Thursday, December 25, 2014

Barcelona - To Eat 22Dec2014 (Amorino,Restaurant 7 Portes, Bilbao Berria, Piscolabis)

BCN - To Stay
BCN - To Do 
BCN - To Eat
BCN - To Buy
Barcelona - To Eat 
22Dec2014
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Amorino
(located along Ramblas, 400m from Liceu station)
 
 *All the 12 flavors available.*

 Ordered On:
Smallest Cone 22Dec2014
3.50Euro
Apparently you can have all 12 flavors decoratively put onto that single cone. I had 4. Ice-cream is thick and creamy, with the flavors of pistachio, coffee, mango flavors extracted beautifully with little of that artificial taste. Crew have gone back three times during their duration of stay to have this places ice cream. A must try!
Great ice-cream that's a must try and best consumed with the use of a spoon. Thick, creamy and a delight. By comparison, in my opinion, Giotti in Rome still trumps this place by way of selection and amazing flavors extrated. Champaign? Pink Guava. Amazing. Click here for ABBA details of Giotti in Rome. Another great chain that's just as good is Grom in Milan. Click here for chain ice cream Grom in Milan.

Restaurant 7 Portes
 
Ordered on
22Dec2014
Rich Man's Paella (Fish Only)
22.60Euro
 *A little on the salty side. However assumingly the broiled cooking process gives that nice smokey flavor to the shellfish.*

Arros Negre 19Euro Squid Ink Paella
 
 *Again. A little heavy handed on the salt once again. *

Fried Salt Cod with  Sauted Spinach and Garlic 22.90Euro
 *To me, the fried salt cod gets the best tasting dish of the night. Succulent, naturally fatty meat. Of course its salty but it balances well against the sauteed vegetables. The salt baking process cures the fish slightly firing up its texture slightly but it works out beautifully.
Monkfish in a garlic sauce with clams 27.60Euro
*I've never had monk fish before. Monk Fish is usually most known for its liver (Ankimo - Japanese Dish). 

Roasted Lamb with sliced potatoes 19.50Euro
*Probably the next best dish or in contending with top spot against the salt cod. The right amount of fat distribution, with the potato gratin and caramelized onions below to help balance the flavors. Really good!*
Total 141.10Euro with order of Sangria @ 15.50Euro.
Fed 6
The paella dishes were really on the salty side, though some did enjoy it as such. The paella seems large, but it really is just a portion for one. Defiantly a little on the pricy side where probably the winning dishes were the lamb and the salt bake cod. A nice overall decor, with free Wifi for patrons.
Click here for ABBA location of Restaurant 7 Portes, Barcelona, Spain

 An alternatively on the way back, we stumbled across a 2011 Michelin recommended location at Bilbao Berria (Yet to be reviewed)
Click her for write of trip advisor writeup on Bilbao Berria 398 of 6425 ranking on trip advisor.
Click here for ABBA location 1 of Bilbao Berria Bilbao Berria, Carrer de l'Argenteria, 6, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Click here for ABBA location 2 of Bilbao Berria 400m from Liceu train station.
 

Piscolabis
(39m from Hilton Barcelona Hotel)
 Ordered on:
09Dec2015
Tuna tataki with avocado, cucumber, mango and coriander
 *Tuna not super fresh. Couldnt detect the rest of the ingredients*
Three Cheese Risotto
 *Pretty good actually just that rice is under cooked, leaving a gritty residual feel.*
Chicken and prawns brochettes with curry and coconut sauce
*Prawns were alright. Nothing special*
Vaca Vieja sliced quality beef from mature cows
**The only edible and good dish for the night. Nicely aged and really good flavor*
Clams *Not pictured but was served cold. Warm is an overstatement*
Creme Brulee
*Don't waste your time or calories. A distinct burnt taste over the brulee part of it. And that in itself was only limited to a portion of the dish. Very disappointing.*
Fed 2  36.85Euro
A world of disappointment. Sure its smiles in the pictures, but that's cause of a good day out. Disappointment or flaws in almost every dish served with the exception of the beef, which I say was really good. Else the rest can be missed. The only reason to come back here is because the other good places we wanted to go to was only opening at 8pm at night. Ok for survival food and opening timings. Else there are tons of much better options within the vicinity. Not completely condemned, but may still come back if there aren't other options.

Ordered on:
 22Dec2014
3.75Euro
Bomba Atomica. Fried Spicy Meat and Potato Ball (for 2 person)*Meat dry. Like left over cooked beef that's been sitting around all day and packed with potatoes and fried to a crisp. Nothing to scream about and probably a portion for two because of no body really wanting to finish it.*3.85Euro
Patatas Bravas 'spicy potatoes'*To standard. Nothing to scream about.*
We should have just walked out when we could not try the Artichoke tarte tatin with melted taleggio cheese (which came recommended by previous set). That's all we really wanted to try but upon our arrival at 2230hrs, choices were severely limited. Fish and vegetable dishes were null and few. A disappointment but will try for the artichoke at another session. Perks are that they open till late and is located right in from of Hilton Barcelona.  
Click here for ABBA location of Piscolabis, Avinguda Diagonal, 593, 08014 Barcelona, Spain
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Barcelona - To Do (22Dec2014 Camp Nou, St Josep Market La Boqueria, Casa Batllo Gaudi Barcelona)

BCN - To Stay
BCN - To Do 
BCN - To Eat
Barcelona - To Do
22Dec2014
FC Barcelona football club
(Camp Nou)
Click here for ABBA location of Camp Nou, Carrer d'Aristides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
FC Barcelona football club (Camp Nou) is a short 1.4km walk from Barcelona Hilton. Home to European football greats, one is able to walk the grounds at a tour price, or catch a live match. One of many which are played constantly.


The grounds plays host to various events and concerts as well as an ice skating ring.
Also on sight is the FC Barcelona museum and a giant merchandise store for your patronage.
 
Click here for ABBA details on sporting events
Click here for ABBA location of Camp Nou, Carrer d'Aristides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
 
St Josep Market La Boqueria
Click here for ABBA location of Mercado de La Boqueria, La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

A huge tourist market located along La Ramba. La Boqueria is an absolute joy to explore. Fresh produce, seafood and eats line this market. Nothing but the freshest of ingredients, sure to inspire any would be cook/chef.
*A different way in which produce is put on display for sale. From the left, piglets, center duck and chicken with head left on and the right, lamb head and assuming brains.*
*An array of sweets and chocolates. The samples of chocolate covered macadamias are amazing. The candied orange dipped in chocolate were decadent and light. The bitterness somehow cooked out, only to leave behind the subtle flavors of the orange. Goes by weight, and a single sample cost us 1Euro.*
*Some of the Tapas Joints found within the market.*
*Decorative chocolate pieces looking like jewels.*
 *Pictured left, chilli oil spritzers and an array of flavoured salts. Pictured center, 1.5l spiced olive oils at 70Euro and up a bottle. Pictured right, huge salad lettuces up for sale.*
*Some of the best and finest cured hams. A feast for the eyes and the senses.*
Although for actual purchases by ways of produce and sweets, its said to be a little pricy. However, despite that, its a great photo opportunity and subject matter to shoot. Definitely not to be missed for food lovers, photographers and any wondering tourist. Phenomenal selection! This place defiantly one ups the spice markets in Istanbul. Same same but different.
Click here for ABBA location of Mercado de La Boqueria, La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

Casa Batllo
(Gaudi Barcelona)
 
Adult 21.50Euro
Student 18.50Euro
(Audio Guide Comes with)
*ABBA Tip*
Bring your own headphones!
It does get quite tiring having the phone to the ear through out the entire tour.
Total tour time takes about 1hrs-1.5hrs comfortably.
Wikipedia source
*Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (Catalan pronunciation: 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Spanish Catalan architect from Reus and the best known practitioner of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works reflect an individualized and distinctive style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his magnum opus, the Sagrada Família.
Gaudí's work was influenced by his passions in life: architecture, nature, and religion. Gaudí considered every detail of his creations and integrated into his architecture such crafts as ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging and carpentry. He also introduced new techniques in the treatment of materials, such as trencadís which used waste ceramic pieces.* Wikipedia source

The writeup above of Gaudi is a little lengthy, but its accurate to a T and its prominently and beautifully shown in Casa Batllo. Curves and lines evoke the senses and on top of that, ergonomics to boot. I won't go into too much details of the writeup to spoil the surprise whilst on the audio guide. 

 *The curves and the large windows purposely built to allow maximum light and allowing the sunlight to filter through the colored glasses, like the colorful sea corals. Each of the different chandeliers with inspiration from nature and the sea. Follow the audio guide and feel the space.*


*The glass mimics the feeling of being underwater*

Although the entry is a little pricy, the audio guide that comes with really brings to you an appreciation for the art and deep thought that goes into his unique architecture. Never would you have conceived that there's so much thought of a doorway, a fire place, window pains and more.

Be encouraged to touch and feel the windows, louvers, handles, as they are purposefully designed with functionality, inspiration and ergonomics in mind.
ABBATip:
Bring your own headphones as its more comfortable! They aren't provided with the audio guide. Audio guide still works without headphones.
Click here for ABBA location of Casa Batlló, Passeig de Gràcia, 43, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
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Saturday, December 20, 2014

London - To Do(ABBA contribution 19Dec2014 Frankie Tan Greenwich)

London - To Stay
London - To Eat
London - To Do
London - To Do
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Greenwich
ABBA Contribution Frankie Tan on 19Dec2014

 

Most of us who have learnt navigation will know about the Greenwich Meridian (0 degrees longitude) lies here. It's is also here where the GMT is based on. The snag is the travel time and change of trains to arrive at the park.
Can end your visit with a cruise on Thanes river. Various to and fro combinations provided by different companies. Start/end either from/to London Eye or Tower


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