The Travelling Cake Addict

Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts

6 June 2010

Lucky 7*

Location: Lucky 7* - 127 Westbourne Park Road, London, W2 5QL.
Website

Photos by: Me and My Berry.

MALT SHAKES AND BURGERS

Lazy Sundays = Hungry Sundays. My sister and I had a big craving for extra thick diner style milkshakes. So to satisfy the cravings and also pre-celebrate my bro in laws birthday we went local and walked to Lucky 7* in Westbourne Grove which is literally a stones trow from the station and right next door is its sister restaurant Crazy Homies (Mexican food).

Lucky 7* is an American themed diner, serving burgers, fries, hot dogs and really yummy malt milkshakes. They also serve great American breakfast classics like the breakfast burritos, Eggs Benedict and huevos rancheros. OOOH are you hungry yet?? lol. Be warned, it is a busy spot and its a really really small diner. They have the menu on a sign board and the specials written in chalk on the boards near the tables. I loved the classic 50's/60s diner theme and all the interesting posters they had on the walls. I laughed at an Andy Warhol poster of Richard Nixon's cartoon character lol.


Due to the hunger pains we forgot to take a picture of the food LOL. I had a Lamb burger with a horseradish sauce, with a side of fries and an XX thick strawberry shake with malt. The food is a little on the pricier side but it was certainly worth the walk and the money. The shakes are best taken XX thick but they also have an option of regular or thick. Oh my I want a shake now...Who's with me? lol.

TIP: THE COLESLAW IS SO GOOD!

4 June 2010

Hot Korean*

Location: Hot Korean - Pacific Plaza - Wembley.

Photos by: Me and My Berry.

Anyong-haseyo!
(Hello!)


My tolerance for spicy food has definitely changed over the years, I never opted for anything that could burn my tongue, but recently I've realised how much I've converted into a chili enthusiast.

I love Korean food, I had the best Korean meal with good friends in San Francisco years back and ever since I've been craving for it. I haven't really been to any Korean restaurants in London as they seem a little far and expensive....and also not many of my friends have tried it. I was ecstatic that Pacific Plaza have a Korean stall, and even more happy that they sold dishes that I found difficult to find in London!!

I had a beef Bibimbap served in a traditional hot dolsot (stone pot). Its a very traditional Korean dish, with rice and julienne vegetables with either beef, seafood or fish and a raw egg yolk in the middle. I was excited hearing the rice crackle and hiss from the hot stone pot. Then you mix the hot chili sauce in and mix it all up! It was so filling and very yummy!! I also treated myself to Kimchijeon (Kimchi savory pancake) with seafood. It was really good too..maybe a little greasy but still tasty! And again to wash it all down I had a Milk Tea bubble. Nom*.


Beef Bibimbap in stone pot
Kimchijeon (Kimchi and seafood pancake)
Bubble Milk Tea

As I predicted Pacific Plaza will be a common feature on iNom* haha.

Jal Meokkesseumnida!!
(Bon Appetite in Korean)

31 May 2010

Pacific Plaza* Wembley

Location: Pacific Plaza - Engineers Way, Middlesex, HA9 0EG.
Website

Photos by: Me and My Berry.


TAKOYAKI & BUBBLE TEA!
**thank you Ate Lani for letting me know about this place!!


For all you Londoners who was familiar with Oriental City in Colindale before it sadly shut...I have news! They have now re opened in Wembley! Just a stones throw from Wembley Arena and situated in a quiet retail park. Now called Pacific Plaza, I believe it is owned by the same people from Oriental City. There are not many vendors or stalls in the food court just yet, but they have a few exciting ones to choose from. They also have a Japanese baker and a supermarket that will be opening on the ground floor.


On my first visit with P and ading Z, I had Charsiu and Crispy pork on Lo Mien, which tasted quite yummy. Portion sizes are quite deceiving though, at first it did not look so much but I didn't end up finishing it! I also had TAKOYAKI!! Crispy and fluffy balls with a piece of octopus in the middle! The last time I had this was  was in SM mall in the Philippines. It was so good with the mayo and tangy brown sauce! I washed this all down with a Passion fruit bubble tea! NOM*


So far they have Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Japanese and Korean vendors! I cant wait to see more and more pop up!! Maybe even a Filipino stand? I have a feeling we will be visiting this food court place often!

WARNING!: There is no cash machine on site at the moment. Bring cash! Only the Japanese store takes cards.

28 May 2010

Froyo & Burrito*

Locations:
The Prince Albert Pub, Notting Hill
Mr. Pretzel - Snog Frozen Yoghurt
Wahaca, Westfield.

Photos by: Me and My Berry.

I have been blessed with great friends, I thank the Creator everyday for giving me such amazing people with big characters and personalities. I'm lucky because all of my friends are "foodies" and "foodinistas"..so its very easy to feed my blog with "Nom" adventures. Friends and laughter are always the best condiments to a delicious meal.

I had a food day with Mer & Jim*. A very memorable day full of great news, happy tears and tons and tons of giggles...oh and of course not forgetting the food! We started off at The Prince Albert for lunch, seeing as it was a Saturday they didn't have Roasts on the Menu..so in the end we settled for a creamy shepherds pie and 2 steaks with chips and veg. After a filling meaty meal I craved for something sweet (as I always do!). I went for the Eton Mess, which is a messy concoction of crumbly sweet meringue, freshly whipped cream, fresh strawberries and strawberry puree. THEN as if it wasn't indulgent enough they added scoops of vanilla bean ice cream! HOLY CRAP it was good...oh so good! Who thought something so messy and simple could be that devilishly sexy.

Eton Mess at The Prince Albert Pub

After rolling out of the pub we ended up going to Westfields to stay out of the rain and to satisfy pretzel cravings. It was Mer and Jim's first time to try Mr Pretzels, the warm sugar and cinnamon went well with frozen yoghurt from Snog. I had a Green Tea and regular frozen yoghurt with fresh mango, strawberries and....Jim's random need for Oreos...not my preferred choice haha. After our dessert...we had a good walk around the mall (shopping centre to us Brits lol) and it didn't take too long to start planning what to have for Dinner (more food? yes indeed).



We ended up in Wahaca. Noted as one of the best cheap eats in London, they serve affordable Mexican street food classics like tostadas, taquitos and enchiladas as well as main dishes like grilled fish and carne asada. In my opinion the BEST Mexican I've had in London by far! I had a mouth watering scallop and prawn ceviche on tostadas which was refreshing and spicy with habanero chili. The pulled pork burrito was stuffed with tasty onion pickles, habanero chili, rice, re fried beans and other good yummy stuff. Its was the best tasting burrito I've had in London. The menu was ultra impressive as they served things I had only seen on food travel shows like No Reservations. They had traditional Mole (pron. Molay), Cactus tacos, ceviche, and drinks like Aguas Frescas (Hibiscus Water) and Horchata. I really liked the atmosphere and the staff were very friendly and relaxed, plus was the play list they had on was a happy mix of reggae, Latin, salsa and upbeat raga (which made me want to dance lol).

Aguas Frescas (Hibiscus Flower Juice)
Scallop and Prawn Ceviche Tostadas
Slow Cooked Pork & Pink Picked Onions with Habanero (and nachos on the side!)

A memorable day ended with laughs, hugs and full up bellies.
*Mer and Jim my foodie bestfriends.

Where its at?
The Prince Albert Pub - 11 Pembridge Road, London, W11 3HQ.
Website
Mr Pretzel & Snog Frozen Yoghurt- Westfields London.
Info
Wahaca - Westfield London
Website | Menu

24 May 2010

Wonderful Patisserie*

Location: Wonderful Patisserie - Hyde House Annex, The Hyde, Edgware Road, NW9 6LH. (Colindale)
Info
Photos by: Me my Berry.

Hi my name is Char...and I am a cake addict....

I am most definitely a cake person. I love all things cake, all things with icing and all things sweet (well most things). Wonderful patisserie are well known for their fresh cream cakes topped off with fresh exotic fruit. They have vanilla, strawberry and even pandan flavored cakes. I look forward to birthdays...(even if it isn't my own birthday!) just so I can have a slice of these sinful yet light and refreshing fruity cakes.


They have a branch in China Town, right in the heart of London, recently Big P took me to Wonderful Patisserie near to my work in North West London, Colindale. Complete with a cafe/restaurant, they have a large selection of sweet cakes and savory buns like Char siu bao and mung bean pastries. AND to my heavenly surprise they sell freshly made mochi!!! All different flavours like coffee, strawberry, chocolate, taro and pandan!!! I haven't come across anywhere in London that does good mochi, but now Wonderful Patisserie have won me over and now is a source of my intermittent sweet chewy cravings for Mochi...Now all I need is to find me a place that does ice cream mochi!.



The restaurant is OK, not your typical "Chinese" restaurant though. They offer a mix of oriental cuisines such as Japanese, Malaysian and Thai as well as Cantonese food. I've had better, but it still was yummy and good enough to line the tummy for extra helpings of cake and mochi for dessert. ALSO they sell the BEST Japanese cheesecake....a must try! Much lighter than your usual cheesecake and without a crust base. Just fluffy, creamy, light melt-in-your mouth goodness. It costs £4.70 for the cheesecake...but its really worth it!!

20 May 2010

Khun Mae* Finally..

Location - Khun Mae Thai Restaurant - 99 Chippenham Road, london, W9 2AB.
Website

Photos by - Zee Blackberry

Journeys home with Zee* are always quite amusing. We take the same dreary and non exciting bus route home everyday, so the random natter and laughs compensate for the ride home we always dread. One day whilst on the bus we noticed a small Thai Restaurant snuggled in all the suburban surroundings, warmingly inviting us in. Sadly, every bus journey home we would pass by and promise each other we would go there soon. It took almost half a year until we finally went there for a deserving and delicious dinner!

Khun Mae was a surprise to us both. Once inside, you actually forgot you was in the middle of Maida Vale Suburbia. The service and ambiance (did I really use this word? lol) was warm and very on point, the waitress was literally watching us as we enjoyed every bite, which did feel a little awkward at first. However the food definitely made its mark, printed its stamp and sung out in chorus...yes it was that good. We were both impressed with the presentation and most importantly the taste of our dishes. Strong flavours slapped our taste buds and left us jubilant and full from this delightful meal...not to mention sleepy. Also!...before I forget, they have a 20% off  Monday - Thursday, which made our pockets happy too.

Interior
Fresh Jasmine Tea - Served in personal tea pot.
Goong Hom Pa - Prawns in Crispy Wonton with Sweet Chili sauce
Satay Chicken with Peanut sauce and cucumber dressing(SO YUM!)
Prawn Pad Thai
Lamb Massaman - Slow braised lamb in coconut curry with potatoes and Coconut rice
Pandan Pancake with coconut ice cream


ขอให้เจริญอาหาร!
kŏr hâi jà-rern aa-hăan! (Bon Apetit)


* Zee is my sista from another mista. Pawtna in crime.

12 May 2010

Knickerbocker Glory*


Location - Marine Ices - 8 Haverstock Hill, Chalk Farm, London, NW3 2BL.
Website

Photos by - Me & My Berry.

Banana Splits, large wafer cones, Sundaes, Hundreds and Thousand sprinkles and lots of whipped cream. These bring me back to circa 90s summertime, sticky from the melting Mr Whippys and brain freezes from the large Sundaes oozing with strawberry syrup and crumbled Cadbury flakes. Summer seems to be creeping up on us now, which is much welcomed. We can swap thick woolly jumpers with light cardigans, umbrellas with sunglasses and hot cups of tea with icy frappuccinos.

Brother P* took me to Marine Ices for dinner, which is a stones throw from Chalk Farm station and a very short bus ride to Camden Market. Its also an Italian restaurant serving stone baked pizzas and a large selection of pastas. The interior is quite old and feels like a cafe/restaurant you would find in provincial Italy, I really liked the huge amount of autographs mounted on the walls which where signed from celebrities that have dined there. Surprisingly for a Wednesday evening it was busy! The waiters were quick with service and the food delivered was rustic hearty goodness.


Frito Misto Benedetto - Deep fried King Prawns, Squid and Whitebait with Chips.

The best part of the whole entire meal was dessert (of course). Don't you just love it when you get a nostalgic feeling from a certain smell, familiar place or from food? I got the Knickerbocker Glory*, I'm sure most of you London babies have had one of these? A towering glass full of ice cream, fruit, syrup, whipped cream and a crispy wafer fan. Its not fancy or pretty at all, but it is certainly delicious and refreshing. I was reminded of sleepovers with my cousin in East London and the trips to Wimpy just for their Knickerbocker Glory* and Sundaes. I miss those days of adolescence, being carefree with no responsibility or worries. I finished my Knickerbocker Glory, sticky fingers and and brain freeze included lol.


BUON APPETITO!

*Brother P - Brother from another mother, iNom* taxi driver and foodie

9 May 2010

Sunday Roast at The Prince Albert*

Location - The Prince Albert Pub - 11 Pembridge Road, London, W11 3HQ.
Website

Photos by - Me & My Berry. (sorry for the poor quality)

Sundays with Jamie* normally ends up with a big cup of coffee somewhere near home. This particular Sunday was a treat, we both had a big craving for a traditional Roast, complete with all the trimmings like roasted potatoes, veg, hot gravy and of course a fluffy crispy Yorkshire pud'. We both were starving and in need of a good heavy meal so Jamie took me to The Prince Albert Pub right in the heart of Notting Hill. Its not often we get to have a Sunday Roast, so you could imagine the excitement.

The Prince Albert is a vintage yet chic pub literally round the corner from Notting Hill tube station. Serving the usual punters, Notting Hillians and tourists, you get a good feel from the mix of people enjoying a good old pint or hearty pub grub. I loved the nostalgic smell of the old oak wood floors and the large heated garden, definitely a key element for a lazy Sunday.


Roasts are only served on a Sunday and you have a choice of beef, loin of pork, chicken and vegetarian, all of which is served with roast veg, mash, Yorkshire pudding and lashings of gravy. They have other options in their menu, ranging from fish and chips to steak pies and burgers. They are certainly generous with their servings, which will leave you very full. I had the Beef and Jamie opted for the veggie. I was not let down and enjoyed every single bite. I love my Sundays with my Jammy girl.


Matured Rump of Beef with roast potatoes, mash, sauteed leeks, french beans, roasted carrots and horseradish sauce.

Nut Roast with roast potatoes, mash, sauteed leeks, french beans, roasted carrots and beetroot and horseradish chutney.

TUCK IN! GET IN ME BELLY!

*Jamie is my best friend from nappyhood. My sister from another mother.

30 April 2010

The Diner*

Location - The Diner - 64-66 Chamberlayne Rd, Kensal Rise, NW10, 3JJ.
Website

Photos by - My Blackberry.

Full stack of fluffy pancakes, crispy salty rashers, towering burgers, hearty breakfasts and thick creamy shakes. This is what an American style diner is all about. Over sized plates and enough food to pass you into a coma. Before The Diner opened in London, I could only crave and reminisce about the Denny's, Pork Store Cafe and Lori's diners in San Francisco.

The Diner lives up to its name by serving classic American diner foods as well as transporting you to the 60s with its classic decor, seating and music. If you are ultra hungry, this is the best place to satisfy as the portions are hearty. They serve most dishes in the traditional baskets like they did in Happy Days and have american Frenches mustard at the ready, alongside other table condements. The shakes are a must, they even have Adult shakes as well as juicy cocktails. The menu spoils you for choice, this is normally an issue every time I go there. My recent trip I got a taco salad (sexiest salad alive!!), corn dog and a coconut shake.







They are the best Diner in London.
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