If you’ve been to Koya, you’ll know exactly where the inspiration for this dish came from. The end result is nothing like the delicate, tasty and – above all – neat version you’ll find at this delightful Japanese udon specialist. … Continued
Chinese
Sichuan goose
The goose, the subject of a later blog, has been well and truly cooked. And eaten. And rendered down into stock and tubs of creamy fat. That all sounds a bit slaughterhousey but the end results were very good. However, … Continued
Steamed aubergine in an intense spicy and nutty sauce
Smooth. Slithery. Soft. The texture of well cooked aubergines is their defining characteristic. More so than the gently nutty flavour, the pendulous shape, the glorious shades of purple. The main thing aubergines really bring to a dish is their delightfully … Continued
Cha siu
Hi, I’m Mr Noodles from Eat Noodles Love Noodles and I’ve hijacked The Grubworm. Don’t worry though, Aaron will be back from honeymoon (congratulations!) in September but in the meantime he has entrusted his blog to a team of blogsitters. … Continued
Sichuan style cold pork belly & cucumber in a hot garlicky sauce
Nothing beats a good steak and there’s something special about the meeting of hot charcoal and lamb. But the meat I keep coming back to again and again, is that of the pig. Maybe it’s familiarity, maybe it’s that I … Continued
Chilli Cool revisited
My first brush with proper Sichuan/Szechuan cuisine was something of a sweat soaked revelation. It left me panting for more. The question is, would Chilli Cool get through that notoriously tough second visit? All that expectation and the unrepeatable joy … Continued
Chilli Cool
15 Leigh street, London, WC1H 9EW 020 7383 3135 www.chillicool.com I’ve read about it, heard people raving about it, even attempted to cook it. But I had never, till now, really tasted authentic Szechuan food. The cuisine du jour about four … Continued
My Old Place
88 Middlesex St, London E1 7EZ Rule number one when you eat somewhere new and unfamiliar: Don’t be timid. I know this rule. I live by this rule. This rule defines much of my eating and travelling experience. So why … Continued
A simple & hot vegetable stir fry
You don’t get home till 7pm, it’s cold outside and you’re knackered. But you still want some good home cooked food. What to make when you feel like this can be a real dilemma. Over the years I’ve developed a … Continued
Miso soaked salmon
Still going strong on Asian food, although last night’s dinner was something of a mish-mash of regional influences. It was ostensibly Japanese miso soaked salmon, but ended up with a fair bit of Chinese in there too. Not that that … Continued