My Travelling Bites

Monday 16 September 2013

Amsterdam

So I have made it to Amsterdam and the first thing that hit me was HOW EXPENSIVE EUROPE IS!.  I just dropped 7.55 Euros for a Whopper and fries at the airport Burger King for lunch.

Dinner was a Dutch spicy chicken sandwich with grilled pineapples.  Not too bad.  Not too exciting either.  Since It was take out, Im not going to write much about it.

Tomorrow the more interesting dining ....I hope will begin.  I was just too tired to wander much other than just around Schiphol.

Last night, Beef Satay at Wings, Schiphol East.  Very cool place, the old ATC tower at Schiphol airport.  ( http://www.wings-schiphol.nl/ )  Really good and A LOT of food.  No Pics, as I forgot my camera, but it was like 15 Euro.  Not too bad!  Fresh Heineken on tap ... that was the best.  I think i downed 1.5L :-)

Cheers!

Springfield, IL

Last year, I was in HELL!  Springfield was a total food desert, but I also didn't venture far from the hotel.   We stuck to the area nearby and it totally sucked.  This year, I was quite surprised as a number of new places opened up and I was able to discover a few new places that were a short drive away.  I have to say that my opinion of Springfield changed and I was pleased with the choices, a couple of which I blogged about.  Brickhouse, Mangia, Saputo's and Alexanders are all places that are worth visiting!

Landstuhl, Germany

Zur Dicken Emma

A total fav outside of Ramstein Airbase in Germany.  This is the 1/2 Kg burger, about 12 inches in diameter.  

They specialize in the Full order of Schnitzel, whhich is a KG of meat, washed down with a 3 liter Beer!

http://www.thebigemma.de/

Sydney Australia

A week in SYD proved to be a great time.  First and foremost, the coffee here is to die for!  It is some of the best I have had anywhere outside of Turkey.  Strong, hot and flavorful is putting it lightly.  HOWEVER, it can be expensive.  We are talking about $3 for a tall Americano (called a Long Black, here in SYD).

Most of the places I have been to is a serve yourself style.  There is no tipping here, so maybe this is a consequence of that culture.  You dont get water and staff do not come and check on you.  If you want something, you need to get up to get it or if there is staff, you need to flag them down.

Steak and seafood is the hot item here.  The beef is outstanding, the lamb and pork rock as well.  I cant get enough of the carnivorous delights here.

Beer is also great!  There is no Fosters here, so dont ask for it.  BUT there are enough craft brews and Australian brews here to keep you happy.  The draft beer sizes are smaller than a pint, called a Schooner, so be aware.  Plus it costs the same as your would pay for a pint elsewhere.  It is called a Half pint or 425ml in the States.  Quite disappointing actually, because the beers are quite good here.

https://www.facebook.com/tastetradersqantasHQ   Taste Traders at the Qantas HQ in Mascot NSW, has some of the best coffee I have enjoyed, ever.  HOT and STRONG!  The large Long Black got me through the jet lag and long meetings.  If you are an airline person and fortunate enough to get here, you have to give it a try!