Everything I ate in February
(And Jan, and Dec!)
It’s safe to say the transition from Melbourne to London has taken some adjustment - according to my lack of posts, two months to be exact - but I’m finally slotting back into my old life; one where I spend most of my time at home wrapped in a dressing gown trying to avoid a TfL charge. On the occasion that I have ventured out, I have found so much joy in reuniting with friends and trying new (for me) restaurants, until the bill comes and I quickly convert it into AUD in my head. My dining habits over the past few months have reflected a bit of nostalgia as well as an attempt to play catch-up on trying some new places that have opened since I’ve been away. Here’s the roundup of everything I ate in Feb/Jan/Dec!
The only way I’m going to get a taste of a half-decent steak on my current wage (which is non-existent), and, in fact, a taste of Hawksmoor in general, was via a January deal. A rump and side for £19.50 to be exact. But before we get to that, we need to talk gimlet. It’s not often that you’ll put a wad of steak in front of me and I’ll be more interested in my drink, but whatever they do to this limey little concoction is perfect; so perfect that one waitress made a beeline for me to see if I loved it as much as her. As for the food, the steak was predictably delish and paired well with the anchovy caesar. Despite being a huge, packed out venue, the service was also excellent. The Hawksmoor chain is a bit of a machine, but a well-oiled one at that.
Brilliant Corners has been a bit of a go-to over the years, for a cocktail and a boogie, so I was pleased when a friend suggested their new venue, “mu.” While Brilliant Corners transcends from a restaurant into a club, by moving the tables aside once it hits a certain time, “mu” offers food and live music in conjunction. Each dish feels as sophisticated as the surroundings, with the sounds of gentle jazz amping up the elegance; it’s sort of like this place puts all your senses in alignment. The menu is an array of delicate Japanese dishes, featuring fresh yuzu sashimi and salmon tartare bites, as well as some fried finger-food-esque additions, like nori fries and popcorn shrimp, catering to those who arrive for a late-night drink and realise they forgot to eat dinner.
A Valentine’s Day faux pas, on my behalf (an optimistic walk-in at Brutto on V day LOL) led us to ye olde trusty, Wong Kei. The Nanny Mcphee of restaurants - when you need her, she’s there. As I’m sure most of you know, Wong Kei is a Cantonese spot in the heart of Chinatown which has managed to surpass restaurant status and become a symbol of cultural significance. (This piece by Vittles is an insightful read on Wong Kei’s enigmatic history). It’s almost impossible to put a finger on exactly why this is, perhaps it’s the wildly lengthy menu that everyone seems to have studied in their free time to curate the perfect order, or the mere fact that you can eat in under 20 minutes, with change from a £20. Whatever it is, nothing says love quite like a last-minute walk-in at Wong Kei.
It’s an Instagrammable ice cream and natty wine bar. I know… you want to hate it. But if there’s one thing about me, I love something a bit ridiculous, which is exactly what The Dreamery is. Sure, there’s hardly any space and you have to awkwardly push past some people at the bar to get a wine, but there’s something about the condensation on the windows and the rickety old radio that is quite romantic. The ice creams are dream(er)y (sorry) and a nice way of eating a lil something on a budget. It also acts as a dessert pitstop for those dining at their sister restaurant opposite, Goodbye Horses. It’s fun, it’s different and I don’t hate it, not one bit.
You’ve heard me ramble on about The Plimsoll burger, so it was about time I tried their new joint, Tollington’s. With the skeleton of a local chippie, Tollington’s has kept a no-frills, effortless feel to the space but switched out battered sausages for San Sebastián-style small plates. The menu is a varied assortment of seafood snacks, larger fish dishes and some meatier numbers. We were assured by the waiter that the Bifana (a Portguese pork sandwich that feels closely related to a Mexican torta) and the Chistorra (chorizo-y fried sausage) were winners, which indeed, they were. The fried cod cheeks were also a personal fave, washed down by a punchy glass of Vermouth, or four. Once it hits 20 degrees in London (if ever), this is where you’ll find me.
