LONDON: Chez Gerard

Filet de Saumon Grille

Chez Gerard is conveniently located near our campus and with 50% off mains for the month, it wasn't difficult to decide to go there again for the third time. Though my boeuf bourguignon was slightly over-salted, the beef was divinely tender and the vegetables so soft they melted on the tongue. It was so good in fact, that the first time I ordered this (yes, this was my second boeuf bourguignon at Chez Gerard), I was inspired to buy a bottle of cheap red wine to make a quicker, healthier version on my stove and incorporate it into my dinners.  

My only concern was that the bread we ordered lacked that bready freshness and the warmth of being placed in the oven prior to being served. Everything else though, from the atmosphere to their heart-stoppingly chocolatey, moist, torte au chocolat meant all of us had a thoroughly satisfying meal. Maybe it's a good thing 50% vouchers only appear on the website occasionally, otherwise I would be a very fat student. 

Entrecote: A 100z rib eye steak - fuller on flavour

Boeuf Bourguignon: slow cooked beef marinated in red wine, lardons, herbs and garlic in a rich gravy served with mash potatoes

Navarin d'agneau - Braised lamb with wine, tomatoes, root vegtables and ratte potatoes

choix de glaces et sorbets 

torte au chocolat: moist chocolate cake with caramel sauce and coffee ice cream, my favourite.

We loved this chocolate cake so much, we ordered a second one as soon as this one was inhaled. 

tart au citron

Chez Gerard

9 Belvedere Road 

Southbank 

London SE1 8YL

LONDON: Ladurée x Tsumori Chisato Macaroons

Ladurée x Tsumori Chisato Macaroons

At the height of shameless materialism, I bought these macaroons for the sole purpose of storing my accessories/makeup in its box. In my defense they're designed exclusively by Japanese designer Tsumori Chisato and, of course, it's a very pretty box.

With finals looming overhead, library hours bleed insidiously into precious weekends and it's really the little indulgences like these that keep me going. In 5 minutes of biting and passing and biting again, my friends and I finished 8 macaroons - and that was after a full dinner at Chez Gerard.

I picked the cinnamon, liquorish, pear & chestnut, chocolate, cherry blossom, pistachio and sea salt & caramel macaroons. 

I love french macaroons from their delicate crunchy surfaces to their flavour-intense chewy centres. My love affair with macaroons probably truly began when I visited Paris for the first time and had my first Ladurée macaroon. Now that I stay a bus ride from Selfridges in London, I can easily compare these with Pierre Hermé's maracoons (which I personally prefer for their texture and sinful richness). 

P.S. If you're tempted by these, I recommend pistachio, liquorice and pear & chestnut. 

Ladurée

Harrods Ltd

87-135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge
London, SW1X 7XL

Ground Floor

Opening hours: 
Monday to Saturday
9am - 9pm
Sunday 11.30am - 6pm