Tag Archives: dinner

Lisbon, Portugal: Cervejaria Ramiro

December 8, 2014 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

When our hotel porter informed us that there would be a long wait for this seafood extravaganza we thought he was exaggerating a tad. However, he insisted that if we were in Lisbon we had to try Cervejaria Ramiroo which was according to him and other recommendation the best place for seafood in the whole of Portugal.

When we arrived on the street for the restaurant we saw the queue and growled a tad but never the less attached ourselves to the end and watched the tank of langoustines they had placed in the window for the ques entertainment. We waited for 45mins in total and we can confirm it was worth it.

This place is not about the frills but truly about the freshest seafood Portugal has to offer at a ridiculously cheap price. The restaurant is cramped and the service is manic but you soon forget these things once you finally taste the fresh seafood.

We ordered clams in garlic sauce, edible crab, oysters and garlic bread. Cervejaria Ramiro blew our minds and souls, the crab was the juiciest crab we have ever tasted and fellow customers didn’t mind my crab shells flying onto them, it was a whole lot of fun. You may start your meal trying to be dainty but five minutes in you are up to your elbows in ripping meat and deshelling, DEFINATELY not a sexy dine but a fun experience with friends or if you don’t mind getting down and dirty with a loved one.

I originally thought garlic bread could only be made well by an Italian but boy were we wrong. Cervejaria Ramiro had the best garlic bread we have ever tasted. An odd combination as it sounds with seafood but it worked really well with the flavours.

For the first meal we had on our trip to Portugal it was fun and fabulous. Well being us we then had to find places to beat it.

Star Rating: *****

Cervejaria Ramiro
Av. Almirante Reis nº1 – H, 1150-007 Lisboa, Portugal
www.cervejariaramiro.pt

Japanese

Sticks’n’Sushi

October 2, 2014 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

It was a cold Wednesday evening and I have made my way down to Wimbledon to meet an old school friend. Since neither of us been there for a while we have decided to take a walk and see if we come across anywhere to eat.

We walked down Wimbledon Hill road, past pubs, past all the estate agents and then the road turned empty and dark…we were about to turn around and head back to the station when we saw an inviting glimmer of the lights.

Walking into Stick’n’Sushi was like discovering an oasis in the desert. We were surprised to see that it was packed out to the max on Wednesday night. Soft groovy house music played in the background, waiters buzzed around the tables and the crowd certainly looked very stylish.

I loved the layout of the restaurant, it was a smart casual feel that I have only seen in European metropolitan cities such as St. Petersburg, Russia. There was a mix of small tables for two and large long ones for a party of 20, wanting a comfy low key spot me and my friend made ourselves comfortable on the low sofas and our food was served on the coffee table next to it.

The service was amazing. Having never been to Sticks’n’Sushi before we were talked through the menu, which I must say was impressive. Our waiter certainly knew what he was talking about, with total ease he would list all of the ingredients in each sushi roll which would on average be up to eight items. On top of that all of his recommendations were delicious!

As I mentioned the menu is HUGE, although they did make it easier by creating a separate set menu where you find sushi platters of different sizes and flavours. But if you are feeling brave or picky, they also have a thick menu of individual rolls, sushi, sashimi and ‘sticks’ dishes.

I am not going to go into the detail about what we ate but I am going to say that this was THE BEST SUSHI I’ve had since Sushinho in London closed down. Innovative flavours, amazing arrangement, it was feast for the tummy and the eyes. Although we didn’t order any of the ‘sticks’ we checked out our neighbours table and they certainly looked yum.

Deserts were incredible. Divided into tiny pots we got a taster of creme brûlée, lemon sorbet, chocolate fondant and almond ball. It was a perfect end to a perfect dinner!

We got so comfortable with our sushi and cocktails, time flew by. We ended up being one of the last people to leave that place. Although not cheap, it was not expensive either and I was more than happy to pay £30 for my dinner.

I am so glad I stumbled upon Sticks’n’Sushi, and just found out they have a central London branch, now I have to go back!

Star Rating: *****

Sticks’n’Sushi
58 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Merton, London SW19 7PA
http://www.sticksnsushi.com

Nepalese

Gurkhas Diner

September 25, 2014 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Located between Balham and Tooting, this little gem in easy to miss. I’m not sure how many people can say they have a favourite Nepalese restaurant but this Nepalese restaurant is number one on my list. In fact, I go there on my way from home once a month after a 16 hour working day when I need food that will give me a replacement for a hug and cuddle.

Nepalese cuisine is a fusion of the best of Asia. You have your curry, noodle and bread dishes. Gurkhas Diner is as traditional as they come with humble hospitality. As soon as you enter Gurkhas Diner you will be met by a familiar face (if you become a regular you will know what I mean) who will seat you by pulling your chair out for you, laying your napkin on your lap and lighting a candle for you. The kind face will then bring you some spicy homemade prawn crackers. WE LOVE COMPLIMENTARY FOOD.

I have two favourite starters, Tareko Farsi which is deep fried courgettes in a masala batter and Saffron Chamri which is a stuffed and roasted paneer dish. Delicious.

I have eaten my way through the Gurkhas Diner menu and can say there is nothing I wouldn’t recommend. However, I will mention my top four. Usually if there are two of us visiting we would order one starter, one fish dish, one meat or chicken dish and a veg dish with rice and bread. Even then we find that we are taking home a little take away box.

We never leave this place without eating Gurkhas Diners most popular dish, Munillo Maccha. This is a creamy salmon and coconut dish. The curry sauce is creamy yet spicy at the same time with a blend of cashew nuts and coconut with a hint of saffron, the salmon chunks are generous and melt in the mouth. This is a MUST TRY dish.

The Farsi Lamb is a slow cooked dish with pumpkin. The combination of spicy and sweet really works for this dish. I would also recommend the Dhahi Banti which is an aubergine curry which is full packed full of flavour and the Rato Farshi which is a sweet pumpkin curry.

This is a family owned restaurant in which you know a lot of love goes into cooking the food as it’s always been cooked to perfection and the attention customers get from the owners who are there every night makes every visit special. Gurkhas Diner is a very homely and cosy dine. Since I tried the Gurkhas Diner it has put Nepalese food on my ‘Food I Love’ map.

Star Rating: ****

Gurkhas Diner
1 The Boulevard, Balham High Road, Balham, London SW17 7BW
http://www.gurkhasdiner.co.uk/