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Old 8 Oct 21, 03:21 PM  
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princessnicki
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Team Bricki Just Touched Down In London Town- September 2021 DAY SEVEN

Today was the first day we didnt have a museum planned so we didnt have to leave the hotel until 11.30am. I had tried to get a slot for the British Museum round the corner from the hotel to make up for not enjoying National History but we couldnt get a timeslot to fit. Today was a very food heavy day and we wouldnt be doing anywhere near as much walking as we had been used to so it would be more of a relaxing day.



We walked over to Soho for our lunch reservation at El Pastor. This was a family owned Mexican that we had recommended to us and it didnt disappoint. We arrived at opening on a Wednesday lunchtime and it was full within the first hour so definitely shows how good the food is at this place! We wanted to order so many things but as we were having a big dinner later, and a special dessert straight after this, we had to be sensible and keep it quite light! Next time we are in London we will definitely be back to sample more



We couldnt not order the home made Guacamole though as this is one of our favourite foodie items! It was served with mixed Totopos Chips and Chicharron (which are like pork rinds/crackling).



Oh my god this was amazing- probably the best Guac we have ever tried. It was the perfect balance of all the different ingredients, so creamy and rich, and you could tell the avocados were really fresh. We practically licked the bowl clean! The salty chips and rinds are the perfect dipping accompaniment too!

We heard this place is famous for Tacos so we got 3 varieties to share and they were all so delicious. Everything just tasted fresh here- there is no other way to describe it! The balance of flavours and garnishes was just spot on! And some of the dishes had a lovely hint of spice

We had Al Pastor (Marinated Pork Shoulder, Caramelised Pineapple, Avocado Chilli Salsa Taquero, White Onion, Coriander)



Chicken (Grilled Chicked Marinated In Chipotle Cumin Adobo, Avocado Chilli Salsa Taquero, Coriander)



Baja (Beer Battered Pollock, Shredded Cabbage, Chipotle Chilli Mayo, Pico De Gallo, Coriander)



We also had to try their homemade salsas, Morita (Smokey Chipotle and Roasted Tomatillos), Verde Fresca (Serrano Chillies, Tomatillos, Coriander, Fresh Lime) and La Maga (Roasted Pineapple, Habanero, Cumin, Garlic)



And Refried Beans with Oaxaca Cheese- these were so rich and moreish



Of course there was Margaritas, i had to get the Avocado one to remind us of the Mexico pavillion in Epcot (made with El Jimador Reposado, Avocado, Passionfruit Syrup, Lime, Cointreau, Aguamiel)



Brett got the Spicy Mango (El Jimador Reposado, Mango, Pasilla Chilli, Lime, Cointreau, Aguamiel)


We also had Mezcarita (Mezcal Verde Momento, Fresh Lime, Cointreau, Aguamiel)


Diablo Rojo (El Jimador Blanco, Ginger Beer, Lime, Cassis)


And Brett fancied a Pina Colada (Don Q, Aluna Rum, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, Coconut Cream)



This was a fantastic lunch and a great start to the day

The service was a little on the slower side, which is understandable with how busy it was, and they forgot about our tacos, but we didnt mind we just had another cocktail! So we were a little behind schedule as we wanted a break and a walk before our next stop. But we had purposely left room for dessert so it wasnt an issue, and our next stop was literally a 30 second walk away!

We are huge Masterchef fans and this place featured on one of the most recent series- Cake and Bubbles! This is located in the Hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street and belongs to the famous pastry chef Albert Adria. Dessert isnt something we usually go all out on as we prefer savouries but this looked far too good to miss out on. We wanted to sample a little bit of everything so decided to get the three course afternoon tea. This can be served with or without a glass of champagne. But we decided to get champagne cocktails instead

French 75 (Gin, Lemon, Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label)



Strawberry Bellini (Peach, Strawberry, Bubbles)
This is actually a mocktail but Brett swopped out the non-alcoholic fizz for champagne



The first course was served like a traditional afternoon tea



And consisted of Cake and Bubbles Chocolate Cork. This was chocolate sponge with a wafer and chocolate mousse inside



Baklava Pistachio Pillows. These were amazing, they had to be eaten quickly as the pastry case was so light and there was so much pistachio cream inside. This was my joint favourite of the experience.



Golden Egg Flan. This was a real egg hollowed out and filled with a creme brulee type caramelised flan inside. Delicious



After Eight Strawberry and Chocolate Marshmallow. This had a crunchy layer on the bottom with a chocolate covered marshmallow on top. The aftertaste was very minty hence the "After Eight"



Everything was really rich and sweet but also so light that it was easy to eat and didnt make you feel full and sickly.

The second course was The Rose, Lychee Raspberry and Rosewater. To eat this you had to smell the rose, tip the bubble into your mouth, let it burst, and then smell the rose again. The smell contributed to the taste and the rose smells different before and after. This was a lovely unique idea



The final course was the signature dish- Cheesecake (Baron Bigod Cheese, White Chocolate, Hazelnut). This was our other favourite dish. It was absolutely amazing! The outside shell was so sweet but the inside was real savoury cream cheese. It was rich and moreish and equally strong in both sweet and savoury. If we didnt have a large dinner booked for later i would have ordered another portion of this, it was that good!



This was such a good experience and i am so glad we tried it

We were back on track with time and had a little wander around the city before booking an Uber to take us over to our next destination. We were heading over to Peckham to sample a South African cocktail bar and South African restaurant. It said 30 minutes on the app but i knew traffic would be bad in the centre so i gave us an hour to be on the safe side, which was the correct decision! Our Uber driver was a character, he was an ex bus driver and didnt stop talking. His stories were funny though, his ex wife is now going out with his best friend, and he married that same friends ex, but they are all friends still and get on really well!

Peckham was an experience, we drove through some questionable areas but i guess you get that anywhere you go in the world. We arrived at our destination to try some South African inspired cocktails- Smokey Kudu. The bartender who greeted us was lovely and gave us a nice little table. It was quiet when we arrived but nearly every table was full when we left for dinner. The bar is very cosy, plush and modern. The cocktails were classics with a twist and mostly made with South African spirits



Brett had to try the Zulu Espresso (Vodka, Amarula, Cold Brew Coffee)



Kudu Kolada (South African Rum, Coconut, Almond, Pineapple, Aromatic Bitters)



Smoke On The Water (Mezcal, Watermelon, Yuzu, Rose, Hisbiscus Soda)



Kudu Pear (Xante Pear Cognac, Kings Ginger Liquor, Green Apple, Citrus)



South London Paloma (Tequila, Guava, Lime, Chilli, Pink Grapefruit, Salt Rim)



Dark and Smokey (Rum, Ginger, Smokey Whiskey, Maraschino Cherry, Lime, Ginger Ale)



Summer Passion (Vodka, Strawberry, Passionfruit, Sparkling Wine)



It was now time for dinner so we got an Uber down the road to Kudu Grill. This is a brand new restaurant that only opened a couple of weeks before our visit. It is South African food with most dishes cooked open fire on the Braai (A South African version of a BBQ). There are five sections to the menu, Snacks, Small Plates, Large Plates, Sides, Desserts and they recommend each person choosing one from each section. We were really looking forward to this food and it didnt disappoint! This is clearly a popular place with the locals as they only release tables a month in advance and i had to log on as soon as i woke up to try and grab a spot.

We started with a Saffarita (Chilli Infused Tequila, Cointreau, Lime, Chakalaka)



And Sangoma- i cant find a description for this but it was like a Mojito style cocktail



We chose 3 of the snacks

Biltong (dried spiced beef)



Irish Oysters, Tomato Dashi, Trout Roe



Fried Pigs Tails, Honey Mustard. This was our favourite of the three, it was like a softer version of pork rinds, the mustard made them really sticky



We only chose one starter to share as the dishes looked quite big and we wanted to enjoy our main and leave room for a special dessert. Duck Terrine, Gribiche, Biltong Scratchings. The duck was perfect, it was served cold but was cooked a perfect pink and so tender



We decided to get the sharing main- Dry Aged T Bone, Beer Pickled Onions, Treacle Bourdalaise. This was served Medium Rare but it was very pink so it was perfect for us. The meat was beautiful and cooking it with the onions really added another level of flavour and juiciness to meat.


We had a side of Beef Fat Crispy Fingerlings



And Smoked Pomme Purree with Chicken Skins. Both were just amazing- we admitted defeat with the potatoes and had these for breakfast the next day!



With a little room left, we decided to share the dessert that Brett came for Peppermint Crisp Tart! This is a childhood favourite of his from back home, and although it was done a little differently to the traditional one, it didnt disappoint. It was so light and chocolatey.



After a long day of food and not much walking we were definitely ready for bed now and booked an Uber back into the city. I tried to capture the London skyline at night from the bridge but it didnt work too well from the taxi. A great way to end our final night of an amazing holiday.

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Edited at 09:47 AM.
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Old 8 Oct 21, 07:47 PM  
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OB1LukeLucas
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What an amazing trip I can’t get over all the fabulous food and cocktails consumed everything looks fantastic…it’s not quite the same but I may have to try and hunt out some pork scratings to go with the left over guacamole in the fridge, it’s Friday after all!
I wish I could drink all those cocktail i was goosed after two with Sunday lunch a while back-I admire yours and Brett’s drinking skills
Thanks for sharing your trip, as always I have totally enjoyed following along on here and insta-sorry I haven’t commented on each day. I loved reading about Leeds and London it sounds like you both have enjoyed your holiday even if it wasn’t Florida…also big well done to Brett on passing his tests
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Old 9 Oct 21, 09:52 AM  
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Originally Posted by OB1LukeLucas View Post
What an amazing trip I can’t get over all the fabulous food and cocktails consumed everything looks fantastic…it’s not quite the same but I may have to try and hunt out some pork scratings to go with the left over guacamole in the fridge, it’s Friday after all!
I wish I could drink all those cocktail i was goosed after two with Sunday lunch a while back-I admire yours and Brett’s drinking skills
Thanks for sharing your trip, as always I have totally enjoyed following along on here and insta-sorry I haven’t commented on each day. I loved reading about Leeds and London it sounds like you both have enjoyed your holiday even if it wasn’t Florida…also big well done to Brett on passing his tests
Thank you so much, i hadnt heard of rinds with guacamole to be honest but it does work (pork scratchings will have the same taste im sure) i think we do ok with cocktails because we eat before and after and they are also spread out over a long day haha we had an amazing break, not America but still a lot of fun ps apologies you will see all of this again when i start posting on insta haha
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Old 9 Oct 21, 10:17 PM  
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What a fantastic start to the day all your Mexican food looked delicious, especially the tacos. The afternoon tea was just magical, I love the look of the rose dessert! How special that you were able to finish the day with South African food and drinks, so many amazing dishes and you even managed to fit in dessert. Just wonderful! 😍
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Old 10 Oct 21, 10:40 AM  
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princessnicki
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Originally Posted by Sparksy72 View Post
What a fantastic start to the day all your Mexican food looked delicious, especially the tacos. The afternoon tea was just magical, I love the look of the rose dessert! How special that you were able to finish the day with South African food and drinks, so many amazing dishes and you even managed to fit in dessert. Just wonderful! 😍
Thank you, it was definitely an amazing foodie day, the afternoon tea is a such a good experience i want the cheesecake again!
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Old 10 Oct 21, 06:40 PM  
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What a fantastic day the afternoon tea looks amazing
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Old 10 Oct 21, 09:38 PM  
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Originally Posted by P&S View Post
What a fantastic day the afternoon tea looks amazing
Thank you, it was a lovely experience
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2023- Lisbon and Sorrento
2024- Athens and Italy Tour


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Old 12 Oct 21, 02:13 AM  
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A lovely day with wonderful sounding food and drink.

We’re off to cake and bubbles later this week for the same experience and I’m very excited!
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Old 12 Oct 21, 06:25 AM  
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Originally Posted by margyloveswdw View Post
A lovely day with wonderful sounding food and drink.

We’re off to cake and bubbles later this week for the same experience and I’m very excited!
ahh amazing, hope you enjoy it, the cheesecake is immense
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2023- Lisbon and Sorrento
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Old 7 Nov 21, 06:24 PM  
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What a fabulous foody day.

I’m not a fan of coriander so I’m not sure about some of the Mexican but it all looked delicious . Wow to Cake and Bubbles , what a brilliant concept. The rose water .. what a unique idea !

The South African food looked amazing ... I’m still computing fried pig tails and oysters in the same meal though!

what a feast for your tastebuds today .
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