Bianco Nero has been tempting me with its modern Italian menu for months. Finally, I had an opportunity to have dinner there and I simply cannot say enough good things about it!
When I booked the table, it was lunch time and the restaurant was PACKED with a fairly rowdy crowd local office types. My booking was actually interrupted by someone wishing to give the manager 'feedback' (oh dear, we all know what that means) and he proceeded to complain about the speed of service, etc. etc. I stood firm, acknowledged the manager's profuse apologies and decided I would contiue with my reservation - I will try most places once!
When I went back it was a Friday evening and the black and white restaurant (hence the name) was atmospheric and inviting. The menus were very attractive and the tableware was clean and luxurious. The waiters were attentive - even bringing a napkin over to wipe up a drip of wine and another drip of olive oil - and there were enough parties throughout our meal for the restaurant to have a bit of buzz, whilst being far from noisey/crowded.
A welcome 'novelty' for London restaurants was the complimentary basket of breads, served with a delicious olive oil. I followed this with a starter of mozzarella and tomato - an Italian classic and perfectly sized. The grilled seabass served with strips of courgette and cherry tomatoes was delicous and perfectly seasoned and one of the best pieces of seabass I've ever had. A trio of fruit sorbets rounded off the meal (lemon, mango and raspberry) and they were again, amongst the best sorbets I've eaten. A bottle of smooth yet robust Chianti accompanied our meal and the waiters were attentive at keeping our glasses topped up without being annoying about it, and keeping the bottle off the table was also a nice touch.
If I were to make one very small criticism, it would be that there was only one ladies toilet. Not a problem on my visit but when the restaurant is full, I can understand why a line of chairs was provided outside the restroom!
I can't really say anything more about Bianco Nero, I even found the pricing reasonable for a London restaurant of its quality. I will definitely be going back and happy to recommend it to all - and when it comes to this sort of Italian cuisine, I can be quite a tricky customer to please. 8/10!
www.bianconerorestaurants.com
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Holli's - Oxford Mississippi
Holli's is located on the main road into Oxford towards the courthouse (S. Lamar Blvd). If you find yourself wandering the quiet streets of this quintessentially beautiful Southern town, Holli's is one of the hottest places around for all things sweet. Whether you're looking for an icecream or a bag of pick n mix, Holli's has enough to satisfy even the sweetest tooth and cool you down at the height of Summer.
Personally, I would recommend the cake batter milkshake. It is literally like eating yellow cake batter in the form of icecream and if you time your trip right, you will get a medium milkshake for the price of a small! Given the lack of big brand chain eateries in this sleepy Southern town, don't expect to find a Frappuccino any time soon. And with Holli's around, why would you need to. I sat outside for about an hour, cooling off with my milkshake and noticed that nearly every parent in town was expected to stop off at Holli's for treats during the after-school run.
Yum!
www.hollissweettooth.com
Personally, I would recommend the cake batter milkshake. It is literally like eating yellow cake batter in the form of icecream and if you time your trip right, you will get a medium milkshake for the price of a small! Given the lack of big brand chain eateries in this sleepy Southern town, don't expect to find a Frappuccino any time soon. And with Holli's around, why would you need to. I sat outside for about an hour, cooling off with my milkshake and noticed that nearly every parent in town was expected to stop off at Holli's for treats during the after-school run.
Yum!
www.hollissweettooth.com
Sunday, 5 August 2007
Joe's Crab Shack Nashville Tennessee - Review
If you find yourself in Nashville looking for some traditional Tennessean cuisine, Joe's Crab Shack should be your first port of call. Located just off Broadway in the honkytonk heartland of The District (and let's be honest, the world), this buzzing casual and lovable 'dive' is literally brimming with people, crustaceans and other varieties of fresh fried fish typical of the region.
The King Crab legs served in a bucket to share are usually being enjoyed by at least one table whenever I visit (four times to date!) but my favourite dish is the 'Crab Stuffed Shrimp'. Rich and flavourful without any unnecessary pretence, the crab stuffed shrimp are served with steamed vege (brocolli and yellow courgette usually) and yellow rice. The fried calamari, 'fish & chips' and mahi mahi burger are also must-tries.
To round off your meal, I'd recommend the trio of mini cheesecakes - but be warned, this is America, so even a 'mini' cheesecake is pretty large by other nations' standards! Best find someone to share with.
Oh and if you are into your cocktails, you simply MUST try the 'Shark Bite'. Containing a mixture of liquers (including Blue Curacao) and lemonade, your tankard comes adorned with a wooden shark with a test tube full of grenadine in its mouth. Pour the grenadine into the blue drink and you understand where the name came from...delicious!
So head down Broadway towards the Cumberland, grab a bench table on the outside deck to enjoy the South's decadent Summer heat and prepare to gorge yourself on ridiculously good value food. And keep your ears open for when it's time to 'shake the shack'!
www.joescrabshack.com
The King Crab legs served in a bucket to share are usually being enjoyed by at least one table whenever I visit (four times to date!) but my favourite dish is the 'Crab Stuffed Shrimp'. Rich and flavourful without any unnecessary pretence, the crab stuffed shrimp are served with steamed vege (brocolli and yellow courgette usually) and yellow rice. The fried calamari, 'fish & chips' and mahi mahi burger are also must-tries.
To round off your meal, I'd recommend the trio of mini cheesecakes - but be warned, this is America, so even a 'mini' cheesecake is pretty large by other nations' standards! Best find someone to share with.
Oh and if you are into your cocktails, you simply MUST try the 'Shark Bite'. Containing a mixture of liquers (including Blue Curacao) and lemonade, your tankard comes adorned with a wooden shark with a test tube full of grenadine in its mouth. Pour the grenadine into the blue drink and you understand where the name came from...delicious!
So head down Broadway towards the Cumberland, grab a bench table on the outside deck to enjoy the South's decadent Summer heat and prepare to gorge yourself on ridiculously good value food. And keep your ears open for when it's time to 'shake the shack'!
www.joescrabshack.com
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