Model Market - 5CC at Singer Tavern - LCC Islington

Friday 17th April - Street Feast should need no introduction, but just in case:  it's your one stop shop for street food, booze, music, people, and a party atmosphere.  London's calling card after 5pm.

The doors to their three-storey Hawker House popup closed recently, but fear not - Model Market has just launched in Lewisham, and two more sites in Dalston and Shoreditch are on the way.  

Model Market was one of the highlights of 2014. I have fond memories of an evening spent eating Smokestak ribs and Breddos tacos in their converted 1950s market with the World Cup on in the background.  It's started a little earlier this year, so the sun might not always have his hat on, but there's plenty of covered space in their eight unique "micro-diners" plus the customary Street Feast fire pits to keep you warm.

What's new? Most of the traders are familiar faces these days, though this is a first Street Feast outing for Kerb regulars Bill or Beak.  There are five bars this time around, including the new "Lewisham High Line" rooftop space.  More exciting though is a well-stocked craft beer can bar featuring the likes of Oskar Blues, Ska Modus and Sly Fox from the States.

What to eat? Ideally, everything.  Go with a big group of friends, and get a taste of as much as you can.  Here are some highlights from our recent visit:

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#1 - Rola Wala - Twisted Indian street food from Mark Wright & co.

You can't have just one of Rola Wala's naan sliders - get all 3 for £9.  Kashmiri Chicken with coriander, red onion pickle, fresh lemon, and sweet mango chutney;  12 Hour Goan Pork Roast with fresh curry leaves, telecherry pepper, and pear and tamarind chutney; Keralan Daal - beetroot, paneer and coconut channa dal, coriander, lemon raita, and mint and lime chutney.  Wash them all down with one of their Mango, Turmeric and Lime sodas that they have created with Square Root London.

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#2 - Bill or Beak - Mighty duck, pork & chicken burgers from Josh & Lucy

Bill or Beak? Bill AND Beak.  You're going to want both of their overflowing burgers, and a side of Hoisin fries to boot.  The Bill involves a mountain of shredded duck and pork, spring onions, coriander, mint, vietnamese dressing and tempura shallots.  The Beak is even harder to eat - a tonne of grilled, corn-fed chicken, Caesar anchovy dressing, tempura capers, rosemary croutons, and fresh parmesan. Awesome.

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#3 - Yum Bun - Super soft steamed gua bao buns from Lisa and friends

You can't go wrong with Yum Bun. Edible pillows filled with all the delicious things. Choose from:

- Roast duck, cucumbers, spring onions, spiced plum and duck scratchings

- Slowly roasted pork belly, cucumbers, spring onions and hoi sin sauce

- Japanese fried chicken, chilli dressing, lettuce, tarutaru sauce

- Panko fried pollack, spicy gochujang mayo, lettuce & pickles

- Crispy prawns, green chilli sambal, kewpi mayo, lettuce

- Portobello mushroom, miso glaze, toasted walnuts

Finish off with one of their deep fried dessert buns if they have them - Coconut Ice Cream with Miso Butterscotch and Praline Ice Cream, or Coffee Ice Cream drizzled with Condensed Milk. Glorious.

Once you've worked your way through those, start ticking off the rest. Mama's Jerk, Smokestak, Cheeky Italian, Spit & Roast, The Beefsteaks and Mother Flipper are all deserving of your savoury attention, whilst SE Cakery and the Meringue Girls are covering the sweet side of things.  Head to the latter for your fix of sparkly unicorn poo.  Sorted.

Model Market is running all the way through to 24/25 September, every Friday and Saturday from 5pm, with £3 entry after 7pm.  Lewisham is a short train journey from Charing Cross, Waterloo East or London Bridge.  Don't miss it.

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In other news, two consonant cocktail club chains have opened new branches around the Capital.

First up, Barworks have opened 5cc at Singer Tavern, the fifth in a series of cocktail bars hidden inside their excellent pubs.  You can find the rest at Well & Bucket, Exmouth Arms, Electricity Showrooms, and Harrild & Sons.

The Singer Tavern itself has only just opened, making use of a Grade II listed building dating back to 1929 that was originally conceived to house the HQ of the iconic Singer Sewing Machine Company.

Both the pub and the clandestine bar have an enormous selection of bottles at their disposal including 16 types of Amaro and Fernet, and a boat load of gins to help with their nine strong Martini list.  The House Martini makes use of a gin from Barworks' own East London Liquor Company distillery & bar that also produces vodka, rum and (eventually) whisky.

There are 20 more signature cocktails on a fairly epic list including Loosie D'Ouro (Glen Moray Port Cask, P.F.Curacao, Tio Pepe, vanilla, chocolate & chilli betters) served with a Paul A. Young truffle, and Dolce Far Niente (Mount Gay Black Barrel, Nardini Rabarbaro, Cocchi di Torino, Pecan Bitters & Blackcurrant Jam).

The bar staff impressively stay on top of things banging out great drinks at high speed in what could have ended up as another average high-volume bar.  Get down to 5cc at Singer Tavern with a big group rather than a date and make the most of that spirits selection.

More photos on Matt The Tumblr here

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From 5cc to LCC - J.J.Goodman has opened up his fifth London Cocktail Club, not counting Covent Garden Cocktail Club and Craft Cocktail Co. in Bethnal Green which he's also responsible for.

The latest site is a “cocktail pharmacy” in Islington on Essex Road. An “Apothecary Off-License” shop and masterclass space at the front is just a cover - head through the “Staff Only” door to find the main bar, plus some extra hidden spaces including “A&E” (Alcohol & Entertainment) out the back. 

Make no mistake - this is a party bar. On Mondays you can get 2 cocktails for £10 all night, or Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm-8pm.  Hanging lights will be swung, bartenders will be set on fire, drinks will be smoked.  Order your way through their section dedicated to great bartenders, or warm up with a few boilermakers, and enjoy the carnage.

"1, 2, 3.... L C C!"

More photos on Matt The Tumblr - Set 1 / Set 2

Ceviche Old Street - Mr.Fogg's Tipsy Tea - Street Food at Voltaire

- A Peruvian Pisco Disco at the new Ceviche

- Tipsy Tea at Mr.Fogg's Mayfair residence

- Street food and live jazz at Voltaire

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Thursday 26th March - I was fortunate enough to be invited along to the launch party of Martin Morales' second Ceviche restaurant, which has just opened in Old Street on the historic former site of the Alexandra Trust Dining Rooms.  

They've paid homage to the old layout with similar signage and bustling open kitchens, but Martin Morales' love of art and music is also evident with the space doubling as a contemporary Peruvian art gallery (see some works here).  Space was made for DJ sets from Mr.Scruff and Natty Bo, a sign of Pisco Discos to come featuring music from Tiger's Milk Records, Martin Morales' Peruvian record label which you may have come across in Andina's Music Room on Shoreditch High Street.

The Music Room at Andina - showcase for Martin Morales' Tiger Milk Records

A return trip for a thorough test of the menu is in order, but after eating a tonne of tasters and sampling more than one drink from the dedicated Pisco bar, I've got enough to work with for now. The chefs weren't hiding, sweating away in front of our eyes with smiles on their faces, mixing up fresh ceviche, grilling chickens, and setting fire to various edible treats.

We grabbed at Torreja de Sesos (Lamb’s brain fritters, tomato and rocoto chilli jam), Tequeños de Ají de Gallina (Wonton fritters filled with traditional chicken recipe, onion, parmesan, single cream, amarillo chilli dip), Don Ceviche Seabass (amarillo chilli tigers milk, sweet potato, red onions, limo chilli), Corazón de la Tía (Panca marinated beef heart skewers, rocoto chilli sauce) and boxes of rotisserie chicken.  All delicious.

Pastel del Choclo (Corn and feta cheese savoury cake, Huancaina sauce, avocado, salsa criolla) were a revelation. I ate at least 15 of them...

To finish, we stuffed ourselves with sticky Picarones Old St (Pumpkin doughnuts with chancaca honey). Odd but moreish.

But it's not all about the food.  There's a serious cocktail bar here too with Peruvian Pisco naturally at the centre of it all.  In a nice twist on the classics, they have infused Pisco with various botanicals to create "Impostors" masquerading as whisky, gin, rum and tequila in Old Fashioneds, Negronis, Mai Tais and Sunrises.  

You may find it hard to look past their classic Pisco Sours, which they batch make to meet demand, but Duncan's Pisco Punch is worth a go, made with Pisco Italia, Pineapple Syrup, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters, and you can take home a pre-bottled version if you so wish.

There's plenty to enjoy on the bottled beer menu too including the Somos Libres Pale Ale brewed exclusively for Ceviche by Hammerton Brewery, plus beers from Wild Beer Co. and Siren.  It is a shame though that there's no sign of Peruvian craft beers. Perhaps they will turn up in the future.

Shot of Duncan's Pisco Punch taken from Ceviche's Instagram account

There's plenty to enjoy at Ceviche Old Street, there's space for everyone, and it won't break the bank. It's a welcome addition to the area, and I look forward to returning for a full meal soon.

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Friday 27th March - "There ain't no party like my nana's tea party" - Flight of the Conchords.

Whether you agree with this or not, you might like to venture over to Mr.Fogg's residence for his boozy twist on Afternoon Tea.

Alongside the usual spread of sandwiches, cakes, pastries and petit-fours, Phileas Fogg, Esq. also offers a selection of alcoholic teapots:

1840 - Earl Great infused Tanqueray No,TEN, Cointreau, Creme de Peche and Orange Marmalade

Woburn Abbey - English Breakfast infused Tanqueray No.TEN, Creme de Bergamot, Lemon Juice, Bee Pollen Sugar, and Milk on the side

Catherine of Braganza - Green Tea infused Tanqueray No.TEN, Cointreau, Creme de Apricot and Orange Marmalade

Anna Maria Russell - Tatratea Liqueur, Sloe Gin, Lemon Bitters, Ruinart Champagne

Belvoir Castle - Jasmine Tea infused Tanqueray No,TEN, Rose Liqueur, Pomegranatae Juice, Cherry Purée, Ruinart Champagne, Harry Brompton's London Iced Tea

Isabella Mary Beeton - Rooibos Tea infused Tanqueray No.TEN, Muddled Ginger, Ruinart Champagne

5th Duke of Rutland - Tatratea Liqueur, Cognac, Angostura Bitters, Absinthe, Ruinart Champagne

The Champagne Teas are smartly served with the Ruinart Champagne on the side for you to add, whilst the Gin Teas are ready to go. They wouldn't be my first tipple of choice, but they suit the occasion well.  Each teapot has its own little garnish to set them apart, but we lost track pretty early on.  Perhaps some delightful labels wouldn't go amiss? 

Elsewhere, the attention to detail at Mr.Fogg's is overwhelming - the magnificent décor; the immaculately dressed staff; the classical soundtrack; "The Illustrated London News" with upcoming events. This is clearly the Mayfair branch of the Inception Group (Bunga Bunga, Maggie's, Barts).  

Check out their new 1940s Underground Station themed bar - Cahoots

If you don't fancy stopping in for tea, the bar is just as delightful on a regular evening, or you could turn up for their Monday night talks - David Harper from BBC antiques shows is up next on 27th April. 

Mr.Fogg's Tipsy Tea is currently running every Friday at 3.01pm til 6.01pm and every Saturday at 2.01pm-4.01pm and 4.16pm-6.16pm. Mr.Fogg's is also gearing up for summer - a Hendricks Botanical Garden is currently being constructed outside.

Tipsy Tea Prices: £38/person for Tipsy Tea with Single Teapot // £58/person for Tipsy Tea with Bottomless Gin Teapot // £68/person for Tipsy Tea with Bottomless Champagne Teapot

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Tuesday 24th March - Haven't you always wanted to eat street food in a private vault whilst listening to some jazz from Mitch Winehouse and his band? Well NOW YOU CAN! 

Voltaire in Blackfriars has invited three of London's best street food traders to take over their kitchens until late May, as they also launch as a music venue in partnership with the Amy Winehouse Foundation.  Here are your food options:

1. The Cheese Truck - 25th March-10th April - Wednesday-Friday evenings, 5.30pm-10pm

Grilled cheese sandwiches. Simple. Gooey. Delicious. What the #foodporn hashtag was created for.

Cheese toasties are a big deal. Along with The Cheese Truck, we've got Grill My Cheese and Morty & Bob's slinging sandwiches on the streets, and The Melt Room setting up shop soon in Soho.  Get down to Voltaire to feast on this:

- Classic Keen's Cheddar, Ogleshield and Mixed Onion (£6.50)

- Cropwell Bishop Stilton, Sweet Cure Bacon and Pear Chutney (£7)

- Rosary Goat's Cheese, Honey and Walnuts with Rosemary Butter (£7)

- Queso Chihuahua Cheese, Chorizo and Rocket (£7.50)

Plus fondue fries, triple cheese croquettes with chilli and chorizo jam, and sweet stilton, dark chocolate and walnut brownies. Yes please. Read more about The Cheese Truck here.

2. Bill or Beak - 15th April-22nd May - Wednesday-Friday evenings, 5.30pm-10pm

Mega burgers built around duck (bill) and chicken (beak) - good luck with the first bite.

Some of the friendliest traders on the circuit, Bill or Beak made waves at Wapping Market in 2014, and ended the year in style running their own Turntables popup in Hackney Wick (along with The Cheese Truck and a few others).  Here's what you're having:

- Bill - shredded duck and pork, spring onions, coriander, mint, and a Vietnamese dressing with tempura shallots (£5)

- Beak - grilled, corn-fed chicken, Caesar anchovy dressing, tempura capers, rosemary croutons, and fresh parmesan (£5 - or both for £9)

Plus fries topped with house hoisin, pickled cucumber mayo, topped with chicken scratchings (£4.50)

Award-winning shot of the Beak burger by @annixontong

Bill AND Beak - captured by the mighty Gaztronome

The Bill or Beak brunch special - occasionally spotted at Wapping Market

3. Randy's Wing Bar - 6th-22nd May - Wednesday-Friday evenings, 5.30pm-10pm

No, not Randy Swing Bar. Careful on Google now... and don't ask which one of them is Randy.

Richard and Andy (get it now?) burst on to the street food scene with their signature Buffalo Wings after an extensive wing tasting pilgrimage to USA (it's a tough life), and are now working towards a permanent location.  If you don't catch them at Voltaire, try and get tickets for London Wing Fest before they're all gone.  Here's what to expect:

- Randy's Buffalo Wings with blue cheese and celery (£4.50 for 4)

- Randy's Asian Wings sprinkled with crushed fried peanuts and toasted sesame seeds (£4.50 for 4)

- Randy's Buffalo Shrimp with Lemon & Dill Dip (£5)

Plus Chicken Scratchings with Rosemary Salt or Asian 7 Spice (£3.50)

If you miss out at Voltaire, there will always be another chance to catch these fine foodies at work elsewhere.  Both The Cheese Truck and Bill or Beak are popping up at The Job Centre's Kitchen Hijack in Deptford throughout April for example.  

For more street food fun, keep tabs on the likes of Southbank Centre Food Market, Kerb and Street Feast.  The latter is gearing up to relaunch the brilliant Model Market in Lewisham on 17/18 April, with Dalston Yard and a brand new Shoreditch Yard site following soon after. It's going to be a great Summer!

BrewDog - Paperworks & Kerb - Bistro Union

A trio of South London delights for you today, in Battersea, Elephant & Castle and Clapham.

Wednesday 18th September - BrewDog Clapham Junction? BrewDog Battersea? Let's go with BrewDog South to avoid an argument, as their fourth London bar completes the BrewDog compass along with Camden, Shoreditch and Shepherd's Bush.  

A year ago, a beer bar in Battersea would have seemed out of sorts for the punk stylings of BrewDog, but a lot has changed.  The Shepherd's Bush branch saw a move towards more casual New York influenced watering holes with its arcade machines and plentiful natural light.  In July, they rolled out new packaging, doing away with their striking bottle art and replacing it with a laidback and informative letterpress design.  

And then a fortnight ago they launched their first lager / pilsner, imaginatively called This. Is. Lager.

"This is the end of brainwashed, glassy-eyed beer consumption.

This is the start of something special.

This is craft beer.

This. Is. Lager."

Are they dumbing down or is it a bold move? I haven't made up my mind yet, but in my opinion, this and the new Brixton Porter don't compare well with the more established core beers - Punk IPA, 5am Amber Ale (no longer 5am Saint) and Dead Pony Club.

Anyway, I digress. I've got a soft spot for pretty much every BrewDog bar I've made it to for one reason or another.  It all started with my first taste of Punk IPA in Edinburgh during my annual trip to the Fringe festival 2011.  And an evening at BrewDog Shoreditch (with their superb Underdog cocktail bar downstairs) marked the beginning of Matt The List last February.  

So, beer and branding chat aside, I'm delighted that they have finally landed in South London.  And what a great little boozer they have created.  Very funky interior design, a central bar and outdoor seating create a welcoming vibe that instantly fits with the rest of Battersea Rise.  With the Breakfast Club & King of Ladies Man next door, and the likes of Draft House, Brew, Franco Manca and Lola Roja round the corner on Northcote Road, locals have never had it better.

Charcuterie boards from Cannon & Cannon went down a treat with sour Mikeller Spontanpeach and the BrewDog Russian Doll series, whilst Siren Shattered Dream and North Coast Rasputin kept the imperial stout lovers happy.

With exciting Meet The Brewer events and tap takeovers from the likes of Dieu du Ciel on the horizon, I'll be back before too long.

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Friday September 19th -  I'm still playing catchup after a summer mostly spent in North America & Scotland.  Being a bit slow on the BrewDog front doesn't much matter, but I'm kicking myself that I didn't make it to The Paperworks when there were still plenty of warm evenings to look forward to.

Corisca Studios has followed Street Feast's shining example and transformed a disused space into something wonderful, with fantastic food & drink at its heart, and music and foodie events on rotation from Wednesday-Sunday.  It's almost always free entry but check their website for more details before you go.

We went along on a Friday night which tends to be Carnival del Kerb, an evening in the company of some of the finest street food traders in London organised by the wonderful Kerb collective.   The lineup will change most weeks, as many will also be doing stints at Street Feast sites in Dalston & Lewisham.  I wonder if Kerb & Street Feast have squabbles over them...

"You can only see You Doughnut on the first Saturday of every month." - K

"As long as we get Bleecker St Burger on Friday evenings" - SF  etc.

Drinks came first though, and we never really made it past the craft beer bar.  Bottles from Orbit (very new), Wild Card, Beavertown and Partizan kept us away from the affordable £6 cocktail bar at the other end.

It seems unfair to pick out particular traders just because we chose their stuff this time around, but the shredded duck & pork burger from Bill or Beak and the Crabbieshack soft shell crab burger were rather special.  

There's not much else to say really.  Come hungry, grab a table, bring some friends (and possibly a blanket), and settle in for a relaxed evening of food & drink.

"Bill" from Bill or Beak

P.S. If you want to add some culture to your evening in Elephant, you can head to Hotel Elephant next door for £5 films in a cool setting, or Southwark Playhouse over the road for a little bit of theatre (and a rather nice bar too).

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Monday 22nd September - Last but not least, a lovely lunch on Abbeville Road.

My parents and I were mightily impressed by a recent meal at Adam Byatt's Trinity in Clapham Old Town (still dreaming of 14 year fermented sourdough, and the Valrhona chocolate pot).  Clapham locals Chris & Guy also rated his more relaxed Bistro Union rather highly, and we only lasted 3 weeks before ticking it off too.

I've mentioned Abbeville Road before after a visit to Kerbisher & Malt, but I must stress again what a hidden gem it is.  Abbeville Kitchen, Bottle Apostle & Brew Testament, and Ginger Pig are just some of the delights this tiny stretch of road has to offer.  And Bistro Union is my favourite stop so far...

Turning down outside tables and counter service at the bar, we settled in the colourful and well-lit dining area, within sight of the eye-catching snacks board, which rolls down the wall like a hand towel.  

Bistro Union's "snacks" double as small starters, though there was nothing down-sized about our Broccoli & Stichelton Bake (a steal at £4) or the Salt Cod Fritters with Aioli (£5).  Keeping pace with those excellent little plates was Gem, Peashoots, Buttermilk & Toasted Crumb (£4).  London's buttermilk obsession shows no sign of slowing down, which doesn't bother me in the slightest.  

You could just stick to this menu if you were after a speedy lunch as there's so much variety (including a small dessert option), and the addition of a Daily Sandwich makes it clear that they welcome locals in for no more than a quick bite to eat.

Salt Cod Fritters & Aioli - £5

Broccoli & Stichelton Bake - £4

Gem, Peashoots, Buttermilk & Toasted Crumb - £4

After several snacks, we skipped past the starters (which are in danger of being overlooked), and moved on to the Bistro Union Staples and Weekly Specials a.k.a. mains.

Classy, nostalgic comfort food is the order of the day here with mac'n'cheese, fish pie and toad in the hole on the menu.  Dad gave the thumbs up to Smoked Haddock, Creamed Corn and Homemade Sausage (£16) whilst I wolfed down a Salt Beef Hash with Fried Egg and Pickled Cucumbers (£12), which was more of a brunch dish and just what I needed.

Salt Beef Hash, Fried Egg & Pickled Cucumbers - £12

To finish, I chose well with Banana Custard (£5) - a banoffee-style pot of gooey goodness without the biscuit base.  Dad's Plum and Hazelnut Frangipane Tart  (£6) disappeared without a trace.  

Banana Custard - £5

Plum and Hazelnut Frangipane Tart - £6

No frills, no fuss - it was a fabulous filling lunch that didn't break the bank.  Service was charming throughout, and there's plenty more on the menu for return visits.  

The weekend brunch is apparently pretty special, and Sunday evening supperclubs look fun, with no corkage BYOB and free meals for kids under 10. I also like the sound of private booze lockers behind the bar - once your alcohol is stored away, you can make use of it with free mixers whenever you rock up.  If you ask nicely, you might even get a Martini or two shaken for you.

Fingers crossed Adam Byatt gets itchy feet and sets up shop in Battersea next, or I might have to think about moving closer to his restaurants to minimise wasted journey time!