Review: The Prince Albert, Battersea, south-west London

There's nothing I love more than a lazy pub lunch at the weekend. But considering how many pubs we have in this country, it can be pretty hard to find decent grub. So many pubs are below par - especially in London. But I've found a corker. Enter The Prince Albert, a gastropub overlooking Battersea Park.

We walked in towards the end of an England V Australia rugby match to a rousing atmosphere. We took our seat and poured over the menu before made the tough decision on what to order. I wanted something a little lighter so opted for the grilled aubergine, creamy melted goats cheese, oyster mushrooms, spiced tomato sauce and sourdough toast with a drizzle of what tasted like pesto. The flavours went complimented each other perfectly with none overpowering the other.

My boyfriend opted for his childhood favourite of corned beef. Only this time it was a little posher! With a pate type consistency, this homemade corned beef is topped with pickled mushrooms, roasted bone marrow and horseradish mayo. It was absolutely wolfed down within minutes so I think it was a success!

For mains I decided to pump for the fish and chips after spying a gentleman eating it on the table next door. A generous Young's Ale battered cod with mushy peas, tartare sauce and triple cooked chips was the order of the day. I often stay away for battered cod as it can sometimes be a bit too much grease but I needn't have worried this time. It had a perfect amount of crunch but didn't leave a lingering aftertaste of grease as many battered foods do. The chunky fluffy chips and sharp tartare were exactly what I was after.

Always a pie boy, my boyfriend picked the chicken, leek and mushroom pie in a rich creamy sauce topped with a layer of flaky puff pastry. I managed to sneak a mouthful and can confirmed that it was absolutely delicious. The shredded chicken was tender, the filling was generous and the side of garlic bobby beans were flavoursome.

Despite declaring we couldn't eat another thing, as soon as the dessert menu was offered our ears perked up. I knew exactly what I was having as soon as I glanced down. Sticky Toffee Pudding. Topped with caramelised crispy sliced bananas and drizzled in a generous layer toffee sauce with a side of cornflake ice cream. Perfection.  I have it on good authority that the lemon macerated strawberries with Chantilly cream and baby meringues was pretty delicious too.

The food was inventive, delicious and classic - I wish we could have tried more! The staff were friendly and attentive, But a special heads up to the Italian waiter who was cracking jokes and made us feel very welcomed. Thanks so much for a wonderful afternoon guys!

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OOTD: Green midi dress

Outfit:
Green midi broderie shirt dress: ASOS
Light wash denim jacket: Primark (similar)
Pony hair black block heeled sandals: New Look (similar)
Red leather Lily bag: Mulberry

I've been stockpiling lots of summer dresses ready for my trip to Copenhagen at the beginning of July. Which really means I've been obsessively checking the new in section on ASOS and buying lots of things I don't really need. Standard behaviour. One of the things I came across during my daily search was this green midi. It was lovely at first sight. A dress that goes from day to night. Perfect for a day exploring Copenhagen before retiring for dinner in the Danish city. Its casual enough to wander but smart enough to make it look like you've made an effort. What more could you want from a dress? I gave the dress a debut during a lazy Saturday walk around Battersea Park before feeding our faces at the Prince Albert pub. But more on that pub lunch in the next post. Spoiler. It was absolutely delicious!

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Review: Street Feast night market, Dalston, east London

Street Feast has been going for a while now but I've never quite made it down despite it being pretty high up on my 'must eat immediately' list. Dalston always seemed a little too out of the way for this lazy cat but boy am I regretting not jumping on the orange line sooner. Open April through to October, every weekend, Street Feast is based in the old slightly derelict Dalton Yard. Scattered with fire drums, rickety old chairs, make do tables and a holey roof, its the perfect place to gather up some friends and spent an evening stuffing your face and drinking like a fish. I want to go every week! Top tip - share portions so you get to try more. It's expensive but what's the point in going if you're not greedy right?

So what did we try?

Breddos Tacos
I knew these were one of my favourite street food stalls in London so managed to persuade/bully my boyfriend that these bad boys should be our first port of call. Turned out he loved them as much as me and declared them his favourite meal of the whole evening. We opted for a crispy fish taco topped with a creamy aioli sauce, radish and a crunchy chicken taco pilled up with a vegetable slaw, spicy sauce and coriander. I could have eaten these all night. Perfectly cooked, delicately flavoursome and addictively moreish.

White Men Can't Jerk
Caribbean food is one of my all-time favourite cuisines but it's so hard to do right. I had heard good things on the grapevine about WMCJ so was hoping they lived up to the hype. And they did. Just look at the delightful jerk chicken. What an utter beauty. The rice and peas alongside the crunchy slaw were the perfect accompaniment and helped to combat the fire in the chicken. One word of warning, do not put that yellow pepper in your mouth whole and eat it. Otherwise steam will start coming out of your ears and tears will start running down your face.

Mother Clucker
We wanted something simple for our last meal of the evening and how can you go wrong with some chicken tenders? You can't, you just can't. Strips of tea-brined, buttermilk dreaded fried chicken strips drizzled in a lime mayo and a hot sauce. These didn't feel like they had an ounce of grease on them and the chicken was deliciously tender. A great finale to the night.

Killa Dilla
New that week, this quesadilla track was just begging to be sampled. A smoked short rib with oozing mozzarella, a kick of blue cheese, spicy kimchi and pickled grilled red onion packed inside a toasted tortilla wrap. All served with a side of creamy avocado. The short beef was absolutely incredible and I'd have happily eaten the whole thing. But alas, I had to share. But I'd recommend you get one all to yourself.

Yum bun
A steamed bun was something else that my boyfriend had never had so I made sure we stopped here too so he could continue his food education. We decided to plump for one slow roasted pork belly with fresh cucumbers, spring onions and a glug of hoi sin sauce and another of roasted Portobello mushroom, toasted walnuts and a miso glaze. Both we absolutely lovely but the pork belly won for me. The mushroom came across a little bland in comparison.

Slider bar
A trio of bacon cheeseburgers were ordered and demolished within seconds. Slightly greasy but just how I like my burgers. A dirty burger if you will. The american cheese was generous and the crispy bacon was heavenly. The toasted sesame seed bun held together and soaked up the juices like a true champ. A winner all round.

Drinks
The Gin Store store is a must visit for any gin fiends - over 40 different types to choose from I think. Gin heaven. The Rum shack is also a good shout for potent cocktails. You heard it here. The can hatch is great if you're into craft beer.

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The perfect drinks and picnic pairing with ASDA

Now that summer is supposed to be well on its way, it brings with it lazy weekend days in the park surrounded by good food and even better drinks. With so much choice in the shops, it can be overwhelming choosing what to pack for a picnic. Luckily ASDA have come to the rescue and offers some suggestions for some brilliant food and drink pairings. And I was lucky enough to spend an evening trying them all out!

We tried a variety of different tipples ranging from tasty wine, refreshing g+ts and tangy pale ales. All the perfect drinks to take in a picnic basket and have alongside a few cheeky nibbles.

First up was the Mainbrace Indian Pale Ale paired with a hearty pork pie. I feel something so meaty needs a refreshing drink so the ale was a great choice. As an ale avoider I actually didn't mind this at all, which means it must be pretty good!

Next was the Extra Special Pinot Noir with spicy sweet chilli hummus. With hints of cherry and raspberry, the light fruity wine was surprisingly a great contrast to the fiery hummus, helping to balance out the intense flavour. I bypassed the Espartero Rioja Joven as I'm not a fan of red wine but I heard it on good authority that it was a corker. Judging by all the appreciative noises!

Now the Le Grand Clauzy Sauvignon Blanc was definitely something I could get on board with. Especially when it's paired with a delicious butternut squash and cous cous salad. The crisp, zingy wine complimented the fresh taste of the salad. A good choice ASDA!

Nothing screams summer than a ice cold gin and tonic, these handy cans couldn't be perfect for a picnic. Pop on your fancy pants and pair it with lashings of smoked salmon. If you're going to indulge, indulge to the max. Am I right?

Wine and cheese were born to be together. Soulmates if you will. So it's no wonder that the bubbly sweet Calafia Muscatel white wine is a fantastic partner for creamy roquefort. Both the intense flavours are like fireworks when paired together.

Finally no picnic is complete with a few glasses of fizz. It would be criminal to not pack some in that basket. The grand finale was Nicolas Feuillate Champagne with chocolate sponge cake filled with oodles of tiny sweets. Definitely worth a splurge if you're planning for a special al-fresco event. A perfect end to a lovely evening.

Are there any drink and food pairings that you would recommend?

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Review: Rustiko, Soho, Central London

Last week I ventured to Old Compton Street to sample the Italian restaurant Rustiko. Rustiko was something I'd often glanced at on a wander through Soho so I was excited to try what they had to offer. Soho has an unbelievable amount of choice and it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to decide which restaurant to pick. Rustiko had a lot of different places to contend with but could it live up to the expectations?

To start, we ordered bolognese arancini balls, crispy white bait with a creamy garlic mayonnaise and chicken croquettes stuffed with oozing mozzarella, fresh parsley and a hint of parmesan.

The arancini were perfectly cooked. Crispy on the outside and the rice inside was given such a delicious flavour thanks to the bolognese sauce - very addictive! The garlic 'green' mayo was amazing and provided the perfect accompaniment to the battered whitebait. Finally the creamy round croquettes melted in you mouth with every bite with the double cheese getting a huge thumbs up from me.

We decided to opt for a pizza and pasta dish for our mains and shared half each. Because sharing is caring guys!

Cooked el-dente, the rigatoni amatriciana was smothered in a smooth tomato sauce with chunks of smoked pancetta, a scattering of parsley and a topping of shaved parmesan. Knowing that the pasta dish was probably going to be quite rich, we opted for something a little lighter for the pizza. And boy was this the right decision to make. A crispy base filled to the brim with lashing of hummus, towering grilled vegetables, a sprinkling of parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. I'd never had a non-tomato based pizza before so was a bit unsure if it would be up to my standards. But it was a revelation. The hummus and balsamic vinegar gave it such an intense flavour and gave it almost a Middle Eastern flatbread feel.

A trio of ice cream and sorbet provided the perfect end to a great meal. I just about managed to squeeze it in! Although I was waddling out of the door...

I was also given a tour downstairs of their new cool underground bar called The Shed. Sadly all my pictures I took were a bit rubbish thanks to the dark lighting so you'll have to take my word for it that it's well wroth a visit. Offering a DJ, killer cocktail list and comfy chairs, it looks like a great place to hang out with friends and put the world to rights.

Thanks so much for having me Rustiko and a big shout out to the friendly gentleman on the door who was absolutely lovely!

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5 simple ways to make yourself happier

Paint your nails
Nothing makes me feel like I have my life together than freshly painted nails and toenails. I don't know what it is about coloured fingers and toes but they just make me smile and like I can take on the world. I find it so relaxing to set aside a few hours at night to concentrate on painting my nails. It helps my brain stop whirling around and just concentrate on the moment at hand.

Buy fresh flowers
I love fresh flowers in my room. Waking up and seeing them at the the end of my bed makes me smile each time without fail. Something so simple yet something so pretty. With British Flower week coming up on Monday, there isn't a better time to treat yourself to some fresh blooms. Ocean Loans has launched their project FourWalls to help celebrate all things homes related. Flowers are a great way to add some colour to a home!

Go for a evening stroll
We all lead such busy lives and can get bogged down with the mundune things in life. Work can be all-comsuming and tough to switch off from. I find going to a evening stroll after dinner really helps to switch off and help you to relax. Take your favourite person and just wander aimlessly for about an hour chatting about every and anything. Don't check your phone, just be in the moment. You'll come back feeling fresh and relaxed - trust me! The gentle exercise will help to endorse those endorphins that everyone harps on about. A natter and exercise - what a combo eh?

Try out a new recipe
Cooking give me such a sense of achievement. It's something I've only really discovered over the last few years. Even now I'm still shocked that I can make something not only edible but pretty darn delicious. I find it quite therapeutic to stand in front of a hob trying out a new recipe I haven't attempted before. That feeling I get when it's finished and tastes amazing makes me smile. It doesn't have to be a complicated recipe, even if it's just a another variation of avocado on toast. You get to feed your face and feel pretty sassy at the same time. Winner.

Have an early night
I don't know about you but I am a monster when I'm tired. I am grumpy, argumentative and awkward. I need my sleep every night and my alarm goes out at 5.30 every morning. But I don't always get to have a good run in bed. It's a hard life being a social butterfly eh?! So at least twice a week I set aside a few nights to get in bed for 9pm. That included pjs on, make up off and light switched off my 9pm. I find myself waking up feeling with more of a spring in my step and a lot more together. It's amazing how much a decent amount of sleep can contribute towards your happiness.

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Recipe: grilled avocado barley bowl with Lakeland

Lakeland got in touch to see if I wanted to try out the new Davina McCall range and test them out with a recipe. Always one for kitchen equipment, I said yes and soon a parcel arrived. Consisting of a pair of kitchen scissors, crinkle cutter, grater, peeler and a pairing knife, they were the perfect addition to my kitchen. I decided it was time to try out a recipe from one my favourite cookbooks at the minute, A Modern Way To Cook by Anna Phillips - the recipe called for most of the items to be used. So what did I think? I loved the bright colours as I think aesthetics are everything in a kitchen, they felt sturdy to withhold my clumsiness and were simple and quick to use whilst preparing a meal. Who has time for complicated equipment on a week night? The price point is great too - good quality at a really reasonable price.

Serves 2 with leftovers for lunch

Ingredients
1 large avocado
300g pearl barley
1/2 bag of baby spinach
50g chopped walnuts
Zest and juice of one lemon
100g feta cheese
200ml plain fat free Greek yogurt
A handful of roughly chopped fresh basil
A few pinches of sea salt
A pinch of black pepper

Method
1. Rinse the pearl barley under cold water then boil it in a saucepan. Include a good pinch of sea salt, the juice of half a lemon before putting the squeezed lemon half into the pan too. Cook for around 25 minutes.

2. Cut the avocados in half - leaving the skin on but discarding the stone. Put them cut side down in a griddle pan and cook until they have black griddle marks.

3. To make the yogurt sauce, mix the chopped basil leaves with the zest and juice of the remaining half a lemon. Add a good pinch of sea salt and pepper for some extra flavouring.

4. Wilt the spinach in a frying pan.

5. Once the pearl barley is cooked, drain away the water and crumble in the feta cheese and chopped walnuts. Add the wilted spinach to the dish and mix it all together.

6. Divide between two bowls - remembering to keep some aside for lunch leftovers! Top with the grilled avocado and spoon on the yogurt mix.

As always I'd love to know if you try this recipe out, drop me a tweet to let me know!

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Review: The Terrace at Royal Horseguards Hotel, Embankment, Central London

Located near the London Eye and overlooking the River Thames on the Embankment, The Royal Horseguards Hotel couldn't be in a more ideal location. I was invited along to the summer launch of their terrace for an evening of drinks and BBQ nibbles. Such a lovely way to spend a mild evening in the city.

The Royal Horseguards is pretty fancy and the terrace is no different. The food was absolutely delicious. Mini sliders, hotdogs and satay chicken all hit the spot. The sliders in particular were juicy, flavoursome and moreish - beef burgers topped with crispy bacon and gooey gruyere cheese.  I just wish I could have eaten more! Filled with fragrant blooms and comfy armchairs, the courtyard is the perfect place to relax after work or meet with friends at the weekend.

If you want to reserve an area with friends, there's a minimum spent of £20 which can easily be spent on a few cocktails. Keep an eye out for the London Eye looming over - I still never tire of that view! Alternatively, you can pick a special set menu BBQ package for your group. Coming in at £50 per person, you will get two types of meat. one type of seafood, one type of vegetarian, two types of salad, two types of dessert and a glass of pimms. More than enough for you to make a day of it in the sunshine!

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