the first dinner my friend and I had in Albania, at an Italian restaurant. if you haven't read my other posts about Albanian fare, it is very much Italian cuisine. hence, the risotto pictured here (r).
the dish on the left was an Albanian cornbread appetizer, and while I was not hungry enough to finish everything, the two pieces I did have were really yummy. the cornbread was thinner and crisper, and also less sweet, than like american cornbread, which is fair. it had a walnut spread on top, which was a nice texture but tbh a little flavourless. but it balanced the crispness of the cornbread crust imho. garnished on top of the spread were tomatoes and green peppers, the latter of which I admittedly picked off...
if I didn't have a main of risotto coming after the cornbread, I would have eaten all of it. but risotto is one of my favs and I didn't want to fill up on cornbread xD I sure could have though! definitely did not nEEd both dishes - the food was very satisfying and filling.
9/10, highly recommend the risotto, and recommend trying the traditional cornbread.
the poll on my travel blog post about Tirana has spoken: surprising source of comfort food! most of the food in Albania is Italian cuisine, which is good but I was happy to see a noodle-less dish too! Honestly, mashed potatoes, grilled chicken (with seasoning), and asparagus is one of my favorite combos for dinner.
the mash was creamy and delicious, perfect texture imho.
chicken was perfectly grilled and expertly seasoned - it didn't taste like ohemgee spices, but it certainly had flavour.
the asparagus was soft and tender, though i did wish for more than two sticks of it.
the bread roll??? warm and fluffy. I am so glad that European gluten doesn't bother my tummy because I have been lOving eating bread outside of the states.
and tomatoes get their own little paragraph. I think Mediterranean tomatoes taste different than American tomatoes. idk what it is about it, but the tomatoes I've had in Spain, Italy, and now Albania I just couldn't get enough of. I'm pretty indifferent about American tomatoes, and British ones are hit or miss for me. if you aren't a huge fan of tomatoes but visit a country in the Mediterranean region and order a dish that comes with them, give them a try.
9/10, def recommend if you're in Tirana. whole dinner pairs well with an orange fanta btw.
13 May: birthday dinner at 1921 Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds
this was a special dining experience, as Loverboy took me to a Michelin-starred restaurant for my birthday dinner. it was of course exquisite, and still a very comfortable atmosphere. I tried frogs legs, foie gras, and duck, liked everything except the texture of foie gras, and also enjoyed two delightfully strong cocktails.
more thoughts on each course below, but for now
11/10, definitely recommend, and ideally will make our special spot for future celebratory dinners.
we chose to do the 5 course tasting menu, which began with an assortment of canapés, which are extra-fancy hors d'oeuvres. the selection included smoked tuna on an anchovy cracker, tikka frog leg, mushroom croquette & quail's egg, something with beef tartare, something in caviar, and other things I forget what they were but they were delicious little morsels.
1st course: asparagus soup
this was so delectable it made me tear up a little bit. genuinely. I love asparagus to begin with but this "velouté" was next level. the truffels and quail egg were served in the bowl, and then the creamy velouté was poured at the table. I could have licked the bowl clean if it wouldn't have embarrassed my husband.
2nd course: wasabi mooli salad
the restaurant was able to accommodate my shellfish allergy, and made this dish without the mersea crab for me. the substitute was simply more pickled mooli (white radish), which was very good but had a very strong flavour on its own. I know I am not one to critique a Michelin star restaurant, but I do wish that they had actually substituted another more mellow-flavoured element in place of the crab. something like grilled chicken or even tofu, but... what do I know! all that to say, this was good but it was the only dish I did not finish as the pickled flavour of the mooli was just too strong to be enjoyed on its own for me.
3rd course: surf n turf but make it fancy ;)
this was another originally-shellfish dish, but they substituted the scallops for seared sea bass on my plate. chicken wings and chicken gravy complimented the fish unexpectedly well, and I could have eaten a whole basket of the morels alone to be honest. If I could order a full dinner sized plate from the tasting menu selection, it would be this dish.
4th course: duck and white bean cassoulet
the seared duck breast was served with rhubarb, and while I loved the duck I was not a fan of the rhubarb. i ate some of it but not all. I also cut the duck meat away from the strip of fat, which my partner said was meant to be eaten together. I cannot stand the texture of animal fat, so I may have committed a faux pas by cutting it off but I wanted to enjoy the duck meat in the way I knew I would.
the little sauce pan served as a side dish contained a white bean cassoulet (beans and shredded beef, but fancy), and foie gras. I imagine the foie gras was imported or produced ethically, as foie gras production is illegal in the UK. I loved the bean and beef cassoulet, but the texture of the foie gras was not very palatable to me.
in order to not make it sound like I didn't enjoy this course, because I very much did, I want to state in no uncertain terms that the duck was i n c r e d i b l e and also I want the white bean cassoulet served with everything else I eat from now on. just without foie gras ;)
5th course: dessert!
the pastry crumbles, the sorbet, the yuzu curd, the pudding-esque caramel-y strip of delicious goop winding beneath it all was *literally chef's kiss* I could kiss the chef for this. my massive sweet tooth wished for more but my rational, polite side knew it was the perfect little bite of sweetness after the savory dishes that preceded it.
again, 11/10 dining experience. I do not know exactly how Michelin stars are earned and maintained, but I dare say this restaurant is certainly deserving. and I want more asparagus velouté soup.
25 April: cafe breakfast at Le Bon in Tiranë, Albania
breakfast in Albania was a bit unusual, because all the cafes and breakfast-type restaurants we could find simply had pastries (obviously) and... deli sandwiches? I love a deli sammich, so no complaints there, I just couldn't tell if that was like the normal breakfast for Albanians, or if that's just what cafes serve regardless. I also rarely saw locals eating more than coffee and maybe a croissant when my friend and I went out for breakfast. a little cultural difference I didn't expect, and while I definitely enjoyed Albania, I was glad to enjoy a hearty breakfast when we got back to the UK.
Le Bon-specific thoughts: the interior setup reminded me a lot of the Oakmont Bakery in my hometown! with the café counter, and separate pastries/bakery counter, with soooo many sweet treats on display. and the pastries and sweets were delicious! I really liked their macarons, which were very large and flavourful.
Le Bon was about halfway between our AirBnB and the city center in Tirana, so we went there a couple times in the 4 days of our trip. Albanian fare in general is very Italian, and I have to say the best cappuccinos I've had outside of Italy were these ones in Albania. idk what Italians and Europeans in general do to their cappuccinos, but I've never felt the need to add sugar to cappuccinos and lattes I've had outside of the States. which is good, because the pain au chocolats that I like to get with my coffees certainly make up for the lack of sugar content in my beverage ;)
10/10, would absolutely go to Le Bon again if I ever return to Tirana
I didn't expect to find such delish and fancy Italian food in Scotland, but they sure have it! I ordered bruschetta and a chicken dish, and the brusch' marked my first time trying anchovies. They are much more delicious than their reputation would have me believe. very salty, good little fish. would eat again on bruschetta, but maybe not on pizza.
the chicken was delish, the cosmo was strong, and the atmosphere was very nice. my partner got a vegetarian dish he quite enjoyed, and his dad (the birthday boy!) got the lamb (which he offered to let me try a bite and omg lamb is so yummy which i'm sorry not sorry it's delish).
we also indulged in desserts, as it was a birthday, and I do not remember the name of the little puff pastries filled with creme that I got but they were delizioso.
10/10, would go there again, especially for the cosmos ;)
is a bit pricey but very good and ideal for a celebratory birthday dinner!!
apparently Brits don't go out to eat on Tuesdays... the Chinese restaurant was take-out only (and we were set on eating in not ordering out), the highest-rated local restaurant was closed completely on Tuesdays (contrary to what all maps and websites said about it), and this lovely burger joint was out of half of their ingredients. But once we finally got food, it was good.
I wanted a chicken burger, but of course that's what they were out of. So I had a vegetarian burger, like my partner. The restaurant was also out of... ice?? literally out of ice!! SO we couldn't order the cocktails we wanted either - I got lemon sanpellegrino instead of a limoncello, and he got wine instead of an espresso martini.
the burgers were alright, the doughnuts were amazing, and the fries were also excellent. not pictured: haloumi fries appetizer, which was so so good, but definitely more like mozzarella sticks than haloumi fries (lots of breading, cheese gave no squeak).
the restaurant also was kind of a ghost town. idk if Tuesday just isn't a big night out for diners or what, but there was one woman by herself already finishing her meal when we walked in, and while we were there only two other tables got seated. and it was not a small restaurant - there were probably two dozen tables/booths so, it looked very empty unfortunately.
6/10 - not the worst but far from the best. would give it another try on a night where we weren't disappointed that our first two restaurant choices were unavailable, and also maybe the night AFTER their weekly delivery arrives rather than the day before.
I had chicken tikka, and my partner had vegetable biryani. we also got samosas, and some other side dishes that I forget the names of but they were all delicious. the chicken nourished my soul. the samosas did the work of my antidepressants. the rice wiped embarrassing middle-school moments from memory.
not pictured: pistachio and saffron ice cream. it was good, in terms of flavour, but not very creamy or substantial in texture. I wasn't disappointed with the ice cream, but I can't say that I would order it again next time.
I also just love the pretty lighting and the decor inside. very pretty restaurant with a cool vibe!
10/10, would absolutely eat there again.
the only downside to the evening was that the LOUDEST and RUDEST man I have ever had the displeasure of being in a restaurant at the same as was at the table next to us. major props to the staff for dealing with him...
I went to this restaurant three times in the week i was in Iceland, and it was delicious every time. it was about 3 blocks from the hotel, so very conveniently located, especially as it catered to the vegetarians in our group.
I've said before that I don't typically eat red meats, but will occasionally make an exception for a good good burger or some lamb when I'm feeling particularly carnivorous. At Hamburgerfabrikken, I had two beefy burgers and a lamb burger, and they were the best three burgers I've ever had in my life. Every element was delicious, plus the restaurant has some pretty good milkshakes too.
my only complaint is that it's pricey, but honestly everything in Reykjavik is so it wasn't like, overpriced for the area. but if I paid that much for a burger & fries back home I would have a stroke upon seeing the bill.
9/10, def recommend if you're in the area, just budget accordingly
bonus photo: BURGER CUPCAKES!! the yellow cake cupcake sandwiches a slice of chocolate cake and some fondant lettuce/tomato, and topped with sesame seeds it really does look a lil slider. but it's delicious cake ;)
I love a good hotel breakfast - who doesn't?? and this one was GOOD.
Pictured here are breakfast (left) and lunch (right) from our first day in Reykjavik. My tummy was so happy, especially with the honeydew and pancakes from the breakfast buffet. I tried different foods each morning but always got some honeydew melon *yum!*
For lunch, the only time we had lunch in the hotel restaurant, I was obsessed with the corn salad. I don't know what all it contains, but I do want to try recreating it. And not to brag but the Icelandic lamb steaks were also delicious omg - I don't normally eat red meats but I'll make an exception once or twice a year for lamb or a good burger (I made several exceptions all week in Iceland sorry oops)
13/10, no complaints at all
bonus pics: I put pesto on scrambled eggs one morning and ate it with falafel, and it's my new favorite way to eat scrambled eggs. 10/10 would recommend!
also I appreciate the hotel's signs on the table saying basically you can take as much as you want from the buffet but don't waste food - it made me feel comfortable going up a second time, and I certainly didn't waste anything xD
we were in London, we were hungry, I wanted noodles, and he didn't wanna spend a gazillion dollars. itsu was the perfect solution! it serves inexpensive, but delicious and filling, ready-made hot and cold Asian-fusion bowls, sushi, and other yummy things. And almost all of their beverages come in reusable, metal bottles!
my partner enjoyed the dining room set up, and said it was like a lot of casual restaurants he remembers from his time in Japan - the tables are long shared bar-height counters with stools, and unless you're there in a large group you're not gonna have a whole table to yourself. the divider in the middle, as you can see, has USB outlets for charging devices, which we were very grateful for.
9.5/10, delicious and convenient, no complaints
-> half a point off for being a bit of an overwhelming environment, but now that I know what to expect I think I would enjoy the set up more next time
bonus pic of the stairs cuz they're cool
i want pink glowy stairs in my house, how do we make this happen
i love going to Edmundo's, have never been disappointed there, whether going for coffee or drinks & apps or a whole meal.
on New Year's Day, my partner and I had wildly opposite but equally delicious dishes there. he got the traditional full English breakfast with veggie sausage, and hot tea. I had firecracker noodles with fried chicken, and a fruity cocktail.
I've been making an effort to not order the same thing at restaurants I go to frequently, but this firecracker noodle dish is so good I have ordered it a few times. gotta take the spicy dishes where I can find them ;) lol
while I was ~home for the holidays~ I had brunch with a friend I hadn't seen since last Christmas, and it was lovely. Also seeing my friend was good too. ;)
this is a vegan breakfast sammich, so it was very money but also very good?? I could not believe the "egg" was not real egg. the not-sausage pattie was a bit on the small size (you can see the edge of it peeking out from under the not-egg square") but the big hashbrown on the bottom was an incredible addition to the sandwich.
the vibes of the restaurant were cool - we were sat in an almost-outdoor area (that's probably more of an outdoor feeling in the summer) with fire pits and outdoor furniture that made it feel like an early spring gathering at your rich friends house.
I even liked the cup of quinoa salad!! I do not normally enjoy anything involving quinoa!! but this was delicious!!
meal included: vegetable moussaka, quinoa salad, dinner roll + butter, sourdough crackers, a little pat of mature cheddar, bottled water, and an apple blackberry custard crumble cup.
I ate every crumb honestly, my tummy was happy the whole flight, and I wasn't even hungry for the CFA my parents brought when they picked me up at the airport.
truly, no complaints.
11/10 would eat again, wouldn't even be mad if this was served in a real restaurant.
my partner and I have eaten here a few times now and have not been disappointed. This dinner was the night before I went back to the states for the rest of the month, and it was a sweet date night.
my meal: Santa Fe Bowl - pretty much a dressed up taco salad, no complaints at all
his meal: Beer-Battered Avo Tacos - a trio of vegetarian burrito-eggroll tacos (I have my eye on this for next time)
to share: LOADED TOTS - name is slightly misleading because they're definitely fries/chips, not tater tots, but delicious nonetheless. I need the sauce. now.
10/10, no complaints, though my GI system did punish me for eating the bacon in my dish, that is my own dumb fault
OH. EM. GEE. I had lunch here with a dear friend two months ago (catching up on posts here lol) and idk why I haven't gone back yet... it was so good! And the interior decor of the restaurant is just so delightfully aesthetic, it was lovely overall.
This was the fanciest-looking pad thai I have ever been served, with a fine web of scrambled? fried? idk-the-method egg draped over the dish. There was an ingredient that my friend and I could not discern what it was, it felt like bread but also like a spongy type of mushroom, but also like nothing I'd ever chewed before. It was an unpleasant texture to my friend, but an intriguing one to me. That said, after a few bites of this mystery food, I gave up and didn't eat the other bits of it in the dish. It did not ruin my experience though, the rest of the pad thai was scrumptious.
Dining with allergies? the staff is very attentive and knowledgeable of what's in each dish, and were able to assure both me and my friend that our respective allergens were not in what we ordered, and explained what measures were taken in the kitchen to avoid cross-contact.
Not pictured: a refreshing mango fruit juice that I wish came in a bigger glass. I love mango juice... :)
my partner got coffee. i got actual food. and buddy let me tell you... it was the most delicious wrap i have ever had the pleasure of eating. this sweet chili chicken wrap right here was exquisite. the onion chutney? amazing. the crisp breading on the chicken? superb. the sweet chili coleslaw? divine.
amazing. just. amazing! I had chicken kebabs that came with so many delicious veggies on a naan slathered in hummus. it was incredible, the pomegranate seeds added delightful little bursts of tart sweetness in the otherwise savory and spicy dish. my husband got the veg korritos, Korean cuisine-inspired burritos, and he said they were exceptional. we also got haloumi fries to start, and omg i just love haloumi so much. it makes me giggle when i chew it though cuz it squeaks so much! delightful 🧀
tbh when I was done with the kebabs and most of the other stuff I was so full, so I rolled the hummus naan up to take home and I added tuna in it the next day for lunch. it was almost as good with tuna!
