restaurant review Archives - Page 3 of 28

ashleyd / July 13, 2014

36 Hours in Paris

What a wonderful weekend we had in Paris!

It was the perfect, quick 36-hour trip to the city of lights.

Bo and I decided to use AirBnB for the first time on this quick trip to Paris in hopes of saving a bit of money. As its peak tourist season in Paris many of the hotels in Champs-Elysees, where my aunt and uncle were staying, were over $300 per night. We found a studio apartment located just 10 minutes from their hotel for $150 per night! It had a few quirks, such as the below sparkly toilet lid, but was overall a perfect spot for our quick weekend and far cheaper than area hotels.

We kicked off our weekend with an hour bike ride followed by champagne and cheese enjoyed waterside in a new to us neighborhood, Canal St Martin.

The highlights of our trip took place on Saturday, a very full day spent with my aunt and uncle while enjoying as much of Paris’ food, wine and culture as possible!

The Louvre

Our first stop was the Louvre, as my aunt and uncle hadn’t been to Paris since the famous I.M Pei Louvre pyramid opened in 1988!

We discovered two things about the Louvre this time around:

1) You can buy Louvre tickets in advance which will save you valuable time! You can’t pick them up at the Louvre but there are lots of ticket pickup spots around the city or, if you plan far enough in advance, they can mail them to your home or hotel!

2) The medieval Louvre exhibit, underneath the current Louvre, was a part of the Louvre we’d never seen before and really loved! On a crowded, Summer day it can provide welcome relief from the heat and the crowds.

Lunch

After the Louvre we enjoyed lunch, Parisian style, at Le Madeleine 7. I love sitting on the street sipping wine and enjoying a huge salad after a busy morning. Located between the Louvre and the Opera House, a bright red awning and huge salads caught our eye as we walked by the restaurant. It was still packed at 2pm and most people sounded and appeared as if they were locals, always a good sign.

The Paris Opera House

After three trips to Paris in the past year, we finally checked the Paris Opera House off of our “must see” list! So many people and articles have recommended touring the Paris Opera house that this was the first thing we booked this trip! We bought tickets ahead of time for a self-guided tour and audio guides which allowed us to visit at any time yesterday versus being locked into a particular guided tour slot. The audio guide tour was 45 minutes in length and took us through the entire space including the grand theatre, the halls, and special exhibits!

Bo and I agree that this is one of Paris’ highlights. It features architecture and design that doesn’t necessarily fit well in any category, but its utter exuberance will make you gasp upon entering at the grandness of the design and decor. Another random fact is that this was being built while the Americans were fighting the Civil War.

Dinner and Drinks in Saint-Germain-des-Pres

A perfect counterpoint to the right bank of Paris, Saint-Germain-des-Pres reminds me of Gramercy and the West Village in New York City. Narrow, tree-lined streets with cobblestone roads meant more for pedestrians to walk, hand in hand, than for cars. Cafes are plentiful and many fit no more than 50 in their small spaces. The beautiful and perfectly maintained Luxembourg Gardens sit at one end while the Seine, Notre Dame and the Louvre are all within walking distance just north of the area.

The concierge at my aunt and uncle’s hotel recommended Brasserie Lipp, a Paris restaurant which has been a favorite spot of Hemingway and many others over the years. Last night the restaurant was empty when we arrived at 8pm but packed and bustling by 9:30 when we left. I’d suggest this restaurant for a traditional French bistro dinner but wish our reservations had been for 9 or 10pm in order to get the full restaurant experience. They didn’t like cameras so I don’t have any pictures from dinner itself, but my steak was cooked perfectly rare, just the way I like it, and everyone loved each of their dishes.

Following dinner Bo and I introduced Rusty and Randy to our favorite neighborhood and park, meandering down the small streets, laughing about our wonderful day and planning our next adventure. We felt so lucky to have this time with them while they were in Europe, blessed that Geneva is located so centrally.

Later in the evening, after the Luxembourg Garden gates closed, we found ourselves not wanting the night to end. Instead of parting ways, we stumbled upon a wonderful, intimate bar, Le Mont Verdi, where we enjoyed a few night caps. If you find yourself in the area, please go. The live piano, candlelight, book-lined bar, and perfect pours were the perfect ending to our day together in Paris. (source)

Have you been to Paris? If so, what is your favorite restaurant or spot in Paris?

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ashleyd / April 16, 2014

An Afternoon in Bratislava

For years, Bo and his friends have laughed about the movie EuroTrip. It’s a completely ridiculous, National Lampoon’s style movie from 2004 that is a play on the many stereotypes that come along with an American teenager trip to Europe. At one point in the movie, the characters accidently end up in Bratislava with only $5 in their pocket.

Today, while on the road from Prague to Vienna, when we saw a sign for Bratislava we knew we had to cross the border for an afternoon adventure. Not only did it serve as a perfect lunch stop but it also allowed us to visit Slovakia, a country none of us had ever visited.

When we arrived in Bratislava we went straight to Church of St. Elisabeth, more commonly known as the Blue Church. Located in Old Town, it’s light blue color and mosaics gave it the nickname, the Blue Church. Built in 1907, it is the newest of the churches we’ve seen thus far on our adventures. Unfortunately we could only peer through the gate as the church wasn’t open for visitors, but the inside looked gorgeous and decorated with similar blue hues as the outside. After lunch we headed to Cafe Verne which was highly recommended by Yelp, Four Square and Trip Advisor for the inexpensive yet delicious hearty local cuisine. The cafe features seating both indoor and outdoor on a small terrace overlooking the square. Unfortunately it was a bit chilly to sit outside so we opted for a seat inside the cafe surrounded by locals enjoying lunch and talking across tables.

We ordered the items most often recommended on Yelp which included the goulash, gnocchi and fresh lemonade. The lemonade, was refreshing and a perfect afternoon drink, made with very little sweetener and sparkling water which gave it an extra kick. The goulash was hearty and made with pork pieces instead of the traditional beef we’ve had in the past. The gnocchi while delicious was far too rich for my taste due to the heavy cream sauce and the bacon topping. 45 minutes later we found ourselves leaving Bratislava full of delicious food and ready to continue our adventure towards Vienna. If you find yourself driving between Prague, Vienna, Budapest or any of the other nearby cities I highly recommend a stop in Bratislava as it is a perfect afternoon spot rich in history and featuring multiple restaurants and cafe in the Old Town. In fact, if we’d had more time we would have explored Devin Castle and Michael’s Gate.

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ashleyd / March 30, 2014

London: Three Great Food Finds

Since moving to London, Bo and I have found the restaurant scene to be a bit overwhelming and difficult to navigate. Now, this probably due more to the fact that we aren’t here often enough to immerse ourselves into the restaurant scene in the manner we did when living in NYC full time. Instead, each Friday or Saturday when we’re in the city we find ourselves desperately searching for last minute availability at a restaurant which has been recommended to us or we’ve discovered via articles. I know, it’s so easy to have the foresight to make reservations in advance but sometimes life gets in the way.

But this weekend the stars aligned for us and we ended up enjoying three meals which left us wanting to return and each of these restaurants will receive a stellar Yelp review from me along with a pin on my London Pinterest board.

Victus & Bibo – We discovered this food stand within the Greenwich Market due to the long line which wrapped around the stand twice! Anytime we exploring a local market the true symbol of good food is the line length. Not only did this stand have a long line though it also had amazing aromas! A classic high-end Turkish food stand, they have one dish that that they feature along with a few variations. The magic is in the fact that this one menu item is what has made them popular and keeps people coming back each Friday, Saturday and Sunday when they are at the market. Their signature, the lamb & haloumi wrap, was large enough for us to split between the two of us for a small yet satiating lunch. They used the classic Turkish chili flakes in the meat as it simmered before piling that into a wrap topped with hummus, grilled halloumi, lettuce, chilies, peppers, and yogurt sauce. The flavors were delicious and the hearty wrap kept us full for hours!

1645 Trishna– This restaurant is a food gem hidden on a side street of Marylebone. For Americans like us who have not experienced much Indian food beyond either our friend’s cooking or delivery in New York City, it’s hard to know what to look for in an Indian restaurant. We haven’t been to many so when we heard that Trishna was awarded a Michelin star we were immediately intrigued and excited! Trishna’s service and cuisine blew our minds within the first five minutes. We snagged a table for two on Friday night around 7:30 which was clearly right before their rush hour. The menu features many Southwest Indian dishes while also blending together some local British seafood and meats. The cocktail menu, which many on Yelp recommended, was a series of classic cocktails with an Indian twist such as Masala spice or Saffron in drinks such as margaritas and Old Fashions. We started with the margarita and mojito before enjoying three appetizers and a shared entree. The tandoori lamb chops entree and the aloo chat appetizer were our favorite dishes of the evening. It should be noted that this restaurant’s menu is not for the faint of heart when it comes to spices. Our waiter laughed as we gulped down glasses of water following one very spice appetizer before suggesting we sip on a lassi instead. If you’re able to snag reservations between 6-6:30pm you can enjoy their Early Evening menu which is 4 courses for 28 pounds!Gail’s Kitchen– After a morning visit to the Viking’s exhibit at the British Museum we chose to walk home versus take the tube due to the gorgeous sunshine. When I spotted an open table under the bright red awning at Gail’s Kitchen, I immediately knew it was our sign that we should enjoy brunch. The menu features their personal take on some traditional British brunch favorites such as a proper fry up while also featuring some unique items which have put them on the map. We opted to trust the Yelp reviews and order exactly what they recommended: house made lemonade with elderflower, iced coffee, shakshuka eggs and a bread basket. The shakshuka eggs which featured eggs baked in smoky red pepper, tomato sauce and feta was absolutely amazing and the flavors left us thinking about it all afternoon. In fact, we may have asked if they were open for dinner on Sunday nights. Everything on their menu revolves around the house made breads, which did not disappoint.