Nopi: Ottolenghi I'm in love!

Having recently experienced the seasonal deli delights of Ottolenghi's in Islington, I was very excited to hear about the opening of his more formal restaurant, though they call it a brassiere, Nopi.

What a beautiful place. It reminded me of a greek toga. All white with little gold trimmings. So peaceful, calming and luxurious, this would come pretty close to what a brasserie in heaven would look like.

I was presented with a gluten free menu (white with a touch of gold, naturally), with that day's menu on. The menu changes with some frequency, as the the food is fresh seasonal fare. It's fantastic that somewhere that changes their menu regularly makes the effort to have a gluten free one that is up to date.

We had a delicious Gruner to drink from Austria, don't knock Austrian Wine, the gruner is an excellent alternative to a sauvigon blanc, crisy and citrusy.

I pretty much wanted to order every single thing on the menu.

When you are bored with all of the french and modern european fare, Nopi is a breath of fresh air. Totally inspired food. Asian and middle eastern influences, with fantastic ingredients and ingenious combinations. The silver mullet could not have been happier than beside a salad of green papaya, mint, mango and peanuts.

The Presa iberica carpaccio with manouri and pine nuts was so pretty and colourful, and didn't need to be chewed, it melted in your mouth that easily. Clean and simple.

Seared prawns with fennel, white oregano and feta blew my mind - hearty yet delicate, such an exciting and addictive mix of flavours I could have licked the pan they were served in.

I'm not a big dessert fan but was tempted by my companion to share a palate cleansing sorbet - Melon and Elderflower. It positively sang and danced in my mouth making me shriek a little in delight. Totally my sort of dessert. Like all the food at Nopi, it was all about clear interesting flavours at their best.

I am now totally addicted and in love, and am plotting on how I can eat Ottolenghi's delights weekly without going broke. If you fancy taking me out to dinner there, let me know. That is, if I ever find my way out of the marvelous mirrored bathroom.

GF Cheap Eats: WAGfree bakery cafe and deli

There is something to be said for the simple pleasures in life, those tasty treats that everyone else takes for granted but we miss, and that's what the WAGfree cafe is all about. It was set up by David late last year as he wanted to recreate the foods that he was missing since becoming gluten free a few years ago.

He and fellow purveyor Edward sell freshly made pies, quiches, breads and cakes, all made on the site of their shop in Brixton Market. They even make fresh pasta on the weekend - including stuffed tortellini (if you get to the market before they sell out).

Their pastry is excellent. I got to feel some of the sweet pastry before it had been cooked - I have no idea how he got it to be that smooth (and it's a secret!).

The best thing was the jammie dodger. I had just given up eating foods like that, as replicas were tasteless. It was THE BEST JAMMIE DODGER EVER - sweet smooth biscuit with homemade jam and an almond butter. With a cup of tea - well goodness it just brought out the British in me!

I recommend following them on facebook, as you will get all the updates about what they are making the next day, for example today - "Baby Victoria sponges, chocolate eclairs, raspberry, cherry and ginger cupcakes and rhubarb pies are on tomorrow. We'll also have the usual pies, fresh pasta, bakewells, fruit loaf, brownies, jammie dodgers and our lovely golden bread." They had valentines cakes as well. And, what's this I see, fresh bagels?

Even though the cafe is next to a fish stall, and it can be a bit chilly (this is in February), Brixton market is an interesting eclectic mix of stalls and shops - well worth a snoop around. They also sell a range of GF foods in the shop section; breakfast cereals etc, so it's a sort of gluten free one stop shop.

This isn't fancy foodie food, it's great traditional British staples. If it's a bit of gluten free carbohydrate indulgence you are after, make a little pilgrimage my gluten free lovelies, you won't be disappointed.

Verdict: Cakes and Pastries and Pies, Oh my!