Eating Indian street food at Cafe Diwali

When Crane Street Wine Cafe closed in Salisbury, I was really disappointed because it was my favourite restaurant in Salisbury. However, when I saw a sign in the window of the empty premises to say that an Indian Street food restaurant serving craft beers was coming there, my disappointment was quieted! 
Last weekend, we finally managed to get a babysitter and went to the newly opened Diwali Cafe for supper. I'd tweeted them beforehand and was delighted when they responded - it's always a good sign that you're going to get good service. And, we certainly did, with excellent, attentive service throughout the meal. 

The general layout remains similar to Cranes, but the décor has been refreshed with brighter paintwork and an Indian vibe. We were seated out in the conservatory area and I was pleased to see that the outdoor seating area also remains, it's a lovely sun trap in the summer.

The waiter came over to help talk us through the bijoux menu. Explaining that the menu was deliberately small, with the intention for them to update it every 3 months.

We started by ordering the mini poppadums which were a real treat. I love poppadums anyway, but they tend to be the same in most Indians with similar pickles. Well, not at Cafe Diwali. The mini poppadums come in a variety of flavours - some a bit more spicy, some with caraway seeds. And the pickles were delicious.

For our starters, I had the Mini Raj Kachori which were stuffed Panipuri (kind of a fried, crisp batter) and were super pretty and very tasty. My husband had the Fish Amritshari which were slightly spiced, fried fish goujons. Everything was very good indeed. As were our mains of whole tandoori sea bream and tandoori kebab platter.

As advertised, they also served a wide range of craft beers and a small selection of wines and spirits. I also noticed on their website that they have a kid's menu and a Sunday brunch menu.

Overall, I was really impressed and we will definitely be returning. A nice alternative to the other Indians in Salisbury and in a nice, cafe environment. Yum! I wish we had more independent places like this in Salisbury. It wasn't mega busy in there, so I'd really encourage you to give it a try.

Baroushka is a Lebanese delight!

With a one year old child, we don't often get to go out for an grown up meal. Generally we have to consider whether there is a kid's menu and if baby screaming will offend other diners.

Enjoying a Lebanese kiss

But with a babysitter organised (thanks Mum), we were excited to try the new Lebanese restaurant in Salisbury, Baroushka, as we'd heard great things about it.

Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by a friendly smile and welcomed to our table. And this warm and prompt approach to service continued throughout our meal.

The restaurant was like a long corridor and

My husband with a
Belly Dance

the décor was contemporary but with an Arabian twist. There were lots of mirrors and Moroccan style lights hanging from the ceiling and an open kitchen meaning you can watch your food being made, which I love.

We started with cocktails. I had an Arabian Kiss made from Champagne, strawberry and lychee liqueur and my husband had a Belly Dance which was a mix of massaya arak, cointreau, canadian dry with a lime twist. It's nice to try some fun, new cocktails and they were both delicious.

For our first course we enjoyed a hot and cold mezze to share which had loads of tasty morsels such as Lebanese sausage, hummus with shredded chicken and tabbouleh to share. It was so delicious, I could have eaten two of them myself!

The Lebanese wine

To follow, my husband had a selection of Arabian sausages with hummus, tabbouleh, pitta and harrisa and I had a lamb shawarma with a really sweet pomegranate molasses and tahini dressing.

All washed down with a bottle of Lebanese red wine. I'd never tried wine from Lebanon before and was really impressed. The one we chose, the Altitudes red from Ixsir, wasn't cheap (£28.90) but it was worth every penny. We thought it was similar to some of the wines we'd dried in Saint Emilion earlier in the year as it was rich, dark and oakey with a strawberry finish.

My Shawarma

The whole experience was fantastic. It reminded me of the first time I went to Greece and tried Greek cuisine or the food in Russia. It was like nothing I'd tried before and it felt like I'd gone on a mini holiday to somewhere I'd never been before. 

As well as Lebanese wine, they also had a couple of Araks to try which were served with ice and tasted of aniseed and a selection of beers from Lebanon, Israel and Morocco to try. And non alcoholic "mocktails too. 

Despite it being a Saturday lunchtime over Valentine's weekend, the restaurant wasn't especially busy. I think it's a real shame as I bet all the chain restaurants in Salisbury were packed. It's especially sad as one of my favourite independent restaurants, Crane Street wine cafe recently closed its doors and it amazes me that we still don't support local independents.

The hot and cold Mezze

This place is a real delight and it is refreshing to have something so new and modern in Salisbury. And, if you want to try something completely different and support a local independent then I'd urge you to book a table and give it a try. And, I've just discovered on their website that they do take-away, now then, where's my phone.....

Baroushka can be found at 90 Fisherton Street, Salisbury.

A Monumental sight at Salisbury Cathedral

I was walking the dog through Salisbury Cathedral close this week, when I got a bit of a surprise. A whole load of HUGE statues staring at me from around the Cathedral.

Periodically these sort of art exhibitions arrive in Salisbury and I love it. And, because I live in a bubble of looking after my son, while running the family business, I tend to be completely unaware that they are going to arrive. Like last year when a whole load of Baron statues suddenly appeared. This is similar, but with life sized Minotaurs, giant hares and hands. 

The artwork is by Sophie Ryder who likes to "work big" and create "hybrid beings" from things like old machine parts and toys, weld joins and angle grinders.

Especially, I like the piece called The Lady Hare. This is a huge wire sculpture of a hare combined with a human (apparently the artist's body). There was another wire statue that they were assembling as I walked through called the Kiss. This will straddle the North Walk and also looked pretty immense. 

Salisbury Cathedral has never looked better, especially as the sun was beaming down when I walked through. If you want to take a look, the sculptures will be on display until 3rd July.

Bring on the Barons - an update!

My favourite Baron

After originally writing about the Salisbury Baron Trail in June, I have now, finally found all of the Barons! 

There are 25 in total. And, although you can download a map online, I wanted to try and find all of them myself by simply stumbling across them. However, I've kind of been really busy since then setting up my business so I haven't been to many places to come across the Barons.

Well, today, I finally found the last three! And, I got to hang out at Salisbury fire station. So a double reward.

If you want to go and find the Barons, then they are hanging around until Sunday 6th September when they will all be auctioned off in aid of the Trussell Trust.

Each of the Baron sculptures are decorated by a different artist. I think my favourite one is called "Astro Baron" and is outside the Salisbury Museum. It's decorated by Jenny Leonard and it's modern, space-age theme means it really stands out in its historical setting.

My son playing in the light installations

Although not part of the Barons' trail, I didn't mention the Salisbury Cathedral light installations in my last blog. They are also on display as part of the Magna Carta celebrations so go hand in hand with the Barons' Trail. The interactive Enlightenment which, although has a ridiculous name, is really fun and great for kids and babies to have a sensory experience. It's going to be on display until 7th September too.

So, if you haven't seen any of the Barons or the light installations yet, get yourself down to Salisbury. According to my BBC iPhone app, its going to be quite nice in Salisbury over that weekend.

To read my original article, click here.

Bring on the Barons

If you've been to Salisbury recently, you might have spied some multi-coloured statues littered around the town centre. 

I hadn't heard these little hunched over men were arriving. But they suddenly popped up all over the the place, with a team of stealth volunteers putting them up in the dead of night. And apparently it's the biggest mass participation public event ever to be held in Salisbury. 

The statues are Barons as part of the Magna Carta 800th celebrations and there are 25 of them all over Salisbury town centre. Why Barons? Well apparently there were 25 Barons that originally formed a committee to oppose evil King John and to help ensure he complied with the terms of the Magna Carta. 

They are all designed by different artists so I've had fun trying to collect photos of all of them. And, my Instagram and Facebook are littered with people taking selfies with them. 

You can pick up a map of the Baron Trail at the tourist information office in Salisbury or you can download one online, but where is the fun in that? To date, I've managed to stumble across 19 of them and I have until September to find the remaining 6. 

As well as being a fun way to see different parts of Salisbury, the Baron Trail also supports the Trussell Trust, the UK's leading poverty charity. If you enjoy the trail, you can text TBCS15 £5 to 70070 to donate £5 to the charity. Plus they are all being auctioned off in October to trial even more money for the Trussell Trust. 

Where to go for lunch with a baby in Salisbury

When I first had my son, I used to panic a bit about where to meet my friends and family for lunch. I needed somewhere that was child friendly, big enough to fit a buggy (or several buggies) and with baby changing facilities. It is astounding how many pubs and restaurants in Salisbury don't have baby changing rooms or have steps up to the toilets. 

So, in the last 8 months, these are the places that I have found to be most child friendly. I haven't been everywhere, so if you have any recommendations then please let me know and I'll update this little post. I was going to take photos of the changing rooms, but I concluded that would be just strange!

Happy lunching mothers (and fathers)!

Cosy Club

49 New Street, Salisbury 
http://www.cosyclub.co.uk/salisbury

When eating at the Cosy Club, you can choose to eat in the bar area, the restaurant or outside in the courtyard garden. The best for buggies and babes is probably the bar area where they have sofa sections that are perfect for little ones. However, you can book tables in the restaurant online and request extra space for strollers and in my experience they have been very accommodating. The changing rooms are stand alone which means both mums and dads can change the little ones. They are on the ground floor round in the restaurant. 

Salisbury Cathedral Refectory

Salisbury Cathedral, the Close, Salisbury,
http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/visit/refectory

This is a staple Tuesday destination for me and my Mum friends. The toilets are large and smell nice and never seem to be occupied. Again, they are stand alone so not just women have to do the changing. There's lots of space for buggies and they have large booth areas that are perfect for families and groups of parents. They have really nice high chairs, not those dreadful wooden ones which large kids can escape from and small kids wobble around in. They also have a kid's toy area, so all-round a great choice. 

Another great thing about the Cathedral, is the Cloisters area is calm, quiet, dry and sheltered. I used to spend hours walking with my buggy round and round there on windy and wet days. The tap tap of the paving stones worked every time to lull my baby off to sleep. I guess it'll probably be less quiet during the height of the tourist season!

Chapter House

Johns Street, Salisbury 
http://thechapterhouseuk.com

I have written about this place in my blog before as it is very friendly and allows for dogs in the bar area. They are also very child friendly and have even offered to hold my little one during a meal! He was going a bit mental at the time! 

Lots of space in the bar area for buggies and stand alone baby changing rooms through the restaurant, round by the hotel reception. 

Starbucks

Silver Street, Salisbury, Starbucks Salisbury

I thought I would mention Starbucks because I think it is the most child friendly of the coffee chains in Salisbury. I wouldn't even go into Costa on the Market Square as its a nightmare trying to navigate round all the tables and chairs. Really nice staff, stand alone baby changing downstairs and lots of room for buggies. 

ASK

Castle Street, Salisbury, http://www.askitalian.co.uk/restaurant/salisbury

Out of all the Italian chains in Salisbury, this is probably the best with babies. The tables are well spread out, so lots of room for buggies (unlike Prezzo which is a nightmare!) and baby changing downstairs. 

Waitrose

Churchill Way West, Salisbury
http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/bf_home/bf/226.html

I've only been here a couple of times because it is a bit of a walk out of the town centre. The main cafe (there are two now) is large and spacious, plus you get free coffee with your Waitrose card. Toilets can get pretty busy and can therefore be a bit dirty sometimes (but nowhere near as bad as the ones in Debenhams). But the toilets are stand alone so men and women can do the changing. 

I don't want you to think I have spent my entire maternity leave being a lady who lunches. But there has to be some benefits to all these sleepless nights and weight gain! 

I look forward to hearing from you with your suggestions of new places we can try. 

Mother's Day lunch at the Chapter House, Salisbury

My son turned 6 months old the day before Mother's Day, so we had two reasons to celebrate my first ever Mothering Sunday. 

We decided to go out for lunch just as a family. The pub round the corner from my house has recently reopened so we thought we would try there. The Pub used to be called the Chapter House, then the Lazy Cow and now it is the Chapter House again. 

Mother's Day menu

It reopened in December and pretty much has the same decor as the previous incarnation but with a bit less clutter and freshened up. It's pretty funky with cow hide seats and trendy lighting but with perhaps more of a traditional feel.  

We had the second lunch sitting (2.30pm) and it was packed which was a good sign given it was so new. The staff were really friendly and they even gave us a water bowl for our dog (dogs are allowed in the bar area) and helped to clear space for our buggy. There was a British Bulldog at the next table and she and our Border Terrier soon became friends. 

A selection of the food we ordered

They had a special Mother's Day menu which was reasonably varied although might not have offered that much choice for vegetarians. Much more affordable than the previous pub, the Lazy Cow, and the food was more traditional pub fair rather than the pretentious food they served before. I think the owners must have a South African connection as there were some interesting choices on the menu which gave it an unusual twist. 

Adam opted for the Boerewors with Chakalaka to start! These were South African meaty sausages with relish. He then had the largest serving of ribs I ever saw and he nearly demolished the lot. I was so proud. I had calamari and chorizo to start followed by roast beef. I was really impressed with the roast beef as it came rare whereas it is often over cooked in pubs and with a huge Yorkshire pudding. No aunt Bessie's here. 

Backsberg Pinotage

I decided to treat myself to a glass of wine and chose a bottle of Backsberg Pinotage from South Africa. It was very fruity and herby but not too heavy, very delicious. It was £23.95 a bottle so not too bad. I had a glass and the hubby finished off the rest! Their cheapest red wine was a Chilean Cab Sav at £16.95 a bottle. 

All the food was really good quality and the staff were very attentive throughout. The bill came to £60 which I think is reasonable given we had starters, mains and a bottle of wine. 

Baxter enjoying his lunch

If you're looking for a town centre pub in Salisbury, this place is definitely now in my top 3 along with the Cosy Club and Bills. It's got 15 rooms as well for those travelling from out of town. Nearest parking is Brown Street car park or the multi storey at the Old George mall. 

We will definitely be back, especially since we know our furry friend is welcome. Well, it is our local after all and you should support local.....

The Francais from the flames

When Charter 1227 restaurant in Salisbury went up in flames a few years ago I was so sad.

I'd love to say it was due to my disappointment for the owners and the loss of a historic building in Salisbury. Nope! I was mostly sad because Charter 1227 was supposed to be one of the best restaurants in Salisbury and I had never been. And partly sad as the fire also took the best fish and chip shop in Salisbury with it, Stoby's. Yes I know. The pain was all mine!

So you can imagine my self-centred delight when the restaurant reopened earlier this year, with the same owners and a new and improved menu!

As it was our anniversary, we thought we'd go and have a try. You know, to support the regeneration of Salisbury and local businesses....

The restaurant didn't look much from the outside. But up a fairly steep set of steps (yes I was worried about falling down them!) we found an open plan restaurant, with a modern, fresh feel, yet with a nod to the past.  Our table had a great view overlooking the market square and, as we were in the corner, the rest of the diners. I love to sit "eyes out" in a restaurant, although I occasionally get told to stop staring.


 

Our waiter was really friendly and took the time to chat and make us feel welcome. We ordered a bottle of Chianti and we were given a delicious slice of olive oil laden focaccia bread (which the squeeze could have eaten three more of, even though it was a generous size!).

To start, I had beetroot and goats cheese salad with walnut dust and raspberry essence. The squeeze had Wiltshire pork ballotine, black pudding and apple and vanilla purée. For main, I had Roast rump of lamb, mint potato croquettes, zucchini topped Provencal vegetables and pea purée. The squeeze destroyed char grilled duck breast with braised leeks, celeriac purée, port and blackberry infused sauce.

Yes, your dribbling mouth is correct. It was all absolutely delicious.

In my opinion, there are no other restaurants in Salisbury quite like Charter 1227. Yes, there are lots of great places to eat, but nothing truly refined like this one.

If you want a huge plate of food, served to you within moments, it's probably not for you. But if you want plates of food that look like works of art, with each morsel tasting delicious and surprising and where you get personal service, then you'll love this place. And, if like me you're into your chinaware, and always turn your side plate upside down to look at the brand, everything is served on Villeroy and Boch.
At the end, Danny the chef and owner popped over to say hello and ask about our dining experience. He seemed so passionate and genuine and it was a cordial touch.

And, I managed to get down the stairs without falling over. Another commendable achievement.

A bit of PYO in the sunshine

I have lots of fond memories of PYO from when I was young. (That's Pick Your Own for those that don't know!) Spending hours rummaging through bushes to find strawberries and raspberries which rarely found their way into the plastic punnet and going home with red fingers and a sore belly.

Beautiful Ansty's PYO farm

So on a sunny Sunday a few weeks ago, I headed off with the current squeeze to forage for some fruit. We chose Ansty's Pick Your Own which is on the A30 about 10 miles outside of Salisbury.

 

The photos on their website don't do this place any justice, because it is absolutely stunning. The PYO is set at the foot of some very steep hills which are littered with huge, white regimental badges which were carved into the chalky hills by soldiers during the First World War. The rows of fruit are beautifully maintained and the whole place felt a bit like some of the vineyards I have visited.

The lovely farm shop at Ansty's

The farm has a lovely little shop and cafe with all sorts of cakes and organic produce for sale. We went home with more fruit than we could possibly ever have eaten and a selection of treats from the shop. It wasn't cheap, but it was very, very good.

Before we headed to Ansty's we went to a Pick Your Own place near Salisbury called Bake Fruit Farm. However, when we got there it was closed! On a sunny Sunday, we couldn't believe there wouldn't be enough trade to merit opening.

It's sad that more people don't do PYO. You get to choose the best fruit, you know it's ripe and fresh and it is certainly more rewarding than pushing a trolley round the supermarket. Essentially, it's like a workout and a picnic rolled into a shopping trip.

The only thing missing? A spot of champagne. It would have been amazing to sit in the sunshine, look out over the lovely view whilst dipping strawberries in a glass of fizz.

A welcome change to a traditional curry

I've always loved going for a curry. Traditionally, this has been at the end of a night out, accompanied by several pints of lager with the food temperature as hot as possible!

Don't get me wrong, I still have a lot of time for that sort of curry experience, and sometimes, there is nothing better than a lamb rogan josh and a pint of Cobra. Recently though, I've been introduced to the world of gourmet Indian dining, which is a completely different way of enjoying Indian cuisine.

Chickpeas and baby aubergine curry in Gujarati spices from the menu at Anokaa

I've been to a few of these restaurants near where I live in the South of England. Included among the best is Kuti's Brasserie in Southampton which is on Oxford Street and serves great food with a friendly atmosphere. Hox Brasserie near the train station in Salisbury is excellent. I would recommend the Goan Fish Curry as it is exquisite. And you generally get a free liqueur (fake Baileys) at the end of the meal at Hox, which I would never turn down!

However, for me, there is nowhere like Anokaa on Fisherton Street in Salisbury, and it is probably my favourite restaurant in the area. 

Their strap line is "Style. Sophistication and Sheer Seduction" and Anokaa apparently means "exceptional" in Hindi which may seem a little over the top. But this place holds a special, little, romantic place in my heart, so for me, couldn't be more accurate.  

Soft shell crab - with kumquat chutney, from the Anokaa menu

The restaurant is modern in decor, but in an interesting juxtaposition, the staff all wear traditional clothing. The food is a fusion between Indian flavours and spices, and British classics. So think steak cooked Asian style, or Welsh lamb in a stir fry. And all the food comes beautifully presented, like a piece of artwork on your plate, with an array of saucy chutneys, dips and drizzles. 

Whenever I go, I either have the soft shell crab, or the mixed fish platter for starter. And last time I had the aubergine and chickpea curry which was so beautiful it seemed a shame to eat it, and I would also recommend the char grilled halibut with tomato and shrimp broth served with curry leaf quinoa. 

Often you think beer is more suited to a hot curry, but I think a good red can go really well. There is a wide selection of wines at Anokaa and this time we had a lovely bottle of MAN Vinters Pinotage from the Stellenbosch region. I promise myself that I will only have one bottle, but I always end up having another and they never rush you though your meal so you can sit back and slurp away.

MAN Vinters Pinotage, enjoyed at Anokaa

One restaurant that I thought was very disappointing was the Coriander Lounge in Southampton. I'd been recommended to eat there by several people and was looking forward to going. However, despite making a reservation, we had to queue to be seated, and there was no area for waiting in, so we were literally had to stand in a line by the door. When we were finally shown to our table, we were asked what we wanted to drink before we even opened the menu. This set the precedent for the rest of the meal, where we were rushed through service, which offered a thoroughly uncomfortable dining experience.

Having said that, I must concede that the food was delicious. I enjoyed the Tandoori Mackerel and my friend had the coriander monkfish which was also exceptional. Just sort out the service.... please! 

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A pint worth walking two hours for

I’m not exactly a rambler. I’m no good at reading maps, panic if I lose phone reception and have no appropriate “outdoors” clothes. However, I can be persuaded if there is an offer of food or booze (or both!) at the end of it, and if it isn’t too long or hard.

So the walk along the Clarendon Way from Salisbury to Pitton is perfect for me. You can do it in under two hours, and one of the nicest country pubs in the Salisbury area is at the end of it, the Silver Plough.

 










The walk is quite interesting as it takes you past the Clarendon Palace which was a favoured hunting lodge for Norman Kings and the Plantagenets. Not much remains of the Palace now, apart from a few flint walls and a herd of random alpacas.

I’ve done this walk a couple of times. Well I should probably say that I’ve got lost on this walk a couple of times, and I’ve never found an article or website that gives a good, detailed description of the walk. So I thought I would provide my account of how to walk along this section of the Clarendon Way. I hope this helps prevent you from getting lost!

When you get to the Silver Plough, you’ll definitely deserve a bite to eat and a glass of something nice.

For a village pub, the food has quite a gastro pub, bistro feel to it, and they have a great selection of wines. Last time I was there, I enjoyed Bream from the specials menu with a nice glass of Shiraz. There’s a good selection of Real Ales, I am a fan of the Fursty Ferret. The pub also has free WIFI which means you can check in on Four Square or upload pictures of your energetic walk to Facebook!

Directions from Salisburyto the Silver Plough, via the Clarendon Way:

• Walk out of Salisbury via Milford Street towards Laverstock
• You’ll cross the River Bourne at the Milford Bridge before carrying up Queen Manor Road
• Once you get to Rangers Lodge Farm, you’ll see the first signs for the Clarendon Way Walk. Keep your eye out for these, and the arrows pointing you along the route
• Continue through the farm until you get to a large field where there is a sign post directing you diagonally across it
• At the end of the field, you’ll find a defined road/path which will take you gently up the hill
• Near the top of the hill, there is a look out point, which it is worth climbing up to, as it has excellent views over Salisbury and the Cathedral, and gives you an idea of how far you have walked
• You’ll then pass Clarendon Palace itself, which has a herd of alpacas in it (be careful if you have dogs, as the alpacas can chase them)
• After the field with the alpacas in it, you come across or defined path that has recently been upgraded
• After a short walk of around 60 metres there is a turning on the left that is easy to miss so look out for it!
• Continue on the path through the trees and log piles until you come to four cottages
• Go straight over here, while keeping the cottages to your right, when you follow the path, it will bring you to a road
• Turn left on the road past the red phone box, and then turn right up the hill until you reach the Silver Plough

If the urge takes you, the Clarendon Way then carries on for 24 miles to Winchester. There is a popular charity walk that takes place every June in aid of the Naomi House Children’s Hospice where you walk from Winchester Cathedral to Salisbury Cathedral. Now, there must be more than one pub along that route…..