london restaurants

when you asked for small noodle soup it was as big as yr head (if yr head was liquid and in a bowl); i never dared ask for large noodle soup, in case the seas ran dry and it was my greedy fault

As the WCDS is starting soon I will be able to give more info, but Ethiopian Merkato on Caledonian Road is good, Crouch End (wherever the fuck that is) is full of top restaurants but latest discover of BYO curry house just off Marchomont Street in central London has had me going back 4 times in 2 weeks.

The Gate in Hammersmith is better than the one next to my house. Rasa in Stoke Newington is better than the one near Oxford Circus. But the best vegetarian restaurant in London is Manna, on Erskine Road, near Primrose Hill. I love this place (it equals The Gate for tastiness of food, and has a much better atmosphere).

Kulu Kulu sushi in Brewer Street.

Mandola in Westbourne Grove.

Churchill Arms pub thai in Kensington.

but then im with some other people later in the week and we need another recommendation.

They recommend the place you mention sarah

sushi-say is like 15mins walk from my house...

Sarah, sushi-say is fantastic, and the chef thre is very very cool.

I've heard far too many stories about Pollo ever to go back there, which is a shame as I used to like it.

How is Cafe Grove? Has anyone tried Viet Hoa? What about Goddards Ye Olde Pie Shop?

Viet Hoa is very reliable (and popular) but since the opening of about a dozen Vietnamese restaurants next to it, of course there are one or two of these that are better than Viet Hoa, like Song Que a few blocks up and the Viet community centre on the Dalston end of Englefield Road.

*ok, i don't eat sushi, but i like loads of their food.

so, when should we FAH? (fancy a hana?)

Apparently the little bay is meant to be really good, but I've not been in. I've also heard that the quality chophouse has gone downhill.

Moro on exmouth market is absolutely fantastic, if a little pricey, but the service in Sofra, the turkish place, is absolutely dire. We didn't even wait to order, having seen everyone else suffering while we waited 10-15 mins without a waiter coming near us. They even tried to give us someone elses starter!

London def needs some cheap sushi although given how expensive even normal restaurants are, is there any hope for that?

Clerkenwell trufax: it's not that the Chophouse has gone downhill, it's just been kicked into touch by Moro/Metcalf and the ever-reliable Eagle. You can still have a nice meal there. I'm glad the NYT didn't discover Metcalf, and it can KEEP the Little Bay - part of a chain of restaurants with cheap three-course meals where one of the courses is always bitty and one of the puddings offered is always banoffee pie. It has a few branches and although it offers the same meals at every one, the EC1 branch is more expensive.

Colette, veggies don't do well in Clerkenwell because of the Smithfield factor but at least Edible, the restaurant where they served BUGS, has closed. All the same, I'd still rather eat chocolate-covered scorpions than ever go to the Exmouth Market Sofra (which might, ironically, be your best bet for a veggie dinner).

i regret not having the sea urchin though.

i'd go again for sure

Were they hanging with Grauniad/Observ3r journos or summat? Little Bay is king of the cheapo management chat work hangout, apparently. The food's OK, decor OTT and tacky.

Any recommendations from the cluster of indian restaurants around Euston?

sorry, that wasn't very helpful was it.

http://www.london-eating.co.uk/171.htm

Andrew Edmunds is absolutely gorgeous and has NEVER disappointed me over 10 years of going there. Last time I had a lovely lobster salad because H4rp3r's and Qu33n were paying.

have la porchetta taken their eye off the ball, and been overtaken by their stroud green road rivals?

Not a restaurant, but the Royal Oak Pub, Tabard St, Borough (as recommended by RickyT some time ago) does excellent food (really good steak and kidney pudding) at reasnoble prices with a great selection of beer as well. We should FAP there sometime.

Any one with anyt suggestions for this evening, what with Glas not being open and all?

And now I'm hungry and want fried tofu.

I was there with a friend who has food allergies, and he ended up just not eating at all.

Preferably in the Soho/Charing X area - nice enough to feel like an event but as they're paying and there's a few of us I'd feel guilty picking somewhere too expensive.

it seems (to my surprise) that square meal agree about the prices (and i've never encountered the bad service they're talking about in 5 or 6 visits):

http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/display.php?Rest_ID=82949

sardo, mentioned upthread, was fantastic and it's quite reasonable as long as you curb wine consumption. likewise andrew edmunds, although it might not be good if you've got a largeish group of people.

As reviewed in the observer on sunday Gourmet San on the bethnal green road is uttterly awesome. The first time i have had good szechuanese food in the UK and so cheap too. Recommend Cumin chicken, xinjiang lamb skewers and chilli crab.

YES

yeah i want to go there.

can also recommend leong's legend, the new taiwanese place in chinatown. fried oysters wrapped in egg mmmmmm.

that sounds very good,

best bit is that I have left over chicken for lunch.

I've been wanting to go to Leong's Legend for a while. Also the Deptford Project, mostly because it's a cafe in a disused train carriage.

co-sign both gourmet san + leong's legend. i cant believe how big the servings are at gourmet san! you definitely want to take a few ppl so that you get to try out different things. and man i love those soup dumplings at leon's legend.

and it's pretty crazy that gourmet san got reviewed in the observer, i didnt think anyone knew abt that place

yeah shame on their dissing Bethnal Green road tho...back to Kensington with thee

back to Dublin with me

(next week in the observer I want to read a review of Noodle King)

Decent Thai in Soho/Covent Garden/Carnaby that's not grotty?

Serves me right:

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i134/dgoobl/thai.jpg

Busaba?

not nice enough, I'm afraid. Out-of-towners with enough cash to want somewhere that feels nice, even if it's not too expensive.

Patara on Greek Street maybe?

Gave up and booked at Haozhan in Chinatown. Thanks though.

Yay, Haozhan is outstanding. Good pick.

did anyone know that gourmet san has a sister restaurant on middlesex st? havent been there so i dont know if the menu is any different

can someone recommend a good café type place in shoredicth, suitable for a wkend lunch? my default is the rochelle canteen but it's closed at weekends. don't want vietnamese food or anything too heavy...

you could go along to spitalfields + go to st john bread + wine, which has the same sort of food as rochelle canteen?

want something a bit less pricy than that, ideally...

bread + wine's pretty reasonable! i seem to remember it being pretty close to rochelle canteen's prices? but i havent been to rc for a while.

apart from that, yea i dont know, i dont eat in shoreditch v often

i guess i want something a bit more casual too! though i've never done lunch @ st john...

you shld do it, it's really really good. and if yr comparing it to the st john in spitalfields, it's definitely more casual + cheaper.

(prob my fav place to eat in london)

(obv i meant comparing it to the st john in smithfield)

oh yeah i know how great it is! been for dinner there many a time

In Spitalfields: the other 'Canteen' in the market annexe is worth visiting for a Sunday brunch option. Bread and Wine is like RC in that it's as cheap or expensive as you want ti to be.

might be too far out of your way and might also not be what you are looking for and also I have never been

but...Pellucci's on Bethnal Green Rd?

is s+m cafe still there?

last visit to s+m (in angel) was disappointed to find a new gourmet burger-like aesthetic, poorer sausage selection.

What? That diner is listed, as Alfredo's it was in Quadrophenia. S&M are not supposed to fuck with it.

E Pellici is closed on Sunday.

Didn't know it was listed so didn't pay too much attention, but it felt like it had had a new paint job at least, and window decor (big tacky letters). Could be wrong.

E Pellici is also listed, FWIW.

what's a good spot for a valentine's day dinner in London with my boyfriend? the date approaches and we're going to be in London that week- I'd like to make a reservation but I bet things are getting fully booked right about now . . .

we eat anything, no dietary restrictions, and we're willing to be a bit spend-y since it is Valentine's day and all . . . come on people!

http://www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk/
http://www.pasha-restaurant.co.uk/

http://www.deanstreettownhouse.com

http://www.momoresto.com/restaurant/london/momo/

worst night of the year to eat out...but Veeraswamy on Regent Street.

What's Veeraswamy like Bob? I mean, obviously you rate it, otherwise you wouldn't have recommended it (er, I hope), but I'd always kind of avoided it as being well past its heyday.

http://www.matsuri-restaurant.com/

http://www.moro.co.uk/moro/restaurant/default.asp

prob mad hard to get a table mind you...

www.waterhouserestaurant.co.uk

my favorite restaurant in London, easy to get a table, most expensive main is £12

seriously this place is THE BOMB

xpost No, Moro easier than you'd think - and if you can't get in there, Medcalf and The Ambassador nearby will certainly accommodate. Medcalf is an especially good Plan B.

if you're willing to eat at the bar or wait for 20 mins you get a table at Moro ime

Veeraswamy is an 'occasion' restaurant I think. I've only been there once, celebrating someone's birthday, and don't remember the food that well, but the surroundings and ambience were quite interesting, colorful and pleasant.

anyone been anywhere good recently? we went here the other week + it was really good -

http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/101378/Chilli_Cool

better than gourmet san imo

went to palmer's in bethnal green and it was amazing - the owner is really nice, funny guy too. interior not exactly sophisitcated but man the food is great and v reasonably priced as well (for what it is)

i think i saw something abt that in the time out? will have to check it out, that's not too far from where i live

http://www.latiumrestaurant.com/

Best ravioli I've ever eaten, seriously. And that includes in Italy.

place called Trullo opened a month or two ago just round the corner from Highbury & Islington tube, really delicious, simple italian food. they make good use of a big charcoal grill and their pasta is gorgeous. pretty reasonable prices, especially on the wine, really nice and max mark-up of a tenner according to our waiter. its getting harder to get a table off the street so best to book, i really recommend it.

I had my birthday dinner at Chili Cool this year; that place is amazing and I try to go at least once a month.

Good Vietnamese in Theobald's Road: Banh Mi Bay - the reviews I've read seem to be hacked by Cafe VN advocates - I think it's fine. The latter is the place that's sucked the life out of the old Potemkin space, avoid.

I went to Chilli Cool for the first time the other week, it's delicious and extremely reasonable.

Huge portions as well.

Yeah, if you're in a group of four and not drinking booze, it's hard to spend £20 a head.

Went to L'Absinthe for a birthday meal recently. It's in Primrose Hill, but don't let that put you off (if indeed it does). The French bistro food is excellent (it's normally done so badly), and it's extremely unstuffy, although I find the proprietor's Gallic sallies slightly tiresome, everyone else seems to love them. Not horrifically expensive either.

Yeah, that's a good place. Very tasty unpretentious food, which is more than can be said for the owner. I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of the night the little beret comes off and his natural thick Huddersfield accent comes out.

The Sardinian restaurant near me is nice.

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/restaurants/nuraghe-info-18798.html

BUMP

Anyone know where I might find London's tastiest cottage pie? Or to widen it a bit...general amazing new discoveries in and around town?

Just thought Tayyabs in Whitechapel deserves a mention - their lamb chops really are very good. And Relais de Venise in Marylebone, although I think there's another one in the city. No menu, just steak. Always full and really decent.

But all this is just an excuse to tell people to go to Gelupo in Soho - seriously the best ice creams I've had, including Italy. Had their pear, cinnamon and ricotta last night and it was absolutely amazing. Astonishing in fact. Opposite the apparently excellent but expensive Boca di Lupo restaurant - their chef likes experimenting with ice cream apparently.

tayyabs is ace. relais de venise is ace too, had a great time! second helpings!

i live in covent garden and have never been to gelupo's before, gonna remedy that now as i fancy some ice cream. cheers!

yeah i went to gelupo and got some of their sour cherry granita + it was the bomb

Anybody ever been to the Wolseley? Cecconi's?

wolseley pretty popular, v busy, good eggs benedict kinda thing

Yeah, I really enjoyed it and Cecconi's is an excellent Italian place.

has anyone been to the hawksmoor? holy jesus they can cook a steak. best sirloin i've ever had by miles and miles, and fucking huge. bring your wallet tho...

yeah ive been there! we went their for breakfast the other day as well + it was craaazy

The Hawksmoor Breakfast £30.00
(for 2 to share)
Smoked Bacon Chop, Sausages (Pork,
Beef & Mutton), Bury Black Pudding,
Short Rib Bubble & Squeak, Grilled
Bone Marrow, Trotter Baked Beans,
Fried Eggs, Grilled Mushrooms, Roast
Tomatoes, Unlimited Dripping Toast &
HP, Onion and Bone Marrow Gravy.

!!!

argh 'there'

fuck that's not even that expensive really...the dinner last night was about 40 quid each but my brother brought me along. will definitely be heading there for that soon, sounds fucking unreal. christmas breakfast plus booze. they have excellent ipa too.

yeah it's not too expensive at all, but you kind of need a lie down afterwards esp when they also have bottomless bloody marys on the menu

i've tried their burger and it was pretty good but so rich. that breakfast looks amazing

Hawksmoor has just opened a branch by my flat, which will be convenient when I roll home from that brunch menu.

Last night I was taken to Barrafina. WIN.

has anyone ever tried a burger from the meatwagon? http://www.themeatwagon.co.uk/
it's £5 and probably the best burger i've ever eaten

My bro gave me a tastecard for my birthday, but I haven't had the chance to use it yet. Does anyone else have one? Any North/East/Central recommendations?

Trullo was great.

not been to the meatwagon but byron is good imo, anyone tried that? gourmet burgers are such overkill and mostly horrible, byron a lot juicier and less like choking yourself with bread/meat

As an American whose first job was 'drugstore soda fountain waitress/short order cook' I'm here to tell you that if you can't get my own version of cheeseburgers, you may as well eat them at BYRON. They're good, also PROPER ONION RINGS.

Meatwagon is also tempty - will report back.

the burgers at byron are really nice but i always end up spending loads when i go there. yes the onion rings are great!

oh must try the onion rings out sometime. this thread isn't revived half often enough.

another good place i've been recently is this small argentinian place near my flat (just off middlesex st.) called Moo: http://www.moogrill.co.uk/
we had the delicious steak sandwiches (lomitos) with a massive argentinian beer. great service will be going back frequently i imagine.

i second the meatwagon burgers, they're really good, just wish they were closer to where i live

they travel around. for instance a few weeks ago they were set up by the canal basin just off city road. need to watch the twitter i guess

Gourmet Burger Kitchen was great when it started, but is dreadful now it's part of that general chain. Yeah, Byron is pretty good, I think. Another vote for the onion rings.

GBC and Hamburger Union are pretty shit - identikit 'medium' burgers and they will not do med rare, for example, which is a sure sign the meat is not as good as it could be. You don't need to cite health and safety in a spurious way if your beef is good.

Moo! looks fabulous, must go before Christmas.

I've been meaning to try the new Hawksmoor in Covent Garden for some time, looks amazing. Moo! looks good as well.

In other expensive meat news, I ate at the Old Brewery in Greenwich last week, which is terrific if you're in the area. They have a sausage roll that costs £14 (!) and is full of foie gras and other goodness.

i have a tentative date who likes korean food - any suggestions?

nice...

gbk and all those places are terrible imo. just big nasty dry slabs of meat and way too bready buns. london is full of terrible burgers.

oops my "nice" was in relation to the foie gras sausage...not the tentative date.

for korean koba's pretty good iirc? went there quite a while ago tho http://www.koba-london.com/

not tried many Koreans in town but Dong San is great

Korean: ASADAL is right next to Holborn tube and is ideal for a date, nice lighting and grills in the tables - and although it's affordable, it's a bit dearer than other ones because of the interior, which is very New York. Otherwise most of the dilapidated ones by Centre Point are pretty good and do lunch specials for about £6. They're heaving with Korean students pretty much whenever.

kaya in mayfair was where i had my first korean food and it totally converted me - not unduly pricey despite location

Asadal is phenomenal, best Korean I've been to in London, and a very good date restaurant - good lighting etc. Also the tabletop barbecues are fun and have good value as a conversation point.

yet always the risk of immolating your love before it has had a chance to grow

The couple of times I went to a Korean in London they had us in and out in 45 minutes (waiters hovering impatiently for me to finish my mouthful etc), so may be a quick date.

They'll never do that at Asadal. Centre Point cafés, however, might.

Incidentally if you go to Asadal remember there are bells under the table to call the waiting staff, otherwise they'll ignore you all evening.

Arang is my favourite Korean resto in london but it's not particularly date-y. I'm not a huge fan of Koba but that's more abt atmosph/experience than food, which was pretty good istr.

i always want to get tabletop barbecue and never feel like i can justify it in terms of faff/cost (when you could be eating bibimbap) - a date seems like the perfect opportunity.

ok i need to eat at Asadal!

what are ppl's tips for indian/pakistani restaurants in east london? there are too many here and the few times i've tried the places on + around brick lane they've been pretty bad.

Tayyabs in Whitechapel is the one everyone always recommends but be warned it is VERY popular. Murgh Masala and Lahore Kebab House are also good. Any of the Rasas dotted around are good as well if you want something slightly less heavy.

tayyabs (having a brain freeze on the spelling) or lahore in whitechapel, go at a non conventionally busy time for tayyabs tho.

another really great indian imo is rasa in stoke newington.

anyone got anything new or different? feel a bit jaded with endless great ethnic food. cheap is good too...

x-post lol mindmeld

Not East London, but Dishoom on St Martin's Lane is a new favourite, it's cheap and quick and cafe-like but a lovely space and the food is great. Also Chowki off Shaftesbury Avenue, which is mostly a set-menu kinda place which they rotate round different regions of India.

the old tayyabs restaurant manager opened up Needoo literally round the corner and the menu is mostly identical and just as good. I actually prefer their lamb chops to tayyabs. it's pretty popular itself but nowhere near as crazy as tayyabs and it's a wee bit cheaper too. Delhi Grill at chapel market is also great, but their grilled stuff is better than their curries.

drummond st near euston great for vegetarian indian - bhel poori house & chutney's both tried and tested.

thanks everyone! i have some eating to do

on a different note, tblisi near highbury station is definitely my favourite georgian restaurant in zone 2

how many others you tried? Little Georgia cafe near Bethnal Green is the only other one i know

Rasa do the banana dosa that I would eat for breakfast most days if i could.

went to le bouchon in spitalfields mkt recently and was v impressed w/the food (trad french), even if the location feels a bit weird after the mkt's closed

btw tpp i haven't forgotten miami tips, will post them...tomorrow or something

i find little georgia hugely overpriced for quite bland food...

has anyone been to morito?

thanks lex! (no rush anyway i'm not going until week after next) xp

on a different note, tblisi near highbury station is definitely my favourite georgian restaurant in zone 2

― peligro, Thursday, November 25, 2010 5:18 PM (20 minutes ago) Bookmark

I pass it often and have wondered what it's like. I've only eaten Georgian food once, in Poland, and it was a delicious meal. Tblisi always seems to be empty though.

Morito is sooooo on my list. Food looks even more appealing than Moro's.

has anyone been to morito?

― I see what this is (Local Garda), Thursday, 25 November 2010 17:31 (8 minutes ago) Bookmark

i went just after it opened - happened to be walking past without knowing it existed and i'm a big moro fan, so i ducked in. it's really good, but the portion size is unpredictable. the tortilla was tiny considering how cheap the ingredients are. but the £6 lamb chops were really big (and tasted amazing: grilled with smoked paprika and cumin). best used for drinks and a snack rather than trying to fill up. gets totally packed out now, though.

yeah really want to give it a try...went to moro last year with my flatmate's parents and it was amazing, in spite or because of waitress being a girl i had a one night stand with

nice...

morito's really good! i went there just after it'd opened also + yeah it's not cheap, i think it's one of those places that it's easy to spend a ridiculous amount cuz of such small portions

also last time this thread was revived i think we were talking abt chilli cool? the other week i ate at the empress of sichuan + i think it might be better - not as cheap tho...

loved Morito. portions aren't massive, but me and my girlfriend were nicely filled after five or six plates and a few small glasses of wine. price was £40. nice folks too.

still can't get with this spanish business of beakers for wine though.

oh, and a solid cheap eat is Safadi Express opposite Holborn tube. upmarket fast-foodish Lebanese joint that does a mean Schwarma wrap + fries for about four quid.

The Lebanese that used to be on Sicilian Avenue did much better food than Safadi Express, although apparently it closed down for an, ahem, unconventional attitude towards kitchen hygiene so maybe not.

Has anyone tried the Lebanese on Delancy St opposite the Crown and Goose? It seems quite overpriced.

Safadi's incredible and it's apparently a branch of something famous in Beirut. Wrap, drink and fries are like £5. Chicken and lamb shawarma wrap on its own is great and make sure they send you home with containers of garlic and chilli sauce as they're ample and the garlic sauce is good on leftover-chicken sandwiches.

Kebab wise, does anyone ever go to that place Savoy Grill beside the Drunken Monkey on corner of Gt Eastern St? It looks like a total dump but their kebabs (esp lamb koftas) are unbelievable.

what about Damascu Bite?? they do great kebabs too, but they're from the school of dudes who stick it in the grill for a few minutes post-wrap.

aaaand there's another new-ish place up past the Tesco that does kebabs in some weird traditional spongey type bread. it's too new for google street-view, so i can't find the name of the place.

fave felafel is probably from KEBAB CENTRE on Upper Street though. i mean, it's called KEBAB CENTRE ffs.

i actually like that place better than damascu bite, must check that new place. i billed that savoy grill place as "best kebab you'll ever eat" to all my irish friends and then got a bit nervous i'd overstated the case, but when they tried it they all were agreed. tho i'm defo sure there are better in london..i just know in dublin there's no way they've topped that.

Don't have huge experience eating out in London, but have recently had excellent meals at Tblisi and Zeytoon (Persian/Afghan place on Cricklewood Broadway). The week after next we're going to Mandalay, allegedly London's only Burmese restaurant and home of "omelet curry".

Mandalay is really good - and also extremely good value.

i am v intrigued by this kebab place

again i'm now nervous it won't live up to the hype, it's actually called corner savoy

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2688030227_98da45127b.jpg

lamb kofta is the one i'd recommend.

yeah that place is amazing

yeah the large lamb kofta is sort of a once a year thing but fuck that's a big meaty veggy festival of food

yeah I've been in that kebab place and its very good, despite dodgy exterior.

same kebab font
http://www.tipped.co.uk/files/listing/0001/6842/IMG_2337_medium.JPG?1282595518

my cv is written in kebab

has anyone ever tried a burger from the meatwagon? http://www.themeatwagon.co.uk/
it's £5 and probably the best burger i've ever eaten

― bork bork dudes get swagged out, literally (tpp), Thursday, 25 November 2010 12:50 (1 month ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

these dudes have taken over the upstairs of the goldsmiths pub in new cross til mid-march

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cmAIhPDIe_o/TS25PcXGMxI/AAAAAAAAD9g/-

bunch of my friends went to the 'soft opening' the other day. apparently it was pretty mindblowing.

i can't really get my brain around the size of everything in his dude's photos: http://www.tehbus.com/2011/01/meateasy-getting-wagon-back-on-its-feet.html

I had one at a street festival type thing near Angel tube. It's as fantastic as they say...like a really good home-made style burger. Don't expect anything Hache-like, or nuanced or 'sophisticated' though..

yeah it's a good fast food style burger, which london needs more of imo

that chicken sandwich! those onion rings!

(from those photos that c sharp major linked to)

oh my fucking god i want those onion rings IN MY MOUTH RIGHT NOW

Would go here to celebrate handing in/(or making a start on!) my dissertation.

How long is it open for?

Mid-march?

If you see a chop chop i suggest you enter and take a bath in the seafood laksa.

love this thread. really need to go to that meateasy but why would i ever be in new cross? unless i went back to college

yeah i think we need to make a special pilgrimage down there soon. it's pretty far out of london, luckily we have the east london line now.

i kind of feel i should at least wait until i can run again before venturing into this place :/

gahhh want to go so bad but i'm out of the country for most of this month. planning to go down on the 29th with a bunch of people. love these burgers so much!

We should just have a Meateasy FAP some time soon, with beer somewhere after. NB not at the Goldsmith's Tavern, it is shit. Kind of hate New Cross but its pubs are pretty good these days.

God, Meateasy FAP, that sounds disgusting.

God, it is on the bike ride over to my girlfriend's house. In 1 fell swoop, I can cancel health benefits of cycling & get self dumped for smelling of onion rings whenever I turn up.

You should get really drunk and vomit on her doorstep for good measure.

Did anyone go last night? I'm holding off for a while because (if twitter noise ratio has anything to do with it) it looks as if it is absolutely packed atm. Don't mind waiting for the burgers, but if it's too crowded that could harsh yr buzz until the burger arrives, and then NOTHING could harsh your buzz ever.

You know they have a bar, right? They have some meantime beer in bottles (too dark, couldn't see what it was), and amazing cocktails from the Soulshakers, who are all lovely lovely people who make incredible drinks. Go for something with the excellent Mexican salt/chilli seasoning (Tajin!), mmm yum.

Christ, might have to go here. The pull is becoming too much.

The prices have had to go up a bit but I think he said nothing maxes out over £8.

(When you think of the c.rap you get at any other burger place for £8 it's enough to make you shake a fist angrily before eating another hot dog)

is it open in the daytime? i also want to wait until it's less crowded </ hate people>

I thiiiink it's 6-11 and when they get the late licensing properly sorted, 6-ridiculous-o-clock.

Also, Lex, quite far out of London? 13 minutes from Shoreditch and 7 minutes from London Bridge, sheeeyah right!

13 minutes from shoreditch, i think not!

but point taken.

perhaps if the lex were a crow

I've actually timed it d00d! I loooooove the Overground :)

Psychologically the distance is further than actual distance, I know as I play this game very well from the other way round innit.

It's now only about 35mins from Crystal Palace to Dalston so 13mins Shoredtich to New Cross sounds about right. Maybe closer to 15.

i really need to get with this ELL bizness huh

it will turn us all into supercrows!

At the moment it's a shining example of how good public transport in London could be, but mind you I used to think that about the Jubilee Line.

Is it just sit-down? Thinking of making a solo expedition tonight, wld be more comfortable if it's take-away.

I actually bought ELL merchandise in my xmas shopping at the London Transport Museum shop:

http://www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk/LTM/Homeware/Cups_and_mugs/Product/Overground-Mug-Moquette.html

'funky moquette' *indeed*.

xpost: you could takeaway - it's just everything is cooked to order so there may well be a wait. It's anything from 15 minutes if absolutely quiet to an hour if really busy. It's REALLY not formal. It's just like upstairs at a pub so you've got somewhere to sit and wait, but you may as well have a drink whilst you wait...

I might check it out on, say, a Tuesday night, see how rammed it is.

xp ty, that sounds ok. Drinking by myself I am fine with.

But, yes, might hold off till mid-week, sounds wise.

Yeah - in February I an thinking it would be really nice to sit on sofa, play DS and have a lovely beer and then a delicious burgz0r. Who would have thought they could create a nice place upstairs from such a horrid gaff.

(BTW downstairs will still be the same old Goldsmiths Tav til mid-March, put all thoughts of going downstairs out of yr minds as it won't change until CapPubCo shut it down and redo it as the New Cross... House? Or whatever they're calling it. Oh no that won't get confusing with the New Cross Inn across the road. Unless THAT changes it's name TOO - I hear it's been sold but no idea who to).

Saw my first ever gig at the New Cross Inn. Can that be right? Rollerskate Skinny, Drop Nineteens, and Bang Bang Machine who didn't turn up. Drop Nineteens v dull too. Rollerskate Skinny the best by default. Christ, maundering. Keeping my mind off the burgers and cocktails.

Royal Albert > Amersham Arms > Marquis of Granby >>>>>>>> New Cross Inn >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Goldsmiths Tavern.

Last (and only) time I went to the pub in New Cross some aging punk guy started reciting racist lyrics he'd written to a black friend of mine. He did it in an oddly pally way though. Think it was the Marquis of Granby.

Didn't realise the Marquis of Granby was a punk.

Sorry.

I have a soft spot for the Marquis of Granby as it's actually quite a nice friendly pub that feels like a locals place even when it's full of students/pre-Venue drinkers. Also my parents went out on the razz with Hattie Jacques there in the 60s, which is my favourite family story of which I had until recently been completely ignorant.

would be well up for a meateasy fap!

i would happily attend such a meat-based event.

+1

"Royal Albert > Amersham Arms > Marquis of Granby >>>>>>>> New Cross Inn >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Goldsmiths Tavern."

gotta add... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The Hobgoblin, it is a horror that that place is still even going :(

The Marquis is fairly... unreconstructed! I've had a few nice drinks in there but never felt like lingering long. I've never seen any punks in there though! Or in fact anyone else under 50!

The Hobgoblin would rank above the Goldsmiths Tavern simply because it has a big conservatory area with two huge screens for watching football on. But as a pub it's appalling.

Pubs called the Hobgoblin are always awful for some reason.

What's the matter, lagerboy? Afraid you might taste something?

The Hob in Forest Hill is a trendified Hobgoblin and is alright, does a good pub quiz.

http://britishpages.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/hobgoblin.jpg

could put me off real ale for life tbf

Fuck I hate that poster.

Hi dere all, this is the London restaurants thread and we are talking about pubs and public transport. Should we just start a FAP thread like in the old days?

If we're applying the Rule of Threes then we need to FAP at the #meateasy (don't forget the hashtag!) every night until March...

I've never liked the Hobgoblin chain in any instance, but the Hobgob in NX has always had a... just... *nasty* crowd when I've been in, the beer is horrid but that's the same for all Hobs. The crowd could have changed as I've refused to go in for over 3 yrs now but if the beer has improved I will eat that hobgoblings hat with salt pepper ketchup hotsauce.

i didn't realize it was a chain - there used to be one in brixton that was known as the go-to place to score drugs.. there was actually a sign above the pool table that said "the selling of drugs in this establishment is strictly forbidden"!!

lol yeah I remember you recommending that place on one of the weed threads, but it's long closed down iirc

The one in Canterbury was alright actually, yer standard issue student town rock pub. Would probably hate it now.

I was about to add that the one in Preston was OK, but now I remember it was actually a Firkin (and the juker was free). So, sux 2 b Hobgoblings. (The Hob on, er... Holloway Road? was where I first heard of the "TVR" - further damming evidence).

There used to be one on Holloway Road, yes. Dingy student dive. Can't remember what it's called now, but it's not much better.

Holloway Road is shit for pubs actually. There's the Swimmer, Big Red can be alright if it's not too rammed, and that's it.

there was actually a sign above the pool table that said "the selling of drugs in this establishment is strictly forbidden"!!

There was a similar sign in the Castle just off Commercial Road (site of all-night mega-FAP a few years ago) which amused me, coming as I do from a hotbed of drug-dealery, where no pubs would dare stick up such a sign (possibly because they would lose all their customers if it was enforced).

the Duchess of Kent is like a minute from the holloway road and pretty good.

once i went to a Hobgoblin in Tokyo. it was one of the more, uh, cognitively dissonant experiences i've had because it was like every other Hobgoblin everywhere (except the (ex-)devonshire arms in camden).

ha, i've been to that tokyo hobgoblin too - that's where anna-marie's brother was working when we went. in fact was that when you went there too?

oh god the commercial rd castle. many a night has been lost behind the sofa there, though not for aaaages.

Oh yeah, I forgot the Devonshire was a Hobgoblin now. Like you say, can't imagine that's changed it at all. Me and a mate went in there for lols once, and almost didn't get let in cos the bouncer thought we were going to pick fights with the goths.

Holy crapoly:
http://www.hobgoblin.jp/Roppongi/tabid/119/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

Blimey they've got Doom Bar which is more than I have ever seen a HG in the UK have. They probably can't get a license to export their own vile brew for H&S reasons.

I think the Castle has gone respectable and only opens until 2 or 3 now.

lex: you know, i don't remember at all? it was the one in roppongi iirc, which was an area of town i'd managed to avoid for the previous 6 months or whatever, so the whole experience was fairly unreal.

i'm sorry i don't see how japanese public houses get any of us any closer to a big stack of meat + cheese in New Cross.

Went looking for weed in Clapton one time and seeing this sign "the selling of drugs in this establishment is strictly forbidden" in the pub we knew we'd hit the jackpot. It was shit weed though unfortunately.

I love The Cinnamon Club in Westminster, too expensive, but really good high end Indian.

seeing this sign "the selling of drugs in this establishment is strictly forbidden" in the pub we knew we'd hit the jackpot

Hahah I mean yeah, exactly.

I haven't been to too many high end indians, but I've always been disappointed when I have. I can get a better curry from my local balti house TBH (Monsoon in Dartmouth Park, I think it's a gem).

i'd be up for a meatswag fap (would be my first eeek!)

letz do it. i suggest matt dc organises cuz he's good at that. (after one particularly hideous like-herding-cats venture into the world of organising social events a few years back, i swore off it forever.)

we need to pick a weekend when tpp is back, and when cis is in london?

feb works best for me if it's still going then

I am soooooo in for this.

Urge to splurge?

Thomas Keller, USA's best chef, is opening a 10-day pop-up in Harrod's.
http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Venues/Thomas-Keller-plans-Harrods-pop-up-restaurant

So is our little meateasy joint going to happen?

went to meateasy tonight was absolutely manic but still as delicious as the wagon. we went and had some drinks in the pub below and then went in as soon as it opened and then it's kind of a raffle ticket system for getting served. would suggest fap maybe in the week when it might be slightly more quiet.

Heston Blumenthal's new restaurant at the Mandarin hotel = A+++++++++ would eat all this food again.

you are a lucky man

earliest booking i could get was the end of freaking may

It was a surprise birthday thing, I didn't actually realise where I was until I had been sitting at the table for 10 minutes. Admittedly part of this was thinking the restaurant wasn't due to open for another few months.

going there for lunch on monday, any particular recommendations matt?

Isn't it a set menu type deal?

not yet - they have a short 'cheap' set lunch menu but other than that it's all a la carte, their tasting menu isn't ready yet and wont be served for another couple of months

I am still up for the meat easy btw, anyone in?

My cousin works in the kitchen at The Anchor and Hope in Southwark, had a Sunday there last week which blew my mind. So good.

Sunday roast I meant! Tho the Sunday in general was good too.

The Anchor & Hope is the best pub for food in the whole of London. Hell, it beats most restaurants hands-down. Anything game-related there is a winner.

truth bomb

Matt I am mad envious of you, that place just sounds staggeringly great (and i am not normally 'into' fine dining).

Dinner, that is.

re anchor & hope, the cooking there is generally v good and their sourcing or raw product is fantastic but their bullshit no bookings policy (apart from sunday lunch) means I no longer bother chancing it. imo the harwood arms is doing the best pub food in the city, though it's not nearly as well located as h&a

sourcing OF raw product

Ate extremely well at the Anchor & Hope five years ago, so good to hear it's still on form.

Had a fantastic Sunday lunch at St John in Farringdon last weekend. Bone marrow with chard, capers and parsley; you scraped the marrow out of the bone and onto your toast, then added the other stuff on top with a handful of salt. Then braised ox heart (a day ahead of Valentines!) which was amazing - kinda like thin-sliced fillet steak, but smoother. Finally, a huge bowl of rhubarb Eton mess: great big dollops of the stuff, no faffing around with the presentation. Will definitely re-visit.

Love the anchor & hope; don't mind no bookings there, prob bcz I've been lucky with getting a seat generally, and it's near a workplace (& nearish home) for me. Would feel diff if I travelled some & had to drink among braying foodies for hours to eat some stuff (imagine polpo/polpetto being like this at the mo, cld be wrong).

Def still on for Meateasy. Might be going tomorrow, but with girlfriend. Going to avoid 'Darling, here are some people I barely know from the internet', but I imagine I'll be on to go again.

love the a+h, it's almost exactly between work and home and i go there a fair bit for lunch. if you don't mind an early dinner then getting there before six should get you a table, if not straight away then without too long a wait. or it has done in the past...

yeah polpetto is kinda that way at the moment, or at least it has been any time i've wandered past. sworn off any place which simultaneously doesnt take reservations and serves to attract the digital slr brigade since standing for over an hour outside franco manca in brixton after about 2 hours sleep a few months back.

yeah i guess a&h is ideal if you are basically traveling past it twice a day, but for me it isn't the kind of place i would be bothered to rush to immediately after leaving work just to have a hope of being seated in a reasonable amount of time

no-bookings policies are so shit

Yeah, they feel likeable if somewhere's super convenient for a pop-in and you have figured out the rhythms of its custom. Otherwise maddening. (esp when I suspect I am being made to stand around w/ overpriced drinks in order to create a sense of 'buzz' around yr establishment.)

No bookings policies are fine in a pub, which is what the Anchor & Hope is really.

do people really go to a&h just to have a few drinks? in my experience the people at the bar are ALL people who weren't quick enough for a table but were quick enough to be allowed to wait for one inside the building rather than having to leave their number and wander around the cut. think it would be disingenuous of them to claim that they are 'a pub that serves food', they are a restaurant with a bar, and a shitty booking policy.

if you want to book, you can just go to great queen st which is pretty much the same imo

xxp
agree with first half of that, but hesitant about 2nd… looks like a good pub, feels like a good pub, but can't imagine going for a pint there (but only because of the crowds?), also it's just so famous as a food-place. (But as I say, selfishly unbothered about their no-bookings.)

non-veggie friend is going to this intriguing-looking place tonight - http://www.vanillablack.co.uk/ - tbh i think just the peanut butter and chocolate parfait would tempt me along

a+h would be a great local if it weren't quite so busy, which yeah is mostly people waiting for tables.

well i mean it looks like a pub yeah, but it is judged purely on the strength of its food and that is the only reason anyone ever goes there.

lex, i was raised vegetarian and as my parents are veggie i always take them somewhere that they can have plenty of menu options whenever they are in London. vanilla black is def the best non-indian vegetarian food I have had in the city, your friend is in for a treat

sooooo

good chinese restaurants in london?

Barshu in Soho is really good. I also like the much poncier Shanghai Blues in Holborn. And there's a terrific dim sum place near the O2 whose name escapes me. The downside is it's near the O2.

CHILLI COOL CHILLI COOL CHILLI COOL.

http://www.chillicool.com/home-eng.html

dragon castle at elephant and castle
leong's legends
yauatcha? (never been meself)

Chili Cool in Russel Square and Gourmet San in Bethnal Green (xpost)

― Inevitable stupid dubstep mix (chap), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 15:52 (49 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Did you go together? (xp)

http://londonist.com/2011/02/top-10-chinatown-eats.php

never going to chinatown having known son of proprietor of one such restaurant who wouldn't eat there

ah whatevs, could hear that kinda thing from anyone who knows anyone who's ever had a relative who once worked in a restaurant.

Not sure about 'the best', but if you're nr the scruffy south-east, I enjoyed going to Le Wei Xiang in Lewisham the other week - cheap, nice, big portions, giant menu with loads of stuff I'd rather not eat on it (tendons). Cash only.

barshu is great, def my favourite of the szechuan restaurants that got hyped up a couple of years ago. best dim sum i have had is at dragon castle in elephant & castle, which also benefits from fantastically ott decor and really friendly service. hunan in pimlico does amazing food but is more expensive and less welcoming.

i would be careful to not lump barshu in with the shitholes that make up most restaurants in chinatown. it's very much like people who wont eat a curry anywhere around brick lane, just because the vast majority are fucking foul doesnt mean there arent great meals to be had.

i second leong's legend. also shanghai in dalston.

the szechuan ones are great but i'm a wuss when it comes to spices so most of the menu is wasted on me.

I've been to Le Wei Xiang and while I'm not exactly squeamish about eating bits of animal most of the stuff on the menu just looked outright revolting. No restaurant needs that much tripe on the menu.

yeah I steered clear of most of the offal (i am a bit squeamish) but some potentially disgusting lumps of pig fat in one dish were delicious, so idk maybe they can pull off the tripe and tendons too.

ok yes definitely enjoyed #meateasy. Definitely.

(& another place where I am def not bothered by no bookings.)

chilli cool is good, yes. fish hot pot.
also "szechuan folk" by spitalfields market is really good.. there's a lot of good szechuan places popping up lately

not sure about that londonist list except 4 season is good (don't just have the duck, also have the bbq pork)

chinatown eat: people in the know go to "jen's cafe". "yeung cheng" (or something) are also pretty decent (and i still still do a prix fixe kind of fayre where you order a dish pp and get charged flat price) also the lady who sells you a massive pork meat bun (not the char siu) for a quid from her little stall opposite baozi inn (which is overrated)

if yr in chinatown, that place that does the knife shaved + hand pulled noodles by leicester sq tube is also worthwhile

its fun just watching the dude work his magic

I had a fairly average meal at Le Wei Xiang ("Happy Smell"! in English!) - my companions seemed to enjoy it more than I did, but they were drinking and I was not? Pig blood and tofu soup was the blandest thing I've ever put in my mouth. Reminded me of the Goodness Gracious Me sketch where they order the blandest thing on the menu. Ergh! On saying that, I ate loads, the pork and garlic was very good, and something involving aubergines also tick VG. The DUMPLINGS! were ok, but there are better ones at Silk Road and from "Home" in Lewisham, which did the best DUMPLINGS! hands down.

Tripe isn't offputting, but when combined with the word "bowel"... that item was a little too much for me.

My favourite pork bun is from Kowloon Bakery - I love that place though and rarely bother trying anywhere else!

Matt, you're thinking of Penninsula! It's in a Holiday Inn! I always forget it exists. Hong Kong City on New Cross Road has not done me wrong in the past, but haven't been for ages.

Hold on, what the DUMPLINGS! happened there?

Ha! DUMPLINGS! are very p!o!p! (#oldschoolsinisterjokethere)

DUMPLINGS! are BLUDDY GRATE

any good east suggestions for gastro pubs or other non ethnic food? or at least non viet/indian/pakistani, am having major burn out on that sort of cuisine and want to try some new places.

also a good place i can eat it on my birthday on friday but also invite people who want to drink and hang out?

http://www.albioncaff.co.uk is great!

I have a direct interest in this, but http://www.masonandtaylor.co.uk/ might suit your needs? I think it's fab, but obviously I would. It can certainly accommodate mixed eating / drinking groups.

st john b & w?

(not for yr birthday, just for food)

oh wow i've been liking the look of mason & taylor for ages! never quite the right place/right time yet but i will certainly make the effort now.

albion is v mediocre and overpriced imo.

i went to this place for my birthday: http://www.theeastonpub.co.uk
nice (if slightly poncy) pub that does nice sunday roast and they have massive tables + take bookings

& yeah mason + taylor looks great, will definitely be paying a visit

http://www.theprincearthurlondonfields.com/

once spent an evening here mesmerized by the sight of charles campion working his way through a pint of prawns. if you can book a big table it might possibly do the trick.

never eaten in the scolt head restaurant bit but maybe the gastro/pub divide there could be good?

duke of wellington on balls pond probably bit too busy on a friday generally but again, maybe if you nab a big table in the back room.

Any recommendations for places on/near Edgware Road? Plenty look appetising.

(I work at The Duke of Wellington and Mason and Taylor, that's the interest I was declaring.)

I shall almost definitely be paying Mason & Taylor (and Tim, obviously) a visit over Easter, if I ever get my arse in gear and book this weekend away I've been talking about for months.

^^^Duly noted, Hopkins.

The Easton is near Exmouth Market and thus a little bit too 'west' for what's required. If it's not, the Crown in Clerkenwell Green might even have a room on the first floor that is reservable. I haven't yet gone to Mason and Taylor but one of my friends is always banging on about it, in a good way - and most people will be able to stumble back to their neighbourhood of origin from there. The London Fields on Mare Street is good - they're owned by the same firm as Rat and Parrot and it's basically a less busy/irritating version of same.

Sadly, I rarely venture to Edgware Road unless it's for something Lebanese.

food in scolt head is good but possibly not good enough to go out of your way there specifically

fika on brick lane does good swedish food, re: non-viet/indian ethnic food

pham sushi near old street too, best sushi anywhere in east

lol i can't believe fancyapint actually went to review dalston superstore

never eaten in the royal oak on columbia rd either but a one-two with the nelson's head after could also be soul-destroyinglively

ooh btw tim could you tell the duke of wellington staff that potted shrimp goes in the fridge and not the freezer. (very nice otherwise though mind.)

Would recommend Thai Garden next to the Florist in Bethnal Green for "non viet/indian/pakistani".

Only ever been to the Nelson's Head at around 8am on a sunday - never seen it an an actual evening

RTC: I'll tell the chef when he arrives! Sorry about that.

for something Lebanese

This was what I wanted!

I've been to Mason and Taylor weekly since it opened I reckon. Camden Pale Ale is amazing. Good food too, I'm not wild about the room itself, like it's not bad or whatev, just a bit of a funny style and shape. But I do like the place a lot. Really like anywhere where you can drink a decent pale ale.

Didn't know you were involved Tim, great stuff! Was in the Royal Oak for the first time, weirdly, last week, the food does sound good. Considered Prince Arthur, good to hear a recommendation as I was unsure what it's like.

Good recommendations here tho, will keep me going for a bit.

What about the gastrofied Owl & Pussycat? Although in my experience if this is the sort of thing you're looking for you're better off going a bit further up the road to Clerkenwell, which is exceptionally well-supplied for places like this.

(NB have not actually eaten in the new Owl & Pussycat, although I've heard it's good)

Oh also the food at the Princess of Shoreditch is fantastic but the upstairs room is very restauranty and the downstairs is a bit All Bar One so not great for your needs.

Would recommend Thai Garden next to the Florist in Bethnal Green for "non viet/indian/pakistani".

haha I live like 30 seconds from here. great restaurant tho i agree. really nice.

x-post to matt, I am totally open to going to ec1 but i'm a bit conscious of making it easier for friends. my cousin works in the anchor and hope in southwark which I really like, but figure easier to organise something for somewhere near where people live.

LG: if you're in there early evening, give me a shout, I quite often work there in the afternoons until well after opening time at 5.

Will do, are you still on the same number? I'm often in about 6 on a Friday, for a cup of tea and some food.

I meant a few cups of tea, sorry.

Tim, I'm guessing layout weirdness at M&T means it used to be Green and Red.

Another recommendation, although I haven't been to eat there yet: A Little Of What You Fancy, my friend Elaine's restaurant on Kingsland Road. It's near WAH! Nails.

heard that's good, the name really annoys me but i keep reading about it.

m&t was green and red, yep.

has anyone eaten in that v wooden bare decorated place on redchurch st? is it "the roastery" or something? and has anyone actually eaten in the new owl and pussycat?

i have eaten there, its p good

oh wait, i meant ive eaten @ 'a little of what you fancy' havent eaten at the redchurch place... is it the coffee place?

oh maybe it's a coffee place...that'd make sense.

i ate in that deli on redchurch with the black and white chessboard style tiles recently actually, it was excellent.

i'll always bear a grudge against the owl and pussycat for it being where the lovely emma b's purse was stolen, so i've not been in the new one.

i liked green and red but frankly "high end mexican" is not really a goer.

speaking of places with annoying names but good food in east london, i note with sadness that "taste of bitter love" has closed. it had the best sandwiches in london for my money (which isn't much money, so it worked).

it was in a pretty weird place tbf, not surprised it closed

Agreed about high end Mexican! Was surprised G&R lasted as long as it did. Also I don't mind the name of E's restaurant, Tracer - time to head over for Sunday roast? Elaine used to run the kitchens at Shoreditch Electricity Showrooms when it was good, plus Trafik, and she's a great chef; her bruv is one of the biggest music PRs in London OMG IT'S ALL CONNECTED...

Taste of Bitter Love is coming back at new premises, think it's further east up Hackney Road.

Totally willing to believe that Kingsland Road restaurant has great food but I'm innately suspicious about any restaurant where Google throws up more reviews from style blogs than food websites.

ooh james! the old location was kind of nowheresville so the move will be good for their business - also further east will be closer to me! seriously this is the best news i've had all day.

I've eaten Elaine's food at other locations and enjoyed it, and since I'm a good cook myself I don't just hand out recommends on a whim, but I think the high number of style-blog hits is down to them following on from Edgy Style Mag's website. We at ESM like good food A LOT.

FYI: #meateasy closes 16 April.

I haven't been for a couple of weeks! I should go by again. Hmmmm, this evenings plans have been cancelled at the last minute...

but then again I do have a pizza waiting in the fridge.

Then again... meat! Perhaps get a burger, rush home and put it on the pizza?! Oh mercy stop it.

xp/ also in between venues, E took a lot of private bookings for music and fashion people/events - buzz comes from places for good reasons and I hate it when my friends go all snap-judgement about style press like they're somehow above it all.

Edgy Style Press vs "we only communicate via Twitter", fiiiite! (Obviously Edgy Style Twitter wins) (I don't mean that...)

i can also vouch for elaine, although not to the extent that i can ever remember to pop into the new gaff.

i'll always bear a grudge against the owl and pussycat for it being where the lovely emma b's purse was stolen, so i've not been in the new one.

yeah lost a bag myself in the scolt head once. fucking hate that place tbh, i'd say the garden is all it's good for but it's packed with tossers anyway.

i've never been there when it's not rammed. the last two times i was to meet friends there we just went somewhere else.

i once saw someone try to steal a tree from the scolt head garden :(

i remember when it used to be our local alternative to the george except not packed full of wankers. then it changed

Considered Prince Arthur, good to hear a recommendation as I was unsure what it's like.

thing is it really does depend on how ur entourage is gonna roll. it's definitely a little stiffer and more gastro than most pubs per se (loads of work parties every week it seems) but if you can ensure a big table takeover (~ 10 people up to 15?) then it's good stuff. altogether i probably wouldn't totally recommend it without checking it in person first.

^ yeah that p much sums it up, ive had a few group meals there + its gone well

i don't mind the talbot down the road from the scolt, sunday roasts always look ok from afar.

yeah i hate the scolt head...reminds me of my local in dublin at christmas, awfully designed place, just has zero charm for me as a pub.

off topic but has anyone ever done viajante in bethnal green? just curious cos it's generally been well received but for one memorable aa gill beatdown.

considered it many times but never gone.

not a restaurant and also off topic, but anyone been to the fishmonger on victoria park road, near the lauriston?

xpost same, was gonna go for my b-day, then just ended up booking st john

what abt brawn on colombia rd?

We went to Viajante (for the (relatively) cheap 3-course lunch) one Saturday a few weeks ago. We were, it's fair to say, extremely impressed, not a false note in our meal(s) although some of the combinations were a little unexpected so I can see how they could go wildly wrong. But we're dead keen to go again, for the longer-form tasting menu. I would always, always take the paired wine flight because the wines they gave us were really unusual and added a great deal.

(LG I don't work Fridays but yeah, same old number, we should get together.)

xp haven't been to Brawn, I really fancy it.

not a restaurant and also off topic, but anyone been to the fishmonger on victoria park road, near the lauriston?

the fish house? i love it. the vibe is great, kinda like a diner. the staff are very friendly. the fish is good and there's a big selection.

oh wait the fish MONGER. yes i've been there. kinda pricey but not as bad as bway market obviously.

yeah i hate the scolt head...reminds me of my local in dublin at christmas, awfully designed place, just has zero charm for me as a pub.

nah i love the layout and what it innately has to offer (and the selection of wines!), the only thing wrong with it is the crowd that started packing it out all the time. if it's quiet it's a great pub to hang out in.

i forget that you lot are fond of the wenlock though :/

scolt head "garden" (it's just a patio really) is ok. quite twatty and i also had a friend who mysteriously lost a bag there. :-/

also "szechuan folk" by spitalfields market is really good

yeah i went on friday this place is good

this burrito place is great too if you're around middlesex st. at lunchtime:

http://www.theflyingburrito.co.uk/

if and (only if) the scolt's quiet the tables directly on the left are ok. but the sofa is lame and the back room has a gross vibe. the restaurant/pub division is super awkward and unchill, especially when you have to tiptoe through anyway just to get to the bogs. and the staff are generally wannabe smartarse dicks who i wouldnt be surprised had a hand in the thievings tbh. so what's that, like 10% of the whole place being acceptable? nah.

good old wenlock though, i'll be in there tonight i expect. look for a man with a beard drinking ale.

haha. love the wenlock, not been in way too long tho.

have to say the dickishness and general ineptitude of london bar staff never fails to amaze me. in dublin there are all these old codgers working in bars because the idea of the trendy pub has barely taken root, and they can serve about 5 people at once and remember everyone's order and returning change.

if the florist has three people at the bar you could be waiting ten minutes as some disinterested bloke fights his way through pouring pints one at a time. one bloke is so bad that the last time i was in there, one of the west ham guys who hangs out at the end of the bar came over and told me how useless said bar man was and then roared at him to "get a move on". which led to us getting served at least.

i hate old codger pubs like the wenlock - old men staring at you need to fuck off. always felt vaguely inhibited and uncomfortable in there, now i just insist on meeting elsewhere. it serves nothing i want to drink either

had a pretty nice sunday roast at the charles lamb pub just off city rd the other week. it's tiny though.

oh yeah i've walked past that one a few times and always thought it looked like it had potential

haha i've never suffered any starey men in the wenlock! you make it sound like the joiners.

fair enough with the booze though, i mean some of those vanilla caramel ales are just too much.

they don't stare in a pervy way, i could deal with that! it's more like "what is this person doing in my pub".

i am not really interested in ales but the wenlock serves one (1) type of wine and it's not very nice

xp/ also in between venues, E took a lot of private bookings for music and fashion people/events - buzz comes from places for good reasons and I hate it when my friends go all snap-judgement about style press like they're somehow above it all.

In fairness I was being sniffy about style blogs rather than style press. With Dalston it's usually a case of "food looks great, is the place going to be full of cocks?"

The Prince Arthur is a really nice space but TOO FVCKING CROWDED at weekends. Like, ridiculously so. If they'll let you book a table you should be okay though. Clientele is a bit tossy as well in my experience.

The times I've been in London I've always found the florist to be first choice

for a pub that is

I love it but sometimes the bad bar staff (not all of them) make me want to go elsewhere. I just kinda feel I spend enough money in there for people at least to be polite or whatever. It is still great tho.

wasn't there a chance that the Wenlock was going to be closing down? is that still happening? i think it's a great place, despite the likelihood of any session there resulting in a weirdo old barfly hijacking your conversation

I think the sale to the developers fell through so it's just going on as before. The owners are looking to sell but there's still the chance that whoever buys it will continue to run it as a pub, rather than just knock it down and put flats there.

i decided to go for drinks on friday instead, at the palm tree (feel free to join any ilxors!) but went for an impromptu meal last night to brawn on columbia road. it was pretty great, tho think going there for a few bottles of wine and lots of small dishes would be even better than having one of the larger mains. amazing rillette and brawn to start with.

xxxxxxxp ha a few of my friends work at the florist, will pass on yr comments LG

some of them are really pleasant as i said...some are not. i won't give descriptions just in case!

good to hear that abt brawn!

now it's warming up weekend bike rides to the counter cafe in hackney wick are in order, last time i went it was the best breakfast / coffee evah!

had raclette at walluc in shoreditch. it was average. raclette works best over about 4 hours with a never ending supply of wine anyway, cheese didn't seem as nice as the stuff i get from that cheese place in spitalfields

finally did the meatwagon before playing a show at the birds nest in deptford last week (good little venue / pub - lex you won't like it). pretty darn good, prob the best burger i've ever had but it was just a burger.

fancy going to allistairs brasserie this weekend in stoke newington/church st, anyone been? any good?

Kept on meaning to go, kept on getting put off by the prices. Obviously if it's good it's worth it, but the menu never entirely convinced me, can't remember why now. Be interested to hear what it's like tho. He used to run the kitchen at the Defoe I think.

we went to counter cafe on sunday for breakfast, really good food + like you said the coffee's amazing

Ah the Bird's Nest in Deptford, probably the only pub in SE London that's happy to put on bands that are just four people with laptops playing noize. There's an excellent Ugandan restaurant called Afab Star right round the corner as well (huge speakers playing African pop, football on the TV, feel of being in someone's front room, amazing food).

what about forman and sons in hackney wick? apparently does v cheap dinners once a month...anyone been?

Haha LG, I live just the other side of Grove Road from the Palm Tree.

ah not far away then!

anyone got any takeaway delivery recommendations in east london? i normally walk out but there are times when a good one would be useful.

was at the young vic tonight and had an octopus salad in the anchor and hope after...amazing. such a good fun place to eat too.

went to moo grill today...had a lomito and chips. it was fucking great...would go back.

Moo is opposite my Gym.. I should def check it out.

the guys in there are a great laugh too...

any tips for a good place around soho where i can have a few beers and some food? looking for sort of informal, but i guess soho doesn't really have gastropubs does it? any help would be good...

The upstairs of Bodeans?

john snow?

(but yeah bodeans)

Bodeans is a good bet, but it's a great day for the terrace at Dean Street Townhouse. They do homemade Scotch eggs.

garlic and shots, if that's your thang?

probably be tomorrow night, I think bodeans, much as I like it, is a bit too like...I dunno, not pub like enough.

is dean st townhouse terrace open in evenings?

polpo or spuntino? altho depending on how early yr getting there there might be a huge queue

yeah spuntino sounds great...but have heard really hard to get in.

also lol ken literally THE DAY AFTER johnsnowgate I was coming back from baron's court and a friend texted me, and this never ever happens, I'm never in soho at the weekends, "hey am in the john snow if you fancy a pint..."

I was gonna suggest those but QUEUES.

Terrace is open in the evening but there's something really lovely about the bar, if you can't get a seat.

cool that might be a good shout, i guess if we can just eat something casually but not necessarily dinner it'll be grand.

have you been to spuntino, just sayin?

http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub1611.php

no i havent! ive only been to polpo because my friend used to work there. has anyone been?

will prob try it out in the next few weeks tho, since the friend is back in town + will be interested to see what its like. i remember him saying they'd been planning on opening it quite a while ago and it kept getting delayed.

also, would some burgers and booze at byron followed by pub beers work?

possibly...my friend i'm meeting is a 62-year-old yorkshireman i acted in a play with recently, he's pretty hip but not sure bodeans or byrons is exactly his bag!

de hems? not gastro by any stretch but idk what you're after here really.

pub where you can eat nice food, doesn't have to be a full meal, basically is my requirement.

Lyric is good and old-man friendly then.

Also does it have to be Soho?

not really...anywhere loosely central would probably do.

how about phoenix artist club (it's charing cross road underneath phoenix theatre/"blood brothers")?

it's members but they let everyone in before 8

Ronan - try the Bountiful Cow in Holborn, just behind Red Lion Square. The clue as to the food is in the name.

p.s.

also lol ken literally THE DAY AFTER johnsnowgate I was coming back from baron's court and a friend texted me, and this never ever happens, I'm never in soho at the weekends, "hey am in the john snow if you fancy a pint..."

think that was a booty call

yeah the guy in moo is really funny.

yeah really good laugh.

haha ken

Not a massive fan of Polpo. Was sat directly under air con the first time I was there. Also, I know salt makes food taste, and I use it liberally in my cooking, but man, their food was hella salty. And everything was, well, not quite as good as it should be, I felt. Not a massive fan of the tapas style approach to a menu either. Probably my fault, but find it difficult to get hard culinary satisfaction out it.

aw i loved polpo, and i really don't dig too much salt in my food. yeah tapas can be unsatisfying if it's overpriced and you end up hungry but that didn't seem the case here we spent a shitload and ordered nearly everything on the menu.

how do you feel about dim sum?

Love dim sum - Royal China Bayswater has become a once or twice a year lunchtime favourite.

And yes, you're right about the overpriced/still hungry thing - it happens quite often. Fino in Fitzrovia was fantastic though, so I'm not totally against it, I just get easily disappointed.

Ronan, I'd say Bountiful Cow and its MAN STEAKS are good for Yorkshiremen.

recommendations for decent café type places somewhere central that aren't on a busy street and have, like, tables outside?

I can't think of any actually, other than the ones in parks and squares and I'm not sure the food is especially great at any of them. Otherwise you're going to be out on the pavement choking on the traffic fumes.

Found out today that the Counter Cafe is moving down the road into Stour Space, according to the menu board outside.

exmouth market xxp?

oh that's a good idea for another time, though it's pretty busy - too many people i know round there!

had an amazing steak at goodman last weekend. highly recommend (if someone else is paying)

going to anchor/hope again today...embarrassingly regular now but cousin works there and i meet him for lunch so why not.

Got into Spuntino the other day - we were very pleased with it indeed, it did it's small-plate thing very nicely.

so is this going to be hell on earth or a good addition? http://www.redmarketlondon.com/

i'm leaning towards hell on earth on a saturday night, possibly worth visiting on a sunday.

meze mangal on lewisham way, best turkish food in town

man i miss turkish food

so, banh mi places seem to sprouting up at the same pace that burrito joints did a year or so back. up til now, i thought Banh Mi Bay on Theobald's Road was best - my nearest and most regular, but only if they haven't run out of the vietnamese bread, which they seem to have refined to an optimum balance of crispy outside and soft interior - but Kêu on Old Street is also great. the bread is way different, and there's lots more ingredients/flavours.

these places never hit sarf london ;_;

looking forward to this though:
http://dishoom.com/2011/04/the-dishoom-chowpatty-beach-bar-may-sep/

City Càphê is good, but i found it a touch dry. only been once.

and i tried Chao on Whitecross Street last week, but they were out of classic chicken/pate, so i tried the spicy pork. a touch chewy, but still tasty.

anyone tried the one on Broadway Market?

I saw that Dishoom beach bar thing under construction the other week and thought it was inspired. What with that + the fake beach + the beach huts + the turfed over roof of the Queen Elizabeth Hall the South Bank has outdone itself this year.

meze mangal on lewisham way, best turkish food in town

This is OTM, went recently and it's exceptional.

xxpost the one at broadway market is really good! well, the one that specialises in it. they also make them at the viet coffee place + my one from there wasnt as tasty.

speaking of that neighbourhood, towpath is back open again (maybe it has been for a while?) and is always highly recommended

these places never hit sarf london ;_;

According to Starry Sarah formerly of this parish there's an amazing one in Deptford, but given where you live you might as well just go over the river.

yeah will try and make the epic trip across some weekend soon when i get a chance.

xp
ha! i just moved to a new place round the corner from meze mangal and i'd wondered if it was any good. will definitely check it out.

On the poncier end of the spectrum I finally went to Arbutus in Soho on Saturday and it was astonishingly good, probably the best piece of rare beef I can remember eating.

I'm a big fan of Meze Mangal too, although Ottoman on New Cross Road is also nice, and they deliver.

I haven't tried the Banh Mi place on Old St mentioned above, so vote goes to Panda Panda on Deptford Broadway - all fresh, and nice crispy baguettes. Just a couple more stamps on my loyalty card and I can get a T-shirt.

Ledge, Banh Mi Bay is an outpost of Cafe Bay in Camberwell! Of all the above, Keu on Old St is my fave, the stall on Broadway Market is pretty good also.

I wish I liked banh mi better but URGH PATÉ. Bit of a dealbreaker if I flash back to my dad's liverwurst and mayo sarnies. *boaks*

The mackerel one at Keu is pate-free I think (I haven't eaten one but I've watched J do so and she loved it).

Where's good for a quick meal near the Barbican?

The bar at St John! Have never had a problem getting in, it's quick and delicious if you're not looking for big big food. The cheese sandwich is surprisingly good, the bobemarrow salad sets me right up for Barbican action.

There's a decent sushi bar on Whitecross St, as I recall.

There are a bunch of good restaurants along the top of Smithfield Market/Cowcross Street/St John Street - about 5-10 minutes' walk from the Barbican.

At lunchtime, Whitecross Street has a multitude of good food carts.

There's a decent sushi bar on Whitecross St, as I recall

yeah - pham sushi. probably the best sushi in the old street area (not that there's much competition but it is good).

suzy otm re food carts, go to the scotch egg guy in partic

I got a recommendation for a Hunan Chinese place on Shaftesbury Avenue... CAN'T WAIT.

Ledge, Banh Mi Bay is an outpost of Cafe Bay in Camberwell!

Sweeeeeet!

xpost - is that golden day? i had a pretty good meal there! but i think ba shan is better now

Well, I haven't had good Hunan since ohhhhhh, 1990 - so will probably try both.

Dishoom on the south bank: quality over quantity. £4.50 for the not overly large bacon or sausage naan rolls is just about acceptable, £6 for the lamb mince is ridiculous, tasty though it was. And they dropped four of our tickets on the floor, losing the orders, and only came out with three of them 20 minutes later - will put that down to teething troubles.

the two web reviews for golden day i've read don't sound awesome but then they're web reviews.

Well, I got a very strong personal recommendation for Golden Day from some friends...

anyone heading out tonight? thinking of trying somewhere new but not sure where...

I'm supposed to go to an art thing in E2 but right now I just want to stay home and eat a bacon sandwich. Sigh.

yeah i am tempted to stay in too...had a heavy week. prob meeting a friend in stoke newington tho.

not a restaurant as such but since this is the general london thread now...anyone been to the jolly butcher in stoke newington? hadn't been up that way for a while and was there last night, amazing ale selection, brewdog and flying dog pale ales on tap. dunno what it'd be like as a local, food looked decent, but another one to keep in mind in terms of getting great beer.

you prob all know this...but nonetheless!

yeah the beer selection makes it. only had a sunday roast there one time but mine was very disappointing (duke of wellington's much better).

I wish I liked banh mi better but URGH PATÉ. Bit of a dealbreaker if I flash back to my dad's liverwurst and mayo sarnies. *boaks*

Oh man I love paté! I hope Oxford will get a banh mi bar to go with its few-years-behind-London-trends burrito joints.

people were having ribs there last night steve, looked amazing, but didn't taste them.

My dad's crimes against paté included the peanut butter and Braunschweiger sandwich. NO, I DON'T KNOW WHY.

On second thought, such combinations could have been the death of him....

I don't like cooked liver but for some reason I love paté, liver sausage, etc. Sliced liver sausage used to be the cheapest sliced meat by far in the local Co-op, happy times. Now they've stopped selling it altogether, because apparently everyone else agrees with mr spacecadet that it is disgusting and shameful.

*hangs head*

Peanut butter and spreadable liver sausage is a bit much even for me though.

LG- I was in the Jolly Butchers last night too! Never had a bad pint in there. The only drawback is it seems to be a magnet for opportunistic thieves. It used to be the worst pub in Stoke Newington, the kind of place you feared to go into the toilets in case someone stabbed you.

My drawing group went to Brick Lane/Shoreditch yesterday, I took the opportunity to make a quick detour to Kêu for my first Banh Mi. It met all my expectations - awesome. Then hit Cay Tre for dinner after many beers.

i had keu for the first time the other day as well - really good! wish i worked in that area i would be hitting it up for lunch all the time. only thing that was a bit unusual was the bread, it wasnt super light + flaky like banh mi bread usually is

My banh mi experience was inauthentic? ~sadface~ ... I thought the bread was pretty good though, crust like Pret's awesome artisan but not quite as tooth-punishingly hard, middle like a decent fluffy baguette.

just went to my old place at the end of my road again. <3 that place they are so rude and horrible. crab is amazing maybe not as good as gourmet san but almost. we got pigs intestines in chilli - mmmmm

went + had one of these for lunch. would definitely eat again.

aw man can't wait to check this out...

is there a general london thread? i often want to talk about pubs and stuff, i guess it works here, but we really should have a london thread to encompass any and all possible things you might do.

what do people think? i'm willing to put in the typing and hard graft it takes to start a thread, if there isn't an old one that needs a lick of revive paint.

i think thats a good idea! that jolly butchers talk upthread was v relevant to my interests but yeah i agree that maybe its best to not have it on the restaurants thread

yeah and would be a good replacement, potentially, for reading timeout, like clubs/galleries/theatre etc...it took me about 2 years of living here to realise that when you research what to do a bit more you find better things.

Thread would be a bit too wide-ranging I fear and would get unusably massive very quickly. There's already a London pubs thread. An art one would be good though. The art section is pretty much the only reason I bother with Time Out these days.

i dunno, do you think it'd be that busy? i don't see any other use of the other threads, whereas the fact this one keeps popping up makes it feel useful for other purposes. it's hard to look at loads of threads at once...

are there really that many ilx posters in london these days? i'm not so sure...

London pubs gets revived every so often when someone wants a recommendation. This one, well, we just like food a lot I suppose. There's a London clubbing thread from back in the day as well. Reckon it'd be much easier to just have separate threads for different things, sometimes threads just baloon massively, especially if there's pub talk going on.

yeah i guess it depends on if you favour long threads or not, i'd have thought one thread that regularly pops up fosters more discussion, as the digressions here show, imo. but it's not a big deal...

i went to start an art thread for London, but wasn't sure whether or not there was enough interest. found this one in the end:

RFI: Current Art Exhibitions in London

would love to see it bumped regularly!

i'm in favour of general rolling london thread. i wouldn't expect it to get much traffic.

too much, i guess

There are a load more Londoners here than you realise. General London cultural happenings thread that doesn't include pubs or restaurants would probably be fine.

Those of us still here are good at food; as to this thread - it ain't broke, don't fix.

I have been known to go to Ikea purely because I wanted an approximation of an American baseball-game hot dog, so I am definitely going to check out a decent hot dog cart in Shoreditch. No pickle relish there, though - POINTS DEDUCTION. I'm also keen to check out Herman the German, the sausage place next to Heaven represented on its sign by a very phallic mascot.

That would help with random stuff that slips through the net as well like free festivals etc. Pubs and restuarants can stay on their own threads.

really pubs and restaurants should be one thread...does anyone think? but sorry i know i am upsetting the cosmic balance here!

i just think general daily input is better than having to remember to revive a thread, we share more knowledge through actual conversations on here.

i vote aye

i don't think anyone actually minds off-topic digressions in this thread, i side with "if it ain't broke"

really pubs and restaurants should be one thread...does anyone think?

Madness.

Problem with daily input is that one massive thread is kinda difficult to load if you need to find something in a hurry, which is more likely to be the case with around town stuff.

first world problems

i think it is sort of broke tho...

x-post that's a good point, but you could revive the specific threads if you needed to do that...

also there are other things we'd end up discussing about london, and we don't have a "london, miscellaneous" thread. like there are some things that will never come up in a revive but if everyone is on a thread talking they become a topic of conversation.

THIS thread is the proof of that imo, because we all like food other topics come up...basically i just tend to find myself wanting to ask other london questions here as it's become a good rolling thread, and that's why i had the idea.

x-post lol easy to tell i am unemployed, "thinking of ways to improve my ilxperience"

basically i just tend to find myself wanting to ask other london questions here as it's become a good rolling thread, and that's why i had the idea

well ask them here then! no one will mind.

London restaurants thread is fine as it is, no need to dilute it with discussions about which Blue Posts is best or parks or markets or whatever.

Think 'Miscellaneous London' or 'London arts/cultural happenings' or whatever would be wide-ranging enough without bringing in pubs and restaurants, which usually generate loads of chat.

yeah i have been doing so...it's not a perfect system though.

x-post bah it just won't be used enough

weinerchat xpost
Kurtz & Lang on Cowcross St does a pretty mean wurst. if you've never tried Käsewurst, it's worth it just to see the cheese sweating from within like some terrifying Cronenburgian dream. plus, the fried potatoes and onions are a treat, and you also get a steaming mound of warmed sauerkraut, which inevitably causes windig-ness.

I went to Kurtz & Lang last month, it was great. Only place I know of to get a currywurst in London.

On the slightly more upmarket end of the spectrum, anyone been to Bistrot Bruno Loubet at the Zetter in Clerkenwell? Going there this Sunday and kinda excited about it.

on the even more upmarket end... we're going to dinner (the heston blumenthal place) + am definitely excited abt it

vI'm also keen to check out Herman the German,

When I first came to London I practically lived out of the white wurst van on Portobello Road. I think they must still be going because I see the van go past where I work every now and then, although come to think of it I haven't seen it for a while.

Anyway, their sausages, dogs, etc etc, were the bomb, a load of mustard, yes please, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Well worth checking out if you're in the area. Take care not to go to any of the other german sausage vans along there though, I made that mistake once - the white one.

I went to Dinner as a surprise on my birthday, it's fucking amazing.

there's another wurst place on the other side of Smithfields market, but I've yet to try it. can't remember the name. they recently opened a place in Angel too.

oh, the other good thing about Kurtz & Lang is that come Oktoberfest, they stick up a bunch of streamers and blast nutty novelty Eurodance tracks, while the rather strange dudes who run it wear milkmaid aprons. it's sehr erotische.

Kasewurst is available in all good supermarket meat departments in the American midwest (prob because of all the Germans in Wisconsin). There's also the shite version my sister buys: imagine an iteration of this made with/by Oscar Meyer and Kraft.

Is this quite phallic enough for everyone?

http://www.herman-ze-german.co.uk/img/title.jpg

what's that place in southwark like...some sort of german vomit/sausage benchfest...just joking it actually looks quite nice, anyone know the place i mean?

is in a basement with a nice tiled doorway and steps leading down

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/39/39769/Katzenjammers_Bierkeller_and_Restaurant/Southwark

i have not been

Looks like the same kind of stag night hellhole as the one on City Road.

This place is terrific though.

Actually I'm being unfair, judging by the website Katzenjammers looks a lot better than the Shoreditch Bavarian Bierkeller.

that's the place that shows bundesliga i believe? quite a big football pub, it's meant to be great i've heard.

i don't think the southwark place is quite as bad as that matt, i've heard a few people mention it as being quite good. dunno if i would ever want to drink that headache inducing bready beer for v long though.

x-post yeah that's what i heard...that city road place looks like hell on earth.

The Shoreditch one is fucking horrible, loads of lairy blokes letching on the serving girls. I suppose locating in Borough market kind of ensures a different atmosphere though. Wouldn't mind trying it.

damn this place looks good - http://helengraves.co.uk/tag/pitt-cue-co/ london has some nice street food these days... i went to that taco guy by waterloo a few months ago + it was really good as well, waaaay better than the hundreds of burrito places that have sprung up over the past few years

okay fucking hell that bbq place...

i know right! and its open weekends which makes it a lot easier to get to

omg had not seen that.

that taco guy by waterloo a few months ago

whereabouts? there's a jerk chicken guy in the little park, have not ever been there despite walking past while he's setting up every morning for over a year.

umm he's down on lower marsh i think it is? i dont know that area that well so i cant really give directions, its this place - http://www.slowfoodkitchen.com/fab-mexican-street-food-waterloo-buen-provecho/

jesus i need to explore my area more instead of always doing pret and the pub.

lower marsh jerk chicken is good. thai guy is pretty damn good too. as is the crepe guy. they're all good on that little stretch.

zeitgeist is my favourite takeaway lunch place round here (lambeth north end of lower marsh). salt beef bagette is amazing, although they do spend about 10 minutes lovingly making each sandwich type thing in front you.

hope and anchor is real good. taz and it's sister place, i think it's called EV are kind of average, but i love that food so i still go every now and then and it's lovely sitting in the sunshine down that little street near southwark station.

the german place is pretty damn good LG

went for pizza at santore, exmouth market, clerkenwell last night. it was fucking delicious. easily the best pizza i've had in london and not too pricey!

When I first came to London I practically lived out of the white wurst van on Portobello Road. I think they must still be going because I see the van go past where I work every now and then, although come to think of it I haven't seen it for a while.

Anyway, their sausages, dogs, etc etc, were the bomb, a load of mustard, yes please, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Well worth checking out if you're in the area. Take care not to go to any of the other german sausage vans along there though, I made that mistake once - the white one.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 25 May 2011 15:12 (2 hours ago) Bookmark

^^ LISTEN TO THIS MAN. i have been eating from the white and only the white van since i was like 5.

i think we were talking abt viajante, that fancy bethnal green place on here a while ago? anyway i still havent been but i was reading an article saying that the head chef has opened another place in the same building, but more casual, w/ mains at abt £12... so i think i'll definitely be giving that a go

I went to Dinner as a surprise on my birthday, it's fucking amazing.

― Matt DC, Wednesday, 25 May 2011 14:12 (Yesterday) Bookmark

yeah i went with my mum when i finished my phd. so much fun.

i think we were talking abt viajante, that fancy bethnal green place on here a while ago? anyway i still havent been but i was reading an article saying that the head chef has opened another place in the same building, but more casual, w/ mains at abt £12... so i think i'll definitely be giving that a go

yeah I read about this, sounds great. i was actually in viajante a few weeks ago, but only had the bar food. my ex gf was staying in the (incredibly nice) hotel there on a business trip so we ate there. the bar food was great, friendly staff too. she had squid nigiri and i had a burger...very dainty stuff but it was really good. fucking great tea too, the guy there told me he studied tea for two years in china!

i always wonder how that hotel's going since its not really in the nicest place

i guess for the city it's quite close...

Quite close, but not really a place you put bankers up. Does seem like a really weird place to put a hotel.

Really want to go to Viajante but you have to book a long way ahead. The new place is more of a traditional bistro-type affair from the same chef, in the same building. Meant to be good, but I definitely want to try Viajante first.

it's mega luxurious so i can imagine it being popular enough based on that.

where is hip and happening in soho and more likely than polpo to be able to seat six or so people at short notice?

Not Soho per se, but I really like Latium in Fitzrovia. FANTASTIC Italian place, worth going for the taste of the pasta alone.

just went to that keu place on old st, en route to the dole office. god it's good...so fucking good. fresh bread, amazing vegetables, real zing to it, incredible. i had pork belly sandwich, i couldn't find the proper traditional one with pate etc on the menu then realised it was in gigantic text at the top staring at me...keen to try that next time.

yeah i had the pork belly one too... find it hard to pass up pork belly in any form

man i will be going there a hell of a lot...

yeah if i worked in that area i would be there every day for lunch (and then also to that hot dog guy)

where is hip and happening in soho and more likely than polpo to be able to seat six or so people at short notice?

You could try Bocca di Lupo, although at short notice it might be a problem. Although if that doesn't work you can go and eat all the ice creams at Gelupo opposite.

Has anyone here tried The Red Fort? But yes as Matt DC points out, you might be better having a look at what's on Charlotte St. Fino was excellent, as I mentioned upthread, although maybe not quite so good for large groups.

Not been to Latium yet, but on that recommendation it won't be long - been filling up at home on Camisa's amazing fresh parpardelle, just with sage and butter and parmesan recently.

went to that pitt co bbq place on saturday, it was a bit overpriced imo, the portions are small. it was v tasty but i wouldn't really rush back, 7 quid for a tiny box of pulled pork and beans. plus four quid for a beer on top of that equals quite a pricey meal to sit in a not v nice location eating.

Bistrot Bruno Loubet is AMAZING by the way, easily up their with the best meals I've eaten in London.

i ended up being a little underwhelmed by dinner! the meat fruit starter was amazing, and the tipsy cake dessert was also, but our mains were just ok... not that exciting, but still costing like £28?

We went to the half-price soft launch of the new Polpo premises (called Da Polpo) yesterday, and very nice it was too. Menu similar, though not identical, to Polpo's. More meatballs.

(the half-price offer's on until tomorrow I believe)

another restaurant! man that dude is taking over

i'm heading there for lunch now!!!!!!!!!!!11111

that was apolpos to nothing.

hey it was good!!!!!!

xpost I thought Bistro Bruno Loubet was excellent, too. And I was impressed by the unsnootiness of the waiting staff. Was in there for lunch with two others, and none of us fitted the dress profile of the rest of the place. Been treated condescendingly in similar circumstances before, but this was delightful. Had a fantastic stuffed pig's trotter.

Yeah it was reassuringly unstuffy I thought.

Also I had a piece of slowcooked beef in red wine that was huge and could've been eaten with a spoon, it was amazing.

this weekend i went to gaucho near liverpool st and ate all the beefs. 8/10.

Are you on the Dukan diet?

lots and lots of steak, unlimited amounts of the stuff

stoned on beef

Well, vegetables just aren't safe at the moment - especially in Europe.

Like I need an excuse to go buy onglet at my butcher for £8.50/kilo.

i think i am addicted to that banh mi place on old st. omg it's so good...

As a result of this thread I have visited (and loved) Pitt Cue Co, Big Apple Hot Dogs and Keu over the last couple of weeks.