On a cold winter evening, there is nothing better than hearty food. As such, we visited Mamuśka, in the arches under Waterloo Station. The restaurant specialises in Polish food and drinks, including vodka and (alcohol-free) Polish craft beer.

The menu features all the Polish classics, from Barszcz and Pieorogis, to Placki and Schabowy. We definitely had to look some of these names up to figure out what they were.

We started our meal with a set of 10 mixed pierogies. That alone was nearly enough already, as they were filling. Some fillings were nicer than the others. My wife preferred the goats cheese ones, finding the meaty ones a bit samey and underwhelming. I liked the pork filled ones, but I was less enamoured with the Ruskie ones. Maybe because of the name.

For her mains, my wife had chosen the Salmon Fillet, which was served with mashed potato (which was a Christmas / seasonal special). The salmon was okay, but a little on the dry side. I picked the Schabowy Breaded Pork Loin, with a mushroom sauce. The meat was nice and tender, with a creamy sauce covering the batter which had gone a little soggy due to the sauce. It was also too much — a huge portion, the salmon was noticeably more restrained in size.

With our meal, we enjoyed a selection of the Polish Craft Beers. Two alcohol-free ones, and two alcohol full ones.

We found Mamuśka a little underwhelming. Unfortunately we sat next to one of the brick walls, which meant our table was quite chilly with cold air emanating from the brickwork — but this might make it a good spot in summer. But we were definitely no longer hungry.

Pierogi Platter

1 / 3

Schabowy Breaded Pork Loin

2 / 3

Salmon Fillet

3 / 3

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Maggie Jones's has recently reopened after a fire, but it has been on its location since 1964. It's situated at the east end of Kensington High Street, near Kensington Palace, tucked away just off the main road. The interior is what might be described as cosily rustic, with vintage china old metal advertising signs, and downstairs much of the seating is provided by wooden high backed benches, alongside somewhat battered wooden tables.

The restaurant specialises in classic British food, and the menu on the day we ate there included classics such as roast rump of Lamb, Guinea Fowl, Fish Pie, and Steak & Kidney Pie. The puddings are also British classics. Beyond the à la carte menu, there is also a set menu, which had many tasty sounding options.

We went on a cold January evening, and were welcomed into the cosy restaurant with a serving of rustic bread and butter. For her main, my wife ordered the fish pie, which was stuffed with fish and seafood, including prawns and salmon, and topped with a fluffy mash, slightly charred and crisp on top. I chose the roast lamb rump, which was (like all their mains) also served with mashed potatoes. Although I think my own mashed potatoes are better — I add a lot of butter — the roast lamb was probably the best one I have ever had. I ordered it medium, and it was exactly that. Slightly caramelized on the outside, and pink and moist in the middle. It was seasoned with a rosemary and garlic breadcrumbs which added a lovely sweet twang, and some texture.

We followed our mains with some piping hot desserts. An apple crumble with a boat of custard (really too much custard), and my wife had a soft bread and butter pudding, which had a bit of spice and some plump raisins providing texture.

Maggie Jones's hit the spot really well, with bold flavours in a cosy environment, especially on this cold winter evening. We'd gladly take friends and family there on a return visit.

Fish Pie

1 / 5

Roast Lamb Rump

2 / 5

Bread and Butter Pudding

3 / 5

Apple Crumble

4 / 5

Mashed Potato

5 / 5

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On one of our pre-Christmas adventures to the Netherlands, we went to Breda, a small city in the south of the Netherlands. As my birthday is also close to Christmas, we usually also use this opportunity to get a nice birthday meal. This year, we settled on Puick, a small restaurant that offers a dinner menu Friday through Sunday. Dinner consists of a single tasting menu, which is served to all tables. It only offers a single tasting menu, which changes every two months. It’s also worth noting that whilst they will try to accommodate allergies and intolerances, they don’t accommodate dietary preferences. So if you’re vegetarian, vegan, or perhaps less adventurous with your food, we’re sorry to say that Puick is not the restaurant for you.

The short lifespan of the menu probably makes describing the dishes below a little superfluous, but at least it will give you an idea of the sort of thing they cook up.

The dishes that we got served were:

• Carrots with soy foam and speculaas spices

• A bao bun, filled with tofu cream, sesame oil, pumpkin seeds, lemon grass, and chilli syrup

• A raw prawn with red beet, lemon pepper cream, candied hazelnuts

• Parsnip with clementine slices, curry spices, cocos, and walnuts

• Black rice with oxtail, peppadew and pear

• Red beets, with red onion, smoked cheese, marmite, and hoisin sauce

• Sweet potato, with a kale curry, kefir, and peanuts

• A deer steak with atjar, broccoli, mustard seed, and almonds

And for dessert:

• A dark chocolate mousse, with olive oil and capers

• Gorgonzola, served with chestnut honey, trail mix, and pane carasau (an Italian flatbread)

We decided that having the wine pairing would make the drinks selection easier given the variety of dishes that would be served. This turned out to be a great decision, as we had some lovely wines that all went well with the food. There is also an alcohol-free “botanical pairing” option available.

Dinner at Puick was an eclectic and exciting mix of cuisines, flavours, textures, and ingredients. Each dish was excellent, and well explained by the team. Puick also offers a lunch menu, with either matching wines, or alcohol-free “botanical pairings”.

We really enjoyed our time at Puick. The dishes were delicious, the service great, and the atmosphere cosy and relaxed. If you’re up for an interesting tasting menu, we can heartily recommend Puick for when you're ever in Breda.

Carrots with Speculaas

1 / 10

Bao Buns

2 / 10

Parsnips and Clementines

3 / 10

Raw Prawns with Red Beets

4 / 10

Black Rice with Oxtail

5 / 10

Red Beets with Red Onion

6 / 10

Deer Steak with Atjar and Broccoli

7 / 10

Sweet Potato with Kale Curry

8 / 10

Gorgonzola with Chestnut Honey

9 / 10

Dark Chocolate Mousse with Capers

10 / 10

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