Friday, 28 February 2014

Five Guys, London

Five Guys
Nearest Tube Station: Covent Garden

In honour of Fat Friday (yes, I've classed this as an official day of the week) I thought it was time to set stomachs rumbling with a deliciously filthy burger review. 

Warning: If you haven't had your lunch yet, I hold no responsibility to the inevitable groans that'll escape from your mouth once you see the picture below. 

Ready?

 photo DSC00474_zps3940388b.jpg

I know.

 photo DSC00432_zps4535b4ba.jpg

With over 1000 locations in the US (and new stores opening up throughout the UK), Five Guys is undoubtedly a popular burger chain with a cult following. We visited the one based in Covent Garden and with a growling stomach and a queue that snaked down Long Acre, we were ready to take on the biggest burger that they could offer.

 photo DSC00447_zpsf8c5247c.jpg  photo DSC00450_zps53ca8eac.jpg

London is long forgotten as soon as you step into the restaurant. Five Guys is decked out in a classic 50s American diner theme with crates of free monkey nuts and quoted posters from popular publications splashed across their walls.

 photo DSC00445_zpsdaca6c22.jpg

We met up with the manager, Martynas (who's so very lovely and welcoming!) and he proceeded to give us a tour around the restaurant and the history of the brand. Similar to the layout of American fast food chains that you see in the movies, a huge lit up board of the menu is hung up above you like a holy burger-shaped beacon of light.

Just a quick note, Five Guys' serving sizes are very generous. A standard cheeseburger is made up of two beef patties whereas a 'little' burger is made up of one. They're also available bunless too. All the burger toppings are free so if you feel like taking on a Man Vs Food challenge, roam and be wild.

 photo DSC00506_zpsd377d727.jpg

Feeling ravenous, Jordan and I both opted for a cheeseburger with bacon, grilled onions, jalapenos and chilli sauce with a small portion of their normal fries and cajun spiced fries to share. Martynas told us their potatoes are only cooked in 100% peanut oil and the beef are always served well done with no option to customise upon ordering.

This surprised me a little and as a lover of medium rare beef, I asked him why. It's to ensure the final product is consistently juicy and meets with the health and safety requirements of ground beef. All sounds fair but I won't be converted anytime soon... I like me a pink patty.

 photo DSC00438_zps757418de.jpg
 photo DSC00454_zps4e0c7506.jpg

After ordering, you're given a paper slip with a number on and urged to join the large crowd of hungry diners. Help yourself to free monkey nuts whilst you're waiting!

 photo DSC00446_zpse1d6811e.jpg

Food is served in large brown paper bags. This amused me greatly and continued on my act of pretending that I was secretly in America. We were led to a hidden booth under an alcove away from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant and after spreading our food haul across the table, I hopped over to the drinks machine. Unlimited soda? Let's go!

 photo DSC00501_zps869884c0.jpg  photo DSC00448_zpsb9de8ee0.jpg  photo DSC00460_zps062f87af.jpg

Behold soda lovers, this is the Coca-Cola Freestyle Drinks Machine. Although I stopped drinking coke a year ago, I still had plenty to choose from with the 100+ different flavours available.

Fanta Zero Grape and Fanta Zero Peach, I choose you.

 photo DSC00470_zps29a6b45c.jpg

After a few slurps of my drink, it was time to chow down. I unwrapped the silver parcel to reveal my double patty burger. Heck, that's a lot of melted cheese.

 photo DSC00478_zps1085ec90.jpg  photo DSC00482_zps0117edf0.jpg

I don't like bacon.

I hear the gasps of disgust thrown at me from every direction but it's too salty and oily for my liking. Jordan persuaded me to add it to my burger and proclaimed that it would d be a 'life-changing' experience so I took the chance... and I liked it. Scratch that, I loved it so much that I even overlooked the fact that it was served in a sesame seed topped bun. It wasn't lazily served as a slice of streaky bacon and result in awkward 'let me just chew at this meat mid-bite' faces. It was cut up and served between the patty and bun. It was deliciously smoky and I'm also eating my words as the beef was in fact juicy despite being well cooked through.

The cheese was as artificial as it could get but what's a classic American burger without a slice of the processed plastic, ey? There was one thing about it that made my eyebrows knit themselves together though - it wasn't chilli despite having jalapenos and added hot sauce. I prised one from its nest of grilled onions and nibbled away at it - nope. There wasn't even the smallest of kicks. I wasted no time in reaching for the bottle of chilli sauce and proceeded to drown my burger and fries in an ocean of spice. That's better.

 photo DSC00475_zps4f5f35a2.jpg  photo DSC00491_zpsbb17dc37.jpg

Jordan was obsessed with the cajun spiced fries. They were a little too salty for my liking but I generally prefer my sides to be hardly salted so it was just a personal preference. He gathered them with his hands and shoveled them into his open mouth whilst going 'these are some of the best fries I've ever tasted!' They were seasoned well but having one too many did make me reach for my fizzy drink. A small size would be more than enough for two to share. Ours were served in the plastic cup... with practically another portion overspilling into the paper bags. I repeat, Five Guys are very generous with their serving sizes.

 photo DSC00492_zpsd8cfe239.jpg

In the future, I'd definitely opt for a little burger with a single patty as I definitely produced the mother of food babies after demolishing this beast. I was ready for a nap.

 photo DSC00503_zps68a9747c.jpg

I asked Jordan what his thoughts were and he replied with this:

 photo DSC00504_zps9782fd78.jpg

I think it's time we nurse our food babies and head home.

This was actually my second time visiting Five Guys - the first being a hot summer's day in which I had little patience to appreciate the food. I didn't care for the burger initially but was very pleasantly surprised the second time round. I don't know whether it was my mood, the fact that I had a double patty than a single one or whether the quality had changed since its opening in July but I enjoyed it a lot better this time. It will never beat the likes of Patty & Bun (my ultimate favourite so far) but it's a good one to grab and go if you're in the area and fancied a splash of an American vibe. It's a grown-up McDonald's and I have no doubts about going again (and also attack their freestyle drinks machine).

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Recipe: Baked Egg in a Tomato Bowl

 photo DSC00331_zps6e6baa00.jpg 

I love vegetables but I'm not a salad person.

I can eat steamed vegetables, hot chunky soups and stir fry all day err day but I'm not one to munch on lettuce and raw peppers. I also love eggs so I'm constantly looking for eggcellent ways to incorporate it into every meal that I eat. I spotted a picture of this dish on Instagram and set to explore this cracking idea further. I'm obsessed so I thought I'd share it with you too! : )

This is incredibly easy to make (so easy that I feel a bit silly writing a recipe on it) and would be great for any time of the day: breakfast, lunch, pre/post workout snack or even as a side to go with your dinner! Enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------

YOU WILL NEED:

A beef tomato (bigger tomatoes works best)
A medium-large free range egg
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Coriander (optional)

Shall we start?

 photo DSC00318_zpsd8a5937e.jpg  photo DSC00321_zps62188d8a.jpg 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Using a sharp knife, slice the top of the tomato off. This will act as the 'lid' to your bowl.

 photo DSC00322_zps107e1838.jpg 

2. Hollow out the inside of the tomato but leave a thick border as we wouldn't want our egg whites to leak out from any accidental holes! 

(You won't need the tomato bits for this recipe so you can either discard it or store it in a little bowl to munch on later on!)

 photo DSC00323_zps6caee48e.jpg 

3. It should look like this. Make sure you've gotten rid of the excess water inside too.

 photo DSC00324_zps93e6e0d2.jpg 
 photo DSC00325_zpsb232a450.jpg 

4. Crack the egg inside and ensure that everything is contained inside your tomato bowl and not spilling over the edges. 

5. Place your tomato bowl in the oven for 20-30 minutes depending on how well you'd like your eggs to be cooked. If you're a cheese person, take the egg out after 10 minutes, sprinkle on some parmesan or low fat mozzarella and put it back in for a further 10 minutes.

 photo DSC00327_zps18083d2c.jpg 

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I sprinkled on some coriander leaves for added flavour but feel free to top it with some spring onion, basil or even some steamed spinach or mushrooms! Bacon lovers could place a slice or two over the top too.

7. Enjoy!

 photo DSC00333_zps5bb6756c.jpg

That's all, yolks!

To pack this dish with even more nutrients, you could place some kale, mushrooms or spinach leaves at the base of the tomato before covering it with the egg. This would also taste great served alongside avocado or smoked salmon - eggs-periment with what you've got! ; )

Ok, I'm done with the egg puns. I'm egghausted!

If you end up making this, let me know how you got on with it - I'd love to know : )

Have a great rest of the day!

Monday, 24 February 2014

The Steyning Tea Rooms

 photo DSC00358_zps5fc9c873.jpg

A few weekends ago, we decided to take a break from city life for some afternoon tea and cake. The Steyning Tea Rooms is nestled in the heart of a quaint little town of Steyning and it sits between independent shops bursting with antique furniture and boutiques filled with vintage gems.

It's deliciously British and the exterior alone is inviting enough to escape from our technology-filled lives for an hour or two, right? Spot the colourful bunting and flower baskets in front of the pastel painted door. Shall we go inside?

 photo DSC00367_zps9c80be1c.jpg
 photo DSC00366_zpsfcac5adb.jpg
 photo DSC00364_zpsb9da3b63.jpg

As soon as you step in, you're welcomed with the sweet smell of freshly baked cakes and a warm smile from the waitresses. It was completely full but we perched on a side table and waited for an available seat whilst drinking in the shabby chic inspired interior.

Shelves were adorned with hand painted ornaments and different shaped teapots. The wooden chairs didn't match and were gathered around tables decorated with flower pots and bowls of sugar.

I felt like a character from a fairy tale: Little Red Riding Hood at her granny's humble abode for a slice of cake or two. It was magical.

 photo DSC00359_zps9b66c7ff.jpg
 photo DSC00360_zpse6af9582.jpg

We were presented with a laminated menu of sweet and savoury choices ranging from a hearty fry up, hot bowls of homemade soup to a medley of baked goods. It would be a crime to not indulge in a slice of cake before washing it down with some tea served in a delicate teacup and saucer, eh?

 photo DSC00349_zpsfdf27d21.jpg
 photo DSC00352_zps1520be47.jpg
 photo DSC00356_zps2a0c3f4e.jpg
 photo DSC00350_zpsd8f28f87.jpg
 photo DSC00351_zps30ad78fb.jpg

I opted for a teapot of lapsang souchong and Jordan had his caffeine fix with a cappuccino. We shared a generous slab of Victoria sponge and were told upon ordering that it was a customer favourite. The sponge was light, the filling had the right amount of sweetness and it tasted home baked in the best possible way. I wanted to curl up in a quilted blanket and read my favourite book stopping only for a bite of this. One slice was plenty and left us room for the giant fruit scone that arrived with its accompanying pots of clotted cream and strawberry jam.

 photo DSC00355_zps1b28d6b1.jpg

The picture above doesn't do this sultana filled scone any justice. It was huge and even sharing half of one initially seemed difficult to finish (until we slathered it with the spreads and realised that we'd make room in our stomachs for this). It was still beautifully warm from the oven and no crumbs were spared. It wasn't dotted with delicate sugar roses or piped with a ring of rich buttercream icing but it didn't need the fancy frills and decorations. It's a classic staple of British afternoon tea in its own right, it tasted decadent yet was still comforting.

 photo DSC00340_zpsa97f28f1.jpg

Whilst I wouldn't complain of sampling fruit tarts and an assortment of macarons at a posh hotel, I have a feeling that it'd have a hard time beating the overall experience of a quick stop off at a tea room like this.

You won't be greeted with glasses of champagne or a cake stand filled with the very best fondant fancies and carefully decorated fruit tarts but you will feel like you're surrounded with the loveliest home comforts with rickety furniture and a roaring fireplace all served with a china teapot and a mismatched teacup and saucer.

Who needs 5* hotels when you can feel right at home?

Thursday, 20 February 2014

Spit & Roast - Street Feast @ Hawker House

I really love fried chicken.
And chilli anything.
I love burgers too.

So what do you get when you combine them all under a sesame topped bun with slaw and a river of Korean hot sauce?

Perfection that is Spit & Roast's Buttermilk Fried Chicken Bap, that's what. 

  photo DSC00132_zps758688f0.jpg photo DSC00114_zps82d34709.jpg 

Specialising in rotisserie meat and known for their buttermilk fried chicken, Spit & Roast were another food trader that I was keen to try out at Hawker House (click here for more information about Street Feast and my post on Yum Bun). 

With my appetite now in full swing, we joined the queue and waited excitedly for our turn to get our hands on their baps (couldn't resist). The slow rotisserie pork belly sounded pretty dandy with their Memphis BBQ sauce but my eyes were fixed on the chicken.

It's marinated overnight in buttermilk before it's soaked in a secret pillow of spice and deep-fried until it's at the delicious shade of golden goodness. The Korean hot sauce appears to be a concoction of Sriracha sauce (instant win), peanut butter (double win), rice wine and light soy sauce.

SRIRACHA AND PEANUT BUTTER TOGETHER?!
Just give me a second.

 photo DSC00127_zps0e714fb1.jpg  photo DSC00128_zps1974b813.jpg   photo DSC00140_zps11cb22b4.jpg 

This is Jordan after his first bite of the bap. That smug face of his says it all.

Too bad that shortly after this, I snatched the second half to spend some much-needed quality time with it. Note, at this point, I wasn't concerned with being particularly lady-like and devoured the burger in a matter of seconds (stopping occasionally to utter a 'oh my GOODNESS' to a sulking Jordan. He had his turn.)

 photo DSC00130_zpscf48021f.jpg  photo DSC00131_zps476f5b44.jpg 

The chicken was beautifully crisp with the perfect amount of spice. It was lightly battered and wasn't soaked in grease. Chicken has a danger of being marinated well on the outside but be extremely dry and bland as soon as you bite into it but there were no dangers of this happening with Spit & Roast's offering. We were wiping away the juices dribbling down our chins and licking away at the tell-tale signs of chilli sauce on our lips.

Speaking of the Korean hot sauce, it was the perfect marriage with the buttermilk chicken. Everything is always made better with spice and this was no exception. My tummy is already rumbling at the thought of this.

I'm never a fan of sesame-topped buns but would happily overlook it when considering the quality and taste of everything else. 10/10. Perfection. Beautiful.

GIVE ME MORE.

 photo DSC00115_zps25fa3da8.jpg  photo DSC00165_zpsbc7f059f.jpg  photo DSC00161_zps54fa62af.jpg

We were getting full at this point so couldn't stomach the food from the other vendors but Fundi's Pizzas, Breddos Tacos and Bleecker Burger were rustling up dishes that smelt and looked incredible too. Don't worry, we'll be back for you.

Unfortunately, Spit & Roast aren't currently trading at Hawker House but you can find them at KERB Kings Cross and Brockley Market. Follow them on Twitter to be updated with their latest news and for the love of fried chicken, give their buttermilk baps a try.