Honest Burgers, Reading - Something New at the Reading location {restaurant review}

Honest Burgers hasn't been in Reading for very long, but it's one of the few places in town that I re-visit over and over again. The menu is basic, but I use that term in a good way not in the slang way it is used by the youth of today. Because I have found that the best places to eat are the ones that do a few things really well.

Saying that though the menu has something for everyone, vegetarians and vegans included. Every month they have a special burger that celebrates locally sourced ingredients and keeps the menu interesting.

The other thing they do that helps keep things interesting is that each Honest Burgers has one burger that you can only get at that location. Each one of those burgers usually reflects the area of the location of the restaurant. And that is why I am writing today.

Reading's signature burger has changed.

It has changed to, are you ready for this...... a Jerk Chicken Burger - free-range jerk chicken thigh, smoked bacon, double American cheese, Calypso Fusion jerk sauce, mango slaw and lettuce

Yesterday I took my girls into town to see a movie and then to dinner at Honest Burgers where I tried this Jerk Chicken Burger. I gotta say it was one of the best chicken burgers I have tried in recent times. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the spices perfectly balanced, in my opinion it had just the right amount of heat.

The burger was created by one of the team members in Reading. She worked as a prep chef and made her way up and is now an essential part of their management team. She came to to join the Reading team through a program called Working Chance; the UK's only recruitment consultancy for women leaving the criminal justice and care system.

The Jerk burger uses her family's jerk rub and sauce and a portion of the sale of every burger sold goes to the charity Working Chance as a way to say thank you to them and to help them continue the amazing work they are doing.

If this burger isn't enough for you to visit Honest Burger, I should mention their rosemary salted chips, they are the best and their cocktails are some of my favorite! But not only that as I mentioned above there is something for everyone including veggies and vegans.

In January they launched their vegan burger, which uses a Beyond Meat patty and I tried it when I took part of Veganuary and I have to say I really enjoyed it - I wrote about it in my blog post Top 5 Vegan Recipes & Products and it's still available!

It also has a kids menu that reflects kids tastes. The burgers are sliders and were the perfect size for little people. My eldest daughter loves pickles, like her mom does, and when ordering her veggie burger asked for lots of pickles. Their pickles are made there and so we were brought a bowl with some to try and we were fighting over them! Just another way that they show their dedication to great ingredients.

There are several locations check out their website to find one near you and if you are local to Reading it's located - 1-5 King St, Reading RG1 2HB 

My original review post can be found here.

* I was invited to visit Honest Burgers, I was not compensated in a monetary way for my review, all opinions are my own, please see my contact/policy page above for more information.

Top 5 Vegan Recipes and Products {veganuary - five on Friday}

Veganuary may be over, but there are a few recipes and products I have added to my weekly shop or recipes I have added to my repertoire also one place I will visit again for their vegan menu.

Not in any particular order:

1. Falafels & Hummus wraps: I was making this recipe for years before I decided to try being vegan and it is still a go to lunch option. Falafels with hummus and spinach, shredded carrots, and either mint sauce or sweet chilli depending on the falafels.

2. Vegan burger from Honest Burgers - are made with Beyond Burger patties, they are the first restaurant in the UK to have these vegan burgers and let me tell you they are good!! I know it might be a bit weird to go to a burger place to get a vegan burger, but the rosemary salted chips are the best so it's always a win-win!

3. Banana bread recipe from bosh! - I have written a separate post for this so check it out here!

image belongs to violife

4. Violife original flavour block: vegan cheese - Cheese was my biggest fear,  I was afraid how it would taste and worried about the texture . Cheese how can vegan cheese hold up against regular cheese? But this one did and I am still using it for recipes and sandwiches.

5. tofu with spicy peanut sauce - this recipe I actually made in February but it was so good even my children liked this one and both ate it right up! Best part is that it goes in the slow cooker and can be left to it's own devices as you sort the rest of your life out.

recipe:
675g extra firm tofu
2 tbsp veggie oil
85g smooth peanut butter
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
dash of lime juice
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, choppped
1-2 red chillis, depending how hot you want it
350g baby spinach
chopped fresh coriander
brown rice to serve

Cut the tofu into thin squares or rectangles or whatever shapes you want and pat dry to remove any excess moisture before frying in a pan over a medium-high heat flipping until browned on both sides.
While the tofu is doing its thing mix everything except the spinach and coriander in the slow cooker and when the tofu is ready mix it all together and leave on low from 2-4 hours depending on your slow cooker. 15 minutes before serving add the spinach and cook the rice, if using 10 minute rice, and serve with rice and coriander as a garnish.

*note I only used one chilli as my kids don't like it too spicy, but if you like it spicy use another one!
**note two I chop up the coriander stalks and mix them in with the sauce

There were so many other things I tried and tested in my month of being vegan a few honourable mentions are the Goodfella's Vegan Pizza found in the frozen section and also found in the frozen section Ben and Jerry's vegan ice cream and last but not least the Heck vegan sausages.

Being vegan was definitely an experience and it has taught me a lot and as already stated changed a lot in how I do my food shopping and cook!

Franco Manca - Masterclass in Reading, Berkshire {restaurant review}

Last June/July time Franco Manca opened up a branch in Reading and I was kindly invited along to an evening of pizza and limoncello drinking! I have been back since and I will say what I said then that the pizza from Franco Manca is one of my favorites. The sourdough base is everything and because the menu changes with the seasons it's toppings are always top notch. 

So, when they asked if I'd like to come along to try out one of their masterclasses I was there! This time around I was allowed to get in the kitchen and make my own pizza! Our instructor aka Master Pizza Maker Andrea was full of knowledge and showed us how the sour dough was made before giving us our own blob to turn into our own masterpiece! 

First you have to press it down gently and firmly with your finger tips, it's sometimes referred to as knocking it back, but this is a small piece so it doesn't need as much pressure or energy if you were making a loaf of bread. 

Then gently folding it over your hand you toss it gently back and forth - this does two things. One it knocks the excess unnecessary flour off and two it stretches the dough out ready to be pizza shaped. 

Once it's, as I said, pizza shaped they have a perfectly sized ladle to pour on the tomato sauce and spread in a circle. Then the fun part. Putting whatever you want on it! I choose lots of cheese, some garlic, olives, and mushrooms. 

Very gently you move it on a paddle which then gets placed into their special wood burning oven that is kept at something ridiculous like 500 degrees - it literally takes minutes. Then using another fun tool you check to make sure the bottom is properly cooked before gently sliding it out and turning it around and putting it back in and giving it another minute to make sure it's perfect and then you place it on your plate and enjoy!! 

I couldn't recommend the pesto more, it's seasonal so varies visit to visit, it's perfect to dip crusts in. It's essential, if you like lemons and liquor, to finish your meal with a shot of their limoncello, which is sourced in Italy and brought to the UK just for them! 

If you would like to experience making your own pizza masterclasses, in Reading, are held on the second Tuesday of every month. Classes are two and half hours and cost £30 including food, wine/soft drinks. Book or find out more: reading@francomanca.co.uk or 0118 995 2086.

Classes are also held at their Chiswick, Richmond, and Bournemouth to find out more of the details for those locations check the Franco Manca website here!  

Before we left they gave us a little goody bag with a bottle of wine, some pizza toppings, and a bottle of chilli oil for if we ever get the courage to try making pizza's at home! The book below was from my first visit and if you want to read that full review with more pictures check it out here! 

*I was invited to attend, but I was not asked to write a review positive or otherwise, no other compensation was given. Please see my contacts/policy page above for more information. 

Honest Burgers - Reading, Berkshire {restaurant review}

In 2010 there were two guys in Brixton, London in a tent cutting their potatoes by hand, flipping burgers made with meat they delivered to themselves because the butchers wouldn't and bringing passion to their dream. It was the start of something amazing and as it's not that often I get to London I am super excited that they opened a restaurant in Reading, Berkshire.

Last week my friends and I went out for our monthly meal and were lucky enough to try out Honest Burger. First impressions are everything and as we stepped in the vibe was chilled and rustic, the definition of a cool place to hang out. The staff were welcoming, knowledgeable, and energetic. However, the real test was going to be the food.

The menu is not very long and this, to me, shows confidence and trust in what they are producing. I was excited and sad that I couldn't eat more then one burger in a night. See even though the menu isn't extensive I wanted to try everything on the menu, but as the saying goes when in Rome......

Naturally, I had to try the Reading Special - which is made, like all their burgers, of the best cuts: chuck and rib cap (the fatty bit that's skimmed off a rib eye steak) that is chopped not minced, chopping helps not only hold in the flavor, but makes it really tender. Then they topped the burger with Barkham blue cheese and a red pepper chutney both locally sourced.

The blue cheese comes from a small family business, Two Hoots Cheese in Barkham a little village that sits just between Berkshire and Hampshire. The red pepper chutney comes from the Nomad Bakery in Caversham, they get the chutney from the Caversham Jam Lady.

The burger also is topped with bacon, tomato, red onion, lettuce, and their own pickles in between the buns that are steamed, they wet the bun before placing on the grill and it just gives them a little something extra.

All of this served with the best chips ever. Let's just talk about these chips for a moment, they are fried and then covered with their rosemary salt and are addicting. Then if you are like me and like your dips you need to try the curry sauce, chipotle mayo, bacon ketchup, yes you read that right bacon ketchup, and saving the best for last bacon gravy. You just have to try it for yourself. Trust me, trust them they know what they are doing!

So, as I mentioned my friends joined me for dinner and they tried the chilli burger topped with chilli cheese, bacon and a jalapeño relish. I tried a bite it is good, but it is hot just a warning! Then my other friend tired the special the Disco Burger. The Disco is limited edition and this burger is topped with a pineapple bacon jam, cheddar, burger sauce and pink onions. I didn't get a chance to try this one on the night, but I was told it was very good! You only have until the 12th of February to try this one so get in there now!

They change their special every three weeks and as my lovely waiter suggested we, me and you, need to visit at least once every three weeks to try the new special, but ideally it should be twice every three weeks and he told me it was really a sin if I didn't. So, I thought I'd pass that message on to you. It's a sin if you don't visit at least once, because once is all it will take to make it your go to burger place.

Now that last sentence is an awesome line to end a review, but I have to just mention a few more things - my cocktail the Kentucky Tea - which is buffalo trace bourbon, honest iced tea (they make it themselves), and lemon. I highly recommend it, it was so good and I haven't had proper iced tea since I left the states. Then there were the onion rings, the batter was thick and fluffy and was seasoned with a little bit of aniseed that just gave them a special something. Also note that it's not only the burger toppings they source locally they also source local beers and lagers so check them out if you are in town! And last but not least they serve breakfast too!

Okay I think that's it. You can find them at the address below, if you aren't local visit their website (linked below) for more locations and more information about Honest Burgers!

Honest Burgers: 1-5 King St., Reading, RG1 2HB

*I was invited to visit and check out Honest Burgers as it's recently opened in Reading, I was not compensated in a monetary way for my review, all opinions are my own, please see my contact/policy page above for more information. 

Pavlov's Dog, Reading Berkshire {restaurant review}

It seems like it's all happening this summer. I haven't been invited to check out a new restaurant in ages and then in the last 4 months I have been to 4 new places and 2 including this place that have changed up their menu!

Stepping in Pavlov's Dog was like stepping back into my college days. It has a fresh fun vibe from the minute you walk in the door. The bar is all lit up and there is a pool table and in the 'quieter' area where we sat there was a Nintendo Gameboy with Mario Kart set up!

We ordered our drinks. I just gotta say I'm in love with these new tin can cocktails I love apple and had to start with the Canny Smith Apple. It is Ciroc Apple, Sourz Apple, lime juice all mixed in a Tango Apple can topped with fizzy apple belts. Which were very sour by the way. Alyssia, isn't a big drinker, I think I'm a bad influence as I convinced her to try a cocktail. She went with the Dr. Meister which is Jägermeister and lime mixed in a Dr Pepper can and topped with cola bottles.

While we waited for our drinks we couldn't resist having a race on Mario Kart! Alyssia of course beat me over and over as she is our gamer!

Having always loved a good plate of nachos I couldn't resist trying the Nachos Grande - topped with chilli con carne, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, jalapeños, and nacho cheese sauce all the best things you could ask for on top of nachos!

We also had to try the Chicken Wings which were great on their own, but even better with the variety of dipping sauces buffalo, blue cheese, mango and lime, chilli zing with sesame seeds, peanut butter, and chilli jam with sesame seeds. If you are a fan of chicken wings then you need to visit on a Wednesday.

Wednesday night are wing night from 5pm and you get them for 25p a piece. They also have a contest that if you can eat 50 wings (£12.50) as fast as you can you get your score on a board, a t-shirt that says Lord of the Wings, and a reward card topped up with rewards.

Finding myself at another pub I can't turn down a good burger! I couldn't resist the New York Bagel Burger which of course is a burger served on a bagel, with cheese, bacon, pulled cured boneless beef rib, sliced gherkins and mustard. It was so big it was really hard to eat, but was a great burger!

My partner in crime also choose a burger the All New Dirty Burger which is topped with cheese, bacon, southern-fried chicken fillet, pulled pork, BBQ sauce and gherkins; which Alyssia asked for on the side so I could have them!

We always seem to choose burgers, but there are other things to eat like ribs, chicken, fish & chips, and mac & cheese. You can even get a burger topped with macaroni and cheese... back to the burgers. They also serve breakfast and have great lunch deals!!

We had another cocktail and played another game of Mario Kart while we decided on desserts! I stuck with the tin can cocktails and went for the Pina Can-lada which is Malibu, Havana Club 3-year-old rum, and mixed in a can of Lilt topped with pineapple cubes. Alyssia stuck with a classic Sex on the Beach all these cocktails did not help us with our game. Although it didn't help that we decided to play the rainbow road!

I was stuffed and hadn't planned on eating a dessert, but Alyssia insisted on a pancake stack from the breakfast menu - pancakes stacked with Nutella, chocolate, and maple syrup. Knowing that their warm mini churros are something to try we gave them a go. They are filled with a caramel-cream and come with a chocolate dipping sauce.

Tuesday nights are churro nights and just like the wings are only 25p a churro. Unlike the wings there isn't a competition with the churros, I think that would probably be more of a disaster if people were trying to eat 50 churros as fast as they could. I wouldn't want to see that, however I may have to stop in on a Tuesday night as that's a great deal! Plus they have a Nintendo Game Cube.

Overall Alyssia and I had a great night! We have been to so many places, like I said, over the last few months and this was by far one of the more fun and tasty nights! Be sure to check them out sometime and have a look at their website for all their going ons!

The Pavlov's Dog

21-23 St. Marys Butts

Reading

RG1 2LN

Now Closed

*My friend Alyssia from AlyssiaRose {lifestyle blog} was invited to Pavlov's Dog to review it and she invited me along as her guest and it's just a bonus that I am a blogger as well! I was not asked to review and all opinions are my own for further information please visit my contact/policy page above.

Walkabout - Reading, Berkshire {restaurant review}

Walkabout is an Australian bar and restaurant and taking a step inside makes you wish it was off the side of a beach somewhere in Australia! It was recently refurbished and looks great inside and out! I think that it is a great place to go to watch sports, a place to go to after work and hang out with friends, and looks like it would make an awesome party venue!

Not only has it been refurbished, but it has recently updated it's menu! So, when my friend, Alyssia, asked me if I would like to visit with her I couldn't say no! The menu could be best described as bar food and that isn't a bad thing, contrary to how other people feel or think about bar food it's great and I happen to love burgers, nachos, wings, chips and more!

We skipped appetisers this time, although I had a hard time passing up the nachos, they call them Billy Can Nachos Stack and they top them with not only cheese, but macaroni and cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, sweetcorn, jalapeños, chilli, and spring onions! That will definitely be a must-have to for my next visit.

What I did decide on is The Roo - which is a kangaroo burger it tasted more gamey then a beef burger and I was told that it would taste like that and I couldn't find a different word to describe it so I used it here! It is definitely something I had never tried before and if you haven't and you are an adventurous foodie give it a try! The sweet potato fries were crispy and a perfect side!

Alyssia tried the Parmi Burger which was huge!! And she enjoyed throughly! With our burgers we tried a few cocktails I couldn't resist The Jaffa Can which is Sanpellegrino Aranciata mixed with Absoult Vodka, Kahlua and Triple Sec, garnished with an orange wedge which looks a little silly, but it's proof you aren't just drinking a can of Sanpellegrino Aranciata!

Before we left we decided to try a dessert Alyssia couldn't resist the Freakshake that is a vanilla and chocolate fudge milkshake, the glass is covered in Nutella and smarties, and it's topped with a slice of chocolate fudge cake, double chocolate chip cookie, candy floss, cream, mini marshmallows and chocolate sauce! It was huge!!

I wasn't as adventurous with dessert as I was with dinner and went for the Lamington Sundae, which is chunks of chocolate brownie dusted in coconut, and topped with chocolate sauce and ice cream! It was one of the best brownies I have ever had! Rich and dense and better because it was coated in coconut! Highly recommended!!

Overall it was a great night out with drinks, cocktails like the Jaffa Can and Sex on Bondi Beach (Smirnoff Red Vodka and Archers Peach Schnapps shaken with strawberries, limes and a dash of cranberry juice) pictured below, great food, and great atmosphere! If you're looking for a quick bite after work or over the weekend I would suggest stopping in!!

The Walkabout

Wiston Terrace 

off Friar Street 

Reading 

RG1 1DG

*My friend Alyssia from AlyssiaRose {lifestyle blog} was invited to The Walkabout to review it and she invited me along as her guest and it's just a bonus that I am a blogger as well! I was not asked to review and all opinions are my own for further information please visit my contact/policy page above.

5 Medieval Fun Foodie Facts & No-bake Medieval Gingerbread & fun at Reading Museum in Reading Berkshire

That's probably the longest post title I have ever had ..... but it's the best way to describe this post!

As it is the summer holidays I am always looking for things to entertain my children and after exhausting our craft supplies at home we ventured out with a friend to the Reading Museum! During the school holiday's they always have various activities going on. One half-term we went on a trail looking and drawing local trees, we've made hats at another event, and sometimes just explored the museum!

The Reading Museum is full of local history and host various events; family, special events, and talks & tours. It's definitely a place to stop if you ever happen to find yourself in Reading! I like writing about local events and things to do in Reading, but this was a one-off event and although it can't be repeated at the museum I am going to share the recipe we made here and you can then make it at home with your little ones teaching them about life and food during those times.

Here are a few facts you could include!

5 Fun Foodie Facts during the Medieval Times: 

1. Bread - if they (the people)  ran out of grain before a new crop could be harvested they would have to use old rye to make bread, but old rye could be contaminated with ergot a fungus that could cause hallucinations, gangrene, or death or possibly all three. 
2. Poultry - Chickens weren't the only birds they ate. Today Swans are protected animals, but back then they were a delicacy for the rich with recipes for roasted swan or swan pie! They also ate loads of other birds such as peacocks, turtle doves, cranes, and blackbirds. 
3. Bringing home the bacon - they ran wild and were quite vicious due to reports of them biting and killing people and back then animals would stand trial and if found guilty would be put to death and I assume cooked and eaten!  
4. Travel - the majority of people aka peasants probably didn't travel very far, however the trade business during those times were booming! Silks from China, amber and furs from the Baltic, and spices from Asia. Christopher Columbus at the end of the Medieval times was on a trip to Asia and ran into what we know today is America. The spices used in this recipe would have been expensive and considered a real treat! 
5. Pottage - Peasants ate pottage which was basically anything they had hanging around and cooked as a stew. Usually consisting of various root vegetables and sometimes meat. 

No-bake Medieval Gingerbread

1 cup breadcrumbs (brown/seeded)
4 tbsp water (warm)
2-4 tbsp honey
1 large pinch cinnamon
1 large pinch ginger

In the case of using a cup of breadcrumbs, we were given an actual plastic cup full of breadcrumbs so I would say an average mug would work too. Pour the breadcrumbs into a bowl and then add the honey and give a bit of a stir quickly to stop it soaking into just some of the bread. In the same cup mix 2 tbsp of water with the cinnamon, and ginger. Add the spiced water slowly to the bread crumbs, get your hands in there and mix together. The breadcrumbs should be moist, but not wet. When you can mold the breadcrumbs into little balls without falling apart then you can stop adding the water. Then leave in cupcake cases or on a plate.

If you want you can also decorate paper plates with medieval-ish patterns here are some great examples!

My mini-bakers and their friends had a great time making the gingerbread probably more then they were interested in eating it. They did try it, but weren't too fussed they were more interested in decorating their plates with medieval patterns (some not so medieval), and exploring the museum. Definitely give the website a look for other events and activities. Most events are free or like this one had a minimal fee and as it's all drop in, make sure you get there early to get a spot! 

*I paid for my children to attend the event and as stated above was invited on the day by a friend. For more information see my contact/policy page.