http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/7744153/The-worlds-best-restaurant-Noma-in-Copenhagen.html

Look at the price – did it include alcohol? Its about the same as The Fat Duck?

E

May 2010

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-tea-with-bin-ladenand-other-stories-1977311.html

Worth a read.

E

May 2010

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/may/22/taiwan-food-local-specialities-alishan

Taiwan food is not the sort of Chinese food that is servered up in UK Cjinese restaurants.

As far as I am aware, there are are two restaurants in London serving Taiwanese food. They are different branches of the same restaurant – Leung’s Legend in Lisle St  and Leung’s Legend Continues in Macclesfield St (off Gerrard St).

Leung’s Legend has just opened a third branch in Bayswater and has been reviewed by the Evening Standard. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/restaurants/review-23848904-a-triumph-of-eastern-promise-at-leongs-legend.do

A good Taiwanese cook book (in chinese only but easily translated by your chinese friend) is ISBN 957-8507-74-7

E

May 2010

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/may/18/processed-meat-pork-health-claims

ultra heavy article for anyone interested in this area.

E

May 2010

Where can I get a paella cooking ring? At the moment, I am using 3 hot rings on my stove.

Jill

Try http://saborear.co.uk/catalog/aboutus.php.

E

Address: The Pavilion, 220 South Oak Way, Lime Square, Green Park, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 6UP

Telephone number: 0118 987 3702

 Website: http://www.lsq2.co.uk/index.php/greenpark/about/greenpark_about

Date of visit: 21 May 2010

Approximate cost per head: £20+ for the a la carte set lunch £9.95 for 2 courses

Comments on wine list/beer: Basic list, some reasonable wine around £20

Summary:

This is the sister and the original restaurant on Green Park (Business Park) next to the Madjeski Stadium (J11, M4).

Surprisingly, the menu is similar but not identical. They still have the wagyu beef burger, the vegetarian spring rolls in the shot glasses etc, but there are other dishes that the Oracle doesn’t do.

The restaurant had a large el fresco dining area and a glass fronted pavilion that sits by the lake. On the day we went, there were more people eating outside than inside.

We had asparagus and cauliflower soups to start with. The asparagus is served differently here (cf Oracle LSQ2). They both served the asparagus with a poached egg on top. But here, there is a crispy cheese glaze on top of the egg.

For main course we had fish and chips, vegetarian club sandwich and nasi goreng. They rang out of white fish and substituted a piece of battered salmon instead. I was told that it worked but this is the first time I have seen salmon served in a batter. I had the nasi goreng which was a mould of fried rice, 2 skewers of chicken sate and a prawn sate (yes, one prawn), a little crunchy salad and some “white” prawn crackers.

I am a connoisseur of prawn crackers, there are two basic types, the white ones that most restaurants serve up and the slightly brown ones (Kruppuk Udang Sidoardjo) from Indonesia. The Thai one are bite size version of this with chillies. The Indonesians are bigger – when cooked, they are the size of a hand – and tastier. You tend to get the brown version in Indonesian restaurants and the white ones in Chinese restaurants. You can get either in a Singapore/Malay restaurant.

Back to the nasi goreng, it was fine but the sauce that came with the sate was not a peanutty sate sauce but a version of kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soya sauce). We also had a vegetarian club sandwich which was a bit of a disaster. The bread was a bit stale which suggest that it had been made earlier and left around.

When we complained, the manager to his credit, came over, apologised and took the sandwich (half eaten) off the bill.

The whole bill came including two beers and a glass of wine came to just over £50 including service.

Well, I have had better meals here and would probably come again – it the only decent restaurant within walking distance of the stadium for a Reading or London Irish match. You can also park free here!

By the way, we parked just behind the restaurant and were told off (note on the windscreen). Apparently, it is the car park for the nursery. For the restaurant, park in the multi storey in the middle of Lime Square.

E