Tag: restaurants

Featured

Granada – where eating halaal is easy

Travelling can be exciting and adventurous but it can also be challenging at times. Especially when it comes to eating.

If you have special dietary requirements like vegan, vegetarian, kosher or halaal, you have to do some research before-hand to ensure that you familiarise yourself with at least 2 to 3 restaurants in the city you will be visiting.

As a Muslim, my first choice is always to eat strictly halaal food. Coming from a country where we have a reliable and trustworthy Halaal Trust, we are spoilt for choice to eat at restaurants that cater for our needs.

When travelling, I’m not always sure where I will find a good restaurant serving halaal food. Breakfast is normally easy, because one can get away with cereal, breads and preservatives with a good helping of fruit and yoghurt. Lunch time though, one tends to want to eat something a bit more substantial and filling.

On our trip to Spain, finding a halaal restaurant in Madrid city centre wasn’t easy, so we opted to eat fish or seafood meals for lunch. Closer to the outskirts of Madrid we found a Pakistani restaurant serving authentic curries and naan roti’s. It was a perfect eat out restaurant for the one night we stayed over in the capital.

In the South of Spain, where the Muslim influence is more prevalent, we were fortunate to find some good halaal restaurants.

Both Cordoba and Granada have enough options to choose from. In this blog I’ll tell you about the two restaurants we visited in Granada.

Swarma King (Falafel & Kebaap)

The restaurant is Turkish and is fully halaal. Their signature dish is obviously falafels but they basically make any and all take-away and sit down type meals. It is located close to the Plaza Nuevo (New Plaza which is actually the oldest square in Granada ) so you will not miss it if you are walking in or around this area.

We opted for the chicken and chips meal which was quite a substantial portion. Had we known that the portions would be as big, we probably would have opted for one portion to share instead of the two.

If spicy and tasty Mediterranean Cajun style chicken is your favorite then this restaurant will not disappoint. The cost is reasonable for the portion sizes. I think we paid 5.50 euros per meal which included a soda. For the same price you could also get a Pita filled with falafel, chips and salad and a coke.

They also sell burgers and chips, paella dishes, vegetable food with basmati rice and a variety of other dishes ranging from about 3 Euros to 10 euros.

Shawarma King is a good place to have lunch. It has a casual café style setting. If you are looking for a bit more fancy, then I suggest you cross the road to it’s sister restaurant called ElTaj Halal Shawarma King

ElTaj Halal Shawarma King

As you enter this restaurant you are mesmerised by the beautiful wooden carved Morroccan style entrance complete with colourfully covered ottomans on either side. The decor is warm and cosy and the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly.

The owners, who are Syrian, have opted to create a Arabian experience in the middle of this busy street . You are transported to a time and place across the oceans in Africa. A trip from Granada to Morrocco will take you less than half a day by ferry and train.

Granada has retained much of it’s Moorish style in architecture, decor and eating establishments.

The ElTaj Shawarma King has two levels. downstairs are fitted with plenty of wooden chairs and tables. As you make your way upstairs you will find on one side the restaurant a makeshift Bedouin Morrocan style tent area where you can enjoy some desserts and hookah, if that’s your fancy.

On the other side of the restaurant, there are the most beautifully carved wooden chairs and tables with bay style windows looking out into the street below.

The walls are lined with the most intriguing and eye-catching paintings of Moorish ladies draped in headscarves.

or serving the tea traditional Arab style.

We opted to sit upstairs and enjoy this Arabian experience while having our meal. The menu is vast and flavourful. Catering to your every need, whether it be a light quick meal of kebaab or wraps or whether it be a hearty warm curry.

Prices are reasonable considering that it’s a sit down restaurant. We were tempted to try some of their desserts but decided against it because once again the meal size was substantial and filling.

I would recommend both of these restaurants when travelling to Granada, especially if you looking for tasty halaal food.

Featured

When in Venice, eat like an Italian.

I have a philosophy when I travel which I learnt from my father. He says when you visit a new city, spend of what you’ve earned with an open heart. You see he has a belief that earnings/wealth is given to us by our Creator so that we can not only have for ourselves but also to share with others. And the more we are prepared to share with others, the more we will receive. This philosophy has worked for him and it’s working for me too.

  • San Marco Square

So when I travel I try not to focus too much on how much something cost but instead I stay present to how I feel about spending my earnings in a particular establishment. If it feels right, I go for it with an open heart. Almost 100% of the time I’m not disappointed with my purchase.

There is no place where I needed to use this philosophy more than in Venice. The city of canals is essentially a tourist city which means that prices are quite high. If you want to eat good authentic Italian food you have to be prepared to pay.

Keeping this philosophy in mind, we decided to treat ourselves to a good Italian pasta, pizza and dessert at least once during our stay in Venice. Here are the restaurants I recommend you try if you want to have a real Italian experience.

Spagetteria 6342 A Le Tole

Our host, Riccardo, marked this on the map for us and said, if you want to eat fresh pasta, this is your place. Armed with the map we set off on the Friday late afternoon to find Restaurant 6342 http://www.6342aletole.it/.

My husband is quite a good navigator so I really just had to follow as he meandered through narrow passages checking the map occasionally. We arrived at the restaurant only to be told that this branch was not opening until much later the evening. But, they do have another branch which operates during the day and closes in a few hours. We were lead there by a pleasant Italian waiter.

The restaurant is warm with pretty Venetian masks on the walls and soft music playing in the background creating a cosy relaxing ambience. We were surprised to find that we were the only diners in the restaurant. It seems that Venetians and tourist alike prefer to have dinner after the sun has set.

The menu gives you an extensive selection of pastas and pizzas to choose from. I decided to go with a Tagliatelle pasta prepared in a creamy sauce with Seabass. The combination of fish and pasta sounded good. As soon as I put the first forkful into my mouth I could taste the difference between authentic pasta, made today, and the pasta I am used to eating which comes out of a box in my kitchen pantry. I savoured every mouthful and tried to taste each ingredient in this simple but tasty dish.

My husband chose a Spaghetti pasta with shrimp and vegetables. We both agreed that you could immediately taste the freshness and the firmness of the pasta.

What’s a good meal without a good dessert? We decided to end off the meal with a classic Italian dessert. I guess you can say tiramisu will never taste the same to me. The smooth and creamy textures of the mascarpone cheese and the espresso coffee combined to make this dessert a taste sensation to savour with every mouthful. If you find yourself in Venice, a meal at this restaurant will not disappoint. Try it, you will thank me.

Pizzeria La Rossa Rossa

Even the name says you are about to have a true Italian experience, right? Well that’s absolutely true! If you want to eat good pizza prepared from scratch by good looking Italian chefs, then this is your place to go.

Pizzerria La Rossa Rossa turned out to be just as Riccardo described it. When you enter this restaurant you have to wonder if the electricity is out or if its just your eyes deceiving you. I’m not sure if it’s part of the look and feel they are trying to create but the lighting in here is not good. Riccardo had given us the heads up to expect this, so we were not put off by it. Instead we settled in and prepared ourselves for a pizza treat second to none. And I am pleased to say we were not disappointed.

We opted for Magheritta and waited in anticipation. You know you have a good pizza when the base is not all thick and bready nor thin and flimsy. This pizza base was just right. The cheese melted in your mouth and the base just dissolved as you chewed. Pizza is one of my hubby’s favorites, so he was in heaven. This restaurant is a must do. Let me know what you thought once you’ve been.

Gelati Nico

Walking around Venice you will see many ice cream shops with the most exquisite display of gelato ice cream. Do not be distracted or impressed by the displays. If you want to experience real gelato ice cream I suggest you walk right past all those enticing displays and make your way towards Gelati Nico http://www.gelaterianico.com/.

This restaurant is situated on the Waterfront quite close to Zattere water bus stop. We opted to walk there instead of taking the water bus. By the time we arrived we had worked up a good appetite. There is quite a variety of flavours to choose from so you may take a while to decide. Each flavour seems to be screaming out to you, “pick me”.  We opted for Ferrero Roche flavour.

I loved the chocolatey nutty texture and the fullness of cream that I tasted as I swirled the ice cream around in my mouth to savour it before it slid down my throat. The combination of the beautiful location and the mouth-watering ice cream makes Gelati Nico one of the best places to visit in Venice.

Gibran

There is only so much pizza you can eat before your palette craves for something different. If you looking for something different but still authentic, why not try this Lebanese Restaurant .  

Gibran is situated in the district of Castello in, where the local Italians live.  The restaurant is only open at night and is a sit down restaurant. They are also more than willing to prepare a take away dish for you if you prefer to have your dinner at your apartment.