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.

SMACK DELI

London, UK

Forget cupcakes and burgers, the biggest craze on the London eating scene is lobster, more specifically lobster rolls, which are the now the new ‘thing’. The most recent arrival is Smack Deli that is conveniently, yet not so nicely, located off Oxford Street across from Selfridges; not the best area to be in on a weekend. Designed as a fast food place with high stools for seating and a concise menu, Smack Deli delivers a reliable and cheap lobster roll ideal for a quick bite or to eat on the go. There is however nothing ‘fast food’ about the quality, which is high and made us crave more. Having stopped at the Deli for an early weekday lunch with a friend, we each ordered a California Roll with two orders of Courgette Fries, two Smack Colas, and we opted to share a Mexican Roll. The California Roll is as pretty as it is delicious, and comes served with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber and mayonnaise. It is a light and refreshing roll, which made us dream of warmer summer days. The Mexican Roll comes served with chipotle mayonnaise, jalapeno, corn and cabbage, and provided a spicy uplift and kick that was also very yummy. The Courgette Fries, although a bit too thick for my liking, were fried to a good degree and did not drip of oil; they were adequately crispy. The Smack Cola on the other hand did nothing for me and I would have preferred a regular coke; it was too flat and almost seemed as a healthier alternative to Coca Cola, which while welcome is not what one is after when looking to have a coke. With a very reasonable total price tag of 30 pounds, it was the perfect lunch spot and one I will definitely be returning to in the very near future.

www.smackdeli.com

ED'S LOBSTER BAR

New York, USA

Like clockwork, merely two to three hours after landing in New York, I make my way to Soho to have a bite at Ed’s Lobster Bar, a tradition I have upheld for the past five years and intend to do for many years to come; that is until I officially cross the Atlantic and become a New Yorker myself. This marks our second review of Ed’s on the Food Grid, and just as last time it was delicious and fulfilling. Not much has changed in that I ordered my go to drink, the Arnold Palmer, and started with the Shrimp Cocktail that was just as fresh as I have come to expect and with what is the best cocktail sauce there is. Of course no meal at Ed’s would be complete without the Lobster Roll and French Fries, which still commands my opinion as being the best lobster roll in the city; the brioche bun is just sensational. To kick things into a higher gear I also ordered the Lobster Pot Pie for the first time, as every time I go to Ed’s I would arrive around lunchtime and the pie is only served after 17:30 as part of their dinner time menu. The pie, which I had been dreaming of, was a heavenly broth, with the lobster and vegetables perfectly stewed in bisque gravy decadence, topped with a flawlessly crispy piecrust; it is phenomenal. Need I say more? I am just in love with this place.

www.lobsterbarnyc.com

HARRILD AND SONS

London, UK

Harrild and Sons opened recently in the lower end of Farringdon street, a lifeless part of the City of London. Anything opening there is good news, but this place has managed to develop a really cool and suitable City style. The ground floor has wood panelled walls, the bar shelves and light fittings are shaped from copper tubes, and there is a 5cc cocktail bar in the basement. With a lot of natural light as well, the space is cosy and comfortable. The restaurant specialises in lobster and oyster, but also serve steaks, a range of interesting sliders, and a dish that I’d like to try next time: Crab Fries with Cheese and Aioli. On my first visit I went for the Lobster Roll with Dijon Mayo and Fresh Oregano because I can rarely resist a lobster roll on any menu. It wasn’t great, and didn’t have the fresh-tasting meat that you would find in Burger & Lobster or B.O.B.'s Lobster. My friend opted for the grilled lobster instead, which she said was pretty good. Another friend vouches for the Pulled Pork sandwich, and said he would definitely order it again. The skin-on fries were really tasty and greasy, and I recommend them as a side to any dish. Harrild and Sons is the kind of place where everything sounds perfect and promising on the menu, but the flavours don't quite deliver. Like most City places, it is closed on Sundays, demonstrating that it is aimed at the professional clientele of the area only. It has already become a crowded spot, popular with the nearby office workers, but will likely remain just that. Even though it is a likeable place, the overall area has a lot of catching up to do before it becomes a destination for London foodies.

www.harrildandsons.com

EL 7 MARES

Los Angeles, CA

El 7 Mares is a tiny Mexican open-air restaurant in the Silverlake area of LA. I first saw it from across the road when I was having breakfast at FoodLab. I was surprised by how many people were visiting this shabby, gas-station looking eatery. I thought it looked so bad, it had to be good. Later that day I was reading an old TimeOut about cheap eats in LA, and this place was recommended for their fish tacos and ceviche. We headed down at sunset, and there was still a steady flow of people. We parked outside the little, neon-lit building which is placed in the middle of a parking lot, and had a seat in one of the plastic booths. The crowd was a mixture of hipsters and casually dressed Mexicans, creating a very LA vibe. Since we also had two taco food trucks on the list of places to eat that night, we didn't order much. From the illustrated menu above the counter we picked out shrimp tacos and fish tacos. The small portions were served with fresh lime to squeeze over, and a chilli sauce on the side that I didn't need much of due to its spiciness  Both types of tacos were a perfect blend of tangy and salty, and although fried, it did not come off as greasy. Out of the two I preferred the shrimp tacos, but would still order a variety just to mix it up. Their shrimp cocktail is also renowned, so if I ever get to go again, that will be next on my list.   

BEAST

London, UK

London’s latest arrival on the culinary scene comes courtesy of the team that have brought us the delicious Goodman Steakhouse and the London breakout, and now staple: Burger and Lobster. Suffice it to say expectations were high and our palettes restlessly eager to try what new offerings were to be bestowed upon us in this new mecca of meat and crab. Some important facts to know about Beast, firstly it offers a set menu consisting of beef as a first course and crab as the second, so if you’re a vegetarian this place is not for you. As a matter of fact considering how good it is, if you’re a vegetarian it’s about time to consider eating meat (no offence intended). Secondly, Beast accommodates its diners on communal dining tables in its candle lit dining room; three dining tables sculpted of heavy wood and set with candelabras, creating a medieval and equally mystical vibe to the restaurant, one of a wine cellar almost. One last and important detail to note is that dinner at Beast costs £75 a head excluding drink and dessert.

Now in terms of my experience at Beast; it was nothing short of sensational. Arriving at the restaurant, the ambience on its ground entrance floor is quite the antithesis to what was to come after. The entrance features an oversized beast (bear) sculpture in a triple height glazed and marble floored lobby, giving it a very corporate and sterile ambience. Once my reservation details were gathered by the maître-d, I was shown to the lift to take me down to the restaurant. In the basement, a waitress addressing me by my name (nice personal touch) was waiting and escorted my party and me to our side of the table. Moments after being seated, a smiling waiter briefed us on the concept of the restaurant, took our drink orders and prompted an oncoming waiter to serve us with the antipasti. The antipasti consisted of parmesan cheese (a whole wheel of parmesan was presented) with pickled onions, artichokes and olives. We nibbled on parmesan while sipping our wine until our first course arrived: the meat. The beef served at Beast is Nebraskan beef, served in a New Orleans style steak, which basically means one thing: it’s delicious. The meat was of an exceptionally high quality, which is to be expected from the patrons of Goodman steakhouse. Cooked to medium, it was tender, juicy and melted in my mouth. The steak was served with a side of a smoked tomato salad, green salad and asparagus as well as a delicious creamed truffle sauce to compliment the steak. The tomato salad was divine, and the truffle sauce heavenly although the steak was too good to have a sauce with it; instead I enjoyed it with the grilled asparagus. Upon completing our meat we were given at our request a 10-minute break until the crab arrived. The King Crab from Norway surpassed any crabmeat I have had (excluding a clambake in Cape Cod years ago), extra-large in size and rich in meat and just simply heavenly. Despite how full we already were we could not resist ordering dessert and opted for one of each type: the cheesecake and the lemon mousse. The lemon mousse had an excellent texture and a refreshing zest, and the cheesecake that was a deconstructed concoction of bliss just blew my mind. The whole experience at Beast was a triumph, and as it slowly garners attention it will undoubtedly become an ‘it’ place contending among the London heavy weights.

Update: Beast now also has an a la carte menu. 

www.beastrestaurant.co.uk

B.O.B'S & Co

London, UK

B.O.B’s & Co is a pop-up restaurant in the Rising Sun pub near St Paul’s Cathedral. Soon after we heard about it, we gave them a call, and surprisingly it was possible to book tables! They said that they get a lot of walk-ins, as people have become so used to the no-reservation policy in London. We went up the side entrance of the pub, into a warm and cosy space, which had an air of impermanence to it, due to the fake-brick wallpaper and the shared loos. We started with some drinks while looking over the menu. The cocktail list was short but good, with classic drinks such as Negroni and Old Fashioned. We ordered deep fried oysters, tuna sashimi tacos, seared scallops with mushrooms, and of course a lobster roll each. The food arrived very swiftly, and we finished it equally fast. The tuna tacos were so crispy and fresh tasting, and the scallops were perfect. The deep fried oysters were served on a bed of seaweed that the waitress told me was not for eating when she saw me starting to attack it with a fork. I wouldn’t say that fried oysters make for a very flavoursome dish, but it is fun to try as a novelty. The lobster rolls came as our main course with fries on the side. The bread roll was too charred, and they could have held back a bit on the sauce. The lobster meat itself was really good, but overall this lobster roll does not compete with the likes of Burger & Lobster in London or Ed’s Lobster Bar in New York. We did thoroughly enjoy our meal though, and I’d definitely go back. When we had cleared our plates, the friendly waitress described their two desserts of the day, neither of which sounded like our types of sweets, so we decided to have another portion of the amazing tuna tacos to finish off the meal. Our evening was complete when they kindly allowed us to take a pair of their foam lobster claws. 

www.bobsandco.com

LA CUCARACHA

La Cucaracha is a French restaurant, with a bit of inspiration taken from across the border in Spain. It is located in Bidart, near the charming town Biarritz in the South-West of France.  I have been to this place three times now, as I love the atmosphere and the food. Their house special salad is a must, although its contents change often, so it's not always equally good. The last time I went it was served with calamari fritti, but I enjoyed it the most when it came with grilled scallops. The faux filet is juicy and amazing, and the portion is huge. The two-person serving is more than enough for three, given you supplement it with some of their delicious starters too. The oven-baked mussels with butter and cheese are a must, as is a plate of Serrano ham and bruschetta. If you are not in the mood for a huge steak, go for one of their fresh, grilled seafood dishes. The house rosé wine is wonderfully pale, but their cocktail mixing skills are not good. Stick to the wine. La Cucaracha is always lively, especially when the anthem of the Bayonne rugby team is played to commemorate the birthday of a guest. The older crowd (60 +) gets up to sing and dance, and I really want to go back there one day far off in the future to celebrate my 65^th birthday and have the time of my life.

Rue de l'Hubahia, 64210 Bidart, France