Oh What A Joy : At Bonnington

There are not many advantages about staying temporarily South of the river. Commuting to work to begin with kills me. But beggars can't be choosers and until I move back East later on in the Summer I have to stay South, enjoy the fact that I am not paying rent and not moan. In other words 'shut it'. With places like the Bonnington Cafe this can be truly very easy.
I paid a visit today in the afternoon on my own and it was so enjoyable I am dying to take all my friends there and share the experience.
A few minutes walk from Vauxhall station, this lovely place has a different chef every day and serves vegan and vegetarian food which was the best choice for one of the hottest days of the year. Today Ana ignoring the heat wave had cooked a menu that made me want to order EVERYTHING. In the end I got the delicious carrot and ginger soup for just £2 and a watermelon and lime fresh juice for just £1,50. I also got a takeaway polenta with walnuts for later on, which i enjoyed in the park. Then I was smiling like an idiot for the rest of the day.
I am going again on Tuesday!

Would Pinchy Want It That Way?

Oh yes, I had something like the perfect day last Monday. To begin with I had the day off and was feeling physically well after a very long time. I met an old friend who was in London for business in the morning, then had a very long walk, then went to the cinema and then found myself at this restaurant alone, menu in hand, just because of the poster on the wall: JUNE! LOBSTER MONTH. I am such an easy target sometimes.
I did call my partner to join me, who is a vegetarian, 99% of the year . He did come but did not try the lobster. I did. And it was delicious. But I must admit that it looked very cute and I found myself feeling a bit like Homer Simpson. And in reality it was not as delicious as the lobster I had in Crete 5 years ago, or the one my friend caught in 2003. It was a lobster that was designed to end up in my plate and that was a very sad thing to realize.
But I have no regrets. It was part of the almost perfect day Monday.

National (Crypto) Vegetarian Week 2010

Though I am not a vegetarian I must admit that I had great fun at the National Vegetarian Week event at the Window in Islington this evening. My lovely friend and I had the chance to try really tasty canapes, sushi, a fantastic quinoa mini- dish and other vegetarian delicacies and had a very interesting chat with the Window's chef, Annie. There was also a chance to learn how to properly roll sushi, but with just simple use of eye contact both my friend and I, agreed in eating, rather than enrolling.

Talk Of East London

Towpath Cafe is on 42 De Beauvoir Crescent, by Regents Canal off Kingsland Road and its cheap, simple, full of charm and the best place to have breakfast on a sunny day.

Fairly new and not spoilt yet, but it is a matter of time and the city for this beauty to be discovered. Go!

Back To Auberginia

Baked aubergines are the simplest tastiest dish for spring in the book.
Just wash them, get rid of the top and bottom bit and cut them in little triangle pieces. Spread olive oil into a baking tray and place the pieces in, add a generous amount of salt, splash with more olive oil, crushed garlic and dried herbs like marjoram and basil and leave in the oven for an hour on medium heat (about 180 degrees). Halfway remember to add pepper.
I made this last night, told my boyfriend on the phone about it and by the time he got back home I had eaten the whole lot! I think he will not forget easily. So I m cooking it again today.

Toaster Envy

Oh my, isn't it beautiful?
This transparent toaster is from Magimix BUT it costs £160 so I think I will stick to my good old toaster for now, the one that electrocutes me from time to time.

Happy In Whitstable

Just an hour and a bit away from London, Whitstable in Kent is pretty and the fish market is fairly cheap and interesting.
There is also a farmers market with the best pear juice on earth and the biggest Calamata olives in England!