Loungelover, Shoreditch

Type of Bar: Lounge, Bar/Restaurant
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Small groups, Food, Sushi

Lounge Lover has certainly been through the motions for the past couple of years. 2012 it was the Shoreditch centre for sushi and the fashionable, 2014 brings with it tolling church bells of Buddha Bar-esque anonymity.

I’m not entirely sure what the look was they were going for, but in the line of similarly styled bars as 98, and the Looking Glass, ‘oppressive’ may have been it. The chaotic, smattering of various paraphernalia with no central theme running through it except ‘quirky’, was a bizarre trend of the late noughties that favoured no one except the most precise. Because ‘cute’ it most certainly ain’t.

After being shoved in a scorching hot (and loud) corner of the bar (‘I’m sorry, it’s just hot here, there’s nothing we can do’), and a server repeatedly forgot our orders before dropping our drinks smashing onto the floor, we finally got our hands on something to sip on.

Let’s start with the fairly decent one and make our way downhill from there. The Jubilation is Beefeater gin, muddled green and red grapes, elderflower cordial & lemon topped with Rose champagne. This is fairly successful as far as champagne cocktails go, which get lost in the bubbles – hence the necessity of the champagne being balanced with another spirit, the gin here. But, like most drinks with elderflower cordial, it begins to drown out the flavour. Eventually, you get a muddle of flavours you can’t quite dissect – which seems to be a theme at Loungelover (as most amateur cocktail bars – where, in lieu of a short, but carefully considered menu, you have a long long long list of less well-considered drinks. Apparently size matters; the length of the menu to bars, at least).

The Unfaithful : Cachaca, rhubarb, plums and pear was similarly muddled, with the fruits not quite syncing well with the cachaca. And the Angel’s Share, of Havana 7yr old Rum, apricot liqueur, homemade lemongrass and ginger syrup with muddled kumquats and kaffir lime leaves tasted entirely of apricot with a bit of ginger at the end.

Service was slow, due to how crowded the place was. Many groups of people were standing at the bar, while several tables suited to fit a dozen people would only have about 5 persons drinking there.

Loungelover feels like a haunting memory of when cocktails came back in a big way to London in the noughties, and feels confused in the modern state of the cocktail world. In the future when cocktails warp again, many of the currently excellent bars will get lost in the past as well – immortality in the bar scene is rare. Especially with bars like Loungelover that bet all their money on being fashionable instead of innovative.

Drinks: **
Atmosphere: *
Service: ***

Loungelover

1 Whitby Street
London E1 6JU

http://www.loungelover.uk.com

Powder Keg Diplomacy, Wandsworth

Aug25

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, Victorian
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Small Groups, Food, Date

Powder Keg Diplomacy – cousin to the Lost Society & Lost Angel (Review HERE) offering drinks of the same nature, trend and quality as its brethren, but in a much calmer restaurant setting.

Disclaimer / Trigger Warning:

“Honouring tradition while subverting convention”, the PKD motto announces; but this bar nostalgic to times very few living people can remember, has distinct similarities and differences to its relatives – in a concerning way. The pseudo-Victorian nature of the décor in the LS & LA is taken to the extreme at the PKD – but in the worrying theme of colonialism and empire – proudly described as “an urban colonial environment”. Derridans, do with that as you will. The designer seems to forget there is a difference between patriotism, and pride in colonialism. As a descendant of British emigrants and soldiers of the empire to foreign conquered lands who themselves chided colonialism upon witnessing the result of colonialism in these countries, I couldn’t help but be a bit uncomfortable with the giant mural in front of my table painting the establishment of empire in countries I share homes and relatives with. Should’ve guessed considering the word ‘Diplomacy’ here is defined by a keg of gunpowder. Maybe I just don’t get the irony?

Here, and Here are handy lists about atrocities committed by the British Empire.

This bizarre misplaced nostalgia of empire is served up alongside “approachable seasonal British fare”, “sourced solely from the land and sea of the United Kingdom”, which is at best, irony or mistake in philosophy; or at worst, the normalisation of colonial politic. Rendered almost funny by a friend’s comment about how the Victorian Empire was just a search for decent food, which is why it ended when it found curry.

Before anyone launches at me for being uncomfortable with the décor, I’d like to say that there is a way to have a Victorian theme to a venue without going down this route (See: The Lost Angel, Zetter Townhouse). But really it’s up to you, this is just a disclaimer.

Henry Martini Rifle

Cocktails: On the ball. Excellent value for excellent drinks (Don’t you love Zone 2?)

Whitley Neill Gin, ‘gunpowder’ green tea vermouth, maple syrup, dandelion & burdock bitters came together for the Henry Martini Rifle, is apparently ‘inspired’ by the rifle used “to overpower and subdue colonies”. Right.
The drink was a decent wet Martini, the primary flavour being the initial hit of the gunpowder smokiness after the gin bite (the green tea infused vermouth itself being distantly reminiscent of jasmine), followed by the dandelion & burdock bitters being surprisingly strong; served in a tiny coupe while the rest is chilling in an ice filled tumbler. Well rounded, and an excellent aperitif.

The Ben and Jerries makes an excellent drink for the sweet tooth, Appleton VX & Santa Teresa rums, strawberry shrub, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and a natural yoghurt powder rim. I love that the (though intense) flavour of the strawberry shrub does not overpower the drinker, so well balanced with the spicy oak of Appleton VX – and the very different kind of subtle brown sugar sweetness of the Santa Teresa. You don’t have much time to worry about the drink before you lick the powder from your lips and the sudden clashing appearance of the powder hits you, the sweet-sour yoghurt powder finishing the drink off wonderfully.

The Bourbinheim seemed to be the hit of the night – hibiscus & sour cherry smoke, Woodford Reserve, Maraschino liqueur, Punt e Mes. Punt e Mes & Maraschino are always a winning combination to add to dark spirits; and the whisky is smoked excellently but the sour sweetness of the smoke. For a deep, enveloping, sweet-but-not, cocktail, the Bourbinheim is fantastic.

Bourbinheim

BUT, there were problems: A (unfortunately) particularly disappointing drink was the Hanakatoba Sour was meant to combine “the honey and citrus in the ginseng to really stimulate the senses”: Umeshu, ginseng liqueur, King’s Ginger liqueur, fresh lemon juice and egg white. At the end of it, it was straight citrus through and through. There was a hint of umeshu deep in the distance, but that was about all. Would love to try the drink without the last two ingredients, just as a wine-based umeshu drink. The Gincess Gimlet was another little hiccup, but not as much of a problem as the Hanakatoba; Plymouth Navy Strength Gin, rhubarb and rosehip syrup and lemon juice felt confused and reminded me instantly of the PortSide Parlour’s (Click HERE for review) ‘Grace Jones’ (which we eventually described as ‘soup’).

A drink we didn’t try, but referenced the misplaced notion of positive-colonialism would be the ‘Silk Road’ – apparently a “respectable nod towards the trade route that was central to cultural interaction of Asia and the Mediterranean… Flavours from far and wide brought together”. And yet, 3 of the 4 ingredients come from Central America and the Caribbean an ocean away – Mezcal, tequila, curacao, pomegranate molasses. Were the words ‘respectable nod’ sarcastic? You decide. Baijiu, arak, arrack, raki, Huangjiu and various Mediterranean alcohols & flavours still exist that could have been used.
The Lost Angel does a drink called the Silk Route Martini, which is at least inspired by the idea, with Opihr gin and its various spice-botanicals that were traded on said route.

Service was spectacular for a venue with loudish music. Swift, attentive, always up for a little chat; Maskell and his team are once again at the top of their game when it comes to hosting. Excellent points for hospitality!

In short, well, I don’t know if there is an in short for this venue. Drinks are not really hit and miss, since the drinks that didn’t work out seemed suspicious just from their list of ingredients, so didn’t surprise me. But the drinks that worked well, were absolutely wonderful. The excellent service was one of the best parts of our evening. It just kept getting tainted by the theme, the names of some of the drinks and their descriptions. For some of you, this might not be a problem, but I feel it is something that should be highlighted and acknowledged by a visitor before going there, in order to not be…. Surprised.

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: “I dub this country BongoBongoLand”
Service: ****

Powder Keg Diplomacy

147 St. Johns Hill,
London SW11 1TQ

http://www.powderkegdiplomacy.co.uk/

KERB Food: An Ice Cream Adventure, King’s Cross St. Pancras

Aug17

The street food market KERB KX is back with a twist: An Ice Cream Adventure!

Every Saturday till 20^th September is going to bring 12 ice cream and lolly phenomenons to Granary Square, along with a handful of food and dessert stalls of the likes of Bill & Beak, Kimchinary, Grilling Greek, & Bleecker St. Burger – a pretty bloody decent bunch, if you ask me.

Today’s review will limit itself to must-try ice cream stalls, because there’s only so much double creamy goodness you can consume in one day (BUT, there are vegan options at the venue!).

Although the Hoodooist wished he could, couldn’t manage to eat a proper lunch, because the ice creams and cocktails were more than enough to satiate him at this point. Starting with The Manhattan Project’s Asian Bloody Mary – Stoli, Tomato, Wasabi, Calamansi, Soy, Sriracha, Fermented Chilli – a spectacular combo since Bloody Marys have not usually been the Hoodooist’s first choice. We made our way to the excellent Ruby Violet, whose horseradish ice cream we then added to the Bloody Mary for a wonderful extra kick. At first I certainly wasn’t sure, but was happily surprised at how well it worked! The horseradish ice cream isn’t the sweetest, so doesn’t throw off the flavour of the Bloody Mary, worth a shot if you’re feeling adventurous. On that note, props to Ruby Violet for the adventurousness of a horseradish ice cream!

Sorbitium Ices (from the previous Street Feast reviews – Click for Hackney, Dalston Yard & Lewisham, you know they’re an old favourite), knocked it out of the park with their Olive Oil, Pine Nut & Candied Orange ice cream. I preferred it at the Hackney Street Feast without the candied orange, but it didn’t hurt! Other great combos like the Dark Chocolate & Whisky (bit intense on the whisky), and Strawberry Balsamic ruled the menu, whereas the Melon, Cucumber, Buttermilk & Chilli was a nice tangy choice.

I walked up to Drunken Dairy a bit wary, but was pleasantly surprised but the lovely Dark Destroyer: Dark Chocolate & Grand Marnier, definitely stood out in the massive barrage of orange flavours all the stalls put forward. Similarly surprised was I by Jolly Nice’s savoury Plum & Star Anise – couldn’t have too much of it, but was a spectacular production! The depth provided by the anise was incredible – absolutely necessary to try.

Finally, one that definitely stood out, and though I am choosing no winners today, but a painfully high ranker: La Gelatiera’s Porcini Mushroom & Chocolate Cream.

Don’t ask me by what sorcery or defiance in the laws of physics that this works: but it does. And it does so with confidence and humble panache. The earthy porcini complements the chocolate, and does so with strong flavour, but without overpowering it, blowing La Gelatiera’s other ambitious flavours like Basil & Chilli out of the water.

All the choice at the KERB Ice Cream Adventure can be a bit overwhelming, but don’t fret too much – follow our little guide for suggestions toward the most adventurous and exciting of the ice creamiers – and throw that weighing scale out the window 😉

KERB’s Ice Cream Adventure
Every Saturday till 20^th Sept ‘14,

Granary Square,
King’s Cross

http://www.kerbfood.com/kerb-saturdays/

Arabica Bar & Kitchen, London Bridge

Jul21

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, Levantine
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Food, Lazy Lunch, Sundays, Meetings, Small Groups

Borough Market has welcomed yet another spectacular restaurant in the form of Arabica, once a Borough Market stall itself. Serving up food from the Levant with contemporary takes, Arabica brings a necessary cuisine to the area (done well, at least). An open plan space perfect for a lazy lunch.

Besides an excellent selection in food, Arabica offers a short cocktail list of classics with Near Eastern twists.

Let’s start off with a personal favourite: the Mujrim. A development on a Dry Manhattan, bourbon, dry vermouth and lemon meet pomegranate molasses. As you can imagine, the end product is much sweeter than a Dry Manhattan, but dry vermouth is necessary to not make the cocktail too sweet. The flavours are all distinct – with its spectacular simplicity, the Mujrim isn’t necessarily a dessert cocktail, but better to have without food so that it doesn’t drown out the pomegranate molasses.

Rayyan Gin Fizz (L), Mujrim (R)

The Sassine Square is a much more subtle flavour outside the intense high-rye bourbon and bitters – the date syrup is almost too quiet. Perhaps a bit more and here we have an excellent dessert drink.

The Nana Ti (Cuban and Jamaican rums, lemon, cacao, wild mint) is a supremely clean flavour to be paired with food. I notice the recipe for the Rayyan Gin Fizz since the soft launch: removing the rose water – a very good move since the rose water was overpowering. Now, Arak Brun, orange blossom water, orange and cardamom marmalade, citrus, and cream. Yes, it sounds complex, but is far lighter in person.

Arabica is certainly a new destination in the area, and its cocktails do not fail to disappoint! I just wish I knew what they intend to do with the bottle of QuiQuiRiQui mezcal that’s on their shelf.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ***

Arabica Bar & Kitchen

3 Rochester Walk,
Borough Market,
London SE1 9AF

http://www.arabicabarandkitchen.com/

The Hoodooist’s Guide to: Stockholm

Jul13

Don’t let Stockholm’s reputation for a quiet nightlife fool you; this city houses some spectacular bars that put most of London to shame.

But before we jump to that, let’s talk about Stockholm’s geography for a second. Much like London, Stockholm is divided into a North and South by the river, but unlike London, the difference between the two is much, much more obvious. That and the spotting of inhabited islands in the water.

The North coast is far more modernised setting, devoted to brand stores and hotels; the South a bohemian zone with nightlife and burlesque bars, not to mention vintage markets. The islands tend to be more public tourist sector – by which I mean Old Town is dominated by the Royal Palace and Stockholm Cathedral, surrounded by the tourist stores selling Viking paraphernalia and souvenirs; whereas the Djurgården Island houses massive parks and museums.

When not bargaining for deals in the South, the North and the Islands host some amazing spots for food and drink.

The Kaffekoppen Crypt

Cafes in Stockholm without a doubt come with some of the best fruit pies, served with a healthy drizzle (read: flood) of hot vanilla sauce. What you want to check out is Kaffekoppen in Old Town, a basement spot deep in a crypt for warmth, moments away from the bustling streets in front of the Palace and Cathedral. Service is slow, but the pie, cinnamon bun, and mulled wine are worth it. Better still is the North’s Sturekatten, a cat-themed café that is essentially your granny’s-living-room meets hotel-buffet, and all awesome. Before grabbing a seat, queue to pay for the dessert selection ranging from Swedish specials like semi-sweet saffron buns and cream cakes. Sturekatten is a must when visiting the city, a great rest-stop from the brand street 2 minutes away.

Sturekatten’s Konditori

Impeccable service and traditional Scandinavian food can be found in Djurgården’s restaurant, the Ulla Winbladh. Not particularly easy to find, or get to, this little cottage is well worth the trek. Between the incredible gravad lax and the elk stew, there is next to nothing to complain about here. Sober, quiet, perfect for a relaxed dinner.

Honourable mention: the Marie Laveau in the South – Lousiana meets Stockholm (but with cocktails you want to avoid).

Ulla Winbladh

Finally, the cocktails!

Stockholm doesn’t have a huge cocktail culture, but there are some great bars to be checked out. The South houses the wonderful high-rise bar, Och Himlen Därtill, which besides giving you a great view of the city, perfectly encapsulates Stockholm’s nightlife. Ordered, relaxed, and full with a massive mix of people from various walks and backgrounds. Himlen offers a short, but varied cocktail list, like the twist on a Whiskey Sour: The Elk’s Own, for a warming evening drink. Or the Ginger Fusion for a spry, spiced drink.

Och Himlen Därtill’s view

To splurge a bit more, make your way to the acclaimed Grand Hotel’s Cadier Bar. If I was reviewing this place like I normally would, it’d be a *****, *****, *****. Incredible service, spectacular venue, and what a cocktail list! Lengthy, with its share of innovative drinks – a Grand Manhattan that was difficult to rival, and a Louisiana Snake Bite that does London’s recent trend of chilli drinks and puts it to shame – fantastic. Even better when you suddenly find yourself amidst a group of dignitaries in ballgowns and military sashes – the Cadier is the place to mingle, see and be seen – with drinks at about 14 pounds each.

Grand Hotel’s Cadier Bar

Honourable mention: Bröderna Olssons Garlic & Shots, cousin of Soho’s G&S for shots and metal on the speakers.

Avoid: The impressive-looking Berns Hotel cocktail bar gets an awful lot of attention in Stockholm, but turns out to be rather disappointing. Save your kronor.

Stockholm makes an excellent weekend to splurge on food, though sometimes a good cocktail can be difficult to find, so here is a handy little Hoodooist map to find your way to the nearest Swedish drinking den!

Skål!

The Hoodooist’s Guide to: Greenwich.

Jul6

West Greenwich, specifically.

The area around the Cutty Sark is indeed overrun by tourists, especially on weekends, but at least the good spots aren’t. So here’s a guide to avoid the myriad of tourist traps in the area!

Sure, most people come in for Greenwich Market, and it is worth the shot if it’s your first time – but otherwise, there’s very little to miss other than the occasional visit from Comptoir Gourmand (best Pistachio Financier!), the Norse Baker, or Sambal Shiok. If you’re lucky, the Greenwich Food Festival (REVIEW) will be back!

Greenwich Market

In terms of markets, whereas the popular Greenwich Market is exactly the same every week, try your hand at haggling over vintage jewellery and furs at the Clocktower Market, instead – placed between the Greenwich Picturehouse (still one of the Hoodooist’s favourite cinemas in the city) and the Clocktower, with its Zodiac mosaic to check out.

Otherwise, before making your way to the sights, pop by Grown Ups @ Black Vanilla (Click HERE for Review!) on College Approach, for a cocktail and sorbet pairing to take the edge of the summer heat.
After, an exploration of the Painted Hall at the University proceeding to a picnic at the Park is the way to go, grass and Prosecco certainly can’t go amiss – not with some of the most incredible views in the city. In the summer it is worthwhile following up to the Roman ruins, and the especially remarkable rose garden, as alternatives to the Observatoryand Queen’s House. You’ve still got the options of the Ranger’s House and Fan Museum if your museum thirst isn’t satisfied.

Take the West exit onto Croom’s Hill, and down Gloucester Circus for further blossoming gardens and architecture, and then come down to Royal Hill – probably my favourite street in the area. Besides abundant delis, butchers, florists, pubs (including one of the last remaining gay pubs in Greenwich), it houses Royal Teas; and easily the winning coffee house and Argentinian deli in Greenwich, the Buenos Aires Café – (which now has a branch on Nelson Road as well!). The manager may be stand-offish, and the prices a tad steep, but the Buenos Aires is the best way to get away from the Greenwich crowd for a decent coffee. Charcouterie boards and Argentinian maté is the way to go, if you haven’t spent your wallet on the deli.

If you can, do check out Halcyon Books, a trove of books all for a pound each! Still one of my favourite stores in the area.

After a long shisha session at Mevali, sunset comes best with cocktails at the Cooperage (Click HERE for review!), in the basement of the rather well known Davy’s Wine Bar. Expect to see a lot of classics and reasonable prices – always a pro. If not, climb down into the depths of Oliver’s Jazz Bar for amateur jazz bands of various sub-genres performing live with a bottle of wine in a dark, red, red, bar.

If you want to be a bit shameless, Desperados (now under construction) has a list of 150 foul-tasting, but effective, shots – I’d say about 8 F*ckers would be enough to knock you out on the way home. Not classy, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend public transport after – but a memorable way to end the night.

Greenwich is a rather quiet town outside tourist hours, and it is very easy to fall into the tourist traps along the way, but that’s why this guide exists! Make the most of a day/night out in Greenwich with this, as some of the best our little town has to offer.

The Lost Angel & Gaslight Grill, Battersea

Jun29

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, Quirky
Damage: £ – ££
Ideal for: Food, Sundays, Gin, Live Music

Now here is a long-time favourite.

A hungover Sunday’s solution is always in the Angel’s arms. Even if it means travelling an hour from Greenwich and cowering in the corner till that spectacular Sunday roast comes around.

Sorry, I think I drooled on the keyboard.

Trying to pin the Lost Angel’s design is a bit difficult. Its jazzy, Victorian, 60’s randomness, upscale pub vibe somehow *works*. It lends to a really comfortable, relaxed atmosphere with live music in the day time; to a raucous party in the evenings – both indoors and in the large garden in the back. It’s that laid back attitude that makes it one of my favourite Sunday spots.

But it’s not just that, the LA hosts several events, from various DJ nights, extended happy hours throughout the week, and Gin Soaked Thursdays – where you can explore the LA’s reputation as a gin palace with a choice of its 30 different gins at 6 pounds each.

Drinks wise, the menu is varied, but tends towards the sweeter on many occasions – but there are still drier, intense cocktails to choose from. Classics can always be requested.

Without argument, their Bloody Mary game is on point. And they dish them out faster than you could believe. The Bottomless Bloody Mary Sundays get you as many as you like for only 15 pounds, and to that deal you can add a Sunday roast for 10. I normally go straight for the Spice Route Gimlet, Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin’s playfulness blends wonderfully with cardamom and lime cordial, and a star anise garnish. A strong gimlet with a spicy Eastern twist, don’t let the lime cordial-instead-of-juice fool you, this drink still packs a punch.

Cucumber, Jalapeno & Coriander Margarita…does exactly what it says on the tin. Lively, spry, spicy as all hell, this drink is perfect for the afternoon. Another bar could take a lesson here on how to salt a rim; you’re not supposed to make the drinker cringe. The Marrakesh Martini, saffron infused Beefeater gin, apricot liqueur, orange bitters, spiced sugar, ginger and lime juice has great potential, but often is drowned out by the apricot liqueur. A good idea is to let the bartender know to turn that down a bit.

The Strawberry Amaretto Sour makes an excellent dessert drink with fresh strawberries and egg white, as well as the Lost Skipper with dark rum, Chambord, blackberry jam and red wine.

The admirable aspect to the LA’s cocktail list is how straightforward they are, often twists on the classics, they do exactly what they say will – which makes the Lost Angel a great introduction to cocktails.

This is where the Lost Angel’s charm lies: It’s laid-back, and out there to make a fun drink, without overcomplicating things, and without pretension. It is a reminder that complex reductions and vaporisers aren’t necessary to earn high points, neither is unwavering devotion to the classics – simplicity can be the key to a welcoming venue on a harsh Sunday morning.

Seriously though, that roast.

PS: Please update the website’s cocktail menu! People be missing the Jalapeno Margarita!

Drinks: **** (Especially deserving on discounted hours)
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ***

The Lost Angel & Gaslight Grill

339 Battersea Park Road,
London SW11 4LS

http://www.lostangel.co.uk

Street Feast’s #ModelMarket, Lewisham

Jun23

So, Street Feast has extended its roots into the South East! The immense success, as reviewed, of the Winter 2013-4 Hackney Feast; and the currently running Dalston Yard Feast meant that it was only a matter of time before another one cropped up.

This smaller market houses more of London’s incredible street food talent, but has certain drawbacks as a venue.

Onto the food!

Killer Tomato’s Esquites: charred corn, chipotle mayo, feta, chilli flakes and lime, were a great snack to have when waiting in line – Killer Tomato is probably the only exclusively-veg place in the venue so far, which is also a relief – generally the market is not veg-an/etarian friendly. The Esquites are also pre-prepared, so are absolute recommendations to snatch a couple up when running to the next stall where you will inevitable wait.

Sambal Shiok is still one of my favourite stalls, kicking it with their usual chicken satay and beef rendang hits (previous review of the beef rending from the Greenwich Food Festival: Sambal Shiok’s spectacular Beef Rendang : marinated in 10 spices and dripping with further chilli sauce, the melt-in-your-mouth meat was coupled spectacularly with the cool Kerabu pickled cucumber and red onions.)

Their Taster Plate is now a mix of the beef, chicken and a lentil option they have introduced – the chicken and beef still beat the lentil, which came off slightly dry – but forgivable considering how crowded they were! Comes with kerabu pickled cucumber, red onion and that wonderful sambal chilli sauce. Get in early for these guys, they sell out!

Smokestak has been on my list for a while now – run out of brisket, sadly – I settled for the pulled pork, honey mustard BBQ, green chilli slaw in brioche – absolutely worth the money. These guys know what they’re doing, and knocked it out of the park. Also one of the more popular in the market, Smokestak has the tenderest of meat, though the chilli slaw ain’t as chilli as you’d think (cue Sambal Shiok on how spicy spicy should be).

Deciding it was time for a drink, the Rum Shack offers a great selection of classics with a mean Anejo Highball – aged rum, orange curacao, ginger beer, lime juice and bitters – which goes better as a mid-meal drink than an ultra-dry El Presidente #2.

Finally, the local dessert stall, the SE Brownie Bar is an extension of the SE Cakery at Elephant and Castle’s Boxpark. Hallelujah, Model Market learnt its lesson and added a place that served tea and coffee! These brownies are also fantastic – 5 pounds for six: Salted Caramel, Oreo, Mojito, Peanut, Honeycomb, and Banoffee crumble. Ask to design your own batch if needed and they’ll be happy to! These brownies are fantastic, SE Brownies gives Bad Brownie a run for their money!

Whereas the Dalston Yard Street Feast is absolutely massive, this one keeps a large queue where guards with clickers decide what size groups go in at a time – obviously this is necessary to not overwhelm the venue, but the place is far too tiny for such a successful market that would be bound to be crowded.

In other words, after standing in line for 15 minutes for places that would inevitably be open in other places in London rest of the week – the loudest voice in my head was “I can’t believe I’m waiting in line to enter a market.”

It is good to see this unused space being put to use, but the initial queuing just to enter the market reminds you of the reasons you don’t go clubbing. It definitely puts a dampener on the evening. I was excited that it’s only a short bus ride from my place, but I feel like I’d rather be travelling up to Dalston Yard instead.

Is Street Feast over? Doubt it; it is still a great venture with excellent food, just a terrible venue. The gentrification of Lewisham is kind of sad to watch. But with food this good, you kinda go with it.

Like the other Street Feast venues, the list of stalls change now and again, so make sure to check the website every week!

Street Feast,
http://www.streetfeastlondon.com/
Twitter: @StreetFeastLDN

The Delaunay, Aldwych

Jun16

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, Central European
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, Food

Anyone who has met me knows I do love a good Corbin and King. And I love the Delaunay no less. The Central European charm is all very coded-telegram-in-the-croissant which appeals to me to no end – this is a matter of taste, though. The 1940s feel, with its hardwood and white cloth deserves a bit more effort in the appearance department from the clientele. But the superbly presented staff, who are just the right mix of warm and cold, suit perfectly.

Even though my priority is cocktails, it is far too easy to get distracted by painfully shiny silver coffeepots and the most tempting of viennoiserie and patisserie, baked to perfection, dressed immaculately. The menu (breakfast, brunch, lunch and a la carte), is generally simple comfort food, but one can’t complain when it is done so well. The choices and twists on the ice cream coupes makes coming here or to the deli counter just for sweet worthwhile in itself. Expect typical central European fair of wursts, frites, brioche and schnitzel. An obscenely long list of starters is accompanied by a short entree list of exclusively meat – leaving very little for vegetarians, unfortunately.
Bringing myself back to my purpose with drinks – expect a short list of very simple, two-ingredient classics. 8 to 9 pound well-made Old Fashioneds, Last Words and Sazeracs. Although the Manhattan ordered perfect came a bit more on the dry side.

For a less intense flavour, do try the Veritas (Bourbon and Port). If my taste wasn’t for the short and strong, I might find myself complaining at the lack of tall, fruity drinks – but the Delaunay is really sticking to its guns to protect its classic European atmosphere you’d expect right out of Coppola’s ‘Youth Without Youth‘. The Delaunay demands a long, languid dinner.

If you have visited Fischer’s, another Viennese Corbin and King establishment, you have an idea of exactly what the menu might look like – just less formal. If you enjoyed it, you’ll certainly enjoy the Delaunay.

If you like trendy, juicy, chrome and glass – this is not the place for you.The Delaunay earns high scores for excellent atmosphere, on-the-ball service and rather good bartending, even if the list is short and classic.

If you enjoy Corbin & King’s work, do check out our review of the Bar Americain @ Brasserie Zedel, Soho!

Drinks: *** (if you consider this is primarily a restaurant, ****)
Atmosphere: *****
Service: ****

The Delaunay,

55 Aldwych,
London WC2B 4BB

http://www.thedelaunay.com/‎

Holborn Dining Room & Delicatessen, Holborn

Jun9

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, British
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, Food

My word, is this place beautiful.

We stumbled onto the HDR and were glad for it. My hangover needed as much food as it could stomach.

The atmosphere is reminiscent of a Corbin and King venture (always a good thing) and the cocktail menu is uncomplicated and unique without trying too hard. The bright room with its shades of red, creams and whites accentuated with gold linings create a peculiar vibe of Vienna-cum-Manhattan, and is successfully versatile as a venue. Expect to see a roughly equal mix of dates, couples, families and friends on a lunch out. On that note, the venue looks its best in the daytime.

The enormous venue houses a bar, large dining area, and charcuterie counter with seats. The hot and cold counter menus provide more than enough choice for bites in the side of your drink with reasonable prices.

Unless you’re dining, do get a seat at the bar for the rousing chats with the bartenders. With drinks reasonably priced, you really can’t say no to a second. It may be a short list, but it is effective. The Highlander (Bulleit Borboun, spiced honey, hazelnut) does the job with its simplicity and perfectly reflects the bar’s feel of modern unpretentious sophistication.

The one drink that seemed out of place, yet worked wonderfully was the Camden Town Treacle: Havana rum combined with fresh apple juice and ‘Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Reduction’, was just the right combo of sweet and tart. And who knew rum and black ale reduction created whiskey? Which makes one wonder if it would work as just ‘Whiskey and apple juice’?

But you can’t go wrong with the cigar-esque Montecristo Daiquiri, tobacco infused Havana rum, vanilla liqueur and lime juice – sweeter on the nose than expected, but the rush of flavours upon the first sip need a few moments on the palette to separate.

The quintessentially British menu is absolutely worth the money (Starters at roughly 8 pounds, Sirloin steak at 24), and cooked to perfection. If there is any complaint regarding the food, it would be the menu, which desperately needs more vegetarian options that are not the tired mushroom risotto. Speaking with the manager, it seems this problem had been mentioned before, and the main launch would consider more original options for vegetarians.

Service was blameless. Upbeat and on the ball bartenders and waiters make the service worth it. Definitely look forward to returning.

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: *****
Service: ****

Holborn Dining Room

252 High Holborn,
London WC1V 7EN

www.holborndiningroom.com/‎

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Category Archives: Gastronomy