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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Cheap eats in London #1

     June 2010, I find myself with my girlfriend in jolly old England, London to be exact. As many of you know London can be an expensive city to visit. This can be a problem when somebody like me, who loves to eat copious amounts of food is on a bit of a budget. Staying true to what I wanted my blog to be about (finding affordable eating) I chose to review a fairly simple food item. My solution for a budget? Marks and Spencer, a British retail/grocery store. I do like gourmet food and don't mind paying a bit extra if its worth it, but on a budget my solution is pre made sandwiches:

Top: British Chicken and Bacon, BLT, Smoked British Ham and Mustard Mayo
Bottom: Gin and Tonic, Pain au Chocolat, Pina Colada

    Marks and Spencer grocery stores host a wide array of packaged sandwiches which make for affordable meals or snacks, here's the kicker, they actually taste good. Prices range from £1.40 to £3.50 for some of the heartier ones. My favorite out of the ones we got was the BLT (£2.20). The BLT was very filling and it was worth paying a bit extra because the other two sandwiches were a bit bland.When you compare these prices to restaurants that you'd go to for a light lunch you defiantly save a lot this way. You can save the money you  didn't spend or you can splurge and get deserts and drinks while you're at it: Do yourself a big favor and don't buy these pre made drinks, I ended up pouring my gin and tonic out and was left sober.
Pina Colada/Gin & Tonic
The stores selection of sandwiches is quite impressive here are a few with prices.
1. Aromatic Duck  by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

Maybe the duck flew south for the winter?
2. B.L.T. by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

Little to complain about.

3. British Ham & Cheddar by Marks & Spencer (£1.40)

Very frustrating.

4. British Ham & Salad by Marks & Spencer (£1.75)

Yippie, salad! 

5. Chicken by Marks & Spencer (£2.00)

Bland and blander.

6. Chicken & Bacon by Marks & Spencer (£2.25)

Yes, it's even good for you.

7. Chicken & Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes by Marks & Spencer (£2.25)

Tasty, but cluttered.

8. Chicken & Stuffing by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

Like a roast dinner, in bread!

9. Chicken & Sweetcorn by Marks & Spencer (£2.00)

Amazingly moreish.

10. Chicken Salad by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

Well made and well priced.

11. Chicken, Avocado & Bacon by Marks & Spencer (£2.50)

Quality over glitz.

12. Club by Marks & Spencer (£2.70)

For the spare bread lover.

13. Coronation Chicken by Marks & Spencer (£2.25)

Lovely but mean.

14. Crayfish & Rocket by Marks & Spencer (£3.00)

That's the way to do it.

15. Egg & Bacon by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

Oddly bland.

16. Italian Job by Marks & Spencer (£3.50)

Michael Caine would approve.

17. King Prawn & Bacon Caesar by Marks & Spencer (£3.20)

An expensive muddle

18. Oakham Chicken & Pancetta Caesar by Marks & Spencer (£3.50)

A big expensive mess.

19. Poached Salmon by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

You never knew fish could be this good.
(Review posted: 30/12/2005)

20. Prawn Mayonnaise by Marks & Spencer (£1.50)

M&S give us a lesson in blandness.

21. Red Salmon & Cucumber by Marks & Spencer (£1.50)

I didn't know fish ate cucumber.

22. Roast Beef & Horseradish by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

High quality, mid-price.

23. Sausage & Ketchup by Marks & Spencer (£1.60)

Oddly, this actually works.

24. Seafood Cocktail by Marks & Spencer (£1.50)

One of the better examples of this sandwich.

25. Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese by Marks & Spencer (£2.20)

Posh nosh for a fair price.

26. Tuna & Cucumber by Marks & Spencer (£1.40)

Dryer than Oscar Wilde and not nearly as fishy.

27. Turkey, Bacon & Stuffing Feast by Marks & Spencer (£2.50)

How not to do a Christmas sandwich.




Source: http://www.sandwichguide.co.uk/store.php?store=Marks%20&%20Spencer

9 comments:

  1. looks like you cant go wrong with chicken

    http://hotgirls4me.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Strong canned gin and tonic brah, mirin :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken. Love me some chicken. I'll be following.

    I'm at http://aatlinks.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. I enjoy gin and tonics, but this
    tasted terrible

    ReplyDelete
  5. GRRR those sammies look good... must not eat...

    ReplyDelete

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