A UK Food Study

I apologize for the long break...I have been in the UK but am back and better then ever! Whilst there I tasted many different and wonderful foods including:

- Italian
- Thai
- Lebanese
- Indian
- Japanese
- Pub Food
- English Nouveau
- Homemade food

The first night our hosts treated us to a lovely Italian meal next the Thames. The second evening we decided we would make our own dinner. My contribution was a Caprese Salad (pictured below). It is so easy and delicious... I love adding sea salt for an added crunch. So good!

Ah Fish and Chips, I'm so predictable right? At the Marlborough Arms Pub J and I each dined our own fish and chips. I indulged in a delicious Guinness while J had a Snakebite which I had next. She has tried to get snakebites here in the states but no one knows what they are so we had to take advantage of it while we were there.

J and I made a trek down to Brighton for one evening and discovered the world's best kept secret...freshly made doughnuts covered in cinnamon and sugar. Normally I am not a doughnut fan ( I know, gasp) but these were divine. So we purchased 4, sat on the boardwalk and covered ourselves in sugar like the disgusting Americans we are.

That evening our B&B hosts suggested The Giggling Squid for Thai food. Our app was a medley of toasted and fried treats with one dumpling which I loved. For my main I got Pad Thai. I have a slight addiction to Pad Thai. On any other menu I believe in ordering something different but not with Thai food, I stick with what I like. 

One of my favorite activities was going to the Mad Hatter Tea Party at the Sanderson Hotel. We each indulged in a cocktail that was tea infused - mine with Chamomile and hers with Earl Grey - and they were oh so easy to drink. We were also brought real tea. We had a pot of Chamomile and then Green. For food...well... just look.

 Our platter included:
- An opera cake (with a clock on top)
- A strawberry shortcake (that said 'Eat Me')
- A bottle of 3 flavored mousses ('Drink Me')
- Scones (my favorite)
- Ice cream lollypop with pop rocks sprinkled on top
- Hard candy lollypop that felt cool on one side and warm on the other
-  4 types of sandwiches
- Strawberry jam
- Clotted Cream

My favorite was the Indian. Our host brought my friend and I to a byob place on a main street in a not-so-great part of town where you must wait in line to be seated and are lucky to eventually gain the attention of a waiter to take your order. After we borrowed menu's from the neighboring table I picked pilau biryani and plain biryani, naan, and chicken tikka masala. I loved tearing pieces of the naan off, hugging a piece of chicken and using the sauce to collect rice and enjoy all the flavors at once.
(Lahore Kebab House 2-4 Umberston St, London E1 1PY, United Kingdom)


Coming in a close 2nd was the Lebanese dinner. Please note: I tried Goat Testicles. There it is, I said it. For my main I had lamb in a garlic yogurt sauce - watch out bad breath!

England is not this food wasteland that everyone coins it for. I studied abroad there and because of a low budget did not enjoy this vast array of food but instead snacked on pb&j sandwiches constantly. This return trip instilled a new confidence in the wide variety of food London has to offer and the fun places you can discover when you talk to the locals.