LONDON: Roka

A truly good meal is one not one that leaves you bloated and unable to move, but one that bestows upon you complete satisfaction after the last bite. Roka melds together Japanese cuisine and the French tradition of sharing with exquisite perfection. The sashimi is presented with blocks of carved ice, lending the dish a kind of ethereal elegance that precedes its distinctly fresh flavour as it settles on the tongue. 

What I particularly enjoyed was the contemporary, innovative twist on traditional sushi. I'm not exactly sure what ingredients were combined, but every bite revealed new textures and flavours that I couldn't quite place my finger on yet adored nonetheless. 

This black miso cod made any residue of exam stress I was feeling disappear. As my favourite dish, this cod is a must order.  

I love mushrooms, and these were complemented perfectly with a tangy yet sweet sauce. 

Green tea filled molten chocolate cake - I would've taken more photos but this disappeared within 10 seconds of landing on the table. 

Roka
37 Charlotte Street
London W1T 1RR

BATH: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

After two excruciating months of study hibernation, the sudden wave of freedom that crashed over me the moment I stepped out of the Lindley Hall after my Criminology exam seems almost surreal. Even the sunless grey skies that greeted us in Bath couldn't dampen my spirits. 

Bath was a wonderfully chaotic amalgamation of eating, attempting to walk to our next activity, being waylaid by the rain and so resorting to stopping and eating. This was interspersed with rowing, cycling and hilariously pointless debates in random pubs. 

One of our cafe pit-stops was at The Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Decked in delightfully quirky Alice and Wonderland themed paraphernalia, it was no wonder the place was packed. I had my first taste of teapigs tea which was so potent that I bought my first pack at Waitrose the moment I got back to London. The scones were exceptionally fresh and retained the moisture that so often eludes scones that have been left lying on a platter on a cafe shelf throughout the day. The choice was between Jane Austen tea and the Mad Hatter's tea but I'm really glad we chose the latter. 

 

Note to self: Not everybody craves adventure - some are perfectly content with familiarity. It struck me that a cafe does not have to serve completely new and innovative food to do well - a simple, generic menu can be equally successful if executed with exceptional skill. 


The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
5 Orange Grove
Bath
BA1 1LP

SINGAPORE: Kki and The Little Drom Store

I fear I'm losing bits of myself to this law degree. While studying for my second year examinations, I've lost myself in my books, and not in a way that I would like. A piece of news isn't just a piece of news. Before I can help myself, endless questions run through my head: "Who is liable? What's the cause of action? What would Lord Denning say?" Whether this is a curse or a blessing in disguise, I've found some reprieve in the comfort of good food. 

Ann Siang Hill is a breath of fresh air from the general harried affectedness that Singapore conducts itself with. Kki fits into Ann Siang Hill like a hand into a glove - it's japanese-clean feel and quirky charm melds easily into Ann Siang's relaxed atmosphere. Even their cakes are exquisitely light without losing their flavour to the soft texture. 

Cheese Souffle Cake

Little Red Riding Hood: Chocolate cake with a raspberry centre

These were reserved in a little corner

Within Kki is the little drom store that feels a little bit like walking through the fantasy playroom of a child in the 90s. Perusing through the items in the shop is akin to a memory trip to primary school. Remember when power point slides were still brand new and our teachers still used projectors and printed transparency slides? Remember the dreaded phrase "I don't friend you" that would pierce the heart of any 7 year old? It's the tiny details like these that have an uncanny ability to crystallize the defining moments of our childhood. 

charming animal pins by a local designer 

Kki + The Little Drom Store

7 Ann Siang Hill

Singapore 06979

LONDON: Pollen Street Social

Rhubarb sorbet with moist pistachio cake

My one visit to Pollen Street Social has propelled the restaurant onto my list of personal favourites, on par even, with La Petit Maison. Like every restaurant should be, its main draw is its food. Every dish is executed with sophistication in its presentation and a delicate blend of flavours that neither recedes into blandness nor overwhelms the senses. At £25 for three courses, amongst treats like pineapple sorbet cups and deceivingly delicate financiers, set lunch is a steal. 

I want this butter palette.  

Appetizers:

Mains:

Sweet, tender cod garnished with leek, soft mash potato and lobster-esque sauce

It's always nice to photograph food while something is being poured upon it. This time I was lucky enough to get a waiter that did this with a flair and the wonderful sense of the extreme importance of his job. 

bone marrow 

pre-dessert surprise: pineapple sorbet cup

Dessert:

mango, coconut and lime and vanilla 

Rhubarb sorbet with moist pistachio cake

Nigel Slater, one of my favourite celebrity cooks, has an incredible knack for pairing interesting flavours together. With his proclaimed love for rhubarb, I'm guessing he would have loved this dessert. I've always been impartial to rhubarb, but paired with real, genuine pistachio cake (none of that fake pistachio essence), it made for the best dish of the meal. I'm now tempted to attempt some kind of rhubarb caramel tart in my spare time. 

In trying (unsuccessfully) to find the captions for these photographs on their online menu, I have discovered that their menu changes regularly with the flavours of the season. Either way, this only means I have every excuse to go again and again. 

french financiers

Pollen Street Social

10 Pollen Street
City of London,
Greater London W1S 1NQ

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