Favourite Chinese Food

So I think many people have a perception of asians as being small and skinny, and I admit it tends to be the case. If you're walking around in an asian country or even an asian restaurant people tend to be small, and most of the time skinny. (As a "larger" chinese family, this can get make us a little self conscious sometimes, however it is all in our minds.) This is because chinese people do tend to eat healthier, rice, vegetables and meat every night. Despite this, chinese people do actually have some unhealthy foods in their diet too, and this is DIM SUM. Dim sum is little bits of everything, fried, steamed whatever you fancy really.

Here are a few of our favourites:

 Congee and Cruller

 Chicken Feet

Taro Croquette

We did have to resort to a different dim sum place this sunday due to there being a wedding at the normally visited restaurant. However, it seemed there was a wedding at every restaurant so we just stuck with one of our frequented places also: Yi Ban in Docklands London. It isn't our favourite place but it definitely does the job. At around £3 for a dish it is really cheap, however if a big group of you are going it is worth it to order a variety of dishes and splitting the price, and being able to try everything. Which is what many of us asians do do! No point going to dim sum if you don't want to try a little bit of everything.

So if you do ever want to try something authentic and have still yet to try dim sum, I highly recommend it. For oriental asians it is a chance to bond with family and/or friends, and at the same time being able to enjoy so much different food.

Places to try dim sum in South East:

• China Town 
• Docklands (Yi Ban or Royal China)
• Greenwich (Sai Kei)

Shake Shack London

Lets first appreciate that we actually have a shake shack in England, even if it is out of reach for most people. Unbeknownst to me this shake shack has been open for almost a year. Shake shack is a well-loved and hugely popular burger bar in America. If you are silly like me and love hot dogs, then you will have ordered the wrong thing too. How silly I was to order a hot dog at a burger bar… very stupid it would seem. As my siblings sat there enjoying there burgers, stacked with an array of toppings, bacon, cheese, the full works for my brother. I was sat there smelling a very plastic looking hot dog, which I gave up eating once I’d reach the mid point. The hot dog costing me a total of £5, for what we essentially a nice fried frankfurter, this was a food mistake I didn’t expect to make. I couldn’t carry on and I would definitely not recommend the hot dog. I shall never make this mistake again, however I will be back to try their burgers, and their chips. They were fried to a perfect texture. At £2.75 for a regular portion of chips, it isn’t the cheapest option, however if something is good the price tag won’t mean a thing to you foodies!

As the name would suggest they also sell milkshakes. I can’t say that they were great but they were good enough, I would even go as far as saying that I prefer KFC Krushems, but they are wonderfully delicious.

So if you would like to visit this place, I would suggest giving it a go but avoid the hot dog at all costs and DO NOT forget to order yourself a portion of chips. 

Rabat, Morocco Part 2

Part 2 of my short journey to Rabat. Rabat has the coast, the gardens, the city and shops. This is definitely a lovely place to come if you want to get away from the normal major cities you are used to like London and Paris, which all really have the same or very similar shops. Below is a little garden near the coast, and the plants in Morocco are looked after so perfectly. I mean Marrakech had beautiful flowers and in the resort we were staying we would see them tending to the gardens all day. 

 Whilst we were exploring and attempting to walk home from the school we stumbled across a little bakery. I love me some pastry, I really do. Nothing satisfies your sweet tooth needs like a bakery does. There was an endless choice of pastries and I wish I could have taken a picture, sadly I did not have enough arabic skills to ask permission to take pictures! 

 On my final evening we went to Coq Magic, recommended by the owner of the school I was attending. So I had to give it a try before I left didn't I! This place specialised in grilling meats and it was quite good. The price made it even better. I would say we probably ordered more than a normal 4 diners amount. 

I told you, bread with every meal. This place wasn't an exception! They even gave unlimited bread if you could really handle it. If only I could have shown you a comparison of the size of these breads to my head, you'd think it was huge too, and an unlimited amount? WHO eats that amount of bread? 

 To start we ordered a salad to share. Not really being a lover of tomatoes I was a little skeptical on this dish, the presentation into a ball looks nice, but the tuna on the side looks a little... off, shall I say. This dish really has started my love for tomatoes however, do they have better tomatoes there or something?

 Our main courses could feed more than 4 people I would expect! We ordered the XXL grill and also the large, and seriously this was filling. At the meal coming to a total of 153 Moroccan Dirhams, this was a cheap, satisfactory and delicious meal. 

 Another thing is their love of cheese. This was in the "supermarket" in Agdar, a little carrefour. If this isn't a wide selection of cheese I do not know what is. I was amazed to see so many different kinds! They also load up their pizza with cheese! 

 And finally, the morning had arrived. Another early flight, and back to England again. Though an unplanned leave, it just felt like it was time to go. People at the school were extremely friendly and helpful, but it just didn't seem like the right environment for me at this exact moment in my life. Maybe in the future, but for now it was time to return to beloved England. 

 Generic shoe shot, but my flight was delayed by around 3 hours and we were literally sat on the plane just sitting there.. not doing ANYTHING. 

 There is something so fun and beautiful about flying through the clouds. The first time I noticed flying through the clouds was on my flight to Russia, and those clouds were thick and to circle around the clouds was just such a pleasant sight, to this day it reminds me of that trip and just makes me so nostalgic. 

And here it is, finally my arrival to England. Just 3 hours after the time I was supposed to arrive, but hey ho at least we all made it back safely! I will never understand the people who don't like the english weather or the english landscape or the english people. Maybe I am biased but I truly do love being in England, and as long as my friends and family remain here, it will forever be my home. Everything just seems to fall into place when you're home, the comfort of home is something you just cannot get when travelling. 

Rabat, Morocco Part 1

Bags packed and goodbyes said, it was time to head off to Morocco again. This time for a different reason, I was on my way to practice my basic arabic skills and well, lets just say I was thrown into the deep end.. deeper than I had ever expected to find myself in this situation. Early morning rise again with both my parents driving me to the airport, it felt surreal that I was leaving again, and this time I felt more drained, tired and unwilling to leave. But the choice was not mine, I had everything prepared and my friend waiting for me at the airport, it was time to leave. 

I also apologise for the bad quality pictures, I didn't think it was worth bringing the DSLR or another camera seeing as I was going to be in school most of the time. 

 The only good thing from early morning flights is the sunrise. 

 And what is an early morning flight without a little coffee to fuel you up? 

 Waiting at costa coffee and another little food refuel was needed. On a light brown seeded bread (satisfaction and health in bread, perfect!) with spinach, tomato and chicken, it definitely hit the spot when it came to leaving me happy. 

 Arrival at Rabat airport, turns out our driver would be 2 hours late, and require us to make 2 telephone calls in order to track down the man. What we didn't realise was the other people waiting at the airport for the same man! Thank god for the free wifi from Sixt at the airport, otherwise I think me and Ninako would probably have died from boredom. (And also the air conditioning, as this particular day in Rabat was super hot, which is unusual!) 

 Our first mini excursion and adventure by ourselves took us to the medina, which in Arabic means the city centre. The trams are pretty cheap at 6 Moroccan dirhams one way. Transport I must admit is super convenient and cheap in Rabat, taxis being the most convenient and cheap. It would cost around 11 Moroccan dirhams for a 5-7 minute journey. The medina is extremely pretty and is relatively fun to have a little look around, however I would neither advise for you to go by yourself or just as a group of girls. This is due to there being a large population of men loitering around the gare (station) and around the little market areas. 

 The most expensive drink me and Ninako had, however this little cafe did make it especially delicious, freshly squeezed mango! YUM! 12 Moroccan dollars, this is kind of steep in Rabat, but worth it for a refreshing smoothie. 

 The medina just outside of the gare. 

 My first day of school and it was a little buffet lunch, bread again being their main priority in meals. Having already had 2 slices of bread for breakfast that morning I scaled down durning lunch on the bread side of things.) The chicken, nuts and caramelised carrots were delicious, the cooks at the school Qalam Wa Lawh really do make some mouth watering food. 

 Later on during the enrolment day we took a little trip with the school to the medina (above) and to the coast. 

Rabat really is a pretty place, and with most of it being built up unlike Marrakech. The weather isn't so scorching either so you do not need to worry about keeping cool, which makes me love it even more. Warm weather is nice for a couple of days but after that it definitely is just a nuisance. 

Coconut Water

It is obvious we live in a food obsessed world, heck in first world countries it is so simple to pop to the shop and buy a chocolate bar, or a bag of apples. We can even just get up, head to the kitchen and grab a slice of bread. Food is no longer a necessity but a pass time, something to enjoy.. and I am not complaining! What has been more obvious over the past decade however is the rise in promotion of healthier diets. Mostly from health companies themselves and through people promoting their bodies through social media sites. Boy.. do these people look good. If it was as simple as they make it look then I'm sure we'd all jump on the bandwagon. However, it is much more difficult to change your entire lifestyle like how a small number of people do (and then post it all over their Instagram, and good on them, they deserve to feel gratified after all the hard work!)

Though we can't all be health food junkies, there are simple steps we can take to reducing our waistlines and foods and drinks that are healthy and also enjoyable. Coconut water is one of them!

Coconut water is something I had not had since my childhood, when I questioned my mum (secretly, in my head.. when you're a child you do not question your parents.. especially parents like mine!) and oh my did I enjoy this sweet yet thirst quenching taste in my mouth. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I discovered Vita Coco which they sell in quite a few shops and megastores now. 100% pure natural coconut water according to the labels. Tending to be around £2 for 500ml it isn't the cheapest of drinks, and isn't much different to water in my opinion, maybe slightly sweeter and slightly more nourishing. 

Now what is really exciting and what I actually wanted to finally get on to, is the coconut water they are selling in London! With a couple of pop up stalls selling fresh coconut water, in actual coconuts on Bond Street and in Covent Garden it's just such a fun idea and so delicious! £4 for a coconut is quite dear I must admit but if you're ever in London and fancy a quick treat this is something you should go for. Delicious, nourishing and fun. 

This stall pictured below is in Covent Garden and also sell nuts.

(Why do roasted nuts smell so delicious?)

Reflective Saturdays #1

So sometimes besides eating food and travelling I get a little reflective. I need to make decisions in my life and move forward with hard decisions and deal with the circumstances. So to follow this, I would like to take you on my journey of the little reflections I have on occasion. 

To begin I have this quote: 

Source: http://www.hplyrikz.com

I think people always believe that giving up is failure, and you know it probably is. You have failed to complete something which is just the same as failing it all together, because you did not get the results you wanted. However, sometimes failures need to happen. Giving up in situations need to happen. Sometimes you won't always reach your destination, and maybe because you weren't meant to be there in the first place. 

I am a believer in what is meant to be will be, whether this is the places you go, the people you meet and the circumstances that arise in your life. Though not a strong believer of this mantra, I think it gives me a positive outlook on life. It allows me to be positive no matter the situation, if it is a bad situation, it was meant to be. It was meant to be so that better things can come into your life, or if not just to allow you to experience and make those mistakes. Being positive makes every aspect of your life better. It makes you more willing to do things, be with people, and all round makes you happier. Even if you don't believe it, maybe give this mantra a try. You never know, it may make a difference in some part of your life. 

Giving up can disappoint you, it can disappoint others and this feeling may stay with you. However if you are unhappy in a place, a situation or with the people.. why stay? If you can't come up with enough reasons for yourself to stay. If the negatives out way the positive it is your time to leave. It is time to accept that you probably aren't ready for this challenge.. and it's okay. People develop at different stages of their life, people go through different experiences to make them who they are. This will inevitably lead people to feeling comfortable in different places. It's just how it is. Develop at your own rate, if you want to do something GO AHEAD AND DO IT. If you don't want to do something, really think about the pros and cons and make a decision. If it all comes down to more cons, don't do it. The decision is yours. We have been privileged with a chance to make our own decisions. 

Zizzi: St Pauls London

It is no secret that Zizzi is one of my favourite restaurants. This one on this day seemed particularly tasty and the decor was oh so beautiful! I'm not a big pink fan but I really like the edge it gives this what would look plain Zizzi signs. It also gets better as you enter. 

I'm sure this restaurant is normally bustling with people, and for it being an early afternoon on a saturday in a business district I can understand why it wasn't in this particularly moment. But the good thing about that is it allowed me to capture the beautiful inside without people's heads everywhere! Every Zizzi I have been into has an open kitchen, and I love the look of open kitchens! I first fell in love with open kitchens when as a small little I went to my best friends house and saw her mum cook whilst we were playing. Something about open kitchens that make the environment seem so friendly; and this Zizzi did not disappoint. 

Then what really captured my attention and further escalated my love for this particular Zizzi is the unexpected quirky paintings on the walls. London being a fun free quirky city and all this was a very complementary look to the traditional Zizzi look, and I hope you agree that they work together fabulously! I mean those trees do look a little funny, however it still looks elegant and different in this set up, and I still love it! 

Below is an image of my sister. Having difficult choosing were you? I was having the same problem, the endless amount of dishes that just make you slobber everywhere! They also have dishes marked specifically under 500 calories, so if you are on a diet it's the perfect place to come to still enjoy eating and company with your friends or family! 

It appears there are lots of images of my sister looking at the menu, she must be thinking really hard about what she wants. That or she was just avoiding asking the waitress to come over, which is usually the case. 

Our starter: Italian Bread Bucket

These are delicious, freshly baked out of the oven, nice and warm. What is better than warm bread? (Lots of things actually, but in that particular moment it seemed like a little taste of heaven) Lots of oils to accompany the bread but to taste it in all it's glory, it is best by itself. 

For my main, I had a mixed seafood risotto, called the Risotto Pesce, and Oh my for my first risotto did I enjoy it! Consisting of king prawns, squid rings and mussels it was just perfect in the slightly chilli and white wine sauce. I have to admit I ate every last bite of this, and boy did I not regret it. Something this delicious should not be put to waste, or left to cool and reheated at home. It just doesn't deserve it! 

My sisters main: Skinny Pizza Pollo Picante 

When the menu tells you something is skinny, believe them. This pizza is tiny, having warned my sister of this before hand she still went ahead with it. (Maybe that is because we gorged on some cakes and cookies before hand). Spicy chicken, mozzarella and chilli, it is delicious even if it is small; having had this dish before. The side salad was untouched, but appeared nice and fresh and bursting with colour, which on appearance is a perfect accompaniment. 

My Other Sister's Main: Tomato and Pesto Bread

In actual fact this is a starter, but it was larger than the skinny pizza. So if you're looking for a cheaper alternative with a similar taste to the skinny pizza, I suggest going for this. If you're like me you'll have no idea what pesto is, and have to be educated by your 17 year old sister. Pesto originated in Genoa, and traditionally has garlic, basil, pine nuts mixed with olive oil (according to Wikipedia). 

Overall this trip to Zizzi did not disappoint, and until I enter a really ugly Zizzi serving bad food and bad customer service; I will always be a loyal fan. This St Pauls Zizzi in particular was somewhere that I think I will go to over and over again, because the decor is just so beautiful I didn't get to have a close enough look! If you want to try a Zizzi for the first time, maybe this is the place! 

Marrakech

Early morning journeys to the airport are always difficult. They become even more difficult as you grow up, a tired yawning me driving to Gatwick airport was not a pleasant me I must admit. Having speeded along the motorway to get to our destination in the cold darkness we had finally arrived. aT 6:25am, all checked in and ready for our journey our stomachs began to growl. Leading us to EAT! Our stomachs were ready!

 Jessica ordered a BLT sandwich, typical sandwich lover. We shared a tub of fruit and I ordered a high protein salad. This salad was delicious, maybe it was my grumbling stomach falling in love too easily, but the ham and peas in this salad was just a great combination. 

Arriving at the destination we were hit by humidity, but not great enough to suffocate us. (Can anything compare to the humidity that smacks you in the face in HK or Greece?) Arriving at the airport we were not instantly greeted by our taxi driver, this made us panic like two fishes lost at sea. After a while our driver arrived, what was surprising was their use of french through out Marrakech. Almost everybody spoke French, which was a major disadvantage to us, but an enriching experience. 

Being transported into the countryside expressed views like the one above. The little hills across Marrakech were so beautiful, the vast deserted land just made everything so peaceful. Even more amazing was riding across these plains and going up the hills, like the one in the picture below. Seriously incredible and so peaceful. 

Our tour guides for this trip were incredible, extremely friendly (as we found everybody there was) Just so enjoyable to be around and so helpful. 

Now on to the food part! This mixed grill I can't say was the best I've ever tasted. Can be compared to the Wetherspoons mixed grill, which is probably saying something in itself. (However, who am I to judge? I love a good ol' Wetherspoons with my Uni friends). The layout makes it look so much more delicious and incredibly fresh though. 

 This little countryside retreat run by a lovely woman named Francoise made staying here just wonderful. (Despite the sunburn and gnat bites which just seemed to accumulate over the period of 3 days). The constant gardening of this lovely retreat really brings results. 

 On the left of this panoramic image you can see the little tables, in the evening this was a wonderful place to watch the sunset, have dinner. (Which came out as quite costly, although a three course meal was better value at 180MD, compared to one course at 130MD.) Every evening they set out candle lights and rose petals over these tables for couples and families to enjoy. This is a beautiful location to sit if you don't mind being eaten alive by gnats, being disturbed by peacocks during your evening meal, and most importantly if you don't suffer from hay fever.) 

Our first evening romantic meal, well if you don't have a boyfriend why not substitute with your sister, it is definitely the best alternative! Spaghetti bolognese on our first night probably was not the most adventurous, but hey this massive, I mean MASSIVE bowl definitely filled us up till the morning!

Heading into Marrakech the next morning was wonderful. Dropped out outside a famous square, (which I wish I knew the name of) and all the endless souks (markets) surrounding. The souks sell a lot of things, from jewellery to bags, to food, to traditional moroccan clothing. An incredible place, however people do not enjoy having their photo taken. (We made sure to buy something from this man before we took any pictures, seeing his disappointing glare at other tourists taking his photo wasn't part of our to-do-list)

Not the cheapest snack you could buy in Morocco, however the only traditional one we stumbled across and a lovely lay out. This must have taken him a while. 

Tricked into getting henna tattoo's after buying a leather bag in the souks. This was definitely the most expensive "product" we bought in Morocco. Supposedly lasting 2 weeks for 300MD for the both of us. Although very pretty it definitely isn't worth it's price, and one week on it is almost entirely gone. Just little specks on brown left on my fingers (which just look like dirty hands). 

Can I mention how amazing moroccan chips are? They are much much better than the fries and fat chips they sell in McDonalds and Fish and Chips shops here! A little grilled chicken on the side was the perfect accompaniment, and it seems if you love bread Marrakech is the perfect place to be! Literally with every meal they serve bread, no matter what you order! 

Moving on to the evening meal, this was the best thing that entered my mouth in Morocco, this portion isn't even a mammoth portion! (The next day at our trip on quad bikes and having lunch in a little village they offered the same dish but an EVEN BIGGER PORTION. The delight in my face was obvious to the guides who saw my love for cous cous, well actually I almost shouted it as I screamed COUS COUS.) Made with carrots, courgettes, squash, cous cous and beans this was the perfect ending to the day!

After quad biking all day through the mountains and plains, we came back to the hotel to indulge in this! After a 6 hour day on quad bikes this was definitely needed, especially due to my sister being a massive klutz and falling into a ditch in the hills. Leading into a whole other story of pain and Moroccan hospitals.