THE BEST PLACES TO EAT IN THE SIX NATIONS CITIES
Can you hear that? The ‘thwack’ of a leather boot against an egg-shaped ball as its sent sailing though the crisp February air? The gentle gush of innumerable pints of Guinness being poured? Thousands of stomachs rumbling as hungry fans contemplate what are the best places to eat in the Six Nations cities?
Yes, it’s that time of year again. With that in mind, the globetrotting team at SFW have got you with some top picks to go and get yourself fuelled up if you’re attending a game.
Cardiff
We’ve gone deep on our home city before. However, there are some great new additions to the city centre in the past year, including the truly excellent Souvlike. Try the stunning gyros, which will go down a treat after a day on the Brains SA.
Caroline St is as much part of the ritual for rugby fans as belting out ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ is. Souvlike, along with Tortilla and the increasingly ubiquitous Five Guys have added some variety to the beloved assortment of chips-in-a-tray merchants. But if you’re finding town too much to bear then consider hot-footing it to either City Road. It has a fantastic array of foods from around the world. On the other side of the city, Cowbridge Road in Canton will also leave you spoiled for choice.
Image: Jon Candy via Flickr
Dublin
The posh Aviva stadium isn’t in central Dublin. So, you might have to trek in to the city itself to sort yourself out with some top notch food. Bunsen, which specialises in burgers, is legendary among locals. It has restaurants in Temple Bar, Wexford St and Ranelagh. Thankfully, there’s a few destination street food markets too. Eatyard, near the Portobello canal being one of the most well-known. It offers a wide selection of street food and slow food with influences from around the world.
Image: Rennett Stowe via Flickr
Edinburgh
Edinburgh offers no shortage of excellent locations for a good food. Here, you can find everything from from new twists on traditional Scottish favourites to dishes from around the world. Once the match is over, hop on the light railway that’s located at Murrayfield stadium and cruise back into the City Centre to Haymarket. You'll be greeted by has no shortage of Chinese restaurants. Xiang Bala is an all-you-can-eat Chinese hotpot joint that’s sure to sort you out after a cold day at the ruggers.
Image: Puffin11k via Flickr
London
London is a city which your every culinary desire can be satisfied.
'Twickers' is served by Richmond Underground station, and also has its own train station which goes to Waterloo in less than half an hour. From here, London is your Oyster. Camden, Brixton, Islington, Shoreditch, with their embarrassments of good places to eat, are all accessible directly or with a change or two.
Image: Oatsy44 via Flickr
Paris
Like London, Paris is a city which allows you to scratch every gastronomic itch imaginable. Stade de France is about around 10km from the city centre, but hop on the Metro in and check out Belleville’s vast array of Asian restaurants. Canal Saint-Martin has a selection of eateries from around the world – and they’re relatively affordable too, which is a big plus in pricey Paris.
Image: Guillem Vellhue via Flickr
Rome
Rome’s great for a post-match bite to eat: just grab a pizza by the slice from one of the city’s countless little food shops if you're in the mood for a quick hit. For some boho charm head up to Trastavere, tucked up behind the Colosseum, for some of Rome’s most interesting and quirky restaurants. Monti is also blessed with a selection of terrific restaurants.
Image: Gigi Rimini via Flickr
Tell us what you think the best places to eat in the Six Nations cities are on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Keep an eye out on our calendar for forthcoming Street Food Warehouse events throughout the year. We're also available for hire.
BLUE MONDAY 2020: GET HAPPY WITH FOOD
Take some long, dark nights. Throw in some hefty post-Christmas bills. Add a big helping of bad weather and you’ve got the recipe for the most depressing day of the year... allegedly. Yes, it's Blue Monday 2020 which falls on January 20.
We could all do with a bit of a pick-me-up at the sharp end of January, whether you believe the Blue Monday 2020 hype or not. And there aren't many better things to beat the blues than food.
We’re not talking about sitting on the sofa and gorging yourself on crisps, fizzy pop and sweets: although if that works for you, go off! No, we’re talking about some restorative, relatively healthy food to give your well-being a boost...
Omega 3 acids
Found in abundance in oily fish, Omega 3 has been linked to improved brain function. Get your fix of it with a salmon teriyaki, or some grilled mackerel fillets from your local fishmonger with a squeeze of lime. Walnuts also contain Omega 3 if fish isn’t your thing. Try baking them into a cake, or sprinkle over a salad.
B vitamins
Vitamin B6 is said to aid the production of serotonin – that all-important 'happy' chemical released by your brain. Grains like bulgur wheat, brown rice, quinoa are all thought to help with this. So skip the potatoes and use these for your side dish for your Blue Monday meal. Alternatively, add herbs, vegetables or whatever else you’ve got knocking about and construct a healthy and robust salad bowl from your favourite whole grain.
Probiotics
These are a great way of maintaining a good relationship between your stomach and your brain. Bio yoghurts are an obvious way of getting your fix probiotics fix. You could add a dollop to some granola for your breakfast, enjoy for desert, or stir into a curry. Some other probiotic foods include miso paste (found in ramen, above), kimchi (fermented Korean cabbage) and some pickled vegetables.
Folic acid
Folic acid is associated with healthy pregnancies, but there have been a number of studies linking it to your mood. So, to get a fix of folic try spinach, avocado, or chickpeas to boost your intake. Broccoli is also a good source of folic acid, so reach for a bolstering side order for a mood-booster.
Vitamin D
AKA 'the one that you get from sunlight'. This, as we know all too well, is in short supply this time of year. The good news is that Vitamin D is found in cheese, so you’ve got carte blanche to raid the dairy aisle. Vitamin D also found in egg yolks, so get busy with the Spanish omelette. Meanwhile, the plant-based crew could get their additional vitamin D fix from fortified breakfast cereal or orange juice.
What are your favourite foodie pick-me-ups? Show us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
It might be Blue Monday now, but lighter days are just around the corner – keep an eye out on our festival calendar for some serious Street Food to look forward to in 2020
EASY VEGANUARY IDEAS FOR 2020
Are you one of the many people giving a plant-based diet a go this month? If so, we've got some easy Veganuary ideas for you.
Veganuary is a time when many people give a plant-based diet a whirl. Some might decide that a month is enough for them. But for many Veganuary is a resolution which will last all year. Last year, 250,000 people nationwide gave Veganuary a try, and over half of them decided to carry on beyond January.
It’s been a busy month so far, with Greggs launching a vegan steak bake, and even KFC introducing a vegan product – Kentucky Fried Not-Chicken, if you will. Asian food chain Wagamama even launched a vegan tuna substitute, much to the chagrin of the likes of naysayers like Piers Morgan.
So whether you’re dipping your toe in the meat and dairy-free lifestyle for a month to see if it will make you healthier, or planning on it being the start of a permanent switch, we’ve got some Veganuary ideas to make it one of the most tasty months of the year…
Easy vegan substitutes for cheese
“But what about cheese!” It’s one of the most frequent questions people cite when it comes to going all-out vegan. We get it – cheese a very specific culinary itch to scratch.
So, thank goodness for the increasingly wide choice of vegan cheeses out there. Nutritional yeast (honestly, it’s nicer than it sounds) has long been the go-to substitute to add that Parmesan-like umami depth to pasta dishes, while cheese retailers in London such as La Fauxmargerie have shown that vegan dairy substations can hold their own on a cheeseboard.
Image: Ella Ollson via Flickr
Cauliflower: your Veganuary secret weapon
Forget everything you know about boiled, bland, mushy cauliflower. The humble member of the Brassica family is cheap, cheerful and ready to be your go-to saviour this Veganuary. Whether it’s a roasted as a table centrepiece, tossed into a creamy coconut curry sauce or even deep fried in southern-fried coating, Veganuary is the time for cauliflower to shine.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
Easy ways to get protein this Veganuary
One of the frequent criticisms levelled at the vegan diet is that it doesn’t allow for much in the way of protein. But this isn’t the case. From tofu to lentils and pulses like chickpeas and beans, there’s plenty of ways to get your fix of protein this Veganuary – so, no need to give up your season ticket to the ‘gain train’ just yet.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
Ways to get iron for vegans
Like protein, iron is one of the biggest bugbears for vegan naysayers. But according to the Vegan Society, you can easily get enough iron in your diet with foods including lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, cashew nuts, chia seeds, ground linseed, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, kale, dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, quinoa and fortified breakfast cereal.
Meatless marvels
All the big supermarket hitters have expanded their plant-based ranges in time for Veganuary. It's now relatively easy to find everything from bacon and chorizo substitutes to seitan 'beef' burgers. This is great news if you really can’t do without a bacon sarnie, and it’s also a godsend for adding into dishes to add a flavor boost. Try chopped up vegan bacon or chorizo into a chilli or pasta sauce, for instance.
Share your Veganuary ideas for 2020 on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.
Street Food Warehouse is available for hire: from corporate events to weddings and more. Hit us up to find out how we can add a bit of spice to your event.