wagamama, Bridge Street, Sydney

wagamama, Bridge Street, Sydney
Friday 29 September, 2006

The premise behind wagamama is positive eating + positive living and as they boldly state on their website and menus,

'at wagamama, we celebrate consistency and quality in everything we do. Our ethos, developed since the first wagamama opened in London bloomsbury in 1992, is to combine great, fresh and nutritious food in an sleek yet simple setting with helpful, friendly service and value for money.

Our group of 7 arrived on Friday without a reservation. Fortunately you never have too long to wait at wagamama. We were seated at a large share table (the whole restaurant consists of large share tables witimmovablele bench seats) and for the first time I noticed the almost hidden bench under each table where you can place your hand bag/ personal belongings. Very smart. The interior is sleek and all the Australian sites have been designed by Idiom Design. The restaurant interior does not encourage a long lunch - it's fast and fresh.

The menu's are enormous and explains the approach,

'wagamama is modeled on the ramen stalls of japan that have been popular for over 200 years. We don't have starters at wagamama instead we offer sides, which are the perfect complement to your meal. Individual selections of your side dishes and main meals will be delivered at different times. this is because all dishes are cooked fresh to order and delivered straight to your table rather than sitting under heat lamps waiting for the other dishes to be ready. we want your food to be as fresh and delicious as possible! The idea is don't wait. just enjoy the wagamama experience. We hope you enjoy your meal.'

Each menu outlines the variety of meal offerings from ramen, katsu, salads, teriyaki, wok, kare noodles, teppan and extras. It's quite a read. The staff wander through the restaurant with electronic ordering machines that contributes to the hip and happening vibe. However, once you order they handwrite the number of your menu item (e.g. 76 = Chicken tama rice) on your paper place setting. Go figure.

Our group ordered and other thing to be aware of is that the food comes out as soon as it is ready. So, it is quite likely that your group will not eat together. Some will get their meals immediately and others will just start as you are finishing. I decided to choose something completely different and went with the chicken tama rice - grilled chicken with stir fried courgette and shitake mushrooms in a wine, garlic, ginger and egg sauce served with japanese style rice.

I regretted it as soon as it arrived - it was an enormous bowl of rice swimming in the sauce with some chicken on top. The sauce tasted like thin, watery gravy. I didn't enjoy it all. That'll teach me - next time I'll return to ramen or kare noodle dishes.

wagamama's - 38 Bridge Street, Sydney - T: 9252 8696

http://www.wagamama.com.au/

The Avenue Cafe, Avenue Road, Mosman

The Avenue Cafe, Avenue Road, Mosman
Tuesday 26 September, 2006

I worked in Mosman several years ago and use to stop here for coffee every morning. I remember the staff being quite good but they never remembered my order (not like my current coffee fave - Bar Bene - where all the staff know your name and you never need to order - I love it).

This morning I was up and about early so decided to pop in for breakfast. Not surprisingly it was packed with locals - parents & school kids, business colleagues and plenty of work from home types. Surprisingly the same staff were behind the counter.

The interior is a little plain, wooden floors, tables and chairs, large blackboard with daily specials, large windows looking out to Avenue Road and the taxi rank across the road, side table with daily papers, magazines and a large front counter that hides the coffee machine and cash register.

I sat inside and was handed a menu within moments. The breakfast menu is lean and contains all the usual suspects - cereal, fruit & yoghurt, porridge, toast, eggs, bacon etc. I ordered a coffee and opened my book, 'Not another book about Italy' by Ann Rickard. Since returning from Italy I've been reading everything I can get my hands on and this one was quite entertaining in parts. As the back cover states,

'Ann Rickard has not lived in Italy for any length of time, nor has she restored an old house and bonded with local signoras. Instead, after decades of working, paying off mortgages and raising children, she has packed up herself, her husband Geoffrey and her laptop, and headed off for some well-earned luxury. The result? A joyous and wine-soaked tour of some of Italy’s most breathtaking cities, villages and trattorias.'

It wasn't long before I was getting peckish so ordered my breakfast fave eggs benedict. This is the breakfast I usually order when I am out as I have never been able to replicate it at home. It was delivered promptly and with their special homemade hollandaise was just perfect. It wasn't swimming in hollandaise and had a good balance between muffin, ham, poached eggs and hollandaise.

A good local (if only they would remember your name).

The Avenue Cafe, 185 Avenue Road, Mosman - T: 9969 9981

Thelma and Louise, Hayes St, Neutral Bay

Thelma and Louise, Hayes St, Neutral Bay
Monday 25 September, 2006

No, it's not the movie but a real find in Neutral Bay. I had received several recommendations to try this place and am pleased to say I finally made it.

Nestled into a small group of shops at Neutral Bay Wharf and bus turning circle you will find this gorgeous site. It's tiny with a small balcony sitting over the water - be warned it can get chilly out there (even on a warn day).

We parked out the front (parking can easily be found in the surrounding streets but there is limited parking directly out front) and walked in at Monday lunchtime. The only table available was on the balcony. Not a problem, the balcony looks out over the bay and is very calming (until a ferry arrives).

The staff are laid back and happy to chat, even though they were busy. We kicked off with coffees (very, very good - I'd go back just for coffee) and reviewed the menus. I ordered the ham, bocconcini and artichoke panini and my lunch buddy ordered the seafood risotto. We also shared a pumpkin, feta, spinach leaves and tomato salad.

We enjoyed our coffees on the balcony and waited. We waited until I almost froze and we had to re-group inside on the bar stools over-looking Hayes Street. We continued to wait an hour for our lunch to be served. At certain intervals a staff member would swing by with an, 'it's on the way'. They were relaxed and didn't seem to notice how long we had been waiting. It's an open, small kitchen so you can also watch the food preparation.

The food arrived and was very good. Worth the wait? Yes and no. A small cafe can't afford to keep patrons waiting this long but then again, we were happy to chat and take in the atmosphere. The other patrons were a mix of business people, Mums & bubs and friends. A total mix.

We ordered way too much food and asked for it to be packed up so we could take it away. This wasn't a problem.

I'd happily return for coffee and would only dine there if I was prepared to have a long lunch....

Thelma and Louise - Shop 1/1, Hayes St, Neutral Bay - T: 9953 7754

Trattoria Enzo e Piero, Via Faenza, Florence

Trattoria Enzo e Piero, Via Faenza, Florence
Wednesday 20 & Thursday 21 September, 2006

What better recommendation do you need than dining there two nights in a row? We stumbled across this little gem in the same street as our hotel and decided to take a chance. It delivered on all counts.

On the first night, Wednesday, we walked in without a reservation and were lucky enough to receive the last available table. The staff spoke perfect English and the menus were so appealing - everything sounded good. The menu also offered some background to the restaurant,

"Our restaurant has been opened since 1932. In 1971 Enzo and Piero took over the helm and started a tradition which has carried on for three generations. Massimo, the son of Enzo, too the place of his father in 1979. In 2004, Massimo's children, Aldo and Francesca replaced Piero and became partners of the trattoria with their father. Today Aldo works in the kitchen to prepare excellent dishes of the Tuscan tradition while Massimo and Francesca welcome and advise their customers. The result is an authentic family restaurant serving excellent food in a friendly and cosy atmosphere."

The decor was intriguing - simple, wooden chairs with raffia covers and interesting oil paintings lining each wall.

The first night we ordered some mozarella and tomatoes, white beans and roast potatoes to share and I ordered the veal scallopini. It didn't take us long to agree unanimously that we would come back the following night. The food was exceptional and we finished off with their specialty - tiramisu - absolutely delicious!

We made a reservation for the following night on our way out - that's how good the food was and we desperately wanted to order what almost every table had - the steak tartare.

On Thursday night we returned with high expectations and the food was faultless. The service, however, was shocking. Tonight we had opted to sit outside and this area was manned by the American girlfriend of the chef. She told us she had come to Florence to study art and met the son. They had fallen in love so she now divides her time between Texas and Florence (what a contrast of locations!). Unfortunately we sat behind a table of smokers and because the restaurant was full we were unable to move - so had to make do with their chain smoking while we ate.

The steak tartare was sensational - it is served rare in thick slices on a bed of lettuce - simple and delicious. We all decided to finish off with the tiramisu (it was that good...).

If we were staying any longer we would have returned for a third night.

Trattoria Enzo e Piero - Via Faenza 105, Florence - 0552 14901

http://www.trattoriaenzoepiero.it/

Ristorante Albergo G da Verrazzano, Piazza G Matteotti, Greve in Chiante

Ristorante Albergo G da Verrazzano, Piazza G Matteotti, Greve in Chiante
Thursday 21 September, 2006

We caught a local bus from Florence to Greve in Chianti - it took approx. 50 minutes and was an absolute find. A Qantas air steward had highly recommended it to my travel buddies, so we decided to make a day trip of it.

We arrived around 10am and walked through the main piazza and were confronted by the enormous bronze statue on the left - what the?*@!

We walked through the piazza stopping briefly for a coffee at Caffe Lepanto. We wandered through the gorgeous shops that lined the Piazza and arrived at the most impressive deli called Antica macelleria Falorni - this place has to be seen to be believed. We walked up as the staff were unloading more stock - wild boar - what a sight! We followed them in and walked through parma hams, salamis and this amazing cheese cellar.

We continued through the piazza, heading along the main road and found this brilliant wine sampling cellar called Le Catine di Greve in Chiante. The idea is you purchase a smart card and put a certain amount of Euros on the card before walking around the cellar and trying whatever wines take your fancy - some are low cost per taste e.g. 40 c and others are expensive per taste e.g. 5 Euros. Between the 3 of us we spent 30 Euros in no time - what fun!

We stumbled back to the Piazza for our long lunch at Ristorante Albergo G da Verrazzano. This was another find, situated on Level 1 of the hotel and offering lovely views over the Piazza. It was a gorgeous setting and I would love to return and stay in the hotel and complete one of their cooking schools.

The restaurant was located on the verandah and we sat basking in the afternoon sun. We ordered the salami and figs to start - this is great, light entree and I couldn't resist but order the local specialty - tagliotelli with wild boar (this was a first). It was so good, every mouthful was full of flavour. I loved it.

Ristorante Albergo G da Verrazzano - Piazza G Matteotti, Greve in Chiante - T: 0558 53189

http://www.ristoranteverrazzano.it/Pages/e_index.html

Grand Cafe Ristorante, Piazza della Republica, Florence

Grand Cafe Ristorante, Piazza della Republica, Florence
Wednesday 20 September, 2006

Florence is fabulous for people watching, so after a morning of window shopping along the designer lined Via Tourbuoni we arrived in Piazza della Republica - hungary and ready to put our feet up for an hour or two.

The Grand Cafe offers great views over the Piazza. We settled on chairs under cover in the outdoor section. It was about 75% full and inside they had set up a huge table offering antipasta- it looked amazing with sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, eggplant, salamis and cheese.

I viewed the menu and couldn't go past the spaghetti carbonara with it's egg and bacon combination I hoped it was as good as the pasta I had enjoyed in Rome. My lunch buddies ordered pizzas and salad.

Our waiter was excellent - he was on top of everything and almost anticipated our every move. It was a pleasant surprise to experience good table service. My pasta was excellent - light and with a decent mix of egg, cheese and cracked pepper.

The best part was the people watching in the piazza - the Italians sure know how to dress for a day of shopping.

Grand Cafe Ristorante - Piazza della Republica 13, Florence - T: 0552 12280

LOBS Fish Restaurant - Ostriche della Bretagna, Via Faenza, Florence

LOBS Fish Restaurant - Ostriche della Bretagna, Via Faenza, Florence
Tuesday 19 September, 2006

Tonight we were catching up with some friends who arrived in Florence that morning. They had spent the previous week in a villa in Tuscany (oh, it's a hard life...). We had lots of stories and experiences to share.

We had booked a restaurant close to our hotel so it only stumbling distance to get home. LOBS is decked out like a small fishing village - there are nets, ropes, hooks, boat oars etc on the walls and ceiling and the colour scheme is blue - tables, chairs and the floor. It's a little overwhelming as you walk in but definitely suits the style of the restaurant.

Whilst the menu was largely seafood they also offered meat, chicken and vegetarian options. I ordered the swordfish with porcini mushrooms and potatoes and my dinner buddies ordered the grilled salmon fillet, another swordfish and the grilled prawn risotto.

The atmosphere of this small space was great - we received a complimentary prawn cocktail to start along with a sparkling wine - they went down very well. When our meals arrived they were enormous and the fish looked so fresh and smelt fabulous.

We were having such a great time that we decided to order dessert - I couldn't go past the lemon sorbet in limoncello and my dinner buddies ordered 2 x chocolate tart and 1 x creme brulee. No complaints.

LOBS Fish Restaurant - Ostriche della Bretagna - Via Faenza 75, Florence - T: 0552 12478

Ristorante Antico Barile, Via dei Chechi, Florence

Ristorante Antico Barile, Via dei Chechi, Florence
Tuesday 19 September, 2006

After a whole morning of shopping and visiting the best leather glove store in Florence (Madova) we had worked up an appetite. We stumbled across Ristorante Antico Barile and walked in off the street with no reservation.

We have been so lucky during our travels as we have scored a table each time and today was no different. We were welcomed inside to the cute interior with deli/ bar at the front and the tables at the rear. There were small brick archways and white washed walls and quite comfortable chairs alongside the red & white checked tablecloths. Our waitress was lovely and assisted us with the Italian pronunciation of some menu items.

She delivered some great crusty bread and the obligatory olive oil and balsamic vinegar while we decided on our lunch orders. I selected the sausage & bacon tagliolini and my lunch buddy ordered the tagliotelli with bolognaise sauce. Of course, we asked for fresh parmesan and some cracked pepper - brilliant.

The pasta was delicious and we had arrived at just the right time as the hordes started to arrive around 1.30pm.

Ristorante Antico Barile - Via dei Chechi 40, Florence - T: 0552 13142

Trattoria Nerone, Via Faenza, Florence

Trattoria Nerone, Via Faenza, Florence
Monday 18 September, 2006

After an eventful day we decided to do the Italian thing and eat late (it is not uncommon for Italians to arrive at a restaurant after 9pm for dinner). Trattoria Nerone was just down from our hotel and we had noticed it because of the large wood fired oven and cute pizza maker.

The interior was eclectic with random ceramic pieces e.g the dancing Spanish lady, the array of fascinating lamps positioned around the dining area e.g. Asian themed and the huge chandeliers dominating the dining space. It was bizarre but more intriguing were the bathrooms at the rear of the restaurant - each had a massive spotlight over the toilet bowl. Go figure....

The menu was primarily pizza so we decided to go with the house specialty. We kicked off with the cheese and fruit platter (I know, at home this would be served last) then both enjoyed a pizza. We kept it simple with a tomato, prosciutto and mozzarella topping and requested extra chilli. This had been a struggle throughout Italy - chilli is called a range of things and unfortunately our waiter misunderstood us and we received our pizzas with large chunks of capsicum on top (this is what he understood as chilli). We also received chilli oil and chilli flakes.

Interestingly each of the surrounding tables were full of Australian tourists - gee we get around! We enjoyed the atmosphere of Trattoria Nerone but our waiter was hopeless (it was his first night, so we sat back and watched like it was an episode from Faulty Towers).

Trattoria Nerone - Via Faenza 95, Florence - T: 0552 91217

da Scudieri al Battistero, Plaza San Giovanni, Florence

da Scudieri al Battistero, Plaza San Giovanni, Florence
Monday 18 September, 2006

Unfortunately there was no way I was going to enjoy this meal. Let me explain....earlier my lunch buddy and I had taken an excursion to Leccio (where the infamous, overpriced Italian designer discount Mall is located). This town is approx. 35 mins by train from Florence. We were so impressed that we managed to get there on our own with no Italian to guide us. We spent all morning there and caught the 1pm train back to Florence.

We decided to head down to the Duomo area for lunch and once we received our menus at da Scudieri al Battistero I reached into my bag for my journal. I keep a journal on every trip and record everything - names & addresses of restaurants, meals eaten, people I meet, thoughts, feelings etc - it contains everything. Anyway, it wasn't there and I think my heart stopped beating for a second as I realised that everything I had written over the past 3 weeks was gone. Trouble was I knew exactly where I had left it - the train station in Leccio. I decided to stay and have lunch with my shopping buddy but my appetite was gone.

We sat outside overlooking the Duomo that was under scaffolding. I ordered the lasagna but (probably due to my mood) I found it inedible. It was cooked on the outside but it was cold towards the middle. It was served with a side salad but I just had no interest it.

There was, however, a happy ending - I caught the train back to Leccio after lunch and retrieved my journal that some kind soul had left at the station propped up on top of the ticket machine. Thank you!

da Scudieri al Battistero - Plaza San Giovanni 19, Florence

Trattoria Marione, Via delle Spada, Florence

Trattoria Marione, Via delle Spada, Florence
Sunday 17 September, 2006

This was a memorable evening - walking through the cobbled back streets of Florence was had been promised an experience and that is definitely what we received! Trattoria Marione is one of the busiest restaurants in Florence, so much so there were crowds of families and friends waiting out on the pavement for a table to become available.

We had a reservation but still had to wait for a table. The front window (pictured) was stacked full of local produce - pumpkins, cheese, porcini mushrooms, figs etc - it was making us all hungary! We received the nod and entered the packed space. Fortunately we were led down the narrow winding staircase into a room that looked like an old cellar - it had stone walls and large framed displays of old cheese knives. The cellar was also packed but we managed to fit onto 2 tables. God knows how the staff were able to navigate between the tables with their plates and wine glasses.

We were being treated to a feast where we didn't get to order - so the whole meal was a surprise package. We received:

- Bruschetta
- Chicken livers on bread
- Salami & figs
- Fettucini with beef
- Veal bolognaise
- Steak tartare on spinach leaves
- Mini chicken wings with roast potatoes
- Biscotti and armaretto

The food took ages to be delivered to the table, but once it did there wasn't much talking at all. We devoured everything and my favourite dish was the salami and figs - the combination of the savoury & sweet was sensational. The other highlight was the chicken wings. I hadn't eaten any chicken on this trip so it was a surprise to see chicken bought to the table.

The restaurant turned over each table several times and many tables that left around us called out 'see you tomorrow' to the waiter. It really was a great experience and had a very relaxed atmosphere where the food spoke for itself. I loved it.

Trattoria Marione - Via delle Spada 27, Florence - T: 0552 14756

http://www.casatrattoria.com/

Pizza e Vizzi, Pisa Centrale Station, Pisa

Pizza e Vizzi, Pisa Centrale Station, Pisa
Sunday 17 September, 2006

We were en route to Florence and had to change trains in Pisa. This looked very straight forward on paper, however when we arrived in Pisa - we discovered our train had been cancelled and the platform number changed several times. What can you do?

We knew we had between 45 mins and potentially one hour and a half, so we decided to check out the station food offerings. Of course, there was a McDonalds (we had banned this on our trip), an Italian deli where you could buy panini's, foccacia's etc but my eyes went straight for the pizza bar. It looked so fresh and inviting.

The language barrier was hard but I was served by a lovely woman who was patient and accommodating with me as I tried to figure out what was on each slice. I selected the parma ham and bocconcini and then I watched as she carefully packaged it for me. Each slice is massive - think of a family size pizza and slice it in quarters. She put the slice in it's own pizza box with serviettes and then stored it in a custom built bag. The care she showed for one slice was fascinating.

I returned to our platform with my lunch buddies each carrying their own pizza bag. We all sat down and enjoyed our pizza slice - it was so cheesy and the cheese stretched right out as you took a bite. It was a huge slice and I had to fold it so that I could easily take a bite without losing the topping. We all managed to eat every mouthful - it was fantastic.

Pizza e Vizzi, Pisa Centrale Station, Pisa

La Miraja, Via al Castello, Castagnole Monferrato

La Miraja, Via al Castello, Castagnole Monferrato
Saturday 16 September, 2006

Today was truly magnificent. We caught a local bus from Asti to Castagnole Monferrato to visit the Luca Ferraris vineyard. The scenery was stunning and the village is very small with tiny streets centered around the church. The surrounding hills are full of vines. This is a small vineyard that is looking to expand into the US market, so has re-packaged their wine with this goal in mind. We were flabbergasted by the new branding as we absolutely loved their traditional Italian branding.

We were treated to a tour of their cellar and walked through underground tunnels that has been built in the 16th century. We learnt that these tunnels were once used as routes through to the castle but now only small sections were used and here at Luca Ferraris they are now used to store the wine.

We tasted their collection of wines - not bad - and left around 12.30pm for one of the best Italian restaurants I have even eaten at. We followed a cobbled path around from the vineyard to La Miraja which is owned and run by a local couple - recently engaged. This was an absolute treat as you would never have known this place existed. The entrance had no signage and when we entered it wasn't like a restaurant but someone's home. We had a large table in a beautiful yellow room with stained glass windows - it was lovely.

We had no idea what we were going to eat as it was another restaurant that didn't provide menus, but we were up for the adventure. The meal comprised of:

- Beef carppaccio with finely sliced mushrooms and garlic
- Red peppers with tuna and pesto
- Polenta with cheese and mushrooms
- Spaghetti with porcini mushrooms and cream
- Pepper steak with roast potatoes
- Chocolate and armaretto mousse
- Limoncello and grappa

The beef carppaccio was beyond words (pictured) it was so fine and the combination of the mushrooms and garlic made it so flavoursome. Everything that arrived at the table was served in abundance and was just so good - typically there are one or two dishes that don't deliver but this was all good. We sat there for almost 5 hours enjoying this experience - it was the ultimate long lunch and we were never once encouraged to leave.

I'd go back in a heartbeat for the Beef carppaccio.

La Miraja - Via al Castello 62, Castagnole Monferrato - T: 0141 292269

Ristorante Brasserie Pompa Magna, Via Alberti, Asti

Ristorante Brasserie Pompa Magna, Via Alberti, Asti
Friday 15 September, 2006

This was a sensational evening - great atmosphere, food and wine! We had spent most of the day traveling from Monterosso (Tuscan region) to Asti (Piedmont region). So, when we arrived in Asti and realised what a beautiful town it was we were really excited.

There's no question about it, the best way to truly experience Italy is to go where the tourists are not. While small villages in Tuscany and the like are being flooded with new adventurers looking for authentic life, it's lesser-known cities like the Northern Piedmont's Asti that are the real diamonds in the rough. An affluent and older community, Asti clings strongly to the sense of tradition and community that represented the Italy of the early 20th century. Best known for its bubbly and sweet Asti Spumante wine, it is also home to an antique Palio horserace, as well as a respectable number of churches and cathedrals.

We walked through the town as it was being set up for the Palio race the following day - there was an air of excitement. They have constructed stadium seating throughout the town so that the locals can watch the horse race and the track is marked out with bales of hay.

We walked through the cobbled streets taking in the gorgeous surrounds before arriving at Pompa Magna. You enter through a small deli with jars and bottles of delicacies before heading down some brick stairs into the actual restaurant. The tiled floors and stone archways provided a wonderful setting. The menu was very limited but they are known for their fresh seafood, so my decision was easy.

I ordered the Octopus salad to start - it was served warm and the octopus was cit into large chunks. It was so good and I had great pleasure sharing it with one of dinner buddies who had never eaten octopus before (and probably won't ever again!).

For main course I ordered the Tagliolini with mussels - it came served in an enormous bowl of tagliolini piled high with the freshest mussels - what a sensational meal. The staff were very good, they were attentive, kept our glasses filled and came to take our dessert orders without being prompted.

Our entire group chose to kick on with dessert and I ordered the semi freddo which came served as bacci ice cream with hazlenuts - it was decadent and so, very good. We coupled this with the complimentary dessert wine that was offered and it was divine!

What a great place.

Ristorante Brasserie Pompa Magna - Via Alberti 65, Asti - T: 0141 324402

http://www.pompamagna.it/

Ristorante Bagni Fegina, Via Fegina, Monterosso

Ristorante Bagni Fegina, Via Fegina, Monterosso
Thursday 14 September, 2006

After a day of walking (well, throw in our long lunch and it's all good) we decided to have a quiet night at the local ristorante just down from our hotel. It started to rain as we walked towards the entrance and by the time we were seated out on the enclosed balcony it was bucketing down. The sound of the rain on the canvas roof was comforting.

This family run restaurant is quite special and the brothers run the floor. They entertained us all evening with their dinner recommendations and quirky use of English. To start with I ordered the melon wrapped in proscuitto that was fresh, light and delicious.

The perfect main was my fish ravioli - I had wanted to try this throughout my time in Italy and this seemed like the best place. When it was delivered to the table I automatically asked for parmesan cheese and was politely informed that I should taste it first before putting any cheese on. I obliged and tasted it - WOW! It was superb and I ate one ravioli before putting any cheese on (the cheese is just so good here - that you immediately want to put it on everything).

My dinner buddy ordered a pizza with gorgonzola, parma ham and chilli. It arrived at the table with a puffier base than most of the pizzas we had seen and was absolutely delicious. We couldn't fault the food at all.

The most entertaining part of the evening was the fact that we had locals sitting on either side of us that seemed to be captivated by everything we said, did and ate. We have no idea why we were so entertaining but each couple kept smiling and laughing at us.

We asked our jovial waiter for a recommendation for dessert and he steered us towards the chocolate mousse and a nip of grappa - OK, I'm up for anything. The chocolate mousse was a terrible disappointment, it was made with gelatin so had that jelly like taste to it (just wrong). The grappa however was fascinating. I've never had this before but it tasted like rocket fuel and must have been at least 50% alcohol (one sip was more than enough for me).

We had a great night at Bagni Fegina and thankfully, the rain had eased as we left so we were able to stroll back to hotel to crash.

Ristorante Bagni Fegina - Via Fegina 11, Monterosso - T: 0187817474

Ristorante Vulnetia, Piazza Marconi, Vernazza

Ristorante Vulnetia, Piazza Marconi, Vernazza
Thursday 14 September, 2006

After leaving Manarola we walked to Corniglia where the terrain was a little more hard core - people passed us with walking sticks and hiking boots (mainly German tourists). We met some friends at Corniglia train station and decided to catch the train to Vernazza for a long lunch. Meanwhile some of our friends pushed on and commenced the very steep zig zag path - we watched them disappear as small dots in the distance.

Vernazza is a fishing village and still retains the charm and colour of the other Cinque Terre towns. We had received a recommendation for our long lunch - Ristorante Vulnetia and made a bee line for it. Fortunately without a reservation they were able to squeeze in our party of 7. The restaurant reminded me of a grotto - there were large stone archways separating each dining room and bizarre cement wall features, animals paintings and ceramic wild animals such as cheetahs and tigers dominating the floor space. It was intriguing.

The staff sat us on the end of a massive table with some American tourists at the other end. We swapped stories of the Cinque Terre and learnt that they had approached the walk from North to South so had only walked between 2 villages so far and had given up because they weren't prepared for the terrain and steep climb. We had a good laugh and recommended they catch the train to Riomaggiore so they could at least do the Tunnel of Love.

Ristorante Vulnetia is a seafood restaurant so I decided to share the local speciality with a friend - seafood risotto. Like most Italian restaurants we were served complimentary fresh crusty bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar - delicious! Our meals were all huge and ensured we sat and enjoyed our long lunch.

The risotto was fabulous and consisted of crab claws, calamari, prawns and mussels - it was just beautiful and because it was a dish for 2 came served on a large steaming platter.

I can highly recommend this family run restaurant - we had a great time and it was very reasonable.

Ristorante Vulnetia - Piazza Marconi 29, Vernazza - T: 0187821193

www.camerenicolina.it

Bar dell'Amore, Parco Nazionale Delle, Cinque Terre

Bar dell'Amore, Parco Nazionale Delle, Cinque Terre
Thursday 14 September, 2006

The Cinque Terre consists of 18 kilometers of sheer rocky coastline in northern Italy, terraced hills and vineyards sloping steeply down to the sea. Five little villages are built into the rocks between the beach and the hills. You can hike, swim, drink red wine, and watch blazing Mediterranean sunsets here. Centuries old footpaths and mule tracks wind about 500 to 1,000 feet above the sea, leading through olive groves and vineyards, orchards and chestnut woods. Each village has its own character, they are a few minutes apart by train and there are almost no cars as the villages are not easily accessible by road.

We woke up early and caught the train from Monterosso to the southern most town of the Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore. For the uninitiated the walk is best approached South to North. Fortunately the weather had cooled a little and it was lightly raining. This was a welcome relief from the mid 30 degree temperatures we had experienced over the past few days. We commenced the reasonably flat walk from Riomaggorie to Manarola - along the way you hit a stretch known as Via Dell'Amore that is dominated by love.

As you walk up a small incline you reach the Tunnel of Love - this is where local (and international) lovers leave messages, pictures and poetry to their loved ones. It's very colourful in parts and whilst most of the messages are written in Italian there's the odd message in English which is highly entertaining. At the end of the tunnel is the love seat where lovers sit and pose.

A kilometre out of the tunnel you reach a small bar/ shop called Bar dell'Amore. This seemed like the perfect place to sit and enjoy our first coffee of the day. It is perched very high on the edge of the cliff and offers spectacular views of the Cinque Terre.

Our coffee was spot on - it's pretty hard to get a bad cup at a local bar/ cafe (unless of course you indulge in the hotel coffee - we avoided this at all costs). We sat and took in the view and pondered the next leg of the walk into Manarola...this is the life.

Bar dell'Amore, Parco Nazionale Delle, Cinque Terre

Le Palme Pizzeria Ristorante, Corso Italia, Levanto

Le Palme Pizzeria Ristorante, Corso Italia, Levanto
Wednesday 13 September, 2006

This was definitely an experience......we arrived at Le Palme after enjoying several cocktails at Bar Nadia - needless to say our group was a little merry. We were welcomed like old friends and provided a table in the open glass conservatory that was packed with families, couples etc. The atmosphere was great - loud, lively and we fit right in.

It took ages for us to order but that said it took us ages to decide what eat. Everything sounded amazing and it was largely seafood based. We decided to share the stuffed squid for entree and I ordered the swordfish with tomatoes and olives for main.

As we ordered our dinner buddies decided to order several bottles of a fantastic wine - Agun Bianco vina da Tavola (Levanto, Italy) - it was a light white wine that almost tasted a little sparkling like. At several points throughout the evening one of the chefs (pictured) kept coming out and standing at the top of the steps trying to get our attention. It was worthy of a photo....

Our food was exceptional - the flavours were intense and each mouthful was delicious. The stuffed squid was cooked to perfection (typically when I've had these dish at home the squid is slightly chewy but here it was spot on). The swordfish was light and fell apart - the olives added some saltiness and there was lemon drizzled over the top. We sat enjoying the atmosphere and savouring the food - what a brilliant night.

Le Palme Pizzeria Ristorante - Corso Italia 41, Levanto - T: 0187808185

Bar Nadia, Levanto

Bar Nadia, Levanto
Wednesday 13 September, 2006

We caught the train from Monterosso to Levanto and walked down the gorgeous tree lined street to the shopping area. Just beyond this was the beach and the promise of the best cocktail bar in Italy.

Bar Nadia is located in a spectacular setting on Levanto beach. It overlooks the beach umbrellas, swimmers and Mediterranean and is perfect for sunset. Just a couple of steps from the beach it is breathtaking. The cocktail list is impressive and the prices were surprisingly reasonable.

Our waiter was thorough and after taking our orders delivered some complimentary snacks to the table. We sat basking in the evening sun and watching the sun slowly fade. It was just beautiful and our drinks were fabulous - I ordered an orange blossom that was 'blow your head off' strong but delicious.

I could have sat there for days.........

Bar Nadia, Levanto

Bar Lo Sbarco, Via Fegina, Monterosso

Bar Lo Sbarco, Via Fegina, Monterosso
Wednesday 13 September, 2006

This is the view from Bar Lo Sbarco on Monterosso beach - our first lunch by the Mediterranean and we enjoyed every moment. Via Fegina runs the length of Monterosso beach and is complete with cafes, deli's, shops and restaurants. It's a relaxed, laid back place and people wander around in sarongs, kaftans, board shorts and the obligatory thongs (or flip flops as they are called in Europe).

There are several cafes along Via Fegina that share the outdoor dining space and to be honest we didn't really know which cafe we were sitting in until we were delivered the menu. The meal options were explained to us once we had attempted to order and were told that they didn't have any left - OK then.....what do you have?

We all ordered the only thing they had left - panini's with parma ham and mozzarella and water. With the temperature climbing well over 30 degrees we were drinking so much more water. We didn't have any problems with the tap water in Italy but found ourselves buying several bottles of water from the cafes each day.

Bar Lo Sbarco was very relaxed, our waitress did very little except drink coffee and chat to the locals. Our lunch was very reasonable (5 Euros) considering it cost 7 Euros to hire a beach lounge and umbrella.

Bar Lo Sbarco - Via Fegina 86, Monterosso

Bar S Guistina, Via S Guistina, Lucca

Bar S Guistina, Via S Guistina, Lucca
Wednesday 13 September, 2006

Italians love their coffee and there is no better way to enjoy a coffee in Italy than with the locals in some back street bar where you stand to drink it. I must admit I found this odd at first as our culture is all about sitting down and enjoying a coffee, meal etc. But, in Italy coffee is enjoyed by standing at the bar and conversing with the barista.

We had noticed this small bar a day earlier and made a mental note to return the following morning. We entered a little unsure about the reception we would receive but were greeted with loud buongiorno's. We ordered our cappacino's and sat down....I know we should have stood but it was still early and I really wasn't awake yet.

Our coffee's were prepared and delivered by a lovely woman who looked like she had run the place for over 60 years. She appreciated our lame attempts to converse in Italian. The coffee was sensational.

We watched as other locals staggered in to drink coffee and eat the fresh pastries. It was a great sight and for a moment we felt like locals. This lasted until we had to return to the bar and pay.

Bar S Guistina - Via S Guistina, Lucca

Trattoria da Leo, Via Tegrimi, Lucca

Trattoria da Leo, Via Tegrimi, Lucca
Tuesday 12 September, 2006

I wouldn't have thought it was possible to top off our day at the vineyard....but Trattoria da Leo was a little gem. We had heard this was the best (and only) place for dinner in Lucca and took off through the cobbled streets with no real idea where we were headed. With no reservation we were quietly confident and turned down one laneway on a hunch which revealed the trattoria and a decent sized group waiting outside. Oh no...luckily we had arrived just as the restaurant opened, so they were happy to squeeze us in.

Inside it's rustic with a small dining space, red walls and intriguing artwork including photographs and paintings. There are wooden tables and chairs with paper tablecloths that were branded with the restaurant name. We've noticed this a lot in Italy so far & it certainly saves on the washing up bill.

We were greeted in Italian and responded. Surprisingly, our waitress thought we were Italian and launched into a welcome. We didn't correct her and she took our drink orders. Sadly, we could read the menu (we could understand the odd menu item but the majority of it didn't mean a thing). We confessed to our waitress when she returned and the look on her face was one of devastation. She took us through each item and left us to ponder.

I ordered the roast pork and vegetables and my dinner buddy ordered the grilled veal and vegetables. The atmosphere of Trattoria da Leo was warm, friendly and relaxed - the dining space was small so you could hear conversations at other tables and it felt like you were dining with friends. At one point the lights went off and out came the staff with a birthday cake and everyone joined in with 'happy birthday'.

Our meals arrived and were enormous. The meat was delicious - cooked so that I could enjoy the spectrum of pink, rare centre and crispy outer skin. The vegetables were also very good and we savoured each mouthful in this gorgeous setting.

We were having so much fun that we succumbed to dessert. I went with the traditional tiramisu and my dinner buddy ordered the torte with figs and nuts. The tiramisu was divine, light, rich and decadent.

I never thought I'd quote Marcia Hines but, 'that's what I'm talking about!'. It's sums up our meals and the experience perfectly.

Trattoria da Leo - Via Tegrimi 1, Lucca - 0583492236

www.trattoriadaleo.it

Fattoria Cercatoia Alta, Via Della Tinaia, Lucca

Fattoria Cercatoia Alta, Via Della Tinaia, Lucca
Tuesday 12 September, 2006

This was one of the most brilliant days of my entire trip....a 30 min bus ride from Lucca is the village of Montecarlo. Located here is a wonderful vineyard called Fattoria Cercatoia Alta owned & managed by Angelo & San (pictured above). They treated us to an entire day of food, wine and relaxation.

We arrived around 10.30am along the winding, narrow, dirt, pebbled road that led to an oasis. We could see the rows of olive trees and grape vines several kilometres back but it wasn't until we arrived that we realised just how beautiful this location was. We were treated to chilled white wine on arrival and a walk through the main part of the property where the guest house is, the huge BBQ area with stunning swimming pool, our covered lunch area and a short walk away the small farm with donkeys, chickens, turkeys and on beyond this the vines with chardonnay and shiraz grapes etc.

We drank our wine like it was nectar - the sun was incredibly hot, the sky a brilliant blue and the scenery just spectacular. We were invited to have a swim before lunch and walk up through the vineyards to speak with the workers (who had only started picking the grapes yesterday). We watched in awe as they sped through each line of vines stacking each basket high with grapes - when invited to try this we realised just how hard it was in the warm weather - bent over with large, heavy scissors cutting the best grapes off the vine and working up hill.



For lunch we were promised a traditional long lunch and when we finally finished at 4pm, we realised we had been eating and drinking solidly for about 4 hours - fine effort! We were served:

- Fava & beans in red wine
- Rice salad with parma ham
- Pickled green chillies and onions
- Fritatta
- Tuna & bean salad
- Panzanella (bread salad)
- Olives
- Bruschetta
- Biscotti with Nonno Angelo sweet wine
- Limonchello

It was a brilliant day and it ended with a tour of their cellars and an opportunity to taste some of their limited release wines - perfect!

Fattoria Cercatoia Alta - Via Della Tinaia, Lucca - 058322359

http://www.fattoriacercatoiaalta.it/

Centro Storico, Via Galli Cassi, Lucca

Centro Storico, Via Galli Cassi, Lucca
Monday 11 September, 2006

We arrived in Lucca (approx. 300 km from Rome and one of the most spectacular towns in Tuscany). It is the only walled city in Italy and is complete with tightly packed cobbled streets, small cars that whizz down the scarily narrow streets and an amazing bike track that sits on top of the city walls (it is a must to rent a bike and ride around the city walls).

After dropping our weighty suitcases off at our apartment we went in search of lunch. The first place we walked upon was Centro Storico with it's cute outdoor seating and terracotta pots lining the exterior. The menu looked OK, so why not?

We took a seat and realised we were surrounded by French tourists. They were stuck into the red wine that was served in the largest glasses I have ever seen and by the time we had ordered were red cheeked and raucous. Our waitress was lovely, she spoke some english and appreciated the fact we tried to speak some Italian.

We ordered a pizza (surprise, surprise) and a tuna salad to share. When it was delivered to the table we marvelled in the size of the salad - it was larger than the pizza. I went to take an olive with my fork and it flew across the dining space and hit one of our French lunch buddies in the knee. Well, this sparked fits of laughter by all parties and certainly broke down any language barriers - for a moment we all spoke the same language and it was hilarious.

We enjoyed our tomato, mozzarella, mushroom and basil pizza applying lashings of chilli oil but even more so we enjoyed the scene occurring at the next table with a local Italian couple. Not that we could understand a single word that was said, the power of body language indicated that they were seriously pissed off that they hadn't been served. So much so they stood up, threw down their napkins and stormed off in a blaze of Italian expletives. It was great to watch.

Centro Storico - Via Galli Cassi, Lucca

Volpetti Ristorante - Est Est Est Pizzeria, Via Principe Armedeo, Rome

Volpetti Ristorante - Est Est Est Pizzeria, Via Principe Armedeo, Rome
Sunday 10 September, 2006

Our evening kicked off with a fabulous dinner recommendation and ended with a decidedly average meal at another restaurant. We were dining with new friends and headed off to Il Matriciano (Via dei Gracchi, 55). It was only a short walk from our hotel but when we arrived and started to salivate over the menu our new friends opposed - it was too expensive....

This started a walk around the streets of Rome, the sight of streets lined with vespas and motorbikes and the viewing of at least 4 other restaurant menus before we settled on Volpetti Ristorante - Est Est Est Pizzeria. It had disaster written all over it. The waiter was beyond rude and dismissive and we were definitely an inconvenience (even though he spoke perfect English and could understand us, he laughed openly as we attempted to converse in Italian).

I ordered their signature Est Est Est pizza and whilst it arrived at the table promptly and looked good - it was nothing more than cardboard with a tomato and cheese topping. We ordered bad wine, were served tasteless olive oil & balsamic vinegar with our complimentary bread (probably reserved just for the tourists) and received average pizzas. Compared to our pizzas at Al Vantaggio it was poor.

The experience was not helped by our new friends complaining about the high cost of everything in Rome. My philosophy when traveling is to enjoy everything that is offered and never have any regrets (so if the credit card gets a beating - so what?) Unfortunately, our new friends were tracking every cent and when the bill came and we offered to split it for ease - they objected and worked it out down to the last cent.

I could not recommend this - even though it was cheap.

Volpetti Ristorante - Est Est Est Pizzeria - Via Principe Armedeo, Rome

Osteria dell'Aquilla, Via Natale Del Grande, Rome

Osteria dell'Aquilla, Via Natale Del Grande, Rome
Sunday 10 September, 2006

We spent the morning walking through the largest flee markets I have ever been to in Trastevere (Trastevere is on the other side of the River Tiber and at night the streets are crowded by both Italians and foreigners because of the many bars and restaurants). The flee markets have to be seen to believed they go on for several kilometres of land and offer clothes, food, electrical goods, homewares, furniture etc - they are massive.

After we had worked up an appetite we headed for the back streets to find a cute little trattoria for lunch. We stumbled across Osteria del'Aquilla and viewed their menu on display out the front. The other bonus was they offered outdoor seating and there was a table spare.

We sat down and surprise, surprise we scored a wonky table (no wonder no-one was sitting there!). The staff tried to correct it but it was little 'Faulty Towers' as it definitely got worse before it got better. We perused the menu and I immediately spotted what I wanted - Spaghetti Carbonara - I had yet to order this in Italy and couldn't wait.


Our meals arrived and I was delighted. It looked like it had the perfect balance of egg, bacon, cheese and cracked pepper. My first mouthful was sheer bliss and it continued as I ploughed my way through this fabulous dish. Whilst I didn't check this with the staff (hey, my Italian is not that great...) I suspect they used a combination of gorgonzola and blue cheese throughout the pasta.

The other bonus was the price - for 6 Euros this was sensational (I could easily have polished off other plate.....)

Osteria dell'Aquilla - Via Natale Del Grande 52, Rome - 065810924

Il Pastarellaro, Via San Crisogono, Rome

Il Pastarellaro, Via San Crisogono, Rome
Saturday 9 September, 2006

Tonight, we were in for a treat - a traditional Italian meal where you don't see a menu, the restaurant dictates what you will eat and when - bring it on!

Il Pastarellaro is located in the Trastevere area of Rome - the happening location full of cafes, bars and restaurants over the river. It was surprisingly easy to get to considering that Italian street numbers serve no other purpose then to confuse the hell out of you. For example, walking down the street you follow the numbers 31, 33 and 35, then it jumps to 124, 158 then back to 76, 78 and 80. What the@!*? Initially you find this amusing but let me assure you it doesn't last.....

Our restaurant this evening was hidden away in a square piazza. We entered and were greeted by the sound of a local pianist and several couples dancing - there was no dancefloor but they had created some space between the tightly packed tables. Our waiter was typically Italian, flirty, suggestive and then threw us a curve ball once we explained we were Australian, not American... he had lived and worked on Norton Street, Leichhardt a few years ago. This was our first of several experiences with the amount of Italians who have no other knowledge of Australia other then Norton Street, Leichhardt.

The walls of the restaurant were covered in framed cartoons and caricatures from a well known local artist and the look/ feel of the restaurant was terracotta floors, white washed walls, stone arch ways leading into each room and wooden, uncomfortable seating. As we didn't receive a menu - it was a like a surprise party waiting for each course to appear.

Up first we received white crusty bread with plates of marinated vegetables, sweet potato puree and roasted tomatoes. Careful not to indulge too much we sampled each dish that was swimming in oil. Next came the meat filled ravioli and tomato & bacon penne pasta - whilst this was OK, it was not great and did not impress our table.

This was closely followed by the veal saltimbocca that came served with a side salad and oily roasted potatoes. The veal was good and the flavour of the sage with thinly sliced ham on top was lovely. At this point I felt I would explode due to over-eating but out came dessert - a very disappointing apple strudel with custard drizzled on top. If they had served gelato I would have been in heaven but the strudel got a firm thumbs down.

The atmosphere was large, loud raucous tables, the sound of chairs scraping against the terracotta tiles and laughter. It was entertaining for our first meal where we didn't have to order but the food was disappointing.

Il Pastarellaro - Via San Crisogono 33, Rome - 065810871

http://www.ilpastarellaro.it/

Al Vantaggio, Via Del Vantaggio, Rome

AlVantaggio, Via Del Vantaggio 35, Rome
Saturday 9 September, 2006

After enjoying a brilliant coffee earlier at D'Angelo, we hit the shops for anything leather - shoes, belts, bags etc. All this shopping can work up a healthy appetite, so we decided to find an off the beaten track local restaurant for pizza.

To our sheer delight, just off the main shopping drag - Via del Corso - we spotted a little gem - Al Vantaggio. We chose to sit outside to take in the atmosphere and people watching. Immediately we were welcomed like old friends by our very kind waitress. She appreciated the fact we tried to speak Italian and helped us with some pronunciation and explanation of the menu. She went above and beyond in her attempt to assist us and always with a smile on her face - it was overwhelmingly appreciated!

As the restaurant publicity states (this is a direct translation so enjoy the wording), "The Ancient Hostaria Al Vantaggio is born in 1920. Mr Cappellone opened it and managed it with other persons. Initially it was a place where the vetturini of the carrozze stopped to drink wine, to eat something and to play cards. In 1963 the management of the trattoria passes to Mr. Alberto De Vincenti, a Calabrian man coming from Crosia near Cosenza. Since his home village was too narrow for him, he had two choices: to go to America, in New York or to go to Rome. He chose the second one. He worked as a waiter in some roman trattorie. After a while he started managing the restaurant, that at the time was called la Maggiolina. After two years he bought the trattoria, that nowdays is lead by the two sons Luigi and Costantino, with dedication and passion. The Ancient Hostaria Al Vantaggio has received numerous acknowledgments among which the denomination of Bottega Storica, from the City of Rome. Here you will taste the typical Roman food, in lovely Premises with 17th century frescoes, set in an elegant and Restful atmosphere."

We both opted for pizza - I ordered the Bosciola - tomato, sausage, mushroom and mozzarella and my lunch buddy ordered the Prosciutto - tomato, prosciutto and mozzarella. We both requested the chilli oil which adds a whole new dimension to the pizza - it gives it a bite and leaves a tingle on your lips.

It is no understatement to say this was the best pizza we have ever had. The crust was thin and slightly bubbled on the edge - the tomatoes had so much flavour and each mouthful was bliss. The simple approach to pizza is something that many Australians are not familiar with (especially having grown up with Pizza Hut, Dominoes etc) but when you sample traditional Italian pizza - the statement, 'less is more' sums it up brilliantly.

We loved everything about Al Vantaggio - the interior frescoes were charming, the food was divine, the service was wonderful and the price was surprising - only 8.50 Euros for each pizza.

Al Vantaggio - Via Del Vantaggio, Rome - 063236848

http://www.alvantaggio.it/

D'Angelo, Via Della Croce, Rome

D'Angelo, Via Della Croce, Rome
Saturday 9 September, 2006

Our first morning in Rome and we were keen to hit the shops and cafes. We caught the Metro to Spagna (the Spanish Steps) and were so impressed with how easy and straight forward it was - especially the fact that they had air conditioning on board (it was over 30 degrees outside). We followed the stream of locals, tourists etc down a cobbled street lined with gelati bars and delis with amazing parma hams hanging from the walls and ceilings. The smells and sights were just as I remembered from my first trip to Italy in 2001.

Our mission this morning was to find coffee. An easy task in Rome but we wanted to sit down and take in some fabulous people watching. We stumbled across the perfect location on Via della Croce - D'Angelo. This is a street lined with boutiques, cafes and beautiful people. Just what we wanted. We paid 5 Euros for the privilege of sitting outside, but we didn't care - the atmosphere was exceptional.

D'Angelo is primarily a pastry shop and as it's website boldly states, "the high specialisation of the pastry shop, which makes it one of the most qualified in the centre of Rome deserves the best intentions for other specialities as well, such as the variety and richness of salty snacks as well. For this reason D'Angelo is a must, not only for the greedy ones but for those wanting a fast meal."

With our minimal Italian, we ordered cappuccino's - 'duo cappuccino, por favour' but as much as we tried we realised that plenty of people speak English. The other patrons around us were locals which was excellent as we didn't want to drink/ dine at too many tourist traps.

On the people watching front - my initial observations were:

1) everyone smokes - god, we are lucky in Australia to have such progressive smoking laws!
2) the men love wearing bold, vibrant colours - the photo attached illustrates how comfortable the Italian men are with wearing colour, bold colour and expressing themselves
3) the women have not heard of flat shoes - they navigate the uneven cobbled streets in stiletto heals with ease!
4) customer service is not necessary - if someone actually wants to buy something from your shop they will just have to wait until you finish your phone conversation. We decided that no Italians owned a telephone at home, so they spent all their time calling their friends and family from work. I cannot emphasise enough how entertaining it was to watch a gentleman in a small boutique opposite D'Angelo blatantly ignore every customer that entered his shop as he animatedly continued his conversation

The coffee was fantastic at D'Angelo and set a high standard for our holiday.

D'Angelo - Via Della Croce 30, Rome - 066782556

http://www.gruppodonchisciotte.com/

YO! Sushi, Woodstock Street, London

YO! Sushi, Woodstock Street, London
Friday 8 September, 2006

Located at the rear of Sedley Place, YO! Sushi is a little oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. There's a sunny outdoors area protected by large canopy umbrellas with 6 wooden tables and glass tops and small wooden box seats. Inside there's the sushi train where you can sit on high chairs or you can join the queue and wait for the plush white leather booths - these look great and are extremely popular.

The slogan is 'More than sushi' but I decided to go with one of their main offerings and enjoyed the tuna and salmon sashimi box for £7. The menu is full of YO! offerings - YO! Boxes, YO! Drinks, YO! Salads, YO! Sweets and YO! Teas. Everything is reasonably priced and very fresh - I watched them clear several items off the sushi train (the benchmark is nothing stays on for over 1 hour).

The sashimi box arrived as a cardboard box with a plastic interior with compartments for wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce -how thoughtful! The sashimi was fresh and delicious. Each table has a green box containing chopsticks and napkins and a gorgeous little teapot full of soy sauce. They have thought of everything.

It is cheap & cheerful and this location is relatively new so it's worth a visit.

YO! Sushi - 15 Woodstock Street, London - 020 7629 0051

http://www.yosushi.com/

Gordon Ramsey at Claridges, Brook Street, Mayfair

Gordon Ramsey at Claridges, Brook Street, Mayfair
Thursday 7 September, 2006

For my final night in London my sister, Sheridan organised a treat with some friends, Jane & Anine at Gordon Ramsey at Claridges. In Australia we don't know a awful lot about Gordon Ramsey - we did get one of his TV shows briefly where it was just him screaming and swearing at chefs in his kitchen. However, he has an enormous following in the UK and many cookbooks and TV series, one aptly titled, ' The F word'. Along with Gordon Ramsey at Claridges he also has Restaurant Gordon Ramsey, Petrus, Angela Hartnett at the Connaught, The Savoy Grill, Banquette, Boxwood Grill, Maze, La Noissette along with a string of international offerings. It's an empire on the rise.

In October 2001 Gordon opened Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's which gained a Michelin star in 2003 and the statement is bold, 'Gordon Ramsey at Claridges defines glamour with ease. The stunning Art Deco surroundings are soft and sublime, punctuated with elegant service.' Personally, I thought it was over-rated. We had a great night but the food and service did not live up to expectations at all.

We all met for pre-dinner drinks in Claridges Bar. The decor screams wealth and the dress code was Smart with jacket preferred for gentlemen, Jeans, T-shirts or sportswear not accepted. The anticipation of dining at such a highly awarded restaurant was immense, however sharing it with fellow foodies was a dream. We were all in for a good night regardless of the cost (which is the only way you can approach dining out in London).

From Claridges Bar we entered Claridges, the boutique hotel that is beautifully decorated and has the most stunning glass chandelier centrepiece by Dale Chihuly. I have been fascinated with his work since I visited the US many years ago and his installations have to be seen to be believed. It is rumoured that the piece for Claridges was commissioned for over £1 million.

We entered the decadent dining room with it's pink-ish theme and low hanging light fixtures - crisp white tablecloths and pink rose table centrepieces. It's very extravagent. The wine list was handed to us with two hands - it's that big and covers every country/ region and vintage.

Our Sommelier worked with Sheridan to select the first wine - a white wine from France which some of us enjoyed and some of us didn't. The Sommelier was keen to get it right with our red choice and recommended a red from Austria that was lovely.

Our mouths watered over the menu - I thought the food was very reasonable - 3 courses for £65 or 6 courses for £75. The killer cost is the wine list. My decision was relatively easy:

- Risotto with peas, broad beans and truffles (very nice, the truffles just melted in your mouth)
- Butter poached Label Anglaise chicken, citrus braised endive, sauteed potatoes, jus Grand Marnier (very tender chicken)
- Valrhona chocolate and hazelnut fondant with feuillantine and milk ice cream (chocoholics dream)

Sheridan ordered the:

- Cannelloni of courgette with ricotta and pine nuts, pickled girolles, broccoli puree (a light and refreshing dish)
- Fillet of monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, fricasse of lentils, chervil papardelle, horseradish velout (this was the highlight)
- Strawberry shortcake (very strawberry and delicious)

Anine ordered the:

- Blue fin tuna two ways, carpaccio with pickled white radish, seared and marinated with black sesame seeds, soy dressing
- Grey leg duck 'en vessie', pomme boulangaire, glazed carrots and onions, Madeira sauce (this was described as good pub food)
- Strawberry shortcake (very strawberry and delicious)

Jane ordered the:

- Blue fin tuna two ways, carpaccio with pickled white radish, seared and marinated with black sesame seeds, soy dressing
- Fillet of monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, fricasse of lentils, chervil papardelle, horseradish velout (this was the highlight)
- Valrhona chocolate and hazelnut fondant with feuillantine and milk ice cream (chocoholics dream)

The highlight wfor all of us was the petit fours that were delivered to the table afterwards:

- pistachio ice cream balls
- passionfruit balls with white chocolate shell coated in silver
Here's why things didn't live up to our expectations:

1. There was no WOW factor- for a restaruant is this calibre & notarity there should be some WOW factor
2. The staff lacked polish and it appeared many of them had no idea of what they were doing andcongregated near the kitchen doors whispering, scanning the dining room floor but didn't appear to do much. When they came to the table to deliver the food you could not hear the description of the food and we had to ask them to repeat it several times
3. The food was average - again, for a restaurant that has been awarded a Michelin star you want amazing food, food that is mouth watering and impeccably presented - the food here was good but I think Anine hit the nail on the head when she suggested that her main meal was like top of the line pub fare
4. There was a one hour 20 minute delay between our entree and main meal. They did apologise and provided us with complimentary pink champagne with our desserts but gave the excuse that the chef was not happy with the monk fish and had returned it twice! Twice! In a restaurant of this standard I think this highlights serious issues in the kitchen - who cooked the monk fish - the dish pig?
5. When the booking had been made it was made very clear that we had a 7.30pm seating and must vacate by 10pm. Clearly, with the delay of our meals this was not possible but this again highlights that there are issues with the running and organisation of the restaurant.

It was definitely an experience but not for the right reasons.

Gordon Ramsey at Claridges - 51 Brook Street, Mayfair - 020 7499 0099

http://www.gordonramsay.com/

Crispy Duck, Gerrard Street, Chinatown

Crispy Duck, Gerrard Street, Chinatown
Wednesday 6 September, 2006

I've never been to Chinatown in London before. There's currently a lot of construction going on, fixing the pedestrian malls and revamping the look/ feel of the place. Nevertheless, it's still a fascinating place to wander through.

There were staff out in the pedestrian mall trying to encourage you to enter their restaurant but our plan to eat at the Crispy Duck. Tonight I was meeting another London based Aussie for dinner followed by a play (Fool for Love at the Apollo Theatre with Juliette Lewis and Martin Henderson).

The Crispy Duck is typical of most restaurants in Chinatown. There are ducks hanging from the front window and a carver permanently placed in the front section to slice your duck whatever way you want it. The entrance is non-descript, the decor simple and the atmosphere fast. It's a place you visit for a quick feed on the way to somewhere else.

We ordered a feast - Grandmother's beancurd, flat noodles with seafood and 1/2 a crispy duck. The staff are very laid back and casual. They forgot our Chinese tea, but were happy to bring it when asked a second time. They were jovial and observant - they noticed when we were struggling with duck bones so bought us larger plates to accommodate.

The food was good - the beancurd was as good as I have had in China or back home, the flat noodles were a little oily but the seafood was cooked to perfection - the scallops & calarmari were cooked on the BBQ. The duck was delicious but very boney, so we had to down chopsticks and attack each piece with our fingers (how barbaric!).

We didn't feel rushed even though they were getting busy and when we requested the bill - it was a very reasonable £15 each.

Crispy Duck - 7 Gerrard Street, Chinatown - 020 7434 1888

Canteen, Crispin Place, Spitalfields

Canteen, Crispin Place, Spitalfields
Wednesday 6 September, 2006

I love trying new places and today my London based sister took me to Canteen. I caught the tube to Liverpool St and it was a short walk over to Spitalfields. The area looks relatively new with lots of boutiques and cafes/ restaurants along with the Spitalfield markets.

Canteen is a very slick looking joint. It offers indoor/ outdoor seating - large solid oak wood communal tables with bench seats along with some booths. The staff were very friendly and welcoming especially as we didn't have a lunch reservation. But they were more than happy to find us a seat. The menus are located on the place mats at each place setting and they offer a range of good wholesome English food.

Their philosophy is, 'Canteen is committed to providing honest food, nationally sourced, skillfully prepared and reasonably priced. We believe in good produce provenance. Our meat is additive free sourced directly from producers practising good animal husbandry and our fish delivered fresh from day boats on the south coast. All dishes are cooked to order and the menu changes seasonally to accommodate the best and freshest national produce.'

A really neat thing they offer is the Fast Track menu - if you are short on time they offer a cut down version of their main menu just for you. Today, due to the warm weather, we opted for some salads. I ordered the Smoked haddock, beetroot and horseradish salad and my sister ordered the gammon and potato salad.

We watched what other tables were ordering and the favourite item appeared to be the pie - they offer two pies daily a meat and vegetarian variety. Each comes served with mash and peas. Our meals were presented and looked great - large servings for under £10 each. The smoked haddock was divine and the beetroot was served in small diced cubes on top of the horseradish and spinach leaves. There was so much of it that I felt I hardly made a dint in it.

The other cool thing about Canteen (and this is the case in almost every cafe/ restaurant in London) is that when you ask for the bill and provide your debit/ credit card the staff bring the terminal to your table and complete the transaction then and there. This is great for security and even better for those paying separately.

I really enjoyed Canteen and can highly recommend it.

Canteen - 2 Crispin Place, Spitalfields, London - 0845 686 1122

http://www.canteen.co.uk/

Carluccio's, St Christopher's Place, Mayfair

Carluccio's, St Christopher's Place, Mayfair
Wednesday 6 September, 2006

I love St Christopher's Place - accessible via a small very discreet laneway off Oxford St it is bustling with boutiques and cafes - I absolutely love the atmosphere. This morning I was on the lookout for a breakfast spot and Carluccio's stood out. It's an Italian joint with deli at the front and cafe at the rear with plenty of seating upstairs and downstairs.

I entered the deli and was in awe of the beautiful products - pasta, james, cold meats, tarts, mushrooms etc. There is stunning cursive writing with phrases and tempting food treats throughout the interior and one stating, 'Enjoy our fabulous mushroom products and delicious mushroom fare throughout this season'. Carluccio's is named after the famous chef Antonio Carluccio who has written many Italian cookbooks, most recently - Italia.

I sat in the cafe were they offer all the English papers. The menu is full of delightful offerings and I decided to order the Colazione Magnifica - scrambled eggs with grilled pancetta, sauteed mushrooms, tomato and toasted cabiatta with coffee & juice for £7.50 - not bad.

The staff were very friendly and my breakfast was delivered promptly. The eggs were delicious and creamy, the pancetta salty and the mushrooms full of flavour. I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast but haven't been able to score a great cup of coffee yet. After brekkie I wandered through the deli and viewed the cookbooks - a foodie's paradise.

Carluccio's - St Christopher's Place - 020 7935 5927

http://www.carluccios.com/CarlucciosSite/caffes/St+Christophers+Place.htm

Automat - American Brasserie, Dover Street, Mayfair

Automat - , Dover Street, Mayfair
Tuesday 5 September, 2006

What's the best thing to do after surviving a flight from Sydney to London in economy? The answer is to keep on going. So, that's what I did. Tired and exhausted after a very long flight with a brief stopover in Singapore for re-fuelling I arrived in London. I had made plans to meet an Aussie friend for lunch, so I showered and tried to freshen up before walking down New Bond St to Automat.

We had been incredibly organised and booked all this online beforehand (a common way of booking restaurants in the UK). Automat had stood out as it was in Mayfair, near all the fabulous shops and looked quite reasonable. Located next door to Browns Hotel (famous for it's afternoon teas) Automat is quite non-distinguishable from the street. A large yellow canopy hangs above the front windows and almost disguises the entrance. To make matters even more interesting the street numbers were all out of whack so 33 Dover was located on the same side as 38 and 41 - go figure.

I arrived early and decided to take our table. As you enter through the front doors into the first room you are confronted with black & white tiles and typical wooden tables & chairs. It's bland but further inside you are welcomed with green leather booths and curved wooden ceiling and further back an open kitchen with a communal stainless steel high table and chairs and high shelves packed with large cans of tinned tomatoes. Even further back and up a small flight of stairs is the bulk of the seating. But the black & white tiling is consistent throughout.

The staff are warm and welcoming and are dressed in sleek black clothes. For a Tuesday @ 12.30pm it was virtually empty but all this changed between 1.30 - 2pm - it became incredibly busy. The smell is smoky BBQ and a blend of salty ketchup and each table has the recognizable small bottles of Heinz tomato sauce. The other thing that stood out is that London still allows smoking in restaurants so we had a few people light up at tables nearby - you realise how lucky we are in Australia with our smoking laws.

The menu is typically American - burgers, fries, crab cakes, soups and salads. We both decided to go with their signature burgers that come with fries and are served the only way Americans know how - HUGE! Thankfully, we were both really hungry. When the burgers arrived they were presented open - one side of the burger had all the salad piled high and the other side had the thick beef burger pattie and melted cheese. The fries were the very thin show string variety and we received small dishes of mayonnaise and mustard.

The burgers were really good and after we sat for ages chatting and catching up we decided to indulge in dessert - the choices were very easy - one New York cheesecake and one Mississippi Mud cake with pistachio ice cream. Well, let's just say there was not a single item left on each plate - they were absolutely delicious and the mud cake just melted in your mouth. The other thing I noticed is that you can't order a flat white here and it's very hard to get skim or light milk.

For my first day in London this was a great start!

Automat - 33 Dover, Mayfair - 020 7499 3033

http://www.automat-london.com/

SMH Good Food Guide 2007

Tuesday 5 September, 2006

The anticipation! After Melbourne launched their guide last week, there were whispers during the week as to who received what in Sydney, lost hats, new hats, SMH researchers not doing their research and relying on blogs (god forbid!). I love it!

To view the complete of winners and the Editors' picks - click here

As I am currently travelling I relied on the net to inform me of the winners but a wonderful work colleague sent me a text message to notify me that Becasse won restaurant of the Year - brilliant news. For those that didn't have a chance to read my review of this sensational place - here it is.

Among the three hatters (Bilsons, Claudes, est., Guillaume at Bennelong, Marque, Pier, Quay and Tetsuyas) there are several I've yet to visit. So, I now have these places to add to my list of 'must visit'.

The surprises for me were Icebergs and Pier Tasting Room being awarded 2 hats - what the!?@ I haven't had good experiences at either places.

All in all I thought this years' awards were fair and worthy. What was that famous saying? 'You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.'

Pan D'olive, Greenwood Plaza, North Sydney

Pan D'olive, Greenwood Plaza, North Sydney
Saturday 2 September, 2006

I haven't had great success with food at Greenwood Plaza - if anyone can recommend a decent place here please let me know. My last experience was dismal.

Today, I had 45 minutes to kill between appointments so decided to grab a quick sandwich and coffee. Now, how hard can that be? Well, let me share with you. Amongst the Asian food, carvery and Costi Seafood shopfronts is Pan D'olive that offers a wide range of sandwiches, wraps, rolls etc along with pastas.

As I scanned the board for their different offerings I asked for the chicken schnitzel turkish (sorry, we're out) and pastrami turkish (sorry, out of that too). I then turned the tables and asked what they could offer. Italian salami and boccinchini turkish - great, yes please.

As I watched the staff member prepare my lunch I noticed she was putting the lettuce on too - even though it was going into the sandwich maker. I requested that she leave the lettuce out to which she looked at me startled then continued. OK then. She then became distracted with other orders and soon forgot about my turkish sandwich.

When it was finally delivered the lettuce looked burnt and scrunched up - not happy Jan! I took my first bite and out ran a huge amount a mayonnaise - basically it was swimming in mayonnaise. The salami and boccinchini were not even warm but the lettuce and tomato were. I don't know about you but when I ask for a toasted sandwich I expect a toasted sandwich not a partial one.

Needless to say, the majority of the sandwich was left untouched.

Another one to avoid.

Pan D'olive - Greenwood Plaza, North Sydney(02) 9460 0055

http://www.greenwoodplaza.com.au/

Bayswiss, Cnr George & Margaret Sts, Sydney

Bayswiss, Cnr George & Margaret Sts, Sydney
Friday 1 September, 2006

We were supposed to lunch at Omni Blue today - 10 of us. When we arrived the Manager sheepishly explained he had double booked our table and they could no longer fit us in. He apologised profusely and invited us to return another time with wine on the house. OK then.....

So, now a dilemma - where to go on a Friday for lunch with a large group? The last time I visited Bayswiss I remember it being a 'survival of the fittest' scenario. Let me explain. There is no table service, so you have to jostle in front of the counter to attract the eye of a staff member (who must be trained in making no eye contact) in order to place your order. It's amazing to watch the behaviour of people in these situations. They want their lunch and they want it now!

The only trouble with this set up is that everyone orders at different times, so you are not all eating together. When one group had ordered and returned with their meals, the next group went up to the counter. The seating is also a challenge - they have the tables positioned so close to each other than you really cannot accommodate a large group at once - but we managed.

The lunch offerings were diverse - sandwiches, bread rolls, wraps, salads galore, Indian curries, risotto, pasta salads etc. Decisions, decisions... I settled on a vegetarian and a chicken rice paper roll - they were quite large and came with small sachets of sweet chilli sauce.

The rice paper rolls were not bad - they were packed full of vermicilli and vegetables however the rice paper itself was a little tough (they had probably been sitting out since mid morning). But overall and very reasonable lunch.

Bayswiss - Cnr George & Margaret Sts, Sydney - (02) 9247 4040

http://www.bayswiss.com.au/