Meringue Topped Summer Pots (Individual Queen of Puddings)

With the pea soup currently enveloping Greenwich, this is a little ode to summer before we hurtle headlong into winter and all its joys!

With meringue piled high and summery strawberry jam, sprinkled with coconut in the middle, this is all about the best of summer - but in individual portions!

Adapted from a recipe by Delia Smith called Individual Queen of Puddings

Serves 2
270 ml of skimmed milk
5g of low fat baking margarine
55g of breadcrumbs
30g caster sugar
1 lemon
2 eggs
2 tbsps strawberry jam or other
Shredded cocnut to sprinkle

Heat oven to 200c
Bring the milk to the boil on stove, remove from heat, add in butter, breadcrumbs, half the sugar and lemon zest, leave for 15mins to swell
Separate eggs
Beat yolks and add to breadcrumb mixture, divide mixture between two buttered ramekins
Place on baking tray in oven at 200c until set - approx 20 mins
Meanwhile in small saucepan, melt jam over low heat until runny
When puddings are set, spread jam mixture over them and spinkle over coconut
Now beat egg whites until stiff peaks, whisk in rest of sugar, pile high on puddings
Bake for further 15mins until tops are golder brown

Quick and Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

I love this pizza dough recipe - it never fails and you can find it here on the Allrecipes website by Gudny Bjorg Kjaerbo.

I normally use this to make a large rectangular pizza to share, the dough easily covers a 14 by 15 inch baking tray and makes about 15 squares, I then:

Spread on a full tube of tomato puree
Sprinkle on some low fat grated cheese.....and then whatever takes your fancy.
I used mushrooms, onions, radishes, peppers, tomatoes, ham and a sprinkle of pine nuts.

Bake at 190 C / Gas mark 5 for 20 to 25 minutes or until crispy.

Cut up and serve!

Bruschetta with Broad Beans and Asparagus

Even though Bruschetta can be the simplest recipe in the world it feels rather decadent having it for dinner rather than just as a starter but I couldnt resist making Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls Bruschetta with Broad Beans and Asparagus for our main meal.  It comes from his new book River Cottage Veg Every Day! (River Cottage Every Day).  Have a go, its quick and oh so yummy and definitely make double and eat it as your main!

Check out the recipe after the break

Mashed Up Healthy Chicken Pie

Shepards pie has mash on it, fish pie too, so why not bring mash to the humble chicken pie too.  I am a lover of pastry in its many different forms - but sometimes its nicer to have something a little lighter on your pie.  I took a recipe by Angela Nilsen, original recipe is here on the BBC Good Food website and used her pie filling - and not having filo pastry at the time added some mash.  You will need about 3 good sized potatoes (any kind) and some creme fraiche - not too much just enough to make it a little creamy.

Layer the mash on top of the filling when ready and cook for about 20-25 minutes at 200C/180C fan/gas 6.  I then popped on a little cheese (low fat mature cheddar) on the top and popped it under the grill for a couple of minutes until crispy.


We popped this into individual pie dishes and it was for two so I reduced down by a quarter Angelas original recipe measurements - well its always nice to go back for seconds!!

Poached Eggs on Crumpets with Leeks and Goats Cheese

The humble leek for breakfast I hear you cry!, Well why not? when you can have them lightly fried in butter, piled on top of poached eggs on crumpets and with goats cheese crumpled on top!

Try it - you will not be disappointed!

BTW if you are wondering how to get perfectly shaped poached eggs try these Poached Egg Pods - super handy.

Next time the crumpets will be homemade I promise! As I know of a fantastic recipe in the Bread: River Cottage Handbook No. 3.

Baked Giant Fish Cakes with a Chilli Shot

Some people dream of Brad Pitt (or George Clooney \ Justin Bieber) insert whichever takes your fancy!, some dream of Jeanie and I dream of Fish Cakes!

At least thats what happened on Wednesday night!  Now I'm one to take this as a omen, which meant that fish cakes had to be on the menu for Thursday night....and here they are (well one of them at least!).

Inspired by a recipe called Fish Cakes with Chilli Cream in Good Food: 101 Fish & Seafood Dishes: Tried-and-tested Recipes (Good Food 101).  I ditched the cream, added some leeks, changed the fish and baked rather than fryed!  The original recipe online is here.

My amended recipe is after the jump - the result was lovely and crispy on the outside, moist and tasty in the middle - bliss!

Butternut Squash Casserole

With Halloween and Bonfire Night having just passed, this time of year calls very much for the orange and yellows of butternut squash and sweet potatoes, this casserole from the BBC Good Food website (you can reach the recipe from the link) perfectly fits the bill.  The sweetness of the squash and potatoes runs though it, and the hearty cous cous makes it perfect comfort food for a winter evening (are we in winter yet? or the last dregs of autumn?).  This is obviously vegetarian but it would go perfectly with some spicy sausages chopped up into it.  It does go very nicely with a sprinkle of grated cheese on top and a splodge of natural yogurt.

Changes I made to the recipe:  I didnt have Bulgar Wheat and so I used giant Cous Cous instead, you could just as easily use its smaller cousin too though!

The Pudding Clubs 'Jam and Coconut Sponge'

Steamed puddings are the order of the day as the nights draw in, I found this great recipe on the fabulous The Pudding Club website (you can grab the recipe through the link).  I had never attempted a steamed pudding before and took guidance from the good old BBC Food Techniques website and it worked a treat!!  The pudding was moist with just the right amount of coconut running through the sponge and topped off with a good dollop of jam.  The one and half hours waiting for the pudding to steam was well worth the wait!  Although not shown in the photo we did of course add lash.ng of custard to it.

Changes to recipe:  I used strawberry rather than raspberry jam but to be honest the variations that you could use with the pudding are endless!

Potato & Leek Gratin

We bought some cute little individual casserole \ pie dishes and what better way to use them then with an oven bake.  I found this recipe on the BBC Good Food website (the link goes through to the actual recipe).

The recipe is for 4 but it easily reduces down.  Really nice to do something with leeks and the combination with the bits of bacon is lovely.

Changes from recipe:  Instead of using ham I used bacon lardons which were super flavoursome.

Susan Reimer's Apple Spice Muffins

So I had some dessert apples I needed to use and I had been hankering after a muffin for a while - put the two together and I heard Apple Muffins calling!.  I have a great little book by Susan Reimer called Muffins Fast and Fantastic.  The book has a multitude of flavours, and lots of muffin baking advice.

The original recipe is below:


Ingredients
255g plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice (or try 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and a pinch of ginger and cloves)
 raising flour
110-140g fine white granulated sugar
1 egg
170 grams chopped apple
150ml milk
90ml vegetable oil or 85g butter melted
60-85grams raisins, sultanas or chopped walnuts


Optional topping
3 tablespoons soft brown sugar
60grams walnuts, chopped


Method

• Preheat oven to 190-200C. Place paper cases in a muffin tin (makes 10-12)
• In a large bowl, sift together: flour, baking powder, salt, spice and sugar.
• In a second bowl, beat egg with a fork. Stir in chopped apple and milk, followed by oil\melted butter.
• Pour all of wet mixture into dry. Stir until just combined, adding dried fruit\walnuts during the final strokes.  This batter is thicker than most: apple released juice as it cooks
• Spoon into tins. Sprinkle with topping. Bake about 20-25 minutes until tops are lightly browned and spring back when pressed gently. Cool for several minutes to make removal easier.

Chilli Prawn Noodles

I have had total disasters with noodle dishes, but this one is always a winner, its super refreshing and rather healthy too!!  The chilli gives just the right amount of heat and the prawns are really refreshing.

I got it from the BBC Good Food website (you can reach the recipe from the link).

Changes to recipe:  I used small prawns rather than the larger king prawns.

Enjoy!

Cafe Bangla - Brick Lane, E1

Cafe Bangla sits almost at the end of the rows of Indian restaurants on Brick Lane, its always a sense sensation on the ears, eyes and nose and the walk to Cafe Bangla allows you to take everything in.

The interior is something to behold, the first time we went it wasnt on recommendation of the food but to see a huge Princess Diana mural that it had on the wall!  Now Im not particularly a huge Diana fan but the oddness of a Indian restaurant having a tribute mural on their wall was something that had to be confirmed or put to bed once and for all......well the mural did and still does exist!  The rest of the walls are also covered with murals but more traditional Indian dream like sequences.  The restaurant isnt huge compared to some on Brick Lane but  the size adds to the cosyness and friendlyness of the restaurant.

The menu, however, is huge and takes a while to wade through but has all of the Indian classics you could want and then some.  After some beer and some conversation with my dinner companions I finally made my choices.  For a starter I had King Prawn Puri at £4.85,  followed by a classic Lamb Dhansak at £5.15, the former had a good amount of prawns, soft covering and good amount of sauce the latter was delivered sizzling to the table, with just the right amount of spicy heat.  With poppadums, rice, a beer and coffee (which we werent charged for) the total including tip was £20 - a real bargain for some great food.

Service was good and they happily let us take as long as we wanted to finish the meal (I hate restaurants which hurry you out of the door!) - we whiled away a good couple of hours there.  It definitely remains one of my favourite places on Brick Lane.

If you are venturing to Brick Lane make sure you stop by for a visit - the food is great and you just have to see in real life the Princess Diana mural! - see some urban myths are true!

If you cant quite make it to Brick Lane and want to try your hand at Indian cooking at home - The Easy Indian Cookbook by Manju Malhi published in 2010 is a good place to start...

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The Woolpack - London Bridge

Not quite Greenwich you may say, but lets not forget that London Bridge is a super quick 9 minutes away on the overground from Greenwich Station and so is always worth a visit.  London Bridge is going through lots of changes at the moment what with the building of the new super tall Shard building and the regeneration of the area around Bermondsey Street.

And its on Bermondsey Street that we find The Woolpack pub, outside it has the look of a traditional boozer, inside the decor seems to be a cross between a east end pie and mash shop and a american diner.  Now this isnt a criticism - I think it looks great, I love the booths and the tiling on the walls.  Outside there is a terrace, lovely on a summers day and in winter if it gets a bit nippy they have a basket of blankets on offer to keep you warm and cosy - bliss.

Main courses are between £8 to £12 pounds and cover awesome burgers to fulfilling salads, they also do a Sunday Roast but if you go definitely try and check out one of their burgers.

The staff are friendly and efficient and the locals trendy and welcoming! Definitely worth the train ride!




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The Railway - Blackheath

I am a big fab of Blackheath, and there is nothing better on a weekend then to wander up through Greenwich Park, across the heath and into Blackheath Village.  When you get to Blackheath and have had a good mooch around the shops make sure you get to one of the nicest pubs in the area, The Railway.

Settled at the top of the hill and next to Blackheath train station, this pub dates back to Victorian and is super cosy in winter and bright and airy in summer.  The friendly and efficient staff will serve you a great selection of beers and wines, cocktails too, and the Sunday Roast is to put it lightly huge - and great value for money.  Apparently there is also a roof terrace somewhere but I haven't quite found it yet - maybe next time.  The decor is a cross between gastro pub and traditional - but it is nicely done and works well.  The pub seems to offer something for everyone and there seems to be all age ranges, locals and those from slightly further afield.

It is very easy to while away the hours here, and if like me you do and then cant quite be bothered to walk back down the hill and through the park - remember that handy train station and let the train take the strain!




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The Thursday Photo: The Walk to Blackheath

In an attempt to improve my (rather poor) photography skills I've decided to have a Thursday photo each week, (either that or I'm just being rather lazy and want a day off of doing a full post!!!)


In any case here is a photo from our walk from Greenwich to Blackheath last weekend for lunch - rather nice it was too, the walk and the lunch!

Greenlands Health Foods - Greenwich

I wonder if like couples, or perhaps owners and their dogs, that shops and their owners and / or staff take on each others characteristics? If so then I think that Greenlands Health Foods would be a perfect example. Placed along the edge of the hustle and bustle of Greenwich Market the shop is a little oasis of calm. The minute you step in you immediately take on a feeling of zen like harmony! (I guess it must be all the healthy and holistic items within!).

The shop is made up of two floors the 1st floor which you enter into has everything from supplements, seeds, organic food and wine to healthy teas and breads. Anything you could wish for to feed your body to health and beauty!....But wait.....theres more, down the steps to the ground floor and there is every type of organic and natural item for the body and home, from natural shampoos and body washes to hair dye and eco friendly house hold cleaners.

Now back to my first comment about shops and their owners, when you go to pay you wont help but notice how peaceful and calm the staff members are, I have been a couple of times now and each time the same - they truly seem to love their work.

So if you fancy making your body and mind a little calmer and healthier in what can be a frantic world make sure you take a little time out and visit the little oasis of calm on the edge of Greenwich market.


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Tai Won Mein Noodle House - Greenwich

Finally we got round to visiting the Tai Won Mein Noodle House.  Having walked past the restaurant for over a year, looking at the number of people always packing the place out and hearing its praises being sung by one of my work colleagues I was wondering could it really be that good?  I finally found out the answer!

We decided to go in on a whim  and found the place pretty packed, we were quickly shown to a noodle bench (ie a long benches with seating each side - its not as close quarters as some places I have been to) by an efficient waitress.

We both decided on noodle soups from the menu, it just being lunch and we fancied something light, but the menu covers anything noodle wise you could possibly want.

Looking around I couldn't help but notice that the portions are huge and this was confirmed when our noodle soups arrived, super big bowls with plenty of chicken and prawns in respectively.

The food tasted very fresh and healthy, we did manage to finish but around us people were pouring their leftovers into handy doggy bags, well actually take away boxes (they charge 50p for one of these), but to be honest its well worth the money.  I always think noodles are like Pizza, even better the day after (although is that just me?)

You pay up at the till here and as we approached the lady magically seemed to know what we had ordered.  The cost (without service charge - they don't add one or expect you pay one) was £14.95 all in - but we did make sure we popped some money in the tip box by the till.

If you are after great noodles, at an amazing price and brilliant value for money with no nonsense staff (I love no fuss kinda of places) then this isWon  the place for you.  I just wished we had had something a little more naughty and had to take advantage of the doggy bags!




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Bristol Bound

I was in Bristol this weekend and managed to catch some of the wonderful and colourful balloons from the Bristol Balloon Fiesta.  I would have taken photos but I'm currently still waiting to get a camera and have decided not to inflict my mobile phone photos on you any more!

I had never been to Bristol before, I had to Bath but not Bristol.  We stayed with a friend in Clifton and spent many a happy hour sampling the local pubs!

The view from the Avon Gorge Hotel bar was amazing and was the ideal place to sup a Saturday afternoon beer!

If you are going to Bristol over the next few weeks make sure you watch out for the Wow Gorillas, between the 6 July and the 7 September there are a number of colourful and lifesized gorillas that have been decorated by various artists There are 61! yes 61 gorillas in all to spot.  Very similar to the Elephants that were on show in London I think it was last year or the year before.

Anyway, however nice Bristol was it was lovely to come back to Greenwich - home sweet home!

The Auctioneer - Sunday 1 May 2011

Three weeks of roast dinners were beginning to take their toll, so that our love for the great british roast remains we decided to have a weekend off and try something else.
We were up and out early (mainly because the other half had to be back for the Man U v Arsenal game!).  So we decided a brunch would work and decided on The Auctioneer.
Pub location
The pub is about 5 minutes from the Cutty Sark DLR station and about 2 minutes from Greenwich DLR / overground. If you are walking from Cutty Sark DLR take the back roads to get a view of the nice Georgian houses.
Whats it like inside?
Its not the most beautiful pub in the world, but I dont think people go there for the decor... and to be honest its more of a sports pub / bar - we are talking dark wood and traditional pub, meets big screens and pool tables. Well known as one of the main pubs in Greenwich if you want to see any sport.  When we got there about 11.30am there were already people outside waiting to get in.  The opening time was meant to be 11.30 but it didnt open until 12 noon.  There was also a football game starting early that day hence the queues outside.  
Who goes there?
Well frequented by students, those trying to catch a game and those after a budget bite
What was on offer? 
The Auctioneer is part of the Scream Pubs chain and the majority of the menu is burgers and British classics so sausage and mash, English breakfasts.  The menu is big so I can imagine that a lot of it isnt cooked to order!  But they do have a reputation for great burgers. All food is priced at £10 and below. These guys are also famous for their beer and burger deal, come after 3pm and you can get a beer and a burger for 4.75!
What did we order?
Couldnt decide on whether to go for the english breakfast or a burger - so decided to combine the two and go for a Breakfast Burger which is served with chips - cost was a truly budget saving 5.75.

The Verdict
Loved the...
Price - the portion was huge with a good majority of chips, the Breakfast Burger consisted of a burger, a hash brown, bacon and a fried egg - phew!! I couldnt finish it!
Service - the bar staff were super friendly
Attitude - they dont pretend to be something they arent
Liked...
Pretty much everything else, the burger was flavoursome, the chips fine, they were hot and crispy and werent bland, the hash brown was crispy on the outside and tender in the middle and the egg was fried well.  It was a perfectly nice burger and chips
Disliked...
If anything, the location, its on a main road, but they do have a outside area out the back
Overall verdict
Look, the food here is a great budget bite, if you are expecting gastro food do not come, but if you want a decent burger at a great price then this should be your first stop.






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William IV pub - Friday 29 April 2011

Rather apt for a day that was all about royalty we spent the night in a royally named pub the William IV at 7 Shepherdess Walk, near Old Street tube N1.  I had been to the pub about two years ago and since that it has closed once but is now reopened again.
Pub location
The pub is a little out of the way about 5 minutes walk off of City Road.
Whats it like inside?
The pub has the well worn gastro pub uniform of mismatched chairs and tables, its very bright and airy inside with all the furniture pretty much painted white.  A word of warning be careful of the chairs they are all a bit rocky and one of them collapsed underneath one of our friends!  Theres a more formal dining room upstairs.
What was on offer? 
Pub grub but with a twist you have the usuals we are talking bangers and mash, burgers, pies, and tarts.  All mains are pretty much below £10 pounds.
What did we order?
I had the Shredded Steak and Caramelised Red Onion Sandwich with Chips - cost was £8.00


The Verdict
Loved the...
Chips - have I discovered the best pub chips ever?....they were perfectly salted skin on chips, combining a crispy outside and gorgeous fluffy mash on the inside
Caramelised Red Onion - lovely, tasty and silky in texture
Doorstop bread wedges - toasted, crispy and rustic
Price - a great portion for the money
Disappointed in the...
Shredded Steak - what should have been the star of the show was tough and rubbery
Overall verdict
A little off the beaten track, and perhaps taking the gastropub furnishing a little too far but definitely worth a visit to sample more of the menu and to take in the chilled out atmosphere

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The Yacht - Sunday 24 April 2011

For this weeks Greenwich Sunday Lunch we decided on the The Yacht, a traditional Taylor Walker pub.

On the way...

The walk to the pub is a stunner, you can walk through the university or straight along the Thames we walked through the University and along the small lane that houses the pub.

Pub location
The actual pub is in a fantastic position right on the Thames and abouta 5-10 min walk from the Cutty Sark DLR station.

What was on offer?

On offer was Chicken, Beef or Pork at a very reasonable £9.15 each.  We both ordered chicken and settled into some seats by the window with a fantastic view of the The Thames and overlooking the Dome.

Whats it like inside?
Its a peaceful place, at least it was whilst were there, the pub sits right up against the river and you can hear the waves of the tide lap against the side of the shore as it comes in.  No music whilst we were there but I have been before and there has been music and on occasion live music too. 


Decor is traditional dark wood, with open fireplaces and cosy nooks.  Theres a more formal dining room to the back but the best seats must be up again the window to take in the great view.

The food
The food took about 20 minutes to come - just enough to work up a good appetite.  Now I must admit when it arrived I did let a small wow!!
It was huge and consisted  of a half chicken, 4 small roast potatoes, carrots, green beans, yourkshire pudding and tucked underneath the chicken there was mash potato too!
The photo really does not do it justice to the size and quantity!  The potatoes were small but perfectly roasted, the chicken was moist with a nice shiny glaze on it, the veg was just right in terms of hardness and the yorkshire was crispy without being rock hard.

Minuses - the chicken was quite boney and it was only after that it occurred to me that I should have checked that it was free range, looking at the website I cant find any reference that it is....bad me for not checking.  The potatoes although of a great crispyness the actual taste was quite bland.  Other than that I was pleasantly surprised especially for a chain pub and at a great price.

The Ratings:

Meat 4/5
Veg 4/5
Potatoes 3/5
Gravy 4/5
Other (ie yorkshire pudds and mash) 4/5
Service 4/5
Value for money 4.5/5 (fantastic value)

Total 27.5/35

The Yacht goes to the top of the leaderboard.

By the way if you click on the link for the pub take no notice of the photo - they have got it wrong on the website!!





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Boisdale - Monday 18 April 2011

We had a works dinner at the newly opened Canary Wharf Boisdale branch. Yes, I know your right its not a Sunday, lunchtime or in Greenwich but I definitely thought it was worth a post.

Its a Scottish / English influenced venue, and I say venue rather than restaurant because theres a lot going on here.  Its a restaurant, its a oyster  and champagne bar, theres a dedicated whisky bar, a jazz club and to top it all off theres a cigar room (aparantly with the only walk in humidor where you can snoke cigars to your hearts content.

Its spread across three floors above the main Canary Wharf shopping center with its own dedicate lift to each floor.  For decor think big hearty reds and greens with mahogany at every turn.  Think old boys drinking club, its the perfect city establishment.

But looking at the crowds on most floors it must be a winner  - it was Monday night but every table was full by the time we left.  Our table had a view of the jazz stage and a short but polite note told us that if we stayed at our table when the jazz started our bill would have a 10 pounds live music charge made to it!

The waiting staff were efficient and there were lots of them, picking up napkins if you happened to drop yours on the floor. The menu displayed the restaurants Scottish / English heritage there was lots of haggis, salmon, offal on offer and an eyewatering selection of caviar in both variety and price - anyone fancy some Golden Almas caviar at £3,750 for 125 grams......who says theres a recession on.

Unfortuantely our pockets were not quite so full as the bankers of Canary Wharf so we went for the set menu for £15 - not a bad price.  My starter was a Ceasar salad with Ortiz anchovies followed by Salmon on a pea risotto.   The Ceasar salad was good and tasty, the anchovies being the star of the dish.  The salmon was filling and flavoursome.  Some of my colleagues had the haggis - I must admit I was jealous, I wish I had taken the plunge, especially those that had also gone for the whisky chaser alongside it. I passed on desert but the dishes on offer looked tantalising.

Im not quite sure how I feel about Boisdales, its a little too full of itself, a little intimidating, but I definitely wouldnt turn down an offer to return, the whisky bar was mesmorising and needs sampling and the haggis is definitely calling my name....

The Greenwich Union - Sunday 17 April 2011

I have to say that I  was rather surprised by about 12 noon the streets of Greenwich were clear of all the runners and the spectators had moved on too.  The photo above is from about 10.30am over the next hour or the streets cleared.

The numbers that were left were just the usual for a regular sunny Sunday in Greenwich. However having learned from last week we set out early about 1pm to search for our Greenwich Sunday Lunch date. We decided to head straight to the Royal Hill area of Greenwich. If you have only spent some time near the market area of Greenwich make sure you head to Royal Hilll next time you are in Greenwich. Lots of pubs, a 'proper' butchers, cheesehop and organic veg shop and lots of gorgeous Georgian houses.


On the way...


The pub we decided to settle in for lunch was The Greenwich Union. The Greenwich Union is one of four pubs along Royal Hill - they are all pretty much in a row, but most if not all do great business and each seems to have its own vibe and particular atmosphere - there is something for everyone.

The Greenwich Union

In any case before we tackle the roast lets go back to the pub itself, its housed in what looks like a traditional pub and inside is also very traditional with lots of wood however the back part of the pub opens out into a light and airey conservatory with booth seats, further on is the beer garden.  The music going on in the back ground is just at the right level for you to be aware of it and to hum along to your fav tunes but not too loud that you cant hear yourself or anyone else speak.

It wasnt too busy which was great, though was largely because we went quite early it would soon fill up.  We sat in one of the booth seats.

On offer was a Vege option and Beef, Lamb and Pork the cost of each was £12.20 (the Vege option was cheaper).  I love it when a pub separates out its roast menu - it makes it feel a little more special and shows that on a week on week basis it could change depending on whats available.

I settled for the Beef and my other half on the Pork.  Before I could get to the bar to order one of the staff came up and asked if we wanted anything and were keen to please always a good sign. 

Inside...

The food arrived really quickly - probably within 10 minutes if that - maybe a little soon for my liking, surely some of the joy in eating food is the anticipation of it.....anyway

So once it arrived what did we get for our money:

Meat:  Beef in slices a generous portion \ Pork was the same in slices with cracking but a generous portion

Veg:  A large roasted carrot, green beans and red cabbage (a nice and different touch!)

Potatoes:  Roasted 2 large

Other:  Large yorkshire pudding, Gravy (made with Meantimes own London Stout), horseraddish sauce for the Beef and Apple sauce for the Pork in a separate dish.

Heres the roast...

It was very attractively presented and hot, I loved the fact their yorkshire puddings were home made and werent some uniformed Aunt Bessies - though it was a little too crunchy for my liking.  On the reverse the potatoes were large but not quite crispy enough.  The red cabbage was a nice touch - always nice to see different veg, and being lightly pickled it added a different taste sensation when combined with the meat or the potatoes. The gravy was rich and using London Stout again brought it to a different level - would have been nice to have more of it though!

All in all a nice roast - it goes to the top of the leader board.

Here are the ratings

Meat 4.5/5
Veg 4/5
Potatoes 3/5
Gravy 4/5
Other (ie yorkshire pudds) 3/5
Service 4/5
Value for money 3.5/5 (possibly just a little overpriced)

Total 26/35




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Greenwich and the London Marathon - 17 April 2011

Earlier in the week I promised a list of those places where you could go to cheer on or chill out during the London Marathon this Sunday in Greenwich,  I wanted to divide those that would be in the heart of the action where the runners and the spectators would be from those that were in a slightly quieter locale.  Apologies for this being a slightly later post than planned, it is of course the big day tomorrow but a rather big night in Cafe Brera ensured on Friday night.  We visited the Canary Riverside branch which overlooks the Thames at Canary Wharf for a work function and supped on their fantastic antipasti, pizza and red wine (a little bit too much of the red wine!).

Anyway if you are after a place in the middle of the action I would suggest the following pubs Greenwich Tavern,  The Kings Arms,  Admiral Hardy, Spanish Galleon, The Gypsy Moth

If you want to watch some of the race but then retreat to a slightly quieter haven try the following Richard the First, Greenwich Union, The Prince of Greenwich, all three of them are on Royal Hill in Greenwich and although will be busy they shouldnt be overrun.  Also try The Guildford Arms.

Others to try that are close to the race course but not directly on it are The Yacht, The Trafalgar Tavern and of course the Cutty Sark Tavern we reviewed their Sunday Lunch last week here.  Also try the Rose and Crown.

Theres obviously lots more pubs in Greenwich but these off the top of my head were the ones that came to mind that would cater for those that wanted to be in the center of things and those that wanted to see the race but then retire to somewhere a bit quieter.

As for me I think our Greenwich Sunday Lunch venue will be chosen at the last minute probably depending on crowds etc......roll on the race!!!

Cutty Sark Tavern - 10 April 2011

Due to a rather late start to our Sunday lunch, The Greenwich Tavern was packed by the time we got there, the late start was due to a late night on the Saturday night - a few hours and a few drinks whilst at the Ev Bar in Waterloo.  We did discover that for some reason they sell pretty cheap pints of beer for London £3.20 for a pint!

Anyway I digress, so we passed on The Greenwich Tavern, but will return another time.  We then decided to try the The Kings Arms  on King William Walk by this time it was around 4.15pm, and they had run out of any roasts!!  First rule of Sunday lunch in Greenwich is to go early!



On the way....

Undaunted we decided to go east - well just east of the main Greenwich center that is.....to somewhere we knew did Sunday Lunch on quite a big scale - Cutty Sark Tavern, they are based at Ballast Quay right on the Thames built in the Early 19th Century its a big old pub with lots of character.  Its based on two floors with a large outside area too.



We headed to the first floor, where the music wasnt quite so loud and settled into a table, on offer roast wise they had lamb, beef, pork and a vegetarian option.  Taking into account the time I checked what they had left - 3 lambs and that was it! Second rule of Sunday lunch - go early!  So we ordered lamb. Cost was 9.95 each.  They have a separate area that you order food from and then you order drinks separately.  From order to our table it probably took about 20 Minutes.  The staff were efficient and friendly.  Getting our drinks separately from the bar took a while as it was packed.

So once it arrived what did we get for our money:

Meat:  Lamb on the bone - a fair amount

Veg:  Carrots, peas, green

Potatoes:  Roasted 2 large roasted

Other:  Large yorkshire pudding, Gravy, Mint sauce separately

Heres the roast.....

It was hot - which I was pleased about - there nothing worse than a cold roast dinner!, the potatoes were large and roasted just enough to be crispy but not rock hard.  The carrots were not soggy and just firm.  The gravy was tasty and rich.  If there was anything I wasnt too keen on it was the meat! The lamb was on the bone and there was a lot of it but was a little tasteless.  I have been to the Cutty Sark Tavern before and I have had the pork which was great so this may be just be a personal dislike I have for lamb on the bone!

Here are the ratings

Meat 2.5/5
Veg 3/5
Potatoes 4/5
Gravy 4/5
Other (ie yorkshire pudds) 4/5
Service 3.5/5
Value for money 3.5/5

Total 24.5/35




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The Greenwich Tavern - Postponed!

Perched on the edge of the park at One King William Walk, The Greenwich Tavern has gone through various guises, the latest being the Greenwich Tavern.  We have decided to make this our first Greenwich Sunday Lunch.  At least try to make it, having walked by in the past its normally packed to the rafters - which should be a good sign!  If its impossible to get a seat we will try somewhere else.

More news, views and reviews tomorrow after the lunch!


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