MyVillage

Harry Morgan's, Paddington

14-10-2009

1 Review(s)     

Harry Morgan's is a renowned institution amongst North London folk. With a cross section of clients from the St. John's Wood Jewish community hankering for some Jewish style grub, to the local labourers stocking up on coffee and sandwiches, to any passer-by inclined for a little nibble post-shopping. It is also notable in its reputation for their long serving staff, with some waitresses having worked there longer than my life span.

As I arrived, still unused to the quick setting of the sun, I was indeed in the mood for something hearty and comforting, which is what Harry's is allegedly all about. With the prestige of being voted 'The best chicken soup in London' and such an established reputation I was eager to dive in and brush off the inkiness that is get-dark-early October.

Slinking onto one comfy black leather bench I find Harry's has a surprisingly new and polished feel to it, considering its old-school reputation. I opted for the chicken soup whilst my friend goes for a plate of the salt beef & tongue. Now for me this is a bit of an introduction to the New York/Jewish deli approach but I found the soup very tasty. In particular I was a fan of, what I now know to be, Matzah balls. These little dumpling style things where a great addition for me and the stodginess complimented the subtle extract of the soup very well. I also had a nibble on the salt beef and, inadvertently I hasten to add, the tongue from my friends plate. The salt beef was great but yet again my inexperience with this sort of cuisine leaves me little to compare it to. The tongue however definitely did not float my boat, most likely because I am somewhat of a philistine in what parts of animals I like to eat but also as for me the texture of tongue is akin to chewing on what I imagine soft leather to be like.

We ended our mains and hit the dessert list with a self assured calm. If there is one thing I now about deli style it is cheesecake. However deciding to be adventurous I ordered the home made Lokshen Pudding. It was a fantastic dessert with a great balance of creaminess and gelatinous texture with the addition of the broad noodles giving it some wallop. A spot on sweet treat!

For me Harry Morgan's was in interesting eat outside of my usual fare and a very enjoyable location. The staff were pleasant and the service inviting, as is the venue itself. I imagine it is an ideal lunchtime destination and a quick evening bite spot, but with their menu consisting largely of offal it is a slight minefield for me to navigate through, however with the success of the soup and the dessert alone it is a definitely worth a visit, especially if like me you know little to next to nothing about this sort of culinary style.

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Eight Club Moorgate, City of London

10-08-2009

1 Review(s)     

Arriving at Eight Club on a horrifically rainy summers evening I am already feeling put out by this sudden bout of bad weather. Fortunately things were about to take a turn for the better….

The Eight Club Moorgate is the new sister project of the Eight Club located in Bank. Brand new and with the success of its sibling to live up to this smart members club boasts a new Modern European restaurant that has a lot of people in the City talking. Keen to find out if it’s all ‘City Boy’ hype the wife and I arrive from West London, arriving at the reception of the Eight Club resembling drowned rats. The front of house are welcoming and in no time we are feeling much better as we are given a whizz-round tour of the venue.

Eight is host to a members lounge, a restaurant, a library, an individual meeting room, a private dining room and a bespoke tailors all encased in a glass structure with impressive terraces giving you a fantastic panoramic of the city. By nightfall the views are terrific.

As we saunter through the members bar our host points out a large wine cabinet. He explains that members are free to store their own selection of wine or premium spirits, whilst he does assure me this is not because the selection at Eight is limited, rather it is a privilege that comes with membership. Definitely a nice touch.

Once seated in the dining room we were served some great bread with full, rich butter. The dining room at Eight has a understated feel to it and in some way its uncomplicated approach to decor really draw you into the great views outside and also the service going on around you.

We got to ordering with the wife going for the lobster and salmon tortellini with sauteed spinach & shellfish sauce and I ordered the seared scallops on Clonakility black pudding with baby leaf salad. As always I was utterly jealous once the starters arrived, not because my scallops weren’t perfectly cooked, which they were and not because the odd mix of seafood and blood sausage didn’t work, which of course it did. No, I was jealous because although mine was great everything about hers, including probably the fact that it was hers, came together so excellently it was almost sublime. The slightly al dente tortellini with its soft and rich contents married with the spinach was, simply, too good. I ate my fantastic scallops in silence watching her plate with slightly excessive attention.

For our mains I had the char grilled Scottish rib eye steak with béarnaise sauce and Safia went for the newest edition to the menu, the duck confit. We shared a side of broccoli. The steak was faultless, cooked precisely and with its juices sealed in by its quick searing. The duck also was perfect with the meat falling of the bone and with a complex taste of sweet and salty magnifying its texture. Another huge success from Eight. On another note the broccoli, something usually of little interest to me other than its health properties, were cooked to a naturalistic crunch and left me gauging my own culinary skills, unable to work out how my attempts never come out as such.

When it came to desert the choices were so hedonistic we thought we would go all the way and do a selection of them all. Although they were all delicious the stand out for me was the chocolate torte with salted caramel ice cream and the elderflower jelly with melon sorbet, all be it slightly summery for the occasion. This is the first time I have tried salty ice cream and again the dark richness of the torte was complimented, albeit unusually, by the offset of the salt and caramel. The jelly was just superbly subtle and wholly refreshing. The display of these deserts is also worth mentioning as they really were beautiful.

For me the Eight Club has everything that a top end establishment should offer. You are looked after unequivocally, it’s comfortable, the service and food are at the highest echelon, and you have a degree of privacy. It is not a place to dine if you are looking for something vibrant and theatrical, as I said it has a restrained atmosphere in the dining room but for me this added to the appreciation of the surroundings and food. I will definitely be looking forward to returning next time.

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Bureau, West End

23-06-2009

3 Review(s)     

We had a little bit of a job finding Bureau which is, i imagine, exactly the desired effect. A boutique members bar Bureau is indeed a sophisticated find. In order to access this subtle entrance one must first use the membership card to 'swipe' in, avoiding any unnecessary bun fights with security and also adding a seductive thrill into the admission. Once inside Bureau oozes a understated opulence with distressed walls paired with plush mirrors, glamorous 30's furniture and dotted with numerous Swarovski crystal chandeliers. Impressed we saunter up to the bar to see if the drinks can match the venue. Going for a 'Lady Martini' a rose flavored variation on the Martini, i was gladdened by it's delicate taste, excellent texture but saddened how i felt like a big girls blouse ordering such a girly named drink. By the time i had drained my glass i was no longer obsessing over my girly ties and i was ready for some finger food, clearly invigorated by this Lady Martini knocking my socks off.

We ordered some Asian inspired mixed nibbles consisting of chicken satay, Thai fish cakes and other various goodness. Absolutely delicious and somewhat unexpected as i have often found that clubs offering such good cocktails often falter when it comes to the food menu. By this point our group was told that as a member you are able to store any bespoke drink you fancy onto your members card which then show up for the cocktail team every time you enter.

For me little things like having your own personal cocktail list stored on you membership card really convey that this is venue where you are constantly the focus of the team, which in order to make me part with my cash to become a member is a necessity. I loved the sort of prohibition/ speak-easy feel to the place which feels miles away from the fake in-your-face glamour of certain West End clubs. Bureau for me is definitely on to a winner.

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Searcy's, Hammersmith

22-06-2009

1 Review(s)     

Searcy's Champagne Bar is the cure for any shopaholic whom, midway through a tough purchase decision, needs a little time to rest their feet and have some sophisticated nibbles along with a glass of the bubbly stuff.

Located in the chicer than chic part of Westfield, The Village, and nestled between two high-end designer stores Searcy's is eye-catching immediately for its unique and sleek design and its imposing ornate chandelier. Hopping onto one of the leather and nickel stools, we scour the wine list and discover that the range of champagne is absolutely vast, 8 of which are served by the glass. We decide to go for a glass of the Lanson Brut Rose and a glass of Pommery. When the flutes arrive we are pretty impressed as they are the classiest glasses i have come across. The service also was very personable with the waiter going through all the correct motions of pouring etc. without being too stuffy about it. Always a bonus.

We shared a little pot of strawberries and cream which had a little meringue added for good measure, giving it a the added va va voom in the texture department and complimenting the champagne perfectly. Leaving a little giddier than we arrived we went out to brave Shepherds Bush making note to put Searcy's on the mental map of where to go in Westfield.

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Madsen, Kensington

17-04-2009

2 Review(s)     

After only six months of being open Madsen has just been awarded with its first AA rosette.
Definitely one to check out....

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