The Pizza Empire

Hmm! I love this artificial flavouring. I like it better than butter. I think it's more consistent

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Stall”)

I love to see how an independent place grows and stay focus to their quality and service. This is probably the case of Franco Manca. I still remember when you had to go to Brixton in order to get their pizzas, a small, cosy, and busy place in the middle of at that time not that popular market. These days the story is completely different, they have opened several new places across London, but the beauty is that their quality is almost the same as that little family owned place in Brixton.

Pizza Time

Yes it’s obvious when you are growing your business you will lose some of the quality and control you have, but in the case of the Franco Manca family they have kept it pretty tight. 17 places and counting as they will open their 18 restaurant in Wimbledon soon. If you want a nice Neapolitan pizza then don’t doubt to choose them, as I did a few days back when I bumped into their place in Covent Garden, same ambience, same menu, and same consistent delivery.

You can go for any of their classic pizzas or if adventurous enough then get their special as I did. Lovely pizza, good flavours, good service, probably their recipe for success Mamma Mia!

Franco Manca

Pizzeria

T: 0207 240 8309

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: FrancoMancaPizz

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Coffee Enquiry XL: Timberyard

Don't worry, your bitterness is safe with me

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Fix Up”)

Timberyard is a retro, vintage, 80s style café with two locations. We visited the one just a few steps away from Covent Garden or Leicester Square. Chemex, filter brews, and tea for drinks. Food wise the options are some traditional breakfasts, bake croissants, donuts, cakes, or soup, quiche, and grilled sandwiches for lunch and supper.

The place

We got as usual a macchiato and flat white. Ok coffee, a bit bitter, no latte art in ours but saw others with a lovely hearts and rosettes, probably bad luck, or the barista got lazier for our order.

Coffee time

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Has Beans

Score: 3/5

The Jabberwocky blend they use is quite particular, if they don’t get it right you will get sour and bitter flavours. I think that’s what happened with the macchiato as the flat was nice and with good balance.

Aerial view

Timberyard

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: timberyarduk

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Burger Wars Episode LXXXII: Back in Hawksmoor [BurgeReview]

Double dipped? What are you talking about?

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Implant”)

I came back to Hawksmoor Seven Dials to get their special third burger. Yes their third burger changes with each season, and for this Spring we got the Five Pork Burger.

Burger Time

The Five Pork comes with a Tamworth pork patty, sausage meat stuffing, smoked bacon, greens, and apple ketchup, all this on a brioche bun. If that’s not enough, as a side you get pork scratching and sausage gravy for dipping and double dipping.

The verdict, delicious, not the healthiest burger but a really tasty one.

The damage, 15 quid for the burger plus fries

The conclusion, the burger was spot on, great flavours, good balance, the pork scratching were a nice touch, triple cooked chips perfect as usual. A solid 9.5 of 10 for Hawksmoor seasonal burger.

Close up

Hawksmoor

T: 020 7420 9390

Steakhouse

Approx Damage: £25pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: HawksmoorLondon

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Belgian Pub and Theatre Time

What do you mean, what is it? It's a country right next to Belgium

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Butter Shave”)

I finally went to see War Horse, so before getting into the theatre we did a quick pit stop for some pints and a bite in Lowlander. Belgian pub with great selection of beers, around 15 on draught and more than 80 in bottles. For food some of the classics such as moules frites.

The place

We got the Moules a la Biere, and the Sicilian sausage with a Gorgonzola polenta. To wash the food down a couple pilsners including the Cristal and the house Pils. Food was ok, nothing to highlight except for the lovely beers. Definitely a place to go for drinks and not for eating.

Moules

Lowlander

T: 020 7379 7446

Gastropub

Approx Damage: £20pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: LowlanderLondon

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Burger Wars Episode LXXIV: The Shack Invasion [BurgeReview]

I’ll have the, ah, turkey club without the bacon

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Soup”)

The burger trend in London is still strong. You still have new burger joints, pop ups, street vendors opening places, and don’t forget the food festivals where at least one burger trader is a must. One widely expected opening was no doubt Shake Shack. The mythical NYC burger joint opening in the rainy city seemed impossible years ago. Who would have thought that Danny Meyer’s hot dog cart would have transform into a burger empire conquering not only USA but Middle East, Turkey, Russia, and London.

Shack Staff

Domo Arigato Mr Shackboto

I waited long to have the British shack burger, as the queues were humongous. But finally saw my opportunity, fourth months after their opening in July while wandering in the area no queue! The chosen one was a double SmokeShack, a cheeseburger with Wiltshire cure smoked bacon, cherry pepper, and their sauce.

The SmokeShack

The verdict, nice burger, good flavours, straight forward greasy American burger, same quality as their Manhattan siblings

The damage, 9 quid for the double bacon and cheeseburger

The conclusion, good flavour, convenient location, it was like having a déjà vu from my visit to Madison Square Park. Cheese fries were ok, a bit saggy to be honest. Lovely burger  even though it was well done, but not worthy of 20+ minutes queue, unless you’re a die hard fan of Meyer’s chain, then this is your place for sure. I will give Danny’s place a 8.5 in my scale

Burger time

Shake Shack

T: 020 3598 1360

Burger Joint

Approx Damage: £15pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: shakeshackUK

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Burger Wars Episode LXIX: The Guys are in London [BurgeReview]

I'm not going to Skyburger. Besides, it's in the opposite direction, let's just eat popcorn or something 

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Chinese Restaurant”) 

The burger rush that invaded London keeps full throttle. We still have the frenzy for the perfect patty between buns, and there is no exception with the two American burger joints that just crossed the pond. Queues are still in full size to get a burger in any of these chains. But I finally saw an opportunity, not too crowded for the Five Guys during Wednesday lunch time. 

Five Guys London

I’m amazed how crowded the place still is. During any of my visits to the States I've never seen this, my recollection of the Five Guys are places with a normal number of punters and some a bit empty, but here in London queues are becoming the common denominator. The staff a well oiled machine, line cooks preparing thousands of orders, Londoners still dazzled by the free Coca Cola refills, and the all toppings same price policy, one thing for sure the Five Guys are cleaning, this must be one of their most successful locals for sure. I wonder if the place in Reading has the same popularity.

Finally near the counter

Line cooks

I went for the bacon cheeseburger, and added grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, and jalapeño to spicy things a bit. Regular fries and a coke. 

The Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger

The verdict, burger was ok, nice gooey melted cheese, crunchy bacon, good taste, and the meat was completely done, so expect no juices at all 

The damage, less than 12 quid for the burger and small fries 

The conclusion, I'm still surprise with the fries, the quantity is unbelievable, the regulars fries are good for at least three people, probably if you go to the counter and complain you didn't get enough they will happily give you more. Overall the Five Guys experience have good flavours, street food all over your face, I see the novelty but surprise me that the wow effect is still lasting. I would prefer to have a more decent burger somewhere else but that's just me. I would have to say weak 6.5 for the Five Guys, thanks for the extra fries and the 100+ drink flavours in the soda machine though. Hope for the die hard fans of the Five Guys the queues calm a bit with the new place coming in Angel.

Small fries

Burger

Five Guys

T: 020 7240 2057

Burger Joint

Approx Damage: £16pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: FiveGuysUK

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Hirata Buns and Rock n’ Roll

Aaah! Aaagh! Aah-aah. Oh, oh the humanity! Aaagh! 

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Pothole”) 

This is definitely the year of Taiwanese buns. The Taiwanese street food, kind of a burger, popularised in NYC by David Chang’s Momofuku it’s surely but slowly coming their way into London. So when I heard that chef Ross Shonhan opened a spin off of it’s successful ramen bar Bone Daddies I Couldn't resist to visit as soon as I could.

The place in Covent Garden

The menu of Flesh & Buns is focus on the Hirata buns, basically the New York City version of the Taiwanese street food. The place is in a Basement nearby the Seven Dials. Noisy as his big brother Bone Daddies, but not as dark playing with white bright colours, and industrial lamps. 

F&B

Bar

Long Live the Communal Table

Not all in the menu are buns they also have nice starters going from rolls to prawn tempura. We went for three different small plates, first oysters, they were nice and fresh, little spicy kick thanks to the jalapeño dressing, and lovely touch of coriander. 

Oysters

Moving on we got the soft shell crab, it was amazing, perfectly executed, the jalapeño mayo to dip was at the right spicy level and not too rich which was perfect, I definitely loved soft shell crab. 

Crab time

The last starter was fried squid, beautiful, it was crispy and perfectly executed, good spicy level, touch of pepper and lime. 

Squid

Then to the main show, we got the braised pork belly, buns are DIY, it was amazing and fun creating your own bun. The pork belly was cooked perfectly, nice touch of the mustard miso, messy and yummy. 

DIY

Extra buns just in case

Making my Hirata

Ready to eat

To wash down the buns there is a selection of sake. We got the sparkling specialty, Mio sweet and cold sake with hints of vanilla. They should call it Spake the Sparkling Sake.

Sparkling Sake

To end the lunch we decided to have our own bonfire. S'more includes a small Asian kind of cute bonfire to melt marshmallow and prepare a biscuit with the green tea chocolate they provide. The marshmallow, green tea, and chocolate sandwich/biscuit is amazing, I have to say it was the highlight of the day, and remember I’m not a sweet tooth, again fun and tasty. 

Fogata

Campfire

Getting Ready

Burning the marshmallow

S'More

The place is perfect, excellent food, great service, nice music, I would recommend stop reading and head to Covent Garden for some Hirata Buns.

Flesh & Buns

T: 020 7287 8581

Asian Cuisine

Approx Damage: £37pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: Camden

Twitter: FleshandBuns

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