Sucre, Argentinean SteakHouse

Argentinean Chef Fernando Trocca has opened its first restaurant out of Argentina, and let me tell you, it’s really good.

WHY? Because it has all the things you would like in a night out in town.

A beautiful dining space, calling out Buenos Aires left right and center with big ceilings and chandeliers made of wine decanters. A great music system. Excellence service and even better food. On top of it all, a terrific cocktail “Abajo” (which means downstairs in Spanish, and where the bar is located). In here, live music and DJs are on play for to drink and dance away the night.

WHAT SHOULD YOU GET? This is an Argentinean restaurant so in our humble opinion, you MUST try empanadas, the steak and the Malbec. It really is a simple formula, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it? The restaurant specializes in open fire cooking so you are in it to win it with a grilled rib eye steak. So big, you’ll have to share. Yum. I suggest you stay for at least one cocktail at Abajo. I won’t spoil the surprise, but their drinks have a little extra je ne sais quois that you won’t find elsewhere in London. Beware though, these come at the steep price of 17 pounds.

The food menu is fairly reasonable price-wise, we paid 45gbp per person with a bottle of wine for two to share.

WHERE IS IT? 47B Great Marlborough St, London W1F 7JP

WHEN IS IT OPEN? eeeeevery day guys! Both for lunch (12 -2,30pm) and dinner (5-10,30pm). Abajo is also open until 2am.

Let this party get started!

TCB xx

Hush Mayfair

A classic in the area, Hush Mayfair has come back to the list of favorites thanks to its beautiful Italian-style courtyard, which will leave you feeling you are in lemon land without leaving London

WHY should you go? Because you have a bar, a restaurant and a beautiful courtyard (with heaters!) inspired in the Italian summer, all in one place. More over, it is tucked away in a mews style street, just a few steps from New Bond Street, so you can come after a workout in the city center or your casual shopping spree in the area. What’s not to like?

WHAT should you get? It was very difficult to choose from this menu as everything sounded so delicious! However, we highly recommend trying a couple of cocktails whilst nibbling on few olives and focaccia and diving into the truffle gnocchi and the roasted aubergine as mains as these did not disappoint by one bit! I don’t think we’ve tried such delicious and fresh gnocchi in years. Their desserts are also worth trying, specially the cheesecake and the lavender creme brulee.

Average price per person: £60 (including a cocktail and two glasses of wine!)

WHERE is it? 8 Lancashire Ct, London W1S 1EY

WHEN is it open? EVERYDAY guys! Everyday, from 12pm to 10pm.

Know Your Dumplings

I'm a sucker for dumplings, what can I say. If there was something I could indulge into every day (aside from bread, fries and ice-cream) that would be dumplings. And it’s a funny story, cause when I first got introduce to these beauties I was not super keen on them. It was during my first ever travel abroad, to Hong Kong. My friends out there took me out for Dim Sum and the westerner/ continental side of me could not cope with the variety and look of these little things. Little did I know these would become my obsession later on…

As a good dumplings lover, I’ve been travelling all over the city to find the absolute best dumplings in town, and here is what I found:

SOHO

Conveniently located off Carnaby St, Ugly Dumpling (1 Newburgh St) is the new kid on the block. It provides all your street food essentials with a twist, including pork belly, aromatic duck, satay chicken and prawn & chive but aaalso what they call “new favorites” which basically is a feast of flavors in a 5-piece dumpling platter. Lamb, harissa & yogurt, cauliflower & potato and halloume & courgette were surprisingly some of my favorites.

Not only they had a great selection on offer but also dessert dumplings! Matcha-filled dumplings bonanza or blueberry jam fried dumplings with clotted cream. I mean, shall I say more?  

CHINATOWN

Dumplings Legend (15-16 Gerrard St) is probably my old time favorite. Whenever I fancy a quick fix or just wanna hang out for a while in the area, this is always a good choice. Despite having tons of people working there sometimes service lacks attention, however quality-price is unbeatable. Also, they are open for business till 2AM pretty much every day. That’s an absolute winner in my dictionary.

Beijing Dumpling (23 Lisle St) is probably the best in Chinatown when it comes to dumplings. Also, who does not love seeing how these are made in front of you?

MARYLEBONE

Royal China (40-42 Baker St) is perfect for Sunday Brunch (that is, Dim Sum), which not only offers dumplings but a wide range of great chinese/ hong-kong cuisine. Unfortunately, they do not take reservations and this place is quite renown by locals (and not so locals), therefore you may need to cue for a bit. The menu selection is vast, so vast you don’t know where to start, but pretty much all dishes are a winner.

HACKNEY

My Neighbours The Dumplings in Homerton/Clapton (165 Lower Clapton Rd) and also Victori Park is definitely one of my recent locals. It holds a sake bar in their basement and the food was simply exceptional. Again, a bit of an Asian mix here, which included gyozas and dumplings and even dumplings with a European twist. Their menu also includes dessert dumplings, which is becoming on of my new favorite things. Argh, so much for that ‘no-sugar’ diet…

SHOREDITCH

Dumpling Shack is a MUST on Saturdays at Spitafields Market. Open everyday for lunch (and at times also in the evening), this little spot possibly delivers one of my favorite dumplings in town. The menu is extremely limited, but what they do they do GREAT. Fried soup dumpling at its best and extremely delicious hand made noodles at the shack next door. What else could you ask for?

SeaBird, the rooftop of the year

ROOFTOP VIEWS FROM SEABIRD, LONDON.

Hello seafood lovers out there,

we’ve got great news for you: Seabird.

On top of the newest Hoxton Hotel in Southwark, you’ll find this beautiful rooftop restaurant, which counts with the longest oyster list in the city and the most incredible raw bar.

WHY should you go? Because, without a doubt, you’ll have a great time. Similarly to Madera, Seabird is a very sexy restaurant. Staff is extremely caring and friendly, the wine list is on point and the seafood portions are generous (though pricey, obvs). Also, the views are fenomenal and the fact that you have both indoors and outdoors space is a plus. It kind of felt like being back in NYC.

WHAT will you get? Traditional seafood dishes with a twist. My favorite was the octopus roll in a brioche bun with padron peppers and smoked aioli (yum!) and the scallop ceviche. Needless to say the oyster were fresh and juicy, and meaty! If you are a fan of oysters, this is your place. To finish it of, go for the manchego cheesecake; it’s to die for.

WHERE is it? 40 Blackfriars Rd, SE1 8NY

WHEN can you go? Thursday to Saturday from 11:30 to 11pm and Sundays from 11:30 to 6pm. British timings for ya!

Average price per person (including a bottle of wine for two, and tipping): £70

Madera, You Sexy Mexican Beast!

Madera

The sexiest Mexican Rooftop Restaurant in the city. Don’t miss out!

The venue is called Madera, which means ‘wood’ in Spanish, is on the 35th floor of TreeHouse Hotel, right in front of the BBC Building in Marylebone.. Prices are rather on the steep side, but if you are up for play, this place will certainly deliver.

WHY go? Because the ambiance is fab, there is minimal techno and house bumping whilst you are sipping the nicest tequila or mezcal cocktails (at the steep price of 16GBP a glass) or indulging into a lovely bio wine (around 40GBP a bottle), the stuff is lovely and the food is fantastic. Why wouldn’t you go?

WHAT will you get? The menu here is to be shared, so obviously we tried a bit of everything. A bi pico de Gallo (tortilla chips & salsa) whilst we decide what to order and then we went for a couple of starters and two mains. We were stuffed! You definitely don’t need more than that. Our favourites on the menu were the octopus salad, the ceviches (any of them) and the rock signatures (we went for chicken). Despite being full at this point, I’d say .the chocolate cake was also delicioso.

WHERE is it again? 14-15 Langham Pl, Marylebone, London W1B 2QS

WHEN is it open? All week, baby! From 8-11am for breakfast and 6-11pm for dinner. Go crazy.

Average Price per person (including a bottle of wine and tip): £65

Don’t miss out, it’s a banger.

TCB XX

Kitty and Friends

Tombo x Sanrio

Tombo Fitzrovia has become Europe’s first ever Sanrio café in the centre of London. Can you believe it? Hello Kitty and Friends, at your doorstep

The small Japanese café that started almost 20 years ago in South Kensington now has at least 3 more restaurants across the city, serving yummy Japanese ingredients in a modern and accessible way.

WHAT? You can get a bit of everything really, from noodles to donburi, sushi or poke bowls. Green tea drinks and desserts are overflowing so if you are a matcha fanatic this is your dream come true.

WHY? If you love Japanese food and culture and all things Kawaii then you have to visit Tombo. Not only their food is quality, but also they go the extra mile with the presentation of their menus. Customer service could be better (clearly a lot to learn from the Japanese here) but overall quality price is pretty good.

From the Sanrio Menu we loved the Hello Kitty Garden Poke, the customized Matcha Latte and of course the Matcha Doriyaki. Sweet Green Tea overload, my friend!

WHEN? Anytime between 11:30 and 9:30pm, except Sundays when they close at 5pm.

WHERE? We like the original spot in SouthKen, however Fitzrovia is the one advertising it Tombo x Sanrio café. If you like Kitty, then head to 4 Windmill St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2HZ

Average price for lunch per person (including dessert, no booze): £15

Itadakimasu~~~~

TCB xx

Churches and Sinners at Mercato Mayfair

Who knew there was a Grade I Listed Church less than 5 minutes walk from Selfridges? I didn’t. And I certainly did not know it was up for grabs to the best bidder, but I am very happy that the people behind Mercato Metropolitano got their hands on it.

WHAT is it then? A beautiful church turned into a Food Market. Underground there’s a well kept cellar serving refined wines and bubbles as well as delicious charcuterie and cheese. On the main floor and upstairs there’s a variety of trade vendors: from hand made pasta and pizza to middle easter pitas, dumplings and a sushi bar. Not to mention the holy German Kraft Beer Stall and the Chacha Cocktail Bar or Badiani’s Gelato, delicious!

WHY should you go?

Because… why the hell not? You are out and about on Oxford St, your shopping has got out of hands and you forgot about the time and now you are famished. This is without a doubt your best choice around! Inexpensive and with a variety of options. Also the gelato on offer is probably one of the best we’ve tried in the city recently. Now that is a big say!

WHERE? St. Mark's Church, N Audley St, Mayfair, London W1K 6ZA, United Kingdom

WHEN? 8am to 11pm most days except for Sundays, when it closes at 10pm. All in all pretty decent timings!

Enjoy!

TCB xx

Bancone, Pasta's Paradise

Pasta Pasta Pasta

Bancone, the italian that will save you every time

Affordable drinks and home-made pasta in the heart of the West End. Shall I say more?

Bancone is a little gem, really. As the peeps at The Guardian described it: casually orgasmic and deeply affordable, the Italian restaurant succeeds in all marks. Drinks are cheap (a glass of vino for a fiver? I’m SOLD), food is excellent.

WHAT will you get? Pasta, pasta, pasta. If you want pizza, this is not your place. Pasta? As much as you like. The restaurant certainly specializes on delivering the best fresh pasta but also has incredible antipasti. If you ask us, you should definitely try the panelle with smoke duck breast, lardo & whipped anchovies and the cime di rapa (turnip tops) with garlic and chilli. Mouth is watering just reminiscing of it! As for the mains, their Beef shin ‘ossobuco’ ravioli with saffron butter is rich but incredible, and their octopus and nduja with olives is also superb.

Another thing that we really appreciated here was the service. Very attentive peeps; most servers where italian and so were the chefs, which is always a plus.

WHERE is it ? Right next to St Martin In The Fields, by Trafalgar square. More precisely, 39 William IV St, London WC2N 4DD

WHEN is it open? Great news. For once a restaurant in London serves up until 11pm! You can get there closer to the time and still manage to get all the yummy food in the menu. BOOM.

Certainly the perfect spot for pre and post-theatre food. And get this: you can book.

TCB xx

Sweet Catalan Cakes & Bubbles

Ladies and gentlemen, your wishes have been heard. There is a dessert restaurant in London, and by no other than pastry chef Albert Adria. Let me introduce you to Cakes & Bubbles.

WHY should you go? Because even if you are not a sweet tooth, you’ll have a great time. It’s not only about the food (which is obvs amazing) but rather the experience. Sit down and have some bubbles with your friends, while your waiter explains what you are about to indulge into. Needless to say that the chef Adria stamp is a big winner.

WHAT will you get? If you like traditional pastries and sweets, this is not your place. Chef Adria loves to be innovative with its food, and you can see it in each one of his desserts. Our two favorites where the ‘Tickets’ cheesecake, flavored with hazelnut and a white-chocolate rind and the egg flan with dark caramel.

WHEN should you go? Really, anytime is good. This hot spot is looking rather pretty right now due to the Christmas lights, but I bet you it will be as amazing when the festive period is over.   

WHERE? Inside Hotel Café Royal in Piccadilly (70 Regent St, W1B 4DY), super central!

Bella Lina, Pasta At Its Best

Lina Stores

Iconic Italian Deli in Soho opens its own restaurant in the city, with outdoor seats in the heart of the city

Italians have conquered another hood in the city, Soho. OK, not quite literally, but the opening of Lina Stores in Soho has definitely had an impact on my latest restaurant visits. 

The iconic delicatessen store on Brewer St has opened its own pasta and cicceti restaurant on Greek St, and its results are superb.

WHAT/ WHY SHOULD YOU GO? Because it feels truly feels like being in Italy. The restaurant decor is very hip and out of a Wes Anderson movie, and the handmade pasta is to die for.

As the Mediterraneans we are, we like ordering all of the things on the menu and share it between us. That way you get to try most things! For starters, we had the nduja con ricotta and some arancinis; and as soon as we tried these, we knew we were in for a treat. It was very difficult to choose only one pasta dish, so we went for three: the pumpkin, the ragu and the mushroom based. All three SHAMAZING. Obviously, we finished with some cannolis, cause you can’t leave without having one.

WHERE EXACTLY IS IT? 51 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4EH

WHEN SHOULD YOU GO? Any day of the week except Sundays, from 12-2.30pm for lunch and from 5 til 11pm for dinner

Average price per person (including a bottle of wine, and tipping): £35

Hungry yet? Me too.

TCB xx

Hakuna Matata, Ikoyi

Happy FRIYAY foodie monsters!

Eventhough I've been back at work for a while, there's a different feel to it this week. Everybody is back at school, and I feel I have to do my homework too. 

Having a look back at where I've been for the past few months, I realized that I forgot an amazing hot spot that got me savoring my tongue for days. I am talking about IKOYI.

It is interesting to see how sometimes amazing spots go unnoticed, and I feel Ikoyi must be one of those. Despite being in the hot dinners scene for a good while, I feel it hasn't got the rave reviews/ attention it deserves. UNTIL NOW. Their service and incredible food has got them a Michelin star! The only African restaurant with a Michelin Star in London. YIKES.

We went there a few weeks ago to celebrate one of my besties birthday, and decided to treat ourselves (as we always do, ha) to a set menu. 

WHAT? Chef Chan has worked in pretty awesome restaurants in the past such as Noma and Dinner by Heston and you can see how his cooking delivers on this. At Ikoyi you’ll find elegant small plates that reminiscence of West African cuisine, all in fine-dining style. Our personal favourite was the crunchy plantain dusted in Scotch bonnet powder but the chargrilled octopus leg with spicy ndolé was also supeeeerb.

Little update: this restaurant has now a Michelin star!

WHERE? 1 St James's Market, St. James's, London SW1Y 4AH

WHEN? Anytime for lunch (3-5pm) or dinner (5.30-11pm), except for Sundays when it's closed.

They keep on changing the menu (a plus to come back) so I wouldn’t miss on the opportunity of checking this restaurant out!

Stay tuned for more

TCB xx

Adventures with Scully

Sorry guys, I am not talking about Dana Scully and a new sequel of the X-files, but rather about Chef Scully, former head chef at Ottolenghi's NOPI. YUM, THOUGH?

Scully Restaurant is the chef's first solo adventure, and let me tell you it is a good one; from the moment we you sit at the counter (envisioning everything you are about to indulge into), til you leave rolling yourself home. Because, believe me, you will. 

This has been by far my favorite culinary experience in 2018. Why? Let me tell you. 

For starters, the chef's mum is of Chinese and Indian descent, and his father’s Irish and Balinese. Not to mention his six years heading NOPI...I mean, you can imagine his dishes were anything but boring. And oh, oh, don't I love to be surprised...

Think of mix and match dishes, bold blend of ingredients, spices, great wine pairing, excellent customer service and the best and funniest cooks, not only catering each dish to extreme detail but also keeping you entertained while at it! If I were you, I would ditch the boring dining table and sit by the counter, that's where all the fun is at. 

What can you get? Our favourites definitely included the Puff Beef Tendons with Oyster Mayo (mouth watering just thinking about it) and the arepa as a starters, the octopus ragu (O-M-G) and the spiced goat shoulder as mains. Not to mention all their desserts...

When to go? Anytime for lunch (12-2,30pm) and dinner (5,30-10,30pm). We went for late dinner and it was a pretty spectacular show, tequilas included.

Where is it? Conveniently located in St James, right below Picadilly Circus. A little bit hidden in a little corner, more precisely in 4, St James Market. Nevertheless, the venue is lush and chic, matching it's food and ambiance. 

Expect to spend some dollah in here. Worth every penny, though. Yep, that good. 

TCB xx

At Luca Italians Do It Better

WHAT? Yes, you've heard it right. Italians do it better. Or rather british, really? Because Luca, it's a mixture of both. British produce and italian menu, BRITALIAN.

WHERE? Farringdon/ Clerkenwell area, more specifically: 88 St John St, Clerkenwell, London EC1M 4EH

WHEN? Anytime (except Sundays) between noon and 10,30pm. 

WHY? If you like home made italian classics with a british touch, this is certainly your place. The venue is the second restaurant of founders of The Clove's Club, kind of an institution in the foodie London scene. 

Many had high expectations, but to be honest, I was just happy to try a new restaurant, specially cause one of my friends was at the kitchen!

The venue itself is very cutting-edge, a modern restaurant with a vintage touch. Apparently, they are also setting up a courtyard for the summer, which I am really excited about. 

As for the food: certainly mouth-watering. We kick-started with some bubbles while waiting for our starters, which included the infamous parmesan fries, scallops with smashed wasabi peas and octopus. YUM!? We also shared our mains as we were to excited to try as many dishes as possible. Fresh pasta is always a winner and therefore my favourite main was probably the vegetarian lasagna, along with the steak tartare. Dessert followed with a delicious tiramisu paired with an amaretto on the rocks.

All in all a 'must try' if you are around the area, certainly.

10 Greek St for Soho Food Lovers

Hello Foodie Monsters, How You've Been? 2017 has started strong and I've been to few places you definitely need to know. But all in good time. So far, my favourite discovery this year has to be 10 Greek St.

Why? Because it combines all the things I like: great customer service, a counter bar (where you can chat with the chef & cooks), and generous-size dishes. All delicious, needless to say.

Where is it? It’s on 10 Greek St, as the name says. Ha!

What do you get there? Well, that’s up to you. It is all Mediterranean food with a British touch, I would say. Good thing is, they have a daily menu and its all seasonal, which makes all dishes very fresh and ridiculously yum. 

Teaser - Our Menu for 2 people:
For starters we had padron peppers, fried squid and burrata. 
Mains included sea bream, runner beans, peperonata & brown shrimp and a pasta dish with the freshest asparagus, egg and parmesan (SERIOUSLY DELISH)
And of course, TCB wouldn’t leave without at least trying one of their deserts. This time we tried their chocolate cake with salted caramel icecream. I am not a big fan of chocolate puddings but this one was to die for.

The bill turned up to be veery decent, around £30-£40 with a couple of wine glasses - More than reasonable for everything that we got, if you ask me.

All in all, a 10/10 restaurant in the heart of Soho. Don’t miss out!

Happy Meal Babies, 

TCB xx

Let's Be Barbarians

Let's Be Barbarians. If that's what it takes to indulge into these treats, you can count me IN.

I can honestly say that this is THE best restaurant I've been since I moved to London two years ago. Discovered by luck while passing Neals Yard Place with a dearest friend, we first saw The Barbary due to its loud music pimping us in.

The set up of this place is fantastic: a cozy little restaurant with only 24 seats for the lucky guests who will make it that day for either lunch or dinner.

There are no proper tables but a dining area set deli-style (eating by the counter), which I particularly love. The idea here is to share, and to share everything, even who you sit with! Some may not like the idea but I think that interacting with the amazing cooking team while they prepare your Middle-Eastern (with Mediterranean and/or North African twist) delicacies is great.

Every little dish we tried was an explosion of flavors, but if I had to choose my dream meal here, I'd say the following:  Arayes, a pita bread sandwich with minced lamb and lots of spices, and the Jerusalem bagel with some dips as a starter. If you are a veggie lover, then definitely try the aubergine and the cauliflower Jaffa as some of your mains; and if you are a meat lover, you REALLY need to try Pata Negra. You'll die of pleasure. 

As usual, we were last finishing our meal, but thanks to that we got to talk to the friendly peeps working there, even Chef Navob, owner this terrific place, was there for the first opening weeks. He totally got us into trying desert even though we were quite full, but man oh man was he right to force us...

The hash cake is meant to be the star of the menu but I particularly liked the Knafeh better, a cheese pastry soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup. NOM.

In any case, I think I made myself pretty clear here, but if you haven't got why you should try this place out yet, I'll summarize it for you: BEST Food (though minimal selection of drinks, for those who need them), BEST ambiance, BEST music, and of course, BEST service!

My motto is to never repeat restaurants, and I've been here twice in the last month.

What is it this place called again? The Barbary, Palomar's little sister.

Where is it? 16 Neal's Yard Place, WC2H 9DP

When should you go? Tuesday to Sundays from 12,30 to 3,30pm and from 5 til 10pm. You may be put off by the long cue, and even more so since you can't have a drink until you are by the bar counter. But, my friend, don't despair! If you hate q's just try to make it for lunch or have an early dinner or rather quite a late one.

YES, YES, YES. I am hooked to this place, but so will you once you try it.

TCB x

P.S.: As I was very into my food, I kinda forgot to take many pictures (oops!). The gallery you see here today is a mixture of my own pics and some taken from my google research. Thank you to those who remember to take such fantastic shots!