Wednesday equalled tapas and I was ridiculously full on 4 days worth of dining out by that time. Argh! However, I rallied and after a cheeky few drinks in Apt (raspberry bellinis = yum) we headed to the hidden away Barcelona Tapas Bar which is situated between Bank and St Pauls.
Emma, organiser extraordinaire, had booked us in for the toptable deal with allows 2 for 1 tapas with the cheapest being free. Obviously we rejoiced at this and then proceeded to order more than we probably needed... But we wanted it anyway! The restaurant is in the basement/cellar and is brightly decorated in reds, blues and yellow with tiling on the walls and lovely tiled floors. As soon as I smelled the food my stomach started to rumble and I got myself in the mood for some serious tapas eating!
So what did we eat? I'll put down what I remember! There were 8 of us and we all had 4 dishes each so we had a great choice food-wise.
- Cabrales (Cabrales cheese is a natural cheese made in the artisan tradition. Aged from two to six months in natural caves in limestone mountains.)
- Croquetas de jamon iberico (Exquisite, bite size croquettes of Iberico ham. Tasty and very, very Moorish.)
- Albondigas a la Barcelonesa (Fresh homemade beef meatballs with peppers, onions & tomatoes.)
- Pincho Cordero (Pieces of tender lamb infused with spices from Andalucia and then grilled on a skewer.)
- Patatas All-i-oli (Deep fried potato cubes with a tasty Catalan garlic mayonnaise.)
- Boquerones en Vinagre (Fresh anchovies (not salty) cured in oil, vinegar & garlic.)
- Chorizo en vino (Spanish spicy sausage cooked with wine.)
- Chorizo iberico
- Samfaina (A pisto of slow cooked tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, courgettes and onions. A delicious accompaniment to meat or fish.)
Most of the food was really amazing and the only criticism is that it took a long time for different things to arrive. Then again, with 30 odd dishes and a busy restaurant, this wasn't a huge problem. There was also a very strange and horrible pork and chips dish... We're not sure why it was was on the table or what it was but it didn't seem to be what was ordered!
I'd definitely go again. It's a great way to try new things, a brilliant way to have fun with food and it was very much enjoyed by all of us.
And the damage? £17 each with some having wine. Not bad at all!
Vitals
Barcelona Tapas Bar
13 Well Court, Off Bow Lane, London EC4M 9DN
Tel: 0207 329 5111
Website: http://www.barcelona-tapas.com/
Nearest tube: Bank
Friday, 12 March 2010
Gigalum, Clapham, London
After a busy night of house viewing - no joy! - me and my prospective new housemates + a boyfriend headed to Gilgamun to debrief, destress and eat. We walked in on a whim and it was very nice inside. Busy, with live music and a very chilled out atmosphere which was much needed at the time!
The cocktails are on 241 (make sure you ask exactly which ones!) and I was informed that the mojitos were somewhat scrumptious. My bellinis were bubble-tastic and very nice flavoured. So nice that I had two!
Whilst we were there, we decided to eat once we saw the '2 courses for £9.90' sign. I sadly couldn't take a photo of the food as it was pretty darn dark in there but trust me, it was quite delicious.
- Pan Fried Calamari w/ Olives, Chorizo, Rosa tomatoes
- Brie wedges w/ onion relish
- Gnocchi in a gorgonzola sauce with gran panado & rocket
- Spicy chicken burger with avocado and salsa
The food was delicious, well-needed and came quite quickly. The staff also didn't bat an eyelid at us eating in the bar at nearly 9pm which was great considering nobody else was eating.
One gripe was the bill. We were told it was 2 courses for £9.90 and yet they tried to add an extra £4 to our bill and then after being told 'you'll have to wait, I'm doing other things' when we complained about the bill, he then tried to tell us we hadn't paid enough when we didn't pay the - and may I say it again - optional service charge. It put a damper on an otherwise lovely meal which was such a shame!
Damage: £26 for my two bellinis & two courses
Vitals
Gigalum
7-8 Cavendish Parade, Clapham Common South Side, SW4 9DW
Tel: 020 8772 0303
Website: http://www.gigalum.com/
Nearest tube: Clapham South
The cocktails are on 241 (make sure you ask exactly which ones!) and I was informed that the mojitos were somewhat scrumptious. My bellinis were bubble-tastic and very nice flavoured. So nice that I had two!
Whilst we were there, we decided to eat once we saw the '2 courses for £9.90' sign. I sadly couldn't take a photo of the food as it was pretty darn dark in there but trust me, it was quite delicious.
- Pan Fried Calamari w/ Olives, Chorizo, Rosa tomatoes
- Brie wedges w/ onion relish
- Gnocchi in a gorgonzola sauce with gran panado & rocket
- Spicy chicken burger with avocado and salsa
The food was delicious, well-needed and came quite quickly. The staff also didn't bat an eyelid at us eating in the bar at nearly 9pm which was great considering nobody else was eating.
One gripe was the bill. We were told it was 2 courses for £9.90 and yet they tried to add an extra £4 to our bill and then after being told 'you'll have to wait, I'm doing other things' when we complained about the bill, he then tried to tell us we hadn't paid enough when we didn't pay the - and may I say it again - optional service charge. It put a damper on an otherwise lovely meal which was such a shame!
Damage: £26 for my two bellinis & two courses
Vitals
Gigalum
7-8 Cavendish Parade, Clapham Common South Side, SW4 9DW
Tel: 020 8772 0303
Website: http://www.gigalum.com/
Nearest tube: Clapham South
La Parisienne - Romsey
On Saturday night I had the pleasure of playing designated driver to mum, dad and friends and headed to Romsey for a birthday dinner at La Parisienne, a restaurant which locals from Southampton and the nearby areas have all heard of. It's a French restaurant which has been in the area for 15 years and, unlike many of its pretenders, actually has French staff. Hurrah!
The restaurant is a bit Frenchified inside with French posters/pictures framed on the walls and dark wood tables. There's a bar part with tables - you can eat there - and then a small restaurant in the back. It's actually a very small restaurant with about 10 tables but the staff work quickly and are charming and attentive to detail.
As there were 11 of us, this was particularly important and they didn't get anybody's order wrong - a bit mixed up at times but that was easily sorted out! I didn't get to taste everybody's meals but everything I did try was fantastic and the food was flavoured perfectly and delicately, something that can be difficult when you're dealing with tricky ingredients.
We began with bread and butter and then hot garlic snails. I don't like snails and never have done but I did eat one... I didn't change my opinion! However, they seemed to go down a treat with everybody else and they were soon gone.
Meal-wise it might just be easier to jot down what I tried as the menus aren't available online and I can't remember 22 meals. I had a galette of salmon, boursin cheese and sauteed potatoes which was delicious and came with a lovely side-salad. I also tried some fine onion tart - it was crumbled perfection - and saw that the fish cakes were also fantastic. My dad very much enjoyed his fish soup and the other starters went down a treat.
For main course, most people had steak, myself included. My fillet steak with gratin potatoes and pepper sauce was amazing and cooked just right. Don't have a bad thing to say about the meal and now I'm writing about it, I want it again! My dad's veal with an apple/Calvados sauce was delicious and a haddock risotto was also very very tasty.
Dessert was a big chocolate cake courtesy of the birthday boy's family who had brought it in to the restaurant. So you won't find it on the menu but a few options are lemon sorbet, creme brulee and several other desserts.
It was a great night and the staff really looked after us well. We were late arriving but they never complained, never made a fuss and made sure that Chris's birthday was as perfect as possible. All the guests enjoyed the meal and we had a great time.
Damage: I'm not sure as I never saw the bill but I'd guess for two courses + wine = £45 if you have a fillet steak
Vitals:
La Parisienne
21 Bell Street, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 8GY
Tel: 01794 512067
Website: http://www.la-parisienne.co.uk/index.shtml
The restaurant is a bit Frenchified inside with French posters/pictures framed on the walls and dark wood tables. There's a bar part with tables - you can eat there - and then a small restaurant in the back. It's actually a very small restaurant with about 10 tables but the staff work quickly and are charming and attentive to detail.
As there were 11 of us, this was particularly important and they didn't get anybody's order wrong - a bit mixed up at times but that was easily sorted out! I didn't get to taste everybody's meals but everything I did try was fantastic and the food was flavoured perfectly and delicately, something that can be difficult when you're dealing with tricky ingredients.
We began with bread and butter and then hot garlic snails. I don't like snails and never have done but I did eat one... I didn't change my opinion! However, they seemed to go down a treat with everybody else and they were soon gone.
Meal-wise it might just be easier to jot down what I tried as the menus aren't available online and I can't remember 22 meals. I had a galette of salmon, boursin cheese and sauteed potatoes which was delicious and came with a lovely side-salad. I also tried some fine onion tart - it was crumbled perfection - and saw that the fish cakes were also fantastic. My dad very much enjoyed his fish soup and the other starters went down a treat.
For main course, most people had steak, myself included. My fillet steak with gratin potatoes and pepper sauce was amazing and cooked just right. Don't have a bad thing to say about the meal and now I'm writing about it, I want it again! My dad's veal with an apple/Calvados sauce was delicious and a haddock risotto was also very very tasty.
Dessert was a big chocolate cake courtesy of the birthday boy's family who had brought it in to the restaurant. So you won't find it on the menu but a few options are lemon sorbet, creme brulee and several other desserts.
It was a great night and the staff really looked after us well. We were late arriving but they never complained, never made a fuss and made sure that Chris's birthday was as perfect as possible. All the guests enjoyed the meal and we had a great time.
Damage: I'm not sure as I never saw the bill but I'd guess for two courses + wine = £45 if you have a fillet steak
Vitals:
La Parisienne
21 Bell Street, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 8GY
Tel: 01794 512067
Website: http://www.la-parisienne.co.uk/index.shtml
Belgo - Clapham
I've been to the Belgo in Covent Garden but this time I headed to the Clapham North branch with some work mates for a bite to eat. It's on the high street and is, inside, completely different to the German feasting hall that is Covent Garden's Belgo. I was quite shocked!
This is very metropolitan, busy due to the great dinner deals and is lovely and warm - Not a fact to be sniffed at considering the weather! They needed more staff on and to listen to orders more carefully but otherwise the service was about what I would expect and the menu was yum-tastic.
Fancying a burger as I hadn't eaten all day, I went for the burger with swiss and bacon which was over-mustardy/peppered when it finally arrived. They got my order wrong due to the Beat the Clock menu which is a favourite and as I was already in a rush, I wasn't much impressed by the taste once it had come.
My friends had a lovely meal however! They all went for the Beat the Clock option which is a must. From 5-7pm every night you order a meal and pay a price depending on the time. i.e. 6pm = £6 for the meal. It's a great way to grab a cheap and tasty meal.
The Beat the Clock dishes ordered were:
- Bowl of Marinièremussels served with frites
- Pork and leek sausages with stoemp mash and berry jus
From what I could see, they looked lovely and I wish I'd had the sausages/mash combo! Oh well!
Damage? Not bad at all. About £10 each with some wine.
Vitals
Belgo
44 - 48 Clapham High Road, London, SW4 7UR
Tel: 0207 720 1118
Website: http://www.belgo-restaurants.co.uk
Nearest tube: Clapham North
This is very metropolitan, busy due to the great dinner deals and is lovely and warm - Not a fact to be sniffed at considering the weather! They needed more staff on and to listen to orders more carefully but otherwise the service was about what I would expect and the menu was yum-tastic.
Fancying a burger as I hadn't eaten all day, I went for the burger with swiss and bacon which was over-mustardy/peppered when it finally arrived. They got my order wrong due to the Beat the Clock menu which is a favourite and as I was already in a rush, I wasn't much impressed by the taste once it had come.
My friends had a lovely meal however! They all went for the Beat the Clock option which is a must. From 5-7pm every night you order a meal and pay a price depending on the time. i.e. 6pm = £6 for the meal. It's a great way to grab a cheap and tasty meal.
The Beat the Clock dishes ordered were:
- Bowl of Marinièremussels served with frites
- Pork and leek sausages with stoemp mash and berry jus
From what I could see, they looked lovely and I wish I'd had the sausages/mash combo! Oh well!
Damage? Not bad at all. About £10 each with some wine.
Vitals
Belgo
44 - 48 Clapham High Road, London, SW4 7UR
Tel: 0207 720 1118
Website: http://www.belgo-restaurants.co.uk
Nearest tube: Clapham North
Tayyabs - Whitechapel, London
A couple of weeks ago, a few us of headed to the many-reviewed Tayyabs, an Indian restaurant which sits between Aldgate East and Whitechapel. As I was in charge of organising the restaurant and we all wanted some curry, I looked around and a few of my favourite blogs as well as some encouraging word-of-mouth made me book the place on the spot.
Firstly? It's a bit of a trek to get to and it's quite hidden away. Make sure you know exactly where you're going and how to get there because Aldgate East isn't the best place to get your iPhone out to check you've gone the right way. Secondly? Book! It was so packed when we got there, there must have been an hour long queue and it made me very glad I'd booked weeks in advance.
The restaurant is split over two floors and is quite funky with music pumping through the restaurant. The service is incredibly quick - too quick in my opinion as I don't like having my starters and mains come at nearly the same time - but they were courteous and did everything we asked. One small gripe is that they said they didn't serve tap water and yet when we were leaving, another table had a big pitcher of tap water. Wasn't happy!
A nice touch is that they had poppadoms on the table ready for when we sat down. The mint yoghurt and fresh onion/tomato mix was delicious and the poppadoms, although spicy, were lovely. It was nice to have something to snack on whilst we read the small menu.
Tayyabs don't do many dishes but they're all very cheap and very tasty. One of our party didn't enjoy his meat biryani or peshwari nan but the rest of us did enjoy our meals and said that we were all nicely full. I didn't feel absolutely stuffed which was great as we headed out for drinks afterwards and the last thing I needed was to be utterly bloated! The food was fresh and strangely light, really yummy.
So what did we have? Not too much but enough to keep us munching! I'd heard a lot about the lamb chops and so we had a portion of those along with some Seekh kebab, all of which were really tasty, spicy and hot. The tandoori lamb chops are a must!
Main courses were pretty similar. We had some garlic nan, peshwari nan, pilau rice, meat biryani x 2 and a couple of special chicken tikka masala type dishes which were very nice. Portions were quite small although for the price, I couldn't complain. However, I was very glad I had starters + a curry, rice and nan. I think I would have been hungry otherwise.
One other important thing to state: there is no alcohol at this restaurant. It wasn't something I'd thought about but when we got there and went to order wine only to find out that it was a dry restaurant, it was something we perhaps should have considered!
However, we did make up for the lack of alcohol after dinner, don't fear!
I'd definitely go back to Tayyabs in the future as I thought their dishes were very nice and I think I'd gorge even more on the starters when I go again. The damage was also very reasonable; £14 each for two courses.
Vitals:
Tayyabs
83-89, Fieldgate St. London E1 1JU
Tel: 020 7247 6400
Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk/
Nearest tube: Whitechapel / Aldgate East
Firstly? It's a bit of a trek to get to and it's quite hidden away. Make sure you know exactly where you're going and how to get there because Aldgate East isn't the best place to get your iPhone out to check you've gone the right way. Secondly? Book! It was so packed when we got there, there must have been an hour long queue and it made me very glad I'd booked weeks in advance.
The restaurant is split over two floors and is quite funky with music pumping through the restaurant. The service is incredibly quick - too quick in my opinion as I don't like having my starters and mains come at nearly the same time - but they were courteous and did everything we asked. One small gripe is that they said they didn't serve tap water and yet when we were leaving, another table had a big pitcher of tap water. Wasn't happy!
A nice touch is that they had poppadoms on the table ready for when we sat down. The mint yoghurt and fresh onion/tomato mix was delicious and the poppadoms, although spicy, were lovely. It was nice to have something to snack on whilst we read the small menu.
Tayyabs don't do many dishes but they're all very cheap and very tasty. One of our party didn't enjoy his meat biryani or peshwari nan but the rest of us did enjoy our meals and said that we were all nicely full. I didn't feel absolutely stuffed which was great as we headed out for drinks afterwards and the last thing I needed was to be utterly bloated! The food was fresh and strangely light, really yummy.
So what did we have? Not too much but enough to keep us munching! I'd heard a lot about the lamb chops and so we had a portion of those along with some Seekh kebab, all of which were really tasty, spicy and hot. The tandoori lamb chops are a must!
Main courses were pretty similar. We had some garlic nan, peshwari nan, pilau rice, meat biryani x 2 and a couple of special chicken tikka masala type dishes which were very nice. Portions were quite small although for the price, I couldn't complain. However, I was very glad I had starters + a curry, rice and nan. I think I would have been hungry otherwise.
One other important thing to state: there is no alcohol at this restaurant. It wasn't something I'd thought about but when we got there and went to order wine only to find out that it was a dry restaurant, it was something we perhaps should have considered!
However, we did make up for the lack of alcohol after dinner, don't fear!
I'd definitely go back to Tayyabs in the future as I thought their dishes were very nice and I think I'd gorge even more on the starters when I go again. The damage was also very reasonable; £14 each for two courses.
Vitals:
Tayyabs
83-89, Fieldgate St. London E1 1JU
Tel: 020 7247 6400
Website: http://www.tayyabs.co.uk/
Nearest tube: Whitechapel / Aldgate East
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