Puschka, Liverpool, UK

Situated on Rodney Street in Liverpool's Georgian Quarter, Puschka Opened in 2001. They have received rave reviews in the Guardian, been voted best restaurant in Liverpool and  pride themselves on creating dishes using fresh, and, were possible, local, ingredients.  This is evident level of care and attention in every dish.

On arrival you will know which table is yours, as names are cutely written on the hot pink place mats - such a nice touch and so pretty.

The menu is considered and fresh, the feel cozy, just like you are at a friends place, a friend who is extremely hospitable an excellent cook and isn't rushing you out of the door as soon as you take your last bite.

Their early bird menu £19.90 for 3 courses is great value and the dishes are homely and full of flavour. We opted for the al a carte menu on our last visit, enjoying  an entree of confit duck shepherds pie a main of venison with red wine, juniper, dauphinoise potato gratin and finishing up with the burnt English vanilla custard with lavender shortbread. 

The staff were extremely friendly, but not so much that they are intrusive. All extremely knowledgable in relation to the fantastic menu,literally able to tell us where each item was sourced from and how the restaurant is working on reducing food miles - the distance your meal travels from provider to plate. 

Each dish was well thought, fresh, tasty and just the right size that you can comfortably accommodate 3 courses. It is a haven away from the hustle, bustle and one size fits all restaurants in the city. You will leave feeling satisfied, relaxed and eager to return to this cozy bolt hole.

Highly recommended for catching up with friends.


Well done Puschka , we only wish there were more restaurants like you!


http://www.puschka.co.uk/

Vanitas Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast, Queensland

As the fine dining restaurant at Palazzo Versace on the gold Coast, Vanitas does not disappoint.

It's a beautiful restaurant with five star service and fantastic food. It boasts a great view of the hotel's lagoon style pool,is dotted with tea light candles giving a romantic and relaxed atmosphere, and, as you would expect - Versace plates, cutlery, glassware.

On arrival the staff made us very welcome, nothing was a problem and they had a wealth of knowledge in relation to menu, wine and cocktails.

We opted for the sand crab tortellini with tempura of New Zealand scampi, aoli and herb oil - this was the best entree we have had in a very long time. The pasta was amazing and the dish was fresh, had beautiful flavours and the portion size was quite large.

For main the choice was easy - roasted duck breast with sweet potato purée, bok choy and coffee sauce. The duck was cooked to perfection, the sweet potato puree was silky and flavoursome and, as someone who is not a fan of coffee, the sauce was still fantastic.

The baby spinach in butter with garlic and spiced hand cut chips sides that we chose to compliment the dishes were tasty and the portion size generous, so generous in fact, that there was room for tea and coffee but not desert.

Highly recommended for a romantic meal.

Jamies Italian, Liverpool City Centre, UK

The restaurant is located in a great spot in the popular LiverpoolOne development.  Sitting opposite John Lewis rather than up near the many other eateries surrounding the alfresco area up on the top level, Jaime's  is a fairly large restaurant spanning two floors.

As we dined in the less busy lunch period we were seated downstairs with the upper floor closed.  As expected, the restaurant had a nice, casual atmosphere and  friendly staff.  Only one small issue - the tables were packed in a little  too tight.

To start we opt for the Italian nachos (crispy fried 4 cheese ravioli with 'angry' arrabiata sauce).  Unfortunately, this dish was disappointing. It was a very small portion, quite bland and the alleged ‘angry' arrabiata sauce tasted suspiciously like warmed tinned tomatoes and nothing else – come on Jamie.

For our main we chose the grilled chicken (free range, boned, marinated and char grilled with warm tomato, olive, chilli and caper sauce) was a vast improvement.  Big ticks for going with free range.  The chicken was cooked to perfection and was lovely and moist.  The sauce complemented the meal and was tasty and flavoursome, without being over powering.  The 'posh chips' with truffle oil and parmesan were unfortunately less tasty and crispy that we would have liked, and again were a small portion.

As we were en-route to a meeting, it was soft drink and mineral water all round.  However, Jamie's has a decent wine list and the purchase options of by the bottle or the glass.

With great rustic themed décor (loving the old toilets will the pull flush, but beware of the hand dryers that almost blew me out of the restroom), a casual atmosphere, good, swift service and reasonable prices,  Jamie's has done well.  With a few minor improvements to portion size and either sauces or description of sauces, this place will be a roaring sauces (although, given the name on the door it will probably be a success regardless) 

Just St James, London, UK

With its location in an affluent area close to Buckingham Palace and just down from the Ritz hotel, you would think it would live up to its website statement  'Just St James Restaurant and Bar is one of the top restaurants in London'.  However, this was definitely not our experience. 

It is a very large restaurant spread over 2 levels, and to have such a large restaurant with only 2 tables seated at 7pm at night – we should have known better.....

We started with the Cornish Lobster and Watercress Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce. The presentation was ok but we could tell before eating it that the pasta was slightly undercooked.   On tasting the dish it was obvious that it was not freshly made when ordered.

For the main we opted for the fillet of Aberdeen Angus Beef, Wilted Leaf Spinach, Nutbourne Vine Tomatoes, Armagnac Jus and also a side of buttered Jersey Royals.

Within a few seconds of the food arriving (I had managed to put one piece of potato in my mouth) the server asked if everything was ok – with a mouth full of potato I nodded as thus far it was – BIG MISTAKE (and possibly a very sneaky move – read on)

The meat was tough, chewy, grizzy and had a large lump in it?????? It was that bad that this was one of the very rare occasions that the food was such poor quality we could actually not bring ourselves to pay for one of the meals.  After discussing whether to make a complaint and offer our opinion in relation to what was served up, we mutually decided that it was unacceptable and we would make a complaint and request removal from the bill.

When the floor manager/host had finish his lengthy discussion about his upcoming sabbatical to a winery with his friend at the table next (whom we assumed from the questions asked ‘why isn’t it busy’, ‘do you have a function coming in later’, may have been an investor in the establishment) he sidled past and asked if we had finished. 

It was at this point we motioned to the offending plate and advised we were unhappy with the meat.  Straight away he swooped in with – the server checked if everything was ok after delivery and you said yes............hmmmm well that half a potato was ok.  We explained the issue was with the steak and not wanting to have one of us sit with an empty plate while the other finished their mediocre piece of meat (sans lump and grizzle but still not up to par) we had simply left the meal.  (We have a rule – if you send something back, don’t order anything else).

Most decent restaurants would have been embarrassed and offered sincere apologies.  However, this host floated away to ‘check the quality with the chef’ – after all, as long as the chef is happy who cares what the customers think – that’s the best way  to run a business isn’t it????????????

Having checked with his chef – who, due to the chit chat and lengthy schmoozing with the table next to us we learned was his father, we were advised they were happy with the quality of the meat – oh, well that’s great but they didn’t have to try and eat it.

We were clearly unhappy with the whole evening and to remedy this, the tact chosen was for the waiter to argue with us and the host to argue with us – always a good customer service strategy.   

Had we eaten half the meal and then complained we could have understood the argument, but only two bites were taken from the meat (one of those ending up in a napkin)

We found the staff rude and condescending and it seems there is clearly a lack of understanding in relation selecting and cooking meat.

Based on our experience, we were left wondering how the place is still open.  Clearly they rely on corporate functions – but even if we were on the corporate credit card or a work Christmas party, we still would have complained about the meat!!!

After it appeared the investor/friend, had begun to take note (and that we could no longer be bothered with his rude attitude further ruining our night and given up the argument) the host took the service charge off and shunted us towards the door.

Will we go back???? never

Pullman Hotel, Olympic Park, Sydney

We had never stayed at Olympic Park before, and, to be honest, we didnt really want to.  We had assumed the hotels would be pretty average, catering for the one nighters going to events and providing 3 star service at best.

However, after deciding it was too much hassle getting to and from the city when we had an event at Olympic Park we decided to have a more detailed look at what was on offer,  and were so glad we did.

We found the Pullman Hotel initially on wotif and after reviewing the hotel website we decided to book what looked like a great offer - and it was!

The 'Shop til you drop package' includes:
1 nights accommodation in an executive room
Buffet breakfast for 2
Access to the Pullman executive lounge (including pre-dinner canapés)
$100 Westfield Voucher
2 glasses of champagne


After checking in, we enjoyed drinks in the executive lounge, which boasts pay tv, comfortable chairs, board games, complementary drinks and free internet access as well as great views.

It was a shame we were not able to make the most of the executive lounge privileges during our time at the hotel, due to having an event on that evening - however, we did try our best to get up there as much as possible during our stay.

 After our free drinks in the lounge we took a leisurely 15 minute walk to the DFO outlets shops.
We returned in time to get ready for dinner and decided to see what the quality of the 'pre dinner canapes' that are part of the executive experience, was.  After experiencing some very sad displays of what ever they had spare at other hotels as part of the pre-dinner display, we were pleasantly surprised to find fresh, tasty food that was of high quality on offer.  It was basically a selection of the restaurants entrees and they were beautiful.  They included a mix of seared yellow-fin tuna, fennel salad, ruby grapefruit, crisp lotus root, parmesan crumbed asparagus and vegetable spring rolls.

After enjoying the canapés , along with 2 vodka drinks and beers (all part of the executive experience and at no charge), we strolled down for our 6.30pm reservation at the hotels restaurant 'Bacar', and we have to say, this was on of the best hotel restaurants we have been to.

After indulging in a few too many of the free canapes in the executive lounge, we skipped the entrees and went straight to the main - seared beef fillet, celeriac puree, king brown mushrooms, braised red wine onions.  The steak was a good inch and a bit thick and cooked to perfection.  With a side of potato puree, garlic butter and  buttered baby beans we were in heaven - who would think this was a restaurant in a chain hotel.

At this point we were running late for our event but were bitterly disappointed that we didnt haven time to have a 3 course or the degustation that was on offer.

After our event had finished, we walked out of the stadium and straight into the hotel - there really is nothing better than walking out of the venue and practically straight into the front door of your hotel =)

Our executive room was large and modern.  The décor  and linen was beautiful and we had a great view across Olympic Park. The bathroom was well stocked with toiletries and towels and the bathroom itself was huge compared to most hotel, with both bath and shower.

In the main room was a Nespresso Coffee Machine, available free of charge =)

As a guest at the hotel you can also enjoy complimentary access to the hotel gym, pay

tv and access to the state of the art Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre

We encourage Accor to continue to keep this hotel as is.  Would hate to see it become a Novotel or Ibis.  It caters for travellers other than, no disrespect intended, families on a budget or young people looking just for a place to lay their head after a concert.

All we have to say to Pullman Olympic park is 'thank you very much, we will be back, and please do not change'

Caveau, Wollongong

Thank you Peter Sheppard for bringing fine dining to Wollongong!

As Wollongong's only hatted restaurant, as awarded by Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2010, we had high expectations for this regional restaurant.

Located on Keira Street in Wollongong CBD, the layout is nice and simple - clean white table clothes and uncluttered tables.  A small an intimate restaurant with an upstairs dining room for more private occasions such as birthdays or dinner with a group of friends.  

Caveau has a decent sized, seasonal menu and the wait staff are friendly, knowledgeable and attentive.  The only complaint we have is that after over 3 visits to the restaurant and repeated requests, they still do not stock bottled still water =( 

On our first visit to Caveau we enjoyed the following dishes:

Seared scallops with sweetcorn puree, braised witlof, crisp potato - this dish was light, airy and had amazing flavours.

Grain fed beef eye fillet with potato gallette, creamed spinach, snails and herb butter - the snails may put some people off but they were actually quite tasty, the texture a little firmer than mushroom and taking on the flavours of the dish.  They were a great complement to the crispy potato.

Roasted breast and confit leg of duck with sauteed potato, walnuts, blueberries and preserved truffle - Delicious.  The two ways of cooking gave different textures and flavours to the duck and the accompaniments complemented the flavours beautifully.

Chocolate pithivier with vanilla bean ice cream - having experienced such lovely dishes for entree and main, we had great hopes for the desert.  However, whilst the vanilla bean ice cream was divine, the chocolate pithivier was ok, but not to the standard of the rest of the meal.

Visit 2

Sand whiting with scallop mousse, seared scallops, fennel and champagne veloute - beautiful flavours, fresh seafood, but a very small portion.

Australian venison loin with carrot puree, potato dauphinoise and boudin noir - This was amazing.  I was left wanting more, mainly due to the delicious flavours but also due to the small portion size.  Don't get us wrong, we are used to the smaller dishes served in degustation menus, but just another small piece of venison would have made this dish perfect.

Vanilla creme brulee with mandarin and passion fruit ice-cream - as we cracked the top and tasted the mix of crunchy brulee and velvety creme we knew this was the perfect end to a beautiful meal.

It is great to see a quality restaurant, producing great meals thriving in a regional area.  Obviously the restaurant has won the hearts and stomachs of loyal diners, wishing to support local talent and will hopefully continue plating up delicious dishes for a long time.  After a few visits we have decided we like the restaurant so much we have enrolled in one of their Sunday cooking Courses (post to come).

Hipping Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale, Lake District UK

Hipping Hall is a 17th century house close to Kikby Lonsdale.  It is tastefully renovated and decorated on the inside with quirky rooms and an intimate feel.

Having checked out the website and read numerous positive review on trip advisor, we felt the need to see for ourselves, so we set to the beautiful Lakes District.

It was like the stresses of the working week melted away as we pulled into the driveway and saw this lovely hotel and its small but lovely grounds.

Rates include dinner, bed and breakfast as well as tea/coffee and home made biscuits on arrival - what a lovely start to what would be a relaxing weekend.

There are 9 room options including 3 cottages. For our stay we chose room 3.  Whilst one of the smaller rooms in the hotel we were happy with our choice as it was cosy, had fabulous views over the garden and had a great bathroom. 

All rooms are decorated in muted tones with Vi-spring beds, meaning a comfy nights sleep.  

The hotel provides good quality toiletries, bath robes and bottled water in room as well as free newspaper of your choice.

Please note - there is no mini bar, tea/coffee making facilities or fridge in the room, but the idea of the hotel is as a retreat where all of your needs can be taken care of.  You wouldn't want to be going out to eat as the food here is fantastic !

Meals were served in the impressive dining hall with a large wood fire place.  There is a decent range of options available on the al a carte menu - we would have loved to try them all but decided on the scallop entree and the lamb loin main.

Breakfast is included - a decent sized menu is provided and you can order whatever you like and have it cooked fresh - a welcome change from standing in those canteen like queues waiting for some stale baked beans that have has some egg and half a sausage dropped in them.

The smoothies were amazing, the full English was delicious and the quality of the produce for all meals was beautiful.

The hotel is great for relaxation and romantic getaways. With attentive staff, intimate feeling, relaxed atmosphere and great food.  AND, it is so nice to see owners who have kept such a lovely property in original condition and with many original fixtures BUT have been brave enough to make the necessary changes to allow modern amenities and clean, fresh contemporary feel to the rooms.  

Too often hotels in older style buildings feels that EVERYTHING including the carpet, crockery and linens should be from the same age - might attract the retirees, but in this now heavily competitive market it will not attract the experienced traveller.

Although the grounds were a liitle smaller than expected, we were very impressed during our visit and would definitely return.  Hipping Hall deserves all accolades received on trip advisor.

Chaophraya Thai and Palm Sugar Lounge, Liverpool

This relatively new (opened in 2009) Thai restaurant is a welcome edition to the Liverpool food scene. The food is fresh and fabulous, reasonably priced and staff are pleasant and attentive without being intrusive.

Favourite dishes include: Pad Prik Sod (duck or chicken), Panang Curry, Gung Chup Pang Tod (tempura prawns) and the vegetarian spring rolls. We encourage you to work your way through the menu as its all good =)

The restaurant is tastefully decorated and has a great atmosphere. This, combined with the internal link in to the Palm Sugar Lounge makes it a great place for a night out.

There is also the option to secure a private dining room for groups - this has views into the Palm Sugar Lounge next door, where, if you wish to carry on the exclusivity, you can book private booths for your group.

Bring some extra cash if you will be making it a long night as Palm Sugar, as lovely as it is, does come with slightly hight drinks prices than other pubs and clubs in the area, however, the area and venue in my opinion warrants the extra charge.

What to wear:The restaurant is not pretentious at all and we have attended in shorts/t-shirt as well as dressed to the nines. However, most people to get glammed up and you will certainly want to dress to impress if planning to sweep into Palm Sugar afterwards

Prices: Entrees sit around the £7-9 mark, Main meals are £9-12 with individual rice portions at around £3

Other information: Bookings are essential to avoid disappointment, even on mid- week nights

Aguas De Ibiza, Lifestyle & Spa, Santa Eulalia Del Rio and Blue Marlin, Ibiza

Aguas De Ibiza is a member of Design Hotels and is located in Ibiza’s Santa Eulalia Bay marina far from the loud sounds, messy streets and rowdy revellers of San Antonio.

The hotel is wonderful and has become a firm favourite of ours.

There is free parking (on street) at the front of the hotel - a welcome change to the hip pocket, and our hire car stayed there safe and sound for the duration of the stay.

The rooms are large, bright and airy with all modern amenities. Clean lines, great tones and nice lighting make it easy to want to stay in your room/on your balcony for the duration of your stay.

The hotel has direct access to the promenade that leads around to the next little village and is flanked with restaurants and bars which makes it easy to stroll around whilst working up a hunger with plenty of food styles to choose from.

There is a boat trip from Santa Eulalia stopping at Cala Longa and San Antonio which is much cheaper than booking a guided vessel and has views just as good.

The only negative with this property is if you go in the off season. Arriving in May we were astonished to find that all hotel facilities were not available:

- roof top bar & pool was closed

- one of the hotel restaurants was closed

- limited staff on duty

However, to compensate these aspects the hotel was much cheaper than during peak times and the only reason the above was an issue was due to the fact that we were not advised this when booking.

Highly recomend making the trek to Blue Marlin. Our sat nav began taking us down dirt roads, over grown with head high grasses and we began to think we would never find our way out/back when the road opened into a dirt car park full of trendy mopeds, four wheel drives and sports vehicles. All of a sudden shorts and t-shirts did not seem the appropriate attire.

Yes, we would have preferred to have been aware of the venues reputation and clothed ourselves appropriately, but that was just our preference, as the staff treat everyone the same, make all feel welcome and there is a great relaxed atmosphere. The food is fantastic and for the quality you get not that expensive. The Blue Marlin is a regular haunt for celebs and plays host to some great DJs. It's cool, beachside, chilled vibe made this a highlight of the trip and although getting there may be hard (we have since heard there may be buses from the towns) it's well worth it.

Pablos, Lark Lane, Liverpool

As much as we like the fact that Lark Lane has its own eclectic/studnet vibe, Pablos is a welcome edition for those who want to enjoy a more modern restarant with a great bar.

The venue is trendy and comfortable and one very important feature (at least to woman) - Toilets are clean and faboulouslly decorated

The menus is reviewed often, there are set menus, mid-week specials, Sunday dinners, cheaper rate prior to seven and the food caters for all tastes. Wait staff are friendly and helpful making dinners a casual and enjoyable event.

Pablos bar has a wide variety of drinks and is one of few bars that stocks Bollinger Champagne - big ticks for that, as well as an extensive wine, beer and spirits menu.

If you wish to have a nice night away from the crowds of town then Pablos in Aigburth will not disappoint. A taxi to the restaurant from Liverpool CBD will set you back £8-£12 each way.

keep posted, as there will definitely be further reviews as we intend to return to this place again soon.

Restaurant Gordan Ramsey

Well, one of the most controversial chefs - do you love him/do you hate him...........I wasnt a fan and did go to the restauant purley due to wanting to try a Michelin starred restaurant in London and also to poke holes in the cocky chef.

However - It was worth every penny, the food was fantastic, staff were amazing and we would definitely go there again.

The only thing we did not love was trying to secure a reservation.........due to the demand for the restaurant and the need to keep the experience an intimate affair (meaning not too many tables) getting a table secured can require quite a few calls so please have a few dates and be flexible in order to secure a spot. You will also be required to secure the reservation with a credit card.

The restaurant has a variety of menus; a set lunch (3 courses £45pp), al a carte (3 courses £90pp), menu prestige (Degustation, £120pp), seasonal items and an extensive wine list.

The service was impecable, not pretencious at all. Although the staff were maybe a little too attentive (I dont need my drink topped up after each sip) they were pleasant, friendly and very knowledgeable. Nothing was too much trouble, we felt completely pampered and looked after and thouroughly enjoyed what can only be descrived as an experience. This is not just going out for dinner.

You phone up 28 days prior to your required date at 9am sharp if you want to secure a booking. This reserves you a tabel for the night - yes, the whole night. - a welcome change as many other restaurants seem to have the 'in at 6 out by 8 rule' that I hate so much. You are not given the 'you have it from 6-8' or ushered out with repeated coffee suggestions and the bill. Even when we had stopped ordering and had finished all food and drinks we were allowed to stay as long as we liked - no placing of the bill on the table or questioning if we were done. As soon as we motioned we were ready to leave the bill was prepared, our coats appeared and so did a taxi right at the front door.

Please be aware that a 12.5 % gratuity is added to each bill - however do not worry about this as after the service you receive ( the high level of waiter to patron ratio, the knowledgeable and friendly service) you wont be complaining too much.

Also note that there are dress requirements for the restaurant which is listed on the website. Our tip is to dress up but be comfy as you will want to eat til your heart is content and ladies - those suctions suits and tight dresses can be a little restrictive with such tempting treats on the menu.

At the end of the meal I was lucky enough to be serenaded by the Maitre d' Jean-Claude with his own version of happy birthday, complete with a lovely sorbet and birthday candle.

A visit is recommended, please see this as an experience and and all night event and do not book anything after dinner as you may want to take your time with the many tasty menu options or linger and relax after your meal.

Samuels, Thirroul

This is a pretty white oasis surrounded by fairy lights in the town of Thirroul near Wollongong.

The restaurant is small an intimate and with a decent sized menu offering plenty of sides. Staff are friendly and make you feel comfortable. Due to the size of the restaurant its almost as if you are at a dinner party with friends - very relaxing and pleasant.

The décor is clean and fresh – wooden floors with crisp white linen. Fairy lights adorn the trees outside - always a favourite. Indoor and outdoor seating (weather permitting) is available.

Not quite up to the better Sydney restaurants but definitely one of the best in the Illawarra - well worth a visit

Type of food: Modern Australian
What to wear: Smart casual
How much money to take: for 2 people $100 - $150
Appropriate occasions: All occasions

Best bits: Small and intimate

Worst bits: The toilets although clean, are outside the resturant in a renovated 'outhouse' building. Couldnt find direct website for the restaurant

Wildfire, Circular Quay, Sydney

We have frequented this restaurant a number of times since its opening in 2002, the year in which it received the 'Best New Restaurant' award. The restaurant has a great website with a copy of the current menu and wine list which gives you a good idea of what you are in for prior to dining, which is always very helpful.

For the purpose of this blog we will discuss our last visit at which we opted to try the churrasco. The churrasco comes with a mixed tapas style entrée and the main consists of fire-roasted meats, poultry, homemade sausages, seafood and seasonal green vegetables, served with a variety of sauces and salsas the meat and seafood are spit roasted or wood oven baked. This is Wildfires signature dining experience.

The meats are cooked to perfection……. and they just keep on coming, yes that's right it is basically all you can eat of these fire roasted delights. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and very attentive. If you like your meat well done they will ensure you get the outer meat when they carve, alteratively if you prefer rare they will come to you when the meat is closer to the centre of the spit. If you are planning on ordering the Churrasco please allocate at least 2 hours for your dining experience.

The decor is impressive, but do not let this and the grandeur of the restaurant put you off – it is by no mean pretentious and I have dinned there in outfits ranging from a suit to jeans and polo shirt.

For pre-show nibbles the restaurant also serves a tapas menu at the Ember bar- no reservations required. The restaurant has an excellent wine list, comprehensive cocktail list, and if it’s not in there they will often still be able to make it for you – just ask

The restaurant is not well suited to dining with children. There are no 'kids meals' and with meats on giant metal skewers probably not the best place for them to be running around.

There is an area of this restaurant that is currently (but did not used to be ) below par and that is the toilets. In my opinion they need renovating and more regular checks for cleanliness. It is not sufficient to have them cleaned at the start of the night and expect a restaurant with a 300 person capacity at any one time to remain clean throughout the entire service.

In summation this restaurant is recomended for those who want a full dining experience in a comfortable atmosphere with a great view of the Opera house (be sure to check when you make you reservation that no ships are in port as this will compromise or eliminate your view)


What to wear: Smart casual, you can be dressed up or in jeans with collared shirt
How much $: for 2 people $150- $220
Occasion: All occasions. If you are on a first date or dining with someone you feel conversation may run dry then I recommend you request seating at the seafood bar. Here you will sit next to not opposite you dining partner and have the seafood chefs preparing all manners of meals in front of your eyes – entertaining and gives you something to chat about.