Tag Archives: food review

The Fable Restaurant Review

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Strawberry and Lavender Mojito

Porn star martini

Porn star martini

Fable is a buzzing bar and restaurant set in Farringdon with seasonal British food. It is inspired by the world of fairy tales and this was evident from the books and writings which adorn Fable’s three floors.

We start with some cocktails, a strawberry and lavender Mojito, which was a nice twist compared to the usual style and the skinny porn star martini. Both were excellent.

For our starter we choose the chicken satay. The char-grilled slightly smoky succulent chicken was really superb, beautifully cooked and it went very well with the excellent  nutty satay sauce. The prawn crackers were a tasty addition and also went well with the sauce.

Chicken Satay

Chicken Satay

 

My salmon ceviche with orange and coriander came served in a jar which I had to shake myself, this seems to be a common trend at the moment. It was fresh and healthy and the salmon was very tasty.

 

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Chicken burger

 

For my main I had a chicken burger. These guys cook chicken well! Again my chicken was succulent and tender. The breadcrumb seasoning was delicious – it put the Colonel in his place, it really was excellent. The chicken was well accompanied by a nice juicy slice of beef tomato, lettuce, red onion and and a crispy bun. There was also a gherkin on the side which I don’t usually like but this one was wonderfully fresh. I also loved the chips which came with my burger. They were nice and chunky and covered with heaps of fresh Parmesan and Rosemary. A brilliant combination I could have eaten them all day long and I can’t praise them highly enough. This was honestly up there with one of the best chicken burgers I have ever had. So often with a chicken burger you get served a dried out piece of flavorless meat with no effort or thought. That was definitely not the case here it was clear a lot of thinking had gone into all the dishes.

 

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Reef, Beef and Bubbles!

The reef beef and bubbles came with a free glass of Prosecco all for £15 which we thought was very reasonable. The steak was tender and the size of my fist. It was well cooked and the peppercorn sauce was tasty and not overpowering. The lobster was delicious and fresh. The chips were tasty but not as good as the ones covered in rosemary and Parmesan.

For pudding we had three mini puddings in one. They were a generous size and beautifully served in colored glassware. All three of the puddings were extremely tasty. The true star was the raspberry and champagne sorbet which was something quite special. The lemon syllabub was a lemony biscuity delight. The chocolate brownie was also excellent and went perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Ice cream parfait

We also tried the ice cream parfait which was also beautifully presented and sweet and delicious in its own right. I loved my little doughnut which came with it.

photo 2 (22)Fable was a great experience and we will be going back in the future. Our waitress was extremely attentive despite having so many different tables to serve. The atmosphere was buzzing and the food was truly excellent there was nothing we could fault. The portion sizes were perfect my only minor criticism is that I found my chair slightly uncomfortable but now I’m just being picky.

Fable

52 Holburn Viaduct

London

EC1A 2FD

0845 468 0105

 

9 Bar | Food Review

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I am on the go a lot so I like to have some snacks in my bag. Cereal bars are a particular favourite.
9bar have re-launched with a sleek new makeover and I tried their 5 varieties – Original, Nutty, Pumpkin, Flax and Organic. 9bars are gluten, dairy and wheat free. 9bars are handmade in Wales.


Original

The original bar is crunchy and delicious. It is also very filling. A brilliant snack. This bar is substantial and not too sweet.

Nutty

This bar is filled with nuts and seeds. Really good cereal bar, and with chocolate on top. Yum.

Pumpkin

I love pumpkin seeds. This bar also has a brilliant carob coating. You can see all of the seeds. It tastes sweet and is filling.

Flax

Flax seed is very popular with the health conscious. Flax seed is a super food, making these bars even more healthy. Tastes brilliant too.

Organic

This organic bar is tasty and pure organic heaven. Topped with chocolate and full of seeds. The perfect on the go bar.

The 9bar range is available from Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, Morrison’s, Holland & Barrett and independent health food stores nationwide. All varieties are available in 4 x 40g multi packs, RRP £1.89, and in 50g singles, RRP 70p.

Nim’s Fruit Crisps | Food Review

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I love to snack. I have been trying to eat healthier snacks but I must confess a weakness for crisps. I know they are not good for me, but I love crisps. Can Nim’s Fruit Crisps be a good and healthy alternative? They are certainly healthier. Instead of being made from potatoes these crisps are made from dried fruit. It might sound like it won’t work, but it does.

Nim’s Fruit Crisps are free of additives and preservatives. Fat and gluten free, high in fibre, have no sugar, no added sugar and only between 62-76 calories per pack. They are also one of your five a day. But do they taste nice? Thankfully yes. I try the Apple & Kiwi and the Orange and Melon. They taste good and are also surprisingly filling. Perfect for a snack. The crisps are dried, not fried. I am definitely a fan of Nim’s Fruit Crisps. They are a great delicious, natural snack. Top marks.

This is what Nim’s say about their fruit crisps.

Pining for a packet of crisps without the guilt? Then look no further than delicious Nim’s Fruit Crisps. With only less than 70 calories per pack, Nim’s Fruit Crisps are the perfect healthy snack for every occasion. Whether you’re on the go or relaxing at home, these healthy bags of zesty goodness are the ideal snack to indulge your sweet tooth. Each bag is made from 100% natural fruit, using a unique air-drying process, meaning that each bag retains as much nutritional content as possible.

 

Nim’s Fruit Crisps are currently available online at www.nimsfruitcrisps.com / www.flavrbox.com / www.loveyourlarder.com / www.planet-v.co.uk / www.auravita.com / www.realfoods.co.uk / www.winnaturally.com and at Planet Organic, HealthZone stores and independent delis, health food stores, and farm stores.

£1.25 per mixed pack (20g)

£0.85 per single pack (18g)

RIBA Restaurant Review.

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RIBA restaurant at art deco gem 66 Portland Place, London W1

 

I have had many a party at RIBA, it is a wonderful venue. I had never eaten at the restaurant before and was incredibly impressed by the food and the service. No one likes to eat alone so I went to review this restaurant with my friend, New Statesman columnist Nicholas Lezard.

 

The venue is bright and airy, in the summer you can eat outside. There is always a lot going on at RIBA.

 

What I ate.

 

Middle white pork belly

 

Black pudding, quince

 

Jerusalem artichoke and red onion fritters

 

Braised lentils, grilled artichoke hearts

soft poached egg

 

Baby leaf salad, cherry tomatoes, cucumber

 

White chocolate mousse

 

Dark chocolate honeycomb, gold leaf

 

What Nicholas ate:

 

Seared scallops

 

Leeks, candied hazelnuts, black olive powder

 

Braised Yorkshire venison

 

Sautéed girolles, truffled mash, redcurrants

 

Sticky toffee pudding

 

Clotted cream, butterscotch sauce

 

Curly kale, garlic butter

 

The starter comes on black, granite slabs, a touch that I found different and original. They are very good at presentation. My pork belly was done perfectly.

 

The food tasted like heaven, the fritters I had were absolutely delicious. The different consistency of the ingredients of my main meal worked brilliantly. I didn’t know lentils could taste so good. My egg was poached perfectly. The fritters were crispy, as all fritters should be. At first I wasn’t sure how all the ingredients would work together, but they do, beautifully.

 

I had a side salad with my main even though it wasn’t necessarily needed. The main was very filling. I liked that they put balsamic vinegar on my salad. The staff were also attentive and eager to please.

 

My white chocolate mousse was absolutely divine and was a visual treat too.

 

To drink I had port and coca cola. Nicholas had red wine and port.

 

RIBA is a good restaurant, the food is divine, the staff expert and the location incredibly up-market. I highly recommend. I will definitely be eating here again.

 

 

The Kraken Black Spiced Rum Review.

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The name of this rum brings out legends of the sea. The Kraken was a sea beast of myth and legend, a connotation that suits this strong, rich and black rum. Even the bottle is a reminder of the beast, the two glass handles mimic the eyes of the Kraken.

This Spiced Caribbean Rum has a thick caramel taste, it’s a wonderfully spiced liquor which goes brilliantly with coke (Krakencoke), or in a cocktail like a Perfect Storm: The Kraken poured over ice, topped with ginger beer and accompanied with a squeezed slice of lime.

 

The Kraken is 40%. It is distilled in Trinidad & Tobago from sweet molasses. It is then mixed with 14 spices including cinnamon, ginger and clove. It takes effort and time to make, and you can tell. It’s delicious.

It is a good, strong rum. I have only drank rum once before but this has changed my mind. Next time I’m out I’m having spiced rum. Everything about The Kraken is great, from the bottle, to the ad campaign, to the wonderful taste. It taste’s great neat for those who can take it, but I’ll be having it in cocktails, a lot.

 

RRP £22.99 for a 70cl bottle available mostly everywhere and online at thedrinkshop.co.uk