Uni Reunion at Urban Taphouse – Cardiff

I don't know what it is with me and my uni friends – I seem to go months and months without seeing any of them, despite how close some of them live to me. Is this what being an adult is?! I hope not. Beth and I finally decided to set a date, however, and on Saturday we met up in Cardiff for a day of shopping, eating and catching up.

Beth was my first friend at uni - we were flatmates in first year and we have so many memories from the last four years. I really miss living with her. We used to have duvet days in the living room with our other flatmate Becky watching Disney films and rubbish chick flicks, as well as cheese and wine nights and days out shopping and lots and lots of nights out. Just writing about this is making me miss our uni times together.

We reminisced on some of these times when we stopped at Urban Taphouse for lunch, as well as exchanging stories about our 'grown up' lives now. It was strangely quiet for a Saturday, but the atmosphere was chilled and pleasant nonetheless. Known for its beers, I imagine Urban Taphouse fills up nicely on a Friday and Saturday night, but we were there for the burgers.

I loved the interior of this place. So many gorgeous photographs hung high up on the walls, and tables with Scrabble letters spelling out table numbers, it was really relaxed and tastefully set up without being pretentious.

Beth ordered The Jerk and I went for The Fish - both served in the most amazingly soft, toasted brioche buns with fries and coleslaw. We had to order the pizza fries too. Just look at them. Absolute perfection.

You get a lot for your money at Urban Taphouse so if you've got a big appetite, this is the place to go. Everything tasted amazing but we were too full to finish it all – our eyes were bigger than our stomachs on this occasion. We spent the afternoon walking off our food babies and looking for bum bags which we couldn't find anywhere :(
 

Have you been to Urban Taphouse? It's situated just opposite the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, a couple of minutes' walk from the city centre, and totally worth visiting for something a bit more interesting than your average pub burger. You can find out more about Urban Taphouse here – and if you do decide to go, tweet/instagram me a picture of your burger @hello_flower

Shake Shack – Covent Garden

If you don't like burgers, I've found the cure. Before Shake Shack, burgers just weren't my thing. Somehow, the doorstop, bland patties topped with equally flavourless salad, sandwiched together with a great hunk of a tough, doughy bun didn't wow me. They were messy and difficult to eat, and the side of fries made the whole double carb thing make me feel like I'd explode at the end of it all. Burgers were just another hyped up thing that weren't actually that good.

But I had seen and drooled over pictures of burgers from Shake Shack, In n Out, and various otherson Rosie's blog, Full Fat Fridays. I wondered if I had just been going to all the wrong places for burgers. I wanted to know why everyone else seemed to love them and I didn't. I had to try what big burger fans call a 'dirty burger' because they looked easier to eat, juicier and smothered in that wonderful fake cheese, instead of too-rich cheddar which should be reserved for grilled cheese sandwiches and dipping in Branston pickle.

Finding a place to sit down to eat in Covent Garden on a Saturday afternoon is no easy task. Everywhere was rammed, and we spent agggges deciding where to go, and despite both our uncertainties about burgers, Ellen and I decided to give Shake Shack a go.

This is where it got confusing. Shake Shack's system needs a bit of a shift around. In theory, it works, because it does for every other fast food restaurant. But they haven't quite got the hang of it here. Not everyone knows the menu like the back of their hand just yet, and hungry customers shouldn't have to join three separate queues in order to get their food.

Ellen went to queue up for a table, while I was thrust towards a till (by the only friendly waitress I encountered during our visit) where I had to make the very rushed decision on what to order, having been given the menu only moments earlier. In a state of panic I ordered two Shack burgers, fries, water and an iced tea to a woman standing at a fast food style till. In hindsight, I wish I had ordered one with bacon, and cheesy fries... but that's a lesson learned for next time, (or something for Shake Shack to take on board?)

You'd think after having to order so hastily, the food would be served just as fast. Unfortunately not. We waited around ten to fifteen minutes for our burgers and fries, and Ellen's water was missed off our order. The staff at the pick up hatch (where you go to collect your food when your device starts buzzing) were stressed and their customer service was rehearsed and robotic. I guess it's not their fault that the branch is so awkwardly located where no one knows where to queue or what to do, even.

Fortunately, the food made up for the dodgy service. My mind was changed about burgers the instant I sunk my teeth into this one. It was juicy, easy to eat and down right delicious. 

 

The bun was soft and sweet, the lettuce and tomato fresh, and the cheese melted into the patty. Just, wow. How every burgers should taste.

And the fries were pretty tasty too. Although nothing to rave about, they made a great side to our burgers and we polished them off no problem. The taste reminded me of Burger King fries but these were thicker, and the crinkle cut shape gave them extra crunch.

The iced tea was exactly that – iced tea. In my head iced tea is sweet and fruity. In reality it is literally just tea that has been iced – so I'm a bit unsure why I paid near enough £3 for this. Still, it was refreshing and went well with my food.

I managed to eat my burger within what felt like three bites. I wanted another one straight away. For £5, a cheese burger made with good ingredients is a bargain, but I was still hungry afterwards, so next time I'll pay an extra £2 and go for the double burger.

Have you been to Shake Shack? Where's your number one place for burgers? I'll definitely go back here because the food was great, but the service and system of ordering needs improving before it gets 10/10.

New Year Lunch at Mishkin's - Covent Garden

One of the reasons I started What Naomi Wrote was because I stumbled across Estée's blog and YouTube channel 'essiebutton' at the end of 2012 and was inspired to create my own space on the internet. I discovered a whole world of bloggers and youtubers that I never knew existed before. I was amazed - this was what I had been looking for pretty much my whole life. I don't read many magazines - they are expensive and usually filled with rubbish so discovering quality online content was great.

To this day I still make sure I catch up with Estée's channel and blog because she is so honest, down to earth and intelligent. I feel like I can trust everything she says even though I have never met the woman. Okay, I realise how much of a creeper I sound, but if you haven't followed Estée's blog or subscribed to her YouTube channel, do it now. She helped me save a tonne of money when I was switching my high end brands to 'drug store' brands. Even though I am not a beauty blogger, I still love to read others and Estée's in particular.

Anyway, in a few of Estée's videos she mentioned a place in London called Mishkin's - and like a lot of things she shares on her channel and blog, I was interested. I wanted to visit this place. I wanted to taste the Reuben on Rye for myself. I love sandwiches. I love pickles. I love pastrami. I love cheese. I like most food but I really liked the look of this place. So, when I was visiting my good friend Jess in London over the new year, we took a visit to the restaurant that describes itself on its website as 'a kind-of Jewish deli.'

Situated on Catherine Street in Covent Garden, opposite the Theatre Royal where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical is showing (excellent musical - go see it!), Mishkin's was filling fast but my friend Jess and I were seated straight away.

When everything on the menu calls your name, you know you've found the one. I wish I had gone to Mishkin's sooner, but I know there will be plenty more visits in the future.

Mishkin's resembled somewhat of an American diner, although a more polished version of one you might see in a movie. What Jess and I loved was how close the tables were to each other - we enjoyed listening into locals' conversations about their typical Londoner lives while we chowed down on our fat sandwiches and fries.

The staff were so nice and attentive. As soon as we sat down our waiter poured us some water and handed us the menus. We both ordered a half sandwich each and East End fries and onion rings to share. Another plus was the option of small or large for each dish, consequently reducing the overall cost of the meal which is always good, especially in central London. I nipped to the loo and by the time I returned our food had arrived.

I have to say, the onion rings were a tad on the greasy side and I would have liked them to be slightly browner but that's just me being picky - everything else was spot on.

Those pickles. Oh my. As I write this I can feel my stomach longing for another Reuben on Rye. The bread was delicious and perfectly toasted. There was a generous serving of meat and cheese stuffed inside and I think it goes without saying that it tasted fantastic. I don't know what more I can say - if you like sliders, mac n cheese and salt beef - and who doesn't - you'll love Mishkin's. I can't wait to go again. 

The only disappointment was the 12% service charge automatically added to the bill which I just don't agree with no matter where I dine, especially since it used to be 10%! I am all for tipping exceptional service,  but when it is assumed or taken without consent it bothers me. We visited another restaurant during my visit and when we paid the bill the waitress actually asked us if we wanted the change! We said yes out of principle. We were shocked that she had even asked. In my opinion, tipping is at the discretion of the customer - not the company. Regardless, we were happy to tip Mishkin's as the service and food were equally outstanding.

Find out more about Mishkin's here.

Review - The Tavern - Cheltenham

A visit to Cheltenham is not complete without a trip to The Tavern, and my highlight of the weekend was going there for tea on Saturday night. It.Was.Amazing.

When I first discovered The Tavern I could not believe my tastebuds. How had I lived in Cheltenham for nearly three years and not been to this American gastropub, let alone heard about it? Since first visiting back in March I have been back countless times and tried a number of things off the menu - all of which have been of outstanding quality and taste. 

If you want good food but not the upscale price tag, try this place. It's extra busy on the weekend so be sure to book a table. The staff are friendly and inviting - everyone is welcome.

To start, we ordered some mini corn dogs. I was clearly too keen to eat them before taking a photo, and quite rightly so. I had never had corn dogs before but have always wanted to try them. They were sweet, fluffy, and the little sausages inside were so cute. The chilli mayonnaise made a great accompaniment.

My dad ordered white bait - tiny little fish that had a really strong fishy taste - delicious.

After much deliberation, I decided to go for the cider pulled pork & beetroot slider with a side of slaw and french fries. I had this on my first visit to The Tavern and it was seriously good.

While we waited for our food (it didn't take long) I took a couple of photos. Not sure about this stuffed bird behind our table...

I love how you can see the kitchen and smell all the food being cooked. It is evident from the taste of the food that it is all fresh, but seeing it adds that extra satisfaction.

Angels sing. Second time round and the cider pork slider did not disappoint. It was juicy and warm. The bread was soft and easy to eat - you know sometimes you get those burgers that are sandwiched between a hefty roll seemingly sawed in half? Yeah, not that.

I cannot stop looking at this. The pulled pork was indescribably tasty. The cider flavour was apparent but not overpowering, and the beetroot added a special zing. I could eat these every day.

My dad and Bethan both ordered the beef burger which came with slaw and matchstick fries.

And my mum ordered something which I will DEFINITELY be getting next time - the burnt end mash.

Creamy, buttery, saucy, beefy, cheesy - just a taste sensation. I could have eaten this alone and been satisfied. Next time I will.

Cute little corn in a dish of oil and herbs.

The Tavern is not the place to go if you're on a diet, but you're allowed a treat every now and then. There was a woman on the table next to us who ordered the burger without the bun, slaw and salad instead of fries... Each to their own, I suppose, but I think I'll stick to my Dirty Mac n Cheese, fat infused sliders and melt in the mouth mash.

Have you been to The Tavern? I should also mention their breakfast - it is AHMAZIN. All round excellent food and relaxed atmosphere. Lovely! You can check out their website here for more information, location and menus.