Re-thinking and re-organizing this blog

I'm currently in the process of totally re-organizing the blog contents. Instead of using blog posts, I've added information on restaurants and other good food spots to the pages which are organized by country and city.

Also in recent years, my situation and health has changed. Unfortunately this makes it quite difficult to enjoy food with abandon and to write lengthy pieces. Also this changed my focus over time. I used to enjoy all-you-can-eat buffets. Now, a buffet no longer makes sense to me when I can barely finish the one plate. 

And in my need for more anonymity, I've migrated this blog to an alternate Gmail account using my pseudonym "Neko".  For friends who know who I am, yes, this is still me and my blog.

Barcelona - Sagardi Argenteria - Basque Delights

 In 2022, we had the pleasure of dining here with my then boss and her husband. And thanks to them, we had a taste of Basque cuisine. I'm not sure if you can actually make reservations. However, it is worth trying because the place is packed. If the weather is nice, there are tables on the plaza outside. Only beware, there will be smokers. Inside is smoke free, however tables are small and you end up precariously perched on bar stools.

While the seating might not be so comfortable, that is quickly forgotten when you see the incredible display of pinchos on the bar. These are bite-sized creations held together with colour-coded toothpicks. You are free to help yourself to whatever pincho that attacts you. Just save the toothpicks because the color coding is linked to the per-item price and they will tally up the toothpicks in the end for your bill.

As if the pinchos were not enough, this is a carnivore's walhalla with superb cuts of dry-aged beef. And if you are able to drink alcohol  (Lucky you! I cannot due to the lack the necessary enzymes) try ordering their cider. This is served in a spectacular theatrical manner of pouring the cider from more than a meter above the glass. As I learned from my friends, this is not just for show. It is actually functional. The pouring technique will aerate the cider and reduce the bitterness. 

Note: There are several Sargardi's in Barcelona. The one we enjoyed is Sargardi Argenteria, C. de Argenteria 62. Be sure to go there with a large appetite.

PS. That's me on the left looking way too happy, pointing at the dry-aged beef in the window.

Barcelona - Lady Dumpling - Little Dragon Dumplings

I first stumbled upon this store in the alleyways of the Barrio Gotico of Barcelona in September 2022. We were just married a month ago and my husband accompanied me on a business trip to Barcelona. This small shop caught my eye because, in the window, the lady was making xiao long bao dumplings by hand. I was astounded. My husband, despite having been to mainland China when he was younger, did not know what these dumplings were. And hence I had to explain.

Xiao Long Bao 小籠包 - the three characters mean Small, Dragon, Bun or Dumpling. A good one is a very special treat. I first saw this on a televised reportage where a journalist was trying it out somewhere as street food in China. It is also a tricky dumpling. A small meatball together with some cold aspic (gelatine) is wrapped in the dough and steamed. As a result you have a dumpling with a meatball and piping hot broth. Try to nibble it, then the broth dribbles out. Try to eat one whole, you'll burn your mouth. Hence the 'dragon' in the name. Given the right utensils, you can place one in a spoon, puncture it with your chopsticks to drain the broth into the spoon, eat the dumpling and then sip the rest. No burns, no mess.

I am addicted to this dumpling. When in Tokyo, I would always go for my Xiao Long Bao fix at one of the Din Tai Fung restaurants. Unfortunately, Din Tai Fung has not yet landed in the Netherlands. So to find a fresh Xiao Long Bao shop in Europe was amazing.

2023 Update. We went back again and the quality was a bit less. Still tasty but maybe they steamed the dumplings too long, there was barely any liquid broth in the dumpling. And that is the very raison d'être of a xiao long bao. 

What we also noticed on Google maps was that there were now three Lady Dumplings in Barcelona. The lady working in the Barrio Gotico establishment was not same lady in the 2022 photo above. I have a feeling that the lady above is the founder. She is also the lady on the Lady Dumpling website. When we visited the first time, she was making the dumplings with great enthusiasm, love, skill and pide. I would like to find the store where she's making the dumplings. Or maybe due to the business expanding, she's now upper management. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao

https://www.ladydumpling.com/

Amsterdam - Small World - Foodie heaven on earth

Just a short 15 minute trot from Central Station down the Harlemmerstraat, look for the side street Binnen Oranjestraat on the left-hand side. You can’t miss the green awning that marks the corner shop ‘Small World’. A word of advice: do not get tempted by the various other cafes and bakeries in the Harlemmerstraat on the way there. For those who can resist temptation, the ultimate food reward awaits.

The shop is indeed on the small side with a shelf that serves as a counter/table along the windows with seating for about nine. When the weather is kinder, there are seats and tables on the outside. And even on colder days, the outside seating is still a necessity to accommodate the unlucky ones who spill out of the shop. However, nothing in Small World is ‘small’ when it comes to the dishes cooked up by Sean and his team. The first thing that catches one’s eye is the colorful array of cakes and pies, quiche, tortilla, oven-cooked chicken, salads and roasted veggies in the glass case. Glance to the wall on the right and there’s a list of mouth-watering sandwiches which makes it even more agonizing to come up with a decision. And there’s fresh fruit and vegetable juice to top off the gastronomic act of sin you are just about to indulge in. Since one cannot possibly eat the spanakopita, lamb burrito and the fresh tuna sashimi on ciabatta in a single sitting and live to take a bite of one of the luscious cakes, the solution may be to go with friends and share. My personal favorites are the goat-cheese-pumpkin quiche, string bean-parmesan-walnut salad, the roasted vegetables, the carrot cake and fresh orange-carrot juice with extra ginger. Yes I confess...sometimes I managed this in a single sitting.

Behind the counter, Sean and his team are in a whirl of constant motion, cooking up more to keep up with the demand.  And despite the hectic pace, there is a stream of lively banter between the customers and Sean that adds spice to the food and makes this place so special. When I was living in Amsterdam, Small World has always has been a haven of good food that kept me going after work.

https://smallworldcatering.nl/

P.S. If you live and/or work in Amsterdam, you are soooo lucky. Sean offers catering so you can treat yourself and your friends at home or in your office.

Amsterdam - Mantoe - Let the cook surprise you

Mantoe is the name of my favorite Afghani dish - a thin skinned meat dumpling topped with dollops of tomato sauce and rich yogurt. The restaurant that names itself after this humble yet delicious creation is the place for those seeking to be surprised. You can chose the number of courses you desire however there is no description of what is being served. Of course you can specify allergies and preferences like no meat or an aversion to something specific...okra in my case. However for the rest the fun is being surprised. Today my friend and I were served celeriac root soup with a hint cumin, mantoes, fragrant rice steamed with cumin and served with slivers of candied orange zest, spicy chicken with a bite of pickled pumpkin, tender stewed and mildly spicy beef with a side spinach, cabbage and string beans. The restaurant filled up quickly as the evening progressed. Thus a reservation is probably a good idea.
http://restaurantmantoe.nl/frontpage-en/

Amsterdam - Winkel - An apple cake a day...

The perfect place to rest after a stroll in central Amsterdam. Do not let the long line of customers waiting to be seated daunt you. The reason people brave the long wait for a much coveted seat is the gorgeous apple cake. I call it apple cake since it's too tall to classify as a pie. The rich buttery outside contains a bumper crop of apples with lashings of cinnamon. This was one of my favorite hangouts on a weekend. The cafe also has a great kitchen for soups and sandwiches. However, beware, when it's market day on the Noordermarkt square in front of the cafe, the menu may be limited to the apple cake. Not that anybody complains about this. I admire the energy, determination and dedication with which the kitchen staff churn out a continuous stream of fresh baked apple cake.
https://winkel43.nl/

Zeeuwse Stromen, Renesse, Netherlands

A hotel with a welcome mat for dogs. Not only does this hotel welcome the family pooch, but they even allow well behaved dogs into the dining room. So it is not surprising that entire families complete with their four-footed members flock to this hotel to celebrate Christmas. From another point of view, if you have objections to dogs in the hotel rooms and in the dining room, you have been warned.

Although we don't have pets, we have repeatedly stayed at the Zeeuwse Stromen. That is saying quite a lot since we normally would prefer to discover new places. So what brings us back here each year?

Well to begin with, there is the prime location. The hotel on the outskirts of Renesse is removed from the beach by just one dune ridge. One step out of the door and there is peace and quiet, salt wind, sea grass, sandy stretches, rhythmic crash of waves and winding paths through the dunes. Although to be fair, I've been told by other friends that high season brings an unwelcome horde of noisy tourists. So far, this being our winter/Christmas destination, we have been blessed with tranquility. I can't really say anything about high summer until I've experienced it first hand.

The other significant reason that brings us back each year is the superb kitchen. Christmas eve, Christmas day and Boxing day all feature special dinners for the guests. Each evening offers a choice of a wild game, fish or vegetarian main course. Appetizers are served in the form of a generous smorgasbord of fresh local produce. This Christmas we started with a lobster bisque soup (oops forgot to photograph this) and two helpings from the buffet which included puff pastry with creamy meat stew, Dutch shrimp in cream and herbs, smoked salmon with dill and a fine roast beef with sweet onion chutney. The main course consisted of a tender medium rare venison steak on caramelized Brussel sprouts and mashed celeriac. Dessert was a lovely creamy chocolate mousse with a rich dark chocolate filling.

As if we were not spoiled enough at dinner, a sumptuous breakfast buffet awaits us in the morning. Freshly baked local bread specialties, smoked salmon, local cheeses and cold cuts are just some of the breakfast highlights. That is in addition to breakfast standard fare such as bacon, scrambled eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, fresh fruit, cereals and yogurt.  A leisurely sitting at the breakfast table is a good way to fortify oneself for a long trek through the dunes and beaches.

http://www.zeeuwsestromen.nl/

Our Seaside, Renesse, Netherlands

Having dined at Our Seaside for the third Christmas in a row, this beach restaurant is now a tradition for us. Our Seaside is located about 40 minutes down the beach from the Zeeuwse Stromen hotel. On fair days, it's a wonderfully relaxing stroll over the immense stretch of sandy beach. And no worries, if it's stormy like it was for us this Christmas. There's a parking lot on Rampweg just over the dunes from the restaurant. 

In fact on 27 Dec 2014, a day of wet snow and fierce winds blowing in from the sea, there was a surprisingly constant stream of visitors braving the dismal conditions to reach Our Seaside. If that isn't proof of good food and cozy warm shelter, I don't know what is. 

Our Seaside's lunch menu features delicious large sandwiches such as the gourmet hamburger I had and beverages ranging from hot steaming mugs of coffee and cocoa to fresh mint tea. Other favorites of mine are the large salads, especially the one featuring smoked fish. What is characteristic of this restaurant is that they excel equally in meat, wild game and seafood specialties including lobster. 

Last Christmas we enjoyed a special wild game three-course dinner with a variety of venison and wild hog dishes. This Christmas we went for fillets of Atlantic sea wolf with a crunchy mustard crust and red wine sauce on a bed of mashed potatoes and glasswort. And to top this feast off, we were served a homemade warm apfelstrudel with an incredibly crunchy paper-thin crust. The best I've had ever. Although we traditionally visit Our Seaside in the winter, I'm sure there is great food to be had all year around. 

http://www.ourseaside.nl/