The Prudent Gentleman: Pork buns

As any gentleman knows, when heading into town it is sensible to line ones stomach against the perils of the evening.  While not eating can lead to a cheap night, more often than not this is because it is short, unpleasant, and involving a gutter somewhere.  But the troublesome question is often deciding where you should sate your stomach before you slake your thirst.

One of my favourite fast options lies in Chinatown.  Not one of the fancy restaurants - this is a stall occupying a sliver of land outside a grocers on Newport Court (close to Leicester Square station).  Two steaming cabinets stand either side of the stallholder, offering a selection of treats, including oyster pancakes, tea eggs and the like.  But what we're here for is a steamed bun.  Known in the Orient as baozi, these delicacies originate from China.  They are one of my favourite snacks when heading into town for some light Bacchian debauchery, and a very prudent choice at that.

Noms and the City: Pho at Viet, Soho

Despite being damned by the world and separated by society, my nephew, Mr Carrot, and I occasionally manage to elude our guards and meet up to wreak our vengeance on the Capital.  Last weekend was just such a weekend.

Now, my darling Julian sees part of his role as a notable lavenderist about town to educate me on aspects of society I may miss during my life of pious contemplation in the Midlands. (More on this later when we review Molly Houses of London: RVT)

In this instance Julian, citing prudence and taste, encouraged me to into a Vietnamese establishment, Viet (34 Greek Street, Soho), where I tried Pho for the first time.