#58: My Month of Indulgence and Indigestion
Ft. the inaugural Floss giveaway!
The food I fill these newsletters with usually sits somewhere between the opulent and down-to-earth. But in November, the scales were tipped in favour of excess, at a degree that felt Marie Antoinette-esque. Hence, the deviation from my monthly food recap naming protocol.
There were hungover chilli oil-coated noodles and bowls of miso ramen so large they could serve as sinks in a cramped restaurant bathroom; kebabs urgently deployed to soak up glasses of white—yes, it’s been a more bacchic month than most.
But alongside my more humble cravings, November’s camera roll was also populated with truffle-capped mounds of pasta, briny beads of caviar and other luxuries both seasonal and festive, making it an uncharacteristically but joyously fancy run, and a shame not to share.
Read below the paywall for the full highlights reel, along with details of the first Floss giveaway, which will grant a subscriber a meal for two at St. John, one of my favourite restaurants in London and an appropriate prize for this particular dispatch.
A pandan chiffon cake lovingly hand-carried from Singapore by Audrey and her boyfriend Silas, who are staying with us this week. A feast for the eyes in day-glo green, pillow-like and subtly flavoured with pandan’s grassy vanilla notes, it was enjoyed cutlery-less after an Indian takeaway for four (from our favourite order-in, Dhaba 49, for those interested). From Singapore’s Bengawan Solo, the one and only!
Tacos at Fonda*, KOL’s new-ish, more laid-back sister spot. Laetitia and I somehow decimated the Sikil Pak (a pumpkin seed dip with corn chips); baja tacos; cheesy ribeye tacos (a favourite); confit scallops; serve-yourself carnitas tacos with refried beans (we were full by this point but still had two each); and a lobster quesadilla. A special mention for the salsas, custom tableware (everything down to the salsa spoons), and the Three Cents grapefruit soda, which is the same mixer KOL use for their palomas. It’s perfectly tart and properly fruity—no notes of Neutrogena face wash to speak of.
A resplendent Thanksgiving feast featuring a turkey we couldn’t stop picking at several plates in; an unctuous potato gratin; and brussel sprouts with bacon and chestnuts. Finally, pie reveals: I burnt the chocolate crust and should’ve reheated the apple pie for longer but alas, I am my harshest critic.
Miso ramen at Seto, a contender for best pre-Roundhouse meal and London’s best broth-agnostic ramen menu. I was tempted by the katsu curry but swayed by neighbouring tables’ comically sizeable noodle bowls. My miso ramen was just rich enough to fortify me against the cold; not so rich that it sent me to sleep during Arooj Aftab’s enchanting set.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Floss to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.