Mien Tay (Battersea, London)

There seems to have been a surge of Vietnamese restaurants in London,  and as with most Ethnic establishments in this city, they seem to fall into two categories: you've got the trendy restaurants with chic logos graphically designed with modern fonts and a menu that's been heavily smacked with Western flavors, and you've got the Asian take-away-esque ones.  Places like Mien Tay, where it's bare and charmingly tacky, where it's just this down to earth Vietnamese family-run restaurant.

I went to their Battersea branch.  And as with all of their restaurants in London, there's something very authentic and endearing about its shabby interior.  Densely-packed incongruous furniture dotted with pots of plastic plants.  A theme of white and jade-green and... all a bit alarm-bell-ringing until you sit down and eat.

Late Autumn this year, they celebrated their 6th anniversary with 6 new dishes.  Yes, 6 years is quite some time especially as they've in this time managed to open up 3 or 4 branches not just in London.  The focus is on Southern Vietnamese cuisine made with authenticity and they've had rave reviews.

So of the new dishes there is a deep-fried monkfish which is pleasant.  The batter crisp, the flesh not overcooked.  There is a whole grilled squid that was on the bland and (extremely) chewy side, which, however, was the only disappointing part of the evening, as then there are some bright cheerful salads.  There is a fabulous pomelo salad with chicken and prawns that's got those lovely bitter and sharp citrus notes flowing through; and a kohlrabi salad with squid, where fortunately the squid is tender, the kohrabi crunchy and it's altogether coated with a fresh and zingy dressing.

Best Eats This Week: Yogiyo Cooking Sauces

Too often have we been set back by "exotic" recipes simply because of the long obscure list of ingredients.  Fresh turmeric? Dried kelp? Spices you can't even pronounce?  And when you finally do find that specialty shop that sells everything you need, you hesitate -- well, how many times will you use this?  Is it worth buying a whole jar of fermented tofu? What are you supposed to do with the rest of it?  Better to just go out for dinner and make pasta at home tomorrow.

Even me, a relatively adventurous cook, am faced with this annoyance.  I just don't like to waste, and my food cupboard is full enough as it is.  I don't want to squeeze in half-open packs of dried shrimp and palm sugar which I will just forget about until I move out.  One of my favorite cuisines is Korean, and I just never cook it at home for the aforementioned reasons.  But now, enter Yogiyo -- UK's first range of Korean cooking sauces that have just launched at a Sainbury's near you.

Chocolate Cherry Crumble Bars

It's been too long. 

It was nice to take Sunday afternoon off to just bake.  I like the hands-on stuff --- I like kneading a soft bread dough and have my fingers rub through butter and flour for that perfect shortcrust.  I like the anticipation of it in the oven whilst I make the kitchen spotless.  And I love the smell and the warmth and the happiness it brings to everyone.  I just think baking is the closest thing to love.  And I hate not being able to do it enough.

Shikumen - Shepherd's Bush (London)

Having grown up in Beijing, there's always a slight hesitation in visiting Chinese restaurants in London.  I hate being disappointed, especially when it comes to eating out, and with Chinese food, it's just more personal.  My heart sinks at the sight of soft wrinkled skin on Peking ducks, or the taste of oversweetened generic meat coated in grease.   I therefore had my reservations when I went to Shikumen -- the Chinese restaurant that has received praise by the likes of of Fay Maschler. 

Quail, Pea Purée, Carrots, Jus

I was seriously spoiled in culinary school.  We had kitchen porters and limitless pans that allowed us to make dishes with five different components in two hours.  Now at home when I try to be just slightly ambitious it takes me twice as long and I'm twice as stressed because I'm just washing the same two pans over and over again.