Cheltenham is a lovely place to eat! Kibou & Huffkins [@NLi10]

 We had a day out in Cheltenham yesterday for the Science festival - but you don't care about that part - what did we eat?!

First up before talk one we had a coffee and a cake at the lovely Huffkins on what I think of as the main road - it leads from the festival to the high-street and has two huge bookshops on it.

It also looks very English - especially if there is drizzle.

Partner had a carrot cake, but I had a double raspberry éclair.  Decadance.

Cut open, not piped while hot so the bake-off judges would be knocking off points, but the flavours and textures would win them back around.  Not too sweet, and not too fruity.

Between talks 2 & 3 we had a two hour slot for a proper look in the bookshops (and dinner) and I chose a Japanese place we've not spotted in other years called Kibou, purely on the wonderful aromas and lovely atmosphere.

Turns out they had the beer I like most

The perfect pairing of brewed liquids. Hitachino and Kikkoman!

I had the pork mazeudon and it was awesome.  Everything was exactly how you'd want it - melting pork, firm fresh udon noodles and a good mix of veggies and seeds/flakes to add texture.  I could eat here every day and not get bored.

We didn't have space for desert but the green tea crème Brule sounded amazing so plans are already in place to return.

We sat at the bar seating which added to our salary man vibes as we ate and ran to the final talk about genetics.  Despite the lovely beer I managed to not fall asleep too.

And there are so many other little independent eateries around I think we could have done all three days of the festival only eating in 5/5 places with no repeats.

Lucky Saint Lime & Sea Salt Lager (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

I have seen a mixture of lime and salt added to the rim of Tequila shot glasses. Apparently lime and salt are also paired with some Mexican beers. I guess that’s where Lucky Saint came up with the idea of their 0.5% in volume Lime & Sea Salt Lager.

Lime and salt are used to balance Tequila’s bite, enhance its flavour, and replenish electrolytes. Low in sugar, this Lucky Saint Lime & Sea Salt Lager has added sodium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. All good for our daily diet. The electrolytes are especially good for me, as I can suffer from dehydration if I don’t drink enough water.

On opening the can there was a lime aroma from the lager inside. On pouring this Lucky Saint Lime & Sea Salt Lager, there was a slight haze to this cheerfully bubbly straw gold beer.

On taste there was a sharp lime bite followed by a saltiness that did make me a little thirsty. This is a drink that makes you go back to quench your thirst. It made me think of the salted peanuts that used to be complimentary on many bars. They stopped doing that when they realised how many people don’t wash their hands when they go to the loo. That keep coming back for more beer, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

Oreo Birthday Party (Ocado) By @Cinabar

I love an excuse to buy Oreos, and this new variety won me over even though it isn't my birthday, or even my birthday month. I spotted these Oreo Birthday Party biscuits and added them straight to my Ocado basket.

As happens to me quite often, I put things in an online basket thinking I know exactly what I've bought, without fully reading the description. That was certainly the case here. I assumed they would be birthday cake flavoured, perhaps with notes of vanilla sponge, jam and buttercream. They are actually caramel flavoured, although they do contain birthday sprinkles within the filling. Unfortunately, the sprinkles are quite hard to see unless you prise the two biscuit halves apart.

The biscuits may not look very different from standard Oreos, but the caramel aroma is immediately noticeable when you open the pack. They are very much like regular Oreos, but that twist of caramel makes them even sweeter than the original version.

They are certainly tasty and paired well with a coffee, but they were not quite as exciting as the name "Oreo Birthday Party" had led me to expect. It is a shame that even the colourful sprinkles feel a little hidden away. A fun variation on the classic Oreo, but perhaps not quite the celebration I was hoping for.

Pasquier Beignets - Choc & Hazelnut [@NLi10]

 While looking for enticing snacks for the Grandmother I spotted these little Beignets - or mini doughnuts (petits doughs).  You get 6 in a bag and they are all individually sealed for freshness.

And as usual they are very French

And it's a lovely little magic bag

The little doughnuts look quite classy

The outer is very soft and inviting, and the inners are all very luxurious.  I think these are certainly snack size - 2 is the right amount but I resisted.

There is a red variety of these too, which means if nanna actually eats them then we can get more.

Savoursmiths Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

Salt and Black Pepper is one of my favourite flavours of crisps. They go with pretty much any sandwich, cheese and cold meets meal, or just for a snack with a beer, or a cup of tea.

I tried these Savoursmiths Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps with a Moussaka and veg, instead of French Bread as the store had run out. I’m a bit obsessed with French Bread, as it too goes with so many meals itself, from Spagbol, lasagne, cheese meals, Moussaka, picky-bits, and even a good curry.

On opening the packet there was a salt and peppery aroma from the crisps inside. These crunchy Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps had a sweetness from the salt I hadn’t experienced before.

Usually salt and pepper crisps are sea salt. The desert salt seems to have a slightly sweet taste to it. After this sweet saltiness came the spicy warmth of black pepper. These Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps were very moreish, and complimented my Moussaka and veg very well indeed.

Information on the 150g bag; Per 100g there were 501 calories, with 27g of fat, 1.3g of sugar, and 1.20g of salt. Gluten free and Vegan friendly, please see photograph for the ingredients.