YUMMEI

Rasa Sayang - Chinatown - London

Hello....is it me you're looking for?

The Reach Bar and Kitchen - Gallions Reach - London *

January has been a month of post-feasting depression.

It's that time of year where you stare at yourself in the mirror and say to yourself "Dayyym what have I become?!." *cry sulk cry*

We've all been there.

I feel your pain.

I have become a whale too.

I know some of you have already started those New Year's work outs.

Some of you have taken that extra mile and have started your New Year diets.

Good for you. Well done. Kudos.

BUT I've fractured my foot (toe), so til that's healed I'm just going to sit here proudly and show you ALL what you've been missing out on.

Hare and Tortoise - Blackfriars - London

Sometimes you just have to go back to basics.

During my time at uni, there was only one place I could afford to eat at and feel totally satisfied.

So satisfied, that it was inevitable that this event would be proceeded by an afternoon nap.

Nowadays, every time I go back, I am struck with this strong sense of nostalgia. (Probably because it's no longer acceptable to take a nap at 2pm.)

Anyway let me introduce you to my dear old friend; Hare and Tortoise.

Recipes - Yummei Spring Rolls

Since it is Chinese New Year, I thought that I should probably stop being such a sloth and make something.

Besides everyone likes deep-fried food.

There is nothing better than to bite down onto something hot, hard and crispy ;]

Oh don't you look at me like that, you know it's true.

What you will need:

This will feed a family of 10 (depending on how small you make them). I make them bite-size.

Filling:

1 large carrot - finely grated
1 large red onion - diced into small cubes
3-4 Cloves garlic - diced
1 egg
6 pieces of Cloud-ear fungus or Shitake Mushrooms(you don't need to use this, I just did because of CNY) - finely sliced
Handful of Vermicelli rice noodles - soak for about 30seconds-1minute in warm water before.
150-200g Pork or beef - minced/diced/smacked up
1 tbsp Sesame oil
1-2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
Salt and pepper

Essentially you can use any vegetables/meat you want. Just slice and dice.

Wrap:

1 Pack of Spring Roll Pastry (i.e. TYJ Spring Home) - this comes in a huge pack of squares, cut them up so you get 4 small squares.

Method:

Dicing: slice/grate/chop all your vegetables + Vermicelli noodles and toss into a large steel bowl.
Mix: Arm yourself using chopsticks/fork/spatula and stir the mix up so all the ingredients are well blended together.
Crack in the egg and mix again: this helps to combine the mixture together.
Folding: Grab your square of spring roll pastry, and plant it diagonally on your work surface so it looks like a diamond

b) Dollop a teaspoon of the mix in the centre of the diamond.

c) Take the bottom corner and fold it over the mix in the centre.

d) Take the right hand corner and fold it over to the centre of the diamond.

e) Do the same to the opposite side.

f) Now, you should have something that resembles an open envelope.

g) Using the dollop of mix as a guide just roll it up to the top corner.

h) Rub some of the raw egg on the last corner to seal the spring roll, so it won't collapse when you fry it.

Catch my drift?

No?~

FASTFORWARD- Hong Kong and Singapore

I was going to write many reviews on the various places I went to eat during my travels, but then this post would just never end.

So i'm just going to ambush you all with many images of my travels to Hong Kong and Singapore.

Just so you can have a glimpse into my life/ how happy my stomach is.

Asian Ice lollies

Hong Kong Desserts - Hui Lau Shan and Honeymoon Dessert

January diet??

I think it's time you put those dumbbells down and feast your eyes ;]

Wherever you go in Hong Kong, you are bound to bump into Hui Lau Shan AND/OR Honeymoon Dessert.

Being so commonly dotted around like some sort of seductress, it's only natural to go to both in one day.

Hui Lau Shan

This is one of the most common dessert chains you will come across in Hong Kong, it will be on street corners, booths, food courts, shopping malls etc. just shaking it's mangoes at you.

Pepper Lunch - Hong Kong

There are some things that the Asians' just do better, and one of those things is their Fast Food.

Food is gourmet in Asian Food Courts compared to the West.

So move over Mcdonald's, Burger King and KFC and meet Fast Food Asian Style.

If I had to sit here and list it all to you, you would just faint at the sheer magnitude of the selection.

One of my favourite places to eat in the Food Courts in almost every shopping mall, is Pepper Lunch.

Pepper Lunch, is an ingenious concept from Japan.

Think- your own personal Teppanyaki, where you cook your food on a hot, sizzling plate.

Genius.

You can choose, either beef, chicken, or salmon and they all come with rice plus extras depending on your combo deal.

For ~£6.50 I ordered the Pepper Steak.

Is this a dream!?

The steak arrived leisurely lying upon a sizzling hot plate, so you have to cook it quick and rest it on the bed of vegetables - if you like to keep your steak medium rare like I do.

For ease of cooking, the steak is already cut into strips

Pepper Steak served with beansprouts, sweetcorn, green beans and an bowl of rice.

Yatzen - Contemporary Oriental Cuisine- South Woodham Ferrers - Essex

After I graduated from University, I was forced to retreat back to my hometown in Essex.

Grumbling, I packed up my belongings and moved home (this is a temporary arrangement of course).

The variety of restaurants here is dismal, with too many chain restaurants suffocating the town centre; programming the tastebuds of the people to only enjoy junk food.

Le sigh.

Wandering into a neighbouring town I stumbled across a diamond in the rough, so to speak.

Hidden behind a mass of commercial buildings is Yatzen; a contemporary Oriental restaurant specialising in Chinese and Malaysian foods.

So, let me introduce you guys to her.

World meet Yatzen.

Yatzen; world.

Now you've been formally introduced, let's crack on.

Going GLOBAL

I know I said I would tell you why I've been MIA for 3 months.

But you see I've just been a bit too preoccupied in being awesome.

Surely that's a worthy excuse?

No?

Alright fine.

Some of you may know that I was hauled away to Hong Kong for uh.. business, now I can't tell you exactly what I got up to, but I'll show you what I ate.

Let the orgy begin!

@ Parkway supermarket - Ma On Shan

Madd - Mango Desserts - Soho - Central London

As you all should know by now is that I have a bit of a sweet tooth. So when a friend suggested that we go to MADD Soho, I jumped at the idea.

They pride themselves on being an exotic mango heaven, with the dessert menu consisting of mango-based desserts ranging from fruit tarts, to mousses, cheesecakes, fools and crème brûlée; all reasonably priced from £4.50 - £6.00.

Shanghai Blues – Green dumplings? - Holborn - London

We all know service in China town for dim sum can be a rushed affair, but hey it’s China Town we expect it, and usually we can’t fault the food nor the price for those precious dumplings.

But where Shanghai Blues with its intimate dark décor, glossy tiles, and deep mahogany wooden furniture fails despairingly in service, it (kind-of) makes up for with the food.

The service was a mishap of wrong orders, lost orders, dishes that never came and being over-charged for dishes we didn’t order, and dishes being flung onto the table that a dumpling jumps from the clutches of the plate. You know service is bad when even the dumpling tries to escape.

If you are one of those people where bad service can really ruin your afternoon (it was lunch after all) maybe Shanghai Blues isn’t for you.

YUMMEI

20/07/2015

Rasa Sayang - Chinatown - London

18/01/2014

The Reach Bar and Kitchen - Gallions Reach - London *

17/11/2013

Hare and Tortoise - Blackfriars - London

11/02/2013

Recipes - Yummei Spring Rolls

24/01/2013

FASTFORWARD- Hong Kong and Singapore

12/01/2013

Hong Kong Desserts - Hui Lau Shan and Honeymoon Dessert

04/01/2013

Pepper Lunch - Hong Kong

07/11/2012

Yatzen - Contemporary Oriental Cuisine- South Woodham Ferrers - Essex

17/10/2012

Going GLOBAL

30/05/2012

Madd - Mango Desserts - Soho - Central London

06/01/2012

Shanghai Blues – Green dumplings? - Holborn - London