Flashback Friday: LES DELICES

Can it already be August?  Here's a flashback Friday post from our Christmas holiday in Punta del Este.

Breakfasts usually involve coffee and the medialunas con dulce de leche (the local version of croissants, slightly sweet and served with a caramel spread) and Les Delices in the town center of Punta del Este (or Punta, as everyone calls it), has been the go to spot for years especially for Argentines on holiday looking for their medialuna fix.

We did the same and had breakfast there bright and early before heading to the beach.  We did the works - fresh orange juice, coffee, toast, scrambled eggs and a bunch of medialunas.  While we ever there, there was a steady stream of patrons buying their breakfast pastries and a few locals quietly enjoying their coffee.

Aside from their large selection of pastries and cakes, they also serve a full lunch and dinner menu and do a good business in takeaway boxes of assorted mini pastries and cookies for afternoon tea.

___________________________

Les Delices

29 Las Gaviotas, 20100 Punta del Este, Uruguay
Phone: +598 4244 3640

LA CEIBA

On our way to dinner a few weeks back we passed by a large well-lit cafe on the bustling avenue Roosevelt which we added to our list of new places to try out.  Last Sunday, after brunch at another new discovery in Condado (more on that later), we headed over to Puerto Nuevo to see what they had to offer.

La Ceiba is a large delicatessen and pastry shop specializing in Spanish treats from jamon and chorizo to churros and turron.  A large chiller counter lines one whole wall and is filled with goodies - cakes, pastries, sweets and bread while a small area off to the side has prepared food - boquerones en vinagre (white anchovies marinated in vinegar), seafood paella, chorizos stewed in red wine and lots of other goodies.  There are also sandwiches made with jamon serrano and other Spanish cold cuts.

The cafe itself is more a self-serve cafeteria with simple formica topped tables and wooden chairs where  one can have breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack as the place is open all day from early in the morning to late in the evening.  It was bustling for a Sunday afternoon with locals lingering over lunch or just having a beer, some ham and watching Spanish football on the large-screen tv's.

We succumbed to a few sweets to go - mallorca, churros, quesitos (a caramelized puff-pasty case stuffed with white cheese) as well as a few salty treats - a togo box of crispy roasted pig crackling and a small portion of seafood paella.  La Ceiba is perfect for a simple Spanish meal or a coffee and a pastry with a bit of local flavor thrown in.

______________________

La Ceiba

1239 Ave. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Puerto Nuevo 00920

Puerto Rico

Telephone: +1 787 782 0419

*Open all-day everyday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

CHELSEA MARKET

On my last day in New York, I met up with good friend, Brooklyn native and fellow foodie C, who said I couldn't leave the cit without stopping by Chelsea Market - which houses an enclosed food court with specialized food purveyors including a large Anthroplogie boutique, a Posman Books 

and a Bowery Kitchens, restaurant supply store where I finally found a large metal cake stand which I had long-admired in the Dean & DeLuca stores.  Also in the same building are the offices and production facilities of the Food Network which makes for a captive clientele of foodies who often lunch at the market.

We met right after noon and walked around the place scoping out the area and doing a tour of what was available before deciding on lunch from the specialty butcher Dicksons Farmstand  where the daily blackboard menu listed pulled pork, banh-mi, roast chicken and hot dogs.  C had the pulled pork sandwich and treated me to a banh-mi (a Vietnamese sandwich usually made with roasted pork belly) with caramelized ground pork stuffed in a soft baguette and topped with pickled cucumbers and carrots and lots of fresh cilantro along with a fizzy organic lemonade.  We managed to snag one of the few tables where we devoured our sandwiches before heading off in search of dessert.  

We finally ended up at Bar Suzette where we lined up for a takeaway lemon, butter and sugar crepe made with the pedigree ingredients of Ronnybrook Dairy Farm butter, fresh lemon juice and natural granulated sugar.  Wrapped up in a paper cone, we then exited onto to 16th street and climbed up to The High Line where we enjoyed our dessert while taking a stroll in one of the prettiest parks created out of an abandoned railway.  We grabbed a post-lunch coffee at the Blue Bottle stand where I had an espresso while C chose an iced coffee then we walked further on until we found a spot in the shade of The Standard Hotel and listened to a classical quartet while enjoying the summer breeze, the Hudson river views and several years of catching up. 

__________________________________________

Chelsea Market

75 Ninth Avenue (between 15th and 16th streets)

New York NY 10011

Telephone: +1 888 727 7887

*Open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The High Line

Telephone: +1 212 206 9922

*Open daily from 7 a.m to 10 p.m. 

Access from the following locations:

• Gansevoort Street
• 14th Street (elevator access)
• West 16th Street (elevator access)
• West 18th Street
• West 20th Street
• 23rd Street (elevator access)
• West 26th Street
• West 28th Street
• West 30th Street (elevator access)

NY EATS

DEAN & DELUCA

On our first morning, we headed off to Fifth Avenue for some much-needed retail therapy and to take advantage of the end-of-summer sales.  We headed straight for a quick breakfast at the centrally-located Dean and De Luca in Rockefeller Center.  This is a classic NY deli/cafe where one can be assured of good coffee and lots of amazing stuff to eat.  We shared a cheddar cheese scone and a sticky breakfast bun with some strong coffee and got ready to pound the pavement.  First stop was the new Canadian brand Joe Fresh and their flagship US store where there were loads of great bargains to be had.  Next was the 8th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue which is their special shoe department (with their own dedicated zip code) where we ended up spending a few hours trying endless pairs of pumps and sandals until finally making our selections. 

SERAFINA PIZZA on Madison and 79th

We still had Madison Avenue to get to so before lunch, we ended up at the J Crew Collection boutique on Madison and 79th where we bought a few more things which they offered to send to our hotel free-of-charge. Next was a quick lunch at Serafina across the street.

It was an overcast day so we didn't get a chance to eat on their roof terrace but stayed on the mid-level overlooking the street.  The place was packed with groups of ladies and families having a lively lunch.  The menu is extensive with antipasti, salads, pastas, main courses and pizzas.  We were tempted to have one of their famous pizzas but instead opted to share an arugula and Parmesan salad to start which came served with a basket of fresh ciabatta then pasta as our main course.   T had her favorite, linguine alle vongole veraci (clams in a tomato, garlic and white wine sauce) while I had the classic spaghettini pomodoro e basilico (plum tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and basil).  Both were delicious and perfect for a quick light lunch.  We skipped dessert and had espressos to end our meal the hopped in a cab to go back to our hotel with all our purchases.

_____________________________________________
Dean & DeLuca
Rockefeller Center CaféOne Rockefeller Plaza (between 5th and 6th Ave.)
New York NY 
Telephone: + 1 212 664 1372
*Open Monday-Friday 7am-7pm • Saturday & Sunday 8am-6pm

*Many locations in New York and other States

Serafina Pizza
1022 Madison Avenue (at 79th St.)
New York, NY 10021
Telephone: +1212 734 2676
*Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.  No reservations taken except for large groups.
Several locations in the city

BOTTLES

Several weeks ago, we went to dinner at Bottles, which was recommended by a few people as a fantastic place to go for their very reasonably-priced wines.  We got lost a bit on the way there but after a few stops to ask for directions, we finally found it.

Bottles is a boxy warehouse looking building which houses a wine store/ fresh meat and fish counter/ delicatessen.  Right near the entrance is the shop area and towards the back are the shelves and shelves of wines and the restaurants tables. For a mid-week evening, the place was packed.  We were asked if we were going to have "appetizers" or "main courses" which we found strange.  When we told the receptionist that we were going to have dinner (i.e. main courses), she led us towards the back to a smaller closed-off area with a few tables that were set apart from the main room.

Our server came over right away with their makeshift blackboard menu which was actually a paper stuck onto a heavy wooden board.  The menu is varied and had several appetizers and several main courses with ingredients mainly taken from whatever they also sold at the fish and meat counter - tuna, scallops, sirloin steaks, veal chops.  We were surprised at the prices - appetizers were around $12 to $19 and main courses were $30 to $50 - quite pricey for a deli/restaurant.

We finally settled on two starters to share: tuna tartar and fried calamari and a main course to share - the veal chop with mashed potatoes.  Our sever didn't seem too pleased with our order as he was recommending their special that evening which was stone crab and neither of us ordered that.  He also asked us if we were sharing the main course and when we said yes, he suggested that we split the main course onto two plates which we thought was a great idea.  A few minutes later, the server came back to tell us that they had run out of the veal chop so chose the rack of lamb instead.

After ordering the food, we went to the shelves to have a look at their extensive wine display.  Here is where the attraction of Bottles lies, it's being able to choose from such a wide variety of wines and paying just retail price to drink that wine at the table with one's dinner.  I have to admit that the selection was amazing - from interesting New World wines to French Chateau wines all at very reasonable retail prices and not the usual three times more we would have had to pay to drink these wines at a typical restaurant.

We settled on a bottle of an Argentine Bodega del Fin del Mundo (the cellar at the end of the world) special blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  The appetizers were served soon after and that's when the surprises started - the tuna tartar was a large mound of chopped raw tuna with some tostones (fried plantain rounds) and the calamari was also a large platter of fried squid which came with aioli and cocktail sauce.  We were shocked at the portions as we could have shared an appetizer if we had known or if the server had kindly told us that the portions at Bottles are for sharing.  After having a quick look around, we realized that we were the only ones who had an appetizer each as the other tables were all sharing their appetizers.  We were relieved that we had decided to share a main course as there was no way we were going to get through all that food in one sitting.

The tuna tartar was delicious - spicy chunks of sashimi-grade tuna in a wasabi, lime, soy-sauce and sesame oil dressing.  They were perfect slathered onto the crispy and usually tasteless fried plantain rounds.  The calamari were also good but nothing special, just crispy squid with some dipping sauces.  We managed to finish the tuna but asked to take the rest of the squid home.

Our main course was served not long after we finished our starters.  It was half a rack which was three pieces each with some mashed potatoes and half a head of broccoli.  Again, the portion was gigantic and enough for two.  Who can finish a whole rack of six lamb chops after the giant appetizers?  Again, we noticed that the other tables were also sharing their main courses.  

By the end of the meal, we figured out that everything on the menu is triple the size of what you imagine it to be and ordered only one dessert to share - cheesecake - which as we expected was a large hunk (about a quarter of a regular-sized whole cheesecake) with strawberries and melon and strangely enough, chocolate sauce instead of the usual berry coulis (sauce).  The cheesecake was delicious and a nice sweet treat to end our meal.

When we asked for the check, we found one last unpleasant surprise - they had charged us $8.00 extra for splitting our order into two plates (which the server had never mentioned when he "kindly" offered us separate plates) and they also added a suggested 17% service charge which the server honestly didn't deserve.

After our dinner at Bottles, we asked around and everyone agreed that the portions were outrageous and the service uncaring so we didn't feel too bad about our own experience. Would we go back to Bottles? Yes, because the wine selection is impressive, the wine prices a bargain and the food is pretty good.  Next time though, we're doing what everyone else does - sharing appetizers, main courses and desserts and remembering not to ask for the plates to be split.

P.D. May 28, 2012

We've been back twice more for brunch at Bottles and the service has been much better and once one knows that the portions are gigantic, then it's easy to order right and enjoy the meal and the fantastic wines at super prices.

____________________________________

Bottles

5 Tabonuco Street

Guaynabo 00968 Puerto Rico

Telephone: +1 787 775 1210 or 787 775 0604

*Open Mondays to Fridays from 9 AM to 10 PM, Saturdays from 11 AM to 10 PM and Sundays for Brunch from 11 AM to 4 PM (Kitchen closes at 3 PM)

FERRY BUILDING MARKETPLACE

San Francisco, one of my favorite cities which I haven't been to since 2003 has changed a lot but still remains the same.  The laid-back vibe is still there along with the love for all things organic, local and  seasonal.  No visit would have been complete without a stop at the Ferry Building Marketplace.  And if you're luck enough to be there on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, you'll get a chance to experience the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market and see the local producers in action.

We arrived in San Francisco on a Thursday morning and after checking in to our hotel, we walked the ten or more blocks down Market street towards the Ferry Plaza.  Originally constructed in 1898, it was rebuilt in 1991 and opened as a historical building housing the best produce and specialty food purveyors like Cowgirl Creamery, Frog Hollow Farm, Acme Bread Company, Blue Bottle Coffee to name a few and restaurants like Slanted Door, Gott's Roadside and the Market Bar.

Lunch at the Ferry Building on Market day can be a simple sandwich from Acme, a hunk of cheese from Cowgirl or if you're willing to queue up, a delicious porchetta sandwich from Roli Roti or from one of the many food trucks parked outside three times a week.  As we were with the kids, we decided to sit at one of the outdoor picnic tables at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher) and order some burgers and garlic fries while we waited for the rest of our lunch from the food trucks.  It was a beautiful sunny autumn day, typical California weather, and perfect for our impromptu al fresco lunch.  After lunch, we queued up some more for a much-needed cappuccino at Blue Bottle Coffee.  The line was so long that by the time I got to the front, I needed not just a cappuccino but also an espresso which I had one after the other.  And yes, it was well worth the wait.

______________________________

Ferry Building Marketplace

One Ferry Plaza

San Francisco 94111 CA
Telephone: + 1 415 983 8030
*Open daily from about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Check for different opening hours on weekends)
*Farmer's Market and food trucks every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until the food runs out and on Saturdays from 8 a.m to 2 p.m.

CAFE ZINC

On our last morning in Laguna beach we stopped by for a quick breakfast at Cafe Zinc, the other breakfast place on Ocean Avenue, right before the more than four-hour drive back to Las Vegas.  With three locations in Orange County, this place is loved by the locals and is usually always packed for breakfast.  We had been to nearby Cafe Anastasia several times and never to Cafe Zinc as we were initially put off by their no-meat menu (meaning no bacon for breakfast).  On our last day though, we decided to try it and see what the fuss was all about.

The Laguna Beach Cafe Zinc has both a cafe and market adjacent with a separate entry.  The marketplace has a takeaway counter for bread (from La Brea bakery), pastries, coffees and drinks to go plus a large selection of deli items, soups, sandwiches, salads and prepared platters.  The Cafe is self-serve and usually has lines snaking out the door so get ready to queue and then try and snag one of the outdoor tables.  There is a large breakfast and lunch menu and a dinner menu on the evenings when dinner is served.  Although not advertised as a vegetarian place, Cafe Zinc doesn't serve any meat but there are so many dishes to choose from on their extensive menu that the absence of meat wouldn't be missed.

For breakfast, my sister and I shared the Huevos Rancheros, a poached egg over papaya salsa, blackbean chili, smoked Gouda, marinara sauce and a toasted bagel with butter and jam.  She had a creamy cafe mocha and I had a not so great espresso.  All in all an okay breakfast but not as tasty as the one at Cafe Anastasia up the road.  I would give this vegetarian cafe another chance maybe for lunch when there are more interesting choices on the menu.

________________________________

Cafe Zinc

Market and Cafe

350 Ocean Avenue
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Cafe: + 1 949 494 6302
Market: +1 949 494 2791
*Open daily, Market  and Cafe from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

(Cafe open only till 4:00 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays)
*Cafe dinners starting May 2, 2012, Wednesday to Sunday from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m.

GROCER & GRIND

If you've followed my blog over the years, you'll notice that one of favorite meals is breakfast.  It's a great way to start the day and try a new restaurant.  It's like a blind date, a way to dip your toe in the water and see if it's worth it.  Of course, most Bali regulars would know about the Grocer & Grind in Seminyak where at all hours of the day, the place is packed with both tourists and resident expats having a coffee and using their free WiFi.  Recently, another Grocer & Grind opened in the swanky Jimbaran Mall on the road to the seafood warungs on Jimbaran beach.  It's the same concept, a cafe and all-day-dining restaurant with a small delicatessen and small grocery off to one side.  It's a good addition to the Jimbaran and Bukit area where aside from Gourmet Garage and Pepito supermarket, there's not much in terms of food shops.  There's a chiller with cold cuts and cheeses, milks and yoghurts and shelves of basic pantry items - nuts, flour, sugar, cereal, chocolates as well as a cake counter for eat-in or takeaway. The only difference between the two locations is that the one in Seminyak is a larger stand alone restaurant while the newer one is inside the Jimbaran mall.

We went for dinner on a week night and had a pretty good burger and caesar salad so we went again on a Saturday morning for a late breakfast.  Their breakfast selection is one of the most varied on the island and is even better than what some hotels offer.  There are many egg dishes (scrambled, poached or Benedict), different breads and jams, fresh fruit smoothies, other breakfast dishes plus pretty good coffees and teas.  I had one of the breakfast favorite selections - a sweet corn cake topped with crispy bacon, avocado, grilled tomato and a dollop of cottage cheese along with a perfectly executed flat white. A had the avocado eggs - soft poached eggs with an avocado, tomato and cilantro salsa on sourdough toast with a banana orange juice.  We also shared some sourdough toast with berry preserves.  Service was quick and courteous, the food was delicious and the place bright and hip - especially the large communal table they have out back near the deli.  They also have a full all-day kids menu.  What a treat to have two places on different sides of the island with yummy breakfasts.

____________________________
*Both are open daily from 7 am till late.
Grocer & Grind
Jimbaran Mall
Jalan Raya Uluwatu, Jimbaran
Bali

Grocer & Grind
Jalan Kayu Jati 3X
Petitenget, Seminyak
Telephone: +62 361 730 841 or 737 321

CAFE BATUJIMBAR

Sanur, on the eastern side of southern tip of Bali, is mostly residential.  It is also where the first hotels on the island opened up many years ago.  Today, Sanur still retains a more relaxed appeal with much less tourists (although lots of expats live around here) than overpopulated Kuta or hip and happening Seminyak.

There is one two-lane road that runs parallel to the bypass in Sanur called Jalan Danau Tamblingan and it's where most of Sanur's hotels and restaurants are.  Right smack in the middle of this road is the Sanur institution, Cafe Batujimbar.  Popular with expats and locals, Cafe Batujimbar is a well-located, bright, open-air cafe which serves sandwiches, salads and some Indonesian specialties along with cakes and coffees.  They open early which is why its' a popular hangout for the Sanur mums who stop by for a coffee after doing the school run at the nearby Bali International School.

We did just that after the early morning drop-off and had a quick breakfast before heading back to Uluwatu which is a 45-minute drive from Sanur. We sat at one of the shaded outdoor tables and had double espressos and toasted country bread with butter and homemade jam. The espresso was thick and with lots of crema and the milk served alongside was hot and foamy - perfect cup to jumpstart the morning. (It seems that they get their coffee beans from Kopi Bali which is probably why it's good.) We also shared a carrot-apple-ginger juice (25,000 Rupiah, around US$3) which was good although a tad pricey for Bali.  There were lots of other tempting things on the menu so we will definitely be stopping by again for some breakfast or lunch one of these days.

_____________________________________________________

Cafe Batujimbar

No. 75A Jalan Danau Tamblingan , Sanur  

BALI ,Indonesia  80228

Telephone: +62 361 28 7374

THE GOURMET GARAGE

On Saturday afternoon, we decided to drive around just to get familiar with the area.  As we are still living in the hotel while looking for a house, we wanted to see what the local delicatessen had to offer. In nearby Jimbaran, the Gourmet Garage hides behind the busy bypass off a small road, and caters to most of the expats who live in or around the Jimbaran-Nusa Dua-Uluwatu area.

The Gourmet Garage is actually a small supermarket that stocks fresh vaccum-packed meats, organic salads, dairy products, cheeses, select cereals and other imported ingredients.  There is also a small section in the back that has cooking utensils, pots, pans and even small appliances.  Near the entrance, is a makeshift cafe with a few tables, a cake counter, an ice cream counter and further in the back, a room filled with wines from all over the world.

On our first visit, we had a quick look around and then sat down for a snack - iced teas, steak sandwich and the garlic roast chicken.  The limited cafe menu has mostly sandwiches and salads as well as nachos and the very popular ice cream.  Steaks from the deli are also available to be eaten at the cafe for a small cooking charge (about 30,000 Rupiah).  When we were there, most clients coming in would get an ice cream cone (15,000 Rupiah) then sit outside on the benches to have it.  Service is friendly but a bit on the slow side so don't come in and expect to dine and dash.  This is more of a sit-around-and-have-a-coffee-and-cake kind of place.

The following day, after a morning spent at the beach, we went back again and had a quick lunch which was better than the day before.  The classic cheeseburger was very good while the chicken wrap was fine - stuffed with Tandoori chicken although served very cold.  A variety of coffee drinks are available as well as takeaway coffee beans and specialty teas from Caswells.  The food is fine but it's really more of a supermarket than a restaurant so it's perfect for a quick cup of coffee right before you do your weekly shopping.

_________________________________________

The Gourmet Garage

Bypass Ngurah Rai Street,

Gg. Tukad Melangi

(right behind Lotus Enterprises building on the bypass)

Jimbaran – Bali – Indonesia
Telephone: +62 361 701 650
Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Lunch al fresco

Today was one of the first sunny days we've had after many days of rain so we took advantage of the warm weather to have lunch al fresco in Marbella's Casco Antiguo.  We've been to the old town many times for breakfast (churros con chocolate) or for dinner (Casanis, La Famiglia) but never for lunch and after four years of being here, it was time to give it a try.  We went to our old favorite, Casanis, for a quick lunch - steak tartare and entrecote, both with their fantastic fries, and a creme brulee to share.  Our table was right beside the Casanis deli and wine shop and it was a real treat to sit outdoors and see locals and tourists walking by while we were enjoying our lunch and the wonderful weather.

After our meal, I was all set to drop by a few places I've been meaning to go to and check out for ages but never got around to.  One of these places is the tiny Pomposiello where fresh pasta is available - cannelloni, ravioli, gnocchi and where they have a few tables serving their homemade pastas.  From the takeaway counter, they also have pizzas, empanadas and ready-made pasta sauces.  It's a great little place for when you're stuck for dinner and don't want to do a takeaway.  I didn't get a chance to take any photos as we were double-parked but this place is definitely going onto my Marbella food shops list.

MERCADO SAN MIGUEL, Part 2

I was able to do several tours of the market while waiting for Cookie Feria so by the time she arrived for our lunch date, I had already scoped out which place was worth sharpening our elbows for.  We decided to wait for a spot at the seafood counter which had a simple but interesting menu and instead of ordering our food and taking it to one of the tables in the center of the market, we decided to wait for a spot directly at the bar.  After a ten-minute wait, a couple left and we immediately staked a claim on the one stool and tiny space they had.

We decided quickly and shared several plates - boquerones fritos (fried fresh anchovies), steamed shrimp, ensaladilla con erizo (sea-urchin with Russian salad) and steamed mussels.  Service is haphazard as there's only one person behind the counter but it was pretty quick and the seafood was quite good.  We were debating on whether we should have a plate of pan-grilled prawns but decided to have a dessert instead.  As soon as we paid the bill and slipped our handbags off our one and only stool, another couple edged their way in and there were still loads waiting around for a place to sit or to order.

We walked around a but more and looked for somewhere we could get a dessert - I chose churros con chocolate (fritters and hot chocolate) which should have been a breakfast treat but I couldn't help myself.   They weren't very good as they had been sitting on the display case for ages and were no longer hot and crunchy as they should be.  I should have had a slice of apple strudel from the Viennese place or a tiny cake from the pastry stall.  We sat at another counter and I had my disappointing dessert while Cookie had her coffee.

On the way back to the hotel, Cookie showed me a shortcut to get to the Ritz and we passed a few other interesting gourmet places.  There is a tiny Carbonell shop on Calle Mayor with lots of their different olive oils at really good prices - a small bottle of olive oil flavored with garlic and dried red chilies was 1.50 euros and a large bottle of first-pressed organic olive oil was just under 5 euros.  Further down the road and just on Plaza Mayor is a typical Spanish pastry place - La Mallorquina.  It's an old-style bakery complete with the white-coated not-so-friendly servers and an old-fashioned cash register.   Closer to the Ritz on Carrera de San Jeronimo were two other foodie spots - one is the traditional delicatessen Lhardy  which is old-fashioned but drop in as the woodwork and antique silver is worth a look.  On the tiny Plaza de Canalejas is the bustling Cafe del Principe which is going onto my Madrid List for my next visit. Another traditional gourmet shop is Casa Mira which specializes in turron (nougat) and is rumored to be the King of Spain's favorite and is just steps away from the hip and happening Hotel Urban.  As always, it's better to explore a city with a local, in this case Cookie, who took the time to show me a few new twists and turns in Madrid that I had never been to and now, i have loads to visit on my next trip to the big city.

OLIVOMARE

Our last evening in London was spent with a dear friend from Moscow who moved to London last year to start a new life. We agreed to meet at Olivomare, the third and newest of the Sardinian restaurant group which started with Olivo.

Olivomare opened in spring 2007 after the success of casual Oliveto, which I have been to several times over the years. Located in Belgravia where the other two Olivo restaurants are, it is more similar in ambiance to casual Oliveto. Alongside the restaurant it their deli/wine shop Olivino which makes it convenient as a pantry for all three restaurants.

We arrived early and opted to sit outside as it was a surprisingly warm evening. While we waited for L to arrive, we were served olives, a basket of assorted bread and a Sardinian aperitif (similar to sherry). Our table right by the street was ideal for people-watching and seeing all the diners arriving at the restaurant. Service was attentive and courteous and the Italian waitstaff weren't in a hurry to take our order as they could see we were enjoying our conversation.

L arrived soon after and looked fantastic (it seems that London life suits her). As we dug into the bread basket and olives and proceeded to catch up on each other's news, we also glanced at the menu quickly and decided what we were going to have. Olivomare is a seafood restaurant, hence the name, with Sardinian specialties.

To start we shared the grilled calamari farcitti alla griglia (grilled stuffed baby calamari) - sweetly tender squid char-grilled and filled with chopped fresh plum tomatoes and shredded basil - an excellent plate to share between friends. We also asked the charming Italian manager to choose a white wine for us and he suggested the Sardinian 2007 Contini Karmis Vernaccia. The restaurant started to fill up by then and all tables were occupied, even the few that were set up outside.

As we enjoyed the cold wine, our main courses were served. Pasta for all of us - raviolini alla coda di rospo (monk fish ravioli) for L, lorighttas con vongole (traditional hand-made pasta with clams and grey mullet roe) for T and the special linguine with scampi (Dublin bay prawns) for me. My linguine dish was filled with several scampi that I had to crack and dig in to get to the sweet prawn meat hidden inside. L's ravioli were filled with monk fish and that salty Sardinian ingredient - bottarga (grey mullet roe). T's dish was not the typical dried pasta but fresh pasta resembling twisty noodles tossed with clams and also flavored with bottarga. All three dishes were al dente, delicious and served with a simple sauce of fresh chopped tomatoes - a true taste of summer.

Catching up with friends takes time and before we knew it, it was already past 11:00 and the restaurant was emptying out. Some of the waiters shifts were over and a few were outside enjoying after-work cigarettes. The manager was still there though so we ended our dinner with two scoops of homemade sorbet - lemon and strawberry - and very short espressos. As we said our goodbyes, we promised to keep in touch and see each other very soon, hopefully in London again for another fun dinner among friends.

___________________________

Olivomare

10 Lower Belgrave St.

London SW1 (Belgravia)

+44 020 730 9022

Open daily for lunch and dinner

(Closed on Bank Holidays)

COMPTOIR DE LA GASTRONOMIE

After our gossip-filled breakfast with Daria, we jumped into a taxi and rushed to Les Halles and got off on the corner of rue Etienne Marcel and rue Montmartre to meet family/friend (it's a long story), Tonger, for lunch at Comptoir de La Gastronomie.  Last time we saw each other was for breakfast in late January and before that was fourteen years ago so there's been quite a lot of catching up going on.

Tonger is a real foodie and so we have that in common.  The last time we met, he brought us two hunks of cheese - Comte and Mimolette - that we brought back home to Marbella.  This time, I promised to get him some jamon Iberico and as a special treat, I also brought some jabuguitos (chorizo Iberico) and a bottle of Balsamico al vinagre de Jerez (sherry vinegar glaze) but he surprised me too with an Eiffel tower chocolate mold from kitchen emporium Mora across the way. 

After we said our hellos, we settled into a banquette and checked the menus out. Comptoir de La Gastronomie is a delicatessen and boutique selling gastronomic ingredients and delicacies - from fresh foie gras d'oie (fresh goose liver) to andouillete (white sausage), from tapenade (black olive spread) to wines, from magret de canard fume (smoked duck breast) to sel de guerande (Guerande sea salt).  Founded in 1894, the wooden shelves and moldings have been retained and the atmosphere of an antique epicerie prevails.  There are two entrances - one that goes directly into the deli and the other to the small restaurant alongside which serves most of what's available at the deli.  The menu is limited with a couple of foie-gras starters, cassoulet, several salads and a few simple dishes like steak tartare.

My mind was made up ahead of time as Tonger had been raving about the foie gras carpaccio and I couldn't resist ordering something I had never tried before.   Tonger had another specialty - the pan-fried goose liver while my mom and A both had the cassoulet.  Tonger ordered his favorite Loire wine, Cour- Cheverny (a white wine made from Romorantin grapes usually served with foie gras), JM Tendresse from vigneron Michel Gendrier. According to the server, it was unavailable so she offered us a Chenin blanc, from Montlouis-sur-Loire, a Domaine de La Grange Tiphaine.

Our food came quick - the cassoulet served in an earthenware dish filled with chunks of sausage, bacon and a duck leg confit over white beans.  Tonger's sauteed foie gras came with toasted pain d'epices (spice bread) and a small green salad.  It was seared perfectly on the outside, soft and creamy inside and delicious. The star of the show though was my foie gras carpaccio - a large plate (almost a platter) of very, very thinly sliced fresh foie gras, layered carefully, drizzled with honey and balsamic vinegar glaze and sprinkled with sel de guerande.  It came with a dollop of caramelized onions and some slices of pickled ginger.  The foie gras was melt-in-your-mouth delicious but the addition of the tart balsamic vinegar glaze, the sweetness of the honey and the crunch and flavor provided by the sea salt made each mouthful delectably different.  The accompanying caramelized onions and pickled ginger (just like the one served with sushi) was a welcome flavor contrast to the richness of the foie gras - a very interesting combination and a memorable gastronomic first.

We ended the meal with espressos and finished the rest of the wine.  As we were leaving, Tonger whipped out another surprise - a bottle of the Cour-Cheverny he wanted to have with lunch which was available at the deli, for us to take back home.  We said our quick goodbyes at the door and off he rushed back to work and we wandered down the rue Etienne Marcel in search of a taxi while the pleasurable memories of lunch lingered on.

___________________________

Comptoir de La Gastronomie

34, rue de Montmartre 75001 Paris

Tel: +33 01 42 33 31 32

Orders can be made online via their website: www.comptoir-gastronomie.com

ROSE BAKERY 2

Thursday was supposed to be our shopping day and initially, all we had scheduled was lunch with Tonger at his favorite foie gras place in Paris. Plans were changed at the last minute on Wednesday though since my son called to let us know that he had his last football game of the season (and the chance to be champions of the little league) on Saturday morning so we changed our return flights to Friday making Thursday our last (hectic) day in Paris.

We ended up meeting another good friend, Daria, for breakfast at the new Rose Bakery in the Marais a block away from her new apartment.  We turned up at half past ten in front of what seemed to be a little grocery shop with no sign outside.  The restaurant/deli was completely empty except for the seemingly foreign-student servers setting up for lunch.  While we were waiting for Daria, my mom ordered a cappuccino and a scone with butter and jam.  I wasn't sure what to have since they were offering only the cakes on display and I didn't really feel like starting my morning with their famous carrot cake, delicious though it may be.

When Daria arrived and we had hugged and said our hellos and finally settled into our table by the front door, she somehow managed to convince the servers to rustle up some eggs for us: oeufs brouille and an omelet nature.  She had a Rooibos (South African red tea) and I ordered an organic coffee bean espresso and we caught up on each other's new since we last saw each other in January.  Service is definitely unobtrusive (they pretty much left us alone) to chat away until our food was served.  The plain omelet was baveuse (runny) and came with a small green salad and the scrambled eggs were creamy and delicious, something that looks so easy but so hard to get right.  No toast was available which was a pity as some bread would have been perfect with the eggs.

Funnily enough, although Rose Bakery is open for all day for breakfast, there really isn't a proper breakfast menu.  You'll just have to choose whatever is on display - cakes, scones, muffins etc.  There is, however, a limited lunch menu of dishes available EVERYDAY (vegetable plate,  salad and tarte/quiche or pizzete and an omelette du jour), daily changing specials labelled TODAY (gazpacho, asparagus risotto, beef carpaccio bruschetta, chicken and sweet potato curry and tofu and Shiitake mushrooms) plus DESSERTS (fromage anglais et chutney, riz au lait, crumble du jour, fruit compote and pastries).  There are also large platters of different salads on the counter available for takeaway.   The drinks menu has fruit smoothies and fresh juices aside from the assorted leaf teas and bio-café. Watch out though for the tiny print as food eaten in the restaurant is charged a 50% premium on the displayed takeaway price.  Total bill for our deliciously simple breakfast was  €25.

Rose Bakery is basically a delicatessen/takeaway counter/restaurant serving food often made with organic ingredients which seems to be popular in Paris at the moment proving that, aside from all the Jamon Iberico on offer I saw in many restaurant menus on this trip, biologique, c'est chic.

_________________________

Rose Bakery 2

30, rue Debelleyme (on rue de Bretagne) 75003, Paris

Tel: +33 1 49 96 54 01

* No sign so watch out for the unobtrusive metal and glass-fronted entrance

* No reservations taken so get there early to snag one of the few tables.

Buenos Aires Cafés

Every year, we spend about two weeks in Buenos Aires to visit family and friends and each time we do, we rent an apartment in Recoleta which is our favorite area. This year, we managed to try some new places that we chanced upon while exploring the neighborhood while still not forsaking our regular haunts.

First on the list and quite close to where we were staying is Che Buenos Aires on the corner of Avenida Montevideo and Libertador and a block away from the chic shopping center, Patio Bullrich. This café used to have a dark, wooden interior until it recently got a face lift and is now following the on-trend modern design of most cafes in the area - bright lights, designer plastic chairs and of course, Wi-Fi for the tech-savvy. Decent coffees and the usual selection of pastries and toasted sandwiches are available.

Next up is the tiny café Nucha in the foyer of Patio Bullrich, which serves real Italian espresso (Segafredo) and yummy desserts - the cheesecake I had was delicious. It doesn't have the natural light and fashion and football crowd of Patio Bullrich's other indoor café, Francesca, on the lower ground floor, but at Nucha the coffee, cakes and service are infinitely better.

Just around the corner from the boutiques on Montevideo and Guido streets is Buenos Aires' equivalent to Starbuck's, Café Martinez (a.k.a. Café M) where one can buy coffee beans, whole or freshly-ground plus order a cappuccino to-go in a cardboard cup which is uncommon here as most people get their espressos and pastries delivered on a covered tray by a waiter from a nearby cafe. This local chain has many outlets (in shopping malls and scattered all over the city), and have clean, bright interiors serving cakes, pastries and simple toasted sandwiches. Although lacking in atmosphere, the coffees are good, the medialunas (croissants) and the other facturas (pastries) are surprisingly yummy and best of all, it's packed with locals.

More upmarket then the others listed above is Croque Madame which opens daily and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to fashionable locals. This chic little café has a few locations in town, one of them within the gates of the lovely mansion housing the Museum of Decorative Arts on Avenida Libertador. We went to the Recoleta branch on Avenida Callao close to the Alvear hotel. It's a WiFi hot spot as well so you can have lunch or a coffee and check your emails while you're at it.

A bit further off from us is iFresh Market. Located in the up and coming docklands area of Puerto Madero, it's a a deli/home boutique café concept that has remained popular since it opened about five years ago. It's become a regular brunch hangout for homesick expats hankering for a taste of home and egg breakfasts and for locals wishing for a bit of Continental flavour. Aside from the all-day menu, there's a fruit and vegetable counter, a deli counter with cheeses, among them a local goat's cheese, and cold cuts on display. Chocolates, cakes, petits-fours and other sweets are also available along with jams, spreads, cooking utensils, cutlery, crockery and all sorts of fun home stuff.