Breakfast in America, 4 rue Malher, 75004 Paris. France.

I know this post feels totally wrong. We travel to Paris and the first thing we do is find an American diner for breakfast. In my defence, the French are amazing cooks and I love French food apart from their breakfasts. To me the Americans serve the best breakfasts in the world.
Interestingly, Breakfast in America has been making waves in Paris for a while. You really could be in any diner in the US. The staff are mostly American students living and working in Paris so you get a little authenticity thrown in.

We arrived an grabbed a booth. The menu is every part an American breakfast. No French twists. No croissants. Even the coffee is good old drip filter that they refill for free.
We decided on eggs, bacon and pancakes and the ham and eggs. We had to get some home fries on the side.

It was every bit as good as I imagined it would be. Hot and fresh it was the perfect way to start the morning. Everything was cooked to perfection. You could argue how could you go wrong? Trust me when I say you can. The pancakes were my favourite. Light and fluffy, with maple syrup they hit the spot.

I really liked Breakfast in America. It was fun and friendly. Our breakfast was good and not very expensive. Two thumbs up. Go check it out.

The website:
http://www.breakfast-in-america.com

The details:
4, rue Malher
75004 Paris, France (map)
Métro: St Paul
Tel: 01 42 72 40 21

Le Timbre, 3 Rue Sainte Beuve, 75006 Paris. France.

Dinner at Le Timbre. One of our favourite restaurants in Paris. We haven’t been to Le Timbre in years. It was always a special place, a hidden gem in the backstreets of Paris. A tiny little place, hence the name. A small and perfectly formed menu cooked by the chef and owner with one waitress. With the kitchen in the restaurant it’s beautifully informal.

A word of warning, if you hate intimate then forget Le Timbre. You’re literally cheek to jowl with your neighbours. It’s that tight. There is room for 24 diners in total. Max.

We booked a table well in advance and turned up on time. We were seated towards the kitchen. Service is a little haphazard with there being just the one waitress. You don’t quite get her full attention. We had to wait for a while before ordering an aperitif and then again to get the menu. The menu is chalked up onto a board and so you have to wait whilst it does the rounds and the single waitress serves food to other tables and clears empty dishes, and takes orders, and deals with the chef, and and and.

The menu is simple. A choice of five or six starters, mains and puddings. All fresh and seasonal produce. And this is what Le Timbre is based on.

The menu reads well. There was also a specials board. We decided on the terrine de campagne and croustillant de pieu de cochon followed by the cod and magret de canard.

Bread rocked up and was completely delicious. What is it about the bread in France??! First up the terrine de campagne. This came with a pastry case. Unusual but delicious. I really enjoyed this twist on the standard ‘pate’. Packed full of flavour this entree did not disappoint. The croustillant was a fine pastry parcel filled with pork and served hot on puy lentils. Interesting. Again something new to try. It was tasty but perhaps not quite what we were expecting.

Next up the plats. The magret de canard, a classic and one of my favs. The duck itself was OK. A large breast served pink. The skin was crisp, but it wasn’t the magaret de canard I was expecting. Served with “choucroute” (saurkraut) of turnip it felt it was lacking something. Perhaps it needed a carb, maybe some mash, to ground the dish and hold it together? The saurkraut was not really my cup of tea. The cod looked good but really it was a plain fillet of cod pan fried on celeriac mash. We cook this at home during the week for supper. It wasn’t very exciting. When you eat out, especially in Paris, you want a little drama and excitement.

Pudding had to be the millefeuille, Le Timbre’s signature dessert. With crisp pastry and a creamy creme patisserie it was delicious and did not fail to deliver. Two thumbs up.

We ordered coffee and waited. And waited. And waited. This was table turning time. So rather than concentrate on the customers already in the restaurant they were too busy turning tables for the new set of customers waiting outside. This didn’t happen on our last visit / visits. This upset me. I hate bad service and hate feeling forgotten. What about us?? The waitress was too busy trying to reset tables and take orders. We cancelled the coffee and asked for the bill.

The bill came in at 81 Euros. I’m still not sure what to make of this versus the quality of the food and service.

So what do we think? I think Paris is a city full of amazing restaurants. We’ve been to Le Timbre three times now and I think we’ll leave it at that. I love the informality and that it’s a cosy place. Perhaps I was too wrapped up in the romance of our first visits. I really want good food and good service. The food was OK and so was the service. But 81 Euros worth? Sorry Le Timbre. Turning tables has turned me off this time.

The website:
http://www.restaurantletimbre.com

The details:
Le Timbre
3 Rue Sainte Beuve
75006 Paris
France
T: 0033 1 45 49 10 40

Rockfish, 8 South Embankment, Dartmouth, Devon, TQ6 9BH. England.

On our last night in Dartmouth we went down to Rockfish for dinner. Rockfish is essentially an upmarket fish and chip shop with a wide range of seafood. We hadn’t booked a table and unsurprisingly it was full to bursting. We left our name on the door and were told to come back in 30 minutes or so.

The restaurant is cute with bags of character. Right on the harbour front it couldn’t be in a better position. The staff are friendly, but busy. This place is seriously rammed and seriously busy. It’s a family restaurant so set up for kids and adults alike.

The menu reads well with lots of choice. It even caters for non-fish eaters and vegetarians. It has all the classics plus specials of the day. At last, a restaurant in Dartmouth actually serving seafood.

We decided to start with the whitebait and baccala followed by the scampi and breaded plaice.

First up the whitebait. It was good whitebait. Served with brown bread and butter and tartare sauce. They don’t use plates at Rockfish but metal baskets lined with branded chip shop paper which is a cute touch. The baccala was also very good. Everything tasted fresh and homemade.

The breaded plaice was very nice. It’s great they give you the option of breaded or battered. A nice fillet, gently fried and served with decent chips, tartare sauce and mushy peas. The scampi was well, scampi. A nice serving, hearty and tasty.
Our mains were nice. Are these the best fish and chips? We’ve had better in London and also at Rick Steins in Cornwall, but they weren’t bad and we had a decent dinner (finally) in Dartmouth.

After our mains things started to go down hill a little on the service front. Lots of tables paying and leaving at once. The thing that always frustrates me is when they clear the empty tables whilst leaving diners with dirty plates to wait. Why? It makes no sense at all. And this is what happened. We had to call someone over to remove our main course dishes and then again for the dessert menu and again to order dessert. I know staff are keen to wrap up and leave but you’ll do that much faster if you serve the customers you have.

Pudding, by the way, was a scoop of ice cream with a choice of toppings. Great that you could order just one scoop of ice cream, normally that’s all you need.

Dinner came in at £36 which was good value for the quality of the food we were served. This isn’t fine dining and it’s not slumming it either. If you want to make an evening of it this is not the place to be. It’s good honest fish and chips and that’s that.

The website:
http://www.rockfishdevon.co.uk/

The details:
Rockfish
8 South Embankment
Dartmouth
Devon
TQ6 9BH
enquiries@rockfishdevon.co.uk
01803 832800

Europa, Amagertorv 1, 1160 Kobenhavn K, Denmark.

Lunch at Europa in Copenhagen. Off one of the main shopping streets this is a smart oasis away from the hustle and bustle of weekend shoppers. Europa is a smart joint with a nice outside terrace for those hot sunny days, or those wanting a cheeky fag.

There is no need to book and we strolled in around 1pm. The place was busy. We managed to find a table in the corner and our friendly waitress brought over the menus. There is a brunch menu and then a range of open sandwiches. This is a cafe after all. We decided on three small open sandwiches and the chicken and avocado served on rye bread.

As you’ll see from the pictures the sandwiches are pretty special. And far from small. This is a lunch time snack with a difference. The three open sandwiches were very good. They looked good and were super fresh. A delight from start to finish. The chicken and avocado was also very good. A more than generous serving. Lovely and hot and very tasty. The rye bread with nuts really quite tasty. And the small roast new potatoes were to die for.

Europa isn’t the cheapest, but this is Copenhagen so everything carries a hefty price tag. It was very good though and the place is clean and modern and the staff friendly.

Check it out, even for a coffee.

The website:

http://europa1989.dk/en

The details:
Amagertorv 1
1160 Kobenhavn K
T: +45 33 14 28 89
info@europa1989.dk

Dartmouth Apprentice, St Barnabas Church, Newcomen Road, Dartmouth, Devon, TQ6 9BN. England.

Dinner at Dartmouth Apprentice. An interesting concept… a charity set up to train and educate the unemployed and give them a start in the catering industry. Sounded good so we booked in.

The Dartmouth Apprentice is in a converted church in the heart of Dartmouth. The conversion has been very well done. It’s extremely sympathetic and the place feels loved and cared for.

We booked a table at 8pm and turned up bang on 8pm. They could do with a few signs to help people find their way. There are a few ways in and with a large mezzanine you’re not quite sure where to go.
We were shown to a table on the mezzanine area where there were already a few diners. We were given menus and left to look over the main menu and specials of the evening. The menus are a tad on the tatty side. It wouldn’t take much to spruce them up a little and make them feel more professional.
It’s hard to place The Darmouth Apprentice. We thought it was an Italian restaurant but actually the menu is eclectic with a wide choice. It certainly isn’t an Italian restaurant. The menu reads well and the specials also sounded good.

The wine list is a little disappointing with only one white and one red by the glass. Pinot Grigio. Not my favourite but we took the plunge.

It was hard to tell who was in charge in the restaurant. There seemed to be a lot of staff, we counted a least six, but no-one really seemed in control. And they all hovered towards the back of the restaurant rather than getting stuck in. Perhaps they were shy?
We were also disappointed by their lack of knowledge about the menu. We asked them to explain the game pie which they were unable to do. We wanted to know whether it was a suet pudding or puff pastry and what game exactly was inside. You’d think that the Head Chef and restaurant manager would take the time to walk through the menu to make sure everyone was fully prepped.

We decided to start with the smoked duck salad and foie gras terrine with rye bread followed by the sea bass and roast pork.

First up the smoked duck salad. Actually this looked good and tasted great. A nice piece of duck. We perhaps think bought in rather than freshly prepared, but hey, it was an OK starter. The foie gras terrine was also good although not served with rye bread but regular toast.

Onto the main course. The sea bass was perfectly satisfactory, well cooked and served with good sides. The roast pork was actually very good and I really enjoyed this dish. With creamed potatoes and a red onion tart it was very tasty and a real pleasure to eat. The pork was well cooked and beautifully tender. The crackling was bang on.

We lept at the tiramisu for pudding. Damn this was good. Nice and light it was the perfect way to finish the meal.

Service was a tad shaky throughout the meal. There were plenty of staff but we often sat with dirty plates waiting for someone to come over. It was the same with the other tables. The restaurant was busy but certainly not heaving.

The bill came in at £55 which was good. We left a nice tip even though we sat with our card on the bill for what seemed like an eternity, in the end taking it up to the back of the restaurant for someone to take payment.

All in all I didn’t mind The Dartmouth Apprentice. It was an OK experience. It’s great that it’s a charity but I think they could do with taking a step back and re-working how they train their staff. Having worked in a French restaurant for seven years you need a strong restaurant manager who can teach you and guide you through service. The staff needed to be more present and really get into the food and the offering so that they are 110% comfortable and confident with what they’re serving.

The website:
http://www.dartmouthapprentice.com

The details:
Darmouth Apprentice
St Barnabas Church
Newcomen Road
Dartmouth
Devon
TQ6 9BN

Mash, Bredgade 20, 1260 Kobenhaven K. Denmark.

On our second night in Copenhagen we booked into Mash steak restaurant, located near to the palace in a nice part of town. Mash is on its way to London. They’re currently fitting out its London home on Brewer Street in Soho.

Mash is slick. They have spent a lot of money creating an amazing restaurant experience. Inside Mash there is a nice bar and seating area but it’s the restaurant that blows you away. Row upon row of beautiful red banquette booths. They have booths for two, four and six. I love a banquette booth. You feel cocooned in your own little world. It’s a special place to be and Mash over deliver on this.

We booked a table for 8.30pm and arrived on time. The staff are super friendly, super polite and super professional. This is a slick slick slick operation.

We were shown through to our banquet and handed menus. As you can imagine, steak features heavily. Lots of different types to choose from and from different parts of the world as well.

After much consideration we decided to skip starters and plunge head first into the meat with one dry aged fillet steak and the pighvar, or turbot to you and me. To accompany the dishes we ordered chips and sweetcorn with bacon. Oh and a nice glass of red!

The food arrived in good time. Not a hurried service which is good. And even though we didn’t have a starter fresh bread and butter came to the table which was very nice.

Our steak and turbot arrived and looked good. Very good in fact. Take a look at the pictures. A good piece of turbot, expertly cooked. A solid fish with plenty of flavour and still deliciously succulent. The steak was amazing. AMAZING. Served pink it was everything it had promised to be. Rich and succulent with the most amazing flavour and taste. Heaven. Heaven on a plate. Actually heaven in a steak.
The chips were brilliant. Double cooked so crisp as hell. The sweetcorn and bacon a nice side dish.

After all that meat you’d think we’d be full. Well we were but fancied something sweet to finish the meal. Pancakes, a must in Denmark and a raspberry sorbet. Both nice puds. Not massive, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Just the right amount of sweet to round off the meal and our evening at Mash.

The bill came in at 835 DKK. Expensive, yes. Danish, yes. Worth it, yes.

Forget Gaucho and Hawksmoor (which I happen to both love.) This is a new steak experience and it’s going to go down very well in London town. And if you happen to be in Copenhagen looking for a good steak then definitely check Mash out.

The website:
http://www.mashsteak.dk

The details:
Mash
Bredgade 20
1260 Kobenhaven k
Denmark

Det Lille Apotek, St.Kannikestrade 15, 1169 Kobenhaven K. Denmark.

Our first night in Copenhagen and dinner in a traditional Danish restaurant. What to expect? Det Lille Apotek, literally translated into The Little Chemist, is in the heart of the city just off the main shopping street. It’s a cute looking restaurant and one which you might just walk by. Don’t!

We booked a table and arrived to find the place busy and buzzing. It’s not your young fashionable crowd, but really is frequented by older locals. Not a bad thing at all.

The decor is interesting. It’s old and a little rustic. Don’t let this put you off. On the other hand it’s cosy and I can imagine being curled up in Det Lille Apotek on a winters evening with the snow quickly building around the windows. This place will certainly warm you up.

The staff are polite and friendly. They all speak English which is a plus given our Danish was limited. They’re a busy bunch but you can always get their attention.

The menu is simple. A handful of starters and main course dishes. There is a monthly set menu and they let you mix and match between the two which is great. There is also a small, but sufficient wine list.

We were shown through to a table in the second dining space. We had plenty of room and the table was plenty big enough. Our room was also full so lots of people to give the place atmosphere. They like their old tunes… plenty of soft rock and some 50′s classics. Actually I quite liked the music and it added to the atmosphere and overall experience.

After much consideration we decided to start with the grilled goats cheese salad and ‘fish bomb’, followed by the house roast pork and the pork schnitzel. We also ordered some tap water and a glass of wine.
I have to say, the house wine was delicious. So often you get a glass of paint stripper! This was the opposite and very very nice. Also the bread and butter were very good.

The starters arrived and looked good in that slightly rustic way. This is not fine dining so expect something a little more homemade. The goats cheese was beautifully grilled, nice and warm. A generous sized starter it hit the spot. The ‘fish bomb’ was a selection of raw fish fashioned into a dome like shape. It was really rather tasty and very good.

Next up the main course dishes and I have to say the absolute highlight of the meal and our evening. Firstly the roast pork. Served on a huge silver platter this was no ordinary roast pork, oh no! Three huge slices of tender, succulent roast pork with the best crackling I’ve ever tasted served with beautiful red cabbage, potatoes and a wonderful sauce. Out of this world. Literally the best roast pork I’ve ever had. Just so tender. And a huge serving for one! The pork schnitzel was also very very good. A huge piece of pork that was tender and succulent and just tasted amazing. Two huge portions, amazing value for money.

We were so full that we couldn’t fit in a pudding. But we did have a coffee and enjoyed the music for a little longer.

The bill came in at around 547 DSK / 78 Euros. Denmark is expensive wherever you eat, so this in comparison was actually good value.

We enjoyed Det Lille Apotek so much that we actually went back for lunch a few days later. This is an amazing little restaurant in the heart of Copenhagen and if you’re in town please do go and check it out. It’s comfort food and comforting. It’s always going to be one of those special little places for me. Two very enthusiastic and happy thumbs up.

The website:
http://www.detlilleapotek.dk

The details:
Det Lille Apotek
St.Kannikestrade 15
1169 Kobenhaven K
Denmark