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New York
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Restaurants
in New York
Capsouto
Freres - 451
Washington St. NYC 10013. Tel. 212.966.4900
A real find! Excellent service, extremely good value.
The only drawback was the bathroom, down a really old
service elevator and through a few enpty-ish (but tidy)
store rooms.
Rocco's -
188 Thompson Street, tel: 212 677 0590
After reading in Soho magazine that there were two restaurants
called Rocco; an up-town smoothie and the local yokel with
a heart of gold. I chose the latter. I liked the restaurant
immediately; spotlessly clean, cheerful, friendly waiter
- funny how the waiter,or'front person' can make or break
a place. Being welcomed by a friendly beam makes all the
difference.
Rocco's
was founded in 1922, and has a loyal clientele; people who have moved
out of town welcome the chance to drop in again for a chat over a
drink or meal. The current Rocco is the third generation. Toilets
on the level.
The
menu is mainly southern Italian with red tomato sauce and lots of herbs,
however, there is a changeable daily list of 'specials' among which
are 'gnocchi alla gorgonzola', the sauce is incredibly delicious, and
grilled calamari with a spinach salad. I'm sure the deserts are just
as good. there is tiramisu, caramel roasted pears and cold zabaglione
with fresh strawberries.
La Bonne Soupe - 55th St/6th
Av
Good food at reasonable prices, nice and friendly, and with that unmistake-able
relaxed atmosphere and interest in food and the dishes that makes it
so French. Toilets on same level. It is tremendously popular at lunch
times, with a queue of people waiting to be seated up until 3,30
Jules
Bistro -
55, St Marks Place
Very friendly. Does a jazz brunch on Sundays, with some good gypsy
jazz, and I have also heard Anat Cohen play on Sound evenings. |
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Paris
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Restaurants
in Paris
Le
relais de l’ile -
35 rue St Louis de l’ile Paris 4. - 01 46 34 72 34
Another restaurant, very small, friendly and excellent value,
with a level loo.
L’ardoise - 28 rue
du Mont Thabor Pars 1. - 01 42 96 28 18
Extremely friendly staff.
The upstairs (ground floor) looked cold and bare, but by contrast,
the room downstairs had a really welcoming feel. Pretty good
value.
Galeries
Vivienne - A
priori té - 01 42 97 48 75
The little tea shop in the Galeries
Vivienne is always crowded, but there is
a level loo.
L’epi
Dupin - rue
Dupin - 01 42 22 64 56
My favourite restaurant (Au bistrot de Luxembour)
is closed for alterations for 11 months which is tragic but it has made me look
elsewhere. I have ‘discovered’ (with the help of Pariscope) ‘ l’epi
dupin’ which is terrific, fully as good as the first ‘au
gourmand’ and I think a little less pretentious. You have to book,
well, it’s better to because it is very popular, very near a large department
store.’Bon Marche’.
Pré Vert -
Cnr.rue Théard/rue Poissonnière - 75005.
Marie-Thérèse wanted me to try this
one, and I can see why. Not only is it
very cheap – 12.50 for their lunch menu, including
a glass of not-bad-at-all wine (vin de pays
des coteaux de l’Ardeche) but one of the owners,
the chef, travels the world in search of exotic spices,
which he brings back to create wonderfully differently-flavoured
dishes. You have to book, and the toilets are
downstairs.
Le
Gourmand - 22 rue
Vaugirard - 75006 - 01 43 2626 45
This has arisen in the wake of the former restaurant, the food is
not nearly such fine cuisine, but it is more practical - more salads;
and it is cheaper. And it is conveniently situated, definitely
one that I would go to.
Chez
Françoise -
Aerogare des Invalides, Paris 75007. Tel :014705 4903
Practically on the banks of the Seine,
I certainly would not have stumbled across this by chance, as
it is underground! They do ‘soirees musicales’, though
rather infrequently, about once or twice a week. But the food!
A real gastronomic delight, and at very reasonable prices! It
is open every day, from 12 –3 and 7-12. There is access
by car (and wheelchairs!) opposite 2 rue Fabert, via the underground
car park which is used by the neighbouring government departments.
Au Bouillon Racine -
5 rue Racine, 6th
Wonderful art nouveau deco, swirling coloured glass and
curving bar stools, disabled toilet on the level,good food
- and all at an affordable price.
Le Parc aux Cerfs -
50 rue Vavin75006 PARIS - Tel: 014354 8783
An ultra-friendly restaurant with EXCELLENT food - and
the proprietor is an oenologist so the wines are good too.
It is child-friendly, with paper tablecloths and crayons
provided. Level toilets. About 30E.
Clementine -
5 Rue St. Marc - 75002 Paris - Tel: 01 40 41 05 65
Friendly, very good value and very French. About 25E.
Le
Croissant -
146 rue Montmartre - Paris 75002 - 01 42 33 35 04
An historical site, Jean Jaures, a prominent socialist, was assassinated
here. In spite of that, it is a nice, friendly place with very agreeable
food - and level toilets.
Ristorante
Pietro Alati -
Rue montagne ste Genevieve - Paris - 75005.
A delightful, ebullient waitress who sings quite well. Very good food,
and it is only about 20E including wine. There are 2 small steps to
get in. Charming location, very near the beautiful Sainte Genevieve
church(with its lovely chimes), and the Pantheon.
Le
Carre aux feuillants -
Rue Castiglione - Paris - 75001
This has 1 or 2 Michelin stars, and it is expensive, but better value
to take the lunch menu - that is a good rule in general if you go to
expensive restaurant. And it is worth it, unusual food, or with unusual
combinations but beautifully cooked and presented. BUT - the toilets
are downstairs.
Les Trois Bourriques -
5 rue des Grands Degres - 75005 Paris - 01 43 54 61 72
I ‘discovered’ a nice restaurant, larger inside than you
would imagine It is called Les Trois
Bourriques, and the presentation and general ambience
is very good. I had 3 courses, two very good, and delicious sauce but
the meat was rather tough. Not expensive and it is in such a picturesque
setting; you can hear the chimes of Notre-Dame and the streets are
narrow, twisting and cobbled. It has now changed management but seemed
o.k when I went.
Jardin
d’Asie - 78
rue Baudricourt - 75°13 Paris.
Cheap, good, basic. Self service, and full of Chinese which is a good
sign. (But it’s down stairs, which makes it awkward.)
La Canaille -
4 rue Crillon , 75004 - 01 42 78 09 71. Good food, no frills,
nice atmosphere.
Bistrot
de la Sorbonne - 4
rue Toullier, 75005, 0 43 54 41 49 - (Booking is advised). A friend
told me about this, I don’t think I’d have found it,
because it is tucked away. It is cheap, with prices ranging from
12 Euros for a 3-course meal. It
is now one of my favourites, well-run and friendly, nice clientele.-
and delicious "tajines' (a kind of Moroccan stew, with meat
or vegetables, and prune. |
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Lyon
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Restaurants
in Lyon
Brasserie
Georges, 22 Place Verdun, Peyrraches Lyon -
69002, Tel: 04 72 56 54 54
Large, (up to 2000 places!) good value, excellent cooking (try their quenelles!)..
Founded in 1836 by an Alsatian. It is famous for its beer (the water in
Lyon is very good. It used to be brewed on the premises but has now moved.)
It has 'art nouveau' decor, but not nearly as good as the Bouillon Racine
in Paris. The ceiling frescoes were painted in 1924 by Guillermin. Among
the famous guests are Verlaine, Jules Verne, Zola, Edouard Herriot (who
was mayor of Lyon), Rodin and others. A nice touch is an authentic hurdy-gurdy,
which is played occasionally for children, or to play 'happy birthday'.
Leon
de Lyon, 8 rue Pleney, 69001 Lyon, France 04 72 10 11 12
This is owned by Jean-Paul Lacombe, who is not only the son of the famous
Paul Lacombe but also the godson of Paul Bocuse, another famous chef. It
is expensive to eat there (at least 100 Euros, probably more), but oh,
well worth it. There are (5 rooms with 70 places, so the guest does not
feel 'one of the masses'. And Jean-Paul Lacombe goes round to have a few
words with each guest, in his chef's white apron, another nice touch. |
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| Edinburgh |
I find
it hard to write about Edinburgh objectively; it is a city where
I lived for 15 years of my young adult life. My parents chose
it to retire to, and I am so glad they did. I
went to hospital, university,, got engaged and married and now, having
left, I love it more each time I go back. And I discover
new things each time.
The Grassmarket Hotel - p/0131 220 0099
At the corner
of Victoria Street and the Grassmarket. If
you get a room above the pub
(which has the delightful name of Biddy Flannegans’ it is unbearably
noisy, but the other end is o,k. Across the road , still in the Grassmarket,
is
The Mussel and Steak café which I loved. Good
value, and a very good ‘feel’
Another good restaurant, and
terrific value if you don’t want a gargantuan helping, is:
La Tasca - 9 South Charlotte
Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4AS, Tel: 0131 220 0088
Try the tapas special offer. And
I really enjoyed the sangria!
Another thing I discovered was that:
Valvona & Crolla -
19 Elm Row, Edinburgh.
Have really expanded since my days as a student,
they have now added on a restaurant which serves good plain food – and
they now host small gigs during the ‘fringe’.
Two other hotels are:
The Hanover hotel - 37—43
Rose Street, Edinburgh EH 2NH. Tel. 0131 226 7576.
The Hilton Caledonian - Princes Street. Edinburgh.
This is considerably
more expensive, but I had my wedding reception there, and there is a
good concierge there called Thomas Stuart. |
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New Orleans
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Restaurants
in New Orleans
Irene's
Cuisine -
Chartres/Barracks
Excellent, try the paneed oysters with shrimps, followed
by the duck St. Phillip. And to finish, halved strawberries
covered with Grand Marnier sauce, or dark bitter sweet
chocolate mousse coated with hazelnuts.
Brennans -
417 Bourbon(?)
Delicious- but too rich for my liking, it may well have been responsible
for some of those extra pounds. Lovely seafood, but everything cooked
in butter roux.
Quarter
Scene Dauphne/Dumaine
Wonderful! Much cheaper than the other two, the best gumbo I have ever
tasted, and it sells fresh fruit, which does not seem to readily obtainable
in New Orleans. When I go back I can have my breakfast theree - and quite
possibly lunch and dinner too!
With
the hurricane came changes. Sadly, Quarter Scene has been taken over
by 'EAT'. It is run by very friendly people - but it doesm't open till
11am! But shortly before leaving I discovered a marvellous patisserie
just around the corner from the Provincial Hotel." |
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Chicago
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Restaurants
in Chicago
I
only went to 3, and they were all very reasonable, with good food.
Heaven on Seven, which has four restaurants in
Chicago (111 N. Wabash.) It
got its name because the original one was on the top floor of no. 7.
It specializes in Cajun/Creole cooking, and when you go upstairs (there
is a lift) there is a whole wall of bottles of various 'hot' sauces.
I had the second-best gumbo I'd ever tasted. The best being at Quarter
Scene in New Orleans.
Cambridge
House,
(Ohio& 1 block n. of Michigan) It advertises 'home cooking' and
it is really good. It seems to be caring of the local community as
well.
White
Hen (Ohio
and across the street from Cambridge House) A grocery store, it serves
coffee all day and you can add dulce de leche., which is delicious.
Giordanos (E.
Lake Drive, off Michigan avenue.) This is one of a chain. I had 'egg
plant parmeggiano with noodles' and it was absolutely wonderful - big
plate, too. |
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| Brussels |
Restaurants
in Brussels
Hotel (Residence) Galia - 13/14 Place du Jeu de Balle-
10000 Bruxelle - Tel 502 43 43
It is some years since I went, but
I stayed in a nice hotel by the flea market,
central – 15
rooms.
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Washington
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Restaurants
in Washington
DC
Coast,
1401 K Street, Washington DC 20005 202 216 5988 (can't reserve,
so be prepared to wait, it is worth it! I have never tasted such
delicious seafood! I suspect it is expensive, I was a guest so
don't know.)
McKormick & Schmidt (M
St?) Good. A chain, so there is one in many US cities. |
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Brisbane
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Restaurants
in Brisbane
and Gold Coast
Omeros
Bros. - Marina Mirage. This is a legendary sea food
restaurant, absolutely superb. The only other place I've eaten
sea food which tasted so good was D.C. in Washington, and I think
I prefer Omeros, partly because of the setting (right by the
water) and partly because of the friendly, relaxed ambience.
Legendary because it first opened as the second sea food restaurant
in Australia on the shore of Botany Bay in the 1950's. One autumn night
in the 1950's there was the most fearsome storm, which battered the
wooden building so much that half of it literally slipped into Botany
Bay! One of the people I was with had been a customer on that night,
she and her husband left beforehand, but she remembers vividly clinging
on to the rope-railings as they fought their way out of the building.
Anyway, that was the Gold Coast's gain, because John Omeros started
up here, and the food is so good that the restaurant is now world-famous.
It does tend to be rather expensive (lobster mornay!) but they also
do an extremely reasonable three course lunch menu for A$30.
La
Porte Verte - 44 Commerce Drive,Robina
Tel. 07 5593 2566.
The food, particularly the sauces, are just as delicious, the restaurant
is MUCH bigger, and in a delightful semi-open position, yet well-screened
from the road, it is now licensed, with reasonably priced wines, and
the staff are just as delightful as ever. As a special treat the chef
came over and cooked and flambeed crepes suzettes at our table, sprinkling
them liberally with Grand Marnier (my birthday present!)
Villa
Marina -
In the Marina Mirage, diagonally opposite Omeros. Good Italian cooking.
Friendly.
Il
Centro -
Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane. Large, very well-filled, rather smart,
("trendy"?) Italian, mainly seafood. Very good food, but
no 'atmosphere'. One of their signature dishes is the sand-crab lasagne,
which is pure ambrosia.
Augellos -
Good innovative food. I had linguini with clams and peppi with asparagus
and boccino (bread with a kind of cheese and asparagus. Reasonable.
695 Brunswick Street,
Tel 07 3254 0275.
Montrachet -
224 Given Terrace, Padddington, Qld 4064. Tel: 07 3367 0030. A French
restaurant, the best restaurant I have been to in Brisbane.
I
also went to an interesting-looking centre called the Emporium,
where there were lots of restaurants, we ate at a good one called Capri (apparently
the pizzas are very good there).
Also one at James St called Cru’s,
quite good but a bit ‘less informal than Capri, and the seats/stools
more uncomfortable. The wine was good, though.
Restaurant
2 -
(Edward St.?) Very good but a bit pricey.
Venice -
The Broadwalk. Quite nice, but it is more of a light-bite-for-lovers
place, though (owing to its excellent location) popular with groups.
Coro - Coronation
Drive. This has been taken over and done up recently. I do not
like the décor at all, pokie machines in the next room,
swirly carpets (and curtains?) and an uncomfortable-looking white
leather bar space BUT good food. It was voted the best seafood
restaurant in Australia (I can’t believe it is better than Omeros!)
I had a green curry, and it was excellent.
Oxleys (on
the river), Brisbane. Absolutely perfect location, right on the edge
of the river and the tide was unusually high the day I was there, BUT
the food was not very good, the cook’s hand must have slipped
with the cornflour in the crab chowder. But they did refund the price.
Wang
Dynasty -
Another good location on the south bank of the river, but unfortunately
the food was not good.
Park Road East
- 14 Park Road - Milton - Brisbane - Tel: 07 3369 1111
This
is a bit pricey, but well worth it. Décor
had nothing I really objected to, Eastern wallpaper, photos
and statues of Buddha; service was good, and the cooking was
Excellent I had black cardamom spiced 'Jacob's Creek' Wagyu
rump, sticky rice cake, kai lan leaf, baby glazed vegetables
with anise and mandarin reduction. Really tender meat, with
a wonderful sauce, so rich! A good wine by the glass. A Monte
Avocado merlo. To follow I had cardamom, vanilla and saffron
brulee, halva ice-cream, almond and pistachio bread. That was
simply delicious. The chef is Kim Machin, pronounced Menchin.
And the toilet is on the level. This resaturant has closed,
and an Indian one has opened. Not nearly as good as 'Indus'
with a ridiculously high corkage charge on BYO's.
16th on the Park - This
is extremely convenient for me, the food is usually ok.
There are several cafes in the ‘savoir faire’ complex in
Park Road, they seen pretty much the same, and in all of them I find
the service too slow.
Park
Road East - 14
Park Road - Milton - Brisbane - Tel: 07 3369 1111
This is a bit pricey, but well worth it. Décor had
nothing I really objected to, Eastern wallpaper, photos and
statues of Buddha; service was good, and the cooking was
Excellent I had black cardamom spiced ‘Jacob’s
Creek’ Wagyu rump, sticky rice cake, kai lan leaf,
baby glazed vegetables with anise and mandarin reduction.
Really tender meat, with a wonderful sauce, so rich! A good
wine by the glass. A Monte Avocado merlot
To follow I had cardamom, vanilla and saffron brulee, halva
ice-cream, almond and pistachio bread. That was simply delicious.
The chef is Kim Machin, pronounced Menchin. And the toilet
is on the level.
Two Small Rooms -
517 Milton Road (corner of Eldrdge Street), Toowong
(a suburb of Brisbane), Tel.07 3371 5251. Owned by
a Dane, and it was really excellent. I had curried
lentil and minted yogurt cucumber with roasted garlic
oil soup, followed by veal and mushroom roulad washed
down with a delicious glass of pinot noir. A reduction
of duck stock was served first, in true European style,
ad an amuse-bouche.
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Sydney
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Restaurants
in Sydney, Australia
Marque,
355 Crown Street, Surrey Hills, Sydney, NSW
2010, Tel. 02 9332
2225. One of the
best French restaurants I have been to. It was pretty
hard to find, the taxi driver didn't know it (useless
man!). Meals cost about A$100 a head, but it's really
worth it, the tastes are unusual, it is beauifully presented,
the meat if cooked to perfection, so tender! and there
is a really good and knowledgeable sommelier. |
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Melbourne
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Melbourne
Restaurants, Australia
Cicciolina’s,
240 Acland Street, South Melbourne. A wonderful, unpretentious
Italian restaurant. I read about it in the Virgin Blue
magazine- apparently Madonna was turned away and I can
see why, it gets very full and you can’t reserve
a table in advance.
The food really is excellent, and I thoroughly recommend
it. I had a soufflé
of blue swimmer crab meat, shallot and lemon thyme,
(which gave it a wonderful flavour) served with a champagne
and chive veloute. Then a slow braised veal shank and
catechino sausage, served on potato puree with braised
lentils and mustard fruit. The only drawback is the
loo – right outside the restaurant, round the
back and along a courtyard.
Zanzibar,
350 Latrobe Street. The food here looks as though it is all home-cooked.
I had a really tasty lasagne – made with fresh pasta. The lady
who owned it came from Babylon. |
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Queensland
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Queensland
Restaurants, Australia
The Indus,
Shop 3 147 Latrobe
Terrace, Paddington. Neither
of us really fancied going to an Indian restaurant, but
it looked welcoming and we were hungry. The
food was good, and I thought the décor was lovely; huge
pottery plates hung on the wall, lovely-shaped vases with
an orchid in them, very simple and beautiful. 3.7.07.
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London
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London Restaurants
The Chop-house - Montague
Street, near (alm!most under!) Tower Bridge. Vegan,
vegetarian and ‘normal’ home cooking.
Neal’s Yard salad bar,
8-10 Neal’s yard, Covent Garden, WC2H. 020 7836 3233. Cheap,
good service and delicious. I had sweet potato and ginger soup – really
tasty and a wonderful consistency. And they bake all their own
bread without using wheat!!! |
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(+61 2) 3367 2280
www.maggieblacks.com.au |
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April 30, 2008
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