Our final foodie stop in Bali was Betelnut Cafe, another popular Canggu hangout. It serves healthy but attractive and pretty delicious meals.
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| Spot our new furry friend on the left! |
Milk & Madu is something of a Canggu institution. It serves hearty all-day breakfasts, lunches and dinners and is helmed by friendly and welcoming staff.
So naturally Deena and I made it a point to pay them a visit when we were in Bali this past October.
We started off with some delicious smoothies:
We started off with some delicious smoothies:
Now for Bao, the second contender in the battle of the bao, which you can find in the centre of Soho. You will probably see a long queue of people before you actually spot the restaurant, which does not take reservations. Before you join the long queue in the cold winter, here's a quick review.
My parents live in Sussex, and we have often passed the turning to the Bluebell Railway and commented that we really should go and have a look one day! So we decided to do just that on my Dad's birthday this year.
The Bluebell Railway runs a number of steam trains between East and West Sussex. Just look at how majestic these things are. A far cry from the trains we frequently use nowadays.
My dad and I stood there and admired the engines for a while, asking questions about how it works (coal is burnt, which heats water, which turns into steam, which turns a motor - FYI), and watching the conductor and engineers at work. It's really heavy and very dirty work, and watching them frankly made me quite exhausted and very hungry.
Which was just as well, because we had booked Afternoon Tea on the Wealdon Rambler - an old fashioned dining car, which looks like this:
It had an old world charm, which I soaked up whilst perusing the menu.
Afternoon tea was served as we whizzed through the beautiful Sussex countryside, choo-choo-ing (and chewing!) away happily.
Lots of sandwiches...
Lots of cakes...
And more cakes! In honesty, it wasn't the best afternoon tea I've had. The sandwiches were nice enough, but the fillings were pretty unimaginative, and the cakes were definitely not homemade. I guess this is all you can expect on a train like this, but worth bearing in mind...
Overall though, it was a really good experience, and a lovely family day out. We gobbled and chattered away for a couple of hours, looking out at the fields and watching smoke of the engine shoot out. An absolute must if you have a train or engineering fan that you're looking to treat.
I holidayed in Bali over the weekend. It was as idyllic as it sounds - I attended a friend's beautiful wedding on Saturday and the rest of the time was spent on the beach, in the spa and of course working our way through the wonderful restaurants & cafes Bali has to offer.
Monsieur Spoon stands out as probably the best brunch we had during our time there. It's run by two Parisian cousins, and you can tell: the dishes on offer are simple but made with such skill and finesse.
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| Yes, that was for 2 people - don't judge! |
The best baos are deliciously filled clouds of joy, bad baos are pretty awful. My next few posts will review a number of London's most popular restaurants, serving steamed buns. Mr Bao, in Dalston, is a small Taiwanese restaurant which sells small sharing plates and specialises in steamed buns.
A couple of weeks ago I headed over to UoVo in Damansara Kim for dinner. It has two sister restaurants located on the same street.
I must start with saying that UoVo's pizzas are absolutely DIVINE.
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| Pomodoro |
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| King oyster mushroom |
A few weekends ago I went along to a Primrose Bakery Cupcake Decorating Masterclass. My boyfriend bought me a voucher for the class as part of my birthday present - he knows how much I love baking!
So one Sunday afternoon I pottered along to the Primrose Bakery store in Covent Garden. As you can see above, everything is pretty and pastel, and let's be honest, really easy to photograph!
During the class, the Head Chef teaches you how to make really good icing that is exactly the right consistency (the key is in beating the butter and sugar for a good 10-15 minutes - don't give up before then, which is what I usually do), how to do the Primrose signature swirl design, how to decorate cupcakes, and also how to ice a big layer cake.
Once you've mastered the swirl, you'll then be taught about the flat top design, which is best when you want to then ice with a name and put sprinkles around the edge.
So one Sunday afternoon I pottered along to the Primrose Bakery store in Covent Garden. As you can see above, everything is pretty and pastel, and let's be honest, really easy to photograph!
During the class, the Head Chef teaches you how to make really good icing that is exactly the right consistency (the key is in beating the butter and sugar for a good 10-15 minutes - don't give up before then, which is what I usually do), how to do the Primrose signature swirl design, how to decorate cupcakes, and also how to ice a big layer cake.
When you go in, to start with you'll be given two big and two mini vanilla cupcakes, a selection of coloured vanilla icing and an array of colourful toppings. After the Head Chef has shown you how to do the signature swirl (it's much tricker that it sounds!) you'll then practice this on your own. You're given as many hot drinks as you want during the class, and encouraged to ask whatever questions you have about baking.
Once you've mastered the swirl, you'll then be taught about the flat top design, which is best when you want to then ice with a name and put sprinkles around the edge.
And here are the finished products!
(Just look at that swirl!)
I think they came out pretty well - and you get to take them home with you afterwards. Needless to say, they didn't last long in my house.
All in all, I thought it was a really nice thing to do, and an especially good present idea for people that love baking. It's relaxing, really satisfying, obviously delicious, and I learnt some new skills and met some really nice people too!
I've been to Breakfast Thieves twice in the past week - once at 9am on Sunday, and once in the early afternoon on a weekday. The fact that it was jam packed with excited customers on both occasions is a testament to its status as one of the hottest new brunch places in town.
Accordingly, I had high expectations going in.
On my first visit, we shared three dishes between us: My French Lady, The Breakfast Chain and simple eggs on toast.
My French Lady
The book itself is honestly absolutely beautiful. The recipes are laid out so that they are really easy to navigate and very relatable. The book is split into a number of sections: Cookies & Biscuits; Muffins, Cupcakes & Traybakes; Cakes & Loaves; Puddings; Pastry; Bread; Brunch and Special Occasions - so there is definitely something for everyone. What struck me straight away is the stunning photography throughout the book: each recipe has a picture next to it, and I can promise you that every single one makes the bake look irresistible. Tanya has also added a personal touch to each recipe: there is a little paragraph at the top of each recipe explaining how it relates to her life, which I think makes the book unique.
Kingly Court, off Carnaby Street, is a fantastically charismatic area in Soho full of restaurants. Tucked in the corner of the top floor one can find 'Le Bab'. The restaurant has revamped and revived the humble kebab, using seasonal produce.
So a little while back I headed over to Mercat for Sunday lunch. I'd been hearing a lot about it, and as I am a huge fan of Catalan cooking, I was determined to try some of their most talked-about dishes.
The weather was absolutely glorious this weekend so Polina and I spent a day basking in the sunshine and enjoying a great selection of foods from the Broadway Market. I just had to write a short post to tell you all about the most delectable ice cream I have had in a long time. You should also bear in mind that I have just returned from Italy, where I feasted on the most sumptuous gelato - so this place must be good.
Somewhat cheekily, yet appropriately, named, 'Happy Endings' sells fabulous ice cream sandwiches. What makes these ice creams so good, are the clever and well balanced flavour combinations.
Somewhat cheekily, yet appropriately, named, 'Happy Endings' sells fabulous ice cream sandwiches. What makes these ice creams so good, are the clever and well balanced flavour combinations.
Having heard so many good things about Mario & Luigi, I finally headed over for dinner last night. I am pleased to report that it did not disappoint.
To start, we shared a couple of antipasto:
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| Burrata |
Happy Labour Day everyone!
Hope everyone's having a well-earned break and finding some time to try out new brunch spots :) If you're looking for a recommendation, I may have just the thing for you!
I spent some time in Berlin and discovered some lovely places to eat. I had been warned before I travelled, that I shouldn't expect good food. I was happy to discover that the advise was not warranted. From quaint cafes, to large beer restaurants and incredible kebab joints - Berlin has a lot to offer. My next series of posts will reveal hotspots I found in Berlin.
Hofbräu München is a must visit if you are in Berlin. Prost!
Hofbräu München is a must visit if you are in Berlin. Prost!
This post is going to be a little different to our usual posts. I'm going to take you along with me to Cambridge on a sunny Saturday.
Cambridge makes the perfect day trip if you live in London and you get that feeling where you just need to escape for a little while. Just hop on the tube up to King's Cross, then get on a train - 50 minutes later you'll be in beautiful Cambridge.
Cambridge makes the perfect day trip if you live in London and you get that feeling where you just need to escape for a little while. Just hop on the tube up to King's Cross, then get on a train - 50 minutes later you'll be in beautiful Cambridge.
Last night I went to Marta's Kitchen in Desa Sri Hartamas for dinner. I adore Spanish food and we were a group of five so tapas & paella seemed a logical choice.
We were also very, very hungry, having driven for over an hour to get there (that's a story for another day!) so we unashamedly ordered enough to feed a small army...
Even though my brother and I both live in London, we both have busy lives, and it can be difficult for us to see each other as much as we would like. We both love food, and one Sunday morning we decided to head over to Hawksmoor Covent Garden for a long Sunday lunch and catch-up.
Last Sunday I decided to go for breakfast at The Grumpy Cyclist in TTDI.
The first question I'm sure you are going to ask is - does it live up to its name? Well, partly. The cafe is certainly cycling-themed (bicycles and all sorts of biking gear line the walls) but the mood certainly is as far from grumpy as can be - friendly baristas and upbeat music make the whole experience very welcoming.
My dad went for the Gran Fondo, which is basically a big breakfast, whereas I chose the Crespella (chocolate chip pancakes with cream, strawberries and honey).
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| Spot the signed jersey! |
Hello foodies! My name is Reena and I am a food blogger from
The Veggie Perspective. I was delighted when the lovely girls at fEastToWest invited
me to share a guest blog post. As a fellow foodie, I am a big fan of
fEastToWest and regularly visit the blog to see the latest restaurants the girls
have been feasting at! I focus on the vegetarian side of things and I would
like to share my recent experience at Yauatcha City.
I have wanted to try out Dishoom since it first landed in London. There are now a few outlets of this well-loved chain of Irani cafes which mimic those of Bombay. However, it is notoriously difficult to get a table. You can book for breakfast (the menu looks amazing!) and lunch, but not for dinner unless you're a big group. This means an inevitable queue. Having tried and failed to get into the Kings Cross branch on a Saturday evening, we tried the Covent Garden restaurant straight after work on a week day. Success! We still had to wait for 20 mins (at 6pm!) but we were given a hot chai in the queue, and then seated at the bar to wait for our tables.
September 2016 Update
As a fan of both lobster and laksa, I knew I had to rush over to Pince & Pints when I heard that they were rolling out the unique lobster laksa in conjunction with national day.
As a fan of both lobster and laksa, I knew I had to rush over to Pince & Pints when I heard that they were rolling out the unique lobster laksa in conjunction with national day.
Mei by Fat Spoon, run by the same people behind the very popular Fat Spoon in Damansara Uptown, is essentially a fusion-y Japanese Restaurant in Desa Sri Hartamas. I've been there for lunch on a couple of occasions and this is what I had:
Hokkaido Scallop & Lychee Carpaccio
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