Kingston Arms. Kitchen, Hummus and Wine – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 19/07/2021 by One Two Culinary Stew

UPDATE: This pub is now under new ownership. It has no in-house food offering.

The circumstances that brought Tel Aviv chef Maoz Alonim to Cambridge may not be food related but it was inevitable that he would eventually open a restaurant and contribute to our flourishing foodie scene. Alonim is one of Israel’s most famous chefs renowned the world over for founding Basta in 2007, a small restaurant and wine bar in proximity to Carmel Market in Tel Aviv. With produce straight from the market’s stallholders only a few steps away, the menu changes daily (sometimes twice a day) and consists of main headings with handwritten dish updates. This is Alonim’s concept… a creative menu led by fresh, seasonal ingredients paired with an impressive wine list. And this is precisely what he has brought to Kingston Arms, located just off Cambridge’s vibrant and diverse Mill Road.

Always one to defy expectations, Alonim defines Kingston Arms as Kitchen, Hummus and Wine. He has even gone so far as having the serving presentation designed for their hummus and pita, a clever combo of zisha (Yixing clay) bowls with a round cork cover that doubles as a board for the pita. More on the amazing hummus later!

This independent pub is a real food and wine lovers’ gem. The interior is warm and inviting, with tables by the windows and back door as well as bar seating for perhaps a more wine or beer focused experience. There is a large walled garden with heaters that is pretty much rain proof, a definite advantage for a business that opened during the pandemic. The staff are so friendly and welcoming and there are knowledgeable sommeliers for their well curated wine list.

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The Wine Rooms – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 05/06/2021 by One Two Culinary Stew

I was delighted to get a sneak peek of The Wine Rooms ahead of their official opening on 8 June. Located at 57 Hills Road near Station Road, this place is an exciting new addition to Cambridge’s independent food and drink scene. The focus is on wines paired with a modern, seasonal menu with New Zealand-born Cambridge chef Liz Young at the helm.

The Cambridge based owner of The Wine Rooms is an experienced vintner and wine management and cellarage provider so the wines naturally take centre stage. It’s more of a wine bar and shop for high end wines than a restaurant but that in no way diminishes the food offering. The changing menus, featuring an All Day Bar Menu of Small Things and Sweet Things and an Evening Menu of more substantial dishes, are designed to complement the carefully curated wines by the glass.

The wall of wine bottles on wooden shelves (some only accessible by ladder), the combination of table and counter seating, the specials boards next to the small window into the kitchen, the bar at the back complete with brass pendant lights and antiqued mirror… they all set the scene for fine wine and good food in an unpretentious atmosphere with friendly, knowledgeable service.

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Amélie DIY Flam-kuche Flatpack – (UK)

Posted on 03/12/2020 by One Two Culinary Stew

For over two years now, Amélie’s father-son duo Régis and Alex Crépy have been regaling customers in their Cambridge restaurant with Flam-kuche, their take on the 14th century Alsace dish known as Flammekueche (a super thin flatbread with crème fraîche and fresh toppings, baked in a very hot oven until the edges are crisp and the top is golden). I wrote about Amélie here, soon after the exciting launch of the restaurant in 2018.

Lockdown meant Régis and Alex had to adapt Amélie to these challenging times so they created the DIY Flam-kuche Flatpack for local delivery. It soon garnered praise as a quick and easy home kit that’s several notches above fast food. And now they have launched their UK-wide delivery service for more people to enjoy preparing and eating this tasty meal in their own kitchen.

In the Amélie Store, there are 7 flavours of build-your-own Flam-kuche Flatpacks: Authentic, Goat Cheese & Beetroot, Margherita, Mozzarella & Pepperoni & Olives, Mushroom & Mozzarella, Parma Ham, and Pulled Pork Shoulder – each with 4 rectangular bases, 5 toppings and the choice of their signature crème fraîche or deep red tomato sauce. Other options in the store are beef short rib, cheese fondue, homemade hummus, homemade pesto and packs of 4, 8 or 12 dough bases (for adding your own toppings or baking separately to use in dips).

I chose to receive the Authentic Flatpack and it came in a cheerful yellow and white rectangular box with dark blue lettering for the restaurant’s name, phone number and website. The brand colours and font took me back to Amélie’s stationary Citroen H van in The Grafton. The box was sealed and cleverly identified with the label “Authentique and on fleek!” and once open, I was greeted by “Bon Appétit!” printed on the side. A good start, non?

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Two-Pan Chicken with Red Potatoes and Feta

Posted on 24/11/2020 by One Two Culinary Stew

Two-Pan Chicken with Red Potatoes and Feta is a great ‘bung-it-in-the-oven’ recipe. Apart from some prep work chopping the vegetables and chicken breast (separate boards, of course), there’s very little effort involved as the dish spends most of the time in the oven.

My recipe uses only two pans – a large frying pan and a deep roasting tin or casserole dish. The chicken is browned in the frying pan while the potatoes and onions are undergoing their first bake in the roasting tin.

Red potatoes are another timesaver. They don’t need to be peeled as their skin is thin. In fact, they’re best left skin-on in order to retain all their nutrients and flavour. They just need a good wash and dry, making sure any eyelets (little sprouts) are removed.

The bake is finished off with the creamy, subtle tang of feta cheese, which only needs a few minutes under the grill / broiler to melt and brown nicely.

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Chicken Fajitas

Posted on 06/06/2020 by One Two Culinary Stew

Who doesn’t love fajitas? They’re quick and easy to make, full of flavour and fun to assemble. My recipe features chicken, straying from the Tex-Mex / Mexican origins of grilling skirt steak, although the chicken in this recipe can be easily replaced with beef.

My recipe keeps the ingredients simple and doesn’t use loads of different spices. The fajitas are still tasty and the additional toppings are optional.

All the ingredients are fried in the same pan. When everything is cooked, we bring the frying pan to the table, place it on a heat resistant mat and use tongs to assemble our own fajitas.

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Orange Rosemary Drizzle Loaf

Posted on 22/04/2020 by One Two Culinary Stew

I am still baking during lockdown and I’m enjoying making my tried and true recipe for orange rosemary drizzle cake. I’ve been testing similar recipes over the past few years and I’ve adapted them into one recipe I am very happy with. My Orange Rosemary Drizzle Loaf is my go-to recipe when I need a good dessert or am contributing to a charity bake sale (hopefully those days will come back soon).

I am avoiding supermarkets as much as possible. Fab local shop Meadows in Newnham has been a godsend, delivering fruit, vegetables, butter, milk, cheese, pasta, sauces, freshly baked goods, tea, chocolate and more, including some of the products in this recipe. The Washington variety oranges from Italy (supplied by La Sovrana), Cacklebean eggs from the Cotswolds and rosemary infused olive oil imported from Fattoria di Tullio in Abruzzo by Cambridgeshire’s Cucina di William really elevated this cake to new heights.

Those who have made my previous recipe for carrot muffins will know that I prefer using olive oil rather than butter as the bakes are lighter in texture. Rosemary and oranges make a great flavour combo, with the subtle hint of rosemary complementing the citrus.

Using an olive oil already infused with rosemary is a good shortcut but just olive oil works too, with the option to add finely chopped dried rosemary to the batter (or leave out the herb altogether if you’re not a fan).

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Carrot Muffins

Posted on 18/04/2020 by One Two Culinary Stew

These are unprecedented times. Yes, we are in lockdown due to COVID-19 but also unprecedented because I am baking. A lot. I hardly ever bake! It’s a comforting activity that’s keeping me sane all the while ensuring no produce goes to waste. Over the past several weeks, I made 4 loaves of banana bread and 2 batches of carrot muffins. Whoa.

Time is on my side so I’ve been perfecting my recipe for carrot muffins. I used less sugar the second time around and I was really pleased with the result. The natural sweetness of the carrots and little kick of cinnamon meant I could cut way down on the sugar (I went from 200g to 140g).

There’s olive oil rather than butter in the carrot muffins, making them lighter in texture. The recipe doesn’t use a lot of flour, which is difficult to find at the moment. So a little goes a long way. This recipe also uses up any carrots languishing in the fridge.

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La Raza – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 10/02/2020 by One Two Culinary Stew

La Raza is a long standing, family run, independent business with an enviable location on Rose Crescent in the heart of Cambridge. This popular basement bar and restaurant has been feeding, watering and entertaining their customers since 2003. It is primarily known as a venue for events, live music, DJ nights and cocktails but also serves Mediterranean inspired cuisine. I admit I only thought of events and cocktails when it came to La Raza, having danced away there with The Early Night Club as well as attending their well organised Cambridge Cocktail Weekend in 2017 (I blogged about it here). I was invited to check out their food offering and came away suitably impressed.

Their superb tapas menu offers a variety of sharing dishes: meat, charcuteria, salads, seafood, vegetarian and croquetas. There is also a choice of four different types of paella, suitable for two to share, as the main course for heartier appetites. Sides & nibbles, desserts and a sharing plate round out the menu. The food complements their fantastic selection of cocktails – they really do make some of the best in town. I particularly liked their “What’s Your Flavour” chart, divided into four categories (smart, refreshing, rich, casual), to help choose a cocktail of my preference.

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The Gunton Arms – Thorpe Market, Norfolk (UK)

Posted on 20/12/2019 by One Two Culinary Stew

A lovingly refurbished pub with rooms surrounded by a 1,000-acre historic deer park in North Norfolk, The Gunton Arms hit the mark on all counts: stunning location, stylish accommodation, cosy pub, great staff, fantastic food & drink and impressive art collection. It was the perfect getaway, only two hours from Cambridge.

Paulo and I visited The Gunton Arms with our friends Peter and Jenni, who had dined at the restaurant and were keen to repeat the experience in our company, as well as stay on the estate.

The location was a little difficult to find but it added to the cachet of a unique hideaway. We spotted the neon sign to reception where we registered our arrival.

We were directed to the car park and once inside the remarkable inn, staff welcomed us and showed us to the residents’ lounge, the coffee/tea making facilities and our rooms.

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Mercado Central – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 12/12/2019 by One Two Culinary Stew

Mercado Central is bringing expertly prepared, market fresh produce to the heart of Cambridge. The painstakingly refurbished building on Green Street now has a cohesive presence with its uniform colour and striking hand painted sign. This independent restaurant is warm, classy and welcoming – the type of place that stops you in your tracks and makes you want to step right in.

The interior is elegant and modern, with subtle Spanish accents such as greenish-blue tiles (reminiscent of Cambridge Blue) and a gorgeous Sargadelos ceramic tap for pouring Estrella Galicia beer. There is a cosy area near the bar where customers perched on stools can enjoy drinks and nibbles.

There are more tables at the back but the main dining area is on the first floor. It’s a stunning space with high ceilings, soft lighting, beautiful wood flooring, sumptuous curtains, linen napkins, wooden and velvet chairs as well as tables without stuffy tablecloths.

The inspiration lies in Spain’s historic markets and restaurants and Mercado Central certainly deliver. It’s clear in their excellent food and drink offering but the owners (the majority Cambridgeshire locals) have the background, expertise and experience to bring a restaurant of this calibre to Cambridge. They are Daniel Grana of local company Pata Negra Spanish Food, Spanish retired footballer Gaizka Mendieta who is a childhood friend of Daniel’s, and brothers Lee and Mark Hughes, part of the popular Provenance Catering Airstream and horsebox.