There’s a parade of rickety cutesy and authentic Vietnamese restaurants clustered down the Shoreditch end of Kingsland Road in London’s Hackney. They’re cheap, run by Vietnamese people – many originally refugees – and functional. Shoreditch’s fashion pack use them to chow down before drinking or just as a reminder of their hols to far off lands. But round the corner, in the beautiful Grade II listed Shoreditch Town Hall, Monsieur M is mounting a challenge to them all.
Coquine launches on a river of champagne
Coquine opened its doors to a battery of invited guests earlier this week. This new cocktail lounge/restaurant launched on a river of champagne, which merged into several tributaries of interesting cocktails. It is clear that a lot of thought and effort has gone into creating the space and its aura of respectable decadence, why not go there and enjoy a cocktail or two while you take it in?
Kensington Square Kitchen, Kensington Square, London,
One of the best things about living in London is that there’s always something new to discover, and last week, behind the old Barkers building, we found Kensington Square, a little haven on tranquility, yet within sight of the ever-busy High Street. We were charmed at once.
Yauatcha: Decadent Dim Sum
From minimalistic canteens, Wagamama and Busaba Eathai, to artisan bakery Princi and this chic teahouse, Alan Yau OBE has proved himself the archetypal, architect restaurateur. It’s tempting to call him the Asian ‘Conran’. But unlike Sir Terence, he’s an ace at collaborating revolutionary restaurant design with pristine plates; marrying a satisfying palette with a gratifying palate…
Gourmet food for a fiver – Jason Atherton
As the shock of Jason Atherton’s resignation from the Ramsay Empire begins to die down, here is his new cookbook to console us until he pops up elsewhere, as he surely must. And far from being a Maze cookbook, delicious dishes beyond the reach of most of us, it’s a book that promises us that we can cook well and for under a fiver a head.
The Pear Tree, Margravine Road, London
The Pear Tree pretty much epitomises the archetypal ‘local’. This early Victorian pub stands out, surrounded as it is by somewhat more modern flats and houses. It is true to say that it is a work in progress, with its continuing restorative work. The place is already a popular haunt for locals and I can see that developing, as well as the prospect of attracting those further afield.
The Forge, London
Covent Garden isn’t all about jugglers and tourist traps you know, there are some pleasant surprises along the way if you wander for long enough.The Forge is not only a smart, grown up restaurant with chef Andrew Barber at the helm,but it also boasts one of London’s most impressive wine lists. So, go there thirsty, with plenty of time on your hands……..
Pho, Great Titchfield Street, London
Tucked away behind Oxford Circus, we brave the horrendous downpour of heavy rain on a grim Saturday afternoon to visit Pho, serving Vietnamese ‘street food’. The menu here is simple and a few of the really interesting sounding dishes are only available in the evening, which is a bit of a drag.
Tequila!
As someone whose experience of tequila has been the occasional margarita and one never-to-be-forgotten night of slammers in Puerta Vallarta, I’ve always viewed it as a spirit to be approached with some caution, so a night of tequila with The Tequila Society was one that I was a little apprehensive about.
Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares’ as Maze’s Jason Atherton Resigns
Another one bites the dust” as they say, but surely not in such quick succession? With Mark Sargeant having tendered his resignation just 4 months ago to ‘Work on other projects”, Chef patron of Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant, Jason Atherton seems to have followed suit by tendering his resignation also.