Author: swishjunction

Lunch at The Fat Delicatessen

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The Fat Deli is a bit of an inbetweener – more formal than a traditional deli, but more laid back than a restaurant. Basically it acts as a great place for a slightly posh lunch, which is what we opted for one chilly December weekday.

The menu boasts a large amount of regular favourites including addictive tapas bar snacks. Think cured meats, salty cheeses, olives, pickles… there’s a whole lot of smorgasbord action going on. For a little pre lunch nibble we opted for the ham croquettas; cheesy, potatoey breadcrummy, um, croquettes which the Fat Deli sprinkled with extra rock salt, as if we needed them to be any more addictive.

For our main lunch we went for spinach and ricotta ravioli with pumpkin and a sage butter dressing, and a lentil, pancetta and chorizo stew.

The pasta was plentiful (available as a small or big portion, we of course opted for the larger plate), as was the parmesan (big thumbs up from fromage fans at SJ) and the sage butter dressing really addictive, but we could have done with a few more chunks of pumpkin dotted around the dish.

The stew was served in a deep tapas dish and initially we had a false sense of “oh, that’s a little small”, only to find that what lacked in size made up for in richness and flavour and that actually, we were full when we finished (always the way – eyes bigger than our stomach!).  Particularly impressive was the quality of the meat. Chunks of pancetta fell off the bone and the chorizo sizes were generous, adding an intense smokiness to the sauce.

The ambience was casual, just as you would typically see in a deli at lunch. The clientele at the time of eating consisted of young mums finishing off their morning coffees but it was peaceful, not rowdy. Including tip and soft drinks our bill came to around £25, pretty good going for a homemade lunch that satisfied our bellies until dinner (well, we’re only human…).

Enq: The Fat Delicatessen, 7 Chestnut Grove, SW12 8JA.

Resolutions you’ll want to keep

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Hands up who’s wanted to sneak under their desk for a nap at work this week? We’ve been so used to the Christmas break and its acceptance of afternoon drinking/grazing that going back to work is difficult enough, let alone having to stick to restrictive new year’s resolutions that are mostly misery-inducing (6am runs, no carbs for a month? No thanks).

We love healthy eating and we love keeping fit but all in moderation, please, which is why we’ve been on the hunt for fun resolutions to keep that don’t require starving yourself. We’re talking low-maintenance, high satisfaction.

WRITE

Chalk The Sun is a team of two teachers who run a series of writing workshops in the evenings and at weekends at the Balham Bowls Club (that place again. Seriously, they have everything there). Whether you’re a beginner or looking to further your skills, whether it’s a novel or script-writing, there’s a class tailored to it. Buy a batch of five classes and attend a class at anytime – you’re not restricted to certain times. If you don’t want to commit, you can buy a ‘taster’ class for £20. The chilled out surroundings of the BBC make these classes feel more laid back than the chilly atmosphere of a conventional classroom.

BAKE

If the domestic life is more your thing, the recently-opened Dee’s Bakery features Dee’s Academy, which will offer baking classes and workshops from cupcake decorating to more elaborate cakes that’ll look too good to eat (well, almost), like the one below. Starting on 14th January you can sign up for the ‘covering a cake and modelling’ class to learn tricks like getting your icing smooth, and making models to sit on top (£120, 5 hours). For a kid friendly option, Dee is starting to hold children’s parties (2 hours 30 mins, £25 per child – private studio hire) where kids can learn how to make pizza bases and make decorations for cupcakes. We wish we were kids again!

REVAMP

Sometimes sprucing up your home is as good as moving, which is where the London Property Makeover comes in. They run afternoon sessions most Saturdays in different locations including the BBC and Lavish Habit, which focus on giving your home a new lease of life. You’ll be given tips on colour matching, fabric mixing, lighting and other ideas to help you on your way. A ticket costs £60 and classes run from 1:30pm-4pm.

Reviewed: Brunch at Lavish Habit

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Every time a shop shuts in Balham we wait with baited breath for what will replace it. The replacement of M&S Simply Food and Woolworths with identikit bargain shops (don’t get us wrong, there is definitely a time and a place for them but three in one town? Bit overkill) led us to think this was a growing theme with our empty shops.

Lavish Habit combines good food and the best of shopping; a cosy, calm environment and items you instantly start mentally placing in your home. It reminds us of that old coffee shop chain that used to change its merchandise every month under a different theme. The naff navy/yellow colour way and same-old drinks menu left a lot to be desired, though.

There’s nothing uniform about Lavish Habit; the chairs are mis-matched, as are the tea cups. Every detail has been thought through but it doesn’t look too try-hard. If you’re not keen on slightly wobbly tables and having to share space with strangers, it might not be your thing. We embraced it – and even swapped newspapers with our neighbour once we were done with our Saturday morning read.

The shop:  Beyond the main room is the garden area, splashed with bold colours to perk any dreary British weather conditions, plus downstairs lies a den of vintage treats akin to rummaging through your Grandma’s loft. Products aren’t cheap; expect to pay high prices for original vintage furniture, boutique-style gifts and new clothing. However it’s a pleasure to browse through the well thought out shop and a treat to buy. We really like the cute birthday cards they sell there – understated and at competitive prices to mainstream high street shops.

The food: LH’s brunch menu is modest yet varying; whether you’re dieting or after a carb fix, there’s something for you. We opted for a cheese and ham croissant, and pancakes with honey, yogurt and berries. Together with tea and coffee cost around £12, it’s brilliant value for the healthy portion sizes – there’s no scrimping on any ingredients.

This post is a lot longer than we intended but it just goes to show how much Lavish Habit has to offer. Part of the charm is that every time we’ve visited there’s new merchandise and as well as the classic brunch dishes, there are menu changes in alignment to the seasons. Any excuse to keep going back for more…

Enq: Lavish Habit, 75 Bedford Hill, SW12 9HA.

Our new curry crush: Rajah Rowing Team

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After our mediocre experience at the Eastern Empire, SwishJunction is most pleased to report that we’ve found a new place to satisfy our curry cravings. Enter Rajah Rowing Team. We like the unusual name, which is said to emulate the teamwork behind a rowing team and throughout our browsing-ordering-consuming experience we came to agree.

Located on Balham High Road next to Du Cane Court, the takeaway-only establishment answered the phone promptly and took my order with ease, estimating 20 minutes for our food to be ready. We opted to pick up our dinner as we live about two minutes walk (we’re not that lazy. Not yet, anyway).

Now, we were a little dubious when we heard this short turnaround time. We hadn’t ordered a great deal, nevertheless we had visions of chefs hastily microwaving leftover curry and repackaging it. There is such a thing as too quick, after all.

We arrived after 20 minutes (spent productively buying beer) to being greeted by first name, our takeaway ready. The kitchen is clear for everyone waiting to see, and we were impressed with the calm, efficient, slick operation that appeared to be in process. Our thoughts:

Chicken tikka masala: more orangey-yellow than the orange-red colours usually expected, there were plenty of small-medium chunks of tender chicken. The sauce was a little thinner than our usual masala experience, but still creamy without any graininess.

Lamb rogan: no fat on this meat whatsoever, which was surprisingly tender too. The sauce had a pleasing kick to it; simple, featuring just onions rather than any other veg, and not too thick in consistency.

Peshwari naan: everything about this was fresh, with good, equal measures of coconut and sultanas. Again, not too grainy and didn’t break into pieces when tearing off a piece.

Onion pakora: we got three (cue battles over the third one. We split it. Very noble.) medium-sized pakoras, which were crisp with minimal grease (no point in dieting when it comes to Indian takeaways but the sight of grease stains on the paper bag is enough to put anyone off). Enough content without being doughy or mushy, too.

Our order came with pappadums, raita, chutney, and, something we’ve not noticed before in takeaways, packets of wet wipes. A nice touch.

We bet you’re thinking, “but where are the pictures?”. Well, it tasted so good we ate it before thinking to photograph. Perhaps a testament to Rajah Rowing Team’s cooking. Nom.

Enq: Rajah Rowing Team, 238 Balham High Road, SW17 7AW. 020 8673 6961.

Charitable hobbies

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Aside from eating, drinking and shopping, SwishJunction likes to dabble in a hobby or two. And how pleasing that Balham and the surrounding area is able to indulge this, especially housed in our fab charity shops. This wonderful age of the internet means we can pretty much do everything and anything online but sometimes it’s nice to shut down the computer, get out in town and get social, while embracing your cultural side. We’ve not been to the following events ourselves but watch out for reviews in the future.

Oxfam on Balham High Road holds a book club once a month. The next session is 7th December at 7:30pm in their shop. The next book is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. You don’t have to sign up and there’s no fee (but a donation or mini book spree in store would always be welcome I’m sure). Pictured are our recent Oxfam Bookshop buys – we’re busy on 7th (gotta love the Christmas social scene) but think that this is a serious contender for a weekday social night in January.

 

Trinity Hospice, also on Balham High Road, until recently held a weekly knitting group in their shop but with the departure on their manager their sessions have ceased. We’ve since found out that their Streatham Hill Branch holds a knitting session every Wednesday from 6pm-8pm for £3. Knit and pearl among like-minded locals and share and receive tips. Their stores also stock a healthy supply of wool to invest in your hobby. Admittedly SwishJunction is a seasonal knitter who is in need of a little more guidance so this sounds right up our street.