rglondon | Entries tagged with restaurants

Hello RGL community. I got back from a three-week holiday Down Under on Saturday (it was lovely!) and I've been a bit jet-lagged since, and a bit busy at work too, hence the delay to this post, a very special episode of the Randomness Guide to London.

You'll be aware of the news. Therefore the first thing to mention is that after this post RGL will take a break for a while. Most of us are now working from home, and avoiding going out as much as possible (some entirely). The latest government and Public Health England advice has been to avoid group socialising and non-essential travel, so it's likely that many of the pubs, bars, restaurants and cinemas will be closed at this point, and given the way things have progressed on the continent, it feels like only a matter of time before that is enforced more strictly. We cannot in all good faith, as of Wednesday 18 March, advise you to go out to any of the places on this list either; if they are still open, you will have to take that decision yourself, but find ways to support them however you can.

The list below was compiled on Sunday, and even in the few days since then, the public health advice has taken a much harder line.

Restaurante Santafereño, Brixton, London SW9

With all that in mind, the featured article is Restaurante Santafereno, SW9 8PR, a popular restaurant in the Brixton Market supporting the Colombian community. Perhaps make it a place to visit when we are able to move freely again.

There's an update to Sala Piquin, also in Brixton Market, formerly Casa Morita. It's moving from just Mexican to regional fusion, with friendly staff, so why not help them out with a visit when it's safe again to do so.

Two reported temporary closures (that aren't related to coronavirus) are: Mirch Masala in Norbury (for hygiene reasons); and Joy King Lau in Covent Garden.

Well, that's our last update for a while. We don't know how long things will go, but it's likely to be for at least the length of the Summer, which is sad. Some places are still offering takeaways or deliveries so please do your best to support small businesses wherever you can in any way that is safe to both you and them, and spare a thought for those businesses who were gearing up to open or rebrand or refurbish in March and beyond. More than that, spare a thought for the many people working in the hospitality and tourist industries who will find life much harder now. Life will get hard for a bit, before things look up.

rowleybirkinqc

This week we're featuring not an article, but an area: South Norwood. This area of South London is a mix of residential and retail, with many cafés, pubs and parks. (I recognised the clock tower near Norwood Junction immediately from when I lived in roughly this area in the 1960s.)

The Bull And Last, NW5 1QS, a gastropub by Hampstead Heath, on Highgate Road, has just reopened after a long refurbishment. If someone would care to visit and tell us what it's like now, that would be great.

And there's a new article: Parseh, SE5 8RS, an Iranian place on Denmark Hill with a variety of interesting food for eating in (though it's quite small inside) or for taking away.

Current Mood: thirsty

mrs_leroy_brown

What ho, RGL collective! Short and sweet this week :)

This week's new featured article is Viet Hoa, one of the many Vietnamese restaurants on Kingsland Road in Shoreditch. Here, you can expect an interesting menu of well cooked food for a reasonable price.

The page for Nico, a cafe in South Norwood has been updated.

ewan

Hello and welcome back to another random week.

Harry Morgan, St John’s Wood, London NW8

This week our feature article is Harry Morgan, NW8 7NH, a restaurant and deli in St John's Wood. Expect Jewish (albeit non-kosher) comfort food in a NYC style. Expect good size portions and attentive staff.

A temporary closure reported for The Constitution pub, for refurbishment apparently, so fingers crossed that goes well.

A more permanent closure for The Blue-Eyed Maid pub in Borough. Who knows if it will return...?

Finally we've got reports of a "possible" closure of Casa Morita, SW9 8LB in Brixton's trendy market. It might be back but the website and socials are all a bit vague.

rowleybirkinqc

This week's featured article is Hopper And Bean, N10 3DU, a cheerful yellow cafe in Muswell Hill that is easy to access and work in.

A new article: Langley Quarter, BR3 3DE, a cafe in Eden Park where the food side is a bit hit-and-miss, and there are accessibility issues, but it's a good place to work on your laptop.

Updates to Tooting Daily Fresh Naan, SW17 7ER (now shawarma too), Poached, BR3 1AZ (new visits,photos of menus), and Category: Central Line (no longer direct trains to Chigwell et al.).

Square, W1J 6PU, a French restaurant in Bruton Street, Mayfair, has closed after the parent company went into admin, though we're hoping someone will take it on (it has a Michelin star after all). At Adam's Cafe, CR0 2TD, a greasy spoon in London Road, Croydon, the shutters have been down for weeks, but we don't know why.

Now, tap rooms. The Orbit Beers Taproom, SE17 3HD was, as its name implied, the tap room for the Orbit Beers brewery which operates from railway arches in Walworth. Or rather, the tap room attached to their brewery has closed. But they tweeted that a nearby cafe would be "hosting" their tap room. What does this mean though? Beer lines snaking through from the brewery to taps on the cafe counter? Or a few cans on a shelf? Whatever, could one call the cafe a "proxy taproom". On the subject of taprooms, do please opinionate on my blog post about what tap rooms are and aren't, and whether there we should have a dedicated category for them.

Current Mood: indescribable

katstevens

Our first featured article of February is the Devereux pub, just off the Strand. It's had a recent change of ownership so those looking for the usual Taylor Walker menu will be met instead by a variety of toasties. According to the website, they also sell Curly Wurlys!

There's a new article for Harry Morgan, a restaurant and deli in St John's Wood. Expect salmon bagels, salt beef sandwiches and, if it takes your fancy, a bowl of cold borscht.

It's the dawning of a classic sitcom plot in South Norwood as cafe Nico moves premises over the road. Will the old carpet shop be able to squeeze itself into Nico's previous home with hilarious results? We'll let you know if we see them sending passive-aggressive paper airplane notes across the street to each other on our next visit.

Finally, some pub news to report:
- the Fuller's Brewery Tap in Brentford has reopened after a refurb;
- the Royal Exchange in Paddington is temporarily closed after some sad news;
- Walthamstow Antic pub Mirth, Marvel and Maud is undergoing redevelopment;
- the landlords of the Ealing Park Tavern have decided not to renew their lease;
- the Change of Horses in Farnborough has had a Change of Management; the effect on the weekly Orpington Folk Club meetings is as yet unclear;
- the Load of Hay near Brunel University in Uxbridge has also recently had a refurb. Whether this will stop locals referring to it by a slightly different name remains to be seen.

mrs_leroy_brown

Welcome to another week of curated randomness :)

This week's featured article is Out Of The Brew, a veggie/vegan coffee shop twixt New Cross and New Cross Gate stations. Although the menu choices aren't vast, it seems a great place to work with a decent wifi connection and a possible resident dog.

Updates have been made to the Devereaux pub just off the Strand, and London Fields Brewery Tap Room.

We've two reported closures - Swan Books, an indie bookshop in Upminster and Lamberts, a British restaurant in Balham.

In reopening news, the Waterman's Arms, a Young's pub in Richmond, is refurbished and under new management, though we've yet to visit.

ewan

Hello all, rather belatedly again because I'm a bit rusty at this. Also this will have to keep us going for two weeks, so special DOUBLE EDITION.

This week, our featured article is On the Bab, EC1V 9LA, a Korean street food vendor albeit in an actual building. bob was pretty happy with the bibimbap and expect it to be busy at lunchtimes.

One new article is Brown and Green on the Triangle, an excessively-named cafe catering to all kinds of diets in the Crystal Palace metropolitan hub. Expect kids.

We have an update to Frank's Cafe, still a local caff serving breakfasts near Limehouse. Handy if you find yourself in Limehouse.

Our two reported closures are for Klein's, a haberdashers off Oxford Street, and Yak and Yeti, a Nepalese restaurant in Eltham.

rowleybirkinqc

Belle Epoque, French-themed cafe on Newington Green

Happy new year wherever you are. You are still keeping your new year's resolutions, dryanuary or tryanuary or whatever, aren't you?

This week's featured article is the Belle Epoque, a French-themed café on Newington Green for all your croissant and croque needs.

An update: the Green Dragon, CR0 1NA in High Street, Croydon have tweaked their opening hours: staying open an hour later to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, but opening later on Sundays (now 12 noon).

Several closures have been reported. Sanxia, SE8 4PQ, a Sichuan restaurant on Deptford Broadway, closed in October and is now another Sichuan restaurant. In Norbury, Nomad Cuisine, SW16 4AN, a halal restaurant with Middle Eastern art, closed sometime last year, and the premises now hosts Heady's Diner, a café. And Draft House Old Street, EC1V 9NR has closed (were they using the American spelling of "draught", or was the bar just a draft, in preparation for BrewDog which is due to open up there?).

So, out with the old. And in with the new! A new article for a completely new bar: the Wolfpack, NW6 6RA, the tap room for the Wolfpack brewery. It's near Queens Park and is a pleasant place if you're in the area. Another new article: On The Bab, EC1V 9LA on Old Street does tasty Korean street food and good tea. It's always busy at lunchtime.

Current Mood: thirsty

ewan

Welcome back, and let's get straight into it with this week's featured article. It's The Rusty Bucket, SE9 5PR, a pub in Eltham. A small pub, mind, but a proper pub. It has real ales, it has bar snacks, and it's attractively kept.

Our one new article is Meydan Sofrasi, a Canning Town Turkish restaurant. You'll probably be wondering if a restaurant is worth a journey to Canning Town for, but perhaps let's just say that if you find yourself in E16, maybe this will be worth a visit.

There's an update to Husk, a coffee shop in Limehouse with a low-key religious connection; feels more like a community space.

Finally, news of the reopening of The Moon and Stars in Romford, a Wetherspoons pub now with added roof terrace.

rowleybirkinqc

Momo & Roti, a Nepalese restaurant in Hounslow

This week's featured article is Momo And Roti, TW3 1NP, a Nepalese restaurant ("Taste of Himalayas") in Hounslow with cheerful décor.

The Dec/Jan issue of the London Drinker is now out, and available from a pub near* you. It reports several closures, some changes, and a reopening:

The Lord Nelson, E14 3BD, a pub in the Isle of Dogs, has reopened under new management, having closed earlier in the year. We don't know what might have changed, so caveat emptor.

The closure is reported of the Hoxton Pony, EC2A 3AH, a DJ bar that wasn't in Hoxton, and maybe didn't even have a pony. It had been brash and new when last visited in 2008, but its operator has gone into administration, with the lease up for sale.

The Hack And Hop, EC4Y 8BH, a pub off Fleet Street, has a new operator: the "Portobello Pub Co.", which as far as I can see has next to no online presence. I hope they're still doing Five Points' Railway Porter.

The Market Porter, SE1 9AA, a pub by Borough Market that has been in the Good Beer Guide continuously for over a decade, has halved its number of real ales.

The Star & Garter, part of which had been converted to Les Delices De Tresor, SE14 6TJ, an Ivorian restaurant, has closed. The restaurant itself -- a small one-woman business with especially flavourful stews -- is presumably still functioning.

The Cambria, SE5 9AR, a gastropub near Loughborough Junction, has closed and its future is uncertain.

TGI Friday's, W1D 7AG in Coventry Street off Piccadilly Circus has closed. On a visit (though in 2007), the food was substandard, so maybe this place will not be missed.

*YMMV

rowleybirkinqc

Lao Cafe, a Laotian restaurant in Covent Garden

This week's featured article is the Lao Cafe, WC2N 4HG, a small Laotian restaurant in Covent Garden. Inside it has an industrial look, but there is a huge mural of a smiling person and the food is good.

Two cafes have been reported closed, both permanently: Mimosa, SE24 9HU, a cafe/deli close to the Half Moon in Herne Hill, closed in mid-2019, and Familia Cafe, E7 9BB, a tiny, simple corner cafe by Forest Gate Station, closed earlier this month.

mrs_leroy_brown

On The Hoof Bistro, Sydenham, London SE26

Good morning folks!

This week's new featured article is On the Hoof Bistro, a cafe/restaurant in Sydenham. Reviewers were impressed by the quality and size of the Sunday lunch on offer, and it appears to be a good place to work as well.

And that's all she wrote, as we've no new articles, updates or reported closures.

rowleybirkinqc

Chennai Dosa, an Indian restaurant in West Croydon

Hello people, new blogger here, so quick intro: I'm

rowleybirkinqc - as surmised previously I stumbled into editing RGL years ago (probably because I liked the principle of wikis). Right, onwards...

This week's featured article is Chennai Dosa, CR0 2RL, a casual South Indian restaurant in West Croydon where you eat with your fingers. The food is usually good, and even though sometimes poor in parts our reviewers just keep coming back.

One new article: Warisan Cafe, W2 1TU, a Malaysian cafe near Paddington Station. It's in a half-basement, but is friendly and welcoming, with freshly made, flavourful food.

Several pubs (and one restaurant) reported as closed (though some temporarily) -- one closed for health and safety!

The Moon And Stars, RM1 1NX, a 'spoons in Romford, is being refurbished (reopening November). The Royal George, SE8 4QD (a Sam Smith's pub, New Cross/Deptford borders) has closed down; it is now up for sale, though we reckon as a going concern. In the West End, the Kings Arms, W1W 7QL, a pleasant pub near Broadcasting House, is being refurbished and is due to reopen next year.

Lewisham Council has closed the Catford Constitutional Club, SE6 4SP because "parts of the building are dangerous". I note that Antic were allowed to continue operating it for another week, so I have visions of "just put this hard hat on if you're going to the loo, and best not to tread on too many floorboards". The council state the pub will reopen, perhaps next year, after the necessary works, but we're not holding out much hope.

The Brewery Tap, TW8 8BD looks like it has closed for good: the area round this Brentford pub is being redeveloped, and Fuller's say it is no longer feasible to keep it open.

The Gaylord, W1W 7SJ, an Indian restaurant in Fitzrovia since 1966, has closed down. It is being replaced by a new restaurant from a New Delhi chain.

Some selected updates:
* "Laptop Friendly" category's criteria slightly broadened
* In Battersea, former cocktail bar Zocalo, SW11 3RA is presently a tapas place "Vinos y Licores"
* Epsom Station has crept into Zone 9

ewan

People, sorry, I've been slammed at work so completely failed to update you on the goings and comings at the venerable Randomness Guide to London.

Our featured article this week is Vasanta Bhavan, E6 2JA, a veggie Indian cafe in East Ham. I accidentally typed "Eat Ham" there, but I've corrected it, and those of you who want to do that would be best advised not to visit. Actually, probably do visit because they'll do you a nice dosa and idli.

Our two new pages are Las Fuentes, a tapas place in Selsdon, which I surely don't have to tell you is near Croydon. Surprisingly good, I'm reading. Surprisingly good. Oh and there's also The Golden Ark nearby, which is a micropub, with normal human size tables for sitting at, and (as ever) decent ale.

There are also some significant updates to Chennai Dosa, a South Indian in Croydon where they would advise you to eat the food with your fingers as nature intended. I went there not so long ago and it was excellent, v nice. There's The Edward Rayne in Raynes Park, a Wetherspoons, so you know what to expect. And Urban Guj in Thornton Heath, an Indian cafe and tea shop, which sounds like a place to go when next you find yourself in sunny CR7.

mrs_leroy_brown

¡Buenas tardes!

This week's featured article is Tierra Peru, which as its name helpfully informs, is a Peruvian Restaurant in Islington. Reviewers praise the food's flavour and textures, and the portions appear rather generous.

Four new articles have gone up. In the east, we have Familia Cafe, a wee gem of a cafe in Forest Gate which offers up a Spanish breakfast sure to be a hit with garlic lovers. In central London, we have Lao Cafe, a Laotian restaurant in Covent Garden with industrial decor; best to arrive early as it seems to fill up fast. In the south, we have Rocoto Pepper, a Latin American restaurant in New Cross serving perfectly cromulent tea and arepas, along with breakfast choices and a lunch selection that has a vegan option. Just down the road from SE14, Pho Street in Greenwich is a Vietnamese cafe where unsurprisingly, pho and other noodles soups feature heavily.

Updates have been made to:

- Vasanta Bhavan, a totally vegetarian Indian cafe in East Ham
- Compton Arms, a pub near Highbury & Islington Station
- Akari, a Japanese restaurant near Essex Road station
- Parcel Yard, a Fuller's pub inside King's Cross station

Finally, we've two reported closures - China China, a Chinese restaurant in Lewisham and Village East, a bar and restaurant near Tower Bridge

katstevens

Evening RGLers!

This week's featured article is for Hilltribe, a Thai restaurant in Richmond. All the dishes our reviewer tried came with a lettuce leaf/hibiscus flower decoration, which certainly made the Chiangmai sausages look more colourful: like Esther Williams, in sausage form!

There's a new article for 161 Food And Drink, a wine bar just down the road from me in sunny Sydenham. They have a few interesting beers on offer too, plus a small plates menu, however if you're after substantial veggie options for dinner, in my experience you'd be better off at the Azeri chip shop three doors up the hill.

Staying in Sydenham, there's an update for the On The Hoof Bistro, a cafe run by the same people behind the coffee stalls in Sydenham and Forest Hill stations. I must go back there for another Sunday roast at some point.

Finally, down in Croydon there's an update for Don's Cafe, a traditional greasy spoon with proper formica tables. The sausages here may be slightly less glamorous than Esther Williams, but they get the job done.

mrs_leroy_brown

Sambal Kitchen & Diner, South Harrow, London HA2

Good evening friends and neighbours!

This week's featured article is Sambal Kitchen and Diner, a cozy Sri Lankan restaurant in South Harrow. The set meal sounds like a cracking bargain and our reviewer was particularly impressed by the dhal and sambal.

We've one new article - Megaro, a hotel restaurant and bar just across the road from King's Cross/St Pancras where it seems the breakfast brioche bun is a fork-and-knife affair.

Updates have been made to:

Blue Jay Cafe, a Carribbean cafe in South Norwood
Albert Tavern, a Greene King pub in South Norwood
Quaker Cafe, a cafe and bookshop directly opposite Euston Station in the Friends House
King’s Head, a pub on Essex Road in Islington
Tierra Peru, a Peruvian restaurant near Essex Road station in Islington

ewan

Oh yes, hello! Wednesday! It's a busy week so let's crack on.

The Good Egg, Stoke Newington, London N16

Our featured article is Good Egg, N16 0AS. It's a cafe/restaurant in not-so-much-trendy-as-now-solidly-middle-class Stoke Newington. It does sort of Israeli/US Jewish-influenced food and from the name I can't guarantee there'd be any vegan options, but there probably are I bet. Enjoy the cars if you sit out the front, or enjoy the food inside.

And we have one reported closure, Jashan, a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Wembley. It may have been disappointing when Kake visited, but it had its fans, and now it's a sweet shop. If you are looking for other vegetarian Indian recommendations, though, why not check out this site I've heard about, Randomness Guide to London?

Told you it was busy! Have a great week.

ewan

Another week of RGL and another week in which I drag my heels and don't get the post out until Tuesday, but we have content so keep reading!

It's nothing to look at from outside, but Kailash Momo, SE18 6ED should be a must-visit when you go to the charming southern enclave of Woolwich. It serves Tibetan and Nepalese cuisines, focusing on the momo (a dumpling) but there's plenty of other options. It's all very cosy.

Our one new article is Good Egg in Stoke Newington, which doesn't sound very vegan friendly, but I bet you could find something. After all it's N16, and you can expect food influenced by Israeli, Middle Eastern and modern American Jewish cuisine.

There are updates to Food for All, a health shop, also in Stoke Newington, and The Cittie of Yorke, a Sam Smith's pub in Holborn.

Finally, a reported closure for Lucky Seven, a record shop/secondhand bookshop in Stokey. It's now a salon.