Anybody who knows me well knows I love eating. In fact, you don’t even have know me that well because 50% of the day you will find me eating something so I’m not sure why it’s taken me quite so long to realise I should include my culinary adventures in my blog. (The OCD in me is now causing palpitations at the fact I don’t have a ‘Food’ category ready to go on my WordPress settings but I’ll tend to that later). So, like I said in my last post where I raved about Zoo Lates at London Zoo, I wanted to document some of my favourites from my most recent visit and what better way to combine the two than to review…
La Bodega Negra
This restaurant is the absolute epitome of Soho – a little seedy and suspect on the exterior but an unforgettable experience when you delve a little deeper. Word of mouth or trawling the internet is how I imagine most found out about this place because had we been casually strolling down Old Compton Street unaware, we’d have assumed we were simply passing by just another of Soho’s sex shops.
Find the shop front emblazoned with neon lights blaring ‘ADULT VIDEO’ and ‘PEEP SHOW’ on a backdrop of ominous black brickwork and you’re there. Pluck up the courage to enter because, I promise, what lies beneath is pretty cool. (There is an alternative entrance round the back of the restaurant which resembles a more wholesome urban cafe if you don’t fancy passers-by seeing you entering a sex shop with a rumbling stomach but hey, when in Rome and all that…)
I have to say, this is a slight case of style over substance but the style really is enough to feed off even if the menu is a little limited to those who love octopus and shellfish. The website does entice with the promise of Mexican street food and the fact we got lost in the rain was soothed by dreams of imminent fajita consumption. However, if you’re looking for enchiladas and chilli bowls you ain’t gonna dig this. I went for roast chicken with pumpkin mole, potatoes and asparagus with some beef tacos to share on the side following our waiters advice and yeah, it was delicious. We spoke about it everyday after so it must have good but it is one of those menus where you literally have to sit and google most words on the menu hurriedly as the waiter approaches, to avoid looking like that girl who only ever eats Nando’s and Nutella toast…
Having said this, the whole concept is a true novelty and the atmosphere inside was unreal. Greated by a glitter-clad boy decked in leather and smutty paraphernalia, you would have no idea you were being led down into a candle-lit cave masquerading as a pretty swanky restaurant. Definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for an alternative dining experience but seriously, book far far in advance!
The Breakfast Club
Another place that racks up quite a waiting list is London’s popular (to say the least) The Breakfast Club – a hot topic at the moment despite being there for over ten years. We got there in good time but still had to wait 45 minutes to be seated, in a queue that was nearly back at Liverpool Street underground station. The wait was well worth it though because although it is essentially just breakfast food like pancakes, full english and granola, the experience is again what gives this gaff its charm and charisma. Plus, they did serve up the best peanut butter and banana smoothie I have ever had the pleasure of putting in my mush and the toilets are gendered using My Little Pony and robot wallpaper.
The Fishpool Inn
Okay I promise to be quick about this last one because this is going to be longer than my dissertation if I don’t wind it up pronto but thought I may as well mention it while I’m at it. I ended up at The Fishpool Inn in Delamere as a bit of a happy accident this week and thought it definitely worth a mention. I’m a sucker for plush toilets and this place is high up there in the toilet ranks but the food and decor is great too.
Like a super-size log cabin in the woods, the interior is so cosy and inviting it’s hard to get up and leave. It’s even more difficult to do so when you’re nursing a stomach full of a top-notch beef, ale and baby onion pie. We also ordered quattro formaggi pizza (with extra chicken) which could only really be summed up with the word ‘meh’ but hey, nobody’s perfect right? Really looking forward to going back during the evening when I believe it gets extremely busy with a buzzing atmosphere.
Well that was a lot longer than I expected. Seems I can really ramble about food so you want to hear more about what tickles my tastebuds then feel free to subscribe to my blog right over there! –>
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