LondonBites

This week was the first week of easter break, so what better way to begin than discovering the foodie delights London has to offer. There are some real gems that I shall be revisiting many times in the near future! 

- BOROUGH MARKET: The pictures below does not do it justice. This market is one of London's most popular and a must visit for foodies. Situated near London Bridge it is full of wonderful flavours, tasters and people eager to dig in. I have a real love for spanish food so this Paella was a real delight to bump into. I have never seen such a big dish, and it definitely congers up my ideas for future plating choices.

 If you love a wide variety of foods from different cultures this is a place to visit, from Thai food to classic British, they have stalls that can accustom many palettes. The crackling on the pork below speaks for itself!

                                                 

- DUKE'S HOTEL: After a wander through the market, the next stop was afternoon tea at Duke's. If you enjoy the baked sugary treats, perfectly cut sandwiches and the general ladies things, then this is a MUST. For London prices it is not hugely overpriced and if you like afternoon tea this is fantastic. Not only is everything freshly prepared, but if one plate doesn't fill you, you can ask for more until you can no longer walk.

 - MOMO's: This is a Moroccan themed restaurant situated just behind Regent's Street. I had been suggested it by a few friends and all I can give is praise for this place. If you like intricate design, an alternative atmosphere and amazingly flavoured food then this is without a doubt one of the best places for this. The place has a very chilled vibe with friendly staff and fantastic aromas. If shisha is your thing, you can enjoy it in the delicate front garden with a pot of fresh moroccan mint tea. I tried this tea for the first time here and I have to say it is now one of my favourite herbal teas. And I drink a lot! I would pretty much recommend anything on the menu, but particularly anything with aubergine or red peppers and any of the tagines. These excelled!


-HARVEY NICHOLS FIFTH FLOOR: When this name is seen, the first thought that comes to mind is high class, posh and perfection. (Or at least in my mind) However, I was very disappointed with the

 food I had there. Although what is pictured was very nice (Aubergines and Halloumi), the food was mediocre and at a very high price. If you are looking for a place to eat in Knightsbridge I would recommend staying away from the busy shopping centres and going to more discreet places. Two I would recommend are Ishbilia (http://www.ishbilia.com) an lovely lebanese place or Haandi's and Indian opposite Harrods.

- SCOOP (Covent Garden): I have a tendency to research for the best eateries and when searching covent garden this place came up repeatedly. Being a huge gelato fan I was very excited to pay this place a visit. When first entering the shop my jaw dropped at the beautiful array of swirls of fresh italian gelato. My mouth was watering at the sight of it. However, I was rather disappointed by it compared to the reviews I had read. The ice cream was good, but the atmosphere was a bit cold and there were not as many flavours as I had read there were. The portions are also tiny, although I guess this is good if you like small guilty pleasures, but I was ready to tuck into huge scoops of freshly churned italian ice cream. I would say this place should not be high on your list for London eateries, but worth a visit if you have time to kill.

- THE MINNOW (Weybridge): This is a small pub near the bank of the river and is definitely worth a visit. It is perfect on a summers day but also on a usual rainy London day when you want some good hearty comfort food. It is reasonably priced and the portions are huge so it is definite value for money. Pictured below is my starter of scallops with roasted veg, a real treat on a windy day! It went down very nicely with a couple of bottles of Crabbies :) (But be warned the alcohol was very expensive!)

- CHEZ BRUCE (Wandsworth): Sunday Lunch. The parents treated us today with a lovely Sunday

 Lunch at the sister restaurant of the Glasshouse. Having closely studied the menu before I arrived I was very excited to sample the food! For starter I had a warm onion tart with Lancashire cheese, chicory root and walnuts. The tart literally melted in my mouth. I died and went to heaven. Food heaven. For lunch I had the roast of the day, Chicken with lemon and thyme stuffing, artichoke, spinach gratin and potatoes. The spinach and the stuffing were the best parts of the dish. Lucky for me, my dad is a fussy eater and did not touch his stuffing so I got double helpings :) Was a great two courses but the best was still to come. Dessert. I am a fiend for desserts, I can never choose because I want everything on the menu. I had to think long and hard about what I was going to have and carefully planned to get something different to the others so I could sample as many as I could. In the end I went for white chocolate cocoa nib ice cream (as chocolate is my weak spot) and after sampling all the other desserts I was satisfied that mine was the best choice. Pictured on the right was my dad's dessert of hot chocolate pudding with praline parfait. Again lucky for me the ice cream was mine, and it was just as much of a delight as the white chocolate. If this was not enough, at the end of the meal we were brought a cup of freshly made deep chocolate truffles, that I gladly put away and asked for the rest in a doggy bag to devour at home. Very, very good meal and fantastic staff. Only thing I'd say is that it was quite crowded today and you did not feel fully at ease.



- LA LUNA DI LUCA (Richmond): This is one of my favourite little cafes in Richmond. It is run by a lovely italian lady and her son and she creates some of the best culinary delights I have had. She has begun these evenings whereby each month she will be inspired by a certain part of Italy and every Friday or Saturday you can book for £28 pp for a TEN COURSE MEAL. Warning: Food babies may occur. We went here last night and I had been excited to go to one of these evenings for a year. The evening began with a glass of complimentary prosecco and a wooden board with an impressive array of hams and olives. The journey of food then began with plates of cheese, chicory, asparagus, peppers, shellfish, pork, pestos and more. I found it hard to choose one picture to summarise the evening, but I thought the pork was the most impressive. It was slow cooked with fennel and had a fantastic crackling. If you love flavours, meat and a good time this is a MUST. If I was getting married tomorrow I would want her to cater!

I have written quite a lot, and maybe you got bored and never reached the end, or maybe you did and just flicked through the pictures (which is what I do on most blogs anyway!). But I hope I gave you an interesting insight into some of the wonders London has to offer and stay tuned for more culinary delights.