SpikeyD's Profile
Uighur Food in London?
Finally managed to persuade my girlfriend that we needed to try Silk Road after many weeks - she was so glad I did! The medium plate chicken was seriously delicious - just the right chilli quotient and certainly enough for two. The belt noodle popped into the remaining soup towards the end was a great taste and texture sensation. The lamb kebabs are wonderful - the liberal dosing with cumin was a great contrast to the chilli heat of the chicken plate. We also tried the home style aubergine, which were a real surprise - lightly cooked in a sweetish/spicy sauce, with fresh tomato bits added towards the end of the cooking; absolutely delicious and recommended. The only less than "this is amazing" dish was the double cooked pork - which probably suffered from being less aggressively spiced than the other dishes. But the pork itself was cooked spot on. Sadly, they'd run out of dumplings, so something to look forward to on the next visit.
Great to see it packed (with Chinese) - it's obviously (deservedly) a bit of a destination. Certainly is for us, now. We'll be trying the kelp next visit.
Best place for unsliced pancetta, London?
Second Lina as a source. Always available off the block. Makes a pretty good carbonara... Try their home made sausages and ravioli while you're there.
Anniversary Dinner, London
Assuming you're looking for romantic and high-end cooking rather than quirky romantic, a couple of possibilities. Scotts in Mayfair - high glamour quotient (but not kitsch) + some very fine cooking indeed. They specialise in fish. Like Mr Gimlet, I'm off to try Corrigans in a couple of weeks - and if it's a sign of anything, it is currently very difficult to get a table there, especially Friday and Saturday. Midweek's a bit easier. Recent show discussion here http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/572093
Galvins at Windows (in the Hilton, Park Lane) - really spectacular views are an anniversary bonus, and excellent, French-emphasis food with very good professional service.
And a last thought - not so frequently talked up but actually the better for it, I think, is Roussillon, in Pimlico. Really lovely dining room, seasonal menus, French focused, technically excellent and precise cooking, great wine list. A real gem. All of 'em are on the web. Happy pondering!
Merguez in London
Thanks for that tip - sounds like a place worth getting the passport out for to go north of the river :)
Chicago Foodies heading to London for a week
We're off to Corrigans in a couple of weeks - really looking forward to it, and hoping that he's recovered some of the spark he showed in Lindsay House in its early days...
Why not cover the gastropub and Sunday lunch experience in one go - the Anchor & Hope do a really good one. It's a single service and has the advantage of being the only meal you can book for :)
Christopher's is dire. You might be lucky and find the Ivy has a space if you're quite late. Or Sheekeys. Both about a 15 min walk from the Opera House. If you can't get a reservation at a top tier place, then you might just wander into Soho and enjoy one of the Chinese places recommended elsewhere on this board... assuming you like Chinese food, of course :)
british pudding rice?
Nigel's quick version is really very good - but I made a 3 hr slow baked one last night, and it was seriously lovely! Creamy, but with just enough definition to the rice to stop it being pap... I personally would stop at sugar and nutmeg, no vanilla. And try to use whole milk not semi-skimmed... Pure comfort!
Uighur Food in London?
Grab any of the multitude of buses that stop at Camberwell Green and then walk down Camberwell Church St towards Peckham. No more than 5 mins walk... Or you can get a train to Denmark Hill from London Bridge or Victoria - about a 10 minute walk there but a 20 min walk back from the sound of the portion sizes.
Merguez in London
Thanks for the tip on Walters - I'll try him next time I'm working from home and get a craving for Olley's F&C for lunch...
Merguez in London
South London is a wasteland for merguez... I've been looking for years and failed to find a decent source. In the West End there's Biggles in Marylebone Lane - they're home made, and the flavour's pretty good, but they are quite large in size. I prefer them more like chipolatas, as you get them in Paris. Ginger Pig also does them from time to time as well - but they're not really fiery enough for my taste.
I was told a few months ago that a butcher in Church St off the Edgware Road sold them, but I never managed to find it. I also keep meaning to ask the owner of the Original Tagine in Marylebone where he gets his supplies from... I've not seen them in Brixton market - plenty of chorizo but no merguez....
Orrery (London)
If this was a client lunch, then I think it might have been my rec. So pleased to hear it's still on song - it used to be our favourite birthday celebration spot. The cheese trolley was always a winner, and the service some of the best in town. It was always expensive (though it used to do a really good value Sunday lunch), but we always found it delivered on its promise, which is more than can be said for many other fine dining places.
Super Star, Chinatown, London
This must be age creeping up on me - I googled the restuarant, and got a picture of the frontage, but I really couldn't place it at all... Still, i'm having a day off on my birthday next week, so I think a trip to locate it is on the cards. I'll report back.
Super Star, Chinatown, London
I'm really interested in this as Church St runs along the bottom of my road. Would love to know whereabouts it is - is it past the Hermits Cave towards Peckham? Been looking for a decent local Chinese to avoid the trek up the Walworth Rd to Dragon's Castle (which seems a little tired these days...)
Help! Client lunch in the West End
Glad you managed to find a place; interesting that so many places are full for lunch. Wonder how they're doing for dinner reservations, when people are more likely to be paying out of their own pockets... Be good to have feedback on your meal - I've not eaten there for a little while...
Help! Client lunch in the West End
Within your cusiine list - Bleeding Heart, Cafe du Marche (next to the Malmaison), Scotts, Orrery? All been appreciated by clients in the past...
Afternoon teas, central/south London
Haven't been for a while, but the Wolesley afternoon tea was enjoyed equally by me and my 25 yr old daughter... Me for the tea and scones (and reasonable prices) and she for the glam factor.
South Wales report - good news for chowhounds
We stayed in Abergavenny recently - the Angel Hotel is a very comfortable base, and the food's not to be sniffed at either. We also ate at the Walnut Tree and were really overwhelmed by the quality of the food and the wonderful service. I last ate Mr Hill's food many years ago, when he was at Gidleigh Park, and good as that was, I think his cooking, on the basis of the evidence from our meal, is now even better. I had the duck with morels, which was a total delight (I think it was on the Merchant House menu) - and my partner's scallops were perfectly cooked, beautifully flavoured and presented - simple cooking, but so often fluffed in other places). But what was so striking about our experience, in contrast to so many places we've eaten with a "reputation" is the attention to detail, the highly professional but friendly service, and above all else the personal imprint of the "Chef Patron". Probably the best dining experience we've had in the UK, certainly this year.
BTW, if you're not local, we can recommend staying in their cottage overnight - aside from the obvious advantage of not worrying about having a glass or three - it's very comfortable, immaculately clean, and the little treats left in the fridge to make your own breakfast are just what the doctor ordered after the previous night's blow out.
In contrast, the Hardwick where we ate a couple of nights previously was a total disappointment. Turns out the chef was away, and I hope it was only his absence that caused the endless waits for service (in a not full dining room), the missing side dishes promised on the menu, and the insipid flavouring of almost everything we ate. Certainly the food and service came nowhere near the menu's aspirational pricing... I can only caution readers to check the chef's on site before you head out there :(
Waterloo Brasserie (London)
I've heard very mixed (i.e. negative) views on the Brasserie... Client faves for me locally are La Barca for its old school Italian menu, and slightly kitsch interior, Baltic, or Mar e Terra. Up towards Stamford St is RSJ of course.
Leung's Legend [London]
Thanks for the tip - was beginning to sorely miss the oyster omelette...
Informal meal around Fleet St, London
If you're prepared to wander up as far as Farringdon Road, I'd recommend Flaneur - informal, decent-ish food, and nice atmosphere. I've been to a couple of group dinners there and been pretty happy. You could also try some of the places in Smithfield if you were willing to go that far north of Fleet St - Smiths, for example. Or the Bleeding Heart bistro (not the main restaurant) but the more pub like place on Greville St would also be a decent possibility. You'd need to book any of those places for that number of people...
Things only found in London
Beigels from the Beigel Bake in Brick Lane - totally different from US versions, and also different from ones you find up north. They're sold plain, or with onion, plus the usual fillings - the chopped herring is a bit sweet for my taste but pretty good all the same.
There's also a particular London style of smoking salmon (kosher again!). Not sure if he's still there, but there was a stall in Brick Lane that used to sell it (Sundays only), as well as all sorts of pickled herrings and cucumbers. You might find it in Selfridge's food hall.
The Meantime Brewery are brewing London Porter again: http://www.london-porter.com/ Lovely drink!
Virginians seeking great lunch near Tower, British Museum
The BM recommendations all sound worth exploring - you could try Malabar Junction for a watered down Keralan meal (it's in Museum St). The Tower's a bit bereft of places in the immediate area for very good food - there's Rosemary Lane, which I haven't eaten in for some time, or the Blueprint Cafe (above the Design Museum just across Tower Bridge on the south side of the river. Dependably good food, in a really nice dining room and fabulous views of Tower Bridge and the waterfront.
Fresh Chicken - Brixton, London
Yes, sorry - my fault; should have said he's only there Fridays and Saturdays. During a long chat this weekend he let slip that he's in Rick Stein's first book - I can't check as I don't have any of his books in the house. BTW, if you need anything special - a brined piece of brisket for salt beef for instance, you can just ring the shop (it's in Greenwich) and he'll bring it in the van at the weekend...
Fresh Chicken - Brixton, London
Sadly trains to Peckham and E. Dulwich don't come out of Clapham Jct or Brixton - both stations are on the London Bridge to Victoria loop. It's the 37.
Persepolis is an extraordinary browsing/shopping experience - as well as being pretty cheap for otherwise hard to find stuff (big bags of dried sour cherries for instance).
East Dulwich Deli is just too expensive for its own good - Green and Blue has excellent wines from growers you won't find in many other outlets; worth a visit. I don't think Rose's meat compares at all to Sparkes, and the ridiculous queues of people who clearly have too much time on their hands is enough to put anyone off. The bakery stall is still on Northcross St, as well as a good prepared food stall... The Cheese Block is OK, but La Fromagerie isn't much more expensive and has much better sourced and kept cheese - although nowhere near E Dulwich of course :) The greengrocer on Northcross St is also pretty good - hopefully he'll be getting his supply of Brogdale fruit in the next few weeks... And finally there's Moxon for fish (on Lordship Lane) - a bit expensive in comparison to Sopers in Nunhead, but at least it's mostly in good nick.
Fresh Chicken - Brixton, London
You could hop a 37 (I think?) to Goose Green and wander up to Northcross St (off Lordship Lane) - there you'll find the wonderful Mr Sparkes in his van. Marvellous organic chickens - and he'll portion them off the carcass if you want. Rest of his meat - especially his lamb and hoggett - is spot on as well. A proper butcher who cares about provenance and with real cutting skills. I haven't bought from Moens for years so don't know how prices compare - but I'd warrant the meat at Sparkes is at least as good.
Pork Pies
Absolutely second the Mrs Kings recommendation... really wonderful texture and flavour. The Ginger Pig also make their own pork pies - very meaty, but a different texture, and distinctive flavour. Crusts are thicker than Mrs King's as well - but to satisfy a craving when Mrs King's isn't available for the rest of the week, they certainly beat the supermarket alternatives...
Fish and Chips
The quality isn't as consistently high as it used to be, and the sweet Eastern European ladies serving in the dining room aren't there any more. It's also become really quite expensive (at least to eat in). But when it's good, it's still very good!
Restaurant recs in Camberwell, South London?
Camberwell's not, ahem, overly well-endowed with decent eating places... I'm a resident and tend to eat either in Herne Hill or East Dulwich, or at the Dragons Castle (up the Walworth Road at the Elephant). The Sun and Doves is a nice boozer, with a sweet garden (assuming we're still having some of this sun by Friday). Food's OK but nothing to write home about. There is, however, a very good Indian - Safa, on Camberwell Church St. Food is standard fare, but freshly cooked and properly seasoned, no pour over sauces - it's worth a punt. I hear the Dark Horse pub on Grove Lane (the bottom end by Camberwell Church St) is not bad. Good luck!
[London] Sloane Square?
The Royal Court's cafe is halfway decent for informal light eating. A short walk away is Hunan, on Pimlico Road, and the wonderful Rousillon in St Barnabas St is most definitely worth the (very slightly longer) walk.
Outdoor seating - London
A lovely hidden space is the courtyard at L'Oranger. Food's not what it was, though. I think the Design Cafe opens up its terrace - but I don't think you can reserve one - it's pot luck when you get there. And the Orrery has a wonderful roofspace...
