REVIEW: Aubaine, South Kensington

There's nothing I love more than a relaxing meal at a great French restaurant. Sumptuous textures, rich flavours and a quietly chic atmosphere is my idea of a wonderful evening out. When I visited Aubaine in South Kensington last Saturday my love of everything French reached a real peak. We dined of rich red wines, rich Comte and Brie cheeses and confit duck - true moments of French excellence.

http://www.aubaine.co.uk/locations/brompton-cross/

We visited the Kensington location which looks out onto the money-laden streets of Brompton and Kensington. The restaurant features a gorgeous in-house bakery alongside a relaxed dining area. The edges of the room are lined with cupboards full of crockery, beautiful floral installations and gentle art works that don't disturb from the eating experience. Available for dining from breakfast through to late-night dinners, Aubaine makes a lovely visit for any occasion. 

Where
Aubaine, South Kensington 
When
Saturday evening, from 8pm 
What we ate

• To start: Jambon, fromages and crudites 
• Mains: Roasted duck with potatoes and fennel, Wild mushroom risotto
• Dessert: Apple tarte tatin with vanilla cream

Highlights

• The highlight of the meal at Aubaine was simply the calming and relaxed atmosphere within the restaurant space. 
• The starter of hams, cheese and vegetables was very nice and a great collection of excellent French flavours. 
• The wild mushroom risotto was well balanced with a mix of soft mushrooms, bold flavours and a velvety finish.
• The guest's dish of roasted duck with sweet potato and roasted fennel was absolutely delicious, with an incredibly blend of sweet, meaty and aniseed flavours that work excellently together.

Lowlights

• I felt there could have been a better mix of cheeses on the sharing platter - there was only brie and Comte cheese available and we all know that France has a vast array of cheeses to choose from. 
• I found the apple tarte tatin a little dissapointing. The sugar syrup that held the apple together had the texture of frogspawn which was not very nice to eat - however the apples were very tasty!

Overall
Aubaine is a lovely French establishment to visit no matter the occasion. The relaxing and comforting atmosphere makes you feel very welcome, while the food offers flavour notes that we all love.

Thank you to Aubaine for hosting me. 

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Around London in 50 Breakfasts: Brew, Clapham

When it comes to breakfast and brunch reviews, there is a quiet joy that comes from dining alone. I love having brunch with my loved ones don't get me wrong, but there is something really special about indulging in some epic avocado toast, a great coffee and refreshing juice over The Guardian newspaper and some people watching. Angie from Silverspoon London recently wrote an article all about eating alone and it becoming an increasingly popular dining experience. We all have busy lives but know every once in a while one needs to slow down, refuel with great food and reconnect with ourselves.

So moving on from that very philosophical opener, today I am sharing my experience of dining alone at Brew in Clapham. I banners nabbed a table outside and cuddled up in a complementary crochet knit blanket to read the paper. Staff came and went with a gentle approach (it was 8am after all!), and I indulged in an hour or two of genuinely relaxing 'me time'. Enjoy the review!

Where
Brew, Northcote Road
When
Friday, 8:30am
What I ate

• Avocado on pide (pee-deh, a type of Turkish bread) with poached egg

What I drank 

• 1 cappuccino
• 1 energizer juice (carrot, Apple, celery, ginger)

Highlights

• Brew has a distinctly cost feel to it without being kitsch or mumsy. The clientele ranges from mum's and kids to business men dining alone.
• The coffee is sweet and strong, perfect for setting up ahead of a busy day
• The pide bread was an interesting touch to the now-boringly-obvious avocado on toast. It had a lighter texture but notably better crisp than standard toast.
• I was served a hell of a lot of avocado, which is brilliant considering the price (around £8). Where many venues will serve slivers of avocado, Brew serves bucket loads.
• The eggs were perfectly poached with rich, orangey bright yolks.

Lowlights

• My nearest Brew is all the way in Wandsworth which is a long way to go for breakfast!
• The granola does not have a nut-free option which was a shame.

Overall
I enjoyed my visit to Brew and have actually already been back to pick up my morning coffee! I would recommend visiting on a quiet weekday and enjoying the people watching that the busy locations offer.

Thank you to Brew for hosting me!

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Around London in 50 Breakfasts: Beagle, Hoxton

Hidden away in the railway arches at Hoxton station lives Beagle, a modern yet retro restaurant serving food and drinks throughout the week. Ideally situated in the heart of 'cool London' the restaurant's clientele include hipster friends hanging out, young couples with kids and little old me sipping on coffee and chatting all things wedding.
I visited Beagle last weekend with my Maid of Honour. As I have recently moved onto a vegetarian diet, it was a real treat to dine with a fellow veggie and explore the way vegetarians are catered to. At Beagle one can chose from avocado salad or mushrooms on toast as a veggie. So that was exactly what we did. Enjoy the review;

Where

Beagle, Hoxton
When 

Saturday morning from 11am
What we ate 

• Avocado and spinach salad with poached eggs (on request) and perroche goats cheese 
• Mushroom and poached egg on toast with hollandaise
• Pancakes with fruit and cream to share

What we drank 

• 2 cappuccinos each

Highlights

• Beagle offers a fresh and seasonal menu which is great to read and eat from.
• The coffee is rich and strong with a stronger kick than most places I have visited. There are also a range of milk options.
• The dish presentation is rustic yet organised with an appreciation for white space. For example, my friends toast came in the centre of the plate with everything piled on top- no spillages!
• The dressing on the fresh spinach salad was nice and gave a bitter note. This worked well with the ultra soft goats cheese which was exceptional.

Lowlights

• On arriving at the restaurant I was told it was closed and that I couldn't go in, despite a customer before me going in and the manager spotting me. This was odd and started breakfast on a weird note.
• The spinach salad featured not a lot of avocado. It also lacked texture in my opinion so I asked for toast on the side. I also replaced the normal tomatoes with poached eggs for protein- though well cooked these were a little 'chucked on the plate' compared to the rest of the presentation.

OverallBeagle is a great place to visit for a seasonal and well cooked brunch, especially if you have time to kill. The restaurant itself is very attractive and boasts heated outdoor seating too which would be ideal for drinks on a Saturday night. My final word? I would like to visit again and try a different menu and time of day before casting my final judgement. Vague I know but I don't feel I got the full vibe of Beagle on this visit.
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REVIEW: Murakami, St Martin's Lane

Specialising in contemporary Japanese cuisine, Murakami offers a wide array of sushi, rolls, sashimi and main courses from the robata grill throughout the week from their Soho location. Now, we all know how much I love a good Japanese restaurant and the robata grill offering certainly sold Murakami to my greedy tummy. 

As I mentioned in my last post I have started eating a plant based, mostly vegan diet - which ain't ideal for Japanese restaurants. So on this occasion I did eat a little amount of fish and lots of vegetables but no meat. My fiance and co-diner Alex enjoyed the pork gyoza and pork stew, while I opted for the robata grill asparagus and tempura vegtables. 

The restaurant is located in the heart of the tourist-centric Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square with plenty of passing traffic and local diners. That said, the prices are well judged and sit comfortably within the mid-range restaurants in the area. Enjoy the review! 

Where

Murakami, Soho

When

Friday night, 8pm onwards

What we ate

• Mixed vegetable rolls
• Volcano rolls
• Spiced mango rolls
• Pork gyoza (Alex ate these, I did not)
• Salted and spiced edamame
• Buta Kakunia (Pork stew, (Alex ate these, I did not)
• Vegetable tempura
• Grilled asparagus
• Boiled rice

Highlights

• Sushi: The spiced mango sushi was really delicious and had a mix of sweet and hot notes throughout. The mango was quite unexpected but really delicious.
• The dragon rolls had a great mix of different textures thanks to the tempura and avocado on top.
• The volcano roll was a pile of tempura fried salmon sushi (sounds odd, tastes great) with a wicked mix of hot, sweet and spicy sauces drizzled on top. A winning dish despite the salmon being now cooked, not raw.
• Gyoza: The gyozas were spiced well with ginger and the pork was nice and juicy. They could have been crispier.
• Pork and Asparagus (from the grill): The asparagus was our winning dish of the evening. It had a beautiful miso infused flavour which worked excellently alongside the iron-rich vegetable. The pork still had charcoal notes despite the stew sauce which brought another dimension to the plate.
• Tempura: These arrived about 30 minutes after the first dish. The sweet potato and red peppers were both delicious but the green pepper was horrible. I really don’t like green peppers so perhaps that is why!

Lowlights

• My Prosecco glass was chipped and dirty which was very disappointing.
• We were served by several different waiters throughout the evening meaning our messages sometimes got lost between dishes arriving.
• When we first ordered the volcano and spiced mango rolls we were told they were not available. When the manager came to our table the rolls were then made available. Apparently they are made in a different section – if I had not been visiting as press I am not sure I would have ever received them.
• The vegetarian rolls were dry, falling to pieces and generally disappointing. This was really sad as the other sushi was great!

Overall

This meal was paid for by the restaurant. Although I would probably visit if I was with friends in the area, as a vegetarian I did not feel well catered for and the vegetarian sushi were a real let down. That said, the asparagus was really delicious and worth the price.

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#ZomatoMeetup at COUNTER, Vauxhall

Last week a bunch of foodie bloggers and I took part in the latest #ZomatoMettup at COUNTER in Vauxhall. From build you own bellinis for £20 to delicious avocado on toast, COUNTER makes a real difference to other station-side restaurants. Quietly luxurious and understated, COUNTER offers an amazing brunch selection from baked eggs with veggies to coconut porridge with papaya and passion fruit, thus it's a great location for picky eaters like me.

Thank you so much to Matt and our lovely pianist Carl Josef for making the experience extra special with their attentive service and beautiful songs. Thank you also to Zomato for inviting me along - it was lovely to meet with other like minded bloggers over fruit-infused bellinis and scrummy breakfasts! 

Here is a selection of images from the day and to view more check out the Zomato album HERE. 

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REVIEW: Hakkasan Golden Week at Hakkasan, Hanway Place

To mark Golden Week, Hakkasan Hanway Place and Hakkasan Mayfair in London are showcasing a limited edition signature menu which includes new dishes that cater specifically to the traditional Chinese palate alongside a special cocktail and golden macarons. Sounds fancy right!

Hakkasan Hanway Place is the original Hakkasan that was set up in London in 2001. Going from strength to strength, the new Golden Week signature menu helps to bring together the east and west communities who grace Hakkasan's dining room day after day, year after year. Alongside a Supreme Dim Sum platter, the menu comprises sun-dried anchovy and taro salad in pomegranate dressing, stone bass lion head in Royal Supreme sauce with golden enoki and dried scallop, stir-fry Canadian lobster with dragon well, wok-fry Angus rib eye beef with baby lotus root and mustard seed, stir-fry baby broccoli with morel ginkgo nut and lotus seed and fried rice with diced abalone. 

If you thought that was good the meal is ended with an exclusive honeycomb-flavoured golden macaron covered in gold leaf and filled with a honeycomb ganache. Although I couldn't enjoy the macaron, I certainly enjoyed the signature cocktail, Golden Iced Tea, which features Belvedere vodka, Tanqueray No. 10 gin, Tapatio Reposado tequila, Diplomatico Reserva rum, Cointreau, orchid tea syrup, peach bitters and Champagne. Yes, I am very very hung over this morning. Enjoy the review!

Where: Hakkasan, Hanway Place

When: 8:30pm onwards

What we ate:

• The Golden Week Signature Menu
• Supreme Dim Sum Platter (lychee and lobster dumpling, abalone shumai with caviar, Alaskan king crab dumpling, Dover sole dumpling with black truffle)
• Sun-dried anchovy and taro saad
• Stone Bass lion head in Royal Supreme sauce
• Stir-fried lobster
• Wok-fried Angus rib eye beef (I did not eat this dish but Alex did)
• Stir-fried baby broccoli
• Fried rice with abalone and sea food

What we drank

Two Golden Ice Teas

Sauvignon Blanc white wine

Sparkling water

Starter:

• The anchovies are surprisingly delicious and honey sweet. The pomegranate dressing has been reduced so much it becomes a silky soft, sumptuous syrup across the salad. Alone the taro has very little flavour but the dish as a whole expertly combines flavour and textures.
• Dim Sum: Firstly the colours of the Supreme Dim Sum platter were absolutely out of this world. How pretty do they look! The lychee and lobster dumpling (pink) took our hearts to most with its gorgeous sweet flavour and fruity finish. Next the Dover sole with black truffle dumpling (orange) had a really notable savoury flavour thanks to the truffle which works surprisingly well with the Dover sole. Finally the Alaskan king crab dumpling (green) was really well blended and walked the line between a strong seafood flavour and savoury notes. Overall, the dim sum platter was pretty incredible.

Mains

• I’ve got no idea what Royal Supreme sauce is but it reminded me very strongly of chicken soup! Either way, the richness of the sauce worked beautifully with the soft, mouse-like texture of the stone bass lion head meat. I’ve never eaten head meat before, and although it was very delicious and meatier than I expected, I probably wouldn’t opt for it again. By the way, even though I am vegetarian I chose to eat fish at this meal; otherwise I would have starved to death.
• Next the stir-fried lobster; this dish came presented din Hakkasan’s signature rice noodle bowl and was scattered with bright green edamame and crisped kelp. The lobster had an ultra-soft texture and wonderfully sweet flavour. My experience with lobster so far in life has been disappointing; with some places that are famed for their lobster serving up cotton-wool style over-cooked and over-sauced lobster. As I definitely cannot cook lobster myself, it is an utter joy to dine on excellently cooked lobster meat as per the meal at Hakkasan. 

• The wok-fried Angus rib eye beef came with plump mushrooms which were coated in the rich, sweet sauce which I found very tasty. Alex informs me that the beef was also really well cooked – just medium rare and really juicy despite being fast fried. Th dish was finished with fresh peppercorn berries on the top which was really intriguing and gave the pepper a fruiter note – not something Alex and I have tasted before.
• Lastly I found the stir-fried broccoli REALLY tasty! I know its just baby broccoli but it was really very delicious and meant that I really didn’t miss having the meat in my dish. The sauce has sweet and salty notes which created an umami-rich finish. The broccoli was served in a rice paper bowl which brought added crisp texture to the dish.

Dessert

• As the signature dessert was a honeycomb macaroon I was kindly brought an apple tarte tartin - but not as we know it. Mine featured 100 layers of finely cut apples in a heart-meltingly good caramel atop a party base. Served with vanilla ice cream and a swish of apple puree, this dessert was a great way to end the meal. Alex had the signature macaron which had a square of honeycomb in the centre surrounded by a delicious honeycomb flavour creme. Crisp in texture and finished with gold leaf, the macaroons were truly indulgent and delicious 

Cocktails: 

• The Golden Iced Tea was a pretty knock-your-socks-off drink rich was tequila without being stomach burning! There was a lovely balance of sweet and floral notes, while the flower and gold detailing made the drink even prettier.

This menu is available until the 18^th of October so quick!! Get your table booked here.

Thank you Hakkasan for paying for this meal and for hosting us. 

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Around London in 50 Breakfasts: Carioca, Brixton

Carioca is open daily in Brixton’s Market Row - serving authentic, richly-flavoured Brazilian food in the heart of South London. Headed up by brothers Maurilio and Eusebio (Tony) Goncalves, and named after the vivacious people of Rio de Janeiro, the restaurant aims to showcase the diverse cuisine of Brazil, which combines culinary influences from the Portuguese, Africans and native South Americans who gave birth to the country. All of Carioca’s food is freshly prepared in house by their Brazilian head chef Lucy and her team using quality fresh ingredients. 

Where

• Carioca, Brixton Market Row

When

• 11am-12:30

What we ate

• 2 cappucinos
• 1 Copacabana breakfast (pulled beef, eggs, plaintain, black bean stew)
• 1x Carnaval breakfast (peppers, pineapple, leeks, spring onion, plantain, tomato, halloumi, poached egg and a maize muffin)

Highlights

• The team at Carioca are some of the friendliest and most welcoming I have ever come across. We were making jokes from the get go and I even got a hug when I left!
• The location is really cool – inspired Market Row, Brixton. The space feels really authentic and is something that has been built by the surrounding community. There is a beautiful mix of cultures, different stall holders and a huge variety of products
• Coffee: The coffee was lovely and warming with a fruitier note to the beans – perhaps they are younger – with a lighter roast. The coffee has the correct cappuccino texture, unlike many ‘top’ coffee houses where the cappuccino is extremely similar to a flat white.

• Food: The food was absolutely exceptional at Carioca, and I do not say that lightly. There was a fantastic mix of flavours that I have not experienced before. The Carnaval breakfast is a really exciting dish of peppers, leeks, pineapple, grilled halloumi and eggs combined in a delicious sauce. The maize muffin was lovely a crisp which brought texted to the plate. I also LOVED the plantain.
• The Copacabana breakfast featured a lovely crisp muffin with a savoury taste that stood up to the big beef flavours. The beef was soft and fell apart. The egg helped make the dish feel breakfast, while the bean stew and plantain gave tropical notes.

Lowlights

• Absolutely none. Zilch. Nada.

Overall

I cannot wait to go back to Carioca and experience the dinner menu – in fact I am planning on having a family engagement brunch there again soon! Although this meal was paid for by the restaurant, I would have happily paid double the price for how good the food was. PLEASE GO HERE! 

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