The things people do to track down a good meal, this one in particular involves my first encounter with the Lucky Chip burger. As you know, summers are pretty up and down every year, we remember the odd day when the thermometer crosses the psychological 100F mark, but we tend to forget that mostly, it’s just very wet. So there we were, Mark with his gentlemenly brolly, and me with my … FT Weekend Magazine… (ironically, this weekend’s was the Food issue including a feature on the slow death of the Bib, and a short Heston interview) and soaked Marni blazer (sniffers) , we were traipsing up and down London fields to find this rather elusive, and well hidden Netil Market, and mindful that the mild drizzle – like a balloon slowly filling with water – was about to burst into a proper rainstorm.

After a little tinkering with google maps, we circled onto Westgate Street as the entry point to Netil Market. So we found it eventually, quite modest, in a rather small car park, but as it had been raining all afternoon, it wasn’t a surprise to find the vendors packing up their stock to shield from it. The sight of the Lucky Chip van was modestly uneventful, and given the street food craze, it’s quite a change coming across an empty food truck with good internet gossip. Manned by one, there were a couple of tables around it, one table in particular was shifted under a market stall tent, which we both thought was a good idea to duck into. So we ordered, and sat down, before long our worst fears were realised, the metaphorical water balloon had burst and it was as if wet bombs broke upon impact on the tent. What a day for al fresco dining, but no amount of rain dampened our appetites, when this landed on our table:

Single with Cheese, £6.00.

Looks familiar doesn’t it? Yeah it does bear a semblance to the now mythical Meat Wagon/Easy effort, what with the melted cheese oozing around the seemingly hand formed patty enclosed within a steamed bun.

The patty was juicy and well seasoned, not too beefy but not too bland either. All the pre-requisite fixings were all present. The burger was a tad too leaky but I think it’s probably down to a merely adequate bun, which could be a little better at soaking up the juices, but all in all, we found our burgers to be quite good. In fact, we thought they were really good.

I’m not going to get more technical than the above, because I’m not a bloody burger expert (then again, is anyone really?) , but I think you’ll find there is substance to the Lucky Chip burger, which for me resembled a Meat Wagon experience, ie, if I hadn’t already just completed a marathon 10 courses at Roganic, I would have easily gone for a couple more.

The good thing about Lucky Chip is that it is still relatively free from hype right this moment, so you won’t have to queue for hours just for a burger.

Wasabi Mayo and Ginger Sweet Chilli Fries, £3.5

What we did think was a cut above the competition were these hand cut fries. Bursting with mashy, rich potato flavours, so much so that we didn’t actually think it required all the salt it came with. In fact, when you do eventually make it to Lucky Chip, be sure to get the chips unsalted. The asian influenced condiments – wasabi and sweet chilli – were an effective touch.

Lucky Chip has only been around for about 3 months, they were ‘born’ in Kensal Rise (so to speak) trading a couple of days of the week from Kensal Rise church, but circumstances are such that it has forced them to found their now permanent spot in Netil Market. From our brief chat with the bearded Lucky Chip owner (one of two I think) , he told us they are in the middle of renegotiating their bread suppliers to somebody more local than their current guy out west in Park Royal.

We paid £15.50 for two burgers and the fries.

If you are searching for the contender which can go toe to toe with the Meat Wagon burger, I think this is it. Lucky Chip has got a great product on their hands, the patty in particular is great, and once it secures the perfect East London baked brioche or sourdough bun, I think it will have all the ammunition to fill the interwebs with pictures of its juicy burger. They are at Netil Market most days (except Mondays I think) from lunch hour through to 10pm, and I urge you to brave the rain and hit the food truck.

PS: Daniel – Perhaps a tie-up with BurgerMondays?

The Deets

Lucky Chip
£6 a burger
Netil Market,
Westgate Street
London Fields,
E8 3RL
Ben – 07795816355

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Consider this as the side project. An epilogue of a visionary concept. A retelling of a story told from another point of view. The breakfast room for hotel guests. Yes, The Corner Room is the child of Nuno Mendes’ Viajante, both nestled within the zen like confines of the uber cool Townhall hotel in uber edgy Bethnal Green on the East end. A spin-off, an overflow room for those who don’t like the idea of advanced reservations at the ultra fantastic temple of modernist gastronomy downstairs.

Perhaps the best part of it all, is how low-key The Corner Room has been kept. There is no weblink or phone and therefore takes no reservations and is totally egalitarian, if you can find it.

You’ll have to go through the main hotel reception, instead of the reception to Viajante to find the easily find The Corner Room. If you take the latter route (which we did), you’ll be taken through the guts of the hotel, maze your way through the immaculate designs and occasionally peek into the beautifully designed rooms as they are being kept. The Townhall hotel is a marvelous hotel. It’s a work of wonder. It’s understated and because of this, it probably makes cooler than staying at say The Renaissance, whose goth granduer is a little bit of a overwhelming monstrosity.

When we did eventually find The Corner Room (unsurprisingly in a corner wing of the first floor) , we were greeted with a distinctly subtle and zen-likeroom. The colour coordination, eye catching and low key was just fabulous, I particular love the large windows, whatever period they are from, as well as the dangling lamps that decorate the wall. The room has character.

Mark and I paid a visit last Saturday for lunch, and were given their weekend brunch menu. There might be a more complete dinner menu, but we didn’t see it.

Taking the low profile approach extends to the purposefully woefully written menu, that easily looks like it was swiped from a greasy spoon, as if to serve as a surprise in an exercise of suppressing the genius that would be served. “House bacon, hash brown & egg” , “avocado on toast” , “smoked salmon & scrambled eggs”.

Salmon & eggs? Far from it, check this out:

Smoked salmon with polenta, avocado & hollandaise, £8.

The smell, the wonderful fragrance of brunch! The salmon, butter, eggs and polenta, all congealing and all an interplay of pillow soft textures, easily glides in to my system. Mmm, there is abit of the cutting edge cooking from downstairs creeping into the recipe here, a dash of avocado cream, a sting of a zesty hollandaise, the custardy poached eggs and paprika infused polenta cake. It’s as beautiful to look as, it was attractive to eat.

Poached eggs with chorizo and paprika potatoes, £8.

The roast filled, relaxant feel of the chorizo and potatoes was morning after breakfast sex for the palate, mmm..

Pork loin & Portuguese bread pudding, £12.

…but this was the one which we both thought was bloody fabulous, prompting my buddy Mark to gesture “This is seriously good food. No fucking around ain’t it, dude.”

The savoury bread pud was from the spring from which comfort food had sprung. Like a rosti soaking with oodles of tomato, peppers and rich umami savouriness. We were both certain the buttery tender pork loins were the result of a master of the dark arts of cooking sous-vide. The original idea of what makes gastronomy the joy it is; an endorphine promoting and necessary part of the day, a celebration of the fact that eating is to refuel life itself.

Mackerel with celeriac & bacon, £6.

The weakest dish of the service, this was flash over substance, and compared to the dishes that came before it, it was easily forgettable. Still for six quid, it was edible art.

Final bill, including a mimosa £7, a glass of bubbles £6 and fresh OJ £2.5 was £55.69 for two.

What I like about the cooking here, is the attention to the cooking. And I say this with all the love for gastronomy from the very depths of my belly : The cooking was very handsome.

Sometimes all that flash and cutting edge modernity can be distracting to an unprepared diner, and if you’re not one to ooh and ahh over the procession, it can be exhaustingly esoteric, thus a little confusing and there is a danger that Viajante’s high end stuff may bore the living daylights off your appetite. But that’s why The Corner Room is special. This unplugged version of Nuno’s mind-bending high end stuff, strikes a perfect chord with the palate, stripping away the noise, and allowing the natural ingredients and the well honed skills of the kitchen to really shine through. This is off the cuff jazz to the disciplined masterpiece of chamber music. And so, this is the alternate interpretation of the travelling chef’s genius. It’s as if the kitchen had laid bare the inner workings of its soul to the public, private nosh turned public, like the way the butcher’s filet became the public’s onglet.

The Corner Room is brilliant. It may even be more fantastic than big brother Viajante downstairs. It certainly is a wonderful brunch venue, and I suspect it will not stay hidden from you guys for very much longer. I love Nuno Mendes’ high end trickery, but I also highly enjoy his low-key flirtation of a stripped down performance.

I fully endorse The Corner room and I suggest you find the time to pay The Corner Room a visit, or perhaps two.

The Gist of It

The Corner Room
Hidden Genius £25pp
No reservations, no phone.
First Floor at The Town Hall Hotel
Patriot Square | E2 9NF
Tube : Bethnal Green

In this coner: Euan Ferguson for TO

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One can only admire Russell Norman, Richard Beatty and their merry team for breathing revolutionary life to the London dining circuit over the past two years. It kind of reminds me of the Star Wars prequels, how as each chapter unfolded, came the buzz, the anticipation and the new effects. I thought Revenge was the strongest of them all. The last in the trilogy, the most unique, and the one which wasn’t held back. Come on folks, you gotta admit, Spuntino was special. Russell and co created a landmark with that one. Who knew that truffled egg toasts, ground beef sliders, grits and a brew, would still taste so good the third time round.

And so the Russell is back yet again with the fourth (and last) in the Polpo line (until the next revelation comes to his brilliant restauranteur mind) , and its like sitting down to see Episode Four, after seeing Revenge. You’re fooling yourself into thinking you don’t know the score, when in fact, you already do. All the hype is in place, as we’ve seen before, twitter a flutter bearing the good news of the successful soft launch, which will be – inevitably – followed by the barrage of words, photographs, videos and interviews over the coming weeks.

Of course, I had to saveur the moment for myself, so I decided to obey the egalitarian policy, and walked in sans booking on their second official day of service, for a lazy Friday lunch.

This new chapter hints at the storied granduer of its predecessors. It inherits several motifs, but is distilled in a more pragmatic manner, a more refined way, a reboot of the el classico order. The best bits of Spuntino, Polpo and Polpetto is apparent in its design – the curtained glass front, the aged walls, the tiles, the creaky wooden floorboards, 50s American rock, hotpants, shaggy tees and rolled up sleeves, and the bar stools. But this one probably wins for it is blessed a skylight, that allows the heavens smile upon its guts every morning, and if you position yourself just in the right spot under the skylight, you might see the tip of the nearby church on Maiden Lane.

The menu printed on the brown paper table cloths, was familiar territory. Pizzette, cicheti, salads, an expanded meatballs and other nibbly Italian bits were present. Da Polpo takes an even more pronounced less is more approach to the food, nothing seemed too challenging, osso bucco, squid ink and lentils were absent.

Bottle of Moretti £4.00 and Arancini, £2.50

I taste sage (I think), I see dollops of mozzarella (I think) and sticky viscous rice. Nice. Wash down with birra.

Whole mozzarella, broad beans, £7.50.

Mmmm, classic. Fresh, buttery broad beans, buttery cheese, buttery olive oil, simple yes, but also something that Obika would envy.

Fennel, curly endives, almonds, £4.

The salads are good, across all four restaurants really.

Grilled sirloin steak, £8.50.

No eggs with this, you can taste hot iron on the surface of the meat, it’s grilled, with no frills.

Piadina Meatball Smash, £8.

The smash is literal, in that it is pressed in between piadina, an Italian flatbread, with cheese and sauce. I chose the classic pork & beef balls, though the full suite includes lamb & mint; spicy pork & fennel; chickpea, spinach & ricotta. The meatballs were nice, comforting and as you’d expect from meatballs, in their powers to heal the soul from a week long battering at the office.

Affogato, £2.5 and Tiramisu pot, £4.50.

To finish, the missus and I were greedy and went for a affogato (each) plus a pot of sinful tiramisu. We ended up fighting over the last scrapings of the pudding from the tumbler.

Cost for two was £42, including service, a glass of wine and a bottle of beer. Classic cooking going on here, this is not a place for cutting edge ideas; rather there are comforting recipes and fresh salads, to accomodate the all day dining mood, those who wish to hang around, to have some booze, to drink some coffee, to take time out for some reading and to laugh the night away.

Like you, I’ve been to all four of Norman’s restaurants. Of the four, my favourite is Spuntino, da Polpo is a close second, and I think they should bring the osso bucco to all four restaurants. All four are accessible, affordable, come with funky and pleasing service but most of all, they are all imbued with the unmistakable and magical hazy amber-lit ambiance. Has Russell Norman’s grand idea of bacaros now reached the rarified space known to few as perfection, or might there be an epilogue which is yet to be revealed? Only time will tell, until then, the octopus worship continues.

The Gist of It

da Polpo
All day Italian small bites, with a skylight. £20pp.
6 Maiden Lane
WC2E 7NA
Tel : 020 7836 8448
Tube : Covent Garden

More photos on my flickr.

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I really like Leather Lane over lunch hours, because it converts into an electric street market, overflowing with people. It’s like a crack in the universe peering into an alternate world, where Holborn is cool, eclectic, and entirely down with the kids.

It is especially special to me, because it’s also home to a very awetastic permanent mobile food cart, which – in my opinion – serves one of the best steak burritos in London. Mucholy hot if you get the burrito with hot salsa. Yowza. Lunchtimes in Leather Lane can get very cramped, extremely bustly and chocked full of life. Topless construction workers woo at passerbirds, women haggling over pashminas, and whatever garments that catches their eye. Legend has it that the Leather Lane street market has nearly 100 years of history.

On the topic of history, London was once the capital of coffee sniffing accompanied by a good dose of gentlemanly debate. Affectionately, these coffeehouses were called Penny Universities, as it only costed patrons a penny to enter – referring to the total egalitarian nature of its clientele – which meant anyone from whatever societal class were able to exchange minds on whatever issues they wished to talk about.

Of course, not very long ago, the very concept resurfaced when Square Mile roasters decided to create a pop-up brew bar, calling it the Penny University last year.

I didn’t manage to write a post about it, but I did wish for a permanent version. Who knew filtered coffee was so addictive, delish and education.

Of course, it took an Antipodeon influence to kickstart the London coffee renaissance, yes, I am speaking of the devilish milky sensation that is the Flat White, and now we’re all well schooled with the cuppa. The better half always rolls her eyes everytime I marvel at the Jesus pattern in my flatwhite “We had those ten years ago. Turkish flat bread hasn’t made it here yet. Nor has blueberry bagels.”.

But we do have great burritos. This side of the Atlantic. I think.

While the cafe revolution is really only just beginning, and I’m not talking coffee, I mean proper airy, anti corporate, properly indie, properly cool, totally whack with full wi-fi access and furniture that looks IKEA, aeropress and anti-cafetiere revolution, but it is here.

You may or may not know I am a Tapped and Packed fan, the space is beautiful, the ever changing artists works on the walls are always inspiring, and I am only ever so very glad to find Gwilym Davies – World Barista Champ ’09 – has expanded his previously modest coffee cart in a men’s clothes shop in Dalston Kingsland to the crack in the universe that is Leather Lane.

The new establishment is heartwrenchingly beautiful. Elegantly stripped down designs, expansive, creative, mind opening, it is anthesis to franchised coffee. Observing this shift in the industry is like watching James Bond reboot himself into a sleeker, sexier, contemporary and ultimately enjoyable version of a coffeehouse.

I don’t know that much about brew coffee, I’m still learning and appreciating the art of the medium, though I have seen the magic of siphon coffee makers, what with the science of hot steam pushing water up and down a siphon and all, and the less fancy, mechanical equivalent of the aeropress, or simply just a straight up filter. Essentially it’s different ways to force hot water through (freshly) grounded coffee beans to make a brew. I think.

Alright, alright, so shoot me, I came here to savour a flat white, milk in coffee, and didn’t ask the wonderful staff to brew me a real cup of coffee. I will be back of course, and I hope to bump into you (with your Times subscribed iPad) there, spreading yourself across a table. This will be one of the greatest coffeehouses in town. Well, at least I really want it to be.

Cue the photographs. All shot on Portra 400NC, and a single 35mm lens.

Happy Easter folks. (I checked they are open)

The Gist of It

Prufrock Coffee
Coffee, cafe… lazy, special ,£3pp.
23-25 Leather Lane EC1N 7TE
Gwilym +44 (0) 7852243470
Tube: Holborn / Chancery Lane

Reviews: The Faerietale Foodie

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Unless you have been living under the proverbial rock that requires abstination from evil things such as sex, alcohol and greasy chips, you would have otherwise heard about the gospel of The Meatwagon. Unfortunately, the wagon was stolen late last year, so in early 2011, Yianni Papoutsis – aka Blighty’s one true burger king – had reassigned his team at the first floor of a closed down pub, in New Cross Gate. The pub had offered its space, as it is in the middle of its refurbishment plans. Yianni’s intention is to be able to secure enough funds to get a new van to roll out for the summer.

And thus, #MEATEASY was born. And it’s fucking brilliant. Very rough around the edges, but we don’t mind of course, because we love quirky and egalitarian, rage against the guerilla dives. Upon arrival, you are given a ticket, and then it’s a mad scramble to find a spare seat at the cramped space, as you study the menu scrawled across the wall.

The first time I went was a Thursday night at 9, and we didn’t eat till 11. So we spent all our cash on the £7 cocktails and £3 beers. Rum swizzlers aplenty. But when the food arrived, oh my giddy Uncle Bob, it was certainly worth the long wait.

As expected, the menu is not for vegetarians, their famed cheeseburgers are said to rival the In-N-Out and even the Shake shack. Purists love Yianni’s burgers, and I have no choice but to cave in and agree with the zeitgeist. It really is fast food’s finest hour.

Then again, a burger is a burger is a burger right? Afterall, a patty can only be flipped in so many ways. So sue me burgersnobs.

Joining the superburgers are the schnitzel breaded, tender, juicy and fleshy chicken fillet burgers, chilli cheese smothered hotdogs, Philly cheesesteaks, faux-buffalo wings, gigantic onion rings and McD’s style soggy fries and bad bad ‘slaw. Everything oozes first rate fast food appeal, redolent of the first time you ate at McDonalds, though everything else pales in comparison to the beef burgers (plain, cheese, bacon cheese, chilli cheese and the dead hippie).

I think the real winner with #MEATEASY in particular, is the rocking ambiance. And probably the people who go there. Equal measures of travelling burger lovers, trend chasers, people just looking for cool place to hang out. Everybody has an iPhone and checks their FB account while their partners order food when their number is up.

#MEATEASY is only trading under next Saturday, that’s 16th April 2011, because that is when Capital Pubs will resuscitate their refurbishment plans to remake the currently closed Goldsmith Tavern to the New Cross House.

I am not entirely sure what Mr Collins plans to do with the new pub, but whatever it is, I am certain he won’t be pulling in the crowds like Yianni is doing right now. My 2nd visit was at 5.45pm on Saturday, and we were number 44; the doors had barely been open for 15 minutes, and already there was a queue!

This is pure speculation of course, but this make-shift business must have been raking it in, enough for a new burgervan, or two, or three?

The thought must have crossed Yianni’s – and potential investors’ – mind to create a permanent spin-off as a result of this project. If Spuntino is anything to go by, I think a relocated #MEATEASY will continue to be a hit. Afterall, Yianni already owns a burger recipe ( and a customised and ideal burger bun ) that is the envy of the industry. Whether or not stakeholders can come to an agreement, or if what I am suggesting is unadulterated blasphemy to Yianni is another issue. But we live in hope.

For now, the speakeasy-esque diner/bar, serving great grilled fast food, is very attractive. This is something we can keep going back to. It may yet be the best thing to come from the entire internet fueled, pop-up generation of eateries.

Anyway, if you haven’t already, I do highly recommend you try and get to New Cross Gate before 5.45pm, any day from Tuesday to Saturday, if you don’t fancy queuing up or risk not being able to grab a table, or missing the last train back to whence you came. Have £40 on your persons, a small tupperware box, order one cheeseburger, one dead hippie, one chicken burger, one Philly cheesteak, and stuff whatever you can’t finish in the plastic box for lunch the day after. I promise it’ll be a night to remember.

The Gist of It

#MEATEASY by The Meat Wagon
Ticketed, Cash Only, Burgers & Cocktails. £15pp
First Floor, Goldsmiths Tavern
316 New Cross Rd SE14 6AF
Tel: 07796 304024
Overground: New Cross Gate

Even more photos on my flickr page.

TimeOut London ; London Stuff ; Campari & Soda ; The Happiness Project London ; thebountifulplate ; No Reservations ; An American in London ; thecriticalcouple

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I would like to begin by publicly apologising to Russell Norman and his team, because on reflection, I think I was man-pmsing when I wrote the Polpetto review. I was out of line, and rude, and I hope I can be forgiven. Handslap.

Most of you are already familiar with the famous bacaro in Soho that is Polpo, and many of you would have heard of the owners, Norman and Beatty’s exciting plans of growing the brand they have created. And while Polpetto was more of the same, except smaller (great ossobuco), the third outfit, Spuntino, is a step in a totally different direction. The Italian influence, is now heavily laced with references to the American diner, the menu is still presented as a personal paper table cloth; except this time round, you can almost hear Robert Frank’s shutter going off in the background to a recital of the bebop beat poetry of Jack Kerouac.

Spuntino inherits the winning ambiance from its predecessors and then some. There’s just something very special about this squarish room, in the heart of striptease central. I didn’t like the crammed Polpo and hated the rammed Polpetto, but Spuntino is very close to perfect.

Spuntino is tiny, about twenty can sit around the bar, there’s a table for six right at the back, and at the very end of the bar, there is a oversized stool, affectionately termed the kissing stool, where the better half and I were lucky enough to nab during this visit. Incidentally, this was their very first Saturday service, so it was little surprise to see Russell on the floor making sure things were running as smoothly as possible. Folksy tunes in the background, I recognised the Bob Dylans, beyond that, I was just so absorbed with the first rate waitering, the high ceilings, the cream walls, the bricks, the funky hanging filament bulbs, to pick up much else.

If you thought Polpo was simple, there is even less fuss about Spuntino. Essentially this is a caffe, with a bar, serves snacks (hence Spuntino) and so it’s logical for them to be open all day from elevenses till late, take no bookings, doesn’t even list an on-site phone number but welcomes everybody with very modern and very laid-back embrace.

Egg & Soldiers, £3.50.

Soft boiled, and encrusted in a deep-fried sesame armour with greased soldiers, was a sign of the fun times to come. Was it American, Italian, British or something entirely new? Who cares, it’s food, it’s good and we want more.

Truffle Egg Toast, £5.50.

And more we got. Melting fontina cheese, a custard cream yolk centre, very thick, very crusty white bread, truffle oil, such simple pleasures combined to produce an utterly sinful, sinful (sinful) attack on the palate. It didn’t look like much, but this was so bloody damn good, that I think it should be hailed as the open sandwich that toppled the croque monsieur as the gentlemen’s sandwich (of choice) for the 21st century. Heavy truffle flavours fighting against a sharp cheese on a sturdy bed of toasted white bread. Did I say this was bloody damn brilliant ?

Calamari, chickpeas, ink, £7.00.

As soon as this landed, I shouted “Polpo!” and was glad to enjoy this hearty, well seasoned comfort dish with the better half, who has (amazingly) never been to Polpo or Polpetto, but who was (extremely) impressed with this dish.

Baby gem, soft egg, creamed cod dressing, £6.00.

More soft boiled egg, on a bed of a gem of a lettuce salad with oversized croutons, simple, homely and lovely.

Slider with ground beef and bone marrow, £4.50 and shoestring fries, £3.00.

Shaved potatoes for shoestring fries were greasy and addictive. Up till now, greasy, creamy, deep-fried, sinful and eggy appeared to be the theme running throughout the recipes. I really liked the interpretation of the original 5 cent burger (You might recall I hated Byron’s early sliders years ago) mainly because the patty was very good. Ironically the patty was rather large considering it was a mini burger, almost like deliberately oversized meatball in fact. Onion and pickles over toasted brioche, with a juicy pink centre, and melted cheese dripping all over it. Eating this in one go, reminded me of a diner scene in Archie comics. I could feel myself morphing into Jughead, savouring these sliders with approving nods and wishing my stomach were as bottomless as his, just so I could have two more.

Spicy sausage, lentil & radicchio, £7.00.

This is the only dish I didn’t like. It was fine, sausage with lentils, and a mild spiciness to it, with lovely Italian chicory in the mix, but it paled in comparison to the rest of the food.

Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich, £6.50.

To finish, the classic PB&J, rejigged into a kind of peanut butter flavoured iced nougat sandwiching rich, red fruit jam with sprinklings of peanuts and demerara sugar (I think).

It was a stroke of pure genius, undulated fun and I think Spuntino represents the moment in which this series of restaurants achieved a rarified air of pellucid magic. Perhaps this is the reason why we, Londoners have been so infatuated with Russell Norman’s restaurants in the last couple of years.

We paid £54.34, including service, a glass of white and half a pint of Meantime. As expected, the restaurant is fabulous value for money. I stupidly asked for a latte, but they only serve filtered coffee, poured into enamel tin soldier mugs, like those seen in war movies, from bulb shaped glass jugs, complete with rising steam. Ahhh. ‘Twas a great ending to a fabulous Saturday lunch.

I think Spuntino is awesome, a very welcomed cafe/diner/bar/restaurant/watering hole to Soho. I think there is something quite special about this particular branch, I will definitely be back, and I think you would enjoy it as well, when you eventually visit. The place smells great, of popcorn, coffee, honey, dust, oil and hot burgers; it is impossible for patrons not to enjoy it, with all this flavour swirling around in the air.

On my way out, I told Russell how much we enjoyed the meal, and I told him I liked Spuntino the best, that he was onto something special with this one. Unsurprisingly he told me many had already indicated it to him. He also said that this was a labour of love for him.

The food is pure fantasy, not in the it’s going to win a star way, but (thankfully) in the fuck it’s just so darn delicious, I could eat this over and over again, kind of way. I don’t know whether to think that it leans toward being American or Italian or British or otherwise, but I think it is very London, very Soho, and perhaps that’s what makes it so special, in that it belongs and was born right here in London. I believe Norman’s eateries are helping to redefine the contemporary idea of eating out. If the Ivys, Sheekeys and the Scotts were 20th century, Nina Simone chic, then perhaps Spuntino is the 21st century, Corinne Bailey Rae reboot. Sleeker, sexier, leaner, but still ever elegant, soaking in sacks of culture and ever so delicious.

The Gist of It

Spuntino
American, £25pp
61 Rupert Street W1D 7PW
No phones, no reservations.
Tube: Piccadilly Circus

More photos on my flickr page.

Spunky: TimeOut London ; Food Stories ; Cheese and Biscuits ; Eat like a girl ; The Arbuturian; Campari and Soda

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Camden doesn’t lack restaurants in number, it’s just most aren’t worth the detour. But things are changing. On the surface, one wouldn’t think this bar-café located at a gig venue – serving the purpose of tanking up visitors before any given performance – should suffer the unfortunate scrutiny of a blogger’s dour thoughts. However, after reading the Guy’s glowing review, which had cast the Roundhouse’s little known cafe as the most excellent over-performing underdog, I booked a table for a weekend lunch on Open Table. Off I trotted, on the route 31 toward Camden town.

As I entered the semi elliptical room, that followed the contours of the Roundhouse, I couldn’t shake the feeling as if I had walked into a university café, a waiting room ambiance, a departure lounge. At first, I was puzzled with how short the menu seemed. Baked eggs, spicy tomato with yoghurt. Pancakes with blueberry, American style with maple syrup. Grilled banana and chocolate bread. Fried egg, sweet spiced chickpeas, labneh, pangrattato and coriander. Not that it didn’t sound good, but I was actually after the creative, extended small plates menu. Which was not available for lunch over weekends.

Can’t say I wasn’t a little bummed. I had my eye on such beautifully described dishes such as the Jerusalem artichokes, walnut and gorgonzola agresto, slow-roasted tomatoes. Lamb, prune and walnut koftas, pearl barley tabbouleh and green tahini. Momofuku pork Chinese bun, scallion, cucumber. The last is a David Chang recipe.

One might wonder about where all this urban fusion fare stems from; perhaps the chef is a former protege of Peter Gordon’s, but that would be too obvious. Instead, Chef Josh Katz was reportedly part of the Ottolenghi empire (back in the spotlight this year with Nopi), which explains the Mediterranean influence, and winded menu items.

Josh and interior designer Michael Sodeau are both men on a motivating mission. Both are North Londoners, they have turned this little project into an ambitious statement of intent to bring pack a seriously well-priced, yet refreshing menu to the area. Local produce seems to be at the heart of their operation. Fruit and veg are supplied by First Choice in New Covent Garden, fish from (the super pricy) James Knight mongers, Flour station for the dough and meat comes from Islington family butcher, Frank Godfrey.

Brunch. I get it now. This reduced menu is for the lazy late waking weekend wanderer.

Brunch

Pan-fried mackerel, grilled sourdough, blackened tomato passata, harissa mayonnaise, £8.50.

As this dish landed over on the better half’s side, we were both struck by how appetising it looked. Fresh and vibrant, it tasted even better, which was a wonderful surprise. A spicy, feisty salsa-like whipped sauce, dare I say, like a red guac, that went beautifully with the fishy mackerel. Ah, it must be the harissa, the Tunisian chilli paste, that also I believe, is a crucial ingredient in a bouillabaisse. The fish was warm, the bread was warmer, and crunchy, it was gorgeously hearty.

Wasabi apple coleslaw and Pearl barley tabbouleh, £2 each.

These two side dishes were comfort food supreme. The barley, rock salted, well oiled and cucumber gave way to a reminder that this sort of food was born along the coast and under the sun. The apple coleslaw was a refreshing change, swapping the gooey crunch of cabbage, for the fresh zest of shredded apples.

Seared steak sandwich, horseradish cream & balsamic red onion, £ 8.50

I strongly suspect they have used an onglet. Perhaps because of the way the meat curled when sliced, perhaps because they have chosen to cook this on the better side of medium rare, but also perhaps because it was both tender and chewy and oozed charry flavours all at the same time.

But mostly because grilled onglet is an item on the dinner menu too.

Lots of places struggle to get a steak sandwich right, let alone one done as well as this. Whole grilled onions, softly acidic, a subtle bite to the horseradish sauce, radiant and the entire dish is sweet, vinegary and toasty.

Along with a great cut, I felt it was creative and budget conscious. I felt that Josh is the sort of chef who knows how to squeeze the potential out of the available ingredients he has to work with. The only downside are those rather dull raw greens on the side, which were the only reminder that this was a modest café at a gig venue.

Grilled banana and chocolate bread, butter, £5.

Fragrant banana bread with swirls of melting chocolate, grilled to a warm, toasty, crunchy crisp and then smothered in creamy, melting, whipped butter. The crunchy crusts were the best bits. This was ridiculously wow. It transposed me to five year old me and reminded me of the sheer joy of a child’s obsession with sweet things.

After we finished, I peeked at what other tables were having, and wished I had a dump valve on my stomach, or perhaps an extra stomach. Everything else looked delicious, especially the eggs. If you were a Providores breakfast lover, you may like the sound of this too:

Baked eggs, spicy tomato sauce and lemon yoghurt/chorizo – £ 8/ £ 9
Two fried, scrambled or poached eggs and toast with;
- Grilled pancetta and slow roasted tomatoes – £ 7.50
- Grilled chorizo, red onion and feta – £ 8.50
Fried egg, sweet spiced chickpeas, labneh and coriander – £8.50

We finished with two coffees, the mocha in particular was really good, smoother and richer than the Tapped and Packed hot chocolate. All in all, for £33.30, it was great value for money.

I was so impressed that I decided to return for dinner a few hours later to try the full menu.

Dinner

Expectedly, during dinner, Made in Camden was the natural meet-up point for people waiting for their show to start.

Miso-marinated chicken wings, sesame seeds, jalapeno and grilled spring onion, £5.

Buttery wings with sprinkles of sesame and the taste of burnt miso. Mmmm, as good as the crispy wings from the local pizza takeaway, a compliment, with a kick of jalopeno.

Crisp sea bass, tahini, oregano, orange, sharon fruit, pine nuts, £9

The tahini was very nice and very light. Spring-time flavours of pinenuts and diced orange, gave it the Mediterranean feel. Fish was beautifully cooked, flaky and silky, sweet and savoury, the orange was the stand out ingredient here, it was redolent of orange cream popsicles.

Momofuku pork Chinese bun, scallion, cucumber, £5.

And finally, the momofoku recipe. Not unlike a Taiwanese pork pocket, sans the peanuts, and I thought this was quite well done. The bun was soft, sticky and sweet, and the pork was slithery, juicy and slow-cooked tender. Sweet bbq flavours, with fluttering fatty bits that brought extra flavour, and cucumbers for balance. It was good. I could easily have had two.

Earl grey brulee, prune puree, shortbread, £5.50.

For dessert, I chose the tea brulee. The brulee tasted like a melting earl grey ice cream, made with clotted cream, or perhaps even a concentrated, congealed cream tea, made into an egg-based custard. The prune paste was tremendous on its own.

I finished with a mocha, had a glass of Grenache and all in all was very satisfied with the bill, £34.43 plus service. Tremendous value for money.

A nod to the power of the local. This could serve as an example of what the standard of everyday, modern day urban city cafes could be about. It’s not expensive, it is not shackled by the long yawn of fine dining, it’s just delicious, hearty food , fit for nearly all ages. Imagine a future where every museum, local theatre, community leisure centre, and junior common room served to this standard.

I think Josh Katz is a brilliant chef. He has created an attractive menu, based on solid and varied recipes that make good use of allowing the quality of produce, to shine through.

I’m sure Josh will move to a bigger production someday, but until then, I’m glad I am able to jump on the route 31 on a wet and windy Saturday morning to tuck away his soul food and hot mocha, while watching the latest episode of glee on my iPad, over the free – and fast – wifi.

The Gist of It

Made in Camden
Fusion, brunch, cafe, bar and free wifi. £20pp
Chalk Farm Road NW1 8EH
Tel : 020 7424 8495
Tube: Chalkfarm

More photos on myflickr page.

Sound-Off : TO ; Londonist ; Foodepedia ; Islington Tribune

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Remember back in 2008, there was a little known wine bar, in Charing Cross called Terroirs? You know the one I’m talking about. It garnered gushing reviews from all four corners, everybody showed up to the party, and everybody thought it was pretty amazing.

Well, get ready for the second coming, because they’re back!

The people behind Terroirs recently extended their operations, this time into East London. Opened – by my best guesstimations – in Nov/Dec 2010, it has already been lauded by our capital’s favourite critics and blogs (scroll down for the usual links); Needless to say, the reports are largely positive, but perhaps it is a resolution of sorts for the food media, as it appears the hype machine has been spinning a much more reserved message about Brawn (the “good but not great” line); As opposed to an emotive, balls out love fest.

I, au contraire, am more than happy to hype it up. I loved my visit. It was fabulous, it is fabulous, it definitely shares DNA with the older sibling, Terroirs, a good thing of course, and I think I prefer the younger and sleeker Brawn.

Firstly, its location is set deep within the (apparently) historically rich part of East London, in Columbia road, that morphs into a famous flower market on Sundays. Which I’ve never been to, as I (must admit) do not endear myself to flowers.

I suppose the idea behind Brawn is the result of an elegance solution. As such, the menu changes daily – perhaps to reflect best available produce in season – svelte, black helvetica font printed on crisp A4 sheets. Sections include Taste Ticklers to start (oysters, cheese, radishes); a dedicated ‘Pig’ section for preserved meats ; Plancha for grilled food , Raw (tartare) , Slow cooked dishes and puds. Like its predecessor, this is a wine bar with an over achieving kitchen.

I believe it wins major points on decor, compared (again) to Terroirs, Brawn is much less intimidating, more mellow, more stripped down. As you know, I take to these sort of indie, modest looking, shabby style, egalitarian, all about the food, basic premise type ambiance. It’s very inviting grazing in this sort of environment. The decor is in step with some of East London’s favoured caffe/easy-easy Brit diners including Rochelle and SJ’s Bread & Wine.

We arrived as a table of 3 in the mid Saturday afternoon and were greeted by Oli, with the beard of envy; austere, calm and professional in making sure we were comfortably settled in. An assassin of a man, he sure knows what he’s doing.

Maldon rocks, £1.50 each.

So the procession began with six oysters, to tickle the tastebuds. Expertly shucked (we did not expect otherwise), it went down well with my glass of crisp yet bodied verdicchio (£5.30). Tap water was filtered using Vivreau tech, sourdough hails from the E5 Bakehouse, both very good, free-flowing and complimentary.

Provenance is proudly emphasized where ever possible on the menu.

Pork Rillette, £6.

Simple, straightforward, floss-like, mushy, chunky, with a mild flavour, spreading beautifully on bread.

Dorset Clams, Manzanilla, £8.

The sauce tingles with wonderful aromatic and alcoholic sizzle. An elegant dish, homely.

Chanterelles, warm duck egg yolk, toast, £7.

This was awesme. The rich, runny and creamy yolk, smothering itself across the umami intense mushrooms. Perhaps just a tad too much flavour, the saltiness was too sharp, otherwise, a muscular dish.

Buffulo Mozzarella (Pasquale Vito, Compania) Anchovy & Lemon, £7.

More of the same really, this dish illustrated the expert sourcing skills behind the operation. Valentini olive oil drizzled over it, on our table. It teased out a wonderful bouquet of fresh, wholesome flavours. This is what a total mozzarella experience should be. Obika shivers.

Hand chopped Tuscan style beef, £8.

I failed to secure the details and whereabouts of the cattle used, whatever it was, it was – again – expertly prepared. Generously salty and peppery, perhaps a little too much so, but otherwise, it was indulgent. It spread very well on the toast provided.

Tete de Veau, Sauce Ravigote, £13.

Finally, the closest we’ll come to brawn, the dish rather than the name of the restaurant. Tete de veau, or ‘calf’s head’. A very French recipe I gather.

Bang. Imbued with potent, gelatinous extracts from the the calf’s head. Some bits even came with the original unpluckable follicles still visible, but darn it, what a brilliant soup! Oily, full bodied, rich and heart-warming. The best dish we had, redolent of the wonderfully simply mutton broth I once had in St John years ago, and the epitome of Brawn’s approach to filling up their customers.

The bill was £87.55 for three. Just under £30 per head. We were really stuffed. Enough to last the rest of the day. It’s a brilliant sequel to a great debut, Terroirs and Brawn together represent two of London’s best easy-going, share the plates type restaurants. The food is restraint, but in its simplicity, one is likely to find delicious beauty. If you were looking for a contemporary, relaxing eatery, I think Brawn is the ticket. The location is both boon and bane, it fits well with what’s around it, but because it’s a little difficult to get to, many of you will be weighing up the travelling times for the food. Look, I love these sort of stripped down outfits. Food is simply amazing, service comes with two broad smiles, the bottom line is reasonable and the wine is drinkable. I will return, but probably I should revise my Terroirs write-up for the new year as well. Heartily recommended.

More photos on my flickr account.

The Gist of It

Brawn
British-European wine bar, egalitarian. £30pp
49 Columbia Road, E2 7RG
Tel: (020) 7729 5692
Tube: Bethnal Green

All Muscle : Lisa Markwell for The Indie ; Marina for Metro ; Fay for the Evening Standard ; Hungry in London ; Eating East ; Rocket & Squash ; The Critical Couple ; Gourmet Chick

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You might think that something as modest as a cafe on the side of a towpath, used by neighbouring residents as a jogging and cycling route, would always remain hidden and truly a gem. That can no longer the case in the internet age. This sort of concept that oozes on-the-fringe appeal is exactly the kind of thing that would – and has – inspire tens if not hundreds to blog about it online, and then tell their friends the old fashioned way, offline.

Towpath Cafe sprang up sometime in the 1st quarter of this year (my,my how the year has flown by) , and since, it has won many a fan, from nearby Shoreditch and further afield. The quirky little caff was started by food writer Lori de Mori and her award winning food photoging hubby
Jason Lowe (great portfolio!) and in the last nine months or so, have garnered the love of the internet. I have a feeling this project is here to stay for the long run.

I’ve been planning to visit Towpath a few months now, but given its remote (to me anyway) locale and my other commitments, it’s taken me until now to finally get there. If you follow my photoblog, you’ll know how much I love Leicas, for their compactness and high image quality. I’ve always thought Leicas could never do food photography since it doesn’t get close enough (0.7m focusing limit), but last week, I found a way around it… and so I thought I’d try an M9. Hence the protracted picture essay (more on the flickr set.).

Derelict buidlings, large heaps of rubble, which ordinarily may be beauty undone, becomes a strangely fascinating backdrop for this towpath side cafe. Especially with a bevy of ducks gently paddling up and down the canal (which never turned into a badelynge). On a chilly Sunday afternoon, I met with Markus Aurelius (made in China), and walked down the tranquil canal, taking in the murky waters. Upon arrival, we noted how popular this place seemingly was, during lunch hour, and also how modest things were. Tables, benches, heating lamps, cushions, blankets, dogs and people who looked much more fashionable than me.

It must be the strange serene quality the murky waters of the canal exudes, it must make people feel calm. You could hear pins drop, a little too cold to be outdoors during this time of year, but I’d imagine the caff would be rammed on sunnier days.

Note the tilting tumbler of red wine. It opens at 8am on weekdays and for elevenses on weekends serving breakfast, lunch and snacks into dusk on a seasonal, and all too brief menu – and I assume – , cash only, and food does run out.

Behind the counter, toasters, a grilling machine George Foreman might endorse and a coffee machine. I sniff out the wonderful grilled cheese sandwich melting in the background. Sadly, they ran out.

Quiche, approx £5.

Homely buttery and crispy pastry, with rich custard-like egg mixture over it. I won’t hype it up, it was merely a quiche, but it a delicious one.

Polenta, Parmesan and New Season Olive Oil, approx £4.

We needed this. It was served piping hot, thick, soupy, porridge-like in texture. But it was beautiful, so warming, and so tender as it went down. The parmesan was genius, the sharpness teased out the sweetness of corn, but it was the olive oil that had stimulated the palate. Again, not to hype things up, as this was just hot polenta with abit of cheese and oil, and it was tasty.

Lemon curd and Chocolate Brownie, approx £6 for both.

I’m not really a fan of puddings made with lemon, though I enjoyed the melting gelatin-like texture of this particular pud.

A nice getaway from reality, and it was especially delightful just to reflect on the year that has past us by. We probably spent £15 between us for the food, wine and coffee. Needless to say, it’s cheap. It is difficult to write something definitive about this type of caff, for one, the menu is ephemeral, but then again, this is also the sort of caff, where it isn’t about conventions nor comprehension or exposition, but rather it is about its incalculable qualities. There is something about Towpath that makes it special. Something about the combination of location, the concept and the modest, homely style cooking. Ultimately, I think that the reason why Towpath is loved, is because it feels, human.

More photos on my flickr set.

The Gist.

Towpath Cafe
Cafe, Lunch, easy.. £10pp (cash only)
Regent’s Canal Towpath
42 De Beauvoir Crescent N1 5SB
Tel: 020 7254 7606
Bus: 149 from Liverpool St Station to Haggerston rail.

The Path : Yelp! ; Time Out London ; Crockery, cakes and caffs; Daily Vitamin D ; ST CLAIRE AND THE NOTES FROM THE DREGS ; The London Review of Breakfasts ; Tired of London, Tired of Life ; London Expat ; Urban Junkies ; Greedy Diva ; How to project manage your life

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Are you still stuck on plans for the festive break? I almost forgot that I had filed away this experience till I rummaged through my archives. While we were still sweltering in July, I – very enthusiastically – accepted an invitation to preview the Christmas menu aboard one of the Orient Express luxury vintage trains. We were on board The British Pullman, which was described by its originator (from the website, not sure what that exactly entails) George Mortimer Pullman, as ‘Palaces on Wheels’.

Boy it sure was fun. Yes if you are still evil eyeing me, it was a freebie. I paid zero in cash. Along with a few bloggers and journalists (Yes, journos go on freebies too evidently) , we relaxed into a carriage with wintry decorations.

Speaking of carriages, The British Pullman features 11, each with their own unique character and furnishings, all effortless charming, and all maintaining their 30′s nostalgic glamour. We were in the Vera, enjoying the plush suede (they were right??) seats, taking in the occasional visitations from the thirties style entertainers ruffling guests throughout the journey. The other Orient train is The Northern Belle, also unique in its own way.

The Christmas menu we sampled, three courses long with canapes and a cheese platter, was festive, hearty and it certainly raised my body temperature further. Challenging on a hot summer’s day, but I think it would be just right, in light of the cold winter (we are already in) ahead of us.

I checked the trains , and dates are still available for the week before and after Christmas, up to New Years Eve, prices start at £300pp, it ain’t cheap, but I found the moving feast which transposed our reality temporarily, a relaxing five hour round trip across the London and abit of the South East.

Anyway, it was a freebie, so please don’t take my word for it. But do enjoy the photo essay, I’ve so painfully created for your perusal below.

The Gist.

The Orient Express
British, £300pp
Boarding at Victoria Station.

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