Pop Up Kings Road

Once upon a time, the Kings Road was known for being a hotbed of counter-culture; fertile ground for start ups, fresh thinkers and bright young creatives. For the last decade or so, I would argue, it has provided more of a stable environment to some local mainstays - places like Heals, Jack Wills, plenty of the Parisian fashion brands... even the feisty Ad Hoc has been around for a while.

So when I saw Pop Up Britain had moved in at the World's End, I was pretty excited: time for some fresh (super fresh) talent. Pop Up Kings Road is a concept store with a fantastic premise - every 2 weeks, for a whole year, 10 fresh new start ups move into the space and start trading. It's a great opportunity for new British talent to find a platform, get a leg up and make a name for themselves, and makes sure the shop is a real destination for a whole year, as you never know what you'll find there next.

When I visited this Saturday, the first batch of start ups had just taken residence, and I was really impressed with what I saw. The selection of brands was really well curated, each company complementing, rather than competing, with one another, and a really high standard of design and creativity. What's more, most of the brands were offering introductory discounts, so you can get your hands on future classics for fantastic prices

The highlight for me had to be Pinucci shoes, who had a selection of the world's coolest flats, and I couldn't resist their black leather, snakeskin and taupe suede Sloane sneakers, down from £150 to just £60. I also loved the selection of pretty trinkets, clothes and homewares from The Gorgeous Company, edgy shades from Couth and my boyfriend picked up a super cool slapband watch (90s children, remember snap bands?! Cool right?!) from Clicloc. Everything on offer was highly original, covetable and just a little bit different from most of what's on offer on the rest of the King's Road, breathing a fresher, younger lease of life into what is usually the slightly 'tired' end of the street.

A fresh batch of traders arrived in store today, and I'm sure I'll be checking in every few weeks throughout the whole year. I can't think of a better way to support talented young British entrepreneurs, and I love the fact that every time you visit, there will be new and exciting brands to shop. You'll see at least a few faces this year who make it big in 2014 and beyond, guaranteed.

Pop Up Kings Road
387 Kings Road
Chelsea, London
SW10 0LR
www.popupbritain.com

Pictures from Pop Up Britain and retailweek.

On Virgin Ground

Whoops! Who ate all the bruschetta...

For someone who fancies themselves a bit of a foodie - if only for the amount I eat, as opposed to any real  expertise - living within easy reach of the World's End is definitely a plus, as the last year or so has seen a range of openings, switcharounds and more on the restaurant scene. When Rosso Pomodoro shut, it left many of its fans disappointed, and the site lay empty for quite a few months... seemingly the recession's ubiquitous calling card, the empty shop front, had finally hit Chelsea. So it was as much relief as curiosity that I felt on seeing the builders move in to develop the World's End latest Italian venture: Terra Vergine.

Inspired by the Abruzzo region of Italy, the emphasis is on quality, natural and pure ingredients. The menu is diverse, although not too long, following the traditional structure of starters and pasta (normally a first course in Italy), followed by a selection of meat or fish dishes, and sides chosen separately. They definitely sit on the pricey and more sophisticated end of the spectrum, although the dishes are not overly complex or adventurous - the emphasis is on quality.

Sitting outside on one of August's rare sunny afternoons, I was certainly struck by the freshness of the vegetables adorning my bruschetta: set off with a crisp white wine, and a good dose of sunshine, I definitely felt a blissful Mediterranean vibe. Having whet our appetites, a generous helping of garlic and white wine seafood linguine (packed full of our sea-dwelling friends) and some lobster spaghetti managed to transport us almost completely - only the rattling of the number 11 bus going by managed us out of our reverie. Rounding off with a traditional Italian affogato (amaretto, espresso and vanilla ice-cream), we'd enjoyed a meal as good as you'd find anywhere on the Italian coast. However, we'd also spent a fair few pennies. Whilst Terra Vergine is not Chelsea's priciest Italian, it's not your cheapest option either. Definitely one for a date, rather than a wallet friendly option for a group of friends. It will be interesting to see how it fits in amongst the many other Italian options in the immediate area.

Terra Vergine
442 Kings Road, London SW10 0LQ

Eathai, Eat lots of Thai... at Busaba Eathai

Usually this blog prefers to focus on local independent businesses and restaurants, but I thought I might make an exception for one of my favourite London chains, and it's only a little chain, promise. There were a certain set of hoardings I saw appear on the Kings Road that caused a small squeal of excitement, and possibly a very tiny anticipatory dribble. Long having been a fan of Soho Asian diner, Busaba Eathai, I was pretty gleeful to have my own local branch.

Some of you may have visited the other Busabas - besides the venue in Soho I believe there is one in the City and another in Hoxton, and now Chelsea - but the concept has been faithfully transported into SW3. The interior is full of dark woods, big shared square diner tables, twinkling tea lights, glistening buddhas and the smell of incense. The menu is full of South Asian favourites, all of great quality, although not especially adventurous, and the prices are similar to those of Wagamama. Unsurprising that, considering that Busaba is an offshoot of the same stable.

On this occasion, the boy and I indulged in rather a feast. I think I've mentioned about a million times over that Thai and South East Asian food is pretty much my favourite thing ever. We kicked off with beers and orange and cranberry juice (Bottle Green rather than freshly pressed I'm afraid, but really delicious... must track some down when I'm next in Waitrose). For starters we shared Tom Yam Talay, a spicy and sour seafood noodle soup, goong tohd prawns in breadcrumbs with a chili lime sauce (this was beautifully fried, with the prawns still soft and juicy and the sauce was most refreshing) and lightly steamed chinese broccoli with garlic and brocolli which also tasted tasty and virtuous.

For mains we tucked into a Malaysian favourite of mine, Pad Kewtio, which features chicken, king prawns and holy basil in a chilli sauce around thick rice noodles. However, the piece-de-resistance was the red beef curry, with lychee, parsnip, lime leaf and chilli. The coconut sauce was thick, creamy and nutty, just the way I like it. Although true thai aficiionados might find the sauce lacking in spice, there are some loose chilis in there for the braver amongst you and I'd say the heat is about right for most western pallets.

Busaba Eatthai
358 Kings Road
London SW3 5UZ

Back to the 90s with The Big Easy

If you're thinking ribs, meats, shrimps, margaritas and the best of American dining in RBKC there's only one place you can think of. The Big Easy has been a local institution for donkeys, giving us the original Chelsea rib eating contest, the borough's meanest Margarita, excellent live music and a loud and proud atmosphere that keeps the regulars coming back time and time again.

Now, when I say donkey's years, I should specify... it will be 20 years exactly this 8th of November and to celebrate The Big Easy will be transporting diners back to the 90s in a way we can ALL appreciate. No need for kappa jackets, crimped hair or dodgy renditions of the Spice Girls... our favourite local BBQ and Crabshack will instead take your wallets back to 1991.

For one night only a full rack of hand-trimmed, hickory slow-smoked ribs marinated in their world-famous BBQ sauce, for the original opening price of £5.95! (normally £14.90). And to wash it down, their classic frozen Margaritas are just 95p with any main meal.


Marking this historic milestone, every 20th customer through the door will get a 50% discount on a meal for two when they return after the 8th, so cross your fingers, touch wood and prey to the gods of American Gulf Coast gastronomy that you scoop the top-prize.


And book up quick... ribs that cheap don't stick around too long!


The Big Easy
332-334 Kings Road, London SW3 5UR
www.bigeasy.co.uk

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

Feeling some JuJu magic

About a month ago, we received a fun little request from local mag DV8Fulham: visit the Kings Road haunt JuJu, sample a range of cocktails, and interview sexy head barman Christian for their Barman of the Month segment. Having been to Babushka's (way back in the day - I realise JuJu has been there a while!) we had long been intrigued by JuJu, so as you can imagine we didn't really need to be asked twice.

From the outside, JuJu does look a little like your typical Kings Road swanky bar (read: expensive, with a high possibility of being pretentious). Although it is pricey, I would argue that the cocktails are probably worth the money, and there is also a little club downstairs to boot, and they also serve a variety of pan-Asian food so you can make a pretty complete evening of it.

JuJu has a dark, atmospheric interior which is pretty spacious. The cocktail list is extensive, and for the most part very inventive. Christian, the head bartender, received the Outstanding Mixology award at the London Bar and Club Awards 2010, and most of the menu is his own design. He's also more than willing to go off menu and seems to delight in quizzing punters on their favourite tastes and tailoring a new creation to suit. On the day we were there he had been experimenting with Hibiscus and had made his own liqueur - we tried it with champagne and the result was delicately sweet and unusual. I was a fan, although Sarah did find it a little sweet for her tastes. Still - top marks for trying, and Hibiscus certainly makes for a fairly original "home brew" (especially as the closest I've ever got to making my own alcohol is shoving a packet of skittles in a cider bottle aged 14 - the result was fairly revolting!).

Between us, Sarah and I tried the Strawberry Haze (Strawberry puree, Bulldog gin, Strawberry liqueur and Veuve Cliquot champagne) and the Heaven of Earth (jasmine tea mixed with Bulldog gin, and a passion fruit slice, topped with Veuve Cliquot champagne). Whilst the former was definitely one for those with a sweeter tooth, the puree provided a pleasant velvet texture whilst the dryer taste of the champagne went a long way to counteract the sugary strawberry.

The Heaven of Earth was the true success of the night: it was beautifully delicate and aromatic (albeit a bit girly: I defy the rugby lads amongst you to order it without a slight blush!). The passion fruit and underlying tea flavours provided each other's perfect counterpoint and it came served with a beautiful edible flower (told you it was girly). Apparently Christian created it for Magnum ice creams, as part of their latest 'rainforests' campaign - and his skills were not wasted.

As we attended on a Wednesday evening (and the venue was closed to the public for a shoot - more on that later!), we can't really vouch for the atmosphere and general clientele. With the location and price point, it could be that it's frequented by a certain Kings Road "type" (if you know what we mean) but it always seems to be doing a good trade on the weekends, and for these cocktails it's definitely worth the visit.

However, the clientele on the evening we visited were a pretty exciting bunch indeed. As mentioned earlier, the venue was closed to the public that evening for a photo shoot: with the Made in Cheslea cast no less! Sipping champagne cocktails with Francis Boulle certainly added an extra, shall we say, "dimension" to the evening and it was really interesting to chat to the producers and get the behind the screens low-down.

Though we can't promise you'll be rubbing shoulders with Spencer and the gang (whether that's such an attraction or not is debatable anyway!), we can promise you a mean cocktail - and you should certainly go and put Christian to the test and see if he can whip you up your perfect cocktail!

JuJu
316-8 Kings Road, Chelsea, London SW3 5UH.
http://www.jujulondon.com/

Nice one Pablo... Drinks at Picasso

If you're vaguely familiar with the Kings Road at all, surely you'll have heard of Picasso. It's a real King's Road institution, having been around 40 years ago as a traditional "caff" when the road was still at the heart of bohemian London, and having survived several decades, several economic booms and troughs and still kept that traditional charm. Indeed, Sarah's mum, who joined us last Friday for drinks at one of her old haunts, remembers hanging out there when she was in her 20s and working locally for Ossie Clark (cue lots of first job envy!). So understandably, there was a lot of local curiosity when Picasso shut its doors this year for a total refurb, and re-emerged under the ownership of the rather swanky Black&Blue group.

However, like a phoenix from the flames, what has emerged from the rubble is a really gorgeous local venue, which hasn't lost any charm and still manages not to be pretentious or ostentatious. With lots of diner style booths, natural light streaming through the glass ceiling and chic Parisian style cafe music humming in the backround, the general ambience is of laid back chic.

As this was an early Friday evening, cocktails were the order of the day. We were excited to try the special Wimbledon cocktail - a light, cleansing cocktail based around lime and cucumber - created by the Picasso team to celebrate the annual tennis event. Decorated with a twist of lime peel which reminded me of the tracks around a tennis ball, the flavours countered each other really well and I wasn't disappointed.

Sarah plumped for the Herbalist, which was zingy, sweet and refreshing all at once. The bitter Tanqueray gin was offset perfectly by the cucumber.

Ann also really enjoyed her Romeo's First cocktail; apparently is the drink of the moment amongst Picasso customers. Based around passion fruit, the mixologist managed to avoid its sweet taste overwhelming the other flavours. The end product was rather aromatic and elegant and not in the least sickly.

Accompanying our drinks was a perfect mini mezze plate of olives, feta and sundried tomatoes - the perfect way to start the evening!

Unfortunately we couldn't stay to sample the full menu, but true carnivores amongst you would be pleased to hear that it's based around steaks and hamburgers which, if the Black & Blue reputation is anything to go by, are bound to be mouth-watering.

Picasso
127 Kings Road,
London
SW3 4PW

Gobbling Chelsea, at Duke of York Square Market

Having got a taste for the hustle and bustle of North End Road market, and wanting to take a stroll to enjoy last Saturday's sunshine, I decided to amble along the King's Road to the area's decidedly more 'polished' market. Each weekend, throngs of people congregate in Duke of York Square to meander around the Chelsea food market, sampling global cuisine from Brazilian to Portuguese, picking at all sorts of sweet treats from crepes to cupcakes and enjoying all the treats that the various stalls have to offer.

Whilst the North End Road offers a more authentic local market experience, and real fruit and veg bargains to boot, Chelsea market boasts a variety and sophistication that rivals the famous Broadway market in Hackney, with prices significantly lower than the notorious Borough market. Whether your a health nut or a chocoholic, all bases are covered, and there seemed to be plenty of both present last Saturday - the largest queues were for Rainforest Creations (an exotic vegetarian salad stall) and for the plentiful cupcake and patisserie stalls. 

Also on offer is organic fruit and veg, a variety of pickles, chutneys and conserves, Brazilian, Portuguese (the smell of rocket and chorizo buns gave me hunger pangs all day), Jamaican, Thai, pancakes, fresh juice, fresh oysters, fish, organic meat, pies, cheeses and everything in between. Arrive with an empty stomach: I guarantee you'll find enough to eat lunch four times over!

Cocktail Hour at Beaufort House

After all the champagne and nibbles and the fabulous Bluebird event last week, we weren't too keen to head home right away and decided to head off for a quick cocktail with the guys from kingsroad.co.uk (have a read, it's great).

Sarah had been to Beaufort House "about a million" times before, but amazingly enough I'd never stepped inside. However, this place has always been on my radar - in my younger years I used to make an almost daily pilgrimage from Wandsworth to Chelsea on the mighty 319 bus route (oh yes, those were the days) which turns onto the Kings Road off Beaufort Street. Beaufort House has always been sat there proudly, and temptingly, on the corner - a real Kings Road institution.

So buoyed on champagne, off we trotted for a quick drink. I wasn't disappointed with the cocktail menu - it was extensive and my Raspberry Collins was really delicious, zingy and refreshing. The decor is pretty classic and elegant. However some of the tables were a bit small and the chairs a bit hard for my liking - and being a bit of a theme-obsessive I tend to go for bars with slightly more outlandish decor. The bar excepted (it's a big, glossy, silver wonder) BH plays it quite safe. But Beaufort House doesn't target the yoofs that would be attracted to the likes of Public (or anywhere with a colour scheme just shy of tacky - my favourite!). It is a members club more often frequented by more monied, slightly older types (not old old, but approaching middle age old) and there is a simple elegance and classic charm to the place. That said, it apparently hosted the cast of Made in Chelsea for their viewing party of the second series, so perhaps it is targetting the younger market after all!

Anyway, fab cocktail, fun times. I'd recommend you all to try it out yourself.

Ad Hoc Fashion Show with DV8 Fulham at Miss Qs

Ad Hoc is a bit of an institution around these parts. It's a fun, bold and brassy store in the midst of the King Road's usual fare of polished, designer and pared down boutiques. It sells everything from kooky fashion, to bright nail polishes, costume jewellery and a whole range of quirky gifts and accessories and it's been a real hive of activity ever since I can remember. So, although a lot of the clothes aren't exactly wardrobe staples of mine, the style has a distinctive attitude, and bags of it. I knew that the event with DV8 Fulham (a great new local magazine focusing on young Fulham) would be LOTS of fun.

I hadn't been to Miss Qs previously, and the venue is definitely a good one. Although the dance floor is TEENY TINY, there is a chilled out vibe, as the club boasts loads of seating areas based around all sorts of nooks and crannys and some pool tables which definitely change the feeling of the place. DV8 had arranged some great goody bags for us including nail polish and vouchers for Hari's Salon, and for drinks we sipped upon the specially-created Tanquer-8 cocktail: a delicious mix of Gin and Lychee.

The fashion show was a great success. The models looked like they were having loads of fun, and really pulled off the bold outfits. The girls sported huge fake eyelashes, and high ponytails with the ends dip-dyed in neon colours - a look I can only dream of emulating without looking like a total tit but looked brilliant. The male models wore a small repertoire of clothes - tighter than tight jeans in neon yellow or pink with a navy wife-beater with a Britannia theme, but somehow they managed to strut the catwalk and pull the look off with cheeky swagger. The girls showed off a mix of sequins, hot pants, neon tutus and lots of sheer layering. There were some leather fringed shorts in particular that I will be buying next time I hit the Kings Road, and some great sheer shirts that will probably find themselves worked into some (slightly more conservative) ensembles in my own wardrobe.

No Sharwoods mango chutney in sight at Chutney Mary

Chutney Mary is somewhat of an establishment in Chelsea having attracted customers from far and wide for over 20 years since its opening in 1990. Boasting a prime location in the heart of antiques land on the New Kings Road the chances are if you are a Chelsea resident you will have frequented this establishment at least once. It has been on my hit list for a long time but has always escaped a visit in favour of its cheaper gastro pub neighbours. I had heard wonderful things about this restaurant and in particular rave reviews about the quality of the food. Unfortunately for me I had also heard that this taste of Indian heaven comes at quite a high price and sadly I am not in a position yet to command a salary worthy of regular dinners at £150 a pop.

Fortunately for me my lucky Aries stars had aligned and my birthday was imminent. My lovely new boyfriend, eager to please, had informed me he had booked a table for a Friday night. Having enjoyed a balmy walk there from my flat I was practically hopping with excitement to see what all the fuss was about. I am a huge fan of Indian food and especially a spicy curry on a Friday night and so to sample one of my favourite cuisines at such a high standard was a real treat.

We were greeted with precision and ease in what appeared to resemble a boutique hotel lobby more than an Indian restaurant. After a mere five minute wait we were guided downstairs to an impressive room filled with round tables splayed on varying levels, all of which were heaving with people dressed up to the nines quaffing champagne. This restaurant obviously attracts the ‘celebrating’ crowd on a Friday night. Our table was at the back in a tropical greenhouse/conservatory style glass room with a large tropical tree in the centre- I can well imagine this is some people’s idea of hell but having loved the rainforest cafe as a child I squealed with delight at this adult equivalent.

We ordered cocktails to start and I practically guzzled a lychee martini while salivating over the eclectic and sophisticated Indian menu. After some hand holding and eye gazing we ordered another round of drinks and our food. I decided on the chicken tikka with raspberry chutney to start and the special of the day king prawn coconut curry for a main, both of which had one chilli next to them indicating I was in for some spice. The starter was light, delicate and extremely flavoursome- the chicken pieces fell apart and melted in my mouth while the combination of the spicy tikka and sweet chutney was close to what I imagine a ‘taste explosion’ is like. I had switched to the house wine by this point which was light and dry while new boyf was enjoying an authentic beer (can’t remember name sorry!). The main king prawn curry was equally as delicious and presented beautifully with the pilau rice arriving in a terracotta pot type thing, anyway it did the trick and kept it warm!

Thanks to new boyf advising them this was a birthday meal I was then presented with a lovely icing coated cupcake decorated with a candle on a plate emblazoned with ‘Happy Birthday’- such a thoughtful touch and the perfect end to a wonderful evening.

Eating until I swell into a Phat Phuc

I am a big Asian food fan. I love it. I pride myself on knowing, and having tried, all my local Asian outlets. But I confess the only reason I came to hear of this one, hidden away as it is, is because of its simply AMAZING name.

I had been walking back from an amazing meal at El Gaucho (no, not the posh one) in the Chelsea Garden Centre, and saw an unprepossessing sign tacked to a brick wall just off the Kings Road. How could you fail to be intrigued? But I looked around... no restaurant in the immediate vicinity, so on I walked.

At this point my curiosity is less piqued than enflamed. Where is this restaurant with the frankly awe-inspiring name? Turns out, it's completely hidden away, in a below street-level courtyard just behind the Chelsea Garden Centre. Yup, right by that big ole sign that so frustrated me. Stupid Jess.

This place completely charmed me. A far cry from the swanky, over-styled and frankly, over-priced eateries that usually populate the Kings Road and it's environs, Phat Phuc doesn't even occupy a commercial space. It is a wonderfully quirky and authentic caravan-esque open-fronted van serving food, at lunchtimes only, to a small selection of rickety wooden tables set in an idyllic courtyard (think foundations etc), at entirely reasonable prices. The menu is brief, encompassing a whistle-stop tour of western-approved salads and spicy noodle broths, with light and refreshing starters like hoisin duck wraps and satay chicken. We ate on a gorgeous, bright but cold March day, and so eating outside under the gas heaters felt like a rare treat.

I settled for the Prawn Laksa, which has always been a favourite of mine but I've seen done in a myriad of ways, ranging from divine to revolting. The boy went for a Pho Bo (vietnamese beef noodle broth). We started with the Hoisin Duck wraps.

The food arrived pretty promptly, but for this kind of place (particularly as you are sat outside - although there are heating towers) that's quite normal, and I think a fast speed of service is acceptable. The duck pancakes (2 pieces for £3.50) were of a reasonable size and pretty damn tasty. My prawn laksa contained just the right amount of spice, and was pretty peanutty, which personally I love. I ate this dish all over it's native Malaysia and I have to say, this one was one of the best I've had. The boy was slightly less impressed with his Beef Broth, saying that it lacked kick. Luckily, there are plenty of spicy condiments on all the tables, and he was a pretty happy camper after a generous dose of chili sauce. Both mains were £6.50 for a pretty hearty portion.

I'm so pleased to have discovered this place, and will definitely be back. I just hope they decide to open up in the evenings once Summer approaches... I need more opportunities to visit and lunchtimes-only is a bit limiting. Great for a quick and delicious lunch, in quirky surroundings, at far below the usual Chelsea rate, provided the day is warm enough.