Medininkai – Europa Hotel, Ausros Vartu, Vilnius

Last week we were told that it would be ‘complicated’ to accommodate a lot of ladies for lunch.  We were also told that we would not be able to reserve a table. One of our Ladies tried again with them and they told us there would be no problem with the number but that we could not reserve.  Consequently I arrived early – just before a terrific downpour – and found that they had reserved tables for us.

They do a wonderful cold beetroot soup.  The staff were very friendly and the food was great. They could do with sorting out their ‘front of house’ staff as their attitude could well put people off.

http://www.medininkai.lt/news/

FIORENTINO’S,

Universiteto g., Vilnius

We periodically visit this restaurant for lunch and I must say that I never come away raving about the food.  The really good thing about the place is the setting.  The courtyard must be one of the most beautiful in Vilnius.  What a shame that the food does not match the setting.

Two of us had the Tuscan tomato soup and I tried to get some idea from the waitress as to what it was like, as I had no idea.  I can only describe it as ‘gloopy’ because it contained lots of mushy bread.  As I try to eat very little carbs, this did not impress me.  I believe the minestrone soup was good.

 I ordered pancakes with cottage cheese and spinach ( cannelloni with ricotta and spinach ) and it came nicely presented but unfortunately it was totally dry.  It must have either been in the oven too long or re-heated in the microwave as the sauce on top had disappeared.  Not nice.  When the waitress asked me why I had not eaten the meal I explained  but she seemed to take it personally and was very sullen after that.  The lasagne was apparently OK, the pasta in melted butter – there was so much butter the pasta was almost floating and the shrimp salad came with a sauce all over it – it would have been better on the side. Hey – the tiramasu was good.

 This will not be at the top of our list for a revisit – shame ‘cos I love the courtyard.

http://www.fiorentino.lt/indexeng-4.html

Zoe’s Bar & Grill,

Ogminiu gatve, Vilnius

We had a great lunch here.  Their spicy soup is exactly what it says – SPICY.

 So spicy your lips feel as though they are on fire and you could easily turn into a fire-breathing dragon – hm!  Perhaps some people already see me like that!

 Some of us had the club sandwich which was great but don’t think much of the French fries..  One lady had pasta with spicy chicken and that looked very good indeed.

 Zoe’s is always good and is highly popular. http://www.zoesbargrill.com

Felicie,

Ausros Vartu, Vilnius

The day before the lunch I went to the restaurant to reserve a table for the following day and, as I had a guest in town, decided that we would eat there on the Monday evening as well.  When it came to dessert our waiter presented me with a knife and fork wrapped very prettily in a napkin.  When I asked why a knife and fork for tiramasu he asked what I would prefer and I told him a spoon.  He brought me a teaspoon.  My guest burst out laughing and said I needed something larger so the young man went to the kitchen and brought me a huge serving spoon!!!!!

Lunch today, Tuesday, was as delightful as the meal Monday night.  The food is very good and presented so beautifully.  The service is excellent.  You can get a lunch special – soup and main course – for 15 litas.  We sat outside and our waiter made sure that the tables were situated so that if it did rain we would remain dry.  I cannot praise this place highly enough.  It has gone to the top of my favourite places to eat and is highly recommended.  The other ladies must have thought so as well because they have decided to go back there for next Tuesday’s lunch bunch whilst I am away in the UK.

By the way – the tiramisu is to die for.  I am not a lover of this dessert but this one melts in the mouth.  It sticks to the roof of your mouth as though it does not want to let go.  Very yummy!!!!!

http://www.felicie.lt

Kotrinos ,

Vilniaus gatve, Vilnius

Lunch today was at a new restaurant called Kotrinos which is next to St. Catherine’s on Vilniaus gatve.

 This opened just as Mike and I left for our holidays and I have been hearing good things about it.

 One thing I do not understand about some restaurants is why food should be good one day and nasty the next.  Is uniformity so difficult to achieve?  Some of our Ladies enjoyed their meals very much – the pasta dishes seemed to be good.

Some of us were not impressed.  There are hundreds of tables at this place so you would think they could cope with nine ladies but we were given one meal at a time.  Not good...

Sue’s Indian Restaurant,

Odminiu g., Vilnius

Today we visited one of our favourite restaurants.  The weather was lovely and so we sat outside under the umbrellas.  The food is always good and the staff are always courteous and helpful.

 It must be one of the very few restaurants in Vilnius that caters for the customers’ tastes.  If you do not want your food very spicy, then you only have to say so and if you want your food hot enough to blow your socks off then again you only have to say.

Very enjoyable as always.

www.sues-lt.com

Bistro 18,

Stikliu g., Vilnius

FAREWELL LUCNH:

We were in the room at the back with the domed ceiling and, yes noise does seem to echo but saying that the lunch was very good indeed and the staff, as always, are very friendly and courteous.

The lunchtime special is well worth having and always plenty of choice.

It was sad to say goodbye to these two Ladies as they have both been very active and supportive in IWAV. 

www.bistro18.lt

D’Antonio’s,

Amberton Hotel, near the Vilnius Cathedral

We sat outside which is always a pleasant way to have lunch.

Some old and new friends joined us this week.  A Lithuanian/American lady and her daughter over here to meet up with family and our old friend Anni Katigback, over here for three weeks holiday meeting up with old friends.

I had a salmon and shrimp salad.  There was one small piece of salmon, and you all know my feelings about lettuce.  You may wonder why I order salads if I don’t like lettuce but it’s too hot for soup, pasta is out as I am trying to lose weight and if I asked them to take the lettuce off then my plate would look too empty to justify the high prices they charge.  A couple of other Ladies said that there meal was so-so but the others enjoyed theirs.  I still think you can get meals just as good, if not better for less money.

http://www.antonio.lt/

Osaka, 

Vilniaus gatve, Vilnius

I was not able to be at this lunch but I was told by all the Ladies how good the food was.  So much so I am going with Mike and two friends.  It was also suggested that whenever you want to go, whether lunch time or evening, you need to reserve a table as it gets very busy.

www.osaka.lt

Saint Germain,

Literatu g., Vilnius

The day we went here was warm but unpredictable so we sat outside and hoped for the best.  Fortunately our friendly waiter came out to us as he was ready to bring the food, stood and looked up at the sky which had gone a delightful shade of black, and advised us to move inside before we became soaked.  Two minutes later the heavens opened.  The food is always very good here.  I think my only criticism would be that there does not seem to be many small lunchtime meals available so I felt that I was a tiny bit limited in my choice.

http://www.vynine.lt/

Radisson BLU,

Rotuses, Vilnius

The staff are always friendly and attentive and the food is always good.  I think I must have been feeling a little off that day.  There was so much garlic around that I ended up feeling a tad unwell.  I was also taking garlic capsules and they were not agreeing with me so I think the combinations were too much for my system.  But, if you like garlic then you have no problems .  The food was great and so was the wine.

http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-vilnius/dining

Blusyne,

Saviciaus g., Vilnius

What a disappointment.  The courtyard looks a lot better and has been extended but we sat inside.  Two of us had pumpkin soup.  We both thought that a pumpkin had not been anywhere near it but apparently they used a white pumpkin as he said the yellow ones were hard to find (tosh!)  It contained ginger which gave it a kick but other than that it had no taste and was the consistency of wallpaper paste.  Why do restaurants feel they have to thicken all their soups with potato?  Two of us then ordered tiny chicken kebabs with a Thai sauce.  I asked if it was possible to take out the lemongrass from the sauce and, for me, the worrying response was that they do not make the sauce.  I am now wondering about the culinary expertise of Blusyne. There was also a small brown friend walking around the dado rail behind me.  Mmm – yummy!

www.blusyne.lt

Dominikonu Karčema, Dominikonu g 6, Vilnius

(used to be Dubliner)

There was a large group of us at this restaurant and so the choices were extremely varied.  People seemed to be reasonably satisfied.  I had a tomato based soup which was quite good and then opted for a tuna salad together with another lady.  We were both of the opinion that we needed to search for the tuna!  It really was very hard to see.  The restaurant has only been open two or three weeks and there was only one chef working at the time.  As is the way with most of these places, they do usually settle down and hopefully improve.  What I can say is that the staff were delightful and our young lady was most concerned that everything was OK for us.  It is also interesting to look at the place and try to work out where the bar of the Dubliner was.