Fresh Start Sunday
A Gift from Mary from her Travels
We are back from all of our travels, including London, and glad to be home for an extended period, especially with Spring right around the corner.
Today is a sunny Sunday, although chilly, and the crocus have finally bloomed in the backyard. The snow has almost all melted, but there are still obstinate piles. A good day for blogging.
I am way behind with my posts for the blog, so I thought I would just start fresh today, and add as I go.
A Food Adventure in London with our Neighbors
We happened to be in London at the same time as one of our neighbors and Feast Everyday food blog contributor, Mary, "Mittens in the Kitchen", and her daughter, Maddie, who were using Spring break to revisit where they had been ex-pats in France and London.
How great is that? We travel to Europe only to see our neighbors, one street over. So we had dinner together one night at a Lebanese restaurant, Al Hamra, in Shepherd Market, in Mayfair. Maddie had spent a semester in Morocco, and was seeking hummus and olives, and baba ghanoush, an Arabic dish of roasted eggplants with various seasonings. The restaurant was a white table cloth affair, packed to the gills by the time we ate, and did not disappoint.
Muscade means nutmeg in French
Midway through the meal, Mary pulled a jar from her purse and gave it to me as a gift. It was nutmeg from France which she said she used and always loved when she lived there, because it comes with its own little grater. How thoughtful! I love travel gifts. Mary is a peach.
London restaurants
This time of year London is packed with visitors (think gaggles of students on school break from all of the world) so we would probably pick a more leisurely time of year -- and warmer -- if we were to do it again.
Our trip was for traditional sightseeing, so our meals were not structured. We made choices on the spur of the moment. Nonetheless, we do have some to recommend.
Live Bait in Covent Garden near the Lyceum Theater, where the Lion King is playing, has excellent fresh seafood. I had whole bream, a fantastic fish, which I don't often see on the menu. And Tom had a delicious sole. The sides were just as good. Noisy but fun.
Soho Pizzeria close to Carberry street -- Thin crust, individual pizzas, very good service, a casual place -- we went on Sunday evening when less is open, and we wanted a something to warm us up.
Soho Thai was on one of the windy streets where you lose track of where you are. We can't get Thai at home, so it was a real treat. It's part of the Thai Square chain. Simple surroundings, very good lamb chop starter, very good pad thai, and red curry with prawns.
Links for London Restaurants:
Al Hamra
Live Bait, Covent Garden
Soho Pizzeria
Soho Thai, 27 St. Anne's Court
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