Tapas Brindisa official site
18 Southwark St
Southwark, SE1 9
£7 Tapas

Brindisa, brindisa, brindisa. Yeah, they’re on to their third one now, perhaps the most respected name in Spanish food, ‘Brindis’ is ‘to make a toast’. Something I tell everybody, Spanish is my favourite cuisine, and I was more than happy to have finally made the trip to ‘brindis’ at their borough market kitchen.

(NB: Tapas porntography ahead)

Spanish Brindisa

I remember the first time I walked into a tapas restaurant, its still there, even though I hadn’t been back in oh, about four years. Café Espana on Old Compton Street – anybody been there recently? They used to do these really hearty dishes of garlic casserole chicken that made my knees go weak.

That virgin experience has since been eclipsed many times over, I appreciate the idea of feasting on several small delights, perhaps that’s just me and my binge like tendencies.

Right then, tap water please.

Curing it

Apparently Franco Manca get their chorizo from Brindisa. As a food supplier then, its no surprise to find an embarrassment of cured meats on the menu, oh I love my cured meats, especially jamon iberico. I was aiming for a quick lunch after browsing Borough market, so I balked at the £22 asking price for an order of their finest acorn fed jamon. Instead I plonked for the Salcichon de Vic at a more pleasing £4.20

Supposedly a traditional Catalonian recipe, it was generously dosed with olive oil and cracked with black pepper, indeed the silky saltiness really was quite appetising. Oh yummy, this is good ham.

Lipsmack.

One cured meat was not enough as I also ordered the Cured León beef with pomegranate and frisee salad, priced at £5.75. Any salty cured meat balanced against those mini pomemgranate juice explosions is a winner. This one tasted like it was doused with abit of garlic oil, a fruity sweetness and an appetising way to start the meal, my tummy is suitably greased.

Liverol

In the words of JRR Tolkien, time for Brindisa to show their quality.

Let me start by saying that I’m not a fan of chicken liver, unlike duck liver which is strangely fragrant, chicken liver just crosses the stinky line for me, so I was sceptical when the better half ordered this dish. Still, in the true spirit of objectivity and in the quest to eat it all, I swallow and refrain from spitting….

Sautéed chicken livers £5.90

…. And my boldness was rewarded with one of the richest toast toppings I’ve ever had. This was just a perfect dish. It was sizzling, the texture was juicy and superiorly moist, as it was liver – the mushiness was only too evident. But it was the big rounded flavours that raised my eyebrows. A dominant garlic palette with a soya-like creaminess and a mouthful of smokiness, it was perfectly appetising. A succinct dish, and just what I was hoping for in terms of a light lunch.

No-follow

The BRN100 pretty much peaked at the chicken liver and quickly plummeted like the FTSE100 as it didnt get any better than this.

Galician Octopus with Potatoes £7

The octopus was rubbery and it tasted like it was made in a La Tasca kitchen. It was under seasoned, the potatoes were flaccid and well, at some point, I felt as if I was munching on tinned octopus. It looked nice though, but this was a major fail in my opinion.

Right then, on to the seafood.

Swordfish with mojo verde and black olives 7.50

The item sounded exciting and exotic. Following the tepid octopus show, I am hoping this last dish will leave me with a good impression of Brindisa. I immediately noticed the bitterness from the char-lines, like it was smoked over cast iron from the dark ages. The able smokiness added depth to the chunky and plain tasting fish, simply seasoned with seasalt. I really liked the sweetish green salsa because it took abit of the bitterness from the fish away. Still a little under seasoned and perhaps just a tad too simple. It did its job as it was quite a light dish, but it didn’t excite like the chicken liver did.

Brindisi

We turned up at 2pm to an overcrowded restaurant and returned at 3pm to be seated. Such popularity must mean that they are doing something right… right?

Well, yes and no. My experience was favourable, but it fell below expectatations. True enough, the produce is premium quality; the hams and the oils used tasted like sainsbury’s finest (not quite sure that’s a compliment), but there were just a few faults in the execution of the dishes. I was a litte surprised that they couldn’t get the octopus right, and I think they might have to go back to cooking school to tweak their grilling methods. Having said that, the chicken liver on toast was remarkable, and for that alone, its worth the price of admission.

Tapas Brindisa might be in danger of becoming too popular for its own good. It really fell below expectations, although having said that, it was still a very slick experience altogether. I have had better tapas in London, certainly Brindisa is up there with the rest of them, but if I had to choose, Brindisa probably won’t come first.

The Gist of It

Tapas Brindisa official site
18 Southwark St
Southwark, SE1 9
£7 Tapas
Verdict: The ham was faultness, the chicken liver: inspirational; everything is a question mark.

What about you? Did you agree with my assessment of Tapas Brindisa? Do you think that they are one of the best tapas bars in London?

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The queue was terribly long, and while I was in it, the barista came out with paper cups and a marker pen, taking our orders along the way. Such was the spectacle of Monmouth, I was rather surprised that the queue was quick and free flowing as I didn’t even have time to think about what to photograph at this legendary London institution. If you haven’t had a Monmouth yet, well, you need to apply now.

Brewmasters

I am not an expert on coffee, although I do like my cuppa. There’s a generally accepted handful of the best coffee places in London; Monmouth is usually mentioned. Though, if you are after a current and definitive one, look no further than Daniel Young’s Top 10 places for coffee in London.

Oh the buzz, the buzz! I sampled my first monmouth at the Borough market branch and I was completely taken by the whole atmosphere of the shop. Packed to the brim, the air was rich of roast and aroma but what I loved most was the communal table acting as the coffee shop’s centerpiece. A family headed by a distinguished looking silver maned gentlemen dominated it, conversation, laughter, magic.

If you’re wondering, I didn’t have cakes on this trip, just cappuccino to go, with just abit of brown sugar. The pastry and baguettes are apparently supplied by Paul and Villandry.

Spot the pour through cone-filters.

Mmmm … such smooth consistency in the froth, with a milky sweetness and very mild bitterness, it also felt strangely innocent and pure. The coffee itself had a silky mouthfeel, with a rich and bitter hit, and went down like a good vintage year. Indeed, very good.

Now where is my copy of the Sunday Times…

Do you think that Monmouth serves the best brew in town? What is your favourite coffee shop in London, or otherwise? I’m interested to know, so I can go write about it.

Monmouth Coffee Company Official Website

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Borough market is the tour de force of a food market situated in the heart of London. After much procrastination, I finally paid a visit to the famed market and started off my photo essay in part one. I last left you on a sweet and smelly note with dulce de luche & some black truffles to munch about. Are you ready for more?

There and back again

Borough market is not one big, continuous market. Rather it’s kinda made of different ‘hubs’. Each hub sells different types of food, for example, the first hubs you saw in part one did sweets and cheese. In this particular section of the market, there was a mixture of cooked food, veges and meat.

I love antipasti for the colours, olive oils, its savoriness and the appetising qualities. I am a stickler for small tasters and nibbles. I think it’s the attraction that you get to try a variety of flavours that makes it so appealing to me… either that or I’m just plain greedy.

She sells honey and smiles like honey

Part of the attraction of a food market is the buzz. The chatters from the large crowds and just generally that warm human factor. You know what I mean right, when a place fills up with people, it seemingly comes alive. Of course, the vendors themselves exude a lot of energy, so much so that you can almost feel a glow emanating from within. This is especially true when they are trying to sell their stuff, they’ll normally use the phrase ‘very nice’ when asked how good their produce is, with a slight wink no less.

Bread + Fillings = Happiness

Some rather interesting breads with the one on the left, in particular, catching my eye. Potato and thyme flavoured! Look at the colours of the cherry tomatoes on the one in the middle. I missed a trick yet again, when I was spending time taking pictures rather than buying food…. oh well, yet another reason for me to go there again.

Erm…

I want to say that this is hummus… but I can’t be sure if it is or not. To be honest, I cant seem to remember what this was. While I was processing the pictures I studied this shot over and over, but just don’t know couldn’t figure it out. You got to help me out, do leave a comment if you know what this is. It does appear that I’m just all too human after all.

An accidental portrait

This phenomenon has occured a few times and frankly it’s pretty amazing. I always try to get a picture of the scenery whenever I’m out and about so as to try and capture that ‘in-the-heart-of-it’ buzz in digital print. A fast shutter speed is essential to freeze that moment in time.

Often a times, there’s almost always a crowd ( I’m beginning to feel like I have a strange attraction towards crowds.. ) and almost always, I get a picture in which just one person, not two or three, but just that one person out of the dozens in the frame who’s looking straight into the camera. But it’s not like a deliberate ‘here’s my money shot’ look. Rather, its a candid and sincere, almost embarrassing nod and wink at the photographer. In other words, a picture that is real and completely human.

The funny thing is that I never realise that I’m capturing them on film, let alone them being totally in focus! Completely and totally accidental, but in a good way.

In this case, I don’t know who she is, but she’s got a great smile, she’s pretty and the camera is loving her. Lady, if you’re reading this ( or you know this sassy lass ) , I hope you like the photograph and if you’d like to claim it, please do leave a comment, I’ll send you a hi-res copy.

Cremin’ it at £1 a pop

Im feeling a little bittersweet as I write this. My parents were in town for a week and it’s the first time in about two years since my whole family has been in the same city for more than thirty six hours. Was really great seeing my family all-together once again, in true foodie fashion, we ate our hearts out for the entire week, stuffing ourselves silly with a variety of foods from all across the city. My parents, after all are the original eaters and they boarded their jet plane back home just this morning.

Anyway, the reason I tell you this is because my dad loves creme caramel. He likes all kinds of eggy and custardy puds and I know he would have loved to had a couple of pots of these if he saw them. Going for £1 each, its really a steal. After missing out on the super-terrine ( from part one ), I was glad to have had one while taking a break from the snapping.

All rise for the pieminister of Great Britain

Pies in this country are like wow. My favourite is steak and stilton with guinness, I can manage a formidable cheese and onion, but I’m not a big fan of the chicken mushroom I’m afraid. However, I do think that the cornish pasty is the holy grail.

I’m told the best pies reside opp north and also down south, so my keen sense of geography will tell me that I’ve only ever tried the sanitised city versions of these classics. You know, this just gave me an idea.

London Eater goes to Cornwall…. for pie. My beloved UK readers, suggestions please, if you know the best pie in england which deserves the foodblogging community’s attention, then let me know.

You will make a million dollars if you read this

Well no you won’t, but I’m big on headlines. Ok, this requires your opinion fellow bloggers, you are probably familiar with the concept of copywriting ( no, not plagiarism) , but rather copywriting is the art of persuasive writing. It’s the method employed by journalists and advertisers in an effort to capture your attention and send their message in as little words as humanly possible.

I think blogging is a lot like copywriting, where the writing is tighter, doesn’t waste words, seeks out an instant connection with the reader and most importantly, is geared towards easy reading. Its abit like a rather engaging conversation, because as we know, web-surfers don’t read digital print word for word like they would do Stephen King; online, we all tend to whiz through stuff alot quicker.

So it’s quite essential, in my view, for bloggers to distill their content into easily digestible sentences and engage the reader in an entertaining ( and quick ) way.

Of course, that is just my opinion.

Going back to the label, I think its just a piece of excellent copy which adheres to the three Rs (Lindsay Camp ‘Can I change you mind?’ if you are wondering what they are) which is to Remember the Reader and Result. Come into the shop for beer and go either left or right if you want wine … brilliant stuff and so very human.

And now, here is the secret to making a million bucks. Gotcha.

Ending on yet another sweet note

Alas, I have reached the fringes of the market. At fine food world’s end, we come across some rather lovely jars of marmalade. Not forgetting that throughout this trip, Yenni has been beside me every step of the way, and now you too. Well, I sure enjoyed this trip to the market, maybe I’ll do it again and maybe I’ll bump into you the next time. Remember, if you see a foodie taking pictures in a crowded market, make sure you put on your million pound smile and all will be well.

Not before a fishy encore…

Missed part one? Read it here.

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I love going to markets. I love independent producers who passionately pour their heart into their stock. In a world of mass-market consumerism with pre-packaged food manufactured with questionable methods; food is the last thing you want homogenised. Last weekend, I paid a visit to the ‘award-winning’ ( closer to opinion winning) Borough Market in the London Bridge area. They are widely regarded as fine food producer central, even surpassing the famed portebello market in recent years. The market’s board of trustees believe that everyone has the right to eat well. Sounds like my kind of guys.

The unusual suspects

I managed to drag Yenni out to this trip with me. The weather was looking ok albeit alittle cold. Borough market sells all kinds of food from fresh veges, poultry & meat to cooked food and even spirits & wines. I’ve been wanting to check out borough market for a long time coming and now I’ve got the chance to do it. I’ve done this post photo essay style. Ready to take a walk around the market buddy?

Custards of Portugal

We started our trip early (11 am on a sunday!) and on an empty stomach. One of the first stalls we passed did pastry. Specifically, portuguese egg tarts (the ones on the left) , ‘pastel de nata’. These are a portuguese favourite and is a type of egg custard with sprinklings of cinnamon over them. I used to live with a housemate who hailed from Macau and absolutely adored these delights. Im told that these egg tarts are quite popular in Macau as well. Yenni bought me one and I scoffed it in seconds. No joke, I really can eat fast when Im hungry.

Melt my cheese

There are lots of cheese stalls in Borough market, all kinds too. This one in particular, filled the market with its stink from miles away. Note the guy cutting the cheese. That hot cutter melts cheese and then it is served with gherkins. They also make these hot flat cheese sandwiches which you can see stacked up in the background. I didn’t try this, but the smell was really great (or stinky depending on your stance on cheese) and I will definitely have to come back for this.

Apologies because I forgot the name of the cheese, anybody tried this and loved it please do leave a comment.

How to get a baker to smile

See the lady in the green apron selling the breads? I took about ten shots and this is the only one where I got her smiling. In all the other shots, she gave me this strange ‘why am I in the shot?’ look. For the first nine shots, I was focusing on the breads and didn’t realise she was feeling uncomfortable, so for the last shot, I peeked up from my camera and smiled, and she gave me one back.

Can’t beat fresh bread, the smell of the dough is always so homely you know. I have a friend who is a really great ‘home-baker’. I remember this one time I paid her a visit in the morning, she was busy prepping the cookie & bread dough so instead, I came back again to see her in the afternoon. Oh the air was just so fragrantly filled with the wonderful sweet, cinnamon and olive breads. She’s going to be such a great mum some day.

Olivia

I really like this picture. It just captures the essence of markets, the warmth of the merchants, the chatter & atmosphere created by the crowds, everything is full of life. Just look the big pots of olives, that’s what food is all about, its a medley of colours and variation. Though I’ll admit now, I do my groceries at the local sainsbury because it’s convenient, but given the chance (and time) , I would gladly go to a market everyday.

Fruiting it

My market claim is not a hollow one. I come from a little town which puts up a local market every weekend. Baby Kang used to tag along with his mum every weekend, pushing a little trolley and carrying fresh veges, live chicken ( my mum ‘slaughered’ it in front of my innocent eyes.. ) and huge fresh oranges. As I look up to my mum buying her groceries, I remember the friendly haggling, rather its more accurately described as the merchant’s chivalric discounts for a young mother and his wide-eyed boy.

Do truffles smell?

Honestly, I didn’t really get truffles at first. When I saw this ‘exhibit’ I just didn’t understand why this little black nugget is worth so much money. I mean, with a smell that isn’t particularly attractive, how can it taste any good?

If I wrote this two nights ago, I would have stopped there. But then, I went to Nobu Berkerley last night with the parents and had their cabbage steak with truffles shavings. It changed my mind completely. The cabbage has an intense smokey taste since it was baked in a wood-fire oven, but the shaved truffles really brought the flavour into a dimension. I can only describe it as being very savoury and of a very rich mushroom taste. It was great, It’s abit like foie gras where when used correctly, it can be such a wonderful ingredient.

Attack of the super terrines

This is one heck of a terrine. I need to talk about this. It’s made from pretty formidable ingredients, pigeon, foie gras and speck with black truffles. I was so busy taking pictures that I didnt manage to get a portion… I now live in eternal regret.

Until my next visit of course.

Did you mean Dulce de luche?

The sensation of sweet is a godsend. They were giving these samplers out, dulce de luche on a piece of white bread. Dulce roughly translates to ‘milk candy’ and is made by simmering sweet milk until it’s a concentrated syrup and taste rather close to caramel. You can probably tell by now, I like sweet stuff.

More to come…

On that sweet note, I’ll take a short break and continue this series in part two which I’ll released sometime in the next few days. Hope you enjoyed this, do come back for part two!

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