Tuesday 12 February 2008

a weekend snack

I would have posted this yesterday, but Flickr seemed to be having 'issues'...

Anyway, continuing on the eating out theme from my last post, this is what I had for a light lunch at the weekend, while out with friends.

First up, some of this:

chicken and truffle crostini 2

That was chicken and truffle pate crostini, in case you're wondering. My, were they good...

Then I had these two salads:

bean and tomato salads

The one at the front is pretty much what it looks like: French beans with sunblush tomatoes, red onion, olives, pine nuts, and Mont Enebro cheese. The other, in case you want to zoom in...

tomato bonconcini salad

... is again what it looks like - tomato and marinated bonconcini salad with basil. It might not sound particularly spectacular, but it was the best of its kind - the tomatoes were amongst the sweetest I've ever tasted, and the bonconcini was meltingly wonderful and delicious.

And no, I didn't stop there. Next up was this dish:

clams in sherry

Shall we zoom in again?

clams in sherry 2

There we go - a dish piled high with big, fat juicy clams, cooked with sherry and jamon, not to mention plenty of garlic. Lip-smackingly good. (Sorry about photo quality. The lighting - or lack thereof - pushed my li'l camera to its very limits.)

I also devoured (I was sharing these things, in case you're a bit aghast) some roast squash with chestnuts and roasted onions with rosemary, but the photo didn't turn out so well. You'll just have to imagine...

Oh, and because we really felt the need to finish on a high note, we rounded all this off with a big fat slice of this...

lemon polenta cake

... lemon polenta cake - complete with cream very unpicturesquely poured over by me. Still, the cake didn't suffer for it. In fact, it had all disappeared within about 30 seconds of the photo being taken... Moist but light, hinting of lemon all the way through without being dominated by it, and with that texture that only polenta can give. Fabulous.

Where did we have this little ensemble? Fortunately for me, at a place 'in my manor' (as David Beckham would say), called The Fat Delicatessen.

Fat Deli counters

Run by two of the nicest guys around, Simon and Lee, it's fast become the place to eat around here (they opened just over a year ago) if you like good food. Both of the boys are fantastically adept in the kitchen, and turn out great, robust dishes with a deceptively light touch. You won't be surprised to learn that they're both old hands in the industry, having done stints at some of the most well-known restaurants in the country. They really know what they're doing, and it shows in every mouthful of food they serve.

Am I lucky, or what? Happy as a clam, even...

Fat Delicatessen on Urbanspoon

22 comments:

Peter M said...

That's a great spread...I paid particular attention the the clams.

Pixie said...

All that food looks wonderful and yes, I thought you ate it all by yourself at first. I know I would have!

In case you missed it, you've been given an award from me. (nice matters)

http://yousaytomatoisaytomato.blogspot.com/2008/02/oh-happy-days.html

Maria Verivaki said...

give me more!!!!!!!

Manggy said...

Ah yes the clams-- we could zoom on that aallll day :)

lorraine@italianfoodies said...

Wow it all looks amazing!! Can I come next time, I LOVE clams!!:)

Rosie said...

What a delightful spread of food. It all looks so delicious but I loved the look of the tomato and marinated bonconcini salad with basil.... drool :D

Rosie x

Cakespy said...

Those glossy tomatoes were one thing...but that LEMON POLENTA CAKE!? This is wonderful. I am so glad I found this.

Heather said...

Aw man that all looks so good. I totally forgot that I've been meaning to teach myself how to make "potted chicken". Thanks for the reminder!

Cynthia said...

You are indeed lucky! I wish I had some place like that to lunch everyday.

Cookie baker Lynn said...

It all looks delicious. Everyone else can divvy up the clams - I'll go for the salad. Those tomatoes look amazing, not like the styrofoam balls in the stores around here.

Anonymous said...

The clams got my attention. They look so succulent! And don't get me started on the lemon polenta cake; lovely. *drools*

Anonymous said...

What an amazing spread of ...snacks! Geez, I wish I could eat like this in one day. I agree with what someone here said..."give us more!!"

Mike of Mike's Table said...

That looks delicious. And I'd never heard of polenta in dessert form--interesting stuff!

Naomi Devlin said...

Those salads look just mouthwatering and polenta cake - well, I think you were a bit mean with the cream, slosh it on girl!

Yum yum yum!

x x x

Sylvie said...

I wish I had a place like that close by. What a fantastic looking treat.

Nic said...

Looks wonderful - save that bean salad for me please!

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Mmmm... I'll take a bowl of the string beans please. And maybe just a taste of cake. Well, ok a couple of tastes.

Unknown said...

Every single one of those dishes looks superb, but the two that got me salivating were the clams and the lemon polenta cake. Polenta cake? Who'da thunk? Never put polenta and cake in the same thought before. Gotta love that inspiration!!

Nina Timm said...

Oh yes, I have made this lemon polenta cake before and it was stunning.

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