Ducksoup, Soho - London Restaurants

I may have left London, but I still have a few bits and pieces waiting in the wings. Starting with this...

Soho rocks. I love it. It has Koya, Fernandez & Wells (1 and 2), Mrs Marengo's salads (now at Mildred's), Bocca Di Lupo, Gelupo, Scoop, Spuntino, Polpo, Polpetto, Bob Bob Ricard, Flat White, Milk Bar, I Camisa, Byron, Yalla Yalla, The Breadman Cart, Cay Tre... the list goes on. Joel Robuchon is a mere skip away. I even like the weird coconut Bubbleology drinks up the road (never blogged, but my new addiction).

And now Soho has Ducksoup.

My first impression on entering Ducksoup is that it's exactly the sort of place I love to visit. London, indeed the world, needs more places that look like Ducksoup.

The white tiled walls are scrawled with the names of natural wines (although I like the idea, organic/natural wines still tend to disappoint me, with a few rare exceptions), there's a huge bowl of fresh walnuts on the counter for the cracking and there's a BYO vinyl policy for the turntable in the corner. It's a petite and character filled wine bar, with lots of cured meats and cheeses, small plates (£7 each) and a few larger ones (£14 each) where you can drop in and snack at the bar (love it) or chat at one of the few small tables lined against the wall. Friendly, keen staff are the icing on the cake.

I also love the daily changing menu (updated on on tumblr), which is hand scrawled on a bit of paper. It features things like slip soles, rillettes and cornichon, pumpkin with chestnut and goats curd, lardo, quail with pickled fennel and chilli and clementine, roast pork with clams and braised fennel, lamb cutlets with lemon and salt, chopped raw hanger steak, and a frito misto of langoustine, artichokes, sliced orange, sea bass and scallops. The people who run it all met while working at Mark Hix's Oyster & Chop House (which is fab, by the way).

This is a menu to draw people who appreciate good food that hasn't been over fussed, enjoyed over a glass of wine that will be different to your usual tipple.

My huge pan of clams in short, noodly fideo, fino and parsley starts off with a wow factor, but the alcoholic fuminess of the sherry becomes overwhelming and it's too salty for me. If the flavours were a little less heavy handed, I would have been in heaven sopping up the plentiful juices with the highlight of the meal... the delicious, thick, crusty bread.

The thick mayonnaise that came with the fresh Dorset crab was also divine. The crab meat was fresh and deliciously sweet, although the small morsels of meat come at £14 which is steep, particularly when compared to the load of the good stuff you get in the crab and pomelo salad at Cay Tre up the road for £9 or the holy grail of lobster claws at Luke's Lobster In New York for around $12. (Yes, I know sourcing impacts on price etc, but I'm just saying...)

The pricing is interesting because what I love about Ducksoup is that you feel like you're nipping in for a casual quick bite in a cool Parisian wine bar, but then you end up forking out over £40 for 2 plates of food and 2 glasses of (not as good as unnatural) natural wine. So it ain't cheap, even if you feel like you're keeping it simple.

There's a no bookings policy generally, although I was able to book for a weekend lunch.

So, I like the style of Ducksoup and I have no doubt it will be a huge success, even if not everything I ate this week hit the mark. All the cool kids that line up at Spuntino will be lining up at Ducksoup soon. I think they probably are already.

Ducksoup, 41 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 4PY (Tel 020 7287 4599)

Banana Tree - Indo China Kitchen, Soho - London Restaurants

I don't do chains. That has been my cry throughout life. I am from a city where Starbucks doesn't survive. Whether it be coffee, sandwiches, restaurants or clothes, we Melbournians like our independent stores for all their quirky, unpredictable glory.

But then I moved to London and stumbled upon Busaba. And I liked it. It became our standard lazy option for decent, local Thai food. In my desperation to find an acceptable coffee in the early days, I even tried Costa and Cafe Nero. Thank God we discovered Flat White, and promptly moved in down the road.

Papaya salad

BananaTree is a little chain operation that I wasn't all that keen to try because, well, it's a little chain operation. But then I did. And it was really good. The food was lovely and the place had personality. So then, exhausted after weeks of travelling and long hours, TPG and I decided to go again on Friday night - to lazily send off the week with a table full of food and a bottle of wine. And an hour later, by coincidence, I received a voucher to come in and visit for essentially a free meal (review us if you like us, give us the feedback if you don't). Done.

Eggplant

I like it.

Specialties from the Indochina region (think the lemongrass and fresh herbs of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar mixed in the the dry spices of mainland Malaysia) are served in a casual and funky setting. The room has an industrial fit out (quirky low hung light fittings, wooden tables, concrete walls, exposed pipelines, splashes of red), with an open kitchen (now becoming something of a norm in new London restaurant openings) and a mix of small and communal tables. Although Banana Tree has only been open in Soho for a month, by 8pm it's buzzing with a crowd, but minus the long queue of Busaba up the road.

Chargrilled pork

Feast on the tart but addictively sweet goodness that is the papaya salad (£5.90), actually right up there with the best I can remember having, along with some lusciously gooey baked aubergine with caramelised vinegar sauce (£4.20) - a bit like the Japanese nasu dengaku, and the big hitting rendang (£9.80) - satisfyingly big, tender chunks of beef, slow cooked in coconut milk and spices like lemongrass and chilli. The sautéed lamb with fragrant kari patta leaves, cashews, coriander, tomatoes and spring onions (£8.50) is rammed with so much flavour that I don't mind that the lamb is too dry. Large, thin slices of chargrilled blackened chilli pork are marinated in dark soy, palm sugar, chilli, garlic and spices (£8.90) and come with a nice nasi goreng - more deliciousness. With 2 glasses of wine our tab comes up to around £50 for 2 people.

Rendang

After eating at Nahm earlier in the week, eating this sort of food anywhere else so soon was at risk of being a massive downer. But, actually, I really like Banana Tree. I think Busaba has gone downhill recently, and in my view Banana Tree definitely comes up trumps for the quality of its food. Just watch the prices as they can stack up. Looking at the cost of each dish, I don't think they're overpriced compared with other places in the area (although the rending and some other dishes are probably pushing the upper end of the scale), but I probably tend to go to chains thinking they should be the cheap option, when actually the costs can sneak up on you.

Oh, and the service staff have been really sweet and keen on both my visits (as much on the anonymous one as my invitation to review). It may be a mini chain, but don't be afraid - it still has soul and you can taste it. Definitely one to try.

Banana Tree - Indo China Kitchen, 103 Wardour Street, W1F 0UQ (Tel 0202 7437 1351)



There are other Banana Tree outlets at Angel, Bayswater, Clapham Junction and West Hamstead.

Nopi for brunch



Black rice, coconut milk, banana and mango


I love a good brunch. Nopi is probably better known for its small plates of colourful vegetables, burratas and other Middle Eastern and Meditterranean fare served at lunch and dinner (here's my earlier review). However, it's a lively place for a gorgeous brunch too (it's just not strong on the coffee - we went home for a plunger after - and I reckon £2.50 should buy you a whole pot of English tea rather than a mug). These gripes aside, some good looking food with exotic flavours is a pearler of a way to kick start the weekend.

 Here are some pics of our brunch at Nopi this morning. The pastries and the fruit salad with yoghurt and granola looked great, and how good do the the doughnuts with orange yoghurt and blackcurrent compote sound? (I'll be sure to report back.) And it's easy to get a table.




Shakshuka - North African dish of braised eggs with pepper and tomato





Safer to stick to the tea than the coffee here



Nopi, 21-22 Warwick Street, London, W1B 5NE (About £25 for 2 for brunch)

Quo Vadis, Soho

Barbary duck with caramelised carrots

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon when the telly broke. The papers were read, my book was boring, and there's only so many times TPG can colour code his wardrobe of cashmere V necks. Particularly when they're all a minor variation on navy blue. On the positive side, I did re-discover a love for my old Transvision Vamp CDs. We stared at the blinking theatre sign just down the road from our apartment and pondered.... What to do, what to do....

Although we live in the West End, we have become completely out of practice at going to the theatre. Would not even occur to us if the latest Judy Dench number sidled up to our front door and performed a monologue through the keyhole. But finally, my friends, the penny dropped and after a few last minute phone calls we found ourselves high-fiving ourselves all the way to the ticket box. (We saw Betrayal - quite good too, and particularly if you don't mind a bit of 'sleb sighting since it stars Kristin Scott Thomas.)

But before all that, we had to snag ourselves seats for some pre-theatre dining. Because as if anyone can wait until after the show. (Does anyone ever do that? Please comment if you do so I know you exist.) Arbutus was in the running but a quick call revealed their normally great value pre-theatre menu for the night had mains of risotto and pasta only (zzzzz....) and so I finally got to see what was behind the beautiful stained glass windows of Quo Vadis.

Beetroot gazpacho with horseradish

Inside wasn't as impressive as the outside. I think I had imagined a kind of elegant, ritzy version of The Ivy, but instead it was all quite formal and stiff and low ceilinged and white table clothed, with some lovely art deco mirrors and hotel foyerish modern art and lots of grey haired customers in pastel twin sets. And the odd glammed-up younger couple about to go to the theatre.

The pre-theatre menu is good value at £17.50 for 2 courses or £19.50 for 3 courses (the set lunch menu is the same price). The regular menu is pricier (but still looked ok) with entrees ranging from about £6.50 (Scotch egg, bacon and little gem) - £11 (Dorset crab, Heritage tomato salad) and mains generally around £17.50 (battered pollock, chips and mushy peas) - £21.50 (rump of lamb, broad beans and baby onions).

We expected good things since the restaurant comes from Sam and Eddie Hart who own the fabulous Fino and Barrafina. And all the food was really quite good - classic, cooked well, very nice, if nothing earth shattering. (To be fair, it's rare to feel the earth shatter on a pre-theatre menu.) Starters of sardines (fresh and lemony) and a silky beetroot gazpacho with a kick of horse radish were perfectly done. A chunky piece of roast plaice the size of my head was slightly overcooked but memorable for the size if nothing else. TPG's duck was cooked to a lovely pink, with a good gamey flavour and came with caramelised carrots.

Service ranged from ok to fairly hopeless in the case of 1 waiter who plonked dishes on our table without a word and forgot to return with things we'd asked for. But my main beef was with the staid, hushed atmosphere. Where's the sizzle of Barrafina, the pizzazz of Fino?

Humungous plaice with Jersey Royals

So despite a really decent meal, perhaps its the combination of the old fogey like room and the average service that left me feeling like I'd ticked something off my to do list, but with no real inclination to return. Still, at least we weren't at home playing charades in front of the dead TV.

Quo Vadis, 29 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 3LL (Tel: 020 7437 9585)

Empress of Sichuan, Chinatown - A quick happy snap

In a week of madness, it's comforting to know that some things keep getting better.

Empress of Sichuan remains my favourite Sichuanese restaurant. Our last meal of seabass with blackbean and chilli, spicy pork and juicy duck with pickled cucumber (they were out of bitter melon) was sublime. It also has a great wine list and friendly staff. Time to try it if you haven't already.

See my previous review here.

Empress of Sichuan, 6 Lisle Street, Chinatown, WC2H 7BG

Opera Tavern, Covent Garden

Mini Iberico pork and foie gras burgers. Yes, that's mini Iberico pork and foie gras burgers. Ooomph.

Opera Tavern opened in Covent Garden in February, joining it siblings (and Greedy Diva favourites), Salt Yard and Dehesa to provide a range of small plates inspired by Spanish tapas, with an Italian cicchetti twist. The biggest difference is the addition of the robata charcoal grill, where "pinchos morunos" are quickly sizzled up and skewered in all their smoky deliciousness.

A selection of skewered meats( pinchos morunos) from the robata charcoal grill

The restaurant is small (and rather noisy from the celebrations in the dining room upstairs on the night I visited with Gourmet Chick, MTV Boyfriend and A Girl Has to Eat) - perhaps not one to take your hard of hearing grandparents). Downstairs near the bar, where we're seated, feels like a typical Covent Garden pub turned simply into a place to eat ham and drink sherry with abandon.

Grilled Octopus & Chorizo

Although the pig's head terrine is catches my attention among the range of bar snacks (priced from £2.55 - £4.25), we move straight to the offerings of the charcoal grill for mini Iberico pork and foie gras burgers, juicy and medium rare, topped with oozey grilled manchego, aioli and onion jam on a mini brioche bun - phwoar. Incontrovertible proof that size is not everything.

Deep fried courgettes with goats cheese and honey

We try a selection of grilled pinchos morunos - there's marinated Iberico pork, Gresshingham duck with fig, and octopus with chorizo, green tomatoes, cucumber and pomegranate (ranging from £3.25 - £3.95). The deep fried courgettes with oozy goats cheese and honey are a favourite from Salt Yard and are just as good here.

Chargrilled Saltmarsh Lamb

Try the range of hams, charcuterie and cheeses, or move straight on to the tapas - FISH like crispy squid and sea purslane with chilli aioli (£6.75) or roasted monkfish with crab and chickpea sauce and crab fritter (£7.50), MEATS like chargrilled salt mash lamb with faro, peas, broad beans, wild garlic and goat's curd (£7.25) or chargrilled beef sirloin with bone marrow, Iberico pork fat chips, garlic and thyme aioli (£12.50), or VEGETABLE dishes such as grilled asparagus with crispy duck egg yolk, fresh pea and truffle dressing (£5.75) or salad of grilled baby fennel and trope onion with orange and black olive (£6.25).

Patatas bravas

We manage to work our way through a couple of bottles of wine, both lovely and reasonably priced.

Warm hazelnut cake with lemon thyme ice-cream

Of the lovely puddings, my favorite was the warm hazelnut cake with lemon thyme ice cream (£5.35), or you might like the tonka bean pannacotta with English strawberries and white chocolate almonds (£5.35).

As usual when 4 gluttons get together and start ordering small plates, the bill sneaks up on you, although I think we manage to get away at around £40 per head including wine and service.

For atmosphere and stylish surrounds, I prefer Salt Yard and Dehesa, but Opera Tavern is certainly a welcome addition to the restaurants of substance infiltrating the former tourist trap haven of Covent Garden.

Opera Tavern, 23 Catherine Street, Covent Garden, London WC2 (Tel: 020 7836 3680)




You can see my earlier review of Dehesa here. Another good addition to the Covent Garden area is da Polpo (sibling to Polpo, Polpetto and Spuntino) - I've visited da Polpo twice but have not reviewed as there's really not much to add to my reviews of its siblings. It's a place for fun food rather than anything gourmet, and as much as I like it, it lacks some of the buzz and charm of its Soho siblings (you can read my reviews of them at the above links). Nevertheless, it's much easier to get a table (walk ins only) at the Covent Garden newbie.

Tapas Brindisa Soho

Despite all the rave reviews it gets, I've only recently discovered for myself the joy that is Tapas Brindisa at Borough Market. If you haven't been, go - eat ham, drink sherry, enjoy the buzz. I was earlier put off the Brindisa restaurants by an altogether ho hum experience at related Tierra Brindisa in Soho, which I couldn't even be bothered writing about. But now, at the same site, the restaurant has re-opened full of Madrid-like abandon, as a walk in tapas restaurant - another Tapas Brindisa.

Being in the neighborhood and with my ear to ground, I was quick to take up the 50% off soft opening offer tonight with my friend, the intrepid Rachel. There's a no reservations policy, so the sherry bar at the front was already bustling with a crowd eager to hoe into bite sized Padron Peppers, creamy Iberico ham and smoky chunks of chorizo as every table and stool in front room and back was crammed with happy, hungry diners. The room in the back has an open kitchen and a fiery grill, so be warned it can heat up in there. Extra Cava required.

From the Picoteo snack menu, try toasted broad beans and marinated Cantabrian white anchovies, or gorgeous, shrivelled little pan fried Padron Peppers (the best I've tasted) with some pan de pincel (toasted thick bread lathered in herb and garlic olive oil). We didn't try the hand carved, acorn fed Iberico ham (usually a must for me), but if its anything like that at the London Bridge branch, don't go past it.

The gambas al ajillo are large, meaty prawns served with big slithers of garlic and chilli still almost sizzling in the clay pot. Cured ham and chicken croquetas are lush and creamy pockets of oozy fun in a crispy, crumbly case, while grilled smoked chorizo on toast is a generous portion served with rocket and piquillo pepper.

Try a silky potato tortilla or fantabulous deep fried monte enebro - goats cheese with orange blossom honey and crispy beetroot. Oh yeah. There's even Presa Iberica (top shoulder of Iberian pork), marinated lamb or lemon chicken skewers - all straight from the parrilla (an iron grill).

Take all of the above with a glass of Cava or sherry and have yourself a good time. Actually, we lucked out on our wine choices, but there's plenty to choose from. It might have only been the soft opening, but it's already running like a well oiled machine - they make it all look too easy.

Our bill came to £40 per head (or £20 per head during soft opening) with drinks and service.

Tapas Brindisa Soho, 46 Broadwick Street, Soho, London W1F 7AF, Phone: 020 7534 1690


Or, if it's closer to home, try the lively Tapas Brindisa at London Bridge, 18-20 Southwark Street, London SE 1 1TJ (Tel: 020 7357 8880)

@Siam, Soho

It's hard to find decent Thai restaurants in London, let alone in Soho. So entry of @Siam on Frith Street can only be a good thing.

The food is generally very good, if not earth shattering. Zingy, fresh flavours and crunch make each plate a whole lot better than in your average London Thai restaurant, and at an affordable price. Service is friendly and unobtrusive, and splashes of exotic colour are scattered around the small and serene, if a little plain, surrounds.

The prawn and pomelo was tangy, sweet and scrumptious, and also generous in size for a starter - had it come on betel leaf rather than gem lettuce, it would have been fabulous. Larb gai was spicy and juicy, while the beef salad was fresh and satisfyingly sour. Only the mild green vegie curry with dry, uninspiring tofu was disappointing.

@Siam also has well priced set menus offering a good array of plates to try. This is definitely one to seek out for a central London Thai fix on a budget.

Our meal came to £45 for 2, including wine and service.

@Siam, 48 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 4SF

Cay Tre, Soho

Mekong Catfish

Yes. Cay Tre, THE Cay Tre, has come to Soho.

You need to understand. Cay Tre is my favourite Vietnamese restaurant in London (the original is near Kingsland Road in Shoreditch). I live in Soho. Now Cay Tre is in Soho. I can officially start using my oven for storage.

Ok, so I was there on opening night, at the 50% soft opening. Service is still being polished (although they're sweet). But the food, oh the food. The food is superb.

Chicken Royale

A starter of Chef's Vinh Beef (skewered five spice rib beef, moist and succulent, charcoaled and served with soy dipping sauce) was perfection. PERFECTION,  I tell you. And it's opening night! Silky grilled octopus with lemongrass, coriander and chilli oil is slightly chewy (I'd give it a miss next time), but the Cha La Lot is gorgeous - spicy ground pork wrapped in wild betel leaves, served with roast peanuts and nuoc cham.

Cured beef and papaya salad

Thinly sliced sesame cured beef and papaya salad with Thai basil and mint is one of the favourites, and the asparagus in the asparagus and black mushroom salad is packed with seasonal flavour and maintaining just that right amount of firm bite.

Grilled octopus

Slow cooked mekong catfish is caramelised in fish sauce and almost as good as at the original Shoreditch branch, lacking only in the theatre of having it cooked at the table like it is at the original.

Roast baby chicken royale is crunchy and spicy on the outside and moist within - although it's a lean chicken, the honey, five spice and herby marinade give the meat some punch. Cognac Luc Luc Shaking beef is another hit - sliced rib eye beef is wok seared with whole garlic cloves (mmm...) and black pepper. It's lusciously rich but light at the same time.

Cognac Luc Luc Shaking Beef

The Dong Du Lamb Chop Curry served with vermicilli dumplings certainly has the anticipated flavour but is too fatty (yes, even for me). The okra and aubergine curry is a satisfyingly gooey mix of coconut and cardamom.

Okra and auberine curry

There's also rice, noodle and pho dishes which I will be back for, oh, probably 3 times a week. The menu has some surprises and is different to that at the original Shoreditch branch.

With 3 bottles of wine and a huge array of dishes between 5, our bill came to £40 per head (or £20 per head during the 50% off soft opening period). Starters cost between £4 - £9.50 and mains between £7 - £10, so obviously you could feast for a lot less without so much alcohol (ahem).

My only complaint? There's no dessert menu! (But Princi is around the corner).

Great value, fresh flavours, easy going service and all in Zone 1 - don't even try to wipe the smile from my face.

Cay Tre, 44 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 4 QD (Tel: 020 7317 9118)

The 50% off soft opening continues for Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 May 2011.

Nopi, Soho

Beef brisket croquettes with Asian 'slaw

I'm a big fan of Ottolenghi - both the cafes and the cookbooks. With such bright and bold flavours and colours, a table full of Ottolenghi salads is like an exotic, glistening jewellery box appealing to the eye as much as the palate.

The Ottolenghi team have now opened Nopi in Soho. It's an all day dining brasserie with small sharing plates, brimming with Middle Eastern and Asian flavours.

Kingfish carpaccio

After an enthusiastic days shopping, TPG and I dropped in for a pitstop at the bar for some shared plates and a glass of wine (or two). (Although other reports suggest it's best to book ahead).

Beef brisket croquettes with Asian 'slaw are sublimely rich, meaty and moist - the tangy slaw cuts through them perfectly. A must, I'd say.

Pan fried sea bream with turmeric potatoes and rasam is excellent, so plump and juicy, while a spicy kingfish carpaccio with pickled cauliflower is light and lovely.

Creamy burrato oozes onto a salad of bright blood orange and coriander seeds.

The wine list is interesting and our servers at the bar are fantastic - they do a great job of suggesting wines to match our meal, which really hit the spot.

The atmosphere is lacking something (might it be different in the evening?), and its quite a dark spot on a sunny day - but I do love the funky light fittings. It's smarter than the Ottolenghi cafes, but it's still fairly relaxed and people seem to be enjoying themselves. The downstairs canteen area has a big communal table overlooking the open kitchen, and is more in the Ottolenghi cafe style. Special mention must go to the room of angled mirrors that is the bathroom - try to find your way out in under 5 seconds (it's totally worth a visit while you're there).

Prices are in the mid-high range and can stack up - our bill came in at just over £70 for two people, including 3 glasses of wine and service.

Thinking about Ottolenghi's lusty cake selection, I'm tempted to go back to Nopi to try the cardamom rice pudding with rose syrup and pistachio. I'll keep you posted.

 Nopi,  22 Warwick Street, Soho, London, W1B 5NE (Tel: 020 7494 9584)

St John Hotel, Chinatown

I'm quite partial to the bacon sandwich at St John in Spitalfields, as a lazy heart starter to the weekend. It's not on the breakfast menu at the new St John in Soho, but its enough to know that they do the simple stuff well.

Mushrooms on toast are divinely rich and beefy, while the pretty basket of buns is shiny and sweet, with cinnamon, raison and simple plain buns in the mix.

The coffee's not bad either - although at £3.75 for a not warm enough flat white or a cafetiere, it's expensive.

The menu is short but has several serious tempters - like the ham, eggs and fried bread, or the boiled egg and anchovy toast.

But at just over £25 (including service) for the above small and simple breakfast for 2, we leave feeling slightly flabbergasted at how we just spent so much on so little. And TPG is hankering for a local supply of the pikelets and madeleines we love so much at Spitalfields and Farringdon (ooh - the madeleines are available at lunch).

Fortunately, we're in zen mode. The crisp, white room surrounded by windows is a calming little morning oasis in the otherwise hectic surrounds of Chinatown. And the waiters are the friendliest (by far) that I've experienced at any of the three St John establishments - with that gripe gone, I'll happily be back to try the traditional St John nose-to-tail dinner menu soon (where perhaps the prices might be more easily justified).


St John Hotel, 1 Leicester Square, Soho, London, WC2H 7BL (Tel: 0203 301 8069)