London Supper Club – Lex Eat Supper Club

Lex Eat Supper Club

Lex Eat is special. Visiting Lex Eat is one of those experiences that truly reinforce my love for this amazing City. If the label “boutique supper club” could ever be used, they would most certainly be a very strong contender.

Started by the two gorgeous Aussie lawyers, Alexis and Yohanna, from their flat in Islington just over a year ago, Lex Eat has since then gained a huge following, and their evenings, much talked about in London’s supper club circuit, are well oversubscribed.

Unlike other popular London supper clubs, Lex Eat holds dinners monthly (or whenever they can or want to), and as they are not in this for the income, it is also one the best value supper clubs in London.

The Location

On my visit, the supper club was still located at Alexis and Yohanna’s beautiful loft apartment in Islington, but they have since then moved to another flat on Regent’s Canal in Hackney. I will be returning to their supper club at their new location on 14th November and will report back.

Alexis and Yohanna’s style and décor are casual but very stylish. From the colourful table arrangements to the beautiful ornaments and furniture scattered around their flat, they create an intimate, light and fun setting for their evenings.

While their former location could seat up to 16-18 people, their new flat will only accommodate 7-8 diners who will also have the pleasure to eat with both hosts at their table.

The Food

We kicked off with a delightful “Pea and Pancetta Risotto”. The rice had been perfectly cooked - the grains were still slightly al dente and had a delicious creaminess. A small dollop of mascarpone cheese, thinly sliced pancetta and fresh basil leaves helped to finish off a well executed dish.

For main course, Yohanna served us “Stuffed de-boned chicken, Dauphinoise of Sweet Potatoes and a medley of green beans, sugar snaps and asparagus”. This was a simple but delicious dish and, as the starter, the combination of flavours was excellent.

The chicken, stuffed with truffled mushrooms, was tender and juicy and tasted delicious. The Dauphinoise potatoes had been very thinly sliced with a mandolin and were beautifully cooked in plenty of cream. The greens were deliciously crunchy and combined well with the other elements of the dish.

Like all good supper clubs, seconds were offered to anyone wanting more chicken and potatoes. The main was accompanied by Alexis’ homemade bread, and a refreshing lemon sorbet was served as a palate cleanser prior to pudding.

The dessert was a delicious treacle and preserved fig tart served with vanilla ice cream. The pastry was light and crumbly as good homemade pastry should be. I enjoyed this dessert a great deal, and felt that the ice cream complemented the rich tart flavours really well. I also enjoyed the simple and elegant presentation of this dish.

The People

The supper club is run by Alexis and Yohanna; they are both Australian lawyers living in London for the last two years. Alexis does most of the cooking while Yohanna does front of house – Yohanna not only greets everyone in but also remembers the name of every single diner, I was totally impressed.

Alexis is passionate about cooking and decided to start their supper club to meet other foodies in their newly adopted country. Yohanna plays the trumpet and trombone in two different bands, and is now getting into food photography.

The Drinks

Lex Eat is BYO and no corkage is levied. A delightful cocktail was served as a welcoming drink, and to match our dessert, two half bottles of 2008 Brown Brothers, Orange Muscat and Flora Special Late Harvested, was offered free of charge by Alexis and Yohanna and shared among all diners.

Good quality cafetiere coffee and teas were also served after dessert.

Other Stuff

Alexis and Yohanna write the amazing blog “LexEat!” (see my “London Supper Clubs I Recommend” list).

Future dates for their supper club evenings are 7th and 14th August, 2nd October and 14th November.

Cost: minimum donation of £20 per person – the best value supper club in London.

Likes: great food, excellent value, and most charming hosts.

Dislikes: more dates please!

Verdict: A gem of a supper club, Lex Eat is special. Great food, charming hosts, intimate and stylish location, and now one of my favourite top three supper clubs in London. Very highly recommended.

London Restaurant Reviews - Tayyabs

Tayyabs (Updated on 3rd April 2011)

I have wanted to go to Tayyabs for a very long time but for one reason or another, I never managed to get a table. On one occasion, a couple of friends and I tried our luck without a reservation - as we arrived there we found, as predicted, a very long queue ahead of us. After waiting for 20 minutes or so we gave up, and headed to the nearby Lahore Kebab House.

Last Thursday, I finally made to Tayyabs thanks to the delightful Jennifer and Louise who miraculously managed to book us a table - never underestimate a woman’s power of persuasion I would say! I had first met Jen & Louise at the Bangalore Express tasting a few weeks earlier, and was looking forward to eating and catching up with both again.

We arrived at Tayyabs to find the busiest restaurant I have ever seen – the queue was a tangle of nearly a hundred or so people huddled together, pushing and shoving and looking rather miserable. Despite our booking, we still had to wait a good 40 minutes for our table while others with no booking had to wait even longer.

Our waiter was cheerful and well natured considering the number of diners he had to look after – he patiently took our order and assisted us to open our bottle of wine. Being a Pakistani restaurant, Tayyabs is a BYO restaurant which helps to make it an even more affordable choice.

After a few minutes, two sizzling hot plates, piled high with a selection of the most beautifully char-grilled meats, arrived at our table – the smell was wonderful and we quickly tucked in. The meat was tender and had been perfectly seasoned. It was spicy without being too hot, and combined with the heavenly char-grilled flavours, it made for a sensational dish.

 The selection of meats included “chicken tikka” @ £2.80, “lamb chops” @ £5.50, and “sheekh kebab” @ £0.90 each. Each plate of meat cost £11.90.

To follow the grilled meats, we ordered two curries – “Karahi Chicken” @ £6 and “Allo Meat” (Lamb) @ £6.20.

These were also excellent, as the karahi (like small woks), where the curries were cooked and served, had been blackened by the intense heat and were giving out that perfectly char-grilled aroma.

 

To accompany our mains we also ordered a couple of the vegetable dishes, the “Lahori Chickar Chana” (chickpeas) @ £4.80 and the baby pumpkin or “Tinda Masala” @ £5.

These were fried and served in Karahis, they were both deliciously spicy and had good flavours.

 

We also had “Pilau Rice” @ £2.50, the most scrumptious Peshwari Nan @ £2.50 and a “Garlic Nan” @ £2.

As we brought our own wine, we only shared a large bottle of water @ £2, and a very creamy and delicious mango lassi which @ £2 was a real bargain. By the end of the meal, we were all too full to order dessert so we shared a couple of “Kulfi” (Pistachio ice cream skewers) @ £2.50 each. The ice cream was sensational and I wish I had ordered a whole one for myself!

My experience at Tayyabs has revived my love for Pakistani cuisine, its kebabs and curries. At £67 for a table of 5 or £13.40 per person, Tayyabs is incredibly good value. Despite the chaotic booking system and ludicrous queues, I cannot wait to return to Tayyabs and try all those dishes again.

Verdict – Sensational grilled meats, wonderful Karahi curries and vegetables at very reasonable prices. I cannot wait to return. Highly recommended.

...What Others Are Saying...


Jiang Young on 3rd April 2011: My first time to Tayyabs in Whitechapel, its rated one of the best places for curry in London so I booked for a friend's birthday.  As soon as you enter the restaurant the umistakable smell of the tandoori grill hits you like an unwarranted friend. It goes right up your nose. (And onto your clothes). And your tummy will rumble as soon as you take your seat. Interesting mix of diners: from suited business men to rowdy locals, to quiet couples and big families. Its a nice noisy mess of different people from around London.


When I arrived (shamefully late) at the table my companions were already sipping their tap water and on the table were plates of complimentary onion, lettuce, tomato salads, plates of poppadums and bowls filled with chutney, mint sauce and the like. Spicy spicy but very delicious.


Off the menu we ordered several dishes of lamb karahi gosht,  saag gosht, chicken tikka, 2 orders of samosas, 2 orders of plain and garlic naan...yes we feasted like gluttonous pigs. The lamb was tender with hints of mint and the vegetable samosas had a nice shell, not too oily and as you bit into them...bliss. And because I wanted my saag paneer (yes its not on the menu, what's with that?) I specifically asked for it. Did they have it? Yup. Why wouldn't they? I also ordered Onion Bhajis (fried onions in a wonderful chick pea batter) which I ADORE as well as some raita (yoghurt) to compliment the spicy Lamb tikka. Go off menu, it pays off everytime!

London Supper Club Review - Fernandez & Leluu

Fernandez and Leluu (UPDATED on 1st March 2011)

Uyen and Simon set up Fernandez & Leluu (F&L) about 3 months ago at their delightful flat in Hackney. Before starting her supper club and possibly because of my write up on Banh Mi, Uyen, who is Vietnamese became a follower of The London Foodie. I have, since then, corresponded with her whilst following her Supper Club venture with great interest and admiration.

I was lucky enough to meet them a few days ago at their Miss Saigon Evening – it was like meeting a “pen-friend” (if such things still exist), someone I felt I knew reasonably well but had never met.

Uyen and Simon were charming and very welcoming – as “front-of-house”, Uyen had more time and opportunity to talk to her guests while Simon was in the kitchen helped by Uyen’s mother. Uyen and Simon make up a great partnership – from completely different backgrounds (Vietnamese and Spanish), their cooking style reflects their cosmopolitan origins and sophistication. Their beautiful flat has an understated elegance about it, the casual but chic look of its furniture and decor adding to the experience at F&L.

The evening was sold out, and soon their living room was filled with a trendy crowd, mostly in their 20s and 30s, chatting excitedly over their bottles of wine and in great anticipation of the 7 courses that were to follow.

Soon enough, our first course was served – “Bi Cuon” (summer rolls of egg, cured pork, shredded pork skin, with mint, coriander and lettuce). Summer rolls is one of my favourite starters in any Vietnamese restaurant in London or Vietnam, and I order it every time.

F&L’s summer rolls bore no resemblance to the usual fare that I had tasted so far – they cleverly substituted the vermicelli with shredded pork skin, and used cured pork meat instead of the blander prawns that are so commonly used. An egg omelette was also used together with herbs and lettuce. The combination of flavours was sensational and the accompanying sauce - sweet, sour and slightly hot was perfect.

The “Banh Bao Dep” (clear prawn tapioca dumplings) served with “Phan Thiet” sweet & hot fish sauce was another exceptional dish. The tapioca wrapping was deliciously light, its silken texture contrasting beautifully with the meaty prawns. The “Phan Thiet” sauce was also complex, complimenting the simple flavours of the dish well.

The third course was “Goi Ga” (shredded chicken, coriander and lime salad served with prawn crackers). Similar to a Thai or Laotion laap, this dish was again packed with flavours while being very refreshing. A great dish to share around.

F&L’s “Cha Gio Nem” (woven spring rolls with prawns, pork, black fungus and vermicelli) was also excellent. I don’t normally get excited about spring rolls but F&L’s had obviously been freshly made on the premises. They tasted delicious and were a cut above anything I had ever eaten in Asian restaurants. Uyen has recently posted her own spring roll recipe with great photos at their Fernandez & Leluu’s blog which I am now dying to try out.

I am a real sucker for slow cooked meats and rich stews – I love tagines, koureshs, and casseroles of any kind. Our next course, “Thit Heo Trung Kho” (braised ham & quail egg in fish sauce and coconut juice) was another fine example of such a dish. The meat was exquisitely tender and tasted sweet from the coconut juice and spices, and was nicely complemented by the quail eggs. It was served with rice and stir fried morning glory.

 

The “Banh Canh” (Udon noodle soup with dill fish cakes) was delicate and soothing. The homemade fish cakes had been flavoured with dill and were utterly delicious.

For pudding, we were served “Che Chuoi” (banana with tapioca in coconut milk).  The tapioca pearls had a pleasantly soft texture soaking up the banana and coconut milk flavours. It was a light and elegant dessert which I would love to try again.

We were also served Vietnamese coffee “Ca Phe Sua Da” (Vietnamese weasel coffee with condensend milk). I was never a fan of this, having tried it a few times in Vietnam, but to my surprise, F&L’s version was strongly flavoured and not overly sweet. This was the perfect way to finish an exceptional meal.

I have already been to a few supper clubs, but undoubtedly Fernandez & Leluu and The Loft by Nuno Mendes, are the top two by a long way in my opinion. Unlike The Loft where the suggested donation is £115 per person, L&F’s £35 price tag appears very moderate for this level of sophistication and consistency. I have booked again for the 18^th December for their White Christmas evening, and am really looking forward to this.

Verdict – sophisticated cuisine by delightful couple Uyen and Simon @ £35 a head plus tips. A great value supper club serving outstanding food in charming apartment in East London. BYOB with no corkage charge. One of the best London supper clubs, and highly recommended.  

...What Others Are Saying...

Dr Tiffany Morris on 1st March 2011: I had read about this underground restaurant on The London Foodie and as a fan of all things Vietnamese I was very excited to give it a try!  I, three of my housemates, and six couchsurfers (a mix of local hosts and travellers passing through) met to have a meal to remember.

Several of us arrived on bikes that were lovingly carried over the diners to the back garden for safekeeping by our host Simon. The seven courses were served at a relaxed but regular pace between 8pm-midnight. Each dish was shared between two which meant we quickly got to know each other.

All of the dishes were delicious and the one that stood out the most for me was the sashimi and chips. Fresh delicious salmon sashimi was served with a small dish of perfectly cooked chips, mushy peas and a side of fresh mayonnaise. It was a very simply but delicious union of western and eastern cooking.