On the Bab!

The Eatery: 305 Old Street, London, EC1V 9LA
The Site: http://onthebab.com/
The Companion: cheeky date before a few drinks on Old Street!
The Dolla: £15-£20 a head
MCM Rating: 4/5

It's a rare occurrence for me to venture to the depths of East London from nappy valley but when I do I remember why everybody else does! On the Bab serves up tasty Korean street food - it's casual, unassuming and the babs weren't too bad either.

First things first, the drinks menu definitely met the needs of my sad dry Jan! Great selection of teas and non-alcoholic cocktails - the OMG (preserved ginger, honey and lemonade) was awesome. There were also some great Soju (rice liquor) based cocktails that I'll definitely be going back for.

Sweet and Spicy YangYum Chicken with crushed peanuts

Start off with the sweet and spicy YangYum Chicken (the reputation of these wings with crushed peanuts preceded them); genuinely some of the best wings I've had in London. I'd also get a few of the Kun Mandu (pan-fried dumplings) the shrimp filled dumplings were crispy and succulent.

Kimchi Bokeum Bab- Korean style kimchi bacon paella with a fried egg on top

There's a pretty extensive selection of mains to choose from; either bulgogi beef, spicy chicken, spicy pork or vegetable fritters - 'on the rice', 'on the soup noodle' or 'on the bun'.  Each dish we had was full of flavour and had a pretty spicy kick- maybe not the best choice of restaurant if you're not good with spice. I was loving the addition of the perfectly fried egg on top that you eventually mix into your food.

Bibimbab: spicy pork on rice with a fried egg, vegetables mixed with gochujang

It can feel like a bit of a gamble picking from this menu if you don't know a huge amount about Korean food...I felt like a bit of a winner when I got my Traditional Bibimbab with spicy pork, fried egg, vegetables and rice - add some Kimchi if you're hungry and haven't tried it before!

The bottom line: tasty food, staff a little busy and distracted but a good little buzzy gem worth trying.

Bibendum Oyster Bar: Fruits de Mer with the Michelin Man

The Eatery: Bibendum Oyster Bar, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London,SW3 6RD
The Site: http://www.bibendum.co.uk
The Companion: a pal for a lazy leisurely lunch
The Dolla: £15-£20 a head

Bibendum (aka the Michelin Man) has to be the one of London's most iconic places to 'do lunch' or sip on a glass of champagne. The Oyster Bar is my go-to destination for my annual Christmas lunch with my Dad. Timeless, classic yet casual. I love the atmosphere.

If you're looking for 'fishy things'; especially oysters then you need to stop in your tracks at Bibendum.

The Plateau de Fruits de Mer is a good choice if you want to sample lots of different things, I do have my favourites on the menu though; oysters (of course) served with all the appropriate trimmings, tasty garlic prawns and finally Roll Mop Herrings with onion salad and creme fraiche; a special dish I don't allow myself to order anywhere else.

You're surrounded by beautiful ceramic tiles depicting great Michelin races of the past, the staff are lovely and the food and drinks are first class. The epitome of 'an oldie but a goodie' - the Michelin Man always delivers.

Tasty Tip of the Week - 18.10.2014

What: Comptoir Libanais, http://lecomptoir.co.uk
Where: All over! Westfield x2, South Kensington, Kingston and many more dotted around London...
When: Lovely Lebanese lunchtime
Why?: the Middle Eastern food at these canteens and delicatessens is fresh, light and tasty. Tony Kitous of Levant, Pasha and Kenza restaurants brings it again but this time it's uber affordable and available on the high street. I met some lovely ladies at the Westfield Food Fest and sampled some for myself - pretty tasty and perfect for a quick lunch mid-shopping!

The Grub: Hot and Cold Mezzes, Grills, Wraps, Tagines, great Falafels - the list goes on. Definitely try their specials; Halloumi Tortilla or the Sojok Tortilla (Spicy Armenian Sausage - REPRESENT!). If you've got room then there are plenty of cakes and Lebanese pastries. Wash it down with some mint tea or one of their tasty fresh lemonades.

Breakfast at Birdhouse

The Eatery: Birdhouse, 123 St John's Hill, London, SW11 1SZ
The Site: http://www.birdhou.se/   (not a great one I have to admit)
The Companion: great for a cosy breakfast or light lunch with your bezzie
The Dolla: Around £10 for a breakfast plate and a coffee


I promise to blog about a non-Battersea eatery after this but couldn't resist writing about the little ray of sunshine that is; Birdhouse. Birdhouse, is a small un-assuming cafe on St John's Hill, easy to walk past without going in and that's what I'd done for the past year or so. Now I've tried it I'm converted to walking a little further from my flat and the madness of Northcote Road to this calm, cosy cafe with a menu that's a little different from the norm.

First things first, they get the drinks right. Fresh orange juice is surprisingly hard to get hold of these days - they ticked this box for me. The coffee was also top notch and served in cute yellow cups that made me smile.

Slow cooked eggs & Serrano ham on toast with polenta chips and red pepper mayo- with cheeky chorizo added as an extra!

I liked the menu as it was something a little different to the standard cafe serving breakfast, loved the slow cooked eggs & Serrano ham and was impressed by the polenta chips as I've tried several unsuccesful attempts of these before!!

Baked eggs with a chorizo, mushroom, spinach & tomato sauce

 The baked eggs served in a rustic ceramic saucepan with a woolly handle were warming, different and delicious.

The Chavo - smashed avocado with grilled Brindisa chroizo on toast

If you feel like something fractionally lighter then go for The Chavo; smashed avocado with delicious grilled Brindisa chorizo on toast. The avocado needed a little more flavour but the idea was right - might bring my own lime next time!

Lots more on the menu to try including the Bocaditos (the Cuban word for sandwiches) so I'll be heading back for those as breakfast at Birdhouse was definitely a happy way to start my day!

Dip & Flip - Flipping Amazing

The Eatery: Dip & Flip, 87 Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1HW
The Site: http://www.dipandflip.co.uk
The Companion: Buds who like to get stuck in
The Dolla: Cheap as chips for what you're getting: around £15 for a burg, fries and a drink

I've been wanting to recommend this burger/ roast sandwich heaven for quite a while but to be very honest I wasn't sure I wanted everyone knowing about it! Finally I'm ready to share...

When I first heard of the idea of burgers and roast sandwiches dipped in gravy I had my reservations, being a Londoner through and through my view was that gravy should pretty much be served with turkey and nothing else. I have been converted. It's an absolute stroke of genius which has now made all other burgers look pretty inferior in comparison.

You can go for 'The Dip' :thinly sliced roast meat in a freshly baked brioche bun dipped, double dipped or soaked in gravy with with white cabbage slaw OR 'The Flip'; burgers cooked medium-rare on American chrome flat grills and served wit ketchup, mustard, cabbage slaw and pickles - gravy comes on the side ready for you to dip, dip, dip to your heart's content. Both of these options are mouth-wateringly delicious - just can't get enough! A few sides that aren't in the menu above are, Squeezy Cheesy Fries and Cheese Fries with gravy, crispy bacon and green chilli!

Now these guys are pros so they've come up with an excellent variety of options to help you wash down this delightful grub: a range of bourbons, Sambrooks Pump House Pale Ales, bottled craft beers, hard and soft shakes (my personal favourite) and even 'The Pickleback' which is a combination of your choice of bourbon shot chased down with a shot of pickle juice!?! - I'm yet to try one but I'm planning to on my next visit.

If you make it to the end and still find yourself wanting more you definitely won't go hungry, go for a slice of pie; Chocolate Salted Caramel Pie OR Bourbon & Pecan Pie with double cream or you can finish off with a liquid dessert; shots of Strawberry & Ginger Crumb Cheescake or Chocolate Mousse.

At the moment you can normally rock up to this place and not have to queue or book, not sure how long this is going to last so get down to Dip & Flip to experience the gravy phenomenon - turns out northerners really know what they're doing.

Bonnie Gull - the pocket-sized seafood shack

The Eatery: Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack, 21A Foley Street, London, W1W 6DS
The Site: http://www.bonniegullseafoodshack.com
The Companion: Intimate date or cosy catch up with a friend
The Dolla: A meal for two with drinks costs around £130

If you want first-class fresh seafood, cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere look no further than the Bonnie Gull; the self-proclaimed 'seaside restaurant in the city'. You can find a taste of the seaside hiding on cute and quiet Foley Street near Goodge Street Station. It's nice to find a fish restaurant which isn't stuffy or horribly overpriced! When you first arrive and have to figure out how to manoeuvre around this tiny restaurant you do realise it is a very small space, so if intimacy (with all the clientele) isn't what you're looking for give it a miss, personally, I think it's cute as a button.

I'd start off with a seaside cocktail, go for the Bonnie Mary - House Made 'Clamato' Juice, Chase Smoked Vodka and Topped with an Oyster if you're a real seafood lover or a Bonnie Lass - Element 29 Vodka, St Germain Elderflower Liqueur and Peach Bitters if you want something sweeter.

If you're sharing with a friend you could tuck into some 'Pre-Starters' like the Dorset Clams ‘Bulhão Pato’ garnished with coriander and garlic or the Cornish Grade ‘A’ Moules Marinière with Tortano Bread which are plates designed to share. The menu changes daily so you might not spot all of this if you go, we went straight for the Smoked Salmon Blini starter and the trout which was tasty and delicately dressed.

Next, onto the main - scanning the menu I spotted a whole range of well thought-out dishes with a wide variety of ingredients and some really exciting flavours and textures. Our fish was beautifully cooked, take a look at the hake topped with clams and lentils.

If this looks a little TOO fishy for you there's always the Beer Battered North Sea Haddock with Beef Dripping Chunky Chip, Shack Ketchup and Mushy Peas. If your dish doesn't come with a side, definitely consider the Skinny Fries with Rosemary Salt - light and crispy.

To top it all off we went for an English classic; Strawberry Eton Mess. Although this looked pretty impressive, the deconstruction didn't really work for me and there wasn't enough crunchy meringue for my sweet tooth. The basil jelly was an interesting touch though!

All in all though, I loved my experience at the Bonnie Gull,  it was pretty affordable, staff were friendly and the short daily menu was varied and well thought-out; I WAS AS HAPPY AS A CLAM.

Tasty tip of the week 23.06.2014

What: Dub Jam Jerk BBQ + Rum Shack, http://www.dubjam.co.uk/
Where: 20 Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9HP
When: Lunch or a light, quick dinner with a cocktail
Why?: because the food is tasty, the rum is punchy and the warm welcome and reggae tunes in this tiny restaurant takes you straight to the Caribbean
The Grub:Jamaican Jerk Skewers and Beach Burgers