Bonapeti - Pedler - Hop, Burns & Black - Pimlico Fresh

All sorts on the blog today.  Click below to scroll down:  

- Fresh and healthy food for delivery from Bonapeti

- Dumpkins & Attitude Sauce for brunch at Pedler

- Beers, Hot Sauce & Vinyl at Hop, Burns & Black

- All the French Toast for brunch at Pimlico Fresh

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This is the time of year for predicting 2015 trends.  Will burgers, ramen & ceviche soldier on? Probably. I don't know. I'm sure we'll know more in a years time so let's discuss it then...

That said, there's been a noticeable rise of late in options for home delivery on all fronts that may lead to a Buzzfeed article here and a Londonist round up there. The likes of Deliveroo and Dine In bring you meals from your favourite restaurants, whilst Marley Spoon & Taste Cocktails provide the quality ingredients but leave you to assemble the finished product.

Today though, I'd like to give a shout out to Bonapeti who are set to launch their nutritious delivery service this week, starting with 40% off normal menu prices and free delivery. 

Call 020 7924 7548 or order online from 20 Jan at www.bonapeti.com  - use code HEALTHY02

Whilst they are based round the corner from me in SW11, they are aiming to deliver their mostly plant-based meals to as many Central, W,NW, and SW London postcodes as possible.  Keep an eye on their website and sign up for more info.

Bonapeti lie somewhere between restaurant quality takeaway and the Marley Spoon model - your meals arrive fully prepared, and simply need to be assembled on the plate, and occasionally heated through in the oven or microwave.  You can order on the same day, or days in advance, with a lot of science going in to keeping everything as fresh as possible on the journey.

Most home delivery food services don't have chefs with cooking experience at the likes of Ottolenghi, The Fat Duck and Terre a Terre.  With Bonapeti, you are in safe hands.  Here's what they have to say:

"Busy London life means you're often tired at the end of the day and find cooking too time consuming, especially when there's a lot of chopping and preparation required for more imaginative healthy dishes.

You're not looking for a diet or detox plan - you simply want to eat good, fresh, nutritious food every day. You want something quick and easy that's tasty, filling and genuinely healthy.

We've got the solution: deliciously wholesome plant-based meals delivered to you, every evening. We do the cooking so you don't have to, and deliver direct to your door at prices that won't leave you feeling guilty about not cooking, or like you could have done it cheaper or better yourself. Whether you use our dishes as a substantial main or tasty side to meat or fish you've prepared is entirely up to you.

Our food is a bold mix of influences taken from all over the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. Plant-based dishes that are bursting with flavour and colour. Our chefs, some of whom trained under world-renowned Yotam Ottolenghi, bring a wealth of expertise to every single Bonapeti dish.

With none of the sugar, salt, additives or chemicals normally found in prepared meals, these dishes are a great way to enjoy delicious food and achieve a healthy balanced diet.

Plant-based food is naturally low in sugar and fat and eating more of it will help you look good and feel great. And because all our food comes from sustainable sources, it's better for the planet too.

Enjoy mouth-watering home deliveries - without the guilty conscience."

Here are a few shots from some oustanding dishes that I sampled on site:

Baked Kohlrabi with spiced tomato preserve and pumpkin seed Gremolata

Marinated Roasted Beetroot Salad with Puy Lentils, Yogurt, Dill and Pistachios

Marinated Roasted Beetroot Salad with Puy Lentils, Yogurt, Dill and Pistachios

Carrot Salad with Pumpkin Seed Dukkah

Marinated Courgettes, Dried Tomatoes and Walnuts with Parsley Pesto

There are some meat & fish dishes in the pipeline, but I was blown away by the quality of the savoury vegetarian, vegan and raw dishes on show, and I will be going back for more.  The desserts weren't half bad either.

And here are a few items off this week's menu:

- Red lentil, carrot and coriander croquettes with pomegranate molasses

- Tomato and saffron broth with butter beans and charred autumn greens

- Sweet potato Brochettes with red onion and Bahārāt spice chutney

- Almond milk pannacotta, orange flower poached plums

Red lentil, carrot and coriander croquettes with pomegranate molasses - Photo taken from website

Almond milk pannacotta, orange flower poached plums - Photo taken from website

So I suggest you stop working, visit their website and see for yourself; and with 40% off this week, you might as well cancel your dinner plans. Bon Appetit!

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BRUNCH. What a great word, or portmanteau rather (that's right Mum, I know some long ones). It's certainly a better creation than cabarenaissance and croissandwich.  (See also: Zonkey and Wholphin)

FACT TIME! My spy in the QI elf department may say otherwise, but Wikipedia tells me that brunch originated in Britain in the late 1800s:

"Instead of England's early Sunday dinner, a postchurch ordeal of heavy meats and savory pies, why not a new meal, served around noon, that starts with tea or coffee, marmalade and other breakfast fixtures before moving along to the heavier fare? By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday-night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well. "Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting." Beringer wrote. "It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week."

— William Grimes, "At Brunch, The More Bizarre The Better" New York Times, 1998

I tend to work on the weekends, often missing out on that magical and mysterious meal time, but I have started 2015 as I mean to go on - with lots of brunch, from Pedler to Pimlico Fresh.

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Sunday 4th January - Pedler in Peckham Rye is a new all-day neighbourhood joint from the local Little Bird Gin folk.  

If you've been to their charming bar on Maltby Street Market, then the Pedler décor won't surprise you.  I saw someone describe it as having an airy antique yard feel - let's go with that. Although, the odd shape of the site they have inherited means that the design isn't consistent throughout; we were directed towards a secluded booth that lacked the brunch buzz of the main room.

Climpsons & Sons coffee kept us company whilst we tried to decode the menu. Frizzle chicken? Bubble? Dumpkins? Attitude sauce? Gingerella? Lemon on toast? Ok, the last one I can do.  Friendly staff were on hand to explain the rest.

Climpsons & Sons Coffee

Here's what we went for:

- Home Cured Peck'Ham, Ricotta & Sage "French Toastie" - £7

- Frizzle Chicken, Brioche, Parmesan, Attitude Sauce & Pickles - £8

- Banger Sarnie, Red Onion Jam, Coleman's Mustard, Cheddar - £6

- Avocado, Slow Roast Tomatoes, Lemon on Toast - £5

- Wild Mushroom & Kentish Kale Bruschetta, Poached Egg - £7

- Sunday Breakie - Smoked Bacon, Sausage, Slow Roast Tomato, Mushroom, Bubble, Poached Eggs, Toast and Maple Salted Butter - £9

There wasn't much sharing going on, which is usually a good sign.  The "French Toastie" (a toasted sandwich with French toast) received a lot of praise from Jo The Sis, and the Frizzle (fried) Chicken with its spicy "Attitude Sauce" seemed to disappear pretty quickly.  Sunday Breakie could have been better, with inconsistent eggs and maple toast that didn't quite work, but the ball of "bubble" (not squeak) was a nice addition.  The rest were happily dispatched.

We finished off with a large Dumpkin (£2) - a Pedler Doughnut filled with sweet pumpkin cream. The filling was more paste than cream, and the dumpkin was almost cake-like rather than doughy, but it was an enjoyable treat nonetheless.

Wild Mushroom & Kentish Kale Bruschetta, Poached Egg

Frizzle Chicken, Brioche, Parmesan, Attitude Sauce & Pickles

Dumpkin - Pelder Doughnut filled with Sweet Pumpkin Cream

We weren't in a boozy brunch mood, so the familiar Little Bird cocktails (Barrel Aged Negroni, Peck'em Martini, Maltby Mary) didn't get an outing on this occasion, but at £6-8 you can't go far wrong.  

The same goes for the food really.  The Sunday Breakie was the most expensive item on the menu at £9, with everything else around the £7 mark, and on the whole ample portion sizes.  Whilst I've had better brunches, it's early days for Pedler and I imagine it will go from strength to strength.

As we were leaving, the Sunday Lunch dishes were starting to appear, and the roasts looked incredible.  I'll be back for Dr.Pepper Glazed Pig Loin and some Sea Stuff (?).  There's also an entirely separate Lunch & Dinner menu on which I spotted Smoked Salmon with Quiquiriqui Mezcal Butter on Rye (!) amongst other delights.  If they can pull off these quirky dishes, I'm sure you'll be reading a lot more about Pedler soon.  Return visit required.

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Since we were already far from home and useful transport, we decided to push on to East Dulwich on foot for some beer.  Our destination was Hop, Burns & Black - a unique shop that focuses on selling beer, hot sauce and vinyl.  Why? Because that's what owners Jen & Glenn are passionate about. Why not?

I've not got much of a heat tolerance, and Spotify is my best friend, so I was here for the beer. They've put together a great collection of bottles and cans from all over the world, though with 78 breweries in London at the latest count, I'm surprised there's room for much else these days.  

I'm on a bit of a smoke and sour binge at the moment, so I picked up a Buxton & Evil Twin Sour Pale, a Wild Beer Co. & Toccalmalto Indigo Child and a Moor Smoked Horyzon.  Paul grabbed himself an intriguing Stone Imperial Golden Stout whilst Luke delved in to the New Zealand section. 

Now here's the twist - you can open them up and drink them on site, without any extra charge for drinking in, just like at my old favourite Dr.Ink of Fulham (way ahead of its time).  Or you can get yourself a flagon (no, we're not calling them growlers, thankyou) and fill it up with fresh beer from their small selection of well-chosen taps (such as the superb Siren / Beavertown / Magic Rock Rule of Thirds IPA collaboration).  It's only a £3 deposit for a flagon - well worth it if you want to show off next time you go to a BYOB restaurant.

If none of Hop, Burns & Black's Holy Trinity float your boat, there's also a fine selection of cider and wine, plus local Volcano coffee beans and hot-sauce friendly snacks.  And even if you aren't a hot sauce & vinyl enthusiast, you'll enjoy a little window shopping.  The hot sauces are particularly entertaining, if a little terrifying.  Go and see for yourself.  It is #tryanuary after all.

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Before heading home, we did pop in to The Flying Pig next door which had been on my to-do list for some time.  Sadly, the beer list wasn't quite up to the high standards that have been set by the likes of Mother Kelly's and Beer Rebellion, so we didn't stay long.  If I lived locally I'd make use of it for sure, but it's not worth going out of the way for.  Perhaps their BBQ food is more noteworthy.

More local pubs: The Actress, The Montpelier, The Gowlett, Old Nun's Head, The Clock House, The Great Exhibition

The Flying Pig, East Dulwich

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Saturday 10th January - Whilst we're talking brunch, I must quickly mention Pimlico Fresh.  It's a cosy little café on Wilton Road, not too far from the wonderful Cask (where we settled afterwards), and the queues for their weekend offering tells you all you need to know.

Grab one of their enticing fresh juices or smoothies on the way in, panic order French Toast at the till, and wait for some space to come up on the communal table in the back.

I'm going to keep this one simple. Get the French Toast.  Sure, there are other delicious things.  Get the French Toast.

Go for Sweet with caramelised banana, cinnamon and creme fraiche, or Savoury with bacon and maple syrup.  I don't care which, just GET THE FRENCH TOAST, ok? Good. I'll see you there. 

P.S. They may well serve it on weekdays too, I was too busy eating to pay attention to anything really.  They don't have a website so just give them a call on 020 7932 0030.

Thanks to Sean, Paul, Francesca & Harriet for convincing me to get the French Toast.

The Manor - Bermondsey Arts Club - 108 Brasserie

Wednesday 26th November - Ah, The Dairy.  Seven months have passed since my first encounter with their rooftop carrots.  A hundred or so restaurants later, and only Pizza Loves Emily in Brooklyn have made vegetables equally delicious.

Smokey carrots, lentils & ricotta at Pizza Loves Emily in Brooklyn

And so, the arrival of The Manor, a spin-off of The Dairy, is very exciting news indeed.  Not least because it's just down the road from The Dairy so everything from their rooftop garden (and the soon to open Delicatessen) is fair game. Chef Dean Parker & Manager Dan Joines have made the short journey from The Pavement to Clapham Manor Street to launch the "modern bistro" on the site formerly occupied by El Rincon.

It's much more open and airy than The Dairy (budding Instagrammers take note) with charming, rustic décor, and there are separate booze & dessert bars for you to enjoy.  But that's enough preamble; let's get down to the food.

For a full set of photos from my lunch at The Manor, visit Matt The List : Facebook

Much like The Dairy, there's a tasting menu (£42), a bargain lunch menu (£18 for 3 courses) and an A La Carte Menu.  It had to be the big one.

The amuses bouches & bread soon began to appear, starting with a Wakame & Tapioca Crisp that was gone before I could Google Wakame.  Then the Edvard Eriksen style chicken skin butter rocked up next to a snug loaf of squishy sourdough - a match for similar offerings at The Dairy, Picture & Trinity.  And finally, a selection of dense pork & beef salumi was laid down (presumably the same as the A La Carte Pork & Fennel Salumi and Spiced Beef Droe Wors options). 

Wakame & Tapioca Crisp

Chicken Skin Butter & Sourdough

Eriksen's Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen

Pork & Beef Salumi

The four elements of small plates dining followed - Earth, Water, Air and Pigs.

Cauliflower with Grue de Cacao, Medjool Dates and Yoghurt made an early case for best in show, and wouldn't look out of place in the desserts category.  A load of this with the sourdough on the side would do me all day long.  "Flying Breeze" Sea Bass (referring to the ship that caught it) was beautifully cooked but slightly at odds with the chanterelles.  Had I the full menu to choose from, I might swap it for Cornish Crab, Charred Celeriac, Hazelnuts & Buttermilk.

Cauliflower, grue de cacao, medjool dates & yogurt

"Flying Breeze" sea bass, roasted salsify & chanterelles

We were soon back on track with rich Spiced Braised Pig, Morcilla & Squash and an outstanding (though unusual looking) plate of Hay Smoked Pigeon with Fermented Grains, Parsnip & Malt Granola.  Don't be put off by the maggot impersonators on top of that pigeon, they wouldn't survive a bout of hay smoking (currently all the rage in Clapham).  It's worth noting that they don't skimp on the portion sizes on the tasting menu - you won't have room for anything else.

Spiced braised pig, morcilla & squash

Hay smoked pigeon, fermented grains, parsnip & malt granola

That said, we went full glutton and ordered the optional cheese course - Baked Vacherin with The Dairy's rooftop honey and slices of a seasonal loaf to scoop it all up.  Unnecessary. Essential.

Baked Vacherin, “The Dairy’s” rooftop honey, chestnuts

Unbeknownst to us though, the show had barely begun.  For, after polishing off all our savoury treats, we were invited by Dean and his accomplice (pastry chef extraordinaire Kira Ghidoni) to sit up at the dessert bar for the final stages.  I peered over to see all their secret ingredients stashed away in no-frills tupperware boxes, much like the back bar of garnishes at Peg & Patriot in Bethnal Green.

The Dessert Bar

Whilst Kira prepared our Granny Smith Apple Parfait, Meringue & Brittle Sorrel, Dean pointed out the jars full of sweet treats along the bar that act as toppings for their DIY Manor Sundae - a return visit is in order.  He didn't hold our attention for long though as Kira started plunging sorrel leaves into a cylinder of nitrogen before shrouding my bowl in mystery.

DIY Sundae Toppings

Granny smith apple parfait, meringue & brittle sorrel

The result is a super sour and refreshing bowl of fun that you hack your way through blindly.  It is soon followed by another successful space age dessert of Jerusalem Artichoke, Smashed Creme Fraiche and Poached Quince - who knew that would work? It set Dad The List off on a quince fanboy rant which soon turned to a discussion of the whole London food scene with half The Manor staff involved.

Jerusalem artichoke, smashed crème fraiche & poached quince

Somewhere amongst all the chat, we managed to squeeze in some Petits Fours, cutely presented in a drawer removed from small chest on the dessert bar.  I forget exactly what they were, but I have to leave something for you to discover yourself, right?

The drawers are used to present Petits Fours

Treats from the Petits Fours drawer

Despite having only just opened, there was no weakness or need for improvement in sight.  Confident cooking, adventurous flavours, ample portions and show-stopping desserts could easily add up to a lot more than £42.  Book now.

If you need a second opinion, ask Fay.

For a full set of photos from my lunch at The Manor, visit Matt The List : Facebook

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To balance out the stunning lunch at The Manor, I skipped off to South East London later on that same day to preview the Winter cocktail menu at Bermondsey Arts Club, which is now available for all to try.

Bermondsey Arts Club is a fantastic little cocktail bar with big ideas, currently flying under the radar and under the road in a art deco-style former public toilet on Tower Bridge Road.  I'd be quite happy for it to stay hidden so that I could always get my seats at the bar, but this new menu really is worth shouting about.

For the full set of photos from Bermondsey Arts Club, visit Matt The List : Facebook

The twelve new drinks have been devised in equal parts by bar manager Adam Nordone and two more wise men, Milo & Jake.  

Not messing around, we started with Milo's Coupe des Garcons which arrived dressed in black tie (or a napkin, use your imagination) and smelling of Commes de Garcons.  Miraculously, the perfumed glass influences but doesn't affect the palate, and the boozy combo of Calvados, Ramazzotti, Port and Peychauds Bitters powers through at the end - quite a creation

Elsewhere on his list is the playful, rum-laced Jerk My Swag served with a cocktail umbrella, D.D.D. aka Dead Drowned Duck, and the maritime Poseidon's Reserve complete with oyster leaf akvavit, umeshu and mysterious Ocean's Mist. Milo means business.

- Coupe des Garcons - Fine Calvados, Ramazzotti, Port, Peychauds Bitters, Comme des Garcons Perfumed Glass

- Jerk My Swag - Jerk Spiced Rum, Pimento Dram, Cola Reduction, Pineapple, Voodoo Bitters

- D.D.D. -  Duck Drowned Cognac, Cointreau, Aperol, Orange Bitters

- Poseidon's Reserve - Oyster Leaf Akvavit, Umeshu, Pure Water, Ocean's Mist

Coupe des Garcons - Fine Calvados, Ramazzotti, Port, Peychauds Bitters, Comme de Garcon perfumed Glass

On to Jake's concoctions, the show-stopper is Three Wise - Taylors 10yr Port & Brokers Gin combine with sugar and festive gold, frankincense & myrrh bitters in a sake box garnished with an incense stick.  Underneath all the show, it's quite an easy drinker but more than just a gimmick.

Also on his list : Both Darjeeling Un-Limited and Grappa's Delight will appeal to Brits with their tea twists.  Compass Box Asyla needs no tweaking but darjeeling infusion works well here along with a dash of Yellow Chartreuse which is set alight before being plunged in to Jake's take on a whisky sour.  With Grappa's Delight, Jake hopes to bring some attention to underrated Grappa.  Infusing it with Camomile and chucking in some Green Tea Ice Cream is a good place to start.  I'll be back for Tracing Pedro.

- Three Wise - Taylors 10yr Port, Brokers Gin, Sugar, Gold/Frankincense/Myrrh Bitters

- Darjeeling Un-Limited - Darjeeling infused Asyla, Yellow Chartreuse, Mandarin Preserve, Lemon, Egg White

- Grappa's Delight - Camomile Grappa, Cocchi Americano, Lemon, Honey, Green Tea Ice Cream

- Tracing Pedro - Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Poire William, Pedro Ximenez, Muscavado, Lime

Three Wise - Taylors 10yr Port, Brokers Gin, Sugar, Hold/Frankincense/Myrrh Bitters

Last but not least, Adam's offerings.  My eyes were drawn to Hit & Mist as soon as I opened the menu.  Cider poached Apple Laphroaig? Treacle Syrup? Whisky Barrel Bitters? Apple Hickory Smoke? Yes to all of the above please.  Smoked drinks often take it too far, but Laphroaig is already so deep in charcoal territory that if anything, the cider & sweet smoke helps to make it more accessible.  Not one to miss.  Oh and it's all theatrical and misty - bonus.

Phra Phum (meaning spirit house - not that kind) is an acquired taste (Ella acquired it instantly), a savoury Thai sour in a similar vein to the Vietnamese Pho Money Pho Problems at Peg & Patriot. Jupiter Rising is right up my street - all booze, no fuss, except that it's served in an ice sphere of course. The inclusion of Branca Menta (a minty brother of Fernet Branca) might divide the room. No-one could take issue with A Little R&R with butter-washed raisin rum, cinnamon liqueur, lemon & cardamom bitters, unless you are one of those bizarre cardamom haters I guess.

- Hit & Mist - Cider poached Apple Laphroaig, Treacle Syrup, Whisky Barrel Bitters, Apple Hickory Smoke

- Phra Phum - House Thai Gin (Ginger, Chilli, Garlic, Spring Onion), Lemon, Sugar, Egg White, House Soy Bitters

- Jupiter Rising - Brokers Gin, Branca Menta, Cocchi Torino served in an Ice Sphere

- A Little R&R - Butter Washed Raisin Rum, Cinnamon Liqueur, Lemon, Cardamom Bitters

Hit & Mist - Cider poached Apple Laphroaig, Treacle Syrup, Whisky Barrel Bitters, Apple Hickory Smoke

It's a cracking menu, and the prices are very competitive with drinks coming in under £10 - good value considering the premium ingredients being used, the effort going in to presentation and the quality of the cocktails. Add to that possibly London's most entertaining bar team and superb service, and Bermondsey has got itself a rather special cocktail bar.  Oh, and there's live jazz on Wednesdays. Need I say any more?

Just don't take my seats at the bar.

Bermondsey Arts Club is open 6pm-2am Tuesday-Saturday

Jake at work - standing as still as possible for the camera

For more photos from Bermondsey Arts Club, visit Matt The List : Facebook

More Bermondsey bars - Cecil's, 214 Bermondsey, Bump Caves

Best value bars in London - Seven at Brixton and sister bar, Three Eight Four

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Monday 24th November - 108 Brasserie in Marylebone re-opened last month after a major refurb, in time for the busy Christmas period.  I went along with Dad The List to sample the food offering at lunchtime.

We were warmly welcomed into the spacious dining room, which is smartly opened up by a large bread table in the middle.  Though we were the first to be seated, it soon started to fill up.  If they reach capacity, they can always spill over into the bar, or The Pantry, a wonderful little area for afternoon tea.

After a good game of guess the bread, we moved on to an enjoyable but hard to eat Devonshire Crab Cocktail with Avocado & Apple, and some stunning Roasted Organic Baby Beets with Goat's Curd, Basil & Balsamic Vinegar.  With Octopus Carpaccio, Crispy Pig Cheeks and Seared Tuna with Soy & Ginger in reserve, the starters section is strong.

Guinness, Soda & Sourdough Bread

Roasted organic baby beets, goat’s curd, basil & balsamic

Post beets

On to the mains - classics such as Fish & Chips, Ribeye Steak and Pork Chop sit alongside the likes of Roasted Monkfish with Curried Lentils and Cornish Skate Wing with Black Butter & Capers. Being game season, Roasted Yorkshire Moor Pheasant and Whole Roast North Yorkshire Grouse also currently have their place on the menu.  With the remaining grouse count sitting precariously at two, Dad committed to it before we had even ordered drinks.

Hand cut chips, honey glazed carrots, and steamed spinach arrived in miniature saucepans to accompany our meaty mains.  The grouse provided yet another eating challenge, though after taking on the chilli crab at Smoking Goat, everything else is child's play.  The steak held its own with a creamy peppercorn sauce, but there is better for cheaper out there in London these days.

Grouse with bread sauce

8oz Ribeye Steak with Peppercorn Sauce

Honey Glazed Heritage Carrots

Chocolate Fondant seems to be turning up on every dessert menu at the moment.  I've had several fine examples of the genre this year at Pachamama, The Tower (Edinburgh) and Trinity (leading the pack), but it's still hard to say no.  Peanut butter often seems to be involved - it was employed here to good effect though I'd rather opt for classic vanilla every time.  A fine but unadventurous Lemon Tart made up the numbers.  Risk-takers might go for the Josper Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet, Chilli & Lime Glaze.

Chocolate Fondant with Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Lemon Tart

The drinks menu is a little behind current trends.  Meantime is the minimum craft beer requirement these days, and there's plenty of room for a mezcal cocktail or two and some more exciting gins on the list.  I'm sure they can still make a mean Negroni or Old Fashioned so I'll survive.

It's a charming place, and a great retreat from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street.  Prices are pretty steep - not surprising given the location (though nearby Picture Restaurant is very competitive).  If it looks out of your price range, pop in to The Pantry for a relaxing coffee and a cake.

Cakes from The Pantry