Coffee Enquiry XLI: Grind Coffee

Coffee, and they grind up the coffee beans, and put it in

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Non-Fat Yoghurt”)

Grind Coffee it is an independent coffee shop recommended by my friend Sarah. One of her local brew places, quite big one near the river in Putney. The place has brick walls with nice finished details in some sort of industrial atmosphere. They recently opened their own coffee roaster, and have an additional shop/bar in the Stratford Westfield.

Coffee Time

We got two flat white, nice and sweet, some acidity from the Kenya component on their blend. Nice balance, and top marks for their latte art.

Grind Coffee

Beans: Grind Coffee

Machine: La Marzocco 

Score: 4/5

Really nice option in Putney, friendly service, relax place, and good coffee.

Grind Coffee

T: 020 8789 9073

Coffee Shop

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Putney

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: GrindCoffeeBar

---

---

Gordon’s London House

I would drape myself in velvet if it were socially acceptable 

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Label Maker”) 

London House is another Gordon Ramsay's restaurant in Battersea. Modern and relax ambiance featuring European cuisine by chef Anna Haugh-Kelly. We got earlier so went to the lounge, a nice fireplace with leather and velvet armchairs. Beer served in a frozen glass Latin American style, just love it and perfect for the odd warm day in London 

Pig's head croquette

For starters we got the braised pig's head croquette, great execution, the capers mayo was spot on not too intense to overcome the quail egg or the head flavours, overall a good balance. Also the crab tortellini, really nice and delicate in a shellfish broth. For main we got the Cumbrian beef filet with braised cheek stuffed gnocchi. Great dish, the beef was nice and tender, good seasoning, it could have had just a bit more searing, but overall good. The gnocchi was spot on, great flavours, I could have eaten a full dish of only those filled potato gnocchi. 

Beef filet and the stuffed gnocchi

Good execution, great cuisine from Chef Anna Haugh-Kelly, and good service. Another lovely restaurant from chef Ramsay.

London House

T: 020 7592 8545

European Cuisine

Approx Damage: £40pp

Area: Battersea

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: londonhouse 

---

---

Burger Wars Episode LXXXI: The Dip Side of the Force [BurgeReview]

Double-dipped? What are you talking about?

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Implant”)

A couple weeks back I was looking for a burger, then I remembered about Dip & Flip in Clapham. All the reviews I saw so far where good so I was quite keen to go visit. The place has an alternative décor, chairs with names, tom petty and the stones on the speakers, big murals of a gravy train, and a lady on a cocktail holding a burger complete the scene.

Menu

A couple sandwiches to dip, and to flip five burgers including their special. I went for the Dip & Flip burger giving you a bit of both worlds. Brioche toasted bun, melted American cheese, and topped with roast beef and dripping gravy.

Burger time

Verdict, Really nice burger, perfectly cooked medium rare, the beef with gravy is a nice addition

Damage, 9.95 quid for the Dip & Flip burger

Conclusion, I really liked the burger, has a nice balance, good flavours, and they even get you a gravy bowl so you can dip and double dip your burger. Fries were crispy, quite good. I will give the Dip & Flip team a 9, quite good place if you end up in Clapham.

Dip & Flip

T: 012 345 6789

Burger Joint

Approx Damage: £15pp

Area: Battersea

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: DipFlippo

---

---

Burger Wars Episode LXXX: Alderaan Cattle

When it's raining do cows go up to the farmhouse, let us in, we're all wearing leather! Open the door! We're going to ruin the whole outfit here! Is it suede? I am suede, the whole thing is suede, I can't have this cleaned. It's all I got!

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Jacket”)

My latest burger visit was to try Cattle Grid in Balham. A steakhouse with five locations in the UK with Battersea, Balham, and Kingston within the M25. Their motto quality steak without breaking the bank. 

We started with the chicken wings, nice blue cheese, really good heat.

Chicken Wings

For the burger I got the Stilton and flat mushroom and added bacon.

Burger Time

The verdict, the burger flavour was nice but auto destroyed itself after the second bite. It was well done even I ordered medium rare.

The damage, 8.5 quid for the burger.

The conclusion, good flavour, but no juices as the patty was too well done for me. Also you might finish eating the burger with a fork and knife, as it can disintegrate within seconds. Nice flavours but short in execution, room to improve, I will have to give a 6.5 to the Grid team.

Stilton, Bacon, & Mushroom

Cattle Grid

T: 020 8673 9099

Steakhouse

Approx Damage: £25pp

Area: Balham

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: cattlegrid

---

View Larger Map

---

Franco gets to Balham

A slice of pepperoni pizza, and a large soda, and three times a week I will require a cannoli

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Calzone”)

Franco Manca is expanding, the pizza empire is growing, those days of queuing in Brixton as it was the only one are over. These days with six restaurants across London, it’s easier to get their traditional Neapolitan pizza. I went this time to the one in Balham.

Balham place

Same concept as the original place in Brixton, authentic Neapolitan style pizza, my only worry was if they will be able to maintain quality despite growing.

Special menu 

Franco Add

I got the meat special, Franco & Lloyd's mozzarella, organic tomato, wild pig fennel salami, watercress, and goat's curd. It was amazing, the salami was perfect, and the pizza had a great balance, lovely flavours. I have to say Manca’s pie is still one of the best pizzas in London. 

Meat Special

No Logo beer

You will get fresh ingredients, a pizza made in a traditional oven, and a the same detailed train to their chefs. This is resulting in consistency and quality for Franco Manca.

Traditional ham & mushrooms with extra olives

Franco Manca

T: 020 8772 0489

Pizzeria

Approx Damage: £12pp

Area: Balham

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: FrancoMancaPizz

---

View Larger Map

---

Coffee Enquiry XXIX: An Artisan in Putney

Oh! And that coffee table is saying, put some coffee on me! I'd like to put some coffee on her. Hot, scalding coffee right in her face! I swear! This is like working with a contestant from The Price Is Right

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Fire”)

It’s hard to find a decent independent coffee place West and even more South West London. Until Edwin and Magda opened Artisan in Putney. After working with coffee in Uganda they came to the UK and decided to open a small, busy, industrial with a bit of rough and unique style coffee heaven in South West London.

The place

Inside

I got there with my friend Sarah who is a regular of the place. We got a couple flat whites, the coffee is nice, good aromas, great balance, and lovely latte art.

Coffee Time

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Allpress

Score: 4/5

A great coffee place, friendly service, perfect to relax and/or catch up.

Artisan

T: 020 8617 3477

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Putney

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: artisan_coffee

---

View Larger Map

---

Coffee Enquiry XXIV: Aussie Breakfast in Balham

Hi. I really should be getting back to my fiance, you know, we had this big fight yesterday and, well she wants to know my secret code. I don't know, I can't tell her. The funny thing is, you know, I would really love to tell someone because it's killing me. You want to know what it is? It's Bosco. You know, the chocolate syrup? I love that stuff, I pour it in milk, it's my favorite drink. Hoo-hoo, boy, that is a relief!

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Secret Code”)

I have been looking for a decent brunch and coffee place in South London. So my search took me to Balham to try M1LK. The place is an Australian coffee shop from start to end in the heart of Balham. Relax, rustic, irreverent, laid back, alternative techno music to pump your day, and small but still cozy.

Almas or M1lk?

Got M1lk?

Crew in action

So let’s talk first about the brunch. M1lk has a straight forward menu, eggs, woodfired sourdough, smothies with fancy names as Lois and Billie, combos of avocado, bacon, feta, hash, hangover sauce, and other ingredients. Marisol got a Lauren smoothie (banana, strawberry, and mango) really nice. Then we got a young Betty with crispy spinach and baked eggs. The food was spot on, great flavours, the Betty came with poached eggs, perfectly cooked, bacon, spinach, hollandaise, and a toasted sourdough holding all, a bit too hard the bread, it might have worked better as a side. Overall still really nice.

Smothie share

Young Betty

The baked eggs came with kasekrainer, yes the cheese filled sausages, crispy spinach, and labne. Quite nice, great execution, still my favourite eggs are the Providores ones but these ones are a close second.

Baked eggs two ways

Now the coffee, Australian style, with espresso drinks, aeropress, and 23hrs cold brew. The espresso blend is the seasonal cult of done form Workshop, I went for a Flat White, top marks for their latte art, the coffee was creamy, nice flavours, and not too strong.

Flat

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Workshop Coffee

Score: 3/5

Milk

Lovely place, great breakfast, nice coffee, good music, friendly service, my final advice is to bring cash as they don’t take cards. Next time I will bring the Bosco to mix with the M1lk.

New menu

M1lk

T: 020 8772 9085

Coffeehouse / Breakfast

Approx Damage: £14pp

Area: Balham

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: m1lkcoffee

---

View Larger Map

---

Burger Wars Episode LXV: Doodle Burger [BurgeReview / Street Food]

The police come over to your house, they fill out the report, they give you your copy. Now, unless they give the crook his copy, I don't really think we're going to crack this case, do you? 

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Robbery”) 

The search keeps going and going like the Duracell bunny, even more when every week there is a new burger in town. One in that growing list was Street Kitchen. The concept created by Mark Jankel and Jun Tanaka, gourmet food for Londoners to eat on the go. Daily changing menus, street food award winners for two years. You can find them in festivals around UK in their Airstreams units, at the Hatch to get their award burger, or at the Miller for their hotdog menu. 

Back in Doodle Bar

Got to the Hatch, it’s besides Doodle bar within Testbed1 experimental space. I went a year ago to try Patty & Bun unsuccessfully at the same hatch as Street Kitchen shared the space for a pop up with the now established P&B. 

Testbed1

The Bill

The burger I got was The Buffalo Bill. Cheeseburger with pickled red onion, lettuce, smokey mustard mayo, ketchup, all that in a brioche bun. 

To Go

It got the look

The verdict, nice burger, a bit overcooked for me as I liked mine medium rare, good flavours though, and nice balance 

The damage, 11 quid for the burger and rosemary chips 

The conclusion, good burger, lovely location, sadly not the best one I have had, I think it’s some sort of Patty & Bun bad copycat at the moment. Chips are nice though not crispy enough a bit soggy. I had to give them a 7 out of 10, plenty of room for improvement

Close up

Chips

Street Kitchen

Street Food

Approx Damage: £11pp

Area: Battersea

Borough: Wandsworth

Twitter: Streetkitchen

---

View Larger Map

---