Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Richforest Sun Moon Lake

Its been in a while since my last reviews. I know it's not the most appropriate to judge a place based solely a dine out. But I just can't get over how disappointing experience at RichForest Hotel just last Lunar Year.
The hotel looks nice in chalet or Westerners style building was lovely, being built of wood. The hotel has an outstanding location and situated in a beautiful location overlooking the lake.
When it comes to food we're very selected, they have many options to choose from. We though for the price of NT$3,200 set menu it was one of their best dishes serving for 4 people. At first we were serving the salad platter. The dish was very well presented, it had a ham and seafood with vegetables that served as the bottom layer.
Clay pot rice with Cantonese sausage is one of my favorite on that day.
Slow pork belly with steamed bun serve with preserved vegetable and peanut powder. These Asian style sliders are meant to be devoured.
Roll steamed fish serve with tofu and sweet bell pepper.
Stir-fry fresh mustard green with shredded scallop.
Pork spare ribs serve with broccoli.
Fried small shrimps in garlic and chili.
For the finale, we had a chicken soup with pork intestine and dates... I did not try this soup. I'm scared eating a black chicken, it looks so greasy and oily. Overall the food it wasn't delicious but the view from the restaurant it was breathtaking.
***
The Richforest Sun Moon Lake
No.31 Shueisiou St.Yuchih Township, Sun-moon Lake, Nantou Country 555, Taiwan.
南投縣魚池鄉日月村水秀街31號
Contact NO. 886-49-2850000
Website:
http://www.smlclub.com.tw/index.asp

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Spread Eagle Oxford Street London

After a long day of shopping in Debenhams and House of Fraser for my kitchen tools and just about a few hours were leaving London. We decided to go for a typical very British food, and we found a small corner pub called the Spread Eagle is typical British pub plush and comfortable restaurant.
When you enter Spread Eagle you immediately feel quite cozy. They even have a cozy bar area and inside is the dining area with a fireplace to relax. Besides people-watching t.v, there's plenty to keep you entertained, they even have pachinko game machine inside. Here you can find everything about the good food eaten in Britain.
We decide on starter and go for the prawn cocktail was a king prawn on cos lettuce with seafood sauce and slices of malted bloomer bread, scrumptious for appetizer.
For mains, we had a roast of the day, It was basically roasted meat with all the trimmings, served with roast mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy is probably the meal in England is most famous for. The meat it was pork, I prefer beef like the one I have beside the red lion near Parliament. But I wasn't disappointed, as the Yorkshire pudding itself is little different from plain bread, all covered with gravy!  Yummy.
We ordered the cod father 'fish & chips' it came in huge portions. The cod was good, still fresh but somehow was not crispy enough. The homemade tartar sauce was the saving grace.
I craved for meat pie, sometimes you just need a pie, and I couldn't resist not try the Steak & Ale Pie which was a tender of steak with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and a jug of gravy. The pie was filled with lovely bits of beef and and top crust was flaky-crunchy not greasy. This was yummy and comfort food and best it's a hot piping and rich and flavourful gravy.
We ordered the beef steak for my boy, we request to the staff it had to be cooked in meduim rare. I was anxious that it will be done the same way they cook in Bistro Pierre. The steak it was lovely, tender, juicy and well seasoned.
As for the dessert we had the Brambley Apple Pie and Chocolate Fudge Cake . This is the most wonderful chocolate fudge cake we ever had. It served hot-super moist like a cloud butter cake with a scoop of ice cream, I wouldn’t mind another one of these right now!
The bramley apple pie is like biting into a crunchy layer of light pie crust with warm melted cream sauce and the inside is moist hot bursting apples.
We got some non traditional British beverage to end off the meal.. Overall the food is exceptional was also of a good portion were large, dessert case was tempting. The service it was pretty quick when it came our orders, and nice to chill-out for the pub lover.
 ***
Spread Eagle
349 Oxford Street, London United Kingdom

The Terrace Bar Harrod's London

We had the pleasure of visiting Harrods I was just blown away, Harrod's has opened a branch in Taiwan as we have nothing like this in Taipei or in other major cities in Taiwan. We had a lot of computers, ipod, solar cell or advanced hi-technology but we don't have like this (Harrods) here, that you can find-buy anything as in everything or you can get what you want or not want at the time in one place. They also have many laptop computers, mobile phones are made in Taiwan. Quite frankly, the food hall is amazing. But the interior of the department store is,,,,,, for me Taipei 101 is much more elegance and well organized inside. We don't shop that much in Harrod's as we done it already in Paris. Just bought something as a gifts back home and some good stuff for my kids. Then we arranged a special afternoon tea at Georgian Restaurant before watching the night show of Phantom of the Opera.
The ambiance and decor created a really intimate vibe that will definitely leave the guests amazed of how glamour and style, classy sipping on tea can be, is where the aristocracy used to dine.
Upon the time we make reservation, the staff she so kindly to suggest and recommend to us that we were seated at the Terrace Bar. Where most British people spent their tea outside or patio's is the way to enjoy a truly traditional afternoon tea experience.
Of course, being afternoon tea, the first thing that came is this oozing bubbling glass of champagne for me and for my husband and cheers for us, that we made our journey in Paris and London by ourselves without any tour guide. The champagne was great, but were not really a champagne lovers. I prefer sweet ice wine. The taste of champagne described as mingled with refreshing I love the fragrance. However if you let it taste on your tongue for too long it gets a litter bitter.
Shortly after the champagne flute, the platter of sandwiches and assortment of sweets came in 3 tier presentation. Everything looked delicious and pretty, and this is a platter for 4 people.
So how was the food, let's do it layer by layer. First layer, Harrod's freshly made sandwiches which was a food finger sandwiches: Goat's cheese mousse on pumpernickel, ham and pickle sandwich, smoked salmon-spinach and cream cheese wrap, cucumber dill and yogurt shooter, coronation chicken sandwich were good but not spectacular. We found it disappointing relative to the other Afternoon Teas we have experienced in Taiwan. The cucumber dill and yogurt shooter it taste like grass!
Second layer, the home-baked English scones served with clotted cream, Harrod's rose petal jelly and strawberry preserves. I love how the scones were still warm when served. The clotted cream and jam it's was perfect with the scones.
Third or top layer is the selection of tea pastries from the Harrod's Patisserie: We had fresh fruit tart, green apple macaroon, afternoon tea fruit cake, chocolate delice slice, raspberry fragipan etc. The fruit tart shell was very hard, macaroon was delicious, fruit cake was overly sweet but were good too. The chocolate delice slice was absolutely sweet heaven.
Back to the tea, the desserts, scones and sandwiches are missed without steaming tea pots. There were four of us so we got to choose tea flavors. The first thing that came is the tea, I chose blackcurrant and hibiscus tea.
For my husband and kids they chose a kind of tea that can add sugar and milk. A steaming silver pot of afternoon special- a combine medium elevations teas from pristine Dimbula region in Sri Lanka. Georgian blend tea- combine darjeeling, assam and chinese tea for its fragrance. Earl grey tea-lightly scented with oil bergamot. This is the real deal milk tea lovers, we’re not talking about the ordinary tea.
Accompanied by white and brown sugar cubes, a real authentic English style milk tea, not too sweet and not too bland. But probably not of the best milk teas we have had. Overall, I personally loved the experience, sitting there sipping a cup of hot tea and chatting with family for what we have done on this vacation. For the price £26 per person and £33 with champagne flute it was enjoyable tea time with them. The food it wasn't spectacular but delicious nevertheless, surroundings were beautiful, and the staff were so attentive. Highly recommend for Mother's Day or just a romantic tea party for you and your lover. We had a lovely time and plan on returning again in the UK but not very soon. I would definitely do it again, but will try a new restaurant.
***
Terrace Bar Harrod's London
87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge London,
United Kingdom
Website:
Harrod's Restaurant