Tag Archives: london

Meat Liquor

August 6, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

We have been burger crazy lately, with one review after another! Sorry to our readers that don’t eat cow!

In our defense London is currently suffering from an American fever, with new burger joins opening almost every week. It’s hard to keep up especially as title of ‘best burger’ keeps moving from one restaurant to another.

So we thought with this review we will take you to back to where it all began: Meat Liquor.

Within a week of Meat Liquor opening it’s doors in London, we joined the queue, ready for our all American experience and ever since this has been our go-to place for some artery clogging but ultimate comfort food.

The place is no doubt popular and with an incomplete party we kept getting sent down the queue by a scary looking bouncer, whom earlier branded us with ink stamp ’MEAT’. Meat Liquor know how to keep customers happy and they also very familiar with work ‘Hangry’, so before we could get even a little bit aggravated, a waitress came outside with a tray of deep-fried goodies.

Once you are inside the restaurant you find yourself in dimly lit room which could be misinterpreted as film set for Dexter. Blood splattered plastic coverings and loud metal music, no one will hear the screams as you bite into your…burger.

Heavily tattoos staff deliver the best of Deep South cooking. Get ready to roll up your sleeves as it’s a very messy business.

We went absolutely crazy for their buffalo wings. Having never tasted such thing, i have become obsessed with the sauce. They still stand to this day as a very good rival to Sticky Wings.

When it came to burgers I wasn’t totally won over. If you like your burger buns firm and spongy you will be disappointed as these babies arrive soaked with juice. Which could be your thing, but it wasn’t mine, so i will stick to other things on their menu.

Meat Liquor is a fun place to bring friends that have never been before. As my American friend says ’ Meat Liquor is your standard American eatery’. The atmosphere, the music and of course the photo booth is all good fun. But for a repeat session I would recommend going there at lunch time where it’s just a bit more calm and you can have a good chat over the cocktails… Which reminds me – Meat Liquor make a mean Bloody Mary! uh oh!

MEATliquor
74 Welbeck Street
London | W1G 0BA
http://meatliquor.com/london

American, Burger, Event

Burger Festival

July 11, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

The excitement of going to burger fest last weekend has spiraled through to this week. Sampling those sliders has made we want to visit each vendor who participated at Burger Fest 2015 at The Paper Works in Elephant and Castle.

As you remember, we reviewed this fun venue only a few weeks ago and on this night it was all about the fun with lots of board games, drinks and well to top it all off the best burgers in town.

We started of our feast with Wild Game and Co. It was said to be the best burger by whoever voted for this thing and well it didn’t disappoint. Even though the burger was slightly over cooked the flavours coming from the meat were to die for.

We then moved onto a burger by Craft. Now we must say, the bacon was chargrilled to the max that it just snapped. The pattie was flavourless. You would think if you are at an event to showcase your best burger then some thought would go into ensuring that ever offering is top notch. Especially when each customer is spending £35 a ticket to get in and the cost of only receiving five sliders. Poor show Craft, thought you would do a lot better.

We then swiftly moved onto Dip and Flip and their Green Chili Burger in gravy.

Omg, I have wanted to try this place for ages and well I will be visiting this week to sample a whole burger as a slider just wasn’t enough. The pattie was meaty, the cheese was oozing and the chilies just added a nice little kick. I loved it being smothered in gravy. Nice.

Street Kitchen was our fourth offering and we were pleasantly surprised to find that they actually didn’t specialise in burgers at all. The pattie was perfect, medium rare and not a minute over cooked. They were a tad heavy on the condiments which did over power the meat. However, it’s definitely something I would try again with less of the condiments.

Hotbox. Now you know we love a bit of Hotbox!!! We have tried this burger before so it was more of a déjà vu burger of happy memories. Amazing pattie, perfect relish and that perfect balance of sweet and savoury. You can not fault this burger and its definitely one of our faves.

To be honest we loved our burgers. However, the event was awfully organised and many people were left hungry and frustrated. Many of our friends had to eat the the same burgers two – three times and some got there when there was nothing left even though they had purchased an evening ticket. The music ended early and there was silence for the last hour of the event. The vendors are not to blame but Twenty Something London really need to learn about organisation and customer satisfaction before they organise another event. This was not worth £35 and we won’t be going to anymore Twenty Something London events.

Lebanese

Al Arez

May 5, 2015 Fork & Talk 1 Comment

When we go to Edgware Rd in the late evenings it’s like we have entered a place where time doesn’t exist. The streets are always busy, families are out with their children, the restaurants are packed and open at all hours and there is a friendly hug and ‘salam’ between passers by on rotation. It is such a happy street of Arab cultures and best of all Middle Eastern food.

We have been going to Al Arez since we were teenagers. The charm of shisha being smoked outside and well cheap food is always an attraction to an adolescent. However, the food is what keeps us coming back as our lungs can’t handle the shisha pipes anymore.

The menu is Lebanese and the service is Middle Eastern in style, very friendly and charming. Depending on the day and what they have to offer you are served complimentary dishes upon arrival. One staple complimentary item are the Middle Eastern pickled peppers and olives which are a treat.

This is the restaurant in which we fell in love with the fattoush salad and since no one has been able to match up to it. So naturally it is the first thing we order. The crunch, the hit of sour and tangy flavours, the juiciness of the salad vegetables, so mouth watering. I always as for extra croutons for that extra crunch.

When we go to any lebanese or Middle Eastern restaurant we always opt for a tapas style of dining so lots of little dishes and maybe one meaty main to share. It’s the best way to make the most of all the dishes that they have to offer. Don’t know be scared to get stuck in with your hands and make a mess, it’s the thing to do at Al Arez.

Staples to recommend are the hummus shawarma which is freshly ground hummus with grilling lamb on top, great to scoop up with the fresh Lebanese bread they have on tap. We would also recommend the Arayes Al Arez which is grilled lebanese bread stuffed with spicy minced meat, the bread is uber fresh and my meat just melts in the mouth. I suggest you smother it in the delicious garlic sauce they make in house. The kibbeh is also a lovely dish which has a cracked wheat shell and a juicy meaty centre. Perfect combination of protein and carbs.

Al Arez are also known for their fresh juices. Zero additives, just pure fruit juice and some ice of course. I love the fresh strawberry juicy but the Lebanese are known for their lime and mint juice which is really refreshing and zesty but far too strong for my delicate tongue.

Like all Middle Eastern hospitality all bills are handed over with a plate of complimentary baklava. Fresh and crisp. Perfect way to end your fabulous meal at Al Arez.

Al Arez are so popular they have about five different locations on the same street but we always prefer the original which is closer towards the Marble Arch end.

So when you are lost and hungry in the middle of the night, day, morning, head on down to friendly Edgware Rd and give trust worthy Al Arez a go.

Al Arez
101 Edgware Road, London W2 2HX
alarez.co.uk

English

Aqua Shard

April 21, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

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Now Aqua is definitely a place that comes with a guaranteed WOW factor. Located on the 31st level of The Shard (Europe’s tallest building) it gives you breathtaking views of London, 360 degrees. Whether you come here for a business lunch or a date, it’s the sort of contemporary restaurant that would work perfectly well for both scenarios. Personally I look forward to coming back here for drinks on the Friday night as Aqua’s bar with three storey ceiling gave great promise.

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To our delight we were seated at a cosy table right next to the window with views out on St Paul’s cathedral. Apparently Aqua do not take window seat requests so we felt really special indeed. Having come here for a work lunch we only had one hour to absorb the magnificent views and sample restaurants menu. We went with Market Lunch that offers two courses for £31.

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For starter we enjoyed veal carpaccio that came with tuna mousse, clementine and caper dressing. First impressions – it was an absolute delight to look at! I really enjoy contemporary cuisine with what it seems an abstract presentation but arranged with precision of a surgeon. Veal was very delicate and clementine added a lovely boost of sweetness. However we could not figure out what these tiny little black jelly cubes were, they stained our lips faster than fabulous glass of Bordeaux!

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Of course no table setting is complete without gorgeous bread and butter. And not just any bread – a sourdough – filled with massive air holes, it was crunchy on the outside and sticky on the inside.

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For main I had grilled Loch Duart salmon with Brussel sprouts and sea purslane salad. I was warned that Aqua’s salmon is served slightly pink on the inside, which was totally fine with me. Stunning piece of fish, it fell apart at the slightest touch. My only slight disappointment were Brussel sprouts. As it was the ingredient that attracted me to that dish in the first place, it was sad to see only single sprout cut in quarters on the plate.

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Second main was confit Tindenham duck leg, true to all confit it was cooked through and though, and was falling off the bone. We also added kale side to our order as we realised that mains didn’t come with as much veg as we hoped.

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Meal was served and finished in exactly one hour. Little did we know that getting and paying for our bill would be another half hour. Gave me perfect opportunity to pop over to those famous loos. That busy lunch time, manager was flying from one table to another with the card machine. All can be forgiven for this great dining experience!

Aqua Shard

Level 31 The Shard

31 St. Thomas Street

London, UK SE1 9RY

http://www.aquashard.co.uk

Event

Real Food Market

February 21, 2015 Fork & Talk Leave a comment

Who doesn’t love a good food market? An opportunity to nibble on every type of sausage ever made, taste 100 different cheeses and perhaps even sip on finest home made ciders!

If you are serious about your markets you might even bring a carrier bag and stash away these saucisson for months ahead. Unfortunately I am not those people, even though I often dream about foods I tried for days after. I like to spend my afternoons at food markets, have a laugh with friends, eat as much as I can and go home happy.

I find Southbank’s Real Food Market perfect for that. Just a short walk from Waterloo station is all it takes to find yourself in the middle of fresh farm produce. They have a neat sitting area where you can diminish your findings. Everyone there has great passion for food and fun chatter. It can be a really positive atmosphere and trust me time would fly as you make your way through the stalls.

Going to food markets is a great way to support your local producers. Now I am not saying that everything sold at Sainsburys is crap but here everything you see has been made with love and passion. Cattle fed on grass and veg grown without pesticides…. can’t get much better than that!

Real Food Market is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They have a stream of regular shoppers, it can get a little bit busy but it’s all for good cause.