Kurobuta , Chelsea

The Chelsea branch has a very different vibe to the Kurobuta in Connaught Village near Marble Arch. Chelsea is very much the grunge and indie version, with the food from Scott Hallsworth, you know t's going to be of high standard but this one might catch you surprise just how chilled and 'not fancy', in a good way, it is in here.

We opted for no sushi this time - it wasn't intentional - the meat just sounded too good and as we were only a table of two, we thought we would at least attempt to restrain ourselves on over-ordering.

Beef fillet tataki with garlic crisps - fantastic. This was so good. The cocktail isn't bad either - but the lychee martini is where it's at. 

Pumpkin tempura was really fresh - not oily and crisp. The mayo wasn't as spicy as advertised though (or maybe my tolerance levels to spice has gotten better)

Miso grilled hot wings. Again - not as spicy as I imagined but a good portion of meat on the wings. 

Obviously this was a compulsory dish. The pork belly steamed bun with peanut soy dip. This still is the best steamed bun I've had (and I've had a lot, trust me). The bun is fluffy and not soggy, that added something, whatever it is, really adds to the dish. The peanut dip is not as good as I remember - I'm not sure whether they've sweetened the dip since but it's still very good. 

The Yellowtail kami yaki. It doesn't look like much in the photo but honestly the best cooked fish I've had in a restaurant. Flaky, soft on the inside with a bit of crunch on the skin. This fish is seriously meaty. I couldn't work it out at first, as I'm used to eating fish with its head still attached, but looks aside, this was a top dish. 

Tea smoked lamb with spicy miso - now this one had a spicy sauce. Good lamb. 

I had this dish last time - the sticky miso aubergine. I love this dish and I would have this everyday if I was allowed. Still amazing. That sticky miso is great.

Ok, so before dinner I really wanted mochi...so I had to have some. They couldn't swap the coconut one for one reason or another, but it wasn't too bad - I think mainly due to the fact that it was still frozen and so that masked the flavour - which worked in my favour really.   

I still very much rate Kurobuta. I think Chelsea has an edgier vibe over Marble Arch which for me suits me better. The soundtrack was also very 'me' and it was just a cool place to hang out for the evening on Kings Road - not at all the Chelsea scene you would expect. 

Stand out dish is definitely the fish, but the staples like the steamed bun and aubergines is a firm favourite. 

Aqua Kyoto, London

We decided to finally try the dinner at the rooftop at Aqua, with a trip to Aqua Kyoto off Regents Street. The actual rooftop wasn't what I expected - a lot smaller than I imagined, and you can't really see anything - mainly because of the surrounding buildings and its own building. Not the best rooftop in London, but a great hideout for those who want some peace from Oxford Street nonetheless. 

The Aqua brand is pretty cool with its restaurants named in line with its cuisines or destinations - Aqua Shard anyone? I have been to Aqua Roma before many years ago in Hong Kong - probably one of the best views of one of the world's best skylines - but I knew that this would be have more of a focus on drinks and food service rather than the surrounding atmosphere. 

The chef's kitchen in the middle - handmade right in front of you. 

My cocktail came in a ninja cup. He was very cute and I wanted to keep him but a lovely, refreshing drink. 

Here we are with my ninja cocktail on the rooftop terrace - quite busy and small...and loud. Would recommend coming in early if you want a seat otherwise this place gets quite cramped. 

This was the drink that came with the foraging menu - shiso infused vodka, rose and pine liqueur, vanilla syrup and lime. To be honest, this drink tasted more like bathroom freshener which I just couldn't get out of my head unfortunately.

Omakase sashimi. 

Top dish - sumiyaki ostrich fillet. This was a bit toughened tasteless. Left dish - handmade green tea soba. This was superb - really loved the noodles. Right dish - katsuobushi scallops with yomogi rice.

Scallops were well cooked but there was nothing particularly outstanding about the dish. 

Green tea soba noodles - wild flowers, mushrooms, gingko nuts and eggs. 

Ostrich fillet with wild garlic and wild herb miso. 

The dessert for me was the best dish and really made up for the slightly disappointing dishes - bitter chocolate, spiced wild lacto damson, meadow sweet ice cream. The bitterness of the chocolate complemented the sweet ice cream perfectly and I could have had more. It was divine.

Blueberry Muffins

Just to prove that I do occasionally make stuff and not just eat out (you can find out more about the random things I cook on my Twitter - it's just not worth a full blog post that's all ;)).

I made blueberry muffins the other week following Paul Hollywood's recipe.

Turned out perfectly. Putting the dough in the fridge also helps when you're portioning out into the muffin cases - less mess in the kitchen!

Review: Pho & Bun brunch

I was treated to a birthday brunch at Pho & Bun which included a drink and 3 courses set menu. This is by the same guys who own Viet Eat in Holborn. As you may have guessed - pho and bun is a must here but there are also some brilliant plates not to be missed. 

Situated along Shaftesbury Avenue, you might have walked past the many Asian fusion places along here and never noticed, but please do stop by next time you're around. I would say this was more of a cafe than a restaurant, but I can see myself hanging out here on an evening with good food and good drinks. 

Summer Roll with Tiger Prawn. The peanut sauce was total heaven. 

Chilli Salt & Pepper Squid was delicious. The Spare Ribs alone could have been a dish in itself. So meaty and really good portions for a set menu - these *almost* filled me up! But so tasty.

The Tender Beef Pho as rated by my Diner Friend who is the pho expert said it was good, but the broth is not quite right. I mean obviously, to the unknowing (me) I thought it was ok but was slightly on the blander side, but was a decent portion and good meat. 

The Rare Beef Steamed Bun Burger. Good bun - not too soggy or sticky and fluffy against the good meat. 

Flan Caramel with Vietnamese Iced Coffee. This was the only thing I wasn't too keen on. The desserts on the set menu consisted of coffee or coconut - two things I'm not a major fan of,  but I went for this one as it was a best of a bad bunch. It was ok but the texture of the dessert is not my cup of tea.

We saw many lone rangers dining here, getting their pho fix - mix of Westerners and Asians so that's a pretty good sign already. A very tiny place with small tables, but has a more 'upmarket' feel somehow. However, I would say perhaps some of the tables are a bit too close (or some people just don't know how to sit properly on a chair) as the guy behind me at first decided to leave his rucksack on while sitting down - which hit me. And then he decided to sit really awkwardly so that his back kept hitting into my back - apart from that though, the cafe itself is very comfortable. Would definitely come back here.

DF/Mexico

From the founders of Wahaca, comes DF / Mexico!

Would definitely recommend this place for a meet up place with friends, newbies or a place to stop and hang out.

This place has a certain cool vibe to it without it being too edgy or try-hard.

The pork and fish tacos...with extra guacamole - obviously. Next time - I'm building my own tacos!

We came to the Tottenham Court Road branch a while back before going to see The Bodyguard musical (which is totally amazing by the way - Beverley Knight is on another level) and it was a quirky, 'glad we found this place' experience.

The decor is also pretty cool. It's laid-back - has a self service Nandos style but the food is top-notch. Good price, good food and simple menu - this place is back to basics, whereas Wahaca has now become a bit too overpriced for the smaller portions and to cater for the masses with its ingredients and plates, DF / Mexico is a laid-back sister who just serves up good food for those who are cool without trying.

The Flavoured frozen marguerites  pack a punch but oh-so tasty!