Food, Days Out and Travel stories from Brighton, London and the Rest of the World

Wednesday

Travel - A Room WithOut a View in Florence

I was channelling Charlotte Bartlett the moment we reached our room at the Grand Hotel Baglioni in Florence.

In the gloom of the unlit room, I had gone straight over to the window to open the shutters and reveal the view beyond. The heavy wooden shutters opened to reveal windows and then another pair of shutters that opened outwards. Meanwhile, my Welsh One was figuring out how to make the 21st-century lights turn on. Light from outside and in illuminated the room at the same time and I discovered that our view was of an inner courtyard and the wall on the other side.




Inside my head. the starchy maiden aunt, played brilliantly by Maggie Smith was delivering the line at the beginning of A Room with a View that sets up the film.

Charlotte Bartlett: This is not at all what we were led to expect.
Lucy Honeychurch: I thought we were going to see the Arno.
Charlotte Bartlett: The signora distinctly wrote, South rooms, with a view and close together, instead of which she has given us North rooms without a view and a long way apart.
In the film Charlotte is acting as paid companion, to her niece, Lucy Honeychurch her adolescent and slightly miss-ish wealthy charge, played by the equally brilliant Helena Bonham Carter.

I wasn't in love with my view, in fact, I felt hugely disappointed at my first view of Florence. On my birthday. Never mind, when I looked about the room it was actually very nice. Large, with a high ceiling, the bathroom was split into two parts with generous his and hers wash basins immediately through the door. There were complimentary white slippers and mini toiletries and it was all very nicely presented.

where to stay in Florence, photo by modern bric a brac


We decided to explore the hotel and soon found ourselves on the roof terrace. Everything was exquisite. The plants along the walls and dotted around were abundant and well cared for. The red tiles on the floor were clean and well maintained and the tables and chairs plentiful and inviting. This I did love.

where to stay in Florence, photo by modern bric a brac


The evening was peaceful and the roof terrace empty. We walked around the corner and there across the rooftops we could see the unmistakable dome of Brunelleschi. To the right, we could also see the medieval tower of the Palazzo Vecchio that Cosimo de Medici had requisitioned and made into his city residence. To the left was the dome of another impressive building, the Cappelle Medicee mausoleum of the Medici family. It was a pretty spectacular sight.

where to stay in Florence, photo by modern bric a brac


The next day our first mission was to try out the Grand Hotel Baglioni's breakfast. We entered the large dining area and from every table the Duomo was unmissable. What a view for breakfast. We chose a table by the window and our view opposite the Duomo was incredible.

After breakfast we headed back to the roof terrace to see it in daylight. We had the place to ourselves and we climbed to the highest point. In the sunlight the views were even better and it felt very peaceful up there. 

where to stay in Florence, photo by modern bric a brac


where to stay in Florence, photo by modern bric a brac


Later discoveries of the Hotel revealed a grand staircase and a black and white photographic exhibition on its various floors. The photos dated back to the late 1800s and were a collection of scenes around Florence. My favourite photos were of Mussolini, it was quite fascinating to look at this very famous Italian.

where to stay in Florence, photo by modern bric a brac


Before we left we also visited the Hotel bar and met Marco their mixologist who, it turns out visits Brighton regularly for meet ups with a mixology club in Brighton. One, which is apparently very well known. I need to find out more about this I think and report back.

Would I stay at the Grand Hotel Baglioni again? Yes, of course and I'd love to take all my family there too. I think they'd love it.

We found our holiday on Teletextholidays.co.uk (yes it still exists) and it cost us £300 each for three nights Bed and Breakfast plus flights from Gatwick.

SHARE:

Days Away - Medieval family fun at Herstmonceux Castle

England's Medieval Festival - taking place this August Bank Holiday from Friday 26th August to Monday 29th August 2016 at Herstmonceux Castle in Sussex


Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux Castle

SHARE:

Friday

Foodie Friday - All About the Biryani at Azaro

There's a lot to say about my latest Indian Restaurant find. An innovative female chef, a menu of signature dishes from across India and gluten free credentials. Azaro is rocking the Indian dining scene and here's why.

Back to the biryani for a moment, a rice dish rich with herbs and spices, vegetables and meat, and sauce on the side. Although with many regional variations, the key features of this dish are the cumin, cardamon, cinnamon and chilli flavours for me.

Originating in Persia, the name derives from the word Birian which means fried before cooking. It's a dish I first discovered at my local takeaway in Kemptown and I loved it so much, I never wanted to try anything else.

The biryani stakes were raised when foodie friends of mine learnt the secrets of a good biryani from a friend, who had grown up in Hyderabad, well known for its biryanis and I was invited over to try the results. The effort that had gone into this dish had been immense. The meal turned out to be a huge success.

That was it, until last week when I got an invite to discover an Indian restaurant based in Hove that included biryani on its menu and I just couldn't say no.

Foodie Friday, All about the biryani at Azaro, photo by modern bric a brac
Azaro Indian restaurant in Hove


Arriving after 7pm we were shown to a table in the window and a petite young woman, dressed simply in black came over to meet us. It was one of the owners, who also happened to be the female chef of Azaro. Kirti wanted to introduce herself and check we had all that we needed. The Welsh One and I felt privileged.

We found out that she had come down from Bradford with her partner Az three years ago to set up this restaurant in Brighton (Hove actually). Her family are Gugrati and come from northern India and her partner's family come from the Punjabi region and a different religious background. This diversity is something that they have embraced and is reflected in the team that they have built up to help run the kitchen and front of house.

Foodie Friday, All about the biryani at Azaro, photo by modern bric a brac


Together Kirti and Az have absorbed a rich mix of traditional Indian cooking techniques from their families along with learning from expert Indian chefs in Dubai and by travelling around India.

This depth of knowledge is translated into a culinary tour around India on each of their menus. Signature dishes from a wide range of regions are chosen, some familiar and some less well known, such as the Chicken Chettinad, a southern Indian dish from the Tamil Nadu region that we later got to try.

It was also during these travels that they came across an exceptional biryani that proved inspirational to them. It had been served in a bowl with a cloth over it that was removed at the table. This had sealed in the flavours with the steam, which could only escape once the cloth had been removed. The Azaro owners had loved this idea and Kirti devised a way to adapt this in her own unique way.

Foodie Friday, All about the biryani at Azaro, photo by modern bric a brac
Poppadoms and chutneys at Azaro


Since opening their restaurant they've found that many of their non-Indian diners have travelled to India and part of Azaro's appeal is that they offer dishes that remind many of them of food that they discovered on their holidays.

Our starter of poppadoms had arrived and to accompany them were small bowls filled with more chutneys than I've ever seen amassed before.  Az, the other owner of Azaro came over to chat to us as well. "With our takeaways we like to add extras for orders over £20, so we include some of our poppadoms and chutneys and people seem to love them.  We've created one with tamarind, prune and beetroot that's proved really popular." This was our favourite too.

Next came our main course, a thali of the Chicken Chettinad plus sides and the Chicken Biryani that I had been looking forward to trying.

Foodie Friday, All about the biryani at Azaro, photo by modern bric a brac
Chicken Chettinad thali


Our dishes arrived and the biryani came out on a wooden board in a claypot with a naan bread topping. Next to it was a large spoon for cutting into it and spooning out the biryani. As soon as the pie top was broken steam came flooding out and we both took generous portions to try it while the steam drifted away.

The chicken pieces were so moist and the rice so delicate in flavour we couldn't believe how good it tasted. Azaro's approach to cooking is full of integrity and it shows. "Our chicken is marinated and slow cooked" Kirti explained, "and that's what makes it so tender and full of flavour".

Foodie Friday, All about the biryani at Azaro, photo by modern bric a brac
Dhum Biryani at Azaro


The Chicken Chettinad came in a rich orange-red sauce and was equally divine in flavour, cooked in a blend of aromatic spices with curry leaves and coconut. The plate also came with two portions of sweets, a dry bowl of cut vegetables, a mild dahl, a raita with apple juice and a mango lassi. It was a bonanza of colour and flavour all at the same time.

Their thorough approach to cooking is also evident in how they source and grind their spices. The spices matter so much to them that they are bought from a trusted wholesaler in the north, the spices are then ground on site in their spice room, all to ensure that no flavour is lost in the process.

Our welcome had been immense from all the team at Azaro and the food was divine. My standout dish has got to be their biryani and the feeling was completely shared by my Welsh One who didn't leave a rice grain behind. Brighton and Hove is lucky to have so many well-known and much praised Indian restaurants in town. To this list people should also be talking about Azaro too.

Foodie Friday, All about the biryani at Azaro, photo by modern bric a brac
Dhum Biryani at Azaro

Azaro, 115 Church Road, Hove BN3 2AF

With thanks to Azaro for our complimentary meal. My opinions my own.

Foodie Friday, All about the biryani at Azaro, photo by modern bric a brac
Chicken Chettinad thali at Azaro


Click here to Follow my blog with Bloglovin
SHARE:

Wednesday

Days Out in London - Climbing to the top of St Paul's

The plan for the new St Paul's Cathedral had actually been agreed a week before the Great Fire of London broke out, a fire that went on to devastate the existing one along with hundreds of other churches, shops and homes in the surrounding area.





SHARE:
Blogger Template Created by pipdig