Sjavarkjallarin - Seafood Cellar (Gourmet Chick in Iceland)

"I'm sorry but we've run out of sparkling wine. Would you be happy with champagne at the same price?" Surely this is just the most fabulous question you have ever heard? With that question my love for Sjavarkjallarin (the Seafood Cellar) in Reykjavik began.

Entree of sushi plate

Set in the basement of Reykjavik's tourist information centre I was worried that the Seafood Cellar would be incredibly touristy however it actually attracts quite a few locals drawn by the restaurants reputation for excellent and innovative seafood. The Seafood Cellar is dark and brooding. Thick bluestone walls and low lighting allow you to forget that outside even at 10pm it is still light thanks to Iceland's midnight sun.

Seafood cellar's approach to seafood is contemporary utilising unexpected ingredients and demonstrating a Japanese influence in many dishes. This is evident even from the bread served before the meal which is a dense white baguette presented on a banana leaf with crushed wasabi peas to add kick.

The menu at the Seafood Cellar is unsurprisingly a seafood bonanza showcasing the produce of a country where fishing is by far the major industry. The quality of the seafood is clear from the simple amuse bouche of a wooden spoon filled with tiny slivers of smoked salmon unadorned except for a sprig of dill. To really appreciate the seafood on offer the obvious choice for entree is the sushi plate. Sushi is always beautiful to look at but the Seafood Cellar takes the presentation one step further so their sushi plate is a work of art in itself. Blush pink squares of tuna nigri on top of perfect spheres of plump rice sit alongside delicate folds of flounder topped with roe. Even the accompanying soya sauce is served with panache through syringes that arrive with the sushi plate. The serving size is very generous and you would struggle to finish this as an entree alone and so MTV boyfriend and I are happy that we elected to share the sushi plate.

Every seafood dish we try is impeccable. The tuna and yemen is a lesson in culinary cross pollination. Plump, fresh tuna is grilled with mirin and doused with blackberries, miso and tandoori. This disparate group of seasonings somehow complement each other so that each flavour is distinct and vibrant.

A sample of the monkfish coke joke served as part of a sample platter of four fish dishes

The monkfish "coke joke" is a bizarre name for an inspired dish . A generous fillet of firm, white monkfish is served on an artichoke puree laced with truffle oil and topped with crisp soft shell crab.

The desserts on offer at Seafood Cellar are more prosaic offering standards such as creme brulee and chocolate souffle although the chefs are unable to resist twisting the flavours slightly. The souffle is served trembling in its ramekin with a quenelle of strawberry sorbet and a pat of pink strawberry foam.

After serving us Veuve Clicquot all night at the equivalent of £5 a glass in place of sparkling wine Seafood Cellar only needed to do a reasonable job of the food and I would still have been quite a fan. However the superb fresh seafood and creative use of flavours cemented my love affair with the Seafood Cellar.

Details: Aoalstraeti, 2, Reykjavik, Iceland (Ph +354 511 1212)

Damage: Pricey (about £100 for two including drinks)

9/10

If you liked this you might like to read about a cheaper and less glamorous option in Reykjavik: hot dogs! As for seafood in London in my view it is hard to go past the classic destination of J Sheekey.

Baejarins Bestu (Gourmet Chick in Iceland)

On a desolate street corner in Reykjavik stands a hot dog stall that is famous around the world. Bill Clinton, Metallica and just about every other famous and not so famous visitor to Iceland stops at Baejarins Bestu for a hot dog.

The bizarre Blue Lagoon just outside of Reykjavik

Baejarins Bestu is not much to look at. There are a few stools outside but otherwise not much shelter from the bitter Icelandic wind. The menu is limited to hot dogs and soft drink. Baejarins Bestu has had such success with their hot dogs that they have seen no need to diversify into other offerings such as chips or burgers.

This single minded devotion to the dog has paid dividends through Bejarins Bestu's international recognition. The hot dogs are made mostly from lamb and taste meaty rather than rubbery. The bun is fresh with a hint of sweetness and served with crunchy fried onions, tomato sauce, mayonnaise and mustard.

With the famous hot dog in my hot little hands

I must confess that I asked for no mustard rather than "eina med ollu" which is with the lot. The hot dog man was dubious "the mustard is the best part" he chided but even without the crowning glory Bejarins Bestu's hot dog was still delicious. After all who was I to argue with Bill Clinton and Metallica (who ate seven).

Details: Tryggvagata (no street number), Reykjavik, Iceland (Ph 011 354 894 4514)

Damage: Such a bargain even my mother would approve

7/10

If you liked reading where to get the best hot dog in Iceland you might be interested in this post on where to get the best croissants in Paris.

Mascarpone and Coriander Chicken (4 Ingredients)

4 Ingredients is a cookbook publishing phenomenon becoming the best selling cookbook in Australia and after recently being released in the UK reaching number one on the Amazon charts.

My Mum sent me a copy for Christmas (thanks Mum!) before it was available in the UK so I have had a few months to try it out. The premise of the book is that each recipe only needs four ingredients so you save time and money. The book itself is very low frills with no illustrations and is not really the type of cookbook that you take to bed with you to read at night. It is written in a fairly gushing tone with asides such as "Serves 4. These are SOOOO nice!!!" I can imagine though that the multi-tasking mothers (which is who this book is aimed at) may appreciate the books brevity and I can appreciate a recipe which you can cook without having to think about how you are going to track down a bottle of Indonesian kecap manis.

Still, it is not quite accurate to say that the recipes only have four ingredients. For example the recipe for Tangy Lamb Balls lists the ingredients as lamb mince, curry powder, sweet chilli sauce and lemon but then goes on to add "Optional: add a clove of garlic to the mixture. Serve with jasmine rice and a mint yoghurt dipping sauce". Some of the recipes cannot even be really classified as recipes. For example, the recipe for Moroccan Salmon suggests spraying salmon fillets with cooking oil, sprinkling Moroccan seasoning on top and then baking for 15 minutes. On that basis I could come up with a whole host of recipes for Thai Salmon (sprinkle with Thai seasoning) or Italian Salmon (sprinkle with Italian seasoning). I think if you like to cook or are interested in food (which is probably just about everyone reading this post) then 4 Ingredients is not the cookbook for you.

I've tested a few of the recipes out and the one I liked the most is this one for Mascarpone and Coriander Chicken which I have adapted slightly using a cheaper cut of meat and adding a few extra ingredients - I just couldn't cope with limiting myself to four!

Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
4 tbsp plain flour
4 tbsp mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup coriander chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

1. Cut the chicken thighs into medium pieces and dust lightly with flour.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and then add the chicken cooking until it is browned.

3. Add mascarpone and stir until melted and then leave to simmer over a low heat for around 5 minutes.

4. Remove from the heat, add coriander and salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Serves 4. Adapted from 4 Ingredients by Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham

If you liked this you might be interested in my review of my favourite cookbook of the last year Ottolenghi: the Cookbook. If you are searching for other recipes involving chicken here's one for lemon chicken and cous cous.

Les Mauvais Garcons (Gourmet Chick in Portugal)

Sadly just because you can whip up a good caprihini it doesn't mean that you can make a decent plate of pasta. This was the lesson I learnt after my meal at Les Mauvais Garcons in Lisbon. American in London had recommended Les Mauvais Garcons to me as a great bar in Lisbon's alcohol fuelled party district of Bairro Alto. As a bar (and that was the capacity in which it was recommended) Les Mauvais Garcons is a winner. Its tiny size makes it feel exclusive and cosy while the well worn leather sofas and cluster of tables and chairs exude a comfortable charm. The legendary caprihinis are refreshingly acidic but lethal in strength.

Clare, Lucy and I loved Les Mauvais Garcons so much that after a night spent sipping caprihinis there we decided to return the next night for dinner. The name means the naughty boys in French and reflects the European influenced menu which features Italian, French and Spanish dishes. A starter of of pan con tomate demonstrates the Spanish heritage of the owner of Les Mauvais Garcon and the toasted bread is delicious although so heavy handed on the garlic that we should really be wearing surgical masks in public even a full day later.

The most intriguing dish on the menu is the wild rice salad with prosciutto (pictured below). The flavour combination really works and the nutty rice complements the salty prosciutto. In contrast, Les Mauvais Garcon's chicken Caesar salad is a pale imitation of the classic dish. The chicken, egg, bacon and anchovies are strangely miniature in size and sit atop limpen mixed lettuce leaves rather than crisp and refreshing cos lettuce. A big miss on the menu is the pesto spaghetti. As soon as the first strand of spaghetti had been slurped it was clear that the pesto was straight out a jar rather than freshly made. Poor Lucy was despondent "how hard can it be for a restaurant to make its own pesto" she moaned.

Les Mauvais Garcons puts so much passion into the bar side of things that it is disappointing to see the lack of attention and care given to the food. Sad to say but it's best to stick to the caprihinis and eat elsewhere.

Details: Rua da Rosa 29, Bairro Alto, Lisbon, Portugal (Ph +351 2134 33212)

Damage: Reasonable

3/10

This is my last post on Lisbon so here are some final tips if you are planning a trip:

• for the best pastis de nata (we taste tested at least three each day) go to Cafe Gelo, Praca Dom Pedro IV 5, 1100 Sao Nicolau, Lisbon; and
• make sure you also check out the lovely wine bar Alfaia Garrafeira, Rua Diario de Noticias, Bairro Alto, 125 Lisbon.

Praia do Tamariz (Gourmet Chick in Portugal)

Four Australian girls raised on a diet of sun, sand and surf having survived another English winter were overjoyed to discover that 45 minutes out of Lisbon there is a beautiful beach called Estoril. Estoril has it all - white sand, waves and even its own castle owned by the Portuguese Royal family. The girls baked themselves in the suns heat (don't worry they were covered head to toe in 30 plus) and swam in the ocean before deciding that they were feeling a little peckish and so wandered along the sand to Restaurante Praia do Tamariz.

Restaurante Praia do Tamariz is in a prime position right on the beach itself and if you are lucky you can score an outdoor table under the beach umbrellas. The menu makes the most of the location offering boat fresh seafood but also exhibits an Italian influence with a selection of pizza and pastas available which the girls duly ignored. They ordered ice cold beers, gorged themselves on fresh bread and runny cheese and then tucked into a seafood feast.

Grilled sea bass was served whole and the delicate flesh flaked apart all pearly and white. The tiger prawns were perhaps the largest prawns I had ever seen (pictured). Seared until the tails blackened on a hot grill they were split straight down the middle and served on a bed of shredded lettuce, carrot and red cabbage naked but for a squeeze of lemon. The prawns were buttery and smoky all at the same time. To accompany our seafood extravaganza a serve of crunchy chips offered a dose of fried food heaven.

There is something about eating seafood by the sea which means that it always tastes fresher and is more flavoursome. The four girls wished they could bottle all that sun, sea, sand and salt and bring it back to London with them.

Details: Tamariz beach, Estoril, Portugal (Ph 214 68 1010)

Damage: Pricey

7/10

Pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter sauce

Everyone has their favourite ingredients and when you start writing down recipes in some sort of form (blog or otherwise) it becomes all too evident when you have a little bit of an obsession going on. So I may as well come clean straight away and say that I do love a bit of pumpkin or squash as you call it here in the UK. I love eating pumpkin and I find myself drawn like mosquito to one of those blue zappers (or more poetically perhaps like a moth to a flame) to recipes that contain pumpkin. So often I find that the recipes that I tear from magazines or flag in my cookbook collection involve pumpkin in one way or another. Therefore you can only imagine my joy when I discovered that those heavenly little pillows we call gnocchi can also be made from pumpkin rather than potato.

Admittedly pumpkin gnocchi is a little more tricky to make than standard garden variety potato gnocchi as the mixture is wetter. What's more their appearance may be on the uneven side but what you lose out on in looks you gain in the sensational hearty pumpkin flavour. I have made these a couple of times now and have discovered that this sage and butter sauce is the perfect accompaniment to pumpkin gnocchi as anything more powerful such as a napoli sauce overwhelms the magnificent pumpkin flavour.

Ingredients

1 Butternut pumpkin/squash (around 350g)

60g flour

1 egg lightly beaten

50g butter

10 fresh sage leaves

Salt and pepper to season

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

2. Remove the pumpkin skin and seeds and cut into cubes, sprinkle with olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 mins or until soft.

3. Mash the pumpkin and then mix in the egg and flour with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Place the pumpkin mixture in the fridge for at least one hour.

5. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

6. Dust your work surface and your hands with flour and roll a tablespoon of the mixture into a sausage and then cut into bite size pieces and place on a tray lined with baking/greaseproof paper.

7. Carefully drop the gnocchi in the boiling water one by one. The gnocchi is cooked once it rises to the surface and should be removed gently using a slotted spoon.

8. Meanwhile cut the sage leaves into thin strips.

9. Over a low heat melt the butter in a frypan and then add the sage leaves and continue to cook until the butter turns a nutty brown colour.

10. Pour the butter and sage sauce over the gnocchi, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 2. Adapted from an old Epicure recipe.

Tips: (1) If the pumpkin mixture seems to watery when you remove it from the fridge heat it in a saucepan to thicken it up. (2) If you rinse the pumpkin seeds and toast them separately you can use them to sprinkle on muesli or salads.

I warned you I was obsessed - let me point you towards my recipe for roasted pumpkin, bacon and fetta frittata or what about pumpkin risotto with chicken and fetta. Hmmm it appears I may have a fetta obsession as well.

Pap' Acorda (Gourmet Chick in Portugal)

Every Lisboeta (Lisboner) we spoke to recommended dinner at Pap' Acorda however I had also read some fairly bad reviews from reputable sources. It seemed that, as a tourist rather than a local, the service at this hip Lisbon restaurant could make you feel very second class citizen. Still with so many recommendations I really wanted to eat there so Clare, Lucy, Liv and I decided to try and blend in with the locals as much as possible by making a 10.30pm reservation (yes we were starving) and dressing up for the night eschewing sensible tourist flat shoes for heels which were lethal on the cobblestones but de rigeur for female Lisboners.

Pap' Acorda is very much a place to see and be seen. Housed in the Barrio Alta the looks is modern and slick with the dining area divided into two rooms with one room (the smoking area) also containing a long bar along one wall while the main room is all white light and dripping with decadent Murano glass chandeliers. The restaurant buzzes with energy as the all male waiting staff clad in designer pink and white tops dart between tables.

First to the wine list which is an all Portugese affair that is largely a mystery to us given our limited knowledge of Portugese wine. Luckily our waiter is very helpful and guides us towards an appropriate bottle which is very reasonably priced. Onto the menu which is a hit list of Portugese classics although given the time of night we decide to skip the starters and plump straight for the mains.

Since we are at Pap' Acorda I feel that I really should order the cod which comes served with acorda itself. The acorda is a bread based stew flavoured with vegetables and coriander that probably best compares with a chunky mashed potato. The combination of the acorda with three pieces of battered fish was too heavy and monotonous both in terms of texture and flavour. I don't want to write off this national dish altogether and perhaps I would have preferred the acorda if I had teamed it with something lighter such as prawns or calamari. A better option at Pap' Acorda is the grilled seabass which is served whole and cooked simply but perfectly. However, it is the breaded veal that is not to be missed and we look on in envy as Clare cuts open the thick chunks of veal which are served in an earthenware dish to reveal the tender rosy meat.

Order the chocolate mousse for dessert and skeens of dark mousse are ladled with great theatre from a huge mixing bowl onto a plate to share. Pap' Acorda prides itself on its chocolate mousse and the silky sensuous taste justifies this parochial view.

Pap' Acorda is all about the experience rather than the food itself, so I can imagine that if you received bad service you would feel quite disgruntled. Luckily for us, our waiter was charm personified (perhaps it was the heels that did it) so we did enjoy our meal despite it being our most expensive meal in Lisbon by far. Go to Pap' Acorda for the atmosphere and the chocolate mousse but maybe give the acorda itself a miss.

Details: 57-59 Rua du Atalaia, Lisbon, Portugal (Ph 351 21 346 4811)

Damage: Pricey

6/10

If you liked reading this you might like to read about our fabulous meal at the tiny Cantinho do Bem Estar in Lisbon or what about the brilliant rotisserie chicken with peri peri sauce at Restaurant Bonjardim.

Baltic (Eating Eurovision)

My heart sank when I heard that my country for Eating Eurovision was Bosnia Herzegovina. The idea was for the participants to eat the cuisine of each of the countries entered into the Eurovision song contest while staying within the M25. I realised immediately that Bosnian Herzegovina was going to be a challenge however I reasoned that London was such a multicultural city that surely there was a Bosnian Herzegovinan restaurant or food store somewhere. I started by researching what the highlights of Bosnian Herzegovinan food are. According to my sources (Visit Bosnia Herzegovina and internet encyclopedias) the cuisine is rich with an emphasis on diary products and meat particularly beef, lamb and pork. Popular dishes apparently include Bosanski lonac a mixture of meat and vegetables slow roasted and served in a ceramic pot, jagnetina lamb grilled over an open fire and baklava demonstrating the Turkish influences in Bosnia Herzegovina.


Now to find a Bosnian Herzegovinan restaurant or food store. I searched every restaurant listing, tried every internet search with no luck. I even rang the Bosnia Herzegovina embassy where a surly lady informed me that "this is not the sort of information the Embassy provides" however "from a personal point of view I can tell you that there are no Bosnian Herzegovinan restaurants or shops in London". Very helpful. Not wanting to admit defeat I decided to try an Eastern European restaurant and try to identify the dishes on the menu which seemed the most similar to the cuisine of Bosnia Herzegovina. That is how I ended up at Baltic.

Right next to Southwark tube and the Old and Young Vic theatres Baltic does a roaring pre and post theatre trade. A large crowd of smokers were gathered outside the front door which I took as a good sign of an authentic East European restaurant but was it the sign of a Bosnian Herzegovinan restaurant? Inside a long dark bar acts almost like a runway spitting you out into a cavernous dining space with lofty ceilings lined with wooden beams. "Are you sure this will have Bosnian food?" hissed MTV boyfriend. "You do know that it's a Balkan state not a Baltic state". I reasoned that Baltic's menu was supposed to draw inspiration from the whole of Eastern Europe and Russia. An overly ambitious menu perhaps but it could be my only hope of eating something from Bosnia Herzegovina.


Baltic's menu is so exhaustive that it was exhausting dancing from Russian blinis to Serbian pelmeni and even including a Moldavian salad (knowledge of which perhaps came a little late for Tamarind and Thyme who had been similarly searching all day after being allocated Moldovia). Sadly though there was no Bosanki Lonac, Jagnjetina or even Baklava on offer. MTV boyfriend tried unsuccessfully to suppress his mirth and contented himself with an I-told-you-so-smirk. "You would have been better off going to one of the two hundred Turkish restaurants in London" he said "at least they would serve Baklava". Unwilling to accept complete defeat I decided that we would try to order dishes that seemed the most similar to the cuisine of Bosnia Herzegovina.

I decided that Baltic's Georgian Moussaka would substitute for Bosnian Herzegovian Musaka which is described as a baked dish made of layers of potato and minced beef. Georgian Moussaka offered some slightly dry minced lamb rather than minced beef and was wrapped in a thin layer of aubergine and surrounded by cubes of roast potato which I imagine was an interpretation provided by Baltic rather than Georgia. Still, it was a hearty and flavoursome dish.

Rather than Jagnajetina, Baltic's roasted lamb comprised pink tender strips of lamb curled over slivers of aubergine, pepper and zucchini gussied up with a creamy sauce. It was the sort of food that leaves a warm residual feeling. Service was erratic but a big jug of iced water was provided for our table upon a request for tap water which should not a remarkable event but sadly in London it is.

Apart from it's utter failure as a Bosnia Herzegovinan restaurant (which in fairness was never a title Baltic had claimed) Baltic is actually a pretty good restaurant. Particularly if you could nab one of the cheaper pre or post theatre set menus. I can only hope that Bosnia Herzegovina's Eurovision entry Regina with its entry "Bistra Voda (Clear Water)" has better luck in the competition than I had in finding Bosnian Herzegovinan food in London.

Details: 74 Blackfriars Road, Southwark SE1 8HA (Ph 020 7298 1111)
Damage: Pricey
6/10

Cay Tre

My meal at Cay Tre was one of those nights where you have spent a lazy day drinking in the sun and then realise that it is dark and you have almost forgotten to eat. Inevitably there are eight of you and so you wander towards the Vietnamese restaurant hot spot of Old Street/Kingsland road and beg for a table at Cay Tre. They can't make any promises since you are eight and you have no booking and so you have to wait for half an hour but that's not too bad and somehow at the end of it they manage to produce a table that will fit you all. For me, that's the charm of Cay Tre. This is casual dining at its best when you can turn up with eight people and half an hour later sit down to a Vietnamese feast going for a song.


Like it's sister restaurant Viet Grill, Cay Tre offers a more upmarket Vietnamese dining experience. Don't get me wrong it is still loud, bright, bustling and cheap but in a nod to Shoreditch's increasing gentrification Cay Tre features designer wallpaper filled with beaming Buddahs, attentive if brisk service and a wine list rather than BYO. The menu is exhaustive and offers an overwhelming number of dishes although this trait is fairly common in Vietnamese restaurants.

To start Cay Tre's spring rolls are tasty but a little on the greasy side. Bo la lot is described on the menu as "grilled leafy beef wrapped in Piper leaf" and what arrives are small parcels of beef in a rich, cloying sauce wrapped neatly in shiny dark green leaves. They remind me of Longrain in Australia's much lauded betel leaf starter but at about one tenth of the price.

There are some knock out dishes such as the chili salted and peppered soft shell crab. The batter coating the crab is light and airy and the crab itself is buttery to taste. The sizzling seafood with lemon and garlic (pictured) is a bit more pedestrian and the scallops on the gluey side. Pho is always a great litmus test of a Vietnamese restaurant and Cay Tre's pho is a deep brown from the rich stock used. It contains a mixture of rare and well done beef and plenty of it although the usual accompaniments of bean sprouts, chilli and fresh herb are not served separately and have already been added denying you the opportunity to mix the pho to your own taste.

No sooner had we finished than the table was cleared and the bill (£15 each including wine - super cheap) arrived. Cay Tre relies on fast turnover and even this late at night there were more eager punters ready to grab our table as we left. In some ways it is hard to distinguish Cay Tre from Viet Grill although Viet Grill may have the edge in my view. Viet Grill has a bit more of a relaxed atmosphere while Cay Tre is more frenetic so if you are in a big group like we were head to Cay Tre and for a more intimate meal opt for Viet Grill.

Details: 301 Old Street, Shoreditch EC1V 9LA (Ph 020 7729 8662)

Damage: Such a bargain my mother would approve

7/10

If you enjoyed reading this you can read my review of Cay Tre's sister restaurant Viet Grill or if you are looking for Vietnamese but at an even cheaper price and with the added bonus of BYO try Tay Do.

Senhora Mae (Gourmet Chick in Portugal)

Every now and again you have a meal that is so wrong on so many levels and that was our experience at Senhora Mae in Lisbon. It didn't start off too badly the menu read promisingly (if perhaps with the benefit of hindsight a little too adventurous) combining Portugese food with an Italian influence. At lunchtime the sunny outdoor seating on wooden decking overlooking the street was fairly full. Our waiter was fairly knowledgeable about the wine list and brought out bread, some excellent olives and a very moreish pesto spread.





Things went downhill from there very swiftly as soon as our actual meals arrived. The problem with Senhora Mae is that there is someone in the kitchen trying to be much too clever. This means that the food is overly calculated and suffers from mismatched flavour combinations and textures. A prime example was the innocuously named Portugese chicken salad. The name suggested a simple rustic dish and perhaps you would even expect a couple of pieces of lettuce as well. No such luck. For some unfathomable reason the chef had decided to make the Portugese chicken salad using those crisps you can buy that look like french fries (and I think are also called French fries). The result was completely bizarre and almost inedible although we were so hungry that we managed.

It was a similar story with the cod and mashed potatoes which was the waiters recommendation. What could have been a lovely, simple dish was massacred by actually mashing the cod into the mashed potato creating a gluggy listless mix that was then shaped with a chefs ring and topped with curls of fried potato. It would almost have been amusing if I had not had to eat it.

Eating at Senhora Mae is like seeing a beautiful girl with her face caked in makeup and wearing unflattering designer clothes. Through too much effort and a misplaced sense of style Senhora Mae manages to transform Portugal's excellent produce into overworked and overwrought culinary disasters. If you make a trip to Lisbon avoid Senhora Mae at all costs and try out one of the simple local restaurants instead.

Details: Largo de Sao Martinho, 6 e 7, Lisbon, Portugal (Ph 21 887 5599)

Damage: Reasonable

2/10

If you liked reading this you might be interested in reading about some far superior meals I had in Lisbon including succulent rotisserie chicken at Restaurant Bonjardim and excellent seafood at tiny Cantinho do Bem Estar.

Cantinho do Bem Estar (Gourmet Chick in Portugal)

When I go on holidays I tend to select destinations based partly on the food that I can eat when I am there. What's more part of the pleasure of the holiday for me is in carefully researching exactly where the best places to eat are. However, I do realise that travelling far and wide to seek out my selected restaurants can be tiring for travel companions who perhaps do not share my passion and leads to accusations of being somewhat, shall we say, anal. So for our first dinner in Lisbon I didn't book anything and tried hard to adopt a relaxed approach when my friends Clare and Lucy suggested that we just wander around the Barrio Alto district and see what we felt like.

We made our way to a bar in the Barrio Alto for pre dinner drinks and as we sat there and sipped our beers we noticed a queue outside a scruffy doorway opposite. "What are they queuing for?" we asked the bar tender "a restaurant" he replied "excellent and typical Portugese food but it is tiny so you have to queue". It seemed Clare and Lucy's laid back approach had paid dividends. The eager queue and the bartenders recommendation was all the encouragement we needed and drinks in hand we joined the queue for Cantinho do Bem Estar. Let's just say it is lucky that there is a bar opposite to serve you refreshments as Cantinho do Bem Estar is so tiny (22 seats) that we were in the queue for over an hour and did not sit down to eat until just before 11pm.

Inside the cosy space the atmosphere is cheery with cushions lining the benches and Portugal's ubiquitous blue and white tiles decorating the walls and floor. The menu is heavy on seafood options with some intriguing dishes such as grilled octopus and rice which appeared to be a cross between an Italian risotto and a Spanish paella. We could not go past the mussels though which were a favourite at many tables. The mussels are tiny, in Australia they would be called pippis and I am not sure what the European or English name for them is. Do let me know if you have any idea. We were served with a huge tray of them coated in a white wine and parsley sauce and topped with lemon. The mussels were plump and shiny and slipped down your throat in a second.

For our lover of creatures that are not from the sea, Lucy, we order the veal which is served as huge, thick slabs of slow cooked meat. The serving size is so generous that despite the tender meat and delicate flavour the three of us cannot finish it off. There is no need to spend too long debating the wine list. The choice at Cantino do Bem Estar is red or white and it is brought to your table in a carafe. Despite the lack of choice and the parsimonious pricing the red is not too rough at all and actually a great accompaniment to the veal.

To finish we have the strawberries. This dessert is all it promises and more. A large bowl of intensely ripe strawberries washed and glistening like rubies. So simple and so lovely that we do not mind the fact that our teeth are now stained in red from the berries and the wine. Cantinho do Bem Estar is a brilliant little find and since my return from Lisbon I have found some discussion of it on Chowhound so evidently we are not the first tourists to queue at the little door in the wall for a brilliant and hearty meal. Still, I like the fact that it felt a little like we were.

Details: Rua do Norte 46, Barrio Alta, Lisbon, Portugal (Ph 21 346 42 65)

Damage: Such a bargain my mother would approve

8/10

If you liked reading this you might like to read about the rotisserie chicken at Restaurant Bonjardim in Lisbon.

Restaurant Bonjardim (Gourmet Chick in Portugal)

After an English winter deprived of natural light it was a joy to fly into Lisbon for a weekend girls trip and feel the sun beam down upon our skin. Unfortunately we got slightly too excited about the sun and managed to get sun burnt in our first two hours of walking around. Time to beat a hasty retreat to eat lunch under cover. Restaurant Bonjardim seemed to fit the bill, our Time Out guide promised that it was cheap and cheerful with a large outdoor seating area under the cover of an awning.

As our first meal in Lisbon we were pleasantly surprised when crusty bread, butter and some soft cheese was brought to the table to begin. We soon learnt that this is standard practice in Lisbon and that you will be charged (generally around €1.50 to €2 per head) for this starter. The thing to order at Restaurant Bonjardim is the rotisserie chicken. This is the chicken that Portugal is famous for and which is poorly replicated around the world in the Nando's fast food chain. Restaurant Bonjardim's version was perfection itself. The chicken skin was crisp and lightly spiced with a subtle charcoal flavour while inside the meat was tender and succulent. You are provided with peri peri sauce in a little pot which you can paint on your chicken with a brush to give it a welcome kick of flavour and heat.

Where there is rotisserie chicken there must be chips however unfortunately Restaurant Bonjardim's chips did not live up to the high standard of their chicken and were a little bit on the soggy side. Which is not to say that three hungry and slightly sun burnt girls did not wolf them down. Similarly our order of prawns was also disappointing. The prawns were generous in size but swimming in oil and dare I say it a little dull.

It was clear that Restaurant Bonjardim is all about its signature dish of chicken. Don't stray too much further into the menu and you will have a great budget meal.

Details: Travessa de Santo Antao 12, Restauradores, Lisbon, Portugal (Ph 21 342 7424)

Damage: Such a bargain my mother would approve

6/10

If you liked reading this you might like reading about some other "national dishes" such as eating paella in Valencia, Spain and testing out the tagine in Morocco.

Galvin Bistrot De Luxe

If you live in London it is hard to justify a quick trip to Paris on the Eurostar because there are so many brilliant French restaurants in London at the moment. Hot on the heels of my sensational long lunch at Cafe du Marche I met up with Londonelicious and American in London for dinner at Galvin Bistrot De Luxe. Both Londonelicious and American in London had been to Galvin Bistrot De Luxe before but they loved it so much that they were happy to make a return visit. A repeat visit from these two bloggers is a true sign of adoration.


Stepping inside the entrance to Galvin Bistrot De Luxe from scuzzy Baker street you are instantly transported to Paris. There are cosy booths with leather upholstery, there is lots of dark polished wood and bistro chairs and there are actual French waiters who are not just there for decorative value but because they genuinely know what they are talking about and will provide you with tip top service.

For the true French experience order Kir Royales to sip as you peruse the voluminous wine list which is overwhelmingly French. Then toss the wine list aside, name your price to your waiter (we suggested under £40 a bottle) and wait to be dazzled with the wine pairings he suggests for your order. Don't toss the actual menu though, it makes for lovely reading as it is packed full of classic French dishes from snails to souffle. Brothers Jeff and Chris Galvin are the chefs behind Galvin Bistrot De Luxe and they are confident and experienced enough to throw in a few not so classic dishes as well. Crab lasagna anyone?

Drinking champagne cocktails it makes sense to start with half a dozen oysters which are served with a shallot vinigarette. They taste of the sea as they should and are super fresh. Terrine of foie gras is served as a generous pink meaty slab and just a sliver fills your mouth with the full luxurious flavour.

Special mention should go to the daube of beef which is traditionally a French beef stew. Pats of silky slow cooked beef are married beautifully with the pool of creamy risotto which they sit on top of. Galvin Bistrot De Luxe's take on a Pigeon Pithvier is a round pie of flaky pastry filled with a mixture of tender pieces of pigeon and quail meat. Lovely stuff.



To finish, it is classics all the way. Rustic apple Tarte Tartin is made with chunky apples and caramelised to within an inch of its life so that it is both sweet and sticky. The cheese plate is ridiculously generous in serving and manages to contain a decent wedge of almost every cheese on offer. The only thing that could top this serving is if they had let us at the cheese trolley itself to hack away with our knives. Although this does sometimes happen in Paris I have a feeling that the practice would probably run foul of some English health and safety regulations.

The bill isn't cheap but it isn't ridiculous either and for the generosity of the servings and the generosity of spirit of Galvin Bistrot de Luxe it is well worth it. In any event it is a considerable saving on that Eurostar ticket to Paris.

Details: 66 Baker Street, Marylebone W1U 7DJ (Ph 020 7935 4007)
Damage: Pricey
9/10

If you liked reading this you will like reading about so many other great French restaurants in London. Cafe du Marche in Farringdon is a brilliant Francophile escape or you can try Cheyne Walk Brasserie in Chelsea for a long Sunday lunch.

Real Food Festival

Imagine your local farmers market then quadruple it in size, make it indoors and add lots of samples and tastings along with some talks and cookery demonstrations. That's what the Real Food Festival is and it is on today and tomorrow (Saturday - Sunday 9 - 10 May ). I managed to get there on the first day, popping in after work on Friday night.


I saw Raymond Blanc from Michelin star restaurant Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons give a cookery demonstration of a fabulous summery peach and mozzarella salad and I almost bumped into Willie Harcourt Couze who is a bit of a minor celebrity now after his BBC Channel Four show Willie's Chocolate Revolution. The best part though was wandering around the stalls and sampling and occasionally buying the produce on offer. A highlight was the Jersey Oyster stall where they freshly shucked a briny Jersey oyster for you explaining that the oyster was so fresh that you had to tip out the seawater as the shell would immediately refill with more seawater from inside the oyster. The huge crabs pictured above were also from Jersey sadly there were no crab samples available!

Bestbier cheese's stall was surrounded by huge wheels of cheese which they generously carved slivers off for testing purposes (pictured above). The pungent but delicious aroma of the cheese was so strong that people wandered up saying that they had just followed the smell to the stand. For something different I sampled from wild boar chorizo and salami. It certainly packs a punch but I was not so enamoured that I wanted to buy it to take away.

Deciding that it was clearly time for dessert in my tasting routine I moved onto the various cake and slice stands. Holly Cupcakes was a standout with their glitzy girly cakes smothered in sugary icing. The find of the festival though was Gower Cottage Brownies. These brownies are to die for. They are just the right balance of fudgy on the inside yet slightly crisp on top. Best of all for £14.95 you can order a tray of brownies to be delivered as a gift with a personal message from you inside. The price includes postage and is surely much cheaper and superior than a bunch of flowers.

If you are in London this weekend the Real Food Festival is worth checking out. My only hesitation would be the steep ticket price at £18 each it is only slightly less than Taste of London where you get an actual meal included. Still, Real Food Festival is all about supporting smaller local producers and if you sample something from every stall your grazing may end up being about the equivalent of a meals worth.

Details: Earls Court 1, London 8 -10 May 2009 (Ph for tickets 084 4412 4642)

If you liked reading this you can read about my visit to the Slow Food Market which appears every month or so on South Bank and is based on similar principles to the Real Food Festival (but a lot smaller).

Pho

Pho is the new fast food but in many ways it is the antithesis of fast food. It is true that like fast food pho is pretty cheap with your meal unlikely to cost more than £7. It is also true that the original Clerkenwell restaurant named after its signature dish has spread to three stores in London which could be described as a (small) chain. Each restaurant is kitted out in the same way with bright cheery plastic orange chairs and practical sturdy tables. Like a fast food chain there are no bookings and it is unlikely that you will have to wait more than five minutes for your meal. But then you get to the meal itself and there is nothing fast about eating a bowl of pho soup.

The big bowls of broth are served piping hot so you can't slurp it down in a hurry. Indeed the sheer size of the serving means that you have to take your time in eating. Then there is the matter of all the accompanying garnishes of bean shoots, chilli, mint, coriander and lime which you have to add to your soup as suits your taste. You also have to decide whether your soup needs an extra dash of plum sauce, fish sauce or bean paste all of which sit on each table. All in all this means that you are forced to think about your pho and to sit back and savour your meal rather than dash it down.

The ability to personalise your broth is a real plus at Pho and allows a feel of authenticity. However, this is clearly pho for Westernised palates and all the cuts of meat used are lean without any of the delicious fatty flavoursome bits that you find inside a bowl of pho in Vietnam. Of all the varieties on offer at Pho the standard Pho Chin containing beef brisket is the top pick. The meat could be more tender but it offers the crisp yet understated taste that is the hallmark of Vietnamese cuisine. The same can't be said for the Pho Bo Vien which contains dull meatballs which lack flavour. Mushroom pho while steeply priced at the same cost as the meat versions contains a great variety of mushrooms and is so refreshingly light that you feel incredibly virtuous eating it. It seems that Pho may be the new fast but slow food.

Details: 86 St John Street, Clerkenwell EC1M 4EH (Ph 020 7253 7624)

Damage: Such a bargain even my mother would approve

7/10

If you liked reading this and you love your pho you can get it with a bit more Vietnamese attitude and flavour at Viet Grill on Kingsland road in Shoreditch. That said, I think for cheap, good food in London Pho is head and shoulders above a place like Alan Yau's Cha Cha Moon.

Bedales

We sit in a cellar underneath deep in the bowels of Borough Market sniffing and slurping our way through half a dozen bottles of wine. I am part of a lucky group invited by Qype to Bedales for a complimentary wine and food tasting lead by Arnaud Compas whose official title is "Wine Drinker and Managing Director". As we all contemplate how we could possibly have a job which includes wine drinker in the job description Arnaud leads us through a tasting of a selection of Bedale's wine.

Photo courtesey of Qype since I forgot my camera

Arnaud is incredibly passionate about wine and his enthusiasm is infectious. He launches into lengthy explanations behind his championing of the wines on offer even drawing diagrams to describe the way the geography of certain regions can impact the wine. The wines Arnaud had chosen for us to sample were on the challenging side including a white Pinot Noir (Bourgogne Heresztyn 2006) and a bold and brash Primitivo from three year old vineyard Sutherlands Creek in Geelong, Australia. I was blown away by the Central Otago Conrish Point Vin Gris 2006 which was an intense super fruity red that tasted quite unlike anything I had tasted before.

As we tasted the wine we nibbled from slate platters containing cheeses and charcuterie from Rungis Market in France. It is said that the sign of a good chef is that they are a good shopper and Bedales could not have done a better job in sourcing the produce for the platters. There are a variety of cheeses including stinky and delectable Brie, Comte and Fromage de Foune d'Amber which is similar to Comte but made in the Pre Alps in France. Other highlights are the superb rich duck rilette and pickled garlic a nightmare for the breath but absolutely delicious.

Our tasting was complimentary but if you want to check out Bedales yourself you can buy a bottle of wine at retail price and then pay £8 corkage to drink it there. Alternatively on Thursday nights Bedales has "Flag" tastings where a staff member is on hand to discuss a selection of wines that is offered for tasting.

Details: 5 Bedale Street, Borough Market, London SE1 9AL (Ph 020 7403 8853)

Damage: Free for me but prices seem reasonable at £8 corkage

7/10

If you are in the Borough Market area then you are lucky as there are so many great places to eat there for a meal with a view try the Tate Modern Restaurant perched at the top of the Tate Modern. If you are looking for brilliant wine bars another option is Green and Blue but it is a bit further out of town in East Dulwich.

Gourmet Chick was invited to attend Bedales and received complimentary food and drinks.  All restaurant reviews except where stated are conducted anonymously and paid for personally.  

Ait Benhaddou, M'hamid, Erg Chegaga, Taznakht (Gourmet Chick in Morocco)

As I sip on my fourth glass of mint tea that day at a roadside cafe, Hassan smiles and says "You know what we call that? Berber whiskey!". Hassan was born in a village just outside of M'hamid on the edge of the Sahara desert in Morocco and as a Berber himself if there is a joke to be made about Berbers he will be the first to make it. Berber is the name given to the indigenous inhabitants of the Sahara region in Morocco but also encompasses several dialects and languages and a people spread over a vast geographical area of Africa.



Hassan is our driver and guide for a three day expedition through the Atlas mountains and into the Sahara desert. His dry sense of humour and encyclopedic knowledge of the geography and culture of the countryside we travel through make it a truly memorable trip. It is a testament to the charm of Hassan that I am amused rather than offended when he offers to "buy" me for 120 camels from MTV boyfriend. We soon learn that Hassan is also a talented cook as he prepares huge platters of diced tomato, pepper and onion salad to accompany succulent chicken which he cooks on a grill as we stop for lunch in the middle of the desert at Oasis Sacree where we can rest in the shade of palm trees from the sun's glare.




We spend the night in tents at the foot of the awe inspiring sand dunes of Erg Chegaga and feast on lamb tagine while sitting under the stars. The incredible setting makes the rustic, simple food taste better than that at any Michelin star restaurant. Finally, on our way back to Marrakesh we stop for a traditional Berber lunch in the tiny village of Taznakht. The Berber tagine has a domed lid rather than a conical one which the Berber's swear increases the flavour of the tagine. Our tagine is kefta comprising lamb meat balls in a tomato and egg sauce dotted with olives. The lamb is delicately flavoured and the combination of meatballs and egg is moreish. Somewhat like an English breakfast fry up but in a tagine. After mopping up the last pieces of the sauce with flat bread there was nothing for it but to finish our meal with another "Berber Whiskey" as Hassan looked on approvingly.


Details: Sahara Services, M'hamid, Morocco (Ph +212 (0) 661 77 67 66)


If you liked reading this you can read about some of my other adventures in Morroco like my amazing meal at Elizir restaurant in Essaoiura and at a cooking school in Marrakesh.

Au Bonheur Des Dames (Gourmet Chick in Morocco)

The legacy of Morocco's time as a French protectorate is not always great but Au Bonheur Des Dames is a welcome slice of France in Essaouira.


Situated on the sunny and sheltered square which is Place March aux Grains (the former grain market in Essaouira) make sure that you get a seat at Au Bonheur Des Dames tables rather than one of the adjoining mediocre cafes. You must order one of the freshly squeezed juices which come in ever conceivable flavour combination.

Whatever you order it is served with a green salad served French style unadorned save for a light coating of vinaigrette. Bruschetta of fresh tomato, rich goats cheese and a zesty olive tapenade is simple but satisfying. The Croque Monsieur tastes a little strange given that it uses Moroccan flat bread but the combination of gooey melted cheese and salty ham is superb.






Buy some more time in the sunshine by ordering a pot of tea. If you are sick of Morocco's ubiquitous mint tea (although I personally could not get enough of it) Aux Bonheur Dames offers over fifty different varieties of tea. Tres bien.

Details: Place Marche Aux Grains, Essaouira, Morocco (Ph +212 (0) 24 47 59 68)
Damage: Reasonable
7/10

For another great lunch option in Essaouira try the seafood market stalls or if this post has given you a craving for bruschetta this is my recipe.

Speedy Macaroni and Cheese

Some people lose their appetite when times are gloomy, not me. I am still as ravenous as ever but I do tend to fixate upon a certain type of food. That food is the type of food that harks back to another era. Food that is such a retro classic that I am posting this as part of Waiter There's Something in My ... Retro Classic. For me the ultimate classic is macaroni and cheese. It is endearing in its simplicity and the innocence of a meal constructed almost entirely of cheese and pasta. In a time before low carb diets and balanced eating became buzz words macaroni and cheese reigned supreme.


This version is based on the Nigella Express recipe for macaroni and cheese and so it uses evaporated milk rather than a white sauce. This is supposed to save time, however I am not convinced it is that time saving so if you have an extra five minutes I would adopt the traditional approach of flour, milk and butter for a white sauce rather than evaporated milk. I have given Nigella's recipe a slightly more contemporary twist by scattering some crispy bacon bits on top and adding a dash of Dijon mustard to the creamy sauce.



Ingredients
25og macaroni
250g mature Cheddar grated
250ml evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 rashers of bacon sliced into small pieces
Salt and pepper to season




1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions, drain and then return to the pot.

2. Meanwhile put the cheese, evaporated milk, eggs and mustard into a bowl and mix to combine.

3. Slice the bacon into small pieces and fry until lightly browned in a fry pan. Leave to drain for a few minutes on a piece of kitchen towel.

4. Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni, stir in the bacon and season with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until browned on top.

Serves 4. Based on a recipe from Nigella Express.

If you liked reading this and are in the mood for comfort food try this recipe for Smoked Haddock and Salmon Fish Cakes or if you are feeling nostalgic in London head to A Gold - the way a corner store used to be.

Essaouira Seafood Market (Gourmet Chick in Morocco)

Some of the seafood is still kicking as it sits waiting to be selected at the seafood market in Essaouira. This gives you some indication of how fresh your lunch is going to be. The seafood market is housed in small blue and white shacks which sit just outside the edge of Essaouira's walls and right next to the port where the fishing boats unload their catch.

Each stall proudly displays its seafood selection and the fish are so fresh that they look like they last flipped their fins minutes before while the crabs and oysters will actually waive a pincer if prodded. The stall owners are clad in white coats and use their full powers of persuasion to try and get you to eat at their stall. Once you settle on a stall you point at the seafood that you want and it is collected, weighed and then cooked on the grill. For 60 dirhams (£6) you can get a drink, bread and salad to start and then a selection of sea bass, prawns and calamari.

The seafood arrives on old china plates which you eat from as you sit perched on rickety white wooden benches. What you lose in creature comforts though you gain in flavour as the fresh seafood shines through the slight charcoal taste of the grill and squeeze of lemon. The calamari is on the overcooked side but the prawns are spot on and delivery a big meaty flavour.

It is hard to imagine a better lunch as the sun shines down upon the shacks, the owners banter with the passers by and the bracing Essaouira wind blows at your back.

Details: Essaouira Port, Essaouira, Morocco

Damage: Such a bargain even my mother would approve

8/10