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Archive for the category “Eat It!”

24 Nov 2022

Eggslut

WHAT: Eggslut
WHERE: 19 Percy St, London W1T 1DY
PRICE: £7-15

OUR RATING: Skip It

After our latest venture to the British Museum we were quite ravenous, and spotted a venue called Eggslut, which we knew of as a popular chain in LA for famous ‘gourmet’ egg-laden sandwiches. So we readied our stomachs and prepared to get our egg on!

Eggslut actually started off as a street food truck in Los Angeles in 2011, then expanding into permanent sites not only in LA, but also in Las Vegas, Singapore, Kuwait, Seoul, Tokyo, and three outlets in London, including the venue in Fitzrovia that we visited. Eggslut is known for its busy outlets, and when we visited the smaller ground floor was definitely full, but the upstairs was quiet. The venue gave us an up-scale Instagram version of McDonalds vibe. It looked fancier than your average fast-food restaurant, but the tables we went to were unclean and sticky, and the service a bit lacklustre.

But we were there for the food, and our stomachs were keen for some butter, eggs and grease, so we were hoping we were in the right place! A few of us went for coffees, while others went for the overpriced orange juice, which was pretty good but we wouldn’t rave about. We first tucked into their famed ‘Slut’, which was a coddled egg on top of potato puree in a glass jar, with salt and chives and slices of baguette. The egg itself felt slippery, but with everything mixed together with the crunchy baguette, it was a fun little meal, although the texture threw us off quite a bit. It was also a little difficult to eat – but that was the start of our messy difficulties!

We also tried their Fairfax sandwich, with scrambled eggs, chives, cheddar cheese, caramelised onions and sriracha mayo on a brioche bun. For the more carnivorous of us, we also tried the sausage, egg and cheese brioche bun which came with an over-medium egg along with some honey mustard aioli. We enjoyed the scrambled eggs, but sensed more butter than egg, and oh boy was it a disaster to eat! The hash browns we ordered on the side were also pretty good, and offered a nice texture difference in relation to the very soft and creamy sandwiches, which themselves we felt were missing crunch.

Final Thoughts: Now, the food is acceptable here, and we’re not saying we had a bad time, but we were disappointed after all the hype the restaurant has around it. What makes this place harder to review are the exorbitant prices, with all the sandwiches and the Slut being between £9-10. We left the venue still a bit hungry and with much lighter wallets, which is never what you want after having a nice brunch. We’re happy to have tried it, but we wouldn’t go back…we’ll try our eggs elsewhere!

Posted in Eat It! and tagged Breakfast, Eggslut, London, Percy Street, restaurant

09 Nov 2022

Lost Boys Pizza

WHAT: Lost Boys Pizza
WHERE: 245 Eversholt St, London NW1 1BA
PRICE: £10-12 (Mains)

OUR RATING: Chance It!

Two ridiculous facts led us to on latest foodie venture into Camden: 1) despite our love of horror films, we had never until recently seen the cult classic The Lost Boys, and 2) we had never gone to the eponymous restaurant despite reviewing in London for almost ten years and enjoying everything 80s and vampiric. We were lacking some essential must-dos in our life, but now that we’ve been to this iconic pizza parlour in the north of London we can finally feel at rest!

Renowned as the world’s only vampire-themed pizzeria, Lost Boys Pizza is a restaurant and bar serving up quirky charcoal pizza and a healthy dose of 80s nostalgia. While you’ll enjoy the ambience of this spooky eatery without having seen the movie, we definitely suggest you watch it if you haven’t yet, as it will heighten your experience! Themed after the comic store in the film, the intimate space has neon-lit windows, graphic novel drawings covering the ceiling, beautiful skull chandeliers and tons more gothic and 80s decor to ogle at.

We started the night with a delicious espresso martini and a more unique drink they called Stranger Tings with tequila, grapefruit soda (Ting) and tabasco. In fact, if you’re a Stranger Things fan they’ve got a ton of menu options calling back to this series. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still try out Lost Boys themed cocktails. They’ve even got drinks inside of oyster pails (Chinese takeout containers) – including gummy worms of course – and several other drinks harkening back to the namesake film, which are super fun to experience.

Now for the main event – the pizza! We decided to try a standard as well as a vegan pizza while we were here. First we ordered the Jack Skellington with butternut puree base, mozzarella, goat’s cheese, shallots, sun-dried tomato, red onion and balsamic. For our vegan option we went with Death, which had no-rizo, peppers, red onions, chilli flakes and Violife cheese. Lost Boys Pizza does offer to do vegan pizzas with normal cheese for no extra cost, which is great for those of us who are merely veggie. Overall, the pizzas were definitely unique, and the portions were certainly generous, but while we thought most of the toppings were lovely the pizza bases were missing some flavouring and texture. We feel silly even saying this, but both pizzas could have also done with garlic – but maybe that’s a no-no in this restaurant for the undead!

Final Thoughts: Now having seen the movie we will definitely go back to Lost Boys Pizza, but our main reason for wanting to return is to get to experience Croque Monsieur, their amazing looking absinthe bar in the basement. Unfortunately this bar has been temporarily closed for awhile, but we are waiting with bated breath for it to re-open, as it is near the top of our list of must-dos. And for the pizza parlour itself? We’d recommend going on a Wednesday – every week they drop a password on Instagram and Facebook, and if you say the secret phrase on arrival you’ll unlock 2-4-1 pizza and happy hour drink prices, which we think makes the visit extra worthwhile. Ultimately, the experience and ambience is what you go there for, and we loved every second of it!

Posted in Eat It! and tagged Horror, London, pizza, restaurant, The Lost Boys

07 Nov 2022

Sabor Peruano Internacional

WHAT: Sabor Peruano Internacional
WHERE: 103 Newington Butts, London SE1 6SF
PRICE: £14-18

OUR RATING: Do It!

Storefront City needed some warm and hearty (not to mention delicious) food to keep us going during the grim and rainy days, so we headed down to Elephant and Castle with a couple of friends to one of their favourite South London restaurants – Sabor Peruano Internacional. Serving homestyle Peruvian soups, fish stews and Creole rice dishes, Sabor Peruano Internacional may not look like much on the outside, but offers a cosy and welcoming space full of energy and a knack for tasty and authentic Peruvian food.

As soon as we walked into the space we felt immediately welcome and at home, with everyone around us including the staff incredibly friendly – the only thing we felt slightly intimidated by was the remarkably extensive menu! To start the night off right we decided to try their Pisco sour, the national cocktail of Peru and a drink none of us had tasted before. Featuring pisco, lime, egg white and sugar, this drink was ridiculously delicious, and deadly as well in the full pitcher it came in!

Our appetites growing, we decided to try one of their more famed appetisers, a ceviche de pescado. Served alongside chifle (fried plantain chips) and cancha salada (toasted, dried and salted chulpe corn), these delicate pieces of raw fish marinated with lemon juice and spices were mouth-wateringly good, and was a decent portion to share amongst us. However to be honest, we could have done with a whole bowl of the cancha salada itself – such an addictive snack!

A majority of our party had very carnivorous appetites that evening, so opted for a few plates of the most popular dish in the venue, the lomo saltado. Featuring fried beef slices with onions, tomatoes and red pepper, alongside a healthy portion of chips and rice, this dish lovingly represents the cultural blending of Peru and Asia, as it also combines the use of aji amarillo paste and soy sauce in a classic stir fry technique. It’s clear why this dish is so popular at Sabor Peruano Internacional, and throughout Peru in general, and is definitely something we’ll continue to go back to again and again.

We also decided on a chicken dish that evening, their Papa a la Huancaína con pollo. Another traditional dish, here potatoes are boiled in a spicy, creamy sauce made of queso fresco along with garlic, onion and yellow Peruvian pepper, and our version also came with tender shredded chicken. None of our party had tried this dish before, so obviously have nothing to compare it to. While very delicious, it was a bit one note – but that was just in comparison with the more heavily spiced lomo soltado. We could have used a bit more heat, but that’s definitely just our own taste preferences. This was definitely a unique dish to try – but we’re interested to see next time what other plates they have on offer.

We of course had to round off the night with some dessert, opting to try their helado de lucuma and picarones. Lucuma is a fruit native to South America, and something we’re now interested in trying in its original form. It’s hard for us to pin down the taste in this review, but imagine something like the mix of maple, sweet potato, butterscotch and caramel. The unique flavour and the texture of the ice cream was nice and creamy – writing about it makes us want another bite! It also served as the perfect complement to our picarones (like a doughnut but created from a batter including squash and sweet potato). Served alongside these decadent fried rings was a delicious syrup called chancaca, a sweet sauce made from raw unrefined sugar from sugarcane. Yum!

Final Thoughts: We can’t wait to go back to Sabor Peruano Internacional and bring more friends, since family and friends, and of course good homestyle food, seem to provide the backbone to this lovely establishment. We’ve learned so much about Peruvian food from just one supper, and are keen to learn and try more – and we of course can’t say no to some more Pisco sours along the way! The price is right too – you won’t find much cheaper in London, and if your stomach is full and happy at the end what more is there to ask?

Posted in Eat It! and tagged food, London, Peru, Peruvian, restaurant

27 Jun 2022

Brother Marcus Borough Yards

WHAT: Brother Marcus Borough Yards
WHERE: 1 Dirty Lane, London SE1 9PA
PRICE: £7.60–14.50 (Brunch Dishes)
OUTDOORS: Yes (Seating Available)

OUR RATING: Do It!

Delicious, fresh, and wholesome Eastern Mediterranean food is the star attraction at Brother Marcus’ newest location. After wild success in Spitalfields, Angel, and Balham, the chic and trendy eatery has taken up residence in the ultimate cool of Borough Yards, superbly accessible from both London Bridge station and Borough Market. A light and bright interior is instantly welcoming and has a feel of New York about it, which we suppose is the idea.

Brunch is the name of the game here, with an extensive menu spanning the staple of Yoghurt and Granola to the decadence of a full vegan breakfast (vegan and vegetarian options are happily plentiful). One can particularly recommend the Harissa Eggs (British rainbow chard, avocado, poached eggs, toasted organic sourdough, and harissa oil), which was extremely pleasing of flavour and well-proportioned, the harissa shining through in all its abundant and fiery brilliance. This was well-paired with a grapefruit juice, a perfect brunch complement.

Final Thoughts: Eminently eatable food, a buzzing atmosphere, and a stellar location, Brother Marcus Borough Yards is the ideal location for that birthday brunch you’ve been planning. Next time, we might even go for the bottomless drinks option.

P.S.: Still in a brunchy mood? Why not head over to Rudy’s Vegan Diner and grab your fill of the best vegan food we’ve ever tasted.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged Brunch, London, restaurant, Storefront City, Storefront City London

05 Feb 2022

Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner

WHAT: Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner
WHERE: 206 Upper St, London N1 1RQ and 729–731 Camden Stables Market, London NW1 8AH
PRICE: £7.50–13.50 (Main Dishes)
OUTDOORS: No

OUR RATING: Do It!

Although no longer Veganuary, we’re not ones to believe that a month should limit your actions (or your ethics). With vegan alternatives to meat and dairy products rising in popularity and hitting the mainstream, there have been many opportunities to adopt a diet that is simply better for the planet. Unfortunately, most substitutes are poor imitations of the real thing, putting many would-be vegan off. That’s not the case here — not by a long shot!

Enter Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner, a scrumptious establishment serving up the best of American comfort food from completely plant-based ingredients. We were lucky enough to recently dine at Rudy’s Islington location, which adjoins what must be the world’s first meatless butcher.

A traditional diner from floor to ceiling, Rudy’s exudes a fast chic coupled with friendly staff and comfortable seating. As explained by the brilliantly energetic and passionate Chef Orr, the menu is informed by a real need for delicious vegan recipes that reflect the authentic tastes of patrons and thus each dish is carefully tailored to feedback initially received. This includes striving towards the complete removal of preservatives as well as control over those ingredients throughout the creative and culinary process. The result is delicious food that bursts with a fabulous feel and taste.

To start our decadent lunch off we each tried out one of Rudy’s smoothies, the Tropical Crush (passion fruit, papaya, mango, pineapple) and the Beet & Berry (beetroot, raspberry, banana, ginger). We had hoped for a green smoothie, but they’d already run out, so we tried their fruitier options. The beet smoothie was a bit sugary for our taste, but we really enjoyed the tropical crush, and honestly both were a welcome light and sweet balance to the heavier savoury food to come! Next time we go there we might try out some of their vegan wines on offer, or if all of that is too fancy for you they’ve got local beers on tap too.

Rudy’s has just launched a few all day brunch dishes, including Eggz Avocado Toast, a Full English, and both sweet and savoury pancake options. Our chef mentioned the bacon and maple pancakes were his favourite choice, which really tempted us! The whole menu looked absolutely superb, comforting favourites with interesting spins: hedonism on a plate even with no meat or dairy involved.

We started with a side of merguez — grilled “merguez’’ sausage with tomato, avocado and Rudy’s bread and dip. This was perhaps our favourite dish of the day, with some amazing spices in the sausage — we had some as leftovers and they were still brilliant! The texture is a bit crumbly, and we’re not sure these would hold up on a BBQ, but we actually enjoyed it very much. It reminded us of a vegan and less oily version of sobrasada, and we gobbled it all up.

For our mains we tried their infamous rubenz (seitan pastrami, grilled onions, cheeze slice, sauerkraut, dill pickles & sauce) and their steak frites (“tenderloin” steak with roasted mushroom, peppercorn sauce and fries). We’ve been craving rubens for awhile, and this vegan version didn’t disappoint! The ratio of all the fixings was perfect, and while we’re used to rye bread, the sourdough was heavenly and stood up to the jam-packed ingredients. Meanwhile, the steak frites was one of the most unique dishes we’ve tried for awhile. While it didn’t quite taste like steak, the meatiness was there and the peppercorn sauce was what made this a winner.

Final Thoughts: Rarely do we eat at a restaurant and immediately decide we’re going to take all our friends there. This is exactly what we said to each other during lunch — we wanted to tell all our vegan friends right away and to go back as soon as possible. Maybe it was the nostalgia of the diner, maybe it was the amazingly affordable dishes, and maybe it was just the absolute deliciousness of everything we ate. But we’d go back in a heartbeat! We’d like to try out their original location in Camden, just for a change of scenery, and we might not get the same thing either. The destructor chick’n burger, the dirty dogz and the buffalo wingz are calling to us. But first, we’ll need to work off the calories from our last meal and then build up an appetite for another feast!

P.S.: Stay tuned for a future review of Rudy’s Vegan Butcher, where we try some of their products as well as partner products you can buy at the vegan butcher shop!

Posted in Eat It! and tagged American Diner, american restaurant, diner, London, restaurant, Rudy's Dirty Vegan Diner, Storefront City, Storefront City London, vegan

29 Nov 2021

Friendship Adventure Brewery

WHAT: Friendship Adventure Brewery
WHERE: Unit G1, Coldharbour Works, 245a Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8RR
PRICE: £2.50–6 (Beer) £6–14 (Food)
OUTDOORS: No

OUR RATING: Chance It!

When is it not the perfect day for a pint? We headed over to Friendship Adventure Brewery this week to try some local beer brewed in Brixton, and felt right at home in this pub!

We love the atmosphere this brewery and taproom creates. The space reflects its name and its obvious Friendship Adventure cares about the community it’s based in. Right around the corner from Loughborough Station, this spacious railway arch-esque pub has tons of seating, with fun high bar stools and some spots right next to their brewing equipment, which was definitely a unique experience.

The brewery’s community spirit is reflected in everything it offers, as they showcase small businesses in they food the serve, the pints they pour, and the charities they partner with. The staff are super friendly and invite you to hang out as long as you’d like without nagging you to buy another pint, and they offer water and popcorn to boot!

Taking a seat next to their brewery equipment, we had to try a few of their home-brewed beers, although they do host several guest beers from other local businesses as well as a few varieties of wine. We tried a few half pints so we could get a better selection of what they offer, and we particularly enjoyed their Caper (modern pilsner lager) and their Headliner (big, bold, juicy New England IPA).

Did we mention this is a dog friendly pub? There were so many dogs that visited throughout the night, and it was obvious this was a place well-frequented by locals, as there was a very warm and welcoming atmosphere during our entire stay.

Final Thoughts: We definitely can’t wait to go back to Friendship Adventure. We’ve heard they have great comedy nights so we’re keeping our eyes peeled on their event page, and we’re more than ready to come back for some nibbles too. There are some fantastic local restaurants that rotate at the brewery, including Banh Banh, Baz & Fred, Black Bear Burger, and Rudie’s Jerk Shack, all reasonably priced, so we’ll definitely return for some great beer, some local food and a show!

P.S.: Looking for another Brixton pub to frequent? Why not try Hope & Anchor for a different pub experience — still a warm and social atmosphere but with a different style.

Posted in Drink It!, Eat It! and tagged Brewery, Brixton, Friendship Adventure, London, Storefront City, Storefront City London

22 Nov 2021

Adam’s Ethiopian

WHAT: Adam’s Ethiopian Restaurant
WHERE: 86 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1QN
PRICE: £10–14 (Main Dishes)
OUTDOORS: Seating Available

OUR RATING: Do It!

It baffles us that we haven’t reviewed Adam’s Ethiopian Restaurant yet. Hands down our favourite Ethiopian restaurant in London, we love both their takeaway options as well as their dine-in experience. Ethiopian dining is one of the most pleasurable social-dining experiences one can have, and the food at Adam’s is delicious and affordable.

Originally a bakery, Adam’s Ethiopian Restaurant is a family run business in Brixton, and the service is warm, friendly, and completely welcoming. Our first experience of Adam’s was via takeaway during lockdown. Ethiopian food is best enjoyed at table with friends and family, but it works too as a quiet night at home. Whenever we order takeaway the portions we receive are stupendous, giving us food for at least another night that we always look forward too. You can never eat too much Ethiopian food!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the cuisine, it consists of various vegetable and spicy meat dishes (usually in the form of a thick stew termed a wat), on top of a large sourdough flatbread called injera. The usual way of eating is with your right hand, using bits of the injera to pick up little bits of the vegetable and meat.

Now that we’re allowed to dine-in again, we visited Adam’s with two mates, and dined like absolute kings. Our go-to order is usually a meat and veggie combination platter, but since we were dining with a few more people than usual, we opted for picking a couple dishes each (knowing that all would still be served together family-style, as is usual).

For vegetable dishes, some delicious favourites have been the atkilt wot (a mixture of cabbage, carrots, onion, and herbs), ater kik (yellow split pea stew with turmeric), and difin misir wot (lentils in tomato sauce with herbs and spices).

It’s possible to have an amazing vegetarian, or even vegan, feast here, but we must admit we love their meat dishes so can never go without! While the lamb options are superb, we usually frequent their alicha wot (beef stew with spice and herbs), key wot (beef stew with chilli) and doro wot (chicken legs in a spicy tomato and berbere spice blend with a boiled egg). Yum!

Final Thoughts: You can never leave Adam’s Ethiopian Restaurant hungry — we don’t think that’s possible. And while we’re bias with our love of this cuisine, we do think Adam’s is one of the best in London. With it’s huge portion sizes, homey atmosphere, and delicious stews, it’s an absolute must family-style restaurant and definitely one of our favourite food night outs — or in!

P.S.: Long shot, but next time any of our UK crowd are in Chicago, we definitely suggest dining at Ethiopian Diamond, our favourite for Ethiopian cuisine in the city!

Posted in Eat It! and tagged Ethiopian, ethiopian restaurants, London, restaurant, review

14 Oct 2021

Hope & Anchor

WHAT: Hope & Anchor
WHERE: 123 Acre Lane, Brixton, London, SW2 5UA
PRICE: Entrées £7–14, Draft Pint £5.30–6.50, Cocktails £10
OUTDOORS: Yes

OUR RATING: Do It!

It’s been awhile, we know, but after a year-long hiatus the Storefront City team is back in action and making the most of life. We’ll be honest: it’s been super hard to stay indoors all this time and we were itching to get back out into the big wide world and share our latest and greatest experiences with you. To that end, and to highlight venues that are a tad bit safer pandemic-wise, we’ve created a new rating category above showcasing whether the adventure reviewed is outdoors. We hope that this will give you the confidence to dive back in and explore new locations where you’ll feel safer.

For our first foray we hit up the Hope & Anchor in Brixton, a beautiful cocktail bar complete with an opulent garden dripping with style. Hammocks, private cabins, and neon accents create a stunning environment to grab a few drinks and soak up a warm evening with friends.

Adam: Whilst the name might make you think this is a run-of-the-mill pub, the Hope & Anchor (indeed established as a pub in 1815) is most certainly NOT your grandfather’s pub. After ducking through the indoor area, you are greeted by an array of leafy trees, festooned in twinkling lights. To top this off, you can opt to sit in one of the many cabanas that dot the perimeter, creating your own oasis of privacy and yet still benefiting from the trendy vibe of those around you.

Ordering is easy tableside via the app, although we’d recommend you download this beforehand to avoid the hassle of signing up there and then. I opted for a pint of refreshing Beavertown Neck Oil, a Session IPA that matched the light and airy feel of the evening. Bracing and bursting with taste, this is a citrus-hoppy beer with a somewhat flowery aspect that I would definitely recommend. A perfect complement to a perfect night.

Alicia: The Hope & Anchor seems like such a small and stuffy mini-pub when you first walk in the door, until you start getting into their backyard and suddenly you’re in a Wonderland. I’m such a sucker for unique outdoor dining experiences that give you fun lights and set elements to look at when you’re in the midst of a refreshing pint. I went for my go-to Guinness as the options for drinks were quite minimal — only Aperol Spritz and espresso martinis were available out of anything on offer, so if you’re a cocktail person this probably isn’t the place for you.

Unfortunately, I can’t say this is the best place for dining either — we splurged on some loaded fries that sounded good on paper: slow cooked ox cheek, plum ketchup, soy yoghurt, jalapeños. Alas, the fries were a bit cold and definitely mushy, albeit flavourful. We weren’t impressed enough by the chips to go in for some more food — it just didn’t seem like the kind of pub to offer some really great meals, but we were more than happy to drink up and enjoy the ambience instead!

Final Thoughts: Brixton has a few lovely outdoor pubs, but we’ve got to admit the Hope & Anchor is one of the more fun-for-the-eyes spots. Definitely a go-to for an after-dinner pint. Weather is obviously an important factor if you’re enjoying an outdoor beer garden, so go now if the sun is shining or the night is warm and get cozy in some beach huts under twinkling lights.

PS: Enjoy outdoor drinking with intricate theming? Don’t miss the rooftop bar at Queen of Hoxton!

Posted in Do It!, Drink It!, Eat It!, Nightlife and tagged bars, Drinks, food, London, Pub

20 Nov 2019

The Emerald City Rooftop Bar

WHAT: The Emerald City Rooftop Bar
WHEN: 24 October 2019 – May 2020 (4:00pm on)
WHERE: Queen of Hoxton (1 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3JX)
PRICE: Free Entry

OUR RATING: Do It!

Travel down the yellow brick road to The Queen of Hoxton’s newest rooftop retreat – a cozy winter escape and hidden bar far far away from Kansas. We had the fortunate opportunity to attend this immersive event’s launch a few weeks ago, but luckily for our readers this emerald realm is open for free all the way to May 2020.

After entering the venue we climbed the themed yellow brick road all the way to the rooftop, where we were met with a snug and spellbinding viridescent hideout with Dorothy’s house dropped upon the evil witch herself all inside QoH’s famous rooftop WigWam. Afterwards, we found ourselves in the outdoor and bar spaces, complete with fire pits, beautiful lights, and entertaining roaming witch characters.

We immediately headed to the bar area, excited to try some hot alcoholic drinks to keep the cold away. For those less adventurous the venue offers familiar drinks – pumpkin spiced mulled cider and mulled berry wine, both of which can be spiked with additional liquor. We instead opted to try two of their spiked hot chocolates. While we were slightly underwhelmed by their Bad *itch Hot Chocolate (dark hot chocolate, chocolate liqueur, activated charcoal), we thought the Wicked Hot Chocolate (white hot chocolate, chocolate liqueur, matcha powder) was a unique and very smooth drink. Our favourite drink, by far, was the hot buttered rum (mulled with cinnamon, peppercorns, butter, rum, and fudge), which we had a really hard time not ordering again and again. Just thinking about it gives us fond warm memories!

If hot alcoholic drinks aren’t your thing (what??), they also serve up some cold green drinks, such as the Green Lady (egg white, gin, lemon, orange liqueur) and the Emerald Bellini (vodka, passion fruit, orange, Prosecco, salted caramel and popping candy rim). We weren’t a huge fan of the latter drink, but thought the fun and flavourful rim was well worth it.

We also tried some of the Kansas-inspired food QoH had to offer, including meat and vegan burgers with black charcoal buns, and beef or pumpkin pot roasts with collard greens & cornbread. We weren’t overly impressed with the burgers and chips, but thought the pot roasts were quite yummy and perfect for a cold night, albeit a bit pricey.

For the remainder of this Autumn/Winter, QoH will be celebrating the season of the witch with a variety of free events on this emerald rooftop, including witch academy classes, feminist witch storytelling, a winter witch craft market, and green eco-events such as pickling workshops and a clothes swap.

Final Thoughts: We can’t wait to return to The Emerald City with some mates and sit down in the gorgeous green glen of their WigWam sipping mug after mug of hot buttered rum. We might skip the food this time, but for a free immersive bar experience, this is sure to keep you warm this winter. And don’t forget to get some of their marshmallows to toast over their open fire pits – a nostalgic and perfect addition to your night out.

P.S. For better burgers, head over to The Old Bengal Bar for some fun and juicy ones!

Posted in Do It!, Drink It!, Eat It!, Nightlife and tagged bars, Drinks, immersive, London, Queen of Hoxton

08 Nov 2019

Le Bun

WHAT: Le Bun
WHEN: 2 November – 1 December, 2019 (every Saturday and Sunday, 11:30am – 4:00pm)
WHERE: Old Bengal Bar and New Street Grill (16 New Street, London, EC2M 4TR)
PRICE: £8-14 (Buns)

OUR RATING: Do It!

This month kicks off a four-week residency with Le Bun at New Street Grill and Old Bengal Bar. Coming up, there will be four weekends with four collaborations every Saturday and Sunday featuring different Le Bun burger classics. We had the amazing opportunity to attend their launch event last weekend, and boy do they have some mouth-watering burgers in store for you!

So what does this month bring in the burger world? The upcoming collaborations include the first week with @theburgerlist and Le Bourguignon Bun ‘2.0’ (pulled beef shin, red wine jus, beef fat rosti, Roquefort crumble, smoked lardons, champagne slaw, truffle mayo, and potato brioche) and then the second week with @TheBiggestLew and ‘Le Grande Lew feat. Oxtail Crack’ (aged beef, smoked oxtail crack, confit garlic dijonnaise, double American cheese, pink onions, mustard, and potato brioche). Week three follows with @LaurenwCapulet’s vegan version of the Le Bun menu (see below for our review of one of their vegan burgers), and then week four with @Fitwaffle and the classic Le Bun burger.

The Old Bengal Bar itself is a swanky affair – complete with luxurious sofas, exposed brickwork, and an eye drawing mirrored bar (which looked exceedingly well-stocked). Certainly a perfect spot to shelter in these colder months.

So now for the important part – how was the food?

Alicia: I took the opportunity to try the Chicken Skin Caesar salad and the Truffled F*****g Vegans burger with a vegan patty, burger sauce and cheese, confit beer onions, pickles, ketchup & mustard, and a potato bun.

The salad had a lovely dressing and a generous amount of creamy blue cheese, although it was far too dressed and practically swimming in sauce. The best part was definitely the chicken skin pieces, which were reminiscent of pork rinds and had a gorgeous crunch. The burger itself was without doubt a much more successful dish, with a great bite from the pickles and a very pleasing vegan take on cheese. The patty was quite similar to Quorn – perhaps not the best vegan patty I’ve ever had but still extremely delicious.

Adam: The Double Double (double aged patty, double American cheese, truffle veal jam (how decadent!), truffle mayo, and potato brioche) my burger of choice, was a truly perfect masterpiece. Superbly finished in a mouth-watering combination of condiments complementing the subtly smoked richness of the beef, you need to be prepared for this one: it’s a HUGE stack! Most decidedly a knife and fork job!

What goes better with a burger than fries? Unfortunately, as with all the sides, I was a little less impressed with this offering. Fries and truffle mayo might sound splendid, but these were pretty standard thin cut fries with a smattering of mayo (the truffle taste wasn’t strong). A little perplexing given the amazing quality of the burgers.

Final Thoughts: Go for the burgers (maybe skip the sides), some lovely bubbly and the stylish ambiance. Next time we return we might go for a Bloody Mary with a cheeseburger slider on top and try their small bites like their truffle mac and cheese. We can’t wait to experiment with all the upcoming burger options!

P.S. Have burgers on the brain? Stay tuned for our upcoming feature on The Queen of Hoxton’s Emerald City event and their charcoal bun burgers.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged burgers, Le Bun, London, New Street Grill, Old Bengal Bar

Storefront City London

Archive for the category “Eat It!”

Eggslut

Lost Boys Pizza

Sabor Peruano Internacional

Brother Marcus Borough Yards

Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner

Friendship Adventure Brewery

Adam’s Ethiopian

Hope & Anchor

The Emerald City Rooftop Bar

Le Bun

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Archive for the category “Eat It!”

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