My matcha craze is in full swing. Not only have I made my matcha whoopie pie, I’ve got the matcha rice krispies and matcha ice cream, the ugly (and I need to change the recipe and re-bake) matcha cupcakes and even the matcha butter cookies which died a horrible death and turned into [...]]]>

My matcha craze is in full swing. Not only have I made my matcha whoopie pie, I’ve got the matcha rice krispies and matcha ice cream, the ugly (and I need to change the recipe and re-bake) matcha cupcakes and even the matcha butter cookies which died a horrible death and turned into lemon cupcakes instead.

And now, we add a beverage to our repertoire ~ the matcha latte.

Really, it’s like a warm matcha milkshake.

Just wait til summer, I’ma go nuts with the blender.

The idea to make a matcha latte had always been simmering in the back of my mind. In Australia (because sometimes ok we are the ass end of the world but occasionally, there is a glimpse of the brilliance which lays behind) Starbucks serves a green tea frappuccino.

Oh yes, you heard right. A green tea frickin’ frappe.

Seeing as we are in the midst of The Great Freeze here in London, a frappe might just have to wait, but who said I couldn’t make the warm equivalent? Well, no one. So I did.

A couple of people had suggested I use condensed milk in this recipe, but having recently fallen in love with Green & Black’s white chocolate with Madagascan vanilla, I decided to use that instead, chopped up and melted. I think it worked wonders.

As for the matcha? Hit up your local Asian grocery store or buy it online at teapigs.co.uk.

And coming up in my matcha calendar? The re-doing of the matcha cupcakes, matcha soufflé and the show down. Me and the matcha butter cookies. Don’t mess with me.

Secretly, we’re all after a bargain. I mean even not-secretly, we’re all after a bargain, aren’t we? And even for those of them who dine frivolously and swipe their black Amex with the same ferocious frequency with which I swipe my Boots Advantage card, trust me, they’re also secretly after a bargain.

Well, I [...]]]>

Secretly, we’re all after a bargain. I mean even not-secretly, we’re all after a bargain, aren’t we? And even for those of them who dine frivolously and swipe their black Amex with the same ferocious frequency with which I swipe my Boots Advantage card, trust me, they’re also secretly after a bargain.

Well, I make no secret of it. From Toptable discounts to TasteLondon specials and the mild fact that I am Chinese (the thrifters that we are), any bargain is better than none, and when I find a good one, far be it for me to withhold the precious information from you!

And so with that, I give you The Little Bay, where a full sized, full quality three-course lunch rings up at just under £12 per head.

No kidding.

It’s Friday and the girls at my office have organised lunch. Normally all over venue ideas, I was flattened by my workload last week and the responsibility of venue choice was relinquished and somewhere along the line, someone booked a table at The Little Bay in Farringdon.

I’d never even heard of the The Little Bay before, but a brief perusal of their menu on Friday morning sent the pink haired troll in my belly into rapturous tumbles, celebrating the impending deliciousness that was going to set me back the cost of a normal wrap+fruit+drink from Pret. Excitement plus. Plus. PLUS.

[It occurred to me that the teensy weensy price could mean either low quality products or minuscule portions, but I'm happy to report that it is neither. Good food, large portions - win ]

So we arrived at The Little Bay and check out the menu (even though of course I’d already picked what I wanted). It’s an interesting menu, dabbled with European cuisine by Yoguslav chef Peter Ilic. I couldn’t really place the feel of the place either, with the interior decor ranging from Greek to Turkish and uh, they serve a Sunday roast. Let’s just call them pan-European.

Onto the food. We ordered our starters – Parsons pastry, goats cheese & beetroot tart and pig’s cheek for me, recommended by the wisdom that is the Twitterati – which at only £2.55 each, left us waiting in anticipation for what could potentially be the smallest or crappest or smallest and crappest meal we’ve ever had.

But as each starter was brought out, our fears were slowly put to rest. The Parsons pastry, smoked chicken, mushrooms and herbs encased in a light filo pastry was delightful in its clean and tasty flavour and for the price, two portions of filo pastry is honestly a bargain.

The goats cheese & beetroot tart also proved to be a fantastic deal – a full sized tart, complete with baked beetroot and topped with a generous slice of goats cheese.

But it was the pig’s cheek that won it for me. Two fat, juicy (and perfectly pinkly cooked) pieces of cheek served over garlic mash and topped with a slice of crispy smoked bacon. Tell me that doesn’t make you drool.

Starters didn’t disappoint, and the bar had just shot up for our mains. Not surprisingly, we all adored our mains too but you know what was shocking? My workmates, they said their mains were actually too big. Too big. At £6.45 each, having a meal which not only tastes good but is “too big” actually confuddles my little brain.

Anyway here’s a snapshot and first up, the culprit. The chicken surpreme, stuffed with minted mince lamb and served with lentils and a port wine jus. Again, not just one but two full portions of solid chicken breast, sinfully stuffed to the brink with mince lamb. The taste was good, but not my personal choice as I’m not into chicken breast nor lentils and not lamb when it’s all minced up.

Another main was the chicken breast with grilled vegetables (not on the online menu) which was delicious in all its simplicity and again, two large serves of chicken breast.

I, of course, was a little more luxurious (and really, to be able to be luxurious at £6.45 is a luxury in itself) and ordered the breast of duck, with steamed bok choi and a honey & ginger jus. A little nervous about the breast (I’m a leg girl, and always opt for the confit of duck leg) I have to say it was spectacular – moist, cooked to a dark pink with an ever-so-thin layer of fat. Oh and that little parcel next to the duck? No idea what that was. A little filo parcel of happiness is what I’ll call it.

At this point, we were sufficiently full but never one to let down the foodie team that is me and I and catty, I ordered dessert – white chocolate and pistachio parfait. I have to say my dessert looked the lamest out of all the others that we saw (the apple cake and profiteroles were massive servings and looked amazing) but really at £2.55, I need to just stop my whining.

My white chocolate and pistachio parfait was ok, and really more like ice cream, which I’m not complaining about. The pistachio flavour was a little synthetic so maybe don’t order this one. Go for the apple cake, it really did look incredible!

And there you have it. £2.55 + £6.45 + £2.55 totals something along the lines of £11.55 and yes I used a calculator because my math is like way worser than my English.

The Little Bay
171 Farringdon Road
Farringdon, EC1R 3AL
0207 278 1234
website

A flat white at Flat White, Berwick Street, Soho.

And I don’t even drink coffee.

In October last year, we went to San Francisco and I had the absolute pleasure of dining at The House of Prime Rib. And actually I just want to end this blog post right now, because really, there is no life after The House of Prime Rib.

But [...]]]>

In October last year, we went to San Francisco and I had the absolute pleasure of dining at The House of Prime Rib. And actually I just want to end this blog post right now, because really, there is no life after The House of Prime Rib.

But sadly, there is.

The House of Prime Rib was such a surreal experience, and not in the least because they wheel entire cow torsos (cooked) out and carve straight from the rib onto your plate. But the actual quality of the food, the globules of melting fat, the service and how they “spin” your salad at your table. It all adds up to being the most spectacular steak experience I have ever had.

Back in Londontown, I was recommended Le Relais de Venise as being potentially on par with The House of Prime Rib, namely because they too don’t have a menu – the only decision you make is how you want your steak done, every thing else is standard fare.

I was excited to go, though I knew it was always destined to disappoint. But surprisingly, it wasn’t the food that disappointed – despite the snotty green “special sauce”, the food was great.

What let me down was the portion size. Tiny. Teeny tiny.I’m teeny tiny and I was still left hungry.

*sigh*

Anyway. The food.

We all start with a salad of lettuce and walnuts, tossed in a great horseradish sauce, which had a kick so perfect that you’d confidently inhale mouthfuls but be just a tiny little bit scared that one day, one of these mouthfuls is going to burn holes in your nostrils. Thankfully, not this time they didn’t.

The salad was followed up by the steak and fries and the snotty green “special sauce”, which was something herby and definitely tasty. We had our steaks rare because they “don’t do medium rares, it’s rare or it’s medium”, which was a great choice anyway because look how amazing the slices of steak are. Red, succulent, mouthwatering, goodness.

Rating the actual steak was a no brainer. So good, so very good. And even though after you finish your first portion, they come around to serve you “seconds”, there just plain and simply wasn’t enough of the good stuff and to be perfectly honest, I don’t think my appetite is that big.

Is it?

Anyway, whether it is or it isn’t, if you like a bit of good steak (quality over quantity) and find too many choices on the menu intimidating, then Le Relais de Venise is quite possibly a match made in heaven for you. But be warned – they don’t take reservations and the queue is literally around the block, so go early or go very very late. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Now, back to me and my appetite. We wrapped up at Le Relais de Venise sans dessert mainly because everything looked pretty ordinary, and as we ducked out into the pouring rain, like an oasis presenting itself in desert haze, Marylebone Crêperie revealed itself to us, directly across the road, warm and ever so inviting.

Now this, this is dessert.

Not ever sharing anything delicious with each other (hey at least we’re honest enough to know that ok, we like each other but no, we are not sharing a dessert) Panu and I ignored each other and ordered our own slice of sweet crepe heaven.

I chose a crepe with Belgian white chocolate and fresh strawberries which was amazing, but so sweet I honestly had a toothache right there on the spot. Panu had a walnut and banana crepe, drenched in syrup and icing sugar. I think it was good. It didn’t last very long.

The crepes are so fresh that the edges are still crispy, and where seabass sashimi is good crispy (don’t ask), crepes are fawking awesome with a crispy edge.

With the crepes in our bellies, we were painfully full, but that’s not a bad thing for a Saturday night.

We rolled home and curled up in all our fatness on the couch, re-watching American History X because Edward Norton, he’s so awesome (and HOT) as a bad ass.

Le Relais de Venise
120 Marylebone Lane
Marylebone, W1U 2QG
0207 486 0878
website

Marylebone Crêperie
71a Marylebone Lane
Marylebone, W1U 2PJ
0207 935 2993
website

Pulled pork roll with rocket & apple sauce, followed by a Portuguese tart.

Fernandez & Wells, Soho.

And me….

photo courtesy of www.tehbus.com