Florence Knight is Back

You know my last name is Costanza. That's Italian, so you and I are like country men Pisano's

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Calzone”)

Probably one of the most anticipated openings or in this case re-opening was Polpetto. Yes Russell Norman and Richard Beatty little sister of Polpo. So finally I had the chance to give them a visit. Bigger than the original place, with 60 seats, eating bar, open kitchen, chef‘s table, and a menu under the control of chef Florence Knight.

The bar

We got a good selection from their menu, including and amazing Burrata with the agretti and chilli. Then we got scallops perfectly cooked in a cauliflower puree and with lardo to give some saltiness to the dish, really lovely. Then a beef shin ragu pasta that was impeccable, this was the highlight of the day, rustic, home made style, the perfect comfort food, beef tender, flavour spot on, and pasta al dente. Finally we got some chicken oysters, nicely done, good balance and crispiness in the dish. 

Beef Shin

Chicken Oysters

The food was flawless, nice flavours and unpretentious. Definitely coming back!

Polpetto

T: 020 7439 8627

Italian Cuisine

Approx Damage: £31pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: polpettoW1

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Burger Wars Episode LXXIX: Another Salt Yard Tapas Place [BurgeReview]

It didn't do me any good either! That benefit was the worst show I ever did. Some of those heckles were really uncalled for, Avast ye matey! What the hell does that mean? 20 degrees off the starboard side the Spanish Galleon! There's no comeback for that!

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Puffy Shirt”)

Ember Yard is the new restaurant from Salt Yard Group. Another tapas place based on charcoal cooking, two levels, and open kitchen on the ground floor, tapas, charcuterie, a set menu, and cocktails. We got a couple tapas and their slider, I will have to recommend the smoked chorizo skewers with saffron aioli, it was spectacular, and also the courgette flower stuffed with goat’s cheese was amazing.

The place

The slider a smoked Basque beef patty with Idiazabal and chorizo ketchup.

Slider Time

The verdict, nice slider, good flavour, the chorizo sauce is excellent

The damage, 6.25 quid for the slider

The conclusion, good flavours, nice location, and good menu. The slider is nice, the chorizo sauce is key, it was great they didn’t copy the Opera Tavern one, however the later is a bit better. I will give a 7 to the Ember Yard slider. Don't leave without trying the Bloody Gazpacho.

Ember Yard

T: 020 7439 8057

Spanish Cuisine

Approx Damage: £38pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: EmberYard

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Dim Sum Oxymoron

In a Chinese restaurant do they take money?

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Chinese Restaurant”)

I loved Hakkasan so I was really excited to visit Yauatcha for Dim Sum. Not the classic Dim Sum teahouse joint, modern design, upscale, and holding one Michelin star. They also have a takeaway of chocolate and macaroons that are just amazing. The food was spot on, we got as much as we could, the highlights were no doubts the lovely lobster dumpling with tobiko caviar, the spicy soft shelf crab, the Wagyu beef puff that is to die for, and the mushrooms and black truffle spring rolls.

Dim Sum time

Wagyu Beef Puffs

The food is impeccable, really lovely, great flavours, and perfect execution. A couple warnings, the service was a bit slow so not as good as it should have been for one star, and the sits are design for hobbits so if you’re a bit tall you might feel uncomfortable. My recommendation is to ignore the service and enjoy the food.

Yauatcha

T: 020 7494 8888

Dim Sum / Chinese Cuisine

Approx Damage: £37pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: yauatcha

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Coffee Enquiry XXVIII: Speakeasy (Closed)

Do we have a chance? You get me one coffee drinker on that jury, you are going to walk out of there a rich man

Jackie Chiles (Seinfeld episode “The Maestro”)

Update: The place changed name since I visited. Now is trading under Department of Coffee and Social Affairs

Independent coffee places are spreading as fast as burger joints. One of them is Speakeasy Espresso & Brew Bar. A modern, straight forward coffee place, with a broad concept in Carnaby St. Looking at the place, I have to say Speakeasy style is definitely London one. Two levels, espresso bar upstairs, and downstairs in the basement a brew bar where you can interact with their Baristas. They are part of the Coffeesmiths Collective, the key advantage their Baristas are trained and knowledgeable about coffee.

The place

Coffee time

I got to the Espresso bar, obviously espresso drinks, and a menu with simple breakfast dishes, and some baked goods. Ordered a Flat White and a Pasteis de Nata. The Portuguese custard was made in Kent, quite nice, good flavour but if you want the real deal you should go to Notting Hill's Lisbon Pattiserie. The flat white was a bit smaller for the usual size we get in London. Nice coffee tough, not too strong, latte art spot on.

Portuguese treat

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Climpson & Sons

Score: 4/5

Flat White

Lovely place, the staff goes the extra mile, including the friendly Aussie lady that took my order.

Speakeasy Espresso & Brew Bar

T: 020 7434 3340

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £6pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: SpeakeasyW1

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Coffee Enquiry XXVII: Nopi - Breakfast and Coffee

Six months ago you were eating four of those for breakfast and chasing it with a ring ding, and two butter fingers on the train. Sounds familiar?

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Glasses”)

I have been wanting to go to NOPI for a while, Yotam Ottolenghi restaurant in Soho. A brasserie with Middle East and Asian Flavours. Open all day, bright white with bricks and tiles with brass lamps decor, downstairs a big communal table looking the open kitchen. So after months planning to go I spotted the chance to get breakfast there, lucky me the place was not so crowded on a weekday breakfast time.

The place

White & Brass

First lest talk about the food. I got the North African dish Shakshuka. Braised eggs, tomato sauce, and labne. Amazing! This is for sure one of the top breakfast dishes in London, the mix of flavours, spicy kick that kept going and going, the eggs perfectly cooked with a beautiful runny yolk, the tomato based with onions garlic and herbs, everything was amazing.

Shakshuka

Now is time to talk about the coffee. I went for a Flat white, great coffee, nice after taste, strong with a balanced bitterness, latte art top marks, this was like taken from a top independent coffee place.

Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Climson & sons

Score: 4/5

Perfect coffee

I highly recommend you to go for food and/or coffee as both are amazing. I will come back for lunch and dinner for sure.

A close up of the braised eggs

NOPI

T: 020 7494 9584

Mediterranean Cuisine

Approx Damage: £16pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: ottolenghi

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Coffee Enquiry XXV: Rapha in Soho

You present an interesting dilemma. Each of you seemingly has a legitimate claim to the bicycle, and yet the bicycle can have only one rightful owner. Quite the conundrum. As a federal employee, I believe the law is all we have. It's all that separates us from the savages who don't deserve even the privilege of the daily mail

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Seven”)

I have seen many things but a cyclist shop and coffee place is a new one. The place Rapha Cycle Club, with stores in New York, Sydney, Osaka, San Francisco, and London. A nice coffee shop surrounded by the retail shop, flat TVs with race screenings so you can enjoy a coffee while watching Tour de France. Sandwiches, salads, even beer and wine in the menu. So if you are in the mood for a coffee and a ride this is the place for you.

The place

The Cycle Club

The Store

I got a Macchiato, nice and strong, good bitterness contrasted by the creamy milk. The beans are divided between Workshop Cult of Done and also single origin from JB Kaffee. Latte art work in progress, but it’s nice to see the effort.

Macchiato

Espresso Machine: Synesso

Beans: Workshop

Score: 4/5

Postcards from a coffee shop

Personalised cups

Nice place for relaxing after completing the stage at Le Grand Boucle.

Rapha Cycle Club

T: 020 7494 9831

Coffee Shop / Cycle Shop

Approx Damage: £3pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: rapharacing

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A little place called Koya [Closed]

I don't want a big flat noodle 

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Virgin”) 

Update: Place is closed since I visited

Koya is a small Japanese udon noodle place in Soho. Simple decor, cozy, wooden communal tables, a bar in front of the kitchen at the back, wood panels with the menu and some blackboards with specials on chalk on the walls, and Bib Gourmand award by the Michelin Guide. The place is usually packed so we took a chance for lunch on the bank holiday. 

Marisol at the place

We started with the Kakuni, a braised pork belly in cider. It was lovely, nice broth, wonderful flavours, perfectly cooked. Then we shared Kamo Roast or roast duck, nice dish but missed a bit the wow factor, overall ok. 

Pork belly time

Duck

As main I got the Atsu Atsu, hot udon in hot broth. It was ok, again not impressed, I think the broth needed more time to develop flavours. Mine was with tempura prawn, not a good idea to have a crispy tempura in a hot broth, after I ordered I knew that the broth was going to dissolve the crispiness of the tempura. Marisol got a Donburi, the ten curry don. Basically rice with a tempura prawn, it was really nice, great flavours, perfect to appreciate the crispy tempura, excellent dish, and it comes with a nice miso soup. 

Atsu Atsu

Donburi

Miso

Overall Koya is a nice place, for me the broth was a bit weak, I like dense, depth, developed flavours, Marisol on the other hand prefers this kind of light broths. So I guess is up to you, I will come back but definitely the rice is what I will have.

Time to taste the duck

Koya

T: 020 7434 4463

Japanese Cuisine / Udon Noodles

Approx Damage: £27pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: KoyaUdon

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Burger Wars Episode LXVII: Honestly in Soho [BurgeReview]

I know, he's probably the only honest mechanic in New York 

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Fusilli Jerry”) 

The small venue from Brixton Village has expanded and has two other places in Soho and Camden. Honest Burgers praised by many is growing in size and popularity so it was about time I pay them a visit to their Soho branch. 

The place

I still was a bit reluctant as I wasn't impressed with the Brixton joint during my first visit, but I was craving for a burger plus I was in the area, and I wanted to avoid five guys and shake shack frenzy queues. Quite similar style to Brixton, white and wood atmosphere, their classic green board with the menu, small size in a quiet street in Soho, 10 to 14 tables inside, 4 outside, and a small window looking stool/bar sit. Place was packed at 3pm but still we were able to get a table in no time. 

A peek inside

A couple beef burger options in the menu, a daily special, chicken burger, coleslaw, salad, and chips. 

Honest Menu

I got the special and Marisol the blue cheese one with caramelised onions. 

Burger time

The verdict, both were perfectly cooked medium rare as we ordered, the special was superb, a lovely melted smoked mozzarella cheese with thinly sliced nice pancetta, perfect combination and great flavours. The blue cheese one was ok, I think April Bloomfield blow any chances for me to enjoy any other decent blue cheese burgers. 

The damage, 14 quid for the special burger and chips. 

The conclusion, nice burger, I will recommend to go for the special, rosemary fries were ok, decent prices, and now convenient locations. I will give the honest guys an 8 in my scale. Great improvement since my visit to Brixton.

Special one

Blue cheese one

Honest Burgers

T: 020 3609 9524

Burger Joint

Approx Damage: £12pp

Area: Soho

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: honestburgers

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