Exploring London’s Bankside – Flat Iron Square & the Low Line

29-11-2016 Local Black BookBankside, Better Bankside, city guide, Flat Iron Square, London, Low Line, street foodLeave a comment

When I’m asked for recommendations for things to do in London, my first answer is always the same. Bankside.

Located on the southern bank of the River Thames & running from Blackfriars Bridge all the way up to London Bridge and down to Southwark Street, Bankside has it all.

Some of the most stunning views of the city, legendary theatres and museums, and that unique mix of old and new architecture, there’s nowhere else quite like it.

Lunch at the Borough Market followed by a leisurely walk alongside the River or a spot of culture at the Globe or the Tate Modern, is my favourite to spend a sunny weekend afternoon.

But limiting yourself to the most walked upon places would be a mistake.

Bankside’s inner area, built around the rail arches that have been part it for over 150 years, is full of hidden gems and well worth exploring too.

History, mysterious pathways, architectural gems…

Urban art, golden folliage and yet more architectural gems…

Hidden theatres, some subtle / refreshingly direct signs, London’s ‘Wonky Wonderland‘ and, yes, you guessed it, even more architectural gems…

Everywhere you look, there’s something to be discovered.

With the old brick buildings taking on soft bronze shades, golden hour is a magical time to visit.

… But then again, since the opening of Flat Iron Square, lunch time might be an even better one!

Located in the heart of London’s Bankside, Flat Iron Square is Bankside’s one-stop destination for all things food, music, entertainment, retail and culture.

Opened just a few months back under those same arches that are the backbone of the area, Flat Iron Square is a labyrinthe-like complex, comprising of several theatres, just as many bars, some pop up exhibition and retail spaces (currently featuring TINCT’s gorgeous luxury leather goods), a vintage and makers market on Sundays…

And then there’s the food.

Oh the food!

There’s a whole court full of it: a good dozen of vendors, plus a handful of restaurants and food trucks onsite.

It comes from every corner of the world. Pizza, ramen, Pad Thai, burgers… you call it, Flat Iron Square has it.

It’s all cooked up and served by passionate, talented people. And it truly shows as it’s some of the best in town both in terms of quality and value for money.

From Burnt Lemon Bakery‘s delightful sourdough & pastries (made even better by a chat with the man himself!)…

To Baz & Fred‘s revolutionary Chadwick Oven-baked pizza, drizzled with pesto & served alongside some fantastic garlic aioli for crust-dipping purposes…

Ekachai‘s authentic, vibrant South Asian plates…

Tatami‘s incredibly rich, warming ramen…

Edu‘s creative Spanish small plates (promise me you’ll try the pig head’s nuggets? It’s a life changing experience!)…

… and many, many, many more delightful options, you’ll want to have it all.

Choosing simply isn’t an option, so you better bring a group and come hungry!

Flat Iron Square, 68 Union St, London SE1 1TD (open 7 days a week, 12 til late)

London Best Burgers

24-08-2016 Local Black BookBig Fernand, Bleecker Street Burger, Burger, burgers, GBK, Honest Burger, London, London best burgers, Lucky Chip, Mac & Wild, Meat Liquor, Patty & Bun, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Shake Shack, street food, Tommi's Burger Joint5 Comments

Tomorrow’s #NationalBurgerDay.

You know me, I’m not one to not take advantage of that sort of opportunity (making plans as we speak).

But in case you need a little push (with loads of drool-worthy, cheese-heavy pics!), below are 10 of London best burgers!

1. Bleecker Street Burger‘s Bleecker Black

This is a divisive one. Haters gonna hate, but in my opinion, the Bleecker Black is THE BOMB!

Two just seared signature beef patties, with umami black pudding, melted cheese and a sweet onion garnish to balance it all off.

Very, very naughty but so, so good! ➡ Read my Bleecker St. Burger review

2. . Lucky Chip‘s John Candy

If you had told me a few years ago that some day in the near future, I would be eating a burger that tasted of beef with a hint of vanilla Coke, I would have laughed in your face.

And I would have been wrong. Because this is the wonkiest, most brilliant burger sauce I’ve ever tried.

That said, if the John Candy’s not available (it’s a special, but it comes back on the menu quite often), the Kevin Bacon isn’t half bad either… oh, and make yourself a favour and get a side of those amazing spicy mayo & cheese fries, okay? ➡ Read my Lucky Chip review

3. Meat Liquor‘s Dead Hippie

If you’re after London’s best cheeseburger, stop looking. This is it.

A bit of a shame that the fries aren’t quite as good though (which explains why I haven’t written a full review of Meat Liquor yet #friesbeforeguys #andburgersactually!!)…

4. Patty & Bun‘s Ari Gold

The Ari Gold is Patty & Bun’s take on the classic cheeseburger, and one of the very best at that!

It comes all wrapped up in greaseproof paper, and opening it is almost as good as present unwrapping on Christmas morning, but with more meat (and cheese!)

Definitely my kind of Christmas in ~~July~~ August! ➡ Read my Patty & Bun review

5. Mac and Wild‘s Veni-Moo

I think that picture, paired with the fact that the Veni-Moo has been awarded best burger in London in both 2015 and 2016, tells you everything you need to know.

Oh, and when you’re at it, you might want to try mixing whisky and Irn Bru… #justsaying ➡ Read my Mac and Wild review

6. Honest Burger‘s Tribute

With American mustard, smokey bacon & all the usual suspects, it’s the most American of them all (if American burgers relied on stunning ingredients and came with a side of rosemary fries, that is…)!

7. Big Fernand‘s Le Big Fernand

A very Frenchie burger indeed, focusing on stellar ingredients (dry-aged beef, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley & cocktail sauce) and perfectly cooked patties.

So French, so good! ➡ Read my Big Fernand review

8. Shake Shack‘s ‘Shroom Burger

Cheese-stuffed mushroom… Need I say more? Definitely the most EPIC vegetarian burger around… Cheese fries absolutely compulsory! ➡ See what else is good at Shake Shack

9. Tommi’s cheeseburger

The most basic of them all, but coming with a serious array of sauces of all sorts to choose from, Tommi’s burgers are perfect for picky eaters & condiment nerds alike.

10. GBK‘s Avocado + Bacon burger

Now, I know that’s a pretty basic one (#basicblogger much?) but avocado in burgers is ACE and if you haven’t tried it yet, you should definitely get your butt to GBK fissa & give it a go.

So creamy, so healthy…

Now the only question is, which one will you go for? And which one should I try next?

PIN FOR LATER:

KERB Camden Highlights

13-08-2016 Local Black BookBurger, Camden, Camden Market, ice cream, KERB, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, street foodLeave a comment

About a month and a half ago, the company I work for moved its offices to Camden for the Summer, and it didn’t take me long to start grumbling about the limited amount of choice available when it comes to non-deep-fried lunch options around.

But the London food gods must have heard my prayers, and they brought KERB to Camden.

The latest venture by London street food collective KERB, KERB Camden is their biggest baby yet.

And what a beautiful baby it is: located at the heart of Camden Market, with 35+ vendors trading 364 days a year, food from all around the world and the cutest pastel tables, KERB Camden is everybody’s lunch dream came true!

There are loads of delicious options to choose from, from fried chicken…

To some of the best mac’n’cheese this side of the Atlantic, and pretty much everything in between…

From the usual suspects, including some beautiful Mexican street food and drool-inducing grilled cheese sandwiches…

Some beautiful, juicy hotdogs courtesy of Oh My Dog…

To some lesser known options, such as this beautifully moist shredded beef and plantain Venezuelan arepa, there truly is something for everybody!

One thing everyone should get for sure is a portion of Oli Baba’s irresistible halloumi fries.

Golden fried halloumi sticks, drizzled with garlic yoghurt and pomegranate molasse, topped with fresh mint, pomegranate seeds and chilli flakes…

It really doesn’t get any batter than that!

Except of course for Blu Top legen-dairy ice cream sandwiches!

With flavours such as carrot cake or raspberry shortbread, delicious salted caramel sauce and some seriously good cookies, it’s the best way to turn any trip to Camden into an ice day!

KERB Camden, West Yard, Camden Market, Camden, NW1

PIN FOR LATER:

Mexican corn salad

23-06-2016 Local Black Bookcorn, feta, food, gluten-free, healthy, Mexican, prawn, prawns, recipe, salad, street food, Tabasco1 Comment

Nothing says ‘summer’ better than a beautiful, colourful corn salad.

Yellow as the sun, and emblematic of so many cuisines around the world, corn is like a tiny piece of sunshine on a plate.

Having sworn to do everything I can think of to make the (actual) sun come and stay, corn salad has become a staple of mine those past few weeks.

Mexican corn salad | Cake + Whisky

It’s such a simple dish, but the combination of juicy, just charred corn kernels, tart lime and Tabasco dressing and creamy, crumbly feta is trully a magical one.

The version below, inspired by one served in the streets of Mexico, with quick pickled red onion, fiery jalapenos and beautifully sweet grilled prawns, is my favourite… and I’m sure you’ll love it too!

Mexican corn salad | Cake + Whisky

Streetfood Style Mexican Corn Salad with Grilled Prawns (serves 2)

Ingredients: 1 big can of corn (rinced and drained), 250g raw prawns, 1 lime, 1/2 fresh red chilli (finely diced), 1 tbsp garlic (fresh or dried), 1/2 red onion (diced finely), finely diced pickled jalapenos (quantity to taste), crumbled feta, green Tabasco to taste, chopped coriander, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper

1. Heat up a little bit of olive oil in a frying pan until it starts smoking. Throw in the corn kernels, and fry until slightly charred.

2. In the meantime, combine the diced red onion, pickled jalapenos, juice of 1/2 a lime and green Tabasco to taste in a big mixing bowl. Add in the grilled corn and the coriander and rectify the seasoning if needed.

3. In a second mixing bowl, combine the juice of 1/2 a lime, fresh red chilli, garlic, salt and pepper. Marinate for 5-10 min, then cook for a few minutes in a grill pan.

4. Sprinkle some crumbled feta on top of the corn salad, top with the prawns, then drizzle with a little big of olive oil and serve immediately.

Bleecker St. Burger, Spitafields

29-01-2016 Local Black BookBleecker Burger, Bleecker St. Burger, Burger, burgers, cheeseburger, City of London, Liverpool Street, London, London best burgers, Moorgate, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Spitafields, street food5 Comments

Last weekend’s lovely weather was clearly a sign to go out and explore some more of London.

With its glittering towers and unexpected modern sculptures at every turn, the City is simply to lovely in the sun, so we settled on exploring the area.

But it’s also worth leaving all of this behind and heading East.

Tucked between buzzy Liverpool Street and burstling Brick Lane, Spitafields is one of London’s oldest and most vibrant neighbourhoods.

Home to some of the capital’s best restaurants and food stores. An absolute foodies’ paradise.

And don’t get me started on how pretty the doors are. Unless you have a couple of hours to spare.

Spitafields is also home to Old Spitafields Market, London’s oldest market still trading today.

Built in 1876, it’s an absolute gem of Victorian architecture.

If you’re into antiques and/or fashion, you’ll have a great time strolling the brightly coloured stalls.

Whether you’re after up-and-coming designer creations, or if your style is more bohemian-, vintage- or ethnic-inspired,it’s impossible not to find something you like.

But my favourite part? The food of course!

From pizzas to salt beef sandwiches, donuts, paella and coffee, all your lunch dreams will come true.

Choosing what to have, very much like finding a seat at one of the in-very-high-demand table, might be a bit tricky considering the number of possibilities.

But we were on a mission.

A burger mission.

Bleecker Burger, Spitafields | Cake + Whisky

So Bleecker St. Burger really was the only option we’d consider.

Bleecker St. offers a no-nonsense short burger menu, plus fries, sweet potato fries and a couple of shakes.

The bacon cheeseburger is everything a good, basic burger should be.

Excellent, rich, cooked to perfection beef patty, crispy fried bacon, melted American cheese. Done.

When the quality of the meat and the seasoning are that high, there’s really no need to fuss around with anything more.

The Bleecker Black is even better.

Two just seared signature beef patties, with umami black pudding, melted cheese and a sweet onion garnish to balance it all off.

Very, very naughty but so, so good.

Mixed fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with just a touch of salt and zero greasy taste. Just as delicious as everything else.

Top it all off with a Black & White shake and you’re in for the best burger lunch you’ll ever have. Garanteed.

Bleecker St. Burger, Old Spitalfields Market, Unit B, Pavilion Building, London E1 6EA

Borough Market

11-11-2015 Local Black BookBorough Market, food, food market, foodie, London, market, street food, things to do in London, things to see in London, visit london8 Comments

You’d have to give a lot of money to miss out on the opportunity to explore a market.

A trip to a foreign supermarket is always one of the things I look most forward to when abroad on holiday, and I always come back with suitcases full of spices, sauces, sweets and other local specialities.

If anything, I like markets even more.

Especially one as epic as Borough Market.

If you’re a foodie, Borough Market is really close to the idea you have of heaven.

They have everything you could possibly wish for.

From fruit and vegetables stalls, pilled high with the most gorgeous produce the season has to offer…

… to mountains of cheese…

… along with some excellent deli products…

… a few essentials (if you don’t think Iberico ham is essential, you’ve clearly never been to Brindisa!) …

… and piles of fresh bread, still warm from the oven.

And the best part is, you get to taste it all!

You can truly make a meal out of nibbling your way through the stalls.

But if you’re feeling quite peckish, Borough Market is also home to some of London’s best street food stalls.

Raclette, hog roast, sandwiches, paella or Asian food, the only difficulty (as usual) is to choose!

But whatever you go for in the end, make sure you save some room for dessert!

Maybe save some for me as well?

Borough Market, 8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL

NYC Day 2 – Walking the Highline (+ Pride Parade 2015)

21-07-201521-07-2015 Local Black Bookarchitecture, Dos Caminos, ice cream, New York, NYC, NYC Pride, park, Pride Parade, Restaurant, review, street food, The Highline, travel, travel guide, USA4 Comments

After having spent much of the morning going through airport security and sitting in planes and buses, we were keen to explore more of New York. As soon as we arrived, we ditched our bags and we were off again!We started our exploration with a taste of the day’s big event: the Pride Parade!Taking place on the day following the countrywide legalisation of same-sex marriage, the atmosphere was cheerful to say the least! Following crowds of rainbow-dressed people, we slowly made our way south and to the Highline.A popular destination for families and friends alike, the 1.45 mile-long linear park is build on a former railway of the New York Central Railroad. With trees and flowers all around, it’s the perfect place to take a much needed nature break!
… But you can also choose to marvel at the views… New York skyline to the East…… and the Hudson river to the West!… Not to mention some of the coolest buildings in the whole of New York! (here the ICA building, which reminds me of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum)!
After a little while, we came accross a small street food market, where we treated ourselves to the most delicious of ice cream sandwiches.Fuelled up, we continued our exploration… After a bit more walking and a lot more chatting, we reached the end of the Highline. And found ourselves at the very centre of the trendy Meatpacking District.
… just like every single person who took part in the parade earlier! We left the tempting sweet treats and devilishly long queues behind and went for a walk through the small streets of the Village instead.
We zigzagged through the area for a long while but we failed to find the Friends buildings despite all of the efforts we put into this quest.

As the sky tuned pink, we decided to call it a day and were considering our dining options when we came accross Dos Caminos. We managed to get a table on the sun-filled terrace and admired the light go from white to golden while perusing the menu. We started things off on a high with the Bacon and jalapeno guacamole.Did I mention there was pork crackling onthere as well? #BorderlineGenius
From then on, it only when from good to best with the Chorizo Mac n’ Cheese (a personal favourite). More cheese than mac, just as it should be! We also shared a plate of the goat taccos which were the juiciest taccos I’ve ever eaten in my whole life. The accompagnying rice & beans were delicious as well but made us achieve satiety a bit quicker than we had expected.

We skipped dessert and walked home with very full bellies and a big smile on our face, chatting happily about the great day we had just had and how excited we were for the next one… before falling in a food-induced coma the second we passed the doors!

Cake and Whisky

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