Monthly Archives: October 2014

Le Bistro By Liz

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

We had a nice Sunday brunch at this lovely bistro. It has a light, open and airy feel due to all the windows, and the solarium at the front. Service is very friendly, and the menu combines traditional French dishes with more traditional brunch foods. Both the onions soup and the breakfast skillet were excellent. And brunch comes with a free drink, so it’s a good deal.

Le Bistro By Liz
1333 S Park Street
Halifax, NS B3J 2K9
(902) 423-8428
http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-bistro-by-liz-halifax

Murphy’s Cable Wharf

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

We had a nice afternoon snack here on the semi-enclosed patio. Protected from the wind, but  open above, it’s a great way to enjoy a brisk day. The lobster dip was a generous serving, and mostly lobster.

There are a lot of similar menus in this touristy area, but you can’t beat the view at the end of the pier this restaurant sits on.

Murphy’s Cable Wharf
1751 Lower Water St
Halifax, NS B3J 3E4
(902) 420-1015
http://www.yelp.com/biz/murphys-cable-wharf-halifax

Old Jameson Distillery

Posted on by

*** (3 stars)

The Jameson “Distillery” is really a visitor center, as the distillery is now on the other side of Ireland.

The regularly scheduled tours include a well produced film, and recreations of several of the original distillery’s operation. Our tour guide was knowledgable.

At the conclusion of the tour, everyone gets a generous serving of Jameson, and a few lucky guests are chosen to taste comparative samples of Jameson, Scotch and Jack Daniels. I was chosen, and it was interesting, since I’m a fan of Jameson 18 and single malt Scotch. The Jameson was much smoother, the Scotch was peaty/smokey and a bit harsh, and the Jack very perfumey and rough. But I found the regular Jameson also pretty rough after having only had the 12 and 18 before.

The point was that Irish whiskey is triple distilled, which makes it smoother, adn that point was well made.

A large percentage of the facility is devoted to a very nice tasting room, shop, and a cafe.

Old Jameson Distillery
Bow Street
Smithfield Village
, Dublin 7
+353 1 8072355
http://www.yelp.com/biz/old-jameson-distillery-dublin

Pied à Terre

Posted on by

***** (5 stars)

Pied a Terre has become one of our favorite London restaurants. The atmosphere is intimate, and perfectly suited to romance or business discussions.

The food–especially the tasting menus–is as good as any from London’s other top rated restaurants. But the real difference at Pied a Terre is the wine service.

Rather than simply selecting and pouring wines with each course, it is the restaurant’s practice to offer a blind tasting, where the wine is poured first so you can taste it alone, then the course is served so you can see how it matches, and then you are asked to comment on the wine and (if you wish) guess what it is.

We find this to be tremendous fun. It forges a camaraderie with the sommelier that sets the experience apart from all other fine dining experiences.

Pied à Terre
34 Charlotte Street
London, W1T 2NH
+44 20 7636 1178
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pied-%C3%A0-terre-london-3

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Posted on by

***** (5 stars)

We’ve dined here both upstairs and down, and at the sister restaurants in Las Vegas and (now closed) New York. Of all of them, this is our favorite, because of the intimate size of the downstairs area. It offers arguably the best tasting menu in London, with wine pairings that superbly match each course.

The artistry of the food arrangement is really unsurpassed, and it’s great fun to watch it being assembled before you, so be sure to ask for a seat at the counter. This makes it easy to chat with the servers and sommelier, making it a friendly, energizing experience. For parties of more than two a few tables are available downstairs, which I recommend over the less intimate upstairs dining room.

L?Atelier de Joël Robuchon
13-15 West Street
London, WC2H 9NE
+44 20 7010 8600
http://www.yelp.com/biz/l-atelier-de-jo%C3%ABl-robuchon-london-2

The Salisbury

Posted on by

*** (3 stars)

This very historical pub is a good place for lunch before a matinee show at any of the nearby theatres. The food and beverage selections are what you’d expect, and there is a charming period decor. Service is friendly, and accommodating of foreign visitors, so the you can usually order at your table rather than the bar, as is more traditional.

The Salisbury
90 St Martins Lane
London, WC2N 4AP
+44 20 7836 5863
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-salisbury-london-2

Clos Maggiore

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

Clos Maggiore has a well-deserved reputation as London’s most romantic restaurant. It’s convenient to the West End theatres, and open late enough to go after the show.

The food is reliable and elegantly presented, and the wine list ad Bas Armagnac are extensive and top notch.

But above all it’s the romantic atmosphere of the garden-like (but completely indoor) dining room that draws us back.

Clos Maggiore
33 King Street
Covent Garden
London, WC2E 8JD
+44 20 7379 9696
http://www.yelp.com/biz/clos-maggiore-london-2