Brunch at Oldroyd

03-10-2016 Local Black Bookangel, British, brunch, carbonara, croquetas, European, Islington, italian, London, Oldroyd, pasta, recommendation, Restaurant, review, small plates1 Comment

I don’t believe Oldroyd needs any introduction.

I have already written about it several times, and yet here I am again, writing about it once more.

You might want to call this a bad blogger syndrom, and you wouldn’t be wrong.

But then again, what’s a girl to do when one of her absolute favourite locals starts doing brunch eh?

With about 30 seats and simple yet tasteful decoration, Oldroyd is a dream no matter when you visit.

But if you asked, I’d say Sunday is probably the best day.

Because it’s Oldroyd’s brunch day and they serve up their signature fettucine carbonara.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, so first things first.

And by that I mean Bloody Mary, obviously.

As a matter of fact, the very best one I’ve ever had in London (and trust me when I say beating The Smokehouse‘s Chicken Salt delight was no easy task)!

Spicy and very pickle-y, it’s not one for the faint-hearted but still the very best way to get the brunch party started.

Though a tall, icy glass of Earl Grey iced tea does rather nicely as well!

Croquetas have been a feature on Oldroyd’s menu since the restaurant opened and they’re an absolute must-order.

This time, they were filled with mushroom, served with a generous dollop of truffle mayonnaise and as delightful as ever.

Zucchini fries are always a good idea too.

Feather-light, thin & crispy, they’re utterly irresistible.

But if you’re there for brunch, you might as well make the most of it.

The Bacon & egg fettucine, with confit garlic & berkswell, is out-of-this-world good.

It has eggs and bacon and carbs, it’s rich and creamy and comforting and basically all of your brunch dreams come true.

And if you want more, the Braised ox cheek with polenta & gremolata is an excellent choice.

Melt-in-the-mouth meat never goes out of fashion as far as I’m concerned. Warming, comforting and satisfying, it’s winter food at it’s finest.

The only issue is that it might well rule dessert out. Don’t worry chocolate mousse with raspberries & salted pistachio praline, I’ll be back for you!

I can never stay away for very long anyway (and if you want to make sure you don’t have to fight me for the last table, you better book here)!

Oldroyd, 344 Upper Street, London N1 0PD

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The Pig & Butcher, Islington

03-06-2016 Local Black Bookangel, British, gastropub, Highbury & Islington, Islington, London, pub, Restaurant, review, roast, Sunday Roast, The Pig & Butcher3 Comments

There are so many restaurants in London that, even if you tried hard and ate out for every single meal for the rest of your life, you wouldn’t manage to taste it all. (Fact, we did the maths!)

I for sure never will at least. For one, I certainly don’t have the endurance to eat out for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day. And then, repeat visits are killing the game.

And the fact is, there are places I love and simply can’t keep out of. Top of my list is The Pig & Butcher.

Located at the heart of buzzy Islington, with a homely, farm-meets-flee-market atmosphere, good food and good people, The Pig & Butcher is pretty much the perfect local.

The Pig & Butcher, Islington | Cake + Whisky

All the markers of a good gastropub are there, starting with a brilliant wine list.

There are candles in jam jar, beautiful fabric napkins, raw wood tables…

And a daily-changing menu highlighting the best of what’s in season!

At the moment, that means the first aubergines of the year, slightly smoked, then shredded and served with melt-in-the-mouth piperade, bocconcini (baby mozza balls!) and wild garlic pesto.

Summer on a plate and an absolute triumph!

Whole grilled sole is a regular feature on The Pig & Butcher’s menu and a dish I can never resist.

This time, it came with steamed wild asparagus, sweet Jersey Royals, crispy peas and a brown butter sauce.

Simplicity at its very, very best.

But the roasts are what took The Pig & Butcher to the rank of legend amongst Islington residents.

The slow roasted pulled pork shoulder is the perfect example of everything a beautiful Sunday roast should be.

The Pig & Butcher, Islington | Cake + Whisky

Moist, succulent meat, tangy apple sauce, tender vegetables, stunning roasties, silky-smooth gravy and a Yorkshire pudding as big as my head… And crackling!

This face means it’s a winner!

Difficult as it might be, try to save some room for pudding…

Lemon posset, Earl Grey jelly & blackberries.

Silky smooth, super light and tart, it’s one of those puddings you simply cannot stop eating.

Absolutely irresistible.

Crispy raspberry pancake & dark chocolate mousse.

Simple yet decadent, it’s the perfect illustration of the sort of food The Pig & Butcher excels at.

Beautiful, ingredient-driven dishes, that let carefully-sourced ingredients shine through and through.

I’ve been so many time I stopped counting. I went with friends, I went with family, and I highly recommend you do the same.

It’s really popular amongst locals, which means you definitely want to book beforehands (if you hurry, you might even be able to make it for this weekend!).

Happy Sundays ahead!

The Pig & Butcher, 80 Liverpool Road, Islington, London N1 0QD

The joys of a good local at Oldroyd

10-05-2016 Local Black Bookangel, British, European, Islington, London, Oldroyd, recommendation, Restaurant, review, small plates1 Comment

There are the restaurants you go to for the novelty of it.

Be it a potato-focused café or that place everyone loves for reasons you simply don’t see, the probability of you re-visiting them is actually quite low, because there’s always going to be something newer and more exciting to try instead.

But then there is a handful of true gems that you keep going back to times and times again.

Restaurants you’d pick over the excitement of trying something new.

The places you’d rather not bring your camera to so you can truly enjoy the experience.

The ones that make you commit every #BloggerCardinalSin under the sun but you leave with a big smile of your face and a renewed faith in the restaurant world.

Truth being told, there are not so many such restaurants on my list.

A couple of places in France, Morito, The Smokehouse… and Oldroyd.

Oldroyd, London | Cake + Whisky

Oldroyd, the first solo restaurant from former Chef Director of the Polpo Group Tom Oldroyd, opened its doors about a year ago and it’s been a favourite ever since.

It basically ticks all the boxes when it comes to a good local restaurant: quick to get to, excellent value, stunning service and food that’s not just good but also varied and interesting, so every visit brings some element of surprise.

Rabbit & dijon rillettes w/ pickled carrots is the perfect example of Oldroyd’s playful take on a classic.

All the elements of the French Lapin à la moutarde, and yet something completely different and absolutely brilliant in its simplicity.

Smoked haddock croquetas aka crunchy/melty heaven in a mouthful.

Nettle & ricotta malfatti, broad beans, berkswell & crispy sage.

Delicate gnocchi/ravioli hybrid parcels and proof if there ever needed one that vegetarian food can be truly stunning.

Oldroy’d menu is rather light on the meaty side, but the few meaty dishes are well worth ordering.

Proof is in the Lamb sweetbreads with peas and bacon; a great example of bistro food at its finest.

Finally, my favourite of all dishes: Norfolk asparagus, brown crab rouille, Cornish white crab & chervil.

Basically Spring on a plate.

After chatting with the staff for a little while (and a few spoonfuls of the homemade tiramisu…), we said our goodbyes and headed home already dreaming of the next time we’d be heading to Oldroyd.

Want to make them your local? Find them here

And if you ever need somebody to go splitsies on any of Oldroyd’s crab dishes, give me a ring!

Oldroyd, 344 Upper Street, London N1 0PD

This was Halloween | Abney Park Cemetery

01-11-2015 Local Black BookAbney Park, angel, Autumn, cemetery, Fall, halloween, London, nature, park, Stoke Newington3 Comments

There’s hardly anywhere more fitting to celebrate the Day of the Deads than their very own playground.

Some think cemeteries are hallowed, other belive them to be haunted. But one thing is sure: they are absolutely beautiful this time of the year.