Restaurants Vienna -Kojiro

Kojiro is a simple and tiny sushi place located by the Naschmarkt in Vienna. Around 6 people can sit there, so most customers order the sushi as a take-away. A lot of Japanese people say that Kojiro and Unkai are their favourite places for sushi in Vienna.

The Naschmarkt is a place where one can buy fresh fruits and vegetables. There are also a lot os small restaurants located there, which is a nice area for a quick lunch.

The sushi is fresh and at a reasonable price. It is certainly worth trying if you are in the area.

Kojiro Sushi Bar

Rechte Wienzeile 9

1040 Vienna

+43-1-5866-233

Restaurants Vienna - Kanzleramt

This is a sophisticated "Beisl" (the Austrian version of a Pub) in the center of Vienna, conveniently located near the Hofburg (Imperial Palace). Even though this restaurant is located in a touristy area of Vienna, this is a place where many local people come.

They have traditional Austrian dishes, prepared very elegantly. They have Tafelspitz boiled beef with roasted potatoes, minced apples and horseradish. I tried a fish filet with a delicious risotto that was presented with a lot of care.

The prices vary from 11,50 Euros to 21,00 for main dishes, which is not cheap but good value for the quality of food you get.

Kanzleramt

Schauflergasse 6

1010 Vienna

+43 -1-533 13 09

www.restaurant-kanzleramt.at

Barrafina, Tapas Bar, London

Barrafina
Tapas Bar, West End, London

This is my favourite place to have tapas in London. There is a non reservation policy which you rarely find in London. The evening usually starts with queuing for one of the precious seats at the bar, but this period is so delightful because you can start off with a glass of wine or sherry, and some small tapas on the side.
Already "warmed up", the actual meal is delightful. I particularly like watching the cooks preparing my dish right in front of me, as there is an open kitchen behind the bar. The food is excellent, fresh and tasty. Great atmosphere!

Barrafina
54 Frith Street,
London,

W1D 4SL

www.barrafina.co.uk

Califa

This upscaled version of a taco stand no doubt sets the standard for quality tacos and impeccable service. Located in hip Condesa, A favorite for discerning afterparty munchers, Califa is open from around mexican lunch time (2:00pm) until late/early in the morning (5:00am).

Appetizers include "jugo de carne"; a delicious thick and spicy beef broth and "frijoles charros"; a soup-like preparation of beans with bacon, onions and peppers sided with freshly made "tostadas"; tortillas grilled to a crunchy state.

Favorite specialties include thin sliced grilled steak on a fresh-made tortilla topped with grilled cheese. To compliment your tacos you can always depend on ripe and flawless avocados and seasoned grilled onions. An assortment of freshly-made salsas are diligently set at the table upon arrival.

Tacos al pastor and gringas are the spicy mexican version of middle eastern shawarma; a 50 pound skewer of thin-sliced pork rubbed with spicy achiote that rotates side to a grill that slowly cooks to perfection the outer layer of the skewer. Top that with grilled cheese and onions and you have a gringa.

Vegetarian options include grilled cactus leafs and a variety of molten cheese combinations like mushrooms or peppers.

Caramel custard and sweet pot coffee round up a perfect late night meal.

Altata 22 (Alfonso Reyez near to Nuevo Leon)

Restaurants Ottawa - Kasbah Village

This is a Moroccan restaurant in downtown Ottawa. Downtown Ottawa is near the Parliament (for those not familiar with Ottawa). Usually downtown restaurants are not great because there are a lot of government buildings and the people may be less price sensitive, but this one is a little jewel.

We tried two Tagines dishes which are served with couscous. The M'Hammar (chicken with tomatoes and onions) and Zayane (lamb with prunes and almonds). I think both dishes were delicious. I find the prunes in dishes give a nice complete flavour and I was not so fond of very slightly cooked onions (they were not raw, but probably just added 1 minute at the end before serving it) in that dish. But that is probably personal preference. Next time I may try the chicken with prunes and almonds.

The interior is nicely decorated which is unusual for Ottawa. Service was also ok.

Main dishes are around 18 CAD which I think is good value for what you get.

Kasbah

261 Laurier West (between Bank & Elgin)

Ottawa

Tel 613-232-3737

www.kasbah.ca

Restaurants Vienna -Weingut Reisenberg

This is one of my favourite Heurigen in Vienna. It is in the middle of the vineyards and has a stunning view!

What is a "Heurigen"? It is a place where wine-growers serve the most recent year's wine. Today, they also serve simple food from a buffet. Generally the food is not cheap, so be prepared to spend around 15 Euros for simple bread spreads and roasted pork slices.

It is possible to get there by taking the 38 Bus to Wagenwiese and then walk up the Oberer Reisenbergweg next to the vineyards (you can click on the link to see the map). It is a beautiful walk!

www.weingutamreisenberg.at

Restaurants Vienna -Salettl

This is a nice brunch place with a pretty view. It is great to sit outside in the summer and look at the hills and Vienna woods. I would not go there for the food really, but rather the nice atmosphere.

I particularly like the huge Kipferl with ham and cheese!

Salettl Pavillon

Hartaeckerstrasse 80

1190 Vienna

Restaurants Vienna - Mas

This is one of my favourite brunch places in Vienna.

They have a huge variety of choices for breakfast from cereals, cheeses, fruits, omelets, waffles to fresh orange juice. It is a very relaxed atmosphere and one can hang out there with friends on a Sunday tranquilly.

imas

Laudongasse 36

1080 Vienna

www.restaurante-mas.at

Restaurants Vienna - Regina Margherita

This is an elegant italian restaurant with an outside patio in the summer. It is in the Palais Esterhazy which is a nice setting and is central (not far from the Graben).

They have everything from simple Pizza (around 10 Euros) to Vitello tonnato (10,90 Euros) which is a delicious starter with sliced veal covered with a tuna sauce.

Regina Marrherita

Walnnerstrasse 4 / Palais Esterhazy

1010 Vienna

www.barbaro.at/regina_margherita.php

Restaurants Vienna - Kim Kocht

This is a very original restaurant opposite the Volksoper in Vienna. One of the main downsides is that one has to reserve months in advance. Due to the difficulty in making reservations, I must confess, it has been a while since I have been there.

Kim is the owner. She has an interesting way of combining asian cuisine with european flavours. The 3 course meal before 20:00 costs 42 Euros, which is not cheap but I think it is worth it.

Kim Kocht

Lustkandlgasse 4

A-1090 Vienna

www.kimkocht.at

Restaurants London - Masala Zone

This is an average Indian restaurant chain in London. I have been to the one near Oxford Circus tube station. I would not say it is one of the best, but it is a practical place for larger groups.

Their curry and rice plates are generally ok and the service is quite quick.

The main dishes are around 14 GBP per head

Masala Zone

9 Marshall Street

London W1F 7ER

www.masalazone.com

Restaurants London - Khan's (very recommendable)

Khan's is a simple Indian restaurant in the Bayswater area which is cheap and tasty. Simple in the sense that there are no frills.

I like all their chicken curries, especially the ones with tomato and that are creamy. I also like the freshly squeezed Mango, Banana and orange drink they make!

Main dishes are around 5.15 GBP

13-15 Westbourne Grove

Bayswater, W2 4UA

+44 20 7727 5420

www.khansrestaurant.com

Restaurants London - Zaika (very recommendable)

I started this blog about 10 months ago and am still catching up on the good restaurants I have been to in the last two years. I thought I should add a couple more for London since I lived there for two years and will start of with Indian recommendations. Many people go to London wondering where they can get a good Indian meal.

Zaika is a great contemporary Indian restaurant in Kensington High Street in an elegant setting. It is not pretentious.

The food is not on the cheap side. A main dish costs around 20 GBP, but I find it worth it. I enjoyed the Mirch Murg and Tandoori Murg Makhanwala dishes which were both chicken dishes with a delicious array of spices.

If you do not have a lot of time in London, do not want to spend too much and want to try a modern Indian, then I would recommend the Urban Turban - it is a must!

Zaika Restaurant

1 Kensington High Street

London W8 5NP

+44 20 7795 6533

www.zaika-restaurant.co.uk

Restaurants Ottawa - Milagro Grill

Milagro Grill is in a very cute area of Ottawa called Westborough. There are many little boutiques, furniture stores, cafes there and it is basically a nice area to spend a Saturday afternoon.

After knowing real Mexican food and having been spoilt by the great options in Chicago, it is very hard to write about it without being a little critical. However, if you feel like comfort food this is certainly a good option and in the summer they have a nice patio.

We tried the mole enchiladas and the normal chicken enchilada. Both dishes tasted fine and were filling. The guacamole was a little disappointing because they had not made it fresh and so it was very brown and cold; they did not use fresh chilies, but something like a chili powder which did not make it taste like authentic guacamole (plus the tortilla chips were dripping in oil, but to be fair that happens in many places).

The prices are reasonable, but not cheap. The Mole dish was 13.50 CAD, the Enchilada 9.50 CAD and the guacamole 7.50 CAD.

Milagro Grill

367 Richmond Road

Ottawa, ON K2A 0E7

Tel. 613 722 8011

www.milagrogrill.com

Restaurants Washington DC - Kanlaya Thai Cuisine

This is a simple, but good Thai restaurant in China town.

Apart from the waiter that was a little spaced out and brought the wrong dishes, the food was ok. The Panang curry, which is a red curry was a little bit spicy but had nice flavours. The shrimps with a yellow curry sauce was everyone's favourite! The chicken with cashew nuts was alright, but it tasted a little more like greasy spoon chinese (simple sauce thickened with corn starch).

The food is not very expensive. The main dishes are around $10 including rice.

The desert: sticky rice with mango was a nice way to finish off the meal on a sweet note.

Kanlaya Thai Cuisine

740 6th Street NW

Washington DC 20001

www.kanlayathaicuisine.com

Restaurants Washington DC - Hank's Oyster Bar (recommendable)

This is a great oyster bar near Dupont Circle. You can do some serious oyster tasting here! You can choose them by areas; it becomes noticeable that oysters from different geographical areas have very different flavours. Some are more salty than others.

The sable fish had a delicious balsamic vinegar reduction which was delicious and light. The sweet potatoes were a nice side dish and the french fries were homemade which was nice.

Each oyster costs $2 and the main dishes were around $21. However a main is not filling so it is necessary to order 1 or 2 side dishes which each cost around 5$. So I guess, it is around $30 per person.

Overall I would definitely recommend this place.

Hank's Oyster Bar

1624 Q St NW, Washington DC

Tel. 202 462 4265

www.hanksdc.com

Restaurants Washington DC - Commissary

This is a great breakfast place if you feel like a hearty breakfast which is inexpensive (near Logan Circle).

The hash and eggs with multi grain is good, but they put a lot of sauce which makes the whole dish quite heavy. The Huevos Rancheros were simple, but tasty. A tiny bit on the greasy side, but I did not expect a healthy meal here.

The only thing I wish breakfast places would do is squeeze their own juices. They have a large variety of juices on their menu and when we asked if they were fresh the told us they were all packaged. The orange juice is fresh, but one can tell that they did not press it themselves (it tastes like Tropicana).

They have tables outside which was great since the sun was shining. We were lucky to get a table and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Each main dish costs around $8 which is a good price for breakfast.

Commissary

1443 P St NW

Washington DC 20005

Tel 202 299 0018

www.commissarydc.com

Restaurants Washington DC - Founding Farmers (recommendable)

If you are going to a conference or meeting in the IMF or World Bank this Restaurant is conveniently located at 19th street.

This is a great restaurant for lunch. It is a little bit on the expensive side, but the wait is not long and the food is all very fresh. One can eat the meat here without having a bad conscience since the animals were all treated well which is their main selling point

It is very American with corn bread, lots of sandwiches, but they also have healthy choices on their menu such as salads or fish. I tried the Plank salmon which had a delicious sweet maple syrup glazing. The others tried the Sand Barackwurst (a more sophisticated hot dog - with sophisticated I mean better meat etc) and the Cheeseburger which were both delicious.

(One thing I noticed is that they claim to make their own bread, but when I asked if the bread was with lactose products, the waiters said they have to call their bakery and ask.)

The main dishes were all around 13 USD, however the plank salmon was a little bit on the expensive side and was 30 USD.

Overall I would recommend this place for a quick and healthy lunch.

Founding Farmers

1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20006

Tel 202 822 8783

www.wearefoundingfarmers.com

Restaurants Ottawa - Edoko

This is a very average Japanese restaurant. All the chefs seemed to be of Chinese backgrounds which of course in itself is not bad, but unfortunately the sushi fell apart. The soup had very little flavour.

I guess for people that do not know Japanese food it may be ok to eat, otherwise I would definitely not advise to eat sushi here.

The Teppanyaki meal comes with a bland chicken soup and but perhaps it is fun cause you see the chefs grill the food on the table in front of you and they toss the knives in the air for show. Overall I would say not good value for money.

Perhaps Ottawa is not the place for Japanese food. I have not found a decent recent yet. I think that the average Thai restaurant here is better.

The Teppanyaki is around 26 CAD, so it is not great value for money.

www.edokosteakhouse.com

Restaurants Washington DC - Rice

Washington DC is a beautiful city with a good variety of Restaurants. The weather was very mild (everything is relative - comparing to Canada it is), especially this year and therefore it was possible to sit outside and enjoy ones food in mid November!

Rice is a nice little place in a very trendy area of Washington DC (near Logan Circle). The food is simple Thai food in a pleasant setting.

It is advisable to go there before 20:00 or make a reservation because after 20:00 it gets very full. For some it may become a little loud after a while due to the acoustics there. The food comes very quickly and the waiters bring the check at the same speed without asking if one wants anything else. So my impression was that it is perhaps not a place for a long chat or extensive dinner.

The main dishes cost around $16 each which is reasonable value for money.

Rice
1608 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009

Tel. 202-234-2400n

www.simplyhomedc.com

Restaurants Montreal - Le Bourlingueur

I nearly forgot about this restaurant! This was our first lunch in Montreal when we arrived. We were walking down the street and were very hungry, but soon realised this was a tourist trap.

The salmon was quite bland 17.75 CAD. The onion soup tasted fine, except the bread that came with it was a little bit of a shock as you can see from the picture. I had to take a picture of this! I do not think this should every be served ...

Le Bourlingueur

363 St-Francois Xavier

Montreal Quebec

Tel 514 845 3646

www.lebourlingueur.ca

Restaurants Sao Paulo - Figeuira (recommendable)

Figeuira, centrally located, it is within close walking distance from the main shopping area of Sao Paulo - Oscar Freire.

A huge tree in the middle of the restaurant patio is just the beginning of what is impressive here! They have beautiful drippy candles on thick wooden stands. This is not only a place for a nice setting, but also for outstanding food.

I started the meal with a delicious freshly squeezed pineapple juice. Then they serve a large plate of a variety of Italian nibbles: mozzarella balls, sun-dried tomatoes, grilled aubergines, a mushroom dip and some fish. All the flavors fit together perfectly.

As a main dish I chose the Argentinian Chopper with a shrimp and tomato sauce which was accompanied by mashed "Aipim", which is a stringy cousin of the potato. The other two who were with me at the restaurant tried the beef which I heard was divine and certainly filling.

The bill was around $50 USD per person. This is not a cheap place to eat, but certainly worth a visit.

A Figueira Rubaiyat

R. Haddock Lobo, 1738

Sao Paulo - SP, 01414-002, Brazil

www.rubaiyat.com.br

O do Borogodo Bar - Sao Paulo

This is a very unpretentious bar in the Vila Madalena area of Sao Paulo. People seemed very relaxed and diverse. It is a place to go for good music.

The Friday we went, the band playing that day tried something experimental, which was mixing Samba with Jazz, which sounded great. A lot of the time it was more chilling music, but due to the fun beats it inspired us to dance a lot.

A Brazilian “code of conduct” is to share beer. The bottles are 600ml and they give each person a small glass to share. Caipirinha are different from Europe or in the US, they do not only have the classic lime version, but offer a variety of Caipirinhas with Kiwi, Mango, strawberry and other fruit mixes.

Another thing to know about Brazilian clubs or bars is that you do not pay the entrance fee in the beginning. They give you a little piece of paper where every time you order a drink, they mark it and at the end of the evening they count how many drinks you have had and mark the paper as paid. It is important not to loose the paper because it can get pretty expensive losing it. I guess, like in a garage when you lose the ticket, they charge you the maximum fee.

O do Borogodo

R. Horacio Lane, 21 - Sao Paulo

SP 05432-030

Restaurants Sao Paulo - Nagayama

Since there is a large Japanese population in Sao Paulo we figured that Japanese food must be pretty good. So we went to a Japanese Restaurant, again in the Itaim Bibi area, called Nagayama. It is a restaurant that has become very successful and therefore there are three branches right next to each other. The café is supposed to be the most charming and modern one.

We tried the sushi and a salmon teriyaki. The salmon hand roll (Temaki sushi) had a generous portion of ground salmon in comparison to many other sushi restaurants. The salmon teriyaki was ok. Unfortunately they grilled it too much, so that it became very dry. Perhaps this was a bit unlucky, since everything else they were serving looked and smelled very delicious. So overall, I would definitely recommend trying this place if you are in the area.

We spent 57 Reais per person, which at the current exchange rate is about 30 USD per person. Recently the Real appreciated a lot, so prices will seem a bit high.

R. Bandeira Paulista, 355

Itaim Bibi - Sao Paulo -SP

04532-011 Brazil

Tel 3079-4675

www.nagayama.com.br

Restaurants Sao Paulo - Due Cuochi (very recommendable)

We went to a delicious Italian restaurant in the Itaim Bibi area. It seems popular for business lunches and looks a bit formal, but the atmosphere is not.

I tried the spaghetti with shrimps and a pesto sauce. My companion had the lamb with risotto, which was cooked to perfection. The rice was not overcooked with a lovely flavour of good Parmesan.

They also serve a delicious salad with greens and some dips with red olives as a free starter.

It is not on the cheap side, but good value for money.

We paid $25 per person.

Due Cuochi

Rua Manuel Guedes 93

Itaim Bimbi - Sao Paulo

Tel 11 3078 8092

www.duecuochi.com.br

Restaurants Ottawa - Mezzanotte

This is a good italian restaurant for a little bit more formal night out.

I tried the large square ravioli filled with lobster meat over a rose sauce. The flavours were light and although it was a creamy rose sauce it did not feel very heavy.

50 Murray Street

Byward Market, Ottawa

Ontario K1N 9K1

Tel. 613-562-3978

www.mezzanotte-bistro.com

Restaurants Ottawa - The Urban Pear

The Urban Pear is a great place for brunching! The portions may be a little bit small for those who are used to the huge portions at pancake houses. They however have very interesting food combinations.

We tried the Poached eggs with chorizo and winter kale, as well as pancakes that had an interesting maple syrup, cilantro and lime sauce. ($17.95) Everything was delicious and nicely presented.

It is recommendable to make a reservation before going there, since they do not have many tables and it is a popular place for Sunday brunch.

Unit c 151 Second Ave. Ottawa

Tel. 613-569-9305

www.theurbanpear.com

Coriander Thai Cuisine

Till now this is my favourite Thai restaurant in Ottawa. This is the fourth Thai place we have tried. The yellow curry with potatoes is delicious. It is a mild dish with lots of different flavours. Simple, but great!

It is a small place with simple decor. They try hard to please the customers.

We paid around 14 CAD for the main dishes, which I believe is good value for money.

282 Kent St

Ottawa K2P 2A4

Canada

Tel (613) 233 2828

Restaurants Morelia - Emilianos

So what are the Restaurants like in Morelia ... I do not want to compare the italian food here with Austria, since Austria has excellent italian Restaurants, which are super hard to beat.

I think the Emiliano's is a nice place to hang out with friends. They have a lot of mexican dishes such as arrachera and guacamole or shrimps (deep fried like tempura with a cocktail sauce). These dishes were all very tasty and even the Pizza tastes fine. I was pleasantly surprised this time because last time I tried their pesto dish I was I guess a little disappointed because I felt like having a dish with basil, but they did not have basil and replaced it with cilantro which of course tastes completely different.

We paid around 15 USD per person.

Emilianos

Artilleros del 47 No.1643

Morelia 58260

Tel 443 315 1035

Restaurants Ottawa - Haveli

So back to Ottawa!

There are a lot of Indian buffet type of places in Ottawa. Often they are greasy spoon Indian. Even though Haveli does not have the usual repertoire of butter chicken etc, it is a bit better than the others. The food tastes more authentic.

The food looks freshly prepared and they were very kind in telling me what kind of food is good for a Vata (Ayurvedic) diet.

I would say the buffet lunch is reasonable priced. It was around 15 CAD per person.

There are two locations in Ottawa. 

We went to the ByWard Market one:

39 Clarence Street

Tel. 613 241 1700

www.haveli.com