Category: reviews

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product review reviews

recent review round-up

I’ve been trying some new products out lately. See what I thought!

MOR Sausages

These new sausages are gluten-free and have much less fat than traditional sausages. I often eye low-fat alternatives with suspicion as something gets lost along the way that ruins the flavour. I’m pleased to say that’s not the case with these sausages!

Alongside the meat MOR have packed in non-meat alternatives to bulk out the sausage filling. These include lentils, cauliflower and chick peas. Each time they serve to add interest to every bite, giving a pleasing range of textures. Currently the range includes Mediterranean chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and basil; pork with super-green veg and lentil; Moroccan pork, cauliflower and chickpea; and pork with beetroot and apple. The chicken were my least favourite being a bit bland but the others were all full of flavour and really tasty. Worth trying! You can find them at Tesco at £3 RRP.

MYHK meals

My Healthy Kitchen are a range of ready meals designed to be tasty yet still healthy. They’re made with high quality, fresh ingredients with flavours from all over the world.

Each meal is under 500 calories with no artificial flavours, colours, or preservatives. Each meal also offers at least one other nutritional benefit, such as low fat, saturated fat, or salt, a source of protein or fibre, or contains 1 (or more!) of your 5 a day.

The meals are designed to be microwaved and ready in about 5 minutes. The packaging is very clever too, with a two tier system I’ve not seen before to stop any ingredients getting soggy from the sauce. There are six myhk meals available: Moroccan Prawn; Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Risotto; Oriental Chicken; Chicken Paella; Pea, Mint & Rocket Risotto; and Prawn Katsu. I tried the first three of these.

Unfortunately I didn’t particularly enjoy any of them. They were all inoffensive but lacking any real strong flavour and low in seasoning. Another quirk common to all of them was the fact that they are high in chilli flavour, which is a way to mask the lack of anything else going on.

A noble effort, but not for me.

Lyons coffee bags

I do love a coffee. And anytime I can get a decent coffee without faff I’m sold. I have a cafetiere on the go most of the time at work, which is not exactly a lot of work but I seem to forget to clean out the gadget at the end of the day without fail.

These coffee bags from Lyons are a great way to get a coffee fix on the go. Each bag (like an oversize teabag) is individually foil-wrapped so you carry a couple wherever you need to.

The taste of the coffee is very good. Not especially strong but very satisfying. Be careful with the bags when you’re taking them out though – I squish teabags against the side of the mug, but these bags prefer a lighter treatment. I split the first one I tried!

Tesco currently sell them for £2.60 for 18 (about 14p a cup) which seems pretty reasonable to me.

Diforti online shop

The Diforti Classic Antipasti Selection is a collection of yummy Italian things from this online store. It features

  • Semi-dried Cherry Tomato
  • Nocellara Del Belice Olives
  • Red Sweet Pepper stuffed with cheese
  • Spanish Salted Marcona Almond
  • Aged Pecorino With Truffle
  • Italian Breadsticks Rustici
  • Salame Milano

It’s a lovely round-up of things. I was particularly taken with the semi-dried tomatoes and salty almonds. The truffle cheese was a bit strong for me though; really pungent and not to my taste. The rest were all excellent.

It’s decent value at £21 and would make a great lunch for 4 people.

Philadephia Flip & Dip

Philadelphia are asking the thorny question, do you double dip?

In other words, do you dip a crisp or crudite, munch and then go back for more? If you’ve ever watched Seinfeld, you’ll know the answer has to be no. “It’s like putting your whole mouth in there!”

I’m in the single dip camp. Which are you?

Philadelphia Flip and Dip is the brand new dip perfect for sharing at summer parties.

It’s a tub of lightly whipped Philadelphia cream cheese, topped with one of three sauces including Sweet Chili, Mexican Salsa and Caramelised Onion. Turn the pot out on to a plate and you’ll see the sauce trickle down the side of the creamy cheese.

Philadelphia Flip & Dip is ideal for sharing occasions and is now available in Tesco and Asda for an RRP of £1.49.

 

That’s all for now – of you want more stuff like this, pop your name in the box below and get an email every time there’s something new.

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eating out pizza restaurant review reviews

restaurant review: pizza express, southend-on-sea

Pizza Express Southend has had a makeover. See what’s new in my review.

When I was a lad going to Southend was a treat. A short hop on the train from Benfleet as a teenager meant the cinema, cool shops and places to hang out. It was the first place I saw a McDonald’s, the first place I saw a Starbucks and a Waterstone’s. I know these sound like the least exotic things on Earth, but as pre-teens these were the heights of civilization.

(Apparently there are eight Southends in the UK. The one I’m talking about is ‘Southend-on-Sea’ in Essex, but I’ve always referred to it as Southend, and that’s what I’m going to call it.)

One year, the town changed dramatically when an Odeon cinema arrived. A huge great cinema! Screens in the double-digits! Amazeballs! With the cinema came a new parade of bars and restaurants including a Pizza Express in 1996 – a first for the area.

Twenty years later in 2016, the Pizza Express has been renovated. True to the Pizza Express ethos, it has been redecorated to reflect the local area. Famed as a seaside town, they’ve put seaside pictures from the ’60s on the walls, a huge historic map of the area, plus artwork from local artists on reclaimed driftwood. It’s a fun and vibrant space.

Thankfully the wave of blue glass that used to dominate the entrance has gone. That weird nineties relic is in the bin. The renovation has had one drawback: the exposed brickwork and vaulted ceilings has created a slight noise problem which can make it difficult to hear. I did go on a crazy-busy Saturday afternoon however, full of birthday parties, couples and families alike.

And that’s the thing: Pizza Express has an appeal that is unpretentious and welcoming. Probably not going to shock your world view but you are guaranteed a good time with good food. And often that’s what you want, not to venture into exhilarating new gastronomic heights but to pop out somewhere that feels like a treat.

Speaking of which, I tried some of the new Autumn range.

The Rustichella (top) is an old favourite back for the season: pancetta and mozzarella drizzled with Caesar sauce. Mrs. Spud’s favourite pizza by a long stretch.

Spud Jr lucked out with the Basilicata however (bottom): a lamb and chilli meatball pizza, reminiscent of lahmacun. A great combination of flavours if you fancy something a little different. The children’s menu continues to be a favourite too.

With sides of calamari, polenta chips and olives, followed by the honey cream slice, ice creams and sorbets we left with very full tummies, and boxes of leftovers ready for a midnight snack. Service throughout was warm and friendly, with good suggestions.

Pizza Express continues to innovate while still holding wide appeal. And the Southend branch is no exception. Whether it’s a catch-up with friends or a quick meal before a film it’s a great place to hang out. Especially after a short hop on the train from Benfleet.

Pizza Express Southend-on-Sea
11 London Road, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS1 1PE

Here’s another review from Love Southend.

I was a guest of Pizza Express.

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egg food product review red onion salmon

lunch with lékué

Sandwiches for lunch every day drives me mad. Coming up with interesting things to eat for a work day lunch can be taxing, especially if all you have is a microwave and a kettle. True torture for someone into food is having to make a dull ham sandwich. Don’t get me wrong – a ham sandwich can be a great thing, when piled with crunchy lettuce, sweet tomatoes, a slice of gherkin, a slick of mustard-flecked mayo and a hint of toasting on the outside. But a sweaty Mother’s Pride with 1mm ham is depressing.

Lékué have a range of microwave-safe containers which open up the possibilities.

Some of the Lékué range: at the back an all-purpose container; in front of that the omelette maker; and the green can fit a whole chicken

The containers are all silicone. This means a couple of things: they can squish into a tight space easy, they don’t get nuclear hot to the touch in the microwave, and they can be cleaned up dead easy. They all have neat little handles so they’re easy to carry in and out of the microwave. They also come with charming little recipe books you can be inspired by.

Salmon and pesto courgetti has fast become a standby lunch for me. I use a shredded or spiralised courgette topped with a skinless salmon fillet microwaved for two minutes. Once done I stir through a teaspoon of pesto and lunch is served. It’s a brilliantly simple yet nourishing lunch that feels like a real treat. I’ve also done the same thing with cooked chicken: the image below is of chicken, courgetti and salsa.

A photo posted by Gary Fenn (@thebigspud) on

Microwave omelettes have become another favourite. 2 beaten eggs are seasoned and put in the Lékué. After 1 minute in the microwave I turn it over and repeat. After two minutes total you get a brilliant omelette! I’ve tweaked it in all sorts of ways: soften half a chopped red onion for 20 secs first, cooked a rasher of diced bacon in there first for a minute, added a sprinkle of grated cheese… it’s easy to keep yourself interested. It’s an absolute revelation.

Red onion omelette made with the #lekue microwave container. Really tasty!

A photo posted by Gary Fenn (@thebigspud) on

The biggest head-turner was cooking a whole chicken in the microwave.

Yes, a whole chicken.

It takes around 18 minutes to cook completely in the microwave. I mixed some olive oil with vegetable stock powder and rubbed it all over the bird (that got some strange looks in the communal office kitchen). Added a dash of boiling water and set it off. Halfway through cooking I flipped it over – this was the hardest bit – and let it finish.

Microwaved a whole chicken for 18 minutes in the #lekue microwave container with stock and oil. Comes out great, just like poached #chicken. Interested peeps @cheersdarling @eatcookexplore

A photo posted by Gary Fenn (@thebigspud) on

It’s surprising just how good it tastes. About 12 people said “is it cooked?” which just to be clear, it was. It was just like poached chicken: that moist, tender meat that pulls apart easily. You don’t get crispy skin obviously but it’s the only downside. Packed with flavour, I would defy anyone to figure out how it was cooked in a blind test. An amazing bit of kit and great fun for my team to try.

It’s no small thing to say I love these things. They’re now an essential part of my lunch options. They’re excellent for students, and perfect for the smaller kitchen that only has access to a microwave. Never have a dull lunch again!

Buy the Lékué range from Amazon now

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food restaurant review

royal china canary wharf restaurant review

Famous for their Dim Sum, Royal China has a reputation as the place to go for bite-size Chinese treats. Based in prime areas of London, the restaurants are centrally located on Baker Street, as well as in Bayswater, Fulham, Harrow-on-the-Hill and Canary Wharf. I visited this branch, which sits outside the main glut of outlets at a relaxed parade that overlooks the Thames. My dining partner and I were nearly the first people to sit down at 12pm, but by 1pm it was packed. What surprised me most was the mix of clientele. Yes, plenty of suits and ties as I expected. But also couples having lunch. Families. With space for 80 there was room for all.

It’s a gorgeous looking place. Clean lines, muted colous and luxurious Chinese illustrations give a sumptuous feel. Despite the number of covers available, it doesn’t feel cramped at all.

We tried several dishes, dim sum ranging from soft to crisp, sweet to savoury. We dove into the steamed buns. First the honey pork puffs, sticky like the sweetest sausage roll you’ll ever taste. Then the ham and onion bun, slightly soft but the top gently browned. It’s like a pillow of luscious savoury things.

pork and honey puffs

We also had one of the most intricate of dim sum that requires exceptional skill: small pockets containing a piping hot soup. Delicious! We rounded our meal out with a simple chow mein dish.

shanghai pork buns
ham and onion dim sum
vegetable chow mein

Also we had to try the chicken feet in black bean and chilli. There’s something to be said for using every part of the animal, and I’d not tried it before. The flavour was great – punchy and savoury. But it was a bit of an ordeal getting through all the small bones. I’m glad to have tried it but I’m not rushing to have it again.

chicken feet in black bean and chilli

Service was brief but attentive. Staff were quiet but helpful when I was trying to decide how much dim sum I should order.

Royal China offered excellent food, well presented in elegant surroundings. They offer a reasonable three course lunch menu for £15 which I’ll definitely be trying sometime.

Royal China Group

30 Westferry Circus

London

E14 8RR

I was a guest of Royal China. I was not required to give a positive review.

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