Author: annaeatstravels

An Aussie girl abroad (currently home: Geneva). Global citizen, epic eater, looking for distractions from the mundane in the form of delicious grub and a glass or two of full-bodied red wine.
Gins

Review: Napue Gin, Kyrö Distillery (Finland)

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Napue Gin by Kyrö Distillery FinlandIt’s Friday!

Slightly warmer weather and more sunshine means G&Ts are back to their pole position as drink of choice. This one’s relatively new to the scene but won almost immediate acclaim with its “scents and flavors of an early morning, misty Finnish meadow.”

Oh so smooth and certain to be a crowd-pleaser.

Details: 46.3%, colourless, refreshingly soft but full-bodied.

Producer: Kyrö Distillery in Isokyrö, Finland produce the small batch Napue Gin using rye grain.

Botanicals: 16 including juniper, seabuckthorn, birch leaves, cranberries, meadowsweet, iris, lemon peel, angelica and cardamom.

Tasting notes: Quite sweet and floral with citrus and spice.

Try with: Fever Tree Indian Tonic, a couple of fresh raspberries and a sprig of thyme. Kyrö recommends a combination of Fever Tree Indian Tonic, a twig of rosemary and a few cranberries.

Rating: 8/10. I love its mild and refreshing notes but Mr. A finds it a bit dull.

 

Eats · Europe · Geneva · Restaurants

Review: Bistrot Dumas, Geneva

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Filet de beouf with black pepper and fried foei gras

As its name suggests, Bistrot Dumas serves traditional French food. So traditional you can practically predict the menu; there shall be foie gras and snails and saucisson and frog legs and beef tartare and entrecote. Situated in the neighbourhood of Champel, it might be a little bit out of the way for some. To be frank, we live in the area but I’m not sure Mr. A and I would be returning anytime soon.

Not that we had a terrible evening. The food was hearty, the servings generous and service was friendly and as efficient as it could be with only one person covering all the tables. But I chose to not stay for dessert. I don’t think I’ve ever had dinner in a restaurant and not ordered dessert when desserts were available.

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Eats · Europe · Geneva · Restaurants

Review: Le Jardin Restaurant, Geneva

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Le Jardin’s signature dessert “le mandarine”

It’s no big secret that Geneva (Switzerland) does not have the best food. Of course there are gems among the fray, but I hope no one is insulted if I declare that, at least upon first glance, the cuisine is rather ordinary. Not a big deal, except the prices are so extraordinarily high, at least for a non-Swiss like me. For better or worse, this combination of blah menu choices with extraordinary price tags means I don’t indulge in my love of eating out as much as I would practically anywhere else. Which means that after two years in this tiny quaint town Mr. A and I are still discovering places to eat.

Le Jardin sits in the rather high-brow Le Richemond hotel, close to the shores of Lac Leman (aka Lake Geneva). There was a doorman, nice decor and lovely bathrooms with hand towels, which in my book makes it a nice establishment. The restaurant itself is quite austere, with cosy booths and wooden furniture. The website declares that “Le Jardin shows its pride to be Swiss and Chef Philippe Bourrel magnifies seasonal local ingredients.” This is definitely a food philosophy I can support! Plus I was expecting pretty good things since it was awarded 16/20 in the Gault & Millau Guide 2017.

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Australia · Eats · Restaurants

Review: Eschalot Restaurant, Berrima

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Eschalot signature Thirlmere duck: roasted breat, confit leg, heirloom carrot and blood plum

NSW is blessed with countless options for weekend breaks and the Southern Highlands, around 90 minutes south-west of Sydney, is one such contender. An assembly of quaint and characterful villages dotted among stunning rural landscapes, it offers delightful baked delights, cool climate wines, art and artisanal products around every corner. The villages are all rather small though, and you may need to commit to a fair bit of driving to pack out a two-day schedule.

Nevertheless, if you do find yourself in the area, there are some delectable offerings to be had. Savouring an eight course tasting menu at Eschalot is an absolute must and the meal alone was worth the trip methinks. Housed in a beautifully conserved heritage building in the historic village of Berrima, Eschalot impressed with its delicate flavours, extraordinarily attentive service and outstanding value. I am already running out of superlatives and we have not even gotten to the food.

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Australia · Eats · Restaurants

Review: Quay Restaurant, Sydney

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Second course: salad of slow cooked carrots, sheep milk feta, smoked almonds, sherry caramel, pepitas, agretti

Sydney and I have a bit of a love hate relationship. When I left its buzz and superficial glamour some eight years ago (!!!) I couldn’t wait to get out. Deep inside I always knew I’m more of a Melbourne girl. But now when I do go back, the sunshine, the beaches and the glorious food are all massive draw cards, especially when one is a temporary visitor and do not have to deal with traffic on motorways and exorbitant housing prices.

This time round Mr. A and I finally made it to a place I’ve been keen to try for some time. I reckon you would be hard-pressed to find a Sydney foodie who doesn’t know of Quay’s formidable reputation. This quote from its website says it all: “Quay has held the coveted 3 Hat & 3 Star rating in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide & Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide for 13 consecutive years.” Wowsers. Of course, my desire to sample Quay has not been quenched since seeing executive chef Peter Gilmore presenting his celebrated “Snow Egg” to those poor Masterchef wannabes to replicate.

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