Reflections Enroute » Restaurant Review

De Pannekoekenbakker – Restaurant Review

corinne — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:00:50 +0000

I would have to say that one of the Dutch foods that I love so well is pancakes. I know, lots of countries do pancakes…but not like the Dutch. They make a meal out of them–morning, noon, and night. You can see signs for pancakes everywhere you go in Holland. They are thinner than the pancakes I’m used to in the U.S., plus they are the size of a medium pizza. One pancake per person.

I lived in Zeeloand bei Uden for a little over two years, and I would go to the local branch (yes, it’s a chain) of De Pannekoekenbakker at least once a week. It’s that good. The menu consists of a number of savory pancakes as well as fruit pancakes. Just like pizzas, you can pretty much order it any way you want. Some of the indgredients you can find are: cheese, ham, bacon, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, salami, rum, apples, pears, strawberries, powder sugar, and stroop. Stroop is a Dutch syrup similar to molasses. I’m not a fan.

My favorite is what they call a Farmer’s pancake with a meat ragout on top. Then for dessert, I can’t help but get the banana with ice cream and cinnamon sugar. Of course, it’s best to share both of these with someone instead of eating two.

The Best Restaurant in the Cutest Town

corinne — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:45 +0000

The fortress overlooking Velinko Turnovo.

Bulgaria is full of quaint little charasmatic towns and Velinko Turnovo might just be the cutest. As we drove in, we stopped to talk to a shepherd with a small goat flock. He was right on the edge of town, and as we chatted with him, we could also view the huge and picturesque fortress that dominates the town.

According to the guide books there was supposed to be a bazaar left over from Ottoman times that still have a few stalls. A bazaar it wasn’t. It was a chic little street that had some woodworkers, one crochety coppersmith, and a lot of boutique shops to attract the tourists. It was cute and comfortable to walk through, but since we were expecting a bazaar, it sort of dissappointed.

What didn’t dissapoint was the restaurant recommended by the woodworker. Amongst his hand-carved spoon whistles he wrote down the address and a small map to this restaurant that I cannot pronounce. From the looks of it on the outside, we absolutely would not have chosen it either, but as we were led down the stairs, we began to notice the charm of the place.

We were seated in a sort of closed in balcony that looked down on a park with an imposing Soviet monument dominating the landscape. It was a great view, and the tables around us were packed full of locals…always a good sign. The menu was extensive. I think it boasted over 170 Bulgarian dishes, so choosing was difficult. We all tried something different, and other than our obligatory Shoppska salad, we tried new dishes. Everything was notably delicious, well-plated, and huge portions. The locals tried to help us speak some Bulgarian, and it was all in all just a really great experience. If you happen to find yourself in Velinko Turnovo, head here.

Print this photo and take it with you. It's worth the extra hassle.

The Blue Ice Restaurant – A Review

corinne — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:00:41 +0000

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

After a hard and chilly day of visiting the Franz Josef Glacier, warm up at the Blue Ice Restaurant in town. It has it all. There is a bar with a fast food and pizza menu on the top floor (Wednesday nights are Karaoke nights) and on the bottom floor an a la carte menu matched to some superb wines.

I love a restaurant that is friendly and the service is good, but also leaves you alone to enjoy your meal and your company. Somehow the Blue Ice achieved this even though there are not many eating establishments in the town and they were turning people away. We were extremely lucky in that we took the last available table downstairs. The latecomers were relegated to the porch or the bar upstairs. I would suggest making a reservation, if you know when you will be going through.

The prices were not cheap, but not too expensive. If you paired every dish with the appropriate glass of wine, you will be paying for it. I would say the restaurant was worth every penny.

Dibek…A Restaurant Review

corinne — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:00:33 +0000

The spices and homemade wine make this one of the best eats in Goreme.

The Dibek resaraunt is conveniently located right in the center of Goreme, which of course is where you find the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cappadocia. After a tiring slog up, down, around and through rock chapels galore, an evening at Dibek will put you well on the road to recovery.

The family that owns the restaurant has lived there for five generations. Mehmet, the son and manager, speaks a bunch of languages, and really helps the evening along with his jovial banter. The house is over 500 years old, and tables are distributed among the rock rooms, with colorful cushions.

The family makes their own wine, and we cannot seem to pass it up. We order at least two carafes each time we go. I had asked Mehmet who does the cooking, because the restaurant boasts “home cooking”, and he said his mom did. And boy, does she do it right.

Everything on the menu is beyond comparison. Traditional dishes such as Kurufasulye (Beans with lamb), cacik (yogurt sauce), or sac kebab (lamb stew) are all fantastic. If you can remember, though, their signature dish is testi kebab (a stew cooked for three hours in a clay flask, which is broken open at the table), and you must order it the day before. Call Mehmet at 0384-271-2209.

Afiyet Olson! Good Eating!