THEGAYUK

Category: Food And Drink

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Gaucho Restaurant Broadgate, London

    ★★★★★ | Gaucho Restaurant Broadgate

    Gaucho Restaurant Broadgate, London

    Are you looking for a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon? Look no further, Gaucho Restaurant Broadgate in the City is the place to go.

    Gaucho Restaurant, which sits right in the middle of the UBS buildings right near Broadgate Circle, is hosting Saturday Electro Brunch. It’s an excellent, fun and perfect mix of music, food, and alcohol, and it’s also the perfect place to while away a Saturday afternoon. And it’s not just brunch, it’s Electro Brunch, and it’s an orgy of food and alcohol, and a real live D.J. spinning electro beats, in a sumptuous and very classy atmosphere, all for the low price and excellent valued £49.99.

    Yes, for just £49.99 you get all you can eat and drink, from 11-4 on Saturdays, and the excellent price of £49.99.

    We went on a recent Saturday afternoon to have a taste, and we were not disappointed at all. Brunch being the keyword in the name, the food are all brunch items, and I tried to have as much as possible to get a real flavour, and taste, of the menu, as the portions are appetizer size, and that was not a problem. The 2 small sizes of the French Toast were perfect. Served with peanut butter and strawberries. The Avocado on Toast popular as it is now on menus, couldn’t have been fresher. And my lunch companion wanted gluten-free bread, and Gaucho accommodated her, no problem! She also asked for, and got, salmon on toast, a dish that wasn’t even on the menu!

    Of course, I had to have the Steak & Eggs, and it came out as ordered. Small portion, but the steak was mighty tender, and with Chimichurri dressing which is on every table, it made it all the more superb. And the oven baked chorizo was practically a main meal in itself and consisted of a nice slab or chorizo, fried eggs, delicious mushrooms and served in a small frying page, and while the chorizo was not as well cooked as I would’ve liked, it was very good. And the coup de gras were the pancakes. Though small, the two had almonds and just the right amount of syrup, dessert size portion, but a dish that I would highly recommend – tres Bueno! Also on the menu include Eggs Florentine, Fried Provoleta, Beans on Toast, Eggs Royale, and Bacon or Choripan Sandwich – there’s just so so so much!

    And let’s not forget the drinks. You get a choice of the Gaucho Bloody Mary, the Aperol Spritz, Rubia Pilsener Lager, and Domaine Chandon or non-alcoholic refreshing juices such as the Apple Gone Loupe or Orange Zinger, both very refreshing and cool. For £10 more you can upgrade to the Electro Brunch Premium, which includes the above as well Pornstar and Espresso Martinis! So you owe it yourself to experience this – you’ll have an amazing time with a staff that’s so very nice and lovely in a setting that’s delectable and delicious.

    Gaucho’s Electric Brunch is on every Saturday from 11 – 4 at Broadgate, Canary, Chancery, Piccadilly, Sloane, Smithfield, Tower Bridge

    £49.95 PER PERSON
    BIRMINGHAM, LEEDS & MANCHESTER – £45.00PP

    Gaucho requires a deposit of £10 per person to secure your booking
    Guests can have as many plates as they like within two hours.
    All dishes and beverages are included in the price for 2 hours from the time of seating, so indulge yourself.

    Home

     

  • THE QUEER COOK | The basic curry

    I am a white man from Birmingham who has lived in Devon for the last 26 years. What could I possibly teach you about making a curry… well…

    I have been fortunate through friends to know people who lived in India at the time of the Raj, in Burma and have friends who are Indian. What I cook is a melting pot of what I have been taught, what I have read, and what works for me.

    These are the basics

    In most of the curries I cook, there is a trinity of essential fresh ingredients that add flavour. They are Ginger, garlic, and Chilli.

    Many sauces have a base of onion and tomato. Flavour is enhanced with the use of fresh Coriander leaves at the end of cooking.

    The essential spices in powder form in my Indian cupboard are:

    Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, Garam Masala, mild curry powder, Tandoori Masala

    I have cupboards full of many more powders, seeds, dried leaves and variants on pre-spiced dishes. A good friend travels a lot in the East and brings me back things I have never seen to try and experiment with.

    The Process

    Generally, for many dishes, this will be the process. With each stage, I will give the reason why I do what I do and when.

    1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Enough to cover the bottom of the pan with about 0.5cm in depth.
    2. Add a few black mustard seeds if you have them (These start to pop and jump in the oil when it reaches the correct temperature to add the onions; so they fry and don’t boil in the oil)
    3. When the onions start to turn golden brown add crushed garlic and chopped ginger.(In comparison to the onion these will burn quickly and spoil so there is no need to add them until about 2 minutes is left in the frying time of the onion)
    4. Reduce the heat and when it has settled after about 30 seconds or so stir in the powders. Immediately the powders are stirred in add 2 or 3 dessertspoonfuls of water. (Powders burn very quickly. They will cook in 10-30 seconds and any longer without water risks ruining the flavour and being left with an acrid bitter burnt aftertaste)
    5. Add fresh chilli whether chopped or sliced. (If chilli is added when the oil is hot it spoils very quickly and will give off a vapour that will make you choke and cough. It also ruins the flavour of the chilli)
    6. Add pureed tomato. This combines with the onion and spices and becomes the sauce for your curry.
    7. When the tomato is all absorbed into the sauce and the oil separates, the sauce is ready for meat and/or vegetables and seasoning with salt.
    8. If you are adding yoghurt to the sauce this is the stage I add mine. Yoghurt is likely to separate if you just pour it in. I blend mine with a little water and tomato so that it is thoroughly mixed prior to going into the sauce. Once added stir until the sauce comes back to the simmer.
    9. Finishing touches. When the meat or vegetables are cooked, taste to check and adjust the seasoning with salt. Stir in lemon or lime juice if the recipe calls for it. Garnish with Fresh chopped Coriander. (Lemon and Lime are added after the heat is turned off as the juice burns and spoils the flavour if added during cooking. Coriander leaves have a delicate flavour that is lost and cooked away if added as more than a garnish at the end.)

    NB If you want a stronger flavour of fresh coriander in your sauce use the root or the stems as these are both stronger in flavour and can stand cooking in the sauce. I add mine as a root in a paste with the powders, as a finely chopped stem once the tomato has been added

    Now all you need are some recipes. These will follow and it is likely as they do new ingredients will be added.

  • The Queer Cook

    I cook to sustain life because I live on a budget, I find it therapeutic; it is a good way to entertain friends.

    Living alone and on a small income means I have to derive benefit from every penny and cannot afford to waste money on ready meals or pre-cooked sauces.

    Four years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Cooking from scratch means I can control the amount of sugar, salt, fat and other content in my food. In that time my blood sugar level has gone from 108 down to 43. This equates to my blood sugar being at a pre-diabetic position now. Food has played its part and so has the medication in tablet form I take daily.

    These days I rarely have people round to share a meal. So I thought I would share my cooking with you via the Internet. In the articles to follow as “The Queer Cook” I will share my experience of food and the techniques, I use to achieve pleasing results.

    It is not hi-tech, I have a small kitchen, a gas cooker, a microwave and a blender. Amongst my utensils are a set of saucepans that are 14 years old and knives and cutlery I have had from a few months to 20 years. A colander, given to me by my mother. She purchased it in 1972 or 1973 and passed it on to me around 1979.

    My cooking is from a lifetime of experience. In some ways, I resent television chefs as they have given away many of the tips and tricks it took me years to discover from others and develop through trial and error. I was cooking before Jamie Oliver was born and the only “F” word in my kitchen is the “frying” pan.

    Over time I hope to add many recipes of foods I enjoy and hope you will enjoy them too. It is my intention to build on the recipes by adding to their appeal with videos on YouTube.

    Hopefully, the recipes can be a resource for people wanting to cook affordable meals from scratch.

    Please feel free to send me your recipes and tips so we can make this a joint effort

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Number 90 Bar and Kitchen, London

    ★★★★ | Number 90 Bar & Kitchen

    There is practically only one place to be in Hackney Wick, and it’s Number 90 Kitchen.

    Luckily enough to be right on the River Lea with the water and boats and the Olympic Stadium in its backyard, Number 90 Kitchen is a pub, restaurant, and it is also an amazingly cool place to hang out.

    Let’s start with the outdoor terrace. Now is there anywhere else where you’d want to be – sipping fabulous drinks and cocktails amidst the cool ambience? It’s a very large terrace, perhaps almost as large as the restaurant itself, wooden tables with wooden benches, some raised, overlooking the beautiful canal (well, the canal is actually very dirty, and the water is not exactly blue, but at nightime, you can’t tell!). However, it’s nice to be near the water anywhere in London. Overall, Number 90 is a massive venue, with a cool atmosphere – and includes a D.J. booth. Number 90 also has a great food menu and an even better cocktail menu – the drinks are superb!

    The N199 Lemon Pie cocktail was so unlike anything you’ll ever drink. Infused with vodka, lemon mousse, lime juice and topped with gingerbread it was both sweet and delicious. If you want something a bit less desserty, try the N31 Gin drink, which is made with apple juice and cucumber garnish. It actually tasted a bit too healthy! Another recommendation is the drink named after the restaurant – the refreshing N90. It’s made with Appleton Rum, mango juice, Angostura bitters and topped with ginger beer. Please do order this! I would remiss to not forget about the N68 (no, it’s not a night bus) midnight expresso bourbon drink, with Frangelico, Kahlua, Orange Bitters, and topped with whipped cream. I recommend ending the night with this drink – it’s perfect!

    Food at Number 90 Kitchen and Bar can be summed up as comfort food. While it’s not a culinary lovers delight, the food does satisfy the need to fill an empty stomach while at the same time slamming down cocktails. The night my dining companion and I went we had a variety of menu items, all very affordable and good. The BBQ pulled pork burger, served with crunchy slaw, was good, as was the beef burger, topped with the delicious chutney and bacconaise sauce. The Halloumi Sticks, with tomato salsa on the side, was a bit bland and not very sexy, but the sweet potato fries were a winner. For dessert, it was the polenta cake that won hands down, an absolute delis of a dish!

    But as mentioned before it’s not really the food that people go to Number 90 for. It’s the hipster location and the vibe, along with it being one of the few bars/pubs around in the area (It’s a 15-minute walk to Stratford and a 3-minute walk to Hackney Wick overground station). Number 90 also houses a small gallery where they hold exhibits from time to time, as well as some of the finest DJ’s, are showcased, and they will also be serving up a Christmas menu (yes, it’s less than three months away – so book now).

    For any and all information about Number 90 Bar & Kitchen, please go to it’s website:

     

    90 Home

    T: +44 (0)20 8986 0090

    90 Main Yard, Wallis Road, E9 5LN London

    Opening hours:

    Brunch on Saturdays: serving from 12 -2 pm. Yum! To book: bit.ly/2jveVFq

    Their food menu is available all day between 12-9.30 PM.

    WED, THUR & SUN: 12:00 – 23:00

    FRI & SAT:  12:00 – 01:00
    On Sunday, they serve only roasts from 12pm until all roasts are gone, after which we switch to our regular menu.

     

  • Afternoon Tea Review | Lost and Found, Birmingham

    ★★★★ | Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea and Tipples

    Afternoon Tea is a delightful, British experience which we do not often do. The fresh sandwiches, the warm scones, the ever-flowing tea and the high-end service is something of a treat nowadays. The Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea at Lost and Found takes all you know about tea and cranks it up a notch – and all for just £18.95 per person.

    To start off our afternoon marathon, we were greeted with a glass of prosecco each with a raspberry, and Josh provided us a warm and friendly service throughout. The menu for the Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea consists of meaty, bulky and monster sandwiches which were packed with flavour and you could taste the freshness with every bite. Crispy chicken and chorizo on a ginormous baguette halved was spectacular – fresh rocket and well-cooked chicken with just the right amount of chorizo that let the southern style chicken take centre stage. The glazed ham and homemade chutney baguette was very rich on the palate and the sweetness of the chutney really complemented the meat with an added crunch from the lettuce. The egg, mustard and cress sandwich was a really nice light and fluffy mix to the board. My favourite thing that went in my mouth, though, was the scotch eggs – what a highlight! The egg was cooked perfectly and freshly which had the yolk running and put your knife through, with delicious batter and pork paste full of flavour and the combination together sent fireworks. The feta cheese and caramelised onion pastry was another delicate yet fierce competitor for the palate. The pork scratching on chilli jam was okay, I found the scratching too hard to chew and it was just one on each ramekin with loads of chilli sauce underneath – not sure how I feel about this one. The scones were average, did not really stand out as a feature, but popcorn Tiffin was superb. The teapot was very big which meant we probably got about 5 cups each which was enough to go with until the food-athon was over.

    You can opt for any of the Afternoon Teas and attach a Tipple, where you select from one of the three cocktails to spice up the experience for an extra £5. It is definitely worth doing that.

    In the end, it was too much and we had to admit defeat – doggy-bagging half of the crispy chicken and chorizo baguette and two Tiffin cakes. I must say, I had the sandwich for my lunch the day after and it was equally as tasty and fresh as the day before. It shows that good ingredients and care is put into the afternoon tea platters. Presentation wise, it could have been more ornate considering the grandiose nature of Lost and Found with its botanical themes in the décor. I was half expecting some leaves to contribute to the aesthetics, but the whole tea was served on one slate board. It looked great, but I could have done with separating the cakes from the sandwiches for practicality.

     

  • Top Summer Gin Recipes

    For all you gin lovers out there we’ve compiled a collection of five simple recipes, with the help of some friends, to get you through the long summer of outdoor dining and socials. Your soirée is guaranteed to become a much talked about success with these tempting tipples, especially when (like me) all you’ve served in the past has been a can of shop bought premix, garnished with a bit of left over celery leaf from last night’s salad. Enjoy.

     

    Hayman’s Lavender Lady

    The Lavender Lady is the Hayman’s take on the traditional sour White Lady cocktail. The egg white creates a silky mixture, which perfectly accompanies the honey and Cointreau. Top the cocktail with a sprig of Lavender, and sit back in the garden and relax.

    Ingredients:
    50ml Hayman’s London Dry Gin
    20ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
    10ml of locally sourced honey or 20ml of honey water (see below)
    10ml Cointreau
    1 medium egg white
    Dash of orange bitters
    Sprig of lavender to garnish

    Honey water:
    Combine equal parts of honey and hot water
    Stir until mixed

    Method:
    – Add cubed ice to a cocktail shaker
    – Pour the Hayman’s London Dry Gin over the ice
    – Add all the remaining ingredients, except the garnish
    – Give all the ingredients a very hard shake and strain into cocktail glass
    – Garnish with a sprig of lavender

     

    British Bramble

    Langley’s English gin brings us the best of British with this take on the Bramble. Made using classic English gin, Langley’s No. 8, and premium British blackcurrant liqueur, British Cassis, this is a versatile drink that’s ideal to enjoy on a hot (or rainy) summer day. One sip and you’ll soon be foraging for more.

    Ingredients:
    60ml Langley’s No. 8 gin
    30ml Lemon Juice
    15ml British Cassis
    10ml of sugar syrup

    Method:
    – Pour Langley’s No. 8 gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup into your shaker, half-fill with ice, and shake until ice cold.
    – Strain into a rock glass filled with crushed ice
    – Drizzle British Cassis over the top so it trickles through the ice
    – Garnish with fresh blackberries and a slice of lemon

     

    Coconut Ramos

    Mr Lyan says: “In the original recipe that inspired me, Ramos Gin Fizz, the drink was reputedly shaken for five minutes solid to get it to what was described as ‘drinking clouds’. Apparently, it took 18 bartenders standing in a line taking over from each other when their arms began to ache. In this recipe I’ve used a soda siphon – you ‘charge’ it with nitrogen and CO2 to whip air in!” Recipe from Ryan’s book: Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan & Friends. Images courtesy of Waitrose.com.

    Ingredients:
    250ml London Dry Gin
    120ml lemon juice
    150ml rice milk
    90ml Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Organic Coconut Cream
    150ml cold water
    120ml egg white
    50ml sugar syrup
    2 dashes orange blossom water
    1 dash rose water

    Method:
    – Whisk all the ingredients together and then add to a soda siphon.
    – Charge with one bulb of nitrogen and one bulb of CO2.
    – Pour into chilled flutes and garnish with candied ginger.

     

    Hayman’s Victorian Mojito

    Ingredients:
    50ml Hayman’s London Dry Gin
    25ml freshly squeezed lime juice
    20ml sugar syrup
    Premium tonic water or soda water
    Freshly picked mint leaves

    Method:
    – Fill a highball glass with cracked or crushed ice and a few fresh mint leaves
    – Pour in the Hayman’s London Dry Gin and let it run down over the ice
    – Add the lime juice and sugar syrup
    – Churn vigorously ensuring the ingredients are well mixed
    – Top with the tonic water or soda water
    – Garnish with a mint sprig

     

    Diamond Southside

    Mr Lyan says: “With lots of fruity flavours, this is a great summer cocktail – it’s light and really refreshing. Crushed ice is good for tempering sweet or sharp drinks.” Images courtesy of Waitrose.com.

    Ingredients:
    50ml London Dry Gin
    Splash of lime juice
    6 mint leaves
    30ml cloudy apple juice
    10ml rhubarb and lavender syrup*
    Strip of cucumber

    Method:
    – Build over crushed ice in a wine glass. Add more crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.

    *To make a flavoured syrup, bring one part water to two parts sugar to the boil. Turn off and add your flavours while the syrup is still warm. As the syrup cools it extracts the flavour from whatever you have added. Much like cooking, keep tasting until you have the right balance. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

  • The 15 best restaurants in London 2017

    There are thousands of restaurants in London ranging from the Michelin Starred to the greasy spoon. From Italian to Chinese from Hipster chic to LGBT enclaves. London’s cuisine scene has it all.

    The 15 best restaurants in London 2017

    Grills

    Brasserie Zedel (Piccadilly Circus) is steps away from Piccadilly Circus and is one of the most beautiful, elegant and affordable restaurants in London. The restaurant serves traditional French food at amazingly affordable prices. In what is perhaps the best dinner deal in London, they offer, for a mere £12.75, a three-course Prixe Fixe meal which includes Carottes Rapées, Steak Haché with Frites, and a Café Gourmand or a Tarte aux Fruits. It’s a very delicious and satisfying meal. (Tim Baros)

    Eccleston Square Hotel (Victoria) Just a brief walk from the chaos of Victoria Station lies the calm, stylish, uber-cool and uber-tech hotel within Eccleston Square. If you’re not a natural-born Londoner, sometimes the “buzz” is a bit overwhelming. Eccleston Square manages to create an ambience to instantly chill and transports you to a peaceful place. (Jordan Lohan)

    Bar + Block (Kings Cross) The Kings Cross area, if you haven’t recently been, is buzzing. Years ago it was a warren of prostitution and crime, now it’s gentrified with trendy and expensive apartments and a healthy choice of restaurant options. Bar + Block, in my opinion, is THE restaurant option in the area. It is, in fact, the perfect place to go for an excellent and very affordable meal. Located right next to Kings Cross Station on York Way and past McDonald’s and Nandos, Bar + Block, right underneath the Premier Inn, is an excellent find. In the space that used to be the dreary hotel bar, it has been remodelled, chomped and changed. It’s now a beautiful restaurant where the bar, dining area and kitchen are all in one superbly designed and spacious large room. But it’s not just the layout that’s fantastic, the food is also amazing. (Tim Baros)

     

    World

    Ping Pong (Soho) is a restaurant where the concept is Dim Sum – food that comes in small bite-sized portions which allow you to eat lots and lots of different types. Don’t assume the dishes will be quite small because the prices are quite low. Once the food arrives you’ll need a second table to capture the overflow! (Tim Baros)

    Thai Square is an oasis in the heart of central London. Away from the hustle and bustle and crowds and pollution, stepping into Thai Square is akin to stepping into a whole different world, a world that is calm and tranquil and where one can find excellent food. (Tim Baros)

    Zaika of Kensington (Kensington) went above and beyond the usual expectations of Indian cuisine. The pricing of the dishes are on point for the quality and execution. The whole experience felt grand and glam. If you have a team of curry fans, Zaika of Kensington is the place for you. (Jordan Lohan)

    Jamboree Foodfest & Bar (Blackfriars) Don’t be put off by the corporate exterior. The building is accessorised with a fun red neon Jamboree sign and their colourful interior can be seen from across the traffic-magnet main road. Once inside you’ll feel as though you’ve walked into a London take on a barn dance bar. High ceilings laden with multicoloured bunting and exposed vintage bulbs, bare wood beams, walls, floor and tables. A clean spit-without-the-sawdust gaff. We approve. (Thabian Sutherland)

    Gastropub

    The Narrow Is Gordon Ramsay’s gaff and it simmers with locals who’ve come straight from the office or schlepped from their Limehouse pied-à-terres. It gives the riverside eatery a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Good service in a Ramsay gaff is like buff, topless bar staff at Ku Bar – totally expected. You won’t be disappointed. No F Words and the staff are knowledgeable and will treat you as though you were regulars. (Thabian Sutherland)

    Marquis of Wellington (Bermondsey) Loud, brass and cheap as chips. The locals are lucky to have this pub on their doorstep, and visitors to the area will enjoy it as well. (Tim Baros)

     

    Italian

    Tozi (Victoria) A breeze to get to – being a five-minute walk from Victoria. The decor is spacious, cool and contemporary. You’ll love the sleek, swift (and suiting smart shirts) service. Their menu incorporates some wonderfully unique ingredients, such as their home made chestnut infused rum. And oh the men. All the Italian men. Overall, I am all over it, and it has been decided that this place is definitely Tozi ‘Mazeballs. (Jordan Lohan)

    Stuzzico (Marble Arch) is tucked away in a section of London called Connaught Village, steps away from Marble Arch and the Middle Eastern restaurants of Edgware Road, Stuzzico, as small as it is, is a standout. Luca, one of the proprietors, will greet you with a warm Italian smile and will recommend dishes and especially wine that superbly complements each other. Its smallish menu will allow you to try various specialities of the Puglia region, but it all depends on what you fancy; fish, meat and/or pasta. (Tim Baros)

     

    Hip

    Wringer & Mangle To enter W&M you walk through a terrace, and past a Moroccan-style den, where lattice fencing, riddled with ivy, sections off an outdoor seating area surrounding a fire pit. Ideal for an aperitif. Cushions, candles and outdoor heaters will keep you snug as a duvet in a tumble dryer. While schmoozing with the trendy-Wendys, happening-hacks and look-at-me-Larrys, canapés were wafted around like incense at a pilgrims’ gathering. Regular visits a must. (Thabian Sutherland)

    Tabun Kitchen It’s recommended that you sit on the lower ground floor. It’s quaint, Mediterranean-styled, and very cosy, perfect if you’re looking for a place to enjoy the food without being in the hustle and bustle and heat of the main room. Faisel, the charming manager, will take you through the menu if you have any questions. And while the pizza was not sexy and the service a bit disjointed, Tabun Kitchen will not disappoint. It’s warm food and cooking style and abundant fresh and delicious flavours will blow you away.  (Tim Baros)

    Rudie’s Jamaican (Dalston) offers what they call a ‘Boss Burger’ – a rare breed of beef chuck patty that is topped with apple wood smoked cheddar, sweet honey mustard, red onion, tomato, pickles and jalapeño chilli – and it’s huge – worth the £12 price. With Dalston becoming the hip place to live, Rudie’s will most definitely live up to a similar mantra – it will be the hip place to eat. (Tim Baros)

     

    LGBT

    Balans in Soho is an absolute must if you’re visiting London’s gay centre. Open 24 hrs you’ll find a bevvy of hot staff serving good value, hearty food with delicious drinks. (Jake Hook)

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Ping Pong, London

    ★★★★★| Ping Pong

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Ping Pong, London

    Ping Pong is a restaurant in London where the concept is Dim Sum – food that comes in small bite-sized portions which allow you to eat lots and lots of different types. This is what me and a friend did on a recent Saturday night. We assumed the dishes would be quite small because the prices were quite low – but once the food arrived at our table, we needed a second table to capture the overflow!

    Ordering at Ping Pong is quite simple. You are given a piece of paper with all the dishes and the ones you want just tick the box and give to the waitress and then the food comes out when it’s ready, or as in our case, it pretty much came out all at once. And we ordered 11 dishes. OK, in my own defence the last time I was at Ping Pong I went with 8 other people (this was years ago) and I left the restaurant hungry as everyone had grabbed a piece of this and a piece of that so I didn’t get to eat much food. But this time it was the opposite – we left stuffed!

    Ping Pong’s menu is broken down into several categories. From the Nibbles and Sauces menu we had the Edamame with honey garlic sauce – and for a nice size portion at only £3.75 it was excellent. From the Rice dishes, we ordered the Honeyed Chilli Chicken and Mushroom Rice Pot. At only £6.25, it was a nice-sized bowl and included edamame peas with very tender chicken accompanied by the nice soy sauce. I would order this dish again. Then from the Soup and Salad section, we ordered, for only £5.95, the Purple Power Chicken Salad. It’s gluten free, but thankfully not flavour free – it was very very good. The purple part of the salad comes from the inclusion of rice berries – basically purple rice. At only £5.95, it’s a lot of healthiness in the large bowl which included edamame peas and rocket salad, smoked almonds and cashew nuts, and black eyed beans, plus of course the chicken, and mixed with ginger and soy dressing.

    There was more food to come! From the friend and Griddled section, the Potato and Edamame Cake (only £3.25 for 2) did just what it said on the tin, as did the Crispy Duck Spring Rolls (4 for £5.35) – crunchy and stuffed with duck, cucumber with a nice and not hot hoi sin sauce.

    When you go to Ping Pong you must must order items from the Steamed menu. Buns and Dumplings come in all sorts of flavors and types, and we perhaps with our eyes and not our stomachs ordered 5 of them, and they were all very very delicious and all priced between £3.55 to £4.65 and come in threes, but the highlights for me were the beef dumplings (succulent and delicious) and the Char Sui Buns, stuffed with honey barbecued pork – yummy! My dining companion enjoyed his seafood dumplings (stuffed with snow crab, prawn and scallops with carrot pastry) while we both thoroughly enjoyed the Har Gau (prawn and bamboo shot with a very crunchy coating – one of the highlights of the meal). We also ordered the Long Stem Broccoli – superbly cooked and a generous portion at only £3.95.

    Believe it or not, we wanted to taste something from the Signature and Special dishes – so I ordered us the Crispy Aubergine Bao. You’ve been living under a rock if you don’t know what bao is, but this dish came with three very large bao buns and the point is to stuff the contents into the bao. Well, the contents were superb: cooked aubergines with slices and dices of carrot, cabbage, cucumber and tomatoes and massively generous 6 large aubergine slices – and yes we ate the whole thing, almost. It was superb at only £11.50.

    On a lighter note, dessert was fine. My friend had the Iced Blackcurrant Parfait – it was iced – very hard to eat! But the light cream cheese with the blackcurrant coulis and meringue disc was good, while my tiny Mochi – a Japanese rice cake with mango sorbet inside – was hard to eat because the outer casing was hard, but I got there in the end.

    To wash it all down Ping Pong, as expected, serves almost any sort of drink you want. From Margaritas to sweet juicy drinks to long and short cocktails and the Asian Pimms and Lemonade for two (£16.95) which was what we had, lots of refreshing looking drinks to go with your excellent dinner. Red, White, Rosé wines along with oriental beer (and mocktails) and iced teas and lemonades round out the menu.

    All the food we ate (and we ate a LOT of food) came to only, and I say only £74. As we had so many different varieties and types of food, with so many dishes that overflowed onto another table, that was one heck of a deal. We ate beef, chicken, seafood, and lots and lots of other varieties, it was an excellent and superb value for the money. And there were lots of other dishes we didn’t get to try, but on our next visit, I will remind myself to just order what can fit on one table.

    Ping Pong has branches in Southbank, Soho, Westfield Stratford and Shepherd’s Bush, Wembley, St. Katherine’s Docks and Covent Garden

    To book a table and for phone numbers and address to their various locations, please go to:

    Home

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Gallery Mess, London

    ★★★★| Gallery Mess

    Gallery Mess, London

    Gallery Mess is a restaurant that ticks all the boxes: location, food, service and atmosphere.

    Situated right next to the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea on Kings Road, Gallery Mess is everything you would want and expect it to be. Overlooking the Saatchi Gallery lawn called The Green and the multi-million-pound townhouses on the other side, Gallery Mess is elegant and classy without being too expensive.

    A friend and I dined there on a recent warm evening at 7 pm only to find the place buzzing. Since it was very warm that night, the outside tables were all full, but we were happy to sit inside to enjoy the cool ambience of the restaurant. And boy was it cool: white tablecloths, exposed red brick walls with white arches and vaulting ceilings, flowers (some fake) everywhere, plus interesting artwork as well (including a big shoe in the private dining room). But we were there for the food, and here’s how it went.

    Tim the manager from Albania greeted us very warmly and showed us to our table. We let him decide what we were going to eat, and drink, and me and my dining companion said ‘bring it on’! To start off with we were given a very nice glass of Prosecco Brut (£8.50) a glass. And then the symphony of food started. The Heritage Tomato (basically a bruschetta) with grilled rosemary focaccia, anchovies and mozzarella was vey good and was nice size portion, but a little pricey at £10.50 as it was really nothing out of the ordinary. What was good was the English air-cured ham & celeriac remoulade (£10). The ham, with apple and truffle as well, was very tender and just perfectly salty and beautifully presented.

     

    We weren’t too sure what we were getting as our main courses, and were pleasantly surprised when the chicken and the trout landed on our very white tablecloth. The Roast corn-fed Chicken Breast was a beautifully presented dish in a wonderful tarragon sauce which included mushrooms and spring greens. The four large slices of chicken were, of course, just chicken, but they were perfectly cooked and the onion bulbs in the sauce gave it the kick to push the meal up a level. Delicious, and at £16.50, a good value. But it was the Poached Sea Trout that was the star dish of the evening. A very large piece, yellow in color, in a mussel broth, with spinach and samphire, it was absolutely wonderful! I am not a trout lover at all, but this piece of trout has converted me. It was thick, and cooked perfectly, and is highly recommended, and at £17.50 – the best-tasting bargain that side of the river! We also had a side of the minted new potatoes, sprinkled with dill (£4) that were huge in portion and very very good. Other main course choices include Potato Gnocchi (£16), Confit Lamb Shoulder (£17.50) and surprisingly, Fish & Chips (£16) – all very affordable for such an expensive neighbourhood.

    Tim expertly picked out the Via Nova Pinot Grigio to go with our dinner (only £5.75 a glass). The wine was tasty without tasting too winey, and absolutely complemented our meal. My dining companion liked it so much he asked for a second glass! It was an excellent choice as the restaurant has an excellent wine list selection, very comprehensive and inviting, and includes Spanish, French, Chile, South African and German selections, among others. And by the time we had finished our main courses, we knew, we just knew, that the desserts were going to be fantastic, and they were. The Creme Brulee (served with shortbread and raspberries) was just divine, and the seasonal berry fruit salad was ah so refreshing and topped with fruit sorbet, with the dish a very beautiful berry color…..ah so good, and nice to eat on that very warm night.

    The seasonal menu and extensive bar selection is provided by award winning caterer and restaurant operator rhubarb, and they do a very good job of it. Their private dining room – The Mess Room – is available for private hire or seated dinners of up to 80 guests. This room is discreetly set back from the restaurant and offers an elegant, bespoke dining opportunity.

    Gallery Mess has an international staff who will take care of your every need, they are very attentive and very well dressed – it’s service (and food) like this that is welcome. It was a theatrical experience of a gourmet three-course meal fit for an artistic delight. Very very reasonable prices in a very very nice setting.

    http://www.saatchigallery.com/gallerymess

    To book call: +44 (0) 207 730 8135

    Saatchi Gallery
    Duke of York HQ

    Opening hours:
    10:00am-11:30pm, Monday to Saturday
    10:00am-7:00pm, Sunday

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Sparrow, Lewisham

    ★★★★| Sparrow, Lewisham

    In a no man’s land part of Lewisham, there’s a restaurant doing amazing and fabulous things with Sri Lankan food. It’s Sparrow.

    At the end of the road that is Lewisham High Street, behind the Lewisham Shopping Centre, Sparrow sits all alone, facing the DLR and an unsightly massive construction site.

    But step inside and feel the charm and warmth of the staff, and enjoy the food that is different, delicious, and worth the trip.

    Me and a friend went for a Saturday brunch meal on what was one of the hottest days of the year. We immediately ordered cool drinks. I had the delicious pineapple, melon and grapefruit drink that hit the spot, sweet and colourful and yummy – and only £3.50. My friend had a smoothie that was very milky and white, with coconut, with condensed milk and raspberries thrown in, a bit too heavy for my tastes but he enjoyed it and drank it within minutes.

    I had seen a photo online of their pancakes so I knew this is what I was going to have. They were coconut pancakes with peanut caramel and pineapple salsa, with a dollop of sour cream on top, and it was superbly delicious – like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. It’s the bits of pineapple with small bits of peanuts scattered about that give this dish the wow factor – and at only £8 I would definitely order it again. My companion enjoyed his chicken and curry pastry. It was like a pie only smaller, and he said that the crust was nice and light, and it was delicious, and a deal at £8 (it’s not alway on the menu, Sparrow does tend to mix up their offerings from day to day with daily specials).

    We would’ve been remiss if we didn’t try out the typical Sri Lankan dish Appam. It’s a type of pancake made with fermented rice and coconut milk, and comes shaped like a bowl. While I had a plain one, it is recommended that ingredients be put into it as this is a very typical Sri Lanka dish, and Sparrow does offer up various combinations of eggs and other ingredients to include, and not costing more than £6.

    Sparrow also has quite a unique dinner menu. From fried rabbit (£7.5), fennel and blood orange salad (£7), roast pork belly with harissa (£12) and then the malt duck with chilli jam (£13.50) all of which will probably knock your socks off. Along with Sparrow’s nice selection of drinks, Sparrow is perhaps one of the only reasons to go to Lewisham, unless you live there, and if you do indeed live there, you must pay a visit to Sparrow. It delivers delicious food at the right price.

    http://sparrowlondon.co.uk

    2 Rennell Street, Lewisham, SE13 7HD

    0208 318 6941

    Enquiries@SparrowLondon.co.uk

    Hours:

    Dinner: Tue – Sat: 6-10pm

    Brunch: Sat – Sun: 10-5pm

     

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Dirty Bones, London

    ★★★★ | Dirty Bones, London

    Dirty Bones the restaurant categorises itself as New York comfort food and cocktails, well it’s that and more.

    With four locations in London, including Kensington, Carnaby Street, Shoreditch, we popped into the new West End location (on Denman Street right next to the Piccadilly Theatre – home of ‘Annie’) to find comfort, and we did find it, in the food, drinks, service, and the atmosphere.

    Looking a bit like a 1960’s den with old world chic decor, the restaurant is one big room with a beautifully designed industrial bar in a space that used to be Clockjack Chicken.

    Well, the smell of chicken is gone, so what you will find now is a menu with a great selection of food choices (including, yes, chicken) and strong drinks that will make you forget your troubles.

    As a starter, we went for the Cheeseburger Dumplings. Hamburgers and cheese in a dumpling (and not bun) with spring onions, sesame seeds, and pepper, with a clever mustard/ketchup combination sauce – and at £8.50 for a handful, not a bad value.

    We really didn’t know what to expect our main meals would look like. I went for the Short Ribs on the Taco menu. It was one very large slab of beef short rib with excellent BBQ sauce that comes with gluten-free corn tortillas to build your own taco. You can also stuff the taco with the salad that’s served with it – it’s white cabbage slaw, tomato, coriander, chilli and jalapeños – very delicious and unique, and a great deal at £16 considering how much beef is served. We also shared 200 grams (£8 per 100g) of the Rib-Eye Steak, and the meat was perfectly cooked medium well, and served with a delicious butter and mint sauce. As sides, we could not resist the Grilled Hispi Cabbage dish – it was superb! Two large portions of Charcoaled cabbage with herb and garlic butter with crispy shallots made for an unusual yet awesome dish. I’ve never eaten cabbage this way and it was superb (only £5). We also ordered the Crispy Lamb Fries (only £6.50). It was a huge dish of fries (chips) smothered in red chilli sauce and jalapeños – it was an extremely spicy dish but what made it amazing was the well-cooked, crunchy and plentiful lamb – I could almost taste it again in my mouth – and is one of the best deals on the menu (it could be considered as a main course perhaps).

    By this time we had eaten so much food but our lovely waitress Andrea twisted our arm to order dessert, so we shared the Caramelised Banana Waffles, and we were glad we did. A freshly backed waffled topped with chocolate sauce, blueberry jam, salted peanut butter gelato and crushed nuts – it was out of this world, and a very nice ending to an excellent meal (£7).

    Comforting as well are the drinks. If you’re in the mood for strong cocktails, Dirty Bones is the place for you. Their six-page drinks menu won’t leave you feeling thirsty at all. I had the Dirty Bones Negroni – it came with a twisted orange slice, was rainbow colour, with a hint of rum and was nice and flavorful (£9);. I also had a taste of my dining companions’ Littlest Hobo drink – Tanqueray gin, lemon, passionfruit and vintage cider made for a refreshing drink (£9). And to finish off the evening we tried the Mutt’s Nuts drink – a very strong Woodford Reserve bourbon, with cinnamon and vanilla-infused maple syrup, it may knock your socks off. Good to drink on a full stomach.

    A visit to Dirty Bones will leave your tummy feeling happy but it may also leave you feeling a bit light headed and dizzy after choosing one of their lethal drinks. But as it says on the tin, the food is indeed comforting, the prices are comforting, and do not hold back on what your stomach and mouth want – it’s all good!

    To book a table, please go to their website:

    http://dirty-bones.com/book-a-table

    Automatic online booking below for 1-6 guests. Space always kept for walk-ins

    Soho branch:
    14 Denman Street, London, W1D 7HJ
    Tube: Piccadilly Theatre

    Email: soho@dirty-bones.com

    Other branches in Carnaby Street, Shoreditch and Kensington
    Phone: 020 7920 6434

    Price Rating: £££ (explained)

    Star Rating: ★★★★