Coffee Enquiry XLIII: Argentinean Coffee Shop

She published my recipes. I had to close the store, move to Argentina. She ruined my business!

Soup Nazi (Seinfeld episode “The Finale”)

I have been looking for a nice local independent coffee around Chiswick. So I was excited when got into Tamp. An Argentinean coffee place, a brick and wood paradise with coffee, alfajores, and empanadas.

Coffee Time

Great coffee, lovely bites especially the empanadas, and nice staff. Just be patient as they are usually packed.

Beans: Notes

Machine: San Remo
Score: 5/5

Tamp Coffee

Coffee Shop

Area: Chiswick

Borough: Hounslow

Twitter: TAMPCOFFEE

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The Tourist Trap [On The Road: Berlin]

Hey, what is this? You're kissing in my line? Nobody kisses in my line!

Soup Nazi (Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi”)

I have to thank Lonely Planet to send me directly into this tourist trap. If you ask any Berliner as I did sadly after my trip, they will tell you that any kebab in Berlin is excellent. Let’s face it, there must be some hidden gems but kebab making should not be rocket science. So try to avoid Mustafa’s Gemuse Kebap queue as you will get same quality anywhere else.

Queue Time

Long queue for a good looking kebab

A massive queue, full of tourists and student crowds. Cult following status only comparable to the days of Meatwagon in South London. The donner kebab, was good, nice flavours, a special spicy sauce, really nice, but not worthy the hassle and 1hr queue to get your food.

Time to eat

Mustafa's Gemuse Kebap

Street Food

Approx Damage: €5pp

Area: Kreuzberg

Berlin

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A few tapas before a concert

Adios Muchacho!

Soup Nazi (Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi”)

I spend my money between going to restaurants and concerts. So before getting into the Royal Albert Hall we did a quick stop in Fernandez & Wells. Long time without visiting F&W, five places in London, the one in South Kensington is a bit bigger than the one Soho.

F&W

The bar/kitchen

Small plates in the menu including imported cheese and charcuterie, bocadillos, and raclette. We got a meat selection, three choices, we went for pancetta Arrotolata, and a Basque chorizo and salami. Really nice, great quality, the pancetta is cured for three months and spiced with pepper, fennel, and garlic. The chorizo and salami are from Pierre Oteiza, the chorizo has the nice touch of paprika and chilli, while the salami peppercorns and rum.

Meat board

We also got cheese and grilled chorizo, again spot on, nice combo of flavours, the Manchego is aged for at least 9 months.

Chorizo time

Finally we end with a raclette, lovely Ogleshield cheese, quite nice, good flavours. To wash down a nice Tempranillo Rivera del Duero.

Raclette

Red Red Wine

Lovely place for tapas and wine. I’m amazed with all they do with a couple toasters.

Fernandez & Wells

T: 020 7589 7473

Spanish Cuisine

Approx Damage: £24pp

Area: South Kensington

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

Twitter: fandwcoffee

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La Mamasita de Melbourne [On The Road: Melbourne]

I would have never thought that I would be looking forward to eating in a Mexican place in Melbourne, but after reading a couple reviews I couldn't resist the temptation to taste the Australian spin to Mexican cuisine. The place Mamasita, their promise end with the stereotype typical Americanised Mexican cuisine you usually find, and elevate truly authentic modern Mexican cuisine keeping traditional flavours. 

Mamasita

The woman in question?

The place is spot on, relax, friendly, full of flavour, I had the chance of visiting in a couple of opportunities. The menu is design to share dishes so be aware of not going alone if you want to have the full experience. We started the journey with Elotes Callejeros, street style chargrilled corn, a bit of cheese, lime, and of course chipotle, great start, nice flavours, messy, the cheese and the chipotle just brilliant. Then we moved to a Tostaditas de pollo, four 2.5 inch fried tortillas with chargrilled chicken, avocado, chipotle mayo, and habanero, it was sublime, nice flavours, the avocado with the spicy kick of the chipotle, and on top a queso fresco touch, just great. Then a Tacos de pavo, a 6 inch soft tortilla with slow roasted turkey breast, black mole, cabbage, red chilli, and coriander, it was nice again, good flavours but probably the weakest of the dishes. I got a Ceviche de Veracruz, snapper, tomato, olive, green chilli, lime, and coriander, good executed, nice spicy kick. As side, we got papas, roast potatoes, serrano chilli, and parsley, they were quite good. 

Elote

Tostadas

Tacos

Ceviche

My second visit, it was a bit humble, I started with and horchata, it was a bit watery, then the Tostadas de carnitas, slow braised pork shoulder, encurtidos, pickled jalapeño, and chicharron, again nice, great spicy punch, the texture and crunchiness of the tostada and the fried chicharron on top quite nice, definitely the tostadas are my favourites. I ended with Enchilada with pipian verde, squash and goat’s cheese stuffed tortillas, in a pipian verde sauce and cress, awesome, perfectly fried, te spicy Mexican touch, watercress played nicely, good balance, nice flavours. 

Horchata

More tostadas

Enchiladas

A great place to have lunch or dine in Melbourne. 

Looking through my mom stuff these days, I found she had an endless collection of recipes, they were everywhere, a couple ones in a drawer remind me the Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi” when Elaine finds all the Soup Nazi recipes in her new armoire. 

Elaine: Hello 

Soup Nazi: You? You think you can get soup? Please, you're wasting everyone's time 

Elaine: I don't want soup. I can make my own soup. 5 cups chopped Porcini mushrooms, half a cup of olive oil, 3 pounds celery 

Soup Nazi: That is my recipe for wild mushroom 

Elaine: Yeah, that's right. I got them all. Cold cucumber, corn and crab chowder, mulligatawny

Soup Nazi: Mulligatawny? 

Elaine: You're through Soup Nazi, pack it up, no more soup for you. Next!

Mamasita

T: +61 3 9650 3821

Mexican Cuisines

Approx Damage: AU$ 40pp

Area: CBD

Melbourne

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Magnolias Upscale Southern Cuisine

One of three restaurants owned by the HMGI in Charleston is Magnolias, opened in 1990, to offer upscale southern classics. Chef Don Drake has the task to give a modern international twist to the southern cuisine. 

The Place

Inside

Excellent service took time to explain dishes with great knowledge of southern cuisine, we started the night drinking a local Thomas Creek pilsner, I started the night with pan seared scallops on sweet corn hoe cakes and caramelised apples, smoked bacon, cream sauce, sautéed spinach, and balsamic syrup. The scallops were perfectly cooked, really nice flavour. We share some housemade potato chips with crumble blue cheese and scallions, they were quite nice, the blue cheese and scallions played nicely with the potatoes. 

Pilsner

Potatoes

Scallops

Then I got a cup of blue crab bisque, it was awesome the local crab bisque had a nice touch with fresh chives. Finally I closed the night having a pan fried boneless pork chop, Carolina dirty rice, sautéed green beans, and caramelised onion pan jus. The pork chop was nicely cooked, the rice was perfect and the dish had a nice balance. 

Blue Crab Bisque

Pork chop

Crab bisque reminds the Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi” 

George: Medium turkey chilli 

Jerry: Medium crab bisque 

George: I didn't get any bread 

Jerry: Just forget it. Let it go 

George: Um, excuse me, I think you forgot my bread 

Soup Nazi: Bread! $2 extra 

George: $2? But everyone in front of me got free bread 

Soup Nazi: You want bread? 

George: Yes, please 

Soup Nazi: $3! 

George: What? 

Soup Nazi: No soup for you!

Magnolias

T: +1 843 577 7771

Southern Cuisine / Modern American

Aprox Damage: $35pp

Area: Peninsular Charleston

Charleston

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A Perfect Argentinean Coffee and Wine Bar near Spitalfields

Moo! Grill an Argentinian coffee and wine bar serving Lomitos and empanadas. The concept is from Cordoba, where the Lomitos (steak sandwich) is very popular. A year and a couple months in the location, serving excellent Argentinian steaks, beer, and of course wine, definitely a unique place.

The Place

Inside

I bump into this place after reading a couple reviews. Arrived with a couple friends and immediately I felt like home, the service is perfect, obviously it helps speaking in Spanish but Moo! Makes sure everyone is treated like part of the family, is more like you’re in a friend’s house having drinks and a bbq.

Menu

I had a late lunch that day, and wasn’t going to eat too much until I saw the menu, I wanted to try everything as usual! And the prices are really accessible. So I went mental, basically I order everything that caught my eye and attention. Empanadas checked, one with beef the other humitas checked. Then I went for a Beef Lomito checked, and a Choripan checked. Two huge and tasty sandwiches in toasted ciabatta with salad, sauces, and other trimmings, in the case of the Lomito the ham, the melted cheese, and the egg was the perfect company for the tasty Argentinean beef. While the Choripan with roasted peppers completed the scene.

Empanadas

Steak Sandwich

Choripan

The food was amazing period. To refresh the evening Quilmes, and some Argentinean wines gave the extra pleasure for the night. If you want to try something more substantial, you can go for any of their steaks, Bife de Lomo, Bife de Chorizo, the latter my favourite.

I will be returning regularly to Moo! To be honest is a no brainer, good food, nice beers, excellent wines, centrally located, friendly service, and reasonable prices. Too bad the owner is not a Boca fan, but hey nobody is perfect. Che boludo que esperas para ir!

Argentina reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Finale”.

Soup Nazi: She published my recipes. I had to close the store, move to Argentina. She ruined my business!

Elaine: Soup's not all that good anyway.

Soup Nazi: What did you say?

Moo! Grill

T: 020 7377 9276

Argentinean Steaks, Coffee and Wine Bar

Borough: Tower Hamlets

Area: Spitalfields
Twitter: MooGrill

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Handmade Burger Co

A colleague wanted to have a burger while we were working on Hull. So the option we experimented was Handmade Burger Co. More than 40 burgers made from scratch everyday, same for the fries, hand cut and double fried. 10 locations, nil in London.

The Place

Harry Potter Style

I got a Blue Cheese and Bacon burger with fries and onion rings. Huge mistake they never ask how I wanted my burger cook, so what do you reckon? Overdone! then the fries were a complete disaster, soggy and oily almost inedible, thanks god the onion rings were good, actually quite good.

How they made the burgers

Bacon and Blue Cheese Terror

Rings very good

Fries

The flavour of the burger was ok, but far from great, at least the bacon and blue cheese gave some hope to the overall experience.

A no go for me, NEXT!

That reminds me the "Soup Nazi" episode from Seinfeld.

Elaine: Hi there. Um, uh, Oh! Oh! Oh! One mulligatawny and, um, what is that right there? Is that lima bean?

Soup Nazi: Yes.

Elaine: Never been a big fan. Um, you know what? Has anyone ever told you, you look exactly like Al Pacino? You know, "Scent of a Woman." “Who-ah! Who-ah!”

Soup Nazi: Very good. Very good.

Elaine: Well, I…

Soup Nazi: You know something?

Elaine: Hmmm?

Soup Nazi: No soup for you!

Elaine: What?

Soup Nazi: Come back one year! Next!

Qu Qu Catalonian tapas for breakfast

With a massive hangover, probably similar to the one in the movie, we went to Passeig de Gracia to see a two of Gaudi’s masterpieces and have breakfast. We spotted a nice place, recommended by “El Pana Lonely” (Lonely Planet for the ones that didn't read my previous post) some sort of high end tapas, so we decided to give it a try. The place Qu Qu (Quasi Queviures) a modern style tapas/wine bar very well located.

 Quasi Queviures

The place

The Booze

So I opened with an iberico ham montado,the bread Catalan style, tomato and garlic, just nice, simple, and tasty. Then I went for a gazpacho, I love gazpacho, very well executed, nothing like cold tomato soup to help you recover from a hangover. Then a variation of patatas bravas, quite good and I was keen to have them, spicy aioli sauce instead of the traditional tomato one, good traditional flavours again. And finally a montado with txistorra, pretty good the spicy flavour of the txistorra.

Iberico Montado

Gazpacho

Patatas Bravas 

Txistorra

Great place to go and have a couple tapas, relax for a while, and then continue your journey exploring the city.

The lamp fits perfect with Barcelona 

Decor

Gazpacho reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi”.

Soup Nazi: You are the only one who understands me.

Kramer: You suffer for your soup.

Soup Nazi: Yes. That is right.

Kramer: You demand perfection from yourself, from your soup.

Soup Nazi: How can I tolerate any less from my customer?

Customer: Uh, gazpacho, por favor.

Soup Nazi: Por favor?

Customer: Um, I'm part Spanish.

Soup Nazi: Adios muchacho!