Cancer Research UK: #ActNowForResearch

As a blogger, my aim is to find and test out new things, share my experiences and spread a little joy to other likeminded souls. If I can inspire someone to head away from the beaten track of habit and try something new then I can pat myself on the back for a job well done.

However, as peachy as the things and places that I blog about are, life isn't always a bed of roses. Cancer is one of the uncompromising, unrelenting and unfair evils of our world. Without caring who a person is or what they have done, cancer will strike any target it fancies and cruelly snatch away many beautiful souls from the world. Many people will have experienced cancer in some form, whether being a victim of the disease itself or having supported family and/or friends in battling it. However, out of darkness comes light and as horrific as cancer is we can find one merit in it. When it comes to cancer, there are no divisions. There is no required race, colour, creed or class. The universal suffering inspires people from all walks of life to unite in rising against it.

Cancer Research UK has just created an #ActNowForResearch generator. Through this, people can not only support cancer victims, but actually do something to help beat cancer sooner. This fun new campaign offers immediate suggestions and challenges which help support Cancer Research UK. This could be anything from uploading a selfie with #ActNowForResearch on your hand (see mine below), signing up to Race for Life, or taking an item of clothing into one of Cancer Research UK’s shops. Big or small, we are encouraging people to share their actions across social media. The more attention us bloggers, tweeters, facebookers, instagrammers and all other types of social media maniacs give to cancer research, the more people will be inspired to actually do something towards the vital research needed to help beat cancer.

Simply follow this link: http://www.actnowforresearch.com/ and hit the 'Do' button.

Whatever action it is, big or small, join together with cancer victims world over and help do that little something toward Cancer Research UK.

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The Thali Cafe

I've made it fairly obvious that I love food; hearty but healthy home cooked food cannot be matched and I regard microwave meals as the devil in plastic packaging. But I'm not ashamed to say that I also bloody love an Indian takeaway. There's nothing quite like that feeling of elation as you rip off the cardboard slips to reveal the creamy, fatty, spicy goodness swimming around beneath in their flimsy foil containers, whilst brutally tearing off bits of peshwari naan with your teeth like an animal with a fresh kill. Roughly two and a half minutes later you sit panting and sweating, up to your wrists in tikka masala and eyeing up that last bit of massacred bhaji, contemplating why it looks so revolting yet so delicious at the same time. It is fantastic.

However, there is a specific time for a takeaway curry in order to fully appreciate the sheer, carnal delight of it and that is not often, not only for the sake of our arteries but also because if we had them too regularly we'd probably realise how gross they really are. This is where the proper places, the real deals of the curry world, come into play. The Thali Cafe is such an establishment. Over the last decade or so they have become a bit of Bristol institution with five Thali Cafes opening over the city- Clifton, Easton, Montpelier, Southville and Totterdown- so on Tuesday evening Elly, Iona and I headed over to their residence in Clifton Village to see what they had to offer.

The restaurant itself is wonderfully eclectic. Spread over three floors, giant plants and fairy lights wind their way up through the restaurant, whilst the white wicker sofas and retro indian posters work together with the brightly coloured walls and huge windows to give the place a sort of exotic-grotto-come-50's-kitsch feel, almost naff but with a charm that veers it away from being tacky. Not your typical curry house, this place has something strikingly unique about it.

This can also be said of the menu. I often get sweaty palms just looking at the typical Indian menu- it takes me long enough to decide which tasteless sandwich I want from a service station let alone when having to choose between 79 different types of biryani (usually resulting in panic ordering a hideously boring korma) so The Thali Cafe's small but perfectly formed menu is a real breath of fresh air. With a carefully chosen selection of sides, dhaba (small plates), light dishes and of course their Thali's, you are bound to end up with something delicious.

Order some poppadoms and a tray of their homemade chutneys to munch on while you decide. Although a small selection, everything was tempting us so we solicited the help of the waitress to aid our decision. At her advice, we got a Thali each and then ordered a few sides between us to share. We rather boringly all went for the Lamb Kofta Thali but when it is described as 'a rich and warming dish with locally sourced spiced lamb meatballs in a coconut, tomato and cinnamon sauce', how could we realistically resist? For those of you who (like me) hadn't heard of a Thali until now, it apparently refers to the way meals are eaten over in India; a variety of dishes are served all together in stainless steel, compartmentalised dishes (Thali is the name for these dishes- think a paella or tagine).

As well as the main curry, these Thalis all come with Rajasthani pumpkin curry, tarka dahl, crunchy Keralan salad, Basmati rice and raita. A veritable feast indeed. In contrast to takeaway curries, this version was just as rich, but beautifully aromatic and much more fresh.

For the sides, we opted for the Kashmiri Potato Bondas (battered balls of spices potato with fresh ginger, coconut and lime with sticky mango chutney) and the Mumbai Fish Cakes (pollock and haddock fish cakes blended with fresh green herbs and spices with a mango chilli dip). The potato bondas were perhaps a tad stodgy for me and lacking a little of the punch and sharpness I expected from the ginger and lime, but otherwise both dishes were a delicious accompaniment for the Thalis.

We ate our weight in aromatic curry goodness and still didn't leave with that greasy, self-loathing feeling that is so common post takeaway curry. No dodgy packaging or bhajis in sight, just good, authentic Indian street food, all housed in a Bristolian come Indian wonderland.

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Grillstock

If you have been wandering around the Triangle in the last few months you may have noticed a very juicy new addition to its many eateries. Tucked away in that slightly grotty corner, which the likes of Mbargoes and Cosmo call home, is a meat lover’s dream. Some of you may have sampled their carnivorous delights from their pop up stall in St Nicholas Market, however for the real all-American experience Grillstock's residence on the Triangle is second to none. Craving a barbecue hit, Laura and I braved the dire Bristol weather for a meaty mid-week treat.

From the single long table which stretches the length of the restaurant to the plates and platters brimming with succulent meat and BBQ sauce, this place is made for sharing. Grab whatever chair is available and prepare to rub shoulders and chow down with strangers, safe in the knowledge that you all share one delicious thing in common: a smokey, sticky love for barbecue. However, even before you hit the main event Grillstock will tick many other boxes. The first thing to really hit you is the smell. Having been lured in from the icy street by the bold, no-nonsense exterior, we were instantly enveloped by the sweet aroma of barbecued chicken, pork and beef. The waitresses flash you smiles as sweet as the smell and will either direct you to one of the leather clad stools or ask if you’d like to wait until a seat becomes available (if this is the case, wait. Definitely wait). The chefs are really cheerful and chatted away with us over the counter, despite having been standing over a boiling hot grill all day. Grabbing a beer, we consulted the formidable menu.

For a mere £8, their barbecue plates are piled high with the meat of your choice- pulled pork, beef brisket, smokin’ chicken or babyback ribs- and come with a mountain of fries, slaw, hot link sausage and pickles. Opting for the pulled pork board, I felt an inappropriately strong surge of excitement as the platter of heaven appeared in front of me. The pork was tender and sweet, balanced out perfectly by the saltiness of the fries and the sourness of the pickles. My only criticism was that the promise of a 'hot link sausage' is a little misleading; expecting a whole, juicy sausage, I was actually presented with three measly pieces which, despite being absolutely delicious, were so small/few that they may as well not have been there. This doesn't detract from the menagerie of barbecued goodness on the rest of the plate, but worth keeping in mind.

My advice would be to go for the Smokestack burger, Laura's choice, which for the same price includes the same mountain of fries and slaw, as well as a juicy burger complete with a generous portion of pulled pork sandwiched inside the bun.

If you are feeling really hardcore, like the gentleman opposite me was, get your paws on the Lockjaw burger: two patties, pulled pork, brisket and burnt ends, with a hefty helping of fries and slaw (just in case all that meat just isn’t quite enough).

This place is not for the fainthearted. Smother everything in their incredible house BBQ and spicy sauces and you are onto a winner. Grillstock also offers a selection of sandwiches, hot dogs and sides which will transport you from the rainy West Country straight to the heart of America's deep-south.

Apparently on Saturdays they crank up the hillbilly music and everyone sits around chomping, shouting and singing along, helping endorse their strap line, 'Meat, Music, Mayhem'. They also have plans to find a larger residence to house their carnivorous antics, where they'll be able to host live bands, fit in more tables and barbecue a whole load more meat. I'll be keeping my eyes out for this, but in the meantime I shall be rolling up my sleeves more often for the most mouth-watering anti-veggie establishment in BS8.

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