Sichuan Restaurant

Came here not too long ago and had a wonderful evening with the following: the über intelligent Kake, ‘for she has no foes’ Su-Lin, Mr Genial aka Ewan, a couple of friends from RGL; James and Marna and lest I forget the redoubtable Mr Noodles.

The beauty with this post is I don’t have to write much and you don’t have to suffer. So if you need to know more about the place then read here, here and here.

The menus

The written confirmation

What we ate-

The standard fleebie
Corn with salted egg yolk
Baby cuttlefish
Spicy fried chicken
Dongpo Pork
Water-boiled beef
Geriatric green beans
Dan dan noodles 1 2 3 4
Ants climbing a tree
Sweet and sour eggplant dragon
Sour and spicy potato threadlike

Meet my excellent dining companions 1 2

Sichuan Restaurant is commendable but it isn’t Snazz Sichuan.

116 Churchfield Road
London W3 6BY

The Shed

I feel remorseful that I haven’t posted this earlier. I’ve been to a lot of supper clubs during the past 14 months but I must say that The Shed is indeed one of the best and certainly the most at ease as well. I suppose the ease is to do with the ace hosts Nicola and Andrew actually dining with the guests themselves. Came here with my restaurateur chum, KC who declared Nicola’s cooking as wonderful home-cooking without the usual pretence that’s endemic in the supper club scene. I couldn’t agree more, The Shed likes food and we love The Shed.

The lazy Sunday meal is normally served in the shed but when we were there the muddy garden courtesy of the February weather prompted Plan B; we supped in the hosts’ living room instead.

The red gingham is The Shed’s trademark

Music was provided by DJ-in-residence, Andrew

Spiced pumpkin soup with garlic croutons and Emmett’s black bacon

A monumental moment

Slow roast lamb, Mujadara (lentil and rice dish), grilled aubergine and brocs,
The lamb was delectable; beautifully pink and melting.

An obvious success as everyone either had seconds or thirds

The pause and break before the pudding course

Home-baked chocolate brownie

Home-made Lemon tart

Excellent evening and big thanks to Nicola and Andrew. A solid recommendation is called for, so do yourself a favour and enjoy The Shed.





What I paid.



theshedlikesfood.blogspot.com

Breakfast #2- Caravan

...a man cup of coffee after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

And that's strictly filter coffee and none of that Americano shoddiness. A cup that has been 'dripped' using freshly ground coffee beans is one of the few things that we all take for granted and by the love for caffeine; Caravan serves it and they roast their own beans. Massive tick for that alone.

I could quite easily live near Exmouth Market, not too far away from work..

…and a lovely church.

No stuffiness here and excellent service observed.

CARAVAN FRY UP
TWO EGGS ANY STYLE, THICK CUT BACON, SLOW ROAST
TOMATOES AND CREAMY SOY MUSHROOMS ON SOURDOUGH OR
GRAIN TOAST –– £8.00

Daughter thought this was the best breakfast she’s had. Although labelled as a fry up, it’s not strictly so- where are the goddamn sausages and beans? She was right though, her platter was very good.

My two poached eggs on grain toast with a side order of an abattoir favourite. I’m a fussy grump but the otherwise perfectly poached eggs were served too cold. The smoked black pudding was an awe-full sight; quite the best thing I’ve had for a long time.

She loved the place and so did I. Highly prized. Lunch or dinner with booze awaits yours truly. Thank you Dos Hermanos.



11-13 Exmouth Market
London
EC1R 4QD

www.caravanonexmouth.co.uk

The Sighburger

Not all food bloggers comply with this: what’s-hot-and-coz-I-wanna-be-in-the-fraternity-like. Some are more mettlesome and they go out and stir the poo and end up inverting the polarity of what’s supposedly food fit only for foodies. Well, if you’re an awkward person then I’m your kindred bro.

The plethora of burger reviews is getting too predictable and saturated. True I was on the bandwagon with my reviews of Goodman, Byron et al, but I’m getting bored, so much so I decided to post this. I wanted to name this semi-notable burger Ermintrude or Friesian, but I settled instead for the Sighburger.

A trip to your local kebab or southern fried chicken shop often hints that because you were well plastered after several pints of hop nectar you’ve been given carte blanche to eat whatever that has been deemed a sacrilegious eugh by sober folks. But, all hands on heart, the doner kebabs or battered wings (eerily each one of them the size of a drumstick from a normal freeranger), you know and I know that they were just about delicious…oh I mean okish. And besides the only symptom you’ll rewarded with is the guilt you ate and enjoyed it the night before…but you still live.
These places (seek out Kilburn, Finsbury Park, Clapton, etc) are also home to the Sighburger. No matter where you go just to seek it, it’ll be consistently the same. The burger patties probably came from the same cash-and-carry or the solitary meatpacker who harnesses the monopoly to supply them. This dairy herd burger fulfils the stomachs and the love of the good but common people.

The colour red has somehow gone amiss from this shot, but I could’ve used Photoshop and added more saturated red hue to it (the paler ones below are chicken); that would be utterly misleading and contravening. Instead the lacklustre looking patties are a good sign that the Sighburger is sold here.

This kind of burger can only be cooked one way- beyond well done.

There you have it, unethical food packed in an equally unethical polystyrene clamshell, how totally complete and appropriate. Service with a smile, he was a gracious dude.

The ½ pounder at £4.80 with Kraft-like cheese and salad that usually accompanies the usual kebab wrap plus loads of fake Heinz ketchup. Why and how does it tastes so vaguely reassuring, well because bone marrow is already included by default and not to mention the spinal cord, sinew, pluck, etc. A gorgeous looking burger that preserves the paste-like meat consistency, not ground or minced but purposeful. Yum, yum…hic…yum. hic…

This post is in response to this. So he might as well add this to his list of burger sighs. Yawn.


NB I was quite sober when I had the burger but not so when I wrote the post.


Like all fast food joints, receipts are hard to come to by….


Express Kebab
24 Notting Hill Gate
Notting Hill
London

Breakfast #1- The Hackney Pearl

Where the hell is Hackney Wick? Well, chuck all your compasses away and switch off that magnetometer. Take this tip (‘tis simple to follow and pretty much failsafe except for the tedious time it takes to get there)-

Go to Portman Square (yes I don’t give a donks if you don’t happen to reside near Arc de Marbre) where the not so iconoclastic Churchill Hotel planteth. Now wait patiently at the graffiti-free bus shelter for the bus 30 (frequencies vary from 15mins to a dozing 23mins, but worse during lazy weekends). When upon embarking (do watch out for ticket inspectors), start reading Episode 13, Nausicaa from Joyce’s Ulysses. This will take as long as the 30’s destination stop to Hackney Wick (‘bout 67mins). Once alight, obviously with the insistence and assistance of the driver waking you up by shouting ‘last stop!’. A different dimension offering a varying degree of obliqueness awaits you. You’ve now arrived at Hackney Wick, ‘well-lost’ epitomises the place.

Perhaps I’ve been lucky (often with my bearings switched off), most of the folks who live here have been accommodating enough to direct me to The Counter, Fish Island, Wick Café (model greasy spoon caff), 1500m vantage point of the 2012 Olympic Stadium, BSM hotspots (driving lessons…lemon squeezy three point turns) and Oslo House where The Hackney Pearl inhabits.

The Hackney Pearl is a café and bar. And like all the new and fringy establishments of its ilk, it excuses itself on the simplicity and no-nonsense school as far as the grub and interiors are concerned. Fact of the matter is that I love the ambience, the unrelenting airiness, genuine welcome and the enticing looking menus. As for the food, well I can only pen about the breakfast and coffee, methinks a second posting if and when I come back here for lunch or dinner.

Does an elephant have a good memory or a spider need four pairs of Ray-Bans? Indeed, Square Mile Coffee is served here.

Americano- call me a stupid git for ordering such an ineffectual preparation…diluted espresso…deep down I thought it might provide the virtuousness of good old filter…so through no fault of Hackney Pearl I’m an ignorant buffoon…poor. £1.80

Flat White- the barista is still coming to terms…more time needed. £2.00.

Double espresso- a redeeming embrace after the Americano miscreation

Nosh-

Bubble & Squeak with Fried Egg- Companion’s choice. Nice she said. Sure? I asked. Yes, she said. £6.00 is a lot for a portion that’s bordering on meagre.

Scrambled Free Range Eggs on Toast with free range Devon Bacon- Yes this post is a breakfast series and this is no full blown fry-up, but the eggs were cooked beautifully and the bacon rasher (gawd I’m sure there was only one so hence singular) was very good. But the problem was the night before I’d too much obnoxious Retsina… a single piece of toast is simply not enough to soak up the self-inflicted excesses… I was still hungry after that serving. £6.00.

The Counter, 8.5mins walk away, although more erratic in its service and dare I say the haggard furniture, serves better coffee and brekkie*. But The Hackney Pearl is jewel nonetheless, not a rough diamond but simply unpolished. I look forward to either lunch or dinner here soon, follow-up post beckons.

*The food service at both establishments can be excruciatingly sluggish, think slow food movement, so please don’t throw a wobbly if your tummy starts to rumble. Curb that kvetching!




11 Prince Edward Road
(Grnd Flr Oslo House East Wing)
Hackney Wick
London E9 5LX

thehackneypearl.com

Wilton's

Whatever ambitions I might have for mastering the art of coffee cupping are unfortunately still put on hold, as my sense of smell remains iffy. Came here because of three reasons; a lady I met at Climpson & Sons told me about it a few months ago, peered furtively about it from my ever reliable flickr contact and the person who's contributing to the rest of this post. Been here twice and I'm convinced (fingers crossed) that Wilton's have somehow provided yours truly with fantastic C8H10N4O2 healing. The flat whites conferred properties of blissful caffeine exhalation, I think I may well be hooked once again. I'm recommending this place as well as ahackinhackney, so over to her-

In the backstreets of Hackney E8, its café-fication steps up a level … this is, of course, something that I am delighted by, my fondness for whiling away time in cafes has often been remarked upon, measuring out my life in, yes, yes, coffee spoons.

In a street in what is now fashionable London Fields, across which I very much doubt Martin Amis ever strod, his shortened jeans flapping away in the breeze, despite the name of his novel, hey there Mr Walk on the Wild Side, Candy Darling would like a word! (I always thought his was writing for those who don’t read… however, I digress.)


Wiltons café, on Wilton Way, is a bright, light venue tucked away in an obscure street behind the Hackney Empire that has been carefully designed to maximize space and using reclaimed materials creatively, its blank canvas walls decorated with some beautiful spare prints.



This cafe also boasts its own radio station, London Fields Radio (http://www.londonfieldsradio.com/) which broadcasts a fascinating and diverse range of shows.

Serving good quality sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee, (Climpson’s) and the most delicious flat whites that the esteemed Bellaphon tells me he has tasted this year, unfortunately I am no connoisseur All I can report is that my coffee was delicious. Wiltons is a lovely jewel.

Thank you Hack for the write-up.

63 Wilton Way
Hackney
London, E8 1BG

Little Lamb

Clarice Starling would balk at the thought of walking in here. Naming a restaurant that conjures up persuasions of a sacrilegious intent doesn’t exactly tickle one’s appetite. Little Lamb has been around for sometime and it’s certainly older than my blog. Its location in being sandwiched between the old stalwart that’s New Mayflower and ‘free-soup-for-everyone-during-lunchtime’ Young Cheng can only suggest connotations of a ‘forget me…not that we care, coz we’re a cult’ tag. And indeed they do have a cult following. Could this place be somewhat permanently tied up to all the Chinese Students’ Associations from the various universities (be it loose or Ivyish) because every time I’ve walked past; apart from the rich young things of Mainland Chinese descent and let alone a well-crusted W (Westernised) O (Oriental) G (Gentle-raisin) like myself I’ve never spotted a gweilo in there!

Zoom in and we have Mongolian first and Chinese the token gesture. Little Lamb is a hotpot haven and that Mongolian tag is purely a tried and trusted marketing pull, the exoticness of the term Mongolian sounds so much better than Chinese style fondue! To quote Wiki, ‘hot pot cooking is much better suited to a sedentary culture’- so aptly Chinese and I’m well pertained. Budding ethnic-eaters if you’re thinking of coming here for fermented mare’s milk or mutton fat or boodog (OMG!), then Little Lamb has quite obviously infringed the Trade Descriptions Act. Little Lamb is terribly Chinese but with a twist, you cooks your’s own and sheer fun guaranteed.

Hot pot dining is all about sharing and a communal dig in, so if you’re averse to dipping your chopsticks in the same pot of goodness as your dining companions then wave yourself goodbye and run back home to mummy (certainly no sympathies from me)! Besides we’re dining Chinese here and concessions are hardly acknowledged (hooray and gleefully ouch!). Word of advice, don’t come here alone as you’ll need to aspire to the Hot Pot Set Meal at 20 quid per person (usual rule of ‘min’ 2 persons).

You’ll be given a tick yourself menu like the one I so painfully photographed and found out later that it was tainted by some objectionable looking fat.

First choose the stock. Do go for the Herbal Tonic and Spicy Twin Flavour option. This choice of duo-stocks bodes well with yours truly and it also respects the concept of yin yang. Do not be perturbed by the Herbal Tonic, it’s not at all bitter or medicinal tasting and the inclusion of goji berries and red dates is reassuringly salubrious. The spicy soup should make the fans of Sichuan cooking and sweaty gorgings contented.

Now each of the diners orders five raw ingredients of their choice. Please don’t let me nag on no-nos like crabsticks, silkworms and lettuce!

Needle mushrooms, some of you call it enoki.

Wafer thin slices of beef

Ditto for pork, you have to give Little Lamb top marks for presentation.

Fuzhou fishballs (unique in a sense that they’re filled with minced pork inside)
Winter Melon (Wax Gourd on the menu)- one of my favourite Chinese vegetables.

Dry Tofu

Wood Ear (Agarics on menu)- fungus that’s essential in Chinese cooking.

Crab

Prawns on shell

Not shown was a last nominal order of Mung Bean thread noodles to compensate for the carb element. Towards the end of the meal (the soups by now are so packed full of flavour and deliciousness) the noodles go in to complete a fitting finale to a wonderful dining experience.

There’s one thing that Little Lamb has achieved and that is it has washed its hands of the whole situation that concerns unsatisfactory cooked dishes being returned back to the kitchen. There are no chefs here to take the blame except yourself, so don’t overcook your prawns please.

The philosophy behind a hot pot meal is deceptively simple- good stock base* and good fresh ingredients. Little Lamb has precisely done that and at 20 pounds a head, it’s an absolute bargain. A maxed out recommendation is thus warranted.

Now I wouldn’t even dream of coming here until Mr Noodles kindly invited me to join him for dinner at the Little Lamb. If eating Chinese is the raison d’être, Mr Noodles is certainly one knowledgeable person. And should you ever get the chance to meet him then I’m sure you’ll agree with me that he’s a splendid dining companion. Mr Noodles, thank you and this post is dedicated to you.

*Veggies, I can’t vouch for any of the hot pot stocks on offer being meat-free. Chinese restaurants have a habit of answering your queries just to please you.





72 Shaftesbury Avenue
Chinatown
London W1D 6NA