date night noodles recipe
and the best negroni spots in london
Hi girlies!!!!! I’m still in disbelief that I’ve finally gone and started this Substack. It feels SO good to be writing again.
A little bit of background for the newcomers: When I was 19 (2013, fml) I started a food blog called Pretty Hungry. Growing up in Singapore, the national hobby is food and there’s a big culture of eating out, so when I moved to the UK I somehow floated into the role of the person people frequently asked where to eat. Because I was travelling around the summer after my first year of University, I decided to document the restaurants I went to across different countries, and I thought it’d be a good way to practise my writing and food photography. It was so much fun, more and more people read it, and it eventually went on to win Food Blog of the Year at Cosmopolitan UK Blog Awards 2015 (!!). Ah, the glory days. SO, if you’re reading this and you were a Pretty Hungry reader, god dammit it’s good to have you back.
Why Noodles + Negronis? Honestly, it was the only name I could think of that was half decent. Noodles are one of my favourite foods (if not my favourite, such a wide genre it’s a no-brainer. Mee goreng! Char kway teow! Pho! Wonton noodles! Ramen! Dan dan! Pad thai! IT’S ENDLESS). I often make them for dates, because they’re so quick and easy (even after a night out) and always insanely delicious. And a Negroni is my go-to drink order. One at the start of the date and I’m golden. Any more and I’ll need to escort myself home. Although an Italian fella (my very first date in my adulthood!) told me about the Negroni Sbagliato which he used to drink at University as it’s a lighter drink, and I always felt very cultured and in-the-know ordering this until it became an internet sensation. I’ve never ordered it since.
Clearly, this will be mainly about food, especially food recommendations, as I’ve now built a career (note: award-winning!!) out of this so I know what I’m doing here (see: Breakfast London, Pretty Hungry). But this will also be a little outlet for fun stories within the recommendations, including my dating life, which is my somewhat clueless area. I met and started dating my ex-fiancé at 19 – we were together 8 years, including a year of being engaged. So, at 27 (I’m now 29), instead of getting married and planning wee bébés like I thought I’d be, I tripped and tumbled slowly STORMED into the dating scene in a blaze of glory for the first time in my adult life. I felt ashamed of this failure for a long time, but embracing it to be a part of my story and celebrating it (especially here!) feels pretty powerful. It’s scary, it’s exciting, it’s eye-opening, and most importantly, it’s been a lot of fun. I’ll never be this young and cute again!! That AND the fact that nothing makes people’s eyes light up more than when they ask about my dating life. Especially if they’re in a relationship. To quote 90% of people I know in a couple: “I’m just living through you”. Well, HERE YOU GO.
So, to continue the celebrations of Noodles + Negronis, I’ll be sharing my go-to noodle recipe AND my favourite spots in London for a Negroni! Aren’t you glad you subscribed??
RECIPE: DATE NIGHT NOODLES
I really consider if I like a date before I make these noodles for them because I’m convinced they’ll fall in love with me after they try it. Especially if you whip this up casually on a late night after a hitting few bars together; it looks so effortlessly cool and also very considerate. SO – get ready for your date to fall in love with you!!!! They’ve realised they can no longer live without these noodles, and thus you!!! (If you want to break up with them then just give them the recipe and it’ll soften the blow).
Put on your best playlist (here’s the one I use) that shows off your cool eclectic music taste where you’ll be wondering who they’re texting but they’ll be secretly Shazam-ing songs and would die with shame if you caught them. Get them to pour you a pre-batched Negroni (see below) or make you one while you’re cooking (I have these ice cubes in my freezer always), or a cup of tea if you’re winding down (pu-er is great with these noodles).
This recipe is so easy and straightforward, it’s barely a recipe and more like inspiration with some hot tips presented in a basic yet chaotic manor. You can make it with normal ramen noodles, but I like instant noodles as it speeds up the process slightly and has sachets you can throw in so you need less bottled sauces (unless you have a stellar Asian sauce cabinet, then hello friend). This recipe is my favourite noodle combo, but the beauty is you can design your noodles to your own personal preference (and your dates!). Skip salmon if you’re veggie! Add chicken if you prefer! Tofu! Choose your fighter!!!
Recipe is for two people (you and your unsuspecting date who’s about to fall in love).
What you’ll need!
Instant Mi Goreng (I get this one)
Just use one pack per person, but if you’re super hungry then do 3 packs between 2. Also look out for jumbo packs because more noodles = more delicious.
Kecap Manis
They sell this at any probably every East Asian Supermarket. It’s an optional addition as they have a little sachet of it already in your mi goreng packet, but I add a dollop more for extra flavour.Salmon fillet (1 per person)
Mushrooms
Broccoli
I like Tenderstem but any works. Sometimes I add spinach or Chinese leafy greens instead!
Egg (1 per person each)
Spring onions
Crispy onions (I get big tubs from Chinese supermarkets but here’s a tub on Amazon)
Chilli oil (pick your fave, this is a solid go-to)
How to make it!
1. Preheat your oven and cook the salmon fillets in the oven according to instructions on the pack. Sometimes we cook it in the air fryer if we’re feeling wild (it’s fantastic).
2. Chop up your mushrooms, broccoli and spring onions. I slice my mushrooms reasonably thin, and chop broccoli into small bite-size pieces. Separate the spring onion whites and greens – pop the greens to one side for later.
3. When the salmon is about 10 minutes from being done, fill a saucepan (big enough for your noodles) up with water, pop it on the stove until boiling. While waiting for that to boil, get a frying pan out and add a tbsp of oil (vegetable or rapeseed). Pop in the chopped mushroom, broccoli and spring onion whites (I forgot to mention garlic, you can add a couple of chopped cloves if you can be bothered but usually I can’t if it’s late), fry to perfection (add a little splash of soy sauce if you like) and then place the veg on a plate to the side. Don’t get rid of your frying pan – you’ll need it again.
4. Once the water in the saucepan is boiling, add in your instant noodles and cook according to packet instructions (it should take 3 minutes to cook). While it’s cooking, get a medium-large mixing bowl and empty the oil/sauce/powder sachets into it. Give it a little mix to combine.
5. When the noodles are done, drain the water and add your noodles to the bowl with the mixed oils and powders. Add a little glob (very kitchen technical term) more of kecap manis if you’d like to (I very much like to). Mix to combine.
6. Fry two eggs in your frying pan and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top for good measure. While waiting for them to fry, add your chopped veg into the big noodle bowl and mix together.
7. Decant the noodles evenly (or unevenly) into your serving bowls. Pop a salmon fillet on top of the noodles, followed by your fried egg. Spoon some chilli oil on top (as much heat as you’d like), and sprinkle crispy onions and spring onion greens over everything.
8. Enjoy alongside many compliments! (maybe with a Negroni???) Hope you like being adored!!!
WHERE TO GO: NEGRONIS IN LONDON
Seed Library, Shoreditch
Seed is one of, if not my favourite bar in London. My friend Edwin brought me here for the first time, and it was so magical that I fell in love with everything about it, including a fat crush on an employee. We ended up going out a couple of times, so sadly now I cannot take any dates here. But it’s a DREAM date spot (with a rotating kitchen residency for some bites!) so 100% book it for your next one. A Negroni isn’t on their main menu of exciting cocktails, but this bar is PERFECT so obviously the Negroni is too. Follow it with a Koji Hardshake for me!!!
Side Hustle, Covent Garden
Their menu is led by agave-based spirits, so not only do they have a Pandan Negroni on the menu, but it has TEQUILA in it. It’s absolutely fantastic, inspiring the Pandan Negroni we do for Karma Burger pop-ups which actually should also make this list (no tequila in our one though, keep your eyes on the IG page for our next pop-up).
Seed Library Crush took me here for the first time and we had the Pandan Negronis because he knew I loved Negronis. I actually didn’t realise had tequila in it until this very moment when I looked at the menu online to type up the info here. This honestly explains how I got so intoxicated on the date–He took me to a work event after, and I had to order an Uber home not long into it because I had surpassed my alcohol tolerance and I didn’t want my behaviour deteriorating around his COLLEAGUES (note: it already had, but I don’t think his colleagues noticed. He definitely did.)
A Bar With Shapes For A Name, Hackney
Shapes is awesome. The award-winning cocktails (namely their ‘Pastel’) are a reason to go in itself, but you also go because it’s open everyday until 4am. Everything is pre-batched creating a swift bar service. They add coconut oil to Negronis (30g Botanist Gin, 25g Punt e Mes, 25g Campari, Coconut Oil), and they are incredibly good. Follow it with an Atlas if you have a strong tolerance (or even if you don’t!).
At home!
Ah, the ol’ night cap at your place. Or maybe you’re getting ready to go out and want to calm the nerves? Or you’re just cooking dinner at yours (date night noodles maybe??). If, like me, you’re a bit crap at making cocktails, pre-bottled is your best friend. If you’re from/been to Singapore, Manhattan Bar does the most incredible Solera-Aged Negroni. They sell it bottled in the hotel and I’ve brought it back to London before, treating my friends to this bottle of pure angel tears. Alas, a bit far for Londoners (also a hefty wallet hit). The Bottle Cocktail Shop do a great Session Negroni; very smooth and easy-drinking.
If you CAN make cocktails (or your date can!) then hurrah for you! Once, a very skilled then-bartender came round for a date, looked at my bar trolley and made a version of Negroni, doing that quick bartender stirry stir with a spoon and it was incredibly attractive. The Four Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin looks great on a bar trolley, or make your own Pandan Negronis by infusing a bottle of gin with a few pandan leaves (I do about 5 leaves) for two days (I use ELLC Gin).
If you have any suggestions for other amazing Negronis in town, please leave them in the comments below and become my best fellow Negroni-drinking friend! Share with the London Negroni community! No gatekeeping here!
Love the look of this recipe. It's on my list to make. Could be awesome with sous vide steak instead of salmon.