Little did I know when growing up, exactly how much of a foodie I would become. Puzzling, that Doncaster homes the best food market in the country with a specialism in seafood.
We only had chance for a couple days in London this time. Just enough to slip in lunch at Great Queen Street, sunsets in the Barbican, a cheeky half in Soho and a proper hug with some proper friends.
There's one thing China doesn't have and that's proper countryside. What China does have is debatable, but certainly there aren't rolling hills of dry stone walls, bleating sheep and lung-fulls of fresh country air.
Shanghai’s dating scene is in for a treat. La Petit Fleur has just set a new benchmark for fantastic food, intimate surroundings and attentive service… and you don’t have to pay through the nose for it.
Stepping in on the blossoming moules-frites scene, Moules combines a swanky atmosphere with fine seafood dining. With a tweak to the sauces, they may soon be able to give even the Belgians a run for their money.
An entirely full flight. Half a day. Rice or noodles. Two sad movies (Buried & Never Let Me Go) grumpy Russians and soon enough the island is in sight; smiling up from below the clouds with promises of pork pies, apple crumble and proper cheese.
Hot pot restaurants in Shanghai are a dime a dozen. The trick to standing apart is the quality of the soup stock. The tasteful Hong Kong Fat Tu requires a fistful of red notes, but in return delivers a superior base and luxury ingredients including live lobster and abalone. Their signature satay soup (RMB58) is a sultry rich cacophony of peanuts and spice. We spent the next hour dunking and consuming an all-star line up of raw ingredients to find exactly the right mix.