Let meal entertain you!

There was a time when sitting at a table was enough to entertain us.

There were waiters to watch grinding giant pepper mills, chefs popping out from steamy kitchens or just complete strangers heading to the loo.

This was the choreography of restaurants we took for granted and now long for after nights of dining at home.

Dining is perhaps too grand a word for most of us who have thrown-together suppers, viennas three times a week or leftovers in Tupperware in front of the TV.

But you can do better than that – and you will, if you follow our movie with a meal guide.

Forget about egg, chips and EastEnders, as we have ways to tantalise your taste-buds and revitalise your viewing. All you have to do is order and watch.

 

The Family Feed

Sony has been dilly-dallying about the release of Peter Rabbit 2, so bunny is off the menu (it was never on). In place of Pete, we have a squirrel called Ulysses with superhero powers which he demonstrates to 10-year-old Flora, an avid comic book fan who loves an adventure.

All ages with imagination will enjoy Flora & Ulysses, which starts on Disney +UK on 19 February, and what goes better with squirrels than something animal friendly like the delicious Great British shakshuka breakfast from Sababa (www.sababaa.uk), with veggie sausages, aubergines, peppers and more on challah, or their impressive Superfood salad.

Of course, if they only want nibbles, team Chevington’s kosher cheese spread with crackers and get in some of their Gouda, Gloucester, or Lancashire for the grown-ups.

Think of it as travelling by cheese.

You could also settle the small ones in front of Disney’s Bluey, a series about an inexhaustibly energetic six-year old Blue Heeler dog that makes life with her mum, dad, and sister very upredictable.

Invest in some blue Lola Cupcakes for the kids while you enjoy a cocktail or two delivered
to your door by www.twistlondon.com

 

 

Accelerate the Appetite

Too familiar with your fridge?

Boredom impacting on your craving?

Use the small screen to summon hunger by watching somebody else eat.

Somebody like Phil Rosenthal, who has pretty much eaten his way around the  globe and in Season 4 of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix devours the specialities of  Rio De Janeiro, San Francisco, Singapore, Hawaii and Mississippi.

Remember to take note of his recommendations for when we can travel again but, for now, it’s just vicariously. 

It’s the same deal with The Amazing Journey of Aharoni & Gidi if you join www.streamisrael.tv with Jewish News.

This reality show has Israeli singer Gidi Gov and chef Yisrael Aharoni exploring the culture, history and religion of pretty much everywhere, but starts on the Silk Road with noodles.

Cue impressive Chinese order from www. junming.co.uk followed by perfetto pasta from Amaretto (www.amarettoristorante.co.uk) when they hit Italy in episode seven, before heading to Turkey and take away from Melissa (www.melissarestaurant.co.uk) or Izgara (www.izgararestaurant.co.uk).

 

Footie Food

The beautiful game remains on the box and fans can’t get enough of it so, for an extra kickabout, www.streamisrael.tv has the film Back to Maracanã, which is a warm and funny tale of reconciliation during a spontaneous trip from Israel to Brazil for the World Cup, which works well with the documentary Pelé on Netflix.

Serve up the soccer with a Brazilian from Sabores in Willesden and some off-the-hook Portuguese custard tarts from Café de Nata in Chalk Farm.

 

 

Vive La Difference

Eat and educate yourself by practising French without reading the subtitles for Call My Agent! (Dix Pour Cent), the series that dares to show how actors really behave.

Catch up vite, as Season 4 is on Netflix and, with your improved French, try the political thriller series The Bureau with Jewish actor Mathieu Kassovitz.

Alternatively, stick to Ivrit and watch A Movie With Catherine Deneuve on www.streamisrael.tv , a comedy about two ageing men in search of the legendary French movie star.

Pret à manger? Then it’s Maison Patron takeaway (www.patronlondon.com), which is très magnifique.

 

It’s Show Time!

So you’ve had the food, the films and series, which means it’s time for a show as we are missing live performance bas much as table service.

My advice is to gather the household and sign up for www.broadwayhd.com to watch Kinky Boots, Falsettos, 42nd Street and the little known Meshuggah-Nuns!

If I tell you it’s about the sisters in wimples on an all-expense paid cruise having to stand-in for the seasick cast of Fiddler on the Roof, you’ll fathom where the meshuggah features.

Get in some ice cream for the interval and, as Mama Rose would say, “Sing out Louise!”  

 

READ THE FOOD SUPPLEMENT HERE!