We enjoyed a great experience at the restaurant L’AVENUE on the Champs Elysee. It was fascinating to see the well dressed gorgeous people who frequent this very upmarket, yet laid back establishment. Clearly a job requirement for waitresses to be employed here is to have incredibly long well shaped legs, and to be able to serve while wearing stilettos or high heeled over the knee boots, with a very short skirt, of course. Gavin didn’t know where to look first!

But onto the food: I enjoyed a wonderful piece of sea bass, which had a Tom Yum sauce, which was absolutely heavenly! Gavin had a Veal chop which was grilled to perfection, with a side of buttery green beans that only the French know how to do, and seriously I have tried! There is something about their beans that is just different. These dishes were recommended by a foodie friend of ours with impeccable taste, so we knew we could not go wrong, thanks dear friend!




There seemed to be a permanent light drizzle, and it was very grey. We didn’t see the sun at all for a few days. This of course necessitated remaining in the shops for more of the time, not a hardship to do, right! I am a seasoned shopper in this respect, and always wear light clothing under the coat, and shoes that slip off. A real professional!








Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, lower to a moderate boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the cauliflower. Drain. Brush the cauliflower with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Place in a baking dish, place the dish in the center of the oven, and bake until the top turns golden brown.

In the two years since Miznon opened, it has become an instant favourite. Locals flock to Miznon, where fresh ingredients come together in fluffy, homemade pita bread. Miznon has left the chickpea-based falafel fare to their neighbors while upping the game with a giant blackboard full of other sandwich selections. Fresh herbs and vegetables are heavily featured in each dish, with the restaurant’s space itself being a showcase for seasonal produce. Walking into Miznon almost feels like walking into a vegetable still life, with every shelf, counter space, and corner adorned with stacks of onions, vases of parsley, dill, and cilantro, and pyramids of sweet potatoes and grilled peppers.
Roasted heads of cauliflower are sold as a whole, but also incorporated into one of the best sandwiches on the menu, the Chou Brisé. Another favorite menu item is the chicken salad sandwich, which sounds underwhelming, but is the exact opposite. A healthy handful of fresh parsley and thinly sliced red onion complement the tender chicken and just-enough secret sauce to elevate this sandwich from boring bagged lunch to a take-away delicacy. From time-to-time Miznon features a new item on their menu – recently adding a grilled head of broccoli – but the carte stays mostly the same, which is just fine because everything on the menu is so good that you don’t mind ordering the same thing over and over.
So from Paris, it was on to Manchester where Gavin had back to back meetings lined up. This is one of my favourite places, and really not at all as I had imagined it would be on my first business trip there many years ago. The food scene is buzzing, and again we stayed in the centre, so you walk everywhere. The curries are legendary as they have a huge Indian/Pakistani population, and we had a great evening at EAST TO EAST on our first night with Gav tucking into a spicy Lamb Curry which had loads of depth, while I opted for a milder Prawn Butter Curry, with various side dishes. This was as good as always.
The next day we had a quick lunch at Yo Sushi!, which is just always so good. They still do the conveyer belt, which is laden with all kinds of unusual sushi plates. I was really craving greens, so ended up having 2 portions of their mixed seaweed salad (have to try doing this, as just SO GOOD, plus being UBER healthy), and some edamame beans, which did the trick.
Then on the last night we went to SAN CARLO, again a traditional establishment which has stood the test of time. It is Italian, and specialises in the freshest of Seafood. We started with fresh white asparagus and then as we were feeling in a pasta mood, I had my favourite Spaghetti Vongole while Gav had a spicy Arrabiata pasta. Both were simple and authentic, and went well with a good bottle of the house Italian red wine.
So that was it as far as the culinary highlights went…….. Phew, did we eat a lot! I now need to do a raw diet for a few days to balance it out. I came home and hit the ground running as we were hosting a Batmizvah for 50 people (with outside catering, venue only) that evening! Fortunately for me, my amazing team had this all ready and prepped, so there was no stress whatsoever, and the evening went off extremely smoothly.
I have come away energized and inspired to bring some of what I have experienced into our kitchen at GINGER & LIME, and to share this experience with you.
FOR THE LOVE OF COOKING!