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A London Life… in Tokyo?

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Eat Tokyo, Hillgate Street, Notting Hill, London

One of the best things about London is being able to find authentic food from pretty much any country or region. That isn’t to say though that there aren’t imitations. Unfortunately for every Asakusa, there are ten Wagamamas. Still, part of the fun of discovering new places to eat is in whether or not they will be true to form. One place I had heard about through the grapevine was Eat Tokyo. I’d heard several people say “this is the real deal” or “it’s the best Japanese food in London”. However I’m pretty critical of cuisines I know well, and I’d also heard some not-so-great reviews, so I decided to take these opinions with a pinch of salt. In fact I’d resigned myself to never visiting the restaurant “chain” (they currently have 6 locations in London). Yet last week V.A and I found ourselves unsure of where to go for dinner after our SHOW DRY salon visit. Low and behold, there was Eat Tokyo on our Zomato app with a 4.6 rating. So we decided to give it a go.

First off, let me say, the Notting Hill location is small. VERY small. In fact we were lucky enough to get the last table, right next to the front door. The layout of the kitchen and seats – this location features seats where you can watch the sushi chefs at work – reminded me very much of a typical izakaya. Even though the restaurant was full, the staff were efficient. We were given the ginormous menu (really guys, it’s too much) and took our time looking through it. I took charge and ordered a whole selection of my favourite dishes for the both of us, as V.A wanted to try something new. This included: Natto (fermented soy bean – Japan’s marmite), Unagi Don (grilled eel on rice), Wakame-su (pickled cucumber and seaweed), Agedashi Tofu (fried tofu in a tentsuyu broth), Salmon Sushi Rolls and Karaage (fried chicken). The chef also accidentally made us some natto sushi, which we were given for free.

As for the food, was it authentic? Everything apart from the wakame-su (it should have been sunomono) tasted exactly as I remembered it from Japan. The flavours and textures were all there, but something was lacking. Unfortunately whereas Eat Tokyo excels in bringing authentic Japanese dishes to London, it did not excel at bringing good quality ingredients and well cooked food to our table. The karaage wasn’t bad and neither was the age-dofu. However the unagi was overcooked and chewy, the sushi was cold, the natto didn’t come with a side of tare or mustard, and the wakame-su wasn’t pickled, and had ginger on top?! Overall not a great experience, but not one that I regret. I won’t be heading back anytime soon, but if I had nowhere to go I’d probably give them another chance.

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.

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Afternoon Tea at The Mandeville Hotel

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Vintage Afternoon Tea at The Mandeville Hotel – Reform Social and Grill

Afternoon tea symbolises everything great about English food; cake, sandwiches, scones and tea. It’s also the perfect introduction for anyone visiting or moving to the country. It truly is a relaxing and indulgent treat. That’s why I decided to treat my mum to afternoon tea at The Mandevlille Hotel in Marylebone, when she visited for her birthday.

We started with a mango bellini, which we were served as we were seated. The menu mentions being able to choose from a selection of seasonal bellinis, but this wasn’t the case for us. Though we were offered a choice of which tea to accompany our food with – I chose the refreshing organic mint melange, which was clearly a quality tea. Next up were the sandwiches, which were light and flavourful. The cucumber and cream cheese was my favourite of the selection. I know cucumber sandwiches sound incredibly boring, but they’re one English tradition that I dearly hope will never fade.

One of the most integral parts of afternoon tea are the scones, of course. These ones looked as good as they tasted – rustic (there’s something just not right with a smooth scone) and slightly sweetened. The jam was store bought, but was sweet and not overly sugary. However the pièce de résistance was the clotted cream – something I’m always very critical of – which was rich and sweet. And before you ask, I always put cream on first, then jam.

The apple and custard pots were by far the best sweet offering on the table. The soft, tart apple contrasted perfectly against the sweet custard, and the crunchy, sugary crumble. Both me and my mum agreed that we would quite happily eat a plateful of them. However the rest of the sweets on the table were a bit of a let-down, the raspberry meringues and battenburg cake were good, but nothing to write home about. However the biggest upset of the afternoon was the cake, and as we all know, cake is an important part of afternoon tea. So to be served up dry coffee and walnut cake/chocolate fudge cake (that tasted a day old) was quite upsetting for me. Luckily my mum had left hers until last, by which point she was quite full, so she wasn’t upset. Though if I had been taking anyone else here, I would have complained.

The hotel itself is a comfortable setting, and the afternoon tea area is quite intimate (around 6 tables), making for a lovely experience. However whilst I felt that we ate and drank plenty, I felt that the quality of the food was lacking slightly. It’s not one of the best afternoon tea’s I’ve had, and I probably wouldn’t go back, but for the price it isn’t bad. Afternoon Tea at The Mandeville Hotel is £26.50 each with a free bellini (minus service charge).

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.

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Where to Eat in London: Tombo Japanese Cafè

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Tombo | Casual Japanese Dining | South Kensington | Website

– reservations not available –

If you had told me a few weeks ago that there was a small slice of matcha heaven at the other end of the Piccadilly line I would have laughed in your face. That was until I learnt of Tombo, a casual Japanese dining experience with a strong emphasis on tea.
V.A and I headed to South Kensington on a Saturday afternoon around 2pm. We found the restaurant pretty easily as it’s only a minute walk from the tube station, and is right next door to Exhibition road.  It was quite busy inside, but we were sat straight away – it seemed that we had timed our arrival perfectly. I surprised myself by instinctively replying to our server in Japanese as we were sat. I guess that means I haven’t completely forgotten it.I had already decided prior to our visit what I would be having – the Bonsai tea (genmaicha with matcha) and a Miso Salmon Bento. When our tea arrived it was presented in a traditional Japanese lidless pot and cup, with a thermos of hot water for top-ups. The smell of the tea wafted over us, and I was automatically relaxed. Green tea can be a little bitter for some people, but I find the flavours distinct and refreshing. Our food took took a little while to arrive, but it meant we were able to enjoy our tea properly. When it did arrive my bento came with a large portion of miso salmon, rice and a variety of salads. Japanese salads are my favourite – they’re full of flavour and offer much more in terms of nourishment than their British counterparts. So you can imagine how happy I was when I spotted 4 on my plate. Each one containing a variety of vegetables, some marinated with sauce, others pickled, but all containing authentic Japanese ingredients. This is what I’d been missing since my move back from Tokyo.

We probably spent a good hour eating and chatting, and it was lovely to be offered that luxury and not rushed out of the establishment – as some London restaurants tend to do. The best thing about Japanese food, apart from the taste, is that you can eat a good meal and not feel bloated or stuffed. Of course that meant we had room for pudding too – the matcha sundae I had been waiting for all week long! Tombo’s desserts are one of the main reasons behind their popularity, so I had high expectations. My matcha sundae included matcha ice cream, matcha gateau, azuki paste and oats. My verdict? Absolute heaven! Although really it was the small bites of matcha cake that won me over. They were moist and soft with a potent taste of matcha. I will definitely be ordering the matcha gateau next time!

At the end our bill came to only £23 each! Lovers of Japanese food in London will know this is ridiculously affordable. Will I be back? You couldn’t stop me if you tried!

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.
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Where to Eat in London: Rita’s

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Rita’s | Lunch & Dinner | London Fields, Hackney | Website
– reservations available –

Birthday’s can either be ridiculously indulgent, or something you would rather forget about entirely. Clearly, I favour the former. In fact each year I have a ‘birthday week’. It’s not an original concept, but it’s something I like to spoil myself with…because if I can’t do it for my birthday, when can I? My ultimate form of indulgence is food, so in the lead up to my birthday I book myself into several of the best restaurants I have on my ‘to-visit’ list. This year Rita’s was one of them.

Rita’s is a tiny hidden gem in the heart of Hackney, whose subtle pink hues transcend their website into the restaurant itself. I arrived with five friends on a Tuesday evening, after making a reservation several days earlier. The restaurant was quiet and it did get busier during the evening, although it still wasn’t at full capacity. We were seated at the rear of the restaurant, close to the kitchen and bar. Some might say it was the perfect location. I would agree.

Even after several days of examining Rita’s menu, I still found myself unsure of what to have. Everything sounded amazing, and I didn’t want to commit to one dish. So after a cocktail (or two), we all decided to share some sides, and promised that we would allow each other to sample our individual dishes. Our waitress helped me finally decide on the Patty Melt Deluxe (a firm favourite at Rita’s) with a side of fried cheese. The fried cheese was soft with a crunchy outer, and was seasoned well with a mixture of salt and herbs. When my PMD arrived I was a little confused as to how such a casual looking dish could be so popular. That was until I took my first bite. The beef melted almost instantly in my mouth. For someone who so often suffers from food envy, I knew I had made the right decision. The onion marmite and bone marrow butter add a completely new dimension to the American staple. The PMD is decadently greasy and I worried that I wouldn’t be able to finish my meal. Thankfully the salty, crunchy ‘crispy fried crushed potatoes’ helped cleanse my palette, allowing me to go back for more. This would be my last meal request.

Of course we ordered dessert, although again we all had to seriously consider our options. In the end we all went for the Dulce de Leche Beignets…because, who wouldn’t? Mine arrived with a birthday candle, and was presented by the chef himself who proceeded to grate foie gras over top (yes I went for the additional foie gras). The beignets were light and crispy, with a generous helping of dulce de leche. Honestly I could only finish one, so I took the other home for later.

Would I visit again? Of course! Although I know I would go against my ‘try something new’ motto and have the Patty Melt Deluxe again…and again…and again. Granted I would mix it up a little, as I have my eye on the Oreo Pie!You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.

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Where to Eat in London: No.11 Pimlico Road

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No.11 Pimlico Road* | All-day Menu | Belgravia, Chelsea | Website
– reservations available –

Londoners are often considered to be adventurous types, but actually you’ll find that most of us are creatures of habit. We tend stick to the areas that we live in, letting out sighs of annoyance when our friends ask us to meet on the opposite side of the river. I myself have fallen victim to this apathetic attitude in the past. However recently I have been making the effort to visit parts of London I usually wouldn’t. This of course means discovering new places to eat, which happens to be one of my favourite ways to get to know a borough. So when No.11 Pimlico Road invited me to try their Sunday Brunch/Lunch menu, I was happy to accept.

Situated in Chelsea, No.11 Pimlico Road is a modern European restaurant come bar, offering an all-day menu. The interior is casual and stylish, with marble tables and plush seating. It’s easy to see how they won the Casual Dining Design Award for ‘Best Designed Casual Dining Pub 2014’. Everyone knows a blogger needs good lighting, and a clean canvas – No.11 delivered. We were seated at the back of the dining area by a window, with plenty of space.

After swooning over the decor for about 10mins, I finally took a look at the menu. Ben and I had already decided on the Sunday Roast, something we don’t often indulge in. I ordered the 28 Day Aged Rib of Beef, and Ben went for the Pork Shoulder. I sipped on an elderflower and cucumber homemade sherbet lemonade, whilst we waited for our meals. Our dishes took a pleasingly adequate amount of time to arrive – I dislike restaurants that serve food too quickly as it makes me doubt the freshness of the ingredients – and when it did we were taken aback by the portion size. Today was a good day to wear a comfy jumper. My beef was slightly pink, and tender, whilst Ben couldn’t stop raving about his pork shoulder – “It just melts in your mouth!” Some might think that all roast dinners are created equal, but this is where you would be wrong. There are so many things you can mess up with a roast dinner, the main culprits being the roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. How did No.11’s fare? Let’s just say the duck fat roast potatoes were the best I have had in London. The outer was crispy and ever so slightly greasy (the best kind), whilst the inner was fluffy and light. I could have eaten a plateful! The Yorkshire pudding was also good, although I fear that the roasties may have taken most of the glory. The vegetables all had strong flavours, although the roast red onion was a little too overpowering and I couldn’t finish it entirely. Still, I have no complaints, which was made evident by my empty plate (ok, ok, I left a couple of carrots). As much as I wanted to try the Lemon Posset for pudding I couldn’t bare look at any more food, so I finished my meal with a deliciously refreshing pot of white pear and ginger tea instead. Will I be back again? Indubitably! How else would I work my way through their dessert menu?

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.

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Cocktails and Sashimi at Chotto Matte

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More photos can be found here

It’s not everyday that you’re taken on a tour of a top London restaurant’s kitchen. Yet that is exactly what happened to myself and some fellow food bloggers on Thursday evening, at Chotto Matte. Japanese speakers – no I’m not telling you to wait a minute, that’s the actual name of the restaurant. Funny, right? Offering up a Japanese-Peruvian fusion, their food and cocktails are talked about across London. I’ve been meaning to visit for a while, so when Zomato invited me last week I knew I had to fit it in my diary somehow.

Luckily my foodie bestie V.A was also invited, so we went along together to the swanky (I don’t think I’ve ever used that word before now) Soho restaurant. The interior of the restaurant/bar is ridiculously trendy, but in a very different way to my usual East London haunts. The large mural by graffiti artist Tom Blackford is arguably the centrepiece of the ground floor. We followed it to the bar where we were greeted by the Chotto Matte staff and everyone from Zomato. Head Bar Chef Fabiano Latham was there, as he was our cocktail masterclass host for the evening. He told us all about the Peruvian spirits and Japanese sake used in their amazing cocktails, which we were then given to taste test. My favourite of the evening was the Pisco Sour, purely because I had often heard of the cocktail, but hadn’t had the chance to try one. As we sipped away, Michael Paul gave us a tostadita demonstration and talked us through the concept of the dishes on the menu. We were then given several items to try. Everyone was so excited to try the colourful offerings that they flocked to them likes bees to honey. I particularly enjoyed the strong clash of flavours that were used in the Heritage Tomato Aburi tostaditas, and the careful preparation that went into each dish (such as the Yellowtail Sashimi).

After we had all been fed and watered, we went off in small groups to see the upstairs restaurant and the kitchens. We passed the amazing robata grill and the Nikkei sushi bar, both of which customers are able to sit alongside and watch while the chefs prepare the dishes. I dusted off my Japanese language skills and chatted to some of the sushi chefs, as we watched in awe at them creating miniature marvels. They were incredibly passionate and so happy that we were enjoying the food they had prepared. The kitchen itself was smaller than I had expected, but equally as busy. I am always curious as to the inner workings of a busy restaurant, and Chotto Matte did not let me down.

Thank you to Chotto Matte for accommodating us. You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato, and if you fancy some cocktails/nibbles and a tour of Chotto Matte, Time Out currently have an amazing offer on.

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Where to Eat in London: The Cicchetti Bar, at Piccolino

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The Cicchetti Bar, at Piccolino* | Dinner/Bar | Mayfair | Website
– reservations available –

Like most Londoners I avoid Oxford Circus like the plague. Pair that with living in East London and you’ve got one little lady who does not often venture into the dark realms of tourist hell – aka Regents Street. However that all changed when V.A (of Chopstickpanorama) invited me along to Piccolino’s new Cicchetti bar. An Italian friend had actually been recommending cicchetti (Italian tapas) to me a few days earlier, that had to be more than a coincidence, right?

Piccolino itself is nestled amongst a small set of restaurants in Heddon Street, just off Regent Street. The quiet courtyard feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of the main road, which accompanied with the fairy lights hanging above, gives it an almost fairytale-like quality. When we arrived at Piccolino we were greeted by the hostess who kindly showed us down to the cicchetti bar in the basement. The bar has just been renovated in a somewhat contemporary take on art deco. One wall is covered by large sections of mirror, which reflect the bar taking pride of place in the centre of the room. The dark green, black and gold accents won me over straightaway.

We were offered a selection of cichetti as we waited on two bellinis at the bar. I started with the ‘bruschetta con burrito e fichi’ (Turkish black fig on mozzarella and toasted ciabatta), which was refreshing, but slightly bland. However we followed it with a slice of crispy ‘picante pizzette’ (spicy calabrian sausage, roast red pepper, tomato and mozzarella pizza slice), which had tons of flavour – namely spice. It sat on the verge of being too hot for me to handle, but that made me enjoy it even more. Of course you can’t have Italian without Arancini, and the ‘Arancini Bolognese’ (Sicilian risotto rice fritter, beef ragu, peas and mozzarella cheese) was not a let down. The ‘spiedini di pollo’ (skewered chicken wrapped in pancetta) was tender, juicy, and perfectly salty. It was my favourite, alongside the ‘zucca fritta’ (crispy fried pumpkin and sage) which was so incredibly delicious I was left craving more – the foodie’s sign of a perfect dish. Oh yes, the bellinis! I’d almost forgotten about them amongst the heaps of food I’ve been fondly recalling for you. As far as cocktails go, it wasn’t the best bellini Ive ever had, but it wasn’t the worst.

For my first taste of cichetti I was pleasantly surprised. The experience left me wanting more, as did the menu. I love sharing food and connecting over it, so I can’t think of anything better than heading to the bar after an evening of press events. I’ll certainly be going back, and I’ll be bringing my friends with me.

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.