AND I wonder why I put weight on. I have been eating out so
much of late it has been rather indulgent. But I plan to get cooking again, due
to the fact my trousers are getting that little bit too tight. But I have to
say I have had some lovely food, so it has all been worth it. Here are some of
the places I have been:
Strada:
For one reason, or another, I have always shunned this
Italian chain for the likes of Ask. But this was a silly move as the food is
fabulous! I went there on a busy Saturday night and had the Cavatappipollo
Crema (£10.95) which was corkscrew pasta, chicken and sliced mushroom in a
deliciously creamy tarragon sauce, finished with fresh parsley and salsa verde.
It was so full of flavour I relished every bite. The salsa verde was perfect
and something which I don’t see much of on menus, but which I love.
I even opted for a dessert- Cherry and ricotta cheesecake which was juicy
cherries and creamy ricotta cheese on a biscuit base. Served with berry coulis.
I have to say this didn’t live up to the main, as it was a tad tasteless. But
overall I would recommend Strada for great Italian food.
Ocean’s Basket, Cyprus
Bit of a random one, but I would definitely recommend this
chain, if you are heading to Cyprus on holiday. We fancied a change from our
half board one night so headed here in Ayia Napa. As you would expect, it’s
seafood galore. We shared a platter of Prince prawns, calamari in breadcrumbs,
calamari steak, garlic mussels and a village salad. The calamari was some of
the best I ever tried- it was tender and delicious. The garlic was moreish and
the prawns were well cooked. But the only problem was the village salad- it was
crudely put together and didn’t add much to the meal.
Chimichanga Old Market Hereford
This is a new restaurant in the Old Market development in
Hereford, so Tom and I thought we would try it. It was a lovely sunny day and
it was nice to sit outside. The menu is as you would expect from a Mexican, the
staff were ridiculously upbeat and friendly and there was a nice atmosphere. I
had the pulled pork chimichanga (£12.25), which was packed with filling and the
pork was tender and tasty. Tom had the chicken fajitas (£14.25). It was nicely
presented but Tom wasn’t overly impressed. Although I don’t think you can go
far wrong with a fajita. Great for lunch.
The Waterway Restaurant in Maida Vale. 54
Formosa St, London
I went to Little Venice near Paddington with my uni friends.
It was a bit of a dreary day and I wasn’t overly impressed with Little Venice.
It is just a small strip of canal with a few restaurants dotted around. We
decided on this venue by the canal, just as it started to rain. There is a nice
outdoor area and the staff are really friendly. We went for the Greek meze with
hummus, halloumi, stuffed vine leaves, tzatziki, red pepper feta, olives and
grilled pitta for £18.50 between three. It was ok but portions were pretty
small. It all tasted good but I wasn’t amazed. Would not particularly
recommend.
The Castle in Tooting Broadway
This has recently been refurbished and is a huge space. It
looks good but quite similar to most pubs you see in London. The menu is quite
varied. I went for the Rotisserie Dingley Dell pork, crackling, cyder
fondant potato, purple broccoli, toffee love apples and wholegrain sauce (£13.50).
It was a pretty decent dish, but it was missing that little something. The pork
was a bit too fatty and it wasn’t particularly well done. The crackling was
much too tough and the wholegrain sauce was quite bland. However the toffee
love apples were delicious- like little toffee apples on your plate. A
reasonable price just needs some improvement.
The Snug in High Wycombe
Tom and I went here on a Sunday and we were the only people
in there, which was a bit odd. The menu is far too basic- the only real choice
is a burger or sandwich. I went for the New Yorker with dill pickle, fried
onions and mature cheddar cheese (£9.45). Skinny fries were an added extra for
£2.45, which made the dish overpriced. The burger was well seasoned and not too
thick and the fried onions were very tasty. Tom had a bacon blue cheeseburger
with back bacon and stilton (£9.45) with sweet potato fries £2.95. I think the
food here is ok but not worth the money.
Pinch pizza, next to the Hammersmith Apollo
This was a great little find- freshly made pizza with loads
of choice and for a great price. Daisy went for The hottie of jalapeno, chicken
and mushroom £6.90,while I went for The Ialiano with capers, anchovies and
olives £6.50. The pizza was thin, crispy with a good amount of topping. Worth a
visit. Go to www.pinchpizza.com
