Tasty Bites

Tired of ponsy, expensive restaurants?

admin — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:04:04 +0000

In this Weekend’ Australian newspaper, Graeme Blundell writes: ‘…when many of us are tired of poncy, expensive restaurants, the lionisation of self-indulgent food critics and esoteric cooking that has lost its attachment to a living culture. We want satisfying platefuls of good ingredients, cooked well, and value for money.’ Amen to that!

Something quite different in Paris

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:08:07 +0000

Did you know that you can take a 2 1/2 hr canal boat ride, starting in the centre of Paris (under the Bastille) and finishing in the gentrified suburb of Parc de la Villette? The cruise takes you via the 100 year old Canal Saint Martin, through four locks and two swing bridges, pasts retro style cafes and shows you ‘Parisians’ Paris’. Whilst in a long tunnel at the beginning of the trip they give you a “Sound and Light” history trip of the area. Quite unlike anything else we have ever done in Paris. You can catch the Metro back into Paris from Parc de la Villette. More info: www.canauxrama.com

The new way to travel

admin — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:26:06 +0000

We have just returned from Paris and this time we took an apartment for 5 nights, rather than a hotel room. Paris hotel rooms are notoriously miniscule (they must price real estate there by the square inch), and even though our “apartment” was hardly commodious it was still the much better option. Get a one bedroom not a studio, so that if one of you is jetlagged you have the living room to read your book, rather than perching on the toilet in the middle of the night. We used ParisAddress.com which gives you excellent information (including the square meterage of the unit) and you can book in real time. It pays to do your homework on which areas of Paris you prefer. We like Ile Saint Louis (the little island behind Notre Dame) because it’s 17th century little streets are like a village in the heart of Paris. Other areas to consider are the Marais (the medieval Jewish sector) and The Latin Quarter. I prefer to avoid the Champs Elysee and Louvre areas because of the wide boulevards and traffic. If you are set on a hotel check out Hotel du Jeu de Paume on the Ile Saint Louis (www.jeudepaumehotel.com) — small and full of character.

Another option is VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) which Kathy from Lets Travel told me about (minimum 2 nights). Kathy said that she did this very successfully in Rome, where the owner picked them up at the Airport and showed them the nuts and bolts of the apartment.

The canary in a coal mine

admin — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:59:22 +0000

I really think Messrs Rudd and Swan should be ringing Baguette to check on the health of the economy. They don’t need to wait for the quarterly (after the event) figures, because any restaurateur can tell them ahead of those figures how we are travelling. We are like the canary in a coal mine in that regard. The minute people lose confidence, their job or read too many gloomy newspapers they stop eating out in restaurants.

So at the end of March 2008 we knew that something unpleasant was happening in the economy. The good news now is that as early as May this year the trend reversed — with no particular marketing to explain the improvement in our figures. A crude measure maybe, but having had Baguette for 33 years we have seen several recessions, one depression, many downturns and upturns. Just give me a ring if you need to know what is happening next!

From the sublime to the historic … recommended Sydney hotels

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:28:39 +0000

Just returned from Sydney and can recommend these 2 hotels — ones that you may not have considered before:

The Lord Nelson Hotel

The Lord Nelson Hotel — said to be the oldest hotel in Sydney, it is situated in the Rocks area in a quiet backwater on the corner of Argyle Place & Kent Street. It is a micro brewery, popular bar, brasserie and rooms. The queen or king bedrooms with ensuite and breakfast (with contemporary fitout) cost $190. The rooms offer individual charm and with only 9 rooms you wont find any specials for this hotel on Wotif. I would however check how noisy it gets downstairs in the bar in the evenings.

Observatory Hotel

The Observatory Hotel – is now 16 years old but has the timeless appearance of an old (but stylish) English aunt. The rooms are huge and luxurious and as a “small” hotel of 100 rooms you are really looked after by staff who really care. Although they do have harbour view rooms (Darling Harbour, not the more spectacular views you get from Circular Quay hotels) I would choose the city view rooms – their standard room at $315 per night, and worth every penny. (There may be specials on Wotif.) It also has an amazing subterranean heated pool with twinkling LED lights on a deep blue ceiling — just like the movies — and a spa for massages and facials. The high tea is quite special too. This hotel is part of the Orient-Express group of unique hotels, cruises and luxury rail advantures.

The best espresso machine to buy

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:19:41 +0000

The Weekend Australian recently had some experts review the 5 best selling, entry level machines under $500 and gave their biggest ticks to 2 of them:

1. Sunbeam Artista EM5900 @ $499

The winner by a whisker. The Artista pre-infuses (allowing the “cake” to moisten and expand before extraction) and purges post-espression. “The thing that impressed us most is that it wouldn’t allow us to extract coffee if the machine was too hot — and that self-purging function,” says Mark Dundon (bean importer, roaster and international coffee judge). It made good shots consistently and produced good steam quickly, using a simple wand that assumed you didn’t need the help of an auto-frother … and, unlike the others in this test, the Arista allows manual adjustment of both water and steam temperature, should the pre-set levels be found wanting.

2. Breville 800ED @ $450

The all-metal shell suggests quality and for the price this machine performs extremely well. Like the Arista, the 800ES pre-infuses and purges — both valuable aids to the uninitiated. However we found it slightly less consistent over the course of four shots; we didn’t like the auto-frother (which is easily removed) and there is no manual override for water/steam temperature. “Still, I’d call this the quiet achiever,” says Dundon. “I’d be happy to have this in my home.”

New Zealand Touring

Marilyn — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:15:27 +0000

I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do this year is shoe-horn myself onto a plane for 25 hours and go to depressed Europe or the UK. I have better things to do with my money.

With this thought in mind we recently spent 2 wks in one of our favourite places — New Zealand. Close to home, and great value for money (the exchange rate is very much in our favour at the moment), NZ offers relaxed touring on uncongested roads, great food, wine and accommodation options and fabulous scenery … not a grey gum tree in sight.

International carriers like Emirates are only charging about $200 each way to Auckland, a city remarkably like Brisbane in size and feel. We had two outstanding meals there – at the French Cafe (not a bit like a cafe, but a quietly elegant upmarket restaurant), and Soul at the Viaduct on the harbour. Both remarkably busy considering that New Zealand has been in recession for over a year now.

Whilst in Auckland try to spend time on a nearby island called Waiheke, a charming 45 minute ferry trip from Auckland harbour. There are some excellent overnight accommodation options or just go over for the day. Besides being very scenic, there are wineries and olive oil producers — have lunch at Mudbrick Restaurant or Cable Bay Vineyards. Take a private tour of the island in a 6 seater bus with Christine Gisby www.seewaiheke.co.nz

A 40 minute drive north of Auckland is Matakana, a small village with an exceptional Farmers’ Market every Sat morning. Introduced to us by Lauraine Jacobs, a food editor with Cuisine Magazine (one of the best food mags in the world we believe, and comes bi-monthly out of little NZ). She has written a book about Matakana (recipes, where to stay and eat) so tap into some local knowledge and buy it directly from her: jacobs@ihug.co.nz

New Zealand is an easy place to discover yourself, but here are a few tips:

* Do rent a car and do a bit of research for yourself. Guided bus tours just take you where all the other tourists go.

* You need 2-3 weeks to get an overview, then re-visit and concentrate on specific places that took your fancy.

* For us standout places to visit were Bay of Islands, Hawkes Bay, Napier, Wellington (north island), and Marlborough wine area, Queenstown and surrounds, Dunedin (Lanach Castle and don’t miss Olveston House, a home in Dunedin built in 1905 and now a museum) and Oamaru in the south island.

* We tend to go Jan/Feb/March but you can fly direct to Queenstown in winter for the skiing.

* Another place to consider in Summer or Autum is the Marlborough Sounds. Walk bits of Queen Charlotte Track and stay at Bay of Many Coves Resort ($300-500 for 2 people per night for an apartment, but very special) www.bayofmanycovesresort.co.nz

* New Zealanders consider possums road kill (they are an introduced pest from Oz) and make the softest possum/wool knitwear out of it.

* Cuisine Magazine put out Cuisine Wine Country 2009, the perfect guide to all the wine regions — wineries, restaurants/cafes, accom and activities. You wont go amiss just aiming your activities around these wine regions because they attract all sorts of other interesting things. www.cuisine.co.nz

* I have a more detailed fact sheet which I can post you if you want more.

Charming Cottage near Montville

Marilyn — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:17:08 +0000

This is our much loved family holiday home at Mapleton, half an hour drive (up in the mountains) from the beaches of the Sunshine Coast. Work this year is keeping us in Brisbane, so we decided to offer the house to friends and customers looking for something special. It is a beautiful, serene place so don’t come expecting the ‘high life’! We find plenty to do, which if I think about it, is mainly eating and drinking with family and friends. We are however a short drive from Australia Zoo, The Ginger Factory, a Fromagerie, several wineries, some nice drives, horse riding and interesting walks.

Set in over an acre of lovely gardens, with sweeping views to the coast, the house and separate loft accommodation is suitable for one to four couples.

Go to www.french-cottage.com.au for more pics, prices and maps.

It All Comes From the Top

Marilyn — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:01:57 +0000

Lousy service has become the norm so I must tell you about a business that does good service the old fashioned way … Merlo Coffee in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley (also at Bowen Hills). If you are in the market for a home espresso machine, this is the place to go. Forget that they may charge a few dollars more than the big discount stores. What they give you is knowledgable service that goes way beyond your expectations. And this attitude comes from Dean Merlo. He teaches his staff to go the extra mile so when you bring back your espresso machine for service, they can often fix it on the spot (no charge!) — instead of simply sending it off to the service people, who usually take weeks to get it back to you. They’ll train you on how to make a good espresso, and shout you a free coffee whilst you’re there. And Merlo’s freshly coffee is the best.

Coffee Facts: Fresh is best so buy little and often and buy beans to grind as you go. Buy beans in foil bags with a one way valve ystem. This allows CO2 to escape without letting oxygen in, increasing the shelf life of the coffee. It will remain relatively fresh for up to 3 wks or a mth max. Store in airtight in a dry dark place — not the refrigerator.

Restaurant Make-Over

Marilyn — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:38:32 +0000

Over 32 years at Baguette Restaurant we have done a number of renovations, but earlier this year we decided on a completely new concept. We would become a bistro. Why fiddle with a “brand” that has been so successful for so many years? Well, our personal tastes have moved on and we are over going to formal restaurants with fussy service and over-engineered food. We believe that to enjoy a restaurant experience you need good company, real food and a quietly competent waiter. Bruno Loubet, our wonderful French Chef, devised a menu of French classics plus some innovative contemporary dishes. Flavour is what it’s all about.

The make-over began in September and was completed in an incredible 2 weeks. High priority was given to two issues that many restaurants get wrong … acoustics and lighting. I simply wont go to a restaurant where I have to shout or where the lighting is too bright or too boring. We bought beautifuly tables (the tops look like tortoise shell but are in fact made from coconut shells) and tossed out the table cloths. Replaced the floor with acid-washed black marble, all new lighting with huge, sexy pendants, deleted the art gallery and threw some interesting French pieces into the mix to add character. People are telling us that they love it and I hope they are being honest because what we did was risky business.