This Ordinary Life

Well, finding a venue for a birthday dinner to be attended by all your friends is always going to be a challenge. So, when one of my mates suggested that 16 of us go to Koba, a Korean restaurant at 11 Rathbone Street, London W1T 1NA, I thought that it would be something special. To the restaurant's credit, they did make us feel welcome by giving us on long table to all site at, but that was about it.

The menu was an array of Korean specialities and we did our best to order an arrangement of dishes - the raw beef starter, various versions of Korean BBQ, hot pot stew, etc. It was a veritable schmorgisborg of Korean food. Drinks were flowing with very good Hite Prime Beer and the house read and white lubricating our appetites for the feast ahead.

It was when the food came out that everything started falling apart. Firstly, the raw beef starter (the Korean version of steak tatare) was more than raw it was made of shredded frozen beef. This frozen meat theme prevailed during the provision of all the "raw" meats for the "at table" BBQ. Secondly, their timing was so far off we're glad there wasn't a benchmark to rate them against. The first people were given their meat to cook on the BBQ (their main) 1 hour before the hot pot stews finally were brought out. Finally, the portions were tiny. Our duck BBQ at £8.50 consisted of 4 thin slices of frozen duck breast. Now I understand that there are mark ups, but this amount of duck couldn't have cost them more than £1, particularly as they probably bought it frozen anyway!

It's a real shame that they completely ruined our dining experience through the careless provision of frozen meat and not getting the timing on our mains right. Such carelessness when couple to a £26 per head price tag gives rise to a desire to never eat there again and to advise my friend to not risk going either. There are many other Korean BBQ's in London that do get it it right and believe me when Korean BBQ is done right, you are guaranteed a night of good food, fun dining experience and smiles all around.

To Koba's credit, the Kimchi and other pickled side orders were good (of course, they would be as they come out of a packet!)...

I give Koba...

2 / 5 for food (you just don't serve frozen meat!)
4 / 5 for ambiance (to their credit we did feel like we were foreigners in Korea)
3 / 5 for localness (the food does feel authentic)
2 / 5 for value (at £26 per head, you would have expected a lot more)

2.5/5 Overall

So if you are in Central London and would like some Korean for dinner, whatever you do, don't go to Koba.  The place is run by Korean's that should know better, particularly when they are representing their country and it's cusine in the UK.  I love Korean BBQ, so I will find an good one and let you know about it.

Posted by this ordinary life at 8:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One thing that the English do particularly well is a Sunday Roast (if you are not familiar with this it consists of roasted and juicy meat accompanied by piles of veggies and oven roasted potatoes). However, not all Sunday Roasts are alike and in recent times the commercialisation of the meal has seen quality levels at many pubs take a nose dive. Note, pubs are the only real place to have a roast outside the home.

The Skiddaw is a simple but comfy pub located at 43 Chippenham Road, London, W9 2AF, near Maida Vale tube station. They serve an excellent selection of beers, ales and wines with a cold pint of Staropramen being my favourite (however, be warned that they sometimes use warm glasses fresh from the dishwasher which is a not the best at keeping cold beer cold!).

During my last visit I decided to order their special roast of the day – a herby half chicken. Now after being used to meagre portions and hefty pricetags at wanna-be trendy pubs like the Clifton Hotel or the Salt House, I was prepared for the worst. Boy, I was to be disappointed *sarcastic smirk* as what was brought out was a veritable feast of golden roasted poultry, crispy potatoes and a divine selections of veggies - steamed leaks, al dente green beans, carrots – there were all there in force. I couldn’t believe my eyes and all for £8.50!

The food was as tasty as it looked and by the end of it I was brimming with degustable contentment. The two pints of Staropramen rounded out an excellent meal. I commend the Skidaw for bucking the trend of other pubs and serving up simple, good value Sunday Roast. I’ll be back again and will bring my friends.

I give Skiddaw’s Sunday Roast

5 / 5 for food (the chicken is finger lickin’ good)
4 / 5 for ambiance (quite and good music, comfy, but nothing spectacular)
3 / 5 for localness (they don’t make any claims about the sourcing about the food, but the food is locally simple)
4.5/5 for value (it’s a bargain at £8.50 where many places now charge up to £12)

4.25/5 Overall

If you are ever stuck for a place to have a Sunday Roast in West London, keep the Skiddaw in mind. It won’t disappoint and you might find yourself going there for just a general drink another time as well… did I mention their regular menu is not to shabby either?

Posted by this ordinary life at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Soft jazz playing in the background and stunning photo prints lining the walls, this is how breakfast is supposed to be done on a weekend morning. Known to me previously only as a restaurant that serves up top quality French dinners, it now also one of my favourite places for an English Breakfast. No really, the French can...

£6.95 gets you either Eggs Benedict (fried egg, smoke salmon, English muffin or a devinely creamy Hollandaise sauce) or a full English Breakfast (spicy sausage, 2 bacon rashers, choice of eggs, beans, tomato and toast and a hot beverage of your choice.

My girlfriend and I ordered one of each and spent the next hour enjoying the food and most of the atmosphere (most is the result of the place being almost empty as, like us, no one else seems to know that they do breakfast.

I give Le Chardon:

5/5 for Food
3/5 for Ambiance (5 is it was buzzing)
4/5 for Localness (it might be French, but they do an excellent job being British at breakfast)
4/5 for Value (the coffee could be bigger at no real extra cost)

4/5 Overall

If you are stuck for a place to have breakfast that is a break from the pub/cafe norm, check out Le Chardon on 32 Abbeville Road, Clapham, London SW4 9NG. You won't be disappointed, but make sure you bring a friend as you might be a bit lonely. Well, only until the word gets out and this place starts getting packed.

Posted by this ordinary life at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Soft jazz playing in the background and stunning photo prints lining the walls, this is how breakfast is supposed to be done on a weekend morning. Known to me previously only as a restaurant that serves up top quality French dinners, it now also one of my favourite places for an English Breakfast. No really, the French can...

£6.95 gets you either Eggs Benedict (fried egg, smoke salmon, English muffin or a devinely creamy Hollandaise sauce) or a full English Breakfast (spicy sausage, 2 bacon rashers, choice of eggs, beans, tomato and toast and a hot beverage of your choice.

My girlfriend and I ordered one of each and spent the next hour enjoying the food and most of the atmosphere (most is the result of the place being almost empty as, like us, no one else seems to know that they do breakfast.

I give Le Chardon:

5/5 for Food
3/5 for Ambiance (5 is it was buzzing)
4/5 for Localness (it might be French, but they do an excellent job being British at breakfast)
4/5 for Value (the coffee could be bigger at no real extra cost)

4/5 Overall

If you are stuck for a place to have breakfast that is a break from the pub/cafe norm, check out Le Chardon on 32 Abbeville Road, Clapham, London SW4 9NG. You won't be disappointed, but make sure you bring a friend as you might be a bit lonely. Well, only until the word gets out and this place starts getting packed.

Posted by this ordinary life at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Work has led me back to Budapest for two nights at the now lovely Gellert Hotel and Spa (but it's still a blast to the Communist past!). I've come down to give a lecture to some executives and had planned to catch up with a friend for dinner. The short of it is they bailed on me, but the long of it is the local eatery that I found instead.

The Kisvigado Vendeglo (1113 Bp. Villanyi ut 34) is a local pub that will guarantee to fill your belly and make you feel like you're a local. I had the Wiener Schitzel with Mash and washed it down with a 0.5L of Gosser Beer. Total bill was 2700 Forint (ca. £9). Great food and great value.

It was simple, pleasant and filled with locals. The walk was quite pleasant too as it's about 10 minutes on foot from the Gellert.

I give the place:

4/5 for Food
4/5 for Ambiance
5/5 for Localness
5/5 for Value

4.5/5 Overall

Well, now I'm sitting in my boxers on my balcony at the Gellert enjoying the lovely view of the Danube (mius some construction and the traffic) and the use of the hotel's iPass-enabled Wi-fi. Better get back to my Beer and Muller Rice (I'm carb-loading for the F3 Orca Triathlon at Windsor on Sunday!). Sadly, I leave tomorrow morning for London... but not before I get a couple of hours in the famous Gelert Spa!

Posted by this ordinary life at 7:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's an easy recipe to wow your guests with at a dinner party...

Ingredients

- Chicken thighs and legs (free range or organic only please!)
- Some flour for dusting
- Mixed herbs (fresh if possible) - 1 thigh/leg combination per person
- Canalleni beans (not canned) - 100g per person
- Butternut squash - 100g per person
- Carrots (1 per person)
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 1 cup water

Soak the beans over night in cold water and then simmer for 1 hour to soften. Peel and roughly chop the squash and carrots. Place beans at the bottom of a baking dish and place the squash and carrots on top. Disolve the stock cube in water and pour over dish. Season to taste. Place in the bottom of an oven preheated to 200 C. Leave to bake for 40 min. With 10 minutes left mix in the squash and carrots (roasting on top) into the beans.

Season the chicken with the herbs and dust with flour. Pan fry sear the chicken until nice and golden. Place on a baking tray, cover with auminium foil and place near the top of the oven. Leave to bake with 20 min left. With 10 min left, drain some of the juices into the bean dish (at the same time that you are mixing in the squash and carrots). With 5 min left remove aluminium foil to crisp.

Dish up 1 thigh/1 leg with a quantity of bean/squash/carrot mixture and enjoy. It's quick, easy, healthly and guaranteed to please!

Posted by this ordinary life at 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I find that in today's face paced, overworked society the ranks of M&S dinners and take-away food have led us to believe that the only way to cope with our busy lives it to buy their products. Their mantra is all about working people not having time and deserving better than what they could cobble together at home.

Well, I disagree and over the coming months I will share with you simple dishes that allow you to eat like a king, enjoy cooking, impress your friends and save money. It is the greatest fallacy that cooking for yourself is a hassle, take a lot of time and isn't worth it for one person.

To start things off, I'll share with you a simple recipe for a Goats Cheese Garden Salad. This combines the vegetables you should have in your fridge with the ever more popular goats cheese. The presentation is eye catching and you'll feel like your in a restaurant (with washing up).

First, the ingredients... You will need a base leaf (mixed leaf, rocket or little gem; however, THOU SHALL NOT USE ICEBERG LETTUCE!). Sorry about the stern rebuke, but iceberg lettuce is, in my opinion, an insult to the salad family. There is more flavour in a glass of water.

Next you will need colourful vegetables for contrast. In the salad pictured, I used a yellow pepper, small red onion, 1 carrot, 2 small vine tomatos, 1 avocado and 1/8 of a cucumber. However, mushrooms, sliced apple, broccoli or steamed butternut squash could all be used as well. The secret is contrasting colours with flavours. Slicing allows you artistic licence for the presentation (e.g. carrot star shapes, cucumber slivers and fanned avocados).

Next prepare the goats cheese croutons. These are very simple and look great. Take a piece of bread (best if you toast it first) and smear a healthy quantity of goats cheese on top. Grill until the cheese is bubbling and browning, be careful not to let it burn. Finally, cut the bread into whatever shape you like, I prefer nice squares.

Assembly is easy. Start with a pile of leaves and then in a symmetrical fashion add your chopped vegetable, put the croutons around the outside edge (you don't want any dressing on these) and top with some chopped nuts (I love cashews, walnuts or almonds) or seeds (sunflower, sesame or flax) in the centre for some added crunch and taste.

Finally, add your dressing. This is probably the only stage where you can ruin this salad. Too often a salad ends up just tasting like the dressing (which if you use iceberg lettuce is great). But for this salad, I suggest you use a simple vinaigrette consisting of a dash of olive oil and a dash of balsamic vinegar with salt and roughly ground pepper to taste.

The finished product is a salad that will impress. It's perfect for lunch or, as a smaller portion, a starter. I also find that after a hard day at work, it's a simple booster that gives me most of the nutrients that I may have missed out on during the day.

Enjoy...

Posted by this ordinary life at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Part of the purpase of this blog is also to serve as a font of knowledge regarding life in London. As part of this, I will periodically post tips on how to "beat the system" and review of restaurant/bars.

Today I'll be including a review of a sushi bar I went to last night call
"Sushi Bar Gen" in West Hampstead. If you come out of the West Hampstead Jubilee Line Tube station, you need to cross the road and turn right (going North) and you come across it on that same side after abut 5 minutes.

It's a tiny place done up in a shabby canteen style, but there is immediately some pleasantness to the place. With only seats for at most 20, more likely than not you'll have to wait at the "bar" until one frees up. This waiting time gives you plenty of time to survey the open kitchen which is grease splattered and not the picture of cleanliness you would normally hope for.

However, despite the obvious physical indications that the place is a bit of a dump, the food is excellent and very well priced. We had gyozas and misos to start (the gyozas didnkt arrive until after the mains) and a sushi platter to share between 2 people with the third in our party having vegetable tempura. The platter was a very nice selection of nigiris and rolls and the tempura shredded sweet potato and eggplant slices were a crispy delight. Presentation wasnät too bad either, but what is with sushi bar and the fake grass!?!

For £15 a head we had more food than we could eat. Best thing was that they have a delivery service, so next time I can enjoy the great food without seeing the kitchen.

I recommend that if you are habkering for some sushi and live within 2 miles or so of West Hampstead, you give them a call on 020 74314031. They definitely have my vote for best value delivery sushi in London.

Posted by this ordinary life at 8:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)