This is just a quick update of my latest news. Exciting times! I've just been booked to present a show (to be shown in schools) on cocoa growing in Ghana. I fly out at the end of this month. I had my yellow fever jab yesterday, so I guess it's all going ahead. This is a dream come true. I love chocolate both in its raw form and cooked versions, so exploring its cocoa origins will be incredibly fascinating. For my version of how to make chocolate pots, see the link below. I'll add one of my favourite chocolate recipes in my next post.
So, what have I been up to recently? Last Friday, my boyfriend and I went to Bob Bob Ricard (just off Carnaby street) on a friend's recommendation. It's a great change from the clean cut, common place restaurants which frequent the streets of London. If anyone has seen the video game 'Bioshock' you'll have a good impression of its interior; think 1920's chic. We were sat in our own little booth which is far better than being placed at sea on a tiny table in the middle of the cattle market dining section found in most restaurants. It had the additional quirky touch of having a plug to charge something (your camera, mobile....?). Totally unnecessary, but I liked it. There was a also a hugely extravagant feature of button to request champagne. If only...I can but dream.
The food itself was correctly coined to me by my friend as 'posh comfort food'. The posh aspect provided by the high prices, while the comfort element was in the chicken pie, steaks and mash featured on the menu.
I was intrigued by the chicken and mushroom pie with a truffle sauce. Bob bob's the kind of place where you expect such standard fayre to be transformed into a magical, micheline style dish. I am not a fan of mushrooms, but wondered if the chef's expertise would be enough to alter this. However, on asking the type of mushrooms, I was disappointed to be informed that they were button ones. I can just about cope with porcini or portobello but not the dreaded button mushroom. I settled, in the end, for the onglet with green peppercorn sauce and caramelised onions. It was fabulous - quite the best steak I've ever had. Incredibly tasty while tender; proving why onglet is becoming increasingly more fashionable and popular.
Unfortunately, my boyfriend was less pleased with his choice, chicken kiev with a sweetcorn mash. It was exactly what it says on the tin and, combined with its meagre size, meant that someone was extremely unhappy about having to spend £20 on it. Oh well, he should have picked better!
Personally, I would recommend Bob Bob again and again and am less than subtly touting it as a possible valentine's destination.
P.S. Almost forgot to mention dessert - the best, and only, Knicker bocker glory I've ever had. Pure indulgence.
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