Smack Lobster Rolls, Dean Street Review

 

 By now I think you know that I am a foodie.

 

But I also always want o be healthy.

 

So, there The Weekly Cheat Meal began.

 

I am so glad I started to do this a while back because it means that I really savour and enjoy my meals out much more as it feels like a real treat. 

 

My real point here is that if you are in London and want to eat out then you MUST go to Smack Lobster Rolls on Dean Street (close to Leister Square Station). 

 

I have never tried fresh lobster before but these are the bomb. If you have never tried lobster rolls before, they are basically brioche type bread (and if you ask me looks like French Toast but doesn't taste like it) stuffed with plenty of lobster meat.

 

I went to dinner with my best friend and the man serving us suggested that we get 2 different rolls and share 1/2 of each because you know.... we are very indecisive people.

 

We had....

 

California

Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber, Avocado Mayo with Lime, Chives

 

Seven Samurai

Japanese Mayo, White Cabbage, Cucumber, Pickled Ginger, Spring Onions, Togarashi Spice

 

AND

 

Sweet Potato Fries & Smoke Paprika Salt

 

I was stuffed afterwards and omg I cannot tell you how impressed I was.

 

THEIR LOBSTER ROLLS AND SO DAMN GOOD!

 

We talked for ages and finished 6 packs of mayo and ketchup.....

 

One strange thing was that the lady surving us had never had lobster before. Surely, she's not qualified to work there, right?

 

Share your experiences of lobster rolls and your favourite places to eat in London. I always love to try something new!

 

Priyanka xx

Cheesy, Scrambled Egg Croissant

 If your family is anything like mine, and tend to always shop in Costco, you might have many (strangely large) croissants in the kitchen.

 

 Now, I have something quite special and exciting you can do with those guys...

 

Ingredients:

 

- 1 Large Croissant (I got mine from Costco which are freshly baked)

- 2 Eggs

- Milk

- Spinach

- 1/2 onion (optional)

- Cheese (I used Red Leicester Cheese)

- Olive  Oil (for cooking eggs)

 

- Sauces -Mayo, Ketchup (optional)

-Cucumber / salad for sides

-Spices of your choice (salt, pepper, chilly powder etc.)

 

Method:

 

-Preheat the oven to your standard temperature

- In a bowl whisk 2 eggs together with spices, finely chopped onions and a large splash of milk (this will help the scrambled eggs become fluffy)

-  In a medium frying pan heat olive oil and then begin to add small quantities of the egg mixture at a time whilst you keep scramblifying  (aka breaking up) the egg. Continue this until you have used all the egg mixture and your scrambled egg is fully cooked.

- Cut your croissant sideways to form a 'pocket'

- Carefully fill your pocket with your scrambled egg and sprinkle as much cheese as you like on top of the egg 

- When you have finished filling your croissant, press down and place in the oven for approximately 6-7 minutes. Keep checking your oven because you don't want anything to burn!

 

Hopefully after you have taken your croissant out of the oven it is crispy and the cheese has melted.

Serve hot on a plate with salad and sauce and enjoy!

Let me know if you enjoyed this recipe. How do you like to eat your croissants? Plain, with ham and cheese or sweet with Nutella bananas and marshmallows?

 

Priyanka xx 

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

Pizza Express, Covent Garden

I'm not going to lie to you about how terrible I am with directions.....

 

Seriously. I am pretty bad.

 

One of my friends invited me for dinner at Pizza Express in Covent Garden, my internet stopped working (so that I could not use the navigation on it) and there I was, all alone not knowing where the restaurant was nor where to go. Even from asking directions, using the maps and calling my friends I still couldn't make it out by myself.

 

45 minutes later when I was rescued by my friends (who were very tired of waiting for pizza), I found that it was ACROSS THE ROAD and under a bridge from the station I got off at.

 

Urgg. At least I burnt those calories, right?

 

Usually pizza and pasta are not my thing simply because it is such a common food, so when I want to treat myself to something slightly more 'unhealthy' I venture for other exciting foods to full fill the desires of my taste buds.

 

I chose pasta over the pizza because one of the girls were telling me it was really good and her 'go to' choice. The Pollo Pesto Pasta (oh, the alliteration...) was very filling. It had chunks of  chicken, mushrooms, red onions, mozzarella and pesto sauce. The chicken was a little dry but there was just enough sauce and cheese to make up for it.

 

Honestly, it could have been a little creamier or saucy to make it work better. It was a good meal but nothing incredibly special. I think the pasta at Vapiano was of a much higher standard than Pizza Express and you can see my post on that here.

 

Where is the best pasta you have had? I would love to know for another dinner out :)

 

Priyanka xx

Shake Shack, Covent Garden

 Yes, I had work experience the whole week.

Yes, I was tired of filing things away.

Yes, I was craving a cheesy burger.

Yes, I was satisfied after finishing my food that day!

 

Last week some of my friends and I decided to take a trip down to Covent Gardens to meet up and grab some food, since I barely get to catch them for a chat now days.

 

I brought up the idea of eating at Lobster Kitchen since I have never eaten Lobster before but unfortunately one of my friends said they were allergic which was a great disappointment.

 

Then, we decided on going to Five Guys in Leister Square because so many people had told me they do the best burgers ever. I should learn to do my research because unfortunately all the burgers were beef (which I do not eat). One friend got the Five Guys Peanut Butter Milkshake and ohhhhh my godnesssss, it was heaven in a cup. Seriously, I can't express how damn creamy, smooth, thick and oh so good this milkshake was. I didn't get my own but we all shared from one cup. I can tell you now, it was gone in seconds.

 

Eventually, we reached Shake Shack in Covent Gardens, where I waited very impatiently for my 'Shroom Burger £8.50 (which was a crispy Portobello mushroom burger with melted cheese, lettuce, tomato and Shake Shack sauce), with Crispy Crinkle Cut Fries £2.95 and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake £5.25.

 

I would say that the fries and the burger were pretty good but the milkshake was no where near as good as the one from 5 Guys. Also, the burger and milkshake portions were incredibly small for the high price I paid. I would have also liked a little more cheese in the burger.

 

Where do you think the best burgers and milkshakes are in London? I would love to know!

 

Also check out my previous Shake Shack and burger experience here.

 

Priyanka xx