Silk Road

It's been a while between posts but not between meals. Plenty to blog but so little time...
Silk Road in Camberwell is a gem that needs to be talked about because they are actually doing it right... in London. It took me a while to get here and before I did I swore i'd never eat Chinese food in London that came close to what I was used to in Sydney. Finally, freshly made dumplings, hand made noodles, a selection of cold starters and LOTS of chilli. They specialise in XinJiang style cuisine which uses a lot of chilli, lamb and some other spices not found in other styles of Chinese food.

Boiled dumplings = not bad

Dumplings are made fresh and in my experience here are best ordered boiled rather than pan fried, which can be hit and miss on the cooking. Tasty but nothing outstanding. Dried chilli oil and black vinegar do help to lift them somewhat. As always I overdo it on the chilli early on... i'll never learn.

Burnt Dumplings = bad

Cold starters plates consisting of seaweed with chilli oil, pork belly with chilli oil and tripe.... with chilli oil are not as similar as they might sound although they do have something in common. The seaweed is crisp and sweet and salty with that little hit of chilli. It amazing. Again, the pork belly and tripe, the latter a standout are both handled with a light touch, packed with flavour.

I've really missed hand made noodles as there's quite a bit of choice in Sydney for these. Silk Road do not disappoint with their noodles, bouncy with that right amount of chew and a rich sauce offset with the right amount of acid from fresh tomato. Add some chilli oil and black vinegar to taste and you have almost the perfect bowl of noodles. If I was eating here alone i'd order a plate of these and be done with it.... well maybe some tripe too.

Pork with black fungus, a winner of a dish. The black "wood ear" or "cloud" fungus is a thin black mushroom with a crispy texture that is a favourite of mine. Very tasty.

Big plate chicken, probably not something i'd order again. VERY spicy, not a huge amount of flavour, not much chicken and the belt noodles were nothing compared to the noodles in the other noodle dish we had.

Silk Road is at 49 Church st, Camberwell SE5 8TR
020 7703 4832

Hog Roast @ East Dulwich Markets

Time for some more pork. Damn good pork too. We venture back to one of our favourite spots on a lazy Saturday to chow on some serious protein and drink beer.

The Hog Roast guys are doing something good for the cause. Keeping the masses fed with a noble beast cooked simply but expertly. A sandwich of pulled pork on fresh bread with homemade apple sauce and a little bit of roquette to seal the deal. A simple thing but I know a lot of work would go into preparing this each week.

The smell is mesmerizing as is the look of the pig sitting proudly atop the massive grill. One guy "pulls" the pork and seasons it with a light dressing which contains fennel seeds and  few other bit and bobs while the other guy builds the sandwich and handles the crowds. The system works well and the guy from Viet Van a few stalls up could learn a thing or two from these guys and double his turnover by employing an extra set of hands (and I wouldn't have to wait so long!)

Get there early and you'll be spoiled with the best parts like the belly and shoulder. The first time we ate here it was before midday and the belly was amazing. Second time it was a slightly less fatty and drier part of the pig and wasn't quite as good - but still excellent all the same.

 

£4.00 doesn't exactly break the bank does it?

Hog Roast is at New Cross Road, East Dulwich every Saturday.

Elliot's Cafe

It's good to know the chef. Really good. If you know someone that works in a restaurant, specifically the kitchen, and they offer to take you to where they work for dinner then I suggest you take them up on it. As often as the friendship allows.

It's Friday night and we venture to Borough Market and while the market is quiet and almost gloomy, Stoney St is a hub of activity. From office workers winding down from their weekly stresses to the party crowd getting ready for a big night on the town, Elliot's is the place to grab an excellent feed for those in the know. Ok so they just had an excellent write up in the Metro so it's no longer a secret but there's more to this joint that meets the eye.

Everything in the kitchen is sourced from the market, from the excellent aged beef courtesy of Ginger Pig, the seafood and game from Furness to the extra virgin olive oil and smoked anchovies from Brindisa.
Bread is baked on premises. Not just the excellent sourdough bread for the restaurant but burger buns, cinnamon rolls, rye crackers etc etc - the list is extensive. They make ice cream, really good ice cream. They even make their own ketchup. The coffee is from Stone Mile and the baristas are the real deal turning out works of art in every cup. The wine list is an eclectic mix of 'punching above their weight' labels and the beer, some of the best I've had.

So, the ingredients are all there... but what's it like on the plate?

Being new to the blogging game I completely forget i'm supposed to be documenting my meal so when the first course arrives I dive in, completely forgetting that chunky DSLR camera sitting beside my plate.  Chargrilled squid on a bed of braised leeks with butter and dill is not on the menu but don't be deterred, the squid with aioli and dukka looked equally impressive. The squid is as fresh as it gets, crunchy from the grill and super tender. Everything on the plate is there for a reason, it all just works perfectly.

whoops, sorry for ruining this before I snapped it

Three of the cutest baby pumpkins arrive, filled with raschera cheese and chestnut mushrooms, all glazed and crunchy on the top. The sweet earthiness of the pumpkin melding perfectly with the rich melting cheese and mushrooms.

Now we're being spoilt, the chef sends up a sharing plate of 3 large slabs of perfectly rare rib of beef (scotch fillet in Australia, not sure why they call it the rib here when the bone is removed). Baby heirloom carrots and brussel sprouts on the side are tossed with smoked bacon from Ginger Pig. The beef has that aged full flavour and is juicy and tender, vegetables have that perfect amount of crunch left in them and are enhanced nicely with the welcome addition of that bacon. Not forgetting the sauce, a beef reduction with fresh tarragon which one of my fellow diners decided was too good to waste and drank it straight from the jug when we were all done!

one photo wasn't enough

A side of pink fir potatoes with a creamy, cheesy sauce was just enough to push us over the edge of happiness. Green Salad so crisp and fresh with a subtle red wine vinaigrette.

Two scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream sounds humble enough but once you pour over an obscene amount of delicious Pedro Ximénez, then you have a real treat that puts a smile on your face and some rosiness in your cheeks.

Elliot's Cafe just seems to have the balance right. Unpretentious with great produce and a deft touch to not only the food but the service as well. They also do a MEAN burger at lunchtime.

Monday - Saturday

Breakfast 7:30 - 11:00, Lunch 12:00 - 3:00
Bar snack menu 3:00 - 6:00, Dinner 6:00 - 10:00

12 Stoney St, Borough Market, London SE1 9AD
info@elliotscafe.com
020 7403 7436

Honest Burgers @ Brixton Village

For the third time since we moved to London we venture over to Honest Burgers for what we already know is going to be a damn fine burger. Situated in the heart of Brixton Village, Honest Burgers is easily the busiest joint in the place... and there's no wonder why. It ticks all the boxes in my book for a great place to eat, simple hole in the wall dining, great produce cooked with great finesse and a menu so simple and understated it makes ordering a breeze. Needless to say, it gets very busy.

The queue is there all lunch time!

Let's start with the establishment itself. A few wooden tables inside and out and a small but purpose built kitchen. The addition of a charcoal grill might be nice for the burgers but it would seriously smoke out the diners so I think it was a good omission.

A large menu on the wall gives you the run down. Chicken, Beef and Vege options (all burgers obviously) although i'm not going to bother discussing the chicken or vege burgers cos i'm probably never going to order them. Beef comes with options of cheese or cheese and bacon, dubbed The Honest Burger. Chips are triple cooked then tossed with rosemary salt. That's pretty much the extent of it and I for one am glad for it.

The correct condiments.

The beef is sourced from Ginger Pig and is aged for 35 days if i''m not mistaken. You can taste the quality here, it's not your run of the mill beef mince. Course ground with plenty of fat and flavour. Red onion relish, cheese and bacon are all welcome additions. The essential pickled cucumber is of course present too. Chips are crunchy delicious with a nice earthy rosemary kick.

Angelic in it's humble white paper wrapping

This is one of the best burgers I have tried in London. Seriously worth a visit, just be prepared to wait for a table. If you do have to wait, grab a coffee from Federation Coffee while you wait.

I love Brixton Village, so much diversity. You can even buy a shark's head if you require one...

Freshest shark head I have ever seen.

OPEN: Mo closed; Tu & We 12-16h; Th, Fr & Sa 12-16h, 18-22h; Su 12-16h
Unit 12, Brixton Village, London SW9 8PR  (googlemap)  T: +44 (0)7739 182 955
E: hello@honestburgers.co.uk
T: honestburgers 

Big Foodie Mission

So we leave the flat on a drizzling weekday on a mission for firm favourites as there is no experimenting required for us today. We want something familiar, something comforting and reassuringly simple. We know what we want and we know where to find it but before we start eating we take a quick detour for one of London's finest coffees.....

... and so we find ourselves at Flat White in Soho. Run by a bunch of Kiwis who know a thing or two about the bean and serving Square Mile coffee, it's the place to get your morning injection if you like a seriously great tasting kick-start.

a thing of great beauty

With a much brighter outlook on life we leave Flat White still contemplating whether we should have had another cup. Determined by grumbling tummy's we push on to the iconic Brick Lane for, no NOT curry... salt beef bagels. I've been to Brick Lane plenty of times, never had a curry here.

all night long

someone should tell them they keep spelling bagel wrong. sheesh

 I can't go past these bagels, they are amazing. neither can the hoards of people we have to queue with in order to secure one. Someone further up in the line orders 20 for the office and the whole place groans. Glad i'm not on a lunch break but I am still hopping from foot to foot in anticipation. It's only a few weeks since my last one but my partner in crime for the day hasn't had one in 4-5 years!

WHAT NO PICKLE???

remedied!

 It's just as good as always, soft chewy bagel, massive fist full of soft full flavoured salt beef, English mustard and pickle - if you ask for it. We forgot but sorted it out quick smart!

busy busy

the business end of the business

I'm still hungry. Probably because I inhaled my bagel and my brain doesn't quite know if eaten yet. The only thing to do is quickly make our way down the other end of Brick Lane for another tasty snack before my brain and stomach make contact and figure out what's going on.

yep, sweet AND spicy.

 Sweet and Spicy is a joint i've been to a few times in my travels to London and has one of those things on the menu so good that you can't believe everyone isn't doing it. It's a kebab with puni bread and a shish kebab, marinated onions and a kick ass spicy sauce. It's soft, warm and SPICY. I love them. You can get single or doubles, both are dirt cheap. there's also a special one with curry sauce or something in it which sounded like my next visit.

Don't let the humble looks fool you, this one packs a punch

They also have a selection of great looking curries, breads and rice for very little coin.

shish kebabs awaiting the afternoon rush

random photo near Petticoat Lane

 We start wandering back towards Liverpool St station and I remember the little chocolate shop in the arcade behind it. Leonidas makes exceptional chocolates, not cheap either but we are here for something I had years ago and have always remembered. Their hot chocolate. it's wicked. You get a free little choccy on the side too. I dumped mine straight in the cup to melt with the hot choc. So rich and warming, a great way to round off a solid bit of eating.

boss lady didn't like me taking photos inside of her beautiful shop

Flat White is at 17 Berwick St, Soho W1F 0PT

Beigel Bake is at 159 Brick Ln  London E1 6SB

Sweet and Spicy is at 40 Brick Lane  City of London E1 6RF

Leonidas is at 20 The Arcade  City of London EC2M 7PN

Elephant @ Brixton Village

After two or three too many weissbraus at The Bishop in East Dulwich (right after our trip to Viet Van, previous post) our small team decides to make the move towards Brixton Village in hope of securing a table at one of our favourite eateries. Brixton Village is something of a diamond in the rough, tucked in behind the market and spanning through to Coldharbour Lane, entirely undercover like a little mall. Apparently when it started they offered free rent to anyone with a solid idea for a business. They end result is amazing, loads of little hole in the wall joints seemingly kitted out from ikea with very little space to work their magic, but work it they do. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera so the photos are courtesy of iPhone....

Alas Honest Burger is heaving so we keep moving in hope of trying something new and exciting. We spy a free table at the popular Elephant, a tiny hole in the wall serving pakistani street / home style cooking. We dart in and settle down for what turns out to be a bloody good feed. Imran Bashir has apparently no formal training yet he's doing what a lot of chefs wish they could, cooking great food from the heart with tried and tested (and no doubt secret) family recipes.

You can also sit 'inside'

We order pakora and samosa to start, the pakora were dry and overcooked which was a shame because the flavour was good. The samosa were brilliant, served with a tangy cucumber salad and raita. The filling rich but not heavy. Not cheap for £4.25.... but i'd order them again so I suppose they are worth it.

dry pakora is dry... but tasty

samosa heaven. I edited this photo a little bit as it was quite dark.

Mains are chicken curry, this was better than the chicken curry at Tayyabs hands down. Tender chicken, not overcooked with not too aggressive spicing yet plenty of heat. Keema curry, the standout dish, minced lamb with bags and bags of flavour and spice. Superb.... and we had the daal which isn't normally my choice but this one was quite respectable. All curries came with either rice or bread. We got both cos we're greedy.

err we scoffed the mains before i remembered to take photos of them... here's a random shot instead :)

Around us other punters are tucking into thalis, a selction of dishes with rice, bread etc.. a perfect way to order if you're dining alone.... or you just don't feel like sharing. The menu is very limited but once you see the size of the kitchen it makes sense. I would always rather eat somewhere that plays to their strengths and stick to a few dishes they do really well rather than try to please everybody (my biggest gripe with most Chinese take aways in London).

a bit of jazz starts up later in the evening. perfect for all the hipsters at Mama Lan

There is also a dessert option of mango or pistachio kulfi (ice cream) which I passed on as I wasn't sure it would sit well with all that beer in my belly. I'm keen to try it when I return.... and return I shall... but probably not before I head back to Honest Burger.

Elephant can be found at 55 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour lane SW9 8PS
Imran Bashir - 07590 389684
info@elephantcafe.co.uk

Viet Van @ East Dulwich Markets

This is my first post and it's quite fitting that this place encapsulates everything I love about food. Got slow cooked pork? Check. Eating messily on the street? Check. Vietnamese?? Check! Viet Van is the massively popular baguette stand here in East Dulwich and something of a revelation for us new immigrants. I popped down last week to see what all the fuss was about and i've been dreaming of it since the second I finished the last bite of my very first baguette. It's that good.

It really is a tiny operation.

 There are a few options on the menu, bbq chicken baguettes, salads - whatever! I'm here for one thing, the pulled pork. The pork shoulder is marinated for 8 hours then cooked in a slow cooker overnight until falling apart tender and juicy. Mr Van keeps the pork warm in the slow cooker (not going to make it any worse is it?) and heats up spankingly fresh baguettes to order till crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. He adds pickled vegetables, homemade pate, , cucumber, mayo, coriander, sriatcha chilli sauce and a healthy amount of the juicy, dripping pork then splashes a tiny bit of fish sauce on at the end to liven it all up....

This is truly a work of genius. All the flavours and textures marry together perfectly. Crunchy, rich, fresh, spicy, sour, sweet etc etc... so good. I'll be back every Saturday I reckon.

drool....

Viet Van can be found every Saturday at the East Dulwich Markets on New Cross Road, just off Lordship Lane. There's not many stalls but most of them are high quality food vendors so it's well worth the visit.