Mouldy Chopsticks at Beach Blanket Babylon

Beach Blanket Babylon is one of London's trendiest bars and has a buzzing restaurant. It is beloved by the Notting Hill set and typifices the idea of style over substance. Which is why we went there in the first place!

Your senses are blown away by the over the top decorations - it couldn't be more rococo if it tried.

No matter how trendy or posh you think your restaurant is... there are some basic catering rules that you can't break. Such as don't swear at the customers. Don't serve unhygenic food. Make sure there aren't any mouse-traps on show... etc. Common sense basically.

3 plates of perfectly good sushi arrived at our table along with some sets of chopsticks. The light wasn't great... but it was bright enough to detect a luminous green glow. On closer inspection we realised that the chopsticks were covered in a furry green mould. Gross! The elegant waitress simply took them back and didn't even consider apologising for it!

Our next course was very tasty... but sadly undermined by such a major lapse.

Banger Brothers, Portable Porkers

I felt a bit peckish as I strolled up Portobello Road after feasting my eyes on books in Books for Cooks, thinking about the beef shin back at home that was slow cooking in preparation for tonight's lasagne.



Banger Brothers is essentially the sausage version of Gourmet Burget Kitchen. They serve a range of 7 sausages:

Number 1: British Banger

Number 2: The Cumberland

Number 3: The Hot Dog

Number 4: Outstanding Spanish Chorizo

Number 5: The Polish Smoky One

Number 6: The Lamb Merguez

Number 7: The Meat Free Sausage

And more excitingly still, their chips are sensational! Especially when accompanied by a very naughty, thick, Belgian mayonaise that sneaks out of their pump station.



I opted for the Lamb Merguez, which was very tasty indeed. Slightly spicy, very meat and boosted by a cooling cucumber yoghurt sauce. Top class banger! But I feel like I missed out on the other 5 meaty sausages that I overlooked. Especially the Chorizo fella that smelt and looked incredible.

My only word of caution is, watch out for sauce dripping out of the bottom of your roll all over your crotch. I got some seriously dodgy looks all the way home!

I'm looking forward for my next excuse to viist Notting Hill so I can get stuck into the rest of their range. It's got a great personality and you really get a taste for how passionate they are about their pork!