London - Pizza Pilgrims

My pizza cravings have known no end these past few weeks, but I held out for the good stuff, and this time found myself at the ever popular Pizza Pilgrims in Soho.

We were sitting on the bench by the window watching the passersby, and at one point were awkwardly avoiding the smug stares of a fairly elderly gentleman who thought he had 'scored', and wouldn't move on. He thought we were laughing coyly, we were really laughing in embarrassment.

Anyway, the pizzas themselves were incredibly quick to come. The menu was different to the one online and was small, but interesting. It included a pesto based pizza, a carbonara pizza (with pancetta and an egg), and a margherita that charged extra to include mozzarella, which at first I was a bit puzzled by, but as it turns out you really don't need it as the 'fior di latte' and parmesan were cheese enough.

We both went for the roast aubergine and garlic on margherita. This was delicious, but in future I wouldn't bother with the addition of the aubergine, as it was small scattered chunks of which only a few were really soft and garlicky, so unfortunately many of mine were hard and added nothing much.

The base and crust were delicious, slightly charred on the bottom and not too doughy but yet still chewy, and oh my it was filling. We had planned to get the nutella pizza ring for pudding but there was no way on God's earth that that was happening. So kudos to Pizza Pilgrims, it made for a slightly cheaper meal.

To round it off I would say that it's a great place to go for a speedy and delicious pizza, but I would stick to a margherita. Were I to choose between here and Franco Manca's..... Franco's was a bit thinner and had the sourdough thing going on, but here was simple and classic. See which is nearer...

 

- J

London - Mojo

Mojo. I'm afraid this place ain't got none.

This salad bar/juicery has recently opened up on Berwick Street in Soho, and having some time to kill around lunchtime, I wandered in. From the outside it looks promising. With it's bright green front and happy folk clutching trays of tasters alongside reassuring smiles, you feel kinda good about going in. Everything is geared towards telling you that you're making a wise, healthy, happy choice. Unfortunately, I came out feeling deceived, and almost as if I had made an escape from the happy, smiling Moonies. I'm sorry, taster tray-holders, but it's true.

At lunchtime they have a choice of three staples, alongside which you add two salads. The staples are: two roast chicken thigh fillets, a baked salmon fillet and an beetroot and quinoa quiche. Sounds good, I thought. I was going to opt for the quiche but it looked so heavy, and even slightly unhappy with itself, that I ended up going for the chicken. Now although it was a salad and salads are cold, these chicken fillets were really very cold and even with their slightly odd 'teryaki' sauce it just wasn't very enjoyable. The salads too were a shame. One was raw, and consisted of red cabbage, courgette and fennel. But it didn't have any kind of a dressing and so you were munching through pieces of raw veg that, in my opinion, weren't being drawn together at all. The other salad was much nicer and largely consisted of shredded carrot in a slight sauce, but unfortunately, this came with greasy ribbons of white onion that I kept having to skirt around the plate, and so again overall wasn't that pleasant. The plate was about £8, which wasn't as cheap as it could have been, and was money I wish I had spent elsewhere.

They also do juices, which fared a bit better. However, I would recommend getting one made at the counter and not picking a bottle up from the fridge; the difference in size is astonishing, and I think the counter ones were actually cheaper.

I'm afraid to say that Mojo is therefore a no-no in my books and I'll be skirting around it in future.

If you want a good salad in Soho, head to Mildred's.

- J

London - L'Epiciere

Right at the bottom of Portobello Road, near the old market and yet just before the railway bridge, lies a French cafe that for seats, has hay bales.

It is one of the most charming places I have been in a long while, and is presided over by Jimmy, who gives the place its hushed magic. Without Jimmy, there is no L'Epicerie. Nor is there the French restaurant next door, nor is there that which makes L'Epicerie special. The space is perfectly proportioned in such a way that you feel unencumbered by anything. Even outside the door, the noisy street seems somewhat distant and other-worldly. Simply laid out along the bench is the range of delicious French fare that has come from the little oven in the corner, entreating you to choose something with little fuss and no hurry.

This is a place for family; as Jimmy and I are talking his sister and her family come tumbling in, her baby being swooped up and carried across the street to say hello to Jimmy's boyfriend, who I also met. Punters, family, friends ebb and flow, all greeted with the same cheery hello and echoed goodbye.

With really proper coffee and a seriously tasty plate of mushrooms and melted cheese on sourdough toast, I eked it all out as long as I could, sip by cautious sip.

I'll definitely be going back soon, and if you decide to make the trip, say hello to Jimmy for me.

- J