London Food Detective

Sweet Treats from Gail's & London Chocolate Festival

Christmas is always a time for indulging in sweet treats and chocolate and I wanted to share a few delights I've had recently.

First up, I received a box of Christmas goodies from GAIL's Bakery after they had to postpone a blogging event.

See if you can spot, which of the photos below is mine...

Gail's Gingerbread Men, Reindeer and Snowflakes

Rum and Raisin Brownies

Christmas Loaf Cake

Tthe incredibly light, chocolately brownies were my favourite.  The booze soaked raisins kept the brownie lovely and moist and they disappeared in no time. 

Grace devoured the gingerbread, which had a much strong ginger flavour (which we love) than most shop bought versions.  Finally, I got some brownie points from the in-laws by taking round the Christmas loaf for them to share.

GAIL's Christmas range can be bought from one of their nine bakeries across London.

 

On Sunday we had a trip to the London Chocolate Festival to stock up on choccies and get a few presents.  The Festival was heaving, but we managed to get a range of treats including mini-bars from Rococo, chocolate slabs from William Curley and a selection box from Simply Handmade Chocolate.

Whilst we were there we thought we better try some whoopy pies from the Outsider Tart.  As an aside, their cook book looked fantastic.

Galeta have a stall on Lower Marsh on a lunchtime and i've become addicted to their tiffin. It really is chocolate heaven.  It was good to see them at the festival

These sugar free, dairy free natural ingredient chocolates from inSpiral looked amazing, but were a little disappointing. Probably because all the fun had been taken out of them!  A great gift for anyone with food allergies though.

We ended the day with a trip to the Choc Star van for a fudge brownie sundae with salted caramel ice-cream.  Pure indulgence, but delicious as ever.

The only chocolate left to get for Christmas is a trip to Paul A Young for some salted caramel and then we'll have a full range of goodies to gorge on.

Whatever you are up to this Christmas, have a good one!

Beef butchery and cooking masterclass

I sometimes get invited to events during the work day that i'm unable to attend, but sometimes send my glamourous assistant i.e. my wife, along instead.  Here's her take on a recent EBLEX Beef event...

I love meat! And recently, along with much of the population, I've turned into a bit of a meat snob. I care about where my meat comes from and how well the animals were cared for. Therefore, I was delighted to be invited along to an event run by the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX).

EBLEX exists to enhance the profitability and sustainability of the English beef and lamb sector and they invited some of us along to teach us about some of the things they have been working on. From visiting other countries and holding their own research, they have devised some new cuts of beef that aim to add millions to the value of the steak market. This is made possible through using seam butchery techniques.

We started with a presentation explaining their techniques and how they have been devised. This was then followed by a butchery demonstration and then the various cuts were cooked and we were able to taste them.

My favourite by far was the Picanha steak. This is a popular cut in South America and is full of flavour. This was closely followed by the Bistro steak and both of these cuts are taken from the rump.

  

We ended the afternoon by cooking up our favourite cut and eating them with a selection of salads. On leaving we were given some fantastic goody bags containing two packets of 'flat iron' steaks and lots of other ingredients to go with them. These have now provided two dinners for my husband and I. I must say that the flat iron steak is not a favourite of mine. Cooked plainly I find it had an irony flavour (much like onglet). However, when cooked in a sauce or marinade, it was lovely.

Butchers, supermarkets and restaurants providing meat adhering to the standards set by EBLEX are entitled to display the Quality Standard Beef mark. This guarantees the quality from source right through to supplier.

Having learnt everything, I would now actively seek out places that provide Quality Standard Beef. My one gripe is that I can't easily find out who does have the mark. I think EBLEX's website would benefit from having an up to date list of those currently providing Quality Standard Beef.

One other thing to note would be the fantastic venue. It was at L'Atelier de Chefs on Wigmore Street. I resisted the urge to browse through the fantastic cooking utensils they sell and I'm sure I'll be back soon for one of their classes.

#breakfastmyway at The Big Chill, Kings Cross

I organised a work related Tweet-up at the Big Chill House back in the summer and really enjoyed the place.  It has four or five distinct areas, including a lovely outside terrace, a decent drinks selection and it is well located near King's Cross.

So I was pleased to be invited back to try their new breakfast and weekend brunch menu and contrived to meet up for an early 'work' meeting to try it out.

 

The full English

I went for the full English minus the baked beans and it was a pretty good fry up.  A good quality, herby Lincolnshire sausage, super crisp bacon, well cooked mushrooms and fresh, if slightly underseasoned, scrambled eggs on muffins.  Not a bad effort at all.  The only change i'd make is to replace the muffins for some white toast and include some black pudding and I'd have been a very happy boy!

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs

My colleague went for scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on muffins and was also pleased with the result.  Simple and tasty.  There's not much more to say.

All in all, breakfast at the Big Chill makes for a good start to the day.  Service was quick, efficient and friendly and included a discussion about my decision to leave off the baked beans - the staff thought this was the best bit, but hey, it was my way!

It is a decent, reasonably priced option close to Kings Cross and St Pancras and is ideal if you're looking for a quick bite to eat before a trip north or looking for a relaxed venue for an early morning meeting.

I was invited to the Big Chill House breakfast. 

There is 25% off the menu until the end of October and @BigChillHouse are giving away 3 free breakfasts each week to people who tweet what they had for breakfast using #breakfastmyway.

Bill's, Brighton and Covent Garden: Best of Brunch

Grace and I have visited Bill's five times over the summer and it's fair to say that it has become a bit of a favourite.

Originally opening in Lewes and then moving on to Brighton, the Covent Garden branch is the fourth outlet of the laid back, chilled out, grocery store/restaurant and the only hope it that it can keep the spirit and quality of the first two branches as it expands.

The first four occasions we went to Bill's was for brunch - the meal on which it has developed it's reputation.

Vegetarian Breakfast

Grace loves the vegetarian breakfast.  It's an eclectic mix of tomatoes, poached egg, mushrooms, sweet chilli sauce, guacamole and hummus.  It sounds disgusting, but everyone I know who has tried it, absolutely loves it and adores the combination of flavours.

The couple of times I've been, I've had the scrambled eggs and bacon.  In Brighton it was fab - fresh, buttery, perfectly cooked scrambled eggs and good quality crispy bacon.  However, on my visit to the Covent Garden branch, the scrambled eggs weren't nearly as good and were badly overcooked and omlette like. 

I suspect that they were cooked in a batch and left to sit on the hotplate, rather than being made fresh as in Brighton.  Hopefully this is the sort of slip Bill's can avoid as it grows, as it will soon damage it's reputation if it doesn't maintain the quality of the Lewes and Brighton branches.  Given everything I've had there has been enjoyable, then I'll hope it was a one off. 

 

Chorizo and roasted peppers

On our post noon visit, I really enjoyed the spicy chorizo in a brioche bun with soft, moreish peppers and a cooling yoghurt.  Chips were adequate, but the burger was something I'd definitely have again.

 

Strawberry meringue

Bill's also has a good line up of desserts and a wide selection of cakes.  My two favourites have been the summery meringue with strawberries, which had the right balance of crispness and chewiness and the rich, slightly decadent, gooey chocolate brownie with chocolate sauce, a flake and vanilla icecream.  Simple, but addictive and great for a chocoholic like me!

Chocolate Brownie

Overall, I'm a big fan of Bill's and it's good to have a reasonable, quick and affordable eating place close to Covent Garden.  I'll forgive them once for the dodgy scrambled eggs, given the friendly waiting staff (makes a difference from some of the surly service I've experienced nearby) and the overall vibe of the place.

 

August Round Up: Ice cream delight and a return trip to Launceston Place

I've been looking for an excuse to re-visit Launceston Place since my first visit in January 2010, so when I got some D&D vouchers for a present, there was only one place I was going to go!

We weren't disappointed on our return trip.  The lamb was excellent once again and I loved my apple tart dessert.  The staff can be slightly aloof, but apart from that it remains one of my favourite places in London.

My parents were down visiting and we took them on a quick gourmet tour to buy some ingredients for us to then cook for them.  First stop was Paul A Young's new Soho shop, where we got a selection of chocs and a jar of salted caramel, which was absolutely fantastic.  It's expensive at £7+ a jar, but it has to be one of my favourite sweet things ever.  I hid the jar from Grace so she didn't steal it all!

We then went to La Fromagerie to pick up some cheese, before popping next door for some steaks from the Ginger Pig.

In between we popped into Fortnum and Mason for a decadent ice-cream sundae.  We greedily had one each (together with the moreish melted chocolate sauce) and all completely devoured them.

Ice cream was a theme for August with trips to Haagen Dazs cafe, Gelupo and Scoop.  I'm planning a full post on all these places soon.

I had my first trip to Meson Don Felipe on the Cut near Waterloo with work colleagues and was left slightly underwhelmed after previously hearing ok things about it.  This was bog standard tapas, served in a slapdash manner and it just seemed like a place that has seen better days, which is a shame. 

The difference in quality to Camino, which I re-visited a few weeks later was huge.  The Presa Iberica (Iberico black pig shoulder blade cooked medium-rare) remained a firm favourite.

The other major disappointment in August was having to cancel a planned trip to Roganic, which seems to be picking up plenty of plaudits.  Hopefully we'll make it soon.

On the plus side, we had a return visit to the excellent Banana Leaf curry house in Croydon and enjoyed another trip for breakfast to Bill's, although it was the Brighton branch this time.

 

Viajante, Bethnall Green: Good, but not knockout...

My first visit to Bethnal Green was a few years ago, when I went along to the ABA Championships in York Hall, followed by a few pints in one of the traditional East End pubs.  If you'd asked me the chances of a high class hotel and restaurant opening more or less next door then I would have laughed at you. 

Yet, that is what has happened and Viajante, under the stewardship of Head Chef Nuno Mendes, has firmly established itself as one of London's top restaurants.

It's been on my list to go along for a while and it was one of my first choices for our week of dining out in June.  There are no menus at Viajante and you are instead asked how many courses you would like (we went for six) and if you have any particular food dislikes and allergies.  The kitchen then do the rest.

There were only four tables in for lunch, but the place still had some atmosphere with the friendly staff taking the time to have a chat with us and knocking up a superb non-alcoholic cocktail for Grace.  

We had a great table near the open plan finishing kitchen and watched the chefs working away with precision instruments and tweezers to prepare the delicate and intricate dishes.  It looked more like an operating theatre than kitchen at times!

Overall, I thought the standard of cooking was very good, although there was only one dish that thought was truly amazing and memorable.  I'll talk you through the menu...

The meal started with a 'Thai Explosion' a tasty mix of coriander, chicken and other Thai ingredients and was followed by some fresh, warm crusty bread and two flavoured butters: one black pudding (which didn't taste of much sadly) and an excellent chicken skin one that Grace and I fought over.

As we weren't given a menu and the promise of an e-mailed menu afterwards never arrived, then I'm afraid I don't have an exact description of every dish, but will do my best to describe each one...

First up was a squid (hidden under the sea lettuce) and pickled radish dish that was a bit of an underwhelming start.  Luckily the next course was much better...

I love asparagus, so this dish of asparagus four ways was a delight and a real treat for me.  Served chilled, the various textures and intense asparagus flavour made it my favourite dish of the day.  In particular the clear gel was like asparagus cordial and I could have happily slurped a whole bowl of it.  Excellent.

The next dish was also very good and it was at this point I was beginning to get excited that we were on for a truly memorable meal.

Leek and lobster may not sound like a classic combination, but they worked fantastically well together.  The lobster was cooked two ways and was sweet, succulent and complemented the charred leek.  The accompanying consomme was moreish and devoured with fervour.

Sadly the next dish wasn't to my taste buds and I found the egg yolk and saffron foam overpowered the light, delicate flakes of cod. Technically there was nothing wrong with it, it's just it was one that didn't fit my palette and this is always a danger when you have a tasting menu.

The lamb dish disappointed.  The lamb, which was meant to be the star of the show, was under-seasoned, lacked flavour and was a bit too chewy.  The accompanying mash and broad beans were fine, but overall the dish was a bit of a let down.

When I heard the description of dessert I was a bit underwhelmed, but it turned out to be surprisingly good.  Light, delicate pieces of meringue, sweet white chocolate mousse and then sharper notes from the grapefruit sorbet and lemon made for a dessert that was different, but delicious.

Overall then, when Viajante was good, it was very good, but there were too many dishes that I didn't particularly savour.  If I'd had a three course meal consisting of larger versions of the asparagus, lobster and dessert then I'd be praising the place to high heaven, yet the take it or leave it impression of the other three dishes means that I was left with slight feeling of disappointment that the meal didn't consistently hit the heights.  I'd definitely give Viajante another go, because if it could get six dishes like the asparagus and lobster then it could be remarkable.

Belated June Round-Up: A month of wonderful excess!

Thanks to everyone who gave me tips for my mini-honeymoon week of dining in London.  Grace and I had a wonderful time and packed in about a years worth of eating out!

I'll be blogging about some of my favourite places in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime here is my one sentence round up of where we went!

Tuesday evening, Bob Bob Ricard: Out of this world Lemon Pot and succulent chicken kiev.

Wednesday afternoon, The Langham: A perfect Afternoon Tea.

Wednesday evening, Dishoom: Had to rush, but tasty Indian tapas that will be worth another look.

Thursday lunch, Viajante: Touches of genius, touches of pretension - more good than bad.

Thursday afternoon, Patisserie Valerie: Naughty afternoon cream slices.

Thursday afternoon, Paul A Young: Salted caramel chocolate snacks!

Thursday evening, Pitt Cue Co: Pulled pork pop-up perfection.

Friday brunch, Bill's: Who knew vegetarian breakfasts could be so good - though I did have chorizo as well!

Friday afternoon, Fortnum & Mason Ice Cream Parlour - A decadent, sweet treat with pouring melted chocolate - see the pic at top of page!

Friday evening, Dinner - justified most of the hype and I loved the dessert.

Saturday day: Picnic in Green Park.

Saturday evening, Goodman: A perfect steak to end a perfect week!

 

Bistro Bruno Loubet: Magnificent mains, disappointing desserts...

My friend Jo was in town and when she asked me to recommend somewhere for Sunday lunch. I went one better and invited myself along!

We decided on Bistro Bruno Loubet in Clerkenwell.

Normally when I see Jo we're a bit worse for wear and in some dodgy bar or club so it made a nice change to go for a civilised meal and a proper catch-up. The Bistro is part of the Zetter Hotel and is a light and relaxed room.

The Bistro has gained numerous plaudits since opening and with it's reasonably priced, seasonal menu offering contemporary twists on classic French dishes it is easy to see why. 

Asparagus and wild garlic soup with lemon thyme milk broth

Given my love of asparagus and garlic then the starter was an easy choice for me and I'm pleased to say it lived up to my expectations.  The subtle flavour of the wild garlic enhanced the taste of the asparagus  and I loved the slithers of asparagus that ran through the soup. Delicious.

Salmon tartare, radish and pickled ginger yuzu dressing

Jo was equally ebullient about her summery salmon starter. The delicate, wafer thin, salmon combined fantastically with the peppery crunch of the radish and the subtle citrus kick from the yuzu. 

Crispy piglet confit with lemon glaze, bok choi and radishes

Mains were excellent.  I loved the crunchy, lollipop-esque crackling twirls and the unctuous, melt in the mouth fat of the pork.  The accompanying veg and lemon glaze gave the dish a slightly oriental feel, but it was the perfect pork that was the star of the show.

Rabbit 'tournedos', braised celery, carrot puree, lovag Pesto.

Jo just described this as 'wow' and it was a seriously good dish.  The rich, satisfying sauce and tender, gamey rabbit were a great match, although the accompanying veg gave the dish a more hearty winter feel than a spring/summer one.  Very good though.

Chocolate Delice

Desserts were a big disappointment.  My chocolate delice was sat on a coffee soaked base.  Given that I detest coffee and there was no mention of it on the dessert description I was going to send it back. 

Sadly, no staff were on hand (they were winding down at the end of service and were chatting at the bar) and after five minutes I gave up and dissected the bottom and ate the rest.  Even when my dish was collected the waiter (who up to that point had been ok) didn't ask if everything was ok or why I'd left a big chunk of my dessert.

Strawberries, lemon marshmallows and green peppercorn ice-cream.

Jo said she couldn't decide if the desert was genius or just wrong! For me, there was technically nothing wrong with it and the individual elements weren't bad, but they resembled a car crash in the mouth and just didn't work as a combination.  The green peppercorn ice-cream overpowered the rest and it just didn't taste right to me.

It's a shame the deserts were disappointing, as the savory dishes were excellent and I'd definitely give Bistor Bruno Loubet another chance and will look it up next time I'm in the area. 

Belgo: Getting Quizzy with Lobster

My wife is competitive. Very competitive.

So when she had a spare afternoon before accompanying me to a lobster quiz, she used it to swot up on lobster facts.

The result? We ran away with the quiz organised by Belgo* to celebrate their annual Lobsterfest, which is on throughout June.

While everyone else was enjoying the lobster dishes and Belgian beers, Grace was explaining to me what she had discovered during the day, such as a lobster's favourite sexual position and how long they live for!

It was worthwhile though, as we won a very generous prize of restaurant vouchers and a booth at Lucky Voice - another of Grace's favourite pastimes, so thanks Belgo Bill!

Anyway, on to the food...

We started with a satisfying rich, creamy, lobster bisque.

The surf and turf

On to the star of the show and the signature Maine Lobster with a five ounce ribeye steak.

I've always enjoyed the work involved in eating lobster (and crab) and using the precision instruments to pull, scrape and dig around for the tasty morsels of sweet meat.  There's something very satisfying about it and I got stuck into my lobster and had bits of shell flying about the table as I pulled out the meat.  Good stuff.

My favourite thing about Belgo is it's range of beers and I was delighted to have the chance to have a Delerium, which brought back happy (if somewhat hazy) memories of a boozy trip to Brussels.

Overall, a fab night and Grace has already got the karaoke planned!

Lobsterfest runs until the end of June and you can pick up (or even eat) a whole, grilled 1lb lobster with fries and salad for £24.95.  I was invited along as guest of Belgo to this bloggers event.

 

7 Days of Dining in London: Where Would You Go?

In June I'm planning to eat out every day for a week as part of mine and Grace's UK honeymoon and I am looking for people's suggestions of what would make a perfect seven days of London dining out.

It doesn't have to be all romance and high end Michelin places. We're looking for an eclectic mix of tastes, venues and experiences that will give us a week to remember. 

It could be anything from an afternoon tea to a great curry house or pizza place.

So if you were to eat out every day for a week, where would you go and why?

I'd really appreciate your thoughts and suggestions and will pick a random comment to receive some sort of prize as a thank you for your help and ideas!

Look forward to hearing from you.

Craig