Brass Rail Salt Beef Bar - Selfridges, London

This is quite simply the most tender meat you'll find. Chewing not required. The bread they use is Rye bread and it's always fresh and fluffy, the mustard is cheap yet it works, and the pickle on the side rounds it off nicely. £6.50 may sound like a lot for a sandwich but they really do pack it with salt beef. In fact I've taken some of the meat out on a few occasions and used it to make a second sandwich the next day.

If you don't want a sandwich you can choose from the protein platter (just meat) or the salad bar. It's all simple and understated but very well done. The main carver has been working there for 33 years so he knows his stuff. 

The bar is placed in a corner of the ground floor and although Selfridges is an upmarket place to shop this little corner is very unpretentious.. It's a little nest in a big cog, a small corner away from the expensive bags etc.... You'll find business men grabbing it on the go for lunch or chomping away right there. I often go at the end of a day of shopping, as a treat. 

It's delicious and unpretentious and highly recommended. 

Brass Rail at Selfridges
9/10

400 Oxford St
London W1A 1AB

0800 123 400 

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Johnny Rockets - Miami, USA

Johnny Rockets is an all American diner that serves everything from burgers, chili dogs, fries, chocolate malts, ice cream and brownies. I fell in love with the chili dog, which is quoted as being 'Nathan’s Famous® all-beef hot dog with our exclusive all-meat chili, chopped onions and grated cheddar cheese.' I couldn't finish it as it was far too big, and a little too greasy, but the chili had a nice meat content and a great cumin kick. My partner had a Philly Cheese Steak which was once again too greasy but indulgent and a once a month sort of affair. We then shared a Chocolate Malt, which was to die for. It was all pretty cheap, slightly higher than a Mcdonalds but rightly so because it's much better.

The restaurant in itself was opened in 1986 in LA and soon expanded. Today you'll find them all over the world. They pander to a gimmick of all American diner style, with jukeboxes on tables and proper feel good all American nostalgic atmosphere. 

It's worth going at least once to get a sense of the place, because it's fun and very American. 

Johnny Rockets

South Beach
6/10
728 Ocean Drive
Miami, FL 33139
305-538-2115


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Beamish & McGlue - West Norwood, London

It's bizarre where little gems pop up. West Norwood is a very unpretentious sort of place and so to find a really good delicatessen on its doorstep is surprising. You'll find a vast array of different, and good quality products, such as gluten free cake, great cheeses, organic fresh vegetables, organic meat, frozen Basilico pizza etc. Everything is seemingly sourced with consideration and on a good day you can eat outside. 

I liked their Quiche (£2.50 per slice) their Gammon, Leak and Potato Pie (£2.50) and the Goats Cheese, Apple, Beetroot and Mustard Sandwich (all sandwiches £3.50 or under).

It's not cheap however, but you do get what you pay for, and honestly I would buy all my food from there if I still lived close by.

Beamish and McGlue
461 Norwood Road

8/10
London
SE27 9DQ
020 8670 0792
www.beamishandmcglue.com

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Joe's Stone Crab - Miami, USA

Joe's stone crab is, to say the least, an institution. Presidents such as Bush, Clinton and Nixon have all been, which signals its reputation. However when reading the latter in my hotel magazine I assumed it would be a posh nosh sort of affair. It's not. Joe's is a modest yet beautiful place. The food speaks for itself and the decor is a mix of diner come savvy. 

So... of course I ate the Stone Crab, which was as fresh as it was delicious. I came to learn that Stone Crabs were discovered by this restaurant, before which nobody thought them edible. This discovery, which took place in 1921, meant that Joe's had its edge. A place that served a crustacea that nobody else thought edible, however with one bite they were converted, and seemingly this meant that Joe's was not only the oldest restaurant in Miami, but also the most innovative. 

Today Joe's sits in a classic bracket. It's not fancy, it's not new, but it serves fresh simple fish, and it serves it well. The Stone Crabs, which you can order in small, medium and large are so fresh that you don't get a whiff of that fishy smell we've come to associate with semi rotting fish. The price varies according to the market, because this fish is fresh and they don't want you to forget it! It is accompanied by a mustard sauce, which resembles mayonnaise, minus the thick gloopiness. 

We followed the claw magic with a Seafood Bisque, which was delicious, albeit slightly too creamy. ($6.95). We also had a side of Onion Rings ($6.95). The rings were the biggest I've ever seen and were coated in a herby crust that was a perfect mix of salty and sweet. We ended with the classic Key Lime Pie ($6.95). I liked it but felt it was slightly too much like a thick custard, this was more about the texture than the taste. All in all the meal cost us $29.95 and although we were minimal with our ordering what we did order was filling and very reasonable.

If you go be aware that you can't book and the wait for dinner is up to 2 hours, however at lunch there is no wait. That's when I went and I recommend that time. 

Joe's Stone Crab
9/10

11 Washington Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

(800) 780 crab

www.joesstonecrab.com

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