenization problem and Austin is not immune. BUT! It doesn’t mean it’s all bad. In fact, it’s mostly good! Just take the time to make sure you’re supporting local and independent, and chances are you’ll be eating much better.

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Italy loves soup. And honestly, I love soup! I feel like soup is not a common dish you see in chef-owned restaurants nowadays. You see it in Italian restaurants in America. You definitely see it in Italy.

When I was a private chef, my boss at the time, Habib, told me one winter: “I want a different soup every day”. I was already very comfortable making soup, but had never been challenged with variety like that. It was an odd exercise but it cemented my commitment to making soup lol. I also feel like it’s a great dish to serve for texture and aroma on a tasting menu. So it serves Mabel Gray well.

We recently ran our vegan mushroom bisque at the restaurant. This is a soup that I’ve been making for years (in one version or another). It’s rich, umami, creamy and filling. It’s a crowd-pleaser for the vegans looking for sustenance. For the lover of mushrooms, it’s just a bowl of comfort.

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This month, we’re picking up where we left of on our wintery Italian roadtrip. In case you missed our last travel guide, here’s a link to Part I, when we flew to Venice, drove through Friuli and landed in the charming canal town of Treviso. To start this second leg of our trip, we hop back in the car and drive 1 hour and 40 minutes to Verona to meet Chef’s cousin, Mattia.

Verona

As a Shakespeare fan, I (Paulina) was particularly excited to walk the bustling streets of Verona. Verona' is known for the Arena di Verona (an ancient Roman amphitheater), a rich art and opera culture, and the adjacent wine subregions of Valpolicella and Soave. Of course, there’s also Juliet’s balcony which Mattia calls “the world’s most disappointing tourist attraction” because the structure has no relevance to Shakespeare’s play, and the courtyard is covered in chewing gum. We skipped this stop in favor of a long lunch, and a visit to the Ponte Pietra bridge.

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Hi, everyone! Sous Chef Adam here. I’ve been reflecting on our time in Italy earlier this month, and found the bar culture in Venice to be particularly memorable. All food in Italy is delicious, but in Venice has its fair share of pricey tourist traps with unremarkable menus. Bacari are the perfect way around this. The name ‘bacari’ comes from the Venetian phrase ‘far bacara,’ meaning ‘to make noise,’ or ‘to party.’ These are little wine bars, or rustic taverns, serving tapas-style small bites (cicchetti), approachable local wines and spritzes. Oftentimes, you snack quickly, standing up, before moving on to the next location. You’ll find a wide variety of cicchetti all through Venice: toasted bread with shaved ham, fried meatballs, marinated sardines, whipped salt cod, or marinated vegetables. The list goes on. The dishes below are a Mabel Gray-twist on the cicchetti you find while walking the moody canal labyrinth of Venice at night.

At home, these recipes are perfect for a cocktail hour or potluck. You could create your own ‘spritz bar’ where guests choose between Cynar, Aperol or Campari and serve Venetian bites alongside. This sort of laidback hosting allows for more time for chatting and less fussing.

First - start with your favorite bakery. Grab the best focaccia, ciabatta or baguette you can find. We frequent Crispelli’s at the restaurant. This will be your vessel. Cut the bread into toast points, or small two bite pieces. Lay on a baking pan and drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 350° until toasty golden brown.

Baccalà with Pickled Onion and Castelvetrano

For baccalà montecato (whipped salt cod spread) - 4 servings

1 lb salt cod

High quality heavy cream (we prefer Guernsey dairy)

4 cloves garlic

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The Rigatos are northern Italians that trace much farther back than the country itself. In and around Treviso, you’ll see or hear the name all the time. I connected with my cousins there a few years back and have visited many times. I even brought my cousin Mattia to Michigan to hang out in Detroit as well as visit the Keweenaw and Isle Royale.

Mattia’s father, Valentino, is basically the family historian. He even took me to the family home of my great great grandmother. The home is under renovations from a new owner, but the kitchen and even the bedroom is still intact. It was wild to see the bedroom where my great grandfather, Giovanni, was born. As well as the birth record inscription at the church.

I love Italy. All of it. Such a varied and special place. But I think Veneto is overlooked. Obviously Venice isn’t, but the rest of the region has so many treasures you could spend months exploring it.

I will visit Padua, Treviso, Valdobbiadene, Verona and Bassano del Grappa anytime! But Asolo has my heart. I think it’s the best kept secret in the area (more on that later).

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The Hakata Ward is the main district in Fukuoka city located on Kyushu Island. It’s about a 4-hour Shinkansen ride or 2-hour flight southwest of Tokyo and only about an hour train ride from Hiroshima. The area has been called “Hakata” for about 1,200 years with plenty of shrines and 1,000+ year old trees throughout.

Although the city is called Fukuoka now, the main train station is still called Hakata Station. The train station is also a huge shopping area and worth some time spent exploring.

Fukuoka City is a port town with quick access to beautiful mountains and natural scenery. For instance, you could be eating ramen in the city center for lunch, and an hour later be exploring the Shiraito Falls. From beaches to the subway, street food to the Ritz-Carlton, this corner of Japan is not to be overlooked.

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Our upcoming city guide for December features the Hakata ward in Fukuoka, Japan. Chef James was just there with Ken Nagao (of Sharaku fame), and they had a great time eating and drinking on the island of Kyushu. So much so, that we’ve decided to host a special barigatō event at Mabel Gray on Sunday, February 1st. This will be a four course, Japanese-inspired tasting menu showcasing a bowl of Hakata ramen.

The Mabel Gray Travel Guide readers get a 24-hour head start in snagging a reservation. Click the link here for more information, including a menu preview. We hope to see you there!

XO

MGTG

As we come up on one year of the Mabel Gray Travel Guide, we wanted to thank you for your support, engagement and readership! It has been a pleasure re-living and compiling these trips and tricks.

In lieu of destination-specific recipes for November and December, we wanted to share some classic Mabel Gray holiday recipes. We know everyone is cooking at home much more between Thanksgiving and Christmas and we wanted to give you some recipes to work with as you entertain friends and family. Cheers & Happy Holidays!

Chef James: “I grew up with potluck holidays in a family that didn’t have a great understanding of the culture of dining. My restaurant experience, hospitality studies and travels inspired me over the years to sort of takeover (hijack) the holiday meals. I didn’t want to shock my family initially so I pretty much just freshened up some of the dishes they were already accustomed to. Nowadays, I’ve gone more rogue and will straight up make chicken tikka masala for Christmas. I’m out of f***s. But you all may have some family members you are trying to please, or maybe just want to freshen up the classics. Either way, let’s have a fun time and I encourage you to use these recipes as a base and adjust them as you see fit.”

Coconut Milk Green Goddess Dressing

This recipe is gluten free, vegan and delicious. Feel free to use crème fraiche and/or buttermilk, mayo and anchovies in order to make this more traditional. But this version is a crowd pleaser and offends no one. Except Grandma. But, that’s because you have tattoos.

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As the weather continues to cool and the sun sinks lower earlier, I know many of us feel the pull to a tropical destination. Even me! To be honest, I’m not a beach person. I burn easily, and have many tattoos that I’d rather not destroy by sitting in the sun. Not to mention I can’t swim very well. In fact, I was once rescued from drowning by the San Diego Lifeguard (very Baywatch moment). Thank you very handsome man whose name I never got. But there are still plenty of tropical destinations that have my needs list checked off. However, one seems to dominate the category for me. Interesting landscape, local culture & history, agriculture, beverage scene, markets, recreation, adventure, mystique, volcano, fishing villages, cacao, rum distillery. Check check check. I’m talking about Saint Lucia! And when it comes to the West Indies, Saint Lucia is as good as it gets.

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In nearly every pub worth a damn in Ireland, you’re gonna find Irish Stew or Seafood Chowder. Both are almost always delicious. I frickin’ love eating in pubs! The chowder especially is a standout to me. It’s usually served with soda bread (not my favorite) and is brothy/creamy. Never overly thickened, which I love. Our Clam Chowder at Mabel is a perenn…

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Ah, yes! The Emerald Isle. Quite possibly the most American-friendly destination in Europe. Not only is English the common language, but there were so many Irish immigrants from 1820-1960 that the odds of many Americans (and Canadians) having Irish lineage is pretty high (my mother’s maiden name is Brennan). So, it’s easy to guess that there’s a natural and easy friendship between the Irish and the Americans. Not to mention the Irish are really a friendly bunch. Live music, comforting food, warm hospitality and a cold pint are mainstays nearly everywhere you go. I have been to Ireland three times with my fourth trip already booked for April. I’ll be leading a food tour with Bog & Thunder.

Ireland is deserving of all of the wonderful things you have heard and seen about it. Sam, my girlfriend, credits it as her favorite country she’s ever visited.

First thing’s first: there are a couple ridiculous reputations that we need to address.

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This dish is a staple at Mabel Gray in the winter months. Fluke is an amazing Atlantic flat fish with delicate white flesh that cooks quickly and easily. Although fluke and beurre blanc seem very French, the hard char on the potatoes and cabbage and the big dose of whole grain mustard give it some North American gusto. I think this dish is a great representation of Montréal cuisine.

First, the fish.

Ask your local fish monger for a skinned fillet of fluke. About 5-6 oz a person is plenty. You could use halibut or John Dory if you must, but I prefer fluke.

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