Sauterelle, Royal Exchange, City of London, Greater London EC3V 3LR

After a tough week and an afternoon working in the City, myself and A were ready for a classy Friday night dinner and a chance to catch up. I’d often walked straight past the Royal Exchange just outside Bank Station, entirely unaware that a high-end shopping centre and an extremely posh café, was housed inside. I was even less aware that it was the home of French restaurant ‘Sauterelle’ (or Grasshopper if translated), even after stepping inside the grand building. Eventually I spotted a menu and small staircase leading to the mezzanine level restaurant.

My expectations were fairly low. I’d booked a special offer set menu through a popular dining website, and given that we were being offered a bargainous three courses for £23.50, I expected either to be rushed through the meal, presented with miniscule portions or sitting in an awkwardly silent restaurant lacking diners or atmosphere.

It looked like it might be the latter situation as we arrived in time for our 7.30pm booking, to find the restaurant area quiet. The friendly and very professional staff however stowed away our bags and asked if we’d like a drink at the decidedly more busy bar before our meal. It seemed like a good plan, so we propped up the bar surrounded by a good number of Friday night drinkers, sipping our wonderfully chilled white wine (from an extensive drinks menu) entirely relaxed and unhurried as we enjoyed the ambience of the busy bar.

Before too long, our tummies rumbling, we were ready for food. The courteous staff gave us a fantastic table overlooking the Grand Café below. The glass ceilinged building was bathed in the evening sunshine, becoming more atmospheric as dusk descended upon us.

The set menu was pleasingly varied, with four options for each course covering a wide variety of dishes, all of which sounded appealing. There was no overlap in our final choices and our expectations were now far higher than when we’d arrived.

The attentive waitress presented us with a array of exciting breads. I was tempted by the walnut and raisin bread just before the beautifully presented starters arrived. My fear of small portions was entirely unfounded and our first gleeful mouthfuls, we were delighted with our choices. A had opted for Galician octopus and chorizo with potato salad, basil, watercress and capers (pictured below), whilst mine was a more traditional Braised pork, with apple, Alsace bacon and celeriac puree but presented in a stylishly innovative fashion. The succulent morsel of pork was perfectly matched with the sweetness of the apple and the saltiness of the bacon.

The size of the dish was ideal and had whet my appetite, as I took more bread – this time a dark, strongly flavoured Guiness concoction.

It wasn’t long to wait for mains though. I’d opted for a simple seasonal risotto with fresh peas, broad beans, wild garlic, English foraged mushrooms. Whilst without meat, the flavour was strong and the texture rich and creamy.

As filling as my main had been, we were both craving for a sweet finish to the sumptuous meal, but again very different options appealed. A went for a fruity Iced Orange Parfait, with pistachio, mascarpone, ginger biscuit, and a blood orange salad (pictured below), whilst chocolate is my weakness so I couldn’t resist the Madagascan chocolate, balsamic macerated Muscat grapes, and almond ice cream.

Again presented brilliantly the rich chocolate dessert was an absolute dream. Intensely dark chocolate had a nutmeg like warmth and spiciness, and was perfectly coupled with sweet of (cherry like) grapes and coolness of the almond ice cream.

It had been a dream of a meal. Each dish tasted wonderful and the service, location and atmosphere had been impeccable, the sheer good value of the set menu making it even better. A gem of a find!

Mussol, Casp 19, Barcelona

It was our first night in Barcelona. Having spent a lot of time there in my early teens, I’d always declared it my favourite city in Europe, but I was a little worried that my first trip there as a grown up, wouldn’t live up to my expectations.

However, all began well. The journey from the plane to the city centre was super-easy. Just the evening before, we’d seen TV coverage of torrential rain and flooding in Barcelona, but all seemed dry and calm when we arrived. We met our host outside Hard Rock Café who took us to the hostel. We were staying just off the most famous street in Barcelona, Las Ramblas. We held onto our valuables (and each other) tightly, as we tried to head away from the hoards of touristy eating places. We took a turning off Las Ramblas, but found only a few tramps, and nowhere looked particularly appealing for food.

Instead, we decided to walk north of Las Ramblas, our hunger levels getting ever greater, as we surveyed the menus outside each restaurant we passed. As ever, it was important to us that we found somewhere good. We kept walking and telling ourselves it would be “just one more street”…

It was late by the time we found Mussol  but dining late is entirely in keeping with local custom. The menu looked good from the outside, but didn’t allow much of a view inside the restaurant. We boldly went, were no Slough residents had ever been before (probably), and we were rewarded with a large, high-ceilinged airy restaurant, the perfect combination of modern and rustic, smart and relaxed at the same time. The décor reflects the ethos of Mussol, (which means ‘Owl’), which is to bring traditional Catalan farmhouse cooking, with a modern twist to a wider audience.

The Mussol that we found ourselves in, is the original, flagship restaurant, which opened in 1994. The concept of bringing rustic Catalan dishes to the city, was at the time fairly ground breaking, and now was so popular that three more Mussols, have sprung up in the city, (but each location retains a distinctive look and feel).

I was delighted to find the House Rioja was a mere €6 a bottle, (and it tasted great). We began relax and feel that we’d made the right restaurant decision, as the patient, friendly staff, went to great lengths to help translate the specials board (which was in Catalan only). My dad describes Catalan as being to Castilian (what we know as Spanish), what Welsh is to English, which is not entirely accurate, but given that in Castilian, the restaurant would be called ‘Búho’ rather than ‘Mussol’, the differences are certainly pronounced, and I was struggling to translate the specials board with only my GCSE Spanish to help me!

Mussol’s specializes in charcoal grilled meat and veg, and we ordered a range of dishes to sample and share.

The asparagus, was cooked over charcoal with olive oil and sea salt, and was absolutely delicious! Cooked to perfection, retaining a slight crunch, it was just the right level of saltiness to make the flavours sing.

The ‘pan’ or tomato bread, seemed to be a house speciality. Thick wedges of country bread, toasted and served warm with a fresh, slightly garlicy tomato salsa was both simple and very tasty. Almost more importantly, it was served with a mega potent garlic puree, which I absolutely loved.

The lamb. chicken, peppers, mushroom, onion skewers cooked over a charcoal grill – were very juicy (particularly the mushrooms) and each element was full of flavour.  We had a garden salad on the side and to up the carb count, we had potatoes that were cubed, fried, and seasoned joyously, with herbs and salt. 

Another big highlight was the barbequed aubergines, which were very thinly sliced, and sprinkled with soft goats cheese. A heavenly combination.

Each dish was utterly delicious, and we were so full that we were only slightly sad to find that the chocolate brownie dessert had sold out.

We rated Mussol a 9.5 out of 10, and headed back in extremely high spirits.

Some days later, after 4 days of excellent gastronomy, we found ourselves without a dinner plan on our final night in the city. I almost didn’t want to suggest it, lest we find ourselves disappointed, but without too much discussion (as it turned out that D felt the same way), we found ourselves back in Mussol, for a farewell Barcelona meal.

I was hungry – full days of walking, and simple picnic lunches of olives and bread from the Mercat Boqueria, meant that I was ready to try plenty of dishes from the specials board.

We had an almost breakfasty dish, of eggs (the yolks soft and very orange) in a tomato sauce, with little, tiny skinny chipped potatoes, which even in the evening was tasty and comforting (as egg and chips should be). I also had an asparagus dish in a romano sauce, which wasn’t quite as flavoursome as the asparagus sampled last time. Roasted vegetables and more of the tomato bread, completed our starters.

Despite being quite full by this point, the mains were a real highlight this time. My chicken escalope with rich blue cheese sauce was wonderful. The strong flavours of the sauce were brilliant, and the grilled chicken was tender and juicy. D was a big fan of the ¼ Rabbit which again was charcoal grilled, and served with borlotti beans.

There really was no space at all for dessert this time, no matter how much our incredibly friendly waitress tried to tempt us. We were so pleased that we’d discovered somewhere in the city which managed to come up with consistently good, frequently changing food, in a restaurant with great atmosphere. It seemed to be popular with both tourists and locals alike, but the staff were friendly and efficient enough to make everyone feel looked after. Highly recommended should you be visiting the city – I'd already love to visit again!

The Nag's Head, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 2JG

I am a fan of The Malvern Hills.  Not too far from where I was born, I'd only visited once before, and despite being a grumpy teenager at the time, I couldn't help be impressed by the beauty of the countryside and enjoy scrambling up (and down) the rolling hills.

It was the hottest weekend of the year so far - endless sunshine and blue skies.  We walked up hills, down hills, in woodlands, through fields, on tiny footpaths and on country roads, taking in some amazing countryside.  D's dad marched on ahead, putting us young folk to shame.  Our circular route took us around 5 hours (with time for a picnic lunch) and we covered around 10 miles.  It was definitely time for a drink! 

Luckily, the trusty Good Beer Guide had a suggestion.  D could vouch for it's quality (and thankfully, could direct us there).  Late afternoon was a great time to visit The Nag's Head as we found a table in the sun.   We sat at the front of the pub, as the small, almost secret, beer garden is well-hidden and not immediately obvious.

Upon entering the pub, I was astounded by the sheer choice of real ales and ciders - 14 cask ales (including 6 guest beers).  Whilst I might expect one or two real ciders, the 5 or 6 on offer made the Nag's Head feel like a veritable goldmine! 

Given the heat of the day, my first choice was a refreshing raspberry twist cider served as recommended, with ice.  D enjoyed ordering 'a pint of Dragon's Blood' (extremely dark beer).

Once I had my drink, I began to notice the quirks of the pub.  The 'no swearing' rule, the warnings that food would be slow, the long list of riddles inscribed on the wall above a towering pile of Good Beer Guides and board games...

I like this kind of quirkiness in a pub, and thought all the nooks and crannies would make The Nag's Head an appealing winter pub, as well.

I continued sampling ciders - going for a lovely crisp Sheppy's, and then a Weston's '1st Quality'.  D moved onto the 'Shropshire Lad' which had an initial caramel taste (but too bitter an aftertaste for me), and then discovered the 'Kinver Crystal' which unexpectedly was his favourite of the day - full of floral hops.

We were in need of some crisp sustainance, so I stuck with the cider theme, and was pleasantly surprised by the tangy flavour of the Piper's sea salt and somerset cider vinegar flavour.

This pub was an amazing find, given that it had the potential to be quite touristy.  The Good Beer guide entry was definitely well-deserved, and I would very strongly recommend it should you be in the Malverns - be it on a day where you need a sunny beer garden, or a cosy inglenook.



La Canasta, Plaza de la Constitución, Malaga

Arriving in Malaga had been a somewhat stressful experience.  We had the best part of a day to kill before our flight to Barcelona.  Obliged to carry all our luggage around with us, in heat that we weren't prepared for (it had been cool and rainy up in the mountains), we'd had various mis-adventures just finding our way out of the airport.  We'd learned that one should never ever take an airport trolley on a travelator, buses to the city centre are few and far between, and that escalators are never going in the direction that you want to go in.

Eventually a kindly tour guide told us that the new Malaga suburban railway was cheaper and quicker than the bus (a mere 19 minute journey to the city centre, for less than two euros), and eventually we found ourselves in the nice part of town.

The first thing I needed was a cup of tea...and maybe some cake.  As we entered the beautiful Plaza de la Constitución, a square full of sunshine and beautiful buildings, I spotted a cafe with a tiny second floor balcony looking out directly over the square.  In a more touristy city, this enviable location would have charged extortionate prices, or been packed with people.  But this was Malaga, and within minutes we were inside. with an excellent balcony seat and amazing view of the square. 

La Canasta has a number of outlets in the Malaga area.  It's large selections of teas, coffees, hot chocolates, cakes and pastries were impressive, and the arrival of orange-chocolately gateaux and apple tart, along with some much needed tea and coffee immediately cheered us, and for the first time that day, we started to relax.

The White Horse Inn, Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, SN11 8RG

There are some places which absolutely tick all my boxes.  I had a good feeling about The White Horse Inn from the very start. 

D had entrusted me with his latest copy of The Good Beer Guide, which he had painstakingly annotated using a unique rating system, marking places he thought I'd like with a little 'u' and places he thought I'd LOVE with a BIG 'U' (he is exceedingly thoughtful like that).   I'd fired off dozens of emails to various little and big 'U' places in an attempt to find a last minute countryside getaway to banish those recently-back-from-holiday-blues, and I wasn't expecting much luck.

But suddenly, in one afternoon I suddenly found my inbox filled with a number of potential places to visit.  The email from proprietors Tara and Danny Adams somehow seemed the most friendly.  The White Horse Inn was described in the beer guide as a 'real gem' (hence a big 'U'), and best of all, as I explained to D, it shared it's name with this pub (our favourite pub in the world, not least because it was where we met).   Our minds were quickly made up, and we looked forward to a weekend of adventures with Wiltshire White Horses.

Compton Bassett is a tiny village, but  we found it without any problems at all.  The sun was shining as we got our first view of the beautiful countryside, the idyllic beer garden and the lovely characterful building.  There were geese and even a couple of very cute pigs behind the pub, and a separate building for the accommodation (8 rooms in total).  We received a very very warm welcome at the bar, and Tara showed us to our light and airy room.  Newly refurbished to a very high standard, everything was perfect - lovely shower, lots of attention to detail, tea making facilities and yummy biscuits!  The sheer peace and quiet of the location felt good.

We headed off to Avebury (very close by - and we passed the first of three chalk White Horses on our way), and enjoyed watching the antics of a group of energetic lambs, scrambling back and forth across a steep hillside as if in training for a lamb marathon. 

 Lots of fresh air meant we'd built up quite an appetite as we returned in the evening for dinner.  It transpired that one of the other buildings at The White Horse, was a skittle alley, hosting a group of twenty!  The restaurant was fully booked (a good sign), but we had a great table in the smaller pub area.  One of the last free-houses in Wiltshire, there were three real ales on and a magnificent pear-cider (or more correctly, a perry), called Bee Sting.   Sweet and very pale and entirely clear, it was dangerously drinkable for a 7.5% beverage (I happily drank it all evening -  the intriguingly named Black Rat Cider is only on in the summer, being a scrumpy).    D thought the 'Tunnel Vision' was a nice malty bitter in very good condition.  He later moved onto 'Innocent' which was a pale, heavily hopped offering, and then his favourite, the 'Bath Ale Gem', which boasted some caramel flavours.

The frequently changing menu made the most of locally sourced produce.  There was a good range of dishes (all of which sounded delicious), so myself and D made the decision to share everything we ordered (fairly and equally), so as to sample as much as possible.

Starters arrived in perfect time for our hungry stomachs.  I started with the beautifully presented mushrooms on toast with garlic cream sauce. 

 The juicy mushrooms were decadently rich and perfectly paired with the rustic bread.  (We ate the flowers too - they tasted good!)  True to our word, halfway through we swapped plates, and I sampled the tasty strong-flavours of the breaded Camembert (crunchy on the outside, and fantastically gooey on the inside) with cranberry syrup,   We were delighted and hoped this was a sign of great things to come.

We were not wrong.  The main course I started on were thin sliced of juicy pan-seared duck breast, with scrumptiously salty roasted salsify, crispy saute potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke puree and some very tangy red berries.   As great as this was, this actually couldn't prepare us for the sheer divine nature of the other main meal, which D somewhat reluctantly shared with me.  It was pork belly, that had been slow-roasted for 12 hours, and sourced very locally from Bishops Cannings (a mere 10 minutes away).  It was utterly incredible.  Incredibly soft and flavoursome, served with amazingly crispy (but not-teeth-breakingly so), crackling, crunchy greens (savoy cabbage) and sage mash, a mouthful of these components combined was heaven on a fork.  I can't remember the last time I'd tasted anything that worked so well together.  Once again our plates were soon completely clean.

Somehow, we still had space for dessert, and stuck to our sharing policy (mostly).  My Chocolate Crunch dessert was paired with D's choice of Plum and Sloe Gin Sorbet.  (Both good, but I preferred mine, as it was more indulgent.

It had been an absolutely wonderful dinner - every single thing we sampled had been delicious and we hadn't left a thing.  We had been so well looked after, even though the restaurant and pub was at full capacity, that it had been a very chilled out experience (particularly as we knew our beds were in stumbling distance). 

The next morning, any normal person would have still been full.  I don't seem to be a normal person when it comes to good food (and thankfully neither is D).  Full english breakfasts are one of our most guilty-pleasures, and we thought we may as well continue to indulge.

Tara was amazing looking after us yet again, (even though she was about to help with a charity fun run before dashing back to serve what would be a fully booked lunch service!)  We weren't in a rush so we took it easy, eagerly anticipating another fine meal.

And what a meal it was!  All the ingredients were of the best quality.  A hugely chunky sausage (such a good flavour), two thick slices of bacon (D's favourite component), rustic bread toast, Stornoway black pudding (the best black pudding I'd ever had), beans (an essential binding ingredient), and a wonderfully soft-friend free-range egg (as good as the ones from my chickens, and with a yolk that was just as orange).  A blissful end to a visit full of gastronomic delights and exceptionally wonderful hospitality.   I'd strongly recommend a visit and hope I can return!

The White Horse Inn
Compton Bassett,
Nr Calne,
Wiltshire
SN11 8RGTel: 01249 813118
thewhitehorseinn@comptonbassett.com

Cafe Diglas, Grünangergasse 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria

 Banana cake of joy!

We were looking for somewhere to eat cake.  As when in Vienna, that is what one should do.

The famous Hotel Sacher had queues streching all round the building.  We turned on our heels and walk until we found a suitable alternative.

Just as we were about to give up and turn back, we spotted a potential contender for the title of Viennese Cake Place du jour. 

We walked into a classy establishment, reminiscent of another era.  Smartly dressed waiters showed us to a window booth, and weren't in the least bit dismissive of our request to eat cake rather than lunch.

It transpired that Cafe Diglas was famous in its own right - even getting a mention in our guidebook.  Founded in 1875, they take cake seriously.  Large video screens showed the pastry chefs at work.

Rather than choose from the menu, we stuck our faces (not literally) in the cake cabinet and chose the most tasty-looking delights.  Hazel went for the traditional Sachertorte (under strict instructions from her boss).  I went for the delectable looking chocolately-creamy banana cake  (purely for Writing On Bananas research purposes obviously).

It was utterly divine.  A perfect range of textures, from the fluffy cream, crisp chocolate and sweet banana, it was perfect.  Hazel's scrumptious Sachertorte was comparable to the real thing.

Sachertorte

Our cakes were accompanied by gourmet teas, served via the Largest Tea Bags in the world.  They made for excellent infusing.

Cafe Diglas is an excellent alternative to some of the more pricy and touristy cake places in the City.  Very very highly recommended!

Gelaaati! Di Marco, Llibreteria 7, 08002 Barcelona

I love Barcelona.  The weather is always beautiful and you can walk endlessly and discover wonderful places without even trying.  Losing ourselves in the maze of streets around the Gothic Quarter (the 'Barri Gotic' - or just 'Barry' as I called it), and chancing upon this amazing ice-cream shop, Gelaaati!, was one such treasured find.  We'd been given free samples of the made-on-the-premises ice-cream when we'd sauntered past in the morning, and as luck would have it, we managed to find ourselves back at the shop when both tea and energy levels had become precariously low.

Staff were friendly and it was impressive to see the ice-cream being made on the site. The variety of combinations of various goodies was immense, for what is essentially only a small shop.

We nabbed the last two seats in the establishment, and despite the glorious ice-cream around us. we were both seduced by the smell of freshly made hot waffles, smothered in chocolate.  (Waffles go better with tea, anyway - and it was a mighty good cup of tea too!)