中文版 TGI Live Red & White Christmas Party @ 55 Club London

Prefer English? Click here.

忧郁的十二月，压力大的圣诞节期间其实让自己放松最好的方法永远是参加party。自然，TGI决定给大家开一个Christmas Red & White Party at 55 Club 让伦敦的亚洲朋友庆祝圣诞节的到来。

这晚上的嘉宾台湾的DJ Jakstarr给大家提供特别好听的Chart组合，让我们玩儿得很嗨，同时体验一下台式Party。在TGI Live和Jakstarr的合作让我们真正的感觉到了很棒的台湾Party精神，这也了却了我之前想要自己体验一下地道Party的心愿。

这次的服装是代表圣诞节精神的红和白，朋友们都找出一些特别好看的衣服。特别是参加Party的美女们，穿上很性感的红色裙子变成一朵朵小辣椒。最好看，最有圣诞节代表性服装之一是下面的Sexy Miss Santa美女，穿得特别性感，妩媚。男生也发挥他们的创意能力，带着很疯的蝴蝶结领结。

此外，很让我享受这个圣诞节Party也是55夜店。他们的设计真的特别好看，维多利亚时期的风格用夜店的颜色的墙纸真棒，而且Club有很多卡座，可以坐在他们的大沙发上，喝酒，放松一下，看其他朋友在舞台玩儿。

喝酒也喝的不少，让特邀的贵客们玩儿得更嗨，跳得更疯。DJ前面的小舞台被发现了以后，美女们高兴给大家看她们的舞蹈天赋，正更是给当场帅哥们一阵激动！

总结而言，让大家忘记一下生活压力，以及安抚疯狂购物后可怜的银行账户;) TGI Live Red & White 圣诞节Party真是特别好的庆祝圣诞节方式！

Taiwanese Bubble Tea And Street Food - BoboQ @ Charing Cross Street

The Real Deal Taiwanese Bubble Tea

With Bubble Tea Shops sprouting like mushrooms all over Europe, it is often difficult to know which one to pick. Let me give you a hint: If it’s genuine you are looking for, BoboQ’s London branch is a good place to start. The real deal Bubble Tea shop in China Town is run by a mix of Taiwanese staff, from the place that brought the bubbly brew into our lives, and helpful locals that can guide you through the art of ordering bubble tea.

Spoilt For Choice – BoboQ Drinks Menu

The first reaction when you walk up to the counter is a wave of astonishment at the sheer range of choices. Originally made with black milk tea and tapioca pearls, bubble tea has long since evolved into something much more complex.  BoboQ offer black teas, green teas or even yoghurts with extra flavouring such as mango, strawberry and passion fruit to choose from. For those amongst us, who prefer it less sweet there half sugar or no sugar options are also available! And then you still have to add the topping! Tapioca Pearls have been joined by new additions such as Aloe Vera Jelly or Popping Bobas. What now?

Let’s back up a little…Popping Bobas, what the heck is that? The little pearls of fruit juice are produced using principles of molecular gastronomy: through a chemical reaction a thin skin forms around the drops of juice making them POP and explode in your mouth in all their fruity glory.

The choice of 20 different toppings at BoboQ is one of the largest on offer with tastes from lychee to yoghurt. Apparently, especially newcomers to the BT scene enjoy the extensive range and create their own crazy tea and bubble mixes.

Of course the question is, has BoboQ chosen quantity over quality? I can assure you, it hasn’t. Its original Pearl Milk tea is sweet, but not too sweet. It tastes of tea, but not too strong. The pearls are chewy, but not hard. Simply tealicious.

Taiwanese Snacks and Cakes at BoboQ

Since the culinary trip would not be complete without a taste of Taiwan, BoboQ offers a range of Taiwanese snacks, which will be even further extended in 2013. So far you can get Taiwanese street food such as my absolute fav, the classic Taiwanese salty crispy chicken (aka salt and pepper chicken), an amazingly fragrant and tasty vermicelli noodle dish with Chinese mushrooms and tender pork or Guandong Zhu, a mix of stewed fishball, sausage and vegetable skewers cooked in broth (non- spicy or steam-out-of-your-ears-spicy, i.e. the best!) amongst other signatory dishes.

If you have more of a sweet tooth you are sure to find something at the cake counter, any child’s dream come true. In cooperation with Old Tree, BoboQ is offering an extensive range of aesthetically decorated, yummy cakes ranging from classics such as cheese cake to more daring flavours for Western mouths such as green tea cakes and biscuits – definitely worth a try, if you are interested in tasting new things.

BubbleTail Revolution?

And as if this were not enough, BoboQ has even become an innovator in the world of Bubble by creating the first Bubble Cocktail (or BubbleTail as I think it should be called!). BoboQ’s very own bartender has infused a milky smooth Grasshopper cocktail with tapioca pearls. And here I was thinking Bubble Tea could not get any better!

More than just Tea To Go – Bubble Tea Café and Party Floor

So, now you will be wondering why BoboQ has its very own barman. Well, that is because BoboQ is not just another small Bubble Tea shop with a counter and two tables to stand at. It is actually the largest BT shop in London with a very generous seating area, comfy sofas and even an upstairs party floor including bar.

Ivy, one of BoboQs friendly staff tells us that making people feel welcome to stay and chill out for a while is the whole point of the shop. Not just another rush-in-rush-out To Go tea shop but more of a café where people can stay and work or just relax after a long day.

And this is exactly what the café’s design reflects. Stylishly decorated in warm orange and white tones (apparently within only the space of one week!), spacious and with cosy seating, the shop has such a calming, relaxed feel, a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of busy London. Absolute highlight are the coat hangers shaped as dog butts – I am in love!

In such a central location, it just lends itself for an after-work chat. You are more of an after-work party person? No problem! BoboQ has a licence and the second floor has space for parties of around 40 people – private or company – with a bar and even karaoke! You can enjoy your BubbleTail and party it up with your friends. They are even having a party for New Years.

To sum it up, the friendly staff, the lovely atmosphere and the good food and drink make BoboQ a wonderful place to hang out, let the soul dangle and try something new! Their different offers such as 2 for 1 per Facebook like or a cake and a drink for £5 make it even more tempting.

***Sadly it seems that this place has been closed down****

BoboQ

61 Charing Cross Street

WC2H 7PR London

BoboQ UK

TGI Live Red & White Christmas Party @ 55 Club London

想看中文版吗？请按这儿。

Christmas is coming so what better way than to celebrate than with a party? The TGI LiveChristmas Red & White Party at 55 Club last week was definitely a massive mood-lifter during depressing December.

DJ Jakstarr, imported from Taiwan, was responsible for the groove that made us move – and move we did. The music mix was just right to keep us going through the night and let us get a taste of Taiwan partying, something that is definitely on my to-do list after TGI and DJ Jakstarr’s cooperation. 

The Red & White dress code was not only responsible for the Christmassy feel of the party, it also made for a lot of fun to see different guests going all out – ladies in hot red dresses or even sexy Santa costumes and lads with crazy bow ties, guests got really creative with the colour theme.

What I really enjoyed apart from the colour theme was the location. 55 Club has a great design, with Victorian style black and blue motive in the numerous private booths. The colour theme gave the club a very stylish feel, while the big number of booths gave it a really comfortable, relaxed feel.

As to be expected, the alcohol was flowing and the exclusive group of party-goers was dancing wildly. Instead of candy canes, the guests got a lot of eye-candy when the ladies found the small podium in front of the DJ’s turntables and showed off their dancing skills.

All in all, the Red & White party was a great way to celebrate and let loose amidst the stress of Christmas shopping. The only question is whether Santa will still be bringing gifts to all of the guests, since some of them might not have been very good girls or boys this year ;)

Chinese Food in Newcastle: Heihei 嘻嘻 Cantonese Cooking

Describe Heihei in one word? Stylish. The first thing you will notice when you walk through that door is the red and black motive which runs through the entire restaurant. Every little detail fits, even the black chopsticks with the restaurant’s logo give it the touch of class that sets it apart from others. 

All show and no go you might think, but then you don’t know Heihei.

How good the food is becomes obvious at a glance. The place is packed with Chinese people and it is not uncommon to spend some time in the tiny waiting area or even on the street if you forgot to book a table – sometimes the wait might even take up to an hour. If you are hungry this is fatal.

If you do remember to call you are in for a treat. While the main focus is on Cantonese dishes, Heihei’s big strength is variety. If you had no idea that there is more to Chinese food than Chop Suey and Sweet Sour sauce, then you need to come here. From Beijing to Sichuan (the spicy province) there is something for everyone on the bi-lingual menu. 

Chongqing chicken with chili(辣子鸡)

If you are brave enough you should try the Chongqing chicken with chili(辣子鸡). I challenge anyone who doubts this is the best in Newcastle to find a better one. These chicken chunks in a crispy batter are served boneless, which is highly untypical for genuine Chinese food and a welcome move to most Western mouths. The spicy explosion will probably cause some beads of sweat if you are not used to the inhuman degrees of spice that are typical for the areas Chongqing and Sichuan. The glaring red of countless dried chilies are warning enough: not for the faint-hearted.

Braised whole aubergine(鳗鱼茄子)

Another gem is the braised whole aubergine(鳗鱼茄子), a tasty change from the regular Chinese-style aubergines in soy sauce or sweet sour sauce. This one has been sliced but remains as one, deep-fried in batter and is positively ‘squishy’.

Shredded pork in Hoisin garlic sauce(京酱肉丝)

Although the overall quality of the food is very impressive there are one or two things you should be aware of. First of all, since this is Cantonese style cooking, certain dishes such as the shredded pork in Hoisin garlic sauce(京酱肉丝) are served without sugar. If you are used to the sweet sauces of Northern cooking you are in for a surprise. If, like me, you just can’t get your head around this you only have two choices: avoid these types of dishes or ask them to add sugar.

Also, prices are a little higher than in Chinatown – Heihei is one of the few Chinese places not located on or in close proximity to Stowell Street. If you enjoy good fish you will have to calculate £15 upwards per dish. However, the considering the atmosphere, the popularity and the yummy dishes, it is definitely worth it.

Heihei

48 Dean Street, 

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 1 PG

http://www.heihei.co.uk/

王甜甜

Koi Japanese Buffet – A real big fish

When I read about a Japanese All-You-Can-Eat Buffet for £14,80 on Finchley Road, I thought “Nice, but what about the quality?” Luckily, I am more curious than suspicious and just had to find out how good Koi’s food actually is. It. Is. Good.

As a salmon and sushi fan, the first test for Koi was its salmon sashimi. I could probably go on about how good it was for eternity, but to make it simple, the only time I have had such good quality salmon sashimi was in Asia. Never have I found fish as good as this anywhere in Europe.  Next test: the Aubergine Harusame. Another tough one. I love aubergine so much, I would build a house out of it. And then eat it. Were it built of Koi’s Aubergine Harusame, it wouldn’t last a day.

Although I make it my goal to always try new variations, I was really surprised to find a sushi filling on the menu that was new to me. I have never had salmon skin rolls before but, boy, am I glad I finally did. The crispiness of the shredded fried skin mixed with the smooth rice was simply incredible. I could go on and on about all the good food that Koi offers in its buffet, but then we would still be here tomorrow. The fact that their head chef is from Japan says it all, I think. Go and try for yourself.

You might believe that the good price comes at a price in terms of service or ambiance, but even here Koi manages to get it all right. Probably, what I was most impressed about was the speed. Our first round of orders was served up in what felt like the speed of light but still all of it arranged very aesthetically pleasing at the same time. Aesthetics is definitely one focus of Koi’s with its eye-catching logo and the red lanterns with Japanese characters.

All of this creates a very comfortable, relaxing surrounding and the owner Kin Chiu enhances this feeling by chatting to all of his guests to show his appreciation (whether in flawless English, Cantonese or Mandarin). My personal highlight was the K-Pop playlist, which I was sure for a while they had downloaded from my mp3 player. And yes, there is more to Korean pop music than Gangnam style.

The buffet can be ordered from two guests onwards and is great value for money, coming in at under 40£ for two including drinks and service charge. There is a further main menu, which is even half price at lunch time. Koi also offers take-out and delivery from 16£ onwards.  However, located on Finchley Road close to the tube station, the restaurant with its fast service, lovely atmosphere and great staff is definitely worth the trip.

Koi Sushi and Noodle Bar250 Finchley RoadNW3 6DNLondonhttp://www.koisushi.co.uk/

Relaxing Viennese Style: The Delaunay Counter @ Aldwych, London

I stumbled upon the Delaunay Counter, an Austro-Hungarian Café, right after my little tea adventure at the Twinings Tea store the other weekend. As a former student from the University of Vienna, I was curious and drawn in by this little piece of Austria advertising Schnitzel in the middle of London.

First off some background information on the Delaunay dining options: As I soon learned, the Delaunay Counter is the little brother of the Delaunay restaurant. While the restaurant provides slightly more choice and cuisine so haute it would definitely crash into my ceiling as a recent graduate, the café does slightly more simple café food. The prices act correspondingly, with Schnitzel option costing from £15 onwards in the restaurant, whereas Schnitzel sandwiches are only £6 in the café. I do hope the restaurant portion is larger…

While the restaurant focuses on elegance and upper class, the café is definitely more relaxed. Stylishly decorated with dark wood seats and tables and with Austrian ads from the 50s plastering the walls, it has a lovely charm. Even though I couldn’t say it looks like the coffee houses in Austria exactly, it did remind me of Vienna. Anyway, scanning the adverts from a trip to the Steiermark to the ‘latest’ Austrian movie (from 1957) was reason enough for me to come here.

I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, enhanced greatly by the fact that you order at the counter, which looks indeed as if it had been imported from Austria with all its colourful little cakes and biscuits.

The portions are relatively small, of course it being no full restaurant, so if you are very hungry and/or on a budget, think hard about whether this is the right choice. With two “mains”, to be more precise the Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich and the Chef Roast, two small bottles of apple juice and 3 desserts, we left with a bill of £30. Had my friend not been quite full in the first place, it would not have been enough.

However, I must say, in light of the quality, I actually thought it was worth it. But then I am a sentimental fool, who will pay a lot to get a taste of Vienna.

The Chicken Schnitzel, a breaded cutlet for those who have not heard of this Austrian/German classic, came with a light mayonnaise sauce to die for. While the accompanying potato ‘salad’ could probably more fittingly be called ‘ration’ (I hesitate to call four half-slices of potato a salad), it did come with a tangy mustard sauce, a twist on the usual potato salad dressing of mayo or simple vinegar and oil.

The chef roast, though something rather English than Austrian in my eyes, was spectacular. I am very picky with meat, but this roast spot on. The juicy steak was cuddled into a spinach and mushroom filling, complementing it perfectly. And for the crunch, the crispy flaky pastry – a match made in heaven.

The most genuinely Austrian bit about the Delaunay Counter though, was its desserts. I could not resist the slice of Sacher torte smiling at me from the counter, and the Apple Strudel did not get away either. Slightly unconventional, the strudel included walnuts, but I think for those who like them, it would work. Also, there was no offer of “Obers”,i.e. whipped cream with either of the desserts, the major hint that this was not actually Austria. Won’t hurt your figure, though.

The only major drawback about this stylish, upmarket place was the toilet. Even in a walk-in café having just one toilet for all the guests, regardless of gender, is just not on.

But to end on a good note, I can say that if you are an Austrian nostalgic or a tourist, who can’t see the real deal, the Delaunay Counter is definitely worth a visit.

The Delaunay

55 Aldwych

London WC2B 4BB

United Kingdom

英国特色菜Shepherds Pie (牧羊人咸味派)

从我小时候, 我经常让我妈妈做英国饭（她是英国人）。她平时会做Shepherds Pie给我吃。因此长大之后,一想到英国特色菜，我马上会想到这道下边有一层肉，上边有一层土豆泥的菜。做法特别简单，没有很多做饭经验的同学不用担心，你肯定做得到。

配料     （两位）                                                           中等大小的土豆（4个）                                          乳酪 （2-3大勺子）                                    牛奶                                                                      300克羊肉末                                                                    葱或者红洋葱（1个）                                                  蒜 米 （1个）                                                                  胡萝卜（2-3个）                                                          鸡精                                                                                      盐                                                                              胡椒粉                                                                            红椒粉 起司（奶酪）

Ingredients （2 people） 4 middle-sized potatoes 2-3 table spoons of Philadelphia cream cheese Milk for texture 300g minced lamb meat 1 onion (red if you like) 1 garlic  clove 2 – 3 carrots Chicken stock powder Salt Pepper Paprika powder Cheese

做法

1.       削土豆并切成小块，放进滚水里面，煮到可以用叉子把它们捣成泥的程度。（20分钟左右）

2.       控干土豆后，跟乳酪放进大盆里混在一起，捣成泥。最后加点牛奶让它更柔软一点。把土豆泥放置一边。

3.       葱，蒜，胡萝卜切成小块。

4.       锅放油，加葱，蒜与胡萝卜炒一下， 并加一点点水，把胡萝卜煮软。

5.       等胡萝卜够软，水蒸发了 以后，加羊肉末。肉熟了加鸡精，盐胡椒粉与红椒粉。

6.       把肉与胡萝卜放进容器中做成第一层，之后上边放土豆泥做成第二层。

7.       烤箱预热到200·C，把砂锅放进去，烤到上边的土豆泥皮变脆。

8.       随意还可以放点起司在上边，多烤几分钟。

9.       吃，吃，吃！

网上的一些做法还可以加番茄酱与Worcestershire酱，可是我妈妈总是没用过，所以我吃不习惯。希望大家喜欢我介绍的英国菜，别害羞自己随便试试，调整我的做法！

"Tea Town": Twinings Tea Shop @ The Strand London

As a Twinings tea addict of course I could not resist the chance to check out their little shop dedicated to everything in the world of tea (and a little coffee). If you are fed up of only finding a random choice of Twining teas in the supermarkets - they never have the one I want! -, whether you love a stylishly decorated place or if you are simply a tea addict like me, you will love the London Twinings Store at 216 The Strand opposite the Royal Courts of Justice.

The shop catches your eye even when you apporach, simply because it is so small. Wedged into two tall buildings, it looks completely out of place. Stepping inside, the smell of tea wafts right at you, fragrant and fresh. 

The best part for the serious tea shopper is that Twinings has made this a tea emporium in every sense of the word. You can find any kind of Twinings tea from the old classics to the newest range stocked in the shelves. Twinings' own store compared to your regular supermarket is even greater since the tea cheaper here. The regular range is available at around £1,50 and the newest varieties including the "Sensation" brews at £2.

My personal highlight were the little smelling glasses, that are placed with each tea: they contain the corresponding tea bags so you can get a smell and an impression of what the tea is like. This is not only a greatly helpful feature which you will undoubtedly miss in any super market, but also highly addictive, since the smells are simply sooooo good! Just like a visit to the perfume shop, you will find your nose unable to smell after you have inhaled your 5th (or was it the 10th?) wiff of tea. I must have looked like a serious addict to the assistants, since I sniffed at almost every tea in the store - an estimated 200 flavours.

Apart from the smelling bit, another great feature is the pick 'n' mix section, where you can chose single teabags out of a variety of ca. 30 teas. The minimum purchase is 10 teabags at £ 1,50. I was a little disappointed, since I misunderstood the information on the website and imagined a much larger choice - which is probably all for the best or I might have run home with 40 loose tea bags. Even with the "small range" I still managed to find a number of new teas to try including the new christmassy Mulled Spice Edition, the rose tea and the chai (which I will be trying in a minute). 

For the visual people amongst us the shop is simply a sensational sight. The former coffe house was bought by Thomas Twining in 1706 and the decoration of that time has remained. The tea shelves are made of traditional dark wood, with portraits of possibly important people from the 18th century hanging above them and all the furniture in the store is from that same period. For this historical flair alone the shop if worth a tourist visit, even if you don't want to buy tea (which in the end you probably will). And when you have bought the tea, you didn't intend to buy, you can take it away in one of the stylish Twinings paper bags with the current advertising design.

Those who prefer to taste rather than look will be instantly drawn into the tea tasting counter, where a knowledgable assistant poors different teas for you to try while expertly explaining all there is to know about first and second flushes of Assam tea and the like. 

If it is not tea you are after but anything tea related such as coffee, hot chocolate, tea pots and mugs, elegant compartment boxes for the pick 'n' mix - you can find it all here.

This place is a must for Twinings tea nuts, design dorks, tourists and Londoners, and even for royalists (there is a jubilee tea and pot). Whoever you are, I am sure there is something here that will grab your fancy!

And after your visit you can go on to the Twinings website to learn more about the tea you bought, get some great recipes for iced teas or order even more tea!

Tealicious!