BARBADOS RESTAURANTS

It is no wonder The Cliff is such a beloved restaurant. It boasts a spectacular setting, located on a cliff that allows every diner to enjoy a view of the calm Caribbean below. Chef Paul Owens and his team take full advantage of all Barbados has to offer, particularly its ocean proximity and warm climate—the fish dishes and the tropical ingredients are of particular note. The food could be described as “high-end continental,” as myriad cuisines effortlessly merge on The Cliff’s menu. Some dishes have roots in Barbadian culture, others take a decidedly Asian bend. Whatever the influence, the results are delicious

BARBADOS RESTAURAJN

Barbados

The Cliff

It is no wonder The Cliff is such a beloved restaurant. It boasts a spectacular setting, located on a cliff that allows every diner to enjoy a view of the calm Caribbean below. Chef Paul Owens and his team take full advantage of all Barbados has to offer, particularly its ocean proximity and warm climate—the fish dishes and the tropical ingredients are of particular note. The food could be described as “high-end continental,” as myriad cuisines effortlessly merge on The Cliff’s menu. Some dishes have roots in Barbadian culture, others take a decidedly Asian bend. Whatever the influence, the results are delicious

London Can be a Great Place to Wash the Third World

A few years ago I rented a spectacular villa in Bali and one of my friends came over for a few days and stayed-- and then checked into the luxurious Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay. "I like it but I'm finished camping out," she told me. We had four full time servants, a private pool and... well, I think she saw a bug one night.

Last night I got to London after three weeks in a riad in Sidi Mimoun, Marrakech. It's not as overtly luxurious-- even sybaritic-- as Bali, but it was no backpacker hotel. Like I said, our next door neighbor was the king of Morocco and the neighborhood is filled with the riads of the big name Europeans, like Yves St Laurent, IMF President Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy. But it's still Morocco

I used to have an office in London and I was here often. Warner Bros would pick up the charges for a suite at the Berkeley in Knightsbridge and it was something like $600 a night, a great deal based on the amount of business the company gave them. A single room tonight would cost £389 ($601.68). To walk anywhere from there I would usually head towards Mayfair and the first place I would come to was a beautiful little jewel of a hotel called theAthenaeum. It always intrigued me when I passed by and I made a mental note that when I left Warner Bros.-- and my open-ended expense account-- this would be a great place to stay. And here I am-- fresh out of Marrakech!

The Athenaeum is every bit as luxurious as the Berkeley, just more relaxed and friendly-- and a bit easier on the wallet. The room I have overlooking Green Park goes for £ 300 ($463.81); same room without the view is £ 250 ($386.48). It's Roland's dream room because the mini-bar is well stocked... and free. He's in heaven. When we first started traveling together Roland would never have even thought about the sheets, let along mentioned things like thread count. Last night he was raving about how luxurious the sheets-- Frette-- are. Ever since getting on the plane yesterday morning-- a short ride that took a whole day-- I had an urge to wash Morocco away. As soon as I got to the room I saw all the bathroom accessories were by REN and the towel warmer groaned with fluffy Floringo towels.

It was so wonderful to take a shower where they've mastered the idea of bright lights and warmth in the bathroom. And the quilted, padded toilet paper-- especially after that rough stuff in Morocco-- beyond imaginging! I understand why my friend called out Bali villa "camping" and why she wanted to be pampered at the Four Seasons. It's not a bad way to travel. And it's a London home for one of Patrick Blanc's vertical gardens. Never heard of them?

Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens are an artistic expression of his scientific practise. He spent decades examining the way that numerous wild plants naturally grow on vertical rock faces and trees. Consequently, he perfected a technique that enables urban plants to grow vertically without the need for soil. A system of slats is used to secure artificial felt and myriads of strategically placed plant roots, with automated watering and fertilisation. It’s nothing short of botanical architecture.

Outside, conditions can't be controlled, but Blanc has found at least 300 different plants that he uses to create the futuristic swirls and arcs of his extraordinary tapestries. His current top star is Iris japonica, which he would never have thought of including had he not seen it hanging off a rock in Japan, looking far happier than it usually does in a garden. It contrasts well with the softer foliage of other favourites such as Fuchsia hatschbachii and F. regia. They are all on the Athenaeum wall. So is the maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) and more surprisingly, the Chilean bromeliad, Fascicularia bicolor. Look up next time you are passing. By Blanc's count, there are more than 250 different plants growing here. That's quite a garden.

For each location, he carefully selects plants according to local climatic conditions and the visual effect he wants to create. Patrick has won many awards for his work and also gives lectures around the world.

To date, he has created over 140 public Vertical Gardens since 1994, as well as many private installations. Those of particular note include:

• The Quai Branly Museum in Paris

• The Marithé & François Girbaud boutique in Manhattan

• Herzog & De Meuron’s Caixa Forum in Madrid

• The Aquarium in Genoa

• The Siam Paragon Mall in Bangkok

• The 21st Century of Art in Kanazawa, Japan

And as the hotel puts it, "So why have we installed a colossal Vertical Garden up the side of The Athenaeum? Yes, aesthetically it echoes Green Park, over the road. Yes, it provides an important haven of biodiversity for the capital. But primarily, it’s just fun. We love it."

They also have two huge cedar wood tubs as jacuzzis in the luxuriant spa, next to a fabulous techno gym. I'll be soaking and steaming while Roland works out later. IF... I can get off the free WiFi. WiFi isn't always free in London so it's a good deal-- though not as much as the savings you get by their policy of all kids 12 and under eating all meals for free. I wonder if I can pass Roland off as 12.

Our last night in Marrakech, we broke one of my cardinal rules: always eat the native cuisine. But after 3 weeks of Moroccan food-- and more couscous than anyone was meant to eat, I allowed my friends to talk me into "Indian" food. Mumbai and Delhi and London have great Indian food. Marrakech... not so much. The Sunday Times did a story on the 8 best restaurants in Marrakechand #2 was Les Jardins de Bala just off the Jemaa el Fna at the Les Jardins de la Koutoubia Hotel. They said the views (of the Koutoubia) were stunning, but that would be for the outdoor dining and they claimed that the restaurant served "indulgent Indian: food from bhajis and banana lassis to saags and samosas is available in truly stylish surroundings." The food was actually bland and boring and Roland, Melody and I-- longtime Indian food fans-- were aghast. As soon as we got to London, almost as important as a shower was a real Indian meal. Tamerind was booked up already and we didn't want to go far and the hotel suggested a restaurant I had never tried just down the road at #1 Kensington High Street, Zaika. They got us a reservation and off we went. A curry house it's not. Innovative, sophisticated, absolutely delicious and creative... that's what it is. They put it like this: "[T]he menu incorporates both traditional classic favorites and original new dishes that apply eastern flavors with a western twist. Both of us stared with Nariyal Shorba-- "coconut and wild mushroom soup, tempered with curry leaves and ginger, truffle shavings, mushroom samosa, wild mushroom and truffle oil naan"-- and Les Jardins de Bala was banished from our consciousnesses forever. I had a vegetarian thali-- a selection of garlic and cumin tempered spinach and paneer, stir-fry ‘parval’, black lentils, roasted baby aubergines , saffron rice, baby naan & ‘raita’-- and Roland had a Nuriyal Murg-- "morsels of chicken legs cooked gently with coastal spices, finished with coconut milk flavoured with shallots, green chillies, steamed rice." We were stuffed and happy and ready for a great sleep that wouldn't involve the charming call to prayer from a loudspeaker-enhanced muezzin at 5AM.

SAF LONDON's RAW FOOD CULTURE COMES ALIVE

About a year and a half ago Sarah Bentley did a hopeful feature for TimeOut London about the British capital's nascent raw food scene. I just heard from one of L.A.'s most accomplished raw chefs via e-mail that everyone he knows who's gone to London complains that it's difficult to get good raw food. Well, I have good news: SAF in Shoreditch is really pretty excellent. And they opened a branch in Kensington (at the Whole Food Market; more about that below). Bentley:

London’s raw food scene is exploding. After decades of raw food diets provoking gasps of disbelief, it has eked into the city’s mainstream health food movement with a burgeoning network of restaurants, market stalls, delivery services, workshops and lifestyle events.

...Raw food or ‘live food’ dishes are made from produce – usually but not always unprocessed, organic and vegan – cooked at a temperature below 48C (warmer than body temperature, but still not even half way between frozen and boiling water). On raw food websites it is often referred to as ‘high vibrational food’, some theories suggesting that, being uncooked, ‘live’ foods have more enzymes and a higher nutrient content than cooked ‘dead’ foods. 

Chad Sarno, culinary mastermind behind Saf, London’s most high-end raw food restaurant that opened in April 2008, says. ‘I find terms like “high vibrational” alienate people. Basically it’s food in its purest, freshest form, so of course it’s healthier and in my opinion tastier than cooked food.’ Though it should be noted that trained nutritionists are far more sceptical of the benefits of raw food diets – which studies show are associated with increased risk of osteoporosis. 

The Saf menu includes dishes that sound impossible to create from raw ingredients: beetroot ravioli and Chinese pancakes share the line up with pad Thai and autumn risotto. At Dragonfly Wholefoods in Highgate the menu offers sumptuous falafel, pizza, sunflower burgers and onion bread available in all their uncooked glory.

...Many raw food enthusiasts make claims of improved health on switching to a raw food diet, but one benefit which is more palpable is weight loss – a strictly followed raw food diet is an almost guaranteed route to shedding pounds. Some feel it also has a massive impact on your general wellbeing. ‘When I went raw the change in me was hugely noticeable,’ says fan Liz Bugrave. ‘My energy levels increased, my skin was glowing, I was more flexible and I felt more at one with everything around me.’

Though it’s difficult to argue against the benefits, the practicalities of maintaining a raw diet are challenging, especially if you go 100 per cent raw. Converts are in a constant cycle of preparation, planning and, if travelling or visiting friends and family, packing ingredients to take with them. Then there are the cravings. It seems even the most dedicated raw fooders fall off the wagon and binge on cooked food en route to finding a take on raw that works for them.

Tonight we had our New Years Eve dinner at SAF at 152-154 Curtain Rd. What a treat! It's certainly on a par with Pure Food and Wine in NYC or Roxanne's old restaurant in Marin County. The food prep staff holds itself to a very high standard and every dish they turn out is breathtakingly scrumptious. Tonight they offered a mind-blowing 7 course meal for £70, just over $100. At first glance at the menu I was a little put off because I wanted to order a la cart and because champagne was included. But once the food started arriving, I never looked back. Actually, even before the food started arriving, I was happy since they offered to substitute any of their drinks for the alcohol. I had a cucumber, ginger, lemon juice drink-- there were other ingredients I can't remember-- called a Zinger that totally hit the spot.

Keep in mind that this restaurant has a 28 rating in the London Zagat Guide, that publication's #1 vegetarian restaurant. This year the Evening Standardalso dubbed it the best vegetarian restaurant in London. So here's what we ate tonight-- after nearly a month of, basically, couscous in Morocco.

-Consomé, which was cucumber juice with a delectable chipotle sorbet, wilted cucumber and sea lettuce caviar. Roland and I both rated it an A-- and we rated everything that came after an A as well, so I won't repeat the ratings.

-Terin, which was layers of spectacularly prepared beets with horse radish, the most delicious walnuts I ever tasted (pickled!) and a porto wine reduction.

-P Salad, something my entire body thanked me for feeding it-- pomelo, pomegranate, pumpkin seed oil, pistachio and lightly pickled peppers.

-Coquette, which featured chestnut tartare, truffel alfredo and other components that escape me but that helped make this completely memorable as a dish.

-A Nut Roast, that was a kind of main course, I guess. It was a kind of a vegan meatloaf with a demi glace accompanied by broccoli, leek pure and a tomato confit.

-A Cheese course with macademia cheese that was infused with a red pepper cors with a slice of barley bread and some kind of strawberry jam.

-And the dessert: a Moonie Pie, which starred a smoked banana ice cream encased in a chocolate shell with a cacao nibs crust on a jasmin pear compote.

And the best news of all: they're talking with Whole Foods about opening TWENTY branches in the U.S., starting on the East Coast. That'll be a very healthy step forward for the raw food movement in the U.S. because most everyone will have to step up their game to compete.

Exploring Austins Great Attractions

Austin is a wonderful location to visit in Texas with so much life and history. Austin is the state capitol of Texas and there are guided tours every week and weekend for you to learn more about the history of the city. Austin has so many great Museums and tourist attractions, great restaurants, clubs and bars, and live entertainment. There are so many eclectic shops and unique accommodations.

One of the most popular museums to visit is the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. This museum has great artifacts, theatres for education, and more. Then, there is also the Blanton Museum of Art where there is modern and contemporary American art as well as European Paintings. You could also take a tour at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. This museum is open every day except Christmas and the admission is free. Museums are a great place to learn about the history and culture of the city. Once you have toured the main attractions you may want to see a little more about the night life of the city. There are great restaurants, bars, clubs, movie theatres, live entertainment and bands. Recently there was Latin American Restaurant in Austinopened up called Gloria’s. It is located on 3309 Esperanza Cross Suite 100. Gloria’s is aLatin American Restaurant that offers great food, services, and Live Music. Gloria’s offers happy hour on Fridays and Sundays for House Margaritas, House Wines, Domestic Beers, Mango Margaritas, Swirls, Strawberry Margaritas, Mojitos, Meltdowns, Sangria and more.

Now that you know a little bit about Austin you should visit the wonderful city filled of life and culture. Enjoy a day of tourism and the evening Salsa dancing at Gloria’s with live music. There is unlimited entertainment at the state capital. To learn more about Gloria’s you can visit http://www.Gloriasrestaurants.com.

Gloria Voted Best Margarita In Dallas Review

The Dallas Observer votedGloria's RestaurantsMargaritas the best Margarita for 2010 in Dallas.

"Choosing a margarita isn't as easy as you'd think. If we're gonna pull the trigger, rest assured it won't be for some overpriced Slurpee with a shot of tequila. Gloria's not only has the best-priced margaritas in the city at only three bucks, but at 11 ounces, they don't skimp you on size. They also pour in enough Manik tequila to give them just the right kick, and their ice-to-margarita ratio is both spot-on and consistent. Atmosphere counts too, so it helps that Gloria's has some of the best Mexican food in town. After all, why wouldn't you want to keep down all those $3 margaritas with some enchiladas verdes?