Last days in London

So, seven days to go before the big move and not a thing packed. Takes me back to my uni days. Except that now I have a serious job, iron my clothes and own a hoover. That I use.

Anyway, these last few days spent in London are (for me at least) devoted to making the most of what London eating has to offer (bear in mind we are moving to a Channel Island wihich is a 40 minute plane ride away, but imagine a whole ocean between you and the king prawn green curry from your local pub which is the best kept secret in London - faltering fulback in Finsbury park, or day I say it, those 20 McChicken nuggets and BBQ sauce that are the ONLY thing that will make you feel better after a night on the beer). Alas, we have no time to go for a meal at the Bull and Last in Highgate and eat oxtail and bone marrow ravioli, and the crispy pork from the HK diner is receding into the realms of meals that might have been, but I have managed to tick off one of my 'musteatbeforeleavinglondon' items. A hot salt beef bagel from Brick Lane. What can I say other than it was fucking awesome. Warm sweet salty chewy bagel, melt in the mouth, pink salt beef (and lots of it), savoury mustard with a kick that kept rushing down my nose and making me pull stupid faces in the mirrors that line the back wall, and two thick crunchy sweet and vinegary slices of gherkin. It was huge, it cost me £3.30,and it took me about 3 minutes to consume. I ate it standing up flanked on one side by a bin and the other a businessman in a suit and silk scarf whose name I would be willing to bet was Samuel finkelgoldbergstein. I then immediately bought another one 'for my boyfriend' D, and an enormous fresh cream chocolate eclair (80p), which I stashed in my bag and took home for later. As an entirely selfless act I did end up giving the second bagel and eclair to D. I have to say that the cake wasn't all that great, but that may because I am not that into cake, and this was a particularly unrefined and brassy version of (the Barbara Windsor of the cake world).

I would reccomend this to anyone who wants a taste of real London and to eat a bagel the way nature intended. i.e. NOT stuffed with coronation chiken tikka breast and marie rose sauce or something equally ridiculous. Go, please, I promise you wont regret it. Don't expect the lady behind the counter to smile or be pleasant in any way though. This is London after all.