Seafood Galore at A La Peche Aux Moules

One late Saturday afternoon, a restaurant along rue des Marronniers called à la pêche aux moules served as our pit stop. Eateries in France usually close shop after lunch and resume for supper. At around three past noon (lunch was a tad bit delayed), it was one of the few restaurants still open for business.

This restaurant is situated at the ground floor of an apartment building just like most, if not all, restaurants in Place Bellecour. The cobblestone path along rue des Marronniers adds to the restaurant's very French ambiance. À la pêche aux moules is named after the traditional French song of the same name (Video below. Have a listen, it's catchy!), which means 'fishing for mussels' in English. They serve mostly seafood, their specialty being mussels of course. 

 A la pêche aux moules is catchy!

As always, meals in France means you get bread in a basket. I've actually grown to love the French baguette, which is what most restaurants serve before your main order. Theirs was a little different from the usual breads served in most restaurants, it was slightly tougher and was sprinkled with sesame seeds which gave it a stronger flavor. 

I <3 French bread

My companion opted to get the three course menu, which is also typical in most restaurants here in France. You get an appetizer, main course, and dessert for a fairly reasonable price. This combination includes the Welcome Salad for the appetizer, Tuna Steak a l'ancienne as the main course, and the St. Marcellin as the last part of the meal.

3-course menu (€15.90)

St. Marcellin, which he initially thought was dessert, is a kind of cheese that's considered to be one of the best cheeses from around these parts apparently. It smelled horrible. Is there any truth to what they say that the fouler the smell, the better the cheese? This particular one is definitely an acquired taste.

I forgot to mention that there were sturdy buckets decorated the tables around us, with most guests having one bucket of mussels of different flavors to themselves. I wasn't sure if my stomach could handle a bucketful of mussels so I had the safer French fish and chips called Half cooked salmon escalope and a creme brulee for dessert. 

Half cooked salmon escalope (€12.90) + Creme Brulee (€5+/-)

I was pretty happy with my choice because the salmon was tender and tasty (I had some doubts because of it being only half cooked, but it worked well) and the side of fries was just what I needed (fries are happy nomz, shh). The creme brulee was sweet, light and perfectly crispy on top (but a little pricey).

Next time, I'm gonna brave it and try the bucket of mussels. Wish me luck! 

P.S.

The melody is now stuck in my head.

A La Peche Aux Moules
Location: 2 Rue des Marronniers, 69002 Lyon
Contact Info: +33 4 78 92 94 24

2, Rue des Marronniers , 69002 Lyon

We're back in business, folks!

Lately, whenever I come visit this blog, it feels like forever since the last post. Time seems to go by quicker lately and what little time I have left of my day, I spend catching up with the people I love back home. Sheesh, enough with the sap already. 

Another thing that's taking forever is the development of the new BaconTunaMelt (click this to see how bare it is). There hasn't been much progress, I'm almost desperate. So, because it looks like the launch will be pushed back towards the end of the year, we'll be tickling your tummies once again on this little old blog (there's so much to tell you guys about!). 

BaconTunaMelt: Spreading nomz on the web since 2010

 BaconTunaMelt is back in business, folks! (although we never really left) ^_~

Download The BaconTunaMelt Android App!

Hello cute ladies and gents (you're all cute in my eyes)! How are you all on this fine July morning? Everyone doing okay? In Lyon, it's been an unusually chilly summer month with a few thunderstorms here and there. The new blog is still under development after almost a month (I'll get to it eventually!).

BaconTunaMelt on Android

Anyhoots, what I came here to talk about is the newest development for loyal readers (-3 people). BaconTunaMelt is now available for Android users! Yup, there exists a BaconTunaMelt Android app. Cleverly named BaconTunaMelt on Android (what? I couldn't think of a good name for it), the app shows you the latest updates on the blog. 

Touch the star to add a post to favorites!

Besides the post updates, you can also tag a post as a favorite (and keep the article for future reading) and also share a post on Facebook, Plurk, Twitter, Google+, Reddit, and slew of other sharing sites.

Change settings to your personal preference. :)

You also have options for display, updates, notifications, backup, etc. In the meantime, it's not available on the official Android Market (I found out I needed to pay them $25 bucks for it, so no go) but you can still download it here and install it on your Android phones or tablets.

Here's how:

BaconTunaMelt on Android APK

1. Scan this QR code with your basic Barcode scanner and it will direct you to download the BaconTunaMelt APK (you can also click the link if you're viewing this howto on your mobile or if you want to download it on your computer).

Open browser -> Save

2. Save the file and install (if you don't have an installer, download one like Easy Installer, it's free!).

Install -> Open

And last but not the least,
3. Add a shortcut of the BaconTunaMelt on Android app to your home screen and start getting nomz updates on your phone!

Look for the BaconTunaMelt logo! :)

*If you're having problems with the installation, tell us and we'll walk you through it. :P

Groupon Mania in Manila! (Part 3)

Before launching the new site, we have a couple of last hurrahs left on this one. For now, we'll talk about groupons (again). Since late last year, we've featured some of the more popular ones on this blog (read part 1 here and part 2 here). Since then, groupon sites have come a long way. 

Besides new sites popping up every once in a while, the newest trend in the groupon market is aggregators. Someone came up with the excellent idea of collating all the great deals from all the different groupon sites out there making life much easier for us deal mongers users. 

Here are BaconTunaMelt's newest deal finds on the wide world of the Intarwebz-

1. CityPoynt
Link: http://www.citypoynt.com/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/citypoynt

As I understand it, CityPoynt has been around offering good deal after good deal for a while now. But I've only been aware of them a month or so ago when they offered a deal that I couldn't resist. I signed up as soon as I could and have kept checking back for more.

Their web design and simple and quite easy to navigate, which I personally think is an important factor in any site that involves online purchase.

2. Dealies.ph
Link: http://www.dealies.ph/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dealies-Philippines/168056773245812

Dealies.ph is one of those groupon site aggregators I was talking about earlier in this post. It features deals from various groupon sites in Manila and lists them down in one handy page. The people behind Dealies.ph are from Berlin, Germany but be assured that the deals listed on their page are legitimately offered in our motherland.

 
3. Pilipinas Best Buys
Link: http://pilipinasbestbuys.com/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PBestBuys

Pilipinas Best Buys is one of the newer groupon sites I've stumbled upon. The site looks friendly with a very local flavor to it and they're currently offering a roundtrip airfare ticket from Manila to New York at 50% off. It looks to be a great deal to me, even after reading the fine print (and that's saying something). PBB is a groupon site worth checking out.

4. All Deals Asia
Link: http://www.alldealsasia.com/deals/philippines
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002273548970

All Deals Asia is another groupon site aggregator featuring deals from different Manila groupon sites. I haven't tried buying form them yet but they have a cute Sherlock Holmes-y icon that I've grown fond of (I'm shallow liek that). They also feature deals from Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia which can be easily filtered out and could be useful (for frequent Asia travelers).

And there you have it, that's my groupon haul for the day. I hope you guys find them useful (please do tell us your groupon stories in the comments). Also, please watch out for the launch of the new BaconTunaMelt site. Soon, I promise!

Not an Update

Gaiz, I'm really sorry there have been no updates lately. My excuse is that I'm currently developing a whole new BaconTunaMelt look, to be hosted on a paid server. I thought to save the new posts for when the layout is done. But so far, check out what I've got- http://bacontunamelt.info/ (this is the temporary address while under construction). So basically, I got nothing yet.

I'm hopeless at Wordpress blog customization. it's taking longer than I thought it would and I'm kind of stuck in a rut. Any kind designers who want to help me out? I already have something in mind, but I don't know how to implement it. I will pay you with endless gratitude (okay, I'll toss in some cash). 

In the meantime, check out the photos on our Flickr page. We'll be updating that with new nompics in a short while. And please watch out for the new site!

Had a KFC Fix, Thanks to My Weekend in Bordeaux

A couple of weekends ago (okay, if we're being honest, it was a month or so ago), I had to fly to Bordeaux city for a work-related requirement. Besides a work trip, it also doubled as a vacation of sorts. Some officemates are currently based in the city and because of them, I was able to go and see the pretty sights of the city (some photos here).

Mesmerized by this sight (more for the Col. Sanders sign than anything else)

And then of course, after all the walking (it's big here in France), we needed to take a pitstop. My friends new exactly where to take me- KFC.

I know, I know. It's not exactly a five star restaurant, not even close. But KFC is near and dear to my heart. If I have a fling with Manang's Chicken, I have a full-blown love affair (sorry, babe) with KFC. My heart goes thump-a-thumpin' for the fried chicken recipe perfected decades ago by Colonel Sanders himself (who wasn't really a colonel, but that's another story).

Drooling right now.

In Lyon, where I'm based, the nearest KFC is in another town (in Bron), which is more than an hour's commute away. Not having my mistress close by is heartbreaking so I was ecstatic more than glad to be FINALLY having KFC's finger-lickin' good fried chicken in Bordeaux.

They had long lines too (it felt just like home).

A bucket of 8 chicken pieces, 8 hot wings, 8 crispy tenders, 4 side dishes, and 4 bottomless drinks is priced at 20 euros (about Php1,816). It's a lot more expensive than our KFC buckets, but compared to other restaurants, this deal isn't too bad. The set is more than enough for four (hungry cows).

I am happy to report that France's KFC chicken is as crispy, tasty, and juicy (and unhealthy) as it is back home. But they don't have gravy nor rice. Boo.

In other news

A Taiwanese food blogger has been jailed for writing a critical review of a restaurant. Liu visited Mr. Yang's beef noodle restaurant and the nomz and the ambiance did not fit her liking. She then wrote about her negative experience on her blog and the said blog post created quite a buzz, enough for people to ask Mr. Yang about it.

After visiting a Taichung beef noodle restaurant in July 2008, where she had dried noodles and side dishes, Liu wrote that the restaurant served food that was too salty, the place was unsanitary because there were cockroaches and that the owner was a “bully” because he let customers park their cars haphazardly, leading to traffic jams. Read the full story on Taipei Times here.

Mr. Yang then files charges and wins it. Ms. Liu gets 30 days of detention, 2 years of probation, and NT$200,000 (about Php300,000). Yikes. I haven't read the said blog post, so I can't really form an unbiased opinon. I can't find Ms. Liu's blog either. I'm assuming they took it down after this incident.

Photo editting credits go to Bim (bacon photo from here)

I thought blog posts were taken as a personal opinion of individuals and everyone's entitled to their own opinion. We do regular restaurant reviews here on this blog, some of them positive, some negative. I didn't realize I could go to jail for it. If ever I do go to jail, you guys will keep reading BaconTunaMelt, right? ~_~

Mama Caroni Three Course Menu Lyonnaise

Bonjour everybody! It's a cool Saturday here in Lyon and I just got back from a day of window shopping. There's some sort of event going on this weekend (I'm guessing it has something to do with the LGBT, because of the number of rainbow flags out and about) and the streets and subways are packed. 

I also got the chance to visit the Asian store for the first time and got myself a bottle of Mama Sita Barbecue Sauce and some Haw Flakes (YES!). But I'm getting ahead of myself, that story will be reserved for later. Right now, I want to tell you all about last Saturday's first venture to try the gastronomic delights that this city has to offer (it is known as the gastronomic capital of France). So sit back, relax, and have a cup of coffee (yes, this will be long).

French-Italian fusion at Mama Caroni

Picking a place to eat at in this country can be tricky because my limited knowledge of their language might lead me to order frog legs or something equally disgusting. At least I can tell the meats apart- 'poulet' for chicken, 'boeuf' for beef, 'porc' for pork, 'thon' for tuna, and 'saumon' for salmon. 

Everywhere in the always packed Place Bellecour, there are many bouchons to choose from along the main streets. Many look like your typical trendy restaurant with floor to ceiling glass windows and fancy logos. Although  people there probably speak more English, I wanted to try something with an authentic feel. And the perfect place is the quaint alley called rue des Marroniers.

Rue des Marronniers

Near the mainstream Place Bellecour, rue des Marronniers is a street lined with smallish restaurants from left to right, all of them with menu chalkboards outside, written in French of course. Deciding on which one was a dilemma because all of them looked interesting (and also because I couldn't understand much). Eventually, the quaint Mama Caroni won me over with its tan walls, bright red highlights, and a kindly server to usher you in.

Mama Caroni is a French-Italian restaurant with a menu that includes specialties from both countries. Because it was my first time in an actual bouchon (I've been living on fastfood, as usual), I knew I had to try the traditional local order- the three course Menu Lyonnaise.

Salade Lyonnaise

Starting things off was the traditional Salade Lyonnaise. In a huge salad plate was a colorful mess of greens, mixed in with nearly an equal portion of bacon (zomg!), some buttered croutons, drizzled with olive oil and a splash of wine vinegar and Dijon mustard and then topped off with a poached egg. It was amazing, with no exaggeration. All the flavors blended together beautifully and each bite was just delightful.

I was full after the salad alone but there were more to go. The main course was served next, it was a choice between Onglet de boeuf poele, sauce echalote, pates fraiches maison or Andouillette sauce moutarde, pommes sautees. I recognized 'boeuf' to be beef and had absolutely no idea what an 'andouillete' was so I picked the beef.

Onglet de Boeuf Poele

With a name like Onglet de Boeuf, you'd think that it would be a typical steak with a side of mashed potatoes. Apparently, onglet de boeuf poele sauce echalote, pates fraiches maison translated to English is beef steak with shallot sauce on fresh house pasta (or something close). Boy, was I surprised when it arrived. 

Suprise #1- I wasn't expecting it to be served with pasta. Surprise #2- because I requested the meat to be cooked well-done, I didn't expect spurts of red ooze coming out from the meat when I sliced it. The pasta, I could live with, but the red juice was a bit of a turn off. Good thing the server was kind enough to humor my request to have it cooked a little bit more. The beef was tender and juicy but the sauce had a slightly pungent flavor that didn't sit well with me.

Desserts, anyone?

Last but not the least is dessert. Part of Mama Caroni's €15 worth Menu Lyonnaise is a choice between the tiramisu or fraise (fresh strawberries) and I just had to try the popular Italian dessert. 

It. was. so. good. Served in a cute little jar, this version is different from the typical tiramisu. It had no lady fingers but it had hints of marscarpone cheese mixed in espresso, a little liquor, and topped with a very generous amount of whipped cream and then dusted with some chocolate powder (or it could've been coffee actually). It was perfect end to a good meal. 

Besides the bloody beef, I enjoyed myself enough with the big serving of the fabulous salad and the best dessert I've had so far. Mama Caroni's Menu Lyonnaise gets two thumbs up and a big burp from me.

Mama Caroni
Location: 9 rue Marronniers, 69002 Lyon

9 Rue des Marronniers , 69002 Lyon

Contact info: 04 72 41 88 78
Map:

9 Rue des Marronniers , 69002 Lyon

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