Tag: Food World Cup 2010


May
2010

Food World Cup 2010 – 1. FRANCE

categories: food

1. FRANCE

Chez Kristof
111 Hammersmith Grove
London W6 0NQ
website

So begins Food World Cup 2010!

It wasn’t actually supposed to start just yet, but I some time yesterday doing research and organising company for food adventures. And that night, I happened to be going to a nice restaurant with my work colleagues – both from my team and internationally. It was a great meal, and so why not kick off?

The place is Chez Kristof on Hammersmith Grove, in Hammersmith. The road is a little hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Hammersmith. It’s one of those pretty, leafy streets that I love about West London. The cuisine is French.

In London, we are spoilt for French food. They are everywhere. Most trendy restaurant areas have a Cote, a chain of French restaurants. There’s actually one right outside my office building, and we frequent it a lot. There’s Bloody French in Westbourne Grove and my favourite Bar Du Marche in Soho. Of course, most people just catch the train to Paris.

Which is a long way for me to say I skipped the French delicacies like Steak Tartare over other things, because I was quite hungry.

Crab Linguini

For starters, I ordered the Crab Linguini. Not particularly French, but it was lovely. Some of us ordered the Steak Tartare – which I normally LOVE.

Steak Tartare with cool egg
Steak Tartare with cool egg

Everyone who had it thought the Steak Tartare was lovely. It looked very fine – I’m used to it being a bit more chunky. What I really loved though, was the egg that came with it, actually presented in half an egg shell.

Middlewhite Pork

For mains, I went for the Middlewhite Pork. It came in a lovely Prune sauce, and a side of spring greens. The pork had a whole inch of fat on it – Fabian who ordered the same had to skip it. It’s pretty full on. The crackling was like metal. Which is actually how like pork belly.

I really don’t know how French the meal I had was. But it is what French dining in London is like. It’s quite a posh dining experience, and they use British produce. I don’t know if I’ll ever go to Chez Kristof again – it’s expensive and has that generic posh dining atmosphere. Not really my thing if I had a choice. But lovely regardless.

This is the first time I’ve really tried blogging about food, having been reading food blogs for a long time. I need to take better photos, and keep a better eye on the menu. I don’t know what the red wine we had was – and maybe that tells you how good it was. I mean, can you really go wrong with a French Red?

One down, 31 to go.


May
2010

Food World Cup 2010 – Introduction

categories: food
Yum

I am trying to make the most of London. Coming up with silly challenges seems to be the goal. So I am stealing an idea my cousin had for Sydney, but doing it in London. It’s a Food World Cup.

Basically, during the course of the FIFA World Cup, I am going to try and eat food from all 32 countries that have qualified.

A few thoughts going into it:

1) I am probably not going to get all 32, but I will try. Some cheating (diving?) might have to be done. Both Korean nations will get grouped together.

2) You’d be surprised how many of the obscure countries have a food presence in London. Ghana, South Africa, Brazilian, Argentinean, Swiss… all these are sorted. Add to that the wonderful food markets in London, and it’s going to make for a fun little exercise.

3) It’s not all going to be in London. There are a few trips already planned in the UK, and I will be looking for good food in those places.

4) It’s not all going to be restaurants either. Food stalls, fun snacks, maybe even some cooking on my part? Who knows.

5) I am going to play it pretty loose with the dates. In fact, I’ve got a two week head start. It is a summer project. And many poor friends have been dragged into this as well.

6) I wish the nation of Dim Sumnia made the World Cup.

Bon apetite!