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Taking A Bite Out Of….Krakow (Part 1)
Winter in London is a bit of a non-event really. On the rare occasion that it does snow, you can guarantee nothing but grey slush and deadly pavements in a matter of hours. So this year, I decided to escape the capital for somewhere that can offer a proper winter. The Polish city of Krakow did not disappoint. Not only did it provide lots of fluffy white snow for me to jump around in, it is also the best place to experience good, hearty winter cuisine to warm you through. My first meal in Krakow set the tone for my visit. Braving the drunken hoards of the Old Town, I headed to Pod Aniolami,…
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Adam Handling at The Caxton
My best friend has found a new best friend. And that new best friend isn’t even an actual person. It’s the rather brilliant Bookatable, purveyor of shiny restaurant bargains. There’s no way I can compete so, as the old saying goes, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Our first foray with Bookatable took us to Adam Handling at The Caxton. As a huge fan of Masterchef, I was very excited to eat at the restaurant of one of my favourite former contestants. Handling was a finalist in the 2013 series of Masterchef: The Professionals, and right from the outset he impressed with confident and competent cooking. I adored him even more after…
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The Manor, Clapham
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The Diner’s Review of January
Crash dieting. Dry January. Drinking kale smoothies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. January is a rubbish enough month as it is, so why make it worse by punishing yourself? I, for one, believe that January should be spent enjoying good food and drink to make up for the cold days and long nights. So, with this in mind, here is my round-up of what I ate & drank last month. Best Restaurant A spontaneous lunch at Dishoom at Kings Cross hit the spot on a freezing day. Stepping through the front door was like stepping into another world; a world of warm, humid days, lazily spinning ceiling fans, exotic drinks…
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Dishoom, Kings Cross
I’m always slightly wary about venturing outside of Tooting for a curry, but last Saturday I found myself in the freezing wilderness of a redeveloped Kings Cross and on the hunt for something that would warm the cockles. Cue a queue free Dishoom. Stepping into the cavernous converted warehouse was like entering another world. Tiled floors, lush palm plants, ceiling fans lazily spinning; it was as if we had gone back to a more elegant time. We had to wait for around 10 minutes before a table was free, but this was hardly a chore as we relaxed in the sophisticated lounge chairs and perused the menu. The main restaurant is…
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Recipe – Beef Stew With Dumplings
As I was dragging my sorry self to work on a recent dark and dreary morning, I noticed a brightly coloured van tootling it’s way around Tooting. It was from a company called Riverford Organics and was dropping off lots of boxes of loveliness to my fellow SW17 residents. As soon as I got into the office, I googled Riverford to see what they are all about, and was pleasantly surprised to see that not only do they provide boxes of organic fruit and veg, they also supply organic meat. I placed an order for a veg & meat box and, soon after, received a delivery of a range of…
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The Manor, Clapham
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Taking A Bite Out Of….Venice (Part 2)
I was starting to get more than a little disenchanted with Venetian dining. Everywhere was just so damn expensive! After wandering for what felt like hours on Saturday night, trying to find a suitable restaurant, I was almost ready to give up and head back to the apartment in a sulk. However, I then remembered walking past an interesting little restaurant earlier that day – and amazingly I actually managed to find it again! Osteria Alba Nova was cosy, dimly lit, and had an appealing menu that didn’t cost the earth. My smug satisfaction only increased when I was directed towards their specials board – wild boar, guinea fowl, duck…. I knew…
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Taking A Bite Out Of….Venice (Part 1)
Thank God for Skyscanner and the boredom of a long, dark winter. One spur of the moment decision later, and I’m off to Venice for the first time ever. How have I waited so long to visit this most beautiful of cities?? I envisaged dimly lit alleyways, hidden squares, and narrow bridges over dark water. Mist rolling in from the lagoon and echoing footsteps. A place that has inspired tales of murder, lust and the supernatural. It did not disappoint. However, Venice may be a place of great beauty, but I had read that it is not a place for great food. Apparently you should consider yourself lucky if you manage…
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Recipe – Pan Seared Pigeon Breasts with Red Wine Sauce
Following a meeting on New Year’s Eve, I decided to head into town and ended up wandering into Borough Market, which was surprisingly not packed to the rafters for a change. Despite the risk to both my post-Christmas bank balance and waistline, I couldn’t resist roaming around and picking up various goodies. One of the delectable morsels that I purchased was a wild pigeon from Furness Fish, Poultry & Game. I have always loved their stall and I defy any foodie to be able to walk past it without buying something from their amazing range of food. I had never cooked pigeon but, having seen almost every contestant on this year’s Masterchef:…
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The Manor, Clapham
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Spice Village, Tooting
Was it the screaming baby right behind me? Was it the two drunks next to me who only stopped slurping cans of Carling to pass out? Was it the food so smelly that it assaulted my nasal passages and walloped my sinuses? Or was it the person playing their music so loudly that I’m sure they were only wearing headphones as a fashion accessory? It was shaping up to be the journey from hell, and by the time I arrived in London I was feeling about as festive as a turkey on Christmas Eve. Returning to an empty kitchen and having already made myself sick after gorging an entire box of Quality Street…
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Recipe – Chard & Taleggio Risotto
Disclaimer: I generally don’t cook with exact measures, unless I’m baking. “Chard risotto??”, I hear you cry. Yes, it may sound odd but, believe me, it tastes really good. Winter is all about comfort food, and this risotto will give you a great big hug while still being (vaguely) healthy. Chard is currently in season and is a great source of iron. You can use it as a side dish with most meat and fish, but here we make it the star of the show. Risotto rice A knob of butter Vegetable stock A small bottle of white wine 1 x onion – finely chopped 3 x garlic cloves –…
