Restaurant review: the new Autumn menu at Pizza Express

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll already know about my love of Pizza Express. So when an email dropped in my inbox asking me if I wanted to try out the new autumn menu, I obviously said yes! So I invited the best friend and we trotted along to our local branch for an evening of pizza, wine and an almighty catch up putting the world to rights.

Offering a range of drinks, starters, mains and desserts with a bustlingly autumnal feel, it was a hard decision to decide what to try. In the end I opted to start with Risotto Fresco, literally a comforting hug in a bowl. Piled high with fresh peppered salmon, juicy tomato, crunchy red onion and a splash of chilli oil, it was absolutely delicious. I almost wish I had sized up and ordered it for my main but alas I was here to try the pizzas. I drooled over my friend's portion of a creamy mushroom bruschetta with lashings of béchamel sauce and sharp balsamic vinegar.

For our main, curious by the thought of ceaser dressing on a pizza I pumped for the Rustichella Romana. Served on a thin and crispy base, the pizza boasted salty pancetta, creamy mozzarella and roasted tomatoes before being topped with a handful of peppery rocket and shavings of strong hard cheese. I'm a massive fan of rocket on a pizza as I think it helps to add a little freshness. I've had many pizzas in the restaurant over the years but I think this one has to be one of my favourite combinations!

Finally to end the meal we were tempted by the chocolate fondant with a melted rich chocolate middle alongside vanilla gelato and the intense honeycomb cheesecake with a layer on salted caramel on a biscuit base. I'm not usually a chocolate fan but this just popped out to me and I'm so very glad it did. That warm melted chocolate alongside the cold gelato was a match made in heaven.

Once again Pizza Express have pulled out some corkers for their new autumn menu. Everything I tried was delicious and it's so nice to see the menu switched up a bit. If you only have one thing, make sure you go for the risotto. I'm dying to go back and try it again!

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Thoughts on leaving home for the first time

I'm in the process of looking for a house to buy. A house to BUY. God that's a sentence that I never thought I would ever write. It seems like we've been saving for years and while we have been saying we've been saving for years, realistically we probably only put some effort into it at the beginning of this year. Back in January it didn't really seem like a possibility but yet somehow, we've managed to scrape together enough money for a deposit for a house. Thank the lord for those 5% deposits. It all so exciting and after spending ten years with my boyfriend, I'm so ready to move out and make a home together.

But yet as it seems to be getting closer, it's also becoming just a little bit scary. At the grand age of 27 years old, I'm getting ready to leave home for the first time. My safe haven. The place where I can be myself. I never moved away for Uni so I haven't had the experience of living away from home. I've lived in the same house in the same town my whole life. I'm only looking to move out into the same town - it's as close to London as we can afford - so I'm really not venturing that far. But, it will be on my own away from everything I have ever known. I'm a massive homebird and as an only child, I genuinely enjoy my own company and in my house I often get that. It's such a nerve wracking thing to set up home with someone and even when you have ten years behind you, you never really know someone until you live with them. Their little quirks that seem cute at the moment but may grate on you after a few months of living in each others pockets. I'm pretty confident not much will change as thanks to our jobs we rarely spend much time together. But there's always those niggling feelings at the back your mind.

Will my own house ever feel like home? Will I feel comfortable in my own home as I do at my home at moment? Will I always feel like my parents house is 'home'? Will my boyfriend and I be able to live in perfect harmony? What will happened why I get only child syndrome and want to be alone?

I suppose all those questions will never be answered until you finally take the plunge and set up house yourself. One thing I do know is, I'm looking forward to finally leaving my shoes downstairs by the stairs without being told off!

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Restaurant review: The Sail Loft, Greenwich, south London

Last Sunday I ventured down to one of my favourite part of London to try out The Sail Loft, a new Fullers pub that is part of Fuller's Kitchen and prides itself of its food. Situated along the river in Greenwich, it's a short walk from the Cutty Sark DLR station around the back of the Cutty Sark itself. Offering fantastic views of the other side of the river, you can gaze at the impressive Canary Wharf and watch the river come to life.

As soon as walked in, I fell in love the nautical theme. Quirky sailboat ornaments, copper interiors and bundles of rope decorated the pub, making it feel more like a country pub rather than one in a bustling city. I'd already given the interiors a thumbs up but was the food about to hit the spot too?

Yes it did! When I found out the pub boasted the former chef of Duck & Waffle, I knew we were in for a treat. With eyes bigger than our bellies, we scoured the menu and opted for a creamy spiced pumpkin soup and roasted octopus with wedges of onion to start. Just the right start to wet our appetites. The octopus was tender, flavoursome and served alongside a spicy chorizo jam, it had a great kick. I often find octopus can be rubbery and squeaky but this was cooked to perfection. I can vouch for the soup being delicious too, thanks to stealing a mouthful!

As it was Sunday, we decided to pay tribute to our British heritage and opt for a roast dinner. Controversially I'm not too much of a fan of a roast and it's not always my first choice as I can find they can be boring. But I really fancied one this day so took the plunge! Choosing roast chicken, when the plate arrived I actually did a little gasp. Half a roast chicken is actually quite a lot! Paired with glazed root vegetables, a fluffy Yorkshire pudding, crunchy roast potatoes, a bundle of kale and lashings of gravy, it was a joy to eat. The chicken was juicy and tender and the potatoes were exactly how a roast potato should be. Nothing worse than a weak, undercooked roastie!

A delicious cheese board was just the ticket to round off such a great meal. Black bomber cheddar, Ragston soft cheese and Barkham Blue cheese helped to give the board a luxurious feel.

I'd heard good things about The Sail Loft and after visiting myself, I discovered all the praise was well deserved. Sometimes places rely on their good location to draw customers in but this time, the food is just as fabulous as the views. The portions were generous, prices were decent and the food was absolutely delicious. We left with full bellies and big smiles on our faces. Thanks for such a wonderful afternoon Sail Loft!

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