Borough Market - London Bridge, London

Borough Market has been synonymous with food as far back as 1014. Quite frankly it is heaven to me. It's my 'kid in candy store' place. I absolutely, completely, entirely love it. That's the gushing bit over. Now to what they provide...

Aside from selling top notch ingredients they also sell artisanal food to eat on the go (in my opinion some of the best street food you can get in London). It's a labyrinth. A foodies dream. Everything you look at is produced with such care and thought that you can't help but walk around in awe.

If you're going to eat and not just shop for ingredients then you can choose from every kind of food imaginable. I honestly don't know where to begin when describing the variety on offer, all I can say is it's highly unlikely they won't have what you're looking for.

They have everything from Indian, Chinese, British, Mexican, Pastries, Cheeses, Preserves, Sauces, Meats, Hog Roasts, Soul Food to Flowers and Tableware. All stand next to each other with a lot more around the corner. It's never ending and eclectic as hell.

If you decide to go I advise that you get there early as it dies down in the early afternoon and you won't get the true vibe of the market when it reaches its tail end. Part of the fun of the market is the hustle of it all, market traders shouting, smells of fresh food wafting in the air etc...

We had a wonderful Sausage Sandwich with Caramelised Onion Chutney on crusty yet soft bread (£6.50). I have no problem parting with money if the ingredients are good, and at Borough Market pretty much everything they sell is above par.

Borough Market
10/10
8 Southwark Street
London
SE1 1TJ
0207 407 1002
www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Thai River aka Garden and Grill - Portobello Road, London

Portobello Road is a bustling street filled with numerous food stalls, shops and restaurants. When I go I usually grab something from the stalls as the variety is huge and the food is inventive and well made.

This place however caught my attention because it looked nice from the outside. It's on the top floor of a building, slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of the street, which means you can grab a bit of respite if the crowds are getting to you. But be aware that the entrance is quite inconspicuous so you may have to work on finding the way in.

Between us we had the Som Tam (a salad made with shredded vegetables, papaya, garlic and chillies £6.50) the Gai Sa Moon Prai Krob (crispy chicken with fried basil £9.95) the Pad Gaprao (a stir fry made with the meat of your choosing and tossed with chillies, lime leaves and basil £6.50 to £8.50) and lastly the Massaman Curry (£6.95). All were perfectly acceptable. The salad was a good marriage of sweet, sour and spicy. The crispy chicken was a little bland so I adapted it with soy sauce and chilli oil. The fried basil was good enough, but more of a garnish than a substancial part of the meal. The curry was very average. I've had Massamam curries in many different places and this was no better than any other.

With that said the food here is well made. It's not going to win a Michelin star anytime soon but when Thai food is done right it can be very good indeed, and from what I've had they do seem to do it right. My only main issue with Thai River is that it is overpriced and unless you have a voucher I wouldn't suggest going. I do hate it when restaurants up their prices because of their location.

Thai River Garden and Grill
6/10
253A Portobello Road
London W11 1LR
0207 313 6511
www.thairiver.co.uk

Fish in a Tie - Battersea, London

I took my mum here for Mother's Day. We went for lunch on a Friday. When we walked in the restaurant only had a few diners. It took no time at all for the place to fill out though. A good sign we thought, because in this day and age who can afford to go out for lunch in the middle of their work day?

The decor was lovely, yet understated all at once. I can imagine that at night, with the warm light of candlelit tables it can be a very romantic place to go. The upstairs was small, accommodating around 20 people, but there is a downstairs as well.

The service was impeccable. The one waitress working was enthusiastic, polite and helpful. It really made our meal more enjoyable.

You can choose from two separate menus at Fish in a Tie. First there's the 2 courses for £10 menu and then the 'a la carte' menu (both of which are incredibly reasonable). I ordered from the 2 for £10 menu that started with Calamari followed by the Fishcake (all the mains come with a selection of vegetables). My mum ordered from the 'a la carte' and started with the Moules Mariniere in a cream, wine, garlic and shallot sauce (£5.25) followed by the Seabass (£9.95).

My Calamari was lovely. The danger of ordering something like Calamari when you're in a city is it's often fried from frozen. This wasn't, resulting in it being mighty tender. My only qualm was that the Tartare Sauce was effectively mayonnaise and perhaps the coating on the calamari could have been a little crispier. The sauce that came with my mum's Moules was lovely but unfortunately there were around 4 or 5 that weren't open, which as we all know is a big no no with shellfish.

My main was good. I liked the crispy potatoes and the other veg weren't overdone. The fishcake could have possibly done with a little more fish and the texture was a little cakey, but still enjoyable. My mums seabass wasn't filleted which meant there were quite a few bones, however you can't fault them for that as it didn't state filleted on the menu. The fish was very well cooked and came with the same vegetables.

The name of this restaurant does lead one to believe that it's a fish restaurant, however they also offer specials, steak, pasta, chicken etc... I would describe it more as Mediterranean. 

My mum and I enjoyed our meals despite the slight imperfections. There were certainly elements of our respective dishes that I think could have been improved, however at these prices they are doing a great job. The overall experience was lovely and I will certainly be going back.

Fish in a Tie

7/10

105 Falcon Road

London, SW11 2PF

0207 924 1913

www.fishinatie.com


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The Defector's Weld - Shepherds Bush, London

The Defector's Weld near Shepherds Bush station is a typical English gastropub. We went for lunch on a Saturday and it was around 30% full. Decor was very normal, which is to say nothing special. The food was another story. The menu is typical gastropub fair with dishes such as Sausage and Mash (£9), Burgers (ranging from £7.50 to £9.95),  Ribs with Mac and Slaw (£10.50), award winning pies (£9.25), Sandwiches (all at £7 each) and sharing platters. It's also worthy of note that the vegetarian options are as exciting as the meat ones.

Simple food if well done can be a thing of beauty and here they put a little extra effort in. You can taste the sausages are well sourced, the mash is creamy, the veggie burger hearty and the chips chunky, crispy and fluffy.

I wouldn't venture to eat here, but if in the area I'd head over for some sustenance as I now trust the quality.

Defectors Weld

7/10

170 Uxbridge Road

London

0208 749 0008

www.defectors-weld.com

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Thai Rice - Portobello Road, London

Thai Rice is a restaurant at the end of the Portobello Road (don't confuse it with the restaurant with the same name in Fulham).

The restaurant exceeded my expectations for a few reasons. Firstly the food was highly spiced and well made. Secondly the prices were very reasonable for what you get. I wasn't that adventurous on that particular day so I opted for the Red Chicken Red Chicken Curry (£5.50). My husband had the Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken for £6.50. We went at lunch and had the special lunch menu which was cheaper than ordering directly from the menu. This resulted in smaller portions. It was enough for me but my husband asked 'where's the rest?'

My curry was nice, creamy from the coconut milk, crunchy from the bamboo shoots and a little spicy from the chilli. My husbands Pad That was as you'd expect a Pad Thai to be, that is to say there were no surprises. It was full of vegetables, chicken and had a nice sauce. We asked for extra chilli and they brought us a little bowl of birds eye chillies in fish sauce. It was brutally hot and really salty. We loved that and put it all over our meals.

This restaurant is unpretentious, does exactly what it says on the tin and that ain't no bad thing. If you're feeling more adventurous you can try their special menu which offers things like Seafood Souffle (£8.50), Sirloin Steak with a Thai Spicy Sauce (£8.50) or perhaps a Deep Fried Whole Tilapia with Sweet and Spicy Sauce and Crispy Basil (£8.50). As you can see from the above the prices are more than reasonable.

I would go again after a day of shopping down the Portobello Road.

Thai Rice

7/10

303 Portobello Road

London W10 5TD

0208 968 2001

Menu can be found at http://www.eatitnow.co.uk/Menu/thairicerestaurant-w105td

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Ed's Diner - England and South Africa

Ed's is advertised as a typical American diner, but I'm not sure if an American would agree. At Ed's you can order your typical diner fair such as hamburgers (ranging from £5.75 to 6.95), hotdogs, an all day breakfast, salads, fries (with all the toppings) and a variety of calorific desserts.

When I first went I popped in for a quick bite and had the Chilli Cheese Fries (£4.50). They were good. The fries weren't soggy, the chilli was decent and the cheese was plentiful.

The second time I stepped in I had the Chicken BLT (£6.75) with Sweet Potato Fries (3.95). The BLT was filling and nice, if not a little sweet from the BBQ sauce they added. The fries were a little oily and soggy however.

I like Ed's because us Brits don't really have diners, so if you haven't had the good fortune of visiting the States then it's probably the closeset you'll come to an 'all American diner' experience. The ambience is good with little old fashioned looking jukeboxes on each counter or table, and a variety of condiments waiting for you.  I like the fact you can adapt anything on the menu with your choice of additions such as grilled onions, eggs, guacamole, sour cream etc... (each for only £1). What I also like is that it's well designed and the prices are accurate for what you're getting. It's not Michelin starred stuff but you know that before you walk through the door.

Yep I'd pop in again. Actually I may do this weekend.

7/10

17 locations in and around London and 1 in South Africa

http://www.edseasydiner.com/location/index.php

Nineteen Ten - Westfield Shepherds Bush, London

In case you didn't know Westfield is a mammoth sized shopping centre. There are a few of them dotted around London, but I like the Shepherd's Bush one best. Within this labyrinth there are numerous stalls selling varieties of different types of food, a food court in other words. I've tried a few of them and they all have their good points. My favourite however is Nineteen Ten.

Much like a school canteen, you take your tray and slide it along and choose the fillings for your burrito. First layer can be either Rice, Black Beans or Pinto Beans. The second layer either Steak, Grilled Veg, Chicken or Carnitas. The third is your choice of sauce, Picco de Gallo, Salsa Verde, Corn Salsa or maybe Salsa Salsa Roja. Finally you top it off with either Sour Cream, Cheese, Lettuce or Guacamole.

I had the Spicy Beef. It was huge and utterly delicious (£8.95 depending on your toppings). The meat was melt in your mouth, the sauces were spicy and all the accompaniments worked well together.

They also have Quesadillas, Tacos, Carne Con Cerveza (meat marinated in beer to tenderise) served in a bowl over rice and sprinkled with cheese and tortilla chips).

I only really go for the burritos though, because aside from the Chimichanga I had in San Fransisco many years ago this is one of the nicest I've found in London. Odd it's in a mall, but it's good so I'll overlook that.

Nineteen Ten
8/10
Unit 2136
Westfield London Shopping Centre
Ariel Way
London W12 7GF
0208 749 8222

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Big Easy - King's Road, London

K

Even writing about this place makes me feel ill. This was the worst meal I've had in a long time. In fact it was so wrong that I gagged three times while trying to consume what they call food.

Big Easy is advertised as an all American BBQ and Crabshack, a place to get a hearty 'home-style' meal. It's not. Firstly it's situated in one of the most fancy parts of London, secondly it's expensive, and thirdly who drinks margaritas in what's meant to be an old school 'home-style' joint? None of these things remotely resemble the idea of taking in some grub after (as they state on their website) 'a hard days fishing, shopping, or plain ol' hard work'.

The atmosphere is loud, partly because they have a bar downstairs with live bands playing til 10pm on weekdays, but also because the place is constantly packed. I just can't understand why.

We researched their menu by looking at their very basic website. We'd also walked passed a few times and thought the vibe looked good. I popped in one evening to asked the maitre d' if we could have a table and she said the wait would be around 2 weeks. It didn't turn out to be the case when I looked online.

The ambience was ok. It was busy but not overwhelmingly so. The decor was ok, a bar on one side and the restaurant on the other. Nothing special though, just quite themed. They try to be funky in decorating in such a way, this is compounded by the fact they think it cool to call the downstairs bar a 'speakeasy'. They also pump out relatively loud music in the bathroom. Probably to mask the sound of people throwing up their overpriced dinner.

So we started with the Calamari which was deep fried and came with Tartar Tartar sauce (£6.95). It was ok I suppose, but again nothing special. I then had the 2lb lobster for £19.95 (you can order a variety of sizes that are all priced accordingly). The Lobster came with a salad, chips and a choice of either a beer or margarita. It was awful. It was tough as old boots and smelt too. They boast their lobsters come from Maine in America, I just wonder how long it took them to get over here. The salad dressing was terrible (and I love salad). The chips were chips.

My husband had the BBQ Ribs and Chicken which came with Coleslaw (a good portion at £15.95). The ribs were tender, if not a little too sweet. The coleslaw was bland, and the chicken average. My husband didn't rate it either.

I think the best part of this experience was watching a large man walk in and have the waitress bring out a 4.5 lb lobster for him to look at before ordering. He then ordered an entire bottle of wine and sat there gorging with a shiny bib around his neck. He really didn't mind that people were staring. Sadly that was the best part of this shambles of a meal. I sincerely regret spending nearly £70 on this mistake.

The only good thing I'll say about the Big Queasy is that the staff were nice and service was good.

Big Easy
3/10 (and that's mainly due to the company, not the food).

332-334 King's Road

London SW3 5UR

0207 352 4071

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Dim T - Hampstead, London

Dim T in Hampstead is a small yet often busy Chinese restaurant. It's located near the wonderful Everyman cinema and is walking distance from Hampstead station. 

I've been twice and both times were experiences to remember. They offer a variety of noodle dishes, curries, soups and salads, (all ranging between £7 and £9). You can also construct your own noodle dish by choosing the topping, type of noodle and sauce. 

I don't go for that though. I go for the Dim Sum.

When you order your selection of Dim Sum it arrives at your table piled high in layered Bamboo Steamers, with each basket containing 3 or 4 pieces of the handmade (either fried of steamed) parcels you ordered.

We chose quite a few different things to share. Each basket costing £3.60 (with the exception of the gourmet selection and pork buns which set us back £3.85 a basket).

The Dim Sum we ordered were Spicy Beef, Minced Pork and Prawn, Chicken and Asian Greens, Spicy Vegetables, Roasted Pork Buns, and Chicken with Cashew Nuts and Coriander. We sat there merrily dipping our parcels into the many sauces on the table.

The price was what you'd expect for Dim Sum. The bill came to £44.50 for the two of us (including drinks). Not too bad for a good meal after a trip to the Everyman.

Dim T

8/10

3 Heath Street

London NW3 6TP

0207 435 0024

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Busaba Eathai - Chelsea, London

We went on a Saturday night (around 7pm). The time is relevant because thereafter the queues got ridiculous.

I walked in and wanted to walk out, not because of the decor (dark wood, some incense burning, Soy Sauce, Sriracha and Fish Sauce already on the table) but because of the seating. The place comprises of square tables where everyone sits together. So you turn up for your 2 year anniversary to have some dinner with your partner and find yourself sitting next to utter strangers. Not ideal.

We were lucky however as we chose the window seats. Yes we were sitting next to each other facing the window (which looked on to passing traffic going down the King's Road) but at least it felt a bit more private.

We had three starters (which on the menu they oddly refer to as sides). The Calamari with Ginger and Peppercorns (£6.50), the Morning Glory (a type of green bean with a difference) that came in a sauce made from Yellow Bean, Thai garlic and chilli (£5.80), and Pandan Chicken (chicken with garlic and coriander wrapped in a Pandan leaf £5.50).

The Calamari was one of the best I've ever had. They weren't rings but rather thick strips coated with a delightful crust. It was a hearty portion too. The Morning Glory was to die for. The sauce was absolutely fantastic. When we ordered it the waiter warned us it was spicy but we love very very hot food so of course we went for it. I was surprised when i saw whole Birdseye chillies in it. It was at our level of hot, finally a place that fulfils their promise. The chicken in the Pandan leaf was nice, but I probably wouldn't order it again as it was small and a bit hard to unwrap.

For our main I had the Char-grilled Chicken with Spicy Cucumber Salad and Sticky Rice (£9.90). I'd  say it was a bit of a let down after our starters. The rice was far too glutinous, the salad a little tired. I didn't much rate the sauce it came with either. The chicken was simply grilled. Good quality but all it was was a piece of chicken. Eddy had the Smoked Chicken with Vermicelli Noodles, Chinese Broccoli and Egg (£6.90). At first Eddy thought his main was only slightly above average, I certainly couldn't taste the advertised smokiness in the Chicken. It was however good, especially once adapted with some Soy Sauce, Morning Glory drippings left over from our starter, and a little sprinkling of Birdseye chillies.

I asked to see the dessert menu at the end but they only served ice cream. I opted out as it was brutally cold outside. I'd certainly go back for that Calamari.

Busaba Eathai

A solid 10/10 for the Calamari and Morning Glory. 7/10 for the mains.

358 King's Road

London SW3 5UZ

0207 349 5488
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Bluebird Cafe - Chelsea, London

The Bluebird is apparently the place to be seen in Chelsea. This means it's posh, pretentious and expensive. The upstairs restaurant is all of the latter. It was packed full of expensively dressed snobs. We were downstairs in the cafe, but I did have to head upstairs to use the bathroom. When in there I saw 2 little 12 year old girls applying lipstick, a woman spraying so much hairspray that I felt nauseas, and another woman plucking her eyebrows. I couldn't wait to get out and rejoin Eddy downstairs in the less pretentious cafe.

So if it's so pretentious why did we go I hear you cry. Well firstly the price for a dessert was reasonable, and secondly we wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

I had the Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream (reasonable at £5.75), and Eddy had the Apple Crumble (£5.50). I'd rate neither.

My cake was dry and the sauce far too rich. Eddy's crumble was basically baby food with crumble on top. The only good thing was the ice cream, which I suspect wasn't homemade.

The cafe also offers breakfast, pasta, fish etc... I wonder if they'd do better at that, but I'm not sure I'd go back to find out.

The Bluebird Cafe
4/10
350 King's Road
London SW3 5UU
0207 559 1000

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The Criterion - Piccadilly, London

The Criterion is a long standing English restaurant set in the heart of Piccadilly Circus. It first opened as a theatre in 1870 by caterers Spiers and Pond. Over time it has evolved and grown. These days the Criterion is a bit of an institution, not so much for its food, but more for its celebrity visits and lavish Neo-Byzantine architecture.

It boasts that Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George 'thrashed out their political views' at a table there. Both The Dark Knight and Russell Crowe's film 'The Good Year' shot scenes there (to name a few). More recently I was (embarrasingly) watching The Real Housewives of New York. They too decided to film there and take in that English cliche of afternoon tea. I rest my case. So obvious girls, there are far better places to go to indulge in a cup of tea, scone, and cucumber sandwich.

Food critic James Rayner described it as one of the worst meals of 2010. Hmm, not a great start. 

When I went I had the Buffalo Mozarella with Tomato, Pesto, and a slightly odd tasting Balsamic Jelly (£11). £11 for a bit of cheese and tomato seemed a bit steep, but hey, I wasn't paying. I then had the Sea Bass with Saffron Potatoes, Peas, and Tomatoes (£26). Both of which were average. Nothing special in other words, and certainly not deserving of the price.

What I came to realise thereafter was that you are not paying for the food at The Criterion. You're paying for the experience, and the dated luxury. If you want afternoon tea dipped in English tradition I'd suggest the Ritz, not this place.

The Criterion
5/10
224 Piccadilly
London W1J 9HP
www.criterionrestaurant.com
0207 930 0488

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