the woodstock kushiyaki bar

The demand for Japanese cuisine does not seem to be dwindling any time soon, and we have another new kid on the block: The Woodstock Kushiyaki Bar. In Japanese, Kushiyaki literally means "cooked on a stick", and it pretty much sums up the place.

My two girlfriends and I went for dinner on a Wednesday night during the soft launch period (50% off the food bill!), and it was pretty packed. Their menu is small but covers the basics, which kind of makes it more authentic - they're after the bar/pub vibe of these types of places in Japan, where people would stop by for a quick bite and a beer before heading home after work.

As they had just opened, the service was a little haphazard and the place was hardly a well-oiled machine, but that's to be expected - and the reason for soft launches! The staff were friendly though and it was a cosy, casual atmosphere.

We pretty much ordered most of the menu (not hard to do...) - including fried squid, prawns, pork belly, chicken breast, chicken thigh, quail eggs, tomato with bacon, tempura courgettes, soft shell crab, and tonkatsu (fried pork). Everything was flavourful and well-cooked; my favourites were the pork belly and chicken thigh, but there wasn't a dish I didn't enjoy. I would say that none of it was spectacularly impressive, but it was all very good. 

The real verdict is, would I go back and pay full price for the menu? I actually think I would, but not for a full dinner with a big appetite. If I was feeling slightly peckish and wanted a snack-ish meal, it would be a good place to go.

I had a great evening catching up with my girls though (they also had decent wine for decent prices) and we all left happy and full, so I'm glad we gave it a try and would love to know your thoughts if you go there!

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postcard from south africa :: silverspoon london

Warning: severe wanderlust ahead. The lovely Angie from Silverspoon London has sent me a gorgeous postcard from South Africa, where she is currently travelling around and exploring, and I am so excited to share it with you! The photos are stunning, perfectly capturing the adventure and the beautiful nature and scenery that she is enjoying - I am living vicariously through her as someone who has never visited SA, and I'm sure you will too, as you read where her trip has taken her so far.

Be sure to check out her blog for more South Africa posts, as well as other luxury food & travel that will leave you hungry, and itching to fly away. 

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Dear Miho,

I hope all is well back in London! I’ve been very much enjoying an exciting adventure in South Africa for the last week and a half and I just wanted to tell you and your readers a bit about what I’ve been up to. 

I’ve fallen a little bit in love with Cape Town, and I think the beauty of the city and the surrounding areas can be expressed by some of the incredible views. 

The V & A Waterfront is South Africa’s oldest working harbour and is a fun place to explore with lots of shops, restaurants and bars. It is also a great place to see some of the best views of Cape Town and from here there is an excellent view of Table Mountain, the Atlantic Ocean and the city of Cape Town. 

The view from top of Table Mountain is a totally spectacular. On my blog last week I wrote about my terrible fear of getting into a cable car and ascending to the top of the mountain. I was so anxious about doing it as I have a terrible fear of heights but I *bravely* got in to the cable car and went all 3,563 feet above sea level. 

It was all worth it as from the top of the mountain you can see 360 degree views of Cape Town, the bay and the surrounding mountains. 

Cape Town also has some of the most beautiful beaches and bays I’ve seen. For some of our time in the city we stayed at beautiful hotel called Ellerman House located above the rocky coastline of Bantry bay. It was just spectacular to watch the waves crash against the rocks in the morning as we had our breakfast.

At the moment I’m staying in Hermanus, on the Western Cape, located about an hour and a half outside of Cape Town. Our view is of the most glorious beach and crashing sea with mountains in the background. Hermanus is a great area for whale watching, unfortunately we’ve come at the wrong time of year for that but we’re still greatly enjoying the view and the surfers riding the waves! 

Finally we saw some of the most incredible scenery during our time in the Winelands. Mr S and I drove from Cape Town to Stellenbosch to enjoy lunch at the stunning Delaire Graff estate. 

We enjoyed great food and a wine tasting with a view and then had a tour of the beautiful and extensive vineyards. It was definitely a real highlight of the trip for me so far. 

I hope that you enjoyed my postcard; next week I’m heading off for a Safari in Kruger Park, it’s something I’ve always dreamed of doing and I can’t wait to see all the animals that we’re sure to encounter.

Lots of love,
Angie 

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old spitalfields market

After demolishing those burgers, we had to walk it off somehow, at least a little bit... which worked out well, since we were right inside Old Spitalfields Market. Neither of us had been there before - isn't it shocking how many local hotspots you realise you haven't made it to when you live in a busy city? - so it was nice to have a wander around and see what it was like.

Firstly, the market is great because a) it's open 7 days a week, and b) it's covered, so you won't be disappointed even if the British weather lets you down at no notice. Although we went for Bleecker St. Burger as our pick that day, there are plenty of other food stalls and indoor restaurants to choose from to curb your hunger - the full list can be seen here. If I hadn't been so stuffed, I would have hunted down a sweet treat or two (those Lola's Cupcakes maybe?) - just know that if you do visit, you won't leave hungry.

As for the other stalls, it reminded me a lot of Portobello (the clothing end) & Camden markets, without the massive crowds and general clutter. It loses a bit of atmosphere because of that, but it means there is a lot less bustling around and it's much more compact, too. I also like that they have actual shops all around the market as well - I managed not to do any shopping damage that day, but I actually think it's a great place to go if you want to do your retail therapy outside of the typical central places.

Oh, and I apologise for the creepy Pinocchio... hopefully it won't give you nightmares.

The market is just a short walk away from Liverpool Street station, and is clearly a popular place to visit - so next time you're in the city (or if you're a fellow Londoner but have not been there yet), it's one to put on your list. I can imagine going back there when it's warmer (sometime this year please, weather gods?) and tucking in to some delicious food on those benches with a little shopping session afterwards. 

I do love London, a lot. 

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