Film is Art - Mele e Pere - La Mancha

Wednesday 2nd April - The day's activities started with a lovely lunch in Soho, but I'm going to skip ahead to the evening slot first.  I met Rich at Hoxton Overground at 6pm to attend a preview of Press Play's "Film is Art" immersive & intimate screening of Kill Bill in Hoxton Arches.

After a quick pre-drink in Beagle (who always have a couple of great beers), we walked over to be greeted by The Bride (Uma Thurman's character) who was on front of house duty, whilst Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) was on the decks in the background.  With a shot of sake in hand, we walked around appreciating the stunning Kill Bill street art that the Outside Collective had managed to create in just 2 days.  It made me sad to think that it would all have to be painted over again only a couple of days later!

Drinks could be found at the Pussy Wagon bar, manned by two members of the Crazy 88s.  Rich suggested it might have been more fun if we had all been given Crazy 88 masks ourselves, though we might have looked a bit odd without the matching ties and shirts.  Drinks could have been more exciting than Tsing Tao cans, wine and loosely themed Bride / Bill cocktails - something to improve on for their next event.  Food was more impressive with tasty sushi including crab prepared in front of us by Sushi Kai.

We returned to the main room where a time lapse video of the set up was being played on the big screen.  In the background, Elle Driver was DJing away, but sadly not playing any of the fantastic music from the film to which might have been a nice way of building up some anticipation.  

After a couple more beers and a whole load more sushi, we settled down for the film.  The screen and sound quality were good throughout (always a worry in unusual venues) and there were several amusing touches such as altering the lighting in the room to match Tarantino's own use of filters, and pumping in some smoke.

Time lapse of set up in Hoxton Arches

All went smoothly and Tarantino did his part of the job well.  With immersive screenings, there is always more you can do to make the event stand out, though obviously budgets and time constraints come into play. For £20 it was an enjoyable & affordable evening out, but we felt there was still room for improvement, considering that London is already full of top notch creative film companies (Edible, Rooftop & Secret Cinema for example). However, this was Press Play's first major event, and I'm sure that we will see a lot more from them in the future.

Back to lunch, I finally made it to Mele e Pere in Soho - an Italian Trattoria & Vermouth Bar whose colourful apples & pears (get it?) I have often admired from afar when passing.  Continuing with the cockney rhyming slang, most of Mele e Pere is tucked away down the stairs with the bar, but there a few tables that benefit from natural light as you walk in.

I considered my options over a glass of their homemade vermouth (more on that later), before ordering a few sharing plates & small pasta dishes.  Large pasta plates and main courses are available if you aren't in a sharing mood.  There are excellent lunch and pre-theatre deals to be taken advantage of too.

Everything that followed was delightful.  From the Sharing Plates, Aubergine Parmigiana stood out, along with a beautifully presented Hand Chopped Beef Tartare (with Italian leaves and Quail's egg) and a wonderfully light plate of Ricotta piemontese, peas, purple broccoli and smoked bacon.

Home-made bread and focaccia

Hand Chopped Beef Tartare, Italian Leaves and Quail's Egg

Grilled Octopus and calamari salad, potato and garlic leaves

Moving on to the pasta, I was intrigued by Tropea Onion Ravioli with Seaweed, Baby Squid and Lemon Sole - a smartly put together dish that wasn't overpowered by either the onion or the seaweed.  The one dish that you absolutely have to order though is Potato Gnocchi with Umbrian Black Truffle, a ridiculous plate of buttery goodness that you will foolishly stuff into your face before your body realises what's going on. Order the large version at your peril.

These were washed down with glasses of 2011 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano which was one of their wine picks for the month.  They have an impressive list celebrating the best of Natural, Organic and Biodynamics wines of the world.  Maybe pay them a visit during London Wine Week (2nd-8th June).

Tropea Onion Ravioli with Seaweed, Baby Squid and Lemon Sole

Potato Gnocchi wit Umbrian Black Truffle

I finished off with a healthy scoop of Pistachio ice cream, a worthy rival to Scoop and Gelupo round the corner.  Had it been slightly later in the day, I might have got myself a boozy Kam-Peet-Up (Laphroaig, Punt e Mes, Kamm & Sons Ginseng & House Orange Vodka) from their After Dinner cocktail list.  

It was a superb lunch - impressive cooking, great drinks, a lovely atmosphere, friendly service and affordable prices.

However, I had unfinished vermouth-based business, so I returned two weeks later on Tuesday 15th April for one of their monthly Vermouth Tasting Masterclasses in the attractive downstairs bar.

The evening was hosted by Ed Scothern, Mele e Pere's in-house Vermouthier & Sommelier.  We started by tasting their red and white house vermouths (£4 a glass) alongside some more bitter Punt e Mes.  

Vermouth is fortified white wine (around 15%), created by adding sugar syrup and a mix of herbs, roots and barks that have been steeped in vodka.  Vermouth is in fact German for wormwood, an essential ingredient. We were presented with some, along with rhubarb root, speedwell, and other potential constituents.

Ed Scothern, Vermouth master at Mele e Pere

We then moved on to a couple of house cocktails to show off the vermouth, including a not-too-sweet Down the Stairs and a fabulous Martinez twist (with lemon rather than orange).  

These were accompanied by generous portions of food from the sharing plates menu.  Spicy, fried ascolana olives with n'duja sausage, deep fried squid with smoked aioli, and finocchiona salame with gnocchi fritti were very much appreciated with all the drinks flying around.

Finocchiona salame with gnocchi fritti

Spicy, fried ascolana olives w/ n'duja sausage

Next, we had a go at making our own vermouth, adding the likes of gentian, angelica, wormwood, lemon thyme and juniper to a sweetened wine.  I was pretty happy with mine, but only after piling in a fair amount of ice.

The evening finished with a refreshing Punt e Mes vermouth sorbet, nicely presented in a Martini glass.

At just £15, Mele e Pere's vermouth masterclass is one of London's best bargains.  It was a fun, informative and intimate evening hosted in style by Ed.  Make sure you grab one of the 10 seats for the next one as soon as possible - more info is available here.

Thursday 27th March - I'll just finish up by mentioning a quick tapas trip to La Mancha back in March.  I was feeling a bit worse for wear at the time (man flu), but I soldiered on and filled up with 13 courses (life is tough) from Head Chef Senor Nilo Geada.

Family-run La Mancha recently relocated to Chiswick after many years in Putney, joining the likes of Franco Manca, Charlotte's Bistro and Outsider Tart in an increasingly exciting area for food and drink. The friendly owner Salvatore made us feel very welcome.

We got off to a strong start with Pimientos de Padron (sweet hot peppers from Galicia, sautéed in olive oil) and Berejenas Fritas (crispy aubergines with honey and Romesco sauce) impressing, alongside some moreish Rebenada de pan con tomate (Bread, chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic and olive oil).

Pimientos de Padron - sweet hot peppers from Galicia, sautéed in olive oil

Berejenas Fritas - crispy aubergines with honey and Romesco sauce

A few courses in the middle of the meal didn't stand out quite as much, with Tortilla Espanola, Patatas Bravas and Cochinillo Asado (roasted suckling pig, apple sauce) the main culprits.  Spinach Croquettes "with hints of pinenuts" and Albondigas de Ternera (Beef Meatball, Smoked Bacon, Tomato Sauce) kept us on track before the Signature Paella with mixed fish, shellfish, pork and chicken arrived in large paella pans to several "oohs" and "aahs".  Portions were so generous that there was plenty left to take home despite it being very popular.

Squid hoopla?

The meal ended in style with an outstanding Tarta de Santiago, a traditional Santiago de Compostela almond cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce that made me forget about my life-threatening man flu for a couple of minutes.

Tarta de Santiago

Well-chosen wines flowed throughout the meal, and a couple of boozy after dinner drinks might have been ordered too.  The rest of the drinks list is a little unadventurous - it would great to see some G&Ts in those awesome coppa glasses, or some Spanish craft beers making their way on to the menu.  Nearby Charlotte's Bistro and Blue Plate put a lot of effort into keeping the drinks as interesting as the food.

The 13 courses were a mixed bag, but there were some fantastic dishes on the menu, and it was a very pleasant meal overall.  A lovely local restaurant that needs to do a little more to pull in visitors from further afield.  Bonus points for having Miro on the walls. 

Joan Miro - "The Gold of the Azure"

The Good Egg - Ziferblat - Craft Beer Social Club - Platterform Sea Adventures

Saturday 15th February - Another day, another overdue write up on The List.  Easter Holidays are round the corner, I'm going to sort it all out. Probably. Anyway, better late than never? Absolutely! Four absolutely awesome places to mention from one fun day out in East London, starting with The Good Egg brunch at Cortado.

Run by old friend Joel Braham, The Good Egg has been getting a lot of great press recently, all thoroughly deserved, praising their delicious eggy brunches which are currently running at Cortado in Hoxton (Sat&Sun - 9am-4pm) and The Hangover Club in Hackney Wick (Sat only - 10am-4pm).  You can book places through Grub Club (highly recommended for a Mother's Day Special this Sunday) or you can just rock up and try your luck.  Rumour has it, Joel will be opening his own joint for The Good Egg soon too.

We called ahead and reserved a table for a Saturday morning, with my sisters and Al & Tim coming along to try and pick up a few crucial Team List points before the 1 year cut off point on Feb 22nd a week later.  The Cortado is well placed next to Regent's Canal, and is nicely set up with egg-based jokes lying around, plus Yumchaa tea, Allpress Espresso, cakes, and Mimosas & Bloody Marys available.  A lovely little bowl of free fresh fruit was brought to our table for us to enjoy whilst we mulled over the menu.

I normally go for the outstanding Shakshuka (Cotswold Legbar eggs baked in a smokey, spiced tomato & pepper sauce topped with lemon yoghurt & toasted za'atar sourdough served with Merguez sausages or Halloumi) but I couldn't resist a bit of pesto so I went for the special of the day, Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs & Ham - two poached eggs with Italian Prosciutto on sourdough toast topped with homemade pesto. It disappeared in seconds.

Three went for the classic & reliable Breakfast Burrito (Tortilla packed with fluffy eggs, crispy potatoes, refried black beans, mature cheddar, roasted chilli salsa & homemade guacamole) whilst Jo controversially went for an egg free Reuben (home cured salt beef griddled with Swiss cheese, Russian dressing & sauerkraut on rye).  Sadly noone ordered the Gary Barlow (that bloke off the Eggs-factor), a sandwich with chorizo, avocado & a fried egg.

The food is always fantastic, the staff are always charming, and the locations are always cosy & cool - The Good Egg brunch should be on everyone's to-do list.

Next stop, Ziferblat. Em & Al left, but Caroline joined at this quirky Russian café / social experiment tucked away above Bar Kick in Shoreditch. The premise is simple, pay 3p per minute that you stay and help yourself to as much tea/coffee etc as you wish. Food is not provided but you can bring along anything you like and make use of the tiny kitchen, provided that you help to look after the communal space.  You can even volunteer to help out in exchange for free minutes another time.

Ziferblat started in Russia as Pocket Poetry - classic poetry was put on tiny laminated cards and left for passers by to find and pop into their pockets.  Eventually they moved into a little attic in Moscow which they called the Tree House where people could come and play the piano, read books, recite poetry, have a coffee etc.  Payment was voluntary and a suitcase was left near the entrance for donations.  That was such a success that the Tree House is now Ziferblat HQ and many more "Ziferblats" have opened since.  New York is next on the list.

You fill in a timesheet on arrival, and pick a ceremonious clock from the shelf.  We went for Harold who was a little stuffy, but he was a lot more chirpy than poor old Alfred.  It's a lovely little touch (of which there are many) that makes a stay in Ziferblat even more pleasant.

All around, people were messing around on whiteboards and flipcharts, making origami, chatting, working, reading (spot Tim soaking up Art in the USSR below) and relaxing.  We got involved with a venn diagram project on Sane/Single/Crazy/Attached men that some ladies near us had undertaken.  It does have that hippy commune vibe going on (especially when you are washing up in the kitchen), but at the same time there's free wi-fi, groups celebrating with champagne, and others working away on iMacs, so there's no chance of it going all Martha Marcy May Marlene on you.

Ziferblat is open from 9am-11pm every day, give it a try and don't forget to bring biscuits, preferably milk chocolate hobnobs. Thanks.

Next stop, more personnel changes. Tim & Jo out, Lauren, Paul & Luke in.  We wandered round the corner to find the Craft Beer Social Club's latest pop-up pub.  The CBSC has popped up in London Fields and Shoreditch High Street already, and had a very brief month long stay in a flat basement in Leonard Street which we went along to.

CBSC set themselves up in fun spaces, and serve up affordable and interesting British beers (mostly bottles) alongside rotating food residencies. Flippin' Cow were turning out some delicious looking lamb wraps when we were there.  Interestingly, they accept Bitcoin, the digital currency that has been making the headlines recently.  I won't bore you with the details, mostly because I don't really know what I'm talking about, but expect to see a lot more of Bitcoin this year.  The Old Shoreditch Station coffee bar nearby has already installed a Bitcoin ATM! Click here for a newbie guide to buying Bitcoins.

We absolutely loved the Leonard Street site, it was a cute little living room with cosy corners, low lighting and comfy chairs.  I could imagine it turning into a very sociable evening in such a small space, which is just what CBSC want.  What a shame it was only here for a month! Keep your eyes peeled for their next pop-up.

Now, the beer. Alongside the familiar Curious, Crate & Brixton beers, we also enjoyed Yakima IPA & Black Jesus from Great Heck Brewing, Yorkshire Special Pale Ale from Wharfe Bank Brewery and Wold Top Scarborough Fair IPA, all from Yorkshire.  We were less taken with St.Andrews Brewing Crail Ale but we had a good run.  

The bottle for Great Heck Brewing's Black Jesus kept us fairly amused:

The atmosphere was wonderful, the hostess/landlady was charming and beers were great.  We are all Craft Beer Social Club converts, and are looking forward to visiting them wherever they pop up next - I hear SW11 is nice this time of year.

Last stop - we lost Paul & Lauren who sped off to Brewdog Shepherd's Bush for a quick drink before a n awesome Less than Jake & Reel Big Fish gig, but Caroline & Luke were still in.  The three of us hopped on a bus to London Fields and made our way to the Platterform rooftop to experience the High Seas!  I wrote fairly recently about Platterform's lumberjack themed Skylodge which was a riot, so I was pretty keen to see what they had done with the place.

For fifteen weeks (count from 16th January), everything on the rooftop is Sea Adventure themed - décor, captain's cocktails, seafood residencies, games, hats - it's all going on.  Check the website to see what is coming up.  They have transformed the space in style as you can see in photos below, but do go and experience it for yourselves - there's nowhere more fun in London right now.

We were there for Dave Yorkston's Smoke House, and we happily worked our way through his whole menu.  Dave converted a cupboard into a smoking room for all the fish as you can see below. An absolute bargain at £24 for 4 (generous) courses, it was fantastic from start to finish - the smoked Bloody Mary sauce was a highlight. 

Dave Yorkston's Smoke House

Dave Yorkston's Smoking Cupboard

The week after saw TOKO Indonesian Kitchen, Bar & Deli taking over the cooking, serving up 13 courses for £24 all served on a large Rijsttafel ("rice table") sharing platter. TOKO will be launching a full-time establishment in London later in 2014.

TOKO Indonesian Kitchen, Bar & Deli

In the galley tonight is Vinn Goute Seychelles' Kitchen - you can buy tickets in advance here or just turn up and find a table.  Vinn Goute are presenting a tropical seafood feast including two of the Seychelles most prized fish- the Bourgeois Red Snapper and the King Fish.  The Foragers are then turning up for two weeks.

Vinn Goute Seychelles' Kitchen

Onto the drinks! There are great bottled beers, including Einstock, Five Points, Harviestoun and Anchor (nicely strung up above your head), but really you should embark on the Captain's Cocktail Quest. There's the Zissou Sour with mezcal, absinthe & sea salt foam, Fish Called Wonder with hibiscus anemone & vodka jellyfish, Black Pearl Margarita with tequila & black mustard tapioca pearls, and the bonkers Phileas Fogg with smoked bourbon sazerac & absinthe helium, to name a few of their crazy creations.  They may sound silly, but they are still very serious drinks to taste and will keep cocktail conoisseurs happy.

Phileas Fogg with absinthe helium

Is that a sea anemone attached to Julian's chin?

Fish called Wonder with hisbiscus anemone & vodka jellyfish

Black mustard tapioca pearls for the Black Pearl Margarita

Creating the sea salt foam for the Zissou Sour

Zissou Sour with Sea Salt Foam

We finished the evening with a game of Battleshots - much the same as battleships, but with 1, 2 and 3 length shot boards replacing boring plastic boats.  This includes Visu (Fisherman's Friend infused vodka!), Stickleback (Jameson / Beetroot Shrub with Pickleback Foam), and Limey (Mount Gay Eclipse / Lime & Apple / Jasmine, Grenadine & Crate IPA).  The 2 / 3 shot length ships are effectively shots with funky chasers.  They foolishly let Caroline use the foam machine herself - she misjudged the power and blew her side of the board to smithereens.

Battleshots at Platterform Sea Adventure Series

It was another great evening with the Platterform team, they are always entertaining hosts and they have an excellent sense of humour as you can see from the dating profile that they have set up for Mr Winkle on Tinder.

I've said it for every place in this post so far, but make sure you go and check this out. Very highly recommended, fun for all, and top food & drink in a totally unique location.  Thanks to various team members for keeping me company throughout the day!