There is only one rule of thumb when selecting an Asian eatery - look at the clientele. Too Western and you realize even before you see the menu that the food on offer has been lost in translation. Thus I was more than happy to wait outside Mama Pho's in Rotherhithe when in search of some classic Vietnamese this weekend. (Another sign that the food is good when the queue extends around the corner.) My dish of choice- lemon-grass pork, rice vermicelli, fresh vegetables combined with classic dipping sauce was sensational, zingy fresh, and gave me an acute sense of nostalgia - years of consuming very cheap pho on Collingwood's Victoria Street, Melbourne. I was so taken with this dish that it is our weekend inspiration. Cash only and definitely worth the trek to Canada Water. 24 Evelyn Street London, SE8 5DG
0 Comments
Kirazu is our latest find here at London Food Essentials just off Soho's frenetic Piccadily Circus. With a menu of Japanese tapas like cold soba noodles and tempura and Japanese pancakes, we can't get enough of Yuya Kikuchi's inspired menu. A homage to Japanese cuisine and an ode to healthy eating, Kikuchi's cuisine reflects his training in Japanese food and healthy eating. Kirazu translates as bean in Japanese. The perfect selection of tea and tranquil yet modernist interior makes it the perfect lunch and dinner venue. See you there. 47 Rupert Street, London, W1D 7PD
The latest spot in London town takes its inspiration from the style emporiums of New York. At 55 Duke Street, it's a gathering of Fernandez & Wells, The Shop at the Blue Bird and Jigsaw in this converted Arts & Crafts building off Oxford Street. The highlight of our trip was listening to Roberta Flack's Where Is The Love playing on the free jukebox and discovering our favourite Marvis toothpaste. Ohh and that delectable slice of pear and lavender loaf (as pictured above). Duke Street Emporium is a great concept store and a refreshing addition to this end of Oxford Street. 55 Duke Street, W1K 5NR.
At London Food Essentials, we are continually inspired by the creative new ventures of London food entrepreneurs. Our latest discovery is Craved - an online platform supporting small batch London food producers. We were lucky enough to interview founder David Voxlin last week and we will be publishing our interview later this month. But we couldn't resist featuring Craved in our weekend inspiration, in particular their bike delivery service. For all orders of £40 and above, you can ask for a weekend bike delivery to your home in Central London. Deliveries are available on Friday nights (18.00 - 21.00) and Saturday mornings (09.00 - 12.00). We love this idea as it promotes food localism and community that is so essential to London as a food city. Craved is one to watch, so come back later in the month to find out more.
The rain has stopped and the sun is shining. So take some weekend inspiration from Falling Fruit. This global collaborative project encourages local foragers to post the location of fruit trees in public spaces and gardens. The idea to create like-minded communities of foragers committed to reducing food waste and gleaning the abundance of the city's own urban harvest. The site lists local foraging maps like those created by Hackney Harvest and Abundance London as well as not-for-profit agencies that collect glut fruit and vegetables from private gardens and donate it to food banks. Falling Fruit is an open-source website meaning that anyone can post data. All entries include information on season, access, quality, yield, fruiting status, and location. Press on the changes tab to monitor new listings. Over half a million sites are listed globally with 379 to explore in London alone. Happy harvesting!
|
ARCHIVES
February 2017
|