The other night I took the recommendation of a work colleague and made a trip to Mien Tay, a Vietnamese restaurant on Lavender Hill near Clapham Junction. And boy am I glad I did.
As we walked up to the restaurant, the steamy windows drew us in from the chilly night outside. On the inside the place is pretty unassuming. Mirrors line the walls on two sides, and flaky magnolia paint adorns the rest. The main restaurant is raised up from street level, and kitted out in wicker furniture and paper table cloths. It looks very similar to its East End counterparts on the Kingsland Road, which is no bad thing.
Lifted by the shabby chic decor, the Bear and I plonked ourselves down for a feast.
First off, the drinks. The restaurant is bring your own booze, but the Bear and I stuck to non-alcoholic alternatives. He went for the Vietnamese coffee, which is served in a two tier contraption, with condensed milk in the bottom and the brewing coffee in the top. When the coffee is ready you pour it into the milk. If you're a fan of sweet coffee you'll like this, I had one sip and it gave me an instant sugar high. I went for the homemade lemonade, which was beautiful, and again, very sweet.
To start we ordered a Tofu and Bean Sprout Pancake and Roasted Whole Quail. The dishes come out when they're ready, and my pancake made the first appearance. It was huge, and very tasty. The crisp batter gave a delightful crunch which contrasted with the soft tofu beautifully. We thought they might have forgotten the quail so the Bear ate half of my starter, only to be faced with a whole bird to eat.
We over-ordered on the main course too. I went for the Tamarind Prawns and Vegetable Rice and the Bear ordered Whole Sea bass and Seafood Vermicelli.
The tamarind prawns were beautiful. They were coated in a sticky sweet tamarind sauce which oozed around the tender meat of the prawns - by far the best dish of the meal. The seabass was of an equal standard. The skin had been cooked so it crackled, with deep scores down its sides allowing the chilli and spice to soak into the succulent flesh. The mixture of coriander, chilli, ginger, garlic and onion was tip top. All fresh, all delicious.
The side dishes (which were bigger than the mains) were average. Vegetable rice is pretty much just vegetable rice. The seafood vermicelli came in a large bowl, with its constituent parts placed separately. There is a childish joy in mushing stuff together, and it was tasty, but it didn't sparkle like the other dishes, and the mussels were a little grey.
The service through out the meal was excellent and the total bill came to £42 including service, which was great value considering the amount of food we had. We could have done without at least a third of it.
I will definitely be back to Mien Tay. In fact, the Bear made his second trip only three days later. It must be a hit.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Friday, 9 October 2009
Zilli Fish - Brewer St - Soho - 9/10
This week I went for a girlie night out with Bangers and Bean (don't ask). We decided to go to Zilli Fish as they have an amazing set menu at the moment. Three courses for £19.90 - not bad.
The last time I went to Aldo Zilli's restaurant was on my 21st Birthday many moons ago, and it made a significant impact. I was worried that the restaurant wouldn't live up to my memories of Tuna Carpaccio and Lobster Spaghetti. I shouldn't have fretted.
We met in the pub first - The Warwick - which has a 50% off happy hour between 5pm - 8pm seven days a week - which is pretty impressive. This meant we had already consumed a bottle of wine before we even darkened the doors of Zilli.
We were greeted at the door by a very friendly Maitre d' and were offered any seat in the house practically. The restaurant was a tad on the empty side, but the room is encased by floor to ceiling windows, so the view of Soho is enough to make the place feel busy.
We all ordered the same thing, Thai Mussels to start and Spicy Seafood Spaghetti for mains. Plus a bottle of house white (of course). The starter was very generous, full of citrus and chilli, and perfectly cooked. The mussels were juicy and fat. My only complaint being there was nothing to soak up the beautiful broth with. A couple of pieces of bread would have been a nice touch.
The spaghetti was just as good. It was full to the brim with squid, prawns, langoustine, mussels and clams. The sauce was deep and warm with the heat of the chilli, and very comforting on the first drenched day of Autumn. There is nothing I can criticise about this dish. It was perfect.
The service throughout the meal was impeccable. Not once did we have to pour our own drinks and the speed of delivery was just right. We were given enough time to have a good old chin wag but not wonder where the food was. We were feeling so happy and well fed that we ordered another bottle of wine - oh dear!
We took a while to decide whether we wanted dessert or not, and in the end went for two between three of us. We shared the Pannacotta with Summer Fruit Coulis and Bannofee Pie. The Pannacotta was a large dome with a lashings of coulis. The texture was smooth and worked perfectly with the tartness of the fruit. The bannofee pie was pure cream with a bit of banana and toffee sandwiched between the biscuit base. It was very naughty and very nice.
The total was £104.00 including service, which isn't bad for a celebrity chef's restaurant, three courses, excellent food and damn-near perfect service. The only minus was the lack of atmosphere. But I'm sure on a Saturday night, when it's fully booked, the place is magic.
The three of us tottered very merrily through the deluge to Piccadilly Station.
The last time I went to Aldo Zilli's restaurant was on my 21st Birthday many moons ago, and it made a significant impact. I was worried that the restaurant wouldn't live up to my memories of Tuna Carpaccio and Lobster Spaghetti. I shouldn't have fretted.
We met in the pub first - The Warwick - which has a 50% off happy hour between 5pm - 8pm seven days a week - which is pretty impressive. This meant we had already consumed a bottle of wine before we even darkened the doors of Zilli.
We were greeted at the door by a very friendly Maitre d' and were offered any seat in the house practically. The restaurant was a tad on the empty side, but the room is encased by floor to ceiling windows, so the view of Soho is enough to make the place feel busy.
We all ordered the same thing, Thai Mussels to start and Spicy Seafood Spaghetti for mains. Plus a bottle of house white (of course). The starter was very generous, full of citrus and chilli, and perfectly cooked. The mussels were juicy and fat. My only complaint being there was nothing to soak up the beautiful broth with. A couple of pieces of bread would have been a nice touch.
The spaghetti was just as good. It was full to the brim with squid, prawns, langoustine, mussels and clams. The sauce was deep and warm with the heat of the chilli, and very comforting on the first drenched day of Autumn. There is nothing I can criticise about this dish. It was perfect.
The service throughout the meal was impeccable. Not once did we have to pour our own drinks and the speed of delivery was just right. We were given enough time to have a good old chin wag but not wonder where the food was. We were feeling so happy and well fed that we ordered another bottle of wine - oh dear!
We took a while to decide whether we wanted dessert or not, and in the end went for two between three of us. We shared the Pannacotta with Summer Fruit Coulis and Bannofee Pie. The Pannacotta was a large dome with a lashings of coulis. The texture was smooth and worked perfectly with the tartness of the fruit. The bannofee pie was pure cream with a bit of banana and toffee sandwiched between the biscuit base. It was very naughty and very nice.
The total was £104.00 including service, which isn't bad for a celebrity chef's restaurant, three courses, excellent food and damn-near perfect service. The only minus was the lack of atmosphere. But I'm sure on a Saturday night, when it's fully booked, the place is magic.
The three of us tottered very merrily through the deluge to Piccadilly Station.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Tangawizi - Richmond Road, St Margarets - 5/10
The other night, the Bear and I tried out an Indian restaurant down the road that has come in for some pretty high praise. Tangawizi - which means ginger in Swahili - was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand award 2007, 2008 and 2009, and garnered rave reviews from Time Out, Good Food Guide etc. Seeing as it is practically on our doorstep, we decided it would be rude not to give it a go.
We didn't get off to a good start. Earlier in the day we'd book a table for two, but about an hour before our meal, my parents and sister said they fancied coming. So I rang the restaurant to see whether this would be possible. They told me it was probably not, but they'd ring me back in ten minutes and let me know for sure. Good old Mum and Dad decided it wasn't worth the hassle, so I rang back and said we'd just keep the original booking. Ten minutes later I get a call to say that they did have a table for five. By this point I thought there's no point complicating matters further, so I accepted the table for five and off we toddled to the restaurant.
We got there, and there was only a table for two. Brilliant. Two different members of staff had spoken to me, but not to each other apparently. Poor Mum, Dad and Little Sis were banished to the Greek Restaurant over the road.
Although this might seem trivial, it indicated a lack of communication between the front of house staff which didn't bode well.
We were taken to our table, which was right at the back of the restaurant, crammed into the smallest space I've ever seen. The whole restaurant is pretty pokey, and I didn't feel very relaxed at all. The decoration is ultra modern, dark, purple and sensuous, complete with a nod to traditional curry houses in the form of purple and orange jewel encrusted flock wallpaper. The cramped space would be more tolerable if there wasn't the constant thud of bad house music in the background. Give me some soothing sitar any day over that! It felt like we were eating in a sleazy nightclub not a top notch Indian.
The staff are all dressed in traditional North Indian clothes to go with the traditional North Indian menu, and our waiter was very poite. We gave our order and waited for the food.
Our starters came in record time. I went for the Vegetarian Platter to start, which included Mango Paneer (cheese), Samosas, Fresh Mint Tikki (potato cakes), and Mixed Vegetable Pakora. It was nicely presented and the flavours were bursting. The dish was served with a trio of sauces, chilli, tamarind and mint which complimented the dish beautifully. This starter was probably the highlight of the meal.
The Bear went for the Duck Tikki, which is Tandoori roasted duck. It was a pretty small portion for the £10 price tag and was woefully overcooked. Poor Bear.
Our plates were cleared and we waited for a full two minutes - yes two minutes - before our mains arrived. "How on earth did we last such a long time between courses?" I hear you ask. Do not despair. During this short time, they managed to serve us, what was meant to be an Amuse Bouche, but was in fact a shot of Mango Lassi. This would have been a nice addition to the meal, had we not both been drinking a glass of mango lassi at the time. If you're going to give out Amuse Bouche in between courses, at least make sure they're blooming amusing!
Service can be bad for a multitude of reasons, one of which is too speedy delivery. At a restaurant like this you expect an understanding that a meal is not just a necessity, but something to be savoured and enjoyed over time. Otherwise, we might just as well stay home and eat in front of Eastenders. TWO MINUTES. Outrageous.
The food was tasty though. I went for the Goanese Prawn Curry, which is cooked in coconut, chilli and lime. The sauce was gloopy and perfect for gathering up in a decent chunk of garlic nan. There was a generous number of prawns, and I was fit to burst once finished.
The Bear went for the Chilli Lamb Kadhai, which is pieces of spring lamb cooked with onions, peppers and fresh green chillies. It was good. He ate it. We had a Dahl Tadka to share, which was average.
We were too full for desert, but were offered some Kulfi pieces with the bill, which was a nice touch.
Here's the part that hurts. The total bill came to £56.85 without service and with no alcohol. Now, I would happily pay this much for a curry if everything was perfect. But the service and atmosphere really did spoil things. We felt like herded cattle, moved on as quickly as possible to make way for the next cash cow. The food was good. But I've had similarly good curries for much less - once such place being Joy in Surbiton. I shan't be going back to Tangawizi. It didn't live up to the hype for me. But by all means give it a go. Maybe we just caught them on a bad night.
I wish I'd been banished to the Greek Restaurant over the road with the rest of the clan.
We didn't get off to a good start. Earlier in the day we'd book a table for two, but about an hour before our meal, my parents and sister said they fancied coming. So I rang the restaurant to see whether this would be possible. They told me it was probably not, but they'd ring me back in ten minutes and let me know for sure. Good old Mum and Dad decided it wasn't worth the hassle, so I rang back and said we'd just keep the original booking. Ten minutes later I get a call to say that they did have a table for five. By this point I thought there's no point complicating matters further, so I accepted the table for five and off we toddled to the restaurant.
We got there, and there was only a table for two. Brilliant. Two different members of staff had spoken to me, but not to each other apparently. Poor Mum, Dad and Little Sis were banished to the Greek Restaurant over the road.
Although this might seem trivial, it indicated a lack of communication between the front of house staff which didn't bode well.
We were taken to our table, which was right at the back of the restaurant, crammed into the smallest space I've ever seen. The whole restaurant is pretty pokey, and I didn't feel very relaxed at all. The decoration is ultra modern, dark, purple and sensuous, complete with a nod to traditional curry houses in the form of purple and orange jewel encrusted flock wallpaper. The cramped space would be more tolerable if there wasn't the constant thud of bad house music in the background. Give me some soothing sitar any day over that! It felt like we were eating in a sleazy nightclub not a top notch Indian.
The staff are all dressed in traditional North Indian clothes to go with the traditional North Indian menu, and our waiter was very poite. We gave our order and waited for the food.
Our starters came in record time. I went for the Vegetarian Platter to start, which included Mango Paneer (cheese), Samosas, Fresh Mint Tikki (potato cakes), and Mixed Vegetable Pakora. It was nicely presented and the flavours were bursting. The dish was served with a trio of sauces, chilli, tamarind and mint which complimented the dish beautifully. This starter was probably the highlight of the meal.
The Bear went for the Duck Tikki, which is Tandoori roasted duck. It was a pretty small portion for the £10 price tag and was woefully overcooked. Poor Bear.
Our plates were cleared and we waited for a full two minutes - yes two minutes - before our mains arrived. "How on earth did we last such a long time between courses?" I hear you ask. Do not despair. During this short time, they managed to serve us, what was meant to be an Amuse Bouche, but was in fact a shot of Mango Lassi. This would have been a nice addition to the meal, had we not both been drinking a glass of mango lassi at the time. If you're going to give out Amuse Bouche in between courses, at least make sure they're blooming amusing!
Service can be bad for a multitude of reasons, one of which is too speedy delivery. At a restaurant like this you expect an understanding that a meal is not just a necessity, but something to be savoured and enjoyed over time. Otherwise, we might just as well stay home and eat in front of Eastenders. TWO MINUTES. Outrageous.
The food was tasty though. I went for the Goanese Prawn Curry, which is cooked in coconut, chilli and lime. The sauce was gloopy and perfect for gathering up in a decent chunk of garlic nan. There was a generous number of prawns, and I was fit to burst once finished.
The Bear went for the Chilli Lamb Kadhai, which is pieces of spring lamb cooked with onions, peppers and fresh green chillies. It was good. He ate it. We had a Dahl Tadka to share, which was average.
We were too full for desert, but were offered some Kulfi pieces with the bill, which was a nice touch.
Here's the part that hurts. The total bill came to £56.85 without service and with no alcohol. Now, I would happily pay this much for a curry if everything was perfect. But the service and atmosphere really did spoil things. We felt like herded cattle, moved on as quickly as possible to make way for the next cash cow. The food was good. But I've had similarly good curries for much less - once such place being Joy in Surbiton. I shan't be going back to Tangawizi. It didn't live up to the hype for me. But by all means give it a go. Maybe we just caught them on a bad night.
I wish I'd been banished to the Greek Restaurant over the road with the rest of the clan.
Monday, 5 October 2009
A Burger in a Corset - Ed's Easy Diners - Old Compton Street - 7/10
The other week, the Bear and I went to the London International Tattoo Convention at Tobacco Docks in Wapping. It was amazing! As well as some awesome tattoos, we saw some scary burlesque and a lot of cool clothes. We didn't get any ink, but I did blow a small fortune on a pair of shoes and my first ever corset - or waist cincher to be precise. I was so pleased with my new purchase that I put it on over my top straight away.
A corset is a weird thing, because all at once you can't breathe but you're filled with a new found confidence. The Bear and I were planning on being out all night, and I fully intended to wear my new purchase until the very end. That was until I went to Ed's Easy Diner on Old Compton Street.
I don't know if you've ever tried sitting down comfortably in a corset, let alone eat a burger in one, but it certainly isn't easy.
We were meeting some friends in Soho after the convention for a drink or two, but we were starving. The food at the convention was pretty rubbish. It was getting on for 9pm so a quick bite was on the cards.
We decided to go to Ed's Easy Diner on Old Compton Street. It's part of a small chain, with two other restaurants in the capital. Ed's is your classic retro American diner, complete with 1950's jukeboxes, swivel seats and shakes. Just sitting at the bar was pretty painful. Seriously, I don't think I've ever sat up straight for that long. But no pain no gain.
We ordered a Best of Ed's Fantastic Combo each and had a flick through the jukebox.
There is a bar that surrounds a central cooking area where you can watch you meal being prepared. The staff can walk between the grill and the bar to take your order. The whole place is buzzing and alive with the smell of cooking beef burgers and malted shakes. The nice thing about Ed's is that although its small, busy, noisy and a tad claustrophobic, it feels very relaxed. The staff smile at everyone who walks in the door. Apart from the guy actually cooking the food. He looked pretty miffed to be honest.
I went for the Sundried Tomato, Olive and Mozzarella Burger, which came with Onion Rings, Fries and Coleslaw. It was bloody tasty. The corset prevented me from finishing it all, but the onions rings were chunky and crisp, the burger was juicy and looked like it was made from fresh vegetables. The chips were OK. The Bear went for the Chicken New Yorker with a fried egg, which kept him quiet for five minutes or so.
The only thing that pissed me off about this place was the jukebox. We duly put our twenty pence into that damn thing, and did it work? Did it bollocks. The sound system played out Dusty Springfield about thirty thousand times, but no David Bowie, not even a note!
I managed to wolf down about half my food before I thought I was going to burst at the seems and fall to the floor in a big gooey burger mess. Needless to say, the corset came off pretty soon after. Next time I wear it, I won't be sitting down to a fried meal, that's for sure.
Altogether, two combo meals, two diet "colas" and service came to £24.24. Which ain't bad. Marks deducted for the jukebox scandal. A good alternative to McDonald's or Burger King though, and their milkshakes are awesome.
A corset is a weird thing, because all at once you can't breathe but you're filled with a new found confidence. The Bear and I were planning on being out all night, and I fully intended to wear my new purchase until the very end. That was until I went to Ed's Easy Diner on Old Compton Street.
I don't know if you've ever tried sitting down comfortably in a corset, let alone eat a burger in one, but it certainly isn't easy.
We were meeting some friends in Soho after the convention for a drink or two, but we were starving. The food at the convention was pretty rubbish. It was getting on for 9pm so a quick bite was on the cards.
We decided to go to Ed's Easy Diner on Old Compton Street. It's part of a small chain, with two other restaurants in the capital. Ed's is your classic retro American diner, complete with 1950's jukeboxes, swivel seats and shakes. Just sitting at the bar was pretty painful. Seriously, I don't think I've ever sat up straight for that long. But no pain no gain.
We ordered a Best of Ed's Fantastic Combo each and had a flick through the jukebox.
There is a bar that surrounds a central cooking area where you can watch you meal being prepared. The staff can walk between the grill and the bar to take your order. The whole place is buzzing and alive with the smell of cooking beef burgers and malted shakes. The nice thing about Ed's is that although its small, busy, noisy and a tad claustrophobic, it feels very relaxed. The staff smile at everyone who walks in the door. Apart from the guy actually cooking the food. He looked pretty miffed to be honest.
I went for the Sundried Tomato, Olive and Mozzarella Burger, which came with Onion Rings, Fries and Coleslaw. It was bloody tasty. The corset prevented me from finishing it all, but the onions rings were chunky and crisp, the burger was juicy and looked like it was made from fresh vegetables. The chips were OK. The Bear went for the Chicken New Yorker with a fried egg, which kept him quiet for five minutes or so.
The only thing that pissed me off about this place was the jukebox. We duly put our twenty pence into that damn thing, and did it work? Did it bollocks. The sound system played out Dusty Springfield about thirty thousand times, but no David Bowie, not even a note!
I managed to wolf down about half my food before I thought I was going to burst at the seems and fall to the floor in a big gooey burger mess. Needless to say, the corset came off pretty soon after. Next time I wear it, I won't be sitting down to a fried meal, that's for sure.
Altogether, two combo meals, two diet "colas" and service came to £24.24. Which ain't bad. Marks deducted for the jukebox scandal. A good alternative to McDonald's or Burger King though, and their milkshakes are awesome.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Abeno - Museum Street - London - 8.5/10
Luckily for me, the Bear had this Monday off work, so we decided to make the most of it, and try out a different kind of Japanese food. A couple of weeks ago we were browsing through an old 1000 Things To Do In London Time Out book, and we happened upon an entry about Abeno. This restaurant specialises in Okonomi-Yaki, which literally means "cook a little of what you like". Surprisingly, this type of Japanese street food isn't that well known, despite a recent surge in Japanese restaurants, and almost every sandwich shop in the capital selling Sushi. We had to give it a go.
The restaurant is situated on a road very close to the British Museum. It's pretty unassuming. A beige exterior with a little side door leads to a beige interior furnished with table after table equipped with it's own hot plate. It's not that busy and we're seated straight away.
We're given the menus, which come in Japanese and English, and a variety of specials and lunch deals are offered as well. The menu explains exactly what constitutes Okonomi-Yaki. They are "variations on a theme, the theme being a base of cabbage, egg and dough with spring onions, ginger and morsels of tempura' batter filled with a choice of filling and cooked in front of you." We order and wait for the theatre to begin.
First off we ordered some Yaki-Gyoza filled with prawns and fresh asparagus. The lovely looking fresh dumplings arrive with our waiter at our table, and he proceeded to fry the bottom of them, and then cleverly steam them underneath a metal dome with a splash of water, right there in front of us. The entire cooking process is part of the experience. The finished product was very tasty and the filling was very fresh. Some of the best dumplings I've had recently. My only complaint would be, why serve five? When you know there are two people at a table, why an odd number, why not serve six, or even four?
Next came the Piri-Piri Edamame, which are cooked soya beans in a chilli sauce. They were OK, although I couldn't really taste the chilli, and the serving was piteously small. I could buy five times that amount in Wagamama or some such place, for the same price - £3.50!
Now for the main event. Our lovely waiter returned to the table with two metal bowls containing our raw Okonomi-Yaki. The Bear went for the Tokyo mix - pork, prawns and squid, and I for the Tofu mix - tofu and sweetcorn. Our waiter mixed each bowl individually until the ingredients were thoroughly mashed together, and then spooned them onto the hot plate so they resembled a thick pancake. He then place the metal dome onto top to let them cook for a while.
Whilst this was taking place we managed to pick the waiters brains on Japanese food, and this restaurant in particular. It turns out that it's been there for 9 years, who knew! They opened another restaurant in Soho a couple of years ago, and have recently opened restaurant in Hampstead under the same name. We also managed to find out that he lived in Japan for four years, which is why he knew so much about it. He was very courteous and not at all put out by our questions.
Once the Okonomi-Yaki was cooked on both sides, he started the next stage - decoration! Each filling has a recommended decoration of different sauces and accompaniments. The Bear's Tokyo Mix was beautifully decorated in a spiral of Japanese Mayonnaise (which has rice vinegar in it making it slightly sweeter than normal), Okonomi-Yaki sauce, which has a close resemblance to our own HP, Powdered Seaweed, and Dried Smoked Fish Flakes. The end product was a complete work of art.
My Tofu Mix is traditionally decorated with Mirin (a type of rice wine), Powdered Seaweed and Dried Smoked Fish Flakes. Both Okonomi-Yaki looked a picture. And the fish flakes kept twitching in the heat of the hot plate. Quite a spectacle. The lovely waiter left us with the various condiments so we could add to it if we wished.
Now for the taste test. You attack the thing with a kind of mini shovel whilst it remains on the hot plate and then eat it with chopsticks, which is enormous fun. It tastes like nothing I have ever tried before. The mix of flavours and sauces is a heady Asian cocktail. The texture is a halfway house between Fritatta and Scrambled Egg. You could imagine eating this on a cold wintry day and feeling warm and dozy. Proper comfort food.
We went for the Super Deluxe version, which was perfect for The Bear, but far too much for me, especially with the starters. We were so full that there wasn't even a fleeting thought about pudding.
The bill came to £41.40 without service (which was excellent) which I think is pretty steep for lunch. But we did have the works in terms of food. No booze though.
The Okonomi-Yaki were worth every penny, so the restaurant gets two thumbs up for that. But a couple of things let it down. The starters were really overpriced for what they were. £3.50 for a small bowl of soya beans is just not on. And £5.50 for five dumplings is taking the piss.
If they sort out the disparity between the price for mains and starters, this place would be a 10/10. But as it is 8.5/10 will have to suffice.
The restaurant is situated on a road very close to the British Museum. It's pretty unassuming. A beige exterior with a little side door leads to a beige interior furnished with table after table equipped with it's own hot plate. It's not that busy and we're seated straight away.
We're given the menus, which come in Japanese and English, and a variety of specials and lunch deals are offered as well. The menu explains exactly what constitutes Okonomi-Yaki. They are "variations on a theme, the theme being a base of cabbage, egg and dough with spring onions, ginger and morsels of tempura' batter filled with a choice of filling and cooked in front of you." We order and wait for the theatre to begin.
First off we ordered some Yaki-Gyoza filled with prawns and fresh asparagus. The lovely looking fresh dumplings arrive with our waiter at our table, and he proceeded to fry the bottom of them, and then cleverly steam them underneath a metal dome with a splash of water, right there in front of us. The entire cooking process is part of the experience. The finished product was very tasty and the filling was very fresh. Some of the best dumplings I've had recently. My only complaint would be, why serve five? When you know there are two people at a table, why an odd number, why not serve six, or even four?
Next came the Piri-Piri Edamame, which are cooked soya beans in a chilli sauce. They were OK, although I couldn't really taste the chilli, and the serving was piteously small. I could buy five times that amount in Wagamama or some such place, for the same price - £3.50!
Now for the main event. Our lovely waiter returned to the table with two metal bowls containing our raw Okonomi-Yaki. The Bear went for the Tokyo mix - pork, prawns and squid, and I for the Tofu mix - tofu and sweetcorn. Our waiter mixed each bowl individually until the ingredients were thoroughly mashed together, and then spooned them onto the hot plate so they resembled a thick pancake. He then place the metal dome onto top to let them cook for a while.
Whilst this was taking place we managed to pick the waiters brains on Japanese food, and this restaurant in particular. It turns out that it's been there for 9 years, who knew! They opened another restaurant in Soho a couple of years ago, and have recently opened restaurant in Hampstead under the same name. We also managed to find out that he lived in Japan for four years, which is why he knew so much about it. He was very courteous and not at all put out by our questions.
Once the Okonomi-Yaki was cooked on both sides, he started the next stage - decoration! Each filling has a recommended decoration of different sauces and accompaniments. The Bear's Tokyo Mix was beautifully decorated in a spiral of Japanese Mayonnaise (which has rice vinegar in it making it slightly sweeter than normal), Okonomi-Yaki sauce, which has a close resemblance to our own HP, Powdered Seaweed, and Dried Smoked Fish Flakes. The end product was a complete work of art.
My Tofu Mix is traditionally decorated with Mirin (a type of rice wine), Powdered Seaweed and Dried Smoked Fish Flakes. Both Okonomi-Yaki looked a picture. And the fish flakes kept twitching in the heat of the hot plate. Quite a spectacle. The lovely waiter left us with the various condiments so we could add to it if we wished.
Now for the taste test. You attack the thing with a kind of mini shovel whilst it remains on the hot plate and then eat it with chopsticks, which is enormous fun. It tastes like nothing I have ever tried before. The mix of flavours and sauces is a heady Asian cocktail. The texture is a halfway house between Fritatta and Scrambled Egg. You could imagine eating this on a cold wintry day and feeling warm and dozy. Proper comfort food.
We went for the Super Deluxe version, which was perfect for The Bear, but far too much for me, especially with the starters. We were so full that there wasn't even a fleeting thought about pudding.
The bill came to £41.40 without service (which was excellent) which I think is pretty steep for lunch. But we did have the works in terms of food. No booze though.
The Okonomi-Yaki were worth every penny, so the restaurant gets two thumbs up for that. But a couple of things let it down. The starters were really overpriced for what they were. £3.50 for a small bowl of soya beans is just not on. And £5.50 for five dumplings is taking the piss.
If they sort out the disparity between the price for mains and starters, this place would be a 10/10. But as it is 8.5/10 will have to suffice.
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Harvest Fayre - River Cottage - Dorset - 6/10
On Sunday morning after our meal at the Three Horseshoes Inn in Powerstock, we made our way to River Cottage - think Channel 4 and Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall. They great man himself had opened the farm up for the day for a Harvest Fayre.
After negotiating some very tight bends on some very narrow country roads, we made it to the farm. There was quite a lot to see and do, from craft displays, to a catapult range, book signings and demonstrations, as well as food stalls.
We had a little look round and sampled some of the local produce on offer. From Elderflower Fizz to cheese, meat and jam, the show displayed the best the West Country had to offer. I ended up spending quite a lot at the South Devon Chilli Farm stall.
Gareth, the Bear and I had a go at the catapult, but none of us were much cop.
We then settled down to watch the duck and dog display with a bowl of spinach and chickpea tagine. It was very tasty, with a dollop of natural yoghurt on top. Just right for a lounge on the grass. It was a shame about the display though. Pretty boring if you ask me.
I'm glad I went to River Cottage and saw Hugh in action. But I have to say, that I felt a little removed from it all. As a staunch townie, it was just a little bit too country for me. I like the food, believe me. I'm just not that into hand made knives, old-school carpentry and basket weaving. Sorry.
I reckon I could be tempted back for one of his dinners though.
After negotiating some very tight bends on some very narrow country roads, we made it to the farm. There was quite a lot to see and do, from craft displays, to a catapult range, book signings and demonstrations, as well as food stalls.
We had a little look round and sampled some of the local produce on offer. From Elderflower Fizz to cheese, meat and jam, the show displayed the best the West Country had to offer. I ended up spending quite a lot at the South Devon Chilli Farm stall.
Gareth, the Bear and I had a go at the catapult, but none of us were much cop.
We then settled down to watch the duck and dog display with a bowl of spinach and chickpea tagine. It was very tasty, with a dollop of natural yoghurt on top. Just right for a lounge on the grass. It was a shame about the display though. Pretty boring if you ask me.
I'm glad I went to River Cottage and saw Hugh in action. But I have to say, that I felt a little removed from it all. As a staunch townie, it was just a little bit too country for me. I like the food, believe me. I'm just not that into hand made knives, old-school carpentry and basket weaving. Sorry.
I reckon I could be tempted back for one of his dinners though.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
The Three Horseshoes Inn - Powerstock - Dorset - 7/10
It's been a while. Awfully sorry about that. I've been away and got lazy. I went to Sardinia and ate some fantastic food. If you ever get the chance you should go there and eat your way through a proper Sardinian meal. It's HUGE. Unfortunately I went away a while ago, and it wouldn't do the food justice for me to try and remember it properly, but take my word, it's good.
LUNCH:
More recently, I went to Dorset. Christmas last I got the Bear a voucher to go zorbing. If you haven't heard of it, is attaching yourself to the inside of a big plastic bubble and throwing yourself down a massive hill. The zorbing centre was just outside Dorchester so we decided to make a weekend of it and stay over in Dorset for a couple of nights. We scheduled in some excellent eating opportunities too.
We made it to the zorbing in record time on the Saturday morning and it was quite an experience. I loved every second of it! But the Bear was less impressed, and looked decidedly green after our little tumble.
We still had a good half an hour in the car before we got to the pub we were staying in, and the mix of hunger and adrenalin was starting to fray our tempers slightly. (Along with the Bear's insistence on not stopping at roundabouts!) We wound round tiny country lanes, up and down hills, for what seem like an eternity, and then finally we came to our home for the night. The Three Horseshoes Inn.
The pub is a proper old-man's pub, in a stone building, in the middle of a small village, consisting of a church, the pub, a primary school and a few houses. Perfect.
The pub has a restaurant one side, the bar the other, and a lovely stone terrace out the back, with stunning views of the rolling Dorset hills. We were shown to our room, which was a bit chintzy, but adequate, and then rushed back down to the pub for some lunch.
The lunch menu changes everyday, and is written on a blackboard opposite the bar. There are ten or so choices and we were easily decided. The bar itself, has a thatched roof above it, which is very cheery.
We decide to brave the wasps, and sit outside on the terrace. Despite it being September, the sun was out and blazing, and the view was just beautiful. We couldn't have hoped for better weather or a nicer setting.
I went for the sweet potato and goat's cheese risotto. It was beautifully presented, perfectly seasoned and sprinkled with balsamic. The Bear went for the Ham, Egg and Chips. The eggs were very fresh, and the yolk exploded with orangy goodness when speared by a chunky, crispy chip. The ham was thick cut and local.
We were so impressed by lunch, that we booked the restaurant for us and our chums for dinner.
DINNER:
After a trip to Lyme Regis, which included some fresh seafood (crab meat, whelks, prawns and cockles) and a cream tea, plus a little snooze on the beach in the September sunshine, we returned to the pub, with our chums in tow.
The sun was just setting behind the hills, so we enjoyed a local ale or two on the terrace and admired the vista. After a while it got a little chilly so we joined the rest of the pub's customers in the bar for a hearty meal.
Angela, Gareth and I went for the Scallops in a Lobster Bisque to start. It was excellent. The bisque was thick and full of flavour, and the fresh scallops melted in the mouth. The Bear had a Chicken and Spring Onion Salad with Mustard Mayo. He said it was very tasty and light. Which was good considering the epic proportions of his man course!
For mains, I went for the Fillet of Red Snapper with Crushed New Potatoes and Sun Dried Tomatoes. The fish was ever so slightly over cooked, but not so much that the dish was ruined, I just would have preferred it on the pink side. The crushed potatoes were exquisite. Sometimes you find crushed new potatoes have just been attacked by a spatula, but these were excellently flavoured with garlic and olive oil. They were really quite a treat. All in all, a pretty tasty main course.
Gareth went for the Whole Pigeon, which he said was a little dry, but very nice. Ange and The Bear went for the Whole Mallard with Orange and Ginger. It was huge!! Half the amount of duck would have been a big meal. The Bear did very well and managed to finish the whole thing (with the help of one of the pub's springer spaniels). And Ange did admirably, consuming at least two thirds.
As you can imagine, we were all pretty full, so we gave the puds a miss. Although they were very tempting, with everything on offer, from Star Anise Creme Brulee, Poached Pears, Sticky Toffee Pudding etc.
After a big meal, plenty of booze (including three after dinner brandies), it was very nice to be able to toddle up the stairs to bed. Albeit a chintzy one. The only slight niggle was the church bells going off every fifteen minutes throughout the night. I'm sure that didn't help the Bear with his digestion!
The whole lot, from the first pint on the terrace, to the last brandy, came to £147 without service. What a bloody bargain. The service was friendly and the food of a high standard. If they can stop the church bells, then I'll definitely be back.
LUNCH:
More recently, I went to Dorset. Christmas last I got the Bear a voucher to go zorbing. If you haven't heard of it, is attaching yourself to the inside of a big plastic bubble and throwing yourself down a massive hill. The zorbing centre was just outside Dorchester so we decided to make a weekend of it and stay over in Dorset for a couple of nights. We scheduled in some excellent eating opportunities too.
We made it to the zorbing in record time on the Saturday morning and it was quite an experience. I loved every second of it! But the Bear was less impressed, and looked decidedly green after our little tumble.
We still had a good half an hour in the car before we got to the pub we were staying in, and the mix of hunger and adrenalin was starting to fray our tempers slightly. (Along with the Bear's insistence on not stopping at roundabouts!) We wound round tiny country lanes, up and down hills, for what seem like an eternity, and then finally we came to our home for the night. The Three Horseshoes Inn.
The pub is a proper old-man's pub, in a stone building, in the middle of a small village, consisting of a church, the pub, a primary school and a few houses. Perfect.
The pub has a restaurant one side, the bar the other, and a lovely stone terrace out the back, with stunning views of the rolling Dorset hills. We were shown to our room, which was a bit chintzy, but adequate, and then rushed back down to the pub for some lunch.
The lunch menu changes everyday, and is written on a blackboard opposite the bar. There are ten or so choices and we were easily decided. The bar itself, has a thatched roof above it, which is very cheery.
We decide to brave the wasps, and sit outside on the terrace. Despite it being September, the sun was out and blazing, and the view was just beautiful. We couldn't have hoped for better weather or a nicer setting.
I went for the sweet potato and goat's cheese risotto. It was beautifully presented, perfectly seasoned and sprinkled with balsamic. The Bear went for the Ham, Egg and Chips. The eggs were very fresh, and the yolk exploded with orangy goodness when speared by a chunky, crispy chip. The ham was thick cut and local.
We were so impressed by lunch, that we booked the restaurant for us and our chums for dinner.
DINNER:
After a trip to Lyme Regis, which included some fresh seafood (crab meat, whelks, prawns and cockles) and a cream tea, plus a little snooze on the beach in the September sunshine, we returned to the pub, with our chums in tow.
The sun was just setting behind the hills, so we enjoyed a local ale or two on the terrace and admired the vista. After a while it got a little chilly so we joined the rest of the pub's customers in the bar for a hearty meal.
Angela, Gareth and I went for the Scallops in a Lobster Bisque to start. It was excellent. The bisque was thick and full of flavour, and the fresh scallops melted in the mouth. The Bear had a Chicken and Spring Onion Salad with Mustard Mayo. He said it was very tasty and light. Which was good considering the epic proportions of his man course!
For mains, I went for the Fillet of Red Snapper with Crushed New Potatoes and Sun Dried Tomatoes. The fish was ever so slightly over cooked, but not so much that the dish was ruined, I just would have preferred it on the pink side. The crushed potatoes were exquisite. Sometimes you find crushed new potatoes have just been attacked by a spatula, but these were excellently flavoured with garlic and olive oil. They were really quite a treat. All in all, a pretty tasty main course.
Gareth went for the Whole Pigeon, which he said was a little dry, but very nice. Ange and The Bear went for the Whole Mallard with Orange and Ginger. It was huge!! Half the amount of duck would have been a big meal. The Bear did very well and managed to finish the whole thing (with the help of one of the pub's springer spaniels). And Ange did admirably, consuming at least two thirds.
As you can imagine, we were all pretty full, so we gave the puds a miss. Although they were very tempting, with everything on offer, from Star Anise Creme Brulee, Poached Pears, Sticky Toffee Pudding etc.
After a big meal, plenty of booze (including three after dinner brandies), it was very nice to be able to toddle up the stairs to bed. Albeit a chintzy one. The only slight niggle was the church bells going off every fifteen minutes throughout the night. I'm sure that didn't help the Bear with his digestion!
The whole lot, from the first pint on the terrace, to the last brandy, came to £147 without service. What a bloody bargain. The service was friendly and the food of a high standard. If they can stop the church bells, then I'll definitely be back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
