Kew Blooms

Kew Blooms a photo by pjpink on Flickr.

Kew Gardens in London is quite extensive and lovely to visit any time of year. They feature wonderful glasshouses. The Waterlily House was particularly quaint.

We visited Kew Palace and the Kitchens as well as Queen Charlotte's Cottage for a historical view.

The Xstrata Treetop Walkway was very cool where one can stroll among the soaring trees and just glimpse the modern London skyline.

A favorite spot for us was the rock garden housing water features, rocks, and all manner of succulents.

Kew Gardens can be easily reached via the London Underground. Plan to make this an outing for the entire day or more. We spent the day there and still did not cover everything.

Quo Vadis

Quo Vadis. A Latin phrase meaning "Where are you going?" A novel in the time of Nero. A famous movie from the 1950's. What is Quo Vadis to us? A quirky Soho restaurant serving up traditional British fare with a tongue-in-cheek attitude. The dining room was furnished with white tablecloths, yet the flowers were seemingly fresh-from-the-field daisies, contributing to a relaxed atmosphere.

The menu refreshes daily and the top features the date and the weather. We dined on a cloudy evening. The cartoons remind me of 18th century pamphlets.

The menu features traditional comfort food, or I assume this is comfort food for the Brits. Nothing we ordered was fancy, but the ingredients were high quality and the preparation made everything delicious.

We ordered a bottle of red from the Loire Valley featuring a blend of merlot and cabernet franc. I lovely red that was a good choice for our entrees.

We shared a plate of crab cakes and mayonnaise. Herby and crispy on the top and bottom. A lovely beginning to our dining experience.

Hubby then had the poached cod with potatoes. As you can see from the photo, this plate seemed very plain, but he thoroughly enjoyed the fish and the potatoes were exceedingly fork tender. Comfort food, indeed.

Quo Vadis offers a different Pie and Mash every day. On our visit, the pie was chicken with a few leeks thrown in. It was served piping hot and the chunks of chicken fell apart as my fork touched the morsels. The dish was served with a large bowl of silky smooth and tasty mashed potatoes. A hearty meal. In fact, so hearty dessert (or pudding) was skipped.

Quo Vadis has been in operation since 1926. They have changed ownership several times over the years, but always seem to have a delicious reputation. This recent incarnation was a winner for us.

Windsor Castle

A short train ride from London stands Windsor Castle and village along the Thames. When we went to the train station to purchase transportation tickets, the guy behind the counter checked to make sure the castle was open for visitors on that day. The castle is closed when the queen is in residence. The queen was coming the next day, so we were good to go.

The line to get in can be long since everyone must also go through security. We liked the fact that we were travelling during the off season. The royal abode which dates back to Norman times is quite extensive. The upkeep and maintenance is so good that the walls look like fake ones from a Disney castle.

We saw a few of the Queen's guards marching about and the state apartments that were open were fairly extensive (no photos inside, however). We also could visit St. George's Chapel (again, no interior photos).

We were perplexed to see that Windsor is in the flight path of Heathrow. Many planes flew low and directly overhead.

But Windsor also is a village with a nice park along the Thames. The main street was dotted with shops and restaurants. We ate lunch at Meimo, a Moroccan restaurant and enjoyed chicken tagine and some Moroccan coffee.

Since it was a nice day, lots of folks were strolling around the river area. The swans were happy as well.

This was a lovely day trip.

Camden Market

Yes, London does have a zoo, but the really wild times are just beyond the zoo at Camden. The trek along the canal is peaceful enough, but as one approaches the locks there is an explosion of people and goods and good things to eat. We were overwhelmed.

We happened upon the food vendors right at lunch time. I had to have the duck confit baguette. So delicious and only 5 pounds. Hubby went for the unusual. A vendor called Game On featured burgers from different sources such as crocodile, kangaroo, and springbok. The last offering was camel and that is what hubby tried (I had a bite, too). The taste was a cross between ground beef and ostrich and cost 6 pounds. Very interesting and not something I have seen around RVA, yet.

We then wandered around the shops full of vintage and non-so-vintage items. A great slice of market life. Lunch is definitely worth wading through the crowds.

Check out some snaps:

Barges along the canal

The not-so-vintage lane

Camden Locks

Folks in costume encourage tourists to visit particular market areas

Vintage cameras

The makings of a toasted cheese sandwich

Yummy duck confit!

Camel burger with sauteed onions and a toasted bun

Cookies to drool over

La Porte des Indes

We experienced a most excellent dinner at La Porte des Indes. From the outside the restaurant looks to be a small place, but looks can be deceiving. La Porte des Indes actually occupies a former Edwardian-era ballroom. Two floors of elegantly dressed tables and chairs with skylights to effect a tropical feel in the middle of London.

The restaurant prepares dishes traditional to the Pondichery area which was influenced years ago by the French. The executive chef, Mehernosh Mody, boasts numerous awards.

Both food and service was fantastic. And, per usual for any London restaurant, the wine list had many tempting selections. We decided to imbibe a Pinot Auxerrois from Alsace. To eat we began with Chicken Tandoori and Sunhere Samosas containing chicken and vegetables and served with a mango chutney. Both were tasty starters. For entrees, we both ordered meals that we have not seen on our neck of the woods: Achari Salmon (from the tandoori grill) and Magret de Canard Pulivaar (duck breast in tamarind sauce). Wow! Both were packed with spicy (but not hot) flavor.

I know there are other phenomenal Indian places in London, but the decor, service, and offerings at La Porte des Indes is a great place for folks fairly new to Indian cuisine (and from across the pond) to experience.

Lunch and Art at Tate Modern

Tate Modern is the most popular and famous of the Tate galleries. The converted power plant is massive, imposing, and iconic. While not all of the art is to my liking, the images always create conversation. The great thing about Tate Modern is that the permanent collection is free and photos are allowed.

The other cool thing about Tate Modern is the Restaurant. Located on the 6th floor with tons of windows and light streaming in. We arrived for an early lunch. While the window seats overlooking the Thames were already booked, we could still choose the south facing tables. The 6th floor also has cafe service where one can order and sit at a bar facing St. Paul's Cathedral.

The menu features a nice wine list and a varied list of entrees from fish to duck to venison. We ordered a nice La Source Rose and selected Salmon and Roast Breast of Guinea Fowl to eat. We were also provided bread and butter.

We had a lovely lunch with quite a view. Since we arrived early, the restaurant was quiet. Upon finishing our meal we wandered through the various floors in search of the strange, unusual, and occasionally, the familiar.