Saturday 4 December 2010

Railroad

Railroad is the following-

A café

A bar

A wee bookshop as well a live music venue for the discerning lot (but no Mahler’s 2 here I’m afraid).

Indeed and yet another new indie caff/eatery in London or Hacks to be precise. Railroad is housed in a rather anonymous building that soon beautifies when viewed from a certain angle i.e. the railtrack arch. Its location on Morning Lane instils an image of loveless urban decay but the area is also home to the rather iconic Burberry factory building. Expect coachloads of chavs pilgrims heading towards the latter’s outlet store.

Railroad is an Anglo/Aussie affair. The Anglo bit being the fine looking sibling of the Observer’s ’Young chef of the year’. It’s a great find despite Time Out’s baffling 3/5 rating*. Railroad is at least a fourer. This is a place that’s not unlike visiting a friend’s abode that can cook well or a legit supper club who doesn’t charge up to 40 quid a head plus booze. Service can be hectic when it becomes busy, so be patient- you’re not in the West End now! But if you want good honest homecooked food and one of the best flatties in London then you’re home and dry.

Made from beans supplied by the monopolistic but excellent Square Mile Coffee Roasters, the Flat White is strong and momentous, it’s my kind of perfection. I suppose the approach to making such an exquisite flattie is down to serving it in handmade ‘flower pots’ that cup considerably less than the usual 150ml. The Flat White at Railroad is nothing short of definitive.

These guys can cook and the prices charged for the wonderful dishes verge on charitable status. If the word spreads about Railroad then the majority of supper clubs would start to judder!

Stuff I had here and relished-


Bar snack- crispy chickpeas (who needs dry roasted clones!)

Bar snack- fried sage leaves (first on the map!)

Pumpkin Soup (thickset and memorable).

Savoy cabbs stuffed with rice, raisins, pumpkin, and pine nuts. Like all cabbage concoctions, the term photogenic absolves.

Pork and fennel sausage sandwich.
(If it tickles, Railroad also serves their take on the Vietnamese bánh mì sarnie- they call it the Vietnamese sandwich stuffed witch slow cooked, spiced pork & pickled vegetables at £4.50)

Now if you’re lucky enough Lizzie or Matt Max MATT! might bake you some madeleines. An awakening experience and they tasted so much better than the ones at St. John. Droolworthy and much beyond!

Roast squash, onions and potato salad.

Roast pork belly, tatties and Popeye’s greens.

First on my mind, where’s the gravy? Not needed, as everything melted within the mouth. And as I write a perfect antidote to Engerland being denied 2018, oh such lusciousness…the pork I mean! Ridiculously priced at a lowly eight quid fifty!

Nice Northern caaake. Baaakewell Taaart.


Railroad destinates! Go!



* Time Out has since upgraded their review of Railroad to a more realistic 4 stars. I'm perfunctorily influential.

The original condensed link from London Eating-

TimeOut - 3/5
Wednesday, December 01, 2010 - Railroad is a lo-fi, low-key, DIY operation run by Lizzie Parle and her partner - Lizzie is the sister of Stevie Parle, who runs Dock Kitchen in west London...Starters were breaded quail with fish sauce, and deep-fried spiced chickpeas; for mains we shared a spinach and potato curry, shot through with nigella, mustard seeds and curry leaves, and also a chorizo and lentil stew, stained red with tomato and paprika, served with chunks of own-made bread. Dessert was shared - a slice of almond and pear tart (also oven fresh). Good ingredients were in evidence throughout, and everything was confidently cooked.
Read full review




120-122 Morning Lane
Hackney
London E9 6LH

(Shut Tuesdays)

3 comments:

gastrogeek said...

fried sage leaves. How very yum.

bellaphon said...

Gracious GG, lovely of you to stop by. Thx :)

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