LONDON-guide – Page 12

Dinner at The House of Ho, Soho

Published on May 20, 2014 by HannaLeave a comment

About a month ago my friend Malin and I had a farewell dinner at The House of Ho, a fairly newly opened Vietnamese restaurant in London, as Malin was moving away. Not far, but I still miss her.

The restaurant is lively and along the back wall there is a long bar and small tables are scattered around the cosy area. My first thought was that it’s a great place to go on a date, as it was buzzing and fun but still a bit intimate.

The menu consisting of both small dishes and proper main courses was interesting and we decided to share a few dishes to get to try as many things as possible.

The salmon tartar, above, with onions, seaweed and flavoured salt was nice, but I prefer already mixed tartars to these where you mix yourself on the plate.

The smoky aubergine with spring onion vinaigrette and fried onions that Malin’s colleague recommended to us was absolutely lovely and probably my favourite for the evening.

The pomolo and crab salad with noodles, mint and prawn crackers was nice but not amazing. The monk fish with lemongrass and caramel sauce (no picture) was lovely though.

I found the food to be a bit hit or miss, although everything was well cooked some dishes lacked a bit of oomph. It’s stiff competition having a restaurant in London and The House of Ho definitely has potential but needs to figure out what they’re good at and stick to that.

House of Ho, 57-59 Old Compton St, Soho, London W1D 6HP

Dinner at The Big Easy, Covent Garden

Published on April 14, 2014April 14, 2014 by Hanna1 Comment

The Big Easy on Kings Road has been around for 20 odd years and only recently opened a more central sister restaurant in Covent Garden. My friend Gaby introduced me to the original restaurant and she was also the one suggesting we try out the new edition on one of our girl’s nights.

The menu is ~~quite~~ very similar to the Kings Road restaurant but the restaurant itself is a lot bigger, more spacious and feels more modern. On the lower ground floor you can see the chefs hard at work in the kitchen and there is a bar area on each floor.

We started with some voodoo prawns (top picture) and delicious chicken wings to share since we know that the portions here are big here, huge in fact. Which of course fits well with the American BBQ food they serve.

Gaby and Rowena had the ribs and although they had had them before they were surprised of the portion size. Six big, juicy (and very delicious) ribs each, as well as coleslaw, beans and a potato salad makes for quite a substantial meal…

Laura and I chose the lobster roll which was really good but really filling as well. The filling had large chunks of lobster and was quite creamy (in a good way) and brioche roll was large and shaped like a loaf. With a side salad and chips we were stuffed!

Instead of pudding (as they all seemed too heavy in our food coma state) we had some cocktails and milkshakes. Even the milkshake was too much for me but really yummy.

I really like this place! As a restaurant it feels more up to date than the Kings Road branch mainly because it is a lot bigger and has a more modern look. It’s more fun on the weekend as it is buzzing with people and has a large capacity and the food is just as good as on the Kings Road.

I definitely think it is a winning concept; not changing the menu trying to be too edgy but instead sticking to what you know.

Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack, 12 Maiden Lane, London, WC2E 7NA

Going back to the 1920s… for an evening

Published on April 3, 2014 by HannaLeave a comment

When it was my friend Marie-Louise’s birthday a few weekends ago she invited us to a 1920s themed evening at The Candlelight Club. It was literally like travelling back in time for an evening.

The hall where the party was hosted was an art deco building in West London (although the venue changes and is kept a secret until a few days before the party) and a perfect fit for this party. As you walked up the stairs to the ballroom you noticed the stage where the band later played charleston songs, and the DJ next to it, who was entertaining us in between the sessions.

Walking further in you saw all the round tables laid with proper linen tablecloths, lit candelabras, champagne buckets and coupe glasses.

Everyone went all in dressing up in 1920s gear and it was lovely to see one outfit after another! The bar at the back served typical 1920s cocktails and you could order food from the menus on the tables all through the evening. It was so well planned!

Instead of a traditional cake Marie-Louise got a ‘cake’ of macarons!

Thank you for a great evening!

Dinner at Quo Vadis, Soho

Published on March 26, 2014 by HannaLeave a comment

Quo Vadis has been on my (extremely long) to-eat-list for quite a while and last weekend I finally got the opportunity to go there. My friend from home, Linus, was visiting and as he happened to have two colleagues in town we thought we’d meet up for dinner somewhere central and my friend Laura was up for coming along too.

We met at Soho diner for a few drinks before our dinner and it was so warm we could sit outside.

As we had quite a late dinner we decided to go for both starters and mains and I just had to have the baked salsify I’ve seen Simon Hopkinson rave about on TV. They were gorgeous; crispy on the outside, not too soft on the inside and tasted absolutely lovely with the grated parmesan.

Our waiter thought one portion of the salsify was not enough as a starter so I had another snack, the duck rillette which was nice too.

Louise had exactly the same starter as I and Linus and Jacob both had the spinach and Alexanders (a new acquaintance for us all) soup. Laura had the squid above and was pretty much in food heaven she said.

Jacob and Laura both had the salt cod with soft boiled egg, anchovies and salad which they really enjoyed.

Louise and Linus had the onglet with horseradish and pickled walnut (it’s hiding behind the horseradish) and some roast potatoes and steamed vegetables to share.

I had probably the healthiest maincourse I’ve ever had. Brill in a vegetable broth with mussels, broadbeans and leek. I really enjoyed it but when I read it on the menu I actually expected more of a creamy broth.

Somehow we all managed pudding as well. Laura and Jacob had the same again; poached pear and winter fruits with Jersey cream which was quite heavy but nice.

Louise, Linus and I all had the crème brulee and it was a very good version. The custard was not too sweet and quite runny and velvety.

Quo Vadis, 26-29 Dean Street, London W1D 3LL

Spring weekend in London

Published on March 18, 2014 by HannaLeave a comment

This past weekend we had wonderful weather in London. The sky was blue and the sun shining almost the whole time. I also had a friend from home visiting so we tried to make the most of the weekend and be outside as much as possible.

Linus arrived on Friday evening and I met up with him at Liverpool St after a few drinks and a chat with my friend Laura beforehand. We then went south to Fulham where I live and had dropped of Linus’ bag arond 10.30pm. We were, of course, hungry and tried the pub around the corner but the kitchen had closed, so we ventured to Wandsworth Bridge Road and Boma could happily serve us a burger. We were so happy! Even though I only live a few minutes away I hadn’t eaten here before, but I will definitely be back as the burger we had was delicious (and not just because we were famished).

When we woke up on Saturday I cooked us a proper breakfast before heading to Borough Market.

As you can see, we were not the only ones enjoying the market, but although it was crowded it was not so bad because of the nice weather. Everyone was happy and patient.

We had lunch at the market and went to the Southwark Cathedral next door to sit down and enjoy it in the sunshine.

Linus had an indian casserole while I had a caribbean wrap with fried prawns, salad, mayo and sweet chilli sauce. It was really nice and fresh but not very filling.

But that was OK since our next stop (after a long walk along the Southbank from London bridge and across the Thames to Leicester Square) was Häagen-Dazs. I had there salted caramel ice cream for the first time and loved it (as I do with anything salted caramel).

After some down time at home we headed into town again to meet up with Laura and two of Linus’ colleagues who happened to be in town for a training course. We had some drinks at Soho diner on the pavement watching the bustle of Soho before going to Quo Vadis for a lovely dinner (write-up to follow). We then went to Paramount for a last drink and to enjoy the view.

On the Sunday we went to Hyde Park and just wandered around for a few hours. We had some lunch by the lake and enjoyed the wonderful weather.

We also had time for some sightseeing while walking past the Prince Albert Memorial and Linus got a crash course of the Victorian Era.

Before Linus had to head to the airport we had time for one last ice cream. Shame not to when the weather’s this gorgeous!

Dinner at Mele e Pere, Soho (revisited)

Published on March 5, 2014 by HannaLeave a comment

Mele e Pere in the midst of vibrant Soho (we saw two people getting arrested just after dinner) is a real gem. It’s very relaxed, usually crowded and they have prosecco on tap!

I had dinner with my ex-flatmate Nick here a few weeks ago and since we were both starving after a hard day at he office we started with a few things to share and then moved on to a pasta dish each. To share we had a bread basket (with lovely focaccia), sweet green olives, calamari with smoky mayo and a parmigiana with pesto and rocket. All very tasty!

Nick had a large portion of their beef ragù to finish and it was very proper. I’m sure it had been cooked for several hours.

I chose probably the richest pasta dish in the universe but it was utterly amazing. Fluffy pillows of gnocchi with a very buttery sauce and shavings of black truffle. So lush!

Mele e Pere, 46 Brewer St, London W1F 9TF

Lunch at The Delaunay, Holborn

Published on February 25, 2014 by HannaLeave a comment

Last Saturday Sinead and I played ‘ladies who lunches’ and went to The Delaunay for lunch after the Isabella Blow exhibition at Somerset House. The Delaunay is part of the same company that runs The Wolseley as well as Brasserie Zédel and Colbert (of which I’ve been to all the others).

Just like the other restaurants in this group The Delaunay has a grand art deco interior and a very classic European menu offering borstj, pierogi, wurts and Schnitzel as well as French classics.

I had the steak tartare (which I adore if it’s made properly) and this was a very nice version. Perfect balance of flavour, good quality meat and a quail egg yolk on top. I chose the smaller size because even though I love steak tartare I can’t eat a lot of it. The smaller portion came with sourdough toast but I ordered some frites so make it more substantial.

Sinead loves chicken and had the spatchcocked poussin with salsa verde and a green salad. She enjoyed it but wasn’t as pleased as I was with my steak tartare.

We both liked The Delaunay but prefer The Wolseley. The Wolseley just feels grander with its lighter interior while The Delaunay is darker with its wood panelling. I also found the service a little lacking here. But with that said, it is still a great restaurant and a good alternative to the real thing if you find yourself in Holborn.

The Delaunay, 55 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BB

Dinner at Little Social, Mayfair

Published on February 19, 2014 by Hanna1 Comment

One Saturday night in the beginning of the month I met up with a bunch of girl friends for dinner. First we went to Mr. Fogg’s (although I recommend you book first, which we didn’t , but they were kind enough to let us in anyway) and then on for dinner at Little Social, also in Mayfair.

This is another restaurant in the very large Jason Atherton empire just across the road from his first London restaurant Pollen Street Social.

Two of my friends had the cod brandade to start and although it was very well executed!

I had the crab mayonnaise with bitter leaves and toast which was very fresh and lovely.

The other two girls had the seasonal truffle risotto with a heap of shaved truffle. I must admit I had food envy but I don’t think I would have managed two courses if this was one of them. I got to taste it though and it was the creamiest risotto I’ve ever had without being too rich. It seems impossible but it was simply divine.

For mains, Gaby had the seabass BLT with fried portobello mushroom, tomato, lardon and lettuce wedge. I’m not sure the concept worked as such but the fish and mushroom were very nice.

Rowena had the lamb shank with potato purée and vegetables. Pretty as a picture and very nice.

Laura had the ox cheeks with potato purée and bone marrow ad I might have had a another case of food envy. Delicious!

Bronwen and I both had the bavette with salad and frites. I had the bearnaise sauce and Bronwen the peppercorn sauce. Both very good and the steak was delicious! Bavette (or flat iron or onglet) is definitely one of my favourite cuts.

The restaurant serves well sourced, well cooked and uncomplicated food that I like a lot. But don’t be fooled, although good ingredients comes a long way you still need skill to know how to best enhance it. Some dishes were better than others but everything was well cooked.

The service is great here too; when we arrived we were seated at a table next to the door and after only a short while our waitress asked to move further into the room because she was worried we were cold in our sleeveless dresses. We were but we didn’t think of demanding another table so it was very sweet of her to offer.

Little Social, 5 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NE

Sushi lunch at Chisou, Mayfair

Published on February 11, 2014 by HannaLeave a comment

When my friend Carina was in town I got the task to find a good sushi restaurant, that was open for lunch on Sundays, served good vegetarian food (not veggie sushi) and located in central London. Not super easy, especially when one in the group is Japanese, but my apparently my research skills are up to scratch because we ended up at Chisou Mayfair and we were all very pleased with our lunch.

Elena chose a sashimi lunch special served with a salad, rice and fruit for afters and Hetal, who’s vegetarian, had a delicious teriyaki tofu with rice.

Carina and I both love sushi and every time she comes to London to visit we try a new place. We decided to start with three maki rolls and loved them all. The salmon avocado was pretty standard but very good and the shrimp tempura delicious but the spicy tuna toll was a-ma-zing. The tuna was such good quality it just melted in the mouth.

Since the sushi was so good we decided on ordering an extra roll and had the spider roll with soft shell crab – also amazing.

The interior at Chisou is not typical Mayfair but neither are the prices and the short walk from Regent Street together with the excellent food makes this a perfect lunch place when out and about in central London.

Chisou Mayfair, 4 Princes Street, London W1B 2LE

Dinner at Soho Diner, Soho

Published on November 27, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

On Friday I met up with a few girl friends after work. Two of us managed to get out early, so we met up in the bar at Soho Diner (part of the Soho House group) and had some drinks and nibbles while waiting for the other two. We sat overlooking the kitchen and saw them prepare one delicious burger after another, so we were pretty certain of what to order when we sat down for dinner.

When the last person in our little group was on her way, we asked the waitress to put us down for a table as you can’t pre-book. Twenty minutes later we were shown to our table by the window, which was actually quite chilly, especially compared to the heat from the stove.

We all decided on the single burger (which funnily enough consists of two patties while the double burger has three just to confuse matters) and shared some fries and a salad.

The burgers were seriously good and tasted like a piece of New York (not literally obviously). It came in a brioche bun (which all burgers should do, in my opinion) and the condiments were fresh and not too messy. It was also served with a huge salted gherkin, to add to the NY vibe even further.

The fries were lovely and crisp and absolutely delicious and I like the fact that they come with mayonnaise (so no need to ask the waiter for sauces).

I loved Soho Diner and will definitely come back. The service was great, especially when we were at the bar, the food was delicious and the atmosphere buzzing and fun.

NB. Please forgive the dark and grainy pictures. The lighting was dark and I only had my iPhone camera at hand.

Soho Diner, 19-21 Old Compton St, London W1D 5JJ