Clockjack Oven

Finally a place that just bloody get’s it! I did a little research into chicken restaurants as I have a boyfriend who can’t get enough of the stuff and after pondering the thought of yet another Nandos, I wanted to push the boat out just a tad and find somewhere that really specialised in good quality, free range chicken.

Clockjack Oven is a rotiserrie, however they don’t just serve it roasted, they provide other delights, bites, sandwiches, salads etc. When doing my research I tweeted the restaurant and the incredibly kind manager not only organised a birthday sweet treat for the boy (he went to Fortnum & Mason and found chocolate dipped coconut macaroons; his favourite!) but upon arrival greeted me like a long lost friend and we received the royal treatment throughout our visit, I couldn’t have been more grateful.

As we sat down, glasses of water were immediately placed on the table. I love this, it’s what everyone needs and a staple ritual in the US, I always wondered why the UK don’t want their diners hydrated. Further to that two glasses of Prosecco were also placed down, a wonderful surprise to begin the night.

We chose the Crispy Chicken Bites to start with; marinated in buttermilk, coated in seasoned gram flour and lightly fried. Accompanied by the BBQ sauce and the favourite of the night; the Ranch Sauce which was thick, cool and creamy. The bites are a bargain at £4.95 as you get a fair few. The coating has a delicious, peppery taste to it, not too strong, riddled with crispiness on the coating and the meat is so soft and tender you genuinely forget the last time you had chicken so good. The quality is ever present and it left us wanting more.

For the mains they offer the roast chicken in portions of 3 pieces, 4 or a whole chicken. We chose 3 each with sides of caeser salad and fries. A fine choice. The gloriously roasted bird was served in a shallow bowl and the 3 pieces separated nicely. They give you a portion from each part, the leg, wing and breast. The birds are all sitting perkily on their merry go round fire and the smell infusing the restaurant really is wonderful. Not so overwhelming and acutely different to the house on a Sunday before lunch, the cooking made the air sweet with the mild smoky smell and it is evident that the technique has most definitely been perfected. I haven’t tasted chicken like this before…roasted to perfection, the soft meat was delectable and the skin was light, the crisp being dusted with flakes of sea salt was just the most perfect touch. In a word: incredible.

The salad tasted just like the caesar salads in America except the ingredients every bit fresher and more real, the crunch of the romaine was a welcome coldness to the bold warmth of the chicken. The fries were double cooked and beautifully fluffy.

We were so overwhelmed by the arrival of the dessert that we didn’t photograph it, we simply devoured it – but as I mentioned, this was a delicacy pre-arranged by the wonderful manager especially for us.

The service was impeccable and the atmosphere is second to none. I went to Banana Tree in Soho a few weeks back and I felt so wracked with anxiousness because of the bus-stop like queue piling in, the broken record music playing a decibel too loud to attempt enjoying their chewy ‘must have’ curry, (which I sent back) that it was anything but enjoyable. But this, got it just right. The lighting was ever so slightly dimmed, the music was audible of course, but remained in the background, as it should. The design of the restaurant is well thought out, modern and even a bar area for people wanting to enjoy a feast alone.

I love that it is free range, that they know what they are doing and that the flavours of each meal represent all tastes and that they really and truly understand that a beaming smile and attention to detail goes a long, long way. It’s the best dinner I’ve had in ages and I left feeling happy and full. Is there anything better?

You must go, take all your friends and if you think you’ve had chicken….you haven’t, until you’ve had a Clockjack Chicken. KFC and Nandos…you ain’t got nothing on Clockjack.

Rate: 5

Clockjack Oven

14 Denman Stret, Soho, London, W1D 7HJ

020 7287 5111

http://www.clockjackoven.com/

Panino Giusto

I had the good fortune to attend the launch party of the new Panino Giusto restaurant in The Royal Exchange Building. I knew to expect Italian food, but it wasn’t until I arrived that my ignorance surpassed and I was told that ‘panino’ is the singular term for ‘panini,’ which means all this time we’ve been saying it wrong…and actually asking for multiple panino. As I’ve said previously, when I reviewed the delectable Il Bambino; the British don’t understand panini, there is an instant stigma attached and you can thank the Caffe Neros and Costas for that. Rock solid bread that scrapes the roof of your mouth with a very resistable, processed slice of ham, some rubber posing as cheese and perhaps an off cut of an under ripe tomato, so that the food standards agency can classify it as a recognised savoury food.

I am for the revolution of changing this stigma as Panino Giusto has the most refreshing, beautifully formed and delicately prepared food I’ve had in England for a long, long time. We started off with a crisp prosecco, not too sweet and the perfect aperitif. The panini I had were the ‘Garibaldino,’ (Bresaola, Mozzarella, seasonal tomato, rocket, extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper) the accompaniments of oil and rocket and the incredibly sweet to perfection tomatoes were spot on. The meat sliced so utterly thin, it quite literally melts in your mouth and the bread, (oh the bread!) a slight crunch and effortless in it’s lightness, it had me craving the next dish. The following delight arrived, this time the ‘Tartufo’ (Parma Ham, Brie, seasonal tomato, rocket, Alba truffle oil). The Parma ham was stronger and saltier than the previous, in no way chewy, which is refreshing for Parma. The kicker with this one; the truffle oil. I mean real truffle oil. That garlicky influence overwhelmed my taste buds and when I thought it couldn’t get much better, the wine served with it (and I am not a wine drinker, but…when in Rome (or Naples for today)) was a sweet, thick, luxurious nectar; Infernot, Fattoria Cabanon, Lombardy, 2007/9.

Next came Mortadella with pistachio nuts, produced by the Veroni Brothers, which was was light and a nice contrast to the other hams as the nuttiness really blended well with the meat. Less salty than the others, but just as good. At this point I was bowled over by the bursts of new flavours, I had been dulled by the ‘same same’ nature of The British High Street restaurants. Then came the winner of the night. The chef, Alessandro Borghese announced it was his favourite. From Naples, with his own Sky 1 TV show and about to be a judge on the upcoming Junior Masterchef, ever the charming and lyrically sounding, I trusted his word. He was not wrong. Ridiculously thin slivers of Fassona roast beef from Piedmont lightly cooked around the edges and pink in the middle with an ambrosial lemon oil and cracked black pepper, roasted with rosemary and sage. The careful cooking process is evident and without a doubt, I have never tasted anything like it. I took a slice, then another, then another, as a joke Alessandro placed a whole plate of slices upon the table and it was polished of by me and my two fellow diners almost instantly. I’ve never had better.

Slapping myself on the wrists for toying with the greedy notion that there might possibly be a sweet treat to follow, I was actually right! My mouth began to salivate when I heard music to my ears…’Tiramisu’…my ever faithful friend. It’s hard to go wrong with this and with the aforementioned savoury delights, this couldn’t have possibly been a disappointment. I already have a firm favourite when it comes to Tiramisu, at my darling place in NY, and when I tasted this one it was so different, it was hard to compare – but one thing’s for sure, they are definitely on a par. This was so light, the cream was like air. The incredibly professional and charming waitress said there was a trick and that was that the eggs and the mascarpone must be whisked together for no less than 7 minutes. Along with the mystical, air like quality, the taste was not too bold, it was subtle and easy to have more. It didn’t make you bloat or feel guilty, it was too elegant for that. It didn’t need to be apologetic and you didn’t feel sorry.

The last surprise of the night was a very rich espresso twinned with a little gift box, Il Giustino. Inside was a miniature chocolate coated ice cream in a cone. You are supposed to dip and swirl the ice cream inside the espresso where it will ever so slightly melt the chocolate, making this whole experience complete.

The restaurant itself is sleek and modern and with no traffic nearby, its peaceful and wonderful. They have a takeaway menu and I suggest you get some panini (yes, multiple) as this is not to be missed!

Rate: 5

Panino Giusto

1-3 Royal Exchange Building, Bank, London, EC3V 3LR

Recipe – Spaghetti Carbonara – ASK Cookbook

I got my hands on the new ASK cookbook recently and just love it when simple recipes are executed really well. I decided to take a peruse through and cook an old favourite, carbonara. I really like the way everything is laid out, it’s easy to understand and while the recipes are easy to make, they definitely have a nice twist to them that make them a bit more special than normal.

I chose to make carbonara as it’s pure comfort food! It’s got all the ingredients for a great home-cooked meal.

Ingredients (serving for 6 people):

250g pancetta or guanciale, cubed

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

500g spaghetti

6 large egg yolks (at room temperature)

100g parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, finely grated

100g pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

50g single cream (at room temperature)

Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

How to make it:

• Pop a large pan of salted water on the cooker to boil for the spaghetti.
• Pour a tsp of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the pancetta slowly until it becomes golden and crispy. Turn the heat off, but leave it in the pan for now.
• Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water. (I like to twist and drop – so it swirls and cooks evenly!)
• When the spaghetti is almost cooked, place the egg yolks in a large warm serving bowl and stir in three quarters of both cheeses and a tbsp and a half of parsley. Grind in a little black pepper to season it.
• Turn the heat back on under the pancetta.
• Just before draining the spaghetti use a mug to scoop out some of the water and set it aside.
• Drain the spaghetti and immediately add it to the bowl with the eggs & cheese and stir it altogether (YUM)
• Add half a mugful of the hot water that you set aside earlier.
• Sprinkle the pancetta with its oil over the mix and stir it in.
• If you would like to add the cream…do this now.
• Serve straight away and garnish with parsley & black pepper.
• The remaining cheese can be on the side in case you want to add it on top.
• VOILA!!!!

The consistency was so nice and thick, not too stodgy and you could really taste the cheeses in it which were quite strong but not overpowering. The pancetta gave it that slightly smoky taste and while I normally am not a fan of fresh parsley, it was a welcome accompaniment to the dish. I added the single cream as I thought it would make the spaghetti a little bit less sticky which it duly did, and it was absolutely delicious!

The ASK Italian Cookbook can be purchased from ASK Italian restaurants for £10, with £4 from each sale going to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and help fund the dining rooms, play areas and kitchen within the hospital’s new Surgery Centre, due to open in 2016.

The book can also be purchased from bookshops and other retailers with a minimum of £1 going towards the charity.

It’s definitely worth it for some delicious, simple recipes and it’s all for a good cause, Great Ormond Street Hospital and your family’s tummies!

City Bakery

Wandering around the Flatiron District on a cold Saturday, I decided to warm myself up in a place I had heard lots about, City Bakery. I came in and I have to say, it wasn’t what I was expecting. Not just teas/coffees etc but a whole ‘serve yourself’ salad and lunch bar. It seemed like a canteen and not the ‘bakery’ feel I so often lust for when one wants a little tranquility on a busy day.

I asked the sales assistant what she recommended, she answered ‘the vegan, dairy free cookie is great’, ignoring her idiotic suggestion I ordered an overload of chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie and a hot chocolate with their famous homemade, giant marshmallow on top.

Let’s start with the cookie. It was very thick and almost like biting into a chunky piece of bread, a real mouthful. I know this sounds really weird, but there was a slight smell of fish to it. You know when you sometimes smell butter and it’s a bit ‘fridge smell’ like, well that’s kind of what this was. It was quite rich and not that amazing and so I only managed half, funnily enough the next day it tasted (and smelt) better.

Now for the hot chocolate. Unbeknownst to me, it was that thick, oozy hot chocolate that you often find in Italy or Spain. I can’t handle hot chocolate like this, I don’t see it as a drink, more of a calorie filled dessert. After a couple of sips, really feeling the fat starting to lay down for a nice long nap on my hips, I had a thought, and proceeded to carry this gloop back to my apartment and poured about a third of it into a mug and topped the rest up with milk and heated it up. Lo and behold it was the most delicious hot chocolate I have had in a long while. The marshmallow was pretty good too.

So, I feel it was a little hit and miss, it all looked great but just not quite there for me. I’d also like to mention that this experience cost me just under $10. Extortion!!

Rate: 3.5

City Bakery

3 W 18th St # 1  New York, NY 10011

(212) 366-1414

http://www.thecitybakery.com/

Fonda Manhattan

A friend suggested we go to Fonda for brunch. I knew nothing about this place, so with no expectations, I entered!

A Mexican eatery serving a really refreshing menu. The brunch entrees had the typical ‘breakfast burrito’ and the like but everything seemed to be with a little extra je ne sais quoi and a few new surprises.

I chose the Huevos Divorciados, which quite literally means divorced eggs. The description was breathtaking. Two sunny side up eggs separated by two sauces, salsa verde and ranchera sauce, served with black beans, crispy bacon, queso fresco and crema. The taste, even better. The eggs and all the accoutrements are inside a crispy pocket of tortilla, how they manage to not break the yolk, I have no idea. Cutting open this culinary feast to see the yolk ooze out into the salsa looked so beautiful. The oranges, reds and green were good enough to eat, it was quite unbelievable! Perfectly cooked and light enough to not feel bloated and overstuffed, this place really gets it right.

There was a really nice atmosphere and the service was good…minor pet hate was that they cleared some dishes before others had finished. Also, eyeing up what others had…next time I am definitely ordering the guacamole!

Go and check out this East Side gem.

Rate: 4.7

Fonda Manhattan

40 Avenue B, Manhattan, NY 10009

212-677-4096

http://www.fondarestaurant.com/

The Cornelia Street Café

Having recently moved to New York, I know that I am in a culinary haven and not only do I need to explore new places, but I also need to relive old favourites. The Cornelia Street Café is one of those little gems that I’m so happy I found a few years ago when looking for somewhere new for brunch. When in New York one must do as they do…and my God do they know how to ‘brunch’.

Cornelia offers main plates, typical brunch dishes of course with their own twist to it, like homefries roasted with garlic and rosemary and they use fresh salad instead of an abundance of toast – really it’s quite refreshing. You can either order like normal or go for their offer of $20 for a side – there are a few to choose from including the delicious chocolate bread that literally melts in your mouth (courtesy of Amy’s Bread that is just a stone’s throw away on Bleecker), a main dish, and a hot and cold drink. This is a great bargain for the quality of the dishes.

The orange juice is as fresh as it can come, the tea – well for Americans they did try. It was served as black, not even a side of milk, but when I asked they politely brought it over. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of Stash Tea before though, it wasn’t great.

The oh so difficult question always comes to me and that is ‘sweet or savoury?’ Well lucky for you I tried them both – so you’ll hear what I thought on both accounts. First up – Buttermilk Pancakes topped with fresh fruit and accompanied with Vermont maple syrup. The pancakes were the depiction of fluffy – not too sickly sweet and the perfect amount. The fruit was ripe and sweet and the maple…oh the maple, the heavenly nectar trickled over each pancake literally completing the dish. Perfection!

On the savoury side I chose The Farmer’s Breakfast -Eggs Any Style on a Bed of Greens w/ Crumbled Bacon, Rosemary Roast Potatoes & Roasted Garlic. The salad really takes the edge off the portion size – if it was with toast then I don’t know how much I could have handled. I chose to have my eggs poached and they really were cooked to perfection, the yolk poured out over the bacon so delectably and the bacon was just unbelievable, a slight crunch, but not too much and the saltiness mixed with the sweet of the egg just complemented the dish brilliantly. The roasted potatoes were seasoned well and thankfully the rosemary seasoning wasn’t too strong as I find it can be quite overpowering sometimes. This feels like an adult’s dish – that sounds silly perhaps, but try it and you’ll see what I mean. You’ll leave there wanting to go shopping for rugs or antique coffee tables. Eat it, you’ll see!

The service is good, you don’t notice them that much but they’re polite and friendly. Always the best way.

Cornelia also serves all other meals and has live music and performances scheduled on a regular basis too. Be sure to visit if you get a chance.

Rate: 4.6

The Cornelia Street Café

29 Cornelia Street, New York, NY 10014

(212) 989-9319

http://corneliastreetcafe.com/

Meatballs & Spaghetti Recipe

This is a slight variation of Jamie Oliver’s recipe from Ministry of Food, it is fantastic, I’ve just changed a few things to make it a little easier for the chef!

For this recipe I made 18 meatballs (they were about ping-pong ball size), I froze 9 and cooked 9.

For the Meatballs you will need:

Minced beef (500g)

Dried Rosemary (1tsp heaped)

Cream Crackers (x12)

Dijon Mustard (2tsps heaped)

Dried Oregano (1tbsp heaped)

Egg (x1)

Salt & Pepper (a pinch of each)

• First pop your cream crackers into a freezer bag and seal, then bash then with a meat mallet until they are crumbs…

• Next, pop the all the ingredients into a mixing bowl…

• Mix all this together with your hands until all the ingredients are incorporated into the mixture…

• Clean your hands and leave them a little wet (makes them less sticky) and make the meatballs rolling them in the palm of your hands. Set them to one side.

We will come back to them in a moment. Now for the sauce.

You will need:

Olive Oil (to fry)

Chopped Tomatoes (1 x can or carton)

Hot Chili Powder (1 x tbsp)

Medium Onion (x1)

Garlic (2 cloves)

Fresh Basil (1 sprig)

Balsamic vinegar (around 2 x tbsp)

• Fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil and stir until softened.
• Throw in the chili powder and mix in, leaving it to fry for a moment.
• Next, pour in the chopped tomatoes and stir it through.
• Add the fresh basil separating the leaves.
• Pour in the balsamic and let it simmer for a moment. Add a pinch of salt if needed.

• Start boiling some water in a pan and throw in your spaghetti (60g per person)

• In a separate frying pan heat some oil, make sure it covers the whole base. Add your meatballs into fry on a medium heat…and turn them over every couple of minutes…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Once they are cooked, pop them into the sauce. and mix around being careful not to break them, although they should be pretty solid.

• Once your spaghetti is ready, drain and serve…

• For the real deal add some cheese…

• And then mix together! YUM!!!! You should have a rich sauce with just enough spiciness to give it a good kick. The meatballs should be a little crispy on the outside and soft and meaty on the inside, the flavour of the rosemary should be subtle and the whole thing should melt in your mouth. DEELISH!!!!