10.09.08: Out to the White Horse Pub and sushi in Austin

She indulged in a gal's nite out at the White Horse pub, complete with knitting, chitchat, and the sharing of a cheese plate with a like-minded pal. Celery, grapes, green apple slices, a mix of poppyseed, onion and plain crackers, and some S. African Sauvignon Blanc made the evening veddy, veddy civilised.

SHE SAYS: This doesn't look like a lot for two hungry ladies, but sharing proved most satisfying. I'm not too proud to admit I sneaked most of the celery, as it was such a perfect conveyor for the blue and the Boursin-y cheeses. Unfortunately I forgot to record the types of cheeses from the menu, but I did note at the time that the bits and pieces produced didn't appear to match the menu too conscientiously anyway. In addition to the ones just mentioned, a sort of cheddar, a sort of brie, and two oddly mushroomy and (for my taste) far too mellow chunks of somethin' or other filled us up far better than you might imagine. Not special, but not bad, either, and terribly convivial.

HE SAYS: I was looking forward to a mini sushi-fest at Kyoto Downtown, here in Austin but was a little bit disappointed with what I chose. After receiving my 16oz Sapporo I was ready to order. Firstly, I got the Godzilla roll, no problem here. It was very tasty, lots of salmon, avocado and cucumber drizzled with spicy teriyaki sauce, covered with light tempura flakes.

Next I ordered a selection of sushi nigiri which was not too fantastic. I ordered the tamago (sweet egg) because I get this a lot and consider myself an expert on it's sweet eggy delights, this version was not bad, pretty good in fact. Sometimes it can be too dry, not this time. Next up, The salmon which I found was a little tasteless and the tuna a little underwhelming.

The hotate (scallops) were overly mayonaissy and a little bland for my taste. The miso soup was tasty with large blocks of tofu swimmin' around and a healthy share of seaweed but it was barely warm, tepid in fact.

The worst part of the meal was definitely the eel. I think I miss ordered and got the wrong type of eel, Anago (sea eel), because I was expecting the warm flamed variety with thick, sweet eel sauce, unagi (Fresh water eel), instead of the grey "fishy" tasting one with a pale watery sauce that I experienced.

A slight slip of the tongue can get you into a lot of trouble, it seems. I think I would give this place another go, I made a bad choice and they may have been having an off night. The eel I think coloured my overview of the meal slightly, the service was good and atmosphere authentic. That eel though, it was disgusting.

22.08.08: Out to Ottolenghi

On the way to a friend's gig, we stopped in at Ottolenghi, which We believe originated the practice of displaying heaps of impossibly gorgeous and varied veg salads next to stacks of impossibly gorgeous meringues, tarts and cakes to lure innocent passers-by. Their menu and window dressing have been imitated in lesser cafes all across London.

Fun fact: It was their broccoli salad that inspired Her to try stirfrying broccoli on high heat for that yumsome charred flavour, and for that We are forever grateful.

He had actually booked us a spot at the long communal table, where we ordered a series of small dishes to share - they don't really do main-sized plates, apparently.

Broad beans and peas with globe artichoke, parsley, thyme, pink peppercorns, and preserved lemon...Seared tuna with a pistachio crust served with wasabi sour cream...

Marinated roasted aubergine with chilli, coriander, oregano and green tahini...Grilled pears, red endive, rocket, fried manouri cheese and caramelised macadamias with an orange blossom and balsamic dressing...

...and, most unusually, dessert. Lime-infused cheesecake with roast strawberries, plus a white coffee for Her and a latte for him. (Can you tell We didn't manage to snag a dessert menu?)

HE SAYS: The atmosphere at Ottelenghi is informal yet slightly snobby, but the food is fantastic and where else can you order 4 cold salady starters and call it a meal? It's like posh salad tapas. Everything tastes very fresh and they have a knack of putting a new spin on your average tired vegetable selections.

Apart from the tuna which may have been out on display a little longer then perhaps it should, the quality was great. My fav dish being the aubergine with the ever-so-moreish tahini dressing. Unlike Her, I really enjoyed the broad bean plate; admittedly, broad beans can often taste like feet on a hot day but these had a springy texture and were slightly sweet.

I wasn't expecting any dessert and the cheesecake was not anything spectacular, tasty but not either inspired or different from what you'd get at any restaurant, which is a shame 'cause I love what they do with macaroons and meringues.

SHE SAYS: The first thing I ever had from Ottolenghi, some years ago, was their chilli cornbread. the sight of it stopped me cold: cornbread in London? Unheard of. And if it was a little dry, it had lots of cuminy, spicy goodness in its favour. The triple-salad takeaway boxes, if not exactly a deal, made for exceptionally gourmet grazing.

So - I heart Ottolenghi's food. But I don't like it for a sit-down meal. This was my second time, and again I found it an oddly sterile experience. Service was v. good, and the overall effect of the decor is a sort of candy-glazing, which is not unpleasant in my book. But the minute I sit down I want to leave. Shrug.

On to the food: Best by far was the grilled pear salad - that dressing was utterly amazing, I think I actually opened my eyes wider when I tasted it. (And I just realised we have orange blossom water hiding in the cupboard...oh yeh, baby.) The manouri cheese was like baked ricotta, quite nice for sauce-sopping.

I liked the tuna more than Him, though it was not special. The 'crust' was damp and bland, and the wasabi cream somewhat timid. Still it was nice to have a slice of properly dark, rich tuna.

Was not impressed by the broad bean salad, except for the happy inclusion of preserved lemon, but then broad beans are that rare legume I don't care for - they're like hard lima beans on steroids. The aubergine was tender but not mushy, and the sauce was a few notches above your average hummus, with a nice fresh note of herbiness.

Finally, I was feeling grumpy and ordered dessert at the last minute by way of mood elevation. It was a little chalky, but had good lime flavour.