Yumchaa

Yumchaa in Soho is leading the charge against teabags.  The owners of this cosy little cafe created Yumchaa because they were sick of being served insipid brews and seeing crimes being inflicted against tea drinkers (for example, milk first).  Yumchaa was created to lavish just as much attention on the British national drink as is usually lavished on coffee. 

The Soho cafe has a bit of a shabby chic look to it and sprawls over two levels in a prime corner location.  As soon as you head to the counter you know that you are in a place where they really care about their tea.  Dozens of tiny cups are spread over the counter holding the different blends so that you can sniff and view in order to make a decision.  The waiting staff are incredibly helpful and are happy to give you a few suggestions if you are suffering from indecision in the face of so much fabulous tea.  Having tried a few I have to say that my favourite is Chelsea Chai which is a very subtle green tea without any of the bitterness that you often find in green tea.  

Given that tea is very much about the ceremony as well as the taste, Yumchaa pays appropriate attention to the whole experience serving tea in two tier pots that double as cups.  Everything is placed on a tray decorated with elephants so that you can make your own way to your preferred perch in the cafe.  

Tea is the main focus but there are also light lunches and snacks on display.  The raspberry muffin is springy and moist however the ultimate accompaniment to a cup of Yumchaa tea is one of the dense, rich chocolate brownies that are made on the premises.  Serving sizes are so generous that you will struggle to finish the brownie over several pots of tea.  I should also mention that Yumchaa offers a free wireless network which is perfect if you are a bit of an internet geek like me.  

Essentials

Details: 45 Berwick Street, Soho W1F8HS.  Tube: Oxford Street

Damage: Reasonable.  Look out for Sundays where students can get tea and cake for £3.  

7/10

Links

If you are not a tea addict and are on the search for great coffee check out Dose in Clerkenwell.  Otherwise, nearby in Soho is Lantana.

Patara Thai

Lamb shanks are not something you usually find on the menu in a Thai restaurant.  Still, if you visit Patara Thai in Soho you must disregard all preconceptions and order the shanks anyway.  I did and expected a culinary train wreck.  Instead I was rewarded with tender dark meat which had been slow cooked in a green curry sauce which had a real depth to its complex spicing.  

Rice paper rolls and chicken satay

There were eight of us for dinner at Patara Thai.  Seven girls and lucky MTV boyfriend.   The restaurant is lively enough to cope with the shrieks and gossip that only that many girls can generate.  The Soho restaurant is one of four branches of this upmarket chain in London.  It is spread over two floors with moody lighting and comfortable banquette style seating.  There are nods to Thai decor in the intricate wooden carvings that hang on the walls but otherwise the look is fairly sleek and minimalist.  

Seafood red curry

We start with a palate energising tuna tartare (£16.50).  Shimmering, thinly sliced tuna is topped with red onion and fresh mint.  It's not strictly Thai as I know it but it is tasty.  Each dish is perfectly presented and worth a photo even if you were not writing a food blog.  Eating with such a large group provides a great opportunity to work our way through a large portion of the menu.  If you go, here's what I'd order: the rice paper rolls whose translucent skins are bursting with prawns and mint, the black cod which is so silky that it literally slips down your throat, the tuna tartare, and of course, the lamb shank.  

Here's what I'd skip: the fish cakes (£19.90) which err on the greasy side and the lobster padgari (£19.95) where the luxurious lobster is not really able to shine.  These were the only misses out of around 15 different dishes that we sampled.  Patara Thai offers a sumptuous dining experience with attention seeking food and a buzzing atmosphere.  It is on the pricey side.  Our bill (which admittedly did include seven bottles of delicate Viognier) came to around £50 per head.    

Essentials

Details: 15 Greek St, Soho W1D 4DP (Ph 020 7437 1071) Tube: Oxford Circus

Damage: Pricey

7/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my post on the Notting Hill Thai restaurant Market Thai or if you are looking for a feed in Soho try nearby Bar Shu for a hit of Sichuan cooking.

The Albion

This weekend I headed over to the Columbia Road Flower Market with my friend Claire.  Hanging out in this area of London sometimes gives me the feeling that I am just not cool enough and much attention has to go on what to wear which is a struggle on a Sunday morning when the temptation is just to stay in your pyjamas.  Posing and flower shopping completed (along with some herbs to replace the sadly deceased batch currently residing in my window box) we went to the Albion Cafe at the Boundary in Shoreditch. 

 

The Boundary is Terence Conran's venture that opened last year and the Albion is the cheap and cheerful cafe situated on the lower ground floor.  Of course this is Conran so the Albion is not without style and every aspect of the cafe, from the displays of fruit, vegetables and preserves at the entrance to the enamel white water pitchers on the table, has been well thought out.  Full length windows allow lots of light in and an open kitchen allows you to watch the chefs preparing batches of freshy baked bread.  

Be prepared to queue if you get to The Albion later in the day and also be prepared to cosy up to your neighbours at a communal table.  I find the eavesdropping opportunities fascinating so it doesn't bother me.  On our visit, it takes a little while to get noticed, but once seated service is friendly and prompt.  We order a pot of tea which comes wrapped in its very own tea cosy, a touch which instantly charms me.  You drink out of thick set mugs just like you would at home.  I am feeling slightly hungover and I am not sure what Claire's excuse is but we both order the bacon sandwiches (£5.50).   These are served on a soft white bun which is spread generously with rich, creamy butter.  As I savour the salty bacon I can feel my hangover disappearing already.  

The only disappointment is that the orange juice is bottled rather than freshly squeezed.  Otherwise the Albion is a great breakfast destination and I am keen to try it out for lunch or dinner as well.  On the way out I pick up some of the excellent bread (£3 for a loaf) so I can carry on my Albion experience at home, however I decide to avoid the overpriced fruit and vegetables (£4.50 for a punnet of strawberries anyone?).  

Essentials

Details: 2 -4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch E2 7DD (Ph 020 7729 1051) Tube: Liverpool Street

Damage: Reasonable

7/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my post on breakfasts in London or if you are in the area and it is not breakfast time you should get yourself to Kingsland road to eat Vietnamese and Viet Grill.  

St Pancras Grand

St Pancras Grand arrived with quite a bit of fanfare last year when the new St Pancras station opened.  This was a restaurant modelled on the famous Terminus Nord in Paris, it had a menu designed by the famous food critic Faye Maschler and the early reviews were pretty positive.  Moving at my usual speed of lightening it has taken me about a year to get to St Pancras Grand to check it out.  

My first impressions are that St Pancras Grand looks nothing like Terminus Nord unless you take into account the fact that it is in the vicinity of a train station and is a brassiere style restaurant.  While Terminus Nord is all faded art nouveau charm, St Pancras Grand is quite corporate with plush leather bistro seating, big cream orb lighting and miles of space between tables.  While the restaurant was fairly full on a Thursday night,  business must be a little slack as St Pancras Grand is currently offering a Top Table deal of £30 for a two course dinner for two along with a bottle of pink Prosecco.  This offer was too good to pass up so I averted my gaze from the oyster counter and stuck to the set menu that the offer covered.  The menu at St Pancras Grand reads like an advertisement for defiantly British food with a special emphasis on seafood so there are lots of things that sound both intriguing and delicious. 

   

Ham hock

It would be presumptive to comment on the wine list as we just drank the offered Prosecco.  However, the Prosecco was not really the greatest example of Italy's lovely bubbly as it erred on the side of being rather too pink and rather too sweet.  Still, it was quite drinkable, especially at the price we were paying and so we sipped on a glass each and tucked into the warm, points of rolls that were brought to our table in a silver container.  

Service was very attentive despite a brief assessment of "Oh you're here on the pink fizz offer" and it did not take long until our mains were served.  The sea bass with black kale featured a fillet of sea bass on a bed of black coloured greens and a scattering of chantarelle mushrooms.  While the dish was plated stylishly with the care and attention to detail that you expect in a restaurant of this calibre, the substance of it did not really blow me away.  Beside the chantarelle mushrooms there were no strong flavours and the skin on the sea bass was soft rather than crispy.  

A better option was the ham hock with apple sauce.  The ham was succulent and salty and came doused in a rich jus on a bed of spinach and topped with a dollop of sweet apple sauce.  St Pancras Grand seemed at its strongest when producing classic dishes, this was also the case with the dessert menu where the Bakewell apple tart was the star of the show.  Tender apples were served with a slightly crunchy crumble topping along with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream flecked with dark spots from vanilla beans. 

It is difficult to offer too strong an opinion on a restaurant on the basis of a set menu deal.  The Top Table offer certainly made a meal at St Pancras Grand excellent value, however based on that set menu I am not sure that I would be happy about paying full price.  St Pancras Grand is a convenient place to eat at if you want a decent meal while at the station, however I do not think it is a destination restaurant in its own right along the lines of Terminus Nord in Paris.  

Essentials

Details: St Pancras International, Kings Cross NW1 (Ph 020 7870 9900) Tube: Kings Cross

Damage: Pricey but actually reasonable if you can get a discount deal

6/10  

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my review of the Sourced Market at St Pancras or my review of Terminus Nord in Paris.  

Sourced Market at St Pancras

Going to St Pancras station when you are not hopping on the Eurostar to somewhere exciting in Europe is just as depressing as going to the airport when you are not flying anywhere.  However, to ameliorate the pain a new market has been launched called the Sourced Market where you can get fresh fruit, vegetables and other gourmet goodies.  Last night I attended "Foodie Fortnight" at St Pancras which is launching the Sourced Market. 

 

Tristan Welch gets a band-aid for his finger

The Foodie Fortnight runs from the 16th - 25th September, the highlight is a range of discounts at all the food outlets and restaurants at St Pancras and a stage where various top chefs and restaurants will be cooking up a storm over the next fortnight.  Last night Tristan Welch of Launceston Place was demonstrating wild mushrooms on toast with hazelnuts and parsley.  This was recipe looked really quite simple and so is something that I am keen to recreate at home, especially since Welch demonstrated how to make your own hazelnut mayonnaise.  He also made apple charlottes.  Welch sources his recipes from a collection of antique cookbooks and he describes his food as "British classics reinvented".  Impressively, Launceston Place uses 95 per cent British produce.  Welch charmed the audience with tales of his new born twins who he referred to as his "two Michelin stars".  Rather amusingly, he managed to cut his finger while peeling apples.  Perhaps Welch is used to others further down the chain of command performing this task, or perhaps there is a lesson in this for all of us, be careful with sharp knifes!  

Apples on offer at Sourced Market

The Sourced Market itself is situated at the rear of the station if you are approaching from the tube.   It errs on the side of being a little sterile, however this is hard to avoid since it is situated in a train station.  There is fresh fruit and vegetables, a deli, a wine bar and a salad bar.  It is the sort of place that you could pop into on the way home if you were having unexpected guests for dinner and rustle up something rather fabulous.  You will of course pay for the convenience of privilege however I suppose that is to be expected.  All the gourmet brands such as Pieminster pies and Laverstoke Park meat are name checked so it is certainly quality produce on offer.  

Italian platter at the Sourced Market

MTV boyfriend and I stopped in at the Sourced Market's wine store for a glass or two of the Rioja Joven which is available by the glass or to takeaway.  There are tables to sit at to watch the commuter world go by and a choice of antipasto platters to order.  We opted for the Italian platter (£8.50) which featured thin folds of salty Parma ham, a few discs of meaty salami, creamy Mozzarella, sun blush tomatoes, olives and some rather insipid salad.  I wouldn't say that the Source Market is a destination market, however you happen to pass near St Pancras on your way home it is a great place to pick up some quality produce.  In the time that Foodie Fortnight is running it is certainly worthwhile stopping in to see names such as Richard Corrigan or Georgio Locatelli demonstrating on the main stage.     

Essentials

Details: St Pancras International, Pancras Road, Kings Cross NW1 2QP (Ph 020 7843 4250)

Foodie Fortnight runs from 16 - 25 September 2009

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my review of the Slow Food Market which is starting up again soon at Southbank.  

Gourmet Chick attended the Sourced Market and Foodie Fortnight as a guest of Sourced Market and received complimentary food and drinks.

The Cow

Believe it or not some people do not like oysters.  Woody Allen said "I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead - not sick, not wounded - dead".  There are a whole tribe of people who dined at the Fat Duck who probably think twice about tucking in to a freshly shucked oyster.  For the rest of us though, you probably need no reminder that it is now September and officially an "r" month which is one of the best to eat oysters in. 

 

Fin de Claire oysters (at the rear) and Scottish fresh water oysters (foreground)

So off I trotted with three girlfriends - Alice, Suze and Jen - to The Cow in Notting Hill.  Tom Conran's pub is famous for two things: oysters and Guinness.  You can eat at the atmospheric wood panelled bar downstairs or take things up a notch and head upstairs to the restaurant proper.  There is a Conran involved at The Cow so of course the look is spot on.  Sunny yellow floral paper lines the walls and large windows open up onto the street below where you can see the outdoor drinkers at The Cow and The Westbourne almost merging together to create a

 huge outdoor street party.

This is a girly dinner so we eschew the Guinness for Sauvignon Blanc but we do order a selection of oysters.  Our waitress recommends the Fine de Claire oysters and Scottish fresh water oysters.  The Fine de Claire oysters have that classic salty taste of the sea while the Scottish fresh water oysters are decidedly different in both appearance and taste.  The oysters are rounder and a brown colour with a much sweeter and less salty taste.  Both are simple, fresh, glorious.  While the oyster suggestions are spot on service is erratic with both of the waiting staff asking us for orders repeatedly and then at other times when we need another bottle of wine (surprise!) neither are anywhere to be found.  

Duck breast

Besides the extensive oyster selection, the menu at The Cow is limited with an emphasis on seasonal food.  At this time of year grouse is on offer however I am not keen to stump up £34.   The perfectly cooked whole sea bass served on a bed of lentils is more accessibly priced.  Orecchiette pasta (or "little ears") served with a rich hare ragu is rustic but delicious.  Robust flavours are also on display in the duck breast which is perfectly pink and served with minted peas and broad beans.  We finish with a shared selection of British cheeses which are deliciously stinky.  

While the food at The Cow is top quality, prices are steep for a gastro pub with patchy service.  Next time I think I might just order a plate full of oysters and grab myself a table downstairs.  

Essentials

Details: 89 Westbourne Park Road, Notting Hill W25QH (Ph 020 7221 0021)

Damage: Pricey

7/10  

Links

If you liked this you can read my review of Tom Conran's neighbouring Mexican restaurant, Crazy Homies.  If you want a cheaper (but delicious) pub meal in Notting Hill try the nearby Prince Bonaparte.  

48 hours in Snowdonia (Gourmet Chick in Wales)

Lured by visions of unspoilt countryside, cosy pubs and of course delicious Welsh lamb, MTV boyfriend and I headed to Snowdonia in Wales for a long weekend. I was looking forward to some walks in the area and even cherished a secret ambition to climb Mount Snowdonia. Unfortunately the weather had other ideas and driving rain that was horizontal for most of our visits meant a lot of time spent indoors drinking red wine and playing scrabble. Not the worst result in the world I suppose. Luckily, I had got a few recommendations beforehand from Tamarind and Thyme, @Ruth_dt and Chowhound as to the best places for eating and drinking. From a rainy 48 hours, here are my tips for Snowdonia:

The cake selection at Plas Derwen

1. Plas Derwen (Betws-y-Coed)

This modern little cafe sits on the main street in Betws-y-Coed and is a bright airy lunch pit stop. Service is on the haphazard side (particularly when we were overcharged on our bill) however the food is top notch with an emphasis on local produce. The menu is filled with lunch stalwarts such as chunky beef pies and quiche with goats cheese. The best deal is the sandwich with cream tea and a tea or coffee all for £8.50. There is no slumming it at Plas Derwen, the sandwich is made on fresh granary bread with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Included in the price is a scone with clotted cream and jam. To finish there is a pot of tea and a selection of cakes: dense, chocolate brownie, a cloud of meringue and

a piece of tart lemon drizzle cake.

Details: Holyhead road, Betws-y-coed, Wales (Ph 01690 710388)

Damage: Such a bargain even my mother would approve.

6/10

2. Pete's Eats (Llanberris)

Pete's Eats is a local institution in Llanberris and is packed full of weary hikers looking for a cheap feed. You have to drink your water from a mug, pick up your own cutlery and sit at tables that are a little grubby. The pay off is a meal at bargain basement prices. Portions are huge however I can't say that I was that impressed with my flaccid fish and chips while MTV boyfriends lasagna was soggy and dull. The rave reviews must have come from people who had done a little more walking than we had and so were more appreciative of a warm room and a hot meal.

Fish and chips at Pete's Eats

Details: 40 High St, Llanberris, Wales (Ph 01286 870117)

Damage: Such a bargain even my mother would approve.

4/10

3. Pen-y-Gwyrd (Nan Gwunant)

Eating at Pen-y-Gwyrd is like stepping back in time. This tiny little pub is where the 1953 Everest team based themselves for training and you can still see memorabilia from the trip, including Sir Edmund Hillary's signature on the ceiling. Dinner is served at 7.30pm sharp and is announced by a gong. A four course meal is £28 and includes a choice of main and dessert. The emphasis is on good sense rather than high style but the food is delicious and the setting memorable. To begin, a hearty Spanish bean soup that was just the thing to warm you from the inside out.

Although the beef stew looked tempting neither MTV boyfriend or I could pass up the chance to sample the Welsh lamb. Juicy, thick slices of roast lamb were drizzled in a sharp blackcurrant sauce that brought out the sweet and young flavour of the meat. I am a great advocate of Australian lamb but I have to say that Icelandic lamb and Welsh lamb have really given me pause for thought. We were similarly enamoured with the dessert selection which encompassed almost every classic British pudding including a decent apple crumble and a tart rhubarb pie. However, the highlight of the meal was the cheese platter. There was a platter for each table with huge wedges of cheese all proudly Welsh including the famous Black Bomber cheddar. I was in cheese heaven and had to be forcibly dragged from the table.

The cheese platter (one of these between two people) at Pen-y-Gwyrd

Details: Nant Gwynant (near Llanberris), Wales (Ph 01286 870211)

Damage: Reasonable

8/10

Gourmet Traveller Tips

We stayed at Pen-y-Gwyrd which I would highly recommend because of the historical significance of the hotel (it is where the Everest team trained from) and the fact that nothing seems to have changed since that era. I was totally charmed by the old fashioned feel to the place, even the communal bathrooms with their ancient showers.

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my post on 48 hours in Edinburgh.

Bar Shu

"No" our waitress says, shaking her head forcefully "I don't think you want to order that".  There are six of us at Bar Shu for a catch up dinner and we are desperately trying to order the Fragrant Chicken in a Pile of Chillis.  Our waitress is steadfastly against the idea, "very hot" she warns.  Bar Shu is a Sichuan restaurant so we are expecting the dishes to be hot, especially when each dish comes with its own chilli rating (from zero to three chillis).  The Fragrant Chicken in a Pile of Chillis is a three chilli rated dish and bears the menu description "as hot as it looks".  Our waitress decrees that we will be allowed to order it once we have eaten some of the other dishes on the menu to see if our palates can cope.  

Fragrant chicken in a pile of chillis

The bright lights of Bar Shu beckon you as you walk down Frith street, it sits like a beacon on a prominent corner luring fans of Sichuan cooking inside to the modern space which is fairly minimalist with the exception of a few carved masks hung on the walls in an nod to the heritage of the food.  The kitchen in Bar Shu burned down a few months ago but since the beginning of September it is now open for business again and pretty much booked out every night.  

The reason for Bar Shu's popularity is the cuisine on offer, Sichuan food which is completely different from the Cantonese food which is served at most Chinese restaurants.  The X factor is the heat that is used in Sichuan cooking.  Bar Shu imports Sichuan chillis and peppercorns to use as the flavour and heat is so unique.  It is the sort of heat that makes your lips and tongue go numb and start to tingle.  In anticipation of the spicy food we eschew the wine list and all order Sing Tao beers along with jugs of tap water in the hope that we can drown out any unpleasant burning sensation from overuse of chillis.  

    

To begin, the thin sliced pork rolls which are almost like a spring roll served in a spicy garlic sauce.  The rolls err on the side of greasy but the pork is meltingly tender.  The "refreshing green soybeans" live up to their moniker, shelled edamame beans are served with chunks of diced carrot and doused in a light sesame dressing.  However, the pick of the starters is the dry fried green beans which are combined with tiny balls of minced pork and ya cai a Sichuan preserved mustard green to deliver a moreish hit of flavour.  Obviously a little pork makes everything taste better but these beans are so good that we have to order a second dish of them. 

 

Mouthwatering Sichuan Chicken

Everything so far has been delicious but it hasn't delivered the fiery hit that we were anticipating.  The "fragrant beef" is a pungent stir fry of beef and peppers, the beef is succulent and the peppers add vibrancy but the fiery heat is limited.   More on the spicy side is the "mouthwatering Sichuan chicken" which the menu advertises as being served with a "lip tinglingly spicy sauce".  The slick of chilli red sauce that covers the mound of chicken and bamboo shoots is hot enough to heighten your senses and make you sit up and take notice without leaving you in pain.  We are here for a little bit of pain though, just a little of that almost drug induced stupor that comes about from a really serious chilli hit.  Lip tingling spicy sauce conquered, we smile at our waitress and tell her we are ready for the Fragrant Chicken in a Pile of Chillis.  

The dish should really be renamed chillis with an occasional piece of fragrant chicken as it is essentially a huge platter of bright red chillis, spicy seeds and all, punctuated only by the occasional piece of deep fried chicken.   Joel tries it first as he is the type of person who has not truly enjoyed a meal until he is crying from the heat of the chillis at the end of it.  "Good" he says, starting to sweat slightly on his forehead "very good".  I take a couple of spoonfuls and at first it just tastes slightly spicy, but then the chillis kick in and I am gasping for breath and clutching at my glass of water like an explorer emerging from the depths of the Sahara desert.  My mouth is on fire and my nose is streaming.  This is serious heat, to the extent that it is uncomfortable and not really my idea of fun.  We all try a little but it is only really Joel who can bear more than a few mouthfuls.  The waiters come past admiringly to watch him eat and tell us how one group of diners in a private room once ordered three bowls of the stuff between them and wolfed it down without even breaking out into a sweat.

The Fragrant Chicken may be the sort of dish that you order more for the experience than for a pleasurable eating experience (although Joel probably feels differently) however the rest of the food on offer at Bar Shu is both intriguing and memorable.  It wakes up your taste buds and introduces you to a whole new world dark, aromatic Sichuan flavours.      

Essentials

Details: 28 Frith Street London, W1D 5LF (Ph 020 7287 8822) Tube: Tottenham Court Road

Damage: Pricey

8/10

Links

Bar Shu is far superior to the other Chinese restaurant I have tried in Soho, Alan Yau's Cha Cha Moon.  If you are not in the mood for a Sichaun chilli hit, just down Frith street is the brilliant Barrafina for tapas.  

Banana Bread and Choi Time Tea

Weekends are generally the only chance that I get to bake as I actually have the time to set aside.  I also know that whatever I bake will not go to waste as if it is sitting on a tin on the kitchen bench it will be easily devoured over the course of the weekend.  This is a recipe for banana bread that is fantastic for using up leftover bananas.  If your bananas are overripe and starting to go black just pop them in the freezer skins and all.  When you have time to make banana bread you can defrost the bananas and simply snip the top off the banana and literally squeeze the banana out of the skin.  The riper the bananas the better the taste of the banana bread and this method of freezing the overripe bananas could not be simpler and is guaranteed to make you feel incredibly thrifty and virtuous.

Ingredients  

270g soft brown sugar

2 eggs

200g mashed bananas (the riper the better)

280g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

140g butter

1.  Preheat the oven to 170C and grease a loaf tin and dust with flour.

2.  Whisk the butter and eggs until well mixed and then combine with the mashed bananas.  

3.  Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon to the sugar mixture.  Mix it thoroughly until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.

4.  Melt the butter and pour into the mixture and beat until all the ingredients are well mixed.  

5.  Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for about 1 hour or until a golden brown colour and firm to touch.

6.  Leave the bread to cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.  You can read my review of the book here.  

  

Of course the perfect accompaniment to a slice of banana bread with butter is a cup of tea.  After being so thrifty using up my leftover frozen bananas I indulged in some Choi Time Tea which the Sunday Times Style Magazine called "the Dom Perignon of the tea world".  Choi Time Tea is the brainchild of Melissa Choi who is a young British girl who imports amazing teas from China and I heard about her teas from my friend Jen who is friends with Melissa.  With varieties such as damask rose tea, chrysanthemum and jasmine pearls this is tea for people who are serious about their teas.  My favourite was the thousand year red for the pure theatre of the bud unfurling in water and the subtle flavour.  The teas are not overly fragrant like some herbal teas and there is no trace of bitterness - this is quality stuff.  You can buy Choi Time Tea in Harrods and trust me that it is such a treat with some freshly made  banana bread.   

Choi Time Tea supplied Gourmet Chick with samples of tea to taste (thanks Melissa!).

Links

If you liked this recipe you may be interested in my recipe for sticky caramel slice or you might want to read my review of the Hummingbird Bakery.

Eight Cheap Eats in Paris (Gourmet Chick in France)

For my final post on my month in Paris I have put together a list of the top eight cheap eats in Paris. Paris can be an expensive city but each of these suggestions are under €10 each. Save more cash by hiring a Velib to get around (€1 hire fee per day) and fill up your water bottle at the beautiful wrought iron Wallace fountains which are everywhere in Paris.

1. L'As du Felafel

This felafel shop in the Marais is legendary and once you have had a felafel there you will understand why. Each felafel is stuffed with golden balls of fried chickpea along with pickled red cabbage, salted cucumbers, eggplant and slathered with hummus along with a dash of harissa. Order from the window at the door and get even better value by ordering your felafel to take away.

Price: €4.

Details: 34 rue de Rosiers, Paris (Ph 01 48 87 63 60) Metro: St Paul. Closed Saturdays.

Croque monsieur at Le Comptoir du Relais

2. Le Comptoir du Relais

Admittedly not everything on the menu is at Yve Camdeborde's bistro is a cheap eat but order wisely and you can feast on the most decadent Croque Monsieur that you are likely to ever eat. The toasted triangles of bread are filled with smoked salmon, comte and a dash of caviar. Read my full review here.

Price: €9

Details: 9 Carrefour de l'Odeon, Paris (Ph +331 4427 07 97) Metro: Odeon.

3. Saigon Sandwich

Banh-Mi from Saigon Sandwich must be the cheapest lunch in Paris. This tiny little shopfront makes only one thing: banh-mi. Order the special and you get a half crusty, light baguette filled with pork, salami, meatballs and cheese along with lettuce, fresh mint and carrot. The taste is fresh and zesty although there was quite a bit of gristle on the banh-mi that I tried. Still, it is hard to complain at this price.

Price: €3

Details: 8 rue de la Présentation, Paris 75011 (Metro: Belleville)

Banh Mi from Saigon Sandwich

4. Rose Bakery

For a piece of Le Anglais in Paris head to Rose Bakery run by English/French couple Rose and Jean-Claude. You can get freshly made salads and quiches for a reasonable price. It's not the best lunch in Paris but when you factor in the bottles of water on each table and good quality brown bread and butter it is a good value option. Read my full review here.

Price: €10

Details: 46 rue des Martyrs, 75009 Paris (Ph 01 42 82 12 80)

5. Le Bambou

You can get brilliant Vietnamese food at this no frills eatery for bargain prices. It is hard to go past the pho however my favourite dish is the spicy beef served sizzling hot in a terracotta dish. Read my full review here.

Price:€7 to €8.50

Details: 70 Rue de Baudricot, 75013 Paris (Ph 01 45 70 91 75) Metro: Maison Blanche

Pho at Le Bambou

6. Creperie Oroyona

There are a few creperies in action along the tiny Rue Mouffetard however Creperie Oroyona attracted me with its bright aqua exterior and window showcasing two large hotplates for frying the crepes. Your crepe will be cooked to order in front of your eyes by pouring on the creamy batter and deftly swirling it into a thin paste. Try the lunch deal where you can get a savoury crepe such as the fromage one I devoured, sweet crepe and drink for €5.50.

Price: €5.50

Details: 34 Rue Mouffetard, Paris 75005 (Ph 01 43 366 046) Metro: Place Monge

Crepe from Creperie Oroyona

7. Au Rochere de Cancale

There are lots of inexpensive cafes in the streets around Les Halles, however Au Rochere de Cancale is one of the picks of the bunch. The age of the cafe is evident from the solid timber beams supporting the roof and the prices seem to be stuck in time as well. Don't worry though the feel is modern and the food is great. The salads here are fantastic and packed full of goodies or order the menu of the day. Desserts such as the tarte tartin start at €4.

Price: €4 - €10

Details: 78 rue Montorgueil, Paris (Ph 01 42 33 50 29) Metro: Les Halles

Tarte tartin from Au Rochere de Cancale

8. Patisseries and boulangieres

Finally, the best place in Paris for a cheap eat is of course a patisserie or boulangiere. Look out for artisian boulangiere which indicates that all products are made on the premises. Two of my favourites are Frederic Comyn and A La Flute Gana.

Gourmet Travel Tips

I stayed at hip hotel Mama Shelter, a Phillipe Starck designed wonder out in the 20th. Housed in a converted garage each room has a slick imac which you can watch DVDs on, TV or use the internet, there are Kiehls toiletries in the bathroom and basically it is designer heaven. Rooms from €89.

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my post on the top ten cheap eats in London.

Refuel

I never see famous people.  I live in Notting Hill and so I am sure I must be constantly surrounded by famous people but the best I have managed so far is a sighting of Stella McCartney and I am still not entirely sure it was her or just a random curvaceous red head with poker straight hair and big sunglasses.  So, it is with a justified thrill that I would like to report spotting Sean Penn dining at Refuel at the Soho Hotel when I was there for dinner on Saturday night.  He was ridiculously handsome although clearly old enough to be my father.  He was with a stunning looking stick of a girl and seemed to spend a lot of time fiddling with his Iphone.  Sadly the Sean sighting was the highlight of the meal.  This was not entirely surprising to me, given that we were eating in the Soho hotel's ground floor restaurant which was essentially the lobby for the hotel.  

Calamari fritti

The large space is divided between a bar and dining area by some low partitions.  There are dark polished wooden floors and brown leather club seats.  The look is modern, inoffensive and (let's face it) very hotel lobby.  You half expect someone to start tinkling away at a grand piano in the corner.  Of course, Refuel aims for a much cooler crowd than this so instead the lights are dim and the music of choice is drum and bass.  Drink prices are exorbitant, the cheapest wine by the glass hovers around the £8 mark.  This contrasts with the reasonable pricing of the three course set menu at £2o.  However I can't say that £20 is actually good value as this is cooking by numbers and the food is bland and boring.  A starter of calamari fritti with an accompaniment of a dollop of caper mayonnaise tartare flecked with herbs was rubbery and uninspired.

Chargrilled chicken

From the mains the chargrilled chicken was a desultory breast with suspiciously perfect char marks across it which looked like the type you find on a "grilled" but actually microwaved chicken burger.  There was certainly no delicious grilled flavour.  The chicken was served on a bizarre salad of grated carrot, pumpkin seeds and mustard which had an unpleasant astringent taste akin to washing detergent.   I could not bring myself to finish it.  A better option was the steamed plaice served in a broth of peas and the occasional mussel which was at least edible.    

The only thing I didn't hate was the cherry clafoutis pudding to finish.  The custard base was studded with large ripe cherries and served piping hot with a sprinkle of icing sugar on top.  I couldn't even drown my sorrows as the wine list is steeply priced with the cheapest wine available by the glass being over £8.  

Refuel is a restaurant with unsuccessful pretensions which serves rather dull food.  Thank god for the lovely company to farewell a gorgeous friend Margie from London and the celebrity spotting otherwise dinner at Refuel would have been a complete disaster.   

Essentials

Details: 4 Richmond Mews, London W1D 3DH (Ph 020 7559 3007) Tube: Tottenham Court Road

Damage: Reasonable for the set menu at £20 a head

3/10

Links

You don't need to eat at Refuel (although if you do, you may spot a sleb) try nearby Barrafina instead or The Giaconda dining room.  

Julie & Julia and Boeuf Bourguignon a la Julia Child

On Friday night I went to an advance screening of Julie & Julia which opens in cinemas across the UK this week.  The movie is based on two books, My Life in France and Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously.  My Life in France is the story of the life of Julia Child who is the chef widely credited with introducing Americans to French Cooking (the American answer to Elizabeth David I suppose).  Julie and Julia is written by Julia Powell about her attempt to cook every recipe from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking during the space of one year and to document this attempt in a blog.   I read the Julie/Julia Project almost two years ago and loved it, although when I went and looked up the blog it was a little disappointing in comparison to the book.  The writing is still very witty however it is interesting that there is no real design or photographs on the blog.  It just goes to show you how food blogs have developed over the years.  

I thought the movie was brilliant, although given that it is about food, New York and Paris which are pretty much three of my obsessions it did not take much to win me over.  I am not sure if Julie & Julia is in the same league as Nora Ephron's other movies such as Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally.  Still, the two stories work really well together and the movie is quite true to the book although Julie Powell probably comes across as a nicer and more likeable person (with a lot less swearing) in the movie than as she portrays herself in the book.  

Inspired by the movie, here is my recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon.  I have used the original Julia Child's recipe which you can find online and adapted it with the help of Stephanie Alexander's recipe in The Cook's Companion to cut out a few of the more time consuming steps and so that all the ingredients are listed in metric rather than imperial.  This recipe creates a really rich and flavoursome stew which will warm you from the inside out.

  

Ingredients 

2 tbs olive oil

200g lardons (streaky bacon cut into small slices)

20 shallots sliced

1 carrot sliced

1.5kg braising beef cut into 5 cm cubes

2 tbs plain flour

2 cups red wine (Julia suggests Chianti)

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs parsley

2 cups beef stock

18 small flat mushrooms

Salt and pepper to season

1.  Preheat the oven to 170C.  In a flame proof casserole dish over a low heat on the stove top add the olive oil and lardons and brown the lardons gently. 

2.  Remove the lardons with a slotted spoon and set aside and add the shallots and carrot to the bacon fat and allow them to become golden and then set aside.  

3.  Meanwhile make sure the beef is at room temperature and pat it dry with kitchen towel to allow it to brown more easily.   

4.   Add some more oil if your bacon fat is all gone at this stage and brown the meat in batches .  Make sure you don't try and brown the meat all at once otherwise it will just stew.  

 5.  Once beef is browned, scatter over the flour and season with salt and pepper.  

6.  Turn heat onto high and return it to the casserole dish and then slowly pour in the wine allowing it to bubble and reduce as it hits the pan.

7.  Make a bouquet garni with the herbs (tie together in a bunch with string and add to the meat) and then return the shallots, carrot and bacon to the dish.  

8.  Add enough stock so that the meat is covered and then cover the casserole dish with baking paper, put the lid on and cook in the oven for 2 hours.  

9.  If the meat is tender, add the mushrooms and cook for a further half an hour.  If not, cook for a further half hour before adding the mushrooms. 

10.  Remove the casserole dish from the oven and drain it into a sieve over a saucepan.  Return  the meat and vegetables to the casserole dish and keep warm while returning the saucepan to the heat to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken.  

11.  Pour the sauce over the meat and serve with roasted or boiled potatoes.  Like many things in life, the flavour improves if you leave it overnight so this is the perfect dish to make in advance.  

Serves 6

Links

If you liked this recipe you might be interested in this recipe for fresh berry tartlets which would be the perfect dessert to serve after Boeuf Bourguignon or you may like this post about the cooking course I attended in Paris, not quite Le Cordon Bleu, but anyway.  

Gourmet Chick attended the advance screening as a member of the London Food and Drink Bloggers.  The screening was organised by Duckworth publishers who publish My Life in France.  

Baked Sea Bass with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

For a lot of people cooking a whole fish is a little intimidating.  That's why so many of us cook fish fillets instead or (like the lady in my fishmonger the other day) ask for the head and tail to be cut off and the fish gutted to make the whole process a little easier and I suspect to make the fish look less, well, fish like.  The truth is that if you bake a whole fish, the whole process of cooking could not be easier, and once your fish is baked it will simple enough to remove the bones as the cooked fish will literally fall off them.  This recipe for baked sea bass is really quite fool proof and makes an impressive and tasty dinner that is actually very healthy to boot.  Try to buy your sea bass from a fishmonger and look for clear eyes while avoiding fish that has too much of a "fishy" smell.  Sea bream works just as well.  

Ingredients

1 500g sea bass or sea bream

4 tomatoes sliced in half

2 cloves of garlic sliced

1 handful of basil leaves sliced

1/2 cup white wine

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to season   

1.  Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature then reduce to 200C. 

2.  Place the tomatoes in an oven proof dish, drizzle with olive oil and season.  Scatter the basil and garlic over the top and bake in the oven for 10 mins.   

2.  Meanwhile, slash the fish three times on each side to allow it to cook more evenly and season making sure the seasoning gets inside as well.  

3.  Remove the tomatoes from the oven and place the fish in the same dish with the tomatoes, drizzle with some more olive oil and the white wine and then return the fish and tomatoes to the oven.  

4.  Bake for around 30 mins or until the fish is firm to touch.  Leave the fish to rest for a few minutes before serving with some green vegetables or rice.  

Serves two.  

This recipe is adapted from the Eagle Cookbook, although I increased the cooking time for the tomatoes to give them a softer texture and more intense flavour.  I have been sent a copy of the Cookbook to review by the publishers however I want to try out a few more recipes first before reviewing.  

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in this recipe for fennel and fish soup (use the left over bones from the baked sea bass to make fish stock for the soup) or this recipe for salmon and smoked haddock fish cakes.

74 British Foodies to Follow on Twitter

I first signed up to Twitter at the start of this year (you can follow me at @carawaters).  I am not what you would call an earlier adapter to this sort of technology so I was a little behind the rest of the UK where it seems that we are all mad for Twitter.  Lily Allen twitters, Sarah Brown twitters and half of Britain's foodie population seem to be firmly glued to Twitter.  Besides occasional concerns that "just checking" Twitter takes up a lot more of my time than it really should, I have really enjoyed being a part of Twitter.  It is a great way about finding out about things like interesting articles, events and also for getting last minute tips on places to go.  So when I saw (via Twitter of course) Mashable's list of 55+ foodies to follow on Twitter I was immediately intrigued.  Unfortunately the list is fairly US centric (although it appears to have global aspirations) and Britain's representation was pretty much limited to Jamie Oliver.  Following a few tweets with World Foodie Guide and Tasty Treats about this, I decided to try and compile a similar list, however focused on British Foodies.   

This is the list I have come up with, along with helpful input from Tasty Treats and World Foodie Guide.  Let me know if you are on Twitter and should be on this list as well, or if there is someone that is fantastic to follow and I have omitted.  I would also be interested to hear about foodies that you follow on twitter around the world.  I follow quite a few in the US, France and Australia but I am interested in following people in other countries as well if you have any tips for witty, erudite and informative foodies.  

Restaurants/Chefs

tomaikensThis little piggy went to market this little piggy made excellent crackling slow roast pig for this evening.http://twitpic.com/gazueabout 2 hours ago from TwitterFon

@tomaikens

@jamie_oliver

@charliemcveigh 

@mattkiwi

@frontlinechef

@vinoteca

@foodurchin

@SJRestaurant

@TheModernPantry
@HixOyster
@shunafish
@paul_a_young
@thomasinamiers
@gramsayholdings
@puddingface
@tomaikens
@HGwines
@tsurusushi

Cafes/Food shops

nottinghilldeliPortobello Film Festival starts todayhttp://tinyurl.com/kmyagm. Pop in to Mr Christian's for your snacks & drinks http://tinyurl.com/nx3cg5about 1 hour ago from web

@nottinghilldeli

@lantanacafe
@beas_bloomsbury
@banhmi11uk
@hiddentearoom
@fandwcoffee
@LRBcakeshop

@persiainpeckham
@raretealady
@chocstarvan
@abelandcole
@dose_espresso

Food Critics and Writers

gilescorenhiding in attic like anne frank while vile toddlers scream, weep, throw food, dance to pugwash. where's a paedo abductor when you need one?about 2 hours ago from web

@timhayward

@gilescoren

@guardianfood

@celiabb
@lotteduncan
@frugalcook
@williamsitwell
@thepigstrotter
@foodjournalist
@guidegirl
@lulugrimes

Food publications

Channel4Food@FoodStories That's our Halloween pumpkin plans sortedabout 1 hour ago from web in reply to FoodStories

@channel4food

@timesfood
@timeouteatdrink
@olivemagazine
@deliciousmag
@squaremeal

Food Bloggers

malcolmeggsWe have a new piece on the LRB: Trattoria Sapori, Newington Green http://tinyurl.com/nnv9khabout 3 hours ago from TwitterFox

@foodieguide

@kristainlondon

@simonmajumdar

@hermanoprimero

@eatlikeagirl

@foodstories

@EssexEating

@oliverthring

@browners

@booinlondon

@gastrogeek1

@foodsnob

@chrispople
@Silverbrow
@LondonEater
@sulineats
@catty
@tehbus
@cookinglarousse
@rglondon
@kake
@FoodUrchin
@MsMarmiteLover
@malcolmeggs

@lulupho

@rosiefoodie

and of course me! @carawaters

Links 

• If Twitter is still a big mystery, you might be interested on this article on a twitter crash course for food bloggers; 
• Londonelicious has posted on her favourite Twitter tools; and
• World Foodie Guide has also posted about how she uses Twitter.