Food on the go for Brits

A study conducted by Le Boat into the eating habits of holidaying Europeans has revealed that Brits lag behind their French and German counterparts when it comes to experimenting with foreign cuisine.

The survey of 1,000 adults from each of France, Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) found less than half of UK travellers (47%) cited food and drink as very being a very important element of their trip compared to nearly two-thirds (62%) of Germans and half of French (50%).

When it comes to the first dish of the day, it seems half of Brits prefer to stick to a savoury start to the day while the French have the sweetest tooth of all at the breakfast table. Nearly four-fifths (79%) of French travellers ensure their morning meal includes some sweet elements, such as pastries, yoghurt or fruit, whereas only two thirds of Germans (64%) and 50% of Britons would do the same.

According to the poll, the British tendency to grab and go at work may be a hard habit to break on holiday. When asked how long they would be likely to spend enjoying lunch, those from the UK are three times as likely to spend less than 15 minutes having lunch while away and four times as likely not to eat anything at all compared to their French and German peers.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Taste your way around NYC

WITH the intense demand in recent years from visitors for food tasting and food truck tours, Shop Gotham, a 14 year old specialty tour operator in NYC offering various programs including Guided and Self Directed Shopping Tours throughout the city, knew the time was right to offer this to independent minded travelers.

The itinerary guides guests through the 4 adjacent neighborhoods of Little Italy, Chinatown, NoLita and SoHo for 8 Food tastings and an optional cocktail spot. The objective is small tastes at a variety of worthwhile places, all the while seeing and learning a bit about these neighborhoods. The Itinerary provides addresses, clear walking directions, suggested items to sample, prices, a photo of each restaurant for easy navigation and a few landmarks to see while walking.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Bringing a slice of Soho to Heathrow

HIDDEN away in the heart of Soho at No.61 Rupert Street is Spuntino, a restaurant that consists of 27 stools and a popcorn machine. The New York comfort-food inspired eatery has developed a cult following with London foodies and is soon to be opening its doors at Heathrow Terminal 3. 

Spuntino, which means ‘snack’ in Italian, will develop a bespoke airport breakfast and takeaway menu to deliver an ‘all day dining’ and ‘on board’ experience for many of the 18 million passengers who travel through Terminal 3 each year. The new menu will follow the same ‘small plates’ theme as its existing site.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Rollercoaster Restaurant

THE Rollercoaster Restaurant, which opened in May 2016, is the only one of its kind in the UK and plays homage to the thrills of the theme park both old and new including the Corkscrew, Black Hole, Nemesis, Galactica and now Wicker Man. It offers guests panoramic views of their meals speeding down one of the most exciting roller coaster tracks yet. 

Thousands of people from across the globe have experienced the unique dining experience since the restaurant opened. Rollercoaster Restaurant serves up gravity defying dishes, each tackling 400m of track, which includes two gravity defying loop-the-loops, a labyrinth of turns, tornado spirals and giant 26ft drops before reaching diners! 

The Rollercoaster Restaurant is available during theme park hours to those visiting the theme park, as well as in the evenings for those just wishing to experience the restaurant. 

altontowers.com/rollercoaster-restaurant


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Eat more local

DATA gathered by Booking.com from over 50,000 global travelers, reveals six in ten travelers (61%) pick a destination for great food or drink. There's no denying the significance of culinary travel, with more than a third (34%) of travelers, rising to 40% of millennials, planning to take a food trip in 2018.

Almost half (49%) of travelers hope to be more adventurous with the type of cuisine they eat, rising to 60% of millennials. One way to achieve this is to sample local delicacies whilst traveling. Almost two thirds (64%) of travelers will try to eat more local food in 2018.

Top destinations for local food:

Ipoh, Malaysia 

Kaohsiung, Taiwan 

Nagoya, Japan 

Johor Bahru, Malaysia 

João Pessoa, Brazil 

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Colmar, France 

Lima, Peru 

Catania, Italy



Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

A new kind of food festival… Chicago-Style

FOOD BOWL will celebrate the chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, innovators, entrepreneurs, critics, and connoisseurs who put #Chicago at the forefront of the nation's food and drink scene. The festival will showcase the distinct tastes and flavors of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods from August 8th - 26th. 

Throughout the three-week festival, FOOD BOWL will collaborate with chefs and restaurants around Chicago to offer 100+ events, in just as many locations. Expertly curated events include, but are not limited to, specialty classes, test kitchens, panels and talks, pop-up bars, and neighborhood tours.

The festival will conclude with a three-day Night Market held at The Lakefront Green at Theatre on the Lake. The street food market will feature 30+ of Chicago's essential restaurants. During these three days, over 30,000 guests will discover new restaurants, dine on unique dishes, connect with Chicago's most talented chefs, and experience Chicago like they never have before.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Dine out down under the stars

AUSTRALIA'S first under-the-stars dining experience, the iconic Sounds of Silence, celebrated an incredible 25 years of operation this year, with a gala celebration held on 21 March 2018. Upon opening its ‘doors’ in 1993, guests from all over the world immediately embraced the concept of dining in the middle of the Australian desert with magnificent views of #Uluru and nothing but the vast expanse of the night sky above and the experience has wowed guests every night since. 

With the magic of sunset over Uluru combined with the drama of being surrounded in red dunes and, as night falls, the majesty of the night sky with thousands of stars, many of which are not able to be viewed elsewhere in the world, it is an unforgettable evening. With such a winning formula, the #experience has remained largely unchanged throughout the last 25 years – guests still arrive to the lyrical sound of the Didgeridoo and enjoy sparkling wine and canapes while viewing sunset over Uluru and Kata Tjuta, a star talk during dinner brings the night sky to life and telescopes are available for closer viewing. 

www.ayersrockresort.com.au/experiences/detail/sounds-of-silence   


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Top Dog at Edinburgh Airport

BREWDOG will open its doors this summer, offering passengers a range of beers from its Aberdeenshire-based brewery alongside those hand-picked from craft breweries from around the world. Famed for its wide selection of craft beers, it will also serve food to passengers at Edinburgh Airport and will be homed in the terminal’s brand-new extension, part of an £80 million expansion project.

It’s the first of many establishments expected to open this year at Scotland’s busiest airport, widening choice and variety for the 13.4 million passengers who travel through the terminal every year.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Restaurant The White Room awarded first Michelin star

RESTAURANT The White Room by Jacob Jan Boerma has been awarded with their first Michelin star - this location has been a restaurant since 1885 and can therefore call itself the oldest restaurant of #Amsterdam.  The signature restaurant of 3* Michelin chef Jacob Jan Boerma is led by Chef de Cuisine Arturo Dalhuisen and opened its doors only one and a half years ago in NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky. 

Since then, the venue, food and team have been receiving praise by many critics and culinary aficionado’s. After being named best newcomer by Lekker500 by securing the sixty-second place on this renowned list and receiving 16.6 points by Gault&Millauearlier this year, the work of Dalhuisen and his team is now officially recognized by Michelin, with a prominent place in the Michelin Guide 2018.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK
Picture Credit: pintrest

Feast on the banks of Perfume River

HUE'S most luxurious hotel is kicking off its 6th edition Spring Foodfest right in its lush garden on the banks of the fabled Perfume River. The event takes place on 8th February, just one week before Vietnamese traditional Tet approaches.

The Spring Foodfest is going to showcase more than 40 delectable dishes of Vietnamese and Hue cuisine. Festival-goers will have a chance to experience Vietnamese festive activities and savour a hearty bowl of Bun Bo Hue or anything from traditional live cooking stations where they are advised to sit on a rustic bamboo stool as if they were at a streetside stall. There are also handicraft artists who display their legacy carried on throughout the centuries and folk games for revellers to participate in.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Fancy a cuppa?

AS temperatures dip in New York City, travelers and locals alike can traverse the City streets in search of a steaming cup of tea to counteract the frigid blast. Try one of these hotels, traditional high tea parlors, specialty leaf purveyors, and modern venues for the ideal cuppa.

The Plaza Hotel and the Downton Abbey Exhibition have a new tea collaboration in NYC, being served in the Palm Court while afternoon tea at the Lowell Hotel is steeped in elegance and rooted in ritual. Firmdale Hotels’ the Crosby Street Hotel and the Whitby Hotel offer afternoon tea with gluten free, sugar free and Vegan options, ideal for travelers with dietary restrictions. Two E, at The Pierre, a Taj Hotel, offers legendary traditional afternoon tea service, paired with scones and petit fours baked fresh in-house each morning.

Chic décor and exclusivity meet at Lady Mendl’s Tea Parlour (which can be discovered thanks to a teacup-engraved plaque on the brownstone's façade) while Tea and Sympathy NYC serves up British comfort food and traditional high tea. McNulty’s Tea & Coffee Co. Inc has offered locals and visitors alike a taste of specialty tea in Greenwich Village since 1895.

For visitors seeking colorful whimsy and fantasy-inspiration Alice’s Tea Cup Chapters I, II and III are can’t-miss! Cha Cha Matcha is an Instagram-darling’s delight, with vibrant neon signage and the matcha to match the hype.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival

THIS 10 day festival celebrates the harvest of Kona’s 200 year old coffee heritage each year in November on the Island of Hawaii. 

Recognised as one of the world’s most expensive coffees, Kona coffee is a must-try for visitors travelling to the volcanic archipelago. 

Historical information about the importance of farming is exposed and visitors can walk among the coffee trees, meet a ‘Kona Nightingale’ and watch how farmers mill and dry the famous coffee. The event also features live music, dancing and entertainment as well as a coffee recipe contest. 

konacoffeefest.com

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: By Ekrem Canli - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61641996

Pop up in Manitoba

FOODIES scouring the globe for the ‘next big thing’ have found it in Canada’s central province of #Manitoba, with RAW:almond, taking place from 24 January to 13 February 2018. 

Manitoba’s capital city of Winnipeg, launched the concept in 2013 as the only #pop-up #restaurant of its kind in North America, where guests feast on multi-course meals, prepared by some of Canada’s finest chefs, served up in an elaborate tent perched on the fork of the frozen Assiniboine and Red rivers. The event grew wildly popular, with foodies flocking to experience this unique gastronomic adventure, and top chefs vying for a chance to showcase their edible works, created in the make-shift kitchen adjacent to the dining room. 

The 2018 RAW:almond features a large dining tent with seating for 30, where top chefs from Winnipeg, Canada and the US will take the helm in the kitchen for two nights each, with a weekend brunch also served.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

A total of 234 restaurants are awarded stars in the MICHELIN guide Tokyo 2018

THE MICHELIN guide #Tokyo 2018 has been released with 512 restaurants and 42 hotels included in the guide. 

All the restaurants awarded three stars maintain their distinction: Azabu Yukimura, Joël Robuchon, Kagurazaka Ishikawa, Kanda, Kohaku, Makimura, Quintessence, Ryugin, Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten, Sushi Saito, Sushi Yoshitake and Usukifugu Yamadaya.

The MICHELIN guide Tokyo 2018 comprises:
12 restaurants with three stars, 56 restaurants with two stars, of which 5 are new 166 restaurants with one star, of which 23 are new 278 restaurants with a Bib Gourmand, of which 59 are new.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Fun-filled destinations

THE World’s Most Fun-filled #Destinations explored a range of metrics from the number of amusement parks to the number of bars and restaurants, whilst taking into consideration the square km of these destinations. The Top 5 countries that should be on your bucket list include: 

The Netherlands – While also the number one for culture, the Netherlands boasts a huge array of museums and concert halls. 

Cyprus – With 188 national attractions, 31 casinos and 32 museums, Cyprus was not overlooked in terms of its flow of culture and entertainment. 

Belgium – Despite its small size, Belgium ranks third with 295 national attractions, 50 museums and 45 amusement, animal and water parks. 

United Kingdom – From concert halls and art galleries to Michelin Star restaurants and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there’s a lot of culture to explore across the UK. 

Germany– With the second highest number of Amusement, Animal and Water Parks, Germany has plenty of fun to throw yourself into.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

San Antonio designated creative city of gastronomy by UNESCO

SAN ANTONIO'S culinary heritage is significant for its confluence of many world cultures such as Mexican, Spanish, German and French, as well its geology and geography.

Drawn to San Antonio’s river running between the coastal plains and hill country, for 13,000 years indigenous people foraged roots, harvested pecans and hunted game. Trails and river ways brought trade with other groups who introduced gulf coast game. In the 1700s, Spanish colonists and Canary Islanders introduced new traditions and tastes. Other new flavors, spices and ingredients from Europe, Asia and Africa came with German and other European settlers in the 1800s.

Today the city’s culinary scene has since blossomed in its richness, with chefs honoring and celebrating its culinary heritage through preservation and innovation. Beyond the famous River Walk and historic walls of The Alamo, San Antonio’s culinary scene has historically been firmed planted in blends of Tex-Mex, but has now progressed to “Tex-Next.”

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Raise a glass to newcomers in California

NEW Ale Trail Brewing in Downtown Fresno - Over the past year, several breweries have popped up in Downtown #Fresno, earning the area the moniker “Downtown Fresno Ale Trail.” The six different breweries which opened—all within walking distance of each other—include Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co., Full Circle Brewing Co., 411 Ales and Spirits, Border Hops Brewing Co., Zack’s Brewing Company, and House of Pendragon/Pita Kabob. Tioga-Sequoia and Full Circle are already operating in downtown Fresno, with the others anticipated to open in summer and fall of 2017.

SAN DIEGO Becomes First Destination to Release Official Beer - In partnership with Bay City Brewing Co., the #SanDiego Tourism Authority has made history as the first city to release an official destination craft #beer for sale to the public. “72 and Hoppy” is a session IPA, which is now available at Bay City Brewing Co.’s tasting room, in addition to numerous San Diego bars, restaurants, attractions and hotels. San Diego is home to 125 breweries as of 2016 and this new beer reflects the effort of San Diego Tourism Authority and the local brewing community to establish the city as the craft beer capital of America.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Gastronomic delicacies galore at the Hong Kong Great November Feast

THE four-day Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival is the kick-off event for the Hong Kong Great November Feast (the Feast). 

Throughout November, various local restaurants and key dining districts will roll out a series of culinary events and special offers to tie in with the Feast. 

Culinary events featuring crabmeat, street carnivals like the “FUNtastic QRE Festival” and “Lan Kwai Fong Carnival 2017”, and dining offers, such as “Sparkling Sunset@Harbour City”, aimed at encouraging visitors and local residents to experience the endless delicacies #HongKong offers.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

The Great Cornish Food Festival, not to be missed!

STREET-FOOD style pop-ups from a selection of Cornwall’s top restaurants and exciting newcomers will be serving a taster of their restaurant’s mouth-watering signature dishes at this years Great Cornish Food Festival on Truro's Lemon Quay. Cornwall’s array of artisan producers will deliver a bounty of the best food and beverages from around the county: bakers, butchers, breweries, cider makers, chocolatiers and cheese-makers will all be sampling and selling their wares.

Meanwhile, top chefs will entertain, inspire and share their secrets in the Chefs’ Theatre and Croust Bar Masterclass Theatre. Playing host to the county’s highest profile chefs and foodie personalities, illustrating the diversity of culinary expertise in the county and perfectly demonstrates just why Cornwall deserves its reputation as one of the greatest places to eat in the country, if not the world.

September 22-24 with Free Entry

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: KathrynW1 Pasty photopin

Al Fresco Dining tops in Palm Springs

SIX restaurants in Palm Springs have been ranked in OpenTable.com’s “100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America 2017.” These awarded restaurants are a reflection of more than 10 million combined opinions from submitted reviews by verified OpenTable diners, which cover a range of over 25,000 restaurants across the United States.

In no particular order, the winning Al Fresco restaurants from #PalmSprings includes: Copley’s on Palm Canyon, Jake’s, Le Vallauris, Miro’s Restaurant, Spencer’s Restaurant, and The Tropicale. Restaurants were ranked according to OpenTable’s grading scale: “Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews for which ‘great for outdoor dining’ was selected as a special feature.”

Out of the states that made the best 100, #California boasts with 29 top #restaurants, followed by Florida closely behind with 28, and Arizona with 22.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK