Amazing Bubble Wrap Chocolate

I've been pestering Cowie to be more adventurous with her Cowie classics. So I donated her some bubble wrap courtesy of our dispatch department at work... and last night she created the best ever chocolate fridge cake... with bubble wrap dimples!

Inspired by the photo below from Delessio's market:



Rob was a bit confused about the whole thing but everyone else bloody loved it. It's a combination of two things that get people excited: bubble wrap and chocolate.

To see more check out the article on NotCot.

Skate - Endangered

So it turns out that I have been incredibly irresponsible by eating not one but 3 skate during the course of the last year! A quick inspection of wikipedia showed that they are endangered. Sorry Mr Skate... if you are going to be so tasty you will pay the price!



"Skates are cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays. They are carnivorous, feeding mostly on smaller fish and crustaceans. They have flat pectoral fins continuous with their head, two dorsal fins and a short, spineless tail. There are more than 200 described species in 25 genera.

Skates are benthic (bottom-dwelling) and are found throughout the world from continental shelves down to the abyssal zone. They are oviparous fishes, laying eggs in a horny case known as a mermaid's purse. It is thought that egg-laying in skates is an evolutionary reversal, that is, skates are descended from ovoviviparous ancestors

The common skate, Dipturus batis, is the largest found in British waters. It has a long, pointed snout. However, the most common skate in British seas is the thornback ray, Raja clavata. They are frequently caught by trawling. Common skate and white skate are assessed as Critically Endangered by IUCN (World Conservation Union) and the fish is listed by the Marine Conservation Society as a "fish to avoid".

Surely creatures and plants should have evolved to taste disgusting.

The Fish Club

Next week we are off to try the best posh fish and chips in Clapham. Naughty... but very nice!

Timeout, London:

"Attracts a young, trendy crowd – not the sort of folk often seen in your average chippie. There's a broad range of high-quality fish, which changes seasonally: fresh mackerel, red mullet and razor clams have all made appearances, displayed in a wet counter so you can specify how you'd like them cooked. There are many other interesting options too: prepare yourself for prawn and chorizo kebabs, trays of sushi, and chips made from sweet potato. Potatoes also come boiled, mashed or chipped. Fish Club's dedication to own-made dishes stretches from its condiments to its seasonal English puds."

http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/7384.html

Can't wait

To be continued....

Hawksmoor (14th March)

Message to all men out there....


If you've never heard of S & B day on March 14 th... then I suggest you type it into google right away!

Hawkmoor seemed to the perfect choice for such an occasion. Renowned for producing the best steaks in London, we were very excited about the trip.

It seems a rather unassuming location, however, once inside the masters in the kitchen certainly know how to cook a bloody good steak! All the meat comes from the Ginger Pig 'Observer Food Monthly Producer of the Year, and is lovingly reared in North Yorkshire'.

Before you sit down to tuck into a mighty piece of beef, be sure to have one their fabulous cocktails at the bar. (In my attempts to impress Cowie with my boozy knowledge I was stiched up by the barman who made me the stongest Cuban concoction you can possibly imagine)

Read below to see what Hawksmoor has to offer...

"Dictionary thick steaks from 28 day hung Longhorn cattle, pork chops from big happy Tamworths, racks of lamb from a flock of Swaledales grazed on heather moorland, all simply cooked on a real charcoal grill."

"For our cocktail list we've scoured our library of long out of print cocktail books. We've resurrected some great long lost classics and have added some of our own, invented by our award-winning bartenders. All are made with the finest ingredients available (and a lot of love)."

Our starter arrived along with someone else's as well which we tried to send back but they were having none of it insisting that we should have it anyway because no-one else was going to eat it! I'm not the kind of man to look a gift scallop in the shell...

Our steaks were tender, juicy, charred, rare as hell and perfectly seasoned. The fat had that brilliant, slightly crisp feel to it that gives me the shivers! This couldn't be London in 2007 without having triple cooked chips in a miniature aluminium bucket! That said they were delicious, especially when supercharged with the thickest bernaise sauce I have ever eaten. It's the kind of thing that would give Oli a reason to die on the spot!

It would be rude of me not to comment on the foot perfect service. The staff were charming and couldn't have made us feel more welcome; some of the best around.

It is quite a trek, especially if you live south of the river... but its worth the trip.

Back to Basics - A seafood lover's delight

This super restaurant does exactly what it says on the tin.

Simplicity is the key. The menu is entirely dictated by what's on offer at the daily fish market. The fish is extremely fresh and cooked sympathetically.

http://www.backtobasics.uk.com/

"We are a unique Seafood Restaurant in that the menu changes daily, offering 15 different Seafood dishes.
Only limited amounts of Seafood are ordered in that "Today's Catch" is precisely what it states and not yesterdays catch.
Complementing the food is a selection of over 50 different international wines. Having been established for over 10 years bookings are highly advisable"

Perversely we loved the fact that both of our first choices had already run out... we landed up improvising a bit after having an in depth chat with our excellent waitress...

We shared some sensational mussels for starter which at first sight looked like a classic moules meunier. I can see Cowie's face now as she took her first delve into our enormous stack of shells and creamy sauce, her eyes rolling back in her head and a faint yelp of delight squeaking out of her mouth. The very simple addition of a sprig of rosemary to the dish whilst steaming the mussles was a master stroke. It transformed a classic dish that you can have a reasonably good version of anywhere, into a really insightful plate of food. We both tried to distract each other as we both deviously tried to eat more than our fair share. The mound of shells on Cowie's plate was a bit of a giveaway though! There can be no higher accolade for a dish than for two people to fight over it!

I can't remember what Cowie had for her main course but can vividly recall my mesmerising skate with a simple burnt buttery caper emulsion. The flesh pulled away from the wing effortlessly in the way only decent skate does. Weirdly I've eaten a disproportionate amount of skate in good restaurants - normally with a butter and caper sauce of some sort - Chez Bruce, Squire and Horse and now at Back to Basics. And I can safely say this one was bloody good! I like the story about skate that it is best when not quite fresh. Very disruptive!

We washed all this extravagant fish down with a beautifully cold bottle of Macon and paid our bill of spot on £100 feeling that we had discovered a gem of a restaurant.

Well worth a visit for those who enjoy a bistro style environment.

L'Atelier

Cowie and I are very excited indeed about our impending trip to L'Atelier...

Apparently it's a bit like a workshop. The food looks stunning. Although I'm not convinced we are going to leave feeling stuffed!

John Dory

My John Dory at the Riverside was sublime. Not only do I like the way it tastes, but I like its story even more.

From Wikipedia:

"Various explanations are given of the origin of the name. It may be an arbitrary or jocular variation of dory (itself from the French dorée, gilded), or perhaps an allusion to John Dory, the hero of an old ballad. Others suggest that "John" derives from the French jaune, yellow. The novel An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne gives another account, which has some popularity but is probably fanciful: "The legendary etymology of this piscatorial designation is Janitore, the "door-keeper," in allusion to St. Peter, who brought a fish said to be of that species, to our Lord at His command." (St. Peter is said to be keeper of the pearly gates of Heaven.) A related legend says that the dark spot on the fish's flank is St. Peter's thumbprint."



Bloody ugly. Bloody tasty.

The Riverside, West Bay

Its not everyday that your 82 year old grandmother offers to take you and your boyfriend out to a highly acclaimed restaurant by the sea. As you can imagine... I jumped at the offer.

Over the last 5 years, The Riverside at West Bay, Bridport, Dorset http://www.thefishrestaurant-westbay.co.uk/ has received high praise from a prestigious array of critics. Situated on the water, adjacent to the working harbour and producing superb fresh fish, the restaurant has a great deal to offer. From outside, one might be mistaken that you were approaching a sea side cafe, however, as the waft of fresh fish and garlic fills your nostrils it is clear your chosen well.

Since it was the Bank Holiday the place was full to the rafters with friends and family all enjoying a delicious Sunday Lunch. With the room swamped in natural light and the waves casually lapping against the walls it really felt like we were on holiday.

To our delight, with the exception of 3 dishes, everything on the menu was from the ocean. To start I opted for a firm favourite in my book; seared scallops with mint pea puree. Yum. Three plump scallops, cooked to perfection were nestled on a smooth bright green pile of pea goo. The balance of texture and flavour was excellent. Granny followed suit and also ordered scallops to start. Browny however, decided to be more conventional and went for a sublime dressed crab. On numerous occasions at Borough Market we have marvelled over the splendor of the heroic Dorset crab..... and now here it was on the menu, 20 yards away from where it was caught. Simplicity was the key here. Fresh juicy white and brown meat married together with homemade mayonnaise; Truly delicious.

For main course we all chose an entire fish to devour, grilled; 2 John Dory and 1 Dover sole. Due to the attentive service, minutes after our plates were cleared 3 more arrived at our table, 2 of which accommodated a hideous looking specimen... this was the John Dory in all its glory! The Dover Sole was presented in a classic style and tasted as good as ever. In comparsion, the JD was unusually sweet in flavour, however the fish was so succulent and tasty it still proved to be a winner.

As I put my knife and fork together as a natural cue to the end of our delicious lunch, I was somewhat alarmed when Granny insisted we had a pudding. In my effort to be relatively good, I chose an extremely tasty roasted pear with pecan stuffing plus toffee apple ice cream. Again the flavour and contrasting textures created a delightful pud. Granny once again decided to play safe and chose the same as Browny; a pistachio cheesecake. I say a cheesecake.... a massive creamy / crunchy balonge is a more apt visual. Double cheesecakes have a reputation of being wicked and very moreish. After 4 mouthfuls Browny was defeated. Granny on the other hand was on flying form. She miraculously managed to speak no stop throughout the entire meal AND finished every last speak of her gigantic slice of cheesecake... What a talent!

As we drove home, we both reflected on what a memorable afternoon we had had. The Riverside is a place you could take anyone to; from your 2 year old nephew to your 80 year old grandmother! Simple, quality and delicious fish by the sea.

Flash Flash Tortilleria

If you want a decent omlette then there's no choice in the matter. It's imperative that you go to Flash Flash in Barcelona. Full stop.

Here's some blurb about it:

"Hamburgers, steaks salads, and over 70 types of tortillas are served up in a pop-art setting of funky black-and-white murals and white leather banquettes. It's completely authentic; Flash-Flash was opened in 1970 and the interior hasn't been altered since. The Twiggy-like model adorning the walls was the wife of Leopoldo Pomés, a well-known fashion photographer of the time and part owner. Decor aside, the food is very good; the tortillas fly out fresh and fluffy and the bunless burgers are some of the best in town. It's a favorite with uptown business types, some who have been coming here since the place opened."

We had an amazing bacon, cheese, white bean and onion tortilla that couldn't have been more gooey or unctious. Top class. The only problem with this palce is trying to find it and the ubelievably grumpy waiter who'd rather die than smile!

We found out about Flash Flash from the brilliantly quirky "Le Cool" guide book. You can see from the pages below that it isn't your normal Dorling Kindersly boreathon. In fact they've now got a weekly newletter/website for London and various other cities that's quite fun.



To see the map click here.

Le Boudin Blanc, Shepherd's Market

This fantastic french restaurant is certainly one that deserves to be on any foodie's hit list!

Situated in the the heart of Mayfair at Shepherd's Market, Le Boudin Blanc seemed to tick all the right boxes. Since this was a birthday treat for Browny, I was after a restaurant that was going to provide exquisite french food at a reasonable price, but in a relaxed and unpretentious environment. Le Boudin Blanc ( translated as the white sausage) didn't let us down.

After a long day in the office, we had a well earned gin and tonic soaking the evening sun in the market square. The place was buzzing with people who hard the same idea as us which created a lovely relaxed but vibrant atmosphere.

The restaurant itself is located up a narrow side street leading off the square. As we approached the venue I knew it was going to be a great evening. Sitting outside, diners were busy tucking into an array of exciting dishes, while others were happy merely watching the world go by with a delicious glass wine.

The divine smell of traditional french cuisine welcomed us inside and a charming waitress took us to our table. Despite it being pretty cosy, it wasn't intrusive; the lighting , setting with the subtle hum of conservation and laughter created a delightful ambiance.

The wine is always Browny's department... it was delicious.. he will enlighten you what it was.

As usual, I could have eaten everything on the menu and we needed a good 15 minutes to have any hope of drawing any conclusions! For starter I had classic fish soup with rouiie, croutons and Parmesan. The silkiness of the soup coupled with the intense depth of flavour made for a winning start. Or so I thought, until I tried a mouthful of Browny's fabulous crab ravioli. We both agreed this was one of the best starters we had ever had. The ratio of crab:pasta was 75:25... simply perfection.

'You can't go too far wrong ordering a rare fillet steak in a place like this.' These were Browny's infamous words as he tucked into his main course. And rare it was... a mild shade of blue would have been a better description; but it was superb. The knife had very little work to do as it glided through the faultless piece of meat. The side dishes of chips, peas with mint, cream and bacon plus spinach complimented the meal extremely well.

Having suffered a minor case of food envy during my first course, I was delighted with my rump of lamb. It was beautiful. Resting on a slab of aubergine, with celeriac mash, the rump was succulent, juicy, tender and oh so scrumpcious. I savoured everylast mouthful; I was sad to see it go.

Despite examining the delicious pudding menu we decided to call it a day there and finished with a coffee and petit four.

What a brilliant evening. Le Boudin Blanc oozes style, romance, class and supreme cooking.
A hidden gem that must be found.