Matt The List

Today's post features an exclusive sneak preview of Experimental Cocktail Club's brand new London bar which launches at 6pm TONIGHT (assuming you are reading this on Thursday 16th April).

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Joyeux Bordel - Translation :Happy Mess (or brothel - take your pick)

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The Experimental Group is much more than just a clandestine Chinatown cocktail bar with a hard-to-please doorman. Since opening up the original Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) in Paris in 2007, the group have rapidly expanded and now operate 13 sites including ECC New York, Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels in Paris, NY and London, Beef Club and Fish Club restaurants in Paris, and even an Experimental Beach in Ibiza.

On top of that, last month they added Le Grand Pigalle Paris to that list - their first foray in to the hotel business. Quite by chance, I was in the City of Light at the weekend and squeezed in a visit to Le Grand Pigalle hotel bar, but that's a long story...

Anyway, back in London, their 14th site has just opened at 147 Curtain Road in Old Street, and it's a boozy basement number called Joyeux Bordel.

Now what can I tell you about it? Well, first of all, the doorman is called K. You are going to want to get to know him. Oh, and you can make reservations! Email reservation@joyeuxbordel.com - the desk is open Mon-Sat until 5pm.

Opening times might help too:

Monday - Wednesday: 6pm - 2am

Thursday - Saturday: 6pm - 3am

Sunday: 6pm – midnight

Hooray for late night opening hours, there aren't nearly enough places of worth open after midnight.

Once you've made it past K, you'll make your way down to a spacious but cosy candlelit cocktail bar. I'd always opt for a seat at the bar myself - this is where you'll find Adrien Russotto, Joshua Esposito and Florian Dubois working their magic, along with some ECC alumni most probably.

The full menu hasn't been released yet, but I can reveal five of the house cocktails, including the Old Cuban, an ECC classic:

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Mamzelle Bric-A-Brac - Yellow Chartreuse, Lillet Blanc, Elderflower Cordial, Pepper Mix, Sage, Lemon & Champagne - £10

Picotin - Lemon, Aquavit OP Anderson, Suze, Cocchi Americano, Luxardo Maraschino - £10

Black Beard - Appleton 7, Smith & Cross Rum, Homemade Falernum, Aperol, Fernet Branca, Grapefruit Zest - £11

É Nossa - Cachaca Yaguara, Lime, Sugar, Peychauds & Peach Bitters, Ginger Ale - £11

Old Cuban - Plantation Rum Three Stars, Ginger Cordial, Simple Syrup, Lime, Mint, Angostura Bitters, Champagne - £12

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Picotin was the pic'o'the'bunch (new low for me there), bringing complex flavours together to form a satisfying thirst quencher. Of course, you can always go off menu, and I unsurprisingly went in an agave direction with a superb Mezcal Negroni (Vida, Calle 23 Tequila, Barolo Chinato, Rabarbaro) and an equally excellent Mezcal Highball creation with ginger ale. I expect some Mezcal concoctions will make it on to the final list.

Mezcal Negroni - Del Maguey Vida, Calle 23 Tequila, Barolo Chinato, Rabarbaro

Picotin - Lemon, Aquavit OP Anderson, Suze, Cocchi Americano, Maraschino Luxardo

To soak up the booze, they have sensibly put together a few small plate options including some delicious Rilette, Roasted Ham and Cooked Ham from local butchers and restaurant Hill & Szrok, plus an Androuet Three Cheeses Selection. London has been slow to pick up on the high end and late night bar snacks trade - hopefully more will follow suit soon.

If you've had your fill of cocktails, cheese, and charcuterie, you might want to investigate Joyeux Bordel's back bar. Start off with a taste of ECC partner Xavier Padovani's Vulson White Rhino Rye which was only released in January - read more here. In the early part of the week, you might find Xavier & co. pouring £5 tasters of extremely rare spirits from his vintage selection which they've decided to stop hoarding and start sharing. A late 1950s Grand Marnier was cracked open this week.

On top of all of the fine food and drink, Joyeux Bordel is also going to be a hotspot for DJs, with Daniel Willis from The Clove Club heading up the music. The inoffensive DJ booth is part of the furniture rather than a garish corner feature, which is always a good sign.

Sound good? I thought so. Go and say hello from 6pm tonight. Happy Brothel everyone!

www.joyeuxbordel.com

Email - reservation@joyeuxbordel.com

I had an efficient few days gallivanting around North London back in January. Then I didn't write it up for over a month for some reason. And here we are.

Scroll down for local brews at Kilburn Ironworks, toilet booze at Ladies & Gentlemen, cosy caves at Knowhere Special, and funky fish and chips at Hook Camden.

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Saturday 12th January - It was first announced that a Jimi Pearce & Will Partridge Wax Jambu sequel was imminent way back in late 2013, but locals had to wait another year for neighbourhood hangout Kilburn Ironworks to finally arrive. Was it worth the wait?

Absolutely. They have transformed the awkward long and thin room into a welcoming, cosy lodge with smart lighting and an eye-catching drinks station (complete with fire extinguisher taps). There's a great spirits selection, a wide range of top beers (with London breweries featuring heavily), a quirky list of £8 shandies and cocktails, and an enticing food menu.

The standout cocktail was the Malt Merchant - Monkey Shoulder, toasted porter reduction and lemon, topped up with Anspach & Hobday Smoked Brown with a Gosling’s Black Seal Rum float. The spirits-focused Stoke Me A Clipper was also a winner - Four Roses Bourbon, Pedro Ximenez, Cocchi Americano and Marca Negra Mezcal, served straight up. Two good reasons to sign up for their cocktail school which starts at around £20 per person for groups of 8+.

Camden & Meantime aren't the most exciting draught beer options these days, but Beavertown keeps things interesting. There's also a strong bottle list that includes brews from Pressure Drop, Weird Beard and Hammerton.

Jason conducting with a beer

Stoke Me A Clipper - Bourbon, Sherry, Vermouth, Mezcal

Malt Merchant - Whisky, Porter Reduction, Lemon, A&H Smoked Brown, Dark Rum

The kitchen wasn't up and running when we visited but they did have the magnificent Pig & Hay scotch eggs on offer (which are still on the menu). One of those bad boys and a Kernel IPA will only set you back £7. A return trip is in order to try some of this lot:

- Smog Rocket Toasted Porter Welsh Rarebit - £5

- Braised Squid & Calabrian Sausage - £7.50

- Razor Clams with Chorizo, Chilli & Garlic - £8.50

- Welsh Wagyu Beef Burger - £12/17

- Flat Iron Steak - £10

Plus optional sauces including Mezcal Horseradish Cream and Islay Whisky Peppercorn!

Pig & Hay Scotch Egg

A surefire hit on Kilburn High Road - check it out.

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We swapped Kilburn for Kentish Town in search of a few more drinks, with Ladies & Gentlemen in our sights. Being a Saturday night (note to self: stay in on weekends), it was rammed at 9pm, as was the nearby Knowhere Special (more on that later), so we killed some time in The Assembly House pub which turned out to be rather charming.

If it's a public house you are looking for around Kentish Town, then you should definitely check out The Southampton Arms for all the ales, The Colonel Fawcett for gin and outstanding Sunday roasts, and Tapping The Admiral to meet Nelson the pub cat. And of course there's the Camden Town Brewery Bar which always has top street food traders in the courtyard.

Anyway, I digress. We eventually made it into Ladies & Gentlemen for a drink towards the end of the evening, and then again the following Wednesday to do it justice. It's the latest bar to refurbish public toilets, following on from the likes of Bermondsey Arts Club and WC Clapham. William Borrell of Vestal Vodka is the brains behind this bog-boozer, and he and his team have built a lively and friendly bar in a small space that already seems to be a huge hit with the locals (dogs included!).

Arrive early if you want to grab one of the front row seats next to their 16 litre copper alembic still (out of action on our visit), though be prepared for it to get pretty crowded behind you at times. You'll find Manager Steve keeping an eye on the room whilst Fraser and Leah hold court behind the bar.

You might like to start with their opposing Ladies & Gents Old Fashioned twists, or a Rhubarb & Custard (served in a classic Bird's Custard tin), but we went mostly off-menu during both of our stays. I'm going to drop back in for a proper look at their set cocktail list once they've had a little more time to settle down and feature some Vestal.

Leah made me two impressive Vestal Vodka-based drinks that will probably find their way on to the menu soon - a serious Martini-style Spring Demon, and an un-named Vestal Kazebe & Ilegal Mezcal duet. Fraser came up trumps with a delightful Calvados number that we labelled Hidden Depths due to its clever use of Sloe Gin and Dry Vermouth. Both also dealt well with some of our more left-field demands - "Something loving, insightful and mentally unstable please!".

Ladies & Gentlemen is the kind of bar that you never want to leave. Be sure to have a taste of the Vestal Vodka range whilst you are there - you will be pleasantly surprised! If they get themselves a proper late licence, I'll be making many more trips up North. Bring on the 24 hour tubes!

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Wednesday 7th January - After a spot of fish and chips (see below) and before a trip to the loo (see above), we had a second go at getting in to Knowhere Special. This was following a failed attempt on a busy Saturday evening when a brusque DJ/doorman hybrid wouldn't grant us access. Weekends are the worst. It was much more pleasant on a Wednesday, and we had the bar to ourselves to start with.

Blink and you'll miss Knowhere Special. That little doorway inbetween The Assembly House and the sadly now shut Kentish Canteen (soon to become Joe's Southern Kitchen) - that's what you are looking for. Walk through the colourful corridor and down some stairs, and you will be rewarded with a stunning little bar, full of oddments and magical lighting.

The corridor! Clever mirror shot? Nope. Just Ella Paskett doing her thing.

The front room is beautifully lit, particularly the bar, but you will find it hard to resist sitting in one of their converted prison cell alcoves. Take your pick from the Garden (complete with gnomes), Bedroom and Kitchen caves. There is a slight sacrifice on bar atmosphere in these cosy corners, but they are great if you are in a group.

They have a long list of classic cocktails to choose from, but on your first visit you really have to dive in to their special house drinks selection. Each creation has been paired with a snack ranging from the mysterious ("An Autumn scene gives you a view") to the self explanatory ("A handful of bitter-spiced nuts to go with that"). This unsurprisingly bumps prices up around the £11-13 mark which is fairly pricey for the area, but worth indulging in. And that we did:

- Friars Luck - House spiced rum, benedictine, yellow chartreuse, burnt orange peel & a hint of frankincense - with toffee apples and some salt chocolate - £11

- Ramble On... - Pink peppercorn infused vodka, Zubrowka bison grass vodka, fresh lime, apple syrup, dry vermouth and bitters - with blackberry crumble - £11

- That's A Peach... Almost - Bourbon, lemon juice, fresh barbecued spiced peach puree, marigold syrup - with spiced almond milk and cookies - £10.50

- Choc On The Bay - Brokers Gin, stirred with dry vermouth and toasted cardamom pods, finished with a bay leaf and chocolate syrup - with a zesty lemon cheesecake - £11.50

Ramble on... with blackberry crumble

Friars Luck with toffee apples and salt chocolate

That's A Peach...Almost with almond milk and cookies

All four were a great success, and I really appreciated my strong and complex Choc On The Bay with subtle hints of cardamom and chocolate coming through. That's A Peach...Almost worked well both with and without the spiced almond milk; the clever use of a water glass allowed for a bit of taste testing before committing to mixing it all in.

We didn't order the much-talked about Park Bench cocktail which is presented in a brown paper bag, and served in a Strongbow Can, with a sausage roll on the side. They basically reduce Strongbow to the bare minimum, and then build it back up in to their own take on cider with Apple Brandy, Poire William Eau de Vie, House Syrup & Fizz. One to go back for.

Oh, and they sell Curly Wurly Bars (80p), Pickled Onion Space Raiders (20p), and Salt & Vinegar Squares (70p). Sold.

Not a cocktail...

...but a candle

Matt The Tip - You should probably get some food to go with all of those Kentish Town cocktails. Book in advance for the tiny but perfectly formed Anima E Cuore, or try for Shoe Shop nearer Tufnell Park. There's always the Soho House group Holy Trinity of Pizza East, Dirty Burger and Chicken Shop if the first two don't take your fancy.

For all things Kentish Town, you should really refer to Kentish Towner.

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Last but not last (not a typo), before all the Kentish Town cocktails (scroll up), we met up in Camden for some unconventional fish and chips at Hook Camden.

Now, stay with me here. Barry and Simon started doing the fish and chips thing on a stall in Dublin in 2011. Then they opened up a full restaurant in Brussels called Bia Mara (Irish for seafood) where Belgian beer played an important part. And now they have landed in London, except they can't call it Bia Mara here for whatever reason, so Hook it is.

Camden is hopefully just the first of many (Brixton could be next) for the Hook boys. Their new school fish and chips may upset the odd purist, but anyone who doesn't want to try Ethiopian Berbere Spiced Pollock can head elsewhere.

Still here? Good. You made the right choice. Hook Camden is a belter. I obviously went for the special Ethiopian Berbere Spiced Pollock with Sweet Potato Ketchup - for £12. Sauces are a big deal there, and each fish is paired with one (which you can swap out for something else of course),.Every order also receives an epic portion of Seaweed Salted Chips.

On top of that, we attempted to finish Classic Panko Crusted Cod, Cajun Spiced Panko Red Gurnard, and Thai Green Tempura of Seabream, all with a load more Seaweed Salted Chips and all the sauces for £10 each. I'm talking Homemade Tartar, Garlic Truffle, Lemon & Basil, Lemon Cajun, Chipotle and more. It's all great stuff - beautifully cooked Flying Fish Seafood with a range of seasoning in either Panko (Breadcrumbs) or Tempura (Light Batter).

The sauces do threaten to steal the show and mask the fishy flavours every now and then, so go easy. It's a marathon, not a sprint. For a tenner all in, it doesn't really matter if you don't finish everything, though by the looks of it the Red Gurnard might be a tad pissed off.

Do not mess with the Red Gurnard

All the Seaweed Salted Chips

Cajun Spiced Panko Red Gurnard

Ethiopian Berbere Spiced Pollock with Sweet Potato Ketchup

If you don't fancy fish (what are you doing there?), then there are two panko chicken options, and a veggie-friendly main course of parmesan and mozzarella arancini (sadly not available as a side). Speaking of sides, we can vouch for the refreshing Sea Spaghetti & Samphire Citron Salad which provided much needed balance, and the classic Minty Mushy Peas (hard to resist).

The beer list may expand soon, but for now you should be able to get by with a couple of Brixton Brewery bottles or Brasserie de la Senne's Taras Boulba.

Brixton Brewery Electric I.P.A. at Hook Camden

Barry mentioned some bonkers sounding daytime disco brunch party plans but I await further details. Keep your ears to the ground. In the meantime, get down to Hook Camden before everyone realises how fantastic it is. You won't leave hungry.

For more ideas, check out this recent Londonist post on the Capital's finest fish and chips

Today on the blog - two of London's street food heros Bao& Bleecker Burger settle down in Soho and Spitalfields respectively, and One Mile End brewery brings a Whitechapel boozer back to life.

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Wednesday April 8th - I made my way over to Bao about 30 minutes after it opened - beat the crowds and all that; stay ahead of the game. No such luck. I joined the back of the (admittedly fast moving) queue, got me some water from Pret, and stared longingly at Clerkenwell Boy's food both through the window and on his Instagram feed.

The foodie world was out in force, and Instagram was overrun by Baos and Blood Cakes for the rest of the day. One of London's finest food writers Ed Smith (Rocket & Squash) was also one of the first through the door, and he put up another of his reliably witty and informative posts the next day, rendering this irrelevant. Read up on all things Bao on Rocket & Squash here.

I'll soldier on. Bao built up a loyal following whilst trading at Kerb, Netil Market and the like, and their tiny Soho site is surely the first of many. Like Yum Bun and Beer & Buns, they focus on gua bao - super squishy steamed buns of joy filled with all manner of delights. Take along a pair of googly eyes and you'll soon have something resembling Pacman stuffing his face.

But that's not all. It seems they had a few Taiwanese tricks up their sleeve that they were saving for a permanent site. I'm talking Trotter Nuggets (£4), Scallops with Yellow Bean & Garlic Sauce (a little small for £3.50), and the room-dividing Century Egg with Eryngii Mushroom (£4).

The two non-bao dishes you absolutely must get are the 40 Day Aged Rump Cap with Aged White Soy Sauce (£6) and the much-photographed Pig Blood Cake (£3.50) - see #eggporn collage below. How we managed to share these two without trading blows, I'll never know.

Scallop, Yellow Bean & Garlic Sauce

Trotter Nuggets

Pig Blood Cake

Of course, you need to get some gua bao down you too. The Classic (Braised Pork, Peanut Powder, Fermented Greens, Coriander) is already an essential Soho snack at £3.75. Be sure also to get the stunning Fried Chicken Bao, presented in burger form in a soft Sesame Bao, with Soy Milk Marinated Chicken, Sichuan Mayo and Golden Kimchi. Confit Pork, Lamb Bao and veggie Crumbed Daikon Bao are ready on the subs bench.

Don't leave without ordering the Fried Horlicks Ice Cream Bao (Horlicks Ice Cream, Condensed Milk, Fried Bao) for £4, and eat it AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES. By the time I'd done my offensive blogger photography, we had a sticky, gooey mess on our hands. Delicious but disastrous.

Lamb Bao - Lamb Shoulder, Coriander Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Soy Pickled Chilli

Fried Chicken Bao - Soy Milk Marinated Chicken, Sichuan Mayo, Golden Kimchi, Sesame Bao

Fried Horlicks Ice Cream Bao - devour before it melts!

So the food is incredible. What about the drinks? I went for some BaoZhong Foam Tea which I didn't agree with at all. I would instead opt for the 10 year Aged Coal Baked Oolong which sounds magnificent. Elsewhere, three types of Sake, Cider and Beer should be enough to see you through since Bao dining is a speedy affair.

How Bao? Go Now.

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Tuesday April 7th - Bleecker Burger, street food veterans and winners of London Burger Bash 2014, recently opened a burger hatch in Old Spitalfields Market. I say hatch rather than restaurant or diner, as it is literally a hole-in-the-wall kitchen with a few benches outside.

Is it any different to them parking their food truck behind a brick wall with a window? Not really, but who cares? Now we know where to go for a fix of angry fries and Bleecker meat every day of the week (from 11.30am-9pm).

The slightly bigger space allows them to produce some rather fine milkshakes (including Caravan coffee) which you might turn to after they stop serving craft beers at 7pm. But you are really here for a burger; an award-winning Bleeckerblack burger to be precise. Two medium-rare aged-beef patties, melted cheese, and a showstopping slab of black pudding, at your service. Sure, you could get a Bacon Cheeseburger, or the Blue Burger, both superb, but I wouldn't. What a burger.

What else? I can never say no to Sweet Potato Fries, but the Angry Fries with blue cheese and more than a bit of a kick put up quite a fight.

And that's all I need to say about that. Just be wary of the 9pm closing time (which could change of course - check here).

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After all that food, you might fancy a drink somewhere nearby. You've got Discount Suit Company, 46 & Mercy, Brewdog, Underdog, Ten Belles and many more worthwhile establishments within easy reach. We decided to go slightly further afield to The White Hart in Whitechapel which recently had a refurb and has re-established itself as a brewpub with One Mile End Brewery in their basement.

Brewpub beer can often be rather bland and unadventurous, but that is not the case here. One Mile End mean business, as a recent tap takeover of Brewdog Camden proves. Alongside exemplary core beers such as Salvation Pale Ale, Snake Charmer IPA and Hospital Porter, you'll also find the likes of Rye Whisky Sour, Blood Orange Barrel Aged Saison, Farmhouse Pilsner and a Pale Ale infused with Pomelo and Chilli. The winner for me though was a dark and dangerous 7% Barrel Aged Black Sour (pictured below).

You will be able to find One Mile End beers in boozers all over London, but it's well worth a wee pilgrimage to their lively public house in Whitechapel. With the District Line and the Overground a stone's throw away, it's actually pretty convenient. Plus they've got Dirty Burger and Chicken Shop as neighbours.

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New photos on Matt The Tumblr this week - www.mattthelist.tumblr.com

A weekend in Paris // Joyeux Bordel // Street Feast Model Market // Peg + Patriot // Joe's Southern Kitchen // That Hungry Chef's Goan Thali Supperclub

Friday 17th April - Street Feast should need no introduction, but just in case: it's your one stop shop for street food, booze, music, people, and a party atmosphere. London's calling card after 5pm.

The doors to their three-storey Hawker House popup closed recently, but fear not - Model Market has just launched in Lewisham, and two more sites in Dalston and Shoreditch are on the way.

Model Market was one of the highlights of 2014. I have fond memories of an evening spent eating Smokestak ribs and Breddos tacos in their converted 1950s market with the World Cup on in the background. It's started a little earlier this year, so the sun might not always have his hat on, but there's plenty of covered space in their eight unique "micro-diners" plus the customary Street Feast fire pits to keep you warm.

What's new?Most of the traders are familiar faces these days, though this is a first Street Feast outing for Kerb regulars Bill or Beak. There are five bars this time around, including the new "Lewisham High Line" rooftop space. More exciting though is a well-stocked craft beer can bar featuring the likes of Oskar Blues, Ska Modus and Sly Fox from the States.

What to eat?Ideally, everything. Go with a big group of friends, and get a taste of as much as you can. Here are some highlights from our recent visit:

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#1 - Rola Wala - Twisted Indian street food from Mark Wright & co.

You can't have just one of Rola Wala's naan sliders - get all 3 for £9. Kashmiri Chicken with coriander, red onion pickle, fresh lemon, and sweet mango chutney; 12 Hour Goan Pork Roast with fresh curry leaves, telecherry pepper, and pear and tamarind chutney; Keralan Daal - beetroot, paneer and coconut channa dal, coriander, lemon raita, and mint and lime chutney. Wash them all down with one of their Mango, Turmeric and Lime sodas that they have created with Square Root London.

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#2 - Bill or Beak- Mighty duck, pork & chicken burgers from Josh & Lucy

Bill or Beak? Bill AND Beak. You're going to want both of their overflowing burgers, and a side of Hoisin fries to boot. The Bill involves a mountain of shredded duck and pork, spring onions, coriander, mint, vietnamese dressing and tempura shallots. The Beak is even harder to eat - a tonne of grilled, corn-fed chicken, Caesar anchovy dressing, tempura capers, rosemary croutons, and fresh parmesan. Awesome.

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#3 - Yum Bun - Super soft steamed gua bao buns from Lisa and friends

You can't go wrong with Yum Bun. Edible pillows filled with all the delicious things. Choose from:

- Roast duck, cucumbers, spring onions, spiced plum and duck scratchings

- Slowly roasted pork belly, cucumbers, spring onions and hoi sin sauce

- Japanese fried chicken, chilli dressing, lettuce, tarutaru sauce

- Panko fried pollack, spicy gochujang mayo, lettuce & pickles

- Crispy prawns, green chilli sambal, kewpi mayo, lettuce

- Portobello mushroom, miso glaze, toasted walnuts

Finish off with one of their deep fried dessert buns if they have them - Coconut Ice Cream with Miso Butterscotch and Praline Ice Cream, or Coffee Ice Cream drizzled with Condensed Milk. Glorious.

Once you've worked your way through those, start ticking off the rest. Mama's Jerk, Smokestak, Cheeky Italian, Spit & Roast, The Beefsteaks and Mother Flipper are all deserving of your savoury attention, whilst SE Cakery and the Meringue Girls are covering the sweet side of things. Head to the latter for your fix of sparkly unicorn poo. Sorted.

Model Market is running all the way through to 24/25 September, every Friday and Saturday from 5pm, with £3 entry after 7pm. Lewisham is a short train journey from Charing Cross, Waterloo East or London Bridge. Don't miss it.

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In other news, two consonant cocktail club chains have opened new branches around the Capital.

First up, Barworks have opened 5cc at Singer Tavern, the fifth in a series of cocktail bars hidden inside their excellent pubs. You can find the rest at Well & Bucket, Exmouth Arms, Electricity Showrooms, and Harrild & Sons.

The Singer Tavern itself has only just opened, making use of a Grade II listed building dating back to 1929 that was originally conceived to house the HQ of the iconic Singer Sewing Machine Company.

Both the pub and the clandestine bar have an enormous selection of bottles at their disposal including 16 types of Amaro and Fernet, and a boat load of gins to help with their nine strong Martini list. The House Martini makes use of a gin from Barworks' own East London Liquor Company distillery & bar that also produces vodka, rum and (eventually) whisky.

There are 20 more signature cocktails on a fairly epic list including Loosie D'Ouro (Glen Moray Port Cask, P.F.Curacao, Tio Pepe, vanilla, chocolate & chilli betters) served with a Paul A. Young truffle, and Dolce Far Niente (Mount Gay Black Barrel, Nardini Rabarbaro, Cocchi di Torino, Pecan Bitters & Blackcurrant Jam).

The bar staff impressively stay on top of things banging out great drinks at high speed in what could have ended up as another average high-volume bar. Get down to 5cc at Singer Tavern with a big group rather than a date and make the most of that spirits selection.

More photos on Matt The Tumblr here

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From 5cc to LCC - J.J.Goodman has opened up his fifth London Cocktail Club, not counting Covent Garden Cocktail Club and Craft Cocktail Co. in Bethnal Green which he's also responsible for.

The latest site is a “cocktail pharmacy” in Islington on Essex Road. An “Apothecary Off-License” shop and masterclass space at the front is just a cover - head through the “Staff Only” door to find the main bar, plus some extra hidden spaces including “A&E” (Alcohol & Entertainment) out the back.

Make no mistake - this is a party bar. On Mondays you can get 2 cocktails for £10 all night, or Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm-8pm. Hanging lights will be swung, bartenders will be set on fire, drinks will be smoked. Order your way through their section dedicated to great bartenders, or warm up with a few boilermakers, and enjoy the carnage.

"1, 2, 3.... L C C!"

More photos on Matt The Tumblr - Set 1 / Set 2

Friday 1st May - Only two weeks after opening the gates to Model Market in Lewisham, Street Feast have launched their second summer site, Dalston Yard. It's open every Friday and Saturday from 5pm to midnight until 25/26 September. Their third site, Shoreditch Yard, is due to open in a few weeks' time.

Much like at Model Market, you've got a tonne of superb street food traders to choose from, some of whom have built "micro-diners" to make your stay even more photogenic. On top of that, there are eight bars around the sprawling site, including a standout Kamm & Sons cocktail shed away from the crowds that can't be missed. Order The Grosvenor (Kamm & Sons, Punt E Mes, Laphroaig) and settle in.

Kamm & Sons Cocktail Shed & #BritSpritz Garden

As usual, the street food is of the highest quality. You really can't wrong wherever you go - we certainly didn't. Yum Bun and Breddos Tacos impressed again, but the highlight this time around was surprisingly meat-free...

Oli Baba's was doing a roaring trade dishing out veggie-friendly Levantine cuisine. You should probably just order one of everything:

- Sabich - Pitta Sandwich with Hummus, Grilled Aubergine, Spiced Egg, Sautéed Potato, Garlic & Dill Kraut, Tabbouleh, Tahini, Green Chilli Schug

- Saganaki - Halloumi Fries with Za'atar Yoghurt, Pomegranate Molasses, Mint, Sumac, Pomegranate Seeds

- Fries with Za'at Salt and Schug

Oli Baba's Pitta

Oli Baba's Halloumi Fries & Pitta Sabich

Le Bun

Twisted Indian Street Food from Rola Wala

Naan Sliders from Rola Wala

Classic Pork from Yum Bun

Crunchy Nut Fried Chicken from Breddos Tacos

Gold Singha Bar

Smokestak

More Street Feast photos up on Matt The Tumblr

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In other Dalston news, Bootstrap Company have relaunched Dalston Roof Park for the Summer. It might be a little chilly at the moment, but it's open until September so you've got plenty of time to check it out. Read on to discover what food and drink is in store at DRP this year, including beers from the brand new in-house 40 Ft Brewery.

We Walk The Line

Monday-Friday 9am-3pm

In the morning the Bootstrap Shed will house We Walk The Line, a social enterprise which empowers young entrepreneurs by selling delicious artisanal coffee.

Employing those who really need a chance, WWTL’s employees are trained to run their own coffee franchise, eventually becoming self-employed with the use of their own coffee stall. Expect expertly brewed coffees, alongside fellow local social enterprise the Dusty Knuckle Bakery who will be providing delicious baked treats.

Photo by Rebwar

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Merci Marie

Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm

Once one of Dalston’s hidden gems, Provence-born chef Marie Gonford will be running a daytime café serving up her ‘beautifully simple’ French-inspired menu. Placing a huge emphasis on the quality and locality of all her ingredients, Marie only uses organic eggs, free-range meat and sustainable fish in her dishes. Sourcing the ingredients in Dalston makes for experimental cooking in an evolving seasonal menu, always served with a smile.

Photo from Merci Marie

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Tom's Feast

Monday-Friday 6pm-close

Saturday & Sunday 3pm-close

Superstar eco-chef Tom Hunt is bringing a bespoke range of dishes and cocktails to the DRP this summer. His menu is 100% seasonal, mostly sourced from local community farms in and around London. Author of The Natural Cook, Tom will be serving up a selection of recipes from the book.

Centred around the DRP’s very own ethical charcoal barbecue, dishes will range from fresh oysters and prosecco, to Tom’s own-recipe incredible burgers – ranging from Chorizo & Merguez kofta burgers to an evolving list of fresh fish patties, all served in brioche buns with all the trimmings. Plus lots of options for vegetarians, including Bermondsey Frier halloumi from London’s own Kappacasein Dairy. Alongside a mezze feast of koftas, salads and homemade sauces, the changing menu promises to keep you deliciously satisfied through the long summer nights.

Tom Hunt - photo from Tom's Feast

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40 Ft Brewery

London's latest brewery has been founded by two of Bootstraps long-term tenants Andreas and Steve, along with their two other brothers. The shipping container micro-brewery will serve up craft beer and ales specially brewed for the DRP. Expect beer tastings, brewing master classes and a revolving menu of beers throughout the Summer.

The first two beers to be released are Larger and Pale Ale. The former (on tap) is a 4.8% unfiltered hoppy twist on a German Kolsch brewed with Lemon Drop, a new American hop. The latter (served in 330ml cans) is a 4.1% American style pale ale brewed with a mix of American and British hops.

Opening times for the roof park are Monday – Thursday 9am-11pm, Friday 9am-Midnight, Saturdays 3pm-Midnight & Sundays 3pm-10pm. The Dalston Roof Park bar is open from 6pm every day. N.B. You need to pay a one off £5 membership fee for an annual pass.

Today on the blog, a round up of some recent eats including a Goan supper club, a Ghanaian popup, and second sites in the suburbs for two reliable restaurants.

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First up, it's That Hungry Chef. I've somehow managed to avoid attending any supper clubs over the last two years of Matt The Listing, perhaps due to the overwhelming number of new eateries that roar in to town on a weekly basis. This year I will be balancing the scales.

Pratap Chahal, a.k.a That Hungry Chef, and his wife Nikhat welcomed us in to their stunning Holloway home on a sunny Thursday evening, along with 12 or so other charming randomers, for a Traditional Goan Thali. We arrived early to take a tour of their magical garden that is used for outdoor dinners, brunches and BBQs in the summer months. Keep an eye out for that hippo.

As Pratap calmly applied the finishing touches in his tiny kitchen, we made friends around the room, bonding over our BYOB choices whilst glancing enviously towards Pratap & Nikhat's booze chest. A chilli sitting on each place setting threatened to become a supper club hazing dare, but thankfully the glorious home-cooked food started arriving before anyone caved.

That Hungry Chef formally introduced himself, discussing the evening ahead and his one rule, nailed above the kitchen door - "Kiss The Chef". He then produced the simply magnificent Sannas & pork ‘vinha d’alhos’ - Fermented rice pancakes with a mild pork vindaloo, 6,000 or so miles away from the hideous British version. No cutlery was needed and it was gone in seconds. More please.

Soon after, the all-in-one thali platters were laid out, and those in the know put their desserts to one side for later. In no particular order, we all got stuck in to our little bowls of Nishtyachi Kodii (Traditional Goan fish curry), Temperado (green beans & carrots in spiced coconut milk) and Foogath (curried spring cabbage stir fry) and mopped everything up with Red Rice & Peanut Pulao and Crispy Plantain Wafers. Delicious.

After polishing off the savoury selection, I went fishing for some Pickled Walnut and Doce (chickpea and cardamom fudge) in my delectable Sago & Coconut Pudding (similar in texture to tapioca).

Due to the thali-style presentation, dinner was over rather quicker than I had expected, but our hosts kept us all happy with some bonus Bebinca (a 16 layered pancake cake! - recipe here) and some sneaky tasters of East London Liquor Company Gin and Bunnahabhain 12.

A few drams later, (and after some bonding with Pratap over smoked beer and obscure Eddie Izzard skits), we proposed that they open up a B&B service. Denied. Fingers crossed it will be an option next time. In a nice touch, we were sent home with one of That Hungry Chef's artisanal food products. I came away with a jar of dangerously hot Mojo Risin' green relish salsa which I'm ever so slightly afraid of.

It was an unfortgettable evening of fine food and fun in great company, possibly setting the bar a little too high for my future supper club escapades. There are no more Goan Thali evenings coming up, but you might want to grab some tickets to either the Secret Garden Barbecue or the intriguing Perfume : The Edible Scent events before they sell out. You won't regret it.

More supper clubs worth investigating:

Uyen Luu - A Vietnamese Feast in Uyen's airy London Fields home

The Adobros - Traditional Filipino food from two brothers in New Cross

Disappearing Dining Club - All manner of dinner parties in fun locations

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From Goa to Ghana, Zoe Adjonyoh's Ghana Kitchen is half way through a two month residency at The King & Co. in Clapham Common. In other words, you've got until 31st May to sample Zoe's signature peanut butter & mutton stew in cosy pub surroundings.

Zoe serves up her modern twist on traditional Ghanaian food in small plate form.. We went along last month for an evening of sharing plates and African beer.

Highlights included moreish Okra Tempura with shito hot pepper sauce, hearty Red Red beans with Kelewele chunky plantain chips and Jollof Chicken Skewers with jollof rice; the latter carrying quite a kick which caught me off guard more than once.

Okra Tempura with shito hot pepper sauce

Red Red Beans with Kelewele chunky plantain chips

Jollof Chicken Skewers

Jollof Rice

The pick of the mains is indeed her homespun adaptation of West African peanut butter stew which first starred at Hackney Wick Arts Festival four years ago, launching Zoe's street food & popup career. In an exciting development, she has just confirmed that Zoe's Ghana Kitchen will be opening a permanent restaurant later this month in a shipping container in the hotly anticipated Pop Brixton campus. Here's what Zoe had to say:

“I'm so excited to be opening our first fixed dining space in Brixton, south of the river and close to where I grew up. We hope to become part of Brixton’s natural buzz and vibrancy, and to build upon this in coming years while spreading the love for modern Ghanaian cuisine!”

Artists representation of Pop Brixton's shipping container campus

But before that launches, you should head to Clapham for a taste; and why not do it in style on 13th May when Zoe is teaming up with A Grape Night In for "It's Ghana Be Grape" - 5 collaborative courses of wine and food.

Zoe’s current two month residency at The King & Co pub in Clapham ends on Sunday 31st May.

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen at POP Brixton will aim to open in late May.

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Now for a quick round up of second sites for existing eateries. First up, Neil Rankin & Noble Inns have converted Chiswick's Hole In The Wall gastropub in to another meaty Smokehouse, following on from success with the concept in Islington.

The North London branch has an enviable beer selection that the W4 outpost doesn't quite match, but there is a marvellous whisky bar out West instead with 100+ bottles from all over the world. Arrive early and splash out on a pre-dinner Yamazaki 18yo dram.

On the food front, Neil Rankin's influence is clear as several Korean flavours (also prominent at Bad Egg) make their way into the smoky, meaty menu. A table of 6 is what you need if you want to order everything on the menu, and that's exactly what we did. It was all rather wonderful, but I've highlighted a winner from each section in case you are dining solo.

Starters

Somerset goat tacos with chipotle & green salsa 6.00

Burnt leeks, Portobello, truffle oil, parmesan & Cackleberry Farm egg 6.50

Chopped brisket roll & gochujang 7.00

Deep fried rock oyster, beef dripping toast, smoked bone marrow 7.50

Fresh picked Cornish crab on sourdough toast 8.00

Foie gras, apple pie & Cackleberry Farm egg 10.00

Mains

Blackened delica pumpkin, tahini, dill & flat bread 13.50

“The Sphere”; smoked ham hock, pigs cheek & squid romesco 16.00

Coal baked salmon with a warm Thai salad 16.50

Smoked Elwy Valley lamb shoulder, polenta, raclette & sambal 16.50

Shortrib bourguignon, creamy mash, bacon & Essex Portobello mushrooms 17.50

Smoked Telfarm duck breast, kimchi & potato cake 17.50

Sides

Grilled Romaine lettuce 3.00

Caramel roast potatoes 3.00

Chilli kale 4.00

Korean pulled pork 4.00

Desserts

Double D tart 6.50

Apple crumble & bourbon prunes 6.50

Poached rhubarb, cream cheese & almond praline 6.50

Rum & raisin rice pudding, blackberry jam & almond 6.50

Burnt leeks, Portobello, truffle oil, parmesan & Cackleberry Farm egg

Deep fried rock oyster, beef dripping toast, smoked bone marrow

Chopped brisket roll & gochujang

Apple crumble & bourbon prunes

Smokehouse Chiswick is ever so slightly in the middle of nowhere, so you might want to make the most of it by ticking off the Dragonfly Brewery (at The George and Dragon pub), Charlotte's W4 (for food and gin), The Italian Job (for Italian craft beer), and Outsider Tart (for American baked treats). And if you are really keen, return another time for American soul food at Blue Plate, and Wednesday night "Supper Clubs" at The Griffin from a former Waldorf Astoria chef. Or just save up all of your pennies and go to Hedone. Sorted.

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Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar have opened up a second site in Kentish Town where Kentish Canteen and Shebeen used to be, complete with a Jailbird basement bar making use of old police cells, much like Knowhere Special next door.

Make no mistake, you need to come hungry and you should probably bring a bib. 24 hour sweet tea brined free range chicken with lemon dust is the order of the day, but there are plenty of other dishes to get stuck in to. Turn up with 10 or more people and you can opt for the "Feed Me" feast menu which is served family style for sharing to avoid having to make difficult choices.

24 Hour Sweet Tea Brined Free Range Chicken with Lemon Dust - Photo by Gaztronome

We had quite a feast ourselves, tucking in to enjoyable portions of Devilled Eggs, Mac'N'Cheese, Shrimp'N'Grits and Collard Greens. alongside buckets of Fried Chicken and Buckwheat Waffles with Bourbon Maple Syrup and Chicken Gravy, but two small plates stood out in particular.

Demand a pan of their Gooey Corn Spoon Bread with Clotted Cream and Red Leicester Cheese, followed swiflty by the Deep Fried Short Rib Meat Loaf with Red Onion Jam, Poached Egg and Dijonnaise. I didn't want to share the latter, at all. Both are worthy of the #foodporn hashtag. I can also recommend the Artichoke, Spinach & Cheddar Dip which I remember devouring in their Covent Garden outpost. Larger plates of 8 Hour Slow Roast Beef Short Rib and Blackened Catfish Fillet will surely not disappoint either.

Unsurprisingly, Joe's Southern is also well set up for Breakfast and Brunch, opening from 8am-11.45am Monday-Friday with bottomless filter coffee, and 9am-4pm on Saturday & Sunday for Breakfast Muffins and Gravy'N'Biscuits.

But you must pay Joe's a visit when desserts are up for grabs, and order them all. Southern Pecan Pie with Jim Beam Honey Cream, Peanut Butter Fudge Pie, and Iced Honeycomb & Chocolate Parfait Sandwich are all stonking, and only £4.00 each?! Get involved.

Gooey Corn Spoon Bread with Clotted Cream and Red Leicester Cheese

Deep Fried Short Rib Meat Loaf with Red Onion Jam, Poached Egg and Dijonnaise

Mac'N'Cheese with Four Cheeses and a Biscuit Crust

Iced Honeycomb & Chocolate Parfait Sandwich

Kentish Town is on a bit of a roll at the moment with new openings aplenty, so you might want to make a day of it. Be sure to spend a penny in Ladies & Gentlemen, a cocktail bar in a converted public toilet from William Borrell of Vestal Vodka. You might also want to check out Patron Cave A Manger for French food & wine, Caps & Taps for craft beer to takeaway, and soon a new Camden Town Brewery pub on the site of O'Reilly's.

There are plenty of older spots worth a look too, such as Shoe Shop, Anima E Cuoré, and The Southampton Arms. As ever, Kentish Towner is your best bet for up to date North London food & drink news.

Saturday 25th March - Don't be fooled by the first shot of Eggs Benedict, this a post about beer. If you aren't of a beery disposition, why not try Matt The Pissed, Matt Le Tiss, or perhaps Cat The List instead?

Still with me? I'll crack on. My to-do list was starting to get a tad South London beer heavy, so I signed up 2014-15 List Leader Tim "I'm actuary an actuary" Henshaw and his unwitting cousin Dan (on loan from Birmingham) for a day of discovery.

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It all started in Earlsfield at Bean & Hop (formerly The Earlsfield Deli) with a rather excellent breakfast and some caffeine. They specialise in coffee and local craft beer, with some top notch food thrown in for good measure. We enjoyed some beautifully cooked eggs and bargain bacon butties from their brunch menu with Nude espresso brews on the side. It's worth noting that they stay open late for Italian flatbread pizzas and beers on Fridays & Saturdays. Keep your eyes peeled for special popup food events too from the likes of The Pickled Fork.

We weren't quite ready for a beer (did I just write that?), but they had an impressive 50+ bottle selection on show, and two local rotating beers on tap. You don't see a lot of Southfields-based Rocky Head beers on tap so grab some while you can.

Big shout out to the apologetic woman who shared a desk with us in return for a sticker of an onion.

Highlight : 21 year old Dan loudly exclaiming in a coffee-obsessed joint that he "doesn't get coffee".

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A 10 minute walk down Garratt Lane took us to a small industrial state opposite the Wimbledon Greyhound & Stock Car Racing Stadium where By The Horns Brewery lay in wait. If you want to enjoy this stunning view, a homely white picket fence and some fake turf complete with tables sits outside their lot for your enjoyment.

By The Horns open up their taproom on Thursday & Friday evenings from 5pm-10pm and Saturdays from 12pm-6pm, and the bottle shop is open throughout the week when the bar is closed. It's a brilliant little hangout with foosball, a big HD projector and several screens for those of a sporting persuasion - we caught the lacklustre first half of Saints vs Spurs before moving on.

More importantly though, they have up to 9 beers on tap (6 keg, 3 cask) including the occasional guest ale, and prices are very reasonable for London. Samba King Rye Blonde, Mick The Miller Amber, and Stiff Upper Lip Pale all went down a treat. Many more of their beers like Sour To The People and Flapper Double IPA are available in bottle form. Beer sticks and chorizo bombs are behind the bar if you get peckish.

Brewery tours are an option, and there are often events such as comedy nights and seasonal beer launches, so keep an eye on their website - www.bythehorns.co.uk

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We strolled over to Tooting Broadway and caught a bus to Balham to reach our third stop, We Brought Beer. It's a wonderful, compact "beer and homebrew general store" with a few seats for drinking in, either from the bottle range or the four growler refill taps on offer, much like at Hop, Burns & Black in East Dulwich (but without the hot sauce and vinyl!). See opening times here.

We enjoyed schooners of Stone Go To IPA and The Kent Gipsy Yuzu from their taps over a friendly game of cards whilst a mix of beer geeks and Balham yuppies dropped in, presumably after brunch at M1lk over the road. Special mention must go to one mother who said to her children aged 4-8, "Just let me know if you see anything you want".

And I thought trips to Sainsbury's with Dad were fun...

Keep an eye on We Brought Beer's website for Meet The Brewer interviews, news on events, and updated beer lists. And don't be surprised if a couple more branches have popped up before the end of the year - I heard mutterings about a move to Battersea Rise...

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3 down, 2 to go. We jumped on the tube to Clapham Common where we parted ways with Dan the man before continuing on the 35 to Loughborough Junction. Some form of protest in Brixton hindered our progress, so we continued on foot down a sunny Coldharbour Lane. The oddest moment of the day was most certainly when a full-sized remote controlled wheelie bin appeared in front of us spraying water on unsuspecting members of the public. I'm about 99% certain that actually happened.

Eventually we found our way to The Beer Hive, a co-operative brewery and taproom tucked away in a railway arch on Belinda Road. It was set up recently by Clarskshaws Brewery and London Beer Lab, and more breweries will hopefully join the cooperative over the next few months.

The brewery is currently open for boozing on Saturdays from 12-6pm. It's a fairly basic space at the moment, similar to how several of the Bermondsey breweries started out, but what more do you need than a few tables and chairs (including some ripped out car seats) when there's fresh beer around? Vegan Lauren joined Tim and I to appreciate the vegetarian Clarkshaws brews.

If you have time, you might want to pop in to Brixton Brewery, London Beer Lab, Craft Beer Co. or Crown & Anchor in the Brixton / Stockwell area, and of course there is superb food on offer all over Brixton.

We pressed on, walking towards Camberwell before getting the 42 to Bermondsey. Stormbird in Camberwell and Orbit Brewery off Walworth Road are two more top beer stops en route.

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Bermondsey is the beer mecca of South London, with six breweries (at the time of writing!) and The Bottle Shop taproom dotted around railways arches from Tower Bridge to Millwall ("South Bermondsey" if you like).

The newest addition is UBREW, an open brewery and taproom near The Bottle Shop and Anspach & Hobday Brewery where paying members can come and brew their own beer, making use of professional equipment and a community of brewers on site. There are various membership options, starting with a 3 month pass at £75 per month, and plenty of courses to get you up to speed.

The taproom is currently open on Saturdays from 11pm-7pm though that's set to expand soon. They are currently serving a range of guest beers and bottles, but they will hopefully offer beer brewed by members in the future, including a few from the UBREW team themselves. That said, we weren't complaining with kegs from Magic Rock & Tiny Rebel, though rowdy Northerner & List Leader 2013/14 Natalie (raised in a pub) gave the staff quite a talking to on their pint pouring technique.

We sipped our drinks in the open air as closing time approached, bonding with some friendly Spaniards on our table over the use of the conditional perfect tense in a GCSE sentence that I've still got memorised. Si hubria hecho mis deberes, habria ido al cerveceria con mis amigos. A*s and high fives all round.

Expect to see several nano / micro / gypsy / contract / cuckoo (what are we calling them?) breweries coming out of UBREW soon. It looks like Beatnikz Republic might be the first to go commercial with their Farmhouse Hitchhiker NZ Farmhouse Ale amongst other beers as soon as HMRC signs off on the paperwork.

Wonderful for Beatnikz Republic Generation IPA by Liam Brazier

THAT'S ALL FOLKS.

5 points to Tim. 3 to Dan. 1 to Lauren. 1 to Natalie.

Thanks to Jezza at London Beer Guide for keeping me informed.

Today on the blog: TAPAS TWO TIMES.

Portugal vs Spain - Nuno vs Cristina - Spitalfields vs Battersea - Ronaldo vs Messi... no wait - that's not right. Casillas? Alonso? Nadal? Bloody talented sporting Spaniards. Well except Nadal; I hear he's pretty crap on clay these days. Anyway, focus Matt.

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Saturday 9th May - I've been waiting a while now to taste Nuno Mendes' cooking. I missed him at Viajante (now Lee Westcott's highly rated Typing Room), and then there was the whole Chiltern Firehouse, shall we say, phenomenon?

Thankfully, he has just opened a relaxed Portuguese restaurant called Taberna do Mercado in Old Spitalfields Market that will hopefully remain celebrity free for the time being. Currently you can book a table for lunch from 12-2pm (lunch@tabernamercado.co.uk). Between 3-6pm you can walk in for drinks, cured meats, cheeses and other cold snacks, and dinner is from 6-9.30pm (also walk in only). They will soon be open in the mornings from 8am for coffee and a simple Portuguese breakfast. Check their website for up to date info - www.tabernamercado.co.uk

It's a simple, airy space with 40 or so covers and a small bar, though there is apparently also a secret Chef's Table with room for four in the back of the basement kitchen. You'll have to fight your way past Nuno and co. to have a peek though. On that note, a trip to the lone basement toilet is essential, especially if there's a queue, as you literally sit in the kitchen whilst Nuno makes you (and these are his words) "Bathroom Break Snacks".

Tapas menus designed to hang off the edge of the table

We settled in with refreshing glasses of Clip do Monte Da Vaia and bottles of Square Root. Cocktails are on their way soon, most probably of the aperitivo variety, and beers are limited to 20cl pours of Super Bock at present. It would be nice to see some craft Portuguese beers in London - perhaps some Sovina or Mediaevalis?

Between four we ordered eleven dishes (and all the puddings) which was just about right. We didn't delve in to the cheese or cured meat sections, but we covered pretty much everything else. First to arrive was Scallops with Brown Butter and Walnuts - a no brainer from their House Tinned Fish section, unsurprisingly presented in a tin, with plenty of bread to mop up the buttery leftovers. Then came Prawn Rissóis (fried croquettes) which are often eaten cold in Portugal. These were hot half-moon humdingers - order several.

Prawn Rissóis

Two vegetarian dishes came next - a colourful plate of Chicory, Massa de Pimentao with Pear & Almonds and Wild Garlic, Asparagus & Fennel Migas. In the former, the peppery sauce kept the pear mostly at bay, and almonds passed me by, but you couldn't miss the chicory. Meanwhile, migas is a traditional Portuguese (or Spanish) bread pudding, usually made with leftovers. Here it was soaked in fennel and topped with the rest - very enjoyable, though a stretch to share between four!

Chicory, Massa de Pimentao, Pear, and Almonds

Ask nicely and you might get some off-menu Cuttlefish Rice in a rich broth - one of the highlights of the meal. And then go and order the delicious Cuttlefish & Pigs Trotters Coentrada so that it doesn't feel left out. Both are fine examples of the cuttlefish genre. Yes, that's a genre.

Cuttlefish & Pigs Trotters Coentrada

Moving on, Corvina and Picadito Algarvio is a stunning plate of white fish, "similar to seabass, but much tastier" according to one of several charming waiting staff that keep us informed, fed and watered throughout. Apparently, the corvina is caught around 6am in Portugal, and it makes its way to London for 6pm, so it's pretty fresh. And he's right, it is tastier than seabass, or at least our one was.

The last of the small plates was Bisaro Pork Tartare, Cozido Broth and Cabbage, another rich and moreish dish. Google tells me that Bisaro is a Central and Northern Portuguese pig, part-boar, of Celtic origins. Supposedly they originated in Gaul. All I can tell you is that it goes well with cabbage.

Bísaro Pork Tartare, Cozido Broth and Cabbage

According to Nuno, you've got to finish off with a sandwich. Or two. Pork Bifana with Yeast Mayo and Fennel had great flavours but some pretty gristly meat, so Beef Prego with Prawn Paste and Wild Garlic came out on top. Both benefitted from glorious bread, divided up with fancy knives that Nuno has a stake in (sorry). They are going to start selling them soon hopefully. Nuno Knives? NuNives? I'll stop.

Beef Prego, Prawn Paste, and Wild Garlic Sandwich

Naturally we ordered all of the desserts. Bolacha Maria Cake with Butter Cream & Coffee was lovely but forgettable. It's a cookie based cake that caught on during the Spanish Civil War, but apparently it was created in 1874 by an English baker. Feel free to dispel that. In the absence of some classic Portuguese Nata tarts, Tigelada, Rice Milk & Orange filled the custard void in style. It was served in rectangular slabs, presumably having been cut from ceramic bowls (cooked crème brulée style).

Even better was the Abade de Priscos and Port Caramel, a Portuguese BACON PUDDING named after Abbot Joaquim Manuel Rebelo from Priscos in Braga - recipe here. It's presented as a bright orange bar floating in a boozy bath - I'd rather see both the Abade de Priscos and the Tigelada in their traditional shape and form, but I can imagine that's of less interest to those who have been eating them all their lives.

That brings me to the showstopper, the Olive Oil Pao de Ló - a gooey, eggy, oily sponge cake, undercooked to perfection and comically plonked on the table in a paper bag. Grab your spoons and dive in - there's plenty to go around.

Olive Oil Pao de Ló

Gooey Olive Oil Pao de Ló

Eggy, Gooey Olive Oil Pao de Ló

What a damn fine lunch.

I make that about 15-0 to Portugal sem vinho. What have you got Spain? Over to flatmate Ali...

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Tuesday 5th May - The evening started with a tequila tasting session in Clerkenwell which we sadly had to leave before getting to the really good stuff (añejo), but dinner and drinks at Rosita & The Sherry Bar on Northcote Road in Battersea more than made up for it.

Cristina who, with her husband, runs both Rosita and Lola Rojo (a few doors down) welcomed us and explained the concept behind Rosita: introducing patrons to sherry by pairing their impressive range with the finest tapas. There aren’t many places offering us Londoners sherry (see also Drakes Tabanco), and when Cristina presented us with a booklet showing us the varieties, my ignorance was confirmed. Who knew there were so many types?

They range from the almost savoury Fino, which is the colour of white wine – this was the only one I’d had before – right the way through to the very dark and sweet Pedro Ximénez, which reminded me of malt loaf (in a good way).

Sherry bluffing time. Fino & Manzanilla are aged under a thin film of natural yeast called flor that prevents oxidisation, leading to the tangy, rancio, quality. Manzanilla is the saltier as it is cellared near to the sea. An aged Fino eventually becomes an Amontillado once the flor dies and the sherry begins to oxidise.

Amontillado La Cigarrera

Oloroso meanwhile is matured sin flor so it has contact with the air throughout the maturation process leading to fuller-bodied but still dry sherry. They are often sweetened to become Oloroso Dulce or Creams. The Pedro Ximénez & Moscatel sherries are made from the sun-dried grapes of the same name and, as such, are pretty indulgent. But that's enough technical stuff - we can discuss the Solera system another time (N.B. not to be confused with the Sun & planets and stuff).

All the oxidised sherry - Oloroso, Oloroso Dulce, Cream and PX x2

In true tapas style, we settled ourselves at the bar, and Cristina and her staff brought us glass after different glass of sherry, each paired with a couple of outstanding tapas plates. By the end of the evening, we’d tasted eight: a Fino, a Manzanilla, an Amontillado (La Cigarrera), an Oloroso (Maestro Sierra), an Oloroso Dulce (Cristina), a Cream (Solera 1847) and two types of Pedro Ximénez (Emilio Hidalgo and Maestro Sierra). We'll be back for the Mozcatel and Palo Cortado to complete the set.

We were narrowly divided on favourites. I enjoyed the salty Manzanilla (a bottle called I THINK, “En Rama”, La Guita), and Matt settled on the Fino (Maestro Sierra). Although, stiff competition from maltloafy PX at the other end of the spectrum.

Manzanilla I THINK "La Rama", La Guita

So far, I’ve focused on sherry at the expense of the superb food, which is equally deserving of attention, especially as we ate eleven plates of the stuff. Don’t leave without trying the Leche Frita (literally fried milk, but here an awesome custard and cinnamon flavoured dessert from the Basque region of Spain). Or the Iberian Chorizo. Or the Crispy Aubergine. Or the Josper grilled Octopus. Or the White Anchovies, the Chicken Croquetas and the Sherry & Oxtail Empanadillas. Oh, you get the picture. In fact, look at the pictures...they’re below. And then pay Cristina and Rosita a visit to see, and taste, for yourself.

Crispy Aubergine, Sweet Tomato and Balsamic

Roast Chicken Croquetas with Vegetables and Tomato Sauce

Octopus with Potatoes and Mojo Canario

Roast Pumpkin, Beetroot, Carrot and Blue Cheese "Cabrales"

Oloroso Sherry & Oxtail Empanadillas

FRIED CUSTARD! Leche Frita, Vanilla Ice Cream and White Chocolate Sauce

Go for one of their very affordable set menus and chuck in a sherry flight or two. And if you are feeling brave, head down on a Sunday night for Flamenco with your tapas.

If we're counting booze, I make that Spain 19-18 Portugal. Back to you Matt.

Thanks Ali - Only one winner here: London.

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P.S. If you are a Battersea local like myself, you might want to check out St.John's Hill Fabulous Feast - a week-long celebration of food and drink from 18th – 24th May. Special £15 menus will be served at participating venues on the Hill including Powder Keg Diplomacy, Ben's Canteen and Fish Club.

The Fabulous Feast ends with a massive street party and food festival on Saturday 23rd May from 11am – 5pm with local traders of the Hill running food & drink activities such as cooking lessons, tastings and demonstrations. The Great Battersea Bake Off will once again return after the success of last year's event. Get involved!

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Today on the blog, more recent eats around London, from Crouch Hill to Maida Vale via Marylebone.

Sunday May 3rd - First up, a trip to leafy Warwick Avenue for lunch at The Truscott Arms. Chef Aidan McGee has recently launched a new bar menu at Maida Vale's much loved gastropub, and the summer terrace is set to open any day now, but we were in the market for Britain's Best Roast 2014.

Ella (The Little Brown Book) and I made ourselves at home in their quirky first floor dining room that was once part of the Shirland Hotel. Two glasses of Chateau des Graves D'Ardonneau Bordeaux (an utter gem) kept us company as we perused the menu and the nutty décor.

We kicked off with a generous Truscott Meat Board (£7) and a colourful plate of Maple Cured Salmon with Compressed Cucumber, Pickled Beetroot and Sourdough Toast. Both delicious but possibly unnecessary when followed by one of their ridiculous roasts!

The Truscott Arms roast is truly enormous. Our epic board of meat & veg would have provided a stern test for Adam Richman if he hadn't thrown in the towel and turned vegan. As it all comes piled up on one slab of wood, you might as well get more than one type of meat and share it all around.

Choose from 35 day aged beef rump cap with red wine gravy, Free-Range English rare breed pork (pulled shoulder & roast loin) with mustard sauce, and Smoked English lamb leg & braised shoulder with garlic & rosemary infused lamb sauce served with honey roast root veg, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding & seasonal greens. Having been to one too many BBQ joints, the pulled pork shoulder seemed a bit out of place, but the beef rump cap and the roast pork loin were sublime. A very nice man kindly packaged up our 7th and 8th portions to take home - phew.

Obviously, we still had room for dessert though - separate stomach and all that. I kept things light with a fresh pot of Strawberries with Lemon Cream and Mint Granita whilst Ella committed to an indulgent Dark Chocolate & Pecan Brownie with Chocolate Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream.

Three hours later, after a quick tour of the garden and function rooms cutely named after streets that the owners used to live on, we rolled ourselves outside and attempted to walk it all off in Little Venice.

Is it the best roast in London? I have NO IDEA! But it's a good place to start, and I'll definitely be back for the full dinner menu soon, or perhaps a pub quiz or two. There's plenty else going on too including film nights, wine clubs, art exhibitions and an exciting event called "Eating Sound" where dishes are matched with live music composed for the evening by Sam Bailey - the next one is on Tuesday 23rd September.

Not content with the one site, this June sees the opening of The Truscott Cellar in Belsize Park, a 60 cover wine bar with small British plates from Aidan McGee and design by Michel Schranz set over two floors. I'll be in the corner stuffing my face with their Cellar Skins filled with the likes of Blackened Lancashire Bacon, Wensleydale & Truffle Oil, Creamed Haddock & Spring Onion, and Wookey Hole Cheddar & Fried Leek.

Roasts in my sights : The Colonel Fawcett / Jones and Sons

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Saturday May 2nd - HOT SANDWICHES AND BOOZE TIL LATE - MUST BE WILLING TO GO TO N4.

That's pretty much all you need to know about Max's Sandwich Shop run by former Salt Yard FOH and Le Coq GM Max Halley. He's opened a lively little joint in Crouch Hill that slings out hot sandwiches with a healthy side order of alcohol to a funky soundtrack. Whilst in the neighbourhood (which I never thought would happen), we popped in for a couple of sarnies.

Beware - these are big sandwiches. After a couple of arancini balls, we were defeated by Chris' Infamous Robocoq (there's a sentence) - Confit Chicken, Chicken Liver Parfait, Chicory, Sweet Potato Fries and Wild Garlic Salsa falling out of two chunks of focaccia. What's Your Beef All About? was a tad too rich and salty for me, but a third team member arrived in the nick of time and polished it off, slutty gravy mayo and all. Gin & tonics and beers from Beavertown & Kernel went down a treat, and the music was right up our street.

Chris' Infamous Robocoq - Confit Chicken, Chicken Liver Parfait, Chicory, Sweet Potato Fries, Wild Garlic Salsa

If I lived slightly closer, I would be in here on a weekly basis. Great fun, highly recommended.

Check out the Faltering Fullback's sprawling treehouse garden whilst in town too.

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Thursday 7th May - Last but not least on this round-up, a lovely lunch at Carousel in Marylebone - a rotating residencies restaurant & events space run by the multi-talented Templeton cousins.

Whilst everyone has been making a fuss about Clove Club changing to an advanced bookings ticketed system of payment (popular in Chicago at Alinea, Next & co.), Carousel have been successfully doing it under the radar for a while now in a bid to avoid food wastage.

After curating the line-up for a few months, ex-Moro Chef Ollie Templeton is finally taking the reins himself (until 30th May) with his modern twist on traditional Spanish cuisine.

There's one sitting for dinner at 7.30pm which is a £35 4-course affair that starts optimistically in the Carousel garden with snacks a la plancha and fino sherry before moving inside. Lunch is a more casual affair and three classy courses will only set you back £21.50, or you can just grab a main for £9.50.

After some pretty fantastic bread and oil, we got stuck in to a light salad of Smoked Trout with Pickled Chicory and Chegworth Leaves and a moreish plate of Cuttlefish with Wet Rice, Preserved Lemon and Aioli that came with a little kick. I've been dreaming of the latter ever since, even after some of Nuno Mendes' tasty off-menu cuttlefish rice at Taberna do Mercado. Wet Rice, in case you were wondering, is effectively a risotto prepared without butter (gasp) - it's delicious, I promise.

Smoked Trout, Pickled Chicory, Chegworth Leaves

Cuttlefish, Wet Rice, Preserved Lemon, Aioli

The starters were followed by a comforting plate of Confit Pork Belly with White Beans and Romesco - beautifully cooked and just the right amount for a leisurely lunch, washed down with some fine wines and Kernel table beer. In the evening, you would also get a plate of Swaledale Lamb with Grilled Onions, Garlic and Herbs.

Confit Pork Belly, White Beans, Romesco

To finish, we shared a delightful little bowl of Rice Pudding with Rhubarb Jam and Pistachios - not something I would usually order myself, but thankfully we didn't have a choice! It's a smartly restrained way to end a perfectly balanced lunch.

Rice Pudding, Rhubarb Jam, Pistachios

Get down to Carousel before 30th May if you can to catch Ollie Templeton in action. Otherwise you'll be stuck with Leo Carreira (2nd-13th June), and wouldn't that be a disaster?

Whilst I've loved powering through my enormous London food, drink and fun to-do list since early 2013, my favourite posts are usually related to three ongoing stories:

- Paul & Jack (Anspach & Hobday) graduating from homebrewers to Bermondsey pros

- Joel Braham (The Good Egg) getting closer to his dream of opening a bricks and mortar restaurant

- The continued rise of the incredibly talented Kansas Smitty's on the London scene

Coincidentally, the first two also have musical backgrounds which ties this all together nicely. I first met Blues Brothers Banned trumpeter turned chef Joel on a jazz band tour to Rotterdam; and Paul & Jack may not have become Anspach & Hobday had they found success with Great Dover Street Productions - bit of a reach that one. Anyway, today I'm here to talk about Kansas Smitty's.

"Putting the danger back in jazz"

I first become aware of them early last year after meeting band leader Giacomo Smith (sax / clarinet) at a gig at Battersea's hidden gem Le Quecumbar. Since then, I've seen them countless times, both as Smitty's Big Four and the full House Band, all over London, from The Dolls House to Ronnie Scott's.

"While the House Band draws its main inspiration from Count Basie’s hard swinging late night jam sessions in 1930s Kansas City, the Big Four is interested in the music of Sidney Bechet and the upbeat swing of New Orleans."

No two shows are ever the same, though the music making is always exceptional. If there's a tighter swing band currently playing on the London circuit, I'd like to hear them. Mad Mardi Gras gigs at The Vaults have been known to end with an impromptu victory lap around Waterloo Station, and alongside all of the live shows, an LP has been recorded and is awaiting release later this year. But the Smitty's have always had their eyes on a bigger prize - their own bar.

A magical, immersive Backyard BBQ event in Dalston last April proved that they were all over it on the Southern States food & drink front too, and a year later they finally unveiled the Kansas Smitty's Bar underneath Off Broadway on Broadway Market.

Their stripped back basement bar is now open for live jazz and juleps from Tuesday-Sunday, 6pm-midnight, with special "Basement Tapes" ticketed gigs every Wednesday featuring a different Smitty. You can't go wrong, from trumpeter & vocalist "Sweet" Pete Horsfall ("a cross between Billie Holiday and Tony Bennet") to multi-talented, dynamic percussionist Pedro Segundo.

Giacomo & Jack - Gentlemen of Jazz

Joe Webb's Piano

Dave Archer's Gibson

Now these juleps. In quite a coup, Milk & Honey bartender Sean Fennelly was brought in to set things in motion, and he's organised an 8-strong £8 julep jamboree ranging from the Smitty's Julep (Bourbon, Amaro Bitters, Raisin, Peach, Cassia Bark & Mint) to the Jesuit's Bark Julep (Rum, Clove, Pimento, Lime and Grapefruit Peel, Quinine Cordial & Mint).

The booze & botanicals are pre-mixed and left to blend in traditional julep fashion, before being poured over fresh mint and ice. Bartenders just need to "clap that mint"first and your drink is good to go.

There's something for everyone on the list, but I'd recommend the Morning Joe-lep (Bourbon, Coffee Bean, Stem Ginger, Cardamom, Cocoa Nibs & Bitter Orange Marmalade) or the Sleepytime Julep (Scotch Whisky, Chamomile, Pink Peppercorn, Raspberry, Lemon Peel & Mint).

If you want to save a few coins, you can stick to house wine and beers (currently New Orleans Dixie Beer with more local brews on the way). Food is restricted to Giacomo's nuts at the moment, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

Most importantly though, it's a great venue for live music, with excellent acoustics and no need for amplification; and crucially, it means I always know where to go if I need a Kansas Smitty's fix, and so do you. Get down there and support some of London's finest musicians, and don't forget your dancing shoes!

Tuba-man Theon Cross

Giacomo & "Sweet" Pete on the front line

Kansas Smitty's Bar is open 6pm-midnight, Tues - Sun, 63-65 Broadway Market, E8 4PH

Click here to book tickets for Wednesday night "Basement Tapes" gigs

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Latest photos on Matt The Tumblr:

Summer Tales / Indian Ocean Islands Menu at Babur / 2010 Masterchef Winner Dhruv Baker at The Jolly Gardeners / Park Road Kitchen / Fu Manchu

Right - it's time to catch up on some outings. Most of my spare time has been going in to planning a ridiculous Summer road trip from Los Angeles to Seattle (250+ breweries found en route so far) so London write-ups are experiencing severe delays. That said, I did post 24 times on Matt The Tumblr in May (photos mainly) so I must have been doing something.

Matt The Tumblr - Latest Posts:

A classy evening of whisky at The Macallan Residence at Two Temple Place

A Geology & Gastronomy Dinner at The Chancery with a lot of Chablis

Photos from a Lifestyle Photography course at City Academy

Photos from the opening weekend of Pop Brixton

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Where to start? Probably by avoiding an "Open Sesame" joke for Team Ottolenghi's new Mediterranean street food joint on Garrick Street.

Whilst Yotam was busy opening up Ottolenghi Spitalfields, director Noam Bar launched Sesame in Covent Garden, keeping things simple with classy fast-food pittas and ready-to-go packaged salads. Expect to queue, but not for long as the delicious pittas fly out of the open kitchen. I can vouch for the meaty options, all of which proved to be more filling than they first looked. You can skip the pitta if you like and go for skewers, but you'd be a fool to forego their squishy bread. If you have to pick just one, go for the spiced lamb kebab.

- paprika and cardamom chicken with chopped salad, sauerkraut, hummus and zhoug - £6.65

- lemon and za’atar chicken with chopped salad, hummus and zhoug - £6.65

- spiced lamb kebab with chopped salad, tahini, mint yoghurt and zhoug - £6.80

- sabick - roasted aubergine and egg with mango pickle - £5.95

Wash it all down with fresh mint lemonade whilst admiring the funky tiling, and take a halva and chocolate cookie for the road. Then return in the morning to eat your way through their £3ish breakfast pitta paninis list. Simple. Oh, and it's open til 11pm Thursday-Saturday. Huzzah.

P.S. There is limited seating on the ground floor, plus more space downstairs.

Mon-Wed 7am-9pm, Thu-Fri 7am-11pm, Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 11am-7pm

23 Garrick Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9BN

Sesame - www.sesamefood.co.uk

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Whilst in Central London, we took ourselves over to Soho to check out Crosstown Doughnut's first permanent superterranean outpost (you can also find them in Piccadilly Circus Underground station). Their delightful doughnuts can be found all over London in the likes of Whole Foods and Kopapa, and at various markets, but it's always nice to have a dedicated doughnut den to point people towards.

There's something for everyone in the Crosstown selection (e.g. Matcha Tea Doughnuts, Australian-inspired Lamnuts, Rhubarb & Raspberry Toasted Meringue Doughnuts) but for me it has to be the Sea Salt Caramel and Banana Cream Doughnut.

"A winning combination of homemade chocolate soil topping, chocolate sourdough base and fresh banana cream filling. A sweet but silky banana cream filling is encased in Crosstown’s light and fluffy chocolate sourdough. We then top it all off with a generous swirl of sea salt caramel and a divine chocolate soil."

Eeeermaaaageeeerd, it's incredible. One of these monsters will set you back £3.50 or so, but for an extra quid (ish) you can chuck in a rather excellent coffee from Volcano or their new creation, Assembly Coffee. Also, you can now get bite-sized versions (pictured below) which are bloody marvellous. Or you could order 120 doughnuts for £290 and become the office hero. Save one for me.

Mon-Thu 7:00-22:00, Fri 07:00-23:00, Sat 09:00-23:00, Sun 09:00-20:00

Crosstown Soho - www.crosstowndoughnuts.com

4 Broadwick St, London W1F 8HJ

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And now for something completely different.

Over in Honor Oak Park (here, let me Google that for you), the contemporary Indian restaurant Babur is celebrating its 30th birthday with a series of exciting menus. The second of their String of Pearls menus is showcasing seafood dishes from the Indian Ocean Islands, featuring the cooking of Mauritius, Maldives and the Seychelles. It's only on until 30th June though, so you'll have to be quick!

I was pointed in the right direction by Selina Periampillai, aka supperclub host and pop-up chef Taste Mauritius, who collaborated with Chef Jiwan Lal and his expert team to create the special dishes. Brockley local Jo The Sis came along for the ride.

Honor Oak Park

You've got four starters and four mains to work your way through, plus eight individually matched wines too if you want to make a night of it. A cheeky tiger (or babur) sketch pops up next to spicy dishes. We survived, though we did tell Jiwan to go easy on us.

Starters are always the most enjoyable bit aren't they? We powered through all four:

- Maldivian mas huni - Flaked smoked tuna and fresh coconut salad, with roshi flatbread and mango

- Mauritian garlic and coriander grilled shrimp - Served with a carrot, cucumber and mango salad

- Salad zourit - Creole Seychellois octopus salad with onion and citrus dressing

- Malagasy red snapper brochettes - Served with mofo-anana (tomato and watercress bread fritters) and sakay hot sauce

Mango was used more than once to good effect, but the standout plate was the Malagasy Red Snapper Brochettes. The Sakay Hot Sauce was powerful and full of flavour, tempting us back for just one more tear-inducing taste, but it was the pillowy mofo-anana fritters that stole the show - one to try at home. All of them come in at just under £8 so go for one each and share!

Maldivian mas huni - Flaked smoked tuna and fresh coconut salad, with roshi flatbread and mango

Mauritian garlic and coriander grilled shrimp - Served with a carrot, cucumber and mango salad

Salad zourit - Creole Seychellois octopus salad with onion and citrus dressing

Malagasy red snapper brochettes - Served with mofo-anana (tomato and watercress bread fritters) and sakay hot sauce

You could stop there as the portions are rather generous, but then you'd miss out on all of these:

- Dhon riha ‘fair curry’, steamed rice - Maldivian speciality tuna cooked with pandan and curry leaves, tamarind, coconut, fennel seeds, turmeric and chillies

- Seychelles Creole fish curry, chilli garlic rice - Pan-fried sea bream, with spiced aubergine and coconut curry

- Fish vindaye, chilli garlic baguette - Mauritian pan-fried king fish marinated in turmeric and mustard seed with green chilli and onion petals

- Monkfish rougaille - Cooked in a traditional light Mauritian spicy tomato sauce with coriander, thyme and chilli

We took on the first three, starting with the moreish, creamy Dhon Riha curry that's pretty impossible not to like. You will have to be rolled out of Babur if you take down one of those on your own. The Fish Vindaye didn't quite do it for us with forgettable King Fish and ALL the onions, though the bizarre pairing of chilli garlic baguette was most welcome! Finally, the Seychelles Creole Fish Curry with pan-fried sea bream was an absolute winner. The awesome garlicky rice will stay with you on the journey home.

The mains are all around the £16 mark which is fair for the quality, but beware of prices racking up once you start pairing everything with wine.

Dhon riha ‘fair curry’ - Maldivian tuna with pandan & curry leaves, tamarind, coconut, fennel seeds, turmeric & chillies

Behind the scenes - Butter Ghee!

Fish vindaye, chilli garlic baguette - Mauritian pan-fried king fish in turmeric & mustard seed w/ green chilli & onion petals

Seychelles Creole fish curry, chilli garlic rice - Pan-fried sea bream, with spiced aubergine and coconut curry

The service was friendly and informative throughout from all members of staff, though we were the only ones in the restaurant early on a Wednesday for lunch so special treatment is a given! I imagine it gets rather busy in the evenings, but I'm sure Jiwan and co. are up to the task.

Get down to Babur before 30th June to sample Selina & Jiwan's String of Pearls Indian Ocean Islands menu - Honor Oak Park is only 11 minutes from London Bridge. You can do it!

Early lunch at Babur in Honor Oak Park

Mon-Sat, 12-2.30pm / Sunday Buffet 12-4pm / Mon-Sun 6-11:30pm

Babur - www.babur.info/news/indian-ocean-islands/

119 Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, London SE23 1JP

Much like a standard Matt The List outing, this post starts with good foodie intentions but soon careers off down a boozier path. Luckily, Ohayo is there at the end of it all to save the day.

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Peruvian-popup-turned-permanent Senor Ceviche have recently added new dishes (and updated a few older ones) having settled in to their colourful Barranco-inspired home in the increasingly wonderful Kingly Court. It was a first visit for Matt The List, so it was all new to me!

The fabulous Fabrizia got straight to the Pisco point as we sat down, pointing us towards their trademark sours amongst other concoctions. The cocktail list threatens to be too sweet throughout, but all four of our drinks were very well balanced, not least the Barranco Babe (1615 Pisco, Passion Fruit Purée, Vanilla Syrup, Basil, Lime Juice, Egg White & Burnt Angostura) which could have been awful in the wrong hands.

Uncle Pastuzo - 1615 Pisco, Aperol, Marmalade, Pink Grapefruit Juice, Lemon Juice & Egg White

Mamacita - El Jimador Tequila, Cointreau, Lime Juice, Agave Syrup, Fresh Jalapeno

Soon, we were overrun by plates. Arriving first, Jalea Mixto (Tempura Baby Squid, Prawns & Cod with Pickled Jalapeno Mayo) was worth ordering just for the sauce - hold on to that bowl.

Two ceviche plates appeared soon after - The Spaniard (Sea Bream & King Prawn Ceviche with Tomato & Brown Crab Tiger's Milk, Red Onion, Coriander, Plantain & Crispy Chorizo) and Senor Ceviche himself (Sea Bream & Octopus Ceviche with Aji Amarillo Tiger's Milk, Sweet Potato Puree, Avocado & Tempura Baby Squid). The Spaniard edged it thanks to some subtle smokiness, but both are fine examples of the genre.

Mr Miyagi (Salmon Tiradito with Nikkei Tiger's Milk, Pomegranate, Purple Shiso & Salmon Scratchings) sounds like a winner but will have to wait for a second visit.

The Spaniard - Sea Bream & King Prawn Ceviche with Tomato & Brown Crab Tiger's Milk, Red Onion, Coriander, Plantain & Crispy Chorizo

Senor Ceviche - Sea Bream & Octopus Ceviche with Aji Amarillo Tiger's Milk, Sweet Potato Puree, Avocado & Tempura Baby Squid

Jalea Mixto - Tempura Baby Squid, Prawns & Cod with Pickled Jalapeno Mayo

Peruvian Barbecue plates followed, starting with a moreish Flat Iron Steak with Aji Limo & Chimmichurri - one not to miss. The same goes for the Anticucho de Corazón de Res - Grilled Beef Heart Skewers with Sweet Potato Mayonnaise, Aji Panca, Bojita Olives & Mint. If that sounds too adventurous, go for some Pachamanca Pork Ribs with sticky Nikkei BBQ sauce and peanuts. Yum yum.

Despite being stuffed, Fabrizia somehow talked me in to a Passion Fruit Posset palate cleanser. It's sharp and fresh, and large enough to share. Alternatively, you could finish off with their Pisco-based Lima Espresso Martini.

Flat Iron Steak with Aji Limo & Chimmichurri

Anticucho de Corazón de Res - Grilled Beef Heart Skewers with Sweet Potato Mayonnaise, Aji Panca, Bojita Olives & Mint

Passion Fruit Posset

There's plenty to enjoy at Senor Ceviche, both from the bar and the open kitchen, and it won't break the bank (depending on how many £8 cocktails you put away). Go with a group and work your way through the whole menu.

Mon–Thu: 12pm–12am, Fri-Sat: 12pm-12.30am, Sun: 12pm-11am

1st Floor, Kingly Court, London, W1B 5PW

Senor Ceviche - senor-ceviche.com

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Now for an update on two of my favourite bars - Merchant House and Bermondsey Arts Club.

First up, the team at Merchant House in Bank have launched a stylish Summer Spritz Bar in their ground floor space that also doubles as a rare & vintage spirits shop.

According to Nate, Lewis & co., it will be open "from midnight to sundown, Tuesday through Friday". The magnificent and ever so slightly rowdy Carey is in charge, serving up very affordable £5 aperitivo cocktails made with the finest booze to a live jazz soundtrack. There won't be a better Negroni for a fiver in London, though you can always splash out on a £20 Timeless Negroni made with vintage bottles if you are feeling fancy.

Other drinks include Il Bacio (Strawberry, Passionfruit, Fernet), Sbagliato (Vermouth, Campari, Fizz) and a Duppy Share Rum Punch (check out their Spirit Social events). You'll find me at the bar with an Americano (Cocchi di Torino, Campari, Soda) trying to convince Carey to open up the premium bottles.

In a city with increasingly overpriced food and drink, this is a real win for Londoners and an absolutely essential Summer stop.

Summer Spritz Bar at Merchant House - www.merchanthouselondon.com

Open from Midday - Sundown, Tue - Fri, throughout the Summer

13 Well Court, Off Bow Lane, London, EC4M 9DN

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In other bar news, basement boozer Bermondsey Arts Club has just released a new Summer cocktail list. It's been created by two of my favourite bartenders, Milo Occhipinti & Jake Johari, who recently stepped up to a BAC management role (i.e. they do less work, wear fancier clothes and control the iPod - Snarky Puppy all the way).

It's a 4x4 menu of classic Aperitif, Straight-Up, Short and Long drinks with tweaks and twists such as their subtle Boulevardier (Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Campari) with coffee beans (mostly on the nose). Planter's Punch is another winner, with nutmeg and Bittermens 'Elemakule Tiki bitters elevating the rum and lime classic.

Boulevardier - Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Campari, Coffee Beans

Planter's Punch - Dark Rum, Lime, Nutmeg, Tiki Bitters

Here's a few words on the new list from Milo:

"Bizarre and quirky mixology is dead and buried - classic drinks that withstood the test of time are making a comeback. Classic drinks with classic twists - that's what we've gone for, from the Sidecar made with a New Orleans blend of Cognac and Rye, to the Paloma with Jalapeño Bitters. You'll also spot my Italian roots in the Rossini, Select Spritzer, Mi-To & co., showcasing old school Italian aperitifs and bitters that our industry was built upon.

"We are paying tribute to the legends of the past - those who started mixing drinks a hundred years ago when bartending meant pouring whisk(e)y. We salute them with this menu, because there is no need to invent, just to remember. As we like to say, we are standing on the shoulders of giants."

Bermondsey Arts Club - bermondseyartsclub.co.uk

Tuesday - Saturday - 6pm - 2am

Former Public Conveniences

102A Tower Bridge Road

London SE1 4TP

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P.S. Check out Milo's nutty "Caffe Corretto" bartending videos on YouTube here

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After all that booze, we should probably talk about hangovers. Or rather, hangover prevention. Let me introduce you to Ohayo.

Email readers click here to watch the awesome Ohayo video

Ohayo ("good morning"in Japanese) is a cheeky new bottled beverage (£3 a pop) packed full of B vitamins, electrolytes and other clever things that you need for rehydration and restoration after a night on the sauce.

For it to work, it should be the last drink of the night, giving the body a night's sleep to reabsorb the essentials. Remembering to use it is harder said than done of course, depending on how much absinthe and overproof rum you've consumed. Thankfully, Ohayo have got you covered with a glow-in-the-dark bottle and a bright, removable sticker.

I put it to work in Paris after a mezcal-heavy bar crawl around Pigalle and woke up feeling considerably fresher than everyone else. If you need more convincing, check out these articles:

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"The Holy Grail of an elixir to cure hangovers could be here" - Bar Magazine

"Happier Morning After" - Imbibe Magazine

"The Lowdown : Ohayo" - The Times

"Hair of the Gods" - Le Cool

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You can now buy Ohayo online here in packs of 3, 6 or 12 bottles.

Tomorrow says THANK YOU!

ohayotomorrow.com

It's not often that I find myself in an Aztec temple on a Friday lunchtime, but a couple of weeks ago I swapped the gloomy streets of London for a secluded sandbox in a quest for riches. Have I lost the plot? Well yes, some time ago, but I've also found THE CRYSTAL MAZE.

That's right. The rumours are true. It's coming back, 25 years after it first aired on television; but this time, it's a live, immersive experience that anyone with a ticket can enjoy, and it's going to be right here in London. Oh, and Richard O'Brien is on board - no big deal. Fingers crossed for an appearance from Mumsey and passive-aggressive / flirty computers too. If you don't know what I'm talking about, take a crash course on Wikipedia or watch this.

Team Matt The List were lucky enough to be invited round to a top secret location for an exclusive preview of a game from the Aztec Zone - one of the four iconic sections that will make up the full experience along with Mediaeval, Futuristic and Industrial.

Under intense pressure from the sidelines (and heat from my deluxe Crystal Maze bomber jacket), I managed to negotiate the room, free the crystal and escape with seconds to spare. Others after me weren't so successful and you know what that means - LOCK IN and a waste of valuable Crystal Dome time (yes, your dreams of jumping around in a spherical wind machine grabbing cash are going to be realised).

Ideally, you want to assemble an 8-strong team to tackle the maze, though don't worry if you are booking in smaller groups as you will be paired up with others. Four teams will enter the maze at once, rotating around the zones with their Maze Master before meeting in the middle to snatch at golden tickets in The Crystal Dome.

The whole experience (£50 a ticket) should last around 1 hour 45 minutes, but you can also hang around afterwards to debrief and watch others working their way around whilst enjoying some of London's finest street food and booze.

So, all you need to do now is buy tickets; or rather, you need to head over to their Indiegogo funding page which went live today (14th June). They're offering all sorts of wonderful rewards in exchange for your support, but you should definitely snap up the £45 tickets before they are all gone - I would expect ticket sales to go crazy once the word gets out.

Ben, Tom & Dean from Little Lion Entertainment - the clever folk behind The Crystal Maze and their previous hit, Heist

That just leaves Gladiators, Finder's Keepers, and Takeshi's Castle on Matt The Bucket List.

Anybody want to build those for me?

Twitter: @CrystalMazeHQ

Website: www.the-crystal-maze.com

Crowd Funding: igg.me/at/crystalmaze

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thecrystalmaze2015

Today on the blog - three completely unrelated new food & drink spots that I checked out in May. I could try and segue between them, but it wouldn't be pretty.

Read on for gastropub fare with an Indian twist from a former MasterChef winner; all the fried chicken and Negroni sours from DJ Carl Clarke; and a villainous dim sum and cocktail joint in Clapham North.

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Friday 15th May - Dhruv Baker embarked on a career in food after winning MasterChef in 2010, gaining experience in Le Gavroche & The Kitchin amongst other top restaurants. More recently he teamed up with Adam Pomaro to launch catering company Earlsfield Kitchen before deciding over a bottle of wine (or two) that they might as well go one step further and take over an actual kitchen in Earlsfield - that of The Jolly Gardeners pub.

I went down primarily to take some photos but ended up eating a whole lot of wonderful food with Jo The Sis. A quick scan of the menu reveals standard pub items - pork belly, lamb, asparagus, steak etc. It's only after a second look that you start to spot Dhruv's Indian influences sneaking in - tamarind yoghurt, cardamom puree, turmeric and fennel better, and so on. This is what takes The Jolly Gardeners dishes to the next level.

Our two starters were simply magnificent (and oh so photogenic - beware NSFW eggporn below).

- English Asparagus, Soft-Boiled Burford Brown Egg, Bacon & Sage Crumble, Hollandaise - £8

- Spiced Crab Cakes, Shaved Fennel, Tamarind Yoghurt £8

You can't really go wrong eith egg, bacon, asparagus and a tonne of butter - the Burford Brown egg was beautifully cooked and presented in a light crumb batter. A generous portion of moreish crab cakes were elevated by shaved fennel and that tamarind yoghurt.

English Asparagus, Soft-Boiled Burford Brown Egg, Bacon & Sage Crumble, Hollandaise

Spiced Crab Cakes, Shaved Fennel, Tamarind Yoghurt

Pork Terrine, Pickled Vegetables, Honey & Mustard Dressing

We sought out more of Dhruv's unconventional flavours in our mains:

- Pan-fried Sea Bream, Turmeric & Fennel Butter, Coconut Green Beans, Cumin Sautéed Potatoes - £14

- 28 day aged Ribeye Steak, Teriyaki Glaze, Shallot Puree, Fries - £22.50

If you want your kids to eat their greens, invite Dhruv round for tea and tell him to bring his coconuts. And if you think you've had steak and chips one too many times, I can highly recommend their teriyaki glaze twist, supported by a scene-stealing dollop of shallot puree. Delicious.

Pan-fried Sea Bream, Turmeric & Fennel Butter, Coconut Green Beans, Cumin Sautéed Potatoes

28 day aged Ribeye Steak, Teriyaki Glaze, Shallot Puree, Fries

Pork Belly, Carrot and Cardamom Puree, Curly Kale, Chimichurri

Portions are generous throughout, but do not under any circumstances skip dessert, however full you are. £7.50 may look a little pricey on the page, but once you've tasted Dhruv's bonkers creations you'll be going back for seconds. Here are four of the best:

- Raspberry Mille Feuille, Chantilly Cream, Raspberry Sorbet, Raspberry Tuille - £7.50

- Chocolate Cake, Guinness Sauce, Hazelnut Brittle Ice Cream - £7.50

- Rocky Road, Blood Orange, Vanilla Cream, Banana and Black Sesame Ice Cream - £7.50

- Banana Tarte Fine, Sea Salt Caramel, Peanut Butter Parfait - £7.50

We demolished the bottom two on that list, both of which had even more fun on the plate than mentioned above. It's real Willy Wonka stuff (though not quite to Parlour's level) that'll send you back on to Garratt Lane with a big grin on your face.

Chocolate Cake, Guinness Sauce, Hazelnut Brittle Ice Cream

Banana Tarte Fine, Sea Salt Caramel, Peanut Butter Parfait

Rocky Road, Blood Orange, Vanilla Cream, Banana and Black Sesame Ice Cream

Three courses at The Jolly Gardeners will set you back around £30-40 before booze which is a pricey night out at the pub, but Dhruv & co. are on to something special here and I wouldn't be surprised if awards and accolades start coming their way once the rest of London takes notice. It's worth going well out of your way for, and I suggest you do so soon before word gets out.

Kitchen hours - Closed Mondays, Tue-Sat - 12:00-15:00 / 18:30-22:00, Sundays - 12:00-15:30

214 Garratt Lane, Wandsworth, London, SW18 4EA

The Jolly Gardeners - www.thejollygardeners.co.uk

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Saturday 9th May - DJ turned Chef Carl Clarke has been winning fans all over London with his Disco Bistro Chicken Wings (Disco Wings for short) at various popups, residencies and street food events, but he's finally settled down in Haggerston.

Chick'N'Sours is the newest member of Roy Walker's"say what you see" club that also includes Duck & Waffle, Burger & Lobster, and Meat & Shake. Smoking Goat, Dirty Bones and Smack haven't quite got the hang of it.

Hard to read, laminted menus could do with an A4 upgrade

Much like Stokey Bears up the road, Chick'N'Sours is bathed in a mysterious, unphotogenic blue light that takes me back to Cindy's and Life, two of Uni's cheesiest clubs. Thankfully the music is better. By the time we all arrive, it's pushing 10pm (after drinks at Original Sin and The Three Compasses), but we manage to squeeze nine around a table. Carl & co. warn us that chicken on the bone has flown out, taking all of the burger buns with it, but that there's plenty else left to munch on. Game on.

We start off with a round of their £6 half-pint sour cocktails and a few £4 cans of Fourpure. The Chick'N'Club House Sour is a winner with Gin, Sugar, Lemon, Raspberry & Chilli Vinegar, and Vermouth, and the Negroni Sour with Campari, Vermouth, Rosewater and Lemon also hits the spot. Much like at Chicken Liquor in Brixton, the idea is that the sour drinks cut through the richness of the chicken, "like vinegar on chips"says Carl. I'd still lean towards the beers myself, but he's not wrong.

Negroni Sour

The first food to arrive was a zingy bowl of fried Szechuan Aubergine with citrus, chilli oil & sesame seeds. It's a great foil to Carl's sticky Disco Wings which might just be the best in London with their perfectly balanced sweet and salty coating. Pickled Watermelon, Peanut and Coriander is another stonking side - one of our number demands that we order a second portion after a single mouthful. In fact, all of our little plates are a marvel, from the crunchy and moreish House Pickles to the fresh Yam Bean 'Slaw with Ginger & Miso Mayo.

Szechuan Aubergine

Pickled Watermelon, Peanut and Coriander

With no buns in the house, they instead improvise with lettuce as a vehicle for their "burger", though apparently this option may appear on the menu soon. Either way, the Korean Fried Thigh with fiery Gochujang Mayo, Chilli Vinegar and Crunchy 'Slaw gets the thumbs up. I meanwhile opt for the Guest Fry seasoned with Chilli Jam, Crispy Shallots, Thai Basil, Mint and Spring Onion - absolutely delicious but perhaps a little small for £10. Last but not least, the chips arrive with a phenomenal St.Agur & Buttermilk dip. It's a good thing they don't come round selling bottles of the stuff.

Guest Fry - Chilli Jam, Crispy Shallots, Thai Basil, Mint, Spring Onion

Fries with St.Agur & Buttermilk Dip

As the evening draws to a close, tasters of Weetabix Soft Serve are passed round. It tastes of Weetabix alright, but is that something that anybody wants? I remain unconvinced.

I'm soon distracted by Chick'N'Sours branded transfers that arrive with the bill, causing widespread napkin dabbing and transfer application amongst our group. My skin seems more reluctant than others, but eventually accepts a botched attempt that reads closer to Chickn Soup. It had better come off. In a nice touch, the bill presentation finally answers the age old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first.

Weetabix Soft Serve with Toasted Weetabix Crunch

Don't leave without a few Chick'N'Sours transfers!

Chick'N'Sours in an eggshell - Fantastic food, dodgy lighting.

N.B. They are also open for brunch at the weekends, serving up "Son in Law Eggs"& Brunch Buns

P.S. No reservations on Friday / Saturday, get your name on the list and grab a drink nearby

Your best options are vino at Rotorino or craft beers from The Fox's vending machine and Beavertown beers from Duke's Brew & Que.

Mon - Closed, Tue-Thu - 6pm-10pm, Fri - 6pm-10:30pm

Sat - 12pm-3:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm, Sunday - 12pm-3:30pm, 6pm-9:30pm

390 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4AA

Chick'N'Sours - chicknsours.co.uk

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Wednesday 13th May - Back over in South West London, a late night dim sum and cocktail bar named after the villainous Fu Manchu has opened up in a railway arch by Clapham North.

It gets a bit clubby for Matt The List's tastes, and cocktails were a mixed bag at the launch, but having an extensive dim sum menu available til late is definitely a bonus. London bars are incredibly poor at providing quality, filling food with drinks - hopefully others will follow Fu Manchu's example.

For a in-depth look at the cocktails, head over to Highball Hoodoo's boozy blog. We enjoyed the delicate Secret Essence of the Poppey Hill (Sake, St.Germain, Rose Liqueur, Lime Juice, Cucumber) and Blood of Fu Manchu (Eristoff Vodka infused with Chinese 5 Spice, 10yo Port, Ginger Purée, Oyster Sauce, Chilli Powder, Tomato Juice) but were left bemused by a Green Matcha powder-based Green Tea-Ni that shouldn't have made the cut.

If it's dim sum you are after, head down on a Sunday this June to take advantage of their £19.95 all-you-can-eat offer from 12pm-10pm (1.5 hrs maximum stay!). The Chao You Sai Laan Fa (Salt, Pepper and Chilli Broccoli) was pretty excellent, and there are 36 other tasty treats to stuff your face with too.

Mon-Wed 5pm–11pm, Thu 5pm–1am, Fri-Sat 5pm–3am, Sun 12pm–11pm

15 – 16 Lendal Terrace, Clapham, London, SW4 7UX

Fu Manchu - fumanchu.co.uk

Just in case Brixton Village and Market Row weren't already enough of a draw, Pop Brixton's shipping container community campus has roared in to town and seriously upped SW9's food and drink game.

"Pop Brixton will house the next generation of local food and drinks entrepreneurs, retail outlets, workspaces for local business and artists, tech enterprises and a community event space, to be enjoyed by all. We are providing an affordable space for start-ups and small businesses, with 10 units available at 20-50% of market rate."

Before you start picturing Boxpark, this ain't no rectangular rollout full of sellout squares. It's a funky, spacious site with gardens and greenhouses, alleyways and alcoves, and all manner of gastronomic treats. At ground level, you can find rapid response street food shacks and bars (more on that later), but you need to head upstairs to find Pop Brixton's magical mini-restaurants...

1. Donostia Social Club - Basque tapas / pintxos bar

You might have spotted Paul & co. of Donostia Social Club in their blue and white Citroen HY van at one of Kerb's street food markets, but this is their first permanent site - and it's a beauty. They've made full use of their shipping container, with counter dining stretching all the way down to the kitchen at the far end creating a wonderful, communal atmosphere.

I've been to pintxos-paradise San Sebastian (or Donostia in Basque) a couple of times but I'll have to return armed with Paul's top tips soon. Until then, this is where you'll find me. Start with piles of £3ish pintxos (snacks) - leftover cocktail sticks help to keep track of your gluttony. Then move on to DSC's tapas menu, and look out for any specials scribbled on the walls. Wash it all down with fine wines and sherry, or craft beers from Barcelona Beer Company. Here are some of the most tempting dishes:

- Lamb Cutlets, Spring Onions, Confit Broad Beans, Anchovy Butter - £7

- Roasted Quail, Paprika Salt & Aioli - £6.50

- Seared Scallop, Pisto, Green Chilli Sauce, Almonds - £3.50

- Braised Iberico Pork Cheek, Butter Bean Purée, Herb Oil - £6.00

- Smoked Wild Pigeon Breast Salad, Pickled Green Figs & Artichokes - £6.50

- White Chocolate & Red Chilli Mousse, Pistachio Crumb - £5.00

- Leche Frita & Forest Honey - £5.00

Donostia Social Club at Pop Brixton

Richly Deserved's Jack making some tough decisions

Futbol, Tits & Beer. What's Else?

Seared Scallop, Pisto, Green Chilli Sauce & Almonds

Lam Cutlets, Spring Onions, Confit Broad Beans, Anchovy Butter

It's casual, fun, affordable, and bloody tasty. Donostia Social Club is one of the big hits of the year for me - up there with Bao and Blacklock.

Mon-Fri : 1pm -10pm, Sat : 12pm - 10pm & Sun : 12pm - 6pm

www.donostiasocialclub.co.uk

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2. Hook Brixton - not traditional fish & chips

Hook's unconventional fish & chips have been getting rave reviews ever since they set up shop in Camden via Dublin and Brussels back in January. You can read my write-up here for all the details as their second site in Brixton is more of the same - and that's a good thing.

You can't really go wrong with their short & simple menu of twisted classics, but the special is always worth a look (think Ethiopian Berbere Spiced Pollock with Sweet Potato Ketchup, or Guinness & Squid Ink Haddock with an Oyster & Sorrel Sauce). Each fancy fish comes with a generous portion of moreish chips and one of their special sauces (e.g. chipotle / garlic truffle / basil & chilli) that threaten to steal the show - get a load for the table and don't look back. You'll also want their minted mushy peas and a side of sea spaghetti & samphire. Bring stretchy pants.

Always wear a helmet for fish & chips

Literally pint-sized can of Rogue American Amber Ale (all the way from Oregon)

Jamaican Jerk Panko Hake with Chipotle Sauce

It's an absolute steal for a tenner - Barry & Simon are on to something with Hook, and I'm sure there'll be another site or two before the end of the year. Their Brixton box is a no frills affair, much like Sutton & Sons in Boxpark, but it's all you need - grab an outdoor table if it's sunny to soak up the Pop Brixton atmosphere. Highly recommended.

www.hookrestaurants.com

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3. Kricket - Indian Small Plates & Cocktails

Unlike Donostia Social Club, Hook and Zoe's Ghana Kitchen, Kricket is a brand new restaurant with no popups or street food appearances to its name. Chef Will Bowlby (Cinnamon Kitchen) and business partner Rik Campbell have brought a bit of Mumbai to Brixton with their seasonal small plates and booze. To avoid making any tough decisions you should probably just order everything as we did:

- Bhel Puri - Raw Mango, Sev, Tamarind, Yogurt - £4

- Samphire Pakoras - Wild Garlic Mayonnaise, Date & Tamarind Chutney - £5

- Kadai Spiced Padron Peppers - Pachadi, Crispy Onions - £5

- Keralan Fried Chicken - Curry Leaf Mayonnaise, Pickled Mouli - £6

- Pork belly - Tamarind, Apple & Fennel Raita - £6

- Hake - Malai Sauce, Samphire - £8

- Vindaloo Bavette - Coriander, Cassava Chips, Burnt Onion - £8

- Grilled Lamb Fillet - Black Stone Flower, Smoked Paprika Raita - £8

- Gulab Jamum - Carom Seed Crumble, Clotted Cream Ice Cream - £4

Bhel Puri - Raw Mango, Sev, Tamarind, Yogurt

Kadai Spiced Padron Peppers - Pachadi, Crispy Onions

Grilled Lamb Fillet - Black Stone Flower, Smoked Paprika Raita

Ali tackling the Grilled Lamb Fillet -

If you only have space for a couple of dishes, don't miss the Bhel Puri, the Vindaloo Bavette and the outstanding Grilled Lamb Fillet.

To drink, there's an intriguing quartet of cocktails to get through with Indian twists such as Old Naranji (Cardamom Bourbon, Marmalade, Orange) and Tiki Challo (Carom Vodka, Pear Brandy, Fennel).

www.kricket.co.uk

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4. Zoe's Ghana Kitchen - Ghanaian small plates

I haven't yet eaten in Zoe Adjonyoh's cosy container, but I did devour several plates of her contemporary take on traditional Ghanaian food when she popped up at The King & Co. in April (read full post here). Here's what Zoe has to say about her first permanent site:

Expect to find the likes of Okra Tempura with Shiso Hot Sauce, Red Red Beans with Kelewele Plantain Chips and fiery Jollof Rice as well as Zoe's signature West African Peanut Butter Stew.

zoesghanakitchen.co.uk

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...and that's just upstairs.

Back on the ground floor, you've got 10+ more food options, some of which you may recognise from London's street food scene.

* Takes deep breath * - There's Mama's Jerk Station (Caribbean street food), Miss P's Barbecue (Atlanta BBQ), Baba G's(Bhangra burgers), Made of Dough (Pizza Napoletana), Maria Sabina(Mexican kitchen), KOI Ramen(generous ramen pots), Kyonocho (Sushi and tea), Viet Box(Vietnamese salads), World of Wurst (sausage specialists), L'Amuse Bouche (Crepes), Supercute (Macarons & more), and Yumitub (Street Thai ice cream).

Many of these are packed into a bustling central alleyway, and you'll find yourself stopping at each stand on your way through. Viet Box's décor is particularly striking, as is Made of Dough's pizza oven. Then World of Wurst have got draught German beers to lure you in; and you'll definitely get stuck watching Yumitub's bonkers (though painfully slow!) approach to creating ice cream from scratch using -30 degrees C cold plates, oreos and an ice scraper - 3 minutes is the record...

On the booze front, head for Brixton Port Authority for London beers, small batch spirits and organic wine, or to The New Zealand Cellar for a wider choice of vino without markups that you can drink anywhere around Pop Brixton. There's also the Homegrown juice bar that occasionally falls off the wagon and serves up Bloody Marys and Espresso Martinis. Sorted.

Maria Sabina pinata

Mama's Jerk Station

Ali demolishing a Miss P's BBQ brisket bun

Brisket Bun from Miss P's Atlanta BBQ

Supercute Macarons

Yumitub - mad scientist Thai ice cream

It's not all about the food and drink at Pop Brixton, though obviously that's what I'm most interested in. You've also got quirky shops (Queen of the Harpies, Make Do and Mend), gigs, film screenings, and art exhibits to keep you busy, and there's a whole lot more to come with large event, gallery and work spaces scheduled to open soon.

It may seem far off now, but Pop Brixton supposedly only have the site until October 2017, so don't waste any more time. Hopefully it will be around for a lot longer than that though - Pop Brixton is an unmissable addition to our fine city's food and drink scene and another calling card for South West London.

N.B. Most places only accept cash at the moment, though that does include Brixton Pounds.

Sunday-Wednesday: 9am - 11pm // Thursday-Saturday: 9am - midnight

49 Brixton Station Road, London, SW9 8PQ

Pop Brixton - www.popbrixton.org

Tuesday 7th July - Back in March 2013 when (Matt) The List was just getting started, I discovered the magnificent Street Kitchen hatch at The Doodle Bar in Battersea. Co-owner Mark Jankel was on site, creating this vine and banging out next-level burgers and rosemary fries for a Friday night crowd.

Mark & Jun Tanaka have since spread their wings and airstreams to Devonshire Square and Broadgate Circle (Bermuda Triangle next?), and they have just opened up their first brick-and-mortar shop in the latter.

Their brand new Broadgate Circle hangout is essentially a sandwich shop, with“restaurant know-how lovingly crammed between two slices of bread”. Their gourmet sandwiches are mostly served by the inch (dangerous), alongside glorious salad boxes, Allpress coffee, and quality booze. It makes Ottolenghi's Sesame look pretty lazy.

India Hells Lager from Camden Town Brewery at Street Kitchen's Sandwich Shop

When I dropped in at 8pm on a Tuesday eve, the shop was starting to wind down for the night (9pm closing time), but Mark was still there behind the NY deli-style counter, beaming away, and he instantly recalled our brief meeting in SW11 over two years ago. Some people just have the hospitality / customer service thing nailed.

We sat outside to soak up the Broadgate Circle al fresco atmosphere and worked our way through four sandwiches and a salad in record time. Veggies are well catered for with roasted broccoli or cauliflower options sold by the inch plus some tasty salads (spiced aubergine, butternut squash etc), but you don't want to skip the meaty treats.

The hot roasted chicken sandwich (£5.75) with baby gem and tarragon mayo is simply incredible - order two. It's reminiscent of their Battersea Hatch Foghorn Leghorn chicken burger, with delicious pickled red onions common to both.

Aside: My local rotisserie and deli Park Road Kitchen is also currently doing an awesome chicken sandwich with tarragon mayo lunch special (£5) on Wednesdays.

Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Baby Gem, Tarragon Mayo and Pickled Red Onions - served hot

We then devoured a Hot Smoked Salmon sandwich (£4.75) with pickled red cabbage and beetroot, and the Rare Roast Beef sandwich (£4.75 / 7 / 9.40 per inch) with caramelised onions, pickled cucumber, horseradish and watercress on focaccia. The latter perhaps needs a little more of that rare roast beef (or less focaccia...no let's stick with more beef) to show off the high-quality meat that Mark has gone to great lengths to source from the mysterious Farmer Tom.

The home cured and smoked salmon salad (£5.50) with potatoes, watercress, pickled vegetables and DIY dill vinaigrette is generous and really showcases the outstanding salmon. Hopefully the rare roast beef salad has an equally pleasing meat:veg ratio.

Roasted Chicken, Roasted Broccoli and Hot Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

Rare Roast Beef & Horseradish sandwich sold by the inch - photo provided by Street Kitchen / Roche PR

Adding the Dill Vinaigrette to the Smoked Salmon Salad

Home-cured and smoked salmon with potatoes, watercress, pickled vegetables and dill vinaigrette

I'll be back for the Salt Beef special, served on toasted challah bread with sweet mustard, pickled cucumber, pickled red cabbage and smokey mustard mayo. Sadly (and unsurprisingly), it was too popular to last through to the end of the day - perhaps I'll aim for 11am next time when the sandwiches are unveiled. If you get there really early (7.30-10am), you can sample their short breakfast menu - save me a sausage brioche.

Whatever time of day you go, you'll be well looked after by the Street Kitchen team. It's a simple space with bespoke wooden-crate style furniture, but there's some science to look out for inside, including a Roundup Vertical Toaster and a Roundup Egg Station which McDonald's fans might recognise. It only has three settings - Ready, Cooking and BACON. Can't go wrong.

Street Kitchen's al fresco seating

I'll definitely make the journey over to Broadgate Circle again soon for that chicken sandwich and some salt beef, but don't forget that Street Kitchen can also be found throughout the week in Battersea and Devonshire Square. They are quietly doing some of the best gourmet fast food in London. That's lunch.

Street Kitchen - www.streetkitchen.co.uk

The Shop Broadgate Circle, Broadgate Circle, EC2M 2BY

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After Street Kitchen, we wandered over to Brewdog Shoreditch to check out their renovated basement Two-Bit Bar, an all-American whiskey & beer bar with a few pinball and arcade machines. It's early days, but it's a shadow of its former self, Underdog, which held a special place in my heart for being part of my first ever blog post. The new décor is incredibly lazy, the atmosphere has disappeared, and the beers (though interesting) are overpriced (even if they are American imports). Two-Bit by name, Two-Bit operation by nature. You are better off upstairs.

London hasn't really figured out how to do arcade / gaming bars yet - Peckham's Four Quarters ain't too shabby but it's a far cry from New York's Barcade and Chicago's Emporium. I expected a lot more from Brewdog - I'll be sticking to the Shepherd's Bush outpost for the time being. Let me know if Two-Bit improves.

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Thursday 2nd July - A few days earlier we ventured to London Fields for the launch of Playground and Proof, a new weekend market (Playground) and all-year round rooftop bar (Proof) making use of the courtyard and roof terrace of the Hothouse building on Martello Street.

I haven't seen the Playground market in full swing yet, but you can expect fine food from The Cheese Truck and Milo & Hector's Ice Cream Sandwiches, and all sorts of treasures and treats from the likes of Grandirosa (flowers), Mini Mini Yeah Yeah (bits and bobs) and Kartel Music (vinyl). Read more on the traders here.

Be sure to visit Bolt - a permanent fixture in Arch 3 with custom bikes, motorcycle inspired products, in-house BBQ and Volcano coffee in an uber-cool space.

Up on the Hothouse rooftop, past the Coppa cabanas, Proof is a stylish little cocktail bar overlooking London Fields and Pub on the Park (another great local sun trap). The back bar is small but perfectly formed with the likes of Quiquiriqui Mezcal and Cocchi Di Torino doing the job.

Go for the Mezcal Tommy's Margarita slushie, or keep it simple with a Quiquiriqui Matatlan Mezcal & Fentiman's Tonic for boozy summer refreshment. Or a Negroni of course. Alternatively, you've got Five Points Pale on tap, and cheese & cider tastings from The Cider Box to keep you happy.

As it's in London Fields rather than say Trafalgar Square, this is one rooftop bar that will hopefully never be too rammed. It's well worth finding on a sunny day. Also, look out for Cineast Sunday movie nights coming soon on the roof.

Playground & Proof - playgroundandproof.com

Field Works, Martello Street, London Fields, E8 3QW

Rooftop Bar - Thu/Fri 6pm-11pm & Sat/Sun 12pm-11pm

Courtyard Market - Sat/Sun 10am-6pm

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If you are in need of food nearby, you might want to check out Patty & Bun's new arch (brunch looks pretty awesome). Or make a day (and night) of it with the likes of Som Saa, E5 Bakery, Cock Tavern, Look Mum No Hands, Rita's and Kansas Smitty's nearby.

If you are in the market for ... more markets, Hackney Drinks Market (currently having a Summer break) and Druid Street Market are at the top of my to-do list, and early reports have been very positive. Netil Market is always fantastic, and handily just round the corner from Playground & Proof. Check out ºPlato Brewing & Supplies, one of London's smallest breweries, and the Netil 360 rooftop which is no longer requires membership.

Druid Street Market - Saturdays 9am-4pm - Druid Street, SE1 2HH - www.druid.st

Hackney Drinks Market - Hackney Downs Studios, E8 2BT - www.hackneydrinksmarket.com

Netil Market - Saturdays 11am-6pm, 13-23 Westgate street, E8 3RL - netilmarket.tumblr.com

Netil 360 Rooftop - Mon-Sun - 1 Westgate Street, E8 3RL - netil360.com

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As the sun set, we moved on for a couple more drinks at Peg + Patriot and Joyeux Bordel, two of our regular haunts. James Stevenson and Adrien Russotto looked after us as always in each establishment, showing off new creations alongside some classics.

Drinks are always stellar at Peg + Patriot, and some new additions to the menu are rather special:

- Flex Riiiite - Kamm & Sons, P+P Smoked "Lilt" on Draught

- No Sir'ee - Rye Whiskey, Pineapple, French Vermouth, Disarmed Tabasco

- Kill or Cure - Strong Rye Whiskey, Lemon, Egg White, Absinthe, Espresso Oil

- Old Man & The Sea - Mezcal, Aperol, Maraschino, Grapefruit, Seaweed, Samphire Salt

- P+P Seasonal G&T - Gin distilled on site with Lemon Verbena, Peashoots and Tarragon

Vesgroni - P+P Campari Vodka, Gin, Vermouth, Konik's Tail - Peg + Patriot

Ella + Vesgroni at Peg + Patriot

Old Man & The Sea - Mezcal, Aperol, Maraschino, Grapefruit, Seaweed, Samphire Salt - at Peg + Patriot

Jolly Mess - Vulson White Rhino Rye, Eaux de vie de Poire, Antica Formula, Cardamom Syrup, Mozart Dark - Joyeux Bordel

A boozy Mezcal & chocolate creation from Adrien Russotto at Joyeux Bordel

P+P's "Talented Mr Fox" Matt Whiley is keeping himself busy creating cocktail menus for some of the hottest restaurants in town including Story, Fera and The Marksman, and he'll soon be taking up residence at The Lockhart's new Showdown bar when it launches in August.

He's also got dibs on the drinks lists at Lockhart's upcoming BBQ joint Shotgun, and the Sethi's new Hoppers project, both of which are bound to be big hits. Hopefully I'll make it into some of those soon and report back on Matt's cocktails.

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Last but not least, I've just been made aware of this awesome Yelp competition called Yelp's Big Night In which you are going to want to enter. Details are below.

It's a party at your place, and you're the only one invited!

On Friday, July 31st, Yelp will be running the first ever YELP'S BIG NIGHT IN! Who wouldn't want to be fed, pampered and taken care of, for free, all from your own home, in the comfort of your PJs!

THE NIGHT WILL INCLUDE:

- Free food delivered by Deliveroo!

- Free wine delivered by Mr. Vine!

- Free laundry picked up and delivered right to your door from Laundrapp!

- Your home beautifully cleaned by Hassle, for free!

- Anything you want, picked up and delivered by Quiqup!

- A service of your choice from Bizzby! We'd suggest free therapeutic massages, but if you need an errand run or want a personal trainer session before cracking into all that food, they can make that happen too!

To be in with a chance of winning, click on this link and follow the simple steps. Yelp will be choosing 30 winners next week to all participate on the same night.

Time for a super speedy round-up of some delicious things I've eaten (or imbibed) but haven't managed to mention over the last two months

Grain Store Unleashed / The Shed / Baja California at Wahaca / Bull in a China Shop / Terroirs

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1. Cauliflower Shawarma & All The Meat at Berber & Q in Haggerston

After falling in love with entire grilled cauliflowers at Miznon in Paris, I was delighted to see it on a menu again so soon. Berber & Qs version with tahini and rose is a fine example of the genre. Be sure to get a load of Middle Eastern BBQ meat too - some Joojeh chicken thighs, smoked short-rib with date syrup glaze, smoked pork belly with pomegranate molasses BBQ sauce; that kind of thing.

Wash it down with a bespoke Crate brewery golden ale with za'atar, sumac, thyme and orange, or one of their fine cocktails. Sumac Habit with mezcal, chilli-infused aperol, dried lime and sumac is a good place to start.

I'll be back soon for weekend brunch - Turkish eggs with paprika butter, a Full Israeli, Tunisian shakshuka with red pepper jam and smoked beans with burnt-ends & merguez. 11am-3pm. Yes please.

Cauliflower Shawarma - photo from Berber & Q

Cauliflower Shawarma, Tahini, Rose

Blackened Aubergine Salad, Tomato Seed, Garlic Yoghurt

Berber & Q

Sumac Habit - Mezcal, Chilli-Infused Aperol, Dried Lime, Sumac

Half pints of house beer brewed by Crate - also available in 1.7 litre growlers

Berber & Q - berberandq.com

Arch 338, Acton Mews, Haggerston, London, E8 4EA

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2. Funky vegetables and rhubarb negronis at Grain Store Unleashed at The Zetter Hotel

You haven't got long to get over to Bruno Loubet's adventurous vegetable-fest at The Zetter Hotel - it's due to close on July 31st though I'm sure something else equally exciting will take it's place. Plus you've got the original Grain Store in King's Cross to keep you company, a new Grain Store Café & Bar coming soon to Gatwick, and Zetter Townhouse Marylebone arriving on 14th August.

But you should still rush over to Clerkenwell before the end of the month to get your hands on Bruno's corn brioche with avocado butter and all manner of other delights (see below). In the evening, it's tasting menus only. 8 courses for £39? Don't mind if I do. It's right up there with The Dairy & co. for affordable, high-end, innovative dining. Speaking of which, Robin Gill's Paradise Garage is opening up in Bethnal Green any day now.

Bruno Loubet's Grain Store Unleashed is at The Zetter Hotel until July 31st

Ginger Bread Iced Coffee

Rhubarb Negroni

Pickled Flowers & Rhubarb, Green Apple Purée, Bergamot Emulsion, Wild Sea Trout

Wild Trout Ceviche wrapped in Lettuce with Basil Oil & Avocado Sorbet

The remains of a colourful ceviche

Red Vegetables, Spiced Bread Sauce, Salted Lemon & Orange Purée, Wood Pigeon, Chilli Chocolate

Lemon & Strawberries Petit Pot, Rosemary Crumble

Chocolate Pie, Caramel & Miso Ice Cream

Parsnips & White Chocolate Cream, Matcha Tea, Pink Grapefruit & Passionfruit Gel, Caramelised Puffed Oat

Grain Store Unleashed -www.grainstoreunleashed.com

St John's Square, 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5RJ

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3. The Entire Menu at The Shed in Notting Hill .... again

Well, almost. They are only small plates though, right? The Gladwin Bros. delivered yet again, from farm to plate to face. We powered through this lovely lot below (some of them twice) before finishing off with an entire bottle of Somerset Cider Brandy Kingston Black aperitif. I didn't get much done after that. I've highlighted my Top 3:

- ruby gem, red leicester, pistachio, radish, dill, leek bubbles 8.0

- pan fried goat’s cheese, hazelnuts, honey, thyme 6.5

- nutbourne heritage tomatoes, shed yoghurt, sumac, basil, red onion 8.5

- raw scallop, black summer truffle, garlic, kohlrabi 12.0

- wood pigeon, cauliflower, malt, pickled sultanas 9.0

- nutbourne grilled lamb, jersey royal gnocchi, peas, mint, dill 12.0

- the summer sparks magnum vienetta parfait 7.0

- honeycomb crunchy, chocolate, mascarpone, tarragon sugar 6.0

- chocolate, hazelnut butter, cherry pastille 6.0

- set cream, strawberries, tomatoes, meringue 6.0

Pan fried goat’s cheese, hazelnuts, honey, thyme

Ruby gem, red leicester, pistachio, radish, dill, leek bubbles

Raw scallop, black summer truffle, garlic, kohlrabi

Wood pigeon, cauliflower, malt, pickled sultanas

Nutbourne grilled lamb, jersey royal gnocchi, peas, mint, dill

Set cream, strawberries, tomatoes, meringue

Honeycomb crunchy, chocolate, mascarpone, tarragon sugar

The Shed - theshed-restaurant.com

122 Palace Gardens Terrace, London, W8 4RT

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4. Spinach Chlorophyll & Venison in Embers at Wahaca's Baja California supper club

Throughout 2015 Wahaca are inviting the most exciting and influential chefs from across Mexico to cook with Tommi Miers in the Covent Garden kitchen. I went along to a supper club run by Diego Hernandez (Head Chef of Corazon de Tierra, Ensenada) who came over to Wahaca for one-night only.

The event marked the start of an 8 week regional Baji California Menu that will feature the likes of Octopus Tostada with Peanut Chilli Oil and Clam, Mussels and Prawn Arroz Rojo. It should run til at least August 7th.

These dishes were the highlights (yes, including the last one):

- Tamal Colada (steamed corn parcel) with Wood Pigeon, Mole Amarillito, Rocket, Sour Cream and Dehydrated Parsnip

- Venison in Embers with Caldillo de Carne, Aubergine Puree, and Jersey Royal New Potatoes in Vegetable Infused Stock

- Truffled Cream with Spinach Chlorophyll, Radish, Caramel Panna Cotta and Balsamic - a classic from the Corazon de Tierra dessert list

Tommi's next visitor will be Enrique Olvera from Pujol which was recently named as the 16th best restaurant in the world.

One-off menu from Diego Hernandez at Wahaca

Pre-drinks in the Wahaca Covent Garden bar

Tamal Colada (steamed corn parcel) with Wood Pigeon, Mole Amarillito, Rocket, Sour Cream and Dehydrated Parsnip
- Photo from Wahaca website -

Venison in Embers with Caldillo de Carne, Aubergine Puree, and Jersey Royal New Potatoes in Vegetable Infused Stock
- Photo from Wahaca website -

Baja California regional menu at Wahaca - www.wahaca.co.uk/locations/covent-garden/

66 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4HG

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5. Cocktails & Japanese Whisky at Bull in a China Shop in Shoreditch

We dropped in to Bull in a China Shop soon after it had opened, and the food menu has changed a fair amount since our visit, but I can vouch for the booze (and the atmospheric lighting).

They've got a great selection of Japanese whiskies and an appealing cocktail list to match. Go for a Wabi / Sabi with Hakushu Single Malt Distiller's Reserve, Cocchi di Torino, Matcha green tea syrup, Black walnut bitters, or a Chamomile & Charcoal Old Fashioned with Nikka Yoichi, home made chamomile syrup, bitters, coconut, and charcoal, finished with an orange twist. Or treat yourself to a £55 25ml dram of Karuizawa 1981 (bottled in 2014).

You can't far wrong with the rotisserie chicken (brined with ginger, and marinated overnight in Asian yoghurt with a Nikka whisky glaze), or the Cinnamon bread & butter pudding with chamomile spiced rum custard. The Panko crusted chicken burger with pickled ginger, Japanese mayonnaise, and mango & lime chutney is also worth a look. Skip the salads.

Bull in a China Shop - www.bullinachinashop.london

196 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6LG

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6. Snails, wine & vinyl at Terroirs Wine Bar in the West End

Ben Adamo & Darren Smith from Wine and Vinyl have teamed up with Terroirs wine bar & restaurant in Charing Cross to put on "Wine and Music" evenings on the first Wednesday of every month in the cosy cellar space (£3 entry).

N.B. The next #WineWednesday will be in September

To kick off the series, on the hottest day of the year, Ben & Darren put together a set list drawing from the sound tracks of cult movies such as Pulp Fiction and Full Metal Jacket, whilst classic wine moments from film history were projected on to the walls.

A condensed version of Terroirs’ 200 bin wine list has been carefully compiled for the event, showcasing five whites and five reds by the bottle as well as ten wines by the glass and a couple of bottles of sparkling. It's a quirky list with a real range of styles on offer - Amphibolite Nature, Jo Landon was ideal for the 36° heat, as was the Magnum of Casa Coste Piane Prosecco, whilst the Pinot Blanc, Gerrard Shueller is a must for sour beer fans.

Head Chef, Dale Osbourne, has put together a seasonally-focused tapas menu, comprising a selection of Terroirs’ signature dishes. I was really impressed with all of our plates, but particularly the Jamón de Bellota, Salt Croquetas & Aioli, Snails on Toast with Garlic, Parsley & Bacon and the unusual Black Pudding & Beets.

It's a great date spot, especially on Wine & Music Wednesdays - check @Terroirs on Twitter for #WineWednesdays updates.

Terroirs - terroirswinebar.com

Wine & Vinyl - twitter.com/wineandvinyl

5 William IV Street, London, WC2N 4DW

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When I started blogging two years ago, I had no idea how long I was going to do it for, and I definitely went for quantity not quality on all fronts. Despite owning a Canon 500D, I trusted in my mighty Samsung Galaxy for photography to begin with (first world problems).

Many bloggers and Instagrammers stick by their phones (for very understandable ease of use and efficiency reasons - Clerkenwell Boy seems to be doing alright eh?) but I caved after a couple of months and switched over to my DSLR camera.

Since then, progress has been slow but steady, and Matt The Tumblr was set up a year ago primarily to showcase food & drink photos following the purchase of my now most trusted lens, "the nifty fifty"Canon 50mm f1.8. If you want to make the step up from your starter kit lens, look no further.

mattthelist.tumblr.com

Two years on I'm definitely still winging it, so I jumped at the chance to take part in a photography course run by City Academy. They currently run six different £110 day-long courses:

Digital Photography for Beginners // London Street Photography // Portrait Photography

Fashion Photography // Documentary Photography // Lifestyle Photography

City Academy Photography Classes

I riskily skipped the beginners course and went straight for Lifestyle Photography on the grounds that I could already fake "a good understanding of aperture, shutter speed and ISO". Have a read of these handy beginner guides on photographylife.com (Aperture / Shutter Speed / ISO) if you want to be top of the class. They are the three key settings (the "exposure triangle" if you will) that you should play around with to sort out the exposure.

For example, if you are shooting in really low light, you need to whack up the ISO (light sensitivity) which will lead to some grain ("noise"), and drop to a low "f stop" (which is confusingly a high aperture - this will reduce the depth of field / amount in focus) - then see what shutter speed you can get away with depending on how mobile your subject is! If you are mostly taking hand held shots, you can't have too slow a shutter speed (say below 1/40) unless you have zen-like steady hands.

I'm often shooting right on the limit of my lens' capability with an aperture / f-stop of f1.8 and ISO of 3200 as London's bartenders are afraid of daylight, but ideally I like to get back to f2.8 so that I can keep more in focus / get a sharper image. I don't mind the odd noisy photo (from a high ISO) as it lends a certain atmosphere, and a blurry background ("bokeh") can be really effective in certain lighting.

Noisy night shots at Doodle Bar in Battersea - 1/2000 // f 1.8 // ISO 3200

Noisy night shots at Doodle Bar in Battersea - 1/1000 // f 1.8 // ISO 3200

Blurry background "bokeh" at Peg + Patriot - 1/100 // f 1.8 // ISO 3200

Blurry lights on a rainy bus ride - 1/50 // f 2.0-2.8 // ISO 200

If I've lost you already, don't worry - have a read of the beginner stuff linked above and then play around with your camera, only changing one of the three core settings at a time until you get the hang of it. As with practicing your scales, I'm afraid you've just got to go and do it. If the idea of manual really scares you, shoot on full-auto but look at what settings it chose for the shot (if you like it!) and work back to manual from there.

Anyway, back to City Academy. So Lifestyle Photography is all about capturing the art of the everyday - the aim is to tell a story with each shot. Easier said than done. Our teacher for the day was the wonderful Carole Edrich who specialises in dance photography (and has learnt 65 different types of dance along the way!) - her wealth of experience shooting fast motion in low light would definitely come in handy at Rematch Beeyatch!

After a quick chat about some basics to gauge our levels, Carole sent us around the building to work on a couple of things. My mission was to pay closer to attention to light sources and play with the white balance settings designed to correct pesky lighting problems - I'd been largely ignoring it, assuming that AWB was an obscure reference to a Scottish funk band from the 70s, rather than Auto White Balance.

I've got Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten Light and White Fluorescent Light options to play with on my Canon 500D. Rather than using them to get an image closer to what I was seeing with my eyes, Carole encouraged me to mess around and tell a different story. Game on.

First of many meta shots + some funky "shade" white balance

Trying out different white balance settings - can't resist musical shots

Scroll down for some outdoor rain shots turned blue (shiny & chrome) by my new favourite Tungsten Light WB setting. Learn more about white balance here.

It's worth saying at this point that you can obviously do a fair amount white balance-wise in post-production with the likes of Lightroom, especially if you have been shooting in RAW mode rather than JPEG, which is a whole other debate - RAW vs JPEG. Basically JPEGs are easier to use and store, but RAW gives you way more flexibility in post, especially if you miscalculated the shot. Carole told us of a trip where she ran out of memory and was forced to abandon shooting in RAW and instead had to reply on JPEGs that compress and diminish in quality over time, making them hard to use professionally a few years down the line.

If in doubt (and if you have the space), set your camera to save both RAW and JPEG until you figure out what's going on! I could go in to some more detail, but you are better off reading the article on it (link above) - that's what I'm doing right now!

After some RAW chat, we took to the streets of London. The four of us (a small group) were keen to look at food so we dropped in to Patisserie Valerie to get stuck in to composition. In this case, the shots were fully under our control so we could compose them by moving the subjects themselves, changing the placement of neighbouring items, and by altering our own position, all in an effort to guide the viewer's eye towards the most important elements of our story, and to show off our individual style.

A good place to start is with the old rule of thirds / golden ratio and leading lines (big fan). As a former mathmo and Fibonacci fanboy, I should probably pay more attention to the rule of thirds, but I tend to frame things quickly on instinct rather than mathematically - the benefits of having a 5-second countdown from hungry friends wanting to eat their photogenic food. You can always crop it later (bit risky!). Then there's depth of field to think about - a lowish f-stop (f2.5-3.5) should get the key dish in focus and some nice background blur, but you might want take a different approach if you are shooting a feast! Oh and don't forget lighting, and loads of other stuff. It's complicated, this photography lark.

Obviously, when you aren't in control of the subject / scene (as is usually the case in street photography), then you need to do what you can with your own positioning. Carole's rule of thumb is "do the opposite of what tourist photographers are doing" - i.e. change your angles, get up close and personal, don't compose centrally etc! She's also a firm believer in something red being in every shot, hence the umbrella.

Next stop was Itsu for some motion blur practice (and lunch). Product placement alert! We took turns shooting a can of DIET COKE whilst someone walked up and down behind it, confusing Itsu customers no end. With a slower (but still manageable) shutter speed of around 1/15 / 1/20, balanced by a higher f-stop (lower aperture), we made the can appear frozen in time whilst the world carried on behind it.

In a similar vein, we attempted to follow moving objects (cyclists, cars), panning the camera smoothly at a similar speed to keep them in focus - tricky. Snipers / clay pigeon pros would no doubt find it all rather easy. There's a lot of fun to be had with long exposure (very slow shutter speed) - trying to capture lightning, making waterfalls look magical, adding ghosts to images, making patterns with glow sticks etc, but you'll need a tripod / surface to sort most of that out.

Motion blur with stationary subject - 1/15 // f 14 // ISO 800

Motion blur with moving subject - 1/20 // f 14 // ISO 100

Here's a random, purposefully overexposed shot I took outside - apparently I can claim this as chiaroscuro (a term commonly associated with Rembrandt) since it features high-contrast, distinct areas of light and dark (not so sure about the latter). Perhaps I need some more shadows in there too. I don't really know what I'm talking about, let's be honest. Still - it's a cool shot. Moving on.

Overexposed? Chiaroscuro? Who knows? 1/50 // f 4 // ISO 100

To finish, Carole sent us off with a bunch of tasks to keep our eyes open and test our ability to adapt and compose quickly. In search of funky shoes, I went all tungsten white balance on my Vans next to a puddle.

Our travels took us across Waterloo Bridge where I really struggled to take any interesting landscape shots, even with the shapely London Eye and Big Ben in view. A wide-angle lens might have helped but it was mostly down to the dull, cloudy lighting - I needed to take it in a gritty direction, but was unsure of how to go about it. Carole might regret giving me her email address...

The Southbank skate park was more my scene, with great potential for silhouettes (or more chiaroscuro?) looking out towards the river. Inevitably I ended up shooting the photographers instead as usual. This is probably my favourite shot from the day:

Skate park silhouette - 1/1000 // f 1.8 // ISO 100

We ended in the Royal Festival Hall for prize-giving and a debrief. The day flew-by and everyone on the course was in high spirits after several hours of pointing and clicking which is a testament to Carole's approach. We were lucky to have such a small group, but I'm sure it would work well with more students too.

What now? I'm eyeing up my next City Academy photography course (probably Street Photography), ideally with another teacher for a different perspective, and a trip to Fixation / Calumet is in order to check out some wide angle prime lenses ahead of a trip to the incredibly photogenic US West Coast.

Aside: If anyone from Canon is reading, please send me some expensive kit, or I'll switch to Nikon. If anyone from Nikon is reading, I'm very happy with my Canon set-up - make me an offer I can't refuse and we'll talk.

A late entry for the funky shoes contest

Some more useful / interesting articles from photographylife.com:

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How to photograph food with a camera phone

Food photography tips // Photographing food outdoors

Black and White Photography // Low Light Photography

Photographing Waterfalls // Photoshop vs Lightroom

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My favourite London photographers:

Charlotte Hu / Chris Coulson / Gaztronome / Addie Chinn / Seb Roberts

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Of course, there's more to City Academy than photography workshops. From Diva Dance Classes to Film Making Workshops on remaking the bullet-time scene from The Matrix, they've probably got what you are after, plus a whole lot more that you didn't realise you wanted to learn until you saw it on their list. Check out the full list of City Academy classes on the website - www.city-academy.com

Three more lovely London eateries ticked off this week (only a few hundred to go):

Monday 20th July - Despite visiting 900 odd food & drink places in the last two and a bit years, my London restaurant wishlist still has some big hitters on it - The Clove Club, Typing Room, Restaurant Story, Kitchen Table and Gymkhana to name a few.

And then there's Barrafina. Not only have I not been to the Michelin-starred Soho institution, the Barrafina boys have kindly added two more to my list with outposts on Adelaide Street and Drury Lane (which opened last Friday). All three have entirely different menus full of tempting tapas plates (except for their Classic Tortilla) so I can't even claim a hat-trick in one visit! In order to stop the rot, I went along to their latest opening for a light lunch with Dad The List.

To cut a long story short, it was excellent. The service was friendly with Eddie Hart milling around in the background, and the plates were superb. You can't really go wrong, but you shouldn't leave without getting something from their Tortillas Y Huevos section. Our Pheasant Egg & Morcilla de Burgos (flavoured with cumin) on Toast (£6.50) was outrageously tasty - perhaps the first sign of #BarrafinaBrunch? Order it.

Elsewhere Courgette Flowers stuffed with Cream Cheese & Goat’s Cheese (£7.80) and Baby Gem with Botarga, Walnuts, Pancetta & Manchego (£6.80) impressed, whilst Raba de Toro / Oxtail stuffed with Pine Nuts, Walnuts and Leeks (£9.50) and Milk Fed Lamb Sweetbreads (£12.80) kept my nose-to-tail fan of a father happy.

Pheasant Egg & Morcilla de Burgos on Toast

Courgette Flowers stuffed with Cream Cheese & Goat’s Cheese

Baby Gem, Botarga, Walnuts, Pancetta & Manchego

Ordering an extra dessert is standard Dad The List practice. We diplomatically shared Leche Frita (Fried Custard) with Plum Jam (£6.50) and Torrijas (French Toast) soaked in Cinnamon & Orange with Pistachios & Creme Fraiche Ice Cream (£6.80) before diving in to Cuajada - a pot of milk curd served simply with hazeulnuts on top and honeycomb on the side. Glorious stuff, if not as memorable as Ollie Dabbous' curd creation.

Torrijas - French Toast soaked in Cinnamon & Orange with Pistachios & Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

Leche Frita - Fried Custard with Plum Jam

It's the usual no reservations stuff I'm afraid, but the Drury Lane site is your best bet for avoiding queues currently. Get over there for lunch (Monday to Saturday) when it opens at 12pm and take whatever seats are going! Alternatively, email events@barafina.co.uk to book a private dining area on the lower ground floor for up to 28 guests. I'm to visit the other two before they open another one...

Barrafina Drury Lane - www.barrafina.co.uk

43 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London

Monday-Saturday - 12-3 // 5-11

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Wednesday 22nd July - From Barrafina to Balls and Company - Timeout's restaurant of the week was unsurprisingly busy, so I popped down to look at their basement bar space that will look after hungry Londoners until a table is free (much like in Pitt Cue Co & Flat Iron).

Cocktails are well priced at £7 - Malt'N'Monkey is a dangerously drinkable Manhattan on ice with a chocolate bitter twist, whilst Gin Dilla is, well, gin and dill, with salt and fresh lemon balm for complexity. And then there's Company Iced Tea - a bonkers mix of red wine, Early Grey and orange infused vodka, raspberry, strawberry, agave and orange brúlée. It's surprisingly well-balanced!

For some moody Balls & Co. shots in Black & White, head to Matt The Tumblr

Malt'N'Monkey - Whisky, Sweet Vermouth, Chocolate Bitters, Cherry Liqueur, Citrus Twist (£7)

Gin Dilla - Gin, Dill, Lemon Juice, Cucumber, Salt, Fresh Lemon Balm (£7)

Back upstairs, a complimentary bowl of ultra-thin, moreish parsnip crisps is the first sign that Balls & Company isn't a gimmick. Owner and head chef Bonny Porter (2012 Australian MasterChef Finalist) is the second.

Alright, at the heart of it there's a list of balls to choose between (served in fours with a sauce for £8), but you've also got sides and specials like Ricotta, Summer Peas & Pangrattato (£4) vying for attention. Our simple but sensational salad of Heirloom Tomato, Oregano & Balsamic Pearls (£4) threatened to steal the show. Mac'N'Cheese Arancini was always going to be a winner, though £7 is steep for four cheesy rice croquettes, even if they are served in an adorable little pan.

Mac’n’Cheese Arancini (£7)

Heirloom tomato, oregano & balsamic pearls (£4)

Back to the balls, we went for Wagyu (served medium rare - £1 supplement) with a Romesco sauce of red pepper, tomato, almond, hazelnuts and garlic and Salmon with Dill and Seeds with a Pesto sauce consisting of basil, lemon, garlic and cashew nuts. The meat and fish were beautifully cooked and seasoned, and satisfying sauces left room for the balls to shine. I'll be back for Bonny's Pork Balls (with ricotta, parmesan, milk bread, pine nuts, basil & sage) along with the Quinoa with beetroot and feta that a trusted source recommends.

Wagyu balls (+£1 - £9) served medium rare (+1), with a Romesco sauce (red pepper, tomato, almond, hazelnuts & garlic)

Salmon balls (£8) with dill and seeds, with a Pesto sauce (basil, lemon, garlic, cashew nuts)

But wait, the show's not over. Do not leave without getting yourself Bonny's Brownie served with Purbeck Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Persian Fairy Floss (£5). Once we finished playing with Gandalf's hair, a serious dessert emerged underneath and then quickly vanished.

Brownie with Persian Fairy Floss, Purbeck vanilla bean ice cream (£5)

Balls & Company is a fine addition to the increasingly exciting north end of Greek Street that also boasts Bo Drake and marvellous Milroy's. Stumble in to the shambolic New Evaristo Club at the end of it all and you've got yourself quite an evening!

Balls & Company - ballsandcompany.london

58 Greek Street, Soho, London, W1D 3DY

Monday-Saturday // 12pm-11pm

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Tuesday 21st July - To finish, some snaps and words on a fun evening at Obica Mozzarella Bar, Pizza & Kitchen in Poland Street (one of four London branches, many more worldwide).

I dropped in for a #NewSeasonFeast of Obica's finest and freshest produce, plus some original cocktails showcasing Luxardo liqueurs created by brand ambassador mixologist "G" Franklin. I already knew the Luxardo team well having been on a memorable trip to the distillery in Padua but it was a first visit to Obica.

We started with a refreshing Luxardo Fresco (Luxardo Maraschino, tonic water, fresh lemon juice, cucumber, fresh rosemary, and a cheeky spray of absinthe) which was a great vehicle for their aromatic Maraschino.

Luxardo Fresco - Luxardo Maraschino, tonic water, fresh lemon juice, cucumber, fresh rosemary, absinthe spray

As the second cocktail was prepared, we tucked in to a buffet of burrata, bresaolo and more. A whopping 1kg ball of classic mozzarella (£38) was the star of the show, ably supported by some outstanding hay-smoked affumicata mozzarella balls of a more manageable size served with various pestos and focaccia. Seasonal salumi (Soppressata di Gioi, Salame Nero dei Nebrodi, Salame di Mora Romagnola, Capicollo di Azze Anca) and Caponata alla Siciliana (aubergine, pine nuts, almonds, raisins, capers and vinegar) were also in great supply which was dangerous.

We also tucked in to some superb pizzas (prepared with Petra flour) - most notably the special with Pomodorino di Piennolo (Tomatoes) from Mount Vesuvius National Park, plus buffalo mozzarella and olives. Each month, Obica collaborate with Presidi Slow Food to showcase small, artisan Italian food producers and products, and the exotic Piennolo Tomatoes will be around until the end of August (when Prosciutto di Nebrodi with figs takes over) or a bit longer if you are lucky.

In their honour, G created the Obica Spritz - a mix of Luxardo Aperitivo, Piennolo tomatoes, lemon, and basil, topped up with prosecco; quite the opposite of a Bloody Mary! It will be available at Obica in August and September.

Hay-smoked mozzarella with basil, tomatoes and focaccia at Obica

Luxardo Aperitivo, Piennolo tomatoes, lemon, and basil, topped up with prosecco

For dessert, we shared out Obica's Torta di Capri (a warm almond and chocolate cake) which was the perfect partner to G's third drink of the evening, the Fashionista - a boozy Boulevardier twist with Luxardo Sangue Morlacco Cherry Liqueuer in place of sweet vermouth, and a generous splash of salty smoked mozzarella water. Ingenious!

Fashionista - Luxardo Sangue Morlacco, Bulleit Rye, Campari, Smoked Mozzarella Water

Torta di Capri - Warm Almond & Chocolate Cake

To finish, G went all festive with a Venetian Christmas - Luxardo Sangue Morlacco, Hot Americano Coffee, Christmas Spice and Double Cream. I'm still not sold on hot cocktails but Irish coffee fans would enjoy this Italian twist. Scroll down to see my current favourite Luxardo serve.

Venetian Christmas - Luxardo Sangue Morlacco, Hot Americano Coffee, Christmas Spice and Double Cream

Obica & Luxardo worked very well together, and they are both especially appealing in the Summer months. I suggest you get yourself over to Obica from 5pm-7pm every day for Aperitivo Hour for free taster plates with drinks - an Italian tradition that really should have taken off here by now. Don't miss the smoked mozzarella, and get yourself a Pomodorino di Piennolo pizza before it's too late!

Obica Poland Street - obica.com // Luxardo Liqueurs - luxardococktails.com

19-20 Poland Street, London, W1F 8QF

Mon-Sat - 12pm-11pm / Sun 12pm-10pm

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Matt The Luxardo / Luxardo The List

1 Quiquiriqui Matatlan Mezcal

0.5 Luxardo Maraschino

0.75 Luxardo Aperitivo

0.75 Lime Juice

A.K.A Division Bell (created by Philip Ward at Mayahuel NYC)

Usually made with a smoky Del Maguey Mezcal and Aperol

Shake with ice and strain into chilled coupe - garnish with a grapefruit twist

It's my birthday today (hooray!), so I think I can get away with a writing-light, photo-heavy post, don't you? I had two stonking meals in London last week that will still be in my mind in a year's time.

I'll start with Soho's buzziest new joint, but you can skip ahead for some farm-to-table dining at The Shed by clicking here.

And if you are just here to read about an upcoming popup involving TINY PIGS then click here.

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Wednesday 4th March - First up though is Blacklock on Great Windmill Street, your one-stop shop for chops, cheesecake and cocktails on Great Windmill Street. Despite only opening a couple of weeks ago, the queues are already forming up the stairs and down the street for this buzzy basement brothel hangout from Hawksmoor alumni.

They aren't taking reservations at the moment, but this should be changing fairly soon. The wait in the bar flies by when there is wine on tap and £5 cocktails, including a cracking Aperol Negroni and "Grandma's Spiked Lemonade". You can even get yourself a £45 bottled cocktail for the table if you know you are in for the long haul. A short but interesting beer list struggles to compete on prices.

You can order bits and bobs from the concise menu, but there's only really one option. ALL IN.

Pre-chop bites followed by Beef, Pork & Lamb chops piled on charcoal-grilled flat bread to share with a choice of side for £20 per person. No brainer.

When a large group goes for this, the chop pile is truly a sight to behold. The only slight issue is that you will find it difficult to choose one from a mouth-watering selection of sides:

- 10 hour ash roasted sweet potato

- Barbequed baby gems

- Charred courgettes, chicory and stilton

- Heritage carrots and meat radish

- Kale and parmesan

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. We started with the Cheese & Pickleand Filthy Hampre-chop bites which shouldn't be overlooked. These seemingly measly starters are in fact little mouthfuls of joy, packed with flavour.

Filthy Ham

Cheese & Pickle

They are soon a distant memory when the plate of chops piled on top of deliciously soggy flatbread arrives, surrounded by sides. We opt in the end for the charred courgettes, chicory and stilton and 10 hour ash roasted sweet potato - both outrageoulsy good. The glorious chops, cooked over charcoal, do not disappoint. My partner in crime for the evening is usually defeated by her over-ordering and leaves the rest to me, but this was sadly not the case at Blacklock as she happily hoovered up her half of the table, save for a sliver of bread which I gratefully demolished.

All The Chops.

Charred Courgettes, Chicory & Stilton

10 Hour Ash Roasted Sweet Potato

All In.

No more chops

And to finish, if you have any space, the witty staff bring round a tub of their baked New York cheesecake with a hint of white chocolate, with a "say when" approach to portion sizes. A teacup of rhubarb coulis is thrown in for good measure. At £4 for a monstrous portion, you won't leave feeling short changed.

How much do you want?

White Chocolate & Vanilla Baked Cheesecake with Rhubarb Coulis

As long as you know what you are in for, Blacklock is an absolute triumph. It could easily be a stressful experience, but the staff handle everything in style and keep everyone happy with a good dose of humour. Go hungry and thirsty with a group of friends, and don't be in a rush.

If you like the like the look of Blacklock, you might also enjoy Soho's Smoking Goat

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Saturday 7th March - I wrote about The Shed a loooooong time ago, but I thought I'd just post a few photos from a wonderful lunch there last week. Any thoughts that The Shed might suffer as a result of opening their second restaurant Rabbit (also wonderful) were quickly dispelled as the outstanding small plates started to build up.

As you may know, both restaurants are run by two Gladwin brothers, one of whom was in the kitchen on our visit. The majority of the food and wine is sourced from their Nutbourne farm (where a third brother earns a living), and the drinks menu shows off the best of British with the likes of Chase, Sipsmith, Sacred and Compass Box heavily featured. The bar is worth visiting just for the booze.

It's an eye-catching little space, full of rustic charm, with mirrors at either end that cleverly extend the room. They still insist on a variety of uncomfortable chairs which could do with a rethink, but the food provides ample distraction, as does the occasional live music. The staff do a very fine job, displaying solid knowledge of the menu, and being generally cheerful throughout a busy lunch period in a confined space.

We happily ate all of this:

- the shed malt star sourdough bread 2.0

- white bean hummus, cinnamon dukkah, heritage carrots 7.5

- stout smoked mackerel, pumpkin, kale, cranberry, linseeds 7.5

- rainbow beetroot salad, nutbourne feta, sunflower seeds, star anise 8.0

- salsify, pear, walnut, endive, chanterelles 8.0

- carrot, potato noodles, sesame seeds, coriander 7.5

- venison cigars, shed mustard, tarragon 8.0

- spiced salt beef, barley, preserved lemon, shallot, lovage 9.50

- pan fried goat’s cheese, hazelnut, honey, thyme 6.5

- spring greens, field mushrooms, shallots, linseeds, sherry 7.0

- nutbourne venison, smoked potato, artichoke, three cornered garlic 11.0

- cheese plate - tornegus, montgomery, mayfield swiss, finn 4.50

- the shed magnum vienetta parfait 6.0

- honeycomb crunchy, chocolate, mascarpone, tarragon sugar 6.0

The Shed Malt Star Sourdough Bread

White Bean Hummus, Cinnamon Dukkah, Heritage Carrots

Rainbow Beetroot Salad, Nutbourne Feta, Sunflower Seeds, Star Anise

Pan Fried Goat's Cheese, Hazelnut, Honey, Thyme

Carrot, Potato Noodles, Sesame Seeds, Coriander

Spring Greens, Field Mushrooms, Shallots, Linseeds, Sherry

Spiced Salt Beef, Barley, Preserved Lemon, Shallots, Lovage

Venison Cigars, Shed Mustard, Tarragon

Nutbourne Venison, Smoked Potato, Artichoke, Three Cornered Garlic

Honeycomb Crunchy, Chocolate, Mascarpone, Tarragon Sugar

Oustanding from start to finish - The Shed is another one to go for in a group to make the most of sharing a variety of small plates.

If you like the look of The Shed, you might also enjoy reading about Rabbit, their new restaurant.

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I don't often do previews, but when TINY PIGS are involved, one must make an exception:

Yelp, Petpiggies and The Proud Archivist presents The London Pop-Up Pignic!

When: May 21 - 22, Thursday and Friday, 6 to 10pm

May 23 - 25, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, 2 to 6pm

Where: The Proud Archivist, 2-10 Hertford Road, London N1 5SH.

What: This will not just be a sit-down experience but a multi-room, piggy educational evening. Yelp will be working with both animal charities and animal welfare groups to educate about Micro Pigs and Micro Pig Ownership. They want to make it clear that a potential journey towards pet pig ownership must start with realistic size expectations. This is where Yelp, Petpiggies and The Proud Archivist will work to educate the public with The Pignic in the hope that fewer pigs will end up being abandoned.

Price: £30 per ticket, which will include the full evening, including food, a piggy themed cocktail, pig themed education and activities, and, above all, time with the most adorable litter of pigs you've ever seen. Money from every ticket will also go to their charity partner, Farms not Factories.

Learn more about the #LondonPignic here.

Just a tiny pig.

Joyeux Bordel

Kilburn Ironworks - Ladies & Gentlemen - Knowhere Special - Hook Camden

Bao - Bleecker Burger - One Mile End Brewery at The White Hart Brewpub

Model Market - 5CC at Singer Tavern - LCC Islington

Dalston Yard - Dalston Roof Park

That Hungry Chef - Zoe's Ghana Kitchen - Smokehouse - Joe's Southern Kitchen

Bean & Hop - By The Horns - We Brought Beer - The Beer Hive - UBREW

Taberna do Mercado - Rosita & The Sherry Bar

The Truscott Arms - Max's Sandwich Shop - Ollie Templeton at Carousel

Kansas Smitty's Bar

Sesame - Crosstown Doughnuts - Babur

Senor Ceviche - Summer Spritz Bar at Merchant House - Bermondsey Arts Club - Ohayo

EXCLUSIVE : The Crystal Maze

The Jolly Gardeners - Chick'N'Sours - Fu Manchu

Pop Brixton

Street Kitchen - Two-Bit - Playground and Proof - News

Berber & Q - Grain Store Unleashed - The Shed - Baja California at Wahaca - Bull in a China Shop - Wine & Music at Terroirs

City Academy : Lifestyle Photography

Barrafina - Balls & Company - Luxardo at Obica

Blacklock - The Shed - The London Pignic