If you’re meandering around Cambridge and are feeling peckish, head over to Stir. There you shall find a stunning interior design scheme, created and photographed by Mystery LTD London.
I first came to be stirred, if you’ll pardon the pun, in December. On a cold Cambridge morning, I had a coffee and refreshing breakfast there. The night before had not been kind to me. I was welcomed and felt immersed into a world of delectable dining and high style.
This visit was far more productive. I arrived shortly before I was due to start my work and profited from the extra time to have an elaborate breakfast.
The coffee. Super duper.
But the main event for me was the poached eggs on sourdough bread with halloumi fries. Oh boy. A Cypriot/British fusion triumph. I’ll let the picture do the talking…
The egg was so beautifully poached. All the yolky goodness flowed onto the sourdough bread and fused gorgeously with the mushroom and halloumi. I can’t express what joy one is filled with on ingesting these morsels of greatness. One feels healthy and one feels hearty.
I’m so impressed by the professionalism and consistency of the staff. The atmosphere is relaxed, the food and drink are of the highest quality. And, to top it all off, it is central. The city centre is a ten minute walk away which means there is plenty of free parking around. Just don’t abuse it. Cambridge residents are not as quaint ans harmless as they look, believe me.
In all, this is one of my hidden gems. Family run; away from main monuments and hellishly good food. Go and bring your friends. You won’t regret it.
I cannot find words to describe what Jeff Wayne has achieved in making this album. There are no expressions readily available in the English language to describe the scale of musical triumph held within The War of the Worlds. But this blogger shall try, at least, to encompass its greatness in around 300 words.
The War of the Worlds is a musical adaptation of H.G Wells’ epic 1897 novel of the same name. The album recounts the tale in the novel, each song bearing the name of a significant event throughout. I won’t say too much about the story so as not to ruin it for new listeners. Essentially the Martians come to Earth with the sole intent of colonising it, starting with England!
Playing the protagonist/narrator is Richard Burton, a famous “thespian wastrel” and, briefly, husband to Elizabeth Taylor. He plays the part of the journalist, through who’s eyes the story is told. Other notable vocalists include Phil Lynott (of Thin Lizzie) and Julie Covington (Don’t Cry For Me Argentina) as Parson Nathaniel and his wife, Beth.
The full album is almost two hours long. I’d suggest, as is my want, that you listen to it all the way through in one go. Only then can you appreciate its depth. My father suggested this to me. Only after my fourth or fifth listen all the way through, including one where I drove from Austria to North Eastern Italy, did he tell me that his father had suggested this to him.
War of the Worlds is a family musical heirloom. I’m not surprised this album has survived the test of time. For want of a better word it’s otherworldly. There is something magnificent about the way it has been put together. The melodies contained within will make the hair on your neck stand up. I cried four times when listening to it on my way to Stansted. And I mean full heaving weeps, not some minor droplets. This album will evoke emotions in you. Emotions you are not ready to recognise you possess.
There does exist a new version, with vocals by Liam Neeson as the spoken voice of the Narrator and Gary Barlow (Take That) as his sung voice. The artilleryman is played by Ricky Wilson (Kaiser Chiefs). Maverick Sabre plays the Parson and Joss Stone (The Soul Sessions) plays his wife. The reworked album follows the same direction as the first one, with a lot more synth and a refreshed feel to it. The Spirit of Man is a particular highlight for me.
Listen now and listen well to this magnificent musical triumph. You won’t regret it.
This gorgeous little niche is hidden in front of St Mary’s Church, Stafford. I have the misfortune of being employed. My work sends me across the country on various daily errands. Around lunchtime, I often enjoy eating. This particular lunchtime saw me dining at the Grove. This restaurant is unassuming yet really rather friendly.
The first thing which caught my eye were these homemade scones. Of course I ate savoury before sweet but these were in the back of my mind the entire meal. Make sure you take one before your meal. They will all be gone by the time you finish.
My first of many visits to the Grove consisted of a simple meal. I asked the waiter what his best panini was. He replied; brie and cranberry.
All the sandwiches are home made, hand cut and baked with only the freshest ingredients on the day. This transpires in the quality of each luscious bite. This may have been a humble sandwich, but it packed a punch. The salad was lovely too.
The atmosphere at the Grove is marvellous. You feel propelled back to the late 1940s. The Grove is welcoming, quiet and secluded. I was really impressed with it, and so too will you.
While you’re there, have a look around Stafford town. It is absolutely charming.
Having visited Bletchley Park and absorbed as much information as we could bear, Adomas (formerly “The satanist with a small S”) and I felt a bit peckish. Little did we know that just around the corner from this intellectual powerhouse lay a house of a different ilk…
Finding the House of Chicken might be one of my greatest achievements. This Portuguese restaurant represented everything I love about dining. Situated on the fringes of Bletchley town, HoC is far away from famous monuments, and even further away from dreadful tourists. You’d really have to desire dining here to find it. Thankfully, Adomas and I were determined to feast on prime quality meat.
We started as we meant to go on with a delectable char-grilled chorizo sausage. HoC grilled the whole thing and presented it to us, simply, on a plate. This ticks another box on my ‘Best Restaurant’ list; namely that the food is presented in an unpretentious manner. I hate small non-comestible silly things littered across my plate. I want food as it was intended to be eaten: simply.
Though not presented pretentiously, this was a sausage with which to be reckoned. From the first morsel, we were in culinary nirvana. Crunchy on the outside and quite difficult to cut; the rewards from defeating this sausage were manifold. Waves of explosive flavour fill your every sinew. At £4.50 a piece, I could not recommend this enough. We also feasted on the meat risolles; deep fried concoction of mince, onion, garlic, herbs, egg and breadcrumbs. Again, sterling quality dish, presented simply.
Next we moved onto the main. I opted for the pork ribs. Since leaving Bletchley Park, I had an insatiable urge to eat ribs. HoC satisfied my urges in ways I could only dream of hitherto. Their ribs were succulent and full of flavour. One tends to feel like a Neanderthal when eating ribs but filthy fingers are a small price to pay for such well made ribs. Ogle at them in their glory in the picture below.
Being a man of the world; Adomas went for the chicken wings. He told me they were the greatest he had ever tasted, which is no small feat considering his advanced age. I had the honour of savouring one. I must say they were impressive. Normally I wouldn’t eat such things because of my beard and implacable snobbism, but I am glad I put my shortcomings aside. They were so delicious, I kept looking for more bits of chicken to separate from the bone. They fell with such ease. Each fry you see was hand peeled and cut in the restaurant on the day.
One thing which took me aback in HoC was their attention to detail. This is a family run Portuguese restaurant. They treat their guests like family. Miguel fully stayed with us 10 minutes to explain every aspect of the menu. This was in spite of the heaving masses surrounding us. I was impressed by the sensibility and kindness of the staff as well as their efficiency.
The home-made desserts were the last thing to truly amaze us. Chocolate mousse and Portuguese custard tart. Both clearly made freshly and by hand. Both thoroughly satisfying. They are pictured below.
It is impossible to not enjoy House of Chicken. The prices are so low they will make your head spin. And the quality is so high, you’ll think you’re flying. Trust me, I know.
After a successful morning in late April, I found myself hungry. A quick peruse of The Fork, an app which I insist you download if you’re in Europe, I found this restaurant. I had looked at it before, when I lived in Rome. But I was never brave enough to try such an odd cuisine. Vegans are unique enough but Solo Crudo does what it says on the tin – it only provides raw food. The warmest temperature which this food experiences during the preparation process is 42°C.
What does this mean? No bread, for one. The closest thing you’ll get are crackers. But what crackers. Made from dried zucchini and celery. Dried for hours at 42 degrees in a fan oven. I’ve pictured them below. Another variety of them are made with chilli; coconut & buckwheat flour and walnuts. I won’t lie, the concept is a bit odd but very rewarding.
But enough cracking conversation; let’s go onto the breathtaking starter. Stuffed pumpkin flowers; on a bed of cherry tomato & oregano pesto; red peppercorns and capers. My word my word. I didn’t think food with virtually no intervention could be made to taste so phenomenal. Writing about it now, two months later; I can still recall my shock at the first morsel. The depth of notes of flavour is astonishing. I’ve pictured them below for your perusal:
Next was the Fake caccio e pepe. This is my absolute second favourite Roman pasta dish. Usually it is made with black pepper; pecorino and some cooking water. That is all. Solo Crudo took it seven notches further. The pasta, traditionally cooked flour and water, was made from grated zucchine. The sauce was not made from cheese and pepper, rather pepper with cashew cheese and cooked mushrooms. The furthest thing you could imagine from a traditional Caccio e pepe. But one must be open minded in these modern times. this dish was both novel and surprising. One could say it is a bit sickly. But when you get past the unusual vegan cheese, it is a relatively pleasant dish. Marvel at it below.
Hemisphere of cooked apple at low temperature with passito wine and cinnamon, custard orange cream
I felt it was necessary to try a dessert. The apple sweetness was an optimal choice. You wouldn’t believe what a delightful combination the above ingredients made. The apple was not at all crunchy. Its texture was soft and replete with sweetness. Topped with vegan mint chocolate, this dish will surprise you.
While you’re in the area, have a look at Chiesa Sacro Cuore del Suffragio. Splendidly Gothic, it lies on the banks of the Tiber and is truly worth seeing, whether you’re a good Catholic boy like me, or not.
On a brief sojourn to Roma Tre, as aforementioned, I was advised by my dear friend Ginebri to visit Santa Cecilia. I wasn’t prepared for just how spectacular this secluded church would be.
Splendid marble adorns every wall. The altar is made of the most glorious gold. The concave mosaic behind the altar marks the original spot of the first 3rd century church. It is said that Santa Cecilia in Trastevere was built over the home of the saint herself.
Here is a closer look at the mosaic and the altar. The church was restored in 822 to its current position. Look closely underneath it. You’ll see a sculpture quite unique in style. It reminded me fondly of the Veiled Christ in Museo Capella Sansevero in Naples. I saw a miniature version of my favourite sculpture from the Capella in the Royal Palace in Madrid during a temporary exhibition. Well worth a visit to all three linked cities and monuments.
After you have enjoyed a thorough walk through the church, take a look downstairs. It costs some two euros but it is worth it. St. Cecilia is buried there. Pope Paschal I spared no expense.
The magnificent tomb of St Cecilia is ominous to behold. Buried there are the remains of several other saints. Take some time to walk around the foundations of this church to end in the crescendo that is the tomb.
Above the church are some ancient Calvani frescoes. I suggest you go early in the morning to see them before they close around midday.
While you’re there, why not walk a few steps further and eat a meal in Supplí? You won’t be disappointed!
