Sao Gabriel (Restaurant), Algarve, Portugal

When planning our holiday in the Algarve, Portugal in October 2016 my fiancé and I decided to try Sao Gabriel, a one Michelin stared restaurant.

Sao Gabriel is on a busy road just outside Quinta do Lago. The chef patron Leonel Pereira is from the Algarve and went to Brazil to hone his skills. The cuisine is modern Portuguese and acidic based.

The logo of Sao Gabriel are angel's wings.

We took a taxi from the Conrad Algarve, where we stayed for 3 nights/4 days. The flat rate was 12 Euro (ca. 14.30 USD). It took ca. 5 minutes.

Sao Gabriel and the Thai Garden Restaurant share the premises and belong to Leonel Pereira.

Foliage hid the traditional farm house from view and we nearly forgot immediately that there was the motorway just outside.

There was a terrace and a cow sculpture. We guessed it had been part of a charity event, like the "Cow Parade" in Bilbao and bought by Sao Gabriel.

We arrived a bit early. The maître d' didn't mind and welcomed us. We were offered to start with an aperitif at the bar or go straight to our table. We wanted to be brought to our table, this was no problem.

The finca was divided into different sections, which reminded us of the classic and smaller concept of the Steirereck in Vienna in terms of how diners are located throughout this beautiful restaurant. Our table was in the winter garden with a fire place, yellow walls and modern artwork. The winter garden could hold around 15 persons.

 

Every seat was taken and our fellow diners were two couples (Portuguese and Scandinavian) and a family with a teenage daughter. Later a large group of Scandinavian [?] business men joined us, livening up the more peaceful atmosphere.

We started with a large bottle of still Luso water and two non-alcoholic fruit cocktails.

Next arrived the amuse-bouche. It was made with cheese, citrus and radish and presented in an artistic glass bowl.

A bread selection with extra virgin olive oil from the region and salt from Portugal and abroad was brought to our table next.

Our appetizers were Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna; cured, smoked and dried, sweet and sour pickles, sprout and mild pine sauce and sautéed mackerel and smoked eel, calcified fennel, beetroot in different textures and green leaves.

The textures and bursting flavors of the dishes were amazing.

Our main courses were wild sea bass served with Topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke) cream, black ravioli of green olives and smoked Granny Smith apple sauce and fillet of hake on barley risotto, plankton seaweed tempura, potato soufflé and fennel sauce.

Both were excellent. The standout was for me personally the hake. It tasted and smelled like the sea - very unusual, but I loved it.

Our desserts were caramel, curd cheese mousse, litchi and roses, chocolate and red berries fragrances, moistened cake, mousse, ice cream and crispy meringue.

To finish our meal we ordered two hot chocolates.

Before the bill arrived we received jellies with different flavors including one which was prepared with 11 different types of mint. Memorable and beautiful at the same time.

The bill was 171 Euro (ca. 203.40 USD).

The staff was attentive, aware of our allergies and knowledgeable. One reminded me about a work colleague, who is very charming and outgoing.

We would return in a heartbeat. We liked the setting, the excellent experimental cuisine and the kind staff, plus the location which added to the beautiful evening we had here in October 2016.

©2017

Willie's Restaurant Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal

Having informed ourselves about Michelin stared dining in the Algarve, Portugal my fiancé and I booked a table for two at Willie’s Restaurant in Vilamoura in October 2016.

 

The restaurant was interesting and convenient located – just ca. 10 minutes’ walk from the Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Golf Resort & Spa, where we stayed for 5 nights. [Please see also review].

 

The restaurant is housed in a beautiful villa.  There is also a small garden with blooming and fragrant flowers. It’s romantic and we loved the setting.

 

Wilhelm “Willie” Wuerger is a German chef, who holds 1 Michelin star since 2007 for the restaurant.

 

The interior of the villa felt like a living room with gold colors, green accents and dark wood. There were photographs of a younger Willie Wuerger with famous patrons.

 

Overall the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant including the music and the cuisine felt like you were back in the 80s, which we very much enjoyed.

 

Our fellow diners were couples and small groups. There was also a single client, who was a regular.

 

The restaurant sees also a lot of celebrations incl. anniversaries and birthdays.

 

The Maître d’ welcomed us warmly and treated us like we were family members. He was entertaining and very knowledgeable, especially about wines.

 

We were seated at our table with white table cloth and offered the menu.

 

While we chose, the amuse-bouche was served. They were a pretzel mix, cream cheese on a wafer, which was salty and sweet, a fish canapé and pate with chutney and cracker. They reminded me of my childhood in Germany.

 

Our drinks to start with were a bottle of still Estrela water, one orange and one apple juice.

 

Unfortunately Willie’s doesn’t offer mocktails.

 

Our starters were chicken in sesame crust with pomegranate and crunchy salad leaves and Carpaccio of beef fillet with mixed salad leaves, aged Parmesan, quail’s egg and cherry tomato. Both dishes were delicious and the Carpaccio one of the best I’ve ever had.

 

The main courses were John Dory with grilled vegetables and potato mash with truffles and medium well tornedos of beef with Madeira sauce, roesti and grilled vegetables.

 

The tornedos were melt in the mouth and he still drools, when thinking about them. The roesti was the best ever.

 

The John Dory was luxurious.

 

With the desserts (Crepe with strawberries Romanoff and cinnamon ice cream and stewed peach, pistachio, green biscuit and Amaretto mousse) came my fiancé’s Quinta de Camarates D.O.P. dessert wine.

 

The desserts were divine. The dessert wine was a good match.

 

To round it up we had two cappuccinos.

 

We received petit fours with them. They included raspberry macaroons, Madeleines, chocolate truffles and a Mirabelle.

 

The bill was 167.10 Euro (ca. 200.50 USD).

 

When the maître d’ noticed my fiancé was interested in a white wine, he let him try it for free, which was generous and memorable.

 

Another great opportunity was to meet Chef Willie personally, organized by the maître d’. We were very grateful we had the chance and sometimes still reminisce about it. We were surprised we were allowed into the kitchen, because a couple before us had wanted to meet Chef Willie too, but they had been refused as the chef himself was very busy. More beautiful memories made at Willie’s.

 

We would return, because we have been treated exceptionally well, the whole evening felt somehow like a “blast from the past” and the excellent cuisine and service rounded up a beautiful evening in Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal in October 2016 for us.

©2017

The Ninth London, England, United Kingdom

My fiancé and I have followed Jun Tanaka from afar since he was responsible for the Pearl Restaurant at the Renaissance Chancery Court. This is now the Rosewood London.

We had always wondered where he had gone to and were happy to find out he had a new restaurant, called The Ninth, and holding 1 Michelin star. It is his 9th restaurant hence the name.

The cuisine is inspired by Jun Tanaka's travels.

In July/August 2017 we spent a long weekend in London, so we booked a table for dinner at Jun Tanaka's newest venture.

It is located on Charlotte Street, within ca. 20 minute walking distance to the British Museum. There are other Michelin stared restaurants in the area, one even on the same street, and the Charlotte Street Hotel is just across the road.

Again the front is unassuming like The Portland (see review) and we walked past The Ninth once, when looking for it.

At the time the weather was nice, so patrons could choose to sit outside on the small terrace and enjoy the sun.

We were greeted warmly by the Maître d' and brought to our table. Our jackets were taken.

Tables were close together, so we could easily overhear the conversation of our neighbors. If you are looking for privacy or a more peaceful atmosphere this isn't the place to go to. It was probably the loudest of the four Michelin stared venues we had lunch or dinner during our three nights/four days in London in July/August 2017.

Our fellow diners were international and one group celebrated a birthday.

Soon afterwards we were asked if we would like to have an aperitif or a bottle of water. We asked for still water, which was The Ninth Eau de Vie.

We also had a The Ninth Cocktail. It was a refreshing summer drink and we liked rather much, it's made with Hendrick's Gin and served as a Martini.

Since it was our first time at The Ninth we were explained that all dishes on the menu were made for sharing and we should choose five to six each. They would arrive whenever they were ready. If we wanted we could have a break after a certain amount of dishes arrived.

The waitress and we had a discussion about Bilbao and oxtail, since one of the dishes we had ordered was oxtail croquettes. We had eaten this particular delicacy the first time at the Cafe Metropol at the Gran Hotel Domine in Bilbao last year. She had been to Bilbao and the Biskaya too, but more for the wine. The croquettes came highly recommended by her, though.

 

One of our neighbors ordered it, too, but the rest of his family wasn't interested, even so he tried to convince them to try some.

Our choices were as follows:

Four oxtail croquettes,

Burrata, Datterini and fresh almonds,

flamed mackerel, dill, cucumber, capers,

sea bass Carpaccio, salsa Verde and pickled Kohlrabi,

Osso Buco tortellini,

rabbit lasagna,

chargrilled cauliflower, tomato and yogurt,

one slice of Comte cheese, 36 months aged with crackers,

Pain Perdu and the caramelized lemon tart.

All dishes looked appetizing and were outstanding in flavor.

The oxtail croquettes were moreish.

The Burrata was creamy and worked well with the crunch of the almonds and the juicy, sweet-tart Datterini tomatoes.

Both fish dishes were refreshing and beautiful.

The Osso Buco tortellini and rabbit lasagna were astoundingly light, considering that these are traditionally heavier dishes.

The cauliflower was crunchy, while the yogurt was soft. Flavor was added by the tomato. Jun Tanaka is famous for his vegetarian dishes, so you should try at least one.

The Comte was stronger in flavor, still not over powering, ideal for a taster.

The Pain Perdu was thick, crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and large. It tasted heavenly with the vanilla ice cream.

Normally I'm not a big fan of lemon desserts. It's more his thing, so I was pleasantly surprised when the lemon tart found the right balance between being sweet and tangy. The slice was ideal for sharing too.

The bill was 110.81 GBP / ca. 125.20 Euro / ca. 142.80 USD including service charge.

We would return, because we like the sharing concept, the colorful and tasty dishes and the warm and personal staff. Value for money is very good too in our opinion.

©2017

Portland (Restaurant) London, England, United Kingdom

Having a Michelin Guide of major European cities at home we had studied it and found Portland, which we thought would be a perfect and modern fit during our recent visit to London in July/August 2017. My fiancé and I reserved a table for Monday lunch in July 2017.

The restaurant opened in January 2015 and feels beautiful and inviting while offering modern British cuisine. The head chef is Merlin Labron-Johnson, who was only 24 then and had 9 months later earned a Michelin star.

As the name implies the restaurant is located on Great Portland Street with an unassuming shop front. We nearly overlooked it by ourselves. There were no obvious signs this is a Michelin stared restaurant, so by simply walking in front of the restaurant by chance one wouldn’t necessarily know.

The dining room was bright and understated with an open kitchen.

The lunch service wasn’t very busy. Our fellow diners were couples from thirty onwards.

We were warmly welcomed by James, the Maître d’. He was warm and friendly and had a lovely English accent – like Hugh Grant in “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.

Having provided our dietary requirements during the booking process the staff was already aware of them. James told us we could pursue the whole menu, since none of the items we are allergic to had been used.

The lunch menu is a real steal in our opinion. 2 courses are priced at 34 GBP (ca. 38.40 Euro / ca. 43.90 USD) or 3 courses are 39 GBP (ca. 44.05 Euro / ca. 50.30 USD). It includes still or sparkling water, freshly baked sourdough bread, hand churned butter, coffee and petit fours.

We started off with a summer cocktail, the Japanese Garden with Monkey 47 Gin, Midori infused with Shiso, Yuzu and lime, which we loved.

The greeting from the kitchen [Amuse-bouche] – carrot and ricotta - arrived soon afterwards with the bottle of still water, the sourdough bread and the hand churned butter.

The carrot was sweet and crunchy. It went well with the saltiness and softness of the cheese.

The bread and especially combined with the butter were excellent.

Studying the menu we wanted to try the snacks. We were advised they aren’t suitable for sharing, so we had each our own portion.

It was very well worth it to pay 6 GBP (ca. 6.80 Euro / ca. 7.80 USD) per person.

It was a trio of crispy chicken skins, liver parfait, candied walnuts and Muscat grapes, smoked cod’s roe tartlet with young peas and Parmesan biscuit, grilled corn, gooseberries and black garlic jam.

They were delightful.

It was amazing how intense the flavors were.

Our absolute favorite were the chicken skins, but we would love to eat them all again. Superb!

We had decided on a three course meal. As a side dish we ordered the famous husbandry salad.

His starter was the Isle of Wight tomatoes, stracciatella, raspberries and Kombu. Mine was the mackerel, dill, yogurt and cucumber.

My fiancé’s dish followed the newest food trends. Isle of Wight tomatoes are some of the best in the country – they can be bought at a few London Farmer’s Markets - and stracciatella cheese has grown in importance too.

All two dishes were delicious.

His dish was colorful too.

The main courses were smoked Ricotta tortellini, Fava beans and preserved lemon and Cornish cod, Sutton Farm artichokes and Blue Potatoes.

The tortellini were light.

The fish was melt in the mouth and pairing up well with the potatoes and artichokes.

The husbandry salad was fantastic too with mixed leaves, candid walnuts and the citrus dressing.

Our desserts were green gooseberries, elderflower, meringue and puffed barley and strawberries, yogurt cake and cashew nut praline.

The combination was sometimes a bit unusual, but all was of a high standard and very tasty indeed.

The coffee came in individual cafetieres. It was very mild, subtle and smooth, together served with a miniature jug of milk.

The petit fours were sweet-savory muffins with courgette, walnut and rosemary. Again unusual, but seriously enjoyable and memorable at the same time.

The invoice was 120.38 GBP, ca. 136 Euro or ca. 155.20 USD.

We would return again, because the staff is very kind, the food is experimental, fresh and of high quality and the value outstanding in our opinion.


©2017

Galvin at Windows @ The London Hilton on Park Lane, London, England, United Kingdom

Galvin at Windows at the London Hilton on Park Lane was longer on my fiancé’s and my radar. Since we had four days in London end of July/beginning of August 2017 and one of those was a Sunday, we decided to try the famous and only Michelin stared Sunday Lunch at Galvin at Windows.

A few days before our lunch we received a call from Galvin at Windows to confirm we were joining them as planned.

Arriving at the London Hilton on Park Lane we asked the concierge how to get to the restaurant. We were directed to the elevator bank, where we had to type in the floor we wanted to go to. In our case the 28^th. The display showed us which elevator we had to take. Security is good, because no one else can join you and you can only go to the designated floor. A key card is needed, when going to a guest floor.

The elevator was fast and within a minute or so we were at our destination.

The hostess greeted us warmly and took our jackets. She offered us to have drinks at the bar first or go immediately to our table. We decided to head straight for lunch.

The dining room was classic and beautiful with cloud inspired artwork.

At first the restaurant wasn’t very busy. The longer the afternoon progressed the more diners arrived. The clientele was international with most of them being couples. There was also a family with two small children. The kids were overall well behaved and had fun with the sommelier.

The chef patron is Chris Galvin with head chef Joo Won in the kitchen from South Korea, so the classic French dishes had some Korean influence too.

Our table at the double height floor to ceiling windows had views over the Intercontinental Park Lane, Piccadilly and other London landmarks towards Victoria and Battersea Power Station.

We were given the wine list and menu. When asking for the cocktail menu this wasn’t a problem either, it was promptly presented to us.

We were asked if we might be interested in olives.

We agreed and didn’t regret it. The Spanish green Gordal olives were delicious and addictive.

Our bottle of still Acqua Panna water and a bread basket with butter arrived soon afterwards.

We had one alcoholic cocktail called The Foreigner made with Nomad Whisky, Pedro Ximenez sweet Sherry, Palo Cortado dry Sherry and orange and one non-alcoholic, Betty’s Garden, made with raspberries, strawberries, lemon juice, Vanilla syrup and cranberry juice. The sommelier said Betty’s Garden was a good choice and it definitely was my kind of cocktail. It was sweet and fruity, while The Foreigner was definitely a manly drink. He liked it very much. It was slightly too bitter for myself.

There were about 20 cocktails created by the bar manager Tiago. The inspiration was travel.

Our waitress said that the chefs could work around our dietary requirements.

Our appetizers were Galvin smoked salmon, beetroot, horseradish and dill and seared foie gras, Iberico pork, brioche and tomato chutney.

The first one is a “signature” classic. Both were delicious and moreish.

The size of the dishes was generous, so I thought in order to have a three course I should choose something smaller or lighter. I tried the tart tartin with zucchini, aubergine, onion and tomato. My fiancé had the roasted breast of Cotswold Chicken, chilli barbeque glaze and vegetables.

The savory tart tartin reminded me of holiday in the Mediterranean, while his chicken was finger licking good and the glaze was the highlight. The meat itself was tender and virtually fat free.

As desserts we chose a lime and strawberry mousse cake and a hazelnut and almond Paris Brest with praline cream and chocolate ice cream.

There was a show element included. The desserts were brought to the table on a trolley and the cake was cut in front of us. The size of each dish again was fairly large.

The Paris Brest was covered in chocolate sauce by the waitress at the table.

Wonder what a Paris Brest is? The choux pastry was created in 1910 by Louis Durand, a famous French patissier, at the request of Pierre Giffard. It was named after a bicycle race from Paris to Brest and back. The pastry is circular shaped to remind of a bicycle wheel.

The mousse cake was light and summery. The Paris Brest was heavier, but the size was right and the flavors worked well together.

To round up the meal we ordered two cappuccinos.

As surprise we received dark chocolate and chocolate orange pralines.

The pralines have been memorable and the sommelier must have overheard us discussing that it would be nice to have more of them, if we weren’t so full, because of this he came with another set.

 Of course we couldn’t refuse the gift, so we ate further….

The staff was attentive and genuinely interested in us, for example we chatted about golf with the sommelier, inspired by the polo shirt my fiancé was wearing. We had bought it at the Elba Palace in Fuerteventura.

After our beautiful Sunday lunch it was time to settle the bill, which came with a large glass jar of marshmallows (mint and strawberry). Both tasted moreish and are fluffy and refreshing.

There was a slight mistake with the bill. We were charged for the 3 course dinner, not the Sunday lunch. It was fast corrected and the member of staff was very sorry about the mistake.

The bill was 179.61 GBP (ca. 202.80 Euro / ca. 231.45 USD) including service charge.

We would return for the Sunday Lunch again. It reflects good value, the cuisine is excellent, the portions generous and the staff efficient and warm, plus the location on the 28^th floor added a magical setting and wonderful views too.

©2017

Tamarind of Mayfair, London, England, United Kingdom

When planning our London trip end of July / beginning of August 2017 my fiancé and I wanted to try another Indian Michelin stared restaurant. Since we had tried Benares one year ago we thought Tamarind of Mayfair would be another good choice, so we reserved a table for dinner on the day of our arrival in London.

We were glad we had reserved for 19.30 hours. Due to our flight arriving late in London [LGW] we probably wouldn’t have arrived in time, if booked at 19.00 hours as we originally wanted to do.

Tamarind is located near Green Park, The Ritz Hotel, the Flemings Mayfair (Hotel) and Berkeley Square.

It was the first Indian restaurant to earn a Michelin star in the world at the time under the guidance of Atul Kochhar, who is now the chef patron of Benares.

Tamarind is specialized in Moghul cuisine of North-West India. The chef is Peter Joseph.

Unfortunately the restaurant isn’t suitable for people with walking disabilities. It is located in the basement and the only access is via a staircase.

The hostesses greeted us warmly and took our jackets and umbrella.

We were then accompanied downstairs and brought to our table.

The room was round/oval and the center piece was a beautiful flower arrangement, which reminded us of Four Seasons Hotels.

My fiancé had views over the bar, while I could look into a window to the kitchen.

The color scheme of the space was elegant in cream, white and gold with mirrors very attractively designed like a sun.

It felt lavish and we liked it.

Each table was covered with a white table cloth and decorated with an exotic flower in an intricate vase.

Our table had been set with a large gold plate and on top was another smaller porcelain plate.

Fellow diners were international and diverse in age from teenagers to matured patrons. Some celebrated a special occasion. There were families and couples also.

The maître d’ took our food allergies very serious and went with us step by step through the menu telling us exactly what we could and couldn’t eat.

We ordered a bottle of still Blenheim Palace mineral still water (the label was as lavish as the restaurant), 2 Tamarind Passion Mocktails made with mango puree, passion fruit juice and fresh mint and a mango lassi.

As a greeting from the kitchen we received pompadums with a berry dip, tomato and a date and fig chutney. His favorite was the date and fig chutney, mine was the tomato.

Our starters were Hara Gobi Tikki, broccoli cakes with potatoes, spring onions and gooseberry chutney and Gilafi Reshmi, chicken kabab with cheese, spices and mixed peppers.

Both dishes were tasty – a bit spicy, but not overbearing. I expected the kabab to be served on a skewer, but it had been removed beforehand.

The next courses were Adrakki Tikka Kabab (supreme of chicken with ginger, turmeric and yellow chilli powder) and Shai Dum Macchi (Halibut fillet with parsnips, spinach, tomato and kasundi mustard sauce).

We ordered two raitas, one with avocado, the other one with cucumber, and as side dish tandoori roti.

All dishes were delicious and the presentation was pleasing to the eyes. The parsnips looked like parpadelle and the whole combination was umami. The chicken was spicy and the raitas functioned as coolers. The roti was wonderfully fluffy and warm.

Our desserts were Shrikhand (hung yogurt, passion fruit gel and mango cheese) and chocolate delice (chocolate and coconut ganache, chocolate silk and blackberry sorbet).

The Shrikhand wasn’t sweet at all. It was utterly satisfying and silky.

The chocolate delice was very sweet in comparison to the yogurt dessert. The textures and warm/cold components worked well together.

The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. They were also incredible busy, which caused one member of staff to forget our second Tamarind Passion, which we wanted to enjoy with our dessert. We received a sincere apology and the drink was on the house. Memorable service standards. We felt in good hands.

Our bill/check came in at 121.61 GBP (ca. 137.35 Euro / ca. 156.70 USD) including service charge.

With our bill/check came a selection of gourmandizes. In our case mint leaves covered in white chocolate and dark chocolate orange pralines. Moreish and tasty at the same time.

We would return again, because we loved the lavish interior, the friendliness and warmth of the staff and the excellent cuisine, plus good/relaxing atmosphere.

©2017

Wiesen Eindhoven, The Netherlands

During our visit for 2 nights/3 days in Eindhoven my fiance and I had lunch at Wiesen, a 1* Michelin starred restaurant, on a Saturday in September 2016.

We wanted to have a Michelin dining experience, so we checked what options we had and reserved a table. Wiesen was the only one open on our full day in the city. We liked the modern cuisine.

During weekends the restaurant accepts walk ins. 

The chef patron is Yuri Wiesen and his wife Jessie is responsible for the front of house.

The restaurant is located in the oldest and most beautiful part of town. It had a very romantic feel, being surrounded by classic buildings, boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

The young and dynamic members of staff welcomed us warmly - we were the first to arrive - 

and left us the choice if we wanted to sit inside or on the small terrace outside. We decided to take a table on the terrace. The weather was nice and warm, so it was wonderful.

The furniture was elegant and made of wood and iron. There was a cactus on each table.

We ordered a bottle of still Bru water and four glasses of Natureo Muscat (non-alcoholic) 2015 by Torres. The wine maker is a pioneer in de-alcoholized white wines.

The staff was already aware of our dietary requirements, so we got totally different greetings [Amuse-Bouches] from the kitchen than others did, because the regular one included seafood and looked very stylish and creative.

Our greetings from the kitchen were onion tarts served on stone, small potatoes, sour cream and caviar, to be eaten with a mother of pearl spoon, seaweed crisps with pea cream dip and one of the highlights, the Golden Egg with Scottish smoked salmon, egg yolk, sauce Hollandaise and brioche. The Golden Egg is a signature dish of Yuri Wiesen.

All the dishes were delicious and came on very different crockery.

To accompany our 4 course surprise menu - our first - we received sourdough bread in a wooden bowl. It was made for sharing and everyone could tear a piece off the loaf. The conidments were olive oil, butter and salt, served on stoneware.

There was a tiny spoon to serve the salt.

Our first course was seabass, guacamole, avocado and edible flowers. It was of course international, but reminded us of a Japanese dish.

It was followed by grilled mackerel, fregola (a pasta type from Sardinia), which had the texture of a creamy risotto, luke warm tomato, beurre blanc, edible flowers, green asparagus and tomato cracker.

The main course was duck with summer vegetables, beetroot and potato mash.

With our dessert a wonderful raspberry millefeulle we enjoyed two cappuccinos. The millefeulle was made with thin crispy, sheets and served with raspberry sorbet. The plate was designed in a snow pattern.

While the atmosphere and other international diners's behaviour was overall good, a German couple destroyed it a bit. 

It seemed they weren't aware they had joined a one Michelin stared restaurant, even though the star is prominently on display, among other accolades.

They didn't wait to be seated and simply took a table beside us. She exclaimed loudly in German that she was hungry and would definitely eat something, while he replied he wasn't hungry. They ordered beer. W|hen they received the greetings from the kitchen it seemed they realized they had ended up in a fine dining establishment and suddenly the lady wasn't hungry anymore. Still it didn't keep them from enjoying the greetings from the kitchen. The staff was a bit taken aback when the couple didn't want to have a meal. After they had finished their drinks he snipped with his fingers and raised his arm to get the attention of one of the waitresses to get the bill.

We were glad when they left. Unfortunately the waitresses were for a short while a bit cooler towards us, because the Germans had been so disruptive, but after a short time all services received by the staff was warm and welcoming again.

We both believe there should be a rethink in regards of walk ins at Wiesen.

Our bill was 133.50 Euro (ca. 152.40 USD).

Of course we had also a peek into the restaurant inside. It's a bit darker, yet elegant, a combination of classic and modern, and lots of brown colors were used.

The toilets had interesting rock sinks.

We would return again, because we loved the great and colorful food, the creative presentation and the friendly staff.

 

The lunch was good value and next time we would love to try their five course surprise menu.


©2017

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain

One of the purposes of our visit to Bilbao for a weekend in August 2016 was the Andy Warhol exhibition “Shadows” at the Guggenheim Museum.

We stayed very conveniently at the Gran Hotel Domine, just across the road. Please see our review.

The Guggenheim - the architect was Frank Gehry - has wonderful flowing lines and we enjoyed the design.

We liked also that artwork like Jeff Koons’ “Puppy” and other sculptures were accessible outdoors around the museum and the artificial lake without paying entrance.

The entrance, hall and atrium felt monumental, bright and airy, something to be explored when visiting this iconic venue.

Due to us having booked our tickets online we could avoid all lines of people, we showed our  tickets at the check point and could enter without any delays.

One of the first art installations we encountered was “Installation for Bilbao” by Jenny Holzer. You can walk through it and there are digital displays of phrases in different languages.

“Shadows” was on the ground floor in a very large exhibition room. Andy Warhol created it in 1978. It started out as one painting in multiple parts. It was the second time only that all 102 prints which belong to this series had been exhibited in full.

We loved the high white walls and the contrast to the colorful artwork. Some of them were quite gloomy – different shades of grey, black and white, while others were popping into the eye (different neon colors, like green, pink and yellow) or warm (red and earth tones).

It wasn’t monotonous at all and we found it quite inspiring, sitting sometimes on one of the benches to watch how other people reacted to the art and study the prints from afar.

Photography is generally not allowed at Exhibitions we found out.  While “Shadows” and the atrium were an exception, here we could take photos, which we enjoyed beside the other visitors. The museum itself can be seen as one fascinating artwork which should be studied rather carefully in detail of architecture, detail and elegance in the heart of Bilbao.

Other exhibitions we visited including: “Louise Bourgeois. Structures Of Existence: The Cells” and “Windows On The City: The School Of Paris, 1900 – 1945”.

Both were very impressive and very different.

There were many other paintings, sculptures and the building itself including terraces to be explored. Visitors could spend the whole day there.

There are two restaurants and one bar on the premises. All of the outlets are run by Josean Alija and Nerua holds 1 Michelin star. The Bistro offers good value with a three course for 25 Euro per person (ca. 27.95 USD).

We went to the bar and enjoyed snacks. It was self-service when sitting indoors and waiter service on the terrace.

Like the whole environment of the museum, the bar space was stylish.

To our surprise birds found their way into the bar area too and one of them was hungry, so it took a bite out of one of the cakes and was gone as quickly as it came. What a fascinating bonus!

We had one still water, two cod omelets, two white tuna and vegetable empanadas and one ham sandwich. It was very tasty indeed. A quick and satisfying taste of Spain.

We paid 17 Euro (ca. 19 USD).

We were amazed by the art on display, the building and the great food. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is definitely on our list of museums to re-visit, when visiting beautiful Bilbao in our future again. It’s a memorable city, friendly people, and as experienced at the Guggenheim, a cultural destination which shouldn’t be overlooked when planning on which city to visit when in Spain.

©2017