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Neris
Mar 7, 2004

don't you dare use the word 'party' as a verb in this shop
http://londonist.com/2014/02/dont-stay-in-2-10-great-meals-out-for-under-20-each.php

Good stuff from the Londonist, points for mentioning Yalla Yalla and Kulu Kulu (so nice they named them twice lol)

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wickles
Oct 12, 2009

"In England we have a saying for a situation such as this, which is that it's difficult difficult lemon difficult."

Neris posted:

http://londonist.com/2014/02/dont-stay-in-2-10-great-meals-out-for-under-20-each.php

Good stuff from the Londonist, points for mentioning Yalla Yalla and Kulu Kulu (so nice they named them twice lol)

Last went to Kobo 2 years ago and it was great then - think I'm due another visit soon.

The_Doctor
Mar 29, 2007

"The entire history of this incarnation is one of temporal orbits, retcons, paradoxes, parallel time lines, reiterations, and divergences. How anyone can make head or tail of all this chaos, I don't know."

Spuckuk posted:

Notes is really good coffee, as is the cafe at the top of Snow + Rock (Bullet?)

Monmouth still do the second best coffee I've had in this country though.

What's the first?

therattle
Jul 24, 2007
Soiled Meat

The_Doctor posted:

What's the first?

Someone took the bait...

Spuckuk
Aug 11, 2009

Being a bastard works



therattle posted:

Someone took the bait...

Yeah, obvious I know.

Bold Street Coffee in Liverpool. They really, really know their stuff, and make perfect filter coffee / aeropress. Monmouth has the edge in Cappucinos though.

The_Doctor
Mar 29, 2007

"The entire history of this incarnation is one of temporal orbits, retcons, paradoxes, parallel time lines, reiterations, and divergences. How anyone can make head or tail of all this chaos, I don't know."
I've discovered the Espresso Room in Great Ormond St. Even tinier than Monmouth, but does a really nice filter coffee.

Juice Packets
Sep 22, 2005

They're Handy But They Leak Like Fuck!™

Spuckuk posted:

Yeah, obvious I know.

Bold Street Coffee in Liverpool. They really, really know their stuff, and make perfect filter coffee / aeropress. Monmouth has the edge in Cappucinos though.

gently caress. Yes. This is my local and they have never put a foot wrong. I do wish they'd start using Bonsoy though.

distortion park
Apr 25, 2011


The_Doctor posted:

I've discovered the Espresso Room in Great Ormond St. Even tinier than Monmouth, but does a really nice filter coffee.

It's really cool, don't try and go with more than one friend though!

BizarroAzrael
Apr 6, 2006

"That must weigh heavily on your soul. Let me purge it for you."
Man, Uxbridge really has nowhere good to ea-




loving YES.

Spuckuk
Aug 11, 2009

Being a bastard works



Juice Packets posted:

gently caress. Yes. This is my local and they have never put a foot wrong. I do wish they'd start using Bonsoy though.

They even tell you when they give you your coffee that its better black with no sugar :P

yung lambic
Dec 16, 2011

BizarroAzrael posted:

Man, Uxbridge really has nowhere good to ea-




loving YES.

This is brilliant. Although Baroosh was a nice bar. Uxbridge = gets Five Guys, loses its only decent bar. Heh.

I used to spend four hours a day travelling across London to commute there to my last job. Eurgh.

BizarroAzrael
Apr 6, 2006

"That must weigh heavily on your soul. Let me purge it for you."

Convexed posted:

This is brilliant. Although Baroosh was a nice bar. Uxbridge = gets Five Guys, loses its only decent bar. Heh.

I used to spend four hours a day travelling across London to commute there to my last job. Eurgh.

Heard that about Baroosh, but never went.

Seems Five Guys are expanding in the UK pretty aggressively, theres one opening in Westfield Shepherds Bush too.

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

I'm in Balham/Clapham. Where are all the blood puddings at? Pubs only serve burgers. I like burgers but doesn't anyone eat the traditional stuff down here?

The_Doctor
Mar 29, 2007

"The entire history of this incarnation is one of temporal orbits, retcons, paradoxes, parallel time lines, reiterations, and divergences. How anyone can make head or tail of all this chaos, I don't know."

corkskroo posted:

I'm in Balham/Clapham. Where are all the blood puddings at? Pubs only serve burgers. I like burgers but doesn't anyone eat the traditional stuff down here?

Firstly, it's called black pudding here. Secondly, hit up any cafe with a breakfast menu. Pubs aren't usually so good on breakfast (or indeed open for it).

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

The_Doctor posted:

Firstly, it's called black pudding here. Secondly, hit up any cafe with a breakfast menu. Pubs aren't usually so good on breakfast (or indeed open for it).

Thanks. I'll keep an eye out. I'm afraid that all the Australian and American expats in this area have caused places to dumb down their menus. Little in the way of arch-traditional or adventurous as far as I can see, at least in the places I've checked out so far. Mostly burgers and fish and chips. Pork belly is about as interesting as it gets. There's a cute breakfast cafe off Clapham South that does a nice breakfast but the sausages aren't black. Maybe I'll try to ask...

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

corkskroo posted:

doesn't anyone eat the traditional stuff down here?
...
arch-traditional or adventurous as far as I can see, at least in the places I've checked out so far. Mostly burgers and fish and chips. Pork belly is about as interesting as it gets.
Are you thinking of anything in particular when you talk about 'traditional stuff' other than just black pudding? If you have an idea of what you're after, we might have some suggestions.

Spuckuk
Aug 11, 2009

Being a bastard works



The_Doctor posted:

Firstly, it's called black pudding here. Secondly, hit up any cafe with a breakfast menu. Pubs aren't usually so good on breakfast (or indeed open for it).

To be fair, a lot of greasy spoons in London don't do black pudding either.

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

I guess I'm just looking for more stuff that I couldn't get at any random restaurant in Baltimore. In other parts of town I've seen plenty of black pudding with a fried egg dishes or kidneys/liver etc. I'm not expecting roast marrow bones or anything (although I'd order them!) but something other than pizzas and burgers.

The Nightingale has pie day on Tuesdays... I'm hoping that that will give me a little more of that homegrown food that I'm wanting.

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

corkskroo posted:

I guess I'm just looking for more stuff that I couldn't get at any random restaurant in Baltimore. In other parts of town I've seen plenty of black pudding with a fried egg dishes or kidneys/liver etc. I'm not expecting roast marrow bones or anything (although I'd order them!) but something other than pizzas and burgers.

The Nightingale has pie day on Tuesdays... I'm hoping that that will give me a little more of that homegrown food that I'm wanting.

I have no idea what there is available in Baltimore. Is there something in particular that you're curious about? A lot of places have things that aren't pizza and burgers.

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

I guess more uniquely English food. I don't know more to say. I've mentioned black pudding, offal and pie as things I'm looking for and hamburgers and pizza as things I'm not. Not sure how much more info I can give. Let's put it this way: I just moved from the States. American-style food (Five Guys) is not interesting to me. Not to say I'll never order a burger at a pub, but I'm not seeking them out.

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

corkskroo posted:

I guess more uniquely English food. I don't know more to say. I've mentioned black pudding, offal and pie as things I'm looking for and hamburgers and pizza as things I'm not. Not sure how much more info I can give. Let's put it this way: I just moved from the States. American-style food (Five Guys) is not interesting to me. Not to say I'll never order a burger at a pub, but I'm not seeking them out.

Ah, I get you a bit more now. I guess part of the issue is that there's not a lot of uniquely English food. We did the colonialism thing and now the food you get here is a mishmash of loads of cuisines, and there's a big preference for food from other places - it has been said that chicken tikka masala is our national dish, for example. You could maybe look at going for a roast dinner somewhere? I know a lot of people enjoy Hawksmoor and places for special occasions.

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

Thanks. I'll look into that. I've had Sunday roast in the neighbourhood at a couple of places with varying results. But maybe I have to resign myself to the fact that the non "ethic" food in my neighbourhood plays it very safe. I'm also verrrrry interested in the various immigrant communities for food but that's another question for another day. Right now I just want some pie and mash and some guts. I guess if that was my top priority I should have taken the flat across the street from Smithfields. But alas it wasn't.

distortion park
Apr 25, 2011


corkskroo posted:

Thanks. I'll look into that. I've had Sunday roast in the neighbourhood at a couple of places with varying results. But maybe I have to resign myself to the fact that the non "ethic" food in my neighbourhood plays it very safe. I'm also verrrrry interested in the various immigrant communities for food but that's another question for another day. Right now I just want some pie and mash and some guts. I guess if that was my top priority I should have taken the flat across the street from Smithfields. But alas it wasn't.

Just go to a pub (or 'gastropub') and order something, there will be a bunch of them which do good food near you.

The_Doctor
Mar 29, 2007

"The entire history of this incarnation is one of temporal orbits, retcons, paradoxes, parallel time lines, reiterations, and divergences. How anyone can make head or tail of all this chaos, I don't know."

corkskroo posted:

Thanks. I'll look into that. I've had Sunday roast in the neighbourhood at a couple of places with varying results. But maybe I have to resign myself to the fact that the non "ethic" food in my neighbourhood plays it very safe. I'm also verrrrry interested in the various immigrant communities for food but that's another question for another day. Right now I just want some pie and mash and some guts. I guess if that was my top priority I should have taken the flat across the street from Smithfields. But alas it wasn't.

I'd take a flat by Smithfields any day over Clapham. Nice central location!

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

pointsofdata posted:

Just go to a pub (or 'gastropub') and order something, there will be a bunch of them which do good food near you.

I've been checking them all out, hence the questions. I dig them (well most of them) but was hoping for more from the menus. Burgers and pizza are rampant.

Regarding the Smithfield thing, that's for another thread. My flat hunt was very hurried and pretty weird. But not food-related. Still, Clapham/Balham is good living.

distortion park
Apr 25, 2011


corkskroo posted:

I've been checking them all out, hence the questions. I dig them (well most of them) but was hoping for more from the menus. Burgers and pizza are rampant.

Regarding the Smithfield thing, that's for another thread. My flat hunt was very hurried and pretty weird. But not food-related. Still, Clapham/Balham is good living.

I don't know Clapham well but this place looks like what you want:
http://www.bistrounion.co.uk/
Looks a bit annoying but whatever.



Saw this while I was looking and really want to go now:
http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/mongolian-grill

sweek0
May 22, 2006

Let me fall out the window
With confetti in my hair
Deal out jacks or better
On a blanket by the stairs
I'll tell you all my secrets
But I lie about my past
If you're in Clapham also try the Bread & Roses. It's one of my favourite pubs, the kind you really wouldn't expect in a place like Clapham. The food is pretty decent, too.

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

Thanks guys. That Bread and Roses menu is exactly what I'm hoping to avoid. Nachos, chicken burgers, "Cajun" chicken wrap. I guess I need to accept the fact that the shady scumbag who shoved me off on Clapham has lame expat tastes. I was trying for my first choice flat (Islington/Hackney border)but he claimed someone else snapped it up and stuck me in Clapham, home of burger-mania (there's even a Burger King.). Whatever, that's what the tube is for.

sweat poteto
Feb 16, 2006

Everybody's gotta learn sometime
Face it, you traded one relatively wealthy 1st world city for another - the cuisine is not going to vary much. That's OK, so did most of us. London is a mash up of all the cultures that make the city what it is. There's excellent food around, even in SW4. Try Abbeville Kitchen and The Dairy for instance. But "traditional" English cuisine? No one actually wants that any more. The closest you're going to get is something like a Sunday roast at a decent pub or dinner at St John.

distortion park
Apr 25, 2011


corkskroo posted:

Thanks guys. That Bread and Roses menu is exactly what I'm hoping to avoid. Nachos, chicken burgers, "Cajun" chicken wrap. I guess I need to accept the fact that the shady scumbag who shoved me off on Clapham has lame expat tastes. I was trying for my first choice flat (Islington/Hackney border)but he claimed someone else snapped it up and stuck me in Clapham, home of burger-mania (there's even a Burger King.). Whatever, that's what the tube is for.

There are Burger King's all over London it isn't really an expat thing (at the other end of the scale 'artisanal' burger places have been trendy for a while too). London isn't full of people eating eel pie and mash all the time (I think there's a place which serves it near Camden Road station?), it's one of the most international cities in the world and the food on offer reflects that, from bland looking places to restaurants serving incredibly specific regional cuisine. Take advantage of the ethnic food whenever you can and at least you'll have tried something new.

On the bread and roses menu Bangers and Mash, Fish and chips and gammon steak are all moderately english I think? I'm not sure really counts as 'English' cuisine anyway.

distortion park
Apr 25, 2011


Hackney also has a pretty high concentration of the dreaded burger bars - porbably more than Clapham.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Can't get more native-London cuisine than the chicken shop, especially when there's an S in your postcode.

sweek0
May 22, 2006

Let me fall out the window
With confetti in my hair
Deal out jacks or better
On a blanket by the stairs
I'll tell you all my secrets
But I lie about my past
The Bread and Roses actually does do a very decent fish and chips. I'm mostly recommending it because it's a good pub more so than for the amazing food. Anyway, go to St. John or a place like Market for traditional English cuisine.

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

I want the option to subsist on nothing but eel pie dammit.

sweat poteto
Feb 16, 2006

Everybody's gotta learn sometime
Poached eggs and a flat white is the new eel pie & mash.

holyraygun
Oct 11, 2004

A few more suggestions... Lamberts in Balham has pork with black pudding on the menu at the moment. The Rookery gastropub on Clapham Common always seems to have at least a couple of interesting savoury pies on the menu. If you can venture further up to Stockwell, the Canton Arms is worth a look too. Also, as others have mentioned, St John is well known for their offal and worth the trip to Smithfields.

If you really insist on eating eels with pie & mash, Manze's is the most well known I think..

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

Thanks, I will check those out. I am a fan of St John and have eaten at their bar a number of times. The proximity to them from the Smithfield flat gave me pause even though everything else was wrong (well it was close to work too).

And don't get me wrong, I love burgers. I had a great one at the Grove in Balham. There's also a 24 cab stand in Clapham Common where you'll probably spot me eating a greasy burger or bacon nutty from time to time.

For fish and chips I might be good with Moxons since their fish is super-fresh (their fishmonger side is right around the corner) but good to know which pubs make a good version and which use crummy frozen fish.

sweat poteto
Feb 16, 2006

Everybody's gotta learn sometime
Kerbisher & Malt is coming to Abbeville Rd in April.

corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

Yessssss

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corkskroo
Sep 10, 2004

petition.org.uk/st-john-balham

corkskroo fucked around with this message at 19:30 on Mar 24, 2014

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