Chocolate Fondue at Brel Bar, West End in Glasgow, Scotland

I had on-line vouchers for chocolate fondue at Brel Bar (http://www.brelbar.com) in West End of Glasgow so we decided to try this place a couple of weeks ago.

It was a rainy, grey Sunday. We thought we could find a parking place easily for being Sunday but we were wrong. Byres Road is always busy and we had to go around the blocks, eventually my husband had to drop us off first near Ashton Lane so that he could drive around further to look for a parking space. We forgot, this is the reason why we don't come to West End.

Ashton Lane ... walking toward Brel Bar.

The Voucher deal is for "a delicious Chocolate Fondue to share between two people and a choice of a glass of wine or tea or coffee each." Sounds yummy.

It was miserable outside however at least inside it was cosy....

We were shown to the conservatory in the back that features colourful chairs and serviettes which made us almost forgotten about wet, dull and grey weather outside.

It was lunch time too so we decided to have something to eat too so that we could then have chocolate fondue for dessert. We ordered soda bread to nibble whilst consulting the menu ....

I saw other people having a pot of mussels with chips that looked good so I decided to have a full pot of Moules Frites with lemongrass, chilli and coriander that came with some soda bread.

Soup underneath musseles were quite nice and spicy
with lemongrass, coriander and chillies.

My husband had Wild Mushrooms, toasted brioche, poached egg, hollandaise off the main course menu. It sounds delicious and looked good when it arrived. It's a great shame that the portion size is quite small for £10 for a plate that when it arrived we thought it was a starter portion. Underneath the wild mushrooms was a rather thinly sliced toasted brioche ...  we were expecting a brioche to be round like a bun or roll so this was rather unexpected. Let's hope that they were real precious and good quality wild mushrooms that justifies the price! 

I consulted an internet later but I could not find a definition of brioche in terms of a shape or form, in fact I did see some photo of a brioche loaf so it appears that a brioche is differentiated from other bread because of its butter and egg content along with the way it is baked and it is not necessarily round and fuller shape.

Emily had Brel's Mac n'Cheese but as baby mac n'cheese portion with chips. Although it was side dish, the small pot was quite deep enough to hold good portion.

Craig had the Brelburger with added onion rings toppings. The burger comes with frites, salad, aioli and BBQ sauce.

After the lunch, it was time for chocolate fondue with dunkable treats - the real reason why we came to Brel for.  You get Dark Chocolate Fondue with orange pieces, boozy cherries, waffle fingers and other dunkable treats whilst Milk Chocolate Fondue with mini meringues, mallows, waffle fingers and other dunkable treats. There were four of us so we ordered dark and milk chocolate fondue each to share amongst us.

Whilst we were waiting for our fondue, we looked around the restaurant. We were in the conservatory so there were some hanging plants with colourful chairs.

Asked Craig to move to the left so that I could take this photo, hahaha ...

Beyond the conservatory area, there is a garden with patio with tables and chairs - it would be nice for al fresco dining or drinks in summer.

I later found out that Brel is a Belgian themed bar - ah, that's why they promote Moules Frites...

According to their menu, every Tuesday is a Fondue night...

Our Chocolate Fondue arrived - one is dark chocolate and the other milk chocolate. We were however disappointed that pot of chocolate sauce did not come with a mini chafing stand heated with a candle or sprit lamp as you would expect for any fondue dish, especially they do cheese fondue and every Tuesday is their fondue night.

However, let's have some of these and have fun... boozy cherries were boozy alright ....

I prefer dark chocolate so I dunked a piece of orange segment using long-stemmed fondue fork....

Mallow is nice with melted chocolate too .... I wish they put more of these on the board ....

We also ordered tea and coffee ....

Adding milk .... a storm in a teacup....

Well, it was an interesting visit to Brel...  Tripadvisor's reviews generally seem to be good about their foods. Do we go back to Brel? I am not sure .... maybe because of their brioche not being the brioche that we expected, chocolate fondue without a chafing stand and burner underneath, maybe the dark, grey, dull and rainy weather that day, not being able to find a parking place, or combination of all of these...  Still, at least we tried this place and that's what is all about. Try somewhere new and something new, that's the most fun part and that's what keeps me going with my blog.

We stepped outside. It was definitely getting darker and even duller (?). Ashton Lane was quiet and you hardly saw anyone ...  Maybe we came at the wrong time. If it were sunny summer day, Ashton Lane would be full of pub goers, diners and students, adding some atmosphere to the area and we could be having Belgian beer or dinner al fresco in the patio at the back of Brel. We would be having a totally different experience of this place.

Still, it was good to try a new place ....

That's all forks.

Glazert Country House Hotel in Lennoxtown, Scotland

We have recently had a lovely meal at Glazert Country House Hotel (http://www.glazert.co.uk) in Lennoxtown, outskirts of Glasgow.  There were four of us - my husband, my daughter Maria, my mother-in-law Mary and myself. It was Saturday lunch time and we did not book so we were not sure if we could get it but we tried it any way.

When we arrived, we were told that they were not serving foods in the restaurant as a wedding would be starting shortly however were happy to serve if we did not mind sitting in the bar, which was totally fine with us. We sat in the quiet corner of the lounge bar. There was a fire place and, instead of a deer's mounted head on the wall above it, there was a deer's mounted rear end on the wall, which was very strange. Every time I look up, I could not avoid looking at the deer's end. It is human nature to stir at a fire place if there is one in a room, naturally you look up and there it is, the deer's mounted rear end.

The staff was very friendly and efficient. They quickly brought the menu, took our drinks order but gave us sufficient time to allow us to consult with the menu.  I quite liked what they have on the menu.

Anyway, my mother-in-law Mary ordered York Ham, Brie and Cranberry Sandwich from their Lounge Bar Lunch Menu and added chips.  The sandwich came with salad, homemade coleslaw and Kettle chips. Mary really enjoyed this sandwich - bread was really fresh and soft, tasty ham with brie and cranberry. It's almost sounding celebratory. As I don't eat meat, I did not taste it but you can see from the look of it , it was really tasty.

I had Grilled Fillet of Highland Smoked Salmon with Dauphinoise potatoes, vegetables and beetroot dressing. I really enjoyed the smoked salmon. It was neither too smoky nor too salty but just right. I don't think the beetroot dressing is needed. The only comment I wish to add was that I wish there were more vegetables on the plate, but this is because I like my veggies and not a criticism.

My husband had Beer Battered Fillet of Haddock with thick cut chips. It would have come with mushy peas as well but he does not like it so asked them to serve without. Chips were huge and fish was also a good size. He enjoyed this too.

Maria had Glazert Steak Pie with vegetables and chips. She really enjoyed this dish too. She said that the meat was really lovely and tender and very delicious. It looked really tasty and smelled delicious.

Well, we really enjoyed our meal. Everyone was full by this time but me being me, I had to order a dessert to try as what's on dessert menu sounded nice.

We ordered some teas and coffees that came with mint chocolate and ordered Butterscotch Belgian Waffles with vanilla ice cream to share.  Mary was eating some sugar cubes like candies whilst waiting for the waffles.

I looked up, saw the deer, quickly averting my eyes to the wedding parties that were arriving, wondering why the deer's mounted rear end. And our Belgian Waffles arrived - and it looked really delicious and was delicious. You eat with mouth as well as with eyes!

Meanwhile, more guests for the wedding party arrived. We were admiring beautiful dresses that ladies in the wedding party were wearing. I wonder what they would be eating for the wedding dinner.... I bet it would be wonderful.

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch and the dessert was delightful. We would definitely go back for meal again. Next time I may try their Glazert Mac'n'Cheese topped with sun blush tomatoes or have another plate of Grilled Smoked Salmon again.

All waiting staff were very friendly and welcoming, serving us with smile. Despite having a wedding party to cater for, service was quick, meals were delicious. By the quality of sandwich from the lounge bar menu or the presentation of the Belgian Waffles, I can get the sense that the chef and the kitchen team really care about the food they prepare and serve.

Glazert Country House Hotel is a lovely surprise. I have also discovered, when I checked their website this evening to write this blog, that behind the wall of the fireplace with the deer's mounted rear end, there is another fireplace with the deer's mounted head - so the lounge is separate by the wall sandwiched between two fire places and presumably a whole deer in the middle!  Here is another surprise, hahaha.

We shall return to this hidden gem in Lennoxtown, north of Glasgow in not too distant future.

That's all forks.

Macarons in Paris - Laduree

We went to Glasgow Royal Concert Hall last night for Brahms Violin Concerto by Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The opening performance was dedicated to people in Paris, followed by some silent time for contemplation. It was a really serene moment, followed by the beautiful and moving music. Everyone reflected what happened last Friday and our hearts were with people who were affected by the terrible event.

My husband and I visited Paris long long time ago. We went Louvre Museum and saw Mona Lisa as you would do for being a tourist. Not long after that, Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code came out as a new book. It shows how long ago our trip to Paris was.

I remember what we ate whilst we were in Paris.  We had Moules Frites in a lovely corner bistro not far from Montmartre. We had Salad Nicoise at a cafe near our hotel. The hotel we stayed was a normal three star hotel, nothing fancy but I remember croissant and pastries we had for breakfast were really delicious. We also had morning coffee at a typical Parisian cafe by the River Seine not far from Notre Dame Cathedral. We passed by a fruit and vegetable shop on a street and I was enthused by the lovely and 'real' smell of fresh fruits and vegetables unlike what you get in a supermarket. We also went to Fauchon (http://www.fauchon.com/en/) to have an absolute delectable eclairs with Earl Gray tea infused cream with a lovely cup of tea.  Although our trip to Paris was such a long time ago, I remember what we ate.

Emily and Craig went to Paris good few years ago. That was before they got engaged. They went to Laduree (https://fabricantdedouceurs.laduree.com/en_gb/) for their famous macaroons.

The pastry shop was founded in 1862 but Louis Ernest Laduree, a miller from the southwest of France. The Laduree's macaron started in mid-20th century by taking two macaron shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling. Since then, the recipe said to have remained the same.

However, the history of macaron goes all the way back to the 9th century Italian monastery, when macaroons were mentioned in the culinary history, according to Wikipedia. The Italian monks went to France in 1533, joined by the pastry chefs of Catherine de Medici, wife of King Henri II.

You eat macarons or eclairs and you think of the Laduree or Fauchon. You eat macarons or eclairs and you think of Paris.

When you eat, you want to know what's in the food, where it came from, how it came about and when it originated and started. Eating food is learning about one country's culture as well as its history. When you eat, the world travels with you. You feel connected with the place you visited, reminiscing about the wonderful time we had during our holidays.

Wonderful and loving memory in Paris

You feel connected with Paris through wonderful and fond memories you had there. Last Friday's event has affected many people in many different ways.  This blog is dedicated to people in Paris and to those who are affected by the recent event, but also to those who are in other parts of the world where conflicts are their every day event. My thoughts are with those people who are affected.

All photos were taken by Emily from Emily and Craig's trip to Paris in June 2013. 

May peace prevail on earth.

Vegetarian breakfast at Has Beans cafe, Edinburgh, Scotland

Good morning, if you are reading this in the morning. It's Sunday morning and I fancy having a good full Scottish fry-up right now .... except I don't eat meat so there would be no back bacon, black pudding or Lorna sausage (square sausage).

We were in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago and we had a really good vegetarian breakfast at a little cafe named Has Bean on Canongate section of Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

We were initially looking for a cafe for a light continental breakfast with capuccino (as we were going for a dinner at The Witchery later on - see my earlier blog).  Has Bean cafe is rather an unassuming place, yet as we were passing, for some reason their menu on the window caught our eyes.  They offer a full Scottish vegetarian breakfast and if I could remember correctly it was under £6.00! Very good price on Royal Mile in Edinburgh, so we went in.

Inside, the decor is cosy, a bit eclectic with different styles of framed pictures, ornaments and handcrafts (are they for sell?) and there is a big wall-to-wall size map of the world, which I have now regretted that I did not take the picture at the time!

Anyway, we ordered our vegetarian breakfast with tea and coffee. My husband thought that his coffee was really good. Yes, they do 'Has Beans' and the good ones.

The place did not look too busy yet continuous flow of customers kept coming in and out, not a bad turnover, and they all seem to be very contended with the food they had and the service they received.

Our vegetarian breakfast arrived - well cooked vegetarian sausages, perfectly fried egg (when you put knife into it, yolk oozed out nicely), real fried mushrooms (not tinned) and super hot beans (we all hate luke warm baked beans, don't we?) with fried tattie (potato) scones and brown toast. Perfect! And we discovered that underneath the toast was hidden with simple salad with chopped coriander with shredded carrots.  Chopped coriander?  We never thought about putting coriander but it was actually quite nice and refreshing.

I know, it's just a breakfast, it's just a fry-up and it's not a healthy option, but we really really enjoyed Has Bean's vegetarian fry-up!  Just looking at the picture, I could really have this right now.

There was a mixed up with our orders earlier and they brought us with a full traditional Scottish breakfast (with meat and all) by mistake. When we mentioned that we had ordered vegetarian ones, they were very apologetic and offered us if we could like some cakes after the breakfast.  I was looking at some of their cakes on the counter which all looked very delectable but we kindly declined as we would be full after the breakfast (plus we were going to have a big dinner later on). We thought that was very nice of them offering that.

We had to wait a little bit for our vegetarian versions as by then a few smalls groups of tourists arrived and the place got a bit busier, however we did not mind waiting as our pots of tea and coffee were very good, and in the end we were served with excellent vegetarian breakfast.

When the bill came, we noticed that they gave us some discount for their mistake, which we never expected. We felt bad as they did not need to do so, so we gave them extra tips to square it up. 

We would be happy to go back to this place again to have another vegetarian breakfast or even try something different. We noticed that on the menu they had some Eastern Mediterranean dishes which sounded delicious. Later on I found out that the cafe is owned by a Turkish person who runs this place as a family business. Maybe that's why salad on our plates had some chopped coriander in it. 

Has Bean is not far from Holywood Palace, the Queen's official Scottish residence in summer.  You could visit the palace first as soon as it opens to avoid crowds, and long cues, walk upwards Royal Mile and stop over at Has Bean cafe for last breakfast before you continue on toward much busier part of Royal Mile, eventually get to the Edinburgh Castle in time for the famous One O'Clock Gun.

A fictitious unicorn has been a Scottish heraldic symbol since the 12th century
with the shield of the Lion Rampant, a royal emblem in Scotland with a gold background,
red upright lion with blue (azure) claws and tongue
surrounded by a two-lined border decorated with floral symbols.

I am getting really hungry so I will stop here and check what we can have for breakfast now...

That's all forks!