THEGAYUK

Category: Review

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shikumen (Shepherds Bush)

    Dim Sum are an absolute pleasure, they fill me with joy (and best of all, variety satiety).

    I regard them as little presents, neatly wrapped with contents of treasure. Having a quick lunch at the Shikumen with good company and lots of these little presents, make good for an hour of paradise.

    The restaurant itself has a moody feel with lots of dark woods and patterned trellising providing privacy. Lots of pretty traditional ceramics are on display on the tables, ready to receive some wonderful tea the Shikumen have on the menu. We tried the Dragon’s well (Zhejian, £2.80) and Yunnan Pu-Erh (£2.50), which were both lovely, aromatic and topped up swiftly by the staff.

    Even though both myself and guest had decided on dim sum all the way, I did have a glance at the a la carte menu and was pleased to see a range of interesting dishes; black cod, squirrel fish (Seabass), Pork with bitter melon etc. Their alcohol / drinks menu was also extremely extensive, and I spotted a green tea creme brûlée on the dessert menu, making Shikumen very tempting for a re-visit over dinner sometime.

    Our dim sum began to flow to the table very quickly, just what you need on a lunch break! All the dishes we had came in three or four pieces, and we had probably over ordered (curse of the tidbits tummy!).

    Pumpkin Seafood Dumpling (£3.80) – Beautiful little balls of sunshine, brightly coloured from the pumpkin, encasing a sweet whole prawn cocooned inside. My friend remarked on how these looked like the little Indian saffron sweets you can get. These worked really well in a little dip of the chilli condiments that are brought to the table to offset the natural sweetness of the dish.

    Chicken Taro Croquettes (£3.50) – Now these really did look fantastic. Chicken and mushroom in a deep, rich savoury gravy, deep fried in a crispy pastry web- little grenades of textures and flavour. These were probably my favourite, and there was definitely an air of nostalgia to the dish as it almost had a chicken and mushroom pie feeling to it.

    Pan-Fried Turnip Cake (£3.20) – My other favourite of the dishes served, this sweet, garlicky, soft (almost fish-like) fleshy textured savoury cake had me going back for more and more. Everything about the dish i found enchanting, in as much as in appearance looks very simple almost bland but its texture and flavour are actually quite complex, wonderful.
    Roasted Duck Pumpkin Puff (£3.80) – More balls of sunshine, golden and crisp exterior with a spongy, duck filled gravy inside that had strong peppery notes and a nice little appearance from pine nuts for an added texture and buttery-ness. Crabmeat & Prawn Dumpling (£3.80) – Stunning and almost floral in its presentation, topped with caviar. A lovely, mellow and aromatic flavour with silky seafood, complimented by a hit of sharp spring onion. Baked Venison Puff (£4.20) – Presented on a triangle shaped piece of puff pastry, glazed and topped with sesame seeds. This was very sweet initially but moments later came forth a bit of heat and spiciness, which was welcomed. Another appearance from pine nuts worked with the soft texture of the venison. Char Siew Bun (£3.20) – The staple dish of any dim sum menu. It came to the table in a familiar bun presentation. Sweet red onion made for a crunchy experience, and it was refreshing to receive the bun itself not overly sticky (which can be the case more than often in some places). I would say Shikumen’s pricing with their dim sum menu is spot on, I would definitely come back to a Shikumen restaurant, if not only to get my teeth into that green tea creme brûlée!
    Shikumen are adding a single red dumpling to every order of Xiao Long Bao throughout October to honour President Xi Jinping’s State visit to London. STARS: ★★★★

    PRICE: £££

    Venue Address:

    (Check their website for other locations)

    Shikumen Shepherd’s Bush

    Dorsett Hotel

    58 Shepherd’s Bush Green

    London

    W12 8QE
    Venue phone: 020 8749 9978
    Tipping policy: http://www.shikumen.co.uk/shepherds-bush/contact/

    Reviewed by Jordan Lohan | @lohanjordan

  • THEATRE REVIEW: Northern Ballet: 1984

    Whilst it is perhaps not the most obvious choice for a new ballet, George Orwell’s nightmare vision of a dystopian future, 1984, is brought to life by Northern Ballet.

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  • FILM REVIEW | The Lobster

    Imagine a world where if you can’t find a parter in 45 days you will be changed into the animal of your choice. That’s what ‘The Lobster’ is all about.

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  • TV REVIEW: Scream, TV Series

    All you Slasher movie/Wes Craven fans out there Netflix has come up trumps with a new TV series called Scream.

    A Lone girl at home with phone communications coming from within the house… Check.

    Lone girl in a garage with the lights off… Check.

    Geeky virgin guy talking about how the murderers stalk their victims… Check.
    A small town high school is rocked, twice, first time after a video of the non-plastic, emo-y, dark haired girl kissing passionately with another girl goes viral on YouTube, the second time, after one of their prom queen contenders is brutally slashed from ear to ear and left dead in her swimming pool.

    But don’t mistake this for a TV version of the astronomic hit Scream series of films that wowed and scared teens in equal measures across the world in the late 90s and early noughties, the offering is different, think Scream meets Halloween.

    The story, just like the films, is very tongue in cheek, served with the same knowing and revealing gags thatScream (the film) became famous for and spawned the even more popular Scary Movie franchise, however it does feel incredibly dated, very last century. The fact that the creators have chosen a mostly white, blonde, thin, toned, rich-kid cast feels too conceited than a tongue in cheek nod at casting choices of the last century– and the idea that a lesbian – (read bi-curious) kiss could cause such controversy in 2015, in a high school, is a little unbelievable, unlike the uproar it would have caused in the mid/late 90s.

    Although Wes Craven, who sadly passed away in August this year, did not write or direct this series, he is credited as an exec producer.
    Purists of the genre, however, will love the jumps, the gore and the suspense as Lakewood’s series slasher dispenses with rich kid after rich kid, however perhaps a more mature audience looking for a more grown up Slasher proposal might need to look further.

     

  • FILM REVIEW | Suffragette

    ★★★★ Suffagette | The plight of the British women who fought for the right to vote is beautifully told in the excellent film ‘Suffragette.’

    Suffragette’ is told through the eyes Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan) in London, 1912. She works in a local factory, the Glass House Laundry in Bethnal Green, is married to fellow factory worker Sonny Watts (Ben Whishaw) and they have a young son. Watts has actually been a part of the factory since she was very young: her mother worked in the same factory and would strap her to her back when she went to work. Her mother died when she was four and Maud started working part-time there at the age of 7. At the age of 12, she started working full-time. She’s now a lead washer where she makes 13 schillings a week (compared to the salary a man is paid for the same job – 19 schillings a week). Watts has also been sexually molested by the hard core boss Norman Taylor (Geoff Bell).

    One day Watts is asked to accompany another women who’s to speak at Parliament about women’s working conditions and a bill to give women the right to vote. Watts wasn’t supposed to speak, but the other woman, Mrs. Violet Miller (Anne-Marie Duff) had been beaten up and didn’t look presentable, so Watts is thrust into giving the preprepared speech. Watts speaks from her heart, and from her experience, ignoring the script that was written. This lights something within Watts and turns her into an activist. She gets more more disgusted at the lack of women’s rights, and even more so when she sees young factory worker Maggie Miller (Grace Stotter), Violet’s daughter, being groped by Taylor in his office. Taylor is a sexual predator who believe women have no rights, and he tells Watts to ‘leave the vote to us.’

    But Watts’ pleas to Parliament are not enough. They say that there is not enough evidence to support the bill. The women rebel in front of the Houses of Parliament; many are thrown to the ground by the police with little regard for the women’s safety. Some, including Watts, and fellow protestor Edith Ellyn (Helena Bonham Carter), are sent to jail, where they are humiliatingly stripped naked. But this doesn’t deter them, and this leads to Watts becoming a member of the ever increasing suffragettes – a group of women working full-time to advance the rights of women.

    The Suffragettes are led by Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep) – a woman who has given up her life to further the cause. She’s also in hiding for fear of getting arrested for leading the movement (during those times women had very little rights).

    Determined police inspector Arthur Steed (Brendan Gleeson) puts the women under surveillance – he won’t let them carry on with their protesting and letter box bombings – he wants them all arrested, especially Pankhurst, and calls the women the “East London ladies.” But Pankhurst rallies the women – she tells them at a gathering in a speech from a balcony “We would rather be lawmakers, not lawbreakers.” The women continue their protesting, even resorting to bombing an M.P.’s house, just to get their message across. But Watts eventually loses more than what she bargained for, but she’s more determined than ever to fight for the cause.

    ‘Suffragette’ tracks the foot soldiers of the early UK feminist movement, working class women who were forced to go into hiding to pursue equality. They were willing to risk, in their fight, their jobs, homes, families, and for some of them, their lives. And it’s a great movie. The film lies heavily on the shoulders of Mulligan’s portrayal of her character, a fictional character but someone who we route for every step of the way. It’s an unflawed performance that hopefully will see Mulligan receive an Academy Award nomination. Streep, who shares top billing, is only in the film for less than five minutes, but her character’s presence is felt all throughout the movie. Carter is perfectly cast as the local pharmacist and fellow activist, with a husband who supports her every step of the way. Carter is actually the great-granddaughter of Herbert Asquith – the Prime Minister during the time this movie takes place. Director Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane), working from a script by Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady), successfully and beautifully blends in actual footage of the real protestors into the film, in a film that effectively uses dark lighting and unglamorous costumes to set the mood of the times. And while the plot may be familiar (the recent Made in Dagenham follows a similar plotline), ‘Suffragette’ is an important film to highlight what women did to get equal rights. And we have to be reminded that they are still fighting, and in some countries around the world (Saudi Arabia), women still have very little or no rights.

  • Theatre Review: How Does A Snake Shed Its Skin?

    What happens when you combine a squiffed-up Marilyn Monroe, a calorie conscious Margaret Thatcher and a suicidal Virginia Woolf – throw in three filing cabinets, a bucket and some schizophrenic-style storytelling? ★★★

    A trichotomy of a supposed glimpse into the minds of influential women, whisked in with a smidge of self loathing, bipolarism and an 11-year-old girl desperate for some love – we give you Susannah Hislop’s one woman show.

    Watching Hislop is sort of like watching Eddie Murphy playing numerous characters in the same scene, with a touch of Vanessa Feltz’s meltdown on the first Celebrity Big Brother, and a slight undertone of Edwina Currie’s parties-for-one on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. It’s an interesting combination.

    Diary reciting, grapefruit and pill lobbing, famous quotes and letters piece together this helter-skelter performance that unveils the implausible but believable similarities linking the trio. Susannah focuses on the not-so-positive elements of Thatcher’s, Woolf’s and Monroe’s lives and ultimately is doing so for the same reason why Eric Pickles avoids mirrors – to feel better about herself.

    Hislop has that Judi-Dench-being-interviewed draw – instantly likeable. But unlike the oven-timer for the Bake Off’s show-stopper, it could do with winding forward a few mins.

    Written and performed by Susannah Hislop

    Directed by Anna Ledwich

     

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW: Zaika of Kensington Restaurant Review

    Who loves a good ruby? Indian cuisine isn’t something i have regularly, and perhaps it’s my childhood memories of my Granny’s (who grew up in Vizag, India) infamous egg curry. Apparently it was delicious but not to the palette of a 7 year old. ★★★★

    Dining with me at Zaika of Kensington, my best friend, who grew up in Nepal and we immediately connect and get chatting to our waiter, Mustaq. Throughout, his service was perfection and in response to our enquiry on his favourites the restaurant had to offer, he demonstrated great knowledge of the menu and even some of the dishes backgrounds, and i love hearing interesting legacies of food and its history.
    It’s history that you’re immediately hit with as soon you enter Zaika, in terms of the building’s architectural aspect. Grand high ceiling with dramatic mouldings, austere window frames, a perfect marriage of classical and contemporary. It is clear they want to give you the impression that this is not your usual curry house, and that continues into the food served too.
    We dined at an odd eating time, so the restaurant seemed grandly desolate. We were happy with the echoes of our cackles for company but both agreed that Zaika would have a great vibe during a busy evening.
    To start, Aloo Palak Tikki (£8.50), essentially little potato and spinach cakes that were cooked handsomely, crispy exterior and fluffy on the inside- plain in flavour but intentional as they come served on a bed of cold and creamy, spicy chickpeas. The whole dish was drizzled in a sweet yoghurt and adorned in pomegranate jewels. So very pretty and a clever configuration of flavours and textures.
    Jhinga Dakshini (£9.50) – nugget-like and light gram flour battered tiger prawns, not the most impressive sized prawns which was a little disappointing, as like my men, i enjoy them a bit beefier. Again this appetiser’s flavour was on point, the paprika-y prawns served with a sweet, turmeric, pale yoghurt. The flavours in both appetisers were really well balanced and full of flavour without being overly seasoned or spiced as to dominate the palette before the main courses.

    Nihari Gosht (£23), lamb that is slow cooked over night, and upon offer was then deboned at our table and served to us. Lightly aromatic, lovely and creamy; the lamb was silky soft, and still retained all its wonderful natural flavours. Lamb is the meat of choice in Northern India’s Awadhi cuisine, which Zaika’s menu focuses on. Although there is plenty of choice in terms of meat, poultry and vegetarian.
    I couldn’t not order a tikka masala for a main, it being one of Britain’s favourite dishes, so we tried the Paneer version (£14.50). Constantly impressed by Zaika’s flavour balance, this was more spicy for a tikka masala but a scattering of desiccated coconut subtly slurs underneath all that spice and cools the palette. The paneer was firm and almost sweet which worked really well.
    No matter how well you feel you cook your rice at home, it always surprises me when you have rice from an Authentic Indian restaurant, and it’s always ridiculously superior, and Zaika’s Zaffrani Pulao (£3.75) was no exception.
    A treat via Truffle Naan (£3.75) which was everything a naan should be; crispy and chewy. Delicate truffle notes and light. A winner for sponging up remaining sauce on your plate to the point my plate looked untouched.This was plenty of food for us both, but still wanting to explore their dessert menu and akin to the magnetism of a tikka masala, a good traditional Indian kulfi is always welcomed at the end of a big meal. Zaika’s Classic Kulfi; Mango & Pistachios (£6) is one not to be missed. Beautifully crafted and presented a top a strip of khaki coloured pistachio nut smudge, which I really wanted to just lick off the plate, it was so divine. The kulfi themselves were surprising in as much as they were not overly cold and even those with the most sensitive of teeth could even bite straight into. Wonderfully rich and creamy, a light mango morsel paired with a deep almost marzipan flavour in the pistachio pebble of kulfi. We asked for a small version of the dish and upon touchdown on the tastebuds, that decision was immediately regretted.
    Suitably stuffed and smiles on our faces we waddled back to the tube (5 minute walk from the restaurant) and agreed that Zaika of Kensington went above and beyond the usual expectations of Indian cuisine and we would both happily come back. I feel the pricing of the dishes are on point for the quality and execution. The whole experience felt grand and glam, with office Christmas party season approaching, if you have a team of curry fans, Zaika of Kensington is the place for you.

    Make a booking here

  • BOOK REVIEW | Unbecoming by Jenny Downham

    Seventeen-year-old Katie is in a state of turmoil.

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  • BAR REVIEW | Storeys, West London Rooftop Pop-up

    This weekend’s weather is looking a smidge Indian-summeresque.

    What better way to appreciate the year’s last warm rays than to hang out on top of an old BBC carpark’s roof, consuming coconut mojitos, devouring beautifully tender and crisp calamari while taking in West London’s fabulous high-rise and urban views, all to Louis Vuitton man-bag swinging funky beats? ★★★★★

    STOREYS White City London is a innovative pivot created out of old packing crates, recycled wooden planks, discarded beer barrels with art installations made from abandoned TVs and dated speakers. Splendidly alluring – it needs to be seen. Street art you’ll drop your work worries for cakes the walls, amalgamated with the street food and a clientele from an assortment of the Old Smoke’s streets, giving the rooftop experience a Peckham/Hackney undertone but with West-End implications.
    The eco lavs won’t be to everyone’s taste, but what they don’t have in plumbing they make up for with a bewitching reclaimed-material chemistry.
    The pop-up’s season is coming to an end this weekend – the menu for Thursday 8th October can expect an evening of dance performances and music as new app Happy Track celebrates their launch party. Storeys’ upcoming event programme will also feature rooftop yoga sessions with Serene Social every Saturday from 9am-10am for a fresh and healthy start to the weekend.
    STOREYS closes its doors for the summer on Sunday 11th October with a spectacular closing weekend party, featuring a line-up of Storeys’ favourite DJs, games and drink specials.
    You can now purchase advance Q jump tickets online -http://www.storeys.london – which include an arrival cocktail.
    STOREYS is located on top of the old BBC building’s carpark in White City. Doors open 5pm Friday, and 11am at the weekend, with daytime game areas and DJs playing into the evening.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Showstoppers show themselves up in the West End

    Long form improv is the high-wire act of this performing spectacle in this impromptu musical theatre delight.

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  • THEATRE REVIEW: Pam Ann Queen Of The Skies, Leicester Square Theatre

    She’s still got it. Forty-Six she reminds us, and still has lots of wear left in those knees. ★★★★

    And as those noisy punters she had removed from the front row will attest, as feisty as ever. Pam Ann is the unchallenged Queen of the skies and looking around at the packed Leicester Square theatre – queen of the gays as well – with every c*ck joke, every rim job mention provoking whoops of excitement that explode across the small auditorium.

    It’s not hard to understand why the gays have taken Pam under their collective wing for nearly 20 years, in an interview with this very magazine in 2013 she said about the gay community,

    “They didn’t create Pam Ann; they created my whole fking life and my existence. That’s why I have not got married. I have not had kids. I am a fking gay man, 99 per cent of my friends are gay so they can take responsibility for everything. My vocabulary is gay, I speak gay, everything is gay. I f**k like a gay so you know, I say they created my whole existence and Pam Ann.”

    There’s something different though with Pam Ann, perhaps a little more self-aware than her usual, it feels a little Pam Ann 2.0. In this show there’s a lot less “air” jokes and hardly any of her beloved characters, such as Lily, Valerie and Helga. The first part gives way to a full on stand up routine and while much is in the character, Caroline Reid (Pam Ann’s creator and body) is it seems, breaking and aching to get out.

    Don’t get me wrong; she still gets in the ‘ass-like-a-hippo’s-yawn’ gag (it was at 3 minutes and 42 seconds, but who’s counting) and she still flies in the headwind of the PC brigade, using race, religion, heterosexuals and class as her bread and butter material, much to the applause of the crowd.

    While some media outlets will call her shtick out-dated and a product of days past, our community needs levity and moment to stop eating itself from the inside and listen to some of the pearls that fall from Reid’s mouth – and she knows that. With a knowing eye she momentarily tips her hat off to one particuarly hotly contested word – to the delight of the audience.

    But what if Pam wasn’t Pam anymore? Instead we have Caroline… I’m excited about the prospect; does she need to be dressed up in the uniform to still be hailed high as one of the campest comic creations by the gay community? The question is will we let her flamboyant, coked up stewardess character go? Will we let Reid fly, shed the wingtips and become a fully-fledged real person rather than the institution she’s become?

    Pam Ann Queen of The Skies is on at the Leicester Square Theatre until November 30th.