London at night is gorgeous.
Taking a walk down the Thames on a cool 9pm evening reminded me so much of the times back in Singapore when I feel so stressed/overwhelmed but I know a walk around Marina Bay will never fail to calm me down. Cities and the watefront are such the magical combination. No wonder every city wants to have its own waterfront regeneration project.
Who says you can't wear white lace at night? I look slightly preggy in this dress, but nonetheless I can never say no to lace and white midis!
And the walk down Jubilee Bridge (I wish I had less shakey hands so I can actually use my camera in low light situations hahaha)
Cheers!
57 West Smithfield, London, EC1A 9DS
This week's food hunt brought us to Club Gascon, a Michelin Starred restaurant serving food inspired by the southwest of France. This is my second michelin starred experience in London, the other having been Joel Robuchon's (I evidently have a thing for French food!). I think part of the fun in dining out is in the restaurant service, and it's nice how in these restaurants the waiters will explain your dishes to you (in a sexy French accent no less) when they serve your food. And somehow they always manage to be attentive but not imposing or kaypoh, which makes the entire dining experience much more pleasant.
We initially wanted to visit for dinner, but their le marche dinner menu was £65 and much too exorbitant so we ended up going for lunch instead. Coincidentally, Opentable had 3-course-plus-champagne-cocktail for £35 promotion, which we thought was quite the good deal.
Club Gascon is surprisingly small and intimate. I also LOVE their crockery (and cutlery). I didn't manage to capture the details of the plates, but you can kinda see it on the first photo - look at the lace engraved slate/stone plate!!! I love anything that's industrial x romantic and that sooo up my alley. #need
A generous glass of fizzy to start with
Chantilly cream and smoked butter
I think my favourite part of today's meal was... the bread. No seriously, it was SOO GOOD. I don't have a photo of it, but they had pretty wide selection of bread to start of with. Amanda chose the brioche, which was piping hot and buttery and so soft I think I could just that and that alone for lunch. The butter was lovely and fragrant too, who can resist whipped butter??
Starters: White asparagus and coffee cloud (top) & duck tartare, salted cod juice and charcoal shallots (bottom)
I am usually not a fan of asparagus, but this was surprisngly light on the tastebuds and the bitter coffee cream contrasted well with the green-ness of it all. The duck tartare wasn't too my liking, unfortuantely. Everything was too heavy and flavourful, and raw meat is just not my thing.
Mains: Tulips, Quinoa and Hollandaise (top) & Guinea fowl, elderflower glazed chicory and Mustard
Much love for these two plates. Especially surprised at how they made quinoa palatable for once. The fowl was tender and juicy despite being breastmeat and went well with the mustard.
Dessert: Apple forest, blackberries and frosted lime sorbet (top) & Goat's cheese, piquillo pesto and red chilly jelly
Nicely put together methinks, while nothing spectacular individually I really liked the apple forest, blackberries and sorbet put together. I didn't really get to try goat's cheese, but XZ swears by the red pepper crisp that they had at the side.
We also had a complimentary selection of chocolates to finish.
All in all we had a pleasant experience at Club Gascon, the menu was light, well put together, and felt so appropriate for spring! I'm actually considering going back a second time when they release their summer menu hehe. Well, hope you enjoyed the photos and the occasional ramble... I'd recommend this place if you wanted a nice lunch environment, good food and didn't want to break the bank. Till the next update! x
Hello! I've been eating out more than usual these days, this summer being my last here in London. So this week's food exploration brought us to BAO, a recently opened Taiwanese food joint in Soho that specialises in oriental steamed buns.
53 Lexington St Soho
W1F 9AS
Mo-Sat 12-3, 5.30-10
W1F 9AS
Mo-Sat 12-3, 5.30-10
Classic Bao and Taiwanese Fried Chicken
This bao was my favourite of all that I tried. Juicy braised pork contrasted with the tartness of coriander. Very authentic I must say, reminds me of the baos I could have gotten back in Singapore. And who can say no to Taiwanese Fried Chicken, or any fried chicken for that matter... Be warned that the hot sauce is quite spicy though.
Fried Chicken Bao
This was more like a burger than a bao... The buns are really soft and pillow-y though. I think this one was infused with black sesame but the flavour wasn't particularly strong.
Sweet Potato Fries
I love sweet potato fries, and I especially love the Taiwanese version where they sprinkle plum salt over the fries. Sounds weird but the sour-ness plays very well with the sweetness of the fries. The batter they used was crispy and almost tempura-like. #yum
The prices here are not too unreasonable. My favourite bao (the classic one) is actually the cheapest at only £3.50!!! Very value for money I think. I wish they increased the portions of the sides though - there weren't enough fried chicken pieces nor fries to share among three of us haha.
Satisfied faces
Verdict? Not too bad. I'm heading back to Singapore aka Asian Food Paradise soon so I probably won't revisit BAO, but if you're craving some authentic Taiwanese food and pillowy soft steamed buns, I would recommend this in a heartbeat. I love how there are so many food choices in London!! #eatsleeprepeat
Unfortunately, I have not had the time to do my weekly spring runs in Regents Park as I've been busy trying to make full use of my gym membership. So I think I missed the peak cherry blossom season in the park, but nonetheless, given today's good weather I was adamant on visiting Regent's Park before sakura trees cease to blossom. I didn't catch all the cherry blossom trees in their full pink glory but I did get to see the falling petals which looked like the most magical spring shower ever. Almost bridal, I would say.
With spring and 21 degrees celcius here, it's time for pastels and bare legs! I've recently only shopped and missguided for the first time ever, and I love it! They have such pretty designs and I couldn't resist getting a bunch of assymetric skirts from them and a shearling coat (which was only GBP25!) Anyway, in light of spring and cherry blossom hunting, I decided to go for a pastel look with a mint/powder blue assymetric skirt and a pink cardigan today. Scroll away :)
Hehe, till next time! Loads of flowers and love x
With spring and 21 degrees celcius here, it's time for pastels and bare legs! I've recently only shopped and missguided for the first time ever, and I love it! They have such pretty designs and I couldn't resist getting a bunch of assymetric skirts from them and a shearling coat (which was only GBP25!) Anyway, in light of spring and cherry blossom hunting, I decided to go for a pastel look with a mint/powder blue assymetric skirt and a pink cardigan today. Scroll away :)
Skirt from Missguided
Tank from Zara (I swear by this, I must have worn this out at least 50 times already)
Cardigan in the perfect shade of dusty pink from Megagamie
London today is 21 degrees celcius *jumps for joy* Time for cardigans and tank tops and bare legs #thisislife
Today is also the perfect day to visit Lanka, a cute litte Japanese cake and tea salon on Finchley Road. Amanda has been raving about this for months and I finally got the chance to visit this lovely little gem of a cake shop.
We ordered four cakes to share and two pots of tea, and it is probably an understatement to say I was in heaven! Japanese cakes have the perfect texture. Unlike the usual heavy cakes you find in Western cafes, these are so light and moist I could eat them all day. Probably not very good for the waistline. Still, I'm definitely going back to treat myself once exams are over. So here, let the photos tell the story and whet your appetite...
I need these tea cups and saucers!!
Today is also the perfect day to visit Lanka, a cute litte Japanese cake and tea salon on Finchley Road. Amanda has been raving about this for months and I finally got the chance to visit this lovely little gem of a cake shop.
We ordered four cakes to share and two pots of tea, and it is probably an understatement to say I was in heaven! Japanese cakes have the perfect texture. Unlike the usual heavy cakes you find in Western cafes, these are so light and moist I could eat them all day. Probably not very good for the waistline. Still, I'm definitely going back to treat myself once exams are over. So here, let the photos tell the story and whet your appetite...
9 Goldhurst Terrace, London NW6 3HX
Just a quick stroll from Finchley Road tube station
Mon-Sat 10:30-18:30, Sun 11:00-17:00
Chocolate Gateau
Yummy lava cake that the service staff heated up for us. Oooh just imagining the oozing chocolate sauce when we broke the cake open makes me drool... Anyway, Lanka has the loveliest service crew ever. They are so nice, smiley and attentive. Every cafe needs to learn from them!!
Yummy lava cake that the service staff heated up for us. Oooh just imagining the oozing chocolate sauce when we broke the cake open makes me drool... Anyway, Lanka has the loveliest service crew ever. They are so nice, smiley and attentive. Every cafe needs to learn from them!!
(From left) Matcha strawberry cake, Chocolate raspberry Tart, Matcha Tart
Everything was delicious, but if you ever go to Lanka I suggest you go for their matcha cakes. They are beyond fabulous. Amanda's favourite is the matcha strawberry cake, which is so light and moist and topped off with the most lovely and delicate whipped cream ever. I usually hate whipped cream but this is fantastic. My favourite has to be the matcha tart. I love anything matcha, and the stronger the flavour the better. This definitely did not disappoint, and the white chocolate swirls on the tart went really well with the matcha. Yummeh. The chocolate tart was alright, but probably only because the matcha cakes stole all the limelight!!
Other Cakes on Display
Don't you just want to eat everything?!?! I need to go back, asap.
Don't you just want to eat everything?!?! I need to go back, asap.
Very decent prices
Loveliest crockery sets ever! and pretty good Ceylon Tea
Lanka also prides themselves on their ceylon tea which is specially imported from Sri Lanka. They have a wide variety of ceylon infusions and we got the Flowery Earl Gray and the Queen's Choice. I love Earl Gray (I can never resist it when it's on the menu) and this was pretty good. The tea smelt flowery and fragrant, but unfortuantely the flavour was not as bold as Earl Grays usually are. It probably matches the lightnes of the cakes more though. My housemates really liked the Queen's Choice, which had citrus notes (I really hate citrus-y stuff, so not for me).
Lanka also prides themselves on their ceylon tea which is specially imported from Sri Lanka. They have a wide variety of ceylon infusions and we got the Flowery Earl Gray and the Queen's Choice. I love Earl Gray (I can never resist it when it's on the menu) and this was pretty good. The tea smelt flowery and fragrant, but unfortuantely the flavour was not as bold as Earl Grays usually are. It probably matches the lightnes of the cakes more though. My housemates really liked the Queen's Choice, which had citrus notes (I really hate citrus-y stuff, so not for me).
I need these tea cups and saucers!!
Pumpkin cake
The chef was also nice enough to give us samples of his pumpkin cake, which had the loveliest melt-in-your-mouth texture. Apparently, the best time to visit Lanka is in the morning, when it is not very busy - the chefs are more likely to give out cute little samples for you to try then hehe.
The chef was also nice enough to give us samples of his pumpkin cake, which had the loveliest melt-in-your-mouth texture. Apparently, the best time to visit Lanka is in the morning, when it is not very busy - the chefs are more likely to give out cute little samples for you to try then hehe.
& that's us!
and our satisfied faces and bellies after an indulgent #taitai cake and tea breakfast in Lanka.
You really ought to pay this place a visit. I'm gonna go back and try everything on their menu very soon. xx
Breakfast @ Prosperous Dim Sum
Lorong Abu Siti, 10400 Georgetown
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NOMNOM. I chose this place specifically because it had custard egg yolk buns (not all dimsum places have this). Seriously cheap and nice, though we walked rather far out for this. We spent <SGD10 each (not all food ordered is pictured above), and left feeling so satisfied. I love dimsum so much!
Random Penang Laksa
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Georgetown is so quaint and pretty. There's a cute photo opp at almost every corner and I felt like such the tourist with my giant camera snapping away gleefully. I love the mix of colonial, oriental and Peranakan architecture, and if you're not the kind of tourist who loves to eat you'd be just as delighted wandering around the little alleys in Georgetown and marvelling at the colourful shophouses.
Batik Painting Museum
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This wasn't on our planned itinerary but I'm so glad we visited it. (Actually, we only went in because it started pouring heavily and we only had one umbrella to share.) My impression of batik before I entered this museum was solely defined by those perankan batik styled clothes or table cloths or what have you, but boy was I wrong! I was so impressed by the variety of subjects and landscapes exhibited. I never knew batik could be used like this haha. There were some really gorgeous pieces of art, and I especially love how batik colours can be so rich and translucent at the same time.
Mural Hunting
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Georgetown is also famous for its random murals and street art lurking at every corner. There are some very cute ones around, including the minion and the ginormous cat! We had a lot of fun following this guide by TimeOut and hunting all over for these paintings. Some of the murals are really creative and I love some of the installations engage you to interact with it as well (see the swing above, and there was a bicycle somewhere else too hehe).
Clan Jetties
Pengkalan Weld, 10300 Pulau Pinang
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This was another interesting stop on our itinerary. Remants of Penang's Chinese settlement history, there are six clan jetties along the coast, each named after a Chinese clan. We visited a couple of them, but the Chew Jetty is probably the most tourist friendly with many shops and a substantially wide and long walkway such that I didn't feel like I was intruding into people's homes. People actually still live here. It has modernised a lot with electricity cables and water pipes running everywhere, but it still amazes me every time I visit such places. Citygirl93 or entitledkid93?
Wheeler's Coffee
67, Lorong Love, Georgetown, 10200
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I don't know which came first, Singapore's wheeler's yard or this one, but this cafe had a bicycle theme as well. We ate here when we first touched down into Penang as we only managed to reach Georgetown past 9pm, AND BARELY ANYTHING WAS OPEN (I can't believe it??). We had aglio olio and a lava cake to share but meh, food was mediocre.
Over our next two days in Penang we visited a couple other more 'atas' Western cafes (we went to Behind 50 and Mugshot Cafe too) but they all seemed lacklustre. Not saying the food wasn't good, but it was relatively expensive. I mean definitely cheap as compared to Singapore cafe standards, but I have such a soft spot for hawker food and with hawker food at just about every corner in Penang, it just seemed like a waste of stomach space to visit these cafes hahaha.
Tiger Char Kway Teow
Intersection of Lebuh Carnavon and Melayu
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I love CKT!!! This one was special, as they use duck eggs to fry with the CKT instead of the usual chicken eggs, making the flavour much richer. The next time I go to Penang I must totally starve myself before that so I have extra stomach space to eat more of these nomnomnomnom.
Joo Hooi Cafe
475 Jalan Penang
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This is the famous chendol place that everyone goes to. You have to pay more to sit in the store so most people just hold the bowl and stand around. I was quite disappointed though. I've heard so many raves about this place but I felt it was just meh. There was a nice thick coconut taste and they were very generous with the ingredients but I was feeling so hot and sweaty from all the walking around and I guess my stomach just wasn't craving chendol at that point in time. The bowl warmed up pretty fast too because of the scorching sun. Oh well. If you're a chendol fan I guess you should still give this a try!
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And that's it! Penang is such a fun destination (see crazy photo above). We ate much much more than everything I've covered above but I was too busy eating to take photos at every stop haha. Oh, also, DO NOT EVER WALK TO GURNEY DRIVE FROM GEORGETOWN. I have no idea what we were thinking when we decided, at 8pm, to take the treacherous 30min to Gurney Drive. Well, burning off some calories was probably the impetus, but nope. Never Again. Firstly, the roads are not very pedestrian friendly. Not only are there no side walks, we had to jaywalk across many VERY BUSY intersections that were not very well lit. Also, yes, I felt like I could get mugged any time. Thankfully the final stretch of the road leading to Gurney along the coast was full of posh Penang condominiums so I felt a little more safe. But, very bad idea. You will thank me for the warning hahaha.
Alright, update with more trips next time! If you're heading to Penang soon and would like a map of where I visited in Penang you can find it here xx
