I was meeting a friend for dinner last night. Being a Saturday night I suggested Sophie's Steakhouse in Chelsea. It has a no bookings policy. On arrival you give your name in exchange for a number which is called out on a board when your table is ready. Until then you can have drinks at the bar area.
It is a very busy and vibrant place. The crowd is very hip and trendy and one of ‘see and be seen’. This is Chelsea after all. Ordering a drink was a challenge as the bar was so busy. The cocktail menu is a varied one. Lot's of martinis and champagne cocktails, making you hope that your wait for a table is a long one. There wine list is also extensive.
When I arrived they indicated a waiting time of fourty-five minutes. One and a half hours later, our number was called up. In truth the bar was so 'happening' that we didn't mind. We sat down and went through the menu. The menu doesn't change every other week which I like. You know what to expect. Of course there is the selection of steaks but there is also a good selection of other dishes. So if you are not a steak lover there is no need to worry, you won't be disappointed.
We went straight for the mains. I had the fillet steak and my friend had the sirloin. Steaks are between £18.50 for the rib-eye to £34.95 for the 28oz porterhouse. They come with béarnaise and choice of potatoes. This is the kind if steak that you want to have an affair with. The knife effortlessly glides through. Perfectly seasoned it was simply mouthwatering.
For dessert I opted for one of the specials: the checkmate. Our waitor, Russell, explained that this was cubic layers of brown and white chocolate cake. Desserts come in varieties, tarts, soufflés, pies and so on. This was a cake. I mean a big slice of cake, proper divine cake.
The service is excellent and prompt and I can think of nothing wrong with this place. It combines the two elements of bar and restaurant in perfect harmony. Although I wouldn't call the noise levels harmonious in this buzzing place, Sophie's Steakhouse is a must.
Cost for two with a bottle of wine and one dessert was £82.
Sophie's Steakhouse,
311-313 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9QH Tel: 020 7352 0088, www.sophiessteakhouse.co.uk
Cyprus is famous amongst other things for Ayia Napa, or 'Napa' as it is more commonly known. The weather is warm and welcoming and the girls are of course beautiful. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty was born on the shores of Cyprus... It is also where Halloumi, a favourite of cheeses, comes from. I know. At my New Year's party, the cheese board also featured home-made halloumi. It was a hit- the other cheeses were completely ignored. For Cypriots it is a staple in their diet. I know exactly why.
Halloumi has a melting point higher than any other cheese, so it is the only cheese that can be cooked. It can be grilled or fried. Try adding halloumi to your usual morning fry-up, it gives a twist to the traditional english breakfast. You can have it in salads, or serve it alongside watermelon. A favourite lunch of the Cypriots in the scorching heat of the summer.
If you are having a barbeque try skewers with halloumi and cherry tomatoes.
Also pitta pockets: Cut the pitta in quarters and place a slice of halloumi and a slice of tomato in each and place on the barbeque until the pitta begins to brown. Bite into it and you get the crispness of the pitta and then the soft texture of the warm halloumi and the freshness of the tomato. Cheat's tip: you can make this in the toaster.
Grate it and use instead of parmesan with pasta.
One of my favourites: Cut up thin slices and serve on Ryvitas or toast, drizzle with honey.
You can find halloumi in any supermarket, but if you find yourself in Cyprus seek out some traditional home-made halloumi. It has more character. If not, you must have a friend from Cyprus, ask them to get some for you. The favour will be worth it.
If you are from Cyprus, bring some back for your friends. Your popularity will soar!
It's our favourite dip. Everywhere. At home it is almost always present in the fridge. At the pub it's the new chips. Even at lunchtime you can buy little humus pots with tiny dips. In my obsession to make as many things as I can myself I now make my own humus. Try it- it's easy. You do need a blender though, even one of the hand held ones will do.
Makes one average pot
Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained
2-3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Put all the ingredients in the food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes until the texture is almost smooth. Taste and add some more lemon juice and salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
Serve with pitta, cucumber and carrot sticks and celery. You can also try it with your burgers.
If you want to add some colour, garnish with pomegranate seeds.
TIP- If you don't have tahini it doesn't matter. Make it without.
TIP- If the humus is not smooth enough or looks too dry try adding some water
A few days ago I agreed to make the trip to North London to meet a friend. We were meeting at Hampstead station but, as I was running late my friend was already at the pub. I haven't been to Hampstead in a while. I started walking to find new restaurants and shops have opened, a change to what I remember, although the famous 'La Creperie de Hampstead', the take-away pancake place, is of course still there and the queu just as long as I remember.
I found my friend in the pub and after two glasses of wine for me and beer for him, we agreed to get some food. The pub had stopped serving- it was 7.15pm on a Sunday. Lucky for me my friend is more local so suggested we walk round the corner to a place he knew. We found the Horseshoe. Now, I remember this place as your typical corner pub. It was completely redone. I'm not sure how to describe it. Large windows, a nice long bar (wood again) but it was just wasn't very welcoming. It reminded me of the pub equivalent of wagamama. However, wagamama I like, this place I wasn't so sure. In any case it was so cold outside we decided to sit down.
The place was busy. Quite a casual crowd, they were there for a quick bit to eat as opposed to a relaxing meal. I commented to my friend that for a wannabe pub which was not welcoming to be busy the food must be good. We ordered our drinks. The menu is that of a gastropub.
We went straight for a main. Prices range from £8-£15. I had the fish and chips. It came on a bed of mushy peas. I was right, the food was good. The fish was breaded and cooked very well. And the mushy peas- I think the best I've had, with a hint of mint.
Beware though, the service at times was a bit slow, the staff were too busy gossiping amongst themselves. Once we managed to get their attention and our bill, it came to £37 for a main and one drink each.
If you are after a pub to relax for the afternoon, have a few drinks and some good food then I don't think this is the place. But if you are looking for something fast but good, try this place.
The Horseshoe, 28 Heath Street, Hampstead, London NW3 6TE, Tel: 020 7431 7206
I love anything with tomatoes. Tomatoes give food so much more character. I much prefer this recipe to your traditional and in my opinion predictable and boring calamari which is usually served having been killed by drowning in oil.
Serves 2 as a main
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
300g fresh or frozen squid
400g canned chopped tomatoes (I use the ones with herbs or garlic)
1 small onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of chilli powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
If you are using frozen squid, defrost these. Cut up wide rings (appr 1.5cm). Leave to the side.
Place the olive oil in a pan and heat. Add the chopped onion and leave for 1 minutes and add the crushed garlic cloves. Leave for another 2-3 minutes until lightly browned and then add the squid including the tentacles- this are my favourite. All to cook for 2-3 minutes turning fruquently. Add the tomatoes, chilli and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat. Allow to simmer for around 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if required.
TIP: You can add a splash of ouzo with the tomatoes!
You can serve either on it's own with bread, rice or pasta. Any way you like it really!
According to Christian traditions Carnival is the start of lent, which is the 6 weeks leading to Easter. This weekend was carnival weekend. All the way from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to Patras in Greece, carnival parades have taken over.
Having found ourselves in London once again this year, my friends and I decided to partake in celebrations. We agreed to have a lunchtime feast in accordance with the Greek tradition of Green Monday (also known as Clean Monday) which signifies the start of lent. The feast permits shellfish but no other fish, meat or dairy. We all agreed to make one to two dishes each.
Let me confess something here. Being in London this is of course a day which found us all at the office. I am referring to my colleagues and our lunch break! Just don't tell anyone..I woke up at 6am to prepare my contribution. Humus and squid with tomato sauce-I will only get up this early of food is involved, I assure you! By 10am our containers with our delicacies were neatly lined up. By lunchtime we were ready to eat. We had loaves of wonderful bread, the humus, olives, potatoes, vegetables and then of course the more substantial dishes. Beans, lentils, mushrooms, the squid and okra with tomatoes. I'm sure I have left something out. Anyway, you get the picture.. In case you were wondering, I will post some of the recipes.
Remember my post on teamwork? Well this was an example of some excellent teamwork. The food was fabulous to say the least. It created a common goal. In our case, having been successful in the food preparation, the next step was the consumption. I think we all filled up our plates at least three times!
Carnival was our excuse. It doesn't matter what yours is, find one! Whether it be at the office, a gathering at someones house or a picnic. Choose a theme and ask everyone to bring a dish. For the ones who can't cook, ask them to bring a bottle of wine. That helps as well! I promise you, it's so much fun. And as for teamwork and team building, it works. Time and time again.
There's something about London and the north south divide. As soon as you cross a bridge something changes, the atmosphere is just completely different. For starters there is more open space south of the river. You get more commons in south London than in north London. Clapham common being one of the most well-known. Of course there are the bridges, bridging that gap I suppose! My favourite is Albert bridge. At night it is illuminated, I have read, by some 4,000 light bulbs. It is a beautiful landmark. I frequently opt to walk across. Currently there is work done on the bridge so it's only open to pedestrians.
Last night I made my way over the bridge, stopping to marvel at the wonderful views. At night from the east side you can see all the way to Chelsea bridge and the Battersea power station. Battersea park on one side and Chelsea embankment on the other. Continue over the bridge and you will find the entrance of battersea park to your left and The Prince Albert on your right. That was my destination.
I walked in to a buzzing yet not overcrowded pub to find our table. My friend's name and time of reservation was written on a tile. There was another group sitting at the table and as soon as I appeared they very politely left, despite of my assurances that they were welcome to stay till my friends arrived. Everyone seemed to be there enjoying their drinks and engaged in conversation. This never strikes me as a place of see and be seen. It's a genuine meeting place for people to have some good food and a drink.
The waiter, thoughtfully asked me if I would like some water or a drink while I was waiting- I was holding a table for 6! I didn't mind waiting. The surroundings are so charming- a brightly decorated pub with a big bar in the middle.
The menu was small and varied, just they way it should be if you ask me! Starters include a soup of the day (£4.50) and chicken liver parfait (£6.50). The menu does change and there are always special. I had the burger (£11). It came with cheese and it was simply excellent. I would recommend it. It came with thick hand cut chips. My friend had the flat iron steak, which is a cut from the shoulder, (£11.50) from the specials board. It was well cooked and tender- also recommended. Other dishes included the battered cod and chips and rib-eye steak.
Although we opted for no dessert, from what I could see from the neighbouring tables, these too looked excellent.
If you live north of the river, the trip is most certainly worth it. If you live locally- lucky you!
The Prince Albert, 85 Albert Bridge Rd, Battersea, SW11 4PF Tel: 020 7228 0923 www.theprincealbertbattersea.co.uk
I've been thinking about the food quotes on my previous blog (3rd March). I think we all have beliefs and thoughts that we go by. I do! My motto is don't trust anyone who doesn't eat! It makes sense to me. People who don't eat lack energy, quite possibly have low sugar levels which makes them irritable. Beyond that, they probably lack important vitamins and nutrients in their diet due to not consuming enough..
To add it to the list of food quotes:
Never trust anyone who doesn't eat. Elena T
So what does this mean for me? Let me repeat another quote
Never eat more than you can lift. Miss Piggy
I like Miss Piggy. I trust Miss Piggy. Miss Piggy, you are my new best friend!
Inevitably, I now research food related matters in even greater detail. Today, en route home, something caught my eye on a pub window. It was a food quotation. Food seems to consume our minds. If you don't like it, it's how to avoid it. For the those who spend their days calorie counting they obsess about what foods they should and shouldn't have. For the rest of us. it may be a case of loving to cook so we look out for ingredients. We love restaurants so we read every restaurant review we can find. We just eat because we like it.
So I have spent some time finding how food influences different people. Countless quotations to be found. I've put down some of my favourites.
Appetite comes with eating; the more one has, the more one would have. French proverb
Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food. Hippocrates
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. Virginia Woolf
The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook. Julia Child
Fish, to taste right, must swim three times – in water, in butter and in wine. Polish proverb
There is no love sincerer than the love of food. George Bernard Shaw
Everything you see I owe to spaghetti. Sophia Loren
Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good. Alice May Brock
Food is an important part of a balanced diet. Fran Lebowitz
Never eat more than you can lift. Miss Piggy
Do you know any food quotations? Please write your comments.
For those of you who remember my blog on staying local, this is on the same theme. I went to the Ship. One of the most well known local pubs in the area. Set on the river, when the sun is out all the outdoor tables, and I assure you there are plenty, are always packed. Get there after 12.30 and you will be standing with your pint on the pavement- absolutely no chance of a river view table. This all comes with an outdoor bar and a barbeque. I know, I've spent enough sunny Sundays there.
Although we have now officially entered spring in London it is still winter weather. So we are inside with the staff adding wood to the fire. I walked in to familiar surroundings to find my two friends sitting there with a drink. Red walls, fire in the middle, specials on boards above the bar. The people, like me, locals. Obviously went home quickly, got changed and decided on a quick drink at the pub-yes quick-it is a Tuesday after all. I went to the bar for another round. The house wine is in the region of £16 per bottle and the average bottle is around £27.
At the bar, the bartender was serving another customer and in spite of my wait when he finished serving, he turned around to me and promised to return in a minute. In that minute, probably more so I, counted at least four of us at the bar waiting to order and no-one in sight to serve us. We were all looking around restlessly hoping to be put out of our misery soon. I mean it's half six in the afternoon, all we want is a beer or a glass of wine.
After a few minutes someone did come to serve us. I asked for a drink and also if I could order some food. Prices for starters ranged from £5.10 to £10.20 for the charcuterie plate. Mains ranged from £11.20 for the beef and lamb burger to £18.35 for the rib-eye steak. I ordered the battered cod and chips times 2 for my friends. For me the shepherds pie which came with mash. As if it could come with anything else! A couple of drinks later, I get up for another round and ask as to the whereabouts of our food. The waitress immediately run to the kitchen, and by the time I got back to the table was she was following me with the food. Obviously, a glitch in the service. Obvious by the fact that the food not only was warm, or even hot. It was extremely hot! I had to pierce holes in my pie and wait for at least 10 minutes before having a bite in fear of burning my tongue (yes I know, it always happens to me). But it was tasteful, the chef added some peas to the mince and it was very well seasoned. Artistically presented on a chopping board with the curly wale on the side. My friends assured me that although initially hot, the battered cod was very good. And it did look good. Crushed peas and fries also.
I have a sweet tooth so inevitably I went to the bar to ask for the dessert menu. This was brought over to us. Not what you would expect from a pub. It included dessert wine, liqueurs and so on. Lovely I know- but I opted for the pub because I want something simple! I don't go to the pub if I'm looking for liqueurs, I will go to one of the Mayfair hotels.
Desserts ranged from a selection of ice creams for £4.05 to desserts priced at £6.10. These varied from the pear and apple crumble with ice cream to sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream. I opted for the less traditional Mille feuille of banana, peanut butter pastry cream and chocolate pecan nuts. My friends shared the ice cream selection, which included 3 scoops. Perfect. Mine arrived and was a grand design which looked more like a deux feuille. The taste, I thought tried to imitate a more traditional banoffee pie. I asked the waiter if the chef was aiming for a modern version. He promised to ask and never came back to me. I still can't understand what the aim of my ''deux'' feuille was..
Don't get me wrong, the ship remains a favourite local. It's just that the food isn't up to par. It's pub food trying a bit too hard. I think all we want to say that you don't need to. We just want our authentic local pub which serves good pub food, we are not looking for anything more. And the more you try and add to it, the more goes wrong. Keep it simple and we will move from besotted to in love once again.
The Ship, 41 Jew's Row, Wandsworth, London. SW18 1TB http://www.theship.co.uk/
Have you been to the Ship recently? Please leave your comments to let us know what you think.
