A bit of shopping before lunch never hurt! So when I'm out and about, this is where I go:
Uni Qlo for clothes
Muji, Paperchase and Bureau fill my endless stationery needs
For books, I particularly like Soho Books, Foyles, and Borders, who have now teamed with our lovely friends at Amazon...
Which takes me to the online shopping spots:
Kelkoo is very useful to compare prices
Ebay for all the crazy stuff
Lomography for the cameras
Finally, the nice people of Tesco bring me the groceries
1kg diced chicken
1 big onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
100 ml tomato passata
100g butter
250ml of double cream
125ml tomato passata
2cm fresh ginger, peeled
2 garlic cloves
1tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cummin
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 or 2 chillies
This is my take on this yummy Indian dish, way easier and quicker to do than the traditional version. I had to abolish the marinade, as I never think that far ahead!
1. Add a bit of olive oil to a nice big pan, and then the onion, garlic and tomato passata. Season the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper, and chuck it in as well. Let it cook slowly while you get the sauce mix ready.
2. Pour the cream and the tomato passata into your blender jug. Roughly chop the garlic and the ginger, and throw it in as well. Then add all the spices. This is where you control the heat, be carefull with the chillies. Beware of using the seeds, as they are really hot. Chilli flakes or powder can be used instead of fresh chillies. Now blend it all till smooth.
3. Check if the chicken is nicely cooked and then add the butter. Keep the heat low and wait for it to melt all. Now you can add the sauce and let it cook slowly until it turns from that nice pale pink to a much darker shade.
4. Serve it with basmati rice, and don't forget the wonderful naan bread to dip into the sauce. Mmmmm...
Books, cds, dvds, and holidays: that's where I like my money to go to. But in between all the shopping, one's got to eat, isn't it? So I've made it into a bit of a mission to find out all the places where you can have really nice food without a bill-induced pain at the end.
Nando's can be found all over London, and it's supposed to be a Portuguese inspired restaurant. Well, amongst the Brazillian music and South American inspired decor, the only thing that really is Portuguese there, is... the food. But that's what's important. The barbeque chicken is perfect, and you can have it with proper portuguese wine, and finish the meal off with a Pastel de Nata. However, if it's the little heavenly pastry you're looking for, you're better off going to Lisboa Patisserie, in Golborne Rd, near the Portobello Market, also famous for the galão (coffee latte), and what has to be the best expresso in London)
One of my recent discoveries, the Hamburger Union (Garrick St. and Dean St.) just resuscitated the Hamburger for me, no longer exclusive of cheap fast food chains, pub food or dodgy caravans at festivals. We're now talking about delicious handmade beef burgers with a brilliant choice of toppings (I just love the caramelised onion), perfect chips... mmmmm. I have since started exploring this new wave of hamburger restaurants, and can also recommend the Hache Burger Connoisseurs in Camden's Inverness Street. Ed's Easy Diner, in Soho also has good food (yummy milkshakes) and has the novelty value of looking like it came straight out of an American 50's movie... Jukebox included. If you're looking for something different try The Dove. Its a Belgian pub in trendy Broadway Market, east London, with an exquisite choice of beef, boar and ostrich burgers. How fancy! Also featuring a huge list of speciality beers, and as expected in a Belgian restaurant, mussels and gorgeous chips.
Also on my favourites list are La Porchetta, in Islington's Upper St. (delicious, proper sized pizza, unlike Pizza Express), a small thai restaurant in Old Compton St. called Tuk Tuk, and if your heading towards Chinatown, the unpretentious Canton, with the best crispy aromatic duck ever, I promise!
This spectacular vodka shooter is very popular in Lisbon, but I never found it in London. This is how you go about it:
Fill it up with vodka and place half a slice of lemon on top of the glass. Make a little pile of white sugar on top of the lemon slice and soak it with just a few drops of absinth.
Light up the absinth and sprinkle with cinnamon. Done properly, it's like having your own mini fireworks. Once the flame goes out, carefully hold the lemon with one hand, dring the vodka and then suck on the sugary lemon.
Keep some paper napkins close by, it can get messy!!
In Rua das Janelas Verdes, Alcântara, there is a small and discreet place called Churrascaria do Sacramento, with the best fish and meat grill I know. A typical portuguese joint, with tiles and football memorabillia gathering dust on the walls, it's run by two friendly brothers with big moustaches. Do try the sangria, as well as the custard for desert! Top marks also for Restaurante Sem Nome, in R. Marquesa de Alorna, Alvalade. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but the steak on a slab is fab.
Speaking of steak, the best I've ever tasted is Café de S. Bento's, in Rua de S. Bento. Not quite a restaurant it's a, rather small and expensive pub, but the steak is worth every penny. As is the also expensive Carbonara at Mezzaluna, at Rua Artilharia 1. It's quite a posh italian restaurant, perfect for a romantic evening, with food to die for. And no pizzas in sight!
So for a delicious crusty thin (and inexpensive) pizza, head for Pizzaria da Beppi in Av. Sacadura Cabra (Roma) or R. Agostinho Neto (Lumiar), and you won't regret it.