Tang London Noodle Bar

01-03-2017 Local Black BookAsian, Fitzrovia, London, noodle bar, noodles, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Tang, Tang London, Tottenham Court Road1 Comment

It looks like my optimistic salad phase will be on hold for a little while.

For which I blame the freezing-cold wind and my recent discovery of Tang London in equal measure.

Located minutes away from Tottenham Court Road’s hustle and bustle, Tang London is the very definition of a hidden gem.

And not only because it is indeed rather tricky to find (it’s just before the massive, flashy VQ terrace, in case you get lost).

It has a cozy room, dotted with small tables and many a perching stool.

A passionate team of chefs.

And a short menu filled with dishes of the inventive, hearty, Asian-inspired kind that are perfect for those ~~weeks~~ days when the weather goes from nice and sunny to pouring rain in the blink of an eye!

Signature, super-crispy fried chicken served with a side of fiery hot sauce for dipping.

Black & White aka. crispy home-made black soy bean tofu served with the most addictive white miso sauce.

Double dipping absolutely compulsory!

The noodle soup (‘tang’) selection is rather un-traditional but excellent all the same.

Chicken Tang – an excellent option if you’re feeling a bit under the weather (do swap the flat rice noodles for glass noodles though, as the former aren’t quite as good as we’d hoped)

Spicy Prawn Tang – fiery hot and a brilliant way to warm one’s cockles up!

Dig in & slurp to your heart’s content!

And if you can manage it, definitely get a few of the steamed buns on the side (we couldn’t quite, but the beef one looks amazing!).

Either way, make sure you finish with a scoop of Tang London’s signature sugarcane & shiso sorbet.

You might love it, you might hate it, but udon know until you try it!

Tang London, 111 Great Russell St (just before VQ), Fitzrovia, London WC1B 3NP

Scottish brunch at Mac and Wild

14-07-2016 Local Black Bookbrunch, Burger, Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London, Mac & Wild, Mac and Wild, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Scottish, Tottenham Court RoadLeave a comment

On one of my -very productive- days scrolling the internet, I came across the word ‘fernweh’.

Fernweh is a consuming longing to be somewhere you’ve never been. I wasn’t sure I really understood it at the time, but it all made sense as soon as I stepped into Mac and Wild in Fitzrovia.

The brick walls, the raw wooden tables, the casual-meets-refined atmosphere…

It all collided and made me want to turn right back and head on to the Highlands.

But with over 50 different labels of whisky, home-bottled cocktails and a whole shelf full of pickles, Mac and Wild has strong arguments to help you postpone the fernweh urge…

… and settle for Scottish brunch instead!

Starting with a classic: Scottish breakfast.

Loads of brown food, and pretty much every single kind of meat patty you can possibly think of.

It might be a cardiologist’s worst nightmare (even though Mac & Wild’s version is surprising un-greasy!), but things don’t get much better than that…

… unless of course you go for the Veni-Moo.

Voted UK & London’s best burger for two years running, Mac and Wild signature dish is an absolute beauty!

…especially if you decide to add candy bacon to the juicy beef-venison-caramelised onion-bearnaise masterpiece.

Quite simply burger-perfection.

All washed down with cocktails & a few drops of scotch…

… plus some Irn-Bru (it would have been wrong not to!)

Its bubblegum taste was the perfect introduction to our beast of a dessert.

Scottish brunch at Mac & Wild | Cake + Whisky

‘I shouldn’t but I will‘: Dark chocolate Nemesis, salted caramel sauce, orange, almonds, vanilla ice cream & taffy crumble.

Scottish brunch at Mac & Wild | Cake + Whisky

The ultimate indulgence and one of the many, many reasons to get to Mac & Wild very soon!

Bangin’ cocktails, eye-rolling-ly good food, all served by dynamic and passionate staff…

… Oh, and have I mentioned that they take bookings too?

Brunch winner right there!

Mac & Wild, 65 Great Titchfield St, London W1W 7PS

PIN FOR LATER:

French burgers at Big Fernand

15-04-2016 Local Black BookBig Fernand, Burger, burgers, Fitzrovia, French, London, London best burgers, recommendation, Restaurant, review2 Comments

Big Fernand is ZE name for burgers in Paris.

I lived in Paris and I love burgers.

And yet I never went. #WHAAAAT

Luckily, Big Fernand followed me to London and opened a restaurant in the heart of Fitzrovia.

It was only a matter of time until Michelle, Binny & I found our way there…

Big Fernand, London | Cake + Whisky

With loads of honey-coloured wood panelling and industrial-ish furniture, you can tell Big Fernand is not your usual burger joint.

And they take their burgers very, VERY seriously!!

Big Fernand, London | Cake + Whisky

Their chairs, a little bit less ?

The menu’s short and sweet.

6 burgers, all made with fantastic meat and the best French raw cheese, cuddling up in an excellent sesame bun.

Big Fernand, London | Cake + Whisky

Le Bartholomé (dry-aged beef, Raclette cheese, smoked streaky bacon, caramelised onions and homemade sauces)

Look at that cheese! Just the way to my heart!

Big Fernand, London | Cake + Whisky

A very Frenchie burger indeed, focusing on stellar ingredients and perfectly cooked burgers (believe me or not, that’s actually quite rare for me!).

I can’t quite put my finger on why it is, but those burgers felt much healthier than any other I’ve ever tried (lookign at you Almost Famous and other Lucky Chips!)

Ze verdict? Zere definitely iz a reason why ze French LOVE Big Fernand’s hamburgé. And the reason is that the burgers are truly excellent, cooked to perfection and very, very cheesy! So French, so good!

Big Fernand, 19 Percy Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1DY

BiBimBap Fitzrovia

05-03-2016 Local Black BookBiBimBap, Charlotte Street, cheap, Fitzrovia, Googe Street, healthy, Korean, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, rice1 Comment

What did you do with the extra 24h you got this #LeapYear?

You know me, I took advantage of it to stuff even more food into my life.

So I met with my favourite foodie sidekicks for a taste of Korean food at BiBimBap.

BiBimBap, Fitzrovia | Cake + Whisky

The restaurant itself is a bit clean-lines meets K-Town.

Understands fairly basics but with a Korean pop-star fan club touch ??

And the cutest, most kawaii menu EVER!

The restaurant takes its name from bibimbap, a signature Korean dish of fried rice, topped with vegetables and soy sauce, served in a hot stone bowl.

BiBimBap, Fitzrovia | Cake + Whisky

Each bibimbap bowl comes with a rainbow of thinly sliced vegetables (carrots, daikon, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, spinach…) and there’s a huge variety of toppings for you to choose from, ranging from Kimchi (chilli-spiced fermented cabbage) to seafood, spicy pork, beef and much more.

BiBimBap, Fitzrovia | Cake + Whisky

The whole lot is brought to your table in a blisteringly hot stone bowl. So hot in fact that you can hear the rice sizzling!

BiBimBap, Fitzrovia | Cake + Whisky

A very good thing as it means that while you make your way through the layers of flavourful marinated meat and colourful, artifully arranged vegetables, the thin layer of rice will continue to cook and turn crispy, making for the most wonderful of surprises when you reach the bottom of the bowl!

A much healthier (and vegetarian friendly) version of crackling, but just as addictive!

While the many variations of the humble bibimbap lead the show at the eponymous restaurant, there are also plenty of sides to choose from.

Pork & vegetable dumplings (lovely and crispy)

BiBimBap, Fitzrovia | Cake + Whisky

Sweet and salty Korean Fried Chicken.

BiBimBap, Fitzrovia | Cake + Whisky

Just look at that shinny soy sauce glaze!

Kimchi pancakes. Spicy and comforting at the same time, and my absolute favourite.

BiBimBap, Fitzrovia | Cake + Whisky

My verdict? BiBimBap was a great way to wave February goodbye. Relatively healthy food, excellent value, great company and many a giggle… Quite a brilliant way to use that extra leap year day (or any other day, really!)

BiBimBap, 10 Charlotte Street,Fitzrovia, London W1T 2LT

Lima London

15-02-2016 Local Black Bookceviche, fish, Fitzrovia, Googe Street, Lima, Michelin, Peru, Peruvian, pisco, pisco sour, recommendation, Restaurant, review1 Comment

Peruvian food has been booming in London over the past couple of years, bringing vibrant flavours and creative dishes to the world’s top restaurant scene.

And at the head of that Andean revolution was Lima, a small smart-but-not-stuffy Fitzrovia restaurant, whose excellent work has since been rewarded with a Michelin star.

The restaurant itself, with its scandi-meets-South-America design and its very casual vibe is an absolute gem.

Lima London | Cake + Whisky

Industrial lamps, comfy olive green seats, beautiful pink orchids, wall-long art pieces and a stunning glass ceiling… Lima is basically a Pinterest-worthy masterpiece.

Lima London | Cake + Whisky

But then so are the cocktails (the proof is in the blogger! ?)…

Cuento del Diablo (Aji Chilli Infused Pisco. Triple Sec. Strawberry. Lime. Grenadine). A devil-ishly good little number!

The Maracuya and Rosa chilicanos.

All in all the perfect fuel for a much needed catch -up!

Together with this beautiful butterfish pre-appetizer.

So pretty we almost didn’t eat it (much like the rest of the menu to be honest)!

I’m never going to say no to free bread (hellooooo, I’m French, carbs are basically in my DNA!), and the chilli and mustard seed selection was just as colourful and flavourful as I’d hoped it would be.

The Seabass ceviche is a classic of Peruvian cuisine and an absolute must-order at Lima.

Delicate chunks of sea bass, with avocado, vibrant yellow tiger’s milk and crunchy cancha corn.

Stunning scallop causa (with yellow potato, achiote and aji limo).

And the most beautiful of them all: Artichoke Amazonia (red potato, avocado, passion fruit, achiote and pea shoots).

So pretty in fact that we weren’t sure whether to eat it or hang it on the walls (good things Binny was stronger than me on that one!)

Lima London | Cake + Whisky

One of my favourite was this simple, yet elegant dish of braised octopus.

Lima London | Cake + Whisky

Served with purple corn crisps and droplets of excellent olive oil.

Brought together by a few dollops of a really punchy, olive-based purple dressing.

Creative and comforting all at once, it’s one of Lima’s signature dishes and once I really recommend you try.

Duck magret cocona.

Served perfectly pink with roasted plums and soft, moist, more-ish corn cake.

Wafer thin Asparagus Peru (with tree tomato emulsion, sweet potato and heritage tomato).

And a some more of than Cusco corn cake. But I’m sure if I tell you this thing is pretty much like corn French toast, you’ll understand.

The good thing about Lima’s plates being rather on the lighter side is that we still had plenty of room for dessert!

Lima London | Cake + Whisky

Starting with the Chirimoya (custard apple) parfait (with chocolate crumb and blue potato crisps, plus some hidden dulche de leche caramel).

Lima London | Cake + Whisky

Following with Alfajores, and yet more dulche de leche (both in the form of ice cream and caramel cream).

Last but not least was the Avocado mousse, encased in a life-like chocolate casing.

Mind-bendingly good and the best proof of what a truly brilliant restaurant Lima is.

Its detractors might criticize the rather high price and small quantities. And I won’t say it’s not an expensive place. It is. But unlike many other places around the same price-point, the food you get for your money is delicious, but also healthy, creative and vibrant. Which I’m more than willing to pay the price for.

Lima, 31 Rathbone Pl, London W1T 1JH

Ethos | Deliciously different vegetarian restaurant | London

19-11-2015 Local Black Bookbreakfast, brunch, buffet, Ethos, Fitzrovia, London, Oxford Circus, Oxford Street, Restaurant, review, vegetarian, veggie5 Comments

Oxford Circus is my own idea of hell.

There are just SO MANY PEOPLE everywhere ALL the time.

But one of the perks of being a Londoner is knowing how to avoid the crowds. No matter where you are, there’s always a little nook for you to retreat to.

And as I was shopping the other day, I might just have found my new favourite one.

Nestled right behind H&M, Ethos is every vegetarian‘s dream come true.

A restaurant where they’ll FINALLY be served something else than goat’s cheese tart or mushroom risotto!

Step inside an you’ll find yourself in some sort of Swedish-forest-met-IKEA-catalog.

Pretty much like stepping into my Pinterest “home” board! #IHaveThisThingWithSwedishInteriors

Once you’re done pondering whether or not you could possibly transpose all the furniture into your flat, it’s time to think about the important stuff (not, not the lamps!)

Bellinis!

And maybe a muffin or two to go with it?

Almond, maple & raisins was definitely an excellent choice to go alongside a cup of Earl Grey!

The Raspberry & almond pancakes are out-of-this-world good.

Soft and fluffy without being too airy or sweet, needless to say they were devoured within seconds.

Another day, we returned for dinner and tried out the buffet.

I forgot my camera then (baaaaad blogger!), but let me tell you that if you happen to walk around London with a vegetarian friend or three, it’s an excellent option.

Wander around the buffet, pick a bit of everything (don’t miss out on the babaganoush, the olives and the sweet soy halloumi!!), weight your plate and enjoy!

Ethos, 48 Eastcastle Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 8DX

Honey & Co, Fitzrovia, London

12-10-2015 Local Black Bookcake, Fitzrovia, Honey & Co, London, Middle Eastern food, Restaurant, review, where to eat in london3 Comments

I had been meaning to visit husband-and-wife run cafe Honey & Co since the first day I came back to London, over a year ago.

Famous for their apparently excellent bruch (which I am still to try out), their delicious cakes and their modern takes on Jerusalem food, it has everything for me to fall in love.

And indeed in love I fell.

One thing that was not on the “list of reasons I’m probably going to love this restaurant” were the cocktail but after a sip of the OB Gin & Tonic, I’ll most definitely add it up onthere.

If you like orange blossom as much as I do, make sure you give it a go very soon!

It is a well-known fact that warm bread is one of life’s great pleasure, so ordering the Bread selection was obviously an excellent call.

The homemade pitta bread was delicious and light as a cloud, but the slightly crunchy potato loaf and the brioch-ey challah bread definitely stole the show!

Red falafels are one of Honey & Co’s signature dishes and combine the usual chickpea-based mix with sweet red peppers, enhanced by the punchy accompagnying garlic yoghurt.

A classic well worth ordering!

My favourite dish was without a doubt what seemed to be the simplst of them all on paper: Crisped cauliflower with tahini, parsley, crisp pitta & Legbar egg.

It was however much more complex once on your fork.

And look at that perfectly soft-cooked egg! #Fodporn at its very best!

Crispy quail in sweet spice is another highlight of the new Autumn Menu.

Think what you want (including that quail are the most annoying thing to eat EVER!) but there truly is a subtlety and a sweetness in quail you won’t really find in any other bird.

Even better though was the accompagnying Whole wheat, grapes, pinenuts & herb salad.

This one’s definitely going to become a new feature of all of my Autumn menus!

Puddings are often given as one of Honey & Co’s strength.

Which you can probably tell just by the look of the Marzipan cake with caramelised figs and custard.

But the true star of the show?

This INCREDIBLE Coconut, plum and pistachio cake.

A truly magnificient (and slightly psychedelic) thing worthy of the best GBBO’s bakes.

Which definitely make me want to go back, if only to try more from the cake counter!

Honey & Co 25A Warren St, London W1T 5LZ

Cake and Whisky

Life in London and other almost-grown-up tales

Menu

Fitzrovia

Tang London Noodle Bar

Tang London, 111 Great Russell St (just before VQ), Fitzrovia, London WC1B 3NP

Scottish brunch at Mac and Wild

French burgers at Big Fernand

BiBimBap Fitzrovia

Lima London

Ethos | Deliciously different vegetarian restaurant | London

Honey & Co, Fitzrovia, London