Cally Festival Crispy Chocolate Flapjacks

Cally Festival Crispy Chocolate Flapjacks

The Cally Festival was so much fun but after a sleepless night getting everything ready for the big day, myself and Mrs NMFS are exhausted! We were so pleased to meet so many nice people and the comments we received on the day were such a lift. It was nice also to show that gluten-free cakes are as tasty as anything else and also that you do not need too much sugar!

We were buoyed by the reaction and would consider showcasing our produce again and we might even consider offering cakes to order. Compared to other gluten-free cakes on the market, people were surprised at how we undercut the prices of non-gluten-free cakes so we will continue to be competitive with our prices. Please feel free to contact us if you have any requests!

Ingredients:

175g dairy free margarine

200g golden syrup

150g light muscovado sugar

350g gluten free porridge oats

1 lemon, finely grated zest

1 tsp ground ginger

100g milk chocolate chips

50g gluten-free corn ball cereal

Preheat the oven to 160C. In a large saucepan, melt the margarine, syrup and sugar together. Then add the oats, lemon zest and ground ginger and leave to cool for a few minutes.

When cool add the chocolate and corn balls and pour into a lined and greased 30x20cm baking tray.

Pop into the oven for 35 minutes until pale golden brown.

Golden Pagoda, Chinatown, London

Golden Pagoda, Chinatown, London

Chinatown draws tourists visiting London with its colour and the offer of a taste of the Orient. It ought to be a showcase for the best that oriental cuisine has to offer. It is very unfortunate therefore that we are yet to find a stand-out restaurant there. In fact, the Golden Pagoda is the worst restaurant we have had the misfortune to have been to.

The only redeeming feature is the not offensive decor, the rest that it has to offer is bordering on offensive. The decor is standard fare in Chinese restaurants so nothing to shout about but it does not hurt the senses.

The food, service and menu though definitely hurts the senses. From the ‘in your face’ and inattentive, rude, patronising waiter who we had the misfortune to serve us and who we tried to go to great lengths to catch the eye of someone else to serve us to the food that tasted worse than a supermarket ready meal. We were actually wishing that we had bought a ready meal. Something we never usually buy!

We started off with vegetarian spring rolls as a starter. They were oily and over cooked. The dipping sauce was insipid and far from fresh.

I really enjoy sweet and sour prawn balls. This dish put me off it. The batter was oily and the sauce was tasteless.

Mrs NMFS liked the sound of the fried stuffed aubergine green pepper and bean curd with prawn paste. It sounds nice but when served up tasted very bad. The ingredients did not taste fresh and the sauce tasted unhealthy.

I did not want to give prices for these dishes as I in no way want to advertise this place. It is overpriced though. We paid relatively alot for food that was very poor. Somehow a service charge is mandatory which is probably the only way anyone would want to pay it. I did question it but was directed to the front of the menu which states as much.

A place to avoid even though for some reason it seemed to be busy. Our search for a good restaurant in China Town continues…

Cally Festival Goes Gluten Free!

The Cally Festival marks the first time that the Caledonian Road will be closed off this Sunday 3rd July to provide the stage for a variety of entertainers and market traders, one of whom will house myself and Mrs NMFS! Apt therefore that it will mark our first foray into market trading.

It does feel a bit scary as literally we have no experience but we do have an ambundance of enthusiasm and a vision of what we want to create - a gluten-free option that is yummy without alienating the majority. The bottomline is that our creations will be tasty and as healthy as cakes and biscuits can be due to the lower sugar content and use of healthy ingredients. It aims to show that a freefrom diet need not be free from yumminess!

So please feel free to spread the word and come down to the Cally Festival and say hello to me and Mrs NMFS. Hopefully we will have something tasty to tempt you with!

Coeliac Awareness Week–Update

I was anticipating the start of Coeliac Awareness Week to report on the great offers designed to raise awareness of the gluten free diet. It has long intrigued me to see how a gluten free diet is seen as a trendy option. Almost as if it is a choice about taste. It is though an expensive choice and one which unfortunately many coeliacs struggle to afford given the inflated prices which I have mentioned before.

I popped into my local Sainsbury’s on the back of their inclusion as a commercial partner to the Awareness Week and the promise of a selection of offers from their Free From products to tempt us, but was left disappointed. Looking for offers but found none. Surely their status as a commercial partner is not merely an attempt to ride on the back of a legitimate campaign?

It does highlight the danger that a gluten free diet is becoming more of a marketing tool with a focus on gluten free products that cost extra whilst ignoring gluten free products which are naturally gluten free and do not cost extra. 

I hope to visit Tesco tomorrow to report on their efforts whilst I also hope to visit Asda soon as I have thus far been very impressed by their new range not only based on its quality but also its low prices.

So have you noticed any offers to mark Awareness Week?

Busaba Eathai, Shoreditch, London

Busaba Eathai, Shoreditch, London

Busaba Eathai is a very successful chain of trendy Thai restaurants, located around central London with usually queues of people wanting to get in. They recently opened up a new restaurant in the trendy part of Shoreditch on Old Street. They have excited their customers with their modern and interesting approach to Thai food and just about keep their customers engaged with happy service and modern food. Like any successful chain though they do have problems maintaining their quality with some items on their menu but have some standout items such as the pad thai that ensure Mrs NMFS and I will come back.

Stylish

The decor is in keeping with the trendy location in Hoxton, with lighting and clean lines adding to the trendy ambience. We had to queue up for a while in a long line carefully marshalled by a friendly ‘bouncer’. He admired our patience though in also wanting to wait for a booth seat to become available. Much as I recognise the popularity of communal eating arrangements, the large tables with bench seating at Busaba Eathai can be a bit cramped and feel claustrophobic so we generally ask for seating by the window, which offers generally more space and comfort. Londoners can also be a bit too reserved for communal eating to work.

Romantic window seats

Once we finally got the window seats that we wanted, we were happy to be able to sit down and browse through the menu which is full of interesting combinations. The lighting is very good with nice lanterns adding a romantic feel to the place.

Busaba explanation

It was nice to see that the menu explains the philosophy behind the restaurant and this is seen in the quick service and choice of ingredients.

Tea better than the juice

We were intrigued by the juices, wondering whether the combinations would work so I decided to try the jasmine smoothie with passion fruit, banana, orange and yoghurt.

Too many bananas!

I had high expectations with the hope of trying subtle jasmine tones, but unfortunately this drink seriously disappointed since the banana was too overpowering and proved to be the dominating flavour. I could not really taste the jasmine, which for a jasmine smoothie is quite disappointing. Either the recipe is a bad one or someone did not taste it before sending it out

Great ginger tea

Mrs NMFS went for her favourite, ginger and honey tea served with cashew and coconut cookie. This drink is a success and reasonably priced. The cookie, unfortunately we cannot have due to the gluten, but we usually keep it to give to someone else. We get good reports on these cookies though as being light and tasty. Back to the tea, the reason why it works so well is due to its simplicity. It simply comprises of fresh shredded ginger with honey. Where the jasmine smoothie fails, the tea succeeds in relying on the ingredients to offer great flavours. The tea is also less sweet than traditional ginger tea.

Curry galore

For some reason we rarely go for the green or red Thai curries as often they disappoint and fail to deliver the sweet and sour flavours that we associate with Thai food following our love of som tum. Today I decided to go for the stargazer monkfish green curry with pea aubergine and corn as I fancied something hot.

Soup or curry?

The curry came in a large bowl with the fish swimming in the sauce. Some may not appreciate so much sauce and if you were to have it on your own with one serving of rice, it would just not be enough rice. In the end it was bit like a soup but a pleasant one. The curry packed a good amount of heat and whilst the fish could have been given more generously, it was a pleasant curry with the good addition of the pea aubergine and corn elevating the dish above merely a green curry. It is a dish that I would enjoy again.

Star of the show

Great pad thai!

The star of the show is the pad thai and this is what brings us back to Busaba Eathai.

The pad thai is done very well here and we usually go for the sen chan with the added crabmeat and green mango adding more flavour. It is disappointing to see pad thai done badly with sloppy, oily blobs of noodles offered as poor excuses for pad thai. Here you get it as it should be, tasty rice noodles mixed in a nice fresh dressing of soy, lime and fish sauce. The green mango and crabmeat are a combination which works very well. The dish is well presented and reasonably priced in relative terms.

Unmitigated disaster...

Mrs NMFS also wanted something spicy so she also ordered the tom yam talay. It was a big disappointment. The flavour of the pad thai before this was totally lacking. I could only muster two spoonfuls. The spicy sour soup was very bland with a hint of bad taste in the background. This dish did not have any redeeming features to mention.

Buzzing atmosphere

Busaba Eathai offers a good atmosphere with quick and friendly service with some good dishes but also some poor ones. If you want good pad thai with a nice ginger tea I would recommend it but be wary of some of the other items on the menu.

So, do you enjoy communal eating?

Dishoom Indian Restaurant, Covent Garden, London

Dishoom Indian Restaurant, Covent Garden, London

When Mrs NMFS and I are strolling around London we enjoy peering into small cafes and gazing at the menus of the many restaurants. Sadly, much of what we see are outside of our diet being full of gluten, meat or dairy. Hence when we do try out a new restaurant we usually only have a limited menu to choose from even if a supposed gluten-free option is available. I can remember a few occasions being disappointed by a supposed gluten-free menu to discover alas that it was merely an excuse to charge you the full amount whilst serving you up less. We are therefore more careful now, only going to places where the menu has just enough items to constitute a choice. 

It was on one of these wanders, that we came across Jamie’s Italian in Covent Garden which we stopped to gaze into since we had just seen one of his shows on TV recently. Unfortunately and not surprisingly given the Italian theme, the menu was a gluten heaven. It led us to move down the road and we were similarly intrigued by the get-up of Dishoom and given that its menu was Indian, we knew that we would have sufficient options to be able to consider it a menu.

Dishoom has already acquired quite a reputation and rightly so given its ingenious ‘Bombay cafe’ style get-up. It will soon be seen by many in pop-up form on the South Bank this summer. The place has a buzz about it whilst having a family feel as well given the sheer number of families that frequent the place. It perhaps does not quite meet the hype though as far as the quality of its food goes. If it made a few tweaks it would be a regular haunt of ours given the mostly great atmosphere.

The dining area is divided into three distinct areas – the larger tables at the front, the cafe style tables nearer to the open kitchen and booths at the back. There is also a private function room in the basement where the toilets are located.

The walls are adorned with cute images of Indian culture in the 60’s. I loved it as I could imagine my parents dressed up like some of the images when they first came to London as a couple on the eve of a new life together. It is for that reason that we brought my mum and niece to spend a post-birthday lunch.

We wanted to sit at one of the booths to enjoy the privacy that they offer and requested as such to the front of house waitress. We were seated at a cafe style table in the meantime but were waiting for the booths. We even asked our waitress again to let us know when one became free. Seemingly our requests were not clear enough. A table who had come after us were directed to a booth that became free by the same waitress! She told us that they said they were first! I am not sure why this was taken as true but needless to say this was not acceptable. We waited for another booth but this was a let down in service which is odd since usually the service is good. 

The service was also poor in terms of food knowledge. Perhaps it was just an accident and the waitress was new perhaps but I could just be clutching at straws. My mother was on a no-salt diet on the day that we visited so whilst we knew that she would not be able to try much there must have been some items that could be prepared fresh without salt? The waitress told us no, even the Desi Crisps. When we asked about the House Chai she did not seem to think it could be made without salt! She had to ask to check. Very poor knowledge of basics I think.

Cafe Crisps (£1.90)

My niece being only 3, wanted crunchy items so she went for the Cafe Crisps  which essentially are deep fried pieces of thin roti with a sprinkling of spice. She seemed to enjoy them mainly due to the crunch!

Desi Fish Fingers (£1.90)

Desi Fish Fingers (£1.90)

She also like many other 3-year olds, loves fish fingers so she tried the Desi Fish Fingers which were fried pieces of fish in a spicy coating. Again she seemed to enjoy them. They were not too oily and the spice raised the taste of the fish.

Dill Salmon Tikka (£8.50)

We went for the Dill Salmon Tikka which we have enjoyed here previously. The spice marinade together with the dill really make this a nice dish although today it was not up to its usual standard. It tasted a little bit dry and the marinade did not taste like before. When done properly though it is a nice dish although a bit pricy.

Paneer curry (£7.90)

The Ruby Murray of the day is usually a veg and non-veg and today the veg option was a paneer curry which we have had before. It was unfortunately a bit creamy which is a fault of their House Black Daal (£4.50). I do not know whether this is on purpose but the creaminess was overpowering and detracts from what should be the stars of the show – the balance of the spices. It left a poor taste in the mouth. A little less creaminess and more flavour would improve these dishes no end.

Vegetable Biryani (£6.90)

Biryani, in Indian culture is often used as a celebration dish so we ordered the vegetable biryani  It plays such an important part in culture due to its rich taste and use of saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, and other spices brought together in a lengthy cooking process that gets the best out of the spices. The one we tried though was sadly lacking in flavour. It had a passable resemblance to a biryani but did not have the wow factor that it ought to have had. It was nicely presented though and came just cooked from the oven.

Kulfi On A Stick (£2.50)

On to the treat dessert for our niece and a plus point of the menu is the Kulfi On A Stick. We opted for the pistachio one but also on offer are mango and chocolate. It was deliciously creamy and for once this creaminess was fitting! It is a great serving idea for children and the young at heart to enjoy since as it melts the trick is to look sensible as it pours down your chin! This kulfi works and would be an ideal ending to a spicy meal. Cream plus more cream adds up to too much cream though and the ending was spoiled by the poor service and disappointing food.

House Chai (£1.90)

A quick mention to the infamous House Chai, infamous not for its taste but because the waitress had to check whether it could be offered salt free! It was ok but lacked a bit. I expected more of the cardamom to come through but it was a bit limp.

Dishoom has a winning formula in the Bombay cafe concept but needs to focus a bit more on improving the taste of its food.

So, are you familiar with the term Ruby Murray?

Rabieng Thai restaurant, Islington, London

Rabieng Thai restaurant, Islington, London

What a surprise to come across the ‘mother’ of our favourite Thai restaurant, the Thai Garden Cafe, right under our noses in Islington. We wanted to have some som tum but was having one of those days where we wanted to go somewhere nearby. Hence we decided to give the Thai place that we had walked past a few times a go, unaware of its connection to our som tum heaven.

Our suspicions were raised when we noticed that the decor and menu were very similar to Thai Garden Cafe.

Our suspicions were confirmed by the very friendly waitresses who informed us that Rabieng was run by the mother of the Thai Garden Cafe’s owner. We were delighted at the prospect of being able to enjoy a similar menu and perhaps another source of great som tum. Surprises are always welcome especially when it comes to food.

The common link with the Thai Garden Cafe is seen in the window display at the front with cute traditional Thai toys.

 

The dining area is nicely arranged with wood flooring and traditional furniture giving a formal yet comfortable feel. The only downside was that it smelt a little bit stuffy and our table was a bit dusty.

We ordered the som tum goong sod (£8.50) and kao neaw (£3.00) with glee and in a break from tradition the pad kee mau with prawns (£7.50) instead of our usual pla salmon ma kham.

The pad kee mau was warming although a little bit oily and lacked a little seasoning. It was spicy which some might not like but we both enjoyed this dish.

The star of the show was the som tum which came in an attractive bowl piled high. Our first taste was perplexing but after we mixed it with the sticky rice, although it was lacking heat, the sauce was very good. By the end we were licking the bowl clean although Mrs NMFS was having to position herself strategically in front of me so that the other diners could not see her enjoying it so much!

On this occasion though, I have to say that mother does not do it better since the food served up at Thai Garden Cafe is better. Rabieng is close though and certainly amongst the best that we have been to in London. The staff have to get a special mention also for being so very friendly.

Rabieng is a good option for those visiting Angel as it offers up good food at reasonable prices. It is located across the road from Ottalenghi but has the advantage of offering hot food! A bit bitchy I know but when you pay so much and queue up for so long the least the food could be is warm (especially given the cold climate here)!

So, have you unexpectedly found a restaurant related to one of your favourites before?

Thai Garden Cafe–best som tum in London!

Thai Garden Cafe – best som tum in London!

It is fitting for the first restaurant review, that it is about a hidden gem discovered opposite the British Museum. When Mrs NMFS and I first discovered it, it was disappointingly empty during our first few visits but of late it has become busier.

Thai food is all about balance. The balance between sweet, salty, sour and heat. The Thai Garden Cafe achieves that balance with so many of its dishes. The stars of the show are the divine som tum goong sod (papaya salad) and the yummy salmon nam ma kham (tamarind sauce).

Thai Garden Cafe looks very unassuming from the outside and despites its location next to a crowded tourist spot, is not as busy as the greasy cafes and creperies also found on Museum Street.

The decor is very pleasant though with cafe style tables at the front leading to a more formal dining area at the back.

Pride in its Thai heritage is seen throughout its decoration with traditional Thai pictures.

The separation in the dining areas can be misleading as from the outside the restaurant can appear to be deserted which if you have not been to a restaurant can be a bad sign. In this instance though, appearances are very much misleading.

The menu is extensive, without being complicated and focuses solely on traditional Thai dishes.

We started with a refreshing but sweet Thai iced tea (although without the ice!). I love the cloudiness when adding the accompanying coconut milk.

The po pia tod (deep fried spring rolls) (£4.25) were tasty appetizers served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. They were not oily and the mixed vegetables and glass noodles were not overly seasoned.  These are not the standard frozen spring rolls that can be lazily served up at times.

We had the pad kee mau with prawns (£7.50) as an alternative to our usual pad thai and we were pleasantly surprised. The basil and chilli combined very well with the rice noodles. Thai basil is such a nice herb but is so hard to find in London it seems.

We moved next to the stars of the show – the tamarind salmon and papaya salad! The salmon nam ma kham (£8.95) is my favourite as it reminds me of tukka, a tamarind jam served up at Mauritian weddings. The salmon is crispy on the outside but moist on the inside. Covered in the lovely thick, sweet and tangy tamarind sauce with a hint of heat. With the first bite it makes your mouth water but in truth my mouth now water in anticipation. The dish tastes that good. The sauce should not be too runny or too thick and not too sweet. You can tell that it is prepared fresh and does not come out of a jar. It is so good that we guard the serving plate to be able to lick all of the remaining sauce!

Next on to what is a good test for any Thai restaurant, the som tum goong sod (£7.95). If an establishment claims to be Thai but does not serve this up then it probably is not a good Thai restaurant. If it serves up good som tum then it probably will serve up good Thai food as it understands and can execute the balance vital to Thai food. Mrs NMFS introduced me to the joys of good som tum whilst in Sydney. We spent months hunting down a good source in London and struck gold with the Thai Garden Cafe.

Accompanied with sticky rice, the som tum should taste like heaven. More often than not, we are served up heaven in a salad with this dish. It is a simple recipe but everything has to be balanced correctly. Miss out the peanuts and cashew nuts for example, and it does not hit the mark.

It is served up very hot in Thailand, so if you prefer something with less heat, ask for only half a chilli to be added. The eating experience does not end when we have gobbled up the sticky rice, papaya, carrots, prawns or cherry tomatoes. The best bit is the sauce that is left in the bowl at the end. A seasoned som tum eater will be able to look at the colour to realise whether you have liquid gold or not. It can be enjoyed and relished on its own. Savouring each spoonful and allowing it to rest on your tongue before swallowing. Again the bowl is guarded well until every lost drop is finished.

The dessert menu is refreshing and they do the dishes well. We tried the

Kao Niao Sung Khaya (£4.50). The coconut custard is wonderfully rich and sweet and the sticky rice provides a great balance with its subtle sweetness. Again, the small attention to details elevate this dish. The sesame seeds and crystallised egg give another taste for you to enjoy. It is a light dessert which is refreshing after such a mix of sweet, salty and hot flavours.

The Thai Garden Cafe is a hidden gem even though it sits so close to one of London’s busiest attractions, the British Museum.

If you come across it and want to try the best som tum in London, pop in even if it looks empty. You may well see Mrs NMFS and Cheeky Chops sitting in the corner together licking the plates clean with contented looks on our faces!

So, how would you test a good Thai restaurant?