A Taste of Spain - 5th June 2011

The Spanish street festival, a Taste of Spain, takes place every year in Regent Street.

 I can't go to the event during the day this year as like many events in London e.g. St Patrick's Day celebrations, Chinese New Year, Diwali event in Trafalgar Square, it's taking place on a Sunday and I have to work.  However if my train home from work is running on time I might be able to get into central London before it ends at 7pm.

I have attended before, back in 2008.  At the 2008 event there was a world record breaking attempt to get the largest group of people together dancing in Sevillanas style.

Programme for this year
www.atasteofspain.co.uk/stylesheet.asp?file=311_london_home

South African products at Rand Savers

Rand Saver is a South African shop under the arches near to Embankment. They have a selection of South African food, drinks and cds. 

Biltong for sale

Some of the products were a bit expensive though otherwise I would have bought a couple of things to try.

Tuk Tuk Thai Restaurant

This restaurant was a friend's recommendation who had lived in London for years.  We had the very filling set menu A for £10.50. 

 Our starter plate

Spicy soup and iced milk tea

The main courses

The portion sizes were really big so the restaurant charge 50p to make up a takeaway box with the leftovers. 

Brazilian shops

I hadn't realised that there's a Brazilian community around Kensal Green but these shops gave me a clue.

The first one had a cafe bar counter where you could (presumably) buy coffees.  The second shop appeared to have a cafe/restaurant at the back.  As I can't resist trying out new things I bought myself some Cocada which is a traditional Brazilian sweet made from coconut and from the taste of them a whole lot of sugar. It was quite hard to stop eating them once I'd started. :-)

Lucky 7

After a party night my friends and I woke up craving an American breakfast.  Luck was on our side when we discovered that there is an American style diner called Lucky 7 within walking distance of where I live!

 It's certainly not cheap and no doubt a lot of the dishes you could get in most restaurants but the milkshakes are AMAZING! I had a chocolate milkshake with added peanut butter.  To be honest I was full just after drinking half the milkshake before I even started on my breakfast.

There are several posters around Lucky 7 including one of Obama. Not quite sure what Babe Rainbow is though.  A band?

My breakfast - Huevos Rancheros

Lizzy's breakfast - Eggs Florentine

Katie's breakfast - banana pancakes

www.lucky7london.co.uk/

The Nordic Bakery

A little cafe in Soho, the Nordic bakery sells coffees sweet pastries and also a few savoury snacks such as cream cheese on ryebread.

Orders come on a cute little tray - 80p for the cookie and £2.40 for the hot chocolate

 They also sell some Scandinavian produce - jams, crisps and juice - by the counter.

It's quite a small location and I arrived at about 16.00 so it was pretty busy and noisy. All the tables for 2 were full.  There are a few bench style tables that seat 6/8 people so I joined several two couples and another girl by herself on these.  I'm sure it's a bit more relaxing when it's less busy.

According to their website they also have a cafe in Marylebone.

www.nordicbakery.com