Tag Archives: Gourmet

Vila Vita Parc, Portugal: Restaurants & Wine Cellar

Posted on June 4, 2014 | Leave a comment

Breakfast overlooking the ocean

at the Atlântico restaurant: exhilarating (picture 1)! Around 10 am, the sun is already pretty strong and the day before we were afraid it would rain! The green garden bordering the coast, draws perfectly on the ocean blue.

The view is stunning: picture 2, taken at the Ocean restaurant, the ocean view is quite similar to the terrace of the Atlântico! Every day we choose a new table at breakfast with a different view of the ocean.

The buffet of the Atlântico restaurant is varied: excellent fresh fruits bursting with sunshine, with a friendly discreet service. Photos 2, 3 and 4: Ocean, the famous gourmet restaurant with two Michelin stars! Photo 2: Empty wine decanters, like in an alchemist’s lair … Photo 3: A giant Fabergé egg in malachite!

The best fish in the world

I dreamed of a great fish to change (LOL!). We dine “casual chic” in Adega, the restaurant of Portuguese specialties. Discovering my huge dish, I am impressed by the size of the fish (picture above and on the last picture of this article : photo 1, the terrasse of Adega)!

I learned that chefs of gourmet restaurants in London and New York charter aircraft with fish caught in the area the same day. This year, the fish of the Algarve have received the title of best fish in the world.

I’m not a foodie, but I can appreciate some great ingredients: my fish is excellent! As a starter, I chose delicious shrimps! A kind of proteins orgy : )

Do you know the Portuguese Pétrus?

No, this is not a Madeira wine, but a grand cru of Douro, North of Portugal: the Barca Velha (picture above).

At seven meters under ground (the adventure begins!), we meet the sommelier José Figueirinha for a private tour of the Vila Vita Parc wine cellar. Exceptional cellar in Portugal, with an average of 11,000 bottles (pictures below 2 & 3).

Many great Portuguese and French wines (including Château Latour), but also Italian, Spanish or South African wines … And a room especially dedicated to Porto Vintage.

Informations

www.vilavitaparc.com, the restaurants : Atlântico, Ocean, Adega & the Wine cellar, Cave de Vinhos

Bordeaux, France: The Bordeaux Wine School

Castel Fragsburg: A Fantastic Gourmet Restaurant In A Charming Hotel

LIFESTYLE, HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

My friend and I were hosted by the Vila Vita Parc. As always these are my opinions! Many thanks to the Vila Vita Parc team.

3 Restaurants in Lisbon, Portugal

Posted on January 16, 2014 | Leave a comment

Oops who spoke about diet? LOL! Invitations, no way to refuse them, right? Especially when different friends invited me to three restaurants, with different atmospheres, foods and interiors! Dinner with girlfriends, arty lunch in a funky hostel and a more formal restaurant of Portuguese cuisine. For all three, it is best to book ahead.

1. CERVEJARIA DA ESQUINA (pictures above & 2)

First crush for the good atmosphere, people are easy going and the service is nice! And the food is creative. Delicious fried (but not greasy) shrimps with a super yummy avocado sauce. And as a dessert, although I’m not found of chocolate mousse (no, it’s true!) … I cracked for one! Lovely dishes presentation and the minimalist decor could be Nordic! Thanks girls, you were able to cheer me up! Rue Correia Teles n°56, Campo de Ourique. T. (+351) 213 874 644.

2. THE DECADENTE (picture above and lay out below)

And here is my second fav! Bohemian attitude in Bairro Alto: the interior is a fresh mix of vintage and design and the atmosphere is laid back, with a traveler spirit. Arty friends invited me in this hostel, the trendiest of Lisbon, of course … The Decadente offers at lunch, a cheap tasty light menu, with nice portions (neither too much nor too little). The first meal (1), a pea soup, the dish (2), a cod (Bacalao) with a little green salad and for the dessert, a mini portion of fresh fruit salad. Bubbling! Rua Sao Pedro de Alcantara 81. T. (+351) 213461381

A CHARCUTERIA (picture above and lay out below)

Invited by a friends couple that I love, it was really a pleasure to see them and share with them this moment in this chic restaurant. But I found the place (a reference to Lisbon) pretty pretentious and lacking of warmth and generosity! We were seated near a table of ten smokers who smoked cigarillo and cigars! Enough to lose the flavor of food! What about the Portugese food? Excellent Empada da galinha (1),a kind of small chicken pie. But I didn’t like the main course (2): Rissois of camarao, shrimp fritters (the sauce inside tasted like Bechamel), too heavy. Accompanied by a tomato rice (Arroz de tomate), too salty. Rua do Alecrim 47 A, T. (+351) 213 423 845

Areias do Seixo: A Room With A Small Fireplace

Three Restaurants in Zagreb: dobar tek, bon appetit!

DESTINATIONS & LIFESTYLE

Bruxelles: Les larmes du Tigre, ou la découverte de la gastronomie du Nord Thaïlande

Posted on November 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

Récemment j’ai été invitée à un déjeuner de presse au célèbre restaurant bruxellois, Les Larmes du Tigre, en présence de son Excellence l’Ambassadeur de Thaïlande. Question d’habitude : après m’être perdue (ouiii, me suis carrément trompée de restaurant!), j’ai réussi à arriver à temps! Acceuil chaleureux de Marc Beukers, le propriétaire et son équipe; petit hic, je m’apperçois que j’ai oublié mon appareil photo (!). Heureusement une amie journaliste me prête son portable (merci R!), avec lequel j’ai pu réaliser ces quelques clichés, dont le résultat m’étonne assez! J’ai été quelques fois en Thaïlande, jamais dans le Nord : du 15 novembre au 26 janvier, Les Larmes du Tigre, l’Office du Tourisme de Thaïlande et la Thai Airways s’associent pour mettre en avant la gastronomie du Nord de la Thaïlande. Je découvre avec bonheur cette délicieuse cuisine, combinant plaisir des yeux et du palais, joliment présentée et goûteuse. Suis pourtant à des années lumières de cette horripilante tendance-sans fin du fooding à toutes les sauces! Voici en photos quelques un des plats de ce menu comprenant six services. Photo 2 : Kaeng Hooe Kung, scampis au curry du nord et jardinière de légumes. Photo 3 : assortiment de légumes crus avec un excellent cavair d’aubergines. Photo 4 : Ab Pla, filet de bar grillé dans une feuille de bananier aux herbes thaïes. Bravo au Chef Apple! Et profitez de votre repas pour admirer les portraits du photographe thaï Cholavit.