Domaine des Hauts Loire – a dinner to remember

Le Petit Pois et L'Oignon Nouveau

I have already posted about this beautiful hotel in the Loire Valley in France – here. Being a Relais & Chateau hotel the restaurant was Michelin starred so we decided to have dinner there as a special treat.

The meal was spectacular. We had the 99 Euro degustation menu – this was a real splurge

The dishes we had were just fab – for a change I picked the right things from a menu.

Le Petit Pois et L'Oignon Nouveau – onion flan in a pea coulis with pan fried langoustine – the presentation was spectacular and the pastry on top with the blobs on was divine.

John Dory with avocados.  Tartare sauce perfumed with coriander and spider crab cream.

Organic chicken cooked with sweet Vouvray and with mushroom ravioli (morels)

Then a choice of salad or a cheese plate – we went with the cheese option

Chocolate dessert with a passionfruit sorbet

Dessert was a choice of Candied peach with apricot sorbet or a Chocolate dessert with a passionfruit sorbet – I did the chocolate one which had the most amazing tuile on top.  My better half had the peach which was topped with an incredible crisp sort of brandy snap.

Candied peach with apricot sorbet

In addition to the menu items there were several sorts of amuse bouches at different times: a little square of avocado and salmon, a little boat with a mousse in it, gazpacho in a cute little cup - a bit spicy. Bread rolls with choice of salted or unsalted butter.

All the food was superb – the service was fab too

We didn't finish dinner until about 10ish (having started at 7.30) – but the meal didn't actually feel drawn out at all.

My apologies that I didn't take many photos of the food. I was too busy enjoying it.

Restaurant L'Évidence in Morlaix

Restaurant L'Évidence in Morlaix

On our trip to France we stayed just outside Morlaix for a few nights.  One afternoon we drove around trying to pick a restaurant for dinner – we checked out several and selected one called L'Évidence.  A lucky choice indeed.

Heritage tomato tartare with a parmesan tuile

We were so glad we went to L'Évidence - fabulous food - friendly service (French speaking but I managed) - I had the heritage tomato tartare with a parmesan tuile  which was beautifully presented followed by another entree - lobster ravioli in a consommé infused with lemongrass - it was delicately fabulous.

Lobster ravioli in a consommé infused with lemongrass

My better half had some incredibly tender and tasty pork – which was a special. It was called Ou Pluma de cochon au wasabi.  I know this because, for once, I remembered to take a pic of the menu!  Pluma is the name of the cut of pork.

Ou Pluma de cochon au wasabi

 We skipped dessert -although they gave us a little chocolate truffle and candied orange - just a perfect finish to a delightful meal.

Contact details: Restaurant L'Évidence, 4 Rue Basse , 29600 Morlaix, ph 02 98 15 58 25 www.levidence.eu

If you would like to see more about Morlaix – a fabulous town, follow the link to this post

Adelaide food – Part II

Apologies if you are over hearing about Adelaide!  I promise this is the last post on the topic.  Today I want to tell you about some more of the restaurants we went to.

Parlamento was a buzzy and busy Italian restaurant just across from the casino.  The food was very good.  I enjoyed my Scallopine alla Pescatore (pan-fried veal escalopes, brandy-flamed prawns, in tomato cream salsa – served on Italian style rosemary fried potatoes with string green beans).  And, as you can see, the restaurant décor had a political theme – that gentleman in the togs (sometimes also called "budgie smugglers") is an Australian politician! He was a former South Australian Premier no less!

We stumbled upon Eros Ouzeri, a  Greek restaurant on one of the several times we tried to get into Amalfi's but they were full. (More about them later).  It was also a busy restaurant but we managed to get a table in a little corridor by the kitchen.  The food was modern – including a tapas-style menu ie tasting plates. We had pita bread with a range of yummy dips - Melitzanosalata , Tzatziki, Skordalia and Taramosalata. The service was good although they did take altogether too long to return my credit card to me.  These days it makes me a bit nervous if it is out of my sight for too long.

Bath in Norwood was a nice suburban restaurant.  We went there on a Monday night so it wasn't that busy but still had a nice atmosphere.  It is in an old pub that has been very well renovated.  We shared a salt and pepper squid dish for a starter.  I have only recently been brave enough to eat squid.  This was delicious.  It was lightly dusted with Szechuan pepper and lemon herb flour.

It was a case of third time lucky with Amalfi's.  It is an extremely popular Italian restaurant which didn't seem to take bookings.  As soon as people left another lot would take the table.  But the service was great despite them being so busy and we didn't feel at all rushed.  And the pizza!  Out of this world. I had the Amalfi special (with no anchovies though).  The smaller one was still much too big and my better half had to help me out.

Adelaide food – Part I

Adelaide food is Heaps good! (That's an Adelaide saying!)

I was going to do just one post about the food we had in Adelaide but then realised there were 7 places I wanted to tell you about which was too many for one post.  So there will be two.

Bistro Dom

Bistro Dom was the fanciest restaurant we went to in Adelaide.  It had a very French feel.  It was a long narrow room and was like a railway carriage.  There was interesting modern art on the walls.   The highlight for me was the fantastic amuse bouche – burned peppers  - this doesn't sound divine but it was.  Crunchy on the outside and melting in the middle – I think they were red bell peppers.  I tried to find out how it was done but apparently it is a state secret.

We happened onto a good local sparkling wine – Deviation Road Loftia from the Adelaide Hills

As with other things in Adelaide, there was a quirk to this restaurant.  To go to the bathroom you had to go out onto the street along a bit, into an office building, up in a lift and down a corridor – glad I didn't have to go but my better half found it a strange experience – especially being towed there by the French maître d' – she said "Come, I'll take you…"  I thought she might be offering rather more than he bargained for!

Jasmin Restaurant

Seeing a restaurant called Jasmin, you might have thought it was Thai or Chinese – but no – it is a modern Indian restaurant specialising in North Indian cuisine.  It was incredibly popular – full at 6pm! And it was a basement type restaurant too! The food was good, the service friendly – what more could you want?

The Sushi Train restaurant we went to is part of a chain.  But it was cheap and cheerful and the food was good.  What more can you ask for.  The concept of a sushi train is also fun with little dishes of food whisking by your table on a little conveyor belt and you just pick up whatever you fancy.  The different coloured dishes indicate the prices and when you've finished they just total the empty plates up.

Mt Soho venue and winery - Arrowtown

I was lucky enough to go to a fancy conference dinner at the Mt Soho Winery in Arrowtown.  The venue is adjacent to the Michael Hill golf course.  I didn't even know it was there.

The venue was stunning.  A lovely courtyeard for pre-dinner drinks.  And the dinner itself was a fully served affair in a very large room with 2 long narrow tables.  It shouldn't have worked as a seat plan but in fact added to the convivial atmosphere.  I imagine that they have spectacular weddings there.

In another wing of the building was a large ballroom with a dj.  So all tastes were catered for.

I can't speak for their wines.  In fact I am not generally a fan of Central Otago wines (blame this on not being a red wine girl).  But I believe their pinot noir is supposed to be good.

Marvel Grill North Wharf

I had another foray into the Wynyard Quarter. And tried out the Marvel Grill


As the name would suggest it concentrates on grilled food. My friend and I ordered the same thing – very good cheeseburger with thin cut fries (with skin) and wasabi coleslaw. This might sound pretty basic but it was one of the best meals out I have had in recent times. Good man sized quantities which meant there was too much for me.

The service was good. The setting looking out at the water and fishing boats is great.

You might be interested in what I said about other restaurants on the North Wharf:

Urban Turban

Live Fish

The Foodstore restaurant- much better than I expected

I went to a business dinner at one of the restaurants in the Viaduct Basin area of Auckland.  I had heard of it before but haven’t been there. 

It is a restaurant which is associated with a Food TV programme of the same name, so I was prepared to be disappointed for much the same reason that restaurants in tourist destinations can often disappoint.

The first surprise was the setting.  A generously sized relaxed bar area with lots of nooks and crannies with comfortable chairs.  We had a nice little drink while waiting for everyone to arrive.  They had a good range of wines by the glass. The barman though spoke English so badly that when one of our party asked for a robust red he first offered up a white wine and then a pinot noir!

One of the other waiters was very good though, when we were debating what the name of the doctor was on Star Trek, he went off and checked it out for us!  Which reminds me, the music was really good for business people – sort of classic pop done well.  No rap or techno thank goodness.

The restaurant itself is a large room with the kitchen out in amongst the tables.  So you see everything that is going on both directly and via screens placed around at roof level.  The level of organisation was quite impressive and there was absolutely no smoke or smells which was amazing given all the sizzle going on.

I had a ceviche starter – actually island style lime cured fish with coconut and tropical fruit – lovely and light.

Then I had fish – John Dory pan-fried with a side of Triple Cream Mash – now that was truly decadent.

I didn’t do dessert but was very impressed when one of our party asked for some fresh fruit – which was not on the menu.  Out came a beautifully presented ice-cream sundae style bowl of a great range of fruit – I suspect there was also a little liqueur of some sort involved.

I would be very happy to have a chance to go back there.


For another post about a restaurant in Auckland, click here

Live Fish, Wynyard Quarter

So a friend and I tried another one of the restaurants down on the North Wharf in the Wynyard Quarter.  Live Fish this time.  

It is billed as Hong Kong style alfresco dining.  But to be honest it didn’t feel particularly Chinese in layout.  But the food was authentic in taste.  There was also a large tank containing live crayfish and abalone which you could select.  I didn’t choose either of those ($45 for the half crayfish or $68 for one abalone just seemed a mite extravagant for a casual lunch!). 

I had prawns in hoisin sauce.  They were simply delicious but there were only about 6 small prawns with a pile of green salad in the middle and no rice.  It just wasn’t filling enough for lunch.  And at $19 not that great in value.  The salad was supposed to have a sweet chilli lime dressing but  I couldn’t really taste it.

My friend had pan fried salmon with rice.  The sauce was a Cajun mayo (which doesn’t sound particularly Hong Kong, does it?) – this was delicious.

The service was a bit slow but we weren’t in any hurry.


For other posts about the Wynyard Quarter click here and here.


You might find my travel bucket list of interest.

Woolloomooloo Wharf & Manta Restaurant, Sydney

Woolloomooloo Wharf

We went to Woolloomooloo wharf in Sydney more or less by chance.  We had been in the Domain and looked out and saw what seemed to be a line of bustling restaurants in the distance.  Consulting our trusty map we realised that they were in an old wharf building that had been restored and partly developed as upmarket apartments with moorings for yachts.

The building itself was interesting, although a bit odd.  Cavernous spaces inside that didn’t seem to be used for anything.

Interior of Woolloomooloo Wharf

We selected one of the restaurants for lunch completely at random.  The one we chose was Manta.  A modern Australian restaurant.  It wasn’t until we sat down that we saw just how expensive it was – and then we thought , what the heck.  But at $181 for lunch I won’t be back there in a hurry!

The food, it has to be said, was of a high standard.  We had prosciutto to share as a started – it was acorn fed, 3 year black pig – and just delicious.

Lovely but expensive aged prosciutto

Then the better half had crumbed whiting which was nice with a scrumptious potato salad and sauce.

Crumbed whiting

I had spaghetti with Alaskan crab which was slightly disappointing.  For the cost I would have expected more crab.

Spaghetti with Alaskan crab

I guess what you are paying for is the setting – which was lovely – looking out on the boardwalk and the superyachts.

Sosumi Sushi Train in old GPO Martin Place Sydney

Sosumi Sushi Train seen from entry level of GPO Martin Place

This was an unknown and unexpected delight on our recent visit to Sydney.  It was in an upmarket food court type area under the old GPO (Post Office) in Martin Place.  We just happened on it when we wanted a quick lunch. 

The sushi train was very well stocked with a nice array of sushi and sashimi.  But then along came the tempura prawns – wow – unbelievably good.  It was very busy and we were glad we went at midday because by half past you would have had to wait for a place on the train or take a table and order from the menu or lean over people to snaffle what you wanted from the sushi train.

Tempura Prawns from Sosumi 

We went back for an early dinner and ordered off the menu – tempura prawns, scallops and a chicken teriyaki.  Yum, yum (maybe the teriyaki was a bit salty).  And relatively inexpensive.  A find!