Somehow the name "Week" doesn't roll off the tongue as well...
PC, The Shok and myself manage to score a free meal off M&M, and whilst there are some strong suggestions for Midsummer House, it is decided in the end that we should do Chinese and go to Seven Days for dinner. Always on the ball, The Shok calls ahead to make a booking as it's a Friday night, and Seven Days is notoriously popular, especially amongst the Chinese student crowd in Cambridge.
The first to arrive is the 'fish flavoured' eggplant, with the tender eggplant chunks cooked with a generous amount of oil, seasoning and serious wok hei. Perfect with rice, this dish is immediately PC and M&M's favourite, so much so that we don't hesitate to order a second portion. In my opinion, the sauce is a little too strong on both sweet and salty levels, but still delicious and superior to the rendition I had previously had elsewhere.
The next to arrive is a pile of dried chillies bathing in a giant bowl of scalding hot oil. And this is the small size. Underneath the layer of chilli lies slices of incredibly tender and silky fish fillets, thanks in no small part to all that oil. Right at the bottom of the dish is a bed of bean sprouts, which I find to be a little on the salty side.
This dish is also a clear winner, and everyone seems to enjoy "fishing" for the small remaining pieces of fish until the bowl is completely cleaned out of everything but chilli and oil.
I'm surprised that this Sichuan cooking technique (shui zhu) is one that has only become popular relatively recently, so the internets tell me.
Next is the prawns fried using salted egg yolk, something which I pick because M&M wants king prawn and I haven't had the taste of salted egg in a while. Reluctant to get their hands dirty, and perhaps a little uncomfortable with prawn heads, this dish unfortunately ends up being a little neglected. I get superlazy and start eating the shell... although after getting colder, this becomes a little bit unpleasant and I revert to peeling them. In my opinion, this actually isn't bad at all, although it does get too greasy and heavy when it cools down.
Last but not least is the tofu which is basically like mapo doufu except with fish. Standard and does the job.
At the end of the meal, I feel like I've eaten several bricks, probably because of eating far too many of the prawns in a desperate (and successful) attempt to not waste them. Everyone is most definitely satisfied, but not requiring food for quite a while. Or at least until an hour later when we scoff down a blackforest cake between the four of us...
Seven Days is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Cambridge, with authentic flavours that don't compromise for a foreign palate. Perhaps a little too heavy on the oil to be eating regularly, but that's how the cooking style goes. At around £55 for 5 big dishes and rice for everyone, it's decent value too.
And by the looks of the crowd it attracts every night, we're not the only ones who likes the place.
Seven Days
66 Regent St
Cambridge CB2 1DP
Tel: +44 (0) 12233 309559
Hungry the Ate view larger map
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I've been in Munich this week for a certain festival. Take a wild guess what I'm referring to...
Of course, the CIPSM Festival of Chemical Biology! Oh apparently, there's also some other festival on at the same time that has something to do with beer, but I mean who on earth would be interested in that?
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| Hello Mr Chilli, nice to meet you. |
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| Fish flavoured fried eggplant. |
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| Fish fillets in hot chilli oil. |
This dish is also a clear winner, and everyone seems to enjoy "fishing" for the small remaining pieces of fish until the bowl is completely cleaned out of everything but chilli and oil.
I'm surprised that this Sichuan cooking technique (shui zhu) is one that has only become popular relatively recently, so the internets tell me.
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| King prawn fried with salted egg yolk. |
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| Tofu with fish mince in chilli oil. |
At the end of the meal, I feel like I've eaten several bricks, probably because of eating far too many of the prawns in a desperate (and successful) attempt to not waste them. Everyone is most definitely satisfied, but not requiring food for quite a while. Or at least until an hour later when we scoff down a blackforest cake between the four of us...
Seven Days is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Cambridge, with authentic flavours that don't compromise for a foreign palate. Perhaps a little too heavy on the oil to be eating regularly, but that's how the cooking style goes. At around £55 for 5 big dishes and rice for everyone, it's decent value too.
And by the looks of the crowd it attracts every night, we're not the only ones who likes the place.
Seven Days
66 Regent St
Cambridge CB2 1DP
Tel: +44 (0) 12233 309559
Hungry the Ate view larger map
-----
I've been in Munich this week for a certain festival. Take a wild guess what I'm referring to...
Of course, the CIPSM Festival of Chemical Biology! Oh apparently, there's also some other festival on at the same time that has something to do with beer, but I mean who on earth would be interested in that?
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