Sun’s out, Bun House!

03-04-2018 Local Black BookBun House, buns, Chinese, lunch, Soho1 Comment

You know the saying – sun’s out, buns out!

And I know just the spot to get your bun fix – Bun House!

Light and airy, Bun House isn’t very big but the menu is every steamed bun lover’s dream come true.

The bun selection is rather wide: there’s pork of course, but also lamb, veggie, fish, as well as a couple of sweet options.

All steamed to order and ready in minutes.

We made the most of a quiet Monday lunch service to try it all…

Veggie? Good.

Fish? Good.

Lamb? Gooooooooooooooood!

The pickled daikon is a great way to keep things fresh.

And the lotus crisps are simply too good to pass.

Take it all down with many a cup of tea… and there you have it: the perfect London lunch in the sun!

Or the rain. Or even in case of a return of the Beast from the East…

Bun House, 24 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4DZ

Where else’s good near Bun House?

Dinner at Kricket

03-02-2018 Local Black BookIndian, Kricket, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, small plates, Soho1 Comment

I hate restaurants that don’t take reservations for less than 4 people.

I hate restaurants where the host, when I pop in and ask if they have a table for 2 at 7:15pm, answers they do… at 10:30pm.

And I HATE restaurants that insist on running separate lunch and dinner services so that I can’t have a meal at strange mid-afternoon hours on the weekend.

All of the above are the reasons why I hate loving Kricket so much.

It’s going to make my life so very difficult every time I crave Indian food.

But well, I’ll just have to deal with it all (and take friends down with me so we can book at table!) because the food, the drinks and the atmosphere are all fantastic.

The cocktail list is short but perfect formed, making the on-duty bartender a very busy man (or woman) indeed.

Which you could feel bad about or just embrace with a couple of the truly excellent whisky + orange marmalade cocktails…

Also excellent were the Jerusalem artichokes and pea samosas.

Light, crispy pastry triangles, filled with the most delicious, subtly spiced vegetable filling.

Needless to say, those didn’t last long.

My favourite dish – Pumpkin, makhani sauce, fresh paneer, hazelnut crumble, puffed wild rice.

Served with masala kulcha bread straight from the tandoor.

Charred pumpkin, the best (really, even my Indian boyfriend says so, and he’s had A LOT of butter chicken) butter-tomato sauce, begin to be scooped over some bread…

It was the sort of dish I wish I knew how to make so I could have it every day.

One that hangs around the top of my list of London’s best dishes, too.

Kricket’s signature Keralan fried chicken, served with curry leaf mayonnaise and pickled mouli.

Venison keema.

Warming and gently spiced, and the perfect reminder of why I must add keema to my winter meal rota.

Beautifully cooked duck breast, served with fiery vindaloo sauce and refreshing Brussel sprout and coconut thoran.

Polishing it all off on a sweet note in the form of carrot halwa with chestnut ice cream (delicious but veeeeeeery rich) and gorgeous, posset-like misti doi.

All in all, not a dal plate in sight at Kricket… So, no matter how difficult/irritating getting a table is, it’s worth the patience and hard work.

You know what they they… Keep calm and curry on!

Kricket Soho (the original venue’s in Brixton), 12 Denman St, Soho, London W1D 7HH

More things to eat in Soho

EVERYTHING at Temper

Cake for dinner at Cutter & Squidge

Ramen at Kanada Ya

Chinatown’s best hot pot

Cake for Dinner at Cutter & Squidge

09-08-2017 Local Black Bookcake, London, Restaurant, review, Soho2 Comments

When the London weather is frightful (August? Really? More like November-ish!), few things are more delightful than cuddling up with a cup of tea and a piece of cake.

Luckily, I know just the place!

Located in the heart of Soho, minutes from Piccadilly Circus, Cutter & Squidge is a cake’s lover dream come true – with shelves stacked high with all kinds of sweet treats.

Creative twists on classic puds, like this gorgeous Eton Mess layer cake…

Dreamy Sundaes…

And shelves full of the most incredible flavours of Biskies.

What’s a biskuit I hear you ask?

The most amazing biscuit/cookie creation filled with lightened buttercream, handmade jams, caramels and other delights, that’s what.

All crafted using the highest quality ingredients, all beautiful, all delicious… The only difficult thing is to pick one!

Matcha & black sesame? Chocolate hazelnut pearl?

Cutter & Squidge • London Restaurant • Cake + Whisky

Choc O Berry? Lemon meringue?

Classic (or salted caramel!!) S’mores? PB&J?

Of course it had to be PB&J!

What can I say, that’s just my jam!

Add a glass of (incredible!) ice tea and here it is: the perfect spot to escape the rain/cold/overall dreadful weather – or recover from an especially intensive shopping session…

Cutter & Squidge, 20 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 0SJ

(or you can also place an order online)

Kiln, Soho

16-05-2017 Local Black BookAsian, Kiln, London, recommendation, Restaurant, small plates, Soho, Thai2 Comments

With so many new restaurants popping up in London every ~~month~~ week, coming across something that’s not already been de- and re-constructed 25 times over is a rare thing.

And yet it’s just what super-popular, Thai-inspired Kiln does.

With a succession of 5* reviews under their belt, as well original Thai-inspired small plates cooked with first-class British ingredients and very keen pricing to top it all, scoring one of the few bar stools overlooking the open kitchen is no easy thing.

Which is why when you finally do, you better make the most of it and order up a storm!

Starting with a couple of drinks…

A green peppercorn daiquiri for him…

And a tall glass of super-refreshing lemongrass iced tea for me!

Aged lamb & cumin skewers.

Crispy, intense, fatty in the best sort of way.

Was I not so curious and set on trying as many dishes as could possible handle, I could happily have eaten a plateful of those and left a very happy customer!

Smoked sausage with turmeric.

Spicy, complex and not unlike top-quality BBQ-ed merguez sausages…

Beautifully plump, sweet langoustines, kaffir lime and sweet mint.

Summer supper perfection.

Clay pot baked glass noodles with five spice ducks and offal with aged soy.

Warming, comforting and interesting all at once!

Last but not least – Wild ginger and short rib curry from Burma.

A beautiful, delicate curry, with melt-in-the-mouth beef rib slices, lifted by the fresh flavour of anise-sweet Thai basil.

With stir fried Cornish greens & soybrown and brown jasmine rice on the side, because wasting any of that curry sauce would be a crime.

Much like not serving dessert is usually one in my book. But with Crosstown and Gelupo nearby and open ’til late(ish), I suppose in Kiln’s case, it’s not that much of a big deal!

Soooo, get there early and get queuing!

(or if you can get a few people together, they also take bookings for 6+ people… #just saying)

Kiln Soho, 58 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9TL

The Palomar revisited

25-04-2017 Local Black BookLondon, recommendation, Restaurant, small plates, Soho, The Palomar2 Comments

I love Easter Monday.

All the tourists that flooded to the capital are on their way home, the Londoners that were clever enough to escape the egg-hunting crowds aren’t back yet and unlike Christmas week, all every store and restaurant worth their while are open for business.

Which means it’s one of those few magic days (together with tube-strike days) where you can get a table pretty much anywhere you fancy.

The perfect opportunity to -finally- (re)visit the infamous, impossible-to-get-into-unless-you-book-a-table-2-months-ahead Palomar.

Grab a couple of seats at the bar and forget all you thought you knew about Jewish food.

Serving up what they describe as “the food of modern day Jerusalem”, The Palomar is all about twists on the classics and loads of fresh, punchy flavours.

Point made right from the start with the restaurant’s signature Kubaneh, coming to the table in its own tin and served pipping hot with tahini & velvet tomatoes.

Dense, buttery and fluffy, this Eastern Mediterannean brioche is made to be dipped so make sure you order the burnt courgette tzatkiki too!

Add a couple of perfectly mixed cocktails and you’re all set to peruse the rest of the rather unortodox menu…

Beef Tataki Damaskus gate style with crispy Jerusalem bagel, tahini & spicy tomatoes

Must-order Shakshukit (deconstructed kebab with minced beef & lamb, yoghurt, tahini, cured lemon & harissa)

Quite simply life changing – No matter how good/needed they are, you’ll never look at kebabs quite the same way after that!

Siske Pork Belly with Ras el Hanout, dried apricot, glazed carrot & celeriac cream.

The Palomar ● London restaurant review ● Cake + Whisky

Sweet, sticky, indulgent, absolutely not kosher-friendly but well worth every transgression!

And then there’s this cute little pan, filled with the best dish in the house, no less!

Super creamy Josperised Aubergine under a blanket of creay feta emulsion, crispy shallots & pine nuts.

Aubergenius.

All polished off with your pick from the sweetest of desserts menus…

As long as your pick includes the Malabi, that is.

A rose-scented milk pudding, raspberry coulis, coconut meringue pistachio crunch, fresh raspberries & kataifi, it is perfectly balanced and my Mr. simply won’t leave The Palomar without having it.

That said, the Jerusalem Mess (labneh mousse, almond crumble, strawberries, lemon cream…) isn’t too shabby either. And the fondue-style chocolate crémeux is every bit as good as it sounds too, so you can’t really go wrong.

Just make sure you go early (or book a table), go hungry and leave plenty of room for pudding…

Which I know is difficult when the whole menu looks So-ho good!

The Palomar, 34 Rupert St, London W1D 6DN

No tables available at The Palomar? Try one of those nearby restaurants!

Jen Café, Chinatown

Chick ‘n’ Sours, Seven Dials

The Barbary, Neal’s Yard

BRGR.CO, Chelsea

20-04-2017 Local Black BookAmerican, BRGR.CO, burgers, Chelsea, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Soho1 Comment

I love a good burger.

That’s hardly a secret to anyone anymore, is it?

I have strong London favourites (anything from these guys + Shake Shack’s Shroom burger, in case you were wondering), but I keep trying new ones just in case.

I had heard great things about BRGR.CO, and had meant to visit for a proper taste after trying their Founder special at an event.

But girl gots many a burger to try, and it’s taken me until now to get my butt down to their Chelsea branch.

And holy cow, was I glad I finally did!

Because 1. The decor is the absolute cutest. I mean, just look at those gorgeous wooden painted ones hanging over the tables!

And 2. They serve the BEST MAC ‘N’ CHEESE EVER!

BRGR.CO Chelsea ● Restaurant Review ● Cake + Whisky

Creamy, cheesy, a little bit spicy, all sorts of dreamy and absolutely addictive!

BRGR.CO Chelsea ● Restaurant Review ● Cake + Whisky

But then again, any place that serves a burger with guac’ is always going to be a winner in my book.

The vegetarian falafel option isn’t half bad either…

Though I would recommend you add some cheese on it and maybe skip the bun for that one!

One thing you do not want to skip though are the fries.

Drizzled in truffle oil and topped with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, they absolutely unmissable.

While you’re at it, you might as well get a portion of the super-light, super-crunchy onion rings as well…

And some decidedly American-inspired drinks.

BRGR.CO Chelsea ● Restaurant Review ● Cake + Whisky

Shake hands over an excellent order, and tuck in, before shaking it all off with a bit of shopping and culture on the King’s Road! Just the way to hamburgled my heart!

BRGR.CO Chelsea, 127 King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4PW (they also have a Soho branch)

More great London burgers?

Islington – Lucky Chip

Spitafield – Bleecker Burger

Oxford Street – Patty & Bun

*I dined at BRGR.CO as a guest of the restaurant but all pictures, opinions & mac’n’cheese addiction my own.

The Founder burger at BRGR.CO

15-02-2017 Local Black BookBRGR.CO, Burger, burgers, Chelsea, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Soho4 Comments

London LOVES its burgers.

Not that we’d globe up any old Mickey D’s classics, though.

The delightful mix of juicy patties, weirdly addictive plastic cheese and magic ‘secret’ sauce might taste like our childhood, but us Londoners now love our buns to be a touch more elaborate, with provenance’d and pedigree’d ingredients.

The Founder BRGR by BRGR.CO - London's best burger?

And then some day (this week) the best thing happened.

And by the best thing, I mean one of London’s best burger spots, BRGR.CO launched their own take on McD’s Big one.

Named ‘The Founder’ as an hommage to the soon-to-be-released movie, it comprises of two of BRGR’s signature Blade steak patties with melted cheese, shredded iceburg lettuce, pickled gherkins, and of course, the secret recipe BRGR.CO sauce, all inside a triple layer sesame bun.

With carefully sourced ingredients, it’s the best of both burger worlds and a thing of true meaty beauty, and very, very close to the original.

Except better, because the meat is cooked properly (and incredibly marbled). Nothing dry or chewy about it; it’s pure juiciness in a (soft) bun. And because the fries are approximatively 100 billion times better.

Unfortunately, it’s a limited edition sort of burger, which will only be on sales 13th-26th February from both BRGR.CO locations.

BRGR.CO Soho: 187 Wardour Street, London W1 8ZB

BRGR.CO Chelsea: 127 King’s Road, London SW3 4PW

I have just one piece of advice: get your hands on The Founder BRGR soon.

Even better yet, pair it up with a trip to the cinema.

Burger (movie) + Burger (& fries) = the perfect combo!

Absurd Bird, Soho

20-10-2016 Local Black BookAbsurd Bird, American, bar, chicken, chicken wings, cocktails, Deep South, fried chicken, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Soho2 Comments

I first fell in love with Deep South American classics when we visited New Orleans a bit over a year ago.

The weather this past few day had me reminissing about that trip, craving the heat, the Bourbon Street atmosphere, the music, and most of all, the food!

Luckily, there’s no food you can’t find in London, and if you’re after some soul-warming American South comfort food, I know just the place!

Nestled at the heart of always bubbly Soho, Absurd Bird feels like a little slice of the Deep South, with all the contradictions it involves.

Nostalgic and modern, humble and sophisticated, comfortable and innovative…

Upstairs is all about the open kitchen and Absurd Bird’s signature Moonshine lampshades, but downstairs is the true hidden gem.

An inviting basement den, complete with an intimate hideaway bar and cosy dining space, all absolutely NOLA-worthy…

The cocktails truly live up to the expectations as well.

Moonshine’s Mary

A fiery take on the bloody classic made with the restaurant own distilled Absurd Moonshine.

Hillbilly Iced Tea (Monshine, Lipton peach iced tea, syrup, lemon juice)

A light & refereshing drink that’s perfect to accompany all the spicy, crispy deliciousness to come.

Starting with an all-round favourite: the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, served with giant fried tortilla chips.

Creamy & zingy, this classic American dip is absolutely addictive and perfect for sharing!

Jalapeno Cheese Biscuits with apple butter

Crumbly, cheesy and spicy, they’re an absolute triumph.

Not that it takes away from the star of the show at Absurd Bird.

The chicken.

Superstar, free-range chicken from Fosse Meadows farm, all marinated in Absurd Bird’s secret sauces and cooked in a variety of ways, each more delicious than the next.

The wings come in 5 different flavours, ranging from the classic Crispy fried buttermilk version to the more unexpected Smoked garlic, parmesan & lemon one and seriously fiery Buffalo wings.

All are finger-licking good, the perfect balance of super moist chicken, crispy batter & amazing sauces.

The kind of thing you can’t just wing!

Big Mama’s Favourite

A generous helping of perfectly-cooked, Southern style smoked chicken served with sweet gravy

Dirty Buns (fried chicken, spicy mayo and pickle served in sweet milk buns)

Chicken and Waffles with smoked sweet gravy & maple syrup

Absurd Bird, Soho

Popcorn chicken waffle cone.

A quirky, genius take on the chicken wrap, complete with fresh tomato, salad and a generous drizzle of spicy mayo.

Fried Chicken Sliders (with bacon jam, pimento cheese, potato bun).

An obvious winner.

Especially when served alongside some irresistible sides…

French fries and Spicy sweet potato fries

The kind that’d give the old ‘Fries before guys’ thing a whole lot of sense!

Jalapeno Mac & Cheese

Almost an exact twin to my own recipe and an absolute must-order.

…and the divisive Sweet potato bake with toasted marshmallows (not really my thing, but if you’re into that sort of things, go for it!)

All topped off with insanely good, home-baked desserts, including Crack Pie (just as addictive as the name suggests), a rich & indulgent Peanut Butter Cheese Cake (perfect for sharing) and impossible-to-resist warm Choc Chip Cookies, served with the cutest mini milk bottle.

The (Deep South) American dream, in dessert form and definitely one of the many, many reasons to chicken Absurd Bird menu!

I’m sure you won’t have too much difficulty finding friends to come along, the place’s an absolute chick magnet, but if you do go with a big(ish) group, make sure you book ahead!

Absurd Bird, 5 Peter Street, London W1F 0AH

Jen Café, Chinatown

02-09-2016 Local Black BookBeijing dumplings, cheap, Chinatown, Chinese, dim sum, dumplings, Jen Café, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Soho2 Comments

If you make abstraction of the tourists flocking to the area every day to take pictures in front of the majestic gates, Chinatown is one of London’s most intriguing area.

Home to a very close-circled community of Chinese immigrants, it’s a place like no other.

And an excellent spot for some of the city’s cheapest and most satisfying food.

Of course, not every place is good. Most of the restaurants in the area are really just tourist traps to be honest, but there are some real gems to be found if you know where to look.

You know how it goes… You dim sum, you loose some!

Ignore the ‘all you can eat’ buffets lining up Gerrard Street and head straight for Jen Café instead.

If you come early enough, you’ll be able to catch the house speciality, Beijing dumplings, being hand-folded in the restaurant’s window.

And while I could have stood there all day, looking at the dough being cut, rolled, stuffed and folded into rows and rows of delicious little bundles of joy, I truly recommend you only do that for a while before getting a seat.

With only a handful of table & a strong popularity with those in the know, Jen Café fills up quickly!

Jen Café, Chinatown, London | Cake + Whisky

Don’t spend too much time pondering the (many) options on the menu either.

The Beijing dumplings is what Jen Café’s known for, and they’re definitely what you should get!

Juicy, fragrant little parcels of pork mince with lemongrass & ginger wrapped in the thinest sheet of soft dough, they’re comfort food at its very best (especially when topped with a generous spoonful of chilli oil!).

And at £5 a plate (which will leave you pretty full if, like me, you’re a rather petite eater), it truly is one of the best value meals to be found in London.

But then, that’d mean you’d miss out on the pan-fried dumplings, and that would be a bit of a shame…

So better make sure you take a dumpling partner-in-crime with you!

Plus good company will only improve the warm feeling you’ll get from munching on dumplings, sipping on bubble tea & watching in awe as skilled cooks folded dozen after dozen of dumplings.

So if you’re ever looking for the spot in Chinatown to satisfy your dumplings cravings, Jen Café is the place.

Handmade, traditional, fresh and such good value, it’s all that and dim sum!

Jen Café, 4-8 Newport Pl, London WC2H 7JP

PIN FOR LATER:

Basement Sate Dessert & Cocktail Bar

23-08-2016 Local Black BookBasement Sate, chocolate, citrus, cocktail, cocktail bar, cocktails, dessert, dessert bar, London, negroni, pudding, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Soho, whisky3 Comments

A party without cake is really just a meeting.

And birthday meetings aren’t really a thing, so cake was most definitely needed after our Bao feast.

Dessert bars are having a bit of a revival in London, and Basement Sate was one of the trend-setters.

Created by two friends who love well made drinks, decadent desserts and meaningful music in equal parts.

Inspired by the revival of Soho, they created a place where people can sate (= satisfy (a desire or an appetite) to the full) themself in an informal and social setting, and where the music is as vibrant as the cocktails & desserts.

Cocktails + dessert it was then!

Basement Sate | Cake + Whisky

Little Japan for the Mr.

Basement Sate | Cake + Whisky

An unusual but intoxicating mix of Japanese whisky, artichoke liqueur and sweet vermouth.

El Pampa (pisco, almond & champagne syrup, granny smith juice) for me.

… and then the puds!

The Hazelnut Rocher.

A Ferrero-inspired wonder combining hazelnut praline brownie, chocolate espuma, milk chocolate sphere, dark gianduja, caramelised hazelnuts, chocolate caviar and caramelia pearls.

Between smashing the chocolate dome & all the endorphins, it’d be a delicious cure for a bad day (and the perfect way to make a good one eve better!)

And then there was fruit.

Cocktail-inspired fruit-based pud’, that is…

The beautiful, zesty & exotic Bitter Orange.

Basically a Negroni in dessert-shape, with white and pink grapefruit jelly, gin-infused rhubarb wind, vanilla poached rhubarb, chocolate crumble & orange sponge cake.

Creative desserts & cocktails, Basement Sate definitely lived up to the expectation and is the perfect venue for any special celebration (or any time you want to treat the sweet-toothed in your life!)

Only one thing left to say: ‘Pip Pip Hooray, it (was) my birthday’

Basement Sate, 8 Broadwick Street, Soho, London W1F 8HN

PIN FOR LATER:

Cake and Whisky

Life in London and other almost-grown-up tales

Menu

Soho

Sun’s out, Bun House!

Bun House, 24 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4DZ

Where else’s good near Bun House?

Dinner at Kricket

Kricket Soho (the original venue’s in Brixton), 12 Denman St, Soho, London W1D 7HH

More things to eat in Soho

Cake for Dinner at Cutter & Squidge

Cutter & Squidge, 20 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 0SJ

Kiln, Soho

The Palomar revisited

The Palomar, 34 Rupert St, London W1D 6DN

No tables available at The Palomar? Try one of those nearby restaurants!

BRGR.CO, Chelsea

BRGR.CO Chelsea, 127 King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4PW (they also have a Soho branch)

More great London burgers?

The Founder burger at BRGR.CO

BRGR.CO Soho: 187 Wardour Street, London W1 8ZB

BRGR.CO Chelsea: 127 King’s Road, London SW3 4PW

Absurd Bird, Soho

Jen Café, Chinatown

Basement Sate Dessert & Cocktail Bar