TheKua Does Food

When Wes and Stacey came down from Aberdeen they wanted to go to a place that did a really good steak and Hawksmoor was my immediate answer to their request. We had a booking for 7pm and they warmly greeted us at the door, taking us to our table.

I’ll admit we took our time ordering although party of that was because our waitress didn’t seem to be around by the time that we’d decided. I ordered the smoked eel as a starter which went really well with the greens. The piece of fish was also a really decent size and slightly warmed enhancing its smoked flesh.

Although easily tempted by the fame of their burger, we were here for steak. I didn’t want to go too large, so avoided the gigantic proportions offered on their chalk board and ended up ordering 400g fillet. This still ended up being a really large piece of meat and given all the delicious sides, made me not want to have desserts.

I didn’t think service was really that great throughout the night. I ordered an apertif and it didn’t arrive until half way into my appetiser. Kristy also ordered some ginger beer, and there ended up two ants floating in it (who knows why). They did make this up by giving us a free dessert – their deliciously sweet cornflake ice cream.

Name: The Hawksmoor
Found at: 157 Commercial Street E1 6BJ, United Kingdom
Website: http://www.thehawksmoor.co.uk/

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I’d read about the The Monro being a very popular gastro pub although I saw that they also ran the James Monro located on the other side of town. I ended up in this part of town after deciding to walk back from the Liverpool Football Club tour, a pleasant but uneventful walk back into town.

At first glance, it certainly looked like a gastropub but I was concerned it wasn’t the gastro pub I’d read about. The interior looked really appealing and even though it had just opened, I could imagine it getting busier as the afternoon rolled on. After looking at the menu, it was definitely going to be fine with me.

Strangely didn’t serve any local beers (Cains being the local Liverpool brewery) instead offered a Hobgoblin beer made by a brewery in Oxfordshire (nowhere near Liverpool). Still the waiter offered me a taste for free and it was a reasonable ale.

I started with a rabbit and bacon risotto, definitely needing a bit of warming up after the cold and windy walk back into town. As you can see from the picture above, the serving was a very decent size and the flavour rich and delicious. There was plenty of rabbit throughout and the small side salad was a nice complement to texture and flavour.

Next up was the 8 oz steak served with huge chunky chips and a small side salad. Topped with a peppercorn sauce, the steak was perfectly cooked and the chips perfect. The steak was surprisingly filling as well and I just didn’t have space for dessert.

It wasn’t until now, writing this up, did I find out this place is also a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society otherwise I would have picked a scotch for dessert. I’m a little disappointed a gastro pub like this couldn’t celebrate more local brews, but the food was definitely worth visiting this place. I’d also be interested to see how it differs from their other place.

Name: The James Monro
Found at: 69 Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, L2 2EN
Website: http://www.thejamesmonro.com/

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Being touted as one of the best places to dine in Liverpool left me no choice but to visit 60 Hope Street. Hope Street has a local reputation of being a street providing many gourmand choices, and 60 Hope Street owns a number of them, delighting people with their wares.

I arrived on a bleak, wet day where the Northern rains battered me from all directions. Stepping into 60 Hope Street, I noticed the bright and airy surrounds and the number of tables at 1:30pm still fairly well occupied. Admittedly most of them occupied by people I guessed well into their retirement. I was offered a selection from four types of bread (olive, sesame, white and brown) which went with the lovingly pressed butter (see the picture below).

Stopping in for lunch, I looked through the menu and it seemed such a shame not to try their great valued £19.95 for a three course meal with a bottle of wine between two. Although I dined by myself, the waitress still offered me the bottle of wine. I figured it would go to waste and asked if they had a half bottle when another solo diner, offered me a glass from their bottle, also observing that a full bottle would be too much. Still I think it’s very nice for them to still offer the bottle, suggesting that you can take it with you if you don’t finish it as well.

Despite being tempted by a number of the appetisers, when I saw the Pimm’s sorbet offered I had to choose that one. I think all the soups, salads and other things on the menu other places offered and I’d been thinking of making a Pimm’s flavoured ice cream. The temptation to compare what it was like was too great. As you can see from the picture, it was very well presented – a single scoop in a glass cone, nestled atop another glass filled with ice and garnished with mint. The brilliance of this meant the sorbet kept cold without being diluted. As refreshing as a palette cleansing dish, I didn’t pick up as much of the Pimm’s flavoured I’d imagined. Still the sorbet was smooth unlike the granita it could have been like.

My next dish was a fish with home made fries. The fish, a decent serving of haddock ended up encrusted in what tasted like polenta although I couldn’t taste the “herbs” the crust was meant to contain. The “salsa” was interestingly constructed with the elements of the salsa semi-stuffed into the bed of small tomatoes the fish sat atop. The chips were slightly more disappointing lacking any sort of crunch I would have expected.

Unexpectedly the last time turned out to the be the best, as I went for the Apricot Bakewell tart served with a vanilla creme fraiche. I’m surprised it took a while for this dish to come, but it seemed like they’d spent some time heating it up, but it was just the right warming temperature to finish off the meal. Sweet without being too sweet and very well made.

Service was amicable with tap water being topped up consistently throughout the meal. Slightly disappointed by a the execution of the first two dishes, but still great value. I would give it another go.

Name: 60 Hope Street
Found at: 60 Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BZ, United Kingdom
Website: http://www.60hopestreet.com/

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I read about the Maritime Dining Rooms before heading to Liverpool and it had some very good reviews. Although open during the day for lunch and afternoon tea, its location atop the Maritime Museum gives it perfect waterfront views of the surrounding areas.

I ended up perched next to one window looking down at the majestic Albert Docks.

When I went on the Saturday for a very late lunch, it definitely didn’t feel very busy although they had at least ten or so different tables served. Service, attended by some very young-looking folk, ended up fairly reasonably – prompt and casual although I didn’t really expect too much. Considering the space of the dining room, it felt very empty although and cold although I could imagine it being filled up for a reception or good for an event hire.

The menu offered quite a lot of choice – many British dishes. I opted for a chicken and mushroom soup since sitting outside on the Mersey ferry ride left me slightly chilled to the bone. I followed this up with an asparagus spring risotto.

It wasn’t too long before the soup arrived, and as you can see in the picture above, it came served with a small sliced (fairly chewy and unmemorable) baguette although outsized by the enormity of the soup bowl. I immediately regretted ordering a heavy main meal when I saw what I would need to tackle before getting to it. Admittedly it didn’t look like the most appetising bowl of soup I’ve ever eaten, although the deep earthy aromas whifted up with each small movement of air. It was rich, creamy and full of flavour including some fairly large chunks of chicken. This alone made my lunch time completely worth the trip.

The risotto arrived a little bit after they took the soup. As you can see, the risotto came with a creamy asparagus ring and topped with more freshly cooked asparagus. The risotto was perfectly cooked and the chefs seasoned the dish perfectly for my palette (none too salty). Despite being almost defeated by the soup, the fresh flavours of this warranted all of this dish be consumed. So I did. Delicious.

The offered me dessert, but given I had eaten so much food, I didn’t attempt to look at the menu. The Maritime Dining Room is a real find, and despite lacking that buzzing atmosphere you might care for, the food alone is worth trying. Add in a Lancashire sarsaparilla drink and a tip and all of this was a bargain for £17.

Name: The Maritime Dining Rooms
Found at: Top Floor of the Merseyside Maritime Museum, Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AQ
Website: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/visit/shop_eat/dining/index.aspx

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Mark Hix is an extremely successful chef with, what seems like, an ever-growing restaurant empire around the British capital. Fortunately I happen to live right nearby one of the earliest around the country, Hix Oyster and Chop House. I’ve eaten here several times before and although it’s packed out to the rafters during the week, thought it best to still book ahead for an early Sunday evening dinner. Located down the very end of a tiny street backing onto Fabric’s back-door step, I’m constantly amazed at the number of people who still manage to find this place.

On to the food… As soon as you’re seated, they always bring out a crusty warm loaf of bread with accompanying butter. This stuff is utterly delicious and I’m forced to stop myself from gorging myself on it in order to enjoy the rest of the menu to come. They seem to have different sizes for different tables, but it’s very nice to have to the bread presented on a tiny little bread board of its own.

I start with the Pea and Lovage Soup, and despite the warm day, end up having it served hot. I’m not one to voluntarily have a cold soup if I can help it. Cold soup seems as wrong as warm beer. As you can see, the soup has its intense greenness preserved and with whole peas scattered throughout, provides a great contrast in flavour. Pea-essence fills my mouth with every spoonful and I enjoy every last drop, although it tastes slightly over-salted as I find myself reaching for the water continuously afterwards. I have no idea what the Lovage is, but it doesn’t seem to have a strong or offensives flavour.

I order the River Severn sea trout and wild herb salad with a soft boiled hen’s egg though I pictured it more as a trout dish with the salad on the side, rather than a completely full salad dish. Nevertheless, an impressively fresh dish with light flavours and plenty of greens helping me feel healthy after eating it. I feel slightly less guilty about ordering their lucious Fried Onions in Scrumpy batter. I don’t think it totally makes up for it, but I guess it’s start.

The picture is simply proof about the perfect poaching of the egg. Loving the oozing and the rich orange yolk minus any awkwardly clear white hanging around the middle.

To finish off the meal, I end up with the two scoops of the Credit Crunch Ice Cream. I think the greed got the better of me, and had I known they were so big (or the dish so rich) I definitely would have just gone the single scoop. This ice cream is something they whipped up during the credit crunch late last year, and understandably a decadent crowd pleasure. Not only are there chunks of chocolate throughout the ice cream, mixed with honeycomb pieces all served with a hot chocolate sauce that, literally, looks like melted chocolate. Decadence and much running needed after this meal.

Service was affable, though started to be lose out as the restaurant filled up. Nice enough for a Sunday meal. Total damage for two people excluding wine and a couple of soft drinks: £82.

Name: Hix Oyster and Chop House
Found at: 36-37 Greenhill Rents, London EC1M 6BN (Off Cowcross Street between the Eat and the Nicholas
Website: http://www.hixoysterandchophouse.co.uk/

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Although I had many breakfasts staying at the Compleat Angler in Marlow, I never ate their for dinner. When I returned to Marlow, this was our destination of choice. Bowaters has two different rooms, one closer to the weir/lock where you have a continuous flow of water, and the other, slightly open-aired dining room overlooking the river to the church. With the great warm and sunny weather we enjoyed the open-aired dining room (pictured below).

Their menus is best described as modern European, the modern being the take of some slightly interesting ingredients and cooking techniques. They obviously haven’t made it past the novelty of foam just yet. Everything was perfectly executed as well, including a constant top up of four types of bread (sesame, brown, white and tomato) throughout the evening.

For starters I debated getting the goats cheese panna cotta and beetroot salad though opted out after hearing about how rich it might end up with. Someone else decided to order it (shown below) so at least I got to see how well presented it was.

Instead I opted for the clear chicken soup that arrived in a tiny serving bowl yet packed full of flavour. This was, hands down, one of the best bowls of chicken soup I’d had for some time. Served with leeks and potatoes, it was actually a pretty filling starter at that.

Next up were the mains. Picture below is the pancetta wrapped turbot, watercress salad and the dastardly foam. Reportedly well cooked and tasty.

I ordered the pork done two ways (belly and medallion) and although the belly could have been softer, was definitely well seasoned and tasty. On top sits an apple mixture and then served with a potato stack on the right. Mmm…

Who were we to resist dessert as well? Half the table when with the molten chocolate dessert served with ice cream and beautifully presented with cocoa and chocolate drops.

The other side of the table decided for the tequila burnt cream (creme brulee) accompanied with ginger shortbread. Although wonderfully executed, the tequila flavour wasn’t strong enough to shine through the crisp sugary topping and the shortbread only had the slightest of ginger flavours. I still definitely enjoyed this dessert.

We didn’t seem to have a dedicated attendant throughout dinner, and as a result we seemed to have mixed service. If it was the sommelier, he didn’t do anything to help us pick the wine and we found ourselves pouring for ourselves on empty glasses only to find the sommelier returning to our freshly poured glasses. One waiter and waitress did provide exceptional service with friendly attitudes and the best kind of service – the sort you tend not to notice throughout the evening.

Name: Bowaters at the Compleat Angler
Found at: Macdonald Compleat Angler, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1RG GB
Website: http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/compleatangler/foodanddrink/index.htm#bowaters

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Blubeckers is one of those chain restaurants that exist just on the out skirt belt of London. We ate at a similar chain with my work colleagues when we worked at Marlow – the ridiculously cheap Harvester chain. It seemed like the Weatherspoons of the restaurant world.

I don’t think Blubeckers is as big as the Harvester chain although ironically this one we ate at was just opposite the road from one. We went the Duck House version of Blubeckers, located at the end of the Metropolitan line, in Ruislip. Very initial impressions, it’s very well decorated on the inside – almost as if it had recently had a renovation of sorts. The decor is modern and being constructed out of a house, was full of character including the alternatively raised floors and little nook and crannies. The best part about something like this is the way that it was very full, but it felt like you weren’t eating in the open in front of all the tables, so you had a lot more privacy.

The reason we went to Blubeckers was to enjoy the ribs – something that they are apparently well known for (at least according to their website and their menu). Who was I really to judge that without testing it out for myself. They have three different serving sizes on the menu so we decided to try the normal size because we all had a starter and a main. I had the soup of the day, a lovely french onion soup that was both light and very tasty. Although tempted by a ridiculously rich American brownie sundae, I decided to stick with the ice cream treat as I figured it might be a lighter option.

Even the normal sized ribs ended up fairly large and by the end of the meal, I was well and truly stuffed. It was served with crunchy coleslaw and fries – a classic combination that was very well done. Even the fries were exactly how I like them – crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle without being too thin or too thick cut. The ribs were very tender, enough for me to eat my ribs with just knife and fork. Served with a rich and slightly tangy BBQ sauce, these ribs are best described as stewed rather than how I would have preferred them – grilled or BBQed. Fortunately they never took on the ugly pork flavour of reheated ribs.

It’s obvious from the number of people that The Duck House remains a popular choice for locals being fully booked and tables required to turn around every two hours. I can’t really say that it’s worth going all the way out to Ruislip to try them – after all I think we still spent £30 for a three course meal without drinks. However it’s a decent choice if you happen to find yourself out this far.

Name: The Duck House (Blubeckers Chain)
Found at: The Duck House High Street Ruislip Middlesex HA4 7AR
Website: http://www.blubeckers.co.uk/ruislip/

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For the past five months, I would walk home from Kings Cross station as part of my daily routine returning from Cambridge. The walk home isn’t particular grand but at least you get some mild level of exercise into the day. I always noticed a few interesting restaurant around that area but it wasn’t until today that I finally got to try one of them, called Konstam.

I have no idea about what sort of food they are supposed to specialise in, but the interior is striking for the surrounding area – modern and hip interior that strikes a sharp contrast will the dull concrete buildings surrounding it. We ended up here after a Friday pub for a late dinner starting at about 9pm. Based on the lightness of the menu, I had the impression that it changes regularly – with three to four choices per course.

I started with Dartford purple sprouting broccoli, poached egg, hollandaise sauce & breadcrumbs concoction (£8) that proved to be a very light and lovely way to start the meal off. The breadcrumbs added another dimension of texture to an otherwise well executed classic.

Three of us at the table then went for the Charcoal-grilled rib-eye steak with braised January King, fried potatoes & horseradish sauce (£21.50). Unfortunately I neglected to take any pictures of this since it was so good. Mine was cooked perfectly rare, so pink and juicy and full of flavour. They served the steak in small strips atop all the other side dishes and was really easy to cut through without the need for a proper steak knife if you wanted to break it up ever further.

Everyone else had coffees but I thought I’d try their Spiced, toasted castle cake with plum jam & sloe gin cream (£7.25), apparently some version of a tea cake. When it arrived I was pleasantly surprised as it was light and deliciously most. The sloe gin was subtle but you can definitely taste the light berry flavour infused from the sloes.

Service was polite and when taking the food orders or plates, was fairly prompt. I think the only they thing they really could have improved on was keeping our water topped up throughout the night – I had to ask twice for a refill of our jug of water.

I’d definitely return here and with the service, we still paid £50 a head which I think is reasonable considering all the things that we ate and the two bottles of wine we drank throughout the night.

Name: Konstam at The Prince Albert
Found at: 2 Acton Street, London, WC1X 9NA
Website: http://www.konstam.co.uk/

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I’ve eaten at Anna Hansen’s bisto for breakfast before so I was pretty happy to go here for my flatmate’s birthday dinner last weekend. What made it all the more exciting was having seen Anna at the Taste of Christmas last year and talk passionately about her cooking interests and the thought behind dishes such as her Sugar-cured New Caledonian prawn omelette, spring onion, coriander, smoked chilli sambal. Therefore when I sat it on their menu as a starter (£8.50), I couldn’t but help myself and order it.

Although it’s pricey for a starter, it was deliciously put together – perfectly cooked egg, slightly sweet prawns and and the homemade chilli sambal adding that depth of heat to the dish. I’d definitely get this one again.

For my main, I ordered the grilled miso marinated steak onglet, cassava chips, feta cheese and salad with green pepper relish (£16.50). The onglet is an interesting cut of meat, often called the butcher’s cut because there is only one of these per cow, and it’s flavour and taste and tenderness often mean butcher’s would rather keep it than sell it. There’s a good reason for it, since it was so tender and really nice. Interesting, the waiter asked if cooking it rare was okay – completely fine with me in a restaurant I trust who knows what to do with it.

I finished the meal off with a hokey-pokey affogato(£4), a combination of two rare items to find in London that I would definitely regret not ordering it the next day. Delicious hokey pokey ice cream (effectively crumble mixed through ice cream) and then served in small cup with an espresso shot tipped on top. I absolutely adore the contrast brought about by dishes mixing hot and cold sensations.

I can highly recommend this place for a great evening. Service was prompt, and not even noticeable at times, the perfect sort. Even though we were the last ones out and hanging around quite late, no one ever asked us to leave.

Name: The Modern Pantry
Found at: 48 Saint John’s Square, London EC1V 4JJ
Website: http://www.themodernpantry.co.uk/

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Cambridge houses two chop houses, run by the same group of people. We went to the one located in the heart of the ring road, The Cambridge Chop House (opposed to their other one, opposite my favourite Cambridge gastropub, The Punter). We tried this one because I was told the atmosphere was much nicer, and with a cellar dining room, did have a lot more of an intimate atmosphere.

Wanting some greens, I started with the Roasted fennel, orange and red onion herb salad – a light and refreshing way to start the meal. The portion size was decent and aniseed-flavoured fennel went well to contrast the sharp herb and slightly tangy orange segments.

They had a number of specials that had gone that day, and what was surprising about this “Chophouse” is lack of a “meat board” or anything like it. In fact, I only remember them having one or two types of steaks! Strange for a chophouse. I succumbed to their temptation of a Venison Wellington, Mash and Gravy that the menu noted (and the staff emphasised) the wait for an additional 20 minutes. Considering that we weren’t in any particular rush, I thought that would have been fine.

As you can see from the picture above, the wellington ended up quite a massive portion and it took me a while to even make a dent in it. I was worried that it wouldn’t come with greens either, so I’d ordered an additional bowl but it also came with some broccoli. It doesn’t hurt to have more greens does it?

Service was odd throughout the evening with waitresses being rather direct. It’s not like they were impolite, but there was definitely an oddity to it and I still can’t quite properly explain it. I’d definitely recommend this over a number of the chain restaurants in Cambridge.

Name: The Cambridge Chop House
Found at: 1 King’s Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ
Website: http://www.chophouses.co.uk/TheCambridgeChopHouse/

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