EATING OUT
Treats for my sweet
Chai
Cosy, friendly, quirky and fun, Chai stands out from the crowd. No gloss or glitz here but a triumph of upcycling, recycling and community involvement. Mismatched chairs surround tables formed from wooden shipping pallets, the walls are hung with memorabilia and work by local artists, there are books to read and space for patrons to write up favourite quotations. Ingredients for the menu, which includes savoury and sweet waffles, sundaes, gelatos, speciality teas and coffees, are organic, ethically-sourced and fairly-traded. In a small stand-alone building by Peterborough Regional College, Chai has been open for over a year and repeat custom keeps it busy. Owner Nabil Shabbir, psychologist and former Peterborough City Councillor who believes in giving back to the community, has a mission to ‘make people smile’ and through his philanthropic Chai Life Foundation has helped people both locally and across the world, including a poverty-stricken village in Madagascar and war orphans in Iraq. “Everything at Chai is unique to us,” he says, adding that it’s the only café in the world to serve chicken tikka waffles! (I can attest that they are very good and very filling.) Portion sizes here are generous and good value, with gelato scoops at £1.80, sweet waffles £3.99, savoury waffles and sundaes £4.99 and hot puddings £2.99 to £3.99. Gluten-free waffles and lactose-free ices are available. • Chai, 298 Eastfield Road PE1 4RA. 01733 686484. Open Monday to Thursday and Saturday 12 noon-10pm, Friday 2pm-10pm, Sunday 2pm9pm. www.facebook.com/ChaiDesserts/
Double celebration for premiere Cantonese restaurant Peterborough’s popular Chinese restaurant, the Beijing Rendezvous, is celebrating its second anniversary as a buffet style ‘all you can eat’ venue after 25 years as a traditional eatery. Business Manager Mac and his wife Carol decided to make the transition after canvassing both their eat-in and take-out customers. He says: “I carried out a marketing survey with my clientele just over two years ago and realised that customers don’t have two or three hours to spend in a restaurant waiting patiently for each course. So it was then I decided that what was required was a dedicated all you can eat Chinese buffet-style restaurant, eat in or take out, and the whole concept has proved very successful.” Customers can serve themselves quickly with no waiting for meals to be prepared. Eat in, as much as you want, for less than £10, or take out a large box of your own choice for under a fiver. This month Mac will celebrate the Chinese New Year with his customers – the Year of the Rooster starts on 28 January – through to 15 February. All customers who eat in the restaurant on the Chinese New Year are given a lucky red envelope containing a small gift. • Beijing Rendezvous, 59 Napier Place, Orton Wistow, Peterborough PE2 6XN. 01733 234450. www.beijing.sbom.co.uk
Beef, beetroot & red wine casserole Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes, cook time 2 hours 45 minutes
Ishtar
There’s a wonderfully exotic feel about Ishtar, essentially a Turkish restaurant with conservatory-style rooms that create the Desserts Pala and Shisha Lounge. It’s a great place to relax with friends and indulge in sweet treats or share such Middle Eastern favourites as hummus or a meze. On offer are strawberry, banana, blueberry and Nutella waffles (half £4.25, full £5.50), crepes from traditional and Sicilian lemon zest (£4) to Belgian milk or white chocolate (£4.95), tempting gateaux including Black Forest and four-layer chocolate fudge cake (£2.95) and a choice of nine Movenpick gelatos. To drink: fresh fruit juices, smoothies, coffees, teas and mocktails. For shisha aficionados, there’s a whole menu of flavours. • Ishtar, 64 St John’s Street PE1 5DD. 01733 761618. Open for desserts and shisha Sunday to Thursday 12.30pm-midnight; Friday, Saturday 12.30pm-1am. www.ishtarlounge.co.uk
32
NENE LIVING FEBRUARY 2017
Ingredients
Method
• Oil for frying • 800g stewing beef pieces • 4 rashers rindless smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces • 2tsp plain flour • 4 medium-large beetroot, peeled & cut into wedges • 4 red onions, peeled & cut into wedges with the root intact • 1/2 bottle good red wine • 1 pack Riverford chicken stock • 2 bay leaves • Small handful of thyme sprigs
• Preheat your oven to 160˚C/140˚C fan/ gas 3. • Heat 2tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole, then fry the beef on both sides to brown. Remove to a plate. • Fry the bacon until lightly browned, adding a splash more oil if needed. • Stir in the flour. • Put the beef back in the pan, with the beetroot, onions, wine, stock, bay leaves and thyme. • Season with salt and pepper. • Bring to a low boil, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 21/2 hours.