it’s been a while, but i’ve been meaning to say something about a couple of places i’ve been to recently. some new, some old.
cafe ceres
i’ve briefly written about this small bistro on sharrow vale road, which is run by a chap from chamonix and his missus.
when ayah was around in the summer, we’ve had breakfast a couple of times at this place. the veg option is scrumptious to say the least – which is toast with beans and eggs, which may be poached or scrambled. fine, you can make this at home, but it was nice to have it here after a little walk around the shops, working up an appetite. the menu can be seen on a board, which tempted us to return on another day for lunch.
i had the fish which was a pan fried salmon with leek sauce and vegetables – similar to one i had in paris just this month. love the food, will come again.
carluccio’s
this is a chain which i tried after a morning of wallet-emptying in bicester. the staff is friendly and if you are ever to come to this particular branch, i recommend you to come before one when there may be a long queue of hungry shoppers. ever since the dietary reformasi, i’ve only got the piscine platters to try (the sea bass – branzino con salsa e patate), which was lovely. looked like something i’ve been making all this while at home on the frying pan. the saving grace was its affogato. simple yet i just love the caffeine and sugar buzz i got from it. i’ve been again, but in manchester – had the same, janji sedap.
wasabisabi
this is a japanese (see at the end of this para) eaterie on sheffield’s london road which is forever packed. i heard that the best time to get a seat without booking ahead is during lunch time (when they do a special teppanyaki deal). the sushi’s absolutely fresh and beats the conveyor belt types any time. the squid (ika), tuna (toro) and salmon (sake) sashimi were just ace. the last time i was here, i spent forty quid just for what i had. hehe. i’d like to add one thing about the place – my colleague came here for lunch and had the teppanyaki, after which he asked the chef if he was from japan. “nooo. i am from malaysia!”.
harbour city
went to this charming restaurant in lincoln with some mates. the place is owned by a sabahan, and the ayam can eat one (ie halal). the portions for each dish (priced between £8-12) was just nice for two. a dish to die for at this establishment – the soft crab. honest to god, not too salty like the other ‘salt-and-chilli’ dishes i’ve had elsewhere. they even do a mean pandan chicken. if this place was any nearer to sheffield, i’d be there every week.