Tag Archives: restaurants
Did Madrid
Kemey and I are both enthusiastic fans of Spain. It’s very much one of our preferred destinations for holidays and city breaks and is a country we both know fairly well. However, Kemey had never been to (but always very much had wanted to visit) its dynamic and dignified capital. So back last month, to celebrate her birthday, we headed to Madrid for a long weekend of food, fun and flamenco. Like me, after my initiation to the charms of this magic place some years ago, Kemey was wowed. To be sure, our magnificently Madrileño weekend won’t be our last! Continue reading
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Posted in Did Madrid, Drink, Food, Hotels, Museums, Restaurants, Shopping, Spain, Travel
Tagged BARS, british airways, Did Madrid, Driven A to B, esmadrid.com, Exprés Aeropuerto, Food, hotel, Hotel Hospes Madrid, Insider’s Madrid, Madrid, Madrid Food Tour, Madridcard, Naiara Garro, restaurants, Sarah Canet, spain, spain.info, tapas bars, Travel
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Far North Foodie Adventure in the Faroe Islands (Great British Chefs)
Chris takes us on a journey through the very scenic and serene Faroe Islands, a tiny island nation that’s also one of most fascinating places for food he has been to! Continue reading
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Posted in Faroe Islands, Food, Great British Chefs, Hotels, Luxury, Restaurants, Travel
Tagged chef, chef Gutti Winther, Chef Poul Andrias Ziska, faroe islands, faroese, fine dining, fishing, Food, GBC, GREAT BRITISH CHEFS, Gutti Winther, horse mussels, Hotel Foroyar, hotels, Koks, luxury, MUSSELS, New Nordic Kitchen, north atlantic, norwegian sea, Poul Andrias Ziska, red wine, restaurants, saksun, salmon fishing, scandinavia, scandinavian food, seafood, tasting menu, torshavn, Travel, travel blog
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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
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Posted in Beer, Drink, England, Food, Good Stuff, London, Pizza, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel
Tagged bar, beer, Billie’s Cafe, breakfast, brighton, Brighton & Hove, burger, burgers, chicken, chicken burger, chicken korma, chicken madras, chicken tikka masala, city of london, currizzas, curry, Curry Dave, czech beer, DRAFT HOUSE, draft house pubs, draft house seething lane, england, fast food, Food, fried chicken, good stuff, hash, hashbrowns, Indian flatbread pizza, kentucky fried chicken, kfc, KFC UK, LDP, London, London blog, London Daily Photo, london photographer, naan, ocado, pilsner, Pilsner Urquell, Pilsner Urquell Tankovna, pizza, pub, Pulled Chicken, restaurants, seething lane, street photography, surrey, sweet potato with spinach, tank beer, Tankovna, Ultimate Burger, vegetarian, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Fresh Pasta Masterclass with Giovanni Rana – 17 September at Giovanni Rana Restaurant, NW1
Maker of Italy’s most popular pasta brand, Giovanni Rana will be visiting his Regent’s Place restaurant on the 17th of September to host an exclusive pasta making masterclass and teach a small audience how to make fresh filled pasta from scratch. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping
Tagged cooking, cooking class, Drink, Food, Giovanni Rana, Giovanni Rana pasta, Giovanni Rana restaurant, italian, italian cuisine, italian food, italian pasta, italian restaurant, London, London blog, masterclass, NW1, NW1 3BF, pasta, pasta making, pasta making masterclass, prosecco, regent's park, Regent's Place, restaurant, restaurants, Shopping, Triton Street, wine, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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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
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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
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Faroes and Away: Just Go
Why the tiny (if staggeringly scenic) nation of the Faroe Islands wasn’t overrun with tourists during my visit in early August is beyond me – especially considering that my flight from Stansted was hardly more than two hours long and that I had never seen anywhere on earth quite as extraordinary or been anywhere quite as distinctive. That this archipelago of 18 islands jutting from the juncture of the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea is such an accessible yet sparsely populated and utterly gorgeous destination should be reason enough for you to stop whatever it is you’re doing right this instant and start making plans to see the Faroes for yourself. Continue reading
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Posted in Faroe Islands, Faroes and Away, Food, Hotels, Luxury, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel
Tagged 62ºN, Atlantic Airways, binoculars, bird watching, birdwatching, boating, boats, bour, chef Gutti Winther, CL Pocket, faroe islands, faroese, fine dining, Food, Gutti Winther, Hotel Foroyar, hotels, Koks, London Stansted Airport, luxury, north atlantic, norwegian sea, puffins, restaurants, scandinavia, Shopping, Sigurd Nordendal, stansted, Swarovski binoculars, Swarovski Optik, Swarovski Optik binoculars, Swarovski Optik CL CL Pocket, Swarovski Optik CL Pocket binoculars, torshavn, Travel, travel blog, Vágar, Vágar Airport
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High Spirits Afternoon Tea at Paramount, Centrepoint
A boozy and panoramic double entendre, Paramount’s High Spirits afternoon tea yields a civilised chance to catch a lofty buzz while taking in some of the best views of London. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants
Tagged afternoon tea, bar, centrepoint, cocktails, Drink, Food, High Spirits Afternoon Tea, Kryzsztof Zachwieja, London, London blog, new oxford street, oxford street, paramount, restaurant, restaurants, review, soho, tea, tottenham court road, W1, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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I Survived the Suicide Wings Challenge at The Back Room Bar, Hyde Park Corner
I laughed. I cried. I lost my voice a few times. But in the end I succeeded and met The Back Room Bar’s Suicide Wings Challenge. In all honesty I was about 30 seconds behind the 15 minute time limit but that was really more because I was chatting and just having fun than not being up to the task. I did let a girl beat me though and that kinda burned – but not nearly as much as my mouth did after eating ten majorly hot wings! Continue reading
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Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Freebies, London, Restaurants
Tagged bar, beer, chicken wings, Drink, Food, freebies, green park, hard rock cafe, hot wings, hyde park corner, London, London blog, mayfair, old park lane, park lane, piccadilly, restaurants, review, suicide wings, suicide wings challenge, W1, W1K 1QZ, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Stacks Poutine at Birthdays, Stoke Newington Road, Dalston
In a Canuck-ibly delicious kitchen collaboration with Birthdays bar in Dalston, Stacks Poutine presents a gourmand’s salute to one of Canada’s most satisfying creations along with a line up of other equally nosh-worthy bites. Poutine, in case you haven’t had the pleasure, is a dish of Quebecois origin consisting of fries, gravy and cheese curd. It’s mega yum and the Stacks version yields a damn fine example. Here are some notes from a recent foray through its menu. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants
Tagged bar, birthdays, birthdays dalston, bulgogi, burgers, canadian food, cheeseburgers, chips, dalston, east london, Food, french fries, fries, hackney, kimchi, London, London blog, N16, N16 8BJ, poutine, restaurant, restaurant review, restaurants, review, stacks, stacks poutine, stacks poutine at birthdays, Stoke Newington, stoke newington road, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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The Pear Tree Pub in Hammersmith, W6
Today (Thursday 24 July), The Pear Tree pub in Hammersmith is offering free BBQ pulled pork finger rolls at two locations. From 12.45 folks from the pub will be outside the main entrance to Charing Cross Hospital, and then from 17.45 they’ll be outside Barons Court Tube. Yum! Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Freebies, Pubs, Restaurants
Tagged barons court, charing cross hospital, Food, free, gastropub, HAMMERSMITH, London, London blog, Margravine Road, pub, pub review, pubs, PULLED PORK, restaurant review, restaurants, review, the pear tree, W6, W6 8HJ, west london, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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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
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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
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Good Stuff and a New Place to Puff
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
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Posted in Coffee, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Luxury, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel
Tagged breakfast, cigar shop, cigars, coffee, Decadent Decaf, Drink, Food, ghost bus, ghost bus tours, good stuff, king's cross, King's Cross St Pancras, kiosk, knightsbridge, London, London blog, luxury, monmouth coffee, restaurants, sautter, sautter cigar shop, sautter knightsbridge, Sautter of Mount Street, Shopping, st pancras, The Decadent Decaf Coffee Company, Travel, travel blog, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Win Dinner for Two and an Overnight Stay at The Tommyfield London Pub
Located just five minutes from London’s Waterloo and owned by Renaissance Pubs, The Tommyfield now fully embraces its coaching inn roots by becoming a luxurious city crash pad as well as a cracking London local. Tempted? Keep reading to find out how to win a free night’s stay plus dinner for two at this ace Kennington pub! Continue reading
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Posted in Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, Hotels, London, Pubs, Restaurants, Travel
Tagged competiiton, contest, dinner for two, Food, hotel, hotels, kennington, London, London blog, pub, pubs, renaissance pubs, restaurant, restaurants, RT to win, south london, The Tommyfield, tommyfield, twitter competition, WATERLOO, Win a Free Dinner for Two, win a free night in a london hotel, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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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
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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
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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
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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
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4 Fun Bars in Athens (OneTravel)
Like a lot of sunny Mediterranean destinations, the nightlife in Athens goes late and is, of course, a load of fun. From what I could tell during my recent visit to the Greek capital, Athenians are as friendly as anyone … Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Greece, Hotels, OneTravel, Restaurants
Tagged athens, athens greece, BARS, drnk, Drunk Sinatra, Explorers Lounge, Food, greece, hotels, NJV Athens Plaza Hotel, OneTravel, restaurants, Six d.o.g.s, Syntagma, The Dude Bar, Travel, travel blog
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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
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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
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Ten Tastes Of Soho Tour for Foodies in London (OneTravel)
A couple of Saturdays back, I tagged along on a delicious tour through the historic and vibrant streets of one of London’s most celebrated neighbourhoods – Soho. The tour was organized and led by chef, ex-restaurateur, and host of the … Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping
Tagged Drink, Food, guided tour, London, London blog, Michelle Francis, OneTravel, restaurants, Scratch Supper Club, soho, soho walking tour, ten tastes of soho, ten tastes of soho food tour, Travel, W1, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Carnaby Party Tonight
Tonight (1 May 2014) from 5 to 9pm, Carnaby will host the “ultimate shopping party” with more than 100 fashion brands, restaurants and bars coming together to share special offers, discounts, and more with fashionable folks just like you. There’ll be live music and free drinks too! Continue reading
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Posted in Discounts and Special Offers, Drink, Food, London, Music, Restaurants, Shopping
Tagged 20% discount, AQ/AQ, arnaby Street, BARS, bars and cafés, beak street, Broadwick Street, carnaby, Carnaby Burger Co, carnaby.co.uk, Cheap Monday, Dahlia, Dehesa, Diesel, Dr. Martens, Drink, ElevenParis, F-Troupe, fashion, FOUBERT'S PLACE, Ganton Street, great marlborough street, Hawaiian grill bar Kua 'Aina, Illamasqua, KINGLY COURT, KINGLY STREET, Lazy Oaf, live music, London, London blog, Marlborough Court, Marshall Street, newburgh street, OTHER/shop, oxford circus, part, Paul Smith Soho, Pixi, regent street, restaurant, restaurants, Scotch & Soda, Shopping, Shoryu Carnaby, soho, street party, style, tapas brindisa, The Kooples, The Rum Kitchen, W1, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Portugal Please: Even More Douro Valley Quintas
No, I didn’t just lounge around at a couple of scenically situated hotels while in the Douro (although, that would be a terrifically recuperative way to spend one’s time). When I wasn’t enjoying my stay in the luxury laps of Quinta do Vallado and Quinta Nova, I was bopping all over the rest of the valley trying to visit as many different vineyards as possible – and loving every minute of it. Here are a few brief notes about the rest of the Douro Valley quintas I visited, including Quinta do Crasto, Quinta da Pacheca, Quinta do Panascal and Quinta do Seixo. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged 30 Year Old Tawny, discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Fonseca, Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port, Fonseca Port, Food, hotel, hotels, Late Bottle Vintage, LBV Port, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta da Pacheca, quinta da pacheca 30 Year Old Tawny, Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Panascal, Quinta do Seixo, Quinta do Seixo Wine Centre, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, sandeman, Shopping, Tavora River, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winecaching, winery
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Portugal Please: Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo
A lovingly restored 18th century manor cum 21st century four star hotel and the centrepiece of a lofty patchwork of vineyards rolling down to the Douro River: Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo was my home for a night. Leaving Vallado for a full-on day of winery visits around the Douro, my second evening in this idyllic valley wound down in equal parts elegance and comfort. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Chef Jose Pinta, Clã Special Reserve Port, discover the origin, douro, douro river boat rides, douro valley, douro wines, Food, geocaching, Grainha Reserve, Grainha Reserve 2012, hotel, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta Nova, Quinta Nova Reserva 2012, Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine caching, wine cellar, wine maker, winecaching, winery
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Portugal Please: Sniffing Around Quinta do Vallado
After a quick sightseeing jaunt and overnight stay in Porto, I was off to the Douro Valley for a few days of scenic sipping. My first night there, I had the ultra-luxe pleasure of spending some time – and a very restful night – at Quinta do Vallado. To put it plainly, I loved everything about this place. It hurt a little to have to leave and I’m aching to return for another chance to admire in situ this wine hotel’s blend of tradition with modern design; savour more of its homey food; and, of course, enjoy its fabulous wines. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Adelaide Vintage Port, Antónia Ferreira, discover the origin, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, Francisco Ferreira, hotel, Muscatel Galeg, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta do Vallado, red wine, Reserva Branco, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Sausa, Shopping, tawny port, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, Vallado, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery
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Portugal Please: Porto
My Portugal Please tour commenced in the compact and cosy city of Porto, which proved to be an excellent gateway to the Douro Valley and a fine place to visit in and of itself. If you’re looking for somewhere to visit for a city break, Porto is only a two hour flight away from London with plenty to see and do and eat and drink and browse and buy. Here are some highlight from my all too brief time there. Continue reading
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Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged 1969 Single Harvest Tawny, beer, cheese, discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, Gaia, Graham's Port, Graham’s, Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny, hotel, Hotel Teatro, Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, IVDP, Mercearia das Flores, o porto, port, port cellar, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, sovina, sovina beer, Sovina Cerveja Artesanal, tawny port, trael, Travel, travel blog, Vila Novo de Gaia, vinum, Vinum at Graham’s, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery
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Portugal Please: Wão. What a Trip!
Does it ever seem like far too many folks are stuck in the same tired rut of a far too well beaten path, only hitting a few main sites in a short selection of only a few Western European countries – namely Spain, France, and Italy – and never realising that there’s so much more to explore just as close, just as scenic, just as steeped in tradition … and often accessible at far greater value than most of the EU? Not you and me though. We’re going to Portugal! Continue reading
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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
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