This week we’re spending a few days in London, and we’d like to show you around a few of our favorite spots.  We spent about 3 years living here, so instead of showing you the typical touristy things, we want to show you some of our favorite local places.  Of course, there’s way more to see, do, and eat in London than we can cover in a few days, but check out the video below or keep reading to discover some of our favorite places and learn how to cook a recipe for the famous Dishoom cookbook!

We used to live in the Bloomsbury neighborhood of London, and while we were. visiting we wanted to stop into few of our old favorite places.  Bloomsbury has lovely, tree-lined streets, one of our favorites being Lambs Conduit Street.  This pedestrian street is home to lovely cafes, unique spots and lots of British charm.  We love to wander down this street and take in the atmosphere, or pop into a local restaurant for a bite.

Bloomsbury is known for its rich literary history, and The Lamb Pub is a notable literary landmark in the nighborhood. It’s rumored to have been a popular spot for literary legends such as Charles Dickens, Sylvia Plath, and Virginia Woolf. The Lamb has a warm, cozy ambiance, perfect for savoring a pint or a glass of wine. One intriguing feature are the historic “snob screens” that have endured through time. The Lamb is also one of only a handful of pubs to feature historic “snob screens.”  These screens are 19th century artefacts that once separated upper-class patrons from the working class and bar staff are now viewed as a historic relic that add to the pub’s charm. 

Speaking of literature, I also suggest checking out what I think is one of the most beautiful bookstores in thee world, Daunt Books in the lovely neighborhood of Marylebone.  Daunt Books is a large, independent bookstore nestled on Marylebone High Street.  This beautiful bookstore is a must-stop for travel lovers. Its extensive collection of travel writing is unrivaled, and the unique organization by country, rather than genre, makes every visit an exciting exploration.  The atmosphere and design of the store is also worth admiring.  Its high ceilings, wooden banisters and stained glass windows might have you wondering if you accidentally stepped into the world of Harry Potter.

Of course, there is plenty more to explore in the charming neighborhood of Marylebone.  The area is known for having lots of upscale shopping options, but one of our favorite stops is La Fromagerie, a spectacular cheese shop and restaurant just off the high street.  La Fromagerie feels like stepping into a high end farm store, featuring high-quality fresh vegetables and small-batch artisanal goods. However, the true highlight lies within the temperature-controlled cheese room, a haven for cheese lovers that is practically unparalleled anywhere else in London. The restaurant offers an array of dishes that are of course centered around cheese as well as a great selection of wines. On my visit, I couldn’t resist trying their twice-baked soufflé, with arrived surrounded by a moat of the most creamy and indulgent parmesan sauce.

Another great stop in this neighborhood is the Ottolenghi cafe and deli.  Yotam Ottolenghi is a renowned chef with multiple outposts across London. His casual deli and cafe-style locations, like the one here in Marylebone, are celebrated for their inventive and health-conscious salads. In addition to the salads, their elegant window displays of cakes and pastries will ensure that you can’t resist taking a peek as you walk by. Today, we stopped in for some lunch, enjoying a medley of roasted eggplant, char-grilled broccoli, and crispy hispi cabbage salads – a perfect choice for a delicious, and pretty healthy, lunch.

After eating our way throuugh Marylebone, we decided to take a leisurely walk through Hyde Park.  I fell in love with Hyde Park on my first visit to London, well before we actually lived there.  This park is a large green space that creates a calm oasis in the center of the chaotic city.  From vast open lawns where dogs frolic freely to meticulously manicured gardens and tranquil ponds graced by ducks and swans, a simple stroll through Hyde Park is one of our favorite things to do in this city.

During this trip, we’re staying in the South Kennsington neighborhood.  To be honest, we haven’t spent much time in this neighborhood before, so it’s full of new discoveries.  

This neighborhood is full of nice cafes and bakeries.  We enjoyed a lovely morning coffee and croissant at Urban Baristas, and then noticed there was a Bread Ahead bakery down the street.  Best known for its flagship outpost in Borough Market, Bread Ahead is especially famous for their dougnuts.  Despite already having a pastry for  breakfast, I can’t pass up a doughnut from Bread Ahead, so we popped in to grab a few to go!

We can’t talk about food in London without talking about our absolute favorite place, Dishoom.  Dishoom is a very popular small chain in London, and for good reason.  Inspired by the Irani cafés of India, the restaurants aim to recreate the ambiance and flavors of these iconic cafés, which were once bustling social hubs in Bombay.  Dishoom has a loyal following for its delicious Indian cuisine with a menu that pays homage to a wide range of Indian dishes, including street food, kebabs, biryanis, curries, and breakfast items. 

We’ve ordered a number of our favorite dishes today.  We’re kicking things off with some delightful lassis – yogurt drinks often infused with sweet or salty flavors.  The creamy and slightly sweet mango option is my favorite.  Our feast begins with the crispy chili chicken, featuring fried chicken generously coated in a sticky, slightly spicy sauce and garnished with plenty of fresh green onions.  We can never dine at Dishoom without ordering the house black dahl, a lentil dish simmered for 24 hours to create the most perfectly creamy and comforting dish.  We’ve also ordered the specialty of this location, a biryani with a lamb shank cooked inside and topped with flaky pastry.  It’s our first time trying this dish, and like everything else here it does not disappoint.  The lamb is so tender and flavorful and the presentation makes this dish feel extra indulgent.  We’re rounding out the meal with some naan and side dishes for good measure.  

Since we’re speaking so highly of Dishoom, we’ve decided to recreate one of our favorite dishes from the Dishoom cookbook, the Chicken Ruby.  This chicken curry is made from a yogurt-marinated chicken, seared then simmered in a delectable tomato-based sauce flavored with tons of warm spices.  This recipe can be found in the beautiful Dishoom cookbook, we had to adapt it as we couldn’t find all of the exact ingredients in a Dutch grocery store, but follow along as we try to re-create it at home!

Chicken Ruby Recipe (from the Dishoom Cookbook)

Chicken Marinade

Ingredients

• 75 Greek yogurt
• 10 grams fresh ginger root
• 20 grams garlic
• 5 grams sea salt
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 2 tsp oil
• 700 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs

In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, chopped ginger and garlic, sea salt, chili powder, cumin and garam masala.  Squeeze in some lime juice, and add a bit of oil.  Stir this all together until it is well combined.  Pour the marinade over skinless, boneless chicken thighs, turning them to make sure each is completely covered.  Place the chicken in the fridge and let it marinate for 6-24 hours.

Makhani Sauce

• 15 grams chopped garlic
• 20g fresh ginger root
• 20g additional garlic
• 175 ml oil
• 2 bay leaves
• Cardamom pods (6 green and 2 black if you can find them)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 800g chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 ½ tsp chilli powder
• 30g butter
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 20g granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried and crushed fenugreek leaves
• ½ frsh dill
• 80ml double cream plus 50ml more before serving

Toppings

• Ginger matchsticks
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Pomegranate seeds

To make the makhani sauce, you’ll need garlic, ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, crushed tomatoes, butter, some spices, honey, and double cream.  See the description below for the exact amounts of each.  

Begin to prepare the sauce by grating your ginger and a few garlic cloves.

Then, you’ll want to chop and fry a few additional garlic cloves.  Add some oil to a pan on medium-high heat, and then add your chopped garlic.  Fry for a few minutes, until lightly golden brown and crispy, but keep an eye on it and be careful not to burn it.

Remove the garlic, then add some bay leaves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks.  After about one minute, turn down the heat and add the grated garlic and ginger, being careful not to let it burn.

Next, add the tomatoes, salt and chili powder.  Allow the mixture to simmer for about 30 minutes, until it is reduced by half.

Now, it’s time to add the butter and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Then, add the garam masala, sugar, honey, cumin, crispy garlic and dill.  Let it simmer for another 15 minutes or so and finally, add the double cream. 

Now set that aside while you cook the chicken.  The recipe calls for grilling it, but don’t have a grill pan here so we’re just going to cook it in a pan.  Heat some oil in the pan on medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook it on each side for about 5-7 minutes or until it is almost completely cooked through.

Then, add the makhani sauce to the pan along with 50ml more double cream.  Allow the sauce and the chicken to simmer together for about 15 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked.

Now, it’s ready to be served!  Top the chicken ruby with some fresh coriander, pomegranate seeds and ginger matchsticks and enjoy!  We like to serve some white rice along with this, which helps to soak up all of the delicious sauce.