Finding the Middle East in the middle of Imperial Wharf

Rich yet zesty Foul Moudamas

Having lived near Imperial Wharf for a year now, I'm ashamed to say that although I visit daily to use the Overground, and occasionally pop into the Waterside for a spritzer with river views, I have never eaten at the plethora of restaurants that have popped up there, despite living less than a 5 minute walk away.

Since a girls' trip to Sharm El Sheikh, where just about the only sophisticated thing we did was eat at a really great Lebanese restaurant, I have been promising myself a visit to Yamal Alsham, a Syrian and Lebanese restaurant housed in the smart Imperial Wharf development, and which has the double benefit of offering half price meals to Tastecard holders. Not being able to get all four of the Egypt culprits together, and since my boyfriend has got to be the world's biggest kebab aficionado, I jumped at the chance to get him to raise the bar a little on the Middle Eastern fare, whilst simultaneously trying out a restaurant I'd had my eye on for so long.

3am kebab stop this ain't

So let's get things straight from the start. There are no 5am style kebabs at Yamal Alsham. Although they do offer a selection of superior sounding 'sandwiches', including the infamous Shawarma, this is a pretty upmarket establishment catering to a fairly upmarket clientele (those flats are expensive!), who know their stuff when it comes to Lebanese. When we visited we were surrounded by several parties of native Lebanese diners who were tucking into their food with gusto - that's always a good sign!

Hoummos beiruty and Bemieh bil zeit

Steering clear of the 'sandwiches', the boy and I were really impressed with the diversity of the menu. There is a large selection of drool-inducing hot and cold mezzé, as well as salads, fish specialities, grilled meats and more traditional main-courses. I'm no expert in Middle Eastern cuisine, and I feel compelled to mention how helpful the restaurant manager was when we were making our selections. She gave a pretty spot-on indication of the spice-level within each dish, and judging our level of familiarity against a series of the more common-place dishes she made some really great recommendations in terms of 'Lebanese and Syrian food - for beginners'. She also recommended a really great bottle of Lebanese red wine, from the Chateau Kefraya vineyards in the Bekaa Valley. We'd never thought of trying Middle Eastern wine before, and we found it full and well balanced, and very enjoyable.

With eyes slightly bigger than our stomachs, admittedly, we set on four mezzé to start, two cold and two hot.
The Hoummos Beiruty, infused with hot peppers, was rich and creamy, and ever so slightly warming. We also had the Bemieh bil zeit (Okra cooked in garlic, onions and tomato sauce) which was hearty yet refreshing. Of our starters the Makanek - pan fried Lebanese lamb and cumin sausages - were the stand out dish. Almost akin to a spicy Middle Eastern chorizo, this arrived sizzling at our table and were perfectly spiced and burst with rich flavour. An old favourite from Egypt, we also ordered Foul Moudamas, which are boiled broad beans seasoned with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. The flavours and textures work well together; at once light and zesty, rich and satisfying.

Makanek - the stand out dish of the evening

After a pretty rich selection of starters we barely had room for the mains! However, the boy made a very impressive dent in his Kafta Khoshkhash, minced lamb with parsley in a spicy tomato and onion sauce, whilst I regretfully report that I could barely eat a quarter of my Kibeh Bilsaynieh (Baked minced lamb and cracked wheat parcels layers filled with seasoned minced lamb and pine kernels, served with yoghurt dip). This was quite an unusual dish which, to be fair, the Maitre D had warned me most uninitiated people don't really enjoy. It is very dry but served with a refreshing yoghurt dip to add moisture. I didn't have a problem with the taste, so I'm sure I would have eaten a lot more of it if I hadn't been so full, but it wasn't my favourite thing ever. I'm now kicking myself that I didn't take the manager's advice and order the lamb stuffed aubergine I had my eye on, but never mind - all in the name of trying something new! The manager helpfully sent us away with a doggy bag and I certainly enjoyed my Kibeh more on an empty stomach the next day!

In a bid to revive ourselves we rounded things off with a Green Tea and an Expresso. It was a lovely surprise when a selection of Baklava were also presented at the end of the meal, and once again my theory that we humans possess a separate stomach when it comes to desserts was vindicated when we managed to polish them all off.

My final verdict? We will definitely visit again, but starve ourselves all day beforehand. The food is really well made and the selection is massive. The front of house staff were wonderful and the Manageress could not have been more helpful or accommodating. On a nicer day they also have outdoor seating and a selection of Shisha pipes, so this is a definite full evening affair. Once I can get the Egypt rabble together again, I'll be taking them back too!

A taste of Shanghai... in Parsons Green!

Sarah and I were recently invited by the wonderful DV8 Fulham to visit Mao Tai, New Kings Road, to do a cocktail review for the magazine. Having previously clocked the fabulous sculpted bar, and slightly outrageous yet elegant goose-feathered ceiling lamps, I leapt at the chance to sample a little chinois sophistication. For her part, Sarah (who had already visited) couldn't wait to return.

Close as it is to Parsons Green, with its triangle of hearty British pubs, Mao Tai fills an important gap in the New Kings Road market - that for a beautifully appointed, date-friendly watering hole and restaurant. Refitted 5 years ago to include a beautiful 1940s Shanghai inspired bar, hand sculpted in Bath to include a fusion of European baroque (the candle holders were inspired by tombs in France) and pan-Asian motifs, Mao Tai has been a neighbourhood favourite for the last 30 years. Run by a wonderful local couple, Mark and Pat (it was Pat who designed the sumptuous interior), Mao Tai offers Pan Asian cuisine, both at the restaurant and as small sharing plates at the bar, a beautifully lavish private dining room, and possibly the largest selection of spirits that I have ever seen in a bar of that size!

At the bar, bartender Daniel explained that the emphasis is on bringing back some of that Old World Shanghai glamour, producing clean, classic drinks with a modern twist, using a selection of high quality spirits. For example, we sampled the Aviation cocktail, which was a firm favourite amongst the bohemian arts set (think Hemingway) at the Ritz, Paris in the 1920s. Clean, sharp and elegant, the Aviation takes gin as its base, and is sweetened with lime and maraschino cherries prepared on site. We also tried the sweet, but warming and reassuringly girl-friendly New York Sour, which takes Bourbon as its foundation, topping it up with Claret and maraschino. Continuing the classic cocktail theme we had a Gin 'n' Fizz (light and refreshing - made from Plymouth gin, elderflower and an artfully curled slither of cucumber) and the 'Spritz', which is made of Aperol (a slightly weaker version of Campari) and prosecco, and which is amazingly zingy and energising, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavours.

As mentioned before, Mao Tai stocks a huge range of spirits, many from lesser-known boutique producers. My Lychee Martini was made with gorgeous rose-infused Pinky vodka, and gin-lover Sarah was treated to a tasting session including Brockman's (blackberry infused) gin, UK staple Fifty Pounds Gin and Dry Fly, which is produced in a small Washington distillery.

I love Asian cuisine, so I couldn't wait to get stuck into some of the sharing platters served at the bar. Like the opulent yet elegant surroundings, the dishes were exquisitely presented, and bloody delicious. We tucked into Indian Ocean Tuna Rolls, Mediterranean Seabass Sashimi, Rock Shrimp Tempura, lightly battered chilli Salt n Pepper Squid and Crab and Ginger Vietnamese Rolls. I can honestly say they all totally hit the mark, and for those looking for a great date venue, cocktails and bar snacks at Mao Tai is guaranteed to impress (hint hint boyfriends)! If you're looking for a sophisticated place to catch up with the Ladies, you couldn't pick somewhere better for that either. All round - 5 stars. No wonder this place has been a such a firm local favourite for the past 30 years.

86N5G5467E3T

Feeling Hot Hot HOT

Sarah and I have noted our previous experimentations with the world of yoga here, and I have long struggled to get into the practice due to a complete lack of flexibility, despite knowing that for that exact same reason I really ought to stick it out. Bearing that in mind, I have to admit that I was apprehensive at best about trying out Bikram Yoga. In truth, I was wondering what the blimmin' hell I had signed myself up for.

For those who don't follow celeb fitness regimes in the Daily Mail as avidly as I do (double shame here: yes, I read the gossip section of the Daily Whale, and no, I tend not to follow the regimes myself depsite all my best intentions!), Bikram Yoga has been getting a lot of press recently. It is a 90 minute session of 26 set postures, each repeated twice, and in 40.6 degree heat! The DM assures me that Jen, Gwyneth, GaGa and several more (equally gaga) celebrities are all devotees, and hey, if it works for them it's worth a go, right?

After a quick Google for Bikram in the local area I came across Hot Bikram Yoga, Parsons Green and was delighted to see that they offered a £15 10-day taster pass for the curious (and downright frightened) like myself. Taking along a friend for moral support, I arrived at the Parsons Green studio for my first class at 7pm on a Monday evening. I have to say, this might not have been the best time to have my first Bikram experience. It seemed half of SW6 had decided to start their week right, and the small studio was absolutely packed, and the smell than emanated from the studio from the class that had just finished was fairly overwhelming. The heat was certainly enhanced by performing the routine shoulder to shoulder with about forty others, but to honest, everyone was so sweaty that all inhibitions were lost fairly quickly!

I'll admit, it was sheer bloody mindedness that got me through my first class. As mentioned, the studio was a little overcrowded (although I only experienced this at the Monday 7pm class, so a tip from me - avoid this slot like the plague as the others aren't nearly so popular and the experience is much more relaxed) and I have never sweated so much in my life! I would never normally stay in a sauna this long, let alone exercise in one, yet the heat certainly allows you to stretch into the postures much more easily, and I found myself pushing myself much further than I have managed before, and with surprisingly little resistance from my previously inflexible muscles. However, the first experience is one you certainly just have to push through. Dizziness and nausea (although never extreme) are common, but the teachers always have newcomers identify themselves and never force anyone to push themselves through postures when they are feeling the strain too much. I even saw one teacher fetch a dizzy student a bottle of electrolyte enhanced water - so they do really look out for you!

For all the struggles of the first class, I was determined to come back and follow through. Not only did I feel AMAZING just a short while after the session ended (really relaxed, calm and cleansed - my skin was glowing), there was something incredibly satisfying about making it to the end of the 90 minutes, and having pushed my body into stretching much farther than I had previously managed. Right from the start, you do see a marked increase in your suppleness, even a few days after the class.

From class two and beyond, I found my flexibility noticeably increasing with each session, and I managed to almost enjoy the heat, acclimatising quicker and quicker each time. As the sweat flows, the toxins rush out, and my stomach muscles became markedly more toned after session three. It is bloody hard work, yet also relaxing and satisfying - I'm sure in great part because you can see yourself improving each time. I've always had trouble sleeping, and exercising in the evening can often exacerbate this. However, after each session (I'm afraid I never made the 6:30am ones!) I fell quickly into a deep and happy sleep. Just remember to drink as much water as you can manage before hitting the hay - there were a couple of mornings when I woke up very dehydrated indeed!

The studio is small, and very very busy, so it is important to work out which sessions work for you. As mentioned before, I'd avoid the Monday 7pm class but the others I visited (Monday 8:45, Thursday evening and Saturday 12pm) were not nearly so busy, so you get a little more attention, more space and breathing room! All the teachers have very different characters too, and my favourites were Veronika and Dom for their sense of humour, and attention to all their class mates - they both gently cajoled you into pushing yourself further, and made sure to correct you where you were going wrong. I'm not really into the more philosophical and meditative aspects of yoga (although I know some people are) so preferred classes with a little less emphasis on this, although it has to be said that with such a physical practice none of the classes can ever really end up being too "hippy". There is a lovely atmosphere in the class. Nobody tries to compete (although some of the others were really VERY flexible and I couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy) and I'm sure basically sweating all over your neighbour helps break down any barriers. Indeed, there is a real community around the studio - after tweeting about my experiences I found several readers eager to compare notes!

I really enjoyed my sessions at Hot Bikram Yoga. Although tough, it's also incredibly satisfying. And with unlimited yoga for 10 days priced at only £15, you don't have much to lose by trying out.... Just make sure you visit more than once to see all the benefits!

Hot Bikram Yoga
25 Heathmans Road
London
SW6 4TJ
020 7384 4454


PS Excuse the lack of pictures - it's not really appropriate to take a camera into the studio, and I certainly looked far too much of a state to feature!!

Thirsty Thursday's just got even better...

We have already reviewed the Jam Tree (here) but like many good establishments this venue has varying times/days to suit all tastes and last week I discovered, albeit a bit late I know, the wonder that is the Jam Tree Free Hog Roast Thursdays.

The concept from what I could gather was to head down after work on Thursday with some friends, order something cold and refreshing, grab a table in the sunshine and then when feeling peckish, as if from nowhere, a lovely lady called Sophie appears with a groaning tray of BBQ'd burgers. For Free. Yes Really! 
Serious kudos to whoever at The Jam Tree came up with this idea, not only do you feel totally chuffed that you don't have to fork out for dinner (although their menu is ace) you have more money left over for drinks. An inspired choice of day by the team too considering Thursday is technically the start of the weekend in media land which made for a very chilled summer atmosphere in their cute decked garden. It also lends itself perfectly to the 'pre lash' Public crowd who are gearing up for a somewhat thirstier Thursday, we even spotted the Made in Chelsea cast dolled up to the nines and rubbing shoulders with us non celebs.

Fun for all Foodies

Jess and I  both admit to being total foodies, we love eating out, trying new foods and indulging wherever possible. Dukan diet aside, on any given midweek evening one of us will undoubtedly be at a local restaurant enjoying the culinary delights that SW6 has to offer.

When the 'Foodies Festival' came to Battersea Park there was only one person I could take as my guest, my highly talented best friend and supremo chef Elizabeth. We arrived ravenous and left replete, it was a perfect day. Highlights included sumptuous fresh oysters with the perfect dash of Tabasco, basking in the sunshine by the Pimms tent and a spicy Moroccan lunch which left our tongue's tingling. 

The event had an informal lively atmosphere yet there was enough room to poke around the various stalls munching on the tasters as we went. Local restaurants such as Bennetts in Battersea (review here) had pop up stalls and for those in the mood for some serious opulence the Harvey Nicks pop up food hall and bar appeared to have a constant supply of champagne flowing.

I have taken some snapshots from the day below but I wouldn't advise looking at them if you are hungry or on a diet, some of these cakes are not for the faint hearted!

Molti Piatti on the Kings Road

There is an absolute abundance of Italian’s in Fulham and Chelsea. Big ones, small ones, chains, independents, iconic ones, ones with longevity and ones that seem to disappear in the blink of an eye. With a strong preference for independent restaurants, one place that has long been on my hit list has been Osteria Dell’Arancio, which sits on the Kings Road just before the World’s End. Last Sunday, I finally got round to it!

From the outside, the place looks like a fairly large and unpretentious restaurant. The premises are light and airy, and the cool white exterior punctuated with bright green makes the place seem instantly inviting. Inside, the feel is vibrant, spacious and quirky all at once. The tables are of solid build, well spaced out, and the walls are covered in eye-popping collage-style paintings replete with tongue-in-cheek pop culture references, whilst the banquette seating is covered in a selection of colourful cushions.

However, if the look and feel is unpretentious, bright and welcoming, don’t be fooled that this place doesn’t take its food seriously. The menu is diverse and imaginative, and the wine list (helpfully divided by Italian region) is absolutely enormous! The food offering follows the traditional Italian format of bruschetta, antipasti, primi piatti, secundi piatti, contorni and desserts but you will not find a bog standard Bolognese here (though the owner is very accommodating, and I have a feeling he could rustle one up on request!)

We had a tough time deciding what to eat, but in the end plumped for:

Starters:

Octopus, borlotti bean, sunblushed tomato and olive warm salad

Squid, fennel and orange salad.

Mains:

Traditional Italian beef “tagliata” steak accompanied by rocket and parmesan

Tagliolini with langoustines and shredded courgette in a light tomato sauce

The owner was really helpful in finding us the right wine. Having recently returned from Tuscany we fancied a white from that region that wasn’t eye-wateringly expensive. Having chosen a selection of meat and seafood we were directed to a Tuscan white called Il Volano, which was fairly full bodied white with a very distinct taste that lent itself very well to our chosen dishes.

The octopus was rich and meaty, and the accompanying beans, tomatoes and olives were carefully balanced to produce something that was part hearty stew, but also retained a certain freshness and lightness. I really would recommend this as a starter

I’ve always been a big fan of squid, and this was done to perfection, cooked to add a slight smokey flavour, and remaining tender and not in the least rubbery. The boy doesn’t usually like the taste of orange anywhere but dessert (philistine!), but even he had to agree that the fennel and orange were each other’s perfect counterpoint and this was the dish I perhaps enjoyed the most from the meal.

Having recently got back from a trip to Italy where we had both fallen in love with the traditional tagliata dish, I’m sorry to say that although the steak was beautifully cooked (and good Lord do you get a lot of meat for your buck) some of the finer details that we had grown to love about the tagliata were missing. In Tuscany, and perhaps there are regional differences at play here, we had always been served tagliata cooked in a rosemary sauce with almost pesto-like consistency. This extra dimension of flavour was absent from the Osteria Dell’Arancio version, although the meat was cooked very well nonetheless.

On the other hand, my taglioni dish of dainty thin spaghetti was really delicious, even if langoustines were a little thin on the ground! The courgette had been carefully grated into little threads which meant it integrated itself well into the spaghetti and lended its flavour evenly throughout the dish, whilst the accompanying tomato-based sauce was well seasoned and light enough not to detract from the langoustines and courgettes which were the main event. As were all our dishes, it was served in almost artistic clean white crockery and was presented in a thoughtful and elegant manner.

Visiting as we did mid-Sunday afternoon, the place was not exactly heaving but the owner was very attentive, and you could see that the atmosphere would be absolutely fabulous on a Saturday night. It’s the kind of place you could go as a family, or for a fun night with friends, and although the atmosphere is light-hearted, I could recommend it for a date also. If they added the rosemary to their tagliati – I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a solid 9 out of 10!



383 Kings Road, London SW10 OLP
For reservations call 0207 349 8111 or book online

Getting M.A.D.E

As much as Sarah and I love eating and drinking our way around SW6, all in the name of producing an excellent local blog of course, our supposed ‘altruism’ has been wreaking minor amounts of havoc on our waist lines. We’ve tried yoga, hell, I’ve even tried the Dukan (effective, but short-term and painfully dull), but with summer holidays approaching, it was really time to bring in the big guns.

And what big guns they were...  Ladies and Gents, let us introduce Karl Williams of M.A.D.E  (@MadePtLondon).

Karl offers a service that is bespoke and also pretty darn efficient. He’ll assess your diet, lifestyle, objectives and body fat ratio and his 30 minute sessions use abbreviated metabolic training to make sure you get the same results as you would from a full hour – whilst you retain an extra half hour of your social life! He is also a big believer in getting the techniques right, as there’s no point congratulating yourself on your 100^th squat if the way you’re squatting has made them all only 10% as effective as they could be! He also whole heartedly believes in the importance of building a community to help people achieve their goals. M.A.D.E aims to offer online services and hubs that help people share their achievements, top tips and motivate each other to make sure you keep on going, improving and surpassing your own expectations even when he isn’t there to stop you slipping!

When we met with Karl last weekend, he not only devised us a doubly efficient work-out regime but also gave a very educated, and diplomatic, analysis of our frankly shambolic food diaries from the previous week. Glossing over the several flapjacks, cocktails and total lack of vitamin C (it was a tough week in the office, OK!) Karl explained a little more about his philosophy towards food. He encouraged us to work with what we’re all already doing, and avoid absolutes. If someone is a total coffee fiend, there’s no point banning it completely, as it simply won’t happen, and they’ll get demoralised. Naturally, I have since gratefully applied this principle to my abhorrently large chocolate intake. He believes everybody is different and so you’ll need to experiment with your diet and find what works for you – hence our food and mood diary. That said, he’s a firm believer that the modern diet simply doesn’t work with the way our bodies were designed. The original human (and sadly, we don’t seem to have evolved much since) was designed to eat meat, fish and vegetables. Refined carbs like white pasta and white bread are harder to digest and hence lead to sluggishness and weight gain. Still, not all carbs are bad, and my favourite sweet potatoes were given a thumbs up (thank god!)

Diets and philosophy well analysed, we moved onto our introductory training session. Karl invited us to train at the wonderful 37 Degrees club in Kensington Olympia, and after an introductory tour filled with loads of oohs and aaahs (they have a sweet roof terrace which has been used to film many ads) we got to see just how efficient one half hour could be...

...The answer, for all you gym marathon loving sceptics, is pretty bloody efficient. The abbreviated metabolic training method means you do not stop! Whilst you rest your legs you’re pumping iron with your “guns” (*ahem* bingo wings) and whilst you’re not lifting barbells, doing planks and impersonating Usain Bolt on the cables, Karl will have you doing squats, the dreaded burpees (guys there is no escape, we really did beg!) and step ups. He also introduced us to a fairly ruthless Japanese method of interval training, called tabata, which involves working at a well-enforced 100% on the cycling machine for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds gentle cycling, repeated four times. This may sound short, but even the resident “Spinning Queen” Sarah admitted she found it quite a struggle. All I’ll say is, if there was ever a way to maximise your workout in the shortest amount of time possible, tabata is it! The net result is, your heart rate is raised (in my case, verging on cardiac arrest) very consistently for the whole half hour, even when you are “resting” one part of your body. Half an hour was definitely enough to wash away the sins of a chocolate-flapjack breakfast (told you the food diary was dire) and a little more –Sarah are I were very grateful for the steam room and pool at 37 degrees afterwards!

The best news is, initial consultations with Karl are free (for the ladies, the next best news is that Karl is pretty easy on the eye). Karl really does place emphasis on the bespoke elements of his programme and so we heartily encourage you to find out what he can do for you. He’s totally accessible, and always available to his clients via email to give extra advice, motivation and tips: everything from how to negotiate the breakfast buffet on your next holiday to “Help! I need something I can do at home to get rid of my bingo wings!” (guilty!). We reckon we’ve found a real gem here, so we’ll definitely be going back.