A little European mid-week adventure

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[The European, Spring street Melbourne]

Open: 7.30 to 3am

“…Breakfast to supper, 7 days a week, The European serves honest, simple food, sourcing only the best produce from Australia and Europe. This institution is a must visit, even if it’s just for one of this cities finest coffees…” (http://www.theeuropean.com.au)

It wasn’t our initial intention to be at The European (although, it is always a delight being there), Miss H and I started our day eager to try an ACTUAL breakfast at Cumulus inc

We’d previously been paralysed with culinary joy at a share platter of something sweet and savoury, but had never returned due to my adventure to Germany, so luck & fait were our ladies that day as Cumulus was a bubbling over with way too many people and we made our way to try something a little more “European” as there is nothing more frustrating than “enjoying” a breakfast whilst tactfully “crowd surfing”, and NOT eavesdropping on a billion (very fast paced) conversations. (What I didnt get was, they were all in suits – hello work anyone? hahah)

So, when we stepped foot into a less “stock market vibing environment” to a more relaxed one at The European, our tummies were looking for some yummies!

It was particularly humid on this day, and a hot breakfast was not really looking appetising – although, being inside the warm hues of The European, you immediately get transported to somewhere very Winter in Europe and long for that glorious aroma of “home-style, slow cooked” meals.(I immediately was transported to many a cosy feast in France, Luxembourg, Germany…)

So.. Miss H ordered her favourite Brioche with assorted jams:

And I opted for some fresh fruit salad:

It was very exiting to see the “usual suspects” of a fruit salad were absent, rather a myriad of delicious bite sized delights which simultaneously stimulated my 5 senses were very much present. 🙂

It was AS bursting with flavour as it was bursting with colour, aroma and the assorted textures. Uniting the flavour differences was a delicious natural yoghurt, and whimsically presented pot of honey.

I was in culinary, breakfast heaven. 🙂

There is nothing like the sheer, unadulterated joy of a simple, yet flavoursome breakfast. (or any meal really) Its exiting when the produce is so good, it really doesn’t need much else.

Upon leaving The European in one of my post breakfast bliss moods, we made our way to explore a little bit of Melbourne city that I had missed!.

Living in Melbourne allows us to experience such treats that transport our senses to another place. We live in tumultuous times, but its nice to know that a little adventure to Europe is a stones throw away.

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Tastefully yours

Advertisement

A perfect embodiment of a concept

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[The Paragon, 651 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North VIC]

Phone: (03) 9347 7715 ‎

Paragon, definition:

• an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept
• ideal: model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal

Had to get out of the house on this particular day… so Ang and I took a drive down to her ‘home away from home’ in leafy carlton – and we took a stroll to The Paragon.

Did some reading, and this establishment has been around for over 25 years!!! whoah baby! and I’d never stepped foot into nor heard of it before… awkward.

Ang, being a big foodie and coming from a big family of foodies, had heard about this place, so we just had to try it.

We werent that hungry (due to the heat) and so we were fancying a shareplatter of some sort.

Antipasto platter:

Looks amazing doesn’t it?…and it was except for the ‘so off it was tangy’ roasted capsicum… fail!.

Fortunately for us, the waiter/waitress was amazing (we had one older charming gentleman, and a friendly waitress fighting for our table ;)) and were able to promptly bring us out another platter…that wasn’t tangalicious.

Take 2:

With a beautiful wine in hand, we people watched, and enjoyed the balmy evening in leafy Rathdowne street.

Prices are reasonable for such a polished establishment, and service was quick and very charming – pity the food wasn’t checked before sending it out… uhoh!

One of the beautiful qualities of melbourne is our love of food, and the outdoors…I’d missed that being away. Sure there is an unbelievable amount of culture and history in Germany, but the variety choice doesn’t exist.

Having said that though, my stadt (city) Trier, in Germany, was one of the most amazing places I have visited. Living there had its ups and down, but overall I enjoyed coming home to Trier. It was my home away from home.

Sara, if you’re reading this HELLO! 🙂 wie gehts? Ich vermisse dich! and ofcourse Russell – greetings to you too! (Hope you’re well lubed up with a cocktail or two for birthday celebrations!! blue cadillac much? :))

To all in the fairy tale city of Trier, I hope you’re safe, warm and having fun. I miss you all and hope to see you all one day very soon.

bis bald!

Tchuess!!

. . .
with love and tastefully yours,

Weihnachtsmarkt [Christmas Markets] in Germany

[Trier, Germany]

Its beginning to look a lot like christmas… 🙂 [I’m totally singing to myself right now]

A lot of people seem dislike this time of year, for various reasons. But for me, I reaaaaaaaaaaally really love it!. Its energetic, frantic, emotional and usually a sign that schools, uni, work and WINTER is coming to a halt…however in the northern hemisphere, winter is FULL STEAM AHEAD… but less steam, MORE SNOW!

Being my first German Christmas/winter, everything is wonderful, and new and awe-inspiring. It truly is  a winter wonderland. Everything makes little more sense celebrating the holiday season when its ‘brain-freezingly’ cold. Like, singing ‘baby its cold outside’ when its ACTUALLY cold outside…

However, I crave the sun, the heat and wearing floaty shimmery dresses to christmas lunch/dinner and all December long.

For me, there is something very odd, but beautiful about rugging up to head outdoors this time of year… making sure you’re layered up like an onion and putting on your hats and scarves. But I think, as much as I adore it and admire it, I would take slipping on a floaty number, popping on my haviannas and wearing SUNSCREEN over a scarf any day…

Yes, I may sound a tad homesick, and maybe thats b/c in a few days I’ll be in Melbourne and sweating like a ‘p***’ eating my words :)…ahh *sigh* the grass is always greener…

Anywho, whilst being in the most random place in Europe, we discovered the joys of European Christmas – the Weihnachtsmart [Christmas markets]. But especially the on in our town – Trier Weihnachtsmarkt. And the sheer joy of Christmas market food!

*Gluhwein [mulled wine]
*Hot chocolate with baileys
*Eggnog

*Poffetjes [dutch pancakes]
*waffles
*crepes

*Schocofruecte [delicious chocolate covered fresh fruit]
*Mushrooms/panfried potatoes
*Potato cakes with apple sauce

and SO MUCH MORE!!!!

If you’re on a diet – forget about it. Indulge in deep-fried, sugar-coated salty numbers and pile on the christmas weight to keep you cosy for this jolly season.

Heres a Christmas mishmash of delicious yummies and the magical backdrop that was my home for the greater part of this year….Trier

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If you don’t celebrate christmas, I hope you enjoy your holiday season and for those who do, wherever you are I hope you’re enjoying some good food and taking time to reflect on the year that has been…2010.

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Tastefully yours,

Joanna

Angels in London [part 2]

[The Regent Public House, Angel]
201 Liverpool Road, London N1 1L

Sundays are my favourite days for a lazy breakfast whilst discussing the night before enjoying an all day breakfast affair. Whether it is sweet or savoury, hot or cold….[and in this case healthy or not so :)], there is nothing more enjoyable than good simple food in good company.

Sometimes, there is nothing more delicious than fresh hot Pizza on a Sunday arvo-boys watching football and Liesel and I thoroughly enjoying some not necessary tasty morsels for the hips.

 

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For drinks, some dabbled in the beer variety, Liesel and I tried Luscombe’s Elderflower Bubbly. 🙂 It’s a beautiful harmony of ‘just the right amount of sweet’ & ‘just the right amount of bubbles’ to brighten up a miserably cold and grey London Sunday. [and to aid me from my Primark suicide trip I was about to embark on, brace yourselves for some retail crowd surfing!!]

Prices were friendly and so were the staff. The venue is equipped for a lot of football watching, so beware if you’re up for a more lively atmosphere. It’s so couchy and so relaxed [except when someone shoots a goal]  it ALMOST feels like you’re in the sun enjoying a cold bevvie. ALMOST. 🙂

This weekend, team London are venturing to the German side for a bit of Chrissie marketing. The Weihnachtmarkts are in full gear, and up until a few days ago, the town was a winterwonderland. AND not to mention the coldest I’d ever experienced – getting a brain freeze walking to the station is NOT OK! 😐

However, the snow has almost all melted and now we are left with drizzle and grey…I guess I’d rather the SUPER FREEZE as it comes with a beautiful white blanket… keeping our hearts warm :).

We’re heading to Cologne this w/e, so I’ll keep you posted with sugar-coated lovelies.

 

. . .

Tastefully yours,

Joanna

Angels in London [part 1]

[Delhi Grill, Angel]

Being in London again was a strange feeling – like awaking from a really vivid dream. I visited my old place of work, and caught up with my dearest ex-boss and it was like I’d never left. Except so much had changed, including myself.

It’s an amazing buzz just to be surrounded by the assorted energies London has to offer. Coming from the somewhat quiet ‘town’ of approx 100, 000 populated Trier [or 120,000, depending on who’s talking] it was a shell shock for approximately 1/2 hour, then the ‘city’ me kicked in…I walked a little faster and was  a little bit more aware of my surroundings. I whipped out my Oyster, as I whipped my hair back and forth…[hehe!]

I was getting the feeling that I could absolutely MURDER SOME INDIAN & ASIAN FOOD!!!! and pretty much as soon as I walked through customs, I was on my hunt for a) Amazing LDN Indian food & b) Salt pepper squid!!

We went to this amazing Indian place round the corner from Roy/zel’s on Chapel Market in Angel by the name of ‘Delhi Grill’

[I had an excess of images, so I bunged them all into a sweet package for your viewing pleasure….]

We feasted on Lamb, Chicken, Beef, Lentils, Samosas, Naan and Papadams. For dessert Kulfi was on the menu!! – I’ve never tried this before, but it was amazingly creamy and decadent.

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I think this is where I totally need to apologise for comments re: LDN food/customer service… I take it back. I really do, I have to give LDN credit for some perrrty good Indian, and Delhi Grill is, as they pride themselves on ‘Indian food as it should be…freshly ground spices, slow cooked and not swimming in oil. It was a delicious guilt free meal that was easy on the hip pocket.

If you like a bit of Indian to warm up a ‘brain-freeze’ worthy evening and NOT feel like you went for a curry swim – head to Delhi Grill, satisfaction guaranteed.

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Tastefully yours,

Joanna

Birthday Breakfast Bonanza!!

[Eden Crown, Eindhoven]

The restaurant, ‘Simply Bread’, where we indulged in some serious breakfast action is also open to the public and it only open until 11.ooam. Therefore, it was incentive for us to awake bright and early to enjoy some Rooibos tea, hot or cold breakfast, and internet whilst discussing the night before.

Did I mention it was a BUFFET?? oh yum!!! oh sweet sweet yum!

[Images on the placemats]

I started off with what became my breakfast ritual:

* Fresh croissant
* Fresh tomatoes
* Brie
* Cumin seed cheese & swiss cheese
* Amazing bacon. [Seriously amazing lightly crunchy and the right amount of oil]
* Some kind of cold meat… still don’t know 😦
* Fresh fruit + yoghurt + honey

and for the bevvies, I always had a glass of water, freshly squeezed OJ and a delicious cup of South Africa’s finest Rooibos tea. YUM!!!

I fell in love with Rooibos tea a few years back when I was living in LDN, and a really good friend of mind [Shyam] had a Saffa roommate [who was so awesome!!] and he just LOVED the stuff, consequently got me hooked. I then moved back to Melbourne and couldn’t find it anyway, or rather…. my love of hot and iced Chai Lattes took over. It wasn’t until Eindhoven that Rooibos and I were once again reunited. Bless you Eindhoven :), so lovely in so many ways!!. 🙂

I write this as I reminisce one of the most relaxing holidays I’ve had in a while…and as I write, the snow in Trier has just started to fall. For a Melbourne girl living in Germany… this is truly magical. *sigh* Its like tiny pieces of fairy floss floating down from the heavens. At least if its going to be this cold, please let the roads be sugar-coated…

The Christmas markets/Weinachtsmarkt have begun, and the joyous spirit is all around…the snow just makes it that much more beautiful.

🙂

Hope you’re warm and cosy wherever you are…

. . .

Tastefully yours,

. . .

Gauchos = Grouchos…

[Gauchos, Eindhoven]

There are few words to describe this place…

The food-it was ok.

The service-was truly the most terrible I have ever experienced.

There were tables around us that hadn’t been cleared for almost an hour, or more even! and our food kept being served even though the last course hadn’t been cleared. At one point we had to actually stack the dished up high in the middle of the table….

As you can see below, our dessert [of Icecream and sauce] was served whilst our main course was still alive and breathing… awkward.

It didn’t make sense. The staff were physically there, but not in any mental or serving capacity.

It looked like a restaurant, smelt like a restaurant…but it didn’t ‘taste’ like one.

Although the photos don’t look so bad, I must tell you sitting around for approximately 45minutes [felt like 10 hours] between courses… is well so NOT ok!..

Anyway, we ordered, we waited, we ate…we almost didn’t pay. Then we left to ‘coffee shop’ our bad experience away. 🙂

Menus are beautiful to look at… but buyer beware!!

Entree: Mushroom soup.
Tasted pretty good, but we WERE starving, and had waited for a billion years for it to arrive, it wasn’t until we politely inquired where oh where our dishes were a couple of times did they arrive.

Entree: Calabrese Salad. With olives and iceberg lettuce…. hmm ok! [tasted pretty harmless though]

Main: Steak… I heard it was good.

My sad and lonely Salmon with some green and 2 yellows was also just ok. All they really needed to do was SEASON the crap out of it and fluff around with some presentation, and it would’ve been ok. ahh sigh… 😐

Service, ambience, presentation… all the things that really have nothing to do with the taste [directly], all heavily impact on the satisfaction result.
All these very simple things.

Look, I dunno, maybe there was an accident in the kitchen and thats why all the staff were being so strange….We’ll never know, but I tell you what, I’ll never be going back there again. I hate to say, I’d be so much more satisfied with fish ‘n’ chips or Maccas, at least I know what I’m in for.

Maybe thats just it, maybe our expectations were too high?

They were ‘talking the talking’ of being a restaurant, but not the walk…

They lured us in with great decor and well presented waiting staff, then trapped us in for one of the top 10 worst meals I’ve ever had. Sucks to be me. ;)FML

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Tastefully yours,

. . .