Food review: Neuhaus (Belgian choclatier!) (various London/UK locations/other international locations)

Food review: Neuhaus (Belgian choclatier!) (various London/UK locations/other international locations)
Properly fresh choclate can, I have found, be located at the following London branch:
Neuhaus Chocolate – 11 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LH
Neuhaus Chocolate (Covent Garden branch) – map
Phone: 020 7836 3774
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

NB: The REVIEW and RATING are for chocolate purchased at the Covent Garden, London branch only. I cannot attest to the quality of the products at the other branches or if it is ordered online.

Review: Well, after trying some Godiva chocolate recently and being utterly disappointed with it – poorly made, disgusting recipes, stale – and ALL at a high price [Kit Kat bars are better than this and only 5-75p (depending on where you buy one)], and also disappointed by the poor quality of chocolate at Hotel Chocolat (again expensive, boring chocolate that is poorly made and stale), I was shocked and pleased to find AMAZING, mouthwatering, exciting and fresh chocolate at this branch of Neuhaus.

Unless you have tried Neuhaus before, I do not think you will know it. It is Belgian and they have been making chocolate since 1857. This is great as they have been around a long time and the cocoa content is higher in Europe. There are laws and standards that have to be met on the Continent for something to be called chocolate (in Europe Cadbury’s chocolate – ie UK chocolate- with a high milk content is not considered chocolate – I read this in the book Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down).

The shop is small, and I didn’t expect much as the Godiva chocolate shop on Regent Street had stale products. However, I was extremely surprised and delighted. All of the chocolate looked delicious. There was a lot of choice and it all looked really nice! The small, organised and tidy shop was empty except me, which was great as it was stress free to pick what I wanted. You can buy it piece by piece or in a box. The woman who served me was polite and helpful. It was simple. I told her what I wanted and she put it in a little bag, gave me a booklet about Neuhaus chocolates, which included a brief history, descriptions of the different chocolates and lovely pictures and then the painful part – of charging me a fortune for three pieces of chocolate.

I got a Caprice from their Les Irresistibles collection. The Caprice is: “nougatine filled with smooth vanilla cream from Madagascar” and was created for the World Exhibition in Brussels in 1958. I also got something from their Gianduja range (gianduja meaning “a blend of hazelnuts, sugar chocolate”) – a Pagode which is “coffee ganache and gianduja”, and something from their Ganache range (ganache meaning “a smooth filling with chocolate as the main ingredient”. In the Neuhaus ganache range “chocolate is combined with other liquid ingredients such as fresh cream, coffee or liquer”.) I had a Grand Palace – “dark chocolate ganache subtly spiced with nigella, a mild Indian spice.” [All this is taken from the wonderful, easy-to-read booklet!]

I loved the chocolate I got. It was extremely original, fresh and had strong and also delicate tastes. All of the chocolates I had had a hard outer chocolate shell and a filling in side. They were all wonderful and I loved finding out what was in the centre of the chocolate. They were lavish – truly small treasures to be devoured and savoured. I am so happy that I stopped here. The most expensive chocolate I ever purchased – £4.80 for three pieces! But it was also some of the BEST chocolate I have ever had. (RAW chocolate is the best).

I am extremely happy that I stopped here and would buy their chocolate again. Enjoy Neuhaus – barring that well, I would not bother with Green and Blacks, Godiva, or anything else except a simple Kit Kat bar. I eat chocolate rarely as it is unhealthy. But when done right – wow! It will put you in another dimension!

Further information:
Neuhaus (official site)
Neuhaus (Wikipedia)

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Shop review: The Teddington Cheese

Shop review: The Teddington Cheese
42 Station Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 9AA
Telephone: 020 8977 6868
The Teddington Cheese – map

A haven – and heaven – for cheese lovers! Selling over 130 cheeses with over half the cheeses from the UK, “about a third” from France and the rest from the Europe (“about twenty percent”) this is a great place to buy your cheeses and also learn a lot about various types. The website is easy to use and has a description of each cheese. Plus, the owner is a nice person who is helpful but does not interfere when you are trying to decide what you would like.

Much more fun than browsing in the supermarket, they even have an information card, for each cheese, that you can take away with you. And, there are crackers, biscuits, jams, fudges and more. Prices are also reasonable and gift certificates are available.

Worth a visit whether your arriving or departing Teddington. As it is a small, privately run business, make sure to call to check it’s open before you visit.

Further information:
The Teddington Cheese (official site)

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Food review: La Petit Nicola (Hampstead, London, NW3)

Food review: La Petit Nicola
72 Heath Street, London, NW3 1DN
Telephone: 020 3602 5911
La Petit Nicola – map
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: * (out of 5)

So like most people up on Heath Street, I came upon this shop by accident as I was walking by. The window – with all of its pastries, gateaux (ie cakes), croissants and pain au choclats – looks wonderful and the staff are very nice and polite (the manager even let me try a small macaron for free – they usually cost £1.50 each).

However, unfortunately, the prices are high and the quality of the pastries with all of their cream fillings and chocolate are disgusting – whether it is just chocolate on pastry or a cake or pastry with a filling (pistachio or mocha cream, vanilla or regular cream or chocolate mousse, or fruits and cream, etc). Shockingly, the selection I tried of charlottes and other gateaux was disgusting! The fillings were all sugary, heavy and not that fresh. You could not taste the subtle flavours of fruits, nuts, chocolate or vanilla in a delicate way that you can with some cakes or tartes that are created well. You could taste the sugar and a heavy, not fresh cream more than anything.

This shop tries hard but doesn’t achieve much. They make Patisserie Valerie seem like heaven.

In regards to croissants and pain au choclats, well these are ok but not that fresh or buttery. In my opinion the pastry of these two creations should be buttery and light – a little bit crispy on the outside but soft, mouthwatering and the ability to melt in the mouth (due to the formula of butter and other ingredients) on the inside. The pain au chocolats on offer were ok but not that fresh. They weren’t stale but you could tell they were not extremely fresh. I have had better croissant and pain au choclat at a British train station or unassuming cafe that sells them for, at most, a pound – and of course, in France.

The prices here, as well, unfortunately, were high (sometimes a single pastry or cake ran over £5!) although the way they boxed up what you purchased was well done. So that’s Petit Nicola for you. Admire the window display, but spend your money elsewhere. The best shops I have found in London, so far, for French pastries and cakes is, in the following order, either Harrods, Fortnum and Mason or Selfridges.

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Restaurant/cafe review: Carluccio’s (Teddington, Middlesex, England)

Restaurant/cafe review: Carluccio’s
20-22 High Street , Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 8EW
Map to Carluccio’s (click here)
Tel: 020 8943 4945
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: **1/2 (out of 5), (for the area *** out of 5)

For those who like Italian food, sweets and more done quickly, then look no further then yet another branch of this popular chain. At the date of posting this review (August 2012), the branch in Teddington has been open about two months and is doing well. The two main streets in Teddington are filled with quite a few lovely shops and Teddington itself has some nice pubs. However, so far I have not found anywhere where food is one of the things that Teddington does well – it is more about the parks, the locks and some of the charity shops and vintage shops are great.

Out of most of the restaurants and cafes in Teddington, Carluccio’s is probably one of the healthiest that you will find. However, it is still relatively unhealthy and I am not crazy about the low ceilings, dim lighting (it doesn’t come across as romantic) and mediocre quality of the Italian fare. Yes, it is good compared to stodgy pub food or the Wimpys or Greggs bakery that Teddington has and the salads and vegetable dishes are lovely, light, reasonably priced and served quickly. However there is also a lot of over oily or over-sauced food and the restaurant is very squashed with all of the things they are trying to offer, so what’s to say? Well, worth a visit if you are here and looking for something healthy as, again, it is better than most of the restaurants or cafes here and nice and they also have outdoor seating, but Carluccio’s, it seems, albeit nice is working too hard to get as much money as they can. (Although saying this, fortunately, they do not rush you when you are sitting down and eating or near the end of  your meal). Ok if you are in the mood for Italian food, ok to good quality of things on offer.

Further information:
Carluccio’s (official site)

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Cafe review: Gelato Mio (Belsize Park, London, NW3) – NOW CLOSED

Cafe review: Gelato Mio – NOW CLOSED
204 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 2AG
020 7998 9276
Map to Gelato Mio (click here)
Rating: **** 1/2 (out of 5)

For those who are looking for a sunny spot to relax and chat with a friend, use your mobile or laptop, take your children for ice cream (or in this case actually gelato or a sorbet), read a book or be creative, then look no further than this fun cafe as it is a delightful, sunny and friendly haven in the middle of a big city.

Gelato Mio in Belsize Park is a great place to go and unwind and also enjoy a tasty gelato, sorbet, coffee, tea or cookie, cake or pastry (or be more healthy and have water or green or herbal tea) as it is a large airy spot with a large glass window to let in the sun as well as having a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating (including tables and a nice, squishy, large suede sofa) and also interesting decoration – lights with top hats lamp shades (for example) and other lampshades.

Like its name, Gelato Mio is different than other ice cream shops as it actually doesn’t serve ice cream. It serves something called gelato, nor, in the “iced desserts” department does it serve anything with lots of, to be blunt, crap (ie additives). What they serve is of the highest quality iced desserts heaven!

So what is gelato and why is it superior to most ice creams? In a nutshell here is the answer – from the Mio Gelato website:

“Gelato is the traditional, Italian version of ice cream. Its origins are lost in the mists of time, however everybody agrees that since ancient times humans enjoyed elaborate desserts of snow mixed with honey and fruit juices. The origins of the modern Italian Gelato can be traced back to the Florentine Renaissance where many of the current recipes were developed.

Today Italian Gelato is pretty much done with the same recipes and techniques used hundreds of years ago, while modern day Ice Cream takes advantage of several modern technologies. Because of this there are 3 main differences between Italian Gelato and Ice Cream:

1 Gelato has less fat than ice cream, on average 50-60% less. However, less fat does not mean less taste. Gelato, although creamier and more flavourful than ice cream actually has fewer calories.

2 Gelato has a much higher density than ice cream. Ice Cream manufacturers add air to ice cream because it nearly doubles the quantity of their product without increasing their costs. Unlike ice cream, very little air is added to gelato, resulting in a higher quality product with a rich, creamier taste.

3 Gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream. While both gelato and ice cream are served well below freezing, in order to maintain its creamy consistency, gelato is typically kept at about 10 degrees warmer than ice cream. This results in a further enhanced taste as it melts in your mouth. ”

So, that’s the exciting part about Gelato and the Belsize Park cafe is great due to its large glass window, open space and nice staff. This isn’t the Continent, unfortunately, so this is probably as close as we get to a good open space in the centre of London.

Besides an excellent range of teas (that include good quality green tea, gunpowder, vanilla, English Breakfast and others), the cafe is fun because it has an Alice in Wonderland theme (including the decorations and writing on the wall (literally) – and upon further thought, maybe the Top Hat light shades are “mad hatter hats”. Plus, the cafe gets a plus because the books that are available to read can help you relax and focus in enjoying the moment in this nice cafe, if you are lacking one and, finally, Gelato Mio has long opening hours seven days per week.

The website is also quite friendly and the owner Carlo Del Mistro (according to the website) spent quite a while developing the perfect concept for Italian cafe in London (but the Alice in Wonderland references also giving it a British appeal and flavour).

Come, sample the gelato and sorbet flavours, the pastries, cakes, tea, coffee, atmosphere and more!

Further information:
Gelato Mio (official site)

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Food reviews: Viannesse Shakes from GFCF Shakes

Food review/Natural organic products review: Vianesse Shakes from GCFC
Official site:  GCFC Shakes
Rating: ***** (out of 5)
Review by: Alexa Williamson

For those who want a great protein product to give them energy, then look no further than these great shakes that are mostly Lactoalbumin protein with NO sugar in them.  These are excellent for people who have sugar problems, candida, want to lose weight and the like as they help one to keep their blood sugar levels normal.

Besides being an excellent source of protein and thus amino acids, they also are an excellent source of B Vitamins.

GCFC shakes are extremely speedy with delivery and kind, patient and considerate with customer service. A bottle of shakes costs £30.99 per bottle (including postage), which may seem like a lot of money, but it is 300g – a large amount and not only are these high quality but they also are easily digestible for those who have weak livers/bad guts. Plus, they seriously help the body to detoxify.

Official site: GFCF Shakes

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Food review: Conscious Chocolate’s Choca Mocha Magic

Food review: Conscious Chocolate’s Best Ever Citrus Zest
Rating: ***** (out of 5)
Review by: Alexa Williamson

If you’re looking for a fantastic bit of raw chocolate then look no further than this new bar from Conscious Chocolate. This is pretty much as perfect a blend of mocha as you’re going to ever come across. The raw coffee beans work really well with the raw chocolate to give you a delicious coffee taste with a zing of chocolate in it. My flatmate and I gobbled this bar up. Highly recommended.

And, like other Conscious Chocolate bars this one consists of cacao butter, cacao powder, wild carob, agave as a sweetener, coconut butter, spices, and Himalayan salt.

Further information:
Conscious Chocolate reviews (The London Reviewer)
Raw Intent chocolate reviews (The London Reviewer)
Conscious Chocolate (Official site)
What makes for good chocolate? (The London Reviewer)
What’s in raw chocolate? (The London Reviewer)

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Food (& delivery service) review: Firezza

Food (& delivery service) review: Firezza
Overall rating: **** (out of 5)
Review by: Alexa Williamson & focus group

If you’re looking for excellent pizza, which is delivered to your door and made with top-quality organic and gourmet ingredients, then look no further than London-based pizza (and Italian food) company Firezza. With branches in Battersea, Chelsea, Crouch End, Herne Hill, Notting Hill and Wandsworth, they offer a range of food including: 19 different pizzas (which come in 12-inch or 1/4 metre sizes), anti-pasti, desserts, wines and other drinks.

The London Reviewer had the privilege of reviewing their menu and service. Several people reviewed the food as well as me – including a ‘gin-u-wine’ Italian.

The reviews

Service: delivery was slightly late, but delivery man was polite.
Alexa’s Rating: **** (out of 5) – I wasn’t bothered by it being a little bit late as what was ordered was extremely fresh and worth the wait.

Anti-pasti
1. Italian Buffalo mozzarella ball. £2.80.
Alexa and group’s review: excellent, fresh, highly recommended. Well presented and a good-sized portion for the price.
Alexa and group’s rating: **** (out of 5)

2. Wood fired roasted chicken wings marinated in homemade slightly spicy herb sauce served with sour cream and fresh chives dip. £4.80.
Alexa’s review: loved the wings, thought they were really fresh and juicy and a good-sized portion for the price.
Group review: alright, but not as fresh as the pizzas. Portion size was ok for the price.
Alexa’s rating: **** (out of 5)
Group rating: *** (out of 5)

Pizzas
NB: All pizzas come in 12-inch or 1/4 metre sizes.

1. The Firezza – prosciutto cotto ham, courgette shavings, Italian pepperoni, wood roasted aubergines, fresh basil, tomato and mozzarella. 12-inch/1/4 metre prices: £10.90/£8.40.
Alexa and group’s review: excellent combo with fresh ingredients creating an excellent pizza. All the ingredients worked well together. The meats and courgettes were particularly delicious.
Alexa and group’s rating: **** (out of 5)

2. Chorizo – spicy Spanish chorizo sausage, sweet red peppers, fresh thyme, tomato and mozzarella. 12-inch/1/4 metre prices: £9.90/£7.90.
Alexa and group’s review: a delicious combo, spiciness of sausage worked well with the fabulously juicy tomato sauce and gooey cheese.
Alexa and group’s rating: **** (out of 5)

3. Buffalina D.O.C (vegetarian) – imported buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, tomato and extra virgin olive oil. 12-inch/1/4 metre prices: £11.90/£8.90.
Alexa’s review: a good, basic cheese pizza.
Group review: an excellent cheese pizza – all ingredients were really fresh and the basil worked well with the cheese, tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Alexa and group’s rating: **** (out of 5).

4. Vegetali (vegetarian) – courgette shavings, wood roasted aubergines, sweet red peppers, red onions, fresh basil, tomato and mozzarella. 12-inch/1/4 metre prices: £10.90/£8.40.
Alexa and group’s review: another great pizza. Good combo with fresh ingredients. Basil, yet again, a good touch.
Alexa and group’s rating: **** (out of 5)

General comments:
Alexa’s: excellent quality service, ingredients and inspired items. Although I thought the crust was little bit heavy, excellent value for money and would definitely order again.

Group’s: ‘Reasonable value for money.’
‘All ingredients are incredibly fresh.’
‘On a par with NYC pizza – which I think is the best.’
From our Italian: ‘the crusts should have been a bit lighter and crunchier.’

Further information:
Firezza (official site)

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Interview: Vincent Andrew, LeSport’s Food & Beverage Leader

Vincent Andrew is the Food & Beverage Leader at The BodyHoliday LeSport. After a chance conversation with him on my last day at LeSport, and being impressed by his true love of food, large culinary knowledge base – from being both a chef and connoisseur ‘foodie’, plus LeSport’s excellent menu (that can be deemed ‘fine dining’ as well as catering to people who need special diets), I had to interview him*.

How long have you been Food & Beverage Leader at The BodyHoliday LeSport and what attracted you to the role?
I have been the Food & Beverage Leader at The BodyHoliday LeSport now for almost two years. The diversity of the role of F&B Leader is different here than in most resorts that I have worked at. One is not just managing cost and service, but, truly as Food & Beverage Leader, one is guiding and educating the guests. We show them how food truly is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

The food offering here at The BodyHoliday is designed to help our guests become more educated about food and how making healthier eating choices along with diet and exercise can extend and improve their quality of life. As someone who loves life and the pursuit of it, I was drawn to the notion of helping those who are seeking that knowledge find it and to helping them open up a new and exciting world for themselves.

How is LeSport’s food choice co-ordinated and what’s your role in this?
The menus here at The BodyHoliday are designed to offer our guests choices. We offer them a healthy option as well as a holiday option in all the outlets as well as afternoon tea choices. Food at The BodyHoliday is one of the pillars on which The BodyHoliday concept was built. Therefore, it has, as its single focus, health and well-being in mind without sacrificing the art of good cooking and taste. Dishes focus on less fat, less salt, more fiber and have lighter calorie leanings, with emphasis placed on quality ingredients, lighter textures, and natural flavors.

The Food & Beverage Leader ensures that all offerings are in line with this ethos and I work with our purchaser and Executive Chef to ensure that quality ingredients are being purchased and that food is prepared accordingly. I am also responsible for ensuring that information regarding the different dishes is available such as symbols on each menu depicting what is gluten-free, what is nut-free etc.

What makes you proudest of the food LeSport offers?
The quality of the ingredients used, the fact that 90% of our offerings are organic, and that we are able to tailor the food offerings to the individual needs of every guest who comes to The BodyHoliday, especially those with allergies and intolerances or those on special diets. And, yet to have it remain all a part of the daily activities at The BodyHoliday.

Can you tell me how guests will be able to use the new menu cards that will help promote healthy eating for certain health issues or more physical stamina?
The new cards are all apart of educating our guests on what choices they can make when they go to the buffet if they are on a specific diet or just want to eat healthier or continue in the healthy eating lifestyle. The breakfast menu card will have listed each breakfast item offered on one side, and the other side will have a specific offering geared at a specific purpose – eg a low-fat breakfast option, a high fiber breakfast option, a low-glycemic breakfast option. Guests are able to take these cards home with them so that they can continue following the proper diet in their everyday life.

What are a couple of your favourite dishes that LeSport offers and why?
It is hard to choose one favourite dish from the many dishes that we have here at The BodyHoliday. If I must choose though I will say that the peanut butter cookies are a favourite, as are the cajun chicken salad with passion fruit vinaigrette and Liquid Lunch, which are both from the Deli (the beachside eaterie).

The peanut butter cookies are absolutely to die for. They simply melt in your mouth and are gluten free as well. The cajun chicken salad is wonderfully fresh and bursting with flavour from all the organic greens marrying with the passion fruit vinaigrette, and the Liquid Lunch is all the things you would want in a balanced lunch but in liquid form. Our guests are always sure to remind us of how much they enjoy these dishes.

What is your favourite dish to prepare?
I would say without a doubt the Chocolate Fondant at TAO is by far the favourite dish here at The BodyHoliday. The rave reviews we receive about the fondant make it one dish that we can never remove from the menu.

What is your favourite food to eat?
I am biased towards anything Italian. I love Italian cuisine. It’s fresh, light, full of flavour yet simple.

And finally, what is a food or seasoning that you absolutely can’t live without?
I would say fish. Our guests love the taste of fish that has been freshly caught, lightly seasoned and prepared in as short a time as possible.

*As with all things I choose for the London Reviewer, if something offers (or potentially offers) excellent quality, I write about it.

Further information:
LeSport Review – Part 1 (The London Reviewer)
LeSport Review – Part 2 (The London Reviewer)
The London Reviewer’s pictures of LeSport (Flickr)
LeSport (Official site)
Sunswept Resorts (official site)
Feature: environmentally friendly holiday resorts (The London Reviewer)
Caribbean poetry by Alexa Williamson (The London Reviewer)

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Food review: Chrissy’s Raw Chocolate (Plain)

Food review: Chrissy’s Raw Chocolate (Plain)
Rating: **** (out of 5)
Review by: Ami Bender

I received this handmade raw chocolate, called Chrissy’s Chocolate, from Alexa, without knowing anything about it. Just some chocolate in the mail. The first thing I did was open it up and smell it. I could smell cocoa and carobs. Nice. The colour was rich and dark. So far so good.

The next thing I looked at were the ingredients – and I have to say, I was impressed. Nothing unnatural: lots of good, organic stuff including mesquite, lucuma, natural sugars and Himalayan pink salt, with the first 4 ingredients being all chocolate or carob related.

The next test was the taste test. This is a very rich, slightly bitter chocolate with a strong flavour of carobs. It’s rather dry and crumbly. One of the nicest bits about it was that the flavour and texture was not uniform. Texture was introduced by occasional cocoa nibs and flavors changed pleasantly when you hit a bit of Himalayan salt. The bitterness was offset with just enough sweetness not to be overpowering. But if you like your chocolate sweet, this isn’t the bar for you.

Okay, enough about me. Time for the girlfriend test. This is a dangerous test that should not be performed by amateurs. First off, I let my girlfriend smell the chocolate and look at it, then grabbed it off her. Based on the bruising per square inch, she liked it. I then handed her the chocolate and let her taste it, then tried to take it off her again to see how violently she reacted. Enough said.

Conclusion: this is a great chocolate, if you are looking for a dark, slightly bitter one with the taste of carob. In fact if you like carob, and don’t want anything too sweet, this is probably one of the nicest I’ve tasted in a while. If you’re not that partial to carob, or don’t like bitter chocolate, I suggest you think of looking elsewhere.

Further information:
Chrissy’s Chocolate (official site)

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