― Sarah, Monday, 3 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― kate, Monday, 3 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
when you asked for small noodle soup it was as big as yr head (if yr head was liquid and in a bowl); i never dared ask for large noodle soup, in case the seas ran dry and it was my greedy fault
― mark s, Monday, 3 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― ambrose, Monday, 3 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― michael, Monday, 3 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Trevor, Monday, 3 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
As the WCDS is starting soon I will be able to give more info, but Ethiopian Merkato on Caledonian Road is good, Crouch End (wherever the fuck that is) is full of top restaurants but latest discover of BYO curry house just off Marchomont Street in central London has had me going back 4 times in 2 weeks.
― Pete, Monday, 3 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― kristen, Tuesday, 4 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Sunday, 27 October 2002 21:43 (twenty-one years ago) link
The Gate in Hammersmith is better than the one next to my house. Rasa in Stoke Newington is better than the one near Oxford Circus. But the best vegetarian restaurant in London is Manna, on Erskine Road, near Primrose Hill. I love this place (it equals The Gate for tastiness of food, and has a much better atmosphere).
― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 27 October 2002 22:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― sand.y, Monday, 28 October 2002 00:37 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Pete (Pete), Monday, 28 October 2002 10:31 (twenty-one years ago) link
Kulu Kulu sushi in Brewer Street.
Mandola in Westbourne Grove.
Churchill Arms pub thai in Kensington.
― suzy (suzy), Monday, 28 October 2002 11:21 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Monday, 28 October 2002 11:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Pete (Pete), Monday, 28 October 2002 11:47 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 28 October 2002 19:35 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Friday, 1 November 2002 19:10 (twenty-one years ago) link
― mark s (mark s), Friday, 1 November 2002 19:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 3 November 2002 11:31 (twenty-one years ago) link
― mark s (mark s), Sunday, 3 November 2002 13:57 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 3 November 2002 16:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Friday, 6 December 2002 10:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ed (dali), Friday, 6 December 2002 10:49 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Big Hogleg, Friday, 6 December 2002 10:53 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Friday, 6 December 2002 10:54 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 6 December 2002 11:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 6 December 2002 11:04 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Friday, 6 December 2002 11:06 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 6 December 2002 11:08 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 6 December 2002 11:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Friday, 6 December 2002 18:16 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Monday, 27 January 2003 12:54 (twenty-one years ago) link
but then im with some other people later in the week and we need another recommendation.
― gareth (gareth), Monday, 27 January 2003 17:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ed (dali), Monday, 27 January 2003 18:10 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Sarah (starry), Monday, 27 January 2003 18:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
They recommend the place you mention sarah
― Alan (Alan), Monday, 27 January 2003 18:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
sushi-say is like 15mins walk from my house...
― toby (tsg20), Monday, 27 January 2003 18:21 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 6 February 2003 13:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
Sarah, sushi-say is fantastic, and the chef thre is very very cool.
― chris (chris), Thursday, 6 February 2003 13:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tag, Thursday, 6 February 2003 13:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
I've heard far too many stories about Pollo ever to go back there, which is a shame as I used to like it.
― chris (chris), Thursday, 6 February 2003 13:49 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Thursday, 6 February 2003 18:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 6 February 2003 18:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ed (dali), Thursday, 6 February 2003 19:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ed (dali), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:03 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tag, Friday, 7 February 2003 13:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― chris (chris), Friday, 7 February 2003 13:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― suzy (suzy), Friday, 7 February 2003 14:10 (twenty-one years ago) link
How is Cafe Grove? Has anyone tried Viet Hoa? What about Goddards Ye Olde Pie Shop?
― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 21 August 2003 04:17 (twenty years ago) link
Viet Hoa is very reliable (and popular) but since the opening of about a dozen Vietnamese restaurants next to it, of course there are one or two of these that are better than Viet Hoa, like Song Que a few blocks up and the Viet community centre on the Dalston end of Englefield Road.
― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 21 August 2003 04:31 (twenty years ago) link
Two developments I've noticed:
1- Dunno if this is just a changing demographics of Stokey thing but post-pandemic the kebab shops are closing earlier. Used to be I could come back from the cinema on a Tuesday evening at 23:00 and get a bab within walking distance. No more!
2- Korean Fried Chicken fever has trickled down enough that now some chicken shops have changed their names from US states to Korean cities, Seoul Fried Chicken as opposed to Tennessee Fried Chicken and such.
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 7 November 2022 11:48 (one year ago) link
Previously existing chicken shops re-branding with Korean names or new places?
― Tim, Monday, 7 November 2022 11:57 (one year ago) link
The local Chinese here is closing at 10 to save on energy bills
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 7 November 2022 12:05 (one year ago) link
I don't entirely know Tim, but I can say these places are v much identical to existing chicken shops, it's not like they add gochujang or something.
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 7 November 2022 13:53 (one year ago) link
Dammit
― Tim, Monday, 7 November 2022 13:54 (one year ago) link
since I'm unlikely to go out till the end of the year, here's my list of 2022 highlights (mostly lazily in the North-East LDN area)
Set meal at the Clove Club - worth the exorbitant price, loved the shrimp bisque and the pork jowl. Yangeyon bun and creme brulee cookies at Bake StreetMixed grill from Numara Bors Cirrik 2Twice cooked pork belly and Peking shredded pork with sweet bean paste at Old Street ChineseHor borek pastry from Yasar HalimIndo Chinese paneer lettuce cups at Brigadier'sTakoyaki and breaded horse mackerel at AsakusaThe fish set menu at Aun'sKurdish kebab at Babaan's Nan (this might be bog standard for all I know, never had Kurdish kebab before - love the naan bread, minced meat paste and sauces tho)Pakistani cheese naan at Ararat BreadSweet glazed pork with cabbage and a side of mashed potatoes at Daffodil Mulligan's
Guilty pleasure, trashy section: the cheddar corndog at Myungrang in AngelGuilty pleasure, bourgie section: the pastrami bun at Gail's
― Daniel_Rf, Wednesday, 21 December 2022 14:34 (one year ago) link
Vittles response to the New Statesman piece criticising the enterprise from a couple of weeks ago, inserted in this review.
https://www.vittlesmagazine.com/p/crispy-bhajia-and-the-golden-thread
― xyzzzz__, Friday, 8 September 2023 11:14 (eight months ago) link
had a really nice light meal at the new honey and co in lambs conduit street. middle eastern/levantine cookery v much in the claudia roden style. great menu.
― Fizzles, Tuesday, 28 November 2023 18:07 (five months ago) link
Don’t you find it a bit expensive? I rate Hiba by the tube station much more highly.
― steely flan (suzy), Tuesday, 28 November 2023 18:35 (five months ago) link
oh absolutely, i threw all my money at them and they gave me some very nice food and wine. was heading to the cinema and fancied trying it out as hadn't been before.
hadn't heard of Hiba, but look forward to visiting! two bloomsbory recommendations for the price of one.
― Fizzles, Tuesday, 28 November 2023 21:05 (five months ago) link
bloomsbury
The M&H people have pissed off all the flats on that block because they installed a very loud fan (Cigala, the Spanish restaurant that was the previous occupant, did not keep the neighbours awake with theirs).
Hiba Express (to give its proper name) has a branch in Walthamstow and a wrap place near Goodge Street. They are Palestinian. The first time I got a wrap at Holborn, they made it so quickly, I expressed surprise. The cook beamed at me: ‘we ARE Hiba EXPRESS!’
― steely flan (suzy), Tuesday, 28 November 2023 21:35 (five months ago) link
lol excellent, and good to hear that they've got a branch in walthamstow as well, as i'm sometimes around there.
― Fizzles, Tuesday, 28 November 2023 21:45 (five months ago) link
Have a great sentimental attachment to Honey & Co (which I first heard about in this thread!), have all their books, love their food. I do find the space in Lambs Conduit a bit dull though, miss the buzzy atmosphere of Warren St.
― TWELVE Michelob stars?!? (seandalai), Tuesday, 28 November 2023 22:43 (five months ago) link
ok so i ended up at honey & co in the end and holy shit was that the right choice. cannot recommend this place highly enough. the food!!!!!!the mezze set is the best option, like a taster menu for the starters, and if there's a starter not on it they'll happily swap it in (which we did for what turned out to be the star dish of the night - chicken liver baklava with grape molasses). the artichoke heart salad was really incredible too. main courses were so deep and rich and warming (slow cooked chicken in currants and pomegranates for me, slow cooked lamb with rice and almonds for him). the pistachio cake (served with sour cream, which actually really worked) was a hit too. only -ve was that our main courses arrived just as we were finishing our starters - we did take our sweet time over the mezze set but it would have been nice to have a break between courses.but the food, oh my god, made up for it x 1000.― lex pretend, Saturday, 9 November 2013 09:18 (ten years ago) bookmarkflaglink
the mezze set is the best option, like a taster menu for the starters, and if there's a starter not on it they'll happily swap it in (which we did for what turned out to be the star dish of the night - chicken liver baklava with grape molasses). the artichoke heart salad was really incredible too. main courses were so deep and rich and warming (slow cooked chicken in currants and pomegranates for me, slow cooked lamb with rice and almonds for him). the pistachio cake (served with sour cream, which actually really worked) was a hit too. only -ve was that our main courses arrived just as we were finishing our starters - we did take our sweet time over the mezze set but it would have been nice to have a break between courses.
but the food, oh my god, made up for it x 1000.
― lex pretend, Saturday, 9 November 2013 09:18 (ten years ago) bookmarkflaglink
ilx first mentions
― TWELVE Michelob stars?!? (seandalai), Tuesday, 28 November 2023 22:45 (five months ago) link
New (to me) Ta'mini Lebanese bakery nr Bloomsbury is excellent. Working my way through all the wraps on their menu. Spicy falafel is outstanding. Roast vegetable... Booming. Saisage one great too. All quite distinctive.
And i've seen Mick Lynch eating there. What more do you need?
― ionjusit (P. Flick), Tuesday, 28 November 2023 22:52 (five months ago) link
There's another Honey & Co deli just opened on Store St (i think)
Menu is a bit cheaper. You can do take out.
― ionjusit (P. Flick), Tuesday, 28 November 2023 22:54 (five months ago) link
I’ve been to Tamini, no Mick Lynch sighting yet though.
The Honey & Co deli is on Store Street and I think I prefer it to the restaurant. I know what you mean about the lack of buzz comparing the restaurant with the old Warren Street location.
My other good picks for around there are Chilli Cool (first-wave Sichuan that’s at least 15yo) and Master Wei. Noble Rot or Cafe Deco for OCCASIONS. Fromagerie for meetings. But most of the time when I’m going out I wind up at Eat Tokyo, which in these £25 posh entree times can seem as inexpensive as fast food.
― steely flan (suzy), Wednesday, 29 November 2023 00:01 (five months ago) link
Tim once mentioned a thai restaurant as what he'd show ppl from out of town as an example of London restaurants at their best, I thought it was on this thread but my search lead nowhere, anyone know?
― Daniel_Rf, Sunday, 31 December 2023 11:32 (four months ago) link
Singburi?
― Humanitarian Pause (Tracer Hand), Sunday, 31 December 2023 11:44 (four months ago) link
Kiln!
― Tim, Sunday, 31 December 2023 11:52 (four months ago) link
Probably.
Yeah, Kiln sounds right! Thanks.
since I'm at it, 2023 meals (really need to get out of the East more)
Birthday dinner at Mangal 2Cheese chicken from Good Friend Chicken in ChinatownLaghman noodles at Etles UyghurShanghai style pork belly on rice at Lulu'sBueno cheesecake from Bake StreetBifana from LisboetaGreat tteopokki at Bi Won LondonDusty Knuckle Bakery bacon sarnieTurkey pie from SnackbarPho at Song QueMilky tea from Bun HousePotato kugel and apple kugel from Avrumie'sFried chicken from Seoul 90Bacon and haggis roll from Scottish Kitchen
Guilty pleasures: jerk chicken bagel from Bagel House, super sugary chai from Chaiwaala
― Daniel_Rf, Sunday, 31 December 2023 11:59 (four months ago) link
Advice needed:
Going out with my mum in London Bridge on Sunday. She doesn't want to eat anywhere too high end (disappointing). I was *thinking* the Royal Oak, but I'm not sure it's quite right for what she'd like, what other good options are there? There's the Wright Brothers, Brindisa I guess though we went there last time. There's Padella isn't there? Not sure that's right either, plus can't book.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:00 (three months ago) link
Define “High end”, is it a vibe or a price point, do you have that thing with yr mammy where you can’t take her anywhere cos she’ll complain about the prices
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:07 (three months ago) link
Would Cafe Murano on Bermondsey Street fit the bill? 15 minutes’ walk from London Bridge.
― Madchen, Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:10 (three months ago) link
Anyway I never really go there apart from to the Ginger Pig before ILB meets but Eliots comes highly recommended by a mutual friend of ours, I have only had the basque cheesecake there but it’s excellent. Also there’s a Hawksmoor there which I mention as they do a Sunday roast that is supposedly good, also have good cocktails.
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:11 (three months ago) link
No helpful advice, but I took older 2 siblings and a brother in law to Borough Market last year and they hated it at first sight! They couldn’t cope with the food market atmosphere and set up, and demanded to leave almost immediately, and we ended up at the Wagamama at Bankside (not recommended).
― Dr Drudge (Bob Six), Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:11 (three months ago) link
Fizzles, I did consult a regional policeman & he says: Hope and Anchor is your only man
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:27 (three months ago) link
Anchor and Hope, even
Gyac’s right, Elliot’s is good, though the times I’ve been there it’s always worked out to be more expensive than I expected. More or less next door to that is Rambutan, a somewhat fancy Sri Lankan place - I’ve only been once but I thought it was genuinely excellent. If Bermondsey Street is on the agenda, consider Casse-Croûte, a pleasingly trad French place. Similar distance in the other direction is the Anchor and Hope of course, can’t go wrong there.
― Tim, Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:28 (three months ago) link
Haha XP, I do like agreeing with gyac
― Tim, Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:29 (three months ago) link
excellent stuff, thanks everyone. Anchor and Hope was on my mind and is a really good shout.
And good question about 'high end' - she doesn't want me taking her out somewhere expensive basically. BUT also she is a massive snob and annoyingly fastidious.
Will check out Elliot's and Rambutan - thanks Tim. I was wondering whether to head down to 40 Maltby Street - never been to Casse-Croute.
lol bob six - i kind of know what they mean tbh! (tho Ginger Pig in any forms is a marvellous thing, as gyac says).
At the very least this is giving me a very good list of places to go not with my mum.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:37 (three months ago) link
Love 40 Maltby St but it’s not terribly comfortable, think I’d have thought twice before taking my mother there. Of course there is no reason to assume Ma Fizzles would react like my mum.
― Tim, Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:42 (three months ago) link
Mater Fizzles is a massive shire Tory iirc so probably not
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Thursday, 25 January 2024 10:44 (three months ago) link
It is incredibly uncomfortable, and it's annoying because it's my favourite place to eat and drink. It's all elbows and stools. And why is the goddam bar so high? It would annoy her too.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 January 2024 16:02 (three months ago) link
Shire Tory not right tbh. East Anglian lower middle class protestant snobbery mutating into a sort of irritable hodge-podge of it's-nobody's-business liberalism, social conservatism (ie doesn't like people or says she doesn't, turns out she has a good time if she forgets this) and odd outcrops of socialism: fervent supporter of council housing, loathes the police, public transport and cycling infra stan. idk, when you get old you just accumulate a load of incompatible shit and become cranky i guess. would never happen to me ofc.
anyway *we get on* and like a gossip and as long as we steer clear of politics and don't get too twatted actually have a serviceable relationship, so i'll stick with that. Anchor and Hope booked up, unless we want to eat at 12:30. Tempting tho as I've been meaning to go for ages and it seems perfect.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 January 2024 16:08 (three months ago) link
Go to Elliott’s and get the cheesecake
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Thursday, 25 January 2024 17:17 (three months ago) link
it’s the leading option rn.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 January 2024 17:20 (three months ago) link
Anchor and Hope a great success. we had a lovely time. good atmosphere and drinks were all excellent. thanks everyone for seeing it over the line.
― Fizzles, Sunday, 28 January 2024 15:50 (three months ago) link
Really enjoyed the food at Honey & Co (Lamb's Conduit Street) last week. Had a sharing menu of mezze then a main and would have been happy with just the former, to be honest. Not as special as Ottolenghi, I don't think ... and felt a bit squeezed in to the venue but would still recommend. Had *bonus wine* across the road at Noble Rot (there's scope to have a relatively priced drink as much as a hideously expensive one). They had a set menu that seemed decent/highly reasonable (but wasn't vegetarian, so no good for me). Seemed a venue where people were happy to dip in for a glass of wine with their book.
― djh, Sunday, 28 January 2024 20:04 (three months ago) link
Holloway Road people
Have you eaten at Sambal Shiok? Newspaper, Time Out etc reviews seem to contradict user ratings. Google Maps rating is suspiciously low.
There's also a Mexican place nearby that was foisted onto me by the Instagram algorithm, and i'm weighing up the two for drinks with a friend next week. It's called 'Proper Tacos' which is alarm bells, but i think(?) the owner/chef is legit Mexican, and tacos look good, so who knows.
― ionjusit (P. Flick), Tuesday, 30 April 2024 22:05 (two weeks ago) link
I haven’t eaten there yet, but that’s a big disparity between reviewers and punters. If you want fire in soup form nearby there’s Xi’an Impression but I’m not sure about their licensing situation
― steely flan (suzy), Tuesday, 30 April 2024 22:42 (two weeks ago) link
I've been to Sambal Shiok, thought it was really good (though I'm no kind of connoisseur of Malaysian food). Not certain I'd choose it as a place to go to for drinks with a friend, it's not necessarily the kind of spot I'd choose to take a lot of time over a meal and relax into having a few drinks before, during and after a delicious laksa.
This is probably not relevant to your decision but is interesting: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/09/costs-independent-restaurants-prices-sambal-shiok-ditto-coffee
― Tim, Wednesday, 1 May 2024 10:39 (two weeks ago) link
If you're looking for great Mexican food in London may I recommend this place...
https://lachingada.co.uk/
Only been to the one in Surrey Quays but just noticed they've open one in Euston...really great authentic food and not too far from Holloway
― X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Wednesday, 1 May 2024 13:39 (two weeks ago) link