Category: mushrooms

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Wagamama in the heart of the city

I do like the food at Wagamama, though I like trying new things, I also like having what I had before. On a recent visit to Wagamama in the City of London,  I went with two dishes I had before. For my starter I went with the crispy otsumami. 

This is six squares of crispy fried rice soaked in a soy + yuzu dressing, topped with pulled shiitake mushroom, smashed avocado + edamame and sriracha mayo, garnished with coriander cress.

I had these before when I went to Wagamama in Basildon. I did think this time they were even better. They are tasty morsels of yum! I like the different textures and the flavours combine to create an extravaganza of different tastes within your mouth.

 For my main I went with the silken tofu gochujang rice bowl. I had this before in Ealing in 2023. This is silken tofu in a spicy gochujang glaze on a bed of sticky white rice, bok choi, pickled cucumber, snow onion slaw, red and spring onion, red chilli, sesame seeds.

I like the contrast between hot and cold ingredients in this bowl. There are a diverse range of complementary flavours within the bowl. Overall a tasty dish.

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Time for Wagamama in Basildon

I was on my way to East Anglia and was staying over in Festival Leisure Park in Basildon at the Travelodge.

Across the retail park are various places to eat. I did walk around looking at various outlets, thinking about what I wanted. In the end I went to Wagamama with the plan that I wouldn’t have what I usually have at Wagamama. For a starter (or is it a side) I had the pulled shiitake crispy otsumami. 

This is six squares of crispy fried rice soaked in a soy + yuzu dressing, topped with smashed avocado + edamame and sriracha mayo, garnished with coriander cress.

These were really interesting and tasty. They were also very pretty. They were quite an intense flavour, but I liked them.

For my main course I went with the (new) crispy chicken sambal fry.

Described as lightly battered chicken coated in garlic + red pepper powder, mild tomato sambal, vibrant pickled slaw. coconut rice. chilled turmeric-stained egg, amai sauce on the side.

I wasn’t as impressed with this dish as I thought I would be. The chicken was disappointing, and I didn’t really like the mild tomato sambal sauce. I enjoyed the plate of food, but I wasn’t blown away by it. Think I should have had my usual mushroom yaki soba.

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Orecchiette Pasta with Courgette, Mushrooms and Pancetta

I like eating Orecchiette pasta since eating it in London a few years back at the now sadly closed Paesan restaurant close to Exmouth Market. Orecchiette are a pasta typical of the Apulia region of Italy. 

I cooked the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. I then in a large frying pan cooked off some pancetta before adding some sliced baby courgette and sliced mushrooms. When the pasta was virtually cooked I added some crème fraîche to the pan. The pasta was drained and then added to the pan and mixed in with the sauce. I plated the pasta before garnishing with freshly chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

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Back to Wahaca

I was travelling back from London and rather than catch a busy peak train, I decided I would have some dinner and catch a later train. The other option was to catch a busy train, probably stand or be cramped, and then cook when I got home. So dinner it was, and I had already made up my mind to visit Wahaca.  I had heard about the branch at Wahaca at Paddington when it opened, but I hadn’t had the chance, or the opportunity to make a visit until this week.

It’s just outside the station and upon entering the restaurant you climb a set of stairs to get to the tables. Even though it was early the place was buzzing and quite busy. I was initially offered a seat at the bar, but as I wanted food and not a drink, I asked for a table.

I sat down and looked over the menu. I had a voucher for a free portion of tacos, so that was the first area of the menu I went through. I was tempted by the buttermilk chicken tacos, but went with the Ancho Mushroom Tacos, with jalapeño mayo, beetroot crisps and dressed slaw, in two soft corn tortillas

I had really enjoyed the Mexico City Nachos when I had them a few years ago. So that was next on my list of choices. I went for the veggie version, as I didn’t think the addition of the chorizo really added that much to the dish, and the veggie dish was cheaper as well.

My final choice was the Zesty Bean & Feta Tostadas, with chickpeas, borlotti beans and organic peas with fresh tomato salsa. I had hoped they would have the crab tostadas they use to have on the menu, but they didn’t.

The nachos arrived first and I was a little surprised by the size of the dish. Either the dish was smaller when I had it a few years ago, having made my own version of this plate, I was expecting something smaller, or more than likely I had just plain forgotten how large the dish was. 

There was plenty of crunchy tortilla chips, a large helping of guacamole, black beans, crema, pink pickled onions, cheese sauce, fresh tomato salsa and jalapeño. I left the jalapeño, but the rest of the dish was delicious.

I really enjoyed the Zesty Bean & Feta Tostadas, full of flavour and contrasting textures of crunchy tostadas and soft beans.

The Ancho Mushroom Tacos were really tasty, I liked the mushrooms and the intensity of flavours across the two tacos.

I really enjoyed all three dishes and the experience reminded me how much I enjoy the food at Wahaca. Service was excellent, warm, friendly and efficient. It’s a real pity that the branch in Bristol closed, as it would be nice to have somewhere local to visit.

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Time for a Fat Hippo Swiss Tony

I was staying in the Headingley area of Leeds, and as a location close to the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University, there are quite a few places to eat. As you might expect though, they are catering for the relatively large local student population in the area. The last time I was staying in this area, back in January 2020, I went out to eat at Reds and had some barbecue. I probably would have gone there again, but since that visit it has closed down.

When I was out, I happened to walk past Fat Hippo when some customers received their food, and I did think it looked quite good. So I made the decision to try it out, and they had a happy hour deal which looked like good value for money.

Having arrived I looked over the menu. I did think about having their early evening deal, but I wasn’t sure if there was anything I wanted from the starters or even the desserts.

I would have had chicken wings, but they were not part of the deal. They only had three (very similar) dessert choices, so in the end I decided I would just have the burger.

I went for the Swiss-Tony, double beef patties smothered in gooey Swiss cheese, smoked bacon, juicy mushrooms, crispy Cajun onion strings and creamy truffle mayo. You get a free side, so I had fries.

The burger looked very food, and the photograph doesn’t really do it justice. It was a tasty burger.

Service was friendly and efficient. 

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Slow Yaki Soba Yasai

Needing a quick dinner, a visit to Wagamama was the solution. You don’t need to book and usually service is efficient and quick.

I had a look over the menu and decided what I would have and waited…

I then waited some more…

Then a little more time…

I was about to leave when a member of the waiting team arrived to take my order. They did apologise, but not sure what the issue was.

I went with the mushroom bao buns and the yaki soba yasai with mushroom. 

This was soba noodles cooked with mushrooms, egg, peppers, beansprouts and white and spring onion. topped with crispy fried onions, pickled ginger and sesame seeds.

The yaki soba yasai arrived first.

It was really good. I love the combination of flavours and textures.

 My mushroom bao buns arrived a little later. This was mixed mushrooms with crispy panko-coated aubergine and vegan mayo, topped with coriander.

These were nice but felt that they lacked enough mushroom. I have had these before and wrote back then:

I did feel the mushroom bao buns could have had a lot more mushroom in them, what mushroom was there was slightly overpowered by the crispy panko-coated aubergine.

Pretty much felt the same this time as well.

I did think both dishes needed more mushroom. If there is mushroom in the title of the dish then I think it needs mushroom in the dish.

Overall, I did enjoy the food, the service once it started was good, but I did feel the delay in taking my order did impact on my enjoyment of the dining experience.

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Railway Mixed Grill

To celebrate a birthday we headed over to Sandford for a meal at The Railway Inn. Sandford is on the A368 between Weston and Churchill. The Railway Inn  is owned by the Thatchers cider company who are also based in the village. I remember passing this many times before it was taken over by Thatchers and refurbished. I have been there before for drinks, but this was the first time I had been there for a meal.

The main part of the pub is the bar area. A large mainly wooden extension was added to provide a restaurant area. We had booked, but the place wasn’t busy, and we were given a great table.

I had looked over the menu online, but it was a sample menu. They say on the menu:

Our dishes change with the seasons and the fresh local produce that goes into each and every one of them.

So I was prepared for a different menu, however I had liked the sound of some of the specials.

The menu we had at the table was different to the one online (as expected). I did think about having one of the specials, however in the end I decided I would have the Railway Mixed Grill. The menu didn’t describe what would be in the grill, so did wonder what I would get.

The food was cooked fresh to order and my plate arrived.

On my mixed grill I had a steak, lamb chop, chicken, gammon, and sausages. Alongside was a grilled field mushroom, a herby tomato. I had chosen a heritage tomato salad as my side.

Now I wasn’t to keen on the presentation, but then again it was a mixed grill. The steak was excellent, nicely cooked, good char on the outside and pink in the middle. The lamb chop was small, but nice. The gammon was rather salty, probably a little too salty for me. The chicken was slightly overcooked.

I liked the heritage tomato salad, which was fresh and tasty.

Alongside I had a flight of cider, three small glasses of different ciders.

The Railway Inn, as you might expect had an excellent range of draft ciders. I like the idea of a flight, enabling a range of ciders to be tasted.

Upon reflection and seeing the plate of food that a neighbouring table received, I think I should have gone with one of the specials. The pork special looked really good. I do plan to visit the Railway Inn again in the future.

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Master Bao Buns

When I am at Westfield and having lunch, I usually make the decision to go to Master Bao for a couple of bao buns. They are cooked to order and are always delicious.

This time I went with the Shiitake Mushroom Bao, which was teriyaki Shiitake mushrooms, pickled onions, and miso.

A little big and messy to eat with your hands, but the bun was soft and fluffy, and the filling was intense and delicious.

I also had the Mr Bao, this was slow braised pork, house pickles, and roasted peanut.

Same fluffy bun, and some tasty pork with the added crunch of peanuts.

Really nice food which I enjoyed.

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Breakfast Omelette

When I stay at the Drayton Court Hotel in London, most times, it not all times I have the full English breakfast for my breakfast. It is excellent and delicious. One of the features of staying at this hotel is that, not only is breakfast included in the stay, but the hot food is cooked to order and brought to your table. This is a little thing that I like compared to dealing with the hot buffet at other hotels I stay at. They have an extensive and interesting hot food menu for breakfast, though as I said, I usually go with the cooked breakfast plate.

Deciding to have a change I ordered the spinach and mushroom omelette.

This was a homemade cooked omelette generously filled with spinach and mushroom. There was a ham and cheese option as well.

It was hot and tasty but needed a little more seasoning.

I wasn’t too sure about the large lettuce garnish; I don’t usually have salad for breakfast. 

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Spanish inspired rice dish

paella

I made and cooked a paella, or a Spanish inspired rice dish.

I diced an onion, some red pepper, some green pepper, and some chestnut mushrooms. I also diced up some chorizo sausage as well.

In a hot large frying pan, I put some olive oil and I cooked off some smoked pancetta. I then added the diced onion, pepper, and mushroom. I also added some green beans.

When this was softened, I added 200g of paella rice. To this I added some paella seasoning, paella seasoning, Carmencita Paellero Paella Spice Mix.

This is according to the description the number one selling spice mix in Spain.

I ensured that the rice was coated added some chicken stock and water. Stirred once and left it to cook.

Before serving I added some cooked sliced chorizo and chunks of lemon.

I served this with some freshly cooked fish and salad.