London Chow | Where to eat in London

Why I like Giles Coren and why he hates me

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:17:00 +0000

I like Giles Coren.

Partly because his daughter is around LO's age and I can totally relate to him when he wrote about how being a dad is the best job in the world. It's partly also because Wife loves Recipe Rifle - Coren's better half's food recipe blog. She just baked me some madeleines using a recipe from there and they were marvellous. Heck, I even manage to finish reading Coren's How to Eat Out within a week, which is a feat by my standard.

But what I really like about Coren is his restaurant reviews. His reviews are never about the food. They are about everything else be it the nonchalant staff, the man on the next table and the woman whom he is trying desperately to impress, gaudy lights on the ceiling, how his day went, how the chef tries to charm him - everything else other than the food.

That is precisely what I like about his reviews. Seriously, think of your best dining experience and I do mean your most unforgettable one. Now, try to recall what create such a deep impression. Was it the food? Was it the sudden burst of sunshine, a fresh breeze, the pretty waitress, that someone special sitting across the table? Or did it bring back fond memories of a meal out with your loved ones or of a dish that your mum use to make? It's almost never about the food itself because you can never quite recall how it really tasted like. A simple burger can be the most memorable meal if you are out with your best mate. The 50 course tasting menu at El Bulli can be an excruciating experience if you are having it with someone who insists on snapping a photo of every single dish.

Why the heck are you photographing your food for?

Now that we are on the topic about photographing food before tucking in, I admit I'm guilty as charged. It didn't use to be like that. My Nokia 6150 was turning out rubbish pictures. The iPhone is fine but not brilliant either. Then somehow I got the idea that I should "invest" in a DSLR. Even then, the photos still turn out to be rubbish.

The irony is that I never realise how ridiculous it looks trying to photograph one's dinner until I lunched with another photographer and both of us whipped out our Nikons simultaneously. That was when I lost my appetite.

If you think that is bad, I once ate beside a table full of (presumably) food bloggers. When the main courses were served, the flurry of flashes nearly blinded everyone in the restaurant.

I still photograph my food every now and then, just so that I can vaguely describe how it looks like. Never with a flash and never with a fellow photographer. And never ever with another food blogger.

You are really just looking for free food, aren't you?

Food critics love to deride food bloggers on hankering for free food. First things first, I don't see the critics forking out for their chow; it certainly doesn't count if it involves filing an expense form after the meal. People would kill to dine out on company's expense and with the chefs fawning over them knowing that the next day's reviews can make or break their restaurants. Fine, they're just doing their jobs just so they can put food on the table.

Yes, I've accepted invitations if they sound interesting and I can reach home by ten (age is really catching up). I can assure you that the meals don't come free. It's understood that I have to provide a review after that and I do find it tiresome to take notes in the middle of a meal. I'm not one who can recall what I ate two days back. It's exhausting and takes the joy out of eating. I can empathise with the critics. Well, their jobs depend on their reviews. At least mine don't.

Writing about food? Who do you think you are?

There is a loss of exclusivity for food critics these days especially with the advent camera phones and the Internet. All of a sudden, everyone is able to churn out food reviews and distribute it to the whole wide world with a click of a button.

It's like one moment you are sharing a huge club for the uber-rich with a few others whom you know on a first name basis, the next moment a horde of flip-flops totting strangers, in all shapes and sizes, wading in nonchalantly, all claiming to be members. You are bound to be bitter.

But the genie is out of the bottle and there will be more flashes and clicking in restaurants, with every Tom, Dick and Harry compiling their top ten restaurants. At the end of the day, every experience is unqiue and the best judge of a restaurant is none other than you yourself.

But guess what? Wife and I still look forward to reading Giles Coren's pieces on the Times every week despite loading up our rss readers with too many food blogs. He'll continue to be my top read, provided he carries on not to write about food. Well, not solely, that is.

Cu Tu Restaurant Kingsland Road - catching the spillover crowd from Song Que

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 22:02:00 +0000

Beef brisket pho at Cu Tu

Address: 134A Kingsland Road,
London E2 8DY
Phone: 020 7729 4843
Nearest Overground station:
Hoxton

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20
Service charge: N/A
Taste: ***
Service: ****
Ambience: **We all know how it's like with popular restaurants - people tend to make a beeline for them and ignore everything else. Why bother other than going for the best? Otherwise, it would just be another calorie allowance squandering excercise. In fact, think of your favrourite restaurant. Can you recall what the shop just next to it does? No cheating, try it.

Whenever I feel like having a pipping hot pho (which happens quite a bit recently with the extended winter), I will head to Song Que at Kingsland Road. No question about that. It's almost impossible to get a table after 6.30pm on a weekend and I have always taken care to arrive before that. Well, the lengthening day as summer approaches does mess things up - I arrived at Song Que last weekend when it was still bright and sunny only to find a queue building outside it. A quick glance at the time showed that it was already way after 7pm.

I wasn't about to head back home so I went next door, Cu Tu Restaurant, a newish looking Vietnamese restaurant, instead. To be honest, I wasn't expect much from a Vietnamese restaurant opening up alongside Song Que. Surely it will benefit from spillover crowd (like us) and need not be even decent to survive.

Fortunately for us, Cu Tu turned out better than expected. To begin with, the place was nearly packed when we stepped in after being turned away by Song Que (I refused to wait forty-five minutes for a pho). We were quickly ushered to a table. Perhaps we were sitting right next to the kitchen, the service was prompt and pleasant throughout. They even offered to top up my Vietnamese coffee with hot water and condensed milk when I mentioned that it was too strong.

Occupying the former site of Hung Viet, Cu Tu (nickname of the current chef according to its website) strives to combine the north and south Vietnamese cuisines. A search online shows that the pho actually comes from the North while sweet dishes dominates the South. Cu Tu offers a good spread but for pho wise, it is just chicken, beef or seafood - a far cry from the permutation at Song Que. Then again, I could never tell the broth of one from another at Song Que. For all I know, they all come from the same cauldron.

First thing first, the slices in the beef brisket pho (£7.50) at Cu Tu were thicker. Because of that, they came through tougher. The broth wise, the taste of MSG came through rather obvious. It wasn't the worse I have come across though. On the flipside, the pho itself was surprisingly chewy.

I hate to compare Cu Tu to Song Que but it's hard not to when they are standing alongside. I would still try to turn up early at Song Que. That said, I wouldn't hesitate to pop over next door to Cu Tu if there is even so much as a queue at Song Que. At the both the crackers and oranges are complimentary at Cu Tu. When you have a toddler, those are lifesavers.

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Yum Bun Old Street popup - tiny morsel packs a punch

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:33:00 +0000

Stuffed steam buns from Yum Bun

Address: 31 Featherstone Street,
London EC1Y 2BJ
Phone: 079 1940 8221
Nearest Underground station:
Old Street

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £5
Service charge: N/A
Taste: ****
Service: ***
Ambience: N/AEven after all these years, I flinched whenever I have to fork out £4.50 for two pieces of prata that were frozen minutes ago. I know that I can get freshly made ones for the equivalent of 75p each back home. Why do I inflict this upon myself, you might be wondering. Well, nostalgia I guess - tucking into a prata reminds me of my pals with whom I had countless supper at Jalan Kayu (see best prata in Singapore) during weekend evenings.

That is exactly why I have been frequenting Yum Bun these days. When I was a kid, instead of cakes for tea time, Mum would pass me a couple of coins to get ourselves some "kong ba bao" from the kopitiam downstairs.

They are essentially steam buns but with stewed pork belly stuffed into them. With a bit of gravy dribbling through each bun, the satisfaction comes when you sink your teeth onto the fatty meats. It was a simple snack - soft steamed bun shaped like an opened oyster shell with fatty pork belly stuffed in.

Like many boys of my age, I had a huge appetite - I could easily down a couple of those in a single sitting. I think Mum would probably have flipped if I were to pull the same stunt at Yum Bun with £3.50 apiece.

Then again, we aren't talking about the same thing, are we? Instead of a piece of fatty stewed pork, I am staring at a piece of ox cheeks, chopped spring onions, slices of cucumber with a sprinkle of crushed walnuts for that extra crunch. Other than the beef variety, there are buns with pork, chicken and even mushrooms for the vegetarians.

With the extra toppings, the bun is way more satisfying. The spring onions and cucumber lent a refreshing contrast to the walnut's nutty grind. If you are looking for a something between a cold sandwich and a hot meal, look no further.

Don't even think that you would get away with just one. It is at best a tiny morsel (I tried to space it out - it took me just three bites) and one is just enough to whet your appetite. Yum Bun offers two buns for £6. You might just get by with those.

There's no seating though for Yum Bun is all but a takeaway counter. Can't blame it, it's a popup after all. There is a makeshift bench outside though. Either that or you can pop by next door's Rotary Bar & Diner (there's a through door) and get a drink to go with the buns. The staff at Rotary Bar would be fine with that provided you order something from there.

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Running out of places to eat? Here is what I would do...

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:05:00 +0000

Bored of dining out at your usual haunts? Want to try something different but not sure where to begin? Here are a few suggestions for you.

1. Social media

The high tech version of asking around. Ask for suggestions on Facebook or Twitter. .To get meaningful suggestions provide more details about what you are looking out for. Is there something you would go out of the way to avoid. Or you just want more of the same cuisine but just at a different place? What is your budget? Is there a special occasion? You could be pleasantly
surprised by the responses you get.

2. Reviews

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, this is probably what you are already doing anyway! I love to check out other food blogs (those on the left column of this site are my favourite) to see if there is something that I have been missing. I constantly check out the food critics' reviews in The Times and Evening Standard for ideas too.

3. Deal of the day

Sometimes I turn to deal of the day sites for inspiration. A friend of mines regularly uses such sites for restaurants which she would otherwise not have frequented. She is big on Chinese cuisine but sometimes wants to try European food but does not want to blow big bucks on something not tried and tested (from her point of view). Sites like Groupon offer good restaurant deals in London, sometimes up to 70% off at certain restaurants so to her it makes perfect sense to try new places out using such deals. Such sites make otherwise expensive restaurants affordable or at the very least bring your attention to some restaurants which might have been around for some time but which do not get their share of the limelight simply because of all the new openings in London. When I checked today, there was a promotion on Groupon for high tea at Mayfair for two from £34. Quite a bargain, considering the location.

4. New openings

If you want to be ahead of the pack and check out the latest restaurant offerings, check out websites such as Timeout or Hot Dinners. the latter (a favourite of L) has up to date news on restaurants opening in London as well as recently opened restaurants. They often have useful information as to whether a particular restaurant has a promotion to mark its soft launch. This was how I found out about the 50 percent discount at Dishoom Shoreditch when it first opened many moons ago. This is also the website which I turn to when I have friends visiting and who want to try the latest that London has to offer.

5. Have a walk in your neighborhood or your workplace

Sometimes it can be just that simple. Perhaps on a closer look there might just be a gem of a restaurant that you have missed. Or something new that you like the look of. I came across La Farola on Upper Street this way. This is also how I chanced upon Beagles at Hoxton which opened to the public today though when I walked past the other day they were having a friends and family do and I was turned away so sadly I have not had the opportunity to try their food (British seasonal cooking) as yet. I did buy takeaway coffee from their little bistro though - lovely service.

How else do you normally hunt for new places to dine?

42 Provost Street cafe - a lost opportunity, a good chill out place nevertheless

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:24:00 +0000

42 Provost Street Cafe

Address: 42 Provost Street,
London N1 4JS
Phone: -
Nearest Overground station:
Old Street

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £10
Service charge: N/A
Taste: **
Service: ***
Ambience: ***Frankly, if you are not going to bother coming up with a catchy name for your brand new cafe, the worst thing to do would be to call it The Cafe. Calling it a number is the next worst thing unless you are Jamie Oliver.

42, which owes its name to its address 42 Provost Street, is a case in point. It's not the only guilty one though; a quick search online reveals a number of other "42" cafes on the streets all round the world. This particular one is the newest cafe and diner to the north of Old Street. Its opening is well timed - the new student hostel above Tesco located along New North Road is just yelling out for a decent cafe.

In that respect, 42 is perfect. Free wifi, checked, comfortable sofa seats, checked, high counters and stools perched along its glass facade, checked, newspapers, checked (albeit a couple of days' old). If only it opens till later (currently at 6pm on weekdays and 4pm on weekends).

Chicken escalope sandwich - it fills up the stomach alright

It is not a gourmet destination, that's for sure. Neither does it have the brilliant sandwiches that are flying off the counter at Shoreditch Grind. Instead tired looking mushroom, cheese, chicken, sausages sandwiches are stacked up in a dimly lit display. Pastries, too, look rather tired sitting beside them. They even have boiled eggs going for 80p each. I'm not sure how long they have been sitting on the counter though and I'm not particularly fond of hard boiled eggs unless they are freshly made.

Beverages wise, no surprises here. It has got run of the mill coffee, tea and hot chocolate, none over £2.20. For those feeling a tad peckish, a chicken escalope sandwich goes for £4.50. Heartier pasta based can be had for a bit more.

No one can deny that the place has potential but unless the menu is spruced up a bit, it will remain little more than a place to chill for now. Then again, it is perfect for laptops totting students. That is one group of people that this part of London is not short of.

Note: I walked past the cafe yesterday and saw that they've got themselves a name for it - Coffee Junction. That's the good news. The bad news is that Urbanest, a coffee joint right beneath the student quarters next to Bevenden Street is opening up as well. Then again, coffee is one thing that you can never get enough of, isn't it?

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Puro Coffee - the ethical organic coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 23:38:00 +0000

Puro Coffee a purveyor of Fairtrade organic coffee has kindly sent me some samples of their products. I have seen it being served in cafes before and am thrilled to have the chance to enjoy them in the comfort of my home.

It had been some time since I had to brew my own coffee since I acquired my Nespresso machine and it took me a while to brew the ground coffee but the aroma made it worth the while. Of the flavours my personal favourite is Puro Noble. I like its rich flavour which comes with a slight hint if chocolate. Not only is this a Fairtrade coffee it is also shade grown. This is the first time I have heard of shade grown coffee which encourages the preservation of trees or replanting of trees to provide the requisite shade which in turn promotes bio diversity.

Puro Coffee has teamed up with World Land Trust, a UK land conservation charity such that money from each bag of coffee sold goes towards purchasing and preserving rainforest essential for protecting biodiversity in coffee producing countries.
In fact, you might have tasted Puro’s coffee without even realising it – not only cafes at every National Trust site offer them, those in all London’s Royal Parks do too. Cafes and restaurants chains such as Le Pain Quotidien and Leon have joined the ranks too.

A coffee that ticks all the boxes - tastes great, promotes fair trade and preserves the environment - what is there not to like?

Rotary Bar and Diner - Old Street roundabout revitalised

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:39:00 +0000

Rotary Club at City Road near Old Street roundabout on a quiet weekend afternoon

Address: 70 City Road,
London EC1Y 2BJ
Phone: 020 7065 6800
Nearest Overground station:
Old Street

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ***
Service: ***
Ambience: ***Another piece by TT - she was out and about at Old Street roundabout when...

Thank goodness for the on-going regeneration of the Old Street roundabout. I may not be a fan of the high rise new developments sprouting up in the area but at least the regeneration is breathing life into the restaurant scene in that area. It used to be that your best food for decent food in the vicinity would be Vietnamese food at Cay Tre. Now you have MEATmission, Tramshed, Salvation Jane and Ozone to choose from. The list is growing and one of the newest additions to the list is the Rotary Bar and Diner.

The thing about popups is that you can never be sure...

The Rotary Bar and Diner is a 10 month pop up. It occupies this old and dreary place along City Road literally next to the roundabout. I often walked past the place but was never sure what occupied the space before the Rotary Club came along. We visited on a Saturday for lunch and it was quite empty. I guess that is to be expected - the City is not exactly the destination for a weekend lunch. The decor is retro vintage. They have a very 70s' wallpaper featuring a waterfall and forest scene covering the entire wall facing the doorway. Not sure if that was left behind by the previous occupiers (this is a pop up after all) or a deliberate attempt at retro kitsch.

Buttermilk fried chicken wings - fingers licking good

They have a very simple menu consisting of a short list of snacks, burgers, grilled meats and puddings. Apparently they will add barbecued food to the menu once they are properly set up. We had buttermilk fried chicken wings (£5) as the starter. It was delicious, easily the best fried chicken wings I had in London. This set high expectations for our mains.

Day boat bun

I ordered the day boat bun (£10) which is simply put a burger with pickles and cornish pollack deep fried in buttermilk. A posh fish finger sandwich really. The bun had a nice texture but I thought the fish was rather flaccid with a musty freezer smell.

Beef burger

My friend had the beef burger (£10) named the rotary burger. He thought it was decent but that Hawksmoor's version was better on that there was more bite in their meat. Then again Hawksmoor's is more expensive at £15. And they can do with larger plates for everything was spilling all over the place once we got started. Both burgers came accompanied with a sizable pile of chips so we had no room for desert.

Perhaps not quite the gourmet destination yet but certainly a welcome addition to the hood. I hear that Yum Bun has finally opened up next door offering steamed buns with delectable fillings only at £3.50 a pop. Suddenly working or living near the City does not seem so bad after all!

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Rasa Sayang - not perfect but still the place to go for fuss free Singaporean food in Chinatown

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:37:00 +0000

Rasa Sayang - the only Singaporean and Malaysian restaurant in London's Chinatown is always packed in the evenings.

Address: 5 Macclesfield St,
London W1D 6AY
Phone: 020 7734 1382
Nearest Overground station:
Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £25
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ***
Service: **
Ambience: **It has been some time since I had last been to Rasa Sayang, not because I was indifferent to their food but simply for lack of time - there are just so many new restaurants in London to check out. I recalled from my my last trip to Rasa Sayang that the food was good, bringing to mind the tastes of hawker dishes back home so it was with high expectations that I set off for Rasa Sayang.

Opened in December 2008, Rasa Sayang (or "loving feeling" in Malay language) is the only other Malaysian restaurant within London's Chinatown besides C&R, which is tucked in a tight alley at Rupert Court. Being close neighbours, it is hardly surprising that the cuisines in Singapore and Malaysia share the same vein. And that is what drawn us to it in the first place.

We were there early on a Friday evening and the restaurant was filling up quickly. The black and white photos of street scenes from Singapore and Malaysia which lined the walls on my last trip were still there. They sent me on a trip down memory's lane the last time round but perhaps of the busy environment those photos just faded into the background this time round.

We were tempted to go for their set menu which for £13.30, one could choose starter of fried wonton or curry spring roll, main course of nasi goreng, nasi lemak or beef rendang, or desert of kueh dadar (pandan pancake roll with coconut filling) or sago gula melaka. I was particularly excited by the deserts available . Other than Sedap near Old Street which serves the most delicious nyonya kuehs I have not found any other Malaysian or Singaporean restaurant serving local deserts. At best they might serve banana fritters which hardly does justice to the variety of deserts available in Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine (ice kacang, bobo char char just to name a couple). So to see an old favourite like kueh dadar on the menu makes me giddy with delight.

We opted to order from the ala carte menu thinking that we will work our way through to the deserts eventually. I requested otak otak (fish meat cake) but the service staff informed us that while it remained on the menu it is no longer available. What a shame as that is another street food easily available in Singapore but you hardly ever see it here.

Roti canai

We settled for roti canai and crispy chicken wings as starters. The roti canai taste more like crispy pancakes from frozen packs rather than the big fluffy confections that they should be.

Mixed satay plate

We had better luck with the satay (grilled meats). Being a traditional street fare back home, they would normally be considerably tougher especially if the hawker didn't keep a keen eye on the fire. That said, the satay at Rasa Sayang weren't grilled over a charcoal fire thus lacking in that bit of carcinogenic goodness. To give them some credit, the accompanying peanut sauce was thick and flavourful though.

Fried chicken wings

The chicken wings were a bigger success. Tender and moist in the inside, crispy on the outside, they ticked all the right boxes. Tasty but if you are looking for a burst of turmeric done in Malay style, you would be sorely disappointed.

Fishball mee pok

We had fishball mee pok (flat noodles) and prawn mee (noodles) soup for mains, Fish ball mee pok was also off the mark for us. The noodles were bathed in a sweet dark sauce, much too sweet for our palettes. Then again, I understand that is way the dish is served in Malaysia; Singaporeans are more used to having a tinge of vinegar and chilli paste added to the mix.

Prawn mee

The prawn mee was delicious and I was a fan of the fragrant broth. What was missing for me though was the lack of the chilli powder which usually accompanies this dish in Singapore, not unlike the chilli powder used in ramen. I did ask the service stuff for the chilli powder but was met by a blank look. They did provide us with cut chilli padi instead.

We washed all these down with teh tariks and found that we simply could not contemplate desert after such a heavy meal. Perhaps it was just as well the restaurant was heaving with people and it was difficult to hold a decent conversation above the din. Perhaps I should simply just come for tea the next time and make a beeline for the deserts. Otherwise I will simply not get round to sampling them!

If you are in the Soho area and are craving for Singaporean or Malaysian food, Rasa Sayang is probably your best bet. While the dishes are not replicas of what one would find back home they are nevertheless closest to the real thing one can get in Central London to fix that craving.

This Rasa Sayang review is brought to you by Cox & Kings Travels as a part of their feature on Chinatown restaurants for their holidays to China segment.

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John Salt, Islington Upper Street - the place to go for Sunday roasts

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 03:22:00 +0000

Weekend roasts at John Salt

Address: 131 Upper Street
Islington, London N1 1QP
Phone: 020 7359 7501
Nearest Overground station:
Angel, Highbury & Islington

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £30
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ****
Service: ****
Ambience: ***John Salt along Islington Upper Street is noticeably more crowded these days. I hesitate to say that it's like that only after Spalding's sudden departure at the end of December as I've read raving reviews about his cooking while he was the head chef at John Salt. At the time of his departure, he had a full booking for Christmas and New Year.

During Spalding's two month stint at John Salt, there was a tasting menu. For £34, you'd have had the privilege of sitting on the chef's table where Spalding will prepare six dishes of your choice. It didn't look as sexy as it sounds - the "chef's table" was a elongated table with a small induction cooker. When it wasn't used, it doubled up as a ingredients storage. Right smacked between the bar and the rest of the tables, you' be forgiven if you felt a bit uneasy.

It wasn't just that but throughout my meal there, there was some tension between the bar staff and Spalding. Suffice to say that I have had more enjoyable meals.

Anyway, I hadn't return after Spalding left until I walked past John Salt a couple of weeks ago and thought that it was another restaurant. The entire place was bustling on a Saturday afternoon. Surely the new chef, Neil Rankin (@frontlinechef) must be doing something right so we decided to check out the Sunday roasts the very next day.

The entire place was packed (top and ground floors) when we dropped in just after noontime but the friendly staff found us a small table by the stairs. The couple arriving after us had to wait at the bar.

While we were waiting for our roasts, LO suddenly decided to kick up a fuss about some marshmallows that John Salt used to store in large bottles at the back of the restaurant. It never cease to amaze me the things that toddlers remember. Long story short, the marshmallows were no longer there but a staff upon hearing our predicament, went into the kitchen and got us a huge bowl of colourful marshmallows. I forgot to ask for her name but she bought us some precious time to enjoy our roasts in relative peace.

Pork roast at John Salt

The pork roast (£15) was not much to look at to be honest. It was messy to say the least with a shrivelled up Yorkshire pudding to boot. Things got better from there on. The pulled pork shoulder easily soaked up the thin gravy. While there was no crackling from the pork belly to speak of, the layer of fats more than made up for that. The fats' retained its integrity and literally melted in my mouth. That was worth every bit of the calorific guilt.

Beef roast at John Salt

Even at £17, the beef roast's portion was generous. Meat teared easily off the short ribs and a healthy pink was exposed in the neatly sliced sirloin. Tender and succulent were the two words that came to mind.

We left John Salt with a smile on our faces knowing that we have found yet another place to have Sunday roasts in Angel. The next time round, we'll come armed with some marshmallows.

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Sacla - Italian goodness in neat little packages

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:17:00 +0000

I was delighted to be given the opportunity to try out the pasta sauces from Sacla. It is always handy to have a ready-made pasta sauce in your fridge for those days when you want a warm meal especially in these dreary never ending winter days (seriously, how can it still be snowing when Easter is round the corner) and you do not want to spend hours labouring over the stove. What got me particularly excited was that Sacla remains a family concern, a rarity in the modern works of business, who prides themselves on using the best ingredients in their products.

I opted for the classic basil pesto sauce as I often make my own from the river cottage recipe and I would like to see how this compares with the home made version. The sauce was really simple to use. You simply have to add the sauce to the drained pasta. No heating is required which means less washing up and hurray all around. I stirred it in with some spaghetti and just added some pine nuts. It was lovely, just the right amount of basil, pine nuts, garlic and cheese, not too overpowering which some commercial bottled sauces could sometimes be. I like this so much I am not sure I would bother doing my own pesto sauce again!

I had a lovely time browsing the Sacla website which provided me with new ways to use my pesto sauce. The search engine allows you to find recipes according to the cooking time, the meal type and the product you have. The website also has a selection of video recipes so there is really no excuse for running out of ideas. I didn't know you can use pesto in do many ways! What caught my eyes were the spinach, pesto and pine nut recipe which would allow me to put my breadmaker to good use at the sand time and the Parmesan pesto cheese straws.

A pity I used up all my pesto sauce in sitting (a bottle serves 4) but once I lay my hands on more bottles I am going to give those recipes a try. What better way to brighten these long drawn winter days than cooking new dishes and sharing them with friends?

Clockjack Oven, Soho - chicken rotisserie in search for a niche

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 01:42:00 +0000

Clockjack Oven

Address: 14 Denman Street
Soho, London W1D 7HJ
Phone: 0207 287 5111
Nearest Overground station:
Piccadilly Circus

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20
Service charge: 10%
Taste: ***
Service: ****
Ambience: ***Another one by TT on a meal when the restaurant first opened. She mentioned to me a review by Giles Coren some time back. Though he didn't mention its name, the "undress me, dress me" shirt gave the game away.

I had time for a quick meal before heading to a play in the West End and I thought I will give Clockjack Oven a try.

Clockjack Oven is located on Denman Street and is thus perfect for per theatre meals. The restaurant is small with modern grey decor. They have made their rotisserie a statement piece. Housed in a glass case behind the counter you can watch the chicken being engulfed in the blazing flames.

Billed as a modern rotisserie restaurant it serves free range chicken from a co-operative in Brittany flavoured with their in house marinade. I am rather surprised that they chose to source their chicken from France - is it not more sustainable to source ingredients locally where possible?

3 piece joint - they mean it when they say that they are for the peckish

Each diner was given a complimentary portion of root vegetable crisps to start. It was delicious. I went on to order the 3 piece set (£6.95) and a portion of the double cooked chips (£2.95). The menu describes the 3 piece set as for the peckish and they are not kidding. They were tiny. The meat was succulent and tasty though the skin fails to make much if an impression. I could choose one out of four sauces to accompany the chicken. I chose the hot sauce but found that it did not have much of a kick. The chips were ok but nothing to write home about.

Buttermilk fried or not, these crispy chicken bites were a tad soggy

I still had room for a side (that's how tiny the 3 joints were) and went for the crispy chicken bites (£4.95) which are supposedly little pieces of buttermilk marinated golden nuggets. They were served warm but slightly soggy from the oil and not as crispy as they should be. A disappointment.

Service was pleasant and attentive. Staff (both male and female) were wearing this peculiar T shirt which screams undress me in front and now dress me at the back. I have no clue what that is and have to go to their web page to check what that us about. Apparently they are running a competition to design their staff uniform snd this is their way of drumming up publicity. Well it did get my attention but surely there is a more tasteful way to go about drumming up interest.

While Clockjack Oven may not have spectacular offerings it does offer a decent meal at a reasonable price and might just worth a try the next time you run out if ideas when at the West End.

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Sunday roasts at Gilbert Scott bar area - less formal but otherwise still grand

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:31:00 +0000

Address: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Euston Road, London NW1 2AR
Phone: 0207 278 3888
Nearest Overground station: King's Cross

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £40
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ***
Service: ****
Ambience: ****I came across some notes taken from a meal that I had a couple of weeks back. I recalled being quite taken by the ambiance of the place. So here you go.

Think of King's Cross St Pancras International and one thing come to mind: Paris. Just over two hours from Paris, St Pancras International is filled with passengers shuttling to and from London and continental Europe.

There is no shortage of chain cafes and restaurants in the train station. For those who can afford the time and would like to pamper themselves a bit, St Pancras International has more to offer than just the longest champange bar in Europe on Eurostar's platform - luxury comes in the form of Gilbert Scott, the residence restaurant at St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, a short stroll from the train platform.

After Wife's lunch at Gilbert Scott sometime back, we headed back again to check out its Sunday roasts. As it was a spur of the moment, we didn't make a reservation. Turned out that the dining hall was full at 1pm and we were directed to the bar instead.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The bar area though less formal lost none of the opulence that Gilbert Scott has come to be known for. With a more laid back setting, we literally sank into the lounge sofa, relaxed and all ready for lunch.

Apparently, the same weekend roasts (£27 for three courses) were also served in the bar area so I decided to skip the entire menu and instead focus on that tiny section.

Omelette Arnold Bennett

Omelette Arnold Bennett kicked off the meal. Small chunks of smoked haddock were swimming in the slightly salty yet sweet Gruyere cheese. I find that having a pinch of salt usually increase my appetite for the main course. All was well with the omelette save for a bone that was embedded in the haddock. I was too preoccupied about LO stirring in her buggy to consider about what that nasty splinter would have done if it was stuck in my throat.

Pork belly roast

Great Garnetts Farm Pork Belly came up next. The only reason why I go for this is for its crackling. In case you are wondering, the pork belly's fat was soft instead of crisp. But there was a piece of crackling served separately. Two slabs of pork belly were seasoned with quince sauce with a drop of honey; the meat soaked up the fruity sweet sauce. The fatty layer didn't have much flavour in itself though. The dish was accompanied by a side of seasonal vegetable, which was fresh but otherwise plain.

Dessert was rosemary shortbread. I went for that only because the alternative - bread and butter pudding, isn't exactly my cup of tea. Well, it was shortbread, with some rosemary interspersed in it. That was pretty much it I guess.

"You have to go to the loo, it's absolutely stunning," a guy was telling his mates in a table beside us. While I wouldn't exactly say that (or maybe I was at the wrong one), you'd have to walk pass the grand staircase of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel on your way there. Now, that, is rather pretty.

If you are looking for a place to rest your legs before catching a train at King's Cross or St Pancras International, forget jostling with the crowds for a seat at the bars and cafe in the train stations, head to Gilbert Scott's bar area for a more relaxing time instead.

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The Delaunay (Aldwych) - where time slows down to a crawl

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 22:30:00 +0000

The Delaunay - a touch of class without going over the top (photo by Ewan Munro)

Address: 55 Aldwych
London WC2B 4BB
Phone: 020 7499 8558
Nearest Overground station:
Covent Garden, Holborn

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £30
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: *****
Service: *****
Ambience: *****Here is TT's take on The Delaunay where she lunched before heading to the Manet exhibition. By the way, she is threatening to take over LondonChow if I do not keep up with my posts. Ouch.

When asked what my favourite restaurant in London is, I would say it is Delaunay without hesitation. I am not quite sure why its sister restaurant The Wolseley (read best high tea in London) does not have a similar hold over me despite the similarity in menu and approach.

The Wolseley with its ornate decor always seems to me to be for ladies who lunch while Delaunay reminds me of the lobby of an old hotel or perhaps a train in the golden age of train travel - where time moves slowly and yet you get the sense that everything is transient. the main dining room has high ceilings and is bright and airy but my favourite spot is in the little area by the bar. Nestled between the little cloakroom by the entrance, the service counter and the sweets display it reminds me of an old hotel lobby. The tables are seated pretty close together. Perhaps not great if you mean to have a private conversation but excellent when you dine out alone with all the people watching opportunities and snatches of interesting conversation that one sometimes overhears. A courting couple or two business men trying to outsell each other. I don't mean to pry but isn't this what make dining out alone bearable and even fun?

Needless to say the food at Delaunay is excellent. It might look grand but it has a wide range of dishes meant for every budget and taste. Their hotdogs are around 8 quid which is a bargain considering the setting. My favourite is their schitznel. I have tried the deluxe veal version topped with eggs and anchovies - so very delicious. I must say the toppings make all the difference. The chicken version simply adorned with sea sap flakes is less sinful perhaps a little less satisfying but makes a perfectly good meal nevertheless. I had a beef tartare once too, accompanied by a salad and fries which was delicious and I thought good value at £20 for the quality.

Delaunay now has a Counter just next door. Connected through a short corridor the Counter serves mainly cakes pastries and light meals. They have a small sit in area (first come first serve basis) and do takeaway too. Their prices are extremely reasonably - just £6 for a chicken schitznel. I have not tried the Delaunay Counter yet but I suspect it won't be long before I am back. The pastries on display were calling out to me!

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Waterhouse Restaurant - Regents Canal pitstop that serves decent food at a fabulous price

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Burger at Waterhouse Restaurant - it is more filling than it looks

Address: 10 Orsman Road
London N1 5QJ
Phone: 020 7033 0123
Nearest Overground station: Haggerston

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £10
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ***
Service: ***
Ambience: ***Walking along Regents Canal is all about hopping from one pitstop to another. Towpath Cafe is positively spilling with people these days - they had to find space on a berth set up along the riverbank. You'd be hard-pressed to find a seat at Waterline Bar that lies just beside it either.

But a few minutes to the east along Regent Canal lies a quiet little restaurant on the opposite bank. Waterhouse Restaurant is accessible over Kinglands Road to the south bank of Regents Canal. It's where you can get a burger with onion rings and chips for just £6 - the price of a slice of cake and cappuccino at Towpath Cafe. And it's a full service restaurant (with proper tables and chairs in case you are wondering) to boot.

Now that I've got your attention, what's the catch you might ask. Waterhouse is run by Shoreditch Trust, which serves to empower the deprived in Borough of Hackney. There you go, the burger is cheap not because it's bulked up with horse meat but because it's run by a charity.

Admittedly, the kitchen is a bit haphazard and chaotic at times with a youthful looking head chef shouting orders across the counter and the rest scrambling for a portion of chips. It's a bit like Gordan Ramsey's show with all the f-words replaced with "thank you". It's odd I know but I get the impression that the kitchen staff are doing their apprenticeship, pretty much like what Jamie Oliver is doing Fifteen.

Chicken wrap - now we're talking...

So how went the food? We managed to keep our bbq beef burger and chicken wrap with butternut squash (£6) down, which was more than what could be said about many other places. Wife was particularly impressed with her chicken wrap. The batter reminded her of the fried chicken she had as kid when KFC was still good, the bacon bits stuffed into the wrap made it much more palatable too. We got a bit carried away and even ordered a kid's portion of pasta for LO at a princely sum of £2.

Ironically, considering what was charged for what could very well be a full meal, a cappuccino still cost £2. I guess there's a base price when it comes to firing up the coffee machine. Regardless, I believe we've found ourselves yet another pitstop along Regents Canal.

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London KERB Street Food Market - give those sandwiches chains a miss

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:14:00 +0000

A frankfurter for you? Come on, I know you want one... (Photo by FHSoc)

This is a brought to you by TT. She is always hungry.

I am sure you have heard about KERB, a movement to revolutionize London's street food. It brings together traders serving exceptional food at markets and events for the masses. Its most well known market is at King's Cross trading between 1100am to 230pm between Tuesday to Friday with 4 to 7 traders everyday. There is a rota of different traders everyday so there is always something different for the regular customer. I have wanted to try KERB for some time but I work in the City and getting to King's Cross or lunch is much of a challenge. Thus when KERB started a market on Thursdays in the shadow of the Gherkin I just had to try it.

I took the long walk down to the Gherkin on a frosty Thursday. The KERB market at the Gherkin takes place every Thursday between 11 am to 230pm with 6 traders each day. The day I went, the traders include Fleischmob (schitznel and frankfurters), Spit & Roast (buttermilk fried chicken) and Mike + Ollie (fresh flatbread with a variety of fillings) and Bell & Brisket (hot salted beef).

It was clear that Spit & Roast was the clear favorite they were the first to sell out and that was just before 1p.m. Judging by the queues, Mike + Ollie was another clear favourite. I fancied some schitznel and set out queuing patiently for one at Fleischbmob. For £5.50, you get a rare breed pork schitznel (with a generous squeeze of lemon juice) sandwiched between 2 slices of sourdough rye bread with homemade spied plum compote and rocket to hold the sandwich together. The food is cooked to order so you get it piping hot (or as hot as it can possibly get in the freezing outdoors) but it does mean you have to wait a while. I love the schitnzel - crisp and delicious but I do feel that that the plum compote does not do the meat any flavours. Still it was only £5.50 - there aren't many spots in the city of London where you can cooked to order food at this price.

So city workers, give your Pret, Eat, Pod or wherever you usually have your lunch a miss. Give KERB a try, you will never want to go back to your regular high street lunch venues again.

Have you lunched at a KERB street food market before? Which is your favourite stall?

Eat & Drink Artillery Passage review - Chinese restaurant of a bygone era

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:09:00 +0000

Eat & Drink - tucked at the end of Artillery Passage

Address: 11 Artillery Passage
London E1 7LJ
Phone: 020 7377 0557
Nearest Tube station: Liverpool Street,
Aldgate, Aldgate East

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £15
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ***
Service: ***
Ambience: **There's this misconception about Chinese restaurants. People have the impression that Chinese restaurants, especially those that have been around for eons, should look like the one depicted in Rush Hour or Big Bang Theory - red wall papers, huge red lanterns and staff decked in traditional red Chinese gowns with gold trimmings. That has been almost the acceptable mark of authenticity.

While Phoenix Palace and Pearl Liang come close, it's almost impossible to many such Chinese restaurants in London.

Eat & Drink at Artillery Passage surely isn't one such restaurants. For one, its name doesn't exactly conjure up the mystics of the Far East. In fact, my local Chinese takeaway has a more convincing name than that. It hints at being nothing more than a hole in the wall that exists to feed the office hordes at Bishopgate much like the likes of Pret A Manger and E.A.T.

Eat & Drink's menu, like the typical Cantonese restaurant, is rather extensive

But Eat & Drink is much more than that. Ironically, its name suggests that it comes from a bygone era when fine Chinese cuisine hasn't really caught on with Londoners and whatever offerings were usually replicas of those found in the alleys in colonial Hong Kong.

The reception area, which presumably where you'd wait for takeaways is also where the bar is with a defunct slot machine lies on its side. The only notable decor is the handful of tired looking koi and a dragon painted on one wall. If you look harder, you'd be able to spot a uniform of a Royal artillery Captain housed in a dusty display case in a corner.

It was pretty quiet during lunchtime when I was there on a weekday. There were a couple of tables occupied by singles who were more interested in their iPad and newspapers than their egg fried rice.

The staff who were already polite became noticeably friendlier when I placed my orders in Mandarin. I was told by those who have been there that they get really pally if you actually speak Cantonese. Then again, that's typically the case for most Cantonese restaurants.

I often wonder how is it that Chinese restaurants can come such a long menu (pages upon pages of meat, seafood, vegetables, soups, noodles and rice dishes) while others struggle with a one page menu and often with some items unavailable. It couldn't be that Eat & Drink's kitchen is many times larger than others, can it? As I scanned through the menu, I could already pick up some that I would go for in my subsequent visits.

Sweet and sour pork - always the crowd pleaser

Sweet and sour pork (£6.50), a boring but safe dish is one of my favourites. Eat and Drink's was oddly satisfying with just the right amount of fats in the ketchup coated deep fried pork chunks. There was none of those artificially sweeteners and the gravy consistency was about right. More tellingly, the pork chunks were not crowded out by the vegetable accompaniments.

Fried king prawns - some burnt bits

Fried king prawns (£9.90) arrived sizzling hot. That resulted in the garlic and butter coating being burnt, which meant some undesired bitter bits. It could have been worse, I suppose. At least the prawns were relatively fresh and more than enough to go around.

You are spoilt for choice when it comes to lunch around Spitalfields Market on a weekday. That's probably why I've not dine at Eat and Drink sooner. With HKK (by Hakkasan) opened at Worship Street (10 min walk away), some, like me will find solace in a more relaxing, fuss free and no frills Chinese restaurant that is easier on the pocket.

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The Quality Chop House review Farringdon Rd - revamp might just do the trick

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:14:00 +0000

The Quality Chop House retains its facade and very little else

Address: 94 Farringdon Road
London EC1R 3EA
Phone: 020 7278 1452
Nearest Tube station: Farringdon,
King's Cross

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £40 pp (ala carte)
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ****
Service: *****
Ambience: *****It was one of the few times that I was honest with a waitress. When asked how I learnt about The Quality Chop House, I admitted that it was after reading Giles Coren's tweet - "Do not wait for my review of The Quality Chop House, just go. Now!" Not those exact words but that's the gist.

So there we were sitting at the bar area (not the dining room where set dinners of £35 were served. It so happened that I was there with YQ who was in town again. He's not the person who would succumb to buffets or cheap diners unlike yours truly who do not mind the occasional binge. At the frequency he's visiting London, I'd be having problems paying the rent even if we were going for only half decent meals. So we struck a compromise, no set meals, only ala carte.

Where was I? Yes, Quality Chop House. Wife and I were rather enthralled by it when we first dine there (on a countertop in the bar area then) in 2009. It was a simple meal, fish and chips and the bacon chop. Even then, I thought it was a bit subdued if you will. We returned soon after for a meal in the dining room. It was a forgettable experience at best though I can clearly recall that the waitresses looked bored and it was eerily quiet.

The next thing I know, Quality Chop House was no more and turned to selling meatballs. That's definitely not my thing and as far as I'm concerned, that stretch along Farringdon Road is a dead zone when it comes to dining.

Then comes Coren's tweet. I had to go down and check it out. Since YQ was in town, why not?

So what's new?

Two changes are immediately obvious when you step into The Quality House's bar area. First, the high counter tables and stools have been ripped out; small round bistro like tables and chairs take their place. Second, instead of the rather mature (and again, bored looking) waitresses whom I encountered earlier are no longer there, the entire staff are now what you could only described as sweet young things. If you think them as mere adornments, you'd be sorely mistaken. They were efficient, polite and were able to answer whatever questions we threw at them about the items on the menu. Could that be the real reason behind Coren's endorsement? Well, I wouldn't know.

Free flowing sparking and still water - at last, a restaurant that does not pay its staff wages by selling water

Unlike (I dare say) all the rest of London's restaurants that I've been to, both still and sparkling water at The Quality Chop House are free flow; bottles after bottles replaced those half emptied on our table without prompting. The menu is quintessential English with the likes of middlewhite brawn, faggot, ox cheeks and "game bird". Fans of St John and Medcalf would be right at home here.

The Longhorn faggot - unwanted meat reinvented

The Longhorn faggot (£11) was superbly done. A traditional Welsh and Midlands dish of mix meshing the forgotten cuts and offals, it was presented in a loose patty sitting nicely on a dollop of finely mashed potato layered on a perfectly caramelised onion. The faggot's slight bitter aftertaste was tempered by the onion. The sauce could be a bit less salty though.

Cornish mussels in pea based soup

The Cornish mussels (£8) were unremarkable in comparison, especially with the duvel mussels at Beard to Tail still fresh in my memory. The sauce was pea based, a first for me. Slices crusty white bread appeared instantly just when we thought the sauce would go to waste.

Rhubarb trifle - you got to dig deep to take in the entire flavour

The waitress solved our dessert dilemma by recommending the rhubarb trifle (£6.50). Truth to be told, rice pudding and blood orange jelly really aren't my thing. Softened rhubarb petioles floating on whipped cream laid on top of alcohol soaked sponge cake supported by a jelly foundation. Need I say more?

I'm not sure whether it was because of Coren's tweet but both the bar and the dining room at The Quality Chop House were packed by the time we left at 8pm that Saturday evening. Me? I'm just glad that I no longer have to stay within the confines of Exmouth Market when I'm in the area hunting for a meal the next time round.

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Rivington Grill review Rivington Street - that luxury burger

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:59:00 +0000

Rivington Grill - clean cut decor with a relaxing ambiance

Address: 28 - 30 Rivington Street
London EC2A 3DZ
Phone: 020 3641 1870
Nearest Tube station: Old Street,
Shoreditch High Street

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £30 pp
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ***
Service: *****
Ambience: ****Serves me right for getting his hopes up high. "Fancy a burger? I know of this place. Be very hungry." read my text. I thought AR (possibly one of the few Frenchmen I know who adores his burgers) would fancy catching a bite at MEATmission.

I should have checked. It was Monday evening and the Shoreditch burger joint was closed. It was a chilly evening and I was about to suggest having a hot bowl of pho at Cay Tre. "Now I'd really like to have a good burger," he exclaimed. Byron wouldn't do; it's too high street. That was how we ended up at Rivington Grill.

Now, Rivington Grill, as the name implies, is known for its grilled meat. Yes, the burger's patty grilled too but that's hardly the same. But AR was so drummed up about the Rivington Luxury Burger (£12.95) that I had to order that. Frankly, I would be sorely disappointed if I had not gotten a burger by the end of that day.

Rivington luxury burger wasn't on the menu itself, instead it was among the many "specials" on the board behind the bar. The truth is I would most certainly have missed it if not for AR pointing it out. Perhaps the burger is for folks who stumbled into the restaurant not knowing any better?

Rivington Luxury Burger - the egg looked out of place

I requested the burger to be medium rare and the thick minced patty came with just the right amount of pink. The burger came with an egg sunny side up just on top of the bacon stripes later, which was a tad odd. I find egg yolk when hardened tend not to go very well with beef patty. We aren't talking about fast food burger chains, it is not about carbo loading.

That said, a point scored by Rivington Grill: If your burger is going to be thick, please have the pickles, tomatoes and salad (if any) set aside. There is really not much point of stacking everything up an then attempt to bunch everything up with a pathetic stick. How do you expect that to be eaten? Everything falls apart when the stick is removed and it'd back to square one.

Good chips accompanied the burger. Crunch on the outside, soft and mushy on the inside. AR's words actually. While they weren't exactly the triple cooked chips at Hawksmoor, I have come across worse. The dip was a mild ketchup with a dash of mustard, a safe choice.

What left a deep impression was the excellent service that we got throughout our meal. My only regret was not asking the name of the waiter who served us. If you are asked whether you would like some bread to begin with, do go for it. It was one of those crusty soft white served warm with almost melted salty butter. I resisted not asking for seconds.

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MEATmission review Hoxton Market burger joint - a messy meat fest

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:43:00 +0000

The stained glass ceiling at MEATmission compensates for the windowless setup

Address: 14-15 Hoxton Market,
London N1 6HG
Phone: 0207 739 8212
Nearest Tube station: Old Street

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20 pp
Service charge: N/A
Taste: ****
Service: ****
Ambience: ****Point to note: Hoxton Market (where MEATmission is located) isn't Hoxton Street Market. It's a good 15min walk between the two. Neither is it Hoxton Square, which is probably the one of the most happening parts of Hoxton. Look out for the red neon signboard that says "MISSION". Knowing that would save you going on an exploratory trip around Hoxton while on a bid to satisfy your meat cravings.

MEATmission is the third branch of the MEAT chain (after MEATliqour and MEATmarket). Taking its name from the former Christian mission that it occupies, there is obvious effort to preserve as much of the original interiors as possible. For one, the tablets are still in place on the walls. Fancy having a burger with decades old remains right next to you? You've come to the right place.

As this is the first MEAT joint that I've been to, I didn't know what to expect other than salads probably isn't its forte. The roll of highly absorbent kitchen towels on each table hinted a messy affair. And it turned out to be one as well.

Everything arrived in a single tray. The burgers were on the tray, that was that. Plates? Come on, that's what the kitchen roll is for, isn't it? I'm surprised that our fries weren't heaped onto the tray like our bingo wings.

Chilli cheese fries - all the calories that you need for a week

Presentation aside, our chilli cheese fries (£5) was sinful indeed. Picture perfectly good fries covered with melted cheddar, chilli beef mince, chopped onions and jalapeños with a tinge of mustard. It was like being eighteen all over again. I can have that all day.

Bingo wings were a tad dried for my liking

Bingo wings (£6) was marinated with a homemade chilli sauce, which was fine. But the blue cheese dip made all the difference.

Dirty chicken burger - the ultimate zinger

I'm not sure what inspired dirty chicken burger's (£7) name. Deep fried chicken fillet, mayo, lettuce and onion. In short, it's the ultimate KFC's zinger burger fan's fantasy. It's massive and regardless of which way you take the first bite, it's going to end up a mess (cue in the kitchen towels). However, instead of the thigh fillet that KFC serves, you have breast meat. A plus for those who are health conscious. Then again, if you are counting calories, you really shouldn't be at MEATmission.

MEATmission doesn't disappoint as a burger joint. All burgers are priced at around £7 to £8. While it is great for a casual night out with your mates, it wouldn't do with anyone whom you don't want seeing you lick your fingers half the time.

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Barrafina Tapas Bar - the one that nearly got away

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:38:00 +0000

Barrafina - the smallish tapas bar though popular is as discreet as can be (photo by Kake Pugh)

Address: 54 Frith Street,
London W1D 4SL
Tel: 020 7813 8016
Nearest Tube station:
Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £40 pp
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ****
Service: ***
Ambience: ***This is guest post by TT. She was out and about central London on New Year's Eve in search for some baby squids.

It has been raining non-stop. All I want to help keep the blues at bay is the puntillitas from my local tapas hangout, Morito but it was shut over the new year. What was I going to do? Twitter suggests Barrafina at Soho. I have somehow never managed to check out Barrafina so this is the perfect chance to do so.

Barrafina is on Firth St which is now quite the foodie street with Koya and Cerviche as its neighbours. It is tiny with bar seats only. I was there for an early lunch and was lucky to score a seat. Otherwise one would have stand behind the seated customers and have your tapas standing while you wait.

I am a big fan of bar seats as it allows me to watch my food being prepared and to observe the seamless action that goes on in a bustling kitchen. In this case the bar seat was so close to the action that I could feel the heat from the hot plates in use.

Salt cod fritters came first followed swiftly by the grilled tiger prawn. For £7 quid I get four juicy cod fritters with a generous portion of tartare sauce on the side. The prawn was huge, fresh and well seasoned. The crispy cuttlefish took some time to arrive. Perhaps because of the texture of the cuttlefish it just does not have the crunch I was looking for. I stole a look at other diners' chipirones. Those tiny morsels of deep fried squid looked delicious. I would have ordered that as well if not for the fact that I was stuffed.

A wonderful meal but perhaps not a place to go for a lingering meal given that people are queuing right behind you for seats. The next time I would definitely go for the chipirones. Their tortilla and mussels were also popular with diners when I was there so yes those will certainly be on list for the next time!

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Whitstable Oyster Company review - oysters don't get any fresher than this

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 00:49:00 +0000

Whitstable Oyster Company's well lit dining room suggests nothing of the chilly winds outside

Address: Royal Native Oyster Stores,
Horsebridge Road, Whitstable,
Kent CT5 1BU
Tel: 01227 276856
Nearest Train station: Whitstable

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £50 pp
Service charge: 10%
Taste: ***
Service: ****
Ambience: ****It was one of those gloomy days in London. We could attempt to have a stroll along the Regents Canal and then call it a day when it gets dark and cold. Or we could take a ninety minute train ride to Whitstable to have some oysters. It was a no brainer really.

There are a couple of things that Whitstable is known for. The oysters for one that are in season only during months that have an "r" in them. The seaside town has been renowned for its oysters since the Roman times. The relatively close proximity from London makes it one of the more popular getaway since the Victorians. Its streets aren't lined with bingo halls, nor does it have a tacky outdoor amusement park (there's a bowling alley though) by the sea.

And then there's the Whitstable Oyster Company, which according to its website is the "World renowned seafood restaurant in Kent, offering some of the very finest oysters, fresh fish and crustacea".

A souvenir perhaps?

It's almost impossible to get a table at the restaurant even if you tried calling a week in advance so you can forget about walking in. We got lucky, we managed to get a place two days before but not before a long pause by staff over the phone.

It's hard to match up to expectations when you are the star attraction of a town. Though I would hesitate to say that Whitstable Oyster Company in Whitstable is analogous to Fat Duck in Bray, it comes close. Face it, the beach line at Whitstable isn't exactly pristine, besides a (still) quaint little high street, Whitstable has little to offer other than oysters. And guess who serves the freshest and juiciest oysters in town?

Whitstable Native Oysters - fresh, juicy and supple

Like all things, the best doesn't come cheap. At £16.50 for half a dozen, the Whitstable native oyster easily costs more than twice compared those available at Whitstable. Then again, they are served on a huge platter filled with chipped ice, a slice of lemon and a dash of shallot vinaigrette. And you are warmly seated indoors away from the chilly coastal winds. That, I supposed makes all the difference.

We tried to make the oysters last but we wouldn't want them exposed to the air for too long iced or not iced, would we? It was all over in a matter of minutes but suffice to say they are easily the finest oysters we have ever tasted. That probably explains why Romans were desperately holding onto Britannia.

Deep fried squid - the low point of the meal

The deep fried squid (£10.50) was a travesty compared to the oysters. Dull, limp and almost soggy. I'm wondering why I even bother mentioning them. They should be served at one of those tourist traps in central London, not a well regarded seafood institution.

Roasted sea bream, the garlicky fish

Whole roast sea bream (£19.50) was recommended by the waitress. The roasted garlic's aromo was overwhelming so much so that the sea bream roasted with a sprinkle of rosemary was relegated to the background. There was no doubt of the sea bream's freshness but I thought a light pinch of sea salt over it would have done the trick with much less fuss.

Really, the stars are the dips

I couldn't resist having the deep fried cod in beer batter chips (£16.50) - every table seemed to have at least one of that. The cod was nothing to shout about. The chips were a bit better. The prize, however, went to the homemade tartar sauce and the minty cooled mushy peas. I was tempted to ask for a second serving of that. The peas, not cod.

I hate to say this but you should really stick to what Whitstable Oyster Company is known for. A case of overhype? Maybe. Then again, it boils down to doing what one does best. And at Whitstable, there is no doubt about what that is. If they were good enough for the Romans, they'd do for me just fine.

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Shoryu Ramen London Japan Centre - a bit off the mark

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:34:00 +0000

Shoryu Ramen's well stocked bar all thanks to Japan Centre

Address: 9 Regent Street,
London SW1Y 4LR
Tel: not listed (no bookings)
Nearest Tube station: Piccadilly Circus

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20 pp
Service charge: 10%
Taste: ***
Service: ****
Ambience: **Japan Centre, which is doing a roaring business along Regent Street, is rather slow to jump onto the ramen bandwagon in setting up a ramen joint in London's West End. But unlike the rest sitting prettily at Soho (Ittenbari, Bone Daddies and Tonkotsu), Shoryu Ramen is located along Regent Street, a short walk away from The Mall. Almost directly facing Japan Centre, Shoryu Ramen is a considerably smaller setup compared to its peers. In fact, with its small round and square tables oddly mixed together, it can very well be another high street cafe.

We were greeted by a wall of umami the moment we stepped through Shoryu Ramen's door. A lack of good ventilation coupled with damp weather outside trapped the soup base's aroma within. That immediately whet our appetite. With the entire restaurant packed, we were bundled up onto a small table towards the back. Literally sitting shoulder to shoulder, I could very well be eating out of the bowl from the chap next to me without either of us noticing.

Yuzu Tonkotsu - cloudy soup, that's pretty much it

A quick scan through the menu revealed one that is more extensive than Bone Daddies' not to mention the three-ramen menu at Tonkotsu. I went straight for the Yuzu Tonkotsu (£10.40). Among the ramen dishes, it is the only one that exceeded the £10 mark. Surely it must be the king of the hill, the full English among the poorer sausage and mash, ham and eggs cousins. You get the idea.

If you're into broths, you would find Yuzu Tonkotsu's visually enticing. Its murky appearance hinted at a flavour packed mouthful. If that heightens your expectation, you might be a tad disappointed. Its broth just didn't pack the same punch as the one at Bone Daddies.

The same could be said of egg (nitamago). They were done almost halfheartedly and could hardly hold its own against the soy marinated egg at Tonkotsu. The kikurage, nori, bean sprouts and spring onion were heaped onto the ramen itself, making the dish a tad crowded - it was impossible to have a clean mouthful of just ramen alone.

Perhaps I was trying my utmost to find a redeeming point about the ramen at Shoryu's Yuzu Tonkotsu, I realised that its BBQ pork slices were nicely done. Its tender consistency stood out amongst the mix mesh of seaweed and fungus.

A half portion of piri piri Tonkotsu - will fill up a light eater quite well

If you prefer a light bite, you would be pleased that Shoryu does half portions (£4) for ramen. Even though the menu states that the option is only for Hakata Tonkotsu ramen, the kitchen prepared a half portion of piri piri Tonkotsu for us as well. You just have to ask nicely.

A matcha latte accompanying a matcha rolled cake. Notice the trend?

Dessert is matcha heaven. All seven items including mochi, ice-cream, cake and tart are matcha based. The matcha rolled cake (£4) looked suspiciously familiar. A quick hop to Japan Centre confirmed that the exact same thing was sold for £2.50. The only differences are that the latter comes in a plastic container and you don't to enjoy it on a table. That said, the chestnuts embedded within would cheer anyone up.

Having the Japan Centre tag doesn't quite make Shoryu Ramen stand out from the crowd. Its location did it no favour - south end of Regent Street just lacks the grittiness of Soho. I'm not sure I would trek there for a bite anytime soon, certainly not having the elbow of the chap next to me shoved into my ribs.

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Duck & Waffle - best London skyline view

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:17:00 +0000

London's skyline view up at Duck & Waffle - with a view like that, decent food can only be a bonus

Address: Heron Tower
110 Bishopgate, London EC2N 4AY
Tel: 020 3640 7310
Nearest Tube station: Liverpool Street

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £15 pp (drink at bar)
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: N/A
Service: ****
Ambience: ***"Ooh, I can't take it anymore!" The woman in the same lift as me squealed as she shuffled away from the side of the lift facing out on its surge up to the 40th floor.

Fast becoming among London's most popular restaurants, Duck & Waffle and Sushi Samba certainly offer one of the best London skyline views. Having a full meal at these two restaurants at the top of Heron Towers can easily set you back by a tidy bit with drinks. But the thing is that it needn't be.

We turned out at 11.45am at The Heron building trying our luck at getting a table and were by the concierge on the ground floor that unless a reservation has been made, Duck & Waffle would not accept walk-ins. But it would be fine if we were getting drinks at the bar area instead. We jumped at that.

Duck & Waffle's bar area

The lift ride itself was rather exhilarating and we were rewarded by a nice view once we reach the top. It wasn't exactly unobstructed all thanks to the steel bars holding up the building but it was nevertheless an amazing one. Even then, when asked about the view, a staff said,"it's difficult get excited about it after awhile unless there's a brilliant sunrise or the likes."

A shaky view down from the 40th floor of Heron Tower

There were a number of customers milling around in the bar area taking in the views. I would have thought that the drinks would be rather dear. Well, cocktails go for around £11 per serving so you be the judge. Coffee, however, is cheaper than some cafes closer to the ground (my cappuccino cost £3). Other than olives (£2.50) and BBQ pigs ears (£4), there are no other finger food.

Looking down at the vast London skyline, it struck me how grey London really is. In the middle of winter without a shrub of greenery, it was a depressing sight indeed.

That is were not for the pigs ears, which were marvellous.

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Naamyaa Cafe Angel Thai restaurant - bold with hits and misses

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:22:00 +0000

Centrepiece of Naamyaa Cafe - its bar counter

Address: 407 St John Street
London EC1V 4AB
Tel: 020 3122 0988
Nearest Tube station: Angel

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20 pp
Service charge: N/A
Taste: ***
Service: *****
Ambience: ****Either I'm getting soft or the laksa's heat was getting to me. Beads of sweat glistered across my forehead; not exactly the most elegant dining experience after I unwisely declared to the waitress that I hail from the place "where we have laksa every other day".

Actually that's inaccurate on two counts - I'd rather have roti prata (flour based pancake) for breakfast, bar chor mee (minced pork noodles) and Hainanese chicken rice for dinner every single day in I can help it. Also, the laksa that I'm familiar with doesn't have remnants of chilli padi lying at the bottom of the gravy.

Naamyaa Cafe, which is Alan Yau's latest venture, finally opened at Angel Centre right next to Hummingbird Bakery and Jamie's Italian. Slated to be opened in October, it started business only in November. When asked about this, a staff brushed it off nonchalantly with a "we want to get it done right". Naturally, who wouldn't?

Unlike his sister's more modest restaurant, Isarn, which is just up along Islington Upper Street, Naamyaa sticks out like a megawatt light bulb beside Jamie's Italian. The bar and kitchen takes the centre stage at Naamyaa with tables arranged around them. There is something for everyone - bar counter seats for the loners, tables just beside the large windows for the exhibitionists, Parisian styled tables for those who'd rather look at bar and serving staff hurrying about rather than their fellow diners, and booth tables for those hatching their plans for world domination. In tune with Naamyaa's Bangkok cafe theme, there are even rows of little golden Buddhas perched on top of a wall. I wouldn't be surprised if there are actually 108 Buddhas .

Those who prefer to go for the safe choice of phad Thai at Thai restaurant would be sorely disappointed. In return, you get burgers, either with cheese, chilli or bacon. "Very much like a Bangkok cafe," a staff reminded me.

Naamyaa's menu looks rather curious; it feels like a menu in the works. While it has chosen to include photos for every item, the photos are small and badly cropped (very much like those you see on LondonChow) yet large blank spaces are seen below each section. Granted that it's difficult to make a skewer of beef satay looks appealing but Naamyaa can really take a leaf out of YiPin China's when it comes to including photos in its menu.

The rice dishes look suspiciously like the economic rice that is served at Chapel Market's Tai-An. Even after flipping through the menu for the umpteenth time, I decided stick to the seafood laksa (£9.70) ("Excellent choice!" claimed the waitress) and YQ went for Naamyaa goong (£9.50).

A bunch of chilli padi hidden right at the bottom of the laksa

The laksa arrived soon after. Not surprising as the gravy should have been pre-prepared and simply scooped into the mix of rice vermicelli and other ingredients. It looked a tad darker than the ones I'm used to. No issue though as laksa varies quite a bit depending on which part of Southeast Asia you are in.

Looking at the dish that was tipped with sweet potato fritters (a nice touch), prawns, beancurd and dense fishballs, I started scooping up the laksa gravy by the spoonful and starting drinking it outright in an act of complacency. It was actually sweet to begin with until my spoon hit the bottom and trawled up a couple of chilli padi and beads of perspiration broke out almost on cue.

Served me right. I should have given the dish a good stir like how we do it back home - those chilli would have surfaced then. That said, I enjoyed the chewy rice vermicelli thoroughly though the portions could be a bit more generous.

The naamyaa goong tastes much better than it looks

The Naamyaa goong (£9.50) actually managed to look worse than its picture on the menu. The prawns seemed to have been mashed into the coconut based curry. The idea is to pour that onto a handful of kanom jin noodles.

Typically made from pressing dough through a sieve, kanom jin noodles become clingy when kept dry and that was exactly what happened. After pouring over curry onto the noodles, the dish looked like satay beehoon, another street fare back home, albeit with a much stronger heat that just wallop you when you least expected.

For those who can't hold their heat, I suggest you try it with just a spoonful of curry. But there is not a lot of kanom jin noodles, you might have to either have the rest of the curry on its own or chuck the rest away. Your pick.

Tumeric calamari too dry for comfort

Naamyaa added a twist on its calamari (£6.50). Instead of deep fried thick batter, it was dried, almost roasted with a dusting of turmeric. The result was a thin spicy rubbery dish, doing the mollusk great injustice.

Mussels soaking in sumptuous chilli jam

We were cheered up immensely by Naamyaa's mussels (£7.50). Served tossed in a chilli jam and basil mix, the fresh juicy mussels were soaked in a light gravy that had the right mix of sweet and heat. I was tempted to ask for some rice just so that I could clean up the gravy.

Skip those chicken wings, period.

I would recommend that you give the chicken wings (£4.50) a wide berth. I could barely catch a whiff of Thai garlic. Neither were they deep fried; they arrived limp. I didn't know such small chicken exist either.

The staff was friendly to a fault. The waitress serving us was quick to jump at the chance to tell us how Naamyaa comes about. She was even quicker to point out that both still and sparkling water was complementary should we so desire them. When asked for recommendation, she began enthusiastically explain what exactly is a laksa much to my amusement.

The tom yam goong suki set (£25 for two) looks particularly enticing. I would probably go for that during our next visit. A burger at Naamyaa? You must be kidding.

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Bone Daddies ramen London Soho - playing the cool card

noreply@blogger.com (Kelvin Woo) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 07:12:00 +0000

Bone Daddies - getting into the mood

Address: 31 St Peter Street
London W1F 0AR
Tel: 020 7287 8581
Nearest Tube station:
Leicester Square
Piccadilly Circus

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20 pp
Service charge: 12.5%
Taste: ***
Service: ****
Ambience: ***I have to keep on reminding myself that noodles isn't for everyone. When asked whether he have had ramen, P the Frenchman replied," You mean like the one in Kungfu Panda? Nope." And he went on about how he could never quite figure out the noodles eaten by "people from the Far East". All that while he was licking off the remnants of Zizzi's spaghetti carbonara (which by the way is rather decent).

As someone from the "Far East" (it makes me feel rather exotic), I grew up feasting on noodles. The first ramen I had as a kid came in the form of an instant noodle pack. It was a "chu qian yi ding" pack - the one with a young kid with clogs carrying a box with a hot steaming bowl of noodles. It tasted pretty much like any other instant noodles albeit with more "spring" and always come with a small sachet of sesame oil, which made all the difference.

But it hardly makes sense to settle for dried packed instant noodles when you can have the real thing. Few things beat having a bowl of pipping hot bone flavoured broth boiled overnight. Ramen fans would be thrilled to know that Bone Daddies has joined the two existing ramen joints (Tonkotsu and Ittenbari) within a few minutes walk of each other at London Soho.

The name could very well pass off as a Hells Angels' hangout. With loud rock music and all black facade, it's worlds apart from the more subtle setting of Tonkotsu. While there some proper tables, the seating area is dominated by high stools perched on the window-side counter and around an elongated table.

Possibly because of the high tempo music, the staff at Bone Daddies were all pretty pleasantly upbeat. They were zooming around the cosy setup with a smile fixated on their faces. I wouldn't be surprised if they were doing high-fives behind the counter after serving every bowl of ramen.

Tonkotsu ramen in that thick oily broth

My dipstick test for ramen has always been the broth. It must be thick but not too cloudy, flavourful but not MSG laden else you'll end up gulping down gallons of water after that. I'm happy to report that the Bone Daddies' tonkotsu ramen (£11) ticked the right boxes. I would like it to be less oily. Also, the Bone Daddies can be more generous with the broth - it barely covered the ramen. That just left me wanting more.

The charsiew (roast pork) slices lacked texture, tore easily and almost mushy to the palate. Though the egg looked great with its soft yolk and all, it faltered in comparison with Tonkotsu's - the soy seasoning just wasn't done as thoroughly. At least both halves of the egg were served.

Compared to the Tonkotsu's three-ramen menu, Bone Daddies's is vast. Boosting a grand total of eight ramen with almost nonchalant names like tantanmen (spicy, mince pork), tantanmen 2 (non-spicy, mince chicken), T22 and dipping ramen, Bone Daddies is playing the cool card.

Fried chicken in a bucket

Its fried chicken (£5), none other than karaage chicken equivalent, came in a metallic can. I'm more used to having my chips and the occasional onion rings served in those. I ended up using my fingers on those, which was just as well. I would like them a bit crunchier (rarely anyone does that now save Necco) but at least they were juicy. And there was a tinge of garlic in the batter. The fried chicken came with a sweet chilli oil dip, a first for me.

Tantanmen - chilli oil is tad overpowering

As a nod to tradition, Bone Daddies has noren (Japanese curtain dividers) at its entrance. Koya (insert) does that too. The only difference is that Bone Daddies' entrance is by the side, which is rather annoying when you have to hold open the door with one hand and keep the noren out of your face with the other. Try it and you'd know what I mean.

With loud rock music, an international staff and a name like that, Bone Daddies makes ramen more accessible to Londoners who are not quite used to noodles in a bowl hot broth. Who knows? I might even get P to try it someday.

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