Review: Rustiko, Soho, Central London

Last week I ventured to Old Compton Street to sample the Italian restaurant Rustiko. Rustiko was something I'd often glanced at on a wander through Soho so I was excited to try what they had to offer. Soho has an unbelievable amount of choice and it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to decide which restaurant to pick. Rustiko had a lot of different places to contend with but could it live up to the expectations?

To start, we ordered bolognese arancini balls, crispy white bait with a creamy garlic mayonnaise and chicken croquettes stuffed with oozing mozzarella, fresh parsley and a hint of parmesan.

The arancini were perfectly cooked. Crispy on the outside and the rice inside was given such a delicious flavour thanks to the bolognese sauce - very addictive! The garlic 'green' mayo was amazing and provided the perfect accompaniment to the battered whitebait. Finally the creamy round croquettes melted in you mouth with every bite with the double cheese getting a huge thumbs up from me.

We decided to opt for a pizza and pasta dish for our mains and shared half each. Because sharing is caring guys!

Cooked el-dente, the rigatoni amatriciana was smothered in a smooth tomato sauce with chunks of smoked pancetta, a scattering of parsley and a topping of shaved parmesan. Knowing that the pasta dish was probably going to be quite rich, we opted for something a little lighter for the pizza. And boy was this the right decision to make. A crispy base filled to the brim with lashing of hummus, towering grilled vegetables, a sprinkling of parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. I'd never had a non-tomato based pizza before so was a bit unsure if it would be up to my standards. But it was a revelation. The hummus and balsamic vinegar gave it such an intense flavour and gave it almost a Middle Eastern flatbread feel.

A trio of ice cream and sorbet provided the perfect end to a great meal. I just about managed to squeeze it in! Although I was waddling out of the door...

I was also given a tour downstairs of their new cool underground bar called The Shed. Sadly all my pictures I took were a bit rubbish thanks to the dark lighting so you'll have to take my word for it that it's well wroth a visit. Offering a DJ, killer cocktail list and comfy chairs, it looks like a great place to hang out with friends and put the world to rights.

Thanks so much for having me Rustiko and a big shout out to the friendly gentleman on the door who was absolutely lovely!

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5 simple ways to make yourself happier

Paint your nails
Nothing makes me feel like I have my life together than freshly painted nails and toenails. I don't know what it is about coloured fingers and toes but they just make me smile and like I can take on the world. I find it so relaxing to set aside a few hours at night to concentrate on painting my nails. It helps my brain stop whirling around and just concentrate on the moment at hand.

Buy fresh flowers
I love fresh flowers in my room. Waking up and seeing them at the the end of my bed makes me smile each time without fail. Something so simple yet something so pretty. With British Flower week coming up on Monday, there isn't a better time to treat yourself to some fresh blooms. Ocean Loans has launched their project FourWalls to help celebrate all things homes related. Flowers are a great way to add some colour to a home!

Go for a evening stroll
We all lead such busy lives and can get bogged down with the mundune things in life. Work can be all-comsuming and tough to switch off from. I find going to a evening stroll after dinner really helps to switch off and help you to relax. Take your favourite person and just wander aimlessly for about an hour chatting about every and anything. Don't check your phone, just be in the moment. You'll come back feeling fresh and relaxed - trust me! The gentle exercise will help to endorse those endorphins that everyone harps on about. A natter and exercise - what a combo eh?

Try out a new recipe
Cooking give me such a sense of achievement. It's something I've only really discovered over the last few years. Even now I'm still shocked that I can make something not only edible but pretty darn delicious. I find it quite therapeutic to stand in front of a hob trying out a new recipe I haven't attempted before. That feeling I get when it's finished and tastes amazing makes me smile. It doesn't have to be a complicated recipe, even if it's just a another variation of avocado on toast. You get to feed your face and feel pretty sassy at the same time. Winner.

Have an early night
I don't know about you but I am a monster when I'm tired. I am grumpy, argumentative and awkward. I need my sleep every night and my alarm goes out at 5.30 every morning. But I don't always get to have a good run in bed. It's a hard life being a social butterfly eh?! So at least twice a week I set aside a few nights to get in bed for 9pm. That included pjs on, make up off and light switched off my 9pm. I find myself waking up feeling with more of a spring in my step and a lot more together. It's amazing how much a decent amount of sleep can contribute towards your happiness.

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Recipe: grilled avocado barley bowl with Lakeland

Lakeland got in touch to see if I wanted to try out the new Davina McCall range and test them out with a recipe. Always one for kitchen equipment, I said yes and soon a parcel arrived. Consisting of a pair of kitchen scissors, crinkle cutter, grater, peeler and a pairing knife, they were the perfect addition to my kitchen. I decided it was time to try out a recipe from one my favourite cookbooks at the minute, A Modern Way To Cook by Anna Phillips - the recipe called for most of the items to be used. So what did I think? I loved the bright colours as I think aesthetics are everything in a kitchen, they felt sturdy to withhold my clumsiness and were simple and quick to use whilst preparing a meal. Who has time for complicated equipment on a week night? The price point is great too - good quality at a really reasonable price.

Serves 2 with leftovers for lunch

Ingredients
1 large avocado
300g pearl barley
1/2 bag of baby spinach
50g chopped walnuts
Zest and juice of one lemon
100g feta cheese
200ml plain fat free Greek yogurt
A handful of roughly chopped fresh basil
A few pinches of sea salt
A pinch of black pepper

Method
1. Rinse the pearl barley under cold water then boil it in a saucepan. Include a good pinch of sea salt, the juice of half a lemon before putting the squeezed lemon half into the pan too. Cook for around 25 minutes.

2. Cut the avocados in half - leaving the skin on but discarding the stone. Put them cut side down in a griddle pan and cook until they have black griddle marks.

3. To make the yogurt sauce, mix the chopped basil leaves with the zest and juice of the remaining half a lemon. Add a good pinch of sea salt and pepper for some extra flavouring.

4. Wilt the spinach in a frying pan.

5. Once the pearl barley is cooked, drain away the water and crumble in the feta cheese and chopped walnuts. Add the wilted spinach to the dish and mix it all together.

6. Divide between two bowls - remembering to keep some aside for lunch leftovers! Top with the grilled avocado and spoon on the yogurt mix.

As always I'd love to know if you try this recipe out, drop me a tweet to let me know!

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