A hidden gem for everyday use - the 20 cm Louise bowl from Luminarc
I was planning my holiday menu, and I realized I needed a small bowl to make a salad that wouldn't last for a week to finish off. As a practical person, I try to buy things for everyday use, not just as a decorative item, so I decided to look for a bowl that I could use both for special occasions and in my daily life.
I looked for bowls at two shopping centers, but I couldn't find anything that fit my needs. A couple of days before New Year's Eve, I went to the Fix Price store and decided to search for a bowl there.
I have two Fix Price stores near my home, but the selection is a bit different. I went to the nearest one, chose a bowl, but the cash register broke down, and they couldn't connect to the bank. The sales staff were old-school and wrote down my purchases in a notebook. I went to the other store, but they didn't have the bowl I wanted.
The next day, I went back to the store, and they had fixed the cash register, but they only had two bowls left out of the six they had the day before. I bought one. When I got home and checked my purchase history in the store's app, I realized that I hadn't bought a bowl at all, but a 20 cm soup bowl 'Louise' by Luminarc.
I wouldn't have thought that this bowl was for soup, it's too big for that, but perfect for a salad. The bowl cost 149 rubles, which is a good price, as it's sold in other stores for 179 rubles.
The information label was stuck to the bottom of the bowl, and it was a bit stubborn to remove.
I was glad to learn that the bowl is made in Russia, in the town of Gus-Khrustalny, as I thought that Luminarc, although a French brand, produces its products in China. This was a pleasant surprise.
After removing the label, there were sticky residue left on the glass, which I cleaned with a cotton swab soaked in nail polish remover. I wiped the bowl a few times, and the residue disappeared easily.
The bowl is made of transparent glass with a greenish tint. The diameter of the bowl is 20 cm, and the height is almost 6 cm. It's a bit too big for a soup bowl, but perfect for snacks or salads.
The glass is tempered, and it's made of natrium-calcium-silicate glass.
This plate is dishwasher safe and can be reheated in the microwave.
The base of the plate is small but sturdy, it doesn't wobble or tip over. It would be tough to spill or drop its contents.
The inside of the plate is smooth, but the outside has a pattern of dots and lines that gives it a light, lace-like look. This pattern makes the plate easy to grip and it won't slip out of your hands.
I thought the name of this plate included the word 'shartrez' because of the design style it reminded me of. But it turns out 'shartrez' is actually the name of a color tone, named after the liqueur Chartreuse, which has a unique greenish hue.
The plate is of medium thickness, the glass is dense but not thick. The edges of the plate are rounded, there are no rough spots or chips. The plate is lightweight, even when it's full of salad, it's easy to hold.
I wash the plate easily with a sponge and soap, I don't have a dishwasher, so I wash it by hand.
I was planning to use this plate as a salad bowl, but it also works well for chips. A 95g pack of chips fits perfectly in the plate. Pringles chips from a tube also fit nicely in this plate.
I was planning to use this plate mostly as a salad bowl for vegetable and layered salads, I like how the ingredients look through the glass.
The herring under a fur coat fit perfectly, the ingredients were all the way to the edge, nothing spilled or leaked out. I covered the salad with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.
After a day, we managed to eat the salad and nothing went wrong.
This plate looks great as a salad bowl, it's not too flashy, but I like the understated simplicity of glassware. It doesn't draw attention to itself, but rather complements the dish.
Thanks to the smooth walls, the salad remnants slide down, they don't stick to the walls, but it also depends on the salad's consistency.
One of the things I love about washing dishes by hand is that it gives me a chance to really inspect my plates and bowls. The Luminarc Luis soup bowl is no exception. Even after a messy salad dinner, I found that the bowl came clean with a simple wash. The sauce and veggies didn't leave any stubborn stains, and the bowl itself looked like new again.
While I don't use this bowl for salads every day, its surface remains smooth and unblemished. However, I do worry that over time, the bowl might develop scratches and scuffs from utensils. But so far, so good - I've had to really scrub to get the bowl dirty. I try to be gentle with my dishes, anyway!
The Luminarc Luis Soup Bowl, 20 cm has won me over, even though I initially bought it for making salads for a New Year's party. But it's actually a great all-around bowl for everyday use. You can whip up an omelette, mix together yogurt and fruit, or even use it for snacks like chips.
I love the soft, greenish hue of the bowl - it's called 'chartreuse,' and it adds a touch of elegance to the table. The design on the outside of the bowl gives it a festive feel.
This bowl is a breeze to clean, and it's low maintenance overall. Just be gentle, and avoid using metal utensils that might scratch the surface. You can even toss it in the dishwasher or microwave it - it's that durable!
So if you're in a hurry, you can quickly cook up something in the microwave.
This bowl is a great example of understated style. It's small, unobtrusive, and takes up minimal space in your cabinet. If you're looking for a place to put fruit or berries on the table, this is a great option. In the summer, you can even use it to display fresh berries or other fruits.
All in all, it's a charming, versatile bowl that's perfect for everyday use.
Thanks for reading my review!