Distinctive versions of traditional English fayre in sophisticated yet familiar dishes with attractive flourishes and complementary flavours! Tucked away at the gates of Windsor Great Park since 1877, we find The Bailiwick in Englefield Green, Egham. A quintessential British dining pub and snug bar in a former Victorian shop with ceiling of vintage mirrors serving cask ales. The Bailiwick reopened in Februari 2021 under the new reigns of Steven and Ami Ellis. We know the Ellis’s from The Oxford Blue in Old Windsor, which they opened in 2015 and unfortunately had to sell in 2020 due to the econ ..read more

Interesting twists with notes of Asian and Peruvian influences. Solid flavour combinations with a contemporary elegance! The Sizzles adventure started in 2006 when Ester and Leon Habers opened their first restaurant in Apeldoorn. Leon had always been a chef and opening a restaurant was his dream. Ester worked in fashion at the time, but followed her husband’s dreams and hasn’t regret it since. They made restaurant Sizzles a fine dining success, with a Bib Gourmand from Michelin since 2011, amongst other acculades. In 2020 it was time for the next step in the adventure. Sizzles moved to a beaut ..read more

Don’t be fooled by the homely look of these Indian soul food dishes. This is top-shelf Indian haute cuisine! The unassuming shopfront on a Surrey excessive road wouldn’t be my first pick to start a restaurant. But that’s exactly what Nand Kishor Semwal and Sanjay Gour, two established chefs, did back in 2016. Dastaan in Epsom, a well-regarded Indian restaurant, proves that location isn’t always the most important thing to open a new business. Inside, you’re instantly hit by a homey atmosphere with an Indian vibe. Created by turmeric-yellow walls, aubergine-purple benches, loads of portraits an ..read more

A pleasurable dinner with attractive dishes with a vibe of an Italian trattoria. This kitchen certainly has potential! Elburg is a beautiful and picturesque little town right in the heart of The Netherlands. The old center used to be a fortified city in the Middle Ages. The remains of that, like the city walls, are still very visible. In one of the cobblestone streets in the old center we find restaurant Da Pietro Restaurante Italiano. Da Pietro was opened bij Pietro and Hetty d’Andrea in 1994 as a pizzeria. Over the years they evolved to a Restaurante Italiano, earning themselves quite a repu ..read more

An impression of a very special wine & dine lunch. All dishes bringing surprise, mouth pleasing joyfulness and utter satisfaction! On Sunday 4 September 2022 the 5th edition of CHEFS®EVOLUTION took place in Zwolle. Organized and hosted by Jonnie and Thérèse Boer from restaurant De Librije *** in cooperation with Thomas and Carola Ruhl from team Port Culinaire. The gastronomy is in need of chefs who experiment and research the creative end of the gastronomic sector. This avant-garde gives impetus to the world of culinary art and leads it into the future. The Symposium CHEFS®EVOLUTION tracks ..read more

A true gastronomic experience, with dishes of divine quality. Curious to see where the culinary road of this establishment will lead! Everyone who has been to Utrecht (the 4th largest city of The Netherlands) knows de Oudegracht (The Old Canal). Running right through the old city center, this 2 km long canal used to be the artery of the city in the Middle Ages. It basically still is, with lots of shops and nice places to eat and drink alongside. Just outside the old center, at number 273, we find Restaurant 273, booked by Joanne as my birthday surprise. The restaurant is long and narrow as is ..read more

An experience that feels like performance art rather than dining. But O’Hare lost sight of the essence of hospitality: Entertaining your guests! About a month ago we traveled up North to Yorkshire. We spent a long weekend visiting York, Leeds and Sheffield. It happened to be Joanne’s birthday that Saturday, so of course I looked for something special for dinner and The Man Behind the Curtain * in Leeds certainly hits the brief. Opened by Head Chef Michael O’Hare in 2014, The Man Behind the Curtain * has a reputation for unusual food, with a unique artistic presentation. It was awarded a M ..read more

Dive into a world of flavor with my Chicken Stroganoff! Succulent chicken thighs, zingy Dijon mustard and a rustic charm of forest mushrooms! Ingredients 800g chicken thighs 25g butter 3 tbsp vegetable oil 2 onions 400g mushrooms (like chestnut mushrooms, king mushrooms, chanterelles, shiitaki) 500ml chicken stock 4 tbsp dijon mustard 1 tbsp brandy 3 tbsp crème fraîche (or sour cream) juice of half a lemon bunch of fresh curly parsley Preparation Cut the chicken thighs into nice chunks and season with salt en black pepper Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken thighs (do it in ..read more

Slow cooked Haunch of Venison with Roasted Vegetables and Holy Basil Salsa Verde. Enjoy this fabulous dark, lean meat as a great comforting alternatieve for your Sunday roast. Haunch of venison really benefits from long, slow cooking. Ingredients 2.5-3kg haunch of venison, bone in and well trimmed of all gristle 1 tbps of smoked paprika 2 tsp of ground cumin 2 tsp of ground coriander 2 tsp of salt 2 tsp of black pepper 2 onions 4 carrots 4 celery sticks 1 bulb of garlic 3 sprigs of fresh thyme 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary 2 dried red chillies (fresh also works) 300ml red wine 400ml beef sto ..read more

Transform your foraged wild garlic into a delicious pesto by combining the wild garlic leaves with parmesan, parsley, lemon, olive oil and pine nuts. Ingredients 150g wild garlic 60g curly parsley 60g pine nuts, toasted 60g Parmesan, grated 70ml extra vierge olive oil 70ml rapeseed oil 1 tbsp lemon juice salt black pepper Preparation Rinse and roughly chop the wild garlic leaves and curley parsley. Blitz all ingredients except the oil to a rough paste in a food processor. Season with salt and black pepper. With the motor running slowly add the oil. Taste, season if needed. Transfer the pesto ..read more