FroYo madness!

Itsu and Snog are the biggest contenders in the Frozen Yoghurt battle currently raging over London, but which one takes the trophy?

We like the warm chocolate sauce available at Itsu (not pictured as I was on a healthy day) and we also like their selection of fresh fruits:

But texture-wise, Snog's fro-yo is unbeatably smooth and soft. Bonuses for me are "mochi" toppings (here pictured as a side portion) and a choice of 3 flavors (natural, chocolate, green tea) which you can mix & match to your palate's delight:

Mochimania

Mochi mixed with fruit, an (azuki bean paste) & matcha ice cream - for summer (today)


Pandan leaf mochi with a hot cup of matcha - for winter (yesterday)

Sweet Tooth strikes again...

... earlier this week:

A slice of Dobos Torte (layers of sponge, chocolate cream and caramel crunch top) from Louis, a Hungarian pâtisserie in Hampstead:


Lemon tart with a cola twist (the marshmallows) at Yauatcha:

Winter pret-a-por-tea

Form and substance:
matcha tea & mochi (yummy Japanese rice cake) at Minamoto Kitchoan

Two shades of green:
matcha and green icing chocolate cupcake at home

Two shades of yellow:
Lime cupcake and a pot of English Breakfast tea
from the Primrose Bakery

Pret-a-por-tea

... a few green (yes, my favorite colour!) sugary treats directly from the "cakewalk":

Mint and Strawberry tart with a cup of Tie Guan Yin tea at Yauatcha


Vanilla Rooibos tea and Green tea & chocolate cupcake from the Hummingbird Bakery at home...


...accessorized with vintage "crinoline lady" china

East meets West

Credit crunch compliant patisseries at Yauatcha

How to spend a day eating only at Alan Yau's restaurants whilst ensuring, at the same time, total gourmet diversity and a balanced budget:

Breakfast - Princi
(Cheap)

Yau's collaboration with upmarket baker Rocco Princi has resulted in the first London branch of this Milanese bakery chain. Pop into Princi for a lovely brioche, pastry, a gourmet loaf, or for a coffee and cake. This place kicks the mass market asses of Boulangerie Paul and Le Pain Quotidien. During our visit (on a Sunday evening), while munching on the yummy sample pizzas that were being handed out to the crowds, we spotted the man Yau himself - or was it a Yau clone?

Lunch - Cha Cha Moon
(Cheap)

This Chinese noodle canteen follows on from Yau's Wagamama days, though I do sincerely hope Cha Cha moon does not go for the "expand till explode" concept, which invariably leads downhill. At least for now, Cha Cha Moon offers a lot more style, quality and far better value for money than the bland Wagamama. Lunch here can cost as little as a fiver (try the Taiwanese beef noodle soup for GBP 3,50 with a pot of Oolong tea at GBP 1,50). Avoid peak times as queues can be horrendous.

Tea - Yauatcha
(Moderate)

This dim sum/tea house is pricier than the two spots above - but totally worth it! GBP 27 will buy you a complete afternoon tea set which includes all the trimmings and more: a hot drink, sandwiches, scones, exotic fruits, cakes, cookies, chocolates and mini patisseries. Alternatively you can save GBP20 (blame it on the credit crunch...) and have a pot of tea and a patisserie for around GBP 7.

Dinner - Sake No Hana
(Expensive)

"Sake No Hana" is Yau's version of a Japanese Izakaya (a Japanese "tapas bar" of sorts). In winter go straight for the slowly cooked "pork ribs with sugar snap", a melt in your mouth casserole that's perfect for sharing. The usual suspects score very highly too: sashimi is delicious, the tempura is perfect and crispy.

My only worry is the eventual phasing out of some of the more authentic Japanese menu items, given that the last time I visited the sea bream "Chazuke" - a type of savoury rice porridge - was unavailable. That would be a shame because authenticity (and excellent sake!) is what puts Sake no Hana on a level above its competitors (Zuma, Nobu). Say no to boring "black cod" and "chocolate fondant & green tea ice cream" and yes to "Chazuke" and "mochi"!

My Japanese food heaven

Japan Centre's Morinaga "Hot Cake" mix. Fool proof and idiot proof!

Bye bye Fortnum and Masons, boo to Daylesford Organics and farewell to Whole Foods. None of them compare to my new favorite food shop, Japan Centre. I am currently so addicted to it I no longer want to eat out. And I get really cranky when my value sushi bento box (a steal at around GBP5 - bigger & better than at Itsu too!) is sold out by the time I get there from work.

But delicious take away sushi and other bento box meals (their "katsu curries" are 10,000 times better than Wagamama's) are not the only reasons I shop here so often...

It's also because:

1) They sell the best pancake mix in the world, which yields perfectly thick and fluffy pancakes every time (see above picture). I am never going back to soggy Bisquick.

2) You won't find just one type of ice tea in their chiller cabinet, you will find a million: light, strong, premium, no caff (Mugi cha or Soba cha), with milk, with fruit, with milk and fruit, with flowery flavour, with or without sweetener, etc. etc... In fact you can also find lots of exotic flavored waters, energy and fermented milk drinks - the other day I tasted one with bits of "nata de coco" (coconut flesh) and I swear it was just like summer in a bottle!

3) They have an awesome in store bakery stocked with the weirdest and most delicious buns, from chocolate brioche to green tea muffin, from curry "pans" (a type of pain au lait) to yakisoba sandwich (I dare anyone to try this!).

4) They stock yummy black sesame pudding and all kinds of "agar agar" fruit jellies which are packed with fiber and much healthier than our western desserts.

5) One can find fresh Asian veggies such as Yam and Lotus Root. And also fresh Oba (or Shiso) mint leaf which you can infuse in hot water to make Asian mint tea or simply add to your sushi.

And most important of all, because unlike the typical hard-to-decipher Asian food store, all of their products contain an English tag with a brief description and list of ingredients, so you are never left wondering what the heck you are buying!

China Picspam - Part 2 (Shanghai)

...continuing from my previous post:

Oriental Pearl TV Tower by night,
the ultimate postcard from futuristic Shanghai

The guy on the left just had to ruin my
picture perfect vision of Pudong with his ugly elbow... (sigh!)

Another "glimpse of the future" moment at
the Aqua Bar (Sun with Aqua, 6 on The Bund)

Yet more tea! Green tea & barley "bubble tea"
and iced coffee with "healthy" jelly at cafe R B T
(can you please open a London branch asap?)

Stacks of buildings

A walk through the street markets
in the "Old City"...

... leads us to the overly touristy &
wholly unoriginal Yu Gardens Bazaar...

... but at least the dumplings were pretty good!

China Picspam - Part 1 (Beijing)

Long time no write!

I have just returned from a fantastic trip to Beijing and Shanghai with a suitcase full of exotic teas (see last picture below), memories and pictures! Here are just a few of them while I recover from the jet lag and gather my thoughts for a proper post:

The Lama Temple (Yongchegong)

Rooftop detail at the Lama Temple

A foggy and rainy day at the Forbidden City

The yummy Xiaolongbao (or Siew Long Bun) is a Shanghai
specialty but can also be found in Beijing (we tried it at Din Tai Fung restaurant)

Brown rice milk tea at Chamate, a Taiwanese tea house chain,
with loads of milk & bubble teas on the menu

Glutinous rice with sesame filling from the Yunnan region at South Silk Road
(a restaurant in the Hou Hai area of Beijing)

The beautiful and compact Ri Tan Park

I could have spent all day sipping tea and watching the world
go by at the peaceful Stone Boat Cafe (Ri Tan Park)

Killer hike at the Great Wall: 10km of ups and downs from Jingshanling
to Simatai, both unspoilt locations


Tea madness! Clockwise from left:

Tie Guan Yin (Fujian), "Red Robe" Oolong,
Roast Tie Guan Yin (Hong Kong), "Osmanthus" Oolong,
the "usual suspect" Jasmine flavored tea,
Pu'er (Yunnan) and Dragon Well (nutty green tea)

5 Cool Things to do on a rainy day in Covent Garden...

Brace yourselves for another sunny summer!

... that do not involve flighting your way through the overly crowded, overly touristic, overhyped central market area:

1 - Stock up on exotic confectionery sourced from all over the world at Cybercandy. There's always something to keep you safely away from candy bar boredom. Some of my favorites: Green Tea Kit Kats from Japan, Cherry Ripes (a cherry flavoured Aussie version of the Bounty bar) and M&Ms in "Razzberry" flavour.

2 - Find yourself some vintage treasures at Rokit, Pop Boutique and others

3 - Sample a mix of Brazilian and Portuguese comfort food at Canela cafe (the chicken pie is simple and delicious) or, if it's sugar you crave, pop in for an impossibly cute candy muffin at one of London's most colorful coffee shops: Candy Cakes.

4 - Window shop at unashamedly girlie designer stores Koh Samui and Orla Kierly

5 - Cut the distance between audience and actors by half at the pocket-sized Donmar Warehouse. There's always a quality production on.

The hedonist's guide to winter - Part 2: Hot Chocolate

I had been meaning to write about hot chocolate, one of my instant cures for winter blues, for a while and when I had finally compiled a list of London's worthiest purveyors a few weeks ago, Time Out stole my thunder by publishing their own. Not fair...

However, this fresh spate of chilly weather - reminding us that winter is not over yet - and the fact that that Time Out's list seemed far from definitive, encouraged me to revisit the topic: while I give TO credit for introducing me to chocolatier Paul A Young's wonderful spicy hot choc, I disagree with their pick of Carluccio's and here's why: powdered cocoa mixture, thickened with corn/maize starch does not result in proper hot choc. I appreciate this is the Italian method, which gives the drink a gloopy consistency, but taste-wise, it's a no go.

When it comes to hot choc, expertise lies with the Mexicans (as most of you know, they invented the stuff and plus that trademark hint of cinnammon is genius!) and the French (pure chocolate thickened with cream and more cream, none of this starch nonsense).

So, which ones are truly worth wasting your calorie allowance on? In my opinion:

1) Konditor and Cook

Very dependable, choc-tastic hot choc from this mini chain of patisseries. A real pick-me-up. I love it even more with some of their Kipferl biscuits on the side.

2) Paul A Young

Thanks for the tip Time Out! You can add whichever spice mix you fancy (cinammon, cardamon, nutmeg, chilli, everything...) to this exquisite dark chocolate blend. Their other chocolate treats and cakes are glorious too!

3) La Maison du Chocolat

Choose between a darker or lighter blend. Either way, there's no need for adding extra sugar as both versions are quite sweet. Great for takeaways.

4) Laduree

Perfectly thick and gooey. Not too sweet, not too bitter, just right and heavily caloric!

5) The Wolseley

You can go with the basic hot choc or add extras (whipped cream, alcohol, etc.). Much less thick than the options above but they score top marks for presentation (beautifully served in a tall glass and silver tray) and lovely surroundings.

Try at home:

In a pan or on microwave: mix a generous amount of melting dark chocolate flakes or pieces (good buys: "Prestat" or "Hotel Chocolat" flakes, "Cool Chile Co's" Mexican hot choc pastilles) with full fat single cream. You can use half dark, half milk chocolate for balance. Add hot milk to taste (but watch the consistency!) and blend with a hand mixer to froth the whole thing up. Finish off with cinnamon on top! Yum, yum!

See also: The hedonist's guide to winter - Part 1: Cupcakes

The hedonist's guide to winter - Part 1: Cupcakes

Picture source: Sprinkles

Some say that cupcakes are the new donut (which is true at least in terms of how unhealthy both are!) but I prefer to think of them as the "muffin with sex appeal". Any way you look at it there's no denying cupcakes have gathered momentum and invaded London against all calorie counting odds. I blame their cuteness.

And while we wait for Sprinkles, the LA based designer cupcakery who pride themselves on baking the ultimate cupcake, to open in London as recently announced (see below article), we can find a mini cure for winter blues (any excuse!) at the following places:

Ottolenghi

Although they are not exclusively a cupcakery (far from it) I do think they bake it best. Ottolenghi cupcakes have a perfect texture frosting, are not too sweet or sickening and some times are even healthier* than the competition. My favorites are "maple syrup and oats*" and "raspberry vanilla".

Best for: yum factor

Hummingbird Bakery

Definitely the prettiest cupcakes in town. Though I do find their cakes overly sweet and usually end up scooping half the frosting out, I give them top marks for design and atmosphere.

Best for: meeting friends for a cuppa & cupcake

Buttercup Cake Shop

(I wonder what NY's "Buttercup Bake Shop" thinks of the name?)

This is a tiny cupcakery hidden a few blocks away from High Street Kensington. Lots of different/exotic flavours here (peanut butter and chocolate, cookies and cream, pumpkin) but my taste buds also found their cupcakes overly sweet...

Best for: flavor variety

Lola's cupcakes

At the moment they are a bake to order factory with plans of opening retail stores soon. You can buy their cupcakes at Selfridges Food Hall. I think their stuff tastes great (my favorite is the banana cupcake) but the frosting is a little too hard...

Best for: good flavor choice and sturdy packaging



Whichever one you pick, just make sure you walk home afterwards!

Further reading:

Sprinkles plans world domination

Everything you need to know about cupcakes around the world

Cupcaking at home

Winter's almost here: it's tea time again!

One of my first posts since starting this blog was about the top tea spots in London and Paris. I was surprised to see that it generated not only great feedback (thanks Mom ; ) !) but also some google hits (thanks to whoever dropped by to visit!).

While that post listed the more traditional afternoon tea spots, I have since compiled a list of my favorite London tea places which are a little "off the beaten track". By making afternoon tea a little bit more relaxed - no booking, no dressing up - but not less of a gastronomic treat, some of these places are doing a great job keeping tea culture alive and brewing.

I hope you find this list useful:


Tea, Paternoster Square (in the heart of London’s financial district)

You may have never thought of cream tea as a lunchtime treat but, judging by the number of customers munching on scones at midday, a lot of people have! This is a "Pain Quotidien" style café (ie. communal tables) with a varied tea menu and a nice choice of green teas, white teas and oolongs alongside the more traditional black teas. You pick your tea, mix and match with cucumber or egg sandwiches, scones and lovely cakes. Sit down and relax for at least 30 minutes or for however long your lunch break allows.

Perfect for: When work is stressing you out - or anytime really (they also do breakfasts)

Order: "Monkey Picked" Oolong tea, sandwich, ginger scones, fresh berries


Peyton and Byrne, Wellcome Collection

Some of you may have seen my enthusiastic post about this new branch of Peyton and Byrne. The great choice of cakes, sweet things and nice loose leaf teas make it an ideal spot for a civilized afternoon break - you can even throw in a bit of culture with a quick tour to the permanent collection or the temporary exhibitions (free of charge).

Perfect for: a rainy day

Order: mint cupcakes, scones, a pot of tea


Shipps tearooms

A cute tea house just next to the gastronomic quarters of Borough Market. For a cozy tete-a-tete with a huge tray of fresh sandwiches (they kindly offer to wrap any leftovers for takeaway) and delicious cakes. Lovely old fashioned touches such as embroidered table cloths and vintage tea china. The only downside were the less than perfect scones (they should be warmer and less dry) but otherwise, well worth the detour to south London.

Perfect for: a gourmet break before or after a cultural hour at the Tate Modern (a 15 minute walk away)

Order: tea for two (great value at GBP 15 each)


The Caramel Room (Prêt-à-Portea), Berkeley Hotel

A more formal tea outing, given the glitzy hotel location and need for booking, but one with a modern twist: at the start of every season the pastry chefs at the Caramel Room team up with different fashion designers to create runway inspired cakes resulting in the Missoni éclair, the YSL ginger boots, the Chloe chiffon, etc. - which are available for eating in (cute Paul Smith china is an added bonus) or take away. The overly fussy canapes are my only gripe: I would be happier with the simple pleasures of cucumber, salmon or roast beef sandwiches.

Perfect for: a sugar binge on a wintry afternoon. Booking recommended.

Order: the complete set (£34, ouch!), don’t forget to ask for a refill of your favourite cakes


The Crush Room, Royal Opera House

If you are attending a matinee at the ROH you can order high tea at the pit lobby or the Crush Room (cosier and more elegant than the Floral Hall). Your table will be ready and tea will be served during performance intervals: on the first you get the sandwiches, on the second you get home made scones and lovely cakes. When I get depressed about the grey weather in London the thought of either tea or the Royal ballet usually cheer me up... both at the same time = double treat!

Perfect for: Taking the kids to see the Royal's lavish production of the Nutcracker.

Order: set tea with or without champagne (the staff will look after your champagne bottle between intervals). Telephone pre-ordering essential.

Mexican wave in London

Last weekend Mr. R and I invited some friends to sample lovely passion fruit caipirinhas at Mocoto in Knightsbridge. As we got there, we found it was shut down for good. But why? Mocoto was pretty much the only decent (and more upmarket) Brazilian restaurant in London and yet they only lasted 6 months... It did not seem fair, especially when one considers the undeserved success of Brazilian steakhouse Rodizio Rico, with its tacky decor and sub par food.

Mocoto's closure also coincides with a time when Mexican "street food" restaurants are thriving. Being Brazilian myself I usually avoid comparing both cuisines but, in this instance, I do think Brazilian food entrepreneurs in London should be drawing inspiration from the Mexican winning concept (informal atmosphere, quality fresh ingredients, plenty of healthy choices, refreshing drinks, plate sharing), instead of trying to compete in the saturated fine dining segment.

They are the top 5 Mexicans:

Wahaca (as in Oaxaca)

New kid on the block on busy theatreland location (between both Opera houses and close to most theatres and Covent Garden).

Plus: Very fresh ingredients, great fish tacos, lighter options (you can opt to wrap your tacos in baby gem lettuce instead of corn tortillas). The churros with chocolate looked amazing (I bravely resisted on my first visit but won't next time).

Minus: no ceviche (!!!), gloopy guacamole (I'm with An American in London on that one), the big queues after the press fanfare.

Mexicali

The mini chain. Branches in Notting Hill and Fulham Road (I am praying they have no wild dreams of expanding like the ubiquitous Gourmet Burger Kitchen).

Plus: The coriander infused egg burrito (breakfast burrito) reminded me of past trips to the state of Nayarit in the Pacific - it was so fresh. Tasty carnitas (slow cooked pork), guacamole and salsa are chunky and delicious.

Minus: not licenced to sell alcohol (at least not in the Fulham Road branch), they should tone down the "our food is super healthy" spin - after all, most of their items contain cheese! Menu less varied than the competition's.

Taqueria

One of the pioneers (along with Crazy Homies - see below).

Plus: the varied menu, really good "Black beans de la Olla" (I love my black beans), yummy tamales and a good choice of aguas frescas (flavored water with fresh lemon, cucumber or hibiscus), delicious Mexican hot chocolate (with cinnamon).

Minus: can be overly spicy, churros are served with ice cream instead of dipping chocolate sauce (big mistake!).

Crazy Homies

The indie one, just next door to fabulous diner Lucky Seven

Plus: great margaritas, wonderfully crispy taquitos al pastor (pork), great ceviche, indie atmosphere with amazing soundtrack (I can't think of any other London place where you can enjoy great Mexican food while listening to the Strokes and Queens of the Stone Age). I could praise these guys forever, they are one of my top London spots...

Minus: get there early or queue for ages (it is as tiny as its sister restaurants Lucky Seven and Tom's deli)

Green and Red

The East one (it's in Shoreditch).

Pluses and minuses: yet to be tested... Look out for report in due course.




Granted, none of these London eateries can challenge the supremacy of the NY Mexican scene (Nolita's La Esquina is my taco heaven) but they are still a huge improvement from the old - and thankfully forgotten - days when chili con carne, nachos and fajitas passed for Mexican food...

A very enjoyable (and rainy) afternoon at the Wellcome Collection

Any discerning London visitors (and locals too!) should include the recently opened Wellcome Collection in their list of things not to be missed. Here's why:

As it was about lunchtime, my visit started with a stop at the very chic Peyton and Byrne cafeteria. This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill museum eatery: not only do they serve delicious modern local fare (those who complain that you cannot find tasty and authentic British food in London should take note!) instead of the predictable stuff served at Searcy's operated museum cafes, but they also have the funkiest decor, with coloured chairs and surprisingly comfy sofas (from afar you are fooled into thinking these are made out of concrete when in fact they are foamy and yielding to the touch).

Photos: A yummy haddock pie, gingerman cookie and Jasmine tea
from Peyton and Byrne

The cafeteria alone is a perfect excuse to go all the way to Euston, where the Wellcome Collection is located - but there is also a diverse and curious universe of scientific, medical or simply human memorabilia which kept me entertained for over two hours. My highlights would include preserved human, whale and elephant hearts (part of the temporary "Heart" exhibition), a Peruvian mummy, an old painting containing a very graphic depiction of a birth, Napoleon's toothbrush and a beautiful collection of pharmaceutical jars.

At the end of the visit you are encouraged to write or draw something to post on an interactive "Feedback Wall". I thought the cue cards which you are meant to use as inspiration for your Feedback contain a good summary of what this very cool museum is about:

Click on the below for a slideshow of the permanent collections (but don't do it if the sight of mummies scare you!):



Website: www.wellcomecollection.org