YUMMEI

Sake & Spice - Moti Mahal - Covent Garden

I love unlikely food pairings.

It's a bit like living on the edge, wild and free.

And the best part? It feels a little naughty yet so right.

Labels: By Area - Covent Garden, By District - Central London, food, Indian, Japanese, Moti Mahal, Restaurant Review, Spice and Sake

#ZoMeeto at Sponge and Cream Bakery - Brixton -

With Halloween just around the corner, this calls for an evening of gluttony!

Labels: British, By Area - Brixton, By District - South London, Cake Decorating, Cakes, dessert, food, How To, Lifestyle, Recipe, Restaurant Review, Sponge and Cream, Yummei

J-Dog - Shoreditch - London

After being away, there is nothing I seem to want more than food that is just a little bit on the dirtier side.

Labels: By Area - Shoreditch, By District - East London, food, Hot Dog, J Dog, Japanese, Restaurant Review, street food

Rasa Sayang - Chinatown - London

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

Labels: By Area - Soho, By District - Central London, Chinese, food, Halal, Malaysian, Rasa Sayang, Restaurant Review, Singaporean

Dotori - Finsbury Park - London

WARNING: I have a problem.

I suffer from a serious disorder called Hungry Eyes Syndrome.

Labels: By Area - Finsbury Park, By District - North London, Dotori, food, Japanese, Korean, Restaurant Review

Jamie's Italian - Threadneedle Street - Bank - London *

I have a soft spot for Jamie Oliver.

Labels: Bank, British, By Area - Bank, By District - Central, food, Italian, Jamie Oliver, Jamies Italian, London Restaurants, Restaurant Review

Sushi Tetsu - Farringdon - London

Those who have been fortunate enough to get a seat at Sushi Tetsu, know of the trauma attached to finally getting that coveted reservation at this 7 seater restaurant.

Harumi and Toru Takahashi set up shop in a tiny alleyway in Farringdon, with only 7 seats at the bar. It's so eye wateringly small you have to do a double-take. It feels so exclusive that like Sushi Tetsu was opened for the night just for you.

Sushi Tetsu offer only sushi and sashimi.

Purity at it's finest.

Sea Bream

Labels: By Area - Farringdon, By District - Central, food, Japanese, Lifestyle, Restaurant Review, Sushi Tetsu

Chotto Matte - Soho - London

2015 is here! January marks the struggle to keep those damned New Year's Resolutions.

Sometimes, you just have to strike out every now and then. Give in to a little temptation.

Lately, I seem to have been appointed as Fairy Godmother.

I'm being undulated with requests on where to take a girl out for that all important Post-First-Date location.

Time to up the ante fellas, and seal the deal with the help of Chotto Matte.

It's dark, a little naughty and seriously sexy.

Labels: By Area - Soho, By District - Central, Chotto Matte, food, Japanese, London, Restaurant Review, Yummei

Marco Pierre White's Steak House - Liverpool Street - London

When you're stressed, you develop a few bad habits.

You give in to things, you wouldn't normally give in to.

You do bad things.

Sinful things.

Like this...

Labels: British, By Area - Liverpool Street, By District - Central, By District - Central London, cheap eats, Date, food, London, Marco Pierre White, Restaurant Review, Steak, Steakhouse, Yummei

Big Easy - BBQ & Whisky Master Class - Covent Garden - London *

Man Vs. Food was and still is one of my FAVOURITE shows of all time.

Who doesn't envy Adam Richman, travelling all over America feasting on that fine ass BBQ.

Whilst we sit there salivating. Wishing we were thousands of miles across the Atlantic, getting our hands dirty eating that true American BBQ too.

If only there was some way we could get our hands on it?

Oh wait...

There is!

Since the Big Easy expanded their empire to Covent Garden, in London.

Making it that much easier to have a taste of that all American BBQ from the comfort of your backyard.

It's time to play catch up. Adam can't have all the fun.

Labels: American, American BBQ, BBQ, Big Easy, By Area - Covent Garden, By District - Central, central london, CrabShack, food, Food and Drink, Lifestyle, London, Restaurant Review, seafood, Yummei

The Perfect Birthday Breakfast

I was dreading my birthday this year.

Signs of an early mid-life crisis maybe?

Labels: Breakfast, British, Brunch, By Area - Farringdon, By District - Central, Clerkenwell, European, food, Fusion, Laduree, Lifestyle, London, Macarons, Modern Pantry, Restaurant Review, Rose, Yummei

Moti Mahal - Spice & Gosset Champagne Event - Covent Garden - London

I can shamelessly admit that I am probably the worst person to be sat next to at a dinner party.

I have serious self restraint problems.

So, if you see me looking smug with myself perched bang in the centre of the table, the worst choice you could make is to sit opposite or next to me.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Poppadums & Chutney

Labels: By Area - Covent Garden, By District - Central, food, Indian, Lifestyle, London Restaurants, Moti Mahal, Restaurant Review, Yummei

Marani - Mayfair - London

Courtesy of the fine people at Zomato, I was invited to a secret location, it was kept so under wraps that not even I had heard of the cuisine before.

Until recently, not much is known of Georgian cuisine - it was a secret to almost everyone.

Georgian food has slowly been creeping out of the woodwork.

Hiding in between the winding walkways in Mayfair is Marani; a Georgian restaurant.

With Marani, you're instantly transported back to the 19th century as soon as you step through the doors.

The high ceilings, the hand painted walls and the warm hospitality of the staff all add to the endearing charm of the restaurant.

Labels: By Area - Mayfair, By District - Central, Eastern European, food, Georgia, Georgian, London, Marani, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Yummei

Abeno - Covent Garden - London

Okonomiyaki.

What a wonderful phrase.

Okonomiyaki! Aint no passing craaaze.

(You see where I'm heading with this? :D )

It means... "What you want - GRILLED."

When a dish has this literal meaning as it's name, you just know that it will be what dreams are made of.

Labels: Authentic Japanese, By Area - Covent Garden, By District - Central, cheap eats, food, Japanese, Japanese soul food, Okonomiyaki, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, street food, Where to eat in London, Yummei

Recipes: 2 Step - Chocolate Croissants *

Wearing that domestic halo can be tough at times.

Sometimes you just need to cut yourself some slack.

Hotel Chocolat and Jus Rol kindly sent me some goodies to toy with.

There was only one thing that you should make with such a bounty.

2 Step Chocolate Croissants were born.

Labels: Breakfast, Chocolate Croissants, Chocolate Praline Spread, Croissants, dessert, food, Hotel Chocolat, How to make croissants, Jus Rol, Lifestyle, Recipe, Recipes, Yummei

Layla - Wimbledon - London

I have to admit that I rarely venture down to the south side of London.

After living in Central for the past 4 years I have been a little spoilt.

Everything I could possibly dream of eating is within walking distance.

The thought of having to travel more than half an hour anywhere is a struggle.

But everything changed when Layla came knocking on my door.

She beckoned me to come down to visit her in the dirty south, all the way down in Wimbledon.

It's hard to say no to such an invitation when she looks like this...

Labels: By Area - London, By Area - Wimbledon, By District - South London, Date ideas, Desserts, food, Halal, lamb, Layla's, Lebanese, London, Restaurant Review, Sea bass, seafood, South London, Turkish, Wimbledon, Yummei

Hello Budapest

Meet Teto. We met at the airport.

Labels: Budapest, dessert, food, Hungarian, Lifestyle, Travel, Yummei

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?~

Labels: Chinese, Chinese New Year, CNY, deep fried food, DIY, Easy to make, food, hors d'oeuvres, how to fold spring rolls, how to make spring rolls, pancake, Recipes, review, spring rolls, Starters, Vietnamese, Yummei, yummy

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

Labels: afternoon tea, By Area - Hong Kong, By Area - Singapore, cheap eats, Chinese, dessert, food, Japanese. Seafood, jetsetting, Mongkok, Singaporean, Starbucks, street food, sushi, Travel, travels, TST, Tung Chung

YUMMEI

20/01/2016

Sake & Spice - Moti Mahal - Covent Garden

07/10/2015

#ZoMeeto at Sponge and Cream Bakery - Brixton -

27/08/2015

J-Dog - Shoreditch - London

20/07/2015

Rasa Sayang - Chinatown - London

24/06/2015

Dotori - Finsbury Park - London

11/06/2015

Jamie's Italian - Threadneedle Street - Bank - London *

21/04/2015

Sushi Tetsu - Farringdon - London

21/01/2015

Chotto Matte - Soho - London

07/12/2014

Marco Pierre White's Steak House - Liverpool Street - London

03/11/2014

Big Easy - BBQ & Whisky Master Class - Covent Garden - London *

23/09/2014

The Perfect Birthday Breakfast

11/08/2014

Moti Mahal - Spice & Gosset Champagne Event - Covent Garden - London

20/07/2014

Marani - Mayfair - London

14/05/2014

Abeno - Covent Garden - London

30/04/2014

Recipes: 2 Step - Chocolate Croissants *

13/03/2014

Layla - Wimbledon - London

12/02/2014

Hello Budapest

11/02/2013

Recipes - Yummei Spring Rolls

24/01/2013

FASTFORWARD- Hong Kong and Singapore