Meat Liquor

http://www.meatliquor.com/

 I have been meaning to try Meat Liquor for quite some time now. I have read mixed reviews, some saying they dislike the lack of plates, some find it too dark and dingy, whilst others are excited by the grunge atmosphere, and greasy American style food.

Now Meat Liquor is one of those 'cool' places that don't take reservations.  There seems to be quite a few of these restaurants and food outlets popping up all over London recently, a bit of a chain-gang going on, not great when you want to plan an evening out I must say.

However despite being in a group of 6 we decided to test our luck for lunch about a couple of weeks ago. I actually almost walked past the whole building, I was about to get out my Google Maps to try and locate the restaurant as none of us saw the sign. I was expecting a door with a stairwell leading down in to the 'basement like surroundings' as I had read in reviews. However after being pointed in the right direction by one of our group members who is an avid fan we proceeded to enter into the dark and shifty diner environment and were surprisingly seated straight away, much to our joy with our work lunch time constraints! 

 

I have to say I was very intrigued by the whole experience. I found Meat Liquor was like being at high school loitering around with the punks and rebels in their invite-only hangout. I loved the bogan atmosphere and the old school rock music, mixed with the smell of grease, ketchup and mustard. The walls appeared to be slashed with graffiti with lots of red, black and off-white. Skulls and bones, sadistic animals and neon lights entertained the walls and we ate with an intriguing image of two entwined female nudes opposite us, tempting to put some off their food...

The menu was straight to the point, about 7 different types of burgers with a mix of American diner style sides and a chilli dog thrown in there for a bit of variety. I had been advised to try the deep-fried pickles, to those of you who aren't used to the lingo these are gherkins. I decided on the Cheeseburger, whilst most went for the Bacon Cheeseburger. We also decided to share the pickles, fries and buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce.

The service wasn't great, the staff walked around like they were non-fussed students who didn't give a shit. However when you did get their attention they did seem to spark back to life. The food came out in good timing, and was served on a 70's style tray, covered in a layer of grease-proof paper, each of our burgers had to be pointed out to us as there was no way we were going to work out whose was whose as they all looked the same! The kitchen roll was definitely needed not only as a napkin but also as your plate. We were all rather grateful that we had the whole roll as more than one piece was definitely required! The burgers oozed with greasy goodness, the soft steamed burger buns allowed you to really squish the insides together and get the whole thing into your mouth for a bite. The flavour tastes just like how it looks as the perfection of an American-style classic burger. Processed cheese, mustard, onions and pickles, some leaves and a big layer of ketchup - sweet.

The the buffalo wings and blue cheese sauce blew my mind!  These also came as a highly recommended side and they did not fail to impress. I was tempted to take all the sauce home as they came serves in little plastic containers. I could eat that just like yoghurt! The pickles didn't really hit the spot, they were small slices of gherkins smothered in batter, which really ruined the tangy flavour of the pickle. They lost their burst of sourness and I think the appeal for these is really the deep fried batter, one of my group actually didn't eat the pickles and just devoured the batter - so probably wouldn't get these again.  The chips were standard shoe-strings (I'm more of a hand cut chunky kinda gal myself) but definitely a necessity with the burger, come-on they go hand in hand.

Meat Liquor was tops; good value for money, fast turnaround and good mix of classic American greasy grub. To top it off I left with yellow mustard all over my face, always a great sign of a great feed.

Full of France

About a month ago now, Adam, Emma and I embarked on a journey to France. We may have missed our Eurostar train there (and back!) and Emma may have had to book her flights more than once, but we did eventually arrive in arguably the biggest foodie country of the world. We ate so much great tasting food and wine in the four days but I couldn't possibly write it all down. However I would like to entice you with a few snippets of the culinery experiences of my what I now consider my first 'real' trip to France.

We arrived in Rouen (pronounced rue-on with the real French nasally sound at the end), to meet our Aunty and Uncle (Lynn and Chris) and cousin (CJ). Lynn and Chris had been based in Rouen for the past week and were already well immersed in the culture of the small French city. Rouen is north-west of France, in Normandy and about a one hour and a half train ride from Paris. It has about a population of 76,000, and is most famous for its gothic cathedral the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, which is featured in a series of paintings by Monet, and being the death place of the historic heroine Joan of Arc.

Within our first hour of arriving I knew I was in this place to get fat. And boy was I going to enjoy every moment of it! Aunty Lynn had prepared a feast for our arrival, consisting of the sweetest fresh cherry tomatoes, still on the vine, an assortment of French baguettes still hot from the oven, mouth-watering Parma ham, and fois grais straight from the local charcuterie. And Uncle Chris provided some nicely chilled French Champagne to celebrate our arrival and being reunited so far away from home. What a start to our four day trip!!!

Feeling extremely satisfied after our first French lunch in Rouen, I felt I could eat like that for days... and so we did! From day to night we engulfed our stomachs with all the Frenchiness we could find, from a French picnic on the marina of Dieppe (the closest seaside town to Paris) to fiery whiskies and rich ports at the local corner pub. We started with bread and finished with cheese. We sipped champagne and gulped down beautiful, delicate French Roses. France definitely agreed with us.

We dined in an old wine cellar on our first dinner out. It had been spruced up all modern with gem-like chanderliers hanging like crystals from the ceiling, and a new-age twist on French cuisine. With bright orange and white decor and a menu that spoiled us, this restaurant reeled us in like a cat chasing a ball of string. We were presented with a beetroot puree as a palette cleanser that tasted so good I would have had that for my main! I dined on a mozzarella and duck salad soaked in a mango gazpacho soup with deep fried onions to start. Then a traditional pan-fried fish with steamed vegetables. The gazpacho was a little overpowering as I am not a huge fan of mango but the duck was delicious. The fish was delicate, it eased off the bone and juiced with flavour. I tapped into some crème brulee to finish off the meal and it was a cracker! Topped with a French pastry as a garnish.













As we were in France, I felt it would have been rude not to try the traditional cuisine that makes French food so unique. First stop - snails! They came out with a special 'snail fork', already de-shelled, covered in herby garlic butter, and looking rather sluggish... Adam was first up for a taste and he thought they were delicious. This led me to believe they would be OK as I was rather uncertain as to how I would find them. To my surprise they were rather tasty! It was like eating a prawn or a mussel in texture, as they were slightly chewy and you could feel their sliminess. Typically very similar to what you would think a snail would feel like to eat. Luckily they didn't taste like a garden or dirty soil as I had envisioned, as they were bathed in a garlic butter soup their natural flavours were hidden (much to my pleasure as I am a fan of garlic!).



















My second treat of the French cuisine was Duck Confit. This bizarrely came out served with pomme frites and swamped in a thick flavoursome gravy. The duck was so tender and melted in your mouth, it fell gently off the bone and to my surprise it went really well with the French fries.

After my trip I realised the main reason for my over -indulging in Rouen was the amount of fresh bread and cheese I devoured. People had tried to tell me there is nothing like a French baguette and yet I still couldn't believe them. I now know and understand, a baguette or any fresh bread in France has the ability to just taste so much better than eating the same bread in any other country. I don't know if it’s a different method or secret ingredient but it just tastes better! The cheese was also a weakness for me. Every day we would buy another cheese from the farmers markets, some in which really stunk out the fridge. There was one so smelly in fact that we thought someone had stood in dog poo and was walking around the apartment but after checking everyone’s feet we realised it was the cheese in the fridge! Surprisingly the cheese wasn't too strong in flavour but was very creamy and rich. Normandy is the place in France where camembert comes from, the region of some of the best cheeses in the world. Combine beautiful baguettes with creamy camembert and you definitely get a recipe for indulgence!

And last but definitely not least, one of the best things I tried in Rouen was a vanilla flavoured yoghurt that Uncle Chris recommended. It came presented in its own blue terracotta pot (great presentation - immediately sold me!) and had the most amazing rich and real vanilla flavour I have ever tried. It was thick, creamy and the flavour really developed in your mouth. And it was even better that you get to keep the packaging! We now have four terracotta pots to use at home.
Four days in France definitely was not enough but I have to say we made the most of our time there, especially thanks to the wonderful family we shared our experience with. Each day was a culinary joy, a foodies dream and an extremely satisfying experience. There are still plenty of French regions to visit and we will be back in a heartbeat, ready to get fat some more!

Bon apetit!

 

A Thought For Home...

Kia Ora. It's been great the past few weeks with the build up to the Olympics, not that I was feeling that happy about it to be honest. With an extra four million people in London over the Olympics period I think we were all feeling pretty unsettled! However with the Opening Ceremony over a week and a half ago the Olympics have really kicked off to a flying start. There are happy campers everywhere! London is buzzing with the most amazing atmosphere and it is really exciting to be a part of it. With the New Zealand team in full force (and the excitment of Team GB doing so well), it made me think a bit about being back home and the ten things (foodwise of course) thatI have been missing....

1. Malc and Jan's Beef and Bernaise (aka Mum and Dads specialty)

 

2. The Saxton's Sunday Roasts and Lasagne

 

3. Starburst Babies (the non-squirt type)  4. Pineapple Lumps and 5. Peanut Slabs

 6. Chow Salmon Parcels

7. Sausage Rolls and 8. Kiwi Pies

9. Cadbury Blackforest Chocolate

10. Aunty Robbie's Roast Potatoes

Much Aroha NZ!!!

Ottolenghi: I Love You

A few months ago I embarked on a journey to the Borough Kensington and Chelsea to Notting Hill. Firstly to peruse the most famous markets in London, the Portobello Road Markets and secondly to try a very special food shop I had heard so much about, Ottolenghi.

http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/



Notting Hill's Ledbury Road Ottolenghi was set up in 2002 as the result of the collaboration of Yotam Ottolenghi, Noam Bar, Sami Tamimi and Jim Webb. There are now four shops in total, two take away shops with a communal table, one restaurant and one take away only. Ottolenghi also has two recipe books and a new one out in September. The team have now put their culinary talents together again and opened a new restaurant called NOPI (http://www.nopi-restaurant.com/)  which I definitely can't wait to sample!

We walked into the confined white space of the shop in Notting Hill and I was instantly transported to a food sancturary. One look at the culinary creations crowded onto the counter and the window and my mouth was drooling. I did not know where to start. I wanted it all!

Ottolenghi describes his food as "familiar and straight forward, yet highly innovative. It is made and served by a group of people who love preparing food as well as indulging in it, gorging on it, chatting about it endlessly. It is a way of life, somewhere between a healthy obsession and a bad habit we can’t kick." This fixation with food is something I can relate to. The experimenting with flavours and fresh produce to create a sensual, vibrant experience is something that excites me. From the bold salads with enticing colours and mixture of produce to the eye popping cakes and pastries this place was definitely my cup of tea.

My experience definitely lived up to the word on the street. Photos went straight to Instagram (@love_bites) and a check-in on Facebook at this special place was a must. I had died and arrived in Food Heaven. My friends and I decided to pick a dish each and share the gourmet treats between us. I went for a roasted aubergine salad caressed in pine nuts, with a herby, creamy green sauce, smashed red and yellow cherry tomatoes and garnished with basil. The other choices were a Mediterranean vegetable tart and a grilled pumpkin, red onion and caper salad, drenched in a oozy yogurt dressing, and accompanied by a warming coffee each.

We parked our eagerly awaiting stomachs on the bench outside the store as sure enough on a Saturday the back table was full to the brim. We charged straight into our treats and the taste sensation I felt when the aubergine and yogurt mix hit my buds was a melting experience.
The aubergine softened and melted in my mouth and combined with a hit of basil and crushed tomato, Ottolenghi had definitely hit the spot with this one. The tart was nothing to rave about but was still up to the culinary standards as expected, and the pumpkin ensemble also won me over with the polite mix of colours, with the accompanying saltiness of the capers which really made for a gourmet salad.

Despite not having enough room to fit in the gorgeous range of pastries and sweet selections on offer, I rested with the idea that this will be something to try for next time, and the time after that, andthe time after that. This is one place I will definitely be going back to, whether it be for catering, take away, dining in, or attempting to follow their recipes at home.  Ottolenghi: I Love You!

The Big Easy : All You Can Eat Fajhitas

The Delaford Arms household recently embarked on an adventure to The Big Easy on Kings Road in the Borough of Chelsea to fare thee well a dear flat mate.

We decided on the 'All you can eat Fajhita' night as our feast of choice.
We wandered through the main door to dark yet dimmed light surrounding of what seemed an American style fiesta.The scene was a buzzing atmosphere full of happy people with mountains of food in the small spaces surrounding them. My eyes were drawn to those lucky enough to be donned in 'crab' bibs and greasy mitts from their tucker.  To my excitement, I turned out to be one of those people also...

We sat down in our close proximity table for 6, luckily there was only four of your to start with as there was really not enough room to put the whole six of us especially when the feast came out. Note to self: book a table for more people than you are expecting that way you are bound to get more room. Excellent.

We didn't have a moment to peruse the menu too intensely as my other half jumped the gun and pretty much ordered his first round of fajitas as soon as we sat down. We ordered our complimentary margarita and a beer for the boys. The first round came out in next to no time, very impressive. Someone had ordered the mix straight up which was a smart choice, that way you get steak, chicken and prawns (sorry cos they're American so its shrimp) in the one go. Amateurs like myself who order one choice of meat to begin with seemingly felt a bit disappointing compared to the mix. Not to worry though your lovely waiter is in hand to pick up your look of disappointment on your face and says brightly "you want some shrimp too?" oh hell yeah I want some prawns (sorry shrimp) and they too come out in a fast fashion.

The best part about all you can eat is that it really is just that. The staff are exceptionally happy and are at your beck and call to bring out anymore food that you may require, being condiments such as guacamole, salsa, cheese, more drinks or tortillas and more.

The best was eating the prawns in the kebab stick by themselves, however I was even more impressed that when you ordered beef for your fajitas its not just beef, its a awesome juicy piece of steak almost too good to even put in a fajita. Needless to say we ate till we were full as bulls and pretty much rolled ourselves back to flat. Most of us were not hungry the next day and when you put it down to £14.95 all you can eat and a margarita its a bloody good deal and we will definitely be back to don the crab bibs again. Next time maybe all you can eat lobster?!!!

The Breakfast Club - Soho

The Breakfast Club

The idea of breakfast for dinner really appeals to me. Simple, delicious and filling. Perfect meal for any time of the day really. So when a friend mentioned to me that we should try The Breakfast Club in Soho I jumped at the opportunity.

A group of us went down for a mid week banquet expecting a feast of breakfast options, some initially unsure of the idea, especially as the cafe was BYO. To be honest the idea of mixing wine with a breakfast meal didn't tickle my fancy however others brought along bottles to down throughout the evening.

The Breakfast Club decor had a quirky, vintage, and American kitsch feel to it. Almost like we should be in a milkshake and burger shack in California in the 80's. On the bright yellow feature walls there were street signs, old records and pictures stuck to the wall and we were seated on vintage wooden chairs and tables, those similar to what we used to use at primary school. The outside of the building is painted in the brand yellow and therefore sticks out with the brickwork in the Soho street. Which makes it easy to find for newcomers like us.

The menu boasts a plethora of breakfast options however disappointingly that they only serve this until 5pm. The evening menu consists of classic burgers, burritos, hot and cold sandwiches, all with a range of fries and salads. They only have three options breakfast on the menu after 5pm which involves eggs bene, big breakfast and pancakes. Despite having been very keen for breakfast at dinner time I ended up choosing the 'The Number 3 Wrap' which consisted of goats cheese, roast aubergine, peppers, pesto and 3 tomato chutney. 

In fact none of our group ended up getting a breakfast option, disappointing really. Maybe it was because the rest of the options sounded more appealing for dinner time. My other companions chose dishes of the Chorizo Burrito, Chicken Burrito, a Hot Pastrami sandwich and a massive burger that had a good name and a fried egg.
Feedback consisted of "this burger is huge", "the chorizo's so spicy" and "this is tasty".  All the meals came out in good time, and were all appealing in looks, despite my somewhat unflattering photos.

The service was good, my peanut butter milkshake rocked my socks off, as it did to the rest of my team as the waitress brought out the excess shake which wouldn't fit into the glass.

Overall the Breakfast Club was a fun idea, good service and tasty meals. I am not sure I would dine there for dinner again unless I ordered the breakfast options, but I will definitely be back for breakfast, brunch or lunch on more than one occasion.

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So.... I Cooked a Chicken Roast for the First Time

Recently I embarked on the challenge of cooking my first chicken Roast....

Now I know you are probably  thinking 'how has she never cooked a roast chicken when she considers herself a foodie?' Well I will tell you, quite simply;  I've discovered that I am not a fan of cooking meat on bones. Anything I have cooked as of lately (in the past year or two) was either of breast or steak form, sans bones. I'm just not a huge bone in meat kinda gal. However I have cooked a roast before, a lamb rack roast to be exact. Although as there is not that much meat on the rack, and I had thought I cooked enough vegetables to compensate for this but it turns out my other half was still hungry at the end of it despite being a good feed (mainly of vegetables). I have also assisted my darling mother cook many a roast and also chowed down on a good few hundred (I think!) of them in my time, so I thought to myself 'It. Is. Time.'

I will not bore you with the details of my cooking process as most of you may have cooked a chicken roast before but all I want to tell you is that it was PHENOM. Really moist, full of flavour, and tastiness.  The chicken itself was brought from a Tesco supermarket, flavoured already with parsley sea salt and pepper and filled with a pork, onion and sage stuffing. I really could not have done better myself (although - the challenge is noted!) My vegetables consisted of roasted potatoes (golden brown with the perfect crunch), sweet potato, carrots and parsnip. I also cooked minted peas and even made gravy. Yes I went ALL out and it was FAN-TAS-TIC.

I was so impressed with myself I even had to snap some photo evidence:

And I can say one of the best things about a homemade roast is that there is usually leftovers when cooking for a smaller group. Leftovers are brilliant.

Domestic Goddess Phase One Complete... until next time Roast Chicky!