London Restaurant Reviews - Eyre Brothers

Name: Eyre Brothers

Where:  70 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4QX, http://www.eyrebrothers.co.uk

Cost: Starters range from £6 to £12. Main courses range from £15 to £24, with a couple of shared main courses at up to £30 per person.  Desserts / cheese platter are from £2 to £7. Entry level wines cost under £20 for both red and white wines, and there is an extensive selection of sherries, ports and Madeiras.

About: Tucked away on Leonard Street in Shoreditch, just metres from Great Eastern Street and Old Street station and less than a mile from my home in Islington, I must have driven past Eyre Brothers thousands of times without realising it was there.  The decor is all dark wood, white walls and chocolate-coloured leather.

Eyre Brothers was opened in 2001 by David and Rob Eyre, who used to be partners in the famous Eagle gastro pub on Farringdon Road. Reflecting their origins in the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique, the menu draws on classic Portuguese and Spanish ingredients and flavour combinations that I've always loved, so I arrived hoping to be impressed.

What We Ate: We kicked off with appetisers of “pimientos de padron fritos” and “pasteis de bacalhao” (salt-cod fritters) both £6.  The fried peppers were good - simply served with flakes of salt that went down really well with the Fino Sherry we had them with.

The “pasteis de bacalhao” were however a revelation – I have been eating these fritters since I was a toddler back in Brazil, but these were some of the finest I have tried for sometime with a generous amount of salted cod to potatoes, and very well seasoned.

Next, Dr G opted for chestnut, chorizo and parsley soup (£6), which was a good hearty winter option. I had the “bacalhao com grao de bico” - warm salt cod with chickpeas, onion and garlic and a soft boiled egg (£10). Salt cod can be rather tricky to get right - it's often tough, dry or too salty from inadequate rehydration, or tasteless if it has been over-soaked. Happily, Eyre Brothers' version was perfectly cooked.

I really wanted to try the Alentejano pork for 2, but couldn't resist ordering also the grilled fillet of acorn-fed Iberico pork, marinated with peppers, thyme and garlic, served with potatoes, green peppers, onions, garlic and white wine (£21). This is considered to be the restaurant’s signature dish and I can see why – served pink, which is quite unusual for pork, the meat was so tender and very flavoursome. Iberico pork is the Rolls Royce of the pork world, free range and fed on acorn only, it is normally served as charcuterie so it was nice to be able to try it fresh and expertly cooked, it really didn’t disappoint.

My favourite Portuguese dish of the night however was the “Cataplana de Porco Alentejano” - or Portuguese pork with clams served in a “cataplana” pot.

The combination of pork and seafood may seem unlikely, but it is typically Portuguese and when it is cooked correctly, a sort of alchemy occurs which is utterly magical.

It is served with a red pepper and paprika sauce and deep-fried cubes of potatoes which soak up all that lovely meat and seafood juices. At £40 for 2, Eyre Brothers did an excellent version of this Portuguese classic, better than many I have had on my trips to Porto.

For dessert, we opted for the Tarta de Santiago, a flourless orange and almond tart with orange marmalade and cream (£5). This was a nice way to end a rich meal, being light and with some refreshing acidity from the citrus fruit.

We also had the very traditional Portuguese dessert of Toucinho de Ceu  (literally "the fat of heaven") a cake based on almonds and egg yolks (£5). It was served with strawberries, and was also good.

What We Drank: With our appetisers, we had a glass of Fino sherry (El Maestro Sierra, £8.25), a bone dry and bready fortified wine, and a glass of Manzanilla Solera Reserva, Emilio Lustau (£5).

With the main meal, we shared a bottle of 5 fincas, Castillo Perelada Reserva 2008 (£45). With a blend of garnacha, syrah, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, this was a complex wine with notes of cherry and blackberry, soft tannins and a long finish. It went very well with our pork dishes.

Busy Bar at Eyre Brothers - Excellent Selection of Portuguese and Spanish Wines and Sherries

Likes: Lovely Iberian cooking, good wine, sherry and port selection sensibly priced, attentive service. The Menu del Dia (Lunch Menu) is excellent value at £18 for 2 courses. Given a day's notice, the restaurant can roast a whole suckling pig Portuguese style.

Dislikes: Perhaps unsurprisingly given its location in the City, it has a somewhat corporate feel, and many of the clientele on our visit appeared to be groups of business people and their business guests in suits unwinding / bonding after a day in the office.

Verdict: An excellent option for dinner in Hoxton, Old Street or Finsbury Circus areas and for some seriously good Iberian cooking. The cooking and service were faultless and as good as some of the top establishments in Portugal. Highly recommended.

London Restaurant Review - Salvation Jane

Words and Photography by Felicity Spector

The coffee is superlative, the brunch is excellent and the cakes are legendary. But Salvation Jane, a cool, urban space just moments from Old Street, is now offering a more extensive dinner menu in the evenings.

It is the second venture from Shelagh Ryan, one of the first Australian coffee shop pioneers to set up business in London, with her successful Lantana café in Fitzrovia. Salvation Jane, named after a flowering plant which flourishes in the harshest of desert conditions, is a much bigger concern, with 65 covers inside an airy, serene dining room, a world away from the concrete monstrosity that is the Old Street roundabout. Service is warm and friendly, and the place is casual enough for you to come on your own, welcoming enough to bring a group of friends.

Photo: Salvation Jane

There’s an open kitchen and a bar area, which you go past to get into the dining room: this is Hoxton, and alongside the banquettes there are some Ercol chairs, and wooden tables made by local craftsmen. The back wall features a black and white mural by a Melbourne artist: another bit of Australia in central London.

But onto dinner - and the cocktail menu offered a wide range of innovative drinks, including their own version of a Negroni with Aperol: my friend went for a Mango Mimosa, which was light and fragrant, and just the thing to cheer up a wet December evening.

Salvation Jane, which has served food in the evenings since it opened earlier this year, started out by offering a simpler mix of sharing plates, but found that customers were asking for main course dishes as well, so the new menu was born. There are still a few of those smaller dishes, which you can order as a starter or for sharing: we could have chosen from the likes of grilled haloumi with a citrus relish, or spicy, sticky pork ribs. However, in the interests of saving room for pudding, we went straight for the main courses.

My risotto with marinated cherry tomatoes and baked ricotta crumbled on top was excellent: the rice achieved just the right creamy texture without being at all soupy, and the chef had managed to pack an astonishing amount of flavour into the tomatoes and the ricotta, with its slightly toasted herb mixture sprinkled on top. It’s not easy to find a decent risotto, and I’d definitely order that one again.

My friend, who had dithered over the possibility of spiced, baked lamb in filo pastry with a cauliflower Kisir - a kind of couscous - eventually chose the confit duck leg on puy lentils with some caramelised ginger pumpkin. It was delicious: expertly cooked, the flavours perfectly balanced.

I had high hopes for the desserts, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. My friend decided on the banana cake, which arrived warm and slightly toasted: two generous slices, topped with a large scoop of marscapone, heady with cinnamon and nutmeg. A drizzle of passion fruit cut through the richness nicely. I had to stop myself from stealing most of it.

My brownie, however, was the triumph of the night: truly a thing of beauty. There was a pot of berry compote and some coconut foam on the side, but I only had eyes for the brownie: incredibly rich, dark, melting. I had asked for a middle piece, not an edge, to maximise the gooey potential: “Oh, no-one gets edges round here”, they told me cheerfully. This is clearly a place that knows its brownies.

I’ve heard great things about the lemon cheesecake too, but I’ll have to save that for another visit.

Prices are reasonable, the space is cool without being achingly Hoxton hip, and the cooking is right on the money. And unlike many restaurants in the area, you won’t be disappointed by the coffee at the end of your meal.

Salvation Jane
http://www.salvationjanecafe.co.uk/
0207 253 5273
Unit 2, 1 Oliver’s Yard 
55 City Rd
EC1Y 1HQ

London Restaurant Reviews - Mien Tay (Kingsland Road)

My first experience of Mien Tay was at their Battersea branch on Lavender Hill. Bibendum Wines had devised a fantastic wine list for the restaurant and invited a few food and wine bloggers to try their pairings. The food was exceptional and so were the wines, but unfortunately Mien Tay is still trying to obtain its alcohol licence.

The Shoreditch branch is also a BYO attracting a young, hip crowd after a cheap night out. The restaurant is poorly decorated in lime green colours, dusty plastic plants and flowers, and the furniture, a mix of mismatched tables and chairs in wicker and glass, is tired and greasy. Tables are densely packed, and if you happen to be seated by a feuding couple (as Dr G and I were on this occasion) you will just need to grin and bear it.

The menu is extensive and choices are mind boggling. I am always a bit concerned when I see hugely varied menu choices like this. It sometimes indicates a lack of focus and makes me question the freshness of the ingredients.

After much deliberation, Dr G and I started with a portion of "Salt, Pepper and Garlic Squid" @ £6. The squid was deliciously crisp and well seasoned but was slightly overcooked and on the chewy side.

The "Chargrilled Quail with Honey, Garlic and Spices" @ £4.80 that followed was a much better dish. The caramelised honey on the chargrilled skin intensified the sweetness of the meat, which tasted of cinnamon and star-anise - a sensational dish.

Mien Tay's "Rice Vermicelli with Spring Rolls and Pork Bun" @ £6 was another winner. The pork was nicely grilled, and tasted delicious with the combination of spring rolls, salad, fresh herbs and just the right amount of rice noodles. The balance of these components was unimprovably good. One of the best "buns" I have had for a long time.

The "Crispy Fried Sea Bass with Lemongrass and Chilli" @ £10 was impressively large but sadly disappointing. The delicious, vibrant seasoning could not compensate for the poor quality of the flesh - it tasted dull and had a texture akin to previously frozen fish.

One of their signature dishes is the "Stir Fried Goat Galangal" @ £6.50. With a lightly curried coconut sauce, the meat was finely sliced and served with onions and fresh herbs. This was a delicious dish, nicely accompanied by Vietnamese " Steamed Rice" @ £2.

In my opinion, the star of the evening was "Mien Tay's Crispy Chicken with Fish Sauce" @ £5. Folds of chicken skin deep fried until crisp in a sweet shallot and fish sauce, this somewhat unlikely sounding dish was utterly delectable.

Overall our experience at Mien Tay Shoreditch was mixed. We tried some excellent dishes, but others were disappointing. The restaurant lacks atmosphere, service is rushed and impersonal, and the general state of upkeep is poor. For example, as we were finishing our meal, large buckets brimming with dirty plates, chopsticks and refuse were taken past our table to the adjoining restaurant which shares the same kitchen.

Cost: the total cost for the above dishes was £40.30 (not including BYO wine). There was enough to feed 4 people, so I estimate that £10-£15 would be sufficient per head. Potentially good value for money.

Likes: possibly the only BYO option on Kingsland Road. Mien Tay's crispy chicken with fish sauce and the chargrilled quail with honey, garlic and spices were excellent. Inexpensive.

Dislikes: the decor and general upkeep need to be looked at. Patchy cooking - excellent at best let down by mediocre parts.

Verdict: Cheap and cheerful Vietnamese restaurant on Kingsland Road. Some excellent dishes, but patchy standards overall. Given the number of restaurants on Kingsland Road serving food of similar or better standards in more agreeable environments, Mien Tay needs to up its game in my opinion.

London Restaurant Reviews - Sedap

Sedap

Since I first encountered Nyonya Cuisine in Malacca a few years ago, I have fallen in love with the heady and delicious aromas of this style of cooking arising from the inter-racial marriages of Malay women (Nyonya) and Chinese men (Baba). Think aromatic curries (rempah), fermented shrimp paste (belacan), abundant use of spices and herbs, candlenut, fruits like pineapple, and coconut milk.

Sedap is not entirely Nyonya but is, I think, as close as you will get in London to the real thing found in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

The restaurant feels rather like a café with a small number of well spaced tables. It is simply but tastefully decorated, a haven from the noisy Old Street outside. Julie, our waiter, was friendly and service was overall smooth and sweet.

Apart from a few “Roti Prata” (flat Indian bread) @ £1.80, we skipped the starters and ordered a few main dishes to share which included:

“Beef Rendang” (authentic almost dry curry beef) @ £6.90 – the curry was well balanced and deliciously rich, accompanying very tender pieces of beef. My only criticism was the size of the portion - it was shockingly small with only 3 or 4 small pieces of meat on the plate.

“Malaysian Belacan Chicken” (tender, crispy fried chicken marinated with homemade prawn paste and served with sweet chilli sauce) @ £5.70 – another tiny but delectable portion of crispy pieces of chicken. These were deep-fried and as a result the belacan (shrimp paste) flavour was almost completely lost.

“Sambal Brinjal” (pan friend aubergines, spread with homemade chilli shrimp paste and prawn) @ £4.80 – this was a superb dish, having some of my favourite ingredients. The aubergines were deep fried, and had a soft and buttery texture that combined very nicely with the savoury belacan and shrimp combination.

"Sambal Okra" (stir fried okra and prawn in homemade chilli shrimp paste) @ £4.95 – many people dislike okra because of the slime it exudes if not properly prepared. However, I have always loved it, and in this case the lady’s fingers were nicely cooked, still pleasantly firm and not viscous.

"Malaysian Tofu" (deep fried tofu in peanut sauce) @ £3.90 – this was an excellent recommendation by CK of London Chow, and was indeed one of the highlights of the evening. The tofu had been deep fried until it was crispy, and had a topping of beansprouts, cucumber and mint, with a delicious peanut sauce to finish it off.

"Penang Char Kway Teow" (famous stir fried flat rice noodles with prawn, bean sprouts, Chinese sausages, egg, fishcake, soy sauce, seafood stick and vegetables) @ £6.80 - this was as good as versions I have eaten in Singapore, but again the portion was minute.

"Tow Yu Bak" (slow cooked pork with thick & sweet soy sauce) @ £6.50 – this was excellent. The meet was succulent and tender, and the combination of sweet soy sauce and caramelised pork fat was heavenly.

To finish the meal, we had "Coconut ice cream" @ £3.95, and a selection of "Nyonya Kuih" (traditional freshly made Malaysian desserts) @ £2. These were not too sweet, and ended the meal appropriately.

The wine list was reasonable – we had a couple of bottles of the Mondarra Chardonnay @ £13.90. This wine had sufficient robustness to stand up to the complex flavours of the food, and it is good to see restaurants having reasonable quality wines at this price range.

The total bill came to £97 or £18 per person including drinks and service. At first glance this may look like outstanding value however in retrospect we did not order enough food. Had we ordered two portions of each dish I estimate that this very good meal would have cost us between £25 and £30 per person. I think this would still have been a resonable price for the quality of cooking at Sedap.

If you would like to learn more about Nyonya cuisine, take a look at the great site by Petit Nyonya called A Nyonya Kitchen in my Blog List.

Verdict – despite the tiny portions, I felt that the food was overall well prepared and authentic. Outstanding were the slow cooked pork, Malaysian tofu and the Sambal vegetables. Charming, friendly service. Recommended (but I suggest you order more rather than less).