PINOCOCO

PINOCOCO Italian Restaurant , one of the best in terms of Italian food. And the food speak volume you get what you pay for it is quite fresh and delicious. And its my family top choice Italian Restaurant in Taiwan. Each time we come here the menu is different but some they keep the same dish. As for the decor: I love the overall design of this restaurant its very modern and spacious, it can be good for either larger groups or small romantic dinner date. We were here to set a toss to my daughter that she completed her achievement and she is admitted in any University school she registered and the results of her TOEFL score. 

For appetizer, first was the minestrone and pumpkin soup which was just the simplest soup.

As for the salad and appetizer was the melon and prosciutto drizzled with caramelized balsamic vinegar was one of my favorite starter.  

Seafood salad was a-pan seared fish  with crispy outer skin, grilled squid and large shrimp and mix fresh vegetables. It was light one with simple flavors of vinaigrette sauce.

Next is the spicy garlic shrimp absolutely delicious always our favorite tapas dish.

As for the main course: We opted to order the margherita pizza definitely has the freshest and the most purest pizza. 

I got the large shell pasta in simple tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese. I'll never get tired to order this dish each time we dine here. The ingredients are fresh, the tomato sauce is just right and so flavorful.

Spicy black pasta with langoustine or large shrimp form Argentina was a top notch.

Spaghetti alla carbonara, the lovely creamy sauce with a slight saltiness of the bacon and perfectly cooked pasta dish.

The osso buco in a bed of saffron rice. My husband share with me to try the taste. He thought it was good but not outstanding.

As for the drinks & desserts; It was a kiwi smoothie, grape juice, wild berry tea, hot milk tea. (no image)

A tower of mini strawberry tart.

Very delicious chocolate opera cake. 

Layer strawberry crepe. PINOCOCO is very good in all meanings! Great food great atmosphere great service! Definitely we always come back and recommend to everyone who is looking for a great Italian food.

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PINOCOCO
台中市南屯區公益路二段273號
273  Gongyi Road, Taichung, Taiwan
Tel No: 04-2258-1455

Japoli Mitsui Outlet Park

A newly open Italian Restaurant and its located at the 2nd level of Mitsui Outlet Park, and can easily see the Japoli for people who flock the outlet mall. We thought the restaurant was very comfortable, light and airy, great open bright eating area with nice modern touches. We heard many outstanding reviews and its own and run by Japanese and our expectation also high. This restaurant serves of array Italian dishes: Pizza, Pasta, Grill! 

As for our  dining experienced, we tried the mixed tapas appetizer, was a prosciutto, smoked ham, omelette, focaccia, avocado, a small cup of savory deep fry meat served with sliced spanish onion and greens. It was simply nice thou, the tuna in tomato with pickle cucumber, capers and onion is very familiar. If you have eaten the local tuna can food with sweet tomato sauce it taste similar. You just add the pickle cucumber, onion and mixed all together and stir  with capers. There you have it!

The soup of the day was a onion soup. This is watery and tasteless onion soup we ever had.

The margherita pizza was perfect and delicious.

And for the pasta we order 2 shrimp and zucchini spaghetti. Its too heavy in oil.

The crab spaghetti in tomato sauce was simply delicious. Only the pasta it cooked a bit soft.

And for the dessert; We had a Tiramisu was bland there's no any coffee and liquor taste to it!

I simply cant resist the crepe suzette, and this is one of my favorite french sweet dessert. The crepe suzette serve with orange and dollop of ice cream. This is the worst crepe suzette we had by far. The orange sauce was just a orange juice, the ice cream was tasteless, there is no sugar or sweet flavor. We didn't eat either: our server (waiter) it seemed he didn't suprised when he collect our plates in our table. It disappointed, the crepe was submerged in fresh squeeze of orange juice.

Also we had a cup of Guetemala coffee and I cant say anymore. All in all the food some are great and some are unexpected. The crepe suzzete is tasteless, the pasta need a bit of seasoning or salt. The food served quickly, staff are helpful, environment was clean.

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Japoli 義大利餐酒館
Mitsui Outlet Park
新北市林口區文化三路一段356號1樓​
No. 356, Section 1, Wenhua 3rd Rd, Linkou District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Papa Mio

Normally, we always re visited to dine in Cafe Grazie and Skylark for many years, my kids grown up dining in these restaurants and everything is always great! Until the main course it become a poorly average. We was looking for a great Italian food and we discovered this place during our recent visit to Tapas-1. Papa Mio is located in the Chunzhong Street beside National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung. The menu comprises a traditional Italian has country-style food cuisine. The decor of the restaurant provided by a small villa 2 storey building and patio which is filled with lush plants and flowers it looks more like a home inside.

We started simply enough with crusty bread and bread sticks a nice snack to start while we are waiting for our soups.

A nice blended pumpkin soup.

I love the texture of mushroom soup as there are some bits of chewy mushroom in it which was perfect.

Next up we ordered 2 salad for appetizer to shared was a prosciutto w/ creamy potato salad, tomato top with chopped arugula. The potato which also contributed a mellow richness against the salty lushness of the prosciutto.

Smoked salmon w/ a pile of mixed field vegetable salad, the smoke salmon was very fresh!

After a great soup and salads, we moved onto the main meals. I ordered the potato gnocchi it tasted like cheeseballs. As a gnocchi lover, this example hit the spot, handmade gnocchi with a rich creamy sauce. The sprinkling of freshly grated parmigiano helped to smooth everything out.

My husband got his Fettuccine seafood in tomato sauce it looked so comforting and wonderful.

Piedmonte hand-made spinach ravioli it was an interesting texture mix and way of tasting. But to be honest I didn't like the taste maybe I'm not a fan of ravioli with spinach on it.

Fusilli with seafood and tomatoes sauce was a similar to fettuccine. I will give this dish a little credit as it was tasty but not memorable.

And margarita pizza to share. Great crust it was a solid healthy pizza.

One was striking me the most is the panzarotti a deep fried pizza dough stuffed with cheese and tomato sauce then sprinkle with caster powder sugar. The panzerotti was really delicious and their specialty were my favorite. In fact before we check out the restaurant , we take out another 2 panzarroti for night snack. I wish we could get them mailed and deliver to us here in Hsinchu. I recommend to try this little calzone if you are planning to visit Papa Mio.

Of course, random  drinks kept coming out too. After all we had to wash it down with hot coffee. They have a great assortment of coffee and tea selection. The cafe latte was frothy, creamy and aromatic. 

I had a cappuccino which not only looked pretty but tasted good too!

My son ordered the God father was a brownie with vanilla and strawberry ice cream and whipping, cream came in large portion compare to another desserts.

My tiramisu  it was light, creamy, and not too sweet taste to balance out the richness of the coffee, liqiour and mascaporne.

Very rich, indulgent and sinfully great of French creme brulee!

An adorable creme caramel custard or Spanish leche flan, which was amazingly. Overall; The service was both gracious and efficient, they kept our glasses filled and checked on us often to be sure that our table is clean. The food was really good better than Little Italy and definitely worthwhile to visit.

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Papa Mio
No. 24, Chunzhong St, Xi District, Taichung City
台中市存中街24號電話
Tel No: 04-2376-8434
Website:
http://www.papamio.com.tw/

Jamie Oliver Fifteen Restaurant in London

Back in London we were in Fifteen restaurant for lunch, just last July 12 and I booked on the top table before coming in the UK for a family summer vacation. We thought it would be a treat to go to Fifteen. Me and my daughter were a big fan of Jamie and I loved his simplicity and humble cooking style. I have been curious to try about his food and so we arrived in Fifteen and the building it looks rustic gives it slightly more upscale atmosphere.

Upon entering the first floor we wait for a few minutes in a bar lounge. Then a receptionist sends us downstairs we're led to our seats. The restaurant, which was almost empty when we arrived, was just about completely filled up with foodie and well-heeled fashionistas. Our waiter he was wonderful! the interior can best be described as retro/modern and understated. A perfect combination for a place that serves simply prepared clean food. The menu is Italian fare and changes daily.

After placing our order, we're presented with this rosemary foccacia with olive oil to dunk it in.

Our starters arrived was a 'Panzanella" a Tuscan bread salad with isle of wight tomatoes, basil and fontodi estate olive oil. It was tangy-sweet-cidery-citrusy-crunchy, it sound interesting? It was truly a delicious antipasti.

Next we also had a hot smoked sea trout with radicchio, amalfi lemon, florence fennel, gherkin and horseradish aioli.

Just the right before our main course we were served with our selected drinks. My husband ordered the margarita cocktail garnished with thinly sliced of red chili on top gave it an extra spicy kick.

Kids and I went for the non alcoholic with these fresh fruit strawberry vanilla and sweet lemonade, both drinks were great.

As main courses, my son went for the linguine with roast cherry tomatoes, rope-grown mussels, capers amd air-dried mullet roe. I must say thanks Jamie for this dish. I've never seen my boy eating mussels and I thought it was a good start for him. The mussels were very fresh, he do love the flavour of the sauce that was used for this pasta dish, and linguine it cook al dente.

My husband had a roast house-salted pollock with Tuscan chick peas, rainbow chard and herby creme fraiche. Simply it was flaky-zingy-delicious!

I had a braised shoulder of cumbrian rare-breed pork with florence fennel, broad leaf spinach and tarragon sauce. The luscious pork, garnished with veggies. It was melt in your mouth, tender, unctuous and full flavoured meat savoury jus.

My daughter went for the ligthes potato gnocchi with isle of wight tomatoes, green olives, basil and ricotta salata. They were not exaggerating with this description. These creamy texture of gnocchi with sweet tomato, these were outstanding! She let me to try some, apparently it was perfectly cooked. I haven't had gnocchi like this. They were soft and creamy texture, perfect!

To finish with we ordered 4 desserts to share, they were gorgeous stuff and we all cleared our plates! First we had a amedei chocolate tart with guava sorbet and passion fruit sauce. Subtle and sweet and yummy.

Trio of ices with mixed berry coulis and citrus shortbread (presented a deconstructed model of sorbet) The sauce and the gelato are great, but the actual dessert itself is a fruit.

The grilled peaches with candied apple ice cream, raspberry sauce and toasted almonds. It was perfect blowingly simple with this warm peach and toasted bits of almond flakes had the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.

My favourite among this dessert is these basil pannacotta with balsamic strawberries and biscotti. It was perfect complex and the strawberries pairing silky pannacotta. Infused with thick sweet balsamic vinegar sauce, absolutely delicious. Overall, Jamie Oliver ability is up to the standard of his predecessors a combination of talent in the kitchen, an excellent selection. The staff was attentive and very professional. The atmosphere was great though not magical because we were seated in the basement is not a good idea specially on summer. The food is very good, I can say it was solid, and Jamie Oliver's concept is really quite awesome.

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Fifteen London
15 Westland Place
City of London N1 7LP, United Kingdom
Website:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/fifteen-london/