Category Archives: Shops

Beverage Specialists, Cafés, Food Analysis, London, Restaurants, Shops

Soho Rose Part 1: Non-alcoholic Drinks

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I recently started working in Soho, which of course has been the perfect excuse to eat even more delicious things.

As my wallet and waistline can both testify, there are some downsides, but I am enjoying discovering interesting lunch places, new bars and fun snacks.

Researching a good place to get a bubble tea, I came across a review of a rose milk tea at Cuppacha. Rose is a favourite of mine, perfumed and sweet, but aside from rose cream chocolates, not very common in UK dishes. This has always seemed bizarre to me, given the long association between England and roses.

rose lassi

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Cafés, Canada, East Sussex, Food Analysis, France, London, Shops

Food Analysis: Paladin Minuto

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The average hot chocolate you get in the UK is pretty uninspiring. I mean, sure, it has a chocolate taste and is warmly comforting, but its lacklustre nature is undeniable, and it doesn’t matter how much whipped cream or marshmallows are piled on top.

I’m always in search of pure, intense hot chocolate. The kind you get if you make it yourself at home with real chocolate and milk (or even, eep, cream).

I’ve had a killer one in the renowned Angelina in Paris*; an excellent shot in Chocolat Chocolat, Cambridge; a dark and delicious 70% courtesy of Mink, Vancouver; and what I swear was just a cup of melted chocolate down in Brighton’s Bar Du Chocolat. However a particularly fond memory comes from a brief visit to Barcelona and assorted stops for chocolate and churros.

paladin minuto

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Cafés, London, Shops

Oddono’s Gelati, Battersea

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I am a great believer in research. Why waste time eating something disappointing when a little research can minimise the risk of traumatising your tastebuds?

Of course happening across good places is wonderful. There is always a little risk involved, but if you rely on your instincts, things usually turn out okay.

gelato

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Cafés, London, Shops

Samba Swirl, Battersea

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Over a year ago, I posted about an awesome fro-yo place in Hong Kong: Orangi-Yo. Here you could serve yourself from a choice of fro-yo flavours and then sprinkle with as many toppings as you liked.

H loved the place, and since then, we’ve occasionally reminisced about it, wishing there was somewhere similar in the UK.

The other week, we decided to pop up on the train to Clapham Junction to have a mooch around. Imagine my delight when, undertaking some pre-trip research, I came across a website for a 3-shop chain of self-serve fro-yo places in London!

frozen yoghurt

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Cornwall, Food Analysis, Shops

Cornish Fare: Ice Cream

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I was recently fortunate enough to spend a week in Cornwall. My Mum tells me we went there occasionally when I was a little kid, but I don’t remember it. She also tells me that one morning I cycled round the garden on my tricycle picking up crusts left out for the birds and eating them.

Don’t worry, I wasn’t undernourished. Probably just fancied a quick snack on the go…

Anyway before H and I went, I had naturally done some food research and generated a list of ice-cream producers whose wares I wanted to try.

In the end we only managed a few (unfriendly weather conditions in the latter part of the week led to us bunkering down somewhat), but they were all good so I wanted to share them with you.

ice-cream and clotted cream

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