A tasty brunch at Wahaca

Last weekend my boyfriend and I wandered over to Charlotte Street for Sunday brunch. We'd planned to try out Lantana - the brunch menu there looks absolutely amazing - but unfortunately were met with a queue spilling out onto the street and "at least 30 minutes wait" for a table.

Hungry (and in my boyfriend's case, extremely hungover), we decided - on this occasion at least - to try out one of the area's many other eateries instead. Wahaca - the Mexican eatery everyone has been talking about - caught our eye with it's brightly coloured facade (and availability of tables!), so we headed inside.

Free tables :-)

While Wahaca does offer a breakfast menu (featuring Mexican favourites such as huevos rancheras and breakfast burritos), we were drawn to the Street Food section of the main menu, which boasts a tempting assortment of tacos, tostadas, taquitos, and quesadillas.

Following the instructions of our waitress (who recommended ordering 2-3 dishes per person), we opted for the pork pibil tacos, the tender marinated chicken tacquitos, and the black bean & cheese and chiptole chicken quesadillas from the Street Food menu, along with crispy squid (the special of the day) and a side dish of fried sweet potatoes.

Soft shell tacos, topped with a smear of delicious sauce, a mountain of tender shredded pork, and a red onion and fresh herb garnish, went down a treat! Fresh and light, this was an unexpectedly successful rendition of a dish which can so often be greasy or overly spiced.

The black bean and cheese quesadilla - redolent with both cheddar and mozarella - was an oozey delight. We both agreed that the pocket of crisp toasted tortilla, filled with flavourful refried bean paste and an abundance of melting cheese, was better than anything we had on our trip to Mexico earlier this year!

Chicken chipotle quesadilla was equally good: while lacking the glorious gooeyness of its cheesey counterpart, the tangy chipotle sauce and bounty of tender shredded chicken served as apt compensation.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the marinated chicken tostada, but you'll have to take my word for it: this was a very good-looking dish. Two deep fried tortilla cyclinders, housing a tasty filling of tender chicken breast, were topped with shredded lettuce, tasty tomato salsa, and a sprinkling of crumbled cheese. Delicious.

Given the absence of decent Mexican restaurants in London, Wahaca is a revelation. And, at only £26 for two (both of us stuffed to the brim by the end of the meal), it was stunningly good value too.

http://www.wahaca.co.uk/flash/main.html

Baker and Spice

I'd heard good things of Baker and Spice, so when my mother and I happened to pass by the Belgravia branch recently, we decided to stop for coffee and cake and try it out.

There was a tantalising array of pastries and other sweet treats on display, as well as some appealing savoury options. While tempted by the very comprehensive breakfast menu*, we decided - after much consideration - to split a slice of blueberry cheesecake and a square of apple tart.

The blueberry cheesecake was a bit too rich; the texture overly moist and creamy for my liking. I prefer a baked cheesecake to have a bit more bite, to be slightly crumbly, even. However, the flavour was good and an abundance of plump, juicy blueberries meant that it was still pretty tasty!

The apple tart was as good as it looked. Tasty caramelised apples achieved a perfect sweet-tart balance, and the crisp pastry base was deliciously flaky. The only thing missing was a big dollop of whipped cream...

The coffees were also very good (to be fair - where aren't they good, in London these days?), with an impressive depth of flavour, and just the right amount of smooth, creamy foam on my cappuccino.

The location of this branch was lovely. With tables spilling outside onto the quiet, pretty street, it was a great spot for soaking up the sunshine and watching the world go by.

*http://www.bakerandspice.uk.com/documents/breakfast.pdf

Smiths of Smithfield

I love Smithfield Market: the oldest and largest wholesale meat market in the UK, it transforms each morning into an unlikely meeting of besuited office workers and white-coated butchers; coffee-clutching bankers side-stepping huge wheelie bins of animal carcasses on their way to the City.

The surrounding area is home to a number of fantastic restaurants, many of which source their meat from the nearby market. One such place is Smiths of Smithfield (S.O.S.) - split into four floors, each with a different menu and ambience, the overarching focus is on good quality meat used in solid, well-thought-out dishes.

I recently ended up visiting twice in one week - once with a group of work friends, for a boozy meal in the Second Floor "Dining Room", and once for a relaxed weekend brunch on the Ground Floor.

DINNER

The evening meal in the Dining Room - an atmospheric, dimly-lit, loft-style eating space - was extremely good. The twelve of us were seated on a square table, three on each side; a seating arrangement we found far preferable to being spread out over a long rectangular table. The food was excellent, and pretty good value too: drinks and mains, plus a couple of shared puddings and a few coffees came to £34 a head - not bad at all, given the quantity of wine imbubed.

I went for the rib steak, which was absolutely delicious: meltingly tender, it boasted a powerful chargrilled flavour (the scent drifting up from my plate as I waited impatiently for everyone else's dishes to arrive...). I swapped the chips for seasonal vegetables: consisting of a large portion of courgette and squash cooked in a light garlic butter, these were surprisingly tasty for the 'healthy' option.

Other members of our group opted for impressive looking "Smiths" burgers (chunky patties topped with melted cheese and tomato relish and draped with a strip of bacon, served alongside a bucket of tasty fat chips); a large portion of roast lamb (the special of the day, for two to share - two generous cuts of meat sitting astride a pile of roast potatoes, with a jug of mint sauce on the side); tender salt beef with horseradish and spring onion mash; a colourful risotto primavera; and slow-roast pork belly with salsa verde.

Only two of my colleagues ordered dessert, but I managed to sneak a spoonful of both! Sticky toffee pudding, topped with a creamy scoop of vanilla ice-cream and drenched in a gorgeously rich caramel sauce, was exceptionally good. White chocolate and berry cheesecake (which may have been a special of the day, as I couldn't see it on the menu) was also delicious: firm, crumbly baked cheesecake studded with sweet berries and drizzled with a swirl of fruit coulis.

http://www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/SOS_DiningRoom_samplemenu.pdf

BRUNCH

Brunch, a few days later, came after a heavy night out (in Infernos no less - we like to keep it classy!). By day, the ground floor bar area doubles as a casual dining room. Light and airy, with warehouse chic decor (all exposed beams and chrome air vents) and big communal tables, the atmosphere is laid-back and family-friendly, with a relaxed buzz of chatter forming the back-drop to your meal.

Along with another of my friends, I ordered a Full English. It wasn't perfect: the toast (topped with scrambled eggs) was soggy, and the bacon - neither smoked nor browned - was a bit rubbery and quite 'pork-y' (if that makes any sense). However, I have very high standards: to be fair to the chef, fried mushrooms, eggs and sausage were all perfectly fine, roast tomato was good, bubble and squeak (a tasty patty of mash and greens) was very palatable, and my friend liked the black pudding (which I don't eat, so am unable to comment upon).

My other friends went for a bacon sandwich (more of that rubbery bacon, although he didn't complain) and a chicken burger, which looked pretty good - although not quite as tasty as the burgers enjoyed by my colleagues a few nights before.

Our brunch ended up lasting somewhat longer than we'd expected, with an interminable downpour of torrential rain causing us to be trapped there for over four hours, but we were happy to linger.

The waitresses, while friendly enough, were a bit distracted. It was incredibly hard to get their attention, and even when we did manage to catch their eye, they kept rushing off mid-way through our order (which became pretty comical the 3rd or 4th time it happened!)

Despite the avoidant waitresses, we did manage to order in a few rounds of drinks - the usual teas, coffees and juices, and, later on (as the rain outside continued...) some more interesting beverages. I ordered a coke float (this wasn't on the menu, but they obliged me by dropping a scoop of ice-cream into my drink), while two of my friends upped the stakes by opting for alcoholic milkshakes.

They both went for the same drink - the Brandy Alexander, a concoction consisting of brandy, frangelico, vanilla and chocolate ice - which was delicious, although very rich! (I might have to go back to try the Apple Crumble - a delectable blend of apple schnapps, goldschlager, vanilla ice, and crumbled biscuit).

http://www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/SOS_Ground_brunch.pdf

OVERALL

The good food and laid-back atmopshere - not to mention the handy location mid-way between my flat and my office - means that I'll definitely be heading back to Smiths of Smithfield. I'd love to check out the swanky Top Floor menu, or go for drinks in the Wine Rooms.

Also, while I didn't discover this until after we had left (my friend thought I would be too obvious and didn't tell me!), it turns out James McAvoy (of X-Men fame) was sitting further down our table as we ate our brunch!!! So, as well as being a great place to go for a hearty meal, Smiths could be a good spot for some celebrity spotting!

 

11 Cadogan Gardens: Review for Bookatable

I had the pleasure of visiting 11 Cadogan Gardens on behalf of Bookatable recently, where I had a lovely meal in the hotel restaurant. Check out the review here, on the Bookatable blog: http://www.bookatable.com/uk/blog/post/11-cadogan-gardens-review

Not-just-cabbage Soup

This is a bit of a delayed post, but given the nature of the dish, I thought it would be more appropriate for autumn than midsummer (although - perversely - now we've hit September, the weather is the best it's been for months!)

After using most of the home-grown vegetables donated to me by my parents in my feast of summer salads, I was left with an enormous cabbage, and, somewhat unimaginatively, decided to make cabbage soup.

Now before you stop reading, I know cabbage soup has a bad name, conjuring up images of miserable fad-dieters subsisting on overcooked leaves in a watery broth...but this wasn't that kind of cabbage soup.

The addition of lentils, butter beans, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and plenty of bacon meant that this was more of a stew than a soup (and while healthy, far from rabbit food).

Ingredients:

1 large green cabbage
200g pack of smoked bacon rashers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
A couple of carrots, diced
1/2 pack of mushrooms, sliced
1 can butter beans
1/2 sachet of beluga lentils
Boiling water
Salt and pepper to taste

First, fry the bacon for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped onions and the diced carrots.

Sweat the onions and carrots for a few minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms, butter beans, lentils, and green cabbage. Cover with boiling water and season to taste.

Put the lid on your pot and leave to cook for 20 minutes or so, until the cabbage leaves have wilted and the liquid has soaked up the flavours of the bacon and onion.

And voila - a hearty, warming stew in under 30 minutes!

After-work drinks at Madison

One day earlier this summer - after unrelenting weeks of rain - the sun came out...

...and, jumping at the chance to finally have a few out-of-doors, after-work drinks, a bunch of us headed to Madison, for (slightly overpriced) drinks on its fantastic roof terrace, overlooking St Paul's cathedral.

While the drinks were nothing out-of-the-ordinary (the usual, pricey City fare...and as the boys were quick to complain, the beer did not come in pints), the location was fantastic, and despite the 10,000 or so other people who seemed to have had the same idea as us (no joke - we had to go down to the basement in the lift in order to get to the top, as every 'up' lift was wedged full), with the fresh air and amazing views, it still didn't feel too crowded. Perhaps - if the sun comes out again this side of winter -  we'll go back for some tapas...

Photo, from a more atmospheric-ally cloudy day

Two sunny days in Richmond and a lunch at Med Kitchen

One Saturday early this summer I met up with my stepfather in Wimbledon for a 25-mile cycle ride (in preparation for a 50-miler we were signed up for a few weeks later - thankfully we survived!). We had planned out a scenic route - encompassing Wimbledon Common, Richmond Park, and Hampton Court (and of course a pub break half way) and, despite a gloomy forecast (rain, rain and more rain), the day "dawned bright and clear" - sunny and warm, with a fresh breeze perfect for sweaty cyclists(!)

Richmond Park was breathtakingly beautiful: months of rain had left the park impossibly green, with waist-high ferns, swathes of long grass rippling like waves, huge, ancient oak trees, and stunning views over the south of London. And of course, the beautiful red deer the park is famous for: the highlight of the day was when three exquisite does bounded - one behind the other, in perfect formation - right across our path (no photo, unfortunately!)

Following the riverside path from Richmond to Hampton Court feels like you're living a piece of history: quintessentially English, from the royal swans on the  water to the oak trees shading the path, this must be one of the most un-changed parts of London.

A gentle cycle along the water took us to Hampton Court, an imposing sight with its red brick and Tudor chimneys.

 
And of course we stopped mid-way for a pub lunch. Sandwiches - BLT and thick cut ham and mustard - eaten outside in the sunshine alongside a well-deserved drink. Perfect.

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Having had such a lovely trip the first time round, I was determined to take my boyfriend to Richmond Park at some point in the summer. After waiting a good few weeks for another sunny weekend, I finally got my chance.

On foot this time, we had planned to explore the town centre. However, while seemingly quite picturesque, it was incredibly busy (we clearly weren't the only ones who had decided to get out of the city on this baking hot day), so we escaped the crowds to walk along the river instead.

We stopped for lunch at Med Kitchen. Sitting right on the river, with tables outside and an airy high-ceilinged interior, this was one of the nicest branches I've been to. I was too hot to even contemplate a cooked meal, but a refreshing bowl of cool gazpacho - complete with ice-cubes - and a summer salad of asparagus, green beans, cherry tomatoes and cos lettuce went down a treat. My boyfriend opted for the fish of the day, which happened to be fish and chips. In a light batter, with a tasty serving of mushy peas and tartar sauce, this was also pretty good.

After lunch, we walked through various meadows (to our city-dwelling eyes these seemed to stretch never-ending in all directions) until we arrived at Richmond Park. A swelteringly hot day, the acres of damp grass drying out in the sun produced an almost palpable wall of humidity...

We perservered for about 45 minutes in the hope of seeing a deer, but they must have all been relaxing in the shade somewhere (clever deer), as we didn't even spot one. While still a lovely spot for a walk, Richmond Park is definitely easier to explore on bike: attempting to cross it on foot, it quickly becomes obvious how big it is and it's impossible to cover even a fraction of the total area. 

http://www.medkitchen.co.uk/restaurants/richmond-riverside-restaurant/

Kopapa and Amorino

With a fantastic location just off Seven Dials, this Antipodean-run restaurant takes fusion cuisine to the next level. Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian and Oriental flavours abound in a wonderful assortment of innovative dishes: tempura inari pockets, stuffed with spicy dhal and served with caramelised coconut and pickled papaya; spring rolls of slow-roasted pork, with coriander, wombok*, and lime mayonnaise; rib of beef with a smoked aubergine tamarind salad and hot pepper jus... The list goes on.

The exotic flavours are expressed in an imaginative menu of sharing platters, small and large plates, and desserts; and with plenty of unusual ingredients and unexpected flavour combinations, Kopapa is definitely inspirational for any aspiring chef.

I came here for a light dinner with my mum - we shared a carafe of good rose wine, a mixed sharer platter, and a mouth-wateringly good* small plate of lamb breast in pomegranate glaze with yoghurt.

The variety of dishes on offer makes Kopapa suitable for any occasion, whether you're looking for a large, multi-course feast or a light pre-theatre snack. The abundance of sharing platters and small plates on the menu encourages a relaxed, sociable dining experience, and there's a great selection of wine and cocktails too.

After our meal we wandered over to Soho to get ice-cream at Amorino. This has to be one of the best gelateria's in London, serving a fantastic array of authentic Italian ice-cream alongside other treats (specialty hot chocolate, waffles, milkshakes...). On this occasion I went for a combination of Amorino's gorgeous speculoos ice-cream (with the distinctive spicy caramel flavour of Belgian Speculos biscuits) alongside "l'inimitabile" (chocolate-hazelnut flavour with sumptuous strata of frozen nutella - the friendly girl behind the counter put an extra chunk in my cup on my request!). My mum, who ordered the nocciola and coffee - her favourite flavours - was also very impressed.

With its central location, Amorino is a great spot to grab dessert after a meal at one of the many restaurants in the area, or just for a scoop of something cold and delicious on a hot day! I'll definitely be back in winter to try out the decadent hot chocolate...

http://www.kopapa.co.uk/
http://www.amorino.com/en/

*Also known as Chinese cabbage
**I would like to note: no more so than my mum's slow-cooked pomegranate molasses-marinated lamb, which is also pretty incredible