Review: The Bolingbroke, Northcote Road, Clapham

April 15, 2015March 28, 2015 / swishjunction / Leave a comment

Nestled down the far side of Northcote Road, it’s easy to forget about the Bolingbroke as there are so many places to eat and drink before you even land there.

The whole road tends to be a haven for young families and this pub is no different – if you’re after a typical boozer, or a kids-free zone, don’t bother. However it’s far from masquerading as a creche; the atmosphere is laid back, friendly and more often than not the kids are well behaved.

Anyway, onto the important stuff. We had difficulty choosing our food (we went for lunch on a Saturday, they have a different menu for weekdays and Sundays), the list being so extensive, not forgetting a large specials board too.

Lobster and crayfish potato cakes with bloody mary mayo, and shredded ham hock, rocket, pear, pomegranate and walnut salad

You’ve got the typical hearty gastro dishes but everything has a twist to it. Our duck was served not a l’orange, but with a sweet fig sauce, and the fish cakes were a cut above – lobster and crayfish, anyone?

Sea bream with new potatoes, black olives and green beans

Duck breast, potato mille-feuille, steamed romanesco and fig gravy

The portions are just right – the servings don’t look obscene, Man vs Food style, but they’re generous. Our salad had more than enough ham hock (there’s nothing worse than a tiny bit of meat hiding under a heap of lettuce, right?).

The hearty portions meant we were too full for dessert but we’ll be back soon, if only to try the Nutella Gnocchi…

The Bolingbroke, 174 Northcote Road, SW11 6RE

The King & Co Clapham kitchen residency – Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen

April 8, 2015April 6, 2015 / swishjunction / Leave a comment

While pub food has certainly become more extravagant than before (pulled pork served with everything, most likely on a wooden slab instead of a humble plate), the King & Co have turned the age old tradition of ‘pub grub’ on its head by offering a changing menu every two months. We love this idea – there will always be something new to try and a platform for up and coming chefs who might not otherwise get such an opportunity. The only downside, we guess, would be that if you find yourself fond of a particular dish you’d need to savour it while it lasts!

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen is the latest to set up home, cooking up African dishes from now until 31st May. The menu is short but sweet, comprising small tapas sized portions where the recommendation is about 2-3 plates per person.

The menu at the King & Co, Clapham

There’s enough for veggies to get involved but the signature dishes really lie with the meat lovers. Our favourite was the mutton with satay sauce, and pork belly – generous cuts cooked for so long it just falls apart.

Pork belly with sweet plantain jus (closest to camera) and Zoe’s signature peanut butter stew with mutton

Cassava croquettes and Red Red were among the vegetarian options

Other hits were the mackerel (look past the minor food admin of small bones and you’ve got tender spicy fish) and ‘red red’, delicious black beans in a rich tomato sauce topped with parmesan.

Jollof chicken skewers

The only disappointment was the lack of ‘Puff Puff Handmade Doughnuts’, because the kitchen weren’t able to make them properly the night we visited.

Mackerel fillets in chilli, lemon and garlic

Still feeling hungry? Their Instagram page will get your stomach rumbling even more…

If you’ve not been to the King & Co before, there’s no sectioned-off restaurant area. Eating takes place in the heart of the pub and, with the tapas attitude of “you eat when it arrives at the table”, the whole vibe is very relaxed.

If south west London is a stretch, Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen frequents Peckham Springs on a Friday night too. Result.

The King & Co, 100 Clapham Park Road, SW4 7BZ

Mama Lan, Clapham

April 4, 2015March 22, 2015 / swishjunction / Leave a comment

Blink while walking along Clapham High Street and you may well miss Mama Lan, a discreet set-up on The Pavement (on the same side of the road as Little Waitrose, walking towards Old Town).

Mama Lan first set up home in Brixton Village but has expanded, with this cute abode as its second premises.

We went early-ish on a Saturday – about 12:45 – and easily got a seat, but predictably it filled up fast so like with most places where you can’t book ahead, it’s worth nabbing a seat early on, unless you don’t mind a short wait.

Who said you couldn’t have a garden in London?

The layout is simplistic but cosy; exposed brick walls, wooden flooring and tables, but with cute touches – note the plants above the main lighting platform at the front of the restaurant.

Mama Lan serves a pared down menu split into bigger meals with noodles and soup as the base, or smaller, dim sum style snacking (dangerous, if you’re comparing it to visiting somewhere like Ping Pong).

The Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

We ordered the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup and Spicy Chicken Ban Mein, along with Pork & Chinese Leaf dumplings. Their dumplings are cooked fresh on site so expect a short wait, but to be honest it’s hardly a bother when you’ve got the comfort of knowing they’re not just taken out of the freezer – oh and they taste amazing, too.

The Spicy Chicken Ban Mein

The mains certainly have a kick to them – we took advantage of the free water on offer – but as you’d expect from Chinese food, it was fresh and vibrant – think lemongrass, fresh chills, peanuts etc.

Pork and Chinese Leaf dumplings

In terms of atmosphere, Mama Lan has nailed a chilled ambience. The service is swift but not brisk – we ourselves were in a rush but we got the impression they’d happily let you stay there and munch on dumplings for hours (well, within their opening times, of course). We may just do that one day…

Mama Lan, 8 The Pavement, SW4 0HY and Unit 18, Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PR.

Le Tour de France, Streatham

April 1, 2015March 22, 2015 / swishjunction / Leave a comment

Excuse us for using a phrase that’s been done to death but this literally is a hidden gem, a couple of streets away from Leigham Court Road and Valley Road.

bread and pastries at Le Tour de France Streatham

Bread and pastries are baked on site

Supermarkets offering a wider selection of cuisine and the spike in internet food shops mean places like this are losing some relevance but we find delicatessens and local shops great to browse in. No shelf is the same and the individuality is what makes local towns so great.

Anyway, soapbox moment aside, Le Tour de France specialises in – you guessed it – French food and drink, with a nod to Belgian delicacies too; they stock Rochefort Belgian beer, little found in London town.

Trappistes rochforte stocked at le tour de france streatham

Find Belgian beer on the shelves in this French cafe

All their pastries are proved and baked on site every day, and they also stock a decent variety of meats, cheese and tarts on counter too. As a nod to changing dietary requirements you’ll find dairy-free and vegan cake options on offer.

Their shelves are a multicolour of tins, bottles and packets of classic French food.

The nicest touch for us was the artwork adorning the walls throughout the place – French, of course.

We stayed for breakfast but we’ll be back to stock up the essentials (cheese and wine, ahem).

Croissant, Cappucino, apple and cinnamon tea and a pain au raisin

Le Tour de France, 135 Sunnyhill Road, SW16 2UW.

Review: dinner at The Great North Wood

March 28, 2015March 15, 2015 / swishjunction / Leave a comment

The Great North Wood has marked a distinctive change in what pubs West Norwood has to offer. After a refurb under new management, it opened last May and late last year the Tulse Hill Hotel followed suit, and soon enough Knowles of Norwood should be opening its doors.

pulled pork burger at the great north wood west norwood

Their pulled pork burger and fries is one of the must-haves on the menu

So in a nutshell…

What’s good about it?

*The food: meat lovers, brace yourselves – there’s a lot of pig and cow to get involved with. Their menu ranges from street food style pulled pork burger and fries to more upscale dishes like their lamb, and beef casoulet (mind the terrible quality pics – flash fail in a dark pub).

Look away now if you’re veggie

pork crackling bar snack the great north wood west norwood

Yep, that’s pork crackling as a bar snack

The drink: sure, a pub that serves good food and drink should be par of the course but the thing that stuck out for us was the range of craft beers and booze from local breweries in stock, from Camden to Gypsy Hill. Last summer they also held the occasional mini ale and cider festival serving a wider range of ciders and ales.

Their ale festival in July 2014

Comfort food on standby at the Great North Wood

What’s not so good about it?

The toilets: we’re not expecting them to be sparkling clean but fully functioning would be nice. There are only two women’s toilets and the layout is squashed – it’s easy to knock into the hand dryer and switch it on when you walk in. The locks are volatile and the flush is frequently broken, too.

The sport: the pub seems to be bit conflicted in terms of its identity. It proudly proclaims to show the sport but while it has two medium sized TVs fitted to walls at each end of the pub, the noise is either low or not on at all – presumably not to disturb their steady custom of restauranteurs but it lacks atmosphere nonetheless. It wouldn’t harm having the sound up on the left side of the pub, leaving the right side for those who want to eat with more peace.

All in all though it’s an encouraging addition to the area previously lacking in a decent night time drinking hole.

The Great North Wood, 3 Knight’s Hill, SE27 0HS

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