Scotch Beef Feast, London

I had the huge privilege of being a guest at the Scotch Beef Feast, held at Plateau Restaurant in Canary Wharf.

The Scotch Beef label is a run by the Scottish Government, so it is a publicly funded promotional body, and enjoys Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. They really do things properly, and are a cheering example of public sector success.

I can honestly say I was bowled over by the quality of the meat and the preparation of the dishes, by Head Chef Allan Picket.

We were treated to champagne before the meal and a wonderful selection of reds from sommelier, Piedad Tenorio, matched to the dishes. I enjoyed the champs and wine rather excessively, but that did not stop the food from shining for me.

Left to right: My friend Rupert Parker, me and 

the lovely Anna Krzebietka from 

Carat Media - pre-feast drinks.

During the meal, charismatic Scotch Beef representatives, Laurent Vernet (yes, a Frenchman) and Suzie Carlaw explained what PGI means for their product. Among many other things, each animal effectively has a passport that shows every detail of any medication they’ve received, which farms they’ve been reared on, et cetera.

I thought maybe they could introduce the French butcher shop custom of displaying a photo and information on the counter, relating to the individual animals within. But on reflection maybe some Brits would be a bit squeamish about that; maybe Brits aren’t ready for that much reality yet, after so many decades of distance?

Here is the outstanding Scotch Beef Feast menu, with comments:

Amuse bouche - Tartare of Scotch Beef PGI, quails egg yolk, onion bread croûtes

Really good (hard to go wrong with this, if using good beef), but rather enormous for an amuse bouche.

Starter - Scotch Beef PGI tea, tortellini of ox tail

This dish really stood out, not just during this meal but in my bank of general food memories. It was the tastiest tortellini ever. The ox tail was like beef rillettes – mellow, melting and delicious. The beef tea gave a refined umami hit.

Middle course - Salt & sugar cured Scotch Beef PGI, wild roquette, 24 month old parmesan, aged balsamic

Lovely; delicate and moreish. Again, this isn’t difficult to achieve with such amazing meat and raw or lightly cured is the perfect way to showcase its qualities.

Main course - Roast fillet of Scotch Beef PGI, boulangère of cheek, caramelised shallot purée, Burgundy sauce

Wow. Very generous portions of the most tender fillet imaginable, with delicious accompaniments. I was very full by this point but soldiered on as the beef was out of this world.

Pre-dessert - Citrus sorbet, poured champagne
Dessert - White chocolate mousse, raspberries and sorbet

No comment on desserts – I was too full and wined-out, which is very naughty, I know. But this feast was one of the most memorable upscale meals I’ve had in a long time. It also achieved its objective with me, as I will definitely be looking out for and buying PGI Scotch Beef, as well as signing its praises to anyone who will listen.

Scotch Beef PGI tea, tortellini of ox tail

Photos courtesy of Carat Media

‘Dinner Time’ in South London – Indian & Nepalese Restaurant Review

Rating: Impossible to rate, as some of the negatives are reasons to love it.

Cost: Around £25 per person, including 2 glasses of horrible table wine. 

Go there if: You’re open-minded and enjoy backpacking in backwaters.

Conclusion: Clueless and bizarre service but really good food. An experience.

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Yes, Dinner Time is actually the name of this odd little Indian and Nepalese restaurant near New Cross Gate. It is a freshly chosen name as the business has just been bought, re-decorated and reopened by the previous owner’s friend.

Most customers’ orders are placed over the phone and delivered, so not many people experience the quirks of eating in.

Points of interest include the décor…

…the friendly and polite but excruciatingly bad service; the extremely talkative Chef/Owner, Phool Prasad Sharma; the strange drinks menu and the really very good food. Eating there made me feel like I was in a local restaurant in a remote backwater or desolate border town somewhere far-flung. I felt I should have had my backpack and a guidebook with me.

The two choices of wine on the list were not familiar to me but the waiter didn’t understand when I wanted to know more or to see the bottles. In the end I just asked for “white wine”. After about 15 minutes of doing nothing in particular, the waiter decided it was time to nip to the off-licence next door to buy my wine - which was not either of those listed on the menu. It was a very generic and cheap Aussie wine and certainly not worth the £7 a glass I paid for it - especially as it was room temperature. The waiter and I failed to find a clean glass on my table (set for four), so he got one from the bar.

Finally, Mr Sharma turned up to cook my dinner, and, after chatting to me for about 20 minutes, he took my order. Then leisurely began to prepare it. For my starter I chose Nepalese lamb dumplings (like dim sum but far tastier) with homemade lime chutney, and they were delicious.

Sharma insisted he would wait until I had finished my starter before beginning to cook my main course. After my starter, and while I was waiting (ages) for him to start work on my main, a telephone order was taken. According to the menu, the “approximate maximum wait time [for delivery is] 45 minutes, please bear with us in busy periods”. Upon concluding the call, the waiter told the customer that the order would take 45 minutes. I was literally the only other customer. It was not busy. Maybe they want to appear busier than they are, but I think they just like to take their time at Dinner Time.

Lots of chopping and sizzling noises ensued from the open kitchen. A long while later I was presented with an excellent hot and aromatic chicken curry (murgh ‘lasuni’), packed with fresh herbs and spices, and a tasty dish of spice-fried okra.

Sadly, the accompanying roti was thick, solid, stiff and raw in the middle – their tandoor can’t have been hot enough, which of course completely defeats the object.

After thoroughly enjoying my meal, and in the absence of any staff, I went up to the kitchen to ask for the bill. There was lovely-looking fresh produce everywhere; bunches of herbs, bags of vegetables et cetera.

While I was waiting for my bill, a couple arrived to eat in. They were visibly very cold and immediately requested cups of tea. 10 minutes later, as I left, the waiter finally asked them if they’d like some papadums. They hadn’t got their tea yet.

I left with my doggy bag, which included some complimentary papadums (particularly nutty and good) with homemade spicy chopped onion salad and chutneys.

If you have time, patience and are in a good mood – and want to be amused – you must try this place. It is an experience. The food is generally fab and I’m sure they won’t mind if you take your own wine.

Celaric, Leek & Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

I made this very simple soup today and it worked really well. Lovely pale pistachio colour, surprisingly tasty, and a delectable light, creamy texture. I was planning to sprinkle it with a load of finely grated parmesan but the soup was so tasty that the cheese wasn’t necessary.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

• An apple-sized piece of celeriac, cut into 1cm cubes
• A large piece of artichoke (not as much as the celeriac), cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• A little rich vegetable stock
• Optional bay leaf
• Juice of ¼ of a lemon
• A good glug of double cream
• Salt

What to do:

• Put all the vegetables apart from half the leek into a saucepan with some olive oil and fry over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
• Pour in the stock to cover the veg by about 1cm, and add the bay leaf if using
• Simmer until the celeriac and artichoke are soft
• Add the remainder of the leek and the lemon juice, and cook for another few minutes, until the leek is tender.
• Remove the bay leaf and the soup into a blender with the cream, and whizz up until velvety smooth.
• Add salt to taste and hot water if the soup is too thick

Serve just as it is or with extra virgin olive oil and some freshly-ground black pepper.

La Choza Review - Mexican Street Food, Brighton

Rating: 6/10

Cost: Burrito and beer for £9.50

Go there if: You're young, trendy, hungry and want some tasty, filling, inexpensive nosh.

Conclusion: Not bad but disappointing; restaurant reliant on image and decor more than food.

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La Choza is proving to be an extremely popular new restaurant in Brighton. It's unlikely you'll get a table as this small venue is permanently packed. Instead they have a system of taking your mobile number and calling you when a table becomes available, and they're keen to stress that they won't be offended if you find somewhere else to eat in the meantime.

I missed out the first time I tried to try La Choza as my friend and I were too hungry to wait and we went to The Chili Pickle for lunch instead (for the £13 thali) followed by 2 for 1 caipirinhas at chain restaurant Las Iguanas (it was Christmas Eve). On my second visit to La Choza for lunch a few days later there still wasn't room for me and I still couldn't wait to eat, but this time I got take-away. I was dying to try the food and wouldn't be back in Brighton for a while.

The menu is quite limited - no bad thing - and all the main courses are based on the simple system of selecting a base (burrito, burrito bowl, quesadillas, tostadas), a filling (slow cooked beef, marinated and shredded free range chicken, homemade Mexican chorizo, pit-smoked pulled pork by Bar-B-Q Shack, deep-fried battered fish, roasted spicy squash and sweet potato with feta, prawns fried with garlic, chili and lime) and a salsa (mild pico de gallo, mild green, medium cooked chipotle, hot habanero).

I chose a burrito with the pulled pork and hot salsa (£6). As well as your chosen filling, the burritos come stuffed with green rice, cheese, sour cream and refried beans.

The helpful and cheerful waiter recommended the Modelo Especial Mexican beer (£3.50), which I enjoyed while waiting for my lunch. I had to stand in the cramped space between the door and the little bar, and watch seated diners enjoying their meals while being jostled by constant new arrivals trying to get a table.

The decor is very bright and funky, featuring lots of sugar skulls (Mexican painted skulls) and Mexican-style fabrics. The clientelle seemed to be predominantly young and female. I think everyone there apart from me was under 30.

Image from La Choza's website

My burrito arrived and I took it outside to eat standing up next to a table that I put my beer on. The soft burrito was large and generously filled but mainly with rice. The rice was nice and the burrito was tasty, but it was lacking - lacking in care for the way it was filled (sections of individual ingredients clumped together so it was impossible to get a mouthful of everything, and I had to work my way through grated cold cheese followed by sour cream and just tonnes of rice), lacking in pork, lacking in salsa, lacking in punchy Mexican flavour. Some of the quite hard chunks of 'pulled' pork were too big for one mouthful but were difficult to bite in two.

Much is made of the slow-cooked element of La Choza's fare, but I struggled to taste the sparse pork. I could tell that effort had been made with the rice but the sheer quantity of it took over everything else. The refried beans clearly hadn't been made to an authentic recipe. They seemed to just be a bean purée. Why take such care with the meat and rice but not bother with the beans? Especially as the menu is so limited; every item should be the best it can be. That is what I assumed I would experience after reading about the restaurant's pride in the meats it serves and seeing the small menu. I was disappointed.

I'm sorry to say that I think the popularity of La Choza is down to its trendy image and the aesthetic appeal of its interior and not to its food. Hence the youthful customer base. Yes, I only tried one dish but I think you can judge a Mexican by its burritos. It would still be nice to eat in there with the bright colours and filling, tasty food, but it could be really fantastic and it just isn't. The crampedness would even add positively to the street food feel if the food was as good as it could be. But as it is, I would rather have fajitas in Las Iguanas, with plenty of juicy meat, salsa, guacamole and enough space to dine comfortably.

Food and Drink Serving Etiquette for Restaurants, Caterers and Dinner Parties

The etiquette of serving food is a set of rules which are adopted by restaurants, caterers and even at private dinner parties. Use these rules as a guide, they are not official rules and can differ between cultures and countries.

While some of these techniques may sound petty and a bit over the top, most have a sound explanation. Making service appear smooth and faultless allows the customer to relax and not be interrupted by service staff. It dates back to when servants were required to serve their masters without being noticed.

The order of who to serve first starts with the guest of honour and anyone else of importance. Followed by the eldest woman all the way to the youngest male. The host is to be served last. This is for all service to the table including taking food and drink orders and serving them (if serving all at once isn't possible).

Food and drinks are usually served from the left and cleared from the right but this varies in different regions of the world.

Plates are only cleared when everyone on the table has finished. To make sure everyone has finished, ask the table if they have finished followed by 'Was everything OK?' Although, this is fine, try ask a open question so you receive feedback rather than a yes or no.

Never rush your guests, allow for a break between courses especially before desserts. Obviously drinks are served before any food orders are taken. The bill is only given to the table once it has been asked for.

If the table has wine or champagne, remember to periodically top up their glasses. However there is a fine line between being intrusive and neglecting your customer. Avoid letting your customer pour their own drinks unless they have expressed this.

Remember to be human; you want your guests to be relaxed and comfortable. Build rapport with your guests, but don't become friends with them. Avoid making remarks about your guests, such as don't comment on a clean plate as that could imply your guest is greedy or fat.

Basic Rug Cleaning Tips for Food and Drink Spills

Food and drink spill are among the toughest cleaning problems to deal with for rug owners. It is a common occurrence yet some still do not know the right way to approach cleaning up this kind of mess. Not knowing the basics of cleaning up food and drink spills can really put rug owners at a disadvantage and their carpets at serious risk of long-term damage.

Whether you are having a party at your home or are just eating in the living room, spills can happen without a moment's notice. This is why learning how to properly clean them up is essential. Here are some basic rug cleaning tips for food and drink spills, which you can use the next time, you are in this kind of situation.

    Immediately Pick Up or Scoop Up the Spilled Item - Whether it is liquid or solid, it is important that you pick up or scoop up the excess spillage as much as possible to avoid making the problem worse. If you are dealing with liquid food or drink spills, get a clean sponge and absorb as much of the excess liquid as you can. For solid food spills, carefully pick up the loose particles using your hands.

    Blot the Spilled Area - After removing the excess food or drink spilled on the rug, the next basic step that you need to do is to blot the area with a clean white cloth or paper towels. This will help remove the excess moisture and to lessen the chances of it staining the rug. Pouring some warm water onto the stain before blotting will help get you better results in removing the spill or stain.

    Detergent Cleaning Solutions Work Great with Food and Drink Stains - When faced with food and drink spills or stains, using a cleaning solution made out of a solution of one teaspoon of laundry detergent (non-bleach) and a cup of warm water. This will be sure to get rid of any stains and spills coming from food and drinks. Apply this to the stain and blot using a clean, white cloth and you'll get your rug clean in a matter of a few tries.

These three tips can be of great help for those who are unfamiliar with cleaning food and drink spills on their rugs. Remember this useful advice to properly clean up any food or drink spill on your beautiful rug.

Do Not Eat These Foods If You Are an Asthma Sufferer

A healthy diet is recommended for asthma sufferers since some kinds of food might trigger any symptoms of this disease. If you are a sufferer of this disease, being really careful in eating will be very helpful to prevent sudden attacks. Surely, you do not want to take a big risk of suffering in pain just because you want to have certain delicious foods. Even though food allergies could trigger this respiratory problem in a small number of people only, avoiding some kinds of food will be highly recommended.

Some foods might trigger asthma attacks since it might cause allergic reactions. Therefore, check your meal well before you have it. If your meal contains additive benzoates, sulphites, gallates, and some colorings such as E102, E104 and E110, it will be better to avoid it. Then, you should also avoid cider, wine, and beer.

Other foods and drinks that you should avoid are food that contains yeast or mould such as bread and blue cheeses. Nuts, especially peanuts, is also should be avoided. Meanwhile, some kind of food such as milk, wheat, and eggs are also should be reduced.

Fruits and vegetables are commonly safe to be consumed. However, it will be better to avoid ripe bananas, oranges, lemons, sour fruit juice, sour fruits and pickles. Some vegetables that have constipative effects potatoes, arbi (colocasia) and legumes are also quite harmful. You can have white meat, red meat and fish but only in small quantities. However, sea fish should be avoided.

Other simple thing that will bring very bad effect for asthma sufferers is having cold drinks. Usually, some sufferers think that the temperature of the drink will not bring any bad effect for them. In fact, drinking water in cold temperature might trigger their disease. Therefore, avoid drinking cold drink will be really important to do.

Surely, being very careful in choosing certain kinds of food to be eaten will be very helpful to reduce your suffer from asthma. It is sort of simple thing, right?

Asthma sufferers could have a lot of preventive acts that will be helpful to reduce the symptoms of this disease, including by maintaining the humidity of the air in you house. Providing humidifier cool mist in your house will be a great solution to provide a home living environment with proper humidity level. However, you should also prepare replacement filters for your humidifier device. Whatever the brands, you can always find the best filters for each brand, such as Hunter humidifier filters or others. Just choose a certain product that matches your needs well.