Remembering being English......a trip to Westminster Public Infirmary for afternoon tea, March 3rd

Early March saw a birthday for Gannet 2. She was obviously feeling joyous at the thought of being another year older, and wanted to share the experience with friends and family. “I know just the place to go”, said Gannet 2. “Please come and have afternoon tea at the place of my birth, I'm sure there’ll be a plaque somewhere”. What a fantastic invitation! We were going up west, right posh! There were five of us in all-Gannet 2 and her mum; Mr Gannet 2, Gannet 1, and Mrs Plover.

St Georges Hospital, Hyde Park Corner, started as Westminster Public Infirmary, back in 1723; the imposing building that stands there now was built in 1844, and served as St George's Hospital until it closed its doors for the last time in 1980. The hospital was important to 3 of us there; Gannett 2 was born there ( no plaque, we discovered), but more importantly her mum had trained there as a nurse in the early 60s. Gannet 1  is a proud alumnus of  St George's Hospital Medical School, but her only visit to the Hyde Park Corner site was to the sexual health clinic (as a student she hastens to add).

Afternoon tea in the now Lanesborough Hotel was a real treat. The room was magnificent, the menu diverse, and the delicacies sublime.

We had a range of different teas, some highly perfumed, all served in the best bone china; however the experience was slightly marred by the waiting staff, none of whom appeared to know how a cup of tea ought to be made. They hadn’t heard of letting it brew by the looks , and taste, of things. There were several people sitting at the table able to put them right, and boy didn’t we do just that. The second lot of tea was a vast improvement.

The tea was accompanied by beautifully constructed finger sandwiches- Gannet 2 is partial to a spot of coronation chicken, Gannet 1 loved the cucumber, with a smidgen of cream cheese, on delicate white rye. When the sandwiches ran out, more followed, to everyone's delight (especially Gannet 2 and the  coronation chicken; for someone of such a slight build, she certainly put enough away).

And in case we were still hungry, there were the delicate pastries, and-of course-scones, jam and cream. And lemon curd, yummy.

And a birthday cake!

Scores:

Value-Can’t possibly say as Gannet 2 picked up the tab, but it was not cheap...... However, Gannet 2 was happy paying for the experience, and the trip down memory lane.

Authenticity- it was certainly a classic afternoon tea, with everything in keeping with what we expected.

Atmosphere- This could not have been better; the room was beautifully decorated, classic in style, relaxing and the service was spot-on.

Taste-there weren't any empty plates at the end of the afternoon, and indeed several of us left with doggy bags full of yummy pastries, and scones. The sandwiches were delicious.

And on the way home, as we lightly sprang across Green Park in the late afternoon spring sunshine (actually it was dark  by that time), Gannet 1 insisted that we paid homage to Bomber Command, by looking at the statue. (Gannet 1 was a bit sad at that point......)

Toulouse Lautrec Brasserie, Kennington, and "Painting the Modern Garden" at the Royal Academy

This is a pen portrait of Gannet 2 the day after our latest trip.  Somewhat the worse for wear...

Where did we go?

We were feeling French and adventurous, and so ventured to deepest, darkest Kennington to visit Toulouse Lautrec (yes, yes, I know he's dead - Toulouse Lautrec the trendy jazz brasserie, not Toulouse the artist).

I say "all the way" (which reminds me why you should never fly Virgin Airways as it doesn't go that far...) but oddly Kennington turns out to be only 4 short stops on the Northern Line from Leicester Square, whilst Leicester Square is only a short walk from the Royal Academy on Piccadilly which is currently showing Painting The Modern Garden.  So although when booking it felt like intrepid exploring, the trip there from central London was incredibly quick.

So last Sunday started with a late afternoon trip to the Royal Academy to see an exhibition largely featuring Monet but also other garden paintings.   We were not the only people with that same idea and the Exhibition was uncomfortably crowded - I would recommend going on a weekday if you can unless like Mr Gannet 1 you are 6Ft4 - and yet it was still well worth while:  there was a variety of artists displaying the evolution of the European garden.   I especially loved the Pisarro paintings.  He may be the only great Impressionist AFAIK to have depicted the lovely streets of South London in his painting The Avenue in Sydenham.  Dulwich still looks a bit like this:

Enough about art!  Mr Gannet 2 and I rapidly descended (literally) to the little known Shankman Bar in the Royal Academy complex, tucked to the side in the Keeper's House.  Good as the exhibition was, the Bar was a gem.  Its capacity is about 30 people - you can only order if there is a chair upon which to sit which ensures it feels roomy whilst still being small and intimate.   There is no  loud music and you can hear yourselves talk whilst feeling very trendy and in the centre of things.  It is subtly lit, bathed in the red glow of reflected light from sumptuous velvet and leather.  Actually the lighting is a bit too subtle for Mr Gannet 2 who put his drink down on a bar surface that did not exist, thus showering himself in Elephant Gin.

Gannet 2 gushed to the bar man how very much she likes Italians and before long he was mixing a complimentary replacement cocktail so all were happy.  The barman could not have been more helpful, giving us different liqueurs to taste before taking our orders and recommending various delicious combinations of exotic alcohols.  As well as being delightfully Italian (IMO!)

Despite the drinking, we still made it safely to Toulouse Lautrec by the allotted time of 7.15pm at which point the Brasserie was still almost completely empty - filling up really only by about 9pm.

We were a party of 6:  The two gannets and their husbands, together with the Plovers.  Here is Mr Plover discussing matters of state with Mr Gannet 2.  You can see the authentic french atmosphere and vibe - excitingly, there was a poster up showing which acts were performing which night and Sunday night was to be French Chansons at 9.30pm.  At the start of the evening, we were fully intending to stay up that late.  The Gannets were very excited to read through the very traditionally french menu:  onion soup, frites, charcuterie all featured.

The waitress was a charming Romanian but we could hear a lot of french coming from the kitchen which was open to the restaurant (always reassuring)

The food was perfectly acceptable and generally well executed but nothing out of the ordinary, reflecting the price point.  However the general congeniality and the feeling that something might be about to happen made it feel warm and welcoming.  Personally, I wouldn't travel especially to Kennington for this restaurant but would definitely go back if I were in the area.

The creme Brulee was certainly bruleed:  we saw the Chef blowtorching it practically in front of us,   Perhaps with over enthusiasm as it left the creme rather curdled.  At least they hadn't bought it in!

By 9.15pm, Gannet 2 was ready for bed and the general consensus was to skip the French Chansons happening on the top floor (extra cost of £12 per person) so we paid our £45 each including tip and copious drinks, and left.

Mrs Plover chauffeured us home beautifully, although it is not clear whether this was owing to, or despite, all the help from the 5 back and front seat passengers.  Thank you Mrs Plover!

“A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou.” Omar Khyam, 1048-1131

If only we had stuck to these wise words……A visit to Caspian, 12th February 2016

 Friday night was Persia night and saw us heading towards “Caspian”, a Persian restaurant that came recommended by various friends. It is situated in Burnt Ash Road, not too far on a Friday night, and everybody was looking forward to it.

Bit of an adventure getting there; as we drove towards our destination we could see the flashing lights which would herald the presence of our boys in blue, and we wondered whether said Caspian had been raided for drugs. But no, nothing as exciting as it was merely the fact that the chippy next door had been the scene of a “rumble” (street slang as used by a local urchin)  and the door had been kicked in. Caspian was fortunately open for business, and shining brightly in the inky darkness of a South East London Friday night.
 

The waiter was second generation Iranian, and his voice was rather polished and refined; it was his parents restaurant, he informed us.  The whole restaurant felt welcoming, we took our seats, perused the menu and began to choose. We thought beer might make an appropriate drink to wash down the food to come, but the choice was limited-Peroni or Peroni; no alternative. In retrospect, maybe we should have asked for a jug of wine?

For Gannet 1 and spouse it was always going to be a difficult battle for the restaurant to win; thanks to a generous friend, they had experienced many a delicious Iranian feast, and Gannet 1 was really looking forward to Iranian rice-meltingly soft on top, infused with saffron and crunchy towards the bottom. It was not on the menu, and her spirits drooped slightly as a result.

The starter was easy-mixed Mazeh was chosen and subsequently materialized very quickly-various tasty delicacies appeared, although the presentation was not up to other venues that had been visited. Some thought the smokey aubergines a bit too smokey, and Gannet 1 wondered whether the central portion of  Salad Olvieh resembled Heinz mixed salad; didn’t stop her tucking in, though.

But the bread was to die for! Soft inside, slightly crusty outside, warm and absolutely delicious-we asked for more and thoroughly enjoyed it! 

The main courses arrived-afterwards we thought we had probably chosen badly, passing over the kebabs to choose the “specialties of the house”-various stews which came served with “saffron covered basmati rice”-not quite as nice as the crispy rice that Gannet 1 was coveting. 

However, we tried:

Zereshk Polo chicken cooked in saffron, lemon juice and onions

Ghorme Sabzi- lamb with kidney beans and dried limes (rather strange colour when it arrived)

Fresenjan- Chicken with ground walnuts and pomegranate juice ( A bit too sweet, we think).

And Geymeh- aubergines in a stew.

Unfortunately, none of the main courses was served with any vegetables or salad, which we saw arriving with the kebabs our lucky neighbours had chosen. The kebabs did look rather good, as well.

 We filled up quickly (yes I know, too much bread, but it was lovely) and didn’t have a desert. 

And how did we score?

Value-8/10 meze was £14 for the four of us, and the main courses were about £8-10.

Authenticity-9/10 yes, very. The menu appeared authentic and did not appear anglicised in any way. Staff were the real thing as well.

Ambience –7/10 bright, no mood lighting, although we felt that this was very much in keeping with Middle Eastern restaurants in general.

Taste-6/10-difficult as the taste was probably authentic, bit too sweet at times. (Gannet 1 thinks could have been better…..)

We thought we probably wouldn’t return, although may well seek other Middle Eastern venues as the year progresses.

But good luck to them, we believe it’s a great adventure for the family.

(And this is what true crunchy bottom rice looks like-highly recommended!)

The Covered Market at Greenwich

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight”

So apparently reads the inscription on the arch entrance to the old Greenwich Covered Market from the South side on College Approach next to the Admiral Hardy pub.  Hmm..  my favourite Hardy is GH  but the Admiral comes a close second.    I say "apparently" as actually I couldn't find the inscription - I will go back and check harder during the week.

[Aside:  GH Hardy contended that pure maths "has permanent aesthetic value" and "is eternal because the best of it may, like the best literature, continue to cause intense emotional satisfaction to thousands of people after thousands of years."   Like this blog then.  Which is destined to become like, I dunno, the Pepys' Diary of future generations].

This week, the Gannets two were even less organised than usual and so set out in the miserable weather that was Sunday for good old Greenwich Market - the covered one.  2 women and a dog.

The men waited patiently and heroically at home with crockery, cutlery and rumbling stomachs.   "I would like the Thai curry and some samosas" instructed Mr Gannet 2, the one who in his own mind had a competent wife with a memory.

The market has been in existence since the early 1800's when it began at the West gate to the Royal Naval College and spread organically, before being corralled into its current site behind all the buildings in the middle of Greenwich's fetching gyratory.  In the last couple of years, after much local argument, it has been refurbished with a new glass roof and flatter cobbles to enable those with wheels and heels better to totter around the stalls.  It is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.

The market is open Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in off-season January and early February), and is full of enticing stalls selling handmade jewellery,  candles,  alternative clothes, ceramics, some vintage stuff, children's toys and other craft made items.  But the southern half is now given over to food stalls, very like Borough Market.  This is where we headed.

We were spoiled for choice:  vegan patisserie, hand made sushi, burritos, beanburgers and sweet stalls.  But we wanted authenticity.  No pan-Asian fusion for us (been there, done that).

"Oh look", said Gannet 1, "that place looks authentic, they even have their name written in Indian script":

I know.  It's sad.  What can I say?  We were hungry and so probably didn't have proper nutrient rich blood flow to our brains.

The nominally Indian stall (Desi Indian) was staffed by very authentic looking Thai men and women serving what looked and smelled like authentic Thai food.

The curries were being cooked as we queued.  There was green thai chicken curry, pad Thai noodles, shredded beef curry, chicken and cashew stirfry and also squid and tomato curry.  Prices were an easy £6 for a large box of curry and rice:  making a filling meal for one or a light bite for two.  Gannet 1's brain had engaged by now so she also bought the "curry only" box for £8, reckoning that there would be plenty of rice in her mixed box to suffice for two curries.  She was right.

The queue was reasonably long and the pad thai noodles temporarily ran out after we took the last serving, although  more was on its way.   The curries smelt and looked fabulous.

I overbought the curries, knowing that we could freeze a couple for later in the week and that they would still be yummy.  Gannet1 was more measured and bought the right amount.

Soon we were home and tucking in.

"Where are the samosas I asked for?" said Mr Gannet 2.  Gannet 2 is sacked as a delivery service.  Nonetheless Mr Gannet 2, along with the rest of us, tucked enthusiastically into the thai green chicken curry.  Thanks to the Mr Gannets for bearing with us on this mission.  It must be a tough life.

Later this week, we are planning on trying out the best Persian in town which is apparently the Caspian on Burnt Ash Hill.  Anyone wanting to join us on Friday is most welcome.

Summary for Desi Indian in the covered market

For an Indian stall, it was authentically Thai cuisine    9/10
Freshly cooked in front of us:   10/10
Value:                                          7/10  slight tourist prices but really you can't complain at £6 each.
Ambience:                                    9/10   Greenwich covered market is crowded but fun and worth a visit any time.  There was nowhere to sit and eat right by the stall itself but if you don't live as close as we do, you can take your curry in less than 5 minutes to eat by the riverside in Cutty Sark Gardens, or up King William Walk and into the park.
Day trip ideas:  combine the market with a visit to the Old Naval College (Painted Hall, copy Crown Jewels) and the restored Cutty Sark tea clipper, both less than 200 metres away.

Feast or Famine-Breakfast at Café Brood, Borough Market 31st January 2016

31st January Feast or Famine-Breakfast at Café Brood, Borough Market

January 24^th-30^th was National Breakfast Week, so Gannet 1 suggested a breakfast outing; good idea, all we had to do was find something appropriate.

As usual the week sped past, and it wasn’t until Sunday we had the chance to think about an outing.  Gannet 1 vetoed the Turkish café around the corner, and not wanting to travel too far (and definitely not north of the river, for goodness sake!) we decided that a short cycle ride to Borough Market was just the thing-we’d have so much choice, surely.

However, as it transpired, not on a Sunday, and not at half past ten in the morning. The place was deserted, (bit of a relief actually, as usually the crowds are prohibitive) and by the time we reached the market we were both a bit peckish and freezing cold-Sunday was drizzly if you remember. We were a little forlorn, but then came across a single establishment that was open- Café Brood. The big pans of paella, waiting for the lunchtime rush looked great, and were already giving off tempting aromas. “ Do you do breakfast?” we asked, hopefully. “ But of course!” and in we went. At that point anything out of the rain would suffice, but in fact we struck lucky.

The breakfast menu was a little eclectic, including a Full English, which was rather appealing at that stage. However, there were also Mediterranean options, which seemed to fit the “ethnic” theme. Gannet 1 and Gannet 2 both opted for this, although in reality we think that we were brought “ Full Vegetarian” by mistake. Come what may, we were not disappointed.

The breakfast consisted of a flat bread, a recurring theme in Mediterranean menus, topped by fresh salad, grilled halloumi, olives, kidney beans, a fried egg, finished with Greek yoghurt. 

A touch of lime somewhere. It was very good, obviously freshly prepared, a little spicy with some cheeky chillies, and just what the doctor ordered. (Not quite, as she had actually ordered a different breakfast…..)  As we sat there we saw them preparing other lunchtime foods-fabulous fish kebabs, platters of baklavas, and the paella was simmering nicely. Might get a bit jaded as the day progresses....

Overall the experience was grand-great views of  Southwark cathedral and the bells were pealing as we sat there; the service was prompt and very friendly. The cups of coffee were a little small, and we are only commenting on that as we can’t keep saying everything is great. We had talked on the way about trying to be negative about something, and in all honesty, that was the only criticism that we could come up with. That, and the fact that we got the wrong breakfast……

Scores on the doors:

Value:           8/10                 £ 20 for two, with a breakfast that kept Gannet 1                                                            going all day.

Ambiance:    7/10                Mainly because of the Cathedral and getting out of                                             the rain. Slightly on the Formica side.

                                                           
Taste               9/10               Very fresh, tangy salad, well cooked egg. (however,                                             anything would have tasted good at that point)

Authenticity:  ?/10             Mmmmm. The waiter was Albanian, not sure which                                            cuisine we were partaking of, although broadly                                                           Mediterranean.

Cafe Brood is very accessible, and obviously a reasonable place to eat. However, there will be times when it is phenomenally busy, and the food may tire as the day progresses. For us, it was a welcome find after a wet, and slightly traumatic bike ride- we were witness to a hit and run car accident along the way, but that's London life for you!

Next week, not sure where we will be off to; sometimes it's good to have a plan, and sometimes it's good to veer towards spontaneity....however, Northern Europe is calling.