TGI Fridays Belated Valentine's Day Meal

My mind's telling me no...

 

But my body, my body's telling me yes....

 

So I listened to my body. Oh, yes I did.

 

I've been to TGI Friday's once before in Piccadilly Circus and decided it was time to visit again after cravings for burgers once again.

 

I ordered the Jack Daniel's® Chicken Sandwich which was a grilled chicken breast with  Monterey Jack cheese,  bacon,  tomato, red onion and mayo on a glazed brioche bun. This came with a portion of fries and I also added some onion rings to my meal just because I was feeling cheeky. The cheesiness of the burger was a definite win-win situation and the Jack Daniels sauce was intensively sweet and very different, but equally enjoyable as regular BBQ sauce.

 

I felt that it took a very long time for my order to arrive and that it was overpriced for exactly what is was: a burger and chips.

 

My brother ordered Jack Daniel's Ribs which was coated in Jack Daniel' sauce. The same over sweetening property of the sauce on the ribs were less appealing, in my opinion, because the ribs were almost drenched in the sweet sauce. My brother almost couldn't finish it as 'it was giving him a sugar rush' and (quote) that he 'might not be able to go to sleep'. Oh, he does says strange things sometimes, but hopefully you get his point.

 

Also, on the same point of overcharging, my parents SHARED a steak dish at around the price of £20 and asked for the steak to be removed and replaced with chicken. It turned out that the meal was infact very small but expensive for no particular reason.

 

Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience and love the American vibe of the whole place. Have you been to TGI Friday's? What is your favourite dish on the menu?

 

Priyanka xx

Creamy and Cheesy Carbonara Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:
-1/2 Pound Pasta
-3/4 can Evaporated Milk
-1 Pack Bacon
- Olive Oil
-1 heaped Tbsp.. Butter
-Large Handful Spinach
-3 Eggs
-Cheese of choice (for topping)
-Salt
-Garlic Powder
-Ginger Powder
-Chilly Powder
-Other spices of choice

Method:
- Cook pasta in a little olive oil and salt according to the instructions given on the pack
- Cook bacon in oven / chop and fry bacon with 1 medium onion also roughly chopped (into small cube pieces) in a large frying pan.
- Allow for the bacon to fully cook and onions to be golden brown
- Mix in salt and spices of choice and of quantities (you can always modify after a taste test later)
- After pasta is fully cooked drain the pasta leaving a significant amount of the cooking water with the pasta
- Carefully stir the cooked pasta and water into the onion and bacon mix in the frying pan. Keep mixing as the spices begin to blend into the pasta
- Start to add the evaporated milk to the pasta in small quantities and mix under a low heat.
- Finally, finely chop the spinach  and stir into the pasta alongside a heaped Tbsp. of butter. Mix the pasta to make sure everything is evenly mixed and taste/add salt or spices to meet your preferred taste.

- Once everything is done, serve the pasta in bowls with cheese on top. You can microwave the pasta to melt the cheese and enjoy!

I really liked this recipe when  I made it - I don't even like pasta that much, so that is really saying something.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Comment your modifications / your own recipes below for me to try out next time.

Priyanka xx

Vapiano Great Portland Street

A couple of days ago my friend and I went out to eat at Vapiano, which is a 5 minute walk from Oxford Circus Station, after it was (very) heavily recommended to us by her cousin. The way she described the pasta there to us completely sold it so we decided a trip to the restaurant ourselves was needed to really understand.

 

Fine.

 

We used navigation from my iPhone to actually get there.

 

But that's only because I'm a little bit oblivious when it comes to directions. If we didn't, I don't know how long we would have been walking around in circles asking strangers where it was. That's no good now is it?!

 

When we first walked in, the man at the front counter asked if we had been to Vapiano before, and as we hadn't, he gave us a card (like a credit card) and explained that we can go to any of the stations to get food and the bill is put onto the card, which you pay for at the end.

 

There were stations for pasta, pizza, salad, sides and a bar for drinks and desert. I choice to have the  Carbonara pasta which was bacon, onions and egg in cream sauce. I usually don't like pasta very much but believe me this was really tasty (and very filling)!

 

The chefs make the pasta in front of you, asking what shape of homemade pasta you would like and if you would like any additional spices.

 

The unique part about this was that all of the staff were Italian or at least looked as if they were!

I really enjoyed my dinner there and would recommend it to everyone to go and enjoy, especially because it's such a reasonable price, and simply as an alternative to the usual Nandos.

 

Which food places in London would you recommend?

 

Priyanka xx