All posts by Fork & Talk

Two girls eat their way through London in the hopes to find the best eats in town. We have made a lot of mistakes in love but we will be damned if we make a mistake with our ultimate love, food.

Asian, Chinese

Crystal Jade

May 29, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

Something we have learnt about China is that there is NO CHINESE FOOD. What we mean by that is that there are 10 regional cuisines that make up Chinese food: Shanghaiese, Chui Chow, Hakka, Sichuan, Hunan, Fujian, Yunnan, Beijing and Xinxiang. There are a few more but these are said to be the most predominate here in China and Hong Kong. Each from a different region or a settlement. So we are being awfully abstract when we say we feel like ‘Chinese’ tonight.

We went to a lovely restaurant called Crystal Jade in Wan Chai. Shanghainese food from what we have found is a lot mellower and has a slight sweetness to it in comparison to your other Chinese regional cuisine. Noodle soups are a big thing but unfortunately as they has pork added to all their bases so I couldn’t have any. However, Elena and the rest of the crew ordered a pot of beef noodles and peanut noodles to start with. There were a number of condiments available to add flavour which is another process for eating Shanghaiese food.

The restaurant were kind enough to give me a bowl of plain vermicelli noodles so I could add condiments without the pork based soup so I was happy.

For main we ordered sweet and sour fish and steamed vegetables. The sweet and sour fish looked rather impressive. The flavours are a lot more subtle than that tangy and intoxicatingly sweet stuff we get in London. Usually chicken is the meat we would associate with sweet and sour dishes, but our local friends said that fish was actually the preferred choice in Hong Kong. The fish is deep fried and covered in the sauce. The meat just melts in the mouth and is delicious.

Crystal Jade is a nice and cosy place to eat with groups of friends. Seating is made up of booths and tables and it has a traditional yet modern look about it.

Crystal Jade

Shop 310, Tai Yau Plaza, 181 Johnston Road Wan Chai.

Asian, Chinese, Vegetarian

LockCha Tea House

May 28, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

So after our questionable Michelin experience at Tim Ho Wan yesterday we searched for another dim sum eatery and came across LockCha Tea House situated in Hong Kong park.

We hoped that our second experience of dim sum would settle the question of whether dim sum is really meant to be squidgy and wet or are the textures right from what we know of dim sum in London.

LockCha Tea House is in the stunning location of Hong Kong park with its iconic water feature and peaceful atmosphere. The tea house has a huge range of Chinese teas to offer for any palette. The waiters are always ready to assist you in making a selection which for novices like ourselves was a big help.

Once the tea is selected the waiters will perform a traditional tea ceremony ritual which we were in ore of.

Watching the gentle movements of the washing of the cup and the brewing of the tea brung a sense of calm which was a total disconnect to what Hong Kong is all about. Where ever you may go in Hong Kong to eat there is the feeling panic and a culture of service with no smile but service with a growl. The staff at LockCha are friendly and approachable and it was nice to have that western touch to service after being without it for three days.

The dim sum on offer is all vegetarian and there is only a small selection to chose from which makes life a lot easier when you think about the length of the menus you are usually subjected to in most restaurants in Hong Kong.

As you can see we pretty much had most of the menu and regretted NOTHING. We ate and ate and yet we felt so good eating it.

The dim sum was largely steamed and were all made up of fresh vegetables so it felt like we were eating uber healthy in comparison to the majority of the week.

This has been the best dim sum experience ever. Such a range of subtle flavours and textures added with the fact you can’t feel you arteries clogging up with oil just makes it a double thumbs up.

The dim sum wasn’t gooey or wet like at Tim Ho Wan and after having this dim sum meal we can now confirm that LockCha Tea House has the best dim sum in Hong Kong. Luck was on our side today as we didn’t even have to wait for a table, we had heard horror stories of wait times but we managed to get away with it. Luck of the British 🙂 Beware, LockCha Tea House do not take reservations so build in some time just incase you have to wait.

Whilst making a trip to LockCha make sure you spend some time looking around the Hong Kong park, it truly is lovely.

Calm, peaceful and the best dim sum we have tastes so far.

LockCha Tea House
Ground Floor, The K.S. Lo Gallery, Hong Kong Park, Admiralty, Hong Kong Park, Central, Hong Kong

Asian, Burger, Chinese

Little Bao

May 28, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

‘Been around the world, ayayayayaya, I can’t find my burger….’, UNTIL WE CAME TO HONG KONG!!!!

Fans, as you know we have been on a life long mission to find the best burger in the world and well we think we have found the best one (so far). The unusual thing is that it can be found in Hong Kong of all places in a little place called Little Bao in the Soho expat district.

Begone the brioche bun and hello the steamed bun!

Begone the pattie and hello pork belly or Szechuan chicken fillings!

It’s time for us to leave the UK and USA and embrace Asia.

Little Bao is a tiny diner style restaurant in Soho. Not really a big gathering kind of place as you will either be facing the wall or the kitchen.

The tunes were banging out funk, as chefs were flipping burgers to the beat. We were quickly talked through the menu and decided on four starters and a burger each.

This is one of those places that puts all it’s passion into food and good service. There are no frills to your dining experience, it’s stripped back to a plate, chopstick and a napkin.

We started meal off with Brussels sprouts, which you would think is an odd thing to find in Hong Kong. But with a sprinkle of fresh chilli, peanuts and fish sauce this could-be-boring dish was re-styled as a great starter with an Asian twist. We are definitely stealing this recipe for our next Christmas dinner.

Next up were Truffle Fries topped with fried mushrooms. We could smell the truffle oil even before they landed on our table, it was a truly moorish sharing platter. Give them a quick toss and tuck in! I’d choose those over cheesy fries anytime!

Hot chicken was a real show piece. I kick myself for not taking a photo of these drum sticks next to a bottle of coke for scale, but they were practically the same size. Giant succulent spicy drum sticks. The batter crust was almost caramel like, you had to tap it with your chopstick and like a creme brûlée, it would crack open to revel a very tender chicken meat.

Short-rib pan fried dumplings were yummy! Rib meat was minced and so tender with pasty light and crunchy. You’d think we had finished our meal, but no no no, we haven’t even got to the mains yet!

Bao, typical Chinese steamed bun, was warmed up on a stove before it took in ridiculous amount of stuffing. We tried their famous pork belly Bao, Szechuan chicken and beef.

Now this was the perfect burger. Flavours were delicate and extremely delicious. No ingredient was overlooked. Bao bun made it really easy to stuff in your mouth and in true burger style it was a messy affair.

We can’t recommend Little Bao enough, whether you are in Hong Kong for a week or a day please make time for Little Bao, as we guarantee it will be a meal to remember!

Little Bao

6 Staunton St. Central, Hong Kong.

www.little-bao.com

Asian, Chinese

Tim Ho Wan

May 27, 2015 Fork & Talk 2 Comments

Fancy Michelin starred food for less than a £15 for two???? Well head to Tim Ho Wan for apparently the best dim sum in Hong Kong. This cute place has been awarded with one Michelin star and well we couldn’t pass up the chance to tick it off our list.

The owner of Tim Ho Wan once used to be the head chef at the Four Seasons Hotel and was crowned the dim sum specialist. He then ventured out on his own to bring us Tim Ho Wan.

Turn over is quick and this is definitely not a fine dining experience so please be prepared to sit at Hong Kong train station for this dine. The clients are both locals and tourists which gives you a good idea of the buzz it has.

Ordering – You are expected to fill out the menu card to state what you want before you are seated and the dishes are brought to you as they are made. Expect bamboo baskets to fly across your face as the waitress are continuously running around cleaning dishes as you finish. It is not the most relaxed atmosphere.

Cheap it definitely is, we are just not sure what we think of it. The only reason we say this is that the textures are a lot different to what we know and it was all a bit too squidgy and slippery for our liking. However, saying that this could actually be how dim sum is meant to be, so we would like to try another dim sum place while we are here, to be able to safely say whether this is the best or not.

Saying all that, the food is lovely and we can recommend the beef meat balls and the fried prawn dumplings. The seafood dishes are definitely the ones that stand out.

We were not a fan of the bean curd as we found, too wet and tasteless.

We were later told the signature dish is the pork rolls, which unfortunately I was never going to have. Elena shed a tear as she never got to have them, so if you manage to have it then let us know what was missed.

Tomorrow, we will be going to LockCha Tea House for lunch so will compare and let you know.

Tim Ho Wan

Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station

Asian, breakfast, Coffee Break

Teakha

May 27, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

A trendy and kitch tea shop, Teakha really made an awesome tea experience this morning. Home blended teas and freshly baked cakes and pastries, this little sanctuary really put a smile on our faces as we took shelter for the code black torrential rain that swept across Hong Kong this morning.

We got to the tea shop at 11am to staff who happily told us their tea was not ready and their cakes hadn’t finished baking. One thing you will realise in Hong Kong is that they are not early risers and nor are they breakfast people so expect the start to the day to be slow. Usually Elena would have had a heart attack at the thought of being denied food yet as we saw they were brewing their own teas and were frantically mixing batters and shoving them into ovens, well we knew we were in for a treat.

The staff kindly allowed us to take shelter indoors while they finished and we shift through their menu. I ordered the Rose Tea which came with a frothy top, caramel drizzle and edible rose petals. The aroma is that of fresh rosa petals and the taste is just like sweet rose water. Will definitely try and make something like this at home. Elena ordered an aromatic black tea which was earthy in flavour and rich.

We ordered the most amazing cakes. Elena ordered a chai caramel brown which came straight out of the oven so was warm and gooey on the inside. I ordered a chamomile, buttermilk and custard tart which reminded me a lot of a traditional New York cheesecake, milky, light and airy. Delicious.

Beware, it is not a traditional tea house and is very modern. It is an expat hotspot as the flavours here are more for the western diner. This place is cute and stunning and we wish we could try the other things on the menu.

Two things Teakha made us realise were:

1. We should always pack a scarf or sweater as the air conditioning inside was freezing and that goes for all restaurants in Hong Kong

2. We really want to try a traditional Chinese tea house before we leave and obviously share those details with you

Teakha

Shop B, 18 Tai Ping Shan Road SOHO Sheung Wan.

Japanese

Sen-Ryo

May 26, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

Okay, so it’s our third meal and we haven’t got any closer to eating Chinese food yet. We keep being blinded by all these other kitch restaurants but we will be dining Chinese style for dinner for sure.

Having spent the afternoon browsing flower and bird markets in Mong Kok, we were too tired to travel back to Central for lunch. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try some sushi so we went with the first open restaurant we could find. You know how we love sushi!!!! Also, being a Street Fighter lover I went crazy at the association with Ryo “adooookin!”.

The interior is very traditional with soft lighting and dark wooden cladding everywhere. Seating is a mixture of booths and bar seating which is cosy. Something interesting we found out on our visit was they apparently Hong Kong is full of single female diners and so therefore a lot of the bar seating was actually designed for them. However, don’t be feeling sad for them, these are the Hong Kong power women that have amazing careers and have little time for social hang outs.

Sen-Ryo have a bit of an Argos approach to ordering food. You have a catalogue (menu) from which you select dishes from and you simply fill in the sheet and hand it to the waiter and wait for your platters to arrive. I think we have had some incredible sushi presentation in the past so the presentation was a tad disappointing. Though still nice and appetising. We had a selection of nice sushi offerings from tuna rolls to jumbo rolls (made with eel here so be careful as eel seems to feature a lot in the sushi of the orient). A must try is the fried egg which is comes in cubes taste like a sweet omelette. Another thing to recommend is the tuna sashimi which just melts in the mouth. Actually, saying that all the fish is just stunning and fresh, really makes you question what ‘fresh’ seafood actually is a home.

For a meal for 3 it cost a total of 490 Hong Kong dollars meaning about £40 so it was a pretty good spend.

Anyway, next stop must be some Chinese. I’m feeling Shanghaiese in particular.

Sen-Ryo

Shop 362, 3/F, Moko, 193 Prince Edward Road West Mong Kok.

Dessert

Lab Made Cafe

May 25, 2015 Fork & Talk 2 Comments

A few weeks ago I walked past a place in Camden where the ice cream was being made while the customers waited. I was mesmerised and it had been a life long dream to be part of that creaming process and be able to add what I want.

“NOOOOO, you cannnn’tttt!” You say? Well it is possible with the help of liquid nitrogen!!!! However, we never got to try it out in London but decided go for every flavour that was offered when I found the Lab Made Cafe on the streets of Hong Kong.

Now unlike London the Hong Kong-ese tend not to go for your bog standard flavours so forget your vanillas or Oreo cookie for this event. We decided to try all four of the seasonal flavours. We tried: Tai Hing Chilled Milk Tea, Tai Mango and Coconut Rice, Sea Salt Gelto with crunchy caramel and Crispy White Chocolate with Greek Yoghurt and Strawberry Sauce.

Each cup of goodness is blended with cream and relevant flavours and then the dramatic stuff happens, the liquid nitrogen in poured in and the mixer over fills will cold smoke and then waaalaaa, your ice cream is ready. The flavours are so odd yet wholesome and nice, after a few scoops that is lol. Two scoops costs you £44 Hong Kong dollars which works out at about being £4.40 which is on the tad expensive end when you think about how much you get. It’s a cute but faddy ice cream place which Hong Kong is full of. A word of warning, the liquid nitrogen makes the ice cream melt ridiculously quickly so be prepared to knock it back quick. Interesting fact – Lab Made Cafe change their menu every two weeks so be prepared not to be able to try any of the flavours we mentioned.

Lab Made

Shop B, G/F, Soundview Plaza 2 – Midtown, 1-29 Tang Lung Street Causeway Bay

Japanese

Tonkichi – Tonkatsu Seafood

May 25, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

Our first eat in Hong Kong and what a feast it was. We met our friend and her fiancé for dinner on our first night and they had already decided that this was the place for us to try. Located in the World Trade Centre building it over looks the harbour. If you love fried food and love your katsu then you will love this place as they have ‘katsu-fied’ everything from pork to scallops. For a halal eater like myself I had to be uber carefully and asked them to separate the pork katsu from the rest of the meal.

Tonkatsu Seafood is a lovely intermit dining experience. Diners can sit in the main hall or opt for a cosy booth. The soft lighting adds to the uber relaxed atmosphere which make you forget the hustle and bustle and soaring temperatures outside.

The meals came with sticky Japanese rice and a range of condiments. What was fascinating about this meal was that once you have ordered you are given a bowl of roasted sesame seeds and a number of oils. You are required to crush the sesame seeds with a pestle and mortar and then add the oil which you like the taste of the most to create a paste which you will use as a dip for the rest of the meal for the rice and the katsu.

You are then served a platter of fried goodies which you can dip in the paste you have made or the other condiments on offer.

A meal for four came up to 650 Hong Kong dollars costing you £52 which is incredibly cheap given the location and the fact we were eating fresh oysters and scallops. Great experience for our first meal.

Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood

Shop 412, Podium 4, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay

Burger, English, Grill

Hotbox Brunch

May 23, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Elena and I came here a few months back and fell in love with the menu, staff and decor of this place.

Today we have returned to sample their brunch menu which is only offered at the weekend and is said to be rather heavenly so we thought we would put our forks to the test.

Upon entering the place for brunch the place has a more homely feel to it. The benches are set with tea cups and China sugar bowls which makes it feel like a totally different place to the evenings.

Being a Sunday morning I had to have a coffee of some sort to begin with before I could even look at the menu. I was intrigued to find out that Hotbox use Robusta beans and upon tasting it you can feel that these beans have a smoother, longer and richer flavour and I’m glad I found a place that does this blend rather than arabica which my taste buds have gotten so used to. The taste is not as full bodied as arabica but is sweeter on my taste buds. Not sure what my partner in crime would think of this as she is a strong tasting coffee kinda gal! The beans are purchased from a company called Black Sheep Coffee if coffee lovers are interested in getting their hands on some.

After speaking to the incredible waiter (curly haired, young with a mustache) I was encouraged to try the Chicken thighs and Waffles as apparently only that morning had the head chef perfected the waffle recipe to complement the chicken to perfection and well I had to be part of this famous moment. I must admit that I was scared of trying this dish as in my head the combination just doesn’t work. However, when the dish was served I was so glad that I had picked this beauty. Crispy fried chicken with the most buttery and fluffy waffle. You didn’t really get much sweetness from the waffle so it was almost like a bun for the juicy and spicy chicken thighs, in my mouth it felt like I was eating a chicken burger. I was not at all tempted to smothering my chicken with maple syrup as my brain couldn’t handle the idea but I tried it with just the waffle and it was heavenly. Dipping out of sweet and savoury just felt like a dream and a sin.

To accompany my dish I ordered that heavenly mac and cheese that we had gushed about last time. Last time we really emphasised the smokey flavour but during the brunch menu the recipe is changed so rather than smokey it had a spicy after taste. I think I prefer the one from the dinner menu even though this one is pretty good too.

One of our friends decided they would try the liquid lunch deal which is an all you can drink for £25. You have a choice of Bloody Mary’s and Prosecco. Sounds like an amazing offer but our wonderful waiter helped us work out that it was only really worth it if you were to drink four drinks or more. Unfortunately, I was feeling rather delicate this Sunday brunch so decided I would steer clear but I will be back to try this ‘challenge’ soon.

Huevous Ranchoros and Eggs Benedict were the other dishes our friends decided to try on this occasion. The Eggs Benedict is served with pork belly so there is a tad twist to it like most of the Hotbox dishes. I couldn’t help but try the black means from Huevous Ranchoros and OMG, so much flavour for a veggie dish. The guacamole was fresh and chunky and so tasty that they even sell it as a side.

Interesting Info: when I had first looked at the menu I had thought about getting the burger or the beef tacos but once I had spoken to the waiter it was like someone had shot me in the foot and told me Santa wasn’t real. He advised me that if I chose the meat dishes at the weekend I wouldn’t be getting the best of the flavours from them as the meat would be the end of the stock of meat that Hotbox had!!!! Basically according to the waiter the deliveries for meat come at the beginning of the week so all meat dishes are at its best during the week and especially at the beginning. Now, when we came here for the first time it was a Saturday as you remember and we were blown away at how amazing the meat was and that’s at its ‘not so fresh’ moment, so all I could think about was how much more amazing can it get at the beginning of the week. Well there is only one way to find out so I will have to tell you once I have done a Mon/Tue test soon. How I love my life. I better check Elena’s schedule 🙂

So there you have it folk. Hotbox is the place to go for the brunch at the weekends. Try the other dishes on the menu and let us know which menu you prefer, lunch or dinner?

Hotbox
46-48 Commersial Street, London E1 6LT
hotboxlondon.com

English, Pub Grub

Pub Grub: The Crown

May 20, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Ignore what it looks like outside – The Crown is not an old man’s pub. It might have the traditional decor, but if you look closer it is actually a pretty great place to have dinner and drinks. Back room is decorated with art by up and coming illustrators, i think it’s a great way for them to gain exposure and perhaps sell some prints. I also saw a few shaggy friends in there which is a big plus in my book.

The crown happens to be a local to one of my best friends, so I’ve met him here on a Tuesday night after work. What makes The Crown stand out from the rest of pubs in Islington is it’s extensive wine list, so when me and my friend came here for dinner we started that way around: wine first and food pairing after.

We kicked dinner off with a bottle of Rioja and melt-in-your mouth calamari. Both worried that calamari might have been ‘rubbery’, we were pleasantly surprised as it was just perfect. For mains we got grilled sole with baby potatoes. I have never been one to shy away from fish because of the bones, but sole was extremely bony. I was not able to enjoy my meal as much as i was constantly stopping to pluck them out.

Again the wine was the star of the course – glass of Merlot and a glass of Bordeaux, both full bodied and rich. And don’t let me forget the grand finale with Tawny port and an English cheese board.

Dinner over, we stepped outside the pub and were reminded just how dead quiet Barnsbury can get! Great evening overall, we will be back to The Crown soon.

P.S. Did you notice that we have recently introduced a new feature called ‘Pub Grub’?
You can use our ‘cuisine’ search menu to locate all pub reviews with just one click!

The Crown

116 Cloudesley Road, Islington, London N1 0EB
http://crownislington.co.uk/

Thai

The Greedy Elephant

May 17, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

I love evenings in Surrey, driving around the country lanes and looking at the amazing home I can’t quiet afford. There is another positive for Surrey, it’s full of little gems to dine in such as The Greedy Elephant. Rumored to have the best Thai food in Surrey, well I had to put my fork to the test to see just how true this was. So off I went to Weybridge to find The Greedy Elephant.

Entering The Greedy Elephant you know immediately that you are in a Thai restaurant with all the gold statues and carvings. I fell in love with the crystal chandeliers they had all over the place, ideas for my own home decor started to spark. However, my excitement and wonder ended when I came face to face with the most sarcastic and rude hostess you could possibly find. Reminding myself to breath I continued to sit down and told myself how worse could she possibly get (the answer was very, however I will not focus on the incidents that took place and focus on the food)

The menu is huge!!!! So it does take a while to go through it all. The complimentary prawn crackers helped to sooth the process. We were so confused about which of the 50 starters to pick that we decided to go for the selection platter with: fishcakes, spring rolls, prawn toast, chicken satay and prawn parcel thing which wasn’t on the menu but tasted amazing. For the price of £16.95 I had to question whether it was really value for money at all, it was definitely a nice dish but not worth the hefty price tag which is ridiculous when you compare the price to the rest of the dishes on the menu. On the plus side chicken satay has to be the best I have ever tasted, tender and it actually tastes of something, spicy with a tender texture. The fish cakes where juicy and chewy and packed full of flavour, you could see and taste the fresh herbs in each cake. With regards to presentation I always think that the Thai have the most incredible presentation with knife craft and use of fresh flowers in the aesthetics of the piece but here the presence of that Thai attention to detail was lacking. Again this make you question the price tag of this dish.

The mains are more reasonably priced and the quantities are far more generous than your average Thai restaurant. Each curry could be shared by two. This definitely made up for the excessive spend on the starters. We ordered the jungle curry with chicken and the roast duck curry. OMG, usually the duck curry is never something that I would have considered but boy was this a good choice. It was creamy with all that coconut milk and the duck pieces had crispy skin and tender meat which just melted in the mouth. The vegetables were soft and I am a fan of the baby Thai aubergines. The menu stated it had pineapple in the dish wish I wasn’t keen on that idea but I think it was blended into the sauce as there were no chunks.

The jungle curry was nice but nothing to rave about. A very watery consistency and the chicken itself was rather pale and unloved with flavours, so if you had a mouthful of chicken without the gravy it was rather bland. The beans and baby corn were lovely and crisp and added wonderful colours to the dish.

To go with our mains we ordered some good old egg fried rice which was fluffy and tasty and went really well with the mains.

I’m not sure how I feel about The Greedy Elephant as the food is fabulous however the rudeness of the hostess was disgusting. I must mention the incident that took place as we paid and left. We asked the hostess if my friend and I could split the bill to which she smiled and said ‘If you want to split it, you work it out’, nicely we did and got up to leave and she just stared us out the door without a farewell sentiment. If you don’t mind feeling like you should be grateful for dining in the presence of the hostess for some good food then this is a great place. However, if you prefer service with a genuine smile (not the kind from the lady in Fatal Attraction) and a friendly atmosphere then this is not the place for you.

Such a shame, The Greedy Elephant could be amazing if they just sort the service out.

The Greedy Elephant
57 Queen’s Rd, Weybridge, Surrey
thegreedyelephant.co.uk

English, Event

Borough Market: Sandwich special

May 14, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

It’s been almost six months that my office moved to London Bridge and for that whole time I have been waiting for the perfect lunch break to sample Borough Market’s finest treats. The time finally has come. It was a bank holiday Monday, the office was quite but the food market was buzzing. I took out some cash and clutching it in my fist started sifting the market row by row.

If anyone that’s ever been to Borough market knows that depending which way wind blows, you might get a strong whiff of cheese. I traced this smell to Kappacasein and my my my it was a stand serving grilled heaven on toast.

Mountain of grated cheddar cheese pressed between two slabs of Poilane (French sourdough) bread, with a touch of garlic, onion and leek it is toasted in most hardworking toasters I have ever seen. Queues so big you have to be given a paper ticket! Great way to avoid hungry squabbles.

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And queues don’t lie- this was the best cheese sandwich I have ever had. It was crunchy on the outside and oozing with cheese on the inside. Toasted perfection! I still dream of it sometimes…

Grilled cheese sandwich is £6 a pop, but for a taste of childhood it is definitely worth it!

Because I have an appetite of a python and I am terribly bad at making food decisions, I have decided to use this opportunity to sample another delight of Borough a Market – Hot Salt beef sandwich by Northfield Kitchen.

Mountain of fluffy tender beef is efficiently stuffed between fresh white bread. Spiced with a classic pickle it is a killer of a sandwich. Beef flavouring is delicate and whole thing melts in your mouth.

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Looking at the size of these babies for £6 you are getting a bargain! With a big smile on my face I headed back to the office. This was one epic lunch break. It is almost impossible for me to tell you which sandwich is best.

They both satisfied very different cravings and hit completely opposite spots on the palate. I will however have to give it another year before my liver can handle a repeat session of carbocide.

For Cheese: http://www.kappacasein.com/

For Beef: http://www.northfieldfarm.com/

Japanese, Pan Asian

Wagamama

May 11, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Found on every high street and for good reasons too. I must admit on my first visit to Wagamama I hated it, I was with another person and I just couldn’t get comfortable on their school bench style seating and having to get up close and personal to strangers. It really wasn’t an intimate setting at all so I boycotted it through my teenage years but then fell in love with it after giving it a second chance.

One thing I like about Wagamama is the ever changing menu and the different offerings at different locations. Some places you find sushi other places you find pho. Pan Asian would be the best way to describe this cuisine.

Some must have starters are their steamed soya beans also known as edamame beans with chilli or garlic salt. Great to nibble on and so fresh. Two more must have starter are the chilli squid, crispy and chewy and packed full of flavour and they serve it with a tangy coriander and garlic dip which enhances the flavours. The last is the gyoza and I mean any of these steamed or fried. On this visit we tried the duck gyoza fried served with a hoi sin sauce. The duck is so juicy and tender which is a skill to achieve with duck as most cooks and foodies will know.

Number 71 has always been my favourite dish. The Chicken Katsu Curry, as always I asked for extra curry sauce as I like my food to be hot and wet. I have the oddest way to describe this dish yet if you like the two food I am about to say then you will get what I mean. If you are a fan of fried chicken and curry then the Katsu Curry is basically the happy medium between the two. Chicken breast coated in breadcrumbs, topped with rice and smothered in curry sauce, served with a side salads and pickles. I love this dish and just can’t get enough of it. If you are a veggie lover there is a veggie option which is just as good and instead of chicken you get sweet potatoes and aubergines which are under yummy.

Dishes are served quick so unless you ask for your starters and main course to be served at different times they will arrive as and when each dish is ready if you don’t. So do make this clear when you are placing your order how you will like your dishes served.

Service is generally pretty slow so don’t be surprised if you have to flag a waiter down to take an order or to get your bill. However, Wagamama are fully aware of this flaw and have recently created an app so that customers can pay for their meal and leave when they are ready.

It’s a cheap yet satisfying dine with huge portion sizes so there is no way you will ever walk away from here hungry. Just be prepared to be a tad annoyed about service should you not have the app.

Something I have had to ponder was how healthy Wagamama actually is. I’m currently on a mission to lose some weight so am always interested in how many calories are in each dish so I can pop it into my fitness app to keep track of how many calories I am consuming and burning. So for a restaurant that prides themselves on healthy and positive eating hub I didn’t even think this could be an issue for me. After a few clicks on their website in which they proudly display nutritional information I was horrified to find that the Chicken Katsu Curry was a horrific 1147kcal and Elena had beef noodles which came in at 993kcal!!! This made me exceed my daily target of 1400kcal! The chilli squid is 492kcal!!! The duck gyoza is 292kcal!!!

Now we understand that in theory each ingredient is healthy and nutritious however, can Wagamama really justify stating they are a positive eatery when one meal is more than half the daily calorie allowance for a female of 2000kcal? Is McDonalds healthier than Wagamama with fewer calories?

It would be interesting to know your thoughts on this.

Wagamama
46-48 Wimbledon Hill Road, London SW19 7PA
www.wagamama.com

Coffee Break, English

Coffee Break: Newens The Original Maids of Honor

May 8, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Elena and I love to have days off together as we love to chill and do the most patriotic things such as driving down to the tinniest villages in hope to find the best gastro pubs, visiting Royal gardens in the hopes to find a tea shop or two and this Friday afternoon was much of the same. We love Kew Gardens and when ever we visit we always see this quaint looking bakery outside, after a made session of googling we discovered that it was in fact an old tea room.

Newens The Original Maid of Honor (what a mouthful) is a traditional tea room full of nick knacks, beams and lots of cladding. To our surprise it wasn’t full of tourists as we had assumed but locals who clearly come here on a regular basis which really added to the charm of this place.

Excited to be having high tea we were even more shocked that we were paying a mere £14.99 per person for an array of sandwiches, scones and cake with a pot of earl grey tea. We got to pick the cakes we wanted from the large selection they had to offer. We were intrigued to see that this was also a fully functioning bakery from which deliveries were being made throughout the day in their 1930’s van.

The tea was delightful and well it was earl grey so no frills. We started with the bottom tier of our stand with the sandwiches. The sandwiches were pre-made and refrigerated which was a tad disappointing as the bread had developed a crunch and the butter within them was a tad cold and hard. They were very cute to look at, bite sized, crusts removed and an assortment of classic fillings such as: salmon, cheese, ham and cucumber. Not the biggest fan of sandwiches but when in Rome and all.

The second tier was right up our street. Scones! We had plain scones with sugar dusting and fruit scones served will clotted cream and jam. We have tried a lot of scones in or time and have always known them to be slightly firm however, these scones were super soft and melted in your mouth. Delicious.

Once we got to the last tier of cakes we were stuffed but ploughed on and dived into our chocolate tart which was dense and moist and the uber fluffy coffee cream bun.

The experience of a high tea here isn’t at all trendy or the ‘kitch’ thing to do as you may assume with the current trend of high tea at the Ritz or some other posh hotel. To have high tea at Newens is a chance to live life in the foot steps of those who have the privilege of living in Kew, a chance to listen to the old stories of the customers sharing anecdotes of their years and a chance to take a breath and chill and reflect on your day away from our cosmopolitan lifestyle. So much so we ended up spending 4-5 hours sat there just having a good old natter.

Newens The Original Maid of Honor will be our regular stop whenever we come to Kew Garden because of the sense of belonging and relaxation it gives us which goes hand in hand with a stroll around Kew.

Newens The Original Maid of Honor
288 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DU
http://www.theoriginalmaidsofhonour.co.uk

Lebanese

Al Arez

May 5, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

When we go to Edgware Rd in the late evenings it’s like we have entered a place where time doesn’t exist. The streets are always busy, families are out with their children, the restaurants are packed and open at all hours and there is a friendly hug and ‘salam’ between passers by on rotation. It is such a happy street of Arab cultures and best of all Middle Eastern food.

We have been going to Al Arez since we were teenagers. The charm of shisha being smoked outside and well cheap food is always an attraction to an adolescent. However, the food is what keeps us coming back as our lungs can’t handle the shisha pipes anymore.

The menu is Lebanese and the service is Middle Eastern in style, very friendly and charming. Depending on the day and what they have to offer you are served complimentary dishes upon arrival. One staple complimentary item are the Middle Eastern pickled peppers and olives which are a treat.

This is the restaurant in which we fell in love with the fattoush salad and since no one has been able to match up to it. So naturally it is the first thing we order. The crunch, the hit of sour and tangy flavours, the juiciness of the salad vegetables, so mouth watering. I always as for extra croutons for that extra crunch.

When we go to any lebanese or Middle Eastern restaurant we always opt for a tapas style of dining so lots of little dishes and maybe one meaty main to share. It’s the best way to make the most of all the dishes that they have to offer. Don’t know be scared to get stuck in with your hands and make a mess, it’s the thing to do at Al Arez.

Staples to recommend are the hummus shawarma which is freshly ground hummus with grilling lamb on top, great to scoop up with the fresh Lebanese bread they have on tap. We would also recommend the Arayes Al Arez which is grilled lebanese bread stuffed with spicy minced meat, the bread is uber fresh and my meat just melts in the mouth. I suggest you smother it in the delicious garlic sauce they make in house. The kibbeh is also a lovely dish which has a cracked wheat shell and a juicy meaty centre. Perfect combination of protein and carbs.

Al Arez are also known for their fresh juices. Zero additives, just pure fruit juice and some ice of course. I love the fresh strawberry juicy but the Lebanese are known for their lime and mint juice which is really refreshing and zesty but far too strong for my delicate tongue.

Like all Middle Eastern hospitality all bills are handed over with a plate of complimentary baklava. Fresh and crisp. Perfect way to end your fabulous meal at Al Arez.

Al Arez are so popular they have about five different locations on the same street but we always prefer the original which is closer towards the Marble Arch end.

So when you are lost and hungry in the middle of the night, day, morning, head on down to friendly Edgware Rd and give trust worthy Al Arez a go.

Al Arez
101 Edgware Road, London W2 2HX
alarez.co.uk