New website - www.gastrogazette.co.uk

Hi guys! I've moved over to a new blog provider; you can catch my blog at www.gastrogazette.co.uk

Thanks, Claire

Update coming soon!

Hi guys - I apologise for the lack of posts in the last couple of weeks. I have been away and only now just sorting myself out. There will be some great New York food recommendations later this week (including the wonderful Macondo).

So sit tight!
Claire

The BBC Summer Good Food Show, bringing summer food to life

If you love food (like me) then you will be heading down to one of the many food festivals happening this year. One of my favourites is the BBC Summer Good Food Show, which is taking place from 10 – 14 June at The NEC in Birmingham.

Celebrity chefs such as Ainsley Harriott, James Martin, The Hairy Bikers and Gino D’Acampo will be leading live demonstrations in the Summer Kitchen sponsored by Sainsbury’s, where you will be able to find inspiration for great summer menus.

Tickets start at £18.50
To find out more visit www.bbcsummergoodfoodshow.com

How to lose weight, using your ear

What should we do when we can't see our toes anymore? Sarah Haskins has the answer.

New York Adventure - Joe's Shanghai Restaurant, Chinatown

It's hard to find good, affordable Chinese food in London and was wondering if it was the same for New York. So when my friends suggested 'the best [cheap] Chinese in Chinatown' I was a little dubious.

Arriving outside Joe's, I noticed a crowed of people queuing to get a table - this had to be a good sign. We took a ticket (like you would find at a deli counter) and was told that we had a 45 minute wait, so we went to Apothéke, one of New York's hidden bars. Visit here to read my review.

We made our way back to Joe's, before our 45 minutes were up, but our table had already been called. Advice from the waitress 'don't ever leave once you have your ticket', but they kindly gave us a new ticket and we were seated within ten minutes. Unless you are in a group of eight, you will be sharing a table, not that it matters as there is lots of room.

Joe's is not a fancy place, it's tables, chairs, plates of good food and nothing else. Service is fast, so I recommend you popping in a grabbing a menu to look at while you are waiting to be seated. I noticed that everyone had soup buns on their tables, I was told by my friend that they were amazing and cheap ($5 for eight buns). If you've never eaten soup buns before, be careful! They are hot, and unless you want a swollen lip from the steam I would suggest you waiting (although I did quite enjoy having Angelina lips for a brief moment).

The 'lip enhancing' dumplings

My friend had been there so many times she knew what she wanted without even looking at the menu. We had two poultry dishes, one prawn (shrimp) dishes and two vegetable dishes. The stars of the meal were the Kung Pao Chicken, Citrus Shrimp (this wasn't on the menu, my friend asked for it and I recommend you do too) and shoots of the snow pea, which were so tasty and not on the menu (it's worth asking your waiter what they recommend). It's also worth pointing out that you shouldn't order rice off the menu as rice normally comes free (which is normal for most restaurants that serve dishes with rice) or very cheap, so make sure you ask if rice comes with it first.

We were in and out in less than an hour and I really felt satisfied. The portions were huge, and I didn't feel like you were eating lots of food colouring and salt. Joe's is a great place to take your friends and it's cheap. Without a tip the meal cost $70.00 for four people (that's £47.00 based on the exchange rate when I wrote this), at just over £10.00 a head I would say that we got a really good deal.

If there is one place to eat in Chinatown it's Joe's, just make sure you have a flask ready to keep you warm while queuing.

Average price per person: $20.00 / £15.00 including tip
9 Pell Street New York, New York 10013
www.joeshanghairestaurants.com

New York Adventure - Apothéke, Chinatown

An apothecary-themed cocktail bar, Apothéke opened inside a former opium den in Chinatown. This is probably one of the most beautiful bars I have been in for a while, but sadly that is all I have good to say about it.

The mixologists wore white pharmacy coats and created cocktails which fell in to various categories such as 'Health and Beauty' and 'Stress Relief'. At the bar you can watch them crush herbs and spices, infuse different flavours and create a cocktail for every need; sounds exciting, right?

There were four people in my group, two of us had a cocktail, one a red wine and the other a fresh juice. It took over 25 minutes for our drinks to be made, and when they arrived we were told that 'each one was individually crafted' which is why they took so long. We wondered if there were people mashing grapes with their feet out in the back. I ordered 'Lychee three ways' which for some reasons tasted nothing like lychee, which was surprising as it was made with lychees - three ways.

A lychee, which I had 'three ways'

Our 45 minutes were up, so we guzzled our drinks, and nearly coughed them up again when we realised that the 'fresh, individually made juice' (which had approximately five sips) was $10. I also forgot to mention the service, which was bad, very bad, it was almost like the waitress didn't actually want us there. Overall I would say that this is one to miss, which is a shame as it has a lot of potential.

Average price for a cocktail: $15.00
Apothéke, 9 Doyers St., New York, NY 10013

New York Adventure - The City Bakery, Chelsea

If you want to have the most amazing mac 'n' cheese then the City Bakery is the place to go.

The City Baker has an industrial feel to it; it's very open, and has plenty of space for you to sit down. This self-serve eatery is very popular and offers a wide range of food; you know you're visiting a good place to eat when the majority of customers are from New York. From fresh salads, to hot soup, there is definitely something for everyone.

I had the macaroni cheese (which one reviewer claimed to be better than mom would make). Sadly my 'mom' has never made it for me, but I can safely say that it was pure heaven. The cheese was strong enough to give a pleasant tingle at the back of my jaw, and the consistency of the sauce and noodles (pasta) were smooth and not slimy.

My friend had the nacho soup, which came with lime, sour cream and nachos (of course). It was very rich and comforting and could quite easily be a fantastic base for a chili.

To drink I chose Boylan's Black Cherry soda and is now my new addiction. It smells of bakewell tarts and just tastes heavenly with an almost herb-like after-taste.

If there is one place you are going to eat in Chelsea it's the City Bakery, it's fast and satisfying - just remember they charge you by the weight of your food, so chose wisely (that means no heave potatoes!). It's easy to get carried away and pile your box high with everything.

Average price per diner: $15 - you don't have to tip as you serve yourself, but if you are as blown over by the mac 'n' cheese as I was you might want to throw in a few bucks.

City Bakery is at 3 West 18th Street, between 5th and 6th.