2023 was an up and down year

2023 was an exciting year in terms of destinations. And finding things different to your expectations. The seven panelists travelled to far-flung destinations like Japan, Columbia, Canada, Brazil, the USA from their bases in Spain, Austria, Cyprus, the UAE, Australia and South Africa. They also revisited foodie favourites like Italy, France and Germany. Some previousContinue reading “2023 was an up and down year”

2023 Top 3 Winner: THE CURRY CLUB, Cape Town, South Africa

From the moment I stepped into The Curry Club, I was overwhelmed by the aromatic fragrances from the Punjabi spices that began seducing my nose-buds. Punjabi cuisine has its origins in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, and it is known for its rich and flavorful dishes. Punjabi curries are typically less hot thanContinue reading “2023 Top 3 Winner: THE CURRY CLUB, Cape Town, South Africa”

2023 Top 3 Winner: BINGO IZAKAYA RESTAURANT, Kyoto, Japan

Tucked away in a side street of Kyoto is a very unassuming little gem of a restaurant. I wish I could say that it’s Kyoto’s best kept secret but the cat has been let out the bag a long time ago as this restaurant, Izakaya, is well known and quite possibly the best Izakaya inContinue reading “2023 Top 3 Winner: BINGO IZAKAYA RESTAURANT, Kyoto, Japan”

2023 Top 3 Winner: LONGTABLE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Longtable Restaurant at Haskell Vineyards in the Cape Winelands of South Africa, has won an international Thacks Award for ‘Best Brunch in the Cape Winelands’. Longtable Restaurant offers exceptional food, warm service, and stunning views that make it a must-visit for anyone in the Stellenbosch Cape winelands area. During our visit, we had the pleasureContinue reading “2023 Top 3 Winner: LONGTABLE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa”

2022 Top 5 Winner: THE KNYSNA OYSTER COMPANY, Cape Town, South Africa

“I love oysters. My panelist profile picture on the panelists page attests to that!Nothing is better than a good oyster: fresh, plump and creamy.But alas, nothing is worse than a bad one either: dehydrated, thin, stale, sandy and shelly. Many times price is not a good indicator of quality. So getting a good oyster canContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: THE KNYSNA OYSTER COMPANY, Cape Town, South Africa”

Son Restaurant (Bordeaux) Review

Ranked a #1 Restaurant in Bordeaux, Son indeed delivers a treat and is sold as a ‘sophisticated restaurant presenting innovative cuisine amid elegant surroundings’. This is an award winning and credible dining experience with a great ‘value for money’ €25 lunch menu and a €65 five-course dinner menu for what it is. Though when weContinue reading “Son Restaurant (Bordeaux) Review”

2022 Top 5 Winner: THE ROYAL OAK, Balmain, Australia

A perfect Sunday afternoon chill session – more than a pub but one of Balmain’s oldest and best-known pubs. For the perfect setting to recharge for the week ahead, look no further than The Royal Oak in Balmain.It’s no secret that Australia has a fantastic pub culture, but the challenge to finding the best pubContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: THE ROYAL OAK, Balmain, Australia”

2022 Top 5 Winner: RUST EN VREDE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa

As far as international comparisons go, Rust en Vrede Restaurant on the stunning Rust en Vrede wine estate near Cape Town, under the fine management of superb chef Fabio Daniel, has already won multiple awards in 2022 since winning the Thacks Awards 2021 Top International Eatery award: and their ‘Estate Experience’ is an appreciated benchmarkContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: RUST EN VREDE RESTAURANT, Stellenbosch, South Africa”

A TALE OF 2 EQUALLY GOOD PIZZA EXPERIENCES IN SPLIT (Croatia) – Restaurant Reviews

A bucket-list trip to Croatia recently included 3 nights in Split between a jam-packed itinerary of Dubrovnik and Hvar with some island hopping to follow. Not too far from Italy we heard that the pizza in Croatia was just as good and although geographically close to Italy, we strangely didn’t see any Italian wines toContinue reading “A TALE OF 2 EQUALLY GOOD PIZZA EXPERIENCES IN SPLIT (Croatia) – Restaurant Reviews”

2022 Top 5 Winner: TASHAS, Abu Dhabi, UAE

I had read of Tasha’s excellent food and luxe coastal vibes and so made my way out to Al Bateen, expecting to find the place in a mall. What I found took my breath away. Tashas stood apart on a small island, surrounded by sea, overlooking the exquisite… The atmosphere, design and general management ofContinue reading “2022 Top 5 Winner: TASHAS, Abu Dhabi, UAE”