efnic - a world of difference

Ping Pong Dim Sum – chain restaurant

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:45:35 +0000

We should know better at times. We know it is a chain. We instinctively know it cannot be better than dim sum made by fully trained chefs. We know the chic surroundings are enticing and the web site images and verbiage are hooking you in.

But, we still go, like moths to a light.

But also, we live and learn.

Ping Pong Dim Sum review by Eat Noodles Love Noodles

Ping Pong Dim Sum review by me

Learning all my Cantonese from this guy.

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:29:24 +0000

I’m learning all my Cantonese from this guy these days. Carlos Douh.

Trying new things – Romanesco

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:45:10 +0000

Although Waitrose might be shockingly expensive it is always good for a treat and they are good at having a wide range of products from different and niche suppliers.

It always puzzles me walking around the place how the heck can pensioners constantly do their weekly shopping there. These must be widows on good blooming pensions.

One day I saw these small green Christmas tree looking things in the vegetable section and I wondered what the heck they were. They weren’t that cheap but curiosity definitely got the better of me and I had to return to that shelf and pick the last packet up. These are strange looking Mandelbrot inspired fractal shaped broccoli based things called Romanesco.

This really is mathematical eating.

I had them whole with my steaks. Too nice to be cutting them up. They are quite tender and I probably cooked them a couple of minutes too much, but they were still firm enough.

Where has 2011 gone to?

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:04:28 +0000

Wow, this year has really flown by.

Next year I will be in Hong Kong and Vietnam for a holiday so will be adding news and tastes from the Far East.

Anyway, a quick question. Why aren’t so called cheap-cuts not so cheap any more? Damned celebrity chefs and their braised cheeks and shins!

Making my own rice wine

admin — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:54:39 +0000

I remember as a teenage kid that there was a large glass jar, like the old fashioned ones for sweets, full of pink rice in a clear liquid. It used to be nice warmed up as some kind of alcoholic dessert.

So, now as an adult of far too many years to mention, I thought I would give it a go. I bought a bag of glutinous rice, rice cake yeast and red rice yeast. I steamed the rice and let it cool overnight. I ground the yeasts in a pestle and mortar. Hard work and it didn’t end up too fine neither.

I rolled balls of rice into the yeast mixture and them dropped into a glass jar. Even finding shop that sells large enough glass jars was a pain. I topped it up with some cooled boiled water and now it is time to stick it into a dark cupboard and wait a couple of days before stirring.

I have already found out I have made a mistake. I rolled balls of the stuff into the yeast mixture when I should have taken a ball of rice and then squished more and more powder into it, before dropping into the jar. Now I have a lot of rice inside that has no been coated as such. I will just have to break them down when I do the stirring.

Anyway, fingers crossed.

Why is seafood so expensive in UK

admin — Sun, 08 May 2011 19:53:27 +0000

Having come back from Spain recently it is so annoying that buying seafood here in the UK, being surrounded by fertile seas, is so expensive.

Mercadona in La Zenia is now my favourite place. They have a great seafood counter.

12.5% service charge at Viet Garden! Kidding me.

admin — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 17:34:14 +0000

How the heck can Viet Garden in Islington add a service charge of 12.5%? No wonder they seemed empty last week.

With places such as Wagamama, Yo! Sushi and even Gourmet Buffet (Chinese buffet restaurant) around the corner it means it is the last time they see my custom.

Happy Chinese New Year

admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:38:47 +0000

Top of the year and morning to y’all and that like.

Roast duck, shark fin soup and horrible candied sweets made out of strange nuts and roots are the order of the day around these times.

May you all act like rabbits this year.

So many Chinese celebs in UK now

admin — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:25:14 +0000

Wow, just look at the list of people with Chinese backgrounds, of varying degrees, in the media: Gok Wan, Alexa Chung, James Wong, KT Tunstall, Chris Choi, Jimmy Choo, Michael McIntyre…… a bit better than Burt Kwok and David Yip back in the 80s.

Even Naomi Campbell and Mutya Nuena pack in some Chinese genes along the way.

Oh yeah of course, Xao Shing wine herself, Ching He Huang.

Sammy Chung from football. Didn’t know the Underwoods from rugby were halfers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_Chinese_people

A tasty Xmas office party

admin — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:27:10 +0000

We skipped the restaurant Xmas party this and decided to keep it small but high on quality.

Shellfish, sliced meats, chicken and even fruit platters were from Waitrose. Majestic Wines provided the Cloudy Bay Pelorus, Montes Alpha, champagne, etc, etc

The Nintendo Wii and Playstation were the entertainment platforms. Seemed like Dance Moves won the day.