eating in London... [GB]

There are two categories of restaurants blogged for London: Tottenham Court Road establishments and others spread out over the city.

I attended a weeklong program of Theatre. Staying at the Radisson Edwardian Grafton Tottenham Square, I put all the restaurants within walking distance of the hotel into one long blog entry. These are labeled London and Tottenham Square Road. The other restaurants are blogged separately and labeled simply London. Enjoy!

eating in London, Tottenham Court Road... [GB]

THE COURT

Three of us had a nice lunch here. Bustly little place with a bit of atmosphere.

My Texas Steak Melt [£4.75] was 'tasty but tough', Chicken/Bacon Salad [£4.75] 'lots of onion' and a Classic BLT [£3.45] 'good, quite large'

bloginfo: on the corner of TCR and Maple, across from Cilantro
blognote: most places you order and pay at the bar and then are served at table

NORTHUMBERLAND ARMS

This is one of the two best I tried on TCR.

They are all British food. I had the slow cooked Homemade Steak, Guinness and Onion Pie with skin on Mash and Onion Gravy [£8.50] with a side of Mushy Peas [75p] and a San Miguel beer [£4].

Also saw a Cheddar/Tomato Chutney sandwich with Chips [£3.75] that looked real good.

bloginfo: on the corner of TCR and Grafton Way [look for the Indian YMCA sign]



CILANTRO

Just had a Peach Smoothie [£2.85] here and sat outside. Great tables for people watching on TCR. There is breakfast available and free newspapers to read. A good selection of to-go sandwiches. Inside looked nice but preferred to sit outside.

bloginfo: on the corner of Maple and TCR
blognote: check out the cute website





ASSER

Stopped here for a late night snack [after a wretched set meal]. This is a Lebanese restaurant.

Had a Sambousek Lahem [£4.50] which was like a 'Shanghai style' egg roll. It was filled with ground lamb and pine nuts and came with a potent garlic [mayo] sauce. Very good!

bloginfo: 117 TCR
good website click here


LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN

This is the runner-up to the best on TCR [other was Northumberland Arms]. Le Pain Quotidien [the daily bread] is a bakery/restaurant/communal table.

I had Limeade with mint, an organic Egg Salad Tartine [£6.80] with olive oil, wild capers and anchovies presented on whole grain bread open face. Also had a cup of the soup of the day; Gazpacho [£3.60] with a sampling of two other breads. Ended with a small Café Latte [£2.20]

bloginfo: corner of TCR and Goodge
website is super
blognote: desserts looked fabulous

PRET A MANGER


This is the ubiquitous salad and sandwich to-go gem in London!

Had two half baguettes for lunch: Line and pole caught Tuna with mayo and cukes [£1.35]
and a Prosciutto and Italian matured cheese with tomato and whole leaf basil [£1.75]. Also had a cup of Miso soup [£1.50] with a can of Sparkling Bunny Detox [99p] with ginger and echinacea. Ordered at the counter and found a stool at the window to people watch.

bloginfo: Prêt á Manger are everywhere in London
blognote: The name is a play on Paris fashion 'prêt á porter' or ready-to-wear = ready-to-eat.


JAPANESE CANTEEN


Had a quick lunch here and was very surprised at the quality of the food. Just a modern student hangout at 162 TCR on the corner of University.

The Beef Yaki Udon [£5.95] was well spiced and along with the udon noodles and tender beef there were carrots, onions, bok choy and ginger. The sparkling Ginger/Lemongrass soda [£1.65] was spicy also.

blognote: sat outside, lots of young Asians eating here.

Aside from a coffee at the Jack Horner [I had to eat there for the name!], that is just about it for TCR [Tottenham Court Road] where the Radisson Edwardian Grafton Hotel is located.

Forum Café [GB]

Visiting the British Museum I stopped for a Cappuccino [£2] at the Forum on Great Russell Street. Nice sidewalk tables facing the main entrance to the museum. Actually the inside is more like a Greek deli. Everything looked good but I was on my hunt for Wagamama.

Azzurro [GB]

Attractive Italian Bar and Kitchen in Waterloo near the National Theatre.

We had a set menu that ranged from okay to slightly awful; our first meal in London. But the set meals all turned out to be rather dreadful. As Shakespeare might have said: "Beware the onslaught of London chicken."

The food going out to other tables looked good and the place was quite busy. If I were to be in the neighborhood for theatre, I might give it a try.

Wagamama [GB]

Yes! I found it. Actually you can find a Wagamamas all over London but I was looking for the one in Bloomsbury. I had eaten here before and have their funky website on my favorites.

I had the lunch special ABSOLUTE WAGAMAMA [£13.05] which consisted of three Chicken Gyoza, Yaki Soba and an Asahi beer. Also had a small sparkling water.

Same great open kitchen atmosphere with great noodles. Last time here they was a queue on the stairs, this time it was just about empty.

blognote: It's down an alley on Streatham via Good Luck!

Tate Modern [GB]

Visited this wonderful museum just at lunch time. Ate in the restaurant upstairs with a gorgeous view of the Thames River and the skyline centered around St. Paul's Cathedral.

There were three of us and we started with a carafe of Monte Aliña 2008 [£5.30] with 2 glasses only.

Starters: Tanche and Lucque Olives and a Bread selection [£2.60 each]

Mains: Swiss Chard and Comte Cheese Tart with Apple Coleslaw [£7.50], my Smoked Duck Salad with roasted figs and dandelions [the large portion £10.95] and a Dessert item for Main, British Farmhouse Cheeses with walnut bread and apple chutney [£7.50] and a side of Spring Greens [£3].

The food was great, the portions good sized, the view exquisite and the service excellent. Translated into dollars it came to $25 each.

bloginfo: The Tate Modern can be reached by walking over the Millennium Bridge or by the Tate to Tate ferry up and down the Thames connecting the Tate British with the Tate Modern.
blognote: There were many galleries not open as the exhibitions were changing. I have had much better luck in the past.

Anise Waterfront Taverna [FL]

This Taverna is one of my favorite places in Miami. We walked in and were welcomed like long-lost friends. Now that is how the 'front of the house' should work.

We had had a dining disaster across the river, should have come here for dinner in the first place. Had the Dessert Platter [$18] which contained just about everything you would ever want except one guest also needed Flan [$7] which we added to our order. The chocolate cake was new to me and deadly good. But the best after our dinner was the Yoghurt with Fruit, a tangy and cool antidote to the sweet gooeyness [is that a word?] of the platter. Also had a bottle of sparkling water, some great Moscat d'Asti [$7 a glass but a refill at the end] and an espresso. Great terrace with a real view. Love you guys!

blognote: Promised we would do dinner here at the end of June prior to my Cuba trip.

3/13/2009

Ate here again last night late. They still had patrons so we joined in. Good thing we did. Same good food and great atmosphere.

We each had a Keo beer from Cyprus, good and cold. Some apps: the sausage sampler plate and the tiropites [cheese triangles in phyllo] which I almost like better than spanokopita.
Three entrees: Braised Rabbit with homemade gnocchi [excellent], Shrimp Saganaki [one of my old favorites] and my Calamari salad which was huge and fresh with very thinly sliced and fried calamari rings.
No dessert for us but we received glasses of a limoncillo and anise cookies!


Now here is a find. If you are in Miami make the effort to eat here. If the weather is good you can sit outside on the canal.

January 15, 2009 review:

We ordered the following:

from the drink menu:
three beers: Alpha [Greek], Peroni [Italian] and a Heineken

from the salad menu:
Greek Village[$7] typical Greek salad as served in country; no lettuce
Crisp Butter Lettuce [$9] topped with white anchovies & shallots in a lime vinaigrette. It was simple and fresh and delicious.

from the mezze - tapas menu:
Spanokopita [$7] with lots of feta
Grilled Sausages [$9]: Greek, French and Italian sausages
Baked Eggplant Rolls [$9] feta and herbs topped with a cherry tomato salsa. Rich and hearty.

complimentary glasses of Chinchón [Spanish anisette liquer] with the check.

All of the food was excellent, the place is right out of Mykonos and the service rocked! Their website is now up and working.

bloginfo: 620 NE 78th Street, 33138
telephone: 305.758.2929

red light little river [FL]

WONDERFUL food and TERRIBLE service


Someone please tell the chef that the 'front of the house' is ruining his restaurant!


At a beautiful table outside overlooking the little river, we had an enjoyable but terribly frustrating meal. An app while looking over the menu with some fancy schmancy drinks, a large order of BBQ Shrimp $17], was delicious, the sauce and baguette for dipping were excellent. Then the apps came with the entrées [oh, there was a mixup in the kitchen or maybe I didn't order them]. So I sent my Ceviche back to the kitchen and the Oyster Bisque which never really reached the table was cancelled. 


The entrées were good: small order of Tangy Spareribs [$10] was tasty and house smoked but not fall off the bone-good, Day Boat Scallops [$14] in an orange glaze were very good and had both bay and sea scallops, the Rib Eye [$14] was deemed excellent with a tasty melange of veggies laid over it but the side of Mac and Cheese never arrived [oh, do you want that to go? NO].


The kitchen was busy [less than 10 tables going], can I buy you dessert [NO]. So we left for the place across the river where we should have been in the first place, Anise [see review here].


January 10, 2010


Strange restaurant in a strange area with a strange menu and even stranger food. With that said, don't miss it!!!

Found it through Thrillist and you can  read the article here. We had so much fun reading the menu and then eating the great food.

Started with an Artichoke appetizer special of the night. This was a HUGE artichoke that had been done in white wine and stuffed with breaded crumbs and then finished in the oven. The other app was 'bbq shrimp & dip bread' [$17] with a good sauce, good bite.

Main courses were: 'guava-lime & habanero glazed Swordfish, toasted corn red rice' [$18], 'duck cassoulet' special and my 'baby its cold outside' rabo encendido [oxtail] with white cheddar grits. We finished a bottle of 'It's the sh*t toro' - Elias Mora Crianza [$58] and then a glass of garnacha [me] or tempranillo [them].

Great experience, great food, great people - get the message; let's go back!

bloginfo: 7700 Biscayne Blvd at the Little River, Miami; 305.757.7773
blognote: Pay the $5 parking, the attendant will escort you into the restaurant which is part of the Blu Motel in a changing [for the good] part of town. Also you see Anise across the street; another favorite restaurant of mine.

Tonino Lamborghini Caffe Corsa [FL]

'Sunset Dinner' [$19.95 (Florida-speak for Early Bird)] here at the Village at Gulfstream Park in Aventura. Also 'two-for-one' happy hour. Sat outside and watched the crowd stack up at Brio and wait an hour or so for a table.

Started with Peroni beers and a Pinot Grigio.
Apps: Caesar Salads and my Vitello Tonnato. Haven't had this veal and tuna dish for ages and this was a hit.
Entrees: Swordfish over a vegetable medly, Gnocchi with Bolognese sauce and my Pizza Elettra [a simple tomato basil pizza]
Desserts: all had Ricotta Cheesecake
Two Cafe Lattes and a French Press

bloginfo: This is a huge new complex. Take a look here.
blognote: Along with the racetrack, there is a casino here. Vanna White was good to me!

Tapas y Tintos [FL]

After my FLL airport pickup last night, we headed for Española Way to Tapas y Tintos. What a great find!

Started with a pitcher of Sangría Blanca [$25] and proceded to clean out the kitchen with:
a plate of Manchego cheese [$8.75], a plate of Jamon Serrano [$9.25] , Queso Cabra [$9.50 (goat cheese)] in a tomato sauce, Ensalada Canaria [$9.95 (grilled pork with avocado over tomatoes and greens)], Champiñones Serrranos [$8.95 (the best cheese/ham stuffed mushrooms ever)] and a Parrilada de Carne [$21.95 (grilled chorizo, chicken and steak)]. All of this with great bread [lots of it!]. What a meal.

bloginfo: Cinco de Mayo celebration was going on strong and loud down the street.
blognote: This may become my signature picture!

Le's Vietnamese Restaurant

Stopped at Le's Vietnamese Restaurant for a quick supper after the HD MetOpera at Buckland Hills. Went to the restaurant on the recommendation of friends who had been looking for the ultimate Rice Pancake, Banh Xeo. Well this wasn't it.

The Rice Pancake with chicken was dull and dry. It took lots of 'doctoring up' to get some flavor. I used the Red Chili Paste, Sriracha Chili Sauce, Soy Sauce and the dipping sauce for the fried Spring Rolls. I had a better one at Annie's Pho in Middletown. There was a large birthday party going on and a group of Vietnamese diners also. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing.

bloginfo: Le's is located at 980 Main Street, East Hartford, CT

blognote: The restaurant gets rave reviews all over the food web.