Eat Like Ushi

The variety of Shoreditch restaurants has Eyre Brothers representing in Spanish and Portugeuse flavour. The menu items sound fantastic with a great selection of ingredients and mixes. We sampled some of the following on our evening:

- Grilled Chorizo, Lentil & Parsley Salad with Sherry Vinegar;
- Salchichon Iberico (with Globe Artichoke, Broad Bean & Chive Salad);
- Pressed Madeira & Porto marinated Duck Foie Gras (with Chive Oil & Toasted Almonds);
- Grilled Mozambique Tiger Prawns Piri-Piri (with Pilaf Rice, Cucumber, Coriander & Sherry Vinegar);
- Grilled Fillet of Acorn-Fed Iberico Pig (marinated with Pimenton, Thyme & Garlic) served with Patatas Pobres (Oven Potatoes with Green Peppers, Onions, Garlic & White Wine);
- Beef Sirloin with Vegetables;
- Hake & Clams;
- Farofia (Portugeuse poached Meringue with Vanilla Custard & Fresh Raspberries);
- Three Spanish Cheeses with Quince Membrillo & Walnut Bread - mix of pasteurised and unpasteurised ewe's and goat's milk cheeses. Strong.

All of the dishes were fine, with the Fillet of Iberico Pig being the best of the lot. But it wasn't a meal that sticks in my memory to particularly recommend.

The River Cafe has a long reputation for fine Italian food in London. Much of it is probably due to the cooking careers of Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, but it did feature in the World's Top 100 restaurants for 2 years.

The one reason I hadn't tried it previously is simply that it is expensive, even by London standards. The menu is seasonal and changes daily making it slightly more difficult to prepare yourself for favourites, although there are supposedly signature dishes such as wild mushroom risotto, fish smoked in the restaurant's wood stove and chocolate nemesis.

The daily menu on this occasion had treats such as:

- Capesante in Padella (Seared Scottish Scallops with Fresh Cannellini, Cherry Tomatoes, Marjoram & Capers) - well seasoned scallops, slightly rare in the middle;
- Calamari ai Ferri (Chargrilled Squid with Fresh Red Chilli & Rocket) - soft tasty simple;
- Fegato in Padella (Calves Liver seared with Capers & Sage with Mixed Leaves, Roast Pumpkin & Speck) - mild crisp outside and firm jelly-like texture and a very powerful liver flavour, a little too much for me;
- Branzino al Forno (Wild Sea Bass roasted in Lunae Vermentino with Potatoes & Fresh Porcini al Forno & Salsa Verde) - fish smoked in their wood oven with the texture and flavour great;
- Panna Cotta with Grappa & Raspberries - vanilla pod panna cotta with a *strong* alcohol topping;
- Chocolate Nemesis - a rich chocolate mousse in the shape of a cake slice.

Not cheap but very tasty. I can certainly appreciate the quality of produce and cooking here. Save it for a special occasion meal and a nice walk along the Thames to and from.

Next time I would order more mainstream dishes and not get so creative as to think I can eat a large plate of Calves Liver. All the dishes are well executed.

London has a lot of tapas restaurants to choose from. The names of the classics include Barrafina, Brindisa, Dehesa, Salt Yard, Jose. I decided to pick Fino from the lot for a few reasons (generally good reviews, a well respected pork reputation) but mostly because the menu appealed to my preferred group situation. The options of Suckling Pig, Lamb Rack and Sangria sounded like the perfect way to celebrate my 30th birthday with a small group of friends.

The Whole Sucking Pig and Half Rack of Lamb had to be pre-ordered and added to the anticipation of the meal. We supplemented these with some tasteful options from the a la carte menu.

- Chorizo & Potato Chips - effectively deep fried spring rolls filled with chorizo & potato;
- Marinated Queen Scallops Ceviche
- Octopus with Capers - succulent slices of octopus with delicious salty capers;
- Crisp Fried Octopus Head with Romesco Sauce - more succulent octopus with a red pepper and pine nut sauce;
- Cuttlefish Wrapped in Panceta with Ink Sauce - the continuing trend of quality seafood, this time wrapped in salty panceta and served with ink sauce;
- Picos, Chicory and Walnut Salad
- The Classic Tortilla - I was expecting a simple flour tortilla, but it ended up being a heavy omelet with filling;
- Black Pudding Tortilla - tortilla filled with quite flavoursome black pudding. 

Now to the specialties. Firstly the Half-Rack of Roast Pyrenean Milk Fed Lamb was unexpectedly succulent. The meat disintegrated off the bone in a way I've only experienced with the highest quality slow-cooked beef. Fantastic texture.

Secondly the piece-de-resistance - Whole Roasted Suckling Pig is a simply roasted piglet from Segovia in Castilla-Leon. For £145 it isn't cheap, but as a spectacularly presented main course for the 6-8 people to enjoy (as part of a sharing meal) it is worth it. The pork is fantastic - the skin is crispy, the thin layer of fat under the skin is tasty, the underlying flesh is succulent. A little salt drew out the flavour of the skin and meat. Aside from the usual favourites of legs and belly, the more adventurous enjoyed the crispy ears and delicate cheek meat. Overall sensational. It was served with a pork-flavoured sauce that I didn't feel added much to the meal - I much preferred the meat on its own.

Desserts
- Donuts, Vanilla Ice-Cream 
- Creme Catalana
- Turron De Alicante - a type of almond, honey nougat
- Poached Pear in White Wine, Apple Sorbet

Overall the meal made a great choice for a birthday celebration for a small group of 6. The Suckling Pig was so memorable that it seemed to dull my memory of the other dishes. However I still fondly recall the Lamb and Seafood.

Next time I would order the Suckling Pig given enough notice. Failing this, the Crispy Pork Belly off the a la carte menu is supposedly a great alternative. I think any hot seafood (octopus, cuttlefish, arroz negro) or meat (Iberian pork ribs, chicken wings) dish would be quite safe and a better option than the tortillas and salads.

London has a well known negative reputation for Asian food (ie. Oriental to the locals). In particular all the Europeans who I've met in Melbourne universally agree London Japanese food is expensive, overpriced, poor quality. Even the recent opening of a Japanese restaurant by a well known Kyoto kaiseki Michelin-star chef hasn't been well received for a variety of reasons. I have had a ramen and udon bar on my list for a few months now, so it seemed appropriate now that winter is coming to try one and hope for the best.

Bone Daddies (odd name for a ramen bar?) is the first ramen place I've considered going to here. Maybe because of good advertising and simply the fact that it is new and hip. Reviews have been mixed so far - the main complaints have been about the T22 chicken ramen. I don't think I've ever had a chicken-based ramen in Japan, so I was happy to avoid that anyway.

Peak times supposedly involve lines, so 2pm on a weekday seemed perfect. The setting is made for all sorts - sharing tables, window seats for singles, small tables for privates. The walls are nicely decorated with Japanese posters.

I tried two typical staples - Fried Chicken and Tonkotsu Ramen.

The Fried Chicken (aka tori kara age) is the same as you'd find in Japan - crispy fried, juicy good quality chicken, no added flavours. Simple, effective, authentic. A touch of lemon helps and chilli on standby if you roll that way.

Tonkotsu Ramen (aka pork broth) is as basic as it gets. Like all great Asian noodle soups, the broth is the most important part, and they have done it well. Simple light pork flavour, some murky fat emulsifying through and just done well. Often Japan places to layer this with salt, soy or miso flavour but this was plain and tasty. I had to specifically ask for 7-spice (shichi-mi) and even the wait staff didn't seem to know what it was, which was strange. Within the broth was some typical Japanese char-siu (not the same as the red and 5-spiced Cantonese if that is what you are expecting), bean shoots, garlic chips, bamboo shoots, spring onion and a perfectly soft-boiled egg. My only suggestion would be to have more broth added to the dish as it runs out pretty quickly after a few initial ladles to taste it on its own.

The prices aren't cheap, but expected for a new place in Soho London. I suppose the only real complaint here is a cup of green tea for £3 - extortionate.

Next time I would order the Tonkotsu Ramen for a safe bet. Chicken broth would be an unusual change just to test it (since 6 dishes are chicken broth based and only one pork) of which the Sweet 3 Miso Ramen appeals to me most. The snacks are all supplementary options but none seem necessary - you are here for the ramen.

2013

As my time in London came to a close, Bone Daddies became the restaurant I most frequently ate at and the one I would unhesitating go back to for any meet. I may have attended 6 times in 2013, of which 4 were during my final month of October. The reason was simple - the tonkotsu ramen was still delicious but the addition of the spicy pig bones was a sensation. Soft pork ribs doused in a thick sweet sauce (honey/sugar, mirin, rice wine, soy is all I could determine from it) are incredible. Keep going back.

A lot has been made of the opening of Duck & Waffle a few months ago. London's first 24-hour restaurant; one of London's very few high rise restaurants/venues; serving London's drinkers with a good range of shared plates including the odd combination of duck and waffles. In many ways it has been likened to the spirit of New York City - high up, late night, poultry and waffles.

The reviews have been mixed - the view is universally applauded, the difficulty of reservations frustrating, the service average and the food variable. Hmm. Nonetheless being located close to my area, open after finishing work late and being hyped up for the above, the 3rd attempt to eat here proved successful - only after booking for 10:30pm on a Monday night a month in advance.

Due to timing, luck and winter coming, the seating area was only half full and the wait staff good enough to honour a request to move tables from the middle of the room to what is probably the best corner with a spectacular view of the gherkin and tower bridge. Not many people have seen London from high up at night (the only other way I know being London Eye) but as a city with landmarks it is definitely worth seeing.

There is no cocktail menu (which I found surprising given the bar is a large part of why people go - no reservations required or taken) and at £10.50 each not the cheapest, but adequate to supplement the view and dinner.

Now on the food. Overall great. Unexpectedly great. 

- Raw Scallop (with Apple, Black Truffle, Lime) - nice and simple, although couldn't taste truffle;
- Raw Yellowfin Tuna (with Watermelon, Balsamic, Basil) - very creative combination of raw tuna, cube of sweet watermelon with tart vinegar and basil;
- Thinly Sliced Pig's Head (with Olive Oil, Amalfi Lemon) - odd slices of a little bit of meat and a lot of cartilage. Strange;
- Herdwick Mutton Slider (with Harissa, Lime Creme Fraiche) - average mini-burger, nothing special;
- Seasonal Vegetable Salad (with Toasted Nuts & Seeds, Ricotta Salata) - the healthy option which used parmesan (not ricotta on this day), pine nuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, sesame seeds and balsamic over greens and tomato. Very nice complement to the meal;
- Roasted Octopus (with Chorizo, Lemon, Caper) - deliciously succulent and flavoursome octopus tentacles. Chorizo was a nice additional flavour but not required;
- Foie Gras 'All Day Breakfast' - calories-on-a-plate combo of toasted brioche, covered with nutella, bacon, pan-seared delicious foie gras, fried black pudding balls and topped with a quail's egg. Simply unhealthily grand.
- Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut (with Apricot Jam) - a fried ball encasing some not-so impressive ox cheek;
- Duck & Waffle (Crispy Leg Confit, Fried Duck Egg, Mustard Maple Syrup) - juicy soft duck meat housed in crispy skin, lying sandwhiched between a waffle and a runny yolk duck egg (one was a bit too overcooked). So good we ordered 2. And then a 3rd.

Desserts were also impressive. Given this is a 24-hour venue, I should not have been so surprised.

- Warm Chocolate Brownie (with Peanut Butter Ice-cream, Crunchy Caramel) - the heavy sweet dessert of all the elements you'd expect from the name;
- Cinnamon Pear Cappuccino (with Toast Gingerbread, Pear Caramel) - the dessert dark horse was a special combination of sorbet, pear, gingerbread and a delicious "cappuccino" of pear milk froth in the basin. Fantastic.

I came here for a lovely view, good company and hopeful expectations for food and ended up with a gem of an experience. Not all food hit high notes, but enough dishes to easily warrant coming back and having a more informed selection.

Next time I would order a Duck & Waffle for every 2-3 people, Foie Gras 'All Day Breakfast', Roasted Octopus and Cinnamon Pear Cappuccino. These were all undoubtedly going to be repeat offenders in my stomach. From the November menu, the Roast Beetroot Salad and Whole Roasted Sussex Chicken looks like a good way to supplement the rest. The Crispy Pig's Ears were sold out and something I've liked from other places before.

06-2013

It came as no surprise that at 7am on my birthday after a Ministry of Sound night, the logical decision was to go for food at the 24-hour D&W. Duck & Waffle as a dish is probably a little heavy for that time of the morning with an alcoholic stomach, as was the Smoked Salmon, Poached Eggs and Hash Brown. They still tasted good. I managed to try the Crispy Pig's Ears too which were an unusual snack of heavily smoked thin twigs of super crispness. I'm not sure whether I liked these or not, but they are a snack that complements drinks well.

09-2013

Another two visits for some views and cocktails. The bar staff are excellent at making fruity cocktails tailored to your preference. Became one of the *it* places for me to take guests to enjoy a new quintessential London experience.

The French chain arrived in London a little while ago and has started franchising. Given one of the current food trends for minimal menus/choice is observed here, it is no surprise this has generated some interest. I finally had a chance to visit the Canary Wharf branch before watching Looper. (If you haven't read it before, Canary Wharf is great for afterhours and weekends. The crowds are gone, the cinemas aren't overly busy, and neither are the good selection of restaurants.)

The concept is simple - you pay £21 and get a steak, fried and salad. You only need to tell them how you like your steak cooked.

On this occasion, the menu was "Entrecote Steak Porte Maillot with its famous sauce, French Fries and Green salad with walnuts." As usual I asked for rare. Salad comes out first, almost like a teaser as every patron is there for meat. The salad wasn't of great quality, but hey, it's a steak joint. The lettuce was soggy in dressing and the walnuts at least gave some texture.

The steak then comes out in its first portion, pre-sliced, smothered in sauce with a beautiful collection of golden skinny fries. Firstly the important part - the steak. The inside is perfectly cooked to order. No complaints there. The local British beef is pretty good quality with nice texture, although I felt the taste was a bit lacking overall. There wasn't the hearty crust of meat/salt flavour (which I expect in any steak, especially from any steakhouse) and I didn't particularly like the Porte Maillot sauce (it is rumoured to be made of chicken liver, thyme, cream & butter) and much preferred a little salt, pepper and mustard. However my fellow diners seemed to enjoy it more - each to their own.

The fries were decent - skinny, crispy, soft. Needing a good sprinkle of salt (and pepper in my case) to bring out the flavour. Maybe it's just me, but I'm used to restaurants serving thick chips. More classy? Perhaps I just associate skinny fries with McDonald's.

Partially through the meal, they top up your plate with some extra meat and a very generous serve of hot fries. Well planned.

We ended with standard desserts of Creme Brulee and Lemon Tarts. Simple sweets and nothing particular about them.

It's not the best steak in town, but scratches an itch. We got lucky in discovering at the end that the Canary Wharf branch has 50% off meals on weekends until January. Steak and fries for £10.50? Bargain.

Next time I would order... well, there isn't really much choice. Perhaps I'd try blue just to see...

It was a much anticipated reunion with my favourite restaurant in Melbourne. All I knew is that the Crispy Fried Pork Hock was waiting for me.

We opted for the tasting menu just for ease. My friends had raved about a Whole Crispy Fried Fish that had been removed from the menu. Due to fate or otherwise, it was an optional add-on for the tasting menu.

- Caramelised Prawn, Eschalots, Chicken, Pork & Sour Pineapple - very strong sweetness with the palm sugar & peanuts glueing the ingredients together was a bit thick & heavy;
- Oyster (with Red Chilli, Lime Juice, Crispy Eschallots) - warm tasty steamed oyster in a salty soy broth, much like those from Cantonese restaurants;
- Eggnet, Pork, Prawn, Bean Sprouts, Cucumber Relish - delicious combination of vegetable textures (perhaps a little too heavy on the beanshoots) with a nice sweet & chilli fish sauce dressing;
- Green Curry Grass-Fed Beef - beef slices seemed a little confused; I assumed they were slices of fillet but cooked too much to be soft. I think a slow cooked tender cut would have been better;
- Caramelised Pork Hock, Five Spice, Chilli Vinegar - the perfect combination of soft juicy pork, gorgeous crunchy exterior and smothered in thick sweet palm sugar sauce. My favourite comfort & luxury dish in Melbourne;
- Whole Crispy Fish, Chilli, Lime, Roasted Rice - soft fleshed flounder with crispy skin topped with Asian herbs & a light sweet sauce;
- Steamed Chinese Broccoli, Oyster Sauce;
- Black Rice, Vanilla Tapioca, Custard Apple Cream - sweet combination of textures with rice grains, soft sago & smooth icecream.

Longrain still remains my long staple favourite. I miss it already.

It is also one of the reputed cocktail bars in Melbourne which serves to lessen the boredom in accepting their no reservations policy (you can book only for 6+ people). This is the only reason I would hesitate to recommend it to travellers - the wait can be unpredictable. Under those circumstances get a cocktail or two and you can order small items from the bar menu (Betef Leaf recommended).

Next time I would order my favourites from the a la carte menu - Betel Leaf with Pomelo and the Caramelised Pork Hock (the smaller bar menu option is enough for two and better value) in particular. If getting the tasting menu option, I'd choose the Sour Orange Fish Curry rather than the Green Curry Beef.

The reason I rate Ezard as my choice for a fine-dining restaurant in Melbourne (reflected by the standing as Tripadvisor #2) is a lovely combination of reasonably easy to get bookings in the last week, location in the middle of a quiet restaurant area of the city, lovely romantic dimlit setting, and most importantly the food is a superb modern take on South-East Asian cuisine.

I've been here twice before, once for the tasting menu and once for a la carte. I think in the end I preferred the a la carte as the many choices all beg to be tried. 

- Parmesan-Infused Olive Oil with Three Dips (ground chilli & palm sugar, ground Szechuan pepper, nori & sesame seed salt) - gorgeous fluffy bread with lovely crust to soak the parmesan flavours & whichever combination of sweet, chilli or salty you fancy;
- Japanese-Inspired Oyster Shooters - amazing sweet mirin liquor with a slight wasabi kick before the oyster ocean trickles through. One of the greatest things you'll ever eat. This is served with a little soba nori roll which has a lovely chewiness and strong seaweed flavour;
- Char-Siu Quail (with Mandarin Pancake, Lime Cucumber Salad & Roasted Rice) - tasty alternative to Peking duck with a lighter and more tangy touch;
- Steamed Blue Swimmer Crab Dumplings (Yarra Valley Salmon Roe, Celery Cress & Tom Kha) - soft ravioli pasta filled with crab meat surrounded by a thin form of the classic Thai lemongrass & coconut broth and little gifts of salmon roe;
- Red-Roasted Barossa Chicken (with Zucchini & Mint Fritters, Chiang Kiang Caramel, Garlic Jam & Fried Sambal) - perfectly cooked chicken, an indistinguishing fritter, a sweet & salty sauce;
- Masterstock Fried Pork Hock (with Chilli Caramel & Spicy Thai Beanshoot Salad) - thin-crispy skin surrounded an oblong piece of succulent pork with delicately soft fat. Caramelised slices of chilli provide sweetness and a final surprise of heat. The salad is fresh and sits on top of a light sweet sauce;
- Green Beans, Korean Chilli & Roasted Peanuts

The greed within us was satisfied by the Dessert Tasting Plate comprising of smaller forms of each of the individual desserts:
- Espresso Chocolate Marquise, Soft Meringue (middle) - extremely strong coffee flavour;
- Fromage Frais Pannacotta, Poached Rhubarb, Strawberry Water, Saffron Fairy Floss (bottom) - really tasty and sweet fruit;
- Honeycrunch Icecream, Toasted Gingerbread & Sugar Swirl (bottom right) - nice icecream with gingerbread so strong to the point of being bitter;
- Pistachio Frangipane, Caramelised Strawberry, Tonka Bean Icecream (top right) - combination of bean-flavoured creamy icecream, squishy pistachio and sweet fruit;
- Sable of Apple & Pear, Earl Grey Tea Creme Brulee (top) - don't remember much of it;
- Salted Caramel Parfait, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch (left) - heavy sweetness with more saltiness than I'd normally expect.

My favourite desserts were obviously the Pannacotta and Pistachio Frangipane but I'm quite biased towards ones with fruit and a soft textured core. Meanwhile partner liked the Espresso and Salted Caramel best. Each taste bud to their own.

Next time I would order a larger number of Oyster Shooters. It is the signature flavour from Ezard that you will remember above anything else. The Blue Swimmer Crab Dumpling is also very highly recommended and features in the degustation such is its popularity. I liked the Pork Hock but the heavy flavour of the Longrain version still remains my favourite. All the other dishes are great but much more optional. It still remains the most consistent restaurant for a memorable one-night meal in Melbourne.

The Vodnikov trg market square of Ljubljana has recently acquired a collection of food vans, with the two or three most fragrant specialising in fried seafood. As tempting as these were, Valentin caught my attention first for a few reasons - their outdoor seating overlooking the market square on a sunny blue-skied day, the wafting smells from other people's plates and the fresh seafood displayed from their fishmonger front.

I wanted variety. The 400g of Deep-Fried Mixed Seafood €10 (squid, sardines, hake, whitebait, whiting, octopus) seemed the right choice, even if they did suggest it would be for two.

The seafood is good quality, fresh and cooked to perfection with great flavour. The best by far was the whiting, the largest fish on the plate with juicy flesh and crispy salty fried coating. Whole octopus tentacles had been lightly pan-fried to a tasty red skin and a great smooth chew. Tiny deep-fried squid presented chewy mouthfuls each. Calamari rings and smaller fish were also to a good standard but paled in comparison to the rest.

Next time I would order the same Deep-Fried Mixed Seafood plate. Even though the whiting and octopus were best on the plate, the variety is welcome and much better value. Follow it up with some nice fruit from the market to wash down the salt. On a colder day, the inside restaurant provides more formal dish options in a protected environment.

I actually wanted to eat at Pomf (especially the deer & wild boar goulash) but for some reason they didn't have any stews that day (for lunch or dinner). I found that quite odd given it wasn't all that warm - perhaps the game were all in hibernation and couldn't be found. Nonetheless I swallowed my incredulity and continued to enjoy the amazing sunset sky while looking for somewhere else.

Located along a major walkway in Ljubljana and listed in multiple guidebooks means I wouldn't normally eat at a place like Sokol, but the reputation for quality goulash and a traditional house setting meant a last minute meal before a late train.

Divjacinski Gol €9.9 (Venison Goulash with Bread Dumplings, Pear & Cranberry) was thick, meaty, flavoursome. Bread dumpling was an odd dense slab of carbohydrate, but useful to soak up the goulash. Sweet cranberries and pear made this version particularly different and memorable to the previous ones I've tried. My stomach was happily warm.

Mesana solata (seasonal salad) €3.5 was a surprisingly nice collection of lettuce, cabbage and beans with a slightly tart vinegar dressing. It was a good break from the heavy stew flavour.

Next time I would order the Venison Goulash again for something reliable and warming. Other house specialties such as Deer Mediallions or Stag Steak sounds like fantastic alternatives.