Dalston Yard - Dalston Roof Park

Friday 1st May - Only two weeks after opening the gates to Model Market in Lewisham, Street Feast have launched their second summer site, Dalston Yard.  It's open every Friday and Saturday from 5pm to midnight until 25/26 September.  Their third site, Shoreditch Yard, is due to open in a few weeks' time.

Much like at Model Market, you've got a tonne of superb street food traders to choose from, some of whom have built "micro-diners" to make your stay even more photogenic.  On top of that, there are eight bars around the sprawling site, including a standout Kamm & Sons cocktail shed away from the crowds that can't be missed.  Order The Grosvenor (Kamm & Sons, Punt E Mes, Laphroaig) and settle in.

Kamm & Sons Cocktail Shed & #BritSpritz Garden

As usual, the street food is of the highest quality.  You really can't wrong wherever you go - we certainly didn't.  Yum Bun and Breddos Tacos impressed again, but the highlight this time around was surprisingly meat-free...

Oli Baba's was doing a roaring trade dishing out veggie-friendly Levantine cuisine. You should probably just order one of everything:

- Sabich - Pitta Sandwich with Hummus, Grilled Aubergine, Spiced Egg, Sautéed Potato, Garlic & Dill Kraut, Tabbouleh, Tahini, Green Chilli Schug

- Saganaki - Halloumi Fries with Za'atar Yoghurt, Pomegranate Molasses, Mint, Sumac, Pomegranate Seeds

- Fries with Za'at Salt and Schug

Oli Baba's Pitta

Oli Baba's Halloumi Fries & Pitta Sabich

Le Bun

Twisted Indian Street Food from Rola Wala

Naan Sliders from Rola Wala

Classic Pork  from Yum Bun

Crunchy Nut Fried Chicken from Breddos Tacos

Gold Singha Bar

Smokestak

Smokestak

More Street Feast photos up on Matt The Tumblr

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In other Dalston news, Bootstrap Company have relaunched Dalston Roof Park for the Summer.  It might be a little chilly at the moment, but it's open until September so you've got plenty of time to check it out. Read on to discover what food and drink is in store at DRP this year, including beers from the brand new in-house 40 Ft Brewery.

We Walk The Line

Monday-Friday 9am-3pm

In the morning the Bootstrap Shed will house We Walk The Line, a social enterprise which empowers young entrepreneurs by selling delicious artisanal coffee.

Employing those who really need a chance, WWTL’s employees are trained to run their own coffee franchise, eventually becoming self-employed with the use of their own coffee stall. Expect expertly brewed coffees, alongside fellow local social enterprise the Dusty Knuckle Bakery who will be providing delicious baked treats.

Photo by Rebwar

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Merci Marie

Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm

Once one of Dalston’s hidden gems, Provence-born chef Marie Gonford will be running a daytime café serving up her ‘beautifully simple’ French-inspired menu. Placing a huge emphasis on the quality and locality of all her ingredients, Marie only uses organic eggs, free-range meat and sustainable fish in her dishes. Sourcing the ingredients in Dalston makes for experimental cooking in an evolving seasonal menu, always served with a smile.

Photo from Merci Marie

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Tom's Feast

Monday-Friday 6pm-close

Saturday & Sunday 3pm-close

Superstar eco-chef Tom Hunt is bringing a bespoke range of dishes and cocktails to the DRP this summer. His menu is 100% seasonal, mostly sourced from local community farms in and around London. Author of The Natural Cook, Tom will be serving up a selection of recipes from the book.

Centred around the DRP’s very own ethical charcoal barbecue, dishes will range from fresh oysters and prosecco, to Tom’s own-recipe incredible burgers – ranging from Chorizo & Merguez kofta burgers to an evolving list of fresh fish patties, all served in brioche buns with all the trimmings. Plus lots of options for vegetarians, including Bermondsey Frier halloumi from London’s own Kappacasein Dairy. Alongside a mezze feast of koftas, salads and homemade sauces, the changing menu promises to keep you deliciously satisfied through the long summer nights.

Tom Hunt - photo from Tom's Feast

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40 Ft Brewery

London's latest brewery has been founded by two of Bootstraps long-term tenants Andreas and Steve, along with their two other brothers. The shipping container micro-brewery will serve up craft beer and ales specially brewed for the DRP. Expect beer tastings, brewing master classes and a revolving menu of beers throughout the Summer. 

The first two beers to be released are Larger and Pale Ale.  The former (on tap) is a 4.8% unfiltered hoppy twist on a German Kolsch brewed with Lemon Drop, a new American hop.  The latter (served in 330ml cans) is a 4.1% American style pale ale brewed with a mix of American and British hops.

Opening times for the roof park are Monday – Thursday 9am-11pm, Friday 9am-Midnight, Saturdays 3pm-Midnight & Sundays 3pm-10pm. The Dalston Roof Park bar is open from 6pm every day. N.B. You need to pay a one off £5 membership fee for an annual pass.

Bao - Bleecker Burger - One Mile End Brewery at The White Hart Brewpub

Today on the blog - two of London's street food heroes Bao & Bleecker Burger settle down in Soho and Spitalfields respectively, and One Mile End brewery brings a Whitechapel boozer back to life.

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Wednesday April 8th - I made my way over to Bao about 30 minutes after it opened - beat the crowds and all that;  stay ahead of the game.  No such luck.  I joined the back of the (admittedly fast moving) queue, got me some water from Pret, and stared longingly at Clerkenwell Boy's food both through the window and on his Instagram feed.  

The foodie world was out in force, and Instagram was overrun by Baos and Blood Cakes for the rest of the day.  One of London's finest food writers Ed Smith (Rocket & Squash) was also one of the first through the door, and he put up another of his reliably witty and informative posts the next day, rendering this irrelevant.  Read up on all things Bao on Rocket & Squash here.

I'll soldier on.  Bao built up a loyal following whilst trading at Kerb, Netil Market and the like, and their tiny Soho site is surely the first of many.  Like Yum Bun and Beer & Buns, they focus on gua bao - super squishy steamed buns of joy filled with all manner of delights.  Take along a pair of googly eyes and you'll soon have something resembling Pacman stuffing his face.  

But that's not all.  It seems they had a few Taiwanese tricks up their sleeve that they were saving for a permanent site.  I'm talking Trotter Nuggets (£4), Scallops with Yellow Bean & Garlic Sauce (a little small for £3.50), and the room-dividing Century Egg with Eryngii Mushroom (£4).  

The two non-bao dishes you absolutely must get are the 40 Day Aged Rump Cap with Aged White Soy Sauce (£6) and the much-photographed Pig Blood Cake (£3.50) - see #eggporn collage below.  How we managed to share these two without trading blows, I'll never know.

Scallop, Yellow Bean & Garlic Sauce

Trotter Nuggets

Pig Blood Cake

Of course, you need to get some gua bao down you too. The Classic (Braised Pork, Peanut Powder, Fermented Greens, Coriander) is already an essential Soho snack at £3.75.  Be sure also to get the stunning Fried Chicken Bao, presented in burger form in a soft Sesame Bao, with Soy Milk Marinated Chicken, Sichuan Mayo and Golden Kimchi.  Confit Pork, Lamb Bao and veggie Crumbed Daikon Bao are ready on the subs bench.

Don't leave without ordering the Fried Horlicks Ice Cream Bao (Horlicks Ice Cream, Condensed Milk, Fried Bao) for £4, and eat it AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES.  By the time I'd done my offensive blogger photography, we had a sticky, gooey mess on our hands.  Delicious but disastrous.

Lamb Bao - Lamb Shoulder, Coriander Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Soy Pickled Chilli

Fried Chicken Bao - Soy Milk Marinated Chicken, Sichuan Mayo, Golden Kimchi, Sesame Bao

Fried Horlicks Ice Cream Bao - devour before it melts!

So the food is incredible.  What about the drinks? I went for some BaoZhong Foam Tea which I didn't agree with at all.  I would instead opt for the 10 year Aged Coal Baked Oolong which sounds magnificent.  Elsewhere, three types of Sake, Cider and Beer should be enough to see you through since Bao dining is a speedy affair.

How Bao? Go Now.

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Tuesday April 7th - Bleecker Burger, street food veterans and winners of London Burger Bash 2014, recently opened a burger hatch in Old Spitalfields Market.  I say hatch rather than restaurant or diner, as it is literally a hole-in-the-wall kitchen with a few benches outside.  

Is it any different to them parking their food truck behind a brick wall with a window? Not really, but who cares? Now we know where to go for a fix of angry fries and Bleecker meat every day of the week (from 11.30am-9pm).

The slightly bigger space allows them to produce some rather fine milkshakes (including Caravan coffee) which you might turn to after they stop serving craft beers at 7pm.  But you are really here for a burger; an award-winning Bleeckerblack burger to be precise.  Two medium-rare aged-beef patties, melted cheese, and a showstopping slab of black pudding, at your service.  Sure, you could get a Bacon Cheeseburger, or the Blue Burger, both superb, but I wouldn't.  What a burger.

What else? I can never say no to Sweet Potato Fries, but the Angry Fries with blue cheese and more than a bit of a kick put up quite a fight.

And that's all I need to say about that.  Just be wary of the 9pm closing time (which could change of course - check here).

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After all that food, you might fancy a drink somewhere nearby.  You've got Discount Suit Company, 46 & Mercy, Brewdog, Underdog, Ten Belles and many more worthwhile establishments within easy reach.  We decided to go slightly further afield to The White Hart in Whitechapel which recently had a refurb and has re-established itself as a brewpub with One Mile End Brewery in their basement.

Brewpub beer can often be rather bland and unadventurous, but that is not the case here.  One Mile End mean business, as a recent tap takeover of Brewdog Camden proves.  Alongside exemplary core beers such as Salvation Pale Ale, Snake Charmer IPA and Hospital Porter, you'll also find the likes of Rye Whisky Sour, Blood Orange Barrel Aged Saison, Farmhouse Pilsner and a Pale Ale infused with Pomelo and Chilli.  The winner for me though was a dark and dangerous 7% Barrel Aged Black Sour (pictured below).  

You will be able to find One Mile End beers in boozers all over London, but it's well worth a wee pilgrimage to their lively public house in Whitechapel.  With the District Line and the Overground a stone's throw away, it's actually pretty convenient.  Plus they've got Dirty Burger and Chicken Shop as neighbours.

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New photos on Matt The Tumblr this week - www.mattthelist.tumblr.com

A weekend in Paris // Joyeux Bordel // Street Feast Model Market // Peg + Patriot // Joe's Southern Kitchen // That Hungry Chef's Goan Thali Supperclub

Joyeux Bordel

Today's post features an exclusive sneak preview of Experimental Group's brand new late night London bar which launched this week in EC2.

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Joyeux Bordel - Translation : Happy Mess (or brothel - take your pick)

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The Experimental Group is much more than just a clandestine Chinatown cocktail bar with a hard-to-please doorman.  Since opening up the original Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) in Paris in 2007, the group have rapidly expanded and now operate 13 sites including ECC New York, Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels in Paris, NY and London, Beef Club and Fish Club restaurants in Paris, and even an Experimental Beach in Ibiza. 

On top of that, last month they added Le Grand Pigalle Paris to that list - their first foray in to the hotel business. Quite by chance, I was in the City of Light at the weekend and squeezed in a visit to Le Grand Pigalle hotel bar, but that's a long story...

Anyway, back in London, their 14th site has just opened at 147 Curtain Road in Old Street, and it's a boozy basement number called Joyeux Bordel.  

Now what can I tell you about it? Oh, well you can make reservations. Just send an email to reservation@joyeuxbordel.com - the desk is open Mon-Sat until 5pm.

Opening times might help too:

Monday - Wednesday: 6pm - 2am

Thursday - Saturday: 6pm - 3am

Sunday: 6pm – midnight

Hooray for late night opening hours, there aren't nearly enough places of worth open after midnight.

Once you've made it past the doorman, you'll make your way down to a spacious but cosy candlelit cocktail bar. I'd always opt for a seat at the bar myself - this is where you'll find Adrien Russotto, Joshua Esposito and Florian Dubois working their magic, along with some ECC alumni most probably.  If you do go for table service, Berliner Sabrina or Finnish/Egyptian Rameses from Helsinki will look after you.

The full menu has just been released:

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Bric-A-Brac - Yellow Chartreuse, Lillet Blanc, Elderflower Cordial, Pepper Mix, Sage, Lemon & Champagne - £10

Picotin - Lemon, Aquavit OP Anderson, Suze, Cocchi Americano, Luxardo Maraschino - £10

Black Beard - Appleton 7, Smith & Cross Rum, Homemade Falernum, Aperol, Fernet Branca, Grapefruit Zest - £11

É Nossa - Cachaca Yaguara, Lime, Sugar, Peychauds & Peach Bitters, Ginger Ale - £11

Saint Germain Des Prés - Hendricks Gin, St.Germain, Lime Juice, Elderflower Cordial, Egg White, Spiced Tincture, Cucumber Juice - £10.50

Tommy's Cut - Vida Mezcal, Agave, Lime, Sweet Vermouth, Pink Grapefruit - £10.50

Jolly Mess - Vulson White Rhino Rye, Eaux de vie de Poire, Antica Formula, Cardamom Syrup, Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur - £10.50

Softly Softly - Suze, Dolin Dry, Hendricks Gin, Chilli Thai Tincture, Olive - £9.50

Sparrows Can't Sing - Madras-infused Vodka, Applejack, Strega, Lemon, Vanilla Syrup, Simple Syrup, Coriander - £9.50

Something Italian - Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Cynar, Amaro Ciociaro, Lime, Ginger, Soda - £10

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Picotin was the pic'o'the'bunch (new low for me there), bringing complex flavours together to form a satisfying thirst quencher. Second place goes to Tommy's Cut, a subtle twist on a Tommy's Margarita that you'll finish in a few gulps.  Jolly Mess is another winner if you like your cocktails boozy.

Of course, you can always go off menu, and I unsurprisingly went in an agave direction with a superb Mezcal Negroni (Vida, Calle 23 Tequila, Barolo Chinato, Rabarbaro) and an equally excellent Mezcal Highball creation with ginger ale.  I also highly recommend Fabiano's classy Americano twist with Belsazar Red and a touch of sea salt - apparently a splash of bourbon doesn't hurt either.

Mezcal Negroni - Del Maguey Vida, Calle 23 Tequila, Barolo Chinato, Rabarbaro

Picotin - Lemon, Aquavit OP Anderson, Suze, Cocchi Americano, Maraschino Luxardo

To soak up the booze, they have sensibly put together a few small plate options including some delicious Rillette, Roasted Ham and Cooked Ham from local butchers and restaurant Hill & Szrok, plus an Androuet Three Cheeses Selection. London has been slow to pick up on the high end and late night bar snacks trade - hopefully more will follow suit soon.

If you've had your fill of cocktails, cheese, and charcuterie, you might want to investigate Joyeux Bordel's back bar.  Start off with a taste of ECC partner Xavier Padovani's Vulson White Rhino Rye which was only released in January - read more here.  In the early part of the week, you might find Xavier & co. pouring £5 tasters of extremely rare spirits from his vintage selection which they've decided to stop hoarding and start sharing.  A late 1950s Grand Marnier was cracked open this week.

On top of all of the fine food and drink, Joyeux Bordel is also going to be a hotspot for DJs, with Daniel Willis from The Clove Club heading up the music.  The inoffensive DJ booth is part of the furniture rather than a garish corner feature, which is always a good sign.

Sound good? I thought so.  Go and say hello from 6pm tonight. Happy Brothel everyone!

www.joyeuxbordel.com

Email - reservation@joyeuxbordel.com 

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