Review: Restaurant - La Tupina, Bordeaux

 

 

Bordeaux has no lack of fine restaurants and boasts of no less than four michelin starred restaurants (Le Pressoir d' Argent, Le Gabriel, Le Chapon Fin &  7ème Péché ) just in the centre ville alone.

Since we were in the mood for something casual, we decided on La Tupina - a casual dining bistro, which also comes highly recommended by Lonely Planet (Rated TOP Choice). We don't always rely on LP for food ideas; LP's suggestions can sometimes disappoint. On this occasion, LP did really well.  

 

A welcome sight - fresh produce of the day

The moment you enter the restaurant, your senses are engaged. Your eyes feast on the fresh produce of the day, laid out before you on the reecption table. You are at once embraced by the thick aroma of the soup stewing in the Tupina (kettle in Basque language), smell of chicken being roasted and beef grilled over the fire, behind the reception table.

  

The host himself is a major draw - at times he seems to be the only employee and the face of the restaurant. He answers the phone and checks the reservation book.  He turns around and checks on the soup that is stewing. He does another spin and checks on the chicken. His deft hands start slicing the grilled beef, before throwing them on the grills again.  



Small dish of saucisson, fresh vegetables
to munch

     

Our choice for today is the house aperitif (White Armagnac, white wine and creme de cassis),  pan fried cèpes (mushrooms)for starters. Based on the server's recommendation of traditional dishes with strong flavours,  the wife chooses the Pâté (pasta) with foie gras and cèpes sauce. After some deliberation, I choose the Black Pig (from the nearby mountains - Pyrenees).  

The  cèpes were wonderfully cooked; they were soft with a earthly flavour, sprinkled with the right amount of salt. The pasta is served in an small iron pot to keep it warm while you work on the initial serving. The sauce is extremely rich with strong and distinct tastes of both the foie gras and  cèpes. At first glance, the grilled Black Pig appears non-distinctive but I was quickly won over with the first bite. It is tender and succulent. The meat is as La Tupina describes on its website - remarkable, tasty and tender. The fat also adds to the taste - it melts in your mouth.

 

Pan fried  cèpes 

 

Foie Gras,  Cèpes Pate



 

Grilled Black Pig

We are new fans of La Tupina. Unfortunately, there was no time to linger in Bordeaux for a second meal, since we had already made advance hotel bookings in Saint Emilion and Dordogne. We are glad we found this place, we will be back... 


If you visit La Tupina, remember to try the Black Pig.

La Tupina 

Address: 6 Rue de la Porte de la Monnaie, 33800 Bordeaux, France

Tel: +33 5 56 91 56 37 

Website: http://www.latupina.com/



Review: Restaurant - Domaine de Lintillac, Paris



  

10 rue Saint Augustin



Our first meal on this trip in Paris is at Domaine de Lintillac, which is located on rue Saint Augustin and within walking distance from the Paris Opera. Its serves food, mostly canard (duck) and foie gras dishes, from the South-West region - Perigord.

Its menu lists easily 8 different variations of foie gras - pan fried, partly cooked foie gras marinated in Sauternes wine etc.  There is an online boutique store for you to order their products if you like the food.

   
Atmosphere
It is a warm and cosy dining experience, almost like dining in a small cave with ~15 tables packed closely together. There is a small little toaster on each table, for the diners to toast their bread. Ever since my first visit in 2004, I keep returning. The restaurant grows on you.

Pricing

The a la carte dishes on the menu are priced reasonably, (€ 9-15) for the plats (mains). You can opt for the simple 2 course set formula (entree + plat du jour or plat du jour + dessert) which will set you back by €15. If you decide to have foie gras or wine, the price goes up quiet a bit but is still reasonable. (€ 30+). The pricing makes it a popular choice amongst business executives working in the area and students.  Real value for money.  

 Our choices for today
Entree: Foie gras de canard poêlé (€ 17,70) & Le pâté de foie gras de canard (€ 9,10)
Plat du jour:  Le magret de canard (€ 12,60) & Le confit de canard (€ 9,55)


As usual, the restaurant does not disappoint. They are generous with their serving of the foie gras poêlé and pomme de terres (potatoes), which are slightly crunchy around the edges and soft with a slight sprinkle of salt. The magret and confit, are nicely cooked and served hot.


 

Confit de Canard






















I find Domaine de Lintillac always a safe choice if you want a place that is reasonably priced, comfortable and unpretentious. They have expanded over the years and now have three outlets all over Paris. I have only been to the one on rue Saint Augustin but you can find them in the 9th and 16th arrondisements as well.


Domaine de Lintillac
Address: 10, rue Saint Augustin - Paris 2nd arrondisement
Metro: Quatre-Septembre or Bourse
Tel: 01 40 20 6 27
Other locations: 7 avenue de Versailles, 54 rue Blanche

Website: http://www.lintillac-paris.com/

Review: Hotel - G Hotel, Penang

This was a rather short business trip - I was going to spend only 1 night in Penang before heading to Ipoh for some meetings the next morning. The last time I set foot in Penang was almost 10 years ago so I could barely remember the hotel options, much less heard of the new G Hotel. Nevertheless, friends and colleagues said many good things about G Hotel.

Location

G Hotel is located on Penang Island itself and a very short drive from City Centre - Georgetown, which has not been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It faces the sea directly, overlooks Penang's most famous Boulevard - Gurney Drive and is located next to a large shopping mall & open air hawker centre.

Chic signages at Lift Landing

Ambience

G Hotel has a very modern and contemporary design from the hotel lobby to the rooms. Even the signages on the lift landings give it a nice chic feel.

There was even an art exhibition held on the 2nd floor, testifying to its appeal to local artists.  Having a drink at the Hotel Lobby is also quite a pleasant and relaxing experience.

Beautiful Rooms

The rooms are very spacious, almost 500 sqft in size. It has a good size Living room and a nice study table with a sea view. The adjoining room is at Master Bedroom with an attached toilet bath. The toilet bath is covered with shiny black tiles, emphasizing the contemporary design with a metallic feel.



Free Wifi & Beverages at Mini Bar

L-shaped Sofa in Living Room

 







Nice clean and well designed Toilets

 





Open Air Hawker Center next to G Hotel

Conclusions

Although this is a business hotel, it is more than just utilitarian and feels very good value for money. Tyipcal local buffet breakfast is also offered in the coffee lounge for free. I would return to this hotel again in the near future.

G Hotel

168A Persiaran Gurney

10250 Penang, Malaysia

T : +604 238 0000
F : +604 238 0088
E : g4u@ghotel.com.my

http://www.ghotel.com.my/