London - Ume

As I lie in a hospital bed, awaiting the very hit and miss food being served, I reminisce of a recent brilliant city lunch I shared with a friend. Beneath the hustle and bustle of the City, where bankers and lawyers rule the roost, lies a charming little Pan Asian outlet in the aptly named 1 Poultry.

Ume markets itself as a 'fast, healthy and nutritious' restaurant and delivers on all levels. I wasn't really sure what I was expecting, but I was impressed. The menu is perhaps a little on the short side, especially as a lot of the meals included ramen noodles which I'm not a fan of; but once again there were multiple tempting options, including the well-known chicken katsu curry and yakisoba. As someone who often frequents Wagamamas, I wanted something different so I opted for the Kung Pao Chicken with a side of spicy prawn crackers, while my friend went for Ma Po Tofu.

My friends clearly know me well and are aware of my eating habits. The portions were huge. Your typical lunch outlet will provide a single Tupperware box with everything mixed in. Ume filled one box with the meat part, and one box full of rice of your choice. Ume-zing. The meal itself was delicious too. What particularly stood out to me was actually the prawn crackers. I've never experienced prawn crackers like that before but what a difference a bit of seasoning can make!

Absolutely worth trying if you're out and about in the City. All reasonable prices except for drinks which are typically marked up like anywhere else in the centre of town (it's next to a Wetherspoons pub if you're that concerned about money!). I shall be returning.

A

P.S. The website contains the full menu - have a look! http://www.umerestaurant.co.uk/

London - Franco Manca

Finally, a pizza that begs of you to abuse it; to rip, roll and fold it to your hearts content, to snatch at and devour it. (This is getting very 50 shades…) So, before I continue, I would like to assure you that no pizzas were made to do what they didn't want to in the making of this post.

Franco Manca. Home of the heavenly sourdough pizza. These guys have popped up all over the place, you can find them in Brixton, Tottenham Court Road, Westfields, Chiswick, Southfields, so head in nearly any direction on the tube and you can be sure you are honing in on a pizza paradise.

These guys are special because their bases are made from a sourdough that takes 20 hours to rise. The pizzas are then freshly made before being blast-cooked in a brick oven. However, the whole process for the customer, from ordering your food to it being ready, only takes around five minutes. Plus, they're cheap - my Margherita was only £5.90. Now isn't that great? Farewell to waiting hours for a mediocre, overpriced 'Romana' in Pizza Express.

After coming out of yoga this morning I was aware of a pizza craving that had been haunting me for a few days. So, disregarding the fact that I had just been doing plank for what felt like nigh on forever, I decided to reward myself and stroll defiantly home in yoga pants with a pizza box planted firmly under one arm. What awaited me on opening it was glorious. A picture perfect stone-baked pizza. Yet, like I say, this is a pizza that begs you to rip, roll and fold it. For any crust-haters out there, leave your preconceptions outside the box, as this is almost the best bit, for it is soft and slightly chewy, with the tangy hint of sourdough.

Lots of new pizza places are popping up all over London these days, making it tricky to decide which one to venture to. While the main distinguishing feature at Franco Manca is its sourdough base, I would say this is draw enough. They're cheap, quick, as delicious as any of the best pizzas out there, and have the bonus of sourdough. Plus, they're not a pizza you have to treat politely. Feel free to get Grey with them.

- J

London - VQ

3am and drawn to the light like a mosquito to a light, we stumbled across VQ along the Fulham Road in Chelsea. We had heard great tales; tales of jaegerbombs and brownies at 8am, of pancakes and breakfast treats at 1am - the legend awaited us in all its shining glory. A 24 hour bistro with a full licence.

Indeed the stories were true - pancakes can be consumed any time of day - with ice cream or bacon depending on what you fancy and alcohol does indeed flow throughout the night and into the next day and through that night too and so forth.

One friend opted for the pancakes - a good choice, albeit at £9. As a typical fairly drunk recent graduate, all I really wanted was a plate of chips. After a bit of a wait what the 'chef' returned to me was not quite what I was expecting. I have to admit, 'Truffle oil chips with blue cheese dip' for £3.50 sounded like a bit of a steal. Rather than some slightly posh fluffy potato scrumptiousness, I was presented with a bowl of what were essentially ready salted crisps. No hint of truffle oil to be found. I paid £3.50 for a packet of crisps... I can't even use the excuse 'this is Chelsea after all', even for Chelsea that's a rip-off. The saving grace though was the blue cheese dip which was actually very tasty with my crisps. My friend however, was not so lucky, ordering 'rustic Italian bread' and receiving - yes, you guessed it - toast.

Attempting to find the least over-priced drink on the menu was fairly difficult, but I settled for a strawberry and mango iced tea which was incredible. Just what I needed.

Having queued to squeeze into this tiny restaurant-bar to receive sub-standard, well-marketed food we were already pretty peeved. The final nail in the coffin was when we received our receipt which was the first time we were told that we were paying for entry to the dive. Frankly, I wouldn't have minded if we'd had to pay on the door, but to deceive us up to the point of no return is fairly disgraceful.

Like the mosquito and the light, we'd been drawn in by the allure of the light, only to receive an unexpected death, the death being our money, which felt like it was being snatched from our hands (hypothetically of course - the staff were actually fairly pleasant). We walked towards the light and got our comeuppance. Don't make the same mistake.

A

London - Dim t

I met a friend up on Charlotte street last Friday night and we ended up wandering into a Thai restaurant, Dim t. Inside was busy and it had a buzzy atmosphere, the wooded interior being both stylish and yet also quite intimate as the tables were all quite close together. This made it feel, in my mind, quite New York-y, and although we sat outside because it was a lovely evening, you still felt part off it with the all-glass front acting as the only divide. I made one of those last minute decisions and changed my order (which had been dim sum), to Pad Thai with tofu. Although it was unlike any Pad Thai I've ever had,  and I don't think particularly classic, it was really delicious! What made it different was that it was very sweet, and it had little garnish - no dried shrimps in sight. But this sweetness wasn't off-putting and was just really yum, the tofu too, was out of this world. It was the best tofu I've had in an age as it was cut into small enough cubes that meant you could pop it in in one bite, which is always helpful, and while it was toasted on the outside and very much held its shape, it managed to stay soft enough in the middle. Wonderful stuff. My friend had some dim sum which was apparently very yummy, and at normal prices (£7 something for my pad thai), it was a great find. I really recommend a visit, and if you get there and don't fancy it, then just turn around and take your pick from the congregation of places along the street, all just waiting for you to wander in and plonk yourself down on their seat.

J

London - Wahaca

So Wahaca was a wee bit hit and miss in my books. For example, while the black bean and cheese quesadillas and the spicy sweet potato pieces were really delicious, the soft tortilla tacos were just ok, and were tiny, so looked a bit sad on the plate. I kept adding a spicy sauce to liven them up, but every time I did this I re-realised I just wasn't that hard when it came to spice, and then had to add yoghurt to cool it down. This became an endless and slightly frustrating dance, one which I never mastered, as I never managed to get the combinations right. But enough of this sob story. Onto the drinks! However the final blow sadly arrived with these... Admittedly, we bought it on ourselves, as we should have read between the lines, but when you order 'Hibiscus water: cranberry flavoured Mexican flower juice', you expect something pretty cool, right? Alas what arrived was nothing other than Ocean Spray cranberry. Or actually it was probably Ocean Spray's slightly cheaper cousin. I felt a little betrayed, and things only worsened with the arrival of the cleverly named 'Citrus Fizz', which sheepishly showed itself to be nothing other than soda water. If it's soda water, Wahaca, just call it that, then feelings can't get hurt.

A huge redeeming feature, however, is the clever and I think rather wonderful idea of giving you on leaving what looks to be a cardboard packet of matches. This then however turns out not to be matches, but rather chilli seeds stuck onto sticks, ready to plant at home. I wandered past my chilli plant a moment ago, growing on my window sill, and with this all misgivings towards Wahaca disappeared. Although my experience was hit and miss, I do recommend a visit, as at the end of it all a lot of care and thought has gone into the place (and its drink descriptions), and you walk away with your very own chilli plant.
So why not?

J

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I'm back! I thought I'd add my twopence to this post as I've been to Wahaca twice in the last few months.

 

Contrary to J, I love this place. Hidden away in one of the busiest areas of London in converted shipping containers, Wahaca brings something a little bit different to the norm. The concept is pretty simple - shared Mexican dishes and tequila-based cocktails. Personally I think the food is incredible, although I have to agree with J that some portions can be a bit measly and some dishes - notably the soft tacos - a little bland. Also, this being Mexican food, if you're not a fan of cheese than moo-ve on to a different place (sorry!); pretty much every dish is smothered with cheese. There's even a cheese fondue-type dish with a lone nacho chip placed sparingly on top. I would highly recommend the quesadillas - delicious filled flat wraps - and the taquitos - lovely little Mexican spring rolls.

 

As for the drinks - tequila this, tequila that, tequila everything... The signature Mexican beverage is clearly very well stocked in the Wahaca cellars. Try the Wahaca Mule - a tequila, ginger beer and lime infusion or there's one which includes a hefty amount of salt amongst its ingredients; I've forgotten its name. 'Agua de mar', perhaps?

 

Given the relaxed atmosphere, attentive and helpful staff, and wonderful sharing food, I would certainly recommend taking a date here. J may disagree, but my date loved it!

 

All in all, definitely worth a visit if you can find it!

 

A

London - Shake Shack

With post-graduation blues finally subsiding and indefinite unemployment looming, seeking solace in meeting up with university friends in town and going out to eat has become a commonality for me.

Someone suggested we head to a new eatery that had just opened in Covent Garden, serving burgers and milkshakes.
Fantastic central London location: check.
Unashamedly unhealthy American food: check.
Ridiculous London prices: check.

For such a superb location, it was no surprise we had to queue for half an hour to be served; but we were a little taken aback by the limited choices on the menu. Offering a few choices of burgers and hot dogs, the majority of the menu is occupied by what they call 'frozen custards' or 'concretes'. Essentially a glorified McFlurry except thicker and with more ingredients.

Whether you choose to sit outside ogling at the street performers or inside under the awnings of the famous Covent Garden market, upon ordering you are presented with an alarm-type device that emits a horrendous buzzing sound and seizure-inducing flashes when your food is ready.

Whilst tasty, albeit a little too greasy, the burgers are nothing special and you'd get more for your money at a cheaper fast food restaurant, which is essentially what this is. One highlight though is the chips; crinkled and springy and lightly dusted with spices, I haven't had chips these tasty in a while.

In this blistering heat, there was only one choice for me. The 'concretes' are orgasmic and exactly what I was expecting. The one I chose contained vanilla ice cream, peanut butter sauce, marshmallow sauce, and bits of actual banana. A perfect combination. Also worthy of a mention is the fact you can create your own, which is a nice touch.

Randomly, but quite a clever idea given their outside dog-friendly location, is the portion of the menu catering for dogs, because after all, dogs need to cool down too.

To conclude, it's nice and tasty, but not great value for money and better burgers can be found elsewhere. Although the frozen custard/concretes are worth trying if you're prepared to queue.

Keep it cool (especially in this weather),

A

London - Abokado

Abokado is my new lunchtime destination. So, with regrets, a bientot, dear Pret a Manger. Having done my fair share of work experience up in London I really relished the abundance of choice that is all held under this one, super-healthy roof. Abokado combines the Eastern persuasions found at the likes of Itsu, with its hot rice pots, noodle broths and selections of sushi; with the more substantial lunchtime goods associated with Pret: cold and hot wraps, fresh juices, and delightfully yummy, gluten-free brownies. It's the Teryaki Chicken Powch that first wowed me, (and I mean wowed me in the sense that I muttered a surprised 'Oh! Mmm!' under my breath), just before whoever was sitting next to me slowly shuffled away. Although this 'Powch' comes with the super foreboding tagline: 'LOW CAL, NO BUTTER, NO MAYO, LOW FAT', it still packed such a punch of teryaki-taste, that it was startling. I teamed this up with the carrot, apple, and ginger juice - which I repeated on subsequent visits because it was JUST so good, and reminded me of Blue Juice in Bristol - and I also had a millionare shortbread, (was flagging and in need of a treat).

As it is super healthy the portions are enough, but I think the trick is to team different components up with each other. I saw a businessman grab a sushi and then two wraps and thought to myself: 'he has it right'. What a winner. So there you go, next time you are pottering around Central and feel peckish, stave off the usual lunchtime suspects and try somewhere new. If anything, that's the secret to a good day.

J

London – Duck and Waffle

This was definitely more of an expedition than a casual meal. When my friend told me she was making a flying visit back to London from a year-abroad in Paris, getting a table at the Duck and Waffle, (which has a recommended 2-month booking time), was like a scene from Mission Impossible. (Although obviously a scene that was far too dull and so was cut). After some frantic searching we succeeded in getting a table at 10.15pm. Right…. A two-supper evening it would have to be.

We stepped out of the lift into its sister restaurant, Sushisamba, a razzmatazz of colour that was reminiscent of an Austin Powers party where everyone seemed to know each other. We swiftly scooted up the stairs by the bar into the far more sedate world of the Duck and Waffle.

When we told the waiter our order he gently tried to tell us that the Duck and Waffle was a ‘sharing’ kind of a restaurant, so perhaps we would like to share some of these dishes, as opposed to having one each…? We had just been discussing how ONLY with Chinese food is it ok to share, and possibly Indian, although that is still in contention. So at this suggestion we inwardly laughed, no, we scoffed, and politely declined. Yet we were fools.

 What arrived when the ‘spicy ox cheek doughnut’ came were two of the largest and most alarmingly sized doughnuts I had ever seen in my life. Although fun to try, the amount of dough was huge and the ox-cheek in the middle was very non-descript. So, a word to the wise, if they recommend you to share a dish, just share it, you’re not big enough to do it alone.

The absolute highlight of the meal was the signature dish, ‘Duck and Waffle’, which is a confit duck leg on a waffle with a duck egg and mustard maple syrup. Oh my, it was good. However, to be honest, I would probably only go back for that, and the views.

It’s definitely an experience, and it’s open 24 hours, so next time you feel like having a night out in two-months time, and just know that you’ll fancy a duck dish at exactly 2 in the morning, well then, give it a book! I mean, what could be easier…?

However, for me, next time it’s Sushisamba.

J

London - Bi Bim Bap

I ended up popping down to London for an interview on Sunday and wandered into the small Korean restaurant, Bi Bim Bap. Found in Soho, on a road adjacent to Ronnie Scotts, this apparently small and unassuming restaurant bombards you on entering with a plethora of tiny photographs lining its walls, all of happy, smiling diners. However, far from being alarmed, this sight rather spurred me on to try and join these troops lining the walls, and so I sat. (Alas, in case you were wondering, I was unsuccessful). One day, maybe.

The restaurant is named after its signature dish, which is also Korea’s national one, Bi Bim Bap. This is a big responsibility for shoulders of such small metrical dimensions, however, Bi Bim Bap did not disappoint. Its signature dish is terribly healthy and consists of rice mixed with vegetables and possibly meat, then usually with the (almost random) addition of a fried egg. It was served in fantastic bowls that seemed to be carved out of stone and that remained firmly on their slabs of wood, as they were terribly hot. The bowls were particularly great as their circumference was wide enough to allow you to get to the food and mix it up as much as you wanted without the fear of it spilling everywhere. I may just be a messy eater, but I’ve definitely had that problem in the past.

We also had the Korean root tea, which was unusual, but delicious. Oh and just as a heads up, downstairs is plastered with posters of Korean girl bands that look like they are styling themselves on the nineties Spice Girls. A bit bizarre, but you can easily hurry past. Although I enjoyed trying the dish Bi Bim Bap, if I’m totally honest I’m not sure that I would return, oh other than to try and get a photo on their wall, of course. 

J

London - Ukai

Sushi lovers among you, I recommend, nay, I implore you, to venture a visit to Ukai Sushi. This is a great sushi restaurant that my friend and I wandered into by chance and, (I'm embarrassed to say this as I'm noticing a pattern here), it's in Soho.

However, quickly before we get to the sushi, across the road is Barrio Central, a Mexican bar that is bright and buzzy and that did some killer mojitos.

Now into Ukai. We received a really warm welcome when we entered, not least because three of our four cocktails were on the house. Who could fail to warm to that. But regardless of the sake that kept reappearing in its multiple forms - as cocktails and also cold - the sushi was amazing. As in, move over Yo Sushi amazing.

We had the classics; salmon sashimi and salmon avocado sushi rolls, and we also had tempura sushi that was my favourite.

Here they are, in all their glory. Each photo is accompanied by the funny little man that you can see on the table mats, and all photos are artfully taken by Miss Cate Dwyer, who demanded a mention.

J

London - Yalla Yalla

This is one of the best rated restaurants on the Time Out website, and having now been, I completely agree with their recommendation.

Yalla Yalla translates, (or so the waitress told me), to 'Come on, come on!'. This is a fitting name, as I am now repeatedly urging friends to 'come on!', to join me in an expedition back there, as I really long to return.

Yalla Yalla can be found down an unassuming side road in London's Soho. It seemed to appear out of the blue as we wandered through the alternating grey, and rainbow coloured district, and as we alighted upon it, the cosy scene within the windows was a warming sight. It is a simple but tastefully done place, and the staff were very friendly in helping us to navigate through the multitude of wraps on offer.

We both went for the spicy chicken wrap, and ordered some hummus to share. What could have been a simple and tasty, but forgettable meal, turned out to be one of the best that I have ever had.

On first sitting down you are given a bowl of olives and a bowl of pickles to nibble at, and then a beautiful carafe also appears, one that far surpasses any jug. Even the word 'jug' now sounds unsatisfactory, please, I want a 'carafe'.

The wraps were truly delicious. They were free from gimmick and seemed intent on presenting you with just wonderful tasting food. Meanwhile, the hummus was similarly fantastic, and appeared in a bowl in which olive oil and chickpeas were nestling in its hollowed out middle. This also came with two other dips, both of which alas I can't identify now, but which were fun to mix with the wraps and pittas in different combinations, and which without fail, worked every time.

With the student streak living strong within me I can't resist my loyalty cards. I have practically a whole purse full of them. So when I saw that Yalla Yalla, too, had loyalty cards, well, I was over the moon.

J

London - Meat Liquor

Over the Christmas period I went to a few different places, and as my Bristol adventures have been fairly lax lately, I thought I'd share these instead.

One of these restaurants was Meat Liquor, just off Bond Street.

The place itself is styled like a derelict, underground, American Diner; it's very dark, has graffitied walls, and loud music. There are also cages where rolls upon rolls of blue paper towels are piled high. This is almost an ominous sight, but as we found out later, they were SO necessary. We were sat at a table with three young businessmen who didn't particularly suit the place, and who were talking about something very boring to do with the economy. These were soon replaced by two young'uns, (a couple? or were they just friends? we couldn't tell..), who were much more interesting to listen in to.

Now for the food. If you're in the mood for a burger and fries, my God this is the place. Oh and the onion rings! who can forget the onion rings? They were absolutely amazing. And the size of my face. The food is served all together crammed onto a tray, and although this approach is unconventional, it really works. The burgers taste fantastic and are a far cry from anything I've previously had burger-wise; they don't hold back and come with all the extras. The fries were typical, American style french-fries, but were still bloody good.

There are only two things that I would warn you about Meat Liqour. One is that you must be prepared to get messy. The blue towels become your most beloved friend, and are essential in your quest to try to counter the amount of food that is steadily appearing all over your face. And secondly, be prepared to feel full. Very, very full. Not only was I was very silent on the way home, but I then had to lie down for the rest of the afternoon.

However, through all this pathetic semi-suffering, I kept thinking how wonderful it was that a meal that had made me feel this full, had only cost me about a tenner.

J