One night recently H and I fancied some takeaway and decided to try out a restaurant in Aldershot called Taste Buds Caribbean Cuisine (98 Grosvenor Road).
We tried phoning a few times, but it went through to answer machine, so we decided to drive over and see if it still existed, with a back-up plan of going to the Nanglo Cafe if not.
I have been waiting for a while in hope that Vietnamese food is about to be the next big thing.
Every town, however small, would have a takeaway, and one could devour delicious noodle salads, bowls of pho and fresh summer rolls with ease. The food is often healthy, always delicious and there are enough crispy things available for treats.
There are the odd restaurants here and there, plus a cluster around Kingsland Road in London, but they are sadly far too rare.
When we decided to visit Bournemouth for a few days, I did my usual food research and was therefore thrilled to come across a restaurant called Pho Viet (976 Wimborne Road). I visited the website and drooled over the menu, sent the link onto H who was likewise afflicted, and he booked us a table.
Nearly two years having passed since my last luxuriously priced afternoon tea, I was starting to crave finger sandwiches and tiers of cakes.
If two of you are attending a restaurant by car, one of you has to forgo alcohol.
I’m not a big drinker, as I’ve probably mentioned before. I don’t like the taste of alcohol, preferring apple juice to cider, fancy fizzy pop to champagne and milkshakes to White Russians. This makes me the natural designated driver, and while I’m always hopeful of something interesting yet non-alcoholic on the drinks menu, often as not there’s nothing that inspiring.
Therefore while H perused the amazing cocktail menu at Stovell’s (125 Windsor Road, Chobham), I was feeling a bit left out until I noticed on the menu it said to ask about soda, cordials etc. The incredibly helpful bar guy asked me what I liked, and I mentioned how the rhubarb puree in one of the cocktails had caught my eye. A few minutes later I was sipping a rhubarb, nettle, chocolate bitters and soda concoction, and feeling content.
This excellent start set the tone for the meal. After ordering, wonderful warm rolls with two types of butter (one smoked) arrived, accompanied by a pea shot and some interesting large crisps of different varieties, including parmesan and potato.
Picture a couple in a gondola, gently propelled along a narrow canal by a skilled gondolier. Now add 3 other passengers, a crap ton of rain, umbrellas and cameras in all hands, and the romance rapidly evporates. We watched them drift past us as we splashed our way through the streets on the first full day of our recent brief trip to Venice.
It was sunny the next day. And to be fair, Venice is pretty amazing whatever the weather. Dilapidated ornate buildings lapped by lagoon waters, maze-like passageways, tiny steep bridges over miniature canals – it certainly isn’t like anywhere else I’ve ever been.
But other people can tell you more about that stuff. I’m all about the food.
