Rhubarb and Jasmine doughnut from Crosstown

Ended up getting another doughnut from Crosstown because it was Rhubarb and Jasmine.
Again, you have that consistently good doughnut base with chia seeds and then there is that lovely refreshing rhubarb jasmine compote that's not too sweet.
However I would like a bit more tang to the rhubarb and a stronger jasmine floral note.
Overall not bad and worth trying and unsuspectingly vegan.

The Pandan doughnut returns along with the new pandan Lamington at Crosstown doughnuts

My favourite pandan doughnuts are back and this year there is a new pandan lamington so tried it because I have already tried the doughnut.
The lamington is like a moist cake which I found too moist.
It was a bit too sweet for my liking because of the white chocolate coating so I recommend the pandan doughnuts.

Trying the SUBWAY plant patty for Veganuary

Went to Subway randomly for a quick fix.
As it was January there were two veg options: the plant patty and vegan steak by Veg Butcher.
The plant patty looked good with pieces of veg in it so tried that with the cheese mix, spinach leaves and mayonnaise for simplicity.
The first few bites were good because it was hot and I was hungry, however it was rather spicy and I didn't like the chewy meaty texture.
It would have been nice without that artificial stuff and chilli.
I just wish that veg/vegan stuff isn't overloaded with spices and salt to mask the tastelessness because in this case there were pieces of veg in the patty and plenty of salad and sauces at Subway to compliment it.

Christmas spiced duck leg at Tonkotsu

Tonkotsu is a famous ramen chain in London but has never been on my list to go until recently.
I was captivated by the duck leg which brought me there.
Overall, the noodles were similar to those lye noodles (alkaline noodles) and the broth was rather weak even though it was salty enough, it lacked a bone broth flavour.
The duck was quite nice but a bit dry, however I reckon if I dined there when they started serving this Christmas special, then it would have been soft and supple.
It was nice that the ramen was paired with my favourite Swiss chards and I felt that the sesame garnishing was to give it that Asian touch.

UYGHUR style Lamb Hoof Pachaq at Turpan

I am so glad I tried this place for the Lamb Hoof Pachaq.

Initially I thought it was the same as Xinjiang and Uzbek cuisine because of the menu but it turns out Uyghur food is similar.

Anyway, I didn't try the similar items so went for the Lamb hoof because you don't see it elsewhere and I haven't had lamb hoof even though i've had chicken feet, pigs trotters and cow trotters.

The dish was how I expected it to be.

It was soft and gelatinous with a nice heat and spice from the dried chillis and Sichuan peppercorns which makes it similar to Sichuan dry hot pot stir fry.

The menu states 5 pieces, you will find the trotter sliced in half vertically with some bone marrow in them but not much.

Also had it with rice which I thought was going to be plain but they put some sort of milk and butter in it which makes it quite heavy.

Overall the lamb hooves are recommended if you like soft and gelatinous pigs trotters.

It would be good if the hoof had the hair completely removed because I ended up wasting the skin because of it.

The dish also reminded me of these Gurkha pigs trotters KHUTTA KO ACHAAR which are also spicy.

Menu:

Turpan:

Pulled Lamb Shepherds pie at The Horniman At Hays

Just before Christmas I spotted this captivating Shepherd's pie which got my attention because there was a lamb shank bone in the middle so I made a mental note to try.

According to the menu, it is a HAND-PULLED LAMB SHANK SHEPHERD'S PIE with a rich minted gravy topped with herb mash.

Finally tried it on Boxing at The Horniman At Hays where we got a nice and quiet corner.

When, it came, the I had to "erect" the bone to make it look like the product shot as it was lying flat when it came.

The pulled lamb which was soft and tender took the Shepherds pie to the next level but needed a bit more flavour.

The rich minted gravy didn't quite taste minty nor was it rich.

Overall, I really enjoyed it, but some vinegary mint sauce was badly needed so I put loads of vinegar which made it really tasty.

Calarmari:

Calamari can be a hit or miss!

Luckily the calamari was still soft with a chew while the coating was crispy and not too salty despite looking a bit dark in colour.

It tasted nice with the lemon but the sauce was a bit too sweet.

Pictures at The Horniman At Hays

Pistachio and hazelnut filled brionut brioche buns at Comptoir bakery

Comptoir Gourmand is a small, family run company based in Bermondsey, I made a mental note to visit after walking past this cafe in 2020.

Although, I am not a fan of brioche, I went for the brionuts which came in two flavours hazelnut and pistachio filled with creme.

Both were well filled and there was so much filling that you have to be really careful when you are eating it.

To summarize, the hazelnut tasted better but visually the pistachio was a winner, again both were encased in this consistent soft brioche bun.

The butter in the brioche bun was not too overwhelming but the filling can get a bit sickly.

Pistachio brionut"

Hazelnut brionut noisette:

Other offerings at Comptoir Bakery: