These really are the strangest of times, aren't they?
What have you been up to lately? Been anywhere interesting? I'm guessing not. We're in #LOCKDOWN and it sucks.
The highlight of my day now is updating my COVID-19 spreadsheet, deciding I can't be bothered to Zoom various people, and putting off learning to play the trumpet for a further day.
Again.
Showing posts with label mustard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mustard. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Thursday, January 17, 2019
When Porky met Curry
What's the best option when eating out? Indian, right?
What's the best roasted meat? Pork, right?
Why can't you get curried pork in Indian restaurants? That would be the most amazing thing ever, right?
It is, however, even in this age of every-conceivable-fusion, still remarkably rare. Never the twain shall met. Which is a bit odd. I know there is a cultural and religious explanation, but it's a lazy one, and under scrutiny it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense.
What's the best roasted meat? Pork, right?
Why can't you get curried pork in Indian restaurants? That would be the most amazing thing ever, right?
It is, however, even in this age of every-conceivable-fusion, still remarkably rare. Never the twain shall met. Which is a bit odd. I know there is a cultural and religious explanation, but it's a lazy one, and under scrutiny it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Capital Breakfasts
You might remember, way, way back at the very dawn of the year, I enjoyed a rather fine breakfast at Duke's Brew and Que and resolved to seek out London's other great breakfasts to see if the Duke could be matched or perhaps even bested...
It went the way of most resolutions made at that time of year, obviously.
Yes, I know. I've let my readers down, I've let myself down, but most of all, I've let breakfast down.
It's the-most-important-meal-of-the-day, so it is, and I've done gone and let it down by utterly failing to stick to my pledge.
Well, until now that is.
Look, I'm not really a morning person. It's a lot of effort getting up and leaving the house before I've even properly woken up. It's hard enough on work days. And I don't even have an appetite until lunchtime usually.
But enough excuses. You've had to wait a long while, so, to celebrate Ben Viveur post No. 150, here's a double review of the breakfast fayre from two of London's big meaty heavyweights: Simpson's in the Strand and the Hawksmoor Guildhall.
Can silly money buy the best breakfast in London or just the most expensive?
It went the way of most resolutions made at that time of year, obviously.
Yes, I know. I've let my readers down, I've let myself down, but most of all, I've let breakfast down.
It's the-most-important-meal-of-the-day, so it is, and I've done gone and let it down by utterly failing to stick to my pledge.
Well, until now that is.
Look, I'm not really a morning person. It's a lot of effort getting up and leaving the house before I've even properly woken up. It's hard enough on work days. And I don't even have an appetite until lunchtime usually.
But enough excuses. You've had to wait a long while, so, to celebrate Ben Viveur post No. 150, here's a double review of the breakfast fayre from two of London's big meaty heavyweights: Simpson's in the Strand and the Hawksmoor Guildhall.
Can silly money buy the best breakfast in London or just the most expensive?
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Back to my roots
It was three years ago that I first began to think about writing this blog.
I was eating my lunch in Singapore Sam, in the little food courty bit above the Tescos next to Canary Wharf DLR station. I think it was beef in black bean sauce. Maybe sweet and sour chicken.
Anyway, Singapore Sam (and indeed the little food courty bit above the Tescos next to Canary Wharf DLR station) has long since gone the way of all flesh... but the blog liveth on!
Back then, I had no idea I'd last for three years, or that I'd be awarding a Pub of the Year trophy, or that I'd find myself being recognised in restaurants from time to time. Indeed, I first conceived the blog as a modest guide to navigate a world of bustling anonymity.
It started out, in my mind, as a simple and fairly unambitious idea - go around reviewing all the places to eat lunch on the Wharf; Where to get the best sandwiches, the best coffee, why you should avoid Bene Bene because it's a pile of cheap shit and the sandwiches are slimy. That sort of thing.
Oh, and why Birley is one of the best things about Canary Wharf, obviously.
I hadn't come up with the masterstrokingly brilliant 'Ben Viveur' pun at that point, and was thinking of calling the blog 'The Wharf Foodie' or something equally mundane.
My strapline could've been 'Where the Financial Services Industry go to read about places they might like to get their lunch'.
Or maybe not.
I was eating my lunch in Singapore Sam, in the little food courty bit above the Tescos next to Canary Wharf DLR station. I think it was beef in black bean sauce. Maybe sweet and sour chicken.
Anyway, Singapore Sam (and indeed the little food courty bit above the Tescos next to Canary Wharf DLR station) has long since gone the way of all flesh... but the blog liveth on!
Back then, I had no idea I'd last for three years, or that I'd be awarding a Pub of the Year trophy, or that I'd find myself being recognised in restaurants from time to time. Indeed, I first conceived the blog as a modest guide to navigate a world of bustling anonymity.
It started out, in my mind, as a simple and fairly unambitious idea - go around reviewing all the places to eat lunch on the Wharf; Where to get the best sandwiches, the best coffee, why you should avoid Bene Bene because it's a pile of cheap shit and the sandwiches are slimy. That sort of thing.
Oh, and why Birley is one of the best things about Canary Wharf, obviously.
I hadn't come up with the masterstrokingly brilliant 'Ben Viveur' pun at that point, and was thinking of calling the blog 'The Wharf Foodie' or something equally mundane.
My strapline could've been 'Where the Financial Services Industry go to read about places they might like to get their lunch'.
Or maybe not.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Hard and Fast day
Today has probably been the hardest fast day since I started doing the 5:2 diet over seven months ago.
It comes a couple of days after my birthday, so I've been drinking beer and eating cake and doing other things that I'm well entitled to do 'because it's my fucking birthday'.
But for some reason it's been particularly hard fasting today - all I've had is a little tub of flavourless cous-cous and a soup that tasted like watery mushy peas. Ugh.
It's been unsatisfying to the point of starvation, and I literally feel hollow and empty. Bad times.
I feel like beer, burgers and chilli cheese fries that burn my mouth.
Basically, I feel like another visit to Lucky Chip burger now, having belatedly discovered their full gorgeousness on Tuesday night. God, that would really hit the spot right now.
Oh yes, sit down my children, and I shall tell you a tale. A tale of aged beefy goodness. And fries.
It comes a couple of days after my birthday, so I've been drinking beer and eating cake and doing other things that I'm well entitled to do 'because it's my fucking birthday'.
But for some reason it's been particularly hard fasting today - all I've had is a little tub of flavourless cous-cous and a soup that tasted like watery mushy peas. Ugh.
It's been unsatisfying to the point of starvation, and I literally feel hollow and empty. Bad times.
I feel like beer, burgers and chilli cheese fries that burn my mouth.
Basically, I feel like another visit to Lucky Chip burger now, having belatedly discovered their full gorgeousness on Tuesday night. God, that would really hit the spot right now.
Oh yes, sit down my children, and I shall tell you a tale. A tale of aged beefy goodness. And fries.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Meat Market
One of the perks of working close to Borough Market is that there's no shortage of options when the clock turns lunchtime.
So many eateries, so little time, and fasting two days a week as part of my diet means that it will take me a while to try everywhere - but given my penchant for the market, I was familiar with a fair few places in the area anyway.
I already knew, for example, about the good value lunches at the recently-reopened Brew Wharf, and the stunning Spanish street food at Cafe Brood. And, frankly, an unmanageably huge number of other brilliant places.
What I can't get my head around though is what will happen once the Shard is fully open for business and full of office workers (plus a few residents and hotel guests). How many pubs and restaurants and food stalls will the area need to cope with that lot once they move in?!?
I guess they'll have to build another, even taller Shard next door to accomodate their eating and drinking requirements...
Talking of big, impressive things, everybody knows that I'm a bit of a sucker for a large hot meat sandwich for my lunch, but it has to be said that I've yet to find somewhere that does this anywhere near as consistently well as Birley Salt Beef in Canary Wharf.
There are a couple of contenders in Borough Market which needed checking out, even if it's hard to stand out with so much competition going on in the area.
So many eateries, so little time, and fasting two days a week as part of my diet means that it will take me a while to try everywhere - but given my penchant for the market, I was familiar with a fair few places in the area anyway.
I already knew, for example, about the good value lunches at the recently-reopened Brew Wharf, and the stunning Spanish street food at Cafe Brood. And, frankly, an unmanageably huge number of other brilliant places.
What I can't get my head around though is what will happen once the Shard is fully open for business and full of office workers (plus a few residents and hotel guests). How many pubs and restaurants and food stalls will the area need to cope with that lot once they move in?!?
 |
| Who wants pork? Get your hot pork here! £6.50 to you, guv |
Talking of big, impressive things, everybody knows that I'm a bit of a sucker for a large hot meat sandwich for my lunch, but it has to be said that I've yet to find somewhere that does this anywhere near as consistently well as Birley Salt Beef in Canary Wharf.
There are a couple of contenders in Borough Market which needed checking out, even if it's hard to stand out with so much competition going on in the area.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Spring in my step, Hole in my shoe
The only real downside of my visit to the West End for expressionist art and a big sloppy burger the other day is that it marked the end of my shoes. My beloved, trusty comfortable shoes!
I knew the one on my right foot was just one short walk away from wearing through, and Tuesday's aggressive rainfall finally did for it as pavement puddles squelchified my sock through the hole, forcing me to finally give up on them. Reluctantly.
‘But the left one still works OK!’ I protested in vain to Mrs B-V, who had had the foresight to line up an acceptable replacement pair which assumed service the following day.
I knew the one on my right foot was just one short walk away from wearing through, and Tuesday's aggressive rainfall finally did for it as pavement puddles squelchified my sock through the hole, forcing me to finally give up on them. Reluctantly.
‘But the left one still works OK!’ I protested in vain to Mrs B-V, who had had the foresight to line up an acceptable replacement pair which assumed service the following day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)