Healthy Lunch Ideas #1: Low Carb, Gluten Free and High Protein

 

Yay lunch!

Continuing on from my healthy breakfast series, I thought I'd share a few meals that I've been preparing for work over the last week or so that focuses on low carbs with a higher protein intake and a boost in healthy fats too. If you're looking for some lunch time inspiration, I hope this comes in handy for you! Please note, a few of these meals are highly repetitive with minimal changes for a few reasons:

1) I do a weekly food shop where 90% of the things I buy are fresh fruit and vegetables. I've learnt that if I go too crazy with my choices, they end up a sad and wilted bunch in the fridge.

2) Whilst I'm adventurous with food when eating out or cooking a lavish dinner - my lunches are a different story. I prefer simplicity and meals that require minimal effort but have maximum health benefits. Because of this, I like to repeat the same meals over and over again until my next weekly shop (or until I finally get bored!)

3) I have an addictive personality. Once I'm obsessed with something or a certain food 'e.g. eggs', I'll eat it again and again until I'm sick of it 'e.g. avocados'.

Meal #1: The Salad

 
Above: One large carrot, two stalks of celery, two tomatoes and two boiled eggs.

Now, I'm not a huge salad person and much prefer having vegetables that are steamed or quickly stir-fried instead but there are some days where I fancy something fresh, quick and easy. It's also a great snack for the transitional period between meals if the hunger pangs hit!

Tomatoes are packed full of vitamins, low in calories and contain a high level of lycopene - an antioxidant that helps to prevent various cancers. Celery reduces high blood pressure and aids digestion due to its high water content. Boiled eggs provide you with healthy good fats and are high in protein to aid muscle repair post-workout. It also provides you with vitamin D to boost calcium levels for stronger teeth and bones!

Meal #2: Smoked Salmon
 

Above: smoked salmon, steamed kale and spinach with a boiled egg on the side

I usually only eat meat during the weekends and so consume a lot of steamed, grilled or smoked fish on weekdays. It's not for health reasons but purely a personal preference and this changes if a lunch/dinner crops up mid-week (hello steak). I rarely season my meals and whilst I can sense people shudder at the thought of bland vegetables, I actually prefer it! My mother is still getting over the fact that I dislike white rice, avoid simple carbs and have an intense hatred for soy sauce but that's another story.

Adding smoked salmon/mackerel helps to flavour the vegetables and adds a subtle hint of smokiness to the meal. If you hate the idea of steamed kale/spinach, this helps to season it whilst the boiled egg adds an extra texture to the dish! Smoked salmon and mackerel provides you with omega-3 fatty acids, are another great protein source and an alternative to chicken/turkey if you don't like the texture of meat. However, as the name suggests, it's high in sodium so eat this in moderation and focus on bulking up your lunch with veggies instead : )

Meal #3: Leafy Greens 
 

Above: smoked mackerel, steamed kale and spinach with half a sliced avocado
 
Above: steamed kale and spinach, half an avocado and one boiled egg

Have I mentioned that I love steamed vegetables? Well, I do. Aside from eating it raw, it's one of the healthiest (and arguably quickest) methods of preparing your meals. I just chuck it in my steamer for 5-15 minutes, potter around the house and ding! it's done. Unlike boiling, it still retains most of the nutrients and keeps the moisture too.

If you're aiming to up your intake of leafy greens, the general rule is that the darker it is, the better it'll be for you. Whilst lettuce is a popular go-to item when preparing salads, things like kale, spinach and broccoli are hailed as the 'super foods' in the green world and there's not much that will top it health benefits wise. I'm slightly bias here as I eat it on a daily basis but it's packed full of nutrients like vitamins C, A, K and E - now there's a 'CAKE' that'll do you nothing but good ;) - these help to strengthen your immune system, clear congestion and boost your energy too.

There's been a lot of hype over kale recently and rightly so, it contains a very high level of vitamin K - an antioxidant that helps to reduce the risk of cancer, lowers cholesterol levels and is one of the healthiest things you could possibly eat. If you're a fan of crispy seaweed at Chinese takeaways, kale chips are a great alternative for a Saturday night binge or movie snack. Let me know if you'd like a recipe on it : )

If you're vegetarian or prefer another alternative to smoked fish, avocados may be your new best friend. It'll do your skin and hair wonders, is high in soluble fibre and so will keep you full with its slow-release of energy throughout the day.

Meal #4: Sweet Potato and Rye Bread

Above: Roasted sweet potato and butternut squash served with sliced avocado on half a rye bread slice

I love sweet potato so much that I'm pretty sure I was known as the 'sweet potato' girl at work when I first started. I ate it all day, every day. Whether it's steamed, grilled, roasted, mashed or turned into spicy sweet potato chips and wedges, I can't get enough of them (I have it for lunch today.)

If you're cutting out white potatoes from your diet, these are great (and taste better too!) It's high in magnesium, rich in potassium, lowers blood sugar levels and aids weight loss with its fibre content. Rye bread gives you an extra boost in the fibre department and I reach for a half/one slice of it when I fancy an alternative to wholemeal bread; it doesn't make me feel as bloated as I would with wheat-based products. If you're on a GF diet, feel free to skip this part and just replace it with some vegetables instead!

Tada! I salute you if you're reached this point.

I hope this has helped and hasn't been too repetitive. I'll post up a few more ideas in the next few weeks and change up the ingredients for more variation!

What's your go-to healthy lunch to prepare? : )

Honest Burgers, London

Afternoon!

Just a quick note from me to say that the search for London's best burger is still on and last weekend, Honest Burgers (Soho branch) was our latest victim. Muhaha. If you're interested in our full review, Jordan and I have started a joint food blog called Our Food Bucket List and you'll be able to find the post there. As the name suggests, it'll be reviews of places on our food bucket list. We're aiming to visit at least one new restaurant a month - it's hard work but somebody's gotta do it ;). I know, I know... that's another blog of mine to follow but if you're interested in pure restaurant reviews - head over there! I promise that this is a good'un. 

Sneak peak of my review:
If you're after a burger dripping with oily juices and grease, this won't be it. If you're however, looking for a burger that momentarily widens your eyes as big as they'll go, stop you mid-chew to comprehend the explosion of flavours in your mouth before ravishing the burger like a beast... look no further. Table manners are thrown out of the door - a knife and fork? Ain't nobody got time for that.

How does it measure up to our favourite burger joints (so far) Patty & Bun and Shake Shack? Well, you'll have to scoot your bum over there and find out ;)

Still not convinced? I'll leave you with this and just gingerly step away in three... two... one...

No, wait. I'm back again.

As I'm shamelessly self-promoting every blog and YouTube channel I have - this one couldn't be missed. For those foodies interested in fashion too (nothing better than food babies hidden in a oversized jumper) I recently uploaded my 'How I Style: B&W for Work/Formal Occasions' lookbook. 5 outfits - all monochrome. The neutral lovin' fiend in me was very excited when planning this. Prefer blogs instead? I've gotchu covered. Head over to Shu Likes Clothes for today's post that combines silk, leather and Jack Russells.

As usual, thanks for reading! 

How much do you want a burger right now?

Recipe: Healthy Carrot Cake Porridge/Oatmeal

 

Now, I like porridge a lot and my obsession with it has gotten slightly out of control - my Instagram feed is living proof of that. I have it every single morning and I'm yet to be bored of it - I am known to eat it for dinner too... ahem. There are endless ways of how you can serve it and the (lumpy) canvas is a playground for flavour experimentation so I put down my fun-sized banana (yes, a normal banana is too big for me to handle, send in your innuendos now) and decided to transform my favourite breakfast dish to one inspired by (healthy) carrot cake. Dessert for breakfast or breakfast for dessert? I don't know but I'm going to roll (oats) with it. Now you can have your cake and eat it too.

If you don't fancy fruit as a topping, this would be a great healthy alternative. Carrots provide you with a lot of vitamin A and it even have anti-ageing properties: the high level of the antioxidant beta-carotene helps to repair and slow down the ageing of cells.  

You will need:

 (serves one)

40g of rolled oats

150ml water and 50ml almond milk

Two grated medium-sized carrots

Cinnamon powder

Nutmeg powder

Ground ginger

Chopped walnuts
Non-fat greek yogurt

 

1. Over a low to medium heat, throw in your rolled oats and 3/4 of your milk and water.

Note: I normally opt to have more water with a small splash of milk for a slight creamy texture and prefer to thicken my porridge up with chopped bananas. It's purely my personal preference - depending on your favoured consistency, feel free to use 200ml - 300ml of milk instead!

  

2. Grate your carrots over the top of your oats and stir it into the mixture.

I made the mistake of only using one to serve two people. For a more authentic taste, reserve two medium-sized carrots for each person.

 

3. Time to go crazy - manically shake sprinkle in your desired amount of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger powder into the porridge. I'm a cinnamon fiend so I may have practically emptied the bottle in there. Leave it bubbling away on a low heat until it reaches your desired level of thickness. 

The spices help to enhance the flavour and are the secret ingredients in achieving the carrot cake taste. For those who usually find porridge to be bland, don't reach for the brown sugar and opt for these to season your oats with instead! They're mighty good for you, they strengthen your immune system and will naturally sweeten the porridge whilst providing a kick and a boost in flavour too. 

 

4. Serve with chopped walnuts, (optional) extra cinnamon and enjoy!

If you fancy having it more creamier, you can even 'ice' it with a dollop of greek yogurt for that cream cheese taste. Don't undo all your hard work with the real thing, go for the healthier option instead! It'll give you an extra dose of protein too ;) The walnuts are packed with omega-3 acids and reduce the risk of breast cancer too. 

That's all, folks!
(name the reference)

Of course, feel free to chop and change this to however you'd prefer and if you do try it out, let me know how you get on with it!

I'm off to dream up more porridge recipes - have a lovely rest of the day : )

The Regency Restaurant, Brighton

The Regency Restaurant
Address: 131 King's Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2HH

It comes to no surprise that I have a (not-so-secret) love affair with food. Growing up, my sisters and I were encouraged to try everything and anything (within reason) at least once. Weird looking food with an even more stranger description? Sign me up. Both my parents are giant 'foodies' and as they're both from Guangzhou, Guangdong (hailed as the food capital of China), it was inevitable that their love for eating (and the obsession with Cantonese cuisine) would be passed down to their children.

My parents also owned their fair share of Chinese takeaways/restaurants and their weekly Tuesdays off were normally dedicated to a family dinner out in Brighton. We'd source out the best that the city had to offer and I think we've found it. Behold, one of my favourite seafood restaurants of all time: The Regency Restaurant - (one of the oldest seafront restaurants in Brighton and former home of Harriott Mellon).

I hadn't been back in 6 years but would often describe the food excitedly to Jordan and cast secret longing gazes at the restaurant every time we drove past. It turns out that the stares weren't as subtle as I had thought as Jordan surprised me with a booking two weeks after my graduation last November. I'm not sure whether I should be proud or embarrassed that the way to my heart is with food.

 I only had one clue: it'll bring nostalgia.

I had left my Sherlock Holmes hat at home that day and was met with a series of ???s when trying to figure the venue out. A few minutes later, we stopped in front of the restaurant and Jordan proudly said:

'I said it'd bring nostalgia but I never said it had to include me - it was meant to be nostalgic for you.'

I think I nearly cried which all sounds very melodramatic and over the top but I hadn't dared to go back since my parent's divorce in fear of the associated memories that'd come along with it so I welcomed the opportunity to revisit the place with him instead : )

Ok, enough rambling and onto the food.

For starters: Scotch smoked salmon for the lady (that's me) and deep fried calamari for the gentleman (that's Jordan) - I was tempted with the 1/2 dozen of oysters as it's one of my favourite seafood dishes (a quick squeeze of lemon and a dash of tabasco for me) but I've always deemed it as a starter for summer. Is there anything better than sitting outside during the height of summer with the views of Brighton pier and some ice-cold oysters? Patiently waiting until then. It tastes as you'd expect: fresh and left us wanting more.
 


This is my chuffed smilin' from ear to ear face. I look composed but inside, I was counting down until the main event, aka the main reason why I love this restaurant so much: the hot lobster thermidor.



Ahh, just look at it. It's a tradition to order this because well, it's simply brilliant. In my opinion, lobster is hard to get right and growing up, the go-to way of preparing it at home has been the 'Cantonese- style' way (what a surprise). The lobster is roughly chopped up and quickly stir-fried with ginger slices, scallions, onions and rice wine to retain the freshness and natural flavours. There's nothing worse than overcooked lobster, it's bland, the texture is ruined and it takes out all the joy of eating it. Bleugh. This dish completely changes all of the above. It's a beautiful mix of lobster, cheese, cream, white wine (or brandy/cognac depending on the chef's preference!) shallots and assorted herbs. The flavours all blend together beautifully and it's honestly a feast for your taste buds. It isn't particularly overpowering in the slightest but actually adds to the moisture of the meat. It was Jordan's first time with eating lobster and he approved. He's a keeper.

Of course, we ordered a side dish of garlic bread to mop up the leftover sauce ;)



Yes, we had room for dessert. We ordered a rhubarb crumble with custard and pistachio ice-cream. I practically inhaled the ice-cream and didn't have the chance to take a photo. Woops. It was great though (in case you were wondering). The rhubarb was a welcome change from the traditional apple pairing. I had actually grilled a very amused waiter with the best dessert choices and after he whispered to us the ones to avoid, he loudly declared the homemade crumble to be the victor and what a winner it was.

If you ever find yourself in Brighton in search of a new restaurant to visit, give The Regency a try! It's a no-brainer during the summer months and judging from the heaving crowds during peak time - I think both the residents and tourists would agree. Save me an oyster (or three)?

Grocery Haul: Healthy Weekly Food Shop

It's one thing to be excited about your weekly food shop...

And another to think 'I know what, I'll film it after and wave around my new packet of carrots.'

I have reached a new level of crazy.

I've just uploaded my weekly grocery haul so if you're on the search for some healthy lunch ideas then voila! On that note, I woke up today to find that I've reached 9000 subscribers on my YouTube channel! Say WHAT?! I still can't quite believe it. Don't try and get me to imagine 9000+ people in a room either, I'll most probably rock on the spot verrrry nervously and whisper 'who, meeeee?!' Insane. Thank you for putting up with my frequent and weird ramblings - I appreciate it more than you guys will ever know : )

Let me know if you'd like the grocery hauls to be a regular feature. Likewise, tell me if you'd rather I never that excitedly talk about kale again... now where's the line to get a cooler life? ; )

Cronuts/Crodoughs, Rinkoff Bakery

Rinkoff Bakery:
Addresses: 224 Jubilee Street, E1 3BS or 79 Vallance Road, E1 5BS
Tube Station: Whitechapel - Aldgate East 

[repost from my review on my fashion blog - it's more appropriate and it's too good to not share with you]

Ah, the cronut. A croissant-doughnut hybrid that's taken the baking world by storm and has earned itself a top spot in every pastry lover's wishlist. If you know me in real life, you've most probably heard me go on and on and on about wanting to try one since I first heard about them in May.

It was first pioneered by the genius Dominique Ansel for his bakery in New York. The queues were long and there were rumours that a single cronut sold on the black market (there's a black market for doughnuts? get me there) for over $40 a piece. My doughnut-shaped prayers were answered when I spotted a tweet from a bakery named Rinkoff Bakery selling a variant of the fried good 'the crodough' and it was only a 10 minute stroll from work. If I'm sinning indulging, you bet I'm bringing people down with me. I convinced 10 of my work colleagues to try it and after organising a bulk order of 17 crodoughs last Friday, I can confirm that the staff (and owner) is just as sweet as the goods themselves. I had such a positive experience with their customer service that I thought I'd just highlight that fact as I think they deserve that extra bit of positive recognition! : ) 

Two visits later, I've finally tried all four of the flavours (obviously for the purpose of this review) Warning: grab a bowl, you'll be drooling. Scratch that, get your Oyster card/train tickets out and be ready to run out of the door for these after this post.

[pictured above from t-b: toffee apple crumble and custard crodough]

Toffee Apple Crumble Crodough: £2.80
Rinkoff's description: filled with fresh apple and cinnamon, topped with crunchy crumble and drizzled with toffee.

If you're a lover of apple pie/crumble/cinnamon then feast your eyes (and stomach) on this. With your first bite, you're met with the soft sinking texture of a freshly fried doughnut. The aroma of the apple crumble filling inside then meets you and it tastes exactly like a just baked apple pie/turnover. It finishes off with the buttery layers and chewiness of a croissant. In other words, it's beautiful and I need to lay off the overly sexual descriptions. It's getting awkward.

You want a close up shot? Of course you do.

Custard Crodough: £3.00

Rinkoff's description: our custard crodough is filled with fresh custard with a layer on top for good measure

Do you have a sweet tooth? If so, this one's for you. There's a custard layer on top and it's filled with the stuff inside too. Some people mentioned that the taste was too artificial but I liked it. It reminded me of school dinners and impromptu desserts at home in the best way possible. It wasn't overly sweet and I can imagine this to be the perfect companion after a hearty British dinner in front of a crackling fire. Eating this obviously made me want to talk like a spiffin' ol British man too.

[pictured above from l-r: toffee apple crumble and raspberry crodough]

Raspberry Crodough: £2.80

Rinkoff's description: the raspberry Crodough is filled with jam and dusted with sugar with a fresh raspberry

Think of the best jam doughnut that you've ever had and multiply it by 10. I thought I'd like this flavour the least but it's surprisingly battling for the winning flavour. The raspberry filling has the right balance of a sweet, sour and sharp tang against the sugary dough.

Chocolate Fudge Crodough: £2.80

Rinkoff's Description: this Crodough is filled and topped with delicious chocolate fudge fondant

The chocolate ganache has the right amount of creaminess and isn't overpowering 'chocolatey' thanks to the mix of fudge fondant included. The flakes on top adds a nice texture to the crodough and differs from your average generic sprinkled doughnut. 

...and there we have it!

Are you now a drooling mess?

I thought so.

As much as I love them, I find half of a crodough to be the perfect portion size. They're huge and I'm somewhat obsessed with having everything in half portions. Don't fret your calories away, it'll give you the chance to taste another half of another flavour. Smart thinking all round.

Several restaurants and cafes dotted around London now stock them too so it's worth checking online to see if there's one close to you! It's definitely worth the extra walk (and you'll be thankful for it after you've eaten one of these)

As I'm feelin' extra cruel today, I'll leave you with a final image of the crodoughs.

Have you tried a cronut/crodough?
What are your thoughts on it? :)

Note: This post isn't sponsored by Rinkoff Bakeries. I just love anything to do with croissants/doughnuts and much like Pokemon, I gotta catch 'em all. I loved my experience with Rinkoff's crodoughs and customer service so much that this post was inevitable :)

Healthy Breakfast Ideas: Low GI Options, Protein and Good Fats

Now, I take the phrase 'eat breakfast like a king' very, very seriously.

 If you're looking to adapt to a healthier lifestyle change or want to shed a few pounds, I have a few healthy breakfast ideas to suit most tastes. Please bear in mind that I'm not a licensed nutritionist/dietician so I'm not demanding you to listen to me - I'm simply sharing my daily routine and the things that I've learnt along the way. I also wanted an excuse to share a load of my breakfast pictures (like the one above, drool). Tell me that I'm not the only one that likes photos of porridge/poached eggs close up?

Breakfast Facts:

The first meal of the day should technically be your biggest meal of the day. Breakfast quite literally means to 'break the fast' from the 6-8 hours that you've been asleep. It's the meal that kickstarts your metabolism, refuels your body and supplies it with enough energy to keep you going for the day ahead. To sum it up, it's important and if you plan on losing weight and maintain it, it's a must. Never skip breakfast (unless you plan on having a slow metabolism by starting your first meal at lunch with a tyre belly and sluggish mood to match.)

I normally kick start my day with a glass of cold water and aim to eat my breakfast within 30-60 minutes of waking up. Don't ignore the hunger pangs - your body will slowly head to starvation mode and then proceed to cling on to any signs of fat - not good.

Complex Carbs: Low GI Food

Aim to have a mix of protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates with your breakfast. Carbs get a very, very bad rep but they're essential if you know the right types to eat! Ditch the morning pastries and aim for low-GI options instead. Food with a low glycaemic index will provide you with slow-release energy, keep you fuller for longer and gradually raise your blood sugar levels throughout the day whilst taking longer to break down the food that you've eaten. It avoids the instant sugar crash that you'd get from high GI (simple and refined) carbs such as croissants/pain au chocolats and won't spike your insulin levels. All of this comes back down to another reason with why porridge is so great. 

Above: porridge with goji berries, half a banana, half an apple, sunflower seeds and unsweetened cranberries with a sprinkle of cinnamon for luck

The Benefits of Oats:

Oh, wholegrain rolled oats. It's packed with fibre and will keep you full until lunch without having to reach for a mid-morning biscuit. I normally cook it with around 150ml of water and 50ml semi-skimmed milk for a thicker consistency; I flavour it with cinnamon, sliced fruit and nuts/seeds. I sometimes mix mine in with some natural/greek/strained yogurt too - my absolute favourite being Chobani. An added dose of protein with my complex carbs - perfect : )! I also love adding a small handful of almonds/linseed/flaxseeds/sunflower seeds/walnuts to incorporate some healthy fats into the dish too.

Note: Do NOT go for the instant oatmeal packets - whilst they may seem convenient and have flavours like 'golden syrup' - it's full of sugar and preservatives. Stick to the traditional rolled oats/steel-cut oats option instead. Ditch the brown sugar/swirls of golden syrup in there too. If you're aiming to eat healthy, adding in a ton of sugar is not going to help matters (or your waistline). Stick to a small amount of honey if absolute necessary or have fruit for natural sweetness instead! :)

Above: half an avocado and two poached eggs with chilli flakes

Protein and Healthy Fats:

My favourite food group: protein. As I do a lot of circuit/cardio/strength training, I try to include protein rich things into every meal to aid muscle repair with the essential food to refuel my body after working out. Some of my favourite breakfast options include quinoa, nuts, natural/greek yogurt and eggs. Want swishy hair and glowing skin? Avocados, and smoked or normal salmon/mackerel will also give you much needed doses of healthy fats too. I'm trying to incorporate more eggs/salmon/steamed vegetables with my breakfast (instead of my beloved porridge) following Carly's advice and amazing food diary posts so here are the things that I've been experimenting with lately:



Meal Ideas:

- Half an avocado with poached eggs and chilli flakes (no additional seasoning and DELICIOUS)

- Smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and a bed of spinach/courgettes/grilled mushrooms/tomatoes

- A slice of rye bread with a layer of houmous, a boiled egg, carrot sticks, celery sticks and a small pot of extra houmous on the side ;)

- Greek yogurt mixed with oats, blueberries, almonds, walnuts and a teaspoon of natural peanut butter

- Two egg spinach omelette with grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and sriracha chilli sauce

(I just had to add in another picture although I took too long perfecting this photo after cooking it and it went cold. ALL THE MORE REASON TO MAKE MORE.)

Eggs BeneFit:

Eggs, oh eggs. I could dedicate another post to the rounded geniuses. They're packed full of protein, keep you full and are mighty good for you. A lot of people ditch the egg yolks to avoid the high cholesterol but it's actually where most of the nutrients are based! Don't throw it away, eat it! I boil it, poach it, make it into an omelette, mix it with oats to make a mug cake or I turn them into banana pancakes. These are magical: a two-ingredient pancake that tastes like the real thing but it's all clean. I first saw this on Blogilates and it's been a staple ever since as it's super easy to whip up! It's 100% natural and is also a great pre/post workout snack too as banana is a great source of potassium too.

Above: 2 ingredient banana pancakes served with frozen banana peanut butter ice cream (2 natural ingredients!) and some Thai mango

I also make this when I fancy dessert/an extra sweet but healthy breakfast at the weekends. Every person I've cooked this for has loved it and I always get requests to make it! I like to add in some baked cinnamon apple slices, grated pear or heated up berries with a swirl of honey drizzled on top. It's beautiful. Evidence below:

So voila! I hope this has helped!

I've received a lot of requests recently to film more cooking/food videos so keep your eyes peeled for that in the next few weeks. It puts a HUGE smile on my face to know that you enjoy the healthy videos and it gives me an excuse to experiment with my meals!

What are your favourite things to eat for breakfast?  

Patty & Bun, London

Patty & Bun, St. Christopher's Place

Address: 54 James St London W1U 1HE

Nearest Tube Station: Bond Street

I'm going to let you in on London's worst kept secret...

Step forward, Patty & Bun. 

It's a quick stroll from Bond St and all you have to do is to follow the signs to meat heaven... or the small country of people queuing outside the restaurant. They can seat around 30 people and operate on a first come first served policy..

Tip: Arrive an hour before peak time (12-2PM and 6-8PM). We turned up at 5PM on a Saturday evening and waited for a maximum of 15 minutes. All the quicker to have the burgers in our tums. 

My excitement got the better of me and I forgot to take interior shots of the place. Imagine a small rectangular room with dim overhead lights, decorated cardboard posters, the occasional 'I'M SIGNING OVER MY SOUL FOR ANOTHER BURGER' scream and the smell of happiness.

Enough talk. Let's get down to the main event.

Jordan (part time boyfriend, full time burger muncher) ordered the Smokey Robinson: beef patty, cheese, tomato, lettuce, mounds of caramelised onions, bacon, ketchup, smokey P&B mayo, brioche (bun). The man sure loves his bacon so this naturally didn't escape from his wandering eyes.

I ordered the 'Jose Jose' chilli burger: beef patty, smoked cheese, tomato, lettuce, chilli chorizo relish, pickled onions, spiced ketchup, smokey P&B mayo, brioche (bun) and a partridge on a pear tree. I was lured in by the promise of 'chilli' and 'spice' - if there's something hot on the menu, I'm orderin' it. I'm not a fan of having half the burger 'dribble' out though so I ordered the chilli chorizo relish to be served separately - classic case of me trying to control the burger instead of letting it control me. 

That theory ended when I bit into it and made some pretty awkward noises. It's OK though, I looked around and 28 other people were doing the same thing. Jordan was on the verge of dancing on the tables with his bacon burger in hand.

Now, I have a simple but strict criteria when judging a burger:

THE BUN: Oh, the BUN. I favour the brioche kind -  it's firm, holds the meat well, doesn't disintegrate between your fingers in a soggy sesame topped mess (here's lookin' at you, McDonalds) and the shiny top just finishes off my seal of approval. TICK.

THE PATTY: The meat has to be grilled medium rare (it's not a real burger if it's well done, the same goes for steak), seasoned well, moist (I hate that word but it's appropriate) burst with burger juice but not be WET. Things just got all kinds of wrong with that description but you know what I mean. No problems here, folks.

TOPPINGS: It's all good trickin' the mind with your healthy parcel of vegetables with its mounds of lettuce, tomatoes and caramelised onions but again, it has to be crisp and not interfere with the meat. Having tomato pips dangle awkwardly between the end of the burger and your chin? No bueno. I'd probably stick in a few jalapenos and grilled mushrooms in there too. 

SAUCE: All good. Smokey, creamy and blended everything nicely. If there was a chilli sauce bottle on the table, I would've drowned my burger in an ocean of the stuff.

Time for a close up. 

And because I like taking pictures of the burgers mid-bite:

You're welcome.

Wait, this wasn't even the best part.

There's no denying that the burger was a thing of brilliance but one of their side dishes actually over-thwarted their position on the throne. Let me present to you...

Winger Winger Chicken Dinner (10 points for the pun): Smoked confit wings with BBQ sauce & spring onions.

I'm tellin' you, these are a MUST ORDER. Sell your soul, trade in your other half (was nice knowing you, Jord) and feast on these. I'm normally very skeptical of wings as there's nothing worse than a saucy exterior... with dry and bland meat inside. It's hard to get right so I normally opt out of it. This, my friends, changed everything. The chicken quite literally fell off the bone with a gentle prod of the finger - it MELTED into our mouths and if the staff thought the burger noises were bad, they weren't prepared for this. Jordan and I nearly wrestled each other for the last wing before begrudgingly splitting it in half. Even if you don't like burgers, turn up and order these alone.

We also ordered the chips with rosemary salt - good but nothin' to write home about when they're up against the wings. 

So that's all, folks.

I turned into the creepiest of creeps when writing this review but this place will do these things to you. Jordan told me that it was a burger that he would quite happily strip for and he's normally very composed. Seems that I have competition but it's OK, I'd do it too.

When you're next in the area, give them a visit. 

Pizza Union, London

Pizza Union, Spitalfields

Address: 25 Sandy's Row (Corner of Middlesex St), London, E1 7HQ
Tube Stations: Aldgate East/Liverpool Street

In honour of Fat Friday (I've deemed this as an official weekly holiday), I thought I'd kick start this blog with a restaurant review. Everyone likes pizza, right? If you don't, gaze at the close-up image of it for long enough and you will be. 

I've been eyeing up Pizza Union for quite some time now and seeing the guys at work frequently arrive with the takeaway boxes in hand has only promoted it higher up in my lunch list of priorities. Finally, Tuesday was the day and I striked while the stone oven was hot.

First things first, let's get to know the place a bit better. It's situated conveniently near Spitalfields Market and a scarily quick walk from work. They're open 7 days a week from 11AM - 11PM and accept table bookings (4+) and pre-orders for pick up. However, all of that is invalid between 12PM - 2PM on Monday to Fridays. Drat.

Tip: Go after the peak pizza hour. We arrived at 1:30 and ordered immediately.

The Italian pizza bar serves 12" artisan pizzas in their traditional stone oven and prices range from £3.95 - £6.50. That's pretty darn cheap for good quality pizza in Central London.

I'm a sucker for restaurants that have exposed pipes/brick walls as part of their decor. The canteen style seating is a winner too. Luckily for the innocent diners, we were taking our pizza away. I'm the type to shuffle up to my neighbour, strike up a conversation and throw in one too many awkward jokes that either of us would care for. This was proved by my lengthy chat with the owner whilst I was placing my order - he ended up telling me a few facts about the place before (happily) waving me towards the pick up bar.

Pizza bar owner's fun fact: This is apparently the biggest stone pizza oven in the UK and can fit up to 16 pizzas at one time.

After the base been made, the pizza magicians then proceed to build it into your very own personalised masterpiece. It reminded me of the retro 'fish and chips' game where you'd control the little chef with the customers' orders of mushy peas, fish or chips and deliver it to the little canteen tables. I'm now off on a tangent but seeing it in real life amused me greatly.

I ordered the GIARDINO: tomato sauce, mozzarella, spinach, mixed peppers, artichoke, black olives and mushrooms. 

To make it as healthy as I could, I skipped the cheese and asked for an egg (sunny side up) as an extra topping instead. That's another thing I love about this place - you can customise your pizza to however you'd prefer it with an option of 22 toppings. Each additional topping is £1 - slightly pricy but... egg. I like eggs. I added chilli flakes to it too.

Hi pizza.

Having an egg seemed to many like an old choice but it's extra protein and again, I like eggs. For yolk sake, I'll give you a few minutes to marvel at the perfection of it. Just look.

The base was thin, crisp and held the explosion of vegetables well. The traditional stone baked method gave it a slight hint of smokiness too. My Italian colleague seemed suitably impressed and was eyeing it up ;). She has declared that she'd like to visit the place too. Approval from a native? Must be good. 

The Italian pizza bar seemed to be a lot more authentic than its American cousin hailing from Chicago and New York. It wasn't greasy in the slightest, didn't taste at all like the commercialised stereotypical junk food (hi Domino's) and has only made me even more excited to indulge in the dish when I visit Italy in April. I'd definitely recommend it for a quick pizza fix for lunch/dinner but would look else where if you prefer deep pan pizzas or after something very filling.  

What made this whole experience even better?

I stepped out of the restaurant and came across this sign:

Can we just get married now?