Some great oriental restaurants in Madrid

Madrid just used to have very little good oriental restaurants until not long ago. Apart from 3 / 4 top luxury japanese or chinese restaurants (Robata, Thai Gardens, Tse Yang (at Villa Magna)), there were very little quality around the 25/35 Eur range. However many more restaurants have appeared in the last decade and some of them are more than worth a try

Cafe Saigon, Maria de Molina 4 (corner with Castellana) - Reservations 91 563 1566
Probably the better know out of this pack (and now has some other restaurants from the Group in Madrid and other cities (San Sebastian's Maria Cristina Hotel has one) . Usually very busy in the weekends (impossible to get a table without a reservation, having 2 serving shifts), but you will get easily get a table during the week although it is always lively. The decoration is superb (which is even more surprising as there are on the bottom of a office building), high ceilings, very good service and good food. They have good combo menus but the "a la carta menu" is also good. Has one of the best noodle soups in town, called "Sopa de arroz Vietnamita" (which could also be a main), very good green salad with duck, great noodles (3-4 types nromally) and good fish and seafood plates, among other things

A recent discovery and not very well know is Asia Xang
+34 914 134 920 Paseo de los Cerezos 2. Very closed to the corner of Ramon y Cajal with Alfonso XII, on a very quite area, very easy to park on the street (a plus on a busy weekend in Madrid) and with an amazing terrace in the summer (just by the street, quiet and relaxing and always great temperature at night) but the inside of the place is also nice and well decorated. I have never had a problem finding space but could be quite busy on the weekeds. It has a number of combo menus, ranging between combining chinese and thai to a more japanose one. Decent sushi, great dim sum (probably the best I have had in Madrid), great squid and St Jacques grilled with a light soi sauce, good teppanyaki de solomillo y el "maki california". Service is always friendly and you can eat for 30 Eur a piece, even cheaper if you try,
Definetly you should give it a try

Others worth a try could be

China Crown, Calle de la Infanta Mercedes 62 28020 Madrid - 91 572 14 64
A bit more expensive than the others, around 40 Eur, but good food, and always a nice atmosphere and a bit different plates than the usual ones

Don Lay, Paseo de Extremadura 30+34 914 634 546

A wear looking restaurant (as it was an old meson castellano in which they have basically change nothing but the name), it does serve a great sunday Dim Sum. My cousin whom is Taiwanese always takes us there. That is a good recommendation for sure

Some regional wines recommendation I want to try soon

Reading Conde Nast magazine, on the Spanish edition, they make some recommendations around some new winemakers (or not so new) but in some of Spain 's new regions and called "Vinos de Autor", term that qualifies for wine developed not based on the region but on the winemakers ideas and love

I am dying to try them, as some of them are also from some of the regions that I have learnt to love in the past 3 years while living in Spain. But don't expect to go cheap :-(

Capricho, Red Wine, Author Adolfo Gonzalez, DO Cigales, 2005, Winery La Legua, Grape tempranillo, 24 months in barrels from Central Eastern europe

Selectus, Red Wine, Author Manuel Lorenzo, DO Vino de la Tierra de Castilla (from Chincilla in Albacete), 2005, Winery Los Aljibes, Grape Syrah/Cabernet Franc/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 months in french barrels

Dalmau, Red Wine, Author Vicente Cebrian, DO Rioja , 2005, Winery Marques de Murrieta, Grape Tempranillo/Graciano/Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 months in french barrels


Venus, Red Wine, Author Sara Perez, DO Montsant (Cataluna) , 2005, Winery Venus La Universal, Grape Carinana/ Sirah, 20 months in french barrels


As Sortes, White Wine, Author Rafael Palacios, DO Valdeorras (Orense, Galicia) , 2007, Winery Rafael Palacios, Grape Godello

In Rueda – Verdejo and more (2)

So after Bodegas Naia, we went to Bodegas PradoRey. I really like the concept they have put in place (about time somebody in Rueda does this. I have seen it a bit more in Rioja and Ribera although not much). An entire experience around wine, visiting the cellars, the great restaurant where to taste excellent food and their wines (or other as the selection is nice) and a very good shop with wine and products for the region. The group (which has originally wines from Ribera del Duero) invested over 9 Mio Euros on the complex.

Here apart from their Verdejo (PradoRey Verdejo 07) and even a cheaper version of Verdejo with a cheap Viura Grape (the wine sells for 3-4 Eur), they have worked 2 wines that I really like. One goes along the high end version of Verdejo that I mentioned on the previous Rueda post. The wine is called “PR3 Barricas”. The other one a very nice surprise “PradoRey Sauvignon Blanc”, semi dulce (semi sweet), working on similar lines of the IceWine but much much cheaper and en excellent taste

“PR3 Barricas” – so the grape is 100% verdejo, they mention they use a soaking process with CO2 (called Boreal) which gives the grape already an special treatment. Wine is then fermented on 3 types (that is why it is called PR3) of Central European Oak barrels (of 300 liters), where it stays for 9 months (once again almost triple that classic verdejo). Its alcohol degrees is actually quite high for whites on 13,5%
The bottle on its one is different as the bottom of the bottle is wider than usual. Very nice looking (don't know if you can see that on the picture). Visually the color is yellow, very shiny with some greens. On the nose intense, some toffee also. On the mouth very intense, stays on the mouth much longer that most verdejo. So great for rice or risotto, but I think it can “maridaje” with some stronger than usual cheeses. Have to try this
I bought some bottles and also a surprising present for friends to try this one. They will love you ☺

“PradoRey Sauvignon Blanc”, semi dulce (semi sweet), what a nice surprise. Excellent dessert wine, good value for money (compara with the 20+ Eur IceWine from Austria and even more expensive from Canada). Light colours, smells like pear and taste is light, semi sweet with some mature fruit at the back of your palate.

In Rueda – Verdejo and more (1)

We are talking here about the ultimate white wine in Spain. Don’t get me wrong, there are many other grapes and regions making excellent white wine (godello grapes from Valdeorras and Monterry to give you an example) but Verdejo is the best internationally known and also a great value for money, which excellent bottles on the 5-10 Eur price range

I was actually in Rueda 3 weeks ago buying some wine there. So here are some of my recommendations and a couple of very nice discoveries

Naia – This is an excellent white wine and very good winery (many thanks to Cristina to help us on a busy day. She was really helpful and fun and love sharing with her our ideas on New Zealnd wine, where she was on the harvesting in Spring this year. But please organize the winery so people can come and taste the wines!! We need to develop this in Spain). They actually doing a good job on exporting their wine to the US (I have seen their bottles in several shop sin San Francisco).
Their “classic” Verdejo now in the shops in 2007 (Naia 2007). Keep in mind that “classic” verdejo is only in the barrels for 3 months, so usually you can’t have them for more than 3-4 years after they have been bottle, and on the 2 year mark they are at their peak. This applies to all the bottle of Verdejo (Classic, see about the new version below)
Furthermore, take a look at a very good and simple review that I subscribe very much
“Excelent quality for a small price. Both nose and taste is all fruit, citrus, melon also floral notes. This is an refreshing wine that drinks so easily that my glass keeps getting empty without a blink. Great to drink on it's own, goes very well with fish, even had pizza fruity di mare with it, sushi etc. The better the weather the better this wine comes to its right. Right out of the fridge is a bit to cold but on a summer day that will take only a few minutes to be resolved, although it doesn't always gets that time :0)”
One note he does not mention is the colour. Typical verdejo, pallid gold, with touches of wheat and a light very light greens.
I keep buying this wine over and over and you should do too

In the same winery and as it seems to be now a tradition in the region they are preparing a luxury or high end wine, which basically means that the bottles stay on the barrel for usually triple the time of the “classic” verdejo, giving the wine an stronger body, much goldish color and an oak-flavour on the palete
This is the case in Bodegas Naia, which has been doing the Naiades for a number of years. The one I tried was the 2006. This wine is selling for 15-20 Eur (although I have heard that they are selling it for 35 USd in the US!!!). It is expensive but not that much if you compare that most albarinos sell for this price and I think these are much better wines in most cases.
Let me share with you a review that I like on Naiades 2006
“Very interesting. My 1st verdejo with obvious oak treatment. I really enjoyed this. Improved with air. Was nice really chilled and even approaching room temp. Paired fairly well with arugula salad, parmesan-truffle oil dressing. Excelled with quinoa, greens and a yogurt tofu all with indian styles spices. The nose was so creamy, while the palate was more metallic or river stone like. Toasty oak, green bananas (stole that from slave2thevine) and yellow apples….”

Lisbon: mostly where to eat and some more tips

Classic Lisbon

Restaurante Pap`Açorda
R. da Atalaia 57
1200 Encarnação, Lisboa, Portugal
213 464 811‎
This is in the barrio alto. Difficult to find. Usually great food and trying to be hip. The service has an attitude but you can fund a posh night here and the location is great to walk around after


Pastéis De Belém
R. de Belém 84
1300 Santa Maria de Belém, Lisboa, Portugal
213 637 423‎
This is the place for the pasties de belem (custard pie as the English will say). Just on the right side (in you have the sea on your back) of the monasterios dos jeronimos and across the Belem monument to the famous Portuguese explorers. The pasties are just amazing, take a whole box with 5 just baked inside, close your eyes put one on your mouth and you will be in heaven

Restaurante Porto de Santa Maria
2750 Guincho
Portugal
214 871 036‎

If you want fresh seafood and a taste of quite luxurious restaurant this is the place. However you need a car as it is easily 30 minutes from Lisbon, but actually probably 20m drive from Estoril.
It is on a almost deserted beach so a great place to take a stroll after lunch or feel really special at night looking at the stars after a great crayfish

Hotel York House – As Janelas Verdes

R. das Janelas Verdes 32
1200 Santos-o-Velho, Lisboa, Portugal
213 962 435‎

this is a small boutique hotel. It does serve food in a little terrace outdoors by the pool. The place is just fantastic for a very relaxed dinner with no noise or nothing to bother you around

As Docas

This is the area right under the 25th april bridge, which is full of restaurants (mostly old warehouses converted) and plces to go out at night

Some of the nice restaurants are:

-Restaurante Espalha Brasas
Doca de Santo Amaro, Arm. 9 - 1350-353 LISBOA
Portugal
213 962 059‎

Restaurante Doca 6
As docas, Lisboa
Portugal

The not well known tip - NOT to miss
An amazing place for fresh seafood is Cervejaria Ramiro‎ Av. Alm. Reis 1, 1150 Anjos, Lisboa, Portugal‎ - 218 851 024‎

Little wine route in Rueda (Noia, Prado Rey and more) - I

Our wine fridge was getting quite empty and being Rueda just 90 minutes away from Madrid and with the lovely days of September, we did a small road trip to fill the white wine gaps for the family

We decided to try different things, so we went to a vinyard, went to another vinyard that has expanded into a restaurant and shop and also to visit a large shop in Rueda that carries many wines

First we went to Bodegas Naia. Naia 2007 and 2008 have been some of my favourites whites in Spain in the past years. Although we are in the middle of the harvest so it was difficult to even buy the wine there today, I had an interesting chat with one of the staff members around the several wines that they produce, their distribution (Naia is actually fairly well known in the US and it is well distributed there) and other challenges. Also as usual I did chat about why we keep not investing in Spain on creating an experience around wine and the vinyards where you can go, taste wine, have food, visit the winery and more. The wasn´t an answer around this topic although Cristina (from Naia) have been in New Zealand and was talking about how interesting it was to see this concept in action.

This lead us to Prado Rey Winery which has recently open a restaurant (Colores de Rueda), a very nice shop and does tours of the cellars, so yes the full experience. The shop was beautiful, personnel was knowledgable and I did like the presentation of the products. However it wasn´t that easy to do a wine tasting and only after we ate at the restaurant we got to try on eof their wines.
Prado Rey Verdejo 2008 This wine, with appealing greenish tones, features varietal aromas from Verdejo on a complex background and exotic fruit with aniseed hints. It gives an sunctuous, fleshy, fat impression in the mouth with a very pleasant aftertaste. It dies too early into the mouth, which is in the other hand very common on young verdejos. A likable wine that goes easy with fish and seafood. A decent alternative for an Albariño

They are also making a combination Prado Rey Birlocho. A very good priced wine for 3,5 Eur that combines the Verdejo grapes (similar as the 2008 Verdejo) with Viura. Did not have the chance to try it but bought a couple of bottles to do so soon

The restaurant "Colores de rueda" was actually very nice, rich cuisine, good choices (including a very good fresh fish selection which being Rueda deep Castille is always remarkable). The service was efficient and we did enjoy the meal and we tried some of their wines. I will stop here more often but they should try to do some menus where they combine their wines (or at least make wine combination suggestions) with some specific plates

In terms of their wines, as most of the wineries Prado Rey Winery is developing a high end version of their classic verdejo wine. The same was the case at Naia (with the Naiades). This type of wine is staying for 9 months (instead of 4 months as the other Verdejo varieties) in the barrels, creating richer and more complex wine flavours. In the case of Prado Rey PR3. Using 3 types of different central european barrels. The yellow colour is stronger in a way greenish, very fresh and brilliant. I could smell some toffee and some fruits (peach maybe) que fermentan en tres tipos de barrica centroeuropea de 300 litros. Es de color amarillo pajizo tirando a verdoso, limpio y brillante.
Tiene una gran nariz, en primer termino salen tostados muy finos y minerales, algo de salinidad como a mar, luego salen frutas tropicales y frutas de hueso ( melocoton,albaricoque). En boca tiene buena acidez, te llena la boca, es glicerico, espeso, balsamico, con un final seco y algo amargo, pero muy agradable.
Me ha gustado.

Enjoying a good rice place in Denia (Alicante), Spain

I have had the chance to spend a good number in Denia in Alicante, about 4 hours drive from Madrid. I am not a huge beach guy but I like Denia and its sorroundings (specially the Mongo mountain, always changing always different depending on the angle and place you look at it

Apart from that, the food is excellent and there are tons of great places and not very expensive ones to enjoy the fish but specially to enjoy the regional speciality RICE!!! And not just paella which may what many people from outside Spain knows but many other ways to cook it like

- Arroz Negro (Black rice, aka rice with calamari and calamari ink)
- Arroz a banda (First you cook the broth with fish, once you have it you clear the fish and you just cook the rice on the broth with shrimp and calamari and you serve dry and with Ali Ali (let´s say like a garlic mayonaise), hmmmm
- Arroces caldosos (rice with broth, almost soupy)
- Fideuas (cooked similarly with with small noodles instead of rice)

So here you have a couple of recommendations for places, both of them already in the road "carretera de las marinas a denia", both almost by the beach in Las Marinas

Restaurante Jamse
C/ Passarell 3
03700 Denia
965 783 506

Nice and simple outdoor covered terrace, paper cloth and napkins and plastic table and chairs, but you come here for the food. Good service and in 2 years I always see the same waiters, always a good sign. when you reserve over the phone (and you must or you will never eat here and in season it is always full) they ask you for the rice you want and when you want it. So if you reserve for let´s say 15, you go there 1430, order some starters (try the tellinas, really small clams cooked with butter and lemon, or/and sepia or chopitos (different calamari/ squid) and then by 15 the rice comes in a big pan ready to be served. You will left full so take it with time and enjoy,
We love the arroz a banda here and once we try to fideua (which was different than the typical one having the noodles much thicker ones)
You will eat for 25 Eur per peson (maybe 30 if you order dessert)

Restaurant L´Estanyo
Llac Sanabria, 6A.
Tel.: 96 647 42 42 (Denia)

The setting of this restaurant is a bit more scenic as Jamse as it is by the beach and you can see the sea by some of the tables and it has a truly outdoor area. As Jamse, you wont eat here without a reservation. Tables are a bit more set up and less plastic and also good service (although sometimes the noise in the room maybe not allow you waiter to even hear you)

Apart from some of the starters already mentioned, we love here the escombro, which is actually very deep fried calamary, really amazing
Here we usually go for the arroz caldoso (the soupy one). I really like the one with crayfish. Also the arroz a banda here is really good
At night this is also a good spot for a drink and a tapa if you don´t feel like dining

Enjoy and let me know next time you are around Denia

Around Zamora and the border with Portugal (I)

We had the chance to spend a couple of days between Zamora and the border with Portugal recently and we come across different places that could make an excellent short weekend trip to do some sports, enjoy nature, relax and obviously eat and drink well, so here we are

We started stopping for lunch in Zamora. I had some other restaurant in mind (El Mirador) but it seemed it was closed. So taking a look at other choices I come across an interesting proposition called “Villa Claudia”
It is not the easiest place to find (not even with the GPS) so before you go there just check on google maps or some other map how to get there. But it is worth it

Villa Claudia
Ctra. Almaraz,
Carretera Almaraz, Km 1. 49027 Zamora.
Teléfonos 980 52 99 96 / 658 99 31 38
http://www.villaclaudia.org/

The building is al old farm, quite large although the dining room seems small and a bit dark; probably quite cozy in the winter. Very nice prepared tables, simple but elegant. Nice and attentive service

Menu is not too large, but it can cater to all gastronomical moods. More oriented towards salads and sharing entrees in the summer and lots and interesting looking spoon plates (”Pucheros y Cazuelas”) for the winter (Cocido (garbanzo pie stew with pork and beef), fabes con almejas (been with clams) and different rice types))

The salads we shared were nice, fresh and interesting combination of flavours, although we went for the classic ventresca (tuna) salad with peppers and lettuce (Ensalada de ventresca con cogollos de Tudela y pimientos
Asados). We also tried a very nice and compensated carpaccio de pulpo (octopus carpaccio). Even if most of the spoon plates are the winter there was still a small but still yummy summer election. I went for the Morcillitos de Ibérico con setas y hongos (pork leg with mushrooms), really good, the meet was very soft and it was almost melt in your mouth and very smooth flavor with the mushroom taste. Having said that, hope you are hungry when ordering the plate ☺

Don´t know why we did not feel like wine so we went for Sangria (it was not in the menu but they did one for us. Really strong and nice taste), but the selection of Toro region wine was really large and it is worth to mention it as this region is producing great wines in the last years

Will think about repeating the visit next time in Zamora although this time we should good in the winter and try the stew

A great restaurant in Avila: El Almacen

On my way up to Oviedo (Asturias) with a couple of friends from the US, I wanted to stop in one of our favourite historical cities within one hour of Madrid (Toledo, Alcala de Henares, Segovia, Avila) for lunch and enjoy some nice food and views. At the end I decided to stop in Avlila and I did look for restaurant choosing at the end to stop at El Almacen

El Almacen
Carretera Salamanca 6
05002 Avila
920 211 026

To start with the location is great, just at in front of the Muralla de Avila (the medieval wall from the XIII century), right after the “Cuatro Postes” (Four postes) monument in the old cross roads in Avila and the roads to Salamanca and the Barco de Avila (N110 Avila – Toledo)
The restaurant just went under a large renovation recently and the result is excellent. One of the sides of the main room the restaurant is all windows which allows you to eat while enjoying the amazing view of the walls and the latest addition of the new festivals building of Avila
The style of the room is modern and tries to avoid a bit the typical castillian meson style while still providing you with a very cozy and although the entire restaurant does allow smoking (which is usually a NO NO for us) at least the distance between the tables is very large and allows you to enjoy your meal with no thinking of the smoke bothering you. However I have read that as they also allow to smoke cigars sometimes you may not be able to really enjoy your meal. Being such a nice restaurant and having 2 very different rooms in the restaurant it is difficult to imagine we they have not taken care of this
The menu is large and offer different ways to add modernity to traditional plates. We love the nidos de morcilla (pig blood nests with small rice noodles), see how he plays with the idea of the “morcilla de arroz” but combining the rice outside the morcilla and with a red pepper souce (although I may admit I have read some other blogs and people did not enjoy them as much as we did) to cold soups for the summer (tomato cold soup) and great spoon plates in the winter. Very well presented all of them and ideal both for sharing a couple of them or enjoy one of them yourself
For the main we did focus mostly on the meet and choose different combinations of Solomillos de ternera or Lomos de Cerdo (beef or pork), apart from the typical but always great ways to cook the lamb and small pig that is done so well in Avila and Segovia, like the cordero and the cochinillo. The Solomillo is offered perfectly cook, with great meet quality and very well done sauces as a blue cheese (excellent!!) one or a sauce of uvas y vino blanco (Grapes and white wine). The lomo was done with a suca eof foie and hongos (mushrooms), equally good. If you don´t fancy meat, there is always a choice of at least 5-7 fresh fish plates. We did try the Atun Rojo (Red Tuna fish) and it was really excellent
The selection of desserts is also really good but please note that you have to choose them at the beginning, as some of them take some time to be prepared. While the chocolate fondue was OK, the emborrachado de almendra (Almond Drunk cake), was an amazing way to combine almost paste (marzapan style more or less) with cold and hot. Really superb
We did choose the wine house, price at 10 Eur. Artazuri, 2005 Navarra. Great wine, with the right level of complexity, smooth, a bit of red berries and apple, and it did complement the excellent meal (both meat and tuna). Overall the wine menu was very good and well priced
For a price of 40-50 eur each, I believe it is really a great culinary experience that combines with the amazing s

Some tips on MiIano

I am very far from being considered a connoisseur of Milano, but I have been in the city several times in the past years (my first trips there were when I was working at Vodafone and I have among others the opportunity to go to watch the F1 Monza) and I have several places that it may be useful if you are just looking for a good restaurant, a chill out place, a decently price but good value for money hotel (this is rare in Italy!!!!) or some more

First at all let me recommend the Sheraton Diana Majestic. The hotel is just fantastic overall but you don't even need to stay there (as prices are Sheraton prices in Italy, so easily 300 Eur a night so unless your company pays for it probably not your option) to enjoy the best of the hotel which is its outdoors bar. A cool and large garden, dressed up as a night club where it is just great to spend time listening to music, talking to friends and enjoying your drink

For a great place to eat on a sunny day and hot day, something like an oasis either for food or a drink I really recommend 10 Corso Como Cafe, in the trendy (although almost at the outskirts of the city) and full of restaurants Via Corso Como. The place is located in the inner courtyard of a traditional milanese palazzo and it surprises you as you enter the courtyard because for a moment you think you got the wrong place (as you are thinking about a trendy place). But once you get into the courtyard the place is just great. There is a gallery and a bookshop; there is a design store and a restaurantand a café and an amazing courtyard garden (it seems there is also a 3 rooms hotel). I did not have the chance to taste many things but the cold mango soup (or gazpacho de mango) was just great.
www.10corsocomo.com

Milano is full of restaurants and many of them I am sure are great. In fact when we come here with Vodafone, the company organized an amazing weekend and we have 2 just memorable dinners. However it was almost 4 years ago and I don't remember the names of the restaurants. But I can recommend a small place, probably a place that you may not even take notice on a normal day and even I felt a bit expensive for what it was but I had such an amazing plate there (my mouth is still watering just to think about it) that I need to mention this restaurant. I also did like the service and the look of the place. Also as it is near station centrale and somehow near some nice hotels in the area. And I have read that it opens 365 days a year, from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. The name of the place is Hosteria Tipica La Cadrega
Via Generale Gustavo Fara, 1 - 20124 Milano (MI), Italy +39 02 6738 2931
www.hosterialacadrega.it

I started with some octopus on a wine like souce. It was really nice and got me ready for what it was coming. I was obviously looking at the homemade pasta and I decided to try the Macheroncini with ragout beef souce. What a choice. The pasta was just perfect, the sauce was kind of a curry sauce with small pieces of beef, each time it reached my mouth I was just shaking. Great great great :-)

Last but not least I had a last recommendation. Hotel Windsor Milano, Galileo Galilei 2
www.hotelwindsormilan.com
I did pick up a hotel that was near the train stations in order to get to the Malpensa Express quickly. I was type of afraid of the choice by looking at the website. It looked like the typical hotel, overpriced, old and in bad shape. The hotel from the outside did nothing to convince me otherwise. But I had a positive surprise. The corridors were nice and spacious, clean and shiny. The room was big, in great condition, good bed, great bathroom, free internet in the room (and fairly fast). And it was a 100 Eur a night hotel. A good recommendation if you are just passing by and will just have to do some work and to sleep in the room.

The forgotten pleasure of staying at a real 5 star hotel

I used to spend lots of time in 5 star hotels when I was working as a consultant and having engagements in Brazil, India, Portugal, etc.. I remember having stayed in amazing hotels as the Marriott at Copacabana, Oberoi in Delhi, Janelas Verdes in Lisbon, to name a few. But obviously after being a consultant and then a Telecom Executive I did become an entrepreneur. Even if I travel lots and lots and I do stay at nice hotels but not usually at really nice hotels.
Last week as we did travel together with a mission from the Spanish Foreign trade institute and we were put in the Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo. WOW I have forgotten the pleasure of staying at such hotels. It is not about the room or the location, as this may sometimes be as good as the places I do stay these days. It was about the little details. It was about the packaging of the shirt they bring you from the dry cleaning, about then bringing you pineapple slices on the pool, about the team at the entrance getting you a taxi, explaining them were to go precisely, taking their license plate and making sure the air con was working, etc... I would never try to make the value equation work if those extra touches make up for the huge price you would normally pay but I can say that while you are there you are transported to a different world and that world is an oasis on its own and when we live at the speed we do, that oasis is sometimes all you need at that particular moment

If you are in Cairo and you have the chance to be at the Four Seasons The First Residence please do stay (BTW their Thai restaurant is excellent and really good value for money, I truly recommend it)

An amazing restaurant in Salamanca where you will not imagine, A gas station on an industrial park!!!

wowwww, this is all I have to say!! Just kidding but what can I say after what we experienced in Salamanca. We had a meeting with our (mmCHANNEL´s) strategic partner Unkasoft in Salamanca where we have been before several times. Last time we did eat at the Hotel Montalvo, within the industrial park with the same name. We have a very good "menu del dia" deal so no complaints. However Hugo Lanchares did promise that next time we will have a very nice lunch and I know he is a person who does enjoy food and wine
So last week when Tony told us to folllow him and we parked outside a gas station (Repsol) within the industrial park (just 5 minutes from Unkasoft headquarters) I was a bit surprised. We did enter through the gas station (whom for those who don´t know are nothing very fancy to say the least) and come up through the stairs and then we open the door. Surprise surprise :-)

An amazing and well decorated room, modern, clean, well designed. With a room for kids to play and very spacious. Shelves with books (on cooking, salamanca region, restaurants of Spain,..). On the table every details was perfectly designed (cutlery, colours (combining browns, whites and blacks), very original chargers (stone ones) and make you feel in front of a delightful experience to come
the food was excellent. Carlos (the chef) prepared a menu for us, that being very well priced, had an aperitive, 2 entrees, main (choice of meat or fish) and 2 desserts. Everything was great. Plates where very well decorated and presented, original combination of flavours and forms (squid cut like corn pieces on a cookie base with ink and pesto, caneloni of ox tail ("rabo de toro"), salmon hamburger (I can´t wait to try to cook the recipe at home)
Carlos did come at the end of the lunch and chat with us which just added that little detail to finished up an amazing experience we had at his restaurant. The bill arrived and we could just think on when we will be coming back

Carlos Barco Restaurante
Poligono industrial Montalvo III C/ Segunda N. 9 (Encima de la gasolinera repsol)
Carbajosa de la Sagrada (Salamanca)37188
Phone number: + 34 923197884
SPAIN


Link to Carlos Barco restaurant web site

Link to a blogger from Salamanca with lots of details on Carlos and his restaurant

Spain cathedrals

I was with Andrea in Salamanca and looking at the amazing cathedral there she asked me is Salamanca one of the most impressive cathedrals in Spain? How would you rate it?

That make me thing for a while about how will I classify the amazing cathedrals in Spain (which I believe I have had the opportunity to see many of them if not all)
So obviously this is my ranking which I am sure many of you will have a different one or a very different one, however I hope it helps those looking for some guidance

Tier 1 - The most beautiful, well known or just the "standards"
Leon, Burgos, Seville and Santiago

Tier 2 - Well known, tons of admirers and for many tier 1 in many cases
Salamanca (old and new), Oviedo, Toledo, Zaragoza, Palma de Mallorca

Tier 3 - Interesting, different, lesser known but fascinating anyhow -
Segovia, Cuenca, Zamora, Avila, Barcelona, Palencia, Malaga, Cordoba

Tier 4 - Not in the capitals but as beautiful and special
Jaca, Santo Domingo de Silos, Astorga, Burgo de Osma, Siguenza

A couple of hotels in Istanbul

during the past 24 months I have always stayed in 2 hotels. One of them now owes my heart but both are really good

First one is Marmara Pera Hotel, near the always fun and busy Istiklal street with tons of nice places to spends time at (live music, food, drinks) as you may have read on my previous posts. The hotel on its own is really different, being circular all rooms have street view and the furniture does try to be a bit vintage. The breakfast room is large and the food complete and the prices are right. It is not noisy and the beds are nice (although it is almost impossible to get a queen bed). On top of this you have the great restaurant at the top, with some of the best views and drinks and a superb location and you have a very good buy (prices are around 120-150 Eur per night)
However I wanted to find a more unique place for my upcoming stays

So I try the Sofa Hotel in the Nicantasi area, the coolest area in Istanbul, packed with trendy bars and glamorous shops.

This is one of the best places I have stayed in my life, and I can tell you I have been in many places. The place is special and unique. Great service, the guys at the reception really mean well, the room is just spectacular, great bed, silent, the space seems created to spend time there. The bathroom is just an experience on its own. Gigantic shower (you can stay there for an hour), bath products from L'Occitane, superb bath rope
Then a Chaise Lounge where you can read for a while after coming back from work. And the room is equipped with a DVD player, music stereo and more
They always leave a fruit basket at your arrival to the room that can serve as a snack for your stay, they leave little orange/chocolate treats every night, what else can you say

Apart from the cafe area (where there is a nice book shop and very good sofa where I do work for a long time and the ice coffee is great), there is one of the trendiest bars in Istambul called Longtable

Haven´t have the time or budget to try the Spa yet but I am sure it is a great place

Just a few small details to improve: Breakfast is nice (although at 22 Eur I usually just go down the street to the House Cafe) and the concierge is probably where they can improve (they don´t seem to be on top of their game but improving). Then WIFI should be available in all rooms and for free in a hotel catering to travellers like me (at the end I spend up to 4 hours in the cafe area where WIFI is free and good but I will prefer to do this at my room specially on the after dinner work time)

The room price at 140-150 Eur is a superb price for a place that can compete with any 5 star hotel around the world

I do believe the Sofa leaves up to their new mission "A personalized experience" and I always look forward to be back here

Istanbul II: drinks, tapas, an amazing dinner and more drinks in Pera

Pera is a great neigborhood near Taksim but it seems very local and it is one of the key nightlife spots for young (and no so young turks)
But before nightlife there are a lots of things you can make happen in the neighborhood
If you want to snack a bit and have some Raki (fresh grapes drink mixed with water and ice that Turkish drink all the time specially in the summer and that I love) go to Pera and get lost of the streets behind the Marmara Pera hotel in the Pera neighborhood where any of those places with tables outside serve great Turkish tapas and drinks. It is also a great place to go out at night and have drinks and listen to live music.
Here in this neighborhood is also Babylon, a multi-purpose performance space/club, is the trend-setting live music venue of Istanbul. Lots of jazz, blues and interesting performances. Check www.babylon-ist.com for the dayle live music performances

For a good dinner (but really really expensive for Istanbul prices) and even better drinks with probably the best view of the city go to the restaurant at the top of the Marmara Pera Hotel, Mikla. Very posh and the food is served well but in small plates and you probably won´t be full and your wallet empty. However I do think their cuisine is good and some of the fish plates just superb. But if you are not in the mood to spend that type of money (around 90 Eur for dinner) then just go there for a drink. The bar is great in the winter and if cold you can just watch the view from the inside. In the summer the views become superlative, you can go upstairs to the outdoors terrace (where the pool just complements the ambiance) and sip very well done Mojitos while watching one of the best views you will have in your life
http://miklarestaurant.com/

Some Istanbul places I: from an afternoon drink, an snack and dinner at Ortakoy

I have been lucky to spend many times in Istanbul. I first discovered the city in 1997 when I was there for 4 months working on a consulting engagement with Accenture (former Andersen Consulting). I was more of a tourist on the weekends but I really got to love the city
During the last 2,5 years we have had several clients in Istanbul and now we have a small office, so together with my turkish country manager I have got to discover both posh and local places
let me bring you some of them

For a little walk and a drink while enjoying one of the most beautiful and relaxing "water" view I always like my sunday walks at Ortakoy. Love to have a drink at one of the semi open terraces, you can always eat a potato with 1000 toppings in one of the little kiosk where the toppings are presented graciously in different figures. The view of the Golden Horn from here at sunset is just amazing. Just be aware that what it may seem as a little taxi ride may take up to an hour on a sunday afternoon. Why not walk from Besiktas to Ortakoy?

Finally if the potatoes are not your thing or you are still hungry and you don´t want to move out of the area, there is a very good oriental and green cuisine restaurant in Ortakoy, Banyan (which they also have a branch at has also a branch in Nicantasi)
http://www.banyanrestaurant.com/tr
The restaurant is on a second floor near the Radisson and facing an amazing view (check the picture on the website for an idea)
To start with the view of the Ortakoy Mosque is superb. On the background the Bosphorus Bridge, also called the First Bosphorus Bridge (one of the two bridges in Istanbul, Turkey spanning the Bosphorus strait (Turkish: Boğaziçi) and thus connecting Europe and Asia, between Ortaköy (on the European side) and Beylerbeyi (on the Asian side)), which at night and since April 2007, a fully computerized LED lighting system of changing colours and patterns, developed by Philips, illuminates the bridge at night and makes it a superb show on its own
With such a view (which in the spring and summer is even better with their terrace), the food does really plays along well. A mix of Asian, thai, fushion well cook, presented and serve. The banyan plate is a good option if you dont want to think much for the starters and sample most of them a little bit and then all mains are good

Tea and pastries in Madrid

just a short post to tell you about a couple of places I love to spend time but better to have something to bite there when I am feeling more as "foreign" tea style or boulangerie

First one is Deli Panific. I think there are very few places in Madrid making real french boulangerie and Deli is for sure the best. Great pastries (croissants, pain aux chocolat, chausson aux pomme (and the even better the frambroise version), amazing bread (try the little brochette with 4 bread styles), other french delicacies (very good foie de canard) and an unforgetable tarte aux tatin with a very thin crust (both in individual version and family one :-) and also a fig style one

It is in Chueca almost with Alonso Martinez (Hortaleza 75, Tel. 91 702 4658)

Second place is Vailima, an english tea room / Salon de Te in Barrio Salamanca. A very extensive selection of teas, nice china in a small but cousy space and really good "bizcochos" of orange, raisins and other versions
Very nice for a little snack or relaxing conversation around 5 pm any day
they also sell all type of teas

Vailima, General Pardiñas, 54, Tel. 91 309 0955

Another great one from Toro - Prima 2006: the region keep delivering great wines -

I just got a note from one of our friends about a bottle we brought to him a couple of weeks ago when we meet him. On this own words "Stupendous! Exquisite! "

Prima 2006 is a classic Toro wine. Great value for money (around 8-10 Eur per bottle on the wine shops), an amazing flavour coming from its Tinta de Toro grape (90% plus 10% Garnacha). Smooth-textured, mouth-coating and you can feel the blackberries and I usually find in Toro wines a bit of spice on the flavour
Buy it now because I believe this wine will be even better in 2 years from now

Mexican restaurants in Madrid (in Spanish so far)

Taqueria Birra - Sencilla, si hace bueno una terraza en una plaza preciosa (Plaza de las comendadoras), tacos riquisimos (el picante de pollo y bacon es amazing, but hot as crazy also y buenas margaritas
La puso Antonio Castro hace 14 años desmontando en México una cantina de 1818 y trayéndose su tramoya auténtica, las cocineras y los meseros, el producto genuino y la sabrosa promiscuidad de una de las cocinas con más personalidad del mundo.

Xaman Ek
Avenida Alfonso XIII, 39, Madrid, 28002

Muy posh pero increible forma de combinar la cocina mejicana tradicional con cocina de fusion. Por ejemplo un carpaccio de pulpo con guacamole, el clasico polo al mole, todo todo esta muy muy rico. Es carillo pero para una cena especial es increible. Aparca el portero

La Panza es primero
Hay varios por la ciudad pero a mi gusta el que esta en el barrio de chueca. En la calle libertad 55
Pequeno, estrecho siempre lleno, todo lleno y decorado con luchadores mejicanos. Buenas margaritas (buenisimas) o el agua de limon si no quieres alcohol. Me encantan las cazuelitas, los tacos, el guacamole rico
Me gustan los centro (para dos o para uno si hay mucha hambre) de pollo por ejemplo el de flor de calabaza. En la esquina esta tambien esta dentro del mismo grupo el Barriga Llena. Mas tranquilo y con mas espacio pero igual con menos sabor

Tambien del mismo grupo y a 50 metros esta el sabor a mi, en Augusto Figueroa 55. Me encanta para desayunar tipo brunch una gran tortilla con todo dentro, zumo y cafe. Deliciosa manera de empezar el dia

Hay varios mas interesants como el Buen Recaudo tambien en chueca (corte tipo Xamn Ek pero mas barato) o La mordida en la calle Belen (cerca de Alonso MArtinez) con buenas cazuelitas aunque las margaritas defraudan en mi opinion (y es un poco caro para lo que te ponen). Aun si me gusta pasar de vez en cuando

Por ultimo una tequilaria en la callle recoletos, no me acuerdo del nombre pero tiene mas de 200 tequilas

A few tips on Barcelona - Food I

I usually spent a couple of weekends a year in Barcelona, apart from the WMC fair (one week in February) and some short business trips, so I have some favorites and fewer favorites in the city

For a good lunch I like to pass by the restaurant at the market of Barceloneta. The building was completely re-done and the restaurant faces the main square (and it is part of Husa restauracion group). It has an outdoor terrace and a large “comedor” with lots of lights. They always have a nice menu. Rice is very good, lots of shrimp, cigalas, muscles, etc.. You can even buy your fish at the market fishmonger and bring it to the restaurant for them to cook it. The menu goes with 4 starters to share and a main (fish, rice or meet), with dessert, coffee and wine and water for 25 Eur per person.

Near Barceloneta in fact you also have on the Joan de Borbon street lots of choices around fish & seafood oriented restaurants. Very simple on their décor they all have great and fresh fish and seafood.

For dinner I like many places. One of my most repeated choices is Semproniana in C/ Rosselló 148, 08036 Barcelona, Spain+34 934 531 820. First thing it will catch your attention is the Funky but very warm decor. It is mostly made from collages from cans, food stamps and similar material. Also take a look a the table décor like the napkin holder made out of a twisted fork, so far so on. Amazing and very creative cuisine, from very interesting entrees like the Brazo de Gitano (crepe of catalan sausage (Butifarra)), the cold and warm (foie with a cheese ice cream) just amazing and a very good combination of fish and meet. Leave some space for the desserts, as they are the right way to finish this delicious experience. The wine list is very good, more than 200 references and you can find good value for money or interesting and rare bottles (all mostly Spanish)

Another choice for dinner is to go to Born neighborhood. The choice of nice restaurants here is large and I can say that I have never had a bad experience with any of my choices. You can have a nice dinner for 60 Eur for 2 excluding wine. One of the restaurants I like is Arrel del Born in Fusina 5. Plates are large if you want to go with a group of friends and share or just enjoy yourself. For the main you can go for the rice (5 types of it), the portion are very large be careful here ☺ or the fish (tuna, sea bass) is really fresh. Desserts are mostly chocolate based and they really add a touch. The atmosphere even on a Saturday night is fairly casual so jeans and a nice shirt will do. And near by there are several clubs to have a drink if you still up to it (or you can always catch a taxi and go to Mirablau for a great drink with an amazing view of the city or come here for a coffee in the summer fairly late to see the sunset while shipping a coffee)

And my final choice is brunch at the Gran Hotel La Florida in the Tibidabo mountain. The views are best in the city, if warm enough (being Barcelona this could happen almost on any given month of the year) you can eat at the terrace and the food is really fantastic, service attentive and you will not go hungry. It is not cheap but your companion will be really impressive and you will be really pleased. Make a reservation, as it is usually quite busy on Sundays.

Finally a wine from South Africa that I did like!!!

Rupert & Rothschild Baroness Nadine
Chardonnay, 2005

A femine, elegant barrel-fermented Chardonnay Rupert & Rothschild Baroness Nadine

A vibrant fusion of flinty freshness, lime blossom and refined ruby grapefruit tones with a hint gooseberry. Delicate and elegantly structured with nuances or roasted almond and vanilla. Fantastic with seafood. Remind me of a complex albarinho wine

A bit expensive for being SA (and drinking it in SA) but excellent anyway