Mid-day Moo Menu at the Omm, Barcelona Spain

Moo Restaurant in the Omm hotel, something a little bit fancy. This 1 Michelin star Gastronomic Restaurant offers a range of tasting menus, but the Mid-day Moo at 45€ is unbeatable! We are super eager, and arrive a little early. We are taken through to the Moovida lounge and offered a drink ... well, it's 11:40am, don't mind if we do. I have a Cava cocktail, & Kim a Hendricks tonic concoction. A little plate of crisps is placed on the table, and disappears in no time.



The mid-day menu menu starts with a progression of appetisers. The first amuse bouche include a mushroom cream, truffled cookie, cheese gougeres and nut bread.



Rabbit with orange & red shiso is the next thing to excite our palate. A little brick of tender, white rabbit meat, with an intense orange reduction, lightly blanched Spring vegetables and baby shiso leaf. There is also a fluff with all the same flavours.



Truffle rock ... arrives to the table and looks amazing. There's a flick of bronze paint, and a black 'rock' sitting on some shining little pebbles.



After we look at it in awe for a while, it is gently cracked open with a fork. It's a very light candy coating, painted with truffle, with a salty, decadent and unctuous cream contained inside. As pleasing on the palate as it was intriguing on the eye.



Foie = ♥. Foie with strawberries is all about textures... There is a smooth foie mousse on the bottom, but with a chunk of fresh foie on top. Strawberries come in the form of jelly, fresh & flakes of the dried fruit. Cracked pepper and a few borage flowers complete the dish.



The next bowl reminds me of a record .... no tunes to be spun, just our taste buds out of control again! Razor clam meat, pork, fresh green baby broad beans, fresh herbs & a bread crisp.



The plate of salt cod is possibly the finest example of this fish we tried in Spain (and we ate a fair bit of it!). The fish was so moist and silky, but still with the salty taste-of-the-sea. The smoked rice, oh wow. So .. much .. flavour! A simple sprinkling again of the little flowers, and a few chive batons finish this delightful fish dish off.



Ah, things served on a piece of slate are just so cool ... A piece of seared white fish with Spring greens. The Spring greens are so vibrant, and again all about the textures. There is a green pea flan, pieces of raw green apple, snow pea shoots and fresh peas and beans.



The food just keeps on coming, which we certainly aren't complaining about, especially when it's suckling pig. A slab of pig, with an earth-shattering crackle and some fresh green leaves.



The dessert is a beautiful ice bowl filled with deep, red fruits. There are some pieces of cake, and a goat's milk ice-cream and a red-berry perfume is poured at the table.



The mid-day Moo menu included mineral water, a glass of wine, and coffee which is accompanied by a little plate of petit fors.



.... and just when we think this amazing, 1 Michelin star lunch extravaganza is over, our server appears back at the table with a box of handmade chocolates. We pick 2 of each, of course;)

This lunch was amazing, if we had more time, or even 1 free night, for the rest of our stay, we would have loved to get back there for dinner.

Hotel Omm
Rosselló 265
08008 Barcelona, Spain
T: +34 93 445 40 00

Monday to Saturday 1:30-4pm and 8:30-11pm
Closed In August


View Big Food Big World in a larger map

Bistrot Guggenheim, Bilbao

We caught the tram over to the Guggenheim Museum, which is a little oasis on the edge of the river with green grassy knolls laced with daisies lined with students, families & groups of friends taking in the morning sun.

Admittedly, the art that drew us to the museum wasn't Jeff Koons’s Puppy .. although the discovery of this beautiful piece was a delight on a glorious sunny day. The giant puppy towering into the sky, embezzled with all sorts of bright flowers ...



Nor was it the works of Anselm Kiefer, Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, James Rosenquist, Clyfford Still, Cy Twombly, or Andy Warhol. It wasn't even Richard Serra's sculptures that had as anticipating this visit .... Local artists Eduardo Chillida, Cristina Iglesias, Juan Muñoz, Jorge Oteiza, Antonio Saura, and Antoni Tàpies weren't enough to draw us in, but the culinary art, tasty creativity & edible sculptures of Josean Martínez Alija is what brings us to the Museum.

Of course we do go into the museum, and spend a few hours wandering around and appreciating some of the pieces. The works of Anish Kapoor, which were a limited show at Bilbao, were amazing. Giant tubs of red wax in various forms, and all sorts of artwork & sculptures that changed over time. But back to my favorite sort of art, the stuff that sits in glasses, or on ceramic ... that is appreciated with the use of a silver implement and excites all of the senses.

Restaurante Guggenheim the Gastronomic Restaurante & the Bistrot on premise. We are taking up the unbeatable 18€ set course lunch at the Bistot today - 3 courses with red wine, mineral water & bread. The menu is announced at the table along with the arrival of the amuse buche, a refreshing tomato & watermelon gazpacho.



There are several options for each course. Lighter appetizer options excited us, so much foie, jamon & fried foods were taking their toll. I start with a bulgur wheat. It was amazing! So much flavor, brunoise of vegetables throughout, with a vibrant & viscous sauce coating each grain.



Kim chooses the mange tout with potatoes. Perfectly plump mange tout still with a nice bite sit above chunks of potato floating in an intense green broth with a dusting of paprika.



Pork meatballs with curry sauce are rich and robust. The meatballs are juicy and exploding with flavor - herbs, seasoning, onion and vegetables. They are sitting in light curry broth, which is delightful mopped up with the crusty bread.



The prized work of the day is the little chicken wings. Deboned and pan fried until golden, they are sitting on a polenta spiked with black olives and a little of the pan juices. It's so nice to see the humble little chicken wing take centre stage, and really deliver on flavor. Yum!



A duo of cakes completes a delightful lunch. The pear and vanilla cake still warm, with a pear & vanilla puree and chocolate sorbet.



Rice cake with cinnamon ice-cream arrives at the table, it's a little bit abstract art and a whole lot of yummy. Light cubes of rice-pudding like cake with a rich cinnamon ice-cream.



It certainly beats the expensive sandwiches & average museum meals I remember from my childhood.

Restaurante Guggenheim Bilbao
Avda. Abandoibarra nº 2
48001 Bilbao, Vizcaya
T +34 944 239 333
F +34 944 242 560
E info@restauranteguggenheim.com

Menu del Dia, Bilbao

We arrive in Bilbao after a short bus ride from San Sebastian. After a little bit of stress trying to find a room last minute, we discovered Bilbo Rooms. The room is comfortable, spacious & full on natural light. We freshen up and head out in search for lunch ...

Just around the corner we discover a little restaurant - la Deliciosa. They have an unbeatable 12€ lunch set chalked on a blackboard by the entrance so we head on in. Within moments of being seated, a bottle of mineral water is plonked on the table and a bottle of Rioja Vinestral red wine is opened at the table.



I had a rich red soup, which was full of squid, prawns & clams in a rich tomato broth.



Kim started with a salad of endive, salmon & herbs (no pic) and then for the main course has a braised ox-tail. The ox-tail is fall-off-the-bone tender, in a rich red wine sauce with a stack of crisp roast potatoes on the side.



Of the 4 choices available, I also seem to have chosen a meat option, the Solomillo steak. Sirloin steak slices cooked medium and covered in a light mushroom sauce with the same crisp potatoes and a generous shower of chopped parsley.



We are both happily content, but dessert is still to come. Chocolate brownie is slightly warm, with a disc on vanilla ice-cream sitting on top and a splash of raspberry coulis.



Chocolate profiteroles are a decent display of the classic dessert. Light choux puffs filled with pastry cream, that is oozing from the sides. They are then generously covered in a warm chocolate sauce, and topped with a mountain of whipped cream.



Not bad for 12€ each ...

La Deliciosa
Calle Jardines nº1 bajo
48005 Casco Viejo-Bilbao-Bizkaia
T: +34 944150944

Open daily, not closed on holidays
Weekdays; 1:30pm - 4pm & 8pm - 11:30pm
Weekends; 1:30pm - 11:30pm

You're allergic to what? and Congratulations !!

Kris, Chika & Michiko on Wedding Day

Oh Chika, you are one amazingly special girl ;-) Any outing with Chika is bound to be packed with excitement! I should also use this opportunity to congratulate Chika and Kris on their wedding day Friday, 25th September .... Due to unforeseen and sudden abdominal pains, which meant me spending my Friday in the clinic getting x-rays of my tummy to find out my small intestines were 4 times the size they should have been ... sadly meant we missed their wedding. I had been looking forward to attending the traditional Japanese ceremony for months ... Kim even bought a jacket just for the occasion, but want you both to know that we were thinking about you and sending our regards. Congratulations and here's to a wonderful future for an amazing couple !!

Anyway, back to the allelergy. Chika has one of those allergy's to mushroom where she can not eat them, but her giant bowl of Summer vegetable soba arrives and it seems okay for her to just pick around them?! ~shrug~ It looked damned delicious, and I didn't mind helping her finish off all the mushroom bits.



Kim and I both choose the Ten-don set. A selection of super crisp tenpura sitting on a bed of rice with a splash of sauce. There's a little pot of chawanmushi - a just set custard, sesame spinach, pickles, shredded negi and wasabi and a plate of cold soba noodles. A delicious meal to keep us moving on another day of adventures ....



Oh my, check out these umbrella lockers we spotted on the way out. Too cool!

Gianni's Ristorante, Bangkok

There were some crazy lunch deals going around in Bangkok while we were there .... and there seemed to be a following of Japanese house-wives (who's husbands must be working for mega-corporations in BKK) but we were quick to jump on the band wagon. First stop, Gianni's.

Located over in the shopping district, it was just a short stroll from Chidlom station. On our walk down to Gianni's, we discovered another little Soi just bustling with Thai workers on the lunch break, and a whole array of delicious looking foods (why there's just not enough time!) In particular, I loved this little noodle cart which seen taxi drivers and businessman sitting side by side on minuscule chairs chowing down their bowl of noodles ...



But then another few hundred meters down the road we arrive at Gianni's. There's valet service, and loads of black BMW's and Mercedes, but we just walk on in. The initial greeting was a little cold from the Thai host but she seated us anyway ...



after we receive the menu, Gianni himself comes over and gives us the run down and recommends a nice wine to accompany our lunch. White we ponder, we explore the incredible array of bread on our table. There's a vase full of grisini, as well as a basket with about 6 different kinds of bread. We dip the bread into the olive oil and balsamic on our table and have fun trying all the different types.



We have both gone for the 3 course option, at a mere 370B no reason not to! My first course, Vitello Tonnato con Peperoni. A superb interpretation of an Italian classic, thinly sliced veal (that was cooked, and tasted like a milk roast beef) was blanketed in a super smooth tuna mayonnaise with some sweet roasted peppers on top.



Kim has the Carpaccio di Polipo. Thinly sliced octopus is layered into perfect circles, and then stacked with a crisp vegetable vinaigrette layered between. It looks amazing, so colourful, and tastes just as good!



In the bottom of our little bread basket, we had spotted a little treasure, an unusual looking black bread roll, with a heavy dusting of flour, and both decided to save it for our main course. But while we were so into our entrees, a waiter just whisked the basket away, perhaps thinking we didn't want that one lonely bread roll. I call someone over and explain that we were actually saving it, and then what appears, but a basket full of those little black bread rolls.



Arrosto di Maiale Salsa alla Senape - low temperature roasted pork neck with mashed potatoes and mustard sauce. We both liked the sound of this one, and it comes out in it's simple glory. Beautifully roasted meat, a tangy mustard sauce, and super creamy mash.



Petto d'Anatra al Balsamico - pan roasted breast of duckling with vegetables and balsamic. Another one that grabbed both of our attention, so splitting half way was no problem. The duck was pink and tender, with a nice crisp skin. The vegetables, potato, sauteed spinach, baby carrot and a too-cute little pancetta wrapped bean bundle that all paired well with the duck and the rich balsamico sauce.



Now I love a liqueur trolley, but an olive oil trolley? That's superb! While having a little rest before dessert I notice the liqueur trolley which indeed had an impressive selection ....



but it was the olive oil trolley that took my eye. Perhaps it comes out at dinner time, and you can even select your oil to dip your bread in.



Mm, dessert. Kim takes the olive oil tor ..., er I mean gelato torta ;) It's a layered ice-cream cake with raspberry coulis.

Tiramisu is my choice. I love the simplicity. This one is rich and light all at the same time ...



Coffee's finish an incredible lunch, my cappuccino almost defying gravity with the tower of foam !!



Gianni Ristorante
34/1 Soi Tonson Ploenchit Road
Bangkok 10330
T: +66 2252-1619
F: +66 2 652 2584

Shunsei, Kutchan

Shunsei is another place that took us all season to get too. It's on Ekimae heading away from the station just a few doors from the corner with the wooden entrance. We tried on several occasions for lunch and for dinner. Then we worked out they're closed on Sundays .. gosh! And many other times we tried they'd been full.



They do an amazing value lunch set for 1000¥. It includes soup, salad, rice, pickles, main course (we had the Ezo deer), soft drink and chocolate rocks.




It's our last dinner in Hokkaido before we leave for our holiday's. There's 6 of us, and Ange has called ahead to make sure we can get a table. We've decided on the 3500¥ set course. They do a few courses, ranging from 2500¥ up to 8000¥. We arrive smack on 7pm and see our table waiting. Each place setting already has a plate of salad awaiting our arrival. The salad is very similar to the one served at lunch, with little pieces of diced prosciutto, tofu, mini tomato, greens and sprouts. As soon as we sit down and order drinks, someone appears with a jug of dressing and each salad is dressed before our eyes.



We're all pretty hungry and the salad disappears in no time! The next course to arrive is a trio of seared seafood. There's a beautifully seared piece of salmon, white fish and a scallop. It's resting on 3 half green asparagus spears that are so crisp and vibrant. There's a generous spoon of a chunky tartare like sauce, laced with gherkins, capers, herbs and hard boiled eggs. There's salmon roe around the plate and caviar (black herring roe) on top with a nice sprig of chervil. Even I like this dish, despite my usual aversion to cooked salmon.



Wow! We had seen the venison dish before when we'd enjoyed lunch here. But we still are all quite shocked with just how much colour makes it onto this one plate. The venison itself is delicious and rich, and cooked perfectly. It's covered in a mild onion sauce and then there's the eccentric selection of vegetables ... everything from broccoli, cauliflower, beans, carrots and green and purple cabbage. The flavours are all really nice, but we still find it quite strange that the vegetables are cold?! (same as when we had this dish for lunch)



Now for some kitch-a-rama! A half avocado is scooped out and frozen. There's an avocado mayonnaise binding a crab salad that is resting back in the frozen shell with a slice of smoked salmon draped over the top. I don't mind it, but Ange devours hers in about 2 seconds flat and I see just how much she enjoys it, so have no problem offering the rest of mine for her to enjoy.



The next dish was definitely my favorite of the evening. A nice chunk of crispy, delicious, fatty pork sitting on a disc of brasied daikon. There was loads of freshly grated mountain wasabi, which is like a wild Hokkaido horseradish, which cut through the richness of the dish and just added such depth to the flavour and complexity of the meat. Mmm.



Then, Kim thinks this was rather strange, well, we all did, mid-meal we just get a little saltine cracker with cream cheese and prosciutto. I mean, it was tasty, but maybe better left to Mum's book club or something ...



Allthough we were a little puzzled as to where the meal was going as it kept going up and down. We thought with Mum's cracker that may have been the cheese course? and maybe just dessert to come. But we were all surprised when a plate of Hokkaido lamb arrived. The lamb was cooked to a beautiful blush pink. It was sitting on a velvetly smooth eggplant half and covered in crispy fried shallots. The sauce was spiked with seeded mustard and it definately didn't need anything that was sitting to the side (especially when we'd already had so many courses). There was a piece of marron (chestnut) one lonely piece of broccoli and half a mini tomato.



All on the verge of exploding, we're thoroughly relieved when dessert arrives as a single scoop of vanilla ice-cream with half a strawberry on top.



But the little chocolate rocks that are placed on the table are just so cool. Look like rocks, taste like chocolate.



I would have to say that each individual dish worked better on it's own, as it was a bit hard to see any sort of cohesion in the whole menu. But the thing I most love about Shunsei is the personable service and humble space. It does feel like a privilege to be allowed into this space, like you've been invited into the families private abode and each and everyone of them treated us to feel comfortable and welcome.