tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869177855714594312024-03-05T08:09:32.657+00:00a rather unusual chinamanThings to see, eat and do in Londontehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.comBlogger335125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-21986331458562562232020-01-09T11:47:00.001+00:002020-01-09T13:52:14.931+00:00The Decade Challenge - The Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year! The last few days have been ones of excess for many, but for me, it's been very chill and one of reflection. Instead of being out drinking and celebrating exuberantly, I ushered 2020 in on my sofa with a home cooked meal, cuddled up to my girlfriend. What a difference a decade makes.</div>
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On a real nostalgia trip, I started to trawl through photos from the last 10 years, and I tell you, what a journey. I started this blog in earnest at the start of the last decade, and nearly 6 years after the last post, I thought I would put together a few posts on some of my food and travel related thoughts. So here it is, a brand-new post for 2020, jam-packed with a number of reflections from the last decade and kicking off with my favourite restaurants.</div>
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All the way back in 2011, I was introduced to Roganic, a "pop up" (where the concept was just starting to take flight) that was meant to last two years. I'd learnt about Simon Rogan and L'Enclume through various blogs and tv shows and was thrilled that I wouldn't have to travel all the way to the Lake District just to sample his food. I loved his approach of combining British ingredients with Science and thankfully, the end product is more often than not, pure delight. From the moment I crossed the threshold on that first visit to Roganic, I was so well looked after and to this day, I am still friends with some of the staff who took such good care of me and my friends. </div>
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The years moved on and after multiple visits (and chefs), the pop-up finally closed it's doors. During that time, Fera opened (and closed) in the hallowed halls of Claridges and I finally did make that trip up to the <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/2Jqrb1SWQCN2DPkdA">Mothership in the Lake District</a>, and boy did it live up to expectations. L'Enclume and it's restaurant family have always been the epitome of British fine dining for me, and I am so glad that Roganic has found a new permanent home just a few doors down from it's original site.</div>
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<a href="https://www.lenclume.co.uk/"><b>L'Enclume</b> </a>- Cavendish St, Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands LA11 6QA<br />
<a href="https://www.roganic.uk/"><b>Roganic </b></a>- 5-7 Blandford St, Marylebone, London W1U 3DB<br />
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As much as I enjoy fine dining, nothing satisfies me more than settling into a country pub, friends all around and hunkered down for the evening to come. The Sportsman may not be your average pub, but still ticks all the boxes for me. From the minute you arrive at the relatively remote pub in Seasalter, you can sidle up to the bar for that first drink, you never feel anything but comfortable. What follows out of the kitchen is a flow of local delights, changing with the seasons, fresh and full of flavour. The lunches are long and luxurious. It has provided so many fond memories over the years, not just for me but also for my family and friends, and introduced me to a new found love of fresh fish and seafood. </div>
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I now try and make at least an annual pilgrimage to the Kent coastline, but with Noble Rot now open in town (led by the same Chefs as the Sportsman), it at least means I can get my fix a little more frequently. </div>
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<a href="http://thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk/">The Sportsman</a> - Faversham Road, Seasalter, Whitstable, Kent CT5 4BP<br />
<a href="https://noblerot.co.uk/wine-bar">Noble Rot</a> - 51 Lambs Conduit Street, London WC1N 3NB<br />
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One thing links both of these places together for me, and that is comfort and consistency. You're never truly going to enjoy yourself if you don't feel comfortable, and nothing is going to keep you coming back if it's not consistent. Timely as it may be, I noticed this little Twitter thread from Will @ Hawksmoor, extolling the virtues of consistency:<br />
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Digging around an old file (yes, I’m avoiding real work) I found this that Huw wrote about running restaurants. I liked it ... 1/5</div>
— Hawksmoor (@HawksmoorLondon) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawksmoorLondon/status/1213065727219060736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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There are few restaurateurs I admire more than Will and Huw, and what they have done with the Hawksmoors is down to their hard work and ambition. And for this, Hawksmoor rounds off my list of favourite restaurants. I have spent far too many hours across all its restaurants, from drinking in their bar, to lounging in their restaurants eating the finest steak (although it can be argued that their sides are really where it's at). Not one regret, simply the best. </div>
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<a href="https://thehawksmoor.com/">The Hawksmoor </a>- All over the place<br />
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So, well, that sums up my first post in about 5 years, and I tell you, it's a lot harder than I remember. Expect another instalment soon(ish).tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-57371374912111017062014-04-12T19:46:00.001+01:002020-01-03T09:15:22.512+00:00Cafe Murano, Mayfair<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Mother's Day lunch at Cafe Murano with the family. </div>
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A variety of starters. Most were good. Light fritto misto and faultless arancini. Can't say I enjoyed the octopus dish much though. </div>
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Mums pork. She liked it. I liked the taste I had of it. </div>
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My pasta. Oh my. White broccoli, mint and something else, I can't remember. This pasta was stunning. </div>
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<b>VERDICT - </b>Not bad. It's not the cheapest place you will ever eat, but I've become a little obsessed with that pasta dish. I've been getting major yearnings, and I need to go back soon. </div>
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tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com033 St James's St, St. James's, London SW1A 1HD, UK51.5071994 -0.1396823000000040331.0651129 -41.4482763 71.949285899999992 41.168911699999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-66390543817593418432014-04-12T19:30:00.001+01:002020-01-02T19:36:50.612+00:00Smokehouse, Islington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A first visit to Smokehouse. A catch up with some of oldest friends in the world. </div>
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Yeah, I would eat everything on this. </div>
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Duck spring rolls</div>
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Shin of beef. A ridiculous amount of meat made more ridiculous by a few bonus bits of beef cheek. </div>
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I wisely didn't attempt the beast. I went for the pork "sphere" instead. </div>
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Shin bone. Quite large. </div>
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Double decker pie</div>
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<b>VERDICT - </b>Put simply, my friends and I really enjoyed ourselves. Uncomplicated hearty food, perfectly executed. A meat lovers paradise. </div>
tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-53919794581057384672014-02-02T22:47:00.002+00:002020-01-03T09:16:45.234+00:00Peckham Bazaar and Kimchinary [CLOSED]<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/10983235804/player/6a6ce0eaab" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Truffle hunting in Alba</span><br />
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It's been a little while since I booted Blogger up and got anything down on e-paper. I can't lie, the time away from the blog has been refreshing and I've spent a lot of it visiting other places including Berlin, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and a great trip out to Italy, taking in Alba and Florence. Travelling aside, I've also begun to enjoy eating out again, which was a great relief. London is full of great restaurants and dining experiences but sometimes I get a little overwhelmed with the choice and mostly, the expectation and fear of wasting my hard earned cash. One thing I've started to learn is if you look hard enough for it, the next great eat is just around the corner.</div>
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Take Peckham Bazaar for example, which in my case, is actually around the corner and is by all means, rather great. Located off a back street of Peckham, it's non-descript at best. A DIY grill shack out the front and a functional unremarkable main dining room. If you weren't aware of the delights that come off that grill, many would just walk past thinking it another one of Peckham's mystery restaurants.</div>
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However, walking by would be a mistake. Serving an array of Balkan inspired dishes from Albanian head chef, Jon Galienka, what you get is a stunning touch from the grill and zesty vegetable accompaniments. Amongst the dishes not to be missed are the quail and the octopus, but in all fairness, I have been a few times now and you would struggle to hit a dud dish. Without this blog and twitter, I would never have met Donald, who is one of the brains behind this project, and would probably never have made the effort to visit this remote area of Peckham. Please make the effort, you will be rewarded.</div>
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<a href="http://peckhambazaar.com/"><b>Peckham Bazaar</b></a> - 119 Consort Road, London SE15 3RU<br />
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Another great bonus of writing the blog is that you meet people who care as much about food as I do. From the people who will queue in the wind and rain for a bite, to the people tirelessly working in the cold, it is often at the street food markets that you find the most hardened food lovers. As the weather gets worse, a few of Londons' street food sellers have found themselves with indoor residencies. Kimchinary, one of my favourites selling a hybrid of Korean and Mexican food (think down the taco route) has moved into Catch on the Kingsland road, bringing a new menu and some stunning new additions.</div>
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Invited along to the launch, I got to catch up with a number of foodie friends, some old and some new, and we tasted a number of dishes off the menu. Lightly fried chicken tacos, squid with a pineapple relish and a bulgogi and kimchee combination all came piled high on hand pressed corn tacos. Dukbokki (or rice cakes) arrived in a bowl slathered in a dark sweet, spicy, sticky sauce. This dish relies on the pleasing texture of the slightly yielding rice cakes, with a slight crunch from delicate frying. So moreish, I was sent by my tablemates to hunt out more. Kimchinary will be hanging out at Catch for the next three months, so I encourage to get down there for a few tacos, washed down with a few margaritas.</div>
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<a href="http://www.thecatchbar.com/#/foodbbd/"><b>Kimchinary @ Catch</b></a> - 22 Kingsland Road,Shoreditch, London E2 8DA<br />
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So there it is, my first blog post in about six months. Hope you guys enjoyed.tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-32053914410260624692013-08-24T19:09:00.000+01:002020-01-03T09:17:54.769+00:00The Clove Club - The end product<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I've been thinking of how to open this post about The Clove Club. About how it all started 3 years ago with three very talented chefs, and how I've intently followed their progress through a variety of popups that they have done. It would be an understatement to say that I've been a fan of their work. I feel a little sad that there is just Isaac McHale left of the original three Young Turks, but thankfully the food is as great as ever. Partnering up with co-collaborators of their stint at the Ten Bells, the Clove Club was born.</div>
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The menu rotates regularly, but some of the old Young Turk favourites are ever present. Their signature buttermilk pine fried chicken is still as succulent and as flavoursome as ever, with subtle Asian flairs, such as their excellent gojuchang (a Korean chilli paste) mayonnaise also making an appearance on my last visit. But they don't just rely on these interesting combination of flavours, it's the superb cooking where they really excel. </div>
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Take our main of a rather special Lincolnshire chicken. Each bite released juice from the meat like a sponge, coating your mouth in pure chicken essence. Part of this came from the frankly excellent chicken that they use, but also the ridiculous methods taken to maintain as much pure chicken flavour into the dish. Each chicken is not cooked in an oven, but slowly fried in a frying pan for four hours (if my memory serves me right). Crazy method, but I can't fault the end product. Crisp skin, juicy flesh and every piece of the chicken is used, from wing and heart skewers to a chicken foot crisp. </div>
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The main dining room is airy and very white, and is verging on the boundary of being really dull. Somehow, small decorations around the room seem to distract you from it's abject whiteness, and soon the room is abuzz with small groups of people. Somehow, the atmosphere is not lost and with the excellent front of house, the polished food and the gentle hum of people enjoying themselves leads to a very pleasurable experience. One not to be missed.</div>
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<a href="http://thecloveclub.com/"><b>The Clove Club</b></a> - Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old St, London, Greater London EC1V 9LTtehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com1Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old St, Shoreditch, London EC1V 9LT, UK51.5271033 -0.0793407999999544731.085016800000002 -41.387934799999954 71.9691898 41.229253200000045tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-53845031879248894882013-08-01T10:00:00.000+01:002020-01-03T09:21:57.210+00:00Those American Burgers - Five Guys and Shake Shack<div style="text-align: justify;">
Right, I know everyone is bored of talk about burgers. Hell, I know that I am. But the truth is, I was just a little bit excited when I heard Five Guys and Shake Shack were both London bound. Two American heavy weights, ready to duke it out on the streets of Covent Garden, one I had heard little of, the other, responsible for one of my food eureka moments. It was going to be pretty interesting how these emotions translated into foodie fact.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My very own Five Guys hat. Scant reward for rude staff and a ridiculous queuing system.</span></div>
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Now, I won't go into the farce of opening day at Five Guys and what madness consumed me to join the queue at lunchtime, but I did and I regret it. The end product, a big greasy mess. Honestly though, it wasn't terrible. I liked the fact that you can pretty much add as many toppings as you want, but with such small patties, overloading these burgers with "stuff" will overpower any beef flavour into oblivion. The fries, nice enough and the cajon seasoning a nice differential, but at over a tenner for a burger and chips, I can't help feeling I'm being just a little bit ripped off. The magic 100 flavour drinks machine is a nice touch and very much a redeeming feature. If you're a soda junkie, come with £2.50 and go wild (<a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/10/soda-we-try-all-100-flavors-from-the-coke-freestyle-machine.html" target="_blank">a bit like these guys</a>). Getting any type of grape soda is very welcome.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/9239920891/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/9239920891_a94e19a798.jpg" height="375" width="500"></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/9388547512/" title="Shake Shack by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Shake Shack" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/9388547512_c57c1708b7.jpg" height="500" width="375"></a></div>
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I remember my first Shake Shack vividly. Waiting just a few minutes in a balmy Madison Square park, hiked back to my cousins flat in the Flat Iron district just a few minutes away and a burger moment at her dining table. This was the way a burger chain was meant to make burgers. Of course, that was a good 5 years ago now, and Londons burger landscape has changed. Swinging by on a Monday at about half 6, there was little to no queue, and a pretty quick twenty minutes later, I was sat in the Piazza with a Shake Burger, cheesy fries and a 50/50 (half ice tea, half lemonade). Now, I'm not going to lie, there was no wow moment. There wasn't even a little woo moment. It was just a pleasant greasy fast food burger. No Hoo's and no Ray's. I went back a few days later with my sister, and opted for a hot dog with a frozen custard. Much better, and if you're talking USP's, the frozen custard is killer and the cheesy crinkle cut fries are great. </div>
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So there it is, two enjoyable but essentially average and over priced burgers. I think us Londoners are pretty blessed when it comes to burgers. The likes of Patty and Bun, Lucky Chip, Honest and Meat Liquor may have taken their influences from the US, but they are very much made in Britain and much the better for it. They may not be everything Americans look for in a burger, but I think are doing a pretty stand up job of satisfying us Brits.</div>
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<a href="http://fiveguys.co.uk/"><b>Five Guys</b></a> - 1-3 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LH</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1745997/restaurant/Covent-Garden/Five-Guys-Burgers-Fries-London"><img alt="Five Guys Burgers & Fries on Urbanspoon" src="https://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1745997/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;"></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.shakeshack.com/location/london-covent-garden/"><b>Shake Shack</b></a> - 24 Market Building, The Piazza, London WC2E 8RD</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1755887/restaurant/Covent-Garden/Shake-Shack-London"><img alt="Shake Shack on Urbanspoon" src="https://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1755887/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;"></a></div>
tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-84899094606576324272013-07-28T21:58:00.000+01:002020-01-02T19:41:44.747+00:00Breathing fresh air into Fifteen [CLOSED]<div style="text-align: center;">
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A couple of months back, I was asked if I wanted to come try out Fifteens new menu. New head chef, new place, new approach to their food. Away went the "Italian" focused menu, and in came something with a much more British focus, unsurprising given that head chef John Rotherham's previous employment was at none other than the sadly now defunct St John Hotel.</div>
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Each dish embraces no more than a few ingredients, used intelligently together to highlight the flavours of the other. With lots of the very much sharing focused menu under ten pounds, we kind of went wild. Asparagus came draped with a perfect fried egg and shavings of truffles, slivers of fatty middlewhite pork lifted by pickled fennel and creamy pink fir potatoes scattered with rich Lincolnshire Poacher and wild garlic.</div>
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Best of all, a crispy fried quail, battered in a light crust the Colonel could only dream of, served simply with a few blobs of umami packed mushroom ketchup. And chicken butter! Wow, seriously, all butter should be whipped with chicken fat and laced with crisp fried skin. As you can imagine, I rather enjoyed it all.</div>
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The new Fifteen may not be that new any more, but if the food is like it was when I visited a few months back, you'll be experiencing new fantastic flavour combinations from a restaurant with a new lease of life. Leave any preconceptions at the door and go.</div>
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<a href="http://www.fifteen.net/"><b>Fifteen</b></a> - 15 Westland Place, London N1 7LPtehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-84593870396888815032013-07-08T21:39:00.002+01:002020-01-03T10:24:18.023+00:00Bird of Smithfield abridged and in pictures<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/9243025240/" title="Bird of Smithfield by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Bird of Smithfield" height="375" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/9243025240_67d4f2ce69.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Bird</i></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Move over "Dude Food", Modern British seems to be taking over the London restaurant landscape. With a glut of chefs seemingly moving on from the old school British institutions such as the Ivy and St John, we see them trying to reinvent themselves and embrace what they love most. This can only be a good thing. At Bird, an ex Soho House alumni, expect the best of British produce updated in it's elegant upstairs dining room.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/9243038816/" title="Bird of Smithfield by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Bird of Smithfield" height="375" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7281/9243038816_3cee6ee886.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/9240277093/" title="Bird of Smithfield by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Bird of Smithfield" height="500" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/9240277093_cfb6182f29.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Settling on Bird for my birthday lunch with one of my oldest friends, we enjoyed some elegant to some frankly excellent dishes. A simple Barkham blue cheese salad was elevated with the bitter notes of radicchio and chicory, with a sweet crunch from the candied walnuts. Pig cheeks were sadly chewy and tough, although they were the one bum note from all we ordered. My duck with cherry and beetroot may well be one of the best dishes I have eaten this year. Earthy and sweet with lip-smackingly succulent duck. The child in us got secretly very excited at the mention of a banoffee sundae special, so two were immediately ordered and despatched. </div>
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The staff were absolutely delightful, although trying to get their attention in their strangely sectioned off dining room proved challenging at times. All being said, the £40 a head we paid (sans booze) was decent enough, and whilst not necessarily good value, it was definitely good eating. It was raining when we went, but if you're enjoying this pretty great weather we are having right now, they also have a great rooftop bar.</div>
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<a href="http://birdofsmithfield.com/"><b>Bird of Smithfield</b></a> - 26 Smithfield Street London EC1A 9LB<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1748644/restaurant/Farringdon/Bird-of-Smithfield-London"><img alt="Bird of Smithfield on Urbanspoon" src="https://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1748644/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/116995/Bird_of_Smithfield?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Bird of Smithfield"><img alt="Square Meal" height="27" src="https://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/116995/get-blog-review/image/small.png" width="160" /></a>tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-13610487915228940342013-06-09T22:40:00.002+01:002021-11-10T08:09:58.867+00:00Salon - A truly British affair<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8997497797/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8121/8997497797_22cff8ee31.jpg" height="375" width="500"></a></div>
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One of my favourite places in London is the Granville arcade, better known as Brixton Market, leading into the hotbed of great little food restaurants, Brixton Village. I have spent many hours wandering these hallways trying bites of food at the many food stalls lining the arcade, generally getting lost in the feeding frenzy as others swarm around you with similar ideas. This group of restaurateurs continues to grow, and one of the newer additions is Salon, a small dining room located above Cannon & Cannon (a British deli) cooking up food with a very fresh and mostly British focus. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8998683656/" title="Menu @ Salon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Menu @ Salon" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8551/8998683656_24678e769f.jpg" height="500" width="375"></a></div>
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The dining room is minimal and quite bare, but the hospitality of the chefs/front of house was enough to warm up any room up. As it was a Tuesday night when I visited, the team behind Salon were trialling a nightly weekday dinner (as opposed to just Thursday to Saturday), with just two people manning the dining room. Every night, Salon offers a four course £29 dinner menu, formed from whatever produce has been brought daily, very much at the center of each dish, with a matching wine menu for £20 a head if you fancy a bit of booze. We sat and perused what was to come and beamed when we saw the menu was filled with seasonal treats such as asparagus, peas and strawberries. </div>
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First up, little croquettas of chorizo. Lightly fried and stuffed with a smooth chorizo bechamel, tasty little morsels getting my tastebuds going. The first course in earnest was a delightfully light combination of cured mutton, peas and burnt lettuce. It's strange to try and pick out all the nuances of such a seemingly straightforward dish, but a lot of thought has clearly gone into this. The gamy mutton, the slight bitter edge from the burnt lettuce, the smooth pea puree and the vegetal hit from the podded peas, a lovely combination of flavours. </div>
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Course two was another fresh and light dish. Home made ricotta a creamy foil to spears of sweet asparagus, scattered with a few toasted hazelnuts for good measure. Nasturtium leaves completed the dish, adding a peppery bite to proceedings. This dish is never going to win any awards for gastronomy or technique, but everything was well cooked and assembled, and the end product was a great reflection of Britain and it's seasons on a plate.</div>
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By this stage, I had already fallen in love a little with Salon. The room had begun to fill, there was plenty of chat with my dining partners who I hadn't seen in a while and probably why I didn't really notice that the speed of service had dropped off a bit. By the time the main arrived, all was forgotten. Tender slices of Dexter beef skirt sat on a mound of root vegetable puree (probably celeriac, but I forget), lifted by raw and pickled radishes. Whilst all the other dishes were essentially assembled, this required some decent cooking, and the beef arrived pink and tender, with a smooth puree. The only bit of greenery arrived as a solitary piece of the advertised mustard leaf, which I can't say I really loved a whole deal.</div>
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Finishing it all off was an ensemble of lemon curd, crumble and strawberries. Not the prettiest dessert to look at, but the strawberries were slightly macerated bringing out all their natural sweetness, a perfect foil for the tart lemon. Little nuggets of crunchy sweet crumble and shards of honeycomb brought together quite an unusual contrast in flavours and textures.</div>
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Salon epitomises a lot of what I find great about food right now. Uncomplicated dishes, produce led and well cooked. Is there anything more pleasing than popping a freshly shelled pea in your mouth or savouring a well cooked piece of meat? Salon may not be the most gastronomic experience, but what it delivers out of it's tiny kitchen is unfussy and packed with clean flavours. Great food, fine wine and a laidback attitude, a perfect place a to while away the evening.</div>
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<i>This write up was sponsored by <a href="http://advice.uk.match.com/uk-dating/london-dating">Match.com</a>. They wanted to find interesting places to take a date, and after my visit, I think Salon would be a pretty decent venue.</i></div>
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<b>Salon</b></a> - 18 Market Row, Atlantic Rd, London SW9 8JB</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1734450/restaurant/Brixton/Salon-London"><img alt="Salon on Urbanspoon" src="https://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1734450/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;"></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/115421/Salon?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Salon"><img alt="Square Meal" src="https://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/115421/get-blog-review/image/mini.png" height="15" width="104"></a></div>
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tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-24654905477590596522013-05-27T21:32:00.000+01:002013-07-28T22:52:21.692+01:00Food and Tech - Playing with the Nokia at the Social Eating House<div style="text-align: justify;">
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When it comes to keeping me happy, I'm pretty easy. Throw me some gadgets, feed me some food and I'm as happy as a pig in muck. When the PR for Windows Phone came knocking asking if I wanted to play with their new phone and eat at the not-yet-open Social Eating House, I jumped at the chance. I've been on iPhone since the beginning but have been seriously been considering a move away to the newer, more innovative platforms. As for Social Eating House, it's basically yet another brasserie with a British twist, but it is the newest opening from Jason Atherton so always worth checking out.</div>
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Starting out at the Soho Hotel, we ran through the setup and met the men behind the Windows Phone operating system and Nokia. As you would imagine, they were pretty passionate about the product and ran through a sequence of pretty cool features. In built sat nav with free downloadable global maps, augmented reality recommendations around you, a rather smart interface with plenty of flexibility. There was no denying, there was a lot of thought put into the flow and design of the interface, and there are enough gadgets to keep any geek happy. However, the main focus of the event was the camera. Boasting a Carl Zeiss lens with what Nokia call PureView, it has in built stabilisation to help you out with tricky low light shots or shots on the move. Social Eating House would be a perfect testing ground.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8858326084/" title="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House" height="281" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/8858326084_d568d61179.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Social Eating House is a lot more casual than it's predecessor on Pollen Street. Lots of bare brick walls and moody lighting abound, all very current for the London dining scene and tricky when it comes to taking pictures. As we played with the settings on the phone, I guess the one time where it was acceptable to play with your phone at the dining table, jars with mixed contents. I really don't love this 'jars' concept. They are fiddly to eat out of and I can't even imagine how hard it would be to try and 'plate' these up. All that having been said, I managed to get a few tastes of the spiced aubergine and mackerel tartare, which were both decent enough. The third of salt cod brandade was the stand out and delicious, I was just disappointed that the contents of the jar were so small.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8858328866/" title="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House" height="281" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3731/8858328866_b60543ac55.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The starters menu all sounded very decent, but the Duck "Smoked ham, egg and chips" stood out for me. Soon enough, slivers of delicious duck ham, a deep fried breaded egg with an oozy yolk and a few tiny chips acting as soldiers arrived on a wooden board. There's not much to say about this. The duck ham was meaty and slightly gamy, the egg was well cooked, and the chips were too small and too sparse. On the whole, nice enough dish, but really nothing that special to me. Other starters were better in my opinion. A steamed bag of ceps added plenty of theatre, and when the bag was opened, the smell was intoxicating and had me salivating from two seats down. Probably best of the lot, octopus carpaccio with orange and black olive, a great balance of flavours and the most elegantly presented.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8857725519/" title="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House" height="281" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5346/8857725519_f625db46d5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I have a terrible compulsion not to order what others had already ordered, always bowing to the curiosity of what the other dishes would be like. In this scenario, I ended up with the onglet, which is something I have grown to love and I was definitely looking forward to it. What arrived was confusing. First, another wooden block (they seem to love serving things here on wooden boards) with my rather small looking piece of meat. Next, two separate sauce boats with a Bearnaise in one and a peppercorn in the other. Alongside, a little metal bucket containing my chips and rounding this off, a bowl of salad. By the time all my accoutrements for my meal had turned up, it took up half the table. I did my best effort at plating up my own dish, and all components were decent enough, although I can't really say any of it was particularly special.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8858336296/" title="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Windows Phone event at Social Eating House" height="281" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/8858336296_bb50f7c777.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Desserts were all pretty out there. Pineapple baked in salt and szechuan pepper, London Honey almond sponge with a goats curd ice cream, lemon curd pie with a pepper crust pastry etc... As a big fan of chocolate, I opted for a milk chocolate mousse, praline, choc eclair and a salted caramel ice cream. What arrived was sadly slightly muted, a little bit of mousse and an eclair. By the time I realised that the salted caramel ice cream was inside the eclair, it left it a soggy mess, which was kind of sad.</div>
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As a restaurant, there are flairs of some great things happening in the kitchen, but on the whole, I found most of what I ate well executed, but sadly a little boring. I fully appreciate that this was before it had even officially opened, and there is still plenty to like so it is not to be dismissed. As for playing with the phone, there was a lot about it I liked. I loved the tile interface, the easy access to not just apps, but phone functions, and the interface and the ability to customise is a great advantage. Some of the add ons like the built in travel adviser and sat nav are also of great value. I'm not a massive of the two tone white on black/black on white interface, it looks a bit clunky and I like things neat. As for the camera, the pictures which came out were sharp and actually seemed to work well in low light. The only issue seems to be the white balance, even with the additional features more accustomed to a manual digital camera, the pictures seemed a bit cold. Having said that, it's nothing a little manual editing wouldn't fix and I'm sure an update in the software would do just the same. </div>
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Whether you're using an iphone, android or Windows phone, there is no denying that this is a great bit of kit. It doesn't quite have the polish of the iphone yet, or the flexibility of the android, but it has great potential. </div>
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<i>All photos were taken with the Nokia Lumia 920. I tweaked a few in Flickr. I was invited by the PR for Windows Phone</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.socialeatinghouse.com/" target="_blank"><b>Social Eating House</b></a> - 58 Poland Street, London W1F 7NR</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1737140/restaurant/Soho/The-Social-Eating-House-London"><img alt="The Social Eating House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1737140/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/110081/Social_Eating_House?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Social Eating House"><img alt="Square Meal" height="27" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/110081/get-blog-review/image/small.png" width="160" /></a>tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-24404020677556913722013-05-06T00:48:00.002+01:002013-07-28T22:52:47.611+01:00Ramen, the London Trio - Tonkotsu, Bone Daddies and Shoryu<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before we start, I'm going to lay it out there, I am NOT a ramen expert just a man who has eaten and loved a lot of noodles in his life and can consider myself a noodle fan. Over the last 6 months, London has seen a sudden influx of ramen bars with a focus on the noodle soup, as opposed to relegating this to just another item on the menu. If you aren't acquainted, it is a combination of noodles, rich broth and an array of toppings normally and can be the most wonderful of dishes when executed perfectly. Here is my rundown of three of the Londons finest:</div>
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<b>Bone Daddies Ramen Bar</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8217795068/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8197/8217795068_733036fd3f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I guess you can say that Bonedaddies isn't your average ramen bar. Pumping out rock and roll (at a very acceptable decible level), it's all high tables, stools and shared dining space. The menu itself consists of eight variations, with two core broth varieties, pork and chicken. I've gone through most of the menu here and I normally opt for the Soy Ramen with some add ons (the chashu pork is delicious, but two meat ramen is always better than one meat). </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8217797898/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8348/8217797898_8b56764ea5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The noodles have bounce and are plentiful, swimming within a deep meaty broth. On top, a combination of pork or chicken as well as a variety of bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, corn, nori and mizuna. As you would expect from a chef who used to be head chef at one of the outlets of Nobu and Zuma, each bowl is beautifully presented and once you get into it, builds flavour with every mouthful. And the nitamago egg! Unlike the other ramen outlets, you get both halves of a wonderfully oozy soy infused egg. A joy.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8216710887/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8200/8216710887_9c381683b7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Bone Daddies delivers the full package on flavour and satisfaction. Each bowl is packed to the brim with different flavours and textures, and with the different varieties available as well as the rotating specials, you're never going to get bored. And any write up won't be complete without a hat tip to their fried chicken, soft shell crab and their chilli oil which are all excellent. </div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=786917785571459431">Bone Daddies Ramen Bar</a> - 31 Peter Street, London W1F 0AR, UK</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1713657/restaurant/Soho/Bone-Daddies-London"><img alt="Bone Daddies on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1713657/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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<b>Tonkotsu</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/7420147912/" title="Tonkotsu Ramen by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tonkotsu Ramen" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8166/7420147912_b4a2119fe7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Tonkotsu is an offshoot of the successful Tsuru Sushi restaurants which are based around the city. Normally peddling sushi, katsu curry and a new kara age chicken burger, I was pretty intrigued how their incarnation of ramen would fare.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8451497148/" title="Tonkotsu - Soy Ramen by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tonkotsu - Soy Ramen" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8451497148_63c56ff9e8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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If you're going to name your restaurant after a product, it puts quite a bit of pressure on the product nailing it. Thankfully, the Tonkotsu ramen is a decent incarnation and a very welcoming bowl of noodles. Although early visits were pretty disappointing (weak broth, terrible service, tasteless pork), they seemed to have turned this around as my last visit was pretty good. My preferred option is the plainer soy version, which is still rich and deep in flavour. The tonkotsu can be a little too porky for me and a bit heavy for lunch.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/7420149982/" title="Tonkotsu Ramen by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tonkotsu Ramen" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7420149982_72efdbbb10.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Tonkotsu is good but something seems to be lacking. The ramen is fine, with good broth and good noodles, I just found the toppings a little disappointing, with far less variety, content and ultimately, taste. The sides are also ok, but the chicken kara age is nothing to write home about. Maybe I'm missing something, but I am just not that into Tonkotsu.</div>
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<a href="http://www.tonkotsu.co.uk/"><b>Tonkotsu</b></a> - 63 Dean Street, W1d 4QG</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1687240/restaurant/Soho/Tonkotsu-London"><img alt="Tonkotsu on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1687240/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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<b>Shoryu Ramen</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8560515724/" title="Shoryu, Piccadilly by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Shoryu, Piccadilly" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8112/8560515724_aed0ce4eca.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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So, rounding off this soupy threesome is Shoryu. Arguably, Shoryu can claim to be the most authentic incarnation of a ramen house. Run by those folks across the road (Japan Center) and with a bona fide Japanese chef at the helm, I was fully expecting something great. Unlike the other ramen joints, the menu here is vast. Unlike Bone Daddies with their standard eight or so options, and Tonkotsu with a mere four varieties, Shoryu has more than both of the former combined, a monstrous 14 standard options. Not to mention the vast number of sides and starters too, you've got your work cut out deciding what you're going to have.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8559406373/" title="Shoryu, Piccadilly by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Shoryu, Piccadilly" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8559406373_84e25aca83.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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On my visit, the Hirata buns had to be tried. Much like ramen, these little steamed buns are making their presence felt on the London dining scene. As enjoyable as these were, these didn't quite stack up to the superior versions by street purveyors <a href="http://www.yumbun.co.uk/" target="_blank">Yum Bun</a> or <a href="http://baolondon.com/" target="_blank">Bao</a>. For the novelty of it, we also ordered a side of Chikuwa fishcakes, an odd combination of battered fried fish and cheese. Strange but weirdly moreish.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8559405623/" title="Shoryu, Piccadilly by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Shoryu, Piccadilly" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8559405623_a3c3082279.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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For the main event, I went for the Yuzu Tonkotsu, a pork tonkotsu broth with the added citrusy zest of yuzu. Surprisingly, these were perfect bedfellows, cutting through the rich broth. The toppings were mostly great, with a soft nitamago egg (although only half), pieces of nori, beansprouts and kikurage mushrooms. Sadly, the meat was slightly lacking in flavour, although this was the only real weakpoint to a great bowl of noodles.</div>
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The restaurant was buzzing, although there were a few core issues for me. I enjoyed the ramen, but all the tables and seats were ridiculously close to each other. But probably the biggest bug bear, that damn drum. Every time somebody paid their bill or got seen to their table, BOOM, there goes the drum. It was cute the first time, but after the tenth or so, it was extremely grating. Especially when you're trying to appreciate a perfectly good bowl of noodles.</div>
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<a href="http://www.shoryuramen.com/"><b>Shoryu Ramen</b></a> - 9 Regent St London SW1Y 4LR</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1717785/restaurant/St-Jamess/Shoryu-Ramen-London"><img alt="Shoryu Ramen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1717785/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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<b>VERDICT</b></div>
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So there you have it, three different ramen joints all with their own merits. It's clear that they won't appeal to everyone, with their bonging drums, dark interiors or rock and roll music, but considering where we were six months ago, we now have three ramen joints to choose from and slurp noodles at your convenience. Personally, after much research/slurping, I name Bone Daddies my favourite. I love the place, I love the ambience and most of all, I think their bowls of ramen are the most balanced with quality through toppings, broth and noodles. Well played.</div>
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tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-59698394338337611022013-04-14T22:50:00.000+01:002013-07-28T22:53:26.759+01:00The Mall Tavern: A quirky classic<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8560510790/" title="The Mall Tavern by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Mall Tavern" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8387/8560510790_c8a898d1f7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The London restaurant scene is growing up at an alarming rate, but even with these new openings every week, I find it hard to be drawn in by many of them. You have the burgeoning junk food scene, for example. Let's not try to tart it up as anything else, it's simply delicious filthy food like burgers, hot dogs and fried chicken but not really something I can cope with eating every day. You have the new wave of brasseries, which have strangely ballooned over the last few months (do we really need more than a few brasserie places?). Sadly, I find these astonishingly dull in principle. You have the new wave, trying to put their own stamp on their food, but normally only either offering expensive tasting menus or bar food.</div>
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Deep down, what I really yearn for is somewhere I can sit down and relax, order a reasonably priced beverage and eat good food at my own leisure without feeling over serviced or rushed, which, even with all these new restaurants opening up, I'm finding don't really meet this criteria. Which was probably one of the reasons I was so bowled over by my visit to the Mall Tavern in Notting Hill.</div>
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Hidden just off the high street, the Mall Tavern is a gastro pub with a fully functioning utilitarian bar. This isn't a restaurant masquerading as a gastro pub, this is a pub which serves very good food. They have a variety of beers on draught and even stock proper crisps (for proper, read Monster Munch). Add a dart board and a fruit machine and I would happily settle in for a few hours. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8559399707/" title="The Mall Tavern by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Mall Tavern" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8092/8559399707_9e85160509.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Round the back of the bar is the restaurant area, and although the tables are more well dressed, the service is still casual yet attentive. Service with a more human touch, which sounds like a ridiculous thing to say in principle, but I still find myself enamoured by the less robotic approach, versus those who have a pre-prepared routine which has been drilled into them. The menu is a rarity, every item is something I would genuinely consider ordering. Sadly, with just two of us, that wasn't going to happen, so we had to settle for a beef tea, some deep fried camembert and popcorn chicken to start.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8559399963/" title="The Mall Tavern by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Mall Tavern" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8518/8559399963_34b61dc949.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The Beef Tea was an outright winner, not just for being pure crazy, but it fully delivered on flavour too. Little scones came with a bovril butter with what I think was a bit of fat speckled on top. Add to that a cup of "beef tea" which was actually a consomme packing in the essence of cow. This was an assault on the eyes, the brain and all my senses. Rock and roll.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8560509532/" title="The Mall Tavern by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Mall Tavern" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8516/8560509532_259331d271.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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You can never go wrong with deep fried triangles of oozy cheese served with a sharp, tangy yet sweet cranberry sauce (never). Perfectly executed and greaseless. Popcorn chicken were moist morsels of chicken, battered and fried to a crunch, but still managing to retain moisture. I loved the peppery cress and the actual popcorn all thrown together. Witty, but mostly tasty.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8559401433/" title="The Mall Tavern by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Mall Tavern" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8559401433_fee1cc34f1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The mains were an even more difficult decision. With my friend settling on the ever present house chicken kyiv (an all time favourite dish of mine) I plumped for the intriguing pork and pickles dish. After the highs of the starters, it would have been a shame had the mains not stacked up, but I needn't have worried. The pork loin was wonderfully cooked, and those mustard and paprika pickled vegetables cut through the rich pig perfectly. The little crubeen on the side (a little piggy croquette essentially) was packed with fatty pig meat which just coated your mouth in the best possible way. As much as I felt jealous of my friend, I had no arguments with my own dish.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8560510648/" title="The Mall Tavern by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Mall Tavern" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8095/8560510648_7c8b31f410.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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As you can probably imagine, we were stuffed by now, but couldn't leave without having a taste of the house arctic rolls. These may seem like an ordinary retro dessert to you, but at the Mall Tavern, they introduce five or six different choices every evening. On this occasion, we settled for one original, one slice of the black stuff and one red bull. The first was jam, sponge and vanilla ice cream, exactly what you would expect and perfectly nice. The second ramps up the crazy a notch and combined a dark malty sponge with Guinness ice cream, which was by far and away the winner. The red bull had to be ordered for the pure novelty, and although it didn't really taste of red bull (it tasted more like bubblegum), it was pretty decent and a great way to end the meal.</div>
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Yes, as you can tell, I love the Mall Tavern. But why not? The food doesn't take itself too seriously and doesn't stick to retro or modern, it just sticks to "being great". I loved the inventive little touches to the dishes we tried, and as intimated at the beginning, I think I could have closed my eyes and stuck a pin into each section and still come away with a fantastic meal. I can't recommend it highly enough.</div>
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<a href="http://www.themalltavern.com/"><b>The Mall Tavern</b></a> - 71-73 Palace Gardens Terrace, Notting Hill Gate, London, W8 4RU</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/566568/restaurant/London/Mall-Tavern-Kensington"><img alt="Mall Tavern on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/566568/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/104142/Mall_Tavern?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Mall Tavern"><img alt="Square Meal" height="90" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/104142/get-blog-review/image/medium.png" width="170" /></a></div>
tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-58205046849955973362013-03-29T10:00:00.000+00:002013-07-28T22:51:31.121+01:00The American Invasion continues: The Electric Diner, Portobello<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381527746/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8381527746_e98fb5617f.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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It seems there is no stopping the American invasion. It's been a juggernaut since last year where parts of the London restaurant scene are starting to resemble New York, from Wolfgang Puck (Cut) and Serge Becker (La Bodega Negra) who opened last year to Keith McNally (Balthazar) and Brendan Sodikoff of the Electric Diner who have been more recent additions. Whisper it, we still have David Meyer and his Shake Shack looming over Covent Garden in the very near future. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380448193/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8494/8380448193_56dccc1138.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The Electric "Complex" (let's call it) comprises of the cinema, the diner, the members bar and the little doughnut shop which sits in the cinema lobby. Affected by a fire in June 2012, it took another six months before it was restored and revamped. The Diner itself, with Sodikoff brought in to consult, started to serve tarted up American Diner food. Think sandwiches (which basically covers everything which involves bread), things served with eggs and a variety of other things cooked on their grill.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380448467/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8054/8380448467_a00f5b7eca.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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We ordered a lot, which seems to be the case whenever I am involved. From the 'sandwiches' section, the bologna sandwich, a towering testament to slices of meat on bread. It came highly recommended and whilst enjoyable, I couldn't help but think that I would have rather tried one of their signature single/double burgers.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380449791/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8237/8380449791_1a8061e550.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Much better was the duck hash from the 'egg' side of the menu. Crispy potato hash topped with shredded duck confit and a sunny side up fried duck egg. With the Americanised 'gravy' on top (more of a ducky bechamel), the whole ensemble is extremely rich but just drags you back. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381529054/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8048/8381529054_7c8bcdd43b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The dishes from the grill were kind of ridiculous. Best of all was the flat iron chicken, a huge hunk of flattened out chicken cooked on the smoking hot flat iron. Cooked perfectly even throughout and lubricated with garlic jus, this was one of the most addictive pieces of chicken I have ever eaten. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380449281/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8494/8380449281_bb91dc2d85.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I mean, just look at it. I wish I had something to sit alongside it to show quite how large it was. The flavour of the pork was spot on, the slow roasted apples the perfect accompaniment, although my only qualm was how tough the overall turned out. It's not easy cooking a piece of meat like that to order, and the outcome was a slightly chewy piece of meat. Still, no major complaints, it was another enjoyable dish.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380449937/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8380449937_c7781271e1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Despite ordering a few other dishes (a salad and a side of crisp bacon), we tried a few desserts too. A chocolate pie was nice enough, but the coconut pie was just fantastic. A berry compote with lemon curd was enjoyable, a classic combination of sweet and sour, and I can't resist ordering a root beer float if it's on the menu, even if it was listed as a dessert and not just a drink (there was a lot of ice cream). </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381530846/" title="The Electric Diner by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Electric Diner" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8054/8381530846_7b38024576.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Sadly, there were none of their well praised doughnuts available, but at this stage, even the faint whisper of any food turned my stomach. We were shown around the rest of the complex, from a glimpse of the bar to the impressive Electric cinema. The Electric Diner is far from perfect, but theres's no denying that it's a good eat and you're not going to leave hungry. I for one salute the American influx. London was slightly lacking in these middle of the road places to eat, and places like the Electric Diner fit into that middle space nicely with cocktails and good comfort food. Well worth a visit, and why don't you catch a film in probably the most beautiful cinema I have seen for afters.</div>
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<i>*I was invited along to the Electric Diner and had dinner with their PR as well as a few others*</i><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.electricdiner.com/">The Electric Diner</a> </b>- 191 Portobello Road, London, W11 2ED<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1717249/restaurant/Notting-Hill/Electric-Diner-London"><img alt="Electric Diner on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1717249/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/81472/The_Electric_Diner?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of The Electric Diner"><img alt="Square Meal" height="27" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/81472/get-blog-review/image/small.png" width="160" /></a>tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0The Electric Diner51.5155317 -0.205089799999996151.5149142 -0.2063502999999961 51.516149199999994 -0.20382929999999611tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-78871329022825689512013-03-26T00:47:00.000+00:002013-04-02T14:06:23.200+01:00Old School Chinatown - HK Diner<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8583958676/" title="IMG_1081 by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1081" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8087/8583958676_6237a55a97.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Chinatown holds a lot of fond memories for me. When I first moved to London, I remember the Sunday trips my family and I used to make. Dim Sum at New World and the weekly shop for ingredients at either New Loon Moon or Loon Fung supermarkets (both institutions in their own right), with a special treat of haw flakes or boxes of weird biscuits containing mini robots if we behaved ourselves. For an 8 year old child, weekends built up to these days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As an adult, I wrote my dissertation on Chinatown, documenting the shift from being a cultural center for the London Chinese to a tourist center for the London tourists. I even worked on Wardour st to fund my university days, popping into Wong Kei for cheeky roast meats on rice. You could say I'm quite connected. Over the years, Chinatown has changed a lot, with premises seemingly changing names as often and inevitable as the seasons. One of the few constants has been HK Diner, an institution on Wardour Street, packed equally with local young Chinese students and the older generation alike.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Serving strictly Cantonese food, I hurtled in with a few of my friends and was lucky enough to stroll straight to a table. Navigating the menu in any Cantonese restaurant can often be a minefield, faced with a myriad of choices all sounding a little like the last. Playing it safe, I palmed off ordering duties to my friend who is a little more versed in Cantonese food than I am and awaited the impending feast.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There must be some sort of unwritten three point code of conduct within the restaurants of Chinatown:</div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Surly staff</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">All the food will turn up when it's ready</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">It's not going to break the bank</li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;">'Tick" point one. Although the staff weren't rude unlike some of it's neighbours, they took our order without so much as an upward glance. Rushing about the tables, there is an air of efficiency with a whiff of sterility. This is not a place where you are expected to hang around. All being said, the food arrived quickly and certainly lived up to it's reputation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">First up was some jellyfish. Most people who have never eaten jellyfish may balk at the idea of chowing down on jellyfish but it's really more of a texture than a flavour. Think a soft rubber band often doused in sesame oil. Still probably not sounding that appealing, but I am rather fond of it, it's well worth a try and the version at HK Diner had a hint of sweet chilli to it which wasn't displeasing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8583940586/" title="Beef Ho Fun by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Beef Ho Fun" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8507/8583940586_646aa03d57.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Hot on the heels of the jellyfish came the beef ho fun. Flat noodles, slices of beef and bean sprouts cooked in a really hot wok. Simplicity itself, but it's the heat of the industrial wok which seems to reach ridiculous temperatures and impart that deep smoky flavour which really makes the dish.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not really all that fond of tofu. It's bland and the texture is so soft that I rarely see the addition of tofu adding anything to most dishes. On the other hand, stuff it with mince pork and then frying it just about makes it palatable. Dousing it in a garlic and oyster heavy sauce and it becomes a joy. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8583945996/" title="IMG_1077 by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1077" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8089/8583945996_bbbe65bfd1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">I find it hard to resist ordering some roast meats the second I venture into the borders of Chinatown, so an obligatory portion of roast duck was up next. Roast Duck, roast pork and rice was my go to comfort food when I started writing this blog and it's been a while since I rated a new contender. This one was pretty decent and served without bones if requested, something I am fond of.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8583949684/" title="Pea Shoots by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Pea Shoots" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8379/8583949684_757bcaed88.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Pea shoots are probably the most expensive of the veggies available, but there's something about that tender stem vegetable stir fried in a little garlic which I just can't resist. I do get horrified at the cost of vegetables in Chinese restaurants (this one weighed in at about £7 a portion) but it's well worth an order for it's delicate flavour and texture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8582851619/" title="Pork Belly and Preserved cabbage by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Pork Belly and Preserved cabbage" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8101/8582851619_52968d89fb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Pork belly and preserved cabbage is one of those more traditional Cantonese dishes and is packed with flavour. This generous portion is packed with sauce you just want to smother all over your rice, the preserved cabbage adding a pleasing sourness which helps cut through the rich pork fat of the belly. Moreish.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8582854491/" title="IMG_1080 by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1080" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8582854491_502c5ab48c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Last but not least, a wobbly comforting steamed egg. Combining standard eggs, century eggs (which are dark in colour and add a slightly chalkier texture) and salted egg yolks, this is simply steamed and served with a bit of soy. The subtle contrast in textures of the egg, combined with the bursts of flavour from the salted egg yolks combine to form an incredibly satisfying and comforting dish.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HK Diner is one of the few restaurants which seems to have stood the test of time. It isn't going to win any awards for it's food, but it's decent and enjoyable and for around £20 a head, you can eat enough food to fill you beyond capacity (tick list point 3).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>*This post was sponsored by Cox and Kings as part of their Chinatown review challenge. Check them out, they put together some pretty great <a href="http://www.coxandkings.co.uk/far-east/china">holidays to China</a> amongst other places*</i></div><br />
<a href="http://www.hkdiner.com/"><b>HK Diner</b></a> - 22 Wardour Street, London W1D 6QQ<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/564800/restaurant/London/Chinatown/HK-Diner-Soho"><img alt="HK Diner on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/564800/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
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tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-36278254709002328642013-02-25T00:21:00.001+00:002013-02-25T00:21:14.443+00:00"What I Ate Weekly" 3/4 - Illness, Chinese New Year and a truly Quality Chop House<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8505532078/" title="Chinese New Year by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Chinese New Year" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8506/8505532078_9c0e394efe.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Being sick doesn't half know how to put a dampener on things. Snivelling, coughing, sneezing, complaining that my throat hurts ALL the time. But these are not the worst thing about being ill, not even close. It's the lack of appetite, an idea so alien to me that it took a virus to remind me how utterly depressing not wanting to eat is.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8450408037/" title="Four Roses Bar by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Four Roses Bar" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8367/8450408037_2c501576c7.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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So that is why there is no week 3, it was pretty much a write off with one highlight, a dinner at the Old Quality Chop House. After a few drinks at the new Four Roses popup bar under the <a href="http://www.thezettertownhouse.com/" target="_blank">Zetter Townhouse</a> (up there with my favourite bars in London), I headed with the venerable <a href="http://www.ginmonkey.co.uk/">Gin Monkey</a> for some food to mop up the bourbon.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8451491476/" title="Quality Chop House by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Quality Chop House" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8374/8451491476_99b2312f4c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I wasn't really sure what to expect, its previous incarnation was a restaurant selling meatballs which I previously hadn't heard particular great things about. This version seems to have strong British and Italian influences. Sharing a plate of charcuterie to start set the whole meal off on a good footing. Delicious cured meats, but hardly genius cooking. Morcilla and apple sauce may not have been the prettiest thing to look at but was also extremely moreish, with the apple compote not too sweet and breaking up the richness of that blood sausage perfectly.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8451492066/" title="Quality Chop House by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Quality Chop House" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8451492066_d26e2864ed.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Where the Quality Chop house really came into it's element was the meat. The longhorn fillet may not have been cheap, but was cooked to medium rare perfection. Served with watercress, nuggets of bone marrow and a pickled walnut, each mouthful was a joy. Even the nuggets of bone marrow that I have never been that fond of injected that little depth of beefy flavour. The Quality Chop house is a great place, and even though we only ate in the bar area, I look forward to going back to try out their ever changing set menu in the dining room.</div>
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<b><a href="http://thequalitychophouse.com/">The Quality Chop House</a> </b>- 94 Farringdon Rd, London, Greater London EC1R 3EA<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1730701/restaurant/London/Clerkenwell/The-Quality-Chop-House-City-of-London"><img alt="The Quality Chop House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1730701/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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So, the on-set of sickness hit and I managed to miss two eagerly anticipated meals. One was a leaving party at the institution that is <a href="http://www.tayyabs.co.uk/">Tayyabs</a> (if you ever need some fantastic curries and grilled meats, this is the place) and the launch of <a href="http://melba.co/">Melba</a> (a new platform to find and eat at some of Londons supperclubs). Thankfully come Sunday, I had managed to get take a break from generally feeling crap to spend Chinese New Year with my family.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8504423335/" title="Mandarin Kitchen by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Mandarin Kitchen" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8243/8504423335_eb1ccf6bae.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Every year, we end up at the same restaurant, Mandarin Kitchen in Bayswater. Our family have been coming here regularly over the last 20 years and I think you would struggle to find a better version of lobster noodles or aromatic duck in London. Some of the other things it does well here are their deep fried baby squid (packed with chilli and garlic, and one of my favourite things in London), their dry fried chicken, chilli and onion dish, and maybe best of all, their off the menu truffle, mushroom and tofu special, which is indeed very special. Rounding off all the food, the traditional Yee Sang, a raw salmon and jellyfish salad with all sorts of other bits and pieces, flung into the air by all at the table and cheered with gusto to see in the year of the Black Water Snake.</div>
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Mandarin Kitchen - 4-16 Queensway, Paddington, London W2 3RX<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/566597/restaurant/London/Mandarin-Kitchen-Bayswater"><img alt="Mandarin Kitchen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/566597/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8504425799/" title="Danny Trejo - Lucky Chip by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Danny Trejo - Lucky Chip" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8241/8504425799_b0c210d1b8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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One of the best burgers you're going to find in London can be found at <a href="http://www.luckychipuk.com/" target="_blank">Lucky Chip</a>, a successful convert from mobile burger shack to bricks and mortar. From Netil Market to a semi-perm residency at the Sebright Arms in Hackney, you can gorge on fries in many guises (truffle oil, cheese, chilli, all of the above, not forgetting the wasabi and ginger mayo version) and burgers named after movie stars. The special on the night, a Danny Trejo, was a punchy mix of jalapeno, bacon and sour cream amongst other things, and will set you back just under a tenner. I would go as far to say as Lucky Chip are currently best in class and unmissable if you love burgers.</div>
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Carrying on the Chinese New Year celebrations, a feast at Goldmine with friends. Located in the heart of Londons 2nd Chinatown (the Bayswater/Queensway area is awash with great Chinese restaurants), we feasted on all sorts of great Cantonese fare. Steamed egg three ways was a new dish on me, and a perfect banqueting dish. Best of all is their roast duck, a "signature" dish of so many Cantonese restaurants. Here, the meat is moist, tender and roasted to perfection. Rumour has it that students heading back to the East come here to take some duck home then, vac packed on site. If that isn't endorsement enough, I'm not sure what is.</div>
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<b>Goldmine</b> - 102 Queensway, Paddington, London W2 3RR<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/564227/restaurant/London/Gold-Mine-Bayswater"><img alt="Gold Mine on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/564227/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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So there it is, a fortnight punctuated by illness but book ended by good eats. Hope you enjoyed.<br />
<br />tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-50453276877513382672013-02-17T23:19:00.000+00:002013-02-17T23:19:38.922+00:00Vigo, where it's all about the fish...(Day 1)<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381507428/" title="Vigo by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Vigo" height="271" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8354/8381507428_c9da5d69e8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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At the end of last year, I got an email asking me if I wanted to go to Spain and learn a bit more about Galicia. Initial reaction, was this a joke? Secondary reaction, where the hell was Vigo? I'm a Geography graduate, so that last point was pretty embarrassing but once I realised this wasn't some sort of elaborate wind up, I keenly said yes. This was after all, my first invite abroad. And I was pretty damn excited by it.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381520870/" title="Vigo by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Vigo" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8381520870_8f02211fd3.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381495180/" title="Vigo by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Vigo" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8381495180_2644c63bc4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Vigo (as Google Maps swiftly revealed) is located just north of Portugal, deep in the heart of Galicia, and as it turns out, one of of the biggest fishing ports in the whole of Europe. I was slightly worried about the itinerary, containing an assortment of seafood related activities including fish markets and an outing on a fishing boat. It was Winter and I am hesitant about seafood at the best of times. But what's the point of writing this blog if it wasn't about learning?</div>
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Staying in the heart of "new" Vigo, we were put up in the Gran Hotel Nagari, five star accommodation. The hotel is home to a rooftop spa boasting a grand view if Vigo. Or so it claimed. Sadly, I wasn't allowed up there so I can't really comment on how bad or good it was. My room, on the other hand was lovely, as were the staff and the location is pretty close to the old town and Maruja Limon, the solitary Michelin starred restaurant in Vigo, and incidentally, the destination for the first night in Vigo.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380415421/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8052/8380415421_13f056200c.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381497130/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8191/8381497130_5bb33cc5ab.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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To start, a little about the wine of the region. Throughout the meal, we were served one white and one red, but played a few tasting games including being blindfolded and tasting at different temperatures to pick up the subtle nuances of each. The white, an Albarino which is a grape common to the region, was the star of the show and as the focus of this meal was around the seafood of the area, matched well with many of the dishes we ate throughout the evening.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381496974/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8381496974_e0b4d47ddf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The first bite of marinated tuna-esque fish set the tone, a light and fresh mouthful, swiftly followed by a delicate veal carpaccio with parmesan. Each subtle mouthful, heightened by little accents like the mustard in the carpaccio and the diced tomato with the tuna. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380417393/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8048/8380417393_1efd1f2c0e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I'm not going to lie, I don't remember what was in every dish I ate. I have pictures, but with the limited Spanish I know, most of my memories are just that, just supported by a liberal use of Google translate. An unknown fish started the banquet in earnest, dusted with a liberal shaving of macadamia nuts. Next, a mullet dish with lightly pickled vegetables. Simple, elegant but just what the fish needed to shine. I've never really understood the fuss around fish before, as often found it bland and dull, but these dishes let the fish speak for each itself, and when it's as fresh as this, it's hard not to enjoy.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380418075/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8355/8380418075_5d5ed55a83.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The best dish of the night came next, a truffle and savoury egg custard with nuggets of bacon and mushrooms. We were urged to dig deep into our little bowls, and with each spoonful, a different balance of flavours revealed itself. A wonderful dish that left us licking our bowls.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8381498700/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8196/8381498700_a99209644a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Back to another fish, this time with an artichoke and seaweed sauce. I don't remember ever having enjoyed such a fish based meal, but I guess that I have never eaten fresher, which clearly makes the difference. After the fish, was our final savoury course, an odd combination of sweetbreads and grapes in a cheese sauce. Put simply, I have never enjoyed sweetbreads. I put them up their in the league of the devil alongside anchovies. The texture, the fattiness and the aftertaste are all too challenging for me and this dish sadly did nothing to change my mind.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380418599/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8046/8380418599_e660cfdf4c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380419093/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8195/8380419093_5756c01d54.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The desserts were extraordinary. A sorbet of green apple had such surprising clarity of flavour, and paired with celery, pineapple and tangerine in a juice with a slight savoury tang left me yearning more. A final dessert of "False truffle" arrived looking like a rather large summer truffle. Inside, a chocolate truffle, completing the witty play on on words. A joke doesn't really work if it doesn't eat well, but there was nothing funny about this. This was a serious dessert.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8380418867/" title="Maruja Limon by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maruja Limon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8380418867_29b4e520e2.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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On reflection, the whole meal at Maruja Limon was extraordinary. I learnt a little about the wine of Galicia and it's subtle nuances, I learnt a little about the different types of fish and its individual flavours, I even got to try a sip of the first Galician gin, but most of all, I learnt that there is nothing quite like a fresh fish supper. </div>
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So day 1 was a great introduction to Vigo. A wonderful meal and a wonderful hotel. According to my agenda, day 2 was going to teach me all about the fishing trade that manifests itself everywhere in Vigo. I couldn't wait.<br />
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<a href="http://www.marujalimon.es/"><b>Maruja Limon</b></a> - Restaurante Maruja Limón, Victoria, 4 (Plaza Compostela), 36201 Vigo<br />
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<a href="http://www.gruposolvidahoteles.com/spa/nagari_boutique_spa.php"><b>Hotel Gran Nagari</b></a> - Plaza Compostela, 21, 36201 Vigo</div>
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tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-22082613016264027742013-02-06T18:59:00.006+00:002013-02-06T19:00:44.079+00:00"What I ate" Weekly - Issue TWO<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8450409857/" title="Vestal Vodka by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Vestal Vodka" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8092/8450409857_5a644283e8.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The best way to kick off the week is vodka, right? Well, that's exactly what I did when I attended an <a href="http://www.londoncocktailsociety.co.uk/">LCS</a> event with Vestal Vodka. Coming out of Poland (with an Anglo-Kiwi twist), this vodka is different in many ways, although the focus is on it's single filtration, the "terroir" and age of its potatoes, and it's concept of small batch vintage. It has a pretty interesting (and initially not entirely pleasing) smell, but once you drink it, I picked up the strange nuances of apple and bubblegum, challenging but not displeasing. Over the night, I sampled the entire current Vestal range and emerged from the Vestal Vaults very much converted, only something an evening with the London Cocktail society can do.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Learn a bit more about Vestal Vodka <b><a href="http://www.vestalvodka.com/">HERE</a></b></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8451497148/" title="Tonkotsu - Soy Ramen by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tonkotsu - Soy Ramen" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8451497148_63c56ff9e8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I'm not gonig to deny it, I have a bit of an obsession with ramen at the moment. I've always loved noodle soup, and the latest influx of ramen restaurants has just fuelled this obsession. Bonedaddies is my current favourite, but after an initially disappointing outfit (to be fair, it was very early days), I thought I would give Tonkotsu another go for lunch. I'm glad I did as it was infinitely better. The tonkotsu broth was ridiculously rich (probably a little too porky for me), although my soy ramen had just the right balance. The chashu pork was plentiful and retained bite, packed with flavour. I can't help thinking that the whole bowl and experience was a little underwhelming though, lacking the fun and variety of Bonedaddies, but please don't misunderstand, this is in no way a bad ramen. It's just that my heart (and bowl) lies with another.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.tonkotsu.co.uk/">Tonkotsu</a></b> - 63 Dean Street, London W1D 4QG<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1687240/restaurant/Soho/Tonkotsu-London"><img alt="Tonkotsu on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1687240/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/108723/Tonkotsu?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Tonkotsu"><img alt="Square Meal" height="27" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/108723/get-blog-review/image/small.png" width="160" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8450403123/" title="Gran Luchito Popup @ Bambuni by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Gran Luchito Popup @ Bambuni" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8085/8450403123_685527f001.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I've never visited Bambuni in Nunhead before, crazy really as it is so close to where I live, but it was the venue for one in a series of Gran Luchito supperclubs. Being early for once, I wandered around the shop and was astounded with the cornucopia of delights on the shelves and in the fridge. As soon as the other guests arrived, we started to tuck into a range of Gran Luchito inspired dished by Tiffany of Kitchen Conversations. My personal favourite was the pork tamale, steamed corn husks containing tender pork. I loved the smoky Gran Luchito, and have an inclination that I may be spooning it on everything. Grabbing a few goodies off the shelves, I left vowing to return for some ham, cheese and a cup of coffee (which uses beans from local SE London supplier Volcano).</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">More pictures of the night can be found <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/sets/72157632705148792/">HERE</a></b>, and please visit the Gran Luchito website to find out more about their roving Supperclubs <b><a href="http://gran.luchito.co.uk/">HERE</a></b>.</span></i><br />
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The end of the week took me deep into Dalston, probably one of the strangest neighbourhoods in the whole of London. On the way to <a href="http://www.shanghaidalston.co.uk/">Shanghai </a>(restaurant, not city), I walked past men and women in suits, hipsters painting a wall advertising a tea shop with a vintage vibe and a scary old mans pub with groups of old drunk men by the door shouting indecipherable obscenities at each other. Shanghai itself is just as mental, a tatty looking pie and mash shop fronting, leading to a large, far more modern looking dining space out the back. The food was decent enough, with cracking aromatic duck and mediocre dumplings, but we all had a decent time chugging Tsingtao, playing coin eye spy and generally making lots of noise.</div>
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So two out of two. Not looking too shabby so far.tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-4274124900160308702013-01-29T18:29:00.001+00:002013-01-29T18:29:07.213+00:00"What I ate" Weekly - Issue 1<div style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
So this weekly round up is going to be a "thing" for me. Let's call it a trade off to try and at least keep up and get some constant content on here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8426121103/" title="Paul's Pies by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Paul's Pies" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8223/8426121103_136057a8e3.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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First out of the traps, the guys at Paul's Pies. Randomly, I used to work with one of the guys behind this, and he got back in touch letting me know about his new venture. "Do you want to try some pies?" he said. "Hell yes" I said. A few days later, a delivery arrived packed with four handmade and rather excellent pies. Dinner for the week sorted. Each pie is hand made and packed with whatever the box says (I think the venison and mushroom was my favourite). Knock up some mash and gravy and you'll have a rather excellent dinner. Thanks guys!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>You can get your hands on a pie through their website <a href="http://www.paulspoultry.co.uk/pies.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></i></span>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/3925185219/" title="Outside by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Outside" height="375" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3472/3925185219_ffa25739f2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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One of the highlights of the week was an unsurprisingly excellent meal at Silk Road in Camberwell. A local favourite selling Tsingtao for a couple of quid and a host of reasonably priced dishes from the Xinjiang region of China. We devoured the menu in under an hour and left as satisfied as food and beer can leave you. Order the lamb skewers, aubergine, homestyle cabbage and their dumplings. Roll home. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Here is my old post on <a href="http://www.tehbus.com/2009/10/silk-road-taste-of-xinjiang-in.html" target="_blank">Silk Road</a>. </i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8426170247/" title="Nanban Popup by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Nanban Popup" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8213/8426170247_91c92738cb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Tuesday saw me visit The Thatched, a lovely pub located in the heart of Ravenscourt Park, for a test run of Tim Andersons (he of Masterchef fame) menu of his upcoming restaurant Nanban. Based around the food from the South Island of Japan (Kyushu), we tried a number of strange dishes, from lotus root to ramen to kinako buttercream (or roasted soybean to the unaquainted). Best of the lot was a cheesy vegetable curry crowned by a slow cooked egg, crazy in conception but it just drags you in for that one more spoonful. Look out for the official Nanban opening in the next few months.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Nanbans FB page is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NanbanLondon" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8426755979/" title="Deal by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Deal" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8049/8426755979_58f352333e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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For a couple of months, my friends and I have been plotting to get away for a few days, them predominantly from their wives, me, away from the hustle and bustle of London. How we settled on Deal in Kent, I have no idea, but it's close, has a rather drab pier, and more pubs than you can shake a stick at. It was a pretty slack weekend of pubs, pizzas and pound coins (couldn't resist sticking some money into the fruit machines), with little gastronomy in sight. Thankfully, we came to our senses before our drive home and ended up at the Black Douglas Cafe on the Deal seafront, an excellent cafe recommended by Marina O'Laughlin. In our state, only the Black Douglas big breakfast would do, and the end results were exactly what was needs. I loved the look of the proper menu too and it was packed on the Sunday we were leaving, which I guess says more about it than I can write in this paragraph.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8426756917/" title="Deal by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Deal" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8196/8426756917_122fbbca71.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>More info on the Black Douglas cafe can be found <a href="http://www.blackdouglas.co.uk/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</i></span></div>
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So there you go, roundup 1 done. Lets see if I can keep this up for another 49 weeks....</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8426756535/" title="Deal by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Deal" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8093/8426756535_1c8befbebd.jpg" width="500" /></a>tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-22812135157700153582013-01-23T18:59:00.001+00:002013-01-23T19:02:22.315+00:00The Lazy Posts of 2012: Part 1 - The Pricy Ones<div style="text-align: justify;">
There seems to be a trend of “lost posts” going on at the moment, posts which got lost in the draft sections of their blog archive. This post is not a lost posts writeup, but a lazy posts write up. This has nothing to do with being lost, these have been sitting penned in ink upon my notepad next to me, staring at me whenever I sit down to type anything at my computer.<br />
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So here they are, the lazy posts, written up lazily, but hopefully with enough to help make you decide whether it could be your cup of tea, or just another herbal teabag destined to be languishing at the back of your store cupboard. Part one (oh yes, there will be at least THREE parts) will be about the places on the slightly dearer end of the scale.<br />
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<u><b>The Classic Posh One: The Square, Mayfair</b></u><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8119660829/" title="The Square Book Launch by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Square Book Launch" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8053/8119660829_767a72b489.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Now, I really should have written something about this earlier, because the food was very very well executed, and as good an example of classic French techniques as you will find anywhere in London, I would imagine. I was there for a little blogger dinner for the launch of Phil Howards new cookbook, an anthology of savoury recipes. Apparently, this had been many years in the making and I can see why. It’s a beautiful and bountiful cookbook containing recipes for beginners up to the pros.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8119662309/" title="The Square Book Launch by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="The Square Book Launch" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8044/8119662309_2aa1f92d6a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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In summary, a flawless masterclass of classic cooking.<br />
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<i>Check out the book <b><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1906650594/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1906650594&linkCode=as2&tag=aratherunusua-21">HERE</a></b><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=aratherunusua-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1906650594" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, and more photos of the food <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/sets/72157631844612258/with/8119660829/" target="_blank">HERE</a></b>. </i><br />
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<a href="http://www.squarerestaurant.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Square</b></a> - 6-10 Bruton Street, London W1J 6PU<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/570283/restaurant/London/Square-Mayfair"><img alt="Square on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/570283/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/81255/The_Square?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of The Square"><img alt="Square Meal" height="27" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/81255/get-blog-review/image/small.png" width="160" /></a><br />
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<u><b>The Next Big Thing: Upstairs at the Ten Bells, Shoreditch</b></u><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149034048/" title="Upstairs at the Ten Bells by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Upstairs at the Ten Bells" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8044/8149034048_bc508f3531.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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In a stark comparison to the Square, the food I ate at the Ten Bells with the Young Turks in residence was about as cutting edge as you can find in London at the moment. Formed by a few guys who have come from some of the best restaurants in the world, expect pine flavoured fried chicken, mackerel with pickled melon and olives, and one of the best dishes I had in 2012, a pork, sweetcorn and peach dish which inspired me to cook something similar at home. Suffice to say, it wasn’t as good.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149041654/" title="Upstairs at the Ten Bells by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Upstairs at the Ten Bells" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8049/8149041654_ab2482a1ab.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149008327/" title="Upstairs at the Ten Bells by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Upstairs at the Ten Bells" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8187/8149008327_70ff66df6a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I love what these guys are doing, and their residency at the Ten Bells is now permanent with some of their chefs still working in the kitchen (led by <a href="https://twitter.com/gioravelli" target="_blank">Giorgio Ravelli</a>). The Young Turks will be opening up their own restaurant in Shoreditch Town Hall soon. Destined to be a success so keep your eyes open for this one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149042632/" title="Upstairs at the Ten Bells by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Upstairs at the Ten Bells" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8149042632_d2cba19b72.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<i>For more pics, please click <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/sets/72157631914192111/with/8149041654/" target="_blank">HERE</a></b></i><br />
<a href="http://tenbells.com/" target="_blank"><br />
</a> <b><a href="http://tenbells.com/" target="_blank">Upstairs at the Ten Bells</a></b> - 84 Commercial Street, London E1 6LY<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1691711/restaurant/Shoreditch/Upstairs-at-the-Ten-Bells-London"><img alt="Upstairs at the Ten Bells on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1691711/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/107182/Upstairs_at_the_Ten_Bells?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Upstairs at The Ten Bells"><img alt="Square Meal" height="27" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/107182/get-blog-review/image/small.png" width="160" /></a><br />
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<b>The One Where The Scary Chinese Owner Gets Me Into A Headlock: Hunan, Pimlico</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8232878054/" title="Hunan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunan" height="193" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8487/8232878054_162b888409.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Hunan had been on my to do list for as long as I have been writing this blog and is quite an institution down in Pimlico. The principle is old school Cantonese banquet, a never ending sequence of dishes which only stops when your stomach yields and waves the white flag. Getting a group together is not essential, but it is quite an experience best shared with others.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8232880926/" title="Hunan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunan" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8200/8232880926_1a4b36fa40.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Over the course of the evening, we covered a whole selection of food groups, from the humble green bean to every meat known to man. Half the time I had no idea what I was eating, but that mostly didn’t matter, it was all pretty decent. There is no heavy seasoning or use of MSG, with the aim of letting the main flavours come through central to its ethos, although slightly unfortunate in some instances where lack of seasoning was definitely an issue. On the whole though, loved Hunan, it’s conveyor belt of mostly excellent food and a hat tip to the chef who having smacked me round the head and got me in a headlock, was great entertainment (for my friends mostly).</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8231817471/" title="Hunan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Hunan" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8065/8231817471_77ae758c74.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<i>Click <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/sets/72157632135042981/with/8231817471/" target="_blank">HERE</a> </b>for more pictures of the meal.</i><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.hunanlondon.com/" target="_blank">Hunan</a> </b>- 51 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8NE<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/564888/restaurant/London/Belgravia/Hunan-Chelsea"><img alt="Hunan on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/564888/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/82179/Hunan?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link" target="_top" title="Read Square Meal's review of Hunan"><img alt="Square Meal" height="27" src="http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/82179/get-blog-review/image/small.png" width="160" /></a>tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-76112161326093157252013-01-06T19:27:00.001+00:002013-01-06T19:30:20.665+00:00The first of 2013: The two faces of Bubbledogs<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149072383/" title="Bubbledogs& by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Bubbledogs&" height="234" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8335/8149072383_4395555be1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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First up this year, and one of last years successes for me, a bit of both at Bubbledogs &. And when I mean both, I mean opposite sides of the foodie spectrum. Out the front, you will find a queue snaking out the front all the way down Charlotte Street, waiting for their turn to tuck into a selection of hot dogs (pork, beef and veggie) covered in all sorts of delicious accompaniments. To drink, a selection of grower champagnes selected carefully by wine buff Sandia Chang, or a decent selection cocktails made and shaken to order by people who actually know what they are doing.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149113076/" title="Bubbledogs& by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Bubbledogs&" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8149113076_e874b79347.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The dogs taste great and come with that essential snap of the skin, releasing all the meaty juices held within. For me, a hot dog with no snap is like a sad bowl of soggy Rice Krispies, mushy and undesirable. Toppings are inspired from all over the world, with kimchi, chilli, truffle and even red cabbage adorning the dogs. Personal favourites are the BLT, which is a dog wrapped in bacon, and topped with caramelized lettuce and truffle mayo, and the Small Eye (in the pic above), a combination of pickled veg and sriracha, akin to a hot dog stuffed banh mi.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149083351/" title="Bubbledogs& by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Bubbledogs&" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8193/8149083351_a097dfbb08.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I'm not massively into bubbly or queueing, but I do love cocktails and hot dogs. Book a table for 6 in advance, gather a few friends together and go and eat the menu, you won't be disappointed. If you're a sadist and want to torture yourself, get there at half seven and wait in the queue. Not advised as these get kind of crazy long, so basically either book or start queueing early. Oh, and don't forget sides of tater tots, the best sweet potato fries I have ever had, dipped in bowls of cheese wizz (artificial cheesy artery glue). Dirty but satisfying.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149119128/" title="Bubbledogs& by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Bubbledogs&" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8334/8149119128_49e1548073.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Step through the curtains at the back and you enter the realm of the "&". In front of you is the most beautiful open plan kitchen, with a horseshoe shaped bar seating surrounding the hot plates and prep areas. This section is very much the domain of James Knappett, husband to Sandia, and orchestrator in chief behind that curtain. Every week, James plans his menus around the produce that his suppliers choose to send him. Only the best in season will hit your plates and you will never get the same menu twice.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8216462843/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8477/8216462843_965b3f2b0b.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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James has had experience in so many top kitchens, it wouldn't be outlandish to say that his CV reads like a list of ther worlds best. Per Se, The French Laundry, Noma, The Ledbury, Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, a pretty impressive bunch. All this experience has finally culminated in his own place serving his own food. I've bumped into James a few times wandering around Maltby Street Market; jovial, friendly, buying ingredients to cook and eat with. At the Kitchen Table, his attention was devoted to the food, meticulous with each dish and orchestrating his chefs with ease and calm.</div>
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There is no a la carte, with just two tasting menus differing in length as your options (I forget how long they are but I went with the 12 course menu, the longer one). Each listed menu item was simply summarised in one word, not giving away what each dish had in store. I'm not sure the menu helped all that much anyway, as each dish was a surprise and a delight.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8217545460/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8486/8217545460_5b95c23a9a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Take "Cod, for example. What arrived was a delightfully light cod roe based taramasalata, served with curls of pork crackling to dip and scrape. I'm not a massive fan of taramasalata, it's fishy pungency and salty fishy tang embodies much of what put me off fish in the first place when I was a kid. This, however, was something different altogether. That salty fishy tang was still present, but was whipped smooth and creamy, without being overly pungent. The crunchy puffed pig skin wasn't heavily salted and the combination of crunch, salt, fish and a few other ingredients just left me wanting more. Lick the bowl clean good, the best dish of the lot for me (I may or may not have done any licking).</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8217603136/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8065/8217603136_db2512fb28.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I'm not going to go through every dish, but each one came prepared in unconventional ways or came paired with with ingredients that I had never tried together before. A whimsical take on a lobster mac and cheese (in the pic above), a classic seaside combination of mackerel and oysters, venison rack with a side of venison pie, a superb Meyer Lemon sponge, straight from California. Each dish carefully presented, each dish plated with precision in front of you, a unique experience I don't think you can find anywhere else in London.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8217631512/" title="Sandia and James by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Sandia and James" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8205/8217631512_4361b20ff5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The Bubbledogs package is something quite unique for London and in this ever expanding city of restaurants, it's always pleasing to see something so unique take off. Struggle with the crowds out the front for a chance to scoff down some hotdogs and champagne or sneak behind the curtain for one of the best tasting menus in town.<br />
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<i>[For more photos, please click <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/sets/72157631914353575/with/8217541932/" target="_blank">here</a>]</b></i><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.bubbledogs.co.uk/home" target="_blank">Bubbledogs&</a></b> - 70 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QG<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1700335/restaurant/Fitzrovia/Bubbledogs-London"><img alt="Bubbledogs on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1700335/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a>tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-49703360235962147202012-11-24T13:56:00.000+00:002013-01-06T19:29:30.687+00:00Benares - An East meets West love story<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149007328/" title="Benares by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Benares" height="306" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8327/8149007328_49f484b167.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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When I was a youngster, I was lucky enough to be exposed to all sorts of food. My parents have always loved eating and I learned to appreciate food from all over the world. I may have been principally a fussy eater, but one of my favourite cuisines was Indian food. Fuelled with my dads love of it, it appeared regularly as a dinner option. Thing is, the regularity of this meal started to wear me out, and over the years, I guess you can say that my interest had waned.</div>
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Only recently has this changed. More and more contemporary Indian restaurants are opening like Dishoom, Trishna, Delhi grill, Roti Chai etc... all building on those traditional Indian flavours and modernising them for London restaurant goers. With all these amazing places, it's hard not to get the taste back.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149002466/" title="Benares by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Benares" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8149002466_6e30c87e20.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Benares has been a relative old timer sitting alongside these young bucks, with head chef Atul Kochar focusing on combining Indian flavours with English influences. It was somewhere I had always wanted to visit, and I was kindly invited along for a little tasting.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8148980307/" title="Benares by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Benares" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8195/8148980307_a37885b502.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Meeting the chef is always a massive bonus at these sort of events and I have always admired Atuls attitude to food, passionate and positive. Here we learnt of the ethos behind his cooking and his love of the ingredients that his adopted country provided him, embracing Britain and India. In the kitchen, we watched him cook soft shell crab and the most ridiculously large scallops.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149014218/" title="Benares by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Benares" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8336/8149014218_a7868bf042.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Back at the table, we continued to be spoilt. To start, I opted for a Chicken Tikka pie, or Khasta Murgh to give it it's proper name. Yeah, I know, ridiculous, but in the very best way. It just had to be ordered and boy was I glad I did. A clash of cultures forming just about one of the best pies I have ever tasted. Light pastry, tangy chutney all complementing the richly spiced but wonderfully balanced chicken tikka filling. A wonder on the plate and just about one of the most perfect things I have ever eaten.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8148989099/" title="Benares by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Benares" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8148989099_8c4612782f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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My main of cannon of lamb was such a delicate piece of meat, cooked to a perfect pink with a light touch of spice. A little samosa of umbles (or innards) had a delicate offal taste, nothing too invasive thankfully as that would have been a bit too much for me. And those potatoes, oh my. Simple crushed potatoes apparently but they were so damn good and packed with seasoning, culminating with the most amazing potato flavour. Add a little artichoke and a drizzle of rogan josh sauce, and you get a dish which looks very British, elevated by touches of Indian influenced spicing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149020884/" title="Benares by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Benares" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8323/8149020884_5c12a9f2e4.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I ended up with a betel leaf baba, which had a pleasant medicinal tang to it, pepped up by a sweet passionfruit cream and tart spoonfuls of passionfruit. Other desserts were equally mesmerising with a bhapa doi and peanut butter and chocolate tube with jaggery cake all embracing the East meets West flavours that we had experienced throughout the night.</div>
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The prices are painful in places (think £30 mains territory) and you would be lucky to escape a bill of less than a £100, but for me, Benares is one of those special restaurants. The food is just so precisely balanced in spicing and seasoning, as well as not putting a foot wrong in the cooking. A very modern British take on traditional Indian flavours, an unexpected evolution from the famous British curry houses.</div>
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<i>FYI, I was invited along by the PR with a few others. Just in case that wasn't clear.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.benaresrestaurant.com/" target="_blank"><b>Benares</b></a> - 12a Berkeley Square House Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BS</div>
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tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-53532902930676463122012-11-17T14:55:00.000+00:002013-01-06T22:17:52.481+00:00Hong Kong pt 2: You Dim Sum, you lose some<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8095065735/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8044/8095065735_bb1d763db0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mid Autumn Festival fireworks</span><br />
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Many of the London Dim Sum restaurants are Cantonese in origin, with Hong Kong being a heavy influence. With this in mind, I was fully expecting Hong Kong to be a dumpling fuelled nirvana but for the most part, I couldn't help but think that a lot of the stuff we can get in London is actually of a pretty high standard.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094992778/" title="Tim Ho Wan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tim Ho Wan" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8094992778_c306a66637.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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One of the places on my must visit list was Tim Ho Wan, famously awarded a Michelin star and subsequently recognised as the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in the world. You clearly don't get this sort of acknowledgement without doing something right, and since their award, they have opened a few branches across Hong Kong. I was told the best branches were located on the mainland, but as I often found myself shuttling through the IFC mall (it's en route to the ferry terminal), I opted to give the newer branch under Hong Kong station a go.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094993013/" title="Tim Ho Wan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tim Ho Wan" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8184/8094993013_5a02199f30.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094998522/" title="Tim Ho Wan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tim Ho Wan" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8473/8094998522_ff592a93ca.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Being situated on a mezzanine level under the main entrance to the station, I found it remarkably tricky to find, although after going up and down a few escalators, I managed to locate it, mainly by the small huddle of people outside waiting for a seat. As a solo diner, I was sat almost immediately and ticked a few boxes on their short English version menu. Service is brusque but efficient, and the rate at which the food is churned out is remarkable, and probably one of the reasons why the end product was ultimately so disappointing. Asparagus dumplings with shrimp and wasabi was terrible to eat, mainly owing to the thick dumpling skin, beef and egg rice was incredibly bland, and (normally one of my personal favourite) Wu Kok (or yam croquettes) were given the THW twist with a filling of salad cream. Mental.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094992395/" title="Tim Ho Wan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tim Ho Wan" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8043/8094992395_c9f8b0a482.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094989111/" title="Tim Ho Wan by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Tim Ho Wan" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8330/8094989111_0413348c4d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Not everything disagreed, as their cheung fun (erm, like Chinese canneloni?) were light and good to eat, whilst their siu mai were packed with pork and prawn. To be honest, I'm not sure what happened here, as their were plenty of people eating and plenty of people waiting, but this was definitely not my cup of tea.</div>
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<i>[<b>Tim Ho Wan</b> - Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station (Podium Level 1, IFC Mall) , Central]</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094944474/" title="Maxim Dim Sum restaurant by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maxim Dim Sum restaurant" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8324/8094944474_e4bae5e4fc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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One of my lasting memories of eating Dim Sum as a child would be New World in Chinatown, a vast three storey dumpling spewing beast with trollies containing through the aisles laden with fried and steamed goods, coursing like lifeblood through the building. The minute I entered Maxim's, I drew many paralells. Massive banqueting-hall-esque room with trolleys snaking their way around the tables.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094945046/" title="Maxim Dim Sum restaurant by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maxim Dim Sum restaurant" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8094945046_189bd12623.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094941173/" title="Maxim Dim Sum restaurant by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Maxim Dim Sum restaurant" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8323/8094941173_0a66c6b04c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The food itself was ok, but really nothing amazing. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but there was no wow, just mediocre grunts of "mmm". The steamed stuff was nice enough, but lacking in seasoning, the fried stuff also decent, but it all tasted quite...normal. In fact, the thing that amused me the most were the little video screens on the front of certain trollies. I was beginning to wonder if this vision of a dim sum nirvana was just some sort of pipe dream.</div>
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<i>[<a href="http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/CulturalService/CityHall/en/rest_palace.php" target="_blank"><b>City Hall Maxim's Palace</b></a> - 2nd Floor, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central]</i></div>
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The minute I entered Din Tai Fung in Causeway Bay, all this ennui dissipated. This place rules. Now, to add a bit of context, <a href="http://eatlovenoodles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/republic-of-din-tai-fung.html" target="_blank">Mr Noodles has been banging on</a> about this chain for as long as I have known him, and has even created an online petition to try and <a href="http://dtflondonfanclub.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">bring this restaurant to London</a>. After my visit, I couldn't agree with him more.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8095078057/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8334/8095078057_45e212b1ca.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The thing that DTF is renowned for are their Xiu Long Bau (or soup dumplings). As you enter the building, walk past the cheery little XLB man and enter the waiting area (it is highly likely you will have to queue). You can peer into a big window showing all the staff studiously churning out dumpling after dumpling. You get given the short menu stub and start ticking away. Although it is clear this is not a devoted dim sum restaurant, there are plenty of dumpling options.</div>
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The XLB were one of the best I have eaten anywhere. Thin, almost translucent dumpling skin, strong enough to hold in its contents while delicate enough to sag with its juicy cargo when lifted. I loved that there was a little instruction guide on how to eat these, but I favour the "bite the top off, let it cool (for a bit), suck the soup, eat the rest" method. A portion of 6 may have been a bit excessive for just one man, but I snarfed the lot in record time. </div>
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Other dishes included one of my favourites, a simple but perfectly executed fried rice. Eat this with the battered pork chop and it will soon be one of your favourites too. Siu mai (pork and prawn steamed dumplings) came with their own little prawn hats and were meaty yet delicate, lesser places will turn these into stodgy meatballs wrapped in wanton skin. </div>
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So there is much to love about Din Tai Fung and if you look closely at Mr Noodles' petition, my name should be down there amongst the many many others. It would be great if they did make a trip into London as I think out of all the wonderful food we have here, it would be great if we could get an affordable Cantonese restaurant here serving good quality, consistent and most importantly of all, delicious food.</div>
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<i>[<a href="http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/area_a_detail.asp?AreaNO=208&AreaCountryNO=4" target="_blank"><b>Din Tai Fung</b></a> - Shop G3-11, 68 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay]</i></div>
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Lung Hing Keen is one of four three Michelin starred restaurants in Hong Kong, but the only Chinese one. I've often wondered what makes Chinese food worthy of such rewards and was ultimately intrigued by Lung Hing Keen and wanted to give it a go. Through some strange and very lucky circumstance, I was invited to meet the lovely head of marketing at LKH along with my friend who organised it all, and proceeded to work my way through one of the best meals of the whole trip.</div>
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Sticking mostly to the dim sum menu, plate after plate of the most delicate and flavoursome dim sum hit the table only to be scoffed seconds later. Lobster and prawn dumplings served elegantly with the tail skywards, the prawn as eager to get in there as I was. Perfectly steamed scallop dumplings with the lightest dumpling skin clinging to the succulent seafood. Even the siu long bao came with their own little baskets, so to avoid any of the deep broth inside escaping the hefty touch of a wayward chopstick.</div>
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Best of all were these tiny abalone and chicken dumplings. The pastry so short that they just crumble on your tongue, and a glaze of meat juices so glossy you can see your happy face before devouring each one. Baked char siu (BBQ pork) buns were light and packed with meat, not crimson red as I'm so accustomed to in the UK. Every single thing was so wonderfully executed that I wanted to avoid all chat and just eat. </div>
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Finishing off this most decadent meal with tiny custard puffs (another outstanding piece of pastry), I couldn't help but lean back and think what a lucky boy I really was. As you would expect from a 3 star restaurant, the bill would be very steep, and in a city where so much great food is available at a fraction of the price, I would feel pretty guilty in doing so. But the thing is, as with anything in life, you get what you pay for and you can't put a price on memories and those abalone puffs will live in mine for a long time to come.</div>
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<i>[<a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/dining/restaurants/lung_king_heen/" target="_blank"><b>Lung Hing Keen</b></a> - Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central]</i></div>
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So there it is, part 2 of my Hong Kong roundup, from the ridiculous to the sublime, although sadly not even scratching the dim sum landscape in Hong Kong. Next stop, a few words about my stay in Hanoi.<br />
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<i>[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/sets/72157631786617807/" target="_blank">More pics this way...</a>] </i></div>
tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-28108174606735772912012-11-08T11:00:00.000+00:002012-11-21T12:35:43.545+00:00[Mini Bites] No waffle on Duck & Waffle<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149050253/" title="Duck and Waffle by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Duck and Waffle" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8336/8149050253_434c527df0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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So one of the most covered openings in the blogosphere over the last 6 months has to be Duck & Waffle, a restaurant located on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower in Bishopsgate, and subsequently, contender for most awesome view in London while you eat. So much has been written about this already (like <a href="http://londoneater.com/2012/09/12/duck-waffle/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/sep/02/duck-and-waffle-restaurant-review-jay-rayner" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://theskinnybib.com/2012/08/16/duck-and-waffle-sushisamba-heron-tower-bishopgate-london/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/duck-waffle-city.html" target="_blank">here</a> just to name a few) that I will keep this very brief. The food on offer is essentially "British Fusion", British ingredients and inspiration in most part, with ingredients and ideas from the rest of the world.</div>
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For the most part, the food is really decent. With most dishes based around sharing (small plates etc...), we managed to order a decent amount amongst the four of us. Snacks of crispy pigs ears and battered cods tongues get the party started, and scallop with apple to follow acts as the most decadent palate cleanser.</div>
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I enjoyed some of other small plates like the smoked haddock scotch eggs and the nduja clams, but others like the tuna sashimi and the bacon wrapped dates did little for me sadly. However, one thing not be missed is the dish that the restaurant is named after, the Duck and Waffle. A seemingly strange combination, but I am a big admirer of sweet and salty combos and this dish combines both those tastes with an excellent confit duck sat on a soft waffle, and topped with a fried duck egg. The best bit, however, is the little pot of mustard maple syrup which has to be dumped all over the dish for maximum effect.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8149065581/" title="Duck and Waffle by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Duck and Waffle" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8044/8149065581_c913dc44f0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Duck and Waffle is one of those places which manages to back up it's outstanding view over London with good food. Drinks are City prices (for that read pricy) which is a understandable if not disappointing, but one major advantage is that it now operates 24 hours of the day. I like it and will definitely be back, be it on a hot date (fat chance) or with mates (much more likely).</div>
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<b><a href="http://duckandwaffle.com/" target="_blank">Duck and Waffle</a></b> - Heron Tower | 110 Bishopsgate | London EC2N 4AY<br />
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<i>p.s. For full disclosure, the chef sent us over a few free dishes. How we knew we were there, no idea, but the sentiment was appreciated.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1696345/restaurant/Aldgate/Duck-Waffle-London"><img alt="Duck & Waffle on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1696345/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-30081751475864667432012-11-03T12:43:00.002+00:002012-11-21T12:35:54.494+00:00Bringing the joy back: Rita's Bar and Dining<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8007362304/" title="Ritas by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Ritas" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8039/8007362304_a83fcd22b1.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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It's been a barren few months for my poor old blog, but after the shock of having written a bonafide blog post last week had worn off, I thought I would try and make an effort, and keep it up. Truth is, and strange enough to say, after nearly four years of blogging, it's started to feel like a real slog. Hard work, little gain, and recently, my real life has just demanded that little more of me. I think of the blogs I used to love reading, like American in London and World Foodie guide, and see how their life has simply taken precedence, and while I miss them and can finally understand why they stepped away. I don't think it's quite Game Over for me yet, but it's strangely satisfying to admit that I came pretty close. </div>
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Now that I got that out of the way, let's talk about Rita's, because in short, this is one of those places which always seem to make me happy. Set in the heart of Dalston (for now at least, I believe that the premises are temporary until they find their own place), it may come as a surprise to some the effort I made to get there. Now most people who know me are probably accustomed to my rather outspoken view of the East of London. In a nutshell, I have never been too fond of it but have definitely grown to tolerate the area, particularly fuelled by it's rather excellent array of bars. But Dalston, it's just so so far away. All that said, I like the venue. I like the classroom-like desks and chairs, the little strips of neon light giving the room colour and the overall clean and simple urban feel of the place. Young, old, hipster, city boy, all packed into one room. You won't find a more eclectic clientele in London.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8148998359/" title="Ritas Bar and Dining by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Ritas Bar and Dining" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8192/8148998359_b6028e326a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The food too, it's great. The theme is America with splashes of the rest of the world, and somehow, it really works. Best in class are the items closest resembling burgers. The patty melt is uncomplicated and pretty awesome. Take a smashed patty covered with slow cooked onions and cheese, squeeze it all between two excellent slices of carraway seeded bread and chuck the thing into a sandwich toaster. The most filthy pimped out cheese toastie I have ever had, and I loved every second.<br />
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Better still is their chicken burger. Served in a paper bag (which I still don't really get), it is everything you could possibly want from a chicken burger. The chicken is crisp and succulent, the bun has that slightly stick-to-your-mouth texture which really appeals to me and is slicked with ample mayo and lettuce. I have no idea what spices they put into this thing, but it might as well be fairy dust as the minute you open the bag, poof, the burger disappears within a matter of moments. Magic.</div>
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I could go into every item of the menu I have tried and loved, but you would probably get very bored. So to summarise the rest of the must eats, you really need to give the soy and ginger hot wings a bash, as well as the comforting green chilli mac and cheese. The wings were a new discovery as they never really appealed. I'm not particularly enamoured with ginger and wings are fiddly little things. I would much rather just eat another one of their chicken burgers instead. On my last visit however, I was surrounded by tables ordering wings, and being the sheep that I am, I had to order them for myself and my god they were good. Sticky, hot and so moreish, led by sweet soy and backed up by subtle ginger and chilli. The green chilli mac n cheese is an excellent accompaniment, being a good rendition of the faithful American classic, lifted by a punchy green chilli salsa.</div>
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There are always interesting specials on the menu, so I highly recommend keeping your eyes out for them. Varying from lamb ribs to things like ox heart tacos, I've never had a dish I didn't enjoy. The thing is with Rita's, there's something about it which is just so damn likeable. It might be the fact that I am normally a couple frozen margaritas deep by the time I eat (which are equally potent and delicious), or it might be the fact that the food is great with prices which are incredibly reasonable. Whatever it is, it has managed to achieve the impossible as I appear to have a constant hankering to head back to the East. Quite amazing what effect good food can have on me.</div>
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<a href="http://ritasbaranddining.com/" target="_blank"><b>Rita's Bar and Dining @ Birthdays</b></a> - 33-35 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 8BJ <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/1691166/restaurant/Stoke-Newington/Ritas-Bar-and-Dining-London"><img alt="Rita's Bar and Dining on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1691166/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786917785571459431.post-80633437905177828322012-10-24T23:33:00.003+01:002012-11-03T13:04:54.078+00:00Hong Kong eats and fun times. MEGA POST<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehbus/8094952293/" title="Untitled by tehbus, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8043/8094952293_ba310ccb88.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I'm back in more ways than one. As well as this being the first post in about three months (general blogging malaise), I'm back from my lovely holiday out in Asia and boy have I got a lot of tasty eats to bring you. First stop, Hong Kong.<br />
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Hong Kong is an amazing place, full of the future and the past, with skyscrapers towering over nearby temples. Over the week I was there, I managed to eat in small side street cafes and Michelin starred restaurants alike (there are a lot of those), and stuck to as much Chinese food as possible. No point trying to eat anything I can get out here in London. Amongst my favourite eats was the roasted goose and char siu rice at Yung Kee.<br />
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Originally, my initial goal was to eat some roasted meats at Joy Hing, a renowned restaurant in Wan Chai specialising in roasted meats. Sadly, it was shut over the bank holiday weekend, so I had to look for alternatives. Yung Kee is one of those places which has become part of Hong Kong history. Talking to people who grew up in Hong Kong, I heard that it was a place where one set of parents had there wedding reception, and another whose mother used to get their lunch there. Over the years, it has developed, grown and refined, and is now one of Hong Kong's many Michelin starred restaurants.<br />
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I was only there for a quick lunch, and had never had roast goose before, and in a twist of my quest for the perfect "roast duck and crispy pork", added some barbecued pork. What arrived was a majestic plate of meat enhanced by the pouring of goose gravy (fat) all over the edges. Crisp goose skin, rich meat, similar to duck but seemingly deeper in flavour, and the leanest, smoky sweet pork. All this cost about 70 HKD, which is about £6. An absolute bargain.<br />
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As I was staying out near Sheung Wan, I thought a brisk walk into the center of town would be a great activity for my first day. Thing is, I hadn't counted on the fact that it was a blazing 35C outside, and it didn't take long before I needed food and shelter. For Kee is a little kitchen/cafe hidden off Hollywood Road specialising in one thing, pork chop. Have it in noodles, in soup, or the most popular option, on rice. After a bit of pointing, I got my plate of rice and meat. Quick, easy and tasty. Ultimate comfort food, and all for just 48 HKD (£4). Once you're done, hop by round the corner to Teakha and digest with one of their speciality teas. The Keemun Black which was on that day was quite special.<br />
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Hong Kong is scattered with places to eat, and I always stick to the principle of "if it's full, it's probably decent". Taking this approach doesn't help you find the special little places hidden away though, and with space at such a premium, these places are everywhere. Take Sake Bar Ginn. Located on the 4th floor of what looks like an apartment block off Lan Kwai Fong (the bar area of Hong Kong), you would never find it if you didn't already know it was there. Up the lift is a tiny little sake bar, selling a variety of bites whilst you neck some of their excellent sake. We only ate a few things when we visited, but these included a mini bowl of excellent udon, a little cracker made up of tiny little fish staring at you as you eat them, and chicken knees. Tiny little battered and deep fried morsels packed with the flavour of chicken skin. Amazing little things.<br />
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Chicken was the order of the night as after our starters at Sake Bar Ginn, we moved onto Yardbird, a newish yakitori restaurant/bar modelled on modern Brooklyn, and remarkably similar to the kind of places you now find scattered around in London (think Spuntino, Pitt Cue and Bubbledogs, with a dash of Bincho). Inside, it has a bar upstairs and some seating downstairs, but the place is small and queueing is very much the order of the day. After a little while and some good cocktails, we managed to perch on the bar and decided to settle there. After all, the place was pumping, the music was rocking and the staff were pretty awesome too.<br />
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Once we got stuck into ordering, a basket of seriously kick ass chicken arrived. Lightly fried, well seasoned and each juicy morsel packed with chicken juices. Other stuff included meatballs with a chicken yolk as dressing, a bowl of chicken fried rice (which was more like a chicken skin risotto) and probably the best of all, four perfectly formed round sweetcorn fritters. All were devoured within minutes, not a kernel missed. Yardbird is not cheap, and probably ranks on the upper middle of Hong Kong dining. Expect to pay about £40 a head with a few drinks, but it's definitely worth it.</div>
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Falling back down to earth, one of the iconic dishes of Hong Kong is the simple bowl of wanton noodle soup. There are a couple of pretenders to the throne of best rendition of this dish, with Maks well rated and well covered in the blogs, but I opted for Tsim Chai Kee instead, a more traditional outpost. I can't vouch for the quality of Maks, but I was very happy with my bowl. Firm but yielding noodles, a broth which was actually more than just a vehicle for the noodles (like so many in London) and three large wantons packed with prawn. I split each wanton, spread it evenly amongst each mouthful of noodles and soup and slurped away happily crammed onto a table with strangers. 21 HKD later and I was done. Yep, less than £2, once again an absolute steal.</div>
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One of the highlights of the trip for me was seeing one of my closest food buddies Charmaine. When she moved out back to HK from London, I lost a dining partner and a good friend. She was one of the reasons I wanted to revisit Hong Kong and she took good care of me whilst I was out there. One of the meals she organised was a visit to the Kimberley Hotel where we had pre ordered their speciality, a whole suckling pig.</div>
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Preceded by a deep fried chicken, a ridiculous ox tail broth, the suckling pig arrived whole, stuffed with sticky rice. Once sliced, it looked like quite a big task for just five of us, but we managed to destroy it in record time. It's hard to describe how good this was, but just imagine crisp porky skin all stuffed with sticky rice, encasing a weird root vegetable of sorts. Wonderful stuff.<br />
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The last stop on this mega round up of my Hong Kong eats is yet another one of those Hong Kong Michelin starred places, The Chairman. The Chairman is a restaurant with a difference. It is the first Chinese restaurant I have ever visited which seems to put an emphasis on using seasonal and local produce. The blurb on the inside cover would not be out of place on any of the new wave British restaurant where you would expect the words "local", "foraged" and "organic" scattered quite liberally throughout its menu. And in all fairness, it was like no Chinese meal I had ever had before.</div>
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Each dish we ate was interesting without being over complicated, with almost Western influences in a few. Whole crab in a wonderful Chinese Wine based sauce had me licking my bowl, even resorting to pouring the rest of the gravy into a little bowl for future dishes. Other dishes included a cuttlefish/chicken hybrid which sounds weird but tasted delicious and was arranged in a painstaking checkerboard fashion. Take these along side some more traditional dishes such as tofu and wild mushrooms, and slow cooked braised pork belly and you have somewhere which is a must visit.</div>
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So there it is, my monster Hong Kong post. The thing is, there's more. Much more. Stay tuned for some Dim Sum based goodness, and hopefully, I won't leave it so long this time. </div>
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tehbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593283607297429793noreply@blogger.com10