Carolien's travel blog!

Exploring the world one bite at a time

Month: May 2017 (Page 1 of 2)

Chez Tchoutchou: “Great Asian cuisine”

28th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

We found this Asian restaurant through tripadvisor. To be honest, if the reviews hadn’t been good, I wouldn’t have gone inside. From the outside the restaurant doesn’t look like much, but once inside you’ll find a very pleasant and welcoming restaurant with nice furniture and lots of Chinese decorations.

My boyfriend and I were the only people that went for lunch Chez Tchoutchou on a beautiful sunny Sunday. The service was very friendly (we even got a hesitant ‘Bonjour’ from the toddler) and welcoming. Their French was very good. I even got a scarf as a mother’s day gift!

The menu is impressive, to say the least. So much to choose from: Japanese, Chinese, Thai and even Korean food! I have to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be able to order bibimbap (a house specialty) in this southern village in Belgium!

We started with some excellent dim sum, which I followed up with some bibimbap that really reminded me of the bibimbap I had in Seoul. The bibimbap was served in a hot stone pot and really excellent! The lady mixed it up for me (probably thinking I didn’t know what to do with it). The bibimbap was really lovely and the portion was very big. My boyfriend also enjoyed the peking duck a lot. To be honest, I had more than enough to eat after the dim sum and the bibimbap, but how could I resist some icecream mochi? A perfect way to end a lovely meal.

Chez Tchoutchou really offers excellent Asian food. Only minor complaint is that our lunch took a bit longer than expected, but to be honest, we really didn’t mind. When passing by, I definitely will visit again!

Chez Tchoutchou, Rue d’Arlon 188a B-6780, Messancy 6780, Belgium
http://www.chez-tchoutchou.be/
+32 63 67 84 29

Visited May 2017. You can find my review about Chez Tchoutchou also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 5/5, food 5/5.

La Cucaracha: “Authentic Mexican food”

28th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

La Cucaracha is one of those restaurants in Leuven that have been around forever. La Cucaracha serves authentic Mexican food in a relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant is decorated with very colorful wall paintings, so when eating there you’ll have an instant holiday feeling. Be sure to make reservations though, because certainly in the weekend it can get very busy.

The food at La Cucaracha is very good, I have been there multiple times and never have I been disappointed. The service is also very friendly (although they don’t always speak Dutch). Last time when I ate there we got served by a lovely Spanish lady. So nice to be able to practice my Spanish a bit!

Only complaint: sometimes it takes a bit too long before the food arrives on your table. So make sure, that you have enough time, when you visit La Cucuracha.

La Cucaracha, Tiensestraat 21, Leuven 3000, Belgium
https://facebook.com/La-Cucaracha-121619677914990?__nodl&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLa-Cucaracha-121619677914990&ref=www.facebook.com&_rdr
+32 16 23 44 68

Visited May 2017. You can find my review about La Cucaracha also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, service 5/5, food 4/5.

ko’uzi: “Sushi magic!”

28th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

Ko’uzi is a superb sushi restaurant with a real Japanese sushi chef, that no sushi lover should miss. Of course you can go for the classic sushi here, but why not try some of the creative sushi’s on the menu? What about sushi with scallop, mushroom and walnuts? Of how about tartar tuna with basil oil and crispy quinoa? Or smoked eel and beetroot? Every sushi is a work of art in itself and a feast for the senses. I enjoyed every bite of it!

The restaurant itself lies next to the shop and is lovely and light, but not very big. So make sure to have a reservation, if you want to visit. Ko’uzi works in two shifts, so if you come early you’ll have to leave at eight o’ clock in the evening.

Highly recommended!

ko’uzi, Leopoldplaats 12, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
http://www.kouzi.be/
322322488

Visited May 2017. You can find my review about ko’uzi also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 4/5, food 5/5.

Wineport Bistro: “Good local food”

27th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

The Wineport is a friendly pub which serves local pubfood with an emphasis on local produce from Arran. We went here for a quick lunch. I had the creamy garlic mushrooms on toasted homemade bread topped with goat’s cheese, the men in our company really enjoyed the pork & chorizo burger with arran cheese and my female friend had the crab roll with lemon mayo. The food was decent and the service really welcoming. You can also try the local beer, brewed in the Arran Brewery next door.

Wineport Bistro, Cladach Brodick, KA27 8DE, Scotland
http://www.wineport.co.uk/
+44 1770 302101

Visited April 2017. You can find my review about Wineport Bistro also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, service 5/5, food 4/5.

ViaVia: “Dreadful service”

27th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

The ViaVia in the Parkstraat lays a bit further away from the touristic heart of Leuven in a neighborhood where there aren’t that many restaurants. The concept of this bar and brasserie is the same as the one in Leuven: a relaxed place where you can enjoy drinks or order some daily specials (written on a chalk board).

I have to be honest, it has been a while since I met a waiter that was so rude and unhelpful. When asked if we could have a look at the menu, he at first declined to bring one and just pointed at the chalk board, saying to my friend: “You have been here before, you know we only serve what’s on the chalk board.” But I was the only one who wanted to order food, my friends just wanted some drinks. So then my friend asked: “So can you please tell me what beers you have?” The waiter let out a big sigh, turned around without saying anything and brought back some drink menus. We were quite taken aback by his attitude.

I was contemplating just leaving right there and then, but since it was such a beautiful summer evening and I was very hungry, my friends and I stayed. The first dish I tried to order was sold out (not that the waiter made an effort to erase this dish from the chalkboard), so I went for the chicken tandoori. The chicken tandoori was fine, I guess, nothing special and the meat was a little bit dry. But the dish wasn’t that expensive (15 euro), so no complaints there.

When we wanted to leave the ViaVia, it took us some convincing before the waiter brought us the bill. I guess he must have had a really bad day? O yeah, he also couldn’t be bothered to clean our table. Such a shame, because the patio is a great place to sit outside for drinks in the summer.

ViaVia, Parkstraat 146, Leuven 3000, Belgium
http://viavia.world/nl/content/wiewaar-4
0478-36-24-82

Visited May 2017. You can find my review about ViaVia also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 1/5, food 3/5.

Wagamama: “Asian fast food”

27th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

Of course Wagamama is a fast food chain, so you get what you pay for. The restaurant in Antwerpen is conveniently situated on the Meir, the big shopping street, nearby the Central Station. The interior is nice and modern, with big wooden tables. The staff could be better trained though. You would suspect that a fast food chain would have efficient and friendly staff, but the waiters who served us lacked on both fronts.

I ordered the wagamama ramen, the portion was very big, so no complaints there. Sadly I found the broth rather tasteless and as the broth is the ingredient which gives the ramen its flavor, I was kind of disappointed. Perhaps this was due to the fact, that the broth was made of vegetables.

Good for a quick meal, nothing more.

Wagamama, Keyserlei, Antwerp, Belgium
https://www.wagamama.be/
+32 3 234 99 80

Visited May 2017. You can find my review about Wagamama also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 1/5, food 3/5.

Isle of Arran Distillers: “Small and fairly new distillery”

27th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

Arran distillery is a fairly new distillery which opened in 1995, but a visit is a nice introduction to the distillery process. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We started the tour with a little movie and a little taster of Arran whisky. The guide tour takes about an hour. After the tour finished we could try some more drams. The distillery also has a big shop with lots of different products and a lovely café where you can have drinks or something to eat.

Isle of Arran Distillers, Lochranza KA27 8HJ, Scotland
https://www.arranwhisky.com/
+44 1770 830264

Visited April 2017. You can find my review about Isle of Arran Distillers also on TripAdvisor.

The Rialto: “Great food, lovely people”

27th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

Superb place to enjoy a coffee, a sandwich or some home baked goods. The Rialto is a little gem you really shouldn’t miss when in Eyemouth. The staff is super friendly and very helpful. When we told them we were passing through on our way to Glasgow they gave us lots of tips for great places to eat and drink in Glasgow.

We were in a hurry, so we ordered take out panini’s. They were so kind to offer us a place to sit while we waited until our panini’s were ready. I have to be honest here: the Cuba panini I ordered was the best I ever had in my life. The pulled porked with the musterd and pickles was simply delicious. A real treat!

The place is very cosy and inviting. So do yourself a favor, go in for a coffee or try one of those lovely cakes!

The Rialto, 33 High Street, Eyemouth TD14 5EY, Scotland
http://rialto-coffee.uk/
+44 1890 752048

Visited April 2017. You can find my review about The Rialto also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, service 5/5, food 5/5.

Welcome on my travel blog!

25th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

My name is Carolien and I have a passion for traveling the world. Because I like to share my experiences and travel tips, I started this little blog. In the months to come I’ll share with you some travel stories from my recent trips to Scotland and Korea. But I hope to expand this blog step by step with new destinations nearby or far away. Because traveling is fun and opens your mind to other ways of life.

As you can see on my tripadvisor profile, I’ve still got lots of exploring to do. In the future I hope to explore new exciting travel destination together with you! Don’t hesitate to ask if you’ve got some specific questions concerning a travel topic. I’m more than happy to share my knowledge with you.

You can follow me on Bloglovin or on my facebook page!

Terrasse le Paradis: “Gorgeous, colorful terrace”

24th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

I enjoyed a drink on this beautiful terrace on a lovely spring day with temperatures well above 25 degrees. This terrace is very aptly named: the colorful beach chairs and umbrellas at the bank of the river Rhône instantaneously bring you into the holiday mood. Since I didn’t order food, I can’t commend on that. I did try the house specialty though: a refreshing glass of citronnade. I found my visit very relaxing and enjoyed watching the water and the people nearby from my beach chair.

Terrasse le Paradis, Quai Turrettini, Geneva 1201, Switzerland
http://terrasse-paradis.ch/
+41 76 715 83 70

Visited May 2017. You can find my review about Terrasse le Paradis also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 3/5, service 3/5, food 4/5.

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