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

THE NIBBLE TRAIL #2

Oops, I've missed a post last week due to...unforeseen circumstances.

This can only mean one thing - more eating to catch up on!

I've decided to do it on a Saturday this time, because some of my favourite places are closed on Sundays.

1. Schokokusse - Southbank Centre Christmas Market (15th November - 24th December)

It's that wonderful festive time of the year again! - unless of course you're the Christmas Grinch.

Contemplating on what I should get, I spotted this stall selling chocolate kisses. The last time I had one of these was at the Christmas market on my trip to Bruges, which I loved.

 

 

My little Irish cream chocolate kiss wanted to get a selfie with the London Eye, but the sun was unfortunately shining from the wrong direction...

So we ended up at Trafalgar Square instead.

 

Oh the things I do for you little one.

2. 10 Greek Street - 10 Greek Street, London W1D 4DH

A lone diner at one of my favourite places again, I perched myself at the end of the bar. I was asked if I was waiting for someone else, which I said no - maybe I should have pretended that I was stood up by my date.

I ordered a small portion of seared scallops which was served with cauliflower puree, clementines and pomegranates.

Perfectly seared scallops, and I especially loved the smooth creamy texture of the cauliflower puree.

 

3. Yoobi - 38 Lexington Street, Soho, London W1F 0LL

I usually order the temaki, but this time I went for the maki rolls - ordering a portion of the Unagi eel maki rolls from the Specials board.

4. Muriel's Kitchen - 36-38 Old Compton Street, Soho, London 

By this time, I had met up with Lili for our usual catch up - and what better way to do it than with some lovely sweet treats! Food is after all best shared in the company of good friends.

This new branch in Soho has just recently opened in the last couple of days, and we were lucky enough to be seated at the table with the swings! 

We ordered the apple strudel with ice cream and the coconut and orange loaf cake.

 

And convinced by our very charming and attentive waiter, I ordered an extra portion of the red velvet layered cake with berries - very naughty of me I know.

 

 

Not quite sure what I was looking at...but it must have been good.

If you missed the last #nibbletrail post, click here.

Watch this space, or follow me on Twitter/Instagram for more #nibbletrail adventures.

The Cheekster, signing off x

THE NIBBLE TRAIL #1

As my Sundays are usually quite chilled and relaxed (a.k.a. I have 'too much' free time - sometimes), I've decided to do a weekly post (#nibbletrail). These will basically be short posts of my foodie adventures - ideal when I'm having solo days out. The rule is that I will only order one dish/drink at every stop - bars, restaurants, cafes (cake with coffee is accepted - because you just can't have cake without coffee), food stalls etc. 

1. Koya Bar - 50 Frith Street, London W1D 4SQ

 I got in just before 12noon for the breakfast menu. Initially, I was planning to order the Okayu, but then became swayed by the specials board, and ordered the onigiri instead. 

Tasty little rice parcels wrapped in seaweed, served with miso soup and pickled beetroot.

 

2. Damson & Co - 21 Brewer Street, London W1F 0RL

One of my favourite places to stopover for a coffee, except this time I went for the salmon tartare. If there was tartare on any menu, and I could only choose one dish, the tartare would be the clear winner - because who doesn't love tartare. 

Light, fresh and citrus-y, with a slight hint of spiciness.

3. Poppy & Sebastian at The Real Food Market - Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London Se1 8XX

Food markets are great for their variety of foods, and The Real Food Market is one of my favourites on a weekend. The Chou pastry dessert from Poppy & Sebastian was just too strong a temptation - sugar-coated, soft and fluffy pastry filled with creamy custard, and topped off with a thin slice of caramelized nuts. 

 

London is so beautiful when the weather is good - so breathtaking that even my little Chou could not resist taking a selfie against the London Eye...

Because this would be the first and last time for him. Sorry little Chou.

4. Kaffeine - 66 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7QJ

Another one of my favourite coffee places, and a nice stopover when shopping around Oxford Street. Usually I would have ordered a flat white, but I haven't had an affogato in ages, and this is one of the places that I always know I can count on.

 

That concludes today's Nibble Trail. Eating out at a variety of places means that I am not restricted to just one menu, and I can continue exploring (and shopping) in between. I also don't have to linger around at one place for too long and avoid looking like a sad,  neglected little singleton. 

Besides that, I feel less restrained when taking silly photos in public - I just pretend to be some innocent snap-happy tourist.

Let's hope we have more sunny weekends ahead. 

And if you're excited about Christmas lights, the Oxford Street Christmas Light switch-on is on Tuesday 12th November.

 

For future posts, follow me on Twitter/Instagram #nibbletrail - yes, I do use the HASHTAG, despite the fact that I do find them quite annoying at times. I only use them when necessary though - honest. 

Hope everyone else had a good weekend.

The Cheekster, signing off x