Thursday 5 May 2016

Olde Hansa, Tallinn

Olde Hansa, Tallinn
Vana Turg 1, Kesklinna Linnaosa, Tallinn, Estonia
(+372) 627 9020
  


With its gothic spires and conical roofs, cosy beer halls and  vintage look bars, Tallinn is a beautiful Medieval city that should never be dismissed. 

Olde Hasna is the perfect place to dine to soak up the atmosphere of this city and indulge in a glutinous feast.  Set in a 15th century building in the old town. The restaurant recreates medieval times with waiters in period costume, candlelit tables and a historic Eastern European menu.


You can choose from a selection of Medieval Feasts or the a la Carte menu and a great selection of wines and beers.  The menu at a glance takes you back in time.

We dined here on Valentine’s Day - on entering the restaurant we were greeted by attentive staff who all spoke brilliant English.  The food was amazing; if you go for the feast make sure you have a very light lunch.  We have huge appetites and struggled with the final course but it was too delicious to decline.

The staff make this dining experience as they recreate the Medieval atmosphere and my boyfriend even had to complete the breaking of the bread ceremony with the waitress which was fun to watch.  We were also told if there were any dishes from the feast that we wanted more of we were allowed to request more free of charge.  We were tempted to ask for more of the starters but in hindsight we are glad we declined. 

What we ordered:
We chose the Town Councillors’ Game Feast which is;


First Course:   Juniper flavoured beef with horseradish sour cream & quail eggs
                        French royal poultry liver pate with lovely Onion jam
                        Andalusian salmon
                        Earl’s pickled cucumbers Livonian style
  London merchant’s saffron picles
  Berries of the Highly Blessed Olive Tree
  Spice merchants berry sauce, Herb-bread with nuts
  Rye bread with lard
  Castle’s fresh cheese


Main Course: Smoke-grilled salmon with nut sauce
The Honourable Cook Frederic’s game sausages made with Bear, Wild Boar & Elk
Grandmerchant von Hueck’s mild game pot
Grandmerchant von Wehren’s
Hunting company’s wonderful Rabbit roast
Wild Boar plate favoured by Earl von Uexkyll


Dessert:           Velvet delight of the nobility – Rose pudding savoury

The food and dining experience was fantastic, you could not fault it in anyway.


USP
·         Excellent service
·         Wonderful ambience and surroundings
·         Quality ingredients
·         The staff recreate a Medieval theme throughout the meal.

Verdict

Highly Recommend – a definite must when you visit the beautiful Tallinn.  If you don’t have time to dine at Olde Hansa I would definitely visit for a drink to soak up the atmosphere.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Elisabets Bar-Restaurant, Barcelona

Elisabets Bar-Restaurant, Barcelona
Carrer d'Elisabets, 2, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Tel: +34 933 17 58 26


Elisabets is a traditional bar restaurant that is full of authenticity that is set in the middle of the trendy and grungy El Raval area.  The bar-Restaurant has shelves and shelves of antique radios and an old racing bike casually hung on the wall, this gives Elisabets a curiosity shop air.  

The menu del dia, however, is Elisabets’ real forte, especially for those who would like to try a little more traditional Catalan food but have no idea where to start.  This is a set menu that they have every lunchtime for €13.50 but we settled for the tapas menu which is all in Spanish but the staff are very helpful in translating and offering suggestions.  You have to try the patatas con bolonesa “rabiatta”  (chunky fried potato wedges with bolognese meat sauce)  – only € 3.10, and almost a meal in its own right.  This has a certain (very good) reputation among locals.

This is a little gem – get there early as it fills up quickly every lunchtime and evening for customers hungry for home-cooked, authentic and local food.  The prices are respectable and are extremely competitive. 

If you love food and want to experience local, home-cooked food that is extremely delicious and authentic you have to visit Elisabets in Barcelona.  It is a must – definitely the BEST Tapas we tasted in Barcelona.


What we ordered:
We ordered a selection of tapas which included;


Octopus

Patatas con bolonesa “rabiatta” Tomato Bread, Iberico Ham & Calamari 

Garlic Prawns

Mussels

Every single dish was absolutely delicious, authentic and value for money.  We washed down this amazing meal with a litre jug of beer for €4.55.


 USP
·         Great service
·         Great ambiance with lots of history and character
·         A great casual dining experience with authentic, traditional and local dishes
·         Extremely value for money especially for a restaurant so central
·         The BEST tapas in Barcelona

Verdict

You have to visit Elisabets when you visit Barcelona – this can’t be missed!