expatlondon's Profile
Looking for a restaurant with an authentic eat-with-hands experience in London
Addis has an area to sit on the floor and you eat with your hands http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/venue/2%3A874/addis
Didn't love it, but was an interesting experience
Meat Liquor - why do you guys think??? [London]
It's not just amoroso rolls... and no one puts green peppers on a cheesesteak. it's with or without which just means with or without friend onions. Some places use cheese whiz, some places provolone, but most use american cheese. the best cheese steak shops gut the rolls (pull out most of the bread filling to basically leave just a crusty shell and leave more room for the meat and cheese. Born and bread in Philly and raised on cheesesteaks.
Meat Liquor - why do you guys think??? [London]
Wasn't overly impressed. The burger was okay, but the chicken wings were awful... Mac and cheese was yum.
Housebites
Have just heard of a new takeaway service that has chefs cooking for their local area. It's apparently just launching and has the Andy guy that came in second on Masterchef on board. Sounds like an interesting way to change up the usual boring takeaway. Interested to know if anyone has been invited to try it and what the verdict is...
Be My Birthday Guide. Please?
Modern Pantry is lovely. Also you aren't far at all from St. John's/ http://www.stjohnrestaurant.com/ which is a meat lovers dream.
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St. John
26 St John Street, London EC1M 4AY, GB
The Modern Pantry
47 - 48 St Johns Square, London EC1V 4JJ, GB
A few questions on English restaurant practices
No one that has ever waitressed thinks tips should be pooled. I tipped out our bus boys, but quit places if they tried to make us pool tips. I didn't need to be carrying someone else's tables or laziness.
The Dean Street Townhouse
Had a lovely brunch there on Saturday. Was taken aback by how incredibly friendly the staff were. I wanted a Hendricks cocktail of some sort, wasn't bothered what, as long as it was refreshing and the bar manager apparently is a Gin man. He not only made a great cucumber cocktail, he then brought out a new pomegranate gin that is on the market and gave us an impromptu tasting.
The burgers were good and fries were crisp and hot, although I thought the rarebit would be a bit stronger, it got lost a bit. Was just a lovely way to spend the afternoon, sitting outside, dog with us, people watching with great Hendrick's cocktails. Will definitely return.
Avoid at all costs...
It's a pub, and I have no problem paying 8-10 for a pub burger but not a frozen patty or one that isn't cooked to my preference... Don't think that is too much to ask.
Spuntino [London]
went at 1 pm on a saturday, didn't wait and was great. others have had to wait for ages... but I've only heard happy things
Avoid at all costs...
sorry- I had put it in the title originally... Enterprise in Holborn.
Avoid at all costs...
Am completely annoyed with this place. £9.15 for a burger and they pre-cook them and refuse to make them to order (claiming it is against health and safety. ridiculous) They are also completely incapable of serving a table at the same time. It isn't cheap and isn't good... and unapologetic about how bad it is.
Spuntino [London]
I know it's been said and said in the press, but had a perfect lunch there. Chili popcorn with beer while waiting and then I had the famous truffle egg toast, amazing. Gooey egg in the middle of cheesy bread with truffle shavings on thick toast. Was wonderful.
Then panzanella and a pork slider. Great service, lovely food, just great.
Business Casual in Bloomsbury
Cafe Momo just opened on Emerald Street and Villandry on High Holborn is good.
Suggest a Bakery : Which can take orders from abroad and deliver in London
Beas of Bloomsbury would take an order from abroad and deliver...
[London] Banh mi?
Banh Mi Bay is a new Vietnamese cafe which recently opened at 4-6 Theobald's Road. Always packed at lunch and the banh mi is wonderful.
London: Seafood-free restaurants?
Meatwagon #meateasy doesn't have any fish on the menu, but it is a burger place. Likewise Chilango's has no fish, but it is burritos.
Best (And Worst) Italian Restaurants in London?
Really enjoy Sardo Canale (Sardinian) and VaBene...and Caponata (Sicilian rather than straight Italian)
Trattoria Luca on Parkway in Camden is awful.
Vietnamese in London
Viet Anh on Parkway in Camden is one of my staples. Always fresh, always cheap and they are lovely people. Spent a ton of time in there... recommend the Vietnamese Curry and the lettuce wrapped chicken pancake as a starter
Early Dinner for 8 near Holborn Tube/Lincoln's Inn Fields
If you guys want steak, Bountiful Cow is very close and good. Or the Square Pig is a pub with passable food. Bacco is about a five minute walk and nice Italian, with little notice needed.
Yum Cha in Camden this weekend
Am very excited to try it out after reading World Foodie Guide's recommendation. Has anyone else been?
Rotisserie Chicken?
Any ideas where to get lovely rotisserie chicken, not like the greasy Sainsbury's ones? more like you would get in a french market?
thanks
providores, london
Went there on a date recently and were upstairs rather than in the tapas bar and wasn't impressed. There wasn't a stand out dish and I was really anticipating the experience, instead felt it was a bit like the Emperor's New Clothes? Wouldn't risk it on a bday.
Current Best Bets in London Chinatown
Or Leung's Legend but only for the soup dumplings....
UK's hippest cocktail bars
Milk and Honey, the Dorchester Bar (Salvatore is famous for his martini), Paramount are all known for their cocktails...
Unaju in London
Agree that Asakusa's is lovely. Don Zoko's is pretty good and v central
Engineer in Primrose Hill
Really bad service this past weekend. Went in at 11:55 expecting to get an early lunch before friends had to head off to football. Were told that we had either 5 minutes to order breakfast or had to wait till 12:30 for the lunch menu to be printed.
We obliged and ordered breakfast... £10 for full English, £9 for Eggs Benedict.
All of the breakfasts come out with hard poached eggs, one of the one on the Eggs Benedict had a little moisture left so ate the one, and even though we were sitting in the midst of all of the servers next to the kitchen could not get their attention for love or money. There were also about 4 little pieces of potato... just little to no value.
Finally get the server's attention and tell her that the egg is over cooked--- response "well what do you want? it undercooked?" and then goes to the kitchen and comes back to tell us that breakfast is over and she'll just take it from the bill. Then as we pack up to leave and wait for check comes back with a plate of basically raw eggs that may have been poached for 3 seconds that were inedible.
Was over arguing so just paid and left, but will never go back.
Caponata on Delancey St in Camden
It opened about 3 weeks ago, is attached to the "Forge" which also has live music and event space. We've been curious and were quite happy with it. http://www.forgevenue.org/ (I sound like PR for this place, but just think I'll be spending a ton of time there this summer)
Caponata on Delancey St in Camden
Went this weekend for lunch (3 courses for £15) and had an absolutely lovely meal. Service was good...
Started with a mozzarella and roasted tomato starter on a little bed of veg (could have used bread though and was finished the course by the time the bread was delivered). Was fresh and pretty and a good size.
Then had the black squid ink tagliatelle with various fresh seafood. Was an amazing dish, tasted of Sicily and the sea.
Dessert wasn't my favorite, although we were pretty full by then (lemon cake was a bit too dense) but the strawberry sorbet in a pastry shell was refreshing and great.
Friend had caponata to start, followed by a ricotta pasta dish and then the same dessert and was also very pleased with selection and value.
