Restaurant Alert! Outdoor dining near Piazza Navona

Cul de Sac
Piazza di Pasquino, 73
Rome, Italy
 
Rick Steves finally got one right. This restaurant turned out to be one of our favorite lunch spots. We really enjoyed eating and people-watching in their outdoor patio. Some people may consider their outdoor seating to be quite crowded, but we found it intimate and lively. Not only does Cul de Sac have great food, but you also don't have to pay an arm and a leg for water (0,90 EUR per table). You may think that going back 3 times is a bit repetitive, but we got something different every single time! The lasagna and meatballs were definitely my favorites.
 
1. Cul de Sac gets two thumbs up from M!
2. J enjoying lunch on the patio
3. Pheasant pate
4. Home-made lasagna
5. Pasta with pesto sauce
6. Roast beef with "esterazy" sauce
7. Salted cod with potatoes
8. Tripe Roman style
9. Meatballs in wine sauce with mash potatoes
10. Share plate

Restaurant Alert! Great food near the Spanish Steps

Fiaschetteria
39 Via della Croce
Rome, Italy

Friendly service and great food is what kept us coming back to Fiaschetteria again and again - 3 times in 4 weeks! We first discovered this place by accident while walking to lunch one day. A small line of Italian-speaking patrons formed in front of this unassuming eatery. Although we made a mental note to come by and visit another day the place we were originally headed to for lunch was closed! How convenient! Needless to say, we walked back to this trattoria.

The carbonara pasta was definitely our favorite. J really enjoyed the braised lamb. Unfortuantely, our budget didn't allow us the opportunity to try many side dishes, but we did get a taste of their roasted potatoes which, though expensive, were extremely tasty! The cherry tomatoes they served were the BEST tomatoes I've ever had! This may seem like this is an over-statement, but other diners seem to also agree since I frequently saw bowls of cherry tomatoes sitting on neighboring tables. They seriously tasted like candy!

1. Fiaschetteria's narrow storefront
2. This is the only place in Rome where we were asked to share a table!
3. Tonnerelli alla Carbonara - pasta in an egg-based sauce with bacon
4. Abbacchio alla Cacciatora - suckling lamb braised in an herb, garlice and wine.
5. Carpaccio di Sogliola - sole sashimi dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and fresh parsley.
6. Spaghetti con Tonno - spaghetti with tuna
7. Tagliata di Manza - thin steak with tomatoes on rocket

Restaurant Alert! I ordered beef but got frogs... wtf?

South Beauty (俏江南)
West Wing of China World Trade Center (國貿西樓)
1 Jianguomen Waidajie, CBD/Guomao  (建國門外大街1號)
Beijing, China

Only in China can you order beef but be brought frogs by the waiter. The reason is because the word for beef is literally translated as "bull meat" from the Chinese 牛肉. The Chinese characters for "bullfrog" is 牛蛙. Even if you don't know any Chinese you can see that the first character of each phrase is the same - 牛. Apparently, if you just say 牛 in Beijing they automatically assume you want the frog. Rest assured, this is not the default assumption in the US.

Despite the mix-up in animal meat J and I found this to be the tastiest meal we've encountered in Beijing so far. I am proud of J for getting through the spiciness, although it took him 1.75 bowls of white rice to get through lunch. I was at first a little skeptical of the modern deco of the restaurant (most good eateries in Taiwan are hole-in-the-wall establishments), but the food exceeded expectations and the nice furnishings just made it a more comfortable dining experience.

Price-wise, it is not cheap by local standards: 30 USD for 3 bowls of rice, 1 appetizer, 2 mains, 1 soft drink and 2 mandatory wet wipes (1 RMB per; we were not happy with this.). Hence, we ate cheaply for dinner that night. The good news is that we do not have to resort to rice and beans to eat on a budget in Beijing. Two meals at the food court of an upscale mall cost us less than 6 USD total. Alternatively, we can fill up on meat pastries from a reputable bakery for 60 cents each. Yum!
  1. The dining room of South Beauty
  2. Our check
  3. Cold beef slices in chili oil - 夫妻肺片 (Look at how red the chili oil is!)
  4. Pork ribs in garlic oil and peppers (I forget the Chinese name.)
  5. "Bull" in spicy gravy - 水煮牛 (The peppers in the foreground were removed from the bowl in the background before the dish was served.)
  6. The plate of peppers from the bullfrog dish. Impressive, huh? Those peppers were promptly removed from the table and were probably reused for the next customer who orders the same dish.

Restaurant Alert! Fresh fish in Manly

Manly Fish Market Cafe
25 South Steyne
Manly, NSW, Australia

Under the "non seafood" category on their menu board there's only one choice: some kind of chicken burger which they may have purposely made sound unappetizing. This is a sure sign that everyone comes here for seafood, especially the fish of which there were 10+ different catch of the day varieties.

Since it was raining outside, we decided to prolong lunch by ordering an appetizer (or, entree as they call it in Australia). The salt and pepper squid was extremely tender and not at all chewy. It was served with a sauce which I can only describe as a hybrid of sweet and sour and chipotle sauces.

J's main [course] of fish and chips was absolutely superb! The batter was fresh, light and crispy while the fish meat was tender, hot and juicy. I don't think I've ever had fish and chips quite like it! My grilled blue cod (one of the catches of the day) was also extremely good. It was simply seasoned, but cooked perfectly with the meat flaking off at the touch of the fork. Both mains were served with a fresh field of greens salad and very nicely fried chips.

When I come back to Sydney I will definitely be visiting this restaurant again. Yes, it's no longer a matter of "if", but "when." =)

1. Salt and pepper squid
2. Fish & chips
3. Grilled blue cod

Restaurant Alert! A break from steak in Buenos Aires

 

El Cuartito
Talcahuano 937
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Apparently, pizza is a local specialty in Buenos Aires. J and I did not know that until we started doing restaurant searches online.

When you enter El Cuartito don't let the interior intimidate you. We were so intimidated that we almost walked out. The restaurant is separated into three sections. The kitchen just happens to be the middle section, where customers walk in, with two rooms of tables on either side. There are no hosts or hostesses. Just grab a seat in either the left or right section and a waiter will be with you. During the lunch rush the waiters here work hard so it may be awhile before they get to you. However, J and I still found them polite and patient.

The first time we ate here we ate a notoriously memorable pizza - the anchovies were so salty that I could only stomach one slice. In the meanwhile, I was admiring the white fluffy pizza that everyone else seemed to be ordering. From a distance it seriously looked like banana cream or lemon meringue pie. On the way out, J asked the waiter what that pizza was. Fugazetta, we were told. We had to come back.

And, so we did go back when J's parents came to town. This was the 3rd and final restaurant we ate at a second time and we got straight to the point. A small fugazetta for 4 people was just enough and it was amazing! It's a white pizza of onions and three types of cheese - provolone, mozzarella and reggiano. This is something that I'll be trying to replicate when I get back to the States. 

Restaurant Alert! A cheap parilla in Buenos Aires

Desnivel
Defensa 858
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Desnivel was another restaurant we visited a second time with J's parents. It was already on our shortlist of restaurants to try based on favorable reviews online. Then it shot up to the top of that shortlist after our bike tour guide pointed it out during the tour as his favorite parilla in Buenos Aires. Needless to say, it did not disappoint. The atmosphere felt casual and down-to-earth. The food was delicious and cheap. However, the service was just OK. The first time we went, they forgot to bring the salad we ordered. The second time we went, they forgot to bring the beef tenderloin. *shrug* Good food is good food.

1. Beef tenderloin in garlic sauce - OMG, so tasty!
2. Beef milanesa - best breaded steak I've ever had. This dish was previously featured in a How Much?! post

Restaurant Alert! An "expensive" parilla in Buenos Aires

La Brigada
Estados Unidos 465 (San Telmo)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
(multiple locations)

J and I went here twice. Once by ourselves at the beginning of our two week stay in Buenos Aires and once at the end of our stay with J's parents. In between we sampled many of Buenos Aires most recommended and popular "parillas" including La Cabrera and El Mirasol, which we didn't think were as good. I'd have to say our first time was much better because during our second visit we made the mistake of ordering a variety of cuts, hence magnifying the fact that some cuts are inferior to others.

Here are two quotes from J during our first visit to La Brigada:

J after his first bite of Bife de Chorizo (Sirloin Steak): "We're screeewed!"
J after his last bite of Bife de Chorizo: "I feel like I should go lift weights now."

We are screwed. We'd might as well turn vegetarian because we'll never eat steaks as good as those in Argentina ever again!

1. La Brigada storefront - if we  weren't looking for it, we would've thought it looked too sketch to go in.
2. Inside the restaurant
3. Bife de Chorizo, a punto (medium)
4. The bill (top to bottom) - 2X table fee, 2X bottles of local beer, 1X bottle of water, 1X garlic fries, 2X best steaks we've ever had in our entire lives = 35 USD

Restaurant Alert! Dutch cuisine in Amsterdam

Restaurant Moeders
251 Rosengracht
Amsterdam, Netherlands
 
I found Moeders ("mothers" in Dutch) on Chowhound's user forum and it did not disappoint. It had terrific food and a great atmosphere. You can see from the picture below that the interior of the restaurant is just bursting with character. The story is that on the day the restaurant opened, the owners asked all diners to contribute a set of china, stemware and silverware to the restaurant. As a result they have an arsenal of very mis-matched table settings. The geek side of me kept wondering how many permutations of unique table settings there could be.

For dinner, J and I ordered the Dutch rice dish, which is a 2-person sampling of their most traditional Dutch dishes. This meal included two types of beef stews, stamppot (mashed potatoes with various stuff in it), and an impressive spread of accompaniments including poached pears, pickled cabbage, mashed potatoes and apple sauce. Ironically, we did not see a single grain of rice. J really enjoyed the stews, but for me the most surprising bite was the apple sauce. I never had a full appreciation for apple sauce. So, when it came I thought  "What the heck? Are they trying to fill the table with random cheap ingredients?" Let me tell you.. apple sauce tastes BEST when it's sandwiched between two bites of really heavy meat stews! It's so refreshing!

I'll end with a couple of pictures.

1. Interior of the restaurant
2. My place setting
3. J's place setting
4. Our dinner

Restaurant Alert! Tapas in Barcelona

Cerveceria Catalana
Mallorca, 236
Barcelona, Spain

Dining at Cerveceria Catalana has been the most enjoyable food experience for me in the two weeks I've been in Barcelona. In any city we travel to I will be on the prowl for a restaurant that serves great local food in a lively, down-to-earth atmosphere for a reasonable price. Cerveceria Catalana is that restaurant for Barcelona.

When we got there around 8:15 PM, the place was PACKED with no less than 20 or so people waiting for a table. All of them were chatting happily at the entrance, on the sidewalk or around the corner with glasses of wine in hand. We didn't want to wait 30 minutes for an indoor seat so we snagged an open table outside underneath a cafe umbrella and a heat lamp. 

Their "tapas" are more like small plates of appetizers consisting of several bites for two people. Non-seafood tapas cost 3 to 7 Euros, while seafood tapas cost around 7 to 15 Euros. What other restaurants sell by the toothpick (a slice of baguette bread with a salad, seafood or meat topping) is 2-3 euros here. We got both a Spanish and an English menu, but their "Tapas of the Day" is exclusively in Spanish. After a 15-minute consultation with our phrase book, we ordered the following dishes.

1. Spanish omelette (tortilla) - J's been wanting to try this for 2 weeks now and it did not disappoint

2. Deep fried anchovies - These anchovies were so large that they were filleted in half before going into the fryer. I thought Cal Pep's batter was tastier, but consider that this dish is 1/3 the price and only SLIGHTLY less tasty.

3. Potatas Bravas - fried potato chunks with mayonaise and spicy sauce. Another typical Catalan appetizer/tapas. This tapa has grown to become one of our favorites. The potatoes always comes out scalding hot - just the way I like my food.

4 Fried hot green peppers (foreground) - I saw a lot of people eating this dish at the bar so I had to try it. Surprisingly, it was not spicy at all. It had a concentrated green pepper taste.

4. Grilled cuttlefish (background) - ordered from the "Tapas of the Day" menu. This dish was J's favorite of the night. He wanted cuttlefish and I suggested grilled. It turned out to be our most expensive tapa at 8 Euros, but OH SO GOOD!

5. Grilled razor clams - another dish from the "Tapas of the Day" menu. This dish was definitely my favorite of the night. I love any kind of clams. It has motivated me to go razor clamming in WA when I get back.

We currently have a 'no repeating restaurant' rule in effect (McDonalds has been the only exception), but for this entire week I will be petitioning J to go back to this restaurant on Saturday night for our last meal in Barcelona.


Restaurant Alert! "Eat what I give you" in Barcelona

Cal Pep
Placa de les Olles, 8
Barcelona, Spain
www.calpep.com

I have been hesitant to write about any particular eating establishment in Barcelona. I haven't eaten anything bad, but I also haven't had anything that has blown me away. Honestly, I was getting a bit concerned. Am I going to the wrong places? Or, do I not like Catalonian food? Finally, I found what I was looking for in Cal Pep.

Don't let the fact that this restaurant is talked about in every guide book, city map and internet review site deter you from going. I was skeptical at first, but  believe me… it's really good. Here are some tell tale signs:

- Their business card says, "Closed: Easter Week, monday lunch, saturday night, festive days and August"
- On the day we went for lunch, the restaurant didn't open until 1:15 PM lunch and prime lunch time is around 2:30 PM. Yet, by the time the restaurant opened its doors there was a line of 20+ people consisting of both tourists and locals.  In fact, 2 parties at the end of the line did not make the cut for the 1st lunch seating.
- "More fish, or more meat?" is the only decision you have to make for your meal. They'll take care of the rest. Do not say "more meat" because it is obvious that seafood is their specialty.
- They will unapologetically ask already-eating patrons to shift over seats in order to get a clump of free seats together.

The restaurant is basically one large U-shaped bar surrounding the kitchen (Pictures 1 & 2). I counted 3 main chefs and 5 bar men/waiters. Here's what we had and accompanying pictures where applicable:

- The usual toasted bread rubbed with a super ripe tomato - a typical Catalonian appetizer
3. Clams sauteed with wine, olive oil and parsley (best dish of the meal)
4. An assortment of lightly battered, deep fried seafood, including calamari, shrimp and whole fish! We ate everything, if you know what I mean.
5. Sauteed mushrooms in olive oil and parsley- simply yet delicious. I was super excited about this one because I've been seeing this particular mushroom all over town in supermarkets and open-air markets. It's obvious that it's in season now.
- A dish of small squid and chickpeas. I don't know how it was seasoned but it was Yuuu-MMY (I got too excited and forgot to take a picture of this one)
6. Grilled fish - one of J's favorites, but I thought it was a bit overcooked and bland. At first, I was excited because I thought those potato slices were pear slices (they're also in season now - so good). After tasting it I thought it could've use some acid or something else extra.

We also had dessert, but that's not worth mentioning in detail. In the end, we left the restaurant extremely full, very happy and for me, on the verge of being slightly buzzed (It was so good, I had two beers for lunch). However, our wallets left significantly lighter - 96 Euros lighter to be exact. It turned out not to be a pre-fix meal, and we were billed for each individual dish. But, whatever… as far as I could tell everyone else there were treated the same way. When in Rome, do as the Romans.

Was it over-priced? Yes. Was it worth it? Definitely. I can now leave Barcelona saying I ate something amazing. But for now, we must conserve - we already had Mickey D's for lunch and tonight - frozen dumplings!