Taste #5 Umami Paste - Laura Santtini

Have you heard of this bad-boy yet? Well, if not, now you have, and it is a DELIGHT to introduce. Umami has been identified as the fifth taste sensation, existing alongside sweet, sour, bitter and salty, and it is now available in supermarkets thanks to Laura Santtini.

On the (really beautiful) packaging it is described as a 'flavour bomb', and it really is. This umami paste is comprised of tomato puree, garlic, anchovy, and a plethora of other flavours, but describing it bit by bit doesn't do justice to the product as a whole. Indulging in a metaphor, I would instead say that this paste is a cunningly disguised key, opening up a whole new world of tasty food. You can add it to anything, (and I mean anything: meat poultry, fish, sauces, soups, stir-fries, sandwiches), where it enhances and adds a real depth to the flavour. I tried it with my supper yesterday - some simple chicken marinated in honey, soy sauce and olive oil, and the difference was incredible. You can even use it in place of wasabi when eating sushi, and after attempting to make my own, I tried it with this too. Again, it blew me away. I'm really excited to have found this, and can bask in the knowledge that with this, food will never dare be bland again. The thing to do now, is to go and try some for yourself. Don't let me have all the fun.

Sushi: Fallen apart, or 'deconstructed'..?

J

London - Abokado

Abokado is my new lunchtime destination. So, with regrets, a bientot, dear Pret a Manger. Having done my fair share of work experience up in London I really relished the abundance of choice that is all held under this one, super-healthy roof. Abokado combines the Eastern persuasions found at the likes of Itsu, with its hot rice pots, noodle broths and selections of sushi; with the more substantial lunchtime goods associated with Pret: cold and hot wraps, fresh juices, and delightfully yummy, gluten-free brownies. It's the Teryaki Chicken Powch that first wowed me, (and I mean wowed me in the sense that I muttered a surprised 'Oh! Mmm!' under my breath), just before whoever was sitting next to me slowly shuffled away. Although this 'Powch' comes with the super foreboding tagline: 'LOW CAL, NO BUTTER, NO MAYO, LOW FAT', it still packed such a punch of teryaki-taste, that it was startling. I teamed this up with the carrot, apple, and ginger juice - which I repeated on subsequent visits because it was JUST so good, and reminded me of Blue Juice in Bristol - and I also had a millionare shortbread, (was flagging and in need of a treat).

As it is super healthy the portions are enough, but I think the trick is to team different components up with each other. I saw a businessman grab a sushi and then two wraps and thought to myself: 'he has it right'. What a winner. So there you go, next time you are pottering around Central and feel peckish, stave off the usual lunchtime suspects and try somewhere new. If anything, that's the secret to a good day.

J

London – Duck and Waffle

This was definitely more of an expedition than a casual meal. When my friend told me she was making a flying visit back to London from a year-abroad in Paris, getting a table at the Duck and Waffle, (which has a recommended 2-month booking time), was like a scene from Mission Impossible. (Although obviously a scene that was far too dull and so was cut). After some frantic searching we succeeded in getting a table at 10.15pm. Right…. A two-supper evening it would have to be.

We stepped out of the lift into its sister restaurant, Sushisamba, a razzmatazz of colour that was reminiscent of an Austin Powers party where everyone seemed to know each other. We swiftly scooted up the stairs by the bar into the far more sedate world of the Duck and Waffle.

When we told the waiter our order he gently tried to tell us that the Duck and Waffle was a ‘sharing’ kind of a restaurant, so perhaps we would like to share some of these dishes, as opposed to having one each…? We had just been discussing how ONLY with Chinese food is it ok to share, and possibly Indian, although that is still in contention. So at this suggestion we inwardly laughed, no, we scoffed, and politely declined. Yet we were fools.

 What arrived when the ‘spicy ox cheek doughnut’ came were two of the largest and most alarmingly sized doughnuts I had ever seen in my life. Although fun to try, the amount of dough was huge and the ox-cheek in the middle was very non-descript. So, a word to the wise, if they recommend you to share a dish, just share it, you’re not big enough to do it alone.

The absolute highlight of the meal was the signature dish, ‘Duck and Waffle’, which is a confit duck leg on a waffle with a duck egg and mustard maple syrup. Oh my, it was good. However, to be honest, I would probably only go back for that, and the views.

It’s definitely an experience, and it’s open 24 hours, so next time you feel like having a night out in two-months time, and just know that you’ll fancy a duck dish at exactly 2 in the morning, well then, give it a book! I mean, what could be easier…?

However, for me, next time it’s Sushisamba.

J

Bristol - Shake Wrap and Roll

Most people that know me will know how much of a procrastinator I am and today was no different. After sleeping in, packing my bag for a weekend in London, and tidying my room it was clear no work was getting done today. So food presented the last bastion of distraction, and for all you edgy folk out on Gloucester Road, this one's a real gem.

Hard to miss, Shake Wrap and Roll colourfully occupies a central position along one of Bristol's busiest roads. What first drew me to SW&R were actually free vouchers I picked up in Freshers Week (yeh, it pays to actually look at all the free stuff that get's forced down your throat - excuse the pun!) and I've been a fairly frequent visitor since.

I imagine most Bristol-dwellers will have heard of the amazingness that is Magic Roll, however, SW&R certainly gives it a good run for its money. Essentially the same concept, what SW&R offers that differs is the much bigger range of ingredients and, in my opinion, bigger wraps, all for the same price - what's not to like! (both Magic Roll and SW&R have hoiked up their prices recently, but I think they now both cost the same). Nice range of meat options, including a personal favourite of mine - brie and bacon, and unrestricted choice of the available salad fillings and interesting sauces. All locally-sourced (so tempted to write 'sauced', but one pun's enough) and home-made ingredients and served by welcoming, knowledgable staff make this a must-visit to anyone in the area. B-e-a-utiful!

I actually took a photo this time!

A

Bristol - Cafe Poco

Cafe Poco is a great wee tapas bar that's found opposite the Canteen on Gloucester Road. The kitchen is placed much like a bar, in the middle of the room, and all down one side of the wood panelling is a huge array of fresh fruit and veg. I occasionally saw the chef wander out and deliberate over for it while, before plucking a unpeeled beetroot from the pile.

The menu had a huge variety of both hot and cold tapas, (as well as puddings), and it was all written on a massive blackboard on the back wall. Up on here they also had what sounded like foraged juices - namely Dandelion and Burdock, and Apple and Rhubarb. I alighted on the latter, which was delicious, as although the apple made it sweet the rhubarb then made it zingy, and it has spurred me to make rhubarb crumble very soon.

We ordered a lot of food... We got the traditional warm hummus with flatbreads, the manchego and membrillo, beetroot, butternut squash and chickpeas, and the pork belly.

It was all delicious. And always like with tapas, although I have suspicions that it won't fill me up, the act of picking and choosing and the slow way in which you approach your meal means that it always does. The hummus was probably my favourite part, and was fairly similar to that at Yalla Yalla, which had me holla-ing from the rooftops. (A review for which was written in January). However, the pork belly was a close contender, as it was cooked with lime and fennel and had the best crackling ever.

We then seriously indulged, getting a chilli hot chocolate each and sharing a pomegranate molasses brownie. The chilli in the hot chocolate had a proper kick and when I drained the mug my face may have shown momentary alarm as the chilli residue invaded my mouth. This was, however, only momentary, and subsided swiftly to a warming, pleasant feeling. The brownie had the pomegranate molasses inside it, and not just as a topping, which slightly baffled us with the first few bites - we couldn't work out what that errant taste was - but with creme fraiche it really worked, and made it a moist and yummy brownie with a twist.

As ever, if you order wildly it could end up a tad on the expensive side, but with dishes ranging from £2 to £4/5, it really needn't be too much. It was a really lovely meal and a perfect stop-off if you're on your way to the Canteen. Us third years, however, were far too tired and boring for any of that, and come 10.30, decided it was time to trot off to bed.

J

Bristol - The Bristolian

I heard about The Bristolian a while ago from a friend, and so we wandered down to Gloucester Road yesterday to check it out. To give you some bearings, it's over the road from Kino Cafe and the Arts Cafe, and its prettily lighted front looked old fashioned and inviting on that cold, cold evening. Inside is, as ever - as I am learning in these rambles around Bristol restaurants - incredibly welcoming and friendly.

They serve a range of food, from salad-y goodies in the glass counter and gluten free cakes and shortbreads on top, to a series of (yep, gluten free) breakfasts. The main Bristolian one has everything except the mushrooms! Perfect! The supper menu was quite small, and although it had great dishes they were quite expensive, particularly the starters/tapas as most came in at about £7.

We both alighted on the chorizo quesadillas, which came with onion, aubergine, courgette, pepper, cheese, and a homemade salsa and guacamole. These were pretty tricky to eat, (although I developed the knack), but were really delicious, and so filling.

I would definitely recommend The Bristolian, and hope to return sometime soon to try one of these mushroom-free breakfasts.

J

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Thought I would add a bit to this!
'The Bristolian', lighting up a dark alley deep in the heart of Stokes Croft, is aptly named for it exemplifies what Bristol is all about - quirkiness, independence, and amazing, locally-sourced food.

The quesedillas immediately stood out to us both on the rather limited menu, albeit containing many delicious-sounding meals. After toying with the prospect of a fondue-esque option as a starter, I decided to stick with the quesedilla (which, despite multiple attempts I still can't seem to pronounce properly) thinking it was a type of burrito/tortilla/enchilada-type meal.

I was rather caught by surprise at what turned up. As the photo shows, they are nothing like enchiladas... I wondered how such minimal food could fill me up, but what seemed like barely anything had my hearty appetite quashed. A rather messy meal ensued with Little J mastering the technique to avoid the quesedillas failing apart - me not so much and now my trousers have a nasty compromising stain on the thigh. Can't take me anywhere.

Although the place is a little cramped and I was rather nervous about leaning my head against the wall which was adorned with candles at hair-burning height, it is absolutely worth a visit. They offer a great range of alternative hot-chocolate flavours, including cinnamon, chilli, and mint, and the breakfasts look very appetising. They even have a 'Bristolian Challenge', which is a £12 massive pile of breakfast foods and has most certainly been pushed near the top of my bucketlist of things to do before leaving Bristol.

Go visit! It's also close to the Croft and The Canteen, so if you're heading to a gig and looking for some pre-mosh munch, maybe check it out.

A

Bristol - The Burger Joint

So it's a well known establishment on Whiteladies that probably doesn't need my telling you about it, but I went the other day and loved it, so here goes.

The Burger Joint is bright and cosy, with incredibly friendly staff and the best 'create your own burger' system to date. On sitting down you are presented with a pencil and a pad of paper, on which you tick off the different components of your meal. What kind of burger do you fancy? Beef? Lamb and Mint? Oh chicken was it? Tick the chicken. It truly felt like I was playing a culinary game of Cluedo, and it made the experience fun, and stirred in me feelings from childhood.

You then proceed to tick off your choices from the vast array of toppings (of which one is 80p and three is £1.75 I think, however, including the option of adding two would have been ideal). Then on to sauces, who knew there were so many (although don't be a rookie and tick ketchup - it's sitting by you on the table), then dips, and finally sides. Phew.

Has all this ticking and musing made you hungry? Then never fear, as the meal that is to come will definitely fill you up. The burgers are generous and the sides, (we both had sweet potato chips) even more so. As ever, I ended up with a doggie bag, and a great lunch the next day.

J