For the Perfect Pilsner, Try Plzen.

by Jamie Rhein on

Willy’s post about the best places to drink beer in Eastern Europe reminded me of my trip to Plzen (Pilsner) in what is current day The Czech Republic. This town is the reason why there is Pilsner beer. The name of the town is where Pilsner got its name and is still a fine place to partake in the good stuff. That’s why we went there.

The Brewery Museum is a place to learn about the town’s beer-making history. Like, back in 1307, every home owner brewed his own beer and the brewery, the Pilsner Urquell has been around since 1842. At the end of the tour, you can enjoy a cold one in the original cellars.

Plzen’s website is neatly divided into sections where you can learn about the town’s history and what there is to do. Some of it is in Czech, though. Other sections are videos put to music. The brewery video is a quick way to see how the beer is made. If you hit the play button, the video will appear.

When You Can’t Travel to the Food, Have the Food Travel to You!

by Iva Skoch on

Kanye West brought a whole new meaning to the “curry run” recently. Apparently, when he found Manhattan’s culinary choices a little too confining, he was tipped off–by fellow rap star Snoop Dogg–to the world’s best curry take-out: the British Raj, near Newport, Wales.

Masud Ahmed, the restaurant’s owner, didn’t know who Kanye was, when the faxed order came in. But, he was happy to have his head chef fulfill the 3000-mile delivery order. The special eight-dish meal ended up costing Kanye over $3800 USD for the restaurant bill alone, plus the costs of transporting the chef and the temperature-controlled dry ice containers to Heathrow by helicopter, then business class to NYC, then limousined to the party (transport costs paid by the record company).

The chef gets his first trip to the States, and Kanye’s guests get curry in a hurry, relatively. Maybe next time, he’ll just go to the restaurant in person.

Oh, and, by the way, no need to call up Snoop for the 4-1-1; we got you covered. Here’s the restaurant’s contact info: The British Raj Lounge Bar, 68 Tregwilym Rd., Rogerstone, Wales, NP10 9EJ, telephone: +44-01633-892-377.

Best Places To Grab A Beer (in Eastern Europe)

by Willy Volk on

Certainly, everyone has their own opinions about where to get the best beer. It may be a local hang-out. It may be an eclectic pub in a faraway city. According to Fodor’s, 7 of the best places to grab a beer in Eastern Europe are:

  1. Pivovarska Restaurace, Czech Republic
  2. Harnas, Poland
  4. Carul cu Bere, Romania
  5. Chichovtsi, Bulgaria
  6. Shinok, Russia

Related:

[Photo: Today is a good day]

Hooters in the Holy Land

by Jonathon Morgan on

Next time you’re in Tel Aviv — tired from traveling, homesick, and looking for a little comfort food — you can sit back, relax, and experience some all-American hospitality, half-way around the globe. Hooters is opening its first location in Israel.

It’s a restaurant known, kind of, for its spicy chicken wings, but mostly for its servers — “Hooters Girls,” who bring you food and beer in low-cut blouses and short skirts. And, according to the man behind the move, Ofer Ahiraz, it can “suit the Israeli entertainment culture.”

“I strongly believe that the Hooters concept is something that Israelies are looking for,” says Ahiraz.

While there will probably be minor changes to meet Israeli tastes — such as keeping the restaurants away from large religious populations, and making all the food kosher — the restaurants will look a lot like the chain’s other locations across the U.S., China, Switzerland, Australia, Brazil and beyond.

Over the next two years the company plans to open additional restaurants in Colombia, Dubai, Guam, New Zealand and India.

So it’s official, the tackiest restaurant in the U.S. will now lead the way as America’s most ubiquitous cultural ambassador. Great.

St. Lucia There & Back Part 2: Island Dining

by Adrienne Wilson on


Before I dive into this one or give the impression that I am this hardcore food critic let me just state that I am not. Someone once claimed that I happiest while I’m eating which I’m not certain is entirely true, but I do love a flavorful fulfilling meal when it’s time to chow. That being said, I’m not a picky eater. There are only a few things I won’t eat like lobster, crab, and liver and that is only by personal choice. Now, I don’t go parading the town thinking I’m some kind of ‘foodie’ either, but I do like discovering new things on my trips and travels. In St. Lucia I asked several times if there was something that could only be feasted upon here or what the island was known for in the culinary department like the Bahamas for its conch salad and Trinidad for its roti, but my questions were received with blank stares.

Without any strong restaurant recommendations I either used the local St. Lucia magazines or turned to the closest place at first hint of a stomach growl. Lets go to the kitchen. I mean follow me into my Looshan dining experience.
My first meal and several others to follow where at the Calabash Bar and the La Pomme Canelle Restaurant found in the Glencastle Resort where I camped out for the week. It was never my intentions to eat so much there, but the chef was truly amazing. Everything I had from the curried chicken, shrimp and a certain fish that I cannot recall the name was absolutely ambrosial. Convenience played a huge factor in my dining there as well with it being a few steps down the stairs from my room. However, if you are searching for a good meal with good service outside of the main attraction give this place a try. ($$)

La Pomme Canelle Restaurant is located in Massade, Gros Islet at the Glencastle Resort. Ph. 758.450.0833

Next place up is a restaurant (you will hate me for this) that I did not get the name of, but was directed to by a Rasta Man who said he found it more Creole than the one across the road (The Lime.) So if you want to head to this one look across the street from the Lime Restaurant and next to the Inner Gallery in Rodney Bay. You’ll see a small outdoors place serving a ton of yummy Creole selections. Take a few friends as atmosphere doesn’t count for much considering its outdoors and in the center of a few small buildings and shops. Try the green banana and fish salad if you’ve never had it before. I found this very tasty from place to place. ($)

I found my way into Spinnakers Beach Bar & Grill for the first time simply searching for an ice cold blended beverage to cool me off from the hot-hot Saint Lucia sunrays. The next time I worked my way in I was having a full lunch entree. The Lemon Pepper Fish with salad was what I went after and with some amount of skepticism. I thought I had just settled into one of those high-priced tourist spots on the beach where the food was only mediocre, but I was very surprised. The fish was actually really, really good. It was covered in a lemon sauce and with just a sprinkle of some extra pepper my taste-buds were soaring. The service was only so-so and it was still a little pricey for lunch ($25 US) which includes two glasses of pineapple juice. Certainly worth a go if you’re on the beach anyway. ($$)

Spinnakers is loacted on Rodney Bay Beach off of Reduit Drive in Rodney Bay. Ph. 758.452.8491

Castaways are another Rodney Bay based restaurant. I swung in here for lunch on a different occasion and ordered a tuna melt with a side of slaw. While waiting I made conversation with the staff who were all pretty friendly and welcoming. I sipped on a cool passion fruit drink and when my meal came I gobbled it down. The tuna melt here has got to be one of the best I have ever had in my life. It was just a little greasy, but that is my looking for flaws when really it was very delicious. The cole slaw was okay and the portion size was beyond what I anticipated so I walked off only eating half of it. Bring a friend if you plan on ordering the slaw. There are several other items on the menu to choose from, but the seafood selections are all highly advised. ($-$$)

Castaways Restaurant and Bar is located in Rodney Bay off of Reduit Drive. Ph. 758.452.8012

The Marine House is a spot serving local dishes and for very good prices. I tried this place on two different occasions. The first time I ordered fish n’ chips and that was only okay. Nothing mind blowing there and the fish could have been cooked much better. The second time I went with chicken roti which I think I’ll be sticking with at Trinidadian owned and operated spots. The roti was only so-so. In short, this is a good place to fill up if you are on a super tight budget and just need something fast. ($)

The Marine House is located in Gros Islet off the main road. Ph. 758.450.8515

Last dining destination I gave a try was Cafe Olé tucked in the Rodney Bay Marina and Shops in Gros Islet. It is a place all the sailors go and any with a boat goes to fill up after sailing the seas or goes to recruit a crew to set out later in the afternoon. (I was invited to go sailing, but had to decline.) There are beautiful tiny flirty island girls working behind the counter that wink at the boys and give half smiles to women like me. They are nice and the service is good and it is a cool place to people watch if you are in to that sort of thing. Again, I went with a tuna dish. It was the sweet and spicy tuna salad to be exact and I had a fruit smoothie to wash it down. The salad was filling and tasty too. The smoothie was too syrupy for my liking. ($)

There are a few places on the North island area that I did not make it to which I am told where worth a try like Ku De Ta (Thai Cuisine) and Razmataz Tandoori (Indian). I am sure there are several others I failed to get to, but one last thing I forgot to mention earlier was I didn’t have a botttomless budget for food so places like Big Chef in Rodney Bay were a little out of the question for this trip, but there is always next time.

For my thoughts on where not to eat click here and scroll all the way down.