New Opening! The Angel and Crown, Covent Garden

A new gastropub The Angel and Crown has opened in Covent Garden this year becoming the latest in a long line of traditional boozers to undergo the gastro makeover.

The Martin Brothers (Tom & Ed) have transformed this one-time 18th century historical boozer into a new, modern, food loving quarter of Covent Garden.

The pub will now satisfy a variety of pub classics with a gastro twist. There is a bar menu serving up pheasant sandwiches, bone marrow and parsnip crisps as well as a main menu which features seasonal British sourced produce such as braised rabbit and Herdwick mutton hot-pot.

Being close to the West End theatre action, The Angel and Crown will also hold pre-theatre and post-theatre menus between 5pm – 6.30pm and 10pm-11pm respectively.

While serving up a refreshing pub menu, the brothers are also hosting cask ales such as Sambrook’s Junction, Adnams Bitter and Spindri as well as rotating guest seasonal brews in order to satisfy non-dining clientele.

Contact Details:

The Angel & Crown, 58 St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden WC2N 4EA

020 77485244

Website: http://www.theangelandcrown.com/

Review to follow shortly.

Maroush II, Knightsbridge

Photo: Kate Pugh

There aren’t many restaurants that are open until 5am every day of the week; let alone in Knightsbridge. However Maroush bucks the trend. Don’t let the late night tag fool you if you’re interested in trying some of the best Lebanese food London has to offer. This isn’t a greasy spoon or indeed a small café that inebriated passersby stumble across in the dead of night to devour chicken shawarma. This is Beauchamp Place, don’t you know.

Being part of a chain of Lebanese restaurants across west London, the Maroush brand (there are six in total) has become a hub of Lebanese food in these parts. Including other restaurants with different names, the owner Marouf Abouzaki has 13 outlets. Maroush II sits proudly in the middle of Beauchamp Place; and it has every right to be – just opposite is the Italian restaurant San Lorenzo which was said to be Princess Diana’s favourite London restaurant. But despite keeping good company, Maroush’s reputation certainly does not rely on favours from its neighbours as it wins accolades on its own merit.

Food is served like there is no tomorrow. And indeed if there were no tomorrow, it wouldn’t be a bad place to start. Traditional Lebanese mezze dishes are brought four or five at a time, tucking into the hummus, kibbe nayye (chopped lamb meat), tabbouleh (salad) and baba ganoush (aubergine mix). More dishes follow at lightning speed before a well earned rest is needed to begin preparation for the main course. For those who like their food gourmet or are watching their diet, this isn’t the place to go.

Photo: Nipotan

The restaurant breaks up its diners quite calculatingly. If you’ve happened to have just wandered in for a quick snack, you’re not surrounded by lots of chairs and white tablecloths. It’s split onto three levels and its wall sized bay windows and white washed walls conjure a relaxing, smart dining environment with excellent Lebanese food.

A three course meal for two people comes to about £60; with wine anything from £70 and above. Mezze range from £4.50 to £8 and if you’re just popping in for a late night snack, expect to pay anything from around £4.50.

Maroush II

38 Beauchamp Place London SW3 1NU

Opening Hours:12pm – 5am 7 days a week

Cabana: Brazilian that Breaks the Mould

Cabana. Picture: Theron Mohamed

Also published on Restaurant Guides.

The word “cabana” conjures up an image of a simple beach hut, a place to escape from the humdrum world of work. Brand-new Brazilian restaurant Cabana captures the essence of its name, offering a pleasant and relaxed environment to share tasty barbecue dishes and catch up with friends.

Created by Hush owner Jamie Barber and Momo’s David Ponte, Cabana is a pioneer in London’s Central St Giles plaza, the upcoming restaurant hub next to Centrepoint.

In a bleak landscape of glass, steel and concrete, Cabana is a splash of life and colour. The bright and spacious interior, comfortable couches and loop of samba and favela funk on the stereo conspire to put you at ease. Glass windows on three sides give the restaurant an almost alfresco feel.

Authenticity is a priority at Cabana; every detail is designed to evoke a feeling of Brazil. An entire wall is covered in green, pink and yellow posters stamped with bold Portuguese text. The faded blue booths are made of recycled jeans, courtesy of a seamstress in Rio de Janeiro. A collage of kites lines the ceiling, symbolic of the smiles and laughter this simple pastime brings to the children of Brazil.

Cabana is a modern-day version of the Brazilian steakhouse or churrascaria. In keeping with custom, passadores approach your table to offer skewers of various meats. These are divided among four coloured price brackets on the menu; acceptance results in a stamp of the corresponding colour on your placemat. Diners are given a coaster, green on one side and red on the other, to indicate whether they wish to be served.

The service is fast, and the staff is alert, friendly and informative. They skillfully walk the line between inattentive and overbearing. Operations manager Matthew Oreschnick’s aim is to give diners a memorable experience that will draw them back for more. He invites people to “come in, have a good time, and learn with us”.

Reclining in our comfy seats, my friend and I are excited about the food to come. Sadly, the starters are a letdown: the garlic bread is garlic-less, and the crispy pastels scrimp on their cheese filling. The crunchy rice boulinhos, balls of rice fried in batter and seasoned, are forgettable. Only the pamonhas, a mixture of sweetcorn, cinnamon and coconut beautifully packaged inside a cornhusk, make a positive impression.

Ambivalent after our first course, we firmly expect our main meals to deliver. Cabana rises to the challenge, excelling where any Brazilian barbecue should: the meat. The chimichurri black gold rump is moist, soft, and succulent. My companion praises the Vietnamese tiger prawns and the lamb, describing them as “cooked to perfection”.

The side dishes also show marked improvement. The chunky cassava chips and paprika-laced sweet potato fries are crispy and flavourful, and the biro-biro rice is well-spiced and very tasty. Only the bland black beans detract from our delight.

Variety on a Plate. Picture: Theron Mohamed

Our savoury courses demolished, we’re ready to indulge our sweet teeth. Cabana offers four varieties of frozen yoghurt: natural, guava, peanut butter and caramel. The last two are the runaway victors. The peanut butter is rich and wholesome, while the caramel is sweet, creamy and leaves my taste buds weak at the knees.

The final treat is undoubtedly my favourite: the Cabana cheesecake. Its crumbly biscuit base, thick banana cream middle, smooth caramel top, and sweet and crunchy roasted almonds result in a truly exquisite combination of flavours. This decadent sin of a dessert makes most restaurants’ offerings look like unsuccessful applicants to The X Factor.

In summary, Cabana’s energy and character make it an ideal spot for groups to relax, converse and enjoy a fine meal. Although it stumbles on the starters, its delicious meat courses, incomparable desserts and inviting design combine for an authentic and enjoyable Brazilian experience.

Blue Lagoon: A True Thai Experience

The "Blue Lagoon" Platter. Picture: Theron Mohamed

Blue Lagoon, located on fashionable Kensington High Street, offers delicious Thai cuisine without a lofty price tag.

Lebanese owner Elchannaa opened the restaurant 11 years ago. Affable and exuberant, it’s his mission to make his customers feel welcome. He personally greets visitors with a smile and an embrace, pulls out chairs, takes coats, and lays napkins on laps. Blue Lagoon was borne of his desire to offer high quality Thai cuisine at affordable prices, and to give customers a better dining experience than London’s more expensive restaurants. He says: “Our philosophy is to provide good value, really nice tasting food with a personal touch.”

A blast of warm, fragrant air engulfs you as you step inside Blue Lagoon. Stationed in front of the entrance is a rock garden, complete with artificial palm trees and water cascading down stone boulders. Looking around, the restaurant’s interior is spacious yet intimate; the atmosphere is lively and there’s a pleasant hum of conversation, but the tables are spaced far enough apart to allow privacy. The lighting is soft and understated, with candles on the tables, recessed lights in the ceiling, and miniature lanterns hanging along the windows. The Asian decorations, including statues of praying monks and chessboard-sized golden mosaics of elephants, give the restaurant some sense of identity. The staff conforms to the theme, garbed in blue silk kimonos with golden trim.

The service is fast and efficient; we are immediately seated and presented with menus, and all our orders arrive swiftly and without mistake. On offer is a wide array of Thai dishes such as seafood, curries, and stir-fries. Specialties include crab claws and jewels of marinated chicken.

Our first course is a selection of starters laid out on a bed of lettuce leaves. In front of us are fish cakes, vegetable spring rolls, king tod (prawn tempura), chicken satay, grilled jumbo prawns and prawns on toast. As a vegetarian I was severely limited, but my companion very much enjoyed the tantalising treats.

The main courses do not disappoint. The panaeng curry, an aromatic medley of seasoned vegetables served in a peanut sauce, is a delight to taste. The dish is perfectly cooked, and its components complement each other well: the soft and chewy broccoli, the rich, piquant peanut sauce, and the crunchy pak choi. My companion thoroughly enjoyed her duck in black bean sauce, served on a bed of onions and accompanied by peppers, lettuce, coriander and cashew.

As side dishes we choose kao meaw, sticky rice from Northern Thailand, and a colourful serving of Thai vegetables, which includes pak choi, red peppers, tofu and bean sprouts, served in a succulent garlic chili and soya sauce. The spiciness of the dish had me coughing and spluttering; it packed quite a punch.

At Elchannaa’s insistence, dessert was banana fritters. These came lathered in sweet honey, with a side of coconut ice cream. The smell of barbecued fruit was slightly off-putting, but the taste more than made up for it. I enjoyed the pleasant warmth of the fritter on my tongue, the saccharine taste of the honey, and the startling contrast with the cool, creamy coconut.

Overall, the meal was delicious, distinctive and memorable. Blue Lagoon takes pride in every aspect of its dining experience, from its tasteful décor and able service, to the quality and presentation of its dishes. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Contact Details:

Blue Lagoon, 284 Kensington High Street, London, W14 8NZ, 02076031231

Blue Lagoon, 23 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG, 02079307800

Opening Hours: 12pm – 11.30pm every day.

Email: Thai@blue-lagoon.co.uk

Shoreditch Burger Joint Opens Today

Blacks’ head chef Robin Freeman and resauranteur Alberto Figueroa are launching Bukowski Grill in Shoreditch today. Billed as a “new-school fast slow-food American diner”, the restaurant sources its meat locally and speed cooks it using a state-of-the-art Josper oven to retain flavour and moisture. 

The menu offers a selection of gourmet burgers, as well as the Cochinita Pibil Pulled Pork sandwich, seasoned with Seville orange juice and zesty achiote paste. Another option is the Hanger Steak and Chipotle sauce sandwich, containing beef marinated in beer and spices for eight hours.

 

Address: Unit 61 BoxPark, Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, London, E1 6GY

Email: info@bukowski-grill.co.uk

Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday 11am – 8pm, Late Thursday until 10pm.