Channa bhatura with raita - £13.50

The Dish

It’s worth ordering this impressive dish purely for the murmuring and head-turning of other diners as it makes it way to your table, but the accompanying curry more than pulls its weight. The chickpeas, cooked in a rich and tangy sauce, have just enough bite to remind you they are the star of the dish,

The Other Dishes

Chicken Lollipops with sweet chilli chutney are gnarly and vibrant, flaunting their flavour, inviting you to pick them up and get stuck in. The layered spices, tender chicken and irresistible crispy bits make them perfect bar food.

These onion bhajis with mint chutney are a world away from disappointingly claggy and greasy high street takeaway bhajis: addictive tangles of onion petals in a delicately light, crispy batter, warm with spice.

Thanjavur chicken curry with tender chicken thigh, coriander seeds, chilli powder, turmeric, coconut milk, crispy curry leaves and fresh ginger is beautifully spiced but with chilli warmth rather than heat. This would be a great sharing dish as it would be hard to imagine anyone not liking it. I always get a couple of roti and some coconut rice, so I can both scoop up the chicken and soak up the sauce.

The exceptional soft, buttery, flaky roti are made to order (see below) in some of the finest chef theatre in town. It is a truth universally acknowledged that you will always want more than you order, so go large; they will package up anything you don’t finish.

King prawn & curry leaf varuval is a little spicier; a dry curry flavoured with turmeric, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, black pepper, fennel seeds and coriander, and garnished with curry leaves. You can find the recipe for this online, and it’s reassuringly straightforward. I ate these with my fingers too, using a roti to avoid the immediate and stubborn staining effect of turmeric.

The menu keeps a core of favourites and swaps out some seasonal and new dishes every so often. I do mourn the loss of those giant grilled tiger prawns and the pulled beef masala uttapam but then I’m happy to see the whole grilled sea bream, so I can’t complain.

The Restaurant

I reviewed The Tamil Prince on a PR invite in 2023 (see the link below) and have used some of the photos from that first visit where they are better than subsequent attempts. If you are desperate to get Insta-worthy shots then I recommend lunch and a counter seat at the window for maximum daylight. As you can probably tell, I’m not the kind of girl that owns a tripod or a ring light; you’re lucky if I remember to wipe the lens on my iPhone before I shoot.

My favourite table is a counter seat by the window if I’m dining solo, or the table by the window if I’m with friends.

Any down sides? The table by the huge window into the kitchen is great viewing for about ten minutes and then you have every other diner in the place stopping right next to your table on their way to the loo, hanging around to watch the chefs make the rotis. I know, because I was one of those diners. In my defence (and everybody else’s), it is mesmerising.

The People

Executive Chef Prince Durairaj was previously the executive chef at Roti King, which explains a lot. Together with Glen Leeson, ex-GM of Market Halls and former Roti King Ops Manager, he has founded not just The Tamil Prince, but sister desi pub The Tamil Crown and Tamila, three ‘fast casual’ sites (think the OG Roti King) serving South Indian curries and small plates.

Cocktails are by former GM Simone Pugi from Soho’s Bar Termini, with a list which has been carefully crafted to both reflect and balance the food menu. There’s also a cookbook due out in October; now all I need is an upload from the Matrix to be able to send those roti spinning and stretching with a flick of the wrist.

The Area

Soto Coffee is a specialist single-origin Columbian coffee spot just five minutes away and has a decent amount of seating inside if you’re meeting friends; alternatively, Southpaw Coffee has a friendly local vibe and Coffee Berry is a Vietnamese family-run coffee shop with good homemade cakes and a handful of tables outside in good weather.

For cocktails you could do worse than the Tamil Prince itself, given the expertise behind the list. This is their signature Prince cocktail, fragrant with cardamom rum, lime, syrup, egg white and rose water; others, like the Tamil Negroni and the Ginger Paloma, include Tamil spicing.

Craft beer fans should head to Hammerton Brewery & Taproom. If you’re looking for a traditional pub or a wine bar may I direct you to The Drapers Arms, a mere five-minute walk away. For me, it’s the Platonic ideal of a local pub: an immediately welcoming vibe, a leafy secluded garden, lovely staff, eclectic clientele, excellent food, craft beer and a famously considered and creative wine list, with a good range available by the glass or carafe. I think this might be my favourite pub in London.

The Tamil Prince: 115 Hemingford Rd, London N1 1BZ

(Read my 2023 review of The Tamil Prince at Chatting Food.)

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English Breakfast udon - £16.20

The Dish

Handmade udon noodles and dashi with smoked streaky bacon, a runny-yolked fried egg and shiitake mushrooms.

Koya’s noodles are handmade daily, as is their dashi, and the texture is fabulous. Thick and springy, they have a really satisfying level of bite and chewiness; they do soften slightly the longer they are in the broth, so take this into account for your exact preference. Combine these with fried eggs and bacon and it really is the perfect blend of English comfort food and Japanese precision.

The Other Dishes

The Japanese breakfast of grilled mackerel, rice, pickles and miso soup is a light but feel-good start to the day. There’s something quite soothing and meditative about selecting the different elements in turn: a mouthful of rice here, a sliver of pickles there. My intermediate-level chopstick skills mean I need to focus and slow down a little, bringing my attention to each dish, which is no bad thing.

Lunchtime onwards, the omakase for two is a good place to start.

Daikon namasu pickles with ikura roe are perfect with the rich, gelatinous kakuni pork belly braised in cider; swapping between mouthfuls of sharp, briny, crunchy acidity and silky, savoury, yielding pork belly with a smear of sinus-clearing wasabi is a roller-coaster ride for the palate.

Chicory with whipped tofu and umami oil is again a dish of contrasts, with light, creamy tofu topped with a spicy umami oil served with sturdy chicory leaves, crunchy and bitter, for scooping.

Grilled atsu-age tofu topped with fiery fresh ginger and finely shredded cucumber was delicate and delicious.

Udon noodles in dashi with tori hen meat dumplings are plain in the best way: unfussy, straightforward and exactly as you expect. You don’t always want to be thrilled and amazed by your lunch, that would be exhausting. Fireworks are great, but sometimes you just want the familiar warmth of an Aga.

If you are looking to pimp your plate, you can customise your noodles with a range of options such as fresh wakame seaweed, natto or soy-pickled red chillies as well as a range of tempura items - including, rather wonderfully, the British fish ‘n’ chip shop favourite of scraps.

Udon noodles in fish dashi with saba smoked mackerel is a light yet flavourful alternative; don’t expect a rich and fatty ramen-style broth here, this is altogether more delicate and clean.

The noodles in the omakase are also available with kitsune braised tofu. If you’re dining solo, or just want something quick and easy, then go for their ethereally light prawn tempura udon, another textural masterclass.

The breakfast menu offers the English and Japanese breakfasts mentioned above, with a selection of extra toppings and sides.

The main menu covers your dining, drinking and snacking for the rest of the day, from iza’ koya (see what they did there?) favourites like chicken kara-age to donburi rice bowls, noodles, tempura and ice cream.

For Koya regulars though, the specials blackboard is where the action is. Dishes that are seasonal, or connected to a particular holiday or festival, will be listed here; don’t place your order before checking it out.

The Restaurant

Koya has branches in Soho on Frith Street, in the City near Bank, and Koya Ko in Broadway Market in Hackney, which is also on Deliveroo. These photos were all taken at the Soho branch, which is the one I go to most often. There are a handful of seats outside and then a counter with stools running the length of the kitchen inside.

You can buy some of the pickles and condiments to take home from their Omiyage (or souvenir) shop, as well as a range of other merch including cool t-shirts and caps.

My favourite table is outside in the summer, where you benefit from shade, an occasional breeze (merciful, as my last visit was during a London heatwave) and the immersive theatre that is Soho.

Any down sides? It’s a small, no-reservations restaurant which means you’ll likely have to queue. Although this is more stating the obvious than an actual down side, a noodle bar with seating on stools along a counter is not somewhere you would choose for a long, chatty lunch with friends.

The People

Founded by John Devitt, Koya opened with the original Head Chef Junya Yamazaki and current Executive Head Chef Shuko Oda, who oversees all the sites. Molly Spiteri, daughter of St John co-founder Jon Spiteri and Rochelle Canteen co-founder Melanie Arnold (sibling to Lorcan and Fin, ex-Caravel and now running The Latimer) is their Business Development Lead.

The Area

Soho is pretty comprehensively covered in the Google map available to premium subscribers (£5 per month or £50 for the year, cancel at any time) but if that’s not you as yet, let me highlight the following: for coffee, Sacred Grounds is a little-known spot run by St Anne’s church, particularly useful if Bar Italia is full.

The area’s also not short of characterful pubs: The French House (pictured), The Blue Posts on Berwick Street and The Coach & Horses, famously run by ‘London’s rudest landlord’ the late Norman Balon, all with great Soho stories. For cocktails, you can go cheap and cheerful with somewhere like Simmons with karaoke, a five-hour happy hour and cocktails in teapots; classy, with the expertly-poured Negronis at Bar Termini; or cool, with a Bowie-inspired cocktail list at The Thin White Duke.

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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Brisket bun with pickled red chilli - £12.50

The Dish

This is the dish that financed Smokestak: 30-day dry-aged beef brisket, smoked for eight hours, rested, then grilled and basted in house-made barbecue sauce. The meat is then carved and piled into a toasted milk bun, the base brushed with barbecue sauce and the top with beef dripping.

The pickled red chilli isn’t searingly hot but does bring a level of warmth, light sweetness, contrasting crunch and essential acidity to cut through the glorious richness of the meat. Smokestak founder David Carter has called it ‘the most accomplished, best balanced dish on the menu’.

The Other Dishes

Pastrami, pickles, mustard and dill is a classic flavour combo done very, very well; lightly-spiced, juicy and luxuriously fatty pastrami, cut through with a side of cucumbers pickled in dark sugar and a sharp, garlicky dill mustard.

Proving that no-waste doesn’t have to mean compromise, their confit burnt end tacos with tomatillo salsa are made using the off-cuts of brisket, smoked and confited in beef fat. Just add a couple of soft corn tortillas, sumac onions and a tomatillo salsa.

The Asian-inspired smashed cucumber salad with dry roasted peanuts and chilli vinegar is one of my favourite sides; the spicy acidity and different levels of crunch work beautifully with the tender, smoky meats.

If you’re an outspoken fan of nose-to-tail eating, it’s time to put your porky extremities where your mouth is. Pigtails in soy molasses should be a speed-dating test; you can learn a lot about someone by how (and indeed, if) they handle these crispy little morsels. Structurally they remind me of eating jellied eels, albeit more rewarding and a lot messier: use your fingers to pick them up, swipe them through the sweet, sticky, umami-heavy sauce that has dripped down to the bottom of the pot and then nibble and gnaw them clean. Wet wipes will be required; you might want to check your chin.

Crispy ox cheek croquettes with anchovy mayo have also been on the menu since day one and are another must-order: rich and sticky smoked ox cheek, shredded and mixed with barbecue sauce then coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crispy. The satisfying textural contrast between the crunchy coating and the soft, yielding ox cheek is mirrored in the balance between the rich, gelatinous smoked meat and a punchy anchovy mayo, bolstered with Parmesan, mustard and garlic. Deeply comforting.

The proper skin-on chips with aioli are a good call and you’ll probably want something green to go with. Grilled baby gem with sour cream, walnut gremolata and crispy beef fat is a genius side for barbecued and smoked meats but if you’re after something fresher then their watermelon, heritage tomato, mint and feta salad is a great reset for your palate.

If you have room for pudding, I highly recommend their famously good sticky toffee pudding, but in the heat of summer on an earlier visit this yoghurt panna cotta with strawberries and blood orange was a light and refreshing end to the meal.

The menu varies seasonally but wisely keeps a core list of their greatest hits. Go with a group and order the lot, or pace yourself over several visits; I usually have my next order planned before I leave.

The Restaurant

Smokestak is a three-minute walk from Shoreditch High Street station, on Sclater Street.

Carter went to Texas to source the imposing 4.5 tonne, 7-metre long, custom-built BBQ smoker which is the restaurant’s centrepiece.

The restaurant interior is as solid, industrial and practical as the smoker itself: predominantly concrete, wood, steel and leather, with black-clad staff working the grill and front of house. I’ve always found the staff here particularly lovely; on my most recent visit my server Alex could not have been more helpful, including going back to quiz the chefs on the ingredients in the anchovy mayo that came with the pastrami.

My favourite table is outside, weather permitting, admiring the street art and catwalk of the Shoreditch streets. There are some fabulous vintage shops nearby if you get fashion FOMO - check out the premium subscriber Google map which has hundreds of my favourite spots pinned: yours with a monthly subscription for little more than the price of a London latte.

Inside the restaurant, the counter seats offer prime chef-watching but feel a little more noisy, so I go for a seat by these imposing windows.

Any down sides? The industrial feel may be a little too stark for some, it’s not big on cushions and you will probably take the scent of smoke home with you on your clothes, but it’s worth all that and more.

The People

Barbados-born founder David Carter had management roles within the Gordon Ramsay Group at Claridges and the Savoy Grill and also at Roka before founding Smokestak, serving up his signature BBQ dishes at festivals and Dalston Yard’s street food night market, Street Feast, before his 10 Heddon Street residency with Chris Leach which would lead to them co-founding Manteca.

He has also opened Greek islands-inspired OMA in Borough Market which was recently awarded a Michelin star, along with a more casual downstairs version, Agora. There is another restaurant in the pipeline; Kid is due to open in Soho this September, co-founded with ex-Mangal II chef Sertaç Dirik; that’s a hugely exciting collaboration.

The Area

There is typical east London scenery from the terrace seats outside. If you’re not familiar with this part of town, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s run down; you’d be lucky to rent a one-bed flat in this area for less than £2500 a month (I know - I’ve tried).

As always, everything you need to eat, drink, sightsee and party is on the ETN! Google map but I can point you to the wonderful Close-Up cinema which is less than two minutes away on the same street. It’s not just an arthouse cinema and a resource library but also has a bar serving coffee and a small selection of beer, wine and spirits. There’s natural wine bar Oranj if that’s your thing, or good local pubs include the Knave of Clubs and the legendary Golden Heart; don’t forget to say hi to Sandra and check out the Emin.

Smokestak: 35 Sclater Street, London E1 6LB

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Prawn and piquillo pepper tortilla - £15.00

The Dish

When you order your tortilla, they will tell you that it is cooked so that the egg in the middle is runny; unless you have health issues that say otherwise, your response should be that you are very glad to hear it. A fully set tortilla is up there with well-done beef in the textural house of horrors; this one will be light, oozy, silky, creamy and irresistible.

The prawn and piquillo pepper version is my favourite but you could go for a classic or chorizo version if you prefer; the all-important texture will be the same.

The Other Dishes

Juicy marinated olives with lemon and salt are ideal for priming your palate while you browse the menu and perfect paired with a crisp, chilled glass of white (although they did give me Pavlovian cravings for a martini).

Croquetas de jamon are another must-order dish: salty, savoury ham, rich with umami, present as little nuggets which have infused the velvety bechamel filling and fine slices draped around the thinnest of crispy coatings. Explosively flavourful and texturally seductive.

These cuttlefish croquetas were heftier: rich, briny, dark with squid ink, topped with a sprig of samphire and, I think, a slightly peppery alioli. Again, they are not shy with flavour.

You should always check the daily specials board (every site has its own) for the seafood options. Our cuttlefish croquetas were a special, and if you are fortunate enough to find razor clams al ajillo then order them immediately. Their gambas rojas are also a good shout, and on the main menu, but I love the sweet, gnarly tenderness of razor clams; they are tricky to cook well, but perfect here.

Courgette flower stuffed with goat’s cheese and drizzled with honey is a seasonal favourite, delicate and creamy, a good foil for some of the bolder flavours such as patatas bravas or even pan con tomate - in my opinion, one of the most underrated tapas dishes there is.

This pork tenderloin and broad beans was spectacular. Tenderloin is a premium cut with hardly any fat, so needs skilful cooking to stay tender and succulent; when using high-quality produce like this, it is perfectly safe for the pork to be pink in the middle. I’m happy to elaborate in the comments if anyone is unsure, just drop me a message!

Two other dishes that I can recommend from previous visits to other sites are the mushrooms with cured egg yolk, which has Ganbara vibes, and the grilled squid with chickpeas; obviously as always it’s down to your personal preferences, the size of your group and how hungry you are, but I would feel I hadn’t done my job if I didn’t mention them.

The Restaurant

The Coal Drops Yard site is above sister restaurant Parrillan; the Dean Street, Soho site is immediately next door to Quo Vadis - actually, part of the same building. Nearest stations are King’s Cross and Tottenham Court Road respectively.

My favourite table at King’s Cross is in this light-filled room hidden behind the bar; book this if you’re in a group, or just like a chair with a comfy backrest rather than a stool.

Any down sides? As mentioned, like any authentic tapas bar much of the seating is focused along a counter which makes it impractical for groups who want to chat; other than that, it’s just a guaranteed good time.

The People

Barrafina is part of Harts Group, headed up by Sam Hart, Crispin Somerville and Anna Watkins, which also runs Quo Vadis, Bar Daskal, Parrillan, El Pastor, The Drop and Two Drops.

Nieves Barragán earned a Michelin star for the original Barrafina while she was Executive Head Chef, a position she held for ten years whilst also launching sites in Adelaide Street and Drury Lane. She is now Chef Director of her own fabulous contemporary Spanish restaurants, Legado in Shoreditch and Sabor in Mayfair, both of which have also been awarded a Michelin star. Antonio González Milla and Francisco ‘Paco’ Torrico currently share the Barrafina Executive Chef role in London.

We’ve covered the Soho area pretty thoroughly in earlier posts so I’ve focused on Barrafina’s King’s Cross site, one I visited for the first time quite recently.

The Coal Drops Yard development may have divided opinion - characterless gentrification vs. much-needed revitalisation - but it’s an undeniably easy place to while away some time. Shaded terraces with fairy-lit trees, synchronised fountains, bougie boutiques to artisan markets and enough people-watching opportunities to keep you happy for hours.

A quick glance at the locals and you can guess that you’re not short of good coffee spots. There’s a Caravan and a Redemption Roasters within moments, and Vermuteria serves Allpress coffee alongside an impressive menu of apéritifs. My current favourite place to hide away if I’m early for a booking (and I’m always early) is Spiritland: pop in for a coffee, cocktail, small plates, an events night, or just to chill out to whatever vinyls they’re playing at the time. Another versatile option is Notes, which morphs from a morning coffee and brunch spot to a wine and craft beer bar in the evenings. I’ll flag up nearby restaurant and wine bar Porte Noire, purely for the reflected celeb glitter of co-owner Idris Elba, although I can’t comment further as I haven’t been there yet.

If you’re a premium subscriber, I have added all these and more to your ETN! Google map; with hundreds of my favourite coffee spots, restaurants, bars, galleries, museums and things to do, I hope you’re finding it a useful reference and inspiration when you’re out. Subscribe below for the link.

Barrafina: Soho, Covent Garden, King’s Cross, Borough Yards

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Lamb flatbread with egg - £3.50

Note: just before we get into the details, it’s no accident that I chose to cover this in the same month as the £140 T-bone at Ibai. This Substack is where I feature dishes that are well-known and talked about in London’s foodie circles; ones that people who eat out, cook, run or support restaurants for a living will travel for and recommend to their friends. The only condition I set is that I must have eaten the dish myself, anonymously if possible and never purely as a PR invite, and paid for it with my own money.

We’re an eclectic bunch, and hence so are my recommendations; I’m here for everything London has to offer, which is what makes this so much fun!

The Dish

Crispy keema-style minced lamb with a whisper of heat and a good layer of spice, folded in one of the best naan-style breads I’ve had: freshly-cooked mere feet away, the smoky charred leopard-spots freckling a pillowy bread with just the right amount of chew. Waiting for your wrap to cook is a matter of minutes but the enveloping fragrance of baking bread and caramelised meat is the ultimate appetite-sharpener.

The Other Dishes

I also ordered the cheese flatbread which is exactly as you would hope; a simple thing done very well.

The key thing to remember is to buy some of the plain naan to take home; they are £1.50 for a pack of three, freeze beautifully and will not only raise your lunch game but transform your next cook-at-home curry. I bought both wraps and two packs of plain naan for £9.

The menu is on a panel above the kitchen and is pretty straightforward: flatbreads, either plain, herb, cheese or meat. The only variable is the option of adding an egg, although at this point why not level up?

The Restaurant

Ararat Bread is in Ridley Road Market; the nearest station is Dalston Kingsland, which is directly across the road from the market entrance. Ararat Bread is at the other end of the market, one of the final units on the right hand side.

In case you’re wondering how on earth they can afford to run a bakery with those prices, do you see that shopping trolley at the front of the bakery, piled with green plastic sacks? They are all full of freshly-cooked, packaged flatbreads, on their way to an extensive network of local businesses and restaurants. You know that amazing fluffy laffa bread at Bubala? That’s from Ararat Bread (and kudos to Bubala for shouting that out on their Instagram).

As there is no seating, I can’t recommend my favourite table but I can tell you that my favourite seat is under the tree just across the market, to the right of the bakery as you leave. There’s wooden seating built around the trunk so you can sit in reasonable comfort and lean against the tree while you eat; the photos of the wraps are taken from there, so you can see how close it is.

Any down sides? As a former Hackney resident I absolutely love the vibe of Ridley Road market: eagle-eyed matriarchs checking the ripeness of plantains, £1 bowls of fruit and veg piled high and precariously balanced, the scents in the air changing from ripe fruit to fresh fish to spices and incense as you walk, old-school stalls selling household items, fufu and fish seasoning, curtains or cosmetics, the stallholders’ calls set against a background of thumping music and haggling.

Or, to put it another way, it’s a market not a restaurant: noisy, crowded, a bit smelly and with no linen-covered tables or Aesop-scented bathrooms. But if you’re looking at the Venn diagram of super-fresh, tasty, filling lunches, and ridiculous value for money, then this is your spot.

The People

There’s not too much I can say here as it’s not the kind of place where you get to quiz the chefs across the pass. Staff are busy and not given to chatting, although there is something hypnotic about watching them work with their peels, shuffling and switching the flatbreads around the huge circular oven base as it turns.

The Area

Looking for somewhere to hang out post-flatbread? Ridley Road market is just moments from what must be London’s best car park, home to the wonderful Dusty Knuckle where you can sit with an excellent coffee (while you nurse your still-warm potato sourdough loaf, more bakery swag) as well as Acme Fire Cult (see the August edition of EAT THIS NOW! ) which has a bar, and the The 40 Foot Brewery with its craft beer taproom.

You’re also close to the café-bar in Dalston Eastern Curve Garden where you can get coffee or drinks in a winding, quirky garden, or head across the road to Newcomer Wines or the wonderful Dan’s for a range of wines by the glass.

Ararat Bread: 132 Ridley Road (in Ridley Road Market), Dalston, London E8 2NR

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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Galician Blond T-bone steak - £140 per kg

The Dish

Galician Blond (aka Rubia Gallega in their native Spain) are prized beef cattle with a characteristic reddish-blond coat. They graze in pastures for up to 15 years before slaughter; the meat is then dry-aged, producing beef with a deep yellow fat, intense flavour and rich marbling.

The T-bones are all portioned to 1kg and cooked a default perfect medium-rare. There are two different cuts on a T-bone, sirloin and fillet, so two distinct eating experiences of both flavour and texture. I don’t think there is a better way to cook a T-bone - or perhaps any kind of steak - than over fire, so this is basically the best cut of the best beef cooked in the best way. It’s certainly not cheap, but then nor are Aston Martins. I pay for all my meals featured on here with my own money, and this took some budgeting; what I can tell you is that I still think about the experience and it was worth every penny. If you’re a steak fan, this needs to be on your bucket list.

I shared this with one dining companion; my recommendation would be to have a table of four and add some of the other dishes below, then everyone gets to at least try it. Oh, and they will wrap up the bone for you to take home if you’re into making stock.

The Other Dishes

To start, the Cantabrian anchovies with arbequina olive oil, with chunks of baguette on the side for mopping, are hard to beat. Fresh, briny and fiercely, wonderfully savoury, they also look gorgeous: simply plated and so inviting. Whatever you do, don’t let them take away the plate once you’ve finished: read on.

The tomatoes and shallots side dish is an essential with the steak, bringing a welcome liveliness, freshness and acidity which cuts through the intense richness of the meat.

The third of the holy trinity would be the beef fat French fries, proper skin-on chips cooked as god intended: hot, crispy and golden, wonderful swiped through that herbal, almost buttery olive oil from the anchovies plate.

It’s not all about the beef at Ibai. King crab rice is one of their best-selling dishes and is on the list for my next visit, along with the Cinco Jotas Iberico Ham & Crisps with smoked piparra peppers which arrives as a towering pile of crisps, topped with cascading slices of Iberico ham and a handful of lightly-pickled mild peppers.

If you’re just looking to get the feel of Ibai, you could do worse than ordering the Croque Ibai. It’s a surf ‘n’ turf croque monsieur on steroids, with carabinero prawns, boudin noir, and mild and nutty Tomme de Brebis cheese, drizzled with hot honey.

Unusually for a steak-forward restaurant, the desserts here are exceptional: the best of the bunch is the Pain Perdu with rum and hazelnut ice cream.

The texture is absolutely dreamy: a crisp, caramelised buttery crust giving way to a soothingly squidgy custardy interior, sitting in a pool of rum custard, topped with a silky ice cream and toasted hazelnuts. It is a literal, physical pleasure to eat.

The menu is unapologetically and firmly meat-forward but there are some considered fish and plant-based options. The turbot chop is tempting, there’s that king crab rice plus an octopus & piperade marmitako (basically a kind of rich Basque stew) and there is a charred cauliflower dish on the menu at the moment - not strictly vegetarian, as it uses Ossau-Iraty sheep’s cheese which is made with animal rennet - as a break from the beef.

The Restaurant

Ibai is in the City; the nearest tube is Barbican at a five-minute walk away, or St Paul’s at six minutes.

You might fear that a high-end, beef-focused Basque grill with a French accent in the heart of the City will be packed with braying business lunches and self-important suits but I’ve found Ibai’s clientele to be surprisingly eclectic. Similarly, the location in a cavernous former factory warehouse is somehow warm and welcoming rather than chilly and industrial; semicircular booths give diners both a sense of privacy and access to the buzz of the room.

My favourite table would be at the counter next to the open kitchen if dining alone or with one companion, and in one of the cosy booths if in a group.

Any down sides? As mentioned, it’s not the best choice if you have vegetarians in your party or you usually have too much month left at the end of the money, but as a special treat for steak-lovers it is hard to beat.

The People

Ibai was co-founded by beef supplier and restaurateur ‘Mr Txuleta’ Nemanja Borjanović (who also co-founded Donostia, Lurra and Maset), ex-Donostia Will Sheard and ex-Chiltern Firehouse Executive Chef Richard Foster.

If you’re a regular at The Devonshire you’ll see some familiar faces, both in the kitchen and front of house: ex GM Andy has since moved on again to open Wild Izakaya (having come to The Devonshire from Bouchon Racine, which is quite the CV) but I recognised the lovely Francisco’s warm welcome and knowledgeable advice on wine. This Txakoli came with some tableside theatre to transport us to the Basque region.

The Area

If you are visiting on a Saturday, do remember that a lot of hospitality businesses in the City close at weekends as the whole area is pretty much deserted. Local coffee shops include the small but mighty Dose Barbican and Prufrock Coffee which also has some top-quality teas.

For pre- or post- drinks, you could do worse than head to St John Smithfield for a Fergroni - Fergus’s own more gin-forward and lemon-garnished version of a Negroni, available to buy by the bottle to take home. The Winemakers Club morphs from shop to cool and relaxed wine bar in the evenings, with bare brickwork and artfully mismatched wooden chairs and tables in a candlelit cellar under the arches of Holborn Viaduct.

For pubs, Ye Olde Mitre has to be top choice for character and history plus a good choice of real ales on tap, and is about ten minutes away. The Viaduct Tavern is closer and has its own historical claim to fame as a classically ornate Victorian gin palace with stunning interiors, a separate gin menu and, allegedly, original cells from Newgate prison in the cellar.

Ibai: 92 Bartholomew Close, London EC1A 7BN

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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Wigmore Ice Cream, Meringue & Bread Caramel - £10.00

The Dish

Wigmore is a creamy, brie-style sheep’s cheese which gives the ice cream a slight lactic tang, this is topped with a torched meringue and drizzled with caramel made using their sourdough offcuts. There is a centre of breadcrumbs, toasted in butter taken so dark that the crumbs look almost like coffee or cocoa, with a similarly complex sweet-savoury flavour and crunchy texture. Happily this is about the only dish with a permanent place on their daily changing menu, so you should be able to share the joy.

The Other Dishes

Whenever I’ve been to Planque they’ve featured an oyster (on the occasion pictured, a creamy Carlingford oyster with hot sauce) and a delicate little raw seafood tartlette (here, scallop and sea lettuce, topped with salty fingers) on the menu. Please don’t miss the tartlettes; they are a masterclass on how skill, instinct and exquisite balance can come together in something so apparently simple. It reminds me of the story of Picasso drawing on a napkin - scroll down if you don’t know it.*

The pared-down beef tartare is another highly recommended dish, served with pepper sauce and crisps for scooping. I usually order a side of fries with my beef tartare but the crisps here do almost the same job, and with a more convenient shape.

Fish cookery is sublime here; this sea bass with beetroot and mustard leaves was as fresh, clean and flavourful as if I were eating it on the beach straight from the boat, with the earthy, peppery leaves enhancing its natural sweetness. Fuchsia Dunlop tells the story of eating at Planque with hard-to-please friends from Hong Kong who were convinced that the fish must have been cooked by a Chinese chef, it was so precise in both texture and flavour.

Planque’s veal sweetbreads are the stuff of legend but somehow a combination of changing menus and dining companion preferences means I’ve never had them. On my most recent visit I did get to try this rich, meaty and beautifully burnished veal sweetbread pithivier with mushrooms, which will have to salve my FOMO for now.

On my most recent lunch visit, I had a dessert that is probably in my top ten of all time; milk ice cream, green strawberries and plum stone granita. It would have been a contender for the hero dish were it not so seasonal.

Historically I’ve not been that keen on dishes that pair ice cream and granita; I’ve always felt that either I want the refreshing zing of a granita or the indulgent creaminess of an ice cream, but rarely both. This dish, however, is an education. You get the slight bitter almond flavour of the granita for a moment before it dissolves, then the almost herbal freshness and bite of the strawberries before the soothing softness of the ice cream. It’s a distinct and rewarding journey.

Seb Holmes we already know is a genius; pastry chef Ellie Wilding is now also firmly on my radar.

The menus change depending on the produce but as mentioned there are recurring themes: oysters, seafood tartlettes, beef tartare, seafood rice, veal sweetbreads and that Wigmore ice cream.

There is also a set lunch menu on Saturdays, which is kind of Planque lite; a trailer of the full technicolour movie but with enough optional extras to get a real taste of the place. It’s also great value at £45.00 for three courses.

The Restaurant

Planque is in Haggerston, just opposite Haggerston overground station which is on the Windrush line.

First things first: ‘planque’ is French for a hideaway or refuge, and so pronounced ‘plonk’ (no wine pun intended, I am assured by staff). Much has been made of it being under the radar, an IYKYK industry haunt: whilst this is unintentional and I’m sure frustrating for the owners, the lack of PR and less than central location do mean it is somewhere you seek out rather than stumble across. When I invite guests, I usually WhatsApp them this picture as they have been known to wander past several times, assuming it is yet another east London design studio.

I wonder if this will change now it has been named the best restaurant in London by hugely respected Vittles Magazine; it’s worth mentioning here that their Substack is one that I happily pay for and recommend without hesitation to anyone interested in food.

Having navigated its rather understated frontage Planque’s interior divides the crowd, with some finding it stark and overly practical. Personally, I love it; it’s sleek, stylish and kind of luxe minimalist - much like the food. A long wooden table dominates the right hand side of the restaurant, with more intimate seating and areas for the wine club members on the left. The vibe is welcoming, relaxed and unpretentious.

My favourite table is at the long counter opposite the open kitchen, ideally at the end facing the door so you can see both the restaurant and the chefs. The section directly in front of the kitchen is also the pass for bread and cold dishes, so you get some close-up plating action too; tweezers may be involved.

Any down sides? Even if I love a place, I always strive to be objective. Reviews that are all rainbows and glitter are unlikely to be of much practical use; if you’re going to write about restaurants at all then you need to be genuinely open and honest, and let your readers make up their own minds. That said, I’m really struggling to find a down side to Planque; it really is one of my happy places. The only thing I’ve noticed is that if you are at the counter seat directly opposite the kitchen then you are also sitting straight in front of a regularly-used container used by staff for tasting and checking wine; it’s subtle, but it’s still basically a spittoon, which can be a little off-putting if you’re not a wine buff and would perhaps be better out of view. Otherwise, Planque is as near perfect as a place can get.

The People

Planque was founded by Parisian wine buff Jonathan Alphandery and Australian chef Seb Myers, set up as both a restaurant and a members’ wine club with cellaring and tasting events - hence its location under the railway arches.

Head chef and co-founder Seb Myers is respected within the industry as a chef’s chef. His CV includes working with Nuno Mendes at Viajante and Chiltern Firehouse, co-founding Snackbar with Freddie Janssen, time at Mission Sager & Wilde and The Laughing Heart plus a resident head chef role at P. Franco and international experience in Sweden and Paris.

Seasonality is a key inspiration for Myers’ dishes; he seems to combine a deep understanding of the purest characteristics of an ingredient with an eclectic knowledge of, and occasionally slightly left-field approach to, other flavours or techniques that would really bring them into focus. If I had to pinpoint two regular reactions to eating his food it would be surprise and delight. What more can you ask?

The Area

Shed, the coffee bar, shop and free workspace almost next door to Planque, has changed to a paid space but they have another site literally one minute round the corner on Kingsland Road where you can meet for a coffee or glass of wine. A Bar With Shapes for a Name is also just a few minutes away on Kingsland Road and would be an ideal pre-dinner spot; it fills up quickly, although it opens at 5pm and you can reserve a table.

My lovely friend, fellow food-obsessive and regular dining companion CLo is also a talented food illustrator so I thought I’d share her gorgeous drawing of those little scallop tartlettes. Limited edition prints are available on her website, along with framed and unframed prints of many other delicious dishes and culinary adventures. Happy browsing!

*Apparently Picasso was dining at a restaurant when he was recognised by a woman who asked if he would sign a sketch on her napkin. He agreed, drew a quick sketch and then asked for a sizeable fee. ‘How can you ask for so much?” she asked, shocked. ‘It only took you a few minutes to draw that’.

‘No, madam,’ he replied, ‘It took me forty years.’

Planque: 322-324 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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Linguine with tiger prawn, datterini tomato, chilli, garlic & basil - £16.00

The Dish

A generous portion of plump prawns in a delicate Sicilian datterini tomato sauce, served with hand-made linguine. This is, for me, a perfect lunch dish: light, fresh and flavourful. It’s also great value, something which characterises the whole menu.

The Other Dishes

I like the bruschetta here, particularly the broad bean puree with mint and stracciatella, and the datterini tomato and marjoram: again, generosity is evident, as is the quality of the olive oil drizzled over the dish.

Their antipasti board is a good mix of flavours and textures: prosciutto crudo, pork loin, salami and pickles which are perfect to pick at with a spritz or similar and wake up your palate for the pasta to follow.

Now, this is the first dish ever to appear on my Substack that I haven’t actually eaten, but I want you to know about it. I have it on very good authority from multiple dining companions that it is superb; it is a pumpkin and ricotta ravioli with almond, Parmesan, chilli and sage butter. Sage and I do not get on, so I had to take their word for it. I did, however, do a thorough visual check: the edges of the ravioli were beautifully thin (the double layer of pasta needed can be stodgy if not rolled thinly enough) and the filling plump and generous.

The pappardelle with beef short rib ragu is at least as good as nearby Padella’s. I may even prefer the pasta work here; the pappardelle ribbons are delicate, silky and slippery with the rich ragu. It’s a deeply satisfying and comforting dish.

The spaghetti “carbonara” (inverted commas, model’s own) with guanciale, parmesan, and a confit egg yolk is the only dish I feel may be a little style over substance. The egg yolk does sauce the dish to an extent, but what I love about a true carbonara is that rich, velvety emulsion coating every strand of pasta, which you don’t get here. Also, I like the salty sharpness of traditional Pecorino, even when mixed with Parmesan to bring it down a little.

The tiramisu, on the other hand, is absolutely and happily as the nonnas intended: soft, rich, creamy, with a decent kick of coffee and a good dusting of bitter cocoa to balance it all out. You can also get a DIY affogato by ordering a scoop of gelato and an espresso, although remember that gelato is softer in texture than standard ice cream so will melt more quickly.

The menu changes seasonally (hurry back, preserved truffle taglierini with a cured egg yolk) but they usually keep a few classics; I always like to try the seasonal options as the chefs clearly understand and respect the ingredients and tend to showcase them simply but thoughtfully. As implied by the restaurant name, they are also pretty good with wine; expect reasonably-priced Italian wines available by the glass, carafe and bottle or, if budget permits, ask for their reserve list which includes several half-bottles.

The Restaurant

Flour & Grape is on Bermondsey Street, near White Cube and opposite WatchHouse coffee. The nearest station is London Bridge, less than a ten-minute walk away - perfect if you fancy good pasta but can’t face the crush and rush of Padella.

The pasta is hand-made throughout the day; in fact, one of my favourite kinds of street theatre/meditation is to watch the chefs rhythmically filling, shaping and cutting at the counter by the window.

My favourite table is probably one of the banquettes under the windows, only because the central tables have stools not chairs and I’m finding comfy back support is my friend these days. I’m willing to work on my core for a counter seat at an open kitchen with a chef view, but not for a table in the middle of a room. I find the lower tables make the room marginally less noisy too.

Any down sides? It’s no-reservations, but they run a virtual queue and have reinstated the bar area downstairs - previously 214, now called The Cellar Club - which is helpful. Also the acoustics aren’t fabulous, which as mentioned means it can get a bit noisy with all those people having a lovely time, but that’s presumably why you didn't get Deliveroo.

The People

Flour & Grape was founded by Nick Crispini; despite a family background in hospitality he became a web developer before giving in to tradition and training as a chef. With experience working under Theo Randall at Park Lane he opened Antico, an Italian restaurant that struggled post-Brexit and which he closed, before opening pared-back Flour & Grape on the same site.

The Area

The best coffee shops - including Fuckoffee, Watch House and Chapter 72 - and the best places for a pre- or post-prandial drink - shout-outs here to The Woolpack, Vine and Chapter 72’s evening alter-ego - are all on the Google map for premium subscribers, along with other local recommendations. You’re certainly not short of options within a five-minute walk away.

Flour and Grape: 214 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3TQ

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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Kidneys in Madeira sauce - £10.50

The Dish

I can’t guarantee that this particular dish will be available on your visit as the menu changes daily, but anything offally would be a good choice. On a cold, rainy autumn evening this was soothingly rustic and hearty, yet showed the chef’s considerable skill and clear respect for the ingredients. Kidneys, like liver, need to be cooked with precision: the texture alone makes the dish practically inedible if they are under- or overcooked. Here, they were perfect. You are in very safe hands.

The Other Dishes

Other recommended dishes include this melon and ham with a port reduction, a fresh start to a midsummer meal reminiscent of sunny holidays with friends and long, lazy lunches. This simple dish lives or dies on the freshness and quality of the ingredients, which here are both excellent.

Although Casse-Croûte are known for their meat and offal dishes, they have an equally deft touch with fish. This sea trout, fennel and herb vinaigrette was beautifully cooked: gently flaking fish with lightly braised fennel and a sharp, vibrant dressing.

Their devilled pork shoulder had a satisfyingly sinus-clearing heat from the mustard-based sauce which cut through the yielding richness of the pork.

The only thing missing from these lovely crêpes Suzette was a tableside flambé; however, inside a restaurant this tiny (or outside on a pavement table next to the beautiful Bermondsey-ites) that’s sadly not an option. Not to worry; the flavour was still superb, the portion generous and it felt like an indulgent treat - as puddings should.

The menu changes daily depending upon the best available produce and is handwritten on a blackboard - in French, so get ready to Google. There are always three starters, three mains and three desserts; technically this should make life easier for indecisive diners, although I’m usually tempted by everything.

The Restaurant

Casse-Croûte is on Bermondsey Street, about 5 minutes’ walk from London Bridge station.

I confess, this is one of my favourite restaurants in London. It’s tiny, full of character and utterly charming. The door opens into a rural French bouchon magically transported to Bermondsey: pleated cafe curtains, red gingham tablecloths, walls crammed with mirrors, copper pans and vintage French prints.

Restaurant business cards with lipstick kisses and messages from happy customers line ceiling areas and the bar, which is stocked with cognac, eau-de-vie and chartreuse. The wine list is, unsurprisingly, French - although the focus on small producers and organic wines means there are some discoveries to be made.

I don’t have a favourite table, but I insist on a seat facing inwards so I can people-watch.

Any down sides? It’s very small (maybe 20 covers), blessedly popular and has a cosy romantic vibe ideal for date night, so Friday and Saturday nights get booked up quickly.

The People

Casse-Croûte was opened in 2013 by ex-José GM Hervé Durochat, ex Arts Club, Viajante and Hakkasan maitre-d’ Alex Bonnefoy and ex-Morgan M and Monsieur Max chef Sylvain Soulard, who also heads up the kitchen in sister restaurant Pique-Nique which is just across Tanner Park.

The Area

I’ve covered the local coffee shops, pubs and bars in earlier posts including Manze’s. Premium subscribers can access the entire archive as well as a continually updated Google map pinned with 300 places of interest and counting; at £5 per month (less than a London pint, and you can cancel at any time) it’s surely worth a try?

Alternatively, here’s the short version. Check out the following: Fuckoffee and WatchHouse for coffee, Morocco Bound, Vine and Bermondsey Corner for wine, Chapter 72 and The Last Talisman for cocktails and The Woolpack and The Garrison for pubs. They are all mere steps away.

Casse-Croûte: 109 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XB

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you.

Thank you!

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Wild ginger chicken thigh - £6.50

The Dish

This is where the open-fire credentials of the chefs kick in. The chicken is crispy with delicious charring but soft and succulent within; the thigh is my favourite cut and they have brought out all the flavour with a punchy ginger glaze. Spritz with the fresh lime wedge and enjoy.

The Other Dishes

The watermelon and strawberry salad with mint from last summer sounds innocent enough; it’s cooling and refreshing as you might expect, but it wouldn’t be a Singburi dish without a hidden kick of chilli and a salty, savoury drift of prawn floss.

Don’t miss these grilled lamb riblets; irresistible little nuggets of tender lamb just right for picking up, swiping through the chilli and tamarind glaze pooled on the plate, and nibbling away at. I love eating with my hands and this is a dish made for just that; its so satisfying.

The prawn and pineapple red curry is warm with spice, and the pineapple brings freshness and acidity to cut through the creamy sauce. Prawns are halved lengthways, keeping the visual impact of the shells whilst allowing the prawns to soak up that fiery sauce, and the diners to prise them out with ease. Use the intentionally plain jasmine rice to soak up every last drop of the sauce.

Pork fat stir-fried hispi cabbage arrived gleaming with the promise of piggy goodness, crispy edges balanced by freshness and bite. This was an OG dish from the original site and just goes well with everything.

There is a generous amount of yieldingly soft slow-cooked beef in the short rib green curry, which is a beautifully-balanced blend of rich meat and spicy, fragrant sauce. You may as well order extra bowls of rice at the same time because again, none of this sauce should be allowed to make it back to the kitchen.

Stir-fried morning glory is everything you need from a side dish: fresh, tasty and texturally interesting.

Singburi’s former Leytonstone incarnation (see below) was known for the blackboard menu of Siri’s daily specials: most famously the moo krob, crispy pork belly with chilli and basil (a dish that would have taken the hero spot were it still on the menu) and the clams with roast chilli jam. It’s a nice touch to have it in the window at Shoreditch, as a welcome/peace offering to fans of the original.

The Restaurant

Before we talk about the Shoreditch Singburi, you need to know about the original; a tiny, unassuming family-run Thai cafe in Leytonstone with a passionate, borderline cult following which was permanently crowded (think cramming a group of mates into your mum’s front room), cash only, BYOB and almost impossible to book.

The whole experience was so embedded in east London food culture that it took on a rosy romantic glow and the move to a sleek, brand new, industrial-style Shoreditch location wasn’t universally popular. The level of outrage and dismissal in some quarters made me wonder whether it was more the insider knowledge status and perceived coolness that they were really annoyed at losing. The original Singburi wasn’t a place most Londoners would accidentally stumble across; eating there took effort and planning when to call or to risk a walk-in, whereas Shoreditch is supremely accessible.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with it; things change, and I have to admit that the restaurant having a more central location and being able to book online are huge advantages for me. Siri is still a regular presence in the kitchen, meaning the food and cooking style has continuity, which I feel is a Theseus’s ship-type deal-breaker to making the move and carrying on the name. Surely he’s allowed to stop working for his parents at some point, and they are allowed a rest?

But be of good cheer, all you who mourn progress. In addition to the famous blackboard, the signage from the original restaurant now hangs above the bar and, if you still hanker after history, a trip to the loo will reunite you with some familiar and much-loved artwork.

If you’d like to dig a little deeper, I thoroughly recommend the Vittles Substack post by Michaël Protin; it’s engaging, well-informed and written with genuine warmth and understanding.

Today, Singburi is located in Montacute Yards, Shoreditch. It can be a bit tricky to find at first: if you’re coming from Shoreditch High Street, get to Smoking Goat and then cross over the road to Rudy’s Pizza. To your left is a walkway with a sign above it saying Montacute Yards; walk down here and Singburi is a little way down on the right. If it helps, it’s pretty much next door to Legado, the latest gem from chef Nieves Barragán.

The nearest station is Shoreditch High Street, which is on the Windrush overground line; it’s about a five-minute walk away.

In contrast to the Tetris-style ‘sit-where-you-fit’ at the previous site, here you can choose between comfortable tables along the window or counter seating with a perfect view of the open kitchen.

My favourite table would be the counter if I were dining solo or with just one other person; open-fire cooking theatre is fascinating.

Any down sides? The only thing I can think of is that on my last visit, a recent mid-afternoon, the low spring sun meant the tables at the end of the restaurant were in full glare for those diners facing the huge windows; we eventually asked to move. I can only hope god smites us with endless sunshine this summer, so this is an actual recurring issue.

The People

Singburi began as a fish and chip shop owned by Tony and Thelma Kularbwong who then started cooking Thai food, apparently after a customer asked for a curry sauce to go with his chips. Their son Sirichai (aka Siri) later took on the head chef role with his menu of specials. The popularity of the restaurant meant that they were all working relentlessly; having closed for an extended ‘sabbatical’ at the end of 2024, they subsequently announced the closure of the site, the retirement of Siri’s parents and the planned move to Shoreditch.

Siri teamed up with two friends in the industry: the talented Nick Molyviatis, former chef at Smoking Goat and head chef at Kiln before launching Oma with David Carter, skilled in open fire cooking and a fan of the open kitchen for both chefs and diners; and Alex Gkikas, charming owner of Catalyst and expert in creating that elusive welcoming ambience that keeps customers coming back. Together they have created the next stage of Singburi; not a carbon copy of the original, but a respectful and, I feel, a natural development.

The Area

Flying Horse Coffee is a great meeting place just a few doors down from the restaurant, with good coffee and plenty of seating; Ozone Coffee Roasters is another good option, with specialist coffee and an in-house roastery you can see as you sip. The lovely Project 44 is a relaxed coffee spot that becomes a wine bar in the evening so you could always circle back after lunch.

It was only on my most recent visit to Singburi that one of my dining companions (thanks Yas!) introduced me to Shoreditch Wine House. Like many others, I hadn’t noticed the tiny corridor that leads to this cool little wine bar and bottle shop but it’s definitely on my list now. I love that I keep finding fabulous new places in London, even when I think I know an area well.

Nearby Smoking Goat has inventive cocktails, or you might want to factor some in at Singburi; pictured here are three favourites - the pandan Negroni, a makrut lime leaf gimlet and a virgin Paloma. For the full cocktail bar experience, it’s hard to beat the nearby Seed Library from cocktail god Mr Lyan.

Singburi: Unit 7, Montacute Yards, 185‑186 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6HU

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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Keralan Fried Chicken - £13.00

The Dish

This crispy fried chicken is vibrant with the flavour of Kashmiri chillies, coriander and turmeric, topped with fresh, crunchy discs of pickled mooli, curry leaf mayo and deep-fried curry leaves.

The Other Dishes

Don’t miss the samphire pakora; not individual fritters but a tangle of salty samphire coated in a chickpea batter, fried until crispy and golden, drizzled with a sweet and sour date and tamarind chutney and served with chilli garlic mayo for dipping. The flavours are surprisingly complex for what seems such a simple dish, and they are irresistibly moreish.

The Delhi-style bhel puri is a fresh, spicy, tangy combination of puffed rice with mango, onion, coriander chutney and yoghurt, creating another layered, punchy dish.

The pani puri flavours vary between sites and seasonally; these were a classic pea, potato and mint at Shoreditch but the Soho menu had a vibrant and fresh-sounding green apple and mint. I’m addicted to these fun and delicious little street snacks, where you pour a tangy water (usually seasoned with a combination of tamarind, coriander, mint and green chillies) over a spiced chickpea and potato filling inside the crisp puri, then pop the whole thing in your mouth quickly before it dissolves!

Favourite mains include their creamy, smoky butternut squash Makhani and the Mangalorean chicken gassi, although I’m a fan of the new duck dishes that have hit the menu recently. This Kricket thali in Soho is the perfect anti-al-desko lunchtime treat, served quickly to fit in your lunch hour. Chicken gassi (or the squash Makhani veggie alternative) comes with jeera pulao, black dal makhani, papas, mango chutney, samosa, raita, kale kachumber and masala naan.

Kricket’s focus is on modern Indian cooking with British ingredients. The menu is well-suited to sharing, with dishes of different sizes and plenty for vegetarians and those with a lower spice tolerance; ask your server for recommendations. I don’t think I’ve ever got as far as dessert here - but I can recommend the cocktails.

The Restaurant

Kricket has sites in Soho, Shoreditch, Brixton and Canary Wharf; the photos in this post are from Soho and Shoreditch. The OG Soho site, my personal favourite, has a classic industrial vibe with distressed brickwork, filament lightbulbs in wire shades and exposed ductwork.

The Shoreditch branch opened at the end of Feb 2025 and is large, bright, airy and spacious, a complete contrast to Soho.

Still though, my favourite table is at the counter at the Soho branch opposite the stoves, as I love a bit of chef theatre and flames. They are generally too busy to chat but watching their skills and soaking up the energy is fascinating.

Any down sides? Soho has all the vibes but very little space, while Shoreditch is the exact opposite; just choose your branch accordingly.

The People

Having trained under Rowley Leigh and been inspired by his time living in Mumbai and travelling around India, co-owner Will Bowlby came up with the idea of a mid-range Indian restaurant, something missing in the UK market. Bowlby worked at Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Kitchen developing his Indian cookery skills before opening a pop-up restaurant in a shipping container at Pop Brixton, co-founded with university friend Rik Campbell. Their first permanent site in Soho, backed by White Rabbit Projects, soon followed.

In the Area

Check out my earlier Soho-based reviews for existing recommendations of where to grab a coffee or a drink in the area (premium subscribers get access to the full archive, plus a Google map with absolutely everything listed). New suggestions include the Piccadilly branch of Redemption Roasters for a decent coffee and Soma, Kricket’s own basement cocktail bar next door, which has a jazzy speakeasy vibe and a nuanced, spicy Indian twist to its drinks menu with flavours including Darjeeling tea, pink peppercorns, black cardamom and cumin.

Kricket: Soho - 12 Denman St, London W1D 7HJ

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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BBQ Prawn Akara - £12.00

The Dish

Akara are savoury black-eyed bean fritters, deep-fried until golden and crisp, with a fluffy, slightly chewy interior; kind of a cross between a doughnut and cornbread. My favourite is the BBQ prawn pictured, which has thankfully survived a recent menu change: the crab akara has been replaced with beef short rib and the vegetarian option changed from celeriac to avocado and cucumber. These are definitely not designed for sharing as they can be quite fiddly to eat; no matter, as you won’t want to share yours anyway.

The Other Dishes

We started with all three snacks from the new menu: soft Sinasir rice pancakes with black-eyed bean hummus, followed by towering, crunchy plantain chips with aubergine sauce, and a couple of the beef fataya: a classic street food snack from Senegal, this is a hand pie of spiced meat sealed in a half-moon of pastry and deep-fried, not unlike an empanada. These were served with noir yassa, taking the traditional caramelised onion and lemon base and adding squid ink for a gentle salinity and visual pop.

Senegalese lamb dibi with a mustard onion sauce for dipping was a particularly good sharing plate option, with tender braised lamb alongside a piquant mustard sauce cutting through the richness. We were warned that the beef with kulikuli yaji and onion was spicy but I think anyone who can handle the heat level of a decent dhansak would be okay.

The grilled pork, feijoada, orange and kale was beautifully cooked and looked spectacular. Feijoada is a Brazilian black bean stew traditionally made with cheaper cuts of smoked pork and beef, including tails, feet and tongue, and served with fried collard greens, rice and oranges. Here those side dish flavours are included in the stew which is topped with a generous slab of juicy grilled pork, sliced for serving but with the bone for those, like me, who like to nibble off those last crispy morsels.

This picture is from an earlier visit but most of these dishes are still on the menu. Lagos chicken, a marinated and spatchcocked poussin cooked on the barbecue with chilli mop sauce, is succulent, spicy and crispy-skinned, perfect with fragrant Efik rice (aka native rice), traditionally using dried smoked fish and coconut to give a complex savouriness. Also pictured is the baby gem with crispy shallots; I didn’t have this at my most recent visit but I hope it still has the spicy crushed peanut topping which really made the dish.

For dessert, warm plantain cake, milk ice cream and smoked butter sauce gave familiar sticky toffee pudding vibes and was just as comfortingly moreish.

The menu is fairly short but I have been to Akara on five or six occasions with different people and somehow everyone has been spoilt for choice. The one new dish I can’t wait to try is the moqueca, a rich Brazilian fish stew. Helpfully, there is a glossary on the back of the menu for those unfamiliar with West African and Brazilian food terms.

The Restaurant

Akara is on the edge of Borough Market in Stoney Street. The nearest tube station is London Bridge, a three-minute walk away.

Akara is the cool little sister of Akoko, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Fitzrovia which, along with Chishuru (who also earned their star in 2024), cemented the place of West African food and flavours within London’s fine dining scene. Akara’s recent Michelin Bib Gourmand recognises the more casual and accessible iteration of owner Aji Akokomi’s commitment to showcasing the cultural diversity and nuances of West Africa’s ancient cuisine.

The dining room is surprisingly cosy for such a large, light-filled room. It’s also understatedly stylish, with calm neutrals of oak, lime washed walls and exposed brick, and a signature canvas by artist Ayo Ayode in one of the arches.

My favourite table is probably the one in the right hand corner as you come in the door, next to the window. The light is great and the people-watching opportunities are unmatched. I haven’t yet sat at the counter with a view of the chefs and kitchen though (I’m saving that for a solo trip), so be ready for an update.

Any down sides? It’s hard to think of one, unless you’re one of those north Londoners who gets a nosebleed if you head south of the river. Everyone I’ve taken to Akara has absolutely loved it.

The People

Restaurateur Aji Akokomi grew up in a Yoruba household in Nigeria, moving to London in his twenties. Missing the nostalgic flavours of home and recognising the lack of high-end West African restaurants in the city he began to study the classic dishes of his childhood, with history and cultural significance as important as cooking techniques, and started cooking dinners for friends and supper clubs before opening his first groundbreaking restaurant, Akoko - not unlike the path of Darjeeling Express’s Asma Khan.

The Area

Good coffee shops in the area include Monmouth Coffee Company, although it’s only good as a meeting point if you’re happy to stand outside as it is always busy. Grind at London Bridge is a versatile spot with everything from espressos to cocktails and Roasting Plant Coffee is perfect for coffee connoisseurs as they roast micro-batches of coffee in store daily.

Previous posts have noted some great pubs on Bermondsey Street - if you’re a premium subscriber, these will all be marked on your EAT THIS NOW! Google map - but mere steps from the restaurant I would recommend the classic Victorian vibes of The Market Porter, or the beer selection in the tiny, hidden-away The Rake.

Just two or three minutes away from the restaurant, the charming Quill wine bar is like drinking in a Victorian wine cellar; it has a good range of wines by the glass, carafe and bottle, making it a versatile choice for both solo diners and groups. If you’re booking an evening table, ask if they have any events on: you could find yourself sending secret notes across the bar or having a free tarot reading. If you’re heading to one of the galleries on Bermondsey Street, then Vine and Bermondsey Corner are both lovely spots for a glass of wine, particularly when good weather means you can sit outside.

The area is also home to some of my favourite cocktail bars. Literally next door (well, three archways down at the same address) is Cahoots Postal Office, delivering incredibly detailed 1940s vibes in this lively, immersive setting with cocktails served in ceramic postboxes and Toby jug-style busts of Churchill and the queen.

Swift Borough, little sister to the Soho original, is just a few minutes’ walk away; the cool and classic Art Deco vibe of the main bar is the perfect backdrop to a post-prandial Little Venice or Berkeley. Don’t miss their cosy little speakeasy-style downstairs bar, Back Pocket, which is all leather banquettes and copper ceilings. Happy hour prices apply from Sunday to Thursday before 6pm, when you can sip a skilfully-created cocktail for as little as £7.00.

Call Me Mr Lucky is one of the Breakfast Club speakeasy bars, although since the revamp it is now clearly signposted. Tell the staff “I’m here to get lucky’ and get whisked downstairs through the kitchen and into the dimly-lit, buzzy bar for some of the cheapest drinks around, with £5 pints and cocktails from £8 all night.

Akara: Arch 208, 18 Stoney St, London SE1 9AD

A final word: please do comment below if you’ve been anywhere I have mentioned, if you have a dish you think I should try, or you just have something you’d like to say. One of the lovely things about Substack is the opportunity for this direct connection with your community, and I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Thank you!

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