Restaurant review | Nizuni

I recently made a (mental) list of things I should do a little better with this blog to update it more frequently. At the top of the list was bringing a camera whenever I go out. I eat out quite a bit (especially recently, lots to celebrate!) and I love sharing my favourite spots. So here's another review! This time we're off to Nizuni, a Japanese restaurant just off Goodge Street.

This one was a little bit of a risk, actually. I had been dying for sushi recently, so when a special anniversary came up (!) I suggested it to the man... who said yes... despite having never had sushi. A real risk taker. I was a little bit terrified he'd hate it, and would hate me for picking a place quite a few £££ up from our usual burger hangouts. It could end really badly.

But he loved it!

(So much so that I got a sushi kit for my birthday. I get it, I'll make you sushi.)

And who wouldn't have? Look at that incredible platter. After a little starter (I had the yakitori which were nicely flavoured with a lovely sweet glaze, he had the chicken gyoza which were the perfect balance of crisp at the bottom and soft on the sides!), we shared a Nizuni Selection 38.

There were such lush pieces in there. Bottom left are sakekawa maki, with grilled salmon skin inside and topped with a spicy mayo. They were the absolute showstoppers and I'd go back just for them. To be honest, all the makis were quite incredible (which is great because they're my favourite). The quality of the fish was really up there though and there wasn't one disappointment.

The place in itself was lovely. The decoration is all wood and soft light, with beautiful homemade plates and pots which just added to the experience. The waiters are very present and helpful, which personally creeps me out a little but shows they're a very serious place. I would really recommend it if you've got a little bit of something to celebrate (or have a wallet larger than a student's), you'll love it. xo

Nizuni. 22 Charlote Street W1T 2NB.

Restaurant review | Bone Daddies

Earlier this week me and fellow foodie and great mate Claudia headed to Bone Daddies for a catch up/well deserved mid essay-month treat. Deciding where to go took us a good few hours but we'd both heard too much good about Bone Daddies in the past few months to be able to avoid it any longer.

I really loved the atmosphere in the restaurant — well, it's a ramen bar and it feels like that. There are long communal tables and seats at a counter by the window. We got to sit there and people-watch as we ate. Another great thing, as seen on the photo above, is all the little add-ons you get: chilli jam, garlic, chilli flakes, but also hair ties and bibs for those afraid of noodle soups :) (CANNOT recommend them enough. Didn't spot the bibs until the end, which the shirt I was wearing really regrets.)

Bone Daddies have a large ramen menu with options to cater for everyone: chicken, beef, pork, fish and veggie ramen bowls, with some spicy ones and a lengthy list of specials. We didn't try the sides, but it looked like there was enough for a full meal, so you can even bring ramen haters! The real plus? THE COCKTAILS. I had the painappuru parku (I think? I'm pretty sure), a fantastic pineapple number that the piña colada lover I am could not stop sipping on.

Ramen wise, I asked the waitress for her advice. She asked if I like spicy food. I said yes. That might have been my one mistake of the night. I went for the tantanmen ramen, which was excellent. Really warm and spicy, with crunchy peanuts, luscious eggs and perfect chicken. But ramen, me and Claudia found out, is incredibly rich. It's not just a bowl o' soup. The quantity and richness of the ramen combined with the spice was a bit too much for me, and I felt like I'd eaten about five meals by the end. Not a pleasant sensation at all.

Still, Bone Daddies was an excellent experience and I would love trying it again — on a starved stomach and staying away from the chilli. The prices are reasonable for how full you'll feel, and the experience in itself is quite fun. Make sure you go down to the loo, you'll be able to peek in the kitchens and give your compliments to the cooks! I'm now eager to try Bone Daddies' sister restaurant, Flesh & Buns...

Bone Daddies Ramen Bar. 31 Peter St, Soho, W1F 0AR.

La Pâtisserie des Rêves comes to London

Remember when I told you about La Pâtisserie des Rêves, almost exactly a year ago? Well here I am again, but this time I come with exciting news for my Londoner readers: the little dream cakes have crossed the Channel! The shop opened a couple weeks ago on Marylebone High Street, so I headed there on its second day to get my hands on some tasty things... 

It was my first time on Marylebone High Street and, oh my, I recommend you all go because it is truly the closest you'll come to being in Paris on this side of the Channel! It was quite incredible, so many shops were French ones, there was even a French pharmacie and a very Marais vibe to it.

The shop was exactly like the Parisian ones, which I loved. It is such an important part of the experience! Buying a cake is so much more intense when it's staring at you from the inside of a glass bubble.

I had been lucky to win a free small cake in a competition organised on the Pâtisserie's Twitter account but bought three other small ones to give the man a taster of real, fabulous, dreamy French pâtisserie. Needless to say, he was impressed.

From bottom left, clockwise: Lemon Tart, Paris-Brest, Saint-Honoré and Grand Cru Vanille.

They were obviously all incredible, but I ended up being particularly impressed by the Grand Cru Vanille (which I had initially completely left out of my selection but the salesperson highly recommended it) which was incredibly flavoursome. I had never tasted such strong vanilla in a cake, but not in an overpowering way, it was just a brilliant ode to vanilla. My other favourite was the Saint-Honoré. I have to admit it's not the easiest cake to eat (especially when you have to cut it in half first) but it was incredible, such a delicious mix of textures and the choux were to die for.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day being tomorrow, I am posting this tonight for all significant others of a sugar-loving foodie: you'll win their hearts (yet again) with these cakes. Promise!

Instafood round up #4: the drink edition!

I have a confession to make: I like alcohol. A lot. Not like, I'm a crazy alcoholic (although that's open to debates :p) I just really enjoy drinking and the taste of it and yes, I even love beer! Here are some spots I recently tried in London and really loved... Go try them out and let me know what you thought!

BrewDog
Camden and Shoreditch
www.brewdog.com

This is an absolute favourite.

This year I developed an intense and irrational passion for craft beer. Craft beer is called thus when it's made by nice people in independent small-scale breweries for nice people to enjoy them with their nice friends. Originally quite a US based idea, it had its big break in the UK thanks to the awesome Scottish chaps at BrewDog.
They have two pubs in Central London where they sell their own as well as guest beers. The bars have a taster board on the menu, allowing you to try out four of the bad boys. I let the barman pick for me based on my taste and it was all kinds of beertastic. Especially the Hardcore.

Freud

198 Shaftsebury Ave

freud.eu/cafe-bars

Hop down a hidden flight of stairs outside the nice looking café and you'll find yourself in secret pub Freud, now relatively widely known in London thanks to its affordable cocktails (£7ish, which I'll have you know is kinda cheap for central London) and cool location. The place was packed when we went but it's all worth it once you get through the queues. The mixologist  impressed/terrified us by juggling with our cocktails' shakers, but man was he skilled because they came out intact and ah-freaking-mazing. With a list of 40 or so cocktails, you'll definitely find something to your taste!

De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar

11 Macclesfield St (in Chinatown)

Why do I so often end up in a Dutch bar in Chinatown? I have no clue. But the beer is good and the prices surprisingly reasonable for a pub with such a central location. The staff is friendly and helpful (my knowledge of Dutch beers is v poor) and it doesn't hurt that their Dutch snack platters are zeer smakelijk. Try a pint of Vedett White, a personal fave from there! 

Instafood round up #3: where to eat in London... and beyond!

I figured, Instafood... It's not all about me making food, is it?

Hint: no it's not. It's about eating food. All of it. Everywhere. And when it's super tasty, I want to share it with you. So expect my Instafood round ups to mix in recipes and restaurant reviews... and they could welcome a little Instadrink sister soon ;)

Beigel Bake

159 Brick Lane

There is but one place to eat a bagel in London. This is it. £1.60 for a smoked salmon and cream cheese? It doesn't get any better. Or cheaper. Plus, the shop is 24/7 and also sells bagels by the billion (12 for £3 makes a great birthday feast, just sayin') as well as bread loaves and cake slices. Walking down Brick Lane without grabbing a Nutella bagel is very difficult once you know of Beigel Bake.

Meat Liquor

74 Welbeck Street

www.meatliquor.com

The name of this place is pretty self explanatory: eat meat and drink liquor. The story started with #MeatEasy, a pop-up restaurant selling burgers and cocktails to a crowd that grew so big the team decided to relocate in Central. Meat Liquor has a no booking policy, so get there early and proudly wear the stamp that'll grant you access to a world of tasty wonders. 

The choice of burgers isn't too large, but will satisfy any meat lover (and vegs too, btw!) and the cocktails... The cocktails are AMAZING. I went for a St Lawrence since I really love maple syrup, and loved the bittersweetness of it all. 

Also, get the deep fried pickles. You'll thank me later. 

The Breakfast Club
Soho, Angel, Hoxton, Spitafields, Battersea
www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com

The Breakfast Club is EVERYTHING you'd want from a breakfast place. It has a very, very large choice of delicious brekkie options, good coffee, great smoothies, and only the most fantastic decor I've ever seen (especially in the Spitafields one!)
They also do burgers, sandwiches, and even mac'n'cheese as well as cocktails for lunch and dinner.
And if you ask to see the Mayor in the Spitafields branch, you'll be taken to a secret bar for super exclusive cocktails... On your way there yet or what?

La Choza

36 Gloucester Road, Brighton

www.lachoza.co.uk

Believe it or not, but I do actually get out of London sometimes! I was down in Brighton a couple weekends ago and cured a littler, erm, post-drinking fatigue, with some excellent Mexican street-food. I'd never had quesadillas before and I pretty much fell in love with them. Despite eating outside on a windy day after waiting 30mn+ for a table, everyone I was with really enjoyed their food and I for one regret I don't live in Brighton... I could definitely do with another round of chorizo quesadillas!

Afternoon Tea at Bea's of Bloomsbury

You might remember this post I wrote a few months ago about having afternoon tea.

Well, here's a new one! My cousin came over to visit me last week-end. Our time together went a bit like this: shopping, food, markets, and more food.

On Sunday, I took her for afternoon tea (to her request!) at Bea's of Bloomsbury. The weather was atrocious, but when we got there, our moods were instantly uplifted! The place was lovely, the cakes looked and tasted absolutely delicious (note: must go back when Lent is over), and the amount/quality of food was perfect for the price.

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Vous vous rappelez peut-être ce post écrit il y a quelque mois qui racontait ma découverte de l'afternoon tea.

Eh bien, en voilà un autre ! Ma cousine m'a rendue visite le week-end dernier. Le temps qu'on a passé ensemble s'est déroulé un peu comme ça : shopping, nourriture, marchés, et encore à manger.

Dimanche, je l'ai emmenée prendre le thé (à sa demande !) à la pâtisserie Bea's of Bloomsbury. Le temps était atroce, mais après être rentrées dans le salon de thé, nos morals sont vites remontés ! L'endroit était très joli, les gâteaux avaient l'air et étaient absolument délicieux (note : je dois y retourner une fois Carême terminé), et la quantité/qualité de la nourriture était en parfait équilibre avec le prix.

Bea's of Bloomsbury, locations in Bloomsbury, St Paul's, Chelsea and at Malby St market on Saturdays.

Full afternoon tea is £17/head. We each had three mini baguette sandwiches, a scone with jam and clotted cream, a cupcake, two pieces of dark chocolate brownie, one piece of white chocolate brownie, a passionfruit marshmallow, a raspberry meringue and a pot of tea.

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Le full afternoon tea est à £17/personne. Nous avons eu chacune trois mini sandwiches fait avec une baguette, un scone avec de la confiture et de la clotted cream, un cupake, deux morceaux de brownie au chocolat noir, un morceau de brownie au chocolat blanc, un marshmallow au fruit de la passion, une meringue à la framboise et un thé.