Moscow Foodie Travel

Bosco Café, Red Square 3, and its more casual sibling, boast the only terraces on Red Square. They are located in the elegant Gum “High Fashion Center” (the word “mall” just doesn’t work here). The cuisine is mainly Italian with a few traditional Russian specialties, like borsht, thrown in the mix. An arugula salad is dress-it-yourself style, presented with a bottle of a high quality olive oil and one of balsamic vinegar. It hits the spot. Lasagne Bolognese is beautifully layered and tastes just like a grandmother in Emilia Romagna is at the helm in the kitchen. The tomato sauce fairs equally well, but this time

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St. Petersburg, Russia Foodie Travel

Save up some Rubles for your Russian visit. My basic thought on the price/ value scale in Russia is (unless you’re a local) you get what you pay for. In other words, a 20% increase in cost may reward you with a meal that is a 100% increase in quality and flavor.

It’s best if you try to forget your love of the grape while in Russia as wines are prohibitively expensive. They also prove to be a mixed bag quality-wise. The wines are imported from other countries, although on several occasions I drank a quite quite nice Russian sparkling wine (it’s a relative bargain too).

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Prague Foodie Travel

The view alone is enough to make Celeste Restaurant a “must-do”. It’s located in the Frank Gehry designed “Dancing House” or “Fred and Ginger” on the river at the intersection of Resslova.

I’m happy to report that the food is another reason to put this resto on the list.

Agnoletti stuffed with rabbit meat and liver are served in a mustard sauce with fava beans and the rabbit kidney. The organ meats are mild, and the the dish overall is extremely well-executed. Good to the last bite! Goat chops (which look like baby lamb chops) are

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Berlin Foodie Travel

Berlin is a vast sprawling city, but it’s easy to navigate with a good map and a metro day pass. The day pass is an economical €6, makes for easy hop on/hop off freedom and is available from the concierge at most hotels. Interestingly, many of the restaurants recommended in this blog are located in the former East Berlin, which seems to have risen from its oppressed state and blossomed into a vibrant, prosperous and tony area.

One of my favorite restaurants experiences in Germany is Weinstein Weinschenke, Lychener Strasse 33. It is a small wine-oriented restaurant with a helpful and knowledgeable proprietor. The wine list is a compilation of small producers from the local area. Wines are poured by the taste and by the glass which provides ample opportunity to experience the gamut, even a hearty red as the wine list jokes,

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Dresden Foodie Travel

Alte Meister in the Theaterplatz serves up a generous portion of rabbit and gnocchi. Although the flavors of roasted peppers and olives typically co-exist pleasantly, here they seem to compete.

The peppers overwhelm everything, especially the mild rabbit. Luckily, it’s possible to snag some bites that don’t come in contact with the peppers. The rabbit on its own is juicy and enjoyable and the atmosphere attached to the Zwinger Palace overlooking Theaterplatz is pleasant.

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Munich Foodie Travel

Dallmayr (Dienerstraße 14) Just off the plane and I know just where I am headed, to the old town for lunch at the beautiful Gastronomia Dallmayr. The downstairs shop tempts with all kinds of delicacies: both prepared foods and raw (even lobsters living in a bubbling fountain), cheeses, exquisite desserts and an interesting wine selection.

The upstairs café has a pleasant mix of locals camped out drinking coffee and reading newspapers and tourists in for a sight-seeing respite and some gourmet sustenance. I immediately eye the tagliatelle on my neighbor’s plate and decide it’s a must.

The sauce is lobster cream with a hint of roasted tomato and the abundant shrimp are roasted to concentrate their flavor and marry well with a glass of Grüner Veltliner. The sauce is perfectly seasoned and finished with just a kiss of dill- great for dipping the

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Barcelona Restaurants

My first stop is Barcelona on the Northeastern coast. It’s a great city filled with interesting architecture by Gaudí. After the nine hour flight a nap does sound pretty good but I wouldn’t want to sleep through a meal, so I’m off to the Boqueria Market, just off Las Ramblas.

The Boqueria is a feast for the senses- lots of fresh fish, tons of foie gras.

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