Monday, February 21, 2011

E-Wok Chinese: St Margaret's, Twickenham

E-Wok is probably the best takeaway Chinese food I have tried in a long time, probably better than a lot of Chinese restaurants too. It is situated round the corner from St. Margaret's railway station or a short bus ride from the Richmond/Twickenham/Isleworth area. There is very limited seating area inside, only two tables I think but I don't have a picture of the outside (yet) as we always order in, so instead I will leave you with an image that you first thought of when reading the name....




With a recently updated menu I decided to go for something rather different than my usual (but all time favourites) Mongolian, lemon or sweet and sour chicken. However, these three options are a spectacular first choice if you a weary of what to order and go for the safe option. You will certainly not be disappointed.

The lemon chicken comes in abundance with two diagonally sliced bread crumbed chicken escallops in a moderately thick, sweet lemon sauce and not that sugared lemon water rubbish you find elsewhere. The sweet and sour chicken is how you would expect it to taste but with crispier and larger chunks of chicken which are not covered by a round layer of fat to make it look bigger. The sauce itself is thick and the sweetness is enhanced with pineapple chunks. The Mongolian chicken, oooooh, less sauce and more glaze but so succulent and addictive to eat.





Be warned, each dish comes in BIG portions (just the way the Rebel rolls)! Here I have chosen char siu pork with special salt and chilli, to accompany this delight is a portion of pad thai rice noodles. Yummy Yummy Yummy! The pad thai rice noodles are always on my order list, this can come with plain thicker noodles however I think the rice noodles absorb the flavour so much more. The noodles are very sweet and slightly spicy and are made with a subtle fish sauce, topped with peanut crumbs is traditionally served with a wedge of lime which is ultimate addition to this dish. My only hassle is picking out the crabsticks, you can ask for these not to be put in but I always forget. Give these a good mix and sprinkle the lime on top and you will love it for the rest of your life!

The char siu pork was not something I have tried before, the pork had been flattened and fried in flour, chilli and 'special' salt although I am unaware of the reason for the salt being special. It is very crispy on the outside but the meat itself is quite soft and easy to eat, I am glad that it wasn't chewy or too salty. Got a great kick to it spice wise, a fair few of the dishes (especially the chiu yim squid/prawns) come with fried chilli including seeds but again you can ask for it to be less spicy. Also served with fried onions, peppers and spring onion.

I have to say I really enjoyed this one!









Next up is chiu yim squid and steamed broccoli. The chiu yim squid must be eaten as soon as possible, its best when it's boiling hot and perfectly crisp, but still great by the time it gets delivered. Each piece is lightly floured and fried with chilli and salt. This is quite a spicy one with bits of chilli, seeds, onions and a few peppers.

The broccoli is oh so good, perfectly steamed in soy sauce. Simple but beautiful, it goes well with practically everything on the menu and make sure you really soak up the sauce and let it ooze out as you eat it.







And finally here is a red thai curry with some prawn crackers and plain boiled rice. Not my favoured choice, I guess everyone has a standard concept of what a red thai curry consists of and this was quite different, sharper flavours and much spicier. Was very tasty but I guess one would be put off by the fact it's not what they expected with regards to other versions.

The prawn crackers (although priced at a pound) usually come free with orders of a certain amount, and again there are lots of them!

Each main dish comes to around £5.50 and side dishes (vegetables and rice) come to about £4.50. Rice and noodle dishes which contain extra ingredients such as special friend rice will also come to the £5.00 mark. Prices have gone up since the new menu a few weeks ago. The final bill came to about £36.00 for three people without drinks and free delivery.


THE VERDICT:


Excellent food, mostly freshly cooked and clean. Big portions for much less than what you would pay at an actual restaurant. Friendly telephone manner and are open to altering the dishes to your spice or meat preferences. For a takeaway it is restaurant quality and believe me, there are Chinese takeaways in the area that are not even good for what you would expect from a takeaway, so it's great to have something this good around. Try it and you will be back the next day!

7/10

Other recommended dishes:


  • Lemon Chicken
  • Sweet and Sour Chicken
  • Mongolian Chicken
  • Lamb with Ginger and Spring Onion
  • Special Fried Rice
  • Singapore Fried Noodles (spicy)
  • Malaysian Fried Rice (much like the Pad Thai Noodles)
  • Special Crispy Fried Noodles (crispy at the top, soggy at the bottom, too good!)
  • Fillet Steak
  • Roast Duck






E-Wok on Urbanspoon

Monday, February 14, 2011

Giraffe - Spitalfields Market (Plus Crepe Affaire and Extras)!

This is a bit of mix between Giraffe, Crepe Affaire and breakfast at a meeting on Friday. Although I will go through Giraffe with the greater focus, I want you to see what a day in the life of a food blogger holds and why it's a bloody good thing to be!

So first up my office sent me over to a social media conference near Spitalfields Market where a really informal and amusing chat took place about how viral videos work across different countries. Talking aside, a lovely self service breakfast table was provided, courtesy of the ever so friendly Unruly Media. Thanks!



As tempted as I was to pig out and dive into everything, I did my best to remain civilised and polite by taking only a few items.....now and again. In short: Danish pastries, samosas, cakes, croissants, aubergine pastries, muffins, toast and a fortune cookie which told me that "my wish would be granted after a long delay". Not sure what that wish was but it's either money or a micro pig.
After that finished I took a trip down to good old Spitalfields Market to try Giraffe, the restaurant not the animal! Although I'm sure it would be very interesting, as long as it's better than kangaroo.




Now for those of you who are like me and thought that Giraffe is a vegetarian and eco-friendly restaurant that has overpriced health foods, it serves meat, and lots of it! A misconception that has left me to wonder why I didn't try it all those years ago. Well better late than never.

The restaurant is extremely cosy with dark wooden furnishings that compliment the concept of it being a world food restaurant. It's quite rustic Latin with an African twist almost. Great music, booths for a more comforting experience and friendly and fast serving staff members.







For drinks, Sweden's most popular premium cider, Rekorderlig (£4.50). I chose the strawberry and lime flavour which was highly recommended by the lovely waitress with bartending experience. The way to serve this is with ice, mint leaves, a dash of lime and sliced strawberries. Although Giraffe did not use sliced strawberries, he drink itself is excellent. Very fruity, the strawberry flavour is quite noticeable and the mint leaves add such a refreshing element to the drink as a whole.

Working for an agency that deals with imported beers etc, I have learnt to expect more from drinks than the standard options and tastes. It is about appreciating flavours that add that extra dimension and the history behind it's brewing which makes it that extra special. Rekorderlig fits the bill and you will not be disapointed.





For starters I went with an uncommon choice, Cajun style chicken wings (£4.95) served with a hot and fruity ketchup. Not on par with the likes of Sticky Fingers or Tony Romas but we're not in a steakhouse. The wings were actually quite a treat, Cajun flavoured with a sweet sticky glaze. The ketchup did have a fruity note to it, very similar to a sweet barbeque sauce. A splash of lime on top and the citrusy kick is well paired with the fruity flavours of the ketchup.


I really like the presentation of it too, a clean wooden platter and again adds to the worldly/rustic feel.





The main course was grilled mojito chicken (£8.95), half a chicken marinated in rum and lime with some mint, served with chips and a red pepper coleslaw. The chicken did not have a burst of the rum and lime marinade. In fact the chicken was somewhat plain without the little pot of garlic and herb seasoning (unless this was the rum, lime and mint marinade, but it didn't taste like it). The chicken was at first glance well cooked and succulent. A little more into it and the chicken leg was a fair bit pink. Only the leg though, I was full up by the time I reached it so it didn't make much of a difference. Just double check if you do order it though. For the quantity, the price is very admirable, not that far off the Nando's half chicken price either. You can replace the chips with rice instead and the coleslaw is another treat. I will want all coleslaws to have red peppers in them from now on.


There were many other interesting dishes up for trial next time, the ribs and the jambalaya risotto. I heard the breakfasts are meant to be really good and the desserts look great, especially the pancakes.

Against my better judgement, I spotted a nearby Crepe Affaire and thought (just like Giraffe), if I don't try this now I never will! In a way I wish I stayed, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and those pancakes will be mine.







Crepe Affaire is a sweet and savoury crepe eatery with delicious coffees. I took it upon myself to order a mellow yellow with mint ice cream and a vanilla latte which came to about £7.00. I can't give it a full review on the basis of one crepe, but I did not fully enjoy it. The latte was worth the try though.


THE VERDICT:


Giraffe is a somewhat cultural and rustic at the same time and offers a great range of cuisines and flavours. Glad to know it's not a vegetarian restaurant (no offence), although vegetarian dishes are available. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, relaxing and fun environment and open for breakfast through dinner. Ticks all the boxes and as all the dishes are different it will take a few visits to enjoy all they have to offer.


6/10

Giraffe on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Battersea Pie Station - Covent Garden (& Paul's Bakery)!

The sun is finally shining down on us after a bitterly cold winter, time for a nice long walk down Covent Garden to my favourite pie 'n' mash place.



The Battersea Pie Station is tucked away at the bottom floor of the Covent Garden market. You will find it located past a woman in an orange Mickey Mouse costume (obviously an unofficial Disney made one) and a stereotypical opera singer 'Pavarotti-ing' whilst making a balloon poodle! Expecting a somewhat fish and chip style place, Battersea Pie Station was very modern and stylish in a bright lit and white minimalist way. Clean and simple whilst making the pie the main attraction.


Although there is hardly any known history about the origin of this pie station, the pie itself was developed over time by the Egyptians and Roman from over 9000BC all the way to the Medieval and Tudor times. As it stands today the pie is one of Britain's most loved concepts, so much so that this pie station has appointed Ray Winstone as a worthy endorser of the steak and kidney pie. This is now officially called the Ray Winstone.



I have been here once before during the Christmas period where I guiltily ate little Rudolph in a delightful pie that had a peppered stencil picture of his face on top. Sadly we must wait another 10 months for that to comeback.

This time around I thought I'd go for a timeless classic, the steak and Guinness pie. Not the largest pie but an admirable size for a lunch portion including side orders such as creamy mash, red wine and herb gravy and even peas with mint and butter or baked beans.


The pie is well crusted and has a slight burnt edge which gives it the added crispiness and charred aftertaste. My favourite texture for a pie is when it is half crispy and half soggy after it's drowned in gravy. It is a filled pie as opposed to a top crust, the top crust itself is peppered. There was a fair amount of chunky meat, it was not shredded like a Greggs pasty. The gravy was much better than standard restaurant gravy, the herbs added greatly to the flavour yet the hint of wine was very faint. Fortunately the mash was not Smash or a recollection of the old school dinner days, the consistency was nice and thick and very smooth (although I like my mash lumpy, perhaps that should be a menu option).

If taking away, it is served in a plastic/cardboard type flat box. My only issue with this is that the flaps get in the way of being able to cut and scoop the food. The first time I came the gravy was served in a mini cup, this time it was poured all over the pie and mash. Considering I had a bit of a walk back to the office it did make the pie a bit too soggy. I would recommend asking for it to be separate.

The total bill (without a drink) came to £5.50 which I find a very reasonable price considering the quality of the meal.






As I came out of the pie station, I noticed this great little paella stand (£4-£6.00) with a giant pan full of bright yellow rice and a superb smell of saffron and peppers. As much as I really wanted it I didn't think I could manage it and then return to what would be a cold pie. However with that extra need for something to snack on later on in the evening, I took a trip down to Paul's Bakery (also in the Covent Garden area) for some bread and cake.





The olive bread (£2-£3) is just fantastic, nice hearty and wholesome stone baked bread in a pretzel style shape with chunks of olives on the outside and whole ones in the middle. The bread is lovely and soft and is definitely not one to miss out on. There is a piece missing here as I ate some on the way back!

For dessert and to snack on for the rest of the day were a bag of 10 chouquettes for £1.30. These are absolutely awesome, very soft and very addictive. Not bad for the price either. They are mouth sized and not tiny little ones, although keep these as dry and cool as possible as mine got a bit sticky in the bag with the pie.

Paul's bakery also does very nice French style sandwiches, pizza slices and a superb Le Fraisier cake (individual £3.50, whole around £12-£15). With fresh strawberries, green marzipan and vanilla cream. Highly recommended!


THE VERDICT:


Battersea Pie Station: 5/10: Friendly staff, short waiting time and very the price is very reasonable with regards to taste and quantity. Atmosphere is quiet and personal with a noisier outside seating area for Covent Garden's entertainment.

Paul's Bakery: 6/10: Great choice and range of cakes, bread and sandwiches. Quite pricey but the quality is well maintained and the coffee is also matching quality. Can become very busy but that is always a good thing. I have been to many of these outlets including Richmond, Kingston, Chelsea, Holborn and Kensington, each one maintains it's high standards and helpful service.



Battersea PIE Station on Urbanspoon


Paul on Urbanspoon

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Breakfast at the Rebel's House: Chilli Spiced Scrambled Eggs with Pan Tossed Mushrooms and Stone Baked Toast!

When the Rebel is not tired from work and going out on the weekend I like to cook a nice breakfast, go out restaurant spotting and indulge in culinary experiments.


Today I really wanted to serve my special chilli scrambled eggs in a slow roasted sweet chilli pepper, not actually being bothered to go out and get one kind of ruined the idea. I had an hour or so before my dentist appointment so I thought I'd explore the fridge and the store cupboard
to see what I could rustle up for breakfast. This is not a proper recipe in terms of measurements but it's not hard to follow if you wish to try it.




The magic ingredients I found and have presented for you today are:
  • A handful of sliced medium sized button mushrooms (about 5 whole ones)
  • 2 large eggs
  • Half a sweet chilli, medium heat
  • A handful of fresh flat leafed parsley
  • 2 thick slices of stone baked bread
  • 1/4 of a medium sized onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3-4 sprinkles of natural breadcrumbs
  • Sunflower oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Small lump of butter
  • Cholula original hot sauce
  • A glass orange juice
I would also suggest adding to this list 5 cherry tomatoes either sliced for the scrambled eggs or 3 halved for a side portion of fried tomatoes. The fridge is usually full of them but sadly they were absent when I needed them most.

Preparation:

Beat the eggs, you can use a splash of milk if you wish, I chose not to this time just to have the full richness and texture of the egg. Beating with a whisk increases the fluffiness. When it comes to seasoning I like to treat each egg equally so use 2 pinches of salt and two grinds of the pepper mill before you start beating.

Finely chop 4 or 5 medium sized button mushrooms which will shrink as they are being fried, so what seems like a lot now will be a fair sized portion at the end.

Finely chop at maximum half a sweet red chilli of medium heat and remove the seeds. The type of chilli and quantity you're going to use will depend on your heat tolerance. An interesting choice of flavour would be using a habanero chilli which also gives more of a kick. However this is about using ingredients most people are likely to have at home so the simple red chilli will do the trick. When chopped, divide the end amount by two as one half will be used for the eggs and the other for the mushrooms.

Take a small amount of flat leaf parsley for the mushrooms, loosely rip the leaves from the stalks. Do not chop them otherwise the flavour becomes too overpowering.

Use a 1/4 of a medium sized onion, slice it to a medium thickness.

Add to a bowl 3 or four pinches of natural breadcrumbs, this will be used with the mushrooms and onions to give it a crunchy texture which works especially well with the onions. It reminds me of a German market dish I once had which consisted of fried potatoes, onions, olives and breadcrumbs.

Peel and halve a single clove of garlic, similarly to the parsley, chopping this will overpower the mushrooms and compete with the parsley. The two halves should subtly flavour the mushrooms.

The cherry tomatoes can be used in two different ways, my personal favourite is to take 5 cherry tomatoes and cut off one end of each. Squeeze out the pulp and the seeds to ensure the scrambled eggs do not become watery and slice each tomato. The second way is to halve 3 tomatoes and fry them like a miniature full English.

Slice some of your favourite bread, in this instance I had a stone baked loaf bought fresh and left overnight wrapped in a bread bin. The slight staleness of the bread makes it fantastic for toast the next morning. Thick slices are best to soak up the butter, make sure they are evenly flat so that the eggs can rest on top without rolling around the plate.


Time to Cook:

Preheat your grill for the toast on a low setting, the eggs and mushrooms will not take long to cook and you want to make sure the toast is ready at the same time.

Heat 2 pans and insert the toast into the grill just as pans becomes hot enough to cook with. Add in a knob of butter to the first one for the scrambled eggs and a tablespoon or two of sunflower oil to other for the mushrooms. You only need a shallow coating on each pan so adjust the amount to the size of the pan you use.




Add the chopped chilli to the scrambled egg pan at the same time as the butter to get the smokiness of the chilli and infuse the butter which will mix in with the eggs. If you decide to use sliced cherry tomatoes then add them now and let them fry for a few seconds to bring out their sweetness and then pour in the beaten eggs. Stir continuously and take off the heat before it dries out. Remember that without milk the eggs will cook faster and dry out more quickly.

Make sure the toast is done and buttered on the plate before the eggs are ready so they can go straight on.




In the other pan you can add the mushrooms, chilli, parsley, onions and garlic all at the same time as they take slightly longer to cook, all the flavours will emerge as an equal balance. Brown the mushrooms slightly before seasoning and adding the breadcrumbs and mix in whilst tossing the pan back and forth. Continue to cook whilst you place the toast and eggs on the plate.

If you decide to halve the cherry tomatoes to serve on the side, they can be cooked in the pan along with the mushrooms. Put them in just as the mushrooms brown and take them out slightly earlier. Place the tomatoes and the mushrooms alongside the toast and serve.





For added decoration and of course flavour I have used three thin strips of red chilli and some Cholula original hot sauce. The hot sauce is made from habanero chillies, is quite hot for a novice chilli lover, don't forget there is a fair amount of heat in the eggs and mushrooms. But it does add an extra dimension to the breakfast which I find flavoursome and testing of my chilli tolerance levels.




Also serve with a glass of orange juice, freshly squeezed is best! It complements the eggs well and cools down the spiciness of the chillies.

A really simple and easy dish that allows you to experiment with items you would normally have at home and a great start to the day.

Let me know what you think or if you tried it/added any variations. Just post a or e-mail me at commentrebelwithoutafork@gmail.com

Enjoy!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Eataly - Holborn

Right now I am grinning like a cheshire cat in a mirage garden where pampas grass is fresh tagliatelle, birds are grilled chickens and a mud puddle is a glorious cup of freshly ground bitter coffee.

Against my better judgement and the fact that it's Chinese New Year, I reverted back to my Italian blood needing to find that little Italian cafe knowing I would instantly think I had better when I was 5 years old. Fortunately though I ran out Chinese places to go to and God forbid I be reminded about the story of my mother's pet rabbit being eaten, again! It reminds me of The Godfather scene (brilliantly re-enacted by Silvio in The Sopranos) where Michael says "everytime I try to get out, they pull me back in". This place certainly did!


So just past Holborn station, I found Eataly! A rather catchy play on word which I thought was too amusing not to go in! Set up by a group of Italians who are passionate about food and have dabbled in restaurants, catering companies and patisseries (just like the rest of my lot - kudos to me trying to break the cycle but ending up working for a food and drink agency). As their website states 'throw in an Inglese (Englishman) and it's the perfect recipe for success'...I don't think that would go down well with most Italians, the recipe for success in my father's eyes is saying the words "dohn't wohrry, it be oh-k, noh problehm".

It's good to know that it's authentic Italian but I hope that it remains consistent and doesn't revert to cutting corners like most do.
I didn't make it to take photos inside as it was crowded so I stole some from Google....



A really stylish place which is modern and has a few rustic touches such as thick wooden tables, baskets and a shelf unit with bags of pasta and panettones. A small place which looks widened by its decor, nice reds and neutral colours complimenting eachother, open, clear and spotless deli counter and inviting food choices. But what caught my eye the most is the giant industrial Gaggia coffee machine on the right hand side, now that's good stuff, didn't try the coffee though because otherwise there's nothing to go back to. Seating is limited but worth it if you can, served with really nice curved plates and beautiful looking food.



Loving the bag.....





Loving the food too....

When I entered I took some time to browse the counter and instincts took over when only one piece of lasagne remained lonely and needing stomach lined comfort. I adopted it mostly out of spite to prevent someone else having the last piece and because when this happens at Valentino's round the corner with the pesto chicken pasta, 'someone' (if she is reading this) goes for it and the gentleman that I am lets her have it (on three occasions) and when I finally get it there's no chicken in it! But also because I haven't homemade lasagne for bloody ages and I craved it instantly.


A bit too much parmesan cheese covering the top but it's not exactly a fault is it? The lasagne was 'well nice' and it was good lasagne which wasn't floury like the one I had at Carluccio's and was definitely worth the £5.50. The top layer is very crispy but in a dry way rather than a burnt way which does suggest it has been heated for quite a while but that's expected for a deli. It does have that heavenly reheated taste to it too but that brings back memories of when I used to creep downstairs in the morning and steal the corners of the leftover lasagne in the fridge. But I was very happy to have a great hearty and better than average lasagne.


My only two complaints are the choice of box and cutlery. The box needs a fold down side and the cutlery needs to be sharper and stronger for a lasagne.


Heavily recommend this, but the grilled chicken and sandwiches also looked very nice. Some sandwiches did exceed the £6.00 mark which was a bit odd considering how the lasagne was more plentiful and cheaper. But maybe they are just that good! We'll see next week.



Most deli hangers-around would know of the nectar of the gods that is the peach (pesca) or pear (pera) nectar sold in expensive (roughly £2.00-3.00) little bottles but well worth the price. I used to go through crates of this as a child (and still now) at all the family parties. You can find them in many delis and whole foods shops by different brands. Granini probably being the most widely available.

They didn't have the pear which is seriously the best one, peach is just as good or a blood orange San Pelligrino does the trick.




Last up was the orange cake (£2.00 a slice). Wasn't too fond of this, I am an orange fanatic from orange smarties to the colour and the fruit. My grandmother's maiden name was even Arancio (which is orange in Italian). The cake was not very wholesome, rather light in a cheaply made way, the flavour of the orange did not come through very well and the sugar layering on top make it sickly sweet. I suspect this is ordered in as an extra so I doubt it reflects on the quality and flavour of the rest of their food. Good thing we have an expert cake maker in the family, I'm sure she could sort me out a good orange cake...HINT HINT!

Instead I would recommend the 5 cadbury chocolate eclair sweets for £1.00 at the front of the counter, why not buy 10 for the same price as the cake.



THE VERDICT:


Given that I would need to try a few more items to give this a proper score, but I am confident it reflects how much I enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and the discovery.

The staff were very polite, well organised and efficient, the shop was spotless and extremely well presented. Price was fair for the lasagne and there is no doubt I will be returning next week!

Altogether for the lasagne, cake and drink it came to £9.75, you can opt not to have the cake and go for a cheaper drink and pay little of £6.00. Can't argue with that!

6.5/10


Address: 86 Kingsway, Holborn. Turn left out of Holborn Station main entrance and it's a few steps ahead.


Enjoy!