'Ono Kine Grindz

Yauatcha - London, UK

I am going to be writing about my visit to Yauatcha shortly, I just need a little more time to collect all my thoughts.  In total, I spent about £30 here (US$60 +) and I was sadly disappointed, not necessarily by the food, but by the overall experience.

Yauatcha
15 Broadwick Street
London, UK
Telephone: 0870.780.8265

Wagamama - London, UK

A lot of people recommended Wagamama so I was particularly interested in trying the food here.  I visited the location in Bloomsbury which was right around the corner from the British Museum.  Little did I know that this was the original location and that it opened in 1992.  The shop did brisk business and for some reason or another, I left the restaurant feeling a bit disappointed.  The food did not live up to the hype.

Duck gyoza (£4.95)

Tori kara age (£4.20)

Chicken tama rice (£6.95)

Wagamama ramen (£7.40)

Wagamama
4 Streatham Street (this visit)
various locations throughout London
London, UK
Telephone: 207.323.9223

Tayyabs - London, UK

This was one of the more anticipated stops on my trip to London and I was not disappointed.  The food here was spicy and bursting with the complex flavors that one would expect from traditional Pakistani cuisine.  I wanted to go back once more before leaving London, but could not fit it into my itinerary. 

Tayyabs
83-89 Fieldgate Street
London, UK
Telephone: 020.7247.6400

Canteen - London, UK

After taking a walk around the shops at Spitalfields, it was time for lunch.  Even at shortly after noon, Canteen was already doing roaring business.

Beef, mushroom & stout pie with mash, greens & gravy (£9.50)

Duck, roast potatoes, greens, brocolli and apple sauce (£13.00).

Black currant jelly with ice cream and shortbread (£5.00).

Canteen
Spitalfields
2 Crispin Place
London, UK
Telephone: 0845.686.1122

The Golden Hind - London, UK

When I first started planning my trip to London, I thought about where I would go to satisfy my craving for "authentic" fish and chips.  Instead of searching the internet for recommendations, I decided to wait until I was in London to see what I could find.

The Golden Hind was recommended by someone I stopped on the street.  They proclaimed this the best in London and boy were they right.  The crunchy, golden brown fish was moist and expertly seasoned.  Drizzled with a little malt vinegar and a smear of tartar sauce, I could not have asked for anything better.  The crispy chips (fries) and a side of mushy peas rounded out the meal.  This was one of the most memorable dinners of the trip.

The Golden Hind
73 Marylebone Lane
London, UK
Telephone: 020.7486.3644

Bar Shu - London, UK

This was the only Sichuan restaurant in London that I came across and I found the food to be excellent. I later discovered that celebrated Sichuan food expert, Fuchsia Dunlop, was the restaurant's culinary consultant.

Pock-marked old woman's beancurd (£7.50).  The legendary dish, named after a smallpox-scarred restauranteur who once lived in the Sichuanese capital, Chengdu.

Boiled sea bass in extremely spicy soup (£28.90).  Lavishly topped with chilli and Sichuan pepper.

Bar Shu
28 Frith Street
London, UK
Telephone: 020.7287.6688

St. John Bar & Restaurant - London, UK

About 4 weeks before heading off to London, I sent an email to St. John to see if I could get a reservation for lunch .  I waited, and waited, and waited.  And up until the day I left Hawaii, I had not received a response.  When I arrived in London, I thought I would just pay them a visit and hope for the best. 

Arriving at the restaurant for an early lunch, I found it to be quite empty so I was hopeful that I would be able to get a table.  After speaking with the hostess, I was told that the restaurant was fully booked, but there was a slim chance that they would be able to accommodate us.  After waiting for about 15 minutes, the hostess appeared in the doorway and took us to a tiny table near the restaurant's entrance; they had a "no show".

Soon, people started arriving and the dining room started to fill up.  The hostess, Emily, approached our table a few minutes later and asked if we wanted to move to a larger table near the far corner of the restaurant.  Well, of course we'll take a larger table.  We chatted with Emily for a few moments and discovered that she had just moved to London from the US only a year and a half earlier.  Thanks Emily, you really made my day!

There were so many things on the menu that I was anxious to try.  Unfortunately, there were only two of us dining, and I only have a limited amount of space in my stomach.  What was it going to be?  Chitterlings and dandelion?  Grilled puffball & green sauce? 

Roast bone marrow & parsley salad (£6.50)

Langoustines & mayonnaise (£12.80)

Potatoes & runner beans (£3.50; £4.00)

Smoked eel, beetroot & horseradish (£15.80)

Skate, chips & tartare sauce (£16.80)

Bitter chocolate cream & hazelnut biscuits (£6.80)

St. John Bar & Restaurant
26 St. John Street
London, UK
Telephone: 020.7251.0848