Ripe London

Hot Chocolate, Cold Turkey

…No contest, really. 

The only way I’ve ever been able to relate to smokers is via sugar.  I know it's not good for me, and I'm getting better at cutting back; but I still do it.  So when the news broke that they were going to put disease graphics on cigarette packs, I instantly knew it wouldn’t work.  It would be like slapping obesity images on chocolate bars.  I’d still eat them.  Wouldn’t you?

Last week I did a yoga teacher training workshop in SoHo.  For three days I was immersed in the philosophy of acceptance and appreciation versus attachment and aversion.  So what do I do at lunchtime?  Head straight over to Ladurée in Piccadilly.  Granted, my excuse was that I was buying a gift from this most famous little jewel, the same shop I hit on my tour de chocolat chaud in Paris.  Once there and macaroons chosen for my present, I asked if they also happened to sell their hot chocolate mix.  “Well,” said the girl, “You can buy this cocoa powder here, but we also have the hot chocolate to go in paper cups.”

What?

You mean the slinky, thick, almost-molten-chocolate-bar-that-clings-to-the-inside-of-the-cup hot chocolate, in a paper cup?  Something so precious, to be slurped in the Smoke like Starbucks?  I couldn’t believe it. 

I brought my little box of macaroons to the till and asked for my takeaway. Then I took it outside and perched on the steps outside the Royal Academy, taking each mouthful in slowly, drag by drag.

Ladurée is at 71-72 Burlington Arcade, W1J 0QX.  Amazingly, the hot chocolate is only £2 a hit.

Your Pad or Mine?

I can’t help it, but every time I go to a Thai restaurant I end up having Pad Thai.  I used to think the popular noodle dish wasn’t really Thai food but a Western concept like Chicken Tika Masala.  And then I went to Thailand and had the best Pad Thai from a street vendor for only 30p. 

30p.

I also learned to make the dish during a cooking class in Chiang Mai.  The chef showed us how to roll it up in the egg like a big stuffed omelette. Rice noodles, egg, tamarind, fish sauce, sweet chilli, soy sauce, peanuts.  Those are the basics, but I’m constantly amazed by how such a simple recipe can turn up in so many different ways.

So it’s my first time at the curiously-named Boys in Chiswick, and I’m with Debbie.  She’s like my big sister, and as usual, we are talking about…boys: Debbie’s husband, four-year-old son and what dating was like before the invention of texting.

The menu is varied and modern.  I giggle at the “Boys platter,” a shareable starter.  I didn’t try it, nor did I go for the spicy fishcakes that almost nudged me away from my usual.  Turns out the Pad Thai at Boys won me over, and it’s now head-to-head with the one from Reun Thai over in Hammersmith.  Both come with big fat prawns and just enough sauce to keep the noodles nimble and the tongue tickled.

They’re both so good, I could send a text.

Boys is at 95 Chiswick High Road, W4 2EF
Reun Thai is at 100 Fulham Palace Road, W6 9PL

Si, Señor

Well, it’s about time: a Mexican place that truly measures up.  I had despaired, having tried all the wannabes, posers and false starts.  But damas y caballeros, I believe we have a true contender.  And of course, I found it when I wasn’t looking.

There I was on good 'ole Goodge Street, heading for the familiar flavours of Salt Yard.  But the wait was one-and-a-half hours.  I like Salt Yard, just not that much.  And what a delight to spot Benito’s Hat next door – fun and festive the way Mexican should be.  I was with two other Americans, and we were immediately hooked.

We all went for burritos, though Benito’s also spins tacos, soup or salad. In the end, it’s what’s inside that counts; and Benito’s definitely has it going on.  It’s all set out and assembled in the usual way right in front of you, so you can bet my eyes were on the state of the black beans.

And oh, yes!  These were rich and creamy – none of that watery stuff.  I added the grilled veggies with free guac (chicken, beef and pork are also on offer) with rice, lettuce, cheese and mild salsa; and the whole thing was so generous I had to stop halfway and employ a fork. The flour tortillas are steamy and soft, and they throw in some real tortilla chips, too – a nice touch.  And all for a fiver.  What’s more, the service was so amiable it was shocking, and the ambiance so spic-and-span and colourful that I’m sure it’s making every other “Mexican” out there cringe.

My only complaint is that the food station is totally exposed to the public (there should be a glass panel), but it moves so quickly I can’t see a problem.  Now the real test is whether this new arrival will continue to rock, so let’s hope Benito’s doesn’t drop the ball. Next time I’m finally going to try a Pacifico, though I hear the margaritas are quite special.

Benito’s Hat is at 56 Goodge Street, W1T 4NB.  Hats off.