Ebony’s Wedding! Ring Wars

6 Feb

Hi, hope everyone is having an amazing start to the week so far.

When I got engaged, lovely Debs asked me to write blog posts about what it feels like to be engaged and I wondered what I would possibly blog about until this incident occurred.

My lovely fiance bought me the perfect engagement ring and I absolutely love it. The thing is, before I got engaged, even now, I knew/know nothing about diamonds or rings. I just wanted something that was timeless and that was what I got, although I must say it is a rock!

Most people who have seen my ring love it and say he did a great job picking the ring himself. But I have never heard anyone say to a newly engaged person “Oh boy, that ring is foul! What was he thinking?” Everyone oohs and ahhs about the ring and yes, I am guilty of doing the same to other women too. Like I said, I had no idea what an expensive ring looked like or what the 4 c’s to a diamond meant physically, so every engagement ring was perfect and beautiful to me, and well sometimes, I lied! 😦

So obviously, every girl says they have the perfect ring and I have no objections to that. However, what I do not appreciate is picking on my ‘pinkie’.  YES! My ring has a name! I think it is very distasteful and simply low of a lady!

So the story goes like this:  My pinkie was sitting gently, sparkling away and causing no trouble, when this newly engaged lady started blabbing about her ring and how her fiance got it perfect… yadeyah. Now, I’m sitting there genuinely thinking “aww that is sweet”, despite the fact over the course of the time I have known her, she has ermmm… For lack of a better word, rubbed me up the wrong way! Basically, I won’t be calling her my friend any time soon.  Anyway, she went on to guess how many carats the diamond on my ring was. I was genuinely fascinated because she was only 0.05 of a carat out. I asked her how she knew and she said she had always been particular about rings and her fiance got her a smaller stone but it is perfect because he had a budget he was working with and he had to compromise between getting her a flawless stone or more carats… Blah blah BLAH!

At this point I am thinking… “who cares?” Plus she doesn’t know whether or not my ring is flawless, but I am not going to sit down and discuss my pinkie with her because I don’t think it is a good use of my time. She went on to say “…anything bigger would have been excessive, it would look out of place… etc etc…” Hello!!! Because pinkie is bigger than yours, you’re saying it is excessive?? *sigh* I made no comment, I let it slide because I know that my pinkie is beautiful and compliments me just fine!

Word to the wise: if you don’t have anything nice to say about someone’s engagement ring, don’t say anything at all!  This is war!  RING WAR!

Tags: , , ,

Ebony’s Wedding! The Proposal

5 Feb

So for those of you who follow this blog, you will know how much I have yarned about my lovely friend and fellow Lady Wot Brunches who will be getting married this year.

After lots of persuading (psych!  She’s such a good sport!) Ebony has kindly agreed to update us on her wedding plans.

For those of you who want the full scoop on the engagment story, click here!

More to follow…

Tags: , ,

For Ladies Wot Brunch… At Hawksmoor Spitalfields

5 Feb

Saturday 21st January was the date of our first Ladies Wot Brunch meeting for 2012!  Whoopee!  As it had been a while since I’d seen the Ladies together, I was looking forward to catching up with them all, seeing their beautiful faces and hearing the latest news.  The venue chosen was Hawksmoor Spitalfields, a British Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar in East London.  On their offering, they state “We don’t just do steak feasts. We feel that we shouldn’t do anything new unless we can try doing the best version in London” and they go on to proffer the best Brunch at their Spitalfield’s restaurant,  one of three Hawksmoor branches.  And so of course, we had to check it out!

Booking

The restaurant, like many establishments, has an OpenTable online booking system, which is easy to navigate and provides a confirmed booking in a matter of minutes.  Although the system suggests bookings can be made for up to 20 people, the reality is that they only accept online reservations for tables of up to 6, and for larger parties, a phone call or email is required.  In my opinion, this defeats the purpose of the self serve function 😦  I spoke with a member of staff, who confirmed that the Spitalfields’ arm was where the breakfast action was at.  Unfortunately due to logistics, the maximum number the restaurant could seat at one table was 14.  However, in comparison to the other restaurants I had previously called, they were very enthusiastic about hosting such a large booking and so I went for it.  A day before our visit, I was given a reminder phone call and the opportunity to amend the booking (which on this occasion was not necessary).  For ease and if applicable, the intuitive online booking system is the way to go.  However, if like me you need to discuss details, booking over the phone is not a bad alternative by any stretch of the imagination.

Gist!

Gehn Gehn! (please excuse this outburst of Yoruba exuberance, but it’s the only word that sums up the giggles that erupt when I remember the afternoon!)

Our meeting was packed with information on what’s in store for the Brunch Club, welcome greetings to the new faces and ice breaker games led by Adaeze to introduce everyone and test memories (some of you guys may want to up your cod liver oil intake…! tee hee heee!)

Given the number of wedding ceremonies which were attended in the prior weeks and proposals which shook inboxes and instant messaging accounts across the group, it was only natural that marriage was a focal conversation topic.  Whenever you get a group of women together, and the subject of marriage is broached, talk is likely to go deep and there were very passionate opinions and observations shared.  If you are an odd male, or a random non-marriage enthusiast, your best bet is to take off your spectacles and stop reading NOW!  And if like us, you love all things fruitcake and confetti, here are some of the things which were said about the M word:

Prada Primark wedding shoes: SOOO we return to one of the blog’s favourite TV shows, BBC Three’s Don’t Tell The Bride, where on this particular episode, the groom, who had run out of money, decided to buy his bride-to-be a pair of Primark flats.  This caused a lot of controversy and the group quickly reported to one of two camps: Camp A was comprised of those who believed it was an absolute FARCE!  The argument was that it was highly irresponsible for him to buy her a pair of £8 shoes and flats for that matter (insult upon injury!), especially since he spent A LOT more than £8 on his own shoes. They believed it was rude and a very poor decision.  Camp B on the other hand, believed that this was not as heinous a crime as some thought.  The lady did not complain about the shoes but instead, accepted them with glee.  Not only did she support the decision her husband-to-be made on her behalf, she also appreciated the thoughtful decision to buy flats which would ensure she had comfortable feet all day long!  We did not conclude on who was right or wrong as both camps had equally strong arguments.  We did however agree that men planning weddings isn’t a bad idea at all (so long as it’s not broadcast on Don’t Tell the Bride!).  We also agreed that the act of bridesmaids wearing different heels is an OFFENCE!  Why would you do that?  Why?!?!  No matter where they’re from, even if they’re Primark’s finest, they must match unless you want the wedding photos to punch your eyes like Ike punched Tina.  NO!

The sanctity of marriage is definitely being defiled of a daily basis!  We were told about one wedding at which a recently married man showed up, but not with his wife and not one piece of arm candy; The man decided to rock up to the place with TWO hotties decorating each arm!  And to add salt to the wound, his mother who was also in attendance, didn’t seem to bat an eyelid, all the while his wife was at home none the wiser.  It is sad to see how vows are easily laid to one side in pursuit of a bit of frivolous fun and no one is correcting this irresponsible behaviour.  And it’s not a sport exclusive to older men; young men nowadays are also engaging in the same reckless behaviour and extra marital activity.  On a lighter note, we were also told about a Sugar Momma who was parading her toy-boy barely in his twenties around town.  She’s older.  She’s hot.  And she’s SINGLE!  Kudos Ma!

How many people should you invite to your wedding?  Now I belong to the 100-or-less attendees’ camp, and want an intimate ceremony, filled with only my nearest and dearest.  But this is not everyone’s dream.  We were told about a wedding recently held which had over 1000 guests.  YES!  1000 GUESTS!  You would be forgiven if you mistook it for a circus!  People were hustling seats inside and there was a marquee erected outside for the latecomers.  Snooze and you lose bebe!  What causes people to have such huge, lavish weddings?  Is it a status thing?  I can understand if you’re marrying royalty and have to satisfy political protocol, but otherwise, surely 1000+ guests is excessive?  We had a mixed bag of responses to this story: some people love big and bashy weddings; some have to please their large families; some want a huge party that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives and some, between them and their partner, actually know 1000 people!  ‘Tis true!  These Ladies are a sociable bunch!  I guess the most important thing is that the day is special and exactly what the couple want, whether it’s big or small.  And I will happily be one of a thousand attendees for my lovely friends’ weddings!

And remember folks: Marriage is for life, not just for Christmas…!

Food and Individual Reviews

When I previewed the menu I knew I was in for a carnivorous afternoon.  We were offered both the breakfast and lunch menus which were packed with different meat options.  As there was so much to choose from and I am currently battling my inner greedy pig which tries to convince me that ordering everything on the menu is alright (it really is NOT alright), I’ve asked the Ladies to share their reviews on the various dishes that were ordered on the day and their overall experiences –

Feyi

Food score 9/10

I had the traditional lunch burger and triple cooked fries with a side of peppercorn sauce. I must say being the only one in the group that had this I was a bit sceptical, but to be honest I was quite impressed. I requested for the beef to be well done, and I got just that; the bun was soft and fresh, and the meal itself was quite filling. I was very satisfied!

Besides the food, I loved the atmosphere in the restaurant, and most importantly, the service from Ned. He won the entire group over, his patience and attentive nature was well appreciated, as he took the time to explain each dish to all, as requested.

 Esther

Food score 6/10

I arrived at another fabulous rendezvous a la Ladies Wot Brunch with high expectations and an empty tummy. The venue had a very warm and homely ambiance, and actually reminded me of Christmas, with the layout of our table and the merriment of the people. We laughed, debated and finally ordered.  Our waiter was very informative, friendly and always had a smile which is always great to see.

First we all ordered our drinks, to ‘whet the palette’ as they say. I ordered a very yummy virgin mojito with an apple juice base.

Then, I opted for The Hawksmoor Breakfast (for 2 to share). Looking at it on the menu, I was overwhelmed by the variety of that particular selection, it included;

Smoked Bacon Chop

Sausages (Pork, Beef & Mutton)

Shanagans Black Pudding

Short Rib Bubble & Squeak

Grilled Bone Marrow

Trotter Baked Beans

Fried Eggs

Grilled Mushrooms

Roast Tomatoes

Unlimited Dripping Toast and

HP, Onion and Bone Marrow Gravy

Needless to say I had no doubt I’d be full afterwards.  When it arrived, I couldn’t help but notice the size of the bacon chop, it was huge! Either way, we tucked in to this traditional English breakfast. I was very excited; the Trotter baked beans were delicious, very different to Heinz or any other brand of baked beans I have tasted.  I’m not a fan of black pudding and I haven’t changed my mind on that either! Haha! The toast, mushrooms, fried eggs and bubble & squeak were just how I like them. However the bacon chop proved to be extremely salty and simply unbearable to eat. Overall I really enjoyed the meal, it didn’t exceed my expectations but it was good. I would definitely visit Hawksmoor again, to try the other selections on their menu.

Tolu

Food score 4/10

I had the sausage HK muffin. I was eagerly anticipating it as I was starving and I was also looking forward to trying their breakfast menu. I didn’t think there was a huge selection to choose from but having made my choice, I waited in deep anticipation for my meal. Disappointment!!! It was overly salty and though I devoured it due to starvation, I don’t think I would have been able to eat it otherwise. On the upside, I also ordered the cornflake milkshake and that was simply divine. The texture, the smoothness the dairy goodness – yum!

Adaeze

Food score 7/10

As usual, an afternoon with the Ladies Wot Brunch was a great time. The atmosphere and company were both amazing, the stories and games with this very eclectic bunch always brighten up my day!

Now for the food, myself and Esther opted for the Hawksmoor Breakfast to share. It looked great on the menu but when I came to the table it exceeded both our expectations… It was huge! It arrived in one of those sizzling dishes and had sausages, roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, a bacon chop, black pudding, eggs, bubble and squeak and dripping toast! I enjoyed the most part of my meal, especially the bubble and squeak, eggs, sausages mushrooms and tomatoes. This was my first time trying black pudding and I must say I most likely won’t be trying it again! I was disappointed with the bacon chop, it looked very juicy on the plate so I was excited to dig in. I even saved it till last, but as soon as I took the first bite it was like someone had given me a table spoon of salt to eat… Not good!

The next time I visit Hawksmoor, I’ll definitely try the Lobster and roasted sweet potato.

Gabby

Food score 8/10

I ordered the Hawksmoor take on Surf n’ Turf: The lobster perfectly cooked, beautiful! And the rump was good; nothing against the way it was cooked but I will definitely go for the fillet next time (which is what Nana ordered).  Fantastic!  The fillet beats the rump hands down!

Buky

Food score 2/10

I ordered the toast, bacon and eggs – classic breakfast/brunch food, so for a place that serves this you would expect it to be good!

How wrong I was!

Dripping toast – Yuck! But that’s just a preference thing. (If you don’t want your toast covered in fat then it’s definitely one to avoid!) What made it worse was that by the time I got the food in front of me it was already cold and so the fat had started to solidify on my toast! That white wax looking stuff! – I still tried it but it wasn’t for me. Oh and on top of that the toast was burnt! Cold, burnt toast covered in fat! (Sound appetising?) Toast – no go!

Bacon – Also burnt and rock hard as it was cold by the time it was placed in front of me.

Eggs – Ok, nothing special, and definitely the best thing on the plate, but again these were cold!

Nothing else to say!  Oh except my white leaf tea was LUSH Hurrah! And the tea selection was nice and slightly different.

I (Deborah) also shared a Hawksmoor breakfast and echo the comments in the reviews above.  It was a lot of food, a definitely enough to feed a hungry pair.  The beans were very tasty and were the first to go.  The sausages and bubble & squeak were also very flavoursome and you could tell they were made by well seasoned meat connoisseurs.  I could have eaten the bubble & squeak alone 🙂  I was really disappointed with the pork chop, which without sounding melodramatic, tasted like meat seasoned with 10 kilos of salt!  The toast was also quite charred and I usually like well toasted bread, so perhaps a minute less on the grill might have been mitigated the problem.  The bone marrow was also very strange: by the time I got round to eating it, it was simply a load of congealed, cold fat, which after a little nibble did NOT tickle my taste buds.  I asked what the purpose of the bone marrow was, and was told that it was usually used to spread on hot steak, which begs the question “what was hot?” and “where was the steak in the breakfast we ordered?”  Seeing as neither returned an answer in the affirmative, I think they might want to reconsider the marrow inclusion in the Big Breakfast selection.  That aside, the mocktails, cocktails and milkshakes on offer were spectacular.  I’m not a fan of banana based mock or cocktails, and so a special mocktail was mixed for me.  Unfortunately, I cannot remember what it was called and to be honest, I don’t think it even had a name.  OR MAYBE they’ll name it after me!  If you visit Hawksmoor and you see a “Deborah” on the menu, do not be surprised!  The drink was extremely refreshing, bursting with fruit and was surprisingly wholesome.  I was on the one drink and an accompanying glass of water during the entire afternoon.

For those who like a bit of a kick in their drinks, Hawksmoor also have an extensive wine and cocktail list as well as a selection of hot beverages.

Service

A HUGE shout out goes to Ned, who was our waiter for the afternoon.  Ned had the tricky task of catering to a group of demanding women with a million and one requests and he did it with such professionalism and charm.  Once we were all seated, he introduced himself, before taking our drinks ordered.  He came up with solutions for everyone: from those of us who didn’t like certain fruits in our mocktails, to those who wanted a beverage which married something fruity, refreshing and something warm together.  Once the time arrived to order our meals, we were given a mini talk about the types of steak on offer, what they would look like, taste like and how they were weighed and subsequently priced.  Very informative!  And for those few minutes we all became eager students listening attentively!  Although the food was not to everyone’s taste, and unfortunately one meal was brought out cold and long after everyone else had been served, overall Ned did a very good job!  If you can, make sure you request him when you visit!

Overall

“To be fashionable nowadays we must ‘brunch’. Truly an excellent portmanteau word, introduced last year by Mr. Guy Beringer, in Hunter’s Weekly, and indicating a combined breakfast and lunch.”

Punch, August 1 1896

This quote was stylishly included on the breakfast menu, to remind us that there was no crime in eating a hearty steak early in the afternoon.  As a group of fashionably blended Ladies, it also was a nod to our Brunch journey, which on this occasion veered us away from the usual pancakes and scrambled eggs.

Going forward, we decided it would be good to award aggregate group scores for each of the venues and the following are what we awarded Hawksmoor Spitalfields:

Menu selection 6/10

Service 9/10

Overall Experience 7/10

The general consensus is that although Hawksmoor Spitalfields may not offer the best Brunch as promised, they do offer great service (although good service on top of good food will tip the scale) and good quality meat (when not over salted!).  We believe that the menu could be expanded quite a lot and for example, the seafood offering could include prawns. The  shabby chic gastropub-esque decor gives the restaurant it’s own smart-casual ambiance.  Given its location in the heart of London’s business district and trendy E1 postcode, I’d recommend it for lunch or dinner and just skip Brunch altogether.  That way, whether you’re after a hearty slab of meat to take your mind off the day’s trading or low key meaty nibbles before you peruse the quirky market stalls, Hawksmoor should have something to offer you.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Dinner Party Daaarling!

25 Jan

One of the things I love most about my culinary journey is attending dinner parties: the meals are prepared with love and the company is fantastic.

A few weeks ago, I attended a wonderfully intimate dinner party, which blew my socks off.  The host, Tori, went all out and prepared a three course meal with precision, perfection and some full on sass!

It was delicious!  Big shout out to Tori, who is most certainly the hostess with the mostest!

Starter
Baked prawns and portobello mushroom with a sweet chilli dressing

Main
Creamy Cava Chicken with bacon and leeks served with rosemary and garlic roast potatoes

Dessert
Caramelised apples topped with whipped cream and meringue pieces. Served with homemade shortbread

Finished with a round of yummy teas!

Tori, your boyf is one lucky fella! 😉

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags: , , , ,

For Ladies Wot Brunch… At Tom’s Kitchen

8 Jan

On Friday 30th December 2011, we went for our last meeting of the year, dubbed The Survivor’s Brunch!  “But what is a Survivor’s Brunch?”  I hear you ask?  Well, many of our Ladies Wot Brunch travelled to sunnier climes for the Christmas and New Year Break, leaving the rest of us here in good ol’ Blighty to fend the cold and survive the brutal British Weather.  Forget Destiny’s Child!  WE were the REAL survivors!  And so, to build up our stamina, we decided to go Tom’s Kitchen, the Chelsea brasserie opened by Michelin Star Chef, Tom Aikens.

Booking

The process was ridiculously straight forward.  Once I decided where we’d be brunching, and checked the website, I opted to call the restaurant directly to make our reservation given the fact that the attendee list was fluid and I wanted to discuss my options.  I was assured that numbers could be increased or decreased easily and after a few minutes of conversation, the reservation was done and dusted.  Although I did not receive a booking confirmation following the call, I felt pretty confident that all would be a-ok.  And a day before the brunch, I received a confirmation phone call.  Lovely!

Gist!

We welcomed some lovely new Ladies who certainly had a refreshing outlook on life and this was expressed in our conversation trail.  From the weirdo who thought it befitting to take one of the Ladies on a first date to the beach… at night(!), to our responses to celebrity singers throwing out their phone number on £50 notes, I learnt a lot and laughed my head off!  Here are some of the funniest stories shared:

Michelin Star Mami: Brunching in Tom Aikens’ eaterie, it was apt that the subject of fine dining came up.  Now I’ve been to many social gatherings with one of our Ladies Wot Brunch in particular, and when prompted she insists on being taken out on dates to Michelin Star restaurants.  When we delved further into this, her theory was that a man who could excite her palette would be more than likely to stimulate her mind.  And the effort and energy put into selecting and dining at a Michelin Star restaurant spoke leaps and bounds about the kind of man he would be in a relationship.  C’est vrai ou faux?  Would it be better to go on a date to Nandos if the guy says he is cutting his coat according to his cloth?  Would you appreciate it if he took you to a Michelin Star restaurant on a 2 for 1 offer?  What is the acceptable criterion?  And how important is fine dining on a first date?  Thoughts please!

First date on the beach?!  This one HAD to be shared! It all started when this particular young lady, who at the time was studying for her University finals, decided she needed a break.  One evening, she went out with her girlfriends and met a sexy something in the club.  He obviously seemed like a nice, happening guy and so when he suggested they swap numbers, she thought nothing of it.  They arranged to meet soon after, except his proposed meeting spot was the beach (she studied in a coastal town). “OK, perhaps we’ll be meeting there and heading elsewhere”, she thought and so she happily obliged.  But when they met and Mr Man was gassing without making any signs of the leaving the shingle-shore, the alarm bells started ringing.  And rightly so!  I should also add that at this point, we were all screaming “what the heck were you still doing there?!”  And it gets worse!  It’s getting dark and Mr Weirdo is still chatting smack, then all of a sudden he starts coming up with some ludicrous conspiracy theories:

“I think Michael Jackson is actually dead (at this time he was definitely still alive and kicking)

“Biggie and Tupac on the other hand, are very much still alive”

“Why don’t we see many pregnant women walking about the place?  It’s because aliens were dropped here on earth.  That’s the only explanation for the sudden appearance of grown people.”

“If money can’t buy your love, then Starbucks can.  As in Star + Bucks.  As in celebrity money [insert useless immodest laughter here]”

It is now dark.  There is no one else around this beach.  And this man is quite clearly a stark raving loony!  What to do?!  Luckily, she had planned an exit strategy and managed to escape to a friend’s house who lived nearby, even though he insisted on following her all the way there, and becoming borderline aggressive when she wouldn’t let him enter the flat.  What a mad man!  Thankfully, she’s now found a lovely, sane boyfriend who takes her on dates to much better places!  Moral of the story: Romance your books!  They will never lead you to the beach at night!

Who pays for the cab ride home?  I’m sure this is not the first time this question has come up amongst groups across the globe.  Who is responsible for the cab fare home?  A few months back I went out for a night of drinks and dancing and had a great time.  We were vibing, sipping champagne and the dude had rhythm!  So when the night drew to a close, we reluctantly agreed that cabs needed to called and homes needed to be returned to.  As a gentleman should, he arranged both taxis and let me know once it arrived.  I was put in the cab and spent the journey smiling as I recollected the great evening we’d spent together.  But the smile was abruptly removed when I got home and the taxi driver said “That’ll be £20 please love.”  WHATTT?!  The dude had not made the arrangement?!  I was quietly indignant, and that night, although he was not relegated to the do-not-answer-phone-calls pile, he definitely received a strike against his name.  But when I shared this story with the Ladies, I had a mixed bag of responses.  My thinking is that if you have requested my company for the evening, I am in your care and for those few hours, my wellbeing is your responsibility.  It’s totally different to going for dinner or drinks with your male friends, because you both know what the 411 is.  There are no romantic intentions, no one is trying to impress anyone and therefore no financial obligations exist.  I have no problems splitting bills and paying for my own taxi fare in these platonic situations and on occasions have even spotted the entire food bill too.  In short, I am not against women paying!  HOWEVER, when you’re out on a date, it’s a different ball game, and I know that men can and do pay for taxis because in a similar previous situation, the gentleman not only paid for my cab home but also my cab to the venue!  Am I spoilt for expecting this?  Is this not the norm?  Some of the Ladies believed that his responsibility ended once he called the taxi, skipped a few steps and then started and ended again once he called/text/instant messaged to make sure I got home ok.  Really?  What is the official rule?  Does one exist?  Do you weigh it up based on how good the evening was?  Whatever the conclusion, one thing it reminded me was to make sure you gats ya £$€ with you at all times!  Do not forget yourself and allow any person to disgrace you because you’re expecting them to foot the bill.  Boys are getting brazen, and feel no way to humiliate you!  Do you want to be looking fresh, hair done, nails done, everything did, with £1.50 in your purse, a London Transport travel card in your pocket and a hefty taxi bill staring you in the face?! NO!  Be warned!  Be aware!  Be prepared!

£50 phone number:  A group of girls went to a concert and were lucky enough to be at the very front of the audience.  During the concert, the artist kept making eyes at one of the girls in particular, singing to her and smiling.  It was not surprising when he eventually came over and sang a heartfelt song to her, holding her hand and looking deep into her soul.  So when the song was over and she felt something in her palm, she knew it would be something special.  She opened her hand carefully and privately to avoid the mass of other women around attacking her for her new found treasure, and what did she see?  A £50 note with his number and the words “call me” written on it!  HA!   The story was shared amongst the group and reactions were sought – would you call?  And the responses were hilarious!  Some said yes they would.  Others said they would, but only because it was a £50 note: a £5 note would not get the same love (!) and there would have to be some serious consideration if it was a £20.  It was great to hear that at least half of us would happily flip the £50 over, write our number and hand it back to the artist – good old fashioned values have not died!  And it was even better to hear that if we left the concert with the £50, call or no call, that money was getting SPENT!  Believe that!

Food

If you’re after some sumptuous nosh which looks as good as it tastes, you need to get to Tom’s Kitchen!  We started off very conservatively, ordering typical brunch fare such as Pancakes, Eggs Royale and a good old fashioned English fry up with fresh pressed juices, smoothies and coffees to accompany.  And when they came round, they did not disappoint.

As a pancake fiend (see my last post), I of course went for the blueberry pancakes.  And I definitely got a pan-CAKE!  When it came out, I wasn’t sure if I’d received the right order, but on slicing it, it all made sense.  Tom’s Kitchen take the pancake to the next level, serving a thick and sweet fried cake infused with succulent blueberries and dusted with icing sugar to finish.  It looked mad and tasted even crazier.  It reminded me of a tortilla española – Spanish omelette, but was a sweet, fruity version.  The accompanying maple syrup ensured the pancake was moist but not sickly and though it took a wee while to finish, I ate it all up!  Also selected were the Eggs Royale, Eggs Benedict and a hearty portion of Brioche French Toast, all of which were good, although the French Toast could have done with an accompanying sauce, perhaps the maple syrup.

Given the food envy we soon started to experience, we went for a second round of lunch fare and between us ordered a mixed leaf salad with house dressing, macaroni cheese and the steak and ale pie of the day.  Each meal was well prepared, and although the pie contained minced meat instead of meat chunks, we enjoyed our orders.  From the mouth watering vinaigrette which accompanied the salad, to the pastry atop the pie, the second round of food was consumed with content.  Our only criticism lies with the pie, and as Gabby said, “the pie could have been better.  Even Jay Rayner (food critic) agrees!”

Service

Although it started off a little shaky, probably because we arrived a little late *ahem*, service at Tom’s Kitchen was what you’d expect at a Chelsea brasserie.  We were lucky enough to be served by a sprightly, young man named Tosin (such a sweetheart) who was extremely attentive and went out of his way to ensure we enjoyed our time there.  From advising us that the Brunch menu would be ending soon, to automatically ordering extra dishes as the additional Ladies who were running late arrived, bringing out extra tableware as requested (and we made many requests), to making honest, unbiased recommendations, he played the part of a true gentleman-cum-waiter.  If I’m honest, I think he was really happy to see a group of sisters at this Chelsea hole-in-the-wall and went the extra mile to render a Chelsea-graded service.  Not to say that he wouldn’t have done so otherwise; Tosins are the most kind natured, amazing people you will ever meet! 🙂

Overall

If I had to give Tom’s Kitchen a score out of 10, it would be an 8.  The booking system was simple and efficient, the food was yummy, the service was top notch and they accommodated our raucous and loud conversations without complaint.  Although it’s not on a main road, it is very easy to find and its location in a quaint understated residential area adds to its private and exclusive charm.  It’s dressed like an English brasserie: large wooden, rustic tables and chairs, pictures on the wall, and an open kitchen so you can catch a glimpse of the chefs preparing your meals.  It’s not pretentious in nature, ensuring you feel comfortable in your jeans and boots, the moment you walk inside.  The venue is family friendly and in the hours we spent there, several parents, grandparents, children and couples came, ate and went.  I would highly recommend it as an alternative to your Saturday hangover recovery joints or as a Sunday Brunch spot with a twist.  Tom we would love to return to your Kitchen!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags: , , , , , ,

The Mrs Club! …and Wedding Cake

1 Jan

Firstly I’d like to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year!  Welcome to 2012!

Wedding fever is well and truly on the way to achieving world domination!

This post is inspired by one of our very own Ladies Wot Brunch, who recently got engaged.  It’s funny because we have conversations about proposals, engagement parties, wedding days and the success behind marriage, swapping  knowledge and war stories.  So when she announced she got engaged it was absolutely amazing!  Not only was everything we’d spoken about actually happening for her, we’d all be there each step of the way to support and of course pick up handy tips!

I won’t give the game away as she’ll probably blog about it herself later (details to follow), but the proposal was absolutely stunning – romantic and personal to them.  Awww!

What struck me about this recently engaged couple, was not the amount of love and respect between them (of which there is PLENTY!  You merely need to see the HUGE smile on her face whenever she talks about him) or even the fabulous wedding they’re bound to have (I can’t wait!).  The thing which I thought was pretty spectacular about the engagement was the beaming-bride-to-be’s acute level of organisation.  As you’d expect, the proposal took place during the evening, which was then followed by several phone calls, text and instant messages to share the good news with family and close friends. Given the fact that she was travelling the following day and would not have time to recount the story to her wider group of friends and well-wishers, the bride-to-be…. typed out the engagement story!  And emailed it to those who asked for the scoop.  How organised is that?!?!  Amazing!

She has of course promised us a verbatim account of what happened, which will no doubt be the topic of conversation at our upcoming meeting.

Congratulations DJ and DA! Mwah!!!

Talking of weddings, each month, I welcome news of newly engaged couples, scream down the phone with girlfriends and start planning what I’m going to wear.  And as crazy as it sounds, a few days to the event, I always cast a thought towards the wedding cake – will it be traditional fruit, or avant garde marble cake?  Will it be fresh and moist or will the couple and bakery have concluded to cut corners, lower costs and make the cake a few days in advance ensuring it tastes dry and sticks to the roof of my mouth?  Am I going to be able to eat this cake like a lady, or will it crumble to pieces as soon as I pick it up?  Will it be butter cream or icing sugar *retches*?  My brain works in weird and wonderful ways!

You see, I am a cake fiend.  I love the stuff.  I have cake at least once a week and wedding cakes will generally tip the balance on my overall verdict.

I recently watched an episode of Don’t Tell the Bride, a show in which the groom has to put together a wedding on a £12,000 budget in two weeks and on this occasion, the groom went for an Extra Terrestrial Space Age theme (?!#*?!).  Each to their own and I guess it’s good for men to express themselves and leave their stamp on a day which is traditionally organised by women.  HOWEVER, in line with the space age theme, the groom chose… a space ship wedding cake!!!  Mess with my cake and you mess with me!  I dread to think about the amount of colours and preservatives used to bring that multi-coloured mass of cake mix to life!  Blueeergh!

Image courtesy of BBC Three

No doubt I’m set to see some amazing looking, delicious tasting cakes this year.  What kind of wedding cake will you go for?

Tags: , , ,

The Ultimate Dinner Party – Christmas Day!

26 Dec

Yesterday was Christmas Day!  Hoorah!  Or as I like to call it, the ultimate Dinner Party of the year!

Families and friends across the globe gathered together to stuff their faces with delicious meals, followed by a vigorous round of competitive games on the Wii OR a very savoury snooze…  You know which category you fell into(!)

As lil’ foodies, amongst the group there was a whole host of food cooked up – from traditional Nigerian dishes such as jellof and fried rice, to western roast turkey, roast lamb, sprouts and potatoes.  The more adventurous members had delicious menus comprised of tempura and  prawn balls, roast duck, crab gratin in shell and succulent marinated chicken…  YUMMY!

Here are some of the breakfast, lunch and dinner spreads we had on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.  We luuurve our food!  I guarantee your mouth will be watering by the end!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

And from all the Ladies Wot Brunch, we’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to come!

Tags: , , , , ,

Crème Brûlée: Je t’aime!

8 Dec

Being a suitcase kid means that I travel quite a bit.  Over the last few months I have been up to Edinburgh and usually opt to stay at the Dakota Hotel, founded by Formula 1 race driver David Coulthard.

The hotel itself is amazing: a little piece of modern heaven on earth with its plush decor and ridiculously cool vibe.  The best thing about the hotel (apart from room service!) is the restaurant, which has won several awards.

Unless there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with me, whenever I’m in the Dakota, I MUST order a crème brûlée just because it is oh so special.  Now, I’ve had many a crème brûlée in my time – from Drambuie infused to sultana spiked.  But I am yet to find one which touches my soul as much as the Dakota special does (YES!  It is THAT deep!)

The top layer of caramelised sugar tastes like what I imagine a sugar coated ice rink would be like.  And I turn into a giggly little girl when I attack and puncture the top coat.  What lies beneath is an oozing concoction of crème custard and a series of secret spices.  Thinking about it now makes me want to risk adverse weather conditions, travel up North and gobble one all up!

If you’re ever in the area, you MUST TRY IT OUT!

Tags: , , ,

Taste of Christmas 2011

6 Dec

Saturday 3rd December was the crisp afternoon on which the Ladies Wot Brunch embarked on their first day trip – Yippee!  Over the past few months we have met for Brunch and a few weeks ago, we even threw in a dinner date for good measure.  So when the opportunity arose to get together and eat as usual, but do so in a totally new way, we jumped at it.

Taste of Christmas saw some of London’s best restaurants, bar services and entertainment come together under one roof to offer the public samples of their award winning cuisines and beverages with a Christmassy twist.  There were several celebrity appearances including Jamie Oliver, Rachel Allen, Mary Berry and Gary Rhodes ready to sign cook books and give master classes and tips to thousands of visitors helping fine tune festive menus in preparation for the dinner party of the year.

There were also several local businesses showing off and selling their produce, giving avid foodies even more Christmas gift options.

The Brunch Club highlights were –

  • Feature in a Jelly Belly promotional video:  Yes!  We were that energetic and enthusiastic about the product that the salesman asked to record us!  Look out for our cameo appearance coming soon…
  • Gary Rhodes: I don’t know what it is about the Ladies Wot Brunch, but we seem to give off good vibes any and everywhere we go!  During a very busy book signing event, I simply raised my camera (bearing in mind I was standing about 6 feet away) and the Michelin chef actually stopped what he was doing, paused the eager foodie who was next in line for a photo opportunity and boldly and candidly posed for my camera and then sealed the deal with a cheeky grin and wink.  Ha!  The fact that the lemon tart with chocolate and mandarin sauce (the best thing in the expo), came from his Rhodes W1 kitchen, makes the experience even sweeter!

We had a delicious afternoon, sampling the free food, drinks and cocktails and spending our crowns (Taste of Christmas currency) on the more exquisite mini meals on offer.  We’ll definitely be going back next year, but perhaps with looser fitting trousers as the tasting opportunities are NOT to be missed!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

For Ladies Wot Dine… At Shaka Zulu

1 Dec

So that time of the month came round again, and on Saturday 19th November, a group of fabulous ladies got together, broke bread and had a great time.  Only this time, we decided to do it a little differently.  At our last meeting, in between the drinking and gisting, the Ladies suggested it would be nice to meet up in the evening, and as a true Brunch Club facilitator-cum-hostess, I was happy to oblige…

Booking

As I had been to Shaka Zulu before, I was familiar with the booking process, and as booking processes go, it was pretty straight forward.  A telephone call was made to a seemingly friendly booking manager and Voila!  C’etait fini!

Shaka Zulu have many promotions, encouraging non adventurous diners to experience a night in “South Africa” so it’s worth mentioning any offers or discounts you may be using when making your reservation.

Gist!

Although this time we were fewer in number (ladies, you were missed!), whenever we get together, there’s always something to laugh about.  Always an update to share, a joke to tell and tears of laughter to shed.  The entertainment provided at the restaurant kept us amused in between our conversations, which were fuelled by a combination of rich rioja and rosé.

Here are some of the topics that gave us the giggles that evening:

White boys can get it!  OK, so let’s be frank – as a group of predominantly non Caucasian women, the race of the men we date and marry is a popular topic.  Amongst the group,  we have a decent amount of experience dating outside our cast.  And more recently, have shared stories about blond haired, blue eyed hotties.  There is nothing wrong with having a preference and sticking with it, but it is equally important to respect other people’s decisions.  Aside from being 21st Century women understanding that the world is constantly evolving, and with this evolution comes development of ideas, tastes and desires, we at The Brunch Club are very REALISTIC!  Whatever rocks your world and floats your boat is what you should go for.  Black, white or otherwise.  The tale shared on that particular evening recounting how a dashing young Englishman swept one of our members off her feet in a very debonair fashion, coupled with sexy specimens like Gary Barlow and Matthew McConaughey confirmed that white boys can indeed get it!

Wolves in sheep’s clothing aka Young Pastors:  *Disclaimer* Not all pastors fall into this category!  But the experiences we collectively have, makes me question what these young disciples are really focusing on nowadays.  I recently bumped into an old acquaintance, who told me that he’d answered the Lord’s call and was pastoring a congregation.  Well done!  Good for you!  I was genuinely happy to hear this and so when he asked for us to swap numbers and catch up, I didn’t think anything of it.  Weeks down the line, the calls began.  When they became overbearing, and I stopped answering, the text messages followed suit.  And when I stopped responding, the prayer points/visions/prophesies/attempts at mental manipulation took root.  This man actually believed that if he could see into my life and predict the great and marvellous things I was going to experience, then I’d be more inclined to speak with him, share my inner most fears and aspirations and eventually fall hook line and sinker, head over heels in love.  Mr Pastor Man – the man who saw into my heart(!).  Except, I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears several stories of women who fell into this same dogged trap and dated and married MONSTERS!  Pastors by day and wife beater beasts by night!  Olorun maje!  *clicks fingers over head*  GOD FORBID!  I will use the same Holy Ghost Fire to rebuke you to the pits of hell and I suggest all women out there who may find themselves in a similar predicament do the same!

Abokoku Babes!  People please help me!  A VERY significant part of some of the ladies’ evening was spent outside on the phone with their better halves (you know yourselves!), which lead to a conversation about how far some women are willing to go for their men.  An Abokoku (woman who will do anything to keep her man “till death do them part” in Yoruba dialect) is willing to surrender all for her partner and will happily annihilate anyone or anything that may stand in her way.  Although none of our Ladies Wot Brunch illustrate these extreme tendencies, it was pointed out that God helps those that help themselves and even the Bible says possess your possessions!  So the advice which followed detailing how a very zealous and scandalous office PA would be finished if she even tried to come near the narrator’s boyfriend was listened to attentively.  Yes, I even took notes!

Food

As well as taking you on an authentic South African lounge experience, Shaka Zulu also promises to tickle your taste buds with its Taste of Africa menu .  To be honest, we were not very focused on the food, instead diverting our attention on the live entertainment and our conversations and so we didn’t realise when we all ordered exactly the same starters and mains.  And being so caught up in the afore mentioned, I kinda failed with the pics too (sorry!)

The starter of deep fried soft shell crab with rose harissa and lime was quite nice.  It was definitely flavoursome and crunchy but I found it a little messy and wasn’t too clear on what to do with the excess shell(?!)

By the time the main of spit roasted Kariokor beef with dry rubbed spice and peri peri fries came round, we were all so spent from chatting, no one finished the meal!  The meat was thoroughly cooked (we had been assured that it had been roasted for 7 hours!), but I thought it could have been slightly more moist and not so chewy.  Trying to chew chewy meat after chatting is a chore!  Tee hee hee!  The peri peri fries on the other hand were lovely, excellently seasoned and cooked to perfection to ensure they were crispy and light.  I ate every last one!

The dessert selection was very interesting.  Between us, we opted for the Koeksisters – deep fried braided doughnuts dipped in honey sugar syrup; Melktert – baked vanilla custard tart  with roasted cinnamon and; Coconut crème caramel and passion fruit.  The Koeksisters were yummy, but very rich and after several glasses of wine, I found it difficult to finish them.  The tart and the pudding however did not pack as much of a punch on the palette, infusing their milk bases with several familiar and some not-so-familiar dessert spices.  If you like rice pudding, cheesecake or ice cream, these would be the desserts for you.

Service

 As we were running a little late *ahem* and were finally seated an hour after our booking was made for, we did not have as much time at our table as originally planned.  However, despite our party’s tardiness, our table attendant, who by the way was a tall, black and burly, cockney, dread-locked man, was very polite and paid attention to detail ensuring our beverages and food were served promptly.  We ended up having our desserts in the lounge in order for the next party to be seated, but as the whole restaurant is party central itself, this was not an issue.  The staff, who each had tailored ankara outfits, were very friendly and rendered their service with a sunny South African smile 🙂

Overall

Due to the size of the venue and the hubbub generated by the diners, clubbers, staff, DJs and live entertainment, it was quite difficult to key into the intimacy which is often desired during dinner and if you are looking for the next date restaurant, unfortunately, Shaka Zulu is not it.  However, if you are looking for a party go-go dinner, then you may well have the perfect spot in Camden.  The venue is quirky and the décor is lush.  It is reminiscent of typical western adaptations of Africa, but still maintains an authentic charm and sleek finish. We happily dined, drank and danced in the same place, which is not something you can often say you’re able to do in London.  Given the fact that Shaka Zulu is also very trendy at the moment, you’ll find that the general vibe is nice n’ spicy.  We clocked several sexxxay mamas in even sexxxier ensembles and gents dressed so immaculately, they left with their girlfriends and several admirers in tow.

It’s a young venue: both in establishment age and target audience.  But it’s also a place where you can have some good grown up fun.  We will definitely be going back, even if it’s just for a midnight boogie!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags: , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →