Bombas at La Bombeta in Barceloneta, Barcelona
That’s a lot of beautiful Bs in the title right there. What is the story behind this explosively delicious food called la bomba that is served at the La Bombeta tapas bar and restaurant in Barcelona?
Stories
Waffles with hot cherries in a sun-filled conservatory, Schloßcafé
Although this is an unlikely spot for a tourist or visitor to ever get to, for you adventurers out there Schloßcafé, a café in a conservatory-like space adjacent to a garden center named Schlößer, at a country road in Moers, Germany, is definitely worth a mention, a write-up even. Personally, I discovered it on a trip to the garden center, which I knew of since my brother lives in the area. But for those of you who think you’re unlikely to venture further afield, if you haven’t had a waffle with hot cherries and cream before, then it’s about time to find out about it.
Grillasch, the German (ice-)cream meringue mystery cake
Although I have visited the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia at least once per year ever since I can remember, it was only last year that I found out about the existence of the Grillaschtorte. At a Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) family gathering, my mother’s cousin’s daughter introduced us to what would become one of my favourite layered cakes – Grillasch or Grillage, also known as Eissplittertorte.
Xiao long bao – dumplings filled with soup
As with many of my culinary discoveries, it was New York which introduced me to xiǎolóng bāo (小笼包). And my Chinese friends who brought me to the restaurants where they were freshly made. I’m sure for anyone who remembers their first xiao long bao experience and for those of you who have yet to discover the joy of XLB, the unsuspecting, delicious, soul-warming soup inside this bite-sized pleated dumpling is the most memorable. Like a Kinder surprise egg the highlight is hidden and wrapped inside, and although you may already know the surprise, you are nonetheless excited about it and thrilled by the flavour-intense soup that comes gushing out once you bite a little hole into the slightly stretchy yet thin and delicate dumpling skin.
Traditional Korean food in a non-traditional setting: Soban in Krefeld, Germany
When my partner and I googled for a Korean restaurant in the vicinity of where we were staying in the new year, we were surprised to find one in Krefeld, a city with a little over 200,000 inhabitants in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Although only a train ride away from the larger city Düsseldorf, which boasts an 11,000-strong Japanese community and a smaller Korean one, the journey nonetheless takes almost an hour, making it less attractive for Koreans to venture out. The focus of this one-year old restaurant Soban on serving Korean cuisine to a primarily local clientele is certainly reflected in the kinds of foods offered there. (more…)
Twice-cooked pork lusciousness at Sichuan Folk
Sichuan Folk, just off Brick Lane and opposite the Old Truman Brewery which hosts the sundayupmarket (mainly food stalls representing different countries’ cuisines) every Sunday, is a Sichuan restaurant worth visiting for their double-cooked pork dish (you can also find a good version of it over at Chilli Cool). (more…)
Le Rustic at Olivier’s Bakery – a balance between air and flavour
One day, almost two years ago now, I happened to be strolling through Borough Market. I wasn’t on the lookout for anything in particular, just taking in all the sights and smells of the surrounding foods, getting excited over so many new products to try (not that this was my first time at Borough Market, far from it, but it had been a while and there was so much more to discover). And suddenly there it was, Olivier’s Bakery.
Decent sushi in a decent city – Maruyasu in Düsseldorf, Germany
Düsseldorf, the capital of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is an international business and financial centre, renowned for its fashion and trade fairs and known for its academy of arts as well as its Japanese community, one of the largest in Europe and 11,000 strong. It comes as no surprise then that one would be able to find decent sushi – but to know where to find it, that is the key! (more…)
Dry Pot and Chilli Chicken at Wei Zi Prawn Hot Pot
Wei Zi Prawn Hot Pot (no website yet, but you can get an idea of their menu at Just Eat) between Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush opened only three months ago. Though as their name reveals they are equipped with tables with in-built stoves for shared hot pots, you might want to make the trip to South West London for their dry pots – and their la zi ji. Not that I can comment on their hotpots, since I haven’t tried them yet. But I definitely know that those two dishes are worth coming for. (more…)
