Hyper Japan 2013 Special: Bento Ramen

It took some effort to figure out something to write for this entry; my initial reaction was, 'well, what can I really say about the ramen?' and I suppose this says something about the unremarkable nature of it. It's not bad, but it doesn't have any hugely stand-out qualities either.

The soup is based on miso, not MSG-laden packet stock - which is a definite plus - but the flavour of it was rather weak. The few bits of spring onion in there didn't bolster it enough to stop it tasting a bit watery. Points for using real ingredients, but the ramen soup is crucial and should be robust. Despite the humble status of ramen outlets in Japan, ramen chefs take pride in the soup and it plays a large part in the signature of the house.

2 ebi tempuras and 4 fish balls in ramen

The fried fish balls were the flavour highlight, and plump and juicy with a satisfying spring in the texture. The ebi (prawn) tempura was of a decent size and the breadcrumbs held together despite being subjected to the soup for a good few minutes. The noodles were cooked well; soft but firm in texture, slick without being slimy. The problem was, it felt like they were just floating around lost in the watery broth. Even the added ingredients didn't impart enough flavour to make the soup satisfying.

Perhaps the idea was to customise the soup using the available soy sauce, but that shouldn't be at the expense of base flavour. Perhaps the demands of catering for hundreds of patrons at Hyper Japan lowered the standards for the day; but as it stands my experience with Bento Ramen was distinctively mediocre and for £7, I was disappointed.

Hyper Japan 2013 Special: Beschle Chocolate

It takes hard work to get noticed amidst the bustle of London's biggest Japan-themed event, with a plethora of stalls and people dressed in all manner of outlandish costumes vying for your attention. However, I met my match in the deadliest weakness of every foodie - free samples. That drew me to Beschle's stall nicely.

£20 worth of chocolate. I don't really need electricity, right?

As I gazed over the shelf of products on display one thing caught my attention. In quietly understated lettering, the word 'Criollo'. Until last year, this wouldn't have meant anything to me - but until last year, I hadn't discovered the delights of the criollo cocoa bean in artisanal Mexican chocolate. The criollo is the king of cocoa beans, far rarer, more expensive and complex than its brethren. Think deep, intense flavour, nuttiness and a complexity that leaves your palate satisfied (exhausted?) after just a small piece. Simply put, criollo is chocolate taken to the next level.

Since finishing my treasured Mexican bars I had been looking without success for chocolate in the UK that uses these incredible beans, to no avail. Now I found that Beschle's bars used these little-known gems. Think how much more they had my attention now, and how high my expectations suddenly were!

First I tried the matcha (a form of high-grade powdered Japanese green tea). I will say this now: You will not find a higher quality matcha chocolate in the U.K. Just take a look at this packaging - detailed, exquisite.

A work of art in itself.

The contents are suitably premium, with enough matcha to bring out the pleasant bitterness that pairs so well with sweets. Personally, I am a matcha fiend and I would have preferred more matcha and less sugar in the balance to hit the sweet spot, but this is far ahead of anything you will find in import shops.

The pistachio flavour, lightly salted, really brought out the savoury aspects of the bean which is where much of the delicious complexity lies. My favourite of those sampled though was unusually a bar of white chocolate in the lassi (an Indian yogurt drink) flavour. I love dark chocolate but this knocked my socks off. Creamy and mellow with the grounding, satisfying depth of cocoa, mildy citrus and lightly spiced with cardamom all at once, it was everything an adventurous flavour should be.

Brand Manager David with his treasure.

The U.K. manager of the brand has a clear passion for the brand, and I can see why. I have no hesitation in recommending it, especially for criollo first-timers. Pay them a visit at Hyper Japan, or pick some up at Fortnum & Mason's. You might find your chocolate matcha made in heaven.

       

Paddington, this one's for you.

Treatz Dessert Parlour

When I was a child I had a Paddington Bear book in which he pined after a knickerbocker glory. It instilled in me a reverence for the dessert as some kind of ultimate exercise in reckless, childish sugar-abandon. Before now, it had existed merely as an idea in my mind; this day it would become reality. As soon as I saw it on the menu, I knew it: I had a date with destiny.
 

You don't get named 'glory' for nuthin'. 

And so I introduce to you 'Treatz' in Slough, complete with localised spelling (how considerate of them). The decor of the place is in an upbeat, funky purple, with everthing from the soft-backed chairs to the lampshades giving off a modernised 1950s diner effect. As well as various ice cream-based desserts they serve waffles, crumbles, crepes and more.

When the Knickerbocker Glory I'd ordered arrived (minus the trumpet fanfare I had been expecting) it turned out to be a bit of a behemoth. Layers of sauce, various ice creams and cream, slathered with seemingly every sauce they had on top as well as sprinkles and strawberries, with a couple of wafers thrown in for good measure. Glorious indeed. I was going to need that long spoon. My first, incautious mouthful led to a combination of sauce flavours that clashed a bit. Undeterred, I picked my spoonfuls more carefully, chiseling away at the beast like an artist and exploring every bit. Mango, strawberry, chocolate. Taking a deep core sample brought up several ice cream flavours all at once. And then, just when I thought I'd seen it all, a hidden piece of juicy, sugared fruit in the jam-like base ambushed me. Delicious. Could the good run continue with the next dish?

The raspberry and apple crumble was bit different to a traditional type, having an interesting granola-like topping. I suppose it was less 'crumbly' for this but it provided a wonderful varied texture between the oats and other toppings, held together in a slightly sticky way -perhaps with honey or treacle. The apple inside was perfectly balanced in softness and the raspberries were fantastically plump; though I would have liked a few more of them. The topping was a little oversweet alone so the slight tartness of fruit without excessive sugar balanced it nicely. Unfortunately the custard was unremarkable and lacking in depth of flavour which makes me suspect it was from instant powder. Thankfully it wasn't too sweet but with such a nice crumble it could have done with an upgrade to match. 

Because warm custard and crumble helps digestion of ice cream. Obviously.  

 

Mint tea in lovely dainty glasses 

The mint tea was a great palate-cleanser and in itself was really quite tasty with a wonderful aroma. Opening the pot we found a couple of bags of Lipton yellow label mixed with plenty of mint leaves. Light and refreshing, it was definitely the right choice to have with rich desserts. 

There is a TV playing films, there are lots of kids around and some of the kitchen machines are rather loud so it can get quite noisy in there. It's a fun little date place but not intimate or romantic. It has more of a bustling, energetic vibe, bordering on overload. Still, you can have a conversation, most of the time. 
The desserts with two mint teas came to £12.24 which I would say is mid-range for town. All in all, definitely a place worth visiting and I'll be going again. A child on his way out emphatically said, "thank you very, very, very, very, VERY much!" He's not the only satisfied customer (and possibly not the biggest kid there either).

1 JUN 2013

Layer upon layer of sheer childish glee. The mint tea makes it all grown up (and helps with the cream moustache left after tackling this beast).