Osteria del Gallo, Rome

It’s the kind of place that makes you wanna do a mini fist pump under the table as you sit down at Osteria del Gallo, the place that you’ve just stumbled across tucked away in an alley off the beaten tourist routes.

And doesn’t it feel local, not another joint in site, it almost feels like you’ve invaded the courtyard of the apartment blocks above and set up some outdoor settings for a meal.



Steak with balsamic – there’s a soft sweetness to offset the intense tang.

 

Seafood pasta – wishing there were more of the ribbons to soak up the rich seafood based stock sauce



Mixed veg

Simple food, done nicely.

But a closer look some of the tables… a Rick Steves guide here, a Lonely Planet there and some pretty serious cameras. Can you take back a mini fist pump?

Still a decent place.

3.5 / 5 yums!

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Where? Vicolo di Montevecchio, 27 00186 Rome, Italy

Gumshara, Sydney

Suffering from withdrawal at the mercy of "the Chronic".  This was the next day fix at lunch.  Tonkotsu ramen at its best.

Moon Under Water, Fitzroy

Taking summer back: rose jelly, poached meringue, sheep's milk yoghurt and rhubarb.

1806, Melbourne

Cocktail connoisseur.

Giolitti, Rome

A good old fashioned gelato parlour that employs a no-nonsense approach to move the hoards of tourists who make the pilgrimage for the fabled iced cream.



It’s fair enough to make a beeline for the gelato and push through the throngs to get a glimpse and spend too much time ogling at the numerous flavours on show. It does look pretty awesome.

But that wait to get to the front of the queue could be doubled if you know the ordering protocols.

Order at the register first (scoops in cups or cones) before taking the ticket to be exchanged for the gelato.



Not a must, but worth it if you’re close to check the hype.

3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40 00186 Rome, Italy

Fat Duck, Bray (May 2011)

Best. Restaurant. Ever. Okay, at least I’ve been to.

Let’s just say with all the hype and 1000 tonne boulder of expectation that surrounds the place, the epic, repeated phone calls needed to get a booking, and if you can battle through what we went through to get there and still love the night we had, that’s gotta say something for the Fat Duck.

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Here’s the long story short:

Our group met at Paddington station, bought tickets and hopped on the packed train to Maidenhead. Should have been simple.

10 minutes pass and the train has not moved. No air-con, and becoming increasingly packed.

Finally an announcement. Delayed. But no indication when it’ll leave. Sounded pretty typical. Another 10 minutes, no more news. Again… not unusual say the locals. Finally another after 15 mins, and the delay will be at least 2 hours. Disastrous!

So our local friends reckon we should call a car to shuttle the 6 of us. Good plan, however it’ll take an hour for the car to come. Fail.

Plan C is to head to Heathrow via the express, then catch a cab to Bray. Should only be about a 20 pound trip.

Get to Heathrow, get into the cab, then they tell us because it’s going outside of the Greater London area, it’ll be a 60 pound trip because they need to get back into the city. Stupid, gullible tourists. But we pay anyway.

Eventually, we get there 1.5 hours late. Having called ahead to let the Fat Duck know we’ll be late, they were more than generous and understanding on arrival. At least on the outside.

And on the way back, get a cab to Maidenhead station. Sign board says 10 mins to our 12:45am train. 2 minutes later, 30 minute delay… and 5 minutes later, leaving at 3:00am. So we pay another 80 pound to get back to London.

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So I’ll let the photos do all the talking.































Where Le Chateaubriand was the wrong side of Gaga, Fat Duck is most definitely soooooo right. The side that pretty much everyone loves. Just like the tracks on her album, each dish takes you on a journey that stimulates all the senses. Including the most important one down there. You know what I’m talking about. The stomach.

5 / 5 yums!
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Where? High St Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6, United Kingdom

Il Chianti, Rome

In a city that is around 2764 years old, there’s not much ancient about this tourist friendly restaurant just up the road from Trevi Fountain.

Modern, minimalist but sharp, but the menu is packed with at least one option from most pastas you can think of.



Tasting plate of cheese and meats



Tagliolini with porcini – if it looks sticky, that because it is, much like undercooked hokkien noodles.



Pappardelle with hare ragu – the meat sauce is fine, pasta el dente plus plus.



Tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil.

I like it more as a wine bar.

2.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? Via delle Lavatore, Rome, Italy
What? Mains around €15-20

Taste Baguette, Sydney

French bread, Vietnamese filling.  A great interracial combination. Crusty baguette with lemongrass beef, lettuce, pickled veg, cucumber and coriander.

Indo Rasa, Broadway

Ayam Bakar to rival 99.  A piece of Kingsford in Broadway.

Durian SS2, Kuala Lumpar

Some describe this spiky fruit as smelling of a wasteland of heavily soiled nappies on a hot summer’s day, rotting gazelle meat or the unchanged socks of a seven day hiker.

But for others, this is pure fruit heaven with a sweetness that is unparalleled.

Take a trip to durian stalls in SS2, and be welcomed by a bevy of durians graded and priced to meet most budgets and tastes. Leave the haters in the car.




Durian the king of fruits for some, a sweating baboon’s crouch for others.



4.5 / 5 yums!

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Where? SS2, Kuala Lumpar

Mr Foxx, Glen Iris

Lunched... Like a Foxx!

Florentine and royale mash up: Potato rosti, tomato salsa, rocket, spinach, smoked salmon topped with a poached egg and hollandaise. Indulgent.