YUMMEI

Yalla Yalla - Lebanese - Oxford Street - London

Nothing get's me out of the house faster than a dinner date with friends.

Or in other words....okay the ONE word; food.

J. & W. had a burning desire for some Lebanese.

Normally I would head to Maroush, but I wanted to try something different, and heard that Yalla Yalla's second, and more spacious branch had recently opened in Oxford Street.

Amidst all the shops and offices in Oxford Circus stands Yalla Yalla.

It's hard to miss the black and yellow exterior of Yalla Yalla, nor the buzzing young crowd of people normally queuing out the door.

The interior is cosy, and is set out in a cafe style, with long high tables.

Ideal for groups, but sitting on the stools at the high tables can feel abit uncomfortable if you're 5ft 3 like me, but after a few cocktails and good company you won't really care. (Just be careful not to lean back, lose your balance and fall head first on the floor.)

Burger and Lobster - Farringdon - London

If you live in London, I'm sure you would have heard of Burger and Lobster.

Since it first opened last December in Mayfair, B&L has been creating heatwaves in the atmosphere.

So hot that it was necessary to open branches in Soho, and most recently in Farringdon both in the same year.

The concept is simple:

3 Choices:

Beef Burger (Beef burger, with optional bacon and cheese)

Lobster (You know just a huge, stonking lobster with a jug of garlic and lemon butter)

Or

Lobster Roll (Cold lobster served on toasted brioche with a dash of wasabi mayo or lemon and garlic dressing)

All served with salad and chips.

Priced at £20 each.

B&L have recently introduced sharing lobster options, which is basically a bigger, and more badass lobster weighing up to ~10bl for £150 with unlimited salad and chips (Prices start from £60 onwards; for the sharing lobsters depending on size).

Anyway for £20, for a whole lobster? Sweet Mother may I?!?!

Namu - Japanese Street Food - Kingston

I don't know about you, but when I don't satisfy a craving I become possessed; and have to go hunting to find that one thing that I just simply must have.

Such cravings can only be satisfied on street corners ;]

Street Market corners that is.

Behind Kingston's Ancient Market in London, is Namu; a little Japanese Café (along with many other food stalls).

@Namu

Shiro - Faux Japanese Restaurant

Having spent aeons of time in Asia, you'd think I'd tire of Oriental food by now.

Passing by the newly refurbished restaurant, Shiro, (formerly known as Niko Niko) just off Tottenham Court Road; I was summoned inside by the simple and minimalist decor AND my craving for anything teriyaki.

It was empty at the time S. and I strolled in.

The Real Food Market - Southwark - London

Huge stonking beef burgers, giant simmering cauldrons of paella, chocolate dripping off cinnamon churros....

Got your attention yet?

During the time when September was still a sunny and happy place.

S. and I, wandered off to The Real Food Market located in the Southwark Centre.

Unlike many of the other street food markets, which only operate during the weekdays; The Real Food Market is open every weekend Friday - Sunday.

It's the perfect place to impress your date with your extensive knowledge of food, or even to just hang out with your friends and dip your fingers into some real finger-licking food.

So feast your eyes.

Ishtar - Turkish Restaurant and Bar - Baker Steet - London

My love affair with Ishtar began yesterday when I stumbled across her whilst I was wandering aimlessly around Marylebone/Baker Street; after an intense shopping trip in Bicester Village.

Shhh... please don't tell my boyfriend; Tas, in Bloomsbury.

Ishtar stole my heart.

It was love at first bite.

Let me show you how she swept me off my feet.

Eat Tokyo - Charing Cross - London

After gorging myself to death in Marrakesh on tagines, I swore if I saw another one I was going to go break something.

I needed another cuisine, you know something more close to home.

Besides after a holiday, it is almost certain that I was going to have absolutely no food except for that dusty old pot of ramen noodles in my cupboard, so locating a delicious yet cheap restaurant is a must.

It's time to whip out another one of my emergency local cheap-eats.

So hello Eat Tokyo.

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.

Tas Restaurant - Bloomsbury - London

The other day I had major cravings for Turkish food, you know those urges that you just have to satisfy otherwise you'll become moody? ...Just me?

Anyway I could not think of any better place to gratify my desires than my local favourite, Tas.

I simply love this place, when in need of good quality Turkish food, that won't blow a hole in your wallet. This is the place to go. So come and join me!

Let me walk you through what I had.

Upon arrival you are given complimentary olives, and hummus with crusty bread.

I went for the utterly cheap Sahan set menu for £9.95. For starters I had the red lentil soup. Main course; lamb shish with cous cous and a chilli salsa.

Kula Cafe - Heartbreak Waffle - Bond Street - London

Don't you just hate it when a 'bitchy' waitress/waffle lady just ruins your evening by being overtly rude, for no apparent reason.

Since I was in a waffle/ice-cream parlour, I unfortunately WRONGLY assumed that the waffle lady working there would have a weakness for ice cream. I mean who doesn't like ice cream!? That's just criminal.

How did I know that I got it so wrong ? Well asking the waitress what her recommended ice-cream flavour resulted in her reply being 'I don't eat ice-cream so I don't know.'

Awkward.

Anyway - after much deliberation and hovering over the ice-cream counter oohing and arrr-ing at their 'selection' - I decided to play it safe and try their pistaccio and praline&cream ice cream

Oh you must be wondering what I mean by 'selection,' well unfortuately, I happened to come here on a thursday afternoon, when they were restocking their ice-cream half way through the day - so many ice-creams were unavailable. Since 2.30pm is an inconvenient time obviously so HALF their ice-creams were unavailable.

Moving on to their milkshakes, since I wanted a refreshing milkshake - I opted for their grapefruit yoghurt concoction.

Hakuba - Wasabi Mash? - Tottenham Court Road - London

UPDATED

Hakuba: ‘Japanese food with Californian influences...’

I'm going to leave you with that statement.

.

I know, I know, you’re all probably thinking - not another restaurant serving Asian food with ‘WESTERN’ influences!?

Countless times I've been left rather unimpressed with restaurants that deem to be able to ‘infuse’ Asian flavours with a ‘Western’ twist; and I usually try to avoid such places that claim they can inject the 'contemporary' into Asian food. Simply because, the food is often bland, over-cooked, and a Frankenstein of the original dish.

Little Persia - Queensway - London

Lured by the sweet shisha smoke, underneath a heated theatrical tent is Little Persia's Shisha lounge, where you're welcomed to enjoy the Eastern waterpipes accompanied by a vast selection of cocktails. Perfect whatever the weather.

Little Persia instantly whisks you away to the Middle East.

Navigating through the shisha lounge you enter a cosy dining area where the dimmed romantic lighting, different coloured lanterns, plush velvet pillows, and mosaic-topped tables, creates a very laid-back exotic atmosphere.

Naan bread is freshly baked in a stone oven next to the entrance, as soon as you step through the door you are instantly greeted with the warming aroma of freshly baked bread. I felt very much at home as I lounged lazily amongst the pillows. Time felt very slow, so be very aware that you can spend long indulgent hours here, without even realising.

Bar Caffe Ciao - After Eight Ice Cream Waffles?! - Leicester Square - London

This little Italian ice-cream parlour, located south of Leicester Square perching on Charing Cross Road is Bar Ciao; and is quite simply the only place for desserts.

After Eight Ice Cream Sundae

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.

Po Cha : Seafood Beef Bibimbap - Tottenham Court Road - London

Situated on London's Korean Street bang in the middle of Centre Point is Po Cha. As soon as you step foot into this dinky family run restaurant, without a doubt there will be Korean diners at ever corner from opening to closing time.

You know it's good when a Korean restaurant is filled with Koreans customers itself. Definitely a testament of how delectable the food is.

Despite being a bit cluttered and cramped, it has an intimate feel, due to the dim lighting throughout the restaurant. What Po Cha lacks in it's environmental ergonomics it makes up for with the food.

I do apologise for the photo quality - as you can see I got a bit overexcited and savaged my Bibimbap with my spoon, before I could take a picture of how beautifully presented it was.

Byron Hamburgers - Covent Garden - London

Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve been on the hunt for ‘THE ULTIMATE BURGER.’ A quest that has yet to be successful but with the growing number of American diners/restaurants popping up around London; my journey has only really just begun.

Normally I am quite sceptical about chain restaurants; however Byron is actually pretty damn sexual.

The clean simple décor of Byron lead to a chilled out atmosphere, and I fell comfortably into the sofa seat. Definitely a place for a relaxed evening with friends, the staff were friendly and not at all pushy unlike some you find in other dare-I-say ‘fast food restaurants.’

Street Food : Takoyaki Churros? - Brunswick Centre - Russell Square - London

Having stumbled ungracefully into Brunswick Saturday Food Market, I began my hunt by mincing around the stalls having what one could only describe as a ‘full-on ogle’ at the worldly delights they had to offer. Burritos, paella, rib-eye steak burgers, polish hot dogs, noodles, curries, and many more.

Eat Street: Kimchee Cult and Luardos' Burrito - Kings Cross - London

Eat Street, is only open Monday-Friday's from 11.30am-2.30pm. Each day there are 4-6 stalls open, alternating for variation, it so happened on this day there was Luardo's, Kimchee Cult, Anna Mae's, and Tongue n' Cheek manning their stalls.

I trekked here on a freezing December afternoon, and after almost contracting frost bite; it was obvious that I needed to indulge my tastebuds with some much needed TLC.

YUMMEI

02/02/2013

Yalla Yalla - Lebanese - Oxford Street - London

30/12/2012

Burger and Lobster - Farringdon - London

14/11/2012

Namu - Japanese Street Food - Kingston

01/11/2012

Shiro - Faux Japanese Restaurant

27/09/2012

The Real Food Market - Southwark - London

15/07/2012

Ishtar - Turkish Restaurant and Bar - Baker Steet - London

25/06/2012

Eat Tokyo - Charing Cross - London

30/05/2012

Madd - Mango Desserts - Soho - Central London

29/05/2012

Tas Restaurant - Bloomsbury - London

18/05/2012

Kula Cafe - Heartbreak Waffle - Bond Street - London

25/02/2012

Hakuba - Wasabi Mash? - Tottenham Court Road - London

05/02/2012

Little Persia - Queensway - London

26/01/2012

Bar Caffe Ciao - After Eight Ice Cream Waffles?! - Leicester Square - London

06/01/2012

Shanghai Blues – Green dumplings? - Holborn - London

05/01/2012

Po Cha : Seafood Beef Bibimbap - Tottenham Court Road - London

Byron Hamburgers - Covent Garden - London

04/01/2012

Street Food : Takoyaki Churros? - Brunswick Centre - Russell Square - London

02/01/2012

Eat Street: Kimchee Cult and Luardos' Burrito - Kings Cross - London