Monday, 9 June 2014

Some great places to eat from Cyprus to High Wycombe

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


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