romantic dinner in luxembourg

Dinner at Le Fin Gourmand, Luxembourg City

~ Corie Bratter ~ 1 Comment

After a very busy week and a full day at at wine tasting, my partner in crime Kochi and I decided to complete the plan of our Saturday having dinner together. We booked at Le Fin Gourmand as it was long time since we have been there last time and considering it is not far from where I live now. It is funny that we always tend to visit restaurants in other neighborhoods and we often forget of those just next door.

We got there at 8ish and the restaurant was packed. We were accommodated together with our friends to a nice table on the windows on the ground floor – as the first one was reserved for a private party.

We enjoyed a further aperitif – Alice Hartmann cremant for the crew and Gin Tonic business as usual for me. We had a small appetizer with tuna fish and went for two courses each. I had the beef carpaccio with foie gras and truffle followed by sea-bass ravioli with coconut milk. In between the two, we were offered a small break from the house – while others had ravioli that I had already chosen as main, I had a meat terrine.

We accompanied the dinner with a pleasant Saint Aubin and we concluded with a bottle of Saint Estephe with our cheese.

My companions went all for a fish dinner and I have to say, while I really enjoyed my dishes, also their were extremely appealing.

After the pictures, you will find my impressions.


What I liked about Le Fin Gourmand:

  • I loved (and note I am not using it pretty often) the food. I loved it because while preserving some classic choices, were giving them an innovative, almost fusion appeal. This is what I enjoy about being in a restaurant: if I want to have a plain carpaccio or some average ravioli, I can definitely prepare them at home, no needs to go to an overpriced brasserie. Le Fin Gourmand has perfectly centered this concept and all the dishes we had on our table were surprisingly good at presentation and in the taste. The whole menu card looks delicious and while there you already think about what you will order next time probably – as I did.
  • The location is classy but rather informal, with a very mixed customer basis, among families, business men and young group of friends.
  • The wine choice is sophisticated and fairly priced.

What I liked a bit less about Le Fin Gourmand:

  • Honestly, it was such a great evening, I cannot find any downside. Maybe – in the specific occasion we were there, the downstairs room was a bit noisy after a while – and we definitely contributed,  so not extremely appropriate for a romantic encounter.

To conclude: I had the perfect time at Le Fin Gourmand. The menu includes classic choices revisited in a exotic and intriguing way, surprising your mouth with a succession of delicate and fusion, classy and vigorous tastes that leave you amazed and satisfied at the same time. The location is perfect for whatever – chic- occasion you might need: from a rendez-vous with friends to a business meeting.

A romantic dinner at Le Pomme Cannelle, Luxembourg

~ Corie Bratter ~ 2 Comments

In one of the few evenings hubby was free from work, after I had a meeting and couple of drinks at Le Royal, we decided to stop there for dinner. We always find us short on ideas for restaurants open on Monday evening and we were attracted by the renewed settings of the hotel. Last time I have been to Le Pomme Cannelle was ages ago – really, five or six at least – and my memories were related to the opulent and ceremonial service and old-fashion dishes.

We skipped the aperitif, as we had already at the bar, and were accommodated to a large table on a couch. The decors are classic but not redundant: the restaurant was quite full, but you could preserve your privacy as the distance between tables is considerable – this is one element I always appreciate very much in certain contests. Some businessmen, as well as couple and families. If you exclude we entered from the bar corridor, nothing can lead you thinking you are in the restaurant of a hotel.

We went for two courses each: I had bread-crust tuna tataki with avocado sauce while hubby had a red mullet cake, followed by two main fishes courses: cod in breadcrumbs with tomato and fava beans for me and sea bass with penne and crunchy vegetables for hubby. Our dinner was anticipated by two amuse-bouche. A delicate fish mousse as appetizer and a tasty beef welcome from the chef. We accompanied the dinner with a bottle of Viognier.  and I concluded with a selection of cheese.

After the pictures of our dinner, you will find some more impressions on my side.

What I liked about the dinner at Le Pomme Cannelle:

  • The food: sophisticated but not extravagant, classic but not boring. All our dishes were composed by main ingredients, perfectly combined and mixed. Some choices were precisely delicate, as my tuna fish, some were more colorful and intense, as the red mullet cake. All were outstanding.
  • The service: while extremely cordial and always on point, we never felt the service was “too much” as in the past. Settings are formal, but you can enjoy a relaxed moment, unbuttoning your tie if you wish
  • The location: while it still preserves an important style, pretty far from the new minimalist trends of new restaurants, Le Pomme Cannelle welcome you in a warm and different atmosphere, where you are taken away discovering the small details of the room. I particularly appreciated the comfort of the seats and the distance between the tables.

What I liked less about the dinner at Le Pomme Cannelle:

  • I have to say I like pretty much everything. If I have to find only one thing, as we ordered both two fish dishes and the welcome from the chef was taken afterwards, it might be pointed out it was a meat (mini) dish. I always appreciate when my amuse-bouche is slightly coordinated with my meal, but, as hubby pointed out, this is a very silly point of mine 🙂

To sum up. Le Pomme Cannelle has a new refreshed atmosphere and has lost the oldish negative acceptation of “hotel restaurant”. It is a place, high-end one, you can definitely visit for a special family occasion, a romantic date, a friends celebration. You are offered an outstanding level of service, a tasty classic menu with some indulgent touches and a very good and reasonable offer in terms of wine.

 

Romantic date at Oro e Argento, Sofitel Europe, Luxembourg city

~ Corie Bratter ~ Leave a comment

As last week hubby had a Friday night off work, we decided to celebrate and have a fancy dinner out before the moving.

We went for Oro e Argento restaurant as we heard many good reviews and feedbacks. The restaurant is situated in the premises of hotel Sofitel Europe, in Kirchberg. We got to the main entrance of the hotel, lift to the first floor and wow.. For one second I had the impression to be again in our Cancun honeymoon resort: huge hall, rooms overlooking and restaurants and bars on one side and the other. I am not sure this was a 100 per cent positive feeling, as I was expecting a more discreet and romantic venue.

We were welcomed at the restaurant, waitress took our jacket and accomodated to a very nice round table, spacious and nicely setted.

We ordered a prosecco aperitif and went to study the menu. There are pretty nice choices a la carte and a tasting menu (80 euro). We would have gone for it, but it was “surprise” and we personally didn’t like it: knowing my husband being pretty picky on ingredients, we were afraid to find courses with ingredients he did not like.

My choice for the night was: Olive all’Ascolana as starter (olives filled with crab, lobster, scampi and prawns), half portion of Spaghetti alla Chitarra with sardines and fennel pesto, and to conclude Sea Bass with artichokes and potatoes.

Hubby had the same main, while for starter he went for octopus cooked in red wine, followed by a half portion of lobster risotto with prosecco and pistache..

We had a Marina Cvetic chardonnay during the meal and we ended up with espresso – accompanied by some sweets – and Cognac.

Bill came out to be 320 euro for the total.

Before my general impression and the pictures, I have to specify I had very mixed feelings regarding the cuisine.

My starter was interesting as concept, and above all the olives with black panure were great. But the salt balance was not right between various pieces and the olives tasted a bit too loose – I came from the area were the original “olive all’ascolana” are made and we use a specific type of olives who keep the fragrance and the consistency.

My half portion pasta was very deluding: first, the pasta used was not spagnetti alla chitarra – that are made fresh with eggs and have a particular squared shape – my grandmother used to do them at home so, again, I know pretty well.. Those were simple spaghetti made of durum wheat, those you can buy at the supermarket. Then, I am used to believe the ingredients in the menu are listed in a predominant order: in this case the last one, the fennel pesto, was the strongest and spoiled the dish – you can taste just it.

Lastly the fish: nothing very gastronomic, quality of the ingredient was great, but again the salt balance incorrect: artichaud were very salty (too much, really), the fish totally without. I have to say the fish was very good and very well cooked, but again I had the impression the dish could have been better.

Pictures and then a small summary.


Things I liked about Oro e Argento:

  • I liked the idea of cuisine they have, all the dishes looked very interesting and the quality of ingredient is excellent. Presentation is also very fancy.
  • I liked the service: we had a misunderstanding on the wine and they changed the bottle without adding to the bill. Generally, it was polite and always available, waitresses were young but competent and kind.
  • Compared to our expectations, the bill was quite fine for the kind of place. Out of 320 euro, more than 150 were for drinks choices (95 euro the wine, plus prosecco aperitif, cognac, coffee and water), so food is generally well priced.

Things I did not like about Oro e Argento:

  • I was not convinced by how the dishes were realized. My spaghetti alla chitarra were the biggest delusion. The rest was good but not over the top.
  • I don’t like to be on a quite open space on an hotel hall, having people coming back to the rooms passing in front of the windows. You have this resort feeling I am not able to appreciate in Luxembourg.

To sum up: I liked Oro e Argento but not how much I expected. While the service deserved a Michelin star and products and ideas behind are amazing, the dishes themselves, for the level of the restaurant, did not astound my tastes. The place is perfect for a romantic getaway or a business dinner.