Hop In

Sri Lankan and Tamil Cuisine is something that I haven't really delved into before. So when it came to checking out Hoppers, I went in with very little knowledge but come the end, I left having tried some fine ass food. The restaurant showcases the Sri Lankan cuisine bringing as much authenticity as possible whilst at the same time giving it a modern makeover.

Hoppers is a bubbly and bustling little hotspot in Soho, the only tricky thing though is that they do not take reservations, so get there in good time to ensure you get a table. Even if you don't manage to get a table straightaway, let me be the first to tell you that it is well worth the wait.

 

 

Knowing what was on the menu proved a little difficult but luckily Hoppers engaging, helpful and friendly staff were there to guide me and save me from making a fool out of myself.  I should mention one important thing, that I stupidly failed to realise there's a glossary of terms at the back of the menu. But nevertheless FoodPunkers, let me give you the heads up by giving a brief description of the key items.

 

• Hopper - Bowl shaped fermented rice and coconut milk pancake
• Dosa - Crispy fermented lentil and rice crepe
• Kothu - Finely chopped roti cooked with vegetables, meat or seafood.

 

As always I ordered a whole heap of stuff, any more and it would have been game over. I just know the pictures below will get your taste buds going.

 

Bonemarow

Roti

Mutton Rolls

Lamb Kothu Rot

Hopper with various chutneys and Sambals

Dosa

 

 

If you like you're spice then you're gonna love this place. For me it hit the right note, enough heat to coat the lips but if things did get a little too hot, I had a cool crisp beer to cool things down. FoodPunkers if I were you I would order two rounds of mutton rolls. One just isn't enough and I'm not being greedy here. Those bad boys were just incredible and the good chefs themselves don't shy away from packing it with lots of  meat. It tasted even better with the chilli, garlic and ginger dip. In fact all of the dips and sambals are to die for. Get your dosa, roti and hopper and just dunk away.
The fish curry had flaky bite size pieces of mackerel swimming in a spiced coconut sauce and the soft fatty bonemarrow came with a fiery sauce and a light buttery roti, perfect for spreading that flavoursome fat on.




Without a doubt Hoppers could just be one of the best restaurants in London. So next time you're in Soho and you want to spice things up a little, hop in to this little gem of a place.


 

 

Get Your Shuang On.

If you want fun, healthy and damn right delicious food, then look no further because Shuang Shuang delivers just that.

It may look all too confusing and daunting at first but trust me, come the end of the evening, you'll be a hot pot pro. Honestly it's simple stuff and the ever so friendly staff are there to help and explain the concept behind the place.

There are a variety of flavoursome broths to choose from, each one sounding just as enticing as the other and all accompanied with a dipping sauce and garnish. Once you've chosen your tonic, just fire away and get stuck in with all the many dishes on offer. See I told you it's simple. 

The restaurant is all about it's conveyor belt service, think Yo Sushi but on a much more grander scale and far more superior . Seriously the amount of dishes revolving around will blow you away. 

Fresh vegetables (I recommend the mushrooms), different types of meat (chicken, beef, pork) and fish (scallops prawns) as well as a variety of noodles (egg, vermicelli) all slide by awaiting to be cooked in the broth. Not only that if there's something on the menu that you like but its not on the conveyor belt, then the chefs are on hand to prepare it.

As I mentioned the earlier, the broths are fragrant and flavoursome and cooking with all these ingredients enhances it even more. There's no MSG or artificial bullshit either. And the great thing is, although it might not be necessary, is that you can top up your broth for free!. 

The broths can get very hot, but there is a panel on your section which allows you to moderate the temperature as and when you like.

FoodPunkers, I highly recommend that you go for a few snacks especially the crispy pigs ear in cumin and chilli. They certainly pack a punch and the scallop and prawn fritters are to die for. If things do get a little heated, the refreshing oolong tea will certainly tone things down. 

Crispy Pigs Ear With Cumin & Chilli

Scallop & Prawn Fritters

Oolong Tea

Its about time that London had a hot pot restaurant that allows people to get stuck in and do a bit of DIY cooking and not only that Shuang Shuang is certainly not on the expensive side. 

Get down to this joint and show everyone your Shuang ;)

Welcome To My Dozo

It's been a while since I've written an article on sushi and on Saturday night I checked out quite a good place that I think all FoodPunkers should perhaps consider.

 

Dozo is a stylish, high end restaurant that has people queuing up in the heart of Soho, many of them being Japanese themselves which gives a good indication that this place must be the real deal.

 

And is it? I certainly think so.

 

Before I big up the food there's something that I should get off my chest and mention as it could be difficult for many people. It's nothing too serious or dramatic by any means but unless you're a flexible person or practice yoga on a regular basis, getting to your seat could prove a little challenging,

The restaurant has traditionally low tables with diners sitting on cushions placed on benches to give them that feeling as if they're virtually sitting on the floor. However getting to your table means that you may have to step on that bench and shimmy across other people who may be eating. If you're not agile and flexible you may face an awkward situation.

 

 

Nevertheless the rest of the dining experience is a positive one, with the food and service being value for money.

There's lots on offer from bento boxes, appetizers, sushi rolls, sashimi, ramen and specials from the chefs. If you're in a big group, switch things up and take advantage of the different styles.

 

 

Everyone bangs on about Roka. Admittedly I haven't been yet and I've always heard great things about the place but if you don't want to burn a hole in your wallet (as I've been told it is on the expensive side), I think Dozo would probably be the next best thing. Yes, there are some prices that might make you wince, but in general the food is worth the money and you could easily have a decent meal without blowing the budget.
 

 

The food will definitely not disappoint. It looks fantastic and it tastes fantastic.

Miso Soup

Egg Fried Rice

Wagyu Beef, Butterfish, Fatty Tuna, Salmon & Avacado



Tuna Tartar

Vegetarian Bento Box

Gyoza

Lamb Chops (Chef Special)

Chicken Thighs, Enoki Wrapped in Bacon, Grilled Tiger Prawns.

 

 

The bento box is very impressive and can easily be shared with more than two people as you get a a decent sized portion of rice, sides and soup. If you're vegetarian, do not have the miso soup, as it contains fish in the stock.
If you're like me and you don't mind getting your hands dirty, the lamb chops are a must. Coated in a Korean chilli sauce where the heat just coats the rim of your lips, you'll be gnawing away at that tender piece of meat to the point where you're chewing the bone.

The Robata Yaki (grilled meats/fish on a skewer) will certainly leave you with a smile on your face. Sticky glazed chicken thighs, fleshy grilled tiger prawns and the juicy enoki mushroom wrapped in bacon will get demolished in no time at all.  

Obviously coming to a sushi restaurant, ordering a variety was top of the agenda. Fatty tuna, butterfish and the Wagyu beef sashimi were my personal choices. It can be difficult to choose as there are many options but if you're stuck, definitely go for those three.

Dozo, without a shadow of a doubt is an easy place to recommend. It is value for money, offers great food and good service and as long as you can get over the seating situation, you're going to have a pleasant experience.

Oh and just one final thing, perhaps book in advance to avoid the queue.

 

 

Can Retro Be A Good Thing?

Can retro be a good thing?

 

In some cases, yes of course it can. I mean just look back at some of the music we listen to whether it be from the seventies or eighties, or even video games such as the much loved Mega Drive.

But when it comes to food, bringing back some golden oldies can be a tough one to call. Should food back in the day stay in the past?

 

This is where Coin Laundry comes busting in and justify bringing retro old school food into the 21st century. Unfortunately they don't quite deliver.

Sure it's a fun quirky concept that has managed to get people talking and it certainly got me interested. Visiting this new restaurant in Exmouth Market was something that I was going to go to without any expectations and looking back, it certainly was a good thing and here's why.

The menu is pretty straightforward. There's bar snacks, starters, mains and desserts. The plates they offer are nostalgic and will no doubt take anyone back to their childhood, dishes such as chicken kievs, cheese toasty, chips and curry sauce. Ok so its not that exciting but I can kind of see what Coin Laundry is trying to do.

 

The food isn't terrible, far from it, but it's average at best. For example the cauliflower cheese steak was overpowering. Charring a nice piece of cauliflower was overshadowed by the amount of Stilton crumbled. The Steak tartare was OK, I've had better at other places and the Spaghetti Bolognese croquettes were under seasoned. Even the steak and onions were a disappointment with some bits chewy and some bits cooked on the grill for too long.

Of course it's hard to shout home about things like prawn cocktail and lamb faggots but simple things can be done well, it's just a shame it wasn't on this occasion.

Cauliflower Cheese Steak

Steak Tartare

Prawn Cocktail

Spag Bol Croquettes

 

 

Lamb Faggots And Mint Jelly

However not all of it is doom and gloom. Their speciality is the chicken kiev and admittedly that was very good. If you like your garlic, there's plenty of it bursting out of it and what was a nice touch was that they even give you their own personalised Coin Laundry chewing gum. You will definitely need it and lads chew that gum if you're with your lady.

The cockle popcorn is a good choice to make especially when you splash loads of vinegar onto it and as for the cod cheek bap, that was probably my favourite. Meaty and flaky, it worked so well with the beans. The  "Not spam fritters" is worth ordering especially if you're still into pulled pork.

Chicken Kievs

Not Spam Fritters

Cockle Popcorn

Cod Cheek And Bean Bap

 

Granted, Coin Laundry is a smart, fun looking joint. It's laid back environment, impressive looking bar area will give anyone a goodnight. The staff are a cool, chatty bunch and their music playlist can be awesome at times, it just the food lets them down.
FoodPunkers by all means check this place out if you're curious. It's not the worse place you'll go to but it certainly isn't the best. Retro can be a good thing but maybe certain things should have stayed in the past.

Oh and another final thing, don't go spending nearly a hundred pounds like I did, you might come out out feeling a little more disappointed.

 

 

 

Oklava

Lets be honest, most of us have partied hard and got tanked up on booze on a Friday night in Shoreditch and you'd probably notice the amount of kebab shops in and around of every street corner.

 

But for the those who have left those kind of days behind and want Turkish food that's alot more stylish and sophisticated, then look no further than Oklava.
I can't think of many places in London that takes Turkish food and give it a modern twist, so it is a breath of fresh air to see Oklava deliver just that.

The restaurant is tucked away just behind Great Eastern Street on Luke Street and if you get easily lost like me, google map it. I turned up late to my booking but thankfully the team were gracious enough to let me keep my table.

It's an impressive looking place and has a lovely laid back feel to it. Polished furnishings and a decent size open kitchen dominates the area. Not only that a charcoal grill takes centre stage with a open wood oven just beside it drawing hungry diners in.

If you're one of these people that won't go near Turkish food because of the stigma of kebabs, then I definitely would say you need to visit Oklava because this restaurant will change your mind and even more so blow you away with their take on the cuisine.

There is so much more to Turkish food than just your humble kebab and what impresses me about Oklava is that they showcase fresh, vibrant food and really get the best out of the ingredients they have.

The food itself is perfect for sharing and the staff (who are very welcoming and friendly) are on hand to recommend what is on offer.

Of the snacks, the halloumi is a great way to start proceedings. Its a very plain cheese but the restaurant give it a makeover coating it with a drizzle of  lemon, sweet honey and fresh oregano.
The grilled sausage packs a bit of heat and spice but the courgette, feta and mint fritters are a real highlight. I highly recommend those bad boys.

Almost like a risotto, the pearl barley is creamy and delicious but the only hindrance was that I couldn't quite get where the sour cherries came from.
The baked lamb fat potatoes is a clear winner in my eyes. Soft and fell apart at the slightest touch of the fork, the potatoes are accompanied by a huge duck egg, cooked to perfection with the yolk oozing out and mopped up with the halloumi cheese beside it.

The flat breads are to die for as they're homemade on site and the use of the fire wood oven really makes that dish a little bit more special. The hot, melted, gooey cheese with the charred leeks got devoured in no time. And for the salad, crisp, fresh and coated with a healthy amount of dressing.
I love my spice and the lamb koftes don't hold back on it. Pick the wrap up and just tuck in to those beauties and the yoghurt is the perfect accompaniment to cool things down, although the fennel unfortunately didn't come through.

 



 

 

 

 

Oklava was only lacking in a few things but all in all I had a very pleasant experience and the food was more than worth the money. It's great to see that Turkish food has been given a lift and refined in a modern way. For anyone who wants more than just a kebab, Oklava is the one. From start to finish, you're in for a treat.