I am loving… Spanish stew

There’s a little Spanish deli around the corner from my office which serves the best lunchtime treat: a cup of chickpea and chorizo stew.

Brindisa also sells salad boxes, sandwiches and meats, but it’s the stew that really marks this place out. I’ve tried to replicate it myself, with limited success. Nigel Slater’s recipe in The Observer looks pretty good but I made the error of not leaving it to cook for long enough and using tinned over soaked chickpeas. Take note.

There are more Spanish recipes in 1080 Recipes, which includes contributions from Brindisa’s head chef. I’ve been meaning to buy a copy.

I am loving… Nusa Kitchen

It’s a bit of a trek from where I am, but Nusa’s soups always brighten up my lunchtime. Everywhere sells soup, but this isn’t just soup. Yesterday I had Mexican borracho bean soup with salsa and rice; the other week it was a South Indian tomato-ey thing.. and each time served with freshly baked flat bread. The menu changes every day too.

Nusa is based just up from Barbican and they’ve just opened a second shop near Bank. WestEnders can only hope that they branch out a bit more.

In the meantime check out Nusa’s recipes section.

A stick in the sand

It might seem odd to start a blog about my favourite London eating places some 40 miles south of Croydon and within striking distance of the English Channel, but if I am to split the great from the mediocre and the mediocre from the awful, I need a benchmark.

My benchmark, no I’ll use the term yardstick, sits nestled behind one of the big beachfront hotels in Brighton, a short walk from the pier. Not quite Mayfair, but then I’m not setting out on a search for the kitchen that will most readily push me towards my credit card limit.

What am I after in my food nirvana? I’m not quite sure, but I suspect the experience finishes with the following: a sense that it doesn’t matter how big the bill is, or what little charges have been added here there and everywhere (“They charge for bread?”)… I don’t care, because it was worth it.

It surprises me to admit, as a meat eater, that my favourite restaurant of the moment is a vegetarian place. Terre a Terre is a spacious restaurant serving delicious meals – no dull stuff here, just plates of food that really display the effort that has gone into bringing out a beautiful mix of tastes. It seems I’m not alone in liking this place (see Brighton-eating, but ignore the whingers). The restaurant itself had a lovely feel to it, homely even. The tables – and this is important – were positioned such that nobody was touching shoulders with anybody else. We had our own little space and the staff made sure they didn’t infringe on that by striking just the right tone – welcoming, helpful, chatty, but not too much.

Basically, it was all there. We didn’t want to leave.

Terre a Terre isn’t cheap – we spent about £70 for two people including pudding and wine – but it was worth it.

Making the comparison isn’t going to be easy, but wherever I go, and whatever I try it’s always going to be at the back of my mind – a yardstick against which all others will be measured.

> The Guardian quite liked it too