Nepalese Food

Having failed at ordering Dosa (the place was closed) and hungry on a Saturday night, PS and I decided to check for a good deal on her Taste Card. There aren't many places in Oxford that take the card on a Sat night, but we found Kadai and Naan, an Indian/Nepalese place. Since I was craving noodles, we decided to try our luck with their Paneer Noodle dish. We were pleasantly surprised by a delicious dish that almost mimics Indian-Chinese fusion. The noodles were fried with chillies, garlic, onion and we're assuming some soy sauce and chili oil. Intermixed with the noodles were perfectly fried cubes of paneer. The mixture may sound strange, but it was one of the best dishes I've had in a while. We also ordered the Chicken Kadai, which resembles an Indian curry, but with slight variations on the herbs and spices. If you love Indian food and want to try something similar with a twist, definitely give this place a go.

Kadai and Naan
209 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1XF

Giving Chains a Good Name

I've been a fan of Jamie Oliver since his first show, The Naked Chef. My mom and I used to watch it on  the Food Network. It was a great show: relatively simple recipes coupled with footage of East London markets. When my mother came to visit me, I naturally took her to Jamie's Italian, one of his restaurant chains. I'm usually skeptical about trying chains attached with chef names because it's all a bit gimmicky. However, Jamie's is quite legit. The pasta is made fresh, in-house every day. In the Oxford location, they even place the pasta machine next to the window, so passer-byers can watch noodles being made.

On our visit, my mother and I ordered the Crispy Squid as a starter, the Spaghetti Vongole and Seafood Bucatini as mains, and sizzling green beans as sides. Everything was incredibly fresh. This might also be due to the fact that we're in England. Good seafood is surprisingly hard to find back in the Bay Area unless you're willing to shell out major dollars (pun intended). The pasta was fresh, springy and actually tasted like pasta unlike the usual store bought stuff that let's face it, tastes of nothing. I highly recommend giving Jamie's a go if you're a fan or just an Italian food lover. We had a lovely experience and even went once more before she left.

Jamie's Italian (various locations)
Oxford:
24-26 George Street OX1 2AE

Mac across the Pond

Obvs taken on a diff occasion. This time out of it's bowl with a "Home-made Cod Fish Finger Sandwich"

Having lived in England for two years, I of course have craved some American eats. Along with burgers, mac & cheese (or as the Brits call it “macaroni cheese”) is probably one of my biggest misses. Bill’s, a strangely American- and British- feeling restaurant founded by an Australian guy, offers some tasty mac. If you prefer the dry creamier kind, then this might not be your fave, but if you’re into saucy mac, this will be your thing. Leeks are included to add an extra kick along with a blanket of breadcrumbs.

I want to take some time to also talk about the cute décor of the place. So it's sort of a chain in England, but it’s aesthetic is quite appealing. I like to call it industrial chic: exposed pipes chilling with chandeliers and vintage-y kitchen products. Sure, it’s probably being marketed to yupsters, but it’s pretty damn effective!

Bill's (various locations)
London:
St. Martin's Courtyard WC2E 9AB

Oxford:
Northgate Hall, St. Michael's Street OX1 2DU