January Round Up

January should be a quiet month really, but everything has kicked off for me.  Work is crazy, I need to find a new place to live in an exciting new city and I have so much still to see of London and my friends and family before I go.  I've been trying to eat myself out of the clutches of the January blues.

Rita's
Starting with Rita's.  Art and I were meant to go here in December and I had to cancel because of work.  Before that, I'd intended to go to their former restaurant in Stoke Newington, but never did.  Highlights of the meal were the chilli mac & cheese (£4.50), really excellent, and the mega stinky fried cheese (munster, £4.50) served with celeriac and chutney.  Special mention to the bacon brittle, so addictive. 

Not so good things about it were that we had to wait about 20 mins for a pre booked table drinking frozen 'ritas that weren't properly frozen.  Oh and when we were seated, we were downstairs in the corner next to the loos.  More good than bad though and best thing of all is that absolutely everything, except the mac & cheese was laden with coriander. Cheap, fun and great for large groups of people, I imagine.

The Ape & Bird
I'm trying to get my fill of Sunday roasts before I leave the UK in March.  I booked last minute for Russell Norman's latest venture, The Ape & Bird, and we turned up just after noon and literally had the run of the place.  It was a really rainy day (will there ever be any others?) and it was Chinese New Year but literally, it was empty the whole time we were there.  This makes me sad because the roast was great.  Duck with kale, roast potatoes, amazing roasted onions, gravy and more gravy in a little jug.  It was dreamy.  So was the cauliflower cheese side.  Not cheap, at around £17 but absolutely worth the spend.

Check On Roast @ Dead Doll's House
My friend Molly invited me along to a chicken Sunday, one of the Check On Roast events.  I'd never been to the Hoxton Square venue before but it's a lovely place, the sun even came out for some roof terrace japes at one point.  Very decent roast chicken too.  There are plenty more events coming up, beef and pork Sunday's are also running and tickets are still available, it's really good value at £25 for 4 courses and it was a brilliant atmosphere.

Kimchinary @ Catch
Kerb regular Hanna, of Kimchinary fame, was kind enough to invite me along to the launch night of her pop up at Catch Bar in Shoreditch.  I've loved Hanna's work since the rice pudding days and am so pleased that the rest of London are now fans of her Korean tacos.  She's brilliant, you should go, you won't even have to queue!  My shock favourites on the night were the veggie tacos and you absolutely must try to Dukbokki, it comes with nduja now, even better.  I'm planning a revisit next week.  Tacos are around £6.50 for 2.

I'm genuinely not one for blowing my own trumpet, but I am proud to say that I appear in the February issue of Olive magazine which hit shelves earlier this month, with my recommendations for best value London restaurants in which to spend £10, £20 and £30.  Franco Manca, Koya Bar and Brasserie Zedel.

I've had a few of my old favourites this month too, beginning with one of my Olive recommendations, the Ile Flottante shared with Bel at Brasserie Zedel.

MeatMarket's chicken wings, a London classic, reminds me I must have monkey fingers before I go!

Not a favourite but I tried Honest's Comte, bacon ketchup and smoked onion ring special burger (£12), better than it looks here but I struggled to detect the comte, big shame.

January '14 also marked my inaugural poutine experience at Little Social, where it happened to be on the specials menu.  Hopefully plenty more where that came from in Montreal.  For those who don't know, it's Quebec's answer to the kebab.  I'm not yet convinced as this one featured not only the usual chips, gravy and curds but also jalapenos and sausage.  I promise to stick with it. 

Rita's
175 mare St
Hackney
E8
8/10



The Ape & Bird
142 Shaftesbiry Avenue
Covent Garden
WC2H
7.5/10


Check On @ Dead Dolls House
35 Hoxton Square
N1
7/10

Kimchinary @ Catch
22 Kingsland Road
Shoreditch
E2

I dined as a guest of Kimchinary.

Burgers

This burger round up post has been a long time coming.  We've all eaten a lot of burgers in London, some great, some not so great.  Here are a few I've eaten over the last few months.

Grillshack
I met Art for an impromptu late Saturday lunch at Grillshack.  This was a while ago, probably November.  I confess I was surprised to read a mostly positive review from Jay Rayner in December.  I thought he'd hate the place.  Anyway, the burger itself was sound.  Ticked all the boxes, nothing remarkable, but a solid enjoyable offering.  The online app ordering thing is a bit silly, but we ordered at the counter and had no problems.  Liked the corn with lime and parmesan too, interesting amid the other more regular side dishes.  

Lucky Chip @ The Sebright Arms
I finally went to the Sebright Arms at the end of last year with Nibs and Charlie, fortunately making it in time for the speacial Breaking Bad menu.  It was awesome.  I had the Mike Ehrmantraut (£7), poor Mike, the cheese and bacon burger.  We got fries, tater tots and onion rings too.  It was a feast, it was excellent.  These burgers are up there with the best for me.  Sorry about the shit photo.

BRGR. Co
Ate this one with AV (with whom I've spent a lot of time talking about burgers) and what I recall most about this lunch is that the bun was great and the truffle parmesan fries were amazing.  The menu is slightly confusing, in that you pick a blend from the menu, such as ‘THE ORIGINAL BLEND’, ‘THE TENDER BLEND’, ‘THE BUTCHER’S CUT’.  I remember thinking "I don't know what this means and it makes me angry".  Anyway, decent burger, they're between £5 and £10, the Wardour St branch is always busy, service was a little slow, we didn't make it back by 2. 

Little Social
Hello my friend.  What January detox?!  I ate this beauty this week and it was excellent.  Perhaps I shouldn't have kicked things off with truffle risotto because I felt so full after this.  Great crispy bacon, nicely cooked meat (pink, obvs) and cracking pickles combining perfectly.  For £15 it comes with fries and a dressed side salad, slightly odd but the burger is a winner.

Five Guys
This is the Kid's favourite burger ever, so we have to agree to disagree about Five Guys because I did not love it.  I was totally confused by the ordering, who makes their diners have to specifically request lettuce and tomato in their burger?  It's like they're catering for 5 year olds who won't eat anything green.  So I neglected to add some.  I was delighted to receive somebody else's order though, because there they are, along with double patties, I obviously forgot to ask for that too.  What most upset me was the grey slices of beef.  I don't think they're patties, they're too thin.   I loved the cheese, and the ton of fries you get slung in a paper bag.  I like the monkey nuts, I love that we didn't have to queue, but I found the whole thing a bit annoying. It is cheap though, less than £10.  Sorry Kid.

I've also revisited Meatmarket, Meatliquor and Burger & Lobster, up there as my 1 and 2.  Or 1, 2 and 3, I suppose.  But then I need to include Meatmission.  Urgh.

Grillshack
61-63 Beak St
Soho
W1F
7/10



Lucky Chip @ The Sebright arms
The Sebright Arms
31-35 Coate St
E2
9/10



BRGR Co.
187 Wardour St
Soho W1F
6/10



Little Social
5 Pollen St
Mayfair
W1S
8.5/10



Five Guys
1-3 Long Acre
Covent Garden
WC2
6/10

September Round Up

Little round up of some nice things I've eaten this month.  First up a trip to the final Kerb Saturday of the year at King's Cross (they're launching in Maida Vale from 12th Oct).  There were relatively few traders and a lot of people so queues were pretty long.  Fortunately not the case at The Grilling Greek.

Obviously not the best picture ever taken, but this was a pork souvlaki garnished with tomato, red onion and tzatziki.  Those chips were awesome too, topped with feta and oregano, though Artemis (who knows her Greek food) was upset that there were no chips inside the pita.  Speaking of the pita, this was the best I've ever had.  Think they're about £5 each from memory.

I had some brilliant scallops from the rather irritatingly named Healthy Yummies.  Healthy they weren't actually as they were floating in beurre blanc and sitting on top of some lovely creamy celeriac puree.  Very good.

Fried to order, they're really fresh, topped with lardons and fried herbs, about £4 each.  We wanted to try Bao London too but they sold out pretty early.  They had a long queue all day so we missed out this time.  Fortunately, they were also at the We Feast 1 year anniversary event so we head straight there to try them out.

I'd had one of these bad boys before but it was even better than I remembered.  Braised pork belly in a steamed bun topped with coriander, pickles and caramelized peanut crumbs, they're sweet and savoury perfection.  Love, love them.  They're under £5 and totally moreish, Art had 2.  They also do deep fried buns with fried chicken inside. 

Also at We Feast were Anna Maes, which I obviously cannot resist whenever I see them.  Mac & cheese is the one.  They had a special on which was dubbed the macgic mushroom.  Mushroom and truffle goodness pimping it up.  Not cheap at £7.50 for a smaller tub than they usually serve in, but there was actual truffle on it, as well as oil so I happily parted with my pennies.

Wishbone had a stand there too, making me very happy, I tried one of their chicken sliders, the mini tower block, a nod to the colonel's zinger tower burger.  Hash brown, hot sauce, crispy chicken thigh, lettuce and cheese, I thought the bun was a bit dry but overall enjoyed it.

I started the month off with a night out with fellow bloggers Hannah and Sarah to the soft opening of Breddos Tacos residency at Slider Bar @ The Player.

Their main thing is clearly tacos but you can still get sliders too, as you rightly should do at Slider Bar.  The tacos are good, we each got the taco tray which offers a selection of all 5 on the menu, spiced chesnut mushroom, jerk pulled pork, fried chicken, cod cheek and beef shortrib.  I liked the cod one the best but they were all really good.  Bargain for £12.

We also tried the slaw (£2) and the pork belly croquettes (£5) which were also great, it was day 2 so 50% off food so this was a real bargain.  Good to know you can still get a decent bite to eat here following the departure of Lucky Chip.

Last but not least, I've spent a couple of nights this month propping up The Lobby Bar at the newly opened Edition Hotel.   Looking forward to trying the Berners Tavern sometime soon, Jason Atherton's latest opening also in the hotel.  Great martinis, decent sliders (po' boy and pulled pork below) and a really fun atmosphere make for an excellent night and a guaranteed sore head the next day.  Love everything about the place and think I'll be huddled around their open fire for much of the winter.

The Grilling Greek
Weekly at Kerb KK (Tuesdays)
Brentford Market
Check their facebook for details.
7/10

Healthy Yummies
Catering, and Kerb occasionally. 
Check the Kerb traders page for deets.
7.5/10

Bao London
Regulars at Kerb KK (Thursdays)
Netil Market (Saturdays)
9/10

Anna Maes
About, check here
8/10

Wishbone
Visit their Brixton restaurant
9/10

Breddos Tacos @ The Player
8 Broadwich St
Soho W1F
6/10

The Lobby Bar @ The London Edition
Berners St
W1T
10/10

LA Eats

I was away in LA for work last week and whilst I was mostly busy with meetings and clients, I did manage to sneak to a couple of places on my hit list during my 4 day stay.

Now, everybody knows you absolutely must have a car to see the best of LA, I didn't have one, but I was staying and working in Santa Monica, so did my best to explore the area local to The Huntley Hotel and hitch a ride with colleagues as and when I could.

In-N-Out
I'm pretty sure nobody will care that I ate an In-N-Out burger, given that we are now so spoiled here in London but it was top of my list of must visit places and I wasn't disappointed.

Following the advise of literally everybody I spoke to, I ordered my cheeseburger animal style, which is not an advertised option that comes pimped with caramelized onions and special sauce.

Chips were nice, I wasn't aware these could be 'animaled' so missed out on that treat.  The chocolate milkshake was excellent.  Two things struck me, firstly how cheap it was and secondly, how most other diners seemed to be eating 2 burgers at a time.  I was saving room for more food later but at about $4 each for the meal, it's easy to see how things soon get out of hand in the US.  Also available on the 'secret' menu is a 3x3 or 4x4 option.  Heh.

Intelligentsia
Thanks to Daniel Young for tipping me off about Intelligentsia.   We went one morning for breakfast and there was a huge queue before 9am.  They really take their time making each cup, it is a chain, but it doesn't feel at all like it, the place has a laboratory feel to it with all kinds of filters and machines contributing to the production of each cup.  The choice of coffee bean alone is staggering.  I played it safe and went for a black cat classic latte which was sweet and rather mild.  I was in a jetlagged haze so could really have done with something a little stronger.

That beast is a cheese and bacon croissant which was pretty special.  Representing the USA, my colleague had a doughnut.  For breakfast.  When we left the queue was even longer.  Loved the place.

Blue Plate Oysterette
I snuck in some solo snackage right before I had to leave for the airport.  I propped up the bar at Blue Plate Oysterette a seafood bar on Ocean Avenue, overlooking the beach.  There is a chalk board where the daily catch is advertised, there is a huge selection of oysters, I had never heard of any of them so asked for recommendations and got these, 2 Laguna Bay, 2 Malpeque and 2 Chincoteaque.

The 2 closest to camera were the Malpeque and they were my favourite.  All were quite meaty and briney, I ate one of each by themselves then loaded the second ones with the shallot vinegarette and lemon juice.  I saw no use for the tomato sauce, but each to their own I suppose.  These were about $3 each.

I couldn't resist the lure of the lobster truffle mac and cheese for $20.  Maine lobster mixed through the mini conchiglie with an obscenely decadent cheese sauce, complete with stringy bits when you got a forkful.  It was so good.  I ate all this accompanied by 2 glasses of oyster bay and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Service was mostly lovely, American priding itself on hospitality.

From here, I waddled off, content and slightly tipsy, to the airport.  My bill came to about $60, so not cheap but it was an off peak time and the place was heaving, who doesn't love a bit of seafood on the seafront?

Other places I ate while I was there included Wabi Sabi (great sushi), Urth Cafe (good coffee and eggs) and Canal Club (don't do it).  Special mention to the crunchy rice spicy tuna at Wabi Sabi, I need to find them in London, any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.  Check them out.

I also loved Abbot Kinney.  It's a street with lots of independent shops and cafes, it's where Intelligentsia is and on Friday, they had tonnes of food trucks lining the street.  It's like Kerb or We Feast but supersized. Crap photos, taken from inside cab, but you get the idea, there was literally everything you could ever want, every type of cuisine represented, I was in awe.

Hope I'll be back soon, and next time I'll get my own wheels so I can explore further afield.  

In-N-Out
Culver City
13425 Washington Blvd
CA 90034
7/10



Intelligentsia

1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Venice, California 90291
 9/10



Blue Plate Oysterette
1355 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401 
 9/10



Wabi Sabi
1635 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
 8/10

July Round Up

Kimchinary
Hanna's Korean tacos are really special.  I remember trying her rice pudding at We Feast back in November and being seriously impressed with the flavours she'd got going on.  It's next level stuff with these tacos, just look at how pretty they are.  I've sampled these, pulled pork belly ribs and braise bulgogi ox cheek tacos, 2 for £6, at We Feast at Brick Lane Yard and just last weekend at Street Feast in Dalston Yard.

You can also catch Hanna at her Zainichi supper club event this weekend where she'll be cooking an offal based menu alongside masterchef 2011 winner Tim Anderson.  Tickets are still available, snap them up, it's going to be great.  Rooftop and everything!

Bleeker St Burgers
I tried the cheeseburger with sweet potato fries from these guys at Street Feast too, cooked medium rare served with American cheese, lettuce and mustard.  They have some awesome sounding dishes, have heard great things about the blue (cheese) burger and the atomic fries.  Burger and fries cost around £9.

Dirty Burger
Staying on the burger theme, the recent spat of American imports, Shake Shack and Five guys, inspired me to try some home grown offerings that I'd been wanting to check out.  I recently took a trip down the road from my place to Dirty Burger in Kentish Town. 

They are not kidding with the name, we ate this sitting on the pavement outside for as dirty an experience as possible.  Things got messy.  No interior shot, but here it is safely wrapped up in it's paper.  The crinkly fries were brilliant.  I do love a crinkle.  Perhaps something to do with this being the tail end of a 3 day burger bender, but I was a bit over it before it began.  My fault though and I'll definitely be back to give them another go and to try Chicken Shop and Pizza East on the neighbouring site.  Cheeseburger is the only option (£5.50) chips are crinkle or onion (£3) and it's all rather fun.  Go in the warmer months though, it's literally like you're eating in the shed in the garden.

And, just to be clear, that is not my coke, I hate coke.

Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar
Navajo Joe's has relaunched as Joe's Southern Kitchen on the same site on King Street in Covent Garden.  I was lucky enough to be invited to a blogger preview event on the 4th of July to sample some of the new American inspired menu.  Highlights included beer can chicken (£24.95), recommended for 2-3 to share,

Braised beef brisket chilli cups, soft corn tacos, diy loading and squirting of the sour cream is a nice touch but possibly for preview only (£5.95),  and the key lime pie dessert, bottom right below.   Unsure of cost, it's not listed on the website, but it was great.  The girls next to us thought there was something off with the shortbread but I liked it.  Crunchy topping and tart citrussy bottom, it's everything I want in a pud.

The guys working there seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the revamp and were keen to recommend things to us and to hear our feedback.  Absolutely appalling mac & cheese though, wrong on so many levels that I was lost for words but the chicken was really good, as was the beef short rib.

Le Gavroche
Finally, not only did I have my birthday meal at Le Gavroche, but I also met Michel Roux Jnr, who must be the nicest man in food.  God love him.  Highlights of Le Gav were the cheese trolley and the cheese trolley.  Ha.  It's epic.
 

 

Other highlights were the octopus carpaccio, made even better because it arrived just after I'd spoken to Noyl who was stepping off the ferry at Manly beach in Oz,  Happy days.  

We had the tasting menu priced at £180 with matching wines, it's not cheap but it was a special occasion.  31, ouch.  We were in the last sitting of the day so it felt a little rushed towards the end, I only had 1 sip of the last wine and we were the last people to leave.  If you're going, go earlier.   Lovely crockery and brilliantly salty butter balls.  Think we were a bit rowdier than the typical Le Gav diner, but they were ever so gracious about it. 

Kimchinary
Catch Hanna at at Kerb, check twitter for details weekly.
8/10

Bleeker St Burger
Also regularly at Kerb but check website for regular updates.
7/10

Dirty Burger
79 Highgate Road
Kentish Town
NW5 (woo!)
7/10



Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar
34 King Street
Covent Garden
WC2E
I dined as a guest of Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar



Le Gavroche
43 Upper  Brook Street
W1K
7/10 - it's all about that cheeseboard.