London: A Culinary Delight?

Yes!  Strange as it may sound, I believe London has received a bad rap for having crummy food.  Or maybe we're just hanging out with the right people.  :)  These last couple of days in London have been so delightful.  On our last visit here, 3 years ago for Peter's 30th Birthday, we did all of the tourist requirements.  We checked off all of the boxes: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, the required museums, etc.  This time, we've had no pressure to do any of those things, so it's been an entirely different experience!  Our days are leisurely, spending time with Peter and Rose, walking around, people watching, and mostly eating and drinking.  

Some of the highlights:

The Bistrot Bruno Loubet, where we had some of the most incredible salmon tartare, and a very memorable dish of boudin blanc.  A deliciously rich meal.  

Bangers & Mash!  I wasn't sure what was so exciting about this dish, but we had a super flavorful version of it at a great little pub we stumbled upon, and I'm now a fan.  (btw, there's also this thing called 'brown sauce' that's everywhere here.  It's like someone mixed up a bunch of ketchup, some A1, and a little sugar & vinegar, and poured it in a bottle. I love the smell, but I'm not a fan of the taste)

Bangers & mash with Bill Shakespeare

And my personal favorite: Kopapa.  This was truly a culinary joy ride!  From the sliced tuna preparation, to the super knowledgeable sommelier, to the most perfect risotto I've ever had.  And the desserts: amazing!  To quote our dear Rose after taking a bite of a Date Creme Brulee, "I would have sex with this dish!"  We've also learned that desserts here are all called 'puddings'.  They could be cakes, pies, mousses, ice creams, you name it, but they're all called pudding.  We can't wait to give Rose a taste of our version of pudding: my vote is for the chocolate jello pudding snacks in a cup.  :)

My other new favorite discovery: porridge!  It's not like the oatmeal we make in America.  It's rich, creamy and delicious.

As for today, we're off to our next adventure!  In a couple short hours we'll be taking the train to the fabulous city of Paris.  Stay tuned!

At the airport, excited to start our voyage!

Delicious macaroons