Latest news with #foodie
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Server sparks heated debate after leaving scathing comment on influencer's Instagram about 'bad' tip
Food influencer Asia - who goes by @thefoodieb**ch on Instagram - is used to giving her opinions on different restaurants - the food, the ambiance, the service. But what she hasn't experienced is an employee from the restaurant giving their opinion back - until now. In an Instagram Reel that has garnered more than 86,000 views and almost 3,000 comments, Asia talks about her experience at Etra in East Hollywood. In this video, which she shared with her 30,000 followers, the 27-year-old introduces a new rubric she would be using going forward for restaurants: vibe (or atmosphere), price, staff, and food. She gave the vibe a 5/5 (she credits the inclusion of a purse hook), the price a 2/5 (she paid $32 for an 'appetizer'), the food a 3/5, and the staff a 4/5. Asia mentioned that she staff were the reason she tried what she called a 'f**king delicious' Branzino. 'This is why staff is important,' she said in the video. 'Staff should know what's actually good on the f**king menu. The owner was a little weird but the staff was nice and knowledgeable.' The server Asia had commented on the video, asking the influencer why she had left a 'bad tip' But it seems as though the great service from the staff didn't warrant an equally great tip. The alleged server from the restaurant left a comment on Asia's Instagram calling her out for the tip she left. 'Hey Asia! Respectfully, I'm wondering what was missing for you service wise? You had some kind words for us as a staff here, but you left us a really bad tip,' she said, followed by a sad-face emoji. Asia then responded, 'Hi! Respectfully it's difficult for me to justify a 20-30 percent tip on top of the overpriced food. 'I believe I left 15 percent though next time I'll have to decide between a glass of wine or a heftier tip!' The server then went on to reply that while she understood the difficult economy, servers and other people in the kitchen relied on tips for their livelihoods. She also mentioned that while diners will pay any price for a meal, they'll typically cut corners while tipping - and that the influencer actually tipped less than 15 percent. And while the two continued to have pretty civil discourse about what is 'acceptable' for tipping, other fans in the comment were quick to share their own thoughts. Some defended the server, and said that the influencer was in the wrong for 'trying to save a few bucks' in regard to the tip. 'They are trying to pay their rent, cover food costs, pay staff a living wage, jump through impossible regulatory hoops, etc,' one Instagram user commented. 'We're all just trying to survive in this capitalist hellhole of a country, don't take it out on small restaurant owners and staff by leaving unfair reviews and s**tty tips.' 'A really insane vibe to be such a harsh critic of small owned businesses and also being a bad tipper,' another user said. One user even commented: 'If you can't afford to tip, don't go out to eat.' But other fans pointed out that absurdity of the server publicly commenting on Asia's video. 'This should have been a DM, no way you trying to embarrass her over 15 percent. Get a grip,' one person replied to the server's original comment. 'No way a waiter is in your comments guilting you for leaving 15 percent what kind of dystopia is East Hollywood,' another chimed in. Other users mirrored the same sentiments, saying that tip culture was 'getting out of hand.' But despite all the comments rolling in in her defense, Asia finally left another comment on her own video saying, 'Officially been bullied into 20 percent tip minimum thank you everyone for your service.'
CTV News
16 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Firing up a delicious pizza
Ottawa Watch Our daily dish today pops up around town and we tell you where you can find them.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
It's official: This is the UK's best ice cream shop – we visited to see if it's worth the hype
COMING from Devon and growing up on a seaside diet, I like to think I'm somewhat of an ice cream connoisseur. And last year, after I discovered Anya Hindmarch's quirky ice cream pop up in London - and it has beaten even my favourite beach spots from my childhood. 5 5 Ice Cream Union in Chelsea, London, was named the UK's best ice cream parlour by The Times. It is known for creating some of the best ice creams in the country and supplying them to top chefs and restaurants all over the UK. But nothing quite beats going into an ice cream parlour to test them straight from the tub. Located on Pavilion Road, just off of Sloane Square, the parlour boasts a wide variety of flavours that change each day (and sometimes more than once during the day) - so don't go with your heart set on a flavour to try! As the menu rotates, you could keep going back and be greeted with a whole array of new flavours to explore. I tried three different flavours on my visit and first up was one of Ice Cream Union's seasonal offerings - yoghurt and berries. Speaking with staff at the parlour, they said this was quickly becoming a customer favorite - so of course I had to try it. Whilst I personally find yoghurt and berries a bit boring, it was interesting to try as an ice cream. Certainly the most refreshing of the three, unlike cream, the yoghurt gave a more sour bite which helped to make it less decadent than your usual clotted cream-style flavours. The ice cream has actual berries in it too, which honestly made it feel as if it has just been made. Whilst not my favourite, I was pleasantly surprised. 7/10. Next up was Monmouth Coffee. For coffee fans (and especially Londoners) Monmouth Coffee is one of the most popular coffee places in the city. Each time I walk past their shop in Seven Dials, there is a long queue out the door. This ice cream had the exact taste of Monmouth Coffee - which pleasantly surprised me. It is stronger and a bit more bitter than the usual coffee taste you get with other coffee ice creams, cakes or even frappes - so deffo a good choice for those wanting a cool caffeine hit. A solid 8/10. The final flavour I tried was Cornflakes. 5 Growing up, cornflakes were always the cereal that stayed in the back of the cupboard and that you would reach for when all other breakfast options had run dry. To me, it was a boring thing for breakfast and I often enjoy the slightly sweet cereal milk after eating the cornflakes more than the actual cornflakes. This was this ice cream - a scoop of childhood memories in a cup. This was by far my favourite of the three and I could easily see why this flavour is loved by so many - it is a real comfort flavour. Easily a 10/10 for me and most likely my favourite ice cream to date. Admittedly it isn't cheap - costing £5.50 per small cup or cone, or £7 per cone or cup. I opted for the small cups, which was plenty of ice cream in my opinion, and I did think each were worth it, as you can tell quality ingredients have been used. The menu has a whole array of other flavours too, including chestnut (another seasonal flavour), blood orange sorbet, chocolate and brownies and coconut choc chip. 5 Sadly when I visited, some quirky flavours I really wanted a taste of weren't on the menu for that day, such as Pimm's and Aperol Spritz. But I will certainly be back to try. Ice Cream Union also has a factory in Bermondsey that is open on Saturdays between 10am and 4pm. If heading to the Chelsea ice cream parlour, make sure to also explore Pavilion Road. Hidden behind Sloane Square and just steps away from the bustling King's Road, Pavilion Road is very pretty and full of cute independent shops. In particular, make sure to head to the London Cheesemongers and Papersmiths stationery shop. New viral Dubai chocolate ice cream served at a top London attraction THE Sun's Sophie Swietochowski tried out the new viral Dubai chocolate ice cream served at a top London attraction - here's what she thought. So many foods have hopped on the viral Dubai chocolate trend in the past few months - and I tried out the most recent one. This time at London's Borough Market, served in ice cream form. After clocking the gelato treat on social media - several chocolate-y scoops dripping in lashings of pistachio sauce and served in a pistachio-rimmed cone - I couldn't resist giving it a try. The treat hails from a small cafe, Gelateria 3Bis, at the edge of the market, which also sells flakey pastries and baked goods. Behind the counter were neat slices of apple and almond tart, slathered in a shiny glaze (£3.50); wedges of a crumbly looking walnut tart (also £3.50); and stacks of cannolis with thick ricotta filling oozing out of each case (£2). I practically drooled as the lady leaned into the metal tub to scoop the chocolate-y mixture into my cone, waiting for the pistachio magic to happen. But then, nothing. That was it - and a rather naked-looking gelato was handed over to me. Where was my pistachio sauce? Where were the sprinkles I'd seen decadently splashed over the top? And, more importantly, where was the pistachio and filo filling that makes Dubai chocolate what it is? After shelling out a staggering £6.50, I walked away realising that this was a classic case of Insta vs reality trickery. A Sun reporter also tried the UK's wackiest ice cream flavours from pickled onion to Bisto. Plus, the affordable British seaside town with one of the UK's best ice cream parlours.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Ninja's bestselling dual-drawer air fryer is still on sale at Amazon – but stock is running low
Ninja makes some of the best air fryers in the world, and the foodi dual zone is the model that truly cemented its reputation. As one of the first and most popular dual-drawer designs on the market, it solved a problem that had tormented air fryers since their inception: how to cook your main and your side at the same time without one going cold. The Ninja foodie dual zone is a perennial bestseller. Over Prime Day Amazon cut the price from £218.99 down to just £124.99 – a massive 43 per cent saving and one of the best air fryer deals we've seen this year. We expected the deal to finish once Amazon Prime Day ended on Friday night, but there's still a discount. It's not as good as it was; the discount is now only 18 per cent off. However, that's still a good drop on one of the best air fryers around. If you've been holding out for a discount on an excellent dual-drawer air fryer, this is the one to get. Here's why. The genius of the Ninja foodie dual zone lies in its two independent cooking zones. This allows you to air fry your salmon in one drawer while roasting vegetables in the other, using completely different functions, temperatures, and times. The clever sync function ensures both drawers finish cooking at the exact same moment, so your entire meal is hot and ready to eat at once. With six cooking functions – including air fry, max crisp, and roast – and a generous 7.6 litre capacity that can handle a 1.6kg chicken, it's a versatile kitchen appliance for hungry families. Like all air fryers it's also significantly faster and more energy-efficient than a conventional oven, and won't make your kitchen unbearably hot during the heatwave. This model consistently tops bestseller lists for a reason, and at this price, it's an absolute bargain. The only issue now is that the stock is starting to run out, so you need to be fast.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Where To Eat In Charleston Right Now
The charming exterior of Italian restaurant Sorelle. Sorelle Charleston may have slipped to No. 3 on Travel + Leisure's 'Best Cities in the U.S.' list—edged out by Santa Fe and New Orleans—but let's be honest: it's not the charm that's lagging. It's the metrics. Locals know this city is in the midst of a culinary moment that rivals anywhere in the country. The city's lingering reputation as a hub of Lowcountry dishes like shrimp and grits, no longer tells the full story. Recently, a Senegalese-born chef opened a West African atelier in a residential spot. A Puerto Rican pitmaster redefined barbecue with beef cheeks and sofrito beans. A moody little French boîte on a quiet corner somehow feels like a Parisian night in the Lowcountry. Meanwhile, the classics are getting creative. Seafood arrives lacquered in beet butter or paired with Txistorra sausage. Steakhouses serve dry-aged Wagyu alongside wedge salads injected with blue cheese. And in a town steeped in tradition, it's the risk-takers—from a Chopped champion plating smoked-caviar arroz caldo to chefs blending Chinese flavors with Southern barbecue—who are attracting national acclaim and full tables. Here's where to eat in Charleston right now. Merci, a French spot, recently opened in downtown Charleston. Lindsey Shorter Photography Merci Opened in March 2025 by chef Michael and designer-partner Courtney Zentner, Merci is a 26-seat European-inspired bistro housed in a restored 1820s Federal-style home. The menu blends French technique with Southern and Italian touches: think stracciatella-stuffed focaccia with Benton's ham and hot honey, plus roast chicken, leeks in vinaigrette, and a pastry-perfect beef Wellington. Courtney's vintage-chic interiors, antique accents, and six-seat bar make dinner feel like a stylish dinner party in motion—equal parts Parisian elegance and Lowcountry hospitality. Estadio Chef Alex Lira brings Southern ingredients into a Spanish framework at Estadio, a lively tapas spot anchored by a bullfighting mural and an open kitchen. Shishito peppers, head-on shrimp, and local vegetables rotate through the menu, which nods to both Andalusia and the Lowcountry. The Crispy Black Carolina Rice with scallops and clams is a standout, as are the Txistorra Pigs in a Blanket. And the patatas bravas, with their pitch-perfect crunch and alioli, are a nostalgic snack evocative of your first backpacking trip through Spain. The upstairs bar at Bar 167. Bar 167 Bar 167 The original 167 Raw still draws tourist lines down the block, but those in the know head to Bar 167—a Mediterranean-inspired offshoot where cocktail lovers and seafood fans put their name in early. Upstairs, the bar turns out some of the city's most inventive drinks, but the food is just as compelling. Salt-and-pepper calamari arrives crisp yet tender; the jumbo lump crab sandwich is unapologetically generous; and a bright watermelon-feta salad topped with (optional) poached shrimp might be the perfect dish on a sultry summer night. Add in a rotating selection of oysters, raw bar towers, and one of the city's most fun bites: Siberian caviar and parmesan custard served in a salted waffle cone. King BBQ Corrie and Shuai Wang, owners of North Charleston's popular Jackrabbit Filly, opened King BBQ in a casual diner-style space in late 2023. Landing on Bon Appetit's list of the 20 Best Restaurants in 2024, Wang's second project offers a Southern-inflected reference to the foods of Shuai's upbringing. Shuai merges traditional Chinese flavors with regional smoking techniques in dishes like soft and meaty spare ribs. Other standouts include five-spice duck legs, piquant Dan Dan noodles, and shrimp toast sliders, all washed down with 'trashy-fancy' cocktails. The dining room at night. Andrew Cebulka Marbled & Fin One of the best new restaurants to open last year, Marbled & Fin transformed a former dry-cleaning factory into a sleek, modern steakhouse, thanks to The Neighborhood Dining Group. The menu spans wet- and dry-aged USDA Prime, plus Australian and Japanese Wagyu. While beef is the star, a crisp head of 'wedge' salad injected with blue cheese and topped in Benton bacon crumble, and a shrimp cocktail finished with freshly shaved horseradish, prove the sides can steal the show. A newly launched brunch might be the most decadent in town. Just budget accordingly—polished service and premium cuts don't come cheap. Palmira In a part of Charleston long underserved by standout barbecue, Palmira has become a major draw for West Ashley locals—and now, for everyone else. Pitmaster Hector Garate, originally from Puerto Rico, blends Texas and Carolina techniques with bold island flavors: adobo-rubbed pork, sazon-spiced ribs, and sofrito-simmered beans. He built his first smoker by hand and has only been studying barbecue for four years, but in 2024, Texas Monthly named Palmira the best BBQ restaurant in America. Favorites like whole hog, barbacoa, and meltingly tender beef cheeks go fast, so show up early. Dishes at Wild Common. Ryan Belk Wild Common Chef Orlando Pagán opened Wild Common in February 2019, earning him a James Beard nomination in 2022. Working inside a lofty candlelit space in the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood, Pagán can be spotted in the kitchen nightly by those who nab a front-row counter seat. The short, four-course seasonal menu changes often, though it recently included a gorgeously marbled Australian wagyu steak and addictive Carolina sourdough bread made with Carolina gold rice. Legami Legami delivers an immersive Italian escape in downtown Charleston. Set within a meticulously restored 19th-century building, the space features hand-painted, palm-lined walls, Carrara marble tables, pastel banquettes, and a lush enclosed garden. The upstairs cocktail bar feels like a secret, with its plush seating and dim, romantic lighting. Handmade pastas anchor the menu, with standout mains including seafood tagliolini, braised octopus with peas and capers, and Mediterranean lamb in a red wine reduction boosted by an olive-hazelnut tapenade. A thoughtfully curated raw bar and daily crudo selections pair seamlessly with playful cocktails for one of Charleston's most stylish and satisfying dining experiences. Fabulous arroz caldo at Kultura. Ruta Smith Kultura Chef Nikko Cagalanan, a Filipino immigrant, left nursing to open Kultura so he could cook the nostalgic dishes of his childhood. He made the right decision, given a slew of accolades including earning a nod as South Carolina's best Filipino restaurant in 2022, winning the 'Chopped' championship on Food Network in 2023, and soon after, landing a James Beard nomination. Cagalanan gives traditional Filipino dishes a modern twist, like his grandmother's arroz caldo which he tops with smoked caviar, mushroom XO, and chili crisp. Chubby Fish The secret's out on Chubby Fish. This corner seafood spot doesn't take reservations, so diners start queuing at 4 PM to grab one of the first seats at 5 PM—but it's worth the wait for James London's inventive dishes like the fried oyster roll, charred lamb ribs with romesco, and grilled wreckfish drizzled in beet butter. While you're waiting (or want to bypass the line altogether), step into Seahorse, the sleek new cocktail bar next door led by veteran bartender Christian Favier. Sip a smoky olive martini while enjoying small seafood plates; it's both a stylish waiting room and destination on its own. Sorelle's beautiful second floor dining room. Peter Frank Edwards Sorelle Since opening in 2023, Sorelle has remained one of Charleston's hardest-to-snag reservations. Spread across two restored historic townhomes, the space is dressed in Italian marble, mohair-velvet and leather banquettes, and a sweeping hand-painted forest wallpaper by MJ Atelier. It's a setting that balances old-world elegance with modern polish. Chef Nick Dugan blends Southern Italian flavors with Lowcountry ingredients, turning out standouts like the 'pillows of gold' ricotta tortelloni and a seared Bistecca alla Fiorentina built for sharing. Downstairs, the marble bar buzzes with aperitivo energy—perfect for a spritz and snacks before dinner or a nightcap after. Wine lovers will appreciate the sharp sommelier team and one of the city's strongest Italian lists. Bintü Atelier Owner-chef Bintou N'Daw opened this Line Street gem in July 2023 to bring the often-overlooked cuisine of West Africa to Charleston. Born in Senegal and raised in France, N'Daw spent years cooking in New York City before relocating South during the pandemic. A chance vacancy became the home for her namesake atelier, where she draws connections between West African traditions and Gullah Geechee foodways. Dishes use local ingredients like black-eyed peas alongside homeland staples such as fonio and palm oil. A BYOB policy helps keep prices accessible, though since landing on Bon Appetit 's Best New Restaurants list in 2024, the place hasn't seen a slow night.
