It’s almost the weekend! So why not sit back, grab a cup of tea and read the latest on the blog. The story begins with the tallest building in Western Europe, an underground steak restaurant, a pop-up AND a trip to my fabulous “local” pub. Intrigued? Well read on!
Hutong, The Shard:
I love Chinese food. It’s something my mom used to make for me and I could eat it aaallll day errrday! However, eating Chinese food can be a bit of a hit and miss. There are some restaurants that do really good Chinese food and some that just do pure stodge aka those £5 chinese meals in Leicester square is what I’m talking about!
But this isn’t your £5 chinese meal. Nestled atop the Shard in London is Hutong. I went there for the birthday lunch of my bestie and since we’re both crazy about food- decided to order quite a lot of dishes to devour.
The soft shell crab is my absolute favourite and I would always order it no matter where I go! It came in a huge bowl with a lot of dried red chillies. Definitely order it!
We also went for the spring rolls because no Chinese meal is complete without the rolls.
We also ordered some dim sum, crispy chilli beef, sweet and sour chicken, egg fried rice and what not! I would definitely recommend this place not only for its food but the views of London. Make sure you book!
Located in The Shard, it is on the pricey side so perhaps save it for a special occasion 😀
MASH Steakhouse, Piccadilly Circus:
I won a £125 voucher from Zomato for MASH Steakhouse. Surprisingly didn’t know these guys were in Piccadilly Circus! So winning the voucher was not only a perfect way to check this place out but also treat a dear friend to an overdue birthday meal.
I love steak- I will happily eat it any week of the day… I mean day of the week. See what thinking about a good steak does to me!?
Located two floors down in the heart of Piccadilly Circus, we entered a grand dining area of this modern American Steakhouse. I can imagine a lot of corporate lunches and dinners happening here. It definitely has a very sophisticated vibe to it and you get to have your own booth too, if you wish. The staff is courteous and happy to go through the menu with you.
I’d already scanned the menu before coming so I knew what I wanted! It is definitely on the pricey side so come prepared to splurge. We went for the Wagyu sirloins with sides of super creamy spinach, bone marrow (LOVE IT!) and chilli fries. I’ve had bone marrow at Hawksmoor but definitely prefer the way the bone marrow was made at Mash. I loved the crunchy pieces of bread with every bite.
The spinach was sooo creamy- a bit too rich for my liking.
The wagyu beef steak was AH-MAZING!! It was cooked to perfection and even without any sauce I would’ve devoured it and still had space for more.
The chilli fries were a perfect accompaniment and the chilli had a real kick to it. Both of us were pigs so ordered our own portions. I couldn’t finish mine, as always! Ha
Surprisingly…actually not that surprising, we still had space for dessert. However, we decided to keep things simple after a heavy meal and went for a scoop of their chocolate ice cream. It was a perfect end to a fabulous meal!
Beer and Buns, K10 Building, Liverpool Street:
Pop-ups have completely revolutionised the dining scene in London. It has given a chance to all these amazing chefs and restauranteurs to showcase their talent and passion for food.
The first time I had Hirata buns was at Flesh and Buns. I haven’t looked back since I had those. Enter- Beer and Buns. Yep, you guessed it! They do beer and buns not to mention some finger lick in’ delicious Korean style chicken wings too. But they don’t just do any beer- they house UK’s largest range of Japanese craft beer.
My food blogger friends and I decided to hold our first proper meet-up in their premises “upstairs @ K10”.
You can doodle on the wall while you wait for your food. There are fussball tables as well as retro pinballs. Go easy on the beer and the fussball please. Saw some guys get really emotional while drinking, eating and playing!
Don’t come to this place on your first date because things get messy. Or may be do- it’ll either kill the awkwardness or make you not want to see that person again. Either way- it’s a winner! 😉
Yes, I ate with my hands, they got messy and wasn’t even ashamed! Let’s just get one thing straight though- you don’t eat chicken wings with a knife and fork. EVER!
Look at those steamy, melt in your mouth buns with the most delicious fillings of aubergine (for vegetarians), duck and chicken. It was one of the best meals I’ve ever had- simple menu, mouthwatering food, fun and games! What more can you want? 🙂
I LOVE Korean style chicken wings- they are the best food every invented. My favourites were the spicy and soy flavoured wings. I really hope these guys stay around for a while as Liverpool Street definitely needs more places like these. Simple menu, great service and oh Tuesdays are always 2 for 1. So what are you waiting for?! Take your group of friends there ASAP!
The Selkirk, Tooting Broadway:
Tooting Broadway has of late turned into this foodie paradise. It has some of the best curry houses and a restaurant I’ve been dying to visit.
But now it has something else to boast of too. The Selkirk. A pub which is more of an institution and has been around for decades. After being given a much needed upgrade it is back with a bang and ready to inject new life into the area. Kerry and her team are extremely passionate about what they do and it showed on the launch day. My blogger friends and I headed over to celebrate our second meet up/blogger supper club and check out the launch. It was such a massive turnout and the pub was oozing with fun, laughter, friends, families- exactly the kind of atmosphere you would expect in a pub.
The head chef is none other than Daniel Stevens who was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s sous chef for 4 years at The River Cottage. At the opening we were treated to a supper club/wine tasting session that included delicious dishes like a smoked haddock pie in a cup and Rhubard Trifle prepared by him and his team. Delish! I could’ve had second or third helpings…especially of that pie.
The pub has plenty of space and areas to hang out in- so you won’t feel overwhelmed when it gets busy. They have a huge back garden which will be perfect when it gets nice and sunny!
Now that summer is ALMOST here, you can imagine how beautiful it will be sitting outside the pub with your friends…
They have an open kitchen so you can easily spy on the chefs and what goodies they could be cooking on the day.
Or you could even lounge in the glasshouse of back garden where they plan to do BBQs. I am a sucker for huge, comfy sofas. I could easily laze around on them for a whole day if I had to. I’m not even kidding!
I really wish this was my local and I’ve heard they are already doing some amazing Sunday roasts. Looks like I will have to head down there and give the verdict for myself!
If you fancy a private dining area, then they’ve got that covered too!
With Kerry and Daniel at the helm of this ship, I can only imagine fantastic things for these guys. Having spoken to residents around the area who have seen The Selkirk through it’s high and low times, they were all in praise. Here’s to a fantastic new beginning and seeing more people flocking to The Selkirk to enjoy a bit of sun and drinks!
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