LockDINE.

Purse? Check.

Lipgloss? Check.

Random items that are packed in case of a very unlikely emergency but were considered anyway due to my wild imagination? Check.

Mask?

As much as I would like to follow the word above with a quick reference to a Future song, I think it’s best if I use my next few sentences to express my genuine shock at how face coverings have become part of our new 'normal'. Doesn’t it fascinate you how the human race is currently carrying out their lives like partly-dressed superheroes and villains?

Suddenly, the strangers we walk past during our errands or journeys to school and work look like cast members of a Grey’s Anatomy episode in their thin blue numbers or stereotypical television armed robbers in the thick black ones. Masks are clearly the hottest trend this summer- I mean, what’s more fashionable than staying protected whilst also preventing the spread of a deadly virus? If you need a little more encouragement, you should check out my mini mask hall of fame below:

Very passionate mask activism aside, brace yourself for what this particular piece is really about. Upon initially booking our table at The Florist, I underestimated just how dedicated the restaurant is to the provision of an experience that collides a rather extensive menu of filling food and blossom gardens.

Despite the catchy and quirky quotes littered across its walls, like ‘Born a Wild Child’, as well the beautiful mixture of ivory and black iron furniture, the restaurant’s best feature is its windows. Large and wide, they allow an excessive amount of light to be thrown into its halls and thus making its notable and Instagram-worthy blossom trees very visible. The trees’ placement and size are ridiculously impressive; every so often, you would catch visitors, including ourselves, twisting their necks to stare at them in silent awe.

Are you wondering whether the experience gets better? Think refreshing fragrant cocktails with just the right amount of alcohol and ice, super cheery (and masked) staff and great conversation between a trio of friends that have known each other since multiplication timetables were introduced to them.

What followed next? Complete silence as we tucked into our starters and then eventually broke into vibrant conversation once again but this time about the magic on our tongues. The texture of my friends’ prawns coated with sweet and sour dip and my duck gyozas were the complete opposite of each other.

Whilst they crunched rapidly (passing comments about how great the dip was), I chewed slowly, allowing the duck to spill into my mouth with carefulness. I will say that the mains did take longer than we would have preferred but boy oh boy was it worth the wait!

A round hill of sticky rice topped with brown katsu curry, dripping to different ends of the plate and circled by chicken breast strips with a side of salad. Two plates of succulent BBQ ribs and kimchi fried rice with bright yellow sunny side-ups. It was exactly what it sounds like- undeniably delicious!

It is worth mentioning that my friends who had the latter order did worry a little about the portion size. However, the taste erased these concerns immediately; from the richness of the BBQ sauce to combination of the fried rice and egg, the meal suddenly became so filling. I particularly enjoyed my curry sauce; it was piping hot, thick and drowned my taste buds with flavour.

Overall rating of my first lockdining experience? Easily an 8/10. A strong one.

In the midst of a global pandemic, recessions and continuously postponed graduation celebrations, treating myself to a cute day out with a pair of rad individuals was probably what I needed in order to remind myself that life isn’t so bad after all.

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