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Showing posts from 2012

Budapest: wine with a side of Goulash

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If I could sum up my experience of Hungarian cuisine is that they like to eat a lot of meals consisting of meat and potatoes, so naturally us Brits get on well when we visit. My first taste of these staple foods was at the International Budapest Wine Festival, held in the grounds of Buda Castle. Upon arrival, we were issued with our very own crystal tasting glass, and, more importantly (and quite frankly the most amazing invention ever), a glass holding bag which hangs around your neck. I know, amazing right?! With our wine glasses proudly hung around our necks, we proceeded to roam around the grounds of the castle with our tokens purchased at the gate, scanning for what we thought was a half decent wine... let's be honest - it was a wine festival, we would hardly be served a glass of Lambrini. However with neither of us really speaking Hungarian, we were more trying to familiarise ourselves and work out what the Hungarian word "most" meant... We soon got into the

Chilli & Coconut Thai Noodle Soup with Lemon Roasted Chicken

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I have never attempted to make any kind of soup in my life and a Thai noodle soup probably isn't the usual place to start, but somehow I made it work and it tasted so so soooooo good! Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts Juice of half a lemon 1 tin of coconut milk 1 chicken stock cube 1 inch of ginger, finely chopped 1 tsp lemongrass (I used lemongrass from a jar!) 2 spring onions, sliced into 1/2 cm discs 1/2 small red chilli, sliced into fine rings 1/2 small green chilli, sliced into fine rings Juice of 1 lime Selection of stir fry veg (Pak choi is great in this dish!) 150g rice noodles 2 tsp fish sauce Coriander for garnish Olive oil, salt and pepper 1. Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees 2. Place the chicken onto a baking tray and rub with a little olive oil, season with cracked black pepper and salt, followed by the juice of half a lemon - this is now ready for the oven and will take 25-30 minutes until cooked 3. Meanwhile, pour the coconut milk into a saucepan

Bibimbap Soho - my first taste of Korean food.

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This tasty little restaurant is located down Greek Street in Soho. A fantastic central location perfect for a quick bite before going out or for a break from shopping. And that's just its convenience. Experiencing my first meal at Bibimbap Soho wouldn't have been right without trying the signature Korean dish: Bibimbap. My chosen dish to devour was chilli chicken complete with a fried egg on top. Served in a sizzling hot stone bowl, as soon as the dish hits your table you are presented with  delicious fragrances of garlic and chilli combined with the chicken, rice and vegetables. I wasn't sure of the best way to tackle this dish or that I'd even manage to finish it (but of course I did), but quickly learnt that mixing the ingredients with  your chopsticks is vital to avoid the rice sticking to the hot bowl and that the crispy rice even adds to the flavour and textures. If that hasn't wetted your appetite enough, throw in a side portion of Jap Chae (pan frie

Quirky sushi restaurant in an unlikely location

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I have always thought that all cusines should adopt the Yo! Sushi's conveyor belt way of eating. Having your food paraded in front of you before eating is every foodies dream, it's food for the eyes. And now I can officially say that I have been to Britain's original conveyor belt sushi restaurant: Moshi Moshi. I first heard about this restaurant on a BBC Two's The Fisherman's Apprentice, featuring marine biologist Monty Hall learning the ropes of being a fisherman with the locals at Cadgwith Cove, Cornwall. Moshi Moshi was featured within the show as it is one of very few restaurants who help support sustainable fishing by using whatever has been fished that day. So, after spending four days in Cadgwith it only seemed right to finish with a meal at Moshi Moshi, Liverpool Street station. Now normally you wouldn't think, "hmmm where should I go to dinner? Oh I know - at a station", but honestly with its quirky interior designed by a leading Japane

Proof of never judge a book by it's cover...

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Whenever I say I live in Brixton to anyone who is familiar with the area, they are never short of places to recommend to visit: bars, restaurants and clubs. The truth is anyone who judges Brixton and gives the typical "oh it's a bit rough there" hasn't visited it recently or ever lived there. I could go on and rant about how Brixton is a great place to live, but this is a food blog! If you want proof, try visiting Brixton Village or the numerous gigs at the o2, Electric Brixton, Hootanannys etc...! One restuarant in Brixton, which from the outside looks like a kebab shop/cafe, is one great example of the diversity in Brixton, and that I am shocked that after nearly a year of living here that it was my first visit! The restaurant in question is Asmara  a delightful Eritrean restaurant on Coldharbour Lane. Several people had already raved about this place, so I can't exactly say we discovered it, but I cannot big it up enough. We decided to hav