I was ‘in’ when my friends suggested we try Faber Seafood & Wine Restaurant, which focuses on sustainable, responsible, day-caught British seafood. They failed to tell me that I’d have to trek to Hammersmith for this seafood, though. (Cue the hesitation.)
When I searched the location and saw it was directly opposite Hammersmith’s uniconic bus station, I ALMOST pretended that I had double booked for the evening to get out of the trek. I’m so glad I did not.
Once you step across the mosaic-tiled entrance of Faber Seafood & Wine Restaurant, you could be in a chic little restaurant somewhere on the Med. Think herringbone parquet flooring, sunbleached tones upholstery, arched mirrors, a terracotta tiled bar, vintage-style chandeliers and stone table tops. Design is a chef’s kiss!
Executive Chef Ollie Bass (a fitting surname for a chef championing sustainable seafood) has worked in some of London’s favourite kitchens, including Quo Vadis & Sessions Arts Club. The ever-evolving menu focuses on fish and seafood with tasty small plates, sharing plates and a daily specials board.
Chalk Stream trout tartare
Potato Crab & Mushroom
St Austell Mussles Artichokes
We ordered almost the entire menu, and every dish was faultlessly executed and perfectly presented. My stand-out dishes included the Chalk Stream trout tartare. It was lightly dressed in soy with nori and finished with keta caviar. It’s the kind of dish that I regret having to share.
Smoky cod cheek skewers served with warm, homemade herbaceous tartare that popped perfectly with astringency.
The crisp ingots of thousand-layer potatoes topped with white crab and wild mushrooms were a dream.
I marvelled at the individually dressed St Austell Bay mussels, each with a dollop of artichoke puree inside and a golden Jerusalem artichoke crips on top.
After tasting almost the entire small plate menu, it was hard to muster up enthusiasm for the sharing fish that arrived, but I could appreciate that they were perfectly cooked and dressed to let the fish have the main character energy.
A word of advice… save a little space for desserts. The honey custard tart reminded me of a quivering pastel de nata, sublime!
Aarhus is Denmarks’s second-largest city, the said it is pretty compact! It’s a historic city that remarkably feels like one cosy neighbourhood, where all of the things to see and do are within walking distance of each other. With incredible architecture, impressive galleries, and loads of food options I was more than sold.
You can fly to Aarhus directly from the UK, but I took a 3.5-hour train ride from Copenhagen so I could see the Danish countryside. ⠀
1. Be Awe Struck by the Modern Architecture in Aarhus Ø
If modern architecture is your thing… Head to the new area of the regenerated dock area called Aarhus Ø.
The area is separated by canals with some seriously jaw-dropping architecture designed by top architects of the area. One of the most distinctive structures is the Iceberg by the Aarhus Ø waterfront.
In July and August, you can go for a swim or hang out at the new Harbor Bath, a vibrant meeting point and oasis. The Harbor Bath is designed by the famous Danish architect Bjarke Ingels Group BIG. The triangular floating complex comprises a rectangular 50-meter-long swimming pool, a circular diving pool, square children’s pools, and two saunas. Take a walk on the elevated plan walkway, which doubles as a viewing platform overlooking the pools and water beyond. The promenade deck is open 24 hours a day throughout the year.
2. Warm up in the Botanical Gardens
Swedish Meatballs
Coco Chanel said it best.. ‘The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive.’ ⠀ ⠀ This applies to travel in Scandinavia. It’s really amazing, but it’s not cheap. That said there are some amazing things to do in Aarhus that are free. Like visiting the Science Museerne Botanical Gardens in Aarhus. It’s the biggest botanical garden in the world, but it’s pretty easy to spend a couple of hours seeing all the plants and staying warm and dry if it’s a bit cooler outside. ⠀ ⠀ They have brilliant tropical with a pretty amazing treehouse viewing platform where I took this London Kiwi Emma inspired shoefie. ⠀ ⠀ TOP TIP: The Botanic Gardens is next to the open-air museum Den Gamle By, aka Old Town. which is worth a visit too. Unfortunately, it’s not free. ⠀ ⠀
3. Learn about Danish history in Den Gamle By
Den Gamle By
A list of 7 Things To Do In Aarhus Denmark is not complete without mentioning a visit to Den Gamle_By. Den Gamle By is an open-air museum devoted to the history of Aarhus and gives a great little insight into life throughout the ages in Denmark.
I learned so much about danish life through the ages. About the style of architecture and the craftwork that got its start in denmark.
But most importantly I learned the most important word in the Danish language. That’s Bageri. Yes, it means bakery… if you can’t remember that… Just look for the upside-down (IMO) pretzel sign and you know you have found one!
Gibraltargatan 3, 211 18 Malmö, Sweden
4. Check out the Street Food Scene
Hedvigsdal Vedugn & Vin Brown Butter & Rosemary Potato Pizza
Street food is everywhere these days. Street Food Aarhus is a collection of street food traders in a warehouse. Ver similar vibe to that of Street Feast in London.
All major foods are represented.. Pizzas, Burgers, Bao Buns, Thai, Chinese, Greek and even Ethiopian. I went for a rather impressive duck confit burger and a rather delicious chocolate chip cookie sundae.
Even at lunchtime in the dead of winter, I could tell that this place would have some serious vibes on weekend nights. Deffo a part of the young hip nightlife scene.
Aarhus Street Food Ny Banegårdsgade 46, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
5. Soak in all the colours of Aarhus at Aros
Some of the best views of Aarhus are from the top of Aros Art Museum. Yes, they are through rainbow-tinted glass designed by Olafur Eliasson. But that’s a very good thing. ‘Your rainbow panorama’ is a 150-meter circular walkway parched on top of the museum. It was complete in 2011 and offers 360-degree views over Aarhus. To say it’s pretty spectacular is an understatement.
In addition to the Installation in the roof, ARoS has a large art collection with works from the Danish Golden Age until today, a changing selection of which are on display in the museum halls. Alongside, themed and changing exhibitions of both Danish and international artists are presented. I spent a good afternoon wandering through the exhibitions.
Aros Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
6. Visit The Town Hall
Aarhus Town Hall
Visit a town hall I hear you ask? Yes.. it’s not any ordinary town hall… It’s a Town Hall designed by Arne Jacobsen (The bunny Chair Designer). Completed in 1941, the hall’s interior features The interior features oaken parquet floors, ceramic tile floors in various patterns, bespoke designed wooden furniture, walls of glass and wood, and an incredible sweeping staircase .
Although its 75 years old, it still feels very modern, thanks to visionary Danish design. I took some of my favorite non-food photos I’ve ever taken. Not because I love my photos… just that this space was sooo incredibly beautiful.
Rådhuspladsen 2. 8000 Aarhus C
7. Eat Stegt flæsk
Punschrulle
One of the dishes I’ve been dying to eat in Denmark was Stegt flæsk. It’s not exclusive to Aarhus, but it was easier to find several restaurants serving it. Surprisingly difficult to find in Copenhagen.
It’s is a dish consisting of fried pork belly served with potatoes, white sauce with chopped parsley. The dish is sometimes translated as ‘pork strips’ or ‘crisp fried pork slices’.⠀
The recipe and dish is orientated from the rural kitchens in Denmark in the beginning of 1800s – and has been a traditional everyday meal for generations of Danes.
Since the 2000s a tradition has emerged of eating stegt flæsk on election nights as a pun on the derogatory term valgflæsk (election pork) used to describe the lofty promises politicians make during their campaigns ⠀ I think it’s just delicious. I devoured it from a restaurant called Pinden. It was billed as all you can eat… but it was a struggle to finish of.
Pinden Skolegade 29, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
Other things to do in Aarhus
There were loads of other things that you can do in Aarhus. It’s such an easy city to navigate on foot. I spent 3 days there and could have spent another 2… Mainly because it was nice to spend time feeling more like a local versus the metropolitan feel of Copenhagen,
I hope that you enjoyed my list of 7 things to do in Aarhus Denmark. I’m writing a separate list of things to eat in Aarhus. So you will have to have a look. If you do go to Aarhus, I hope you have an amazing time!
Have you ever heard of Malmö Sweden? If I’m honest it was not on my radar as the first Swedish city to visit.. but I’m glad I did as I had some seriously great food. So I’m sharing 6 things you need to eat when you visit Malmö Sweden.
Malmö is the third-largest city in Sweden (behind Stockholm and Gothenburg. (Its the 6th largest city in Scandinavia) Thanks to the Öresund Bridge and tramline, Getting to Malmö is super easy to get to and from Copenhagen. Trains run every 20 minutes and the journey takes about 40 minutes making it a perfect addition to a trip to Copenhagen.
The city itself is super charming with a cobblestone square lined with cafes called Lilla Torg. Thought the city there are half-timbered houses and shops selling local handicrafts. If architecture is your thing… there is an incredible library and Santiago Calatrava’s neo-futuristic skyscraper (the Turning Torso) is with a visit. If history is your thing… visit Malmö Castle. Its a 6th-century fortress built by King Christian III of Denmark that houses nature, history, and art exhibits.
But you came here for the food right? Read all about 6 things to eat in Malmö Sweden.
After crumpets, one baked delight that I could not live without are pastries. Specifically those gorgeously beautiful rounds or laminated layers of escargots.
You can get these delights in most bakeries in Paris, but now These have finally become a ‘thing’ in London. The Godfather of the London escargot has to be none other than the Islington purveyor of all things layered and that’s… Pophams
You can’t go to Singapore and not eat Singapore Chili Crab. Despite its name, it’s not an overly spicy dish. Or at least the one we had from Jumbo Seafood Singapore was not that spicy. ⠀
According to my research, Singapore Chilli Crab was invented by Cher Yam Tian in the mid-1950s when she added bottled chilli sauce to her dish of stir-fried crabs, instead of using tomato sauce, her usual ingredient. In 1956, she and her husband began selling the dish from a pushcart along the seaside. Business was good and they eventually opened a restaurant in 1962.
Nowadays it’s all over the place in Singapore. CNN Travel Go listed Chilli Crab as one of “World’s 50 most delicious foods“, at Number 35. ⠀
Singapore Chilli crab is actually an easy dish to recreate at home.
The most difficult task is cleaning your fresh crabs. You can ask the fishmonger to remove the top place and clean it out. But make sure to ask for the creamy insides as it adds to the umami of the dish.
Crabs are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato-and-chilli-based sauce that’s finished with egg to give this amazing creamy mouth feel. Despite its name, chilli crab is not a very spicy dish but pairs perfectly with a Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is bursting with notes of pink grapefruit and citrus fruits, which gives each glass a crispness that’s clean on the palate.
You mop up all that lovely Singapore Chilli Crab sauce with mantou, which are Chinese steamed bread. I steamed some and fried some just like the way i had it in Singapore.
Ingredients
1 tbs cornstarch 2 tbs water 4 tbs of mild flavoured oil (I use CarotinoMalaysian Palm Oil) 4 shallots minced 2- inch knob ginger grated 6 garlic cloves minced 3 mild red chillies deseeded and minced 2 whole crabs cleaned and cut into pieces 500ml stock (I used vegetable) 200ml ketchup 100ml sweet chilli sauce 2 large eggs beaten (I used Clarence Court) small bunch of spring onions sliced A bunch of coriander leaves coarsely chopped
To serve Mantou (馒头) Chinese steamed buns (Both Steamed and Fried) White Rice
Method
In a small bowl, stir cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water; set aside.
In a large wok with lid, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. stir in shallots, ginger, garlic, and chillies. Cook until fragrant, stirring, about 1 minute.
Add crab pieces and toss…. Then add the ketchup and chilli paste. Toss again to coat. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover loosely to steam the crab. The shell will turn red after about 5 minutes.
Remove cover and stir in cornstarch and simmer for another minute to thicken.
Remove from heat and stir in eggs. Constantly stirring as you want the yolks to enrich the sauce and the whites to create ribbons throughout.
Ladle into serving dish… sprinkle with coriander and spring onions
Hello Ham, Egg and Cheese bagel. I’m an egg obsessive, so when I find a new way to cook eggs, yep you guessed it I’m all in. I saw a Korean video on how to make One Pan Egg Toast and thought I’d give it a try.
You know the one where the eggs are put in the pan, then the bread is added. The egg is then flipped, then the ham and cheese are added. Magic happens when you do an oragami-like fold, it turns into an egg sandwich. I’ll link the video below…
I’m not going to lie…. My main purpose of visiting Porto was to take in those azulejos. If you’ve seen pictures of Porto (and other parts of Portugal) you’ve seen the beautiful, blue and white tiles that done the facades and interiors of buildings and churches.
It was King Manuel I of Portugal who brought azulejo tiles from Seville, in Spain, to Portugal, during the fifteenth century. Azulejos were very common in parts of the in Seville and Grenada (Areas heavily influenced by Moorish architecture and art). The word azulejo comes from the Arabic word al zellige which means “the polished stone”.
Portugal imported its azulejos tiles from Spain, Italy and Holland until the Portuguese mastered the art during the 16th century. In Portugal, the art has developed its own forms, changing from being just geometric shapes and flowers to something that tells stories, mostly of historical or religious themes. The colour palette is dominated by blues and whites. These colours were influenced by the Age of Discoveries roughly between 15-18th centuries.
Here are some of the most impressive Azulejos that are found in Porto Portugal.
São Bento Railway Station
São Bento Railway Station
This is probably one of the prettiest train stations in the world thanks to its vestibule being adorned with azulejos tiles covering every wall that shows important historical events in Portuguese history.
First opened in 1916, the tile work began five years after the station was built. And although it might look ordinary from the outside, the real beauty lies within. The main hall boasts of an impressive tile work that consists of 20,000 tiles depicting the history of Portugal there are about 20,000 tiles. The tile work took almost 15 years to complete them all.
A special mention should go to the platforms on the station. They are not covered in tiles… but the stained glass is impressive. The Station is a short walk from Hotel Catalina Porto
Igreja dos Congregados
Igreja dos Congregados
Igreja dos Congregados, also known as Igreja de Santo Antonio dos Congregados (the Church of St. Anthony’s Congregation), is another must-visit attraction if you want to obsess over the azulejos in Porto. It’s right across the Sao Bento Railway Station.
Completed in 1680, this church went through many changes in history. It was a hospital and during the siege of 1832 it was used for military equipment storage The façade is elaborately decorated with blue and white tiles, this tile work is so stunning
Church of Saint Ildefonso
Church of Saint Ildefonso
This 18th-century church is the main feature of Batalha Square and it’s hard to miss alright. The stunning proto-Baroque church is completely covered in the traditional tiles showing scenes from the life of Saint Ildefonso and figurative imagery from the Gospels. This church was built in 1739 and features a proto-Baroque style with a façade of azulejo tile work. This is a twin-towered church with a graceful baroque style. The tiles are the work of Jorge Colaco, who used 11,000 tiles used to cover the entire façade of the church (the same artist is also behind the tile work in Sao Bento station) The tile work was completed in 1932.
The church has seen a lot of damage over the years from storms to battles, so much has been repaired or replaced. The Church (along with Sao Bento) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 You can’t actually go into the church so this one is best enjoyed from afar.
It’s only 7 minutes away from the station Sao Bento Railway Station.
Carmo & Carmelitas Churches
These twin churches may look like one building but they’re actually two (built a century apart so the monks and nuns couldn’t have contact), however, they share a bell tower so there’s a super narrow house built in between connecting them so the bells can be rung. While you puzzle over the sense in it all, take a picture at the epic azulejos wall on the side of the Carmo church.
Surprisingly (but apparently completely normal) exterior of the church was completed in 1878 but the interior was completed over a century and a half prior. As for the tile work, it was completed in 1910 and it pays tribute to Nossa Senhora.
Capela das Almas
Capela das Almas
The Capela das Almas, also known as the Chapel of Souls, was the first azuleos that I say when I arrived in Porto. Its exquisite blue and white tiles made me stop in my tracks and cried a tear of joy… they are just STUNNING. While the architecture of the chapel is relatively simple, the fact that it’s covered with 15,947 tiles Which I think is the record for the number of tiles used on an exterior in Porto is what makes it stand out.
This chapel was built in the 18th century, tiles were designed by potter Eduardo Leite, made in a factory in Lisbon, and placed in 1929. Capela das Almas is a chapel located in one of the ‘Shopping’ streets of Porto next to the Bolhão subway station.
Porto Is a Tile Lovers Dream
Almost at ever turn in Porto there are tile situations that bring such joy. Exterior facades and interiors.. even one of the hotels I stayed in (Porto Catalan) had tiles in the bedrooms. The tile lovers’ dream
Hope you found this little guide useful. Message me if you went to any of the locations or found some incredible tiles that I missed. Why don’t you pin this to one of your favourite Pinterest boards for future reference.
YAY to summer and yay to picnics. I preset to your the Picnic Perfect Muffuletta featuring Leerdammer. Despite its goofy sounding name, it’s a serious sandwich that has wow factor when you serve it up.
The muffuletta is a New Orleans classic that was invented in the 1930s. It could not be simpler. You hollow out a loaf of crusty bread then layer in Cheese and meats then top it with a herby olive relish (I’ve popped the recipe in the link in my bio). Then put the bread lid firmly back on and wrap it in cling film. You need to wrap it pretty tight to compress all the filling. You can make it up to three days in advance.
Not a fan of olives? You can replace the olive relish with a pickle or even piccalilli. One this you can’t skimp on is the meat and that delicious Leerdammer.
For the Relish 160g of olives green and black 8 silver-skinned picked onions 1/2 red onion finely chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 125ml extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp dried oregano 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1tsp garlic flakes Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Muffuletta 1 sturdy loaf of bread… not sourdough though 1 pack of Leerdammer Cheese Various sliced deli meats like ham, salami, pepperoni, turkey and chicken
Method
Chop olives, onions, and celery until chunky. Mix in the remaining ingredients and set aside until you are ready to assemble.
Cut a lid out of the loaf. Using your hands, hollow out inside. Fill the bottom half with about 3/4 of the relish; press down. Layer the Leerdammer and meats over the relish in different layers, being careful not to let cheese or meat hang over the sides of the bread. Spread the remaining relish over the top and cover with the tie of bread. Press down firmly and tightly wrap sandwich with cling film. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and cut the sandwich into slices.
Pasta alla Gricia may be the most underrated of all the four types of classic Roman pastas. The world loves a carbonara, probably the most dare I say pedestrian of the four. Every food lover in London gets their knickers in a twist over cacio e Pepe. Not being shady, I like it too… so much I created a fried egg recipe that tasted like it. I don’t really love the tomato heavy Amatriciana, but that’s just me.
My favourite has to be Pasta alla Gricia. Its super simple to make you need 3 ingredients pasta, pecorino and guanciale. With simple recipes its important that you get top-quality ingredients. All of my Italian groceries come from the ICONIC Lina Stores in London. they have been supplying Londoners with Italian groceries and deli items from their Soho shop since 1944.
Keeping with being very 2020, Lina Stores have launched a grocery delivery service. You can get almost everything Italian delivered to your doorstep in London. From fresh pasta, sauces, cheese olives, bread, rice and cannoli.
They deliver nationwide now so rejoice!
Ingredients
200g guanciale 1 tablespoon olive oil 500g Fresh Casarecce (Feel free to use any other sturdy pasta) 100g finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving ground black pepper
Method
Using a sharp knife, cut the guanciale into 1/4-inch-thick lardons.
In a large frying pan, Add the guanciale and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the guanciale is golden brown and crisp. This is going to take about 15 to 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer guanciale to a plate; set aside. Put your frying pan to the side and cook the pasta.
In a medium pot, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta (including all the semolina) to water and cook, stirring frequently during the first minute to prevent pasta from sticking.
Once the pasta has cooked for about 2 minutes drain reserving all the pasta water.
Return the frying pan to the heat and bloom the black pepper in the guanciale fat. Pour in about 400ml of the pasta water. Loosen all the little bits stuck to the pan. Bring to a boil, swirling to emulsify pasta water with guanciale fat. Once it’s at the boil add the drained pasta to the frying pan,
Finish cooking the pasta by gently stirring with a spoon or rubber spatula, to ensure even cooking and that the sauce remains emulsified. Continue to add ladles of pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Add the cooked guanciale. Continue stirring to keep the sauce emulsified.
Lower the heat, add half of the grated Pecorino let it melt then stir rapidly to combine. Once the cheese is fully emulsified in the sauce, add the remaining Pecorino Romano, stir rapidly once more to combine. Adjust sauce consistency as needed with more pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Plate and eat… Serve with more cheese at the table.
[This post is part of a paid collaboration with Jersey Royals]
It’s no secret that I have a crush on seasonal veg… I mean how can you not love something at its prime. So it comes as no surprise that I have a MAJOR Crush on Jersey Royals with their nutty taste and buttery texture. And what better way to enjoy them than to get crushing with the Jersey Royal Crush
Chalk Stream trout tartare
Potato Crab & Mushroom
St Austell Mussles Artichokes
