Kansas Smitty's Bar

Whilst I've loved powering through my enormous London food, drink and fun to-do list since early 2013, my favourite posts are usually related to three ongoing stories:

- Paul & Jack (Anspach & Hobday) graduating from homebrewers to Bermondsey pros

- Joel Braham (The Good Egg) getting closer to his dream of opening a bricks and mortar restaurant

- The continued rise of the incredibly talented Kansas Smitty's on the London scene

Coincidentally, the first two also have musical backgrounds which ties this all together nicely. I first met Blues Brothers Banned trumpeter turned chef Joel on a jazz band tour to Rotterdam; and Paul & Jack may not have become Anspach & Hobday had they found success with Great Dover Street Productions - bit of a reach that one. Anyway, today I'm here to talk about Kansas Smitty's. 

"Putting the danger back in jazz"

I first become aware of them early last year after meeting band leader Giacomo Smith (sax / clarinet) at a gig at Battersea's hidden gem Le Quecumbar. Since then, I've seen them countless times, both as Smitty's Big Four and the full House Band, all over London, from The Dolls House to Ronnie Scott's.

"While the House Band draws its main inspiration from Count Basie’s hard swinging late night jam sessions in 1930s Kansas City, the Big Four is interested in the music of Sidney Bechet and the upbeat swing of New Orleans."

No two shows are ever the same, though the music making is always exceptional.  If there's a tighter swing band currently playing on the London circuit, I'd like to hear them.  Mad Mardi Gras gigs at The Vaults have been known to end with an impromptu victory lap around Waterloo Station, and alongside all of the live shows, an LP has been recorded and is awaiting release later this year.  But the Smitty's have always had their eyes on a bigger prize - their own bar.  

A magical, immersive Backyard BBQ event in Dalston last April proved that they were all over it on the Southern States food & drink front too, and a year later they finally unveiled the Kansas Smitty's Bar underneath Off Broadway on Broadway Market.

Their stripped back basement bar is now open for live jazz and juleps from Tuesday-Sunday, 6pm-midnight, with special "Basement Tapes" ticketed gigs every Wednesday featuring a different Smitty. You can't go wrong, from trumpeter & vocalist "Sweet" Pete Horsfall ("a cross between Billie Holiday and Tony Bennet") to multi-talented, dynamic percussionist Pedro Segundo.

Giacomo & Jack - Gentlemen of Jazz

Joe Webb's Piano

Dave Archer's Gibson

Dave Archer's Gibson

Now these juleps. In quite a coup, Milk & Honey bartender Sean Fennelly was brought in to set things in motion, and he's organised an 8-strong £8 julep jamboree ranging from the Smitty's Julep (Bourbon, Amaro Bitters, Raisin, Peach, Cassia Bark & Mint) to the Jesuit's Bark Julep (Rum, Clove, Pimento, Lime and Grapefruit Peel, Quinine Cordial & Mint).

The booze & botanicals are pre-mixed and left to blend in traditional julep fashion, before being poured over fresh mint and ice.  Bartenders just need to "clap that mint" first and your drink is good to go.

There's something for everyone on the list, but I'd recommend the Morning Joe-lep (Bourbon, Coffee Bean, Stem Ginger, Cardamom, Cocoa Nibs & Bitter Orange Marmalade) or the Sleepytime Julep (Scotch Whisky, Chamomile, Pink Peppercorn, Raspberry, Lemon Peel & Mint).  

If you want to save a few coins, you can stick to house wine and beers (currently New Orleans Dixie Beer with more local brews on the way).  Food is restricted to Giacomo's nuts at the moment, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

Most importantly though, it's a great venue for live music, with excellent acoustics and no need for amplification; and crucially, it means I always know where to go if I need a Kansas Smitty's fix, and so do you.  Get down there and support some of London's finest musicians, and don't forget your dancing shoes!

Tuba-man Theon Cross

Giacomo & "Sweet" Pete on the front line

Kansas Smitty's Bar is open 6pm-midnight, Tues - Sun, 63-65 Broadway Market, E8 4PH

Click here to book tickets for Wednesday night "Basement Tapes" gigs

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Latest photos on Matt The Tumblr:

Summer Tales / Indian Ocean Islands Menu at Babur / 2010 Masterchef Winner Dhruv Baker at The Jolly Gardeners / Park Road Kitchen / Fu Manchu

Night Elm - Som Saa - Look Mum No Hands

Friday 31st October - Battersea to Broadway Market takes about an hour on a good day, so when an East London amigo of mine threw a Halloween party, I decided to do a little pre-drinking and eating to kill two (or in this case, four) birds with one stone.  Fittingly for the 31st October, we started off at the new bar beneath the fabulous Rita's - Night Elm (on Mare Street - see what they did there?).

A glamorous walk past the toilets takes you to the downstairs space at Rita's, which has just been converted from private dining space to bar.  Asian influences (often present on the main Rita's menu) are noticeable in both the drinks and the décor at Night Elm, with bottles of lesser-known booze lined up, and the likes of Singapore Sling & Sake Low/Hi-Ball on offer.  Mary enjoyed the former, whilst I had an excellent Dark Rum & Fig Old Fashioned for only £6.50.  That's approaching Seven at Brixton territory.

Complimentary popcorn is just the start of the snacks.  Save space for Honey BBQ Pork Puff (£5), Hot Bean Devilled Egg (£3.50), Spice Sesame Cucumbers (£4) and Rita's famous Soy & Ginger Hot Wings (£6).  Had I not filled up on Salted Caramel Doughtnuts at Pont Street earlier in the day, I would have ordered a Dough-Friterole - a doughnut filled with dulce de leche & covered in chocolate.

At the time of writing, Night Elm is only open Thursday-Saturday, 6pm-midnight, but check their holding page here for the latest timings.  It's a great little spot for affordable cocktails - you may want to pair a visit with the full dining experience upstairs.

Top foodie spots nearby - Bouchon Fourchette // Lardo // Rawduck // Licky Chop // Hill & Szrok

Fancy another cocktail? - Try Pearl above the Cat & Mutton and the recently reopened Peter's & Co. Gin Palace, both on Broadway Market, or go a bit further afield to the fantastic Peg & Patriot at the Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green

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We powered on, down a couple of dark & dingy side streets, past the tempting London Fields Brewery bar, to Climpson's Arch, one of London's real hidden gems.  This stunning, secluded coffee roastery and bar also has a La Marzocco Linea Barbecue out the front which is put to good use by rotating chefs & foodie residencies.

The latest team to take over the cooking are Andy Oliver and Tom George who have brought small town Thailand to the arch in the form of Som Saa.  Andy has worked in Thai kitchens for almost 10 years, and wants to showcase lesser-known dishes from the Northern and North-Eastern provinces of Thailand.

Unless you know your nam prik nuum kap moo from your jan naem, or you are allergic to nuts, you are best off going in a big group and ordering everything.  

We kicked off with tua prik krob (£3) - moreish Thai cashew nuts with kaffir lime, dried chilli and lemongrass.  This was swiftly followed by pla dip bai cha plu (£5) - Betel Leaf with citrus cured wild sea bass, kaffir lime, lemongrass and mint that was anything but subtle.  I loved it, Mary found it too much.  No cutlery needed so far.

We finished with gai yaang (grilled chicken le with jaew dipping sauce - £6.50) and moo yang (grilled pork neck, chilli, lime and garlic - £8), accompanied by unlimited sticky rice baskets (£2.50/head) - enjoy shaking the rice out of its little bag.  Lime, ginger, garlic, chilli are all recurring flavours in this cuisine, but the different combinations never seem to tire.

See some nice B&W shots by Ben Broomfield here

Depending on your hunger levels, you can move on to bigger plates such as geng hung lay (Northern style pork belly curry with pickled garlic and ginger - £12.50) and nam dtok pla thort (deep fried seabass with Isaan herbs and roasted rice - £14) and finish up with kluey thord "ice cream" nan dan beep (salted bo.lan palm sugar ice cream with turmeric grilled banana - £4.50).

And once you've exhausted that menu, return for brunch: "Classic Thai brunch dishes such as Chinese doughnuts and rice porridge with crispy pork will be served at weekends, alongside a special Thai coffee developed in conjunction with Climpson and Sons Coffee Roasters."

Oh, and there are cans of Beer Lao, Thai-inspired cocktails, Sang Som Whisky-Soda buckets, and cracking wines to keep you hydrated.

There's a real buzz in the foodie community around the Som Saa residency, and for good reason. There's affordable and exciting food & drink of the highest quality, the setting is stunning (reminding me of the outstanding Big Crow in Toronto), and if you don't spend all your money on gung pao nam jim talay, you'll be booking your flight to North Thailand as you walk out the door.

Matt The Thai Tips - Smoking Goat (more Thai BBQ from the Begging Bowl team) has just opened in Soho and is also generating quite a buzz.  I've also heard good things about Esarn Kheaw in Shepherd's Bush for more Northern Thai food.  Then there's always the bonkers bargain Churchill Arms in Kensington, the equally nutty Spicy Basil in Kilburn, and cheap & cheerful Kaosarn in Brixton & Battersea.  

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For one last drink before wandering down to Broadway Market, we dropped in to Look Mum No Hands, the stylish café / bar / cycling refuge that stays open til 11pm Wednesday-Saturday on Mare Street - N.B. The Old Street branch (open til 10pm every day) has a bike repair workshop on site and runs bike maintenance courses. 

It was incredibly chilled at 8.30pm on a Friday night considering they have one of the best beer selections around - I would be a regular if I lived locally.  Expect to find the likes of Kernel, Partizan, Beavertown and Pressure Drop on their taps.  If hops aren't your thing, wine, cakes & Square Mile coffee are also on offer.

Two "cycling cafés" have just opened near me in Battersea, but they don't come close to matching the effortless cool of Look Mum No Hands.  Fingers crossed they expand to South West London soon.

Matt The Beer - for another pint or two nearby, try London Fields Brewery, The Dove, The Cock Tavern or Sebright Arms

Mother Kelly's - Cat & Mutton

Wednesday 9th April - Two absolute belters for you today, hot off the press.  

First up is Mother Kelly's, a 23 tap beer bar & bottle shop in Bethnal Green from the folks at Queen's Head (King's Cross) and Simon the Tanner (London Bridge).  Network Rail recently got back 6 archways that were previously full of Balls Brothers wine, and have set about leasing the spaces to food & drink types to create a fun new corner of London.  

From what I saw on Wednesday, with Mother Kelly's the first to open, Paradise Row (& Bethnal Green in general) will soon be a very popular hangout.  Japanese Canteen and Craft Cocktail Company (from JJ Goodman of London Cocktail Club) should be the next two arches to open, there is already Redchurch Brewery & Satan's Whiskers round the corner, and Jason Atherton & the Talented Mr Fox team are soon taking over food & drink (Peg + Patriot) at the nearby Town Hall Hotel.  

Anyway, focus! Mother Kelly's have got a massive space (as I suppose they all do!) and have kept it simple with a wall of unmarked beer taps, long tables, and a row of fridges at the side.  They are trusting mankind not to just walk off with beer, and they aim to have a member of staff dedicated to selling bottles for takeaway so that you don't have to queue with the punters.  One wall is covered in some "urban art" done surprisingly by the drummer from McFly!

Artwork by the drummer from McFly

10 taps were on for the quiet launch day, with familiar faces like Beavertown, Pressure Drop, Five Points & Kernel from London alongside some international offerings.  A little birdie behind the bar told me that they are doing a De Molen tap takeover next week (probably from Thursday 17th April) which is a pretty exciting way to announce your arrival in London, and bodes well for the future.

Bar staff were very friendly and knowledgeable, especially Steve Taylor (previously of the very popular Mason & Taylor, now Brewdog Shoreditch), who matched his beer chat with some serious London coffee barista tips, making my list of places to go even longer.  

Mother Kelly's is on course to be a huge success, so get over there quick before everyone else does!

A quick bus ride took Taro, Lucy and I over to Broadway Market to check out the 300 year old Cat & Mutton pub, which has recently been refurbished and relaunched with food from Licky Chops and Pearl's cocktail bar upstairs from the Ruby's Dalston team.

The ground floor pub was buzzing with locals even though it was supposedly not opening for another 2 days.  They have done an excellent job with the décor on both floors - see Tuck and Vine's photos for a better idea.

After Mother Kelly's, the beers were always going to struggle to impress, but two Meantime taps will keep most happy.  The Licky Chops food menu is slightly reduced in the pub area, so we swirled up the attractive spiral staircase to grab a table at Pearl's, the first floor restaurant / cocktail bar.

Cocktails are around the £8.50 mark (or 8 1/2 if you live in Hackney). I started with a Fiery Mare, a combination of gin, Kamm & Sons, cucumber, wasabi and lemon that shouldn't work but most definitely does! Taro's Bloody Ruby was an interesting smooth Negroni sour, and Lucy went for a boozy Charrington (Tequila, Scotch, Rum, almond syrup, bitters).  Other highlights include Alfred's Porter (Cognac, Stout, Honey, Oyster Sauce) and the superbly named Seamore Drinkmore (Tequila, Campari, Passion Fruit, Lime, Honey).

Cocktails at Pearl's, Cat & Mutton

Then the food started arriving. Warning: The next picture is probably NSFW - food porn.  We ordered some plates to share, starting with a show-stopping Burnt Broccoli with Yoghurt, Pickled Mustard Seeds & Almonds - make sure you get this.  This was rivalled by the generous Onglet Steak with Chimichurri portion that easily (but sadly) stretched to 3.  Licky Chops continued to hit the right notes with Jerk Chicken with Mango Coleslaw & French Fries with Garlic Aioli, and I would imagine that other dishes such as Octopus or Bucket of Mutton Chops maintain this high standard.  This is food worth going out of your way for.

Burnt Broccoli w/ Yoghurt, Pickled Mustard Seeds and Almonds

Onglet Steak with Chimichurri

The new team behind Cat & Mutton have done a fantastic job putting this all together, especially as there has been a lot of build up and expectation in the press in the last few weeks.  The locals have already set up shop, so expect it to be pretty busy when you visit!

Hill and Szrok - The Dove - President's Bar

Guest Post from Jane - Broadway Market is seeing something of an explosion in great places to eat and drink. New-comers include Peters & Co Gin Palace and Franco Manca, and The Cat & Mutton is close to reopening with food from Licky Chops & upstairs cocktails bar Pearl's from the guys at Ruby's.  The awkward journey for someone situated south of the river means I rarely venture up in that direction, but the recent opening of Hill & Szrok, a new butchers-come-restaurant, provided a good enough reason to jump on the ginger line and take a wander through the back streets of East London.

Offering raw meat by day and braised, roasted and potted meat by night, Hill and Szrok is a great addition to Broadway Market. Its clean and shiny tiled interior is hung with butcher shop instruments and a great wooden butcher's block table sits in the centre, serving as a communal dining table in the evening.

On arrival early one evening last week I met an instant convert - the friendly gentlemen sitting next to me soon informed me that he'd been in the night before with his wife for a ribeye steak and it was so good he couldn't keep away the next. Three courses later, we were inclined to agree.

We started with the H&S pate, pickled red onion and toast alongside roast broccoli, fennel, Cornish yarg and almonds. The pate was a coarse and substantial pot of meaty goodness, and sat nicely alongside the tart pickled red onion. The broccoli was a light and tangy reminder that spring is finally with us.

Meat unsurprisingly takes centre stage for the mains. We reluctantly sidestepped the pork chop and Hamroc Sausages (though individually priced at £2, it’s difficult to resist adding one to whatever else you order) and instead opted for the Murray Grey ribeye at £14.50 and the braised leg of mutton cut beef shoulder at £9.50. As you would expect from a butcher, the meat was tender and rich in flavor, with a fiery kick of black pepper working nicely with the accompanying lemon and pepper horseradish. 

A side of the seemingly fashionable oak leaf lacked any real excitement, but was a useful foil to the richness of the braised beef and midnight potatoes. 

A dessert of thick cream with stewed apples and cinnamon came in a small jar and was a light, fresh way to end an excellent meal. 

Paired with a lively, yet friendly, local atmosphere - many had been turned away by the time we left - this place is a gem for any carnivore looking for simple, tasty cooking of excellent produce.

As Hill and Szrok hadn't quite got their licence when we visited, we followed up our meal with a quick visit to The Dove, a couple of minutes stroll along Broadway Market. The place is cavernous inside with a welcoming wooden interior and an enticing menu of Belgian and British classics. A glass of Delirium Tremens is always difficult to resist when offered on draught, but it was only after ordering that we discovered the tome of Belgian beers that The Dove is known for. It’s easy to forget about the joys of Trappist brewing in these heady days of the London craft beer scene, but after being re-acquainted with the famous pink elephant, we made a mental note to revisit the other Flemish masters sometime soon.

Of a somewhat different character, I also managed to nip into President's Bar above the new Benito's Hat on Leadenhall Street this week. Straight past the burrito counter and up a few stairs the bar is (barely) hidden and while quite prettily decorated, it struggles to really distinguish itself from the restaurant downstairs. The Margaritas are well-made and affordable (starting from £5.00) but probably only worth the effort as part of a quick taco stop to refuel before heading somewhere more interesting. 

For those who are following my week on week whisky adventures (most recently Whisky Live), I have made a few trips to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society recently. I am always impressed; this place offers a tremendous whisky selection of bottles from individual casks at cask strength. The bottles have no distillery name on them only a mysterious number and an eloquent, if slightly unbelievable, description such as no.3.202 'doctor's surgeries and flower shops': 

"The aromatic nose displayed geranium, bog myrtle, aromatherapy oil, soy sauce, lavender and clove – but also bacon, lobster bisque, smoked chicken, seaweed, honey, doctors’ surgeries and flower shops. The neat palate was huge, mouth-filling and long-lasting, with a heavenly flavour combination of scorched heather sprigs dipped in honey, caramelized onions, charcoal, chutney and smoked fish. The reduced nose was hijacked by caraway seeds – gripe water, Kummel, salami with caraway, rye bread and stir-fried Chinese greens with soy sauce. The palate became sweeter – sugar-coated pistachios and sweet barbecued ribs with echoes of salted sea biscuits, lavender and tar."

Unfortunately this place is members only but each member is allowed to take up to three guests.

Discount Suit Company - Bones - Peters & Co. Gin Palace

Friday 17th January - Dry January? Why would you stop drinking in the most depressing month of the year? I feel it is The List's duty to soldier on and support these poor businesses that are needlessly being shunned.  Feeling fat? Run to a pub that is further away than your local.  One smart friend suggested that publicans should hand out tokens to punters in January giving loyal customers priority seating in December when all the boring people come out to play too.  Anyone out there brave enough to give that a go?

Anyway, last Friday, I met Team List regular Sam and debutant Jen in Liverpool Street for some mid-January drinks.  We started at Discount Suit Company, a lively new cocktail bar in an old tailor's store room. Trust your instincts as you walk along the deserted Wentworth Street, and look for the big shop sign (see below). Head through the door and downstairs, past the superfluous member of staff that pulls a curtain back and forth, and get stuck into one of their £7.50 house cocktails.

It was already packed by the time we arrived, so get there early if you want a seat.  The atmosphere was great all round, but having one of the cosy tables would definitely improve the evening and is essential for anyone pushing 6ft!  We appreciated the plethora of coat hooks around the bar, particularly suitable (sorry) given the name.  If you find yourself near the toilets, don't play with the random lock on a seemingly unused door - I accidentally locked in a bartender, who marched off blaming her manager.

I could have drunk the mezcal-based Pina Fumada (Smoked Pineapple) all night, but there are several other tempting concoctions such as Goldfish Bathtub with Earl Grey infused gold rum, brandy and lemon.  Bottled beers are less exciting and slightly overpriced but most of the Liverpool Street crowd won't care.  It's a great little spot to take someone to off the beaten track, and an easy place to spend a whole evening.

Next up was dinner at Bones, a new restaurant & bar with sharing food and rotisserie chicken at the Hoxton end of Kingsland Road.  Here we were joined by 13th placed Cassie and two more first timers, Caroline & Andy.  Newbie Caroline nearly took herself off to Leicester Square due to a misleading Google maps entry so, whilst we were waiting, we worked our way through the superb Redwell bottled beers on offer which I can't recommend highly enough - the IPA is particularly fine.  Also, after growing very attached to unlimited bottles of Grenache red wine in St.Anton a couple of weeks ago, we were delighted to find several varieties of it on the list at Bones.

Once everyone had arrived we ordered a great range of plates to share which worked very well.  The Crispy Pigs Ears were a little too reminiscent of, well, pigs ears, and the Ceviche didn't stand out, but everything else was rather wonderful.  The simple Rotisserie Chicken was beautifully flavoured, Pigeon breast salad with toasted hazelnuts disappeared very quickly, and the Squid & Chorizo Sourdough Bruschetta was keenly fought over.  Sam was however pretty devastated when the variety of foods on his plate caused him to inadvertently eat a mouthful containing a key piece of halloumi that he had been saving for the end - first world problems.

Service was definitely on the slow side but I'm sure they will find their feet soon enough.  Considering we were next to the bar, getting a glass of Grenaaaaaaache seemed to be a very complicated process.  We nearly had a mousse-related death when Cassie wasn't warned that her dessert contained nuts - luckily she spotted it.  Several of us enjoyed a portion of their Deep Apple Pie which was cinnamon heavy in a good way.

It's a great looking place and the prices are very reasonable.  The sharing plates are interesting and will change regularly, and their rotisserie chicken stands up well to likes of Chicken Shop.  I would like to see the Redwell beers or something local on tap rather than in bottles, but that's not a deal-breaker - well worth a visit.

We lost Sam and Jen at this point as our last stop was a bus ride away at F.Cooke's Pie and Mash shop on Broadway Market.  By day, this classic London establishment that is over 100 years old serves up pie, mash, liquor and eels to hungry punters, but at night they hand over to various popups.  According to scientist Cassie, all eels mysteriously originate from the same source which has never been found.  She also claimed that they occasionally crawl across land - she lost my trust at this point.

Back to last Friday - At the moment, Peters & Co. Gin Palace have the keys and are running a relaxed candlelit gin bar from 7pm-1am, every Thursday-Saturday for the foreseeable future.  There is food available, currently in the form of well-sourced platters, but pies may soon make it on to the evening menu. There are also Harviestoun beers and Chapel Down wines on the menu to keep the gin-haters happy.

Current F.Cooke owner Bob Cooke

We started with a round of ridiculously affordable £4.50 Sipsmith & Fevertree G&Ts - you won't find much better value in London.  There are several gin cocktails on offer including Negronis, Martinis and a Bob Cooke Bramble named after the current owner, but we decided to continue with some of their premium gins for a second round of G&Ts, this time priced at £7.  Death's Door and Monkey 47 were the runaway winners.  I need to return sometime to try the Aviation Rye and the Botanist Islay Gin which wasn't available as someone came in and bought the whole bottle!  They plan to expand the range over the next few weeks, and there are also going to be masterclasses and tastings - check their Facebook page for more info.  

My one bit of advice would be, bring a cushion! The bench seats in F.Cooke's must be amongst the least comfortable in London, probably there to keep anyone from lingering too long in the daytime!  Peters & Co. is another fun place to sample a wide range of gins, joining the likes of City of London Distillery, 214 Bermondsey and London Gin Club.

Team List update: 2 points for Sam take him back up to 3rd place, joint with Lee.  How long can he hang on to that spot?  Cassie moves up to joint 13th, her highest position on the leaderboard so far.

In other news, isn't this a horrible name for a restaurant?

Scoff & Banter

One friend suggested that we set up a rival establishment next door called Boff & Scanter.  "It would be full of highly intelligent people but with woefully inadequate supplies of food and drink".  Who's up for crowd-funding this?