Arriving in London, first stop: Granary Square in King’s Cross
For Christmas, we gave Dook and Els a 3 day trip to London in February. I really love London and have been lucky enough to go quite often over the years, so I volunteered to create the itinerary. Not everyone had been in London before, so I created a 3 day introduction to London planning!
We took the train from Brussels, which arrives in St. Pancras International in the King’s Cross neighborhood of London. Because we arrived around lunch time, we started our trip with lunch at Dishoom on Granary Square – one of my favorites! Dishoom is a Bombay-style cafe specializing in street food. So delicious!
Dishoom
Delicious chutneys
Pau Bhaji: a bowl of mashed vegetables with a hot buttered home-made bun – Chowpatty Beach style
Okra fries – my favorite!
Vegetable samosas: fine filo pastry, pea and potato filling warmly spiced with cinnamon and cloves
My plate of starters
I can’t eat Indian food without a lassi! Mango & Fennel Lassi for me and Rose & Cardamom Lassi for Koen
Koen choose the Chef’s Kings Cross Special – Nalli Nihari with Bheja (lamb brain): a robust lamb-on-the-bone stew with generous spice, for strength and protection against faintness of heart. First relished by Nawabs who then employed its fortifying properties to fuel their labourers. Served with sesame-onion-seed naan.
Barbara and I split the House Black Daal: A Dishoom signature dish – dark, rich, deeply flavoured. It is cooked over 24 hours for extra harmony.
Barbara and I also ordered a side of Butter-Bhutta: Corn-on-the-cob, brushed with butter and grilled over charcoal fire. Finished with chilli, salt and lime, Chowpatty beach style.
After lunch we took the Underground to Shoreditch to drop off our luggage at our apartment.
Walking in the Underground station
Taking the escalator down
Arrived in Shoreditch
Headed to our apartment
Our view
After dropping our things off, we headed to Westminster City for our reservation on the London Eye. This was a special request of Dook and a perfect way to see the city!
After the London Eye, we headed to Mayfair for our reservation at the Windmill Mayfair – famous for it’s award winning pies!
View of the London Eye while crossing the bridge
Nikki and Sofie making a quick call
Ready to head to dinner again
The Windmill Mayfair
Cider for me!
My delicious sweet potato fries with basil mayonnaise to start
Vegan and gluten-free pie for my sisters-in-law with sweet potato fries
Koen and I split the Steak & Kidney Pie which had won the most awards
Closeup of our pie
I can’t visit London without at least one Sticky Toffee Pudding!
British cheese plate for Koen!
And as a bonus, we met Adam and Nicole for a drink after dinner!
An American in Antwerp 