Category Archives: Dinner

Arbor Restaurant, Bournemouth

Mixed varieties of Tomato with a chickpea crust and balsamic. Absolutely delicious.

Although quiet for lunch in the week ( which I loved), Arbor was a bright and breezy place to dine.

Freshly caught plaice with capers.

Food tasted like it had just been grown in the kitchen. The restaurant was covid safe. Staff were attentive. Great lunch time dining experience.

#arbor #restaurant #dining #lunch #bournemouth

http://www.arbor-restaurant.co.uk

The Norfolk Arms – King’s Cross London

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Why oh Why was this place at the back of Russell Square / Kings Cross without patrons on a Sunday?  This is a complete hidden gem. One of the best tapas I’ve had in London.

The seating could be more comfortable, but great food in a relaxed pub atmosphere with great service.  Well worth a visit.

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Yosma

A TURKISH MEYHANE, MANGAL & RAKI BAR INSPIRED BY THE STREETS OF ISTANBUL.

I love Turkish food and eat it often; so it was an absolute delight to find a restaurant in Baker Street that doesn’t do generic Turkish food but excellent  Turkish food with a twist.  Every dish melted in the mouth from the bread and humous to the lamb dumplings.  Even the salad was amazing.  Mouthwatering, with excellent ingredients where I could taste the quality. This is a true find for Turkish cuisine.  Beautifully presented and served with a smile. Easily the best Turkish inspired restaurant I have eaten at in London thus far.

http://www.yosma.london/

A short stay in Paris

Gymkhana

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Where to begin with the feast that was laid before us?  Gymkhana, needs some booking ahead. Why? Because if you like this sort of food they are at the top of the game in London. I use opentable, book one month ahead and take the £35 tasting menu for a late lunch.  Oh you may think it may not look much as a three course meal (you can do four courses should you wish)  But I dare you to roll out of that restaurant wanting more.

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Traiteur – New London N4 Restaurant

The other night I went with my friends to the new hot Spot, Traiteur in Crouch Hill.  Anything new in The Manor I need to know about and quickly.  Well well well, what a fantastic find.

Le Traiteur 1

The above was a surprise gazpacho with crab Hors d’ouevre for us to have before our meal.

As soon as I took a bite of the beef short rib Croustillant, I wished that it would never end.  But I’m greedy so I ate it in about one minute and felt sad it was gone after.  It tastes better than my picture.  I then had gnocchi, which is one of my favourites and it did not disappoint. No packet gnocchi here.   Everyone had enviable meals. I wanted to go back again the next day.

Traiteur 2

 

This place is not fancy to sit in, but it’s intimate and it works. The only downside is BYOB.  We didn’t pay corkage and if you own this restaurant – do not charge corkage please.  You will ruin what is an amazing thing that has happened and annoy people like me who would write about it. I have a feeling that they won’t be there for long and it will expand quickly, so If I was anyone interested in food in London, I would book IMMEDIATELY.

They also cater for events. My birthday is soon and  this is happening all over again.

http://www.traiteur-n4.com

Need Meat and Malbec in Barcelona? Go Patagonia

Image   I was too greedy to stop and take a picture of my steak so took this pointless picture of the wine instead.  But it was a good wine. 

We had had enough of the tapas and we needed steak. And not small bits of steak but lump sums. We saw the ribeye.  It was for two, but we wanted it split in half and cooked two different ways.  This was no pizza hut. Could they do it?  Would they do it?   It was tense for about two minutes.  But the answer was positive and service swift and friendly. There was a plethora of Malbec to choose from too.  We were too drunk to eat dessert.  Was it the best steak I’ve ever had?  No, but it was very good.  And local peoples were eating in there, which is always a good sign. 

 



How to make the ultimate melanzane alla Parmigiana

I made this and it was the ultimate in YUM. All the comments beforehand are really helpful as well.

Spaniards Inn – Hampstead, London.

Sometimes this pub can get a bit too busy for it’s own good, but that’s because it’s a great pub and everyone knows, find a great pub and find the worst kept secret.  So if you want it when it’s buzzy then go in the summer and crash someones gigantic table outside in the huge garden, and  join everyone else who is getting sloshed. If you want it a bit quieter than do what I just did and get there at midday on a Sunday and grab the last unreserved table. I was having a Roast Dinner in the Evening and did entertain the idea of ordering one from lunch and doing the double, but I didn’t I went for Gnocchi, and I’m so glad I did.  I mean look at it.  One of the best gnocchi’s I have ever had.  Hand made, truffle cream with pea shoots and chestnut mushrooms. This deserves the biggest picture ever.  Image

 

Andina – Peruvian Food in East London

ImagePicture taken from Opentable, where you can book a table should you want to. Or you can call the restaurant,  they have a phone.

I don’t like raw fish.  Andina is a Ceviche Bar.  Just so you know what that is as I didn’t, it’s raw fish.  My heart sank.  It hadn’t been my choice to go for Peruvian, because frankly who would? Menu Menu Menu, my eyes then scanned to quinoa burger.  Sad, so sad.  But wait then Pig Butty – oh lunch only and I was there for dinner.  I was glad their food was for suitable for coeliacs and locally sourced but how about some food that I could have?  You can get a whole suckling pig, – if you order it five days before…

But wait there’s a pot at the end of the rainbow, because being on my best behaviour and also being hungry I just decided to go for it.  Grilled steak skewers and chicken casseroles, all with weird, but cooked ingredients not previously mentioned and you know what?  It was good.  It was really good.  The doughnuts for dessert made the meal just wish that there had been more choices.

The place has a good vibe.  It’s busy, small seating, not posh nosh but street food.  The service is really good and friendly but it’s not somewhere you would go and sit for a long time enjoying your food.  I liked it, but if you like sushi you will probably like it more.