Category Archives: Wine
Did Madrid: Lunch at Botin, the Oldest Restaurant in the World
Restaurante Botin was founded in 1725, which according to the Guinness Book of Records makes it the oldest restaurant in the world. Such a claim to fame ensures a steady flow of customers coming in and out its rustic wooden doors – the vast majority of whom are holidaymakers from abroad. As is the case, the Gonzalez family who keep this culinary marvel in operation could probably rest on their laurels, serve some schlocky semblance of traditional Spanish food, and still have vacationers queued up to pay just to say they’d been there. Nonetheless, the family reckons the restaurant is not just some monument to how things once were but a vital benchmark of Madrileño cuisine. Specialities include suckling pig and Castillian lamb – both roasted in the restaurant’s original wood fired oven. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Did Madrid, Drink, Food, Restaurants, Spain, Travel, Wine
Tagged botin, Did Madrid, Drink, ernest hemingway, Food, guinness book of records, Madrid, Restaurante Botin, restaurants, spain, suckling pig, wine, worlds oldest restaurant
1 Comment
7 Sensational Wine Bars in London (OneTravel)
7 Sensational Wine Bars in London Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Travel, Wine
Tagged 40 Maltby Street, antidote wine bar, bar pepito, BARS, Drink, Gordon's Wine Bar, London, OneTravel, Searcy's Champagne Bar, Terroirs, Travel, wine, wine bars
2 Comments
Did Madrid: Top Tapas Tour
Hitting the ground eating, the first ‘big thing’ Kemey and I did during our Madrileño weekend was join up with Madrid Food Tour’s Tapas, Taverns, and History Evening Walking and Tapas Tour. Quite a mouthful? Indeed! But not just in name given all the excellent food and drink we had during this evening saunter through the foodie heart of Madrid. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Did Madrid, Drink, Food, Restaurants, Spain, Travel, Wine
Tagged BARS, Did Madrid, Drink, Food, Luke Darracott, Madrid, Madrid Food Tour, restaurants, spain, tapas, tapas bars, Tapas Taverns and History Evening Walking and Tapas Tour., Taverns, Travel, vermouth, walking tour, wine
2 Comments
Toro Gordo: Stylish Tapas for Hammersmith
Spanish bar and restaurant Toro Gordo brings piquant panache to West London. I had a fantastic time tasting my way through its menu of contemporary and stylishly presented tapas and reckon if you’re in the area you could do a lot worse. Indeed, for drinky drinks and scrumptious nibbles with a convivial vibe that’s just a short stroll away from Hammersmith Tube (not to mention Ravenscourt Park) you’d be hard pressed to find a better venue. No bull! Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged bar, cocktails, croquettes, Drink, DRINKS, Food, HAMMERSMITH, king street, London, London blog, new restaurant review, Ravenscourt Park, red wine, restaurants, review, spanish, spanish bar, spanish cuisine, spanish food, spanish restaurant, tapas, tapas bar, toro gordo, W6, W6 9JG, west london, wine, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
2 Comments
The Bonneville: Fantastic French Dining in Clapton, E5
So nice I’m going twice! A recent visit to Clapton’s newly opened French eatery, The Bonneville, resulted in such a lovely experience for Kemey and me that we’re heading back ASAP for a repeat – this time with another couple in tow to whom we’ve raved about the place. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged bar, bonneville, cheese, clapton, CLAPTON POND, cocktails, Drink, E5, E5 0NS, east london, Food, french, french cuisine, french food, french restaurant, hackney, HACKNEY CENTRAL, London, London blog, LOWER CLAPTON, lower clapton road, Mai Tai, new restaurant review, restaurant review, restaurants, review, the bonneville, the bonneville E5, the restaurant, wine, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
3 Comments
Brasserie Chavot: Epic Flavour and Subtle Finesse in Mayfair
Contemporary French cuisine made with quality ingredients sourced from the British Isles and France? It’s a gorgeous idea – especially when executed by a capable chef such as Eric Chavot. A recent opportunity to taste my way through much of the menu at Brasserie Chavot proved a veritable feast of epic flavour and subtle finesse. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Luxury, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged 2012 ”Mica”, Andreas Rosendal, bond street, chavot, chef, conduit street, Drink, eric chavot, executive chef, executive chef eric chavot, Food, hotels, London, London blog, luxury, mayfair, michelin star, polo bar, portuguese wine, Quinta Da Palmirinha, Quinta Da Palmirinha Vinho Verde, restaurants, sommelier, The Polo Bar, the westbury, two michelin stars, vinho verde, W1, W1S 2YF, white wine, wine, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
1 Comment
Faroes and Away: Koks Restaurant and Its New Nordic Kitchen
One especially delicious ‘just go’ reason to visit the Faroe Islands is the opportunity to dine at Koks restaurant. Located at Hotel Foroyar with sweeping views over the town of Torshavn and across the bay to the island of Nolsoy, the restaurant features haute cuisine dishes “designed to delight guests with the essence of Faroese culinary heritage” using ingredients almost exclusively sourced locally. For English speakers, the restaurant’s name might sound a bit unappetising, but don’t let that put you off … or expect anything salacious. It simply means “cooks” and is apt enough given the magic done there. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Faroe Islands, Faroes and Away, Food, Hotels, Luxury, Restaurants, Travel, Wine
Tagged Áki Herálvsson, chef, Chef Poul Andrias Ziska, faroe islands, faroese, fine dining, Food, GERMAN WINE, Hotel Foroyar, hotels, Karin Visth, Koks, luxury, New Nordic Kitchen, north atlantic, norwegian sea, Pfalz, pinot noir, Poul Andrias Ziska, red wine, restaurants, scandinavia, scandinavian food, seafood, sommelier, sommelier Karin Visth, Spätburgunder “Kalkmergel” 2009 from Weingut Knipser, tasting menu, torshavn, Travel, travel blog, wine
5 Comments
Get it Fast and Fresh at Vapiano Soho
Not the first (and probably not the last) Vapiano outlet to open in London, but the new Wardour Street location of this global restaurant group with its fast casual take on serving freshly made Italian cuisine was worthy of a visit and my recommendation. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged Big Top Zinfandel, california wine, calzone, Drink, Food, italian restaurant, London, London blog, new restaurant review, pizza, pizzeria, red wine, restaurants, review, soho, vapiano, vapiano soho, W1, W1F 0TQ, wardour street, wine, zinfandel, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
1 Comment
Good Stuff
Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Books, Chocolate, Coffee, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged artisan wine, biodynamic wine, books, borough market, brick lane, cafe, chocolate, Cocoa Runners, coffee, crème brûlée, Crème Brûlée Yoghurt, E1, east london, elliot's, elliot's cafe, Food, Isabel Legeron, London, London blog, NATURAL WINE, Natural Wine: An Introduction to Organic and Biodynamic Wines Made Naturally, organic wine, Pacari, pacari chocolate, Shopping, shoreditch, tea, tearoom, that crazy french woman, The Collective, The Collective Dairy, The Hawkhurst Vault, Travel, travel blog, wine, wine book, yoghurt, Yoghurt Drinks, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
New Restaurant Review: INK, Bethnal Green
Definitely one of the most inventive and satisfying meals of the year, my dinner at newly opened INK was a sheer delight. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged bethnal green, Chef Martyn Meid, E2, E2 0TA, east london, Food, ink, ink restaurant, London, London blog, Martyn Meid, new restaurant review, Palmers Road, REGENTS CANAL, restaurant, restaurant review, review, Suttons Wharf South, wine, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
2 Comments
Restaurant Review: Granger & Co Clerkenwell
I had a lot of fun during my recent visit to Granger & Co Clerkenwell. Aussie restauranteur Bill Granger’s latest restaurant in a selective global portfolio – which includes a well established eatery in Notting Hill along with outlets in Sydney, Tokyo, and Hawaii – features a playfully palate pleasing menu served in a comfortable and lavishly spacious dining room. Here are a few highlights from my dinner. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged bill granger, Clerkenwell, clerkenwell green, EC1, Food, granger & co, granger & co clerkenwell, London, London blog, new restaurant review, restaurant, restaurant review, restaurants, sekforde street, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
4 Foodie Festivals in Italy This Summer (OneTravel)
Anytime is a good time to visit Italy, especially if you are a foodie! And this summer promises a delicious array of events for folks keen to have as many gourmet experiences as possible during their Italian vacation. Here’s a … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Italy, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Chianina, Chianina Beef Steak Festival, Cortona, DRINKS, emilia romagna, FESTIVALS, Food, italian food, Italy, Langhirano, marche, National Macaroni Festival Campofilone, OneTravel, parma, parma ham, Parma Ham Festival Parma, pasta, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, Tuscany, wine
Leave a comment
Eat Basel: A Tale of Two Surprise Menus
Luckily for me, eating well in Basel is a straightforward matter. Eating well and cheaply is another story all together. But affordable options can be found. Here’s the scoop on two “surprise” dinners I had while in Basel: one a rather upscale affair, the other decidedly low brow and mercifully low priced. I’ve also listed a few other quality venues for food and drink that I came across during my Basel city break. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Basel, Basel City Break, Beer, Chocolate, Drink, Food, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Acero, Basel, Basel City Break, burger, burgers, Buvette Landestelle, chocolate, Feldschossen, Food, gelato, Glaus's, Glaus's cheese, hotels, ice cream, kleinbasel, Läckerli, Läckerli Huus, Läderach, luxury, menu mir isch glich, milk chocolate, Restaurant Eintracht, Restaurant Rubino, restaurants, Shopping, swiss, swiss cheese, swiss chocolate, swiss wine, switzerland, Travel, travel blog, Union Restaurant, veal, wine
Leave a comment
Win a Discover the Origin Hamper Worth £60 Filled with Quality Food and Wine from Across Europe
Over the past few years I’ve been “discovering the origin” of five of Europe’s yummiest creations: Bourgogne Wines, Parma Ham, Douro Wines, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, and Port, five fine foods and wines with Protected Designation of Origin status. It’s been a lot of fun and definitely one of the most delicious topics I’ve ever written about. To celebrate the arrival of summer, a time for picnics and dining alfresco, I’ve teamed up with Discover the Origin to share more than just my words and offer one lucky reader a hamper full of exquisite products for free. Keep reading to find out how to play for a chance to win. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, Shopping, Wine
Tagged competition, contest, discover the origin, Discover the Origin hamper, Drink, Food, free, freebies, hamper, RT to win, Shopping, twitter competition, win a free hamper, wine
Leave a comment
Good Stuff
Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Design, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, Greece, London, Shopping, Sports, Travel, Wine
Tagged athens, chardonnay, Food, frozen yoghurt, good stuff, greece, ice cream, ice lollies, jacob's creek, Jacob’s Creek Limited Edition Wimbledon Bottle, Kayak Ice Cream, Lickalix, lithuanian food, Lituanica, London, London blog, mastic, mastic ice cream, masticha, quinoa frozen yoghurt, shiraz, taste of london, taste of london 2014, wimbledon, wine, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
2 Comments
Check Out Mikael Jonsson’s New Tartine Menu at Antidote Wine Bar
Under the guidance of Hedone’s Head Chef Mikael Jonsson (who’s been overseeing the menu at Antidote since it reopened earlier this year), the bar has introduced a new tartine menu available from noon to 5pm. Items are priced between £5 and £7.50 and can be had alongside a glass of house wine for an added three quid. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged afternoon menu, antidote, antidote wine bar, carnaby, carnaby street, Chef Mikael Jonsson, croque monsieur, Food, Hedone, London, London blog, lunch, Mikael Jonsson, newburgh quarter, newburgh street, soho, tartine, tartine menu, W1, wine, wine bar, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Good Stuff
Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Wine
Tagged #weareinpuglia, Anglo-Brazilian Society, bar, Boteco Brasil Soho, caipirinha, charing cross road, chianti, Chianti Poggio Felice, cocktails, Crane.tv, Drink, Food, good stuff, italian cuisine, italian food, italian wine, JAPANESE CUISINE, japanese food, London, London blog, official Brazilian World Cup experience, Passione Italiana, Poggio Felice, puglia, Puglia Village, red wine, restaurants, Shopping, soho, southbank, The Department, The Gallery Soho, W1, watermelon caipirinha, WC2H 0EW, wine, world cup, world cup 2014, World Cup London, Yutaka, Yutaka Yuzu Citrus Seasoning, Yuzu Citrus Seasoning, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Good Stuff
Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. RHS Chelsea Flower Show Did you … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Design, Discounts and Special Offers, Drink, Fashion, Food, Good Stuff, London, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged 2010 Crawford Beck Vineyard, american wine, AW14, brick lane, Burger Shadow 500, Capo Caccia, Capo Caccia Fine Food, Catherine MacDonald, CHARCUTERIE, cheese, chelsea, chelsea flower show, Coffin on Cake, Coffin on Cake AW14, cooking classes, Crawford Beck Vineyard, cured meat, design, east london, END, fashion, Food, good stuff, holloway road, islington, italian cheese, italian food, italian wine, Jenius Social, Joseph Pedicini, London, London blog, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, montebruno, Montebruno Wine Co, old truman brewery, oregon wine, pinot noir, raw, raw wine, RAW WINE FAIR, red wine, Renuso Bianco, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, sardinian cheese, sardinian wines, saucony, saucony originals, sneakers, supper clubs, Susannah Hunter, Tenute Dettori, the Artisan Wine Fair, The Massachusetts Garden, The Massachusetts Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, trainers, white wine, Willamette Valley, wine, WINE FAIR, Wine Source Group, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Win a Mixed Case of Codorníu Cava Limited Edition Bottles
Heard about the Cava Revolution? Well, here’s a revolutionary idea – a chance to win a mixed case of Codorníu Cava Limited Edition bottles for free! Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Competition, Drink, Freebies, Shopping, Wine
Tagged catalan wine, CAVA, cava revolution, CODORNÍU, competition, contest, Drink, free, freebies, limited edition, retweet to win, Shopping, spanish wine, sparkling wine, WIN, win a case of cava, win a case of wine, Win a Mixed Case of Codorníu Cava Limited Edition Bottles, wine
Leave a comment
Pizza Union, Super Fast and Budget Friendly Pizza in Spitalfields
Kemey and I dropped by for a midweek early evening dinner at new(ish)ly opened Pizza Union near Liverpool Street for a taste of its “fire-baked” and “super fast” stone oven pizzas. And? We were pleased with this all day pizza bar’s no nonsense approach to offering customers something tasty and quick at a great price. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged All Day Italian, E1, E1 7EZ, east london, Food, italian cuisine, italian food, italian restaurant, liverpool street, liverpool street station, London, London blog, nduja, new restaurant review, pizza, pizza union, pizzeria, restaurant review, review, Sandy’s Row, spitalfields, tower hamlets, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
1 Comment
Win Dinner for Two at The Portman Pub & Restaurant – Courtesy of Zomato
Looking for a great night out in Central London? The Portman Pub & Restaurant near Marble Arch features a lively pub downstairs with a more subdued tablecloth serviced restaurant upstairs – not to mention an excellent menu and wine list. And thanks to a team up with online restaurant discover guide, Zomato, I’m offering one lucky reader the chance to enjoy a free dinner for two at this fine Marylebone gastropub. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, London, Pubs, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged #YouSayZomato, £100 voucher, 51 Upper Berkeley Street, competition, contest, Food, free, free dinner for two, freebies, gastropub, London, London blog, marble arch, marylebone, portman, pub, pub review, restaurant, restaurant review, retweet to win, seafood, seymour place, the portman, twitter competition, W1, W1H 7QW, WIN, win dinner for two, win dinner for two at the portman, wine, wine blog, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
RAW, the Artisan Wine Fair, Returns to London – 18 and 19 May
RAW – the Artisan Wine Fair – is a two-day celebration of some of the best wine talent in the world. Featuring over 150 growers, RAW is one of the most exciting collections of fine, natural, organic and biodynamic wine artisans ever to come together in the capital. Their wines are pure, kind to the planet, very possibly better for your health and best of all they’re absolutely delicious. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Wine
Tagged artisan wine, biodynamic, brick lane, Drink, east london, Food, french wines, London, London blog, NATURAL WINES, old truman brewery, organic, raw, RAW WINE FAIR, Shopping, tower hamlets, wine, WINE FAIR, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
1 Comment
Discover The Douro (Great British Chefs)
Chris Osburn takes us on his journey of discovery in the Portuguese regions of Porto and the Douro Valley. The trip has clearly changed his views on Port as well as all wines from those areas he visited. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Great British Chefs, Portugal, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Denomination of Origin, discover the origin, DOC, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Drink, Food, fortified wine, GBC, GREAT BRITISH CHEFS, Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, Manuel Cabral, Manuel De Novaes Cabral, o porto, PDO, port, porto, portugal, portuguese wine, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, vineyards, wine
Leave a comment
Codorníu Cava + Jose Pizarro and Ashika Mathews at Portobello Road Market – Saturday 10 May
The bright and bubbly folks behind Codorníu Cava “hitting the markets of Britain” with their Codorníu Cava Revolution to “spread the Cava love and bring the soul and vibrancy of Barcelona’s famous market – La Boqueria – to the UK.” This Saturday (10 May) they’ll be at Notting Hill’s Portobello Market from 8am to 7pm. Joining the Codorníu team will be wine expert Ashika Mathews as well as chef José Pizarro, who’ll be pairing the sparkling wine with his own tasty Spanish creations. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Freebies, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Street Markets, Wine
Tagged Ashika Mathews, catalan, CAVA, chef, CODORNÍU, Codorníu Cava, Codorníu Cava Revolution, JOSE PIZARRO, London, londonlovewine.com, notting hill, portobello market, Portobello Road, portobello road market, spanish food, spanish wine, sparkling wine, street markets, tapas, W11, wine
Leave a comment
Win a Bijoux Afternoon Tea for Two at The Langham London
London’s historic home of the afternoon tea, The Langham London, is preparing once again to launch its annual Bijoux Afternoon Tea with Champagne Laurent-Perrier. To be served in the refined and elegant setting of the hotel’s Palm Court, the specially themed “Summer Season” tea will be available from 15 May to 6 July and priced at £52 per person (£65 with a glass of Laurent-Perrier Brut). But guess what? Here’s a chance for one lucky reader to win tea for two for the price of a tweet. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Chocolate, Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, Hotels, London, Luxury, Restaurants, Travel, Wine
Tagged afternoon tea, art deco, bijou afternoon tea, CHERISH FINDEN, chocolate, competition, contest, Drink, Food, free, freebies, hotel, langham, langham hotel, London, London blog, luxury, marylebone, palm court, Pastry Chef Cherish Finden, retweet to win, RT to win, tea, tea for tea, the langham, top london afternoon tea, twitter competition, Win a Bijoux Afternoon Tea for Two at The Langham London, win a free afternoon tea at harrods, Win Afternoon Tea for Two, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
1 Comment
Infinity Brunch at Aqua Kyoto
Upscale and great value in an elegant and easy to reach locale, the Infinity Brunch at swish Soho eatery, Aqua Kyoto, would be a wise addition to your bucket list of must-do London brunches. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Luxury, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged Aqua Kyoto, aqua london, argyll street, AYCE, brunch, brunch review, champagne, Drink, Food, japanese restaurant, London, London blog, london brunch, lunch, luxury, oxford circus, regent street, restaurant, restaurant review, review, soho, sparkling wine, SUNDAY BRUNCH, sushi, unlimited champagne, unlimited drinks, W1, W1B 3BR, wine, yakitori, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Portugal Please: Até Logo
If you’re into engaging with friendly salt-of-the-earth folks in a beautiful and largely rural setting, Portugal should be at the top of your list of destinations. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged alentejo, centro de portugal, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Drink, Festival of Food, fly tap, Food, Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, Maria Cabral, o porto, Patrícia Martins, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese wine, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Silvia Aires, TAP Portugal, Travel, travel blog, Turismo do Alentejo, Visit Centro de Portugal, wine
Leave a comment
Portugal Please: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
My Portuguese adventure coming to a close, I was left with only one more night to savour before flying back to Blighty. Good thing my last night was in an absolutely fantastic setting! Otherwise, I might have started to doubt for a second the hospitality show to me throughout this lovely little country as well as the foodie expertise that’d gone into the execution of my Festival of Food itinerary. As the trip unfolded though, I never once questioned the restorative benefits of my adeptly planned week-long ramble through Portugal. Indeed, I arrived back home eager to share the stories of my time abroad. The story I’m sharing today is one of a luxury homestead that’s an easily recommendable destination: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Luxury, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Travel, Wine
Tagged alentejo, Alentejo Festival of Food, beja, Chef Joaquin Koerper, crème brûlée, Drink, farm, Festival of Food, Festival of Food and Wine, Food, Herdade da Malhadinha, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, hotel, Hotel Flor da Rosa, Hotel Pousada Flor da Rosa, hotels, Joaquin Koerper, luxury, Malhadinha, portugal, Portugal Please, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, pumpkin ice cream, quinto, red wine, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, sunvil, Sunvil Festival of Food, Travel, travel blog, vineyard, wine, winery
2 Comments
Portugal Please: Evocative Evora
Leaving the Almojanda farm, I hit the open road for an afternoon in UNESCO World Heritage city of Evora. The hour and a half drive was pure scenic joy. I’d been to Evora before years ago and getting to go back there was a treat – and something I’d be happy to repeat several times over. Indeed, when talking with the Sunvil folks about the design of my Festival of Food itinerary I specified that I was especially keen to stop in Evora. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Portugal Please, Portugal Pleases, Restaurants, Travel, Wine
Tagged alentejo, Alentejo Festival of Food, alentejo food, Capela dos Ossos, evora, Evora chapel of bones, evroa, Festival of Food, Festival of Food and Wine, Fialho, Food, O Fialho, ossuary, portugal, Portugal Please, PORTUGUESE FOOD, red wine, road trip, sunvil, Sunvil Festival of Food, Travel, travel blog, UNESCO, unesco world heritage site, wine
1 Comment
Portugal Please: Eggs-cellent Time in Portalegre
Next on my Portugal Please road trip itinerary was the southern and sunny region of Alentejo where the appetising promise to “road test” the new Festival of Food offering from British tour operator, Sunvil, lay ahead. First stop in this gorgeous land of cork farms and vineyards … of ancient Moorish ramparts and prim churches hiding grandiose interiors … was the hilltop border town of Portalgre where I arrived just in time to attend the annual and eggy Feira de Doçaria Conventual for a taste of traditional sweets from the region and more. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Easter, Food, Hotels, Luxury, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged alentejo, Alentejo Festival of Food, baroque, crato, custard, Drink, easter, Feira de Doçaria Conventua, Festival of Food, Festival of Food and Wine, Flor da Rosa, Food, Hospitallers, hotel, Hotel Flor da Rosa, Hotel Pousada Flor da Rosa, hotels, luxury, Order of Malta, portalegre, portugal, Portugal Please, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, pousada, Pousada Flor da Rosa, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, sunvil, Sunvil Festival of Food, Travel, travel blog, wine
1 Comment
Portugal Please: Coimbra
Capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages with a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site university established in 1290 (making it the fifth oldest in the world), Coimbra is a city steeped in age old tradition yet imbued with a youthful spirit. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Art, Drink, Food, Graffiti, Hotels, Luxury, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Amália Rodrigues, Art, bar, baroque, Biblioteca Joanina, Café Santa Cruz, centro, centro de portugal, centrol, coimbra, Dão wine, Drink, fangas, Fangas Mercearia, Fangas Mercearia Bar, Food, Graffiti, hotel, Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas, hotels, library, luxury, Mercearia, pedro and ines, petiscos, portugal, Portugal Please, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta das Lágrimas, red wine, restaurants, Shopping, street art, sunvil, tapas, Travel, travel blog, UNESCO, unesco world heritage site, University of Coimbra, wine
1 Comment
Portugal Please: Suckling Pig Paradise, Bairrada
From Aveiro, I drove south to the town of Mealhada for a meal that had me squealing with piggy delight. Mealhada and its region of Bairrada (still within the greater region of Centro) seem to be the suckling pig capital of the world, where the main drag through town is lined with restaurant after restaurant boasting leitão à Bairrada (as suckling pig is called there). For my feast, I paid a visit to one of the most popular and best established eateries, the rather prosaically named Restaurante Típico da Bairrada. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Design, Drink, Food, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Bairrada, Bairrada wine, Casa de Santar Reserva, centro, centro de portugal, centrol, Dão, Dão Sul, Dão wine, design, Drink, Encontro 1, Food, Global Wines, Global Wines/Dão Sul, hotel, Leitão, Leitão à Bairrada, mealhada, pork, portugal, Portugal Please, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, QdoE, Quinta, Quinta do Encontro, red wine, Restaurante Típico da Bairrada, restaurants, Shopping, sparkling red wine, sparkling wine, suckling pig, sunvil, Travel, travel blog, wine, winery
4 Comments
Portugal Please: Charming and Cheeky Aveiro
Know as the “Venice of Portugal,” Aveiro is an attractive little coastal canal-crossed town in the Centro region of Portugal. I spent a couple of days in this part of the country, marvelling at how awesome the region was yet how largely undiscovered by tourists it seemed to be. Pretty, walkable and full of lovely shops, bars and restaurants, Aveiro was a particularly fine place for my introduction to the area. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Art, Design, Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Art, art nouveau, aveiro, caldeirada, centro, centro de portugal, centrol, design, Drink, Food, hotel, Hotel Moliceiro, hotels, O Bairro, o bairro restaurante, ovos moles, ovos moles de aveiro, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese fish stew, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, restaurants, seasfood, Shopping, sunvil, Travel, travel blog, venice of portugal, wine
3 Comments
Portugal Please: Amarante Quickie
Halfway between Provesende and Porto (or at least that’s how it seemed riding around in the press trip van), is Amarante. Like so many of the places I visited in Portugal, Amarante was sweet, cosy and somewhat kitsch without ever crossing over into being twee or cloying. With the others in my party needing to catch and flight (and me with a tight road trip itinerary of my own), I was really only in Amarante long enough for a short walk and (of course) a tasty snack. However, I saw enough to know I would love to return and reckon if you’re thinking about visiting Porto or the Douro Valley, you’d be wise to consider a stop in Amarante too. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Adega Kilowatt, amarante, bar, Confeitaria da Ponte, discover the origin, doçaria conventual, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, romanesque, Shopping, Tâmega River, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, wine
1 Comment
Portugal Please: Morgadio da Calçada
Situated atop a plateau yielding (yet more) beautiful panoramic views of the Douro River and its undulant valley, the tiny ancient village of Provesende was my final stop in the area. Here I took a quick wander round the village and a proper snoop inside 17th century mansion (with contemporary accommodations) Morgadio da Calçada. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Design, Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Travel, Wine
Tagged discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, hotel, hotels, Morgadio da Calçada, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, provesende, Quinta, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, village, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery
2 Comments
