Review: Bite, Dublin

Long time no review, so I decided to give one of my restaurants from my Foursquare To Do-list a shot. I had read about "Bite" in an inflight magazine and thought it was worth a visit. Close enough to both the city centre and the docklands, it is a good starting point for a night out in Dublin. Especially as they advertise "Fish & Chips & Cocktails", the combination of heavier food and some aperitifs sound like a good combination.

The atmosphere: Bite looks comparably small from the outside, but it is actually huge and labyrinthine. It might well be that you have to pass through the service area to get to your seats. They have an army of black-tied waiters, which makes the place seem buzzing even if we were among the first guests that evening. Still the many different areas make a good table conversation possible and allow you to have some privacy with your date.

The noms: This new addition to the Dublin foodie scene follows the same principles as Crackbird and other restaurants of the Jo'Burger family: Keep your menu short and do one thing very well - in their case fish and chips. The contrast to these concept is that "Bite" aims to be more upscale. For my fish-averse friends there are also chicken and veggie options on the menu.

Upon arrival you get a bowl of free flavoured popcorn, which is a nice idea, but also quite heavy on the  cholesterol side. We went for the Pil Pil Prawns (€ 6.95) as a starter. The prawns were good, but upon arrival I already suspected that the stack of herbs on top was a means to distract us from the fact that you only get four prawns of medium size. They were good and served in garlic oil the classic way, but thus also not really creative.

I had the Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Octo Vinaigrette (€ 17.95) as a main. The tuna was well prepared - pink on the inside with a touch of chargrill on the outside. The chili-based sauce that comes with it nicely complements the flavours of the high quality fish. Only downside is that the portion was tiny for the price.

Riin had the Lemon Sole Fried in Panko Bread (€ 13.95) which was not too fatty and had a very nice citrus note. The batter was very good, but I did not understand why it had to be served in a paper plate on top of the porcelain plate - maybe this is meant as a concession to the rather down-to-earth nature of the fish &chips-concept - but it still doesn't add to the dining experience and isn't very environmentally friendly. As a side we had the Parmesan and Truffle Fries (€ 3.95), which were to chunky for my taste and came with a pile of parmesan on top instead of the cheese forming a texture around the fries. They were ok, but I have seen better (chapeau to Joe Macken). They go well with their home-made red sauce, which was quite fresh, but Jo'Burger's still beats it.

A plus point for the fact that the sauces and pickles are all home made and come in cute little glasses. This adds a nice touch. Also you will find great crushed salts flavoured with chili, lemon and herbs on the table.

I also had a taste of the Rhubarb Panna Cotta with Gingernut (€ 4.95). It was very creamy and not set (stichfest) at all. The taste was nice, but it definitely did not meet the definition of Panna Cotta. Nothing special on the desert front, but ok value here.

The verdict: I still haven't grasped the overall concept of "Bite". Is it fish and chips goes haute cuisine? Then they have to turn it up a notch quality-wise. Or is it Do-one-thing-great-and-affordable like the Jo'Burger-Family - then it is a tad overpriced and too wannabe-upscale. Still worth a try if you like it fishy!

Ambience: 8 out of 10
Food: 7 out of 10
Value: 4 out of 10

It might look small from the outside...

...but it has several areas.

The Pil Pil Prawns

The Lemon Sole

The Tuna

A tad too chunky and a mountain of Parmesan - the fries.

Panna Cotta

Review: L'Gueuleton, Dublin, Ireland

It is Dine in Dublin week, so many restaurants have great offers and let you explore their menu for very reasonable prices. One of the pearls taking part this year is l'Gueuleton, a French eatery located on Fade Street next to Hogan's. So we took a culinary trip to the continent to try it out.

The atmosphere: The restaurant has two large rooms with plenty of seating available. Reservations are only made for large parties, so come early or you might have to wait a bit on the nice bar with a view of the open kitchen. The design is nice with a few cues towards the French theme. If you come later in the evening, when it becomes quieter, it is also a nice place to enjoy a glass (or bottle) of nice wine and have a tête à tête.

The noms: The dine in Dublin menu offered a good variety of their usual classics and was really good value for money. I will quote the normal list prices if available, to give you an idea of what you have to shell out for a nice bite to eat. I had the French Onion Soup with Gruyére Croute  (7,80 €), which would actually be great if you drop in for a late night glass of wine and you don't want to start drinking on an empty stomach. The hearty broth was great and the classic combination with the cheesy baguette is a great way to warm you up on cold evenings. In my opinion it could have done with a tad less salt, but that is merely a minor critique. My colleagues had the Baby Spinach, Smoked Gubeen, Fresh Pear and Walnut Salad (8,50 €), which comes in a smaller portion and is probably the healthier choice compared to the rather heavy onion soup. We also tried the Guinea Fowl and Wild Mushroom Terrine with Tarragon Gribiche (9,00 €), which I haven't tried, but my colleague said was perfectly seasoned and accompanied by a nice homemade bread.

As a main, I chose the Moroccan Spiced Lamb with Sweet Potato Chips and Mint Yogurt (19,50 €). The meat was extremely tender and had a nice texture. Especially the combination between the Maghreb spices and the light mint sauce on the side was very nice. Personally, I thought that the sweet potatoes were not the perfect side for this dish and would have preferred something more crispy and savoury. The portion size was perfect for a three course menu, but as a standalone main for almost 20 €, I would say it is rather on the pricey side. We also tried the Roast Stonebass with Fennel and Castletownbere Crabmeat Bake and Vine Tomato Concassé (19,50 €), which was tender and here the main/side combination completely hit the spot. I especially liked the presentation with the crab pincer.

For deserts I had the Lemon Tart with Raspberry Sorbet (no menu price available), which I was warned would be sweet, but was actually not too sweet and had a very nice tangy citrus-taste.

The verdict: A little escape to the country of haute cuisine in this bistro is best done as a couple and late in the evening, accompanied by a bottle of wine from their good menu. The food was really good, although I think without the special Dine in Dublin week, it would have been a tad overpriced.

Ambience: 7 out of 10
Food: 8 out of 10
Value: 6 out of 10 (with the special offer 10/10)

The French Onion Soup

The Spinach, Peat and Walnut Salad

The Guinea Fowl and Wild Mushroom Terrine

The Moroccan Spiced Lamb

The Roast Stonebass

Review: Bullerei, Hamburg, Germany

For the ones among you, who like to grab a nice bite to eat while travelling, here is a restaurant for your next trip to Hamburg. The "Bullerei" can be found close to the Sternschanze-Station along the U3 in the so called "Schanzenviertel" - a trendy place with great bars and restaurants for the ones who want it less touristic than the well-known "Kiez". The place is run by Star cook Tim Mälzer, who not only learned his craft alongside Jamie Oliver, but is also a famous German TV cook himself.

The atmosphere: There is a main restaurant with rather steep, yet fair prices in the back area and a deli in the front. The deli does not take reservations, so dine early or you might have to wait on busy days. It is very laid back and has an open kitchen and a homely atmosphere. Mind you that even though the owner is famous, this is not a pretentious and costly over-hyped place - so no need to dress up - just come as you are.

The noms: You might be surprised by the fact that the menu is relatively small. They have around five or six starters and the same amount of mains with changing daily specials. This is on purpose as they rather do few things, but these very well.

We had the Parmesankäsesuppe (parmesan cheese soup; 6.90 €) as a starter. The soup itself was surprisingly light, almost like a cheesy foam and it is served with grapes and a nice walnut bread. All in all an  excellent combination at a fair price.

I opted for the Rinderfilet (filet steak; 21.50€) as a main, which was an excellent piece of meat that came with homemade herb butter and medium-rare as I had ordered it. You also get a nice salad and some new potatoes on the side. These were good, but tasted a little boring.

My friend had the Ofen-Kräuter-Huhn (Baked chicken with herbs; 16.50€), which was nice and tender. I especially liked the distinct taste of herbs. You also get potato salad on the side - for which I probably should have swapped my potatoes.

As an added benefit, the "Bullerei" serves Maisel's Waisse wheat beer from my home town Bayreuth in different varieties and they have nice background music from the likes of Maximo Park and local Indie rock band kettcar.

The verdict: The "Bullerei" is affordable ( especially being used to Dublin prices) honest food with a touch of glamour thanks to it's celebrity owner. If you are out and about in Hamburg, you should definitely feast on the meaty specialties from the so called Küchenbulle (Kitchen Bull).

Ambience: 9 out of 10
Food: 9 out of 10
Value: 10 out of 10

The restaurant from the outside

Our starter: Parmesan cheese soup

The filet steak

The chicken

Not a crime scene, but Tim's prominent meat fridge

The doors in the bathroom

Review: Bear, Dublin, Ireland

I have to say I was especially eager to go and try out this restaurant. First of all, it is the Jo'Burger family's latest love child (after the famous burger joint, Crackbird and Skinflint) and apart from that it is a steak restaurant. So after making burgers, chicken and meatballs incredibly awesome, steak - in itself the king of man grub - was going to be the next target in order to make the world a tastier place. And I wasn't disappointed...

The atmosphere: Bear can be found where Crackbird (in it's second hatching phase) used to be on South William Street. What it inherited from it's predecessor (now to be found on Dame Street) are the uncomfortable bar stools (I still have the feeling I am supposed to eat and make space for the next round of hungry (Twitter-)followers). But apart from that the interior is a lot nicer - dominated by brown and white tones that allow you to focus solely on the food without being distracted. Other reminders of Bear's genealogy are the superb lemonade in huge glasses and the fact that all male waiters are very... let's say flamboyant. In this case they come with Western shirts and ribbons on the collar to go with the steakhouse theme. Another nice addition is the open kitchen, which allows you to see all the grilling action and get your taste buds prepped for the feast.

The noms: We were three, so we ordered everything to share to get a good idea of what we like. I love the fact that the steaks come with original Opinel No. 9 knives from France - I had one of these in my boyscout days. Unfortunately you can't keep them (unless you want to pay 20€)
We ordered one of the special cuts - the Onglet (24.95€ - serves two) as well as the Rosary Cut (from the Ribs - 10.95€) with Million Dollar Fries (6.50€) and some Saute Kale & Garlic (4.50€) on the side. The Rosary had a lovely charred taste and some fat on the side - it reminded me a bit of pork belly. The Onglet is a good portion for two if you are having sides and especially the end pieces were super juicy and nice. The special cut has a bit of fat in the middle, which ads to the flavour, and is a very tender variety of beef - suitable for a filet lover like myself.  The highlight were the Million Dollar Fries though, which can only be described as fried potato gratin on a stick with truffle oil. Let me bathe in it!

The verdict: Bear offers great value steaks and sides that round up the whole experience. The bear's den itself is dark as expected but has a nicer atmosphere than e.g. Skinflint.

If you are as hungry as a bear, I can only recommend trying this out. Choose whichever steak you like, but definitely (!!!) have the Million Dollar Fries (even though they are pricey for a side)

Ambience: 8 out of 10
Food: 9 out of 10
Value: 8 out of 10

Bear from the outside South William Street)

The Onglet - enough for two

The open kitchen

The Rosary Cut

The Million Dollar Fries

Review: The Hungry Monk Bistro, Greystones, Ireland

While it is still icy cold in Germany, Ireland is already mild enough to have a walk on the beach - which is how we ended up in Greystones and in a nice place called The Hungy Monk today. As I am often asked for restaurant recommendations and eating out is a one of my favourite hobbies, I thought I might start blogging about my culinary adventures. So here it goes:

The atmosphere: There is a downstairs bistro and an upstairs restaurant. We had lunch in the bistro. It is nice and small, but what I really liked is that it was quiet, even though it was very busy -they are expanding in March. What stands out are the paintings of monks on the wall, which can become rather frivolous in the restrooms, which are called "The Convent" and "The Monastery" to go with the theme.
The owner is very nice and omnipresent, he addresses the guests by their name, even if he has just read it on their credit card.

The noms: I had Pork Bangers with Lentils, which were promoted as a house specialty. The sauce could have been a little stronger in flavors and I would have liked more lentils, but the sausages were great quality and reminded me of the small bratwurst variety you get in Nuremberg. All in all an OK value at 13 €.
Riin had the Wicklow Lamb and Crumbled Feta Burger - a nice bite with not too strong a taste of lamb. Her sauce would have benefited from a tad less dill and the ciabatta bun was mediocre - one more point in favor of baking in-house. The chunky fries on the side were a little soft, but then again that is my taste, Riin likes them that way - all that comes at the usual Dublin price of 14€.

The highlight actually came before that in the form of the starter we shared: Portobello mushroom fritters with garlic aioli! The big chunks of mushroom and a rich sauce are ideal for sharing and you get it for just 6€.

The verdict: A few minus points have to be mentioned. My Diet coke came in a can, which is not very classy and more fitting for a take-away, also, tge tea wasn't the best brand. Big minus for the10% service charge, which applies no matter how small your party is. The portion sizes are just right and the Deserts (which we haven't tried) are a good selection of the usual subjects in Ireland and cheese platters.

All in all no reason to become pious here, but you can do worse if you like to indulge in earthly pleasures.

Ambience: 8 out of 10
Food: 6 out of 10
Value: 5 out of 10

The Lamb Burger

Bangers and Lentils

My favourite: Portobello Mushrooms

Look at the downstairs bistro

The Hungry Monk

FREE Audio-Book by Chris Anderson

Well as autumn comes nearer and nearer - maybe not to you on the sunny continent, but still it is coming as I could feel yesterday when I was caught by an Irish downpour - it is time to read books again. And as I know that many of you have given up on paperbacks and switched to audio-books, I would like to recommend one to you.

The best thing about it: Not only my recommendation is for free...the audio-book itself is free as well. And this is what it ultimately is about! The title - you might guess - is "Free" and the author of the book is Chris Anderson, editor in chief of the American "Wired"-Magazine and a visionary when it comes to the economics of the 21st century. Maybe you have read his last book "The Long Tail".

You might say: "Why is this book for free then?" - and this is exactly what is behind the idea. The normal paper version of the book will set you back around 25 Euro, the audio-version is available for download.

And already, you have learned an essential lesson from Anderson's book: Companies will earn their money "around their products", not by charging for their use. See Google's Search Engine that is essentially free to use and pays for itself by online advertisement. So listen to the book, understand the concept and maybe become the next internet-millionaire.

Here you can download the book for free.

And for those of you who would like to read about the book in German first, here is a link to an article on Spiegel Online.

Hope you enjoy it and happy money making for free. :)