Bringing the spice of life to West Berkshire The West Berkshire town of Newbury is notable for a few things. It was the site of two battles in the English Civil War, its neighbours once included a RAF base picketed by anti-nuclear protestors and it’s the headquarters for the UK branch of telecommunications behemoth Vodafone. … Continue reading
Tag Archives: lamb
Nutshell review – Iranian food comes to Covent Garden
In a nutshell: you can do better On the face of it, a menu of small plates intended for sharing amongst multiple people seems like an oxymoron. It’s child’s play to share a heaving slab of roast, a cauldron of casserole or a heap of noodles with your gathered friends and family. It’s much harder … Continue reading
Flor review – Lyle’s does British tapas in Borough Market
Small plates don’t always lead to big rewards Update 31/01/2022 – this restaurant has now closed There’s no shortage of places in London to graze on small tapas-sized plates while guzzling wine, places where the list of liver-annihilating beverages is several times longer than the menu, especially around London Bridge and Borough Market. To the … Continue reading
Wild Honey review – a classic moves from Mayfair to St James
It may not be that wild any more, but this restaurant is most definitely sweet In an age where many London restaurants are closing their doors forever, it’s heartening to see that at least a select few are beating the odds. Wild Honey holds a special place in my gluttonous history as it was one … Continue reading
Mercato Metropolitano review – the Southwark street food hall trying to be everything to everyone
Halfway between Elephant & Castle and London Bridge, but nowhere in particular Updated 30/9/2019 – added reviews of new traders and updated the reviews of Badiani, Duman, Little Sicily and Turkish Garden Updated 16/4/2019 – added hyperlinked table of contents, corrected spelling and grammatical errors The weird thing about street food in London isn’t the … Continue reading
African Queen review – raise your glass to this Hounslow Indian pub
Hearty fare for locals and Heathrow travellers alike There are many reasons to hate Heathrow, from the 7am drinkers and the tedious security theatre of dubious utility to the obligatory naff ads for luxury goods and enterprise IT. One of the most hateful things about Heathrow, and indeed many Western airports in general, is the … Continue reading
Silk Road review – Xinjiang noodles and kebabs in Camberwell
Not all Silk Roads lead to treasure Some restaurants become so totemic and talismanic, that no amount of criticism on my part or anyone else’s is likely to dent their popularity. In London, a town somewhat unfairly pilloried for being expensive to live in, that maxim applies most potently to cheaply priced restaurants. Few sit-down … Continue reading
Barullo review – eye-opening paella and tapas in the City
The Spanish restaurant near The Gherkin that truly delivers It’s odd to begin a restaurant review by referring to another restaurant that I haven’t been to and that has closed entirely. But bear with me, as there’s a reason behind my madness. Barullo isn’t just a new Spanish restaurant in the City, within spitting distance … Continue reading
Pleasant Lady Jian Bing Trading Stall review – the Chinese crepes full of snap, crackle and spice
The street food stomach liner every Soho pub goer needs Chinese food has come far in London over the past decade or so, leaving behind the takeaway baggage that still weighs it down elsewhere throughout the country. It’s therefore ironic that one of the most delicious Chinese dishes in the capital is served from what … Continue reading
Bababoom vs Maison Bab review – new wave kebabs head-to-head
Islington brisket vs Covent Garden celeriac Traditional Turkish kebabs are nigh-on perfect. Whether you prefer shish, kofte, doner, iskender or beyti, the smoke and sizzle of a charcoal mangal is hard to beat. The wisest restauranteurs know better than to attempt ‘elevating’ or ‘refining’ these timeless classics, but instead attempt to put their own personal … Continue reading
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