http://www.bottlesandcooks.com/?s=user+competition
see above articles or just enter by submitting the words “user competition” on the comment section of this article.
Please note that by submitting the words “user competition”, you are agreeing to abide by the rules as laid out on 21 February 2011.
E
April 2011
Re larver bread, you can buy it in Swansea Market. Leave the orange juice out (re recipe). It is good with bacon eggs, cockles and black pudding.
E
April 20111
Something different as dessert
http://www.japancentre.com/recipes/150
If you can’t get tinned red beans, then……
recipe on red bean paste
1. Soak red beans overnight.
2. Boil/simmer beans in plenty of water for 90 minutes
3. Mash beans through a sieve or put beans in a food processor and grind to a paste then push the “mash” through a sieve to get rid of the skin – this makes the paste smooth rather than course.
4. Put a little oil in a pan, add 300g of bean mash, 3 teaspoon of sugar (taste and add more if you like it very sweet) and 1 tablespoon of roux (butter and flour mixed and cooked over low heat). Stirr over low heat until the whole thing is combined. Let it simmer for a minute – keep stirring.
5 Use as per Japan Centre recipe.
Rice flour is available from most supermarkets.
Red bean paste is also good as a filling in pancakes.
E
April 2011
Address: Corner of Road 21 and O, Havana, Cuba
Telephone number: not known
Website: N/A
Cost per head: From around 10 Convertible Pesos (CUC; £1= 1.5CUC )
Wine list: Small selection of imported wines.
Date of visit: 1 April 2011
Cuisine: Cuban – bar menu
Summary
Having spent the day visiting Plaza de la Revolucion and the National Cemetery where most heroes of the Cuban revolution are buried, we found ourselves visiting the Hotel Nacional de Cuba which is a national monument. Just in front of the main entrance to the hotel grounds we noticed what looked like a good menu at this restaurant and, talking to the waiter standing outside, we were told that everything was fresh, including the asparagus. We decided to try it so after a rest at our hotel we walked back along the Malecon for dinner. We decided to have the beer (Bucanero) since the wine rack was not well stocked and very expensive for the quality of the bottles.
We started with the asparagus salad which turned out to be very poor; it consisted of 5 very thin white tinned asparagus tips rather than the fresh asparagus we were led to believe by the waiter at the door. The second starter was also a salad, this time a tuna salad, with boiled potato, cucumber, tomato, green olives, onion in a mayo dressing; this was small and basic and just OK! The main dishes were Chicken Monseignor (chicken breast filled with pork ham) and Solomillo filled with ham and cheese; both mains were fine and in reasonable portions.
The cost of this was 30 CUC including two beers but it was poor value compared to other meals we had in Havana. The staff was cold and slow (unusual for Havana). The restaurant was busy with tourists, mostly young people, who did not want to pay the high drink and food prices at the hotel opposite! We will not be going back to this one!
Demetris Savva
Address: Corner of Road 3 and A, Vedado, Havana, Cuba
Telephone number: not known
Website: N/A
Cost per head: From around 10 Convertble Pesos (CUC; £1= 1.5CUC )
Wine list: Small selection of imported (Spanish, Chilean and Argentinian) wines.
Date of visit: 30 March 2011
Cuisine: Cuban, training school for Chefs
Summary
We came across this restaurant (also a catering school training chefs and waitressing staff for the hotel and restaurant industry) when we went for an evening stroll before dinner. We liked the menu we returned at the end of our walk to find a few tables already taken by locals, always a good sign! Like many Cuban restaurants, this one also did not have a list but the very friendly barman interrupted his cocktail-making and showed me what he had and told me the prices which were very reasonable. His two Argentinian reds looked interesting so we opted for the slightly more expensive one (at 18 CUC). This was a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec blend from Bodega Estancia Mendoza; it proved to be a good choice as it was extremely fruity and perfectly drinkable after a very short “breathing” time.
The a la carte menu was extensive and we had difficulty choosing! We started by sharing a portion of Cebiche de pescado (fish marinated in lemon juice with onions and peppers) which was large and excellent. We followed this with Bolitas de carne de res (meatbalsl)and the Tamal en cazuela (a very creamy and thick, cornmeal and pork-based soup with paprika and other spices, very much like polenta in consistency); both of these were very good and served in substantial portions (11 meatballs!) which were very filling. Nevertheless, we battled through to the mains which were Lomo ahumado (4 large, smoked, boneless cutlets of pork) and the Cordero asado al romero y vino tinto (roast lamb in rosemary and red wine) both of which were served with a selection of vegetables and rice. Both were excellent but it was a struggle to finish them and in the end we did not have any desserts!
The service was excellent andf the staff very friendly and talkative. The cost for the two of us came to just over 40 CUC including water and wine, an excellent value.
Second visit
Date of visit: 31 March 2011 (second visit)
Summary
After last night’s dinner we decided to try this restaurant again since it was good but also, very conveniently, just round the corner from our hotel. As it is also a catering school, the staff (except the master chef) was different but just as good and helpful. Instead of wine we decided to have the local strong lager-type beer (Bucanero at 5.4% alcohol).
For starters we ordered Garbanzos fritoscon jamon, bacon y chorizo (chick peas) and the Fileto de pescado grille a las finas hierbas (a large piece of fish filet grilled with hebs) which was served on a bed of vegetables and a large portion of rice (you get rice with everything in Cuba!); both of these were excellent and did not disappoint! One of the mains we opted for was Conejo al estilo de chef (stewed rabbit in red wine; a chef’s speciality); rabbit is difficult to find in restaurants in this country but this was excellent and worth having again! The other main dish we had was Chateaubriand a la Bearnesa (a very large piece of filet steak) which was cooked to perfection. Again, no room for desserts!
All this came to 36 CUC including bread, water and beers; an excellent value. Well worth the visit and worth going back!
Third visit
Date: 1 April 2011
Summary
This was our third visit to this restaurant on our last night in Havana, after our first two visits were so enjoyable and after last night’s disappointing visit to the Restaurant-Bar Monseignor. The staff was the same as on our first visit and they, and the chef, remembered us and came to chat after each course! After consulting again with the barman, who also explained the different types of rum to me, I opted for the second of his two Argentinean reds at 14 CUC; this was the “Malena” Tinto 2010 from the Mendoza region; it was very smooth and drinkable, very fruity (I guess it was mostly Malbec-based) but it was light at only 11.5% which was unusual but refreshing to see these days when most reds are above 13%!
For starters we ordered the Garbanzos fritos con jamon, bacon y chorizo (chick peas) since we liked it a lot the first time! The second starter was Ensalada de chef (salad leaves in a vinegrette dressing, with jam, cheese and slices of grilled chicken breast); this like the chick peas was excellent but again the portions were large! The main choices were Filete mignon (a beautifully grilled, large filet of beef) and the Enchillado de camarones (large shrimps cooked in tomato sauce with garlic, onions, peppers and paprika) both of which came with vegetables and rice. Both were again large portions and excellent so, I’m afraid, again no room for desserts!
The cost of this feast was 46 CUC including bread, water and wine which was again excellent value. We will visit this restaurant again on a return visit to Cuba but this time we will not fly with Virgin since we were very disappointed with the lack of service (light, video and music) throughout the 9 hour return flight!
General impressions on the Cuban food were very good. Quality was mostly excellent and the cost was, by western standards, extremely low. The exceptions are the salads in many places which are not of great quality, although this criticism does not apply to this restaurant!
Demetris Savva
The first fifty – Noma stays top.
The UK restaurants that got into the top 50 are:
The Fat Duck (reviewed on 22 Sept 2009), Ledbury, St John and Hibiscus (3 Sept 2010).
Per Se (reviewed on 12 October 2010) in New York is the second top USA restaurant
http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/1-50-winners
The next fifty include UK ethnic restaurants such as
Hakkasan, Zuma and Nahm.
Le Gavroche and Marcus Wearing also made the list
http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/51-100-winners
E
April 2011
Web site: http://www.casajuancho.com/
Telephone number: + 1 305-642-2452
Date of visit: 09/04/11
Approx. cost per head: $40
Comments on wine list/beer: Extensive wine list – from just under $100 to just under $1000
Cuisine: Spanish
Review:
Brilliant food.
Spanish cuisine and the restaurant had a very Spanish feel to it. Very laid back. Quite a big restaraunt, the tables weren’t too close together, decorated in a Spanish style, smart casual. All of the waiters were also dressed traditionally, and on that note I would say that they were very over staffed. It was quite a busy place but there were waiters everywhere and very often just standing around. One of them filled up our water glasses after every sip. Although I must say I didn’t have the feeling of being watched. Our waiter was extremely friendly, sociable. There was even music being played. An accordianist at first (who perhaps stayed at each table slightly longer than desired) and a small Spanish band with guitars and vocals. All very joyful.
To start we had Spanish ham and cheese and fried calamari to share. This was all brilliant, couldn’t have faulted it.
What was very odd though was that throughout the starter we kept our menus and the order for our mains wasn’t taken until we’d finished the first course and they’d taken it away. We couldn’t work out if this was a mistake or not, but it appeared to just be how they do things.
Tapas was available but we chose to have our own dishes. Everyone loved their meal. Two people ordered Paella, a very generous size, and two of us ordered fish.
I had a dover sole with a lemon butter sauce which I would definately recommend. The waiter even (very skillfully) boned the fish infront of the table. The sauce was amazing and the fish was cooked to perfection. evern the boiled potatos and vegetables it came with were really delicious. All mains came with vegetables without having to order extra.
It had quite a family vibe however there were also quite a few couples there as well. I would definately recommend the Casa Juancho, although not if you’re in a rush!
Alex
Web site: http://www.devitosouthbeach.com/main_index.php
Telephone number:+ 1 3055310911
Date of visit: 10/04/11
Approx. cost per head: $50
Comments on wine list/beer: Good wines list across a range of prices – under $100 to $1000
Cuisine: American International
Review:
Owned by Danny Devito, hence the name, the restaurant has a brilliant vibe to it. Quite relaxed, smart, excellent friendly service. We went twice, neither visit was on a Friday or Saturday night admittedly, but the place wasn’t particularly full.
We started with Devito cocktails, a lemony sort of martini which wasn’t great. The wine list however was good and as they were out of our first choice the waiter suggested a very good white.
Before the meal, they brought mild stuffed chillis and lovely bread compliments of the chef. Never standard bread, garlic bread with cheese one night, much nicer than your usual standard bread basket.
I ordered butternut squash gnocchi “with sage brown butter and Reggiano Parmesan”. You need to order sides (which they have a large selection of) because the meals seemed to be pretty much exactly what the menu said. The gnocchi tasted brilliant, although there wasn’t enough sauce for me and by the end of the dish it had become quite boring. All of the side orders of vegetables we tried were brilliant. A good size for two.
One member of the party ordered an 8oz centre cut fillet. There is a very wide selection of steak on the menu (which is available on the website). He said it was one of the best, if not the best, steak he had ever eaten (having tried alot of steaks worldwide). Unfortunately, we went back a second night a few days later and the same steak disappointed him. So perhaps it depends on the night, you could have an absolutely amazing steak if you are lucky.
As the food was quite pricy I was very judging, however overall it was a brilliant meal and I would definately go again. Good portion size, very good selection on the menu, brilliant service and good food, although not always amazing.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/17/jeremy-lee-eel-kedgeree-recipes
This is just stupid as smoked eel is expensive and cooking it again destroys the oily texture. What is wrong with smoked (undyed) haddock? If you want to be special, use Abroath Smokies.
E
April 2011