Welcome to LondonAppetizer.com - packed full of London restaurant reviews and London restaurant news, including all the latest restaurant openings and special offers.
Further to my interview with the owner of Daddy Donkey (you can read the interview here), you can use this discount voucher between July 3rd and 10th.
Those in the know are heading to Comptoir Libanais - the Middle Eastern canteen, shop and delicatessen on Wigmore Street. Having recently opened to critical acclaim, this new funky eatery has proved so popular, the restaurant is bowing to peer pressure and opening its doors until 10pm. Not only that, but Comptoir’s chic urban crowd can now take a bottle of their favourite tipple to enjoy with their meal absolutely free!
With no corkage charge on ‘bring your own’ and longer opening hours, Comptoir Libanais is fast becoming the hot destination for friends, family and lovers looking for an affordable evening of first-rate food alongside their choice of beer and wine or perhaps champagne.
Serving a menu designed for sharing, Comptoir Libanais encourages grazing in groups in the restaurant’s stylish surroundings. From a seductive selection of home-style dips, salads, warm wraps, hot dishes, cakes and pastries, some must-try dishes include prawn falafel; pumpkin kibbeh; lamb samboussek; halloumi and olive wraps; chicken tagine; and aubergine moussaka. To try a little of everything, there are platters of moreish mezze at just £9.50 for two to share.
For those with a sweet tooth, temptations include passion fruit cheesecake or chocolate and hazelnut cake ; whilst macarons and baklawa pastries offer a delicious complement to Comptoir’s mint tea; coffee and fresh lemonades.
Combining delicious creations with a floor-to-ceiling treasure trove of Middle Eastern products, Comptoir Libanais invites the adventurous to step up to beautifully patterned tables and try something new. So if you’re watching the pennies and thinking of an evening in, simply head out to Comptoir Libanais instead and have an evening of fabulous food that won’t break the bank.
Comptoir Libanais
65 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 1PZ
www.lecomptoir.co.uk
T: 0207 935 1110
Opening Times
Monday to Friday 8 am – 10 pm
Saturday to Sunday 10 am – 10 pm
Leave the hectic pace of the city behind and retreat to the vibrant Ginger Garden at Café Spice Namasté, at Tower Hill.
A chilled beer or lassi in hand, relax and enjoy executive chef Cyrus Todiwala’s delicacies such as chargrilled Tandoori Tiger prawns with spicy potato wedges and vegetable samosas. You could be forgiven for forgetting the time amid the lush green plants and colourful Parsee murals.
If you do, don’t worry as you can turn your enjoyable day at the garden into a lively evening. The exciting Ginger Garden offers all the great food of Café Spice Namasté in a vivid outdoor setting. Owner Cyrus Todiwala MBE has a tandoor in the garden that he loves to experiment with to create unique, healthy and exciting new dishes such as the fiery Goan peri peri chicken or the paneer and mixed vegetable shashlik marinated in classic tandoori spices and strained yoghurt.
A great space for private and corporate parties and cocktail evenings, the Ginger Garden, located at the back of the restaurant and with its own private entrance, is open throughout the summer as long as the sunshine lasts and weather permits. Opening times are as the restaurant from 12-3pm and 6:30-10pm,
Café Spice Namasté, 16 Prescot St, London E1 8AZ
Tel. 0207 488 9242
The founders of Busaba Eathai, the modern ethnic Thai canteen, have been reading up on their diners and discovered there is a renaissance for the written word with many of the restaurant’s chic urban crowd being members of book clubs.
Desiring to honour these lovers of literature, Busaba has put together a special book club deal to be enjoyed by groups making the most of their Store Street private dining room. Simply reserve the room and host a meeting for up to 20 of your book clubbers whilst making the most of a deliciously generous discount of at least 20% on Busaba’s fantastic set menus.
From the firm favourite thai calamari to pandan chicken; aromatic butternut pumpkin curry and ginger beef – each menu features 17 or more dishes, evoking the streets of Bangkok in a cool, central London setting. £16 menu for just £12.50 per person £19 menu for just £15 per person £24 menu for just £19 per person What could better than bantering about ‘The Beach’ or fighting over ‘Forget you had a daughter’ whilst discovering a feast of modern Thai delights.
With so much to choose from, there is something for every taste, offering more to talk about than the latest tome. Busaba’s Book Club Discount is available for groups of 12 or more in the private dining room of Busaba Eathai Store Street Monday – Wednesday ‘Booking’ your Book Club is essential, subject to availability.
Busaba Eathai 22 Store Street, London WC1E 7DF
020 7299 7900
To celebrate the Wimbledon finals, THAT Club in Greenwich will host McEnroe’s Garden Party on 4th July from 10pm.
The huge outdoor party terrace will be transformed into a tennis court with a full lawn and staff dressed in Eighties retro tennis wear, including super-short shorts, sweatbands and visors.
But the main attraction of the evening will be the midget McEnroe tennis match, whereby two highly talented tennis playing midgets will challenge each other to a game using over-sized racquets and dressed in full McEnroe outfits (including wigs!).
Keeping to true tennis tradition, Pimms and Lemonade will be served at the Garden Party but to add a twist to the quintessentially British drink, THAT Club have also created Pimms Five Ways, which is a menu of five new ways to serve Pimms.
THAT Club has a vast terrace space over two levels that can host up to 700 guests. With suspended disco balls and two outdoor cocktail bars guests feel like they’re a million miles from the capital.
The club’s interior is accented by white glass chandeliers, more disco balls and slick black floors. Booth style seating and raised levels give the club an intimate appeal. Hosting high-profile DJs and events, such as Secretsundaze and Cream Ibiza, THAT Club is the perfect place to see the sun set and rise over London...
Entry to THAT Club is charged at just £8 throughout the summer months.
THAT Club
338 Boord Street
North Greenwich
SE10 0PF
Opening Times: Saturday 10pm – 6am
First 200 girls free before 11pm on the guestlist
Location: THAT Club is a five minute walk from North Greenwich station (Jubilee Line) and shares all transport links with the O2 Centre
I met with Joel Henderson today, the owner of Daddy Donkey, a Mexican Grill that is taking the Holborn/Chancery Lane area of London by storm.
Joel is very likeable and down to earth, with a clear vision of what he wants to do and when he wants to do it. He wants to bring healthy Mexican Food to London and he wants to do it step by step - starting small, gauging customer feedback, improving, building a loyal fan base and eventually TAKING OVER THE WORLD! OK, the last bit are my words, not his, but Joel's passion for Mexican food knows no bounds and for someone still in his twenties, it is refreshing to hear a vision that makes sense, even in these tough market conditions.
Joel got into Mexican food in a big way when he was studying Spanish over there as part of his Spanish degree at Leeds University. I guess being a student meant that he was used to looking out for cheap eats and hours spent hanging around street corners in Mexico, chomping on great tasting burritos, tacos and nachos, ignited his enthusiasm for this cuisine.
Back in blighty, Joel decided that there was a gap in the market for healthy, tasty Mexican food, so quit his day job and set up a small stand in Leather Lane Market, just off High Holborn.
Four years on, and Joel has now upgraded to a fancy silver looking 'Burro-Van' capable of churning out hundreds of Burritos an hour to the office workers around High Holborn. All the ingredients are prepped fresh every day at a site opposite the market and the Columbian & Mexican chefs and servers work their hats off to keep the punters happy.
Of course, today was probably the hottest day in London this year, with temperatures approaching 35 degrees centigrade, so I was very surprised to turn up at the van at lunchtime and see a long queue of mainly suits waiting for their Mexican fix!
It's a simple concept: Choose a burrito, choose a filling (chicken, beef, pork or vegetarian), choose a salsa (mild, medium, hot or extra hot), pay (about £5.50) and enjoy.
My 'Big Ass' flour tortilla was stuffed full of coriander rice, chicken, lettuce, guacamole, peppers and onions. It was 10 out of 10 delicious and whilst enormous, did not feel fattening or unhealthy. I even had a side of black beans which were perfectly soft and mushy.
Joel's mission is to educate London, to make people understand that Mexican food need not be stodgy or unhealthy.
He strongly believes that London is under-served for Mexican restaurants, that there is a gap in the market for freshly prepared, good value Mexican food and he aims to fill it!
With hundreds of people already following Daddy Donkey on Twitter (you can follow him here), and with loads of community events planned, I reckon Joel has an excellent chance of success and I wish him every success.
Daddy Donkey can be found at pitches 100-101 Leather Lane market, EC1N 7TE
Open for lunch from Mondays to Fridays.
Visit www.daddydonkey.co.uk for more details.
Having worked their magic on an Empress and a Prince, Tom and Ed Martin, owners of their very own gastro-empire have now embraced supreme royalty by opening a pub on the King’s Road.
The Cadogan Arms, originally built in 1869, is situated midway on the monarch’s London thoroughfare. Once the site of many a Sloane’s first social steps in to adulthood, this noble tavern has been transformed in to a pub of distinction.
Spread across two floors, the 19th century boozer has been restored to its former glory, exposing and enhancing many authentic features such as cream embossed bar tiles, a mosaic floor entrance, an old stock brick fireplace, oak panelling and floorboards. The ground floor pub and dining area exudes ‘refined local’ and features a formidable selection of Victorian taxidermy, from bison to butterflies, otters to antlers, alongside a set of illustrations which embody gentlemen of the period, courtesy of Robert Dighton.
Head upstairs to what was the original Billiards Room. True to form, the space has been rebuilt to better serve its original purpose. Played by kings and commoners, gentlemen and hustlers, the 16th century game, banned in 1757 in alehouses due to its seedy reputation, makes a welcome re-appearance via three eight-ball tables and a plethora of prints and vintage photographs
representing this now commonplace pastime.
As with the design, food also makes a return to what this country does best combined with some contemporary and deft additions. Head chef Darius Endriukaitis, formerly of Guy Ritchie’s The Punch Bowl in Mayfair, has created a menu brimming with fresh seasonal ingredients from some of the UK’s finest suppliers. Dishes to start include pan-fried mackerel fillet with pickled beetroot, red chard and
horseradish dressing; ham hock and foie gras terrine with fig and apple chutney; as well as roast pancetta and garden pea soup. For main course, tuck into braised beef cheek with creamy mashed potatoes, carrots and sautéed girolles; pan fried sea bream, with steamed anya potatoes, sun-blushed cherry tomatoes and lemon dressing; or pub classic, an 8oz Aberdeen Angus beef burger with Applewood smoked cheddar. Desserts include an indulgent chocolate bread and butter pudding complete with organic clotted cream; rich rum and raisin sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream as well as decadent chocolate and pistachio nut brownie with white chocolate
strawberries. Sunday roasts with all the trimmings still reign, a fitting reward after a spot of shopping on King’s Road.
An all-day bar menu is also available for those who want a lighter bite. Enjoy half pint of prawns with fresh lemon and saffron; haddock goujons with tartare sauce or simple home-made spiced root vegetable crisps with minted yoghurt.
Drinkers will delight in a strong international wine list which includes Tom and Ed’s exclusively blended red, white and rosé wines, ETM, Domaine des Fontaine, VDP d’Oc, France 2007, available only in their venues. Leading cask ales, Adnams Braodside and London Pride, premium spirits and a selection of carefully chosen classic cocktails complete the picture.
The Cadogan Arms – a right royal affair.
The Cadogan Arms 298 King’s Road, London, SW3 5UG
T: 020 7352 6500 www.thecadoganarmschelsea.com
Apostrophe, the stylish boulangerie-patisserie group that fuses exciting standards of inventive, healthy produce with sophisticated urban design, is launching its first saladerie in its Regent Street branch this June. Guests will be able to choose from a range of house salads, or ask one of the Apostrophe assistants on hand to create a bespoke salad.
In keeping with Apostrophe’s philosophy of avoiding pre-packaged, self-service staples that are so commonly found among its contemporaries, the saladerie offers customers the freshest ingredients and complete control over their food.
Guests can select a base leaf type, before adding ingredients such as: chargrilled chicken, parma ham, shaved pepper pastrami, Toulouse sausage, goat’s cheese, over roasted vegetables, sun sweetened tomatoes, walnuts, cornichons, hearts of palm.
The Apostrophe Specials include:
Vegan – puy lentils, French beans, beetroot, vine tomatoes, carrots, sultanas, goji berries, toasted pumpkin seeds
Cooked Salad – a daily selection of freshly prepared meat or vegetarian mixed salads with pulses, cous cous or pasta
Nicoise – dolphin friendly tuna, hard boiled egg, kalamata olives, French beans, vine tomatoes, anchovy fillets, baby leaf
Cesar – chargrilled chicken, parmesan shavings, crispy bacon, croutons, crispy lettuce.
Apostrophe – A bit more info....
A variety of hot and cold drinks, including fresh smoothies, loose leaf teas and Apostrophe’s own signature coffee, prepared by expertly trained baristi, complete a detailed menu. Daily newspapers are available along with free Wi-Fi access, jams and complimentary water with mint.
Every Apostrophe site includes individual features that marry with the group’s recognisable design format such as limestone flooring, walnut wood furniture, an open plan delicatessen counter and plasma screens.
Take a food safari and sample some of the world’s most popular dishes courtesy of the latest Giraffe and founders husband and wife team Juliette and Russel Joffe with long-term friend Andrew Jacobs.
Proudly opening on Wilton Road in Victoria, just a stone’s throw from the station, Giraffe in Victoria is a vibrant and contemporary restaurant showcasing some of the best dishes from around the globe. Using the freshest ingredients, all carefully sourced, including only using fish from sustainable sources and with a focus on relaxed friendly service, Giraffe welcomes you for all your global food and drink favourites, from breakfast right through to dinner.
Bold, bright and brimming with personality, Giraffe exudes energy. Against a back drop of upbeat Putumayo world music, guaranteed to make you feel good, earthy natural tones and materials contrast with vivid oranges and brilliant greens. Think reclaimed coconut shell fronted bar, bespoke wooden striped walls and striking murals combined with modern citrus colour chairs, bespoke giraffe artwork and a high brushed copper community table perfect for large groups, drinkers or lone diners.
Kick start the day the Giraffe way with breakfast and brunch served until 4pm. Tuck in to some of the best stacked banana and blueberry pancakes ; opt for a spicy morning mix of a huevos rancheros; a classic scrambled egg and smoked salmon; a wholesome ‘rude health’ porridge or muesli; as well as a granola breakfast sundae brimming with fresh fruit to help keep the hunger pangs at bay.
For lunch or dinner delve into a combination of nibbles, snacks starters and mains including a delicious mezze platter made to share; Japanese tiger prawns with sweet chilli dip; Farmers’ market vegetable burrito; hot Thai duck stir fry and BBQ baby back ribs.
Burgers are taken seriously at Giraffe. Stacked high, served with skin-on-fries and in buns made from their favourite artisan bakery try their 100% English beef burger with your choice of toppings, everything from aged Cheddar to grated beetroot, bacon to fried egg as well as the falafel deluxe; the fish finger tartare; the herby chicken schnitzel BLT; or the low fat grilled Cajun spiced chicken burger.
Salads receive the same care and attention with their own dedicated section. Feel good food in a bowl, the sunshine powerfood salad features a guilt-free mix of in spicy roasted pumpkin, spinach, edamame
beans, broccoli, green beans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, cashew nuts and mixed leaves.
Complete your meal with desserts to die for including Swiss mountain chocolate cheescake; Kentish Bramley apple and honey oat crumble pie; and Belgian waffle split with roasted banana, very vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce.
Giraffe’s global dedication extends to drinks. Coffee is hand-crafted using the finest Arabica beans, carefully sourced from two family owned farms in Brazil and Guatemala. Roasted in the UK by their friends at Union Coffee Roasters, every time you enjoy a cup you can be assured that you are giving something back. In Brazil this means there are now weekly food baskets for the workers whose children who will now be educated at the local school. In Guatemala coffee sales help build homes for migrant workers and develop sustainable farming methods. Teas are by Teapigs who also pledge to help the communities they work with, there’s even Giraffe’s very own Moroccan mint variety.
Just like the menu, the wine list is international and well thought out with every bottle also available by the glass. It’s divided in to ‘happy‘ and ‘glamorous’ amongst others with Russel’s favourite listed if you need an extra helping hand. Cocktails make their mark with a combination of old school classics such as a retro pina colada and more contemporary innovations including vanilla breeze with vanilla vodka, Bombay gin, passion fruit and pineapple.
Little ones are loved just as much as grown ups and have their very own menu complete with puzzles and games to keep them entertained. Sit back and relax as they tuck into a host of healthy, fresh dishes such as salmon fingers with mash, broccoli and sweetcorn; grilled chicken burger or a mini brunch with sausage, eggs, Heinz beans and toast.
As a restaurant with heart, value for money is important to Giraffe as they know it’s important to you. ‘Lunch for Less’, with any main course and soft drink from a special set menu for £6.95 or enjoy ‘Giraffe Time’ - between 5pm and 7pm feast on a starter and main course also from a special set menu for just £7.25.
Giraffe in Victoria – see the world from a different perspective.
Giraffe, 120 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1JZ
t: 020 7233 8303 www.giraffe.net
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