I have had a fondness for Chinese food ever since wee Ronald took me for a slap up meal on my first ever date.  We were both convinced the waiter was a spy when he came out with exactly what we wanted without asking for our order first. After peering into the flower arrangement and candle on the table to check if we were being bugged, it dawned on us that we’d just been served from the afternoon set menu. Cue much throat-clearing and face fanning, ‘Whew, is it hot in here?’

A few years after that memorable meal I moved to Hong Kong and stayed there for 15 years. I loved going into the cavernous dim sum restaurants where scary old women pushed carts of dumplings around bellowing at the customers and chucking baskets of steamed goodies on the table. The customers bellowed at each other too and if you didn’t know better, you would’ve thought that full scale bloodshed was imminent at any moment.

At the other end of the scale there were beautiful colonial style restaurants, all teak wood and softly whirling fans. The waiters and waitresses were without fail, graceful, beautiful and softly spoken. They had a way of melting into the discrete wood panelling only to materialise at your elbow before you even knew you were ready to order. Food in this type of establishment was always beautifully presented whether it was simple dumplings or an elaborately presented festive suckling pig.

I’ve yet to find any restaurant outside of Asia that has successfully recreated the happy bedlam of an authentic dim sum restaurant but I have found a wonderful Chinese restaurant that fits into the ‘colonial’ style very nicely. I’ve been in Tenerife for nearly ten years now (where does the time go?) and I have had my share of mediocre styrofoam noodles and cheap and cheerful Chinese buffets here – not that as a mum of two kids there isn’t a place for cheap and cheerful buffets – but oh, what a relief when a friend took me out to the wonderful Overseas Oriental Kitchen.

It was like being transported back in time to my days in Hong Kong before the handover. Walking inside you might at first do a double take. What? No red flock, no gold dragons? The Overseas Oriental bears no resemblance whatsoever to your typical Tenerife touristy Chinese restaurant. But then your typical touristy Chinese restaurant bears little resemblance to any restaurant I actually ate in in Hong Kong.

On the other hand the cool elegance of the Oriental Overseas Kitchen reminded me very much of many a long leisurely meal enjoyed with friends in Hong Kong and pre-1997 China. The Chinese menu is enhanced with several Malaysian dishes inspired by owner Tommy’s Malaysian upbringing and all are cooked fresh in full view through the large glass window to the kitchen.

I don’t know about you, but I mentally gloss over advertisements that say anything is ,’…the best’. How does the writer know? If he was to say that any restaurant was the best in Los Cristianos how does he know? Has he eaten in every single one of them? Has he done an extensive poll? The best what anyway? Best food, best location, best toilets?

So all I can tell you is that as far as Chinese restaurants go, Overseas Oriental is the best I have visited in Tenerife – and quite possibly the best I have been in since leaving Hong Kong. I highly recommend it. If you want to pay a visit you can find a map and a €5 token on the Oversea Oriental Kitchen webpage on eTenerife.

Please feel free to comment back and thank me for the recommendation. I know you’ll have a lovely night.

With my daughter staying overnight with a friend and the little guy tucked away at Gaga’s for the night, my lesser half and I were free from the little people on a Saturday night. Yipeee!

I can still remember when the vague whiff of freedom would have me galloping off to the nearest dancefloor but instead we opted for a sedate walk round Costa Del Silencio. The first place we meant to visit was shut and the second may as well have been as we were the only customers.

Just across the road at Coral Mar, El Botijo was doing very nicely. There was a good little buzz in the dining area and enough custom to keep Amanda busy in the kitchen. Manolo, from Gran Canaria sang and played guitar for the diners while Natalie and Paula kept them happily fed and watered (or wined).

Sitting in the bar area instead of the dining section we enjoyed listening to Natalie’s banter and watching Amanda cook up a storm. Guitar-playing Manolo sang his heart out for the diners and then came to the bar and sang some more. Unfortunately though I took lots of video of him and the girls, as well as of regulars Dennis, Ben-ben and Blackie, I accidentally formatted my camera card so can’t show you any of it. What a plonker!

So, my apologies to Manolo but you’ll just have to take my word for it. If you are visiting Costa Del Silencio and are looking for good food, served with a smile, and at a cost that won’t break the bank head for El Botijo in Coral Mar.

Unless you’ve had them before the ‘boiled potatoes’ you are served in Tenerife or any of the other Canary Islands may come as a bit of a surprise. Indeed the plate of small wrinkly potatoes covered in salt that your camarero puts before you look so unappealing that locals call them ‘uglies’.

But just pop one in your mouth and you may be as pleasantly surprised with ‘Papas Arrugadas’ as was Frank Bruni, food writer for The New York Times. He was reviewing the Bazaar, by José André in Los Angeles which he called, ‘…an important and exciting restaurant.’

One of my favorite dishes was boiled potatoes. Yes, boiled potatoes. The size of golf balls, they’re given a more exalted moniker, papas Canarias. They’re cooked in water so salty it could have come from the sea — that’s apparently how it’s done in the Canary Islands. And they emerge from it in a state as close to succulence as a spud could ever hope to get. You drag them one at a time through a glittering green pesto of cilantro and parsley (with a touch of cumin), then pop them whole into your mouth. They wear that pesto beautifully.

Thanks for the tasty shot go to JLastras who includes that picture and others in his review of the Restaurant La Vieja in Adeje.

The Paris Marrakech restaurant is tucked away on the ground floor of the C:C: Paris shopping centre in Playa Del Duque. It is a bit of an odd location but as soon as you are settled the wrought iron grille round the restaurant and colourful Moroccan decor wrap you in an exotic bubble and you can just relax and enjoy the great Lebanese and Moroccan food and entertainment.

The belly dancer, Ursula, was lovely – in all senses of the word. Not only did she charm all the men in the room with her seductive moves but she had me and Gaga charmed by her kindness to my daughter.

Both kids were made to feel very welcome and even though I had to practically sit on Sami to stop him demonstrating his break-dancing technique while his big sister was getting all the attention, he was thrilled with his night out especially his humongous serving of ice-cream.

Dinner and drinks for three adults and two kids came to less than €100 which was very reasonable.

In their own words Clas & Susanne, County & Western & Line Dancing stars of the Oasis Mango in Los Cristianos promise, “We have spent 3 long days to deliver the new baby and you who pre-order, will have it on mail ASAP.”

Startling as that may sound, they are referring to Susanne’s latest album. The three day production does indeed sound like a labour of love and can be ordered online or on location at the Oasis Mango.

On their blog, Tenecountry, C & S also promote a BBQ Wednesday:

BARBEQUE SPECIAL WEDNESDAYS

The barbecue is served 7-9 pm.
It’s beef, chicken, pork and sausages…Canary potatoes with mojo sauces, barbecue sauce and 5 different salads and bread and grilled corns etc. The price is 12 euros/ person and for that price you can eat as much as you like.
Reservation: 922 753818

After all the excitement of my blood test at Mahon I was absolutely ravanous but it was only 8.30 and at that time in the morning where to go? The little burger van (bocadillo van?) at Mahon is alright I suppose but a cafe con leche and a doughnut just wouldn’t hit the spot this morning.

Instead we made for Alejandra’s Cafe at the side of Costa Sol in Costa Del Silencio and I got a cracking Scottish breakfast – two rashers of bacon, toast, beans, mushrooms, a fried egg, a tattie scone and a slice of black pudding for €4. Compared to the average of €3.06 for a cup of coffee or tea with milk, two slices of toast and an orange juice not too bad at all.

Alejandro’s is about the only place at the top end of Costa Del Silencio that is open at that time of the morning so it is ideal for early birds.