Besties Dim Sum

If you're ever in London on your travels or if you live in London and would like to meet up with friends for lunch one weekend, can I suggest New World in China town.

I remember my mum taking me and my cousin Alice when we were around 9 and 8 yrs old (not so long ago!) for the first time and I haven't stopped going since then!!

I have taken family, friends and boyfriends (now ex's) there as an intro to dim sum or to ask them have they had better? With the huge exception of having it home cooked by a Chinese friend/relative or be it having it in China! Because I sure haven't...

I will admit I can't comment on their a la carte menu as I've never really ordered from it but I can say this, the only time I've EVER walked out of New World was when Al and I had a craving for their prawn cheung fun one late Saturday afternoon and was told they were FINISHED! This was taken as a lesson - never go after 3pm!

Now The latest I go is 1pm and its to meet up with my Bestie Liz, for what is suppose to be our monthly catchups! But due to our jetset life style (I wish!!!) we've been crap and just meet up when we can.

Our lunch consist of me ordering a portion of rice because I am half Filipino and what's a meal without it!?! And if I'm not too late my fav at the moment suckling pork with it's perfectly cooked crispy skin and the oh so important hoi sin sauce... Double MMMMMMMMM!

What I love as well is the fact that you don't order off a menu but get various carts passing by, waiting for you to stop them so you can query what they have on offer.

We are creature of habits and our choice of dim sums tends to be the same and very rarely do we add to it. Liz will get her sui mai a prawn and pork dumpling and a har gau which is just a prawn dumpling, I will order my spicy ribs and roast duck hot! Which means they heat it up in the microwave for a min or 2 as this is suppose to be a cold dish but I haven't managed that just yet!!

We will then look out for the waitress carrying steamed Chinese broccoli and of course the trolley that carries the cheung fun and as each dish is set on the table we eat, talk, drink tea, people watch and eat some more for at least 3hrs!! We'll wind down with a dessert, which used to be a snowball, a coconut covered glutenous rice ball with sweet fried peanuts in the middle but they've stopped this and my waiter recommended I try (reluctantly) a jin dui, a sesame seed bun deep fried with lotus bean in the centre and guess what? It was bloody delicious!

So after 6 pots of jasmine tea and belly's so full you walk out feeling 6mths pregnant we'll ask for the bill! This is normally £25 a head and worth every single penny...

Now I have 4wks to work this lunch off in time for the next :)

Mx

What would the world be without Nutella?

One of my favourite things in the whole wide world is NUTELLA!

I could just sit there with a teaspoon and indulge away... Have you ever had it on a cracker? If not then DO IT!!! OMG! Now that is what I call moorish before you know it the jar is empty and the packet of crackers done!

My preference is Jacobs cracker - MMMMMMMM.... Or Jacobs Cornish Wafer - double MMMMMMMM... THROW OUT the cream cheese and salmon and go for that jar of hazelnut heaven :)

I'm half way done!!!
Mx

Pho Me...

Tonight my sisters and I ate at a local Vietnamese restaurant called Viet Garden which is on Liverpool road. My sister Antronella is a regular there I believe it was her 3rd visit this month!

I was really excited to have my starter of crispy, salt and pepper ribs and for my main a beef pho which was just what the doctor ordered as I'm not feeling 100%!

Now I really want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner but I must admit I've had better and I did find myself comparing it to my favourite place - Au Lac in Highbury.

I found their ribs a little over cooked and dry and my beef pho was OK (not what my doctor ordered!!!) it's only saving grace was the fact that the coriander was big enough for me to pick out! Unfortunately I haven't much to say about it as I didn't find it memorable :(

In a funny way I feel bad that I didn't enjoy the food as much as my sisters do (as you can see from my photo!) but then again that's just my opinion especially as my sister Antronella told me it reminded her of her trip to Vietnam (surprisingly!!!) and my sister Marie-Royce raved how much she missed dining there whilst living a jet set life in LA...

I feel like I must be missing something here, because that's not how I felt when I saw the bill. I did find myself surprised at having to pay £20 for a forgettable meal and if you know me then you'll know that when it comes to food that I never look twice at the cost... Except when I don't think it's worth it!

Mx