The annual Christmas dinner with the office in Gracechurch Street took place at the fabulous Indian Restaurant Bangalore. A couple of colleagues had arranged it and did an amazing job of decorating the party room and getting everyone in the Christmas spirit beforehand with a Christmas Jumper competition in the office.
I had contacting the restaurant in advance to discuss the menu as my Indian friends in Uni had told me to give up on traditional Indian food long time ago. It is based mostly on things I can't eat such as rice, garlic etc. The chef confirmed this notion - he said it was no problem to cook me something, but it wouldn't be Indian. I didn't mind, as long as I'd have something to eat.
And he did cook me the most amazing menu:
For starters
massive prawns in avocado-mash with walnuts and honeydew melon.
For mains
a lamb stew cooked with various vegetables and cinnamon and served with polenta
For dessert
a beautiful fruit salad framed by a white creamy custard and a fruity sauce
The food was delicious and the service we received there was very friendly and helpful. I cannot recommend this place enough. I love having that sort of experience because I really don't mean to bother anyone with my food intolerance, so it is simply wonderful to be met with understanding and a can-do-attitude.
Monday, 31 December 2012
Monday, 29 October 2012
Gourmet Burger Kitchen
One of my favourite places to eat in London is the chain GBK. They make burgers out of pure meat, no wheat and they are even willing to cook it with no pepper and serve it with no bun. There are a variety of toppings and sides to choose from and I never leave that place hungry.
The restaurants are very cosy and I love that the ketchup is in tomato-shaped flasks.
The restaurants are very cosy and I love that the ketchup is in tomato-shaped flasks.
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Torta Caprese
My Italian colleague brought a Torta Caprese to work one day. It is an amazing cake and the best part for me is that it is totally wheat-free! I found a recipe online: http://www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/t/torta_caprese.html
So if you ever want to serve me cake, here is an option :-)
So if you ever want to serve me cake, here is an option :-)
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Wonderful Maida Vale
I met a friend at Le Cochonnet in Maida Vale for a meal. A few years ago, when I lived in the area, I used to go there regularly. It is a nice pizzeria in a relaxed cafe style. They have a little outdoor terrace and free wifi. The food there is nice, although I really had to work for my salad, as the leaves weren't cut. It looked impressive though, and they got everything I asked for right (with respect to my food intolerance). The service there is friendly and prompt.
Afterwards we went to the Prince Albert which is a quirky little pub close to Warwick Avenue tube station. They have various games like Djenga and Backgammon, which makes it an entertaining place. The space has room dividers with tiny doors which creates smaller more private spaces, and a very high ceiling balances it out, so you don't feel trapped.
There are many other places in the area for food, drinks or coffee any time of day, any time of the week. If you are in the area, also go to the Paddington Recreation Grounds for sports or chilling in the grass with a book.
Afterwards we went to the Prince Albert which is a quirky little pub close to Warwick Avenue tube station. They have various games like Djenga and Backgammon, which makes it an entertaining place. The space has room dividers with tiny doors which creates smaller more private spaces, and a very high ceiling balances it out, so you don't feel trapped.
There are many other places in the area for food, drinks or coffee any time of day, any time of the week. If you are in the area, also go to the Paddington Recreation Grounds for sports or chilling in the grass with a book.
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Cock's & Cows
Yesterday I met up with a good friend by Holmens Kanal in Copenhagen. There is a tourist boat trip passing under Stormbroen, and it is fascinating to see how the flat boat just fits under the bridge and how it is just about possible for it to make the corner to the right down past the Parliament.
We decided to go for a bite and sat down at the burger place by the controversial name Cock's & Cows and had a look at the menu. They have a good variety of burgers, drinks and sides. My friend introduced herself to the waiter as "the simple one" and ordered a "Cheese'N'Smoke" and a Strawberry milkshake. Then it was my turn, I fancied a burger called "the illegal", but after we discovered that the chef had no idea what was in the guacamole, I basically ended up with a bun-less regular cheeseburger. The meat was fantastic though, so it was a nice meal. Next time I'll go for "the Soprano". Gotta love the funky names.
Afterwards we went for a drink in Nyhavn as the sun was shining. It is always a lovely, lively area and during the summer, there is often live music of various sorts. Yesterday it was a small brass ensemble and it was a cosy afternoon.
We decided to go for a bite and sat down at the burger place by the controversial name Cock's & Cows and had a look at the menu. They have a good variety of burgers, drinks and sides. My friend introduced herself to the waiter as "the simple one" and ordered a "Cheese'N'Smoke" and a Strawberry milkshake. Then it was my turn, I fancied a burger called "the illegal", but after we discovered that the chef had no idea what was in the guacamole, I basically ended up with a bun-less regular cheeseburger. The meat was fantastic though, so it was a nice meal. Next time I'll go for "the Soprano". Gotta love the funky names.
Afterwards we went for a drink in Nyhavn as the sun was shining. It is always a lovely, lively area and during the summer, there is often live music of various sorts. Yesterday it was a small brass ensemble and it was a cosy afternoon.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
The other night I went with a friend to my favourite pub in London - Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. I like it because of its fireplace that sends out a smell of cozyness, storytelling and fun when you enter the pub. Also the fact that it is shaped as a maze with numerous smaller rooms, bars and a restaurant adds to this feeling of childish adventure.
It was the first time I ever had anything to eat there - if you are going there for food, there are 2 options. You can sit in the restaurant for a proper meal - i.e. this must include a main. If you are only there for something lighter, the bar at the back has its separate menu.
We went in the back - I had a salad and my friend had chips. As anyone who has ever been out eating with me will know, I am intolerant to a few things and I ordered the salad with no dressing. It came with pesto, which I had to ask the waiter to check the contents of. It was with vegetable oil so I had to send it back.
Vegetable oil, vegetable fat etc. are always like a russian roulette for me. They could be made from rapeseed, which some might see as a less marketable name compared to the generic term vegetable. But they could also be made from sunflowers or a number of other plants, which would cause my face to look like the surface of the moon and my stomach to feel like a rocket was trying to take off in there.
So I told the waiter (in less detail) that I would like one with no kinds of oil or dressing at all and apologised to him for his inconvenience - just because I am in England and I know it's not his fault. And because I hate to trouble other people with my akward needs, but the alternative is never to eat out, and that would be too boring.
Thankfully the staff in that place are always very friendly and helpful. I was once given a tour by the bartender in the front room. Apparently they will sometimes do that if the place is not that full and you ask for it. He told us about this parrot that used to live in the pub for about 40 years as far as I recall. It would drink whiskey and talk to the guests. When it dies, it made the newspapers in countries all over the world - although the ones I saw where all commonwealth countries and I think this was in the early fourties....perhaps it was code for something else?
Whatever the case it was a great story and it is always an experience to go there. So do it. The address is: Wine Office Court, 145 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2BU
It was the first time I ever had anything to eat there - if you are going there for food, there are 2 options. You can sit in the restaurant for a proper meal - i.e. this must include a main. If you are only there for something lighter, the bar at the back has its separate menu.
We went in the back - I had a salad and my friend had chips. As anyone who has ever been out eating with me will know, I am intolerant to a few things and I ordered the salad with no dressing. It came with pesto, which I had to ask the waiter to check the contents of. It was with vegetable oil so I had to send it back.
Vegetable oil, vegetable fat etc. are always like a russian roulette for me. They could be made from rapeseed, which some might see as a less marketable name compared to the generic term vegetable. But they could also be made from sunflowers or a number of other plants, which would cause my face to look like the surface of the moon and my stomach to feel like a rocket was trying to take off in there.
So I told the waiter (in less detail) that I would like one with no kinds of oil or dressing at all and apologised to him for his inconvenience - just because I am in England and I know it's not his fault. And because I hate to trouble other people with my akward needs, but the alternative is never to eat out, and that would be too boring.
Thankfully the staff in that place are always very friendly and helpful. I was once given a tour by the bartender in the front room. Apparently they will sometimes do that if the place is not that full and you ask for it. He told us about this parrot that used to live in the pub for about 40 years as far as I recall. It would drink whiskey and talk to the guests. When it dies, it made the newspapers in countries all over the world - although the ones I saw where all commonwealth countries and I think this was in the early fourties....perhaps it was code for something else?
Whatever the case it was a great story and it is always an experience to go there. So do it. The address is: Wine Office Court, 145 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2BU
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)