Thursday, July 29, 2010

2 Days in London

Two days in London is not enough. We were super busy and I wasn't feeling so good, but now I'm in Berlin feeling much better and running a round like mad man. I made the mistake of having Mexican food as my first meal in Berlin at a trendy new restaurant around the corner from my hotel and well.... that motivated me to spend the next day shopping at the amazing Turkish Market in Kreuzberg and making dinner at my friend Keith's house. Lots of pictures and a recipe (of sorts) from those to experiences coming soon, but for now here are some random London pictures of places and things that struck my fancy.
I have to say the best of British baking I experienced was at a French chain called Pauls (I actually took pictures of it in the Paris airport) a heavenly rhubarb tart - a custard tart with a puff pastry shell topped with tart roasted rhubarb. I inhaled it. Euphorium bakery was in Hampstead and looked quite nice, "new" British cuisine is all the rage in London. My only real experience of it was a lunch I had my first day at Hereford Roadwhere I had a lovely lunch with my friend Gouri. The room is splendid and considering how posh it is, in a kind of comfortable understated design way, lunch wasn't too crazy expensive. The two things that most stand out for me about this lunch was a side salad that came with Gouri's fish made from crunchy samphire and cherry tomatoes it was great. The other thing was their Eton Mess which is in the states made with whipped cream but here was made from clotted cream making for a very rich dessert.
This crazy frozen yogurt shop called Snog (which is British for making out/kissing) near Covent Garden. I loved the acid trip design.

I really want to go here and try out my first Jamie Oliver Restaurant, but there was no time so instead I just took a lot of pictures! Next time....
I loved this picture of some bloke having a beer and a cigarette, reading his book, standing outside a pub with the sign proudly declaring: Traditional Home Cooked Food. Welcome to London!
This is a sign from Pret a Manger which used to be a very cool local chain, but now are part owned by MacDonalds, they do however have a commitment to quality organic and local ingredients so I eat there as they are also a bargain, a rarity in expensive London. I just love the "of course" it's so British somehow to me....oh and the coffee was really good.
The obligatory picture of a double decker bus, no photo essay of London would be complete without it.

1 comment:

Kurt Brown said...

That picture of the bloke with the fag is so British it broke my "Detect-O-Brit" (TM)

 
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