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Lucky for me, the folks in Norwich insisted I be on my way by noon on Friday so that I could spend a smidge of time in London before my flight back the next day. On the rec of buddies-who-know DY and JC, I dropped in on Yauatcha for a little dim sum delivered up by the guy (Alan Yau) who also spawned uber-pricey, Michelin-starred Hakkasan (on my list for next time I'm in London) and the fun and affordable Japanese noodle-chain Wagamama (used to go weekly while I was living out there).
So, there I sat, in Yauatcha's teahouse/patisserie (the resto's in the basement) and this is what I got:
* steamed, snowy white eruptions of dough stuffed with roast pork—aka pork buns (I'm a sucker for these little bundles of joy. Yauatcha's fluffy hot bao fell apart in my paws, they were so tender and delightful.)
* steamed prawn and enoki mushrooms which came stuffed in delicate rice wrappers (very well done—in terms of craftsmanship, these rank right up there with the oh-so-tender and tasty dumplings from my old fave: long-dead Harbour Village).
* duck and shiitake mushroom rolled in pan-fried bean curd (I could really have done without this one; the five spice flavoring the rolls was too much ... I'm just not a fan of star anise, and dare I say it? The shredded duck was a tad dry. Fortunately, the sweet pickled cucumbers helped 'em down the ol' gullet as did swigs from my bottle of beer).
All in all, I'm glad to have gone. But it's good to know we've got grubbin' dim sum in SF that's half as expensive as what's on order at Yauatcha.
was Ab Fab. DM took me there on my second night in Norwich. It's her go-to pub (and not just because it's less than a mile from her home!). The Wildebeest Arms is the perfect place to come into from out of the cold (and cold it was, with a bit of sleet and freezing rain greeting us that day). Sitting by the roaring fire, I gleefully attacked the warmed creamy goat cheese, greens, plump fig and roasted beet salad. Usually appetizers are an easy win—easy for restos to impress their diners with. The entree is often the dealbreaker. Well, I was entirely pleased with the modest slab of roasted pork belly, which came sitting in a pool of stick-to-your-ribs buttery, mustardy meat sauce, accompanied by a dollop of mashed potatoes along with lovely batons of roasted parsnip, baby carrots and shredded cabbage.
The deliciously tangy, sweet and peppery salad.
The nicely crisped pork belly with wunderbar accompaniments.
I couldn't leave the UK without getting in some curry. New York and San Francisco have some swell Indian and Pakistani eateries, but it was when I was living in London that I'd had the best curry ever. So while in Norwich, on a fellow workmate's recommendation, I had a go of Spice Lounge on Wensum Street, and I wasn't disappointed. I walked into the nightclubby lounge (complete with neon lighting) of this split-level resto, not quite sure what to expect. One of the six eager waiters promptly ushered me up the stairs and plunked me down in front of the large TV screen blaring the latest and greatest Bollywood music videos. I was handed a menu listing no less than 60 different options ... my mind was a-whirl. After some friendly consultation with my waiter, I finally settled on the king prawn tikka masala and the vegetable bhaji along with a fluffy disk of garlic naan and a hefty scoop of basmati rice. Were my eyes bigger than my stomach? Mmmm, you could say so, but not by much. The tikka masala was really really good—sweeter and more tomatoey than the version I get at Punjab Kabab in SF. I'm glad I'd ordered the veggie bhaji; it's a savory combo of green beans, peas, carrots, onions and potatoes. I shoveled in as much as I could (it wasn't hard to do) and then rolled on home, happy I'd gotten in my fill of sugar and spice and everything nice.
Easter Brunch in Foreign Cinema's sunny outdoor patio this past weekend hit the spot. The $40 3-course had everything we three gals could ask for. After much back and forth (there were so many tantalizing dishes to choose from), I decided to start with the ever-so-delightful French toast baguette (soaked for a good long time in milk, or better yet, cream!) with a scoop of strawberry butter and organic banana slices. I moved right into the fluffy and fragrantly earthy porcini mushroom omelet with crispy potatoes and heavenly smoked bacon glazed in brown sugar (I usually nibble on a corner of a bacon strip and leave the rest, but not this time—couldn't help but eat the whole lot of 'em). I closed the show with a great cheese plate comprising a foot-jammy wedge (this is a good thing) of soft blue and a slice of lamb chopper (aka semi-firm sheep's milk cheese) with a drizzle of honey butter and raisin nut bread slices ... It's no wonder peeps say this is the best brunch in town.
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