For the time being...

Mishkin's, Covent Garden

'Kind of a Jewish deli with cocktails' is how the proprietors of Polpo, Spuntino etc describe their latest restaurant. It has a similarly cool vibe to the others with good service and an upbeat playlist which picks up as the evening progresses. In a move away from small plates to share, it actually has starters, mains and desserts.

I sipped a Hendrick's cucumber martini while waiting for Ana. There are a lot of gin based cocktails on the menu which suits me. I didn't know that was Jewish though?! But we opted to share a bottle of wine. The list is reasonably priced, and also has half carafes like its sister restaurants.

We shared a simple baby gem and walnut salad to start. For main, I had half a salt beef sandwich which was delicious, and a roast courgette, feta and carroway piroshky (good to try but I probably wouldn't bother again).

For dessert we both had the very -Jewish summer berry pavlova! I have to say its one of the best pavlovas I've had.

No Meg Ryan scenes but a fun night. Next time I'll go for lunch and have a malted milkshake and try a Reuben on rye or Turkey Rachel.

Duke's Brew & Cue, Hackney

By chance dinner on Thursday night was in Hackney again and meant I had a second journey to Haggerston in as many days!

One of the latest London foodie trends is all americana - hot dogs, burgers, sliders and BBQ washed down with whisky and bottles of beer.

Lucy and I joined hopped on the band wagon at Duke's Brew & Cue.

Owned by Beavertown Brewery, and as the name says, there is a big focus on beer. I had a couple of bottles of the Flying Dog pale ale.

We both had the BBQ pork ribs (the beef was going to be barbecuing for another hour) served with slaw. We politely started with knives & forks but quickly ditched the cutlery in favour of fingers which was far more effective. They were really tasty. I don't have a lot of points of comparison but I can say they were better quality than the ribs I had at the Big Easy.

The place itself had a casual, cool atmosphere. The rough and worn dark timber bar, tables and chairs suit the theme of the restaurant. Service was good but I thought the 1.5 hour sitting was a bit rushed. We moved to the bar for a last beer and dessert (strawberry sundae).

Waterline, Hackney

It's not often that I end up in a totally new area of London but it does happen, and it did on Wednesday night when I met Becky & Laura for dinner.

I caught a tube and then the overland train to Haggerston, deep in London's eastern borough of Hackney. Instantly I liked it. Loads of new builds, converted warehouses and best of all, Regent's Canal.

The Waterline is right on the towpath of the canal and the waterside setting makes an delightful change of scenery from my usual dining scene.

My roast duck with a side salad of chicory leaves, walnuts, apple & blue cheese was excellent. The salad was a surprisingly good accompaniment. Becky and I shared the chocolate mousse with black olive caramel which was nice but only had a small drizzle of caramel so didn't add much flavour to the mousse.

I loved the atmosphere though. Good service and very reasonable prices too. And they have a cinema on Tuesday and gigs on Wednesdays. I'll be back to check those out for sure.

Red Market, Old Street

A few Friday nights ago Natalie and I checked out a new summer haunt at Old Street.

It's basically a car park on a massive roundabout but with some food stalls, canteen tables and couches, a bar and some sunshine it becomes the newest place for the cool kids to hang out.

There were a few teething problems with it being the first night - they ran out of wine so I was forced to drink mojitos instead - but it had a good vibe so I'll try to make it back there if the sun ever shines again!

Two bibs in as many weeks

Friday before last I ate at the Big Easy on the King's Road with some friends from work. As much as a restaurant where bibs come with every meal and eating with one's fingers is required isn't really my style, it's a fun way to eat out with a big group of people. Having decided to give it go, I donned the bib should and ordered a plate of half ribs and half BBQ chicken. The meat comes heavily coated in a thick, brown sauce which is tasty but over powers any flavour one might have gleaned from the pork or chicken but I managed to get through most of it with a lot of finger licking! With all the diners winding down from the week and a live band it makes for a very fun night out if not a culinary delight.

The gang from work

Ribs, chicken & coleslaw

Then on Thursday night I joined Kris and a couple of friends at an event run by Bea's of Bloomsbury: Crayfish Boil 2012. It was held in one of the warehouses under the train tracks in London Bridge. There were three rows of long paper-covered tables set out and filled with people when I arrived. We ordered margheritas and wine, and then it all began! No cutlery, lots of paper towel, more bibs. For £24 you can eat as much crayfish, corn, sausage and potato as you can get through. Once one pan is finished, the next pan is brought to you. Between the four of us we got through 5 pans! It was really tasty food and with a little help from my friends I peeled my way through several paper plates of crayfish. The corn was excellent too. Another excellent night that I would definitely recommend - I almost forgot I was wearing a bib!

The first of many!

The aftermath

Automat, Mayfair

Laura and I popped into Automat mid-week without a reservation and were pleasantly surprised to find that they have tables set aside for walk-ins. It is an upmarket American brasserie with three different dining areas. Dark timber tables and booths at the front, a shared table in the middle, and a light, glass-roofed area at the back where most of the diners were. We chose to sit at the bar at the back as well. It had a nice buzz about it and it's good to make the most of the light evenings even if it's not warm outside.

There a lot of classic dishes on the menu with a dedicated section for steak and burgers. But I found the macaroni cheese to hard to resist! It's the ultimate comfort food in my book (I'm remembering weekend winter lunches as a child) and delightful to find it on a restaurant menu. I ordered it with bacon (there was a spinach option as well). 

It was delicious with a perfect grilled, cheesy top. With a glass of white wine it was exactly what I needed in the midst of a stressful week!

Have the small portion if you are considering dessert.

Tom's Kitchen, Chelsea

After our cocktails, we walked on to Tom's Kitchen. I've been for lunch half a dozen times and always enjoyed the classic fare. Service is notoriously slow though. As I was taking the team out, I was keen everyone had a good experience.

The fillet I had was excellent - perfectly cooked as requested and served with cress and chips. The waiter remembered to bring my mustard when it came to the table without me asking which was a nice touch. Service seems to have improved.

The beef pie, monkfish, and the shared leg of lamb and shared chateaubriand also went down a treat with the gang. Sharing does make the meal more inclusive and fun I think.

I oddly wasn't tempted by the dessert menu so went for 3 scoops of ice cream.

Mission accomplished - a good night was had by all. We were the last to leave around midnight and were only subtly chivvied along which was good.

Definitely a good place to have up your sleeve for a casual meal without compromising on the food or wine.

Mark's Bar at Hix Belgravia

I had two cocktails here on Thursday night with the team that triumphed on The Reserve Club project at work.

The first was a Rhubarb Ramos - a gin fizz and kind of creamy. The combination of sour and milk didn't sit well with my palate. The Silk Road on the other hand was delicious.

Mark's Bar in Soho is my favourite so I was pleased to see some of the style from there had made it to this new venue despite it being a hotel bar, and in a Sheraton at that! It's larger, and more comfortable with couches rather than chairs. The menu is excellent of course, the bar snax good (radishes, salmon cases, olives, croquettes), and the same fantastic array of glassware.

It's dangerously close to my office, and dangerously pricey.

Bread Street Kitchen, The City

Stuart, Kris and I lunched at Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen on Saturday.

It's an enormous, industrial space with floor to ceiling windows and lots of different types of lighting to brighten it up. In fact, we thought it might double as a lighting showroom. During the week I expect it fills up with city boys wheeling and dealing but on the weekend it is relatively quiet. All the diners were seated in the same area so we didn't feel as if we were in an empty restaurant.

The food, especially the starters, were quite expensive and the wine was significantly marked up but I guess that was to be expected. Fortunately it was all excellent. Kris and I shared a very tasty flatbread starter with squash, capers and tallegio cheese. For main course I had grilled trout simply served with watercress and lemon. I haven't had trout for some time and I was reminded how much I enjoy it.

We finished with the dessert sharing platter having negotiated with the waiter that there would be enough of favourite picks to avoid any arguments! Which is just as well because they were all delicious. There was a rich chocolate tart with moorish salted caramel ice cream and honeycomb, a lovely moist cherry bakewell tart, a fresh and lively pineapple carpaccio with coconut ice cream and lime zest, a light Cranachan cheesecake with fresh raspberry sorbet and an elderflower and blueberry trifle. 

BEFORE

AFTER

The bill came to £50 each which was surprisingly less than I was expecting. The dessert sharing platter was actually good value at £18.50 and we chose one of the more reasonably priced bottles of wine, a nice South African Chenin Blanc, for £26 which must have helped.

Another surprise was how poor the service was even though the restaurant was clearly not understaffed. While they were friendly enough, I had to ask for our water and wine to be topped up more than once, and I had to ask for the pepper.

All in all a really excellent meal though, so I would recommend it. And also suggest going on a weekday when it would have a livelier atmosphere.

Ducksoup, Soho

Before you ask, no, they don't serve duck soup at this resto!  Laura and I caught up for dinner here on Tuesday night for what I suppose is more modern European fare. From the hand-written menu I chose the slow cooked lamb shoulder with saffron pilaf and a side of courgette while Laura had fish. For dessert I had poached loquats with mascarpone and lime (we used to have a loquat tree in the back yard in Toowoomba so I thought I'd see why the fruit bats used to enjoy them so much!).

It has a laid-back, rough-around-the-edges atmosphere and a record player where staff and customers play records to accompany their evening. The service was friendly and prompt - I like it when I order another a glass of wine, and the waiters bring it to you quickly. There's nothing worse than having an empty glass while you're eating!

It was good food - not great - but for £40 each with a fairly cool vibe, its a pretty good mid-week option.

69 Colebrooke Row, Islington

The bar with no name is a step away from the hustle and bustle of Upper Street in Islington. In a strip of high street chains and the same old franchises, 69 Colebrooke Row stands out. A couple of Sunday nights ago a few of us went to check out their weekly music session and listened to jazz duo, Viper's Dream over some exceptional cocktails.

I tried four of the gin based cocktails and enjoyed them all. The Barbershop Fizz, and the Rhubarb martini were particularly good. The bartenders' white suit jackets seem more suited to The Savoy but their work is just as classy. Black and white tiles cover the floors, the windows are blacked out, and the timber and red leather chairs help create a cool mood.

Because it's so small, and clearly very cool, it gets busy. The bartenders are as accommodating as possible and let a few keen patrons line the wooden staircase and sip a cocktail from there. It reminded me of the lively and electric atmosphere of the spanish steps in Rome.

Ozone, Old Street

This afternoon I met Laleh and Jesse at Ozone for a cup of coffee. After I read the menu it ended up being lunch. It's a big, industrial roastery and has quite a cool vibe - to be expected on this side of town of course.

The flat whites were good and strong. I really should start rating them so I'm going with 7/10 for now. The steak sandwich was served with beetroot so I couldn't resist it but there were some good breakfast choices and 'lunchy things' (to quote the menu) as well.

Excellent steak sandwich and chips

Where all the action takes place...

...and where all the cake is. It was bake day.

Coffee #2. I can' t sit across from the cake and be expected to resist.

We sat downstairs in the basement in amongst the machinery. The staff didn't forget about us down there and the service (all NZ!) was good. They didn't even kick us out til 5pm when they subtly brought the bill an hour after closing.

The Balcon, Pall Mall

Today Laura, Jaimee, Natalie and I had our monthly long lunch. This time it was my choice and on the basis of an Emerald Street (regular email) recommendation I went for The Balcon in town. It's in the Sofitel Hotel which would normally make me run a mile, but the £17 Bloody Mary Lunch was appealing so I set my judgement aside.

The dining room is big, high-ceilinged, light-filled room which I liked. And the decor is (I think) part french, part art deco and I really liked that too. We were seated at a big round table by the window with a banquette which afforded a great view inside and out (the London Marathon was on today so we could see the fit & healthy types wander past while we ate our 3 courses!).

The service was impeccable. Our coats were checked, and we had a selection of fresh warm bread with two types of butter to choose from as soon as we sat down. Natalie doesn't enjoy a Bloody Mary (I know, how couldn't she!?!) but they happily swapped it with any other drink of her choosing. And throughout the meal the staff were very attentive but not overbearing or rushed. And there was no hint of the service being downgraded just because we were opting for the special lunch menu (which I am always suspicious of).


I enjoyed the meal as well - it was really quite good considering the price. The Bloody Mary was good. We could choose how spicy we wanted it. It came with celery (mandatory for me) but could have used an ice cube. The charcuterie was a tasty, simple starter (from an extensive charcuterie menu). We had roast chicken with a sausage, bacon, roast tomato and potato wedges with a side salad for lunch. Again, very simple but very meaty! I probably didn't need the sausage. Dessert was a cherry clafoutis which was lovely and moist. They do tend to be a bit dry but I was nicely surprised. I had a coffee to finish which was disappointing and a little cold but the french never do good coffee so I let them off the hook.

A really good choice I think. I'll be going back to check out the bar for a cocktail sometime soon. And I may be forced to review my opinions on hotel dining.

Notes, Covent Garden

I'm glad I tried the Wellington Street branch of Notes Music Coffee because I've also been to the Trafalgar Square cafe which is swamped with tourists thanks to its location and it makes the atmosphere unpleasantly chaotic.

I've popped in twice now and enjoyed both visits. The first time was at 9am on a weekday when I had the place practically to myself. I had half an hour for a quick breakfast of coffee and a scone and enjoyed the peaceful start to the day. The second time, this afternoon for a flat white and brownie, every table was full and chair taken bar one. But my stool at the bench at the back was a good spot and despite it being so busy, calm still reigned. It has a nice, buzzing vibe. I'd like to have a third visit to try it for a glass of wine and charcuterie one evening.  

Yalla Yalla, Soho

A couple of weeks ago Lucy and I were keen for a bite to eat and a movie in town so headed to Yalla Yalla in Soho. It's popular for good reason, so we sat at an outside table under the heater having a glass of Lebanese red wine while we waited for a table. Once we got inside we ordered a spread of the mezzo plates and shared halloumi, dips and pitta bread, vege and lamb filled pastries and a lamb shank casserole. It's a small place with a tight fit of tables. Combined with the plentiful and tasty serves of Beirut street food it makes for a cosy, relaxed atmosphere we spent a few hours happily enjoying and missed the film altogether.

Hoste Arms, Norfolk

The Hoste Arms has a Michelin Bib so it seemed a good choice for dinner on Saturday night in Norfolk with Laura, Jaimee and Natalie. 

To start I had a local Cromer crab served with pink grapefruit, avocado salsa and cucumber noodles. Very nice, and this is an unfair comparison, but it wasn't as good as Pollen Street Social's Dorset crab!

For main course, I had the sesame crusted fillet of sea bass, chilli spiced potatoes, bok choi, bean sprout & cashew nut stir fry, with coriander & spring onion dressing. I enjoyed it. I don't often have asian flavours so it was a nice change and the dressing didn't overpower the fish.

And for pudding I had an iced lemon parfait with raspberry dust, served with raspberry sorbet and two sweet little raspberry and white chocolate macaroons. It was packed with lemony punch and more than large enough to share.

The Hoste is a good pub with its menu featuring lots of fresh seafood, a good wine list and friendly, efficient service. I ordered quite well but there were a couple of disappointing dishes on the table. Natalie didn't love her salmon and tiger prawn main, and Jaimee's espresso creme brûlée was far too overpowering (the dessert chef might have a sweeter tooth than me!). There are lots of different rooms in what is actually a large pub but the individual rooms feel small and intimate.

If you ever happen to be on the north Norfolk coast then I would recommend going.

Cromer crab

Lemon parfait

Sorry about the very yellow photographs. I am slowly working on my food photography skills!

Albion, Shoreditch

After a mid-afternoon wander through Broadway market and Columbia Road flower market, Conran's Albion cafe seemed like a good spot to warm up. Nat and I queued for maybe 20 minutes to wait for a table - everyone else had the same idea as us - but the floor manager chatted to us and asked if we needed anything while we waited.

Once seated, we happily whiled away a couple of hours. I felt like a chicken, lettuce and mayonnaise sandwich and a glass of rose for a late lunch. It turned out to be two sandwiches (a bargain for £6) served on large slices of wonderfully fresh white bloomer loaf and I really liked it. A day of enjoying simple pleasures! Nat had coffee and carrot cake which she enjoyed.

Having been to Albion a few times since it opened a couple of years ago I was pleased to see the food standards haven't slipped which can sometimes happen. And I like the light filled room, especially on a grey day, and browsing the ridiculously priced deli / grocery section is fun too.

I didn't eat dinner after these two enormous sandwiches for lunch.

If only I knew how to poach my own rhubarb, I could have bought some from the cafe!

Railroad Cafe, Hackney

On Sunday Natalie and I trekked east for brunch. I'd seen the Railroad Cafe on an ABC news segment Mum told me about that also featured Lantana. I love Lantana so I thought Railroad would be worth a try.

Set on a main road opposite the railway, the small cafe was busy and filled up with east end hipsters quickly.

My two favourite things about the place were the mix of old school desks and big timber tables in the two rooms which are charming; and the crockery. The square mile coffee (nice but not amazing) was served in a cute little pottery cup and saucer.

The breakfast menu only had 4 items so choosing was easy - I had yoghurt with granola and poached rhubarb (I can never go passed rhubarb on a menu) - simple but nice. Nat had a bacon sandwich. The kitchen is pretty small so I guess they can't put anything too complicated on the menu. If you were hungry you'd be a little disappointed as there's nothing hefty on offer.

I thought it was odd that such a tiny place didn't have table service as the waitress clearing tables had to race back to the counter to take orders when she could have easily been flagged down for a second coffee as she was passing by.

I liked the place, but for an hour's journey I wouldn't necessarily go back. If it was my local I'd pop in quite often, especially for a quick, cheap breakfast. My two coffees and yoghurt were a very reasonable £9.

Breakfast

Duke of Cambridge, Islington

Laura and I ate at this all-organic pub a few years back and I remember it being fine. The dining area of the pub has a glass roof so it's nice and light even if it is pouring with rain, and it was! But that turns out to be the best feature.

The food here, and the service (just a bit hopeless and awkward), was incredibly disappointing especially because it's at the top end of the gastropub price range. The roast lamb, heaped on the plate, lacked seasoning and the thin gravy was oily with no flavour. The poor carrots and the potatoes were given no love and attention.

Fortunately the chocolate cake - hard to ruin - was up to par.

Not every dining experience involves a great meal which is a shame. Luckily the disappointments for me are few and far between.  But the company of my friends was as excellent as ever and salvaged the lunch, and the afternoon for me!

Tombo, South Kensington

This afternoon I spent a couple of hours with Laleh, who has a penchant for Japanese sweets, at Tombo in South Kensington. It's a Japanese cafe and deli. We had a tea and cake combo for £4.50 but there are larger dishes of salads and noodles, and gyoza dumplings too. Lots of customers were picking up their dinner for later on.

My delicately flavoured green tea and chocolate gateaux was nice and moist. And the genmai tea with the nutty flavoured green tea (from the roasted brown rice) was a good choice from the extensive selection. 

It's a lovely, peaceful find for this part of town.

Selection of sweet treats

Afternoon tea. The timer is for the brewing of the tea.

Coincidentally spotted cherry blossoms along the way. 

V&A Reading Rooms

This is a lovely concept. The V&A Reading Rooms are two small, white-washed rooms lined with beautiful books where you can order coffee or a glass of wine and then browse, read and sip away. A delightful way to while away a few hours.

Comptoir Libanais

I've said it before but I'm happy to say it again after lunch with Natalie on Sunday at the South Ken branch of Comptoir Libanais: it's one of the best cheap eats in town. For £10 I had a very tasty chicken and salad wrap and a large apple, mint and ginger homemade lemonade.

It's a fun, bright place for a pit stop.

Pizarro

A trend you'll notice if you read any of this blog is of no reservation policies, queues and waiting for tables, which is why I've still not been to Jose Pizarro's first solo venture on Bermondsey Street, Jose, where the stories of squeezing into the bar or even the pavement outside would try Mother Theresa's patience.

Despite this, Kris and I decided to try our luck last night at his second place on the same street, Pizarro. For a Saturday night in London that's a foolish feat; last Saturday I waited with Laleh for an hour and a half at Polpo before we were seated (we drank a carafe of red at the bar downstairs so it passed pretty quickly).

But it seems I'm on a lucky streak (note to self: buy a lotto ticket), because for the second night in a row I haven't had to wait (20-30 mins doesn't count) for a table. I had a glass of cava while I took in the atmosphere. All timber and soft lighting with cool modern light fittings. The staff were friendly and ready to help with the food and wine menu.

We ordered a bottle of Spanish white (a Chardonnay & Macabeo blend) to go with our squid and blood orange salad, pumpkin & blue cheese salad, artichoke and lentils, croquetas, and roast lamb. The lentils were a bit garlicky for me but the rest of the dishes were delicious. For dessert I had vanilla ice cream, moscatel grapes and PX which was very good although it didn't pack as much punch as Morito's version.

I would have said the wait was worth it, but I don't need to!

10 Greek Street

Last night Laura and I had dinner at 10 Greek Street in Soho. It opened on Monday so it was their first Friday night service. We were both impressed with the staff and the slick operation of the place. And surprised that even though there is a no reservation policy, and it's brand new, we didn't have to queue!

At the back of the restaurant is a small bar area which opens directly onto the kitchen so you can see all the action and actually feel as if you're in someone's kitchen. The barman was really friendly, and while we had a drink waiting for our table we were given a small plate of the wild mushroom risotto with truffle oil to try.

From the chalk board menus we chose to share a starter of crumbed rabbit, and both had the sea bream with romanesco, raisins and pine nuts for main which was really good. For dessert I had a clementine brûlée which had just a hint of citrus.

With such friendly staff, a lovely cosy atmosphere, and 3 courses of great food including a bottle of wine for £40 I'd say it's an absolute find!

Laura sampling the risotto

The very tasty sea bream