Moroccan Mondays.....sweat-working and tagines

Monday nights are traditionally excitement-free for those in the rat race, myself included. However, I recently discovered that there was fun to be had on a dreary Monday night in SW6 whilst remaining austere and semi-virtuous. Following my usual kill-me-now, why-did-I-drink-so-much-at-the-weekend Monday night gym session I had arranged to meet my sister for supper at Fulham Broadway. 

                                                 

My ‘sweat-working’ session over (thank you Francis Boulle) , we walked down Vanston Place to Del Aziz where we had booked a table via twitter to ensure the promised free cocktail upon arrival. I had been here for a delicious brunch before (review here) and so following a recent trip to Marrakech was beyond excited for their ‘half-price Monday Tagine night’. 

                                     

We had a really friendly waitress and were delighted with the array of meze, cocktails and delicious tagines that we ordered, even more so because of the 50% discount and complimentary cocktail. It’s a great idea to brighten up a rainy Monday evening whilst offering delicious, fresh food at very reasonable prices. Despite also ordering a couple of glasses of wine and a starter we still only paid £20 each in total.

                                        

                                        

 

Follow Del Aziz on twitter at @DelAzizLondon to book your table for a complimentary Monday night cocktail and half price tagine. 

24 - 32 Vanston Place,
London SW6 1AX
T: 020 7386 0086
E: fulham@delaziz.co.uk

Dining in Babylon

When most people arrive at the Kensington Roof Gardens they are whipped straight up to the top floor for an opulent night of champagne and cocktails under the starry (potentially rainy) skies amongst beautifully styled gardens and pagodas. However, hidden on the 7th floor of the very same building is yet another gem.

Babylon is a sleek, sophisticated yet fairly compact little restaurant surrounded by an elegant balcony overlooking Kensington. As you enter there is a teeny little bar area, packed with modern style, where we enjoyed a glass of wine and  the view before being whisked through to the restaurant area. Considering the wow factor of the gardens upstairs, the restaurant is surprisingly sedate in design terms, plumping for contemporary and elegant white table cloths, and olive green leather chairs.

Having found an excellent deal through bookatable.com, we were treated to three sumptuous courses, each one as delicious as the last. Between us, we sampled almost the entire promotional menu (except the sea bream), ranging from juicy scallops, wonderfully fresh courgette soup topped with crispy courgette fritters, and a creamy goats cheese and beetroot salad for starters. Mains consisted of a 5 onion risotto (this was very onion-y) and a succulent chicken breast with two kinds of potato and creamy puree which for me was the best dish of the evening. I rounded off with a delightfully fresh and nutty pistachio and raspberry cake, whilst the creme caramel and the almond cake with banana cake also won themselves some fans that night.

Our waiter was incredibly attentive, and very patient with what was a very loud and shrieky party of 5! It was great to go for a girly dinner somewhere a bit more sophisticated than the local pub and the understated elegance and fine dining at Babylon certainly didn't disappoint our expectations. The a la carte prices were a little steep but the venue and quality of food makes it worthwhile for a special dinner or when you're keen to impress (date-organisers, take note)!

Babylon
7th Floor
99 Kensington High Street
London W8 5SA

We booked the promotional menu via bookatable.com, which came out at £30 per head for three courses and a glass of wine.

Sugar & Spice and all things Spring-like

Sugar&Spice is a company I have been hearing more and more about of late, mainly because of the delightful and inspiring all-female team behind it, but also because of the A-list celebrities they cater for and their legendary brownies. If it’s good enough for Nick Candy, it’s most definitely good enough for me. 

Having used them for my birthday party I have been intrigued to find out more about these South West London Charlie’s Angels of the food world. One look at their picture gallery shows that this is by no means mass-market catering and it’s apparent that genuine love and passion for the best quality ingredients and food is behind this dynamic operation. 

              

As well as the usual breakfasts, lunches, canapés and dinners I discovered that Sugar & Spice also provide picnics, ready to cook barbecues, exciting children’s tea parties and more. Living in an all female household it’s with trepidation that I admit I have no clue how to BBQ and would most likely poison all my friends and flatmates. With Summer around the corner (hopefully) and a garden begging to be filled it will definitely be Sugar&Spice to the rescue!

                                     

In celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics Sugar&Spice has put together a selection of Great British picnic baskets. These are an ideal option for fulhamites planning a day at the races, sports events, festivals or lazy afternoons on Parsons Green. 

                                         

Keeping in theme with the Olympics the baskets range from Bronze to Gold, making them suitable for all appetites and budgets. Those planning a Jubilee or Olympics party will love the traditional wicker baskets which are decorated with union Jack flags, red napkins, white paper plates, plastic cups and red, blue and white ribbons. As the rhyme said, we never get tired of Sugar&Spice and all things nice! 

www.sugarandspicefood.com
Unit 19, Battersea Business Centre 99-109 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5QL
020 7978 4008

Going for Gola

We are not short of Italian restaurants in SW6, some better than others and sadly plenty of personality-free chains. It was with childish delight that I discovered a new quirky, family-run and very tongue-in-cheek Italian trattoria on Fulham Road last weekend. Deciding to venture a little further than Parsons Green my friend and I took a stroll up the Fulham Road last Saturday night to see if we could find a Paglaccio equivalent in the Munster village neck of the woods. 

                                       

Gola stuck out like a sore thumb as it was the only restaurant on the strip between Manson and The Wheatsheaf which was full of fulhamites and buzzy, little did we know quite how buzzy it would become... Despite arriving as nobodies with no booking we were greeted like old friends by the charming owner Aaron and promptly offered a glass of complimentary prosecco. Sitting at the bar we had a perfect people watching pew and immediately began admiring the higgledy-piggledy decor and kitsch furnishings. One of the first things to hit you when you enter this Italian Aladdin’s cave is the intense smell of garlic and parmesan. This comes from their signature dish, the cacio&pepe pasta which is an oven baked parmesan ‘bowl’ filled with cheesy pasta and seasoned with black pepper. 

                                        

Following Aaron’s recommendation we ordered the tuna Carpaccio and calamari to start, both of which were superb. We soon realised that Gola is not a cheap and cheerful spag bol and red plonk joint. Aaron takes his food seriously and only imports the best quality ingredients and oils to ensure quality and authenticity. There is also a wine list to excite even the pickiest of oenophiles, ranging from a very drinkable house white to a £2,000 vintage red. The atmosphere, made all the more jovial by the personalized service Aaron gives to each customer, is lively and got increasingly louder as the evening wore on. 

                         

We devoured a mouth-wateringly delicious aubergine pasta and artichoke pizza to follow- both of which were fresh, flavoursome and very filling. It was only when we were one of three tables left in the restaurant that the party got started and we moved onto the Lemoncello and Aperol Spritz (when in Rome). 

This restaurant is the type of place you can escape the humdrum, get comfortable and put the world to rights over a very good bottle of wine. It’s an Italian home from home and I cannot wait to return and bring my friends.               

                                              

787 Fulham Road London, SW6 5HD

Bom Buraya...calling all SW6 hispanophiles!

I am not sure whether this local favourite on Wandsworth Bridge Road has had a refurbishment, a new chef, new management or just a mini make-over but Il Sitio, or La Cuenta as it was formerly known, is better than ever. 

I previously reviewed La Cuenta (review here) and was somewhat disappointed with the food quality and general ambiance, but things seemed to have really turned around at this authentic Spanish tapas bar & restaurant.  I visited last week with my housemate and we were pleasantly surprised, firstly with the decor and fantastic atmosphere but more importantly with the food.

  

                                         

The bar was buzzing and the staff were jolly and spirited from the moment we walked in, a far cry from the empty, slightly soulless restaurant I visited a year ago. The menu has been pared back to simple yet delicious tapas- a particular favourite being the lucky dip pardon peppers. As my flatmate said, her dad loves them so much because you never know when you will bite into a spicy one and the suspense is as exciting as the taste! 

                                                                 

                                             

The chef may still be the same as previously and perhaps we visited on a bad day last year but the changes that have been made are most definitely for the better. It’s great having a cheap and cheerful, lively Spanish local on our doorstep and I urge you to try it, whether you are a hispanophile or not- especially on Thursday evening’s when they have flamenco dancing! 

146 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, London, SW6 2UH

And a pub meal in the Pear Tree...

As has been catalogued here multiple times, one of my favourite things to do on a Sunday afternoon is to enjoy a long lunch with friends at one of the many fantastic pubs this little neck of West London has to offer. I love pubs with a bit of a unique atmosphere, an interesting menu and on a day like last Sunday, a well thought-out garden area is a bonus too.

Having been tipped off to The Pear Tree in Baron’s Court a few months ago by a friend of ours on Twitter (thanks, @nadiramakeup) I had been meaning to check it out for a while. A sunny afternoon and a friend who lives on the Picadilly Line provided the perfect opportunity to explore gastropubs new.

A 5 minute walk away from Baron’s Court, the Pear Tree has a very traditional exterior that stands out all the more for being surrounded by a fair amount of 1970s concrete. Once inside, a really traditional shabby-chic vibe is taken on through: all off- white tablecloths, heavy lampshades and a massive mahogany bar front and centre. It feels slightly kitsch, slightly 1940s tea room and it’s a feel that I thought was fun, quirky, and a welcome relief from the usual gastropub formula.

The service was really friendly, and the menu was an interesting mix of pub favourites (such as the roast) and twists on the expected. A decent scotch egg is pretty standard fare amongst Fulham gastro-pubs these days, but the black pudding scotch egg at the Pear Tree was a deliciously rich take on the popular bar snack. However, the twist may have been taken a little too far with the honey and mustard dressing which was served (thankfully) on the side, as I really didn’t think it went well. However, tastes differ and the scotch egg on its own was superb. As were the fish of the day croquettes my companion started the meal with.

The main courses were really hearty and original. I really enjoyed my rolled chicken with parma ham and stuffing, served with a green bean, shallot and quails egg salad. The rump steak with roasted new potatoes and root vegetables got the thumbs up too.

2 white wine spritzers, and bread basket and two fairly hearty courses down we didn’t have space to sample the dessert, but we had a great meal, and judging by the parties at the tables around us, they’re regularly churning out happy customers. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

The Pear Tree

14 Margravine Road. London W6 8HJ

http://www.thepeartreefulham.com/

Not the whole hog...

The Pig’s Ear is tucked away in lovely ‘old Chelsea’ and offers a discreet and unassuming bolthole for residents, locals and those in the know. Having dined there once previously before in the very pretty upstairs room I was looking forward to trying their Sunday lunch offering.

Sadly last Sunday did not compare and it appeared to us that they had let things slide somewhat since our last visit. We could have picked a bad day, or there were some staffing issues but despondently we came away very disappointed. Having arrived and struggled through much debate over our booking we finally were seated in the alarmingly empty room downstairs and starting salivating over the menu.

Unfortunately it was here that things started to go wrong, we waited for 10 minutes with no offer of a drink, so asked our waitress. She then forgot and so we had to ask again by which point we had been sitting there for 15-20 minutes. She then came and grumpily asked to take our order, but we still had not received any drinks! The food itself was good, we shared 6 oysters to start and were impressed by the quality of them, however the service was so poor that this tainted the dining experience.

We asked if we could try an Italian wine before we ordered it, the waitress looked at us blankly and said “let me check”. I then asked if I could have my fish taken off the bone, the answer to this was no after another “let me check”. My fish came five minutes before my guest’s main course and no-one had cleared the empty glasses and dirty napkins off our table from the first course. We had to ask for everything twice and despite the restaurant being practically empty we felt totally ignored. 

There were no signs of management present and our waitress had evidently had zero to little training, a fault of the managers not hers. The final sting came when the bill amounted to £90, one shared starter, two main courses and two drinks each- I appreciate in Chelsea you can pay through the nose but the least you expect for that is experienced, decent service. We won’t be rushing back in a hurry.