Tag: #Italian

Mangia DC Italian Food Tour – Dupont Circle

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As some of you probably remember, I was in Washington a few weeks ago. As I am a massive foodie, on one of the evenings I decided to go for a foodie Italian walking tour.

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The tour was organised by Mangia DC.  “Mangia” is Italian for “Eat! Enjoy!” Mangia DC motto is to help locals and tourists alike enjoy Washington D.C. and show them all it has to offer.

The food tour takes place around the Dupont Circle neighborhood which is around 15 minutes walk from the White House. I was welcomed by a friendly and knowledgeable guide who introduced me to the other tour attendees. He described our tour as an informal historic sightseeing tour—with the added bonus of stops in some local Italian restaurants for tastings.

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Our tour started at the ‘Darlington House’.

The staff in this establishment were extremely friendly. Charlie-the Chef and Ernesto-the Manager welcomed us and served us a traditional tomato and mozzarella starter and a delicious mushroom risotto.

I really enjoyed them and would definitely return to this restaurant when I am back in Washington D.C.

Secondly, we walked to ‘Tomate’.

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We sat down and tasted some duck ragu. It was nice but as I don’t really eat pasta it wouldn’t be my normal choice of main.

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After our main we walked around the Dupont Circle and learned about the history of this area. It was fascinating to listen to our guide and I really enjoyed wandering down picturesque streets of this area.

Lastly, we went to Pasha for a dessert and after having some traditional Cannoli the tour ended.

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Final thoughts:

Mangia DC walking food tour will take you on a unique, interactive journey of the Italian wines and foods. I had an unforgettable evening with a progressive dinner at 3 different establishments and I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to discover Washington whilst at the same time having some great Italian food. The tour costs $65 and is definitely worth it.

X

Pauline

COME PRIMA RESTAURANT, Bansko, Bulgaria

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A few weeks ago, I traveled to Bansko in Bulgaria for my winter skiing break. I had some lovely food and lots of mulled wine whilst in there and today I would like to tell you about a great Italian restaurant – Come Prima.

Location:

Come Prima restaurant is based in KEMPINSKI HOTEL, just a minute away from the Gondola lifts.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7:30 p.m. When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly Bulgarian waiter-Ivo who took us to our table. Once we were seated, we asked him for a Bulgarian wine recommendation and he suggested a bottle of Castra Rubra. It was divine.

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The decor of Come Prima restaurant is sophisticated and welcoming. There was a fireplace and lots of interesting antiques around us. In addition, throughout our meal there was soft, romantic music playing in the background.

Guests dining at this fine-dining Mediterranean restaurant have an opportunity to watch some live cooking in the open kitchen which creates an amazing experience for every visitor.

Starters:

We decided to order from a ‘Weekly Special Menu’. For my starter I had some spiced calamari salad. It was really tasty and full of flavor.

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My husband had a duet of foie grass and braised duck leg which he enjoyed.

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Mains:

For my main I had some pan seared sea bass with broccoli mousseline. I love fish and it was simply delectable.

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My husband ordered some grilled chicken breast with parsnip puree and red wine juice. It absolutely gorgeous and cooked to perfection.

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Dessert:

My regular blog readers would know that I have a very bad sweet-tooth and a dessert is my favourite part of any meal. I decided to have some mango and passion fruit mousse with caramelized banana. Wow! Wow! Wow! It was delicious! Definitely the best dessert I have had so far this year.

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My husband, decided to have a forest fruit tart with yogurt ice cream. It was mouth-watering.

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After our desserts, a head chef came over to ask us if we enjoyed our food and we talked for a couple of minutes about his background, inspiration behind the dishes and the ingredients he sources for Come Prima.

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Overall experience:

We had an amazing evening at Come Prima restaurant. If you are looking for a fine-dining experience based on some good-quality, tasty food and locally sourced ingredients then you should look no further. The service was great, restaurant had a romantic atmosphere and the food was delectable so I will definitely visit again soon!

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Address:

“Pirin” Str. 96, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria

For more information and to book visit:

https://www.kempinski.com/en/bansko/hotel-grand-arena/dining/restaurants/prima-restaurant/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline