Alchemy on the Southbank

Looking for something to do this Bank Holiday Monday? Perhaps just to celebrate that our trains are running or to grab a spicy hangover cure? Head down to the Southbank Centre to their Alchemy event (an annual festival showcasing the best of dance, music, theatre, design, fashion, comedy and literature from the UK and South Asia). 

Street food heavyweights - KERB (@kerb_) are providing a fantastic pop up market celebrating the best of South Asian food - cuisines from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Afganistan.

Here are a couple of highlights that we tried today. 

I am obsessed with Dosas - a thin, crispy pancake made from rice batter and black lentils, and Dosa Deli always deliver on the goods. Today we had their Chilli Cheese Dosa, which is so moreish and delightfully crispy!

Ladle & Skillet had a great Afghani offering -  Bamyan Lamb or Kabull Chickpeas. We went for the lamb box (griddled lamb neck, slow marinated in garlic, lemon, coriander and chilli with peppers and onions), which was served with a gorgeously soft organic flatbread. The lamb was beautifully tender and even the salad was soaked in rich lamb juices.

One of my favourite dishes came from The Peckish Peacock in the form of a Pakora Snack Box. Most delicious pakoras I've ever tried - crunchy, buttery, rich and lip smackingly good. 

There's a great selection of drinks to finish your May bank hol - a cocktail bar, a selection of refreshing beers, coffees and Square Root sodas. If you're a tea lover like myself, there's Good & Proper Tea or Teala to choose from. With today's warm weather, I tried Iced Teas from both stalls. The Classic Southern Iced tea from Teala was refreshing and tangy with black tea, whereas the Iced Tea made with Darjeeling and a splash of Elderflower from Good & Proper was sweeter and milder.

We finished off with a couple of sweet treats. Good & Proper Tea have a nice little selection of baked goods - we went for the Coconut Barfi, little squishy morsels of coconutty goodness.

Spotting the words VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE, we also grabbed ice lollies from The Ice Kitchen. Their Vietnamese Iced Coffee lolly was the best ice lolly I've ever had. Rob had the fresh mango lolly, which he described as frozen squished up mango. Win win.

So get yourself down to Alchemy tomorrow and try the fantastic food and bevvies they have to offer! Special mentions also to Kothu Kothu, who do incredible Sri Lankan Rotis - try the Mutton, and Horn Ok Please who offer a great selection of delish veggie street food.

 

Shackfuyu

As all good Londoners know, Bone Daddies Ramen Bar is a culinary staple of soho. So when I heard about their newest pop up - Shackfuyu (Winter Shack), that had arrived on Old Compton Street for only a year, I had to check it out. With a motley gang in tow, we risked a Saturday lunchtime service (Shackfuyu do not take bookings) and found quite a few empty tables. After being shuffled past the wood burning oven, we were seated in a cosy booth. For a temporary restaurant, you feel instantly at home; the walls are painted a rich emerald green and adorned with white japanese script, while a soundtrack of David Lee Roth and Alice Cooper plays. This was a great start.

I started with an Orenji What?! A cocktail of fine Japanese whisky, triple sec and orange miso. It was presented in the most adorable corked bottle, Bone Daddies branded naturally, and I instantly fell in love. The cocktail itself was a perfect balance of sweet and sharp, the whisky warming my cockles after a morning in the biting wind.

Shackfuyu is based on a concept of small, sharing plates - an idea which I thoroughly enjoy as I get to try so many more dishes. We shared 6 between us plus dessert, which left no room for any afternoon tea.

Mentaiko Mac and Cheese, bacon and cock scratchings  - delicate macaroni in a deliciously creamy sauce, the addition of bacon adding a lovely smoky flavour. The charmingly named 'Cock Scratchings' were a perfect textural addition, finishing with the mentaiko (cod roe) that was an interesting take on a classic.

 

Bitesized yellowtail sashimi tostada with avocado shiso pack a punch! A beautiful mixture of textures and flavours in a petite mouthfull.

Who doesn't love a great chicken wing? These little morsels are a joy to behold - a great combination of sweet and sour, and satisfyingly crunchy.

Fried Potatoes with Japaense Curry Sauce are exactly how they read, simple and classic. The crunchy cubes of golden potato are soft and fluffy on the inside and match perfectly with a Katsu-esque sauce.

 

For a moment of indulgence, order the hand dived roasted scallop with chilli miso butter. A squeeze of lime cuts through this rich dish. The size of the scallop was generous and ladened with butter.

The highlight of this meal was the Hot Stone Rice with Goma Tare (sesame seed sauce), Chilli and Beef.  Placed in front of me was a sizzling hot bowl with compartmentalised ingredients. After giving a lovely description on the dish the waiter stired it together, releasing a delectable cocophany of aromas. On first bite, the rice floated between crunchy and soft and my mouth was alive was tingling chilli and aromats.

To finish, we tried the only dessert on the menu - one that has been in the press a fair few times recently: Kinako French Toast and Soft Serve Ice Cream. Two inch thick roasted soy flour toast is caramelised on the outside and delightfully squidgy on the inside. It was perfectly complimented by the matcha soft serve - a complete winner to a matcha enthusiast.

So head down to Shackfuyu and indulge on some fantastic modern Japanese cuisine at great value for money! Why not follow them on Twitter? @shackfuyu

While you're at it... follow me on Instagram for more delicious foodie pics - @gourmet_georgie

The Year of Mindfulness

Happy Tuesday blogosphere! Is it just me or does anyone else find Tuesday worse than Monday? It's such a moot day! 

I haven't been posting regularly this year and as ever I'm disappointed by that. I find myself at a bit of a crossroads as I'm currently engaged in a role that takes all of my energy - both mentally and physically and I feel that I am often teetering on the cusp of a burn out. That doesn't mean that I don't take enjoyment from it (although we all have bad days and frustrations). 

However I'm in a position where its time to assess my goals and plans for the future. I've never been someone who has a clear vision of what they want to be; there are so many things that I enjoy and that I can challenge myself with. I try to focus on every day happiness, being calm and at peace with myself and the world around me. 

In my quest for this lifestyle, I have taken up hatha yoga. I couldn't have imagined the effect this would have on my mind or body. I am only practising on a Friday but it is the absolute highlight of my week. If you know me, you'll know that I have challenges with my movement and what exercise I can do, but hatha yoga allows me to practice at my own pace and still feel a great achievement every week. This week I achieved baby pose for the first time and couldn't wait to tell my partner. 

I often wish I could find this level of peace and fulfilment in my every day life. Whilst writing this post I was waiting for 'the drain' or what is officially called Waterloo and City line. It is always like herding cattle - people pushing, elbowing and tutting. There was visibly no room on the carriage and so I stopped to wait for the next train. A gentleman behind me wasn't happy with this decision, pushed me out of the way and flung himself into the already tightly packed crowd. He looked back at me as the doors strained to close around him and shook his head in disgust at me. 

I live in such a toxic environment that these moments of tranquility and my day to day career achievements have become so much more important to me. 

Where do I go from here? As usual, I have no idea. But if you have any words of wisdom you'd like to share or ways in which you find peace amongst the bustle of every day life, I would love to hear them. 

A side note: Things that also help...

Yogo girls, avoiding people, Taylor swift, two good friends, cake.

Duck and Waffle

Back in September, two of my very best friends came up to visit me and to see Martin Freeman in Richard III - which was absolutely excellent! All being big foodies, I took this as my opportunity to rope in a couple of dining partners for Duck and Waffle, who I have been desparate to visit since they opened their doors. So let me talk you through the best meal I've ever eaten...

We started with cocktails overlooking the incredible view that comes with having a restaurant on the 42nd floor of the Heron Tower. I had a Bacon & Caramel Manhattan (’piggy’ bourbon, DWΣ Salted Caramel Liqueur, vermouths – served sweet style), Kat had a Hemingway (Bacardi Superior rum, maraschino liqueur, lime and grapefruit juices – clarified) and Alex had a Duck & Stormy (Gosling’s dark rum, ginger beer – bottled and bagged).

It is recommended at Duck and Waffle to share smaller plates between you in order to experience as many dishes as possible.

We started with a warm Rosemary and Garlic Bread with a lovely chewy crust and a soft, fluffy centre. I could have stayed and eaten this bread alone all night. We would have had a lovely date, this bread and I.

Next was the Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut with apricot jam and smoked paprika sugar. Cheek is one of my favourite cuts of meat and this did not dissapoint - a light and fluffy savoury doughnut stuffed with melt in the mouth meat, complimented beautifully with the slight spice of the paprika and sweetness of the jam.

 

Next came the Smoked Mozzarella with granola, sage, honey and amalfi lemon. This was the dish of the evening for me. The mozzarella was delightfully creamy and not too rich due to the addition of the lemon, which added a beautiful uplifting fragrance to the dish. The granola gave a lovely crunch and sweetness. It is unlike anything I have eaten before but was so wonderfully balanced in flavour and texture.

What followed was the dish of the night for my two fellow diners - roasted octopus with chorizo, potato, lemon and caper. Octopus is often a gateway seafood for non-seafood lovers, providing a solid and meaty texture (not too fishy). One of go-to home meals is octopus with chorizo, potatoes and green beans. The addition of capers to this dish was a stroke of genius, perhaps I will start adding them to my salads!

We finished our savoury adventure with the classic Duck and Waffle - crispy leg confit, fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup. So simple but so delicious. If you are to visit this restaurant, you cannot leave this dish off your order. The confit leg alone is divine.

We couldn't resist the dessert menu, so I opted for the Orange posset with Aperol granite and pineapple crisp. If you are too full for a rich dessert - this is ideal. The posset was light, creamy and bursting with citrus, the aperol granite was incredibly refreshing and that pineapple crisp was nearly too beautiful to eat... nearly!

We also sampled the pistachio & dark chocolate macaroon sandwich with drunken cherries and crystallised white chocolate - a dessert for anyone wanting their chocolate fix. A work of art to look at and a delight to eat.

All in all, this is probably the best meal I have ever eaten - the food was fantastic, the service was perfection and the location is beyond words. I can't wait for my next visit!

The Great London Coffee Series - Peloton & Co

Crisp Autumn days with crunchy russet leaves and bright blue skies deserve good coffee and warm jumpers. I used to be unable to drink coffee at all without my heart feeling like it was about to burst through my chest. But after many years of slowly dripping caffiene into my body, I can enjoy the drug of choice for London's workers. A large part of my job is understanding coffee bars and how they integrate into the hospitality business, so naturally my interest in coffee has expanded vastly over the last year - I am even a trained barista! 

 I am now a coffee snob and proud. 

As a result of this, a couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a copy of London's Best Coffee's Speciality Coffee Map of London (2nd Edition) via their Facebook page. Their are so many fantastic independent coffee shops in London and without a guide to tell you where they are, you can drown in the number to choose from. 

This weekend, whilst at Old Spitalfields Market, we hit our first map shop - Peloton & Co.

 

Typography geek that I am - I love the logo at Peloton & Co, what a great font! It is half bicycle shop/half coffee bar and is as hip as East London requires. They use their own house blend coffee - Butterworth & Son Espresso and use Goodwood non-homogenised milk to compliment.

I had a Flat White and Rob had a Cortado. As a first test of the coffee map, it was definitely a winner. It was so beautifully smooth and naturally sweet, and gone way too quickly. Even the cortado, with it's bitter kick of strong espresso was delicious. Even the blue Peloton & Co cups were impossible not to fall in love with. 

A must visit for anyone in the Spitalfields area.

Taste of London 2014

I went to Taste of London last week. For those who aren't familiar, Taste is a restaurant festival showcasing some of London's most exciting places to eat. Each restaurant has 3 or 4 showstopping dishes on the menu for you to try. Plus lots of bars, foodie stalls and giveaways!

I did spend most of my time wandering around completely wide eyed but I managed to snap a few pics to share with you.

Starting with Meatliquor. You know I love Meat Liquor, and Meat Market and Meat Mission. All the Meat boys endeavors. We had Cheeseburger Sliders and Monkey Fingers (buffalo chicken strips) - juicy, moreish and meaty.

 

From Plum and Spilt Milk, I had an Elderflower and Berry Jelly with Clotted Cream. I'm not normally a jelly fan, but this was fantasticly fresh, fruit and indulgent.

We had fresh Strawberry ice cream Gordon Ramsey's Maze, covered in popping candy! Almost looks too good to eat.

Next up was Italian fare from L'Anima. They were shaving huge truffles everywhere! 

I tried the Burrata (my favourite cheese at the moment) with pomodoro and anchovies. I was a little disappointed by this one - the cold tomato sauce left a little to be desired.

 

 

There were lots of chefs to fangirl over. Here are some that I took photos of :) 

 

Thomasina Miers

Michel Roux Jr.

 

 

Gizzi Erskine

We also saw Monica Galetti and Valentine Warner. I was grinning like an idiot with excitement.

Time for a VIP champagne break with Laurent Perrier and a free promotional recipe book. 

Next onto my newest obsession - Duck and Waffle. I had Barbecue Crispy Pigs Ears. They were so tasty, but I couldn't eat the entire bag. Luckily I saved it and we shared them later in front of the telly. It was very romantic.

 Now for my absolute favourite thing I ate. A creation by Andre Garrett. This was a Peanut Butter Parfait with Chocolate Mousse and Meringue Topping and a secret core of salted caramel. Heaven.

 

We finished off our summer excursion with a cocktail. I had the French Spring Punch, which tasted like an alcoholic lemonade. Perfectly refreshing in the summer sun.