looking for a variety of great food in London near Earls Court.

Thanks for this. I had considered Wagamama, but it was slightly pricier than I had hoped to pay for lunch. I had dismissed Nando's because I didn't think it had veggie options, but checked the menu on your suggestion and saw that it had plenty; it should be perfect for our needs. We have 14 people, so No 10 might be a problem. And thanks a bunch for the pubs.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

looking for a variety of great food in London near Earls Court.

I'm bumping this thread to see if there is anything I'm missing. I'll be traveling in London (and Liverpool and Manchester) with a group of students beginning next week, and our hotel is in Earl's Court. We'll be in other parts of the city for most meals, but for our first night I wanted to eat near the hotel--I've booked at the Pembroke, which seems like a good first dinner spot. I also imagine we'll want to each lunch in Earl's Court the first afternoon (because by the time we get through immigration and to the hotel I think we'll be crazy hungry). Any of these spots specifically good for lunch?

Finally, which pub(s) would you recommend to a tired prof at the end of a long day. (I don't know how many nights we'd make it back to the area after the theatre, but hopefully we will on occasion.)

Thanks.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Banoffee in Manchester

Belated thanks, Harters. You were absolutely right. We ended up at Pizza Express (which my friend remembered fondly from her uni days), which produced a decidedly mediocre banoffee. The pizza was much better than what I was expecting, though, so there's that.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Jeni's Vanilla Cedar Wood Ice Cream

The vanilla Cedar Wood is one of their new seasonal flavors. I haven't tasted it, but I didn't like most of the seasonal flavors this winter (unlike last summer and spring, which were amazing).

I would definitely say to give it another try. We just had a visitor from out of town and he wanted to go back to Jeni's twice after his initial visit.

They're known for the salted caramel. Someone upthread mentioned the poached pear and riesling sorbet--so good there are no words. The dark chocolate is stunningly rich. The Bangkok peanut--peanut butter with coconut and chile--is wonderful. Summer brings the sweet corn and blueberry, cardamom and lime, and brambleberry crisp. So good.

And the $11/pint non-local price is not bad. It's $10 per pint in the Jeni's shops and few local grocery stores that carry it.

nc213 in General Chowhounding Topics

Jiro Dreams of Sushi - the movie.

I had the chance to see this at a documentary festival last summer. It was a beautiful and fascinating film. Most chowhounds would love it. Lovely shots of the food, great storytelling.

I also had a chance to see the El Bulli film, which I also adored, though I think it might be a little slow for those less completely fascinated by food and/or molecular gastronomy.

nc213 in Food Media & News

New to Columbus

Our favorite upscale choice so far is Rigsbys. Each time we try something new we end up back there.

We had an amazing brunch at Skillet a couple of weeks ago and I can't wait to head back.

Our favorite Indian so far has been Aab in Grandview heights. (But we have not tried many places.)

For Sushi, we like Akai Hana.

And if you haven't been to Jeni's, you're cheating your own self.

-----
Rigsby's Restaurant
698 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215

Akai Hana
1173 Kenny Centre Mall, Columbus, OH 43220

Grandview Cafe
1455 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212

nc213 in Great Lakes

Novels (fiction or non)

Ha--one of my syllabus decisions was between Down and Out and A Moveable Feast!

Another book I tried out but that didn't make the syllabus was Diana Abu-Jaber's Crescent. it's set in a Iraqi-Lebanese Cafe in a Persian neighborhood of Los Angeles. The food descriptions are truly lovely.

I haven't read but am intrigued by Pomegranate Soup, a novel about Iranian immigrants who open a restaurant in a small town in Ireland. I can't remember the author, but it's easily google-able.

nc213 in Food Media & News

Carded in our Mid 50s!

Actually, procon.org is a reputable site and organization. They clearly cite all of their sources of information. If you look at the individual state mandates, the site even links to the text of the actual laws.

nc213 in Not About Food

Best Food Films - any new additions?

I was going to suggest both "Kings of Pastry" and "Pressure Cooker." I cannot imagine a foodie not loving "Kings of Pastry." A gripping story.

Also, two docs that are new (and may be coming to theaters before DVD)--Jiro Dreams of Sushi and El Bulli. Saw both at a film festival earlier this year and would recommend both.

nc213 in Food Media & News

Novels (fiction or non)

I'm teaching a course on food and literature in the fall, and I rarely see the books below on these food reading threads. Some novels from my syllabus include:

Nervous Conditions--Tsetse Dangarembga
The Inheritance of Loss--Kiran Desai
My Year of Meats--Ruth Ozeki
Down and Out in Paris and London--George Orwell
The Book of Salt--Monique Truong

Some memoirs:
Monsoon Diary: A Memoir with Recipes--Shoba Narayan (a memoir of growing up in India)
Pigtails and Breadfruit--Austin Clarke (a memoir of growing up in Barbados)

FWIW, novels really and truly can't be nonfiction. There are certainly long nonfiction works, but they are not novels. A narrative presented as fiction is either fiction or memoir--a novel is, by definition, fiction, difficulties of classifying Truman Capote aside (and In Cold Blood is Most certainly a novel).

nc213 in Food Media & News

Banoffee in Manchester

Hounds--
Heading to Manchester with a friend on Wednesday. I got some great suggestions here a few months ago, which I very much appreciate, but my friend is in search of a good banoffee pie. Any help? We're staying in the city center, but would be willing to travel if necessary. In a perfect world, we'd have it for dessert after a good, reasonably priced meal, but we'd make a special trip if needed.
thanks in advance.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

which cookies freeze well?

I need to make a large number of cookies for a wedding, and due to logistics I'll need to freeze some or most of them. I've never frozen cookies, though I know many people do, and I'm concerned with the texture of the thawed cookies. I was hoping baking chowhounds could point me to varieties that freeze better than others so I could bake those first and perhaps save the more delicate ones for the last minute.

I've been asked to make
alton brown's thin chocolate chip cookies
thin and crispy oatmeal cookies

I'm also planning to make
snickerdoodles
coconut and lime sugar cookies
chocolate cookies with peanut butter middles

and toying with
florentines
alfajores
orange shortbread
cakey lemon cookies with frosting
chocolate crinkles

Any and all advice appreciated.

nc213 in Home Cooking

Cost of London dining

Thanks for these recs and blogs. I'll definitely follow before my own scouting trip and as I plan the bigger one for the students.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

Is the cafe in the V&A you're speaking of the same as the outdoor dining area? I was at the V&A for a quick visit last June, and I remember sitting outside in the courtyard enjoying the sun. i didn't get something to eat, but I saw tables and people eating. I remember it being an absolutely lovely place to sit in a sunny day.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

@Northernfood

Thanks for these recs. We're definitely planning on hitting the Curry Mile, at least to see and possibly to eat. I've just tracked down a novel set there by the same title, but I haven't checked it out. I

I think this is the first Korean rec I've had, which is a great addition.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

I will be in Liverpool this summer w/out students and, provided grant monies for the basics come through, would love to check out some more expensive options. My husband is meeting me at the end of my trip in hopes of heading to Scotland, but I think I might see if we could stop off at Northcote Manor on the way--it looks lovely.

I'm hoping to get a day in Bradford, but I'm not sure if I'll have the chance.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

Thanks so much for all of these. And if you have specific recs for Lancashire towns, I'd love to hear them. I might be able to squeeze in an extra stop on my visit this summer.
While I'm there primarily to plan, I'm also there to enjoy and eat!

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

Thanks, Theresa, and yes, I will.

I started this thread to put together budget numbers, which it's been very helpful for. But I will need to start thinking about Manchester and Liverpool. I'm heading to both places this summer for more planning, and I would be thrilled with any and all recs you have. I've spent some time in London, but I'm completely unfamiliar with both Manchester and Liverpool (except one brief Beatles tour when I was an undergrad.)

Thanks.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

Thanks so much for these. I'll check them out asap.

If my students met LKJ, they might pee themselves, (Actually, I might too.) I have never met an American college student who has heard of him before my class, and he blows them away every time. Maybe I'll see if I can email him and ask if he'd be willing to meet my students. S.I Martin used to run black British history tours in London; I'm going to see if they can meet him as well. We'll probably read his novel Incomparable World.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

I haven't seen the film version of Small Island yet, so I'll check that out. The thing is, syllabi aren't necessarily constructed about what the best reads are. Brick Lane's attention to language--the acquisition of English throughout the book, the letters from the sister in Bangladesh--contemporary life in the council estate, and the question of transnational women's work--are reasons why it makes it into the syllabus. Small Island covers very different ground. (I do appreciate the suggestion and the reminder that there is a film version of SI. I'm also planning to check out Levy's book The Fruit of the Lemon, which is set in the 70s. I'm thinking it might pair nicely with Buddha of Suburbia). The last time I taught we used James Proctor's anthology Writing Black Britain, Agard's Alternative Anthem, Linton Kwesi Johnson's Mi Revalueshunary Fren, Evaristo's The Emperor's Babe, Naipaul's Mimic Men, Kureisi's The Buddha of Suburbia, and Londonstani by Guatam Malkani. I'm not sure which of these will return, though it's hard to get rid of any of them for various reasons. I'm upping the film quotient this time as well. Possibilities include: East is East, Dirty Pretty Things, Anita and Me, My Beautiful Laundrette, and My Son the Fanatic.

To bring it back to food, I was hoping to hit Tayyabs or Needoo the last time I was in London, but I didn't. Can you tell me if they are similarly priced? I can get prices online for Needoo, and it should work well with our budget, but I can't find a menu with prices for Tayyab.

Also, I'm getting a lot of great recs for South Asian food, which is wonderful. I'm wondering if anyone has specific recs for Caribbean and/or African places where we could sit down and have a meal.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

Thanks for this. A Small Island is on my long list of texts. It didn't make the cut last time I taught the course, but it may this time--there's just too much I could teach and not enough days in the semester.

I has considered sending students in groups or pairs to different neighborhoods we read about, having them explore for an hour or two, and then report back. Brixton is on my list of possibilities. But now I'm thinking that we might hit Brixton for a meal together. I'll also keep Thursday night in mind. We're pretty far out from picking dates; although I am hoping to spend most of our evenings in London at the theatre.

I've added Busabai Eathai to my list. It looks perfect for my group--inexpensive, interesting, and lots of options for different kinds of eaters.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

Actually, the budget is for the administrators at the university. I don't have to stick to it strictly, but I should try to come close. The university subsidizes these trips for the students. Students pay a fee to go--probably about $1400-$1500 for this trip--and we take care of airfare, hotels, admissions, meals, etc.--everything except things they'd like to buy. When I wrote my initial budget, I didn't know we were covering food, so I've been asked to come up with a dollar amount for food so the administration can work that into the student price. $30 was suggested, but I thought it was low. Now I'm thinking at least $40.

I want to keep things reasonable, but, as you note, I want us to be able to have sit down meals when we want/need. I'd like to introduce them to the variety of foods in London, and I'd like them to enjoy themselves. I definitely do not want McDonalds (they might, but I don't care). This program is still pretty new, so I don't know what everyone's thoughts are on the matter, but it's my understanding that these trips are essentially a privilege (heck--it's a trip to the UK for little more than the cost of airfare) and to be enjoyed. I'd gladly grab falafel as we walk or Pret for lunches, but I don't believe it should be like my university backpacking days where they grab bread and cheese in the grocery store and picnic.

There will be ten of them and two "adults." I know 12 is a big party, but we don't have to have a table for 12 wherever we go. We can certainly go in as 3 tables of 4, or whatever fits where we need.

I love Camden and Borough Markets, but I am not sure they'll fit into our schedule. I'm wondering about Brixton Market, though. Does Brixton Market reflect the immigrant communities in the area? Would a meal there be more of a cultural event--like Brick Lane--than say Camden Market? (I know Camden is filled with ethnic foods, but that seems a happy accident of price and availability rather than a reflection of Camden itself. I have it on my list of possibilities, but given the relatively short time we have in London, I doubt we'll be able to make it there. The same goes for Borough Market, which I love dearly.)

And thanks for the cheap eats threads. One of my coming tasks was to track those down and start working through them.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

Thanks for all of the responses so far. My students are university age, so 19-22. While they will be of drinking age in the UK, we won't be paying for their alcohol, so they'll be limited to water and soft drinks on our budget. They can purchase their own drinks if they want. (The same goes for me--it's university policy.)

We don't have all of our activities locked in yet, but I know we will be visiting the Museum of London-Docklands, the National Portrait Gallery, and The British Museum. We'll be doing a couple of walking tours as well, though I'm not sure which/where. (We'll almost certainly do the Roman London tour and a tour with Black HIstory Walks of London. We may do the East End as well.) We plan to see a few plays, mainly off-WE and Fringe, so we could end up anywhere on those evenings and afternoons. I do hope to get them in to see something at the National Theatre if the programming cooperates.

I agree with the hotel breakfasts for myself, but with students I believe it's the best option. The growing boys can eat as much as they want, and having the breakfast room downstairs gives us an easy place to gather and set out for the day. I have no idea yet as to where we'll be staying.

I thought of Pret and Eat right after I posted. They would be perfect for lunches. We may be heading to Brick Lane as a class since we'll probably be reading Monica Ali's novel of the same name as a part of the course. (The trip is in conjunction with a literature course on black British and postcolonial authors writing about the space of Britain. We'll be looking at different narratives of national identity all semester; then we travel to London, Liverpool, and Manchester.)

I'm thankful for any additional suggestions and numbers. It seems that 10 pounds is the consensus for lunch, which is what I thought, but I imagine dinner will be more (?), which makes me think we're closer to $35 or $40 per day?

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Cost of London dining

I'm taking a group of university students to London and trying to work on a food budget. I'm planning to find a hotel with breakfasts, leaving me lunches and dinners for each day. Though I wouldn't say that I'm looking to feed them as cheaply as possible, I'm looking to do near that.

So, imagining a quick lunch--sit down probably, but not necessarily--and an inexpensive, but not fast food dinner each day. Places like Mooli, Hummus Brothers, Wagamama, etc would fit the bill nicely. Kebab places and the like would certainly do for some lunches. (We're not limited to ethnic places, though part of the purpose of this trip is to show students the diversity of the UK, so there's an added bonus.) We'll be spending most of our time in the city centre for museums and theatre, so it's unlikely we'd be headed beyond zone 2 or have much time for that.

How much would you budget for lunch and dinner per person per day? An administrator suggested $30, but that seemed a bit low to me.

I'd be happy for all responses and for any suggestions you have for places to take them. I was in London last year for a bit and will be back for a few days this summer, but it's been a very long time since I've been able to spend any real time there, and things are different when you're imagining 10 students and a budget.

Thanks in advance.

nc213 in U.K./Ireland

Best (or even solid) Indian in Columbus?

Thanks for the recs. I'll add them to my list of places to try.

We ended up at Aab in Grandview, and it was pretty solid. Nice levels of spice, complex flavors, good service. I found the samosas bland, but liked everything else we had. Would definitely go back.

-----
Grandview Cafe
1455 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212

nc213 in Great Lakes

Best (or even solid) Indian in Columbus?

Headed out for Indian tomorrow night, pretty much anywhere in C-bus. One diner is a serious carnivore, so veg-only places are out. Also, one diner is new to the cuisine, so I'm hoping to wow said diner with deliciousness.

Taking all nominations.

thx

nc213 in Great Lakes

Any good frozen yogurt places in Columbus or nearby areas?

There's a Red Mango, which I believe is similar to Pinkberry around Ohio State. I don't know if they have green tea flavor or not, but it should be easy to check.

nc213 in Great Lakes

Snapping your fingers at your waiter...

When I waited tables I had guests snap at me. Not often, but often enough. Probably less than once a month, but a number of times every year.

nc213 in Not About Food

Silver Spring non-meat options

Seconding most of the above, especially Mandalay, which has an extensive vegetarian selection. There are three Ethiopian restaurants in downtown Silver Spring all of which have strong veg options--Abol is our favorite (on Colesville across from the AFI). Ghar-E-kabab has plenty of veggie options (and the best aloo gobi I've ever had), as does local chain Lebanese Taverna located in the mall-ish section of downtown Silver Spring.

For more traditional options, Adega cafe on Ellsworth has a few nice veggie dishes and The Quarry house serves up veggie burgers, sandwiches, and hummus plates along with their tater tots.

nc213 in Washington DC & Baltimore Area