Eat Like Ushi

I've been meaning to try Piebury Corner for a while, ever since National Pie Week 2017. Lo and behold fast forward to National Pie Week 2018 and Timeout advertising a discount voucher for them to celebrate the week. As per usual Timeout overexaggerates the savings, stating the pie/side/sauce combo is £14 eat-in or £13 takeaway. Actually it's £10.5 eat-in or £8.5 takeaway, but it's still a saving with the voucher at £7 eat-in or £6 takeaway.

You're limited to selection from the 2 pies-of-the-day, which seems to be one meat and one vegetarian. On this day I was blessed to have the excellent sounding Ox cheek & venison as the special. The pie filling is thin but still nice and chewy and not crispy dried like others recently. The meat chunks of the cheek are tender and the venison is a little more stringy, as expected. My choice of side horseradish mash was a very large serve with pickles and mild horseradish noticeable throughout. The suggested red wine sauce wasn't really needed for the pie but it added an extra element to the mash.

I'll be back. Not only because I have 3 vouchers left to use but that does make it easier. And the Timeout deal goes until June...

I was looking for somewhere to eat before watching Girl from the North Country at the Noel Coward theatre. Luckily being very central there are no shortage of options. And since the lines and security are minimal, it really means you can take your time dining beforehand. Com Viet was just around the corner (with Amorino gelato opposite FYI).

The menu is very good and has a host of homestyle dishes including banh xeo and bo luc lac, which are less often found.

- Green papaya salad with prawn - a nice version with quite a strongly vinegared nuoc mam dressing. The prawns were juicy and there was a good amount of peanuts added;
- Fried quail - the quail itself was cut into 6 segments, quite tender and flavoursome. However the dipping salt was extremely heavily seasoned with full crystals of MSG visible throughout;
- Beef pho - a decently flavoured beef broth (MSG added no doubt) with excellent noodles that were cooked perfectly and not soggy at all. The raw beef had been dropped in and there were slivers of raw ginger, which seemed out of place;
- Bun bo hue - decently flavoured pork/beef broth although wasn't anywhere near chilli enough.

They didn't serve any Thai basil or sawtooth herb for pho or the laksa leaf for BBH, but instead coriander (which is fine in pho) and mint (which is ok for BBH).

The food is nice (with MSG) and the prices are a little more than the standard Vietnamese in London (owing to location). I'd eat there again although the overt MSG in their food may play on my mind a little...

During the last 3 weeks of my time living in East London (probably ever in my life) I decided it was time to branch out of my local enclosure at Mile End/Bow and venture up toward Hackney. It has always been a cool area, perhaps too cool for me, but considering I always get trapped in Broadway and Netil markets and nowhere else, I had to make a dedicated effort to try something else. It isn't the most convenient area to get to from King's Cross - sure it's only a long(ish) bus away, but I think I'll be spending that travelling time exploring newer areas to me.

Of all the cafes in the area, Rawduck seemed like a good choice and I even went twice within the 3 weeks. The first time I actually missed where it was as you don't see past the Honest Burger and construction. But someone has handily scrawled the name of the restaurant on the construction around the corner in true hipster style.

Golden Almond Milk £4.5 was an expensive but warming nut and turmeric drink. It wasn't overly strong but that's what you get with almond milk.

Brown rice & miso porridge, kombu, bonito & a poached egg £8.50 is a classic Asian "porridge" aka congee. This was a distinctly Japanese version with the miso, seaweed and fish flakes creating a lovely umami experience. I haven't had congee like this before and the overwhelming flavour was very welcome.

This experience led me back a few weeks later for lunch. The menu has some of the breakfast items on it and on this Sunday they also offer specials and roasts.

Tarka dahl, a poached egg, charred naan £8 was nice but kind of standard. I'm sure it's healthier than the typical curry house version.

Sunny fried eggs, kimchi, pickled cucumber, sesame & brown rice with fried chicken £14 had 2 small but heavily seasoned and tender chicken pieces. Unfortunately there was a lot of plain rice and the other ingredients didn't really do enough to lift it.

It was a slightly disappointing second visit but if I'm ever in Hackney again, I think there'll definitely be other things for me to try.

In a case of mistaken identity (well actually I recall signing up for something to do with them...) I received an email addressed to Stuart offering me the opportunity to try their new tasting menu at 50% off. After reading the divine menu, I couldn't help but make an appointment. I used my real name and there was no issue so I feel less of a charlatan. Additionally a few days before the night, I saw that they were offering the same deal to the public for the 2 weeks after this VIP special.

I barely venture to Mayfair and the last time was actually very near in the form of the unrivalled pie pub The Windmill.

However this more refined venue had chefs at the window with some seafood on display. The Spicy Tommy's (ocho blanco tequila, san cosme mezcal, yuzu, spiced agave) £11.5 was an incredible drink with sweet, sour and smokey all on full display.

- The New, Improved "Black Roe" Poke - tuna, salmon and a whitefish I can't recall were expertly combined with Spanish onion, spring onion, nori, avocado, coriander and black roe. It was light, refreshing and tangy citrus;
- Confit Duck Leg Salad (rocket, pine nuts, pomegranate, diced pineapple) - a light salad of reasonably tender mildly flavoured duck with sweet, nutty and bitter elements;
- Katakuriko Crispy Squid (tossed in an oyster dressing) - the squid itself with crisply coated and flavoursome. I didn't think the oyster sauce worked that well with it;
- Steamed Mussels (in a fragrant coconut broth) - sweet mussels with chilli served in a broth reminiscent of an excellent tom kar;
- Waimea'n Sticky Lamb Ribs (barbecued with the flavours of Hawaii) - there were only 2 ribs each and they were a bit fatty but still had a good amount of meat browned and glazed and sweet;
- Sauteed Broccoli - so simple a dish was strongly seasoned;
- Steamed Whole Lobster (in a ginger scented broth) - the masterpiece arrived with its firm meat already separated for ease. It was delicious and could only be improved by egg noodles to mop up the ginger broth;
- Dessert - semifreddo with some kind of fruit (possibly plums?). Average but a nice sweet cool finish.

£40 for this menu is a bargain. £80 would require a bit more consideration but at least you know it will be good.

This original Temper in Soho had been on my list as my worship of Neil Rankin continues since the original Pitt Cue Co. After an outstanding (and half price) experience at the curry fusion version in the city (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/temper-city-london-07-2017). Although I've also been waiting to visit a restaurant/bar that specialises in Mezcal, the occasion and the follow-up viewing of Black Panther meant that it will have to wait to the next time.

The initial intent was actually to have Sunday roast. But the a la carte menu was actually a more interesting read with plenty of variety available for the first timer.

- Smoked beef £10 - the slices of brisket were firm and smooth and streamlined. Seasoning was mild;
- Smoked goat £11 - a set of textural slivers although not the most tender. The seasoning was mild too;
- Burnt end Thai larb £5.5 - the ends of the brisket were tender and turned incredibly flavoursome with a spicy tangy Thai dressing. Really enjoyed these flavours and with torn flatbread formed an excellent sandwich;
- Grilled corn, black bean, lamb fat bernaise £4 - the healthy dish with corn kernels and popcorn;
- Beef fat potatoes with Ogleshield £5.5 - I expected chips and ended up with small roast potatoes gloriously coated in thick rich heavy cheddar. Not for the faint hearted but your taste buds will thank you.

I also witnessed the beef chilli and bone marrow (which looks excellent) and the whole plaice (although I think smoked meats are what you should come here for).

After a mixup with the orderings, a complimentary dessert Deep Dish Brigadeiro "cookie" with fior di latte icecream was in fact soft, sweet and mildly granular. More of interest to me was my choice (and paid for) Butterscotch kouign amann with dulce de leche icecream £6 reminded me of the rich sweet thick versions in Brittany. It wasn't as good as those originals but it was heavy and satisfying nonetheless.

Next time I would order the beef chilli and bone marrow or lamb birria. The other smoked meats on flatbread do require a sauce if I'm honest and the green sauce is probably the one to go for. Sides of Thai larb and beef fat potatoes would complete a decadent meal.

To celebrate the new weekend brunch menu at Fancy Crab, they were offering 50% off to taste their offerings. I had nearly been once before but the online reviews were extremely mixed which had deterred me. However the very short menu, the discount and my own need to be in the area one Sunday all coalesced together harmoniously.

The restaurant is quite large, even more so once you go to the bathroom and see the additional downstairs space. The upstairs is very bright with high ceilings and giant crabs are amusingly inserted into many paintings and comic book covers. There's also the actual giant sized crab shell that seems to make its way from table to table.

Luckily the king crab is extremely good, reminiscent of the king crab I had from the expensive markets in Bergen (maybe they are the exact same type). Each sweet tendril of soft crab was a delight and best eaten simply with minimal obscurations.

- King Crab Benedict (picked red crab, toasted muffin, avocado, smoked chilli, Yuzu lime hollandaise) £11.5 - the crab was smothered and overpowered by the hollandaise unfortunately. There wasn't much smoke or chilli noted either;
- Crab & Nori Waffles (hot waffles, picked red crab, poached eggs, wild rocket, gruyere cheese sauce) £9.5 - the cheapest dish was the best combination of all with crab chunks, a soft poached (slightly overdone) egg and a thick black sauce (maybe the seaweed butter from the has dish?) that added extra salinity to the already excellent flavour;
- Fancy Crab Hash (potato & kale hash, marinated heritage tomatoes, duck egg, seaweed butter) £10.5 - from hash I sort of expected fried potato (ie. hash brown) but it was more of a warm salad and lightly flavoured. This dish had the most amount of crab in it which was welcome and in the end I ate sections separately to savour the meat. I'm not sure where the seaweed butter was, perhaps in the waffle dish...

Overall the crab meat is delicious and able to be eaten amply by itself. In terms of the dishes themselves, I'd happily pay full price for the waffles and possibly the hash.

The award winning (I found out later it was a Timeout award for best pizza in London) pizzeria recently opened in Fitzrovia and the 50% off opening special made for a great reason to brave some windy and icy weather and test it out. Many an Italian were also enjoying their fill, using the technique or folding the pizza over into some kind of sandwich. I suppose it's helpful for these pizzas with thin floppy centres.

The pizzas are all unevenly hand shaped and large to fill the plates with puffy, soft crust edges and an ultra thin core. The crust had a little seasoning, a discernible touch of char flavour and bouncy texture. In true Italian fashion they are not precut at all.

San Francesco (tomato sauce, mozzarella, peppers, courgettes, aubergines, parmesan) £9.45 was a simpler pizza with the vegetable flavours standing out. It wasn't overly seasoned/salted and could have used a little. I probably would have preferred the old version listed there with the artichokes.

Santa Rosa (tomato sauce, smoked mozzarella, salame Napoli, roasted aubergines) £9.95 was a tastier more savoury version thanks to the salame. The mozzarella didn't have a very noticeable smoke element.

It's a very good pizza. I'll look forward to trying the San Gennaro complete with anchovies and capers next time.

It's been a long while since I tasted the full nutty deliciousness of buckwheat galettes in Brittany. I remember the best of the lot in Dinard (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/creperie-cote-mer-dinard-06-2017) and my favourite overall in Perros-Guirec (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/ty-breizh-perros-guirec-06-2017). One of the issues I did have in Brittany was that nearly every creperie offered identical galettes, and finding a version that had seafood (other than St. Jacques scallops) was near impossible. I suppose it makes sense that the traditional versions would be sold in all of these traditional places that serve traditional customers.

I was delighted to discover a St. Malo-inspired place was opening in Shoreditch and even happier that they had a 50% soft opening. Looking at the menu prices, they aren't much different to their Brittany counterparts, and this is despite London/Shoreditch rental prices, a nicer more sophisticated atmosphere, and very attentive service. Of course the Breton cider is much more expensive and a 750mL of Brut was £13 rather than about €5 (but that's at a store, not in a restaurant I suppose too).

I brought a friend from Brittany (as well as 2 others) along to experience this place firsthand with me and pass judgement. I am happy to say that he was able to move beyond strict traditions and enjoy the food for what it was - excellent cooking and ingredients with finer presentation to give a modern flair to tradition.

- Roscoff Onion Tart (poached egg, cider hollandaise) £8 - soft pastry, sweet onion with a soft-poached egg;
- Buckwheat Goat's Cheese Croquettes (roasted heritage beetroot, kasha seeds, honey & thyme dressing) £7 - like croquettes/falafels but with a firm crisp buckwheat coating and descending into mild melted goat cheese. It was good without being great;
- Slow cooked Ox Cheek in Red Wine (confit baby onions, heritage carrot, buckwheat polenta, crispy kale) £12 - it may seem strange (both then and now) to order not a galette in a classic galette place but I decided to see what buckwheat polenta was all about. It's exactly as it sounds - a pale white gelatinous mash that had a discernible taste of buckwheat to it. The cheek was tender and the kale very flavoursome;
- Confit Duck Leg Galette (braised red cabbage, caramelised pear, tenderstem broccoli, red wine jus) £14 - an excellent tender duck leg in its own right served with a rolled up galette that had been wonderfully charred on the outside bringing out maximal buckwheat flavour and crisp texture. It housed the braised cabbage to provide a sour balance to the nutty galette and the salty duck.

My friends had the Morteau sausage and cider braised pork cheek galettes which were served in the more traditional flattened style. In both, the galette was slightly lighter brown than the duck leg roll, but had plenty of good buckwheat flavour with burnt butter.

The galettes were the stars of the show for me, as anticipated. As good as the buckwheat polenta, I would have to go for the galette again. The smoked ham (duck egg, maple cured bacon, comte cheese) sounds like the basic (and cheapest) and classic version to get next time. And those desserts - crepes or the dark chocolate delice has to be tried too. Particularly the delice has dark chocolate, cherries and pistachios - my 3 favourite dessert ingredients as well as buckwheat pushed in there.

I've actually been to The Morgan Arms ever since the first day I arrived in Mile End/Bow when the poor state of the flat meant we had to leave for several hours so it could be cleaned. On that ridiculous 35C (or so) day, sitting inside was stiflingly humid but at least it was respite from the sun.

I haven't had the chance to go on quiz night Wednesday or live music Thursday, but I have been able to play a mostly intact game of Monopoly Manchester edition and see Cards Against Humanity strewn about.

The food is generally good without being great. It is definitely a step above the other pubs in the area that I've tried. For that reason they also charge more than the other pubs too. The service varies but generally food takes between 30-60mins to arrive.

- Marmite glazed aubergines, baba ganoush, crispy tomato corn bread, tempura fried sage £7.5 - two halves of a tiny aubergine and the corn bread is a flattened hard rock of fried something. Wouldn't get it again;
- Smoked ham hock scotch egg, Bramley apple sauce £5;
- IPA battered haddock, thick-cut chips, mushy peas, chunky tartare sauce £13.5 - good fish, whole salt flakes enhancing the flavour on top with reasonably crisp chips. Once the peas were thick and chunky, the other time watery and not impressive;
- Ginger curried cod, coconut & cumin sauce, toasted cashews nuts, coriander, green beans, red quinoa "rice" £16 - good fish with discernible ginger flavour in the mild curry.

It's not the best around (I'd have to test The Marksman in Hackney not too far away to compare) but it's adequate for the area.

I've been back for Sunday roast which was my first (and only) for 2017. I wanted to go somewhere more well known but laziness meant proximity was the blessing.

Roast half chicken £16 was quite tender and flavoursome whereas the roast beef £17 was quite small, cooked medium-rare but chewy and not that good. Additionally the Yorkshire puddings were burnt and tasted as such. I wouldn't go back for that.

Hopscotch reminds me of drinking in Canberra but it's also a drinking and dining venue along the north section of Brick Lane. It's a quiet area on weekdays and indeed despite the advertisement for 50% off food, there were very few people enjoying its wares. It's unfortunate because the food is very good - and an absolute bargain at half price.

Note that the menu in the front window has prices that are generally £1-2 less than the current pricing on the menu.

- Green peppercorn crab (pickled daikon, coriander, crispy shallot) £11 - juicy crabmeat had been pulled out for us. So spoilt;
- Seared scallops (charred corn, fennel & garlic sausage, chilli butter) £11 - two sizeable scallops with some sausage and on salad;
- Smoked goat flatbread (tamarind, bitter melon, bacon fat gravy, fermented chilli) £9 - smokey, warm and middle Eastern;
- Beef shortrib (masterstock, horseradish, butter-pickled onion) £11;
- Grilled hispi cabbage (miso butter, parmesan, togarashi) £4 - could cabbage be made any more umami? I don't think so. Delicious.

The food is good, the drinks Brick Lane Swizzle (dark rum, banana falernum, lime) £9 is good; I hope they have another 50% off deal. If not, I may end up that way anyway...