SAVOUR & SIP
OFFERING RECOMMENDATIONS IS ALL PART OF THE JOB AS AN INSTA FOODIE. IN THIS MONTH’S COLUMN, ELISHA YOUNG (AKA @ELISHA.EATS ON INSTAGRAM) HAS SOME TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF THE CAMBRIDGE CULINARY SCENE ELISHA EATS Food for thought
ne side effect of having an Instagram account full of food is that people are always asking for recommendations. Everyone
wants to know where to get unusual ingredients, which bakeries to try, and where to find the best street food. And it is true that I spend a large portion of my life either eating, thinking about or taking photographs of food. My mental catalogue of ‘favourite Cambridge restaurants’ is extensive and wide-ranging – but giving suggestions can also be a bit of a minefield. Firstly, I haven’t been to every single restaurant in the city (although I’m always on a mission to try as many new places as I can, wallet and stomach capacity allowing). Plus, of course, people will always have different opinions. Food is both personal and highly subjective. While I love the liang pi from 1+1 Rougamo, the idea of eating cold sesame noodles is probably something that would horrify lots of you. Equally, people often ask for suggestions without supplying any context. My answer is going to vary quite a bit depending on whether you’re celebrating a graduation meal or just grabbing a quick bite at the market. But there’s nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you’ve given someone a spot-on recommendation, and introduced them to a new favourite restaurant. Sharing good food is rewarding and joyful – it brings us together and is the source of so much debate, discussion and delight. If you have a food-related question, I want to hear from you! I’d love to help with your quandaries – whether it’s where to go on a vegetarian first date or the best places to slurp noodles. In the meantime, here are my top tips for eating your way around Cambridge: TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT Sometimes when I’m out with friends, they’ll taste my food and say, ‘That’s
SESAME STREET
Liang pi from 1+1 Rougamo – try northern Chinese-style dishes
© ELISHA YOUNG
explore Chesterton and Mill Road, where there are plenty of incredible eateries waiting to be discovered. Barbarella, Stir, Restaurant Twenty-Two, Modigliani and Vanderlyle are all less than 20 minutes from the Grand Arcade, and all offer incredible food. Even further away are places like Provenance Kitchen and the Orchard Tea Garden, which are definitely worth making the journey for. EXPLORE THE INDIE SCENE Eating at a chain restaurant is a simple way to get your hands on a reliable meal. You know exactly what you’re going to get, whether it’s purchased here or in any other UK city. But Cambridge (once branded as the ultimate ‘clone town’ for the lack of variety) is now bursting with exciting independent businesses for you to savour. We’re lucky to live in a city that has so many passionate, enthusiastic people creating brilliant, mouth-watering food – so take advantage of everything unique our food scene has to offer.
delicious! How did you know to order it?’ And the answer is: if I see something on the menu I’ve never heard of, I’ll try it. That’s how I discovered sikhye from Bibimbap House (a delicious, sweet, Korean rice drink) and doupi from Jianbing House (sticky rice street food from Wuhan). Be willing to try everything at least once. Keep an open mind, and you will be rewarded with the discovery of new favourite flavours, ingredients and dishes. LOOK SLIGHTLY FURTHER AFIELD It’s very easy to get stuck in Cambridge city centre, always eating at the same places. But if you stray just a little way from the Grand Arcade and The Grafton, you can
HAVE A QUESTION FOR ELISHA? Drop into her DMs at @elisha.eats on Instagram. Your question could be featured in next month’s column!
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK OCTOBER 2022 53
Powered by FlippingBook