Coffee Enquiry XLIX: Tap Coffee

You know, you're going along, you think everything's all right and all of a sudden you get that tap

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Mango”)

The other day while doing some errands I stopped by Tap Coffee in Fitzrovia. Not sure why but their shops are quite appealing to me, all the time I pass by they are inviting me in to indulge with coffee, maybe is the black facade with the huge number (No 114) and no mention of the name.

Coffee Time

3 Locations around London with the same feel and offer, a relax place to share a coffee while catching up with friends.

I got a macchiato and my better half a Flat White. The coffee was a light body with mild bitterness. Modest citrus acidity, some chocolate and tobacco notes.

Abstract Latte Art

Beans: Tap Coffee

Espresso Machine: Nuova Simonelli

Score: 3/5

Decent cup of coffee, lovely cutlery, and inviting place

Tap Coffee

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £5

Area: Fitzrovia

Borough: Camden

Twitter: tapcoffee

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Burger Wars Episode LXXXIX: The Bobo Experiment [BurgeReview]

This jacket has completely changed my life. When I leave the house in this, it's with a whole different confidence. Like tonight, I might've been a little nervous. But, inside this jacket, I am composed, grounded, secure that I can meet a social challenge

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode "The Jacket")

I found out about BOBO Social thanks to a friend that came visiting. The menu is based around burgers, hand made daily, changing regularly the beef and the wood they use. Premium beef supplied by premium butcher Flock & Herd, and burgers cooked in a Kop Charcoal oven that burns coal and wood to give their distinctive flavour

The Place

My choice the Debauchery, Wagyu and rare-breed beef, ogleshield cheese, confit shitake, and truffles

The burger

The verdict, probably the best burgers in London these days, they are perfectly cooked as specified, attention to detail, and full of flavour

The damage, £20 for only the burger

The conclusion, a superb burger, BOBO is doing all things right, highly recommended, perfect score!

BOBO Social

T: 0207 636 9310

Burger Place

Approx Damage: £30pp

Area: Fitzrovia

Borough: Camden

Twitter: BoboSocial

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Coffee Enquiry XXXIX: Attendant

Anywhere in the city. I'll tell you the best public toilet

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Busboy”)

Would you have a coffee in a public toilet? The answer for Londoners is yes. The Attendant is an irreverent berlin style 1899 Victorian conversion men loo into a coffee house. Trendy, alternative, the best place to seat in front of a urinal and enjoy your cappuccino.

George didn't know about these facilities

We got a macchiato and flat white as usual. Nice coffee, the flat goes better with the coffee beans they use. Strong beans, nice after taste, latte art need a bit of practice.

Coffee time

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Caravan

Score: 3/5

Coffee over the urinal

The place

Decent coffee, for sure a different place, and no urine odour at all.

The Attendant

T: 020 7637 3794

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Fitzrovia

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: Attendantcafe

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The Mad Hatter's Tea

No, no, no, wait a minute, I always have tuna on toast. Nothing's ever worked out for me with tuna on toast. I want the complete opposite of tuna on toast. Chicken salad, on rye, untoasted, and a cup of tea

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Opposite”)

Afternoon tea must have been a creation of a Hobbit. I love the fact that between lunch and dinner you can go bananas and have and all you can eat finger sandwiches, scones, and cakes without remorse. There are plenty of options in London but one quite particular is in the Sanderson hotel, The Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea.

Tea Time

Attention to detail, fun, and great execution is what will you find in the Mad Hatter afternoon tea. All the food was great, the sandwiches are ok, the different types of bread gives a nice twist otherwise they will be standard. They have 3 special teas and also the classic ones, our favourite was the mint choco chip. Cakes and sweets are really nice and exotic, mango cheesecake, tea chocolate cup, and even the mushroom marshmallows. But I have to say the highlight probably are the scones, best ones I have ever had.

Where is Alice?

Highly recommended, definitely great fun having it. Finger sandwiches with spinach, sun dried tomato, or lemon bread, the special quiche, great sweat and savoury scones, and on the sweet side the tick tock victoria cake, melting mango cheesecake, or the drink me potion.

Highlight of the afternoon scones and drink me potion

Sanderson Hotel - The Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea

T: 020 7300 5588

Afternoon Tea

Approx Damage: £44pp

Area: Fitzrovia

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: SandersonLDN

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Burger Wars Episode LXXVI: The Cheesemas Strikes Back [BurgeRewiev]

Ho Ho Ho Ho! A racing car set! Those are assembled in Taiwan by kids like you! And these Coleman pigs, they sell it at triple the cost

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Race”)

I’m back again in Byron to get their new special. The traditional Triple Cheesemas burger, second year in a row, and they bring it back to the menu until January 2. This time I visited the Goodge St. restaurant. Similar to their other sites, same formula, a nice place with a yellowish atmosphere.

The place

Yellow stripes

Inside

The Triple Cheesemas brings two 6oz patties, American, Monterrey Jack, and Emmenthal cheese, onion, lettuce, pickles, and a spicy sauce.

Happy Cheesemas

The verdict, the new Cheesemas is really nice, good flavours, lovely spicy sauce, good crunchiness from the iceberg, juicy burger, the only downsize is that I had some issues with the bun as the bread collapsed half way thru.

The damage, 11.95 quid for the xmas special

The conclusion, a nice burger, glad they brought it back, minor issues with the bun but no show stopper. Have to say the burger is quite big for Byron standards. I will give the Holiday special 8.5 in my scale.

Burger Time

Double with Triple Cheese

Byron
T: 020 7580 6000
Burger Joint
Approx Damage: £19pp
Area: Fitzrovia
Borough: Camden
Twitter: byronhamburgers

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Coffee Enquiry XX: Lantana a Brunch place on Charlotte Place

She invited me up, coffee's not coffee, coffee is sex! 

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Phone Message”) 

It has been a while since my last brunch, so I decided it was about time to cross a name out of my breakfast London list. The place I decided to go was Lantana, another successful Aussie place that opened in 2008. A small two level place with just a couple of tables al fresco, open seven days a week, same owners of Salvation Jane in Moorgate/Shoreditch. 

The place

My view old family picture

The place was completely packed for brunch, after waiting for 10min we got sits downstairs. I went for the ham hock, with chorizo, roast peppers, baked beans, spinach, poached eggs, and a chili cornbread. All in all it was nice, the spicy cornbread was, as well as the chorizo and beans combo, the downside was the eggs that were overcooked. 

Ham Hock

Halloumi and Black Pudding

Marisol got the salt beef hash with poached eggs, fresh spinach, and smoked tomato relish. The dish was ok, the eggs again where way over, the yolk wasn’t running, so no happiness, overall it missed a toast or some sort of bread to come with 

Salt beef

Now let’s talk about the coffee. I had big expectations as the Aussie places characterize by good coffee. They are using Square Mile beans. The coffees come with their latte art touch, and if you asked them about the coffee they gladly explain everything. 

Red Brick

I got a macchiato and a flat white, both top marks, I don’t recall liking so much Red Brick seasonal blend.

Flat

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Square Mile

Score: 4/5 

Macchiato

Really good coffee and not too bad brunch place. Stop by for a cup of coffee if you’re around.

Lantana

T: 020 7637 3347

Breakfast / Coffee

Approx Damage: £15pp

Area: Fitzrovia

Borough: Camden

Twitter: lantanacafe

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Pizza Scuola in London

I have to say something. With all due respect, I just never! I can't imagine anyone in any walk of life, under any circumstance, wanting to make their own pizza pie, but that's me 

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “Male Unbonding”) 

I got an invitation to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ponti’s Italian Kitchen. Family run restaurant from Emilia Romagna, the event included a tasting of some of their new additions to the menu and we ended playing to create our pizza in the large open theatre kitchen under the instruction of Chef Genaro. 

Pizza oven

Chef explaining how to do the pizza pie

Two Ponti’s Italian kitchen, several Café Italian branches and same for Ponti’s. The family from Piacenza has been running the restaurant since 1963, the dishes are traditional and simple, with fresh ingredients most denoted with ingredients from the region (DOP). 

Olives and tapenade

We started the night with 4 new additions to Ponti’s menu, insalata di mozzarella e zucca (Roasted butternut squash, mozzarella di Buffalo, wilted greens, crispy parmesan & breadcrumbs) really nice and fresh, good combination of the squash and the mozzarella. Capesante con parma (scallops wrapped in Parma ham in garlic butter with warm focaccia) Amazing! They were excellent, the scallops perfectly cooked and nice touch of the parma. Antipasto carne with Salame Piacentino, coppa, Parma ham, vine ripened roasted cherry tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano matured for 18 months, freshgreen olives & Sardinian flat bread, really nice to show the fresh produce they have to offer. Finally fagottini Di Formaggio (Smoked Scamorza cheese wrapped in Parma ham with sage butter & warm focaccia) really nice. 

Antipasto

Insalata di mozarella e zucca

Fagottini

Capesante con Parma

The end of the night was to make our own pizza pie, they gave us the dough and it was time to show our skills to create the perfect pizza, using traditional ingredients. They run "Dough your own pizza" evening 7 days a week, including a glass of Prosecco and a choice of Italian ice-cream for just £18 per person 

Making my own pie

Kramer time

Pizza time

The other of our creations

We ended an amazing and fun night with a pistachio ice cream and a tiramisu. The food is quite nice and the dough your own pizza it’s perfect to enjoy with friends, probably Kramer got the idea from Ponty’s.

Desert time

Ponti's Italian Kitchen

T: 020 3230 3018

Italian Cuisine

Area: Fitzrovia

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: PontisIK

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