A Little Taste of South American in London

I am very happy to report that there is a great South American, Argentinian actually, restaurant right in our front yard here in Richmond! I met up with my girlfriends, Charlie and Jenny, for lunch at the Gaucho Grill and had a great time chowing down on ceviche and churrascos. We have already thought of dessert and coffee at another time as we were way too full to get it this go around.

I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised by the food here in London. Most of you who know me, know that I am a foodie...I love to cook and try new things, and I like good food. I was warned of many things before coming here, such as...They don't have peanut butter...They don't have salad dressing...and you will never see the sun again. These things turned out to be untrue as did the warning of really terrible food. Just like any place, you have to be a little choosey on where you decide to dine. For example, you probably wouldn't order a steak from IHOP and expect it to be steakhouse quality. Here, we have eaten some bad food...English breakfasts are not our favorite...but if you go to a family owned place that cooks food of their family specialty, you will be in pretty good shape. Eating out is very expensive unless you grab a sandwich in a little cafe. Fortunately, the grocery store food is very good as well. It's about 50% more expensive as compared to US prices, but it's London and what can you expect? The pre-made food tastes just like home-made...they don't really use preservatives or artificial ingredients, so what you get is exactly what you would have put together at home...without the time and cleanup afterwards!

My new favorite sandwish combo is tuna/sweet corn/cucumber/mayo...and always on toasted bread (a "toastie" they call it). Try it! I guarantee you'll like it!