Cha Cha Moon (Chinese) - London, England (7/10)

Alan Yau’s long-awaited Chinese noodle bar Cha Cha Moon finally opened off Carnaby Street a few days ago. The restaurateur behind Wagamama and Busaba Eathai (as well as Hakkasan, Yauatcha and Sake no Hana of course) has returned to low-budget communal dining.

I hadn’t planned on visiting quite so soon, but when fellow blogger Charmaine at tasty treats! announced that all dishes were priced at £3.50 (!!), my friend and I hurried over to investigate. I’m sure it’s just a promotional offer (lasting two weeks, perhaps a little more, according to our waiter Carlos). As Cha Cha Moon does not take reservations, we turned up at noon - opening time!

The interior resembles an upmarket Wagamama, with long, communal wooden tables and leather-covered benches. The high chairs along a high, narrow counter towards the back by the open doors, overlooking Kingly Court, would be good for solitary diners, with a nice overview of the entire restaurant.

As there were very few people when we arrived, it felt airy and spacious. I honestly thought the place would have been packed because of the amazing offer, but there were about only 20 diners for lunch between 12 to 1. I can imagine the noise and heat during peak times though, particularly with the open kitchen.

That infuriating Alan Yau ‘no photos’ policy was enforced again, as soon as I whipped out my camera phone to take a photo of the interior (with no other diners in frame). A waitress rushed over to tell me that I couldn’t take photos. I asked why and was informed it was a ‘privacy’ matter. I pointed out that there were no diners in my photo, to which she responded that it was ‘restaurant policy’, but that I could take ‘private’ (as in personal) photos. I took that to mean that I could take photos of the food I had ordered and would be paying for, and proceeded to snap away. What is it with Alan Yau and photos??

How To Make Japanese Beans With Sesame & Miso Dressing

In January, I wrote about 8 Useful Japanese Ingredients. Here’s a simple recipe for fine beans with sesame & miso dressing that I learnt from Kimiko Barber at her Japanese Kitchen cookery workshop held at Books for Cooks in Notting Hill, London. She’s written various cookery books on Japanese food, and focuses on home-style cooking. The recipe is taken from the workshop recipe booklet that was handed out in class. This would make a delicious side dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 200g / 7oz fine beans, trimmed
• 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish

Konstam (British) - Review - London, England (9/10)

It’s been ages since I’ve been to a restaurant that’s filled me with so much exhilaration. And the fact that it also made my sceptical vegetarian husband feel the same way made the experience even more enjoyable.

Konstam is a London restaurant that hit the headlines when its young owner and chef Oliver Rowe was the subject of BBC TV series ‘The Urban Chef‘. Cameras followed him as he tried to set up his restaurant and source all his ingredients from locations within Greater London (eg anywhere covered by the London Underground). It was rather gimmicky, and I never thought to try it out when it opened in 2006. But having been twice in the last two months, our friend has been raving about Konstam, so we went with her and another die-hard fan to see what all the fuss was about.

The restaurant is set in a small Victorian pub, with an open kitchen, situated where the bar used to be. The best two tables are apparently the ones by the kitchen area, where you can watch your food being prepared. I asked to be moved from one of these though, as it was too hot. The ‘chainmail’ decor was something we had laughed at when the designer came up with it on the TV series. I’m still not sure if it works, but it is unusual.

At 7pm, we were the first to arrive, but the place was soon packed with diners, some of whom were clearly regulars. There was no pressure to leave after our meal, and we stayed for over 3 hours, unheard of in most London restaurants where you’re simply allocated a time slot. I must mention the service, which was the most welcoming that I’ve come across in a long, long time. We actually felt like they wanted us to be there, and each question (mostly from me as I grilled the waiter about the origins of each ingredient) was answered in a genuinely friendly manner.

Where To Eat Dim Sum In London

I’ve been eating dim sum regularly ever since I was a child. Cantonese families love to get together for dim sum, particularly at the weekends. I’m quite particular about what I eat, and therefore where I eat, so being a creature of habit, I tend to frequent the same dim sum restaurants in London. Although there’s nothing wrong with the places that I go to, I couldn’t help wondering if there weren’t perhaps other great restaurants just waiting to be discovered. So I set myself the challenge of broadening my gastronomic horizons and eating outside my comfort zone.

Over the last few months, I’ve sampled countless baskets and plates at a variety of dim sum restaurants. At first I thought I would end up compiling a list of my top ten favourites, but that would be too simplistic.

When I choose a dim sum restaurant, there are various factors that have to be taken into account. Who will be going with me? What’s the most convenient location for everyone? How much can everyone afford? (if it’s family, then one person usually pays). What style of dim sum - traditional or modern?

The single most exciting discovery has got to be Pearl Liang. I only wish I had found it sooner. Hakkasan wasn’t as amazing as I had been led to expect. But as I’m a Yauatcha regular, my standards were already high. Shanghai Blues looked very elegant, but the quality of dim sum wasn’t that consistent, while Imperial China is still my top choice for Chinatown. Royal China’s standards have dropped, and I’m afraid that Royal China Club is nothing special. And I’m disappointed that I couldn’t fit Yi-Ban in at the end. I do intend to go though, but if you’ve been, then do let me know what it’s like!

Nahm (Thai) - Review - London, England (6/10)

It was London Restaurant Week recently, during which set £15 lunch and £25 dinner menus were on offer at top restaurants around the capital. Fellow food blogger Charmaine from tasty treats! and I decided to join forces and visit Australian chef David Thompson’s Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Nahm.

We were both extremely excited about going. In fact, I’d forgotten to check reviews on-line before the trip, which was, in retrospect, a mistake. I’m laughing out loud as I read them. Charmaine and I initially thought the quality of the food might have been affected by the fact that it was London Restaurant Week. From the reviews I’ve subsequently read, however, Nahm simply appears to be consistently below standard. And it’s a Michelin-starred restaurant…

Second Helpings (April 08 Round-up)

A monthly summary about World Foodie Guide …

Research continued for my upcoming post on Where To Eat Dim Sum In London, which is set for publication on 5th May (finally!). I went to Hakkasan, Pearl Liang and Royal China Club. Just one more to go, hopefully Yi-Ban in the Docklands…

My husband and I took a break from dim sum and treated my brother to a birthday lunch at Japanese restaurant Sushi-Say. And my mother sent me her recipe for Chinese steamed egg, a simple, tasty classic that I’ve loved since childhood. She and my father are visiting from Costa Rica next month, so I’ll have plenty of home-cooked food to look forward to!

I went along to an interesting discussion on Chinese food at the British Museum, hosted by food critic Fay Maschler, with guest speakers Alan Yau, Sir David Tang and Fuschia Dunlop (who consults at Sichuanese restaurant Bar Shu that I had visited just days before). It was funny to hear David Tang dismissing Alan Yau’s restaurants as serving fancy food, when his own restaurant China Tang is so over-priced that I just refuse to eat there.

The Real Food Festival at Earl’s Court was definitely worthwhile - my stomach is still full from the tastings!

Fellow food blogger Charmaine from tasty treats! and I had lunch at Michelin-starred Thai eaterie Nahm, as part of London Restaurant Week. I’ll be posting about it on 2nd May.

Finally, as friends have been asking about restaurants in Madeira, I posted a summary of the places I went to last July in Where To Eat In Madeira, Portugal. It really brought back lovely memories of the seafood I had…

Thanks as always for reading World Foodie Guide!

Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide

Real Food Festival - London 2008

Since Thursday, food lovers have been converging on Earl’s Court, London for the four day long Real Food Festival, billed as the largest farmers market in the UK. According to the festival’s website, it was inspired by the Slow Food Movement, and focuses on ’sustainability, provenance, biodiversity and fairness to farmers and rural communities’.

As responsible consumers, it’s important to be aware of the environmental impact of food production and to learn about what we put in our stomachs. I had an incredible dinner at Konstam a few nights ago, which prides itself on sourcing over 85% of its produce inside Greater London (review coming soon). So I was in the perfect frame of mind to meet 500 small food and drink producers from around the country, and sample their produce…

Royal China Club (Chinese) - Review - London, England (6.5/10)

Royal China Club was on my list of Chinese restaurants to try, as part of my ongoing research on where to eat dim sum in London (results to be posted on 8th May). I wasn’t actually that keen to go, as I’m not that impressed anymore with the dim sum at the standard Royal China branches. Once an exciting place to go and have delicious dim sum, its standards and service have, in my opinion, dropped in recent times (plus it faces stiff competition elsewhere). But as I’d read that Heston Blumenthal had ordered practically everything on the dim sum menu, I thought I’d better investigate.

Sushi-Say (Japanese) - London, England (7.5/10)

Japanese family-run restaurant Sushi-Say in Willesden Green is one of those restaurants that people always seem to be talking about. Given the explosion in the number of small Japanese family-run restaurants in London over the last decade, it’s hard to keep trying new ones. I tend to go to the same few - Yoisho, Jinkichi, Asakusa, while my Japanese stepmother-in-law likes the set lunch at Mitsukoshi. But as Sushi-Say regularly tops lists of recommended eateries, I thought I’d give it a try for my brother’s birthday lunch.

Located just a few doors down from Willesden Green tube station, it’s easy to find. It’s apparently had a make-over and looks simple but modern, with a sleek sushi counter, and about 10 or so small tables in the main section. Screened off towards the back is a sunken table with tatami seating (for 6-8 people, I’d say).

Before I move onto the food, I have to say I don’t understand Sushi-Say’s policy with regards to children. Having read on-line that a couple were turned away because they had two children, I was still a little surprised when making a reservation over the phone to be asked whether there would be any children. I’ve never been asked this question before by any restaurant. And yet when we arrived, there was a child seated at the noisiest table in the entire restaurant. So does Sushi-Say welcome children or not? I’m afraid I didn’t ask the owner. But if you’re planning to take children, do check when making a reservation.

Pearl Liang (Chinese) - Review - London, England (8.5/10)

Since Chinese restaurant Pearl Liang opened last year, many people have been singing its praises. However, its Paddington location has meant that it has been languishing on my wishlist, until now. I finally decided to make a concerted effort to go with husband and friends one Sunday, as part of my ongoing research into the best places to eat dim sum in London (to be published in early May).

If you’re visiting for the first time, an essential instructions page on how to find the restaurant can be downloaded from its website. Without this, it would be hard to find, as it’s situated in a new development. The interior is elegant, modern and spacious, with chairs and deep, comfortable banquettes upholstered in striking fuschia. Brazilian elevator music was set at background level, which was a relief from Yauatcha-level noise. As we had booked in advance, we were shown to one of the nicest tables with banquette seating (no 10, if you must know!).