I think it is pronounced MON-a-HYLE MORE.

This all took place last summer, when I holidayed in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park. If you’re picturing gorgeous blue lochs, luscious green hills, beautifully tusselled hilly coos – you are not wrong!

From where I started in Aberfoyle (the Gateway to Loch Lomond & the Trossachs), it was a a 55 minute drive on winding roads through small hamlets, large hills, and alongside several stunning lochs. Towards the end of the trip, it switched to single track roads. It was so remote and it looked so lush, that I pulled over the side of the road to take a moment and enjoy the scenery. There were zero humans around, so no risks. The above photos were from my drive.

Getting there, I used a combination of Google Maps and the GPS in my rental car. Both were wrong and stopped short of the actual destination. However, I did manage to see some roadside signs on the way that kept me hopeful. Plus, as I said, towards the end, it was just a single lane road. I had faith that if I hadn’t gone past it yet, I would reach it in due time. And I did.

Learn from my mistakes and endeavor to plan better than I do – get a tangible Ordnance Survey map of the Trossachs before setting out!

Monachyle Mhor: Restaurant & Hotel

Monachyle Mhor (Gaelic for the “great narrowing of the wetlands”) is a combination boutique hotel and upscale restaurant created by Scottish chef, Tom Lewis. What makes Monachyle Mhor special, besides it obviously being a pink house, is their commitment to locally sourced and farmed foods. Most meat and vegetables are raised and grown on their farm. When venison and pigeon are on the menu, they’re directly from the grounds, too. Seafood comes from a little farther, up in Scrabster in the Northern Highlands. Whatever isn’t used at the restaurant gets used in pies at Lewis’ Mhor Bread bakery in nearby Callander.

The interior design of Monachyle Mhor is modern, yet classic.

1. Amuse Bouche in the Bar

After arriving, the hostess escorted me to the bar as they prepared my table. Just as I was admiring the lush wood panels in the bar, a tray containing three items appeared before me. My amuse bouche.

From left to right,

• a black pudding bonbon,
• aubergine (eggplant) caviar,
• haddock ceviche.

In hindsight, I wish I sought more clarity on the aubergine caviar to understand exactly what that meant. But in the absence of exact details, let’s just say all three were absolutely delicious – especially the ceviche!

2. Bread and a second Amuse Bouche

The wait staff asked if I made reservations. Since they’re not required, I did not.

Expert tip, if you make reservations, you’ll get seated in a gorgeous conservatory with huge windows (you see the lush windows in the pink photo above). But since their conservatory was full, I was seated in this room. All. By. My. Self. (cue Bridget Jones’ sad rendition of a Celine Dion classic)

Watch this video on YouTube.

Just as Celine’s song finished in my head, and Akon’s Lonely, began, out came some bread and my second amuse bouche. The bread selection comprised of a sourdough and some brown bread. As if homemade bread and butter aren’t the best things ever, add some expertly fried asparagus tempura with pea puree!

3. Starter: Monachyle venison

Monachyle venison, with radish from Comrie. Drizzled in a sauce made from Glengoyne 12 years old single malt scotch whisky, topped with haggis crumbs.

How’s that for a starter?

4. Palate cleanser: Celeriac soup

Just a little celeraic soup with pine nut dressing to cleanse my palate and prepare me for my main course.

5. Main: Tamworth pork

For my main dish, a mouth watering, expertly cooked Tamworth pork from Monachyle Mhor. Served on a bed of kimchi and Arran Victory potatoes, and topped with a sprinkling of black sesames.

Absolutely loved the Asian flair!

6. Dessert: Chocolate pavé

After finishing my main, a separate dessert menu appeared, with choices like:

• Buttermilk panna cotta, Scottish strawberry, lychee sorbet
• Chocolate pavé, hazelnut brittle, coffee gelato
• Frozen cheesecake parfait, raspberry gel, garden rhubarb, oat praline
• Spiced apple frangipane, flapjack, clotted ice cream
• A selection of British Isles farm cheese, homemade oatcakes and chutney

Ok, with the photo and header above, you obviously know what I selected. But reading all the choices, could you blame me? Say chocolate and I’m already at attention. Add the word hazelnut and I obviously wouldn’t choose anything else. Top it off with coffee gelato? This is obviously a dessert made in heaven, and especially for me!

7. Petit fours

To pair with my shot of esprseso, some petit fours:

• gingerbread marshmallow,
• peppermint ganache,
• Scottish tablet (i.e. fudge)

Parting Thoughts on Monachyle Mhor: Tasting Menu

At 65£ (approximately $80 USD), the dinner tasting menu at Monachyle Mhor was such a fantastic treat!

Given the remoteness of the Scottish Highlands and the slight weariness of too much pub food, Monachyle Mhor’s delightful tasting menu was the culinary highlight of my trip!

Don’t make the same mistake as me – make reservations so you can dine in that delightful, sunset basked conservatory!

Monachyle Mhor Restaurant Information

Monachyle Mhor | map
Hotel Bookings
Balquhidder
Lochearnhead
Perthshire, Scotland
FK19 8PQ
Phone: +44 0187 738 4622
Call to make reservations – highly recommended, if you want to sit in the gorgeous conservatory

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

1. History of the Ministry of Crab

Ok, the Ministry of Crab isn’t a real government ministry. But the name itself suggests its powerhouse status as the leading institution for crabs in Sri Lanka. So you can see why I consider it a must eat in Colombo!

That was the premise behind the name by renowned Sri Lankan chef, Dharshan Munidasa. But not only is it the place for crab, the Ministry consistently wins accolades as Sri Lanka’s best restaurant between 2016 – 2021. Ranked by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Ministry of Crab sits at a respectable #29 in their Asia’s 50 Best sublist.

Since opening in Colombo in 2011, foodies can delight at Ministry of Crab locations in Shanghai, Manila, Maldives, Bangkok, and Mumbai. If you’re in Sri Lanka, I’d definitely recommend a visit to its original location – tucked away (and a little difficult to find) in the city’s old Dutch Hospital. Built in 1677 by the Dutch as a hospital (obviously), it now houses a plethora or restaurants and shops.

We are privileged to be serving you inside a building that was constructed over 400 years ago by the Dutch. We designed this restaurant to exemplify the beauty and history of this building, using special methods in order to preserve the floor and walls. Your chair may wobble a bit, but we hope you will enjoy such charms!

Ministry of Crab, Constitution: Article X

Ministry of Crab also has a certain Japanese flare to its menu and ambience, as Dharshan Munidasa, is half-Sri Lankan and half-Japanese. He also owns Nihonbashi, a high end Japanese restaurant in Colombo.

We treat all our ingredients with the utmost respect using techniques, which stem from Japanese culinary philosophies and practices. These same principles are employed at the finest Japanese restaurants around the world.

Ministry of Crab, Constitution: Article IV

2. Choose your crab at the Ministry of Crab

Obviously you’re not going to go to the Ministry of Crab and not eat crab. Luckily, they have a picture guide for each crab’s size, weight, and price. How I wish I weren’t eating solo that night! An OMG!!! or a Crabzilla would have been so much fun! But alas, a Medium 800 gram crab (at 9,200 LKR | $50 USD) for me.

Prices range from 6100 LKR ($33 USD) for the half kilo crab, all the way up to 39,400 LKR ($213 USD) for Crabzilla.

For those who want prawns instead, there is a similar scale which ranges from:

• 6 Black Tiger prawns at 2100 LKR ($11.35 USD),
• 1 Big Prawn (150 – 200 grams), at 2,500 LKR ($13.50 USD),
• all the way up to the Prawnzilla (500+ grams), 6100 LKR ($33 USD).

3. Select your sauce at Ministry of Crab

For both crabs and prawns,, there are different sauces for you to select from. I’ll assume you selected crab, so here are your sauce choices:

• Pepper crab – made of Black Pepper – the king of spice in Sri Lanka;
• Chili crab – made from a variety of chilies endemic to Sri Lanka;
• Garlic chili crab – (for obvious reasons) this was my choice! Described on the menu as:

This is a Ministry of Crab original where Mediterranean and Japanese food philosophies meet Sri Lankan crab. It is a blend of the distinct flavours of Italian olive oil, garlic, Sri Lankan chilli flakes, and Japanese soy sauce.

Ministry of Crab online menu

• Butter crab – the menu says that this dish is the best way to appreciate the full taste of the crabs. Best served chilled (6 hours notice required) or also eaten warm (with no notice);
• Curry crab – made with traditional Sri Lankan curry.

Me, anxiously waiting for my crab. Taking photos of every crab related item on my table. Trying to Keep Calm and Crab On, which is what my bib suggests.

Mild Tangent

I am American. In certain situations in American cuisine, you are given a bib to protect your clothes from a variety of food-related mishaps. Particularly, I can reasonably expect to receive bibs in barbecue or certain seafood restaurants. I’ve only recently discovered from my British friends that this “culture” of wearing a bib, given by a restaurant, is not only extremely foreign, but quite horrifying to them. Therefore, would you be so kind as to respond to the following poll?

Please assist me and submit a vote on “the bib” for anthropological and sociological research purposes. Thank you!

4. Sides to complement your crab

Obviously no one expects you to eat only crab for your meal. Although, considering it was just me, I probably should have. But, I wanted some veggies and spied KanKun Garlic on the menu (600 LKR | $3.24 USD). KanKun (or morning glory, or for Chinese people, kong xin cai) is one of my favorite veggies in Asian cuisine. Prepared with garlic is the simple, traditional Asian way to do it.

If you get the garlic chili crab like I did, its recommended to order their “Kade bread” to sop up all the sauce with. This is similar practice to Singapore’s chili crab, which usually comes with some mantou on the side. Unfortunately, the regular order of Kade bread is made for sharing and comes with 18 cubes of wood-fired bread. 18! 18 squares of bread cost only 400 LKR ($2.16). If you’re more than one person, it’s definitely worth it for the table!

I gave sad eyes and pleaded with my waiter to get a smaller order. He did give me a few complimentary pieces, which were greatly appreciated! By the time it arrived, I was already hands deep into my garlic chili crab, so no pictures.

Without further ado…

5. The Garlic Chili Crab – a must eat in Colombo!

Behold! The Garlic Chili Crab. 800 grams all for me.

Really delicious!! But way spicier than I expected! I felt it was more flavorful than Singaporean Chili Crab I had eaten in the past. The Ministry does its country proud! The Sri Lankan Lagoon Crab, made and flavored in Sri Lanka was delicious!

Eating crab is a marathon event, so with 800 grams of crab in front of me, it took me awhile to get through all the nooks and crannies. Halfway through, the server remembered that he promised a few pieces of Kade bread. It was so perfect to balance out the heaviness of the sauce with some light, airy bread.

6. Dessert at the Ministry of Crab

Another obvious thing, is for me to get a dessert, despite being absolutely stuffed. There are only two items on the dessert menu:

• Chocolate biscuit pudding, made from dark Belgian chocolate (900 LKR |$4.86 USD);
• and coconut creme brulee (800 LKR | $4.32 USD).

Neither are traditional Sri Lankan desserts in any way, but the coconut creme brulee at least had a twist on the regular dessert. This creme brulee is made from delicious coconut milk, and baked directly in a coconut shell.

For those who like the flavor of coconut, like I do, it was a sweet, creamy perfection!

Parting Thoughts

Although food in Sri Lanka is generally more on the affordable side, the Ministry of Crab is a pricey meal. My meal cost about $62 USD. But then again, I was determined to order some veggies and a dessert too. As I had eluded to previously, I think it would be much funner to be in a group to order a few other dishes along with the crab. I would’ve loved to try other things on their menu (i.e. prawn bisque, avocado crab salad, crab pate, among others…). So, someone find a group, and assist me in doing the necessary. And report back!

Until then, stay safe, eat lots of good food, and be happy!

Need other help with your Colombo trip planning?

• Arrive to Colombo city from the airport with a worry free airport-transfer.
• Looking for a nice place to stay in Colombo? Try searching through Mr. & Mrs. Smith – the travel club for hotel lovers!
• For other foodie adventures in Sri Lanka, how about
  • Introducing yourself to Sri Lankan Street Food with a tuk tuk tour;
  • Or stretch your legs on a walking tour of Sri Lankan Street Food;
  • Learn all about Sri Lankan cuisine and how to make your own dishes in a Sri Lankan Cooking Class!

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

Restaurant Information for the Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka

Ministry of Crab | map
Old Dutch Hospital Complex,
04 Hospital St,
Colombo 00100, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 77 002 4823
Reservations Required: email reservations@ministryofcrab.com

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

(this post will remain for now as a tribute to Chef Paul and everything he has created. It may be taken down in the future)

This trip to Scotland has made me realize how much I really like Scottish food. There’s amazing Scottish breakfasts, desserts, scones, black pudding, haggis… mmm.. just thinking about it makes me nostalgic and happy. Besides more traditional Scottish fare, Edinburgh is also home to a few high end restaurants that deserve a certain level of fanfare, as well. 21212 is exactly one of those restaurants.

Chef Paul Kitching opened 21212 in May 2009. When I arrived for lunch in May 2019, 21212 was celebrating their 10th anniversary. At that time, they were also one of the few restaurants in Edinburgh with a Michelin star, which they’ve held from 2009 – 2019. The restaurant is located in a gorgeous, Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh’s New Town, with a lush dining room. 21212 is open Wednesday to Saturday.

For lunch, you can choose to have anywhere from a sensible 2-course meal for 28£, to a decadent 5-course meal for 55£. For the regular readers to my blog, it should be no surprise to you what I leaned toward the decadent side – the 4-course meal for 42£. In case you’re wondering where the name 21212 comes from, it is the number of choices per course.

So, without further ado, here is everything I ate at 21212.

Amuse Bouche and Starter: Chips and Bread

The first thing to arrive was a small cup of potato chips. Light, amazingly fried – who could resist? For my British readers, I don’t mean chips (as in fries). I mean chips, as in “crisps”. Oh, the nuances between American and British English!

The introductory bread was made with spinach, red pepper, cheese, baked with fruit and fennel seeds inside. It was both fluffy and dense, and served deliciously warm. I definitely had more than one piece!

1st course: Kidnapped in Scotland

21212 Tasting Menu, course #1

Don’t let the name alarm you, though it is definitely alarming. On the menu, the description for Kidnapped in Scotland said only “Chefs Favourites.” Curious what it is? You certainly can’t tell from the photo. Here’s a little selfie of me during this course, to prove that I was not in fact kidnapped.

The main part of it (big photo) is smoked salmon with haddock haggis, topped with a mushroom parchment, There is also black pudding and mushroom soaked in Madeira. Loved the smoky flavors and the different textures! Absolutely delicious.

The second part (below the duck feet cup) could be eaten with the main, or on its own. Inside the duck feet cup, is a rhubarb, horseradish and caviar compote, paired with a sesame, strawberry pancake. There was another pancake you could choose from, but sesame and strawberry are some of my favorite ice cream flavors, so why not? It was light and crunchy, and went really well with the compote.

2nd course: Rainy allotment soup

Looking back, I am kind of tickled with the names of their courses. The Rainy Allotment Soup? Gotta have it, considering how rainy Scotland really is. This soup was a foamy mushroom puree, with red pepper and cabbage. Foamy soups are kind of a thing now, and I am fully on board with this trend. Plus, not to mention, I absolutely love a mushroom soup!

3rd course: Chicken “Surprise”

As you can see from the photo, there is a lot going on. Besides the menu description in the caption above, there were lots of other bits and bobbles that made up the dish. Somewhere in the photo, there is also a curry honeycomb, the obvious chive across the top, and some kind of beignet. For me, the chicken could have been cooked two seconds longer – the light rosiness in the center does not spark any joy in me. But this course was complex, unique, a little confusing at times, but nonetheless good.

4th (skipped) course: Cheese

If you want to go all in with the lunch menu, it also includes a cheese course. The menu described the cheeses included as “a fine Brexit selection.” See what I mean about interesting names here?

Between the main course and the dessert, they served me a palate cleanser. Sorry to say that I can’t remember what it was, but more importantly, how cute is this cow?

5th course: Yellow Pink White

Of the two dessert choices, of course I had to choose the one that included the word “pink”. Creativity is definitely a strong suit, here at 21212. There aren’t too many desserts, besides a strawberry ice cream, that would actually be pink.

Also, I never would have expected a dessert to include a drink, among other things. The drink was tart, but tasty. The rice ambrosia was similar to a creme brûlée, with carmelized sugar on top. The strawberry thing on top… I expected it to have a crunch. But it was more soft, in a “melts in your mouth” kind of way. The dessert was good, don’t get me wrong, but I think I would have liked soemthing richer – something more chocolatey.

Parting Thoughts on 21212 Edinburgh

Overall, this was a great meal!! Although I selected the 4-course option, the 2 or 3-course options would have been equally as delightful, and more affordable for a lunch. At the time I ate at 21212, they still had one Michelin star. It makes me wonder what happened in the few months after I ate. I ate there in June, and by October, the star they held for 10 years was no more. Regardless of its star status, I would definitely recommend 21212 if you’re looking for a nice meal in Edinburgh. Given the creativity of the courses, the weekly changes in menu, as well as the absolutely gorgeous interior, it makes for a wonderful addition to your Edinburgh trip.

And with that, I will say ciao and happy eating!

If you’re planning to come to Edinburgh, how about considering:

• taking the overnight sleeper train from London and arrive refreshed to start your Scotland tour;
• a visit to Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the monarch in Scotland, and within walking distance of 21212;
• trying more traditional Scottish food on an Edinburgh food tour;
• enjoying incredible art (for free!) at the Scottish National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery.

Restaurant Details for 21212

Paul Kitching’s 21212 | map
Stay at 21212’s Boutique Hotel
Edinburgh New Town
3 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh EH7 5AB, UK
Phone: +44 0131 523 1030
Open Wednesday – Saturday
Click to make Reservations

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Looking for another incredible tasting menu in Scotland? Check out Three Chimneys on Skye!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Why not Jordanian food in Jordan?

I was here in Jordan doing training for work.  Three different trainings in three weeks.  Most of our meals were taken care of within the trainings, and for dinners, we ate nearby, which catered to expats. Near where I stayed in Shmeisani in Amman, I had a Starbucks, relatively decent Chinese food, a sushi place, a Burger King and Pizza Hut, and a great Indian restaurant. This doesn’t really sound like a Jordanian experience, does it?

I mean sure, every day at training, we had Jordanian desserts galore, like this knafeh. The taste and ingredients are similar to baklava, but prepared differently.

Besides the dessert, food at training usually consisted of chicken, falafel, rice, pita, hummus, yogurt, pasta and a fattoush (fresh vegetable) salad. It’s not exciting. Maybe you can see how after weeks of this medley during the day, at night, all I wanted was a different cuisine.

1. Real Jordanian Food

But as my time in Jordan was coming to a close, I really, really wanted a real Jordanian meal. A feast, in fact. Through my web research, I found out about Mansaf, through Migrationology, a resource for people who want to learn about local culture through food and traveling. What hooked me was the title: Mansaf – The One Dish you have to eat in Jordan. When I read this, I knew it had to be my final meal. I can’t have my Jordanian experience to be mired by corporate caterers and expat-friendly food. If you want a technical breakdown of Mansaf and how it’s traditionally supposed to be eaten, definitely check out Migrationology’s post.

Mansaf brings us together

I remember hearing somewhere that food is what brings Jordanians together. Mansaf, which has been characterized as the national food of Jordan, is especially important to Jordanians. One Jordanian chef, Batool Rasheed, said of mansaf:

Mansaf also plays an important role in resolving conflicts between families or tribes. When issues arise, the heads of tribes visit one another with an accompanying group to try and resolve them. Traditionally, the host tribe or family will sacrifice a sheep and cook mansaf as a token of respect for their visitors. They eat this together as a way of marking the end of the dispute. 

And I can attest to that. Although none of my conflicts in Jordan were resolved over mansaf, I did share a lovely moment with a Jordanian man “over mansaf” at the King Abdullah I Mosque in Amman. The mansaf brought us together. (Side note, I am really only speculating that what he is holding is mansaf.)

2. Hungry gal on Hungry Street

After I told my friend and dinner buddy in Amman, Mike, that I wanted to try mansaf, he warned me that I would need to be really hungry. Since this conversation took place right as I was eating a late afternoon snack, we decided to go the following evening – my last night in Jordan.

He took me to “Hungry Street” in Amman, which is known for all of its restaurants. For people super curious to know, Hungry Street is actually Al Madinah Al Munawarah Street (in English). The plan was to go to a non-touristy Jordanian place for dinner, followed by a traditional Jordanian dessert shop after.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

3. Mansaf at Al Dar Darak

The first stop was Al Dar Darak restaurant. When you first walk into the shop, the ground floor is a take away area. Round the corner and go upstairs to the restaurant. Although the restaurant was pretty empty (it was early in the evening for Jordan), there are typically separate seating areas for women. There is also a cordoned off prayer area in the corner, as well. When we went, on a random Tuesday evening, it was not busy. But we felt great being the only non-locals there.

Mike managed to order 2 mansafs and 2 lemonades. There was a little confusion about the sizes of our lemonade and I think there was some behind the scenes English/Arabic translations that were going on. But it was sorted out in the end, as awkward travel interactions usually are.

I know what you’re wondering – why is my lemonade green? I use the word “lemonade” very loosely. This drink is also known as mint lemon. The mint is where all that green comes from. So very minty. Tart from the lemon juice. And sweet from all the sugar they add into it. Delicious and super sweet and can be found literally anywhere in Jordan.

And very quickly, our mansaf arrived.

The main components of Mansaf

• rice
• lamb
• jameed yogurt (made from goat’s milk)
• shrak (the thin tortilla you see on top, and a hidden one underneath the rice)

When you peel off the top shrak, the lamb is hidden underneath, covered in jameed yogurt sauce. Depending on how saucy you like your life, there is a separate bowl of yogurt sauce on the side.

The lamb is cooked for so long that the meat is super tender and it falls off the bone. With literally no effort, I deboned all my meat, and was left with this deliciousness:

Although it was a really heavy meal, it was super delicious!!! Mike scraped his plate clean. Even though I was never going to finish the entire plate of rice, Mike reminded me there was still heavy Jordanian dessert to be had. So, as both his mom and my mom taught us, I finished the rest of the lamb and left the carbs.

4. Dessert at Habibah Sweets

And off we went, for dessert! In case anyone wants to recreate this memorable evening and feast, and you want to walk to dessert like we did (which is about 800 meters and a 9 minute walk), turn left when you leave Al Dar Darak. Not right. Sorry, Mike. I had to. 🙂

Also, there is a mild disclaimer that should happen with this plan. Walking around Amman is not easy, due to a combination of poor sidewalks and local driving/parking habits. Most expats have found walking around in Amman to be challenging. So, you should really only walk if you’re brave and determined.

So, onwards to Habibah Sweets.

Habibah Sweets is known for its knafeh – a traditional Jordanian dessert. Similar flavors and tastes to baklava, it’s made with string pastry, cheese, sugar syrup and pistachios. There are two kinds of knafeh – soft and hard. We didn’t know which was which, and with each bite, it was not any easier to tell. What was confusing was that the knafeh was swimming in a delicious pool of sugar syrup, so any intended texture of the knafeh was softly transformed by the sugar. One bite, we would disagree which one was the soft or the hard, and the next bite, we would be totally confused again.

Weeks later, I met a Jordanian woman and I asked her to clarify.

• The one without “hair” is soft.
• The one with hair is hard.

We don’t know why, but from an official Jordanian, there you go. Thanks, Mais!!

5. A big Thank You

Let me pause for a moment before I wrap up to thank my friend, Mike. Mike was with me on 2 of the 3 trainings, and since he now lives in Amman, he was literally my partner in crime and neighbor for the last month. Were it not for him, I would have laughed a lot less and cried a lot more. Mansaf and knafeh wasn’t what brought us together, but we celebrated our time in Jordan with it.

And since I am awful at taking photos with humans in it, I’ll wrap up this post with something that Mike and I laughed at over dinner… the strange way that I eat the rice on my plate…by boring a hole straight down the center. (And similar to how I eat ice cream in a pint)

Looking for more recommendations for your trip to Amman?

• Recommended luxury hotels in Amman: Grand Hyatt Amman and W Amman;
• Head out to the Dead Sea (only 30 miles away!) and stay at one of these fantastic resorts:
  • Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa
  • Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa
  • Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea – family friendly!
  • Crowne Plaza Dead Sea
• Besides the Dead Sea, consider a day trip out to Petra! Check out these great tours below:

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

When I was in Oaxaca in April, I visited Olvera’s restaurant, Criollo. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with it.  However, having a weakness for tacos, and wanting to see what a world class restaurant was like, I made reservations for Pujol’s 1:30 pm taco omakase.  The reservations, made about a month in advance online, required a credit card number for a “guarantee” (in case I cancel..).

Location of Pujol

Pujol is in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City, on a side street (Tennyson) off of Masaryk.  It was a nice walk down the shopping street, Masaryk, where LV, Gucci, Ferragamo and Starbucks are.  I walked to Pujol from a morning visit to the Museo Nacional de Antropología, which was a nice 20-30 minute walk away, if you didn’t keep walking in circles like I did that day…  But I digress.

Nestled on an unassuming street, you may not notice the entrance to the restaurant.

Arrival to Pujol Mexico City

Once inside, they seated everyone with the 1:30 pm taco omakase at the bar.  Each course comes paired with a drink.  The price is the same with or without the pairing.  I’m not a big alcoholic beverage drinker, so as the post and the courses continue, you’ll see how my drinks fared.

Also, before I begin, a big shout out and thank you to Mike, the electrician from Houston, who was my taco tasting companion and source of conversation during the meal. 

2022 update: Mike, the electrician from Houston, googled Pujol in Mexico City and found my blog! He emailed to say hello and that he found my post. Got to love the power of the internet!

Without further ado… the Pujol 8-course Taco Omakase.

1. Street Snacks

For local Mexican diners, the baby corn came with the husk intact, and the Mexicans next to me ate the husk. I didn’t realize it was edible! For us foreigners, the husk is peeled back and we only eat the corn.

Before we move on from the street snacks amuse bouche… The little blue corn puff…  For those of you unfamiliar with escamol (the white toppings on the blue puff), it is a Mexican delicacy.  Some people may be squeamish about it, but escamol is the edible larvae and pupae of ants.  Yes, that’s right.  Ant eggs.  Before you say anything… let me just say one word.  DELICIOUS!!!!  Don’t knock it til you try it!

2. Uni, Beans Tetela

Inside the tetela was black beans. Served with a uni (sea urchin) pico de gallo.  The uni pico de gallo was AMAZING, both on the tetela and on its own.  My favorite course!!

For those of you new to my blog, I was particularly pleased at the uni dish being so delicious.  To find out why, see my other post about sea urchins, here.

Drink Check:

New addition: Atolli, Mexican Pale Ale.  Made from corn.  2 courses, 2 drinks.

3. Eggplant Taco, Hoja Santa, Humus, Shisho

I spy a new drink – white wine.

4. Amberjack Taco, Avocado, Seaweed

(served with Mexican sake)

5. Scallop Tostada

(Dressed with lemon, sesame oil, and served with tequila)

Thinly sliced raw scallops lined the crispy tortilla, resulting in a delightfully fresh and crisp tostada.  I’ve never had scallops or a tostada like this!!

More than half way through – let’s keep going on this taco omakase!

6. Seabass Taco al Pastor

7. Softshell Crab Taco, Cucumber, Shiso

I love soft shell crab and shiso peppers!!  And the combination in a taco was amazing!!  So delicious.  Definitely my second favorite course!

Drink Check:

From L to R, drinks for courses 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3.  Water on the very right.  In here there is: tequila, mezcal, sake, rose wine, another beer and white wine.  You can mostly guess which is which. However, since the liquors are all kinda clear colored, I kind of forgot.  You’ll forgive me though.

8. Enmolada, Hoja Santa Tortilla

And now, for Pujol’s famous Mole Madre, aged 1681 days, or almost 5 years!!  The flavor is much richer and tangier than the normal mole.  I’m not a huge fan of mole in general, so this one wasn’t spectacular to me.  It’s definitely unique, I’ll say that!  From the NY Times’ T Magazine,

“Pujol’s mole madre is a contemporary version of [celebratory dishes]. Our own paste is reheated twice a day and is ‘fed’ with new mole whenever we are down to 10 liters. This Solera system gives us a mole that is exponentially more subtle and complex than your average mole. Additionally, since the mole is getting reheated through the months, ‘it has now been alive for more than 400 days’ the recipe adapts to seasonality and the ingredients change accordingly. It might have hazelnut or almond or macadamia or a mix of all three. The same is true for the tomatoes, the fruits, even the chiles.”

Since that review, the mole madre I tried had continued to age another 1,200 some days!

And with that nugget of information, the taco omakase finished on a high note of the legendary aged mole.

Dessert in the Garden

After, we were escorted out to the garden area for dessert.  Enormously tall trees, surrounded by lovely greenery, kept us company during dessert. Delightfully charming outdoor area to enjoy our desserts. However, it was uncovered… and I understand that Mexico City is known for their notorious but reliable 5 -7 pm heavy rain showers (according to locals).

9. Gaznate, Sake Kasu

From L to R: a plum, a cream roll, matcha green tea, and ice cream (i forgot the flavor) with ginger. In the upper right corner is the cloth napkin from our omakase, with a corn kernel pattern on it. They said we could keep it as a memento. Nice touch.

Even though the photo and description above goes L to R, we ate it R to L… They suggested it this way.  Although the plum was good, I was quite disappointed that it was the end.  Especially since I could have had the below pictured cream roll as the last delicious sweet taste in my mouth. But no.  I was good at following instructions.

But just as my disappointment couldn’t be any greater, the wait staff shuffled out one by one. With Beauty and the Beast’s “Be Our Guest” playing in my head, out came the real dessert.  You can see the beginnings of that in the background of my plum photo above.

And now, here is the real dessert.

The thinnest, lightest, most delicious fried churro I’ve ever had!!!  This was definitely the best way to end the taco tasting… if it truly ended with the plum, this review would have gone sour at the end.  But no!  PUJOL’S TACO OMAKASE.  AMAZING TIL THE END.

Parting Thoughts on Pujol’s Taco Omakase

I HIGHLY recommend trying Pujol’s Taco Omakase, if you:

1. want to eat at a world class restaurant
2. like tacos
3. want to try world class tacos
4. don’t mind dropping 2,998 Pesos | $160 USD for 8 tacos and 8 drinks
5. like having 8 different alcoholic beverages in one sitting (or if you don’t drink alcohol, if you like having 8 different non-alcoholic beverages in one sitting… btw, alcohol or not, the cost is still 2,998 Pesos)
6. are not afraid to eat ant larvae/pupae or sea urchins
7. want a souvenir (used by yourself) cloth napkin… (and finally)
8. don’t mind spending 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm eating lunch
9. WANT TO EAT AN AMAZING MEAL!

Restaurant Information

Pujol | map
Tennyson 133, Polanco
11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Phone: +52 55 5545 4111
Reservations Required 
1:30 pm Taco Omakase 2,300 MXN | $115 USD
Prices, as of 20 April 2021

If using Uber, set the address to “133 Tennyson” (actual address), NOT “Pujol”, which will direct to their old location.

Need some help planning your foodie fun trip to Mexico City?

• Luxury hotel suggestions:
  • Hyatt Regency Polanco and JW Marriott Polanco are both within 10 minutes walking distance to Pujol!
  • Centrally located in the Reforma neighborhood, Hilton Mexico City Reforma and Mexico City Marriott Reforma Hotel are also fantastic options.
• More foodie adventure suggestions:
  • Check out the Must-Try Street Foods in Mexico City from Chef Denise, including all the favorites I had on this trip!
  • Instead of Pujol’s Taco Omakase, how about joining a Taco Crawl with a food critic?
  • Join Candelilla, Mexico City’s hidden supper club;
  • Experience a dinner exploring Mexico’s cuisine, from before and after Spanish colonization.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

Keep Pujol Taco Omakase on your radar for later?

Ya, pin it for later

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

“If you only have time for one meal, make a reservation at the restaurant Machneyuda.” 

The Points Guy

I basically had time for one great meal. Obviously, I had to try to eat at the best restaurant in Jerusalem.

Machneyuda opens 1.5 hours after the Sabbath on Saturday. After googling, on February 17, 2018, the end of Sabbath was 6:04 pm.  So by 7:15, I was sitting outside of the restaurant, hoping hoping hoping I would get a table.  I did not make any plan B’s, such was the ferocity of my determination.

Arrival to Machneyuda

It was a 6 minute walk from my Airbnb, which would have been fine, except that it started raining, literally the second that I started walking.  With each step, the downpour got heavier and heavier.  In my head, I considered turning around, giving up, and eating chocolate for dinner.  But thinking of the points guy, I thought this was indeed my one open slot for a great meal in Jerusalem, I trudged onward. 

When the doors finally opened around 7:40 pm, I immediately said I was looking for a table for 1, and explained how the reservation system did not work for reservations for 1.  They said there was no availability and they were fully booked for the evening.  But I was welcome to wait.  I have to apologize for my behavior, because I suppose I could have been nicer.  But the rain hampered my mood.  I was waiting outside not more than 3 minutes when the host said there was a cancellation, and if I did not mind eating with another single traveler who also did not have a reservation, that we could share a table.

ENTER NEW FRIEND

As a solo traveler, this has happened in the past, and I was paired up with another woman.  However, back then (in Rome) the other woman did not speak English.  So we sat at the world’s tiniest table, NOT speaking to each other and NOT looking at each other while eating.  LOL

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

The host and the waiter gave us a round of shots to show their appreciation for us sharing a table.  Me and S already started chatting it up immediately and were both so happy to not have a dinner in silence.  Plus, as The Points Guy accurately described, it felt like a raucous party inside. 

I ordered the tasting menu, for 295 Shekels (which is about $84), and it was the most generous tasting menu I have ever had in my life. And you will definitely see how it is the best restaurant in Jerusalem!

Without further ado…

1st Course

Tuna tartare with “the worlds smallest tomatoes” and cream cheese.

2nd Course

Caviar paste, with olive oil, red onions, and tomatoes.

3rd Course

Yellowtail sashimi in a crispy “Indian” shell. I didn’t describe it as Indian, the waiter did. Not sure why it was characterized that way though…

I bet you’re thinking “oh, these courses look small and manageable.”  All I have to say to you is JUST YOU WAIT.

4th Course

Beef tartare, with mint and almonds

5th Course

Tiny corned beef slider.

6th Course

Polenta, with asparagus, mushrooms, truffle oil and parmesan cheese, served in a jar .

And now, onto the main courses.  Fortune favors those who don’t give up…

7th Course – Mains

Sea bass, mussels, with chick peas and a tahini Moroccan stew.

7th Course at Machneyuda Continues..

From courses 1-7, I had finished everything that you see before you.  And then more arrives and I am at a loss for words.  But if I had to describe it in one word, it would be MEAT.

Seventh course, part B. Lamb, rib eye, sitting on a leak, with mashed potatoes

Seventh course, part C. Beef.. something..and I don’t remember anymore. meat coma.

Are you alive still?  I barely am, reliving this experience through photos.  Are there more courses?  Of course! 

Dessert

I don’t know anymore!!! All I will say is that coconut ice cream in the lower left hand corner was SUPER FROZEN and did not melt, even when I ate it at the very end. Everything was delicious. Too. Delicious. Too. Much. Food.

Somewhere within the courses was another free round of shots, this time with Ouzo or Rakia…

Parting Thoughts on Machneyuda

Even though my dinner buddy did not order the tasting menu, her courses were equally as large, and we both were so full and satisfied by the end.  And I am so glad we met! 

Machneyuda was a fun dining experience to review, and it certainly lived up to the expectation of being the best restaurant in Jerusalem! 

The rest of the restaurant was so lively with loud music, dancing from random people (living their best life), free shots and amazing food.  And sorry for the dark photos!

I’ll end it here, with me and my new friend, S.  I need a nap after this post. 🙂

Looking for something more low key? How about an introduction to Israel’s Street Food, from Anda at Travel for a While.

Restaurant Information

Machneyuda | map
Beit Ya’akov St 10,
Jerusalem, Israel
Closed: Friday dinner, Saturday lunch
Phone: +972 2-533-3442
Reservations – highly recommended!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

How I found Toque!

I’ve recently been doing “the Twitter thing”, so I tweeted to @Montreal asking for advice in this little exchange below:

Have you tried @RestaurantToque?

— Tourisme Montréal (@Montreal) January 7, 2018

This led to my incessant googling, where I found out about Toque! 

• It was the #1 restaurant in Canada in 2015 and 2016. 
• In 2017 and 2018, it was the #2 restaurant in Canada.
• In 2019, Toque! ranked as the 3rd best restaurant in Canada.

I don’t see this as Toque slipping in quality, but rather it set the bar high for Canadian restaurants and inspired others.

What did I eat at Toque!

I chose the 7 course tasting menu, with or without foie gras (with of course) for C$136.  It would be a chef’s choice surprise tasting.  I was eating and texting with a friend, who called me “courageous” for going for the surprise.  But at one of Canada’s top restaurants, you can’t go wrong.  (Unless you have a pickle course, and then you CAN go very, very wrong.)  So here it is, my 7 courses + amuse bouche + espresso + tasty treat at the end.

Amuse Bouche

Breadstick wrapped in pancetta with citrus mayo

1st course: Princess Scallops

Princess Scallops – blueberry water, shallot, kohlrabi, berry vinegar, mint mousse (official menu description). Instructions given: “take it, like an oyster shot”

2nd course: Arctic Char

Arctic Char – with kombu seaweed and green onions

3rd course: Foie Gras Terrine

Foie Gras Terrine – morello cherries, caramelized cocoa nibs, popcorn, cherry and Cabernet Sauvignon reduction. My favorite course! The crispiness of the cocoa nibs and popcorn paired perfectly with the soft terrine.

4th course: Venison

Venison – with artichoke, shiitake mushroom and potatoes. Delicious!!

5th course: Duck

Duck – with brussels sprouts. Perfectly cooked duck!!

6th course: Bailey’s Ice Cream Brulee

Bailey’s ice cream brûlée – with chocolate and maple crunch. Again, I really loved the maple crunch texture with the softness of the ice cream. This was perfect!

7th course: Molasses Cake

All I remember about the description of this course was: molasses cake. But I’ll provide a breakdown of the parts, in my own words:

• Middle “dome” – coffee/chocolate flavored;
• Tan egg – some flavor of ice cream;
• The branches / sticks – cocoa dusted;
• Tiny squares – light and crispy. No clue whatsoever …but it was absolutely delicious!

Dessert, to top it off!

Parting Thoughts on Toque Montreal

Overall, the food and the service were excellent.  I think my favorite courses were:

• (1) foie gras terrine – not because it’s foie gras, and I love foie gras. But the POPCORN really added so much to it!  The popcorn gave a new dimension of texture to the foie gras and added a lightness to counter the heaviness of the foie gras;
• (2) the princess scallop, taken as a shot.  The combination of the scallop, blueberry water, and mint mousse was so refreshing! 

For the two dessert courses (6 and 7), I had the option of substituting one for a cheese plate.  The waiter came up to me and said, “For the next two courses, you can choose between… cheese and dessert or dessert and dessert.”  Well when you put it like that, OBVIOUSLY the choice is two desserts! 

Before I end this post, I wanted to direct your attention back to the Bailey’s ice cream brûlée photo: See the gold patch in the corner?  That’s Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powder gold.  It’s also a philosophy on life, where nothing is ever truly broken.  I kinda like that.  Remember that next time you’re down.  You’re never really truly broken, you may be different, but all the more beautiful.

And with that, it is 4:30 am, and hopefully time for bed.  Good night, Montreal!

Restaurant Information:

Toque! | map
900 Jean Paul Riopelle Pl,
Montreal, QC H2Z 2B2, Canada
Closed: Saturday lunch, Sunday and Monday
Phone: +1-514-499-2084
Reservations

 Pin it for later!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/