tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45987820152941231562024-03-08T21:42:12.345+00:00Pic My FoodFood blog. Reviews and pictures of food for those who love eating. Based mostly in London. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-39409357966115130742015-01-25T21:10:00.000+00:002015-01-25T21:10:29.058+00:00Great cookery classes at L'atelier des Chefs<br />
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Love cooking and eating? Then you'll love the cooking classes at <a href="http://www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk/en/cooking-classes">L'atelier des Chefs</a>. There are a variety of <a href="http://www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk/en/cooking-classes-by-theme">classes</a>, and they cater for individuals, groups, corporate events. So whether you're there to hone your own skills, or there to do 'team building', there's a class for you.<br />
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I recently went to two classes - pasta making <a href="http://www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk/en/cooking-classes/themes/1324-fresh-pasta.php">('fresh pasta')</a> and steak cookery <a href="http://www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk/en/cooking-classes/themes/1337-cook-the-perfect-steak.php">('cook the perfect steak')</a> - and both were great fun! Good times were had and the food tasted great.<br />
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The Chef was a great teacher. It's not easy to look after a class of (around 10) strangers, but he struck the balance well - friendly, helpful, patient and informative.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chef giving us a demo of the pasta machine.</td></tr>
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The pasta class involved making the pasta dough from scratch, rolling it out, turning it into tortellini and ravioli, making the filling and the sauce. The class took about two hours but the time went by real quick. We then finished the night by eating our own food - tasty! This was the result...<br />
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My second class involved cooking the perfect steak...and making a cheesecake. As with the pasta class, everything was cooked from scratch, including the potatoes, garlic butter, caramel and piping the cheese. While it was not the most technically demanding course, it was still great fun and the results were excellent - both dishes tasted excellent. Best steak in London that night? Maybe!<br />
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Hopefully it won't be long before I get to go to another class. They have a <a href="http://www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk/en/cooking-classes/themes/90-knife-skills.php">'knife skills'</a> class and I've recently acquired a rather sharp Japanese knife from <a href="http://www.kataba.co.uk/">Kataba</a>, and I'd like to be able to get the most out of it. Watch this space...</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com010 Foster Lane, London EC2V 6HH, UK51.5151374 -0.09624680000001717425.9931029 -41.404840800000017 77.0371719 41.212347199999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-53670669606922900472015-01-06T12:54:00.000+00:002015-01-06T12:54:58.210+00:00Eat Tokyo - Holborn, London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.eattokyo.co.uk/">Eat Tokyo</a> was recommended to me as a place for decent yet affordable Japanese food and sushi. I've since been to Eat Tokyo a couple of times and I have to say that that description is accurate in my opinion. Both times have been busy, so other diners must agree!</div>
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My group and I ordered a mixture of sushi, sashimi and cooked Japanese food to get a good taste of what's on offer. </div>
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The mixed sashimi platter was fresh and nicely presented, though the actual raw fish head may put off some diners (not me!).</div>
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I ordered a bento box with tempura prawns and vegetables as my main dish. The tempura was crispy, salad fresh, and the rice filling. This was accompanied with sushi with fried prawn in the middle - so tasty!<br />
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It's no surprise that Eat Tokyo has won sushi awards before (most recently at the <a href="http://recipes.eat-japan.com/sushi-awards/soy/2013-restaurants">Eat Japan Sushi Awards 2013</a>). I'll definitely be visiting again at some point in 2015!<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1882257/restaurant/Holborn/Eat-Tokyo-London"><img alt="Eat Tokyo on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1882257/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com050 Red Lion Street, Camden Town, London WC1R, UK51.5198513 -0.1174344999999448231.0663588 -41.426028499999944 71.9733438 41.191159500000055tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-81594488390993916832014-09-23T22:38:00.003+01:002014-09-24T21:39:02.921+01:00The Gate Islington - vegetarian restaurant in London<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside The Gate. Source: <a href="http://thegaterestaurants.com/islington.php">The Gate</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://thegaterestaurants.com/islington.php">The Gate Islington</a> is a restaurant in Angel, London, which serves exclusively vegetarian food. </div>
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While I'm not a vegetarian, I was quite interested in trying out what The Gate had to offer. After all, I had never been to a vegetarian restaurant before, so it was new territory for me.</div>
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I had a <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/106361739219205932543" target="_blank">+Groupon</a> <a href="http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/london/the-gate-hammersmith/42959011">deal</a> at The Gate: £17.50 for a two-course meal and a drink. I had the choice of the <a href="http://thegaterestaurants.com/menu.php">full menu</a> - no messing around with limited set menus. </div>
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I started with the<b> beetroot 'ravioli'</b>. Rather than filled pasta, this was beetroot filled with goat cheese. It was definitely different and I thought it tasted pretty good; the salty cheese contrasting well with the sweet beetroot and apple.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b>Beetroot ravioli - starter: </b>Roasted and shaved beetroot filled with goat cheese, caramelised apple and walnuts, served with heritage beetroots, watercress and basil & celery granita.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b>Courgette flower - starter: </b>Filled with sweet potato, pine nuts, basil coated in crisp batter, served with puy lentil salsa.</td></tr>
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I chose the <b>chipotle corn cake</b> for my main. Aubergine is always a winner for me, so I was attracted to this dish. There's a lot going on here, with lots of different ingredients fusing together both in terms of flavour and presentation. The end result was good and there was certainly an empty dish at the end. The corn cake added a bit of stodge too, which made the meal a bit more filling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b>Chipotle corn cake - main: </b>Corn & polenta cake , pan-fried & seasoned with chipotle chilli and coriander , served with aubergine, oven-dried tomatoes, sweet potato & served with a red pepper & black bean salsa lime and coriander dressing and crispy fennel.</td></tr>
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I went with the girlfriend and a couple of friends, one of which is a vegetarian - so I was in good company for this veggie adventure. We were impressed with the modern, yet cosy atmosphere, as well as the generally good portion sizes. We felt the menu and quality was good overall too.</div>
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At the end of the day, The Gate won't be for everyone. And dare I say, I would even have liked a bit of meat with my meal. But if you're looking for something a bit different and you're open to the idea of trying a vegetarian restaurant, this could be a good place to visit. </div>
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<b>Nearest Tube: Angel</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1686842/restaurant/Clerkenwell/The-Gate-London"><img alt="The Gate on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1686842/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0370 Saint John Street, London EC1V 4NN, UK51.5304198 -0.1053844000000481251.5303678 -0.10546340000004811 51.530471799999994 -0.10530540000004812tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-41657712982816608172014-09-18T22:35:00.000+01:002014-09-18T22:35:00.747+01:00Seoul Bakery - perfect for a quick Korean meal in Central London<a href="https://plus.google.com/100228711293668058631/about?gl=uk&hl=en">Seoul Bakery</a> is perfect if you're looking for a tasty yet good value Korean meal in Central London.<br />
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It's certainly not the best Korean restaurant in London - far from it. Situated in Saint Giles High Street, it's not even the best Korean restaurant along that road, which happens to have four or five Korean restaurants along it. But that's not a problem because Seoul Bakery does not pretend to be the best. It's small and it's cramped, but it's forgiven because it's fast and it gets the job done.<br />
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I ordered the 'rapokki' - essentially <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tteokbokki">tapokki</a> plus ramen noodles, served with a boiled egg and fish cake. This cost £5.50, so no surprise that the ramen were of the instant kind. But considering I was here for a quick and cheap lunch, it was fine.<br />
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I topped myself up with some tuna gimbap, filled with vegetables and pickle. Gimbap can be described as Korean sushi, though the fillings tend to be quite different to their Japanese equivalents.<br />
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Meanwhile, the girlfriend ordered the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janchi_guksu">janchi guksu</a>, a wheat noodle soup in a clear and light broth. The soup could have done with a slight dash of soy sauce, but that's no problem - better than finding it too salty, for sure.<br />
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Like I say, don't expect anything fancy at this place, and don't even bother if you're going as a large group. But if you're out alone or as a couple and you're in need of Korean food at fast food prices, this is one to consider.<br />
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<b>Closest Tube: Tottenham Court Road</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1498843/restaurant/Covent-Garden/Seoul-Bakery-London"><img alt="Seoul Bakery on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1498843/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com055 Saint Giles High Street, London WC2H 8LH, UK51.515836099999987 -0.1291624000000410931.108558599999988 -41.43775640000004 71.9231136 41.179431599999958tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-45886748980030976562014-09-16T07:30:00.000+01:002014-09-16T07:30:00.306+01:00On The Bab - Korean street food in Shoreditch, London <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The girlfriend and I were strolling along Old Street in Shoreditch, London, looking for a Vietnamese restaurant when all of a sudden we discovered <a href="http://www.onthebab.com/">On The Bab</a> - a Korean 'street food' restaurant.</div>
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I've been to plenty of Korean restaurants in my time, but this one - as a result of its 'street' theme - looked a bit different, so we decided to give it a go.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.onthebab.co.uk/food">menu</a> is reasonably straightforward, with dishes divided into 'small dishes', 'on the bab' (rice, noodles or buns) and 'traditional'. There is a fourth group too: 'special/comfort', which is what I opted for... </div>
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With the so-called special dish - baek ban - I got soup (not pictured), rice, salad, kimchi and a choice of bulgogi beef, spicy pork, spicy chicken or vegetable fritters. I went with the spicy pork, which tasted really good. What I liked was that it was: soft, not too chewy, thinly sliced and spicy enough without it being overbearingly so. <br />
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As a personal preference, I would have preferred a bit more kimchi and the rice to have been a bit stickier, but I can live with that, as the pork was pretty good and there was plenty of it.<br />
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The restaurant is quite small and does not take reservations. So it is very much more suited to couples and perhaps groups of up to four, who are after a quick meal and who don't mind dining in an informal setting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sMmIjPD7VNc/VBXPLnyZagI/AAAAAAAApGI/piZU7z4shdM/s1600/IMG_20140913_160740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sMmIjPD7VNc/VBXPLnyZagI/AAAAAAAApGI/piZU7z4shdM/s1600/IMG_20140913_160740.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Men toilet sign...</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1798514/restaurant/Shoreditch/On-The-Bab-London"><img alt="On The Bab on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1798514/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0305 Old Street, London EC1V 9LA, UK51.5268794 -0.081597200000032926.0048449 -41.390191200000032 77.0489139 41.226996799999966tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-66752785844101875712014-09-15T07:30:00.000+01:002014-09-15T21:41:43.721+01:00Yalla Yalla Beirut Street Food (Fitzrovia, London)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ye2mEu78U_Q/VBXPjcRQJlI/AAAAAAAApGQ/cWh2bTm5lBg/s1600/IMG_20140912_183001-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ye2mEu78U_Q/VBXPjcRQJlI/AAAAAAAApGQ/cWh2bTm5lBg/s1600/IMG_20140912_183001-EFFECTS.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1562624/restaurant/Fitzrovia/Yalla-Yalla-Beirut-Street-Food-London#blog_posts">Yalla Yalla Beirut Street Food (Fitzrovia)</a> is a bustling Lebanese restaurant tucked away in a relatively quiet side street by Oxford Street. </div>
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Menu choice is good, with 17 different mezze dishes to choose from, plus nine other mains and 11 various wraps/pittas. Among my group, there were a couple of vegetarians too, so it's definitely suitable for the veggies out there. Sadly their website does not seem to be working at the moment, so I am unable to link you through to their menu.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMeS-vOYqJA/VBXQ8mlAPOI/AAAAAAAApGo/BzDdkBXxJDY/s1600/IMG_20140912_185407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMeS-vOYqJA/VBXQ8mlAPOI/AAAAAAAApGo/BzDdkBXxJDY/s1600/IMG_20140912_185407.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Refreshing freshly squeezed fruit juices.</td></tr>
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I shared my meal with the girlfriend and we opted for a mainly mezze-based meal, so that we could experience as many of the different dishes as possible. The mezze dishes were reasonably priced, with most costing between £4 and £5, which I thought was good considering the restaurant was not too skimpy on the portion sizes - just right in my opinion.<br />
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The best of the mezze we ordered was arguably the <b>hommos shawarma</b>. The lamb was excellent - it was very well flavoured, soft and moist. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hommos shawarma: chickpea purée topped with marinated thin slices of lamb fillet.</td></tr>
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The <b>sawda djej</b> was a strong dish and one that the girlfriend in particular really enjoyed. Personally I found the sauce a bit too sweet, but I can see why others feel that such a flavour could work well in contrast to the livers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z0J1DPnMe6Q/VBdNxZuIKHI/AAAAAAAApOI/PQ9uqrmUnTs/s1600/IMG_20140912_191026~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z0J1DPnMe6Q/VBdNxZuIKHI/AAAAAAAApOI/PQ9uqrmUnTs/s1600/IMG_20140912_191026%7E2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sawda djej: sautéed chicken livers with garlic and pomegranate molases.</td></tr>
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I was a fan of the <b>kibbé lahme</b> - soft, crispy, meaty, not greasy and not dry. Could definitely order this again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ukSTXuqIXfU/VBdOO8dzwaI/AAAAAAAApOY/N7iiiDIBIEQ/s1600/IMG_20140912_190929~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ukSTXuqIXfU/VBdOO8dzwaI/AAAAAAAApOY/N7iiiDIBIEQ/s1600/IMG_20140912_190929%7E2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kibbé lahme: deep fried lamb and cracked wheat parcels filled with onions comfit, minced meat and roasted pine nuts.</td></tr>
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The <b>arayes</b> dish was a good pick too. Filled with spiced lamb and sprinkled with pomegranate, this was a welcome change from ordinary pitta bread. On its own it could be perceived as a bit boring, but it works well with the other mezze.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lfk-DCCJjeM/VBXPjYbX06I/AAAAAAAApGQ/IMJxmK1G5yI/s1600/IMG_20140912_190302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lfk-DCCJjeM/VBXPjYbX06I/AAAAAAAApGQ/IMJxmK1G5yI/s1600/IMG_20140912_190302.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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The <b>makalé samak</b> was big in terms of overall volume. The aubergine was good but the tiger prawns and calamari were quite small and hard to find - overall I would say this dish was average.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Makalé samak: deep fried tiger prawns, calamari and white bait with spring onions, crispy aubergine and chilli minted Greek yoghurt. </td></tr>
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Our final dish was a mains - the (vegetarian) <b>moussakaa</b>. If, like me, you love baked aubergine, then this dish may be for you. It felt like quite a light dish, in contrast to some other similar dishes I've had in other Mediterranean restaurants. My guess is that this is down to the differences in this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moussaka">dish</a>, depending on which country it comes from. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hHJRTdKs640/VBdOflI21AI/AAAAAAAApOo/Wv3ZqZsXOiA/s1600/IMG_20140912_191615~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hHJRTdKs640/VBdOflI21AI/AAAAAAAApOo/Wv3ZqZsXOiA/s1600/IMG_20140912_191615%7E2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moussakaa: baked aubergine in a tomato sauce, onions, garlic, cumin and chickpeas, served with basmati rice.</td></tr>
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On average our meal among the group came to around £21 - not bad considering how full we were and how much food was on the table. </div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1562624/restaurant/Fitzrovia/Yalla-Yalla-Beirut-Street-Food-London"><img alt="Yalla Yalla Beirut Street Food on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1562624/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com012 Winsley Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W, UK51.5163229 -0.1387842999999975351.516284399999996 -0.13886329999999752 51.5163614 -0.13870529999999753tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-12875271601413788742014-09-14T11:37:00.000+01:002014-09-14T11:37:08.985+01:00Big Feast at Big Easy (Covent Garden, London)<a href="http://bigeasy.co.uk/#home">Big Easy</a> is a 'bar.b.q & crabshack' restaurant in Covent Garden, London, serving great food within a lively atmosphere.<br />
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As the description of the restaurant suggests, Big Easy's <a href="http://bigeasy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BE_ALC_Specials_Lunch_v62pl.pdf">menu</a> focuses on barbecued meat and seafood. The majority of our eight-strong party opted for the<b> 'Lobster Fest'</b>; for £20, you get either a lobster roll or grilled whole lobster, which is served with fries and house salad, plus a drink (cocktail or craft lager or ale).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mDUyq2z24Fo/VBIQzpoi5KI/AAAAAAAAo0c/_kZ5WZHn4qQ/s1600/20140726_194153_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mDUyq2z24Fo/VBIQzpoi5KI/AAAAAAAAo0c/_kZ5WZHn4qQ/s1600/20140726_194153_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster roll</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled whole lobster </td></tr>
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Both the lobster roll and grilled lobster tasted great. Along with a decent portion of chips, this was a satisfying meal. </div>
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At £20, the Lobster Fest is the same price as the meals at Burger and Lobster (see <a href="http://picmyfood.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/burger-and-lobster-simple-concept-great.html">previous blog entry</a>). However, I felt that Big Easy is better because:</div>
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<li>The lobster is at least as good.</li>
<li>You get a drink with your meal for the same price.</li>
<li>The side salad is better quality.</li>
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I went as part of a group of eight and I thought the restaurant was great for a gathering of friends. We were celebrating a birthday and they were very accommodating; although the kitchen was no doubt busy, they looked after our birthday cake for us until our main meal was finished.</div>
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Thumbs up from me!</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1818863/restaurant/London/Covent-Garden/Big-Easy-Greater-London"><img alt="Big Easy on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1818863/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com012 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7NA, UK51.5106548 -0.1228926999999657725.988620299999997 -41.431486699999965 77.0326893 41.185701300000034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-1435156156758456192014-09-13T23:29:00.004+01:002014-09-13T23:29:54.813+01:00Peloton & Co cycle café in Spitalfields, LondonIn addition to trying new foods and restaurants, my other interest is taking part in the odd cycle ride (see end of the blog post). So while I was wandering around Spitalfields London today, I was pleased to stumble across <a href="http://www.pelotonco.cc/">Peloton & Co</a> - a small cycle shop that also doubles up as a café.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tour of Britain being shown on the big screen.</td></tr>
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Peloton & Co served everything you'd expect from a café, including: teas, coffees, soft drinks, cakes and more. The teas we ordered were £1.50 each, so competitively priced.<br />
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The shop had a nice homely and almost rustic feel to it - unlike your average coffee shop chain. They also had a projector screen showing the Tour of Britain - fantastic mid afternoon entertainment!<br />
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Next time I am in Spitalfields and in need of a quick drink, I'll be sure to visit this place again!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me riding the London to Windsor 2014 cycle ride.</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com04 Market Street, London E1 6DT, UK51.5197852 -0.07686769999997977751.5185502 -0.079389199999979773 51.5210202 -0.074346199999979781tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-4720143530726609052014-09-12T07:30:00.000+01:002014-09-12T07:30:01.515+01:00Mugen - excellent Japanese restaurant in the City of LondonAs a worker in the City of London, I've walked past Mugen plenty of times and seen lots of (what I believe to be) Japanese people in there - always a good sign for a Japanese restaurant!<br />
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Recently, I finally decided to go in for a quick meal before an evening event, so I was after something relatively light.<br />
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The menu is not cheap, but there are a few more affordable items on there, namely the ramen noodle soups and curry dishes.<br />
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The girlfriend went for the special ramen with miso soup. It was a delight. Check this out...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACqZXv6tmvo/VBIZPBYq9gI/AAAAAAAAo2E/oMPFbsigPsY/s1600/IMG_20140908_185427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACqZXv6tmvo/VBIZPBYq9gI/AAAAAAAAo2E/oMPFbsigPsY/s1600/IMG_20140908_185427.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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It tasted as good as it looked - and it looks good to me!</div>
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I opted for a much plainer looking soba noodle soup with tempura prawn and vegetables. It may look simple but the flavour of the broth was still top notch. </div>
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I also appreciated the fact that Mugen presented the tempura in a separate dish, meaning the batter would not go all soggy - other restaurants please take note!<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">While we were there, a private function was going on with</span> a load of Japanese businessmen all enjoying themselves eating Mugen's tasty food. There was a sushi chef in the middle of the party plying his trade, making fresh sushi. Great scenes - will have to go back there one day to try their sushi and sashimi dishes out.</div>
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<b>Nearest Tube: Bank</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/567245/restaurant/London/Bank/Mugen-City-of-London"><img alt="Mugen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/567245/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com026 King William Street, London EC4R 9AT, UK51.5106364 -0.08711029999994934831.078737900000004 -41.395704299999949 71.9425349 41.22148370000005tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-18037701529961714282014-09-11T22:34:00.004+01:002014-09-11T22:34:59.173+01:00Revisiting Haz - as good as it was the first time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Recently, I revisited <a href="http://www.hazrestaurant.co.uk/haz_st_pauls.htm">Haz St Paul's</a> twice in quick succession, following my <a href="http://picmyfood.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/juicy-lamb-tagine-from-haz-turkish.html">first visit</a> in which I really enjoyed the food.</div>
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There's a nice modern setting in there, and there's a really good atmosphere. The place is busy, but not cramped - just right in my opinion.</div>
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The menu has lots of good choices on there and that sometimes means I don't know what to get - not necessarily a bad problem to have. </div>
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So when I went for a team lunch, I chose for the mixed meze - perfect for when you're a bit indecisive.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V7-moDJWiYQ/VBIR6sVCuUI/AAAAAAAAo0w/aXu-mcxViAs/s1600/20140821_123919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V7-moDJWiYQ/VBIR6sVCuUI/AAAAAAAAo0w/aXu-mcxViAs/s1600/20140821_123919.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixed meze</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I went to Haz again on a separate day for dinner. I opted for the lamb tagine, which had beautifully soft and moist meat that tore apart really easily. The vegetables and sauce were well favoured too. Lovely.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_FO7zcs_AU/VBIR6p2b_vI/AAAAAAAAo0w/trp30DoBjXw/s1600/IMG_20140904_211320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_FO7zcs_AU/VBIR6p2b_vI/AAAAAAAAo0w/trp30DoBjXw/s1600/IMG_20140904_211320.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamb tagine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The girlfriend opted for the (meat) mousakka. While the presentation perhaps wasn't great, I'm told it tasted awesome, which is the main thing!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GKZUp0LEnZY/VBIR6tDv55I/AAAAAAAAo0w/Lwm-Piiuojw/s1600/IMG_20140904_211309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GKZUp0LEnZY/VBIR6tDv55I/AAAAAAAAo0w/Lwm-Piiuojw/s1600/IMG_20140904_211309.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mousakka</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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With reasonable prices, good portion sizes and tasty good, I'll be sure to go again!<br />
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<b>Nearest Tube: St Paul's</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1515018/restaurant/London/Blackfriars/Haz-City-of-London"><img alt="Haz on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1515018/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com034 Foster Lane, London EC2V, UK51.5150193 -0.09647770000003674831.0831208 -41.405071700000036 71.9469178 41.212116299999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-29287185577498185822014-08-31T14:09:00.000+01:002014-08-31T14:09:57.989+01:00Tsunami (West End, London)I recently went to <a href="http://www.tsunamirestaurant.co.uk/">Tsunami</a> Japanese restaurant with the girlfriend and we had a great time. The restaurant has a contemporary feel and a decent <a href="http://www.tsunamirestaurant.co.uk/westend/west-end-menu">menu</a>, with a wide variety of sushi, sashimi and hot dishes to choose from.<br />
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Situated along the restaurant-filled Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia, London, Tsunami isn't short of competition - but it holds its own and it's a good choice for your money.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MrrYAYPO_ws/VALW13pwRsI/AAAAAAAAneY/6Weg7bnQMlg/s1600/20140616_185614~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MrrYAYPO_ws/VALW13pwRsI/AAAAAAAAneY/6Weg7bnQMlg/s1600/20140616_185614%7E2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takoyaki - deep fried octopus, squid, prawn, cabbage, spring onion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While it's not necessarily the cheapest Japanese restaurant in London, at the time of writing there is a 40 per cent discount deal available <a href="http://www.opentable.co.uk/tsunami-west-end">here</a> at OpenTable (formerly toptable), which I certainly took advantage of.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mhRCxpO1h50/VALW12py-7I/AAAAAAAAneY/24oJa_1afwc/s1600/20140616_190009~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mhRCxpO1h50/VALW12py-7I/AAAAAAAAneY/24oJa_1afwc/s1600/20140616_190009%7E2.jpg" height="398" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow tail sashimi.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jwjtF7lIyLA/VALW1yMv5tI/AAAAAAAAneY/Lw0RL9tiQ2k/s1600/20140616_190016~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jwjtF7lIyLA/VALW1yMv5tI/AAAAAAAAneY/Lw0RL9tiQ2k/s1600/20140616_190016%7E2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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The girlfriend and I picked a selection of hot food, sushi and sashimi, all of which was very good. The highlight was perhaps the 'Dragon Volcano Roll' - something that I had not seen before. The picture doesn't particularly do it justice (at all), but it's quite unique, fun and tasty. In fact, it was voted '<a href="http://recipes.eat-japan.com/features/2011/dragon-volcano-sushi-roll-of-the-year-2012">Sushi Roll of the Year 2012</a>'.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-byG9ihsMyBk/VALW13TRhEI/AAAAAAAAneY/Z1HADA6qYDc/s1600/20140616_190117~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-byG9ihsMyBk/VALW13TRhEI/AAAAAAAAneY/Z1HADA6qYDc/s1600/20140616_190117%7E2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragon volcano roll - jumbo prawn with avocado & cucumber roll with crispy flakes, spring onions, tobiko, dried shredded chilli topped with creamy sauce. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We finished off with green tea and sesame ice cream. I like green tea ice cream, but I had never had sesame ice cream before. I've got to say, it was pretty damn good and I'll be having it again for sure.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ddrLY8GwDUc/VALW1-_XWrI/AAAAAAAAneY/Ue7IKDId6rs/s1600/20140616_193841~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ddrLY8GwDUc/VALW1-_XWrI/AAAAAAAAneY/Ue7IKDId6rs/s1600/20140616_193841%7E2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green tea and sesame ice cream.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Overall it was a good experience at Tsunami and it's a place I can recommend - particularly if the 40 per cent discount is still available.</div>
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<b>Nearest Tube: Goodge Street</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/776782/restaurant/Fitzrovia/Tsunami-London"><img alt="Tsunami on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/776782/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com093 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T, UK51.520557399999987 -0.1370475999999598631.104618399999985 -41.445641599999959 71.936496399999982 41.17154640000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-3131302362454991752014-07-23T22:37:00.000+01:002014-07-23T22:37:41.528+01:00Pizza East Shoreditch<a href="http://www.pizzaeast.com/">Pizza East</a> is a small chain of three restaurants located in Portobello, Kentish Town and Shoreditch. It describes itself as a place where you can get "honest food with rustic simplicity" but how does it really fare?<br />
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Walking into the Shoreditch branch, I found a relatively large and bustling restaurant - so clearly a popular place.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v51jkfrcXrI/U7fR6F8joWI/AAAAAAAAh_k/2vP_M8Y0mog/s1600/20140611_195607_Night%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v51jkfrcXrI/U7fR6F8joWI/AAAAAAAAh_k/2vP_M8Y0mog/s1600/20140611_195607_Night%257E2.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bethnal Pale Ale action.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Naturally I ordered a pizza and found it had a good crispy base and crust - just how I like it. The toppings were a bit sparse though - see below. Nonetheless overall it was a good decent-sized pizza that filled me up.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dpz4X6hjHnI/U7fT6QXn0OI/AAAAAAAAh_s/U4qchu-NJ9I/s1600/20140611_201558_Night~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dpz4X6hjHnI/U7fT6QXn0OI/AAAAAAAAh_s/U4qchu-NJ9I/s1600/20140611_201558_Night~2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anchovies, tomato, mozarella, capers, olives.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As a restaurant with the word 'pizza' in its title, you'd expect there to be a good choice of different pizzas and you're not wrong; there are 11 different pizzas overall ranging from £8 to £14:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3snAwfFBCT8/U9Am4lufe1I/AAAAAAAAk0E/qpRUI73w26Q/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-23+at+22.19.13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3snAwfFBCT8/U9Am4lufe1I/AAAAAAAAk0E/qpRUI73w26Q/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-23+at+22.19.13.png" height="400" width="337" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza menu at Pizza East, <a href="http://www.pizzaeast.com/system/files/072014/53bbd0e2efec85142f000159/original/PES_A4_Main_19-06-14.pdf?1406149734">source</a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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But despite the name, there are also non-pizza dishes on the <a href="http://www.pizzaeast.com/system/files/072014/53bbd0e2efec85142f000159/original/PES_A4_Main_19-06-14.pdf?1406149734">menu</a>. My colleague ordered the mac 'n' cheese. I can't say I tasted any of it, so I'll have to reserve judgement on its taste, but it certainly looked tasty.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xns9sW9HQ8A/U7fUKO6o_ZI/AAAAAAAAh_0/b3SsT1u2mUY/s1600/20140611_201609_Night~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xns9sW9HQ8A/U7fUKO6o_ZI/AAAAAAAAh_0/b3SsT1u2mUY/s1600/20140611_201609_Night~2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mac 'n' cheese.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Overall I had a good time at Pizza East and I wouldn't mind giving a few of the other dishes a go. Maybe that man 'n' cheese...<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1482942/restaurant/Bethnal-Green/Pizza-East-London"><img alt="Pizza East on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1482942/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>
<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/102294/Pizza_East?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Pizza East"><img alt="Square Meal" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/102294/get-blog-review/image/large.png" height="125" width="230" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com056 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ, UK51.5236783 -0.076463699999976631.0917798 -41.385057699999976 71.9555768 41.232130300000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-89592600276714080982014-07-05T00:09:00.000+01:002014-07-05T00:09:17.046+01:00Dozo Soho - Japanese restaurant<a href="http://www.dozosushi.co.uk/">Dozo Sushi</a> is a Japanese restaurant in Soho, London. While its name strongly suggests that it specialises in sushi, its <a href="http://www.dozosushi.co.uk/websites/123reg/LinuxPackage24/do/zo/su/dozosushi.co.uk/public_html/soho/main-menu.html">main menu</a> actually features many other items including grilled dishes, bento boxes and noodle soups. So there's definitely something for most people, should you not fancy sushi.<br />
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The girlfriend opted for a donburi dish - specifically a sushi don. Essentially a sushi don is a large bowl of sushi rice with salmon sashimi on top, served alongside a miso soup. If you like salmon sashimi but want something a bit more filling, this is a good choice; it is a simple yet great tasting and filling dish. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qjfaDPaMpE/U4-MmmZHLPI/AAAAAAAAfd0/rYjjCPD-6Z4/s1600/20140601_193234_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qjfaDPaMpE/U4-MmmZHLPI/AAAAAAAAfd0/rYjjCPD-6Z4/s1600/20140601_193234_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sushi don.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I do like a good noodle soup, so I opted for the Spicy Ramen. This consisted of ramen noodles (obviously), stir fry beef, fish cake, <a href="http://www.japancentre.com/recipes/nitamago-ramen-eggs">nitamago egg</a> and vegetables. There were lots of different ingredients and flavours here - I quite enjoyed it and was glad I ordered it. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f0IbJq0MicY/U4-Mmqn9bTI/AAAAAAAAfd0/ovap86dKaZY/s1600/20140601_193628_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f0IbJq0MicY/U4-Mmqn9bTI/AAAAAAAAfd0/ovap86dKaZY/s1600/20140601_193628_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spicy ramen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As we paid the bill, the waiter gave us 10 per cent discount for paying by cash - worth knowing if you're planning a visit and fancy a bit of a discount.<br />
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<b>Closest Tube: Leicester Square</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1750053/restaurant/Soho/Dozo-Soho-London"><img alt="Dozo Soho on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1750053/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com032 Old Compton Street, Soho, London W1D 4TP, UK51.513414 -0.1309843999999884530.620482 -41.439578399999988 72.406346 41.177609600000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-71898831194427849052014-07-04T22:51:00.000+01:002014-07-04T22:51:20.479+01:00Wild mushroom, chicken and bacon risottoThe girlfriend and I decided to save some money and make dinner at home tonight. <br />
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We followed a variation of this <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/111356888524273919268" target="_blank">+BBC Good Food</a> <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7744/wild-mushroom-chicken-and-bacon-risotto">recipe</a> for a wild mushroom, chicken and bacon risotto. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-66R8BmpGc4k/U7ccyHsXANI/AAAAAAAAh2g/V57dmOd2zn0/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-04+at+22.29.15.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-66R8BmpGc4k/U7ccyHsXANI/AAAAAAAAh2g/V57dmOd2zn0/s1600/Screenshot+2014-07-04+at+22.29.15.png" height="323" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7744/wild-mushroom-chicken-and-bacon-risotto">http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7744/wild-mushroom-chicken-and-bacon-risotto</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We did however made a few changes, due to personal preference:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Added some courgettes.</li>
<li>Used jarred mushrooms instead of dried mushroom.</li>
<li>Used less butter.</li>
</ul>
...but it was otherwise more or less the same as the recipe above.<br />
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Here's the end result...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W7qIIbJvNc8/U7cY115iEDI/AAAAAAAAh2M/qnUZSP6ivpY/s1600/20140704_214643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W7qIIbJvNc8/U7cY115iEDI/AAAAAAAAh2M/qnUZSP6ivpY/s1600/20140704_214643.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm not one for presentation but importantly I thought it actually tasted pretty good and it was quite easy to make. <br />
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P.S. I got all the ingredients from German supermarket <a href="http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/index.htm">Lidl</a>. Anyone who knows me knows my favourite supermarket is normally Aldi - it's cheap yet quality. Today I decided to give Lidl a go and I have to say I thought the Lidl ingredients were at least as good on this occasion.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-31498859594506994712014-06-17T21:39:00.001+01:002014-06-17T21:39:25.449+01:00Lahore One - great value, tasty food<a href="http://lahoreone.co.uk/Home.html">Lahore One</a> is a great value Pakistani restaurant near Shadwell, London. It's a relatively low-key restaurant in that it has very simple décor and exterior - but the food is good, which is the important thing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XV_GTCHSxqc/U497QGzLzfI/AAAAAAAAfdc/xYLxs1UBfEc/s1600/20140526_183439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XV_GTCHSxqc/U497QGzLzfI/AAAAAAAAfdc/xYLxs1UBfEc/s1600/20140526_183439.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Saag meat - Chunks of boneless lamb cooked with spinach, fresh ginger, garlic and spices.</td></tr>
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We ordered two main dishes - a saag meat (lamb) and a korahai chicken - and both tasted excellent. They were accompanied with rice, some naan bread, and kebab on the side. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oUu592JA_Ok/U497QJQa5tI/AAAAAAAAfdc/au-eefS4oqI/s1600/20140526_183445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oUu592JA_Ok/U497QJQa5tI/AAAAAAAAfdc/au-eefS4oqI/s1600/20140526_183445.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Korahai chicken - Hand prepared, boneless diced chicken cooked with fresh garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes and spices. Garnished with chunks of tomatoes and sprinkled with fresh coriander and ginger.</td></tr>
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I really do have to give a shout out to their mogo (yam) chips. I've never had yam chips before and I am really glad they were ordered - they really were excellent and I thoroughly recommend them. Yams have quite a distinctive texture and taste, while the deep fried process gave them a satisfying crispiness as you bite into them.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NodfGFncXSI/U497QNMZiXI/AAAAAAAAfdc/gf1Z_3-TP70/s1600/20140526_182625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NodfGFncXSI/U497QNMZiXI/AAAAAAAAfdc/gf1Z_3-TP70/s1600/20140526_182625.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;">Mogo chips - fried yam with chilli and garlic.<br />
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We rounded off the dinner with a half-and-half kheer (rice pudding) and kulfi ice cream. I didn't massively like the kulfi ice cream, but the rice pudding was really good - a perfect combination of (not too) sweetness and creaminess.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EwSdv2UlL5U/U497QCWS8bI/AAAAAAAAfdc/7Le_NUCaQCM/s1600/20140526_190259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EwSdv2UlL5U/U497QCWS8bI/AAAAAAAAfdc/7Le_NUCaQCM/s1600/20140526_190259.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kheer and kulfi.</td></tr>
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A quick note - Lahore One does not serve alcohol. However they are perfectly happy for you to bring your own, which is fine as there's a Tesco pretty much next to it.<br />
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As we were paying the bill, we got a nice surprise as we were presented with a special t-shirt each. That's certainly a first for me - a bit different but thoroughly welcomed. My friends have already decided we will wear them the next time we go there...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1PVA8pph9lE/U497QHL8YxI/AAAAAAAAfdc/l7WRyLcy2OU/s1600/20140526_191323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1PVA8pph9lE/U497QHL8YxI/AAAAAAAAfdc/l7WRyLcy2OU/s1600/20140526_191323.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Nearest DLR: Shadwell</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/565973/restaurant/London/Docklands/Lahore-One-Poplar"><img alt="Lahore One on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/565973/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0218 Commercial Road, Poplar, London E1, UK51.5146024 -0.05937349999999241831.1323194 -41.367967499999992 71.8968854 41.249220500000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-72699602692188028402014-06-04T22:07:00.003+01:002014-06-04T22:07:49.267+01:00Sukhothai: excellent Thai restaurant in Hornchurch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.sukhothaihornchurch.co.uk/">Sukhothai</a> is an excellent Thai restaurant in Hornchurch, Essex. The food is great, the staff are friendly, the restaurant is busy (always a good sign) and the interior has a clean feel. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AdnymzgLrrc/U4945WZoH_I/AAAAAAAAfdI/vdaAKxqyvSU/s1600/20140525_184102_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AdnymzgLrrc/U4945WZoH_I/AAAAAAAAfdI/vdaAKxqyvSU/s1600/20140525_184102_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Yum soup. Sorry for the shadow >_< </td></tr>
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There's a good selection of food on the <a href="http://www.sukhothaihornchurch.co.uk/?q=menu-set">menu</a>. There are soups, curries, salads, rice, noodles - the usual you'd expect from a Thai restaurant. But the great thing about <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/108116823016240710675" target="_blank">+Sukhothai Restaurant</a> is that - from two separate visits - every dish I've tried is excellent.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wIYGNTpKTIs/U4945SfSiYI/AAAAAAAAfdI/jpaJVHP4Ds0/s1600/20140525_184148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wIYGNTpKTIs/U4945SfSiYI/AAAAAAAAfdI/jpaJVHP4Ds0/s1600/20140525_184148.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moo Ping - grilled pork skewers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OK8RGsfrmEM/U4945S6PEqI/AAAAAAAAfdI/0SgMYbZ7Igg/s1600/20140525_184218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OK8RGsfrmEM/U4945S6PEqI/AAAAAAAAfdI/0SgMYbZ7Igg/s1600/20140525_184218.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiger Cry - grilled beef sirloin (medium) with mint and coriander. </td></tr>
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Thai curries are always popular and a visit to Sukhothai wouldn't be right without trying one. There are various meat curries available - beef, chicken, duck, pork, prawn - with different degrees of spiciness; this means there's a good chance you'll find the right dish for you.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flZSwCxJ4TM/U4945UeVX2I/AAAAAAAAfdI/vjXl4hfHD0s/s1600/20140525_184538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flZSwCxJ4TM/U4945UeVX2I/AAAAAAAAfdI/vjXl4hfHD0s/s1600/20140525_184538.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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I believe the restaurant is family-run and I had the same waitress on both of my visits that were five months apart. Either way, the staff are really friendly and are knowledgeable about their menu and were keen to advise on what to order. I'll definitely be heading back to Sukhothai next time I'm in the Hornchurch area.<br />
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<b>Nearest Tube: Upminster Bridge or Hornchurch</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0155 High Street, Hornchurch, Greater London RM11 3YD, UK51.5622284 0.22060890000000226.040193900000002 -41.0879851 77.0842629 41.5292029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-72873202039712349272014-05-28T22:07:00.003+01:002014-05-28T22:07:39.633+01:00The Magic Mushroom<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eThkKm-Uwp8/U4ZBFeNOGSI/AAAAAAAAe88/YNQbHOHFV4c/s1600/20140430_204459_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eThkKm-Uwp8/U4ZBFeNOGSI/AAAAAAAAe88/YNQbHOHFV4c/s1600/20140430_204459_Night.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://magicmushroomrestaurant.co.uk/">The Magic Mushroom</a> is a restaurant that serves contemporary European food in Billericay, Essex. </div>
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From what I had heard, it has a reputation for providing decent food at reasonable prices and several of my family members had been several times before. So naturally I was eager to try it out for myself for the first time. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FbLHNiwOtgU/U4ZAHtyn75I/AAAAAAAAe8s/fSZH_NRVhmY/s1600/MM1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FbLHNiwOtgU/U4ZAHtyn75I/AAAAAAAAe8s/fSZH_NRVhmY/s1600/MM1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft shell crab.</td></tr>
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If soft shell crab is on the menu, then I am almost certain to order it - and this is exactly what I did. Presented with a wedge of lemon, mixed salad leaves and tartare sauce, this was the perfect start to a meal. The crab was crispy yet soft and moist - and I wouldn't have minded having another.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SOqo2g-_cHc/U4ZBFXblEOI/AAAAAAAAe88/NFWCasVghio/s1600/20140430_200852_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SOqo2g-_cHc/U4ZBFXblEOI/AAAAAAAAe88/NFWCasVghio/s1600/20140430_200852_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steak.</td></tr>
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I opted for a rare steak for my mains. I had no complaints about the steak - it certainly was rare when I cut into it and the meat was soft and tender enough.<br />
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I was really looking forward to my dessert - the bavarois, or '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavarian_cream">Bavarian cream</a>'. This was because - quite frankly - I had no idea what it was and I quite like trying new foods. It's a like a thickened cream - much thicker than meets the eye. Served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, strawberries and sauce, it was a fresh yet very filling dessert. I definitely didn't need more food afterwards.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lBLKmTvA5L8/U4ZBFZmBufI/AAAAAAAAe88/a-Nh80Qd0JE/s1600/20140430_210215_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lBLKmTvA5L8/U4ZBFZmBufI/AAAAAAAAe88/a-Nh80Qd0JE/s1600/20140430_210215_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bavarois - standard edition.</td></tr>
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And best of all, the kind <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/117459666529658962185" target="_blank">+Magic Mushroom Restaurant</a> staff made a special birthday edition for our table, as we were out celebrating a birthday that night. It came complete with edible chocolate balloons and writing - lovely!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nZT_Poorpxw/U4ZALD_rrkI/AAAAAAAAe80/NjuVjJxaMV4/s1600/MM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nZT_Poorpxw/U4ZALD_rrkI/AAAAAAAAe80/NjuVjJxaMV4/s1600/MM2.jpg" height="398" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bavarois - birthday edition.</td></tr>
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I had a decent evening at Magic Mushroom and would go back again. The restaurant was packed even on a week night (always a good sign) so it is probably a good idea to call ahead if you decide to go.<br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/uk/view/110447/The_Magic_Mushroom?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of The Magic Mushroom"><img alt="Square Meal" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/110447/get-blog-review/image/large.png" height="125" width="230" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex CM11 2UD, UK51.6015101 0.4446844000000282951.5990446 0.43964190000002829 51.6039756 0.4497269000000283tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-42739376001778627402014-05-21T07:00:00.000+01:002014-05-21T07:00:02.479+01:00Mien Tay Shoreditch: tasty, fresh and friendly<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cm6cVICUYjQ/U3vM_NTIfaI/AAAAAAAAeYc/OegIbGuRZD0/s1600/20140516_212735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cm6cVICUYjQ/U3vM_NTIfaI/AAAAAAAAeYc/OegIbGuRZD0/s1600/20140516_212735.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring rolls (Chả giò).<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></td></tr>
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Vietnamese food is wonderful, and a good place to find this cuisine in the UK is Kingsland Road in Shoreditch, London, where Vietnamese restaurants dominate the street. (If you're unsure, check out my <a href="http://bit.ly/1vBMPFh">'picture special'</a> post from Vietnam for lots of tasty food photos ^_^).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iXgpjBBsji4/U3vM_CTEHzI/AAAAAAAAeYc/1h3xeXob2Bs/s1600/20140516_212714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iXgpjBBsji4/U3vM_CTEHzI/AAAAAAAAeYc/1h3xeXob2Bs/s1600/20140516_212714.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Traditional Crispy Pancake with Tofu, Onions & Beansprout (<span style="text-align: start;">Bánh xèo chay).</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td></tr>
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With so much competition, it can be a little overwhelming to pick the right restaurant. I followed my instinct and went for a busy one - <a href="http://mientay.co.uk/shoreditch/">Mien Tay</a> - and busy it certainly was! With very simple décor, the diners were certainly not there for the views, but clearly the food - always the right way round in my opinion.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iQ5NWXwMHw/U3vM_FwtdAI/AAAAAAAAeYc/_1hRG9Yobl8/s1600/20140516_213249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iQ5NWXwMHw/U3vM_FwtdAI/AAAAAAAAeYc/_1hRG9Yobl8/s1600/20140516_213249.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Char-grilled minced beef in wild betel leaves (Bò lá lốt). </td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td></tr>
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The restaurant specialises in food from the south west of Vietnam. From looking at the <a href="http://mientay.co.uk/shoreditch/pdf/main.pdf">menu</a>, they are keen to show their 'home-style' nature by introducing owners Mr Su Tran and Mrs My Le along with a picture (presumably them), as well as proudly displaying their many positive reviews from <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/110058795723133622870" target="_blank">+Time Out London</a> , <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/111685026515211291707" target="_blank">+ViewLondon</a> , <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/115688182758722552489" target="_blank">+Metro</a> , <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/106385517601657447581" target="_blank">+London Evening Standard</a> , <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/108912715866210836849" target="_blank">+The Times and The Sunday Times</a> and <a href="http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.co.uk/">Cheese and Biscuits Blog</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YIa4FxN860g/U3vM_KWWDiI/AAAAAAAAeYc/C-iB_e2OD7Y/s1600/20140516_214431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YIa4FxN860g/U3vM_KWWDiI/AAAAAAAAeYc/C-iB_e2OD7Y/s1600/20140516_214431.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice Vermicelli with Spring Roll & Grilled Pork (Bún chả giò thịt nướng). </td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td></tr>
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I can certainly see why the restaurant has its fans. The food felt fresh, my friends and I enjoyed our dishes, staff are courteous with a smile and the atmosphere is busy yet friendly and relaxed. All in all, it felt like a great place for friends to meet up over a tasty and good-value meal. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-msQZaA0tEb8/U3vM_O3imWI/AAAAAAAAeYc/StP8pUJpkE4/s1600/20140516_214713_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-msQZaA0tEb8/U3vM_O3imWI/AAAAAAAAeYc/StP8pUJpkE4/s1600/20140516_214713_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stir-fried rice noodles with beef.</td></tr>
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So if you're around Kingsland Road and looking for some Vietnamese food, put Mien Tay on your consideration list.<br />
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<b>Nearest Overground: Hoxton</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/102300/Mien_Tay?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Mien Tay"><img alt="Square Meal" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/102300/get-blog-review/image/large.png" height="125" width="230" /></a>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/622574/restaurant/London/Bethnal-Green/Mien-Tay-Hackney"><img alt="Mien Tay on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/622574/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0122 Kingsland Road, Hackney, London E2, UK51.530385 -0.07711370000004080831.108170500000003 -41.38570770000004 71.9525995 41.231480299999959tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-18579472286348498582014-05-14T22:20:00.000+01:002014-05-14T22:20:13.270+01:00Birds Eye's brilliant pay-by-picture pop-up restaurantBirds Eye has created a unique and rather brilliant online campaign to promote its <a href="http://www.birdseye.co.uk/en-uk/fresh-ideas/inspirations?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=brand%20food&utm_campaign=inspirations&gclid=CjgKEAjwqMybBRCt4__j3o7Okl8SJADb23zDyF02oJ4U06flj5OmQer2YDoysn2n2v-ZUM1I3hZsafD_BwE">Inspirations</a> food range.<br />
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Over the past couple of days, Birds Eye has set up a 'Picture House' pop-up restaurant along Grape Street, London. The unusual thing is that diners pay for their meals not with cash or credit but with pictures of their food posted on social media with the hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BirdsEyeInspirations&src=tyah">#BirdsEyeInspirations</a>. Diners gets a free meal, while Birds Eye get real-time and user-generated promotion and feedback - a win-win situation. I was lucky enough to get on the guest list and visited the pop-up for lunch today.<br />
<br />
With each diner presented with an iPad, I had a choice of three dishes:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>'Chicken Inspirations' - with garlic and herb sauce, crushed peas, olive oil poached asparagus and romano pepper gremolata.</li>
<li>'Fish Chargrills' - with sunblushed tomato, basil and oregano, roasted potatoes, wilted spinach and buttered brown shrimp. </li>
<li>'Rice Fusions' - with smoked aubergine, goats cheese and soft herb fritters.</li>
</ol>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QI4eHUYzKts/U3PVayNl10I/AAAAAAAAeHM/UCduyzBaj4I/s1600/20140514_131611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QI4eHUYzKts/U3PVayNl10I/AAAAAAAAeHM/UCduyzBaj4I/s1600/20140514_131611.jpg" height="370" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish Chargrills.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Being a seafood lover, I naturally opted for the <b>Fish Chargrills</b>, prepared in the open kitchen. Flaky, moist, well-seasoned and neatly presented, the dish could fit well on the menu of a more well-established restaurant.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WwRYvx-LBc4/U3PY8cDKPrI/AAAAAAAAeH4/QDsiZrfADk0/s1600/20140514_131639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WwRYvx-LBc4/U3PY8cDKPrI/AAAAAAAAeH4/QDsiZrfADk0/s1600/20140514_131639.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side shot of Fish Chargrills.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yzMNywb-LPc/U3PYgyLIgzI/AAAAAAAAeHw/HsfcDwtAtTg/s1600/20140514_134307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yzMNywb-LPc/U3PYgyLIgzI/AAAAAAAAeHw/HsfcDwtAtTg/s1600/20140514_134307.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open kitchen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To my delight, dessert was available too. Vanilla ice cream, crumble, strawberries and passion fruit - there was literally nothing not to like with this and it rounded off a fantastic midweek lunch. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7_EvURTJo8I/U3PVcIIOYkI/AAAAAAAAeHQ/J9MkE4LOUqc/s1600/20140514_133125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7_EvURTJo8I/U3PVcIIOYkI/AAAAAAAAeHQ/J9MkE4LOUqc/s1600/20140514_133125.jpg" height="293" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sadly, the pop-up restaurant will now be moving away from London and will be setting up in Manchester and Leeds in June. If they're set up as well as the London one, then I'm sure diners will have a great time. Let's hope more food companies promote their products this way in the future!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bWepvt6sBs4/U3Pav8PltII/AAAAAAAAeIE/XNzfyEqGZfE/s1600/20140514_134159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bWepvt6sBs4/U3Pav8PltII/AAAAAAAAeIE/XNzfyEqGZfE/s1600/20140514_134159.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the restaurant.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0Grape Street, London WC2H, UK51.5162933 -0.1256614999999783351.5150583 -0.12818299999997834 51.5175283 -0.12313999999997834tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-9956304799287912182014-05-14T07:00:00.000+01:002014-05-14T07:00:00.497+01:00Bibimbap (Charlotte St): Why this is the place to go if you're after a tasty, quick and good value meal in London <a href="http://www.bibimbaplondon.com/">Bibimbap restaurant</a> in Charlotte Street, London, is a fantastic little Korean eatery specialising in - you guessed it - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibimbap">bibimbap</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9Cm94yMkOA/U3Kf5CU-8II/AAAAAAAAdpU/uGGOuMK0rNg/s1600/IMG_20140428_212803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9Cm94yMkOA/U3Kf5CU-8II/AAAAAAAAdpU/uGGOuMK0rNg/s1600/IMG_20140428_212803.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>What is bibimbap?</b><br />
<br />
It means 'mixed rice' in Korean and is a popular dish in the Asian country. It's best to visualise this, so this is how my fillet beef bibimbap (with optional egg) at <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/112709753983384882519" target="_blank">+Bibimbap Charlotte St</a> looked like:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EDF4GF52BTQ/U3Kf5Lpi8HI/AAAAAAAAdpU/qguoW68e3ow/s1600/20140428_203635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EDF4GF52BTQ/U3Kf5Lpi8HI/AAAAAAAAdpU/qguoW68e3ow/s1600/20140428_203635.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fillet beef bibimbap with rice and vegetables inside a hot stone bowl, plus an optional egg. </td></tr>
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Their <a href="http://www.bibimbapcharlottestreet.co.uk/menu.php">menu</a> features a decent choice of different bibimbaps (10 in total), each one full of delicious rice and toppings inside a very hot stone bowl. Vegetarian bibimbaps are available, as well as ones with chicken and pork. Other Korean side dishes are on the menu too, including favourites such as seafood pancake and kimchi.<br />
<br />
To eat it is simple: as soon as it arrives, begin mixing all the ingredients together inside the hot bowl. The trick is to regularly mix everything, otherwise the rice can become dry and overcooked at the bottom. (And in case you're wondering, only the fillet beef bibimbap has raw meat, the others are pre-cooked).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4FddHytwtUI/U3Kf5HehUBI/AAAAAAAAdpU/bJ--AAl92mA/s1600/20140428_203857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4FddHytwtUI/U3Kf5HehUBI/AAAAAAAAdpU/bJ--AAl92mA/s1600/20140428_203857.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How my bibimbap looked after I gave it a good stir.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Bibimbap is wonderfully tasty, quick, healthy and affordable - most dishes are under £10. If that floats your boat - and it should - give the Bibimbap chain a go - there's one in Soho too ( <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/114895279543505878492" target="_blank">+Bibimbap Soho</a> ). <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_lBV3v-ipT8/U3KgB1yd7II/AAAAAAAAdpc/HzX38mRXOGA/s1600/20140428_211055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_lBV3v-ipT8/U3KgB1yd7II/AAAAAAAAdpc/HzX38mRXOGA/s1600/20140428_211055.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior in Bibimbap is relaxed, informal and cosy. Korean popular culture is very apparent with many posters from films and musicians on the walls. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1795791/restaurant/Fitzrovia/Bibimbap-Charlotte-Street-London"><img alt="Bibimbap Charlotte Street on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1795791/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com010 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2LT, UK51.5183188 -0.1344750000000658531.086420300000004 -41.443069000000065 71.9502173 41.174118999999934tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-10917030844406003062014-05-03T07:00:00.000+01:002014-05-03T07:00:00.573+01:00Where to dine near Bassenthwaite Lake (Lake District): The PheasantDuring a recent trip to the Lake District, the owner of our guest house suggested that the girlfriend and I try <a href="http://www.the-pheasant.co.uk/food-and-drink/the-bistro">The Pheasant</a> - a hotel and restaurant near Bassenthwaite Lake.<br />
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The restaurant is actually made up of two separate rooms - <a href="http://www.the-pheasant.co.uk/food-and-drink/the-fell-restaurant">The Fell Restaurant</a> and <a href="http://www.the-pheasant.co.uk/food-and-drink/the-bistro">The Bistro</a>. Both share the same <a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5547473/menu-dinner.pdf">menu</a>, but the former includes a 'cover charge' of £2.50 for 'relaxed ambiance', views and home-made bread. We opted for The Bistro.<br />
<br />
The scotch eggs were a great start, with a lovely soft yolk and a crispy outside. The ketchup was home-made and had a bit of mustard in it to give it a bit of a kick - something a bit different.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-e0aBD8DhQ/U2Qa7sVb3QI/AAAAAAAAc_w/Q8ysILjbjMM/s1600/20140502_202600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-e0aBD8DhQ/U2Qa7sVb3QI/AAAAAAAAc_w/Q8ysILjbjMM/s1600/20140502_202600.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scotch egg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My chicken and vegetable pie was piping hot. The pastry top was crisp, while the filling was full of moist chicken. However the accompanying vegetables - green beans and broccoli - were quite bland and unseasoned. The mashed potatoes were fine though.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMIYHGVOhXY/U2Qa7rOjVRI/AAAAAAAAc_w/RcllH5PoY3I/s1600/20140502_204304_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMIYHGVOhXY/U2Qa7rOjVRI/AAAAAAAAc_w/RcllH5PoY3I/s1600/20140502_204304_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken and vegetable pie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The girlfriend's lamb was soft, juicy and had a nice pink colour. The gravy worked well with the lamb, while the mint sauce had both mint and onion flavours in abundance - perhaps too much.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GowT5pMgpyo/U2Qa7iq1WQI/AAAAAAAAc_w/V3pGcP3oI84/s1600/20140502_204442_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GowT5pMgpyo/U2Qa7iq1WQI/AAAAAAAAc_w/V3pGcP3oI84/s1600/20140502_204442_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medium-rare lamb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While there were a few things we would have preferred differently, we nonetheless had a positive experience at The Pheasant. Its modern feel (despite it being in a very old building), attentive and friendly staff, and proximity to Bassenthwaite Lake will appeal to the many visitors around there.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WWhuk5ky5Fg/U2Qa7hY6upI/AAAAAAAAc_w/lp7vaquhYt0/s1600/IMG_20140502_201517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WWhuk5ky5Fg/U2Qa7hY6upI/AAAAAAAAc_w/lp7vaquhYt0/s1600/IMG_20140502_201517.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dimple glass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/uk/view/107474/The_Pheasant_Inn?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of The Pheasant Inn"><img alt="Square Meal" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/107474/get-blog-review/image/large.png" height="125" width="230" /></a>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/356/1718336/restaurant/North-West/Windermere/Pheasant-Inn-Cumbria"><img alt="Pheasant Inn on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1718336/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0The Pheasant Inn, Lake District National Park, Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 9YE, UK54.6650567 -3.242003800000020429.1430222 -44.55059780000002 80.1870912 38.066590199999979tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-72697796366893764192014-04-30T07:00:00.000+01:002014-05-13T23:35:00.418+01:00Five reasons why you should try Vital IngredientI recently won* a tasty lunch from the lovely people at <a href="http://www.vitalingredient.co.uk/">Vital Ingredient</a> - the fast food chain known for its healthy 'eat your way' salads. It was an enjoyable lunch and, having had positive experiences there several times before, I decided to give you five reasons (in no particular order) why you should try Vital Ingredient.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_eSDOr2z8c/U2AKD24g8JI/AAAAAAAAc0o/kXtKBx0iRL8/s1600/20140428_135619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_eSDOr2z8c/U2AKD24g8JI/AAAAAAAAc0o/kXtKBx0iRL8/s1600/20140428_135619.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg pasta, tuna, vine tomatoes, boiled egg, potatoes, edamame beans, ranch dressing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>1 The choice is great.</b></div>
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This is typically how ordering a salad works at Vital Ingredient: pick one of five bases for your salad, choose one of 10 items from the deli counter, four of 34 items from the veg counter and then one of 10 dressings. A full list can be found <a href="http://www.vitalingredient.co.uk/menu/salad-bar/">here</a>. </div>
<div>
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<div>
While this might sound a bit complicated at first, all it means is that you're spoilt for choice and there's little excuse for not finding a combination you like.</div>
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<div>
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And if you don't fancy a salad, their <a href="http://www.vitalingredient.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/VI-Breakfast-2014-Menu-LR.pdf">full menu</a> have all sorts of hot foods, desserts, drinks and breakfast.<br />
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<b>2 It's healthy.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
Any seemingly healthy food can be turned unhealthy if you add too much of this and too much of that. Thankfully the folks at Vital Ingredient have created a really easy-to-use <a href="http://www.vitalingredient.co.uk/nutritional-calculator/">Nutritional Calculator</a>, helpful for those on strict health regimes and diets - or if you're just plain curious. </div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q89U1OKGId4/U2AVHA5iQPI/AAAAAAAAc1M/u3EewU0jxv8/s1600/Screenshot+2014-04-29+at+22.09.28.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q89U1OKGId4/U2AVHA5iQPI/AAAAAAAAc1M/u3EewU0jxv8/s1600/Screenshot+2014-04-29+at+22.09.28.png" height="205" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nutritional value of my salad.</td></tr>
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<b>3 It's filling.</b></div>
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Some salads can leave you hungry and wanting more? Luckily, Vital Ingredient has plenty of filling ingredients to keep you going throughout the day. Rice, pasta and potatoes are all available, for example.</div>
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<b>4 They deliver.</b><br />
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Vital Ingredient is a pretty common sight in the City of London, where there are loads of office workers. If however you and your team are a bit too busy to go out at lunch for whatever reason, they also deliver a range of platters - check out their <a href="http://www.vitalingredient.co.uk/my-delivery/">delivery menu</a> for more details. </div>
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I'm yet to try this out yet - but they do look good!</div>
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<b>5 It's tasty</b><br />
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Last but not least, the combination of fresh ingredients and great choice lead to a tasty meal! <br />
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In the past, I was always a bit unsure about a 'salad place' for lunch, but I decided to give it a try one day and I actually quite like it now. Give it a go!<br />
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* If you're curious, this is how I won the caption competition...<br />
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1.0-9/10155131_693793980662069_2385645481001050931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1.0-9/10155131_693793980662069_2385645481001050931_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Uz2JTOvjAY/U2ALukIclLI/AAAAAAAAc08/sABqvtUTszo/s1600/Screenshot+2014-04-29+at+21.29.29.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Uz2JTOvjAY/U2ALukIclLI/AAAAAAAAc08/sABqvtUTszo/s1600/Screenshot+2014-04-29+at+21.29.29.png" height="400" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/VitalIngredient/photos/a.109317775776362.4997.102799326428207/693793980662069/?type=1&notif_t=comment_mention">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1522409/restaurant/Bank/Vital-Ingredient-London"><img alt="Vital Ingredient on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1522409/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Disclaimer: although I won a free lunch, Vital Ingredient did not know I would write a blog entry and therefore did not influence the content.</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0Trump Street, London EC2V 8DP, UK51.514389599999987 -0.09268870000005335951.51377209999999 -0.093949200000053357 51.515007099999984 -0.091428200000053361tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-19825100876729379382014-04-28T07:00:00.000+01:002014-04-28T07:00:00.145+01:00My Old Place: authentic Chinese food in The City of London Several of my friends from mainland China have raved about <a href="http://www.oldplace.co.uk/">My Old Place</a> for years, but only recently have I managed to give it a try. <br />
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Located near Liverpool Street, London, My Old Place is not a typical Chinese restaurant, so you might not recognise some of the dishes on the <a href="http://www.oldplace.co.uk/Menus.html">menu</a>. My friends explained to me that My Old Place serves mainly (but not exclusively) food from north east China. This is quite different from the food you'll find in your average British Chinese restaurant, which is largely influenced by food from south east China.<br />
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As someone who'll eat any food that isn't still alive, moving or celery, I'm always up for trying new dishes - which is exactly why I ordered "mix of pig's ear and cucumber". The pig ear was crunchy yet easy to bite and swallow, while the cucumber made it almost like a salad - refreshing!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RBoJhcK5n9Q/U11tIbyP4RI/AAAAAAAAcxE/HeNObbGBG1I/s1600/IMG_20140420_201931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RBoJhcK5n9Q/U11tIbyP4RI/AAAAAAAAcxE/HeNObbGBG1I/s1600/IMG_20140420_201931.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chopped pig ears and sliced cucumber - wouldn't mind eating this again.</td></tr>
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I really liked the stewed beef. The meat was soft, the sauce was flavoursome (and mixed well with rice), while the vegetables were plentiful and well-cooked. The tomatoes certainly gave the dish a sweeter flavour and added some colour at the same time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPCHPMy33Ew/U11tIermD_I/AAAAAAAAcxE/ELqgfibLkGI/s1600/IMG_20140420_202221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPCHPMy33Ew/U11tIermD_I/AAAAAAAAcxE/ELqgfibLkGI/s1600/IMG_20140420_202221.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stewed beef.</td></tr>
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We also ordered a soup to share, made up of chicken, <i>clear</i> flat noodles (new to me) and some rather bizarre looking mushrooms (even for someone who's eaten a lot of mushrooms). They were dark in colour, very long, thin and quite chewy. If you know the name, please leave me a comment :-). <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eWA4BE6dD18/U11tIY-ZqKI/AAAAAAAAcxE/JS8ZOpTKXx4/s1600/IMG_20140420_202253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eWA4BE6dD18/U11tIY-ZqKI/AAAAAAAAcxE/JS8ZOpTKXx4/s1600/IMG_20140420_202253.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The fried pork was excellent. Crispy and meaty with sauce nicely dripped on top, I suspect most people would enjoy this dish. This one is definitely worth ordering again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mtr1ZMVXkI0/U11tIVCqhVI/AAAAAAAAcxE/i_mGUMic9Pk/s1600/IMG_20140420_202438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mtr1ZMVXkI0/U11tIVCqhVI/AAAAAAAAcxE/i_mGUMic9Pk/s1600/IMG_20140420_202438.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried pork.</td></tr>
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We decided to also try one of the Sichuan dishes. While the beans might look green (as you'd expect), I'm not convinced it's entirely healthy. That's because this dish is fried in a lot of oil and dried chilli, giving the beans quite a distinctive texture and bit of a fiery kick. It's actually not as spicy as the many chillis you see suggest, so most people could probably handle this dish fine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQPWcsNkXms/U11tIbfLlWI/AAAAAAAAcxE/I5hcTgZlPC0/s1600/IMG_20140420_202456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQPWcsNkXms/U11tIbfLlWI/AAAAAAAAcxE/I5hcTgZlPC0/s1600/IMG_20140420_202456.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sichuan dishes are known to be spicy.</td></tr>
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What did I think overall? Well, the food was a good experience for me - lots of different dishes from the norm and everything tasted pretty good. Judging by the amount of Chinese people in there, there was definitely an authentic feel to the place too, as confirmed by my friend from north east China.<br />
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The downside is that the service is not the greatest. For example, our waitress couldn't be bothered to refill our teapot - the kettle had apparently been switched off - and it's the type of place that will give you your bill before you've asked for it.<br />
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Finally, the restaurant didn't accept any form of card payment on my visit, so bring some cash with you if you want to try some authentic Chinese food in the City of London.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eMsrIiU6ENc/U11tIVIO9qI/AAAAAAAAcxE/oMlVRXI1m-U/s1600/IMG_20140420_210918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eMsrIiU6ENc/U11tIVIO9qI/AAAAAAAAcxE/oMlVRXI1m-U/s1600/IMG_20140420_210918.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street or Aldgate East</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/106400/My_Old_Place?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of My Old Place"><img alt="Square Meal" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/106400/get-blog-review/image/large.png" height="125" width="230" /></a>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1462980/restaurant/Aldgate/My-Old-Place-London"><img alt="My Old Place on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1462980/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com088 Middlesex Street, London E1, UK51.5161112 -0.07624609999993481351.516072699999995 -0.076325099999934809 51.5161497 -0.076167099999934818tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-63362565238546334542014-04-26T18:29:00.002+01:002014-04-26T18:29:27.813+01:00JRC Global Buffet (Ilford) is some sort of food theme park and here's why<a href="http://www.jrc-globalbuffet.com/ilford">JRC Global Buffet</a> in Ilford is bonkers - it's like a food theme park in there. <br />
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The place is big - very big - and possibly one of the largest restaurants I've been to. It's no wonder why; there are food stations from 12 different different countries. Like Asian food? There's Indian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese (including live teppanyaki grill). You can also get Spanish food, Italian pizza, pasta, salads and a variety of tasty-looking desserts. <br />
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As far as buffets go, this one is pretty good. It's obviously not fine dining, but choice is good, food tasted fresh on my visit and the owners have made an effort at presentation, the latter of which you can't normally say for other buffets.<br />
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Check out some of the pics I took below. (Sorry I wasn't able to get more snaps of the food stations; the restaurant was pretty full and it was not easy to take that many photos!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XTTI40YRaVg/U1luwjZW89I/AAAAAAAAcpU/nJA4KnFXz_k/s1600/20140413_123625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XTTI40YRaVg/U1luwjZW89I/AAAAAAAAcpU/nJA4KnFXz_k/s1600/20140413_123625.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the dessert station. There was a LOT more on offer!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SlcbyDnxWAo/U1luwn3dTAI/AAAAAAAAcpU/BfKrJYtc_SI/s1600/20140413_131349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SlcbyDnxWAo/U1luwn3dTAI/AAAAAAAAcpU/BfKrJYtc_SI/s1600/20140413_131349.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meats and seafood for the teppanyaki grill. Pick a maximum of two items per visit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y472_S3NFIw/U1luwrEpTAI/AAAAAAAAcpU/IgGQym_O8So/s1600/20140413_131931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y472_S3NFIw/U1luwrEpTAI/AAAAAAAAcpU/IgGQym_O8So/s1600/20140413_131931.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled scallops were good - and big!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flFZ0TDg0TA/U1luwrwWrmI/AAAAAAAAcpU/81adtgTtV-U/s1600/20140413_131921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flFZ0TDg0TA/U1luwrwWrmI/AAAAAAAAcpU/81adtgTtV-U/s1600/20140413_131921.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dim sum station.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3FPPNSvj1QI/U1luwt4EM1I/AAAAAAAAcpU/gK95qSVosI0/s1600/20140413_132133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3FPPNSvj1QI/U1luwt4EM1I/AAAAAAAAcpU/gK95qSVosI0/s1600/20140413_132133.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various meatballs, seafood balls and crab.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x_mhca70WWw/U1luwim0n9I/AAAAAAAAcpU/iVIOetEculs/s1600/20140413_132140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x_mhca70WWw/U1luwim0n9I/AAAAAAAAcpU/iVIOetEculs/s1600/20140413_132140.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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So if you live nearby and are pretty hungry, then consider JRC. At £15.99 per person on Sunday, it's not bad value if you have an appetite.<br />
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And don't forget to print your discount voucher from their website!<br />
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<a href="http://www.jrc-globalbuffet.com/assets/img/promotions/ilford-offers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.jrc-globalbuffet.com/assets/img/promotions/ilford-offers.jpg" height="150" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Nearest station: Ilford</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4598782015294123156.post-22986052912916142962014-04-17T06:00:00.000+01:002014-04-17T06:00:01.973+01:00The Noodle House comes to London: a good start for the Asian food chain from Dubai<a href="http://www.tnhlondon.com/#home-london">The Noodle House</a> is a restaurant chain owned by <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jumeirah.com%2Fen%2Fjumeirah-group%2Fportfolio%2Fjumeirah-restaurants%2F&ei=MAtPU633B_D24QSlnIDYCw&usg=AFQjCNHmSV8nRA9eVSLsgbFZkmiVF2-Rdg&sig2=-fK56x3GVB6N-dBvGk98RQ">Jumeirah Restaurants</a> <a href="http://www.thenoodlehouse.com/PressRelease.aspx?page=82&title=the%20noodle%20house%20to%20enter%20Great%20Britain%20in%202012">from Dubai</a>, which today (Thursday 17 April 2014) opens its first UK branch in Soho, London.<br />
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I was lucky enough to go to one of its 'soft opening' nights yesterday, effectively an opportunity for staff and management to practice running the restaurant ahead of the real opening - definitely a smart move.<br />
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But a soft opening doesn't mean it was quiet - in fact far from it. It was full of diners (apparently made up mainly of friends and family of staff) and had a lively atmosphere, so it very much looked the part in one of the busiest parts of London.<br />
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The girlfriend and I tried a selection of dishes. First came the '<b>Asian Salad</b>'. Despite the generic name, it had a delicious and tangy citrus sesame dressing with a fried wonton skin on top - very refreshing. There were lots of ingredients in this (see caption), which meant there were lots of interesting textures and flavours; it was definitely not a boring salad.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VyGo_MCTUAE/U08AWdXERXI/AAAAAAAAcIM/rFgjhcMdclQ/s1600/20140416_195634_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VyGo_MCTUAE/U08AWdXERXI/AAAAAAAAcIM/rFgjhcMdclQ/s1600/20140416_195634_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Asian Salad': mixed greens, mangetout, red onions, spring onions, coriander, baby corn, cashews and sesame seeds tossed in citrus sesame dressing, served with a crispy wonton.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The (seven) <b>butter prawns</b> were excellent. Served with the head separated (but still on the plate), the sauce was perhaps the real star. Cooked in a 'chilli curry butter', the dish didn't taste like any one particular ingredient, but rather a nice blend of many ingredients coming together. The char-grilled nature of the dish definitely added a slightly smoky flavour.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nTTNI7HBDdc/U08As5SF0oI/AAAAAAAAcIU/kcLCkeqUJbw/s1600/20140416_202650_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nTTNI7HBDdc/U08As5SF0oI/AAAAAAAAcIU/kcLCkeqUJbw/s1600/20140416_202650_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter Prawns: char-grilled garlic marinated king prawns tossed in a chilli curry butter, topped with fried curry leaves and black vinegar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The <b>bakmi goreng</b> was another solid effort. The sauce had a subtle spicy kick after every mouthful. It's not too spicy though, so most people will be able to handle it. If you like stir-fried noodles, this would be a good choice.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5uL-Q4MUeHY/U08BMzTX1SI/AAAAAAAAcIc/I3cjgqRLg3Q/s1600/20140416_200822_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5uL-Q4MUeHY/U08BMzTX1SI/AAAAAAAAcIc/I3cjgqRLg3Q/s1600/20140416_200822_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bakmi Goreng: udon noodles with chicken, prawns, bean sprouts, cabbage, pak choi, eggs and a sweet chilli ginger sauce, garnished with spring onions and fried banana shallots.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The <b>vegetable fried rice</b> was not bad and was generally a nice accompaniment for the rest of the meal. Fried rice is a pretty easy thing to make so it's difficult to get wrong.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQ_GCH8JV2k/U08B4JrxdDI/AAAAAAAAcIk/uYFtKlCCEyU/s1600/20140416_200755_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQ_GCH8JV2k/U08B4JrxdDI/AAAAAAAAcIk/uYFtKlCCEyU/s1600/20140416_200755_Night.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegetable Fried Rice: wok-fried jasmine rice with peas, sweetcorn, carrots and mangetout. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Moving onto dessert, the girlfriend and I shared a <b>lime and ginger cheesecake</b>. Sometimes cheesecakes can be quite heavy but this one was of the lighter variety - not too rich. The lime and ginger flavour was quite subtle and I personally would have preferred it slightly stronger, though the girlfriend thought it was fine - so all down to personal preference I guess.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eR7v5VDexKw/U08CKOZg1cI/AAAAAAAAcIs/VHCq15uSCP4/s1600/20140416_210902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eR7v5VDexKw/U08CKOZg1cI/AAAAAAAAcIs/VHCq15uSCP4/s1600/20140416_210902.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lime and Ginger Cheesecake. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As expected with a soft opening, there were a couple of very minor hiccups along the way. The two-person cocktail we initially ordered was not available, and we received two portions of the butter prawns (not that we're complaining!) - but this is to be expected from a new group of people working together, so I'm not going to criticise them for that.<br />
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More importantly, the staff I interacted with were friendly and seemed positive and excited about the restaurant. Plus, underpinning all of it is that the food is pretty good - not a bad effort at all.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u6jP8R6qpv8/U08CayyaSyI/AAAAAAAAcI0/SJ8b2TIn7Fg/s1600/20140416_200939_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u6jP8R6qpv8/U08CayyaSyI/AAAAAAAAcI0/SJ8b2TIn7Fg/s1600/20140416_200939_Night.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Noodle House also serves cocktails.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Closest Tube: Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/121455/The_Noodle_House?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of The Noodle House"><img alt="Square Meal" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/121455/get-blog-review/image/large.png" height="125" width="230" /></a><br />
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<b>Disclaimer: </b>I won a competition to attend the soft opening, which included a free meal (but not drinks). However at no point was I asked to write a positive review in return.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762377981857692758noreply@blogger.com0117 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8AD, UK51.5139441 -0.1288250999999718331.097441600000003 -41.437419099999971 71.93044660000001 41.179768900000028