Summer's almost gone....and so is the holiday budget

As I scroll over the pictures from the holiday I cannot help but stop at those from the beach restaurant in Dubrovnik. Beautiful white terrace bathed in sun, the sea right in front of you and the big rocks above you. It would be a shame not to eat at a place like that. At least have a coffee or beer. No, no beer, too profane. Perhaps a glass of white wine or some refreshing cocktail.

Here we are at the table covered with white linen, exploring the menu, trying to hide the fear of the prices. The polite penguin-dressed waiter takes our orders, one chicken salad, one risotto and an apple tart. Promptly he sets the table and brings the bread and our drinks. It is not before long when he comes with the food.

Here it is, the delicious risotto.

Well cooked rice with all sorts of season vegetables. It is decorated with the grilled asparagus and aubergines and it looks quite colourful and inviting. A tiny bite and you can immediately taste the sour sweetness of the cherry tomato, the texture of the courgettes and the crunchiness of the peppers. The green ones give it a zesty taste of freshness, the orange and the red ones give the risotto some fruity aroma and a Mediterranean gist.

Let me present you the tasty chicken salad. It looks as if in magazine, very inviting. The balsamic vinegar gives flavour to the usually blunt aubergines and the whole grilled vegetable side dish with its garlic aroma gives new dimension to the chicken flavour.

Finally the humble apple tart. Sometimes it is not the quantity but the decoration and the moment of surprise that is worth the money.

It is tiny, yet very tasty, beautifully decorated with the smallest ice-cream scoop. It reminds me of a pixie, a very sweet pixie.

It's time to pay the bill.