Kopapa, Covent Garden: Fusion...

During my recent stint in between jobs, I decided to while away some of my time "down under". There I visited friends and family, eating well, taking in food from many of the cultures which make up the Australian population. "Fusion" was commonplace, with influences pulled in from all the surrounding cultures into one dish, a million miles away from dished painted with the same "fusion" brush here in London. Instead of chucking together a multitude of ingredients which cluttered the plate and didn't taste quite right, dishes appeared to be more carefully thought out and balanced.

Smoked Salmon with a beetroot and yuzu dressing

Kopapa is a great example of how to bring these flavours together for a more Western palate. The brainchild of Peter Gordon (the Kiwi head chef of Providores), it opened it's doors in Seven Dials, an area of London which seems to be burgeoning with new restaurants and is handily located for a cheeky lunchtime jaunt.

Chickpea battered lambs brains

On my first visit, I met up with a group of Covent Garden lunchers and we took advantage of their soft opening offer of 50% off. The menu on launch was highly adventurous including ingredients many may not have tried or heard of before (like betel leaf and yuzu), and more challenging cuts such as lambs brains. Split into small plates named "Ko-Tapas" and the more standard set up of starters/mains/desserts, we opted to road test the entire tapas side.

Bone Marrow and Parmesan on toast

Taking into consideration that this was only their second day, and two of our most desired dishes were unavailable as they had sold out (ribs and ox tongue), we really enjoyed our meal. The service was slow if friendly, but the food itself was decent. The highlights for me a delicious smoked salmon drenched in yuzu beetroot salsa, and slices of toast slathered with rich parmesan and bone marrow. There were disppointments with the steamed buns almost raw and items such as the duck liver parfait quite disappointing. On the whole though, everyone was pleased and actually excited by what we had tried, and I for one wanted to return.

Snails and chorizo mash

So a few weeks later, return I did. A few of the more challenging items had disappeared (goodbye lambs brains, although they were a little on the bland side) and the rather poor buns from our first trip. Even looking at the menu today, it looks very different from my last visit, which keeps it interesting although may disappoint those who return for certain dishes. On this occasion, I managed to get my hands on the coconutty spare ribs and the crispy cheese filled ox tongue. Both were good, but the real star of the show were snails cooked in olorosso with a chorizo mash, a strange combination but incredibly moreish.

Kopapa is an interesting venture, and I certainly haven't tried anything like this in London before. Personally, I like it a lot. The prices are reasonable, and the food is exciting as well as tasting good. I will certainly be back and look forward to what's next on the ever constantly developing menu.

(Check out the rest of my Flickr series here)

Kopapa - 32-34 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials, Covent Garden WC2H 9HA

A few good things about 2010 and a few goals for 2011

A Sinking Spritz at Hawksmoor Seven Dials

It’s the end of the year, and in the true spirit of the London food blogger, I feel I should do a round up of sorts. 2010 has been a pretty amazing year for many reasons, and instead of doing a straightforward “favourite things I ate” post, I thought I would highlight 3 of the main things that have shaped my 2010, and five things I really want to do more of next year.

2010 Favourite Things:

A Cortado from Prufrock

1. Twitter

Yes, I understand this isn't for everyone, but it has opened my eyes to a great many things this year, has helped me make many new friends and is a fabulous resource. You get chatting to people, they introduce you to new people, you go out, rinse and repeat. You're stuck for a place to go, or need a recipe, one tweet later and your problems are no more. In the year that all my closest friends from home have settled down and had kids, I made new friends, started to live my life and enjoy myself once again. Like I said before, not for everyone but I wouldn't be where I am today without it.

Kon Lo Wanton Mee in Kuala Lumpur

2. Travelling

Until July last year, I had been pretty much grounded and my trips were restricted to short trips around Europe and New York. This year, I managed to travel much more, taking in trips to Malaysia, Bali, Thailand, Australia and South Africa. In each of these countries, I experienced new cultures, new food and a kaleidoscope of experiences. I fully intend on carrying this on into 2011 (as well as actually writing up a few places).

Siu Mai, not at Dragon Castle, although it is my favourite place in London for Dim Sum

3. South East London

I am a proud resident of Camberwell but if there was one thing I learnt this year, I am not the only South East Londoner out there. Over the year, I have made friends with a close knit group of people who love where they live, and love spending time there. This year has seen many great nights out with these people, culminating in the really enjoyable #Tweetmassgathering, a night involving street food and Jaeger at The Florence in Herne Hill, which I helped to organise. South East London, the only place I want to be.

Salmagundi at the Sportsman

There were of course many great things this year, and in particular, many great eats (some of them interspersed within this post). However, you may already have read about them, so I really didn't feel the need to regurgitate them, just read this. Probably the best meal I ate in 2010 and sums up pretty much everything that was great about the year.

So, 2011. What the hell am I going to do with myself?

A Meatwagon Cheese and Bacon Burger

1. Challenge myself with more foods

To be fair, I think I have done pretty well this year, conquering many food phobias including fish and innards. I even had a whole anchovy, my food kryptonite. Next year, no food will scare me and I will try everything at least once. Who knows, I may even like some of it.

Salmon poached in licorice at the Fat Duck

2. Get out of London more

With the wealth of places I still haven't managed to get to in London, it may seem that London should continue to be more focus. However, the trips I made to Birmingham and Seasalter in November just highlighted the depth of quality available if you are prepared to venture a little further afield. More adventure, more gain.

Cicheti (arancini and taleggio)at Polpo

3. Spend less money on food, eat just as well

Looking through the stack of receipts I seem to have, I was definitely spending way too much on restaurants last year. I don't regret any of the meals I have had, even the bad ones, but I realistically cannot sustain the expenditure. My aim, to still eat well, but look at more affordable neighbourhood joints. If you have any suggestions, send them my way!

Veal Chop at Zucca, and it wasn't even mine

4. Cook more

I always used to love cooking, so I don't really know what happened this year. I found myself avoiding my kitchen entirely and I genuinely can't remember what the last thing I cooked at home was. Having eaten well at the hands of Catty, Charmaine, Carla, Lizzie and Nicola, I definitely owe them all a home cooked meal so will endeavour to do my best next year.

Pierre Herme Macarons at Selfridges

5. Be a more efficient blogger

I always find that if I don't blog something within 3 or 4 days, any fleeting thoughts I may have seem to disappear into the ether. And at times when I finally get round to writing, I find it hard to avoid sounding like a some tedious one sided diatribe. So a change.

Many blogs carry it off effortlessly, like Passport Delicious for example. I've been reading Krista for many years now, and she continues to be witty, informative and succinct. Something I need to aspire to.

So that is all. Hope you have had a great 2010 and thanks for sticking by. Here's to 2011, lots of great eats and an amazing time for all!

Murano, Mayfair: Bu-bye Signore Ramsay

Murano glass ceiling at the Bellagio in Vegas. I don't have any pics of the actual restaurant. oops.

One of my fondest “foodie” memories goes back to the days as a child, where I was sat in a neighbourhood Italian restaurant in Frankfurt, watching the incredibly capable pizzaiolo's slave away in front of a large open wood fired clay oven. As a seven year old, I was transfixed, watching them weave magic from dough and produce the finest pizzas I ever remember eating. Watching my father devour his spaghetti vongole and my mother coo over her scaloppine a la Milanese, my love of Italian food was born.

In my vain attempt at trying to replicate that feeling of happiness and content, I have begun searching out many of what are considered the “finer” Italian restaurants in London. These have taken in L’Anima, Theo Randall and Bocca di Lupo to name a few, some good, some bad, but none quite evoking the same memories (although Bocca came close). Murano, run by Angela Hartnett (of Welsh-Italian heritage), was next on the hit list and I expected great things from a restaurant wrestled off Gordon Ramsay.

As tempted as I was to indulge in the a la carte, or even the tasting options, wallet restricted me to the much more reasonably priced set lunch menu (a snip at £30). Whilst we perused the choices, a wooden board of charcuterie staved off the hunger pangs. The accompany bread basket was filled with a few delights including a superb focaccia (a good standard bearer for any Italian restaurant), and an amuse of arancini balls were also excellent.

My starter of wood pigeon and coca beans was intriguing but tasty. I can’t say I had ever eaten coca beans but the smoky flavour sat well alongside my generous breasts of wood pigeon. The cubes of pancetta and parsnip puree added saltiness and sweetness and the whole was pretty good, although would have benefited from a few less beans.

My main of venison with parsnip and winter veg, was in a nutshell, pretty damn sexy. The tender slices of loin were cooked perfectly, with a caramelised nugget of meat on the side, absolutely bursting with flavour, and the veg was, well, veg. But very well cooked veg at that.

The meal was going rather swimmingly. Mains had been polished off and everyone seemed pleased (this may have been due to the wine and glass of champagne we had to start, I’m not ruling this out). For me, the real party pleaser came in the form of the palate cleanser, a symphony of mini ice creams and sorbets placed on a frozen glass stand. Each one burst with flavour and even if some didn’t exactly hit the spot (basil, I’m, looking at you), it was a nice way to lead us into the desserts.

Even though my two companions both opted for the cheese cart, where they were adorned with pretty much as much cheese as they desired from a vast selection, my sweet tooth prevailed and I opted for the lemon cream and foam, with a hazelnut dacquoise and mint. I think the best way to describe this would be a citrus explosion, with the lemon cream smooth and tart, and the foam slightly sweet. The slices of grapefruit added a slightly sour juice explosion where all the flavours just mingled in your mouth. I’m not sure how there was a “dacquoise” involved, but the nuggets of biscuit added a nice change in gear of texture.

So in summation, I had a pretty damn enjoyable time. Everything we had eaten was expertly cooked, and care and consideration had been taken when considering balancing flavours and textures without being overly complicated. The service was perfect, without being too obtrusive and were always there to answer a question, take a wine order or pick up your napkin, all the travails you may actually encounter within a restaurant. I hadn’t felt like I had missed out by being restricted to the lunch menu, but peering over the fence into the garden of the tasting menu revealed a myriad of other delights. I will be back in 2011, and next time, my wallet will be prepared.

Murano - 20 Queen Street W1J 5PP

Wuli Wuli, Camberwell: Bringing the burn....

A couple of weeks ago, I headed down to newly opened Wuli Wuli with two of my favourite South East London friend and bloggers. It looked far too classy for a Chinese restaurant in Camberwell with smart lighting and stylish black interior. We walked in and it was empty bar one other table, never a great sign, but it was early days and the initial word on the street was positive.

We shouldn't have worried as much of the food we ate was very good. With Chinese/Cantonese staples in the front part of the menu, the interesting stuff lay behind what was simply labelled as "Chinese Style". The food behind this divide was more based around the Szechuan cuisine and contained interesting dishes of smashed cucumbers and other dishes containing the more "interesting" parts of the animal.

I wanted to write it up back then but Lizzie and Helen had already covered everything I wanted to say and I sat back hoping that the empty seats would soon fill up.

And fill up it did. Taking the bus down Camberwell Church street every evening, Wuli Wuli seems to bustling along nicely. So why write it up now? Well a week ago I excitedly got a menu delivered through my front door informing me that they now did delivery. Awesome. I waited until the weekend and ordered. Swift delivery and an incredibly cheery Chinaman (much like myself) greeted me, with great food to boost. Spicy thin slices of cabbage, leeks and pork, all intermingled with dried chillis, what's not to like?

Wuli Wuli - 15 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR

Marco Torri vs Jane Hornby: The Carbonara cook off (with a recipe)

A couple of weeks ago, I was having a chat with a friend and one of the hardest questions a food lover will ever have to answer was asked. "If you had to eat the food from one country for the rest of your life, where would it be?” I paused for a little while, but in truth, I knew the answer straight away. Not because it was an easy answer, but because I had thought about the answer to this question on many occasions, and on every occasion, the answer would be Italian. Surprising maybe, being that I am Chinese, but nothing excites me more than the variety and produce from "The Boot".

When the offer to take part in a Carbonara taste off arrived in my inbox, I jumped at the chance. In one corner, we have Marco Torri, head chef at Semplice and proud owner of a Michelin Star. In the other, we had Jane Hornby cook, and author of "What to Cook and How to Cook It", a brand new cook book, packed with straightforward recipes all beautifully visualised. This was going to be an interesting contest.

After some chat with both "contestants" and keeping our hunger at bay with focaccia, olive oil and cured meats, the chefs headed off into the kitchen to prepare their dishes. When they both arrived, you could see that they were both very different.

The first one we were presented with was much wetter with a heady aroma. The sauce was deeply savoury packed with a good strong cheesy punch, not of parmesan, but of Pecorino, we all decided. A smoked ham perhaps? Definitely a few ladles of pasta stock into the sauce, a chefs secret I once saw on the telly.

The second was a lot less saucy and much milder in overall flavour. The sauce was definitely thicker and the ham used was much milder, without as smoky a hit, definitely less pepper. I actually preferred this one; it wasn't as much an assault on your senses, but a comforting bowl of pasta.

It turns out the second one belonged to Jane, but both were very enjoyable and the fact that both troughs were emptied of their contents was all the chefs needed to know. We had a leaf through Jane's book and the recipe was there in all its glory, well illustrated and simple to follow. I have attached Jane's recipe at the bottom of this post so have a go yourself, and I would definitely recommend getting hold of a copy of "What to Cook and How to Cook it". You won't regret it.

*Thanks to Marco Torri and Semplice Trattoria for hosting the event*

Spaghetti Carbonara

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 –12 minutes

Serves 2 (easily doubled)

Just six ingredients come together to create something quick and indulgent. For an extra touch of luxury add a dash of cream – just two tablespoons or so – to the Parmesan and eggs before mixing with the pasta.

-----------------------------

1 tsp flaky sea salt

200 g (7 oz) spaghetti

1 clove garlic

4 rashers smoked dry-cured streaky

bacon, or 100 g (3½ oz) smoked

bacon lardons or pancetta cubes

1 tbsp mild olive oil

40 g (1½ oz) Parmesan cheese

3 medium eggs

salt and pepper

-----------------------------

1

Put a large pan of water over a high heat and bring it to the boil. Add the salt, then add the spaghetti and bring back to the boil. Stir once, turn the heat down a little, and boil for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is just tender.

2

While the pasta cooks, start the sauce. Squash the whole garlic clove without peeling it. You can do this by simply bashing it with the bottom of a pan. Chop the bacon into small pieces, if using. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the oil. After 30 seconds, add the chopped bacon or lardons and the garlic. Fry the bacon and garlic for 8–10 minutes, or until the bacon is golden and crisp and the fat has run out. Discard the garlic and take the pan off the heat.

3

While the bacon cooks, finely grate the Parmesan cheese and beat the eggs in a jug with a fork. Mix half of the Parmesan into the eggs. Season with salt and pepper.

4

When the pasta is just tender, reserve a cup of its cooking water, then drain it in a colander.

Tip the pasta into the bacon pan, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, then pour over the egg and cheese mixture. Toss everything together quickly (tongs are useful here), so that the egg mixture, bacon and its juices coat the pasta. The residual heat in the pan and the pasta will be enough to just cook the eggs to a creamy sauce within about 1 minute.

5

Scoop the pasta into warmed serving bowls, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and a little black pepper, and serve immediately.

Dumplings' Legend, Chinatown

Chinatown is a bit rubbish for Dim Sum. For an area which is meant to represent the wares of the Chinese population in London, it really doesn’t do the best job with great, affordable Dim Sum more commonly located on the peripheries of the City. There were a few good places once upon a time (my family were regulars at New World although it has now descended into all levels of crapness) but the seeming focus on fleecing tourists has really deterioted the overall standard of food in the area. There are a few decent places which still pack in the Chinatown faithful, but when it comes to Dim Sum, I have always struggled to find a good place.

Dumplings Legend is a relatively new place with a glass window where you can witness the dumpling chefs making and steaming them, very much appearing to focus on the siu long bau. It was all a little “Ping Pong”-esque, but I really hoped that it would be a little more authentic and less expensive. The menu is pretty standard although I actually found some of their descriptions a little odd. Pork burger anyone? When it came to ordering, I tried my best using the Cantonese names of dishes I had been eating for many years but only succeeded about 50% of the time.

The food itself was hit and miss but decent enough. The prawn cheung fun and char siu so were good and the pork “burgers” were surprisingly enjoyable, presenting themselves as bigger and flatter versions of the traditional peking dumpling. The siu mai were a tad on the salty side and the xiao long bao were overcooked although the general flavour was decent, with a decent amount of soup thrown into the mix (as long as it doesn't rip and leak out).

Chinatown really needs an excellent Dim Sum restaurant and if one ever decided to move in, I'm pretty sure it would be packed out every day. Unfortunately Dumpling Legend is not the solution to this age old dilemma, but get's decent marks for effort. I shall return, and this time I will win the staring competition with the Dim Sum man.

Dumplings' Legend - 15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London, W1D 6JE

The Sportsman, Seasalter: A day out at the seaside

Part of my epic week off of eating included a long awaited visit to Seasalter and a lunchtime session at the Sportsman. After having witnessed my friends one by one making the journey to the coast, and having missed out on a visit on more than one occasion, I was desperate to get there. And get there I did.

With my sister at the helm, we bombed our way down to the Kent coastline in my mums car, keen not to suffer the same debacle as we had at Purnell's the previous day. We were clearly too keen as we rolled into the car park nearly an hour before they opened, and walked around in the November morning for a bit instead. This clearly didn't last long as the sea breeze and overcast weather engulfed us, so we entrenched ourselves in the warmth of the car until the front doors opened.

Joined by Matt and Andy, we waited patiently, and at 12 o'clock, on the dot, we were welcomed in and sat in front of the roaring fire with a pint of red ale. No sooner had we supped a few sips, and then the food started to roll out of the kitchen, with most of the ingredients all extremely local. We were in for a long and exciting lunchtime...

Pickled Herring and Pork Crackling

Yep, I ate herring. And you know it wasn't so bad. Together with the sweet relish, crème fraiche and soda bread that it was on; I managed to eat it, which is praise alone for herring. The pork crackling was supreme, not overly salty and not overly break-your-teeth hard. Served with apple and mustard dip, perfect to get your taste buds tingling and your appetite flowing.

Oysters - Apple foam and ham, Angels on horseback

Of all of the fruits of the sea, it is the oyster I have feared the most in the past, but if they all taste as good as these did, the future is bright. The first lot were raw and very fresh, the only way to eat oysters I am told. With the apple foam hiding the sight of the mollusc, I dove in and the meaty flesh was salty and creamy, tasting very much of the seaside. The fact that it didn't repulse me was a start, and the realisation that I was actually enjoying it was a revelation. The apple foam just gave the mouthful a fruity hint, and the home cured ham added an additional flavour and texture. By the time the next lot turned up, I was fully prepared and ready to go. The "Angels on horseback" were oysters wrapped in bacon and cooked, and were an absolute revelation for me. Served with a dab of parsley sauce, I wolfed mine down; my fear of oysters apparently had evaporated into the ether.

Seafood broth

After a brief interlude of bread (which included some of the best focaccia I have ever tasted), we were brought a shallow bowl with various morsels of seafood placed very deliberately around the bowl. I took a deep breath (as I so often do) and the smell of the fresh seaside was overwhelming. I could have been outside sitting right next to the shore. A broth made from the bones of the turbot we would receive later in the meal was carefully poured over the seafood, producing a light and delicious soup.

Slip sole with seaweed butter

Next, more seafood, but this time in the form of a delicate slip sole, cooked perfectly and doused in seaweed butter. The flesh needed minimum prising away from the bones, and the slightly irony seaweed butter lifted the fish. Perfectly simple, perfectly executed, unbelievably tasty.

Autumn Salmagundi

Who would have thought that a purely vegetarian dish would be my favourite? Originating from the 17th century, it is essentially a salad made with whatever you can lay your hands on. This version uses up a selection of autumn vegetables, all cooked in different ways, some raw, some boiled, some fried. The poached yolk at the bottom was the icing on the cake, a fantastic dish, hard to describe, one that just needs to be tasted.

Braised Turbot with Crab

After a meaty interlude of the Sportsmans own ham, we moved on to our last fish dish, a perfectly cooked piece of turbot sitting on greens in a bisque sauce and topped with delicate flakes of white crab. This dish just emphasised why turbot is considered the king of the sea, the generous steak so meaty and packed with flavour.

Lamb

The next and last savoury course was a symphony of lamb. First, we had slivers of bread crumbed lamb breast brought out with a slightly overly sweet mint sauce, not really to my taste. However, the trio of lamb that followed was simply stunning. Three different cuts, once again beautifully cooked, served in simple gravy. Just like all the dishes that preceded this one, uncomplicated, well cooked, letting the flavours of the food talk for themselves.

Blackcurrant Lollipop and Cake Milk

So concluded the savoury courses, and at this stage we were severely flagging. Stuffed to the gills full of excellent food, we were reinvigorated by the arrival of the blackcurrant popsicles dipped in cake milk. The popsicles could have done with packing more flavour, but the cake milk was a revelation, tasting as if someone had chucked a cake into a blender, added milk and juiced it.

Iced cream cheese and pear

Another revelation and one of my favourite dished of the day. Ice cream made from cream cheese mixed together with a smooth pear puree, and added crushed biscuits to add texture. Such a wonderful combination and a wholly new for me. I must have been up to about a 3rd wind by now and powered through.

By now, we were totally beat and even with the big finale of assorted desserts being absolutely fantastic, we threw in the towel (after we had a taste of all of them first, of course). We were first in at 12 and almost the last lot out at 4pm. 4 hours of non stop eating; I have never felt so full yet so happy. It may not be in London, but is a mere train ride away (or car journey if you're lucky enough to know someone who is willing to drive you) and will serve you some of the best food you will taste. The tasting menu at a mere £55 is a bargain and although they only serve it during the week, I heartily recommend you take a day off and enjoy a day at the seaside. You won't you regret it.

The Sportsman - Faversham Road, Seasalter, Whitstable, Kent CT5 4BP