Doodle Bar - Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels - Food & Booze News

This post comes to you from California! Or at least that's where I was headed when I started this post. I wrote most of it on the plane in between showings of Interstellar & Birdman, both of which included far too much dodgy aviation for in-flight entertainment.  Anyway, rather than transport you to Venice Beach (expensive), let me introduce you to Doodle Beach.

Unbeknownst to most East Londoners, the closest our fine city gets to Williamsburg warehouse fun is Testbed1 in SW11 - a slice of Brooklyn in Battersea.  Turn left out of Bunga Bunga and never look back.  Inside the sprawling space lies Doodle Bar, a hangout for hip RCA students and in-the-know locals.

 

As you may know, you can draw (or doodle) all over the walls with chalk, but there's so much more to it than that. Let's start with the beach.

OK, it's not the sandiest, but beggars can't be choosers (and it's preferable to hanging out on top of the Roundhouse with the rest of London).  It's more of an "industrial beach", but there is real water (Ransome's Dock) and it's a mighty fine sun trap. Two out of three ain't bad.  Arrive early to grab a table, but be prepared to move inside at a moment's notice around 10pm (security staff need a lighter touch).

Live music on Doodle Beach

This Summer, the Doodle Beach is the setting for several Saturday supperclubs, the details of which can be found here.  But the real trick is to go on a Friday night when two of London's finest street food traders, Street Kitchen and Well Kneaded, can be found slinging out next-level burgers and delicious firebreads respectively. Street Kitchen's Foghorn Leghorn is right up there with Patty & Bun's Smokey Robinson and Boom Burger's... Boom Burger; and Well Kneaded's Carl is a living legend - seek them out.  Street Kitchen are also on site for lunch Monday-Friday with a lighter menu.

Read about Street Kitchen's permanent home in Broadgate Circle here

Street Kitchen burgers at Doodle Bar

Well Kneaded firebreads at Doodle Bar

Louisiana Crawfish Boil - Saturday Supperclubs at Doodle Beach

Louisiana Crawfish at Doodle Beach

Live art on the Doodle Beach

What about the booze? Well, most bars don't live directly opposite a gin & whisky distillery.  The latter of the two spirits is still resting inside The London Distillery Company, but their Dodd's Gin is ready to go.  Unsurprisingly Dodd's features in several of Doodle Bar's cocktails, including a barrel-aged Negroni, but a simple G&T is an excellent plan B.  Beers aren't too shabby either with the likes of Paulaner & Affligem on tap, and some fine bottles in the fridge. Worried #craftbeerwankers can waddle over to Draft House Westbridge round the corner for a wider selection.

When you inevitably have to move inside, swing by the free table tennis tables (are you reading Bounce & Ping?) before sneaking through to the overflow Testbed1 events warehouse. It's pretty basic (who need's chairs?) but the lighting is incredible and the atmosphere is electric.

Great food, top shelf booze, free games, loads of space, and a sprawling sun trap? Sounds awful.

Mon-Thurs 10am-11pm / Fri 10am-midnight

Sat 12pm-midnight / Sun 12pm-11pm

Doodle Bar - www.thedoodlebar.com

33 Parkgate Road, London SW11 4NP

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Neal's Yard in Seven Dials is one of those magical London spots that I'm always recommending but rarely visit myself.  Homeslice is a smart pre-theatre option, but to best appreciate the space in all its green glory, go al fresco at Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels - a Parisian wine bar and restaurant from Experimental Group (Experimental Cocktail Club, Joyeux Bordel).

You can easily lose a few hours here working your way through their wine list whilst stuffing your face with charcuterie and cheese. I dropped in recently to have a look at some new Summer dishes over a few glasses of vino in the sunshine.  

I'm no wine expert myself (yet) but we particularly enjoyed Clos Saint Fiacre Orleans L'Excellence Chardonnay, Loire, France 2013 and Thierry Germain Saumur l'Insolite, Loire, France 2013. 

On the food front, we ordered Handmade Spinach Gnocchi with Ricotta & Almonds, Tuna Tatiki & Courgette with Sesame, and a Soy & Ginger Dressing and Fassona Beef Tartare with Spring Onions, Pine Nuts and a Quail's Egg.

The generous gnocchi was borderline dessert (in a good way) and indulgent in the extreme.  The beef tartare had the right intentions but needed a touch more seasoning, whilst tasty tuna tatiki & courgette was subtle in its use of soy & ginger (enjoyably so).

Handmade Spinach Gnocchi with Ricotta & Almonds

Fassona Beef Tartare, Spring Onions, Pine Nuts, Quail's Egg

Tuna Tatiki & Courgette, Sesame, Soy & Ginger Dressing

Other new plates include a Summer salad with rocket, feta, peach and avocado, and Japanese aubergine rolls with dorset (?) and balsamic. However, you may find it hard to look past their ever present Posh Madame with Truffle Ham & Quail Egg. Either way, you'll be alright.

If the weather isn't holding, their dark, sexy interior space isn't a bad backup. Alternatively, hop on the Eurostar and pay the original Paris branch a visit. Santé!

Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels - www.cvssevendials.com

Mon-Sat: 12pm-12am / Sun: 12pm-11pm

8-10 Neal's Yard WC2H 9DP

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I'm going to finish off with a few bits of Food & Booze News which might become a regular feature. Let's start with some clickbait:

- Immerse yourself in alcohol at Bompass & Parr's breathable cocktail / booze cloud installation

- Kernel Brewery will no longer serve beer to drink in the brewery from 5th September

- Street Feast's Dinerama was forced to shut after a major fire but has since reopened

- London wins big at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards

- Hotel launches dedicated water menu and "Water Butlers"

- Felicity Spector investigates the tee-total bar scene

- Town Hall Yard is the place to be at the weekend

- Feast launches 11pm-5am food delivery service

What am I drinking at home?

Well it's been the year of the Negroni so far for me (and many others) which has led me to seriously up my Vermouth game.  Cocchi di Torino, Antica Formula and Lillet Rouge are all regulars in my fridge, but the winner has to be Belsazar Vermouth - a new German vermouth range crafted near the Black Forest that has exploded on to the bar scene.  The secret ingredient is a mystery blend of Schladerer fruit brandies that is only known to a handful of people. Go and get yourself a bottle of Belsazar Red right now.

Looking up Belsazar led me to find Axiom Brands who represent the whole range here in the UK. Naturally, I nosed around and tried a few of their other brands that appealed. Here are my recommendations:

- WhistlePig 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey - A 100-proof straight rye whiskey, aged for at least 10 years through a unique double barrel process. The Wall Street Journal called it "the essence of rye whiskey". Try it in a Manhattan with Belsazar Red and a dash of Axiom's Ratafia cherry liqueur. Buy WhistlePig 10 for £69.96 at The Whisky Exchange.

- Mondino Amaro - Once you've sorted out your vermouth, amaro is the next home bar essential. Mondino Amaro is handcrafted in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps using rhubarb, yellow gentian, and arancia amara (bitter orange) amongst other locally sourced botanicals.  It's wonderful neat, but I would get out the Belsazar Red again and make some next-level Negronis and Americanos using a shot of each plus one more of gin or a splash of soda respectively. Buy Mondino Amaro for £23.45 at The Whisky Exchange.

- Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. - It's not all booze behind the bar; Meet Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. - a family-run company with roots in Charleston, South Carolina and Lexington, Kentucky. They have got you covered with a visually appealing range of bar staples including Aromatic Bitters from Colorado, Small Batch Grenadine from Napa Valley, and Bourbon Cocktail Cherries featuring Oregon cherries. Their Small Batch Tonic stars in one of W&P Design's magnificent Carry-On Cocktail Kits - guaranteed to brighten up your next EasyJet flight.

To further showcase my favourite back bar items and cocktails, I've recently added a little booze-box to the blog beneath the Instagram stream. Go on - scroll up and take a look. Nothing else to see here.

P.S. If you are a brand looking to feature in my world-renowned booze window, all you have to do is send me, let's say, 4 cases of premium spirits, liqueurs or beers so that I can really put it through its paces.

Street Kitchen - Two-Bit - Playground and Proof - News

Tuesday 7th July - Back in March 2013 when (Matt) The List was just getting started, I discovered the magnificent Street Kitchen hatch at The Doodle Bar in Battersea.  Co-owner Mark Jankel was on site, creating this vine and banging out next-level burgers and rosemary fries for a Friday night crowd.  

Mark & Jun Tanaka have since spread their wings and airstreams to Devonshire Square and Broadgate Circle (Bermuda Triangle next?), and they have just opened up their first brick-and-mortar shop in the latter.  

Their brand new Broadgate Circle hangout is essentially a sandwich shop, with“restaurant know-how lovingly crammed between two slices of bread”.  Their gourmet sandwiches are mostly served by the inch (dangerous), alongside glorious salad boxes, Allpress coffee, and quality booze.  It makes Ottolenghi's Sesame look pretty lazy.

India Hells Lager from Camden Town Brewery at Street Kitchen's Sandwich Shop

When I dropped in at 8pm on a Tuesday eve, the shop was starting to wind down for the night (9pm closing time), but Mark was still there behind the NY deli-style counter, beaming away, and he instantly recalled our brief meeting in SW11 over two years ago.  Some people just have the hospitality / customer service thing nailed.

We sat outside to soak up the Broadgate Circle al fresco atmosphere and worked our way through four sandwiches and a salad in record time.  Veggies are well catered for with roasted broccoli or cauliflower options sold by the inch plus some tasty salads (spiced aubergine, butternut squash etc), but you don't want to skip the meaty treats.  

The hot roasted chicken sandwich (£5.75) with baby gem and tarragon mayo is simply incredible - order two. It's reminiscent of their Battersea Hatch Foghorn Leghorn chicken burger, with delicious pickled red onions common to both. 

Aside: My local rotisserie and deli Park Road Kitchen is also currently doing an awesome chicken sandwich with tarragon mayo lunch special (£5) on Wednesdays.

Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Baby Gem, Tarragon Mayo and Pickled Red Onions - served hot

We then devoured a Hot Smoked Salmon sandwich (£4.75) with pickled red cabbage and beetroot, and the Rare Roast Beef sandwich (£4.75 / 7 / 9.40 per inch) with caramelised onions, pickled cucumber, horseradish and watercress on focaccia.  The latter perhaps needs a little more of that rare roast beef (or less focaccia...no let's stick with more beef) to show off the high-quality meat that Mark has gone to great lengths to source from the mysterious Farmer Tom.

The home cured and smoked salmon salad (£5.50) with potatoes, watercress, pickled vegetables and DIY dill vinaigrette is generous and really showcases the outstanding salmon.  Hopefully the rare roast beef salad has an equally pleasing meat:veg ratio.  

Roasted Chicken, Roasted Broccoli and Hot Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

Rare Roast Beef & Horseradish sandwich sold by the inch - photo provided by Street Kitchen / Roche PR

Adding the Dill Vinaigrette to the Smoked Salmon Salad

Home-cured and smoked salmon with potatoes, watercress, pickled vegetables and dill vinaigrette 

I'll be back for the Salt Beef special, served on toasted challah bread with sweet mustard, pickled cucumber, pickled red cabbage and smokey mustard mayo. Sadly (and unsurprisingly), it was too popular to last through to the end of the day - perhaps I'll aim for 11am next time when the sandwiches are unveiled.  If you get there really early (7.30-10am), you can sample their short breakfast menu - save me a sausage brioche.

Whatever time of day you go, you'll be well looked after by the Street Kitchen team.  It's a simple space with bespoke wooden-crate style furniture, but there's some science to look out for inside, including a Roundup Vertical Toaster and a Roundup Egg Station which McDonald's fans might recognise. It only has three settings - Ready, Cooking and BACON. Can't go wrong.

Street Kitchen's al fresco seating

I'll definitely make the journey over to Broadgate Circle again soon for that chicken sandwich and some salt beef, but don't forget that Street Kitchen can also be found throughout the week in Battersea and Devonshire Square. They are quietly doing some of the best gourmet fast food in London. That's lunch.

Street Kitchen - www.streetkitchen.co.uk

The Shop Broadgate Circle, Broadgate Circle, EC2M 2BY

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After Street Kitchen, we wandered over to Brewdog Shoreditch to check out their renovated basement Two-Bit Bar, an all-American whiskey & beer bar with a few pinball and arcade machines. It's early days, but it's a shadow of its former self, Underdog, which held a special place in my heart for being part of my first ever blog post.  The new décor is incredibly lazy, the atmosphere has disappeared, and the beers (though interesting) are overpriced (even if they are American imports). Two-Bit by name, Two-Bit operation by nature. You are better off upstairs. 

London hasn't really figured out how to do arcade / gaming bars yet - Peckham's Four Quarters ain't too shabby but it's a far cry from New York's Barcade and Chicago's Emporium.  I expected a lot more from Brewdog - I'll be sticking to the Shepherd's Bush outpost for the time being.  Let me know if Two-Bit improves.

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Thursday 2nd July - A few days earlier we ventured to London Fields for the launch of Playground and Proof, a new weekend market (Playground) and all-year round rooftop bar (Proof) making use of the courtyard and roof terrace of the Hothouse building on Martello Street.

I haven't seen the Playground market in full swing yet, but you can expect fine food from The Cheese Truck and Milo & Hector's Ice Cream Sandwiches, and all sorts of treasures and treats from the likes of Grandirosa (flowers), Mini Mini Yeah Yeah (bits and bobs) and Kartel Music (vinyl). Read more on the traders here.  

Be sure to visit Bolt - a permanent fixture in Arch 3 with custom bikes, motorcycle inspired products, in-house BBQ and Volcano coffee in an uber-cool space.

Bolt - Photo by Mihail Jershov © - www.mjstudio.co.uk

Up on the Hothouse rooftop, past the Coppa cabanas, Proof is a stylish little cocktail bar overlooking London Fields and Pub on the Park (another great local sun trap).  The back bar is small but perfectly formed with the likes of Quiquiriqui Mezcal and Cocchi Di Torino doing the job.  

Go for the Mezcal Tommy's Margarita slushie, or keep it simple with a Quiquiriqui Matatlan Mezcal & Fentiman's Tonic for boozy summer refreshment. Or a Negroni of course. Alternatively, you've got Five Points Pale on tap, and cheese & cider tastings from The Cider Box to keep you happy.  

As it's in London Fields rather than say Trafalgar Square, this is one rooftop bar that will hopefully never be too rammed.  It's well worth finding on a sunny day.  Also, look out for Cineast Sunday movie nights coming soon on the roof.

Playground & Proof - playgroundandproof.com

Field Works, Martello Street, London Fields, E8 3QW

Rooftop Bar - Thu/Fri 6pm-11pm & Sat/Sun 12pm-11pm

Courtyard Market - Sat/Sun 10am-6pm

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If you are in need of food nearby, you might want to check out Patty & Bun's new arch (brunch looks pretty awesome).  Or make a day (and night) of it with the likes of Som Saa, E5 Bakery, Cock Tavern, Look Mum No Hands, Rita's and Kansas Smitty's nearby.

If you are in the market for ... more markets, Hackney Drinks Market (currently having a Summer break) and Druid Street Market are at the top of my to-do list, and early reports have been very positive.  Netil Market is always fantastic, and handily just round the corner from Playground & Proof. Check out ºPlato Brewing & Supplies, one of London's smallest breweries, and the Netil 360 rooftop which is no longer requires membership.

Druid Street Market - Saturdays 9am-4pm - Druid Street, SE1 2HH - www.druid.st

Hackney Drinks Market - Hackney Downs Studios, E8 2BT - www.hackneydrinksmarket.com

Netil Market - Saturdays 11am-6pm, 13-23 Westgate street, E8 3RL - netilmarket.tumblr.com

Netil 360 Rooftop - Mon-Sun - 1 Westgate Street, E8 3RL - netil360.com

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As the sun set, we moved on for a couple more drinks at Peg + Patriot and Joyeux Bordel, two of our regular haunts.  James Stevenson and Adrien Russotto looked after us as always in each establishment, showing off new creations alongside some classics.  

Drinks are always stellar at Peg + Patriot, and some new additions to the menu are rather special:

- Flex Riiiite - Kamm & Sons, P+P Smoked "Lilt" on Draught

- No Sir'ee - Rye Whiskey, Pineapple, French Vermouth, Disarmed Tabasco

- Kill or Cure - Strong Rye Whiskey, Lemon, Egg White, Absinthe, Espresso Oil

- Old Man & The Sea - Mezcal, Aperol, Maraschino, Grapefruit, Seaweed, Samphire Salt

- P+P Seasonal G&T - Gin distilled on site with Lemon Verbena, Peashoots and Tarragon

Vesgroni - P+P Campari Vodka, Gin, Vermouth, Konik's Tail - Peg + Patriot

Ella + Vesgroni at Peg + Patriot

Old Man & The Sea - Mezcal, Aperol, Maraschino, Grapefruit, Seaweed, Samphire Salt - at Peg + Patriot

Jolly Mess - Vulson White Rhino Rye, Eaux de vie de Poire, Antica Formula, Cardamom Syrup, Mozart Dark - Joyeux Bordel

A boozy Mezcal & chocolate creation from Adrien Russotto at Joyeux Bordel

P+P's "Talented Mr Fox" Matt Whiley is keeping himself busy creating cocktail menus for some of the hottest restaurants in town including Story, Fera and The Marksman, and he'll soon be taking up residence at The Lockhart's new Showdown bar when it launches in August.  

He's also got dibs on the drinks lists at Lockhart's upcoming BBQ joint Shotgun, and the Sethi's new Hoppers project, both of which are bound to be big hits. Hopefully I'll make it into some of those soon and report back on Matt's cocktails.

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Last but not least, I've just been made aware of this awesome Yelp competition called Yelp's Big Night In which you are going to want to enter.  Details are below.

It's a party at your place, and you're the only one invited!

On Friday, July 31st, Yelp will be running the first ever YELP'S BIG NIGHT IN! Who wouldn't want to be fed, pampered and taken care of, for free, all from your own home, in the comfort of your PJs! 

THE NIGHT WILL INCLUDE: 

- Free food delivered by Deliveroo!

- Free wine delivered by Mr. Vine!

- Free laundry picked up and delivered right to your door from Laundrapp!

- Your home beautifully cleaned by Hassle, for free!

- Anything you want, picked up and delivered by Quiqup! 

- A service of your choice from Bizzby! We'd suggest free therapeutic massages, but if you need an errand run or want a personal trainer session before cracking into all that food, they can make that happen too!

To be in with a chance of winning, click on this link and follow the simple steps.  Yelp will be choosing 30 winners next week to all participate on the same night.