It was named the UK’s best restaurant at the 2018 National Restaurant Awards and we can confirm that Kiln defo lives up to the hype. The food is inspired by the Thai borderlands, including Burmese and Yunanese spices and flavours, and there’s lots of cooking over an open fire. The jungle curry of brill is a winner (and spicy too) and the clay pot-baked glass noodles are an absolute must-order too.
"Kiln is my favourite in London. It’s a brilliant concept perfectly executed. Northern Thai and Laotian food made with sustainable British ingredients. The chef Meedu is a genius, and a very nice guy as well. The music, the performance of the line chefs, the wine… it’s spicy as hell just how I like it."
After announcing a sabbatical at the end of last year, cult Thai restaurant Singburi has now relocated from Leytonstone to Shoreditch. Chef Sirichai Kularbwong has teamed up with chef Nick Molyviatis (who was the founding chef at Kiln and who helped launched OMA) and Alexander Gkikas (co-founder of Catalyst Cafe and Roastery), to open Singburi 2.0 inside the new Montacute Yards development close to Shoreditch High Street station. The menu is reminiscent of the blackboard at the Leytonstone restaurant, with dishes like Dill & Lemongrass Pork Sausage; Wild Ginger Chicken Thigh; Prawn & Betel Leaf Southern Curry; Mussels, Tomato & Sweet Basil; and Smoked Pork Belly & Green Peppercorn. There’s also a bar at this Singburi, pouring a rotating selections of wine (all available by the glass) from a list curated with the help of Ancestral Wine, and cocktails like clarified Bloody Marys and makrut lime leaf Gimlets.
"WHEN I can get a reservation Singburi is worth the trip. It’s hot and spicy, I only order off the specials menu and damnit it’s arguably the best Thai food I’ve ever had INCLUDING my trips to Thailand."
If you’re struggling to bag a table at Dorian, there’s an easier way to get a taste of the Notting Hill hotspot this summer. The restaurant’s 15-seater terrace runs on a first-come, first-served basis, so no ressies required. Once you’ve snagged a seat, you can enjoy snacks and desserts, like the famous rosti, steak tartare and banana toffee pudding. There’s also a new cocktail menu, inspired by retro 1960s California disco cocktails, including serves like a Frozen Melon Margarita (made with tequila, fino sherry and melon), a Strawberry Tomato Highball (made with Gariguette strawberry, tomato and rooibos) and a Toreador (made with tequila, sweet Riesling, apricot and loquat) – perfect for sipping in the sunshine.
"Dorian was totally unexpected. At first glance it looks like a nice modern brasserie or something however it’s far from just that. Some of the dishes are so memorable. In America we’d call them “Mount Rushmore” dishes… The liver paté, the crab crostini thing and possibly the most indulgent and delicious steak I’ve ever had."
Cow has always been one of the better vintage stores in Manchester, even when it was located behind the buses in Piccadilly Gardens, but it makes much more sense in its new Northern Quarter home. Whilst they have their own design team reworking items for their own range, most of the clothes at Cow are second-hand and they’ve actually organised them in a way that makes sense…easy browsing should not be underestimated. And if you can’t find anything on the rails, the interiors, courtesy of Peter Masters, are defo worth a look.
"This is the PUB! I love this place, they do seafood like no other pub I know and the seafood stew is an absolute must, a national treasure. Besides the food it’s all about the vibes, you have a lot of OG Notting Hill locals hanging out listening to reggae and ska, the bartenders know everyone, everyone seems to be in a great mood here and it’s obvious why. Long live The Cow."
This restored Victorian pub on Hackney Road has bags of style thanks to the brown tiles on the facade, the wood panelling in the bar and dark leather banquettes (plus a more modern and minimalist dining room upstairs). Run by ex-St JOHN pair Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram, there’s also a cracking seasonal British menu to match. The beef & barley bun has become something of a signature, as have the pies, but there are also oysters, cured and smoked fish, chops and steaks, Sunday roasts, and puds like brown butter & honey tart to get stuck into. There are local brews on the bar too, alongside a carefully curated wine list and cocktails featuring housemade cordials and shrubs.
"This may be the most delicious pub in London. It’s understated on the outside, the owners took over an old pub kept almost all the old vibes and pour some great beers, wines and the seasonal menu is off the charts good. My favourite pub food in London."
Tsiakkos & Charcoal is a much-loved Greek Cypriot restaurant in Maida Vale that’s all about traditional and authentic food cooked over charcoal. Whether you go all out with a meze (at a very reasonable £35 per person) or choose your own dishes from the likes of tzatziki, beetroot salad, halloumi, kleftiko, moussaka, chargrilled seabream, pork souvlaki and chicken souvlaki – and don’t forget the Keos – you can be sure you’ll leave happy and full.
"I almost didn’t put this one down because it feels like my own secret. It’s tucked away in a random spot in West London. The place looks like it may or may not be open if not for the Greek guys hanging outside having smokes and chatting. There’s a cat, you walk into the place and you’re essentially in a kitchen. The food is absolutely delicious and authentic Greek in every way. I adore this spot."
There’s been a pub at this address, tucked down a mews in Marylebone, since 1777 – it’s now known as The Jackalope and it’s still going strong today. The pub has 18 beers, from a mix of big hitters and indie breweries, on tap but the real gem here is to be found downstairs where Chongqing noodle specialist Liu Xiaomian is in residence. With Chongqing xiaomian, wheat noodles in an aromatic broth with toppings like minced pork & chickpea, spicy beef and spicy pig trotter; hot & sour glass noodles; and numbing pork wontons on the menu, it’s food for those of you who like it HOT.
"This one’s a great one because it’s in an area you may find yourself in wondering where to eat and drink. I sometimes make the trip strictly for the beer and spicy Chongqing noodles. Most people don’t even know it’s there, down a quiet muse street tucked away and then you have to go downstairs to get their delicious spicy dishes. I absolutely love this place and would eat here 4 times a week if I lived nearby."
