We were lucky enough to win the Square Meal/ Avery UK Valentine’s day competition. This was like a food safari, champagne and scallops in Chiswell Street Dining Rooms, dinner at Hawksmoor Spitalfields, followed by more champagne at Searcy’s at The Gherkin.
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Art at Chiswell Street Dining Rooms
We kicked proceedings off at Chiswell Street Dining Rooms. Initially, it was supposed to be champagne and oysters, but as neither of us are keen on oysters we got a plate of scallops with bacon instead. The sweetness of the scallops was perfectly complemented by the saltiness of the bacon and of course tastes better after a long day at work than a chilled glass of champagne.
A plate of scallops with bacon in bar at Chiswell Street Dining Rooms
We then moved onto Hawksmoor Spitalfields, to whet our appetites we got a couple of cocktails. I went for the Marmalade cocktail, Paddington Bear would definitely approve, if he was all grown up and could drink!
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Barberossa (Bar Manager at Hawksmooor Spitalfields) making our cocktails.
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Marmalade & Shaky Pete cocktails at Hawksmoor Spitalfields
I wanted to stick with the seafood theme so I ordered crab on toast and C got the Tamworth belly ribs which were meltingly tender and sticky. We both got lobster for our mains as it felt appropriately celebratory.
Crab on toast at Hawksmoor Spitalfields
Tamworth Belly Ribs at Hawksmoor Spitalfields
Lobster with garlic butter, Triple Cooked Chips, and Baked Sweet Potatoes at Hawksmoor Spitalfields
All the dessert choices sounded equally tempting so in the end we split a sticky toffee pudding and a salted caramel chocolate mousse to make sure we didn’t miss out. We rounded things off with a batida, a dessert in a glass cocktail consisting of Cachaça, Coconut Sorbet, Condensed Milk, Passion Fruit & Lime. I have cousins in Sao Paulo so I can vouch for the authenticity of Hawksmoor’s batidas, they’re the real deal!
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Clotted Cream, & Chocolate & Salted Caramel Mousse with Milk Ice Cream – with Climpson & Sons Coffee at Hawksmoor Spitalfields
Batida at Hawksmoor Spitalfields
Our final stop of the night was Searcys at the Gherkin. The view was stunning and I don’t think anyone could fail to feel romantic with all of London shimmering before them.
Amazing night time view from Searcy’s The Gherkin bar on 40th floor! – including St Paul’s Cathedral in distance.
We had been to the Hawksmoor Spitalfields bar previously:
Birthday dinner in cool bar at Hawksmoor Spitalfield
Twitter: @SquareMeal @UKAvery @AveryUK @chiswelldining #Gemma @HawksmoorLondon @Spitalfieldsbar #Barberossa #Martina @HawksmoorGeeks @climpsonandsons @SearcysBars @SearcysGherkin #Marta @Uber_LDN #ValentinesDay @chiarapinto #bestvalentinesdayever
Thank you for great friendly service from Gemma at Chiswell Street Dining Rooms, Martina and Barberossa at Hawksmoor Spitalfields, and Marta at Searcy’s The Gherkin.
1. http://www.chiswellstreetdining.com/
Chiswell Street Dining Rooms
No 56 Chiswell Street,
City Of London EC1Y 4SA
info@chiswellstreetdining.com
T: 020 7614 0177
2. http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/spitalfields
Hawksmoor Spitalfields
157a Commercial Street
London E1 6BJ
Restaurant Spitalfields Bar
Tel: 020 7426 4850 Tel: 020 7426 4856
Email us Email us
Book Online
3. http://searcys.co.uk/venues/the-gherkin/#.UwO0gvl_uOg
Searcys | The Gherkin
30 St Mary Axe
London
EC3A 8EP
Get directions >>
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About goantolondon
International food and travel blog by London based British Goan duo: Jason and Chiara Pinto.
Twitter:
@goantolondon
@jasonpinto100
@chiarapinto
About Goa:
Goa is a small state on the western coast of India. Though the smallest Indian state, Goa has played an influential role in Indian history. Goa was one of the major trade centers in India, thus it had always been attracting the influential dynasties, seafarers, merchants, traders, monks and missionaries since its earliest known history. Throughout its history Goa has undergone continual transformation, leaving an indelible impression on various aspects of its cultural and socio-economic development.
History of Goa:
The East-West symbiosis of Goa makes it different from other parts of India, more than the historical and social niche. The history of Goa is a sweet and sour story of colonial heritage, oppressive rulers, a glorious culture, and uneventful immediate past.
As a land with the identity of its own, Goa was brought into focus when it was liberated of Portugal from its oppressive rule of around 450 hundred years in 1961. Goa was captured and annexed to the Portuguese in 1510 following the urges of trade and demand of spices and also cottons and indigo. But, Goa has a history that starts much before Portugal even thought of Goa being where it is.
Goa was coveted and ruled by a great number of Indian kingdoms and dynasties from the 4th century onwards. The first kingdom to rule Goa and Konkan were Bhojas, who were the feudatories of Ashoka in 4th and 5th centuries AD. The city of Chandrapur (present Chandor) was founded by Prince Chandraditya, son of Chalukya King Pulakesin from 566 to 597 A.D. after this, Goa was ruled consecutively by Silahara Dynasty, Kadamba Danasty, and finally Hoysalas from 1022 to 1342 A.D.
From the 14th century onwards, Goa became a great trading center on the west coast, especially in the vast trade of horses imported from the Middle East. This was the time for bigger empires to move in and Vijayanagar Empire conquered it in 1344. But there empire was not going to last too long and in 1347, Bahmani Sultans defeated Vijayanagara forces in 1347 and controlled Goa. Afterwards, it was a time of great prosperity and peace for Gpa, especially during the rules of Yusuf Adil Shah and Ismail Adil Shah. They created beautiful houses, fortified Goa, and encouraged local craftsmen. Their liberal and progressive rule was not going to last too long and situation changed in 1510 A.D.
Goa for all purposes was not on the Portuguese Radar even after a long time of their presence in India. When the Portuguese nobleman Alfonso de Albuquerque and his cousin Francisco de Albuquerque were sent with a powerful fleet in 1503 on the orders of King Dom Manuel I, the purpose was to defend the cargoes of spices, mostly pepper, against Arab Muslim raiders.
The center of spice trade was Calicut at that time and Portuguese had built forts in Cochin and Cannanore. It was in 1506-08 that an opportunistic pirate, Timoja, persuaded Albuquerque to attack Goa and acquire a better land base. This made Goa, Portugal's first real territorial acquisition in Asia. After a brief period of recapturing by the Muslims, Goa Albuquerque finally captured Goa in 1510.
The inquisition of Goa in 1540 reversed the previous liberal policy of Albuquerque and imposed strict censorship of literature and new laws to forbade non-Christians from professions. Forced conversions took place continuously, censorship was established on literature, the temples were destroyed, and non-Christian priests, holy men, and teachers were evicted. This led to continuous fleeing of Hindus from Goa to other parts of India.
It is not that the relationship with Portugal brought only destruction for the Goans. Portuguese also built great churches like the church of St. Cajetan and Bom Jesus basilica in Old Goa, which is a pilgrimage site for the Christians from around the world. But it is also true that pre-1961; Goa was a highly impoverished region very backward and primitive. It is after the liberation that Goa of today has emerged and it has surprised even the locals many of whom had left their homeland before its liberation. Portugal and India are today friends and Goa continues to be a fascinating blend of Latin and Oriental.
Information sourced from:
http://www.royalorienttrain.com/goa/goa-history.html
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