THE TABLE

London, UK

In an otherwise not very lively street, The Table in Southwark is always bustling with a queue outside around weekend brunch time. It is designed and developed by the architects next door, Allies & Morrison, and draws a creative crowd probably because of this fact. I went with a group of five people on a rainy Sunday, and we waited for about 10 minutes outside before being seated in the simple, bright space. The menu shows that the restaurant is committed to sustainable sourcing and to the use of quality, British ingredients. We started off with some delicious smoothies, and went on to order quite a lot of food. I had the Sweetcorn Fritters with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. This was an interesting and filling alternative to my usual order of Eggs Benedict. The tomato compote and spinach were quite bland additions to this dish, but the sweetcorn fritters made up for it. I received an unpleasant surprise when I broke through to the yolk of the second poached egg, as there was some strange brown stuff in there. This was quite off-putting, and I avoided eating the eggs after that. The highlight of the meal was the waffles. I tried both the delicious blueberry version, and the even better coconut, maple syrup and marshmallows. These aren't big enough to form a full meal (even though the price isn't far from the other main brunch dishes) but they are definitely a must to share or eat on the side.The staff was nice enough to gives us a portion of Eggs Royale wrapped as take-away for someone who didn't make it out of bed on time, a service that they do not usually provide. All in all The Table serves up a decent brunch, where you can tell that the ingredients are fresh, but some of the flavours are lacking a bit of punch. I apologise for going into detail about this; but the weird stuff inside the egg yolk was enough for me to not want to return to this restaurant, even though the waffles might be worth reconsidering for. 

www.thetablecafe.com

GOAT CHELSEA

London, UK

What I stumbled upon once as pure coincidence, has now become an all time local favourite on the corner of Fulham road and Park Walk in Chelsea. Once a traditional pub, Goat has been nipped and tucked into an uber chic gastro pub serving nothing of what one might expect by walking by. Abandoning the cliché of ‘reinterpreting’ traditional English pub cuisine, chef Marco Museli presents an array of delicious Italian dishes served to an impeccable standard one would expect from any top Italian restaurant. The chef does pay homage to the past life of the restaurant by serving one of London’s most delicious burgers which is topped with pancetta; a burger that every Londoner ought to try.  It has now been three times that I have been to Goat, and on all of my visits the consistency of the good food, great service and lively ambience has cemented it in being a local favourite perfect for a Sunday lunch in the sun, or a nice easy dinner any day of the week. When it comes to food, aside from the delicious burger, the pizzas are an excellent choice, which are wood fried and prepared with the simplest and freshest of ingredients. A favourite is the pizza with bresaola, rocket and parmesan, as well as the traditional margherita pizza. Both are fresh, and light, yet filling pizzas cooked to crispy perfection destined to please the harshest of pizza critics. With all the delicious food at Goat however, the smoking gun is the extensive cocktail list with cocktails rivalling London’s top bars. A must-order is the Earl Grey Martini, served in a bone china tea cup, and accented with flavours of lavender making it unparalleled in freshness and flavour. If ever in doubt of where to dine in Kensington and Chelsea, Goat is a definite choice that just keeps winning every time, and with a tucked away speakeasy style bar: The Chelsea Prayer room to its back, its also a solid choice for a night out in Chelsea.

www.goatchelsea.com

VINTAGE SALT

London, UK

For the past few summers, Selfridges has created a pop-up restaurant on their 5th floor rooftop in Oxford Street. This year, Vintage Salt has taken over. Intended to mimic a Cornish fishing village, with maritime design and a seafood and grill-based menu, I went for weekend lunch with a friend, and I was happy to have been able to book a table online just the day before. You start appreciating the little things like this after living in London for a while. As I got into the restaurant's own lift accessed from the fragrance department, the seaside theme was already evident. The friendly waitress, dressed as a sailor, directed me to a table in the narrow outdoor space. From initial impressions, I got the sense that everyone one was there for a special occasion to try it out, and maybe it's not the kind of place that you'd return to, however it's possible that the atmosphere is a bit cooler around dinner time. I started with ancient loaf with hand churned butter. This was listed as one of the starters on the menu, and not as a side. The crispy crust and soft bread was among the best I've ever tried, I could almost have had it as a main as well. As an aperitif, I ordered the Dirty Sea Martini;  a vodka martini with some pieces of seaweed at the bottom of the glass. It was refreshing and interesting, but it smelled a bit too much of the sea, almost fishy. The cocktail menu generally looked interesting, and I'd like to go back one evening and try more of their drinks and one of their Champagne Popsicles.  

For mains, my friend ordered the Beef Burger with truffled fries on the side, and I went for the Camden Hells Fried Fish & Chips. When the food arrived I got a slight pang of food envy, as the burger looked amazing with a thick slice of cheese and an avocado topping. However, she said the meat was quite dry, and not as good as it looked. The fish and chips were pretty much what you would expect, the fish seemed fresh and the sides were tasty, but it didn't stand out as very different from what you would get served at a pub. Being a popular spot, the reservation email made it clear that you can only keep the table for 90 minutes. At the end of our slot, a crowd waiting at the bar had built up, but fortunately the waiters didn't put any pressure on us to leave. The staff seemed to have been instructed to not let a single drop of rain fall on the guests, as every time there was a cloud, they would close and reopen the roof. Luckily the weather stayed sunny and we took a quick peek at the London view before heading back down to Selfridges for some shopping. 

www.vintagesalt.co.uk

BOROUGH MARKET

London, UK

Borough Market is arguably the most famous food market in London, with people from all over town flocking there on Saturdays, to an area of the city they otherwise might not visit much. It is not a live fashion show like Broadway Market, as the crowd is more touristic or family oriented. It's usually crowded and a bit stressful, so I wouldn't go for the atmosphere, only for the food. For the early birds, there is a wholesale market from 2am to 8am on Saturdays, which I hear is cheap and good, but I've yet to get up that early to check it out. Instead, I've arrived around lunch hour, when the market is packed and the queue for the cash machine stretches far. I would not only advice to get cash in advance, but to get quite a lot of it. It's not a cheap market, and the costs start to add up if you want to have a drink, a few lunches, ice cream, and some snacks to take home. As with all markets, the best strategy is to share so you can try as many things as possible. There is also an array of free tasters to grab on the way, like paella and turkish delights.

One of my favourite meals at Borough isn't technically a market stall, but a temporary BBQ grill set up outside of Applebee's fishmongers. They serve grilled garlic prawn wraps from noon onwards, perfect for a late Saturday breakfast. The prawns are served with only a bit of lettuce, garlic and dressing, and taste absolutely amazing in the wrap. This is a must, and great warm up for two to share before heading into the main market area.  Amongst the most popular stands is Northfield Farm, which always has a long line. When I saw the sign for their Wangus Burger, a mixture of wagyu beef and angus beef. With this, I decided I had to join the queue and try it. I got served after around 10 minutes, and once I dug in I was disappointed with the very first bite. The meat was chewy and kind of springy in consistency, and it seemed like no thought had been put into the garnishes; a bit of rocket and onion just doesn't cut it. When I checked their website now, it seems that the item has been taken off the menu, so perhaps I wasn't the only one who didn't like it. However, the salt beef sandwich from the same place is spectacular, an example of English bread and meat at their best. Clearly, Northfield has good quality ingredients, they just have to put effort into serving it in the right way. Once I've tried a few mains, I usually walk around and look for produce to take home. There's a great selection of juices, chocolates, vegetables and bread to set you up for the rest of the weekend.

www.boroughmarket.org.uk

BOB BOB RICARD

London, UK

I discovered Bob Bob Ricard when I was presented with the challenge to pick a restaurant that my whole family, and most importantly my grandfather, would like on their visit to London. In addition to serving good traditional food, the criteria also consisted of finding a place with comfortable chairs and good acoustics. I'd done some asking around, and the obvious choices such as Berner's Tavern and the Wolseley were fully booked. After finishing an average dinner at Grillshack in Soho we walked past Bob Bob Ricard, which my friend suggested I go for. I had a quick google, and the lavish design convinced me that this would be an interesting place to try. The interior is absolutely beautiful, and transports you to a 'Gatsbian' era of glamour and luxury. Every table is a booth, clad in blue leather, with heaps of bling everywhere, reminiscent of the Orient Express. On our way in we were greeted by 6 people, which is a bit excessive, but it works in this setting. The pink graphic design of the menu and the tableware were very well carried out. Some of the luxury is a bit gimmicky such as the much Instagrammed 'press for champagne' button, but it adds to the experience.

We started off with some high quality cocktails, then got going with our starters. I can rarely resist soup on any menu, and opted for the Artichoke Soup. This was creamy and warming, and really did taste of artichoke. For mains I had the Beef Onglet served medium rare, small pieces of juicy and flawlessly tender meat. I also got to try a bite of the three-bird burger, an original and crispy meal, although not one that I would choose again when there are so many different things to try. Generally, I liked the fact that all of the dishes were quite simple and you could see what ingredients went into them, yet the flavours were distinct and delicious. It would be interesting to see how the food transitions to the summer time, as I did find it to be a very hearty menu and a cosy winter atmosphere. We were rather full by the end of our mains, so we only went for a little ice cream and Irish Coffee to finish the meal. While my aunt was having a cigarette outside, she spoke with a doorman and he explained the story behind the name Bob Bob Ricard. The restaurant was founded by Leonid "Bob" Shutov and Richard Howarth. Leonid put up two thirds of the money for the restaurant, hence the repetition of his name. Bob Bob Ricard has found a formula that works, with an interior design, food and drinks selection and staff that complete a perfect package of a special dining experience in the centre of London. I daresay you are almost guaranteed good food and a good time if you go to this restaurant. 

www.bobbobricard.com

THE WORLD'S END MARKET

London, UK

Joining the welcome trend of locally sourced food and environmentally conscious eating, The World's End Market serves seasonal, healthy food on the Kings Road in Chelsea. With a whole section in their menu dedicated to burgers, this place seemed perfect for The Food Grid, so we went over for dinner to try it out. Located in an iconic free-standing building that used to be a pub, the interior feels warm and authentic, with green leather furniture and beautiful brass lamps. I headed straight to the bar to check out their signature cocktails, and opted for an Isle Garden, a gin based drink with basil leaves and cucumber. This was refreshing and yummy, and I can imagine it would be perfect at brunch for curing a hangover. We then sat down and looked over the menu, and I ordered Carpaccio of Scallop to start and whole grilled Plaice for mains. 

When the first dish arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by how delicately it was presented. Within the casual setting I was somehow not expecting a rather fine dining-looking starter. I am a big fan of scallop, and this one was perfect and fresh, with an unusual combination of Harissa salsa. I only wished there was more of it! My friend ordered the Artichoke with Buffalo Mozzarella. I had a couple of bites of it, and this was one of those rare occurrences where I couldn't decide which dish I liked best, they were both so tasty. The main dishes arrived, and with the first forkful of fish I could taste the particular flavour created by the kitchen's method of grilling their meat and fish in a Josper oven. My friend ordered the Truffle Burger cooked rare, garnished with mushrooms and halloumi. Served in a brioche bun, the meat was charred but raw and juicy inside. Whilst the truffle flavour was great, it masked the taste of the meat. In general it's best to order a classic burger if you want to judge the meat, however I can understand that it can be difficult to resist anything with truffle. Every main dish on the menu is served with salad and french fries, and these were just my type of fries; skinny and extra crispy, so that each of them tasted like those little ones that you usually get excited to find at the bottom of the bowl when you think it is empty. Halfway through the evening I realised that some friends of mine were on a nearby table. They live locally and since the recent opening of World's End Market had already become regulars. They said this place was the best thing to happen to this area for ages. I have to agree that it has an instant charm that makes you want to return. Following desserts towards the end of the night, the music had picked up and I found myself Shazamming one of the songs. I'm sure this restaurant would be a great place for having a quality meal with a group of friends before a night out. 

www.theworldsendmarket.com

We were invited to review The World's End Market, and the opinions expressed are our own.

LEILA'S SHOP

London, UK

Last year when I told people that I was moving to Shoreditch, breakfast at Leila's Shop was the first restaurant recommendation I got. It is located on Calvert Avenue, a cosy street full of independent shops, just off Arnold Circus. Even though it's really close to my home, it took me a whole year to go there. It is always crowded at breakfast, brunch and lunch (it's not open for dinner), and I never bothered to queue up. When I finally had the time to go on a weekday, the tables outside were free, and we sat down in the sun for some food and people-watching. The menu is always short, usually with one vegetarian and one meat-based option. I am assuming the selection is decided by whatever daily produce is available, and thus we didn't have much to choose from. My friend and I both went for the baked eggs with sage, which came served in one pan that we shared. We asked if they had any sides, as I had a craving for avocado, but they didn't. They also didn't have any orange juice, so I went for a freshly squeezed apple juice, and my friend had a good quality cappuccino. After a short wait, we could smell the distinct aroma of sage from inside the restaurant, and we were quite excited to dig in. We meticulously divided the four eggs which had merged into one to make sure we both got an equal share. The organic eggs were great, with an orange, runny yolk, and lots of flavour from the seasoning. Without sides the meal was not big, so we ended up finishing the bread basket and we were still kind of hungry when leaving. The service was so-so; for instance when we asked for butter for the bread they seemed annoyed as if that was an unreasonable request. Despite this, I really liked eating there, and will recommend it to anyone who walks past when one of their few tables are available. Their small grocery shop next door is also worth checking out, full of fresh produce and delicious looking ingredients. 

BYRON - THE RONALDO

London, UK

In the spirit of the World Cup, and as an excuse to visit the new Byron that’s opened up in Shoreditch, I tried the limited edition Ronaldo Burger. Named after the 90s Brazilian football phenomenon, this double cheeseburger has crispy bacon, pickles, soft butter onions and fried onions. There are no special sauces on this burger, only ketchup and American mustard. Its price of £13 is a  hint to the sheer size of the burger, as Byron’s standard burgers cost between £7-9.  When the waitress placed it on the table, it toppled over, another hint that it was too large.  What stood out to me at the first bite was the very thin and perfectly cooked bacon, along with the classic pickles. The flavours all worked really well, but there was just too much meat. I’m not a big fan of double-patty hamburgers, as it messes with a trialled and tested meat-to-bread ratio that works so well in a single burger. I think this burger would be a lot more enjoyable with less meat, so that you manage to give more of your attention to the delicious toppings. Additionally, Byron has such tasty sides, that it is a shame to fill up on the burger without being able to enjoy enough their French Fries, Proper Olives and Oreo Cookie Milkshakes. I had to get the olives to go, as I really could not eat another bite of anything. It was nice to try it, but already when people have asked me about it, I haven’t recommended it. The list of garnishes on The Ronaldo had so much potential, it was disappointing that it just did not balance out with the patties. I’d rather stick to my usual choice of the Cheeseburger with American cheese and Byron sauce on the side.    

www.byronhamburgers.com

SPIT & ROAST

London, UK

Spit and Roast manages to satisfy two cravings I almost always have; a craving for a good burger and for fried chicken. In London, burgers are all over its food grid, but when it comes to fried chicken, it still remains a rarity to come across that excellent piece of juicy and crispy poultry. This is not say there aren't any good places serving fried chicken; it’s just not as common as finding a good burger, which makes the experience of finding a place that perfects it ever the more precious and enjoyable. Enter Spit and Roast, which I had the pleasure of trying on one of my lunch breaks from work at my new favorite eating spot in London: the Kerb food market in Granary Square. The Kerb is also home to The Grilling Greek, and the previous home of Bleecker Street Burger, both of which have been reviewed on the Food Grid. It was a sunny Wednesday, and arriving at the Kerb the queue stretched quite far back, but I happily waited eager to try the food emerging from the van with the longest line. Thirty minutes later, I ordered their classic and most famous dish, the fried chicken bap alongside an order of French fries, naturally. Ready within five minutes, I rushed to find a place to sit and dig in. The burger not only looks delicious, it tastes amazing. The fried buttermilk chicken is tender, crispy and just the right amount of oily, complemented with their crunchy slaw and Korean hot sauce, making this burger a fusion burger I suppose. With the summer season upon us, I have no doubt the lines ahead of Spit and Roast will keep getting longer, but I will gladly wait to have another one of their delicious fried chicken baps. 

www.kerbfood.com/traders/spit-roast