The Best Madeleines in London

I’m obsessed with St John. I love their simple approach, and nose to tail concept of British cuisine. But these days I have been more interested in their bakery. So my latest stop in Farringdon I couldn’t resist to pass by the former smokehouse nowadays St John Bar & Restaurant in order to get some baked treats. 

The place

The madeleines are a must in the place, they are baked to order so it will take more or less 15 min to get them fresh and still hot. I’ve always bought them to take away but they have never made it home as I finish eating all of them on the way back. 

The bakery

Madelines

While we were waiting Marisol ordered a chocolate brownie. It was superb, one of the best brownies I have had, an amazing soft Valrhora chocolate with hazelnuts and unbaked almonds worthy of naughty dreams. 

Brownie

Highly recommended place, the restaurant is great, and the bakery is awesome. I even had the chance this time to see Fergus Henderson having a drink while I was waiting for my madeleine order. Fergus let’s toast for a great place, cheers! 

More Madeleines

B&W

Bakery reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party” 

George: So all right, what are we getting? It's so hot in here!

Kramer: What do you say we get a Mouton Cadet?

George: What's that?

Kramer: It's robust, bold, very dry. As opposed to a Beaujolais which is richer and fruitier. Here's one. Twelve dollars

George: Twelve dollars? I knew we should have gone to the bakery. I guarantee you they aren't getting no twelve dollar cake

St John Bar & Restaurant

T: 020 7251 0848

British Cuisine / Bakery

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: Farringdon

Borough: Islington

Twitter: SJRestaurant

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Burger Wars Episode LXIII: Duck Gasconwalker

These days my burger list is not as big as in the old days. However, there are still some options to try around and also new comers in the next months opening in London. This time I decided to visit Comptoir Gascon. A nice French bistro and delicatessen in Farringdon, with food and wine sourced from Southwest France, and a Bib Gourmand award from Michelin since 2006. 

Comptoir Gascon

The view

Delicatessen

The burger I went for was a duck burger deluxe, but couple things caught my attention including the signature foie gras and truffle burger, and the scallops, artichoke, and oyster tartare. 

Scallops

Slider

The scallop was fresh and nice, great balance with the oyster tartare. The foie gras and truffle is a slider but it was magnificent it was rich, nice, full of flavour, outstanding, the mayo work perfectly with the fresh and puffy bun, great execution. 

Slider time

Cross section

Finally the deluxe burger, Duck patty, foie gras, and caramelised onions in wine and vinegar reduction. 

Duck burger

The verdict, it was great, as good as the slider. The duck flavour is excellent, the combination with the foie gras and the caramelised onions was spot on. 

The damage, 14.75 quid for the deluxe burger and chips. 

The conclusion, amazing burger and the slider was even better. Fries were ok, home made style, they were voted as best chips by time out, well as usual I completely disagree with them, the fries were the weakest link. The duck burger had almost a perfect score 9 of 10 in my scale, sort out the chips and you should be in the top three. 

Duck time

Duck reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Label Maker” 

Newman: Are you sure you know where the impound yard is?

Kramer: Oh, stop stalling. Come on

Newman: I can't think, there's all this noise

Kramer: Or is it because I've built a stronghold around Greenland? I've driven
you out of Western Europe and I've left you teetering on the brink of complete
annihilation

Newman: I'm not beaten yet. I still have armies in the Ukraine

Kramer: Ha ha, the Ukraine. Do you know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting
duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's
time to put the hurt on the Ukraine

Ukrainian: I come from Ukraine. You not say Ukraine weak

Kramer: Yeah, well we're playing a game here, pal

Ukrainian: Ukraine is game to you?! How about I take your little board and smash
it!

Comptoir Gascon

T: 020 7608 0851

French Bistro

Approx Damage: £26pp

Area: Farringdon

Borough: City of London

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Burger Wars Episode LIX: The Lobster Trilogy

I love this trend in London of specialisation in the restaurant field. One excellent example is Burger & Lobster. What can be more straightforward than having only three dishes in the menu? A burger, a lobster, and a lobster roll.

The place

It was a while since my visit and the empire has been expanding, two new locations to the surf and turf formula, one in Farringdon and the other in Soho. So after spending the afternoon in the Barbican centre I decided to take the tube to Farringdon and have the trilogy.

Burger time

A peek

Yes the trilogy, one lobster, one burger, and to end the feast the lobster roll. No I didn’t eat all of them alone, Marisol helped me. The lobster on the grill, perfectly cooked, tender, quite nice. The lobster roll probably one of the best sandwiches in London. The lobster meat stuffed overcrowding that delicate toasted buttered bun. It was a bit petite but excellent no doubts.

Lobster time

Lobster roll

The burger is straightforward as the menu, cheese and bacon.

Burger

The verdict, excellent burger, perfectly cooked medium rare, full of juices, dripping all over the place. The melted cheese with the meaty bacon a great combination. Fries were crispy and nice.

The damage, 20 quid for the burger, fries, and a salad.

The conclusion, a burger fit to satisfy old school purists. Great flavour, nice quality, and good execution. Solid 9 in my scale for the surf and turf empire.

B&L Burger

Lobster reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Yada Yada”

George: Listen to this. Marcy comes up and she tells me her ex-boyfriend was over late last night, and yada yada yada, I'm really tired today. You don't think she yada yada sex

Elaine: I've yada yada sex

George: Really?

Elaine: Yeah. I met this lawyer, we went out to dinner, I had the lobster bisque, we went back to my place, yada yada yada, I never heard from him again

Jerry: But you yada yada over the best part

Elaine: No, I mentioned the bisque

Burger & Lobster

T: 020 7490 9230

Lobster bar

Approx Damage: £30pp

Area: Farringdon

Borough: Islington

Twitter: Londonlobster

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Burger Wars Episode XXXIII: Say Cheeeeeese

One of the places in the original list that I still hadn’t been able to visit was Gran Union. Difficult task for an independent group of pubs and bars to get into the top 10 as the list of contenders is pretty much all star clean up hitters in the roster. Anyway, The Union has 12 bars around the city offering cocktails, wine, shots, pizzas, and of course burgers. Got to the location in Farringdon, the bar has a mix atmosphere of vintage with some retro Asian style, some sort of east meeting west.

The Place

The West Side

Grand Union

When we talk about burgers, we are talking about 26 different combinations in the menu divided into classic, lux, global, and garden burgers for the braves that don’t eat meat. It took me a while to decide due to the number of options, Bok? Pineapple seriously? No go for me, how about All Day Breakfast? That might be an option, but no sausage in it? Disappointing, maybe the Surf and Turf this time with prawns, wait Italian Job that sounds tasty... At the end I went for a kind of a train wreck the Four Cheese Burger, mea culpa!

Four Cheese

The Four Cheese Burger, with mozzarella, blue cheese, brie, and mature cheddar, I also add onion rings as a side.

Say Riiiings

The verdict, the burger as you can imagine was a cheese festival, too many flavours, the meat was well done, huge mistake, they didn’t even ask how I wanted to be cooked, dry patty killing any juice that it could have. They serve the burger as the tower of Pisa, which makes it a little bit difficult to bite, and the bread felt into pieces, and couldn’t hold it more than two bites before collapsing. The rings were good, quite good to be honest, no greasy rings, good battered, a little bit cold, they might have been resting for too long before I got them.

The damage, 12.90 for the burger and the onion rings.

The conclusion, I think they fail, too many errors, I admire the fact of offering 26 different burgers is a lot, but I couldn’t pass the well done patty or the collapsing bread. I will give them a 5 in my scale.

The Four Cheese Burger reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Burning”

Elaine: So where do you want to eat?

Puddy: Feels like an Arby's night.

Elaine: Arby's. Beef and cheese and do you believe in god?

Puddy: Yes.

Elaine: Oh. So, you're pretty religious?

Puddy: That's right.

Elaine: So is it a problem that I'm not really religious?

Puddy: Not for me.

Elaine: Why not?

Puddy: I'm not the one going to hell.


Grand Union Farringdon
T: 020 7251 5259
Cuisine: American
Borough: Islington
Area: Clerkenwell
Twitter: grandunionbars

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Burger Wars Episode XXX: The Wine Side of the Force [Closed: No longer trading]

While my friend Reter was visiting London, he asked me to take him for a good burger in town. Therefore, I decided to try one of the places in my list that most bloggers and critics consider in the top 10, difficult choice taking a friend that lives in Houston to eat a burger, as Obi Wan would say “Who is more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?” Finally, I decided the venue for my visit number 30, the lucky target after checking the list was Bistro du Vin. A classic French bistro, Anglo-French cuisine, excellent service all of them speaking with a strong French accent which creates a distinctive atmosphere, open plan kitchen that you can enjoy from the bar, and an extensive selection of wines.

Le Bistro

Le nom

The uniqueness of Bistro du Vin is the Josper Grill, an indoor barbeque with a door so the juices and moisture are sealed within the grill not letting any flavour to escape. Who could resist a burger with such potential, I ordered as starter roast bone marrow, and the BdV burger which comes with relish and fries.

La carte et Le Joseper Grill

Photos

Delicieux

The verdict, the burger is extremely good, the Josper Grill gives it a nice flavour, the bacon, the melted cheese, and the sauce complement the juicy taste and make you want more.

C'est super

The damage, 18 quids for the burger, fries, and beer.

The conclusion, excellent option, one of the best in town, don’t hesitate to pass by and try the BdV burger. Fries are thin and crispy, and the bone marrow was excellent. I will give them an 9 in my scale.

Le BdV Burger

 Pommes Frites

French reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Soul Mate”.

Jerry: That Pam! I am ga-ga over her!

Elaine: Ga-ga? When did that happen?

Jerry: Yesterday. Six-ish.

Elaine: Well, maybe we should double. I'm pretty ga-ga myself.

Jerry: You just met the guy yesterday.

Elaine: Yeah, but we have a common goal.

Jerry: A barren, sterile existence that ends when you die?

Elaine : Yeah.

George: And you really believe this guy doesn't want to have kids.

Elaine: Yeah, of course.

Jerry: Elaine, a guy will say anything to get a woman.

Elaine: Oh, please. He wouldn't say that.

George: Elaine, I once told a woman that I coined the phrase, "Pardon my French."

Jerry: I once told a woman that I don't eat cake because it goes right to my thighs.

George: I once told a woman that I really enjoy spending time with my family.