London Food Adventures

Chicken Shop, Highgate

Chicken Shop is one sleek machine. A threadbare menu; you won’t be spending long perusing the fare on offer. This,in turn, means the food doesn’t take long to dish up, and before you know it, you’re out the door into a cold Highgate street wondering what the recipe for the spicy chicken rub was.

The meat itself is by no means outstanding, it does a good job of being a chicken, a bit dry but nothing to cry over. However, it does a brilliant job of absorbing the amazing spicy/smokey rub spread generously all over. That’s the star of the show, I need their recipe.

Slaw and chips were ordered separately, both are good and don’t let the meal down in any way.

Here we go, the other star attraction - apple pie. It’s already a well-known fact that you get to choose the slice of your pie at Chicken Shop, which my compadre above used to great advantage. On top of that, you get a huge, almost grossly sized jug of cream to drown the whole thing.

Chicken Shop does hearty and uncomplicated food well, and I will be back.

Joy King Lau, Leceister Square

The above is marinated octopus which we had in Joy King Lau, a Chinese restaurant just off Leceister Square. Tangy and chewy, they were piled on top of a small serving of pickled mooli. I’ve had dim sum at Joy King Lau several times and generally prefer the quality of the food over the other restaurants concentrated around the main Chinatown area. 

We ordered around 12 dishes and only paid £10 each - it really baffles me why people head to Ping Pong and pay through the nose for tiny portions and rubbish service (personal experience….)

Food was quick to arrive and the service was brisk; very normal for any Chinese dim sum restaurant during lunch service on a weekend. If you’re starving (or hungover?), you’ll come to appreciate the rushed nature of dim sum hour on Sunday!

I always order a nice hunk of chestnut paste for dessert. I love this stuff - sweet jelly dotted with crunchy chestnuts. It’s quickly fried before serving to give it a slight crispiness on the outside. I don’t get to eat it often, but when I can, I’ll order it. Not everyone’s first choice but if you’re feeling adventurous, I’d give it a go.

If you’re stuck in central London and looking for some quick and satisfying dim sum, try Joy King Lau.

BellyLondon - Peameal Burger

The street food invasion continues with this version of Canadian bacon; the Peameal Burger from BellyLondon

The meat is pork loin which has been rolled in corn meal and slow-cured. You have the option of having this flash-fried in a whiskey sauce or maple syrup. The result is then served in a soft roll with a smatter of mustard or ketchup.

I went for the maple syrup (for the full Canadian experience, right?) The texture of the meat was chewy and not too salty. However the cornmeal was nowhere to be seen or tasted, and I don’t think the maple sauce offered much (perhaps over-powered by the mustard). You get 2 slices of pork but I would still say it’s a small portion for what you pay (£5). I would have liked something else in the burger to make it more interesting; throw in some gherkins, cheese slices or salad maybe? Would this detract from the Canadian-ness? That or lower the price-point.

Despite the fact that this website claims ‘BellyLondon is bringing one of Canada’s most recognizable signature food items to the British capital’, my 2 token Canadian friends claim never to have heard of Peameal and certainly have never experienced food getting fried in maple syrup. I’ll need to do a proper survey.

I probably won’t purchase another Peameal burger unless there are plans to develop it a bit further. In the meantime, there is ample street food out there offering far more for your cash.

Zotter Ginger Dark Chocolate Review

The feeling I get when I eat Zotter chocolate is the same one I get when I eat my mum’s home-cooked Chinese food. The food you eat from the takeaways or in Chinatown tastes good enough, but it is certainly nothing like the real thing or anywhere near as good. The chocolate snacks we buy in supermarkets can satisfy sweet cravings, but when you try chocolate in a purer form and with higher quality ingredients, there can be no turning back.

I really like the packaging of the Zotter Ginger Dark Chocolate. The gold accents are great and the artwork gives you a hint of what’s inside - slightly mysterious and exotic.

The first thing you get when you open the inner foil to unveil the bar is the intense smell of dark chocolate. There is no discernible snap when you break it; this chocolate is quite soft and delicate. The texture is creamy, melting easily on the tongue. I enjoyed the fire from the crystallised ginger pieces; dotted around the bar, they give the chocolate an extra chewiness. The taste is quite earthy, you’ll get none of the artificial and strange oiliness I often experience when eating supermarket brand chocolate. Similar to the Devnaa chocolate reviewed previously, this is one to be enjoyed and savoured slowly.

This product was sent to me for review purposes but all views are given honestly

Last night, I had a chance to sample some of the inventive fusion spirits at The Marylebone located on Marylebone High Street. 1st pic - white chocolate vodka. This was wonderfully creamy and the sweetness was well-tempered by the tartness of the vodka. 2nd pic - clementine gin; had a thick texture, quite sweet and a very subtle, even indiscernable fruitiness. 3rd pic - speaks for itself but I didn’t have a chance to try it! Guess I’ll have to return :) I loved The Marylebone’s experimentation with various ingredients and urge anyone to take a trip down there to sample their fusion flavours. It’s great that these spirits are given centre stage for once, rather than chugged down indiscriminately with a watery mixer (click pictures to enlarge). Here is their entire fusion menu.

Trojka, Primrose Hill

We trotted past Trojka on a biting cold Saturday night while on our way to Camden to seek some culinary delights. Fortunately our journey was cut short by the warm and welcoming orangey-red interior which invited us into this Russian restaurant.

It was a busy evening so we waited for a table, and after 10 minutes was ushered over by a friendly yet frazzled waitress. The menu is extensive and full of very helpful descriptions (thankfully; I know zilch about Russian food.)

All 3 of us started with Ukranian Borsch and smetana (£2.95). This beetroot soup was served warm with soft onions swimming around the bottom. A dollop of sour cream lent some extra creaminess and balanced the tang from the tomato base perfectly. I want more Borsch! I think I’ll try and make it at home.

My main was Coulibiak (£7.90)- an old Russian recipe of salmon pie stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, rice, and kasha. This was topped with smetana and doused in a tomato sauce. Three words to describe the Coulibiak is homely, comforting and filling - exactly what you want on a chilly London night. The pastry was crispy on the outside and softened within by the warm, steamy fillings. I may have personally added a few more herbs to deepen the flavour, but on the whole, I found the Coulibiak to be very satisfying and not too heavy.

My dessert was Russian Pavlova - bananas, kiwis and apples covered liberally in cream and chocolate sauce then crowned with vanilla ice cream. I did have to dig around for the meringue but I found it! Again, this dish was very simple and did a great job of sweetening my palette.

The atmosphere alone at Trojka is enough to recommend the place. It is a small, cosy yet bustling restaurant. The food they serve is pure comfort food; don’t come here expecting haute-cuisine gourmet fireworks.

I almost felt as if we were just guests at the home of some Russian family, being fed and watered generously, not to mention entertained by the fiddler playing an endless medley of traditional folk songs (£1 cover charge for this). Trojka is a fantastic little gem and I will definitely be returning.

*EDIT* 3 weeks after writing this review, I found out Trojka has since closed down due to a 70% rent hike. Really sad when places like this have to close.

Devnaa chocolate review

With Chocolate Week fast approaching on 8th October 2012, I thought I would sample the Devnaa milk chocolate with crispy rice, orange and spices.

The packaging is clean and simple, with the design on front hinting at the Indian influences on this product.

The spices stand out prominently when you first savour the chocolate - nutmeg and cinnamon bring back memories of Christmas for me, whilst the citrus from the orange introduces a very subtle tartness which cuts through the warm spices.

(Excuse the photo, it got a bit of a bruising in my bag.)

There is a lot going on when you first try this chocolate and it is certainly one to be enjoyed slowly. It is not too sugary sweet and packs a punch with flavour. The crispy rice is a welcome addition, reducing the density of the chocolate and making for a much lighter yet crispy texture.

I would compare the experience of eating this bar to having a very chocolatey (not to mention, solid) chai latte. The spices are not over-powering but do linger in your mouth long after you have swallowed your bite. I’m all warmed up and ready for winter now.

Thanks to @chocolatereview for providing a sample for reviewing purposes. All views are given honestly and are my own!

Koba, Rathbone Street

Koba is a Korean restaurant just off Charlotte Street. The service is friendly and efficient but I think some of the prices are quite high for what you get. I have been warned about ordering lettuce with your barbeque because they charge you for the extra leaves, which I am TOTALLY AGAINST.

We each received a plate of pickles upon sitting down, which was pleasant enough but nothing too mind-blowing.

My main was a hot and sour soup of tofu and chicken which came with rice. This costs about £8 and was well balanced in terms of flavour and ingredients. The chicken was plentiful and sections of tofu were large enough to give the soup some texture, as well as absorbing the sharpness from the broth.

Koba was a pleasant enough experience but I would much sooner go to Hana on Battersea Rise or Seoul Bakery just off Tottenham Court Road for some food with character in a more homely atmosphere.