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Seafood dominates the menu. Lobster is the pricey local delicacy, but there are plenty of other affordable seafood delights that are caught locally and arrive fresh at the restaurants every day, the best being red mullet, shell-fish and squid.
Try bottarga (mullet roe), the Sardinian equivalent of caviar that is grated on top of spaghetti and drizzled with olive oil. Spaghetti con vongole (with clams) and alla marinara (with seafood) are also delicious. Culurgiones are pockets of pasta stuffed with pecorino (cheese made from ewe's milk) and ricotta and served in a tomato and mint sauce. Ravioli al sugo di noce (walnut sauce) comes a close second.
No matter how full you are, there is always room for seadas. This Sardinian dessert is the most delectable envelope of deep-fried pastry, stuffed with ricotta or sour cheese and drizzled with a bittersweet honey and burnt citrus peel. If that sounds too rich, try dolci sardi (Sardinian sweets and biscuits) or visit one of the many crowded gelati bars.
De Bortoli, Tarrawarra and Chateau Yering are three of my favourite. De Bortoli, one of the oldest estates in the Yarra Valley, has a great restaurant for dinner and a cheese room. Tarrawarra has a good lunch restaurant with lovely views of the valley and a modern art gallery. Try their Tin Cows line - it's very good. All do tasting.
De Bortoli
www.debortoli.com.au/
Chateau Yering
www.chateauyering.com.au/
Tarrawarra
www.tarrawarra.com.au/
Right opposite the station. You can leave luggage there as long as you have a drink or a meal.
Today I had the plat du jour: two lamb chops, ratatouille, potatoes and salad, all wonderfully fresh and €10.
Delicious French cooking at its best.
Rail station
First of all, their friendly English and Portuguese speaking staff make your trip seamless through the country if you take one of their well-planned guided tours (and Portuguese is not an easy language).
They also make it so easy for someone to go on their own down the coast. It's really a joy when you can roll through the countryside with just a map and bike knowing your hotel and restaurant staff are literally waiting for you! Bluecoastbikes' staff also took care of our dinner and hotel reservations too.
Their staff took care of everything for us, even calling midweek to see how we were enjoying everything!
Bluecoastbikes is the way to go for biking in Portugal if you want to enjoy your trip and worry about nothing but the ride and the wines to choose!
They are licensed and insured. They have daily rentals and dropoffs, week-long guided and self-guided tours, and jeep rides/tours as well.
Highly recommended.
Bluecoastbikes, Lda
www.bluecoastbikes.com
Tel: +351 96 272 8469.
info@bluecoastbikes.com
Setúbal, Portugal, near the Troia ferry station and seafood restaurants
My partner and I have just finished a five-day tasting trip in the Mendoza region of Argentina. The trip was fantastic, the backdrop of the Andes is breathtaking, and the wines and cuisine really are world class.
We traveled with this tour operator who specialise in luxury wine and gourmet tours. Well worth the cost.
Stay at Cavas wine lodge - it's a real treat.
We also ate at Vistalba's restaurant which was one of our favourite meals of all time.
Briar Lea Inn and the adjoining pub The Jolly Drayman are run by a great couple (English wife and American husband) - we stayed next door at the Norseman, so can't comment on the accommodation, but can vouch for the Jolly Drayman's food and friendly atmosphere. The beer's good, too!
150 Mayville Road, Bethel ME 04217 (Route 2)
Tel +1-207-824-4717
Roly's makes absolutely divine (and probably incredibly calorie-laden) fudge. My favourite is the clotted cream (it is Devon, after all!) but there are lots to choose from.
They make it on the premises, which smell heavenly. If you can manage to get it back home without scoffing it all (something I always find difficult), it makes great prezzies.
Without a doubt, the best fudge I've ever had - I've been going there for nearly 30 years and will carry on for as long as I possibly can!
You'll find the shop in the Pannier Market: EX31 1BL
www.rolysfudge.co.uk/
Restaurant in the centre of "Le Panier", the oldest quarter of Marseille.
Always packed, this is a restaurant without menus or, perhaps worryingly, fixed prices.
Expect delicious traditional food: lamb with rosemary, beef, squid, pizza au feu de bois and fresh fish.
For tourists, prices tend to come out at about €25 a head for two courses and wine.
The atmosphere is warm and noisy: go on a Saturday night for maximum fun.
43, Rue de Lorette , 13002 Marseille
Metro: Vieux Port
Tramway: Sadi Carnot
Map: tinyurl.com/2bdugz
A square on top of a hill full of people, cafés, bookshops and a big fountain. Come here to get away from the crowds on the vieux port and see beautiful Marseille.
The atmosphere is relaxed: think Schanzenviertel, Hamburg or Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin in July/August.
Enjoy the view over the Cathedral of Notre Dame de la Garde at the end of 'Cours Ju' with a pression and some olives or browse the markets and boutiques during the day.
It's calm, yet cool, and a different side of Provence for those who want to experience the buzz in France's second city.
Metro: Notre Dame du Mont/Cours Julien.
Map: tinyurl.com/28g88g
This hilltop town above Menton claims to be the highest coastal town in Europe at 780m above sea level, although even with a catapult you'd struggle to dive into the ocean from here.
The views over Menton, Monaco and the surrounding valleys are truly fabulous and there are at least a couple of restaurants to admire them from.
The town is only 20 minutes drive from Menton, or less from the corniche roads and motorway, but feels off the beaten track.
For the adventurous, try climing to the old XII fort and medieval garden at the top of the town which are in a shambolic state of disrepair.
The town contains numerous vaulted passageways and you can admire beautiful houses dating back to the XV century, with their magnificently restored doorways.
For those looking for more recent history, the town is the entry point for a tour into what remains of the Maginot Line fortress.
The restaurant with the best views in town is Le Righi, 1 place du fort, 06500 Sainte-Agnès. Reservations are recommended and can be made on: 04 92 10 90 88.
Sainte Agnes is 10km north of Menton. Menton is near the French-Italian border.
Map: tinyurl.com/37mx5l
Student cafe doing good Italian food at a very reasonable price for this expensive country.
Near the University.
Christiesgaten 13, 5015 Bergen
Map: tinyurl.com/257ll2
Excellent, good value Vietnamese food in a small cafe out of the centre just up the hill from the station on the way to the University.
Very welcoming.
Stromgaten 26, 5008 Bergen
Tel : 0047 55 32 14 38
Map: tinyurl.com/2yrgzq
A lovely restaurant just off Soho Square.
Very precise cooking and fantastic flavours.
Arbutus also offers the chance to try any wine (sub 100 pounds) in a 250ml carafe.
The best thing is that, while main courses cost about £15, the set lunch is only £15.50 for three courses.
Staff are young and friendly and you can sit at the bar to eat if you don't want to sit at a table. Ask for seats near the window - it is quite gloomy at the back of the restaurant.
www.arbutusrestaurant.co.uk/
Map: tinyurl.com/3yzvqb
On Frith Street, south of Soho Square.
Leuven is Belgium's best-kept secret. You can find it 20km east of Brussels. The capital of Flemish Brabant, it has a lot to offer within walking distance.
The historic centre contains "Belgium's longest beer counter", and the "Oude Markt" (Old Market), where nearly 40 cafés await you.
Rather handily, the only other outlets on the square are two pharmacies.
Just round the corner is the Great Market, or "Grote Markt" - scene of one of Belgium's finest buildings, its 600-year-old town hall with hundreds of statues adorning its façade.
Turning right we come to Muntstraat, a cosier and much less commercial restaurant street than the Rue des Bouchers in Brussels and further up, Hogeschoolplein (College Square), where you can sit and eat salads which look like mini-gardens at De Werf restaurant and guest house.
In Naamsestraat, De Clijne Taefel restaurant offers the finest grilled food in 450-year-old decor.
400m further on, you come to the Great Beguinage (Groot Begijnhof), a Unesco World Heritage site, where an order of nuns lived in a self-contained village. It is now maintained by the University of Leuven, along with most of the other major buildings in the town.
Another very nice building to look at is the University Library in Ladeuzeplein. It was gutted during the war, but lovingly restored with help from other colleges and universities which pledged money for its reconstitution. All the names of those establishments which helped renovate it are grafted onto the pillars and walls of the building.
If you come on Saturday afternoon, the bell ringer performs a concert from St Pieters church in the Grote Markt, audible throughout the centre.
There are many festivals and events all year round, but here are a few:
Easter Folk Dance festival
www.paasfeestenleuven.be
Summer concerts:
www.beleuvenissen.be
High summer gastro-event:
hapjetapje.leuveninscene.be/
City centre rock event:
www.marktrock.be
Short Film Festival:
www.kortfilmfestival.be/index_engels.html
There is also a Christmas market in December and a yearly autumn market on the first Monday after the first Sunday in September. There are plenty of places to stay, and much to do in the surrounding region:
Tervuren, Brussels and Antwerp are very close by.
Take the E40 from Calais straight there. Follow signs to Brussels, take the ring road round the capital and drive for a further 20 minutes.
By train, 30 minutes from the Eurostar terminus.
Map: tinyurl.com/yt8jan
Don't miss. Set up by famous Indian designer Rohit Bal with chef Suvir Savan of the Michelin-starred Devi in New York, and chef Hemant Mathur from India.
Stylish, glam decor, great service, but most important, fabulous food specialising in North Indian Tandoor items.
Connaught Place, Delhi
You can see a link to it from Suvir's website: www.suvir.com
Map: tinyurl.com/2hnotr
My girlfriend and I just came from a wonderful trip to the south of France. Our recommendation: get away from the coast and drive from Cannes to Avignon.
You will encounter the Gorges du Verdon and end up in a little village of Moustiers Sainte Marie. Try the Restaurant Les Santons. It has the most wonderful food, a chef who cares about what he cooks and is very romantic. It is much better than Alain Ducasse's La Bastide.
Take a day trip to Gigondas from Avignon. Everyone raves about Chateauneuf du Pape. This is much better. They have a tasting room in the village. Try their wines from 1999 to 2003 for the best. You will not resist taking a few bottles back.
www.gourmetvoyageurs.com/country-pages/pages-france/provence/santons.html
Map: tinyurl.com/3ckv2m
The French have no idea how to prepare a pizza. Once you've been confronted with a tartiflette topping you'll agree. There is, however, a notable exception to the rule. Chez Mimmo, tucked away in the backstreets of Avignon near Les Halles, is superb and cheap - but then it is owned and run by Italians.
Chez Mimmo
19, Rue du Chapeau Rouge , 84000 Avignon
04 90824273
Map: tinyurl.com/2rd4mm
Hong Kong Island has some fantastic beaches on the south side of the island.
Accessible by minibus, taxi and bus, these beaches can be a fantastic half-day out away from the city.
The beaches, from west to east, include Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay, South Bay and over the point to Stanley.
Deep Water bay is a great place to enjoy the sun and sand and is connected to Repulse Bay around the point past Middle Island by a promenade (20min walk).
Repulse Bay is fundamentally a high-end residential area with a large beach and shops.
A short taxi ride from Repulse Bay is South Bay beach. This gem is usually less crowded and great for swimming and has a decent restaurant for snacks.
Over and around the point is Stanley (famous for its market) which has two beaches of note – the first is the main beach facing east (a short stroll from the main bus terminus); the second is St Stephen's beach. Facing into Stanley Bay, its a 15min walk along Wong Ma Kok Rd (taking you past one of HK’s many military cemeteries from WW2 – a sombre reminder of what went on here in recent history). Great for picnics and just enjoying the scenery, you can also take part in dinghy sailing and kayaking if you have the energy.
From Central Exchange Square terminus: to Stanley – 6, 6X, 260, 66 (6X, 260 via Deepwater Bay) all routes pass through Repulse Bay.
To South Bay: take a taxi from Repulse Bay (£2).
Van Dyck café, the News café and the Jerry's Famous Deli are all good places for breakfast/brunch.
The Jerry's Famous Deli menu will take about an hour to read though!
Van Dyck café is on Lincoln Avenue; News Cafe is on Ocean Drive; and Jerry's Famous Deli is on Collins.
Sushi Samba has restaurants in Miami, Chicago and New York, and combines Peruvian, Japanese and Brazilian cuisine to delicious effect.
It does great drinks, and there’s a lively, buzzing atmosphere.
It’s on Lincoln Avenue too, which makes it a great place to start on a night out.
It’s not horribly expensive, and about three dishes will fill you up. There are sushi hand rolls, maki rolls, Peruvian chicken and corn skewers, ceviche, and local seafood.
Sushi Samba, 600 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach FL, 33139
www.sushisamba.com/top.html
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