No Reservations - Soho

Soho's food scene has gone from strength-to-strength in recent years and Londoners now have a long list of outstanding, affordable eateries to choose from right in the centre of town. However, you do have to be careful where you go as the trend for no reservations, championed by the likes of Polpo, Burger & Lobster and Barrafina, is still going strong.  Queuing is what we English do best though. Here are ten restaurants worth getting in line for:

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1) Bao - one of the hottest restaurants in London right now. Street food heroes Bao have settled down in a tiny space in Soho serving up their signature steamed buns and Taiwanese dishes. Queues start building before it opens at 12 for lunch and 5.30 in the evening, but it's worth the wait.  Don't miss the Pig Blood Cake or the Fried Chicken Bao.

53 Lexington St, Soho, W1F 9AS - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5.30-10

Bao on Matt The List // www.baolondon.com

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2) Pizza Pilgrims - another street food team turned permanent, Pizza Pilgrims quickly took over Franco Manca as the sourdough pizza darlings of London. There are two Soho sites (Dean St. & Kingly Court) so there's never much of a wait for a table. I rarely make it past the Salsiccia e Friarielli on the menu, with some deep fried mac'n'cheese ragu balls and a shot of their very own Pococello on the side. Oh, and there's table football in the basement of the Kingly Court site. The Dean Street site does allow two bookings per night for groups of 8 or more in "The Crypt".

11 Kingly St, London, W1B 5PW - Mon–Sat: 11.30–10.30 / Sun: 12–9.30

11 Dean St, Soho W1D 3RP - Mon–Sat: 11.30-10.30 / Sun: 12–9.30

Pizza Pilgrims on Matt The List // pizzapilgrims.co.uk

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3) Smoking Goat - take a bib and night vision goggles. Smoking Goat is a smoky, messy affair, and you'll most likely come out covered in crab or some other fantastic modern Thai twist plus plenty of eau de BBQ. The menu changes regularly but Fish Sauce Wings are usually there to start you off. You can book the "Lazy Susan Feasting Room" apparently, but otherwise it's time for another wait.

7 Denmark St, Soho, WC2H 8LZ - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5-12 / Sun: 12-9

Smoking Goat on Matt The List // smokinggoatsoho.com

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4) Blacklock - one stop shop for all the chops. Blacklock from ex-Hawksmoor folk has quickly built up a large fan base who get in line for chops cooked over charcoal with Blacklock irons. Go all in for £20 to get pre-chop bites, and a huge plate of the day's skinny chops piled on top of chargrilled flatbread.  You can reserve for lunch or for tables of 6 or more in the evening - huzzah!

The Basement, 24 Great Windmill St, Soho, W1D 7LG - Mon-Fri: 12-3, 5-11.30 / Sat: 12-11.30

Blacklock on Matt The List // theblacklock.com

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5) Flat Iron - Flat Iron in Beak Street has been around longer the most on this list but the queues are still there. A second site in Denmark Street has helped to alleviate the crowds. A beautiful £10 flat-iron steak is the reward for the wait (a lively basement bar with St John doughnuts in Beak St. makes time fly). Keep an eye out for Flat Iron burger specials.

Photo taken from Flat Iron Facebook page

9 Denmark St, Soho, WC2H 8LS - Mon-Sun: 12-11

17 Beak St, Soho, W1F 9RW - Mon-Sun: 12-11

flatironsteak.co.uk

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6) Barrafina - The most serious restaurant on the list, Barrafina in Frith Street was recently awarded a Michelin-star for their outstanding tapas.  Once you are in, it's relaxed and fun counter dining, and the food is phenomenal. There are two more sites in Adelaide St and Drury Lane, but I suggest starting with the original.

54 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 4SL - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5-11 / Sun: 1-3.30, 5.30-10

Barrafina Drury Lane on Matt The List // barrafina.co.uk

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7) Bone Daddies - Bone Daddies arrived early to the London ramen scene before it exploded, and their rock'n'roll Peter Street joint still draws the crowds. Multiple visits are required to work through their range of ramens. Their late night menu 10.30-11.30 Thu-Sat might be a clever way to avoid queuing. They have recently opened a second site in High Street Kensington and also run Flesh & Buns in Covent Garden and Soho popup Shackfuyu.  A third outpost in Old Street should be open by the end of 2015.

Photo from Bone Daddies Facebook page

Mon-Wed 12-3, 5.30-11 (Mon-10) / Thu-Sat: 12-11.30 / Sun: 12-9.30

31 Peter St, London W1F 0AR

www.bonedaddies.com

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8) Pitt Cue Co - another oldie in relative terms, Pitt Cue Co is an outstanding, 30-seater BBQ joint that started life on the street food scene under Hungerford Bridge.  Get a drink in the bar while you wait before heading downstairs for all the meat and bone marrow mash. Exclusive hire is available on a Sunday night.

Photo Credit : Paul Winch-Furness

1 Newburgh St, Soho, London W1F 7RB - Mon-Sat: 12-3, 5.30-11 / Sun 12-4

www.pittcue.co.uk

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9) Balls & Company - the newest addition to the list is a meatballs focused joint from Australian Masterchef 2012 finalist Bonny Porter. It's been an instant hit with its simple but superbly executed menu, and the basement bar is a great spot for a drink whilst waiting for a table. Groups of 8+ can reserve tables, but there's not a lot of space! Don't miss the Wagyu meatballs or the Brownie with Persian Fairy Floss.

58 Greek St, Soho, London, W1D 3DY - Mon-Sat: 12-11

Balls & Company on Matt The List // ballsandcompany.london

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10) Polpo - Restaurateur Russell Norman's original Venetian bacaro in Soho was an early proponent of the no reservations theory, and Londoners continue to flock to Beak Street for ciccheti and spritzes in a stylish space. There are now six Polpo sites in London, and chef director & founder Tom Oldroyd recently left the company to open his own neighbourhood restaurant Oldroyd in Islington which has been earning him rave reviews.

41 Beak Street, Soho, W1F 9SB - Mon-Sat: 12-11 / Sun: 12-10

Polpo Notting Hill on Matt The List // www.polpo.co.uk

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Notable omissions:

10 Greek Street, Duck Soup, Burger & Lobster, Koya Bar, Honest Burgers, Spuntino

I'll see if I can scramble together a Yes Reservations post soon...

Walk Eat Talk Eat Urban Carnivore Tour - World of Zing - Shackfuyu

Meat, Margaritas, Mentaiko Mac'N'Cheese and more on the blog today.  Take your pick or read it all:

- A meaty ramble around East London with Walk Eat Talk Eat's Urban Carnivore Tour

- Funky Sea Salts and Margaritas from World of Zing and Ocho Tequila at El Nivel

- Japanese small plates at Bone Daddies' Shackfuyu "Winter Shack" Popup in Soho

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Friday 20th February - It's Mum The List's birthday! Or it was. And what better way to spend it than on Walk Eat Talk Eat's "Urban Carnivore Tour" around East London?

It all started underneath Roa's Weasel at the top of Great Eastern Street (see, I was listening on the Street Art Tour).  There we met Charli, our charming guide for the next 3 hours, and four more hungry Londoners who were starting to get the shakes from forgoing lunch.

Roa's Weasel outside Red Gallery

First stop: The Tramshed - Mark Hix's converted cock and bull tramshed on Rivington Street.

We sat ourselves underneath Damien Hirst's formaldehyde cow and cockerel sculpture, and devoured an entire Roast Barn-Reared Indian Rock Chicken with Stuffing and Chips. 

It's simple but executed perfectly, and fun for all the family.  You can't really go far wrong with chicken and steak.  I'll be back, perhaps for some cock'n'bull hash at the weekend, and almost certainly for salted caramel fondue with marshmallows and doughnuts.

Second Stop: Albion - A café, bakery and shop located in the Boundary Building

This was a flying visit to pick up a bag of delicious, luxurious sausage rolls, but we did have time to have a look around at the wonderful array of British produce and baking.  I challenge you to drop by and come out empty handed.  Why not go all out and buy an entire picnic hamper for £160? Albion is open from 8am til late, seven days a week, so what are you waiting for?

Charli gave us the lowdown on some of the local history before taking us off to eat our sausage rolls on a pile of rubble masquerading as a bandstand. Classy.

Third Stop: The Well & Bucket - a good-looking converted Victorian pub with a 5CC cocktail bar hidden in the basement

Barworks can always be relied upon for great boozers, and The Well & Bucket is no different.  I've dropped in before en route to 5CC downstairs and it was absolutely heaving, so time your visit wisely! Mid-afternoon is your best bet for shucking some oysters with an interesting brew or two in peace.  We stopped off for some of their magnificent sliders including Blackened Catfish with Herb Mayo and Pickled Cues and Oxtail Chilli Cheese Dog. They are great value at 3 for £8.50.

Fourth Stop: Caboose - an eye-catching train carriage serving slow smoked meats near Brick Lane

If you've wandered through Ely Yard, you've probably spotted Caboose, the street food hangout that has raised the bar by cooking out of a train carriage.  You can even book out the cosy, indoor cabin for up to 12 guests for a £30 BYOB 3-course meal prepared right in front of you.  Not convinced? It recently reached the #1 spot for London restaurants on TripAdvisor!

We squeezed in to share some boxes of 10 hour pulled pork belly, served with sweet maple slaw, pecans, house salad and pickles.  It was glorious.  Highly recommended.

Fifth (and Final) Stop: The Antishop - An arty, charitable deli and coffee shop on Brick Lane

We rounded off our rambling food tour with an indulgent brownie from a quirky coffee shop and deli.  The Antishop has partnered with CASS school, getting their students to design the tables and chairs that change regularly.  They also support the local community by running a "suspended coffee" system which allows you to buy coffee (and food, or even chairs!) in advance for homeless people to benefit from.  Any profits from this go to Auction Against Hunger UK.

The Urban Carnivore Tour was a great success, and I've just given you a little taster of it.  Charli was a fount of interesting knowledge throughout the afternoon, schooling us on street art, local history, and food in equal measure.  

Aside from the five main stops, we also clocked a whole host of places to return to, including Disappearing Dining Club's Back in 5 Minutes restaurant hidden inside a clothes shop, Rochelle Canteen in a converted bikeshed, Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium, and the iconic 24/7 Beigel Bake.

We finished up outside the historic Ten Bells pub in Spitalfields before going our separate ways, full of food and fascinating facts.

Urban Carnivore Tour - The Details:

When? Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm 

How long? Three to four hours

How much? £62 (or £55 per person, when you book for 2)

Where from? On the corner Great Eastern Street and Rivington Street by Roa's Weasel graffiti near Old Street Station

Where to? The Ten Bells opposite Spitalfields Market, near Liverpool St Station

If you like the look of the Urban Carnivore Tour, why not check out some of Walk Eat Talk Eat's other adventures:

- Farringdon Gin Tour - Botanicals and Bites

- Borough & SE1 Tour - Thames-Side Treats

- East End Tour - The Great & The Good

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Monday 23rd February - It's hard to keep up with all of the food & drink "holidays" - National Chip Week, World Nutella Day and National Peanut Butter Day all flew by in February.  Did you observe them suitably? What about the 22nd February? You didn't forget did you? Because not every day is...NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY.

OK - so I missed it by a day, but at least I celebrated it in style at El Nivel in Covent Garden, the fantastic "all things agave" bar run by Ocho Tequila owner Tomas Estes and his son Jesse.

World of Zing owner Pritesh Mody invited a bunch of us boozy types over to sample a new range of flavoured sea salts from his East London-based contemporary food and drink emporium.  And what better way to test them out than as garnishes for Ocho Tequila-based Margaritas?

We made our way through most of the range, particularly enjoying Applewood Smoked, Mexican Chilli Cactus, and Seaweed varieties that worked best with the punchy La Beleine sea salt. Hibiscus and Rose Petal are subtler but still well worth a look.  For around £2.50, you can get yourself a 70g pouch to use at home in cooking and cocktails. Larger, bar friendly tubs are also available for around £3. Buy a bunch, whip up a few litres of Margaritas, and get stuck in with some friends.

Pritesh also pulled out some of World of Zing's aged and bottled cocktails range, including a sneak preview of their excellent new bottled Margarita, made with Ocho Tequila Blanco & Reposado, Agave Syrup, Persian Dried Limes, and Nori Seaweed.  It should be available online from late March.  In the meantime, you'll get by with their Bordeaux Barrel Aged Negroni, Blackberry & Tamarind Spiced Rum Punch and the quirky Steel Aged Manhattan which involves anaesthetic brandy and Zing Euphoric bitters.

There's plenty more to get excited about at World of Zing, so have a gander at their website, trek out to World of Zing HQ in Mile End, or (my preferred option) go and chat to Pritesh at Brockley Market on Saturdays or Wapping Market on Sundays.

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After all that Tequila, it was time for some late night bites in Soho, and Clerkenwell Boy's Instagram sent us in the direction of Bone Daddies' one-year "popup" Shackfuyu on Old Compton Street.

Shackfuyu (translating to Winter Shack) has temporarily taken over the old Made In Italy site next door to Bincho, and the interiors have not changed too dramatically, with the pizza oven still in use sitting centre stage.

The menu, set to change roughly once a month I believe, is a list of small plates followed by a central meaty number, currently 200g of USDA Beef Picanha with Kimchee Tare Butter.  You're going to want to eat pretty much everything, so go hungry.

Here's what I highly recommend:

- Roasted Beets, Shiso, Avocado

- Mentaiko Mac'N'Cheese, Cock Scratchings

- Beef Hot Stone Rice

And here are some more good-looking plates from CB's Instagram feed:

- Yellow Tail Sashimi Tostada, Avocado Shiso

- Prawn Toast Masquerading as Okonomiyaki

- Hand Dived Roasted Scallop with Spiced Miso Butter

- Fried Potatoes with Japanese Curry Sauce

- Kinako French Toast with Green Tea Soft Serve

The magnificent USDA Beef was unsurprisingly the star of the show, but the outstanding (and generous) portion of sticky Beef Hot Stone Rice threatened to steal it.  I could happily eat those two dishes several times a week.  The Mentaiko (Pollock & Cod Roe) makes for an unusual mac'n'cheese topping along with the ever-enticing "Cock Scratchings" but don't be put off - it's one tasty dish.  We were unconvinced by the Green Tea ice cream, but I'm told it comes in to its own once paired with the Kinako French Toast

In general, the Shackfuyu dishes are very reasonably priced so you can get yourself a really good spread without breaking the bank, unless you start ordering Koshihikari Echigo beers at £10.20 a pop. They've hit the ground running with a cracking opening menu, so get along quickly before it changes!

Beef Hot Stone Rice with Goma Butter

Mentaiko Mac'n'Cheese with Cock Scratchings

USDA Picanha Beef with Kimchee Tare Butter

Green Tea Soft Serve Ice Cream

Earlham Street Clubhouse - Bone Daddies - MASH - Topolski Bar & Café

Tuesday November 12th - Two new bars and two slightly older restaurants to report on today, starting with the new inhabitants of the old Detroit Bar space in Seven Dials.  Earlham Street Clubhouse officially opens tomorrow (Thursday 14th November), but it has already been quietly open for a couple of days.  East Coast beach house is the vibe, and pizzas and cocktails have been suitably named (Ferris Bueller, Dawson's Creek, Stifler's Mom, Sweet Valley High etc).  Coors Light and Blue Moon are dispensed from vintage gas pumps into schooners (2/3 pint glasses) or 2 pint pitchers.  Hopefully, once they have found their feet, they will bring in some really fantastic American craft beers.

I visited Detroit Bar just over a month ago so the turn around has been rapid.  It feels less claustrophobic than the previous establishment, and much more fun.  Cocktail menus can be grabbed from the ceiling - they ping satisfyingly back up after you have used them.  I wonder how long they will last! Tables will eventually be given their own phones so that inter clubhouse flirting can take place.

Sharing cocktail equipment kept arriving whilst we were drinking - Spring Break (£38 - serves 4) makes use of a big Mexican hat, whilst Operation and Twister (both £60 - serves 8-16) are going to somehow make use of the board games, I believe!  Regular cocktails are mostly priced at £7.50.

The sourdough pizzas were sadly not available when we visited but there are some promising sounding options - The Fresh Prince has homemade ricotta sauce, fennel sausage, scamorza cheese, wild mushrooms, fresh basil and baby tomatoes.  You can order pizzas by the slice, or whole at 12" or 20", much like Homeslice round the corner.

This was just a first look so I will hopefully return soon once it is firing on all cylinders.  Earlham Street Clubhouse is a welcome addition to Seven Dials, and just the kind of bar that it needs to liven it up a bit.

After missing out on pizzas, we were in serious need of some food, and I finally decided to tick Bone Daddies off The List since I was with Lauren, a big ramen fan.  Bone Daddies is a rock'n'roll ramen bar that has been a huge hit this year.  There is great ramen rivalry between Tonkotsu, Shoryu and Bone Daddies (and probably some others?), but I must admit that it is not my area of expertise, so look elsewhere if you are hoping for a comparison.  

There is often a queue but turnaround is quite speedy so it shouldn't take too long, though be aware that the wait does continue inside too. We were shown to a cosy corner with handy spaces for bags and coats that make the whole experience much more comfortable, even though you are packed in. I appreciated the little shelf for drinks, phones, napkins, sauces etc.  There is even a bottle of garlic with a press if you want to vampire-proof your broth.  

To drink, there are several bottles of sake, shochu and whisky to choose from, and some interesting Japanese cocktails. We weren't feeling that adventurous so we stuck to wine and the "Super Creamy Head" version of Asahi.  There is also Bone Daddies gin (from the Cambridge Distillery) which I tasted at Flesh and Buns back in August (read more here).

I opted for the classic Tonkotsu Ramen (with 20 hour pork bone broth) whilst Lauren went for the T22 with the slightly terrifying sounding cock scratchings.  The bowls range from £8 up to £12 for specials (e.g. Kimchee ramen), and extras can be added including a pipette of fat for 50p!  Starters include Yellowtail Sashimi (£9) and Soft Shell Crab (£8), both of which are also available at Flesh and Buns in Seven Dials. Lauren and I were both very taken with our comforting bowls and slurped it all up pretty quickly - warning: this could be a messy date option, depending on your proficiency with chopsticks!  My broth was creamier and more drinkable at the end, whereas Lauren's chicken bone broth was slightly thinner and saltier.  Thumbs up all round - it lived up to the hype and made two hungry Londoners very happy.

Wednesday 6th November - Jumping back a week, I booked a table at MASH (Modern American Steak House) in Soho to celebrate their 1st Birthday with half price steaks.  Team List Leader Natalie and siblings Em and Jo came along for the ride.  The Danish chain have spared no expense setting up their London site.  The upstairs lobby feels like a posh hotel - our coats and bags were taken by two smartly dressed women, before we were ushered down the enormous spiral staircase towards the decadent bar.  We were then shown to our table, a good half mile from where we came in.  It is an impressive space, though it almost feels too big.  Lower ceilings would help to make it feel more intimate.

We started off with some red wine, a delicious Anchor Steam and a refreshing MASH Pilsener.  Our waiter was superb, and gave us an informative speech on all of the steaks and cuts available.  After processing all the information, we ordered the Danish Dry-Aged Ribeye (£33 - 300g), two NY Strip steaks (£32 each - 300g) and an American Ribeye (£35 - 400g), along with some chips, onion rings and creamed spinach.  I was tempted to go for the 1.3kg Porterhouse (£95) but this seemed a little excessive.  The most expensive item is the Australian Wagyu steak - £50/£75 for a 200g sirloin. In Japan, Wagyu cattle are fed beer/sake and receive massages, whereas red wine is used in Australia.

Now for something rare from me - disappointment.  £33. Really? I don't get it. I recommend a short walk around the corner for a £10 steak from Flat Iron that wipes the floor with everything we were given. Or why not head to Heston Blumenthal's Dinner and get 3 courses on the set lunch menu for £38 instead? Even at half price that we were paying for the meat, we were underwhelmed (£17.50 with no sides, still nowhere near Flat Iron).  Even if you are happy paying a premium for high quality steak, surely you don't want to pay £10 for desserts?  Hawksmoor are much more competitive with their prices.  Anyway, maybe this just isn't my scene! It was absolutely packed with suits and must make an absolute killing so I think I am in the minority!

We decided to go and get one more drink elsewhere that night, and hopefully walked off most of the steak (I walk very energetically) by marching over the river to visit the new Topolski Bar and Café opposite the Royal Festival Hall.  The archways used to be a gallery housing the works of Feliks Topolski - they have retained lots of his creations, and given the bar an art studio feel.

It opens at 7am Mon-Sat for Breakfast and shuts at 11pm Mon-Thu and 1pm Fri-Sat.  I can see musicians adopting this bar for post-concert drinks, especially if they are given a discount (hint hint). For breakfast, you can create your own porridge and granola, or order something sweeter from their bakery.  Salted caramel & cashew roulade (£3.50) and chocolate rum ball (£2.00) are just the beginning of an enticing list of affordable treats.  They are serious about their cured meat, fish and cheese, and the vegetarians will be content with salt-baked beetroot, smoked aubergine and several other tempting dishes.

In the evening, the music is turned up and the house infused spirits come into their own.  Jo went for a subtle Lemon & Ginger Vodka with coke.  Natalie and I were very impressed with the Earl Grey Gin & Tonic.  We also had a taster of the dangerously drinkable Damson Gin.  Other interesting infusions include horseradish vodka, tarragon vodka and pink grapefruit vodka, all of which are served with something different.  There were also four guest Polish vodkas available when we visited which will be worth a try.  They have wisely chosen a range of London craft beers including Crate, Camden, and Kernel, as well as some international offerings.

Attractive row of house infused spirits

Topolski is sure to do well as the location is fantastic, the decor is interesting and the food & drink will get people to keep coming back.  There will be a mix of live jazz and DJs - check the website to see what is coming up, and plan your first visit soon!

Upcoming Event - Next Thursday (21st November) will see the return of Monkey Shoulder's For One Night Only events.  This time around, they are hosting Popcorn Flip - a bonkers night of whisky cocktails, popcorn cannons and bouncy castles in Shoreditch.  There are two showings at 6pm and 9pm - you can get hold of £20 tickets here or try to win some here.  On the night, there will be over ONE METRIC TON of popcorn. If you aren't already convinced (what's wrong with you?), read about the last Monkey Shoulder event called Malt Jockey here.