La Tasca

I haven't gone out to eat at a nice restaurant in what seems like ages (that's one of the downsides to being an enthusiastic home cook!)... so when I was treated to a surprise lunch date on Saturday, I couldn't say no. A morning of shopping followed by tapas is now officially the way to my heart.

Steve took me La Tasca in Windsor, and it couldn't have been more perfect. If it had been a little later in the day, I would have loved to explore the sangria and wine menu... but I was perfectly content with the array of dishes we ordered. Some of the stand-out favorites were the braised pork cheeks, and the potato & octopus gratin.

The setting was really perfect for this time of year... a sort of indoor-meets-outdoor venue, set in the old train station. Strategically placed electric heaters made it warm enough to shed our coats and forget that we were technically outside. It's a must if you're in the area for the day, and screams authentic from the menu down to the imported wait staff. We can't wait to go back!

Yangtze

I love a good Chinese restaurant. I'm not talking about cheap takeout, because my standards have been raised sky-high by all of my discoveries in New York's Chinatown. I'm a little on the picky side when it comes to authenticity, and I've been bummed out about the Chinese population over here in England. Don't get me wrong, it's not like this country is devoid of good Chinese cooks, but there's a distinct lack of large immigrant groups in small areas. Let's be realistic; America is relatively young, and most ethnic groups that immigrated together, settled together. Not really the case over here, since there wasn't that sort of immigration boom in a short period of time. So I started to panic that I wouldn't be able to find the really good Chinese food that I grew to know and love in NYC.

I hate to be proven wrong most of the time, but not this time. After our Sunday adventures at Blackbushe market, hubby and I went out for a lunch date at Yangtze in Windsor. Down at the end of a street, a little off the beaten path, without any real signage or decor outside, lies a £14 all-you-can-eat experience that will knock your socks off. It's like a buffet, but different and better. To be honest, I think this is a genius idea, though I've never experienced it in an Asian restaurant before. You basically get a menu - with plenty of options for first, second, and third courses - and you just pick as much as you'd like. The portions are sort of tapas-sized, so you get to try a lot of stuff (although, we may have overeaten just a little bit).

Wonderfully authentic flavors and ambience, I'd recommend it to anyone. It cured my homesickness instantly (Isn't it kind of funny that I was most homesick for Chinese food?) and I can't stop thinking about the crispy duck pancakes. If you haven't had them before, it's super crispy duck, cooked pulled-pork style, accompanied by cucumber, slivers of spring onion, and a sweet plum sauce. You wrap everything up in a wafer-thin pancake (sort of like a tiny burrito) and it's fabulous. This place totally rocked it, and I can't wait to go back and stuff my face again.

Warm Welcome

I mentioned in my post last week that I was planning to visit a brand new side of my family. This past Saturday morning, we headed out on the road - not without some trademark difficulties along the way, mind you. About 5 minutes into our journey a  light rain began to fall, and when Steve turned on the wipers in the car, the right hand side (driver's side, here) just sort of flipped itself all the way to the right onto the side view mirror and stayed there. So, a ten minute stop in a garage and a quick tightening of a bolt later, we were on our way to Hastings.

Staying with my husband's other grandmother was so wonderful. As soon as you walked into the home, photographs of family old and new made me aware that I was in a love-filled house. The 1920's build house was full of charm and amazing mid-century furniture, and I simply melted at the sea view from the kitchen windows. Sitting at that kitchen table, sifting through albums of black and white photos and hearing stories about the war, displacement, rations, and her late husband, I felt so grateful to have acquired another grandparent.

We took Millie (the dog) for a walk on the beach after her cramped journey in the boot of my mother-in-law's little car; I posted a bunch of photos from that yesterday. The overcast, late afternoon mist made everything look so dreamy, and we were basically the only ones on the entire beach. The tide was out, and we could walk pretty far out into the water without any lapping waves reaching above the knee.

Later that evening, I had my nerves lubricated with a few glasses of wine so that I could meet the rest of my in-laws. We all packed into a van-style cab and headed to an American style steakhouse, whose massive portions really made me feel at home with the pop culture decor. After much eating, drinking, and laughter, we walked through the night to my mother-in-law's sister's house so that everyone could carry on catching up (and meeting me!).

Weekends are meant for laughter, family, and love, and we lived this past weekend to the fullest.