An Edible Voyage

June 2020 Bakey and chocolaterie, can you get a better combination?!  Nestled in amongst the historical buildings of the picturesque, coastal village of Orford in Suffolk is Pump Street Bakery.  The counter bursts with both sourdough and yeasted bread, baguettes, baked goods and pastries, as well as their own made chocolate.   I arrived at opening time to find there was already a long queue and I quickly found out why.  Having devoured the Bear Claw - flaky, perfectly laminated pastry filled with gooey, nutty almond paste, and a great flat white, I queued up for round 2! The highlight was the pillowy doughnut filled with sweet but refreshing rhubarb jam.  It really was like eating the most delicious cloud. The chocolate selection is as equally exciting, with beans sourced from all over the world.  My all time favourite bar is the 72% Solomon Islands which really tastes of baked banana.  I'm also very excited to try th...

June 2020 Often on tapas menus one finds the same dishes over and over again so I found it refreshing to come across the creative dishes of Arbequina.  Think spicy, melt in the mouth nduja spread on to toast with sweet honey and earthy thyme, or rich and tender chicken thighs contrasting with the crispest skin, the zing of romesco and the sweet bite of spring onion.  There are also plenty of old time favourites making an appearance on the menu too, with patatas bravas and an exceptional onion tortilla.    For dessert, their custard tarts are famous around Oxford, and their Santiago tart is gooey, almondy and paired with poached apricots and cream. Beverages haven't been left behind either, with an inspired drinks menu.  My favourite thing to do is order a White Negroni as an aperitif - more subtle and balanced that it's traditional counterpart, the citrusey, aromatic flavour of the bergamot really shines through. Find Arbequina on Cowley Road...

June 2020 I can't say that I've ever had Tibetan food before and it seems I've been missing out! Yeshi grew up in rural Tibet and has brought over the flavours of his native cuisine to excite the taste buds of Oxford with Taste of Tibet.  Hearty and a little spicy, his dishes are real soul food.  The vegan feast is definitely not an understatement with 3 curries, rice and a momo jam packed in to the foil container - it seemed a never-ending meal of flavour.  A mild spinach and chickpea curry, and Tibetan dahl ss balanced by the spicy potato and pea curry, and people flock from miles around for their highly acclaimed momos - dumplings filled with vegetables and steamed to create 2-bite sized balls of deliciousness.   Bread is my weakness and generally one of my most enjoyed parts of any cuisine so I had to try a Tibetan flat bread.  I was expecting it to be similar to a naan bread but it was much denser, good for scooping up a mouthful of curry. Ta...

June 2020 On Iffley Road there sits an unassuming cafe; one that I had never noticed.  I searched it out after a friend mentioned the delicious food, excellent coffee, and lovely light, airy setting with a garden out the back.  It's now my favourite breakfast in Oxford.  A short menu means that every dish is executed to an exceptional standard.  I love the concept of Eton mess pancakes with crunchy meringue shards and mint syrup, and sourdough French toast with elderflower custard and roasted gooseberries sounds heavenly.   My favourite dish so far is the Full Silvie.  Not usually a huge fan of the Full English, I was a little sceptical, but it turned out to be one of my all time best breakfasts.  Sausage meat wrapped in bacon, and cheddar and greens toasted loaf both looked heavy going but were actually deliciously light, and the fennel seed roasted tomatoes and mushrooms added a whole new flavour dimension.  I believe it's the sign ...