irenet

When in Rome... eat here

irenet lo descubrió en diciembre de 2008

Here it is! I found it! The mysterious pizza place in Rome with the Formula 1 theme (duh) and the 'hot silly goose pizza' (see picture).

The food is really, really good and the atmosphere is super-local. But the menu is translated into weird English.

I recognized it from a review on:
rome.spottedbylocals.com/by-activity/restaurants-rome/formula-1

listas: sit down meals

etiquetas: funny menu, pizza

argentinian pizza stop

I've been going to this Argentine pizzeria since I was a teenager and I still love it. They moved across the street a couple of years (?) ago, but the formula is still the same: you eat standing or at tall counter-like tables. So it's the perfect transition from pre-dinner drinks to post-dinner drinks... ;-)

My favorite dish here is the pascualina, a spinach pie with feta cheese and onions, seasoned with nutmeg... but the pizzas are great too.

You usually get a complimentary piece of their cake with dulce de leche over it... which I'm not super fond of, but I appreciate the gesture. And the owners are really funny characters.

listas: grabbing a quick bite

etiquetas: argentine, favorites, fugazzetta, malasaña, nightlife, pascualina, pizza, under 15€, vegetarian ok

just married

A great park, a couple of blocks down from the Plaza de España... the view of southern (?) Madrid is lovely. Wonderful place to hang out when the weather's right.

Be there at sunset any time in May if you want to see couples getting their wedding photos taken. Watch the photographers struggle to keep the other wedding parties out of their frame... well, I find it amusing. :-)

The temple that the park is named for was donated by the Egyptian government, it's pretty unique. Read about it here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Templo_de_Debod

etiquetas: outdoors, parks, sunset

Singer Sargent and the Italian Stallion

I love everything about this museum, the building included. There's something special about it.

They have an awesome collection of 19th-20th century European Art. I remember being very impressed with the Cezanne bathers and one of his Mont Sainte-Victoire paintings. I saw a lot of Duchamp too.

It also was the first place I really experienced American artists and portraits by Singer Sargent, Eakins, Austin Abbey ...

I can't wait to go back someday.

Movie trivia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Steps

listas: USA

etiquetas: 19th century art, 20th century art, art, culture, decorative arts, fine arts, museum, paintings

above all, well above-average

Too bad my pictures aren't great. This place has a really nice atmosphere which I really wasn't able to capture with a cell phone camera.

The service was great (though slow due to Restaurant Week) and the food is fan-tas-tic. Portions weren't large, which was what I was kind of hoping for that evening, but here are some reasons why I loved Cornucopia:

a) Not an extensive menu, but a larger-than-average percentage of vegetarian options on it

b) A better-than-average music selection (no favorites, but bearable if you're picky like I am)

c) They know how to use mushrooms and Parmesan cheese in their cuisine. Everywhere else I go it's always excessive

d) The apple pie is real American-style, and served with a scoop of awesome vanilla ice-cream

Cons (if any)
Cheesecake, not great. Portions, small. A/C was, like the apple pie, American style (full blast).

Non-RW prices might have made the price harder to swallow: 32 €/person for 2 starters, 2 main courses, 2 desserts and 2 waters before the 50% discount

listas: sit down meals

etiquetas: dinner, mid-price, mrw09, restaurant, romantic, vegetarian ok

very memorable

Sa Posada is on a side street near Plaza Gomila, on the way to Bellver Castle in a kind of gross smelling side street. It's a medium-sized locale that keeps cool by staying relatively dark. From the outside it's not inviting, but inside it's quite cozy. Though the mismatched chairs and tables aren't too comfortable.

The menu is a mix of local cooking and Arabic cuisine. And the food is excellent, hearty, healthy and flavorful. They have lots of vegetarian options: tabouleh, pa amb oli with hummus, baba-ganoush and cheeses... but it's not a vegetarian restaurant.

The chocolate cake is a contender for the BEST I've had in my life, it was that good!

Prices from 7 to 12 euros per dish. Our meal wasn't cheap, but worth every penny.

listas: sit down meals

etiquetas: chocolate cake, healthy, hummus, lebanese, pa amb oli, recommended, tabouleh, vegetarian ok

sunny side up

They boast of serving the best OJ in town. And it's pretty darn good, actually. Plus the glass comes decorated with a large chunk of pineapple.

It would be the perfect place for a late Sunday morning breakfast if it were a little quieter and tasteful (it's a bit cheesy looking). The big windows allow for a lot of light, which makes up for the horrible decor.

The locale is right next to the Acacias subway exit.

WARNING: Too small to allow smoking, and this is Spain - there is always someone smoking.

etiquetas: breakfast, cafe, food, my top picks, recommended, vegetarian ok

An instant favorite

Seoul is an 'asador' style place that was converted into a Korean restaurant, which benefits from the rustic feeling of the previous business. The place is magical, with great service and absolutely delicious food.

And prices were pretty decent as well: 20 euro per person, 2 dishes each with a side of kimchee to share + soft-drinks and 1 dessert, 1 tea.

I am now a big fan of Korean cuisine in general and of this restaurant in particular. I'll be back for sure!

listas: sit down meals

etiquetas: 12€ lunch menu, 20€, asian, favorites, korean, recommended

Spanish bread, Arab pastry

irenet lo descubrió en noviembre de 2008

Minuscule bakery on Ave María street. It's very easy to miss, so look out for a figurine of a baker (about the size of a garden elf) that the owner pulls out on the sidewalk when the store is open.

The baguette bread is good and they have a reasonable variety of other types. They also sell delicious Arabic pastries (kanafeh?) for 18 €/kilo. So four little nut & honey delights will cost you around 2,50€.

listas: grocery stores and bakeries

etiquetas: arab, bread, bread store, kanafeh, pastry, sweet-tooth

irenet lo descubrió en julio de 2009

Bellver is a fortified castle at the top of a hill. It's really within Palma, removed from the Cathedral and what seems to me to be the 'downtown'.

The castle was built in the 1300's but hasn't served as a fort as much as it has been used for a jail.

2,5 euros regular entrance, 1 euro with student discount

The 20' trek uphill through the surrounding forest (Bosque de Beller) is good exercise. And the view is breathtakingly beautiful.

Advice: bring along a bottle of water and some sunglasses.

Official info from Palma government page:

palmademallorca.es/portalPalma2/floc_d4_v1.jsp?tipo=1&agrupacion...

listas: by day, culture

etiquetas: castle, culture, excursion, great view, history, museum, parks, sights