I have a pathological love of good ice cream and gelato. Weather, time of day, distance, nothing comes between me and fine frozen dairy desserts. I think it started with that bubblegum pink Funny Feet many years ago at the ice cream shop in my local park. Or maybe it was the Screwball with the …
Pizza is no longer a humble business in New York. Although you will still find the dollar-a-slice joints on various corners of 8th Avenue, they fade into the background when you start looking at the serious pizza offerings now available – and these are definitely not a dollar a slice (this was a bit of …
There has been a long delay between my last post and this one – exploring New York has been getting in the way! I am tidying my notes on my visit and will be posting on that soon, but in the meantime I thought I’d post something about my home city… I think I must …
Day Two: Pompeii and Vomero As it was with Venezia, so it is with Napoli: I had to leave the town to find love for it. I sleep in my frugal room like a novice monk: the bed is penitentially hard but I am so exhausted I pass out. I have slept through hurricanes before …
The ideal I had of Naples when I booked a quick trip there was quite different to the reality which emerged after I’d paid for the flights and hotel. I had held a romantic image in my mind: the earthy informal capital of the Mezzogiorno; rich in history and architecture; the birthplace of the best …
I always say I’m not a coffee drinker, but I love iced coffee. It’s one of my all-time favourite drinks, whatever the season. Having said that, there is something metonymic about iced coffee in the summer: it is summer, whether you’re drinking one in your back garden; whether you order it with your alfresco weekend … Continue reading
There’s something about August which leaves you with the distinct feeling that summer is picking up its coat and heading towards the door, only stopping for a couple of long goodbyes. While it’s air kissing its way out, we’re making the most of it and getting our little pizza oven/barbecue on and smoking as much … Continue reading
This post is dedicated to one of my favourite food discoveries ever…PB Fit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bird Flying Solo (@birdflyingsolo) Whaaaat? What’s that? I didn’t even know myself until I tried ‘clean’ eating a few months ago, and discovered that almost everything asked for nut butter. High in protein … Continue reading
Roti Chai, Street Kitchen (££) 3 Portman Mews South, London W1H 6HS Summary: All the basic ‘get right’ boxes were ticked at this bustling, friendly South Asian street food eatery (the ground level restaurant), but overall nothing was memorable or outstanding. Pick and choose your dishes well, though, and you’ll have a pleasant enough meal. Overall … Continue reading
Street Eats Old Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, London, E1 6EW (closest station: Liverpool Street) 11am-9.30pm on both Friday 28th July and Saturday 29th July 2017 This is a quick, impromptu post for anybody interested in going to the Street Eats Fest tomorrow (the second day of a two-day event). This street food fair has … Continue reading
The Georgian, Harrods, (££) 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL Summary: decent but lacklustre food, disappointing beverages overall , but the excellent service and relaxed environment made it a surprisingly enjoyable experience. Only go when it’s not busy and you can enjoy the environment at leisure. Food: 6.5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 10/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall: 6.5/10 Recommend? … Continue reading
Reform Social and Grill (££) Mandeville Place, London W1U 2BE Summary: Accommodating service and a well-intentioned effort to please in this surprisingly quiet, relaxed venue offering afternoon tea with a twist. The food offering was hit and miss, the non-standard menu was quite thoughtless and incongruous, and the quality of the beverages was not consistent, but the star … Continue reading
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m no gourmet chef. Jamie Oliver is my cooking idol for his easy approach to cooking – despite all the cockney mockney smash your garlic like a geezer chat – and if a recipe has more than ten ingredients (including salt and pepper) and involves more than two pans, … Continue reading
The Famous Flames 11 Kentish Town Road, London NW1 8NH Summary: A trendy, better quality version of your local chicken and burger shop, serving free range chicken and aged beef, but there are better burgers out there. OK as a stop-off if you’re in the area, but no need to make a special trip for … Continue reading
Summary: A great little pizza place, offering Napoli wood-fired pizzas at very reasonable prices. Little Napoli, 428 Uxbridge Road, London W12 0NR Food: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 10/10 Value for money: 9/10 Recommend? Yes One ball of burrata, and I was hooked. And I hadn’t even eaten it yet. I had just seen it in a photo, … Continue reading
Bird Flying Solo 