The dry aged Charolais was feckimg superb. Reckon the cuisson was on point too. That sauce was a sort of albufera with truffle. Steak didn't need it but I wanted it, 😋. Great last dinner of 2024. Mon 2025 show yerself!

For tonight have decanted a relatively modest Bordeaux - 2014 Dauzac and a 2020 Chambolle-Musigny to go with dry aged Charolais beef and a shop bought perigueux sauce.

Another fantastic lunch at Unalome . We chose from the set lunch menu & the ALC. The quality of the produce and cooking was excellent as usual and we were well looked after by Chef Cheevers & team. Also enjoyed a couple of nice bottles incl Hitching Post Pinot Noir. Merci chef

Desserts at Unalome were Michel Cluizel 72%chocolate, caramel cream, banana mango & passionfruit sorbet, Louise Bonne Pear & tonka bean mousse, vanilla rice pudding, spiced pear, clotted cream ice cream, hazlenut praline, chocolate mousse, bergamot & hazlenut ice cream.

Main courses at Unalome were North sea turbot, Shetland mussels, artichoke and shellfish consomme, bbq Orkney beef, bone marrow, aubergine & crispy potato. Roast halibut, cauliflower, yuzu kosho butter sauce & St Brides duck, ceps, potato dauphine & confit duck pastilla.

Next at Unalome came a surprise additional course from Chef Cheevers of an amazing dish of spelt grain & west coast Scottish lobster risotto finished with 24 month Grana Padano. I know the photo doesn't do it justice but the flavour and Umami were off the charts. Thank you!

Starters at Unalome included West Coast langoustine, koshihikari rice & dashi cappuccino, roasted veal sweetbread, preserved walnut, caramelised onion, potato & comte. Grilled shellfish, fennel, bouillabaisse sause, safron rouille. The size of that sweetbread. All were perfect

Back home in Belgium now but had a fabulous family lunch in Unalome by Graeme Cheevers before we left. Started with the usual excellent bites including oyster with sorrel, steamed bun topped with beef tartare and caviar, Mull cheddar gougere & I think smoked mackrel tartlet and roe.

First time visit to The Palmerston tonight and it was great. Food was simple but very well done. Potted Dexter with pickled onion, rigatoni with cod cheek, whole partridge and veal sausage and mash. All hit the spot. The Aalto was drinking well but would be great with a few more years.

Tonights cocktails courtesy of Hey Palu in Edinburgh. Fecking marvellous stuff.

Cracking Nuits-saint-georges with a lovely breast of Magret de canard. Good start to the weekend.

Hail hail from the Wild Rover in Brussels. Mon the hoopsm intae them. 🍀🍀🍀

Cocktail time. Manhattens enhanced with the Barolo Chinato Cocci sweet vermouth. Also the Gibson with pickles. Proper drinks.

Graham's 30yr old, Masi Amarone Costasera and 36m Comte,truffle brie, Epoisse and great blue cheese from Belgium. Good end to dinner.

Beef turned out fecking marvellous.

Got beef and wine on the menu for tonight. Bone in Rubia Gallega and Charolais sirloin. To be reverse seared and smothered in smoked maldon salt.

Checking in again from The Irish Rover in Brussels. Mon the Hoops 🍀🍀🍀

In Henne Wein bar Köln and they have a super wine list. Grabbed the last bottle of the 2018 Riesling Sankt Nicholas from Peter Jacob Kuhn. Superb stuff. Also the 2014 Valpolicella from the king of Veneto Quintarelli. A real treat.

Only so much hot mulled wine I can take. Drinking some proper wine in Hene Weinbar now. This 2017 Marsanmay by Jean Fournier is going down well. Although that feuerzangenbowle was rocket fuel🚀

Back in Köln to visit the Christmas markets. A feast of food and drink awaits. Kicking off with some flammlachs, Reibekuchen with apple sauce and some gluhwein. Building up to the football later tonight🍀

Watching today from the Wild Rover, home of the Brussels CSC. Mon the hoops. 🍀🍀🍀

Heading back to reality now. In time for watching the game tonight. 🍀

Back to the top steakhouse in Bacoli for meat and wine. I'm on the 850g bone in Galician. Wine is a very nice 2018 Zenato Amarone. Madonna! Its like rasins dipped in chocolate with a cherry liqueur.

No much of a culture vulture but the trip to Pompei was superb. Weather could not have been better either.

That was a great 2nd half Celtic. 🍀🍀🍀

Lovely day for a few pre game beers on the beach. Tennents anyone?

Got access to a shop near Naples. Wish I brought a spare case. Solaia is coming home to me. 239 Euro is a no brainer. Missed out on the 189 Euro Sassicaia!

Same here. Need a bit of age I think to mellow. This one was fab.

Another good meal tonight in Bacoli near Naples. A great seafood risotto full of clams, octopus, gamberoni, squid and more. Great flavour. Followed by a fillet steak, grilled veg and finished off with berry cheesecake. Steak washed down with a 2015 Taurasi from Pietracupa. Kirsch & dark berry

Decent food at the hotel last night including salt cod tempura, this seafood linguini with saffron and porcini and a tirmasu. Couple of nice whites especially the Ceretto Langhe Arneis Blange. Not bad for a Monday.