Okay, I’m gonna start updating more! Love this poke bowl! It’s tasty and healthy; there are no downsides.

Love this ice cream shop. Reminds me of the ice cream places in SF.

Cute sushi place in downtown Santa Cruz. The fish was pretty fresh but I’d say the cooked/Americanized sushi was better than the raw stuff.

Fun little food stand at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Fries were crisp and tasty. And the toppings made it!

Really enjoyed the seafood loaded paella!

Freshly churned, organic ice cream shop in downtown Santa Cruz. Yummi!

Cute little place near the beach. Generous portions. The rice was kind of mushy though.

One star Michelin restaurant serving “California” cuisine which basically means everything under the sun: there were Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, and American influences in the dishes we ate. Once again I feel the bites were the strongest. The starters were good too and the pasta was al dente. The main courses are where things falter. A good rib eye should always be accompanied by au jus or a sauce which complements it. This one was topped with tomatoes, creamy salad dressing, and fried oysters (!?)... just weird and not in a good way. The ginger sauce was too strong on the cod and the fish was slightly overcooked for my taste. Considering I just had the best cod in Norway (pics coming soon), I may be too picky with cod.

Hot soup to warm me up on a cold, wet day

More cod, and this time served with a coconut soup base

I got the soup base, caviar, and smoked salmon from Kystens Mathus and served it with a homemade salad and steamed cod fillet. I had quite a bounty from fishing and it fed me well!

I went fishing for the first time and caught a cod! Then it was cooked on board in a soup with veggies, cream and light hints of curry. So delish.

My favorite traditional Norwegian restaurant I ate at for my entire trip. The King crab was amazing: fresh, sweet, and meaty, and generously portioned. Not a cheap meal, but worth it.

The stew was rich, warm, and filling. And I got onion rings because I’m on vacation, so why not?

Fancy seafood restaurant in Tromsø. Kind of pricy, but food is expensive in Oslo and even moreso in Tromsø.

Take out sushi is Norway is great, especially the raw salmon. It’s so fresh and delicious.

(Pt 2 of 2) The flavors were intense and unexpected. The cabbage dish tasted like Southeast Asian fermented shrimp paste — which I love but others might not. The whey sauce in the veal dish overpowered the mild veal with its thick cheesy taste. I loved my meal here but it’s not for someone who wants easy food. The dishes here are difficult and surprising.

(Pt 1 of 2) Michelin Star restaurant in Oslo. The food was intense, complex, and not for the faint of heart. Kontrast is an appropriate name, as many of the flavors were in strong contrast to each other. I had the non alcoholic drink pairing, which is something I’ve experienced in many European Michelin places but not yet in America. We’re still behind on that.

The whale carpaccio was delicious. The roast pork knuckle had a crunchy skin and rich, fatty meat. It’s a generous portion, which could easily be split in two. The strawberry soup was lightly sweet and refreshing.

Went grocery shopping and came home and ate this feast.

My first meal in Oslo was actually take-out sushi. The raw salmon was so fresh and delicious! And the tom yum soup was really good: hot and sour with a touch of coconut cream.

Airport meal to start my trip... Cobb was missing avocado but lettuce was fresh. But what can you expect from airport food?

Fresh, tasty, and cheap lunch in FiDi

Best take out dim sum in Chinatown.

My favorite week night meal