Greek feast at Kafenio Restaurant, Brussels, Belgium

February 15, 2017April 13, 2017Leave a comment

A few weeks ago I was in Brussels with my husband to celebrate his birthday. On our second night, we decided to book a traditional Greek restaurant as I knew that food is very important in Greek culture and it is tradition for the whole family to get together at the table.

Location:

Kafenio is located opposite of the European Commission building, a couple of hundred meters away from Schuman station.

Address:

Rue Stevin 134, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7:00 p.m. When we arrived the restaurant was quite empty but in 30 minutes from our arrival it was buzzing with dinners. We were greeted by Arkoulis and later on discovered that his father owns the restaurant so it is a family-run enterprise. He took us to our table in the corner of restaurant and made us feel welcomed. From that moment on, we were looked after by a friendly waitress Anna.

Kafenio has a stylish, modern decor. There was a live-band laying some Greek songs in the background which made our experience extra special.

The menu:

The menu at this traditional Greek restaurant offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional Greek recipes. I had some delicious, sweet wine to start with.

We decided to share a signature ‘Menu Mega Pikilia’ which was fantastic and will not leave you feeling hungry!

To start with we got very generous portions of some Greek dishes including some calamari, selection of Greek cheese, zucchini donuts, giant baked beans, houmous and pork dices and vine leaves. When we finished this, our waitress arrived with some more food including tzatziki, chtipiti, grilled halloumi cheese, salad, kebab, steak some meat skewers, lamb ribs and Greek pasta.

Wow! There was so much food that unfortunately we weren’t able to finish it all even though it was all very tasty. Everything was presented nicely and I really liked the idea of sharing it with my husband and would recommend it as a great date idea.

Desserts:

As I have a bad sweet tooth, I had some Tiramisu and let me tell you, it was the best Tiramisu I had in a while. I would definitely come back to have some more of it soon!

My husband was completely full so he decided to only have a digestive (some Limoncello) to finish his meal.

Overall experience:

We both had a lovely time at this traditional Greek restaurant. Everything was fresh and tasty and portion sizes were generous. The atmosphere was very welcoming and staff made us feel like at home. If you like Greek food then look no further and book it today!

For more information and to book visit:

https://www.kafenio.be/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Dinner at Le Petit Pointoise in Paris, France

February 5, 2017February 14, 2017Leave a comment

A few weeks ago I was in Paris with one of my best friends and I decided to return to a lovely, small traditional French restaurant – Le Petit Pointoise.

Location:

Le Petit Pontoise is located on a quiet street just a few minutes’ walk from Notre Dame Cathedral in the center of Paris.

Address:

9, rue de Pontoise, 75 005 PARIS

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7:30 p.m. When we arrived the restaurant was almost full and buzzing with tourists and some regular dinners. We were greeted by a friendly waitress-Boom that I met a while ago when I was in Paris with my husband last year. She took us to our table in the corner of restaurant and made us feel welcomed. She attended our table and looked after us well throughout the evening.

fullsizerender_2

The menu:

The menu at this gourmet bistro offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional French recipes. The Head Chef-François Récapet works at Le Petit Pontoise for 14 years and provides his dinners with a high quality, traditional French cuisine with a twist. Before we ordered our starters, I ordered some house white wine that was really fruity and sweet.

Starters:

To start with I decided to have some signature ‘Petit Pontoise’ roasted shrimps. They were divine! I loved how juicy they were.

fullsizerender

My friend Natasha had some amazing Parmesan Dauphine Ravioles that were cooked to perfection and very cheesy.

Mains:

There was a nice choice of mains but as I love fish I decided to have a fillet of sea bass roasted with vanilla sauce. It was absolutely perfect. Wow! Wow! Wow! It was the best fish I had in a while. I loved the sweet sauce and veggies that accommodated the fish.

My friend had a Rack of lamb with some garlic crust that was accompanied by some vegetables and gravy. It was delectable and she cleared the plate which is always a good size.

Desserts:

As I have a bad sweet tooth, I was looking forward to the last part of our meal. Last time when I was in Le Petit Pontoise I had some amazing Tiramisu ‘Veronese’. This time, i decided to have some gramdms’s secret Tart Tatin. I really enjoyed my little treat that was served with some vanilla ice-cream! Yummy!

Natasha had some Chocolat Amadeus. With a liquid chocolate in the middle and vanilla ice-cream on top, this cake was divine.

Overall experience:

We both had a great time at this traditional French gourmet bistro. You should definitely go there if you wish to discover and enjoy some great home-made French cuisine. All dishes were of good size and presented nicely so if you wish to have a good-quality meal in a typical Parisian atmosphere then look no further. I will definitely visit again during my next trip to this magical city.

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our dinner at Jackson + Rye, City, London

January 25, 2017January 23, 2017Leave a comment

Last week we had our dinner date at Jackson + Rye restaurant in London City.

Location:

Jackson + Rye restaurant and bar has multiple locations is London: Soho, Chiswick, Richmond , Kingston, Bank. In addition, they recently opened a new restaurant in Guildford. We decided to visit it’s City branch which is situated just around a corner from Bank station.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 6:45 p.m. When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly hostess who introduced us to our waitress-Kinga. She took us to our table and took our drinks order. To start our evening, I had a glass of Bellini and my husband ordered some beer.

The decor of Jackson and Rye’s restaurant is simple and welcoming. in addition, throughout our meal there was a romantic music playing in the background.

Starters:

We decided to have some Jumbo Shrimp with American cocktail sauce to share. In addition, I ordered some Crunchy Chorizo Prawns that were served with a mango chili mayo. My husband had some buffalo Chicken Wings which were presented with three homemade sauces: BBQ, peri peri & blue cheese. All starters were tasty and prepared to our liking. I loved the blue cheese sauce-it’s a pity that you cannot buy it in shops!

Mains:

For our mains we both had a steak. I had a tender fillet steak whilst my husband had some Rib Eye.

Both mains were absolutely gorgeous and cooked to perfection. They were accompanied by some Green slaw and sweet potato fries that we’ve ordered separately. As always, I really liked my sweet potato side… I could have it everyday…

Dessert:

If you read my blog regularly then you will see a trend in here. For my dessert, I ordered (surprise, surprise 😉 ) a sticky toffee pudding. It was delicious!

My husband, decided not to have any dessert as he was absolutely full after his starter and main.

Overall experience:

I really liked the food at the Jackson + Rye restaurant. The restaurant has multiple locations around London, the service was good and the food was delectable so I will definitely visit again soon!

Address:

30 Old Jewry, London, EC2R 8EB

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.jacksonrye.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our dinner at The Fish Market, London

January 20, 2017January 22, 2017Leave a comment

As some of you might know, I love all kinds of seafood. As a result, I was really happy to have my weekly dinner date at The Fish Market restaurant in London and I was looking forward to trying their specialties.

Location:

The Fish Market restaurant is situated just a couple of minutes away from the Liverpool Street Station so it is perfect for anyone who works in the City.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 6:30 p.m. When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly hostess who took us to our table and introduced us to our waiter. I decided to have some champagne to start with.

Starters:

For our starter, we had a Seafood sharing platter from the A La Carte Menu.

It was presented beautifully and I loved a selection of seafood presented to us. It included: grilled scallops, salt and pepper squid, goujons of day boat fish, garlic king prawns.

Mains:

For our mains we wanted to try some fish from the Fish Market menu. All fish at The Fish Market restaurant comes either on the bone or is filleted so you can have it cooked to your liking. In addition, you can choose to have your fish steamed or cooked a la plancha. What’s more, all fishes from the Market selection menu come with a choice of one complimentary side and sauce. I had a whole sea bream and my husband had a whole sea bass. For our sides, we ordered some creamed spinach and spiced, sweet potato fries.

Both mains were absolutely gorgeous and cooked to perfection. Sides were a nice-add on and I really liked my sweet potato fries.

Dessert:

As soon as I looked at the menu, I knew what I wanted to have for my dessert and as I love sticky toffee pudding, my choice was easy. It was nice but personally, I would want to have some more vanilla ice-cream with it. It is probably me just being greedy though 😉

My husband, as always, ordered some vanilla ice-creams.

Overall experience:

I really liked the food at the Fish Market restaurant. The service was good and food was delectable so I will definitely visit again soon!

Address:

16 New St, London EC2M 4TR

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.fishmarket-restaurant.co.uk/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our dinner at The City Barge, London, UK

January 18, 2017January 16, 2017Leave a comment

city-barge1

Last week, I went with my husband for a dinner date to The City Barge located in a historic 14th century public house in Chiswick. I have heard a lot of good feedback on this place so decided to try it on my own.

Location:

The City Barge is situated on the Thames riverside, in the picturesque area of Strand on the Green, Chiswick.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 6:30 p.m. When we arrived, we were welcomed by a friendly waiter who took us to our table. When we sat down, only one other table was taken however within 30 minutes restaurant was full with locals. The City Barge restaurant offers a la carte menu during lunch and dinner every day and is open for breakfast on the weekends. It re-opened in May 2014 after an extensive refurbishment. When we entered this Public House, we discovered that it serves a wide range of drinks, ales and it has an extensive wine list.

Starters:

To start with I decided to have some Aged Parma Ham that was served with celeric remoulade, padron peppers and toasted sour dough.

My husband had some Chicken Liver and Foie gras parfait, served with some spiced oranges and brioche. Both of our starters were delectable.

Mains:

For my main, I decided to have a whole grilled lemon sole with prawns, herb mash and some greens. It was flawless.

My husband, had some rosemary glazed lamb shank with kale, neeps and tatties. His main was absolutely gorgeous and cooked to perfection.

Dessert:

To end our evening, I ordered some sticky toffee pudding which was heavenly and my husband had a couple of scoops of his favorite, vanilla ice-cream.

Overall experience:

We both really enjoyed our evening at The City Barge. The service was attentive, food was delicious, prices were reasonable so I will definitely visit again soon! I would love to visit again during the summer as The City Barge has lots of space to sit outside, by the river.

Address:

27 Strand-on-the-Green

Chiswick

W4 3PH London

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.citybargechiswick.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Fesive menu at Ember London

December 11, 2016December 11, 2016Leave a comment

This week I would like to tell you about the festive winter tasting menu you should try at EMBER London.

I visited Ember London just before I left for my honeymoon. It is a new hidden bar, dining and late night destination.

Location and name:

Ember London is located in Monument on Pudding Lane where the Great Fire of London started in 1666. The venue’s name references this event and 2016, the year Ember opened, marks the 350^th anniversary of the fire.

Venue:

At first glance, Ember London looks like many of the small-bites eateries however if you go inside you’ll discover that it offers five unique spaces. The Main Bar is designed for dining and is complete with a DJ booth for after-hours partying in the lead up to the weekend. The Cellar Bar offers a more relaxed experience for small-group gatherings along with its own private room The Vault, which provides guests with a secluded self- service bar, for those that do not want to be disturbed. The main bar includes two further private rooms, each with their own independent identity and unique design features. The Snug is tucked away in the furthest, quietest corner of Ember and has a mysterious feel with dark mirrors covering the walls and ceiling The Retreat is a relaxing and personal space that works well for wine, whisky and sake tastings.

Festive menu:

Ember London serves an innovative collection of Asian-influenced contemporary dishes created by Executive Chef Jonathan Villar. Ember London currently have 2 festive menus-3 courses for £30 or 6 courses menu for £60. I decided to try their 6 course festive menu.

The first dish I had was Amuse bouche-a single, bite-sized hors d’œuvre.

For second dish I had Inari pocket tempura.

For third course I chose to have a Thai rice taco with some minced prawns, tamarind, chilli, crushed peanuts, kaffir lime & coriander, sweet chilli aioli.

Next I decided to have some Duke of Berkshire pork adobo taro rosti with crispy shallots Shiraz.

All 4 small plates dishes were delicious and presented beautifully. I could even describe them as rather Instagram-friendly.

For my dessert I had some mouth-watering orange blossom panna cotta.

The meal ended with a selection of petit fours.

Ember London has a great cocktail menu so I also ordered a Matcha 3 cocktail which was a perfect combination of herbal and fruity flavours. It served one important purpose-it washed any residual heat from the spices in my mouth instantly.

Overall:

Ember London is a pleasant venue that offers some great food at the reasonable prices. If you are looking for a new place to catch-up with friends or colleagues then it is a no-brainer choice for an easy meal and cocktails. I will definitely be returning there soon!

Opening hours:

Open weekdays Monday to Wednesday 11.00 am to 12.00am and Thursday to Friday 11.00 to 02.00.

Website:

www.ember.london

Address:

1a Pudding Lane
London EC3R 8AB

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our dinner at Asador Bolixe Cocina Esencial-the best steak in Palma De Mallorca

November 30, 2016January 16, 2017Leave a comment

On the last evening of our mini-moon in Palma, we decided to have a dinner at the traditional Mallorcan steak restaurant –Asador Bolixe Cocina Esencial.

Location:

Asador Bolixe Cocina Esencial is located opposit of Parc De Les Estations, just around the corner from the Placa d’Espanya.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 8:30 p.m. When we arrived only one other table was taken but within 15 minutes restaurant was full with locals and tourists. A restaurant opened in 2004 in an old mansion and was renovated but the designers kept some key features of the space such as its beautiful arches and thick walls. Asador Bolixe Cocina Esencials has a simple, modern decor making it a welcoming and pleasant place to enjoy your meals.

The menu:

To start with we ordered a selection of starters:

We accompanied them with some local red wine called Bisbals. It was rich and fragrant.

Mains:

For our mains we decided to have a steak each. I always debate which stake to choose as if you want the meatiest meat, choose rib-eye, though the fillet is heavenly for those frightened of fat.

I decided to have some rib-eye and it was flawless. It had the flavor like undiluted beef cordial. With flavors as good as these, you want as many different mouthfuls as you can get. The steak was absolutely gorgeous and cooked to perfection. I would compare the quality of our steak to what you get in Hawksmore in London.

After we finished our steaks it was time for some digestive made out of Herbs of Mallorca.

Overall experience:

We both really enjoyed the food we ordered at Asador Bolixe Cocina Esencials, portions were enormous and the meal was really reasonably priced. If you like a good steak than you should definitely visit Asador Bolixe Cocina Esencials. After our starter and main we were really full and I watched in admiration as one couple sitting at the table next to us tucked into a beautifully presented desset consisting of pancakes. I will definitely need to order some of them next time I visit Palma as they looked delicious!

Address:

Carrer Eusebi Estada, 33, 07004 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.bolixe.com/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our lunch at Peix Vermell restaurant

November 25, 2016November 29, 2016Leave a comment

On the third day of our mini-moon in Palma, after sightseeing the most beautiful sights the city has to offer, we decided to have a lunch at the traditional fish and seafood restaurant – Peix Vermell.

Location:

Peix Vermell is conveniently located in the Old Town on one of the most symbolic streets in Palma, just around the corner from the famous boutiques and Louis Vuitton store.

fullsizerender

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 1:30 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a restaurant Manager-Mihail. He took us to our table and introduced us to our waiter who was friendly and attentive.

I was impressed by the restaurant lively, colorful decor and I loved some of the amazing modern paintings that are displayed on its walls.

The menu:

Before we started our meal we had a glass of champagne to celebrate our mini-moon in Palma. While we were sipping our chilled sparkly goodness we looked at the great selection of fish and seafood dishes available to order.

To start with we had a selection of recommended starters including:

Shrimps with garlic oil;
Small green peppers of Padrón;
A mixed salad.

Our starters were really tasty and gave us an opportunity to try some local delicatessen.

Mains:

For our mains we decided to have some seafood paella and some baked sea bass with garnish. Our waiter brought both dishes to our table and divided them equally for me and my husband.

When we have first seen the amount of food we ordered, we were wondering how we could potentially finish it all however as both dishes were full of flavor and delectable, we cleared our plates clean.

When it comes to our seafood paella it was definitely the best paella I’ve ever eaten! It was full of flavor and seafood, absolutely perfect!

Desserts:

After our massive meal I was unsure if I want a dessert however as soon as I’ve heard about the homemade Tiramisu, I changed my mind and ordered some. It was lovely….

My husband went for some crema catalana which he really enjoyed.

Overall experience:

If you like seafood than you should definitely visit Peix Vermell. The restaurant offers a wide variety of competitively priced fish and seafood dishes in addition to a vast selection of wines. Their seafood paella was absolutely amazing so you should definitely try it next time you are in Palma.

We both really liked the food, service was spot on and surroundings were modern. I am definitely not surprised that TripAdvisor awarded the restaurant the Certificate of Excellence 2016 as they definitely deserve it.

Address:

1 Montenegro str or entrance from 7 Sant Feliu str., 07012 Palma de Mallorca

For more information and to book visit:

http://peixvermell.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our lunch at Aromata restaurant, Palma De Mallorca

November 23, 2016November 21, 2016Leave a comment

On our second day of our mini-moon in Palma, we decided to have a lunch at one of the traditional Mallorcan restaurants Aromata.

Location:

The restaurant is located in an old, renovated building in the city centre of Palma. It is positioned just a minute away from a busy shopping street in the Old Town so it is perfect to take a break and relax, no matter whether you are there for shopping or sightseeing.

fullsizerender

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 1 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a restaurant Manager-Patricia. She took us to our table and introduced us to our waiter who made us feel welcomed and comfortable. The restaurant has a modern decor and beautiful setting.

The menu:

Aromata’s menus are created by a famous Michelin star chef Andreu Genestra and change on a weekly basis. There are 2 lunch menus to choose from: Aromata Migdia and Gourmet menu. I decided to try the dishes from the Aromata Gourmet menu and my husband went for a cheaper option from the Migdia menu.

Starter:

For a starter my husband had some cream of parsnip with fried vegetables and air cilantro and I ordered some marinated grilled tuna with mashed cauliflower and air nail.

Both dishes were very tasty and cooked to perfection. I tried some soup and I wished I could prepare a similar parsnip soup at home-I definitely need some cooking classes first though 😉

Mains:

For my main I decided to have a fried snapper fillet with some fennel, garlic and pepper. James had some braised beef with mashed potato and leek crispy. Both dishes were full of flavour and simply delectable.

Desserts:

James decided to have a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream.

I loved his brownie so I had half of it and in return gave him some of my dessert that consisted of assorted cheeses with trim and chutney.

Overall experience:

If you would like to try some traditional, creative, gourmet, tasty Mallorcan cuisine then Aromata is a place to go to. We both really enjoyed our lunch there-food was excellent, service was great and the restaurant is very reasonably priced.

With menus starting from 15.5 Euros it is a great destination for everyone who wants to enjoy an inexpensive, quality meal. In addition, restaurant supports Mallorcan wine merchants so don’t forget to try some faboluous local wine if you visit!

Address:

Carrer de la Concepció, 12, 07012 Palma

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.aromatarestaurant.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our dinner at el Neo Gastrobar in Palma De Mallorca

November 20, 2016November 21, 2016Leave a comment

After a day of sightseeing, on the first day of our mini-moon in Palma De Mallorca we booked a table for a dinner at el Neo Gastrobar. I read so many positive reviews about this restaurant so I was curious to discover how good it really is!

I wore one of my summery cocktail dresses from Lipsy with some Carvella hills and accessorized it with some silver jewellery and my Versace handbag that I took with me for our trip.

Location:

El Neo Gastrobar is situated just a few minutes away from the Cathedral. It has a perfect location in the Old Town center of Palma and is just around a corner from Palma’s marina.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 8 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a friendly Italian waiter from Sardigna-Ivanno. He took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable. We felt relaxed and comfortable from the firts minute we arrived to el Neo Gastrobar. There was a soft music playing at the background and the atmosphere was romantic.

Service:

We were mainly served by Ivanno whose however there were also a few different staff members who attended our table. They were all friendly and looked after us well. On our arrival we received a glass of champagne to start our evening with.

The menu:

The menu at this gourmet gastrobar serves inventive, Asian-inspired selection of tapas so we decided to degustate some of them. All dishes were beautifully presented and tasted heavenly. They were definitely the best tapas we had whilst in Palma!

Below you can find some pictures of the dishes we tried:

The favorite dish I tried was prawns breaded in panko with mango chutney.

For my dessert I had some white chocolate with red fruits and it was simply amazing. As some of you might know I have a very bad sweet tooth so I was looking forward to it:

Overall experience:

We both had an amazing time at el Neo Gastrobar.

The service was excellent, food was delicious and the atmosphere was great! If you would like to try some tapas with an Asian twist then you should definitely give it a go. We were lucky enough to also meet extremely friendly owner of el Neo-Carolina who told us about her background and inspiration: