thepassionatecook

Cape Town: Culinary City Snapshot

My good friend Jeanne of Cook Sister! has kindly agreed to continue the series of gourmet city guides or Culinary City Snapshots (see side bar) on this blog... her insider tips and recommendations for this wonderfully vibrant city will be a must for anyone who travels there!

What's your country's cuisine in a nutshell?
We have a real Rainbow cuisine because of our eventful history! Obviously, there is the indigenous cuisine which tends to be rib-sticking wholesome food using local ingredients like wild spinach (marogo) and maize meal. Then there is the influence of the Dutch settlers who brought their cuisine with them in the 1600s. The other thing that the Dutch brought were Indonesian slaves and they had a huge impact on the early cuisine at the Cape. Gently spiced Indonesian dishes can easily be seen as the roots of favourites such as bobotie and sosaties. There is definitely also a frontiersman food tradition created when settlers started travelling into the country’s interior in ox wagons – this is where we get our love for cooking things over open fires like potjiekos, and preserving fruit and meat by drying. The English settlers also left their mark with traditional roasts and desserts like blancmange. And the Indians who were brought to work on the sugar cane fields in Natal have left an indelible mark with their curries. So we really are a foodie melting pot!  But in a nutshell I’d say that our cuisine is driven by our unique local ingredients.    

What's the current food trend?
Locally sourced ingredients have hit SA in a big way – it’s no longer seen as cool to serve imported berries in the dead of winter, but rather something local and seasonal. Artisanal products are also on the rise, with a welcome surge in the number of artisanal bakeries and cheese makers, even in smaller towns. Sushi still reigns supreme as the acid test for any Cape Town seafood restaurant. Grazing menus consisting of multiple small dishes have recently made their appearance.

What local food is not to be missed?
Fresh seafood is a must in Cape Town – crayfish, snoek, local oysters – you name it. If you are a carnivore, biltong (air-dried spiced beef) is another one, as is ostrich steak. The unique Cape Malay cuisine of the Bo-Kaap is a gently-spiced treat – make sure you try bobotie, pickled fish and denningvleis. And nobody should leave South Africa without trying a koeksuster (a plaited, deep-fried pastry dipped in syrup).

Which local food might I want to steer clear of no matter how much locals insist?
If somebody offers you a “smiley” and you are of a sensitive disposition, just say no. It’s a whole sheep’s head boiled and then barbecued till the lips pull back and reveal the teeth – hence the name. Also, the harvesting of abalone (known locally as perlemoen) has been completely banned as a result of rampant poaching – so if somebody offers you some, just say no!

What are the food oddities in your country?
Well, that depends on your definition of odd!  Some people might find it odd to cut beef fillets into long strips, brine them, salt them and then hang them in a hot dry place for a while before gnawing on them!  We, on the other hand, call it biltong. I would personally class the eating of mopane worms as being a little odd. Oh, and we add apricot jam or a packet of brown onion soup powder to almost every conceivable recipe!

What to bring home from my trip?
If there weren’t so many damn restrictions on carrying meat across borders, I would definitely say biltong (spiced, air-dried beef) or droewors (dry, spiced sausage) as they will last the longest so you can make your memories go far. But they can also lead to a hefty fine if customs officials find them in your luggage (the sniffer dogs of the US Customs are particularly fond of them, I hear!). Products that are unique to South Africa and less likely to excite Customs include our excellent fruit leathers, tins of granadilla (passionfruit) pulp, some spicy atchar and Mrs Ball’s chutney, cape Malay curry spice mixes, melon & ginger preserve, green figs in syrup, tinned waterblommetjies, Peppermint Crisp chocolates (for their crazy, Kryptonite-coloured filling and super-minty taste) or rooibos chai tea.  For your inner gourmet, you could also get some of our excellent local olive oil (like Morgenster), wine vinegar, verjuice (South Africa is one of the few countries that make it), or the Cape Herb & Spice Company’s excellent range of flavoured fleur de sel (wasabi is my favourite).

Which cuisine features most strongly in your city?
Cape Town’s most unique cuisine is definitely Cape Malay cuisine. This sweetly spiced style of cooking originated from the predominantly Malaysian and Indonesian slaves brought to the country by the Dutch East India Company in the 1600s. The cuisine features complex spiced dishes like bobotie, denningvleis and sosaties and often includes fruit in meat dishes. The place to go for this is definitely the Bokaap, where you can eat like a local at Biesmiellah. Another emerging cuisine is a sort of Afro-fusion, using unique local ingredients to give a twist to classic European dishes

Which are your favourite gourmet addresses?
Neighbourhoods Market (Cape town’s original gourmet market, featuring over 100 specialty traders, fine-food purveyors, organic merchants, artisan goods, gourmet products, local farmers, seasonal items, plants & herbs, fresh produce, boutique wine estates, micro-breweries)

Giovanni’s Deliworld (a proper Italian deli in the heart of Green Point selling everything from oils, spice blends and Parma ham to ready-made dinners including fresh pasta, trays of seared carpaccio with olive oil and Parmesan shavings, or melanzane romeo (fried aubergine slices with pecorino and parsley).

Atlas Trading Company  (Bokaap spice traders that have been in business for half a century and will sell you anything from fresh turmeric to specially mixed masalas.  Plus the spices will fragrance your clothes for hours after you’ve left the store!)

Melissa’s (various shops throughout Cape Town selling beautifully packaged hand-made foods and prepared meals free from preservatives and artificial colourings)

What's your city's attitude to food in general?
Capetonians see eating out as their birthright, and it shows in the number and variety of excellent restaurants available. Sitting at a pavement table in summer with a plate and a glass of something, watching the world go by is a favourite pastime. With the influx of tourists into the city, the standard of food is generally very high and many of the country’s top fine dining restaurants (like Aubergine and La Colombe) are in Cape Town.

Which area is best for food – where to browse for restaurants while on the go?
The easy option would be the V&A Waterfront – it’s a huge development in the middle of Cape Town’s working harbour where you can stroll and check out the menus of dozens of restaurants before making your choice. These could range from cheap & cheerful fish and chip joints like Quay Four, to the German beerhall at Paulaner, to excellent seafood at Baia, to Afro-fusion at Emily’s, to fine dining at oneWaterfront.  Other areas that features a quirky mix of restaurants are Oranjezicht, or the CBD, particularly around Church/Kerk, Long and Keerom streets.

What's the biggest flop and best avoided?
Generally, I’d say to steer clear of downmarket chains like McDonalds or generic hotel restaurants which will largely serve modern European cuisine. Live a little! Try and search out independent restaurants serving local cuisine (like the excellent Biesmillah), or doing interesting things with local ingredients, like ostrich in green Thai curry sauce, springbok carpaccio or fynbos bavarois.

What are the big names in the restaurant scene?
Outside Cape Town itself in the winelands, Le Quartier Francais, La Colombe and Reuben’s are all consistently in the top 10 restaurants in the country. In the city, Aubergine, Jardine, 5 Flies, Ginja and the Savoy Cabbage all have an excellent name. The latest hot openings (as of April 2009) include Carne, Nobu and Gordon’ Ramsay’s Maze.  For a sumptuous high tea, there is only one place:  the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel.

What are the most reliable restaurant guides for your area?
The Eat Out restaurant guide is bulky but provides an excellent and comprehensive review of the country’s restaurants (they also have a website). Many restaurants in the winelands are comprehensively reviewed in John Platter’s South African Wine Guide. There are also plenty of reliable online resources like restaurants and dining out.

What to be aware of when dining out?
There are very few places where anything more than smart casual would be required – a collared shirt is probably as formal as you’d need. Reservations are advised, particularly over weekends or high season (late November to Easter). Tipping is expected, and 10% is a good starting point. Although pickpocketing or bag snatching in restaurants is not rife, when dining out at night be sure to park in well-lit areas or get a taxi to drop you off and pick you up at the door, particularly if you are a tourist and unfamiliar with the area.

Addresses of places mentioned: 

Neighbourhoods Market
The Old Biscuit Mill
373-375 Albert Road
Woodstock, Cape Town
Tel. 084 414 4554

Melissa’s
Various stores – see website for addresses

Giovanni’s Deliworld
103 Main Road
Green Point, Cape Town
Tel: 021 434 6893

Atlas Trading Company
94 Wale Street
Cape Town
Tel: 021 423 4361

Aubergine
39 Barnet Street
Gardens, Cape Town
Tel.  021 465 4909

Jardine
185 Bree Street (cnr of Bloem)
Cape Town
Tel. 021 424 5640

La Colombe
Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate
Constantia, Cape Town
Tel. 021 794 2390

Quay Four
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Tel. 021 419 2008

Paulaner Braeuhaus & Restaurant
Shop 18/19, Clock Tower Precinct
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Tel. 021 418 9999

Baia
6262 Victoria Wharf
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Tel. 021 421 0935 / 36 / 37

Emily’s
Suite 202, The Clock Tower
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Tel. 021 421 1133

Biesmiellah
Icon House
Lower Loop Street, Foreshore
Cape Town
Tel. 021 423 0850

The Tasting Room @ Le Quartier Francais
16 Huguenot Road
Franschhoek
Tel. 021 876 2151

Reuben’s
19 Huguenot Road
Franschoek
Tel. 021 876 3772

5 Flies
14-16 Keerom Street
Cape Town
Tel. 021 424 4442

Ginja & Shoga
121 Castle Street
Bo-Kaap
Cape Town
Tel. 021 426 2369

Savoy Cabbage
101 Hout Street
Cape Town
Tel. 021 424 2626

Carne
70 Keerom Street
Cape Town
Tel. 021 424 3460

Maze
One&Only Resort, Dock Road
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Tel. 021 431 5222

Nobu
One&Only Resort, Dock Road
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Tel. 021 431 5111

Mount Nelson
76 Orange Street
Cape Town
Tel. 021 483 1948

 

Barcelona: Culinary City Snapshot

What's your country's cuisine in a nutshell?
Spanish cuisine is drawn largely from a strong tradition of fresh, seasonal, healthy produce, put to great effect by relatively poor people. The indigenous Mediterranean staples - tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, wheat, legumes, vegetables and citrus fruits – are complemented by rice, nuts, fruits and spices in the southern and central regions as a result of Moorish occupation in the Middle Ages and by seafood and sea fish in the Atlantic north-west. Cheeses and pork products (hams, fresh and cured sausages) are ubiquitous, but red meat is relatively rare. Roasts and stews are found everywhere and paellas in the coastal south. Tapas – snacks eaten with alcoholic drinks that can be found all across Spain – originated in the 13th century when King Alfonso X recovered from illness by drinking wine and nibbling small dishes between meals.

What's the current food trend?
From here on I'm going to stick specifically to Catalonia rather than Spain as a whole, and mostly to Barcelona as this is what I know best. The main trend right now is away from over-elaborate haute cuisine – both classical French food and the experimental creations of Ferran Adrià and his restaurant El Bulli – and towards what is known as 'ingredient-led' cooking. This is about using simple, top-quality ingredients, with contemporary tools and culinary processes, to create simple but exquisite flavour and texture combinations. We are seeing the emergence of "bistronomic" restaurants – tiny eateries staffed by equally small teams of highly-trained chefs producing excellent New Catalan food at very economic prices. I'd recommend Àtica on Carrer Galileu.

What local food is not to be missed?
Everyone must try the tapas, but you need to be careful because there are some awful places as well as hundreds of good ones. I'd recommend Cervesería Catalana, but beware - you may have to queue or even book in and come back later. But it's worth it.

Which local food might I want to steer clear of no matter how much locals insist?
There's no particular food you should avoid, although some may be put off by some of the offal-based dishes and the pigs' heads that stare at you from market stalls. What you should avoid is the plethora of tourist traps, especially those along the sea-fronts. Watch out for the places with large picture displays on the pavement illustrating international gourmet dishes such as pizza, omelette, hamburger, schnitzel and toast. And the places that employ staff to drag you in off the street. As always – eat where the locals eat!

What are the food oddities in your country?
The extent to which pasta is consumed in Catalonia will surprise many people. The origins can be traced in the 13th-century Catalan conquest of Sicily. Spring onions – known locally as calçots – are an oddity inasmuch as Tarragona hosts annual festivals in their honour.

What to bring home from my trip?
A cake from Escribà would make a totally unusual gift, but probably wouldn't survive the journey. How about some Texturas from Solé Graells, so you can try your own molecular gastronomy at home? A Lladró porcelain figurine if you're feeling very generous. Failing that, the city is full of small pieces of artwork (from posters to ashtrays to soup bowls) in the style of Gaudí, Miro and other classical Catalan artists.

Which cuisine features most strongly in your city?
Local Catalan first, then Italian (probably as many as all the other non-local cuisines put together), thirdly “other Spanish” (mostly Asturian and Galician seafood), followed by Argentinean (steak houses). You can also find Nepalese, French, Mexican, Indian, Moroccan, Tibetan, Cuban, German, Greek and Iraqi cuisines.

Which are your favourite gourmet addresses?
I'll give you five very different ones: Cinc Sentits for perfection in creative simplicity, Àtica for perfectly-cooked home-style classic Catalan cuisine at affordable prices, Koy Shunka for great Japanese food and a brilliant experience interacting with your chef, Cerveseria Catalana for a taste of classical Catalan tapas at very reasonable prices, Lasarte for pure luxury and top-class fine dining.

What's your city's attitude to food in general?
Catalans have a healthy pragmatic attitude to everything. So although they really appreciate good food and classical culinary traditions, they don't fetishise their food in the way that the French and Italians can do and they're always open to new ideas. That attitude has brought Catalonia to the forefront of European cuisine in recent years. There's also a strong emphasis on making good use of cheaper and more plentiful ingredients and bi-products, such as using "yesterday's bread" to thicken a multitude of classic peasant-style soups, or rehydrating it with tomato and olive oil for the traditional snack pa amb tomàquet.

Which area is best for food – where to browse for restaurants while on the go?
You'd be far better off researching your restaurants in advance. If you really want to find your own hidden gem, get uptown away from the old city into Corts and Gracia and look in small side streets. Unlike in some cities, wandering about is a pretty safe activity at 10pm in most districts of Barcelona.

What's the biggest flop and best avoided?
You might think it was eating on and around the main tourist street, La Ramblas, but actually there are some reasonable restaurants there. Not the best, but not the worst either.

What are the big names in the restaurant scene?
The biggest names are not all in Barcelona.The biggest of all is Ferran Adrià, whose Michelin 3* restaurant El Bulli in Cala Montjoi near Girona is ranked #1 in the world in just about every list. And the Roca brothers' 2* El Celler de Can Roca in Girona town is mind-blowingly good. Santi Santamaría's more traditional 3* Can Fabes is in Sant Celoni to the north-east of Barcelona and Catalonia's legendary Carme Ruscalleda runs her 3* Sant Pau at Sant Pol de Mar on the coast south of Girona. Other big names include Fermí Puig, Carles Gaig, Xavier Pellicer and Mey Hoffman.

Catalonia is a land of great food and I could fill the page with a list of the big names in the business.

What are the most reliable restaurant guides for your area?
Try this website for an excellent list of the best and most interesting in town.

What to be aware of when dining out? Firstly, note that Catalans eat very late by the standards of non-Mediterranean countries. Most restaurants don't start up the kitchens until 8.30pm and locals typically sit down to eat at 10pm. Also be aware that most restaurants are closed on Sunday and Monday. There are some that are open on these days. If in doubt, check out the global food noticeboards such as eGullet and Chowhound, which usually have open threads with conversations about opening hours. So be aware of potential transport problems getting home after a meal out, although there are always plenty of taxis that are good value for money if shared by three or four people. One thing not to worry about is the cost of wine to accompany your meal. Whereas you can easily double the price in many countries, a wine pairing in Catalonia typically adds 35% to the bill.

Addresses of places mentioned: 
Cervesería Catalana, Carrer de Mallorca, 236, 08008 Barcelona (Gracia)
Àtica, Carrer de Galileu, 159, 08028 Barcelona (Corts)
Cinc Sentits, Carrer d'Aribau, 58, 08011 Barcelona (Eixample)
Gresca, Carrer de Provença, 230, 08036 Barcelona (Eixample)
Koy Shunka, Carrer de Copons, 7, 08002 Barcelona (Barri Gòtic)
Lasarte, Carrer de Mallorca, 259, 08008 Barcelona (Gracia)
Escribà, Rambla de Catalunya, 63, 08007 Barcelona (Eixample)
Solé Graells, Princep Jordi, 2, 08014 Barcelona (Sants)
Lladró, Passeig de Gràcia, 101, 08008 Barcelona (Gracia)
El Bulli, Cala Montjoi Ap. 30, Roses, 17480 Girona
El Celler de Can Roca, Carretera de Taialà, 40, 17007 Girona
Can Fabes, Sant Joan, 6, 08470 Sant Celoni
Sant Pau, Calle Nou, 10, 08395  Sant Pol de Mar

This Culinary City Snapshot, including the photography, was kindly provided and published with permission of Trig of Aidan Brooks:Trainee Chef who lives and works in Barcelona.

Salzkammergut restaurants: Bartlhuette

Some of you have recently asked for more pictures of my summer holiday - as I said I was spoiled to be spending six weeks in Austria this summer and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. We've had a spectacular deal all around: a cosy wood house on a working farm situated only ten minutes from Salzburg, the lake region and the Salzkammergut, great weather and tons of proper food wherever you go! Although the majority of my kids are too young to be hiking or mountain climbing, we have made the most of the grandiose walks you can do everywhere, enjoying spectacular views over the lakes and the mountains.
One such hike was a bit of a challenge: misreading the guide book, we stopped too early and did the hike for the fit and able, despite being spectacularly unfit and pushing a double pram with two kids and a bag, weighing an impressive 40 kg in total - up a steep mountain road that seemed like it would never end, but we managed to do it in just 45 minutes... and were rewarded with the most incredible views over one my favourite lakes in Austria: the Wolfgangsee. There's something unique, I think, about it and its neighbouring Fuschlsee in that they are surrounded by beautiful mountains, quite steep and clad in greenery - other mountain ranges can be a bit despressive if they're just bare-naked rock, but this one is covered in green pastures and dark forests and down below you see the most amazing colours in those mountain lakes... no need to go to the Caribbean (although the water temperature is more benign there)!
Once we had managed the steep ascent, we sat down in front of an alpine hut nestled into the surrounding scenery and the elederberry bushes that were once purported to avert lightening. We let the dramatic panorama that opened up in front of us distract us only for so long until we let hunger get the better of us and we could no longer resist the traditional snacks that tend to be served in such establishments:
Essigwurst (sliced luncheon-type sausages served in a simple vinaigrette), Maurerforelle or lit: bricklayer's trout... anybody clued into ethymology, give me a shout! (The same luncheon-type sausage sporting an incision into which you stuff sliced onion and mustard) and a generous portion of smoked and air-dried bacon on a slice of rustic rye bread. Other treats include Kasnock'n and spare ribs and the usual cold meats. They also serve sweet delights like rustic cakes and Kaiserschmarr'n and a host of home-made Schnaps and liqueur for the brave.
They have a great playground for kids and some sheep and cows on the surrounding patches of grass, but even if you don't have kids that need distraction after an exhilerating, but exhausting hike, this hut is definitely worth a visit, be it for the spectacular views or the comedy-adept waiters... if you're in the area, do make the detour. You can also drive up closer to the hut than we did (5-minutes' walk from the parking) or take the Zwoelferhorn cable car and do a steep descent of about 45 minutes (make sure to leave your high heels behind, though, sensible equipment is a must!). Whereever you're coming from, you're sure to love this place!

Bartlhütte
Am Sonnberg 7
5324 Faistenau
Austria
T: +43 (0)6228 / 2596
M: +43 (0)664 / 9163095 (summer only)
Email: [email protected]

Directions:
Exit motorway A1 at Thalgau, continue towards Fuschl am See (B158).
At restaurant/inn Gasthof Brunnwirt turn right towards Faistenau / Perfalleck
then left towards Sausteigalm / 12er-Horn.

And as a rare treat, here's a picture of Max (3 and a half years) in his Lederhosen (the socks are NOT part of the traditional costume, though the bruises tend to be...)

And don't even try to get me to post a picture of me in a Dirndl ;-)

Salzburg restaurant: Zur Plainlinde

You know how religious I am about my food... and here's something to prove it. I went on a pilgrimage last week: a culinary one. In fact, my whole holiday here in Austria seems like a food pilgrimage of sorts, with all the fantastic new restaurants I am discovering. Although not all of them have lived up to expectations (I know for certain that I am going to chuck one guide in particular...), most are worth doing a pilgrimage for and for one in particular (details on a separate occasion) I would go as far as doing it the old-fashioned way: on my knees, all the way!
Last week, Maria Plain was our place of worshipping. It's situated on the outskirts of Salzburg in the village of Bergheim and sports a magnificent pilgrimage church. Fortunately for us, we didn't go up to the top, but were stopped in our ways as a beautiful restaurant with a small terrace and most spectacular panoramic views over Salzburg (with the Festung Hohensalzburg, towering above the Mozart capital, included at no extra cost) presented itself. After a brief look at the menu, there was no turning back to complete the pilgrimage... we just HAD to stop and give into more carnal pleasures!
Restaurant Zur Plainlinde Gerhard Brugger has trained in michelin-starred restaurants at home and abroad, most notably under Heinz Winkler and Antoine Westermann. After a brief spell of madness when he thought he would become a professional percussionist, he's back on the righteous path and has not only seen Schloss Fuschl gain its two toques under his helm, but now opened his own place with Stefan Brandtner. The latter has trained as a sommelier in Bordeaux and worked at Alain Ducasse's Louis XV... I don't think he was working the night of our wedding dinner there, but maybe, just maybe, things were understandably a bit hazy for me that night.
Apart from speaking an impressive seven languages between them (and that's not even counting their charming local dialect), these boys really have it in them. As they say on the website, they are purposely not relying on kaviar, truffles and co which would make any meal spectacular, their aim is to make the most of local produce and create tantalising taste experiences with simple, but refined ingredients. Not sure where the lobster and octopus on yesterday's menu come in, but I'm ready to forgive them that contradiction.
We went for one of the two menus (and after tasting the amuse-bouche of crisp toast with Erdäpfelkas (lit. potato cheese, a traditional Austrian spread made with potatoes and sour cream, we knew straight away that this was the right place to supersize for once and go for the big menu!) and were in heaven already when the waiter brought us a wooden board with nut butter and home-made bread (Vinschgerl-style, but with the addition of sunflower seeds). The bread had come straight out of the oven and was steaming as we cut it... there's nothing better than freshly-baked bread, is there? The butter had an almost unbelievable, caramelly taste to it and I could have feasted just on that... but there was work to be done!
Beef tartare was made from the Salzburger Jungrind (beef from cows aged between 9 and 12 months who have never been separated from their mother - the meat is said to be leaner and contain more nutrients than other beef) and you could see that it had been chopped finely to order: it was at room temperature and showed no signs of discolouring and simply melted in your mouth. It was only mildly seasoned, but incredibly tasty and served with artichoke hearts, a tiny salad and a layer of fresh sour cream, again from a local source. You just have to love the efforts made in the Salzburg region to support local produce: if more restaurants were willing to pay the price, we would all reap the benefits of care-intensive farming - the resulting produce is just without par.
Next up was a gazpacho with lobster medallions, I've already expressed my consternation at lobster finding its way onto the menu given the restaurant's mission statement... I was indifferent to the gazpacho: not enough texture for my liking, I felt we'd been left with just the juices and it wasn't the vibrant red that I'd expect... but I am demanding, you know that. The taste was there, though, and the seafood could not be faulted: tender and sweet, perfectly cooked.
The turbot was pan-fried and a tad over-done, but came beautifully presented with a crisp tomato & herb crust and a foam of bisque, with some blanched spinach on the side. My husband's venison crepinette with a layer-"cake" of crisp-fried potato slices and cranberry, sautéed mushrooms and a dollop of celeriac purée - all too amazing for me to get even a bite! I couldn't resist having a substitution for this course, I just HAD to try another local dish: roulade of (Salzburger Jungrind) young beef made the tradtional Austrian way, that is stuffed with julienned carrots, leek and gherkins, slow-cooked so that using a knife would be an affront to the tenderness of the meat and served with a rich potato mash and sautéed girolles. For dessert, my better half opted for a very generous plate of local cheeses and preserved fruit, I made the mistake of not ordering the apricot dumplings with compote and nutmeg icecream and had a layer cake with white chocolate mousse, berries, iced peach soup and almond icecream instead. The latter wasn't bad, but probably just not the best choice, judging by the ohing and ahing on the neighbouring tables.
It's a shame I didn't have my camera - I would have loved to show you the beautiful garden terrace and the spectacular vista, of course, and all the elaborately presented food. Although the service was a bit haphazard (new team, as we overheard) and slow at times, the food was really worth the wait. And so were the wines: matching each course, a well-chosen row of Austrian wines in which we discovered some new gems... Brandtner certainly knows his stuff and is also very willing to impart knowledge (where service allows). And with a five-course meal for 60 Euros (that's £40), this is certainly a place to come back to.
Although we might have given up on completing our pilgrimage, we've found a new place to worship. Heresey? Certainly. But if acknowledging and indulging in good food is a sin, a sinner I'll be!

Zur Plainlinde
Plainbergweg 30
Bergheim bei Salzburg
Austria
T +43-(0)662-458557
email: [email protected]
open: Wed-Sun 12 - 2 pm, 7 - 9 pm (times indicate last accepted booking, not closing hour)
During the Festival season (August), they're also open on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Salzburg restaurant: Carpe Diem

If you've recently read this post by David, you've got a good insight into a current food fad in Europe: verrines. Call them terrines that start with a "v", if you must. Pretty much anything from salads and desserts to a full main course can be served in a small glass - probably because they get away with serving you dire little amounts of food and charge you the same for one glass as your local Chinese would for a three-course meal. That said, I like the idea, blame it on my natural affinity to finger food (or rather little bites of delight, as verrines are certainly not eaten with your fingers) - any meal where I can eat a dozen different portions of delightful dishes without feeling (too) guilty is good in my books. But cute as these glasses may be, there's always a lot of washing up to do, so it's not surprising that someone had a Eureka moment and decided to work on a container that you could eat: cones - also in a savoury incarnation, of course.
Well, they're not so much a trend yet, but they're definitely up and coming. I remember reading about a famous French chef who just launched a similar concept before I left for my holidays here in Austria, but can't for the life of me remember who it was now or where I read about it... but one thing I know for sure: Austria's once-wunderkind Jörg Wörther had the same idea a couple of years ago so the concept is an old hat already - even though a very tasty one at that!
Judging by the rate at which restaurants open and then close after only months of being in the business, launching your own place is a risky affair... but Chef Woerther has found a way of establishing gourmet haunts without the headaches... he finds a wealthy sponsor to finance the operation so all he has to do is get busy in the kitchen and create what I love him for: fantastic food without much fuss. With his recent projects since he left his 4-toque, 19-point restaurant in Schloss Prielau (under the patronage of the Porsche family), it seems that his success allows him not to slave away in the kitchen day in, day out anymore, but come up with a great concept, see it off to a flying start, then take a bow and exit through the back door.
Ikarus, sponsored by Red Bull's Austrian founder & owner Kurt Mateschitz* and (knowingly) the first starred restaurant to be situated in an airport hangar, was one such project and continues to receive rave reviews from faithful punters who regularly come to enjoy the row of Michelin-starred chefs who run a literal relay, handing over the baton whisk to another great and internationally renowned chef (Jean-George Vongerichten, Rainer Becker, Greg Malouf, Gary Danko, Susur Lee, Jin Jie Zhang, Alex Atala to name but a few) every month. Under patron Eckhart Witzigmann, Roland Trettl and his talented kitchen brigade bring to life the cuisine of a guest chef list that reads like the Who is Who of the 50 best restaurants in the world... don't you agree it's a great idea to play host to a different style of cooking every month, so you can experience culinary excellence from all four corners of the world without doing all those air miles? I'd love to see this implemented in London - I'd certainly get a "season ticket" for that!
Carpe Diem in Salzburg's Getreidegasse is another of Joerg Woerther's ventures, but has been receiving mixed reviews since its launch in August 2005, even from sources whose judgements I used to trust. The idea, realised with the backing of the energy drinks by the same name (which are, of course, distributed under the Red Bull brand in most of Europe), is close to my heart: finger food. Not your usual canapés, though, but proper dishes turned on their heads by using what could be a side dish as a container: Tafelspitz (Austria's signature slow-cooked beef dish) is not served with potatoes, but in potatoes... where the starchy vegatables are mashed up and transformed into a crisp cone. Rather than swimming in the soup, a carrot sticks out of the cone and the apple sauce is dollopped on top. Venison stew is served with celeriac mash in a glass cone and a polenta cone decorated with grated pumpkin seed standing on the side houses tasty sautéed ceps. Can you overexcite and idea like that? Probably. They weren't on offer at the time I visited, but I suspect that serving Grammelknödel (dumplings filled with pork scratchings) in a cone layered with Sauerkraut might be taking the concept just a tad too far...
On our visit this summer, the finger food was not limited to cones, but offered a wide variety of elaborate finger food. I can't say whether they've had to clean up their act following initial criticism, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the whole affair. Service was incredibly friendly and accommodating (not something you can take for granted in Salzburg, unfortunately, especially not during the summer festival) and dishes were consistently innovative and tasteful. A very successful "seasonal cones menu" included gazpacho in a glass cone with succulent tiger prawn and a thin sliver of basil foccacia, a wild mushroom sautée with a puff pastry disc on top and breaded veal in a polenta cone with a rather sophisticated interpretation of coleslaw. My beef tartare cone (top picture) was an absolute delight, I haven't had a better tartare in a very long time: with the (aged and marbled) fillet carefully diced, rather than minced, and a delightful seasoning of capers, gherkins and the usual worcestershire sauce and crushed pepper, I was in tartare heaven. The bread cone was a welcome accompaniment for an otherwise often too meaty dish and also housed a quail's egg and salad cress.
Equally successful was a deconstructed hamburger with even the fries and tomato sauce served in separate cones (this time plastic, rather than edible) and nicely arranged with a slice of crisp pancetta. Of the more traditional finger food, steak burger was unfortunately served over (as in: well) done, but was still delightful served with a dijon mustard and caramelised onion chutney and a well-seasoned vinschgauer roll rather than a mushy bun.
I was less convinced by the combination of a rather uninspiring "toast" of tramezzini and cheese served with only the thinnest slice of griddled scallop towering at half mast like the flag of a pirate ship, but for that very same reason cold by the time it reached the table. More pleasing was the (rye) bruschetta with a generous topping of thinly sliced jamón de Trevélez, parmesan shavings and a good sprinkle of salad cress.
There's a decent selection of desserts on the menu of which I chose a lavender crème brulée, served in a glass cone with white peach purée and thin lady fingers, sprinkled with chopped pistachios. Nice enough, but given that it is served in a glass cone which adds nothing to the taste experience, it didn't have the wow-factor of some of the other dishes we tried.
Although rather on the expensive side of the spectrum by Austrian standards, I didn't find the £50 we paid for the three of us (three dishes each, plus one dessert and plenty of drinks) entirely off-putting. To be fair, if a restaurant is situated in what must be one of the most expensive shopping miles in Central Europe and only a stone's throw from the epicentre of the Salzburger Festspiele, I wouldn't expect to pay less. There's certainly tons of places in the vicinity where you pay the same or more for less exciting food.
Is the criticism I've heard justified? I don't think so. Serving stylish finger food all day long so people can pop in for a quick snack or a proper multi-course meal is a great concept. Is it the best food I've ever had in my life? No (but it's also considerably cheaper!). But it is undoubtedly interesting food, something to please the eye as well as the tastebuds, and although some dishes were more successful than others, none of them was a let-down. Given the chance, I will certainly go back there for a lunch with a difference, maybe camp out on one of the massive loungers on the terrace to enjoy the hustle & bustle of the beautiful people of Salzburg and the tons of tourists heading for the Mozart House... and seize the day with a selection of great food that is finger-lickingly good!

Carpe Diem Finest Fingerfood Getreidegasse 50
5020 Salzburg
Austria
Tel +43 (0)662 848800
email: [email protected]
Opening hours: daily from 8:30 am – 12 pm

* There are very recent reports that Mateschitz and Woerther have decided to part ways at the end of August 2007: I am sure that operations at Carpe Diem and Ikarus won't be affected, but am curious to see which new idea and new sponsor JW will come up next!

Brussels: Culinary City Snapshot

What’s your country’s cuisine like in a nutshell?
Belgians love to eat. They enjoy the food, of course, but also the opportunity to sit around a table with friends and family. Therefore, Belgian cuisine is often hearty and convivial. Most traditional dishes wouldn’t qualify for a fine cuisine contest but would definitely win the “comfort food” trophy. In the Northern part of the country, most dishes are fish-based: eels in green sauce, waterzooi (fish stew) and of course mussels. Some restaurants serve as many as 30 different sauces for them! Belgium being the country of beer, we also like to use beer a lot when cooking. Think of carbonnades (Belgian beer stew), Kriek (cherry-flavoured beer) rabbit, Leffe chicken… And fries, of course. Frites (or frieten) are not only our favorite food but also a Belgian institution. At every corner, you’ll find a “fritkot”, a small stall where you can grab a bag of fries to eat on-the-go. Perfect for the 2 am munchies!

What’s the current food trend in your city?
Fusion food is everywhere! Chefs love mixing food trends and playing with Belgians’ tastebuds. Wasabi, cilantro and sweet potaoes are served along endives and Brussels sprouts. Healthy and organic cantines are also popping up everywhere. They’re not necessarily vegetarian but they serve fresh and unprocessed dishes to the hungry health-conscious.

Which local food is not to be missed?
Three words: fries, beer, chocolate.
Have a Hoegaarden or a Duvel in the sun. Stop for a bag of thick fries with a huge dollop of mayo and end up with a handful fine “pralines”…

What are the food oddities in your country?
If, while walking in the center of Brussels, you see what looks like a hotdog stand, think twice before stopping. They’re probably selling “caricoles”, sea snails in a spicy bouillon. This is a typical Brussels snack, though not every Belgian will dig into that! If you’re adventurous enough, give it a try. If you’ve already tried the garlic and parsley kind, you shouldn’t be too grossed out. Another oddity is probably the “mitraillette” (machine gun). French baguette stuffed with fries, sauce and your choice of deep-fried meat. It’s called machine gun because, if you try to put one end into your mouth, the fries shoot out the other end like bullets…

What food/gadget to bring home from my trip?
Chocolate. But please stay away from Leonidas and Godiva, they’re probably the worst in town. Don’t settle for anything less than Marcolini or Wittamer. Beer too. Just push the door of any grocery store and you’ll have enough choice to spoil Uncle Ted and your best friend Sylvia. Fruit-flavoured beers like Kriek, Gueuze or Framboise are always a great and unusual gift. If you’re looking for something stronger, go for Orval, Westmalle or Chimay.

Which cuisine features most strongly in your city?
Deep-fried snacks have always been very popular in Belgium. For a few years, however, this tradition seems to have merged with the numerous North-African delis that have opened in Brussels. The new “pitta-shops” mix oriental-style snacks like gyros meat and durum (flat bread that resembles tortilla) with fries, fricandelles and mexicanos… If you’re watching your weight, you might want to stay away from those places! If you’re not, try the pitta street (rue du Marché au Fromage). They say Yasmina serves the best pitta in town!

Which are your favourite gourmet addresses?
For breakfast, I  love Le Pain Quotidien (It’s a bit pricey but I think it’s worth it. I love the communal table, so different from the individualistic approach of most restaurants. For an affordable lunch, try Arcadi. Their quiches and desserts (especially the lemon pie) are to die for. The place is always crowded so reservation is recommended. Le Pré Salé or La Taverne du Passage are good addresses if you want to try traditional Belgian cuisine. Always crowded (be prepared to queue as they don’t take reservations) Tapas Locas is a great place to taste Brussels’ lively ambiance. They don’t limit themselves to Spanish tapas and you can have miniature versions of Endives au Gratin or even frogs’legs if that’s your thing.

Where to shop for food?
If you’re in Brussels during the week-end, take the subway to Gare de l’Ouest and try the Slaughterhouse’s Market in Anderlecht. Don’t be freaked out by the name, the actual slaughterhouse has moved long ago. Now it’s just a huge and colorful market. If you’re looking for something hipper and trendier, there’s the nocturnal market of Chatelain Square in Uccle. There, on Wednesdays, you can find exotic, gourmet and, of course, expensive foods. It’s a very “see and be seen” kind of place…

Which area is best for food – where to browse for restaurants while on the go?
A great place to have a drink on a terrace is the St-Géry Square. Just pick one of the trendy café: Zebra Bar, Mappa Mundo, Coaster… All the cool kids meet there in the summer so arrive early! In the street that goes from the St-Géry Square to La Bourse (Stock Exchange), there are several good Vietnamese and Thai restaurants so that you don’t have to go very far to have a good meal as well! Another gourmet spot is the St-Boniface Square (Metro: Porte de Namur). Check L’Ultime Atome and Le IIème element.

What’s the biggest flop in terms of food?
I know all the seafood seems tempting but stay away from “La rue des Bouchers”. Many tourists and locals have been fooled by the appetizing stands and solicitating waiters. All you’ll get there is a low quality meal and an outrageous bill!

What are the most reliable restaurant guides for your area?
Definitely resto. The site exists in French, Dutch and English but most of the reviews are in French, unfortunately… But you’ll be able to select a restaurant according to various criteria: cuisine, budget, location…

What to be aware of when dining out?
Tipping is not needed but always appreciated. People often leave the change. Booking isn’t necessary but if you’re going to a hyped place, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, it’s always better to give them a call. Smoking is forbidden in restaurants and most public places since January of this year. In most pubs and clubs, however, it is still allowed.

This Culinary City Snapshot was kindly provided and published with permission of Catherine of Tours et Tartines who lives and works in Zürich. Photography courtesy of Cook Sister!

Vienna restaurant: Hansen im Börsegbäude

You might be surprised to read about yet another cafe/restaurant surrounded by pots and plants and bits and bobs for your garden, but unlike the delightful Petersham Nurseries, Hansen im Börsegebäude has been around for a decade.
Lederleitner started their operations out in Tulln and quickly established themselves as the top landscape artists in the country, designing gardens for many a residential villa in the most exclusive suburbs of Vienna and beyond. They also imported beautiful furniture, scupltures and other decorative items from all over the world and back then, as a student with very limited funds, I could but long to one day be able to amble in my own garden designed by this exclusive firm.
Then they diversified even more and decided to open an upscale flower shop in the heart of Vienna. Located in the basement of the Vienna stock exchange, the shop is remeniscent of a Roman market hall - high vaulted ceilings and tall white columns house luxury garden furniture, potted plants and a counter where they make the most beautiful bouquets with flowers taken from massive black stone vases.
Further back, a restaurant. Open all day, it serves food inspired by the Mediterranean (like so much in Austria) - be it a light lunch or a quick snack in the afternoon, you can have any thing at any time. They have a short menu inspired by what's market fresh and will typically offer a few salads/light plates, quiches, risottos, soups plus two or three meat and fish courses and always a plate of pasta.
The most delightful reason to come here, though, is to have breakfast. Although every coffee house (Kaffeehaus) in Vienna serves breakfast from continental (rolls, jam, croissants) to warm (eggs whatever style), this has a different feel: it's more like an American brunch, and definitely not in the sense of a sad buffet for reluctant tourists in a hotel.
The breakfast menu offers everything from the very simple (bread & chives, soft-boiled eggs, Danishes, muesli) to food with a bit more sustenance: omelettes, rosemary bacon, breakfast burger, veal sausages (typical for Bavarian Brotzeit, but equally relished in Austria). We had a delightful plate of scrambled eggs with truffle oil and the softest smoked salmon, a piece of toasted rye bread topped with scrambled egg laced with pumpkin seeds and oil of the same, and of course, the bacon - who could resist that. Round it up with chocolate cream waffles, buttery french toast, fresh fruits and yoghurt and you'll feel like you're ready to face the challenges of sight-seeing again (or shopping, as it were).
Or you might be tempted to have a kip in one of those inviting loungers by the fountain... but don't, I beg you, or at least don't tell them you read it here ;-)

Zürich: Culinary City Snapshot

What is Zürich like in a nutshell?
Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland, and its financial center. It has the largest airport in the country as well as the largest railroad hub. Many of the infamous secretive Swiss banks have their headquarters here. To put things in perspective, the population of Switzerland is around 6 million, and 1 million of those live in the greater Zürich area. Like most Swiss cities, Zürich is arranged around a beautiful lake (the Zürisee or Lake Zurich) and river (the Limmat). The Alps can be seen in the distance on a clear day. The streets are well paved and impeccably clean. You can sense the discreet display of wealth everywhere. Culturally and historically, Zürich has been influenced by two things: the rather severe form of Protestantism as espoused by people like Zwingli and Calvin, and those banks. The religious influence is seen still in things like the store operating hours - just about everything closes up early on Saturdays and all day Sunday, though otherwise the city is quite liberal (it gave full legal rights to gay couples way back in 2002 for instance). And, the presence of so many underground bank vaults mean that there are no subways, just overground trams. It's a rather no-nonsense city, which may lack some of the historical charm of the nation's capital, Bern, or Luzern (Lucerne), which is an hour away. It's still a quite lively city, and probably the best for really upscale shopping if that's your thing, especially along the Bahnhofstrasse. The flip side of those staid bankers is the large and lively student population from the University of Zürich and the Federal Institute of Technology (the ETH), Albert Einstein's alma mater (well he didn't graduate, but still...). Perhaps not coincidentally, Zürich is supposed to have one of the best club scenes in Europe.

What’s Swiss cuisine like in a nutshell?
You may think that Swiss cuisine means cheese, chocolate and fondue. The reality is that there is no real unifying "Swiss" cuisine - almost every Swiss speciality is specifically regional.  There are many regions, so Swiss cuisine is full of variety. The mountainous topography and varied climate has meant that farming is quite small-scale compared to other countries. A lot of that is dairy production, both cows and goats, which is why there are so many different cheeses. Some areas have fruit production (apples, pears), and in some other areas, pretty decent wine is made. All this has lead to the evolution of a to a relatively hearty peasant-type cuisine, based on dairy, some meat, potatoes, and whatever is in season. Another factor that has influenced Swiss cuisine is Switzerland's unique position on the map of Europe. A lot of ancient trade routes from south to north passed through the Alps, so the local food supply was enlivened by the addition of various imported foods because of the traditional trade routes through the alps, which got people in contact with all kind of "exotic" products, especially expensive spices like pepper and cinnamon.

What’s the current food trend in Zürich?
Zürich is relatively small but very international city. That means you can get almost anything. Looking at the new restaurant openings, the current trend is towards "Asian" in general, with "Spanish" not far behind.

What local food is not to be missed? Whenever they come to Zürich, many of our North American friends stop for a "sausage fix". The variety and quality of sausages here is terrific. In most places where the sausage culture is celebrated, they are served with "Rösti", the quintessential Swiss potato pancake, or "Spaetzli", small dumplings.  Local freshwater fish like "Egli" is also popular, especially in restaurants located along the shores of the Zürisee (Lake Zurich) or a river.

Equally important, which local food might I want to steer clear of no matter how much locals insist?
I know that many people who come to Switzerland want their cheese fondue...but it's really not a speciality of the Zürich area, and is only served in the very touristy places. Not to say that it's bad, mind you, but there's so much else to fatten you up. Since regional cuisine has peasant roots you might find some of it very caloric, such as Zürigschnätzlets, which is veal, kidney and mushrooms in a wine-cream sauce. Speaking of offal, many people have problems with Kutteln (tripe). Also, this is a personal bias of mine, but so far I have been very underwhelmed by all of the trendy  Asian-Fusion type of places that are popping up like mushrooms after a rainstorm all over town. Often these places sport sleek modern Asianesque interiors and serve a mishmash of cuisines from 'exotic Asia' - so you have Pad Thai and udon noodles and sushi and egg rolls all on the same menu. The better Asian restaurants tend to be small and plain, but they are at least more authentic - and, usually serve just one kind of Asian cuisine.

What are the food oddities in Switzerland?
The oddest thing may be the language! If you've ever learned German in a regular German class, you can forget about trying to understand the local Schwiizerdütsch - it sounds totally different, very sing-song. Schwiizerdütsch words are sort of funny too. An example: "Mischtchratzerli" (literally translated as"manure graters" - small single-serving sized chickens, roasted  or deep-fried). Even mundane foods sound different - "Patätli" are tiny new potatoes. And you thought that a potato was Kartoffel in German! There's a lot of mixing in on French and a bit of Italian in the vernacular: for instance a chicken is never called Hähnchen as it is in Germany - it's called Poulet, which is the French word for it. On the other hand, Switzerland has four official languages (German, French, Italian and Romansch), and many specialties simply have their name from another language region.

What delicacies should I bring home from my trip?
A lot depends on what your country allows you to import, and how long the transit time is.
*  A safe bet are chocolates, from the leading confectionary stores - in Zürich that would be Confiserie Sprüngli, Teuscher, and so on. If you're on a tight budget, even a selection of inexpensive chocolate bars can be a big hit back home.
* Cured meats such as Bündnerfleisch and Mostbröckli (don't be scared when they tell you it is made from horse; it is, in really most cases, beef) are interesting.
*  And, of course the famous cheeses, such as Gruyère (go for the really old one, being in the cellar for 12, 18, or even more months), Tête de moine (and get the scraping tool, called Girolle with it, particularly if you come to Switzerland repeatedly), or any kind of mountain cheese. The  markets sometimes have a stand selling cheeses from the Zürich Oberland - locally produced small-farm cheeses that you definitely won't see outside of Switzerland.
*  Something you don't see much outside of Switzerland are its wines. Look for wines from the Valais, which are usually a good bet.

Which cuisine features most strongly?
Zürich is very international, and you can find more or less anything. There may be more Italian places than other kinds of cuisine, but I don't think any one cuisine dominates.

Favourite gourmet addresses?

BUDGET:
Sausage stands, particularly if they grill them on the spot. The Vordere Sternen at the Bellevue is said to have the best Bratwurst in town, but there are plenty of other good sausage stands. (If you get a veal bratwurst, skip the mustard, which will overwhelm its delicate flavor.)
In the colder months you can also find hot roasted chestnut stands (Heisse Marroni) all over town, and crepe stands in the Altstadt (old city). Don't miss the Glühwein around Christmas time.
For a sit-down meal, the Mensa of the ETH (Federal Institute of Technology), which is budget (although a bit more expensive for guests than for students, but the quality is better than the reputation). If you are a student, keep your student ID ready to show; you might get the student price, but don't insist. The Mensa also features a fabulous view of the city from the Polyterrasse.
Another interesting and not that expensive experience would be the Lunch-Schiff, the lunch cruise on a Lake Zurich boat. And for the Apero, between work and dinner, have a beer at the Bauschänzli.
Americans dying for a fast food fix might find the Swiss McDonald's fun - they have sandwich combos that you don't get in the U.S. - though at much higher prices.
Another useful thing to know is that Zürich has many public fountains, and essentially all of them (except the ones with a sign "Kein Trinkwasser" or the international icon for non-potable water) run top quality drinking water.

AFFORDABLE:
Always look for the Tagesmenu (you never see it called Tagesteller here, in spite of what the guidebooks say) - this is the prix fixe daily special, and is usually a good deal.
You can get a reasonably inexpensive meal at typical Italian places - remember, southern Switzerland is very Italian, so it's almost regional. You will find such places along the Langstrasse, or in the Aussersihl area, but they are spread all over the town. If it looks like a "Mamma and Pappa place", and the menu is relatively small, try it... you may have discovered something interesting. We have a few pizzerias which we frequent regularly: the Vorbahnhof just besides the main station, at the Sihlquai tram stop, and the Molino at the Stauffacher. Swiss-Italian pizzas are large, very thin and are eaten with a knife and fork, never with your fingers. (Tangentially, the Pizza Hut near the main station went out of business last year...I don't think those thick greasy pizzas did much for the locals.)
Zürich has the oldest continuously operating vegetarian restaurant in Europe, Hiltl. It's been in business since 1898. The takeaway is good for an inexpensive picnic lunch, and the sit-down restaurant is pretty reasonable if you choose well from the buffet.
With visitors, we often go to the Zeughauskeller or the Bierhalle Kropf, just at the Paradeplatz - both traditional Wurst (sausage) and Potato type places with a civilized beer hall-type atmosphere. They are both very popular with locals, especially businessmen, as well as tourists. They are packed at lunch, but since they are big places you can usually get in.
Another great Zürich institution is the upstairs café at Confiserie Sprüngli on Paradeplatz. The pastries are to die for, though another interesting thing to try is the cream and berry-filled Birchermuesli, a great favorite with older ladies for a light lunch.
Two non-traditional places we go to quite a lot are King Kurry, a small Indian place at Bahnhof Wiedikon, and The Outback Lounge (which has nothing whatsoever to do with the American Outback chain), an Australian food place (kangaroo, ostrich, crocodile) with good people-watching. The pickup action around the bar on weekends is quite amusing.
Zürich also has a lot of attractive cafés to while away your time in, just like any civilized European city. (There are also a couple of Starbucks, if you really must.)

BREAK THE BANK:
The number 1 place in Zürich is actually outside of the city limits: Petermann's Kunststuben in Zollikon. Within the city limits, just at the border of the old town is the Florhof.
See here for more suggestions and addresses. And, for a very unusual dining experience (in total darkness) there is the Restaurant Blinde Kuh.

What’s Zürich's attitude to food in general?
Until not that long ago, Zürich was rather boring restaurant-wise. Some people might say it's still boring, and perhaps compared to major gourmet capitals like Paris, Milan or London it may be. Things are slowly evolving however, and becoming a lot more diverse. A decade or so ago when I first started visiting Switzerland you couldn't even find things like fresh ginger in the supermarkets - now you can find just about any kind of exotica you want.
When people like to go out to eat it tends to be for an "occasion" - remember the Zürich is one of the most expensive cities in the world. This has meant that mid-range restaurants have suffered in terms of quality and diversity. What's changed the restaurant scene the most perhaps is the proliferation of great clubs and bars, so you're seeing more places that cater to the hunger needs of the club-and-bar-hopping crowd. (Unfortunately the Asian-Fusion trend is part of that but hopefully things will evolve for the better in that area.)

Where to shop for food?
Start at the many supermarkets around town - Migros and Coop are the market dominators. The quality of produce and selection at the supermarkets is quite good. Within the city, the Coop - St. Annahof store on the Bahnhofstrasse is fairly small but has a good selection of interesting things like balsamic vinegars, olive oils and wines. There's also a Coop in the brand new mega-mall, Sihl City. Migros City at Löwenplatz is the handiest to the main station. Check out the chocolate bar shelves at both places!
If you have the chance, go to one of the open-air markets, which take place at different locations at different days. The best source to find them is on the Züritipp site, section "Ausserdem", then look for "Börsen & Märkte, Lebensmittelmarkt", for the specific day of the week. Laughing Lemon, which offers cooking and wine courses in English that get rave reviews, has a handy list of things that are in season, and listing of Zürich markets (on the sidebar there in a popup window).
On the higher end are the Food Factory in the Jelmoli department store, and the food department in the Globus (Löwenplatz and Bellevue). Pricey, but quite interesting to browse at least.
For a "old time shopping experience" go to Schwarzenbach at the Oberdorfstrasse in the old town.
And, you can't miss a trip to a Confiserie Sprüngli store for chocolates and other goodies. (I much prefer Sprüngli to the more internationally known Teuscher.) The Paradeplatz store is the flagship (see above for the tearoom), but there are smaller Sprünglis dotted around the city, including two conveniently positioned for last-minute shopping in the airport. I am very partial to their savory "Apero" nibbles, made from deliciously buttery pastry, that are quite ruinous to the waistline. An in-depth review of Confiserie Sprüngli.
See my Food Destinations: Zürich guide for more.

Which area is best for food?
There are restaurants all over the city. A concentration is in the old town, on the right bank, along the Limmatquai and up into the hill. In the warmer months, most places along the Limmatquai have tables outside, and having a coffee in the afternoon, watching people, is someting you shouldn't miss.
Another concentration is Wiedikon/Aussersihl, and on the other side of the railway, the Industriequartier and Zürich West, a very trendy area with theaters and lots of clubs. Finally the Seefeld area is another center for restaurants.

What’s the biggest flop and best avoided?
As always, chain places, particularly if they are "international" should raise some suspicion. See my notes above about Asian-Fusion places.

What are the big names in the restaurant scene?
Horst Petermann has already been mentioned. An "institution" is the Kronenhalle at the Bellevue (don't forget the Bar there), or the Oepfelchammer in the old town.

What are the most reliable restaurant guides for your area?
All of the guides below are in German...so far we haven't found any good English language restaurant guides. You can also try asking in the usually helpful English Forum Switzerland, where many expats hang out.
* Zueritipp - an online guide with a sort of young-ish focus
* Neue Zürcher Zeitung, then click on "Restaurantführer". The NZZ is the leading newspaper in Zürich
*  On paper: "Zürich zum Essen gern", published by Orell Füssli
•  On paper: "Zürich geht aus!", Edition Überblick; looks like a magazine, and is available at many newsstands

What to be aware of when dining out in Zürich?
Not much is cheap in Zürich. However, remember that the prices you see in the menu are what you actually pay. Tipping is not needed, although many people leave the change to the next franc, or five or ten, depending on the tab.
Many places close the kitchen at 22:00, and close down at midnight. There are some which are upen until 2, and a few until 4. And, as everywhere, make reservations in the "better" places.
Seafood (not counting local freshwater fish) is generally very expensive and not worth the price.

This Culinary City Snapshot was kindly provided and published with permission of Maki of Just Hungry, who lives and works in Zürich.

Vienna restaurant: RieGi

(picture from the restaurant's website)

Almost eight years have passed since we settled here in London... at the beginning, we used to go back "home" quite often, but now, with an extended family, we tend to rely on family and friends coming to visit us more than anything and really only go there for vacations spent skiing in the Alps or spa-ing somewhere in the boonies. With the advent of no-frills airlines and, in the very near future, a proper car which doesn't run the risk of breaking down somewhere between Folkstone and Scheibbs, Vienna is all too often picking the short straw when it comes to us gracing the homeland with our presence.
Before leaving Vienna for good, we were enjoying a rich social life there and were in the lucky position to have a) the means and b) an abundance of babysitters to be enjoying many a meal in one of the great restaurants the capital offers... from top gastronomy to cheap and cheerful pubs and coffee houses we ate our way through the city almost on a daily basis. Since then, I've been following the restaurant scene through random excursions in cyber space, reading reviews, following discussion threads and just generally being nosey. But the opening of a certain locale we visited last week had completely passed me by and it was only by chance that I stumbled across it.
Schauflergasse 6, close to the Hofburg and one of my favourite coffee houses, the Griensteidl, has housed a restaurant ever since I can remember. Back then, however, it was Vienna's foremost fish restaurant - and at a time when I was still working hard at convincing my husband that fish is edible in incarnations that don't look or taste like fish fingers, it was not a natural choice for us. But it belonged (and it still does) to a big Viennese gastronomy empire with Luigi Barbaro at the helm that has created other gems we used to frequent: Trattoria Martinelli and Pizzeria Regina Margherita. Both are situated in beautiful "palais" in the very centre of town and offer excellent cuisine.
Three years ago, La Ninfea closed and Harald Riedel and Helga de Giuseppe were tasked with creating an altogether new concept for the restaurant. Within a few months, they were awarded with 3 stars in Austria's A La Carte guide and 2 toques by Gault Millau. They offer international cuisine with a strong mediterranean influence, but using carefully sourced local or regional ingredients - apart from some fish, which is featuring heavily on the menu. Meat dishes might include a lamb  or suckling goat reared in Austria's lake regions, and the menu changes often enough to incorporate seasonal produce like wild garlic or white asparagus.
A seven-course tasting menu for 71 Euro can be tailored to you liking (4 courses: 53 Euro, or 41 Euro for 3), starters range from 6 to 15 Euros and mains hover around the 25 Euro mark.
After an elaborate amuse of tuna tartare and a terrine of roast peppers, if I remember correctly, (and a selection of scrumptious breads baked on the premises) I started off with perfectly cooked seared scallops on coriander couscous, surrounded by a light, but flavourful, lightly spicy lemon-grass and curry espuma. For my main, an unusual choice for me, the suckling goat (too big a portion to actually finish, so Chris got his fair share on top of his 4-course meal) came with thick and velvety red wine reduction generously seasoned with rosemary and garlic that made the accompanying barley risotto play a very minor role - but it played it very well. For dessert, I polished off a variety of desserts made with Valrhona chocolate, fondant, mousse, sorbet, tuiles... the works.
Low points? Few vegetarian options (but kitchen was happy to improvise), we got a non-smoking table right next to a table of chain smokers although were re-seated upon request) and the massive oil paintings in vibrant red colours cannot outweigh the coldness that is instilled by the blue glass panels covering the ceiling.
High points? Portion sizes were very generous for the price, they'll open almost any bottle on the wine list if you just want one glass, service is very attentive, staff are knowledgable, obliging and very friendly. When I said I couldn't really drink all that much they offered me a tiny glass (2 sips) of a matching wine with every course without charge. They only have one seating per evening and they're in no rush to get you out of the door, many people being invited to the bar for complimentary drinks after their meal where they remained well into the night.
RieGi's cooking may not be the most daring on the planet, it is elaborate in terms of effort, but straight-forward with regards to taste. Don't expect molecular gastronomy, but bold flavours in well-rehearsed combinations that really work. With this level of quality, I wonder why the restaurant wasn't fully booked on a Saturday night... it may be that the prices are on the higher side for Vienna or maybe they should consider making the décor a bit cosier - the ambiance does in no way match the heartfelt friendliness of the staff. But boy, can they cook!

RieGi
Schauflergasse 6
A-1010 Wien
Tel. +43 1 532 91 26

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm - 3pm and 6pm till midnight.
Nearest public transport: U3 Herrengasse

Vancouver: Culinary City Snapshot

(picture Andreas Mindt)

What's your country's cuisine in a nutshell?
Canadian Cuisine is so diverse, influenced by so many European and Asian cultures. The geographic regions also affect the cuisine as Canada is such a large country. Vancouver itself is seafood oriented, seeing as we are a coastal city and all! Vancouver cuisine is also fairly cutting edge in terms of North American cuisine (I did a project in culinary school about Vancouver restaurant trends forecasting what was to come in other North American cities).

What's the current food trend?
The current food trend in Vancouver is sustainability and eat local. Every hip and happening new restaurant features “local”, “organic”, “sustainable” and “biodynamic”. The runner up would probably be Izakaya (japanese small plates, pub food)

What local food is not to be missed?
Fish and chips from Go Fish! On a sunny yet crisp spring day.

Which local food might I want to steer clear of no matter how much locals insist?
Honestly, I can’t think of anything BAD from Vancouver.

What are the food oddities in your country?
Again, not sure about this. Because our cuisine is so derivative, I think that the things we choose to eat are considered to be edible somewhere on the globe. By the same token, every cultural cuisine has something no one else would eat (take a walk in Chinatown if you don't believe me: splayed dead lizards, anyone?)

What to bring home from my trip?
What a question. Whenever I travel to a new destination, I bring a suitcase FULL of food home. I love the sea salts from C restaurant, particularily the smoked. Pick up a jar of preserves from the Stock Market on Granville Island. Smoked Salmon or Indian Candy are huge sellers. And maple syrup for some reason (its actually from the East!!). Check out Thomas Haas’ chocolates at Senses or better yet, the truffles from Chocoatl. If you are from a place that doesn’t have a heavy asian influence, hit T&T or Chinatown for some fun snacks.

Which cuisine features most strongly in your city?
I think the featured cuisines in Vancouver are Vietnamese, Cantonese, Philipino, Southeast Asian etc.

Which are your favourite gourmet addresses?
Budget: Hon’s House of Noodles
Affordable: Cru
Break the bank:C, where I had the most amazing meal of my life

What's your city's attitude to food in general?
Eating out is HUGE in Vancouver. There are literally thousands of restaurants, several dozen of which I would classify as top of the line. Vancouverites also culture the foodie atmosphere at home, with Whole Foods, Urban Fare, Capers, Meinhardts, Granville Island Market, Gourmet Warehouse and countless farmer’s markets thriving.

 Which area is best for food – where to browse for restaurants while on the go?
I can’t think of one specific standout area…maybe Yaletown. The largest collection of new and higher end restaurants in one neighbourhood, West 4th maybe pulling a second for me.

What's the biggest flop and best avoided?
I tend to avoid the evil late night donair places and most Greek restaurants (the majority are generic to the point of being totally interchangeable)

What are the big names in the restaurant scene?
Biig names… Well, David Hawksworth of West, Rob Feenie of Lumiere (he was on Iron Chef America - and he won), Rob Belcham (formerly C, now Fuel), Tojo. Restaurants: C, West, Fuel, Lumiere, Tojo‘s. Why? Because they are the best of the best.

What are the most reliable restaurant guides for your area?
I use Open Table exclusively for booking. The most reliable source of restaurant information for me would be Egullet or Urban Diner. I hate all the anonymous review sites (You never know what the motivation is behind the review. ) I also like reading local bloggers such as Nancyland and Vancouver Foodie.

What to be aware of when dining out?
Use Open Table, don’t smoke in restaurants or bars (totally illegal), tip 15-20%, dress codes are generally a little more casual than you might expect (can’t think of a place where a suit or tie is de rigeur)

Vancouver has an amazing, diverse food scene. If I were a tourist, I would be spoiled for choice. I think our greatest culinary strengths lie in our access to the very best produce, seafood and organic, sustainable meats. That and we have some killer patios to soak up the beautiful West Coast summer sun…

This city snapshot was kindly put together by and published with permission of Linda of Kayaksoup who lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.