The Greenhouse, Dublin, Ireland

For my fiancé’s birthday in April 2017 we booked The Greenhouse - the chef Mickael Viljanen holds a Michelin star - for the third time in two years. Originally we had planned to go back in November last year. Unfortunately we couldn't make it due to one of us being seriously ill. The team at the time was concerned and understanding.

When we arrived we recognised the members of staff and vice versa. They were glad my fiancé had recovered.

As on our previous visits we started with a large glass bottle of still Tipperary water and van Nahmen juices. The rhubarb nectar is my favorite, so I had two of those, while my fiancé had one white peach and one quince nectar.

Until now we always had the three course lunch menu, but had decided beforehand to try the 5 course surprise menu instead on this occasion.

We had very good experiences with surprise menus at FG Restaurant (2 Michelin stars) in Rotterdam and Wiesen Restaurant (Juri Wiesen holds 1 Michelin star) in Eindhoven, so it was time to challenge the chefs of the Greenhouse and ourselves.

 

I brought a print out of our dislikes and allergies, which have all been accommodated with a smile.

The amuse bouche were suckling pig balls, seaweed crackers with mayonnaise - mine included a mussel - and a Parmesan and potato disc. Our favorite was the suckling pig. It was spicy and moreish. My better half wished he could have a main dish with it included so moreish the dish was.

The seaweed crackers were a palate cleanser and the Parmesan and potato disc an indulgence.

In house baked sourdough bread with salted Glenillen butter was served as well and it was extremely delicious as expected.

The first course delighted my fiancé, who had the Foie Gras Royale before. This time it was a slightly different version suitable for spring with apple, walnut and frozen Foie Gras.

I enjoyed it too, it was delicious and refreshing at the same time. A modern signature dish of The Greenhouse.

It was followed by a decadent fish dish with mackerel, eel, crab meat, trout caviar and Wye Valley asparagus. His came without the crab meat due to his allergy to shellfish.

Another highlight was the freshly caught wild turbot, which was gently baked, and served with mushrooms for me, carrots and carrot broth.

We haven't had wild turbot before, so this was a good way to broaden our minds and taste buds. We can add turbot to our items we like. The meat was firm and bright white even after cooking, showing it was high quality.

I liked also the earthiness the mushrooms added to the dish.

Another first for us was the Anjou pigeon breast and braised leg, broad beans and peas. The breast was medium done and something he normally doesn't really like. In this case it suited perfectly well. The best loved component of the dish was the pigeon leg. The skin was crispy and the meat soft.

While waiting for our dessert we were approached by the sommelier, who had heard my fiancé liked Tokaj, especially the Aszu Eszencia, so he had a surprise for him.

The sommelier arrived with a porcelain spoon and a bottle of Oremus Tokaj Eszencia from 2005. The serving was 5 ml. The sugar content is extremely high (over 400 g), so it would be too sweet to have the dessert wine served in a glass and this taster was just right. We appreciated the gesture which was unexpected and added yet another welcome touch at this beautiful restaurant in the heart of Dublin.

My partner had ordered with the dessert a glass of sweet wine Ben Rye 2013 Passito di Pantelleria (Donnafugata) from Sicily. The sommelier explained how the wine was made. The grapes are dried for 25 days in the sun to reduce the amount of water and to increase the sugar content. The notes included cardamom and the dessert wine was delicious and new to us.

Our dessert was completely new. It's new to the Greenhouse menu and delighted us both. It was the citrus cremeux with coconut meringue, pink grapefruit sorbet and a coconut flavored clear disk. We felt the dessert was refreshing, original and well made. We would want to enjoy it again in our future when visiting this memorable restaurant.

The finish line for our lunch visit were two Valrhona hot chocolates with sea salt and honey and two dark chocolate pralines with basil and bergamot. Delicious is the word we're looking for as in all cases/experiences here so far.

Service was impeccable and it was nice to chat with Mickael Viljanen in person and some other familiar faces. We found out for example that the glasses and plates are produced in Germany which was fascinating to learn, in our experience it's indeed important to get some insights into the dishes served as in the restaurant/staff themselves.

The bill came in at 210 Euro (ca. 225 USD). It was money and time well spent and we look forward to dine at the Greenhouse again.

Naturally we will look out for the new Michelin guide and we felt that The Greenhouse could indeed achieve 2 Michelin stars in the future too. The restaurant is consistent, beautiful and the staff makes it even more memorable and enjoyable.

©2017

Green & Bean Cafe & Bar @ Brown Thomas, Dublin, Ireland

When my fiancé suggested to visit the newly opened Green & Bean Cafe and Bar at Brown Thomas in Dublin, Ireland, being open to visit and enjoy new venues together I agreed. 

We went on Saturday during the Easter weekend 2017.

It didn't go off to a good start after our arrival at the new venue which is located on Floor 2 at Brown Thomas on Grafton Street in the heart of Dublin. 

First the hostess advised us that breakfast service was nearly over even so we arrived an hour before the breakfast menu was not available any more and the menu changed to lunch. She apologized and let us chose our table, which was positive.

 

We liked the international, understated design and that the table was large enough to hold all items we ordered. 

Then we found out that only two types and the regular size of Green Beard cold pressed juices were available and not as advertised on the menu five types and also the larger size glasses. 

There was no chai latte either, despite it was on the menu.

When ordereing we decided to enjoy two Beets by Ray cold pressed juices (with carrots, beetroots, ginger, lemon, pineapple, orange and apple), two hot chocolates, one cappuccino, which tasted more like a cafe latte, and one green tea.

Our main course was the same - the Spanish Tortilla with grilled Iberico Chorizo and Piquillo Peppers.

He had the oatmeal porridge with tropical fruits and maple syrup, while I had the tropical fruit salad with cinnamon and cashew nut granola and Greek yogurt.

We shared a bakers basket, which was one of the best in terms of quality of the items/presentation we had so far in Dublin.

In fact all dishes were Instagram ready so to speak. Gorgeous to look at, gorgeous to be enjoyed. 

The food was delicious and of good quality.

The bill was 67.10 Euro (ca. 71.30 USD).

At first Green & Bean was quiet, but soon it was very, very busy and there were queues. Service overall was pretty good and enjoyable.

We would return to Green & Bean, believing that the issues we encountered were teething problems as they had only opened a few days earlier before our recent/first visit took place.

We would recommend to come early for breakfast or later for lunch. Both menus offer delicious meals waiting to be enjoyed.

©2017

Wagamama South King Street, Dublin, Ireland

After watching “Don’t be afraid”, a Spanish film, at the Pearse Street Library as part of their Spanish Film Club on selected Thursdays myself and my fiancé planned for dinner and we made our way to Wagamama in South King Street, Dublin, Ireland.

We had to wait for a few minutes at the Pan-Asian restaurant, because there was a small queue of people who waited also for a table/seats to open up for them.

The restaurant was as always buzzing.

We ordered a large raw juice, a regular carrot juice, green tea, two raw salads, the grilled tuna from the Omakase section with Quinoa, red peppers, red onions and a cucumber salad and the obligatory chicken katsu. As dessert we had the chocolate wasabi cake and the banana katsu.

We enjoyed our dinner again at this newly renovated Wagamama outlet located in the heart of the Irish Capital.

Staff was warm, friendly and efficient.

The bill was 61.70 Euro (ca. 65.80 USD).

Wagamama is one of our favorite chains and we will continue to frequent this outlet and hopefully others around the world.

©2017

The Fortress Kufstein, Austria

During our stay in Innsbruck, Austria in July 2016 my fiancé and I made a day trip to Kufstein and visited the fortress.

Entrance was 11.50 Euro (ca. 12.25 USD) per person, which we bought at the fortress.

The fortress towers over the city and is visible from afar.

When we arrived it wasn't very busy. You can either walk or use the Panorama Cable Car. Should there be a waiting time to use the cable car, visitors can rest on one of the many benches. The cable car can take up to 4 people and is self-service operated. At first we thought it is going automatically, but soon realised we had to press a button to make it work.

We arrived at the Castle Rotunda and climbed up the staircase to have magnificent views over the city, the river Inn and the landscape.

The first mentioning of the fortress is in the 13th century. It changed hands between Austria and Bavaria frequently.

It was nice to explore the areas accessible inside the fortress and see, for example the prison cells or the torture chamber.

There was also a restaurant with outdoor seating. We didn't try it, but it made a good impression on both of us.

Sometimes there are also medieval banquets with music from the period available at this location.

We would recommend to visit the fortress when in Kufstein, Austria and spend a few hours there.


©2017

Sitzwohl Innsbruck, Austria

During our holiday in Austria in July 2016 my fiancé and I had lunch at Restaurant Sitzwohl, one of the best restaurants in Innsbruck. Since this was a gourmet tour it was a must try for us when visiting this beautiful city.

The restaurant is located in a classic building - it was a former school building - in the Old Town.

Sitzwohl is owned and operated by chefs Irmgard Sitzwohl and Elisabeth Geissler.

The ground floor includes the Geisslerei and a gourmet shop. There is also outdoor seating in summer.

The fine dining restaurant is located on the first floor. That was where we enjoyed our lunch. On the landing before reaching Sitzwohl was a panorama painting of the two chefs and one of the cook books on display.

The restaurant was very understated and had a bit of a Japanese feel. It had clean lines, muted colors and splashes of yellow, if felt calming and was beautiful.

We were warmly welcomed and brought to our table in the middle of the dining room, which was long and large. We liked the airy feel. The restaurant wasn't very busy - there were a few other couples.

We ordered a large bottle of Acqua Panna and two cocktails, the Coconut Kiss and the Moskito. The menu was based on fusion cuisine - European with an Asian twist. There were some classic Austrian dishes on offer.

Our starters were San Daniele ham and caramelized watermelon with salt.

It was delicious and the sugar/salt combination created an umami flavor which was memorable. 

The next course was trout "Rollmops" Asian style with Wasabi potato mash for me and sea bass with Italian bread salad and capers for him.  The portions were generous and well executed. We liked the flavor combinations.

Our desserts were Marillen Palatschinken (apricot pancakes, an Austrian speciality) and the best of blueberry, consisting of a tart, mousse and sorbet. The desserts were lavish, large and beautiful at the same time.

With the desserts we had a cappuccino and a hot chocolate with whipped cream [schlag].

The bill was 135 Euro (ca. 144 USD).

The two members of staff were able to serve all guests attentive and in a timely and friendly manner.

We enjoyed our meal and would return again to this beautiful restaurant destination in Innsbruck.

©2017

Hilton Innsbruck, Austria

We decided to stay at the Hilton Innsbruck in July 2016 for three nights, since we wanted to earn our Gold status at the Hilton Honors loyalty program.

We arrived by train from Vienna via Salzburg. Please see also our reviews of the Hilton Vienna, the Palais Coburg Residenz, Clementine im Glashaus, The Rote Bar, Steirereck im Stadtpark and the Meierei im Stadtpark which are all part of the same journey we enjoyed in July 2016.

The train station and Old Town are around ten minutes’ walk from the Hilton in opposite directions and both the hotel and the entrance were easy to find. 

During the summer months the terrace in front is used for BBQs and to relax in the sunshine.

The Hilton is located in one of the highest buildings in Innsbruck and there is also a casino.

Check in was a breeze and the receptionist recognized it had been my milestone birthday a few days earlier, so we were upgraded to a Deluxe Room with views over the Bergisel ski jump, the city and the mountains on the 11th floor. The views were dramatic, beautiful and we liked the simple, understated designed room.

At check in we were given two vouchers. One was for two items from the Snax Shop in the lobby, i.e. drinks, sweets and chocolate bars. The other was a drinks voucher for two at the Alpenstube.

The color scheme of the hotel and our room was in different shades of brown.

There was a large king size bed, a credenza, a seating area with checkerboard upholstery, a large writing desk, a mini fridge, a wardrobe, coffee table and a flat screen TV. There were many Sky Tv, local and international channels available.

The artwork was Alpine inspired and there were two magazines “Hello Innsbruck” and “Welcome Innsbruck” on our room.

The bathroom was unusual shaped and tiled in yellow and white which we actually liked.

There was a shower/bathtub combination, a sink, toilet and Peter Thomas Roth amenities.

The room was comfortable and relaxing.

Overall reception was friendly and helpful and the back of house did an excellent job. Unfortunately internal communication seemed not to function, though.

A large convention was taking place. On our first evening we wanted to have dinner at Konrad’s Austrian Steaks and the conventioneers were already dining there, when we arrived. Unsure if it was open to other hotel guests we checked with the reception, who told us the restaurant was open to all. 

Returning to the restaurant we were told it wasn’t, so we went back to reception and told them. We received a sincere apology and were offered to go to the Alpenstube.

The restaurant was on the ground floor and not full at the time of our visit. As the name implies it looked very traditional Austrian.

We felt we were disturbing the waitress, who brought us to a table for two. There is nothing wrong with it in itself, but we asked to have the neighboring table for four, because we thought the table offered was too small for what we wanted to order and our camera we had with us. We were outright refused. 

This had not happened before in any hotel that we can remember and stayed in. Since we were already tired from the journey and it was late by now we decided not to make a fuss. We were right, though, the table was too small when all the dishes arrived including a bread selection.

Overall the dinner didn’t go the way we had planned it. The service was very slow. I think we spent alone on waiting an hour. It left us frustrated and the quality of the meal was only average.

We ordered one large bottle of still Voeslauer water, one Wiener Schnitzel, a Riesling risotto, a side salad, one “Fantastic Banana” ice cream sundae and a “Komplett Steirisch” dessert. The majority of the ingredients came from Styria. It was a very large portion of cream, berry compote and ice cream with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.

Other things we didn’t like were the quality of the cut used for the Wiener Schnitzel and that the risotto was on the one side too dry and some parts too oily and the side salad was drowning in dressing.

We also received different types of bread and condiments which we liked.

The bill was 55.20 Euro or ca. 58.90 USD.

In fact we were so fed up with our experience that we didn’t have dinner at any of the outlets at the hotel on the other two evenings.

Later we found out that the convention had switched venue on very short notice from France to Innsbruck. This might explains why the standard of service and quality of the food had been not as good as expected.

The only other meals we had at Konrad’s Austrian Steaks was breakfast, which was included as Hilton Honors Gold members. The greeter was extremely friendly and wished us every day a good morning with a warm smile, invited us to enjoy breakfast and hoped we would have a lovely day.

Afterwards we were left to our own devises, which is a pet peeve of mine. 

Unfortunately it wasn’t obvious for us where we could sit and the tables in the nicer area, which was filled with daylight, were set for families or larger groups.

The other area was for smaller parties and couples, but in a part without natural daylight, so it was darker. The booths were comfortable, though.

On the other side it felt a bit awkward occupying a table for eight, when we were only two.

The breakfast was served buffet style and of good quality. There was a “fruit of the month” promotion. 

During our stay it was figs.

There was a wide selection of local produce available including cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, bread, fruits, cereals, one type of fish, which was changed daily, some hot items like fried or scrambled eggs and much more.

Now to the all-important question? Would we return to the Hilton Innsbruck? There are some elements we liked, for example the central location, the overall friendliness of the staff, the quality of the breakfast and the comfort of the room.

A reason why we wouldn’t return is the issues we had at dinner. It’s very important for us that the venue we want to visit has open or at least that we get informed in a timely manner about closures. The food quality plays also a major role and if it is not the level we expect it to be it’s unlikely we will go there again, since we feel it’s a waste of our time and money.

The conclusion is we would stay at the Hilton Innsbruck again, if we planned to have a comfortable room and plan to eat outside of the hotel.

©2017