Cliff(y) Goes Dining

"A true farm-to-table experience!" A culinary gem in the heart of the Niagara Falls area, AG Inspired Cuisine is proudly named one of Canada's top fine-dining restaurants. Helmed by Executive Chef Cory Linkson, the menu celebrates contemporary Canadian cuisine that highlights the freshness of seasonal ingredients. My BFF and I went for the Three Course Menu priced at  C$99.00 (~S$97.90)  per person.

Blown away by the delicious local and international food! Thanks to airline miles, my BFF and I'd be flying in style with Turkish Airlines, though not directly to Singapore. Because of that, we also had the opportunity to visit Turkish Airlines Lounge at the new Istanbul Airport in the Arnavutkoy region, trying all sorts of dishes and beverages offered inside the massive lounge.

Little did I know that tea could go so well with jam made of figs! Before I post more airline meals that I had on my way back home to Singapore from Azerbaijan, I thought it'd be worthwhile to come up with one on a home-cooked lunch that I had in the country's most isolated and highest village. It was part of the day tour to Quba and Xinaliq that I signed up for with TES Tour.

The place to go for small-sized Shakh Pilaf  for one or two! Stylised as SAHiL, the highly rated restaurant-cum-bar is one of the few lining up the promenade along the Caspian Sea. For our last dinner in the country last year, my BFF and I decided to head to Sahil Bar & Restaurant. During the weekends, visitors are treated to local jazz and mosic performances at the restaurant.

Eat breakfast like a king! Literally meaning 'Tea Garden 145', Cay Bagi 145 is a teahouse-cum-restaurant that's located in the heart of Icherisheher, the Old City of Baku. Step into this renowned eatery, and you'll be in for a treat as it offers not only delectable dishes, but also a gorgeous view of the surroundings and the Caspian Sea from its enclosed terrace area.

Virgin experience with quince leaf 'dolma'! In a blink of an eye, we'll soon be halfway through February 2023, and I have yet to finish posting on my trip to Azerbaijan last year. Any plans for Valentine's Day? Here's a post on another underground eatery that provides an exquisite dungeon-like dining ambience. My BFF and I just had to drop by Dolma Restaurant that's said to be among the most recommended in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Fancy a bowl of local soup with tiny meat dumplings? Happy New Year, everyone! I shall continue putting up posts on eateries that I went to in Azerbaijan last year. Established in 1987, Nergiz Restaurant prides itself in being one of the most well-known restaurants in the capital city of Azerbaijan. Offering a charming underground dining environment, akin to that of Barbarestan in Tbilisi, Georgia that I went to a few years ago, the restaurant offers an impressively wide range of dishes.

I'm already missing the cherry pie! The very first meal that my BFF and I had in the capital city of Azerbaijan was nowhere near traditional cuisine. As usual, I'm always interested in trying at least one fast food chains whenever I go overseas, and the choice was McDonald's for dinner. We ordered a few items that can't be found in Singapore.

Free-flow strawberries to sweeten your day! Given my short leisure trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, my BFF and I only stayed at one hotel that's just a stone's throw from the old city area known as Icherisheher. Center City Hotel Baku (3*) is an affordable hotel that offers pretty basic, but delectable enough buffet breakfast similar to that can be found in equivalent hotels in Turkey. 

Award-winning beef pastrami in 2018! I love restaurants that offer all-day breakfast menu. I've been to Wild Honey at Mandarin Gallery a few times, but only once at Scotts Square, the latter of which is the focus of today's blog post. Wild Honey was named the winner in two categories - Best Breakfast and Best Weekend Brunch - in the 2021 edition of Expat Living Readers' Choice Awards.

Truly enjoyable pizza, if only it wasn't burnt on the edges... Winestone is one of the restaurants housed inside Novotel Singapore on Stevens located to the north of the bustling Orchard Road. The name of the restaurant reflects the two elements of the restaurant: the huge wine selection and the signature stone boards.

Fusion dishes with 'tahini' and the likes! UPDATE (26/11/2022):  The eatery has closed down. Salt Tapas and Bar is a spin-off of the Salt brand by Luke Mangan, an Australian celebrity chef, that prides itself in serving  tapas  (small savoury dishes typically served with drinks) with a twist. For one, expect Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences making their way to some of the dishes.

How about some apricot and fig sauce on your duck confit? Situated along Bukit Timah Road is Le Rida, a restaurant that offers a curious mix of French, Middle Eastern and Indian dishes. There's also a fully-stocked bar for those who prefer to have a drink or two with light bites. One fine evening, I went there to have dinner.

Truly delicious vegetable 'korma' to go with long-grain rice! Describing itself as a lounge that offers "surroundings that rival those of any 5* hotel", Qatar Airways' flagship Business Class lounge is where I spent my 8-hour layover at Hamad International Airport. Overall, I was impressed by the quality of food and beverages served.

Washing down tasty cooked food with 'raki'! UPDATE (01/05/2020):  With the closure of Istanbul Ataturk Airport to commercial passenger flights in April 2019, the lounge has closed down. My last moment at Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Turkey was spent at Millennium Lounge, which is located on the second floor of the international terminal above the food court. I found the selection of food and beverages to be on the smaller side, but I didn't want to eat a lot anyway prior to the Business Class flight to Doha, Qatar.

Scrambled eggs with more tomatoes than eggs... It was my second time staying at WOW Airport Hotel (4*) near Istanbul Ataturk Airport, which has recently stopped handling commercial passenger flights due to the opening of the new international airport. I didn't have breakfast there during my first stay, but did so during my second stay before flying out of Turkey.

Virgin experience with hazelnut-sans-chocolate spread! On my third visit to Istanbul, Turkey, I stayed at Hotellino Istanbul (4*) that's situated near Gulhane Park. This hotel is better than the nearby Gulhane Park Hotel (4*) in terms of not only buffet breakfast, but also politeness of and service rendered by the staff.

Drawn by the aroma of grilled mackerel sandwich~ Balik ekmek (lit. fish bread) is Turkey's answer to street food. According to my sister, the government has unfortunately pretty much clamped down on street vendors selling those aromatic fish sandwiches. We happened to spot a street vendor near Karakoy Ferry Terminal on our way to the renowned Karakoy Gulluoglu .

Sumptuous seafood casserole cooked in saffron-based sauce! As a doting big brother, I treated my sister who loves seafood. The name Sultanahmet Fish House appeared when I tried to do online search of good seafood restaurants. Interestingly, the phrase "where sultans have dined for centuries" is written on its webpage, although the restaurant was only founded in 1994.

Colourful main courses with vegetables, fries and rice! My sister, BFF and I had a truly enjoyable time at Buyukada, the largest of the nine Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara. The island is reachable from Kabatas in 2 hours by ferry. Before climbing up to Aya Yorgi Church, we had lunch at Lunapark Restaurant that's situated at the centre of the island.