meemalee

I'm one of those lucky souls who commutes into town from the 'burbs, and the stop that my husband (a fellow commuter) and I usually come into is London Charing Cross. The way into work is generally fine (apart from never getting a seat, and being crushed into strangers' armpits), but on the way back, invariably something will go wrong to delay our journey home - leaves on the line, signalling problems and one time, memorably, a cloth factory in New Cross went up in smoke. Whilst we often resign ourselves to waiting, and scrunching our faces up angrily at the departures board, more often than not, we will decide that this is God's way of telling us to go away and have dinner and simply try again later. Upstairs at Hazuki Our usual haunt is Hazuki , a little two-storey Japanese restaurant hidden away on Chandos Place, past Oscar Wilde and just up from the station, and we always head straight upstairs. An old faithful, when snow is the cause of disruption, Hazuki will war...

photo by Lost in the Larder Just got back from Beaminster in Dorset - my first pop-up Burmese restaurant night was a blast. Thank you for all your good wishes! I'll write more about it soon, but in the meantime, here is a review from one of the diners that night, Lost in the Larder . And here also a word or two from the man who made this all possible - Mat Follas , chef patron of the Wild Garlic . And lastly for now is the menu: Burmese Night at the Wild Garlic Friday 1st October *** Christophene Fritters Gorakhar-thee Jaw Matpe Bean Fritters Bayar Jaw Charred Tomato Salsa Pun-tway Byaw *** Wood-ear Mushroom and Bean-thread Vermicelli Soup Jar-zun Hin-gah *** Fish Ball Salad Nga-pè Thoh(k) Century Egg Salad Say Bè-Oo Thoh(k) Green Bean Salad Bair-thee Thoh(k) *** Cinnamon Chicken Je(t)-thar Hin-mway Mogok Pork Curry We(t)-thar Hnu(t) Tomato and Coriander Prawns Bazuhn See-Byun Straw Mushroom , Oyster Mushroom, Baby Spinach Moh Hin-Noo-Nwè Burmese Coleslaw, Shrimp Relish Go...

Back in June, I told you all that the lovely Mat Follas (MasterChef winner 2009) was allowing me to take over his restaurant in Dorset. That time is finally approaching - this Friday, with the help of Mat and his brilliant crew, I will be cooking a Burmese feast for 40 diners at the Wild Garlic . The menu is a secret, but one of the ingredients I will be using is pictured above. Mr Follas and me You can read more about my forthcoming Burmese night on Foodies South West .

Sometimes when you go somewhere, there's something you always have to try. If you're in Italy, you need to go for pizza. If you're in Hong Kong, you need to check out the dimsum. If you're in Japan, you need to track down some sushi. And if you're in the US, you really ought to have a burger. I'd heard folk rave about In-N-Out before, and been impressed by Harold and Kumar 's quest for White Castle , but as I was based in Evanston, the place I was interested in was a small, independent joint called Edzo's Burger Shop . Open every day except Monday from 10.30 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, Edzo's is a quirky treasure. Whilst it's true that the bottomless soda machine comes as standard, there's also a range of unusual soft drinks such as bottles of guava and tamarind pop. And the four dollar milkshakes come in a range of enticing flavours, with specials for a dollar more - the day we visit, the specials are Spicy Mexican Chocolate and ...

Odd place, Manchester. Almost as odd as Woking .

I don't like trendy restaurants. You won't see me at the launch for the latest hip and happening place unless it's an accident; for example I once walked off the streets into the Wolseley when it first opened. I probably couldn't get a reservation now, but for what it's worth I rather liked it. But when I'm abroad, I often find myself homing in on places that are "cool", because those are the places that come onto my radar - certainly whenever I ask for a recommendation, nine times out of ten someone will suggest a fashionable hotspot. However, it's thanks to some local friends personally taking us that the husband and I find ourselves going to Girl and the Goat which has just that week graced the cover of Time Out Chicago. I have to admit I feel a certain frisson at being on the cutting edge for once, but this thrill is clouded rather by the concern that a certain Nathan Barley -esque Chicago-dweller who I have no desire to bump into might also ...