hip hop roll – crab meat, avocado and lettuce, wrapped in seared salmon, topped with fried garlic

My time in London has come and gone! Waaahhhhhh BIG SAD FACE (T.T) … I didn’t actually feel particularly sad until the very last night when I lay in bed and thought about everything that [...]]]>

hip hop roll – crab meat, avocado and lettuce, wrapped in seared salmon, topped with fried garlic

My time in London has come and gone! Waaahhhhhh BIG SAD FACE (T.T) … I didn’t actually feel particularly sad until the very last night when I lay in bed and thought about everything that I was going to miss. Aside from people, what I’ll miss most about London is Soho. I love the vibe of the place, the eclecticness, the randomness and the fact that no one really cares who you are or what you are. I loved living in Soho and being in it every day. I loved all the food in Soho.

Surprisingly I hadn’t planned any special eats for my very final weekend. I actually hadn’t planned anything at all, no parties, no farewells, nothing. But I ended up eating all the stuff I love anyway, like the best cheesecake and tiramisu in London.

One of my favourite under-rated places in London is Hi Sushi. Hi Sushi on Frith Street appears to be rubbish and touristy and run by rude Chinese people for god’s sake, but the food is good and never mind that they have that all you can eat deal for £15. The sashimi is surprisingly fresh and sweet and cheap! and all the other dishes are pretty darn good too. Try the wasabi prawns #yum!

salmon sashimi

grilled unagi (eel)

wasabi prawns

homemade organic multigrain granola

We also had Sunday breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien on Great Marlborough Street, where I loooooove indulging in the sinful bread basket. But not this time, I opted for the homemade organic multigrain granola.

Lunch was at Leon’s Soho branch, the best branch of them all. Panu and I had the new buffalo chicken wrap and strawberry’ade while soaking up the sunshine and watching the Soho crown meander by.

buffalo chicken wrap & strawberry’ade

And then there’s Candy Cafe, London’s best answer to a Hong Kong style dessert bar. My grass jelly with mango might look odd but goddamn. LOVE.

mango & grass jelly

This next one’s no surprise. Siam Central, my go to Thai when I feel good, bad, sick, hungry, hungover, hung-under and everything in between. Basically, I’m just THERE all the time and they’ve never once let me down.

pad thai

spicy papaya salad

sticky rice

Another of my likes… frozen yoghurt at Yog. Blueberries and coconut make awesome toppings but if you get the flavoured froyo (like chocolate or passionfruit) you don’t need any topping at all!

And last but not least. Not that it was the weekend any more, but Monday morning found me at Dishoom with my bacon naan roll. Which if you haven’t had one, why the hell not? At £3.50, they are a dream come true.

And that’s it, people! I’m now sitting in my hotel room in Johannesburg, in limbo with three tonnes of luggage in my possession. 11 sleeps until I head to Sydney, so the countdown starts again!

Sometimes I find a place so good in London that I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. Because I’m nice like that. Right? WRONG. Because when I find the places I reaaaaaally love, I just want to keep them all to myself. I mean, damn if I’m gonna be sharing all my secrets! [...]]]>

Sometimes I find a place so good in London that I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. Because I’m nice like that. Right? WRONG. Because when I find the places I reaaaaaally love, I just want to keep them all to myself. I mean, damn if I’m gonna be sharing all my secrets! But since I’m leaving London in a little over 48 hours, I thought I’d share one of my best kept secrets with all of you.

There’s one place in London, just one, which makes the BEST cheesecake and tiramisu I’ve ever had. Truth.

Jak’s on Walton St, baby. You know it.

And I love Jak’s. Not just because the food is delicious and oh hey, I met Prince Harry there, but it’s everything about the place. The atmosphere, the awesomely friend staff, the home cooked style food. I mean, the cakes don’t look perfect, right? But that there is nine tenths of the appeal… the homeliness and the way you can pile on your plate the way you do at home, a bit of this, a ladle of that and maybe just three beans please, because that’s exactly how many beans you feel like eating.

I love Jak’s. Wait, did I say that already? Their cheesecake is To Die For and just ask Panu, the cheesecake-fiend half of our relationship, who’s been on the search for the best cheesecake for years. I’m not sure what they put in the base? I think it’s butter? Gallons of it? Whatever, it’s gold. And the tiramisu is fresh, the sponge is not over soaked the everything is perfect. Even my Italian friend Isabella (who made this tiramisu) agrees and that’s saying something.

So if there’s one thing nice thing you want to do for yourself, it’s to go Jak’s (if you’re going on a Saturday, aim for just before 12pm) and try the cheesecake. And the tiramisu. And the stuffed aubergine. And the schnitzel. And the whole range of fresh juices. Because it’s the best thing you’ll ever do for yourself.

Promise!

Jak’s on Walton St
77 Walton Street
Chelsea, SW3 2HT
0207 584 3441
website

oh ee kim chi (pickled cucumber seasoned in red chilli powder)

There’s been a lot of talk lately about one of my most beloved fruits, the durian. And let me tell you, it hasn’t been so kind, this talk about my durian. It seems that more and more people (even Asians, dammit, you call [...]]]>

oh ee kim chi (pickled cucumber seasoned in red chilli powder)

There’s been a lot of talk lately about one of my most beloved fruits, the durian. And let me tell you, it hasn’t been so kind, this talk about my durian. It seems that more and more people (even Asians, dammit, you call yourself Asians?) are starting to take offence to its smell, which by the way wikipedia so lovingly describes as “pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock”.

Ok but you know what? Love is blind anosmic, so bite me.

I’m not so sure if it’s about “growing up” with smelly food vs an acquired taste. Most people seem to think that unless you’re born knee deep in stink, you will never love stink, but I disagree. I totally acknowledge the combined smartness of my friends and all that – and by no means am I any smarter, I mean, seriously - but if there’s one thing I do know about, it’s what’s yummy.

Another smelly food is kim chi, right? If you don’t believe me, try keeping a tub of kim chi in your fridge a week and see. Just see. In my obviously misguided youth, kim chi used to make me near retch but now? Honestly? I can order a large serving of mixed kim chi and hoover the whole thing myself.

But mostly, I share. Because I’m nice like that.

Like last week, when I met the quirky and gorgeous Yasumi for dinner at Asadal, we shared mix kim chi – cucumber, cabbage and radish. No Korean meal is complete without kim chi and speaking of Korean, I’m off to Koba for dinner tonight! As good as Asadal was, somehow nothing in London compares to Koba – my one true Korean love!

kim chi (pickled chinese cabbage seasoned in red chilli powder)

yuk hwae (thinly sliced raw beef seasoned with soy sauce, salt & sesame oil
served with julienned pear & egg yolk)

bin dae dduk (traditional pancake made from ground green beans and beef)

sam gyup sal kui (fresh slices of pork belly)

hyeuh kui (slices of ox tongue meat)

cooking the ox tongue

BBQ’d gal bi (marinated cuts if beef rib)

ps. another smelly food I love? Fish sauce!!

pps. speaking of smells, one thing Asadal does well is the management of smoke stink, considering it is a BBQ joint. They have these awesome IN-GRILL vents that pull the smoke back down, so you don’t go home smelling like something your dog might want to lick all over!

Asadal
229-231 High Holborn,
Holborn, Wc1V 7DA
0207 430 9006
website

Cumberland sausage and chive mash with caramelised onion gravy

It’s now officially 8 sleeps to go before I bid farewell to these gloomy shores. Days like today – Sunday, dumping rain, windy, scattered sunshine (kind of like Melbourne, really) – makes me think I won’t miss London at all but who am I kidding? [...]]]>

Cumberland sausage and chive mash with caramelised onion gravy

It’s now officially 8 sleeps to go before I bid farewell to these gloomy shores. Days like today – Sunday, dumping rain, windy, scattered sunshine (kind of like Melbourne, really) – makes me think I won’t miss London at all but who am I kidding? As much as I crave the sun and surf of Sydney, there are certain things that make London London. Like sausages and mash, for example.

Not that we can’t get sausages and mash in Sydney, but you sure won’t get it within a stone’s throw of St Paul’s Cathedral and Fleet Street, where it really does hit home that London is one of the most incredible and historic cities in the world.

Set against all this oldness and history is Society Bar & Restaurant, a venue so new that everything still smells new and the leather couches are yet to earn their first crease. It’s tucked away on Blackfriar’s Lane and I’m assuming that their target market will be the suits who mingle in the area but honestly? I think they’re capable of more than that.

For one, the food is actually quite good.

Organic beef burger with salad and tomato served with chips and garlic mayonnaise,
smoked bacon and cheese

Baked goats cheese with maple candied squash, buttered spinach and
roast Mediterranean vegetables with tomato and balsamic

Crumbed Cornish whiting with shoestring fries and tartare sauce 

The baked goats cheese and vegetables is just about the most delicious vegetarian option I’ve seen outside of Bill’s in Covent Garden, and the fish and chips (my version of gastronomically bidding farewell to London) was crumbed and light, served with crispy shoestring fries.

Society’s restaurant area is modern and spacious, including an outdoor area set atop some fake turf. Oh well, they are in the City after all. Towards the back (or front, depends which side you come in) of the restaurant space is also a bar area… I’ve only seen it sparse during lunch but again it’s spacious and I can see it being filled with suits come Friday evening. Not so much my style but the restaurant area I like.

Glazed lemon tart with clotted cream

Baileys and chocolate crème brulee with homemade shortbread

The desserts are delicious, especially the Baileys and chocolate crème brulee, which let me warn you will leave you scraping the bottom of the ramekin to get every last inkling into your mouth.

I’m a little sad that Society has just opened, given that I’m no longer working in London City. But I have already been twice and here’s some love I’ll share with you. For the rest of July, Society are offering 20% off food and drinks – just quote this Square Meal discount code when booking.

Society Bar & Restaurant
33 Blackfriars Lane
London City, EC4V 6EP
0207 248 1323
website

I’ve been on a whirlwind of farewell dinners this week, my diary packed from last Saturday all the way through to this coming Sunday. For a wee little homebody like myself, this is tiring. Luckily, with the barrage of dinners, I’ve also had a huge array of gastronomic delights to power me on.

Monday night I [...]]]>

I’ve been on a whirlwind of farewell dinners this week, my diary packed from last Saturday all the way through to this coming Sunday. For a wee little homebody like myself, this is tiring. Luckily, with the barrage of dinners, I’ve also had a huge array of gastronomic delights to power me on.

Monday night I caught up with my friend, Michael, who towers over me but thankfully the theme of the night was all about smallness. I’d picked Opera Tavern for dinner because I couldn’t leave these shores without trying one of their mini Ibérico pork & foie gras burgers… mini? Yes. Awesome? Definitely.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, awesomeness comes in small packages.

I wondered why they didn’t make the burger in regular size but I think part of the awesomeness is not getting enough. It’s about savouring that last tiny bite of burger, licking your fingers and wanting more. I sure wanted more. I contemplated ordering another – I mean they are tiny – but hell hath frozen over because I moved on and perused the rest of the menu instead.

The theme of mini deliciousness continues at Opera Tavern with their tapas menu. Created by the same guys behind the genius of Salt Yard, we knew we were in for a treat. Every dish we had was delicious and just look at the pork belly. LOOK AT IT.

crispy Ibérico pigs ears

pinchos: moorish marinated Ibérico pork; Gressingham duck with fig

courgette flowers stuffed with goat’s cheese & drizzled with honey

steamed sea bream with confit salsify, sea aster, capers and smoked anchovy dressing

confit of old spot pork belly with rosemary scented cannellini beans

chargrilled beef sirloin with bone marrow, Ibérico pork fat chips, new season garlic & thyme aioli

warm hazelnut cake with lemon thyme ice cream

I’m going a bit weak at the knees just looking at the pork belly again. Thick, soft, sweet… Jesus. So good. And the steak? See those little globules that look like they might be garlic or something? Bone marrow, baby.

I love eating this way. Shared dishes. Tiny bites. Awesomeness in small packages.

Opera Tavern
23 Catherine St
Covent Garden, WC2B 5JS
0207 836 3680
website

There’s something about getting all dressed up that still makes the girlie girl hidden deep within me flutter with excitement. I never wear proper dresses and heels in London (work clothes don’t count). The walking, the raining, the cobbled streets… unless you actually want to sprain your ankle or god forbid, to damage the perfectly [...]]]>

There’s something about getting all dressed up that still makes the girlie girl hidden deep within me flutter with excitement. I never wear proper dresses and heels in London (work clothes don’t count). The walking, the raining, the cobbled streets… unless you actually want to sprain your ankle or god forbid, to damage the perfectly patently shiny heel of your new shoes, believe me you do not want to wear heels in London.

But of course, having afternoon tea at The Ritz falls outside of my no-heels rule. Not in the least because you have to dress up to even penetrate the revolving doors that hold the rich and beautiful in, and well, normally holds the rest of us out.

But we were all intent on being “in”, so dressed up we got.

After much deliberation about what we were all going to wear (a little trickier for me, might I add, since my boxes of clothes have already been shipped off to Sydney), my girlfriends and I showed up at The Ritz on Sunday, all purrrty and stuff, ready to pretend like we’re proper ladies. The pretence didn’t last long.

Tea at The Ritz is a very posh affair. Held in the Palm Court, we’re surrounded by men in jackets and ties and ladies who look like they actually wear dresses and heels every day. We couldn’t pretend to be posh for too long, where is the fun in that really? Certainly not as much fun as being ridiculous in the mirrors when trying to take decent photos.

Honestly you wouldn’t believe we were in our 30′s would you.

Anyway the food was delicious – standard afternoon tea sandwiches, scones and pastries – except better, because they come around with trays of more food, topping you up. That’s always a win in my books

afternoon tea finger sandwiches, scones and pastries

eton mess

Victoria sponge

Afternoon tea is always fun, I don’t think I’ve ever not liked eating precious little finger sandwiches and nibbling on miniature sweets. Tea on Sunday was tinged with sadness though because I’m leaving my armour of girlfriends behind. Yes I did just use the word “armour” to describe my gorgeously dainty girlfriends.

And why not? They’ve always been there for me, they protect me, they make me strong and most importantly, they make me shine

Le sigh.

The Ritz
150 Piccadilly,
London W1J 9BR
0207 493 8181
website