Travels for Taste

Tales of travel and food with a touch of spice

Uni brings Nikkei Cuisine to Victoria

by 11 Comments

The largest Japanese settlement outside of Japan is in Peru and the unique fusion cuisine that is Japanese Peruvian is called Nikkei. Fiona invited me to accompany this time to discover Nikkei, she is an award-winning freelance writer and marketing consultant who currently writes about travel and London lifestyle for a number of publications and runs her own London lifestyle blog called London Unattached.

So it was a bright summer Monday afternoon that I trooped to Uni (the Japanese word for the sea urchin, a Japanese delicacy) restaurant and sushi bar designed by Andrew Martin, in Belgravia minutes away from the travel hub that is Victoria station.

2-IMG_7779 (Copy)

I was shown to a cosy table downstairs.

3-IMG_7780 (Copy)
5-IMG_7785 (Copy)

For starters, I got some steamed edamame with a spicy chilli and garlic sauce (£4.50) and some refreshing green tea served in a typical cast iron heavy pot which I would love to have as part of my growing food prop collection which now occupies every corner or of our tiny rental flat much to the chagrin of my hubby – I guess the last straw was trying to pass off a very heavy cast iron pot as a ‘place to keep his USB drives and hide away the many wires…. hehehee

4-IMG_7783 (Copy)
2-IMG_7794 (Copy)

I had happily managed to forget my phone at home and therefore Fiona tried in vain to inform me of her delayed train. Blissfully unaware of this I sipped my tea and munched my edamame all the time trying to ignore some stuffy banker-type folks on the table next to me talking shop – how boring…

So when Fiona arrived she managed to move us to a bigger table away from the ‘big boy talk’ as she aptly called it and onto a table where I could dump my bags and lay my camera lens and other paraphernalia – I do not travel light …

To make life easier we chose to have bento boxes for our mains and mine came with the udon noodle and fish cake soup while Fiona had a light Miso soup. I was feeling ravenous by the time the soup arrived and devoured it in a flash! (£24.5 per bento box – comes with soups, salad, sushi, & maki, main dish, side, rice and dessert)

7-IMG_7789 (Copy)

Nabe Udon  – Noodle and Fishcake Soup with Prawn Tempura.

1-IMG_7792 (Copy)

Beautifully light Miso Soup

My Bento box had Kaiso Wakame  – seaweed salad, prawn and carrot tempura, main of duck tataki – seared duck breast finely sliced and dressed with mirin and soy, fried rice and sashimi selection. The duck tataki was deliciously morish, I also loved the seaweed salad and the sticky fried rice with the sashimi was very filling.

3-IMG_7796 (Copy)

Fiona’s bento box came with steamed rice and artichoke sauce, and black cod and was very appetising.

5-IMG_7799 (Copy)

We washed down our Bento lunch boxes with some chilled sake.

6-IMG_7788 (Copy)

The very polite manager came and urged us to experiment with some of the Nikkei range from the menu and we were served two stunning dishes.

Tiraditos of Yellowtail with kizami wasabi,Yuzu and fresh mint presented in a creative and stunning display, it was delightfully fresh, sharp in taste with a delicate balance of colour and flavour. (£15.5)

1-IMG_7813 (Copy)

Wildly beautiful looking salmon tartare tacos with cucumber,tomato,masago and creamy miso were crunchy and melt in your mouth creamy all at one once exploding with a light flavour in every bite – delicious! (£6)

1-IMG_7809 (Copy)

Stuffed to the gills now I had to walk around click a few pictures and allow for some space to be created in my tummy to fit in some dessert 😉

To my amusement the very attentive young lady on the staff showed us how the colourful lamp shade were made from bottle of campari that could be detached and well glugged , given it was a hot summer afternoon I think it was a great idea that Fiona ordered us some Pisco Sour shots instead ;).Never having tasted these before I downed them in one go much to my own peril, the sake already in my system the shot gave me quite the buzz!

7-IMG_7811 (Copy)
4-IMG_7798 (Copy)

Thankfully, my cooling Matcha Gelato worked wonders and cooled me down several degrees -phew!

2-IMG_7816 (Copy)

Fiona managed to stay light with desserts too with a selection of fresh fruit.

3-IMG_7819 (Copy)

The creation of former Nobu chef Rolando Ongcoy, the menu at UNI offers a good selection of grilled meats ,fish, sushi,sashimi, selection of tempura and maki. The Peruvian influence is prevalent throughout UNI’s menu, ceviche and tiraditos peruano included.

The bar area upstairs also has plenty of seating on high stools and around the bar, perfect for knocking down Peruvian fav’s like the pisco sours or coconut-based Chilli Mojito.

4-IMG_7821 (Copy)

Victoria being a very office space kind of area is lucky to have Uni in its midst now, with bite-sized healthier meal options, seven-dish bento boxes for short lunch hours are on offer at a price of course. So the big banker boys and girls can have their financial pow-wow meets in the fancy cubicles or basement vaults if you please which can seat about 10 – 12 people, and if the huge ice buckets with bottles of chilled Moet and the power talk we overheard from the table next to us are anything to go by then Uni is already a haunt for these suited and well-heeled office folks!

5-IMG_7830 (Copy)
  • Website: Uni
  • Opening Times: is open for lunch and dinner, Monday to Saturday inclusive

*With thanks to Uni for the invitation. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Dinner at the Tower Guoman, London – a Review

by 8 Comments

On the day of the Mens Singles Final when Djokovic won  the match against Roger Federer ,I had an invite to go dine with a few fellow bloggers at The Brasserie at the Tower Guoman. I must admit the match was so engaging that I was glued to the tv and only in the game that I was just to nervous to watch so I dragged myself out and kept pestering a dear friend of mine in whatsapp till she gave me updates of almost every move on the court …. I was hoping that Djokovic would win and also hoping that the match would end before I hopped onto the tube and lost network… Lets just say that all invisible divine forces were with Djokovic ( and me )that day coupled with his awesome performance, just as I was about to get into the tube… there it was..,… message I was hoping to see on whatsapp…. ‘He won’… which led to a very comical impromptu gig on the staircase by me watched by bemused passers by…heck a good win deserves a dance ..at least ! Bonus points to all those who also watched this match to oogle at Boris Becker …teehee

After that I needed a refreshing drink and just as I was settling in the beautiful area  just outside the Guoman, an open air bar  and siping my cocktail gazing up the Tower Bridge was perfect. Chilled Prosecco, Cocktails and Mocktails flowed while we chatted up with the manager who also had dinner with us later .Meeting my friends after Food Blogger Connect was fun and camera lens choices, food photography ,the Wimbledon final results and the stunning view dominated our conversation. Before long the rain decided to play spoil sport and we were ushered inside to our huge table at The Brasserie.

I took the seat the far end of the end but the view from any where inside is just as brilliant , it’s the first time I was so close to the Tower Bridge and you can be guaranteed you will have the best seats in town at The Brasserie with superb views of Butlers wharf thrown in.

2-IMG_7746 (Copy)

The table was neatly laid out with our special menu for the evening there and fresh bread , warm and just out of the oven with 3 different dips arrived.

1-IMG_7744 (Copy)
7-IMG_7752 (Copy)

Our rustic bread selection with truffle oil and olive oil.

3-IMG_7748 (Copy)

To go with our Rustic Bread selection we had the smoked paprika dip – the bright orange one and my fav of the 3, one with chives in the middle and a plain one which I found a tad too salty.

I choose to have the Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Tart to start off my meal with – it sounded very appetising – Tomato olive salsa,balsamic reduction,pine nut,sekura cress – hummm yes please.

2-IMG_7757 (Copy)

The thin crisp  pastry base was not one bit soggy or eggy, the grilled Manchego cheese ( a cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the manchega breed) tasted great in combination with summery veggies like asparagus and grilled peppers and the salsa was very good ,I loved the taste of the olives and hints of fennel, the cress made the whole dish so fresh not just to look at but to taste too.

The Head chef Kamaldeep Singh (left) and his colleague decided to take us through the process of how the new menu was created , the origin of ingredients and basically make us hungry for more!

1-IMG_7756 (Copy)

Madeleine seated next to me choose the other option as her first course :Peppercorn Cured Beef Carpaccio – Manchego cheese , home cured tomatoes,charred artichokes,mizuna and micro cress. I was avoiding red meat that so was very happy to photograph her dish and ask how it tasted but equally satisfied with my light tart.

8-IMG_7754 (Copy)

The carpaccio was hammered thin and artichokes placed over – it looked great. Very happy with my first course, I expected the second course to deliver and impress me a bit more. Must say my Pan-Fried Fillet of Sea Bass served with diver scallop,caper crushed potatoes, mixed bean salsa, and the sauce did not fail to do so. It looked amazing and I had to photograph it from various angles – oh you know how obsessive we food bloggers are about getting the perfect photo!

5-IMG_7762 (Copy)

But  this was simply delicious and worthy of praise for more reasons than one – made using farmed sea bass responsibly sourced scallops, a lighter than most sauces that usually accompany a fish main the scallop sat one a delicious pea puree and cream base.

4-IMG_7760 (Copy)

The mixed bean salsa tasted great with the morish caper crushed potato, the cress balancing off the dish in a subtle way.Nayna my vegetarian food blogger friend chose to have the Spinach and Ricotta Raviolli made with heirloom tomato salsa and served with freshly made basil cream sauce.Our first wine of the evening accompanied the first course , Vidal sauvignon blanc from New Zealand , aromas of gooseberry, passionfruit and guava lead into a palate that exudes tropical and passion fruit flavours.

3-IMG_7759 (Copy)

After that very satisfying sea food dish ,we moved onto the next course , I stayed away from red meat again and the Garden pea,mint and pecorino cheese risotto was fabulous for me , I love my rice and many a times I really need some to complete my meal and make it me feel full, maybe a psychological thing but coming from the coastal side of western India ,fish curry and rice is our most staple everyday far.One of the staff members asked me where I was from and when I said Mumbai, pat came the next question which I was sort of expecting – was the sea bass as good as the Pomfret, well no! For me pomfret is the king of  all fishes on this planet – but its a matter of what taste one has grown up with and our method of cooking is also so very different. But yes Sea Bass , Salmon and Basa are my favorite buys,best eaten fresh on the day of purchase ,hate frozen fish,tastes muddy and weird in curries especially.

1-IMG_7771 (Copy)

The  pecorino cheese added a subtle tangy taste to this very morish and filling risotto, its easy to get this dish so wrong because often the seemingly easier to make dishes are the toughest to produce to perfection . I am a great fan of the risotto that my elder sister hubby makes , he is a trained chef but now a very busy and senior marketing head honcho so it’s very rarely that we meet and even more rarely that I get to eat the risotto he makes. Ah sweet nostalgic family moments, only truly good food can bring on such an attack for me.. 🙂

By now the light had really faded and my risotto photo and all that follow look terrible!

I must admit Madeleine was very kind and allowed me to have a taste of burnt celeriac which I loved with some of the calvados sauce I scooped it off her plate with from her Confit of Gloucestershire Pork Belly. She enjoyed  my cheesy risotto too.

3-IMG_7767 (Copy)

The 14 hour low heat cooked pork belly looked so very appetising, the burnt celeriac adding to the earthiness of this dish,the cinnamon compliments the pork  and the savoy cabbage and compressed apple give it a tart almost tangy twist on the side. This was washed down with several glasses of a full bodied Chilean Merlot – Errazuriz , almost opulent with notes of berry and cassis fruit.

6-IMG_7763 (Copy)

It’s at this point that I slipped into blissful food coma and saw this beautiful rainbow emerge right in front of my eyes… the photo does no justice to the what we actually saw…

4-IMG_7775 (Copy)

That is us at the table – L- R – Bintu who blogs at Recipes from a pantry, Nicki who blogs at Baking Beardy, seated opposite her is Fiona who writes an award-winning blog – London Unattached, Nayna – who blogs at  Simply Sensational Food, and the lovely Madeline who blogs at Kitchen Journeys and documents heart-healthy recipes at From the Healthy Heart.

1-IMG_7745 (Copy)

Was too full by now and the dessert platter served with a large shot of margarita in shot glass lined by sugar , managed to cut the sweet taste that was bound to settle on the palate after cheesecake ,a panna cotta that failed to impress because I was expecting the usual wobble and a refreshing pista flavoured ice cream  – my fav from the selection.

As we strolled out for an impromptu photo session and gazed happily at the beautiful Tower Bridge,I couldn’t help but wonder that though the exterior of  the Tower Guoman leaves one wanting the view of two world Heritage Sites – Tower Bridge and the Tower of London certainly makes up for it!A massive refurbishment project is on the cards too.A few more plus points include a convenient location within easy reach of the financial district, Canary Wharf, the Excel Centre, London City Airport, historic Greenwich, the West End and Westfield Shopping Centre. Also the newly launched menu at The Brasserie definitely warrants a visit. The menu is bold and one where the chefs have really gone the extra mile to hope that if they try ambitiously to achieve the Zero Mile Ingredient mark and grow their own herbs fresh on the terrace garden which is to come alive very soon!

The staff was very polite, genuinely attentive and ensured we had a great evening.

*With  thanks to The Tower Guoman for the invitation. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review . All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Yum Chaa – Fitzrovia – Review

by 7 Comments

Absolutely bored and craving a afternoon out ,a close friend and me decided to check out Yum chaa sometime early february. As soon as we walked my eyes fell on this beautiful and welcoming armchair – its the kind of chair that you can sink into and loose yourself in!

1-2014-02-04 11.37.21 (Copy)

Lucky for us it was in a quite little corner where we could pour our hearts out to each other!

The counter had a beautiful  display and she decided to have the Chilli Chilli Hot Chocolate. I was having a very difficult time trying to decide which tea to have from the amazing range available of Black and Red teas.

1-2014-02-04 11.41.06 (Copy)

2-2014-02-04 11.37.42 (Copy)

I finally settled for a red tea and a little something to bite into….in the quite pauses between our excited chatter I gazed into my tea cup…wishing I could tell what the future has to hold simply by gazing at how the bright red tea sediments lay there… if only …

5-2014-02-04 11.45.30 (Copy)6-2014-02-04 11.46.59 (Copy)

Loved their quirky note asking for ‘Valentines Day Funds’ now who can refuse a tip when coaxed like that? (espp when it will be used to buy an Adele album!)

3-2014-02-04 11.42.41 (Copy)

The quirky christmas tree kept the corner with the shelves a bit festive and the white washed walls seemed to have a sublimia soothing effect. The general atmosphere of the place is the sort where you can settle into a huge armchair , armed with a tea of your choice and spend hours sipping it alone or not. Its the kind of place you would take a good book to and settle in with a warm pot of tea, allow the tea to percolate and loose yourself in the pages of your fav storyteller.

6-2014-02-04 11.39.00 (Copy)

 

5-2014-02-04 11.38.53 (Copy)

We lost track of time and almost over two hours later when Yum Chaa got really  busy we decided to let someone else take over our cushy chairs…reluctantly almost, promising ourselves that we would be back soon , very soon…

The shabby chic,relaxed atmosphere , mis-matched furniture, white washed walls and their amazing range of teas on offer will stay with you long after you walk out of the place and of course their catchy crazy name Yum Chaa is something you won’t forget easily!

2-2014-02-04 11.41.26 (Copy)

4-2014-02-04 11.43.41 (Copy)

Disclaimer: I’ve written this review of my own accord and was this visit was paid for by me. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post.Like all my previous posts about events and reviews, ALL opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

 

21, The Print Room, Covent Garden, London – Review (Permanently closed)

by 8 Comments

On the corner of Covent Garden Piazza, housed in a beautiful Georgian heritage site is a 3 story delightful place -21 – a rustic Italian restaurant, The Print Room – a cocktail bar with 2 balconies overlooking the piazza and all the live entertainment it has to offer and the terrace located on the Piazza – a great way to enjoy the outdoors, drink in the hustle-bustle, gaze at St.Pauls – all this under the shelter of huge umbrellas and heating for chilly evenings.

1-IMG_7570 (Copy)
1-IMG_7607 (Copy)

When I first heard of 21 the Print Room at Covent Garden I imagined it to be this tiny little place with a rustic feel, when we walked into 21 I felt I was walking into a huge cave with tunnels well-lit and the aroma of melted cheese wafting around. The historic cellar vaults converted into a fab Italian restaurant have a cosy warm feel. They also proudly claim to serve the best pizza and pasta in Covent Garden – We were soon about to find out….

21 print room 1

Image Courtesy:21 Covent Garden

2-IMG_7572 (Copy)

Hubby and I walked into the place on a very, very warm summer evening and were seated at a table perfect for a romantic date but we food bloggers need light for clicking away, so once we were moved to a new table and happily settled into a comparatively well-lit corner of our choice, we couldn’t wait to order some drinks and cool down a few degrees. Just as I thought I would melt with the heat these beauties came to our rescue – a Mango Bellini (£7.50)for me and a  Verde Flower(£5) Sine Peccato, for the husband – it means a cocktail without sin.

The Mango Bellini – a Prosecco-based cocktail was crisp, fresh, fruity, summery while hubbys Verde Flower – a combo of cucumber, apple juice, and elderflower with a dash of bitter lemon was fresh and light with lots of ice – so refreshing!

3-IMG_7573 (Copy)

Accompanied by Wild Boar Tortelloni (£7.25) – Pancetta, green beans, sage cream, and Black pepper Calamari with saffron aioli (£7.25) as starters. The batter for the calamari was a bit bulky making them a bit chewy, the tortellini was very good, could easily have eaten some more!

4-IMG_7574 (Copy)
21 - Calamari starter

Image Courtesy:21 Covent Garden

I was told that the A la Carte menu is fresh, Italian-inspired, and prepared with the best quality local ingredients – well now, I love the sound of that! We ordered the Cornish Crab Linguine (£14.25) and the Figaro (£14.95) – a Milano Salami, Parma Ham & Pepperoni Pizza for the main course but honestly if you’re doing starters then this one pizza between two people is more than enough!

1-IMG_7584 (Copy)

The Figaro is absolutely mind-blowing delicious with the 3 meat sitting there with black olives and cherry tomatoes – begging to be eaten! The goat’s cheese was nothing like I’d ever tasted before – so soft and creamy and not one bit salty. Abandon your fork and knife for this one folks, eat with your hands…lick the gooey gorgeous roasted garlic olive oil mixed with the melted mozzarella, as it drips off the sides while you devour this magnificent feast. The linguine was ignored by us for the first few minutes while we silently ate our pizza. I felt like Julia Roberts in the movie Eat,Pray, Love telling her friend to drop the guilt and just eat their cheese-laden gorgeous looking pizza when they go to Naples,err mmm only I was sharing my Pizza with my hubster 😉

2-IMG_7585 (Copy)

The linguine was good though paling in comparison to this star pizza staring at us. The crab meat was mixed well into the pasta and it was have been fun to eat this pasta slowly after squeezing lime generously over it, sipping a fine glasses red which goes with the fresh seafood taste and the chilies in the pasta. I ordered a glass of Red- the Nero D’Avola 2011 (£5.65 a glass, £21 a bottle) with my linguine. Hubster had a glass of Prosecco Brut (£6.80) to go with the mains.

1-IMG_7580 (Copy)

Needless to say the mere mention of dessert and we would have exploded so we skipped dessert. Eager to walk and help digest the generous dinner now sitting firmly inside our tummies we took a tour of the print room upstairs which is a print shop turned cocktail bar, with a lovely balcony overlooking the piazza. We then walked out into the piazza past the Terrace, to be greeted by fresh, crisp evening London air.

The Terrace at 21

Image Courtesy:21 Covent Garden

So let’s see, 21 delivered on their promise of serving the best Pizza in Covent Garden, the wine selection and mocktails on offer are impressive and  I loved my Mango Bellini. Food and Wine taken care of.Ambiance – the feeling of sitting huddled in a cozy cubby hole dating back to Georgian Times is something else, the view from the Print room is amazing, so I’d say this is a perfect place for romantic dates in the cubby hole of 21 or out on the terrace – better for warm summer evenings, a great venue for hen and stag parties and a really cool place to hang out for drinks with your friends, they seem to have got it all covered huh?

print room lights

Image Courtesy:21 Covent Garden

The photo below is of the most posh cubby hole in 21 comes with a fish tank for company 😉

The best cubby hole in 21

Image Courtesy:21 Covent Garden

It was a beautiful clear night and the piazza was just so beautiful, a spattering of tourists seated in quiet corners near St.Pauls, the bars still overflowing with beer drinkers spilling out onto the piazza and of course the theatergoers walking to their cars or trying to get a cab.

The last time we were at Covent Garden with some friends they showed us this fab walking route to Waterloo station along the Waterloo bridge, it IS  a great walk along with the various many theatres, pubs and brightly lit restaurants of Covent Garden and onto the bridge with stunning views of the London Eye on one side and the beautiful St. pauls cathedral on the other. And down the subway and you are inside Waterloo station, cool or what?!

It was an exceptionally windy evening as well and all of a sudden I wish I had my jacket on me, we stopped to take a few photos and this one is my fav:

1-IMG_7653 (Copy)

Rushing to take cover in the warm subway, we made it to the station in under 15 minutes, this walking route is now my fav way to get to Covent Garden from Waterloo station and totally avoid the claustrophobic tubes and the slow buses crawling through the omnipresent traffic on the narrow roads of Central London…..( there … now that’s a sure shot sign that I have become am a Londoner now….when one begins to crib about the crowded tubes and moan about the traffic …and look of alternate walking routes… I think the novelty of being a newbie to this city is finally wearing off… in every way… but then the magic has settled in and just like I will always, always love Mumbai no matter what, similarly London has sunk into my being in a way that can never be reversed… safe to say…am deeply in love… with all that London has to offer – even the tubes … oh yes!)

*With thanks to 21 and The Print Room for the invite. All views expressed here are my own. I was not required to write a positive review. No monetary compensation was provided for this post.

[object Object]

Smoked Spanish Peppers and Zingy Mushrooms in a creamy sauce

by 12 Comments

My love for using smoked sweet red peppers is taking over my recipes for now , I made these zingy mushrooms for a friend who popped in for brunch about 2 months ago but I have been very lazy and this recipe is finally seeing daylight. I guess the electric atmosphere of the yellow jersey clad stadium full of Brazil fans and the super tight match going on with Camroon is giving me a much needed rush of happy hormones ,add to that the frenzy of the Wimbledon matches , the air in Wimbledon is heavy with anticipation, huge posters , fluorescent tennis ball props in all windows , the traditional colours of the Wimbledon ribbons and balloons galore, the bus service from the station to the venue with hyperexcited people , everything is screaming tennis here!

Lamuyo Peppers are great for roasting as they are bigger and sweeter than their cousins the hot variety. They are juicy and crunchy and go well with garlic,basil,oregano,taste fab with cheese , think stuffed peppers grilled , just perfect for summer !

The recipe was given to me by P aunty , shes a fab cook as I have mentioned in my past posts too and her recipes are innovative, delicious and easy to make, I love pestering her to keep sending me more recipes everytime we talk 😉 .So I decided to amp up this recipe with some madness my style and use up the handsome red pepper staring at me from my fridge 😉

Ingredients:

  • 1 large pack Chestnut Mushrooms sliced
  • 1 large red Lamuyo sweet pepper
  • 8 cloves Garlic- bash and chop fine
  • 1/2 red onionchopped very fine
  • 2 chillies- (more or less acc to your taste) – chop fine
  • 3 heaped tbs flavoured soft cheese, I love using the herby Philadelphia
  • 2 tbsp  Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt to taste
  • Parsley- a handful -chopped finely

Method:

  • Roast the pepper on gas flame till the skin chars and begins to peel off, I use tongs to hold it by the stem so it can char even at the top.
  • While the pepper cools just enough to allow you to peel and reveal the smoked juicy flesh, you can use the time to wash and slice the chestnut mushrooms
  • While taking off the charred skin off the smoked pepper remember to place a dish below as it will release lots of juice which we don’t want to loose as it is one powerhouse of smoky peppery sweet flavour!
  • Heat oil in a sauce pan and saute the garlic till it turns brown and the familiar aroma of fabulous garlic begins to waft and assault your nostrils.
  • Then add the very finely chopped red onion and cook on a low flame stirring regularly till the onion is thoroughly crispy and reduces in quantity, do not let it burn.
  • Then toss in the mushrooms and the chopped smoked pepper and cook for about 2 minutes on a low flame ,stirring and making sure it does not stick to the pan or overcook
  • Then add the soft cheese ,sea salt and finely chopped parsley,mix well and cook with lid for about 1 to 1 1/2 minute.
  • Serve with garlic bread smothered in butter – eat guilt free;)

What I love about this dish , its creamy , its a bit sweet a bit more zingy and has an underlying deep smoked flavour that is robust without being overpowering ,I’d say its a new comfort food for me , what with all the moorish soft cheese in there!1-IMG_6699 (Copy)

Family days out – Top 5 spots around London

by 8 Comments

Planning family days out made easy

The Great British Summer is here and the weather is brilliant, sunny and perfect for days out in the park , at the beach or out exploring with the family on a weekend. There are many brilliant places that you can go to on a budget even if you don’t drive and have a really fun day out in the sun with the family.

My top 5 places to visit in and around London in the summer

Last year my 5 favourite day out spots were places where we did one day trips using public transport and carried a few essentials, there is always scope to go in groups and stay overnight in one of the quaint English Bed and Breakfast places – O.D on the morning Full English for breakfast  and generally have a blast .

Recommendations for family days out in summer, in and around London

So here’s my list of my Top 5 picks for best places to spend a day out in the Great British Summer 2014, not too far from London,easy on the pocket,family friendly options and easily approachable by public transport!  Let me know what you think :

Pebbled Shores of Brighton

This is trip down memory lane for me now, seems like yesterday though. my very first spring in the U.K and on a fine morning we set out for Brighton. Sun, fish and chips and noisy seagulls yes, sandy beach – no! But there is nothing a comfy deck chair can’t solve.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Brighton Pier
Family days out – Top 5 spots around LondonFamily days out – Top 5 spots around London

We hopped onto a 45-minute coastal cruise. The most enchanting view on the cruise was of the skeletal structure or what’s left of the West Pier. Something very fascinating and mysterious about this relic.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Remnants of West Pier Brighton
West Pier Remnants – Brighton

Ideal for a family days out in summer

Walked past the Brighton Marina to admire the many beautiful yachts.Many bars and restaurants along the quayside we choose a rather cosy looking one and had a leisurely drink watching the yachts bobbing around on the water the bright late evening sunlight bouncing off yatch decks.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Stunning Views
Stunning Views – Brighton

We stumbled upon the extraordinary palace the Royal Pavilion built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV. This royal ‘pleasure palace’ is remarkable for its exotic chinoiserie style. It was revered by fashionable Regency society and is still a distinctive landmark for vibrant Brighton & Hove today.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Royal Pavilion, Brighton
Royal Pavilion – Brighton

Fishing, Sailing, or taking a journey on the oldest electric train from the smallest station I’ve seen yet – Marina Station, there are loads of fun activities to do with the family on a day out. Just after we hopped off our bus to the station and on an impulse we took another bus into beautiful the coastal village of Saltdean. Whatever you do, don’t go away from Brighton without seeing Saltdean if only you do it on a plus bus journey like we did, especially since there is a road called Marine Drive at Saltdean, reminded me of Bombay it did.

Day out for 2 at  Brighton will cost you approximately under £65 if you had to really budget yourself ***

  • Train Tickets: £20 if booked in advance via The Train Line
  • Plus Bus: £3.30 adult ie.£6.60
  • Boat Ride: £8.50 adult
  • Fish and Chips: Approx £5 each at The Regency Restaurant
  • Sundry (Ice Cream, Water, using public loo’s): £15

Soft sandy beach at West Wittering

To me a beach always meant soft white -brown sands and warm waters to splash around in , well that was until I visited a pebbled beach of course. So after Brighton , I was aching to go to a beach where I could just spread a blanket ,lie down and snooze off with the sound of waves in the distant background- ermm yes yes that sounds lazy , but heck thats me! Just walking along the soft sandy beach of West Wittering in West Sussex is very calming and watching kids screaming as they run into the bearably cold water, dogs digging busily into the sand and people generally soaking up the sun and hoping to tan evenly 😉

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - West Wittering Beach
West Wittering Beach

Sandy beachs makes for the perfect family days out

West Wittering Beach is one of these 4000 beaches and marinas in 48 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean that has cleared the strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services and is therefore a BLUE FLAG BEACH. So not only is this beach a highly picturesque place of natural beauty,wildlife and birds  to enjoy but very safe too.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - West Wittering Beach during summer
Family days out – Top 5 spots around London – West Wittering Beach

With beautiful views of the Chichester Harbour and the South Down its a great place for adventure sports like windsurfing or kitesurfing.

After a long stroll along the beach and having clicked a few pictures especially the beautiful and colourful cabins at the back where we spotted a huge family gathering having fun around a tempting BBQ and lots of chilled beer – perfect! Ice cream at the beach is customary and after we got ourselves some at the beach cafe – braving a long queue we decided to just sit down n enjoy the sights and sounds. To find a quieter spot we walked past the area full of families and hyper excited kids and went to the area where pets are allowed, relatively fewer people and a spot just perfect to lay down a picnic blanket ! Before we knew it we were dozing and I think I dreamt I was part of Tintin’s adventures in Sussex- oh , well don’t you remember he snowy and he headed there in ‘The Black Island‘ .I have been a huge fan of Tintin ever since I first read Herge’s adorable imaginary whodunits as a kid ! I have spent endless summer holidays snuggled up in bed in the afternoon reading Tintin with my cousins or seated in a corner of my local library – such pageturners I tell ya!

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - West Wittering Beach
Family days out – Top 5 spots around London – West Wittering Beach
  • How To get there: Train, Road, Bus, Cycle
  • Toilets Available: Yes
  • Food and Drink: Beach Cafe
  • Parking: Minimal charges ranging from £1 to £8 apply depending on what time of the year you visit.
Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - West Wittering Sandy Beach
Sandy Beach at West Wittering
Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Beautiful beach huts at the Sandy Beach, West Wittering
Beautiful beach huts at the Sandy Beach, West Wittering

Trekking Near Box Hill

Have climbed the Snowdon last year with my husband it might seem that trekking up Box Hill amounts to no effort, but don’t be fooled! It is a fairly good exercise getting up to the top of Box Hill and people enjoy this as its makes for a good climb with breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Salomons Memorial (viewpoint) offers views up to 26 miles away including  Chanctonbury Ring and Devil’s Dyke, Sussex, also towards the Gatwick airport and the South Downs.

Family days out - Box Hill Trek
Box Hill
Family days out - Stunning View from atop Box Hill, Surrey
Stunning View from atop Box Hill, Surrey

If you are a trigger happy camera aficionado then this place offers huge scope for taking some great shots. If your a history buff then check out the Box Hill fort built in 1896 ,similar to 12 forts in the south east of England.There’s also an upside down grave where Major Peter Labellière was buried upside down in the belief that the world was ‘topsy turvy’.

Exercise and fresh air on family days out

Another interesting tidbit about Box Hill is that it was home to the inventor of the television!John Logie Baird, the inventor of television, lived at Swiss Cottage on Box Hill from 1929 until 1932. He carried out his initial experiments by sending a TV signal from the top of the hill to the valley below,he also conducted experiments using his Noctovisor an infra-red viewing device.

Family days out - Trekking up Box Hill, Surrey
Trekking up Box Hil

You do do one of the many walks around Box Hill, there is even a trail suitable for toddlers where you can be sure to fire their imagination and get plenty of exercise and fresh air ,who knows they might just discover some interesting flowers,birds or creepy crawlies! There is also a Butterfly trail but the most amazing walk is the superb stepping stones walk which we did.Its something out of a picture pop up book and there is great scope for me time as you walk past the River Mole on a 2 mile circular walk which will take you under 2 hours. Lined by Apple and Cherry trees the stepping stones dating back to 1841 were destroyed in WWII and reinstated in 1946.

Family days out - Stepping stones at Box Hill, Surrey
Family days out – Stepping stones at Box Hill, Surrey

This is Broadwood’s Folly – built-in 1815 for the piano maker Thomas Broadwood.

Family days out - Broadwood's Folly at Box Hill, Surrey
Broadwood’s Folly, Box Hill, Surrey

Due to its historic importance and stunning natural beauty Box Hill is a site protected by the National Trust. Once is not enough, Box hill is the kind of place that draws you in and you want to go back for more. One lazy Sundays when I don’t feel like walking too much we do a mini picnic tea with a thermos, a blanket and our imagination for company – the views are strangely relaxing and I suspect its the clean mountain air and the exercise that is relaxing.

Family days out - Sunset at Box Hill, Surrey
Family days out – Sunset at Box Hill, Surrey

Walk and relax at Richmond Park

The biggest enclosed space in London ,Richmond Park is largest of London’s eight Royal Parks.It is a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation in south-west London. It is also where I saw first set eyes on freely roaming deer – something I shall never forget. We were dozing (again!) on our picnic blanket in a nice little woody nook in the park and I had dozed off over a book when hubster urgently jabbing his fingers into my rib – ouch in an attempt to draw my attention to a curious bystander – a huge Red stag! Its massive antler had us awestruck and a bit worried at once. It just gave us a stare and then settled down on a patch of grass munching on something -Phew! Wide awake now, we packed our things as quietly as possible and went for a stroll ….

Family days out - Richmond Park - Deer roaming freely
Family days out – Sunset at Box Hill, Surrey

Surrey’s best finds for family days out

With over 650 red and fallow deer roaming freely one must always bear in mind that though they are immensely beautiful they are wild and we must respect their space.

Family days out - Richmond Park
Family days out – Richmond Park
Family days out - Richmond Park
Family days out – Richmond Park

Caves at Reigate in the Historic town of Surrey

Thinking of a fab day out with the family under £15? This is the place to go. Ammunition storage during WWI and air-raid shelters during WWII these caves have seen it all. Local folklore has it that the barons held a secret meeting at the Barons’ cave on their way to Runnymede to sign the Magna Carta.

Add some adventure to your family days out

These are actually old sand mines which include the Baron’s Cave in the Castle Grounds and the Tunnel Road caves in the Western Caverns.The castle which is now long gone is only a  mound overlooking Reigate town centre and is composed of soft sandstone and has been mined over several centuries.Many excavations of the castle still remain.For as low as £ 2 per adult and £1.50 per child you can tour the caves with an experienced guide who will share details about the history of the caves. Disabled persons can be accompanied by upto 2 carers who go free of charge.

Visit the official website of The Wealden Cave & Mine Society, a charitable organisation here. Read more on the Reigate History website here.

Barons’ Cave. Castle Grounds, Reigate, Surrey

Family days out - Barons' Cave. Castle Grounds, Reigate, Surrey. Image credit : Howard Walden from The Wealden Cave & Mine Society website
Barons’ Cave. Castle Grounds, Reigate, Surrey

 Image credit :Howard Walden from The Wealden Cave & Mine Society website

Family days out - Reigate, Surrey, Image credit Nick Catford from The Wealden Cave & Mine Society website
Family days out – Reigate, Surrey

Image credit  Nick Catford from The Wealden Cave & Mine Society website

If you want a more relaxed day out why not consider a trip to Denbies Vineyard? Read my post about my day trip here.

Also, check out my detailed guide to discovering the area around London Bridge with my insiders guide complete with suggestions for the best Foodie Finds around London Bridge.

*** All prices mentioned apply to the period of June 2014, check links for updated information and prices. Always check transport links and information relating to each tourist area before planning a day out to avoid disappointment later.

Smoky and Spicy Lamb Burgers

by 27 Comments

Come Summer and I am one happy bunny,more so because I really miss the omnipresent sunshine from back home in Mumbai city! But the one thing I love the most about the British Summer is the amazing BBQ’s we have ! Last years most fun barbie was at our friends place , we OD’ed  on grilled seafood and Pimms – hoping to have a repeat of that this year !

Some friends have a BBQ planned for later this month but I couldn’t wait so got myself some lamb mince and decided to use some fresh mushrooms and add my own twist to the burgers with a bright red smoked sweet red pepper! My trusty old griddle pan at hand , I turned my tiny urban open plan kitchen into a tiny BBQ party venue!

1-IMG_7532 (Copy)

Perfect time to use up some of the wonderful La Chinata smoked paprika powder.

1-IMG_7525 (Copy)

Ingredients:

  • 500 gm Lamb Mince
  • 1 bunch of spring onion
  • 1 big sweet red pepper
  • 250 gm button mushrooms
  • 150 gm cherry tomatoes
  • 3  tsp sweet paprika powder La Chinata
  • 1 tsp red chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp garlic paste
  •  4 tsp coriander powder
  • a large sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chilli oil
  • Salt to taste

2-IMG_7526 (Copy)

Method:

  • Flame roast the sweet red pepper on a gas flame, if you’re doing a BBQ ,first rub some oil and garlic paste onto it.
  • After it has been roasted and cooled down a bit,peel off the skin and chop fine
  • Chop the mushrooms to tiny bite sized pieces
  • Finely chop the spring onions and cherry tomatoes
  • Wash the lamb mince under a running tap by placing it inside a sieve.
  •  Mix the chopped smoked sweet red pepper, mushrooms,spring onions ,cherry tomatoes,rosemary,chilli flakes,sweet smoked paprika powder from La Chinata and coriander powder,paprika and salt.

1-IMG_7534 (Copy)

  • Knead all the ingredients into the mixture.
  • Make mini burger patties by taking palm sized portions of this mixture and ty and pat them into roughly round shape.
  • On a griddle pan add some chilli oil and place a few burgers on it. Cook them for a few minutes on one side and them flip and repeat.
  • Serve the cooked lamb burgers inside wholegrain soft burger buns generously lined with butter , a thick slice of cheese, pickles,crunchy salad leaves and doused with ketchup. Or if you’d rather not then eat them plain – I did , served with some grilled button mushrooms and tender shoots of asparagus on which I slathered generous amounts of smoked paprika sweet chilli powder mixed with some oil and garlic paste – pure heaven!

1-IMG_7549 (Copy)

The sweet smoked paprika powder gives the lamb burgers a definite sweet hot flavour and the others spices combine well with the vegetables.Its also a great way to get fussy eaters to eat veggies hidden in layers of delicious meat and spices. I would have loved to add some boiled green peas too, they would add more bulk and taste too.

2-IMG_7543 (Copy)

*With thanks to La Chinata for sending samples  for review.No monetary compensation was provided for this post.All views expressed are my own.

 

Wine Pairing made easy by Waitrose Cellar

by 2 Comments

On a fine evening last week when the sun suddenly decided to shine upon us Londoner’s I happened to be invited to a blogger bash to celebrate the launch of Waitrose Cellar – the  new online wine service by Waitrose ,at the London Canal Museum.

With over 1200 interesting & exclusive wines,Champagnes & spirits to choose from at Waitrose Cellar online you can order any 6 wines with free delivery.The best part is the Waitrose Cellar experts hand pick mixed cases and  they are just a phone call away to address any queries you may have related to their wines  ,but if you’d rather do the food and wine pairing yourself ,there’s a wealth of knowledge on the Waitrose Cellar website where you can browse through 40 articles, watch over 150 tasting videos and read ratings on product pages,you can even learn how to expertly pop open a bottle of champagne!

Our wine experts for the evening – Stèphane and Xenia set the mood for the evening by popping some champagne.Stèphane started with a  level 3 award in wines and spirits from WSET and perfected his wine knowledge to become a wine waiter, then head sommelier before he became part of the Waitrose Cellar team. Xenia a Master of wine (2003) came to Waitrose last December ,with 24 years experience in the wine trade, she has worked as an independent wine consultant,a buyer for a large brewery,retailer and wine importer. After a spot of introductions over some champagne and starters I chatted with some very familiar friendly  faces. 14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event5 (Copy) It’s then that I noticed my name badge had a little picture of a glass of red and some others had picture of white wine on their badges ,the red wine gang set sail with Stèphane and the white wine badges went off with Xenia.We were taken onto a traditional canal boat to sail along the Regent’s Canal ,sample some of the brilliant Waitrose wines while Stèphane, took us through the story behind each wine and got us to think how best we could pair our wine with various mains. 14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event1 (Copy) (Copy)

If like me you’ve never sailed before on a traditional canal boat these beauties come equipped with a cute compact kitchen, ‘leisure’ accommodation and a nice little seating area for socialising which we promptly abandoned for a place on the deck, after all who can resist the soft evening sunlight and the light cooling breeze while sipping some fine wine and dreaming of  delicious food to pair it with! While sipping on Prosecco, Stèphane shared a naughty little trick to amp up your sweet bakes,he adds just a tiny pinch of pepper along with some salt ,takes the tooth-grinding sweet edge off the bake and gives just the right hint of flavour,am definitely going to give this fab idea a try soon!

14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event (Copy) (Copy)

We started with tasting the  white wines ,of the white wines we tried I loved the Cave de Lugny Sparkling Burgundy Blanc de Blancs NV the most ,perfect for summer parties and nibbles.This Chardonnay from Burgundy has a  fresh, crisp, apple and citrusy flavour makes it really easy sparkling wine to drink. Also quite liked the Vasse Felix Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon,which is a very dry,fresh western Australian Sauvignon which would go really well with fresh seafood,steamed greens by the side or a sinful portion of gnocchi with toasted pine nut and fresh green basil pesto. This white,I daresay is even better than the other Antipodean varieties like Chardonnay. Moving on to red’s, by which time we had passed through the Reagent’s Canal and am sure managed to gulp some stray drops of water falling off the musty old bridge as well, but am sure we were either honestly engrossed in conversation or blissfully unaware of anything expect how much fun we were having by then , which I shall safely blame on the progressive climb towards feeling pleasantly buzzed – no , not shamelessly tipsy.Am  eagerly waiting to once again savour the Waitrose Chianti Classico Barone Ricasoli. This full-bodied Tuscan red is a delight on the palate with its woody notes and velvety texture,perfect for grilled meats and roasted peppers- think juicy kebabs with minty chutney. Made in partnership with Ricasoli family who were the first producers of Chianti , no wonder then this wine has won the Decanter Bronze Medal for classic Chianti. Before we knew it, we had worked our way through 16 different ,fabulously delicious Waitrose wines and by the time we got back to the Canal Museum we had worked up quite an appetite and speedily devoured the fab spread laid out for us.

14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event3 (Copy) (Copy)

Stèphane and Xenia continued to reveal one secret after another of how best to choose a wine just right for you and how to go about pairing  food & wine.Then it was time for some speed wining – yes you heard that right Speed Wining!  I’ve never been speed dating but enough hours of watching crime and romantic dramas on the telly have left me no stranger to what its all about ,only this was way more fun because we got to talk about our favourite food and wine and didn’t need to impress our very friendly bunch of fellow foodies. I think I managed to ask some rather interesting and fun questions along with some rather boring ones but the user-friendly Waitrose Cellar website made it really easy for us to look for wines that would best suit the personality and tastes in food of our speed wining partners.

14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event4 (Copy) (Copy)

Don’t we all look like we really had a great time ‘speed wining’? 🙂 And now a look at my favourites from the evening, the sparkling burgundy and classic Chianti both perfect matches for the sea food lover in me who also has a weakness for juicy kebabs,lamb curry and a major sweet tooth.

14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event6 (Copy)

Am happy to say that as a result of our speed wining session my fellow red team mates Becky,Snigdha,Anne,Laura and May managed to almost accurately guess which type of  wines I’d  enjoy the most.So when the 6 wine case for each of us, sent by Waitrose Cellar online, reached me I couldn’t wait to get cooking and wine pairing!

First up of course I shall be popping some Champagne – Waitrose Blanc de Blancs Brut NV(picked for me by Laura for my love of sweet and a bit of fizz) – to celebrate becoming aunty to a bonny boy and my niece clearing her GCSE equivalent in India with flying colours!Definitely calling for some bubbly,loads of canapes and well some more bubbly 😉

For my Sunday lunch with my family I will be pairing lamb curry with Catena Malbec chosen for me by Anne .I know my dessert wine for this month  will be the Limited Reserve Peachy wine from my wine case selected for me by May to appease my sweet tooth after a spicy meal.  Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett  will keep me company for familiar flavours of fresh seafood curries and fusion meals with scallops and soft shell crabs ,thanks to Snigdha’s choice.Waitrose Chablis picked for me by Becky who quizzed me and learnt of my love for ciders.This Chablis is so apt for a lazy summer afternoons with sea food starters.Last but certainly not the least the Sparkling Burgundy with a beautiful label that adorns the bottle ,which also is in my case,will be shared over lots of cake for a double birthday celebration with my family who are visiting us end of this month – exciting times ahead!

Feeling a bit of envious are we now? Don’t !For even you can win £1000 worth of wine specially chosen JUST for you by Waitrose Cellar Experts .Plus 5 runners-up will win a ready-made collection of  Waitrose Wine Teams 30 favourite wines. Now I would certainly clink my glass to that! You can also tweet away – @waitrosewine and chat up the wine experts.

 

14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event2 (Copy) All the fabulous photos in this post are by Emma  @emmakerf.

*With thanks to Waitrose Cellar for the invite.No monetary compensation was provided for this post.All views expressed are my own.

Review – Notting Hill Kitchen, London (Permanently closed)

by 2 Comments

What: Dinner with fellow Reviewers courtesy Zomato

Where: Notting Hill Kitchen

Weather: Brilliant and Sunny

As I walked past posh residential building painted a pristine white I was sure I had lost my way inspite of Google Maps egging me to continue walking along Kensington Park. This is just minutes away from the hustle bustle and lively Notting Hill Market famous for its antiques.

It was an exceptionally warm summer evening and I was welcomed with a chilled glass of white -Quintaluna 2012, though couldn’t manage more than a glass as it was a bit tart for my taste.

First up was the Mac Silva a mini cod burger which was really delicious and I could have popped all of them into my plate had it not been for my equally hungry companions. Sea Bass Ceviche made with Peruvian aji Amarillo mild chilli, fennel corn,tomato ,coriander and lime was moorish,loved the fresh cherry tomatoes in there just wish it had a more generous squeeze of lime!

1-IMG_7192 (Copy)

Undoubtedly the star of the evening the Spider Crab Mousse was fabulously delicious , served in a mini doughnut the secret flavoursome ingredient was dehydrated mussels,the sea food lover in me was completely satiated , I have found a new obsession Spider Crabs!These reminded me the deep fried soft shell crab starters I tasted at Tenshi, a Japanese place at Angel, deep fried in a delicious light batter these are to be eaten whole! They look a bit spidery though so don’t think of that just gobble them up whole)

zomato notting hill kitchen best of & resized1 (Copy)

Did you know that Spider Crabs found in Japanese waters also called tall footed crabs have the largest leg span of any arthropod?!Upto 3.8 meters long – thats a massive 12 feet!

Moving on from our science class back into  to Notting Hill Kitchen enter Tiborna Alentejana – a combo of Pata Negra,Bone Marrow,Cured Papada,toasted sourdough,truffled yolk – described by Martin as the bridge of meat – so apt huh? The cured papada was crunchy and the bone marrow delicious but the Pata Negra literally meaning black hoof popularly known as  Jamón ibérico or carna negra – is Iberian ham, it  was not something I fancied much, maybe blame by taste buds so used to Parma Ham. Pata Negra is a type of cured ham  produced mostly in Spain, but also in some Portuguese regions where it is called presunto ibérico and is made from iberico or black pigs or cross bred pigs.Washed down with a glass or two of Spanish Blend – Malacapa Rioja 2012 which was definitely many notches up compared to our white.

1-IMG_7230 (Copy)

Topping my list for comfort food on the menu was Jamon Croquetas made with caramelised onion…. mummmm, lemon beetroot and parsley viennoise, such a fab way to mask beetroot and so very delicious!

The starters were fabulous and I could have kept on going if it wasn’t for a delicious portion of Chef Yossi’s Acorn fed pork neck with red cabbage,lentils and lupin cous cous. Funnily though the lentils were very simple to the Indian dal vada though the centre of this big circular fried lentil I could taste the wet lentils .The cabbage was salty but very delicious and must say held its own even with pork as the main actor in this presentation.This went down really well with our Portuguese Red –  Quinta de sao jose touriga nacional 2011  , a complex fruity and fruity with spicy undertones with a rich purple red colour ,this red was also my favourite wine of the evening.

zomato notting hill kitchen best of & resized (Copy)

Served with sides of an Asparagus and Saffron Risotto and a rather out of place portion of fries with mayo and paprika, the patatas bravas left me wanting .

Much foodie banter and impromptu exchanging of places to chat up with all the foodies at the table and the time seemed to have evaporated much more swiftly than I expected. It was great catching up with Leyla,Le Binh,Reema and Shak. Interesting conversation about our mutual much hated sport cricket -yes – boooo , with Frankie and some serious conversation about food blogging with Mehreen, several plans to catch up with these like minded folks were hatched. A rather enthusiastic bar tender got us all a round of exotic cocktails and entertained us with his banter while naughtily gulping down some delicious coffee cocktail with banana ummm.My espresso cocktail gets 4 on 5 ,its what I’d like to call a proper alcoholic end to a meal – bitter coffee notes ,chilled to perfection for the hot summer evening.

2-IMG_7223 (Copy)

Our sweet plate with vanilla ice cream, frozen sour bits of ice was served a Ginginha shot – a strong liqueur made with sour and Morello cherries.

1-IMG_7244 (Copy)

Le Binh rang in her birthday with this cute little birthday cake – its cute isn’t it!

1-IMG_7238

I have never been to a Portuguese Tapas bar so the fab dishes that were served up to on that fabulous summer evening will always be special and the menu has loads more to offer. Am especially tempted to return and try the Octopus Rice – a traditional Portuguese red rice in a red wine gravy with chorizo and the Berlengas Pink Swordfish – Hot Smoked in Azores black tea & pan fried creamed carolina rice ,fresh coriander piso,miso crumble  – sounds terrific doesn’t it ?!

What can you expect: Delicious Tapas Portuguese style but the bill runs steep so an average of £70 for 2 on a night out.

*With thanks to Zomato Uk and the staff at Notting Hill Kitchen  for  fun foodie evening.No monetary compensation was provided for this post.All views expressed are my own.

Gujarati Kadhi

by 6 Comments

Having grown up in Mumbai and always having had very friendly  Gujarati neighbours , I have a long love affair with Gujarati cuisine and especially love the Gujarati Kadhi which was quite the star attraction in traditional Gujarati wedding feasts, always a sweet and welcome addition to a plate full of steaming hot khichdi, the large red chillies added into for more the effect than the punch.

If you don’t have access to buttermilk then simply use curd/ yoghurt.

Serves:4 Preparation Time:10 minutes Cooking Time:15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups buttermilk or 1 and 1/2 cup thick-set curd /yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp besan or chickpea flour
  • 1tsp freshly grated ginger and green chilli paste
  • Hing/ Asafoetioda – at iny pinch
  • Puree ghee/clarified butter – 1 tbsp
  •  Few fresh green curry leaves
  • 1/2 tsp Jeera/ cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp rai/mustard seeds
  • 2 large dry red chillies broken and de-seeded
  • Suhar 1 and 1/2 tbsp or Jaggery 1 heaped tbsp
  • a handful of fresh green coriander/cilantro chopped fine
  • Salt as per taste
  • Water

Method:

  • If using butter milk 3 cups this step is not required. Otherwise combine the  yoghurt ,chickpea flour and 2 and 1/2 cup water till it becomes a smooth mixture. Use a fork or a whisk and if lumps are still visible just use your fingers to break the lumps.
  • Grate a small piece of fresh ginger and crush a green chilli into it.
  • On a medium flame heat the clarified butter in a large saucepan and add the asafoetida, mustard seeds , red chillies,cumin,ginger and green chilli and curry leaves.
  • When the mustard seeds begin to pop and cumin begins to change colour, reduce the flame to a minimum , tilt the saucepan with one hand and pour the yoghurt and chickpea mixture into this tempering/tadka mixture.
  • Add the sugar or jaggery now.
  • Cook with lid on a low flame for about 6-8  minutes , do not boil as the yoghurt will curdle.
  • Add salt and garnish with finely chopped coriander. Serve hot with khichdi or soft rotis.
1-IMG_7104 (Copy)

Gujarati kadhi differs from Punjabi kadhi in that it is sweeter and does not include fried pakoras, I have a fusion recipe for Punjabi Kadi which I tried long ago, if you want something a little different why not try my Punjabi Kadhi with a twist.

1-IMG_7112 (Copy)

LEARN HOW TO MAKE INDIAN FOOD FROM SCRATCH WITH MY EASY TO FOLLOW RECIPES

Recent Posts