Bella y la Bestia Cafe & Tapas Bar, Grenada Spain

It was a particularly festive time when we were in Grenada. We were wandering around on a Saturday morning, and must have passed at least 4 different groups of girls on what definitely appeared to be a Hen's outing, starting quite early in the morning. We turn a corner, and there are people spilling out onto the streets, streamers, loud voices, and a whole lot of commotion inside. We brave the crowds through the door and manage to perch ourselves at the bar that runs the length of the room.



Behind there bar there are a few bar tenders at one end, and a tiny little kitchen set up at the other (where we managed to perch) with one lady just banging out tapas like a machine. With each drink ordered a yell comes from the bar to the lady in the kitchen, stating how many people, and what tapas plate they are up to. We constantly hear calls, with numbers flying everywhere, and it makes us dizzy. The lady on the pans though is not in the least bit fussed, putting up plates and shouting for runners. Each plate is completely different, all with some form of sandwich or roll usually, with different salads, condiments & breads.



We order 2 beers, and our first complimenting tapas plate is a small bagel brushed with oil and grilled, and filled with a generous amount of sliced jamón with chopped parsley on top. There is then a mountain of pasta salad with a Mary Rose dressing and crispy fried chips with mayo & ketchup.

This little tapa was a meal in itself.. And we later find out that the Bella y la Bestia Cafe & Tapas bar has a few other outlets under their wing, including an incredible looking fish restaurant & bar. Oh well, next time we are in Grenada ...



C/Carcel Baja 14, Grenada, Spain


View Big Food Big World in a larger map

Possibilities are endless ...

We’re back at Graubunden. But their sandwiches are that good! And with so many filling combinations and 4 types of bread’s to choose from the possibilities are endless…

Today Kim has a mushroom omlette on soft baguette. It’s a thick omlette filled with a range of delicious Japanese mushrooms, nicely seasoned and still a little soft in the centre. There’s a thin smear of tomato ketchup and melted cheese all incased in a gorgeous soft baguette.



I have a toasted bagel with bacon, tomato and cream cheese. The bagel is lightly toasted and slathered with butter. Then there’s the generous slices of grilled bacon, a big dollop of cream cheese and a few slices of tomato. It’s seasoned nicely with cracked pepper and the crisp fresh vegetables, kewpie mayonnaise and potato salad to the side are spot on.



To accompany our sandwiches we both can’t resist a maple au lait. A cold shaken milk sweetened just so with Canadian maple. Mmmm.



It’s always daunting … with each visit we take turns in tackling the enormous task of choosing just one sweet to share from the display cabinet. This time I choose a chocolate, cream & banana dome. The triumphant slice arrives, there are layers of soft sponge, chocolate, fresh cream and banana. It’s delicious!



Of course we both have a delicious hot cocoa. It’s Van Houten cocoa with hot milk. Then there’s a big spoon of fresh whipped cream and freshly grated cinnamon to top it off. I even pose for a very-Japanese photo moment, with my hot chocolate.

Blue Diamond, Chiang Mai

I don't know if I pity those who have never had or wanted to expand their repertoire of food tried, or envy them. If you've never tried anything else you can't miss it, as is the case this morning. We woke up and both were craving a good Sydney style healthy breakfast, not an easy thing to achieve in the middle of northern Thailand

Rumors were that a place called Blue Diamond was not only serving a good breakie but an organic one at that, deciding to give it a shot it was "hi ho scooter away". One mind fraying ride and a few missed turns later we arrived, you'll have to excuse the lack of exterior photos but it was pissing down so we didn't hang around but just got straight to business.

One muesli with fresh fruit and yogurt, a carrot, beetroot, orange and ginger juice to start please. Juice was carrot creamy and zingy with ginger a good balance and we were off to a good start. The cereal was a generous serve of fresh tropical fruit, pineapple, papaya, dragon fruit (all beauty, no flavour but it's good for you right?) and watermelon topped with a tart yogurt and the muesli. Mmm good, and gone to fast!



Since these days our waking time tends to be a little on the late-ish side we then followed up with a salad off the lunch menu as well as a seven grain bagel. The salad was full with great raw veg (though the avo was a little speckled but still yum!), two types of tomato's, carrot, cucumber, lettuce and a hard boiled egg, served with a raw mayonnaise and a garlic dressing.



We finished off with a chai full of spice and surprisingly good since I'm not so much of a soy fan, and a chocolate brownie .. nicely chewy, all of this definitely putting our other worldly cravings on the back burner for a while.



I have decided I don't feel either envy or pity, but lucky I have experienced so much and lucky there's places like Blue Diamond to remind me.

Blue Diamond, Moonmuang, Soi 9

(not too easy to find, check your Nancy Chandler)
Near the Sriphum Moat
Chiang Mai