It’s Eat What You Want Day (May 11), apparently, and whatever that actually means, London has the best selection in the world for treating yourself.
Whether it is a fine steak restaurant or an unnecessarily big curry, sometimes a good meal is what you need. But sometimes it is a simple chocolate bar or an exquisite dessert that does the job.
Everyone is different, as listeners to Off Menu Podcast will attest. We would all assemble our perfect food experience in a different way.
Of course not everyone (virtually no one) can afford fine dining, but a special bite to really make your week doesn’t have to be at the top end of the price range. Some of our suggestions here involve cooking at home, or opting for a cheap shop option.
We recently looked at how different supermarkets compare when it comes to loyalty card offers, and came up with some surprising results.
But whatever your taste (and whatever Eat What You Want Day means), why not make your week that little bit better with a special snack or meal. Fried veggie sausage sandwiches for lunch for me, and then possibly a massive paneer balti for dinner.
1. Ice cream!
Shaun: “Do you want anything from the shop?” Ed: “Cornetto?” It’s not quite summer yet, but don’t let that stop you. It’s alway a good time for an ice cream. Listen for the seductive chimes of the ice cream van, or how about Udderlicious, which now has shops in Islington, Boxpark Wembley and Covent Garden. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
2. Chocolate fit for a prince
Prince William is pictured here with five-year-old Harry O’Grady, as they make chocolate truffles at a Christmas party at Kensington Palace. If you can’t get royalty on the case, you could spend £100 on a 100-piece Harrods mixed chocolate box, or you could just get a Twirl or a (somehow still more luxurious) Galaxy. (Photo credit should read RICHARD POHLE/AFP via Getty Images)
3. A nice big curry
Curry can come in all shapes and sizes, from a lovely home-cooked balti to the exquisite delicate flavours of a high-end restaurant. This delicious tandoor-smoked paneer from Kanishka in Mayfair falls into the latter category but why not get a takeaway from your local favourite (mine is Memsaab in Islington) with all the sides and a starter? Or head to Drummond Street or Brick Lane to try somewhere new. Or, for a more affordable option, get all your hobs on the go with a selection of curry sauces, meats and veg from Aldi or Tesco - with plenty left over for lunches for the week. (Photo by André Langlois)
4. A delicious steak
I’m vegetarian but I can still remember the simple, delicious flavour of a perfect rare steak. You could take a punt on a steak anywhere really, but the various Hawksmoor restaurants are always good; the Argentinian chain Gaucho has been a fixture of London for years and has a new opening in Covent Garden in June; and the Danish restaurant Köd has recently opened near Liverpool Street. Or try your local gastropub. Or buy yourself some slabs of meat from your local butcher, and black pepper and butter, et voila. (Photo by Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images for Sainsbury’s)