Silk Road travel blog<\/a> for more information.)<\/p>\nMongolia:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nRestaurant<\/strong>: \u00a0Silk Road Bar & Grill<\/span>\u00a0(Jamiyan Guunii Gudamj, Ulaanbaatar) — oh thank you Lonely Planet for the recommendation! \u00a0We almost didn’t try this place as it sounded “touristy”. \u00a0But, as we passed by we noticed that lots of locals were eating there. \u00a0And, we were tired and hungry and decided to ‘have a go’ . . . \u00a0wise decision as the grilled lamb was soooooo lovely. \u00a0(We even tried to reverse engineer the marinade once we got home!)<\/p>\nScotland:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nWhere to Eat:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Chez Fleming\u00a0<\/span>(Laggan) – Private kitchen. \u00a0Reservations are nearly impossible — unless you know the owners. \u00a0I’ve never had a meal that I didn’t like and I always look forward to my next time there.<\/li>\n
- The Cross at Kingussie\u00a0<\/span>(Tweed Mill Brae, Ardbroilach Road) — if you can’t get in to Chez Fleming, then this is the next best thing. \u00a0But, don’t be disappointed about Chez Fleming because the food here is very accomplished and the service is\u00a0impeccable. \u00a0 In fact, I would say that the quality and execution at The Cross is better than some of the “top restaurants” in London. \u00a0Every dish we had was beautifully executed and wonderfully flavoured. \u00a0And it was also very reasonably priced. \u00a0We ordered from the fixed menu (at GBP 55\/person) and were wonderfully surprised by how much we got. \u00a0The amuse bouches<\/em>\u00a0were delightful and the freshly baked bread was sensational. \u00a0Friends recommended this establishment to us and we are so very grateful because The Cross is\u00a0now \u00a0on our must-visit list every time we’re in Scotland.<\/li>\n
- The Potting Shed\u00a0<\/span>(Inshriach Nursery, Aviemore) — for cakes and coffee\/tea. \u00a0A gem of a place to stop off and have home baked cakes. \u00a0I particularly love their setup — if you are lucky and can snag a seat along the\u00a0viewing platform, then you will have a glorious view of the plethora of birds (and squirrels) going bonkers over the multiple bird feeders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Spain:<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nWhere to Eat in Barcelona<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Elysa Y Fred<\/span>\u00a0(Carrer del Rec Comtal 11) – we were tired and hungry and could not find a nice ‘non-touristy’ place to eat. \u00a0So, when we stumbled upon this modern and well presented restaurant, we were so happy to get a seat at the bar for a drink and light tapas. \u00a0The grilled squid was exceptional. \u00a0In fact, it was so good that we did a repeat visit later that week and enjoyed it the second time around. We normally don’t like repeating places, but, for our last meal in Barca, we had\u00a0dinner and we were not disappointed. \u00a0The salted cod checks with black rice was a wonderful (new) food sensation.<\/li>\n
- Carmelitas<\/span>\u00a0(Calle Carme 42) – very modern establishment that would not look out of place in Manhattan. \u00a0But it is also a very local Barca establishment — as demonstrated by the clear absence of tourists. \u00a0The standout dishes were: the\u00a0burrata salad; smokey grilled beetroot salad with spicy yogurt; and veal with ‘cuttlefish noodles’.<\/li>\n
- Le Bouchon<\/span>\u00a0(Mercer Hotel, Calle dels Lledo 7) – we did not know that this establishment was connected with the hotel until we were seated. \u00a0But once at our table, our regrets quickly evaporated. \u00a0Very good tapas and service. \u00a0The most memorable dish was ‘baby sardines on filo pastry with caramelised onions and whipped cream’ \u2026.. \u00a0it was a stunner of a dish!<\/li>\n
- Bodega La Punctual<\/span> (Carrer Montcada 22) – after visiting the Picasso Museum, Bruce and I were ready for lunch but we were weary about eating so close to the museum (i.e. tourist traps!). \u00a0As we were leaving the area, Bruce noted that this establishment was full of ‘older Spanish men drinking wine’ and he concluded that there is a high probability of this being a decent place to eat given that it was frequented by the locals. \u00a0 He was wrong — it was not a decent place; it was a great place. \u00a0Of all the fabulous dishes we had, I particularly enjoyed the grilled octopus.<\/li>\n
- Caelum<\/span>\u00a0(Calle de la Palla)- a special mention is warranted about this establishment. Needless to say it is a fantastic cake shop. \u00a0But, they also do good coffee and cheesy\/marmalady morning toasts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"copyrightIMG_3592\"](\"https:\/\/le-mckernan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/copyrightIMG_3592-300x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Where to Eat in\u00a0Madrid<\/span>:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- TriCiclo<\/span>\u00a0(C\/ Santa Maria, 28) – the food is simply outstanding. \u00a0In fact, it was so good that we became repeat offenders and eat at this wonderful establishments multiple times during our 5 days trip to Madrid. \u00a0Reservations required — and is difficult to get. \u00a0HOWEVER, if you arrive when the restaurant opens (8PM) then you stand a very good chance of nabbing a table at the front of the restaurant. \u00a0(This is how we managed to get in on multiple occasions.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Where to Eat in Sevilla<\/span>:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- El Rinconcillo<\/span>\u00a0(Calle Gerona 40) – as mentioned in my blog, we’d accidentally stumbled upon this place and loved it so much that we made it our local tavern during our week in Sevilla. \u00a0We did not eat at the restaurant, but instead had tapas and wine at the bar. \u00a0On our last night, we treated ourselves to the homemade flan and it was the best flan I’ve ever had.<\/li>\n
- Restaurante Contenedor<\/span>\u00a0(San Luis 50) – the restaurant is famous for slow cooking and for serving local produce. \u00a0As such, it is very popular and reservations are absolutely necessary. \u00a0While we were there, we saw the hostess\/manager turn away multiple\u00a0walk-in customers who were attracted to the lively and charming buzz that this restaurant oozes. \u00a0Warning: \u00a0the dessert portions are huge!<\/li>\n
- \u00a0La Mata 24<\/span>\u00a0(Calle\u00a0Mata 24,<\/span>\u00a0Alameda de Hercules) – a good alternative to Restaurante Contenedor (if you can’t get booking) but be advised that this one gets busy as well. \u00a0We did a walk-in at 8PM and to our happy surprise, we got a table but within 30 minutes the place was packed with locals. \u00a0Fresh and modern dishes. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Where to Eat in\u00a0Granada<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Los Diamantes<\/span> (Plaza Nueva – across from the taxi ranks) — let’s be honest here. \u00a0This establishment reeks of “tourist trap” as it is bang-center in the most touristy plaza in Granada. \u00a0But yet upcoming closer inspection, it is almost always full of locals. \u00a0The reason for this is that Los Diamantes is a rare gem: \u00a0very very good tapas, good service and all at an affordable price. \u00a0Highly recommend — and don’t let the crowds deter you. \u00a0(Alternatively, go at a “quiet time” which is generally at 5PM.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Where to Eat in Cordoba<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Mercado de la Corredera, Puesto (Stall) 21<\/span>\u00a0(Plaza Corredera) – the trick to finding this place is to ignore the\u00a0outdoor seating plaza and head inside the markets. \u00a0Once indoor, find Stall 21 which is located in the furtherest righthand corner. \u00a0Then grab a seat or a stand if you see something available (because this place gets really busy — especially during the weekend and during a bank holiday) and then send your partner to the adjacent markets to buy fresh produce which the chef at this stall will cook for you. \u00a0The principle is simple: \u00a0you source the food you want to eat and you tell the chef how you want it cooked (fried, grilled, steamed, boiled or baked) and he’ll produce a simple but wonderful dish for you (EUR 3 for a large plate). \u00a0And this stall sells wine and beer as well. \u00a0Perfecto!!!<\/li>\n
- Amarre<\/span>\u00a0(Calle Ronda de Isasa 10) – located near the Mezquita and along the river, this establishment was the perfect place to place our feet up and have a cold beer. \u00a0Whilst there, we saw the staff bring out beautiful plates of food so we decided to have a bite as well; we were pleasantly surprised by the quality and freshness of the food. The standout dish was the tuna tartar on a bed of avocados accompanied by a wonderful balsamic vinegar.<\/li>\n
- fusion by sojo<\/span> (Paseo de la Ribera) – a great place for breakfast. \u00a0Great location.<\/li>\n
- Taberna Los Berengueles<\/span> (de Torres Cabrera 7) – as we passed by this restaurants several nights prior, it was full of locals which piqued our interest. \u00a0One night we found ourselves back in this area and although we had no reservations, we decided to try our luck getting in. \u00a0We were indeed lucky as we managed to secure a table in the lovely courtyard. \u00a0Very soon thereafter the dinner crowd arrived and the place was buzzing. \u00a0The atmosphere was wonderful and relaxed (I loved the orange blossom scents wafting around the courtyard) and the food was good (the starters were exceptional — in particular, the pate platter and the white asparagus salad; the main course, however, was somewhat pedestrian). \u00a0Although this restaurant has room for improvements, I cannot fault this place for its honest approach to food and for the friendliness of the staff.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Sri Lanka: <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nHotel<\/strong>: \u00a0 The Wallawwa<\/span> (www.thewallawwa.com), Colombo<\/p>\n\n- PROs: a luxurious haven (could be mistaken as a “W Hotel”) and a great launch pad to\/from the airport; fantastic food! \u00a0Recommend that you arrange airport transfer with the hotel.<\/li>\n
- CONs: \u00a0expensive. \u00a0And bring a surge protector if you plan to charge your expensive electronics. \u00a0(Our surge protector did its job properly and protected my laptop from being fried.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Hotel<\/strong>: The Summerville Bungalow <\/span>(The Ceylon Tea Trails)<\/p>\n\n- PROs: \u00a0fantastic and idyllic location, private chef and butler service, heavenly service. \u00a0(Plus: \u00a0chef baked a beautiful chocolate cake for Bruce’s birthday).<\/li>\n
- CONs: \u00a0expensive<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Driver<\/strong>: \u00a0Tropical Transport<\/span> ( tropicaltrans@sltnet.lk )<\/p>\n\n- Contact:\u00a0Lesly David<\/li>\n
- PROs: reliable, good quality car, no malarky. \u00a0Would happily use this company again as a private taxi.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Turkey:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nHotel<\/strong>: Sultanahmet Palace Hotel<\/span><\/span>\u00a0(www.sultanahmetpalace.com) in Istanbul<\/p>\n\n- PROs: \u00a0fantastic location (get the room with the view of the Blue Mosque), friendly service, good food.<\/li>\n
- CONs: \u00a0not sure any . . . \u00a0 at the end of the day, this is our hotel in Istanbul. \u00a0First discovered this place in 2000 and have been returning to it ever since!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cocktails<\/strong>:<\/p>\n
![\"from](\"https:\/\/le-mckernan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Hotel-Lou-Cardil.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/le-mckernan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Roast-Duck.jpg\")
<\/a>