Peru via Carnaby Street

An inexplicably sunny and warm Saturday lured us into Central London this weekend. With the sun on our backs and food on our minds (let's face it, it always is...), we ventured over to Kingly Court in search of sustenance. 

Just off Carnaby Street, Kingly Court is a sun-drenched courtyard that feels like a delicious little secret to everyone there. On this particular day, it was a little oasis just a stone's throw away from the tourist traps, and we couldn't be more grateful.

The seemingly impossible task of choosing where to eat was next on our agenda. Having done a circuit of the first floor, and stared indiscriminately at the plates of diners sat at the open window seats, we decided on Peruvian restaurant, Señor Ceviche. 

We were given the warmest of welcomes...

... and shown to our table. 

Chloe is the only person in the world I will happily share food with, so we chose liberally from Señor Ceviche's sharing-policy menu, and waited for the spoils to arrive. 

I can only assume that the chefs at Señor Ceviche are well-versed in magic, because what arrived was so utterly delicious that we sat, silent and in awe, for some time after our first bite.

First up was Chifa Chicharonnes - slow cooked pork belly bites in a soy sauce. Soft, melt-in-your-mouth pork with a crispy shell, bathed in a sticky, sweet and salty glaze, and topped with a smooth creamy sauce. We decided immediately that we could live on Chicharonnes for the rest of our lives.

And then, there were wings (we love a wing). Tamarind Chilli Wings to be exact. A devilishly dark and rich sauce, sweet, sticky, and with a warming, tantalising heat smothered generously-sized chicken wings that were moist and moreish with perfectly crisp skin. 

We allowed ourselves a main dish each as Chloe, understandably, fancied the Señor Ceviche, and I am not the biggest fan of seafood and fish. 

The Señor Ceviche definitely lived up to being the name-sake dish. Delicious citrus notes happily complimented the sea bream and octopus. The aji amarillo tiger's milk was full of flavour and the sweat potato puree gave the dish a depth and body that made it simply heaven to eat. 

I decided instead, to go for the Anticucho de Pollo. Tender chunks of chicken balanced delicately on skewers above pools of Amarillo and huacatay sauce and cool, creamy coriander yoghurt. This arrived with sweet potato fries and delectable Frijoles Negras, with bacon, burnt aubergine and a small hill of sour cream.  

We left convinced that we had to return, and that we should move to Peru immediately. A definite soul-soothing must-visit if you're burnt-out after shopping on Oxford Street.

Stephanie x

Wings Wednesdays at The Bohemia

#WingsWednesday is, by far, one of our favourite days of the week, and no-one does it quite like The Bohemia, North Finchley. From 7 o'clock on a Wednesday we take up residence on one of their insanely comfortable, beaten up old leather sofas and prepare for the feast ahead of us...

Succulent chicken coated in a delicious sauce, cooked to perfection and accompanied by a delicious dipping sauce. And what's more, on a Wednesday you can get half a kilo of these treats for £5!

To get the best of both worlds, Stephanie and I split our portions with the aim of dividing and conquering (and to see if we can finish them all!). It's worth dropping The Bohemia a tweet on the day to see if they have any specials going and this week the special was beyond belief - Detroit Hot Honey Wings. 

We placed our order, alongside our old favourite of Hot Wings with a Blue Cheese dipping sauce and some curly fries on the side, and let the feasting begin! 

Needless to say the Hot Wings did not disappoint but, the star of the show was easily the Detroit wings. A sticky, sweet, warming glaze that coated the wings perfectly was only heightened by the delectable dipping sauce on the side. They have taken up permanent residence in our hearts and next time they are on the specials board, we will be going back. 

The Bohemia is a London Brewing Company Pub  so be sure to check out their selection of beers as well. We went for the trusted favourite, Strawberry beer which we find compliments our wings perfectly. 

The next time you are in North London on a Wednesday head down to see what all the fuss is about. We promise, you will not leave wanting! 

Chloe x

The Fentiman's Botanical Garden Cocktail Bar

Let's start at the beginning shall we...

...that seems, for all intents and purposes, like the best place to start.

Like many a night before, we found ourselves half-skipping excitedly through Soho on a week night, in search of the next pop-up bar or restaurant, or handheld food stand that we had heard about on some obscure Twitter feed, or email that had landed by spectacular coincidence in our overburdened work inboxes.

This time, it was the turn of the Fentiman's Botanical Garden Cocktail Bar at L'Escargot. As we climbed the stairs past ornately decorated salons the colour of La Durée macarons, we had high hopes, and we were not disappointed when we reached the bar in the rafters. On this particular night, an album launch for a folk band was also taking place in the Fentiman's room, so we were treated to dulcet tones as we sipped.

A large, and very beautiful conservatory-slash-greenhouse-slash-library-slash-laboratory greeted us, and we established a perch directly in front of the very charming barman, between the company of flora and ferns that bedecked the room.

It was while we were so perched, in a heady haze of cocktails and a veritable hoedown, that we decided to start a food blog, and document our adventures properly.

We started with a 'Lillet Rose', comprised of Lillet Blanc and Fentiman's Victorian Rose Lemonade, and a 'Citrus Dream' (Ketel One Citroen, Rose Wine and Fentiman's Victorian Lemonade) respectively. The Lillet Rose was sweet and infinitely refreshing, and disappeared all too quickly.

The 'Citrus Dream' was a tantalising mix of delicious citrus notes leaving a sharp but satisfying taste on your tongue. Much like the 'Lillet Rose', it was gone all too soon. 

Next, we were dutifully offered our second round of cocktails, and plumped for the 'Fearless Fun' (tequila, cointreau and Fentiman's Ginger Beer) and the 'Curiosity' (bourbon, orange zest and a reduction of Fentiman's Curiosity Cola). 'Fearless Fun' was deliciously fresh and moreish, with a hint of heat from the underlying ginger beer.

The 'Curiosity' was balanced in the most perfect way, with the warmth of the bourbon underlying every sip creating a constant want for more. 

Having exhausted our Time Out London voucher for 4 cocktails, Chloe's gift for befriending barmen came in handy (not for the first time, certainly not for the last) and we were kept well-watered for the rest of the night with Fentiman's collaborative Bloom's gin mixes. The Bloom's and Rose Lemonade is not to be missed.

If you haven't yet visited the Fentiman's pop-up at L'Escargot then do - you won't be disappointed.

Stephanie x