The Best Burger in Newquay, UK

As I was on a trip to Newquay (UK), I thought I'd take advantage of this visit to sample some British burgers. I had done my research before my trip and it seemed that Bank Street Bar & Grill was the place to go for the best burger in town.

Well, let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed at all. I ordered a Bank Street Bad Boy Burger and Boy (no pun intended), I loved it! I usually don't like any burger interpretation that strays away from a classic burger but this time, I was impressed. My chili sauce and the combination with excellent meat, tasty bun and cheese was just delightful.

Paris CDG VIP Fast Track "La Conciergerie" Review

Although the general public may not be aware of it, Paris airports offer personalized services to assist premium customers. As with all Premium services, "La Conciergerie" comes with different levels of service: VIP Fast Track, VIP Premium & VIP Ultimate.

I recently had the chance to try their VIP Fast-Track Departure service and must say I was quite impressed and happy with it. Upon our arrival at CDG, I called the Concierge number that had been texted to me while I was on my way to the airport. A few minutes later, our concierge showed up at the entrance of the 2E terminal. She accompanied us to the Air France First Class checkin counter (we were flying Economy, I am a Flying Blue Platinum member) and handed our passports & frequent flyer cards directly to the checkin agent. Two minutes later, we were already on our way to security through shortcuts that are not accessible to the general public and that are faster than the regular fast-track lanes labeled "Acces No1" for premium passengers.

The Best Burger Blogs

I have a passion for burgers and I love to take pictures of them. There are, however, dedicated blogs that do a much better job than me. So here's my list of not-to-be-missed burger blogs:

- Burgerac: http://www.burgerac.com/

- Hamburger America: http://hamburgeramerica.blogspot.com/

- Burger Junkies: http://burgerjunkies.com/

Drool more after the break:

British Airways Club World & World Traveller Plus on the Londow Moscow Route Review

British Airways recently introduced long-haul aircraft configurations to their London Heathrow - Moscow route. This three hour flight used to feature their intra-european product with Economy (Euro Traveller) and intra-european business class (Club Europe). As of now, British Airways offers long-haul seats on these flights with World Traveller (Economy), World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy), Club World (Business Class) and First cabins. This is, in my opinion, a great improvement. As I was travelling on award tickets on my recent trip to Moscow, I had the chance to fly Club World from London to Moscow and then World Traveller plus on my way back. So here is my humble trip report!

As a OneWorld alliance Emerald member, I was entitled to use British Airways Galleries First lounge in London and I must say I was impressed. The design of the lounge is contemporary and original. I like their lamp/horses at the entrance as much as I like their champagne and wine offering:

Bollinger Rosé Champagne pictured below:

Gusyatnikoff Restaurant Review (Moscow, Russian Federation)

As you may expect, the Pushkin Cafe isn't the only fine dining restaurant in Moscow. Gusyatnikoff is another place that definitely is in the same category. We went there on a week day and were taken a bit aback when we realized that there didn't seem to be many other customers besides us. As a matter of fact, it looked a bit deserted. Nevertheless the setting was very nice managing to mix contemporary and classic designs. The restaurant is made of many different rooms closed by doors so you can't really tell what's happening in the next room (we could tell that other customers were singing in the room next to ours but that didn't bother us as it only added an even more pittoresque touch to our evening).



We had to have Caviar at least once during our trip in Russia and I must confess we were not disappointed by the Beluga Caviar featured in the menu:

Of course, we continued our meal with a Borsch which we absolutely loved combined with  the excellent bread pictured below:

Cafe Pushkin Review (Moscow, Russian Federation)

The Cafe Pushkin in Moscow is arguably the best restaurant in town. Although it looks very classic, this restaurant is new to the Moscow scene as it only opened back in 1999. This place was actually made up by French singer Gilbert Becaud in the famous 1964 song "Nathalie" where Becaud talks about going to "Cafe Pushkin". It is rumored that many French tourists would want to pay a visit to Cafe Pushkin when in Moscow only to realize that the place did not exist. Finally, in 1999, Andrey Dellos gave life to this mythical place by opening a real Cafe Pushkin on Tverskoy boulevard where the food is influenced by both Russian and French cuisines.

Le Buerehiesel (Strasbourg - Restaurant Review)

Strasbourg used to have the privilege of hosting two three-star Michelin restaurants: both Au Crocodile and Le Buerehiesel shared this honor. However, recent changes in the local fine food landscape led to a single star downgrade of their red guide rating. I already covered what happened to Au Crocodile in the aforementioned link so it only seems logical to tell the story of Le Buerehiesel.

While Au Crocodile was sold to another chef, Le Buerehiesel continued its family tradition as Eric Westermann (former chef & owner Antoine Westermann's son) took over his father's restaurant. Most critics will emphasize the fact that he followed his father's vision while striving to make this holy temple of food a bit more casual.

So what about the food?

Best Prepaid iPhone Plan In Moscow (Russia)

During my preparation for an upcoming trip to Russia, I researched and found what I believe to be the best prepaid iPhone plan in Moscow. As you may already know, my lifelong goal is to avoid the outrageous data roaming fees charged by French mobile carriers! So here come my step-by-step instructions on how to use this plan that will give you 300 minutes of local calls (landline & any mobile carrier), 3000 SMS, 3000 MMS & unlimited data (bandwidth capped at 64 kbps after 1Gb) for RUB500 (= US$17) for 30 days.

S' Musauer Stuebel (Strasbourg - Restaurant Review)

This hard-to-pronounce-for-a-non-local restaurant is a hidden gem. Located far from downtown Strasbourg, it is well worth the 15 minute drive. If you love meat, you won't be disappointed by both the quality of the products and their preparation. The staff strives for 100% customer satisfaction and frankly, how could you be disappointed when you see what is in your plate?

Aux Trois Chevaliers (Strasbourg - Restaurant Review)

Aux Trois Chevaliers is one of my favorite restaurants in Strasbourg. The quality of the food is only matched by the dedication of the team to guarantee customer satisfaction (such a rare oddity in France that it is well worth mentioning).

You will love the stripped down decor adorned with huge mirrors that give a contemporary work-in-progress feel to this old Winstub.

PizzBurgers Strasbourg Review

There seem to be no rest for the true Burger lovers in Strasbourg these days and this is a very good thing in my unbiased opinion... Well almost unbiased...

Last november, Speed Burger opened a location in Strasbourg and I reviewed them here. There is now a new alternative to burger home deliveries in our great alsatian city thanks to PizzBurgers. I tried them out twice and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their burgers. I found them to be more than reasonably good and the selection on their website is quite large. Most importantly, both times I ordered, delivery was fast and the burgers were still burning hot when they arrived!

An American Hot Dog In Strasbourg

After my lunch at Franky's Diner, I stumbled open a sign in the streets pointing to true American Hot Dogs in Strasbourg at Bagel Avenue. This Bagel joint is my favorite in Strasbourg so I had to assume that their hot dog was as good as their bagels! The answer is simple: YES: their hot dogs are excellent and although not 100% exactly like the originals in New York, they come to a close 95% with a choice of relish, Sauerkraut, American mustard etc... The works!

And while I'm at it, I should also mention their excellent Frappuccinos:

Franky's Diner: An American Diner In Strasbourg

I couldn't believe the news today nor could I close my eyes and make it go away: a full-fledged Diner finally opened its doors in Strasbourg. I had to give it a try and so, it won't come as much of a surprise that a good 22 minutes after Franky's Diner opened I could consider myself one of their first customers.

As I'm used to being disappointed by the usual amateurism associated with attempts to recreate true and great American food, I wasn't expecting much.

First of all, let me say that I was pleasantly surprised with the setting of this Diner in the sense that it pretty much looks like the real thing. Granted there are no napkin dispensers on the table and we can't choose the music but the seats, color theme & atmosphere makes you feel like you're 5000 miles away from the capital of Europe... Well, as long as you're also not paying much attention to the music: Franky: The Stray Cats formed in 1980 and their music mostly consisted of a blend of rockabilly music with punk elements. It is not the kind of music that is usually played in a Diner. I wish I would have listened to some more appropriate music such as: Chantilly Lace or Purple People Eater for instance.

What about the experience ?

CrowdCall Is The Next Best Thing

As Bono once said: "There's been a lot of talk about this next post, maybe maybe too much talk...". Well he almost said that once actually and it could very well apply to CrowdCall except for the "too much talk" part.

It seems everybody's talking about CrowdCall and now that I've tried I understand why.

The First All-You-Can-World Mobile Plan

Today is a great day in the history of telecommunications. Yo! Telecom just announced their amazing "All-You-Can-World" Mobile plan. For €100 per month, you get unlimited voice, text, mms & data in your home country and ANY OTHER COUNTRY in the world. That is: no roaming charges ever. Plus you get to choose in which country you want your phone number to be located (which effectively anyway doesn't matter much anymore).

France Effectively NOT Blocking Foreign VoIP Providers

UPDATE: THIS BLOG POST IS A TOTAL MISTAKE. FRANCE IS NOT BLOCKING FOREIGN VOIP PROVIDERS. ACTUALLY, IT IS BROADVOICE THAT IS BLOCKING FOREIGN IP ADDRESSES. MY APOLOGIES. FEEL FREE TO CRITICIZE. I AM NOT REMOVING THIS POST IN THE SPIRIT OF ABSURDITY.

The Share-A-Burger Initiative: Changing The World One Burger At A Time

This blog post is dedicated to those who thought the world had already come up with the craziest ideas anyone could think of. I hope that they will realize that nature keeps reinventing itself and will never cease to surprise us.

So here comes the craziest idea ever: The Share-A-Burger Initiative.

What is it?

Well, it's fairly simple: Two years ago, I embarked on the bold endeavor of preparing the finest Sunday burger ever. After numerous attempts at Burger Xanadu, I, in all modesty, believe that I now hold the recipe for the perfect Sunday Burger.

Subsequent to that realization, my purpose in life is to spread Burger wisdom throughout the world. And how better to do so than by sharing a Burger?

So here's the deal:

France Is The New Land Of The Free

I hope my American friends won't mind the title I chose for this blog post. I just wanted to write a post about "Free".So, What is "Free" (no pun intended)?

Well, Free is a French company headed by French entrepreneur Xavier Niel (aka @Xavier75) that revolutionized Internet access prices in France.

Le Camion Qui Fume - Food Truck - Paris

Making a close to perfect burger requires two major skills: humility and method. Kristin Frederick (pictured above), the chef behind "Le Camion Qui Fume" (The Smoking Truck), is gifted with both.

Humility is essential when it comes to burgers because no matter how talented a chef you are, you have to recognize that the best burger can only be a classic burger. It is thus essential to feature it in your menu no matter how fancy, smart or inventive you think you are.

La Cantoche de Paname - Paris

As many scientific breakthroughs are the results of random acts, it only seems logical to conclude that the same rule must apply to the Art of Burger. In their almighty Cheddarness, it seems that the Burger Gods deemed me worthy of witnessing such an occurrence. Or maybe they wanted to balance the forces of Cheddarness for the better as my lunch at Blend Hamburger on the same day had been a bit disappointing.

Blend Hamburger - Paris

Blend Hamburger opened less than a month ago. If you believe the hype (and there are enough famous songs advising you not too), this burger joint is rumored to be The place to have a great hamburger in Paris. It hence won't come as a surprise that the wait to be seated is rather long.

Morgans Hotel Group Global Card Review

Here's a breakdown of the perks that Morgans Hotel Group Global Card holders are supposed to enjoy:

 Dedicated concierge to assist you with all of your needs before and during your stay
· Complimentary night at all of our new hotel openings around the world
· $100 in US Hotels or £100 in UK hotels for a standard room if available after 10PM
· Upgrades to the best available hotel accommodations upon arrival which include specialty suites
· Invitations to exclusive Global Card events, openings and special events throughout the year

· Access to all of our pools and beaches
· 20% discount at our Agua Spas
· Complimentary In Room Internet
· Complimentary Local Phone/Fax
· Late Check out
· Early Check-in
· Priority Check-in
· Direct escort to room
· Express check out
· Pre arrival email for Special Requests
· Customized Room
· Arrival/Welcome Gift
· Morning Newspaper
· Complimentary Gym Access
· Online Profile Management
· Access to Redemption Partners
· Access to Exclusive Offers
· Reservation Guarantee
· Direct Access to CEO

Pierre Gagnaire's Sketch Restaurant In London

Sketch is Famous French chef Pierre Gagnaire's signature restaurant in London. It actually consists for three different restaurants: Gallery, The Lecture Room and Parlour. Parlour is the more relaxed option while The Lecture Room features a tasting menu. I had the chance to eat at Gallery which is their "middle ground" option last weekend. Although the food didn't live up to my high expectations, I absolutely loved the experience. Above this text is a picture of my starters: the "Pollock". Below is a picture of my main course which was scallops with truffles. Both were good but not that original in my opinion.

Hakkasan Hanway Place London

Last summer, I reviewed the Hakkasan restaurant located at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami. I absolutely loved their food so it only seemed logical during my recent my week-end in London to have dinner at one of their London locations which, in my case, happened to be the Hanway Place one.

Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised with the fact that the restaurant was almost identical to its sister location in Miami for the setting there is absolutely stunning. I had their Dim-Sum platter which were tender and perfect:

Three Burgers In London

As I was using a prepaid Three UK sim card during my trip to London, I thought I should review Three hamburger joints there!

How To Officially Unlock Your iPhone

If you're amongst the lucky ones that are able to have their carrier officially unlock their iPhones, here's a quick tip as to how to properly do it. As a matter of fact, some carriers will send you unclear instructions once your unlocking request has been approved.

There are two ways to use an unlocked iPhone: you can either re-activate it every time you insert a new sim card in it or unlock it for good so you won't have to go through the process of activation ever again.

Here's the breakdown:

Prepaid iPhone Plans In The UK

As I'm still crusading against French mobile carriers outrageous data roaming plans, here comes the latest addition to my list of prepaid iPhone plans to use abroad. Three UK has amazing prepaid plans amongst which the "All In One 15" is a great option. For £15 you get 300 voice minutes to the UK, 3000 texts within the UK and unlimited data valid for 30 days.

Data configuration and APN are automatic which means you won't need to download any custom profile file and/OR manually set the APN. It will just work right out of the box. So if you're traveling to the UK, you know what to do (make sure your iPhone is unlocked beforehand). I have nothing more to add! For more details regarding their other prepaid plans click here.

Speed Burger Strasbourg Review

Now that Speed Burger has a joint in Strasbourg, I had to try it out. I can't believe they opened shop two weeks ago and I didn't know! So, here comes my relatively late review.

First of all, you need to know that Speed Burger has many locations in France and specializes in home deliveries, an unexplained rarity in France and particularly in Strasbourg. Doesn't it feel great to know you can pick up the phone and just order a burger that will be delivered to your home in less than thirty minutes?

So, how was the service and food?

BagelAvenue Review (Strasbourg, France)

I tried this new Bagel joint in Strasbourg last night and must say that I was impressed with the quality of their bagels, the friendly service and their wide selection of products.

Bagel Avenue promises a great Bagel experience and delivers it! In addition to classic Bagels, they offer great hot Bagels as well as wraps. Their smartest move, in my opinion, is to serve Coffee in paper cups à la Starbucks Coffee in a city where such Hollywood-created mimetic craving is hard if not impossible to satisfy. I can't wait to try out some of their Frappuccinos to see for myself how they compare to my all time favorite Grande Caramel Frappucino with whipped cream at Starbucks Coffee!

Let me end this review by saying that they also feature great American desserts and sweets such as cheese cake, Donuts, Brownies, Whoopies, Cookies etc. On the soft drink side of things, they also have root beer and Dr. Pepper. And last but not least: HOME DELIVERY IS AN OPTION!

Their menu (in French) is here!

Hack Of The Day: The Best & Cheapest Dictation Setup

So, you're still using microcassettes for dictation and you feel voice recognition isn't reliable enough to switch your entire dictation strategy to Dragon dictation? Problem is your microcassette player or recorder is dying and replacing or upgrading your whole dictation setup at work looks more expensive than buying Mac Pros for everyone. Digital dictation devices are, indeed, extremely expensive and impractical at best with the need to connect them via USB to a base station to send files.