After the JSP experience at the beginning of the week, I'm pleased to say that Friday afternoon provided a lovely finish to the end of it. But you'll have to wait as a lot of eating and drinking occured during the week. This is therefore likely to be a long blog so make sure you're sat comfortably with a large glass in hand before you start.
I had a long meeting on Wednesday and felt in the need of a coffee late afternoon to perk me up and so I went to good old Pret on Frith Street West. My latte (in seemingly one sensible size only) was £1.99. According to the website it is sesame, GM, gluten, wheat, egg and yeast free which is always good to know and it contained 194 calories. However, I was quite horrified to see that the calorie content of that innocuous carrot cake in a box that you're tempted by at the till, contains 402 calories. Check out the website for the calorie content of their sandwiches and you'll probably never go again!
In the evening I met my friend Nicola and as she's younger than me (she said I had to say this), I made her try some of the triendier places. First on our list was cocktails at Thirst on Greek Street West (http://www.thirstbar.com/index2_london.html). Although it was just opening at 5pm we got a friendly welcome. They have a huge drinks menu and we chose a Cosmopolitan which, as we were in Stupid Hour (from 5pm to 7.30pm), was £4 whilst my Classic Dry Martini was £6: it was only a Happy Hour drink (when prices go up slightly). Its website claim of being the busiest and best mid-weeker in Soho obviously doesn't apply at 5pm but nevertheless, it had comfy cream leather banquettes and trendy stainless steel tables and if you want an early evening cheap cocktail it's the place to go. However when the 'funky house, dirty house, elektro and mash up' music starts, it may be a different story. This description probably makes even Nicola feel old!
We then moved on to Jazz after Dark across the road on Greek Street East (http://www.jazzafterdark.co.uk/). Here we sat outside with a glass of rose for £4.50 and so didn't really see inside. It's probably the sort or place that just gets going, as I'm going to bed. However, the website does make it sound interesting and as there is food, it's probably worth a return visit at a later time.
We ate at Rosa's on Dean Street East (http://rosaslondon.com/soho), a lovely small, welcoming Thai restaurant. We shared Gai Hor Bai Teay which, to the uninitiated, is chicken marinated in garlic and coriander root and pepper wrapped in pandon leaves which was absolutely gorgeous and just right for sharing. Nicola then went for a safe green chicken curry, but I had to go for the jungle vegetarian curry as the only dish on the menu with the three chilli sign. With a sticky rice and a brown garlic rice and a bottle of Rose, our bill with a tip was a respectable £50. Both food and service were excellent and Nicola said it was the best Thai she'd ever had. She also said I had to report that I'd 'trashed my glass' by which she means I dropped it and the base broke. However, you will be pleased to know that not a drop of wine was spilt.
Well, the week is not yet over, but I'm exhausted and I expect your glass is empty so you'll have to wait a little while longer to hear about the celebrity end.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Thanks to Janet Street Porter . . .
. . . . I'm able to report I now have my first international follower, currently residing in Dubai. How did this happen and what does JSP have to do with it? Well, last night Maureen was reading the Daily Mail on-line and noticed that JSP had mentioned a Helen Jackson and e-mailed to see if it was me. I think she was concerned that I'd got married and she'd not been invited to the wedding as JSP had inadvertently married me off to RM!
Nothing to report on the eating/drinking front but the rest of the week looks promising.
Nothing to report on the eating/drinking front but the rest of the week looks promising.
Monday, 12 July 2010
The weigh in . . . .
As a 'friend' mentioned last week, to date I've failed to mention my lbs gained or lost. Details have been recorded weekly but I've been too busy focusing on food and drinks. However, I have been weighed this morning and the results are available to followers of this blog . . . . . .
Very spookily, just as I was finishing this post, I noticed four google ads on my design page (which I've never noticed before):
1. Tips to lose 2 stone in 3 weeks
2. Lose 1 stone per week
3. I lost a stone in 14 days
4. Alli weight loss pills
Very spookily, just as I was finishing this post, I noticed four google ads on my design page (which I've never noticed before):
1. Tips to lose 2 stone in 3 weeks
2. Lose 1 stone per week
3. I lost a stone in 14 days
4. Alli weight loss pills
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Saturday in Soho . . .
. . . and what an eye opener it was. It's fun people watching during the day, but in the evening the outfits and behaviours are even more outrageous. There were six in our party: me, RM, my follower, two glamorous god-daughters and their friend who provided much needed male support to RM who had been surrounded all weekend by four females.
The Dog and Duck - Frith Street W - provided pre-dinner drinks. Its a small, narrow pub and as it was a warm evening, we stood outside. Our bottle of Sauvignon was well chilled but at £9.50 we weren't expecting much. However, it surprised us all, so much so, that we had to have another just to check it really was less than a tenner and yes it was.
In view of our numbers, we'd booked ahead at Bistro1 as we thought its extensive Mediterranean menu would suit us all. (http://www.bistro1.co.uk). In addition, prices were reasonable with two courses for £9.90 or for an extra pound, you could have three. I was able to book on-line which I love as by the time you've performed the final click, there's an e-mail in your in-box and a text on your mobile. I was greeted by name on arrival, but as our table was not quite ready, I expertly managed to negotiate a complementary liqueur and coffee for us all which at £3.50 and £2.60 respectively, was a generous offer considering we only had to wait between 5 and 10 minutes (depending on whose watch you were looking at). We all had completely different meals (for me smoked salmon and avocado to start and penne chicken arabiatta. Sauvignon Blanc was £12.50 and our total bill for six came to a very reasonable £115 (I'll let those of you who are good at maths to work out how many bottles we had!). There was only downside: it was very busy and noisy which made chatting a bit difficult.
At this point the 'oldies' decided to call it a night and left the 'youngsters' to continue.
The following day I received an e-mail asking me to complete a short customer survey so they're obviously trying hard to get things right. Would I go again? Definitely, as it's an ideal choice for leaving lunches, birthdays etc.
The Dog and Duck - Frith Street W - provided pre-dinner drinks. Its a small, narrow pub and as it was a warm evening, we stood outside. Our bottle of Sauvignon was well chilled but at £9.50 we weren't expecting much. However, it surprised us all, so much so, that we had to have another just to check it really was less than a tenner and yes it was.
In view of our numbers, we'd booked ahead at Bistro1 as we thought its extensive Mediterranean menu would suit us all. (http://www.bistro1.co.uk). In addition, prices were reasonable with two courses for £9.90 or for an extra pound, you could have three. I was able to book on-line which I love as by the time you've performed the final click, there's an e-mail in your in-box and a text on your mobile. I was greeted by name on arrival, but as our table was not quite ready, I expertly managed to negotiate a complementary liqueur and coffee for us all which at £3.50 and £2.60 respectively, was a generous offer considering we only had to wait between 5 and 10 minutes (depending on whose watch you were looking at). We all had completely different meals (for me smoked salmon and avocado to start and penne chicken arabiatta. Sauvignon Blanc was £12.50 and our total bill for six came to a very reasonable £115 (I'll let those of you who are good at maths to work out how many bottles we had!). There was only downside: it was very busy and noisy which made chatting a bit difficult.
At this point the 'oldies' decided to call it a night and left the 'youngsters' to continue.
The following day I received an e-mail asking me to complete a short customer survey so they're obviously trying hard to get things right. Would I go again? Definitely, as it's an ideal choice for leaving lunches, birthdays etc.
Friday, 9 July 2010
One of my 'friends' . . . .
. . . . and I use the word hesitantly as she has not decided to become a follower has been questioning the part of my blog which mentioned 'pounds (i.e. the lbs variety) gained or lost. Do not fear M'Lady, I will report on Monday which is my weigh in day!
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Like the World Cup, it's not over yet . . .
Monday night ‘after work drinks’ found us in the Pillars of Hercules (Greek Street E). At £17, the Sauvignon Blanc was more expensive than the other pubs we’ve explored, but it was well chilled and good quality. The interior is spacious and there’s a quirky array of comfy tables and chairs which are not from the same family tree. However, what gave it a huge thumbs up, is that it was very clean and the two bar maids never stopped mopping and wiping (even the tomato sauce bottles where it gets cloggy round the top). Again, the food menu wasn’t as cheap as some (pies and burgers £7 to £8, and sandwiches at £5), but I was tempted by the evening sharing platters (Moroccan £7.95 and Nachos at £5.95). If I wanted somewhere to take a beer drinker, this would definitely be at the top of my list.
Piccadilly Line problems on 6 June meant a different route to work and so I got my morning coffee from Costa (Dean Street E). Why cannot the coalition Government introduce legislation to standardise coffee sizes into small, medium and large? I asked for a large skinny latte and received a gallon which got cold before the bottom was reached and at £2.60, it was more expensive than Café Nero.
Lunch on the same day was from 34b (Frith Street E). It’s a relatively small café but with lots of small outdoor tables in the sun and a few indoor seats sat up at a bar running around the outer edges: both are ideal for sitting and watching the world go by. Whilst waiting for my goats cheese, ham and wild rocket Panini to be toasted, I spotted a friend scurrying along but sporting a rather dashing cap. Unfortunately he was too far away for me to harangue him about being in the area but failing to invite me out for lunch. He later explained that he was hurrying to meet a friend of ours to look at the new moquette for the seats of the Central Line trains. Some of you reading this must recognise who he was going to meet. He has been asked to be described obliquely as ‘the ever troublesome GB’ and I and PR can heartily agree with this. Anyway, I digress: although the service wasn’t particularly friendly, there was a tempting choice of fillings served in a variety of breads. The fillings were all chalked on a blackboard which is a huge improvement on the Subway printed boards. My Panini at £4.25 was good value and it was large, with very strong goats cheese and more importantly, it was easy to eat.
The final entries for the working week: a drink at a Soho institution, the Coach and Horses (www.coachandhorsessoho.co.uk/index7.html). Although the outdoor seating comprises of very basic wooden tables and benches (the sort of thing that an amateur woodworker would knock up in an hour with a few unwanted planks) covered in red and white plastic gingham, at least there is somewhere to sit. The Granfort French Sauvignon Blanc was beautifully served in a large oval shaped plastic ice bucket and was therefore well chilled and good value at £15.95. Although there is a restaurant menu upstairs which looked interesting, the bar menu wouldn’t have been out of place in a Northern working man’s club (pork pie with piccalilli £6, pork scratchings £2.50, pickled and scotch eggs at £1 and £3 respectively.
As I with RM, we decided to have dinner out and chose a restaurant I wouldn’t dare invite anyone to and where I'd be embarrassed to be seen: Angus Steak House (Dean Street W) – didn’t they used to be known as Aberdeen Angus Steak House or are my farming roots coming to the fore? I always thought that the only people who went were American’s who didn’t know any better, but early on a Wednesday evening they were surprisingly busy with an eclectic bunch of customers. The burgundy décor and floral, swirly carpet looked outdated but the booths around the outer edge of the restaurant provided a perfect place for people watching. I was amazed at the prices for the steaks and so decided to cut out the starter and head straight for the main attraction. RM chose a 10oz medium sirloin (£18.95) with chips at £2.50 extra and I plumped for the austerity option of steak and ale pie at £13.95 with veg at £3.00. We chose the cheapest wine from the ‘crisp and dry’ category which went up to just over £40. The food was surprisingly good, particularly the green beans and broccoli which were well cooked. However, two things amazed me: people had actually reserved tables and were prepared to pay up to £40 for a bottle of wine. However the service was excellent (well done to the training manager) and Augustus was divine: young, tall, good looking and he looked you in the eye when he spoke to you. So not too bad an experience but the prices definitely put me off when there are so many cheaper alternatives around the corner.
So, although my working week is nearly over, a Saturday night in Soho with my Suffolk follower will, I hope be very promising! This could be my best week to date.
Piccadilly Line problems on 6 June meant a different route to work and so I got my morning coffee from Costa (Dean Street E). Why cannot the coalition Government introduce legislation to standardise coffee sizes into small, medium and large? I asked for a large skinny latte and received a gallon which got cold before the bottom was reached and at £2.60, it was more expensive than Café Nero.
Lunch on the same day was from 34b (Frith Street E). It’s a relatively small café but with lots of small outdoor tables in the sun and a few indoor seats sat up at a bar running around the outer edges: both are ideal for sitting and watching the world go by. Whilst waiting for my goats cheese, ham and wild rocket Panini to be toasted, I spotted a friend scurrying along but sporting a rather dashing cap. Unfortunately he was too far away for me to harangue him about being in the area but failing to invite me out for lunch. He later explained that he was hurrying to meet a friend of ours to look at the new moquette for the seats of the Central Line trains. Some of you reading this must recognise who he was going to meet. He has been asked to be described obliquely as ‘the ever troublesome GB’ and I and PR can heartily agree with this. Anyway, I digress: although the service wasn’t particularly friendly, there was a tempting choice of fillings served in a variety of breads. The fillings were all chalked on a blackboard which is a huge improvement on the Subway printed boards. My Panini at £4.25 was good value and it was large, with very strong goats cheese and more importantly, it was easy to eat.
The final entries for the working week: a drink at a Soho institution, the Coach and Horses (www.coachandhorsessoho.co.uk/index7.html). Although the outdoor seating comprises of very basic wooden tables and benches (the sort of thing that an amateur woodworker would knock up in an hour with a few unwanted planks) covered in red and white plastic gingham, at least there is somewhere to sit. The Granfort French Sauvignon Blanc was beautifully served in a large oval shaped plastic ice bucket and was therefore well chilled and good value at £15.95. Although there is a restaurant menu upstairs which looked interesting, the bar menu wouldn’t have been out of place in a Northern working man’s club (pork pie with piccalilli £6, pork scratchings £2.50, pickled and scotch eggs at £1 and £3 respectively.
As I with RM, we decided to have dinner out and chose a restaurant I wouldn’t dare invite anyone to and where I'd be embarrassed to be seen: Angus Steak House (Dean Street W) – didn’t they used to be known as Aberdeen Angus Steak House or are my farming roots coming to the fore? I always thought that the only people who went were American’s who didn’t know any better, but early on a Wednesday evening they were surprisingly busy with an eclectic bunch of customers. The burgundy décor and floral, swirly carpet looked outdated but the booths around the outer edge of the restaurant provided a perfect place for people watching. I was amazed at the prices for the steaks and so decided to cut out the starter and head straight for the main attraction. RM chose a 10oz medium sirloin (£18.95) with chips at £2.50 extra and I plumped for the austerity option of steak and ale pie at £13.95 with veg at £3.00. We chose the cheapest wine from the ‘crisp and dry’ category which went up to just over £40. The food was surprisingly good, particularly the green beans and broccoli which were well cooked. However, two things amazed me: people had actually reserved tables and were prepared to pay up to £40 for a bottle of wine. However the service was excellent (well done to the training manager) and Augustus was divine: young, tall, good looking and he looked you in the eye when he spoke to you. So not too bad an experience but the prices definitely put me off when there are so many cheaper alternatives around the corner.
So, although my working week is nearly over, a Saturday night in Soho with my Suffolk follower will, I hope be very promising! This could be my best week to date.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
My first follower . . .
Well, my first week back after my holiday has finally come to an end and I've only chalked up a disappointing two more.
They are all over with their garish green and yellow fronts, but have you ever been to Subway? I hadn't, but needed a quick lunch and so stepped into the Dean Street East branch. I was surprised to find what I thought was a rather limited menu. I chose a classic tuna with salad which was made by two people in front of me (one for the tuna and one for the salad). On the plus side, it was filling although I'm not sure about the quality of the white sub and I could have eaten it inside. On the minus side, when the tuna mayo was put onto the sandwich using an ice cream scoop it seemed a little odd and the forumulaic customer service patter is a real turn off. £3.95 - so not bad value but read about the following day where . . .
. . . . I had lunch at Trattoria Da Aldo (Greek Street West). I'd walked past a lot and had been eyeing up the £5.00 lunch - a limited choice of simple dishes but including a glass of wine or soft drink. It sounded like a bargain to me and was. Staff were friendly and service good. It is quite a small dark restaurant with tables jam packed together but, as it was quiet, that didn't matter. I had a good size bowl of penne and bolognaise sauce and yes, there wasn't a huge amount of sauce but it was tasty and filling (just what I needed to prepare me for an evening of drinking!). Bread and oil was optional, but at 50p you couldn't resist (the bread was rustic thick sliced and very good). Even with the 55p (10%) service charge automatically added, I felt that I'd dined like a queen for £6.05.
The evening saw me drinking in downstairs bar of The Forge http://www.theforgerestaurant.co.uk/. Yes, I know it's in Covent Garden but it's my favourite bar and all because of the wonderful barman, Camron Cube!
And now the exciting news! I now have my first follower (my very good friend Gill). However, I suspect it may be something to do with the fact that she is coming to stay with me next weekend and wants to bring both my lovely god-daughters. Also, like me she is new to blogging and so doesn't really know what to do or what it means (I am in much the same position), but I am thrilled and think its the start of something much bigger! Thank you Gill x
They are all over with their garish green and yellow fronts, but have you ever been to Subway? I hadn't, but needed a quick lunch and so stepped into the Dean Street East branch. I was surprised to find what I thought was a rather limited menu. I chose a classic tuna with salad which was made by two people in front of me (one for the tuna and one for the salad). On the plus side, it was filling although I'm not sure about the quality of the white sub and I could have eaten it inside. On the minus side, when the tuna mayo was put onto the sandwich using an ice cream scoop it seemed a little odd and the forumulaic customer service patter is a real turn off. £3.95 - so not bad value but read about the following day where . . .
. . . . I had lunch at Trattoria Da Aldo (Greek Street West). I'd walked past a lot and had been eyeing up the £5.00 lunch - a limited choice of simple dishes but including a glass of wine or soft drink. It sounded like a bargain to me and was. Staff were friendly and service good. It is quite a small dark restaurant with tables jam packed together but, as it was quiet, that didn't matter. I had a good size bowl of penne and bolognaise sauce and yes, there wasn't a huge amount of sauce but it was tasty and filling (just what I needed to prepare me for an evening of drinking!). Bread and oil was optional, but at 50p you couldn't resist (the bread was rustic thick sliced and very good). Even with the 55p (10%) service charge automatically added, I felt that I'd dined like a queen for £6.05.
The evening saw me drinking in downstairs bar of The Forge http://www.theforgerestaurant.co.uk/. Yes, I know it's in Covent Garden but it's my favourite bar and all because of the wonderful barman, Camron Cube!
And now the exciting news! I now have my first follower (my very good friend Gill). However, I suspect it may be something to do with the fact that she is coming to stay with me next weekend and wants to bring both my lovely god-daughters. Also, like me she is new to blogging and so doesn't really know what to do or what it means (I am in much the same position), but I am thrilled and think its the start of something much bigger! Thank you Gill x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)