April 4, 2013

Ramen galore, late lunch at Tonkotsu (fab) and at Toku (bad)

A couple of weeks ago, on a miserable day exactly like today, I spent my morning trapped in back-to-back meetings in Fitzrovia. At midday I could already feel my stomach rumbling, but it wasn’t until nearly 1.30PM that, almost fainting – ok, it’s my dramatic Italianity kicking in, feeling slightly weak and really hungry – I gained the exit and almost run to Tonkotsu for a comforting bowl of ramen.

Tonkotsu is another addition to the London’s ramen bar scene. Since my visit to Bone Daddies, a few weeks back, I think I must have developed and addiction, because when I am really hungry, I find myself day dreaming of ramen. A serious worry for my waistline (!).

The team behind Tsuru Sushi and Katsu opened Tonkotsu last year on Dean Street – after a few ramen pop-up experiments at Tsuru Sushi. As you would expect from a ramen bar, the menu is pretty simple, four types of ramen dishes, – the ramen are freshly made at the restaurant, you can see the kitchen by the entrance – handmade Gyoza, a bunch of sides and a couple of dessert options.

Tonkotsu is a really small restaurant, with a minimalist wooden and steel décor, and it’s pretty dark, almost NYC-style dark.

Now, because I have recently embarked on a healthy attempt, I ordered Shimeji, Shiitake & Miso Ramen (£9): Miso-based, konbu and shiitake stock with shimeji mushrooms, medium thick noodles, a handful of bean sprouts and bamboo shoots and half a seasoned, soft-boiled egg.

Just looking at the picture makes me salivating. Yes, it was that good. And it was the vegetarian option! Perfectly bouncy thick noodles, in a delightful miso soup and a heavenly creamy soft-boiled egg.

I slurped my bowl to the last noodle remaining, and truly enjoyed it.

My verdict? I ~~would~~ will definitely visit again. Unlike some reviews I read, my experience with service was very positive. Attentive and helpful.

Lunch for 1 = analcholic drink : £13. Recommended.

My experience at Toku, a few days later, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly that positive.

To cut a very long story short, I ended up at Toku, just by Japan Centre for a very quick lunch. My initial plan was to order sushi, however, my ramen cravings started to kick in, again…

After a 5 minute wait, not sure why, since there were quite a few tables and stalls at the bar available, I was finally seated. I had a look at the long and complicated menu, and asked guidance to the pretty inexperienced waiter.

That should have been a warning sign. At that point, I was tempted to leave my drink order and run to next door Shoryu Ramen. But I – stupidly – decided to stay.

So, this is what I ended up ordering, pork ramen.

The soup was greasy, extremely bland; totally lacking the layers of flavours of my Bone Daddies ramen. The ginger was lovely and crunchy. The noodles, probably out of a packet from next door Japan Centre supermarket.

All in all, a disappointment. Plus side, they offer complementary wasabi peas with your drink.

Service is not knowledgeable or helpful by any means, I had to ask for my bill 4 times. I won’t go back, ever. Now I probably need to re-visit Bone Daddies to compensate for such a bad experience…

Lunch for 1 with non alcoholic drink £16.

February 27, 2013

Good friends and a plan B, that’s all you need!

I have profusely expressed my disappointment with the viral walk-in policy of many recently opened restaurants, but I must admit, booking comes with a few cons as well. S~~ometimes~~ Often you find yourself waiting for weeks or even months in order to get a table at that talk-of-the-town restaurant.

Given a few recent walk-in and booking fiascos, my resolution is to do what any other sensible London foodie ~~should~~ could do; learn how to play with the system. Even if that means very early or very late dinners and lunches, and a lot of plans B, in case you are not able to get a table. Not ideal, I know, particularly if you, like me, enjoy a well planned night out. But c’est la vie, if you want to get a bite of that infamous burger. I am slightly warming at the walk-in idea, though I am still not mastering the art.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the last of my walk-in fails. A, S and I, turned up at Burger and Lobster at 7, hungry and salivating just at the thought of buttery lobsters and crispy chips.

Sadly, we were promptly informed, by the slightly embarrassed front of house, that the waiting time to get a table was 3 hours.

We walked out of the restaurant with our tail between legs, brainstorming on where to go next. A came up with the best plan B ever, for a gloomy and freezing February evening: Korean food! Nothing better than the comfort of steamy, spicy hot food.

10 minutes and a bus ride later, we were in Great Windmill Street, where I remembered a little Korean joint I had visited a couple of years previously. Soju, also known as Korean Kitchen, where we joined the fully Korean group of punters; sitting down at one of the small tables.

Soju is nothing fancy, in fact the interior is pretty run down, but the quality of the food is great and service really friendly and helpful.

What we ordered: delicious Korean chicken dumplings; some really tasty special seafood pancakes and the best starter, crispy and fluffy fried calamari.

Both, A and I opted for bibimbap.

Mine, a perfectly executed dolsot bibimbap, with a pleasantly spicy sauce and juicy beef. It came with a soup, similar to miso. A’s version was with cooked chicken. Equally tasty and spicy.

S wasn’t so keen on meat, and ordered a pretty spicy Tofu soup and a side of rice.

Warmed up by a glass of red wine, and spicy food, we spent the evening chatting about our lives, and boys in particular. We had quite a few updates to share .