All posts by Fork & Talk

Two girls eat their way through London in the hopes to find the best eats in town. We have made a lot of mistakes in love but we will be damned if we make a mistake with our ultimate love, food.

Asian, Indian

Thali & Pickles

February 6, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

I often spend my Sunday’s watching Indian Soaps and admiring the unique ‘thali’ way of eating. The idea that you get to try 7 dishes all during one sitting sounds incredible for a foodie like myself. So when I drove past Thali & Pickles in Balham I just had to give it a try.

With its rustic interior, stripped timbre cladding and an array of hand painted bollywood film posters, it has a very cool and modern feel to the place. Thali & Pickles is known for its Thalis and Indian street food so I was delighted to see some of my favourites on the menu so naturally had to order lamb samosas and the mouth watering pani puri. The pani puri was refreshing and a mix of sour and tangy, I loved the fact we could add our own tamarind water as it just added to the messy fun.

In theory a thali is a serving for one person in which you get: rice, naan, one main curry, veg curry, pickle, daal, raita and a dessert. Sounds like a lot but the portions are small so enough for your tummy. Thali & Pickles doesn’t just serve thalis but also biryani, regular portioned currys and tandoori dishes. The food is South Indian in flavour so is low on spicy in comparison to your regular Indian so the flavours are more creamy.

Whilst at Thali & Pickles you must try their mango lassi, even in the middle of winter it was creamy and sweet with an under tone of mango sourness. Delicious.

The waiters are lovely and ready to serve, exactly what you need on a Thursday night after work. We will defo come back for seconds at Thali & Pickles.

Thali & Pickles
5-6 Balham Station Road, Balham, SW12 9SG
http://thaliandpickles.co.uk/

Spanish

Pizarro

February 3, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

I came to Jose Pizarro restaurant for a work dinner, which ended up being the perfect venue for that kind of visit. Not too stiff not too overly relaxed and loud. For Friday night it was of course very busy, although their bar area looked nice, serving Spanish style gin tonics, I highly advise you to make reservations.

Pizerro is essentially a tapas restaurant, so we didn’t waste any time with the menu and ordered a selection of dishes to share:

Chicken liver pate
Chorizo iberico
Marinated white anchovies
Artichoke 3 ways
And after peaking at a massive slab of meat delivered to our neighbors table we have also ordered steak.

Really enjoyed the variety of dishes on the menu and everything was very lovely. Food reminded me of good pub grub but with massive flare. Me and my colleagues kept reaching over and across to dip the bread into the pate, or to grab one more slice of that gorgeous steak.

I have to say that Daura gluten free beer came as a surprise, so smooth it went perfectly well with the mains and was flowing all night long. Of course no one can resist something sweet after dinner, and so we tucked into a selection of desserts that really hit the spot!

I need to find an excuse to come back!

Star rating: *****

Pizarro

194 Bermondsey Street,

London, SE1 3TQ

http://www.josepizarro.com/restaurants/pizarro-restaurant

English

Healthy Eating Special: Pure

January 30, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

It’s funny to say this as an owner of a food blog but – I am very conscious about what I eat.
Although it hasn’t always been like this, I have managed to successfully work healthy eating into my busy lifestyle.

Most of the reviews you see here are when me and my partner in crime get together, which is usually on weekends and holidays, and these of course count as ‘cheat days’. During the working week you won’t find me tucking into pasta and burgers.

Ever since I have become conscious of what I consume, i have realized that for people on the go there are really not that many places where you can get your healthy fix.

Everything that’s branded ‘healthy’ just because it has a spinach leaf sticking out of it, is usually overloaded with sugar. And if you want to avoid eating diary or carbs then forget about it , your options for lunch would be limited to a tomato soup, come-on that’s hardy appetizing!

Finding a good place to grab lunch was probably the hardest bit about switching to healthier lifestyle! That’s until we moved offices and I found myself next to branch of PURE.

Everything inside looks fresh, nutritious and yummy. You can see the kitchen behind the counter so you know its been prepared right there and then.

First time I came in for a quick breakfast. Had scrambled eggs with spinach, sweet peppers, chili and feta cheese. Under 300 calories, not bad for a delicious breakfast full of protein!

I was hooked and came back for lunch the same day.
Ordered one of their best, in my opinion, salads ‘Pure Protein’. It’s very low fat, gluten free and packed full of goodness! If you don’t believe me here is the full list of the ingredients:
Turkey breast, quinoa bean mix, beetroot, avocado, sweet peppers, dried cranberries and omega seeds on mixed leaf and baby leaf spinach.
+With optional Fat-free Kale dressing.

Now this was a good sized portion for £6.29, it felt like i was eating it forever. Dried cranberries gave it a nice sweet kick and I loved the crunchiness of omega seeds. Although it was a salad by name, it kept me full until dinner.

Aside from wonderful salads, Pure also serve hot food like curries and soups, as well as snack pots with salmon and quinoa. The also have a coffee and juice bar, so it’s officially one stop shop for all your needs.

I couldn’t be happier to find this gem next to my office!
If you see Pure around town, please do give them a try!

Pure
http://pure-madeforyou.co.uk

American

Sticky Wings

January 26, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

We have searched for American style buffalo wings far and wide and have been disappointed at every junction. When we first heard about Sticky Wings in Brick Lane we thought it would be another lame attempt at that iconic buffalo sauce (tangy, sweet and spicy, the memory brings a tear), I mean even TGI Friday can’t make it correctly. My, my, were we pleasantly surprised by this visit. We were greeted by the happy owner of Sticky Wings who was amazing at both banter and describing his chicken wing vision. We were taken aback by the simplicity of the menu which offers you four choices of sauce and the two size option which was the British size and American size. The chicken wings are the closest to American Style buffalo wings we have encountered so far and the taste and texture are something that is making me salivate as I write. The chicken wing is saucy, the skin is crunchy and the meat is juicy and tender. Perfection. The cooling cheesy sauce is creamy and not too over powering. The owner was very accommodating to our curious palette and allowed us to try every flavour for the price of one. You could see and feel how proud he was of his establishment and it was reflected in the quality of the chicken wings that were served at Sticky Wings. You could never meet a nicer guy. The interior is almost like a replica of Hooters or a more streamlined version of TGI Fridays with the cladding on the walls and the suspended ornaments. Who would know that a place like Sticky Wings could exist in the hustle and bustle of Brick Lane. Definitely not a sexy dine as you will be licking and sucking those fingers to ensure that none of that flavoursome sauce goes to waste. Worth another visit and we have already been twice whilst writing this review. Clearly for indulgence with the excuse of research. Star rating: **** Sticky Wings 40 Brick Lane, London E1 6RF www.stickywings.com

Italian

Jamie’s Italian

January 18, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Yum, yum, yum are the words that spring to mind when we think of Jamie’s Italian in Kingston. From the starters to the drinks to the main courses, every ingredient is sourced from the finest producer and for very little cost. We have been to a number of Jamie’s Italians and the quality and service is pretty much the same. The average spend here for two with two starters, mains and drinks works out at £25 per head.

The decor is trendy yet very comfortable. A disorganised mess just like the owner. The clientele is very eclectic. Jamie’s Italian is a place for everyone, large groups, intimate dates, family occasions, the young, the old, the posh, the trendy, well hopefully you get my drift.

Now to our favourites at Jamie’s Italian. First thing, eat the bread, I will leave it at that about the bread, tell us what you think. Elena and I can not ever go without the super sized juicy and fresh olives on ice. They are BIG with lots of flesh and probably the best olives I have ever tasted. They have not been marinated or stuff in brine but are the freshest olives we have ever tasted. Enough about the olives.

My favourite main is the famous prawn linguine. It comes piled high with fresh rocket which gives it that fresh crunch and the peppery taste of the rocket which sings well with the hint of chilli in the pasta sauce. The whole dish is popping with flavour, pepper from the rocket, meaty from the prawns, sweetness of the tomatoes and the hint of chilli which I can only imagine is from the fresh chillis in the sauce.

Elena is your meat girl so naturally when she sees the word ragu and sausage meat it’s like a siren has gone off and there is no need for her to contemplate any other dish. It’s a simple meaty pasta dish with no frills. The pasta hasn’t been drenched in sauce and there is a high concentration of spicy sausage meat in the dish. It’s what we class as ‘hug’ food.

Going to Jamie’s Italian is like going to a celebration of food. There are platters of everything you can imagine with the idea that the whole table tucks into the platter, a concept I love coming from an Asian up bringing where everything is about sharing your love of food.

Jamie’s Italian has a fabulous bar area which is only available in some outlets, we can defiantly recommend trying the bar in London Bridge and Angel. Very lively with some excellent mixologists.

You really wouldn’t know that Jamie Oliver isn’t Italian when trying these dishes. We will defiantly be going again and again. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Star Rating: *****

Jamie’s Italian
www.jamieoliver.com/italian/

Moroccan

Marrakech: Le Salama

January 13, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Amongst the flutes of the snake charmers and the drums of the dancing monkeys lies the famous souks of Marrackech. The Medina has restaurants on every corner offering you touristic menus which for foodies like us is the biggest no no especially when you are visiting a country like Morocco. Hidden on the side streets just outside the souks we found the perfect place to dine, with a juxtaposition of styles from modern, Casablanca colonial and historic Morocco and a plethora of good looking Moroccan hosts and hostesses it was a complete contrast to what was happening in the chaos of the souks. Le Salama.

Le Salama was our first eye opening experience of how wrong we were about the country. It was both modern and cool and most importantly hygienic. Such a sexy place to dine with every corner being lit by huge Moroccan lanterns and the novel table settings with Moroccan hats for guest to play with. How fun it was.

The menu was a classic menu full of tagines as you would have expected and assortments of pastries as starters. We visited twice and on both occasions I had the same dish as I had fallen in love with it. Honey and Almond Chicken Tagine. I’m salivating at the thought of it. The chicken was crispy on the outside with a sweet stick layer of honey, not too sweet, the meat flaky off the bone as you touched it. The couscous was the most fluffiest and tastiest couscous I have ever had, nothing like the bland stuff you get at home. Elena clearly experimented with each with visit through the selection of meats that were offered from keftas tagines to lamb shanks. You can really taste the time that goes into these slow cooked dishes, fast food this is clearly not, yet you don’t mind because each spice is so well balanced and cooked through. Hug food as I like to call it.

After dinner we decided to the roof top bar which had a stunning 360 view of Morocco. We were in ore of how much Le Salama had made the start of our holiday magical and it just kept getting better. We appreciated the cool breeze coming in through the windows as we pondered over which cocktails to choose, the 2 for 1 offer put us in a sticky situation. One thing we came to realise through our visit was that the alcohol content in drinks throughout Morocco is very weak so be prepared to shell out quite a lot if you are hoping to feel anything close to a buzz.

If we are ever to return to Marrakech Le Salama will be our first and last meal on every visit.

Star Rating: *****

Le Salama
40 Rue des Banques, Djema el Fna, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
lesalama.blogspot.com

English

The Albion

January 9, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Islington is full of modern pubs with quirky features. But on a cold Christmas evening 5 friends were in search of old school mulled wine and traditional pub grub and came across the beauty known as The Albion. The Albion is a treasure with fire places, Victorian ceiling beams and beer garden. Little did we know it was an award winning pub.

Ever since the holiday season started it felt like Elena has not stopped on about how much she wants mulled wine and this was certainly a places that delivered. Each glass came with a segment of orange with cloves. It was one of the best mulled wines I have had this season with a perfect blend of citrus and spices. We easily went through four glasses each and still had room for more. At £4 a glass, well we just couldn’t resist. We happily sat there sipping by the fire for hours.

We snacked on triple cooked chips which are very hard to find these days, cheese boards and butter cured bacon.

The menu was a modern take of traditional pub grub which we love. I ordered a corn fed chicken beast with kale, bread pudding and raisin jus which was very reasonably priced at £12.50. The chicken was crispy and buttery on the outside and the meat was tender. The kale was delicious, not over cooked with the right amount of crunch, it was seasoned to perfection.

Elena ordered the venison which was rare and she loved it. Game meat is defiantly something I want to try on our next pub visit.

We went all out and had our childhood favourite desserts of sticky toffee pudding and chocolate tarts and I must admit that we had no room to eat but the food was so delicious that we had to try it while we were there, you know the feeling. Memories of my childhood flooded back with every mouthful of that treacle sponge and honey comb ice cream.

We will definitely be back during the summer to see what magic the The Albion to our summers evening.

Star Rating: *****

The Albion
10 Thornhill Road, London N1 1HW
the-albion.co.uk

Indian

Chak 89

January 5, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Located in the most industrial estate, it’s hard to imagine that this jewel encrusted asian food heaven exists. Chak 89 is the gem of Mitchem eateries and I usually treat myself to a meal there at the end of every term for a bit of bollywood wow factor and well when you are there you can’t help feeling like a celebrity with the outstanding customer service which is offered. However, this is also helped with bling decor they have, a chandelier lovers dream.

Chak 89s menu covers the best of all the asian cuisines from South Indian to Bangladeshi all cooked to perfection. They also have a few little fusion surprises such as the olive and peri peri naan which has become a favourite for my friend Shivaani and I. We have now been there a total of 5 times to Chak 89 in the last year and have still yet to make our ways through their extensive menu. It’s also hard to get through the menu with their more than generous portions of each dish.

Saying that we always have to have the following. The chilli paneer at Chak 89 is to die for, slightly crispy on the outside with lots of that sweet/sour/spicy sauce on the outside. The size of the paneer chunks is also worth a mention as often I find other restaurants have tiny chucks of paneer and lots of other fillers in the dish but not here. The other staple dish we go for is the Chak Allepey King Prawns, now upon reading the description I did winch a little when I saw it had a mango and coconut cream sauce but the flavours together were amazing, a mixture of sweet, sour and tangy. The king prawns are always massive and juicy so it’s well worth the £10.95 price tag for the dish. The last dish I would like to mention is the Chak 89 Dal Mahkni, black creamy lentils in which you can taste the fact it has been cooked for days to get the all rounded blend of spices which are balanced.

We will obviously be coming back to this gem but next time you fancy indian/ asian cuisine, why no try Chak 89.

Star Rating: ****

Chak 89

105 Bond Road, Mitcham CR4 3HG

American, Burger

Honest Burgers

December 29, 2014 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

For the past year we have quietly watched Honest Burgers branches popping up wherever we go in London. As you are aware, Elena and I are on a lifetimes quest to find the best burger in the world so as we walked around kings cross one late Friday winters evening looking for a place to dine we couldn’t give up the opportunity to find out why this place was taking over London.

Honest Burgers in Kings Cross is very modest looking on the outside but as soon as you walk in you get the raw and rustic Shoreditch vibe from the decor to the staff, very similar to Byron in fact.

Now, I do like to focus straight on the food and decor but the manager who greeted us was the Christmas Grinch of 2014 so I won’t comment much further on the staff as I am hoping it’s just the service at this busy branch that stinks even though it was pretty empty for the Friday before Christmas.

Back to the food. The menu is no frills and simple offering about 10 different burgers and a choice of half a dozen sides.

I ordered a pattie with Stilton and Elena went for a vegetable fritter patty. The burgers cost between £8-£11 and are served with a generous portion of rosemary salt chips. I must say I really enjoyed my burger, it was tasty and even though I had asked for it to be well done it was still juicy. I do appreciate a good brioche bun and it was soft and melted in your mouth. Saying that for £10 it was on the small side so I am not sure exactly what I had paid for and it definitely wasn’t the service. Upon closer inspection the chips were a combination of triple fried which I love to double fried and single and some half cooked so it does suggest that the chips have sat there and been re-fried a number of times. I’m not sure how Honest Burger would explain or justify that.

Veggie burger — FRITTER – cauliflower, tomato, sweetcorn, shallots with coriander and cucumber yogurt

Elena’s fritter burger was lightly spiced with a number of root vegetables and as strange as it sounds was pretty good. It reminded me of Indian vegetable pakoras which gives me ideas of what I’m going to do with them the next time my mum makes them for me.

Honest Burger offers a good burger but it hasn’t made it on our list of the best places for a burger. So our search continues.

Star Rating: **

Honest Burger
251-255 Pentonville Road, London N1 9NG

www.honestburgers.co.uk

Lebanese

Mandaloun

December 22, 2014 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Part of the original fabric of Westfields White City, Mandaloun brings a little bit of the Middle East to the Southern Terrace.

Mandaloun is a very modern take on Lebanese cuisine. Elena and I will often have a quick snack in between shopping but it does feel like an endless supply of food. We love mezze dining in which you order half a dozen dishes and as you finish two another three show up so you end up losing track of what you have eaten and how much in fact.

Some of our fan favourites are the fattoush salad which is fresh and zesty, it is one of the dishes that Elena refuses to share with me and I don’t blame her as I want my own healthy portion too. It was the place we fell in love with sumac seasoning and now have our own stock at home.
The hummus shawarma is also another mezze to die for. Fresh hummus topped with pan fried meat. You can help but dip the endless supply of warm flat bread into the fresh chick pea dip and top it with a generous helping of meat. Yum.

Mandaloun has both mezzes and mains but we do like to have the opportunity to eat loads of different dishes. Each one packed with more flavour than the last. Mandaloun is a great place to go during a summer evening if you are a fan of shisha as it house an outdoor shisha lounge.

Now we have to admit the service is the only downer to this place and it often makes us wonder why we go back. We are suckers for good food so if you can handle inattentive staff and miscalculated bills then it isn’t too bad but please do check you bill as the staff have a habit of including items you would never have ordered. Mandaloun is more about the food and decor than the customer service which makes no sense as the mark up on the food is also a question mark as to where it is all going.

Star Rating: **

Mandaloun

Southern Terrace

Westfield Shopping center

London W12 7GF

http://mandaloun.com

Seafood

Lisbon, Portugal: Cervejaria Ramiro

December 8, 2014 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

When our hotel porter informed us that there would be a long wait for this seafood extravaganza we thought he was exaggerating a tad. However, he insisted that if we were in Lisbon we had to try Cervejaria Ramiroo which was according to him and other recommendation the best place for seafood in the whole of Portugal.

When we arrived on the street for the restaurant we saw the queue and growled a tad but never the less attached ourselves to the end and watched the tank of langoustines they had placed in the window for the ques entertainment. We waited for 45mins in total and we can confirm it was worth it.

This place is not about the frills but truly about the freshest seafood Portugal has to offer at a ridiculously cheap price. The restaurant is cramped and the service is manic but you soon forget these things once you finally taste the fresh seafood.

We ordered clams in garlic sauce, edible crab, oysters and garlic bread. Cervejaria Ramiro blew our minds and souls, the crab was the juiciest crab we have ever tasted and fellow customers didn’t mind my crab shells flying onto them, it was a whole lot of fun. You may start your meal trying to be dainty but five minutes in you are up to your elbows in ripping meat and deshelling, DEFINATELY not a sexy dine but a fun experience with friends or if you don’t mind getting down and dirty with a loved one.

I originally thought garlic bread could only be made well by an Italian but boy were we wrong. Cervejaria Ramiro had the best garlic bread we have ever tasted. An odd combination as it sounds with seafood but it worked really well with the flavours.

For the first meal we had on our trip to Portugal it was fun and fabulous. Well being us we then had to find places to beat it.

Star Rating: *****

Cervejaria Ramiro
Av. Almirante Reis nº1 – H, 1150-007 Lisboa, Portugal
www.cervejariaramiro.pt

English

Hoxley & Porter

December 5, 2014 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Since I’ve moved to Islington I have made a promise to myself to never visit a restaurant on Upper Street twice until I have tried them all. Well that was silly! Restaurants open and close here as if it was a game of whac-a-mole!

Earlier we have reviewed United Ramen that’s perfect for eat and go noodle. Since then we have had a new addition to the restaurant line up – Hoxley & Porter.

Want to escape rivers of pedestrians on Upper street? Hoxley & Porter is the perfect place. Upper street is no short on themed eateries and bars, but this one stands out with its colonial Britain vibe.

Vintage wallpaper and lights with lovely leather bound menus – all best things extracted to give you a feeling of upper class carriage dining. If you have ever taken a ride on a luxury train it will certainly hit the right note. If you have never been, then head to the back where a long party table dubbed a dining carriage.

For a very reasonable price, set menu 2 courses for £12.95 – food was exceptional! We’ve ordered honey glazed goat cheese on toast for start, tomato and crayfish linguini and roasted pumpkin and sage risotto as mains.

I have to say, I am rather picky when it comes to pasta, especially seafood pasta, having been spoiled by the best in Italy. Holley & Porter this dish was superb. For that alone I will be back!

Star Rating: ****

Hoxley & Porter
153 Upper Street,
Islington, London,
N1 1R

http://www.hoxleyandporter.co.uk

Japanese

Sasa Sushi

December 1, 2014 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

I get rather emotional as a write this piece for Sasa Sushi. Here we have an honest and modest sushi restaurant on the edge of angel. Somewhere that can easily be overlooked yet if you have been there once then you be amongst the heard of people waiting to get a table most nights.

Whenever you go to a sushi place you face two predicaments. One, that if you notice the prices are rather low on the menu you can expect rice that is al dente or fish flesh with a bite to it and the presentation will generally be poor. Two, you pay a lot of money to guarantee the perfection. With Sasa Sushi there is none of this, the prices are low and the sushi is one of the best you will have in central London.

Sasa Sushi use the finest cuts of fish which just melt in your mouth. They have a wide range on their menu to suit all taste buds. Our personal favourites are: rainbow rolls, fantasy rolls and caterpillar rolls, I know the names are unfamiliar and odd but trust us. Sasa Sushi are incredible at combining different flavours for their sushis to create a party in the mouth as it may be. Each time we visit our food is presented in the most spectacular display but it’s never the same so you don’t quite know what to expect.

Along with our sushi we must have the legendary miso soup which I have to admit is just your regular miso with no frills which is a good thing. If you are looking for a starter why not try the Nasu Dengaku, a baked aubergine with a sweet soya bean paste. I shan’t lie, it’s not the best to look at but the soft aubergine and soya bean combo create a lovely sweet/savoury flavour which you just keep wanted to dive into.

This is a very simple dine where you know you shan’t be disappointed. The staff are very friendly, hospitable and very tentative. Elena and I often pop in after work when we want a healthy yet harty dine, hopefully we will see you there soon.

Star Rating: ****

Sasa Sushi
422 St John St, London EC1V 4NJ
http://www.sasasushi.co.uk

Italian

The Food Lab

November 28, 2014 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

It was a grey Saturday morning and we (slightly hangover) fancied a good filling breakfast that would boost us with energy. Great spot for a meal just like that is The Food Lab on Essex road. Cute Italian cafe with a healthy twist. They sell everything from hot breakfasts and lunches, to wraps, paninis and cold meats. We ordered a few smoothies, that were delicious without being overly too stiff and sweet.

For mains we both had eggs Benedict Simple, hot and delicious, that was the fuss free breakfast we were after!

These is a really lovely friendly atmosphere in this restaurant, i like coming here when i want to catch up with friends without feeling like we are being hurried through our meals. I am really happy that it’;s just around the corner from my home, which means i pop around quite often!

Star Rating: ***

The Food Lab
56, Essex Road N1 8LR London

http://foodlablondon.com

American, Mexican

Shrimpy’s

November 24, 2014 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Tucked away behind King Cross Station, over looking the canal you will find this cool dine inside the old Filling Station. Shrimpy’s as the name suggests isn’t a fried food fiasco but a trendy place to eat with an eclectic menu ranging from hot wings for starters to soft crab and avocado burgers for mains. The decor is a golden pineapple heaven, I don’t think Elena and I have ever been so in ore as they had so many different gold pineapple nicknacks. Diners have the choice of sitting inside or outside on the terrace. Unfortunately, on our visit we didn’t get to see the outdoor BBQ in action but we will return in the warmer months to sample Shrimpy’s BBQ delights.

Shrimp’s cocktail menu is your regular selection but with a twist which was positively received by us. Of course being us we had to try Shrimp’s hot wings and by god were they delicious. They were coated in BBQ sauce and finished with sesame seeds and coriander which added a nice fresh and herby flavour to it. I think we have found a new appreciation for coriander.

For mains Elena had a Humita with fried eggs, chili and chorizo. Humita is a traditional sweet corn cake for those of you that are googling it right now. The dish has a range of flavours from meaty, spicy to sweet.

I had a soft shell crab burger with guacamole and pickles. Sounds horrid I know and looks scary when you are presented with a crab in between a burger but it has to be one of the best none meat burgers I have ever had. The soft shell crab is deep fried in a spicy batter and lays on a bed of fresh guacamole, the unusual ingredients work really well.

A lovely Sunday afternoon late lunch and cocktail. Price wise you will be spending £25-30 per head but the cocktails as you can imagine do most of the damage. Nevertheless, we shall be back to Shrimpy’s soon.

Star Rating: *****

Shrimpy’s
King’s Cross Filling Station, Goods Way, London N1C 4UR
http://www.shrimpys.co.uk