Pho Restaurant - Reading Berkshire {restaurant review}

It was in a recent post I wrote about how much Reading has grown and I can't help but support that growth if it includes restaurants like Pho!

Pho is named after the Vietnamese national dish, an amazingly tasty, nutritious, filling noodle soup! I can say in all confidence, after my visit to the newly opened Pho in Reading, that the soup is all those things!

I tried the Pho dac biet which is one of the House Specials. Now before I tell you what is in that soup if you are trying a new restaurant always check out the House Specials; they are called that for a reason so I implore you try something off that part of the menu!

Back to the soup, Dac Biet in Vietnamese means "special" or "super" or "combo with everything" and Pho as we already said means noodle so Pho Dac Biet is Super Noodles combined with everything! Everything being king prawns, chicken & flash fried steak with garlic in beef broth and it was delicious and so filling I couldn't finish it! I suggest sharing if you can agree with someone on just one bowl.

Alyssia, my friend and fellow blogger, was my date and she had never tired Vietnamese food before! So, we had fun trying all sorts of dishes. I sort of jumped right into the noodle soups, but we did trying some amazing starters first!

Alyssia like the sound of the Nem nuong which is homemade pork & lemongrass meatballs with lettuce and herbs to wrap & dip with peanut sauce. The lovely and amazing wait staff informed us that it was best eaten wrapped in the green leaf. I hadn't heard that at first, but not only were the meatballs good wrapped in a leafy green but the Nem hai san was also delicious wrapped in a lettuce leaf!

As you can see the Nem hai san is a large crispy spring roll and is filled with king prawn, crab & pork with nuoc cham dipping sauce, which is a sort of sweet and sour sauce which is delicious! I couldn't recommend this enough, it was my personal favorite dish of the night.

We also tried the muc chien gion (pictured above) which we were told was a very popular dish because it's very lightly coated tender fried baby squid. I ended up using the nuoc cham dipping sauce for my fried squid as the salt, pepper, & lime dip was good, but a little too much citrus for me, but definitely try it and make your own decision!

Then we dived into our noodles, literally with spoons and forks! We had a great time figuring out the best way to eat them, the noodles are slippery! With a little advice from our amazing waiter we managed to twist the noodles with the fork in the spoons just like when eating spaghetti!

I have already talked about - Alyssia picked out the Pho ga - simple chicken breast in chicken broth and I tried a spoon full and I have to say that it's the best chicken soup ever. If I had a cold I would total get someone to deliver this to me pronto!

Which delivery service will be available at some point in the near future, so I've stored that bit of knowledge away! Also with the bonus of having a delicious broth soup with noodles and vegetables and meat when you aren't well is that these soups are packed full of good things that are good for you!

Pho doesn't just serve noodles they also serve other authentic Vietnamese dishes we couldn't resist trying a Com tam dac biet - or super broken rice combined with everything! We had ours with crispy beef, but you could also get it with chargrilled pork or chargrilled chicken thigh. We were both very impressed and happy with what is essentially a rice bowl. It was a mix of fresh crunchy vegetables, perfectly seasoned meat, and soft rice with a great sauce; be sure to mix it all together!! Top tip from our waitress!

Of course we had to try some desserts and authentic cocktails, and other drinks! Again not know where to start we had some help from the waitress on what we should try! We eventually tried the passionfruit cheesecake, chocolate truffle, and banana fritters!

Alyssia was drawn to the cheesecake, Bánh phô mai chanh dây or Passionfruit cheesecake. I am starting to see a trend in her love for cheesecake as this isn't the first time she was drawn to a cheesecake on one of our dinners out! However, I have never heard her talk about how light and creamy and refreshing a cheesecake was until this one! I snuck a bite and I couldn't agree more! 

Generally I'm not drawn to chocolate desserts after a meal, but the green tea ice cream paired with this chocolate truffle slab, had me curious! It's officially called Bánh sô-cô-la truffle and it was as light and creamy as the cheesecake and a perfect ending to a perfect dinner. 

We couldn't get away without trying the Chuối chiên or banana fritter. It's served as is or with a coconut or honey & ginger ice cream. Ours was without and I could only literally eat half of one as I was at this point throughly stuffed. However, that half of fritter was enough to allow me to say if you like bananas then this is the dessert for you as it was perfectly crispy and tasty! 

So, throughout the evening we tried the cocktails! My favorite is the one pictured in the top left corner the Ca the martini, which is basically an espresso martini made with nep phu loc a clear rice spirit, Vietnamese coffee, and condensed milk.

My second favorite cocktail of the night was the Phjoito,  their signature cocktail and it is a mojito with mint, lime, soda, and a clear rice spirit, same as above, nep pho loc Phu Loc. I love a good mojito and this one went down well!

Alyssia, not a big drinker went with the Rose Apple Bellini which like any bellini is made with prosecco and their's is made with a splash of Tao Mea rose apple liquor. It was dry and good accompaniment to dinner.

There are other things to drink besides cocktails, but as I'm not a big wine or beer drinker we stuck to the cocktails. The cocktails reflected the food and were all citrus type based cocktails. Nothing too fruity, we couldn't leave without trying the Lemon & Basil Martini made with their
homemade lemonade & muddled Thai basil. It had a very aniseed type flavor and if you like that sort of thing give this cocktail a try!

Last, but not least the coffee lover that I am couldn't leave without trying a Vietnamese coffee as according to my sister they have the best! So, I went with the iced coffee with a little condensed milk which is what they call Ca phe sua da. You can get it without the condensed milk if you don't like it. 

That pretty much wraps up our night! This place is my kind of food and it's one I will be visiting time and time again. The food was amazing and staff were super friendly and knowledgeable! Not only was the food great, but it was fun taking pictures so bright and colourful, I think this post has the most pictures I have ever put in any post ever.

Pho Restaurant

1-1a King's Walk, King Street

Reading, RG1 2HG

*I was invited to visit and check it out Pho 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.

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.

Smash! VIP Night - Ping Pong, Pizza, and Drinks!

Ping-Pong is the name and the game at Smash, a new bar in Reading town centre. I was invited to check it out before it opened the doors to the public last Friday night!

There are plenty of bars in Reading, but none quite like this one. I felt right at home as it has a very American feel through the decor and the fact that they call themselves a bar.

I've done the nights out on the town just hanging out in a bar/pub and I can say that Smash offers something different, a game, one that I've learned I'm not very good at, but was so much fun trying!

There are four ping-pong tables set up in the back of the bar and if you want to have a try you can book a table in hourly slots and is a minimum of £5 for that hour. If you get hungry they have a nice selection of handmade pizzas! And if you get thirsty they have a variety of craft beers and ales as well as an exciting cocktail menu!

With ping pong, pizza and pints you can't go wrong!

Book a table today to avoid disappointment! Also watch out for their events! Every day from 12pm-4pm enjoy their Daily Smash offer, which allows you to play ping pong and enjoy a pizza and a drink for only £6.95!

Do you think you have what it takes to be a ping pong champion? Join in a Ping Pong Tournament this Saturday (4th of June 2016) starting at 3pm!

Ping Pong isn't the only game you can watch at Smash visit this Sunday (5th of June 2016) and catch the Sweden v Wales Euro 2016 warm up game. Book a table for you and your friends and enjoy the match with a pizza and pint!

Find out more about Smash and their events on their website: http://www.smashbars.co.uk

from What's On Berkshire 

Did I mention that I got to be Ollie Locke from Made in Chelsea? I did!

notes: I was invited to the VIP night as a guest - All opinions are my own - I was not compensated in any other way for this post. For more information please visit my contact/policy page tab above.

Wild Drinks and Cocktails by Emily Han {book review}

We all know soda/pop/cola doesn’t have a single good thing for you in it, but have you ever looked what was in squash/cordial? Not a lot of good stuff in there either. If it’s no added sugar it’s full of sweeteners and those aren’t any better for us.

There is another option - making your own at home! Wild Drinks and Cocktails covers tea, juice, lemonade, syrups, squash, cordial, infusions, bitters, liqueurs, wines, punches and other things.

Emily Han has been wild crafting around 10 years. She started when she moved to a big city and started looking around at was inspired by the the things that grew in and around the concrete jungle she now called home.

As she learned about all the natural grown things in and around her city she learned a lot of them helped sooth common medical ailments and not just tasted good. Naturally this book comes with a disclaimer:

“You are responsible for educating yourself about food safety and making sure you have correctly identified any wild food before picking or ingesting it.”

The author suggests taking out 3 or more books on the subject of wild crafting as well as consulting an experienced wild crafter in your local area. As different plants and such are different in other areas. There is a basic introduction to wild crafting, but as it’s important to know what you’re ingesting, so please make sure you educate yourself before proceeding with any recipes.

The introduction is very helpful and gives a useful guide to basic ingredients and kitchen tools. The second chapter covers teas, juices, and lemonades. It is the first chapter because as Emily says it’s a great way to get to know a herbs/plants flavor before turning into a soda or liqueur. Herbal Teas have been around for ages and are, as mentioned, a great way to get started.

Syrups, Squashes, and Cordials is the chapter I was most interested in reading. Syrups can transform a cocktail into something special and can be used to coat a cake before frosting. Being an American I have never really took to squash. Some of it tastes really artificial or nothing at all. I would like to attempt making my own squash and after reading this book I didn’t realise how easy it can be to make my own.

Chapter 4 is titled Oxymels, Shrubs, and Switchels and I hope I wasn’t the only thinking “What the heck are those?” Basically they are drinking vinegars. Something that apparently is very popular? Who knew? The chapter gives us a bit of history on how vinegars are made and beneficial to us. I found it very educational. They also make great cocktails!

Infused liqueurs are what I am talking about! As the author states the flavor possibilities are endless when you are infusing flavours into liqueurs. They make great mixers for cocktails. This chapter (5) not only covers infusions, but bitters and liqueurs as well. Chapter 6 continues with Wines and Punches. When infusing wines you don’t need to spend a lot, but don’t go too cheap. It won’t magically make the wine better; the infused flavor should compliment the wine.

The last chapter (7) is titled Fizzy Fermentations, basically sodas. It’s defiantly not something I ever though of making at home. With some practice I think making homemade sodas is a great idea. As I already mentioned most sodas are empty calories and do nothing good for you.

Funny story our friend gave us some Elderflower Fizz and it exploded. Which in the intro to the recipe Emily warns us that it might explode. I found it amusing, perhaps not so much to those reading this.

I have yet to try any recipes from this book, but I did find it very interesting and educational. If you are interested in wildcrafting and creating your own teas, squashes, wines, and fizz then I would recommend giving this book a read. Some of the syrups and infusions are made with things you can easily get in your grocery store or farmers market. No excuse to get started then!

Here are a few of the recipes that caught my eye and inspired me! 

Dandelion and Chicory Chai Tea
Cranberry Mors
Lemon Barley Water
Apple and Mint Syrup
Strawberry Squash
Elderflower Cordial
Rhubarb and Rose Syrup
Fire Cider
Cherry Balsamic Shrub
Raspberry Shrub
Pomegranate Molasses Switchel
Chamomile Whisky Bitters
Elderberry Elixir
Fig and Vanilla Rum
Peach and Pecan Bourbon
Cherry Bounce
Anise Hyssop and Peach Wine
Raspberry Wine
Ginger Ale
Blueberry Soda
Elderflower Fizz

I cannot tell a lie, reading this book is like reading a potions book. I totally felt like a wizard/witch studying for my potions exam!! The resources a the end of the book are for an American audience, however there are plenty of UK online resources to discover on google!

notes: Wild Drinks and Cocktails by Emily Han was sent to me by the publishers to review. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are my own. Please see my contact/policy page for further information.

Happy {a birthday post}

31 years ago today I graced this world with my presence. I hope to continue gracing the world with my presence for many more years to come!

Here are 31 things I have never done, but would like to do before I am too old to do them. This is not a bucket list, just stuff I don’t seem to be able to fit in my daily routine. Something always has to give.

To cross the Atlantic Ocean by boat.

Learn survival skills of various kinds like for #1 or like a Zombie Apocalypse or something.

To attend a World Cup. Wish I were off to Brazil in a few weeks!

I would love to see a wild panda in China.

Visit Spain, because I have never been there.

Go punting in Oxford.

While I am in Oxford I might has well study Astronomy. I want to be able to look up into the stars and tell others what they are, like a smug academic! 

Learn crochet – it might be a useful survival skill

... just like learning to make sushi

or building a tree house

Becoming a Pokemon Master could definitely be bunched in with essential survival skills!

Take a horticulture and landscaping course.

Throw the BEST Alice in Wonderland Tea Party Ever!

Write a book.

Read every book in the world! I know I never will, but at least I can try.

Get my acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

Meet JK Rowling and/or Neil Gaiman and/or Jane Austen

Own my own print studio

... and create art.

Collect all of K.K. Sliders tracks.

Go zip sliding. Although I don’t know I could ever climb up high enough to actually do it.

Make a You Tube vlog of my attempt to live dangerously by zip sliding. Or in instructional survival guide video.

Start a trend.

... or better yet have a blog post go “viral.”

Master Tai Chi

Travel in a hot air balloon; I was obsessed with them when I was a kid.

Lose weight and live a healthier life style.

Learn that patience is a virtue not a curse.

Watch my girls grow into the beautiful women I know they will become.

Learn to life my life as a clique: To live each day as though I will live forever and as though I will die tomorrow.

To just be happy. (Yes, it is appropriate to start singing Pharrell Williams “Happy”) 

notes: all the pictures come from online somewhere I should be a responsible blogger and list them all, but I am writing this post when I should be getting ready for birthday drinks so that will have to come later!!! 

Drinks are on Me! {Margarita R-Evolution}

I graduated from University with a degree in Visual Arts, but I hadn't declared my degree until halfway through my 3^rd year. Until then I took enough classes to either do the Visual Arts degree I ended up with or a degree in Science, more specifically chemistry.

I loved being in the chemistry lab, but not as much as I loved the print studio.

Recently I was given an opportunity to replicate a chemistry lab at home with a Margarita R-Evolution Kit. The first bonus being I wasn't going to be graded on it and the second I'd get to drink/eat the "experiment." 

The kit includes everything you need to create 3 different ways to enhance a margarita and make it fun! The 3 ways include a Citrus Foam, Azure Bursting Pearls, and Margarita Spherification.

I choose to start with the Citrus Foam! Basically you blend with a hand blender Soy Lecithin, which is provided in the kit, with sugar syrup, orange, and lime juice.

It’s fun watching the foam bubble up and as long as there is enough liquid to blend, you can keep making foam. What a great way to dress up a cocktail!

It did add a little extra citrus kick to the cocktail and I had as much fun drinking my margarita as I did making it! The instructions were clear and easy to follow I think anyone who has an interest in playing in the kitchen, drinking, or science would benefit from this kit or one like it. There are other types available.

I can’t wait to try out the other ways! Hoping to host a cocktail night soon, which would be a great opportunity to use this kit to it’s fullest!

notes: You will need to have the ingredients to make the cocktail and a few other juices and liquors to use this kit to it’s fullest. The kit was provided for me to review, by Cheeky Monkey Cream Chargers, please see my contact/policy page for more information. 

That's a wrap [birthday wrap up]

It’s not every day one turns 30, but I suppose that can be said about every birthday. It's been exactly a week since my birthday, it's time I stop going on about it.

That's what this post is about to wrap up my birthday and not talk about it again until next year. If I even admit I have a birthday next year. We'll see.

However this year I decided to make a big deal about my birthday and this is to share what I got up too and some of the awesome presents I got! 

It started the Friday (the 10th) before my birthday with a night out. I went to town with a couple of my girl friends. We started with cocktails at The Slug and Lettuce, then dinner with wine at Nando's, then back to The Slug and Lettuce for more cocktails. The 7 dwarfs served us, thankfully Sneezy didn't sneeze in our drinks and Grumpy tried to be really grumpy, but he didn't do a very good job of it. It was a good night. 

They bought me Joseph Joesph nesting bowls. Yay! They are awesome! Thank you Kim and Kirsty!

Then I went on a baking course for the day. Thank you Mom and Dad! See previous previous post to read all about my day at Cake Boy in Battersea, London. 

Then I had a party. Where friends and family came with drink and we were all very merry.

A few people brought bouquets. My favorite was My Floral Cupcake, it contains, blueberry roses, pink roses, Lydia spray roses, lisianthus, and chrysanthemums! Thanks Cathy! Looking forward to our date tomorrow (Friday)!

I also received this gorgeous cake stand! Thanks Sharon!

I also received chocolates, wine and a bottle of Jack, a picture frame, various gift cards, and lots of cards with the number 30 on them!

Oh and I have to include the gift from my husband... the Kitchen Aid! Thank you! I love you! 

Thank you to everyone who made my birthday special!! It was an awesome day and an awesome night!! :0)