Restaurant review: The Diner, Camden, north London

I have a lot of nostalgia for The Diner so was delighted to be invited to the launch of the newly refurbished Camden branch. So my BFF and I trotted down after work for a lovely sunny evening on the rooftop terrace, enjoying far too much food and a bit too many cocktails for a Wednesday evening. Confirmed when I work up the next day for work with a bit of a sore head...

So what did we try? EVERYTHING. Highlights included the bacon wrapped crispy tator tots with a delicious jalapeño dip, WTF fries consisting of french fries with shredded tangy BBQ pork, oozing cheese, crispy bacon and topped with a perfectly fried eggs and chilli flakes, boneless southern fried chicken and flavoursome buffalo chicken wings with a creamy blue cheese dip. But my favourite were the tator tots loaded with crumbled blue cheese, beef chilli, lashings of sour cream and chopped spring onions. They were incredible and I really didn't want to share.

The Diner has has a great makeover, the roof terrace really is something special looking out over all the action on the high street. It's in a superb location, just a short walk from Camden Town tube station. The menu is always so consistent and pretty reasonably priced. A great choice if you find yourself in the area for a few drinks. Thanks so much for such a great evening guys!

Read more

Recipe: Thai-inspired red curry meatballs

Wing Yip kindly sent me over a hamper to help celebrate Healthy Eating Week which starts today. Thai-inspired food is always my first choice when I'm looking to lighten up my meals. They're so easy to pack with veggies, low-fat coconut milk makes it still feel naughty and I find the dishes always so filling. The basis of this dish was taken from an old favourite BBC Good Food.

Serves 4

Ingredients
500g of organic lean beef mince
1 small knob of ginger, grated
1 egg
1 tbsp of sunflower oil
1 tbsp Mai Siam Thai red curry paste*
1 can low-fat coconut milk
1 bag of sugar snap peas
1 bag of baby corn
1 red pepper
20g fresh basil plus a little to garnish
Juice of one lime plus one to cut into wedges to serve
1/2 pack of Chinese noodles*

Method
1. Put the mince in a large bowl with the grated ginger, egg and season generously. Mix together well and shape into meatballs. Put to one side.

2. Heat the sunflower oil in a large wok and brown the meatballs for five minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3. In the same pot, add the curry paste, fry for one minute before pouring in the can of coconut milk. Bring to the boil to help create a smooth sauce.

4. Pop all the vegetables in the pan for ten minutes then return the meatballs to the pan. Simmer for around five minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the meatballs are warmed through.

5. Bring a bowl of salted water to bowl before popping in the noodles for two minutes. Drain once cooked.

6.  To serve, squeeze in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Tear up the basil leaves before stiring through. Serve over the noodles.

As always I would love to know if you attempt the dish so please do send me a tweet.

Read more

Is the Bardot neckline the trend of Summer 2017?

Outfit:

Red jersey bardot midi dress: ASOS (similar)

Double strap black sliders: Birkenstock
Pink sunglasses: Phase Eight* (similar)
Gold oversized watch: Marc Jacobs (similar)

I don't know about you but I've fallen hook, line and sinker for a bardot neck line. Every month when I treat myself to something on payday, nine times out of ten it's a bardot style. It's not hard as it seems to be absolutely everywhere. I find the style so easy to wear and it just helps to give a top or dress a little sass. It's transferable to the weekend, work, evening and holiday - as demonstrated here!

This weekend has been jam-packed. Last night I finally tried out Junkyard Golf for a friend's 30th birthday. Spilt up into teams, we whizzed around the crazy golf course in Truman's Brewery before grabbing a few drinks at a pub nearby. It was exactly what was needed after all the election anxiety - my head is struggling to comprehend just what is going on at the minute. It seems like madness! Tonight I'm off out in Essex for a evening with my family, drinking gin and throwing some embarrassing shapes. As it's World Gin day, it would be a crime not to right? Tomorrow I'm going round the house and try and be a bit more helpful than I have been recently before cooking a lush dish of Thai-inspired meatballs and catching up on Broken. Oh Sean Bean, I love you so.

I think I'll need another weekend to recover!

Have a scroll through some similar dresses below.

Read more