Life in Dulwich

It really is blinking hot today. I gave up on the gym idea and headed straight for foodie land this morning.

Great herds of people were heading in streams towards Cumberland Green in Regents Park, but fortunately, it wasn't that full on arrival. Got through the gates, grabbed my free magazine, pen, Martini and entered some competitions.

Taste of London operates a strange crown payment system, where you buy books of vouchers (minimum £10) and for your pennies you get 20 crowns. Most everything has to be paid for in crowns. No refunds are available for unused crowns, so by the end of your stay, you're almost driven to tout them to passersby, because almost nothing costs 1 crown, so you have to make sure what you buy adds up to 20 crowns. Surely a sneaky ruse by the organisers to make money off the odd unspent 50p crown here and there.

First thing, before getting acclimatised, am accosted by Bottlegreen Elderflower woman offering elderflower sorbet for 1 crown. Hurrah - that's where I can spend future lone crowns. I buy one as the sun is already beating out like we're in the middle of the Maldives or something.

Went round all the restaurant stalls trying to figure out how to spend my precious crowns. First thing was to strike off the list anything that I might eat usually - sushi, curry, Chinese, pizza, pasta etc. That leaves places like Novelli, Rhodes, posh fusion and French. Next thing is to rubberneck and see who gives out the biggest portions. Made the monumental mistake of getting seared scallops in a sweetpea purée from Novelli - £4.00 for one singular scallop. Pshaw!... is all I have to say. A scallop can be only so good - and no scallop is £4.00 good in my opinion. I doubt I will be trying Novelli on the Park in a hurry.

Smarting at the stinginess of Novelli, I headed to Roka where I had seen some scrumptious lamb cutlets off the robata (Japanese grill thing) with chilli and cucumber dressing. Two lovely chargrilled succulent cutlets for the princely sum of £5.00. Yum, yum. Meaty, tasty and altogether much more satisfying. Will definitely think of eating there in the future.

Next, feeling thirsty but almost out of crowns. So have to fork out another £10.00. Not a good deal to go to the show on your own. Good thing I didn't have to pay entrance, or I definitely wouldn't have gone at all.

So, the trick is, how to spend remaining crowns. Nahm has grilled squid with green chilli salt - but most importantly has big portions. So another £4.00 on large bowl of squid. Prop myself up on a stool in the shade outside the Bluebird. Turned out to be a spot of luck.

The chef from the Bluebird starts giving out free food (salt marsh lamb, bacon stew with parsley and new potatoes), champagne and water (as people are beginning to keel over). Now this is more like it. A small crowd forms outside and some organiser chappie comments on how busy they are. The chef (who is quite funny) has no qualms in saying it's because they're giving it away. He keeps making comments about the posh restaurant next door (which is Club Gascon).

Club Gascon, btw, is a French slow cooking type establishment. I have always fancied going there as they do lovely cassoulet and the like (from what I've heard). They had cassoulet on the menu at the fair, but 10 crowns for a diddy portion put me off.

Anyway, after my bounty from Bluebird, I'm off to Sketch for the patisserie. A bag of French macaroons, leaves me with just enough crowns for Elderflower pressé and get a free sorbet thrown in. Hurrah!

All in all, things got better, but it really is a cheek that most people pay entry and then have to pay again for food. There should definitely be more taster sessions.

Anyway, pleasant way to spend Sunday and try out some food from swish restaurants I wouldn't normally go to. Didn't bother watching any of the demonstrations or listening to the lame entertainment (why do they even bother putting it on)as just wanted to eat food.

Now at home, munching macaroons and pondering upon what's for dinner.

Labels: food, restaurants