February Food News with Eat with Ellen
Hurrah, January is done. Is it just me or did it feel like it went on for approximately 6,592 days? February’s here already, full of blimin cold weather but also the joys of Valentine’s (or maybe Galentine’s or whatever marketing name is invented to make sure we spend our money at this time of year). I deliberately haven’t included anything on Valentine’s because there are a billion-and-one things you could do and places you could go to – or not if you just don’t fancy it. I’ll leave that up to you.
There’s plenty of other stuff to look forward to in February. We may be in that weird place between the joys of Christmas and the delights of spring and all its promise, but pay day has been, you’ve actually got some cash now, and there’s everything from Chinese New Year to new openings, weekly events and more. Here are a few:-
We Are Vegan Everything, Hackney
New Bali-inspired vegan cafe We Are Vegan Everything (WAVE) has recently opened in Hackney. The brainchild of Camden Market’s vegan bakery Cupcakes and Shht, it will be serving dishes like ‘vegan fried eggs’, vegan smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels and coronation cauliflower toasties and vegan sausage rolls.
There are vegan freakshakes and a load of sweet treats as well as ‘health-freaks’ – smoothies topped with raw treats, fruit and superfoods. As well as using sustainable, ethical ingredients, WAVE also uses recyclable and biodegradable packaging wherever possible.
11 Dispensary Lane, Mare Street, Hackney, London E8 1FT. Nearest stations – Hackney Central, Hackney Downs
Chinese New Year, Chinatown
Okay, so Chinese New Year is technically on Tuesday, February 5, but the main celebrations in London fall on Sunday 10. You’ll find places celebrating Chinese New Year all over the shop but if you can get to Chinatown, why on earth wouldn’t you? On February 10th it will host the official parade to mark the arrival of the Year of the Pig, and there is plenty of stuff on the day as well as in the run-up. Here are just a few.
Yu Sheng at Rasa Sayang
Until February 19, you can mark Chinese New Year with some salad tossing at Malaysian and Singaporean eatery Rasa Sayang. Yu Sheng is a dish of prosperity where every ingredient carries meaning. The ritual of eating it involves a celebration called Lo Hei, which literally translates to ‘toss high’, where families and friends gather around the dining table and toss the ingredients in the air with chopsticks while shouting New Year wishes.
Rasa Sayang, 5 Macclesfield Street, Chinatown, London W1D 6AY. Nearest stations – Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus
Year of the Pig at Yolkin
Rupert Street dessert parlour Yolkin is marking New Year with pig-shaped macarons inspired by this year’s zodiac. You can also get a Chinese New Year sundae featuring Pandan flavoured ice cream, a mini pig macaron, fortune cookie, puffed rice and mochi pieces.
Yolkin, 24 Rupert Street, Chinatown London W1D 6DQ. Nearest stations – Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus
Special menu at XU
Taiwanese teahouse XU is offering a contemporary Chinese New Year menu up until February 28, featuring a spin on family memories and traditional dishes. It will include dishes like sweet potato & miso dumplings, firecracker prawn rolls, black vinegar cockles, and fried peanut mochi. Wash down with a rare tea or a cocktail or maybe try a game of Mahjong in one of XU’s private rooms to make an evening of it.
XU, 30 Rupert Street, Chinatown London W1D 6DL. Nearest stations – Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus
Seven-Course Tasting Menu @ The Petersham
This February one of London’s most spectacular hotel restaurants The Petersham Restaurant in Richmond launches a brand-new culinary experience with the introduction of the stunning and innovative seven-course tasting menu.
The Petersham is offering an indulgent seven-course tasting menu this February
Available Friday and Saturday for dinner only, the exclusive fine-dining menu will take guests on a taste adventure – full of unique flavours and surprising twists, with a focus on texture and presentation. Carefully curated by Head Chef Jean-Didier Gouges, each show-stopping dish showcases an artistic flair for creating modern and theatrical British cuisine, using the finest seasonal ingredients.
Menu highlights include the spectacular and playful chicken parfait lollypop canapes, the intriguingly titled ‘Lost in the Forest’ – a dish containing pickled mushrooms, crispy black rice and vine leaf, and the stand-out Angus Beef Fillet with potatoes, morels and girolles, beetroot and carrot puree, braised onion, spinach and truffle jus. To finish guests will be served the sensational dessert of Smoked chocolate delice d’elise with blood orange sorbet.
The Tasting Menu is priced at £75.00 for six-courses with canapes, with an optional wine pairing priced at £45 per person. To see the full tasting menu and to book a table see https://www.petershamhotel.co.uk/restaurant/menus/
The Petersham Restaurant, Nightingale Lane, Richmond, Surrey
TW10 6UZ. Reservations 020 8939 1084
Sweet treats at Bubblewrap
Bubblewrap will be offering three special flavours of their signature bubblewrap waffles. The sweet-toothed can pick between matcha base with red bean gelato, strawberry, cream and condensed milk and sesame base with black sesame gelato, walnut and peanut butter sauce, whilst those who prefer a savoury option should choose the original base with bacon gelato, cream and fried shallots. They’ll also be giving out traditional Chinese red packets and vouchers to those customers who spend more than £10 during the Chinese New Year period.
Bubblewrap, 24 Wardour Street, Chinatown London W1D 6QJ. Nearest stations – Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus
The Ultimate East London Chicken Wing Crawl
Do you like chicken wings? I do. And if you do too, you’ll agree this sounds pretty fab. In short, you’ll join a chicken wing ‘expert’ on a walking tour that takes you to three of the capitals chicken wing venues where you can try an array of wings from classic to super spicy, all washed down with a drink or two.
It’s a two-and-a-half hour tour around East London and the price includes all wings and a drink. Dates are on Sundays through February and beyond. Book tickets here.
Craft Beer Rising
If you’re into your beer this is one for you – Craft Beer Rising is a three-day festival bringing you craft beer, street food and music at Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery from February 21-23. Tasting sessions, talks, beer, food and DJs are all on the agenda, with 155 breweries there to show you their wares. Your entry ticket includes a souvenir glass and magazine programme. Tickets available here.
The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London. Nearest stations – Whitechapel, Shoreditch High Street
