Food / Georgina Does

Food

Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

Matcha Masterclass with Tea PArlour

Monday, 23 February 2026

I've been searching out my favourite foods and making it my business to learn more about how they're made, where they come from etc so this weeks solo adventure was a matcha masterclass.

Chat gpt suggested “your readers already know you’re a matcha girly” and matcha girly I am. I first became part of the cult in 2023, when I insisted that all of my un-foodie friends, came to Taste of London (the food festival) with me. We stopped at the Blank Street stand (little did we know) which was practically unknown at the time, but they were playing very loud EDM and we were there for an absolute age just vibing and chatting to the guys running the stand. I had quite a few mutual friends with one of them, who I later discovered one of the founders of PerfectTed, who are supplying most places (blank street included) with their matcha nowadays. Anyway, whilst we were there, they were handing out cups of this new drink and we were all hooked from that point on.

Fast forward three years and with the amount of matcha I now drink, I thought it'd be interesting to learn a bit more about it and try it in a purer, less sugar spiked form. After a quick google I found Tea Parlour, which according to their website, serve London’s best ceremonial-grade matcha, sourced from Uji, Kyoto. Seemed pretty specialist to me.

Just behind Leicester Square, they hold similar events in store every few weeks, an hour before opening.

This was a better class for people on their one than my last! The couples positioned themselves at one end of the table and at the other end, there were 5 of us on our own which was great and meant a lot more chatting and social interaction.

Yay, my plan worked!

We started by trying three different types of matcha, each with different characteristics as a results of where they were grown. Each were different grades which I was most interested to understand more about, turns out I couldn't tell the difference. I learnt 100% Japanese matcha is becoming less and less common as growers are having to mix it with Chinese grown to meet demand and clearly, most people, like me, don't notice the difference.

After inspecting their colours and tastes, we learnt about the best ratios of hot water to bring out the flavours and how to correctly use a chasen (the wooden whisk.)

Once whisked to perfection, we lined our plastic cups with whatever syrups we wanted. I went for strawberry, (although my usual order is vanilla,) filled it with ice, milk (coconut) and then carefully poured the matcha on top to get that very satisfying separation of colours.

It was a delicious matcha if ever I've tasted one, although it definitely wasn’t as sweet as I’m used to which showed me just how much syrup goes into my usual order.

Regardless, I left feeling a little bit more knowledgeable about something I consume daily, and having had a nice chat with some friendly strangers so it was a success if you ask me!

Tuesday, 21 January 2025

I went to Plaza Khao Gaeng last night, and I'm still thinking about the food this morning.

Actually, it wasn’t just the food - it was the whole experience. It was so good, in fact, that I have very few photos to share from the evening. Sorry about that.

Plaza Khao Gaeng is the lesser known little sister of Soho's currently very popular Speedboat Bar. Walking through Centre Point’s bustling Arcade food hall after work, I was surprised at just how busy it was for a Monday evening. Even with the cold, people still love to go out, I love London.

I found an unassuming staircase tucked away at the back - you wouldn’t really know it was there unless you were specifically looking for it - leading to a small mezzanine brimming with energy. Packed tight with tables covered in plastic tablecloths, trays of cheap pressed metal cutlery, and a roaring wok at the back that would burst into flames every few minutes. Chaos.

If I hadn’t spent a lot of time in Thailand, I might have thought it was a bit of a hot mess for a central London restaurant. But this wasn’t a cheap gimmick - it was very Thai - all that was missing were the tiny plastic stools, although I’m sure the public were much happier with Londoner-sized chairs. Regardless, it was the most authentic dining experience I’ve had since leaving Thailand, and the menu reflected that same authenticity.

This was not a restaurant for unadventurous taste buds. I was a little bit confused about what to try, and I’ve spent years eating who-knows-what from street stalls in Thailand. The Massaman curry was an obvious favourite, although it didn’t look like the Massaman I knew. Two huge chunks of beef and two potatoes sat in a broth-like sauce. It was all over Instagram, and lots of plates of it were whizzing past.

Both of my friends ordered it, but I had a yearning for a plate of morning glory, which is hard to find in England. Unconventionally, I built my meal around that and decided on sticky rice and fried chicken to accompany. It took me straight back to a particular meal I ate on a street in Bangkok, sitting opposite the party hostel I was staying in, eating a meal like this for breakfast - except that one cost 20p. Not that I’m complaining. The fact that I was able to get it in London made it worth it, and actually, the price wasn’t that bad. We had three mains, three sides and two drinks (yay Thai iced milk tea) for £81.

By 6:30 PM, the restaurant was packed and stayed that way for hours, though atmosphere was super casual and inviting. We sat there chatting for a while after dinner, and by the time we left at 9:00 PM, things had calmed down, but the magic lingered.

If you’re looking for an authentic taste of Thailand in London, I’d highly recommend Plaza Khao Gaeng.

and a perfect opportunity for me to post some old photos from Thailand.

Friday, 30 June 2023

Taste of London is quickly becoming my favourite social night of the year.

I have been going consistently for the last few years and every one has been memorable for one reason or another. Whether its discovering a new dish, chatting to owners about their brands or just hanging out with my friends, there's so much to see, I often don't manage to get around it all.

Whilst it is an amazing event, it can end up becoming quite and expensive evening. That being said, there are lots of way to have an awesome time without spending a penny after entry. Here are my top tips from my past experience.

Be friendly to everyone

This is my biggest Taste tip and has afforded me most of my best Taste experiences. Last year we made friends with a group of guys whilst we were all doing a blind date challenge. Turned out there were all there on hospitality passes with work which meant we were able to hang out in (sneak into) the VIP tent with them. This meant free alcohol and a ready made bunch of new friends

This time around, we stuck to just our group of girls for the evening but that didn’t mean I spent any more cash. I found it was as simple as just chatting to the staff before they asked if we wanted anything from the menu – most of the time, that they were charging other people for.

Early ticket deals

Last year I managed to get us free tickets through the apartment complex where I was living at the time but we had such a good time that everyone was keen to buy tickets this time around. We went for the basic entry tickets but thanks to being signed up to the newsletter, I found out that if we bought them on a specific date, they came with a free glass of champagne upon entry; so we did that and it was a great way to kick off the evening.

Get there early

This was something I learnt the first time around (when I went with Georgia all those years ago.) Most of the sessions only last for 4 hours which sounds like a lot, but when you’re having fun, it fly’s by. We were there for almost the whole session and still didn’t get around any of the food stands. There's so much to see and do so make sure you get there early to make the most of your ticket.

Enjoy the free samples

Most stands sample their product which meant we left at the end of the night, totally full, having eaten free samples all evening. We all loved The English cheesecake Company samples so much that we stood talking to the guys for a half an hour and they just gave us one sample after another until we all felt sick.

I ate lots of cheese canapes from another stand but our biggest new discovery was the vanilla iced matcha lattes at Blank Street. They were handing out full sized, free samples and it turned out to be worth it from them because most of us have been out buying them every day since.

As well as food samples, there is usually have something interactive to get involved with. We spun wheels at Mirabeau and won free wine.

If you're after something particular, just ask

It's literally just as simple as asking. We asked the team at Holy Moly for merch and the guy came back with free sunglasses and stickers. The guys at Bol gave me a weeks supply of free lunch because I said I'd be interested to try them all and I got speaking to someone who turned out to the a GM at STK, who gave me a load of coupons for free cocktails.

Another amazing night in the bag. I came away on a high from having spoken to so many new and interesting people about brands they were passionate about. So in conclusion, maximizing your Taste London experience while staying within a budget is not only achievable but also incredibly rewarding.

Wednesday, 6 July 2022

In June, I went on a very last minute trip to somewhere completely new - Lagos (In Portugal, not Nigeria!)

With not a clue what to expect I can now confirm there's a cute little old town, lots of great beaches and some v good restaurants.

As per usual when it comes to travel, I ate and drank rather a lot. I planned my days around it in fact - beaches, walks and pool time slotted in between food and cocktails very few hours!

Here were my favourite stops.

Campimar Beach Restaurant

This place was just a little beach side restaurant but was probably my favourite in terms of food and drink - plus its always nice to walk, off of the beach straight into a restaurant still in your bikini.

We went for lunch and I had the sea bass. I love a whole fish when I'm in holiday so I ate quite a lot of sea bass on this trip but this was my favourite one. Super fresh and prepared particularly well - it had the most delicious, crunchy skin.

They also had a great selection of frozen cocktails which we bought multiple of and took down to the beach!

ORTA by Casa Mae

We headed here on the first night, practically as we got off the plane. In hindsight, we shouldn't have rushed straight there because we were exhausted and couldn't enjoy it to its full potential because it was very nice. Located in the hotel, the set up and atmosphere here is really lovely, somewhere a little bit more romantic and dressed up.

In a sleepy haze, I started with the ceviche and avocado puree, followed by an octopus dish. Both very well presented and both delicious!

The Garden

The Garden is really quite unique and very unexpected, I was caught totally off guard as we arrived. Its located on a normal road, right in the centre of town, and then all of a sudden, you turn a corner and see a little garden entrance.

The restaurant is an amazing South African braai style, open air dining venue. Perfect for the warm evenings in The Algarve.

I went for the mixed plate because I wanted to try as much as possible. This included their 'customer favourite ribs,' - very good - as well as a sausage and some pork. The plate came with coleslaw, new potatoes and a drink. All for €12 .

Highly recommend ordering dessert if you visit as well, the banoffee was unexpectedly awesome!

Bahia Beach Bar & Restaurant

This was our last meal before heading to the airport and what an enjoyable one it was. Lunch was another round of sea bass, paired for a fair few cocktails (Hugos - one of my favourites) and a homemade chocolate mousse for dessert.

It was kind of hidden away for everything, not just somewhere you'd wander past by accident so a very cool vibe.

Restaurante Rei das Praias

This was another beach front restaurant but on another beach, this one was much more upmarket.

Table clothes set the scene whilst lots of white wood and rustic rope kept the vibe, beachy.

A little more expensive that the rest but that came through in the quality of the food - which was great. Of course I went sea bass again here, we both did this time! Filleted and served with chips and a glass of wine and a view.

Monday, 30 May 2022

Home SW15 is a very cute little restaurant on the Upper Richmond road and a bit of a local gem.

The menu is very simple and the vibe is super relaxed but the quality of the food is just *chef's kiss*.

I always leave wondering why I don't eat there more often so when an email pinged letting us know about their latest pop up, we immediately booked tickets.

This pop up had a Spanish theme. And that meant paella.

Not only were they basing it around one of my favourite things to eat; but it was extremely inexpensive at three courses for £20.

We went along on the Monday and opted to sit at the back with the big ceiling windows overlooking the greenery outside. This place is deceivingly large, I must have been inside three times before and not even realised there was more to it further back.

First port of call - a bottle of their imported Spanish wine which we were lucky to get as they were selling out fast. Along with the wine, I had one of their 'Sea Breeze' cocktails which was super refreshing and the perfect drink for a bright Summer's evening - it was really just an alcoholic lemonade with fragrant, fresh mint.

We then moved on to the first course which in true Spanish style, was tapas.

Whilst it did look pretty basic, they used top quality ingredients and we could actually taste it in the dishes - especially the simple ones. The chorizo was super flavourful - not just full of fat and the olives were so good that we ended up fighting over them.

The paella was wonderful. Big prawns are great but the muscles were next level and very large and juicy. The squid rings and chicken all complimented the flavour and were cooked to perfection.

Paella is just a food that makes me happy and reminds me of being on holiday so is a very enjoyable meal.

I can't rest until I've had something sweet at the end of a meal and the crema catalana did the job perfectly. It was super light with a slight orange taste to it and a sweet, caramelised sugar top. Very satisfying to break in to.

I'm excited for their next pop-up, whatever it may be!

Thursday, 31 March 2022

I'd say I love hot chocolate as much as the next person but actually, I don't - not the typical coffee shop hot chocolates anyway, you know the ones that taste like milk and powder. Absolutely not.

As such, I am always on the lookout for hot chocolates that are thick and delicious, ones that look like brownie batter or melted chocolate, something that someone has actually put some effort into creating, not just an extra for kids put on a coffee shop menu.

Lucky for me, I live in London and the hot chocolate scene here seems to be blowing up at the moment. I'm yet to find anywhere that serves a cup of melted chocolate (apart from Cadbury's World) but I am finding some gems on my search!

Knoops - The Reliable one.

Knoops is very understated, for all anyone else knows, I could be drinking a cup of coffee, but inside my very plain looking coffee cup is probably the most delicious hot chocolate of them all.

With shops all over London (and beyond) my first visit to the store was overwhelming to say the least, the whole back wall is covered in numbers which makes choosing the right chocolate percentage rather confusing. I was v scared of making a wrong choice but having asked the barista for some advice, I picked the 34% that day and haven't looked back since.

I have, however experimented with the 34. I discovered that you can also have it cold, as an iced drink or a milkshake. Whilst their flavour of the month happened to be a 34 with sea salt, my first sip of that combination as a thick, creamy milkshake, was one of these weird moments when the world around you stops for a few seconds. It was amazing.

Download the app and get your first drink free.

Chin chin - The Decadent one.

It's not often I am outdone by something sugary (it probably didn't help that I bought one of their burnt banana ice cream cakes as well) but I didn't get very far through this one the first time and I shared one with my mum the second! It's super decadent, thick and rich but just a little bit bitter for my liking, like it had been made with darker chocolate.

Also very impressive looking with a huge scoop of torched marshmallow on top. I often find the marshmallow to be more style than substance but this comes from a dessert parlour so the guys actually know what they're doing and yes, it was delicious.

Found at: Soho & Camden Market.

Appleblue Patisserie - The Milky one.

This marshmallow was not a vibe with this one, but the chocolate covered lip of the cup? They're on to a winner with that.

The drink itself was on the thin side but very nice and still v rich. Yes

Find this one in Balham.

Said Dial - The Liquid Chocolate one.

Wandering around Soho, we saw people drinking them out on the street and had to have one. At first, I was unsure whether it was just a cup of melted chocolate or whether there was anything more, sadly the menu confirmed it was the latter.

That being said, when it turned up and I couldn't tell where to melted chocolate ended and the hot drink started so I was very pleased with this one.

Dark Sugars - The Artisan One.

Dark sugars is a handmade chocolate shops with outlets in Brick Lane and Greenwich. The displays of truffles bring in a crowd but it's the hot chocolate I go there for!

It looks very impressive, topped with shards of milk, white and dark chocolate and whilst I was tempted to eat it all straight away, the best part of this one is actually once I got down to the dregs and realised that most of it had melted and dropped to the bottom.

Too busy dealing with chocolate to take a photo so this one has been borrowed from here

Monday, 29 November 2021

This week on my quest for quirky restaurants and unique experiences in London, I came across Opium and their birthday celebrations in Chinatown.

From the street, all you see of Opium is an inconspicuous entrance leading up to an extremely dark stairwell but at the top, the noise and heavy atmosphere hit me as soon as opened the door. Lit up with lanterns and packed with people, it was dark, hidden, busy; a tiny little place that felt kind of exclusive, like a secret.

Having arrived early, we had time for a quick drink before being ushered down some stairs into a secret bar which was where the event took place. Having flicked through the menu, I knew this place was going to be good. Each cocktail was totally unique and the ones we ordered with delicious.

There were about 20 people in total, in the secret little bar. Designed to feel like an old school Chinese drinking den it was the perfect venue to host what really was, an awesome evening.

The time flew by as we made our way through three classic cocktails and then their take on each one; paired with some dim sum.

Starting simple with a G&T; their take came mixed with pineapple & cucumber wine. It took away all the usual bitterness of gin and was the first time I've enjoyed it. This light and fruity drink came with a basket of king prawn dumplings which we made our way though whilst listening to an explanation on how gin and tonics got paired. That sort of stuff is always interesting.

Next was a Mai Tai. We tried the classic and then watched Chef Jeremy make their version whilst he told us about its origin. With the addition of toasted cumin, this drink was absolutely something else, the smell alone took you to somewhere else. Mango cordial gave it an added fruity zing added so much to the original cocktail. We drank those with spicy duck dumplings.

Last was an old fashioned which I didn't like. Whiskey is, just not for me, although, this heavy drink came alongside some Cantonese BBQ pork buns and those were delicious. We actually stayed and ordered some more after the event came to an end - along with some more food and drinks - and would have continued to do so for a few hours had the kitchen not shut.

So yes, a very good evening. Sadly, the event was a one time thing, but if what we ate and drank was anything to go by, then I'll be very keen to head back as soon as I get the chance.

It was mid November so acceptable time to get my first sparkly top of the season out which was very exciting. I paired it with black jeans, leather boots and some new jewellery which I've been gifted via Estee Lalonde at Daisy London. I haven't worn a necklace, or a bracelet for that matter, for years but I did like the way these pieces looked - a simple chain can add so much to an outfit.

SLIDER