Eat: Veggie @ Hakkasan

"But what can you eat if you don't eat meat?" Well in some restaurants, the menu might be a little lacking but not so at Hakkasan. I went this week for a pre-Christmas meal with some friends, me being pescetarian and Ruth being vegan we opted for the veggie set menu and we feasted. Hakkasan specialise in modern Cantonese food, and their sleek dark surroundings are the perfect setting for a special occasion (the week before Christmas is special right?) Bowls of kumquat salad, roasted tofu with pumpkin and veggie dim sum with veggie fish floss (!) started us off right as did the off-menu, creamy cocktail the Hakka.

While the mushroom stir-fry was a bit bland I did like all the large cashew nuts. Difficult to eat with chopsticks though! The okra topped with pumpkin and chilli was delicious as was the aubergine and mushroom filled aubergine but the winner was the vegetarian steaks. Tender and served in a sweet yet creamy sauce, they were something I've never seen on a vegetarian menu before and really enjoyed.

We must always find room for dessert...

A little snap of what I was wearing. Fedora from New Look, dress and boots H&M.

Eat: The Grove Pub and Dining

Autumn is perfect for boots, scarfs and cosy Sunday roasts at a cute pub. Sundays are for relaxing in my book and when I don't have to cook all the better (for me and any potential victims who eat my cooking!). Once a rowdy Irish pub that let underage drinkers in (many a Friday night was spent here as a 16 year old backing Vodka and Red Bulls...ahem...) now there is The Grove, a charming pub overlooking Ealing Green and Ealing Film Studios in West London.

Sleek outdoor signage and al fresco dining area work in partnership with comfy traditional pub features; exposed brickwork, overstuffed leather chairs, and wooden tables for this family friendly pub. A central bar buzzes with friendly staff and just beyond that is the open kitchen and dining tables, as the Grove serves up French and English dishes using fresh seasonal produce.

Sunday meant a Roast for the Boy.

Roast Suffolk farm chicken, Yorkshire pudding with bread sauce, potatoes and veg. The Yorkshire was soooo big I had to get involved! Light, fluffy, perfect.

I went for the Cornish plaice wih crushed potatoes, spinach and a lemon and dill veloute.

The fish was light and melted in your mouth and the sauce! Super creamy with just the right amount of zing.

I've been having a love affair with spinach all year and The Grove had steamed theirs to perfection. It compliented the fish and potatoes perfectly.

Sunday wouldn't be Sunday without pudding. I eschewed the heavier tarts and such for a chocolate and salted caramel parfait.

Chocolate and vanilla ice-cream topped with shavings of chocolate, cocoa powder and a sliver of salted caramel, I was a little misled by the name and disappointed there wasn't more salted caramel, but it was beautifully presented and tasted fine.

I'm sure as winter draws closer I'll be back at The Grove for more. Preferably on a Sunday.

Vapianos Wardour Street launch party

 

 

Vapianos sure know how to throw a party!

 

For the launch of their new Soho branch on Wardour Street, Vapianos had a great knees up and I was lucky enough to go along with the Boy.

 

We were greeted with a cold glass of prosecco and thanked for joining in the celebration while we took in the surroundings. Identically styled to the Great Portland Street branch - sleek wooden benches and red and white touches with the cooking stations at the back of the ground floor. If you've been to Vapianos before you know that pizza and pasta are their speciality. You are presented with a card upon arrival and then can go and watch your food prepared before your eyes, charging your card with your food and drink choices to the card as you go, then settling when you leave. It's actually really great for birthdays when you're younger as you avoid the awkward splitting the bill convo!

 



Loads of smartly dresssed waiters rushed around making sure we were all stuffed - the food was never ending! Bruschetta bites with buffalo mozzarella or prosciutto tipo Parma were followed by amazing bowls of pasta.

 

 

 

 

 

Pesto pasta or fusilli tossed in a tomato and chilli sauce with juicy fat prawns or prawns, spinach and tomatoes and a creamy sauce. Yum! We didn't eat too much pizza but we had to have some! We shared a bruschetta - grana padano DOP, rocket, marinated tomatoes, mozzarello and tomato sauce.

 

 

 

The prosecco and wine flowed, my glass was hardly empty for a second before being topped up and soon desserts were being whizzed out.

 

 



 We opted for panna cotta and crema di fragola - light, fresh and sweet marscapone cream and fresh strawberries. I've never had dessert at Vapianos before...let's just say I will be from now on!

 

 

The DJ played disco, funk and dance and was later accompanied by a saxophonist and bongo drummer, there was a magician (I missed him!) and a special Vapianos photo booth.

 

 

 

 

We left with pots of fresh basil and little packets of Vapianos pasta to keep us going until we get back - which I'm sure will be pretty sharpish.

 

My scuba collared dress and backpack are both Primark goodies. The boy and his mum both said I looked like a nurse. They missed the first day of Wimbledon symbollism.

 

Vapianos Wardour Street is open now.

Eat: Gallus

Watch out Nando's, there's a new chicken restaurant in town. Serving up skewers, wings, salads and burgers with 'world flavours' such as Jerk, Cajun BBQ, Katsu, Tandoori and Miso Teriyaki, Gallus Restaurant's plush booths and sleek breakfast bar are all muted shades and chic simplicity in contrast to to the gaudy warm colours of everyone's favourite chicken chain. The simple touches of the metal buckets of cutlery and Gallus reward cards on the tables make all the difference at this restaurant that promises 'good honest food the healthier way'.

I started with a strawberry milkshake - made with yoghurt rather than ice-cream it's lighter and fresher than a traditional milkshake, in keeping with the healthy-ish vibe.

But that all went out the window when the glorious burgers arrived. For the boy, the Gallus burger, a chicken burger served with homemade Gallus burger sauce.

And for me possibly the best portobello mushroom burger I've ever had. Served on a super soft seeded bun with halloumi cheese, roasted mixed pepper and garlic mayo I was in veggie burger heaven...

Sides wise - skin on wedges and coleslaw complimented our burgers but it was the corn on the cob that won the prize for best side on the menu. Why have I never squeezed fresh lime on corn on the cob before? Or had corn with chilli butter? Delicious really.

I told you that corn was demolished!

For dessert we shared a light fluffy chocolate brownie with ice cream and the brownie was just chocolatey enough. You know how sometimes brownies can be too dry or too rich and chocolatey? Yeah well this wasn't. Just right.

The service was attentive and it wasn't very busy when we were there, perhaps because it was quite late but I can't imagine that Gallus will stay low key for much longer. This chicken restaurant is making its mark.

Shanika Says: Get down there before everyone jumps on the hype and say you were one of the first.

Gallus Restaurants
103 Charing Cross Road
WC2H 0DT