New York Savoury Bites

When eating in New York there can be no ifs or buts, no eliminations – we had to go all out and make the most of it. As a result we ate some of the best food we'd tasted in our lives. Forget the sugar, fat, calories, salt – for five days we ate exactly what we wanted when we wanted, which meant cupcakes and doughnuts for breakfast and cookies and crisps for dinner at 11 o'clock at night. Holidays are for treats, and these were some I'll never forget. What's better than that? Not a whole lot, I've decided.

PJ Clarke's – 44 West 63rd Street

Unpretentious, good quality American food in a relaxed environment – that's PJ Clarke's in a nutshell. Here New Yorkers enjoy casual mid-week lunches, complete with cocktails, and we tried our best to fit in. But really, we weren't subtle about soaking up every second of our visit to PJ Clarke's – it was a real treat. Slightly more expensive than your standard gastro pub, PJ Clarke's would probably be the place to go for a Birthday lunch or some other celebration – but nonetheless, we loved our authentic American eating experience and our sandwiches were some of the best we had ever had.

I chose the turkey club 'banh mi' – which came with cucumber, pickled carrots (my new favourite thing), coriander and chili mayo (yum!!) – and Jess had the stacked corned beef Reuben with homemade 'white kraut and swiss'. Both came with crisps and were $19 each plus tax and tips. Pricey, but when in Rome...

Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina – Located in Chelsea Market, 75 9th Ave

My mum insisted we go to Chelsea Market – it had been the highlight of her visit to New York last summer – so we made time to fit it into our trip, and I'm so glad we did. This market is a must-visit for any foodie. But I warn you now, you'll be stuck choosing what to eat for a long time.

I went back to the first restaurant I passed in the market's entrance – Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina. There was so much pasta, I just couldn't help myself.

I had the wild mushroom girasoli with pesto, Parmesan and mixed vegetables on the recommendation of the guy behind the counter – what friendly people live in New York!

I got a green juice (sooo good) to match my green pasta and sat out on the street with Jess, enjoying the February sunshine while eating my fantastic lunch.

Black Tap – 529 Broome Street, Soho

This blog is turning into quite a lengthy one, but stay with me. Jess and I queued for 1 hour and 45 minutes for a table at Black Tap, yep, that burger and milkshake place the world's gone mad for on Instagram. 

 

But really, for cheese like that I'd wait all day. And as if our ah-mazin burgers weren't enough, we got a sweet and salty shake to share for afters.

Pretty epic.

So, we ate all the cream, most of the m&ms, had a bite each of the pretzel stick, and drank, perhaps, a fifth of the actual milkshake. It was sweet, it was salty, it was everything we ever dreamed of, but we were defeated. Hats off to the guys and gals drinking (eating?) entire milkshakes to themselves.

Vanessa's Dumplings – 220 East 14th Street

Last but not least is the cheapest of our savoury bites, and with our bubble tea, multicoloured dumplings and pork sesame pancakes came a big dollop of New York drama. While eating we got absorbed in a nearby girl's conversation with her friend. She was telling him all about her new boyfriend, but it was obvious the guy she was telling wasn't interested. We tried not to be obvious about it, but once we got sucked in we couldn't not listen. Finding cafes and restaurants where locals meet friends for a gossip is so exciting and different, so authentic, that I just wanted to stay here all day and listen to more conversations. It felt like we'd found the real New York.

As for the food – well, the pork sesame pancake was the star of the show at just $2.99! We watched them make our dumplings – it was $5.49 for eight – two veggie, two chicken, two shrimp and two pork, and $2.99 for bubble tea. I couldn't believe how much we got for how little we paid and it was all great, but if you go for just one thing, you've got to get the sesame pancake sandwich – these are just the bomb diggity.

Like what you've seen? Then check out my NYC sweet treats and top brunch spots! I'm hoping to visit New York again one day and discover even more fantastic food and drink, but until then I'll just enjoy the memories from my most recent visit – which was, unashamedly, dominated by food.

Popup Cafe - Deal, Kent

When it was still cold enough to wear my winter coat (I know we all whinge but really, British summer isn't as bad as we make it out to be) I visited my very good friend Jess in Deal - a town I know well. Some of you may know that, despite having lived in Wales for the past 11 years (minus three years at university in Cheltenham), I was actually born in Dover, Kent, and spent the first 12 years of my life there. That's how I know Jess, and that's how I know Deal. But revisiting - for the first time in eight years - it was nothing like I remembered. The quiet town I had previously written off as boring now appealed to me as a place to discover all these amazing cafes, bars and coffee shops. I was in my absolute element.

Saturday morning I spent lazing in bed watching Friends while Jess went on a driving lesson. Attic rooms are the best for this, and I soaked up every minute of the rain tapping on the skylight window. But soon it was time to get up and brave the wind (Deal is a seaside town!) and head out for some food.

Jess insisted we go to Popup Cafe, a place that had initially opened as just that, a pop up. But it was so popular that it carried on - and I'm so glad. It wasn't too busy when we arrived at about 1 o'clock. We sat upstairs - a light and airy space that reminded me of an art room at school, with recipe books on the windowsill and tables and chairs dotted sporadically across the room. The decor was right up my street - stripped back but with dashes of colour and unique lampshades and a big mirror with writing on it on one of the walls.

A lot of cafes claim to make everything homemade these days, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're any good. However, trust me when I say Popup Cafe is genuinely good, homemade, quality food and drink. First there was the sausage roll and salad both Jess and I ordered...

The pastry encasing the sausage had the added treat of caramelised onions - clearly the way all sausage rolls should be done. It was served warm with a really tasty beetroot and fennel salad with red cabbage slaw - the flavour combination was spot on and servings were generous.

Of course I had room for more, so I ordered one of the doughnuts for which Popup Cafe is renowned. The choice was either jam or coconut and, as much as I love jam doughnuts, I wanted to try something new. I paired my coconut doughnut with a flat white - steamed to silky perfection, and polished it all off, no problem. When I think of homemade doughnuts I think of stiff, chewy spheres of dough, but these were puffed up and airy - like the best doughnut in the world, but better. The coconut cream was light and not too sweet, and I could probably have eaten five more.

I wanted to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner here, but we had a few more cafes to go to during my short visit. The staff here were great, though, and I'll definitely enjoy a warm welcome back when I'm next visiting.

Popup Cafe is right in the centre of Deal - just a twenty minute's drive from Dover. Find out more here. You can also follow them on Twitter @pop_up_cafe.

Nordic Bakery - Soho

Have you ever found a quiet place in London? Somewhere away from the tourists, the street-long shops, the noise? Nordic Bakery was my first such discovery.

Young mothers meeting friends with their toddlers clad in New Balance trainers and mustard cashmere sweaters didn't dissuade me from settling here for the afternoon. In fact, there was something quite endearing about the array of people coming in and out of the cafe. It felt like everyone was welcome, even me with all my books.

Turning a busy corner and stepping into the calm Nordic Bakery, it was love at first sight. In true Scandinavian style, the decor was kept to a minimum, but the selection of sandwiches and cakes came in abundance.

It was difficult to choose, but I opted for the brie and lingonberry sandwich. All bread here is rye, and it is so delicious you'll wonder why you ever ate any other kind (except French, of course. French bread always prevails).

I could have eaten another, but the main reason for my visit to Nordic Bakery was to try the infamous cinnamon buns. It came served on a miniature tray – very cute – and paired with a black filter coffee it was perfectly palatable, but I do wish I had trusted my gut and picked up one of those giant jam tarts, instead. 

I'd heard rave reviews about these, but they're not cinnamon buns as I know them. These are very heavy, bready and don't taste much of cinnamon, unfortunately. Perhaps that's the Nordic way, but I think I'll stick to the sugar-soaked offering my sister bakes which hits the spot every time.

I spent the next hour revising for some exams that are now, thankfully, completed and passed, and then met my friend Jess for a weekend spent in a town very familiar to me. Posts of our Saturday spent in Deal to follow soon :)

Have you been to the Nordic Bakery? If you're in Soho, I highly recommend a trip. It's such an airy, relaxed atmosphere you'll forget you're in London altogether. Find out more here.

The Hanoi Bike Shop – Glasgow

Even on a grey-white day, Glasgow's architecture is so pleasing to the eye. This photo was taken just off Byres Road in the West End of Glasgow - a short subway ride from the city centre and well worth the gander away from the overwhelming bustle of shoppers swarming the streets.

It's in the West End I recall some of my fondest memories. As my dad commented on my last post - nothing beats eating a pie in a roll (sausage roll for me) while walking down Byres Road scouting out old Broons books in Arthur's shop (closed now, sadly). If you're a fan of vintage clothing, junk shops and cute coffee shops, this is the place for you. It's like nothing ever changes here, except the addition of some even more brilliant gems - one of them being The Hanoi Bike Shop.

If you know me then you'll know I am a huge fan of Vietnamese food. The love stems from trying summer rolls on my sister's recommendation a few years ago in my first visit to Pho with my then boyfriend. We were hooked, and I have been obsessed ever since. You can find these summer rolls - also known as crystal rolls or rice paper rolls - in Waitrose and M&S. My mum made them for me for my 21st birthday and they were brilliant - ingredients all available at Waitrose, too, (if you have the patience for that kind of thing).

Unfortunately, Vietnamese food hasn't quite broke the UK's food market just yet - in fact, The Hanoi Bike Shop is the only Vietnamese restaurant in Glasgow, but I'm hoping that will change soon. From light pho (a kind of noodle soup) to zingy salads, it's such fresh, flavoursome food, it's impossible not to like it. 

After much deliberation I ordered two starters: Goi Cuon - rice paper rolls with prawns, omelette, herbs, pickles and noodles and the Cha Gio Heo - crispy pork spring rolls with nuoc cham. 

I loved the summer rolls (obviously) and the fish sauce, lime and sugar dip was amazing, but I was especially impressed with the pork spring rolls - they were crispy, packed with pork and paired with the chilli dip, an absolute dream to eat.

Impressively, The Hanoi Bike Shop makes their own organic tofu - something I didn't even know was possible - and everything on the menu is made fresh to order. Beautiful, authentic decor and an array of sauces and drinks to choose from makes this place worth visiting and visiting again, bringing someone new each time to share the goodness.

It's not cheap - I paid about £12 for two relatively small starters - but it certainly is tasty and way better than any chain restaurant you'll find on the high street and for that, I'm happy to fork out a little extra.

Do you think you'll give Vietnamese food a try? I highly recommend The Hanoi Bike Shop if it's your first time - the staff were super friendly and attentive and the food is fantastic. Find out more here.

Borough Market & Maltby St Market – London

Christmas Sandwich at Cafe Mauds – Belfast

Mmm... Mauds. Don't make the mistake of visiting the Titanic Experience in Belfast (I learned more watching the film when I was seven) Instead, head over to Cafe Mauds where you can spend your £15.50 on something waaaaay better.

Karen and the girls insisted that Mauds was the best for lunch, so we listened. They were right.

Inside it's fairly plain, seating-wise, but the bar area is phenomenal. The first thing I saw was the assembling of a sort of ice cream sundae – it looked incredible.

How perfect does the rocky road look? I know it's meant to look 'rocky' (heh) and uneven, but I kind of like this neat and tidy(er) version. I used to make Nigella's rocky road all the time when I was 15/16. All the cakes, pies and biscuits on display in Mauds left me inspired to start baking again. It's been too long since I enjoyed milk and cookies.

But as soon as I saw turkey on the menu, there was no going back. You should know by now how much I love Christmas, and despite fully embracing summer this year for the first time...ever...I'm still very much a lover of winter, and a taste of what's to come this season was welcome indeed.

The waitress said it would be great toasted, so I said ok then. I love when staff give you their recommendations, it makes me feel like they're letting me in on a secret.

To drink I chose a green tea. Sometimes I try to be healthy, you know.

Bethan ordered a bacon and maple syrup crepe - you read right. Next time I'm getting me some of that.

I couldn't complain about my dish, though. Lots and lots of turkey stuffed inside two nicely toasted pieces of soft white bread, stuffing crumbling through the edges, more than enough onions and a generous helping of cranberry to glue it all together. It wasn't exactly how I imagined it would be, but it was unlike anything I had ever eaten before and it was delicious and beautiful and got me all excited for Christmas which is, err, more than three months away...

Have you been to Mauds? If not, why not?! I want to go back and try everything on their menu. And did I mention the staff are great? Shout out to the cute guy, Michael, who served us at the till : )

Lunching at La Madeleine - Hereford

I have considered Hereford as my next stop, you know. The city with a small town charm, cobbled side streets lined with independent shops, cafes, delis and a cheese shop – there isn't much else on my wishlist. 

But maybe something a bit further from home, somewhere I don't know. To visit, however, it is perfect. The Saturday we went to see my sister and niece was a particularly hot day and any shade found was a blessing. We parked at James' work and walked into town, wondering how much it would cost to rent a little cottage by the cathedral and cooing little baby OH who didn't much like the heat in her padded pram.

My mum is just wonderful, I've told you so before, but this photo reminds me of just how much of a positive, happy presence she has. It's infectious. I love our days out, and she was kind enough to treat me and my sisters – Emily and Sarah – to lunch at La Madeleine on this occasion.

It's always busy at La Madeleine – the best sign that its the place to be. This time we were lucky – the seating area at the front of the shop was free and we quickly snapped it up. It was too hot to have a wander inside, so you'll have to look on their website to see photos. Besides, I was happy people watching, basking in the sunshine. 

I ordered an orange San Pellegrino (is there anything better on a roasting hot day?) and the vegetarian tart with salad. I'm not sure about the name of this tart - it makes it sound like the tart is a vegetarian... or that the tart is for vegetarians, exclusively. Well, I am not a vegetarian, you'll be glad to know. I just like 'vegetarian' dishes. 

This one was beetroot and goat's cheese with pine nuts and it was amazing. Actually amazing. It was served warm, and although I couldn't detect any pine nuts, the pumpkin seeds on top made up for it, as did the flavour, texture and general deliciousness of the tart. It came with a fresh salad tossed with a zesty dressing and a super yummy potato salad - citrusy and not too creamy.

Sarah and my mum ordered the smoked salmon, poached egg, asparagus and beetroot salad with Hollandaise sauce which was like a more interesting eggs royale, and Emily had the quiche lorraine with salad and fries. We scraped our plates clean. Everything was perfect, and I don't say that often.

So go and get a table at La Madeleine, if you can. If you're the organised type, ring up in advance and book a table for breakfast. I can imagine this cafe is popular all year round. In winter, in a desperately cold state, I see myself enjoying a coffee and croissant before embarking on a day of Christmas shopping, before walking back, arms weighed down with gifts, to warm up with a hot chocolate before driving home through the idyllic countryside. But that's a few months away yet...