Smack Deli

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a lobster lover. Burger & Lobster is one of my go-to restaurants and recommendations with every single person I've taken signing up as a crustacean convert once the giant silver tray has been cleared away. The Goodman brothers have done good.

Building their empire hasn't been difficult: their steak restaurants are renowned, B&L is now Stateside and Beast, which serves king crab and steak, isn't exactly doing badly either. So what comes next? A 'fast food' deli eatery serving up moreish lobster rolls at £9 a pop, of course.

After a couple of cocktails at Bourne & Hollingsworth, I was inexplicably craving lobster and nothing else would do. I pulled S in the direction of Oxford Street, promising him a good time, and headed straight for Smack Deli, a stone's throw away from Bond Street station. 

The format here is straightforward - choose from one of the four lobster rolls on offer, order at the counter, pay and receive your buzzer. When your lobster goodness is ready, collect it and dig in. Easy.

We started with the Mexican (smoked chipotle mayo, peppers, corn, jalapeno and white cabbage) and the Seven Samurai (Japanese mayo, Japanese cabbage, cucumber, pickled ginger and spring onions). Toasted brioche stuffed to the brim with the fillings, these are serious sandwich contenders. Perhaps a little bit light on the actual depth of flavours but it was definitely love at first bite.

Still hungry, we shared the California (lettuce, cucumber, tomato, avocado mayo with lime) which they kindly split for us. Perhaps the freshest in terms of flavour, this one was my favourite but I think next time I might add a splash of tabasco.

We ordered wine and moreish courgette fries on the side and polished everything off pretty sharpish. As a younger sister, I think Smack Deli is making some real headway in keeping up with the rest of the family. A small way to go yet but I will definitely be back. Four out of five.

(Top photo via)

Forge & Co

Sports luxe. Colourful clothes. Beyonce. You know when practically everyone you know is raving about something but you just don't get it? That's kind of how I feel about Forge & Co. I want to like this place - there's bits about it that I absolutely love - but if my feelings were actions, they'd be something akin to a half-hearted shrug.

When Zomato and Forge & Co invited me down last week, I jumped at the chance. The twinkling windows opposite Shoreditch's Ace Hotel had caught my eye on more than one occasion but I hadn't yet made it inside the juggernaut that combines a canteen, bar and workspaces. I've heard it's great for brunch and judging by the buzzing and welcoming bar when we swept inside, it's popular in the evenings.

After a glass of wine at the bar - well stocked and well lit with a contemporary industrial feel, we were shown to our table. There's a mixtures of long benches for groups, individuals for two and low sofas for those wanting to kick back. I sat looking out over the restaurant which gave me ample opportunity to observe everyone else being served and waited on apart from us.

We waited for half an hour for a food menu - we decided to see how long it would take but then hunger pangs made us intervene - and to have our drinks refreshed. We went for a bottle of Lebanese red which was gloriously smooth and moreish, and brought to the table by one of the warmest, friendliest barmen I've ever been served by in London. Swings and roundabouts, right?

We decided to order the meat sharing platter to start which was loaded with 'British air dried meats' that looked suspiciously like prosciutto and parma ham, chorizo and duck (which tasted more like pork) rillettes. Okay, not the best order to test a kitchen's mettle but it was tasty nevertheless and a generous portion for the two of us.

I'd had my heart set on the whole lobster (£34) so ordered that - to be told that I wouldn't be able to manage it - so plumped for the whole seabass before deciding that, actually, I didn't want to go for my fail-safe fish and I really did want the crustacean after all, no matter how huge. What came out was half the size of the Burger & Lobster offerings (which are between 1lb and 2lb) and definitely not enough to satisfy one person, let alone two. S ordered the rib-eye steak (£21) which came overcooked with a small bit of watercress on the side and some soggy chips. Hmm.

Perhaps we were expecting too much from a place that models itself on canteen dining - but at these sorts of prices, we were expecting slightly better quality. And service. We waited twenty minutes more for our plates to be cleared, putting us completely off ordering any puddings, and realistically any return visits. As we left, the manager was apologetic and explained that he didn't know we'd been there to review - but I don't feel this is an excuse as every diner deserves to be treated well, whether or not they're reviewng the place.

As I said, there are a few good points about Forge & Co: the nice bar, the fab barman and the excellent music. What I left with, however, were the not so good of the poor service and average food. Rating? Three out of five.

You can view the full menu at Zomato and follow me here.

Mussel Men

My ever-blossoming love affair with lobster continues. I don't know really know where it's come from; my first memory of a live lobster was a family holiday to Antigua where I'd sat with my back to the tank and was completely freaked out by it's long antenna reaching out of the glass to settle on my head. A few days later, at OJ's Beach Shack down the coast I got my own back and had one grilled to perfection.

Since then, I hadn't really eaten lobster - it's not the most cost-effective way of getting your fish fix, after all - until Burger & Lobster opened and wild horses can't keep me away. It's embarrassing how often I find myself in there, lobster cracker and fork in hand, but this week I cheated on them and tried somewhere new for a change. Kingsland Road's Mussel Men.

Another restaurant, another great pun. Starting life as a seafood pop up, it's found a forever home in Dalston, tucked down from the Kingsland station and a stone's throw away from chains such as The Diner and my nemesis, Nando's. The all-in approach to decor (fishing nets, obligatory driftwood and a huge painted seascape) is actually a nice touch without being over the top and whether it's a coincidence that the really friendly front of house staff were all in Breton stripes, I'm not sure, but cute nonetheless.

Mussel Men's menu is short and sweet and ever-changing. You'll find the obligatory mussels (mariniere and a weekly special offering) of course, as well as fillets and steaks from the grill, scallops and oysters. But we'd come for the Lobster Tuesday special - half a lobster, chunky chips and a beer for £20. Not quite as good as Burger & Lobster's offering but they have size on their side, and Mussel Men's normal half costs £18 so there's a lot to be said.

Served on a (hot) slate, the lobster is steamed then topped with a hollandaise sauce that's lightly grilled. Smaller than I was expecting (huge fiend) but expertly cooked, the meat was tender and juicy and hugely moreish. I was completely cack-handed with the claw cracker and fork but the meat I did manage to salvage (and suck from the legs) I mopped up with the rest of the hollandaise and mayo on the side. Chips were huge and floury and the beer? We had a pint of the Samwells IPA - more lagery than ale and very fruity. For an extra £1, you can choose wine but there's something satisfying about devouring a lobster with a hardy pint of something hoppy.

By the time we left, the restaurant was full - a nice sign for a Tuesday night - with corks popping, mussels steaming and oysters being slurped by the dozen. Mussel Men is a great welcome addition to an area that's still coming to terms with its newfound popularity. Do their lobsters beat my firm favourite? Afraid not but I'll definitely be back.

& other places: The Big Easy, Psychic Burger, Soho House

The Big Easy
Veteran Chelsea crabshack, The Big Easy, opened up its second venue in Covent Garden this week. Channelling All-American steakhouses, this place is built for volume. The alcoholic slushies are to die for (go for the two-in-one Miami Vice if you're feeling flush) and the bottled-to-the-brim bar is friendly and attentive. The staff here are smiley and knowledgeable but we didn't get our drinks til after our mains arrived which was a little disappointing. There's a lot to offer - from steak to ribs, shrimp to lobster - but the night we went, they didn't have everything available - not so good for an opening night. We went for the Lobster Festival (£20 for a whole lobster, chunky chips, salad and a slushie) which was very reasonably priced but smaller (and drier) than its Burger & Lobster counterpart. The mac & cheese had a decent crumb but stick some proper cheese in there, please! Good for a tourist-land stop but I don't think I'll be going back.

Psychic Burger
The newest resident at Dalston's Birthdays, Psychic Burger has got the burger thing going on. Spoilt for choice, we gave the eponymous offering (beef, Psychic sauce, pickles, American cheese on a brioche bun) and the Lamb Franko (toasted almond & spiced lamb patty, smoked pomegranate yoghurt, aji, coriander on a brioche bun) a go. We'd toyed with the horse burger (yes, really) but our morals got the best of us so stacked up with croquettes and stilton chipotle dip, and chilli cheese fries for that all American dream. A little bit messy but totally moreish, we devoured everything, as well as several of the Bagheeras (Vanilla Stoli, ginger, Gomme, basil, lemon and ginger ale). We didn't stay for the afterparty but we'll definitely be back. 

Soho House
Tucked off Greek Street and sitting pretty over Soho, Soho House is a members-only with a difference. No stuffiness here (the Shoreditch contingent has a rooftop swimming pool), everything's quite casual as you wind your way up the stairs and settle in the devilishly comfortable leather sofas. We were here for drinks more than anything else - the Grey Goose Fizz was my total favourite - but couldn't help ordering some of the small plates to share. Spicy chicken wings? Not bad. Padron peppers? Gone in a flash. Chipolatas with honey and mustard? Yes please. And the smoked cod roe with toasts? Keep it coming! After our meeting was over, we wandered upstairs to the top floor where the conservatory gives out onto a little roof terrace where, just for a second, you both forget and remember that you don't actually live here. A girl can dream though, right?

Hawker House Street Feast: Yum Bun and Bob's Lobster

Now, if you spend even the briefest amount of time anywhere in London, you'll be aware of the multitude of food pop-ups that have been taking the city by storm. With a whole host of stalls, winnebagos, trailers, shacks, take-overs, you're spoilt for choice whether you're in Soho or Streatham, in a car park or in Covent Garden.

Photo by Street Feast

Following on from summer successes, Hawker House Street Feast has been holding residency on my doorstep, in a warehouse just off Broadway Market. Running every weekend until Christmas, and open from 5pm til 2am (how good is that?!), I finally made it down last Friday. It's free before 7pm and after 12pm, with a £3 entry fee in between - but judging by the amount of people buzzing in and out, it's definitely worth the hype.

Photo by Menuspring

All dark and decadent with a red-light feel, there's a whole host of the city's finest food trucks to choose from - I spied Breddo's Tacos and Rola Wala as soon as I walked in. I found my pals amongst the food frenzy at Yum Bun - the incredibly popular steamed bun guys. Pillow-soft steamed buns are filled with your choice of the freshest ingredients. I went for the Pork Bun (£4, or £7 for two) - slow-roasted pork belly with cucumbers, hoi sin and spring onions - and it was to die for. The perfect combination of flavours with the right amount of crunch - I've been craving it ever since and I'm left wondering when I'm next going to get my fix. If you're feeling a little peckish, get two as these perfect little pockets disappear quickly and you'll be too impatient to queue again!

Photo by Rosie

Whilst my friends got the biggest pile of the stickiest ribs from Smokestak (ribs are my idea of food hell, what's with that?), I couldn't get over fast enough to Bob's Lobster - the cutest little split screen VW where the  chefs are all decked out in shirts and bow ties. I dove straight in to the lobster mac and cheese (I'm going through a bit of a mac and cheese thing at the moment) and fell head over heels in love. At £8 a pot, it's not your quick smash-and-grab but worth lingering over as the creamy cheese brings out that gorgeous silky smooth taste of the lobster meat. Topped with fresh spring onions for that little bit of bite, this is a dish that's gone straight to the top of my list.

As a result of my poor financial planning (I only had £20 cash on me) I didn't make it to any of the other stalls. This was devastating, as watching unattainable slider after slider be consumed by the people around me broke my heart. Having said that, there's a few more weekends left until Christmas and so plenty more opportunity to go again. Next time, I'm taking enough cash to consume something from every single stall...I mean, it's got to be done, right?

Burger & Lobster: round ii

As a company, we get to go to some great places for post-work playtime - Paramount, Sophie's, the W, Hakkasan...to name but a few. Last night, we decided to make a return trip to everyone's favourite lobster shack. Our last visit was in July and we felt it was time for a much-needed bit of summer.

'Single-serving' pop-ups and restaurants are very much the rage these days, and Burger & Lobster is no exception. As you might imagine, Burger & Lobster serve two things done three ways: a big burger with bacon, cheese, onions, gherkins and relish all served in a brioche bun, a whole lobster steamed (and grilled) with garlic butter, or a lobster roll - lobster meat in Japanese-inspired mayonnaise stuffed into brioche. All come served with string fries and a dressed salad. And a bib. For £20.

We went early, straight from work, to avoid the no-bookings debacle that a lot of London restaurants seem to have. With a quick drink at the bar (mine was a Mint Collins), and even quicker table service, the four of us stayed considerably crustacean. My lobster, as always, was great - lots of juicy meat to work for - and just the right amount of everything else. We toyed with the idea of getting bigger ones to share - 'Big Boys' weights and prices are listed on a catch of the day board. Yesterday's haul saw a whopping 8lb-er available for £120. 

Afterwards we indulged in both of the puddings on offer - a vanilla cheesecake topped with orange liqueur, and a chocolate mousse topped with crunchy flakes - which come served in old school tubs like the ones you used to get at the cinema. 

By the time we left, predictably, the place was heaving and the queue jostling. There's something about lobster that shouts of summer and holidays, and so it seemed fitting to follow the nicest day of the year so far with something a little decadent.