Recipe: Christmas Yule Log

Looking for a last minute centrepiece to give your Christmas table the ‘wow’ factor? Try my yummy Christmas yule log - easy to make within 3 hours, and perfect to enjoy with afternoon Christmas nibbles.

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Christmas Yule Log

Ingredients:

• 100 caster sugar
• 75g self-raising flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 4 medium eggs

Chocolate Ganache: 

• 500g chocolate (I used milk chocolate - 30% cocoa solids)
• 500g double cream

 

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190˚C, and grease and line a swiss roll tin with baking parchment.

2. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, and add the sugar. Mix using an electric whisk for 5-10 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume, becomes very pale / almost white, and thickens to leave a trail.

3. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and fold in carefully until combined. Be careful not to over-mix as this will knock out air.

4. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and tip to spread the mixture evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the sponge is slightly darker in colour, springy to touch, and coming away from the edge of the baking tray.

5. Meanwhile, place a sheet of baking parchment on top of the work surface and sprinkle generously with icing sugar.

6. When the sponge is baked, loosen the edges from the tin with a knife if necessary, and turn it on to the sugared baking parchment. Peel off the baking parchment and neatly trim all four edges to remove crispy bits and to make them straight.

7. Carefully roll up the sponge, like a swiss roll. To be extra safe, you could place a sheet of baking parchment on top of the sponge before rolling to prevent the rolled layers sticking together. When rolled, leave the sponge to cool.

Hint: There are a number of videos on YouTube to guide you through this stage if you are unsure of what to do and how to roll.

8. When the sponge is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. For this, heat the cream in a saucepan so that it is almost too warm to keep your finger in the liquid. Then, remove it from the heat and gradually add the chocolate, mixing it through until it has all melted. You should achieve a smooth and glossy consistency.

 

9. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for an hour until it thickens.

Top Top: If the ganache cools but does not thicken enough to spread, whisk the mixture using an electric whisk until a spreadable / pipeable consistency is achieved.

10. Un-roll the sponge and evenly spread a generous amount of the ganache onto it. Re-roll the sponge so that the join is on the bottom, and place it on a cake board or serving plate.

11. Carefully and evenly spread or pipe the remaining ganache on the log so that all of the sponge is covered. If desired, use a fork to create a ‘bark’ effect, then dust with icing sugar and decorate if desired.

12. Enjoy your Yule Log and have a very Merry Christmas!

Recipes: Christmas Biscuits

The festive season provides the perfect excuse for a good old baking session, and the following biscuit recipes can act as delicious treats, home-made gifts, or perfect tree decorations. So don your festive apron and favourite Christmas album, and let the smell of Christmas spices fill your house. After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly. Enjoy!

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Christmas Spice Biscuits

Christmas Spice Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon of spice (cinnamon / ginger / mixed spice, or a combination)
• 1 egg
• Decorations

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
 

2. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add the sugar and spice and mix through.

4. Beat the egg in a small jug, and gradually add to the mixture until it comes together to form a dough.

5. Knead the dough gently until it is smooth, and then turn it onto a lightly floured work surface.

6. Roll out the dough so that it is 3-4mm thick, and use Christmas-themed cutters to create festive shaped biscuits.

7. Place the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, making sure that they are not too close together. If making tree decorations, make a small hole near the edge of each biscuit using a chopstick, or the end of a teaspoon. Ribbon can be threaded through the hole to hang the biscuits once they are cooked!

8. Place the biscuits in the oven, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

9. When cooked, remove the biscuits from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

10. When cool, the biscuits are ready for decorating! I tend to use a thick icing (made from icing sugar and water), with edible sparkly bits sprinkled on top.

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Gingerbread Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 250g butter200g dark muscovado sugar
• 7 tablespoons golden syrup
• 600g plain flour
• 2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Decorations

 

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

 

2. In a pan, melt together the butter, sugar and syrup.

 

3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and ground ginger. Add this to the melted mixture to form a stiff dough.

 

4. Roll out the dough until it is 4-5mm thick, and then cut out the biscuits. If easier, roll the dough on baking parchment to avoid it sticking to the work surface.

 

5. Place the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, making sure that they are not too close together. If making tree decorations, make a small hole near the edge using a chopstick, or the end of a teaspoon.

 

6. Place the biscuits in the oven for 10-12 minutes. When cooked, they should be a little darker at the edges –they will become firmer as they cool.

 

7. When cool, decorate the biscuits.

 

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Please Tweet photos of your baked goodies to @LDN_Foodie, or share them on Facebook. I would love to see them, and I am sure my followers would too!

 

Recipe: Easy Peesy Cheesycake (White Chocolate & Honeycomb)

Dessert is always my favourite part of a meal, to eat and make, and one of my favourite puds is cheesecake!

The following cheesecake is super easy to make, and as it only needs a couple of hours to chill before serving, it is the perfect sweet treat when you are hard-pressed for time.

White Chocolate and Honeycomb Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 250g soft cheese
• 250g lighter/reduced fat soft cheese
• 300ml double cream
• 300g white chocolate
• 200g chocolate coated honeycomb
• 300g digestive biscuits
• 100g butter/margarine
• 50g milk chocolate

Method:

1. Place the biscuits in a food bag, and bash them with a rolling pin to form crumbs. To speed things up, you could blitz them in a food processor.

2. Melt 100g butter /margarine, and stir in the biscuit crumbs.

3. Evenly press the biscuit mixture into a 23cm spring form cake tin, and chill in the fridge while making the cheesecake topping.

4. In a bowl, beat the two types of soft cheese together, until the mixture is smooth. Add the double cream and beat through.

5. Melt the white chocolate, and gradually add to the cream cheese mixture, ensuring it is fully combined.

6. Mix in the chocolate coated honeycomb so that the pieces are evenly distributed.

7. Spoon the mixture on top of the biscuit base and smooth out.

8. Melt the milk chocolate and drizzle it over the cheesecake.

9. Cover the cheesecake and chill for a minimum of two hours before serving.

 

 ***

For a bit of extra colour and a sharper flavour, you could switch the chocolate coated honeycomb for raspberries. You could also switch the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate, and change the biscuit base too, e.g. for ginger nuts, cookies, chocolate digestives, etc.

 

If you are after something more refreshing, you could switch the chocolate for something more ‘citrusy’, and add lemon zest and juice to the cream cheese mixture. I have also tried a dark chocolate and orange combination before, which worked really well.

 

 

Dinner Party Ideas: Speedy Tapas

Sometimes choosing just one main meal from a menu of irresistible dishes can be quite torturous, which is why I am a fan of Tapas - a feast made up of a number of smaller dishes, which explore a range of flavours and textures that Spain has to offer.

As well as being the ideal feast to enjoy at a restaurant when having a catch up with friends, tapas can also be the perfect dinner party solution when entertaining at home!

 

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When made together, the following dishes will allow you to serve up a tapas feast within 90 minutes. To ensure that there is enough to go round, I choose to serve the dishes in bigger portions. You could, however, make a wider range of smaller dishes for a more realistic Spanish meal experience (although this is likely to extend the time required for preparation and cooking). You could also modify the ingredients I have listed to create dishes that better suit the preferences of you and your guests.

 

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Ingredients: (serves 6)

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables

• 1 aubergine
• 1-2 onions, peeled
• 2 peppers (different colours), de-seeded
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled
• 1-2 Courgettes
• 1-2 tablespoons oil

 

Patatas Bravas

• 4 large potatoes
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 1 red onion
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 2 cartons chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 50g grated cheese

Paella

• 300g risotto / paella rice
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion
• 1 pepper
• 2 chicken breasts
• 200g chorizo sausage
• 150g king prawns
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 litres stock cube (2 stock cubes – I use vegetable)
• Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, sliced into 8 pieces

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Method

Although I have written separate methods for each of the dishes, so that you can make them on their own if desired, you will need to multi-task to make the feast within 90 minutes. For example, prepare ALL of the vegetables first, have the potatoes and Mediterranean vegetables roasting at the same time, and make the tomato sauce for the patatas bravas as the paella cooks.

For the Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables:

 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Chop the vegetables into chunky pieces, ensuring that they are evenly-sized.

3. Place the vegetables on the baking tray and coat in the oil. Add seasoning, if desired.

4. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, shuffling the pieces every now and then to ensure that they cook evenly. Before removing from the oven, test that the chunks of sweet potato have softened.

5. Remove the vegetables from the oven and serve in a dish.

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For the Patatas Bravas:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Peel and dice the potatoes, into even-sized pieces (1cm³). Place them on a baking tray and coat in 1-2 tablespoons oil.

3. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and softened. Make sure that you shuffle the pieces every now and then to ensure that they cook evenly.

4. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and crush the garlic.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan and fry the onion for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

6. Add the chopped tomatoes and chilli powder to the saucepan and allow to simmer and cook down for 20 minutes until a thicker sauce is made.

7 When cooked, remove the potatoes from the oven and place them in a serving dish. Pour over the tomato sauce and mix it through carefully to ensure that all of the chunks are coated.

8. Finish the dish with grated cheese, and serve.

***

For the Paella:

1. Finely chop the onion, and finely dice the pepper.

2. Chop the chicken into bite-sized chunks on a separate chopping board using a separate knife.

3. In a large frying pan, fry the chicken in the oil until sealed and white. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir through.

4. Gradually add the stock, stirring so that the rice cooks evenly and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. When half of the stock has been added, add the chorizo so that its flavours can be incorporated into the dish, then add the paprika and turmeric.

6. When all of the stock has been absorbed, test the consistency of the rice. If the rice is not quite cooked, add a little extra water, and test again when it has been absorbed.

7. At the last stage of cooking, add the prawns and cook the paella for a further five minutes. Keep stirring so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan (add a splash of extra water if necessary).

8. Serve the paella in a large dish. Arrange the lemon and sprinkle with the chopped parsley to finish.

***

 

For extra nibbles to enjoy, serve these dishes with some warm crusty bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and juicy olives.

 

Enjoy your evening of feasting, don't forget the home-made sangria, and please let me know if you add any other dishes to the line-up!

 

Adios!

Quick Review: Ha Ha Veggie Bar, Camden Lock



 

Ha Ha Veggie Bar Opening Times

 

Monday to Thursday, 9:30 to 17:30

Friday, 10:30 to 17:00

Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 to 17:30

 

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On Saturday 6^th October I paid my first visit to Camden Lock - a cultured and interesting place, full of lots of different types of people, and fantastic stalls and stores.

 

In amongst the clothes, gifts, and general bits and bobs, were a host of street food stalls that immediately appealed to all senses with their offering of traditional dishes and flavours from around the world.

 

As one of the friends I was with is a vegetarian, she was naturally drawn to the Ha Ha Veggie Bar, and with a relatively varied and reasonably priced menu on offer, I decided to test it out too.

 

Run by a very charismatic, energetic and friendly gentleman, the stall offers freshly made vegetarian whole foods, including homemade vegan veggie burgers, available with a host of different toppings, vegetarian hot dogs, jacket potatoes, and falafel.

 

From the options, my friend chose the veggie burger with haloumi, while I opted for a pitta filled with falafel, salad and houmous. Both items were really delicious and full of flavour, proving that vegetarian food is anything but boring!! They were also satisfyingly filling for our hungry tums, giving us the lunchtime pick-me-up we needed to continue exploring.

 

Quick Assessment

 

Plus Points:

If you are in the Camden area I would definitely recommend seeing what Ha Ha Veggie Bar has to offer, as the owner's personality, and the way in which he interacts with Lock locals, makes the wait for your order as enjoyable as the consumption experience itself.

 

Negatives:

Although the burgers are homemade, I saw my falafel, as delicious as it was, come out of a packet. This did disappoint me slightly, and I would have been even more impressed if I had enjoyed a home-made experience like my friend!

 

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I will be returning to Camden again soon, so if there are any other must-try food stalls, I would love to hear about them!

 

 

Product Review: Boursin Cheese

As someone that loves cheese, I was very excited to receive a special package from the lovely people at Boursin a couple of weeks ago. Being new to their products, I was intrigued to see what they tasted like, and was keen to explore how they could be used in different dishes.

With a creamy texture and delicious garlic flavour, I found that the cheese can easily be used to enhance the taste of a number of dishes. So why not test out the recipes below and see how Boursin can work for you?!

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Savoury Scones

Perfect for a savoury afternoon tea, picnic feast, or lunchtime treat, savoury scones can easily be tailored to suit your taste preferences. The recipe below uses Boursin cheese and red onion, however you could add other ingredients for extra texture and flavour, or appreciate the taste of Boursin on its own.


Ingredients (makes 6-12, depending on cutter size)

• 250g self-raising flour
• 50g butter or margarine
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 60g Boursin Minis (half a tub), cut into smaller chunks

 

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C, and place a sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray.

2. In a bowl, rub the butter / margarine into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add the onion and Boursin cheese, and mix through.

4. In a small jug or cup, beat the milk and egg together with a fork. Add this to the breadcrumb mixture and mix in using a knife until a dough is formed.



Boursin and Red Onion Scones

5. Turn the scone dough onto a lightly flour work surface, and gently flatten it using the palms of your hands until the mixture is 1 inch thick.

6. Cut out the scones using a cutter and space them out on the lined baking tray.

7. Place the scones in the oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes.

8. When risen and golden brown, remove the scones from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

 

 

For sweet scones, along with hints and tips, click here.

 

 

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Risotto

Risotto is a very versatile dish, and the following recipe uses a limited number of ingredients so that the flavour from the cheese can be fully appreciated.
 

Sundried Tomato & Basil Boursin Risotto

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 150g Arborio risotto rice
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 litre vegetable stock 
• 1-2 tablespoons Sundried Tomato & Basil Boursin
• Tomatoes

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.

2. Place the tomatoes on a lightly greased baking tray and place in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for two minutes. Add the rice and mix with the onion to coat the grains in oil.

4. Gradually add the stock, stirring so that the rice cooks evenly and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. When all of the stock has been absorbed, test the consistency of the rice. If the rice is not quite cooked, add a little extra water, and test again when it has been absorbed.

6. When the rice is cooked, add the Boursin cheese and mix through until a creamy appearance is achieved.

7. Plate up the risotto, and finish off with the tomatoes.

For more risotto recipes, click here.

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Enchiladas

 

Enchiladas are a favourite of mine, and although the following recipe is suitable for vegetarians, you could easily add some meat to bulk up the dish.

The Boursin used here adds a subtle garlic flavour and creaminess throughout the filling, which is really scrummy.

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

• 1 carton chopped tomatoes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 courgette, cut into small, even-sized cubes
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small, even-sized cubes
• 1 pepper, chopped into small, even-sized cubes
• 50g rice
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• Pinch of salt
• Black Pepper
• ½-1 tablespoon Light Garlic & Herbs Boursin
• 2 tortilla wraps
• 40g cheese, grated

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and put the rice on to cook.

2. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion for 2 minutes until softened.

3. Spoon some of the onions into another pan and add the chopped tomatoes. Allow to simmer and cook down into a thicker sauce. Season to taste.

5. Add the rest of the vegetables to the onions and cook for two minutes before adding 3 tablespoons of the chopped tomatoes mixture, 2 tablespoons of water, and the chilli powder. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the vegetables cook and soften.

6. Add the Boursin cheese to the vegetable mixture, then drain the cooked rice and stir this in as well. Remove the pan from the heat.

7. Spoon 2-3 heaped tablespoons of the vegetable mixture into the middle of each wrap. Fold opposite ends in and then roll the tortilla up neatly.

8. Place the wraps into an ovenproof dish and evenly spread the tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese, and place in the oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the visible parts of the wraps are a light golden brown.

 

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Fishcakes

Some people may be deterred from making fishcakes, assuming that they are too complicated and messy. When you taste them freshly made however, the effort will be worth while, and I am sure that you will want to make them again and again.

I developed the following recipe when I was studying for my A level in Food Technology, and I hope that once you have tried the end result, you will be inspired to modify the list of ingredients to create your own unique fishcakes.

Ingredients (makes 4)

• 170g Cod, skinned and boned
• 170g Smoked Cod, skinned and boned
• 340g potatoes
• 10g parsley
• 1 egg
• 115g bread
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 115g Garlic & Herbs Boursin

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Peel, chop and boil the potatoes until soft. Once cooked, drain and mash to remove all lumps.

3. Beat the egg in a bowl/dish. Blitz bread in a food processor to form breadcrumbs, and place in another bowl/dish.

4. Finely chop the parsley, and chop the fish into small cubes.

5. In a bowl, mix the fish, potato and parsley together until fully combined.

6. Divide the mixture into 8-12 portions, depending on how big you want your fishcakes to be.

7. Dust a work surface and your hands with flour. Shape each portion into round balls, and then flatten them so that they are all evenly sized, but not too thin!

Smoked Cod and Boursin Fishcake

8. Spoon Boursin cheese onto the centre of half of the portions, and then place the other halves on top. Shape the fishcakes so that they are rounded, and ensure the two halves are sandwiched together.

9. Coat the fishcakes in the egg, and then the breadcrumbs until all are fully coated.

10. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and gently fry the fishcakes until golden brown on both sides (this will take 5-10 minutes). Then, place the fishcakes on a baking tray, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until crisp and golden brown all over.

You could substitute the cod in this recipe for haddock. You could also use 340g of smoked or 340g of unsmoked cod, instead of splitting the quantity 50/50.

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So what are you waiting for? It's time to start cooking! And, when you do, please feel free to share any photos via Facebook or Twitter so that I can see your cheesy creations.

 

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You can find Boursin products in leading supermarket retailers, but for more information about the brand, visit their website. You can also follow them on Twitter @BoursinCheese.

 

 

Restaurant Review: Wahaca Southbank Experiment

As a fan of Mexican food, I am always on the lookout for good Mexican restaurants, and after hearing excellent reviews for Wahaca, a London-based Mexican restaurant chain, I knew where my next foodie adventure would take me.
 
Created by former Masterchef winner, Thomasina Miers, Wahaca offers fresh and flavoursome Mexican street food in a relaxed and atmospheric environment. With locations now in Bluewater, Canary Wharf, Soho, Stratford, White City and Camden, Wahaca has expanded its presence and popularity across London since its doors first opened in Covent Garden, in 2007.
 
For a limited 18-month period, the Wahaca experience can also be enjoyed at Southbank, where the restaurant chain has opened a pop-up restaurant. Built from 8 recycled shipping containers, the Wahaca Southbank Experiment is quirky but welcoming, and definitely the place to go if you are looking for a fresh, flavoursome and affordable sharing meal experience in a lively part of town!
 

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With friends visiting for the weekend, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to visit Wahaca, and having been intrigued by the sound of the pop-up restaurant, we headed down to Southbank.

 

Knowing that none of the Wahaca restaurants take bookings, we arrived at the restaurant an hour or so before we knew we’d be hungry, and after requesting a table for five, we were given a buzzer and directed to the tequila bar.



Passionfruit Margarita

 

At the bar, we were served by a very friendly bar man, who made us some delicious tequila-based cocktails, and even got one of my friends involved with the shaking! From the drinks we chose between us, I can happily recommend the Passionfruit Margarita and Wahaca Mule, and it is definitely worth trusting the staff when they tell you that Wahaca’s Classic Margaritas are the best you will taste, as they are seriously good.

 

Although we were quoted a 60-75 minute wait for a table, which we were prepared to enjoy in the outside seating area, we were shown to our table within half an hour, and introduced to our waiter, who was immediately attentive and keen to accommodate our needs. After running us through the menus (which were designed to be like wooden place mats), we were left to mull over our decisions, and served another round of drinks to keep us refreshed. When our waiter returned to take our order, he was happy to advise us on dishes to try, and also ensured that we did not order too many of one dish, so that we had a wider taste experience.

 

Soon after our order was placed, the food started to arrive, and although in most restaurants you would expect all of your food to arrive together, at Wahaca you should expect it to come out when it is ready, so that it is served at its best. As the idea is to share the food with others in your group, this makes the dining occasion more interesting, as you are all able to enjoy the flavours of one dish as you wait for the the next. As plates are finished, the staff also clear them away, to ensure that the table is uncluttered, and so that attention is always focused on the food.

So, what did we have, I hear you ask? Well, below is a list of the dishes that we enjoyed from the menu, all of which are highly recommended!
 

• 

  Nibbles!

  As we waited for our dishes to be cooked, we had some tortilla chips with fresh tomato salsa and guacamole from the ‘Nibbles’ section of the menu. The salsa and guacamole are made fresh every day, and taste absolutely delicious!
 
• Having had the dish recommended by colleagues, I decided to choose the Pork Pibil from the ‘Tacos’ section of the menu. Served with onions and refried beans, the pork, marinated in Yacatecan marinade, was beautifully tender and delicious, and something that I would certainly have again.
 
• Exploring the ‘Taquito’ section, two of my friends enjoyed the tender, marinated chicken filling inside two deep fried corn tortillas. Served with shredded lettuce, Lancashire cheese, and a fresh (and spicy) tomato salsa, this was the ‘best dressed’ dish out of the ones that we chose.
 
• As a fan of quesadillas, I chose to try the Chorizo & Potato and Chipotle Chicken variants, with both offering fabulous flavours and just the right level of spice. The Chorizo & Potato Quesadilla sandwiched Meixcan chorizo, steamed potato and fresh thyme between a folded tortilla, while the Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla offered chicken cooked in a spicy tomato marinade.
 
• From the Burrito section, one of my friends chose the British Steak Burrito, which consisted of a toasted flour tortilla filled with steak, chipotle salsa, grilled spring onions, frijoles, shredded cabbage, green rice, crema, and totpos. This was accompanied by a 'Side' of creamy Frijoles (refried beans), which were served with crumbled cheese and crema.

 

Pork Pibil Tacos

Chicken Taquito

British Beef Burrito

Chorizo & Potato Quesadilla

 

***

 

Overall assessment of Wahaca

 

Top marks…

Although the food was incredibly tasty and delicious, the dining experience at Wahaca would not have been as enjoyable without its fantastic staff, whose attentiveness, charisma, and friendly, positive attitudes meant that everyone in the restaurant was relaxed and at ease, and therefore fully immersed in enjoying their delicious food, drinks and company.

 

Areas for improvement...

As a very nearly perfect dining experience, the only qualm I had with my evening was the mixed sex toilets, as having to put the toilet seat down after a stranger was not really what I had expected!

 

Final rating

9.5/10 – Fantastic food, fantastic drinks, and fantastic staff! A very enjoyable and reasonably priced restaurant experience (expect to spend £20-£25 a head…depending on how many cocktails you intend to enjoy), and one that I hope to repeat again very soon. Next time I may venture to one of the other Wahaca locations however, so that I don’t feel too disappointed when the Southbank experiment disappears.

 

Highly recommended!!!

 

***

 

For more information about Wahaca, and to view menus and locations, visit www.wahaca.co.uk.

And, if you enjoy the flavours from Wahaca, or want to give them a try before you visit the restaurant, Wahaca branded table sauces are available to buy from some retailers (e.g. Ocado), as well as from the restaurants themselves.