Welcome Back, Wobbly Bits

It's nearly the end of summer and as we enjoy our last rays of sunshine, we think ahead at the Fall season that is about to set in. And with the Fall season come the baggy jumpers, the loose trousers and coats. It's a welcomed change from the bikinis and short shorts that ensure we keep our diets in check for three long months. The wobbly bits are finally allowed back in the house. Welcome back, muffin tops and love handles. And welcome back to the more than occasional beer and chips on a Friday evening after work. Finally! Welcome back, beloved Hamburger. Oh, how I've missed your soft bun, crispy beef patty and melty cheese. I've missed your finger-licking goodness.

 

Meet ... Meat Liquor, my new best friend this Fall season. For less than £10, I'm back in wobbly-bit heaven and I'm not embarrassed to say it. Yes, the queues are often times longer than a queue at DisneyLand, but it's worth it in the end. The onion rings are crispy, fresh and lemony. The chips taste like an American dream. But above everything else. That. Burger. Tastes. Good.

I rest my case.

Meat Liquor

74 Welbeck Street

W1G 0BA

Like Heaven on Earth

Last Friday, I decided to head down to Richmond for some zesty adventures, where I feasted on the most divine food and did so without an ounce of remorse. Heavens, Good Friday never tasted this good. Believe me, there's something so exciting about indulging oneself in pure gluttony on a day many use for penance and abstinence. I did none of those two things as you can probably tell, but instead tasted the forbidden fruit of Petersham Nurseries, and enjoyed every bite of it, as if it were my last supper.  

The concept is simple. Centered around the English gardening tradition, this cosy and welcoming family-owned haven offers simple, fresh and homegrown cooking, shabby chic fashion for the home, and a great variety of plants and flowers, all in a magical and whimsical setting, at the base of Richmond Hill, just a few miles outside of London. 

And what amazing food. There was fresh home made bread and olive oil, unctuous risotto, fresh John Dory and guinea fowl; creme fraiche ice cream and homemade crumby/chewy fig biscuits; and the most interesting and creative juice recipes I'd ever seen or tasted. 

Petersham Nurseries is kind of like a concept store, but instead of clothing, home decor and cafes, it's a restaurant, teahouse and gardening store, with a section for home decor. It truly is a stunning little slice of paradise. Like heaven on earth.

If you're lucky enough to get a table at the restaurant, you won't regret it; the whole experience is worth the trip. I recommend booking a month in advance if you have a particular date in mind. As the weather gets warmer, availability will be harder and harder to come by!

Take the district line to Richmond station, and it's stone throw away:

Petersham Nurseries

Church Lane

Off Petersham Road

Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7AG 

They Make You Bake

It's like Colour Me Mine but for foodies or Paint By Numbers with edible ingredients. It's the latest form of microwave-oven dinners. And it's so good and so sinfully easy, you'll never go Dominos again. 

Here's the idea: you pick up your "nearly baked" pizza at The Pizza Makers. You glance over the wonderful menu of pizzas available and then, you select your favourite Margherita, Artichoke, Pepperoni or Prosciutto pizza recipe. You put in your order - and in the blink of an eye, your pizza is ready. Well, not quite. You let the pizzaiolos work their magic on the dough and the balanced distribution of ingredients on the beautiful blank canvas. It's the job of your home-oven to finish the masterpiece. And voila! It's DIY Pizza!

They make it, you bake it. Nowadays, who even makes their own pizza anyways? But then again, who enjoys biting into a take-pizza whose dough is half soggy and sticking to the back of your teeth from traveling for God knows how long in the back of a Dominos delivery vespa? That's right, zesties. Nobody. That's why, it's time for a revolution. 

Bite into that crispy, thin-crust, fresh and tasty - the one you nearly made from scratch - delicious pizza and enjoy! Okay, so there's a minus. It's in Chiswick. But hang on, I was there last month and compared to Shebu, it's not half bad! Jokes aside, it's an up and coming area full of yummy mummies and upscale boutiques, with a grungy flair. So now you've got yet another reason to visit the neighborhood. 

The Pizza Makers

85 Chiswick High Road(corner of Chiswick Lane)
W4 2EF
020 8994 8080

Muffins Are So Yesterday

#Forget about doughnuts, gelato and choc chip cookies
#Muffins are so yesterday
#At Wafflemeister I lost my heart
#OMG, just discovered WM and I'm in heaven

These are some of the tweets on Wafflemeister's Twitter. That's right, it's all about waffles these days (yes, and about Twitter too, as I've discovered for myself). And guess what? Waffles don't have to be rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol to be a tasty delight. At Wafflemeister, that's not what it's about. The all-natural Waffle dough recipe at the South Ken Waffle Bar is made from organic and fresh ingredients, and topped with all-natural chocolate, berries, nuts, whipped cream and coconut flakes! Have it for breakfast, dessert or for your 5pm snack. Have it as a midnight munch. The place is open til 00:00. You can go for the no-fuss dark or milk chocolate drizzle option or the banana, nuts and fudgetastic waffle spectaculaire. Hey, what other important decisions do you have to make this week?

Check out WM's new Notting Hill spot on Portobello Road.

Zesties. Go. Indulge.

Wafflemeister:

26 Cromwell Place

SW7 2DL 

020 7193 8649

&

137 Portobello Road

London W11 2DY

020 7221 1153

Oh and come follow me on Twitter!

An Ode to Something British: The Jacket Potato

It's the Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich of the Albion. The Moules Frites of the Brits. The Kung Pao Chicken of Mother England. A carb/fat fest on crack. The good ol' traditional, sloppy, slimey and incredibly salty jacket potato is something I've only recently discovered - not because I wasn't aware of it, but simply because I wasn't ready for it. And quite frightened of it to be perfectly honest. That's right, to enjoy the Jacket Potato moment, you've gotta be ready, you've gotta be open to an indulgent, rich and somewhat surprising culinary experience. Well, it took me ages - two and half years to be exact - but I finally sunk my teeth into the JP with beans and cheese earlier this week. And I wolfed it down.

 

It's not that I don't see what you see. This looks positively gross. The orange colour from the bean sause looks awfully artificial and the runniness of the melted cheese could tie a stomach in knots for days. Call me crazy but I think that sounds like a recipe for a fabulous Monday work lunch. At the divey Franx cafe in Covent Garden, you couldn't find a cheaper, more delicious and absolutely fantastic JP with beans and cheese. Add a dollop of bacon and you're all set.

I'm pretty much a beginner when it comes to the Jacket Potato in London. If you zesties have got any recommendations, I would love to hear them.

Enjoy the early Spring sunshine!

Westfield of Dreams

The last time I was in a real shopping mall, I was about 12 years old. Walking hand in hand with my American Grandma, in the dead heat of Los Angeles summer, I could think of nothing better than the Thousand Oaks shopping mall to indulge on a Haagen-Dasz ice cream bar, salty popcorn and an air-conditioned movie. Looking back on those fun-filled American old days, I actually remember enjoying these luxurious moments of convenience and practicality. Today, there’s nothing I hate more than an over-crowded, over-heated shopping center. To me, they’ve always come to stand for everything I dislike about American culture, be it sterility or over-consumption. Or so, I thought.

Never in my wildest dreams could I fathom once again setting foot in the prison cell that is the American shopping mall. My London years have led me to erase and forget about the concept of shopping malls all together. It’s just not something I’ve missed or been longing for - at all.

 

I was taken to Westfield Shopping Center last weekend when I met my friend for a movie at the Vue Cinema in Sheperd’s Bush. Walking towards the designated address, I looked up and was immediately startled by the gargantuan size of this unusual building. I nearly turned my heels in refusal to walk ahead. It was almost organic.  But I fought the urge to walk away and I slowly climbed up the steps of the stadium-looking facility, and little by little, entered the chaotic and euphoric - almost magical world of Westfield. My eyes were gorged with micro-tears of fascination and excitement. How could I have missed this modern marvel these past two years without even the simple curiosity to take a peak? I was disappointed with myself and my judgmental attitude.

So I decided to let myself be carried away. The inside of the monster’s chest is even more enchanting than its asymmetrical and origami-shaped outside façade. While the practical aspect of malls has always bothered me, I’ve never witnessed such brilliant engineering inside and outside the walls of a shopping mall. I looked around me; I transport myself next to Ethan Hawke in Gattaca and Tom Cruise in Minority Report. But this is not a movie; this is not the future; this is real; this is now. This is the pure brilliance of modern mankind. And then I remember to keep walking. I am not in Hollywood, I am in Shepherd’s Bush!

I am surrounded left and right, up an down, by Miu Miu, Dior; Prada; Zadig & Voltaire, Whistles, Massimo Dutti and Cos; Habitat, Waitrose, M&S and H&M; all within a few feet of each other. I suddenly love shopping malls! What was I thinking this whole time? It’s suddenly all about convenience and practicality. I go up numerous escalators and flying elevators and am in awe, even more bewildered by the countless choices of lunch spots. From Pho and Wahacca to Tossed and Chipotle, I cannot think of a better place to be than standing in the middle of London’s best fast food joints. 

I've finally come to the realisation that gems don’t have to be small and hidden. Sometimes, gems are right there in front you the whole time, before you even realize that you are standing right before one. 

Westfield Shopping Center

Ariel Way
London W12 7GF
020 3371 2300

An Ode to Something British: The Sunday Roast

The Sunday Roast is a deliciously unique British culinary experience. For those of you who have known it your whole lives, you must know and feel a close and intimate bond with the dish itself. I know I've experienced the same feeling with my Dad's monthly langoustine platter. It's a special relationship. But for those of you who are becoming familiarised with the dish, it's a matter of time, you'll see. For me, the Sunday roast represents my experimentation with British food, but more importantly, my eagerness to embrace all things British - including, but not limited to, pubs, two-tiered busses, jacket potatoes, Marmite on toast, fish n' chips, tea and scones, James Bond, Wimbledon, the Queen, bowler hats, Wayne Rooney and last but not least, Yorkshire Pudding. To this day, I still ignore the properties, which make Yorkshire Pudding taste so fluffy and fantastic. But I will continue to test its value, on Sundays, as I continue my quest for London's zesty roasts.

Last Sunday was the first of my many zesty escapades down Sunday Roast lane. Camera in hand and a massive appetite to satiate, I walked into The Albion in Islington. The Albion has been a London Sunday Roast staple for many years and continues to thrive on the one divine British special and simple recipe for success- beer gardens and Sunday Roasts. What's not to like? This was my second visit to the Albion so I was therefore inclined to book a table a week in advance to get the time slot of my choice in the room of my choice. The pub's dining room is a relaxing place to lazy around with your mates in the cold but cozy winter days, while the beer garden is gorgeously green in the spring and summer days.

I ordered the Roast, without even taking a glimpse at the menu. I was not deceived and I was not mistaken. My memory had not failed me, this roast was by far the best one I'd tasted since my early days as a Londoner. I scarfed all of it down, scraped the plate to its very last crumb, to the point where my jeans cut into my belly like a sword. I looked around mischievously to check whether I was the only one with nothing left on her plate. Indeed I was- others were still chewing on crunchy potatoes dipped in gravy and cutting into smooth and red-tastic slices of beef. I was envious. I wish I had lingered a little bit more on my plate, tasted the flavours a little better, let the buttery potatoes and horseradish sauce melt on my tongue a little longer. But hey ho, all the more reason to try this again. 

In hindsight, I can't stop thinking what a gorgeous meal that was. And I'm ready for a redo. Anytime, anywhere, you name it, zesties.

The Albion

10 Thornhill Road

N1 1HW

0207 607 7450

Snob Food Limited

My unequivocal love for food has made itself quite public through this blog, and I have no shame for it in my heart. I am, and forever will be, a die hard foodie; a closet fat kid if you will. I was once scolded by an English teacher for eating a candy bar in class. It was disturbing my classmates, she said. "It is frowned upon in this school to treat the classroom like a cafeteria." That God awful teacher with a God awful bad ear for foreign languages, and who insisted the sound "the" was pronounced "zhe". Keep in mind, this was the French system, where rules made educators feel more worthy than their students, and most of all - it made them feel powerful. Most of the time, these rules were completely uncalled for or even made up. Since when has eating a candy bar in class disturbed anyone? I don't think so. Ever since I was a little girl, I've tricked my mind into believing that I didn't like sweets - for the sake of keeping my grades up, I guess.  

But now that it's no longer a matter of grades and being liked by your teachers, it's a duty of mine to try to enjoy (and share) my guilty pleasures to their fullest potential. Like this new discovery of mine, the awesomely handsome snob food cafe called Napket. No guilty consciences allowed in here. Licking your upper lip like the first time you stepped into a candy store is recommended. Better yet, it's encouraged. Think of that movie Chocolat. Johnny Depp isn't the only delicious thing worth saving your appetite for. Think of a chocolate torsadé or a double chocolate brioche for breakfast. Think of colourful summer salads, made up of puy lentils, bloody beetroot, fresh parsley and feta cheese for lunch. Think of a bowl of freshly cut tropical fruit for dessert and a frothy chocolatey cappuccino to keep you from falling asleep at your desk. No sin here.

The makers of Napket clearly have a passion for design and beautiful things. What with the oak-wood walls, the library-bar look and the romantic lighting, everything about the decor shouts out elegance and taste. And of course, the yummy dishes are as fancy as they are delicious, and are best enjoyed on Napket's regal chairs, reading the latest Metro gossip under a stylish chandelier - no less.  Who's teaching who a lesson now? Or should I say "whom"...

 

You can find Napket in various locations throughout London:
61 Piccadilly, W1J ODY
5 Vigo Street, W1S 3HD
6 Brook Street, W1S 1BB
34 Royal Exchange, EC3V 3 LP
342 Kings Road, SW3 5UR

Scandinavia Dreamin

You'll remember the excitement I felt back in December, as I wrote about the St Lucia festivities that take place right around the Christmas period in Sweden. The Norwegians and the Swedes have another long-standing tradition of celebrating the summer season with a day of outdoor fun, eating, drinking and dancing around the maypole. The 17th of May, being the National Day for Norway and the 25th of the June, being the Midsummer festivities for both Sweden and Norway. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to celebrate Midsummer with a couple friends in Sweden and I still foster fond memories of the day. What better way to celebrate the start of summer than by eating herring, fresh crayfish and drinking Aquavit while dancing around the maypole with inebriated Swedes? I say none. I have never met or encountered a people more elated about summertime than the Scandinavians. There's something about sunshine that brightens up their faces. It's almost mechanical. Like they've been stuck in a dark hole all year round, watching the sun set and the moon rise 365 times before summer, the real fun, can finally begin - the day of Midsummer.

The Midsummer Swedish Maypole

I am a huge fan of Scandinavia and its many festive traditions and have been ever since a dear friend of mine from Oslo introduced me to her culture my Freshmen year of college and when a couple years later, my lovely Swedish man, traveled with me to his motherland for the Midsummer celebrations. Navigating through the Norwegian Fjords last summer made me even more positive that this is a culture I respect and will remain fascinated with for years to come.

The advantage of living in a city like London as an expat, as opposed to living in a city like, say Liverpool, means that certain products and facilities, are at arms length when you are missing your home country and all of its cultural and culinary offerings. Living in London during Midsummer means that you can find places to be when the festivities take place. I witnessed the exciting Swedish festivities with excitement last year in Hyde Park and I look forward to trying out the Norwegian 17th of May festivities in Southwark Park.

17th of May in Southwark Park, SE16

You can also be sure to find the stores to purchase the goods from when you are hosting a dinner party and you want to impress your Swedish and non-Swedish guests. Scandinavian Kitchen has been my go-to Scandi place for my Senapssill and pickled Smorgas Gurka cravings as I work right down the street.

 Pickled Herring, in various sauces

 Sweetened Pickles

 Scandinavia's Favourite: the Wasa Toast Bread

The Scandi Kitchen is also a cafe, where you can sit and enjoy meatballs, pizza (Swedish cabbage) and beetroot salads, shrimp and dill on toast and lots of many other delicious dishes. Quite kid-friendly as well, Met Mum and I enjoyed a lovely lunch there a couple weeks ago, while her adorable daughter Little L licked her lips from the Maribou chocolate milk she was sipping.

 Swedish Maribou Chocolate

Scandinavian Kitchen
61 Great Titchfield Street
W1W 7PP
0207 580 7161

It's all There: In Pimlico the Beautiful

My overall feeling today is joy. Joy and excitement. As I glance over at the date on my computer screen, I realise that we are more than halfway through this short week and we can start looking ahead to the weekend. As a frequent traveler, I tend to enjoy my London weekends a lot these days. Maybe it has something to do with constant urge to discover new places, maybe I just like it here. It's probably a little bit of both to be quite frank. I like just hanging out. And I don't care that the term hanging out has a colloquial tone to it, there is just no better way to translate my feelings onto the page. Hanging, from being loose. Out, from being out and about.

 Church of Saint Saviour, Pimlico

Spring is my favourite season to enjoy the many beauties London has to offer. Lately I've sort of developed an obsession with the squares that dot our gorgeous city. Yes it's true. Last weekend, we were lucky enough to be blessed with at least one nice day. I took this opportunity to wander about an unfamiliar area, Pimlico. Me oh my, what a lovely little picture book neighborhood. The little Square cornered off by Pimlico Road and Ebury Street offers all of the above. It's all there: the church, the fountain on the square, the little farmers market buzzing with loud butchers and bakers.

Restaurants and pubs permeating the air with the salt and batter scent of their freshly cooked fish n' chips. Walking around the little square, you'll want to try out all of them: the Orange, owned and operated by the same owners as the Thomas Cubitt on the neighboring Elizabeth Street, the Ebury Pub, La Poule au Pot, Daylesford Organic. And they are all within walking distance of each other. 

If you fancy a terrasse lunch or dinner when the weather gets warmer, La Poule au Pot, offers a lovely southern exposure and a prime location on the square. You can enjoy a delicious bowl of onion soup while you marvel at the hundreds of passersby. It's a charming sight, you'll see.

A Mean Bean Cappuccino - the Only Way to Start the Day

This is my first coffee post. Not because I don't like it, au contraire. Coffee is a big weakness of mine. I need my cappuccino fix daily. The vicinities of my work have not been too promising when it comes to coffee joints, and I find myself struggling to find my fave and regular coffee-on-the run spot.

But wait no more, the best coffee in the West End has made its self known! And the winner is...Reynolds on Eastcastle Street. With a coffee blend so rich and so flavourful, you'll find that this mean cappuccino gives you that amazing sensation any good cappuccino should give you: the feeling of being bad. Like you've just sinned so badly, you're gonna get whipped. Like you're eating a sweet so vicious, a piece of chocolate so delightful, or a chewy chunk of toffee. But actually, it's just coffee. And it's good.

They offer a range of other products as well: fresh and healthy salads, cute and plumpy sandwhiches, organic crisps and delicious snacks. Their selection of sweets is even better. Pain au chocs, croissants and more. Dip their scrumptious banana cake from Borough Market into it, and then you've got yourself a sinfully good breakfast feast or an even better snack attack. 

Pick Your Park - Grab n' Go Lunches on the Green

Now that we Londoners have experienced the hottest day of the year, our hopes are way up. But that's okay. It is vital to start thinking positively about the weather to come and it is crucial to start preparing yourself for it as well. Because otherwise, you just fall into a dark hole that some people call depression. And by preparing yourself I mean, seeking out the outdoors - in everything that you do. I am a particular fan of the outdoor lunch concept. Yes I do like lazying around a "terrasse de cafe" for hours, drinking rose and nibbling on summer fruit and biscuits. But that's not what I am referring to. I am talking about the grab n' go park lunches. Just sit your bumm down on the lawn of a beautiful London square, enjoy the scenery, the greenery and everything that ends in -ery. It's magical. That is the London that I have come to adore and relish. I have a few spots in mind that I think make that lunch break quite enjoyable.

 The first one that pops to mind is Lincoln's Inn Fields off of Holborn. You can lounge around there for hours at a time on those lazy summer fridays, watching the people come and go, with clothes that tend to slowly disappear as the weather gets warmer (it's still a mystery to me how some people manage to get any work done in a place where girls wear practically nothing). 

Kastner & Ovens, Floral Street, Covent Garden

Just 5 minutes away, you'll be able to pick up a yummy spring salad at Kastner & Ovens or a quiche and greens at the Fleet River bakery.

The second one I can think of has got to be Cavendish Square, the only green spot near Oxford Circus that isn't Hyde Park. There, you'll be able to find bounds of interesting people watching and a lovely 360 degree view of the old Victorian buildings of Cavendish Square. You can very well picture 19th century wealthy Londoners sitting on those park benches and discussing high society matters with one another. 

Pho Thai Chicken Salad at Pho, Market Place, Soho

In terms of grub-to-go, my faves have got to be Pho, for the freshest and yummiest Thai chicken salad and Tortilla, for the perfect naked burrito (burrito sans wrap) ever!

The third, but not the least, is a park I visit less often due to it's northern-ish location, and that's Islington Green. A lovely place to enjoy the sight-seeing of Upper Street and Camden Passage passers-by. A little less green and a little more rugged, it offers more park benches and trees than the abovementioned squares.

Wild Rice Salad at Ottolenghi, Upper Street, Islington

It is, by my standards, a lovely place to stop and eat a wild rice salad from Ottolenghi.