Tag: restaurant review

London: nachos, tacos and meat at Temper

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

t4.jpg

When I moved to London almost nine years ago (yikes!) I was a more modest foodie than I am know, partly because the restaurant scene in Malmö at the time was quite limited, especially compared to London but also compared to Malmö today.

Back then, nine years ago, I liked most places I tried in London (apart from the obvious bad ones like Garfunkels). Nowadays I’m more choosy but love to try new restaurants and eat things I can only dream of cooking myself.

Neil Rankin’s food at Temper falls into that category, but without being pretentious at all. When my friend Daisy and I came here for dinner on a Saturday night about a month ago the place was full with people chatting, good music and relaxed waiters explaining the menu. And in the middle of the room an open kitchen with chefs cooking the delicious meats.

t3.jpg

There is definitely a focus on meat here, chef Rankin is a barbecue expert, but without the excess you get in steak restaurants. Instead you pick as many 100 g you want of each meat and it’s served on top a flatbread to be enjoyed with all the great side dishes.

But back to the beginning. We came in, liked the atmosphere and sat down. Scanned the menu, chose a cocktail each and said yes to the waiter when he asked if we wanted some nachos (easiest question ever). The nachos arrived and we were really impressed as these are the most perfect nachos I’ve come across. It’s a small portion but since it’s loaded with meat, cheese and spice it’s the perfect amount to get you to start salivating over the rest of the menu.

t6.jpgt7.jpg

After the nachos is was time for tacos and we ordered two different ones to share. They were not as mind blowing as the nachos but still nice. My favourite was the top one with pork and pineapple but next time I want to try the ‘aged cheeseburger’ (!) ones.

t8.jpg

Next up was the famous meats and we decided on just 100 g each of beef and lamb to share but with all the starters and the sides it was plenty for two.

The lamb was tender and lovely – some of the best I had, but the beef was even more amazing. So tender and full of flavour it simply melted in the mouth. And together with the beef fat potatoes with cheese (amazing) I was in food heaven. We also had the corn salad (very good) and the grilled baby gem which was insanely good! The green sauce and chipotle sourcream were both nice sauces that went with everything.

We loved every bite of this and I can’t wait to go back for the meat, potatoes and that baby gem. Top marks to the chefs!

Temper, 25 Broadwick St., London W1F 0DF

Skanör: lunch at Stationen

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

sta.jpg

 

Most restaurants I visit back home are in Malmö, the biggest city in the area I’m from, but in the summer there are lots of smaller places scattered by the coast and in the countryside. In winter, not so much, but there are a few exceptions, like relatively new Stationen in Skanör. I had lunch with my friend Cecilia and Fredrik here one day at the beginning of the year and it was nice to see the restaurant was full, even in January.

All three of us ordered their classic burger with slaw and fries which was really nice and the portion was very generous too. On top of that coffee or tea and cookies were included in the lunch option. This is fairly common in Sweden and I think it’s really nice as you can sit for longer.

Bäckatorget 10, 239 33 Skanör

Malmö: dinner (and wine!) at Bastard

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

bas1.jpg

I know, you’re probably giggling at the headline, but that is the actual name of a restaurant in Malmö. A very nice restaurant in fact. It’s been around for a few years now and is always busy which is a good sign.

The atmosphere is best described as cosy meets big city, as it definitely feels the restaurant would work just as well in London or New York as in little Malmö. The focus of the food is on meat and unusual cuts and they have the same menu in the bar area and restaurant.

bas5.jpg

When I came here with my friend Carina one evening between Christmas and New Year we hadn’t booked but we came early enough to get a table after just a ten minute wait in the bar. We started off with a glass at the bar; champagne for me and a glass of white for Carina.

Sitting down we both had a lovely white burgundy (La Châtelaine 2015) that we stuck to the rest of the evening. We also had the charcuterie board which I would say is compulsory here. It’s more mixed than Terroirs, but just as nice.

bas6.jpg

After a while we decided we were still hungry and ordered the burrata (mainly for Carina) and the sweetbreads (mainly for me). The burrata was really nice and the oranges and pomegranate seeds balanced the creaminess very well.

The sweetbreads were cooked to perfection (such a joy!) and the sauce was incredible too, but I found the carrots as a dull pairing. I would have liked something with more acidity or bite to balance the heavy sweetbreads.

With that said we really enjoyed the meal and our evening here. I love that every single waiter or bar staff we spoke to were so passionate about the menu, wines and the business in general.

Bastard, Mäster Johansgatan 11, 211 21 Malmö, Sweden

Copenhagen: four course dinner at Uformel

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

uf.jpg

The highlight of our day in Copenhagen was definitely the four course meal with matching wines at Uformel. It was my first time visiting the restaurant and we thoroughly enjoyed everyhing from the relaxed atmosphere to the quirky details (black cutlery!) and of course the delicious food.

We started our meal with a glass of bubbly each and some snacks; pork scratchings with sourcream dip. Pork scratchings are actually more popular in Denmark than in the UK and they’re sold in every supermarket. The supermarket varieties are nice but these were amazing, especially together with the dip.

uf3.jpg

Then we started our four course meal with lovely sourdough bread and delicious butter and this first course consisting of scallops, pickled green strawberries and olive oil. It was a nice fresh start to the meal, but didn’t blow me away.

uf4.jpg

But the next course certainly did! This was how it was presented, and the thinly sliced mushrooms made me think of woods and earthy flacours.

uf5.jpg

But hidden underneath was the most amazing steak tartare with mayonnaise and crispy bread. Loved this!

uf6.jpg

Next up was this duck with grilled pointy cabbage (but in my case grilled little gem instead) and the most amazing sauce. it was proper minimalism on a plate but it really worked.

uf7.jpg

The pudding with apples, crumble, custard and a frozen lid with apple was a nice finish to the meal and very refreshing. We also got some petit fours with our coffees but we were too full to appreciate them.

uf9.jpg

But the fullness didn’t last that long as we didn’t have many carbs, and we’d been walking around Copenhagen all day. This is not a criticism however, if we hadn’t been walking around all day this meal would have been enough, but after some bar hopping especially Emma and I got hangry and we had to eat something more. Unfortunately all the pølse trucks were closed at this point so we had to go to Burger King (it was an emergency!).

And the wines? They were all nice and expertly paired with the dishes, but I couldn’t tell you much more than that. Both the food menu and with wine flight were very reasonably prised though, and the ambience in the restaurant nice and relaxed. Highly recommend a dinner here!

Uformel, Studiestræde 69, 1554 København V, Denmark

Copenhagen: lunch at Sticks ‘n Sushi

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

sns2.jpg

In between Christmas and New Year my best friend Emma and I had planned a whole day in Copenhagen with her husband and his friend. We took the train across the bridge (yes, that bridge) and got to Copenhagen just in time for lunch at Sticks ‘n Sushi. For a chain, they have really good sushi, and I love that they have restaurants in London too.

We started off with roasted cauliflower snacks and spicy edamame, then we had some nigiri and maki rolls, a salmon tartare to share and some of the sticks. And wine, of course.

sns1.jpg

The snacks vanished in seconds and then we got started on the sushi. All the nigiri (we had salmon, tuna and seared yellow tail) were nice, but the maki rolls are really really good. We shared a spicy tuna, crunchy ebi (prawn) and a pink Alaska (with salmon and cream cheese) and couldn’t decide which was the best one as they were all lovely.

sns4.jpg

The salmon tartare was not very impressive and the sticks with emmenthaler cheese and bacon we didn’t even finish, but we did like the chicken teriyaki skewers, but the sushi is definitely the star here.

After lunch we went to a few bars, did some shopping and had a four course dinner, so stay tuned for more Copenhagen posts.

Sticks ‘n Sushi, Borgergade 13, 1300 København K, Denmark

Malmo: lunch at Kockeriet

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

ko5.jpg

I’ve been wanting to try Tareq Taylor’s (a Swedish TV chef I adore) restaurant Kockeriet in Malmö and I finally did on the second day of the year. My London friends Nick and Janet were on a Scandinavian tour and when they stopped over in Malmö we met up here for lunch.

It was a really cold day so it was nice to step into the cosiness at the restaurant. The old exposed wooden beams and candles made it feel warm and welcoming. They had two lunch dishes to choose from (this is fairly common in Sweden, as the lunch menu changes daily); one meat and one vegetarian. Both seemed nice but all three of us decided on the meat option.

ko4.jpg

But first we got some lovely sourdough and whipped butter and water carafes that were refilled a few times. Good service!

The pork with soft celeriac, onions and a creamy sauce was both fresh and comforting and perfect on this cold January day. It was a lovely luncheon and I can’t wait to go back and try the evening menu (and great looking wine list!).

Kockeriet, Norra Vallgatan 28, 211 25 Malmö, Sweden

London: Restaurant Ours

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

ro1 (2).jpg

One Friday night before it got cold out, I met up with Rowena after work for a drink at the bar at Restaurant Ours. We found some nice comfy bar chairs and just as we had ordered a glass of champagne each (to celebrate we survived the week!), the bartender asked if we wanted to eat and if so, he could find us a table. Sure, we thought, why not?!

We didn’t actually get a table, but the last two seats at the bar in the restaurant (not to be confused with the bar upstairs where we had drinks). We quickly decided we both wanted the lobster spaghetti (yum!) but to have starters as well.

ro3 (2).jpg

Ro had the excellent crab and apple starter, served IN an apple. It was a bit tricky to eat from but it’s a nice idea.

I had the steak tartare and enjoyed every single bite. It was almost as good as the one at Social Eating House, which is very high praise.

ro5 (2).jpg

After the starters we had a plate each of the creamy and delicious lobster spaghetti. Very enjoyable but I would have liked to see a bit more lobster meat.

ro6 (2).jpg

To finish off the meal we shared a bag of these light and fluffy salted caramel doughnuts. So good!

I really liked this place. The food is nice, the ambiance is great and so is the people watching. The service was good on the whole, although a little confused at times. Definitely a place to go on a buzzing Friday.

Restaurant Ours, 264 Brompton Rd, London SW3 2AS

London: Black Roe

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

br10

After the summer my friend Gaby gathered her closest friends to belatedly celebrate her 30th birthday with a dinner at Black Roe in Mayfair.

There were seven of us and as the food here is for sharing we divided ourselves into smaller groups, to make it easier to order.

br2-2

There were three of us in my group; Laura, Ro and me, and we shared all the dishes, except these oysters au gratin that only Laura and I had. If you like oysters, I highly recommend them – they were so nice we were scraping the sauce off the shell.

br4

Black Roe is mainly a poke restaurant (the trending Hawaiian fish dish) so we had their classic ahi poke (Hawaiian tuna with sesame soy marinade. So nice!

br5

Then we shared the sashimi salad which was also really nice but had a little too much dressing for my liking.

br6

Next up were the giant tempura prawns, served with coriander salsa and truffle aioli. I loved these!

br8

Then it was time for the pièce de résistance; whole lobster mac ‘n cheese and it was HEAVENLY. You have to have this if you go. Promise!

br9

Lastly we had the smoky lamb racks which were amazing as well!

I really enjoyed our dinner here and will definitely be back for more of that lobster mac ‘n cheese (and oysters, poke and lamb racks…). It’s not a cheap place but the portions are large so when you share it works out really reasonably. This amount of food was enough for three hungry girls, if that’s of any help.

Black Roe, 4 Mill St, Mayfair, London W1S 2AX

Cape Cod: Spanky’s Clam Shack in Hyannis

Published on by HannaLeave a comment

cc66

The second day in Cape Cod, we managed to catch the boat to Nantucket and explored the pretty island for the day (top tip: book your ferry in advance!). When we arrived back into Hyannis, we headed straight for dinner, eager to eat at a more socially acceptable time than the evening before.

We went o Spanky’s Clam Shack, which seemed like the place to eat in this little town, and joined the queue at the bar. I’m really not a fan of waiting or queuing in general but when I can sit at a bar and sip a drink (in this case frozen strawberry daiquiri) I really don’t mind.

cc67

When we were shown to the table (after only a ten minute wait) we got snacks straight away, like they could sense our hunger. I really liked the crab dip and crackers, although the presentation could have been improved on. But this is one busy restaurant so I can see why they like plastic bowls and wrapped crackers.

cc69

We got our starters quickly too. Sinead got another mountain of crispy calamari with a tomato chilli dip.

cc70

I tried something completely new for me; a stuffed quahog (no, not a Family Guy reference, it’s the actual name of the clam). It’s a huge clam filled with breadcrumbs, butter and herbs, and I really liked it. But it’s quite compact and therefore really filling.

cc68

While we were munching on our starters we saw lobster after lobster leaving the kitchen.

cc72

We got the main courses while we were still eating our starters (we had already sent them back once so felt bad if we did it again). But considering the size of the starters it would have been nice with a pause in between courses.

Anyway, Sinead’s chicken with kale and fries was really nice.

cc73

 

But I think my clam bake was even better. The lobster was huge and perfectly cooked and the corn was the best I’ve ever had. I also had a plate full of a local type of clam and as I hadn’t come across them before I got a lesson in how you peel and eat them from our lovely waitress (it required removing them from the shell, pull of a membrane and then soak them in stock for quite a while to remove the sand). It’s always fun to try new things, and the clams were quite nice but I prefer the regular sweet ones. I also got a baked potato which I barely touched as the lobster, corn and clams were more than enough for me.

I really liked this place, but be prepared for big huge portions and a quick pace.

Spanky’s Clam Shack, 138 Ocean St., Hyannis, MA 02632

Cape Cod: Black Cat Tavern in Hyannis

Published on by Hanna1 Comment

cc65.jpg

The first evening in Cape Cod, we decided to have dinner at one of the restaurants in the Hyannis Harbour. We’d been driving around the Cape during the day so got to the restaurant we had decided on,  Black Cat Tavern, quite late. We were the last guests to arrive and eventually we were the only people left (bar the staff).

We thought that was why our main courses arrived while we were in the middle of eating our starters. I don’t like to be rushed when eating as it always give me a stomach ache, but we were to polite to say anything as the restaurant was emptying out around us.

But the following evening when we went to another restaurant, the same thing happened, although we had dinner much earlier and the restaurant was full. In the middle of our very substantial starters, we actually told the waitress we wanted to wait. She completely understood but the kitchen seemed to insist to get the food out, so when it arrived again, after five minutes we let them put it on the table.

cc61

I don’t understand this culture of rushing your guests through a (large) meal. Is it just in this area, or is it because of tourist season or what’s the reason?! Please do tell me if you have an idea.

Anyway, the food was nice in both the places, and I really like how understated the seafood is here. In Europe where oysters and lobster are luxurious and quite expensive it’s served a certain way or in certain places. Here, where you have lobster and oyster in abundance, you can enjoy it in your flipflops straight from the beach and I really liked that.

cc63

At Black Cat Tavern I had Oysters Rockefeller (baked oysters with a spinach and cheese topping and in this case cured ham as well) as my starter and they were really nice. Generous portion too!

Sinead had a minor mountain of calamari with a chillie dip – also really nice!  As I was a little bit stressed by the time our maincourses arrived I only manage to snap a picture of my own plate of bakes scallops (a first for me), with baked potato and creamy lobster sauce, but I do know that Sineads food was nice as well.

Black Cat Tavern, 165 Ocean St, Hyannis, MA 02601, USA