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Michelin-starred

Barrafina menu
London, Reviews

Barrafina

I had read and heard really good things about Barrafina. And it has two major pluses for me: it serves Spanish tapas and it’s in Soho. I LOVE Soho. And I love Spanish tapas too! But my experience with tapas in England has been mixed. To be quite frank, good tapas are in Spain. I think the disappointment with tapas in England stems from two main things: an adulteration of the original to fit the local taste (which is a well-known phenomenon across many foreign cuisines in this country) and a lack of ingredients as they come in those countries – ripened under much more sunshine and considerably higher temperatures throughout the year. The tomatoes here are not the same, the garlic is not the same, the onions, the potatoes, you get the idea. And so the food can’t really taste the same. Especially if we are talking about food that is simple. A lot of the dishes you eat in Spain (and Italy, for example) are prepared with only a handful of ingredients. You can, however, get very close here and there are a few examples in London. Barrafina is undoubtedly one of them. And Barrafina is more than that. It has elevated the humble tapa to something a bit more glitzy and upmarket, and still managed to keep it delicious. Continue Reading

Il Gallo D'Oro Lobster medallion
Portugal, Reviews

Il Gallo D’Oro

Michelin-starred restaurants are always a treat. You sort of know what to expect but then you don’t because you get surprised and delighted every time. They are all unique experiences with individual highlights and their own twists and turns. This was no exception.

Il Gallo D’Oro is a 1-starred restaurant inside the Cliff Bay hotel in Funchal on the island of Madeira, and is led by chef Benoît Sinthon. His whole philosophy rests on local produce and the discovery of the Island of Madeira, adding ingredients from the Iberian peninsula, and coupling the food with top Portuguese wines.

As expected of restaurants at this level, especially ones that are hosted in hotels, the atmosphere was formal, restrained. People spoke softly and sat up straight. The décor was plain and unassuming. You come here to eat nice food, let’s make that clear from the outset.

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The outside of the Fat Duck
Reviews, UK

The Fat Duck

Reviewing Heston Blumenthal’s 3-Michelin starred Fat Duck is a near-impossible task. I am already lost for words and haven’t even started.

The Fat Duck is not a place where you go to have dinner. It is more like going to the theatre. It is a theatre of food.

The outside of the restaurant is very pub-like, set in the heart of the leafy village of Bray. By the time we arrived I was feeling butterflies in my stomach in anticipation. As you go in, the room is surprisingly simple, plain, almost dull. But then this place is all about the food, why waste time on props and décor and draw attention away from what really matters? Still, the tables were impeccably set, the cloth immaculately white and smooth. We sat, asked for a glass of champagne, and then the show began.

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