http://archive.aweber.com/london_chowSubscribers to London ChowWed, 02 Nov 2011 09:50:06 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/FUgDs/h/London_Chow_do_you_Like_me_.htm Hello , Hope that you're well. London is again doing what it does best - toggling between chilly and mild on alternate days. That explains why you'd people wearing thick coats walking alongside others with t-shirts and jeans on the streets. Stepping out in the appropriate clothes is like choosing the right combination for Euromillions - you're almost there, just not quite. Oh, just to let you know that I've finally come round to set up a Facebook page for London Chow. Don't know what took me so long but it seems like a good platform to keep in touch with the lovely people out there (aw... come on, you know I'm talking about you, don't you?). Not only you'd be able to find updates on London Chow (well, the app promises to do a scan every 30 minutes, so...), I'd be posting about some simple recipes that I have tried at home. Now, if I can do it, it has to be really simple. Obviously, I'm not an expert on Facebook despite spending too much time on it everyday but I think you'd have to 'Like' the page to receive updates on your Facebook account. So there you go, do Like me. On the plus side, you can post whatever experiences or recommendations you have on any restaurants and supper clubs in London . You can even post the photos of you getting drunk last night on the page. Sounds cool? I think so too. :) Again, here's London Chow's Facebook page and see you there. Cheers, London Chow London Chow | Where to eat and where to avoid in London p.s. oh, there's a page for London Expat too!Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:50:06 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1vl92/h/London_Chow_Awana_Only_24.htmGood day ! Brilliant sunshine today, perfect for a walk along Thames, which is exactly what I'll be doing later. Just a heads up here, Groupon is running a promotion at Awana, one of my top 10 favourite restaurants in London. 3 course meal for two at only £24 pounds, that's a whopping 62% off the £63 value, which is even better than the 50% deal at Toptable. If you are a fan of authentic Malaysian cruisine, here's your chance to grab a fabulous deal. If you haven't try out Awana before, why not do it now? My favourites at Awana are its good o' nasi lemak (fragrant rice) and roti durian (purported to be the king of fruits), which is inserted into hard bread flipped on the spot. Offer ends in 15hrs time and once bought the voucher can be redeemed till 14th Sept 2011. Get it here now. Till next, London Chow London Chow | Where to eat in London London Expat | What ELSE to do in LondonSun, 13 Mar 2011 04:41:04 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1ESe6/h/London_Chow_still_thinking_of.htm Hello , Yep, it's that day of the year again when there's love in the air. Even for those who enjoying the freedom of being single, it never hurts to have a night's out with your buddies. But what's Valentine's Day without a nice dinner? It doesn't have to break the bank. This year round, check out Red Letter Day instead. Red Letter Day focuses not on the gift itself but on 'experiences' instead. Be it for couples, pampering, flying, dining, short breaks, the list just goes on. If you're worried about not being able to make it in time for V-Day, do not fret. Just opt for the next day delivery or e-voucher and your loved one will be in for a pleasant surprise! Enjoy! C K London Chow | Where to eat in London London Expat | What ELSE to do in LondonThu, 10 Feb 2011 06:30:07 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1TcPF/h/London_Chow_fabulous_last.htm Hi , It's that time of the year again when we start compiling our lists of resolutions while totally ignoring what the list you have made last year (be honest!). If going on a diet is in the list of yours, set that aside for the time being at least till after the New Year Eve's dinner. Well, you are not breaching it technically, are you? Anyway, there are a couple of brilliant deals to be had at Toptable for New Year's Eve. Here are some of them that are offering last minute booking offers. Notting Hill Brasserie (W11 2PN) 6 courses + a glass of Dom Perignon for £125 The Ebury (SW1W 8NA) 4 courses + a glass of Ernest Rapeneau champagne for £50 ORA Restaurant (W1W 7JE) 3 courses + a glass of champagne for £49 Olives (SW7 4QH) 3 courses + a glass of prosecco and stuzzichini for £49.95 Navajo Joe (WC2E 8JD) 3 courses + a margarita cocktail for £45 Cantina Vinopolis (SE1 9BU) 3 courses, coffee, petit fours and a glass of champagne for £65 Palm Court Brasserie (WC2E 8JS) 5 courses + kir royale for £50 The Waterway (W9 2JU) 4 courses + a glass of Ernest Rapeneau champagne for £50 I guess that's it from me for 2010. Thanks again for sticking with London Chow. I'm already looking forward to the new year. In fact, I've already drawn up a list of must-eat for 2011. I should really take up jogging again shouldn't I? Then again, that's exactly what I said last year. Oh well... Happy 2011! Cheers, C K London Chow | Where to eat in London London Expat | What ELSE To do in LondonWed, 29 Dec 2010 12:26:54 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1rWYR/h/London_Chow_Domino_s_save.htm Hello , This week has been pretty hectic with Christmas shopping and all. Just a reminder that you'll have to do your online shopping by today if you expect to have it delivered by Christmas. Anyway, if you are hosting a Christmas party or just feeling peckish, it might be a good idea to get some pizzas on the side as backup just in case that roasted honeyed turkey got burnt. Anyway, other than the 1-for-1 offer at Domino's Pizza on Tuesdays, Domino is also offering a £5 off for all online orders above £25 until 25th Dec. Just enter the promotion code TGKQKBPQ at checkout for this offer. Oh, just one more thing. A reader highlighted that the link to Jamie's Italian in the latest London Chow newsletter is erroneous. Please see Jamie's Italian for full review. Well, here's wishing you a Merry Christmas in advance! Till next, C K London Chow | Where to eat in London London Expat | What else to do in London Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:30:19 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1mK8h/h/London_Chow_newsletter_.htm Newsletter issue no. 2010/4 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Restaurant reviews - Myddeltons Deli, Medcalf, Jamie's Italian, Giraffe (Islington) Great Deals! - 50% off at Toptable (book your Christmas dinners now), 10% off Waitrose hampers, 25% off wines at Oddbins Do you know? - 5 great Christmas stocking fillers, 5 things to do within first month of relocating to London, Venice: Canaletto and his Rivals, Changin' Winds, Against Mussolini Myddeltons Deli - foccacia to die for Someone mentioned over dinner that Myddelton's served a mean carrot cake and we made a trip down there the very next day to try it out. She was right. Myddelton's does serve one of the best carrot cake I've ever tasted. Moist, not overly sweet even with whole raisins embedded with bits of carrots, and yet pleasant to the palate. (read more) Medcalf - didn't quite make the mark Two things that set Medcalf apart from the restaurants and cafes along Exmouth Market. Other than its seemingly ancient façade that looks faded even when compared to Sweet (which has updated its look after my earlier visit), there was some conspicuous damage down to Medcalf's front windows. In fact, we mistook it for an abandoned store when we first walked past it. (read more) Giraffe (Islington) - smiles all round There's this thing about smiling going on at Giraffe. If you have been to the branch over at Islington's Essex Road, you'll know what I mean. There's this short passage about people smiling about and smiles being contagious (like the winter bug that's going on), that sort of thing. It is almost tacky if not for the fact that the staff at Giraffe actually believe in it. There were smiles all around and there was this certain upbeat spirit - all three times we were there. It was somewhat contagious. I found myself grinning absentmindedly at the stack of pancakes placed in front of me during my last visit. (read more) Jamie's Italian - strike two I love Jamie's Italian, an Italian colleague of mine who hailed from Turin declared to me just the other day. Italians have got this knack of putting their points across by forming an 'o' with their index finger and thumb and jabbing into the thin air repeatedly. She did precisely that and I thought better of recounting my earlier experience at Jamie's Italian. After all, I can't really argue with an Italian about Italian food, can I? (read more) More... Connect to London Chow at Twitter Been to a restaurant and like to tell London Chow's readers about it? Have your review featured on London Chow! 10% off any hampers at Waitrose (till 21st Dec only) Type SAVE10 at checkout Do you know? 5 great Christmas stocking fillers to be had this year Relocating to London - 5 things to do in the first month Venice: Canaletto and his Rivals (National Gallery) Against Mussolini (Estorik Collection) Changin' Wind (win a free session!) Great deals! 50% off restaurant deals at Toptable 25% off wines at Oddbins For advertising inquiries, visit London Chow Brought to you by London Chow and London Expat, powered by Aweber Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:30:08 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1JPLd/h/London_Chow_60_off_Brazilian.htm Hello , Hope that you weren't too affected by the snow that has blanketed most of London. Cheer up though, it's the weekend so it's time to cuddle up and sleep late into the morning! Isn't too bad, is it? Anyway, I came across this offer and couldn't wait for it to be included in the next biweekly London Chow newsletter as it would have lapsed. Rodizio Grill is currently offering £11.60 instead of £29 for its Brazilian all you can eat grill with a caipirinha (Brazil's national cocktail) thrown in. That's 60% off its usual price and it's too good an offer to be missed! However, the offer is only available for the next 41hrs (starting from the time this email is sent). Once the voucher is purchased, it'll be valid for the next three months. Do refer to the Terms and Conditions at the order page. Enjoy the meat fest and stay warm! Till next, C K London Chow | Where to eat in London London Expat | What ELSE to do in London Sat, 04 Dec 2010 01:50:04 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1lXft/h/London_Chow_newsletter_.htm Newsletter issue no. 2010/3 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Restaurant reviews - Royal China (Baker Street), Morito, Delhi Grill, Banana Tree Great Deals! - Free delivery of Fortnum and Mason hampers (till 3rd Dec only!) and up to 70% off with Keynoir on spa, dining and other luxury deals Do you know? - Winter steamboat, 5 unspoken rules of the Tube, Centrepoint Food Store Royal China - a persistent long queue at Baker Street We had a terrible craving for dim sum over the weekend and decided to pop by Royal China along Baker Street for lunch. While most of the Chinese restaurants in London are congregated in the vicinity of Chinatown, the better ones (save for Four Seasons) seems to be located elsewhere. The same could be said for the better restaurants serving dim sum as well. Pearl Liang at Paddington, Lotus and Royal China at Canary Wharf, Yauatcha in Soho, Hakkasan in Tottenham, Phoenix Palace at Baker Street just to name a few. (read more) Morito - nifty little tapas bar at Exmouth Market Hey, it's empty! Wife was gesturing towards Morito, which seldom is during lunchtimes. These days we are frequent visitors to Exmouth Market. Someone I knew mentioned just the other day that Exmouth Market, with its selection of bars, cafes, eateries and restaurants, is like a mini-London to her. Well, I won't go so far to say that but that's not far from the truth either. (read more) Delhi Grill - new darling of Chapel Market Have we ordered too much? I asked the waiter taking our orders. It's easy to do to that in Delhi Grill, the newest addition to Angel Islington Chapel Market. Its relatively small menu of around twenty items ranging from finger bites like samosa to more substantial meat dishes such as rogan gosht come with prices between £1.50 to under £7.(read more) Banana Tree - a lump in the throat We have been to The Banana Tree Canteen along St. John Street only once before and we weren't very impressed by it. At least I wasn't thrilled by the mee goreng that I ordered for it turned out like a huge plate of carbohydrate doused with maggi chilli sauce, nothing more. That probably explained why we seldom venture south of City Road since then (barring Farringdon and Exmouth Market of course). (read more) More... Connect to London Chow at Twitter Been to a restaurant and like to tell London Chow's readers about it? Have your review featured on London Chow! Do you know? Steamboat - the perfect meal for winter 5 unspoken rules of the London Underground - what guidebooks did not tell you Centrepoint Food Store - the original Korean provision shop in central London Great deals! Fortnum and Mason - free delivery for hampers For advertising inquiries, visit London Chow Brought to you by London Chow and London Expat Tue, 30 Nov 2010 06:30:50 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1UH7Z/h/London_Chow_newsletter_.htm Newsletter issue no. 2010/2 (if you cannot view this, click here) In This Issue... Restaurant reviews - Aqua Kyoto, Edokko, Masala Zone and The Peasant Great Deals! - Restaurant deals with Metro, Toptable and Squaremeal Do you know? - Pierre Herme macarons, One New Change, Wing Yip supermart Masala Zone - richly spiced I've got this unwavering belief about food and that is that the enjoyment of it depends on a great deal other than the amount of care put into preparing it, the freshness of the ingredients and even the pedigree of the chef preparing it. I'm sure you can attest to how a fantastic dinner can be spoilt by a rude waiter, a noisy toddler bawling in the next table or simply the fact that you just had a bad day. That's why I'm always a bit sceptical when I read about reviews that are a tad extreme. Morgan M is a case in point. We left the one Michelin star restaurant feeling more than disappointed at the sorbet theme meal. (read more) Edokko - tucked away in Holborn Unassuming and discreet would aptly describe Edokko. One could easily walk past the restaurant along Red Lion Street without noticing it. It's not exactly the place where you would 'walk-in' for a meal. The lack of publicity probably contributed to why Eddoko was barely half filled whenever we visited. Which is just as well for Edokko, in my opinion, is a hidden gem. (read more) The Peasant - a feel good pub What's crisp lamb fry? Wife asks unwittingly. It's lambs' testicles,' the guy serving us at The Peasant answers in a deadpan face. Oh.... I consider myself rather adventurous when it comes to food. I love pig's blood (it's really like iron packed soft tofu). Pig's intestine comes a close second. Frankly it goes well with rice. I don't mind chicken feet especially after I got over the image of a particular scene in a cannibalism film I stumbled upon as a kid. I've even experimented with sheep's brain and find the squishy nature quite objectionable. (read more) Aqua Kyoto - the ShinMai menu With a gale working up across London, it was rather understandable why Aqua Kyoto's terrace that the main dining area opened up to was comparatively quiet. There were only a few souls braving the plummeting temperature despite the reward of London's skyline. The heaters strategically placed on the terrace didn't quite do the trick. To celebrate the Japanese new rice harvest (shinmai), Aqua Kyoto's Jordan Sclare is presenting a new autumn shinmai menu that features five rice-themed courses. MC and I were kindly invited by Aqua Kyoto to sample the menu. (read more) Do you know? One New Change - is it worth a trip? Wing Yip supermarket - Prima Taste and bulk purchases Pierre Herme finally opens up a store in London! Great deals! 50% off Tapas at La Tasca 50% off at various restaurants on Toptable Up to 50% off at various restaurants on SquareMeal To Advertise Please email for advertising inquiries, Brought to you by London Chow and London Expat Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:00:41 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/london_chow/1TJZ_/h/London_Chow_win_a_pair_of.htm Hi , Thanks again for subscribing to London Chow newsletter. I hope you like the new layout of the newsletter. Do give me a shout if there's anything that you want to see added to it. Anyway, just to let you know that MasterChef Live and The Wine Show will be in London next weekend (12th - 14th Nov). This is a must-see for foodies like yourself. Tickets is priced at £20.50 upwards. However, London Chow in conjunction with London Expat will be handing out 10 pairs of tickets to both events to 10 lucky readers! What are you waiting for? Enter the contest now! All the best, C K London Chow | Where to eat in London London Expat | Singaporean in London Fri, 05 Nov 2010 08:00:26 -0400