THE NIBBLE TRAIL #3

Can't believe it's December already - the start of a busy month! 

In a good way, of course.

Went for ballet and jazz class as usual, and decided to treat myself (which I do so very often - TOO often at times).

1. Bageriet - 24 Rose Street, London WC2E 9EA

Having recently stumbled upon this little gem with my cousin the other day, I popped in for a quick comforting snack. Conveniently located just down the road from Pineapple Dance Studios, I was eager to get another taste of their delectable cinnamon buns.

Tucked away on a quiet side street, this little Swedish bakery only seats 8 persons (takeaway is available), and I was fortunate enough to have a short sit-down break after 2.5 hours of dancing.

I ordered the Autumn Glow tea which had a fruity apple flavour, alongside my cinnamon bun, which was deliciously light and fragrant.

So many tantalizing Nordic baked goods on display - I'll definitely be back for more.

 

 

2. Picture Restaurant - 110 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6PQ

Since my first visit there when they opened in June, this has become one of my favourite hideaways. Tom, Soria and the rest of the team are always very welcoming and pleasant - and the food prepared by Colin and Alan who are busily working in the kitchen never fails to satisfy. 

And of course not forgetting to mention Ben - my bar buddy that makes awesome drinks and cocktails!

I ordered an Appleade and the slow cooked Cornish squid served with spiced chickpeas.

Had a bit of a green theme going on today - edible art on a plate, mmm...

They also currently have a seriously delicious venison dish on the menu that I tried the other day - don't miss out on it!

 

And don't forget to say hi to the pretty little Christmas tree in the corner!

3. Cocochan - 38-40 James Street, London W1U 1EU

And the last stop for today...to satisfy my sweet craving.

Having seen photos posted on Twitter, the chocolate fondant was something I just had to tick off my list...

I went for the Chocolate fondant with pistachio heart, which was served with pistachio ice cream. Pistachio and chocolate, a clear winning combination for me.

And if you ever do drop in for a meal, they have a nice selection of small pan-Asian dishes to choose from.

 

And that sums up a my short #nibbletrail post today.

Looking forward to a whole month of indulgent eating...what better way to celebrate the festive season!

Which reminds me, I haven't started on my chocolate advent calendar. And I bought two...just because they were on offer (!) - looks like I've got some catching up to do. 

After all, somebody's got to eat them... 

I should probably dance and stretch more to work off the calories. 

Watched in awe as someone in dance class totally owned today's choreography to Britney's Work Bitch. 

Beaten by a guy - enough said.

Have a great week everyone x

The Cheekster, signing off x

PICTURE RESTAURANT PART II

So it's my second visit in less than a week...told you I'd be back (if not sooner than I expected)

But the brother was visiting from Glasgow for work, and he was turning 30 (the big brother is getting old!) so I thought I'd be a nice little sister (which I am...most of the time...) and give him a little treat since he's just as big a foodie as I am.

And yes, I was naughty again and skipped my dance class - for a valid reason this time though.

I did try quite a few dishes on my first visit, but it seems that the lamb breast chops and heritage carrots that we didn't order have been playing on my mind...

So here's what we ordered...

 

The house cocktail and freshly made ginger beer - not that hard to guess who ordered the alcohol...

 

I LOVE steak tartare, so this was an obvious choice...

Raw meat + Raw egg = YUM!

The crisp pork cheek with bbq sauce and raw salad was really flavourful - the meat so soft that all my teeth were but redundant...

Each bite was melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Just DON'T think about the fat and calories...(at least there's vegetables right?)

 

Rabbit shoulder and mushroom ravioli...

So I've always tried to avoid consuming rabbit meat, for the simple reason that I was born in the year of the rabbit...plus the fact that they're such cute fluffy creatures...
Clearly my love for food didn't stop me this time. 

Lincolnshire smoked eel and pickled vegetables...

Another tasty dish, and the rabbit in me was rather excited at the sight of carrots - missed out on the heritage carrots which were previously on the menu on the last visit!

 

Last but not least, lamb breast chops with harissa and cucumber. 
SO tender that all it took was a few nudges of my fork...
My craving has been satisfied!

I did order a few other repeat dishes for my brother to try - the lamb bites, slow poached egg with mushroom marmalade, and the same two desserts that you saw on my first post. All just as good as the first time round.

 And to finish off, some surprise cocktails...

 



Too many good dishes that I find it hard to pick my favourite...
I would recommend trying...EVERYTHING... ;)

110 Great Portland Street, W1W 6PQ

Just over a week now since they opened.
Great food and drinks, relaxing atmosphere, and an amazing team at Picture Restaurant - I would definitely recommend visit. 

For those of you who missed my first post on Picture Restaurant, click HERE.

It's been another long week, but it's finally Friday...! 



 The Cheekster, signing off x

PICTURE RESTAURANT PART I

Being the rather overly enthusiastic foodie that I am, I made an early lunch booking at Picture Restaurant, recently launched and run by former Arbutus Group employees -  restaurant manager Tom Slegg, and chefs Alan Christie and Colin Kelly.

 

 

 

 

We were the first customers to turn up that day - me and my OCD about punctuality! Plus we were also due to catch Man of Steel at BFI IMAX in a couple of hours time...

We were warmly greeted and were sat at the back of the restaurant beneath the ceiling window - good lighting for my foodie photos to follow...

 

Freshly made lemonade and ginger beer

The menu had quite a variety of tapas-like dishes, and we made a selection from the few recommendations that we were given...

The lamb bites were the first to be served - crisp on the outside and succulent tender meat on the inside, was tempted to order another portion!...or maybe two. Eying the last bite in the bowl, we cut it into half to share in a civilized manner...

 

We each ordered individual portions of the slow poached egg with mushroom marmalade - not just because it would be a bit awkward sharing an egg, but after taking the first mouthful of delicious gooey-ness, you wouldn't want to be sharing it with anyone else...

 

The soused silver darlings tasted as fresh and tasty as it looks in the picture, with a slight sour taste from the pickled marinade. I used to hate the skin on fish when I was younger, but nowadays I pretty much eat anything!

The Lebanese fried chicken came with yoghurt and sumac, similar to Southern fried chicken but with a slight spicy twist to it. Anything that's spicy is always a winner with me - I am after all Malaysian.

 

I don't think I've ever tried meatloaf, so this would pretty much be my first taste of it - which was a good one. Amazing taste of the spices in every bite, which went well with the tomato and white peaches.

 As for our veggie dish, we ordered the tenderstem broccoli with golden sultanas and pine nuts. Well-cooked, and I really liked the little juicy sultanas.

 Last but not least, no meal is complete without dessert... 

 

Tarts are often on of my favourites for desserts. We ordered the raspberry and almond tart which came with a dollop of yoghurt ice cream - cut in equal halves to prevent any food fights! Melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness, mmm...

 

 The chocolate mousse, cherries and honeycomb was also good. Nice smooth silky texture, but as much as I love chocolate, the tart was the better of the two for me. 

Good food = Happy smiles

 Reasonably priced as well! Centrally located on Great Portland Street and so close to my shopping haunt...I'll definitely be dropping in again to try out the other dishes - fellow foodies welcomed to join! 

A very relaxed and informal dining environment, with just a few minutes walk away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. 

[ For the following post on Picture Restaurant Part II, click HERE. ]

Off to get my outfit ready for Saturday Night Fever tonight...

Will try to remember to take some photos when I'm not busy busting some moves on the dance floor!

Watch this space for more foodie adventures. 

And not forgetting to wish Happy Father's Day to my dad and all other fathers around the world! 

The Cheekster, signing off x