Le Tais
Where? Le Tais (11th Arrondissement, Paris, France) Map
When? Saturday April 29, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Algerian Barbeque
I have no idea where I am. I just wandered down the road from my hotel to see what was open. This place is busy and I have no idea what's going on. My limited Français managed to get me a table but my super confused facial expression prompted the waiter to find someone English speaking.
He explains that they're a grilled meats place and the raw meat is sitting on full display by the window. I can choose what I want and get it grilled on a plate. Okay! This sounds alright! I've ordered a selection of meats and a mixed salad. Other options available on the menu include couscous and lentils, so I'm guessing I'm in a Middle Eastern restaurant - I'm a little far away, they're actually North African.
Entree
House Salad
The mixed salad is quite big. They've provided me with two bottles of unknown liquids so I just pour them on to see what they are. Olive oil and mayonnaise. Great! That's fortunate! I won't eat all of it now; I'll save some for the meat platter.
Mains
Mixed Grill Platter
The meat platter is here. Oh goodness. I chose one chicken, one spicy chicken and one lamb liver kebab, and two lamb cutlets. I go for the chicken first; yum! It's good. Wonderful texture, not dry at all, and full of that lovely smokiness that all grilled meat should have. Next, the lamb liver. Not as tasty as the chicken, but still good, tad too tough. I think it needs to be highly spiced, Momo's Tea in Mt Albert does a good job with theirs. The spicy chicken is unfortunately not spicy, but still tasty. I have to finish the kebabs first so there's space on the plate to cut up the cutlets. They're salted nicely, lots of flavour, but definitely overcooked, perhaps at medium to well. It's still good though, and I'm well satisfied.
Posted by Jeremy at 6:18pm on Friday June 9, 2017 :: 0 comments :: 
L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Where? L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele (Naples, Italy) Map
When? Tuesday April 18, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian Pizza
Naples is known for its pizza, and of course I have to go to this Michelin star restaurant for my fix. It was made additionally famous by Julia Roberts as one of her dining destinations in Eat, Pray, Love. At €4 for a normal sized pizza, this is one of the cheapest Michelin star restaurants in the world. Choose from margherita or marinara and watch the kitchen prepare your pizza in front of your eyes.
Pizza
Margherita - tomato and cheese
Naturally, the restaurant is packed, even at 5.30pm, so I've had no choice but to takeaway my margherita. Of course, if you can dine in, then I would recommend doing so, just so the pizza is fresh and hot off the oven. Despite cooling a little bit, the pizza is full of flavour and I love the fresh garlic on top. Definitely worth it for the amount of money I paid, but it's not mind blowing.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:31am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Da Gigino
Where? Da Gigino (Sorrento, Italy) Map Menu
When? Monday April 17, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
It's my last night in Sorrento and I'm at another unassuming alleyway restaurant. I think one thing I appreciate about many Italian menus is that they detail allergens for each meal, as well as what products are frozen. This definitely influences what I order. I've chosen a caponata for antipasto and a mixed platter for secondi. The house white is a very generous pour of a crisp dry wine and I have no idea what kind of grape it is.
Antipasto
Caponata Sorrentina - "frisella", eggplant, cherry tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, olives, tuna and capers
I don't actually know what a caponata is, but here is one done Sorrento style. It looks like a giant bruschetta but it's full of delicious cherry tomatoes, olives, capers and tuna, with a mozzarella ball on top. I can detect some fennel seeds which I'm not really a fan of, but they're not overpowering. I think it would have been nicer to serve the tuna raw or seared in thin slices, just so it doesn't look like it's come from a can. It's not a bad dish. The bread has maintained crispiness despite all the oil and liquid on top of it, and the cherry tomatoes are my favourite thing on the plate.
Secondo Piatto
Misto di Carne alla Griglia - mix of grilled meat
The mixed grill is exactly what it is: a plate of grilled meats with no sauce. It does have a nice smokiness to it though, so I can probably make do with adding my own olive oil, balsamic and salt. The chicken is a bit dry, but the beef is quite good. The pork has questionable texture. Again, it's just another okay dish, possibly even below average. I'm not sticking around for dessert at this restaurant.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:28am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Ristorante Fuoro
Where? Ristorante Fuoro (Sorrento, Italy) Map
When? Sunday April 16, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
Back in Sorrento, I'm at another recommendation by Yelp, which says the Caprese salad is excellent here, so that's a definite, especially since I didn't get one on Capri Island itself. I'm also intrigued by this bacon wrapped pork in red wine with hazelnuts, so that will be my secondo piatto; otherwise I would have probably gone for the seared tuna. The restaurant is in one of Sorrento's little alleyways that runs parallel to the main road, and there's an accordionist playing, of all songs, That's Amore, at the back of the room.
Antipasto
Insalata Caprese - tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad
Oh boy. The salad is good. The tomatoes have a great flavour, they don't have that gross water taste. It's such a simple dish but it's done very well. It goes to show what a big difference the addition of salt, black pepper, olive oil and mixed herbs can do to enhance a basic salad.
Secondo Piatto
Maialino Lardellato - bacon-wrapped prok with red wine and chopped hazelnuts
The pork is here and the bacon smells wonderful. I'm not sold on the lukewarm greens in the corner, nor on the hazelnuts sprinkled on the top, but the pork is thick and meaty, and there's lots of rich red wine sauce. The bacon is the clear winner on the plate. The pork is maybe a smidgen overdone but it's got flavour, the wine balancing the saltiness of the bacon perfectly.
Dessert
Tiramisu
I feel like it's been a while since I've had tiramisu and I'd like a break from all the citrus desserts. The sponge is a bit soggy from the rum but the flavour is there. Certainly not the best tiramisu I've had but it's good enough.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:24am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Da Pasquale Capri Street Food
Where? Da Pasquale Capri Street Food (Capri, Italy) Map
When? Sunday April 16, 2017
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
I'm only in Capri for a few hours, so after a quick run of the southern coast, I'm back in the center of town for lunch. This restaurant is on the way to Anacapri on Via Roma, and quite away from the crowds of the central plaza. I want something quick so I can get back to sightseeing, and I'll probably grab some gelato elsewhere. I've gone for the chef's recommendation, the ravioli alla caprese.
Primo Piatto
Ravioli alla Caprese
It's silky and smooth, in a rich tomato sauce with lots of herbs - and there is plenty of sauce! It will be great with the bread on the side. I love it.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:19am on Saturday April 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::