My latest stop off at Victoria’s Nova development – quite literally, given their travelling ethos – was the Rail House Café. A novelty to me, they were having an “honesty policy” during their soft launch, i.e. you pay for what you want. Struck by this liberal approach, I eagerly booked and boarded the train with … Continue reading Rail House Café
In the mood for a pièce de Paris, my soft-launch partner-in-crime booked Bon Vivant for a Bloomsbury supper with un petit peu de France. Indeed, the French connection seems to be in vogue at the moment: Emmanuel Macron has brought his presidential campaign to London, whilst Oxford University is considering opening up a campus in … Continue reading Bon Vivant
My partner in crime when it comes to soft launches tracked down Lokhandwala’s opening. This new Indian tapas restaurant in the heart of Fitzrovia has been set up by the same guys behind the food festival The Grub Fest. Although I’m usually reluctant to dine out Indian style – as I end up comparing my … Continue reading Lokhandwala
The Grind – along with Gail’s (but in a different cognitive therapy kind-of-way) – is probably my favourite coffee spot in London. Not only are their beans perfectly roasted, giving their coffee a naturally sweet flavour, but they serve bonsoy(a) milk in well-proportioned white paper cups and their coffee is made on La Marzocco. Need … Continue reading The Grind
Amid a marathon week of soft-launches in the last week of January, I headed to Bel-Air on New Fetter Lane for a lunchtime stop nearby my office. When I heard that Bel-Air was launching in the heart of legal London, I took a sharp intake of breath. Describing itself as “Born in LA, Raised in … Continue reading Bel-Air
Israeli food, a 25% discount, and a hidden spot underneath Southwark’s railway arches: yes, please. Bala Baya is a new restaurant from ex-Ottolenghi chef Eran Tibi and popper-upper Sammy Shonn. Heart-warmingly, Bala Baya is an incarnation of what they describe as their very own “poem to Tel Aviv”. This is a tale of an honest … Continue reading Bala Baya
Always on the look-out for a soft launch/bargain supper, a friend had informed me about Veneta’s very generous 50% discount for an austere January. Opened last October, Veneta is the latest (brain)child of the Salt Yard Group and has set up shop in a hotly contested neighbourhood featuring the likes of Fumo, Kiln and Margot. … Continue reading Veneta
A Friday night mezze of authentic Palestinian cooking. In theory, this sounded like the perfect setting for a catch-up supper with my tapas friends on a wintery night, post-London’s first shower of seasonal snow. The offer of 50% off for mains was also in keeping with the January theme. The influence of the Middle East … Continue reading Tabun Kitchen
Vietnamese street food; Peckham; and a soft launch: how could I resist?! Bánh Bánh – literally meaning “all things delicious” – were previously in residence at the Bussey Building and now have a permanent site in Peckham Rye. After extensive email correspondence with “Tien”, I managed to secure a booking during the soft launch weekend … Continue reading Bánh Bánh
A soft launch of a restaurant set up by an ex-Palomar chef – how could I miss out?! Foley’s is brought together by Head Chef Mitz Vora who joined from his position as Sous Chef at The Palomar. Following a successful six-week pop-up (at Foley’s Tasting Kitchen) in Shepherds Bush, the team opened their permanent … Continue reading Foley’s
Yumtini 