This section of the city is amazing. It has a real Middle Eastern feel combined with far east. There is one main street next to the ancient city wall which you can turn off to reach the Great Mosque. The street is alive with people and the perfect place to sit and enjoy the unique Chinese Muslim culture and food of spiced meats, noodles with a type of bread dough and delicious spicy flatbreads. I enjoyed many a beer here watching the world go by.
City centre
Three great restaurants. Relaxed and friendly atmosphere; superb fish with stunning desserts - the trio of creme brulee was superb and enough to share.
Not cheap but worth every penny. Don't miss it - the two TV chefs borrowed the name, with permission. Named after the first to open at 88 Dumbarton Road.
118a Blythswood St G2 - close to Sauchiehall St
88 Dumbarton Road G11
and a new one in Argyle St.
I'm absolutely crazy for Brazilian food and I've been around the country enough to be able to enjoy all types of different dishes, from carne de sol (sundried meat) to the Carioca famous feijoada. One of my all-time favourites though, is the moqueca de camarao, which is made from shrimp with milk-coconut stew. It's a typical dish that originates from Bahia, but you can find it in Rio, in an excellent restaurant called Azul Marinho.
It's right at the Arpoador in Ipanema, so you'll be privileged with a breathtaking view while eating this amazing food!
Avenida Francisco Bhering
Arpoador
www.cozinhatipica.com.br/ver_restaurante.php?id=1
This quality Italian place, focused on simply executed dishes based on fresh produce is a great new addition to the surprisingly limited St Albans dining scene.
Despite its affluence and increasing popularity as one of the nicest places to commute to London from, St Albans has a pretty disappointing range of places to eat out. Sure, there's the creditable Darcy's on Hatfield Road, a recent addition to the slick Loch Fyne seafood chain on Verulam Road (plus a great, unpretentious curry house in Mumtaj on London Road) but that's about it. Until now.
Cibo DiVino opened in summer 2007 and despite its central, if relatively unprepossessing location behind M&S and Boots there are treats in store.
Service is warm and welcoming, the room is cosy and well lit, homemade bread is offered with your apertif (we had a couple of glasses of appley house Prosecco).
The focus is on fresh regional Italian food (think modern Italian style championed by the likes of the River Cafe or Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall). Some examples from the short but appetising menu are: antipasti (say, buffalo mozzarella with grilled vegetables, an autumnal lentil soup), pasta (I had a delicious rabbit and black olive ragu with fettuccine but there was also linguine with clams), fish (simply grilled whole bream, scallops with cauliflower puree), meat and game (guinea fowl with polenta, a veal chop), vegetables and desserts (honey semi-freddo, tiramisu).
Expect to pay about £50 a head for the works: aperitifs, three courses, a good bottle of wine, coffee. We were offered a complimentary digestif.
We really hope this charming place is a success - it fills a much needed space and does so really well.
Cibo DiVino Ristorante Italiano
4-5 Waddington Road
St. Albans
AL3 5EX
www.cibodivino.co.uk
Tel 01727899189
St Albans City (mainline/Thameslink) or St Albans Abbey (branch line from Watford/Silverlink)
The best Mexican food I have eaten outside the States. The interior is bright and used authentic Mexican colours and the food is fab. I especially loved the carnitas which took me back home to Santa Fe. Worth a visit.
64 Thistle Street Edinburgh, eh2 1en
www.texmex2.com
0131 260 9699
Rural hotel on the Sierra Espuna mountain range, wonderful welcome, a real feel at home hotel (only the food is better!!), great walking on the Espuna, lots to do if you like nature and the great outdoors. We'll be back next year.
Gebas, Sierra Espuna, Alhama de Murcia, Murcia, 0034 968631008, www.espuna-adventure.com, 9 km from the nearest railway station in Alhama de Murcia, need transport to enjoy the vast area!
Firstly Danielle's Pizzas are amazing. You might wonder why pizza in Rhodes, well, the Italians occupied Rhodes between the wars. I guess it rubbed off. Definitely the best pizza you will get anywhere.
Also in Afandou Theo's Taverna is a small fish taverna set in the traditional village house that Theo the owner and chef was born in.
Wonderful food prepared by the whole family, try the prawns in ouzo sauce. Theo is a fantastic character who wants all his customers to enjoy the real Greece.
Both in Afandou village.
Danielle's is just off the square in the main street.
Theo's is up a side street opposite Eleni Restaurant.
I did not know what to expect when I went to CBF with my family, and may I say I was quite impressed! We were told at the restaurant that their main specialty was Portuguese food, from Portugal (duh!) aside from some Spanish dishes, like paella, very good. But the best by far was their cod fish with baked potatoes, olives and shrimp, just heaven! My kids loved it too, but my husband and I enjoyed it the most. It also seemed to have some of that atmosphere based on the country where the food originates from, Portugal. Anyway, quite a family-friendly spot for an afternoon lunch.
Praça Tiradentes 83, Downtown
A fascinating and entertaining three-hour tour of Chelsea Market and the meat packing district. A well- informed and very funny guide took us on a 'grazing' tour of great shops and restaurants. We ate very well, learnt a lot and had a real laugh. And all for $40.00 which was good value. They do Greenwich Village as well.
Borough Market hasn’t got a patch on Shilin Night Market in Taipei. Instead of going to bars and pubs, the Taiwanese congregate at night markets, so it’s also a great place to get a feel for local life. Shilin was one of the best I went to and it’s great for sampling Taiwan’s delicacies from stinky tofu and pearl tea to oyster omelette and Shilin sausages. The market extends down rabbit warrens of streets and is also great for picking up cheap Converse trainers, clothes and gifts.
Taipower Building MRT station
We found this Parilla restaurant around the corner from the 4 Points by Sheraton hotel in the city centre. The service was excellent - the manager/owner speaks good English and the food was superb.
Complimentary shots at the end just added to the experience!
San Jose 1065
Tel: 903 2120
www.locosdeasar.com
Newly refurbished Bar BS3 in Ashton, Bristol has a pleasant atmosphere, friendly staff, a good entertainment programme including karaoke, DJ music, live entertainment and a quiz night. There is a great menu of freshly prepared and charcoal-grilled steaks, burgers, chicken wings and vegetarian options at very affordable prices.
Ashton Road, opposite Greville Smyth Park and just along from the Bristol City Football ground
The restaurant on the 95th floor is excellent value and has incredible views of the city and Lake Michigan. Would recommend it over Sears Tower as there is no queue or fee to enter.
John Hancock Centre
One of the classiest Indian restaurants in Liverpool, and one of the many different eateries in Lark Lane. The food is delicious (all of it), the service is second-to-none and the place oozes luxury, cleanliness and attention to detail. Large, exotic menu. £15 to £20 per head, so not especially expensive.
15-21 Lark Lane
Between Aigburth Road and Sefton Park
St. Michael's Station is 10 mins. walk away.
Tel. 0151 728 9728
Not always popular, this is a pub turned country bar/restaurant with rooms. It has however managed to preserve the welcome comfiness usually associated with a pub atmosphere. Here dogs are welcome and dress code is casual but equally as smart as you like. The location, just 4 miles south of Bath is not only highly accessible but absolutely stunning - so close to the city yet in the very real and beautiful countryside. In summer the terrace beckons, overlooking the lovely country garden and in winter the smell of wood smoke from the log lures you inside to the modern yet rustic interior. Real Ale and local cider are there to tempt the traditional taste accompanied by a surprising and outstanding european wine list. (The owner is passionate about his wine and this is not only reflected in the selection but also the price - some bargains to be had here!) The food is top shelf quality, simple yet sumptuous. The Wheatsheaf has its own kitchen garden and hens - this is genuine homemade stuff. Chef Lee Evans is surely a rising star, ingredients sourced locally and cooked simply, combining flavours with a modern theme without using unneccessary fuss. Homemade breads served with local butter and indeed local rapeseed oil - which gives the usual olive oil a run for its money. The staff are friendly and efficient, the whole experience was delightful and the good news is they have a few rooms as well.
The Wheatsheaf
Combe Hay
Bath
Tel:01225 833504
email:info@wheatsheafcombehay.com
www.wheatsheafcombehay.com
Bath Spa Station
We had a wonderful stay at Dar Tassa and enjoyed every second of it. What a beautiful place and what nice and kind people.
Mohammed guided us through the mountains. He spoke English very well and was very kind and told us everything we would like to know
The food was a highlight: they made us some of the best veggie tagines we've had in Morocco and only wish we'd had longer to savour the peace and tranquility of the place.
A real little local gem of a website that suggests the best places to stay and the best places to eat in Hastings. We plumped for Black Rock House - fantastic place.
Great Italian restaurant serving hearty fare. Fantastic atmosphere best experienced as part of a crowd. Be prepared to ‘Stand up, stand up, stand up and shake your napkin!’
189 Hester St
New York, NY 10013
Little Italy
Don't know how these guys do it, but they brew their beer to absolute perfection!
I saw a bunch of these pubs spread all over town when I was down in Brazil, and they all seemed to have a pretty faithful clientele.
We ended up hitting the Ipanema spot most the time, and two of those times we closed the place down! That good!
Rua Prudente de Moraes 416, Ipanema
www.devassa.com.br
It's a lovely pub on the backstreets. Its owners are very friendly and the atmosphere is just magic and there is great music.
Market Square, Kinsale, Ireland