With its name chosen to reflect award-winning Sumahan on the Water‘s beginnings as a 19th-century Ottoman distillery (‘tapa‘ means cork while ‘suma‘ is the first distillation when producing raki, Turkey’s traditional aniseed-flavoured spirit), newly opened Tapasuma serves up top chef Gokay Cakiroglu‘s inspirational Turkish dishes with a contemporary twist in a hyper-stylish setting. Alongside freshly caught seasonal fish from the Bosphorus, Cakiroglu, who has a passion for creating new dishes, presents a menu of lesser-known yet enticing dishes from modern Turkish and Mediterranean cuisines. Not to mention the selection of delicious bite-sized Turkish mezzes lined up tapas-style at the restaurant’s 8-metre long “verde calacatta” marble food & drinks bar.

Great for informal lunches and evening meals, as it is for special gatherings and celebrations, Tapasuma is an ultra-chic smart-casual dining venue for watching the sun set over the fabled city of Istanbul. The hotel’s own launch, Sumahan I, will even bring guests from across the Bosphorus directly to the restaurant in the quaint and attractive village of Cengelkoy on the Asian shore. There food-lovers can enjoy views of the timeless Bosphorus as its glitters and changes its hues throughout the day ensconced in Tapasuma’s artfully designed surroundings, very much of the now.

www.tapasuma.com

About the Sumahan on the Water Hotel

Located at the very edge of the Bosphorus Straits, the Sumahan on the Water Hotel in Istanbul is a place where paradise is defined. With amazing views in every bedroom, you can see the beautiful Turkish sunrise to prepare you for a day full of Turkish wonder. The Sumahan on the Water Hotel, a member of Epoque Hotels, is located just outside the village of Cengelkoy. It will only take a 30 minute trip to visit all the touristic wonders such as the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the amazing Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. Afterwards you can return to the Sumahan Hotel to enjoy an unforgettable dinner near the water.

The Sumahan on the Water Hotel makes sure to offer everything that defines Turkish wealth. Each suite or bedroom has a unique style with extraordinary views that can only be seen while staying at the Sumahan on the Water Hotel. Furthermore, the twin level suites include a garden that faces the beautiful Bosphorous strait. In addition, each room has all the amenities that will make you stay a lifetime if it were possible. With air-conditioning, immense bathrooms with Turkish materials such as colognes and towels, a safe deposit box to secure all your personal belongings, a minibar, satellite TV, this is what Mediterranean paradise is all about.

The Sumahan on the Water welcomes you to their definition of luxury and leisure. You will for sure return on your next trip to Turkey as every room at the Sumahan on the Water Hotel offers a new experience.

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If  Hua Hin is your holiday destination you definitely cannot miss Dune’s unique pasta creations served hot on the roof top restaurant surrounded by 360 degrees of sea and mountain views.  Among the delectable menus are Spaghetti Snow Fish& Caviar with cream sauce, Fuslli Crab meat with pink sauce, Linguini Lobster with spicy tomato sauce, Spaghetti Porcini &Shitake Mushrooms with cream sauce, or tasty dishes like Spaghetti Vongole, Spaghetti pesto and Spaghetti bacon and dried chilli.

Promotion “pasta fever” is ready to serve these incredible pasta menus every day during the month of May 2012.

For more information or reservation please contact (032) 515-051-3 or  e-mail: md@dunehuahin.com

ABOUT DUNE HUA HIN HOTEL

Dune Hua Hin, a small exclusive beach boutique hotel features five modern stylish rooms with personalized services. Dune Hua Hin enjoys a charming location on the main Hua Hin beach within a very short drive to the town center. Each room comes with a king size bed, lovely private balcony, as well as a relaxing music sound throughout. Choice of pillows and mattresses (hard or soft) are on offer to give you the utmost comfort of your night. The fusion restaurant and bar located on the fourth floor of Dune Hua Hin boast a variety of mouthwatering, Euro-Asian cuisine and a wide selection of creative cocktails. The table can be arranged as indoor dining, outdoor terrace or on our rooftop lounge, offering impressive view of the remarkable Hua Hin beach and rolling mountains. The rooftop lounge offers a perfect space to chill out while you can try one of the late-night cocktails in our extensive menu. Thai traditional, foot or aromatherapy are offered in the guestrooms upon request. A spectacular rooftop crimson pool with an exquisite view of the glittering sea adds a perfect touch of luxurious lifestyle. The state-of-the-art rooftop pool of Dune Hua Hin is ideal for a pampering session after a long day in the city.

Dune Hua Hin Hotel enjoys a charming location on the main Hua Hin beach within a very short drive to the town center. It is one of the many tourist destinations in Thailand because of his proximity to Bangkok and all its hotels and resorts.

The Dune Hotel’s Restaurant presents its signature menu recipe: aromatic chicken curry with mango salsa. The fusion restaurant and bar located on the fourth floor of Dune Hua Hin boast a variety of mouthwatering, Euro-Asian cuisine and a wide selection of creative cocktails. The table can be arranged as indoor dining, outdoor terrace or on our rooftop lounge, offering impressive view of the remarkable Hua Hin beach and rolling mountains. The rooftop lounge offers a perfect space to chill out while you can try one of the late-night cocktails in our extensive menu. Thai traditional, foot or aromatherapy are offered in the guestrooms upon request.

INGREDIENTS

epoque

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Marinate chicken with ginger, garlic, cashew nuts, cloves and salt for one night.
2. Heat oil in pan and fry Indian onion.
3. Add spices – fennel seeds powder, licorice powder, coriander seed powder, Garam Masala powder, Indian chili powder, and paprika and mix together.
4. Place marinated chicken and mix together.
5. Place tomatoes and yoghurt in pan and lower heat.  Wait  until chicken is cooked then turn heat off.
6. Make mango salsa by mixing ripe mango pieces with Chili spur pepper, chopped coriander leaves and red onions. To sweeten it more add syrup and mix.
7. Fry roti dough in pan.
8. Cut roti in 8 pieces and place chicken curry on top. Serve with mango salsa.

Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cusine which makes wide use of olives, cheese, vegetables and herbs, grains and bread. However, the most characteristic and ancient element of Greek cuisine is olive oil, which is often used in most dishes.

Dakos – a traditional light meal in Greece, often called “Greek bruschetta”, is very easy to make, very quick, and does not require cooking. If you want to transport yourself to Greece, at least for a moment, follow the instructions:

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 dako or 4-6 crisp rusks
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 100gr crumbled feta cheese
• 3 spoons extra virgin olive oil “esti”
• 4 olives (cut into pieces)
• Salt
• Oregano
• Basil leaves for decoration

PREPARATION:

1. Pass for 2 seconds the rusks under a flown water to soften.
2. Place tomatoes on top of the rusks.
3. Pour the extra virgin olive oil “esti” and add salt.
4. Put the crumbled feta cheese, add the olives and sprinkle with oregano.
5. Decorate with basil leaves.

KALI OREXI! – BUON APETIT

Dune Bar and Restaurant, Dune Hua Hin Hotel, is now serving the newly created authentic northeastern style Thai dishes, the newly created “Spicy Sea View” menu. Amidst the classic surrounding of 360 degrees sea and mountains on the roof top restaurant and bar, the tasty dishes are waiting for guests to try and “cry” for more from now onwards.

To start of, prepare to delight your palate with the complete tastes of Thai Papaya Salad followed by Sea Food Papaya Salad of fresh big prawns and squid lined up from the sea to be mixed with the hot and tangiest sauce. Or choose instead juicy giant Flower Crabs Papaya Salad which goes well with Tender Chicken Fried to crispy gold.  The rest of the palatable menu includes the secret recipe Ground Minced Duck Salad, mouth watering Grilled Pork Spicy Salad, Fried Pork marinated with herbs to perfection, Traditional  Isarn  Sausages perfectly matched with steamed sticky rice and a variety of fresh vegetables plus many more inviting spicy dishes that are superb in  quality  and taste.

Guests who plan to taste Dune’s special northeastern food surrounded by the “chilliest” five star sea view atmosphere can make reservations at tel. (032) 515-051-3 or e-mail: md@dunehuahin.com

Miami Spice Month is an annual restaurant promotion that showcases the very best of South Florida’s cuisine.  The promotion, which is organized by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), begins August 1 through September 30, and offers $22 lunch and $35 dinner specials consisting of three-course, prix fixe menus. Tax and gratuity are not included.  Promotion cannot be combined with other offers. For reservations, please call 305.908.5458.

WHEN:  August 1 – September 30, 2011

Miami Spice Lunch Menu is available Monday through Saturday

Miami Spice Dinner Menu is available Monday through Sunday

WHERE: Essensia Restaurant & Lounge

The Palms Hotel & Spa

3025 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140

http://www.epoquehotels.com/h.php/miami-beach-hotels/boutique-hotel/h/thepalms/l/en

WHO: Essensia awakens the senses with natural gourmet cuisine and indulgent cocktails in a sensuous and relaxing ambiance. The menu offers patrons a tasteful and wholesome variety of fresh and light worldly fare with a genuine focus on utilizing local, organic, and seasonal ingredients, and a wide selection of spa selections. Essensia’s exclusive wine list is committed to being sustainable, organic or biodynamic and has been selected for sharing Essensia’s mission to be good for you and the environment. Essensia is open 7 days per week for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The Palms offers complimentary valet parking with dinner, up to 3 hours. For restaurant reservations, please call 305.908.5458 or visit www.essensiarestaurant.com.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeSoHNI-bMY

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (GMCVB) popular end of summer foodie program, Miami Spice, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a recordbreaking year August 1 – September 30, 2011. The program, inaugurated in 2002, offers more than 125 participating restaurants, providing great value and making dinning out affordable and accessible with three-course lunch ($22) and dinner ($35) menus, excluding gratuities, representing an average discount of 30-50 percent.

To get the Miami Spice anniversary off to a rousing start, an upscale kickoff event, with live entertainment, tastings, demos, specialty cocktails and book signings by some of the area’s top chefs, will take place on July 28, from 7-9 p. m, at the Miami Beach Convention Center at 1901 Convention Center Drive “Greater Miami and the Beaches has long been a popular vacation destination, but over the last 10 years the area has emerged as a must-visit culinary scene as well,” explains William D.Talbert III, CDME, president and CEO of the GMCVB. “We are proud to have a thriving culinary culture thanks to talented chefs from a variety of diverse influences using the best ingredients as well as a community that has embraced them. This year we are also excited to include the Miami Spice program as part of the GMCVB’s “Summer of Love” campaign; a program that encapsulates everything we love about Miami in the summer.”

This year’s lineup promises to make mouths water with 35 new restaurants including 1500°, Angelique Euro Café, Blue Sea at Delano, Cabana, Caffe Portofino, Caffe Vialetto, Canyon Ranch Grill, Catch 10 Seafood Bistro, Catch Grill & Bar, City Hall the Restaurant, db Bistro Moderne, Deco Grill, The Dining Room, Eden South Beach, Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Graziano’s Restaurant (2 new locations), Kane Steakhouse, Le Provencal Restaurant, Loulou “Le Petit Bistro”, Makoto, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink , Mister Collins, Morton’s, the Steakhouse, North Miami Beach, Old Lisbon Restaurant, Rincon Argentino Steakhouse # 2, Rosa Mexicano – Miami Beach , The Royal, Shula’s 347 Grill, Sustain Restaurant & Bar, Symcha’s, Trio on The Bay, Truluck’s, Tudor House and West Avenue Café.

“Miami Spice is about embracing what we love about the destination’s culinary scene and this year the delicious diversity of dining options is greater than ever before. ” says Steven Haas, Board Chair for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and owner of new restaurant, City Hall.

This year’s Miami Spice is sponsored by American Express, Stella Artois and Moet Hennessy USA. The kick-off event, hosted by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Miami Beach Convention Center and Centerplate Catering, will offer attendees live musical performances by jazz flautist Nestor Torres, live cooking demos by chefs Michael Schwartz and Tom Azar (City Hall the Restaurant), and a VIP area featuring live performances from the world-famous Cirque Eloize and luxurious gift bags. Tickets are $50 per person in advance and $100 pp on the day of the event; VIP tickets are $125 and include complimentary self-parking adjacent to the event hall. Proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength, Madison’s Wish and Education Fund’s Plant a Thousand Gardens Collaborative Nutrition Initiative.

To purchase tickets, guests may call 888-302-5441or visit www.iLoveMiamiSpice.com for more details. For the full list of participating restaurants, menus, and scheduled events, visit the Miami Spice Restaurant Month’s dedicated website: www.iLoveMiamiSpice.com.

Here are some tips on where to go in the enchanting city of Amsterdam. Please see some recommendations from The Toren Hotel, Amsterdam.

Unique Amsterdam Shopping:

The Nine Streets – 5 minute walk from The Toren, De Negen Straatjes – is in the heart of Amsterdam’s canal district and is one of the city’s most delightful shopping areas. These picturesque streets straddle the 17th Century canals from the Singel to the Prinsengracht. Spend a fabulous day wandering from one to the next exploring the designer boutiques, art galleries, jewellers, gift shops, fashion shops, specialist businesses and there are plenty of great bars, cafes and restaurants to refresh you along the way. Website: http://www.theninestreets.com/ninestreetsguide.html

Also famous in Amsterdam are the outdoor markets satisfying all types of interests. Here is an overview of The Toren’s suggestions on the Markets to explore:

Flower market – The Dutch genuinely do love their fresh flowers. Mixed with locals and tourists and offering a variety of bulbs, flowers and plants. The fragrance of flowers makes the atmosphere lovely. Located on the Singel canal between the Koningsplein and the Muntplein with some floating stalls. Open Mondays through Saturdays from 9.00-17:30, on Sunday 11.00-17.30.

Magna plaza – Centrally located in Amsterdam , large shopping center for fashion, beauty, designer brands and close by the beautiful The Royal Palace, Madame Tussauds and the National Monument located in the famous Dam Square.

Spiegelkwartier – This is the place for lovers of antique articles and art. This area is located opposite of the Rijksmuseum. This place is a big boost for the business purpose of craftsmen.

Albert Cuyp market – This market is situated in the Albert Cuypstraat and is one of the most famous markets. Articles of all kind from clothes, handmade bags, fresh fruit and smoothies, hand crafted gifts can and much more can be found here.

Noorder Market –This is the best place to buy biological products. The market is also filled with unique stalls of second hand clothes and antiquities- located in front of the Noorderkerk.

Waterlooplein – This is a great place to roam about sections of classy second hand goodies. One can buy second hand clothes, art, a variety of accessories and an assortment of curiosities.

Classy cocktail recommendations:

Door 74 – A swanky cocktail bar that’s purposely hard to find and Only accepts patrons with reservations, This inconspicuous elusive classy cocktail lounge recalls a time when ladies and gentlemen sipped spirits in a chic, civilized setting. The service here is as spectacular as the skillfully mixed drinks made with seasonal and sometimes very unexpected ingredients.

The Toren Lounge – Enjoy a cocktail at the Toren’s beautifully decorated bar and lounge area with a cozy fireplace and sultry rich interior. The theatrical décor is divine, with intricate ornaments and elegant furnishings. The mystical atmosphere and design is the work of the fabulous, celebrated interior designer Wim van de Oudeweetering, who transformed this elegant townhouse into a warm and welcoming luxury hotel offering its guests a true inside Amsterdam feel.

Culinary Secrets:

Chez Georges – an intimate culinary gem located around the corner from The Toren on Herenstraat 3. This elegant ornate restaurant holds only 8 tables. This small but charming restaurant serves up an appetizing Belgian fare by Chef Georges Roorda. The interiors have a classic influence complemented with mirrors and attractive wallpapers and dim lighting. Address: Herenstraat 3 Phone: 020 6263332

Restaurant Christophe’ – nestled on the beautiful Leliegracht canal, Cristoffs is based on classic French cuisine  infused with unique spices and influenced by different regions of the Mediterranean. This beautiful restaurant is a special favorite of the Toren and highly recommended for a top class elegant delicious (‘’lekker” in Dutch) experience! Website: www.restaurantchristophe.nl Address: Leliegracht 46 Phone: 020-6250807

Interested in a boutique hotel in Amsterdam?

The Toren Hotel, Amsterdam

Fiskebaren – a trendy fish restaurant at the distinctive Meat Packing District of Copenhagen. The menu is composed on a day to day basis, so that only the best fish will be on the menu.

The food was great, it was beautiful and tastefull, and there is a good chance to taste a fish, you may never have heard of before. The staff was very helpfull – so just ask, if you want to know more about the different fish on the menu.

You can eat in the bar or in the comfortable stalls, but the noise level was quite loud, so it is probably not the ideal place for a romantic dinner. Outside the restaurant there was a little fireplace that gives the guests the feeling welcome and also a nice touch for the smokers here in the cold months.

The fish was beautiful arranged on the plates, but especially the dessert was a show in it self. I is nice to see a restaurant that is not affraid of playing with natural nitrogen. Do not skip the dessert if you visit Fiskebaren – it was a great finale to a wonderful experience.

What is the Fish Bar?
The Fish Bar is all about fish and shellfish. It’s about fresh, healthy, delicious food. About fine wine and a great atmosphere.

To learn more about the restaurant, visit: http://www.fiskebaren.dk/en/

Need a room?

Hotel Alexandra

Epoque Classic Superior Hotel, Boutique Hotel in Copenhagen > Denmark

Hotel Alexandra is a boutique hotel located in the very heart of Copenhagen at the “Town Hall Square”! The Alexandra is beautifully decorated with classical Retro Danish furniture Design, and the hotel’s 100 year old walls are dressed in Danish art – Here you will find a sight for sore eyes! The long History and Hotel tradition, gives the guests an opportunity to take in the warmth of a personal, non-chain atmosphere. Hotel Alexandra offers allergy free rooms for guest who might need this kind of accommodation. Furthermore, as of March 1st 2009, Hotel Alexandra will become CO2-neutral in its total energy consumption of electricity, district heating, and gas. The Hotel is already the Copenhagen hotel that has for the longest time been environmentally certified by trade organization HORESTA’s eco-label ‘Den Grønne Nøgle’ (The Green Key). Hotel Alexandra’s rooms offer dry cleaning, laundry, room service, TV, footbath, internet all this is standard in the Hotel. Restaurant- KBH Bistro is a french cuisine were you will have a diverse selection of wines, this is why it is also named Wine Bistro. KBH Bistro provides service to the room when you feel like relaxing.

Location:

Hotel Alexandra is located in the very centre of Copenhagen, on the best corner of the City Hall Square, near the Copenhagen City hall, the Tivoli gardens and walking distance from Strøget, which is the longest pedestrian shopping area in Europe. This boutique hotel is only a 15 minute taxi/ bus ride away from the conference centre “Bella Center”, and 20 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by train from the city airport. – View Location Map.

General Information:

The full list available under: http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/features/the-15-best-food-festivals-in-the-world/

Maine Lobster Festival: Serving over twenty thousand pounds of lobster over the course of five days, Maine’s Lobster Festival is one of the premier food festivals in the world. Located in the small coastal town of Rockland, the Maine Lobster Festival celebrates Maine’s biggest export by boiling it alive and eating it — delicious. Thousands of volunteers work for the eleven months before the festival preparing for the upcoming activities. The festival includes a big parade, several cooking contests, the Sea Goddess Pageant, road races, arts and crafts, lobster crate races, and of course lots and lots of lobster.

The Good Food and Wine Show: As one of the largest food celebrations in the world, The Good Food and Wine Show is a culinary showcase that spans three cities in South Africa (Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg) over a period of several months. With numerous Chef-in-Action theatres, featuring world renowned celebrity chefs, this festival offers a great learning experience for any food enthusiast or culinary wannabe. Celebrating delicacies special to South Africa, The Good Food and Wine Show highlights the finest of the South African coffee industry in the National Barista Championships. The festival also offers several other food competitions and classes, including a cocktail competition, wine tasting, and organic food forums.

International Mango Festival: While there are several mango festivals that take place throughout the world, the International Mango Festival in India is one of the largest. The festival exhibits more than five hundred different varieties of mangoes grown throughout India, celebrating the unique color, smell and taste particular to the Indian mango. While mangoes are traditionally eaten raw in India, the festival showcases various recipes from notable Indian chefs. Involving all things mango, the festival’s events include a mango eating competition, mango slogan writing, mango carving, and mango quizzes. If you’re not a huge mango fan then this is certainly a festival you can skip. For those who relish the small succulent fruits, visit the International Mango Festival to taste one-of-a-kind mango jams, pickles, fruit juices, and more.

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival: Visitors from all over the world gather alongside island locals on the beaches of Hawaii for this festival of arts, food, and drinks to celebrate all things coffee. Since the early eighteen hundreds coffee has been cultivated in the Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. Kona Coffee is now one of the most highly regarded and expensive coffee blends in the world. This coffee festival generally lasts just under two weeks in the beginning of November. The festival boasts a variety of events, including pageants, tours, workshops, lectures, parades, tastings, competitions, dinners, art exhibits, and live entertainment. Hosting almost twenty thousand visitors each year, people from all over the world flock to the Island for its spectacular beauty, rich history, and outstanding caffeinated brews.

The International White Truffle Festival: The white truffle has a rich history in Italy and throughout the world. Found most famously in the countryside of the Italian city of Alba, Italian white truffles are highly esteemed in the culinary world. The International White Truffle Festival in Italy is typically held between September and December each year. This festival celebrates all aspects of the glorious tuber. Famous chefs from all over the world incorporate white truffle elements into their masterpieces, giving their dishes added elegance and flavor. However, because white truffles have such a pungent taste and are so rare, they are used sparingly in the culinary world. The Italian festival celebrates the existence of this culinary gem with events dedicated to the white truffle. Auctions take place each year, selling the truffles for thousands of dollars apiece. Any gastronomist should seek this festival to enrich their culinary repertoire.

Get to know about other 10 best food festivals and read the full story under: http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/features/the-15-best-food-festivals-in-the-world/