Restaurants I want to visit

Mya lacarte restaurant - reading - berkshire

2010-11-15T01:07:00.002-08:00

home page - best british food - mya lacarte restaurant - reading - berkshire

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Dinings revisited: Hit and miss.

2010-09-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Dinings revisited: Hit and miss.: "Dinings, �35 to 50 per person depending on what you order
22 Harcourt Street W1H 4HH
Tel: 020 7723 0666
Tube: Edgware Road"

sushi of shiori - traditional temari sushi

2010-08-26T01:07:00.000-07:00

sushi of shiori - traditional temari sushi

Chillicool - Menu

2010-08-26T01:02:00.000-07:00

Chillicool - Menu

Rajus Tandoori

2010-07-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

Rajus Tandoori

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Zucca: A Delicious Pumpkin.

2010-06-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Zucca: A Delicious Pumpkin.

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Koya : Udon-mania hits London.

2010-05-20T06:03:00.000-07:00

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Koya : Udon-mania hits London.

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Pearl Liang: Dinner definitely gets my vote.

2010-05-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

London Eater – London food blog and restaurant reviews and restaurant guide � Pearl Liang: Dinner definitely gets my vote.

Yalla Yalla - Lebanese Restaurant Street Food London Soho

2010-04-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

Yalla Yalla - Lebanese Restaurant Street Food London Soho

Trishna restaurant, Trishna London, Trishna Bombay, Trishna Mumbai, Seafood Restaurant London, Indian Cuisine London

2010-03-11T23:34:00.000-08:00

Trishna restaurant, Trishna London, Trishna Bombay, Trishna Mumbai, Seafood Restaurant London, Indian Cuisine London

Real Hoxton - F Cooke Pie and Mash

2010-02-26T02:24:00.000-08:00

Real Hoxton - F Cooke Pie and Mash

Tubby Isaacs - Wholesale and Retail Fresh Fish products direct to you - Home

2010-02-26T01:27:00.000-08:00

Tubby Isaacs - Wholesale and Retail Fresh Fish products direct to you - Home

ARONIA DE TAKAZAWA

2009-12-22T02:15:00.000-08:00

ARONIA DE TAKAZAWA

Garufa - Argentine Grill / Home

2009-11-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

Garufa - Argentine Grill / Home: "104 Highbury Park, London N5 2XE
Tel.: 020 7226 0070

Lunch Menu Specials
Mondays to Fridays until 5pm"

UMU

2009-08-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

UMU

FW: Salt Yard (tapas) - London, England (7.5/10)

2009-07-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Nice

Feed: World Foodie Guide
Posted on: 19 July 2009 00:00
Author: admin
Subject: Salt Yard (tapas) - London, England (7.5/10)

Background:

After sampling Salt Yard's smoked swordfish with crushed potatoes and orange vinaigrette and stufffed courgette flowers at Taste of London recently, I placed the tapas bar firmly back on my London restaurant wishlist. It has a Bib Gourmand from Michelin - an award to recognise 'good food at moderate prices', and when I announced on Twitter that I was heading there for lunch with a friend, I received some excited tweets in response. So it was with high expectations that I walked through the door.

It's not a large space (I never wandered downstairs where there is presumably more seating), with several bar stools around the bar and some small tables, but it's modern and buzzy, with a pleasant lunchtime atmosphere (by that I mean conducive to conversation and not overly loud). Our waitress was friendly, helpful and efficient, and it seemed that we were all set for a superb tapas lunch.

What we ordered:

Courgette flowers stuffed with Monte Enebro cheese and drizzled with honey (£7.25) - this is one of Salt Yard's signature dishes (see top photo) and one that many rave about. I had a nibble of this at Taste of London and was bowled over by it. It's such a simple dish and yet the combination of the bold flavours works so well. A 'must order' item and one I want to replicate at home with my garden courgettes

Chargrilled lamb leg with roasted and marinated courgettes and ajo blanco (£7.25) - I was expecting to love this. Again, the flavours worked really well together, and I love the use of ajo blanco with lamb (Fino served an incredible lamb cutlet with ajo blanco at Taste), but I found the lamb a little tough and chewy

Patatas fritas with romesco and alioli (£3.50) - this was a great little dish and came piping hot. Perfect while waiting for the next tapas to arrive and highly recommended

Smoked swordfish carpaccio with crushed potatoes and orange vinaigrette (£5.75) - I loved this at Taste, but at Salt Yard, it was surprisingly underwhelming. I'm comparing the two photos as I write this review - Salt Yard version at Taste and this version - and distinctly remember the former being a spectacular little dish, with plenty of dill and potatoes to complement the smoked swordfish

Gressingham duck breast (a daily special) (£6.25) - this was probably my least favourite dish. I am a huge fan of duck cooked any kind of way, but this was tough and chewy like the lamb

Line-caught tuna carpaccio with baby broad beans and salsa verde (£6.50) - high up on my list of recommendations, and very thinly sliced compared to the smoked swordfish carpaccio. A light and fresh dish, perfect for the summer and something I would definitely order again

cherry & almond cake with salted caramel ice cream (£5.25) - the cake was superb, but the salted caramel ice cream, which on its own or accompanying something different would have been lovely, simply clashed with it. My friend ended up eating first the cake, then the ice cream, while I felt guilty for having suggested it

rhubarb & mascarpone custard crema catalana (£5.25) - a daily special, I didn't quite hear the lengthy description, but I'm almost certain it was a crema catalana and rather delicious too, with a perfect crunchy burnt caramel topping. Having ordered too much food, I did however struggle to finish it…

The verdict:

Some dishes were excellent - stuffed courgette flowers, patatas fritas, tuna carpaccio and the crema catalana, but others weren't so great, namely the smoked swordfish carpaccio, chargrilled leg of lamb and Gressingham duck breast. Perhaps I was also making a subconscious comparison with one of my favourite restaurants Barrafina, the reason why I rarely venture out to other tapas places. However, I did like everything else, including the atmosphere and service. I also like that Salt Yard features a monthly recipe on their website - the current one is Roast Organic Sea Trout with Mousserons, Pea Shoots and Truffle Vinaigrette. Salt Yard is centrally located and convenient for most to reach, the portion sizes reasonable for sharing and the service efficient and friendly. I'm sure I'll return to Salt Yard with friends one day.

Lunch for two without alcohol cost £53 (including service charge).

The rest of the Salt Yard photos are on Flickr and can be viewed here.

10 - Perfection, 9.5 - Sensational, 9 - Outstanding, 8.5 - Superb,
8 - Excellent, 7.5 - Very Good, 7 - Good, 6.5 - Above Average, 6 - Average

All the London restaurant reviews on World Foodie Guide

Contact details:
Salt Yard
54 Goodge St
London W1T 4NA
Tel: 020 7637 0657
info@saltyard.co.uk
http://www.saltyard.co.uk/

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 12 Noon to 11pm (3pm until 6pm bar snacks only)
Saturday 5pm to 11pm

Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide

View article...

Paris Best

2009-07-12T06:35:00.001-07:00

n a stifling August night in 1974, I was led down a steep flight of stairs into a vaulted basement in the Latin Quarter. In my madras jacket, I immediately felt like a dork. Everyone else in the dining room was wearing jeans, and my mortification was magnified by the fact that both of my brothers were also wearing madras, while my sister was sporting a daffodil-yellow frock. Plunged into the heart of bohemian Paris, a place I’d always dreamed of, I was suddenly desperate to be elsewhere and furious with the aunt who’d told us we couldn’t miss this restaurant, a real old-fashioned bistro that had been a memorable find on her most recent trip to Paris.

Still, I liked the slightly musty smell of the room, which reminded me of a country well, and the sour stink of the Gauloises that were sending up small curls of blue smoke from every table but ours. The bread was delicious, and it was a relief when the waiter understood Mom’s French, especially since a wonderful salad of sliced tomatoes in a silky mustard vinaigrette—so simple, but so good—arrived a few minutes later, along with a pocked white porcelain plate of sizzling snails for Dad, who insisted I try one (I gulped it down with a big sip of water). Then, after a stately pause, the graying waiter returned with a heavy copper casserole, which he set at my end of the table. Lifting the lid, he released a fleeting cloud of steam. The mingled aroma of wine, beef, and onions was so intoxicating it seemed an eternity before everyone had been served and I could dig in. I burned my tongue, never quite realizing that I was experiencing my first round of primal pleasure at table. Nothing had ever tasted as good to me as the shiny mahogany sauce, an amazing mixture of wine and butter, that glazed the tender chunks of beef on my plate. That boeuf bourguignon, served at a long-vanished restaurant on a street I barely remember how to find, left me with an irresistible craving for more—more Paris and, most of all, more French food. So much so that 21 years ago I moved to Paris.

Last fall, I decided that spending all my time chasing talented young chefs around the city as they moved from kitchen to kitchen (usually before opening places of their own) was only part of the culinary equation. I set out to rekindle an old flame, tracking down those restaurants that, while not especially chic anymore, deliver the kind of soul-satisfying boeuf bourguignon on which French cuisine was built. I started with L’Ambassade d’Auvergne, which continues to serve some of the best regional food in Paris. Anyone who loves real French cooking cannot afford to live in fear of fat. At this outpost near the Marais, creamy lentil salad comes with a healthy dollop of goose fat, while blanched cabbage leaves are layered with a fine filling of pork, salt pork, pork liver, Swiss chard, and fresh bread crumbs before being popped into a hot oven where all the flavors fuse into a superb terrine—a brilliant work of edible masonry. The “embassy” also understands basic tableside theater: After serving a generous length of grilled auvergnat sausage, the waiter returns with a copper saucepan and a wooden spoon to whip the aligot—that heavenly concoction of potatoes, cheese curds, and garlic—into a cascade of melting sheets, a coup de théâtre that dazzles the occasional tourist while reassuring the serious Parisians that French cuisine is still alive and well.

Running late for my next stop, I rush into La Grille, a peculiar dining room (it reminds me of Miss Havisham’s) festooned with lace, straw hats, and dusty dolls, as my friend waves away my apologies. “What a wonderful idea to eat here,” she says. “I’d forgotten about this place—so much character.” Geneviève and Yves Cullerre have run La Grille for nearly half a century, turning out almost anthropological classics like duck terrine with hazelnuts, mackerel poached in white wine, and his plat de résistance, a superb grilled turbot in black fishnet stockings (thanks to the scoring of the grill) with a sublime beurre blanc. I live in dread of the inevitable day when the Cullerres retire to some sunny place by the sea. Then again, I might just tag along.

I also hope that Michel Bosshard (“Boboss”) at Auberge Le Quincy won’t hang up his indigo cotton apron anytime soon. With his blue-framed glasses and teasing style, Boboss is as much a part of the ambience as the bric-a-brac that fills this cubbyhole of a restaurant. After greeting me with a big slice of saucisson to nibble on while reading the menu, he insists I have the caillette, an Ardèche specialty of small patties of grilled pork, pork liver, Swiss chard, and herbs that have been rubbed with fat from the caul (the lacy membrane enclosing an animal’s abdomen). I’d been dreaming all day about the foie gras, but he is firm. “If you hate the caillette,” he says, “I’ll bring you some foie gras.” But I don’t, not this caillette—whose bed of mesclun dressed with vinaigrette is the perfect “grassy” foil for the rich meat. I move on to rabbit cooked in shallots and white wine, ending the meal with one of the best chocolate mousses in Paris—all fine with Boboss.

For a meal that’s equally animated but more anonymous, I love La Tour de Montlhéry, one of the last of the night restaurants that fed the workers at Les Halles before the market decamped to the suburbs. Like the décor, the menu here is as authentic as a Doisneau photo—grilled marrowbones, oeufs en gelée, calf’s liver with bacon, and massive côte de boeuf, all accompanied by a cheap but harmless Beaujolais from the barrels inside the front door.

Atmosphere is also the lure at the magnificent Le Train Bleu, inside the Gare de Lyon rail station. The nice surprise here, though, is that aside from being the best place in town to savor the visual opulence of fin de siècle Paris, the ornate dining room also serves some surprisingly good French food. Ignore the contemporary dishes (like scallops sautéed in tamarind-spiked jus de poulet) and go straight for the escargots or oysters to start, followed by grilled sole, steak tartare, or the succulent leg of lamb, which is carved tableside on a silver-domed trolley and served with a delicious potato gratin made with Fourme d’Ambert, a wonderful blue cheese from Auvergne.

As an American, I remain neutral in the ancient quarrel between the French and the English but still find it curious that the French derisively call the Brits “rosbifs” (roast beefs) when they’re such avid boeuf lovers themselves. Just watch the way hungry Gauls go for the hearth-grilled côte de boeuf at Robert et Louise, a rustic hole-in-the-wall in the Marais with exposed half-timbers and a grumpy house poodle. Almost everything here—from the crusty sautéed potatoes that come with the storied rib steak to the great dishes like boudin noir and confit de canard—is cooked over an open fire.

Beef is also very much the focus at Au Moulin à Vent, in the Latin Quarter, where the walls are decorated with shiny copper saucepans and the menu is vast. Make it easy on yourself and go for either the Salers beef chateaubriand with homemade béarnaise sauce or the veal kidney flambéed in Armagnac. But be sure to start your meal with the frogs’ legs à la provençale, little bites of juicy meat on tiny bones in a wonderfully garlicky sauce—the best to be found anywhere. No place in Paris quite channels the jubilation that ended the privation of the World War II years like this standard-bearer from 1946.

I have a soft spot for Chez Georges, a bistro that succeeds brilliantly by flatly ignoring the passage of time. The last time I ate there, I had exactly the same meal I’d had 15 years earlier, when I met Julia Child, who also loved this place. “It’s not often I get real bistro cooking anymore,” she told me before ordering a frisée salad with lardons (“It never tastes as good at home as it does in France,” she insisted) and calf’s liver with bacon. I had the blanquette de veau. Just before dessert, a French designer stopped by to pay his respects, congratulating Madame Child for “civilizing” the American palate. After he’d gone, she asked, “Who was that? Oh dear, I hope this place doesn’t become fashionable.” Well, it has, as a quick look at the antiques dealers and fashion-house bigwigs filling the banquettes makes clear, but the kitchen turns out the same guilelessly retro cooking it always has.

For anyone who lives in Paris, few things are more treacherous than the nostalgia trap, that fretful and despairing mind-set that insists that everything tasted better in the past. Sometimes, though, restaurants change for the better, as I find with Josephine Chez Dumonet, a beautiful 1898-vintage place near the famous Poilâne bakery. Now under the management of Jean-Christian Dumonet, a second-generation owner, I find the food fresher and more vivid than it has been in a long time. The clientele has changed, too. Just as I finish a homemade terrine de campagne, a ripple rises up in the dining room. Joey Starr, France’s most notorious rapper, dressed in immaculate dove-gray sweats and a Yankees baseball cap, is shown to the table next to mine. After my meal—panfried foie gras; monkfish with white beans; and, finally, a plate of cheese from the nearby Quatrehomme fromagerie—Starr and I exchange sheepish grins as our Grand Marnier soufflés arrive at exactly the same time.

Later, walking home, I am elated that France’s bad-boy rapper also chose this place. I have no doubt that Paris’s old-fashioned restaurants will survive, and I also know that the boeuf bourguignon I ate in the Latin Quarter 35 years ago had been every bit as delicious as I’d remembered. Maybe even better.

ruth REICHL’s five favorites in Paris
L’Ami Jean (amijean.eu)
L’Astrance (lastrance.abemadi.com)
Le Comptoir du Relais (hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com)
Pierre Gagnaire (pierre-gagnaire.com)
Le Pré Catelan (precatelanparis.com)

Address Book
L’Ambassade d’Auvergne 22 R. du Grenier-St.-Lazare, 3rd (01-42-72- 31-22).
Auberge Le Quincy 28 Ave. Ledru-Rollin, 12th (01-46-28- 46-76).
Chez Georges 1 R. du Mail, 2nd (01-42-60-07-11).
La Grille 80 R. du Faubourg-Poissonnière, 10th (01-47-70-89-73).
Josephine Chez Dumonet 117 R. du Cherche Midi, 6th (01-45-48-52-40).
Au Moulin à Vent 20 R. des Fossès-St.-Bernard, 5th (01-43-54-99-37).
Robert et Louise 64 R. Vieille-du-Temple, 3rd (01-42-78-55-89).
La Tour de Montlhéry Chez Denise 5 R. des Prouvaires, 1st (01-42- 36-21-82).
Le Train Bleu Gare de Lyon, 12th (01-43-43-09-06).

The best Brasseries

2009-07-12T06:29:00.001-07:00

he Latin Quarter took up arms when Brasserie Balzar, a much-loved stalwart next to the Sorbonne, became part of the Groupe Flo chain nine years ago. Happily, not much has changed. Waiters in long white aprons still serve onion soup, marinated herring, and roast chicken to a stylish international crowd. Just across from the Bourse, Le Vaudeville is an intimate spot with a smoke-ambered Art Deco interior (and a tiny but pleasant terrace) that's ideal for a late supper of, say, oysters and grilled cod with potato purée. (Very popular; be sure to reserve.) Recently renovated, the bustling, good-humored Au Pied de Cochon, in the heart of town, still has its brass pigs'-feet door handles and frosted-glass sconces. It serves fine classics like oysters, onion soup, and the signature trotter. The main reason to go to La Coupole, the Art Deco dining room that has anchored Montparnasse since 1927, is the wildly heterogeneous crowd. Stick to simple dishes like oysters, soups, salads, and grilled meats. Fan-patterned mosaic floors, etched-glass partitions, and wood paneling—plus the frisson of impending arrivals and departures—make Terminus Nord, across the street from the Gare du Nord, a good choice for a last meal before a trip to London, Brussels, or Amsterdam. Christian Constant, formerly of the Crillon, has signed on as consultant at the recently renovated Les Grandes Marches, an airy, contemporary space next to the Opéra Bastille. The terrine of crab and the guinea hen with wild mushrooms are particularly impressive. Dark-wood paneling, sassy waiters, and appealing dishes like coq au Riesling and choucroute garnie keep the long-running, tavernlike Brasserie de l'Île St-Louis popular with Parisians and tourists alike. On the outer edge of the Latin Quarter (and lacking some of the buzz of the better-known places), Restaurant Marty serves some of Paris's best brasserie food. The escargots and navarin d'agneau make for a fine feast, and desserts like caramelized Mirabelle plums with vanilla ice cream in a pastry tulipe are impressive. The Alsatian connection (fresh choucroute is delivered weekly from a small producer near Strasbourg) explains the popularity of Chez Jenny, a festive spot in the 3rd arrondissement. Try the choucroute with rotisseried pork knuckle and (instead of one of the ordinary desserts) splurge on a good Riesling.

Brasserie Balzar, 49 rue des Écoles; 5th; 01-43-54-13-67
Le Vaudeville, 29 rue Vivienne; 2nd; 01-40-20-04-62
Au Pied de Cochon, 6 rue Coquillière; 1st; 01-40-13-77-00
La Coupole, 102 boulevard du Montparnasse; 14th; 01-43-20-14-20
Terminus Nord, 23 rue de Dunkerque; 10th; 01-42-85-05-15
Les Grandes Marches, 6 place de la Bastille; 12th; 01-43-42-90-32
Brasserie de l'Île St-Louis, 55 quai de Bourbon; 4th; 01-43-54-02-59
Restaurant Marty, 20 avenue des Gobelins, 5th; 01-43-31-39-51
Chez Jenny, 39 boulevard du Temple; 3rd; 01-44-54-39-00

Gourmet Mag - Paris Best Bistros

2009-07-12T06:27:00.001-07:00

the small dining room at Le Temps au Temps is packed nightly with hip young couples settling in for a go at chef Sylvain Sendra's chalkboard menu; it changes daily but runs to dishes like poule au pot with Szechuan pepper, baby vegetables, and wild flowers. With its friendly service, dark beams and heavy wooden furniture, L'Ami Jean has the allure of a country inn, and young chef Stéphane Jego serves up delicious modern Basque and southwestern French dishes like baby scallops roasted in their shells and axoa (veal stew). Au Bascou, a cozy place in the 3rd arrondissement, offers an excellent Basque-inspired menu.

Alsatian chef Antoine Westermann's Mon Vieil Ami has been a hit on the Île Saint-Louis ever since it opened with a slick contemporary décor—here it's done with mirrors and exposed black painted beams—and delicious modern rustic French cooking with eastern French roots, including dishes like a mushroom tart, seasonal vegetables braised in a cast-iron casserole, and duck breast. Steps from the Gare du Nord, talented young chef Thierry Breton also does a modern take on a regional kitchen—that of Brittany—at Chez Michel, with delicious, hearty dishes like tuna steak with coriander and tabouleh, roast John Dory with potato puree, and a terrific Paris-Brest (choux pastry filled with hazelnut cream). Le Pamphlet, a great-value bistro, serves contemporary Béarnais food on a quiet street in the Marais. Chef Yves Camdeborde, ex-La Régalade, is back, too, with Le Comptoir, a hugely popular (book in advance) modern bistro in a small, stylish art-deco dining room just steps from the Odéon; the single dinner menu changes all the time, but you can expect dishes like deboned, breaded pig's trotter; chicken soup with vin jaune and mousseron mushrooms; saddle of lamb with Basque-style raviolis; and runny chocolate cake. Lusty, generous dishes pull in crowds at L'Affriolé in the 17th. Memorable food like grilled squid and octopus with Granny Smith apple and turmeric and grilled lamb with lemon-grass and kumquats has won chef William Ledeuil a loyal following at Ze Kitchen Galerie, while shrewd contemporary riffs on the cooking of southwestern France—goose breast with poached peaches, for example—mean that the tiny La Cerisaie in Montparnasse is always packed. And, finally, it's worth a trip deep into the 15th for the hearty but sophisticated Basque food at Le Troquet.

Le Temps au Temps, 13 rue Paul Bert; 11th; 01-43-79-63-40
L'Ami Jean, 27 rue Malar; 7th; 01-47-05-86-89
Au Bascou, 38 rue Réaumur; 3rd; 01-42-72-69-25
Mon Vieil Ami, 69 rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile; 4th; 01-40-46-01-35
Chez Michel, 10 rue de Belzunce; 10th; 01-44-53-06-20
Le Pamphlet, 38 rue Debelleyme; 3rd; 01-42-72-39-24
Le Comptoir, 9 Carrefour de l'Odéon; 6th; 01-43-29-12-05
L'Affriolé, 17 rue Malar; 7th; 01-44-18-31-33
Ze Kitchen Galerie, 4 rue des Grands-Augustins; 6th; 01-44-32-00-32
La Cerisaie, 70 Boulevard Edgar Quinet; 14th; 01-43-20-98-98
Le Troquet, 21 rue François Bonvin; 15t; 01-45-66-89-00

The Ivy Restaurant

2009-07-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

The Ivy Restaurant

FW: Rasa Sayang (Straits) - London, England (7.5/10)

2009-07-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Feed: World Foodie Guide
Posted on: 08 July 2009 00:00
Author: admin
Subject: Rasa Sayang (Straits) - London, England (7.5/10)

Background:

My ex-Chinese language teacher and I meet to eat on a regular basis. As she grew up in Indonesia, I thought she might like to try some Straits cuisine with me at Chinatown eaterie Rasa Sayang and give me her expert opinion on the dishes there. I duly booked a table, but when I turned up, realised that it didn't make any difference as it's a very casual restaurant, canteen-style, and because I was earlier than my teacher, I wasn't shown to a table. Instead I was offered a seat and the photo menu. We were seated immediately though, as soon as my teacher arrived.

First impressions:

There are two floors, the ground floor where there is more hustle and bustle (otherwise known as atmosphere) and the basement, which is quieter. It was a hot evening and I could almost imagine being back in Malaysia or Singapore (except that it's much hotter and stickier there than here). The service was really efficient and friendly despite the fact that they were packed and turning over tables fast. We had a nice table by the wall and so were more tucked away. It's not a place to linger over your meal, although we ended up doing so, simply due to the nature of our order…

The menu:

The menu, with large colourful photos, looked rather enticing, starting off with 'The Nibbles' such as crispy chicken wings in Rasa Sayang marinade, gado gado (cooked mixed vegetables tossed in peanut sauce) and Straits curry puff (fresh pastry filled with a rich chicken and potato curry sauce). In 'The Heat Zone' are dishes like kangkong flashed fried in belachan (water morning glory flash fried in shrimp paste) and stir-fried sambal cluster beans (cluster beans or petai stir-fried in spicy sambal paste, which comes with a warning). The largest section of the menu, 'Straits Culinary Favourites' includes classics such as nasi lemak, beef rendang and char kuay teow. I also liked the sound of pan-fried carrot cake, 'crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and bursting with flavours from the east'.

However, I let my teacher take charge of the ordering.

What we ordered:

stir-fried sambal ladyfingers - okra stir-fried in spicy sambal sauce (£5.80). I'm not a fan of okra, which I find too viscous, but this was delicious with just the right amount of spiciness. We both thought quite highly of this dish

Hainanese chicken rice - chicken slow-cooked in superior broth and served with fragrant rice (£6.90). To my inexperienced taste buds, the chicken tasted tender and succulent, while the rice had also been cooked in the chicken stock giving it a lovely flavour. My teacher didn't think there was anything wrong with it, however she also didn't think it spectacular and declared the C&R version round the corner to be far superior

black pepper crab (£14.80 I think, as it was a special summer promotion). This was the star dish of the meal. There was a choice of this or spicy crab and came wok-fried in a rich dark sauce. It was very fresh and worth the forty or so minutes we spent picking the flesh out of every crevice and leg using our fingers, pick and cracker. Not a 'date' dish, but one to enjoy with relish with a good friend!

The verdict:

This was a good first meal, and hopefully the first of many. So the Hainanese chicken rice wasn't as good as the one at C&R, but the crab was fantastic, as was the okra. There are quite a few dishes on the menu that I'd like to try over a series of lunches and dinners. Dinner for two without service charge or alcohol cost £30.00 (it would have cost far less without the crab).

Other restaurants serving 'Straits' cuisine that I'd like to try are C&R in Rupert Court around the corner (which apparently is better than the one on Westbourne Grove), Sedap on Old Street and The Satay House in Paddington. I went to Kiasu a couple of years ago, but I'm not sure what the quality is like now.

10 - Perfection, 9.5 - Sensational, 9 - Outstanding, 8.5 - Superb,
8 - Excellent, 7.5 - Very Good, 7 - Good, 6.5 - Above Average, 6 - Average

All the London restaurant reviews on World Foodie Guide

Contact details:
Rasa Sayang
5 Macclesfield Street
London W1D 6AY
Tel: 020 7734 1382

Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide

View article...

FW: We Heart Hsinchu

2009-07-06T02:03:00.000-07:00

Feed: EatingAsia
Posted on: 30 June 2009 09:50
Author: Robyn Eckhardt
Subject: We Heart Hsinchu

The blogosphere is a wonderful thing. Especially when it leads you to little gems like Hsinchu.

Hsinchu is about an hour south of Taipei by train. It rates the merest mention in most guidebooks; we wouldn't have even thought to include it in our Taiwan west coast itinerary, had it not been for the urgings of this blogger , who was lucky enough to spend two months there last summer.

So we stopped in for a night. And ended up staying three.

Home to a Science and Technology Park, Hsinchu is ground zero for Taiwan's high-tech industry. Think Silicon Valley and all that it's meant for the San Francisco Bay Area and you'll get an idea of Hsinchu's attractions. The city boasts an energetic vibe probably attributable to its youngish, well-educated (more PhDs per capita in Hsinchu than anywhere else on Taiwan), fairly well-off population. There's an arts scene, and a fair bit of live music - both touched with characteristic Taiwanese wackiness. The city's downtown is exceedingly walkable, a wonderful mix of old (Japanese colonial buildings, old temples, even a moat) and new (cheeky bars, restaurants, coffee houses and boutiques, many hidden away down narrow lanes).

First, the old, and delicious.

Sketched on one of Aiguo Wu Xiao Chi's ('Patriots' House Little Eats') two windows is a cartoonish drawing of a pigs's head. Serious Pork Served Here.

The thirty-year-old restaurant, squeezed into a rear corner of Hsinchu's central Dongmen Market, is run by the chatty Zheng Fu Wen and his wife (he does most of the cooking). What you see in the photo above is pretty much what you get: four tables (two inside, two out), a tiny prep area and, in front of the shop's other window, a case displaying the day's dishes.

Some of the dishes are already cooked, to be eaten room temperature or gently reheated, in one of Mr. Zheng's well-worn slope-bottom sauciers. Others are an assemblage of raw ingredients waiting to be boiled, steamed, sauteed, or fried.

Our introductory meal here, an assemblage of dishes including stuffed and simmered squid;

silky soy sauce-brushed milkfish (which has nudged aside tuna to assume top position in our ranking of tasty piscene specimens) with housemade chili-bean sauce; vibrantly green-tasting local spinach;

a version of fanquie jidan (tomatoes and eggs) that elevates this basic Chinese classic to new gustatory heights (this knocked our socks off - seriously, it did);

and a bowl of rice topped with Serious Pork -- an over-the-top stew of fatty cuts (opening photo) -- and liberally sprinkled with black pepper, left us frankly awed.

It was an utterly unpretentious, homely meal prepared with wonderful ingredients utilizing techniques that perfectly highlighted their flavors. And it cost thirty Taiwan dollars (about 95 US cents) a dish.

Wow.

Was there any doubt we'd return the next day? This time we scored an inside table

and feasted on more of that Serious Pork, this time splodged over thick, chewy noodles;

batons of tofu skin simmered in soy sauce with red and green peppers - a bit of gluten-ish chew, lots of crunch; and okra, eggplant, and white bitter melon lightly blanched, drizzled with oyster sauce and sesame oil and sprinkled with chopped scallions and garlic.

We would have gone back the next day for more, had Aiguo Wu not been closed.

Before we left the chatty Mr. Zheng, who displays much pride in his kitchen skills, hauled out a jar of rufu (fermented bean curd) that he put up himself and offered us each a spoonful. It was smooth as mochi skin, a little sweet, quite rice-winey, barely salty. Fantastic, in a word. I could see spreading on toast.

Patriots' House - just one reason to return to Hsinchu, as soon as we get the chance.

(Xander - we really owe you one.)

Aiguo Wu Xiaochi, 1001 Dongmen Market. Early morning to 7pm-ish. Days off not fixed. (03) 5249612, (0911) 569-019.

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Cruse 9 - Home

2009-07-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

Cruse 9 - Home

Franco Manca (pizzeria) - London, England (8/10)

2009-07-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Feed: World Foodie Guide
Posted on: 14 June 2009 00:01
Author: admin
Subject: Franco Manca (pizzeria) - London, England (8/10)

Background:

People seem to really enjoy the pizzas at Franco Manca in Brixton Market, South London and I've read many a rave review. I must therefore be one of the last food bloggers to make the pilgrimage. When little brother told me that he regularly eats at Franco Manca and Wild Caper, FM's tiny delicatessen and bakery, I thought I'd tag along one lunchtime and see what they were feeding him.

First impressions:

The legendary queues were another reason for delaying my visit for so long. However, we timed it perfectly, arriving at 2pm on a Friday and seated within a minute or two. Even though my brother knows the waiters, I'll have you know that there was no queue-jumping involved! Franco Manca is split into two small locations, one on each side of the covered market, with a small walkway between them, but there is just one queue. There are tables inside as well as outside and people share tables quite happily, in order to avoid a long wait.

Menu:

Everything on the simple menu is made with organic ingredients, from the flour to the toppings and the alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. There are just six sourdough pizza options and one daily special (on the board), as well as a few extra toppings at 90p each. Little brother chose number 2 - ricotta from Alham Farm, Somerset, organic pork and mozzarella (no tomato) - £4.90, so I went for number 3 - wild mushrooms, garlic and anchovy (seasonal, subject to availability) - no cheese - £5.20. People all around us were tucking into their pizzas with gusto, and soon we were doing the same. I preferred the ricotta, pork and mozzarella one, but mine was lighter and probably a better choice for lunch.

According to Franco Manca, 'the pizza is made from slow-rising sourdough (minimum 20 hours) and baked in a wood burning 'tufae' brick oven made in Naples by a specialised artisan. The slow levitation and blast-cooking process lock in the flour's natural aroma and moisture giving a soft and easily digestible crust. As a result, the edge (cornicione) is excellent and shouldn't be discarded'.

The verdict:

I can't say whether Franco Manca's pizzas are the best in London or not, as I don't eat pizza often enough to be able to make that comparison. Fellow food bloggers will hopefully be able to help me out here with thoughts on this subject. However, I can say with confidence that the sourdough base was delightfully crispy, not too thick and doughy, not too thin and floppy (I don't normally finish the crust, but none remained this time) and the two toppings that I did try were excellent. Next time, I'm going to add more extras on my pizza and 'super-size' it up a bit!

Two pizzas, a large bottle of homemade lemonade, small salad and service charge came to a grand total of £15.70. Not bad at all for lunch in London, considering everything was organic, and I was stuffed for hours afterwards.

NB A few doors down is Wild Caper. It's a tiny place with two communal tables outside where you can enjoy tea and a slice of cake or lunchtime soup, made fresh daily. They sell organic fruit and vegetables, cheese, Sicilian olive oil, sourdough bread and other delectable products. It's well worth a visit after Franco Manca, and I couldn't leave without picking up some pimenton and jasmine silver tip tea.

Click here to see the entire set of photos from Franco Manca and Wild Caper.

10 - Perfection, 9.5 - Sensational, 9 - Outstanding, 8.5 - Superb,
8 - Excellent, 7.5 - Very Good, 7 - Good, 6.5 - Above Average, 6 - Average

All the London restaurant reviews on World Foodie Guide

Contact details:
Franco Manca
Unit 4
Market Row
Electric Lane
Brixton
London SW9 8LD
http://francomanca.co.uk

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 12-5pm

Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide

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Hix Oyster & Chop House (British) - London, England (9/10) | Reviews | World Foodie Guide

2009-06-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hix Oyster & Chop House (British) - London, England (9/10) | Reviews | World Foodie Guide: "« How To Make Indian Karahi Lamb ChopsWhat’s Your Favourite Dim Sum? »Hix Oyster & Chop House (British) - London, England (9/10)
Mar 10th, 2009 by admin

Background:
It was a toss-up between dinner at Hix Oyster & Chop House or Hawksmoor. I didn’t really mind when my"

Le Café Anglais revisited - London, England (8.5/10) | Reviews | World Foodie Guide

2009-06-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Le Café Anglais revisited - London, England (8.5/10) Reviews World Foodie Guide: "« Taste of London 2009Le Café Anglais revisited - London, England (8.5/10)
Jun 23rd, 2009 by admin

Background:
When our Canadian friends visited London recently, I had to think hard about where to take them for dinner. As we’d already dined at The Wolseley, Konstam and Yauatcha with them over the last two years, I wanted to maintain the high standards to which they’re accustomed in London. In the end, I chose Le Café Anglais because I had an excellent meal there nine months ago and had recently been recommending it to other friends."

Sophies Restaurant in Covent Garden - Sophie's Steakhouse and Bar, Chelsea, Covent Garden, London

2009-06-22T04:41:00.000-07:00

Sophies Restaurant in Covent Garden - Sophie's Steakhouse and Bar, Chelsea, Covent Garden, London

Moti Mahal

2009-05-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

Website: "On the Grand Trunk Road
Qabali Seviyan Kabul 8
I experienced this unique Afghan dish in Kabul at the end of my journey and fell in love with its divine rich texture. A vermicelli and masala chicken supreme is tossed with pine nuts and baked in an egg custard"

Entropy - Bar

2009-05-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

Entropy - Bar: "Entropy Bar
Tom & Cassandra Cockerill opened Entropy Bar on Hinckley Road in March 2000.
The property at 42 Hinckley Road had been a butcher’s shop well known in the area as a bit of a landmark however, when we discovered it, the shop was boarded up and had been vacant for over 5 years.
When rennovations began we decided to keep the old ‘H North’ sign as a tribute to the heritage of the building, its first ever occupant being Mr H North the butcher back in the 1890’s."

Vicky Frost on diwali food | Life and style | The Guardian

2009-05-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

Vicky Frost on diwali food Life and style The Guardian: "Kaycee Patel runs Ek Maya, a large restaurant with a spice bazaar attached. On the table, is a collection of dishes filled with spices, including the restaurant's garam masala (literally, 'warm spice'), the blend at the heart of much Indian cooking"

Top tables review| AA Gill restaurant reviews | Times Online Food & Drink

2009-05-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Top tables review AA Gill restaurant reviews Times Online Food & Drink: "THE BEST

- elBulli
- River Café
- The Square
THE WORST

- Ambassade de l'Ile
- Chicago Rib Shack
- Cha Cha Moon
- Waterhouse
- Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
- Bel Canto"

Ba shan review | Giles Coren restaurant reviews | Times Online Food & Drink

2009-05-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

Ba shan review Giles Coren restaurant reviews Times Online Food & Drink: "The most new and unusual for me were the Shaanxi flatbread sandwiches (jia mo): little flattish buns, quite sweet, filled with stewed pork or cumin-spiced beef, and presented wrapped in paper parcels, like tiny hamburgers"

Yum Cha (dim sum) - London, England (8.5/10) | Reviews | World Foodie Guide

2009-05-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yum Cha (dim sum) - London, England (8.5/10) Reviews World Foodie Guide: "We ordered the following: (each item cost £2.40 apart from the cheung fun, which was £3.00)
prawn cheung fun - another classic to test the quality of a restaurant’s dim sum. Three rolls (thin and translucent, just the way I like it) arrived filled with large, crunchy prawns.
har gau - ordering classic prawn dumplings can be a good test of the quality of dim sum in any restaurant. These were a little on the small side, but the skins were thin, translucent and non-sticky. Delicious
beef tripe - Chris had this all to himself, as I don’t like tripe. He approved (I’m assuming, as he left the dish empty!)"

Jay Rayner reviews Bocca di Lupo | Life and style | The Observer

2009-05-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Jay Rayner reviews Bocca di Lupo Life and style The Observer: "Bocca di Lupo
12 Archer Street,
London W1
020 7734 2223
Meal for two, including wine and service, £80-£120
The menu at Bocca di Lupo - literally 'the mouth of the wolf' - reads like a wine list. Every dish comes with its own appellation. Looking for something from Umbria tonight? Why not try the shaved radish with celeriac and pecorino? Feeling a little Tuscan? There's the roast poussin with the panzanella salad. Or why not just go wild and delve into the less-explored cuisine of Piemonte with the bone marrow, Barolo and radicchio risotto?"

New Tayyabs

2009-05-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

New Tayyabs

Mirch Masala, Whitechapel

2009-05-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

Cheese and Biscuits: Mirch Masala, Whitechapel: "So, and here comes something I never thought I'd say, Mirch Masala may have done enough to replace Tayyabs as my curry house of choice in the East End. It's not just because of the food, either - although Mirch will certainly give them a run for their money. The problem is, thanks to people like me going on about how good Tayyabs is, it's more or less impossible to get in these days unless you turn up at 5:30pm or are willing to wait for two hours. And once you're in, securing a spot with enough room to use your elbows and not have people knocking you on the back of the head on the way to the toilets is yet another challenge. Mirch Masala serves tasty, cheap food (our feast for two came to £19 in total) in infinitely more relaxed (if rather canteen-y) surroundings and is a big enough restaurant that you don't have to sprint there after work to get a table. It has everything going for it. Let's just see how long it takes for the rest of the city to catch on... can you keep a secret?"

Hawksmoor Steak Tasting - London, England | World Foodie Guide

2009-05-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hawksmoor Steak Tasting - London, England World Foodie Guide: "« Sorabol (Korean) - New Malden, England (6/10)Koba (Korean) revisited - London, England (8.5/10) »Hawksmoor Steak Tasting - London, England
Apr 26th, 2009 by admin

I’m partial to a thick, juicy steak. Having spent my childhood years in Germany, I grew up on steak and even had it for breakfast most Sundays when my parents took me to the nearby American Club. However, living with a vegetarian who’s also in charge of the kitchen makes life as a carnivore a little tricky. I’ve only recently started dabbling in a little meat cooking at home, with separate frying pan, saucepan, chopping board and knife, but I mostly only get meat on the plate when I eat out.
Fellow food bloggers love London steakhouse Hawksmoor. So when a few of us were invited to a steak tasting session of some ‘guest breeds’ at the restaurant, I was delirious with anticipation. Hawksmoor’s steak is supplied by award-winning butcher The Ginger Pig and comes from Longhorn cattle, hung for 35 days and simply cooked on a real charcoal grill"

Buen Ayre - Argentine Grill - Hackney/London

2009-05-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

Buen Ayre - Argentine Grill - Hackney/London: "PLATOS PRINCIPALES
(Main Courses)

Bife de chorizo con guarnición £20.00
14oz grilled prime Argentine Sirloin steak with garnish

Bife de lomo con guarnición £22.50
10oz grilled Argentine Fillet steak with garnish

Bife ancho con guarnición £17.00
11oz grilled Argentine Rib-eye steak with garnish

Bife de cuadril con morrones y guarnición £16.00
10oz grilled Argentine Rump steak with peppers and garnish

Churrasco con morrones y guarnición £11.50
8oz grilled Argentine Sirloin steak with peppers and garnish

Vacío con guarnición £10.50
Grilled flank steak with garnish (ask about availability)

Chorizos criollos con guarnición £8.00
Two Argentine-style pork and beef sausages with peppers and garnish
Mollejas con guarnición £16
Sweerbread with peppers and garnish"

Roast Restaurant London, Deliciously British

2009-05-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Roast Restaurant London, Deliciously British: "British cooking
We will research both ancient and modern dishes as well as cooking techniques.
Using British ingredients wherever we can, placing emphasis on the sourcing and provenance of products, we intend to explore dishes and recipes that also highlight seasonality.
From succulent spit roasts and deeply flavoured puddings cooked over days, through to organically grown salad leaves that have real taste, British cooking can rightly take its place on the international stage."

The S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best 2009: The results - BigHospitality

2009-04-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

The S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best 2009: The results - BigHospitality

Roka (Japanese) revisited - London, England (8.5/10) | Reviews | World Foodie Guide

2009-04-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

Roka (Japanese) revisited - London, England (8.5/10) Reviews World Foodie Guide: "« Second Helpings - March 2009‘Saha’ by Greg & Lucy Malouf »Roka (Japanese) revisited - London, England (8.5/10)
Apr 4th, 2009 by admin

Background:
Roka on Charlotte Street has been on my London favourite restaurants list for a while now (read previous review). As I haven’t been back in four years however, I thought I’d better make sure it was still deserving of its place on the list. A fellow foodie, who has also eaten at Roka before, didn’t require much persuasion to have dinner with me there…
Specialising in ‘contemporary Japanese robatayaki cuisine‘, there are also branches in Hong Kong and Macau, while sister restaurant Zuma is a little closer to home in Knightsbridge. Downstairs in the basement is lounge bar Shochu, which serves unusual Japanese-influenced cocktails and some, but not all, of the food available in the restaurant. I’ve not been, but a couple of friends have said that it’s worth a visit if you happen to be at Roka."

Calling London Sushi Buffs - U.K./Ireland - Chowhound

2009-04-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Calling London Sushi Buffs - U.K./Ireland - Chowhound: "Calling London Sushi Buffs
Related to my other recent post, I wanted to sound out people about London sushi options to find out if I am missing anything or anywhere notable.
I have become accustomed to really high level sushi dinners in New York where I have lived for the last 2 years as well as on a couple of trips I have made to Tokyo/Japan in recent times. This means that for me the bar has been raised and places I may have previously rated highly in London no longer cut the mustard. Relevant as I am likely to be returning to London full time later in the year.
My sense is that London is not a premier sushi city for the moment (but is improving) and seems to have gone more down the path of 'designerish' Japanese restaurants in recent times. In particular I am keen to hear about places where you can sit at a sushi counter, interact with the sushi chef and do a piece by piece omakase; places where they import fish direct from Japan such as madai (snapper), kinmedai (baby snapper), sayori (needlefish), kohada (shad); places where they use fresh wasabi; places where they are adorning the high grade fish with interesting and imaginative sauce, drizzle, marinade, herb/spice pairings, places with an extensive sake list.
Over the years I have tried a lot of both the usual suspects and also the less usual suspects and favour places like Cafe Japan, Sushi Say, Kiku, Hiro (Ealing), Saki as well as the sushi counter in Selfridge's Food Hall and in the Yaohan Plaza supermarket. In New York, Yasuda, Ushi Wakamaru, Shimizu, Kanoyama and Seki are some of my favourite places.
Any and all insights/recommendations will be gratefully received.
Thanks."

Ba Shan

2009-04-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

Restaurants in London - Restaurant Guide and Reviews - Time Out London: "Ba Shan
From the creators of Bar Shu and Baozi Inn comes this new restaurant, with a focus on the 'small eats' of Sichuan and northern China"