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Camperlives Blog

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Writer's pictureClaire

Lockdown discovery February 2021: Restaurant Kits, where staying in is like going out.

Updated: Dec 8, 2023

I've always found February a bit of a slog regardless of being in a global pandemic but this time having a job and home-schooling has been tough, much longer hours, no time for anything. So when a friend told me about restaurant kits, I thought what a wonderful idea to cheer me and the husband up and celebrate getting to the end of a hard week. The first kit we got was a 1970's inspired Chicken Kiev Dinner by Tom Griffiths - Flank (because i'm a chicken kiev fan!). Some friends of ours also got the kit and we attempted a zoom dinner party, which was fun and surprisingly easy to execute, it was delicious. This kit we purchased from Restaurant Kits where they have a lot of different kits on offer. Tom-Griffiths - Flank Menu:

  • Baked Camembert with Toffee Apple Sauce and Frazzle Cracking Crumble and Crackers

  • Truffle Chicken Kiev, Creamy Mash Potato, and a rich Flank Pan Stock

  • Home-Baked Madelines with Salted Caramel Dip and Popcorn Crumble

The camembert was inspired - frazzle crumb (as in those 70's crisp) - strangely yum!

Tom Griffiths baked Camembert

Tom Griffiths Chicken Kiev

Tom Griffiths homemade madelines

The second kit, I purchased for Valentines day - this one was a little bit more special from DandD London and was inspired by one of my favourite meals I have ever had in Frankfurt. It didn't disappoint as the London Restaurant German Gymnasium specialises in German food (obviously!)


The Ultimate German Gymnasium Experience Kit Menu:

  • Smoked Salmon Potato Rosti

  • Whole Duck, Braised Red Cabbage, Potato Dumpling, Duck Jus

  • Warm Apple Strudel

Salmon and potato rosti

Duck, braised cabbage and potato dumpling

Apple strudel

The third kit I got was a simple saturday night tv meal, but one of my favourite most guitly pleasures, that I relish getting when I visit the US... Buffalo Wings. This kit from Meat Liquor was super simple and a lovely film accompanying treat. They also offer their special negroni, which goes very well with these buffalo wings. I ordered this kit from a site called Plateaway


Meat Liquor's Buffalo Wings - with their Negroni Cocktail

  • Buffalo Wings with In-House Buffalo Sauce with Blue Cheese Dip


Meat Liquor Buffalo Wings with Negroni

The last kit I ordered this month was the Fish Hamper from Aquavit, as we had been a bit meat heavy so far and I wanted to celebrate passing my probation for my new job. Aquavit is a London Nordic restaurant and isn't something I would normally go for but I was delighted I did, this was lip-smackingly gorgeous, perfect Friday night feast with a crisp cold bottle of Chablis. It was also so simple to make, this could have been done in the van, which opens up another world of van-life possibility for me! Aquavit Pescatarian Hamper:

  • Salmon Gravalax

  • Langoustine Bao Bun

  • Houghton Spring Trout

  • Smoked Cod papillotte, Rakor, Sea Herbs

  • Rye Bread


Salmon Gravalax

Langoustine Bao Bun

Hot smoked trout with a roe sauce

Prawn Potato Salad

Long may these restaurant kits continue! Not just in lockdown but for all the parents in the UK that restaurant date nights are a thing of the dim and distant past! I would love to hear any kits you have tried and tested!

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