A small taste of London, England

For the last destination of our adventure, Love Handling Food found ourselves in the multicultural city of London. England has long had a reputation for fish & chips, but what not everyone realizes is that curry is actually recognized as the national dish! London is a beautifully diverse city that the River Thames flows through, and the food we enjoyed on our one day layover was a perfect metaphor for the many intersecting cultures of England.

Our early morning flight from Bucharest, Romania landed in the afternoon at London's Heathrow airport. After navigating our way, in the rain of course, from the tube station to our hostel, we asked the gentleman at the desk where we could find some decently priced fish & chips. He gave us a few suggestions, from pricier sit-down restaurants in the posh Soho district, to cheaper and laid back options just up the street. We new we might be spending a little more on dinner, so we went with one of the cheaper options he suggested up the road. Although the place we chose was cheaply priced, the food was delicious and  generously portioned, much to our grumbling stomachs' desire. When we order fish & chips in the states, we usually are served a few small pieces of battered cod with a large helping of what we call french fries. In England though, we received a "massive," as the locals would say, whole fillet of fresh cod. It was lightly battered and not overly greasy, and was served with tartar sauce and malt vinegar. The chips were thickly cut, and were also the perfect balance of crispiness without too much grease. This fish & chips lunch was a nostalgic moment for Ianna, returning her to her memories of studying abroad in Manchester, and a new first for Helaina, who had not yet been to the island to have a taste of authentic English style fish & chips.

After an afternoon of walking along the Thames River, visiting the world famous sights of Big Ben, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and Parliament, it was time for a nice big dinner. Since curry is the national dish, we of course knew we wanted some Indian food for dinner. We navigated our way to a small curry house near King's Cross station, and sat down for a bite to eat. Inside was an interesting atmosphere, with white tablecloths and formal place settings, with some catchy Indian pop dance music videos playing in the background - like we said, England is quite the mix of cultures! We decided to eat at this particular Tandoori eatery because of the £7 dinner special of an appetizer, entree, and side. Coincidentally, we both ordered a vegetable samosa, chicken tikka masala, and a side of naan, a type of India flatbread.  Samosas are like fried pockets with fillings such as potatoes, other vegetables, and spices, wrapped in a crispy layer of dough. Although samosas usually will come with complementary sauces and chutneys, we did not order any to go with because we thought this particular restaurant might charge extra and we had already exhausted our wallets over the course of this trip. With our chicken tikka masala, which is a rich, sweet, and sometimes spicy red curry, we received some beautiful and colorful basamati rice that had little bits of vegetables in it as well. Our naan side dishes were served accompanying the rest, nice and hot just out of the oven. Although we must detract a few points for overall presentation, seeing as the meal was served lunch-tray style on a tin portion tray, the taste and portion size of the meal still hit the spot for these two hungry travelers. The dinner we received at this restaurant was likely not the best Indian food either of us have ever had, but was still a hearty meal eaten with smiles from the both of us. Although, one bit of advice: as Helaina learned, ordering lemonade at most English eateries will get you a nice big glass of fizzy Sprite, and not anything Americans will recognize as lemonade. 

Our day in London was quite abbreviated, but at the same time was packed with things to do and see, with a little down time to enjoy some great English food. So if you ever find yourselves in London, or anywhere else in England, even for just one day, rest assured that you will still be able to get around to see some great sights as well as eat some great food. London was the last leg of our European tour, so this entry concludes our current chronicles of our travels. It is of course a bittersweet ending, but the both of us are just now planning and dreaming about the next adventure we go on! Stay tuned in for more and thanks for reading everyone!

-Love Handling Food

Hungary for More Eastern European Cuisine?

It seems that Love Handling Food just can't seem to get enough of the food that is made in Eastern Europe. After spending a great week in Spain, we caught a flight to Budapest, Hungary, and later traveled (on a 16 hour train ride!) to Bucharest and later to Brasov, Romania, and wow, the food definitely continued to delight!

Budapest, Romania - Goulash, Sour Cream...and Thai Food?

On our first day in Budapest, a man at our hostel's reception recommended an eatery that was very close by that offered many Hungarian dishes and more, called, Jelen Bistro. Everything about Jelen pleased our tastes, and our wallets! At this bistro, you can eat a three course special for about $7! On our first trip to Jelen (yes we went back...twice!), we were surprised to find that one of their specialties among their wide variety of options was Thai cuisine. Because of this, both of us were excited to start our first course with a creamy coconut chicken soup, which drove our taste buds wild with the perfectly blended flavors that included coconut, lime, garlic, cilantro, and onion. Afterward, Ianna decided to stick with a Thai meal, ordering a green curry and a coconut pudding beautifully garnished with chocolate syrup and a slice of star fruit. Helaina decided to try more Hungarian food, and selected a course of potato dumplings and bacon. The dumplings were, of course, tossed with sour cream, as is a staple practice of Hungarian natives. She then followed up the dumplings with one of her favorites of the trip, a chocolate, berry cheesecake.

 

 

On our return trips to Jelen Bistro, we must have sampled a hefty portion of their menu! Our meals there continued to range from thai fried rice, to gourmet chicken strips and cinnamon plum cake. The only selection we actually disliked was a Hungarian dessert callled makos guba, which is made of soaked bread roles, poppy seeds, milk, and a vanilla sauce. We certainly don't blame this on Jelen though, we think it was just the sickly sweet flavor profile that is contrasted with the bitter pairing of the poppy seeds in the makos guba, we could not appreciate. So, makos guba aside, from flavor, to presentation, atmosphere and price, Jelen Bistro was certainly a favorite of our's from our entire trip!

Other than our many meals at Jelen, Budapest had a lot of satisfying dishes left up its sleeve. At a Hungarian restaurant called Four-Hundred, Ianna got to try the much anticipated Hungarian goulash. She was surprised to find that what many would think of as a hearty minced meat, sauce, and noodle mash (as her mother had always prepared it that way), was actually a beef, vegetable, and potato soup in a tomato based broth. So, you're actually not eating goulash unless it is like a soup! Speaking of soup, at Four-Hundred, Helaina tried a satisfying and savory, creamy mushroom soup. Both selections were the perfect follow up to the sheep cheese and sour cream spread, vegetable, and bread appetizer that we both shared.

As fans of fine spirits, let us not forget to mention the highlight drink from our time in Budapest: palinka. Palinka is a very strong brandy (around 40 Proof!), and is distilled with fruits of various varieties. The bartender of our hostel let us try a couple of shots from his personal reserve, which was a bottle of plum palinka that was a real sweet and warming treat.

Romania - Polenta, Cabbage, Potatoes...and Spanish cuisine?

After Budapest, Romanian food proved to have its similarities. On our first day in Bucharest, we walked to a traditional Romanian restaurant, where Ianna ordered a dish of minced meat and rice that was wrapped in squash, soaked in a tomato sauce, and drizzled with...sour cream of course! Helaina decided to order polenta and sour cream, and a side salad with tomato and cucumbers. Although this meal was much to her liking, our waitress advised that that typically, in Romania, polenta is used as something to mix with other things, like sauces, meats, and breads. 

Much to our delight in Bucharest, we also found a Spanish style restaurant. There, Ianna had a sour beef soup in a tomato based broth. She paired this with a surprisingly hearty salad filled with tomato, cucumber, olives, and white chili peppers. Helaina ordered the same side salad, in addition to a plate of "hot" wings. What they did lack in spice, they more than made up for in their flavorful sweet and tangy sauce.

While in Romania, we were lucky to pass through the countryside, and spend a day in the beautiful city that is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains: Brasov. Although we only ate one meal in Brasov, it let us in on a big secret: self-service restaurants. We were recommended to one in particular by a man named Gabriel, who had shown us around Brasov and had given us various tidbits aside from restaurant recommendations. At the self-service venue we ventured to, we found ourselves with more food than we could imagine, at a price that was more than ideal. For about $6-7, Ianna was able to eat a large portion of seasoned potatoes, flavorful sauerkraut seasoned with peppercorn, and a chicken fillet topped with pickled red pepper and a creamy mushroom sauce.  Helaina chose to have a white bean dish, meatballs, and a side of the same seasoned potatoes. If you are in Europe and on a budget, but still want great food, do not be afraid to try a self-service place. 

 

Well, that about sums it up for our foodie adventures in Eastern Europe. Please check back soon to hear about our last massive treat before we went back across the pond to our home in California!

Cheers,

Love Handling Food

A Tapas Tourgasm in España

After leaving Italy, we were excited to make our way to Spain, where we hoped for more variety and cheaper food. Spain certainly did not disappoint!

We started our Spanish food adventure in the coastal Catalonian city of Barcelona, which was a nice break from inland traveling for two California girls. It was here that we tried the wonder of tapas for the first time. Tapas are small side dishes that are fairly cheap, so you do not feel bad ordering two or three at a time. In fact, sometimes tapas are even served complimentary with a drink.They can be as simple as a small portion of chips, or as decadent as goat cheese and tomato on toast. A couple favorite options that we tried, include sweet onions baked in a tomato sauce and stuffed with spiced tuna, and patatas bravas, which are roasted potatoes served with sour cream and a pimiento sauce. To tapas it off, one of the best parts about ordering a variety of these dishes of course, is sharing them.

 

Besides tapas, there were plenty of main courses that we also enjoyed. Paella, which is a seasoned rice dish served with a variety of options like chicken, vegetables, and seafood, or even a combination of all of these, is a true Spanish staple.We ordered an individual portion, but it was easily big enough for both of us to share.The affordability and generous portion sizes were a nice contrast from what we had experienced in Italy.

Drinks were also a refreshing change in Spain. In the lively, party city of Madrid, we tried the true Spanish Sangria. At a tapas bar called El Tigre, we were served bucket sized sangrias with fresh sliced orages and sprigs of mint, along with free tapas dishes so large they made us wish we had not already eaten dinner. As beer lovers, we were also delighted to stumble upon a cerveceria, which served craft beers from around the world and had a highly decriptive menu regarding flavor, aroma, alcohol content, and color. Helaina, for example ordered a Spanish double malt beer by the name of Voll-Damm, with an amber color and a floral taste. Ianna tried a Belgian with a sweet flavor and high alcohol content, by the name of Urthel from the Leyerth Breweries.

 

Besides alcoholic beverages, one of our favoite drink experiences was fresh squeezed orange juice. It was an unbelievable change from the carton orange juice we have back in the states, and not only very affordable, but a standard option at most eateries. One thing is certain, buying a juicer when we return home is going to be a new item on our to-do list.

As fans of farmer's markets back in the states, we were also pleased to find fresh food markets were in abundance in Spain. Our minds and appetites were blown away at the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, which was a huge, open market, that featured everything from fresh produce, to seafood, smoothies, and truffles. If you visit Barcelona, you can't miss it!

Spain was delicious slice of our Euopean tour. Hungary to read about more? Then please check back soon...

Mama Mia, Italia

So, last week, we ventured into the acclaimed food paradise of Italy.  We began our Italian tour in the city of Bologna, known for its Pasta Bolognese. After Bologna, we made our way by train to the beautiful city of Florence, and then we concluded our time in Italy with a few days stay in Rome. Although no food we ate was bad, we went to Italy with very high expectations, which were sometimes not met. Therefore, to best sum up our Italian food experience, we thought it best to serve up this entry as a compliment/criticism sandwich.

 

 

In Bologna, we had what puts pretty much all ice cream we have had in the States to shame: Italian gelato. For Helaina, it was her very first gelato experience, and it is sure to say she started it off right. She got a biscotti scoop, while a pistachio flavor gave Ianna a real treat. Later on in Rome, we continued our gelato indulgence with a variety of flavors like tiramisu, and dark chocolate, which tasted similar to brownie batter. The rich flavors, complimented by a smooth, creamy texture made gelato something that we will surely miss about Italy.

 

As far as criticisms go, although being surrounded primarily by pizza, pasta and paninis sounds like a delight, these options quickly grow stale when they are not only very high in price, but are also seemingly the only meal choices. Growing up with American style Italian food, we are quite used to pasta and pizza, but thought upon visiting Italy, dishes we have not tried would be available in abundance. Clearly, this was not the case. Even in trying to budget on our meals, we found ourselves spending on average about €9 (that´s around $12 folks). Typically, these "cheaper" meals were also known as the "primi piatti", which is a name for a starter course, and are very small portions in comparison to Italian dishes in the US. On top of a pricey meal selection, some ristoranti even snuck in a charge (without warning) for the use of their table settings. So all in all, if you want to visit Italy, save up your money, and don´t be afriad to do some DIY cooking.  The cities we visited did have great fresh food markets and the ristoranti were closed at odd hours from two American tourists´ perspectives.

 

To top off our compliment sandwich, we would like to discuss drinks. Espresso is cheap and easily available throughout the day, which is great if you need to refuel in energy while siteseeing. In Rome, we even were served complimentary sweets with our Italian caffe. Also, a great time that comes in a bottle is Italian wine, which is high in quality for its affordable price. We bought a bottle of wine almost every night, and usually spent between €2 and €4.

You can trust us, after a long day of spending lots of Euro on not a lot of food to keep up our energy for siteseeing, a €2 bottle of wine was exactly what we usually needed.


-Love Handling Food