STRADA, June 2009 in London, UK

Pan fried scallops on a risotto of leeks, pancetta, white wine, lemon zest, chilli & basil.

I had this dish in London on my way back to Taiwan. Very surprisingly generous for a chain restaurant, the scallops are big and juicy and fried just in the right way.

Hanner, May 2009 in Mayerling, Austria

This is the first time I have raw shrimp/lobster in European cuisine, and indeed Restaurant Hanner is famous for its creative dishes.

Creamy raw langoustine, fresh flower, green noodle, and crisply roasted sour-sweet black currant are not only fabulously arranged, but also  a great combination of texture and flavour.

*Langoustine is also called Norway lobster
*Michelin Guide

Blühendes Konfekt, April 2009 in Vienna, Austria

Blühendes Konfekt, blooming confection, is a small handmade chocolaterie near the big shopping street Mariahilfer Straße in Vienna.

Fresh flowers, fruits and nuts. Together with chocolate, they create such an exquisite vision and the fragrance of an April garden.

Tenmaya, March 2009 in Vienna, Austria

Wagashi (和菓子) is a traditional Japanese confectionery, often made of red bean paste or/and mochi (rice cake), and served with tea.

These are very basic ones, though.  In Japan there are many wagashi shops that run for generations and make wagashi as a work of art.

Home made, March 2009 in Vienna, Austria

Recently I enjoy very much to “cook by the book”. Some people think it’s too simple, but <The Instant Cook> by Donna Hay provides a lot of inspiration for people who cook often and do not always have much time to prepare.

Tenmaya, March 2009 in Vienna, Austria

They are both raw of course: Hotategai (scallop) and Amaebi (sweet shrimp) are my two favorite nigiri sushi. I’m so happy to be able to have them in Vienna.

This Japanese restaurant in the first district in Vienna is very popular also among Japanese people. Japanese sushi chef, Japanese waitresses, Japanese customers sitting next to you…in here, you don’t feel like in Vienna anymore.

Aubergine wien, March 2009 in Vienna, Austria

Listed in magazine’s “Geheimtipp” (insiders’ tip in German), Aubergine is a small restaurant where one passes by thinking it’s a wine bar. They have some good choices of wine, the cuisine has a good standard, but this pork filet is quite pricy considering its small size (real size approximately equals to the photo).

Meierei, February 2009 in Vienna, Austria

Meierei belongs to the two-star Michelin restaurant, Steiereck, and serves 120 different cheese from all over Europe.

Urania, February 2009 in Vienna, Austria

This is a café restaurant at the Donaukanal. The view is great, the interior is nice, and “fresh strawberries with Austrian Topfen and basil pesto” sounds and looks interesting, but the dish tastes somehow a tad…boring? Maybe because it’s not strawberry season…

Home, December 2008 in Vienna, Austria

Merry Christmas !

*The Christstollen is from Kurkonditorei OBERLAA; the awarded ice wine was incidentally found in a local winery Weingut Emil Bauer in Wagram.