Lanes of London - Moo Cantina

Tuesday 14th January - For me, a trip to Park Lane usually means paying my sister about £2000 for all of her bloody hotels before losing another £200 to Income Tax straight afterwards, but I took a chance and advanced straight to Lanes of London, a new bar and restaurant next to the Marriott Hotel.

I was a tad early for my 6.30 appointment so I hung around outside watching the Aston Martins and Bentleys roll by, wondering whether I was slightly out of my depth.  But as I entered the attractive bar and was warmly greeted by Angharad from Luchford PR and Bar Manager Francesco, it quickly became clear that Lanes of London is a very welcoming place.  I was shown to a table of thirsty bloggers, including Le Cool, Beetroot & Beluga and We Love Food, where we worked our way through Francesco's finest.

Lanes of London's aim is to represent several areas of London's diverse food (and drink) scene all under one roof, focusing on Brick Lane (Indian), Kingsland Road (Vietnamese), Edgware Road (Lebanese) and Portobello Road (British).  The cocktail menu is split up accordingly.  

Francesco has had fun creating twists on classics to fit into different sections, including a refreshing Raita Gin Fizz, the amusingly named Vietnamito and Pi-Nam Colada, and a peaty Hung Que Sour (a whisky sour with Hung Que - aka Thai Basil).  The Brick Lane Bruv cleverly makes use of Paul John Brilliance, an Indian whiskey, which is boldly combined with pineapple, lime juice, chai syrup and Meantime pale ale.  Each section has its own sharing punch (priced at £18.50) which can be stacked on top of one another, creating a multicoloured Lanes of London punch selection.

There is room for more interesting beers than Meantime, Hue and Kingfisher behind the bar - surely they are missing the Lebanese Almaza beer for starters?

We moved to the restaurant where the lively Roger took over proceedings, talking us through the menu. Whilst it is again split up into sections, the idea is that you order from all corners and get a bonkers mix of dishes turning up to share.  It is a system that benefits larger groups as you can get through a lot more of the menu as a team.

Roger and friends proceeded to bring us all manner of tasty treats, cooked up by the capable Anshu Anghotra who handled the massive range of styles admirably.  Highlights included the Fattoush Salad (Sumac, lemon & olive oil dressing), Cornish Lamb Cutlets (with peas & beans, and mint pesto), Salt Baked Pumpkin Salad (with Black quinoa, goat's cheese, pumpkin seeds) and Samosa Chat (with chickpeas, yoghurt, pomegranate, and tamarind & mint chutney).  The Beef Brisket Sliders with Roasted Bone Marrow to dip into were so popular that they were reordered several times.

For dessert, we were presented with several decadent Double Chocolate Brownie Gateaux (one of which I took home in a doggie bag for hungry flatmates!) and some quirky miniature tins of ice creams and sorbets. A refreshing lychee sorbet hit the spot, but the chocolate banana crunch ice cream was too reminiscent of sweet shop bananas.

There are plenty more tempting sweet options, including posh Jammy Dodgers.  In a nice touch, you are given a postcard with the full dessert menu on to fill out if you wish which they will send out for you for free.

Francesco popped by before we left and brought along some of his interesting gin collection.  As his Langley's No.8 hadn't yet been opened, we decided it was time and he created a very boozy "G&T" which was mostly G with a couple of dashes of this and that.  If you are very nice to Francesco, he might even let you sip from his limited edition William Chase hip flask that he keeps on him at all times!

It was a lovely evening of top quality food and drink from the Lanes of London team, and very affordable given its location.  They open bright and early for breakfast at 6.30am I believe, and they also run an afternoon tea and Sunday roasts - many excuses to try it out!

Thursday 16th January - I can never resist a good soft launch, especially when somewhere decides to open up just down the road from where I rehearse with Kensington Symphony Orchestra.  I managed to convince 18 hungry musicians to head over to Moo Cantina for half priced Argentinean steaks and snacks, late on a Thursday night after a 3 hour rehearsal.  The 50% offer is running til January 31st so there is plenty of time for you all to pop in!

We were pleased to find that Moo Cantina is actually run by Argentineans rather than British imitators, and our hosts were extremely winning throughout our stay.  They have confidently set up in a very large site in Pimlico, with a big central bar area and plenty of room for diners around, all decorated very nicely.  They show live sport, though the TVs don't dominate the restaurant - this could be a very fun place to come next summer for Argentina matches.

Anywhere that has a piano instantly gets extra points from me, though this one needs a bit of a tune - I would stick to some honky tonk / Scott Joplin saloon style playing, rather than four hands Rite of Spring that two of our party launched into.

On to the food, nearly everyone went for steaks which are quirkily priced per 100g - make sure you order enough!  Steaks received thumbs up down the table - as their sister site Moo Grill says, "Argentina is like a spa for cows", hence tasty meat!  As well as steaks, they have a wide range of gourmet sandwiches and classic Argentinean dishes, most of which are under £10.  If you are feeling particularly peckish (as one viola player was), order the Moo Grill (for 2) complete with steak, sausage, sweetbread (not what you think), roasted peppers and provolone cheese.  Hats off to the chefs for delivering 18 meals at the same time, right at the end of a busy evening.

The drinks menu is also pretty extensive with a wide range of wines, interesting beers (including offerings from Moncada in Notting Hill and Oregon based Rogue, and a massive 970ml bottle of Quilmes), and a Moo G&T menu too.  

Thanks to the staff for a fun evening - we will return with some Piazzolla tangos next time!  Does anybody have Yo Yo Ma's number? (Email users click through to the blog to see video below)

Also, points for the best meat / composer based pun that KSO hasn't already thought of. So far - Beefhoven, Shosteakovich, Rackoflambinov, Moosorgsky and Porkofiev are my favourites.

Clutch - Climpson's Arch - Rita's Bar & Dining - Skylodge - Farr's School of Dancing

Saturday 7th December - Time to catch up on the busy run up to Christmas, starting with a rambling evening out in East London, centred around a trip to Platterform's new Skylodge space in London Fields.  Tim was keen to push on with his Team List account after spending many months away in Paris this year, so we packed in as much as we could.

Our original plan was to start at the Wigwambam on the roof of the Queen of Hoxton, but it was sadly closed for a private event.  The rooftop installation is Nordic themed this year. I was a huge fan of the wigwam last year, so I will make an effort to get back there soon for some hot drinks, spoon carving and their open grill in a cosy setting.  

Just round the corner is the attractive Shoreditch Food Village, a striking red tent with several street food vendors inside including Yalla Yalla,  We popped our heads in as Tim's tummy was rumbling, but we decided to push on for the moment.

Top Left Clockwise - Craft Beer Social Club, Wigwambam (x2) and Yalla Yalla at Shoreditch Food Village

We powered our way up Shoreditch High Street (passing by Martin Morales' new Andina restaurant) and down the Hackney Road before cutting off right down Ravenscroft Road to find new free range chicken joint, Clutch.

Clutch have quirkily set up shop in an old estate pub, in a quiet area in between Hackney Road & Columbia Road. They have transformed the space beautifully, with a stylish dining room (with incredible giant lightbulbs) and a trendy bar at the back.

Clutch Chicken

We were only making a flying visit en route to bars in London Fields, so we ordered a half bucket of Peanut & Chilli Crust fried chicken to go.  While we were waiting we sampled a couple of their interesting bottled beers from Moncada and Kernel, and had a nice chat with the barmen.  They serve a range of £9.00 "Clutchtails" with names like The Sour Grouse and Cackling Goose Cosmo.

Before too long our chicken arrived, with a Roasted Garlic & Creme Fraiche dip on the side, and we were on our way.  It wasn't the easiest thing to eat on a bus, but we enjoyed the jealous glances from fellow travellers.  It was truly delicious and I would highly recommend heading there for a sit down meal.

Peanut & Chilli Crust chicken at Clutch

They also run a very tempting brunch at the weekend (11-3 Sat, 9-3 Sun) with the likes of Dozy Drake (Duck Egg & Caramelized Onion on Sourdough) for £4.50.  

Dozy Drake for brunch at Clutch

Once we had disposed of our takeaway box, we made our way over to Climpson's Arch, a stunning little archway coffee roastery which doubles as a bar and food space near London Fields.  Trust Google Maps as you are sent down a seemingly abandoned road.  The beautiful Christmas tree told us we were in the right place, and we popped inside for some Camden Pale Ale.

Climpson's Arch at Christmas

They often have special food events running (e.g. Licky Chop and Wunderbar East last year) so check ahead before you go, but you are normally able to pop in for just a drink anyway.  Every Thursday in February they will be running a Winter BBQ Supper Club - read more here. Sunday Roast at the Roastery also sounds great.

Climpson's Arch

As we left we were joined by East Londoner Tom who hadn't been to London Fields Brewery, so we walked round the corner to have a quick drink in their cosy tap room.  Read more here from my last visit in July. 

We went for a 3 x 1/3 beer flight with Black Frost Stout, American Black and Shoreditch Triangle IPA - all tasty, but tough to judge after only a 1/3.  They also had a lovely tree, but it was 2nd best to Climpson's Arch.

London Fields Brewery at Christmas

After a bizarre episode with a friendly chap who seemed to think Tim was a doorman for London Fields Brewery, we were back on the road. Next stop: Rita's Bar and Dining

After some hugely popular popups at Birthdays and Feast, Rita's has found a permanent home on Mare Street.  They instantly received some great reviews, including 4 stars from Fay Maschler.  1/2 Fried Chicken with Warm Warm Honey and Sausage Gravy appealed even after a bucket of Clutch chicken, but we were just here for a quick drink on this occasion.  Returning here for food is very high on my to do list.

Photo Credit : Benjamin McMahon

We instead propped up the tiny bar (getting in the way of pretty much everyone) and had a couple of drinks. I went for a moreish Hard Cidre for only £5.50 (Kraken Rum, Cidre Breton, Vanilla, Apple) whilst Tim had a Palermo at £7 (Gran Centenario Plata Tequila, Campari, Grapefruit, House Soda).

We then started working our way through tasters of their top shelf concoctions, including some infused rums (e.g. Cinnamon & Honey, Vanilla) and a deadly bottle of Whiskey infused with very hot pickles which left us all in tears.

With our mouths still burning, we finally made our way to Skylodge, Platterform's latest rooftop residency after the fantastic Skyroom that I was a big fan of last year.  They have temporarily taken over the Hothouse roopftop that Coppa Bar & BBQ inhabited in the summer.  The theme is just about to change (more info on that later), but when we popped in it was a cosy lumberjack lodge.  I was very sad to miss the Thanksgiving launch party which involved chasing a terrifying looking turkey from Broadway Market to the Hothouse.

On arrival, we were warmly greeted by Julian who wasted no time in blowtorching some marshmallows for us.  They haven't wasted an inch of space in the lodge - keep your eyes peeled for Bigfoot's footsteps, a moose head made by the people behind Spitting Image, and some underwear on a tree stump!

To start, we sampled a range of beers from the Strawman Brewery which lives just below the Hothouse. The Amber, Saison and Munich were all equally impressive - I hope to see more of these guys this year.  I also took home a potent Imperial Stout which went down very easily at Christmas.

Strawman Brewery beers

We took our beers for a walk, taking in all the delightful decor.  The cosy snug complete with blankets and a fake fire seemed to be the most popular spot, along with the fun little huts down one side - head to the Lumberjack Love Shack if you dare.  One end had a small stage set up for Campfire Sessions and there was also a projector screen for their Bigfoot Film Club.

We made our way over to the Lumberjack Diner for some "Lumbersnacks" and hot cocktails.  Tasty wings, ribs, sloppy joes and pancakes all disappeared very quickly along with heartwarming drinks with silly names like the Hands-on Gretel.  Special mention must go to Aria for superb service in the diner.

As we were finishing up our food, we were drawn back to the main area by a game of "Moosical Logs" which was being taken very seriously by punters and a couple of Skylodge staff dressed up in Bigfoot / Lion onesies.

Feeling left out, we decided to take part in the (free) Lumberjack Olympics, starting with Pin the Beard on the Lumberjack.  As you can see below, Tom definitely cheated his way to the top in the first discipline.

Next up was "Deer Hunter" darts which Tim narrowly won.  Finally, we took on "Hammer Time" - who can hammer a nail into a tree stump with the fewest hits? Not me, apparently.  In fact, I may well have set the all time record high.  Tom stormed to victory and took the prize, a bottle of Beavertown Brewery's Stingy Jack.

Lumberjack Olympics at Skylodge

As I mentioned though, the Lumberjack theme is making way for a 15 week adventure on the high seas. The space has now been transformed into a Shanty Shack where you expect "Rum Rations", "Captain's Choice" cocktails and "Shanty Shots".  You can book in advance for food here - 4 courses and an after dinner drink for £30.  I'm certain it will be just as much fun as the Skylodge, especially as they are promising "music, drinks and games with the Captain after dinner".  Go and check it out soon before everyone discovers it!

Olympic Champion Tom decided to call it a night, but Tim and I squeezed in one more place before catching the last Overground home.  A speedy bus trip took us to Dalston Junction where we popped into Antic's latest pub, Farr's School of Dancing.  Antic London are responsible for some of my favourite South London pubs - Balham Bowls Club, Effra Social, Hagen & Hyde, Tooting Tram & Social - so I knew what to expect.

Their new site takes its name from a dance school that occupied the building in the late 30s.  At present, there is just one main room, but they plan to open a basement bar and an upstairs kitchen soon.  The décor is kooky as usual - look out for the motorbike hanging from the ceiling.  They had some interesting beers from Clarence & Fredericks which I haven't seen before, plus a couple from Wild Card Brewery.  

Antic have got it right again, this time right in the heart of hipster-land, right opposite Dalston Junction station - expect it to be busy!  

Farr's School of Dancing

Tim picks up a hard earned 5 points and moves up to 5th place on the Team List Leaderboard. Tom gets 3 points but has work to do to make it into the Top 20.

Barcelona

Guest Post - La Lista - I know, I know, Barcelona isn't technically in London either, but after the success of La Liste in Paris (worth reading first for some continuity), more guest cities had to eventually make an appearance. 

Day 1: Thursday - Very early morning flights meant midday was a much more acceptable hour to start drinking, so after dropping off our stuff at the hotel, we headed straight to Park Güell. Whilst it's not a bar, it's certainly a great place to visit with bottles of cava, €1 beers and a picnic in hand. Make sure to go right to the top of the park for a panoramic view of the city.

Team List (Tim "Soon to Return to London" Henshaw, newcomer and fountain of local knowledge Georgi "McCrafty" McCarthy, and birthday girl Shannanagrams) then headed to La Rambla for a bit of tourist action, only to be distracted by Irish bar Ryan's and their promise of Sangria on tap. Ryan did not disappoint. 

After eating vegetarian tapas for dinner (if you're still hungry you can always order the curry with rice for dessert, like Tim), Georgi's sister Jaime arrived (also new to Team List) along with local boy Marc - an old friend of Georgi's from Barcelona. Keen to be shown around, we were directed to a bar called Tequila Boom Boom with the strongest €3 cocktails ever tasted. The club we ended up in is probably (definitely) not worth mentioning. 

Day 2: Friday - A lazy start to the day was inevitable, but the early afternoon provided an excellent discovery. In the hidden and eerily beautiful Plaça Sant Felip Neri, a subdued spot in a sometimes manic city, the rather upmarket Neri hotel restaurant looks like the only place to grab a beer. But on asking if the tables were reserved for eating, Team List (Tim, Georgi and Jaime) was directed towards a sequestered lift which took us up to a fourth floor rooftop bar. Carlos the waiter provided menus and pointed us in the direction of a delicious bottle of fizz, whilst Antonio and his wife Montserrat (who only spoke into her phone, even when we pulled the camera out) helped us to suss out what the rather kitsch teapots were for (it was unclear, but we settled on lighting).

Next, a visit to the excellent Basque bar Sagardi was on the cards. With huge platters of “pintxos” (tapas on sticks) on the counter, and an honesty-driven "count the cocktail sticks at the end" policy of charging, it would be very easy to keep eating without noticing (until the beer runs out). Definitely worth seeking out.

Our next stop was dinner on-the-go at Wok to Walk. The Subway of the stir-fry world, you choose your base, your bits and bobs and your sauce, and watch the very cheerful (crazy) chefs fry it up in front of you. A "muchas gracias" here, a "muchos de nada" there, and we were on our way.

Next up was the rather intriguing Bosc de Les Fades. Just off La Rambla, it is a café with average croissants, a wax museum, or a bar with indoor trees and more strong cocktails, depending on whose review you read online. We found it to be the third one, and ordered our poisons. The cocktails were pretty standard, but it's the scenery that makes this bar. The trees, the haunted room, and a creepy mirror/window kept us amused until we'd finished our drinks.

Milk Bar was next on the list, and the cocktails were probably the best we had in Barcelona (rivalled by the strawberry daiquiris in Andú bar on Saturday). Milk is a simple bar, doing all the little things right: comfy seats, chic décor, delicious (strong) cocktails, friendly bar staff and angel wings hanging from the ceiling. Yeah, we didn't know we liked that either.

As we left, Georgi spotted a bar just around the corner which was one of her old favourites. With a name reminiscent of our absent friend, Shangó had loud salsa music playing, a mezzanine that was too small to stand up on, and a homage to the Virgin Mary behind the bar. As you do. The mojitos here went down very easily.

Day 3: Saturday - Georgi and Jaime were delighted to find a bar belonging to one of them (which one was never decided), and we saw another with an amusing sign, but being late for lunch as we were, we didn't have time to go in.

The McCarthy sisters

Early evening saw Team List grow as we took on OShan's Eleven, Jess, Josie, Marc (of Day 1 fame), Juan and Sandra, and we finally made it to Andú bar, where English Gary manned a small bar with an out-of-tune piano ("Be my guest, if you can work out which key plays which note," said Gary). The strawberry daiquiris were made with fresh fruit and came in what must have been a pint glass. The blackberry versions were smaller and less tasty for the same price.

We went around the corner as Barchick had pointed us towards the pirate-themed "Hook Bar", but this had been turned into a hemp appreciation club. We were politely asked to find somewhere else. The nearest place was Bar 32, where a List-appropriate dinner was planned.

Bar 32 - thumbs down for drinks

Juan and Marc knew of "the best tapas restaurant in Barcelona", so we sidled over to Bidasoa. Whilst perhaps not the restaurant serving the best tapas, it could well be the best restaurant serving tapas. Owner Raúl stood behind the counter, a mere metre away, as he and his staff prepared the food. For every plate we finished, he would add a new one, whilst shouting incomprehensible words (possibly because I don't speak Spanish) to his team.

The three-day list extravaganza ended, rather symmetrically, in another Ryan's bar, which we were tempted into by a man promising 15 shots of vodka or tequila for €15. Again, Ryan did not disappoint.

Still on the list for next time are:

 - Bar Mut and upstairs little sister Bar Mutis
 - Dry Martini Speakeasy Restaurant, if only for it's name

Team List Points go to Tim (10), Georgi (10), Jaime (9), and Shannon (3) - what was she doing all day on Friday?