Five problems all Foodies Face

1)

Choosing where to eat out:

You'll probably have an easier time naming your firstborn or choosing your first house.

It normally begins with mentally consulting the list etched into your brain of places you once spotted/read about and promised yourself you'd try. 

Ends in an anxiety-fuelled decision half an hour before the damn place closes.

Currently, I'm experiencing this after moving to Bristol. Tearing my hair out over which Korean restaurant I want to try first? First world problems...

2) 

The only problem worse than number 1, for me, is the cardinal sin of having to eat somewhere you've never heard about.

Picture this, yourself and a few friends meet up after work. A few wines in and you're peckish. Of course, as a self-respecting foodie you've probably planned exactly what you're cooking, but you're a total food-slut and easily swayed.
"Let's try that burger place a few doors down," Hannah recklessly suggests.
Unbelievably, everyone nods in assent, though no one has even been. "Why not?" they say. HA!

You know why not. Each time you eat out is a sacred experience, God forbid you try somewhere really disappointing and spend the evening internally bitching about the tragic excuse of a brioche bun you're eating.
Alas, the ultimate foodie problem is finding the courage to visit a mystery restaurant. Okay, it could be good.. What if it's crap? I mean, surely I've heard of all the good local places already, right?! Is it new? Should I quickly consult the holy bible (TripAdvisor)?
Drink your wine and chill out, Luce.

3) 

Menu meltdown.

Attempting to resist the temptation of reading a menu online before eating out. You're usually the friend who has the menu semi-memorised. In fairness, it's probably a necessity, because god help the poor waitress waiting on your order decision otherwise...

4)

Being a sucker for food fads.

You're the first person to get entranced by the newest popular fad foods that promise to revolutionize the market. Shedding a silent tear as you shell out £6.95 for a tiny bag of Chia Seeds to make your porridge look more instagramable. Note to self, stop calling Avocado 'avo'...

5)

Coping with Airplane/Service Station Food. 

The place where, removed from the exotic delights of a Malaysian Laksa or a Sweet Potato Pakora, your snobbish food habits are fully exposed, as you reluctantly prod a stale Cheese & Pickle as if you might bring it back to life. "excuse me....any chance of a quinoa salad?"

Getting experimental: Cauliflower Rice

Didn't anticipate this blog featuring much of my own cooking because, well, I'm not very good.
Dinner usually involves throwing various ingredients at a frying-pan and hoping I don't get sick. Okay, that's an exaggeration. But still, nothing much to blog about, right?

But I got thinking. I'm sure there are many people out there like me. People who are overwhelmed by a Nigella Lawson or Jamie Oliver recipe. Perhaps I could be helping some poor starving fool with my easy-as-shit creations. If I can make them taste good I'm sure anyone can.

Tonight's dinner was a foray into the mysterious and dubious world of vegetable improv.
Courgetti? Caulirice? Mushroom 'burger-buns'?

"R U MAD?"
It seems lately the fashionable foodie trend is to make low-carb veggie versions or everything. At first I was majorly side-eyesing the whole phenomenon.

But as I starting taken my Gluten Free diet more seriously to help my stomach troubles, I softened to the idea. 

After tonight's rather delightful dinner, I'm ever softer (oo-err).

I don't know what to call this dish... perhaps Asian-style Veggie Caulirice. Yes, that.

How do you make the darn stuff?

Cauli rice is SO simple I can't believe I didn't try it before.
You chop about a third of a cauliflower head into florets and grate it all up. 

Fry it for a few minutes. aaaaand that's literally it.

My Recipe

First off I boiled a handful of frozen broad beans (though I think edamame would be better with the Asian flavours in this dish) and an egg.
I mean, ye I probably shouldn't have boiled them in the same pan, but I told you I ain't a chef.

As they boiled, I fried the caulirice with onion, garlic, and quite a bit of ginger. I use the stuff in a jar (duh) but you can grate fresh if you fancy.

Here comes the very difficult bit: put the rice onto a plate, top with the beans, the boiled egg, and half an avocado. Psyche, still simples.

Top with hoisin or soy sauce. Some chilli would be nice too I'm sure.

TA-DAAAAAAAAAAAH.
Took me about 10 minutes, was cheap as chips and filled me up far more than I expected.

I think the trick with caulirice is to make sure you add filling ingredients to it, so that the low-carb content doesn't leave you hungry. The high-protein of egg and avocado for example, kept me satiated.

Damn good chilli: Mathilda's Chilli Bar, Stokes Croft

I've always been a firm believe in quality over quantity. I'd much rather have a small, concise menu that doesn't cut corners, than a sprawling menu that takes on too much. 

As such, I bloody loved the concept of Mathilda's: you want chilli? they do chilli, and a damn good one at that. 

Don't expect much else. But if that's a problem, head to your nearest chain pub for a sub-par plate of literally whatever the hell you want. 

Tucked away underground, in the Bearpit between Cabot and Stokes, Mathilda's is easy to miss. It's unassuming amongst the graffiti'd tunnels. A very cool looking place nonetheless. 

Golden syrup pots hold cutlery, glasses are redundant when a can does the job, and decor is minimal. Stylish in a no-frills way. Very Stokes Croft.

Speaking of no frills, the prices are very very reasonable. For £8.50 I had a full meal, and a can of Stowford Press. In fact, the deal was £6.95 for a bean chilli and drink, but I extravagantly splashed out £1.50 to upgrade to a mixed brisket chilli, topped with cheese. Feckin' bargain. 

As my attractively filtered photograph hopefully demonstrates - it's a tasty dish. Thick, well-flavoured chilli was packed with different beans, alongside tender chunks of brisket. 

I'm also pleased to say that, unusually, I didn't even need to reach for the Tabasco because it packed just the right punch of heat. 

The rice was nicely cooked, and the addition of guac and jalapeños were the icing on the cake. 

Ate it all up. Just sorry I didn't leave room for a Sundae.

The onion rings and FRIED PICKLES (!!!!) looked impressive, so you bet your bottom dollar I'll be back to try em.

I really urge you to try this place if you're around - it's so nice to support local, and when it's this good there's no excuse not to. No frilly, just good chilli.

Twitter's here for you folk to keep up on their deals/drool over their photos: 

https://twitter.com/MathildasChilli

The Afternoon Tea Series: Cox and Baloney Tearoom, Bristol

Officially no longer an unemployed student, I have been hired as a Marketing Executive and moved to Bristol.
As a result, my blog posts will largely be about Bristol based eateries than Cardiff's - but never fear, my ravenous appetite and I will often be back home.

What better way to celebrate my new job and flat than a lovely afternoon tea!?
Only problem was deciding where to visit first. After having my eye on this vibrant, cutesty Boutique & Tearoom in the trendy Stokes Croft area of Bristol for a while, Cox and Baloney was my choice.

First impressions; this place is gorgeous. Mismatched furniture and cutlery, bright wall-paintings and knick-knacks aplenty, these guys have the afternoon tea aesthetic down to a T.
Staff are super chatty and personable, as common in the quirky Stokes Croft, known for its independent business and community feel.

Priced at £18.50 per person, the afternoon tea is admittedly more expensive than I was expecting.
For the price, you get a pot of loose-leaf of your choice, three tiered stand with a selection of sandwiches (Ham & Mustard, Egg Mayonnaise and Cucumber, Tuna and sweetcorn, and Cheese and Chutney), a fruit scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream, and a selection of mini cakes (we were given carrot, some kind of crumble-topped berry cake, and a bakewell slice).

What I loved most about this place was the atmosphere - you are made to feel so welcome by the chatty staff, there was a buzz with hen parties and birthdays (dressed up in 50s tea dresses no less!)

Furthermore, the home-blend loose leaf are not only delicious but really imaginative. I chose the 'Sir Bountiful' to indulge my coconut obsession. A play on my favourite chocolate bar, the Bounty, black tea is blended with dried coconut slices, chocolate drops, thistle and cornflowers. The sweet, rich tea was the perfect accompaniment to the sweet foods, I was mad about it!

The sandwiches were served on really soft, thick slices of bread: lush! The cheese and chutney was especially enjoyable. However, I would say the were fillings were a little on the thin side.
The scones were great, and the jam was really chunky with strawberry pieces, just how I like it.

No complaints on the cakes, well spiced carrot, dense, rich bakewell. However, I wouldn't say they were particularly impressive in comparison to others I've had.

Overall, the experience was lovely, their stand-out point being the unique teas - clearly a lot of thought went into them and it was fab to see more than the standard offerings of Assam and Earl Grey.
I'm glad I went to try, but based on the price, the food didn't stand out enough for me to return for Afternoon Tea. I will however, be back for another cup of Sir Bountiful and toastie, which are much more reasonable.