Euro Travel & More

A friend who was heading up to Paris asked me where he should go eat – a must eat – in Paris and I recommended an outdoor cafe in Paris called the Au Petit Sud Quest – located at the  Avenue de la Bourdonnais.  If you can’t find your way there – check with your hotel concierge.   The prices range from $50 – $90 per person but it will be one of the best meal you’ve eaten anywhere.

What so special about this little outdoor cafe?  first you can sit indoors if you wished but I always choose to eat outside because of the beautiful scenery and all walks of people come by here.  The service is awesome and they have a very well stocked cellar in the cafe.  I loved the way they are so personable – while everyone says that in Paris – the french just don’t want to speak in other languages – but the owner of the cafe is very nice.  I speak very little french – but they were very kind to us. The best part was that they took time to explain to us about the dish and how it was cooked.  This place is about wine, duck and foie gras  and because I loved mushroom so much – they made a nice crepe with mushroom for me.  For dessert we had the creme brulee – what else!  so if you are headed out to Paris – check out this little cafe/restaurant.

Thought I should share this with you – don’t this look familiar to those living in Ontario? hahah!! yes ! those living in Ontario know that there is one like this at the  401 near Colborne Ontario!  The one in New Zealand is a cafe and an apple orchard.

Some girlfriends of mine from the West are planning a trip back home – they called it the Eat Your Way Through Asia Trip – From Hong Kong to Singapore – then to Malaysia and finally to Bangkok – yes ! all shopping and eating paradise.   They said they were going to try everything they see and even durian – the King Of Fruits and fried cockroaches – hehe!!  that I’ll have to see to believe.  The durian ain’t too bad – but nope I won’t try the cockroaches – if i were them.  But of course – there are so many things to eat and see in Asia – I don’t even know where to begin to be honest.  So I recommended a few things – for the MUST tries and also told them to get some best diet supplements when they get home from their holiday.  Why? because I put on 10Kg every time i go back home.  So here are the few I recommended, let me know if you have any suggestions too.

Crab in Yellow Curry at Harmonique – in Bangkok

Hainanese Chicken Rice in Singapore

Roasted pigeon in Hong Kong – Yung Kee

Grilled stingray in Malaysia.

These are only a few of the must try – so please eat more stuff while you are in Asia – Asia is definitely a food paradize.

I haven’t been back to Bali for so long, so you can understand why i feel kinda sad when the best friend sent this picture of her at Jimbaran eating grilled corn.  You see – we used to go there after work and sit and have a beer or two and eat really, really cheap food and corn.  The locals are awesome and you can find all kinds of food along the beach front and everywhere a long the roads.  Oh, did i also add that they are dirt cheap..?  The corn don’t come in their usual butter and salt that we expect but some kinda spicy and thick sauce – so be warned.   I eat so much when I was in Bali – i need a quick weight loss program when i got home Canada.

One would definitely need the best appetite suppressant when on transit in Hong Kong Airport.  One would think that some random food junction wouldn’t really have any great food.. but Food Junction is a chain store i heard.. therefore the standard of most of the food .. has gotta be up there.  So if you can’t wait to reach home to Malaysia.. or Singapore and on transit .. like i was..  in Hong Kong for like 3 hrs..  i ate my fill of chee cheong fun and some congee.  Nothing fantastic.. but pretty good.. after not having authentic chinese food for this long.

This is the famous Penang food street that they also called the Hawker Center there. Penang food is cheap and good.. it is not only one of its kind .. but at this hawker center.. you can find any kind of delicacies here. I haven’t been to Penang for alot of times.. but the times.. i was there.. you can be sure i would be visiting these Hawker.

Penang’s Fried Kway Teow is so famous .. that everyone knows this special sisters. with cooking hats.. who are said to be quite cocky. But there is a line up everytime i am there.. and it is a good half hour before i can get my fried kway teow.

Freshwater Beach, Sydney is in Harbord about 15 minutes over the Sydney Harbour Bridge next to Manly. The location is absolutely beautiful, more so than Balmoral Beach. The whole suburb feels like you are on a holiday up the Central Coast because of the laid back casual feel of this place.  If I could be there everyday, I won’t need the best wrinkle cream .  As of now.. i still have to use them.. hahahha!!  But it’s great to remininse.

It’s not summer yet in Sydney.. and still a bit chilly .. but as you can see . .the water is blue.. and the sun is out.  One can eat at the fine dining restaurant called Pilu or you can eat at the kiosk there.. whichever makes you feel good.

I had an awesome lunch at Pilu..  join me sometimes.

If you are wondering if there are people in Paris that goes to Starbucks.. since there are so many cafes and outdoor eating places in Paris and all the little streets that they have in Paris. I’ll have to let you know that Starbucks in Paris is no different than any Starbucks in the world, they are packed..! and service .. friendly in every Starbucks.. and some friendlier.

Unlike the smaller cafes in Paris, at Starbucks .. you just gotta love their huge armchairs .. and reading a book or whipping up your lappie and work on it.. makes one feels like they are doing something important.. even if you were a housewife catching up on news from home.

The menu up on top of the serving counter .. unlike the ones we have back home in Asia.. where they are written in chalk boards.. in different colors. Whatever you favored that day.. a mocha, a latte or an expresso .. or just a green tea… and a biscotti.. they are ready to serve you . with smiles.. and shouting out your name loud when your drinks are ready. Very americanish..!