Another Food Blog

This was a first time for me at a restaurant I’ve heard good things about.  The Real Greek is on the South Bank, very close to the Globe Theatre, and they serve Greek food tapas style on cake stands, making economical use of table space.  They serve the cold mezze first, so we ordered watermelon with feta cheese and pomegranate seeds, home made taramasalata (no artificial colouring) and houmus.  A plate of flat bread came with them.  High praise in particular for the taramasalata.

For hot mezze we ordered tiropitakia, pretty much like spanakopita, or feta and spinach filled filo pastry.  Then came biftekia, or pieces of beef seasoned with herbs, and then lamb kofte.  These were all brilliant.  The meats were delicate and pink, the pastry succulent, and the minty yoghurt first class.

Visitors to London are often surprised to learn about Vinopolis, a commercial centre offering tours dedicated to wine and wine tasting.  It’s on the South Bank, quite near to the Globe Theatre.  A group of us visited its wine bar after a meal nearby and settled on Caracter, a Santa Ana Argentine blend of shiraz and malbec from the Mendoza region.  Taster’s notes tell of “An attractively vibrant, youthful shade of red with a fruit driven nose of redcurrants and spices. The palate is medium bodied, soft and easily approachable, offering an array of red fruit flavours with balancing structure and a dry, rounded finish.” The wine has a smoothness with flavours of blackberry, balsamic herbs and peppery spice (lots of it).

Seven of us were dining at Paramount with a magnificent view over London.  We began with Billecart Salmon champagne.  Then I ordered double baked roquefort soufflé with endive and pear salad.  It was utterly brilliant.  I followed it by ordering oven baked salt cod, with sweet potato, bok choy, ginger carrots and sweet and sour sauce.  I stood staring at it for 10 minutes before deciding not to eat it.  Fortunately others were able to eat it.  I was fully satisfied with what I did eat, however.

The rain was just starting to signal the end of London’s mini heat wave as we hurriedly stepped into Tiles.  My lunch companion decided to have two starters instead of a main course, and we both ordered the same dishes.

We began with the squid, very nicely done is a lovely sweet chili sauce, and went on to have the aubergine and goat’s cheese in a ‘tart’ that had no pastry.  The aubergine was somewhat chewy.  We drank Blackstone chenin blanc.

I ordered the egg and anchovies on brown bread.   The egg was so lightly poached that it wobbled.  I had to use brown bread soldiers to mop it up.  It was excellent, as were the anchovies and bread.

On a very hot and somewhat humid day in London we sat at an outside table to enjoy lunch with a glass of a chilled New Zealand sauvignon blanc.  This was Wairau River, whose name means “many waters” in Maori.  The Rose family which began planting grapes in the 1970s still own and run the business.  This is typical of the high end of Marlborough sauvignons.  It hits you with gooseberry in the classic style, then fresh cut grass and passion fruit, and a minerally finish.  The day seemed less hot after a few sips of it.

I was a guest at the Harvard Cambridge dinner at Emmanuel College in Cambridge.  It was quite a splendid affair, starting with a champagne reception in the garden hosted by the Master, Lord Wilson.

The dinner itself began with smoked chicken concomme with asparagus spears and a poached quail’s egg, something I’ve never seen done before.  It was very good.

The main course was roasted rack of lamb served with spiced cauliflower, wilted spinach and tarragon jus (delicious), with a selection of vegetables and dauphinois potatoes.  Then came a trio of English desserts (which I didn’t eat), followed by cheese with grapes and celery (excellent Stilton), and finally coffee and chocolates.  The wines were a Picpoul de Pinet 2009, Domaine des Lauriers, and a Cotes dr Rhone Village 2009, La Vidaliere, followed by the college port.  This was a thoroughly pleasant evening.

I wanted something to finish off my lunch with a slightly sweetish taste, but had no summer pudding left.  I spied a banana and bought it.  I like them ripe enough to mottle the skin, and this one wasn’t at that stage.  When I reached home I sliced it and laid the slices on a plate whose surface I’d covered in dark rum.  I made sure there was rum on top of each slice as well as underneath.  I turned them a couple of times over the next hour and a half, by which time most of the rum had soaked into the slices and softened them.  I didn’t add any sugar, just a dollop of crème fraiche, and the few ccs of rum that hadn’t soaked in.  Just the job.

I lightly browned the chicken breast pieces in oil and butter on the stove top, then added half a mug of chicken stock and seasoning.  Then in went the leek rings, courgette, yellow pepper with a green side to it, onion, and par-cooked carrots.  I added tomato puree, and when it was all evenly mixed, put it all into a lidded casserole dish and gave it half an hour in a 180 oven.  It made a pretty good lunch.  Indeed, there was enough for three.

I do not often eat desserts, and certainly not in the morning, but this time I went with a friend to Carluccio’s.  We ordered Americano coffees, and because my friend wanted gelati, I ordered one as well.

I chose the bitter chocolate flavour, but it was by no means bitter.  It was gelati, not regular ice-cream, and was dense and creamy.  It took me some time to get through it, but it was quite delicious.