European

La Candela – Cadiz, Spain

dinnerwithjo Leave a comment

Can you book? Yes
Food: 10/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Price paid per person: £25

I thought the highlight of my recent trip to southern Spain would be my boyfriend’s proposal (I said yes). Then, after a life long search for a shower cap that gives full head coverage, I found a wonderful one in Malaga train station for a very reasonably price. I was wrong again. La candela, Trip Advisor’s 2nd best restaurant in Cadiz, won the contest.

Every table was occupied, and we were pleased to hear mostly Spanish being spoken, meaning that locals (who aren’t just excited about tapas because it’s tapas) rated it highly.

Continue reading →

Advertisement

Portobello Garden Caffe – Portobello Road, London

dinnerwithjo Leave a comment

Can you book? Yes
Food: 9/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Price paid per person: £13

Out and about on a lunchtime constitutional along Portobello Road last week something interesting caught my eye. Set back from the road, hiding behind vintage clothes in the arcade, was an alluringly attractive Italian restaurant. On my own, without reading material and in a hurry to get back to work, I had no intention of sitting down to eat but I was compelled to go in and investigate. I glanced at the menu and clientele, was charmed by the decor of hanging dried meat and flowers, and decided I would return imminently.

Continue reading →

Le Caveau 30 – Cannes, France

dinnerwithjo Leave a comment

The brief: book a table for 20 people on a Saturday evening in the centre of Cannes, preferably outside, with good food and good prices. Not an easy task.

Le Caveau 30 was recommended (thanks BD) so off I went to book. I would strongly advise them to obtain an email address (or promote any existing email addresses on the website) as calling from a UK mobile is expensive.

I awaited the evening with anticipation. I had never booked such a large table before, what if something went wrong and I had 20 hungry people shouting at me. Continue reading →

Balthazar – Covent Garden, London

dinnerwithjo Leave a comment

I didn’t plan to spend my evening at Balthazar. I went with a friend to the Lyceum theatre to try and wangle cheap tickets to see the Lion King on the premise that they would be keen to sell them with less than hour before it started. After all, what’s the point in singing Hakuna Matata to a half empty theatre. The box office didn’t seem to share our view and wouldn’t budge lower than £65 so we went on our way.

Where to go for dinner, we wondered. Then all of a sudden Continue reading →