Fancy a Snog?

I know what you're thinking. "Michelle, where have you been? I've been starving here, two long months, trying to work out a route to eat my way through London on my budget, and you've just gone off and left me. I'm not sure I can forgive you. You bastard". There's only one way I can say it: I'm sorry. It's nothing personal, I'm still eating new food for you, still going out of my way to track down the best culinary treats on a shoestring, but somewhere along the way I got sidetracked in the process of eating, and forgot all about the writing. Can you ever forgive me? Because if you do, we've really got a treat for you...

See that cup there in the picture? Notice the little white chocolate stars, chunks of delicious brownie and mouthwatering mochi? That's for you, baby. Let's make up for my blogging hiatus the passionate way. Let's talk Snog.

Starting in South Ken and spreading their reach to Soho (yay!) and Shepeherds Bush's notorious shopping mall Westfield, Snog is a frozen yogurt place with a difference. Choose from three base flavours, plan, bittersweet dark chocolate or green tea then top your snog with a handful of fresh fruit or naughty treats (did I mention the brownie chunks... mouth... watering) and you're good to go. Fat free and naturally sweetened, the clever chaps in PR note it's "tart tasting and not too sugary sweet". But what does this mean for you, dear readers?



Well, fittingly for such a place, I'm not going to sugar coat it. Kim and I had the green tea Snog, and I was looking forward to seeing how that worked with some pretty sweet toppings, hence the chocolate brownies, stars and mochi. The answer? Meh, not so much. The mochi, perhaps understandably, worked the best with the eastern scented green tea, but the overall flavour of the fro-yo was a little too sour for my palate. The choice of toppings is pretty good and the fruit looked fresh enough, with a selection ranging from pomegranate to blueberries; as a low fat snack it's certainly a better option than hard crackers or rice cakes. My biggest regret is that I didn't go for the dark chocolate flavour - for the sake of maybe 30 calories more I lost out on taste. Gutted. But, I'm an intrepid type and I know I have a lot of making up to do so don't you worry - I'll be heading back to Snog, and next time, I'm not leaving till I'm full.

Till we eat again,

Michelle

Masala Zone - get some Punjabi in you!

As a Camden cruiser, I wonder to myself how on earth this Masala Zone passed me by. Sister to Chutney Mary, Veeraswamy (the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the UK) and Amaya, everything I have to say about this Indian restaurant is good, great, excellent.

The waitress (who wasn't Indian) asked us if we'd like to have anything of the menu explained. I was very impressed but, obviously, said no. This was just the first episode in a lunch filled with lovely staff; more on that later!

Decor: I could live here. The walls are adorned with retro Indian advertisements, Indian Gods and Goddesses and old-school soap posters. There are Masala Zones in Soho, Islington, Earls Court, Covent Garden, Bayswater and Camden each with their own style and if you want to find out more visit their site. The space in the Camden branch is vast and downstairs there is a beautiful banquette / dining hall area. Despite the big space, they have filled it very well and the space affords friends or couples just the right amount of privacy.

Food: Ok, here's the good bit. They have a great menu, very well priced. Michelle and I both thought their street food starters were amazing (having grown up in India and sneakily eating street food on my way home after school, I am a great judge when it comes to gol guppe, tikkis and the like). I am amazed at the lack of Indian restaurants offering this kind of starter so you can be certain that when you find one that does, it will be good. Who needs a bhaji or samosa (boring and so generic) when you can have chickpeas and yogurt smothered with sticky sweet tamarind stuffed inside crunchy hollow pillows with vermicelli sprinkles? Heaven.

We were there during lunch time and they have some great deals on, so we both chose the £8.50 regular thalis plus starter deal. For starters we picked dahi puri (hollow gol guppe pillows filled with chickpeas, yogurt and chutney) and sev puri (flat wheat biscuits piled with a chickpea mash with yogurt and three chutneys plus lots of sev sprinkles).

For the thalis (basically a platter with lots of little dishes and one centerpiece served with some rice or roti and chutneys) I had chicken mangalore and Michelle had the butter chicken; both curries proudly displaying one chilli on the menu. My only negative comment would be that the curries were a tiny bit hotter than expected, though being Indian I didn't have a problem with that! I love thalis as Indian food is never about just one dish, there should be a party on your plate and that's how we do it at home! Our thalis were utterly delicious, consisting of:

Rice

Crispy spicy masala potatoes

Daal

Coconut and cream brocolli sambhar type dish - new addiction

Popadom (a proper one, not the type which remind me of giant prawn crackers)

Coriander and mint (I think) chutney

Mango chutney (although it was quite pineappley - in a nice way)

and of course....the chicken

Oh, and to wash this treat down we had masala cokes (consisting of chaat masala and mint leaves jazzing up your standard cola) which rounded our meal off perfectly. Once we had finished, the very friendly manager Karen came over to our table and had a little chat (shout out to Karen) and we talked about the food which was very informative and a fun way to finish our meal.

I can't really recommend this place enough for a budget curry, though no doubt Michelle will tell you one day about the amazing spinach puris she got for 50p each in the market! Just go to Masala Zone, speak to Karen and I am so certain you will enjoy your meal that I'll pay for it myself if you don't!

They deliver, they do parties, check it out at: http://www.masalazone.com/

4.5 stars out of 5 (0.5 star lost because there was no toilet paper)

Meal for two with soft drinks: around £20 for lunch, bit more for dinner

Cyprus Mangal, Westbourne Grove

Cyprus Mangal, why have you hurt me so?

So...Michelle has signed up for the tastelondon card and we decided to test it out at Cyprus Mangal in Westbourne Grove. This restaurant is new and although we were using the card to get 50% off our food bill, they were also offering 50% off as an opening gig.

We were greeted by a very friendly waitress. The place has a very sleek but earthy feel to it. Purply/blue lighting, chrome finishes, open kitchen, random brick wall. Looking at the menu, there isn't anything that really stood out in the mains but the starters list is absolutely fantastic!

Amongst the usual Mediterranean fare of Greek Salad, calamari, halloumi and white bait starters, there is some really quite super sounding grub. I opted for the spinach and feta parcels and Michelle thought she'd try something different *clears throat* by choosing one her favourite vegetables (aubergine) in one it's favourite forms (a cheesy, tomatoey stack) as a starter. I have to say, though, she made a very wise choice as her 'Grilled Aubergine Mozzarella Stack) was utterly delectable. Cooked to perfection with a drizzle of balsamic, a touch pretentious but we all need a drizzle every now and then. She said would order it as a main if they put it on the menu. My spinach parcels ticked a box of some kind but were a little dry (that'd be the puff pastry) and I felt could perhaps have done with a dash of salt. Having said that, I would eat them again...if they were free.

Now to the mains. All in all it's an 'ok' menu when it comes to the mains but could do with being a lot more daring. Cyprus Mangal list themselves as being a Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant but I felt I may as well be in some gastro pub (a french one with a hint of the Med) with the menu before me. It's all chicken escalopes, Dijon lamb shanks, steaks with French titles, oyster sauce monkfish and meatballs which take me to Ikea. I'm not saying this is a bad menu, but I went there expecting Mediterranean food and that is not what I got. Still, we stayed.

Michelle went for 'Caramelised Pineapple Chicken Hawaii' which comes with herby crusted potatoes, pineapple and 'chef's special sauce' which despite the name was astoundingly delicious. And it was big. No, it was HUGE. TWO chicken breasts, nice crisp veg, that scrummy special sauce. Totally gut busting. Michelle gave it enough thumbs ups to take Little Jack Horner out of business. I chose the meaty delight of Calves liver which also came with some crisp veg and a dark, rich gravy and some crispy parsnip twists decorating the meat. Now, I am a big lover of meats that gross out the majority and this liver did not disappoint. Thick, juicy, steaky livers (two I think or one big one sliced through) melted in my mouth and I may have seen Jesus.

Then along came trouble. Michelle, slicing through a chicken breast, saw a big red vein! Surely this isn't right, so we called over the waiter who is ever so apologetic and the manager also joined in on the action and apologises profusely but says it's nothing to worry about (apparently there is some vein which never changes colour?). They offered us some free coffee, which we duly accepted as we had pretty much finished our plates apart from Michelle's bloody chicken.

Coffee took forever to get to us but was worth it in the end; thick Greek-style coffee with a nice little plate of nutty Turkish delight which we devoured in about 2 seconds.

Oh did I mention the belly dancing? Friday night only - she'll dance in your face if you make eye contact. Was especially fun watching first daters squirm in their seats!

We were totally impressed with the food so we went back a second time with Michelle's family and were really disappointed. Michelle and I opted for the home-made dip starter (great) and we both had the same mains (we are so adventurous). The calamari is also to die for. Best. Calamari. Ever. The lamb fillet chosen by Emma (Michelle's sister) was a good choice and her Mum's monkfish medallions (oh la la) were perfection but when Michelle's chicken and my liver arrived, we were in for a shock. My liver was in a thin, watery gravy and Michelle only got one chicken breast! My lovely crispy parsnip twists were missing and I felt cheated thinking back to my first meal there. Michelle did enjoy hers but like me, felt wildly cheated too. I can understand why they might scale down a little on the portions when you're saving 50% but the idea of the scheme is surely to get customers coming back for a full price meal - this is a goal apparently missed by the management.

Listen up Cyprus Mangal, you lost some customers who were willing to spend a lot of money in your restaurant. Shame really because I do crave another outing. I have definitely developed a love/hate relationship with this place.

Cyprus Mangal, 107 Westbourne Grove,London W2 4VWTel: 020 7243 1499

http://www.cyprus-mangal.co.uk

3.5 stars out of 5

Meal for two with soft drinks: around £40

Wine from £12.95 per bottle, beer £2.50, cocktails from £4.50 and spirits £2.50.

The Ultimate Taste Test: Low Fat Muffins

One of the hardest things about reviewing (and loving) food is attempting to enjoy what you eat while staying relatively slim. For me this is especially tough as my favourite weekend routine involves a caramel latte and a muffin from my nearest coffee house, mmm I can just about smell the roast coffee beans now! Lucky for me, then, that the three major chains I favour each have their own 'low fat' muffin on the menu, and curiously they're all citrus flavour. But just how low fat are these cheeky morning snacks? And, most importantly, what do they taste like?

Let's start with the daddy of coffee houses, Starbucks. A quick glance at the cakes and pastries reveals a few lighter options, and the one we're looking at is the so called 'Skinny' Lemon & Poppy seed Muffin. At 393 calories and 6 grams of fat, you might be forgiven for thinking this muffin is not the healthiest snack in the world. However, in terms of taste it's close to faultless; the delicious lemon fragrance is perfectly matched by the subtle crunch of poppy seed, though you probably don't want to eat one before catching a flight to Dubai. The only let down here is the lack of a good topping; I like my muffins to at least act like they're bad for me and a little dash of icing wouldn't go amiss.


Now for the young pretender, Caffe Nero. Apparently purveyors of the best Espresso this side of Milan, Nero certainly isn't about to win points for its horribly cloying Reduced Fat Cranberry & Orange Muffin. Scarfing down one of these little monsters will pile on 9.8g of fat, although at 322 calories it's got less sugars than the Starbuck's muffin. The biggest problem for me here is the dried fruit; chewy cranberries lack flavour and the orange pieces seem to be mostly soapy peel. Not a particularly pleasant taste, and the texture wasn't much better. A muffin should be light and cakey, but this was so stodgy I wondered if it was undercooked. Oddly, Kim loved the texture but then she is a big fan of cookie dough.

Of all the coffee houses in all the world, my favourite has to be Costa. Unpretentious as the other chains, Costa also sponsers a book award each year and doesn't charge extra for soya milk (a double bonus for lactose-intolerant librarians). Costa also produces the simply marvellous Low Fat Lemon and Orange Muffin pictured at the top of this article, a moist and magnificent treat stuffed with gooey pieces of orange topped with a lick of sweet tangy lemon scented icing - it really makes my day. At only 4.5g of fat and 328 calories it's not only the tastiest option here but the healthiest, and the only muffin to actually legitimately describe itself as "low fat". Canny dieters will be wise to pick one up next time they grab a coffee - go on, it's practically good for you.

Till we eat again,
Michelle

A Lot for a Little at Little Bay!

One of the great things about living in a major city is the number of small bistros and restaurants willing to offer a set price menu to get you through the door. A favourite of mine is Bistro Laz in Soho (also, oddly, named 'Bistro Number One' depending on which business card you pick up), where the menu seems to change seasonally and the food is really excellent for the price. Today, however, we're talking about Little Bay, another budget bistro with an excellent offer - get there before 7:15pm and three courses are less than £10! We've gone to the Kilburn branch but there are four in London so be sure to google it!

I can't recommend the Bay enough for lunch; two courses slip down easy at under £8, and the drinks list is cheap and cheerful. I've been there twice now and me and Kim have had the same starters both times; 'Parson's Pastry' - a delightful smoked chicken and mushroom concoction in a creamy sauce enrobed in a filo parcel - for me, and 'Choux Crab' - two choux buns brimming with fresh dressed crab and served with a hollandaise sauce - for her.


Our main courses have been just as tempting; I've had a sumptuously moist chicken breast stuffed with minted lamb served with a rich port jus before, and the last time we went a hearty bowl of fresh egg tagliatelle with slivers of buttery french bean and smokey chicken was so generous and delicious I was overwhelmed. Kim has so far stuck to a devilishly gamey duck breast on each trip, sliced and served in an asian inspired jus her only complaint has been a little too much ginger in the sauce. A bundle of honeyed and spiced vegetables in a parcel accompanies the duck perfectly, and the staff always provide plenty of bread and butter alongside a charming dish of eccentric vegetables ranging from sliced stewed swedes to minted potatoes, so you're unlikely to go hungry. My biggest gripe is the lack of any variety to the menu; it seems to change very infrequently and a little more seasonality wouldn't go a miss.

One final thing to note is the interior - the bistro is eccentric to a pleasant degree and you're likely to find yourself up a tiny staircase in a second storey private 'booth' on your visit. Peeling prints of Venetian classics adorn the walls, table tops and chairs and the place can get quite lively in the evening, perhaps owing to its tavern-like atmosphere. The staff are always friendly and willing to help, however, and you'd be surprised how quickly they can get up those odd little staircases to serve you...

Till we eat again, Michelle

Little Bay, 228 Belsize Road, Kilburn
3.5 stars out of 5
Meal for two with soft drinks - around £20