April 2009 Archives

There are many things I miss from home, foods in particular. My cravings for Habitant pea soup are getting worse and worse. But that got me thinking that there are a lot of things I've gotten used to having here in the UK that I'll miss when I go back to Canada. Out of pure curiosity I've decided to list the (food) things I miss/will miss the most from both countries.

I wish England had...

• Better supplies of crunchy peanut butter made of JUST PEANUTS. None of this oil, salt, sugar malarkey.
• Habitant pea soup (I miss this perhaps most of all)
• Nabisco soda biscuits (who knew I would miss these so much?)
• Fontaine Santé hummus (Tesco and Sainsbury varieties are not up to scratch and I am blenderless)
• Affordable maple syrup
  
• Canola oil (Although I finally found rapeseed oil here, under the disguise of vegetable oil)
• Poutine (May venture out to The Maple Leaf to try theirs, or invent my own gourmet version)
• A hot dog that is not from a can, and in a normal bun (preferably from La Belle Province)
• Kashi cranberry granola bars, and kashi cereals
• My mom's soupe du pays and fricot
• Orville Redenbaker light microwave popcorn (SALTED, not sweet)
• Larger fridges (food related....)
• Fluffy pancakes
• Première Moisson
• No marmite
• Chez Cora
  

Before I move back, Canada should get...

• Oatabix - I am strangely addicted to it, especially the bite size ones
  
• Fish and chips like Masters Superfish
• Ribena
• PG Tips, or any other good - affordable - tea
  
• Borlotti beans
• Fresh peas, borlotti beans and broad beans (although this may be available at Marché Jean-Talon?)
• Chocolate hob-nobs
• Prawn cocktail chips
• Better yoghurt flavours like rhubarb, and gooseberry.
• Those fresh packages of Sainsbury's stir-fry vegetables
• Waitrose, Selfridges Food Hall, John Lewis Food Hall and Fortnum and Mason's - all of them
• A butcher with a proper East London accent that sells amazing cuts of meat for reasonable prices (too much?)
• Point-of-origin labeling on all meat, fruit and vegetables à la Sainsbury's (may actually write a future post about this alone I love it so much)
  
• Better animal welfare labeling on meats (ex. Sainsbury's Freedom Food), and different levels available at different price points
• Ladurée
• Curry houses on every street corner, with creamy Kormas, lightly spiced baltis and amazing naans.
  

So if England and Canada could get right on those, that would be lovely.

Oh and I realize that a google search comes up with a few Habitant pea soup recipes but that seems wrong. Habitant pea soup comes from a can. Although desperate times....

This list is a work in progress and will get edited as per my cravings.

Since moving to London in December, I have been to El Vergel twice. Although, thinking about it, that doesn't seem right. It is a short walk from our flat and serves terrific food for a terrific price. We had hoped to visit again on Good Friday, but our luck went against us and upon arrival we found that they were taking a few well-earned days off. Hungry and now disappointed, we returned home.

T and I are both huge fans of this small neighbourhood joint and I thought that my first restaurant review on this site should be a positive one. El Vergel describes itself as Latin American and Mediterranean. The menu is indeed an interesting combination of both.

The ambiance is fun and boisterous. I find the crowd to be a mixture of American students from the LSE dorms a few blocks away and local Borough hipsters. I'm not sure we fall into either category, but I digress...

You will have to get quite cosy with your neighbours as this tiny restaurant embraces bench-style seating and you will either be sitting at a long picnic table with your fellow diners, or at one of two wall-facing counters.

The long, narrow room has a decidedly rustic feel with its wooden tables and cutlery in tin buckets. But this suits the food which is simple, no-frills and straightforward.

On the first occasion we went for lunch and I ordered a tostada: a crispy tortilla base piled high with shredded chicken, refried beans, cheese, lettuce and guacamole. A generous serving, and all for £3.90. The ingredients all tasted remarkably fresh and the tortilla gave the dish a nice crunch. T had two empanada de carne, for £2.90 a pop, which they cheerfully describe as "oven baked pasties" for the English crowd. While he was disappointed that they were not spicier, he thought they were delicious nonetheless.

Two soft drinks were ordered and the bill came up to £11.30 (+tip). A delicious bargain.

While our meals were delicious, we couldn't help but give a little envious sideways glance to the two guys sitting beside us who were tucking into huge plates of food with gusto. To rectify our plate envy, we asked the waitress who told us they had ordered the special latin breakfast which was served all day on Saturdays.

We knew what needed to be done. On our next visit, we both ordered two special latin breakfasts. The plates came quickly and featured scrambled eggs, mild salsa, bacon or chorizo, black beans, "village" bread and tea or coffee. A huge plate for £4.70. I was in love!

We both went for the chorizo option and were not disappointed. The eggs were soft and billowy, the salsa punchy and the chorizo nicely spiced. I love beans of any type and mopped up the black beans using my village bread, a flat, dense disc that I found very filling and satisfying. I opted for the tea which arrived in a nice big mug, whereas T was pleasantly surprised by the quality of his coffee.

Despite everything being so delicious, I couldn't finish my plate. We rolled out, two very full, very happy people for £9.40 plus tip.

My only gripe with El Vergel is the seating arrangements that I briefly mentioned above. On both our visits we sat at the long thin counters against the walls on either side of the room. The counter is just the tiniest amount too high, which makes for a somewhat awkward eating situation. Because of this we tend to eat and run, which perhaps suits the quick turnover style. This is not the place for a long, slow Saturday morning breakfast where you linger over a cup of coffee with the paper. This is in-and-out. It's what they do, and they do it very well.

Bottom Line: Visit, you won't be disappointed.

El Vergel
8 Lant Street, London
SE1 1QR
Tube: Borough

I adore going to eat at restaurants. T and I try to fit a visit in at least once a month. It's not always a big fancy to-do. We've eaten at a variety of places, with wildly different price ranges, food types and décors that I hope to get around to reviewing eventually.

But! I have something I want to get off my chest. Something that has been turning even the most fantastic food events into disappointing, frustrating evenings.

NOTE TO UK RESTAURANTS: When I have finished my meal, after the coffee, tea and desert has been consumed, after you have cleared my plate and duly asked if everything was to my liking, after you've given me an appropriate few minutes to make sure I do not feel rushed, I WANT MY BILL!

It is the weirdest thing. This happens almost every time. T and I have taken to joking about it and taking bets because it has gotten almost ridiculous. No mater how doting the service throughout the whole meal, once our final course is cleared and our table is emptied, we will be left there for an uncomfortable amount of time. All waiters become immediately MIA and there is no chance of getting our bill, or of even asking for it, for a good 15-20 minutes.

I appreciate you not pushing me out the door, in this day and age of less-than-gracious "You have your table for 1.5 hours", it is nice to feel like we can linger and take our time, like we are valued guests in your establishment, but you're giving me too much time. Really. After you've cleared my dessert, and asked if there is anything else I would like, and I say no, please: Just bring me the bill.

Is this a UK thing? A London thing? I don't recall ever noticing it in Canada, maybe it's a European formality? Whatever it is, please cut it out.