To be perfectly honest, while travelling the coast of Croatia from one end to the other, we didn’t really have a chance to experience any real Croatian food because we didn’t find any restaurants offering it. That’s not to say that there weren’t any restaurants, quite the contrary actually, but none that would offer something …
Category Archives: travel bits
Baluard Bakery – Barcelona
Located right across from the Barceloneta market in (surprise surprise) Barcelona, this amazing tahona (bakery) serves up incredible masterpieces made of flour, water, butter and love. The croissants served here are by far the most amazing I have ever had: they’re flaky and buttery to their saturation point. Since they bake at various intervals during the …
The desserts of Spain
Being completely obsessed with anything dessert, I took advantage of our European adventure to visit some pretty neat pastry shops in Spain and enjoy their traditional and not-so traditional treats. I can honestly say that given better ingredients, North American desserts would be on par with what I tried in many of these places. However, …
Crema Catalana
If I was to be banished on a deserted island and could only take one thing with me, it would be a lifetime supply of crema catalana (may not be the smartest choice but it’s definitely the tastiest). Crema catalana is like creme brulee done right, a lot more in the way of complex flavours …
Can Culleretes – Barcelona
One of the main reasons Notes on a Meal returns to Barcelona is the Can Culleretes Restaurant, located in the heart of the Gothic neighbourhood, lost somewhere among the alleyways. It is a magical spot, still decorated and running the same since it first opened its doors in 1786. It is not pretentious, not fancy, …
Pintxos in pictures
In order to end our pintxos chapter on a good note, here are some photos to drool over! Enjoy…
How to order pintxos
If you suddenly find yourself in the north of Spain and enter Basque territory unprepared, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find the process of ordering pintxos intimidating. To ease your stress, the Notes on a Meal crew has sacrificed it’s pride and consumed many tasty morsels in order to compile this list of tips and …
Pintxo basics
To put it simply, a pintxo is any snack served in the bars and restaurants of Northern Spain (the Basque region). They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, generally spiked by a toothpick or skewer (that’s what makes them different from tapas) and often on a slice of bread. They are served after …
Notes on a Meal goes to Europe
Hello to all our readers! The Notes on a Meal crew has finally returned to Toronto from a very epic European adventure and we’re full of ideas, posts and pictures. We’ve been quiet for the whole duration since eating and typing can get messy but we’re back and recharged. Over the course of the next …
The Symposium Cafe, Waterloo
I know we’re supposed to stick to the Toronto food base but this restaurant was so memorable that I had to put up a little post about it. Little did I know, before my Google research, that the Symposium Cafe is a chain of licensed cafes that spans from Mississauga to London (Ontario). Their website …
Tasty European Travels – Part 1
I know it sounds very silly to consider a place like the Amsterdam Airport a worthwhile point on our European culinary journey but it was definitely an eye opening experience. It was our first encounter with the food culture present on this continent and how different it is from what we’re used to in Canada. …
The Socialist Pig Coffeehouse, Gananoque
I know this little coffee shop is off the beaten path but if you find yourself in the 1000 island area, this is a cafe worth visiting. Located just across from the town hall in Gananoque (21 King St. East to be more precise) the cafe shares the main floor of a corner lot with …
Les Quinze Nits – Barcelona
There’s never been a restaurant more embedded in my memory as Les Quinze Nits in Plaza Real, Barcelona, Spain. More particularly, I remember every nuance of the dessert that I had there, the dessert that started my culinary passion. I even waited in line a second night in a row in order to experience that …
Food in Italy
Here are just a few of the many food pictures we’ve collected in and around Rome/Florence….. Enjoy
Pedestrian Physics
After trial by fire, and over a week immersed in Italian culture, I have learned a few things about pedestrian physics here in Italy. 1. Italians drive very well. They also drive very fast. Italians are very aware of their surroundings as they do not rely on/need/enjoy using traffic signage to regulate their vehicular movements. …