Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack

I've never been a big fan of cats.  This marginal aversion has, however, recently intensified to become an active dislike, after a frenzied feline broke my camera. 

I won't bore you with the details but it involved a Greek Island, the perfect vista, the self-timer, and a rogue paw.  I'm resigned to snapping with my iPhone until it's fixed. 

One thing that the moggies and I could form a friendship over is a serious love of seafood and so, upon returning from holiday, it was off to the newly-opened Bonnie Gull to drown my sorrows in shellfish. 

As we ducked under the striped, seaside shack awning we were greeted with a Captain's welcome.

Inside is small but perfectly formed, with some wonderfully nautical touches that almost make you forget that you're somewhere in Fitzrovia rather than on the Cornish coast. 

We kicked off with some Bloody Marys, each of which was topped with a plump and juicy oyster - a pretty inspired touch. 

With our minds firmly fixed on mollusks, we surveyed the 'catch of the day' map to decide which of the British oyster varieties to sample next... and settled on four of each - wild Loch Ryan Natives, Portland Pearls and Mersea Rocks. 

Having consumed our recommended monthly allowance of Zinc, we then plumped for the North Sea haddock and chips and the sea bass with fennel and grapes.  

Sustainable, fresh, British seafood at its best. 

The restaurant is now fully open and you can even pop in for brunch at the weekend.  I reckon 3 or 4 oyster Bloody Marys would cure even the most raging of hangovers or, at the very least, ease the pain of a cat breaking your camera. 

A lunchtime saviour

Nestled in the shadow of Blackfriars railway arches, is my busy-day-lunch saviour.

Flying Fish Sushi is an independent outfit that delivers freshly made sushi, dim sum and other oriental delights to central London locations. Or if, like me, you work around the South Bank area, you can pop by and collect your haul too.

The retail and office spaces under the railway arches are pretty industrial, but I’m always impressed by how the companies that inhabit them turn them into cosy, quirky spots that are full of character.  

Although Flying Fish is predominantly a takeaway, it’s still made an effort with its ‘front of house’ area so that you can pull up one of the eclectic pews and eat in too.

 


On this occasion I went for:

the pork dumplings, 

                 

Teriyaki salmon salad

                            

crab and mango 
crystal rolls  



                                         






chicken Panko

(I was hungry, okay?!)

A crunchy carrot and Chinese radish salad accompanies the dumplings and dipping sauces, wasabi and ginger are all thrown in.

If I'm forced to have a desk-based lunch, I'll order online, specify a collection time (within a 20 minute slot) and pop down to pick up a freshly made, reasonably priced, rainbow of a meal. It beats an insipid canteen sandwich hands down. 

September New Beginnings

September.  New schools, new Uni's, new jobs, new jumpers. 

It's a month for change, for new beginnings and what a perfect month it is.  Much more preferable to starting a new than January, without those feelings of overindulgence-induced guilt followed by collective sacrifice.  

The summer's drawing to a close and the Olympics and Paralympics have sparked dreams of greatness and achievement. With relatively long evenings and sunny mornings to lift the mood, there's no better time to put a bit of effort into chasing your dreams and passions.

Maybe you've finally decided to put the wheels of that business idea in motion, or maybe these are the first steps towards a healthier and happier you. 

Whatever your reasons for a new beginning, here's a little bit of motivation to help you on your way.